Saturday, January 31, 2015

Saturday, Free day...

$14.99 chips, avocados, nuts
Made my Swedish meatballs, today we will probably go out for a meal but have not made plans.

     I was a slug yesterday (not a sluggy slug as she is awesome) but I really didn't do much other than get my sewing done and make some dinner.  Did a few loads of laundry and actually changed the sheets on the  bed and pulled up some of the rugs so that will be an inspiration to get going I think.

     Yesterday all my tax info I was waiting for arrived so I am good to go to the accountants on Monday!  That is a big relief, as I won't be chasing things around and having to drop off later.  Hubs and I took another ballroom class last night it was fun and tiring, but we had a lot of laughs.  Hubs cousin is coming over with his family for the Superbowl.   So I really do have to clean my house, dang no more stalling or excuses.  I would enlist Hub's help but he cleaned the church this morning, maybe I can get him to take out the garbage and vacuum the basement?

     Just had a call from a client who needs to have pants hemmed and is leaving for a funeral on Monday, so I will be doing that in a few minutes. Then I need to figure out what I am going to serve tomorrow.  I know coconut shrimp for sure. Then what ever I can whip up.

    Hub's cousin is bringing over a rack of ribs, so I need to come up with sides and a dessert. I see a trip to the store in the next few hours.  I will think of something fabulous as I clean the crusty house.  Can you tell I have been dieting?  Trying to remove the 10 lbs of caramels that my hips ate over Christmas.

     Okay just fixed the mans pant.  To all you sewers or attempting sewers out there please do not use a smaller stitch than 3.  You do not need to go back and forth with a teeny tiny stitch to get something to hold.  In fact it is worse for the fabric and then almost impossible to re alter!

So I had better get busy, as I have avoided this long enough....

Kim



Friday, January 30, 2015

Friday, Can't wait?

     No Spend!
I am going to have Swedish meatballs out of freezer, potatoes and a can of sweet corn for dinner.  I have not cooked for three days now.  See taxes are good for some thing.

     I am so happy January is almost gone.  Although I mourn the fact that any of us want time to go faster.  Why can I just not enjoy the now?  I am always onto next week or tomorrow.  Is this part of what makes us human?  Can't wait until spring. Can't wait until this is over.  Sometimes can't wait is for something good like a new grandchild or a visit from a loved one.  But often times can't wait is just 20 minutes of life many times throughout the day.  Maybe it is the part of our soul that we need to tame so we enjoy life more and are not always waiting for the next big thing.

     I was a lazy daisy yesterday and it shows.  I mean really shows.  I should care but I don't.  Right now I have a pile of police uniforms and hems that must be done today!  So first thing I am going to do is hit the shop as I am such a procrastinator. It is my only way of reining in my inner lazy self.  There is no a clean room in my house and it is embarrassing.  Then again I don't really care.  I do however care about my clients and that they get there things on a timely schedule.

     We are having people over for Superbowl so that should be an inspiration to get the house whipped into shape.  There is just so much to dooooooooooooooooooooo.  That was a dog howl whine.  Sometimes that makes me feel better.  If my Sissie was here she would kick my butt, she would also put on an apron and make me get busy.

     Speaking of aprons, do any of you wear them?  I am always wearing an apron.  I love them.  I actually made a couple of cute ones a while back just for a de-stressor.  I like Carla enjoy just sewing for a whim.  Not to produce for a client, or money but as a way to relax and create.  I always use scraps left by other people as I like to see how cheaply I can make something wonderful for nothing.

     I was thinking of doing a give away as my main goal this year was to not add anything to my household that was not absolutely needed.  I gave one of my fun aprons away to my best buddy, and I thought of taking the other upstairs to add to my collection but that would be adding something I do not need and I do not need another apron.

    So if you wear aprons, let me know, if you think I should give away an apron I made let me know and maybe I will be inspired to do a Sluggy and have a give  away!

Me loves an apron.

I must get sewing or face being arrested by a naked cop.
Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Thursday, I'm over the moon and very crusty...

     No spend!
Have no idea what I am making for dinner, Hub's has eaten leftovers for the last two nights, or fended for himself.  Like beans and wienies.  So I need to get my creative juices flowing.  Actually I need to get in the tub and out of my pajamas, after all it is only 11:14.

     I am over the moon with delight at finishing the taxes as much as I am able.  I can put the mess away and get on with my normal life.  I really need to sew today and do some cleaning.  Things I have avoided this last few days of non stop adding machine chaos. 

     The week has gone so fast, I can't believe it is Thursday already, but that is nice because I will teach tonight and then have three days off and I really need three days off to get my new books set up for the year.  As the dance studio will go non profit I need to change the files and separate them, instead of running everything together.  It will take some getting used to.  I will have to develop new habits in regards to receipt's.  So I have two filing cabinets in my desk and one will be for the studio and one for home/shop.  It will work.  If someone from the board needs info they can get it out of the studio files and they are not mixed up with home files.

     I have not had very much work come in this week, which is weird as last week was so busy.  I have no excuses not to get something done in the shop as I have been such a slacker in that regard.

     Well I desperately need to get into the tub and get moving as in do something productive.


Have a great day!

Kim

    


Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Wedesday, making progress!

     Groceries, 42.57  gas 21.19
Have no idea what is for dinner and I don't care as I want to go back to bed.

    I am making progress on the taxes and I am about to the point where I start the adding machine and get the totals for all categories.  I actually don't mind the adding machine phase.  I like figures should have been an accountant.  Just not nit-picky enough.

