Appliances, Couponing and YAY For Monday!

Finally Monday... I had one of those weekends that DRAGGED. DH was bored, Bored, BORED -- not enough snow except WAY north (like a four hour drive) to go snowmobiling, and nothing to do here. It's like having a bored toddler, but with driving privileges and the right to actually make household decisions.

DD drifted a bit aimlessly, too, though we did spend the greater part of Saturday looking at appliances. DH wants to have an idea of what we want BEFORE things die, so we don't go rushing around stupidly in a hurry if we need something.

DH is very methodical, very specific and doesn't mind taking hours and hours to do this kind of thing. I think we spent three hours at Sears, and that wasn't our only stop. First, we decided what features we absolutely wanted, and which didn't matter (for instance, I'm not big on all the "bells and whistles" -- I'm more interested in the practical things like space and utility... I don't care that the ice maker in the door will give you ice four different ways).

Our current dishwasher is already pretty much history (I wash dishes by hand), the fridge, as you know, appears to be on its last leg. The only appliance we have in decent shape is the stove.

Anyway, after much looking (and shaking, and wiggling and poking) we narrowed down our choices. DH is now looking them up online to check for reviews and potential problems.

On Sunday I went couponing at Walgreens. Yes, I'm still doing this, I just don't talk about it as much.

I wanted to hit Walgreens immediately, because they had two items that were Complete free after register return: St. John's baby aspirin (I get this for a friend whose DH had a heart attack and has to take one a day) and "Blink" eye drop (I use eye drops a LOT). The free stuff tends to sell out, and I wanted to make sure I got it. They had some other great stuff too, and I had one of my best trips ever. Check it out.... I got:

1 Blink eye drops
1 St. John's Baby Aspirin
12 bars of Irish Spring Soap
2 large bottles of Soft Soap body wash (in Mango and Berry ... mmmm)
2 Soft 'n' Dri deodorants
6 cans of mandarin oranges
4 containers of Pringles
2 bottles of Head and Shoulders shampoo
1 Proglide razor

After my coupons and the register returns I got back ($22 in RRs!) I only spent $12 -- the original cost of the order was $66.

Yes, I do feel smug.

Today, I'm going through the CVS and Rite Aid flyers -- but I don't think they have as good of deals. Honestly, I tend to find the best deals at Walgreens.

And so are the days of my life.

How was your weekend?

================

You Are Driven

Your friends would all agree that you are very accomplished and successful. You get whatever you go after. You have a lot of energy and a lot of discipline too. You always know where to direct your focus. You can adjust easily to different situations. You are good at wearing different hats. You are always charging straight ahead. You have no time to listen to your own self doubt.

The Pasta Test

Hmmm.... mostly right.

================

Rambling

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~Anne Frank

Craziness abounds!

I spent yesterday working on book video creation. I've been inundated with requests to make them, which has been a "good news / bad news" thing. I skipped agility both nights to try to blast through the backlog and got several done. I still have seven more, but I'm getting there.

We're planning a massive overhaul of the LASR/WC site in order to make it better for the reader, but less labor intensive for us. The problem is, I need time for that and I'm so backlogged, I have none. But Judy and I would like at least a little of our lives back, so that's what we're working toward. Currently, if we're breathing, we're working and that's just a little crazy.

On a related note -- while most of the authors we work with are absolutely wonderful, occasionally we get a rotten apple. It's amazing how unprofessional some folks can be and it really makes working myself to the bone for nearly nothing a difficult task. It's sad how a few bad apples can spoil everything. But I'm so grateful for the 99.9% of authors who are just amazing.

My mom got to participate in one of DD's meltdowns yesterday. My poor daughter is SO emotional and sensitive. She always has been, but being this close to puberty is just exacerbating the problem. Poor kiddo...

Today, I'm gathering together a care package of self-care items for the Salvation Army. Every week I get free or nearly free toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, etc. And really, who needs 50 tubes of toothpaste on hand at any given time? Especially when I replenish the supply so regularly? For those who snicker at folks who coupon, for the merchants who get irritated at us, for people who call us "hoarders", THIS is why I do what I do. Not only do I save my family money, and we never have to run out of the things we need, but I can help others.

