My mom is a Rearranger. We lived in a tiny house in the country. Mom was isolated (no vehicle) and had no room to ramble around in inside the house. She also had no money. So, she'd paint the rooms, make new window treatments, and....rearrange the furniture and wall things. She'd also add walls and remove them. Build bookcases and remove them. But the rearranging was done more frequently during the year. I'd come home and toss my books onto where my bed had been in the morning....only to hear them hit the floor. Mom had rearranged again. I loved it actually. I never knew where things would be. When I got to be a teenager and could rearrange on my own, she left my room alone. But I missed the unpredictability of it, and the new perspective. Until I realized.....I had turned into a rearranger.

Yesterday, I was going nuts. Couldn't sit still. Had a new book, had football on tv. Thought about cooking. My anxiety levels have been higher lately. The bipolar stuff was changing. I needed an outlet. Couldn't focus enough to do a project. In these times, I tend to clean out drawers or cabinets. Or....something I hadn't done in a while. I started to rearrange. I moved all kinds of things around. Talking furniture things. I used to do this while everyone was gone. But Hubby was staying safely out of the way. I moved chairs and chests, a tv, and benches. I left the couch and chair alone in the living room. After all, Hubby was trying to sit on them to watch tv. I got his help on a couple of things, then he scurried out of the way. I think he was just glad I wasn't into the throw away mode, because he always fears he might be next on my list. Today, I got up with a fresh perspective. I feel better. Also, I see once again what I actually do have and realize that I don't need to buy anything. I have plenty. Just need to rearrange every once in a while to see it all. Maybe, I'll clean out my closet today....haven't done that in awhile. See what I already have....and do some rearranging.....

in my hands and legs/feet is bad. Always has been. I have real slender hands and legs/feet and ice cold. When I was 17, a doctor told me not to start smoking because I had bad circulation in my hands. I always wondered why I could play tennis for three hours, then tap a fellow player on the shoulder and have them scream. It was like whacking them with a popsicle. Was great fun at the lake. I could lay my Bride of Frankenstein hand on someone's toasty back and watch them explode. I have to wear gloves earlier than most, and shoes all the time. Socks to bed and warm my hands before picking up babies. This time of year, they are especially cold. This is the only time they really feel cold to me personally. The last couple of years, I had these great lined boots that keep my feet and legs warm. But I sent them off with DD to college this week since they are even colder and icier. Yep, you definitely will sacrifice for your kids. So now, my tootsies are cold. I've been debating on spending the money on another pair of boots--that is if I can find anything. But winter isn't very long here. I just got home from an appointment and I think Hubby wants to go to the basketball game again tonight. Brrr. Maybe I will double up on the socks. Find the long underwear. Recently, I have had tingling occasionally in part of my left hand and forearm. My brother uses both hands for different things, and I find myself using my left off and on. So, I thought maybe I pinched a nerve or something. Until someone mentioned circulation. Rats. Guess I will spend a little money and go to the doctor and find out what is going on. My mother found out that she had an extra joint in her leg vein that caused her to have bad circulation in her legs. I have been trying to take care of my arms, hands, legs and feet so that I won't get the same problems she had. I hope this isn't something that will morph into a bunch of tests, but I need to take care of myself. By the time my brain grew up, my body is giving out. Rats.

