Health Insurance

The other day I received a letter from Covered California letting me know that I needed to submit proof of income to them for last year.  I stopped off at my accountant's office today and picked up the tax information that I needed to fax. 

I don't have a fax machine, so I used the service at our local hardware store.  It took a while for Covered California  to receive it, but eventually the pages were all transmitted.  That's a huge relief.  I receive a generous subsidy from our government for my health insurance.  It's important to stay on top of the paperwork in order to qualify.  I'm so glad it's all finished. 

I started watering the trees this afternoon, and stopped as the sky turned grey.  I put the hose away, and then it started to sprinkle.  I'm hoping for a dramatic storm.  So far it's just dark and impending.   

How has the weather been where you live? 

100 Sales on Etsy

Today I mailed out a soap order that marked my 100th sale on Etsy.  I am very pleased about that; I never anticipated it.  I started my Etsy shop after having my hips replaced.  I had no idea if I would find any customers, and if it would continue.  At least it gave me a focus while I was healing.  I decided to add my hand knits and crocheted items, as well.  It's become a very enjoyable mail order business.  I adore my customers.  

The last three orders this week have been for cameo soaps.  I am busily making some more for my stash.  I whipped up a batch of Coconut Dream soap several days ago.  My neighbor requested it, because it lathers nicely in the hard water.  It has a 20% superfat, and only uses a few ingredients.   

I have been working through my paperwork and clutter.  As I get older, it is more of a challenge to stay organized.  If I'm not careful, I can become careless and messy.  With a small cottage, things look out of control very quickly if they are not put away in their place.  I am also writing daily lists in my datebook.  It helps me to remember what I'm doing and to not get distracted.  

My intuition nudged me yesterday to buy a couple of new things, instead of always focusing on used and older items.  I bought a bright red plaid pair of Ralph Lauren pajamas and a knee length, snug, taupe knit skirt.  It will be perfect to wear over leggings with my snow boots.  That way I won't feel so exposed.   Leggings are a bit tight and clingy to wear when you are 55.  January is a great time to buy clothing.  Things are always on sale after Christmas.

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Estimating Your Retirement Income

hot processed soap in the crockpot

This morning I searched Social Security's website and entered my personal information. I was curious to see how much money I will receive when I reach retirement age.

I was very pleased when I read the  results. If I start collecting it at age 62, the amount will be $662.00 a month.  If I wait until I'm 67, it goes up to $941.00 per month. If I stay disciplined, and collect it at age 70, it jumps up to $1,167.00 a month. Wow! I plan to wait until I am 70, (if I make it,) and collect the maximum amount.

I will also be eligible for Medicare, which will help my budget. Health insurance is my biggest expense. It will continue to get more expensive as I age.  When I hit age 65, I will probably buy a gap policy; I need to research them. I have always been in excellent health, and I hope to stay that way. At that time I will be able to take the bus for free, and will qualify for a  free gym membership through Silver Sneakers. I find that very exciting!  It pays to have a long work history.

I plan to continue to work, making my soaps, selling my hand knits, and writing for magazines. I will have investment income, as well. So, the future  looks bright and fulfilling. I called up Equity to inquire about my pension, and it turns out that I am two weeks short of the amount of work that I need to qualify.  I thought that the AGVA shows I did as a Rockette and with Juliet Prowse count as working weeks, but they don't. Oh well. Maybe I can drum up something. I will look into it.

It's a relief to see the totals and to plan for the future. I filed some more paperwork today. I do a little bit each day now, instead of letting it pile up into an intimidating mountain. (which is what I used to do.) I am so glad that I bought a small, modest home, and paid it off like Suze Orman teaches.  Onward.

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Six Common Financial Mistakes Dancers Make Link

I received an email from my editor at Dance Magazine this morning. My latest article with them is now live. She reminded me to type up an invoice and to send it to the editor in charge of mailing our checks. It's always exciting to get published and to make arrangements for getting paid.

Here is the link to the article.

