How are you stretching $$$ ?

I ate at home.

I called the oldest cousin today because I wanted to bedevil him for not checking on me and finding out that I'd had both a kitchen fire and had lightning hit the house. I just love rattling his cage. It's my warped sense of humor to get even with him for rubbing my nose in the fact that I cannot travel and live like I used to. I mean, it was cruel and unfeeling of him to tell me that he was taking trips to California, Texas and Arkansas, Martha's Vineyard, and Kentucky.

I talked to my friend a couple of times because she's been really stressed lately.

Tuesday night I'm taking the Cooking With Wine class. It should be fun.

Aurora decided to be super adorable today. When she's like that, I just have to spoil her rotten.

another buzy day( which now i want, keeps my mind buzy and from thinking about ds)

going to help a dear friend today, and then to wally world to grab some salad stuff, i haven't been eating right since ds has been gone, so back to healthy eating

 dinner tonight is roasted chicken salad, and baked apples

 going to tke bailey on a long walk today, and i need to cut the grass i waited too long last week and it was like a jungle to cut

 have a great day all

DH did the dishes last night, so that's a nice break for me this morning!  Once I drop DD off I come home, peruse the forum for a while, check email, etc.  After I hop off I hear, I go do the dishes, plan dinner, clean up, etc.  Today there's very little clean up and there's only 3 dishes (from breakfast) in the sink!  So nice when something little like that is done.

Seeley, my orange tabby, is being so cute this morning.  She's sleeping on her back in a patch of sunlight.  Back in VA she *never* slept on her back.  She's very relaxed here in this house.

DD & I have almost decided on which exact shade of blue to paint her room.  And I found some pink, yellow, and orange gerber daisy wallies that would be fabulous for the boarder.  I will check through my other materials first and also the dollar store before settling on those.  I will be able to buy the paint from the local hardware store, which makes me happy b/c DH & I are trying really hard to support the local businesses whenever we can.

$20 out yesterday in town -- some accessories for DH's dremel for projects around the house, some spraypaint for another project, a small "clean cotton" candle, some "farmhouse apple" votive candles, and a rented movie.  Here's the deal with the candles -- until we paint there's still a faint smell left in the house from being unoccupied for almost 2 years.  I've fabric sprayed everything and having our own stuff helps, but the smell still lingers.  So I light a candle for a couple hours each morning and evening and it seems to help a lot.

Beef stroganoff for dinner; dessert/snacks at the library when we go see Philip Gulley speak tonight.  *SUPER* excited about that.

Good Morning to all...

Tracy I sent you an E-mail and a P.M.   :) Hope all is well.

Up early and at work...a beautiful morning - no need for a.c. it was 80....ahh the little things in life that make us smile !  Meeting up with my daughter and her friend for a quick bite to eat after work and really want to stop at Ikea for some storage containers on clearance-but not sure I want to "fight" with traffic to get there...for some reason I really feel the need to micro-organize "stuff" whenever there is something in my life I can't control - which is Mom's health issues...

Take Care and be kind to yourself my friends

Deb in az

DH broke down and called the repair shop to get his AC fixed in his car. Too hot without it now. So not sure how much that will cost. Ugh. They will call with the estimate before they do any work.

Leftover taco fixings for lunch today. I have a head of lettuce so may turn into a taco salad. Dinner tonight, BLTs, corn on the cob and cucumber salad. One of my favorite summer meals. DH picked 5 tomatoes last night and I used one for the tacos and will slice 2 for BLTs tonight. Yum! Love garden tomatoes.

I need to run to Walgreen's today or tomorrow. I have a $3 off coupon of a $15 purchase. I need to get vitamins for me and the boys and some hairspray.

I had a 50% off coupon for the Gap and am in need of nothing right now (so, so different than what I used to be) so DH ordered 2 pair of khaki pants for school. He found one pair on sale for $24.99 and I had free shipping! So 2 nice pair of pants to teach in and all under $40. And in his size (which the store doesn't carry). With the other 2-3 pair he has now, I think he is set for school this year.

My brother in law brought over my nephew's bike that he outgrew. We were hoping to give it to DS for his Sept birthday but BIL left it next to the garage and DS saw it--so no surprise. It doesn't have training wheels and he and DH were out last night trying to learn how to ride. Lots of practice needed!

Take care everyone!

Good morning!

Last night my buddy came over and brought Texas Toast and I warmed up my left over spegetty from last week.  It was good, had it with ice tea.  DD spent night at dad's so I pick her up tonight and take her bad tomorrow and then that's it for her over there, then my turn to stay home and watch her till school starts next week.  I don't understand why they have a break in between camp and school starting, it really is awfully hard to work out.

