Saturday, February 28, 2015

Saturday, I should not have gotten up....

We ate leftovers.  No Spend. Already my day is a mess so who knows what I will cook.

     Youngest daughter is sick with I think the same thing I have had, I have not seen her in over a month so I doubt she caught it from me.  I am making her come down here and taking her to the doctor as the Health service at the University will only issue her birth control pills because all students are drug addicts and cannot be given a cough suppressant. 

     Husband needs gas for car and the oil changed.  Now I can understand the gas but can't you wait another week for the oil?  No he is like a dog to a bone that man.  I shouldn't complain because we don't have many car problems.  Knock on wood.

     I am $15.00 short of my goal for the house payment and I am very proud of myself  as I did it in a week, but now I see it drifting away on doctors and meds and gas and oil.  So my hard work goes down the drain.   I am whining about life and I should be grateful it isn't something worse.  Kids get sick, cars need maintenance.  I have money in savings I just want it to stay there.  Grrrrrrr!

Okay I am over my rant.  I have enough peppers, and avocados in the fridge for a good Mexican fiesta so that is what we are having for dinner tomorrow.  I am going to go upstairs and clean out the fridge and organize it to work off some of my frustration.

     I was able to clean my shop yesterday and my desk work area is too cluttered.  I am not sure what to do about it, I am thinking a work in progress.  I need to clean out the shop closet and organize it a little better to give me room for office crap that I have to keep.  I haven't thrown anything away for a while and everyone who sews knows how the stuff breeds.

     I have several things that need to be mended for the play next week as the director brought me a new armful, mostly zippers. The sun is shining and there is plenty to do.  I think I just need to get moving and stop thinking.

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Friday, February 27, 2015

Friday, very discouraged.

Leftovers, and we will eat leftovers again today.  Good friend brought over all the produce from her fridge as they are leaving for 10 days.  So I have plenty of yummy veggies to use in many dishes, kind of need to organize the fridge. We will be eating a ton of salad.

     I paid bills last night and again not enough to cover what was needed between the studio and the house.  At the beginning of January I had in my mind a way to pay off the car.  It did not work out but I did have some money put aside to help with a pay off this month.  Even worse results this month.  I guess I live in a dream world.  Paying off the truck (studio debt) has not made a difference at all it seems.

      Every single bill has gone up.  Life insurance, house(taxes), Internet, phones, utilities,car insurance.  If a bill has come in it is slightly higher or much higher.  Now gas is going back up. I am thinking of raising my rates in the shop.  

     I thought that eating out of our storage would save me money in the grocery department, but I am not seeing that really.  Maybe I am wrong as I have not tracked it at all. We did have excess bills this month and always have in February as they are yearly.  The accountant was a huge chunk and insurances are due for the year as well as phone advertising contracts.  I am also paying $500.00 a month to the hearing aid place and still owe them $600.00, so next month will also be a bust.
 
     I work so hard and just want a few thousand to throw at something.  No matter what I do the money is gone to just bills. Right now I am about $600.00 in to the next month and I will have to adjust, I was just hoping that in March I would have extra and I now realize that it won't happen.  A little blue about it I guess.

     On a good note I am just a little over $100.00 short of the extra I need for the house payment, so I have no doubt I will make that.  I don't for see any more annual bills popping up this month.  I have one more large payment to the Hearing aid place and maybe I can make that up in the shop over the next couple of months.  The studio also has a tax bill that I have to wring out of the non-existent profits.  Isn't life grand?

     Totals are updated, but not very impressive I must say.  Then again I have to tell myself even at $1500 a month we will owe $18,000.00 less by next year and that is nothing to sneeze at.  It will get better, because it has too.  Things will pick up in the shop.  They have been steady but not crazy busy and we all know March is a rush.  So I am going to stay positive (while I am discouraged)  I have no choice.

    It is Friday and I don't have to be at the studio tonight, so I will think of that and be happy.  My shop is a wreck and needs some love, I have laundry to do.  Every trash can is full again and the kitchen is a mess, when I clean out the fridge it will really be a mess.  I need to go mail bills and quit complaining.  There is a really beautiful sunbeam upstairs for me to stand in for a while.  I think I will go there and bask this funk away. 

Out My Window:  If I can do a little work in the yard this weekend I might get the feeling life is worth while:)

Have a great and productive day, I am going to find my happiness, I know it is here somewhere I just misplaced it.....

Kim

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Thursday, must pay some bills!

Gas for truck $30.85 Sewing notions and fabric $42.16 (will be reimbursed)
Leftovers tonight as I made enough bean hot dish to last a few days.

    I worked way too hard yesterday and I can feel it this morning.  So today I will take it a little easier. I just wanted to get the things for the high school out of the way and also keep up in the shop.  I have been so lax in my illness that I am behind on monies for the house.  So you know me have to hurry to rectify the situation only to wreck myself.  Started to get a really sneezy running nose yesterday along with that dull headache of a bad head cold coming on.  Well I am on a powerful antibiotic so I know it isn't an infection, just a crappy virus or maybe allergies.  Just what I need.  I finally get the bottom half to quit leaking and the top half starts.  Okay TMI.

     I made a huge amount of my bean hot dish and used 9 cans of beans and the last of the burger in the freezer.  I also baked 4 loaves of bread so I am set for food for a few days.  I will not have to cook today and that will save me some time.  I have so much to do in the shop and I must must MUST pay bills today.  Of course you realize I am in denial as usual and am using the fact that I was sick to stay there.  I will use any reason actually. I am very creative with my reasoning.

     So I am going to go into my shop and get my quota done, call a few people to pick up and then pay bills before I hit the studio.  I started to lose my voice last night teaching and that happens every time my allergies kick in.  Isn't life grand?


    I also have to get to Rite-aid today as I have ups that will expire by tomorrow.  Have no idea what I will get but not going to waste the value.

     Hub's took the large bible stand bookcase that he built to the High School to be used in the play.  It usually sits in the corner by the fireplace and holds the old family bible and two shelves of music.  He then suggested that we donate the piece to the school as we are downsizing and that will get rid of a large piece of
 furniture.  I am thrilled.  I will put the  music in a plastic tote(don't worry Sluggy I have one in the garage ) and the bible can go on the old library table.  I might even move the baby grand back to the other side of the fireplace.  This stand/bookcase has been borrowed by the civic and the schools more than once over the years.

