Let me warn you now: my brain has turned to Polar Mush, and I take no responsibility for the coherence of this post. Yesterday, I literally Gave Up at 3:30 PM when I realized that my furnace, even after running continually, still had not attained its Goal Temperature. Which meant that I was not going to attain mine, either. I hurriedly (and shivering-ly) finished prepping dinner, made stuff for Rick's lunches for the remainder of the week, and then zoomed into the bedroom where I put on my fleece jammies with the feet attached. This roused the attention of both cats, whose bliss was complete once they saw me grab my grandmother's flannel-backed comforter and hit the couch with my pillow and remote.
When I Give Up, I Mean Business.
I'm tired of Winter. I'm sick of being trapped inside by single-digit wind chills and icy walkways. Snow is not pretty if it's been sitting out there for weeks making everything so much more difficult and being tracked inside making things wet. (I don't think it's ever, ever "pretty.") The glare off that stuff is impressive when the sun shines; I don't need to put any lights on in the house all day long. It's hell when I have a headache.
I know: bitch, bitch, bitch. And I was going to behave myself and count my Blessings forever. I still do, but there's no halo on my head or wings hiding under my sweater. This isn't the Dept. of Pollyanna.
But here's a Happiness! And like many True Happinesses, it caught me completely by surprise and came in an unassuming, ordinary conveyance.
Rick came home from work and retrieved the mail from the porch. Sometimes I dread this--particularly when I'm crabby or have just cleaned up the living room from all detritus--because he will often toss any and all junk mail addressed to me on my lap, even though he knows it belongs in the recycle bin. The rest of it goes onto the coffee table, waiting. It just makes more work for me, and I don't even bother to open it. Or, he'll toss financial statements with my name on them to me, again knowing that he is the one who deals with them, not me.
But I digress.
Rick got the mail and tossed me an envelope. I rolled my eyes and then looked at the return address. It was from Blue Buffalo Litigation, Settlement Department. "Oh, hey!" I said. "I forgot about joining this Blue Buffalo pet food class action lawsuit. Geeze, it was such a long time ago. It was something about...I don't even remember. I read about it online and filed online, too." As I was talking, I was opening the envelope and taking out a check.
And then my eyes popped out of my head, fell on the carpet, became covered with cat hair, and Rick had to go rinse them off before he could stick them back into my face, where my mouth was hanging open like a drawbridge welcoming the procession of the Knights Of The Roundtable returning from a quest.
Because the check was for $108.69.
I got OVER ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS OF FREE MONEY IN THE MAIL. From a class action lawsuit. It's incredible.
I've joined lots of class action lawsuits that I've been eligible for in the past, and the most I've gotten has been maybe fifteen bucks. I could not get over it. Almost as good as seeing a patch of grass in my yard...someday.
Warmed me right up.
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You made a hauling on that class action suit. The most I've ever gotten from one is $2.00 and some change.
ReplyDeleteI'm SO over winter and being cold!
Jean--It's a new Personal Best. I'm blaming this winter (and all hardships, personal and otherwise) on the republicans. It's really not hard to do.
DeleteWow, Nance. That's a great haul from a class action lawsuit. I think my payout record is about $36 and I was happy to see that amount.
ReplyDeleteThe winter carries on, doesn't it? Our wood stove is getting more of a workout than ever this winter. Yet my feet are cold most of the time it seems. So when you said, "When I Give Up, I Mean Business." I could totally visualize that scenario, Nance!
Shirley
Shirley--Lovely to see you here.
DeleteThat check was a stunner. When I researched the whole thing (because, you know, that's just Who I Am), it was apparently because so few people filed, relatively speaking. And darn it, if I had thought about the fact that I was a PetSmart loyalty card member, I could have had them print out my purchase records and gotten way, way more. But I am still (obviously) thrilled with my bonus.
My feet are always cold, too, so sometimes I add a heating pad to the cocoon.
That was a very warming moment! I am, however, taking notes on creative Giving Up for future reference when we return to snowland.
ReplyDeleteMary--If you are Wise, you will extend your Stay right where you are.
DeleteIf only. There is this thing called an exchange rate. About 75 to 100 at present inyour favour. Time for youmto,buy wine, eh?
DeleteMary--Oh, yeah. Forgot about the XRate. That's too bad.
DeleteThe rate was actually better when we last were in Canada (in mid-October). I think we were getting $1.28 or better.
