May You Live In Interesting Times

Before I left England for China in 1936 a friend told me that there exists a Chinese curse — "May you live in interesting times". If so, our generation has certainly witnessed that curse's fulfilment. — Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen, Diplomat in Peace and War, 1949

So ....

Yesterday I think I jinxed myself. In the morning on the blog I posted this:

Things should be back to normal pretty much (routinewise), the weather is supposed to be *pretty* good and I have my fingers crossed that nothing out of the ordinary happens

*sigh*

DH got up, and went downstairs to check on our water softener (we have a well that is VERY VERY high in iron -- tastes like we're drinking blood if we don't filter it). It's been giving us grief of one kind or another for several months, but DH is very handy and just kept fixing it.

This time? The softener, he was dead. He loosed his bowels all over our basement floor first, though. So, we had to clean up water and then DH stayed home to replace the water softener.

He was frustrated and cranky -- having worked from home last week, he was terribly behind in his work, this was just one more expense we really didn't need (I'm pretty sure all appliances and other household items are "scheduled" to die after approximately ten years, and we're just past that mark. Ugh), and it was a pain.

Because we had no water for most of the day, I spent very little time at home. DD didn't do school. I stayed here long enough to help DH remove the old softener and install the new one, and then there were three hours of "flushing" the new system where we couldn't use the water again.

:::shakes head:::

Today, I'm not saying ANYTHING.

:::zips lips:::

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On a funny side note, I may have to go to coupons anonymous. Yesterday, I drove to a local middle school that has recycle bins to dump the cardboard from the new softener. The bins were PACKED full, but right on the top someone had piled newspapers. TONS of newspapers. And I could see.... COUPONS sticking out. That's CASH MONEY folks! Woot!

So, yes, it's true. DD and I "dumpster dived" for coupons yesterday. But we got incredible amounts. I paid DD to clip them all (there are some people who say you shouldn't clip until you know what you're going to use, but that gives me the shakes ... I need them organized) and it took her just over three hours.

Today, I have to spend time on all the coupons websites gathering deals, head to coupons.com to print coupons, plus look through all my fliers and match coupons to sales (I already have a few for toothpaste that are nearly free and some for drinks as well .. I know there is more, I just need to hunker down). It will probably take me a couple more hours, but it's actually fun... and since we're expecting rain, I won't be enticed by the beautiful weather outside. I don't have 40 - 70 hours a week to spend on this like so many of the people on the show do, but if I can find stuff for my storage and saves at least half of what I used to spend, I'll be thrilled. Plus, the challenge of it really gets my adrenaline going. LOL...

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You Are Deep

You are attracted to sad things. You find a lot of depth in darkness. You find counter culture compelling. You respect those who chart their own course through life. You are loyal and devoted. Your friends tend to be friends for life. The details in your life can be a bit disorderly. You don't mind a little chaos.

The Hawaiian Shirt Test

This is only about 25% right ...

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