Wednesday, Happy Halloween

     Halloween was always my favorite Holiday.  I think I trick or treated into college.  I was always small enough to get away with it.  I just loves me candy what can I say?  Unlimited sweets, any child's dream.  It was a fun holiday.  I think it is way over blown now.With our consumer economy we can really ruin almost anything.

     Now I wonder again who is going to buy all that leftover crap at all the stores.  the candy can be consumed but the crap?  Well I know I don't buy it.  I live in a small community.  We have maybe three large stores, K-mart, Wal-mart, Shopko and then a rite-aid and a Walgreens plus a few grocery stores.  They all have one or several aisles devoted to this holiday.  They will still be full after this evening.  It amazes me.  Every year it amazes me.  Someone has to buy this stuff for them to keep making it.  (I would think)

      We have the littles today until 2p.m. then I will go teach at 4:00 until 5:00 classes are shortened so the kids can trick or treat.  I will take candy to class.  Then it will be home to sew for a while.

     Yesterday I worked in the yard again for 2 hours.  I basically just trimmed ivy walls and the wisteria.  I also did major clean up in about 1/2 the garden.  All that bending over got to my back so I only did 1/2.  I will have to spend a couple hours just picking up what I have trimmed and loading into the truck.  I love to get outside and this was so nice.  The sun was shining and it was about 60.  I have not done much trimming since mom moved in and the yard is really overgrown in several places.  It is much harder to bring it back when you have neglected it.  So I will be paying the price.

     I really do think we will sell this house once it is paid for so keeping the yard up is a must for a good sale price.  We did not even start the pond this year.  I am thinking of filling it in but then I think just clean it up and run it next year, as a water feature also adds to the sale price and our pond is beautifully landscaped.

     I did not get any cookies or cupcakes made yesterday as my back was bothering me.  You know Hub's office can wait for cookies.  I called a woman in our church who makes cupcakes for a living.  I ordered/asked her to deliver 2 dozen to the church.  I know what a waste of money but it gives her money and I thought of it as a donation.  I am trying to cut back aren't you proud of me?

     I just did a little sewing yesterday only about 4 items and I sat and ripped many garments to be sewn while I watched tv with a heating pad on my back.  We had leftovers for dinner. So after I teach I can do a little sewing.

     Tomorrow I will have to sew to keep up and get things out.  I have really enjoyed not going right into the shop this week.  I am just trying to think about what I want to do. This is hard for me as I am so devoted to bringing in money.

     Grocery adds came out this week for Holiday sales.  All I really will stock up on this year is flour and sugar.  Mom was such a prolific baking nut that I have more than enough for this years baking.

     Do you have any plans for Halloween?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are int he negative.

    
     

Tuesday,Blackberries Ugh!

These things are ruthless even when tiny.

     This part of our country grows blackberries like crazy.  Everyone constantly fights them and they are hard to get rid of.  We have fought blackberry since we bought this property.  It sneaks in among the bushes and flower beds.  As I have decided to take some time to do what I want and the weather was holding nice, I went outside to trim some long overdue bushes.  I found blackberry like crazy.   I had on gloves I still was poked by the little hook thorns.  It was so nice to be outside and even though the phone rang, I told customers what I was doing and they needed to come later in the day.  I even turned one down, since I knew her to be a pain.

     After working in the yard for a couple of hours, I came in and spent the day getting laundry caught up, and putting the guest room upstairs back together.  Everything had to be washed, dusted and swept.  I really need to scrub the area rugs in there and I might get that done to day.  We will see. I tried not to have a frantic pace at what I was doing.  I just enjoyed getting things back into place.

     I do have 4 rugs that need to be cleaned and I usually take a pot of hot water and dawn dish soap out to the deck where I scrub spots and the rug over all with a brush and then I hose off the rug with a high pressure hose and let it drip dry.  This really works for rugs that you cannot put in your washer.

     Today I am going out front to pick up at least 10 bags of oak leaves before I start on trimming again. I have decided to get a few hours a day into the yard and then sew later in the day if needs be.  I will have to get some sewing done this afternoon.

     I can't believe it will be November in 2 days.  I will need to pay bills, and get some monthly goals made.

     I want to make Halloween cookies for Hub's old office and I need to make cupcakes for the church Halloween party and my dance students.

