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Archive for November, 2006

A Walk on the Wild Side

November 29th, 2006 at 07:30 pm

I have 15 extra pounds that I carry. I'd love to lose them and I know it would be healthier. I gained a bunch when I started a new medicine--it was a side effect. But the doctor says that I can't use that as an excuse anymore because at the med level I'm at now, the medicine isn't the problem. My eating and nonexercising is. So I need a new strategy. Years ago, I used to play tennis all the time, ride my bike everywhere and take long walks in the country. But after moving to a bug-infested, humidity crushing, heat searing hothouse, I haven't been able to keep up anything outdoors. Hubby won't go with me because the bugs eat him alive. It's hard to walk with a guy who looks like a demented windmill, flapping and swatting all the time. For some reason, the bugs don't like me at all. But the humidity makes it hard for me to breathe or something. I can't last long. So we tried walking in the mall. I can't really do that because I'm too near stores.....and the lights and crowds get to me. So I'm thinking of setting up a fund for a treadmill. I've seen blogs of people who walk and some have treadmills, so I got to wondering about getting one myself. I could save little by little. Meanwhile, I'm going to watch my eating. It should be easier now that I don't spend so much money on so much stuff to eat. I could plan better and be sure and include lots of good for you food. This frugal living could also help my health....

Whew!

November 29th, 2006 at 04:48 am

The day started out rocky. Woke up to Hubby very, very sick with a migraine. He took some more medicine and we both went back to sleep. Then he woke me up to call for him because he didn't have the number for his new boss. He gave me a number of a co-worker--or so he thought. I was still groggy so I called someone and left a message. It wasn't the co-worker. Don't know who got the message and in the shape I was in, no telling what I said or even if it was coherent. We both rested awhile longer, then he left to tackle work. Seems I was running in mud today. Did get some errands run and since I was in a slump, I knew better than to go into the stores and browse. I would have bought something. I did go to the hardware store where I checked out an advertised special on a device I had been needing. Turned out it doesn't start til the first of the month. I didn't read the fine print. Oh well. I'll try again. Can't believe I left without looking at anything else. We both got home and ate in, then I realized when I checked my calendar that Hubby had a haircut appointment--in five minutes. Good thing it is only a few blocks--he made it. I have realized that making financial plans and a budget has really helped. I ended up only spending for Christmas stamps if Hubby sends out his cards this year and for the out of state friends that we write, medicine already in the budget, and a couple of bills. And the haircut was in the budget. I can't imagine how I lived without it before.

We're bracing for the bad weather that is plaguing the rest of the country. It will be almost 80 here tomorrow and drop with wind chills into the teens by friday. That's a huge drop. And a couple of inches of rain. Weird to run the air conditioning to clear out the humidity one day and the heat to keep from freezing the next. I like things a lot more gradual than this. Especially since I have to be out in it this time. Yikes. Hard on the ole system. The 20+ mph winds are going to be awful.

I have been collecting lists the last couple of days. Going to try to get the rest of the information by the weekend. Then I will sit down and plan. I'm getting a late start on Christmas, but at least I am now moving forward.

Everyone take care of yourselves in the severe weather we all are having...

My New Best Friend....

November 27th, 2006 at 09:13 pm

is my chest freezer. After seeing how the gang here utilizes their freezers, I reevaluated how I use mine. Before I started using my freezer as a storage locker, I mostly put frozen bread, ice cream, vegetables and some fruit in the freezer. If I put leftovers in there, I promptly forgot they were there and eventually had to toss them out. So I didn't really use the freezer well. Now, I find myself freezing everything. And then using it again. Wow, the amount of stuff I used to throw out! And I find myself cooking from scratch more because I know I'll freeze part of it and not waste it. Since the kids all left on Friday, I've been freezing everything left from the holiday. This could be the start of something beautiful...

On the Breakfast challenge. I have a lot of breakfast foods around. I have also spent more than I should have on the grocery budget for this far into my month. So I decided to challenge myself to use up breakfast foods and not buy anything more than milk for breakfast for as many weeks as possible. The goal is Christmas. I've made my list and going to post it on the fridge so when I get tempted to cheat, I'll see my goal and try to keep on it. (If I find a big sale on the usual food, I'll buy it and set it aside for the future and not part of this challenge--but only a good sale!) I am going to pay myself $5 for each week not buying any breakfast foods. That will go with my water challenge to a CC. My goal is to only stock up when things are on sale and learn to use what I have.