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90 Sales On Etsy

Ojai clouds and mountains

On Sunday I hit my goal of ninety sales in my Etsy shop, pinkcottagesoaps.etsy.com. It was very rewarding. Now I will shoot for a hundred. It's hard to believe that my little home based business has grown and developed so quickly.  I started it after having my hips replaced. I had always wanted a mail order business, especially after closing my dance and yoga studio.  I find it so much easier to work from home. You don't have to worry about paying business rent and all of those other expenses.  I just listed a couple of new batches of soap. The Shea Butter Goat's Milk and Coconut Dream soaps have finished curing.  I need to pick up some macadamia nut oil and coconut milk at Sprouts so that I can make more Shampoo Bars. I am sold out of them. I bought the avocado oil for that recipe at Costco yesterday. I paid for it separately, with my business debit card.  

Short rows on Stockholm Sweater

I am completing the pair of blue ribbed  hand knit socks today. Tomorrow I will  focus on the Stockholm Sweater. This is what I have so far...isn't the yarn  gorgeous?  All of the ladies in class were knitting it in different colors. The shades were just divine! I want to make one in purple. It's so lovely. I am happy with my choice of color, though. For some reason, knitting with other women seems to trigger yarn envy.  I mean it  in a positive way, though. It's more like admiration. We were oohing and aahing at each others' work.

Huge orange trees near the highway

I'm cooking a rack of lamb and  baked potatoes for dinner. I made a spinach salad earlier for lunch. I will season the lamb with fresh rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. It should be  delicious; I love lamb.  I spent a huge amount of money at Costco yesterday, but stayed in my monthly budget. I will need to buy very little for the rest of March. I like to have a full fridge and pantry. It gives me a feeling of security.

Ojai Spanish casita

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Another Article!

Yesterday I heard from my editor at Dance Magazine, and she agreed to use a pitch that I had just sent to her. This article will be about dancers, and common mistakes that they make with their money. I have been talking with some  of my show business friends on the phone about their past and current financial situations, and it has been fascinating.


They all have enthusiastic advice for the young dancers. I was surprised how many opened up to me about things like a spouse who spent all of their savings, or how an unexpected illness or injury set them back financially.  In my own life, I got involved in two separate situations where I was pulling far more than my own weight, financially. Instead of saving money, I was paying my partner's share of the bills.Thankfully, I realized that I couldn't afford to continue this behavior, so I ended both relationships. It could have turned out much worse if we had been married.

My editor is having me consult one of the experts from Career Transitions For Dancers for this piece. I received a $2000.00 grant from them when I was in my thirties. I used that money to obtain my yoga certification. I also attended their free career counseling and computer classes. I was so afraid of computers at that time! Now I love them.

One thing that makes me feel good is to look back at the goals that I set when talking with their career counselor, Eleanor. At that time I wanted to teach dance and yoga, and  to become a writer. That's exactly what I ended up doing. I remember getting upset in their writing class, because I brought in my homework, (which I had spent hours on,)  and some of the other women in the group criticized it.  I shot back  that I didn't think that they should be pointing out the flaws in my work, since they hadn't even completed the assignment. They were shocked. I remember the conflict so well. It was hard for me to confront them at that time, but I'm glad so that I did. Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself.   

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Got My Taxes Done

Yesterday I had my taxes done at our local senior center. VITA provides volunteer tax accountants who will do your return free of charge. To qualify, you need to  make under a certain amount of money. I had a wonderful woman who was very helpful. She carefully went through all of my expenses with me, and gave me some excellent advice. She reminded me of  a teacher. I so appreciated her kindness and caring. She was so detailed and exact.

From there I drove over to Mail America and faxed my proof of income to Covered California. They had sent me a letter saying that they needed a copy of my tax return in order for me to keep my health insurance. It felt so satisfying to get those things done. I will be receiving almost $4,800. back from my health insurance payments. That money will go directly into savings and retirement. It's such a relief to have a financial cushion.

I had an Etsy order yesterday for some heart soaps, so I sent those off at the post office. I made another batch today. I took my time, and enjoyed stirring the soap batter. I scented it with Cranberry Chutney fragrance from Brambleberry. It smells heavenly!

I've got to do my physical therapy exercises and yoga now. I haven't done my push ups in ages, and I meant to be doing them every day. My dad is 88, and he does thirty push ups each day! I hope I'll be able to do them at that age, if I live that long. How are you?

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Is It A Lot Of Work To Keep Chickens?