     Well I need to get busy if I am going to get done what I need before I leave.

Have a great and productive day.

Kim 

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Wednesday,

$ 72.89 Sewing notions, cat food, dog food,string cheese, butter, tortillas.
I will need to fill the truck today and gas has gone up to $2.00 a gallon here.
Hub's had salad, shrimp and leftover casserole for dinner last night.  I have hamburger thawed and I am going to make our families favorite bean and hamburger goulash.  I also need to make bread.  If I can find the energy. This will use up wheat from storage, 8 cans of beans.


     Still working on the pile of alterations for the high school play.  I am almost done.  It is just hems and fixing zippers and such. Nothing too major yet.  I was able to complete my sewing for the shop yesterday and I will get my quota done for the day before I work on high school things.  I don't have to be to the studio until 5 so I have plenty of time.

     Will have to break out a do a few errands today that have been put off.  Need to do a run through of the house also, even though I really cleaned the kitchen last night.   I need to grind more wheat and while I do that and make the mess I can start dinner.

     Thanks for the tips on the bonds I am going to pull them and look up the #'s to see what they are paying and also check at the credit union to see what a long term CD is paying.  I am thinking a 5 year CD.

Out My Window:  The sun is shining and has been for the last few days,  it is very cold outside and I keep waiting for winter to return with a vengeance.  Hope not!

Have a great and productive day, remember the people who need our thoughts and prayers( Lena, Alex, Carla, to name a few)

Kim

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Tuesday,

$18.12 ,cheese, soda,onions, sugar free candy.
Made potato, cauliflower,broccoli casserole with ham.  I caramelized the onions for flavor and sliced the potatoes like scalloped and layered everything.  Then I made a white sauce and added 2 kinds of cheese to pour over and baked it.  It was very good.  I have used all the cream soups in the storage, so now I am using the canned milk for sauces.  If I need mushroom I saute mushrooms, onion, or celery, onions,  it is really very fast and easy and tastes a lot better and a lot less salt than canned creamed soups.

I found 1 lb. of frozen shrimp and I will cook these and hub's can have them with left over casserole and a salad. Also took frozen applesauce out of the freezer.  Need to use this stuff up.

     Hub's is very tired, I hope can make it.  He came home and told me that one of the men he works with has stage 4 bone cancer in his jaw.  I feel really bad as I have known this man for over 25 years.  Most of Hub's office chews tobacco.  They cannot smoke, they are in the woods all the time.  Just something they start when they are young, become addicted and don't stop. It breaks my heart.  This is a soft spoken wonderful man who has to go through hell now to stay alive.

     I was able to get most things done yesterday by resting in between excursions.  I had a fair amount of work come in yesterday.  I need to start getting my money ready for next months house payment.  This month has gone by so fast and I have not been stuffing money away, mostly because I was sick and not sewing like I usually do. The first will sneak up on me and I will not be ready.

     I have a big pile to get through and I also have a pile of mending and alterations for the High School play.  So once I get my daily quota done, I will attack the High School's things.  I am sure I will have a pile every night until they open.

     Hub's and I have over $3000.00 in savings bonds in our strong box that we have had there for at least 10 years.  I thought about putting them in a CD.  Does anyone think that is a dumb move?  We have always kept then there as an emergency fund, if all hell broke loose.  I feel we are more stable now and they could go into something better?  Any Advice?

Have a great and productive day!

Kim

Monday, February 23, 2015

Monday, ????? I will not over do.

Who? What? When? Where? Why?  My thoughts exactly.  Feeling much better and I am amazed and thankful for antibiotics.  Still have a cough, but doing it less and most of the pain is gone, just a little back ache.  I feel like I lost a week out of my life and now I have to catch up. I finally pulled my butt off the couch yesterday at about 6:30 p.m. and made hub's and D#2 grilled ham and cheese sandwiches.  That was my contribution to dinner.  In my defense it was real ham off the bone, home made bread, butter and cheddar cheese.  So they were extra crispy and good.  I know I need to get back on the band wagon. It's just I am a little tired, or I should say I am tiring easily.  My sweet little boarder who also teaches for me cleaned my messy kitchen last night after I went to bed.  I got up and it looked like the pixie had been here.  Bless her little heart.  She is so quiet that we seldom see her.

I have no idea what Hub's will have for dinner, and he has to get right to the local High School to start on the musical for them.  So I want to have something he can eat quickly.  I was thinking ham and scalloped potatoes and a salad.  We will see. Just can't really rack my brain too hard right now. Mostly because I don't really care.  Isn't that awful?  I can be very selfish sometimes.

     Too many of us have been really sick or have really sick kids.  The weather be damned, I am more worried about every one's health.  Carla and her kids, Lena's little girl, Rachael's kidney stones,  almost everyone has a cold.  It is just a bad season.  I am saying give it two weeks and we will all be in a much better place.

     I need to get the house organized a little and clean myself up.  I have no idea what is going on in the sewing room other than I have had a couple of customers here already. So I need to go and take inventory, but as I do I will lay down when I get light headed.  I promise, I will not over do.

Do any of you feel like you have to get caught up right away when you get behind even if it is for a good reason?

Have a great and productive day.

Kim

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Sunday, Slept until noon

     Wow!  My goal for today is to get out of my jammies and take a long hot bath.  I slept until noon today.  I tried doing a few things yesterday and did accomplish a little straightening of the house, a couple loads of laundry, baked three loaves of bread.  But every time I did a few things I would break out in a massive sweat and have to lay down.  Finally I just changed back into jammies and laid on the couch.

     Now before you get all hot a bothered about the bread.  Remember the bosch does the work I just throw it into pans,let it rise, bake it and it is done.  Five ingredients make up all breads, I happen to add a sixth, my mixed seeds and grains that I already have in a container.  So no sweat,( unless you are sick)

     Slept until 12:18 when hubs came home from church and realized that I was sick.  So his comment was that he knew I was really sick as I would have been up tooling around and I could not stand to sit still for any length of time.  I told him I was had just been laying around for the last week coughing my head off to add dramatic affect to his life.  He is a putz.