     It is foggy and overcast this morning and so am I.  This is a blessing as the sun will not shine through the window when I am trying to work!  Why am I so sleepy?  I don't like it at all.  I need a boost of energy and I don't know where to find it.  Should I curl up with a blanket and watch some mind numbing TV?  Should I go back to bed?

     Sorry messed up the blog an d just realized it.  Mostly because I was so tired.  But I did finish the taxes, except for a few forms to gather, waiting for a W-2 etc.  But my bad part is done. So tomorrow I can get my life back, I hope it is nice outside. 

Have a great evening.

Kim

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Tuesday, I can do it all! maybe?

     No spend yesterday, I will take that!
My meat pie was delicious and so easy!  I am ashamed I haven't done this earlier.  Having the pie crusts already done and frozen was so amazing, because it took no time at all to put a fabulous pie together.  I will have to share sometime how I do my pie crusts.  Tonight we will eat leftovers.

     Well I did get a lot of work done on taxes, and I also worked in the yard!  Yippee!  See I can do both. I only have one more bush to trim in the back and it is done as far as trimming.  Unfortunately the clean up will take forever.  It was 65 yesterday so I did no sewing and I do need to sew today.  I also paid all the bills for the month on both the studio and the house, that was an undertaking.  See I will do anything to avoid working on the taxes even pay bills:)

     The beautiful hot sunshine that was pouring through the window yesterday seems to be gone.  It is still warm but the sunshine was the killer to my tax plans, I just could not resist the sun.  Hopefully it will stay behind a cloud for the afternoon and only come out when I am on my way down to the studio.

     Last night one of my old Irish dancers that had gone on to compete professionally came to teach class and it was so great.  The girls just love her and she is such a good teacher.  I am blessed with students that come back and help me do what I used to be able to do myself.  I am so grateful.

     So I have laundry started and I have to run through the house and then clean the kitchen, clean up, work on taxes, and sew a little before I go to the studio.  Yard work is out as I have to be at studio by 4 today.  I hope the house run through will warm me up as I am cold and shivery and feel like I have a cold coming on, like sneezy, sinus, ears plugged, head a little off, so far all symptoms except feeling physically cold are in my head, yeah most of my problems are in my head, Ha!

     Hey check out those totals, I paid bills, and I was so hoping to give every one a surprise and pay off something else but I had to rein myself in as I don't know what is going to happen as far as taxes are concerned and I have bills coming up that will need attention.  So I will save my money in a slush fund until I know for sure I can do what I want and then pay off another whopper.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim 


Monday, January 26, 2015

Monday, Okay I am going to say it!

     I was true to my word and rested on the Sabbath. As in I did not cook anything.  Just reheated and burned my split pea soup.  I am such a good wife.  I took out a package of burger and two pie crusts to thaw.  Not really sure what to do with these.  Maybe I was inspired by the cooking show where they made meat pies.  I suppose that would be easy enough.  Let me think, fry up the burger with onion salt and pepper, drain, add small cubed potato and carrot cook a little to seal flavors, dust bottom crust with corn starch to seal, can't stand a weepy crust and then top with other crust.  I will try it.  At least I will be upstairs to see that it does not burn :) Serve with gravy and some homemade apple sauce from freezer and some peas.  Okay dinner is set for the next couple of days now onto..........

     TAXES! FAFSA!  Yes that time is here.  Time to really face the big guns.  Actually the FAFSA is not that bad just an aggravation.  But the TAXES are a week of hell I tell you.  I have not even said the word although I received my packet from my accountant at the first of the month.  My appointment is February 2nd, so next Monday I think but I had better check again because we all know how good I am at dates.  I must spend my time pouring over files and adding figures.  Blah!

     After I take a closer look at my laundry situation, as in I start the laundry, I will assess the shop and then take all of last years files upstairs to the kitchen and start the dreaded purge of paper. I can do this, I have done it before.  Kind of like labor, you know when you are driving to the hospital and the pain makes you want to stop the car so you can breath through the contraction?  That is how I view taxes.  Yes I will live through this, it will be hell, I will learn something that will make it easier next time.  At least with child birth you get to quit after a few years of insanity.  But taxes.......

     By the way on the housekeeper thing, I did finally break down and clean the two upstairs toilets, and scrubbed the guest bath, but when you walk across the hardwood floors upstairs you get invisible crunches on your feet.  Which means all the rugs must be taken up and the floor swept and mopped.  As in 1500 square feet of hardwood and 17 throw rugs have to be shaken and some vacuumed.  I can wear shoes constantly for a few more days I think. The dust will just get thicker and Hub's will start to sneeze and his allergies will set in, I might have to break down, or have a break down, haven't figured out which one yet.

      I hope to be able to report some great progress tomorrow, as in I found so many other things I had to do that I avoided the tax monster all together.  I am great an avoidance. It is my best talent. By the way just to prove myself wrong I just snuck (Snuck is not a word) out while you were not looking and took all my files upstairs!

     It was 60 here yesterday and proves to be the same today, lovely day for yard work, and I feel that I might end up out there just to avoid the.........The sun is shining.........tune in tomorrow to see if I was strong enough to withstand the warm air and smell earth and pine pitch......where is my suntan lotion?

Have a great and productive day!

Kim



    
    

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Sunday, What happened to my umph?

Reheating the split pea soup for lunch but I think I might have burned it.  I need to pay more attention.