This morning I received a comment that I thought would make a helpful blog post. Courtney wrote,  "I would LOVE to get laying hens someday. The kids and I eat eggs every morning, plus we live in the country, so it would be perfect for us. Is it a lot of work? Is it something kids could take charge of and do?

I would definitely have an adult taking care of the chickens, with children helping and learning. In my opinion, it's just too easy for the dog to squeeze into the coop, for someone to forget to lock them in at night, or for a predator to swoop down and take your chickens.

Where I live we have coyotes, owls, hawks, raccoons, snakes, and loose dogs. I experienced a couple of close calls with my last chicken, Jillian. Fortunately, she ran for cover under the lemon tree and survived a near attack from a hawk.  Because of all the thorns, she was safe. She did lose some feathers, though.


I wouldn't say it's a lot of work, but caring for chickens is a big responsibility. They need daily time and care. You have to regularly sweep out the litter from the coop and empty the nest boxes. I give mine fresh water each day, and wash out their food bowl nightly.  They need fresh bedding in the nest boxes. I use pine needles or straw. If you leave their food out overnight, it will probably attract rats.

I had a beautiful chicken coop already on the property when I bought my cottage. You can find something  at a feed store, but they are pretty pricey. Many people make their own with recycled materials. Mine  has a brick floor, French windows and doors, and chicken wire along the bottom for ventilation. There are a couple of nest boxes and two perches. It meets their needs.

I feed my hens twice a day. I give them scratch, fruit and vegetable trimmings, fresh greens, and compost. A scoop of compost from my backyard pile is filled with red wiggler worms, mealy bugs, earwigs, and other insects. The chickens gobble up every bit of it. The protein is very good for them. They love it, especially the red wiggler worms. Whenever I see a grasshopper, I trap it in a jar and feed it to them.

In the late afternoon I give them laying mash, more fresh produce, and I sprinkle some oyster shells into their food. This helps make their egg shells hard. The chickens in the photo above belong to my neighbor. I took care of her flock over the weekend, while she was out of town. I went over there three times a day. Hers are terrific layers. She gives them a plentiful supply of fresh fruits and vegetables that she gets from the food pantry. They let her take what they would throw away; she collects it once a week.

It's very important to keep the chicken coop secure. One time I was washing my dishes, I glanced out the window saw my German Shepherd's hind quarters sticking out of the chicken coop. She had worked the chicken wire loose over about a week. Fortunately, I caught her just in time, and saved the chicken. Carlie had pulled some feathers and flesh from her neck. The hen looked dead, but she wriggled back to life when I picked her up and comforted her. Chickens can die of fright. I cleaned her wound and it healed. From then on, her feathers always grew in that spot last, after she molted.  I have friends who have lost their whole flock to raccoons or coyotes. If you ever hear a ruckus, always run outside and check on them.     

They are wonderful pets, and the eggs are delicious, but they are a commitment. Mine usually don't lay during the hottest part of  the year, and resume again in February. It's a chore I enjoy. I'm sure some of the readers will be along to comment and let you know their thoughts. Many of them also keep chickens.

Thank you for your comments. They add so much talent and enthusiasm to the blog. Please comment in English. I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published. If you enjoy the posts here, please share them.     

Working on the Weekend

This weekend I got a lot of knitting, crocheting, and soapmaking done for my Etsy orders. The alpaca throw is wrapped and boxed, and ready to ship. Today is a holiday, so I'll mail it out  first thing tomorrow morning. I am nearly done with the crocheted baby blanket. I have a few more rows to complete before I start the border. It's looking very sweet.

On Saturday I made a batch of Yogurt Parfait soap from Ann L. Watson's book. You mix the yogurt with distilled water and freeze it. It makes a lovely soap. I decided to try out my sample of red Brazilian clay that I have in with my supplies. Because this is a milk soap, the final product shifted into more of a pastel pink. I love the shade. It's so muted and soft. It reminds me of a powder puff.

I think I'm going to try using the purple clay again, because I think I might be happier with it as a solid color. I used it to swirl a batch of olive oil soap, and it turned out a bit brown for my taste. We'll see how it looks in this recipe with a larger amount of the clay.  I love that the clay is a natural colorant. When you freeze soaps, it's a totally different effect than what you get when you gel them. The heat brightens and strengthens the colors. The cold and white milk or cream softens them, and gives you pastels.

