I Think I'm an Addict

Before anyone starts looking in to the Betty Ford Clinic for me... I'm not THAT kind of addict! I think I am addicted to ... paying off bills!

It started with paying off my car 18 months early, then it was paying off Elvis' car 42 months early, then it was any little debt we had. Eventually we became debt-free. The craving to pay, pay, pay was still there.

With no debt left to pay off, the instant gratification I felt after seeing the zero balance was a gateway. I tried to get that same high by paying off both car insurances.

The electric is pre-paid until at LEAST January 2013, the cable is ahead. I am resisting getting too far ahead on the health insurance.

The budget is written out for all of 2012. The banking accounts are set up to split the paycheck before it ever comes in. 

I worked out a plan to have my car insurance paid in full... for NEXT YEAR.

So... yes, I think I have an addiction... paying off the bills before they are due.

Leave me alone... go away... I don't want help... just let me sit here with the check registry...

My precious...

Don't Get Sucked Down

Today is sort of a cheat... I have been reading up on different cruise tips. I have been on one before, but Elvis, and my friend have not. There is no harm in brushing up and getting a few ideas. I came across a cruise tip list.

Now, I feel compelled to share...

Whatever you do, do NOT flush while sitting down!

(the suction can and has caused bodily injury)

Monday Mourning

Needless to say, it's a sad, sad day in our house. The Patriots once again brought us to the brink of victory and let it slip out of their fingers, this time, quite literally.

Most of the commercials were ho-hum, the half-time show was decent, but other than M.I.A.. flipping the bird, I don't think it would be anything people would be talking about. What ever happened to marching bands coming out to play intermission? Why does it have to be a concert in the middle of the game? Year after year people only talk about the scandal of the half-time show. To me, it's a big waste of time. Bring back the local University marching band!!! *giggle*

I do have to say, there was one really touching moment last night. So touching that I feel the need to buy a Dodge truck, a Chrysler car and vote Eastwood for President... yes, I know he's not running, that doesn't matter!

SuperYumBowl 2012

Grab your pom-poms!

I have been so excited about watching the Super Bowl with my family tonight. The Patriots vs. The Giants... again. I am getting a not-so-small selection of gaming goodies.

FRESH FROM THE OVEN

Baked Honey-Mustard Wings
Baked Buffalo Wings

Ham & Cheese Croissant Pinwheels

Salami & Cheese Croissant Pinwheels

Buffalo Chicken Croissant Pinwheels

Pizza Rolls

Loaded Potato Skins

NIBBLES

Onion Rings

Buggles

Doritos

Football Brownies

Pats Chocolate Cake

Red Velvet Cake

The Woman in Black - Review

I admit, I haven't read the book (yet) or seen the play (yet) but they are both on my to-do list now!

Daniel Radcliffe did an excellent job as Athur Kipps, an attorney from London. You forget all about his earlier acting rolls. Honestly, had he been a new-comer to the big screen, I would still be giving him kudos for a job well done.

The Woman in Black (2012) gave me hope that the art of horror movies is not lost. Suspense, hanging on your seat - well, when you aren't jumping out of it - and being totally drawn in to the story.

A young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.

Being "Grown"

Tax refunds.

What comes to mind when you hear those words?  Do you think of it as free money? Do you have a list of things you want to buy?

Don't think of refunds as "free money", it's YOUR money. You earned that money. You allowed the government to hold on to that money, interest free. You overpaid, so you get it back. Simple as that. It's no different than taking a little out of every paycheck and shoving it in a savings account and pulling it all out, on one day. Well, I take that back. Banks give you interest (that you have to pay taxes on too - ugh).

As close as we try to get our taxes to be, there is always a little something coming back to us. I'm not complaining... we're glad we get the over-payments back!

What to do with it... He wants a new tv - a large screen, flat panel, HD monster. We HAVE a large screen tv. Granted it's a behemoth at about 2 feet deep, but it's in color, the screen is a decent size and it turns on when we want it. We'll get one... eventually. I want a new house and we will get that too... eventually.