     Right now I desperately need a diet coke.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Monday, out with the old, in with....

     My mind is still a jumble of things I want or feel I need to get done. I have to keep telling myself ti does not matter, it will get done in its time.  I am not running like a spotted hair.  I am a work in progress.

     We had a wonderful short trip down and back for Hubs father's 90th birthday.  We had dinner at a sister-in-laws house.  Hub's and I bought ice cream cakes as that is what he wanted.  We also went to See's chocolates and had a special box made up of 90 chocolates.  What do you get a man that has everything?  He needs to gain weight and so does mom so this was the perfect gift.  See's was so glad to do it for us.

     Saturday morning we went shopping with D#1 and her mother-in-law.  Hubs came along to play with baby.  Baby is two but he is still my baby.  So cute  He and grandpa played while we shopped.  I bought D#1's Christmas while we were there.  I finally broke down and bought 4 sweaters and a pair of jeans.  I have really not bought any  winter clothes except for what has been given to me by my sister.  When I went to pack I saw how washed out and shoddy my things were and thought you can buy a few things for yourself.

     One thing I had planned on doing is replacing my nude heels.  The old pair I had was ripping inside and irritated my feet.  They were 7 years old and well loved.  So I found a pair at Dillards with a great cushioned sole and a wide toe bed.  The are made by Naturalizer.

Old ratty inside shoes.

New nice nude heels.



















 Money saving Madness: October 21-27th 2018

1. Purchased chicken legs/thigh for .19 a pound on a close out and took them home and food saved them  Bought 20lbs.
2. Purchased extra lean ground chuck marked down to $2.19 a pound bought 3 large packages, then food saved them at home.  Almost 10 lbs.
3. Used Ibotta app and coupons to stock up on cereal. Getting most for around 1.25 a box. Ibotta saving of over 15.00!
4. Used points and coupons at rite-aid to purchase diapers for a family with many foster babies.  4 packages my out of pocket $3.87
5.Used my food wraps and used jars and containers for leftovers.
6. used my clothesline for drying heavy items and just dryer for touch up.
7. Still eating squash from the garden
8.  Neighbor brought us a Hubbard squash, which we did not grow
9.  Our renters are gone and left us a 10lb bags of oats, a jar of mayo, several seasonings, olive oil and new potatoes.
10. picked up at least 25 lbs of large sweet onions on road as we traveled. Free!
11. received potatoes from Idaho relatives.
12. Used Coupons at Joanns to purchase zippers


So how was your week?  How did you save money?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Thursday,I guess I can relax a little

     For those of you who read this blog (and I don't know why) you know that I am a little driven.  Okay I am a lot driven.  I have worked so hard to become debt free and I am working on paying off my house.  I want to be completely free of any debt by Christmas or early fall of next year 2019.  Since I have been pushing myself hard for so long, I have gotten in the habit of feeling like if I am not doing something to make debt go away I am not using my time wisely. 

     I know that living with such extreme debt for so many years has taken its tole on me emotionally. I have had to work very hard physically and mentally to keep up the payments on my never ending cycle of debt.  That does not exist any more.  I am okay and I can relax a little. But this feeling of go, go, go has not left, left, left.  My mindset is that I am in crisis mode all the time.  I don't have to be.  But I am having
a hard time getting off this mental treadmill.  My Sissie, read my blog and told me to slow down.  I don't have to be productive every waking hour.  I don't have to sew everyday if I don't want to.  Now the clients might feel different.  But I can say no that does not fit into my schedule.  I rarely say no.  I want the money or have always needed the money so badly.  Changing this mid set is hard.

     I did get a lot accomplished yesterday and I do have to get quite a few things done today.  Mostly because I have put them off and I don't want my clients upset.  But setting my schedule to always be working is going to stop.  I am going to try and slow down a little.  I am going to try and have a little more me time.  Maybe I can take a day or two a week to do something I want or enjoy.

     I will always be busy as I like to stay busy, but this work, work, work and feeling behind can stop.  I think.  I don't know, but I will try and start working on this.  It will b very hard.  Probably harder than getting out of debt was for me.

     Don't know how I am going to do this.  I am scared. I don't know what I am afraid of, silly I know.