I picked some rosemary off of my bush in the garden, and am letting it dry on the kitchen counter. (The Aussies would call that a bench.) I am going to use the rosemary in some soaps for Christmas that I'll be making. I have a fir tree mold, and will infuse the oils with the herb. I remember receiving a bar of rosemary soap years ago, as  a gift. It was very special. I liked the healing properties, and the texture. What's happening in your neck of the woods?        

Knitting and Crocheting Like Mad

Yesterday I received an order in my Etsy shop for an alpaca throw and a pair of cotton crocheted pot holders. I always feel excited when I get an Etsy order. July is a hot month, so the last thing I expected was to sell an alpaca blanket! It's been over one hundred degrees here! I am thrilled, though. Years ago, I made each of my parents one of these, and they were very well received. They are so soft and warm. I wish every person over fifty could have one. They are so cozy in the cold weather. I even took mine with me on the train and used it in the sleeper car when I traveled from Los Angeles to Oregon. They are light weight and easy to pack.


Once I saw the order, I went on line to see if I could find a good price on the yarn. Alpaca is normally very expensive. Retail price is usually $20.00 a skein. I did some research, and found what I needed on clearance at Webs. They had four skeins left of the dark green. I needed three. Perfect! I emailed the customer to check on the shade of the color, and she was happy with it. It's amazing what we can do on line these days. I went ahead and placed my order.

I didn't have any more of the kitchen cotton yarn that she chose. I had used up the last bits. So, I drove down to Beverly's and tried to find it there. Our store is going out of business, and they only had one lone skein remaining on the shelves. I needed two. I drove a bit further to Walmart, and bought a large cone of it for $7.97. Every dollar counts when you are selling hand knits. I also make the pot holders in pastels and other colors, but my customers seem to like the oatmeal with the little flecks of color. That's something I didn't expect. Now I have plenty.

I'm excited to get started on the throw. I knit this pattern on very large needles, and the work goes quickly. It's a joy to knit with alpaca yarn. It's so luxurious. I am almost finished with the pot holders, and will work on my cotton cardigan later this afternoon.  I'm doing the first sleeve now, and am a little concerned that I may run out of yarn. There is a little over one skein left, and one and a half sleeves still to do. I'm crossing my fingers. I know you are supposed to buy and extra skein for good measure when you make a sweater, but I didn't.Fortunately our local yarn shop still has the yarn if I need it.

As my dad has told me, "It's always a good feeling to make a sale." It's true. I was flying high when I clicked over to my Etsy shop, and saw that little flag up on Shop Manager. This was almost a $200.00 order, so it's an exciting day here at Pink Cottage Soaps! How is your day going?  

A Day at Home

This morning I just didn't have the gumption to get up at 4:00 a.m. and charge out the door for my 6:00 a.m. bike ride, so I didn't. I stayed home. It was kind of nice just to relax on my couch, write in my journal, and enjoy a couple of cups of French Roast coffee. I didn't feel so rushed and pressured to hurry out and catch that bus. After watering the flowers, I made a batch of guacamole  It tasted delicious on a homemade quesadilla that I cooked in my vintage toaster oven. I love the flavors of the fresh onion, garlic, cilantro, lime, and salt. They mix so well with the fresh avocado.

I finished my socks. A fellow blogger had written a post about knitting the kitchener stitch, so I watched the Youtube video for that, and digested it. It looks interesting, and very effective. Many people have trouble with the kitchener stitch, but I don't. I like it. I love hand sewing, though. A lot of knitters don't. I'm not sure why. In fact, a lot of knitters seem to actually hate hand sewing, so much so that they won't sew the squares of a blanket or the pieces of a sweater together, for years.  Knitters are a passionate and opinionated bunch.  I used to have trouble remembering kitchener stitch, so I wrote out a cheat sheet on the bottom corner of my sock pattern. All I have to do is glance at it, and the technique comes back to my memory. I'm the kind of person who has to write things down in order to learn them. That's how I memorize. If I don't put it on paper, what I've seen just evaporates from my mind.

