I was thinking about how busy I've been lately and how life can sometimes go by so quickly when we're always looking forward to Friday. You hear people say, It's almost Friday or Thank God it's Friday when it finally gets there. Most of my emails to people on Friday include the subject line...Happy Friday!
Spring is in the air here in Southern California and the flowers are blooming. The hills are green and fresh looking. I noticed last weekend when we traveled to the cental valley that everything still looked sort of brown and wintery. But as we drove back into Los Angeles County I began to see the grass and wild flowers and couldn't help noticing how much greener everything looked. By the time we came to Orange County the countryside was gorgeously covered with new green grass and flowers and the trees were covered in new leaves.
It reminded me to take time to smell the flowers. I hope you will too!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Rainchecks
Yesterday I picked up what I think was my very first raincheck. I can't remember ever having one before, but if I did it was so long ago that it doesn't count. I just never considered rainchecks much. Since becoming "gazelle intense" with my budgeting I have been on the look out for big bargains. Yesterday I found one at the grocery store of all places.
I have been bringing my lunch to work for awhile now in keeping with my frugality drive and soup has become a big part of that cheap lunch menu. I would rather have the good soups like Progresso and Campbells Select, but those soups are expensive, sometimes as much as $2.89 a can. I look for sales and usually I'm able to locate them for between $1.50 and $2.00. Not a bad price for lunch. Then....yesterday my local grocery store was having a sale on Progresso soups at 10 for $10.00! What a deal! Of course, when I got there the shelf was empty except for one flavor. Well, even I can't eat the same soup everyday. I picked up a few of the available ones and completed my shopping.
When I got to the counter I mentioned the empty shelf to the cashier in the hopes that maybe there were more cans in the back of the store. But as the cashier next to us heard me she said, "We're all out." I was disappointed until my cashier said, "But I can give you a raincheck." A raincheck? Oh wow! I can come back to the store when the shelf is full and all the other shoppers are paying $2.59 or more a can and get my fill for $1 each! I quickly said "Yes!" and was directed to the counter at the side where a manager filled out a form for me. Sure it took a few minutes more, but it will certainly be worth it when I get to use the raincheck. I don't know who came up with the idea of rainchecks but I love it!
Rain check
–noun
1.
a ticket for future use given to spectators at an outdoor event, as a baseball game or concert, that has been postponed or interrupted by rain.
2.
an offered or requested postponement of an invitation until a more convenient, usually unspecified time: Since you can't join us for dinner, we'll give you a rain check.
3.
a ticket, coupon, or the like, entitling a customer to purchase at a later date and for the same amount a sale item that is temporarily out of stock
As you can see...it was meant originally for times when people were rained out...but thank goodness it was transferred to the grocery store!
I have been bringing my lunch to work for awhile now in keeping with my frugality drive and soup has become a big part of that cheap lunch menu. I would rather have the good soups like Progresso and Campbells Select, but those soups are expensive, sometimes as much as $2.89 a can. I look for sales and usually I'm able to locate them for between $1.50 and $2.00. Not a bad price for lunch. Then....yesterday my local grocery store was having a sale on Progresso soups at 10 for $10.00! What a deal! Of course, when I got there the shelf was empty except for one flavor. Well, even I can't eat the same soup everyday. I picked up a few of the available ones and completed my shopping.
When I got to the counter I mentioned the empty shelf to the cashier in the hopes that maybe there were more cans in the back of the store. But as the cashier next to us heard me she said, "We're all out." I was disappointed until my cashier said, "But I can give you a raincheck." A raincheck? Oh wow! I can come back to the store when the shelf is full and all the other shoppers are paying $2.59 or more a can and get my fill for $1 each! I quickly said "Yes!" and was directed to the counter at the side where a manager filled out a form for me. Sure it took a few minutes more, but it will certainly be worth it when I get to use the raincheck. I don't know who came up with the idea of rainchecks but I love it!
Rain check
–noun
1.
a ticket for future use given to spectators at an outdoor event, as a baseball game or concert, that has been postponed or interrupted by rain.
