tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29330976123063434732024-03-18T13:32:48.269-06:00Brickworks - A Brick Looks At LifeCindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.comBlogger4730125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-17994810995761497582024-03-18T13:04:00.008-06:002024-03-18T13:32:16.322-06:00Monday Stuff On the way to Other Stuff: Meltdown<p> <i> The nice thing about Colorado is that we have these horrendous snowstorms -- and within a few days, they're melting off -- fast. Although the woodpile and trees still show a good amount of white stuff, our deck and driveway are fairly dry. I used to plant spinach on St. Patrick's Day in Castle Rock (6250 ft elevation). However, if I did it here (8600 ft.), I would have had to shovel snow off the planting beds. Guess that needs to wait for a week or two.</i></p><p><i> It may be sunny during the day, but is still cold after sunset. Time for another log on the fire.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7FJi4eo2bIyAl9Nkx4rKBI3AazMaTrMuhqBm7c9jVHMxDKopMmpm-sMqkF3RWTf4ATIp-ZyMh0PAeoFxVvSKV1Rxy8Kd2vPeGVkK7w3dukUIZWdtMRvrmwrwAvzvgH4_uZwadggU2xs8TWUqCAB7vDur8i12WPAXAQvope5wvtdJzDR4H0yOOUDw6UdW/s852/this%20persons%20house%20and%20fireplace%20-%20not%20their%20cat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7FJi4eo2bIyAl9Nkx4rKBI3AazMaTrMuhqBm7c9jVHMxDKopMmpm-sMqkF3RWTf4ATIp-ZyMh0PAeoFxVvSKV1Rxy8Kd2vPeGVkK7w3dukUIZWdtMRvrmwrwAvzvgH4_uZwadggU2xs8TWUqCAB7vDur8i12WPAXAQvope5wvtdJzDR4H0yOOUDw6UdW/w329-h400/this%20persons%20house%20and%20fireplace%20-%20not%20their%20cat.jpg" width="329" /></a></div><i><br /></i><p></p><p><i>Meanwhile:</i></p><p><b><a href="https://denvergazette.com/outtherecolorado/outdoors/a-36-million-year-old-mystery-solved-gem-reveals-secret-to-castle-rocks-formation/article_db61ff10-157d-5a62-9bdc-11bc6e414f07.html?utm_source=paid&utm_medium=outbrain&utm_campaign=otc-craft&utm_content=traffic&utm_term=castle-rock&dicbo=v4-briwcgd-1131265051">The secret to the 'castle' formation in Castle Rock, Colorado -- opal and chalcedony!</a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/1800-year-old-artifact-unearthed-during-routine-construction-complete-mystery">A Roman bust emerges during a construction project in Great Britain</a></b>...where did it come from, and why? (Theories are included.)</p><p><b><a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/crafts-retailer-joann-files-bankruptcy-81-years"><i>Joann's</i> has filed for bankruptcy.</a></b>.. sewers everywhere are mourning. (Fortunately, the stores are still open.)</p><p><b><a href="https://www.domino.com/lifestyle/real-haunted-house-weston-connecticut/?utm_term=Domino_Daily_03.17.2024&utm_campaign=2024_Domino%20Daily_Engaged&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email">'we bought a 1700's home with lots of charm...and maybe a ghost.'</a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.thekitchn.com/grandma-adele-lasagna-trick-23635231?utm_medium=k_daily&user_email=3b9bfe92fdb23d28e009d8fb0222f64a660ab171aed1115d58de96608d9c08bd&lctg=5f7e5bf534cffc000dae4e42&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_campaign=K%20Daily%20Sat%20%28Reg%29&utm_term=K%20Daily%20-%2090%20days%20engaged%20NEW">Grandma's secret for great lasagna was... cinnamon and sugar?</a></b> Yes, according to this foodie. (From<i> thekitchn</i>) </p><p><b><a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/brooklyn-museum-selling-period-rooms-2452305">The Brooklyn Museum is selling off four of its 'period' rooms -</a></b>- including antique furniture. They say they need the room for 'new collections.' <i>Hmmm...