A Safe Fun New Year's Eve Celebration!

I got married a few years before any of my siblings did.  So on New Year's Eve I would always worry when they would go out and drink for the night.  They wouldn't have a designated driver, because that wasn't in vogue at the time. 

So one year, I decided to have my brothers and sister come over my house for New Year's Eve.  I had a small two bedroom house at the time, but I knew it would be plenty of room for sleeping bags and family.

We would all chip in for snacks, chinese food, and party favors.  Everyone would bring a game they liked to play and a drink of their choice.  We would start around 6pm and play games, eat snacks, drink and watch the ball drop.  I had two little boys at the time and they would have an awesome time with all the family around.  And they could go to bed whenever they wanted.

One year, I thought we would have to cancel.  I was seven months pregnant and I started to go into labor.  So I called everyone and told them to come to my house and start without us.  We went to the hospital and they gave me some medicine to stop the contractions because it was too early to deliver.  And we went back to the house and celebrated the New Year and the fact that my baby would have more time to grow!

We would always take a picture before we started, all of us with our party hats.  It was fun to watch how everyone changed and how the group would get bigger.  As my brother's and sister got married, they would bring their spouses.  We continued for about 8 years.  My sister had a baby and we did it up until he was about 2 years old.

It was so much fun having family over and waking up in the morning to a house filled with people.  We would all chip in and make breakfast and sit around the table and talk about the New Year!

One time, one of my brothers had to work late.  So we decided to record the ball dropping.  Back then it was on VHS.  After we saw the ball drop for real, we rewinded the tape and waited to see when he pulled in the driveway.  As soon as we saw him, we yelled for him to hurry up so he wouldn't miss the ball dropping.  He was very confused because he thought he had worked till midnight.  We all ran in and blew our horns and said Happy New Year and hugged and kissed everyone.  He was happy he hadn't missed it.  The next day, sitting around the table we told him the truth.  He was happy that we thought enough to do that for him.

Now they're all busy with their children and their lives, but I still reminisce about all the fun we had together.

So remember when you want to celebrate the New Year, you don't have to go to a club and drink till you drop.  You can make it any kind of celebration you like.  You can have a children's party during the day.  A New Year's Day brunch with friends or family.  Or just the two of you and your children and dance and sing the New Year in.

But please be cautious when you're drinking.  If you do go out and drink, take a cab or limousine.  Or get a designated driver to pick you up or come with you.  Or go to one of the many celebrations they have at hotels and rent a room.  Whatever you do, DO NOT Drink & Drive!  It's a horrible way to start the New Year!

I tell my son's, who are between 25-30 that I will still pick them up if they drink too much and need a ride, no questions asked.

So if anyone has a special way to celebrate the New year, I would love to hear about it.  BE SAFE!

Designated Driver

Usually on Christmas Eve I drink a lot and my husband doesn't drink at all so he drives! The rest of my family drinks too!

So this year I've decided not to drink on Christmas Eve and drive my family members home!

I hope everyone that is drinking either has a designated driver or stays over the persons house!

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy safe holidays!

My Simple Vegan Shepherd's Pie w/Carnivore Substitutes

Ingredients:  I don't measure things.  Use as much as you see fit for whose eating it.

           VEGAN                                                  CARNIVORE substitute

Vegan "meat" crumbles                                hamburger

vegetable oil                      

onion

veggie broth                                                    beef broth

corn

potatoes

almond/soy milk                                              milk

vegan "butter"                                                  butter

pinch of salt

Directions:

Peel, cut and boil potatoes until they fall off the fork.  Add oil to fry pan and brown onions.  Add "meat" crumbles till they soften (most are frozen).  Add corn.

Add veggie broth to fry pan & let simmer for a few minutes.

Drain water from potatoes and put in a bowl.  Mash together with almond/soy milk and vegan butter.  Stir in a pinch of salt.

Add "meat" mixture to a baking dish.  Smooth mashed potatoes on top.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.

If you like you can add vegan "cheese" to the top or mix into the potatoes.

You can also put any veggies you like in this dish.  It is quite versatile. 

December 23, 2012 Festivus Celebration!

I always see my three boys on Christmas Eve at the family gathering.  It's usually 30-40 people with lots of fun chaos and children.  So this year I decided to see them a day earlier to celebrate in a quieter atmosphere.

I happen to be watching Seinfeld the other day, which I haven't watched in a long time so it must be an omen.  And it was the episode where George Castanzas father comes up with a new holiday that he called Festivus.  So I wanted to see if there was a real celebration.  It was actually on Wikipedia, isn't everything?  And it is celebrated on December 23rd.  So I thought, since I don't have a Christmas tree this year, and my kids happen to be coming over on the 23rd, maybe I too could get a metal pole and celebrate Festivus.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus.

I haven't told my children yet.  I'm wondering if they will know when they see the metal pole.  Airing grievances will be fun, but then we will say something nice to each person.  And there won't be any wrestling on the floor, I'm thinking arm wrestling so everyone can participate.  They had meatloaf on the Seinfeld episode, but I like making shepherd's pie.

I will try and write again before Christmas and let you know how our Festivus celebration went.  We usually celebrate Yule and light candles on the Yule log, but I like to change things up a bit sometimes.

I hope, no matter what kind of celebration you are having, that you make sure it's about family and friends and not about the things you get.  Make sure you tell people that you love them.  Material gifts are not the only thing worth giving.

Finally, But For How Long?

I went to my nephew's Holiday Concert this morning.  And what to my wonderous eyes should appear, but a police officer at the front door.

It's nice that they did this when lots of people were showing up at the school, but shouldn't this be happening everyday.  Someone to stop the horror before it gets into the school!

I couldn't help but be thankful for all of the children and teachers in that school.  That they were fine, and getting to celebrate like others around the country should be able to.  Not taking their childhood and joy from them at such a young age.