Losing Diamonds

November 26th, 2006 at 03:55 am

I have very few diamonds. And not large things. Just a couple of things bought as gifts and with meaning. It is time to get one of them cleaned and the setting checked. So I went to get it out. And it wasn't there. It wasn't anywhere. I looked through every possible place in the house. Hubby joined the search. There weren't many places I would have put it. I didn't care about the money. But I did care that it was a meaningful gift. So I felt horrible about it. Hubby knew that I might have put it away for him to take if hurricane evacuating this summer because I was on a trip with the kids. So I looked through a couple of boxes still unpacked. Nothing. Rats. Gotta be here someplace. After a frustrating time this afternoon, I pulled one of the boxes on out of storage and took another look. It was a box of inventory receipts and inventory pictures. Why on earth would I have put anything else in there? Guess what, that's exactly where it was. I guess I slipped it in there thinking it was the box of old pictures of my grandparents and other mementos that I can't replace. The plastic boxes are identical. I probably wouldn't ever have looked in there again, but Hubby knows my brain. Sheesh. I'm glad I don't own much expensive stuff because I can't keep track of what I have now. Also made me realize that quality of meaning is more important than quantity. Maybe I should look at all the things I buy that way. Should get me to buy less.....

Thanks to all of you for being here.....

November 24th, 2006 at 03:48 am

The food is all put away--what's left of it! The dishes are done. We've played a game, laughed a lot, and watched a video of DS playing in a new Christian band. They are really good. Hubby has gone to bed. The kids are all watching a show. DD has a migraine coming, poor thing. DD had a great idea she got from online. She put all our names in a hat and before we ate, we drew a name and told what we are thankful for in that person. It was really sweet. I wished I'd had time to call my folks, but I'll do that tomorrow. They probably spent the day with the rest of my family near to them. I hope so. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving day. Maybe you just enjoyed a day to yourself. Maybe you had to work. Whatever you did, I am thankful you are here on this site. Thanks to you all...

Early Report....

November 23rd, 2006 at 04:45 pm

Everyone is asleep. It's almost 11 here and DD and guy are still asleep. Hubby is napping in his chair--preturkey. Course he still wakes up at 5 or so. So I guess he was due a nap. Kitty is napping, too. Dogs are at the vet so that the chaos is a little controlled. DS and DIL will arrive this afternoon. Probably after their nap....

DD is cooking the turkey and stuffing. I wasn't going to cook my stuff til she was finished. The turkey is tiny--only 9 pounds. We have to do that because the oven is very old and small. So it won't take too long to cook. Our meal is in the evening since we are waiting on the rest of the bunch. So I have plenty of time.

I am contemplating making noise. Right now, the only noise in the house is the clicking of computer keys.......

Extra Cook

November 22nd, 2006 at 03:18 pm

DD called last night and she's coming home today. And she wants to cook the turkey and stuffing.....awesome! I need to go back to the store (shudder) and get the stuffing stuff because I really didn't think anyone liked it but me. Who cares--if she wants to cook it, I'll buy it. I bought so much to restock because I didn't know how many would be here how many days and needed meals. I told the checkout people that Hubby would get home 10 minutes after I unloaded the car. It was like 20 minutes. He carried in the water and the dogfood. Sheesh!

Hubby does like his new job real well so far. Nice to see him smiling when he comes home. And the boxes of reference books and materials have left to a new home. And he doesn't seem to have the really long hours like before. I really like that, too!

Not sure where everyone is going to sleep. I think we overlap for a day. DD and boyfriend here Wed. and Thurs.--then off to boyfriend's family. DS and DIL here Thurs. evening to Friday. Then they leave for a playoff ballgame that DIL has to attend or the wedding they were going to attend--whichever one they are able to go to. Hubby and I will chill on the weekend. We usually don't have time for each other on the holiday, so that will be nice. I think I will use the quiet time to plan the rest of my holiday shopping for the family. But I can't seem to get anybody's lists. My nephew has a sports injury that might require surgery, so his family is a bit busy right now. And my DS is just plain forgetful and hasn't answered the gazillion times I've asked. I'm going to give them a deadline--then they get whatever....