     I feel that my blogging friends out in the East have about had it with the weather.  It has been really hard and long for you and I hope everyone gets a break soon.  We have hardly had a winter, but it could really hit us in March as it has before.  I am not holding my breath.

     Now the bathtub is calling and if the sunshine holds I do believe I will go out and sit in it this afternoon.  I can feel ice daggers coming from a few of you easterners.... Ouch!  Sorry  if I was there believe me I would help you shovel.

Have a  restful and peaceful Sabbath.

Kim

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Saturday, where am I?

     Hub's has been eating quiche and maybe today he will get a meal?  I have no idea how much has been spent in the last 24 hours.

     Thursday was a blur.  I really trying to take is easy but had such a bad headache that I was having a hard time functioning.  So I called to not go into studio this was the second time this week.  When I cough my head would explode and I had gotten very little sleep, because the pressure behind my eyes was so bad.  I was dosing myself with NyQuil every 4 hours and by 5:30 in the morning Friday still having not slept I was coughing and stars were appearing on the right side of my face.  I went into the master bedroom and hubs was dressed and sitting on the side of the bed.  I asked him to please contact his office and stay home with me.  Usually he would argue but he did not.  He undressed and I crawled in next to him finally able to sleep, and we both slept until 9:15.  I immediately called my doctors emergency line and was taken in at 10:15 to his office. 

     So I have a really bad sinus infection surprise, surprise like I did not know that, but then I was sent immediately over to my eye doctor.  Hub's drove me over and we went in.  I told the receptionist what I was experiencing and that my doctor wanted me checked out.  I was an immediate check in.  My eye was dilated and we wandered the store for 1/2 an hour waiting for my eyes to fully dilate.  I bumped into two different people with my cart and called the wrong man honey.  Hub's finally took my cart away and told the woman I had just run into that I needed a keeper.   Between dilated eyes, fever, cough I was a dizzy mess.  Went back to office and doctor took a deep scan of my right eye.  The retina and nerve were in perfect shape so that was good news.  The pressure from the infection was causing  my retinal nerve to flash against a secondary cataract that I have formed on my right eye.  About 2/3 of the right eye lens is covered with a film, called a secondary cataract.  So this was causing the flashes off that lens.  Good but bad. 

     Our cataract institute is closed on  Friday, but I was sent up there and a Doctor sent in to verify no detached retina.  Now next week after I have cleaned up the  antibiotics, I will have a 5th eye surgery in 4 years on my right eye.  Both my optometrist and the surgeon are amazed by my eye history.  I just look at it as I can still see.  My biggest worry is not the surgery but how long I will have to stay off the arthritis meds as we all know how that affects me to know end.

     I went home and laid around and ordered hub's around for the day.   It was kind of fun, get me a soda will you, get my cell phone off the desk will you.  Go pick up my prescriptions, stop and get me some Mexican food.  I then could only take a few bites.  So I will try to eat that today.  I think he was glad to shower and get to the orchestra pit to get away from me.

     I am better today, just 3 doses of antibiotic and I feel much different.  Not perfect but able to function more.  I just did not realize how sick I was getting.  I have a tendency to ignore myself.  I slept until noon and I am still in my jammies.  Doubt I will do much today.  Maybe make some bread.  I am craving homemade bread warm out of the oven.  We will see. The idea of getting up and really moving makes me break out in a sweat.

Have a great and productive day, I won't, but I will try;)

Kim

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Thursday, okay my cold was just fooling me....

$ 24.39, soda, sour cream, whip cream,huge sliced ham, cheese.  But I am now out of milk and cat food.

     Last night on an aspirin high, I looked into the fridge and it was full of things I had purchased before we left last week and they were going to go bad so I made myself get busy and put them up.  I did not get anything made for hubby and I felt really bad, but the headache with this cold kicked my butt yesterday afternoon.  I did manage to get to studio and it about killed me.  On the way home I stopped and bought a few things we needed.  Then I collapsed on the sofa.  About 9:30 at night I went upstairs and put riblets and onions in Judy and then covered that with tin-foil and put in a layer of asparagus.  This is now done and hubs can have it for dinner tonight, I have it set on warm.  I then filled the sink with hot soapy water and added the few dishes we had accumulated.

     I threw 4 cups of flour and some crisco into my trusty mixer along with some salt, sugar,egg,water and vinegar.  In about 60 seconds I had perfect pie crust dough. Using the same bowl and fry pan, I did up (don't you love my country speak) 3 large quiches.  One with ham, cheese, pepper, onions, another with onions, peppers, broccoli, cheese, the finale one with mushrooms, cheese, asparagus and onions. Hubs came home in the middle of this fiasco.  He is used to my fiasco's by now.  I am sicker than he has seen me in a long time, the kitchen is a tornado and he realizes I am the victim of fever spike stupidity.  It is now 10:15 and he has been up since 5 ,drove an hour, worked in the woods all day marking timber, drove home an hour, ate a can of veggies and beans for dinner (pathetic yes?) went to rehearsal for the next 4 hours then comes home to the witch in the kitchen.  I truly feel that every kitchen should have a witch.  The witch in my kitchen is extremely beautiful.

     He put the quiches in the oven, and boned out the rest of the HUGE ham and put it into 5 freezer bags, took out my now full garbage can and my full recycling can, and helped clean up the explosion in the kitchen.  Then he went to bed.  But the moral of this story is that he will have a nice dinner tonight and I have two great quiches for the freezer.  He had quiche for breakfast and will have warm hot food for the next few days.  I did not have to throw away a bunch of good food.  I froze one pie crust for later. The I collapsed on the sofa at about 11:00.  Took Tylenol severe cold formula and I think I was asleep by 3:30?  I know it is pitiful but cough, ears itch and hurt, constantly swallowing, just a b&^ch I tell you.

     As I sat on the sofa yesterday I picked apart many items for the shop.  I have a wedding dress that I must get done this morning and then I think I will give it up for the day. One load of laundry maybe. Every day this cold/flu progresses it gets worse.  I was fooling myself thinking it would pass quietly like others have.  I might have to go to the doctor tomorrow.  We will see how tonight goes.

     Have a great and productive day, I am going to try, but who is fooling who?

Kim

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Wednesday, Still croaking....

