Todays Bits

 Happy Thursday all.  Here we are at the end of yet another week and month!  Amazing.

Today we are to have a lovely day here - but tomorrow brings storms.  It looks like there are some pretty nasty storms west of here (and will be south) - I am praying for everyone's safety.

Just a random post of odd and end things today.

I am missing many of you.  Debby, Frances, Penny, Rhonda and many others.  Haven't seen some for a week or so, and others for much longer.  I do pray you are all well and safe.  You are always missed.

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My yard is waking up.  It is very green and growing.  Amazingly, after the freezing nights, my daffodils are still blooming.  The magnolia trees around have bloomed out again, and they are beautiful (until the storms hit).  They started to bloom a little, and then froze - so I figured they were toast this year.  But, lo and behold they came back.  All kinds of perennials are popping up - not blooming yet, but there are 100's of shades of green outside.

My red bellied woodpecker through my window and screen.  Not a good picture - but man oh man, is it pretty.  Such a majestic bird.  It is really a decent size as well.

Not my image, but this is a clear picture of the above bird.

The bird is out there every day - and it sure does love peanuts!  It is something to see it and the huge blue jays sitting at the feeder together.

I walked through the house the other day, and noticed a big bird in the neighbors front yard.  I grabbed the camera and stepped out the front door and got a quick pic.  It was a turkey buzzard!  That thing was HUGE - when it flew off, I know the wingspan was every bit of 4' to 5'.  The picture doesn't do it justice.

It looked to be bigger than a turkey.

For living right in the city - it sure is amazing the nature I get to experience!!!!!

Today will be doing odds and ends outside - before the storm hits.  I will surely being airing the house - did that a bit yesterday as well.

Just a little reminder - my weekly words of wisdom!!!!!

I know we all care about others, nature and the world - we are just a fleck of dust amongst it all.  The grandeur we can see each day (if we really look) is amazing.

Look at everyone and everything with 'child' eyes!!!!  Then you will see the beauty if all things.

Many blessings to you all.  Prayers for safety for all in line of the storms and prayers others are safe after last weeks storms.  Spring storms can be so nasty!

Spring is here or almost here - depending on where you live!!!  

Days are brighter and warmer and all is coming to life.

Wishing all a wonderful remainder to your week!

Fun Day - Lore and Sayings

 Let us have a little fun today!  I said something the other day to a friend - and they said 'where did that come from?".  It was one of those little things our parents said, and we learned as we grew up.  The tales, lore and superstitions of old!  There are many today who still believe!!!!!

Many make sense - but not for the reasons that they were believed.  Here we go!!!!

Cardinals in your yard are visiting angels!

Kind of like to believe that - let's just if it is, I have a lot of visitors.  It makes me smile - so that is all that matters.

Chicken soup cures a cold!

May not cure it - but it do make the nose run.

Black cats cross your path is bad luck!  

Nooooooo - love me some black kitties

Knock on wood for luck!

Never understood that one - but I still do it (usually knock my head)

Breaking a mirror is 7 years bad luck!

Hmmmmmm - I have broken so many

Apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Can't hurt

Going out in the cold with wet hair will make you sick!

My goodness, I did that EVERY single day for years when I worked.  I was healthier than most

Your nose itches someone is coming to visit!

Your ears itch - someone is talking about you!

Your hand itches you are coming into money!

Walking under a ladder is bad luck!

Only if someone drops something on you - LOL

Shaving makes your hair come grow back quicker and darker!

It sure always seemed so to me

Pick one gray hair and you will get 2 more!

I'd be bald if I picked the gray - LOL

Starve a cold and feed a fever!

I always did this - still would IF I got sick

Red sky at night, sailors delight

Red sky in morning, sailors take warning!

It seems to be the instance often

Find a penny, pick it up and all the day you have good luck!

At least you are a penny ahead

Wishing on the first star to make a wish come true!

Sweet sentiment - never worked for me

A women shouldn't can food when on her monthly!

