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Today's quote:

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

We're already well into the new year

You don't need seven acres to grow your own tomatoes: just a styrofoam box on the balcony can give you several kilos of tomatoes, the likes of which you'll never find in a supermarket

 

As I went outside this morning to pick a few tomatoes in the veggie garden to go with my fried-egg-on-toast, I noticed it was drizzling. Just the excuse I needed not to cut the grass today and stay indoors instead and read a book.

No such excuse yesterday when we rushed into town for a consultation with the vet, as little Rover's eye infection was getting worse. The waiting room had a SLIPPERY WHEN WET sign on the floor which Rover immediately tested by lifting up his leg against it. I guess they added the cost of the mopping-up to the bill as I can't imagine a tiny vial of eye drops and a three-day course of antibiotics costing $168.

The town was as mad as ever during this time of year and we couldn't get back fast enough to the peace and quiet of "Riverbend". Just made a brief detour via the post office to collect the mail which only netted us the monthly credit card statement. The Visa-people must hate me because I refuse to get sucked into their minimum repayment plan: "If you make no additional charges using this card and each month you pay only the minimum payment, you will pay off the Closing Balance shown on this statement in about 39 years and 3 months and you will end up paying estimated total interest charges of $12,487.26".

Or perhaps, not having another 39 years and 3 months up my sleeve, I should consider it! I can already see my epitaph: Here lies Peter Goerman with a smile on his face. He didn't pay off his credit card.

But really, why would anyone spend money they haven't got, and then pay 19.5% interest on it? Even if they really had to, they'd be better off taking out a personal loan at half the interest rate. Anyway, my question is purely rhetorical as millions of people seem to do it (I know someone who goes one better and pays off one card with another).

So much for my cynical observations of the social ills of the world which I can't change anyway. Or perhaps I'm just grumpy because that's all the mail I got. Not even a late Christmas card! If you want to improve my disposition, write to PO Box 233, Batemans Bay NSW 2536.