Hubby's old company wants him back. To the tune of big bucks. Not only that, they want to offer him a bonus--even bigger bucks. I'm talking lots of bucks. This company has a lot of great things going for it and some terrific people. It's been a great company to work for. But the reasons we left are still there. I don't know what Hubby wanted me to say. I just sat there and finally told him what was on my mind. I don't know if I am just not a risk taker, but I had some thoughts on the matter. The money would be awesome. We could pay off a bunch of stuff and be on our way. Instant relief. Get the stuff done on the house before it falls down. Pay tuition for DD. Tons of stuff. But...he comes home happy again, he comes home at a decent hour and doesn't have to go in on weekends to keep up with stuff--they have internet from home and blackberries, he likes what he is doing, he sleeps better, fewer migraines....Plus the fact that the old plant is in the process of being sold. New owners might take him on, but they also might look at that big salary and run for the ax. I know he loves the long hours and the intense projects, but at his age, it is also a health concern that he slow down a bit. Spend more down time. I voted to stay with new company. I think he feels the same way. I just know the offer was tempting. Nice of them. What a dilemna to have. However, we will have to get to where we are wanting to go a lot more slowly, but since being on this forum, we've got plans and a way to get there. We've got people who will get us through the process. Who will help us when we get stuck....wow, I never thought I'd turn my back on money. But there are bigger things in life. I've learned here that living richly means a whole different thing than most people think.....

In pulling up damaged carpet from the hurricane, we found underneath damaged wood floors and pulled it up, also. We've been working on other things and just walking on the concrete at this time. Just at the edge of the kitchen flooring were a couple of hidden nails in the concrete. I was talking to DS on the computer yesterday and pulling off my shoes to take a shower. Then I caught the bottom of my foot on a nail. Tore a big place in my foot. I'm thinking that it has been eons since a tetanus shot, so I called the doctor and they worked me in. Great news is that I didn't need any stitches. Great news is that I had money to use in the budget. Unexpected things used to be an extra anxious problem for me. Now, I can run figures through my head and know that I can use money set aside. What a change! Hubby stopped by going home from work to see if I had to have stitches. He could drive me home from the doc since I didn't think a numb driving foot would be a good thing. DD came in to surprise us and we had borrowed a movie from Hubby's co-worker and watched it. Today, I am limping a bit, but fine. Grateful that the budget is in place. Grateful that it wasn't worse. Grateful that I could get help from the doctor on a Friday. I need to make a list of these types of shots and make sure I keep current. That would be frugal wouldn't it? At least I would be better prepared and that's something I am learning here, also.....

Ahhh, basketball....Hubby used to play various sports. Even as an adult, he played in various basketball leagues until bad knees and failing eyesight sidelined him. So when his eyes lit up when the advertisement for the local college game came up, I knew.....

DS loves to go to the pro basketball games, but we tend to go to the college end of things. When DS was an undergraduate, he was in the marching band and chosen for the pep band, so we went to watch football and basketball games with the added bonus of seeing DS and friends. Their games were really inexpensive--for the tickets, not the food. Local college is expensive in the ticket department. I thought about it for a day and called Hubby in the afternoon (yesterday was the game) and asked if he still wanted to go. If so, which fund did we take the ticket money out of. This is the end of our month and funds are running out. So he had a choice--he had enough left in his vices fund or we could take money out of his pro baseball game envelope that we've been saving money in. He chose the envelope. I asked if we could at least eat at home and we did. Then took the money out of the envelope and off we went to the next town. Parking is free, the tickets were high, but we got good seats and had a win-win situation. Local team was playing DS's old college team so we could cheer for both. Game was exciting--score real close the whole time. But the smells of the snack bar almost did us in. They have everything at this snack bar--and the smells of cooking bread and popcorn were wafting about the arena. I was salivating. Hubby asked if I was going to get anything, but I resisted. Well, I squirmed and wrestled with it, then resisted. I brought a book so that I could read if I got restless instead of wandering around or eating. Hubby reminded me that we had 8 dollars left to spend. I still declined. He went off, but returned with nothing. This has never happened before. Attending something without snacks. Next time I might sneak in food. On the way home, I asked for the 8 dollars back for the envelope. He just grinned and said tomorrow's lunch....Oh well, by the next month's start on Monday, he'll have forgotten the rest of the vices money. There's enough to cover the money spent. I'll just sneak it off into the envelope....I mean...stealing money is a vice isn't it?