As I looked at the kids singing on stage, I wondered what problems they have in their lives that no one has recognized.  Problems that they, at such a young age may think are the worse thing ever.  Are parents asking their children the right questions?  What are the right questions?

Then I remembered my nephew telling me that him and his twin brother have been being bullied.  The school knows and they still don't do anything about it.  Well, I wanted to take matters into my own hands and asked my sister which ones were the bullies.  I wanted to take their picture and make a
Wanted Posted.  Place it around the school, "Wanted For Bullying"!  Does public humiliation stop the problem or make it worse?  I see some towns making kids hold signs up of what they've done wrong.  Is it different if it is coming from an outside source?

All people are talking about nowadays is gun control!  I think it needs to be other things.  I think we all need to take our hand and hold it out for someone that needs it.  If we see something that doesn't seem right, ask questions.  Sometimes parents are too close to the issue and do not want to see what is right in front of them.  We need to keep our eyes open because it does take a village to raise a child.

Hope everyone is having a hopeful day!

Our Priorities Are Warped!

Watching the news all week and driving through my town got me to thinking...why are there so many police officers on the roads watching construction crews and not one in each school at the front doors?

Longest Word (too long)

Longest word has 189,819 letters! They say it as Titien.  Imagine having to say it in a sentence?  It's a protein found in our body!

Don't we make up the words in our language? Why and how would we name something that long?

What is the point of having that many letters?

It actually says in Fun-with-words.com that a DNA molecule could have a name of over 1,000,000,000 letters if it was written out in full!

My question to that is Why?

The End Of The World!

Since this is the week that the world is suppose to end I think everyone should have the day off to spend time with their loved ones!

We all need more time with family and friends. To appreciate what we have. To tell them and show them that we love them.

But, I wonder if what Nostradamus and the other visionaries were talking about was the world would end as we know it! Not just end!

In the past few years things have changed in our world! More violence, financial devistation, weather destruction and fatalities!

Maybe what we need to do as a society is come together to change the energy of our world! Start being kinder to each other! Meditate to release stress, work 4 day work days a week, and make sure we spend more quality time enjoying our families and not just making money to buy things.

Have communities come together for each other. Start knowing your neighbors. Try to involve those that have a hard time getting involved! There are a lot of lonely people out there that we need to help out.

Maybe this will change our society to be happier and not separate everyone into little cliques!

When you go out shopping today, try smiling at people as you run to get your things done. It's amazing what a little thing like a smile can do. Hold a door open for someone! It doesn't take a lot to make someone's day

I hope everyone has told someone they love them today. And I hope someone has said it to you! Have an awesome day!

Please Be Kind!

People are absolutely crazy out there! I think it should be against the law to have sales during the holidays! Maybe they could just have online sales, then most people would stay home!

People driving in parking lots yelling and fighting to get a spot so they can buy a gift for someone because they care about them. Why don't they just be nice to one another so they don't die over the holidays. That would be a much nicer present for their loved ones!

Running through stores and being mean to employees that are getting minimum wage and don't even have time to do their own shopping is just unholiday like!

If you don't have a computer you could use a friends or call and order over the phone.

There just has to be a better way!!

I almost couldn't get to the bank, at a plaza to do my mortgage stuff! I can just imagine that person that just got a new job and can't make it to the store to buy new clothes for work.

There's more technology out there, but less people using it for good. If you're on your phone all the while that you're mall shopping, just stay home instead and use it to shop on Amazon!

I am horrified by seeing adults act like they're in a wrestling match over a video game! What happened to not letting our kids watch or play things with fighting and shooting? At least that is fake. Then people act that way in front of their own children!

Please stop and think before you act unkind to someone! You don't know their story!

Tis' the season to be joyous and kind not angry and nasty!

Enjoy Holiday Shopping!

To enjoy holiday shopping you must

1.  Make a list.  A detailed list so you have something to focus on instead of looking at all the pretty things out there.  How much you're spending is also a great thing to write down!

2.  Go to a plaza or a mall and park as far away as you can.  This way, you won't be rushing to leave so someone can get your space and there will be less traffic.  The walk, in the brisk air, will clear your mind and make it easier to shop.

3.  Try to buy medium to small items if you are alone and large items if you're with someone that can transport them to the car.  And buy them last.

4.  Make sure you stop to eat in the middle of your shopping extravaganza.  Try and put your list and shopping out of your mind for at least 30 minutes and enjoy the Holiday sights and sounds around you.

5.  Don't over dress.  It gets hot if you're inside a mall, and walking around a plaza can too if it's not freezing outside.

6.  Do not bring your largest pocketbook, but make sure you can fit a bottle of water and some reusable shopping bags to put all the little plastic bags in.  And having a strap on your purse long enough to go across your body is an added bonus for not dropping it or leaving it on a counter.

7.   Put all your sales slips in the same spot.  A change purse or your wallet so you can see what you've actually spent when you get home.

8.  Make sure you cross off your list as you go.  It is very gratifying.

9.  If you do put packages in your car, make sure they are in the trunk or try and cover them with something.  And always make sure you lock your car after.

10. Never ever take little children shopping with you.  If you want them to visit Santa, do that on a separate day and just make it a fun together time.

11.  When you get home, try wrapping a few presents a day so it isn't too overwhelming.

12.  And after putting the bags in a safe hiding spot, dress in something comfy, sit down and put your feet up and have yourself a cup of tea, hot cocoa, wine or other libation that will relax you.

Congratulate yourself on a job well done!

Are We Doing Enough For Our Children?

I think this country should spend as much time taking care of people's mental diseases as they do physical diseases.

With all the mass shootings going on around the country, I think they should have classes in all schools about bullying, feelings, cliques, feeling left out, being shy, low self-esteem, etc.  It shouldn't be a one hour class a month.  Or talking to kids AFTER something like this happens.  It should be a weekly class like gym, or art class.