2.
an offered or requested postponement of an invitation until a more convenient, usually unspecified time: Since you can't join us for dinner, we'll give you a rain check.
3.
a ticket, coupon, or the like, entitling a customer to purchase at a later date and for the same amount a sale item that is temporarily out of stock
As you can see...it was meant originally for times when people were rained out...but thank goodness it was transferred to the grocery store!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Surprise Bonus!
Along with my regular weekly check yesterday I received an unexpected year-end bonus! While my debt reduction plan is rolling along nicely, you can imagine that this was certainly a terrific boost! This surpise windfall will go a long ways towards making me debt free except the car. I am ecstatic!
I practically held my breath until the postman picked up my check that paid off one of the debts that I have been so looking forward to paying off. It was one of those "90 days same as cash" deals I picked up two years ago! As I wrote the letter asking for confirmation that the account was indeed closed for good I felt a sense of euphoria come over me.
Self discipline is not one of my strong points and it would have been so easy to buy something I wanted instead of paying off that debt. But I received the check before lunch yesterday and deposited it in the bank while I was at lunch. This morning the postman picked up the check I wrote to pay off the debt and I breathed a sign of relief that once again I was able to dodge the bullet of self indulgence that has kept me a prisoner of debt for so long.
I have another check to write with the rest of the bonus money that will put a huge dent in the next highest debt, in fact it will almost pay it off as well. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a train...it's daylight after being in the darkness of debt for so long.
I practically held my breath until the postman picked up my check that paid off one of the debts that I have been so looking forward to paying off. It was one of those "90 days same as cash" deals I picked up two years ago! As I wrote the letter asking for confirmation that the account was indeed closed for good I felt a sense of euphoria come over me.
Self discipline is not one of my strong points and it would have been so easy to buy something I wanted instead of paying off that debt. But I received the check before lunch yesterday and deposited it in the bank while I was at lunch. This morning the postman picked up the check I wrote to pay off the debt and I breathed a sign of relief that once again I was able to dodge the bullet of self indulgence that has kept me a prisoner of debt for so long.
I have another check to write with the rest of the bonus money that will put a huge dent in the next highest debt, in fact it will almost pay it off as well. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a train...it's daylight after being in the darkness of debt for so long.
Friday, February 8, 2008
I Love A Mystery!
"Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!" This line from a famous movie helps me explain how I feel when someone tells me they don't read. I cannot a imagine a life without books. In fact, I'm usually reading two or three at any given time. There is the one on the night stand for when I'm going to bed, the one in my purse in case I'm stuck anywhere for more than a few minutes with nothing to do (car repairs, doctor's office, DMV, etc), the book on CD in my car for when I'm driving ( a cop stopped me once because I was reading a book at the red light just to make sure I wasn't doing it while I was driving!) and one of the aforementioned is usually with me if I relax in my recliner in the evening. I have even thought of reading books on the computer, but I find too many other things to read and look at while I'm there.
Someone said to me the other day that they didn't even know where their Public Library was located and I felt myself cringe. How does a person get through life without reading. It seems to me to be a basic function, like eating or sleeping. It's necessary in order for the brain to continue to work, I think. In any case, it's a joy of my life and I am bereft if for any reason I find myself without a book to read.
What do I read? I read my Bible and I try to read or listen to a non-fiction book every so often, but for the most part I love a Mystery. Female sleuths or private investigators are a big favorite. I read a lot of books based in Great Britain with Chief Inspectors as their main character. Besides mysteries, I've read everything byAmy Tan and I'm fascinated by her description of Chinese life. Her childrens's books, The Moon Lady and The Chinese Siamese Cat are also some of my favorites. I also love forensic novels and read all of Patricia Cornwell until she became too graphic. I wander into other areas of fiction from time to time, Nicholas Sparks, Mary Bahlogh, Katie Fforde and Meg Cabot....the list goes on and on, but somehow I always return to Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Sue Grafton, Marcia Muller, Susan Albert Wittig, Philip Craig, Margaret Truman, Earlene Fowler and all my other favorite Mystery writers. Their number seems endless, thank goodness, and I'm finding new ones all the time.