Gosh--only two days?

November 21st, 2006 at 05:33 pm

Inlaws left today. I'm going to fix an extra cup of hot tea and mull my menus. I usually get all my food a couple of weeks ahead, then perishables before the last weekend. I now only have two days before Thanksgiving and not even a menu. It will be crazy today at the grocery. We've eaten so much cool stuff the last few days, so Hubby and I thought that turkey sandwiches and football would be enough for us. DS and DIL will eat their main dinner at his inlaws, they really don't need another big meal. DD, though, loves tradition and will be hugely disappointed if we don't have all the "fixins" for the big day. So, another cup of caffeine and I'll wander off to get ready and brave the world out there. At least the money is in the Holiday fund.....

And it isn't even the holidays......

November 20th, 2006 at 04:24 pm

What a week! Inlaws came in last Wednesday. Had a real nice dinner with them. DD came in Thursday. Spent about 12 hours Friday on the road with her doing all the doctor's appts. and stuff she had to do and loved spending the time with her. Went Saturday through Sunday to see DS perform. I have heard him play classical, jazz, funk, but classic rock and roll from the 50's era type music was a first and lots of fun. Returned to fill out papers for Hubby's new job--he doesn't know where all the numbers are buried in my files--and had a nice dinner with Inlaws. Collapsed in bed last night and slept 9 hours.

Hubby started new job today and he was happy anxious. Can't wait to hear all about it.

Either my drugs are working real well this time or Inlaws and myself are really having more of a meeting of the minds. We all seem to have changed somehow. It's fun to enjoy getting together! I think that FIL wants to come out in the spring and help me get some more "reconstruction" done on the outside of the house since I'm working on the inside this year. We had to replace some boards when we reroofed after the hurricane and the whole thing needs to be repainted and the front porch completely redone. He can do that sort of work real well--might have found the answer to my prayers!

On a financial note, I shudder to see what the damage is. In times like these, you have a lot of eating expenses. However, FIL has paid for most meals. We have paid for some and DS paid for one. It's been worth it though. Might need to budget for company visits. That way, we already have some set aside for gas and food.

The word from the HR department at the old company that Hubby gets paid the vacation he accrued for NEXT year! Taxes will be awful, but the money will be put to good use. Having been here awhile, my brain follows another pathway on what to do with it. We'll set it aside for now to evaluate it. Since he's been there so long, he gets several weeks' vacation pay. I am excited to perhaps replace the doors and invest the rest or pay off DD's tuition or ........

My List of 20

November 16th, 2006 at 04:53 pm

I'm waiting on the furnace people so I played around with this and this is what I have so far....

1. My kids don't think I'm funny.
2. I love to read books on history.
3. I read every little sign in a museum which drives my family crazy.
4. I don't really like to drive.
5. I was the best softball player--in elementary school.
6. I was used as a school science experiment in junior high because of my hair.
7. I was probably the only kid in school whose bedroom furniture was antiques.
8. I love blue jeans, hot chocolate, bakeries, and local pottery.
9. I had friends on every sporting team and band in high school and attended almost everything--I was the world's biggest fan.
10. My voice, but not my face, was used in a multimedia presentation at a company where I worked in college. I don't know why because it sounds annoying to me.
11. Before I was born, my mother had a dog named Jan. If I want to send my mom through the roof, I just tell someone I was named after the family dog.
12. I love tin roofs. I had one in college and loved the rain and the squirrels playing acorn hockey in the afternoons.
13. I love rain and thunderstorms.
14. I love small town cafes.
15. When I was little, I was deathly afraid of a volcano erupting in our back field.
16. Hubby was high on flu drugs at our wedding and we giggled through the ceremony. Fortunately, the preacher was sweet and hard of hearing.
17. I hardly ever talk on the phone.
18. I love geneaology--I grew up in a family of older people. I loved the stories.
19. I turn into a hermit at times.
20. I actually HAD a pony growing up, but I was scared of him.