January isn't usually my month. I tend to crash pretty hard after the holidays, I think. This time last year, I was overwhelmed by everything--especially the finances. This year we have a plan, a budget, and goals. Flylady once said that when the pupil is ready, the teacher arrives. That's the way I feel about all of you. Whenever I feel that I'm spinning in circles, I can come here and get a new idea, a new focus, a new plan, and lots of encouragement. Thanks to all who participate! You've helped more people than you realize.

Realized that was my condition today when I washed the dogs' bedding on handwash....Sheesh.

Have been working on the budget, fine tuning categories for the next budget month. This one ends on the 14th and I have a few more items to tend to there. I have added a couple more spreadsheets to break things down more--things like savings and credit cards. I also have a little extra this month that I haven't given DD from her part of the budget. Shhhh....don't tell her. She seems to be doing great without it.

We have been eating in since the new year started, so I am challenging us to make it at least two weeks before we eat anything out. Hopefully, we can go longer than that. I've been planning a ton of menus and we seem to have lots of groceries left from the holidays.

I've got one more gift card to spend and I've been making lists and planning what would be the most helpful. And to top it off, I only spent my Christmas money once. Hubby claims that in the past I've spent the same (gifts to me)money several times--saying this is part of my Christmas--without keeping track. I'll admit it here, he's right. Just don't tell him....

Why is it that when you get distracted and the checkout makes a mistake, it is a $4 one and not a 59c one? I got home and inputed my groceries. I've been working really hard to get specials and stay within my budget. When I was adding in the groceries and other categories, I find that I was charged twice for something and for $4. Rats. I have learned another lesson. Watch the checking out carefully. The person didn't do it on purpose, I know, but it is still frustrating. That can add up in over a year's worth of grocery visits. Oh well, add that to the library fines....

How about swimming to the car? It is pouring rain here today and I managed to get to the car and get the specials at CVS. This is the first month I have really concentrated on reading the circulars and trying to catch the good sales. For one thing, I don't usually stock up much on toiletries or cleaning supplies. Believe it or not, it was a tough thing to buy a toothpaste on sale and get one free. I am having to work on changing a mindset. In honor of it being January of the new year, I decided to jump in and even if I make mistakes, I will learn something. And maybe, just maybe, get it right. So, I've hit three stores in two days and bought the items I use which seem to be good deals. I really do need that price book....

I'm glad that Tina spelled it out to us that we need to cut 250 calories a day in order to loose half a pound a week. That seems to be an easier way to "see" things we can do. Now, about that exercise.....

trying to remember the name of someone you know, but can't think of it with them standing right in front of you? I ran into a kiddo that went to school with DD. After he said hello to me, my mind went totally blank. Thank goodness for name tags.

Once I was at lunch with a woman I've known for quite a while and another lady came up that my kids took swim lessons from for years. I remembered her name, but when I went to introduce the woman I'd been having lunch with for the past hour, I drew a complete blank. I just laughed and told her to introduce herself.

I called the girlfriend of a great friend of DS's the wrong name for six months. Same first initial, but wrong name. I finally got it right--just when they broke up.

I have a black hole in my head where names go and they don't come back. I can remember numbers--Hubby's and kids social security numbers and even mine and Hubby's drivers license numbers. I can remember all the addresses and phone numbers of my family members. I can remember all the birth dates. But names, forget it. Wonder if there will ever be a cure for this.

Anyhow, I did manage to get the sales from Walgreen's that I went for. In spite of my lapse of memory there. Good thing I took a list.....

Name of a hilarious song Ray Stevens did a number of years ago about a convoluted family tree. A few days ago, a friend of DD's thought I was her big sister. Amused her--flattered me! Then a couple of days later, a clerk in a store thought I was possibly my son's wife. Amused me, but left him and his wife (standing out of the line) speechless. My DS and DIL are talking about having a child soon. Got me thinking about that song. Hmmmmm...wonder what my grandma name will be when it gets here.....