So, yes, my linen closet is full of 30 sticks of deodorant. I have every kind of razor known to man. My DH could wash his hair daily for the next year and have enough shampoo. I'm proud of my stockpile. And I'm even more glad I can share my bounty with others.

And now ... I have to go wake up the family, so I wish you all a wonderful weekend!

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You Are Quirky

You don't think you are weird but others do. You have your own definition of normal. You have a strong personality. You are who you are, and you're darn proud of it. You act spontaneously, without planning. You don't like to commit to any one thing. You are a calm and steady person. You may be whimsical, but you're also well grounded.

The Sphere Test

About 50% right....

================

A Crisp Monday Morning!

When the bee comes to your house, let her have beer; you may want to visit the bee's house some day. ~Congo Proverb

Happy Monday! Here, it's very happy -- because it's COOLED DOWN. Even yesterday was a little cooler than the four days prior, thankfully, but today they're even saying it might rain! HALLALUJAH! My garden is dying, my flowers are dying, my grass has burned spots. Yes, we water, but it's been so hot, you water and 20 minutes later everything is dust dry again. The heat and humidity were just brutal -- so much so that my DH actually discussed getting a small window A/C. That's the first time he's done so. And although we didn't actually GET a window A/C, his almost caving tells you how hot it really was.

But we survived.

It made it difficult to work, however. On Friday, my only "alone" day (a day when I usually get the most done), my computer kept getting so hot that it burned the heels of my hands if I tried to work very long (and, yes, I have a laptop cooler). I got almost nothing accomplished.

Saturday, my friend Michele came up (YAY!) and we hung out all day. We went to see the movie "Thor" at our nearby cheap movie theater that plays the older stuff. It was surprisingly good and fun. It doesn't hurt that the guy who plays Thor is just gorgeous (he has that twinkle in his eye, too, that I'm such a sucker for) and has one sweet Australian accent. Yum. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, insofar as the "romance" went, but otherwise it gets a thumbs-up from me.

Yesterday, my DH was in a bit of a tear, so DD and I spent the morning cleaning (apparently the house was a mess ... who knew?) and then we did our couponing. It was a good haul. I got hair bands, ball point pens, tampons, toothpaste, and mouth rinse for free. I got a toothbrush for better than free (earned $.50). I got razor blade refills that were marked $21.00 (for SIX!!!) for $6.50, cereal for under $1 a box and shampoo/conditioner for $0.69 a bottle.

I have so much toothpaste now, I'm looking for a women's shelter to donate to. But I can't pass up "free", yanno? It's a disease...

After lunch, DH left to help a friend work on his truck. DD made some jewelry (she had a custom order request) and I worked. I FINALLY got the website pages built for LASR/WC and edited the reviews for next week. It was a close thing, lol...

Oh! For those of you not on Facebook, you have to check out this cool bug we found walking on the table yesterday:




He was SO COOL... all spiky butt and stripey legs. I was fascinated. I picked him up and put him outside near the milkweed -- assuming, based on his coloration that he had something to do with milkweed (most milkweed bugs are black and orange -- the monarch, the tussock moth pillar, etc).

After some discussion on Facebook, I'm pretty sure he's the nymph of the milkweed assassin bug (photo borrowed from the website I just linked to):



I posted the picture up on What's That Bug? to find out for sure.

So far, that's the coolest bug we've seen. Yeah, I like bugs...

Today, DD is going to hang out with her grandma for part of the day. They'll sew, maybe swim and just generally enjoy being together.

How was your weekend?

==========================

You Are a Classic Cone

You are a compassionate and selfless person. You truly care about people - whether they're strangers or friends. You are always aware of and sensitive to other people's feelings. You are tender and compassionate. You're not easily impressed with novelty. However, you do easily impress others. You take responsibilities seriously. You follow through with everything you commit to.

What Kind of Ice Cream Cone Are You?

About half right.

========================

This and That

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker

Yesterday I had one of my most productive days, work-wise, in a long time. Not sure what the difference was, but I *felt* organized and efficient, and it apparently reflected on what I was doing. I'm still behind, but not as badly. Mostly my "behind-ness" is related to creating book videos, which takes an absurd amount of time. But that's okay, I'm getting there!