No Spend, no left the couch:) Have no idea what I am having for dinner.  Have some rib lets thawed and lots of stuff for a salad.  I will see where my low energy takes me.


     Did not sleep much at all last night.  Hot, then cold, cough, cough.  Cough is really loose and gross.  Hope today is better.  I am not going to allow myself to nap so I can get to bed tonight.  Upstairs is a wreck, it is funny what one day of not picking up can do to a place.  Did I really wear 4 pairs of clogs yesterday? and a pair of slippers?

     Hub's is going to be so tired.  He left last night for practice and got home at 10:30.  I asked him how show was going and then remembered that the pit he is in is 12 feet below the stage, so he did not see a thing.  I need to have something for him for dinner ready when he gets home so he can relax, watch a little news and take off.

     I am making no plans today.  Just going to mosey along and do what I can.  Hopefully a little more than yesterday.  I swear all I do is sweat, it is driving me crazy.


Out My Window:  Sunny and cool, I will take it.  Although it got really warm yesterday afternoon.

Have a great and productive day, I am going to try!

Kim

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Tuesday, caught a cold!

     Hubb's and I pulled into the driveway about 2 yesterday afternoon.  I ran in the house to go to the bathroom and when I got out to help unload the car, he was on his cell phone with the director of the musical he starts this week.  It seems that the school is going into championship playoffs and since the director also has the band he had to be at a basketball game.  So we cut our trip short by a day and hurried home for nothing.  Needless to say I was slightly irritated, but I also felt like I was getting a bad cold, so maybe it was for the best.  I always try to say things happen for a reason.

     I had a very bad headache on Sunday and had felt heavy chest pressure on Saturday.  I didn't feel sick just off and very, very tired.  When this happens I don 't know if it is meds or just me so I try not to pay attention.  Sunday was worse, I slept until noon and then took a nap in the afternoon.  I slept most of the way home yesterday and only drove about 2 hours and then got in and took a 5 hour deep nap, I really could have slept all night. 

     Hub's and I went out to the grocery store to get fruit, and bread as I was not up to making any.  I also picked up some fried chicken on sale and I have asparagus that needs to be cooked so that will be supper tonight.  I don't think I am going into the studio tonight as I am a walking petri dish and we only have little ones most of the evening.  I think I should stay away from the little goblins.

     We really stuck to our come back with less than we took motto.  Although I broke down and bought some socks and panty hose.  I just can't seem to keep certain colors of socks.  They disappear, it drives me nuts.  Grey socks and navy blue socks run away from me.  Okay one of them runs away and other taunts me from that basket.

     Out My Window:  Cold but sunny and I will take it.  We are supposed to have sun all week.  So happy, even with my sore throat, achy joints, and plugged up ears.

     I have plenty to do in the shop and will try to get laundry started and a little sewing done today or maybe I will just veg on the couch, or in a bed.  I do need to get bills paid this week and check my accounts.  Right now I just want to sleep.

Have a great and productive day, do something for me as I think mine is a wash.

Kim

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Saturday, Happy Valentines Day!

     Spent most of the day yesterday in the car driving.  Stopped at Hub's folks house and had lunch (Late) same menu she served last time we drove through.  Just as inedible.  I swear she will save it and serve it to us next time we come through.  She is an amazing woman but she can't cook to save her soul.  Hub's made cracks all through the meal about it being my favorite.  I kept smiling and kicking him under the table.  We arrived at daughters at abut 6 p.m. and took them out to dinner at Outback.  Not my favorite but it wasn't my birthday.  Came home for cake and I had a terrible stomach ache all night.  Played hard with the grandson and finally met my  grandson's new fish named Steve.  Sorry Auntie Kay he likes me better.

     I woke up this morning so hung over, now I don't drink but I think the long car ride and then the too rich food got to me.  We all handed out our Valentines presents to everyone and realized there were 14 boxes of chocolates between 4 adults.  It is just disgusting.  Every where you look is an open box of chocolates.  Went out this morning and bought a birthday cake for grandsons birthday tomorrow.  Then took daughter to TJ Maxx to look for lamps for her bedroom.  We found some really nice ones for 30.00 a piece.  We are spray painting the shades and if we don't like them we are going to cover them with fabric.

     I have eaten so many chocolates I am sick.  Someone has to stop me.

Have a wonderful Valentines Day!

Kim

    

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Thursday, sun shine!

$22.27, soda, sugar free candy, Asparagus (on sale), mushrooms on sale, IMO drink mix.

I was so impressed with Judy.  She cooked my chicken down to fall apart and broth in no time.  I usually boil my chickens and then let them cool and  bone for soup,but this was much easier.  We had chicken and potatoes and cauliflower for dinner.  I know I would have gotten an F for presentation in home ec as all my food was light colored on the plate.  Very unappetizing, but it tasted good. I froze a nice container of broth and chicken for soup next week.
Tonight we will have warmed up meatloaf and leftover potatoes and a can of veggies.  Still trying to use up the storage and it seems like we have not touched it, except for the freezers.


     I sewed very hard yesterday and the shop was so (I mean sew) busy. It was grand central station from 9:30 until I left for the studio.  I only have a 1/2 slip to shorten today and then I must clean up the house and pack to leave.  Also must go to bank and pay bills as I did not get a chance yesterday.

     Daughter wants us to bring winter clothes as they are planning on going Tubing with grandson on Saturday.  So we will take our skis just in case there are trails nearby.  That means more packing. regular clothes, church clothes and ski clothes, for 3 days.  I am glad I have no kids, I remember the days of having to organize all of them.  What a nightmare.

     So after this post I am going to dry my hair and get ready to meet my public.  Every trash can upstairs and down is full I swear.  Then I will do a quick run through the house, hem that slip, get books done, run to bank, get nails done, it has been over a month and be to the studio by 4.  I will pack tonight when I get home.  Boy just thinking of all of this makes me tired. I stayed up way too late last night.  Shame on me and I did it on purpose, I was watching a good show.

Best of all today?  The sun is shining!  I woke up to sunshine it makes me feel so happy, not energetic but happy.

Have a great and productive day, go make a difference.

Kim
    

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Wednesday, Happy Birthday my darling!