Today, I brought in some yogurt and a banana, for lunch a chicken salad with avocado.  I fed G. Pig some orange and blueberries.  Last nigth I shared some lettuce with her.  She always has her grain and timothy hay, but I feel badly when she doesn't get her Romaine Lettuce she loves.

Not sure what dinner will be tonight, probably salmon patties and some cauliflour I need to cook up and sliced tomatoes. 

I picked up the cat food off the floor this morning,  Gracie is getting fat and she throws up too much and I think she is eating too much.  Decided to take it up during the day. 

No money out today! 

Dear ALl, On my 2 indoor cherry tomato plants, I have AT LEAST 2 toooooomatoes growing!  -- the vines are so heavy & iiinterlooped that I cannot easily see more, but I'm going to investigate today.

Josie can't come today to put out my meds!  So, I have to do it myself, very slowly & carefully, & bring the trays in to  my personal physician's, Peter's, on Thursday to be checked.

I'm going to do some shopping at Cala/Ralphs/Krogers with coupons today, not much, & maybe find soooome things at Walgreens as well.  I have lliines to stand in at Walgreens Pharmacy & at the PO.  I HATE standing in liines!   It doesn't speak well for me, but not having to do that myself ws the nicest perk of haviiing aides ....

It looks aas though I might be able to get a free new fridge through an electricity utility project for low-income families whose fridges are older than a decade.  I'm going to call in for an appt, & see whaa they say.  At the least, tehy'll give me soome CFL's.  The lasst time they came, about 3 years ago, my fridge ('98) wasn't old enough yet ....

Yours in Him,  Deb

My allergies are kicking in from the dust, etc., being kicked up by the extensive yard work being down yesterday and today. We're cutting down the weed trees and the vines that had taken over the back yard and the back of the house. This is so the house will be a show place again and also to prevent damage if we have storms including hurricanes. I had vines climbing up to the roof that should've been hit with Round-up. The other day I saw a squirrel going up a vine to the roof of the house. The vines were trying to get inside the windows. Scary !!!

I don't know if you're aware of it or not, but squirrels can do a lot of damage if they get inside a building.

In 2003 we had a brand new roof put on the house plus siding.

Having the stuff cleaned up will be necessary for replacing the two heat pumps later on this year.

Now I have to think about what to plant in the planters and then I'll have to think about cleaning up the side porch so it is liveable. The side porch has wrought iron furniture including a glass top table and chairs. We used to eat meals put there when my step-father was alive. There is a ceiling fan also. There is no heat on the porch nor is there any a/c. It really could be another complete room if I wanted it to be. I kinda like having it just as a porch, though.

For some reason I am finding things harder this week than last week.  I should be doing better all the time, not worse!  I'm frustrated.  I'm trying to be patient, I know the baby is only 12 days old but still, I just want to get back into the swing of things.  Feel I was doing a lot better last week.  Things have been more of a struggle in the past few days . . . I'm also trying to cut back on the pain meds so that might have something to do with it.  Need to cut back though, want to be able to drive again.

Tough night last night.  Baby was up every hour-she has been really good at night until last night!  DS had four nightmares that had him up crying and screaming for me.  He ended up laying in bed with me for awhile but decided to go back to his room as the baby started fussing again and he said it was too loud.  DD is so sensitive these past few days.  She has been struggling a lot since I was gone to have the baby . . . and she alternates between liking the baby and hating it!  Normal.  But she is constantly crying, has dissolved into tears several times already this morning.  I only partially got dressed-waiting for my mom to come so I can finish.  DS is still asleep after being up the majority of the night.

I was supposed to do a fundraising sale with a friend tonight but it got changed till tomorrow night.  But I might not be able to go now as DH has to go out of town for the day for work and don't know if he'll be home in time to stay with the kids while I go.  Frustrated about that too-would be good money, opportunity to make $200-$300 or maybe even more in only 2 hours time.  Normally I would not even consider doing any kind of work at this point but I would just be sitting and processing the sales part of it (running cards, writing up sales, etc).  Easy and good money which we need.  Waiting to hear from DH to see if it's going to work out or not.

So I guess ultimately, I'm just frustrated today!  Drinking a cup of coffee right now, trying to gather myself up a bit!  Staying home again today, no money out.  My mom is taking DS to OT for me while I stay home with DD and the baby.  Going to do some laundry and clear the clutter a bit-the kids toys have exploded over the past couple of days!

OK, sorry for the long, complaining post but I have to say I feel much better now.  Helps to get these things out.

Have a great day everyone!