Anyway, tomorrow we are leaving to go to Nampa to celebrate Hub's fathers 90 birthday.  I am going to meet my eldest daughter and we will shop in Boise. I will get to see my youngest grandson. Then we will come home Sunday. I am excited to see everyone.

     Right now I am typing with a wet head so as soon as I get myself ready to face the day I am going to go hit the shop and do zippers as they are due out.  But I am going to try and devise a way to slow down.

Thoughts? comments?

Have a great and productive day, staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Wednesday, I need a kick in the butt

Swift or not, I have gotten really nothing productive done in the last two days.  I do have to teach today so I will be forced to at least clean up and go some where.  But I really need to get into my shop and get things done.  What is wrong with me?

     I really had to make myself do something yesterday.  I think I will have to do the same today.  I have two days to really produce.  Is it burn out after last week or just plain laziness?  I will go with laziness. I am really good at that.

     Hub's is taking Grandson out in the canoe to fish so I have no excuse not to produce.  We will see.

     You know you can't save more money and get the house paid off faster if you don't work.  I keep telling myself this, but it just seems to be bouncing off my brain.


Maybe if I make a list, I can inspire myself.  Hmmmm.... Let's see....... things to get done before teaching.

1. hair and make up  It is not Halloween yet.
2. finish laundry
3. straighten shop AGAIN
4. hem 4 pairs of pants
5. hem 5 pair jeans
6. hem a wedding dress
7. finish top of bridesmaid dress
8. Zippers like 4 of them
9. take in 4 shirts
10. Just do something
11. Don't let the ironing get out of control
12. finish table runner for sister
Okay let's see what Kim can do before she leaves for the studio.  It is going to be hard as I am so good at avoiding things when I want to.

Have a a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Tuesday,Days like this....

     Yesterday was just plain crazy and upside down.    I don't know what started it, but something was in the air, I tell you.  Our poor neighbor could not start the car and got here late with the kids.  That was fine and we had a rather peaceful morning.  I in fact actually left Hub's with the babies, (the younger one was sound asleep) to go and pick up a prescription. All was well when I returned.

     As I am downstairs all day and pup and I go on a walk about several times during the day.  When the babies are here he is basically backseat.  Well we did not pay attention and we was whining, I thought it was because we had locked him on the other side of the baby gate, but he really had to go so we had an accident.  Hub's discovered it and hollered, I said well clean it up.  He steps over the baby gate and at the last minute his foot catches and he face plants into the dog pee.  Of course I heard the whole this and came running to see if he was okay.  Then I laughed myself sick.  Hub's changed clothes and I cleaned up the mess.

     We took babies upstairs to feed them lunch and I was in the kitchen.  Hub's is supposed to be watching the kids when they are in the frontroom and I keep an eye out for them while they are in the kitchen.  The system works. Until Hubs gets a phone call and forgets his job.  I am hollering at him to pay attention and finally he cannot find the older one.  She has taken the can of bag balm out of the diaper bag and is hiding behind Hub's side of the bed in the master bedroom.  She has smeared the entire can all over the bed, the rug, herself, her hair, she even managed to get her brother.  Hubs is upset and he should be it was his watch.

     Now I have to strip down a kid, try to get the grease out of her hair, her clothes, the bedding, the rug.  It took over an hour to clean things up and the rug still isn't done.  As I did not have any baby shampoo, her hair was a little greasy.  I did manage to get it out of the sheets and her clothes.  Our grandson is arriving in less than two hours and I have the master bedroom torn up and neither of the littles down for a nap. Finally about 2:30 I was able to clean myself up and remake the bed.  Grandson shows up and we show him his room.  Puppy decides it is time to poop in the hall.  So this dog that has maybe one accident in 3 months has two in one day.

     By this time the baby was not going down for a nap as he was over tired.  I made Hubs take him and I took the older one and put her down.  I was exhausted, the house which was spotless on Sunday was a wreck.  The day could not be over soon enough.  I took a short nap, made grilled cheese for the grandson and then we went shopping in the evening.

     I was up at 10:00 last night hemming a bridesmaid dress.  But it was the first time I felt that things had calmed down enough to even think about the shop.