No evidence whatsoever to prove that correct

Death always comes in three's!

Sometimes it does seem so

Toss salt over your shoulder if you spill something!

Supposedly this was to blind the devil standing behind you that is causing you grief (I always thought it was for luck)

There are just so many superstitions, lore, tales of old, whatever you call them.  They are fun to read, and many kind of make sense!!! (in some way)

There are hundreds that have lived through the ages.  Many were for particular areas of the world.  Our ancestors brought them with them and here we are today - still repeating them!

What lore do you remember?  I am sure I have missed many popular ones.

This should be fun!!!!!!

My Observations to Saving and Being Happy

 Good morning.  Today I am going to talk a bit about my observations over the years on gaining financial independence and security and being happy as well!  I know most of the regulars here, know these things, but it is always good to have a reminder.  I also hope that we get some folks who are just attempting to start their financial journey, and perhaps this can give them an idea or two.

We are all in this together.  We all want to be secure.  We all want some financial freedom.  And we all want to be happy.

If you watch the news or just watch TV programming today, you have learned that money does NOT make people happy!  It may give them lots of stuff - big houses, fame, money, stuff - yet they change partners faster than a rabbit breeds!  They commit suicide, they do drugs and alcohol, and they think they are far more important to society than they really are!  NO matter how much money one has - they can't take it with them as much as they may try!!!!!!!

So here are just a few observations and thoughts:

TRADE-OFFS

What do you really want?  A huge fancy house and fancy cars and all the stuff - means you work and work and work to gain them and then you work and work to keep them!!!!!  

A reasonable home and vehicle and a modest amount of things - means less working at a job and more time with your family.

More doing YOU and YOURS!  

It is so much easier to have a smaller, less expensive home - and pay it off and being independent of having a mortgage.  It costs less for up-keep as well.  It is all about trade-offs!!!!!

Decide what is REALLY going to make you HAPPY first - then do what is necessary.

SPENDING VS. INVESTMENTS

Yeah, I know there are people out there at this very moment saying - "take your money and spend it.  Spend it on everything you may need or want.  Just spend it or lose it."

NOOOOOOO - don't do that!  Times are very volatile at the moment - but you don't lose investments IF you don't take them out!  We have seen this happen over and over  - things go down and lose value - but they go back up - sometimes greatly.  So I advise to leave investments alone.

Now to get to this point - you can't just spend and spend at your every whim!  Some people buy anything and everything that pops in their head and that they THINK they want at any given moment.  There is NO saving in doing that.

If you want a stable future - you need to save a percentage of your money every week.  SOMETHING!

Spending is often impulse - and investing is looking to the future.  It is putting value in YOU and your future!

DELAYING GRATIFICATION

Kind of like above.  Do you need that $6 coffee every day?  Do you need that new outfit for an event?  Do you need the new car?  It isn't just big stuff - those small things add up QUICKLY!

Say you spend $10 a day for lunch out (cheap) - 5 days a week - all year long - that is $1,300.00!

That is just one example.  Many people eat out all the time, buy those fancy coffees, smoke, go out and party, buy new pretties, make a dozen trips a week to the grocery (then still eat out), etc........ and then wonder why they can't save!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Think long and hard before making big purchases, and rethink all those smaller ones.  No impulse buying.  Yes, it is hard to break the cycle - but IF you want a secure future, you need to think.

HAPPY OR CONTENT

I think you can be both!  Just my opinion and my experience.

But there can be a difference.  It all depends on your relationship with money.  I was VERY happy and content with my life 4 years ago!  Now I am still content and I am happy - but not the same kind of happy.  There are surely different types of happy.  Many young people do not understand that.  Happiness with a spouse, child, family is the ultimate happiness - stuff is nothing.  But many people never realize that until they lose that special someone, and then all they have is stuff.

To be both of these things one needs to understand gratitude and know what is truly important.

Abundance doesn't always fill the need we have for happy or contentment.

