There's a new rival to paypal; it's called paybox. If you sign up from the link on this blog, you will receive a $25 deposit. It's not yet launched, so, get in on the ground floor and get a free $25 for joining.
The feature on the right side showing my spending and coupon use no longer works. I've been keeping up with what Rick spends at the grocery as well as my spending. Here's the figures year-to-date.
Spent: 707.05
Cpn Use:1180.66
63% savings
As you can see, I am well under my $1,000 budget for the year. We are really trying to use stockpile. We've also given away an awful lot of stuff in the past few months. You can start to see daylight in my house.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
What Am I Thankful For? That Thanksgiving Is Over!
We went to Michigan to visit Rick's mother and brother. We had dinner at brother and sister-in-law's house. Very nice. They are likable people for northerners! We went to the island where Rick was raised. You reach it by ferry. We stopped at a restaurant on the island and had a window table. Rick pointed out the window to another island across the river. It was CANADA! I was within 1/4 mile from Canada. Closest I've ever been. Been to Tijuana, Mexico before. Never thought I'd go far enough north to see Canada.
Winter is about to hit. It only got up to about 48 degrees today. I missed Thanksgiving Day at home; it was 73 degrees. In Michigan, the high that day was 29.
We are really trying to use more stockpile. We took 4 boxes of food and household cleaners to his mother last week. You can hardly tell it's gone.
There's a little, tiny town in TN; Loudon. In Loudon, there is a Monterrey mushroom farm. You can get 4# bag of beautiful fresh mushrooms for $4 at the guardshack. I stopped by on the way home and picked up a bag. Rick was impressed. Really, the 8 oz. box of Monterrey mushrooms at the grocery are more than $2, maybe even $3. Now, we just have to USE them!
We're thinking of taking a winery vacation in the spring. There are a lot of little wineries popping up all over Tennessee. In fact, the Dept. of Agriculture for the state has a website with all of them listed. I'm thinking of a 4 or 5 day tour through east Tennessee and checking out all the wineries in the area. Should be quite a trip. Of course, about 75 miles from my house is the Jack Daniels distillery. They have tours every day. Great place to visit. No free samples. It's a dry county. When the distillery hosts a fish fry for travel agents and such, they have to transport all the liquor into the next county to open it. No joke! Liquor laws in Tennessee are old, old, old. In GA, you can buy wine in the grocery store. Thankfully, I live 7 miles from the GA line and can go to Bi-Lo to pick up a few bottles. Of course, we use the liquor stores nearby, but, it's a novelty to be able to buy wine in a Bi-Lo.
Well, it's time for me to buckle down and make Christmas baskets for all my clients. I have all the baskets, coffee, cocoa, chocolates, and candles. I just need to get busy. I like to have them all delivered by Dec. 15. Yes, they're homemade and you can tell, but, my clients seem to love them. I know a few of my paralegals like certain things and I fill up their baskets with Snickers or Dove candies.
I haven't had a real Christmas tree in over 30 years. Rick insists on a real tree this year, so, we are going to be out shopping this weekend for a tree. My tree is all Pillsbury Doughboy. The lights are 3" doughboys, the ornaments are the doughboy in different poses. You press the belly and he giggles. Need new hearing aid batteries for the decorations. They don't giggle anymore! I'm looking forward to a real Christmas with someone this year. The stockings are already out.
I'm glad to be back home. Traveling is nice, but, getting back in your own bed is wonderful.
Winter is about to hit. It only got up to about 48 degrees today. I missed Thanksgiving Day at home; it was 73 degrees. In Michigan, the high that day was 29.
We are really trying to use more stockpile. We took 4 boxes of food and household cleaners to his mother last week. You can hardly tell it's gone.
There's a little, tiny town in TN; Loudon. In Loudon, there is a Monterrey mushroom farm. You can get 4# bag of beautiful fresh mushrooms for $4 at the guardshack. I stopped by on the way home and picked up a bag. Rick was impressed. Really, the 8 oz. box of Monterrey mushrooms at the grocery are more than $2, maybe even $3. Now, we just have to USE them!
