How Pete Saved $29.95 per Month

I have recently returned from a very rewarding meeting with Tim Takacs. He has an Elder Law Practice and Life Care Planning Operation http://www.tn-elderlaw.com/Home with a staff of 9 specialists including:

• Office Manager
• Office Assistant
• Assoc. Lawyer
• 3 Elder Care Coordinators
• 2 Legal Assistants
• Medicare Specialist
• Public Benefits Specialist

Tim Takacs

This is how Tim describes his operation:  For almost 20 years, the Elder Law Practice of Timothy L. Takacs has been helping families respond to the legal, financial, physical and psychological challenges presented by long life, illness and disability. As an elder law practice that specializes in Life Care Planning, we help families protect assets and coordinate care. Founder Timothy L. Takacs, CELA, one of the most respected elder law attorneys in the nation, leads an interdisciplinary team of care coordinators and other professionals who work together to enhance the quality of life for elders

We discussed a whole range of issues we need to consider about various aspects of getting on in years. One of the real dangers we discussed is the danger of a fall when no one is nearby. I have had 3 falls in the last few years, one required the Emergency Rescue firemen, one fall was immediately outside the VA Medical Center and two veteran medical providers pulled me up like a baby doll, I describe the third fall in my blog post https://cloisterliving.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/a-true-experience-i-had-fallen-and-i-couldnt-get-up/

Tim and Debra King (Eldercare Coordinator) emphasized the dangers of a fall when alone. They talked about risks of the “long lie”. Older people, who fall at home with nobody around, may have what doctors call a “long lie”: you are in pain or too shocked to get up, do not have a way to call for help and assistance, may have to wait for a long time before help arrives. This in itself can create further health problems and even death.

This caught our attention but I wanted some option that would not cost me over $360/year. My wife found a lanyard that she used to carry a Police Whistle around her neck when she was a K-3 grade teacher. I removed the whistle and attached my cell phone to the lanyard. I am wearing it now, it is completely invisible and I can’t even feel that I am wearing it. Frankly it’s more convenient than a holster or belt clip.

I am registered with Metro Nashville’s SMART911 program, if I fall, I dial 911, I can talk to the 911 person, and the emergency people know where I am and my various medical and physical health conditions. They even know what cars are in our driveway. See https://cloisterliving.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/smart-911-can-save-the-lives-of-cloister-residents/ about SMART911.

With this set-up I don’t need the “Help I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up” service that costs a minimum of $29.95 per month.

Cloister Unit Sales Prices vs Appraised Value

These are Cloister Unit sales since the beginning of 2012

Unit Sales as % of Appraised Value

The larger units seem to be holding their values better.

About Not Breaking the Law in Tennessee

There are two activities that are illegal in Tennessee but can be practiced in Kentucky, across the state line, only 50 miles away

At various points during the 19th century, gentlemen from Tennessee would travel to the north – to property just across the Kentucky border­­­ – to settle their differences in a pistol duel.

During those times, dueling to resolve arguments or conflicts was illegal in Tennessee, but was a lawful activity in Kentucky. According to historical accounts, famous figures such as Andrew Jackson and Sam Houston were said to have visited the “dueling grounds” site as witnesses to such duels.

It is also illegal in Tennessee to operate bingo halls or any other form of gambling other than games sponsored by the Tennessee Lottery. According to the website Tennessee-Bingo.com, Tennessee bingo was very common in the past. A New York Times article from 1990 said that the state housed approximately 300 different bingo halls.

“They used to have it years ago, and there was a bunch of crooks running it, and maybe that’s the reason they don’t have it here,” Charles said. “They were playing for charitable organizations here. They were supposed to be giving a certain percentage to those organizations, but the bingo halls here were not doing that. That’s why I think they shut them down.”

In Kentucky, the most popular games are regular bingo, featuring multiple cards played; pull-tab bingo, which allows players to win instantly; and electronic bingo.

Most bingo halls play for schools, churches, athletic departments, county fairs, among other charitable organizations. With part of the money that is taken in, a certain percentage goes to those organizations.

But on the same Kentucky “Dueling Grounds”, today we find The Kentucky Downs. Today, Kentucky Downs conducts its live turf racing meet each September on the only “European-style” race course in North America. The meet is staged in an informal festival setting and features the annual running of the Grade III Kentucky Turf Cup race. Additionally, Kentucky Downs offers year-round simulcasting, serves as the site for numerous special and entertainment events and hosts charity bingo for a number of community-based organizations in south central Kentucky.