Love, people, quality, gratitude and faith are what will get through the rough days - not all the stuff.

It is never too late to change your ways.  It is never too late to make a start at a financially stable future.

I know the days we live in are difficult.  Folks, this has all happened before and yet here we are.  It will all happen again.  We just do the best we can, plan a little, prepare a little, and still have a nice life.

Living a simpler life does NOT mean doing without or not having fun - not at all.  It just means you think about this and make very divisive and sometimes hard decisions.

It means living a purposeful life.

You choose what is important - and go forward.

I hope this helps someone make a change and gives them hope for a nice future and not just a "live in the moment" type of life.  Help your family.  It takes a village!

What say you?

Weekly Wrap-Up 3/26

 Happy Sunday to all.  My goodness, here we are almost at the end of another month.  My how time flies.  Soon April will be here, and many of us will be starting and thinking about gardens.  Those of us here in the middle parts of the U.S., know that we need to wait to plant outside for a while.  We can still have frost, snow and cold up through early May.  Mother's Day, has always been the magic date!!!

Today, the sun is shining!!!!  It is not raining, nor is the wind blowing like crazy.  It has been another up and down weather week.  Yesterday we had wind gusts of 50+mph.  Rain and more rain this week - ugh!  The back yard was a lake yesterday morning, after all the pouring rain from overnight.  Most is now gone - but it is a muddy mess.  I had a couple of really big limbs down!  One was a couple inches across at the base and was probably a good 10' long.

It is still every stinking Friday - that we have a nasty weather event.  Cold, wind and snow or rain - every Friday for almost 2 months.  They are predicting the same for this next Friday!!!!!

I know the saying about April showers - but I think we started early here!!!

I will say the grass is so very green and growing!!!!!!  It really needs cut in some places - just too wet and muddy out there now.

This week has been much of the same.

• Cleaning and de-cluttering galore!!!  Drawers, closets, pantry, basement, etc.  
• I have found some things that help in other areas.  I found a couple great scrapers that will help with the continuing wallpaper saga.  I found 2 boxes and an 8 pack of Kleenex in the med closet.  I know I got those free years ago - and just stuck them back for in case!
• I got rid of REALLY old herbs and vitamins (really old). 
• Paid all the items on hand
• Made a new batch of seasoned rice/pasta mix to have on hand
• Found and used some items in the deep pantry - partial jars - blended together (dry goods).  Found a gifted mix for chocolate pound cake which I made and shared.
• Used some older buns for dinner (from frig).  They were a bit stale - so I toasted and they were great
• Unplugged all the outdoor water bowls for a few days.  Saves a little on electric.
• Got to air the house 1 day
• Picking and clearing sticks and trash from wind (when it wasn't raining!)
• I did run to Kroger Friday (4X gas points on Fri.).  I got some on sale fresh asparagus, Cara Cara oranges - 3lbs. 2.99 (they are almost red & super sweet), peanuts for squirrels (cheaper than feed store), and 1/2 gals. of ice cream.  It was on sale 1.99 half and I had .65 off coupons - so got 2 for 1.34 each.
• Froze a couple helpings of leftover corned beef for other days!
• While out - I ran to the bank and got my cash 'allowance' for the next couple months
• Using what I have for meals and cooking from home
• Just doing all the normal stuff we all do

Meals this past week:

Broc./Caul./Mushroom and corned beef chunks over rice

Grilled 3 cheese sandwich and tomato soup

Hard tacos

Braats on buns (toasted) and side salad

Mixed bean soup (freezer) over rice

Eggroll bowl

Beef and cheese jazzed up nachos

So there you have it.  Just the same old, same old.  De-cluttering and working on the JUNK!  Ugh!!

What have you all been doing?  How was your week?  We had some good conversation this week - look forward to the coming week and hearing from everyone.

May you all be safe and well, and I pray your coming week is a great one.

Blessings from my humble little home to you and yours!