The fiction I read may not make me wiser, but I certainly enjoy all the places I get to go while I'm reading a book and all of the fun characters I meet. The characters are not real, but it's funny...if I look around me I usually find someone just like them in some area of my life.
Do you read?
Someone said to me the other day that they didn't even know where their Public Library was located and I felt myself cringe. How does a person get through life without reading. It seems to me to be a basic function, like eating or sleeping. It's necessary in order for the brain to continue to work, I think. In any case, it's a joy of my life and I am bereft if for any reason I find myself without a book to read.
What do I read? I read my Bible and I try to read or listen to a non-fiction book every so often, but for the most part I love a Mystery. Female sleuths or private investigators are a big favorite. I read a lot of books based in Great Britain with Chief Inspectors as their main character. Besides mysteries, I've read everything byAmy Tan and I'm fascinated by her description of Chinese life. Her childrens's books, The Moon Lady and The Chinese Siamese Cat are also some of my favorites. I also love forensic novels and read all of Patricia Cornwell until she became too graphic. I wander into other areas of fiction from time to time, Nicholas Sparks, Mary Bahlogh, Katie Fforde and Meg Cabot....the list goes on and on, but somehow I always return to Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Sue Grafton, Marcia Muller, Susan Albert Wittig, Philip Craig, Margaret Truman, Earlene Fowler and all my other favorite Mystery writers. Their number seems endless, thank goodness, and I'm finding new ones all the time.
The fiction I read may not make me wiser, but I certainly enjoy all the places I get to go while I'm reading a book and all of the fun characters I meet. The characters are not real, but it's funny...if I look around me I usually find someone just like them in some area of my life.
Do you read?
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Old Age Creeping Up On Me
In a few weeks I will be another year older. Am I wiser? Maybe. I read enough to become wiser, but am I reading the right things? That's another blog...
I'm thinking old age is relevant to how you feel and some days I could be 92. There are those mornings when getting out of bed is a really bad way to start the day. Sadly, although there are a lot of things I love about my job, there is never enough time off when you need it. Other days I am up and raring to go just as if I was 10 years younger. Those days are becoming fewer and fewer as the years go by.
Being older means that I don't plan as many things to do in one day as I used to. A trip to Target could be the highlight of the evening instead of just one stop in a list of errands. If all the errands are within a two block radius I think I can accomplish all of them in one trip, otherwise...well, I'll take care of that errand another day. My son says I could never leave the city because I love the convenience of having all my stops within a mile of my house. In fact, the grocery store, post office, bank and Library are all within that area.
You might think this convenience is laziness or a lack of ambition, but I think I just like to be at home. I enjoy being at home more than just about anywhere in the world. If that's what it means to be old..well then I'm ready for it. Give me a pair of fuzzy slippers, (my feet get cold more easily these days), a soft chair, a cup of tea and a good book. I'm as happy as a clam. If that's what it's like to be older, well then I think I've worked for it and I'm ready to enjoy it.
I'm thinking old age is relevant to how you feel and some days I could be 92. There are those mornings when getting out of bed is a really bad way to start the day. Sadly, although there are a lot of things I love about my job, there is never enough time off when you need it. Other days I am up and raring to go just as if I was 10 years younger. Those days are becoming fewer and fewer as the years go by.
Being older means that I don't plan as many things to do in one day as I used to. A trip to Target could be the highlight of the evening instead of just one stop in a list of errands. If all the errands are within a two block radius I think I can accomplish all of them in one trip, otherwise...well, I'll take care of that errand another day. My son says I could never leave the city because I love the convenience of having all my stops within a mile of my house. In fact, the grocery store, post office, bank and Library are all within that area.
You might think this convenience is laziness or a lack of ambition, but I think I just like to be at home. I enjoy being at home more than just about anywhere in the world. If that's what it means to be old..well then I'm ready for it. Give me a pair of fuzzy slippers, (my feet get cold more easily these days), a soft chair, a cup of tea and a good book. I'm as happy as a clam. If that's what it's like to be older, well then I think I've worked for it and I'm ready to enjoy it.
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