     Hub's took grandson up to tour the poop plant (sewer plant), then they will go fishing with D#3.  We are going to Effie burger tonight.

     I just might recover.

Kim

Monday, Money saving madnes, busy week

     Well I was pretty proud of myself on Saturday as Hubs and I took a major load to the dump, one of several we will need to make this fall.  Then we moved the new to me fridge and freezer into our garage.  Then we really cleaned the house.  I mean the whole house. I preset the table for Sunday dinner and it saved so much stress when we had company arrive just a hour after church.

     I am excited about my new little freezer.  I have never had one and I could never buy a lot of extra things when I found a good sale.  Even while I had all the kids at home.  It was hard to juggle food stuffs and try to save money when you have no place to store frozen things.  Now here we are with no kids and I have a freezer.  But it will make doing freezer meals for other easier.

    I am also going to organize my meals for the upcoming week upstairs and keep the freezer in my kitchen less stuffed.  It is hard to find things.  Hopefully this will help me with meal planning which I have never perfected.  Maybe never will.

     The little are here today as we will be gone at the end of the week. Hub's dad turns 90 on Friday so we will drive down to the Boise area to have a special dinner with him.  Our oldest daughter will drive over with her mother-in-law and the baby so we can see our James.  We will shop in Boise on Saturday and come home after church on Sunday.

     Out son-in-law from Twin Falls is due in today at about 3:30 and he is bringing our oldest grandson to stay with us for 3 days.  Three days of Danny/  Hooray!  He only has school for 2 days this week so they are pulling him out to spend time with us.  Son-in-law has a water Law conference up on the pan handle. So we will get to see both our boys this week and I am so excited.


      I see some fishing with grandpa and some cookie baking and going to Effie burger.  What ever else we can find to entertain a 7 year old.

   One thing I did not get done this weekend was laundry, so I will work on that today and I need to get into the shop when the kids go down for naps.  I also need to vacuum pack some meat I bought on a good sale.

Monday's money saving madness Oct 14th-20th 2018

1. Cooked all meals from home pantry and storage except for one.
2. fed all scraps to chickens.
3. Picked up two packages of meat marked down and then another 50% off
4. My clothlise was fixed (finally) and I was able to use it.  Cold weather clothes take much longer to dry, now I can dry them and just throw them in for a few minute to soften them up.
5. Went to Joann's several times and used coupons also Ibotta for $3.00 savings
6.  Used Ibotta app to save on other needed items.
7. Used wax wraps and bowl covers to skip the use of plastic wrap.
8. froze the last of the tomatoes from the garden to use later.
9. picked up sewing machine in repair shop and insisted they stand by tier warranty, saving $55.00
10. gave dog a bath rather than take him to groomers
11. opened makeup given to me by Sluggy so I did not have to buy, see she is useful
12. found $.35.00 a dime and a quarter for my pig bank.

What did you do this week to save money?

Remember the little thinks do add up.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Saturday, My day

      Yippee!  A Saturday that is not already planned out to the minute.  I got to sleep as late as I wanted and then I was hit with reality.  Crap reality makes me mad.  Hub's needed help taking a load to the dump.  So we already did that.  We are also going to switch the freezers around today.

     Meaning: We go to Lil sis's and load mom's small freezer and my small apartment fridge.  We will borrow Lil sis's hand truck and bring them to our garage. We have to then remove the large side by side fridge out to the drive way and some how fit the two smaller pieces in. This will be interesting as Hub's does not like change and this will probably throw him for a complete loop.

     On top of this I have people coming for dinner tomorrow and I really need to clean the house.  Like as in vacuum and dust.  The dog also needs a bath. I need to go to the bank.  SO much for a day of doing what I want.

     I also completed another saving chart yesterday!  I am onto chart 19.  Every bit of this savings money goes right into debt payoff or current bills.   Right now as I have paid $1000.00 extra to the mortgage, I am saving to pay off what ever we charged to the CC's on our trip.  Next month our extra will go to Christmas or savings.

     I can't begin to tell you ow these charts have helped me keep track of my money.  Any extra that comes in from a grocery shop, or the gas budget goes right here.  Monies left at the end of the week from spending categories go into this chart.  For instance I have a $50.00 a week grocery budget if I spend $35.00 then I have $15.00 for the chart.  Since I have paid off so many smaller bills there is more money in the budget to add to these charts.  It is amazing what paying off debt can do for your life and  peace of mind.