     The weather co-operated yesterday in that it was warm, not sunny but warm and it did  not rain.  I got a lot cut down but only 11 bags of yard waste bagged up before I pooped out.  There are still about 20 bags of waste out there to bag and I am not done trimming and that is just the back yard.  I probably spent 3 hours out there working and I was done.  I used to be able to spend all day.  What has happened?  I know I am slowing down but the real part of it was, I wanted to be able to move today.  As I go up the stairs I can feel the sore muscles in my legs and bottom from crouching and stooping.  If I had kept at it for a couple more hours I would really be in pain today. I am getting smarter but I don't like it one bit.

     Hub's and I went out to Taco time for a treat.  We spent $11.35 on a gift card.  We then went and bought baby gifts, a new set of sheets as one set of queens split and I insist on 2 sets for every bed.  We broke our new rule by picking up a beautiful leather duffel bag for hub's to pack in.  He usually uses a back pack, but is finding that to be inadequate and frustrating. Anyway we were able to get great deals and I was satisfied with the expense.

     I want to take a long nap today and then make dinner and enjoy Downton Abbey tonight.  I have a busy week ahead of me. Don't even want to think about it.

Have a peaceful and restful Sabbath.

Kim

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Saturday, weekend update

     Spent about $50 on treats and a few groceries, cat food, butter, soda, carrots, berries, spices
Had yummy split pea soup, made three  big loaves of homemade bread and a chocolate cake.  Have to use up the cake mixes I have in storage.  I think I will thaw out a salmon for dinner tomorrow, with mixes wild rices and veggies, yum.

     Hands are very swollen today and I am stiff as in body stiff.  I don't know what brings it on, but I strongly dislike it!  Today I hope to work in the yard some.  However the sun is not shining and I really hope it does not start to rain as it did last week.

     Hubs and I took ballroom class last night and it was fun although is is hard for me to dance after I have been there all week.  By Friday night I am beat.  We then went to get a few groceries and had a treat at McDonald's and came home and watched an Opera competition on PBS.  We have the best PBS stations in the nation in Idaho.  I don't know why.  Maybe because we have so much rural area and very few large towns.  A large town in Idaho is 100,000 and we have one of them.  Everything else is about 30,000 and we have about 10 of those.  Our cell phone service can be erratic and even cable and internet are not a for sure in many places.  So we depend largely on 3 PBS stations supported and run by colleges.  We also have many really wealthy pockets and these people support our PBS.  It is great. 

     I don't need to do any cooking today and just a little pick up, although I could deep clean the house, but who wants to do that?   I just checked the temperature and it is 52 degrees already so it is warm enough. 
I guess I had better get dressed and get to work.  I hope I can report tomorrow that we were able to get many yard projects done.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, January 23, 2015

Friday, I slept late!

No Spend
Leftovers for dinner last night.
Split Pea soup and bread for dinner. Will use Canadian Bacon from freezer, 1 bag of split peas from storage, can of chicken broth from storage.

     I am embarrassed to say how late I slept.  It was wonderful but cannot become a habit.  Usually in a case like this I am woke up by the doorbell or phone.  Maybe I am the only one left alive so no one could bother me. 

     I got to hold our tap teachers baby boy last night for about 2 hours.  He is one month old and fat and darling.  I team teach a younger class with her and then she teaches later so I get to baby sit. I hated it of course, as I was beating off the other parents who wanted to hold him.  It is so cute to see everyone rally to help support this teacher as she returns.  She can bring the baby with and there is always someone to hold or watch him  and this will continue until she feels comfortable leaving him at home.  The dancers were excited to have her back, she is such a good teacher, the baby is like a bonus!

     I am so glad it is Friday.  It seems like I am exhausted by the end of the week.  Hubs and I will attend a ballroom class tonight, I just hope I have the energy by 7:30 this evening.

     I was kind of a lazy daisy yesterday, so I will have to make up for it today.

Out My Window:  The sun is shining and I think it will get to about 45 today.  Now I hope that continues into tomorrow so we can get more winter yard work done.  I would really love to work outside for a while.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Thursday, Nope that ain't gonna work!

No Spend yesterday!
Chicken Parmesan a great hit and enough for two meals so we will have that tonight also. One Chicken breast makes two portions, amazing to be able to create a great dinner with one chicken breast.  Things used from storage: spaghetti, 1quart jar of home canned tomatoes,1 can of tomato sauce, bread crumbs, chicken breasts from freezer.

I am thinking of doing a pot of split pea soup, as I have peas in storage and Canadian bacon for flavoring, along with a loaf of home made crusty bread.  I have to be careful as many of the storage items I am trying to get rid of or use up turn into stews, soups and casseroles.  I could live on soup but Hub's likes his meat and potatoes.  He also needs to lose about 50 lbs and I have a hard time with portions when I make a big casserole or a pot of soup.  It is a dilemma.  I am going to try to throw at least two soups in a week as long as it is cold outside.  He really never complains as long as he has food and lot's of it:)

     I had a bride in here this morning with her 3 year old wedding dress.  She had gotten pregnant so they postponed the wedding and now she is getting married and want to use the same dress.  Well it's not going to happen, even taking out every seam it will still be tight and that is not attractive.  Tight, white across an abdomen is not pretty, nope not at all.

     Today I have to hem and take up the straps on a formal gown and hem umpteen pairs of pants.  I should also do some laundry as my teaching clothes are all over the bedroom upstairs.  Maybe I will maybe I won't.  Maybe I will just sit here with a wet head and surf the net, or maybe I will go back to bed, but then the doorbell will ring, so I will have to get up.  I might as well get something done.