I think schools should make it feel like a safe place to talk about what is going on at home.  And like I said in another post, have parenting classes for all age ranges of parenting children.

There has to be something we can do to help these children know how to make better choices.  I understand that some mental illnesses can not be treated, but I'm sure the majority of the mass shootings were done by children that didn't feel heard, or didn't fit in.  If they did, maybe someone would have noticed a change in their behavior.

My condolences go out to the families that were shot and to the family of the child that did this.

What About Christmas Present Laws?

The Holidays...do you love them or hate them?  I love the festivities, the music, spending time with family and even the presents.  But sometimes the giving and getting of presents is not all that fun.  Like when you get something you really hate, but have to pretend you love it.  Or giving someone a present they don't like.  You can always tell a fake, "Oh I loooovveee it!"  People spend money they don't have and get things that people don't really want.

I think Christmas should have some rules that everyone must follow.  The government is always passing laws.  How about a law about Christmas?

These are the laws I would pass:

1.  You will not buy more than 5 presents for each person.

2.  You will not buy for anyone you haven't talked to in the month of November.

3.  You will not spend more than 20% of your monthly salary for the whole holiday.

4.  You will not return a bad Christmas gift to the store.  You will re-gift it to the person who bought it.
(they will either love it because they bought it, or will make better choices next year)    

5.  You must not buy clothes for someone you do not live with.
(if it's too small or too big, it's insulting)

6.  Food is not a present.

7.  Offices are not allowed to do a gift exchange unless all the employees are related.

8.  Companies that have Christmas parties, must give bonuses.
(they must have money if they gave a party)

9.  No Christmas gifts will be given after Christmas.  Save them for the next year.
(you obviously didn't care to make time for them so save the gift)

10. Anyone under the age of 4 is not allowed more than 4 presents.
(it's too overwhelming)

11. If someone says they don't want anything you must NOT buy them anything.
(next year they won't say it)

If you can think of any other laws you would like passed, just comment below.  Maybe we can get them passed before next Christmas.

Being Sensitive! WTF!

Can someone learn to be less sensitive? And is that really a good idea? I take everything personally and feel like crying during any confrontation!

Are there a lot of sensitive people out there? Or am I one of a strange breed that is dying off?

I wish I was less sensitive. It would make my life a lot easier. I could say what I need to say to people without choking up.

How many of you out there are sensitive? Does it help you to be more empathetic? Or does it reek havoc with your emotions?

I am learning to control my sensitivities! Sometimes I will say to myself that famous saying, "It's none of my business what other people think of me"! But that is Easier said than done.

I guess acknowledging I have a problem is the first step!

Holidays Are Stressful

I use to think that I was stressed during the holidays because I was shopping in crowds and stuck in traffic! Always trying to get thee perfect gift for someone!

Well, I finally realized that I'm stressed without those things. I think it's all the energy around me from other people that gets to me!

So I decided to take it upon myself to cut down on my anxiety level and I hope everyone reading this, does as well! This way, the stress level around us will soften.

So I have started to meditate to start my day, then meditate to clear my head before bed. I'm also drinking herbal tea and not having caffeine after noon-time!

I hope everyone has time to chill out at least once a day! Cut out the things that we think we need to do, but no one really ever cares about.

If your husband needs a gift for his secretary, have him buy it. And the same with the kids.

If you need to bake or cook use pre made crusts, have kids help or do a cookie swap. There's always an easier way to do things and people might want to help, they just don't know what to do!

We use to pick names of the grownups and buy one gift for someone.  We would spend $35.  It doesn't sound like it would be stressful, but if someone was only getting one gift, you would want to make it special.  I found that very stressful.  So a few years ago we started having a Yankee Swap.  We still buy for the children, but any adult or child that wants to participate can.  We spend $15 and there is no pressure, because when you open the gift you pick you can always switch it with someone else.  I like seeing what the most sought after gift is.  And if neighbors or friends come over they can always participate and don't have to feel left out from a family exchanging gifts.

If anyone has any special traditions for their holiday celebrations I would love to hear about them.  There is always room for more traditions.  Or changing the ones we have to see what works.

Be ProActive With Online Safety!

Has everyone Googled themselves at least once? I try to Google myself a few times a year. It is amazing what kind of stuff you can find out just by knowing someone's name. It seems like anytime you write a review on a product or place it comes up when you Google your name. You can find out people's relatives, addresses and phone numbers. What social networks they belong too and anyone they know that has died.

Is this a good thing? It can be. I have connected with a few friends from when I was growing up and we get to keep in touch. I can also offer my condolences to people at online obituaries. And when I lived far from my family, I had a way of staying in their lives on a daily basis.

But what about when you don't want someone to find you? I think if you have a private FaceBook account it shouldn't come up when people search your name. If it's private, they shouldn't even be able to find out you have one. Is that asking too much?

We tell our children to keep their social networking pages private and only "friend" people they know. Which I would change to, only people your parents have met and agree to having them friend.

Knowing someone nowadays is so vague with social networking. Most children don't even know who most of their friends are online. I've seen pages where children have hundreds of friends. I don't know about you, but even at my age, I haven't had that many friends throughout my lifetime.

I check on my nieces and nephews every once-in-awhile to make sure they're safe online. I did find one posted their cell number and another their address, but that was taken care of in a matter of minutes. Parents need to keep on top of these things. And just because they took things down, does not mean they won't be back on again. Keep checking.

And here we are telling our children how to be safe online and about posting pictures and who friends you. But then we, as adults, go and put all kinds of family pictures and videos online. And lots of us will friend just about anyone that knows someone that knows someone we know. Is that any safer? We should start practicing what we preach. On Facebook, if someone likes something on your page, their friends can usually see it.

So I advise all of you out there to check your children's online profiles today and then go and check your own. Make sure things you wouldn't have your child post are not posted on your site.

And go Google yourself! Have a happy and safe day!