I sewed in the ends on the socks, and blocked them. My tension has gotten really loose. I think it's because I've been working on the tiny circular needles. I may have to go down to a size 0, or switch back to dpn's. Oh well. They fit. I'll have to find someone who wears a size 9 shoe to gift them to for Christmas. I don't know who on Earth is going to like these colors, but that's what I thought about the bright orange ones, and I found a taker. I don't think I'll buy any more grab bags of yarn. It's not a bargain if you don't like the colors, and I never would have chosen these two.

I realized today that I feel like  I am getting a bit overwhelmed with technology. It's like I'm trying to keep in touch with way too many people. I always used to feel like I was very neat and organized. Now I don't. I seem to be getting messier as I'm getting older. I don't like it. My mother always kept her house in a perfect state. She was so good at it. I think if I spent less time on line, I would have more time and energy to do the mundane tasks in the home, like mopping the floors. Oh well. The laundry is done, the sheets are clean, and the daily broth  and vegetables are made.I just received a big Etsy order, which I am excited about knitting. I  made a quick run out to the store to pick up some more kitchen cotton yarn. 

This is a photo of my mom. Her house was always spotless, and she almost never misplaced anything. My goal is to be more like her.

The Joy of Soap Making

Several years ago, I ordered a book on soap making. I was eager to get started and try it. As I read through the recipes and stories, I began feeling a little nervous. There were so many warnings about the lye. Also, none of the recipes had measurements in cups; everything was in ounces or grams. You needed to buy a kitchen scale and weigh the ingredients. That put me off, too. I wasn't sure how to use a digital scale, and I was afraid I wouldn't understand it. Did you weigh the measuring cup first, and then add the liquid? It all seemed very intimidating. I put the book away for years. A couple years later I picked it up again  and spent hours and hours  researching soap making on line.

In the meantime, I had decided to try making melt and pour soap. That sounded simple, and very safe. I had ordered a soap making starter kit from Brambleberry, so I already had some soap molds and fragrance oils. I had purchased their starter pack on line. It had several different types of melt and pour soap: goat's milk, shea butter, glycerine, aloe vera, and a clear variety. It was really easy and fun. Maybe too easy. All you did was cut up the block of soap mixture into cubes, melt it over low heat on the stove, and then add the fragrance. I poured it into the molds, feeling happy to finally be using them. The soap was hard and ready to use within an hour or two.

I was excited about these soaps, but they weren't exactly what I wanted. I had been ordering some wonderful cold processed soaps on line from a farm in Indiana. These were really lovely soaps. They just felt divine. I wanted to work up the courage to make my own at home, but I was afraid. Having to wear goggles, gloves, long sleeves, and shoes intimidated me. I couldn't even see well enough to read the recipe through the goggles. The printing  was all blurry. That seemed even more dangerous. All of the books said that you needed to have lots of ventilation and that no pets should be around the soap making area. I'd think about it and then start procrastinating again. I invented all sorts of excuses.

A couple years later I still had my soap making kit sitting in the kitchen cupboard. When we would talk on the phone my mother would ask me, "Why don't you make soap?" I'd explain to her how complicated it all sounded, and that I was afraid of burning myself with the lye. It was easier for me to just order it on line from the lady with the goat farm in Indiana. I did that for a couple of years, rationalizing that I was supporting her business, and that I was busy teaching my ballet and yoga classes,  anyway.

Finally, I got up the nerve and made my own soap at home. It was the most exciting experience! It was much easier than I had expected. It felt so good to use all of the oils that I had ordered, instead of feeling guilty for letting them sit in the cupboard. I did some research on line, and found some great support from women on soap making and simple living forums.

I was so happy with the result that I became a soap maker and opened an Etsy shop. The lather, the smell, and the texture of hand made soap just thrilled me. It was such a luxury, and now I had nice gifts that I could give to people. When I was a dance teacher I had always stressed out about buying Christmas presents. I didn't really have the money for extras. With soap, I can make it months in advance, and it's always well received. Everybody uses it. Even now, I still look forward to my daily bath or shower so that I can enjoy a bar of goat's milk, shea butter, or olive oil  homemade soap. It's like a decadent dessert.

How about you? Do you make soap?