Month 2

November 15th, 2006 at 08:16 pm

I know that month one is running around somewhere in uncategorized...

Our month two ended on the 14th, and I am analyzing the results. The bills were pretty much on target so those will not be adjusted. The credit cards are going down slooowwwwllllyyy, except for DD's tuition card which went up. No more payments til the end of December, so I hope to pay some of that off this month and next. I think we will have some vacation money coming at the end of November that is unused at the old company. That, we can set aside for the next tuition and not add to the card. A step in the right direction.

We did go over eating out by $20 and the book line went over by a bit, too. Neither have that much in them, might need to adjust those amounts if another month shows a surplus somewhere else for the third time.

The plumbing made the house maintenance fund over by a whopping 375 dollars. I still had 100 from last month, too, so I am over 275 in that dept. I am keeping a separate sheet for those accounts that we carry over. Like dental/medical and auto stuff. So far, that is the only one that we have clobbered. Might need to up that one, but I'm not sure where the money would come from.

Still putting my dollars into the envelopes for the workboots, water cooler, and baseball tickets. Have them in the budget so I'll remember to do that each month. Funny to have a line in there for 4 dollars....

Hubby had a surplus again in his "vices" column. Good for him! Course we've all been on his case about a couple of things to be healthier. So that might have helped.

Having Inlaws here and going to see DS in a music thing will take some extra cash and probably do a number on the gas and food bills. I have used the Holiday/Christmas Club money for food for Thanksgiving. The tickets for the musical is going to come from some money the kids owe us. So I am not paying out any money for it, sorta.

I am hoping for once to get through a holiday season relatively intact. I would like to control things more and not start January with a feeling of being knocked out by the finances. The cool thing is the feeling each time you start the next month's budget. It's a feeling that you've got a clean slate for this month...go for it!

Doings.....

November 14th, 2006 at 08:46 pm

Got my hair cut and Hubby went to get his drug tests and physicals. He just had his old company's annual one a couple of weeks ago, so he's done this twice in a month!

Pulled all the stored stuff from my "storage locker," aka, freezer (see weirdest freezer items entry in my blog) a couple of days ago and found the end of the plug under the dogfood bin and plugged it in. Got it up to speed and bought ye ole Turkey to put in it today. With Inlaws coming tomorrow, don't think I'll get as much of my shopping done. And we have an old wall oven that is a bit small. So I have to have a little bird. I go early so I can get one that fits. Funny that I buy bird size--not according to how many people--but according to how big my oven is. The year the oven element went out, we bought a turkey breast and cooked it in the crockpot. What you will do if you have to.

Really need to get up and running on the last of the things to do before company. I am going to wait til Hubby returns home before I do the rodeo that is trimming and washing the dogs.....

Such a dork

November 13th, 2006 at 09:17 pm

I don't know if someone sent me an email from this site, but if you did--I accidently erased it before I read it. I'm such a computer dork. So Sorry.

Went to the dentist today for cleaning. Didn't have to pay anything today, but I have a filling that needs to be replaced cos it is corroding my tooth. I used to faint at the page of "projected patient cost" cos I didn't have the money. I can't fathom why a small piece of material is over 400 (my part). But now, I've been putting aside some money in my dental/eye account so I hope I will have most of it by January--when I made the appointment for. Another thing this site has helped me with.

I have a long list of things to do before Inlaws come on Wed., but no energy to get them done. Need to just get up and go. Maybe forward motion will help.

I have only two more days til the end of month 2 in our little world. I am excited to see how we have done this month.

Hubby has to go tomorrow for his drug/physical/whatever tests. One more step to getting our ducks in a row.

Need....to.....get....myself....off....this....chair....and....get....working....

He Got It!