</i></p><p><b><a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/want-to-commit-art-fraud-an-expert-shares-5-strategies-2428909">Five different ways to commit art fraud</a></b>. <i> I'm not sure I'd brag about this, but...at least it's a warning what to look for.</i></p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/class-action-lawsuits/article-13197173/walmart-customers-class-action-lawsuit-overcharged.html">Look into this class action settlement for walmart customers </a></b>-- if you shop there, you should be eligible!</p><p><b><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/12/us-news/biden-forgot-year-of-son-beaus-death-trumps-election-special-counsel-interview-transcript/">Absentmindedness. Sheer absentmindedness. </a></b>I'm sure that's it...</p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13187601/special-counsel-robert-hur-biden-classified-documents-capitol-hill.html">Or just plain forgetful.</a></b> Yeah, that's the ticket.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/08/the-unsolvable-harry-winston-diamond-heists">The 'unsolvable' Harry winston diamond heists.</a></b>..the mastermind behind them may still be a free man.</p><p><b><a href="https://theprudenthomemaker.com/ten-ways-to-add-joy-to-your-life-when-you-don-t-have-a-penny-to-spare/">"Ten ways to add joy to your life, even when you don't have a penny to spare."</a></b> I know I've mentioned this post from<i> The Prudent Homemaker</i> before, but it's so important.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjC5tWbFqR5X41AIpGHjcbUaKrfUJnaPEavSwawa4I5x2wLCez-KvX7khabvANDTQw2mau5MQ4M1R-CVnscL_I439eD8_J8JgtaXLq7zRfqze6nqz2gBYRy9tz3rRSai9LhJwl-xvFiYkYpcJNwj9iG2DbisVgBQmuwzs7DYwfVZHztEurJC0kysGmDZ9l7" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="563" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjC5tWbFqR5X41AIpGHjcbUaKrfUJnaPEavSwawa4I5x2wLCez-KvX7khabvANDTQw2mau5MQ4M1R-CVnscL_I439eD8_J8JgtaXLq7zRfqze6nqz2gBYRy9tz3rRSai9LhJwl-xvFiYkYpcJNwj9iG2DbisVgBQmuwzs7DYwfVZHztEurJC0kysGmDZ9l7=w427-h640" width="427" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://www.foodtalkdaily.com/posts/specialties/30-minute/easter-stuffed-carrot-crescent-rolls-44641840">Stuffed 'carrot' crescent rolls for Easter? </a></b>(No, carrots are not in the stuffing.)<br /><p></p><div><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/11/entertainment/robert-downey-wife-susan-oscars/index.html" style="font-weight: bold;">Robert Downey Jr. pays tribute to his wife's help</a><b> </b>while at the Oscars. I'll bet she was thrilled.</div></div><div><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/genius-parenting-tricks/?cexp_id=91428&cexp_var=1&_f=featured">Dozens of outstanding 'parent hacks'</a></b> -- that work for us child-free people, too.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.urbandaddy.com/articles/43474/the-irish-coffee-recipe-you-need-right-now?utm_medium=email&utm_source=editorial_ntl&utm_campaign=feature_standard_43474_20240315">A nice Irish coffee recipe. </a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/all-the-posts-since-the-beginning-of-time/">"All the posts since the beginning of time"</a></b> -- from a great FIRE blogger,<i> Mr. Money Mustache.</i></p><p>Another black eye for Harvard -- <b><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/16/us-news/harvard-professor-of-honesty-tampered-with-data-and-should-be-fired-probe/">its Professor of Honesty apparently cheated on her research. </a></b>And Harvard admits it. <i>Ouch.</i></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Have a good week.