We're thinking of taking a winery vacation in the spring. There are a lot of little wineries popping up all over Tennessee. In fact, the Dept. of Agriculture for the state has a website with all of them listed. I'm thinking of a 4 or 5 day tour through east Tennessee and checking out all the wineries in the area. Should be quite a trip. Of course, about 75 miles from my house is the Jack Daniels distillery. They have tours every day. Great place to visit. No free samples. It's a dry county. When the distillery hosts a fish fry for travel agents and such, they have to transport all the liquor into the next county to open it. No joke! Liquor laws in Tennessee are old, old, old. In GA, you can buy wine in the grocery store. Thankfully, I live 7 miles from the GA line and can go to Bi-Lo to pick up a few bottles. Of course, we use the liquor stores nearby, but, it's a novelty to be able to buy wine in a Bi-Lo.
Well, it's time for me to buckle down and make Christmas baskets for all my clients. I have all the baskets, coffee, cocoa, chocolates, and candles. I just need to get busy. I like to have them all delivered by Dec. 15. Yes, they're homemade and you can tell, but, my clients seem to love them. I know a few of my paralegals like certain things and I fill up their baskets with Snickers or Dove candies.
I haven't had a real Christmas tree in over 30 years. Rick insists on a real tree this year, so, we are going to be out shopping this weekend for a tree. My tree is all Pillsbury Doughboy. The lights are 3" doughboys, the ornaments are the doughboy in different poses. You press the belly and he giggles. Need new hearing aid batteries for the decorations. They don't giggle anymore! I'm looking forward to a real Christmas with someone this year. The stockings are already out.
I'm glad to be back home. Traveling is nice, but, getting back in your own bed is wonderful.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Things Are Looking Better
I mentioned a few days ago that Rick and I were in for a rough spot. I'll be more specific. Rick is on parole for a DUI. He spent some time in prison for it. Last May, he had another DUI. Now, that's 3 parole violations; driving, drinking, and improper registration. He is also on probation here in Tennessee (no drugs or violence, just white collar crime). The probation officer here called today and said that the other state is not going to put him back in prison, only extend his parole for another six months. We've been sweating it out for 10 days, looking for the police to roll up to the house to arrest him. That is now behind us.
I am looking forward to meeting his family next week. I'll let you know how it works out.
I am looking forward to meeting his family next week. I'll let you know how it works out.
Monday, November 15, 2010
We Had A Great Week
I do a bit of mystery shopping from time to time. We went to Georgia for a few days. Rick had the opportunity to golf with an old friend whom he had not seen in 7 years. We then went to south Georgia for a couple of days, then, back to Atlanta for another night. Mom kept the dog for us. We are going to Michigan next week for Thanksgiving to see "Mom." Rick is from Detroit. His brother is hosting Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday. It's a heck of a drive, about 12 hours of non-stop driving. I'm really dreading it, but, will do it for him.
You will not believe what happened at a restaurant in Columbus, GA. In fact, I will tell you the name, River City Grill. It is independently owned, not part of a chain. Rick ordered wings and when he got them, they were so overcooked and dry that they actually crunched when he bit into them. Now, I've got to tell you. Rick NEVER sends food back for fear that they will do something untoward with his food in retaliation. Even so, since I was enjoying my meal, he sent the wings back. The mananger came to our table and said she would personally check on them to make sure they were right. Shortly, our server came out with the wings. She said, "Just so you know, if you taste anything funny, I spit in your food." Well, Rick refused to eat them. When we left, I inadvertently left my glasses behind. On the sidewalk, I realized I didn't have them. Rick went back inside and our server was standing at the host stand, holding my glasses. Rick took them from her and said, "just so you know, I didn't leave you a tip because you said you spit in my food." She replied with "F*** off."
Have you ever had something like that happen to you? It is probably, no, certainly, the worst restaurant experience I have ever had and I do some restaurant mystery shopping in addition to us going out a couple of times of week. I'm 54 years old. I've never seen anything like this.
I went back to our hotel and related all this to the general manager. I told him that he would do well to never recommend this restaurant to any of his guests. He was appalled. I wrote a letter to the owner to describe our experience. I told him that I had made the GM of the hotel aware of this and to steer his guests to another restaurant. I also told him that I know his restaurant has a facebook page, and that I didn't know anything about facebook, but, I was going to learn about it just so that I could post a comment about our visit. I'm awaiting a reply. Somehow, I think Catherine is going to have a bad day tomorrow when that letter lands on the owner's desk.
