Thursday Thrift

[helia]

I'm not particularly thrifty, to be honest, for a variety of reasons. One reason is that I don't like shopping, so I spend as little time on it as possible, precluding shopping around for bargains. Neither dh nor I are big spenders, so it works out. We do splurge on vacations, that is true.

I'm home from moms group - just a giant play date in the gym since it is midwinter break for the school children. We got out toddler slides, riding toys, balls, baskets, etc. and let the little ones run off some energy. The moms had a play date too. We got to chat with each other!!

Smiled at Kathryn's descriptions of Ghana. Dh spent 1.5 weeks there almost 2 years ago, but he was a day's travel inland among the poor rural villages. He talked about the 10? hour bus ride with a small goat under his seat, so he would agree with the ubiquitous nature of goats in that country!! He did get very ill on that trip, though. I was worried about him. It was difficult b/c the villagers offered his team food regularly, and it was rude to refuse. So, he eventually got sick. Who knows where the food had been, what sort of water was used, etc. Yes, the project that brought him there is related to education, specifically the development of technology for the purpose of passing on important info to illiterate secluded people groups. And we are seriously considering spending our next sabbatical at a University in Africa w/ another family in our church. The father of the family is also in dh's Univ. dept. and happens to have the same sabbatical year as dh. The team of MDs that our church sponsors has been involved in medical practice and education in Kenya, and there is a young and growing University near their next destination in Africa with which they plan to partner and which dh and colleague are considering approaching with their potential help and involvement. We will be having dinner with 2 of the families (3 of the MDs) next Friday, and we hope to discuss possibilities and problems with this plan. Not sure it will work out, but I'd like to give it a fair shake. One of the biggest issues for us is dd13's education. This would happen her Jr. year of high school.

Alright, enough chatting. I spent a summer in Kenya years ago and loved it! So, I enjoy thinking about that continent.

The workers didn't show up today. I guess they are at a point where there's not much more they can do.

I'm off to finish the a.m. routine (not finished before I left) and to work in the laundry room

I may take a break here for a while as part of my Lent. Nothing related to you ladies, just related to my own habits and issues.

[Lilac]

Happy to see you posting again Booksaver!

Yesterday while I was gone, there was a phone call about the house. She wanted to know the price before they look at it. I called and left her a message on voice mail. I didn't figure I would hear from her again. She called this morning and they want to look at it on another day. It is really windy and they didn't want to get out. I don't blame them, I talked myself out of having my "Calgon" moment at the other house because of the cold and wind.

[Emptynester]

DH back from breakfast with the boys, oil change for the truck and then I talked him into another trip to W and he bought me a corded reciprocating saw. This is the type saw I use to cut the agave swords and the battery one just wasn't cutting it. The batteries would lose their charge just as I was getting in the mood to cut. I still have about 15 to cut so it was just cost effective to get the saw now. Plus we can use it on the trees, too. (Some of them still need trimming.

I have washed a lol and have it folded on the bed to put away. Also did dishes, picked up footsteps and cooked the chicken for chicken stew.

Now I'm going to change clothes for the 3rd time today and go cut some agave. I have outside cactus clothes and boots for working and inside clothes and mocs. for working and being in the house. As the battery on the saw kept needing a charge, I would come in, change, and then have to change again when the battery was charged.

[Nancy]

Back from a pretty interesting walk the welsh corgie on the loop squeezed out of the fence when I was on my walk and joined me came home w/ me and I went back later with her to the doggies house but they were gone and gates were locked so doggie came for another walk w/ us. Hung around here for a while dgd was SO excited about this today it made her day.

We have to move dgd's nap time up so she is not asleep when her folks pick her up so trying that today wish us luck!

The library just called and the DVD I requested of "the help" is in so I'm excited about that!

[Indiana]

I am fine.

[Elizabeth]

Dinner is planned at Cracker Barrel. They take checks. Tonight is art class, I am doing a picture of a dogwood. Tomorrow, DD10 and I are seeing Damn Yankees with a friend and her DD. Unfortunately, they are dressing up. I can't. None of my skirts survived the closet purge and I can't get one in time. I guess I will have to wear pants and a sparkly top.

[Harriet]

I would say sparkly top is dressing up.

helia, drop in to check on us! We will miss hearing from you as often.

Today was my dentist appt. Look Ma, no cavities! I like being ordinary. I wonder how long it can last. These days, not as worried about cavities as a younger woman might be, but wondering if fillings will hold, etc. So far so good. He did say be careful to always floss well at one spot where I have teeth that slightly cross. I do try to keep up daily brushing, flossing regularly though not daily, and my CoQ-10 supplement, which I take as Ubiquinol.

Had to nap as I got to bed late and was up early. That, plus an appt 45 mins away, takes the wind out of the sails of the day.

Thanks so much for all the Thrift Thoughts! I need to come up with the consistency BookSaver has with menu-for-week and list-for-week.