Kentucky Downs added Instant Racing to its “menu” as the next step in the transformation of what was once the site of “pistols at dawn” to a year-round entertainment destination. http://www.kentuckydowns.com/

Churchill Downs in Louisville KY has just introduced an on-line instant horse race game called Luckity.com see http://www.luckity.com/how-it-works-online-lottery

Do you think we should hold a “Private Bingo Party” at The Cloister Clubhouse?

Blogs, Message Boards, and Other Social Media for Cloister Communication

This gallery contains 8 photos.

Yesterday a young teen-age girl walked out of the Bellevue Library. Wires connecting a MP3 player in the pocket of her shorts to ear pods were draped over her right shoulder, she stared down on her Smart Phone as she was texting … Continue reading →

Harris Teeter Belle Meade Store Internet Shopping Program…An Example of the Value of Internet Use

Bonney and I have shopped at the Harris Teeter Store behind the Belle Meade Theater just past White Bridge Road a number of times recently. As we walk in we see a line of steel lockers on the left. Upon asking we were told that these lockers hold food ordered over the internet for later pick up at the store door. An empoyee shops the store and bags the food and stores it in one of the lockers waiting for customer pick-up. The customer drives up, purchases are loaded into the car and the customer pays by credit card or check.

Here are the details of the program…..

Policies

To introduce you to the Express Lane service, we will credit the $4.95 pick-up fee on your first order!Pickup ServiceGrocery pickup is available for a fee of $4.95. Please refer to our pickup schedule below.Pickup Schedule Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
* The earliest Sunday pickup time is not available until 12:00 p.m. in NC and TN and 12:30 p.m. in GA due to state and local alcohol restrictions.

Order Before	Pickup Times
7:00 AM	11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
7:30 AM	11:30 AM – 7:00 PM
8:00 AM	12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
8:30 AM	12:30 PM – 7:00 PM
9:00 AM	1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
9:30 AM	1:30 PM – 7:00 PM
10:00 AM	2:00 PM – 7:00 PM
10:30 AM	2:30 PM – 7:00 PM
11:00 AM	3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
11:30 AM	3:30 PM – 7:00 PM
12:00 PM	4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
12:30 PM	4:30 PM – 7:00 PM
1:00 PM	5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
1:30 PM	5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
2:00 PM	6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
2:30 PM	6:30 PM – 7:00 PM
3:00 PM	7:00 PM – 7:30 PM
3:00 PM	7:30 PM – 8:00 PM

For same day pick up, orders must be placed by 3:00pm.
Please Note: There is a limit to the number of orders that are allowed per time slot. Once a time slot is full, it will no longer be available for selection during checkout.

Pricing Policy Harris Teeter strives to ensure all prices reflected online are accurate and the same as if you were shopping inside the store. The prices you are charged are the prices as of the pickup or delivery day. This may be different from what you see online for orders placed in advance. Harris Teeter’s Express Lane prices change at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday of each week to reflect the weekly ad starting Wednesday and ending Tuesday. If you order on Tuesday before 3:00 p.m. for Wednesday or later, your prices and order will not accurately reflect the prices seen on Tuesday while shopping online.
Please note, the prices listed on our Express Lane online shopping website will not be reflective of our in-store prices after 3:00pm on Tuesday afternoon.

• Weighed Items – The total on your order may vary slightly based on the true weight of the produce or meat items you have purchased. Be assured, however, that you will be charged only for the product you actually receive.
• Estimated Totals – When you checkout online, you will receive an “estimated total.” The final order total will differ to accurately reflect items sold by weight, items requested that are not found online and to adjust for any substitutions that are made to your order.

Payment Options Payment for Express Lane orders is taken at the store upon pickup. Before finalizing your online order, you will be asked to indicate if you are paying by credit card or check. To make your pickup process as fast and convenient as possible, credit card and check are the methods of payment regularly accepted online. However, if you would like to pay a different way such as cash or EBT, please let the store know this in your notes when you check out and we can make this accommodation.
Substitutions – “What if an item I ordered is not available?”In the checkout process we will ask you if you would like to allow for substitutions. Our goal is to never be out of stock on any item. However, if an item is out of stock our substitution policy is:

• To give you that same item in the closest size at the cost of the item you actually receive.
• If a sale item is substituted, you will only be charged the sale price.
• In most cases, we will substitute a national brand product for national brand and generic for generic.
• On certain items, we have a policy of not substituting unless you specifically tell us to do so. These items include baby products, soft drinks and hygiene products to name a few.