And it's always Time To Buy Wine! LOL.
I am still in that stage of, when I'm walking back from my mailbox, I look down at the snow and think how incredibly beautiful it is. Diamonds and all that. I am glad it's going to warm up this weekend, however; 38 will feel like a heat wave!
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the ice jams on Lake Erie? I think maybe near Sandusky...A television crew was there filming some people climbing on them (crazy), taking pictures, etc., of the lake frozen over. And this one kid was beyond thrilled b/c he was able to lie down "on" Lake Erie and make a snow angel. It was actually very sweet.
Elle--I was born, raised, and still live here in NEO. I've seen my share of ice jams and the ice-covered trees all along Erie's breakwalls. It is killing me how The NBC Nightly News is making a huge deal about the ice in a river in Connecticut. YAWN. How is this news? This is a common occurrence in OH, and isn't Winter a usual visitor in CT? Now if it were ice jams in the Everglades, then by all means, send a reporter out there and I'm excited.
DeleteThe huge ice jam "sculptures" this year on Erie are magnificent. The ones you are talking about are singular this year because of the quality of the ice and their height. They do look quite Arctic--or at least Alaskan--and are going to make a lot of terrific photos.
But we are not Connecticut, that's for sure. ;-)
WHOA. That would have improved any day a lot for me!
ReplyDeleteBridget--I know, right? Better than a dollar in the dryer.
DeleteWell, congratulations on your found money! That'll buy some happiness. Whatcha gonna do with the $$$?
ReplyDeleteAlly Bean--Thanks. Not sure yet. I think I'll wait to be Inspired since it was a Serendipitous Fortune.
DeleteNice! I've only ever joined one or two class action suits and never gotten anything from them! Perhaps if the snow/ice/frozen tundra goes away you could go out to dinner?
ReplyDeleteVera--It will definitely be Radical Self-Care money.
DeleteWow, I have never heard of someone getting that much money! We were in the class action lawsuit against Ticketmaster and we got a boatload of credits, but they are all for horrible concerts and we rarely go to concerts anymore so it's really like we got nothing.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping that the weather improves for you soon! I think you guys are out of the super awful weather and on to the plain awful weather? We just got some cold and rain today, after a long time of basically the same hot-ish weather.
Gina--That settlement really does sound like nothing. It's like getting a bad batch of strawberry jam and the manufacturer giving you a coupon for liver paste.
DeleteWe are headed for a warming trend! The temperatures will start warming into the mid 30s and 40s for the next week. So toasty! ;-)
In my former job (you know, 20 days ago), I handled the other side of the class action. We only had a few actually get settled as class actions & the members only ever got a few dollars each. It's the lawyers that score in these matters. So go you with your excellent haul! If I had an extra $100 I would buy a purse. It's been a while since I got one and I'm starting to get obsessed. Or some really good boots. Oh who am I kidding - I'd buy yarn. Ha!
ReplyDeleteP.S. We had 6 inches of snow last week. I used my Ohio cred & went to work anyway only to get sent home early.
Bug--It's always the lawyers who get the big bucks, and after all, they are the ones who do all the work of researching, filings, etc. All I had to do was click a few times and fill out a form.
DeleteIf I ever, ever spent $100 on a purse, I'd never get over the guilt. I've come to hate purses in general, and look at them now as sort of a Necessary Evil. I wish I didn't even have to carry one, ever. I've been using the same three or four purses in rotation now for about ten years or more. And the most expensive one was less than fifty bucks with a bunch of discounts at Macy's.
I've been feeling very sorry for all of you Southerners with all that snow! It's really Not Fair. Especially since it doesn't diminish ours at all. ;-)
I have never received mail about a class action lawsuit that I could lay a claim to. But now I am thinking I might need to take a closer look! Do they ask you for proof of purchase on that? I only ever get letters about stuff like that in the mail for 'people who suffered from asbestos exposure during the 1950's' or similar, lol.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find something great to splurge on!
Ortizzle--I didn't get the info in the mail. I read about it online purely at random, and I followed the link to file. They didn't ask for proof of purchase, but if I had thought at the time, I could have asked for a printout since I always use my PetSmart loyalty card. Most of them don't ask for receipts (you have to accept a smaller amount without one, and your filing includes a sworn statement attesting that you are a qualified litigant). So far, nothing exciting. I probably should save it for spring, when I feel more chipper.
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