    So:
1.  Go gather dirty clothes and start a load of laundry, bring up clean and put away.
2.  Make beds
3. dry hair and put on face
4. balance check books
5. pay bills for the month
6. sew
7. teach
8.  watch big bang theory!

     or

1. dry hair, put on face
2. take a nap

It is a tough choice!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Wednesday, corn chowder

Spent $29.76 Large bag of dog food, soda, pudding  had to have me some pudding...
Hub's ate left over corn chowder, so tonight we will have Chicken Parmesan, with spaghetti as a side dish.

 
Kim's Corn Chowder

    This is a large recipe and can be reduced as necessary.
Curried Corn Chowder
Cut 8 slices of bacon into 1 inch pieces and brown in the bottom of a large soup pot.
 Add 1 large onion cut into small pieces brown in bacon and fat.
Add 1 stalk of celery chopped fine.  (this is for flavor)
Peel and cube 8 russet potatoes, put in pot and just barely cover with water.
Add salt and pepper to taste
 Boil until tender do not drain
Add three cans of corn (you may use creamed corn for a creamier soup but I don't want the sugar and calories)Drain corn if it is not creamed
Add 4 cups of milk or 1/2 cream and milk depending on how rich you want soup.
Add 1/2 to 1 tsp of curry if you don't like curry don't use it.

Put 4 tbls of butter in soup right before it is served. This is a hearty filling soup and can be used as a main dish for very little expense and feeds a crowd.

     Finally was able to get all the police uniforms done, I will call the station for a pick-up this morning.  I have 6 pair of golf pants to alter and then I don't know how many hems.  I did get to the bank last night to deposit more studio checks and still have outstanding tuition.....Arghhhh!  My life, rant, rave, swear, okay I am over that.

     I let my housekeeper go the first part of December, for various reasons.  My house is generally clean but it desperately needs to be dusted and scrubbed.  It takes time as it is large, we have pets, and live where it is dusty. Scrubbing is hard on my hands which I save for sewing.  Yet I love to garden and play in the dirt and that is also hard on my hands.  So what's the story here?  I just don't want to do it?  I have become accustomed to someone else doing these things?  If I can work in the yard, I can clean right? I am trying to work through this dilemma.

     The house keeper used to come once a week for 4 hours and I loved that.  Nothing really built up, but it was expensive.  I was also much sicker than I am now.  Then I went to every other week and that was nice with the house getting a little furry by the second week.  But I do not want to take 4 hours of my sewing time to clean my house.  I suppose I could divide and conquer.  But I would rather whine and complain.  Any thoughts?  Feel free to comment.  Say things like Kim get a life, you slob!  You know things that will motivate me to do something about the fur balls and dust bunnies under the piano.  For now I am thinking about naming them, so people will think they are pets when they float around.

     Did not get any bills paid yesterday, it is my plan to do that today ( yeah like that will happen).  I forgot all about owing Hub's hearing aid Doctor $1600.00.  Can you believe that?  I was so excited about paying off something and here this is looming, crap!  I have to make at least a $500.00 payment to them this month.  I guess I had better get busy.  The bill paying Fairy seems to have skipped my house, so I have to do the work myself.

Out My Window:  Beautiful blue bird day, cold.  But the sun is shining, I will take it!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Tuesday, January blahs....

     No spend!
     Corn chowder was loved by all and there is enough left for hub's dinner tonight.
     I took out chicken breasts from the freezer, chicken Parmesan will use 2 quarts of tomatoes from storage,breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese, and spaghetti as a side.  I will make more sauce than needed and use it for some other dish later.

     January blahs are setting in, with the long dark days of overcast skies and fog.  I really am grateful for the rain we had last weekend but could it not have been on the week days?  I read of many bloggers who fight the January blues.  I try to stay busy doing something useful, but even that gets old. It seems like the same old , same old day after day.  Life just gets monotonous. I think we all need to see January a little differently.  Like a rest from the holidays.  A rest from the spending and running. A time to regroup and set new priorities.  (notice I didn't say goals?)  I have noticed that this year is a little better, and it is already the 20th, so maybe I will conquer my dread of January before I get much older.

     Hub's worked hard in the yard yesterday.  Maybe too hard.  I called him in about 12:30 to eat some leftover potatoes that I had hashed with onions and eggs.  He has essential tremors which are getting worse with age.  But his hands were shaking so bad he could not hold a fork and get food to his mouth.  He finally resorted to eating with his fingers.  Then I made him go take a nap as he had been up since 6, spending most of his time in the yard.

     I got busy with sewing and forgot about my chowder and scorched the crap out of it.  Luckily I remembered just in time and was able to save the majority by not scraping the bottom of my pot and transferring to another.  Oops!

     I really enjoyed my Celtic class last night, I just love those kids. Actually I love all my students, I just want to squeeze and hug them. I have calls into the school district to set up times to take them out on St. Paddy's day.

     Today is my typical day, of sewing, and cleaning and cooking, and I think I will add a load or two of laundry and then the dreaded paying of bills.  All before I go to the studio.  I need to be there at 4 today. So I had better get a move on, as I have a lot to do.

     What have you done to get over the January blahs?  Is it something you struggle with?

Kim

Monday, January 19, 2015

Monday, Happy Martin Luthern King's Day!

     Spent about $110.00 on groceries this weekend. Fruit, veggies, potatoes,laundry soap, soda, lot's of cheese, spices I was out of, boy are they expensive.  All told it is the 19th and we have spent $178.89 on groceries this month so I wonder if this new thing I have going of emptying the pantry is going to save us money on the grocery budget.

     I am going to make corn chowder tonight, using up bacon in freezer, and several cans of corn from storage.