DD is learning to sew at Grandma's house. She's helped make some Barbie clothes, and she's very excited. Maybe the sewing gene skipped a generation? I hope so, because one of us should like and know how to sew. I can do the bare minimum, but it's just never been anything that excited me. I might should look into getting better at it (and getting a sewing machine) because it would certainly be a money-saver, and I'm all over that, even if all I make are hair scrunchies and pillow cases.

A couple weeks ago, I picked up two huge bottles of multipurpose contact lens cleaner for free (after coupon and rebate). I really love couponing ... and mostly I try to get stuff I'd use, but I couldn't pass this up. My DH is the only one here who wears contacts, and he uses gas permeable (aka "hard") lenses, so doesn't use the solution. I asked around, couldn't find anyone to take it. I didn't want to toss it -- that defeats the purpose. But, wow, was it hard to find someone who wears contact lenses that I knew. Yesterday, it finally found a home with my neighbor's SIL.

Now I have about 15 bottles of aspirin I got for free that need a home...

Today, I'm hoping to get out and weed a little before it gets too hot, but I have to take DD to the bead store -- she got a custom order request for some earring, and we don't have the right beads.

Wishing you all a wonderful, refreshing summer day. I'm getting to your blogs, a few at a time ... and I swear, when I'm caught up I'm going to STAY caught up!

=========================

You Are a Nose Smiley

You are a very detailed oriented person. You feel happiest when all your ducks are in a row. You are conventional and orthodox. You are the most normal person you know. You like to work hard, but you also value your downtime. You seek balance in your life. You are smart to the point of being a genius. You are very learned.

What Smiley Are You?

That's me ... smart to the point of being a genius... :::pats self on back:::... LOL!

======================

New and Notes

Lots of people talk to animals.... Not very many listen, though.... That's the problem. ~Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

Woke up with an amazingly bad headache, so any brilliant ideas I might have had for a blog post escape me (and it seems like I *did* have something to say).

We still haven't found any swallowtail caterpillars. The day before our insanely bad storm last week, we thought we had a black swallowtail laying eggs on the rue -- but have to assume that the wind and deluge of rain must have killed the eggs. DD is very sad at the thought of having NO swallowtail pillars. With the exception of the one black swallowtail butterfly we saw, we've seen no others. Very sad.

I pulled up all the lettuce in my garden -- it had bolted and was bitter. Everything else appears to be VERY happy, though. And several plants I thought were dead (leaves shriveled to the ground) apparently decided they were only taking naps. I have three cucumbers and an eggplant coming back from the ashes, so to speak.

My mom is moving back here after leaving us almost four years ago to live in California. She's slowly driving cross country, visiting family. Her last solo stop is Kansas City, where my DH will go pick her up and drive her back. We're very excited to see her again! Only ten more days...

Father's Day is Sunday and we haven't gotten so much as a card for DH. I should probably remedy that today.

DD has two more days of school... she's VERY excited to be done. And her new school starts off with a barbecue / orientation for their first day, so that should be fun. She's thinking about playing soccer... something she's never done. So, I'll probably invest in a soccer ball and she and I will practice over the summer.

Maria Zannini has a new book out. She sneaked that sucker through without even letting us know she was WORKING on it. Just BOOM! Oh, by the way, I have a book out... sneaky, sneaky.

I bought $66 worth of stuff at CVS yesterday for $14 (including toothpaste, deodorant, fish oil, gum and a razor and refill blades. My best scoop yet.

And that's about all my brain can say today. Sorry... hopefully my meds kick in soon and I can function normally.

Hope you all have a great day!

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You Would Be a Logical Doctor

You are a very rational person, and it's nearly impossible for you to be swayed by emotions. As a doctor, you would let logic be your guide. And with it, you'd find some ingenious remedies and cures. You are a natural problem solver. And you never give up until the problem is solved. You would be well suited to being a neurologist, pathologist, or oncologist.

What Kind of Doctor Should You Be?

That's mostly right.

=====================

Answers and Ambling

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker

Yesterday, Brandy asked: So CVS and Walgreens don't mind you stacking coupons?

I can't use two manufacturers coupons, but I *can* use a store coupon with a manufacturers coupon. The register returns, up rewards, etc., are also considered manufacturers coupons, so I have to make sure I buy enough stuff that I can use them -- usually if you aren't getting everything free, they don't care.