Have You Ever Felt Invisible?

When I was little, I always wanted to know all the rules so I could follow them implicitly! And this craziness has followed me to my adulthood!

I actually don't like rules. But when they're there there's nothing to do but comply!

When you follow the rules, people don't notice you because you fade into the routines that people take for granted. Like the sun rising and setting, it is taken for granted.

I was also shy and agreeable until I was in my thirties. I thought I had left all that invisibility behind me! But I realized this week, I hadn't!

As you read in a previous post, I started a new job last week. I had three days of training. Then on Monday I worked on the register. As I left I asked my manager when I was scheduled to work again. She told me she didn't have my schedule yet and not to worry, she would call me when I was working!

Well, it's now Thursday and there has been no call! I again feel invisible! I was not hired as a on-call employee. They never even said if my $7,000 register cashed out correctly. They don't let you count your own draw to see if it's right. Which to me, is an awful way to run a company!

So I've been posting resumes for other companies and am waiting to see how long it takes "my job" to call me. Then I will quit.

What would any of you do in this situation?

Answer These Will You Please?

Do customers mind waiting in a long line if they know they will get good service at the end?

What is more important, a friendly cashier? Or someone who is solely focused on their job?

If a cashier makes a mistake and you must wait, do you like when they make small talk?

Would you pick the cashier that was happy, or the one that was fast?

Do you enjoy when the cashier is complaining about their job?

If you liked the cashier, would you tell management? Or let it go?

If you didn't like the cashier would you tell management? Or let it go? Thanks for your time!

Does Everyone Feel Like This?

Does everyone get nervous on their first day of actual work (not orientation/training)?  I am a grown ass 54 year old, somewhat intelligent woman and I'm nervous going to work on a register.

Maybe it's because I understand the importance of doing a good job.  Or maybe it's the whole money thing, where I don't want to shortchange the company or the members.

Or maybe, like high school, I just want everyone to like me.  Is it really that simple?

During training I took notes.  When I came home I compiled them on a piece of paper.  It helps me remember them when I rewrite them.  Then I typed them up and printed them out to fit on small pieces of paper so I can keep them in my pocket.

My husband says I'm crazy.  They pay minimum wage.  But I say, who cares what they pay, I want to do the best I can do.  And who wants to look like an idiot when the job is supposedly simple?  I would rather be over prepared than under prepared.

I have always been a little neurotic and over do things.  

I don't understand why companies train the way they do.  They put you in a room all by yourself and make you watch the most awful, boring computer pages (not even movies).  There is no one to ask questions.  And they don't supply you with paper and a pen to take notes.

I actually wanted to take a picture of the cash register to memorize where all the keys were.

At one of my jobs we would put the cash register in "training mode" and have different scenarios happen so we would get hands on training before customers and mayhem came.  All jobs should train you hands on before meeting customers.

They should also give you cheat sheets of how to log on and off of your register and how to make money drops, frank checks, do voids and any other pertinent information you may need.

Today I will be thrown on my own register after 3 days of orientation and "training".  And a few hours of trying to watch others on their register.  Which was very hard to see with a carriage and employee in the way!  And with my own little cheat sheets that I hope I wrote down correctly.  Even though some of my notes looked a little sketchy.

After writing this blog post, I have come to the realization that it is my perfectionism that is making me nervous.  I DO NOT like to make mistakes.  Or especially look dumb in front of others.  I even took a summer school class in high school for typing, the summer before I had to take it that year so that I was prepared for class.

So today, after meditating this morning, I will go to work with the words of Deepak Chopra in my mind..."My actions are blissfully free from attachment of the outcome"!  I will do my best, as we say to our children, and "It is what it is"!

Let's hope it works.

Have an awesome day!

A Glass Of Wine And A Straw

Today I came home from work and found out my husband was working late. Good for us, bad for me!

I hadn't worked in over a year and have been sick with a fever and sore throat for two days! I just got a job and every night I've come home so far, my darling husband was there to cook and take care of me.

Well today there was no such luck! All the dishes and pans were dirty and all I wanted was to sit and have a glass of wine. Never mind that I was also starving. So my solution was to put my wine in a tall glass with a straw. Well wouldn't you know, I finished all the pans and dishes and the glass of wine.

So next time you think you need to make a choice, give it some thought and you just may come up with an awesome way to multitask!

Yelled at on Second Day!

As I was watching training videos on the computer at work I decided to take notes. After about 15 minutes I hear my boss from behind her cubicle yelling, "stop texting, stop texting, stop texting" she then comes out from behind the cubicle and I realized she was talking to me. I was flabbergasted! I didn't have paper or anything to write with, so I used my note app on my phone! I hadn't realized what it looked like!

After I told her what I was doing. She said "oh, okay. You didn't seem like that kind of person, to text at work! I guess everyone isn't into technology. But it sure was nice to know I could take notes without having paper!

Later on at break she said, "are you reading those notes you took?" And I said no. After thinking about it, I think she was sarcastic and I don't think she believed me about taking notes!

A Home Inspection Is Worth Every Penny!

Yesterday we went to have our house inspected with our new realtor.  The first time we saw the house it looked dirty and smelly, but we could deal with that for $149,900.  But we would never buy a house without a home inspection.  Our realtor called someone she works with and he met us at the house.

When we got to the house he was already there standing out front.  The first thing he pointed out to us, was rot in the front from termites, which were still there.  He then went on to explain how termites work.  As we walked around the outside of the house he noticed the front stairs were unusable, the back concrete stairs were falling apart and the bottom riser was way to high.  In the back they had put lawn chairs in front of spaces in the basement that they had closed up with plywood and the gutters were fixed with caulking that had turned orange.

As we went inside he noticed that most of the windows had no storm windows and the new windows were so thin and cheap that we would probably end up also replacing them!  The front door was inside a bedroom.  Another bedroom smelled like smoke, and the third bedroom had water stains on the ceiling.