November 12th, 2006 at 08:11 pm

Hubby got the job! (Doing Happy Dance) Thanks to all those who sent good thoughts our way. Now, he has to go through the drug testing/physicals/background checks, etc. Hopefully, all will be finished this week. The other company sounds like it is really happy to have him, so that's great for him to go into a new job with people who want you there! Many in his old company have quietly expressed an understanding of why he is leaving. Morale has plummeted there over the last nine months. There are a lot of good people there that we care about, so the reasons why things are going bad really upset us. I have a feeling that several will leave or even some be asked to leave, and they are really good workers. It just isn't a good environment right now. So we'll just hope for them and their families that they will find something like we have. We realize how incredibly fortunate we are and plan to better utilize our money and be more careful. Any extra monies will be going to retirement programs. Prior to this site I wouldn't have seen it this way. But we are losing one leg of our three legged retirement program from the other company. We think we get to take what's in it now, but it will not be available at the other company. So we will be putting away extra money to make up for it. We had a serious talk--believe it or not we hardly ever talked about money in almost 30 years. We have a plan. We'll see how it shapes up when the paychecks come and we see the differences in medical, etc. I am excited for Hubby. It will be nice to see him happy at the end of the day again.....

Repairs #1

November 11th, 2006 at 05:50 pm

Not actually hurricane related, but we wondered if possibly the house shifted a bit during the storm. Anyway, we had three leaks in the toilet. The plumber was great. Took two visits to finish, but that thing works now and doesn't move. It was worth the money cos it took a blow torch to cut the line to put in a whole new set of parts there and a hacksaw to remove the bolts and put in all new parts with new seals under the tank. That was funny--those guys sawing the tank apart in the front yard. This is a busy neighborhood, and my neighbors were probably wondering what on earth I was up to. One other part was costly, so instead of having him fix the rest of the leaks in the tub, we called it quits at that point. The bill was over 300 by then and my budget wouldn't handle any more. But with company, the bathroom will be sorely needed and I had been saving in my budget for repairs, so we're now on our way. We've been demolishing for awhile. And saving to repair. The roof has been the main thing we've gotten done, along with some sheetrocking. I have been working on the furnace people. I tried to get an electrician like the furnace people wanted, but you can't even get on a list right now. There are too many people rebuilding/building. So I called the furnace guys and they sent out another man to try to fix this almost brand new furnace. They are ordering a part next week. Hope that fixes it. And they didn't charge me! So repair #1 on the toilet is complete. I know that it may not have been hurricane related, but it's a bathroom---I guess I have my priorities!

DS Credit Card

November 10th, 2006 at 08:44 pm

Got a chance to "chat" with DS a smidge online in between his working on his thesis rewrite and class. He sure can multitask, sorta. In reading between the lines in the little he got to say, I realize that the reason he's using the card again is that when he orders things from the same companies that he used before, it automatically goes on my card. Now, he did say he would pay me back, but as absentminded as he is, I am not going to hold him to it. He said he is going to take care of the problem, and I am going to hold him to that. He's got his own money and card now, so he can do this. It is not that much money, so I don't think he needs my help on this. We are still paying for the car (will give it to him next year), and for the instrument he changed to in college. We haven't yet turned those payments over to him. We've already given them notice of getting the car, so they can look into their own insurance and get ready for it. So I have decided to target his old credit card after all. Hopefully, I won't get another bill next month and realize that I'm still going around in circles cos he's still using it.....

Big Jan, Little Jan

November 9th, 2006 at 09:21 pm

I have the most darling neighbor on the right. She is in her 80's now, I believe. She called me to take her to pick up her car at the shop and tried to pay me for driving her down two streets. Whenever Hubby mows or something for her, she buys him a gift. And she's precious. The funny thing is that she has gotten our family totally confused. My DD and I look very much alike and we drive similar cars that are about the same color. My hair is straight and hers is wavy, but we both change it alot. And we sound the same. So it's no wonder she thinks we are the same person sometimes. Actually, now she thinks I am my DD. And she asks about my "mother" when she sees me. Before I realized what had happened, she asked me my name once. I told her Jan. So now she thinks me and DD have the same name. She calls us Big Jan and Little Jan. I have told DD so that when she comes in, she will have to be me. Neighbor is too sweet to embarrass her by trying to straighten it out, cos when she sees us together again, it might just confuse the issue. Not only that, I haven't the foggiest on how to explain who's who. It's no big deal. She's a doll and it doesn't matter. But it does make for some interesting conversations....