$? Sent hub's to the store last night as I was wiped out and I don't know what he spent.
Dinner was leftovers.  I have a whole chicken upstairs thawed out so I am going to stick that in the crock pot and we will see what happens later. I also have meatloaf thawed out for sandwiches.

     I cannot beleive that Franka would be 30 today.  My beautiful black haired baby girl.  It is easy to see oldest as 34 soon because I have watched her grow up, but Franka is a mystery to me. I am so glad we are going to see eldest and our grandson this weekend, I really need a break from my blah's.  It is Aunties birthday today also, so I sent her her birthday money via wire transfer.  She called and was very grateful between Sis and I she will have a wonderful 80th and also be able to pay the taxes on her property.

     Yesterday was laundry, laundry, laundry and sewing.  The laundry except one load of ours is done. I got D#2 out the door by 2 on her way for her week of flying from office to office.  I don't know how she keeps her schedule straight and yesterday she received other calls from Dentists to sub, both in the Moscow area.  So she is traveling around a 100 mile area between Idaho and Washington, working for 6 different Dentists in smaller towns.  Some of the practices are open every other week. So far she likes this and it pays better than staying with one dentist, but how long can one maintain this schedule?  I guess she will determine that.

     I need to do another deposit for the studio and then get the house payment and a few bills paid before we leave town. I also want to set up a budget book for the house and one for the studio, to make it easier to see which bills are paid and which are left.  My desk area is a disaster, so that needs to be cleaned up also.

     There are several piles of alterations due out tomorrow, so after I go upstairs and put the chicken in the crock pot, I will gather the laundry and start sewing, hopefully by this afternoon I will have time to really look at the desk area of the shop before I head off to the studio.  I just need to do something that will make me feel like I am making some kind of progress.  I kind of feel like I am in wheel spinning mode and I do not know why.  Just too many dull days.


Well I am off to get me some fun......

Have a great and productive day, go make a difference.

Kim

    

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Tuesday, Ups and Downs

$8.79  I woke up and there was no diet coke.  $12.16 Joanns for zippers.
Salmon, from freezer, brown rice from storage, Asian coleslaw and to night leftovers.  I took a whole chicken and a meat loaf out of freezer, so this should do the rest of the week. Have no idea what I am going to do with the chicken.

     I was very proud of myself yesterday as I was able to accomplish many things that I had been putting off for a long while.  I am a terrible procrastinator about the silliest things.  I don't know if that will ever change.  But I know my problem is the weather.  Dark, rainy, chilly no sun days are getting to me.  Although weather man says it will be sunny soon.  I need to get outside in the sunshine and that will help.

     D#2 is home with a ton of laundry from college child and herself.  She has a vicious work schedule the rest of the week so I am letting her sleep in, while I do laundry. Then I will call and threaten the youngest with death if she does not put it away when it arrives at the apartment.

     Hubs got his score last night and it is a musical he has not played before.  They want him for first dress next Monday.  We are still in Twinfalls on Monday and panned to drive home on Tuesday.  As there are only 3 dresses before they open and conductor will make all his musical notes and cuts the first night, Hubs feels he need to be there, and I do too.  Damn, now we have to cut a day out of our trip.  But I will still be able to see my daughter on her birthday, my grandson on his birthday and everyone on Valentines day, so I won't complain too much.

     So far I have $140.00 put away for this trip and I feel that I need $300.00 and it must come from the shop somehow.  I did no sewing yesterday so I will spend the majority of my time today doing that.  I also need to pay the house payment and a couple of bills that will be due before I leave town.  Ugh!  it is always something.  Money just bleeds out of here.

     I really had trouble sleeping last night and I am tired today because of it, but no excuses, I am going to get to work.

Have a great and productive day, go make a difference.

Kim

Monday, February 9, 2015

Monday, Just do something will you!

$32.00 Staples will get $12.00 back in rebate, had to buy more hanging files and copy paper.  Also $10.10 on a gift card for tacos for Saturday dinner.
 Have no idea what to cook or pull from the freezer and I really don't care.  Just bored with this cooking business.  Maybe a fish.  Yes I think I will do a fish and some rice.  That will be easy.  Add a little coleslaw.  See how this blog helps me to stay on track?  Now if I only do it.  It is so easy to write it down and less easy to get my butt outta this chair to do something.:)

     I was a lazy daisy most of the weekend and it was lovely.  Watched a lot of T.V. and wasted time, took naps.  Made up some cookie dough on Saturday and let it sit over night.  Sunday we had church and then came home and took I kid you not a 3.5 hour nap it was lovely. So lazy.  I finally got my butt off the sofa and made taco salad for dinner, and then started on my cookies.  Just cut out hearts and frosted them.  I had most of the cookies baked when Downton Abbey started and then waited for Hubs to get home from quartet practice to start frosting them.  He helped and I sprinkled the decorations.  Most of the cookies went to his office.  While we were frosting cookies, hubs got a call from a music director at a local High School.  He will play 1st violin and some viola in there upcoming musical that opens next week.  He will also play for our local High school in March.  So that is essentially  6 weeks of shows with rehearsals.  He will be thoroughly sick of playing by then.  I will be sick of keeping his concert blacks clean. I did not ask what the musicals were and neither did he.  I guess he has done so many it really doesn't matter.

     Since we are going to Twin Falls this weekend (we will leave on Friday)  I need to get my ducks in a row.  I have just been pooping around not getting much done, blaming taxes and  just plain laziness to not do anything or waste time. January is just hard for me, but I thought I got through it really well this year and I usually like February.  It is just so wet and cold and dreary outside.  I am in one of those let time move quickly so I can get to a happier place moods.  When in reality you have to make your own Happy place.  I hate getting into these moods where I have to make myself get things done.  They are important things that need to be done.  I hate feeling unmotivated and I wonder what comes over me to make me so dull.  It is my avoidance state.  I am avoiding things.

Does anyone else do this?  Do any of you get into a blah state and just freeze up?

     Okay I really need to make a list of things that have to be done today.  This is ridiculous.  I just want to shake myself.  Just get something done, or I should say get something finished!

