I was just reminded of this by looking in my kitchen cupboard. The item that caught my eye - a 10# bag of rice. Remember last year, when there was going to be a shortge of rice in the world, and stores would only sell each customer so much?? Well my SIL went out and bought everyone a 10# bag of rice, to put away for those "lean times". She meant very well, I know, but that's enough rice for us for maybe a decade? We don't eat that much rice anymore. So, that belongs in the lose a few side. I thought about just donating it, but darn it, its nice to look at it in the cupboard, and know that we COULD eat for quite a while if we had to. On the win a few side, I didn't do any shopping last week, well with one exception, I needed TP. There are many things that I can substitute for or do with out, but that is Not one of them. I think that this will be a no shop week again. It will give me a chance to be a little creative with the menu for a change. It seems like I always end up cooking the same couple of dozen meals over and over! And I collect cookbooks! Its just easier to make the tried and true, I know exactly what I need, how much time it will take, that everyone likes it. I know, just lazy, I need to be more adventureous. Lastly, one that could go either way, win or lose. I am sitting here looking at a neatly boxed up punch bowl and cups, sitting in the corner of the room. I have wanted a punch bowl off and on for years, but never would have spent the money to buy one, and one day DD#2 came home with a freebie from some friends garage sale. I loved it, we used it once, and it has been sitting in the corner ever since, now I remember why I never bought one. Well, at least it didn't cost me anythting, and I could lend it out if someone asked me. Maybe we will need it for that upcoming wedding! There, now I feel better. TTFN

The last seven days have been wild/busy. But not in a bad way. I got several mending jobs in and out, work has been crazy, several new residents at the assisted living, that need a lot of assisting, and talk, talk, talk about wedding plans. They have almost 18 months until the big event, I think that they need to nail down the basics, and relax (and save some money) for a while. This is a no grocery week. There is so much stuff in the chest freezer that I can hardly close it. So, I didn't even open the sale ads this weekend, I don't care how great the price is, we need to empty out the pantry a little. That's a very nice feeling, knowing that I don't have to shop, and we'll have plenty to eat. I do have to refill a couple of prescriptions tho, it's not all good news. The electric bill was about $50 higher this past time. I'm sure its from the cold weather, the furnace ran a lot, and I have a couple of heat lamp bulbs going in the barn to keep the water from freezing. Not much you can do about that. The water heater bill was down though. Our residential electric and water heater are metered separately, and thats handy sometimes. There used to be a radio controlled box on the water heater, so the utility company could shut it down in peak usage times, I'm not sure if they have taken it off, but I haven't seen a shutdown in over ten years, maybe they just don't do that anymore. And, I think that you used to to a cheaper rate too. But the separate meter has come in handy a couple of times, when something was wrong with the water heater, and the first thing that we noticed was the bill being way up or down. I have been doing well paying off the Dr. bill, the check every week is whittling it down, now I just have to get some stamps, so I can mail them. (that WOULD help) I finally have all the furniture put back from the Christmas re-arangement. I really need a new slipcover for the sofa. Everytime I mumble this to myself in front of Hubby, he starts in on how we REALLY need a new sofa, not the slipcover! (rolling my eyes) That would sure be nice, but we can't afford a sofa right now, and he never sits on it anyway, he has his recliner chair, thats the only place he EVER sits in the living room. I made the cover for the sofa anyway, from a couple of twin size bedspreads, so I don't know what difference it makes to him. Actually, I could probably put a different cover on the sofa, and unless it was PINK, he would'nt notice for a month! (ok, enough ranting) Well, it's a dark foggy morning here, I think I'm going to take a nap, I do work tonight. TTFN