And Angelina said: Can you be my personal shopper? I'm really bad at finding deals, and I never remember to bring coupons.

I actually use a couple of couponing sites (via Facebook) who help "match up" coupons with deals, and I clip nearly every coupon out of my flyers weekly. Even if I don't think I'd use it (like the one I have ... and forgot to use... for Blink eye drops), I clip it. I do draw the line at things like Fixodent, but for the most part I pull every coupon because if I can get it free, even if it's not something *I* would use, I probably know someone I can give it to.

Also, I never go anywhere without my box o'coupons in the car -- which is why I'm doubly annoyed at missing that Blink coupon. :::slaps self on hand:::

It's fun and I also have my DD helping -- she clips coupons for me every week for a small fee :-)

In other news, we've decided NOT to do the craft show this coming weekend for a number of reasons. Partly because I'm SO not prepared, partly because we'd be out in the roasting sun with no protection for six hours (and it's HOT here lately, people... it was 90 yesterday with a "real feel" of 98), partly because I can't get in touch with the organizer for ANY details, partly because my husband is going boating on Saturday and DD has already missed two other trips for stuff (like agility last weekend) and partly because I've just had a really bad feeling about it for the past couple weeks. That's a little "woo woo" I know, but I really believe in intuition (don't you think your brain picks up on things subconsciously that you don't realize consciously?), so I'm kissing the reservation fee goodbye and giving it a pass.

That does mean, however, that all the stuff DD has been cranking out has to get up on DistinctivelyDD (she's done maybe 50+ earrings, several necklaces and some bracelets and hair pins). It also means I'm going to have a contest for her very, very soon.

This morning, after several insanely hot, VERY dry days (my POOR garden ... I'm watering, but it's still struggling), we're having a thunderstorm. The rumbles have just started, but I'm just so grateful for the rain. I hope it pours... It should also clear out the 90+ degree heat and 9 billion percent humidity. Those of you down south are probably laughing up your sleeve at me, but just remember -- I don't have A/C here.

I've also been insanely busy. I can't remember the last time life has been this nuts. I won't go into it all, but suffice it to say I seldom get a moment to just slow down ... it's go-go-go all day long. I've tried to visit your blogs, but I'm a day behind again. I MISS you guys when I don't visit (though I am on Facebook a lot, so at least can see your posts there, in passing... I really do love Facebook).

I'd like to say that things will settle soon, but I don't see that happening any time in the near future. It's a good thing, really, but exhausting! LOL...

How's life in your neck of the woods?

=======================

You Are a Lion

You are just in all your actions. You want to be seen as both honest and fair. You are wise and discerning. You focus on what really matters in life. You have ideals, but you try not to let those ideals get in the way of living your life. You are conscientious. You are diligent and reliable, even when it isn't easy to be.

What's Your Inner Big Cat?

Mostly right :-)

===============

Ticks and Thrift

Thrift is not an affair of the pocket, but an affair of character. ~S.W. Straus

Yesterday was a banner day for us -- we found NO TICKS. It's the first day since tick season started that we didn't have at least one (and usually more) ticks on the dog or in the house our (:::shudder:::) on one of us.

Hopefully that trend continues.

I also did some couponing. I'd taken a break for a week or two -- truthfully, I was just burned out and frustrated that none of the items I wanted were available. Many stores are starting to put limits on how many of anything you can buy to avoid having people clear the shelves, and I'll be honest -- I'm thrilled. I don't mind "only" getting four deodorants or six toothpastes. That's enough to see me through until the next special.

We went to three stores, only Walgreens didn't have anything in stock we wanted. The people there are the nicest of all, though the lady who helps us at CVS is starting to warm up to us (because we chat with her all the time). It's a pain for them to run all the coupons and Up Rewards / Register Returns, so I try to be as nice as possible.

Here's what we scored.

From CVS:



The Crest Rinse had a Register Return in the amount of the entire product, and I had a $1 off coupon, so I actually made $1 on it.

The Gillette deodorant was Buy One, Get One 50% off, and I had two BOGO coupons, so I got four deodorants for the price of one.

The toothpaste had register returns making each tube cost $0.75 each.

The toothbrushes had register returns making each one cost $0.99 and I had two $1 off coupons, so I earned a penny on each.