Being Grown can be "not fun" sometimes. We did the responsible thing with the refund. *sigh*

• Since we are on a budget pay for the electric company, we know what the bill will be every month - 11 payments sent in. Paid off until January 2013. (I'll still be checking the balance monthly though, things DO increase.)
• My car insurance renewed in December 2011. It is now paid in full and I won't have to bother with it again until December 2012.
• His car insurance renews in June but he still had some remaining payments. They are now gone too. 
• The remainder is going in to savings

Is it exciting? Not really... Knowing that if something was to happen, the lights can't be turned off - awesome.

The money that would have been sent in to pay the electric bill will be deposited in to the savings account. The money that would have gone towards the insurances will still be put aside for insurances and make a decent dent when it comes time to renew.

 

SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER

oh joy...

Sorry, I'm Closed

There's nothing to see here today...

Seriously, look away...

Fine, if you insist on looking... there is an overwhelming feeling of "not being ready".

The Season of Reason of a Lifetime...

I woke up this morning... thinking.
Thinking about life, the people in it, the people who are long gone, and those I need to reconnect with. I don't have many people I call friends, but the ones I have are true to the core.

Over coffee, I was talking to my friend who is going through a transformation. No, there is no surgery involved, not that kind of transformation. *giggle*

Ahem... back to the serious sounding thinking voice...

For a while I have watched her get treated like a doormat by people who call themselves her friend. Friends don't set out to make you feel like something you step in just to make themselves feel better about their failing life. Friends don't try to belittle your achievements. Friends will not only stand beside you while you are reaching for the stars, they will toss you on their shoulders so you can be that much closer.

There comes a time to break free from the "ticks" in your life, those who do nothing but slowly and steadily suck away at your life, energy, sanity.

Sometimes the reason is to make you stronger.

Artfully Odd

I was logging in this morning and noticed that yesterday (my birthday) was a "milestone" post... on a few levels. I like 101, it's more than 100... and it's odd. Life is odd. It's perfect for today.

The morning started out routine -

1. Elvis off to work - check
2. coffee perking - check
3. Diva laying in bed sick *WHAT?* I'm starting to think she's allergic to Shrugs house or something, she came home sick yesterday.

At least it's sunny out!

OR NOT!

(forgive the horrid voice, I'm still not feeling 100%)

Happy Birthday to ME!

Amazing ~ I've made it another full rotation of the sun! My friend owns an online radio network and this was waiting for me when I logged on to listen this morning. Thank you Mary!!! ~( UBER RADIO )~

I got to sleep in a bit (which was easy since there was nobody home but the cat) and made myself a pot of coffee and headed out to the store to rent a movie.

Barely home an hour and dishes started when Diva came home from the weekend at Shrugs. Sick. Figures! She needed some "Momma Love" and lunch, then off to sleep she went.

My "Don't Ask Me How Old" Birthday Celebration

Dinner - a bucket of chicken, hm shell & cheese, veggies
Dessert - ICE CREAM CAKE!!!!! (it is MY birthday after all)
Movie - THE HELP

(read the book, it's even better!)

Sitting-On-My-Butt Sunny Saturday

Tomorrow is my birthday but Elvis has to work. Today has been dedicated to me. Thing is... I'm not feeling well. Without fail, every January 29th I am sick. Never anything life threatening, but enough to make a person prefer a pillow over a party. He's in the kitchen making me breakfast and then we will watch movies. (That's the end of the catering for me though, I have to make lunch and cook dinner)

People have asked us why we don't have cable. It's a combination of reasons actually. We did have cable about 8 years ago. We must have asked 4 times if it included Nickelodeon and the Disney channels. Of course, they said yes. Guess what? It didn't. For an additional $xx we could upgrade to a package that had those channels and about 100 more that we would never watch. We kept it for a while, but in the end, we saw no point paying all that so we cut back to the local only package. If there is anything we want to watch on a cable station, there is plenty of ways to see them on the computer, for free. Some channels allow you to view them on their websites, and Hulu is pretty good with what they still have for free, you have to wait a week in some cases, but, it's not like the story will change.

The local library rents out dvd's for free. Granted, most of the choices are old, but that works out when we want to share a movie from our past with Diva. Redbox is also pretty good. For $1, you can rent whatever they have available in the boxes. You can rent in one box and return in the other. They have a selection of recent movies with a sprinkling of older ones.