 Well I need to go clean out a fridge and freezer so I had better get going.


Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Friday, Thank goodness

     I don't know what about this week makes me so glad it is over.  Was it the horrible low carb diet I am on?  Was it the food poisoning?  Was it the amount of work that came into the shop? Was it just getting back into work mode after my vacation? Was it my arthritis that seems to always be there?  All I can tell you is that I feel like it was a really long week.


     I was finally able to kick through many piles of sewing.  It was the first time I felt like I made progress all week.  I am down to 3 zippers left, as I did 5 yesterday.  There was still work that came in to replace the work I have done, but not so much that felt over whelmed.

     The babies are here today, so I won't be sewing much.  I do have to make a soup for the church supper tonight.  Not sure which kind to make.  I have chicken thawed out in the fridge. but that just does not appeal to me right now.  I will cook it up and freeze it for later.

     It is D#2's 31 birthday today.  I can believe she is that old, that means I am old.  Yikes!

 I think she was about 25 here we are rehearsing for the Nut cracker

     I have no plans for tomorrow so will probably do a ton of yard work.  Which I will enjoy.  The weather is supposed to be wonderful so I will take advantage of it.

Have a great weekend and remember to :

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim
 

Thursday, bad chicken

     Well I think we figured out what is causing the puppy to get sick. I had some chicken cooked on Monday.  It was always in the fridge when we were not eating it, but  I grabbed the last two pieces for lunch yesterday and I could only eat one, which is unusual  for me. It just was not appealing.    I was kind of achy all day, but chalked that up to arthritis. Taught dance and I needed to go to JoAnns, but I just came home and laid on the sofa.  Hubs had made a big salad and I was going to eat some he also ate the last piece of chicken.  In about an hour Hub's got sick and he never gets sick like that.  I can think of maybe 5 times in 40 years that I have seen him throw up.  I am starting to get chills and I could not eat so I just went to sleep on sofa.  Hubs went to bed.  I woke up at 2 a.m. and dry heaved for a couple of hours.  It was not fun at all.  Sweaty, cold, hot sweaty freezing.   We were a pair.   So now we believe it was the chicken.   We had been feeding pup skin and scraps from said chicken.

     We are all much better today.Lest you think my shop is not out of control here are a few pictures of the mess.   It just trails through.  Mostly zipper replacements and motorcycle gear. A couple of wedding dress, dress blues.   More and more comes in and I am trying to smile and keep muddling through. What a mess, but I am working on it.

Here is the plastic bread bag rug I finished.  The more they are walked on the bigger and flatter they get. I am hoping the oval one I am working on will turn out better.  I just used stitches I knew and I think one of them caused some rippling.  But as  first time experiment it turned out fine.

So now I have to go and try to kick through as many items as possible in my shop.  No rest for the wicked or me.  But as the Bostonian's say, "I am wicked smaht".

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Wednesday, Whiney post, please ignore

     My puppy has the runs.  Not the kind where he takes off either. This has been so fun.  I changed his food and this is the result. He was not eating at all when we brought him back from vacation so I bought a different food. Now we will try mixing the foods. I was up with painful arthritis and the puppy several times last night.  I think I am stressed about the amount of work that came into the shop yesterday.

     It was crazy.  I could hardly get my work done and I got about 1/2 done what I wanted to.  Yesterday was all hand work which is tedious.  I did not get to the pile of things for my other client. It looks like a bomb went off in the shop.

     So too much work, little sleep, pain and a poopy puppy.  No wonder I am cranky.  Then I get  notice that the Marine ball is Nov. 11th and you all know how these guys wait until the last minute and how I love me a Marine dress blue to tailor.

     I am just a ray of sunshine today.

     Plus does everyone in Idaho have one or two broken zippers for me to fix?  I think there are 20 in the shop right now. Okay I exaggerate there are only 25....

     Let me see good news...... Hmmmm...... I only have about 5 pieces of ironing left in my basket.

     I finished my first plastic bag rug and started an oval one last night.  Right now I have it under weights to flatten and I will take a picture to show you tomorrow.

