Currently in October
It's the first Wednesday in October and time for Currently with Amy. This month we're talking about what we're currently falling for, what's currently scaring us, what we're working on, what we're loving, and what is entertaining us.
Falling for: All the fall colors popping up everywhere. Fall really is just so pretty here in New England.
Scaring (me): The repair bill for my car, dealing with the insurance company, seeing what our rate will be next year... we pay an obscene amount of car insurance each year with 3 "young" drivers (our payment this year was more than the actual repair estimate!) and since the lady that rear ended us was driving a rental where she refused their coverage and could not provide any of her own our accident was treated as an uninsured motorist and we were told our rates would definitely increase (despite having had the same insurance company for as long as I can remember and never ever having needed them before!). And yes, Ian does have his own trucks and his own insurance but because he lives at home still he's required to be listed on our policy... And yet anyone can rent a car without proof of insurance? Crazy! Sorry, rant over.
Working on: I've been hard at work on my 52 weeks of art. I am several weeks ahead at this point! But art is proving to be a great distraction and I literally feel it calming me.
Loving: Any day the weather cooperates I've been heading out on some hikes. It can be unnerving hiking alone but I am loving all the time I have to listen to audiobooks and I focus a lot on deep breathing, letting out stress, etc. so I am loving my hikes (even if I still miss having hiking friends/partners with me).
We loved our time at Alec's parent's weekend this past Saturday (we only go for the one day since we live so close and pop up to campus often). The weather was perfect and we brought my mother in law with us so she could see everything. We toured the culinary museum, went to the bookstore, checked out the gardens/chickens/apiary/orchard, then went through all 4 floors of the culinary building checking out classrooms, displays, and buying food and gifts from all the food based clubs that were selling thing.
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| student sugar sculptures |
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| wedding cakes are displayed all over on this campus and they are all so unique and detailed |
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| the culinary classroom building |
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| check in was in the gym and the bookstore is right nextdoor- I ended up needing a hooded sweatshirt since the breeze blowing off the harbor was quite chilly most of the morning |
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| Alec was manning the Peace Love Bread table until 2 |
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| we bought soft pretzels from Alec for our lunch/snack and a baguette we brought home for dinner |
We also had a really delicious birthday dinner/dessert for my husband and I LOVED that he enjoyed my surprise gift so much. Amy had mentioned this national parks board where you mark each park you've visited with little evergreen trees and I thought it was just too cute not to buy.
Entertaining (me): I'm still struggling to focus/read but audiobooks are entertaining me as are some "new" shows. I'm excited to see lots of new seasons of shows I enjoyed last year back and then since we dropped Netflix and added Apple/Peacock bundle we've been discovering lots of new to us shows too.
Things like-- season 2 of RJ Decker, season 2 of Leanne, season 2 of Bad Medicine, 5 Star Weekend, Margo's Got Money Troubles, Ted Lasso, etc. I also really enjoyed watching Off Campus and The Love Hypothesis on Prime.
I wonder if you'd have any recourse against the rental company that allowed someone to rent a car and decline their coverage without verifying that she had her own insurance? I'd shop insurance companies around. Besides the unfairness of your policy going up when you did nothing wrong, many companies treat long time customers poorly by raising rates year after year- newer customers get better rates so shop around and become a newer customer at a company that will charge you less. Your watercolors are so pretty!
ReplyDeleteOh we'll definitely shop around but I've been warned by several people that have needed their insurance company (a house fire, a car accident repair, etc.) that other companies won't/don't end up being cheaper as they don't want you as a customer once you have a "record" of having used yours. We absolutely plan to raise our deductible by A LOT and alter the coverage we're getting as we would have rather paid out of pocket for this whole mess than go through using them again...
DeleteThat is truly not fair about the insurance! I would also be so mad. You faithfully pay the insurance premiums so that they will pay when this happens.
ReplyDeleteThe national park board is so cool!
New England fall is so gorgeous!
Yeah, insurance companies really just seem like they aren't looking out for anyone but themselves anymore... I mean I realize they were always a business to make money but like most big businesses they've lost sight of their starting goal.
DeleteUgh such a headache with the insurance! Sorry you're dealing with that. I've been loving all this fall weather and seeing the leaves change.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you. The fall weather has been gorgeous so fat this year.
DeleteUgh sorry for your insurance headaches! Oh I love Alec's school- so glad you all got to enjoy- I bet your mother in law loved being there :)
ReplyDeleteShe really had a great time looking into all the classrooms and seeing more of his school.
