Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Nooo, November!

     This week begins a new direction. Just for fun (and to beef up the savings account), I took a seasonal job at Tuesday Morning. I start Tuesday, ironically. It's only 10-20 hours weekly -- and it only goes through Christmas. But the extra dollars should help. (If I can keep myself from spending extra there, due to the employee discount, that is.) The pay is nowhere near teaching and appraising, but for now, it's ok. 
     I still would like to try working at Little Caesar's. The writer in me is very curious about what goes on there. But the Brick is adamant -- no way. 
     My last teaching gig was last week, and the appraising always slows down this time of year. (Clients seem to have other things to think about, for some odd reason! :) I plan to put some extra hours into scrubbing and cleaning up piles around the house, too. 
     Thanks to several wonderful sales, the ingredients for this year's Seven Fish Dishes are purchased. So are Thanksgiving's needs, except for some pecans and buying the turkey. (I've got a raincheck for 89-cents/lb turkey breast.) That also means, though, that the freezer and fridge are stuffed full. Perhaps I can reorganize that this week, as well.

By now, I hope you've read the outcome of the altered check. I'm sure there will be more; after all, if my little dear was indeed caught, straight off the bus, I'll probably have to furnish some kind of statement. 
      One Gentle Reader pointed out that I'll be coming out of this, making a profit. I guess that's true, if you disregard that I set aside other work while spending a very long day, traipsing around to various agencies, filing resports. And if her case does indeed go to trial, I will most probably have to spend more time and effort on it.

     Honestly though, I would rather none of this had ever happened.

     Do I feel compassion for this poor girl, who is now in a heap of trouble? Yes. Do I want to see her stopped -- so she doesn't continue to scam people? Absolutely. Hopefully this will check her now, instead of continuing the pattern into adulthood. The girl I met was bright, clever and friendly...she could go far, if she used those skills honestly. 

UPDATE: Gentle Reader is right. All Hollander impulses aside, I don't want to be seen as profiting from this experience. Once that check arrives, I will donate it -- and a good share will go to Wounded Warriors Project, I think. Thank you for keeping me on the straight and narrow!

Paladin Press is going out of business.  If you haven't heard of this gunslinging, swashbuckling survivalist publisher...some of your male family members are bound to know. (Especially if they're interested in guns.) Prices are excellent on some hard-to-find books and videos, including a whole section on historic weapons and combat techniques. There's even a very weird book on cannabilism. (Hey, I don't make this stuff up -- reality is strange enough.)
     You have until the end of November to order...maybe. Quantities are limited -- when they're gone, they're gone.

14 ways to REALLY organize your kitchen -- from someone with restaurant experience. (Thanks, Buzzfeed. P.S. They recommend this store.)

Easy Christmas stockings to make -- and fill.  Don't miss out on the comments -  more good ideas there.  (From Prudent Homemaker)

Pizza -- a bazillion different ways. In honor of our friend Trevor, who loves it. (From Good Cheap Eats)

When your health insurance doubles in price. What do you do next?  (From Mr. Money Mustache)

"How I feed my family on $300 a month...even with a gluten-free diet."  (From Moneysaving Mom)

Farm gate sales -- a great way to sell eggs, produce and other what-have-yous from home. (From Our New Life in the Country)

Adding character to plain walls with architectural molding. Sounds snooty, but it's not that hard to do, and looks great.  (From Emily Henderson)

Does bringing your lunch to work actually save money? The answer, in brief: YES.  (From Making Sense of Cents)

How to become an insanely good writer -- according to Stephen King. (Who's actually one of the best.)

Five murder mysteries almost too weird to be real. (Warning: these can get really vulgar. Intriguing -- but rude. Thanks, Cracked)

Classic diner foods to make at home -- 50 recipes.  (From Taste of Home)

Mall-style pretzels. These take a little time -- but are worth it.  (From AllRecipes) If you liked those:

School lunchroom lady rolls.  Soft, tender...delicious.

Spanish rice. Easy and good, yes -- but versatile in how it can be used elsewhere. Like in bean burritos.  (From The Prudent Homemaker)

Thirteen things found on the Internet. Including an incredible Spartanburg, SC mansion due to be demolished, and some Really Weird dance costumes.  (From Messy Nessy Chic, who does this interesting list weekly.)

Appetizers ready in 15 minutes? Yes, thanks to Betty Crocker. Think how handy these will be during the holidays, especially for unexpected guests. Like this artichoke dip:

Have a great week. And don't hesitate to stand up for yourself and your family! 
            It's not easy...but it's worth it.

photo via Pinterest