In the basement there was mold.  The washing machine was hooked up to an outlet that was good for a hair dryer, but not a major appliance.  The "new" heating system only had a replaced motor from 1999. The oil tank was leaking.  And for some reason the realtor had to tell the owner to make sure there was oil in the tank so we could make sure the heat was working.  So she put very little in.  How were they heating the house?

When we first saw the electrical panel we were excited because they were breakers.  But come to find out, when he took the panel cover off, it was all done wrong with too many attachments.

There was a mobile home vent under the sink in the bathroom (illegal), ungrounded kitchen outlets, asbestos pipe insulation in the basement, iron rot in the cast iron pipes, and lead paint all along the perimeter of the house where they scraped it to make it sellable.

We figured out that with a 203k loan, that it would have ended up costing us $200,000 and it wouldn't be a $200,000 house after we finished.

Our realtor said we could bring our price down, but it was too much to take on.  (I didn't mention everything).  And when we got home, I checked the listing again, and it was down to $99,000.  Our realtor had talked to the owner and re-listed the property taking out "updated electrical" and adding in rehab loan, all in a matter of hours.   Then she emailed me 9 other properties.  Now that's what I call efficient.

We are going to see one tonight.  We are finally happy with our third realtor and happy with our inspector.  Who, by the way, gave us a $75 discount.

Weirdest Symptom I've Ever Heard Of

Mildew/Mold Poisoning

Other Symptoms

• Other symptoms include excessive weight loss, an irregular heart beat, brittle nails, temporary loss of fingerprints, joint muscle stiffness, seizures, infertility, miscarriage, changes in menstrual cycle, night sweats, numbness in the face, cancer, bruising or scarring easily and chronic fatigue. Individuals who have been exposed to mildew poisoning can also have hypersensitivity or anaphylaxis. These symptoms should not be taken lightly because different symptoms have different effects on each individual. People who do not treat these symptoms can die from mildew poisoning.Read more: Signs of Mildew Poison | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_5798439_signs-mildew-poison.html#ixzz2D99P0kJj

  
  

  How does someone loss their fingerprints?  So if you have mold poisoning it is the best time to commit a crime.

An Hourly Thanks

Today on this wonderful day of Thanksgiving, my husband and I have decided to say one thing we are thankful for each hour! Is anyone else up for the challenge?

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

54 Things I've Learned In 54 Years!

Today is my 54th Birthday and I have been thinking about my life and what I have learned. I thought I would share some of my insights with my readers. I have learned:

1. Family IS always there for you no matter what.
2. All you need to clean when company is coming is your kitchen and bath!
3. What you say is way more important than what you wear.
4. No matter what your age, you can always find a date.
5. Cell phones, social networks and computers are fantastic and horrible.
6. You should always be aware of your surroundings.
7. Like the book says, you really don't have to sweat the small stuff.
8. The library is still a pertinent place to go.
9. Recycling is not that hard to do.
10. When you're raising children all ages are challenging so ask for help.
11. You can buy better clothes at the Salvation Army than at Walmart.
12. Cell phones counteract rage while waiting in a long line.
13. There is someone just for you, even if you don't find them till you're 45.
14. My parents really can be nice people.
15. You can survive your childhood and your children's childhood.
16. Black Friday is my least favorite day of the year.
17. You can drop friends from your life that suck the life out of you.
18. Dogs make the best friends.
19. Meditation is a necessary part of life.
20. Living on autopilot is dangerous and not very fun.
21. You can drink wine everyday and be healthy.
22. Doctors get paid too much and do too little, I would rather have a nutritionist/trainer.
23. It's very easy to say I Love You to the ones you care about.
24. Hugs are way underrated.
25. Vinegar CAN clean everything.
26. Getting rid of Blue Laws completely, is wrong.
27. You can teach yourself anything if you can read.
28. Watching children or dogs play can get rid of any bad mood.
29. Everyone just wants to be heard. So really listen when someone is talking.
30. Being vegan does not mean being healthy.
31. You really don't ever forget how to ride a bike.
32. You never stop being a Mother.
33. Closets are important.
34. Country music has a song for everything that has happened in your life.
35. You can get a good job without going to college.
36. Everyone needs to go on at least one road trip with someone they like.
37. God is everywhere so you don't have to go to church to talk.
38. Bookcases are a very important piece of furniture.
39. Christmas movies are good anytime of the year.
40. Having money does NOT make you happier. Knowing what to do with it does.
41. Listen to all the experts, pick what you like and leave the rest.
42. Football is pretty easy to understand.
43. No is an easy word to say!
44. You can go through life without using paper towels.
45. Getting things for free is always fun.
46. Wireless headphones can save your marriage.
47. Raking is great exercise.
48. Even when you clean up after your dog, you will always step in something.
49. Blueberry's make me happy.
50. Leaf blowers were the worst invention ever.
51. Your children can teach you things.
52. You don't have to shave your legs after 50. (It stops growing.) TMI?
53. There are people out there that will help if you just ask.
54. And last, but not least, my children turned out pretty good even though I wasn't perfect.

Have A Fantastic Day Everyone!

Crazy coincidence Part 1

I was watching a recorded episode of Jay Leno because Tim Allen was on. It was from a few nights ago. When it was over, I deleted it and was on regular tv and there was Tim Allen again. I thought I was still on The Tonight Show! It was Home Improvement! How odd!

Why Do People Let It Get To This?

Beautiful home with great size yard and an awesome price. But we can't buy it because the copper pipes are missing and FHA won't approve that!

MLS:71418825

How do people let it get to that point? Can't they rent it for a reasonable price before they can't afford it anymore? Or sell it for a low price before people tear it apart! I guess I won't understand unless I'm in that position.

I hope people have learned their lesson on buying things they can't afford? Buy only what you can afford on one person's salary. I know two people can lose their jobs, but that's less likely!