     I am going to drag my tired grouchy butt into the shop and see if I can make a dent in the work.  I also have to teach today, which I love but I hate being interrupted when I am on a roll sewing.

     An attitude adjustment is in order here.  Does someone want to come adjust my attitude? 

    I need to by salad fixings, and fresh veggies after I teach tonight.

What do you guys do when you are feeling overwhelmed?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Grouchy Kim

     

Tuesday,Taking down the garden

     With the three heavy frosts we have had the garden is definitely coming down. Hubs pulled all the tomatoes yesterday and saved most of the green to ripen.  I will go out and really clean up the garden after he is done.  I am sorry but he does a man job. I don't want to be pulling up tomatoes starts all year next year, so I have to go out and woman clean it. 

     Don't die of shock but I actually did quite a bit of ironing yesterday and will probably be able to finish today.  Winter and summer clothes will need to be flip flopped soon.  So sad as I love the warm weather. 

     I stayed very busy sewing things in the shop yesterday and I think I will be busy today with pick ups and drop offs.  I have three jackets to alter today that will be quite the job plus a pile of shirts to shorten the sleeves on for one of my little clients.  Little people are hard to fit.  They all have very different needs.  Often their bodies are normal sized and their arms and legs are just shorter, so everything must be scaled down.  These are tricky alterations. You can't just cut off the pants and hem them.  You have to tailor down the legs and arms.Lucky me, I am blessed with work.

     I hope to be able to complete another chart before the end of the month, so I have to work to do that.

     I have been spending at least an hour every evening working on my plastic bread bag rug.  I am anxious to finish this first one and plan on getting started on and oval one.  It keeps me out of the bars, as my grandmother used to say.

     Also the slower part of my year is coming up. So I need to think about Christmas.  I want to make a few more car quilts for family members.  I will use scraps from jeans I cut off and remnants of what ever I can find.  Also embroidery with things I have purchased at second hand stores.  I love to be able to make things that are beautiful by reusing what others have gotten rid of.  I have so much embroidery floss that I have picked up for practically nothing.

     I am trying to go more toward and family gift of something that is a need and personal gifts of things I make.  Things that I put love and time into, that are useful instead of another thing.

     Have any of you ever had a home made Christmas?  What do you do to encourage this and not get so consumer driven.  I don't mind giving things that are needs, but just stuff bothers me.  We love having good food and time together.  I just don't want to get caught up in the buying gifts that are just useless and expensive.

Well I had better get busy as work does not do itself and I have a house to pay off. 

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Monday, money saving Madness

     If you want to see money savings on our trip Sluggy posted them last week.  Here she is trying to milk a large cow to save money but I think she failed.  Too much fun we had, just too much.

     But alas I am home and must stop this vacation mode I have been on and get to work in my home and life.  But I don't want to, says  my inner brat.  But you have to, said by my sensible self. " Be gone", sensible self , I say, "Be gone".  What is that sticking to my shoe? Something from the kitchen floor.  Why am I not walking barefoot in the bedroom?  Oh, the hard crumbs left by the dog treats?  Maybe I should clean a little around here.  If there a pattern on those area rungs or is that dog hair?  What is that mountain in the corner of the shop?  Oh the ironing, drats!  Where is Sissie?

     Well my list from last week is mostly complete, with the frost from the weekend I can defiantly start pulling everything from the garden.  That might be something I try to fit into the schedule today.  Maybe an hour of garden work when it warms up.  But the majority of the day will be spent in the shop.  I will play my game of iron 5 pieces of clothing every time I get and item done in the shop and there is a lot to do there so progress will be made.  Did you hear that inner brat?  Progress will be made.  I have to talk to myself once in a while to get myself going.

Money saving madness October 8th-14th 2018

1. Used my ibbota app to get  $4.20 off our hotel stay in Philly
2.  Found .5 pennies between Mc'ds for breakfast and the airport
3. Ate apples and prepacked snacks instead of buying airport food.
4. cooked meals out of freezer and storage once we were home.
5. Had the neighbor fix my clothes line in exchange for sitting kids
6. Purchased almost free items with rite aid points to donate to food bank.
7. bulk cooked, meatballs and banana bread to freeze and use
8. renter left several bags of frozen foods which we are eating, used up a bag of veggies on Sunday.
9. did not go out to dinner with Lil sis and girlfriends Saturday night as I had already been out to lunch with them that day.
10. Used up old apples and celery in fridge after trip.
11. Fed all food scraps to chickens. I think they missed them while we were gone as they only got chicken food.
12. Used coupons and Ibotta to purchase material at Joanns
13. picked up free items at K-mart a bag of cheetos and a large bottle of Pepsi (I will give away)
14. my change saving pig received a large amount of change gathered on my trip.