     Saturday was a bust so to speak, as I was raring to go in the yard and as soon as I had my housework done and had gone outside to help hub's it started to rain and it did not quit until Sunday.  I was frustrated so I came inside and cleaned out 3 cupboards, and took a short nap.  We were invited to our friends house for dinner and a movie and had a nice time.  I did not have to cook!   Ate way too much dessert:)

     Sunday when we came home from church the power was out.  Of course it was a sunny warm 53 degree day and we could have worked in the yard but as it was the Sabbath we did not.  A transformer had blown so we had cold meatloaf sandwiches and snuggled up in bed.  Both of us took naps until about 4:30.  Lights were back on and Hub's went to orchestra practice, I watched Downton Abbey.  We just heated up leftovers for dinner.

     I learned years ago to keep the Sabbath day.  I am a workaholic and my body needs rest, now I look forward to a day where I can say without guilt I am resting.  

     Hub's has today off, I don't.  So I am wondering how yard work will go?  I guess I will get myself ready do a run through of the house, trash cans are all full (how does this happen?)  I need to clean out my food cupboard in the kitchen.  It is small and needs to be organized as stuff gets pushed around and forgotten.  The stuff we don't want to eat that is, and those 1/4 full bags  of dried up brown sugar, need to do something about those.  I also need to get some sewing done and get to the studio later. No rest for the wicked.

     Will meet with banker this week to go over papers for non profit status.  I am lost in it all and it is something that I need expert help with, I also will get the help of my accountant.  It is a process that is all I can say.

     I would love to just sit here and chat but life is calling and she is such a grouch when you don't answer.....

Have a great and productive day! 

Kim

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Saturday, Trying for motivation....

 Had Swedish meatballs, potatoes, and a can of green beans for dinner.  We have left over potatoes and I kept out a meat loaf for today.  Will heat up a can of veggies.  See how good I am at trying to use the storage? 

   Okay it is really the 17th you caught me at my stupidity again, or maybe just wishful thinking.  I do a lot of wishful thinking.  It is part of my nature to try to be positive,  observe the word try, as this does not come naturally.  I love me a Saturday where I feel I can get done what I want with no planned agenda.

     Hub's got up and cleaned the church today and is now on his way to the backyard and I want to join him in a little while.  I have plenty of housework today as I concentrated on sewing when I got back from the funeral.

     Sewed really hard yesterday and also made a major batch of food.  6 dozen Swedish meatballs, which I made twice as big as normal so they freeze in bags of 12 which is more than enough for a dinner and left overs.  I then made 2 huge meat loaves which I cut in half and froze. One of these is plenty for us with leftovers for sandwiches.  Alas I left my kitchen a grease ball mess so as soon as I clean up and start the laundry I will clean the kitchen and join hub's in the yard.

     I keep thinking I will catch up in the shop but the local police are contrary.  I had enough of their sewing come in yesterday to keep me busy and everyone that picked up seem to bring more. Teachers and I sat up very late last night and watched 2 Mary Poppins movies to try and start jelling a story board for the spring show.  My imagination will have something to work on while I rake leaves.

     I swear I have never seen the amount of whirly gigs out on the the porch as I have this year.  It must be a bumper crop and they need to go before they decide to seed them selves in the yard and the cracks of every nook and cranny they can find.

     I also need to go to the grocery store and get a few things, Hubs needs cleaning supplies for the church, and the dog has managed to lose her collar. So later today we will be off to putz around town.

     Out My Window:  Back yard you are going down!


Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, January 16, 2015

Friday, It is the 15th today?

    We ate leftover chicken chili last night it was even better the second day.  So today I get to make meatloaves and Swedish meatballs.

    Purchased 4 rolls of cheap sausage for $4.29 to put in meatballs.

  Yippee!  I thought today was the 16th and I have an extra day as I forgot to pay the house payment yesterday while I was at the bank because I was distracted by my own stupidity.  This happens quite often. I won't even go into my bank dilemma which of course was my fault!  I won't cost me any money so that is the blessing.

     My Sissie sent me one of her boxes O'sh$%.  This is where she goes through her house and cleans or de clutters and then send the stuff to you. She also shops and finds little bargains that she knows you will love and sends them. We are both trying to de clutter so she sends me a pile of stuff because she likes to see me squirm.  This box was great because I loved everything even though I am not to add anything to my house this year.  It was all really nice and I will use most of it the dirty scoundrel.

Christmas foxes (re gift)
Christmas pate' plate and spreader (re gift)
fancy olive plate (cup broke)  will use to send out treat.
2 beautiful boxes of expensive soap with a gift card attached so will put a Starbucks card in and give as gifts to teachers.
New wooden spoon set (I will throw my old gross ones away)
Spindle rolling pin (I have always wanted one)
2 popover pans (I have always wanted these, Sissie makes the best popovers)
an old fashioned bottle opener that hooks to the wall. Always need this at Christmas!
A little white porcelain milk jug for milk when we have hot cereal.
A large white gravy boat.
2 pairs of burgundy gold toe socks
A smelly diffuser that matches my guest bathroom.
A fridge garlic keeper (always wanted one)
A fridge lemon keeper (always wanted one)

Isn't that a great load of goodies?

     I sewed like a demon yesterday and will have to today also.  It isn't even 11:00 and I already have had over $100.00 worth of new product brought in, I really need to stay busy for awhile.

     So today's plan is to sew, sew, sew and make up the burger I bought Wednesday on sale.  I don't have to teach tonight and I hope the weekend is nice so I can do a little yard work with hubby.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Thursday, breaking my own rules...

      We had white bean, chicken chili for dinner, husband loved it and it also used 7 cans out of the storage.  4 cans of beans, 2 chicken broth and 1 can chilies. Yahoo!  But as I am not out adding anything to my stash I had no onions in the house.  The milk that was left was bad so I quickly ran to the store and there I broke my rule for the new year.