Next up I need to nag dd13 to wash her hair before too late and then calendar all the assignments she has on the horizon so as to manage them one at a time without overwhelm. There are so many.

We witnessed some type of drama as I picked her up from school. An administrator/guidance guy in dress clothes, his school ID bouncing, was running about 300-400 yards away from the school toward a boy sitting on the ground beside a policeman. More adults came before we got out of the area, another policeman on the way. Certainly hope everything was all right.

[lucylee]

Hmmm... sounds like a little too much excitement @ the school, Harriet. It happens. Not TOO often at our school, thankfully, but yep... I guess anywhere you have teenagers today, those kinds of things happen.
WTG on the dentist appt! IKWYM about fillings, etc. I have a lot of old fillings. I did have a small cavity last summer... and since it was on one of my wisdom teeth, it took FOREVER for the dentist to fill it. He would really like to pull my wisdom teeth.

appt 45 mins away, takes the wind out of the sails of the day.

This is the biggest problem for my dparents re: ddad's treatments. The treatment center is approx 45 minutes away, and during his 7-consecutive-day treatments each month, they are just completely exhausted, simply from making the trip every day. Then on the "off-weeks," he has to go over there twice a week for blood work. He is REALLY hoping that after April, they will change the # of days or something. If he has to continue on this schedule indefinitely, they are both going to be pretty frustrated.

Thrifty thoughts...
Hmmm... I'm not really extra conscientious about it... but I rarely if ever shop for myself or dh for clothing, etc.
We do make a grocery list & use coupons as much as possible, (but we do not shop according to the coupons like those people on tv! We don't buy in bulk, and we don't buy anything JUST BECAUSE we have a coupon. We just clip the coupons for products we plan to buy anyway.) DH is convinced that going to Wmart only once a week saves helps us save money.
I carry my lunch each day.
We do not have a Smart Phone or a text/data plan.
We DO spend a LOT on entertainment -- movies, ballgames, and restaurants.
We probably spend a lot on travel compared to some people -- NOT compared to Kathryn, LOL... -- but we do "gallivant" a lot according to my ddad on weekend trips.

BTW, Kathryn, I'm enjoying your travel posts, too, and I am sooo glad to hear your ship is not very attractive to pirates!!! Glad the crew is being watchful, though.

Elizabeth, pants and a sparkly top will be very nice for the theater.

(((Indiana))) -- But I'm so glad to hear from you!!! Just hang in there and let us know what's going on as much as you can!

Nancy, I hope you enjoy The Help. I loved it -- but the book does make some parts of it clearer. Dh hated it. Said it made Southerners look so stupid and racist, and we're not ALL like that, you know.

* Trivia Note on The Help -- Octavia Spencer, who is nominated for Supporting Actress Oscar, is a graduate of Auburn University. War Eagle!

MT, do you have a really major problem w/the cactus thorns getting in your clothing & everything? When you wash the clothes do they disappear in the washer? I'm asking b/c everytime you mention the cactus, it brings back such memories. My grandmother must have LOVED cactus plants. She had several, including one really big one in the back yard. I was sooo afraid of getting stuck by one of those thorns! Oh me... the way they warned me about it, I couldn't have been more afraid if the spikes had been cobras ready to pounce. I think I really did almost believe the thorns would jump off the plant & attack me!!!

Be careful, BookSaver! Winter storms can be scary!

Spring storms can be scary too... that's what we're watching out for tonight. It was over 75 degrees this afternoon! Pear trees are blooming already... possible severe storms predicted for tonight. As far as I know, no tornado watches yet. But how would I know? I haven't even turned on the tv this afternoon!

Good planning on the garden, OKay!

(((Harmony's dgs)))

I hope you'll be happy with your new vacuum cleaner, Lynlee! * Especially since I may have influenced the decision! *

Helia, we will miss you if you give us up for Lent -- but I admire your dedication.

[OKay]

DH went to pick up chemicals for MPB and we ended up bringing home a potential new member of the family. The people who own the chemical business live in the country and a dog showed up at their home a couple weeks ago. They suspect he was dumped. He is a big dog (Great Pyrenees?) and our guess is about a year old. LO and the dog became best friends so we brought the dog home with us. On the way home, I stopped by the vet to see if they could scan him for a chip to help locate the owner, but the vet was already closed. There is sooo much involved in adding another dog to the family! We are keeping our current dog and new dog separated for now until they get used to the idea of both being on our property.

[Lynlee]

pilates this morning. I do adapt exercises a lot to whats doable for me. or rest and do last one.
Bought another 6mth membership as per this months special. Cost per week is less than $8 for as many classes as you get to. I'm aiming for 3 atm. Had to go to atm and rearrange money to cover todays pdoc appointment. When I get the refund the ballance won't be so drastic, but I need the refund money to float in there for next time and not be spent in mean time.
I have 30 min.
I want to do 15min vac - in hall from where uprights wheel disintergrated some time ago. I'll see how far I can get giving it a really good going over.
Then get ready set go to pdoc.