This will be a little financial if you read between the lines. My DD#3 came home the other day, and told me that she signed up for a NEW history class next term. It's the history of the 1900's, focusing mostly on events after WWII. About time! I love my American History maybe more than the next guy, but memorizing the dates and generals of the Revolutionary War, while important, isn't very relevant to todays ecomnomic problems. My kids have looked at me like an alien for years, when I would mention the energy crisis in the early 70's. And the terrible economy in the early 80's. It's like anything that happened after WWII doesn't exist! The big events of the last century have had a direct impact on where we are right now, politically, economically etc. I'm waiting to see what kind of topics are going to come into the class, I usually end up helping to study for tests. OBTW, cute study story. DD#3 had a test in Social Studies a few weeks ago (they don't call it that anymore, but when I had it, it was social studies) anyway, she had facts on flash cards to memeorize, and I kept trying to give her little clues to help her. Well one of the cards was "what was the major contribution of the Tang dynasty?" The answer was gunpowder, so I told her to think Tang - bang (you know, shooting a gun) She hates it when I do that, she says it's confusing. But later on, she told me that when she saw that question, she knew right away Tang - bang! Then she had to tell the teacher about that afterwards, that she hates it when I study with her, I always add too much information. She said the teacher just laughed at her. Hah! Anyway, I'm looking forward to her learning more about what directly led us (America) to the pickle that we are in right now. Maybe I won't be an alien anymore.

I got a new pocket calendar today, so the first thing I do is go thru and put little $ on all the paydays. I don't know why, I just like looking at them. Then I mark birthdays, anniversarys, most holidays are already on there, family reunion weekend, graduation, until I could'nt think of any others. Its so nice looking at the fresh, new pages, a whole year full of possibilities. I have a meeting at work this afternoon, I hate it when they cut into my sleep time, then theres no way to make it up. I'll make my Dr. bill and workwear payment while I'm on the computer. Still waiting on the car, no major damage, (thank you Lord)water pump needs replacing, and they found several other little "while you're at it" things to do. So I am driving the extra, extra truck, whose box is full of garbage bags from when DS cleaned his basement a couple of weeks ago. He left the bags in there overnight, and they FROZE DOWN. So, I went thru the bank drive thru this AM with 6 bags of trash in the back. At least they weren't busted open (heavy sigh) just when I think things can't get any lower......

What to do, what to do. I was getting the Christmas boxes out today, time for the tree to come down, and I have a lot of "don't know what to do with its" There is a lot of stuff stored in my closet that I was given as keepsakes, or told someone that I would take as a keepsake, and I need to make some decisions. Case in point: I have a wrapper (robe) and slippers made by my great-grandmother, when she was elderly, in case she had to go to the hospital. Its brand new, she died quietly in her bed at home. My mother kept it for years in her cedar chest, and when she was cleaning it out one time, she was going to throw it away, and I said, no, i'll take it. A keepsake, right? I just thought it was sad to throw it away, but now, what do I do with it? These things just stick to my fingers. No one else in the family is ever going to want it. It has no real value other than it's old fabric. But it still makes me sad to think of just tossing it in the trash. And thats just the tip of the iceberg. I also have a set of World Book Encyclopedias from the 1940's that my Grandmother bought when her children started country school, they are in immaculate condition! She gave them to me 25+ years ago, to get them off her bookshelves, they have been carefully wrapped in brown paper, in the bottom of my closet ever since. I have surfed thru ebay a few times, thinking that I might sell them, but they have no real value, it would cost more to ship them than I would ever get for a price. How do you decide what to do with those kinds of things?

Well, I'm pretty sure I know what to do with the bonus check from work, my car died on the way home this morning (heavy sigh). It is super cold here right now, and it overheated for some reason, and I blew a heater hose, not necessarily in that order. So Hubby had to come and pick me up, luckily he didn't work last night. And DS was going to pick up the car, but he says it's too low slung for our equipment trailer, so we had to call a wrecker. And wait for an hour for the wrecker to get there. So now the car sits in the shop, at the farm, until it warms up and thaws out enough to get checked out. I just hope I didn't crack the block, I don't think my bonus will cover an engine replacement. I am very lucky to have four mechanics in the family, but auto repairs are b**** expensive even so. Oh well, got my fingers crossed, breakfast and bed for me, I still have to work tonight.

I always have a few "resolutions" in the back of my mind, but I know that it helps to write them down, so here goes:
1. Pay off medical bills.
2. Pay off workwear credit account.
3. Increase amount going to savings every week.
4. Get serious about Hubbys 401K.
5. Open Roth IRA.
6. Need two vehicles in GOOD working order.
7. Plan major home improvement projects.
8. Get back to church regularly.
9. Do some "couples" stuff.
10. Try not to be so nervous about finances.