Hubby was right....

November 9th, 2006 at 01:22 am

I really like this plumber guy. It is a local, family operation and well thought of. My little leaks have turned into a bunch of little repairs. So much so, that he's going to have to return tomorrow to finish. I had budgeted in my last couple of months for this, but I have a nasty feeling that it is going to end up more. He already gave me a quote on the original problem, but I felt there was going to be more and there is. Oh well, he's here and it is getting done and we'll have another bathroom for the holidays. That's a real good thing. And I have at least a chunk of the cost already.

I didn't get my water in today cos I didn't know if I'd be able to use the other bathroom with the water turned off this afternoon. So no money for the challenge today.

Hubby works in the chemical plants heading up maintenance programs for all the equipment and he's really good at setting up preventive maintenance programs and proactively taking care of all the equipment to prevent future problems. Believe me, sometimes he has to fight for those programs cos some companies don't do preventive stuff and wait til it breaks. I think I've been one of those people. I need to pick his brain and set up maintenance programs for health and house. Make sure things are taken care of before they become major expenses. I've learned a lesson here. Oh good grief, he's SO going to enjoy being right......

The plumber....

November 8th, 2006 at 06:43 pm

I had a late night and got up real early just in case the plumber called to come early. So I am still waiting and getting sleepier and sleepier....snore.

Red Alert: Inlaws are coming....

November 6th, 2006 at 08:37 pm

I've got a little over a week until my inlaws arrive. Poor things. They are high educated (one has PhD), very organized, and spotless. Nary a wrinkle in the clothes or leaf on the lawn. I am an intelligent human being, but that is about as similar as we can get. They must think it's like visiting you know where to come see me. Hubby doesn't get along real well with his dad, so after a couple of days (if that), he goes off to save the world and I'm the Entertainment Committee. And we have nothing in common. We all try, we honestly do. After almost thirty years, I'm sure they still wonder what on earth their son was thinking when he married me. I'm not a slob--things are washed, put away, dusted, and vacuumed. The baths are cleaned and the beds made. But I tend to go off on tangents and have projects, books, things that interest me taking precedent on organization. I've done much better since medication, but I still have so much to do. But I am a distracted person. I'm trying to making things comfortable for them to visit, but I drive myself crazy each time trying to do everything at once. I need to create a plan like the budget to set goals and keep myself on track so I don't go nuts trying to take care of too many things at once. And they are going to be leaving two days before Thanksgiving so it is going to be harder to do my baking/shopping/preparing in advance of the crowds. Oh well, I will survive. I do have to remember that I am now a mother-in-law myself....

Day 3 and counting....

November 6th, 2006 at 01:34 am

on Tina's $20 Healthy Challenge. I use it to drink my water. I need a lot of water and during the winter months I don't drink enough. So I used Tina's challenge to save $1 for every day I drink all my water. This is day three-- so $3 goes towards the total for this month. At the end of the month, I'm going to put the extra money on the credit card of the moment. It is a great way to challenge me to drink what I need. The only thing is that my challenge month and my budget month don't coincide. I guess I just like to confuse myself to make things more interesting.....

Where did all these people come from?

November 5th, 2006 at 03:51 am

Went out today to get a couple of things and people were everywhere! I guess that all of us are getting started with Christmas. It was like a week in December with the traffic and the parking and the amount of people in the stores. I guess that after the hurricane last year, people were still recovering. So this year is a celebration that things are getting better. That's great.

Bought a few Christmas presents. I have a spreadsheet with the budget and everybody on it. I used to try to keep track on paper, but I had lists of my lists and things got wacky. I have to behave now that I have it organized. Got some good sales, too. This is going to be fun.

Got a call from my DS and DIL tonight. They bought me tickets for a musical that DS is playing music for in a couple of weeks. I can't wait. It's cool when your kids actually want to see you.

Used my new household maintenance fund to buy stuff to fix a bathroom. Still need to get the plumber in for the rest of it. Nice to have a little money set aside to do something. I honestly think someone on this site removed my brain and replaced it with a different Frugal brain. Thanks!..I'm learning to use it....