     So there you have it.  I am onto a new week of money saving and paying off the house.  Speaking of the house, our last payment has not posted and it was made on the 11th. I have word into the bank about this. 

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Sunday, Arthritis flare

     My wrists are really on fire this morning.  I slept late and have taken meds and I am waiting for relief. I only had one day of bad pain on my trip, but it looks like if these flares continue I will have to go into the specialist.  It is just so painful, and I get very emotional and teary when I am in pain.  Anyway enough about my aches.

     The farmers market was interesting, but way over my price range.   I don't care if it is organic.  I could not believe the people pulling wagons full of produce.  I thought they could have spent their money better else where.  Or for heaven sake grow your own onions and peppers.  But I am judging and that is wrong.

     I was frustrated with the Rite aid manager in Moscow as I was over charged and he refused to see that I was, so I drove back to Lewiston and took the receipt to the manager of the store here and got my refund.  My sister was laughing at me but $5.00 is $5.00.

     I spent time actually deep cleaning the down stairs bath while I listened to a talk on the lesson I have to give in church today.  So that is off my list.

     It actually frosted last night for the first time.  Maybe that is why my wrists are so sore.  Weather really does affect arthritis, it is not an old wives tale.

     I also added another $500.00 to the house so that goal of paying $1000.00 extra to the house is met for the month. All other monies that come in will be earmarked for paying the trip bills that will come on two different CC's.  One is our local card from our credit union with a 6.5% fixed rate the other is my American express travel card with a %19.00, but I get points to get free plane tickets with it.  So that will be paid off first and I have money to pay both off in savings if I don't earn enough this month. I have enough points for 2 free plane tickets right now.

     I just can't wait to get this house paid off.  I really don't even care about the car.  That will go so soon after the house.  Goals, goals this is what I live with.  Save money any way I can and pay more toward my goals.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Peaceful Sabbath
Kim

Saturday, Off to the market

     I am going to Moscow this morning with my Lil sis and two girl friends.  I will buy nothing as it is too expensive but will go along for laughs.  I have a package for D#3 and a gift I bought for her on our trip.  She will meet us for lunch so I can deliver them.

     I am still trying to learn to use my Ibotta app and I keep making mistakes.  But eventually I will get it.  I am actually taking back some groceries and having them rerung.  See what a pain I am?  But hey $3.75 is worth the effort.

     I was able to make 8 dozen meat balls yesterday and I froze enough for several dinners and took some to the neighbors.  I also made banana bread with bananas left by renter.  I took a loaf to neighbor and then froze the rest. I keep all the drippings to make my own gravy.  I freeze this in small dabs in plastic bags.

     It is nice to be able to take out a bag of meatballs a dab of gravy drippings and then with some mashed potatoes and a veggies have a great meal.  Also these are great for sending to a sick family with out much work.

     I love these small loaf pans that were mothers.  I have 8 of them.  I also made three large loaves.  So nice to have a sweet in the freezer when you are craving something.

     There were 8 mealy apples and some wilted celery in the crisper when we got home so I made up a large bowl of apple, celery, raisin and nut salad.  I hate to see food go to waist.  Well it usually goes to my waist.

     So yesterday I spent the morning cooking and the afternoon sewing.  The shop is a real mess right now and I really need to organize it and get things going.  This vacation mode of mine has got to stop.

     My house desperately needs a deep clean and the garden and yard are begging for attention.  I am out running around in my spare time having fun.  See what I am like?  It is probably a good thing Sluggy and I live far apart or we would get into all sorts of trouble.

     My sisters and I can also cause  trouble when together.  But it is fun trouble.

     So this weekend my plans are to have fun and get something useful done somewhere.  Like maybe the downstairs really cleaned.  Yes that is a good plan. Maybe organize the shop a little.