Using up items is making it fun with menus. I had a bunch of leftover potatoes and some extra eggs from baking so I got the idea for potato salad. Then, since it was so warm out, we thought we might grill hotdogs with DD's gift to Hubby of a handy-looking thing that rotates the dogs on the grill for you. Along with the kids in the neighborhood shooting off fireworks, it was eerily starting to feel like the 4th of July. Unfortunately, after making the potato salad, the weather got nasty and we settled for BBQ. Okay, now that's 4th of July, also. Weird. Now if we only had some homemade ice cream. Wait...I think DD left some vanilla ice cream in the fridge when she left. This is getting creepy...

Some are financial and some are not. Here are the ones I had been musing over for the end of December....

1. Increase Charitable Contributions--I use to give more than I do now. Need to figure out which local charities I will give more to.

2. Pay off one auto loan. We have two. Paying off one will free up car to give to DS and then goodbye to payment AND auto insurance payment for it. (he pays for his part of insurance, but we pay for ours)

3. Keep EF at 6 mos. while paying down CC. I just feel better that way.

4. Pay off 3 CC and close 1.

5. Get all CCs down to 30% usage. This is getting closer all the time, but there is one or two that is higher because of tuition costs and such.

6. Lose a pound a month and walk/exercise again.

7. Start a house project book and try to fit in a project a month. Don't try to do more than one a month so I won't burn out.

8. Eat healthier. Add vegetables back into our diet. For some reason, vegetables disappeared from our table. Weird.

9. Keep in better contact with far away relatives.

10. Plan a trip with Hubby this year. We haven't gone on a real vacation together in a loonnngg while.

That's it so far!

I needed another gift for DD. Since a gal pal of hers gave her a nice vanity case--cute, sorta pale lime green with white polka dots--for her birthday awhile back, I decided to find this little store and buy a matching tote thing so she had a thing to put some clothes in when she hops around the state visiting. I found the store without too much trouble and had to park down and across the street. No problem. Went into the store and, wow, they've got a lot of stuff, but I didn't see any obvious green/polka dot luggage. Since I was sorta wandering about, the lady asked if I needed help. I asked about the luggage. Turns out they don't carry it anymore. But, WAIT, she had something......She went into the back and I was just hoping it would be a big enough something for DD to carry a couple of day's worth of things in. She rolls out a HUGE suitcase. Light lime green with white polka dots. And did I mention HUGE? I just stood there and said it is a bit......large? She said that it is all that is left. I asked the price, thinking that it would be over 100 and I could just walk away. But she said I could have it for $35. Wow. Yep, she could put her whole wardrobe in there, including the vanity case. Yep, she'll never lose it on an airplane conveyor belt. Yep, she probably can NOT get it into her trunk...but I bought it anyway. Here I go. Rolling a huge lime green, dotted suitcase down and across the street. Didn't even try to get it into my trunk--just sat it on the front seat. I got home and hoped my neighbors (who think I am a bit strange) don't see me wheeling a green suitcase up the walk. I parked it in the entryway because I wanted to see Hubby's face. I left to mail a box, so I missed him by a few seconds. He was calling me when I got in the driveway. I just went inside to see what he thought. He was speechless. Needless to say, I'll have to buy a tree bag or something to put it in as wrapping. Or maybe they make humungous bags for people who lose their minds and buy things like this. She will be able to use it when going somewhere in her boyfriend's truck, but I have to come up with something else for her to carry in her car, I think. If nothing else, it will be a huge laugh at Christmas (pun intended).....

Okay, now I know things are getting crazy. And I am not working like so many. And I do this every year: juggling a couple of birthdays, an anniversary, Christmas, programs to attend.....So why did I find a can of green beans sitting on a chest in my bedroom? I remember taking them out of the pantry last night....Thank goodness this year I have a Christmas budget to keep me on track and keep my lists together. Sheesh!

On another note, Hubby's new company gave us a $50 gift card for a local grocery. That was really nice, considering we have only been there a short while. We've had a debate on what to spend it on. I'm going with his ideas since it is his gift. I am actually being the frugal person on this one......