Today we'll watch 3 of the Redbox movies while I knit more dishcloths.

It's Friday. It's raining. It's payday. It smells amazing out there... which is a good thing since I can't see a damn thing through the fog!

Grocery shopping is on the to-do list and I will get it done fairly early because this is definately a "stay warm and knit" sort of day.

I'm currently knitting a dishcloth - it's simple yet pretty.

CO 31 (or any odd number around there)

10 rows of Knit
9 rows of k1 *p1, k1*
15 rows of Knit
9 rows of k1 *p1, k1)
10 rows of Knit
bind off

Finding Strength DEEP Down

Early Morning

Pass the coffee... no... not that little cup, I'm thinking something closer to an oil tanker!

Diva has a doctor's appointment at 8am, oh joy! I've planned it early so maybe, just maybe, she can go to school after. There is about 15 miles between the two, and the majority of that is on the busy side of the highway. -lovely- Of course, she is hoping to be there all day, or at least long enough to stay home.

Diva tells me over and over how she can't wait to start "Momma Academy" (home-school). Things are falling together on that front - note to self, fill out the paperwork!

It's a warm 35f right now (yes, that's warm compared to what it HAS been). Snow coming Thursday, Friday and Sunday... NOOOooo!!!

It's a good thing I have Phoebe to keep me thinking of warmer things. Who's she you ask? Have you never heard of the "Phamous Phoebe"??? There is a 24/7 live feed to a hummingbirds nest. Yesterday she laid the first egg, talk is that she will have the second one on Thursday. This is the second clutch. I missed the first one a few weeks ago.



Live Video app for Facebook by Ustream

*** Note - the stream is in California, if you don't see anything, it's probably too early, lol

Energize!

I am not usually one to read horoscopes, but a friend of mine reads hers daily and on occasion I will go peek at mine. --

You could power cities with your mental energy today! On the off chance that you're not hooked into the power grid, try instead to do some good for the world at large. You've got all night!

Hmmm... Mental energy seems to be the only sort of energy I am running as of late. I've been trying to harness is for the power of good, what a struggle THAT has been! *giggle*

I have been thinking about everything I need to do this year, and the deadlines some of them have. The majority of things I do ARE for other people. But... is it enough? Is there something more I could be doing? Maybe... most likely... probably... yes.

I'm going to use the day to figure out what else I can be doing. I have to hand it to the person who wrote the horoscopes today... I -do- have a lot of mental energy today.

Nurse Furball Says...

Domestic Goddess and Diva are too sick to blog today.

Introducing... Our Newest Addition

About a month ago I had placed an online order of a major store chain. Apparently someone in the programming department is in trouble because the $90 item selling online for $12.50 was a mistake. I knew that it was too good to be true... but sometimes you just have to try!

Imagine my surprise when I got an apologetic email from the store, offering me a $50 online shopping credit! It only took me a minute to figure out what I would apply it towards.

I am sure I will be posting some pics of culinary creations created in this SOON! Right now, I am GIDDY about getting a $99.99 slow-cooker for FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE -- I think it may actually make the food taste better...

On a Stick...

Today I ventured out in to the snow to return the video rentals and on the way home I stopped at the drug store for a few "snowsentials". Snowsentials, you know, the things you like to have when curled up under a blanket on a cold day. While walking through the aisles I saw it... the pan that makes cake -- on a stick!

It is a well known fact that food on a stick is just BETTER. Maybe it doesn't taste any different than it's plated cousins, but, come on... it's food... on a stick!

I don't know if I will actually get around to making them tonight, I was thinking about surprising Diva with one in her lunchbox Monday and I know that "Elvis + snow + snacks = 0" especially if said snack is of the small and sweet variety.

That being said, for your viewing pleasure (a video I did not create, upload, or lay claim to) the ULTIMATE food.... on a stick -- JOSE!

Another Great Voice, Forever Silenced

It is common knowledge that I worship the original Diva's... Eartha, Billie, Etta, Aretha. There is something honest, a DEEP DOWN TO THE BONE sort of connection when I hear them sing.

Etta James sang one of my favorite songs, and one that I sing to Elvis often. In honor of Ms. James, I present for your listening pleasures "At Last".

** note, I did not make this video