1. Put away copy paper and put files up that you bought.
2. wrap and mail packages and get to post office    

3. Mail Aunts B-day card  (will have to 2nd day air it as I did not do it timely )
4. Get the FAFSA done  no excuse as taxes are ready
Put away papers, took Lena's package and another to mail, mailed off Practical Par's check, visit teach letters, at bank I wire x-ferred Aunts B-day money as I was mailing card too late to get it to her on time.
Also FASFA is done for now will update it after I send in taxes.
5. Get schedule done for school tour. Called 5 schools one on for sure others will call back tomorrow or be replaced
6. Get books balanced and see how much you will need to go to TwinFalls and where is the money coming from?  Printed out statements will go balance now  I have $140.00 saved so far
7.  Organize shop and sew something. 
8. Get books balanced so you know where you stand  ( Hint:  you will feel better) Okay done but I am pretty close to broke:)
9. Get dinner started Made rice and slaw, fish is defrosting
10.  Straighten house a little bed made, two small loads of laundry put a few things away
11. de-clutter something, anything, you do know where it lurks...cleaned out kids old games and threw away ones with missing pieces.
12.You don't have to be to the studio until 6:30  so move!!!!!!!!

Okay, Okay I am moving!

Kim 

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Saturday, errands and toodle

No Spend yesterday
We actually ate left overs last night again which means I have to do something with that 1lb of ground beef I thawed.
$13.10 spices, apples, pickles
$126.63 K-mart, micro wave for youngest daughter, new watch for Kim, pantyhose, scraper,

     Well so much for the new watch battery as my watch officially died yesterday.  So I paid $6.00 for nothing.  Okay maybe 18 hours of time as watch worked for about that long after new battery was installed.  I know many people just look at their cell phones but I cannot get by without a watch and it must be waterproof.  I am just not careful.  Sissie thought I should have a Rolex a few years ago and sent me her old one which I immediately  ruined.  I am just not a fussy person in that respect.  It is a sore subject between us me being the country mouse.

     Last night after dance class I came home and took  1lb of bacon out of the freezer and chopped in up into 1 inch slices and browned it with three onions chopped fine.  Then I added 2.5 cups and lentils, and 2.5 cups of brown rice along with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, and 1 cube of butter and 4 quarts of water and chicken bullion.  Cooked all in large covered pot for about 1.5 hours and made a great rice and lentil dish to take to church this morning as they were distributing 3000 lbs of peas, garbanzos, and lentils.  We grow most of this locally.  Our town is surrounded by legume fields.  We only took 3  ten lb. bags as we have to get rid of all our canned beans before we leave on  a mission for our church in the coming year or so.   I was asked to bring a dish to show people how to cook with these ingredients.  Personally I love legumes, you have to really season beans and legumes or they taste like paste.  Needless to say my dish won.  You need to add spices, don't be afraid.  There are cultures who live on beans and rice with very little meat and believe me their dishes are not bland and tasteless.

     Then Hub's and I went to K-mart to get a new Timex for me and a microwave for our youngest daughter that just lost hers.  It had been handed down from her older sister to the next sister to her, it was the college microwave.  Well it did not cut her senior year, it died.  She asked for that for Valentines day instead of chocolates, she will get chocolates anyway.  We also stopped at a discount store as I had run out of cumin, red pepper flakes and pure vanilla.  Now we are home enjoying our lazy selves. The kitchen is a mess form the dish I cooked last night so I need to go and clean that up but I don't want to.

     I need to start making Valentine shortbread for friends and family and I also need to make frosted cookies for Hub's office.  I will probably start those today.  I just can't eat any as I have been doing so well on my diet ( clothes are too tight after my orgy of Christmas caramels) and I am a sucker for frosted sugar cookies.  I also have very little willpower.

     I feel a nap coming on.....

Have a great and productive day, go make a difference.

Kim

Friday, February 6, 2015

Friday, taxes are done and it is not pretty

$45.16, new watch battery, milk, bread,apples,soda,cottage cheese, tortillas,protein bars
Had left over chicken and slaw for dinner last night will do shepherds pie today.  Also need to look up a good chick pea recipe to take to church tomorrow as they are distributing beans, lentils, and garbanzos for long term storage.

     Picked up the taxes and it cost $545 dollars.  I knew this year would be bad as I paid no quarterlies and I took money to try and pay off debt and I also have very little left to depreciate, but buying a new floor or system just to get depreciation is stupid.  So I need to come up with about $2500.00 by April 15th and that is doable I just won't be able to pay off any debt.  This is why I am so happy about going into a non-profit.
   
       I can take $500.00 from the business to pay a CC that I used to buy costumes and then I have to pay self employment and taxes on the $500.00.  Uncle Sam has it all worked out that small business owner rarely make any money.  Well I am sick of it.  This will not happen again.  It is not like the business can't pay it, but when all you are really doing is giving a service it can get pretty old.  The studio has been paying approximately $2000.00 a year in taxes it is just a little higher this year I am sure due to no depreciation.

     Well at least I know now and I can start working toward getting that paid.  Then attack the debt.

     Thanks for all the comments on my strange post yesterday, I guess the consensus is that it is a generational thing. Peoples standards are just different and many people my age have these standards. 

     Well I have food to make and sewing to do and errands to run and we are doing the official story board for the spring show this afternoon, so I had better get my butt in gear and get something done, anything maybe dry my hair?

Have a great and productive day, go make a difference.

Kim

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Thursday, be honest, am I strange?

No Spend
Baked chicken, salad, veggies, mash potatoes for dinner.  Plenty of chicken left for tonight and I will make low carb coleslaw.  Will use left over mash tomorrow.

     I have been wanting to ask this question for a while.  Am I strange?  Why I would ask? Well here are a few examples.  I cannot for the life of me get a swag bucks survey, they always time me out.  Why?  I'm female, white, lower middle class, over educated, undereducated, why?  Not that I really care about swag bucks it is just that they are aiming at the average population I would think.

     Next and this is just an example.  You go into someones house unexpectedly, they know you are coming in a few minutes and they are dashing around trying to clean, by doing dishes, the dish washer is full( I don't own a dishwasher)and they still have stacked an entire load and half of dirty dishes on the counter, meaning dishes have not been done in a while.  I leave my kitchen a mess all the time, and if someone sees it I don't even apologize, I am a busy person.  However if you don't work and all you do is stay home and take care of your kids and I know that is a hard job, how can you get so behind on the dishes?