I get so excited during the last week of my financial month. I want to see the numbers. Never thought that would happen. But like Dorothy, I am learning that I have had the ability to get there inside me all along. Even in finances. I just needed help to point out the way. That's where this community has really helped. Along with awesome ideas on how to turn things around and ways to utilize what you have better, I've quit thinking I was financially challenged. I know now that I can do this. Just click my heels and say--There's no place like debtfree, there's no place like debtfree.....

I don't know if we are going to put up the tree this year. A handful of years ago, we had a problem with pets and trees. Bigger dog never bothered anything in her life, unless it was edible by humans (or strange doggie poo in the yard--ewwww). That year, DD got little dog she saved for--right before Christmas. Cutest little puppy arrived on plane no less. Then DS arrived from college. DS's roommate had left his kitten--don't know who he thought would take care of it over the holiday, so DS had to bring it home with him since he was the last to leave. So we had a new puppy and a kitty. Soon after they arrived, Hubby and I went out to get a couple of last minute things. When we arrived home, there was no ornament or tree in sight. Everything was gone. DD sat in the living room. She said through clenched teeth that the tree was GONE for this year. She and a friend had repacked every ornament and tree limb and replaced all the boxes back into storage. What a job! Seems kitty and puppy were having a grand ole time climbing the tree, crawling through packages, getting stuck way in the back and driving DD crazy getting them out when they cried. This was when we still had the BIG tree. So we spent Christmas without the tree. Now, this year we still have little doggie, who doesn't bother the tree anymore. But we also have DD's kitty who LOVES tissue paper, bows, tape, wrapping paper, bags, ornaments, green growing things, etc. So Hubby and I have been contemplating no tree. We think we might put up DD's old little tree on the dining room table......

Definitely need to add to the fence money. Growing up in the country, the kids had pellet guns and bows/arrows for target practice. Of course, we had fields to set up hay bales and targets away from animals and people. And strict parents. Today, little doggie was watching backyard kiddo from the long windows on the glassed-in back porch. I heard a loud pop and doggie ran into the kitchen. I looked out and sure enough, backyard kiddo had a pellet gun of some sort. Now, he could just have had a ricochet, but tell me what parent allows a child to shoot a gun in a crowded neighborhood? Sheesh! Our kids had only nerf gun things and had a blast with the neighborhood "battles." I checked all the windows and I can't find a crack yet. Oh well, time to really focus on getting that fence money. I think that instead of paying extra on my CC bill with my challenge money, I will put it into the fence fund. In going over my budget, I have a little extra going to most of the CC anyway and had a little extra left over this month in there to add to one of the cards. So a refocus is in order....

I can't believe I've been gone five days. Last Thursday dawned bright and sunny and was 75 degrees and way humid. I knew the weather was going to change, but they were predicting 90 percent rain so I was going to wait the rain out before I traveled to see the college kids. The rain never really materialized, but the cold and wind did! DD called and said that she'd gotten out of class early and Hubby called and said that it was icing up north so better go ahead and leave. So I loaded up the car and packed the cat and off we went. Right into the teeth of the weather. Wow, the wind was blowing so hard that I could hear it whistling around the car. And I was either driving into it or it was crosswise of the road and fighting it for two and a half hours was a trip. Poor kitty. Thought that DD would love to spend some time with her cat, but I don't drive with the heat on much and the poor thing got cold. DD and I went to a concert that night that she had to attend and we had to hold on to each other to cross the street to the car. And COLD! Now I know what the guys here have been going through. We hit the hot chocolate. Hubby came up the next day so we could attend one of the concerts together. Kitty rode back with him while I stayed another day to see a third concert. Would have like to have stayed and seen the steel drum band concert that DS used to be in (bass player) because the carribean music is fun and the band has a blast. But after five days and three concerts, I was ready to get home. Got so much to do with Christmas. The drive home was sunny and mild. Today will be getting out all the receipts and trying to figure out how badly I butchered the budget.....

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....

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...

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.....

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 ........

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.

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.....

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....

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.....

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....

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......

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.