Rent costs more than some mortgages so buy a smaller home and pay it off quicker.

At my age, buying a house is a lot different because I know I won't be moving a few more times. And I want it paid off before I'm 84 so double payments are a must! I'm definitely not buying something I can't afford, but also at this age, it's hard to look at fixer uppers!

My Husband Is The Best

All I had to do was mention once that I wanted a birthday week and not just one day! Since then everyday he's done something special. Breakfast in bed, a scratch ticket, a coffee & croissant! And he comes home saying where's my birthday girl!

I know most people like to forget about their birthdays the older they get, but for some reason the older I get the more I like to celebrate them.

I told my husband it's because as a kid I had to celebrate it with my sister who was born the day before me six years later. But now I enjoy being born near each other. It makes us like twins.

Have a beautiful day everyone! I know I will!

Cool Ways To Save Money

Go online and check out some restaurants that you like. Then sign up for their cards. Then for your birthday you will get special things!

So far I've received a medium size DUnkin Donuts coffee, free breakfast at IHop, free burger at Ruby Tuesdays, a free entree at the Chateau with one purchased. I plan on going to P.F. Changs for my birthday dinner, so I just signed up for their card. Just in the nick of time because my birthday is next week!

Have fun and get your free stuff! It's cool!

Henry Van Dyke

Use what talent you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang the best - Henry Van Dyke

Time To Start Fresh

This weekend was the last straw. A home we saw about a month ago came back on the market and our realtor never told us. So I called him because he was the one that showed it to us and I thought that was the right thing to do.

We didn't need to see it again, just put a bid down. So he wrote up the agreement for our bid and emailed it to me. The first one had our wrong town written down so he redid it and emailed it again. This time he emailed it a different way and I wasn't able to print it. Then I got the great idea to have him put 0 in the down payment spot because the sign in front of the home said buy with $0 down. He finally did that and I was finally able to print it out.

Today was the day he was to come to our house and get the signed agreement and a check for $1,000. So I waited for his call. When he finally called he said that when he talked to the homes realtor, he said we need to put 2-2.5% down instead of just $1,000. He also said that we would have to pay for the inspection (which I don't know why he was saying this because we knew this for months now)! And he said we would have to wait 90 days before we knew if we were getting the house because it was a short sale. It sounded like he was talking us out of it. He told us the other day it would take at least 3 months and on the paperwork it said closing was in March 2013!

So after a long rigamarole of him mumbling about the transaction, I said forget about it. We will put this house behind us. I then proceeded to tell him that we were changing directions and trying to qualify for a 203k loan (rehab), because most of the homes we've seen need lots of work. This was also my way of telling him we were going a different way in realtors. But he didn't get my hint. He said to call him when I find something. Hey wait, isn't he the realtor? Shouldn't he be finding me stuff? He works part-time because he's retired. He might sell 1-2 houses a year and he's telling me to call him when I find something. That was the last straw.

WE ARE GOING WITH ANOTHER REALTOR. I AM PREDICTING THAT WE WILL FIND THE PERFECT HOUSE FOR US IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH! And the best part about our new realtor is, THEY will be doing a lot of the searching!

Helping Elderly Parents

Our parents put up with our crazy childhood and teenage years, then we need to put up with their craziness when they're older! Hoarding is one of the things. They feel like they're losing everything so they hold onto the past! We need to gently persuade them that they will feel more free getting rid of things holding them to the past!

I was very proud of my Dad today. He is a hoarder of books and all reading material! He gladly said yes we can give away at least two thirds of his reading stuff!

We need to feel what they are going through and be gentle in getting rid of their things. If we stay connected with them they will need to be less attached to things and more into making new memories with their family!

My Job

I want to thank everyone that has been reading my blog. This is how I earn a living because I wasn't able to get a job for the last year. Finally I found a job, but will continue blogging. A little about me: I live in a basement apartment with my husband and my two mutts that I adopted from an Illinois shelter. I am house hunting, but would definitely love to renovate a church, but for some reason they won't let us get a 203k loan that would help us renovate. I'm hoping to come up with interesting things to entertain my readers. If there is anything you want to know about, have any questions or problems, just let me know and I will see how I can help you out. Thanks again, Ruth B.

Your Dreams

If you are at a dream job and it is not your dream, change your life and follow YOUR own dream! Let the person who's dream it is, have the job!

By Joseph Campbell

The privilege of a lifetime is to be who you are!

Afraid of Smart Phones

My husband is the type of person that never ever wanted a smart phone. He had the kind that just made phone calls because he said, "that's what phones are for"! I, on the other hand, will use any kind of new technology you give me even if I don't know how to use it.

Since I got my smart phone I play a lot of games, get on FB, check maps and read my mail every 5 minutes. My husband was actually getting jealous of all the time I spent on my phone. So when his contract was up this year I kept saying, "Get a smart phone"! To be more specific, get an iPhone! The iPhone 4 was free at the time because the 5 had just come out.

So we went to the Verizon store and he bought the iPhone 4. It was like a little kid getting his first toy. I could not believe how happy he was and how much fun he was having with it. He is not very tech savy. He doesn't even use his email account on our computer so I was a little worried.  I downloaded a few of the apps I use like Words With Friends so we could play games together when he's at work and I downloaded a few quiz apps so he would have something fun to do while waiting in the morning. 

Today he came home from work and showed ME an app that he had downloaded (all by himself) and I was quite impressed. It was something I had never heard about called Around Me.

Now he is not so upset when I am sitting around playing with my phone because he can do the same thing and knows how much fun it can be. I did give him the FB app and setup an account for him and put some friends in there, but he still isn't into the social networking facet of the phone. But I bet that someday, I will open up my FB page and there will be a post from him. Even if it is only on my birthday saying Happy Birthday!

Around the Country Laws On Ballot

Los Angeles passed that you must wear condoms while doing porn.