The lipsticks were $5/each. I had a coupon for $2 off plus when you go to CVS, you scan your card and they spit out coupons, one of which was for $3 off, plus I got a register return for another $2, so got two $9.99 lipsticks for a total of $3.

Granted, you have to pay up front and the RR's are for use on another purchase, but it all comes out in the wash.

At Rite Aid:



The Blink eye drops had a rebate for the total cost of the item (and I could submit it online, so didn't even have to pay postage), so they were free.

The Pringles (a concession to DH's junk food needs) were on sale 2 for $3 and I had a $1 off coupon, so they came to just over $1/ea.

The gum was on sale for $0.77/each and I had a $1 off 3 for Stride and a $1 off 2 for Orbit. Please don't make me do the math ... let's just say it was cheap.

The shampoo and conditioner were on sale for $3.50 and had up returns that, along with my coupons, made them free.

The toothpaste had up returns, making them $1/each.

There were a couple goofs on my end on some other things that I didn't pay close enough attention to ... but I'm still learning. And, I discovered I had a coupon for the Blink eye drops for $2 off that I could have used and actually made money on the deal, but didn't because I'd forgotten. Bad me.

Still, for a newbie, I'm doing okay.

==================

You Are Sweet Because You're Passionate

You provide direction and leadership for others. People are looking to you to see what you'll do. You focus on goals rather than people. You've always been happiest looking out for yourself. You welcome new challenges without fear. You're ready for whatever comes your way. You are a very ambitious person. You aren't about to settle for second best.

The Sugar Rush Test

Mostly right.

=======================

Tuesday Traipsing

"Joy is the simplest form of gratitude." - Karl Barth

Finally got my last crit (of sorts) on "Now and Forever" ... and a couple things are clear. I need to work a LOT on the ending (which I knew) and a couple more scenes need to be added (though I haven't a clue what they will be). *sigh*

This writing thing is WORK. *G*

Speaking of, I gave a shout out to Maria Zannini yesterday about her interview with my old editor, but I was a slacker on mentioning that she has an awesome new fantasy romance release out from Carina Press called "Apocalypse Rising". Though it's the second in her series, it's written to stand alone (though you could always just buy the first book, too: "Touch of Fire" from Samhain Publishing).

If you're a fantasy fan, I'm betting you'll thoroughly enjoy her books.

Yesterday, Brandy asked (in comments): Are you buying items you regularly use if you have a coupon, or are you buying items that you haven't used before because you have a coupon?

Before I started watching "Extreme Couponing", I would idly go through the coupons and clip two or three for items I buy anyway and then use them the next time I went to the store. Yes, I saved my $.075 or whatever, but what I've learned since then has been two-fold.

First: I really don't have a lot of brand loyalty. I'll use Colgate or Crest or Aim or whatever for toothpaste (and toothbrushes ... OralB or Reach or Colgate -- it's all the same to me).

Second: You never, never, EVER use a coupon on a regular priced item. You combine them with sales.

What this means to me is that I clip about 90% of the coupons in the flyers now. There are some things I know I'll never use (allergy medicine, contact solution, diapers, denture adhesive, etc) so I skip those, but if it's something I *might* use, out it comes. They're organized by type of item (Food, personal care, household cleaning, pet, etc) first and then by specific item (toothpaste, canned vegetables, laundry soap) and THEN I paperclip brands together (all my Colgate toothpaste coupons, all my Tide coupons). Though many couponers recommend NOT clipping, I can't rely exclusively on the websites to tell me what date of flyers goes with what sale. It's just easier for me to compare flyers to my coupons. PLUS, there have been times I've been out shopping and stumble across an unadvertised sale (like the Ken's Dressing at Shaws) and if I didn't have my coupons clipped (and with me), I'd miss out.

So, Brandy, long story short? I spend a few hours a week perusing the sales flyers for our three local grocery stores and our three local drugstores for sales and compare it to my coupons. If it's something I think I'll use (I'm going today to Walgreens and getting two big bottles of Listerine for $0.50 after coupon ... I don't usually USE Listerine, but at that price I just might give it a try *G*) and it's a good price (like a few cents or free), I pick it up. In a pinch, if I have to use a different brand of sanitary napkins or toilet paper than I usually do, it's okay.

Right now, I'm still having to buy some things at full price because I haven't been doing this that long. But, as time passes and my coupon supply AND my supply of goods expands, I expect that to end. So, yes, I buy things I may not need right away (I bought six bottles of dish soap the other day ... it'll take me a while to go through it, but I have room to store it so why not buy it when it's almost free?).

Still, I'm not like the ladies I saw on the show... one who has something like 75 things of diapers and NO kids. Or the lady who has hundreds of cat treats, but no cat (they paid her to buy them -- $0.05 per each to take them out of the store after coupon). I *hope* those ladies donate their goods to a local women's shelter and animal shelter...

It can be time consuming, but I'm all about saving money. The sooner we have our house paid off, the sooner we have a decent amount in savings, the sooner my DH can quit working 70 hours a week at a job he hates and enjoy his life. So, it's worth a few hours a week.

=====================

You Are Steady

You value your own opinion over the opinions of others. You know when you're right. You trust your intuition. So far it has a good track record of not leading you astray. You prefer logical to emotional appeals. You like well structured arguments. You are very clean and tidy. You take pride in taking good care of your possessions.

The Old-Fashioned Car Test

Um.. yeah. That's pretty spot on.

=================

Monday Again

Maria Zannini is interviewing my old editor, Deb Nemeth at her blog today. You should go check it out.

My weekend was quiet and though I'm not entirely out of my funk, I'm working on it.

I did do some couponing yesterday morning at Rite Aid and Walgreens.

At RiteAid, I got Carefree pantyliners free after coupon, Speed Stick deodorant for $.50/ea after coupon, and three packs of Irish Spring soap for $.75/ea after coupon.

At Walgreens, I got Mitchum deodorant for $.99/ea after coupon and granola bars for $1/box after coupon.

It was good.

Today we're going to hit Shaws grocery stores for Ken's Dressings (which we love). They're on sale for $1.99/bottle and I have a $1 off coupon. Yay us.

:-)

It's the little things in life that matter.

====================

Your Summer Vacation is London

You are pretty conventional when it comes down to it. You have mainstream tastes and interests. You're looking for something a little different to shake things up... but nothing too foreign. You consider yourself to be a normal person. You fit well into this world. You have high standards, and you are fair to everyone. Manners are important to you, even if that's old fashioned.

What's Your European Summer Vacation?

That's all true...

=================

Calm Days and Couponing

“Life's a game, all you have to do, is know how to play it.” - unknown

Yay for quiet days!

We had a pretty uneventful day, yesterday. I am eternally grateful. When we're back into a routine, everyone is happier. Calmer. More peaceful.

I made someone laugh the other day at the dog park when I said I raised my daughter like I raised my dog (she said, "With a choke chain and a crate?"... lol... Okay, so maybe it wasn't EXACTLY the same!). For those of you who watch "The Dog Whisperer" you know that Ceasar is always saying that dogs need "rules, boundaries and limitations". Same with kids.

DD (and Dakota) were given rules, boundaries and limitations. Punishment for disobedience, praise and reward for observing those rules. As a parent, I did my best to be consistent and fair. Inconsistency confuses kids (and dogs). If one day they are allowed to do something and the next they're punished for it, they never know what's right.

I think having a routine is the same. It gives us parameters to how the day should be. And having those parameters makes people (me, at least) calmer.

Speaking of the dog park, I found that one of the ladies there works for Cigna (of the "Monarch Massacre"). She was talking about how "green" they are and was sharing all the green things they do ... so I brought up the field of milkweed, explained about the monarchs and asked if she knew who to contact about their mowing schedule. She did and was going to do it for me. I should find out this coming weekend at the dog park (assuming it doesn't rain) whether she was able to ask them to NOT mow until after the first hard frost. Hopefully there will be no Monarch Massacre this year.

On a fun note, I did my first foray into serious couponing yesterday. I'm not totally crazy -- I have no plans to go the the store and rack up a $1000 bill, then pay $9 for it at the end like the crazy coupon ladies on Extreme Couponing. I'm not going to buy what I don't need. And I don't have 70 hours a week to dedicate to it.

But ... for a few bucks, DD can clip coupons for me. It takes me 30 mins or so to sort through and keep the ones I'll use. Once or twice a week, I'll match them up to flyers, and hit the stores. I'm lucky that I have EVERYTHING in a fairly close radius: CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are about two miles away. WalMart and Target are about five miles away. I have two grocery stores very close (soon to be three).

Here's what I brought home:



Here's what I paid at two stores:




That doesn't look THAT impressive, until you realize I got back $12 in certificates to spend on my next order. So, I paid in total $27 for $92 worth of stuff (a 70% savings). For a couple hours work. If I hadn't bought the paper towels (which were a good deal -- but still costly: $4.99 after sale and coupon) it would have been even more impressive. *G*

Today, I can get toothbrushes free after coupon at WalMart, and I have several coupons. So... go me. If I can cut our grocery / sundries bill in half, I'll be thrilled. I don't need to get everything for free, but cheap would be nice.

And don't worry, I won't bore you will all my shopping hauls... this was my maiden voyage, though, so I had to share!

=======================

You Are Balanced

You are a peaceful and content person. You don't ask too much of yourself or those around you. You are confident and self-assured. You never try to be someone you're not - you believe that you are enough. You have a healthy skepticism about the world. You don't buy into a lot of mainstream values. You've found a better way to live - through deep reflection and understanding yourself.

Are You Bouncy, Bold, Behaved, or Balanced?

About 50% right.

===============

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:::

====================

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...

================

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 ...

====================

DH Update and My Stockpile

"The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining." — John F. Kennedy

In the "good news, bad news" corner -- DH went to work yesterday (against my suggestions ... but since when do DH's listen to their wives? *sigh*) and was in so much pain by the time he got to his desk (that's the bad news, in case you wondered) decided that maybe he should have a medical professional look at his foot/ankle (and that's the good news).

So, he's home today, with an doctor's appointment. I swear, there are days I want to deck the man. And ... he's already starting to qualify everything: "I won't wear a cast. I won't go to PT." Oy...

Men.

===================

A few days ago when I discussed couponing, several folks mentioned that they felt the extreme couponers were hoarders. I've heard the term "neat hoarders" used to describe them as well. Aside from the ones who have enough deodorant to last the average person 230 years, I disagree. Most of those folks have families, some of them quite large (like the mother of ten). It doesn't take long at all to go through insane amounts of food and sundries when you're dealing with that many people. Additionally, at least half the people showcased give away much of what they get for free to food pantries, other family members and one man gives to the care packages for soldiers overseas.

I have a stockpile myself... though nowhere near as large because it's expensive to maintain -- which is why I'm excited to try to do a bit more couponing when I can. I was raised to have a year's supply of food on hand, and told that if you don't have real storage for it, then you put it wherever you can: under the bed, etc.

Again, I don't consider that hoarding. When we got hit by a blizzard in Colorado in 1997, we were buried under about 8' of snow. Oddly, Colorado isn't really prepared for that -- the snow there (at least in Colorado Springs) tends to fall and then melt. We seldom even shoveled, and they had *maybe* one plow for the entire city.

They didn't plow our road for three days.

Our neighbors ran of of food like milk, bread, etc. Ran. Out.

That's ridiculous.

I'm hoping to at least double the size of my stockpile over the next few months, plus I intend to do a lot more canning this year, even if I have to BUY fruits and veggies when they go on sale to do it. In the meantime, let me share.

This set of shelves has my beans (plain, refried and baked) and tuna, juice, canned fruit (which I hope to do myself this year), Gatorade for DH, homemade jam, natural peanut butter and pumpkin.



Next comes my canned tomatoes (which I hope to do myself this year), spaghetti sauce, canned veggies, and cold cereal (plus rolled oats that I use to make granola):



The next is my condiments and pasta shelf. There are homemade pickles and pickle relish (I'm almost out of pickles, so will definitely be making those this year -- it's SO easy to make pickles), various condiments like mayo, dressings, BBQ sauces, etc., and my pasta (the Ramen is for DH):



And the box on that middle shelf is for my dried beans,peas and brown rice:



I look at that and tell myself that it's not enough. It's NOT. Worse, my paper goods are lacking. I probably only have 6 rolls of paper towels and about 50 rolls of toilet paper -- nowhere near enough what I'd like to have on hand.