If you do not wish to accept substituted product at the time of pick-up, simply tell us and we will issue a complete refund for that item.
Coupons – “Can I use coupons with my Express Lane Order?”

• Coupons are accepted at the time of pickup and applied to your next online order. The actual coupon credit will not be shown online. However, the receipt you receive when you pickup up your groceries will reflect the discount. If you turn in a coupon for an item purchased on an order today, you don’t have to purchase that item on your next order. It’s simply a credit waiting for you. Anytime coupons are given during a Super Double or Triple coupon event, we make sure you get that credit on your next order as well.

100% Satisfaction- “What if I want to return an item?”Providing you with the freshest foods for your family is a primary goal.

• Your groceries will be meticulously selected and stored in the appropriate conditions until pick-up.
• If you have a question or are not 100% satisfied, please call us at 1-800-432-6111. A customer service representative is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

New Items – “What if I can’t find an item I am looking for?”

• If you are unable to locate a product online and would like to have it included with your order, click on the ‘Can’t Find It?’ link. Enter as much information about the product as possible and it will be added to your shopping cart. We will make our best attempt to locate the item in the store and add it to your order.

Special Instructions- “Can I add special instructions to my order?”

• You can add special instruction to items in your shopping cart by simply click the ‘Add Notes’ link below the product. During the checkout process you will also be given the opportunity, in the comments section, to add any other special instructions or comments for this order. For example, you can specify that you would like “Green Bananas” or “Extra Lean Turkey.” Also, if you want to allow for substitutions on all products except, for example, the milk you have selected, you can note that as well.

Pharmacy- “Can I add prescriptions to my order?”

• On the final checkout page, you can indicate that you would like to include a prescription or prescriptions with your order by checking the corresponding box. This alerts our personal shoppers that you have a prescription ready for pickup that you would like to include with your order. However, the prescription or refill order needs to be placed directly with our Harris Teeter pharmacy by phone. Our personal shoppers will not have access or be made aware of the kind of medicine you are including with your order. Due to federal and state regulations that require photo id for purchase and pick up of control substance prescriptions and PSE products, these transactions must occur at the pharmacy counter and cannot be included with an Express Lane order.

Customer Communications Email addresses will be used to confirm we have received your order. We may also use your email address or mailing address to send you specific specials and promotions. If you prefer not to receive these special offers, just call us at 1-800-432-6111 to speak with a customer service representative.
Your password allows Harris Teeter to know you are a current shopper. It also prevents others from shopping under your account. Your password is very important, protect it and don’t share it with others.
Notification of Changes Should our Privacy Policy be edited, changed or amended, you will be notified online on our Express Lane Homepage. You will have the opportunity to opt out at anytime by clicking “contact us” via email or call 1-800-432-6111. By opting out you will not receive information on specific specials or promotions.
Personal Information Changes You can change your personal information at anytime by selecting ‘My Account’.
If you have questions about our commitment to privacy, call 1-800-432-6111 to speak with a customer service representative.
Alcohol and Tobacco- “Can I buy age restricted items on-line?” Orders containing alcoholic beverages and/or tobacco items are available for pick-up. Prior to handing you the order, the Harris Teeter employee will check identification to validate age. If an adult over the age of 21 for alcohol or 18 for tobacco is not present at the time of pickup, the alcohol products and/or tobacco items will be removed from the order.
Mother Nature It is our hope that ‘Mother Nature’ will never prevent us from fulfilling your order in a timely manner. If there are weather related incidences such as power outages or snow/ice storms that prevent product availability or employee access to the store, we will contact customers who have pending orders to make other suitable pickup arrangements.
Tipping It is our pleasure to provide this service to you, our valued customer. Providing this service is the primary responsibility of every Harris Teeter employee, therefore tips are not accepted. Your return business, recommendation to friends and family, and thanks are the best tip we can receive.
Your Privacy is our concern. At Harris Teeter, your privacy is our concern. We will not sell or give your name, address, email or personal information to anyone. We will occasionally use customer purchase records and other information to offer special promotions or coupons to our customers. We do not share personal information with anyone outside Harris Teeter.