Arizona does not want to own the Grand Canyon. Want the Feds to care for it!

Colorado and Washington legalized Marijuana. Oregon failed it

Massachusetts legalized medical marijuana!

Massachusetts passed right to repair! (which to me was a stupid question to even have)

Voting

Waiting in long lines could work for the democrats because they're use to waiting for things in long lines!

Dogs Off Leash?

As I'm sitting here in South Boston two dogs, rather large at 75 lbs are unleashed. But behaving rather well! I still think they should always be leashed because anything could happen. Some people are truly afraid of dogs.

Do Not

Do not tell me to meet you at 12:30, change it to 12:00, then still not be here by 12:17! All I have to say about that is WTF? And no phone call or text! We need to give you our info, but you don't use it???

Town Crime Statistics

I was looking for a towns crime rate on A Trulia map! It's a great site to check that stuff! But then I checked further to see what crimes were happening in that spot! Most, if not all were motor vehicle issues! Which made me think that you really need to investigate when it says crime. A really nice town to live in will have police pulling cars over for speeding and checking licenses!

Vice Presidents

I was just wondering why the President has never picked a different running mate for their second term as President? I really don't like Joe Biden! He has always seemed a little out of it to me! I never understood why Obama picked him. And now, after four years of talking without thinking, I think he should be fired!

Have they ever gotten rid of a Vice President before a President? Well I think it's about time they start!

Note: this in no way says what party I am affiliated with!

Caution Signs

Would I feel compelled to hit this trailer if there were say, children or dogs in the trailer? I think everyone should put caution signs on their vehicles! Like, caution I text while driving, caution I don't use a turn signal, caution I just had a few drinks, caution I make left hand turns from the right lane!

It would make everyone aware of our slight driving imperfections and give us something to read while in traffic instead of reading our cellphones!

What Realtors Are Really Saying

Looking online again for a house. I've been noticing some click words like, cozy means small, elbow grease means tons of work, near public transportation and great park means lots of noise and on a busy street. But this sentence really got to me. It said New 3 BR septic 1999. How can the word new mean anything else but new? I would have written it as "septic was put in in 1999"! Lower on down the page it says "Sewer Utilities: Inspection Required for Sale, Private Sewerage - Title 5: Buyer's Responsibility Disclosures: Short sale subject to 3rd party approval; Sold "as is"; Title V buyer responsibility. So please, posters of any real estate, please don't be stupid enough to think we will fall for your deceptive quaint wording. We are much smarter than you realize. And in the future, remember that NEW means just that NEW. Putting it in front of a year that is 13 years ago, does not make it better.

They Need To Sell It.

I just saw a listing for 3.1 acres in the town I now live in. It is only going for $58,000, and most half acre lots go for $150,000. It says buildable area in rear after drainage ditch crossing. If I was the listing agent I would say, "Great place for your castle. Already has the beginnings of a moat in the front yard, just build your drawbridge and you're all set." Doesn't that sound much better? Added note: As I'm writing this, it is saying that buildable is spelled wrong. It is driving me crazy because I've checked it. If anyone knows of another way to spell that word, please feel free to let me know. Thanks for reading. And clicking my ads so I can afford to move.

I Thought The Internet Made Things Easier???

I've been looking online at houses for the last few months. It sounds like a fun and easy thing to do. And it should be, but for some reason the Real Estate companies like to make it challenging. Probably to keep their jobs safe. I put in my criteria and up pops a lovely home for way under the $200,000 that we can afford. And it says New Construction. How can this be possible?

So I click on the house and it pulls up the information. And it says Built in 1900. So I guess that this is a really old posting, hahaha! Get it? It was posted in 1900 on the internet? (sorry, I needed to explain incase you didn't find it funny)

Sign Language

I was watching the Governor speaking about the aftermath of the storm. There was a sign language interpreter on the side. I don't understand why they are wasting money on sign language interpreters when they can use the money for storm recovery. Is it to show they are politically correct? Wouldn't it be better to have close captioning? Not all people that have a hard time hearing or are deaf can understand sign language.

Let me know what your thoughts are about this please!

Flooding Food Tip

I heard on GMA this morning that any food that is in flood water should be thrown away. Even sealed containers and jars. The only safe food would be in cans. Soak the cans in bleach and rinse thoroughly.

Hurricane Sandy

Why do people run to the store and stock their refrigerators? They are waiting to lose power, yet fill something that works best when plugged in. I don't get it!

So we just went to the store and bought fruit, dried fruit and granola bars and protein bars. We also have almond milk unrefrigerated. And of course a bottle of wine.

Get smarter, people!

How To Get America Slimmer

Just thought of this as I was wondering what to eat for lunch...Why don't they make food prices the amount of calories that are in them? That way poor people would get thinner and healthier and rich people would get fatter. Except the cheap ones.

Stupid Dog Owners

Let me preface by saying that I love pit bulls! It's their owners that I dislike!

When I was out on a walk with my two dogs I saw the most beautiful red nosed pit and American Staffordshire Terrier. A man was holding them on strong leashes and walking with his wife/girlfriend and baby in a carriage. I was walking between the water on a small piece of land with not much room for four dogs. Thank goodness I was almost off when they saw me and turned around to sit on a bench and wait. That was the smartest thing they did.

As we walked far enough away from them they commented on how beautiful my dogs were and I said the same of theirs. Then they proceeded to tell me that their dogs do not get along or like other dogs. That scared me. What If I had been in the middle of the land? What if he lost hold of his dogs? Who the hell brings two massive dogs that don't like dogs to a place where everyone, especially woman and the elderly, walk their dogs?

And why on Earth would they walk them down the center strip with only enough room for two people. They are out of their minds.

They probably take them to dog parks to see how many dogs they can catch!!! And to know they have a baby and will teach it to treat pits this way is horrifying. It's why the stereotype of these beautiful dogs is tarnished and will not change.

