The Blog Continues!

I would like to keep in touch with you through this blog. I won't be talking about coupons and grocery deals too much. Rick is the shopper, chef, and all around meal planner here now.

I think I may have mentioned to you some weeks back that Rick was building an observation platform, or a deck, if you will, in my side yard. It is now complete. It stands about 9 feet high in front, but, due to the steep incline of my yard, sits on the ground in back. It's a big 12'X12' area. We have a dining table with 3 chairs, my hammock chair, a couple of sling chairs, a grill, and a deck box. We carpeted it, too. We really enjoy it in the evening and have our cocktails out there. The cats like it, too. They like to walk the bannister all around and look out over the street.

I've had a bit of a hard time in using coupons since Rick has been here. First of all, I have other responsibilities and can't spend hours clipping, sorting, filing, putting into the database on HCW and such things. Oh, how your priorities change when there is someone else in the house! Anyway, Rick is the type who can't be bothered with .50 off a jar of Ragu. That said, I got his attention a week or so ago. CVS had some P&G products on sale, plus, $10 ECB back when you spent $25 on select items. I bought 2 large packages of bath tissue and some batteries. I had something like $15 in ECB and coupons, used a free gift card for the balance, and received a $10 ECB. When I got home, he nearly flipped when he saw the rolls and rolls of paper. I explained the whole deal to him and he said, "You mean you got all this and didn't spend a penny?" Righto. Maybe I'm starting to get through to him.

The tomatoes are all gone now. The last few weeks, the bell peppers had been rotting on the vine. In all, though, I guess we gave away about 100 pounds after Dad died. Sometimes, when I think about the homeless population and how many people are going hungry, just in my city, it's almost overwhelming.

My paper didn't have any coupons in it today. I've noticed that it happens from time to time, but, my mother gets them in her paper. I think my carrier is stiffing me on the coupons!