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

Proverbs 3:5-7

Dear Lord, Yes please guide us each one to do the right and good things.  Help us to have faith and know that You are in control.  Guide us to not follow men that can lead us astray, but to follow You and Your absolute word.  May we each do good, to help another.

Amen

My Tip and a Thought

 Happy Thursday to all.  It is a warmer morning here, but much rain in the forecast and cooler temps a coming!

Today I would like to mention a little tip to help save your money for posterity!  We are in times (and have been), that a lot of people keep cash on hand at home.  It may be for emergencies, monthly allowance, or just whatever.  No one needs to know WHY, but many of us do keep cash on hand for various reasons.

My point I am going to make is - you may be alone or there may be two of you in your home - but what IF something disastrous happened?  I don't like to talk about this point - but someday, someone will be clearing out our homes.  LET someone else KNOW that there is cash in your home, and an approximate place to look (you don't have to tell exact location).  Those people cleaning out a home - may just toss everything (cringe), others go through things.  Someone needs to know where abouts cash may be, important papers, account information, wills, etc.

I know none of us like thinking about these things - but you don't want your cash thrown out to the trash or SURPRISING someone at Goodwill!!!!!!!!

I am in the process of making some lists of information for my executors/kin.  Things they will need to know.  I sure don't want to see all that Glen and I worked for, not go where we want it to, or to be forgotten.

**You all know who you can trust - so that is just good sense.

OK - that is my PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT of the week!  Just prepare!

This is my thought.  It seems we are forever trying to change ourselves - never happy.  We are too big, too small.  Hair too curly or too straight.  Need make-up or don't.  

That is OK - we all do it!!!!!  I know I do.  I still color my hair some, I do wear make-up when going out, I like to look nice.  It is just human nature.

What we need to remember is that - no matter what we do - we are still a creation of God and that is beautiful!!!!!!

Never let others make you feel less of yourself (I think that has happened to most of us too).  We are good and capable, and we are worthy!

Look around at nature - so diverse and unique.  Everything!!!!!!!  God is a wonderful artist and creator.  It all has a beauty and essence and reason.  God didn't just dilly dally with things for no reason - there is a reason.  You are part of the reason.

So I just wanted you to know - you ARE loved, you ARE appreciated, you ARE enough.

Never give up, just keep moving forward - no matter how hard it is.  It gets better.

Have a wonderfully blessed remainder of your week MY FRIENDS!

Using Old Groceries to Make New Groceries

 Morning all!  While I have been cleaning and sorting and organizing, I have come across some forgotten items that needed to be used.  Well, why not get creative and make something new?  Which is just what I did.

As most know - rice and pasta last and last.  There may be 'best by' dates on them - but if kept cool and dry and protected - basically they last for years.

I came across some pieced vermicelli pasta I had vacuumed sealed a long while back.  Well, it was time to get used.

I made a new jar of Rice A Roni from scratch.  Knowing what is in it makes me feel good.  It tastes better, and well, heck fire - basically free.  I had everything in stock - so got a half gallon jar mixed up!!!!

You can use whatever long pasta you have and just break it up (a baggy and a hammer) - or you can get this pre-pieced pasta.  It is like a $1 or less a bag at the store.  Just the perfect size.  works good in soups as well.

Yep, using my Tightwad Gazette recipe.  Book 2 - page 123.  There are a lot of good easy homemade recipes in that section (pages 121 - 123).

There are recipes for cream of soup, seasoned salt, stuffing mix, taco seasoning, onion soup mix, etc.

Love me some Amy frugal recipes!!!!

My half gallon jar is basically full.  I made beef this time, and I usually have chicken flavored on hand as well.  You just make it like the box mix.  1 cup of mix to 2 Tablespoons of butter - brown pasta a bit - then add 2 cups water and simmer until done.

It is nice to have this on hand.  It is very tasty and can add a lot of flavor to a bland meal or add to meat for a great pan meal.