My dog Dallas is half Am Staff! She is a beautiful and friendly dog. Towards people and animals.

Prices Are Up Or People Are delusional!

So far today I've seen two houses online for $200,000. They both had a quarter acre or less of land and needed lots of work or a septic system. They were 1,000 sf or less! I hope the owners are delusional or we'll never get a house!

Open Houses

So yesterday we ventured out to an open house.  Saturday we also went to one.  They were both too much money.  Saturday's house they were just putting in a new septic system.  The Realtor made sure that she told us it cost $55,000.  What I got from that is they want the asking price so they make some money.  It was going for $220,000.  $20,000 over our budget, yikes!

The one on Saturday was small and had a little less than an acre of land.  It was going for $212,000.  It just came on the market and the women's mother was the realtor.  In my opinion, it will not sell for that.  It bothered me that they painted all the walls a pretty color and left the front door scraped and dirty.  In both bedrooms they had sliding doors for the closets.  In the children's bedroom (little children), the door was not attached on the bottom.  Seemed quite dangerous to me.  The basement didn't smell bad like most of the  others we've been in.

I think since we went alone to these open houses, that we can't bring our Realtor in on it and get him half the commission.  We signed in, which probably wasn't a good idea if we want our realtor to be involved.

This is what you get for $55,000 in septic systems.  

What The Hell????

Are they purposely trying to fatten America? Who is giving their babies any kind of oil??? Am I the only one that finds this insanely dumb? How about fresh fruits and veggies with no oil?!!

Another Chance? I Don't Think So!

We found out today that the house that we liked the most fell through with the other buyers. Problem was, in the first place, that our bid should have been in first, but the sellers realtor said she never saw it.

The buyers had an inspection done and the inspector saw termite damage and an old pipe draining from the two year old septic system. They offered $200,000 we offered $190,000. I guess they walked away. The termite damage was from 1992 and is checked yearly with a warranty from the company. As I said before, we really liked this house and now our realtor is saying we can have it if we give them $195,000. But we were being bullied. At least that's how I felt. The other realtor called our bank and found out how much we could afford and said that $195,000 should not be a problem for us. (We offered $195,000 when it had no problems) I thought she had a lot of nerve to assume that. They should have lowered the price to $190,000.

Our realtor was talking fast and telling us what a great deal it was. We were saying, "why won't they spend a couple of hundred dollars to change the pipe if that's the only problem?" He said because the other people were stressing them out by asking for lots of things. I heard they were getting the buyers to pay $5,000 of the closing costs so it was more or less the same bid. I was going to ask them to clean up the appliances and antique cars from the yard and get rid of all the wet wood. And put doorknobs on all the doors, since they took all the nice glass ones off and left them empty. These people sounded very greedy. The house was paid off and their father had passed away two years ago. They were getting all the money from the house and the antique cars (one of which I checked online was $35,000)! If they really wanted to just get rid of it and not worry about it anymore, why didn't they take $190,000?

I've decided to stop looking for awhile. Unless of course our realtor decides to look for houses for us. I've been looking for a house as a full-time job.

A Beautiful Antique Home?

Come on people in the real estate world, give me a break. We went to see a house Saturday. It was built in 1760. The pictures were beautiful of this home and the yard was awesome.

I drove by the outside of it and the area a few days before, as I usually do and I loved it. Well, when we got inside there were water stains on the ceiling and everything was really old. There was a beautiful staircase in the front of the house, but when you looked at it closer, it was dangerous on one side.

There was dryrot outside that went all the way through to the partial basement.

And the roof was wavy and needed to be replaced and so did all the windows. The window openings were small and some extremely small that to replace them you would have had to enlarge the openings.

Agents should start taking pictures of the "real" house. Why are they wasting my time and the time of every broker out there. Sure it gets us to go see the house, but it's not going to change our mind on buying it. Most people qualify for FHA loans and they need to be in practically pristine condition. Would I have liked to buy this house if I qualified for a 203K or any other kind of loan? Probably yes! It had a lot of beautiful features.

And once the rug was pulled up in this room, the smell of cat urine would have gone away. This house was actually $15,000 above our range, but I figured it was on the market for at least 7 months so they would probably go down. Well the day we saw it, it had already gone down $5,000.

They were having an open house the next day. I'm sure if someone put a bid on it, it was for a lot less than they were asking. And to them I say Good Luck! But next time don't waste my time seeing a home that needs so much work. So far I only saw two that were truthful with their pictures. Sure they probably didn't get as many people to see it. But they got the right people to see it. And lots of homes we are seeing will say Title V: Not Done. Which means that they are waiting on a bid to spend the $300-$500 to check if it passes. A house we put a bid on was like this. Then we find out it didn't pass Title V. How does that even make sense? Get your ducks lined up and make sure the house is sellable. AND AGAIN, STOP WASTING OUR TIME!!!!!

Children's Style

I was at our local pizza place picking up dinner and I saw a little girl. She was 4-5 years old. She was wearing Ugg boots and a dungaree mini skirt and her hair was all done up with glittery things. Now some of you may call this a fashion forward child, but isn't this kind of fashion designed for teenagers? Also, her Dad was inside the restaurant waiting for his food and she was playing around on the stairs outside and near the parking lot. It was dark out and it was busy. Have I just become too old to understand how little girls should dress? In my opinion, anyone under the age of 15 should not be wearing teenage styles. What ever happened to Garanimals? I think they should come out with cuter more stylish Garanimals to help parents learn how to dress their CHILDREN! And while they're at it, maybe they can put parenting tips on the labels.

Low Fat Vs. Regular

One of these is reduced fat, but it has more carbohydrates! And it is not called peanut butter! It's called peanut butter spread! The one on the left is peanut butter!

People read your labels! Reduced fat is not always, and usually less healthy than the regular! The peanut butter spread also had more ingredients! Yuck! I will take the real stuff for 10 more calories!