     But , who really wants to work?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Here is a picture of the coast line of Maine.  It was rough and cloudy and cool.  But ,lovely weather for touring.  We were able to walk clear out on this set of rocks due to low tide.  Sluggy took pictures of seagulls and they pooped for her.  She just has a way with birds.  We saw wood trees that had been crushed between these rocks and formed into a different kind of black stone.  The earth is very interesting.  Every where we traveled something was different and unique.  We were able to buy an original painting of a bird for our son in law for Christmas.  He is an avid birder.  We had it shipped and it arrived before we got home.

 Of course I had to get my picture taken by the large cow up by sluggy's place.  I don't know why it is here as I saw no dairy's or cows around.  But large animals and statues are just a thing in America.     When you travel with Slug and I you must stop and have your picture taken with any and all weird public attractions.








     Well I did get the bills paid yesterday and $500.00 more put on the house principle.  I can do another $500.00 later this afternoon after the babies leave.  I also did 5 loads of laundry and got all the linens done for the renters room.  I have not dusted wiped down or vacuumed the room yet and I still have to deep clean the bathroom. 

     I took a 5lb chub of burger out to make meat balls (Swedish) I will freeze several bags.  Our renter also left large bags of frozen fruit and veggies and chicken breasts which I will get to use.  So score.  There are several large batches of bananas frozen so I will also make banana bread while I make meatballs. 

     The garden was way too wet to try and clean yesterday so it will have to wait.  Hopefully I can get to it sometime on Saturday if I am not to busy wasting time with my sister and girlfriends.  I also have to get  a prom dress and 7 pairs of pants done this afternoon while the little sleep.  I can cook with them as the oldest likes to help and I can put the little one in the high chair.

     The shop continues to stay busy and I will really have to get my butt in gear next Monday.  Right now other than have to I am still in a rather vacation mode.  Well it takes time to get my head on straight and figure out where I am going.  Usually it is in 6 different directions.  So everything is 1/2 done.

     If my Sissie was here she would keep me on the path of production.  I would not be wandering and 1/2 finishing things.  Oh well, it is what it is.

Do any of you experience a lull after you come home from vacation?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Thursday, Back in the saddle

     It did not take long to get back to work here as we pulled up into our driveway and I had a client following me into the garage.

     It was such a fun, fun trip.  So many great sites and adventures. Way too many doughnut shops.  I swear there was one every two blocks.  I love me a doughnut or six.  One day I ate 4 doughnuts.  Slugs and I went to a place at the end of the day and they offered us buy a dozen get a dozen free.  Who can turn that down?  So.... well... I just could not let all those doughnuts go to waste. Sigh, so delicious.

Yes, my mouth is usually open unless there is a doughnut in it.  We spent so much time laughing.  I have asthma.  The worst trigger for me is laughing too much. So Sluggy tried to kill me several times.  Just too much laughter.  I am not perky.


We are already planning our next trip.  We want to take an Alaskan cruise.  I have never really wanted to cruise but I do want to do the Alaska one.  So we will be together again sometime in the future.  

Right now I have to pay attention to my pennies, as I have to come up with $1000.00 to add to our house payment and also get enough together to pay off any charges we made on this trip.  As 9 days of my month is gone my income has been greatly diminished.  I will continue to buy as few groceries as possible and that will be easy,with chickens, food storage, etc.

Sluggy was also able to teach me how to really use my ibotta app correctly and how to take advantage of Riteaid savings.She is the bomb, I tell you.  She needs to teach classes in this.

So now that I am home I have to face reality and get to work and all without a doughnut.  So sad.


     Things I must face today. 

1. laundry
2. the shop  (over $200.00 worth of work came in yesterday afternoon)
3. I left the house kind of messy, so I need to clean.
4. check the garden and do a final produce pick then deal with the produce
5. One of our renters is gone and I need to deep clean that room and bath and get it ready for the next adventure.
6. Figure out what is for dinner.
7. pay all of Octobers bills

     So my work is cut out for me.   There are many more things I need to do this month, and as I only have 21 more days I will need make my time count. All this vacationing has made me kind of lazy.

Well I am off to set some goals for the rest of the month.  What are you guys doing?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim