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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Monday, Monday

Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into. ~Henry Beecher, Life Thoughts, 1858

It was a beautiful weekend, weatherwise, here. Lots of sun and pretty warm (in the 60s during the day). Plants are popping up everywhere. The front of my house is happy (though this picture doesn't do it justice):



I broke down and bought some veggies. I got 24 tomato plants (I might get a few more) and I bought seeds for pickling cucumbers, foot long pole beans and butternut squash which I will plant tomorrow after the new moon (plant above ground plants when the moon is waxing, plant below ground/root crops when the moon is waning). If I soak them overnight, they should sprout in a week or less. I expect to be able to plant my entire garden in the next week or two -- no frost in the forecast!

And I bought a six pack of salad greens for fun:



I'm glad it was sunny and nice, because my attitude was not (which is why I didn't do a lot of visiting over the weekend with anyone on their blogs). It was one of those times when I was fed up with everything. Luckily, DH and DD were gone all Saturday and didn't have to put up with me :-)

Sadly, my biz partner, Judy, did. She's a good egg and I'm lucky to have her around.

Hopefully, this week will mark a better attitude for me. 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 (unless I win the lottery ... that would be an okay, out of the ordinary thing. ::wink::).

My daughter donated a few pieces of jewelry to the Brenda Novak auction again this year (which started yesterday). They are here:

Set of 3 Earrings--Cats Eye & molded Glass on Silver Wires from Distinctively DD

Yellow Glass Bead and Silver Jump Ring Necklace from Distinctively DD

Red and Silver Glass Bead Bracelet and Earring Set from Distinctively DD

Even if you don't bid, there is a Facebook "like" link under each auction header that will share the auctions on your FB page -- I'd love if you shared it with your friends (and any other auction links that tickle your fancy). It's a great cause.

And now, I will leave you with a few other spring flower pictures from around my place, because no bad mood can stand up to the cheerful face of a daffodil (or a goofy dog):







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You See the Outside World as Fascinating

You are simply brilliant. You are bright, intelligent, and creative. You can't describe your feelings easily - even to yourself. Your emotions are a mystery. You are a truth seeker. You are willing to accept the real truth, no matter how difficult it is. You are not prone to compromise. You're set in your ways and proudly so.

How Do You View the Outside World?

That's pretty close to right ... which always unnerves me a bit.

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Copying is the New Writing

When a man lies, he murders some part of the world. ~Rospo Pallenberg and John Boorman, Excalibur, based on Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory

My week is almost over... can we all say HALLALUJAH!!?!!

DH is feeling pretty dang good, to the point where he is making noises about playing hockey tonight (or at least skating in the warm-ups). I told him what I thought of that idea, but we all know how well he listens...

Weatherwise, we're going to have an amazing weekend. I imagine I won't be on the computer as much as I should and it might even mean the inaugural fishing trip on the boat.

On the writing / publishing front, one of Samhain's authors, J. L. Langley, was plagiarized recently. Thankfully, it was caught and reported and the other publisher removed the work immediately. While reading the comments on Teddy Pig's blog, I saw a publisher comment that they had to pull 30 books from an author because they discovered that at least one of the books was plagiarized, and so couldn't assume the others weren't as well.

What are people thinking? It's a bit mind-boggling, especially when they opt to copy a well known author (and J. L. Langley is well known in her genre). Reminds me of when Janet Dailey (who was formerly one of my favorite authors of all time, but who I will not touch with a 40 foot pole now) copied several works by Nora Roberts. NORA ROBERTS.

Frustrating to say the least. Especially since Janet Dailey actually got a new contract from Kensington AFTER all this happened.

:::shakes it off:::

For now, I shall enjoy my weekend, and hope that Monday comes quickly. I'm ready for a return to routine.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend -- who has big plans?

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You Are Spring

You can't help but be influenced by the world around you. You are open to change and growth. You are optimistic and trusting. You expect the best from people and usually get it. You are autonomous and fulfilled. You know how to make yourself happy. You are sweet and angelic. You try your best to never harm or hurt others in any way.

What Season is Your Soul?

Um ... no. While I DO love spring, the description of me is so far off as to be laughable.

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April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go. ~Christopher Morley, John Mistletoe

It was gorgeous here yesterday! And nice this morning. Thunderstorms expected later, but then the weekend should be STUPENDOUS. AND... I checked the long range forecast and they don't think it's going to freeze again!! I could tempt fate and put in some of my "soft" crops... I'm giving some serious thought to it. :::shivers with anticipation:::

I really love gardening. I love eating fresh veggies even more. There is NOTHING like the taste of a garden-ripe tomato warm from the summer garden. Mmmmm.....

I saw my first bat last night, too. It's amazing how loud they are with their chatter when they fly. The bugs are out (the male blackflies have appeared... yuck... meaning the females -- the ones who BITE -- will be out in a week or so) so I was pleased to see the bat. I'd like to put up bat houses in my back yard, but DH has a "thing" about bats.

The wildlife is active though. The deer have been back through, eating down all my tender spring plants. My bachelor buttons, asiatic lillies and tulips have been eaten down to the nubs. Part of this is my fault: I haven't put out the milorganite yet (that's on my list for tomorrow morning after the rains this afternoon). And the other morning, just as the sky was getting light and I had the dog outside, there was a wild turkey gobbling loudly out back. I have a love/hate relationship with our wildlife... I do love having them around, but wish they'd leave my plants alone.

How are you enjoying spring?

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You Are Iced Coffee

You are witty, flirty, and fun. People love to be around you and your energy. You need change in order to feel alive. You are very dynamic and interesting. There's so much you want to try. There's so much you want to experience. You are always expanding your mind in some cool way. You are open to and curious about the world.

Are You Iced Tea or Iced Coffee?

About 65% right. :-)

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Wednesday Rambling

Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people. ~Elizabeth Berry

So ... the hubs went to the doctor yesterday. We had to wait almost 45 mins (this drives me a little crazy -- if they make an appointment, we shouldn't have to wait. They should build in padding around them or something because it's just plain rude and inconsiderate), during which time he nearly got up an left.

He finally went in to the doc and then came out with a smirk. Uh oh...

Yep -- doc says it's only a bad sprain. She advised rest and elevation. She offered an inflatable cast, which he declined and she even said he was cleared for hockey in two weeks. He felt very vindicated and poo-poo'd my overreaction.

I'm glad it's nothing worse, but this will make it THAT much harder to get him to the doctor the next time something happens. Oh well...

He came home, and told his boss who immediately ordered him to work from home all week.

While I agree it's probably best, it really makes things tough around here. We'll see how much hair I pull out before next Monday...

I had a couple comments yesterday about making pickles. Jennifer Shirk mentioned wishing she knew how to make her own pickles and Ceri Hebert (the one to blame for getting me watching the "Extreme Couponing" show) said she might plant cucumbers to do her own.

First: making pickles is ridiculously easy. I used to grow my own dill, etc., but now I'm lazy and buy the seasoning packs. You use that plus salt to make your brine. You put the cucumbers into the jar, pour brine over the top and hot pack them. Poof... done.

Second: I learned from my first year making pickles that the best ones for eating (the long, skinny "burpless" kind, IMHO) are not good for making pickles (they get REALLY mushy). So I'll be planting two kinds of cucs this year: the burpless for eating fresh and the pickling cucumbers for making my pickles.

Sadly, my DH has decided he prefers store bought sweet relish over my homemade and I don't eat the stuff, so I have about ten jars that just sit there ... I'd give it away, but I want my jars! LOL... I'll figure something out some day.

Canned fruit and jam is also super easy to make, especially applesauce which I plan to make in massive quantities this year. I'll try to document it all on the Healthful & Homemade blog later in the summer.

Happy Wednesday!

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You Are Growth Oriented

You maintain your focus on your goals. No matter what, you're not going to let life distract you. You can handle multiple projects and are always ready for another one. You love to multitask. You are amazingly energetic. You don't just get second winds - you get third and fourth winds. You always have a piece of advice or wisdom to share. You've learned a lot during your life.

The Japanese Pattern Test

HAHAHAHAHA... it's actually pretty darn close.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Weekend Weather, Woes and WingDings

A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart. ~Author Unknown

So ... we had an eventful weekend (there is an ancient curse: "May you live in interesting times." ... someone must have chanted that over us).

It snowed here on Saturday. SNOWED. A lot. We got a couple inches accumulation through the day. But then, nearing evening, it warmed and turned to rain. But morning, the snow was gone and it was WARM. Really warm. Warm enough to open the house. We had a good 20 degree change in the temps. Spring in New England is so weird...

Friday, DH went to play hockey like always -- I've always wished him well by telling him not to do all the things he's done before: "Have fun. Don't take a skate blade to the face or a puck anywhere." He has a scar on his chin from a blade slice that required 6 stitches and took a puck in the ankle about six months ago -- which doesn't sound THAT bad until you realize that a solid, hard object traveling upwards of 60+ MPH hit him. He could barely walk for a week and didn't play hockey for almost a month. Now I have something else to add...

Friday night, I went to bed (he plays until the wee hours occasionally) and fell asleep. Next thing I know, the bedroom door opens. I sit up, see no one. Then I hear DH's voice, "Don't we have crutches?" I adjust my gaze downward and there he is on the floor.

Seems he'd been skating full speed down the ice, was approaching the boards and went to do a "hockey stop" -- where you cock your skates to the side a bit. He's done it fine thousands of times, but for whatever reason, this time his feet went out from under him and he slammed, foot-first, into the boards. Going ... what? 30 MPH? More?

:::shakes head:::

Yes, he drove himself home. Yes, he crawled up the stairs. No, he hasn't gone to the doctor (and he's too big for me to force). We *think* it's badly sprained. He can walk on it ... sort of. He can move it up and down, but not side-to-side and wiggle his toes. It's badly swollen, but not bruised (except for lines of bruising down the base of his foot... I wonder if that's from his skate?).

Made for a fun, fun weekend.

DD turned twelve on Sunday -- I told her the whole world was celebrating her birthday. *G*

Except for having a grouchy, injured father around she had a good time. I got her two model horses, and she also got a Michaels GC, some clothes, a watch, notecards with a seal and sealing wax (she LOVED this!) and, of course, some cold, hard cash.

We went to the in-laws for Easter and she got to play with her cousins, which she LOVED. All in all, a good day for her.

I can't believe she's TWELVE.

And, as proof that spring is finally here:


Yes, I painted my toenails. *G*

How was your weekend?

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You Are a Green Peep

You have a restless spirit, and it keeps you curious about the world. Everything is up in the air for you. You just go where the wind takes you. You see things how they are, and luckily, things are pretty great. You are an optimistic realist. You need to understand what's going on with someone before you can truly empathize with them.

What Color Peep Are You?

Peeps are just nasty ... :::shudders::: ... but this quiz is pretty close to right.

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