       I picked up 10 lbs of 80/20 burger that had been accidentally marked $1.58 a lb.  The freezer had gone down that held the milk and eggs so things were being moved into the butcher section which is why I was there anyway.  I noticed the meat and saw a 3.5 lb package of burger was $16.99 Yikes!  For ground beef? Then the package right next to it was $5.36? So I started to dig and sure enough three packages miss marked.  I said something to the butcher and he said it was a mistake but he must give it to me at that price.  So I am sorry to say I bought it.  Broke my rule and bought it.  Just could not be that strong.

     I will make a meat loaf for dinner and then I am going to make Swedish meatballs to freeze. They will be used up soon believe me.  I had planned on doing corn chowder but will put that off until next week.

Spent $32.39 at store, on milk, soda, carrots, celery, onions, and burger.

     My hands are really bad today and I am a little worried about them.  I have so much sewing to do so that is scary. I am trying to loosen them up by typing and drugs, I hope it works.  I have to go and pay the house payment today and stop at the store for some sausage to make up the meatballs.  Must be at the studio by 4 and I need to really put my nose to the grind stone.

     So say a prayer for my wrists and hands as I am diving into my shop to get things done.

Out My Window:  It is a beautiful sun shiny day here.  Blue sky all around.  I want to work outside, alas I am tied to my machine because I have been a lazy.  Sniff, sad face.....

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

    

    

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Wednesday, I want to stay home for a while!

Bacon, lettuce, tomato,avocado sandwiches when we got home as we needed to use up these items.  I am not sure if I am going to make corn chowder or white chicken chili for dinner tonight.

I managed to get to Missoula and back for 4 days on the cash I had.  No shopping or adding anything to my nest.  We came home with 5 pieces of furniture less than we had before.

   I just want to stay home for a while.  I feel like all I have done the last 2 months is take long car rides.  When you consider that we went to Southern Idaho twice and Missoula 3 times in the last two months I have been on the road a great deal.  Just sick of it I tell you.  May I not have to travel far for a while.  Gas is down to $1.89 at some places around here so I don't have to complain about cost.  Just cost in time.

     Woke up with a killer headache this morning, but I took two headache tablets immediately and it seems to be subsiding.  I have so much to do today, my shop is out of control and I know I have many more things coming in today.  This is what happens when you have been a lazy slug like I have and have taken off so much time from really sewing.  I will hit the machines after I clean up and stay there until I go teach dance tonight.  I also need to call the pharmacy and get a prescription ordered and I need to go into see my doctor if I can squeeze it in this week.

     Took a nasty fall as soon as we got to Missoula.  The streets were solid ice.  I landed flat on my back but tried to catch myself with my left hand.  Left wrist is stiff and very swollen in the mornings and then goes down,  it is quite sore, but as it is collapsing I don't know if this is from the arthritis or the fall.  Probably should have it checked out.  I just really don't feel like I have the time right now to have an injury.  So I will ignore it until it goes away.....  see how mature I am?  I will get to it when I have time.

     The funeral service was beautiful.  It was held in St Francis Xavier Church.  The music was astounding.  This church is one of the oldest Catholic churches west of the Mississippi.  The Frescoes are so beautiful and well worth seeing if you are in that part of the country.  Hub's and I stayed with friends and he helped with a bathroom remodel while I stayed with my sister and helped with what I could at the funeral.

      Spent time with my mother, but Sis refused to go into the house.  The fact that mom has allowed our brother back in is a very sore subject with the rest of the family.  I know she regrets is, as we could not stay there at all but had to stay with others.  Here she has this huge house and her family cannot come and visit or stay as you never know what my brother is going to do.  I was so hoping he would go to prison for a few years and maybe get cleaned up.  That has not happened so we have to see where this leads.  It is a never ending cycle of abuse on one level or another.

     Well no use dwelling on a situation I cannot change, and I have work to do!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, January 9, 2015

Friday, glad it is Friday!

 Sent Hubby to the store, have know idea what he spent?  We had leftovers and sandwiches for dinner as planned and tonight we are going out!

       This has been a long week.  I think getting back into teaching after the break made it harder.  I do however love my students and they make my work enjoyable.  I have many things to get done today and next week I will really have to put my nose to the grindstone.  I have been slacking like a bear in hibernation and I need to get with the program.

     I actually went back to bed after I blogged yesterday and slept for another 2.5 hours.  This is very unusual for me.  I will take an afternoon snooze before going to the studio if I can , but am usually awakened by the phone or customers.  I was just so tired yesterday.  Then I had to move like a mad woman all afternoon and come home after dance to finish a project.

     I have a pick up this morning, and I have to cut out and complete a bed jacket and night gown for a client.  I need to do some banking and also get a few things done around the house.  My nails need to be done before we leave for the funeral. The truck is still full of dance stuff and I have to find old blankets and tarps to load this furniture into the back of the truck before we leave tomorrow. 

     We are going out to dinner with an older couple this evening and then our ballroom program starts tonight and I will go and oversee this and come home at 9 and crash.  So I wanted to get the house really straightened and packing done tonight. 

     Sewing, laundry, and cleaning must be done before I leave for a clients and then run to the nail salon.  On the way to the salon I can do the banking and then come home to pack and pull moving supplies.  Hopefully I can have all of this done before Hubby gets home at 4:30. Oh I just remembered I must get to the pharmacy.  Add that to the list.

     My day is planned.  Is yours?  What are you going to accomplish?