THE RECIPE

3 C uncooked rice - I do half and half pasta and rice for a real Rice A Roni experience

1/4 C dried parsley

6 Tbsp. instant beef or chicken bouillon

2 tsp, onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

Mix it all together and store in an airtight container.  I always shake the container up before measuring out a helping for cooking (things settle)

I am organizing as a I clean out - so I am trying to use up those odds and ends in new ways.  I love making my own convenience foods.

Cleaning, sorting, and decluttering can be all kinds of things - not just getting rid of stuff!  It can be making new things and using things in a different way.

You using groceries to make new groceries this week?

What are your favorite ways to MAKE groceries????

Spring Flinging!

 OK, it is officially spring (so they say).  Time for this gal to get her bum a bobbin'!!!!!  Just had no oomph or get up and go lately.  I had such big plans - then poof!  Soooooo, yes, I have started that spring fling thing!  Decluttering and getting rid of stuff.  I have started small (so as not to overwhelm me!).  LOL

My momentum yesterday was great!  I did smaller jobs and flitted around a lot.  That keeps me from getting bored and I do more.

You know that adage about 15 minute jobs?  Work on something for 15 minutes, then do something else, then on and on.  It makes a job not seem so daunting.  Works for me!

Any way, I got started.  I hope that I can keep motivated and continue until I make HUGE progress.  Each day of decluttering is just one down - and things out - so it all works out!

I started with drawers!  Undies, junk, Glen's, and on and on........  I then went to cabinets. Then the overstock pantry.

Hey, it is a start.

Some may find it odd that I mention Glen's drawer - it has been almost 4 years.  Well gals, let me tell you - there is a huge amount of his presence still here.  It is OK!  You don't have to rush through things and get rid of everything that reminds you of someone.  I still have tons of stuff.  I like being reminded that he was here.  He is never gone (totally) in my opinion.  Remembering is keeping him alive in my mind.  I KNOW not everyone feels that way - no problem.  We each handle things differently.  I just wanted some of you to know that YES, it can take a fair amount of time - and it is OK.

I did clean out his bedside drawer.  My goodness, the stuff he kept in there!  I got a few chuckles!  As bad as I am about keeping stuff - let's say he was worse!!!!!  LOL!  I am thankful for him still giving me a laugh or two!

I got rid of a bunch of my old undies.  WHY did I feel that I needed to keep these items?  Geesh.  Not even good for rags - just plain old worn out!  I did keep some stretched out socks to use for cleaning and for my dust mop.  They went into the cleaning bag.

I think we all have a junk drawer.  I have always had one.  Well, sometimes two or three!  I was pretty much down to one.  What a mess!!!!!!!  The drawer was full of stuff - junk - now trash.

This may still look junky to some - but believe me it is all cleaned up!  I didn't take a 'before' as I was ashamed to!  It was crammed full of 'crap' - you couldn't see the divider tray at all.  Just loaded with stuff.  I threw most of it away - I mean how many twist ties or rubber bands does a person need?  I have my kitchen scissors and all my small little hand tools in there.  Different kinds of tape - I am always needing tape.  Markers for marking up freezer containers.  A few nuts, screws and nails, small measuring tapes and chip clips.  It just looks so much better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is trash day - and I managed to get rid of much for the trash pick-up.  I got the cleaning bag (cloths & rags) started again.  Lots of little stuff trashed and out of the house!  Out is good!

IT IS A START!

It is going to be warmer the next few days - but we have a lot of rain coming our way.  No better reason to stay in and clean out.  I just want to make a bigger difference in the STUFF this year.  I am always getting rid of things - but I see no real difference.  I want to SEE a difference.

So as I air the house the next couple of days, I will AIR my house of junk!!!!!!  I am so over looking at all this stuff.  I know some of you feel that way as well.  Let's do this together!!!!!!

We can keep encouraging each other and maybe keep the momentum going!

Good luck to those on the declutter journey.

Wish me luck!!!!!

Happy Spring!!!!!!!