     I remember years ago when I had three kids at home and I would call my laundry the never ending monster. I did at least 2 loads every day to keep up and I did not keep up. I still have a ton of laundry as the two youngest leave their laundry here in dump trucks I swear, but I just do the laundry until it is done. I don't understand getting so far behind that you have no clean underwear.  I'm not saying that I never was behind on laundry because believe me I have been, but not on a daily basis.  If you are home full time can you not keep up on the laundry? Ever?

     You have several children, you know that you go to church every Sunday.  In my culture kids have church clothes.  But every Sunday you drag in with wet hair, towing 3-5 kids who have mismatched clothes, holes in their tights, no socks, shoes that should have been thrown away, and obliviously nothing done with the hair. Again I know I am judging and that is wrong, but you can't keep their Sunday shoes in your closet?  That is what I did otherwise they went missing.  I also kept all white tights and church anklets in my drawers so they could not be worn at any other time.  You do not work outside the home, the home is your work, this is how you display it?

     You see someone shopping, you have your cart with fruit, veggies, cheese, meat, milk, etc.  You see many people at the store and these are people I know and their carts are full to the brim with pizza rolls, fish sticks, frozen pizza, snacks, mac and cheese boxes, boxes, boxes, boxes.  I don't get it?  You are home full time, you can't make oatmeal, and toast, or even cold cereal and toast.  Then clean that up and have a lunch like a sandwich, or some soup?  Plan a dinner with a veggie (and I don't care if it is a can of peas) a starch, and some kind of protein? No we are having a frozen pizza?

     I am not saying that I never bought a frozen pizza, but it was pretty rare.  They taste like cardboard.  Make a flippen pizza, or order one with a coupon as a treat but this a staple for many. I bought snacks for my kids.  I was very busy when they were younger and I mean very busy.  A baggy, of pretzels, or even cold cereal, pieces of fruit, home made cookies, crackers and peanut butter?  Is it so hard to throw any of this into a diaper bag?  I don't get it?  What do these people do with their time?

     I have many close friends that have completely different standards than me.  Mrs. clean lives across the street, she is perfect, a size 2 and I have never seen her with a hair out of place.  I love her, I just don't want to work that hard to maintain her standards.  I have another close friend who works in the health care field whose house is so unorganized and really dirty, I still think she is a fabulous cook and I would go to the mat for her, probably not a mat that came from her house but all said and done I love her. 

     I know this is a snarky post, and that I am judging, I just don't see myself as overly organized.  I don't think my house is perfect or spotless, if you saw my shop right now you would condemn it, I just don't know what people do with their time. I know I waste a lot of mine because I can and I want too. So my question is am I strange, or just a judgmental old hag who has forgotten how it was when my kids were little? Are my standards too high?

     I realize that many of my habits about the above such issues stem from frugality.  I did not have money for snacks, so I made cookies and things instead.  I could not buy many convenience foods because a small roast and spuds, and a bag of carrots would last longer and I could make better meals.  Whole wheat bread stays in the stomach longer, it is more filling.  I did not or could not buy new tights every week as my kids ran them running around.  I could only buy new dress shoes for them once a year at the shoe store that had a big sale after Christmas every year.  I made things last and took care of things, as I had no money to replace them.  We were broke all the time,(I think we still are), and I did not want people to know how hard I struggled to make it look like we were fine, even normal.  So did this make me strange?

     I have just been feeling strange lately, like I don't understand myself, why am I different?  Maybe I am not even likable.  Do people think things about me in the way I think about them?  These thoughts don't change my feelings for them, they just make me question myself. Am I strange?

I had better get to work the shop is starting to crawl in here and scare me.    

Have a great and productive day, go make a difference.

Kim

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Tuesday, A little calmer here:)

$5.95 on a soda and protein bars as I had forgotten to eat and was at the studio.
$17.80 two zippers and thread for shop
I will make baked chicken and mashed potatoes with broccoli for dinner.  I am doubling the chicken and potatoes so I can eat chicken for a few days and make hubs a shepherds pie with potatoes.

     Woke up with very stiff wrists, which I am going to blame on the weather.  I am so good at denial.  I also experienced intense shoulder pain in my left shoulder yesterday similar to what I was going through two summers ago.  Starts out with a pinging in the upper muscle of the arm and then radiates down.  This was awful for about 5 months two years ago and I dread it coming back.  Hopefully it is just an isolated incident due to wet,yucky weather.  I just don't think I can live through that again, well let's say I don't want to try very hard to live through that again.  I spent an entire summer on the sofa with my arms above my head.

     Things were much calmer yesterday, no child and no grand dog may have had something to do with it.
I did not get as much sewing done as I wanted but did get laundry started and I will catch up this morning. I picked up the 10-99 and I mailed what I needed to and will send out the rest with payroll.  I had enough money come in in the last two days to do payroll with no problem, maybe this non-profit thing will sink in and people will pay on time? I can always hope.

     Started cleaning up the paperwork mess that was in piles all over the shop from taxes and I need to go get a few more hanging files.  I have a $10 off coupon that hub's earned through work for Staples, and we are also out of printer paper so I will pick up a few reams.  But I will buy no plastic containers this year so Sluggy will be proud.  I really need to clean the under the stair closet as I know there are tax filing boxes back at least 15 years also a few of old suitcases to throw away among other things.  

     Well bookwork is calling and I need to do a run threw of the house and my sewing machine is waiting to be used, it is all in a day of Kim.

Have a great and productive day, go make a difference.

Kim

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Tuesday, Key stone cops in review....

No spend
Leftovers for dinner, no idea tonight but I am going to thaw out some chicken.

     Yesterday was a run around, and around, and around.  I was supposed to be at the accountants at 10 and I had 3 clients over at the house before 10.  Can I remind you the the shop opens at 10?  I was trying to hurry out and the last client was a drippy woman who wanted three pillows covered with special materials for her who knows what?  She was uber picky and silly and I was trying to be nice and get out the door, you know one of those people who have more money than brains and have probably never had to really think.  But now I am judging and that is wrong she is probably a lovely woman and I was just late and stressed so my mind was bi$%y.  I arrived at the accountants at 10:05 and was ushered right in.  Now we all know how hard I worked at getting everything together and I was so proud of myself, well I left about 6 important tax pieces on my other desk.  Everything in a pile except the things that came in last Friday.  Also D#2 was supposed to be at my house on Sunday with the last of her things and she was late.