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Thursday, sleepy,sleepy.....

$112.69 at Joanns, yikes!.  This was 8 coat zippers, and enough fabric to make two custom nightgowns and a bed jacket.  I can't believe the cost of zippers.
 Hubs loved his dinner with rice, and we have leftovers or he can have a bacon,lettuce, tomato, and avocado sandwich.  Have too much bacon in fridge right now and it needs to be used. 

  My oh my I am sleepy this morning.  Dog woke me up barking out of a deep dream sleep and that is always a little weird. I'm sitting here with a wet head and hoping that after this post I can get the energy to dry my hair, put on some makeup, and make the bed!

     Daughter took all the laundry back to the University freeing up space in the laundry room.  So I am no longer tripping over baskets, small blessing.  I have major sewing today as I have been a lazy coot in my shop and now I have to pay the piper.  The truck is full of things I picked up from the theater, and I need to start putting things away at the studio.  Fun, Fun, Fun!

     I hate it when I just want to go back to bed.  Where is my zip a dee doo da?

     Out My Window:  Yesterday was warm for winter and sunny.  So nice, and of course today is over cast.  But we mustn't get too warm or the trees bud and then we have a freeze.  One of those be careful what you pray for scenarios.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Wednesday, motivation, I need some.

 $23.16 groceries
Hubs wants rice for dinner, he put out a bag and the rice cooker which I ignored and made my taco salad, so tonight I will use 1/2 bag 1/2 lb. of brown rice out of storage, and I dug through cupboard and found a package of curry mix.  I will pull chicken breasts out of freezer and add, onions, carrots and potatoes.  This will all go over rice. Using up three storage items.

      We have at least 10 new students at the studio, so that is great!  We also lost 5 or 6 but as my good friend calls it they might have been dead weight.  We will see. It usually balances out over time. Last night was a lot of running around and trying to switch people to different classes.  Some of the younger classes are just too large.  As in 16 dancers, we need move them around.  Yikes!

     I am trying to really listen to my body and I have discovered that adding the evenings at the studio, really exhausts me.  Funny, but I have essentially had three weeks off and have not gone there in the evenings,the last two days I have come home and collapsed on the couch and gone to sleep almost immediately. This is alarming to Hubby.  He thinks I am dieing. I haven't been sewing a great deal, but have been doing a lot of laundry and putting away.  So hopefully I can get myself on even keel.  It might also be the cold weather and the dark, I am just so tired all the time.  I know my disease makes me tired and the drugs I take also add to this, I just really don't like it at all.  I want energy!

     I have ignored my house for the last couple of days, so after I get myself cleaned up that will be a priority.  If I let it get out of hand I may not be able to bring it back especially with my energy level.....splat!

         So I am going to try and motivate myself a bit and look chipper!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Tuesday, outta my funk...

No spend day yesterday.
We ate leftovers, and today 1 lb of burger out of freezer, one package of taco mix out of storage and one can of kidney beans.  Will go purchase taco chips and a tomato to complete taco salad.  Actually will buy a few tomatoes as we have so much bacon and will have blt's later this week.  We are also very low on cheese.

    Okay I talked myself out of my bad/sad mood yesterday.  Just getting down to the studio and seeing the kids is what it took.  We have several new students coming in today and that is always nice and reassuring.  Something about new blood really helps.  My tap teacher had her baby 10 days late in December and will not be ready to come back to work for a few more weeks so I will be teaching her classes. We have to move many ballet students around in the younger classes as they get too large.  What a nice blessing.

     Well I just got word from Sissie, the Rosaries are on Sunday evening and the funeral is Monday morning. So now I make plans to drive to Missoula yet again.  We will leave Saturday morning and return? I might send Hub's home after funeral and then take mom's car and drive her back here for a few weeks or at least the month of January. She could change her mind.

     I am still doing laundry and am now bleaching the whites, soon I will get to sort socks!  Oh what fun.  Life is so exciting.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim


Monday, January 5, 2015

Monday, very blah around here...

    $29.97 Gas up the car.  $4.13 plastic containers
Used one can of corn and one of peas plus chicken out of freezer for chicken pie.


     I need a pep talk.  I am very blah today and the studio opens.  I just don't want to get back on the merry-go-round but I know I have to.  I also have a back-ache and am achy in general so that is not helping.  I am actually shivering right now and I need to get heated up.

     My Sissie's mother-in-law passed away yesterday and she is so sad.  I am sad for her.  I am not sure when the funeral will be but she will fly out and hub's and I will take off for Missoula for a few days.  This will get all the big furniture out of my shop.  Maybe seeing my Sissie will make me feel better.

     On Friday evening I went up to University to see girls and help organize the apartment.  It was not as bad as usual, as I have really been on them to get rid of things they don't wear or use.  I keep saying be ruthless.  I brought home a huge plastic bin of clothes to take to the resell.  I also got them to get rid of a cheap, nasty, Grandfather clock they had picked up at a yard sale.  It was tippy and did not work.  Just took up room they did not have.  That went into the dumpster.  Yeah!

     These companies that rent to college students take such advantage of them.  The drains in the bathroom have not worked properly for months.  Also the water in Moscow is very rusty and gross.  So the tub and sink are constantly full of soap scum as the water drains slowly.  They have reported this to maintenance for the last several months.  I went to Wal-mart and bought one of those long plastic snake hair removers for  $2.99.  Went back to the apartment and pulled several weasels out of both drains ( I could not believe how much hair was in those) and the tub, and sink work great.
 