</i> </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhyfY5DYinwrchUeKaWU1AWfqTTdOJ3K9aM70pkghl3YCyhzi1Mc2TBrvfMODHvWuFbd6oC-JNy9_k5X0G8b5amM-DVuIFexdLaAK2Fyf-wER8dCBvbPxDh48PDMDqIbMenbcpndy-WjYn-fN5Mql4WAGp9CrXazc8CU8QuFO5j0bb7JL3o56fpKuZYbI/s700/weirdo%20light.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhyfY5DYinwrchUeKaWU1AWfqTTdOJ3K9aM70pkghl3YCyhzi1Mc2TBrvfMODHvWuFbd6oC-JNy9_k5X0G8b5amM-DVuIFexdLaAK2Fyf-wER8dCBvbPxDh48PDMDqIbMenbcpndy-WjYn-fN5Mql4WAGp9CrXazc8CU8QuFO5j0bb7JL3o56fpKuZYbI/w400-h400/weirdo%20light.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-35814191826618569862024-03-16T14:31:00.000-06:002024-03-16T14:31:46.993-06:00Bigfoot Terrariums - the Redux<p>I had to send this classic post back to "Draft-Land," to keep hackers from piggybacking onto it. But I thought you might enjoy another look at a very silly subject. (<i>Hee hee!</i>)</p><p>P.S. we got more than two feet of snow <b><a href="https://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2024/03/yes-its-storm.html">in the latest storm</a></b>...but it's melting fast. Typical of Colorado.</p><p>===============================</p><p> <i>I don't know about you, Gentle Readers. </i></p><i><br /></i><i>I write about saving money, shipwrecks (a new one's coming shortly), politics, food, quilts and oddball mysteries...</i><br /><i><br />I figured you'd want more of that. So what are requests coming in for?</i><br /><b><br /></b><b>How to make Bigfoot terrariums. </b><br /><br /><i>Zany.</i><br /><br />This beauty on Etsy got my attention. What a striking piece.<br /><br /><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dv_jjvpPQJM/WMJUOey2GwI/AAAAAAAAEo0/5gsGZwW4dbkTnE4Qp3irej_YcVm0l5oygCLcB/s1600/bigfoot%2Bterrarium%2Betsy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dv_jjvpPQJM/WMJUOey2GwI/AAAAAAAAEo0/5gsGZwW4dbkTnE4Qp3irej_YcVm0l5oygCLcB/s640/bigfoot%2Bterrarium%2Betsy.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><br />Then the miniature version caught my eye.<br /> There are a<b><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=Bigfoot%20terrarium&rs=typed&term_meta[]=Bigfoot%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=terrarium%7Ctyped"> surprising number of BF terrariums out there -- even kits.</a></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bih7OHfHxds/WMJUOWYHNwI/AAAAAAAAEo4/1tU3q3M1XH8Der3atQztk8ZHM3QScCSQwCLcB/s1600/bigfoot%2Bterrarium%2Btwo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bih7OHfHxds/WMJUOWYHNwI/AAAAAAAAEo4/1tU3q3M1XH8Der3atQztk8ZHM3QScCSQwCLcB/s320/bigfoot%2Bterrarium%2Btwo.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br />Why not make one (or two) Bigfoot terrariums, for the girlies?<br /><br /><i>So I did.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uDEbup_uSLU/WMMCk7Sj3YI/AAAAAAAAEps/DsfxWPaFp1otbS3YWWIsccrZ2g9kHZjqwCLcB/s1600/squatch%2Bin%2Bthese%2Bwoods.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uDEbup_uSLU/WMMCk7Sj3YI/AAAAAAAAEps/DsfxWPaFp1otbS3YWWIsccrZ2g9kHZjqwCLcB/s400/squatch%2Bin%2Bthese%2Bwoods.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><i>Or terrarium...</i></td></tr></tbody></table><i><br /></i><br /><b>Here's what I used:</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>*A large wide-mouth glass jar or decanter</b><br /> I used a pedestal jar shaped like a brandy snifter, and a covered jar--<br /> both for a buck or two each from the local thrift shop.<br /><br /><b>*Planting soil </b><br /> One bag will be more than enough. I was feeling frugal, so went out and dug some well-fertilized dirt from the chickenyard.<br /><br /><b>*At least three or four small plants</b><br /> I used a jade plant, ivy and two others. Look for smaller-sized plants with colored details or interesting leaf shapes. Get a specimen that has more than one plant in it -- then make more than one terrarium.