Monday Musings

I'll admit it.  I look forward to our one-way conversations on Mondays.  It helps wrap my very small brain around life somehow.  Not sure what will be 'mused' today.  Will just have to sit back and see what words come forth.

Since the youngest at our house is now 8 1/2, we don't hear misspoken words or comments as much as we used to.  I miss that.  But I did hear a couple things.  This morning one child seriously asked, 'Who invented school?  And why do we have to go?'.  Another one was 'How did dad's computer crash?  Did it fall off his desk?'  Sometimes I like to play mind games and say an obvious wrong answer.  But they are getting smart on me.

So yes, the Chairman's computer crashed.  It was a big deal.  Files lost.  Productivity came to a screeching halt. It is his livelihood.  He writes big fat important looking reports full of charts and numbers and pictures for people.   Now he's got a new computer with new software and sundries to work through and you know what?  It's going pretty good!  I expected a high degree of frustration when the phone would ring.  But it hasn't been.  Good news!

We've been playing a lot of "Spoons" these days.  We play until one child (the loser) is just about to whack another child (the winner) on the head with a spoon and then we call it quits.

Lisi is getting all "purdy' right now.  A coupon came to my inbox for a cheaper grooming appointment.  So she'll be back with a nice trim and smell like peaches and cream.  That is until she finds some very rank thing to roll in while we're out on a walk.

I live in the Dairyland.  There's a real culture here.  If you are going anywhere for a weekend or vacation, most frequently you'll hear that they are going 'up north'.  Or if they are from 'up north', they are going 'up nort'.  We live at the far southern end of the state so no matter where you go it's 'up north'.  Then there's deer season.  Life stops for deer opener.  Bow season.  Gun season.  Doe season.  And so it goes.  Guys go to cabins to get away from the ball and chain.  Shoot the breeze.  And shoot their guns.  I realize it's all necessary.  Maybe not so much for the venison but to thin the over population.  And I'm ok with that.  And then there is Packer season.  You must know how the Packers are doing.  It's splashed all over the front two pages of the paper and in the very thick sports section.  Packer-backers.  Cheeseheads.  Tail-gaters.  It's a culture.  To the point of nauseating.  But they won yesterday.  So it's going stronger than ever right now.

Most of you know that I'm a tightwad frugal.  And I don't like to shop.  A shout-out to DC who posted today about her not-so-much love for shopping like me!  I wish we weren't so far away so we could go and "not shop" together.  Anyway, I needed to drop off four - count them!  four bags of 'stuff' for Goodwill.  Went into the joint since the girls love to go try on high heels that look ridiculous.  And you know what?  I found a beautiful skirt for $3.99!  It's an Anne Klein.  Pretty colors.  Lovely drape.  Fits like a glove (or a touch looser).  A couple months ago I found another for the same price.  Wore it to our special gathering last Sunday.  Got several compliments.  Do I tell them it is from Goodwill?  Well some I did.  And some received a smile and 'thanks'.

I do like saving money if at all possible. You see the Chairman is the only one in this house that brings home the bacon (well I do if we need more stuff for breakfast and it's on sale).  He works hard and supports us right-well.  But waste-not, want-not.  So I plan my grocery visits around sales.  I am frequenting the store with the put-a-quarter-in-the-slot for your shopping cart.  I love that place.  Their canned goods are exactly the same and about 30 cents a can cheaper.  Their milk is a $1 less/gallon.  Their bagged baby spinach is super-cheap.  Avocados, grapefruit, peppers.  Yum.  Laundry soap was $3 cheaper than the brand name (Tide).   But you have to bag it all and schlep it out to the car and take your cart back to the cart area to get your quarter back.  Great savings!  Light bulbs.  Have replaced some with those savings kind.  I like the lower wattage idea.  Still struggle with the wait until it warms up so you can finally see what you need to idea though.  I do shop on-line.  If I see something in a store I like, I google it.  Check out lots of sites and if there's free shipping.  Well voila!  Here comes UPS!  And I like hand me downs for the kids.  Or me for that matter.  As long as they don't look thread bare. We're in business.

This is Amanda the Panda.  She is from school and
the Chairman had to take her around with him
for work one day.  Here she's relaxing after
a busy day.

Happy Girl on New Year's Eve

Happy Girl #2 on New Year's Eve

Kids playing games 

So back to the business at hand.  Loads of laundry.  Another dirty kitchen floor.  Stoking the fire.  And on it goes.  Thanks for the chat you dear friends!