     I did come home with a lot of laundry again, but I don't mind.  I would rather do it than have them take their stuff to a laundry mat and have it ruined.  It was nice to be with the girls for a couple days as I spent the night.

     We switched church times the first of the year and now go at 9 in the morning on Sundays.  I am not a good morning person, as I am very stiff and need a while to get around, but I do love the long afternoon naps.  Yesterday, I made chicken pie for dinner.  Yes there are left overs for today!

     I was at Winco with the girls getting a few groceries and I spied the Christmas plastic wear on sale.  We are constantly going through  this stuff, with hubs taking a lunch everyday and we freeze and use leftovers.  So I did allow myself to buy 4 sets, but nothing else in the stock up.  It is hard I am so used to looking for bargains.  I really had to justify buying these.

     Well I had better get busy and motivated.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, January 2, 2015

Friday,So how to proceed....

$16.69 face bronzer(mine shattered) and 6 pkgs of  binding for shop.

dinner leftovers, bean hot dish.  Used from freezer 1 lb ground beef and 6 cans of beans from storage.
cooked 7 chicken breasts from freezer and refroze 4 have 3 to make enchiladas.  I will use soup and a mix and chilies from storage but will buy corn tortillas and some cheese.  See how this works.  I must make my meals from items in storage.  I will try to report every day.

    I have these goals and plans and I am trying to think of how to proceed with them.  I guess it won't be that hard.  I am not buying anything I don't need and I am getting rid of things that I don't need or want.  My problem is that I like to shop and create and it is a bad habit.

     I like to buy buy things for my home.  I like to buy clothes.  But I don't need anything and it is silly to keep adding only to get rid of good things that are useful.  It is a waste of money and I have debt.  So yesterday after tooling around the house not wanting to clean anything. I went into the shop and noticed a stack of old material and scraps I had saved from someone else s sewing.  If people over buy material or it is a large chunk that I am cutting off of a blanket, curtains, etc,  I will save the remnant and reuse it for something.  Most of my costumes are lined with reused material people have over bought. Usually people who don't sew will say you keep it.

     Well a lady had left me several yards of really nice cute curtain fabric and I proceeded to make a couple of aprons.  It only took an hour and it was fun.  I love a new apron and I have one to give away.  I love to give things to people.  I also knocked up a couple of pot holders so I did not waste the remnant of the remnant.  See how frugal I am:)

     Today I have a few things to do in the shop.  I am going to the banks and getting my budget set up for the month of January.  Need to make a run through the house and maybe get dressed?  I should get dressed before I go to the bank. Don't want to cause them too much excitement.  Plus it is very cold today.

Now get busy all of you and go work on something!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Thursday, Happy New Year 2015!!!!

     Happy New Year everyone!  This is going to be the best year yet, I can just feel it in my bones.  Speaking (I mean writing) of my bones, my left wrist has officially collapsed.  Very painful as the nerves that run through it are pinched and it feels like it is burning, with shooting pains in the bones of my hand.  Lovely way to start the New Year right?  You know that little bump we all have on our wrist?  Well my left one has disappeared into a mess of other bones I guess. I wish this 10lb. roll of fudge and caramels around my waist would disappear.

     Hub's got home really late last night from the yearly office hearts game(jungle rules apply).  I think he felt guilty as he insisted we go to the movies last night and it was nice.  We went to the Hobbit.  I need to reread that book.  I just remember the first 60 pages about drove me crazy, as in get on with the story.  But who am I to tell Tolkien how to write?  I have already put a large patch on a hockey jacket this morning. I don't even get New Years off?  No when you own a home business and people know you you don't.

     Looking back at 2014, I think it was a pretty good year, no real major disasters. Some sadness and trials but we all have those and they are never ending.  We were or I was able to take 3 really nice trips last year and pay off about $27,000 of debt.  In fact Sarah and I were withing 20 bucks of each other for debt payoff.  She paid about $19.00 more.  Isn't that funny?

     I really don't know what 2015 will bring with the studio going non-profit.  All I know is that I will continue to pay off my debts as quickly as I can without making myself miserable. A couple of major changes for this year that will hopefully change the bottom line to the positive are that we are both hubs and I trying to downsize our household and things.

     For instance, I will no longer be shopping loss leaders at stores to add to food storage.  This is how I keep my grocery budget down,  But we have a good supply of food and it needs to be eaten.  So no more bargain purchases, or Rite Aid shops.  Unless an item is needed no matter how good the price I will not be buying it for later.  Menus will be planned around what is in the storage and freezer.  When the freezer is empty I can buy more meat.  We will only buy fresh veggies, milk, fruit, cheese.  Canned goods and staples will come out of our storage.

     We will buy no new clothes or shoes, unless something specific needs to be replaced.  As in hubs work shoes.  We both have way too many clothes.  I specifically am bad about this.  I love to go to Ross or TJ Maxx and pick up a few things on sale.  Well no more, I have plenty.

     We will buy no new tools, or knick knacks for the house.  No new kitchen gadgets, pans, towels, etc.

     We will get rid of things we don't use or wear.  Every drawer and closet, nook and cranny will be scoured through out the year and ruthlessly downsized.

     We will continue to pay down debt as quickly as possible. 

     I am not so sure how much money this will save, but with Hubs retirement looming at the end of the year we may be selling the house or putting everything in storage and renting the house. Things are up in the air right now.  So the more stuff we get rid of the easier it will be to take off on a mission for our church.

     I really don't see us going any where until Spring 2016 as our youngest will be out of college and hopefully know what her future plans are as far as graduate school is concerned.  I know we won't go anywhere until that is worked out.

     So my life has big plans!

Have a great and productive day!

Kim