Am I a hoarder? I don't think so. I'm practical and prepared.

====================

You Are Determined

You are a very passionate person. You know what you want out of life, and nothing is going to stop you. You stay energetic and motivated. There's so much that you want to get accomplished. You are outdoorsy and nature oriented. All sorts of outdoor activities appeal to you. At the end of a hard day, you enjoy a little luxury. You like to spoil yourself.

What Does Your Favorite Breed of Dog Say About You?

That's about 75% right.

=====================

Getting the Shakes to Save

I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living. ~John D. Rockefeller

Cannot people realize how large an income is thrift? ~Cicero

I'm already getting a little fixated on the challenge of couponing, so I can see how some of those ladies (and gents) on the Extreme Couponing show can get so crazy. Last night, I heard the "thump" of our once a week local paper being delivered. I was already in my jammies, but I very nearly ran out to grab it so I could read the store circulars and see if I had any coupons to make stuff free or nearly free. I resisted, but just barely. Still, it was on my mind enough that I dreamed about coupon shopping last night.

Yesterday, I found a deal at one of the coupons/deals sites I 'like' on Facebook, promising free after coupon Reach toothbrushes at CVS. I went in with my coupons, but their sale price didn't match that of the site's, so I left empty-handed.

I did, however, get a free-after-rebate bag of The World's Best Cat Litter ($9.99 savings!), so my day wasn't a total loss.

Seriously folks, I'm jonesing for my Sunday paper... I can't WAIT to see the coupon flyers. It's a little scary.

As a side note, though: Lowe's is giving away a small tree to any customer on Saturday, 4/23 in honor of Earth Day and also (at least in my neck of the woods) has their tomato and pepper plants on sale, 2 packs/$1!! It's WAY too early to plant those here, but I can buy them and keep them in my spare bedroom for a couple of weeks.

===============

I need to add a couple more scenes to "Now and Forever" to make the fall into love a bit more realistic for my couple. I'm not sure what I'm going to add or where. I've been thinking about it over the last couple of days. I just know it needs doing. AND the end needs fixing, which I already knew, but again... I'm not entirely certain how I want that fixed. I prefer to end my stories so the reader goes, "Awwwwwwwwwww...." when they finish, and I haven't found that "Awwwwwwww" ending yet.

Soon.

================

You Are a Blueberry Smoothie

You have an intricate and accurate memory. In fact, you wish you were able to forget some things. You aren't one to stick out in a crowd. You're content to hang back and observe. Whenever someone you love feels a certain way, you can't help but feel that way too. You don't like to see anyone feeling discomfort or pain. You want to make everyone around you as happy as possible.

What Berry Smoothie Are You?

About 75% right.

========================

A Harvest!!

It pleases me to take amateur photographs of my garden, and it pleases my garden to make my photographs look professional. ~Robert Brault

My first garden harvest occurred last night. Yep, that's right, we actually had a vegetable to pick! Remember the tomato plants the chipmunks planted for me in the fall that I brought inside to see if they'd survive?

Look what they gave me:



I know ... one little cherry tomato isn't that impressive, but it was still exciting! Maybe it'll look more impressive close up?



Or from a different angle and different lighting?



In any case, it's a start. DD wanted to split it. Yes, really. The thing was about the width of a quarter... lol...

Speaking of DD, she's now addicted to the show, "Extreme Couponing". We're plotting our shopping strategies and learning where to download printable coupons. I've "liked" several couponing and deals pages on Facebook, and once I finally wrap my brain around how to do this (I'm working on organizing the coupons right now, and deciding whether I want to start a spreadsheet of what coupons I have, how many of each and when they expire) I'm going to be a crazy shopping mama! We do need to figure out how to balance healthy foods with couponing, though, which is no easy task... but I think it's possible.

Because, yanno, I had nothing else to do to keep me busy.

=========================

You Are a Basic T-shirt

You are a very humble, low maintenance person. You find contentment easily. You are easy-going and very social. You like being around other people more than anything else. Some may accuse you of being lazy, but you just don't work any harder than you need to. You are happiest when things are kept casual. You think formality is a lot of unnecessary fuss.

What Kind of Shirt Are You?

And ... almost completely wrong! LOL....