One thing I won't do again....

November 3rd, 2006 at 05:04 pm

is buy scented garbage bags. These were a store brand that we usually use. They were also a larger box than normally available. But they had a scent. Well, since we now have DD's kitty and the dogs, I thought that might be nice. Wrong! They smell---well, weird. And every time you open the trash can, the bags send out a whiff of strange air. Now, many people may love scented bags and that's cool. But these have not the appeal. And to top it off, the darn box never runs out! We think it is a never ending box, which is great frugalwise, but we are stuck with the scent until it finally does. So I have decided that although I love wonderful scents, I'm not sure garbage bags are the way to get it. And while these may be frugal, I am going to stay on the safe side....

asittin and awaitin

November 3rd, 2006 at 05:02 am

Actually, we're going to clean out the storage in the back of the garage. But Hubby's interviews went well. Plus he got home safe after being stuck in traffic and the long drive. Now, we await the news sometime next week. Thanks to all who sent good thoughts our way.

It's getting really chilly for this area. Thinking chili thoughts for this weekend. Still haven't gotten an electrician in to see about the furnace. The darn thing is brand new and no one can figure out why it doesn't run. They think it might have something to do with grounding wires and the hurricane. I better get on it. Especially now that I have a budget line for house maintenance now. Boy, that is going to get a workout soon with the furnace and the plumbing.

I've just been tinkering with Christmas and not really getting going. I need to buckle down and get busy. Also have a couple of birthdays to take care of in December. One is my nephew turning sixteen. I would love to go visit for the month of January and watch my DB deal with a teenage driver. Knowing him, he's glad kiddo can drive himself, but parting with the insurance money is going to be funny to watch. Actually, I love my little brother to death.

Hope the cat decides to sleep on my feet again tonight...

Send Good Thoughts....

November 2nd, 2006 at 03:25 am

First time to do two blogs in a day. Send Good and Happy thoughts to Hubby tonight and tomorrow. He's off to another city for a Shhhhhhh--job interview! We're keeping it quiet that he's looking. This company is smaller, but it has the philosophy toward business and employees that used to be at our old company. Something has really changed after all these years at our old place. We've weathered stuff before, but he's gotten so discouraged. So I really hope this is good for him. He drives a couple of hours early, then interviews, then drives back, then interviews here. A very long stressful day. We may have the sticking point that he makes more at his old job than they pay at the new job. With DD's college expenses and having to fund more of our own retirement, he may not be able to take a cut in pay. But he is plenty qualified. I hope he likes them and they like him. And I hope it is what he wants in a job. He is such a workaholic that I hope it is a good fit.

Meanwhile, back at the hacienda, I will be paying the rest of the bills, including DD's last tuition payment for the semester. We're half way through our second Frugal Month and I think we've spent more this time. Time to plan and tighten up.

Have a good night all!

Voting....

November 1st, 2006 at 10:00 pm

Well, we did it. Hubby took a vacation day and helped me move a bunch of stuff out of the house that needed to go. He goes out of town tomorrow, so I am grateful for the help. Then we took off and voted early. Thank goodness they had just reopened the place we vote because it had been hurricane damaged. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known where to go for sure. I was a little nervous because they have the new electronic voting machines and they've had trouble like crazy lately getting these things working right. But spending time on the computer playing with the blogs and budgets and stuff made me think I could handle it. I just hoped mine wasn't the one that fouled up and had to call attention to myself for not knowing what to do. These things aren't exactly private either. Way out in the open to all who wanted to see. Oh well, didn't take long and was way easier than I thought. Got to thinking that women couldn't even vote for a long time. Glad I did it.

Spent money again today on stuff we needed. Hopefully, the next few days will be no-spend. We have been discussing finances a lot more lately, and have made some more plans. Wow, been married almost 30 years with no actual plan in place. And it shows! Now, we discuss all kinds of things. Hopefully, that means that things will greatly improve.

Remember when you first started out and you were thrilled to get mail and pay your own bills. Now, I am looking forward to getting no mail and few bills. What a switch. Everyone seems to be making new financial plans for the new year. Guess I better get my thinking cap on....