I guess I can end by saying that after 54 years, I had not seen it all.
You will not believe what happened at a restaurant in Columbus, GA. In fact, I will tell you the name, River City Grill. It is independently owned, not part of a chain. Rick ordered wings and when he got them, they were so overcooked and dry that they actually crunched when he bit into them. Now, I've got to tell you. Rick NEVER sends food back for fear that they will do something untoward with his food in retaliation. Even so, since I was enjoying my meal, he sent the wings back. The mananger came to our table and said she would personally check on them to make sure they were right. Shortly, our server came out with the wings. She said, "Just so you know, if you taste anything funny, I spit in your food." Well, Rick refused to eat them. When we left, I inadvertently left my glasses behind. On the sidewalk, I realized I didn't have them. Rick went back inside and our server was standing at the host stand, holding my glasses. Rick took them from her and said, "just so you know, I didn't leave you a tip because you said you spit in my food." She replied with "F*** off."
Have you ever had something like that happen to you? It is probably, no, certainly, the worst restaurant experience I have ever had and I do some restaurant mystery shopping in addition to us going out a couple of times of week. I'm 54 years old. I've never seen anything like this.
I went back to our hotel and related all this to the general manager. I told him that he would do well to never recommend this restaurant to any of his guests. He was appalled. I wrote a letter to the owner to describe our experience. I told him that I had made the GM of the hotel aware of this and to steer his guests to another restaurant. I also told him that I know his restaurant has a facebook page, and that I didn't know anything about facebook, but, I was going to learn about it just so that I could post a comment about our visit. I'm awaiting a reply. Somehow, I think Catherine is going to have a bad day tomorrow when that letter lands on the owner's desk.
I guess I can end by saying that after 54 years, I had not seen it all.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Rick's A Super Shopper
Rick knows to go to Bi-Lo on Sunday to snap up the meat bargains and other fresh foods that expire on Monday. I'm sure you can do it any day, but, he says Sunday is best. We spent about $80, but, had $65 in bonuscard specials and my coupons. Also, he is beginning to appreciate my couponing skills. We were able to get Eight O'Clock coffee for $2.14 per bag. He was truly impressed with that.
We are on a 3-day holiday away from home right now and I FORGOT to bring my coupon binder. Not sure that I would have used any Qs, but, I feel naked without my binder. Do you understand that feeling?
Rick was able to reconnect with a very old friend while we are away. They haven't seen each other in 7 years. They are on a golf outing today, so, I am here with you!
Bi-Lo has printable coupons every 4 weeks or so, highlighting their house brands. This time, it was "buy Kraft 8 oz. shredded cheese, get Southern Home 8 oz. shredded cheese free." They also had Hanover chili beans and Ro-tel. Rick would not let me use the cheese coupons because we have a drawer full of cheese right now. I am unable to get through to him that unopened, cheese lasts a long time and we will use it. In fact, I think when we get home, I will make a casserole using two bags of cheese just to show him! HA! That's funny. He doesn't let me cook. Oh, how many of you can say that your husband or boyfriend WON'T LET YOU COOK??
Rick and I are in for some troubled times ahead. I won't go into any detail right now, but, I will keep you up to date. We have struggled before and that was before we were so committed to each other.
We are on a 3-day holiday away from home right now and I FORGOT to bring my coupon binder. Not sure that I would have used any Qs, but, I feel naked without my binder. Do you understand that feeling?
Rick was able to reconnect with a very old friend while we are away. They haven't seen each other in 7 years. They are on a golf outing today, so, I am here with you!
Bi-Lo has printable coupons every 4 weeks or so, highlighting their house brands. This time, it was "buy Kraft 8 oz. shredded cheese, get Southern Home 8 oz. shredded cheese free." They also had Hanover chili beans and Ro-tel. Rick would not let me use the cheese coupons because we have a drawer full of cheese right now. I am unable to get through to him that unopened, cheese lasts a long time and we will use it. In fact, I think when we get home, I will make a casserole using two bags of cheese just to show him! HA! That's funny. He doesn't let me cook. Oh, how many of you can say that your husband or boyfriend WON'T LET YOU COOK??
Rick and I are in for some troubled times ahead. I won't go into any detail right now, but, I will keep you up to date. We have struggled before and that was before we were so committed to each other.
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