DeleteThe fall colors are absolutely gorgeous! I’m glad you’ve found both art and hiking to be such calming outlets lately. And that national parks board sounds like such a fun gift—I love anything that lets you keep track of travel memories like that!
ReplyDeleteIt really is darling and feels so well made too.
DeleteMargo's Got Money Troubles and Ted Lasso are 2 of my favs! Your outdoor photos are gorgeous. Your artwork is so good! I have found watercolor painting and paint marker art to be soothing lately as well.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you so much!
DeleteFantastic photos! I love seeing all the different colours popping up at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteI always think car insurance is so unfair especially when the accident and damage is not your fault!
The parents weekend sounds good, it is always nice to see where you kids are spending their time and are learning!
Aw, thank you!
DeleteWhen Dave got crashed into the guy didn't have insurance. I don't understand how that isn't illegal!
ReplyDeleteI don't either! As car insurance is required in 49 of the 50 states (New Hampshire doesn't require it but most drivers do have it as they require other proof in income/savings otherwise).
DeleteThat sucks about the insurance.
ReplyDeleteGlad you also had some good experiences, the pictures are beautiful as always!
Aw, thank you!
DeleteI don't know if this will help you but my mom had the same homeowners insurance for 25 years and had only ever put in one small claim. ($1k) When she had a flood last year, the insurance company threatened to drop her or raise her premium substantially. I called the agent who sold it to her instead of the company and she took care of it - rate stayed the same! I know auto is more difficult but maybe worth a try
ReplyDeleteI did talk to the agent that sold it to us, not the insurance company but I appreciate the advice!
Delete52 weeks of art - that sounds fun! Well, especially if you are artistic:) You should draw some of those wedding cakes...or other show pieces! Those students are so talented!! Also loving you fall photos!! I need to take some myself!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteOh, that campus looks beautiful, as does New England in the fall. Send some fall to Texas!
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely campus.
DeleteThis post was filled with color. Color in the landscapes, in your paintings (which I loved!) and in those amazing cakes! What fun parent's weekend was. Life IS good, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteAw thank you!
DeleteAw thank you!
DeleteYour Art is really great! I'm not sure I've seen it before. Share it more (or do I just see the wrong posts?)
ReplyDeleteI've only recently gotten back into creating art work but I do share it on the blog occasionally. I shared the 1st quarter of the 52 weeks of art here: https://www.myslicesoflife.com/2026/09/52-weeks-of-art-challenge-part-1.html
DeleteOh, that car insurance issue would drive me crazy. I think you need to rant a little more. Because that is just ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Jodie
It really is! But car insurance companies have lobbied long and hard to get loopholes like that passed so it's perfectly legal.
DeleteYeah that's nuts about the insurance. And yours going up? What in the what is that? I would likely go after her directly because she has to pay. This happened to me with a dent and they didn't have insurance but they paid out of pocket. So thankfully, that didn't have to go into legal.
ReplyDeleteWe would love to go after her directly but don't have any contact information for her.
DeleteArt and hiking are calming for me too. Your photos and paintings are lovely! I like the foliage painting. Parent's weekend sounds like fun and the displays are amazing.
ReplyDelete-Soma
Thank you so much!
DeleteI'm sorry to hear about your car and insurance troubles. It's really maddening. We are in the same boat with my daughter, she has her own insurance, but she lives here, so she has to be listed which drove our umbrella policy up 3x this year. Ugh. I'm glad your are is providing you with an outlet.
ReplyDeleteTo me that seems crazy and unnecessary to have what amounts to double insurance on a driver.. weirdly I never thought of how that affects our umbrella policy but yeah I bet that's higher too.
DeleteGosh that insurance hassle would totally freak me out. How unfair is that. I would definitely change my insurance company.
ReplyDeleteWe'll certainly try but we're being warned that's nearly impossible to do after filing a claim as other insurance companies often refuse to take you on.
DeleteAlec's school looks amazing! How fun to spend a day there exploring - and especially so for your MIL! I'm so sorry about all the angst with the insurance company and the other driver. We work so hard - and make sacrifices - to make sure we are protected and then it's frustrating to have to deal with messes like this. It shouldn't be that way! On a happier note, your New England autumn colors are stunning! People say there is nothing like fall in the northeast and I can see why!
ReplyDeleteHis school is quite impressive. I think my mother in law had a great time checking out this 1/2 of their campus.
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