     It was okay as I usually have to go home and wait until something arrives.  After all Feb2nd is early to have all tax things in and ready to go when you own two businesses and have kids in school.  So I was sent home with a list which I promised to return to the office asap.  Drove home, gathered info, called one teacher to obtain her SS# which I thought I had left her a message, daughter arrives, she prints out what I need on computer, teacher shows up gives me her info, I am running out the door and daughter comes running out to chase my vehicle down, Now what?

     She has just been called into work 100 miles away, they need her for a Dental office surgery scheduled at 5 p.m., she had just come home with her laundry, all her scrubs are dirty and on the floor and she has about 3 hours to get up into Washington State.  Not only that she has to be back down about 70 miles to work all day tomorrow in another small town and then back up to Spokane by 5.  This involves 3 pair of surgical scrubs.  I pull back into drive way and help her go through the house looking for clean scrubs. We assess and realize that I bought her new scrubs for Christmas 2 years ago and most offices provide scrubs and all her older scrubs although in good condition I donated to the hygiene school in one of my clean outs, so her personal travel scrubs are dirty.  We go to the scrub store buy 4 pairs of scrubs luckily she is an xs so it makes it easy to get them and on sale, I drop her off at the house and continue onto accountants. Drop off all paper work.

     Home I go to continue greeting customers, call and make an appointment with a new accountant that will handle the Non-profit status as my accountant does not do that for the state of Idaho.  Then I get on the computer and get my new non-profit EIN # and several tax forms filled out to make myself legal as of 1/1/15.  Daughter is running around like a chicken with its head cut off and I am trying to also help her get out the door. She has her dog with her, (my grand dog, whom she shares custody with and old boyfriend)   So now I have two dogs which is never a good thing.  They do the dance of the village idiots every time the bell rings and it is ringing non stop.  People like police officers and Army Puba's you know the ones with lots of stripes.  (Hub's actually salutes their uniforms they rank so high) I agree to dog sit until her X gets off work and he will come get the dog.  She backs out of the driveway and I am trying to settle the dog down, she hates it when D leaves.  I just get her calm and I hear D's car coming back up driveway.  Dog goes ballistic.  D's debit card not working, she needs gas money, I give her all the cash I have which is not much $45.00 and send her on her way.( Credit union had a melt down on all cards, back up today)  Now I calm dog down again.  Hub's drives up in the same kind of car D drives (Subaru Forester) dog goes nuts.  In the mean time accountant has called me about 4 times with important questions so phone is ringing, customers are pushing the doorbell, cars are pulling up dog is barking I am screaming be quiet and bad dog. Let me tell you I was grateful to get to go to the studio just to get out of the crazy house.

     Okay enough, my blood pressure is rising just thinking about yesterday.  Breath, deep breath in, slowly out.  Now thinking about yesterday I actually accomplished a lot.  I have the taxes all in, I have a very good start on all of the non-profit paperwork, with the advice given me by my accountant.  I received over $700.00 yesterday in refund  money's from my utilities, and I over paid a hospital bill. Accountant just called an I am going to pick up my 10-99's.  I also need to stop as Jo-anns and get zippers and get some sewing done due out today.  FBI coats, with crappy plastic zippers, I wonder what they are doing in Lewiston?  Also police uniforms up the wazoo.  So I am off (and not just mentally).

Have a great and productive day, go make a difference!

Kim

Monday, February 2, 2015

Monday, Happy Ground Hogs day! posting late

No spend,
Dinner today is left over shrimp from yesterday.

     I do not know why I am so happy it is February.  February is traditionally not a great month for the family as in lots of sad times to remember.  My eldest daughter will say, "Because it is February."  I have to come back with well we have had some real tragedy's this month but she was born (eldest) on February 13th and her son was born February 15th and she was married and we got a new son on February 17th so I am going to take the good and be happy!  

     Superbowl party was a mixed up tale of Kim.  We were ready our guests had arrived or were arriving, food was hot and delicious.  We lost reception on our station that takes in the Superbowl.  Now we have Hub's cousin up on the roof with a long ladder trying to reface the antennae and oh by the way a stiff sleety snow was coming down rather hard.  Not a time to be on a roof .  We had to pack up all the food and run up to another house where they have a Tivo.  It turned out fine I just felt bad for cousin and his wife as they did not plan on having company, but they are easy going so it all worked out.  My bestest (not a word) buddy and her husband rolled with the punches.  Kids had fun we had fun, we all ate way too much.  Our team lost no joy in Mud ville what can I say?  Then raced home to catch Downton Abbey.

     I will be going to see Sissie some time in the next month or so as she is having surgery.  Was thinking one of my free tickets would allow me to go free and take someone with me, but now I found out I can't dang.  Airlines have so many rules, stupid#$@%.  Venting is good for the soul.

     I am posting late today, because I had an appointment with the accountant this morning and I just got back and then had several phone calls to make and a new appointment to set up with a new accountant that deals with non-profits.  So now I am getting a new EIN or some such number and have much to do to get this all lined up.  My concentration will be here.  I did find out from accountant that I can carry on as usual and I will be fine as I can go back retroactively to the 1st of this year, which was in question. No matter how careful I am I always leave something at home that I need for appointment, I feel like such a scatter brain sometimes. So must run back with a stack of things and I also thought I had a SS# for one of my teachers on file and I do not so must get her to return a call.  It is always something.  Now I get to deal with IRS.Gov pray for me.

     We bought so many fresh veggies and salad things and cheese for our Superbowl get together that I think I will not have to go to the store all week except for soda maybe?  I am also going to stock up as there are good sales on soda.  Speaking of stock up, I did find a really good chicken mark down, .$49 a lb on legs and thighs.  Three packages at Albertson's late at night.  I bought all three.  But the freezer is getting less full.  I have not noticed the storage looking any worse for wear.  It has only been a month.

     Well my kitchen is a mess, and I have sewing to do before I hit the studio.

Happy ground hogs day now go make a difference!

Kim