<br /><br /><b>*Assorted rocks and gravel </b>-- preferably decorative, but use what you've got.<br /><br /><b>*A Bigfoot figurine</b>. I used the two Sasquatch <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HDSK1KQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">from this set</a></b>. (<i>Anybody need a giant Kraken, coelacanth or jackalope for their aquarium or terrarium? A friend fell in love with the fur-bearing trout, so that's gone. I'm keeping <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Ness_Monster">Nessie</a></b>.</i>)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8JxvUeMTOQ/WMJXPspgUVI/AAAAAAAAEpE/d2NMwll-Ih4ceIgl6iA1boeFZ-zTWn5iwCLcB/s1600/BF%2Bsit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8JxvUeMTOQ/WMJXPspgUVI/AAAAAAAAEpE/d2NMwll-Ih4ceIgl6iA1boeFZ-zTWn5iwCLcB/s400/BF%2Bsit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Now comes the fun part.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b><br /></b><b>Step One:</b> Clean and wipe dry your glass. (<i>Yes, you can spend big bucks on a fancy terrarium -- but large jars, fishbowls and other decorative pieces are just fine, provided they have wide mouths. You'll see why soon.)</i><br /><br /><b>Step Two:</b> Start with a thin layer of stones, decorative pebbles or gravel.<br /><br /><b>Step Three: </b> Add planting soil -- at least a few inches thick. (I think mine was 3" in the glass jar, and 2" in the snifter.)<br /><br /><b>Step Four:</b> Separate your plants into seedlings. Arrange them around the inside of your glass, gently pushing the roots down into the dirt. I covered three sides, but kept the fourth side unplanted. Aren't you glad now that you gave yourself room to move these around inside the glass, thanks to the large mouth?<br /><br /><b>Step Five:</b> Add your Bigfoot. Put it on the fourth side, inside, of the glass, so it's peeking out.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DaY1xSCTQD0/WMJbthzOh8I/AAAAAAAAEpQ/hYrDu7JSH3Mv1C5fLnup9ZM1Yd_fKbxdACEw/s1600/Bigfoot%2Bterrarium%2Bcloseup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DaY1xSCTQD0/WMJbthzOh8I/AAAAAAAAEpQ/hYrDu7JSH3Mv1C5fLnup9ZM1Yd_fKbxdACEw/s320/Bigfoot%2Bterrarium%2Bcloseup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><b>Step Six:</b> Add something else to give your large buddy perspective. Decorative rocks? (That's what I used in the glass jar above.) Perhaps some artificial trees? (That's what the large Etsy bowl used.) A decorative piece of wood, a chunk of amethyst, whatever -- but it should be something that gives your terrarium a more realistic look and adds visual interest.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YIGUdOWbucA/WMJbt9x5lKI/AAAAAAAAEpc/9QlMMS7rO3IfivDaWpYpyGKqovQ4Cib-gCEw/s1600/Bigfoot%2Bterrarium.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YIGUdOWbucA/WMJbt9x5lKI/AAAAAAAAEpc/9QlMMS7rO3IfivDaWpYpyGKqovQ4Cib-gCEw/s400/Bigfoot%2Bterrarium.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><i>This one used a large piece of white quartz, to balance out the effect of the white BF.<br />(The jar is actually sitting on top of its own lid, by the way.)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />That's it. Water lightly, and your Bigfoot terrarium is ready to amaze.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LZ6JwJWhTSM/WMJbt03-aQI/AAAAAAAAEpg/UilPy3EUGkYKPn7HV8vwa33p-hYdD03UwCEw/s1600/Bigfoot%2Bterrarium%2Bdoubled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LZ6JwJWhTSM/WMJbt03-aQI/AAAAAAAAEpg/UilPy3EUGkYKPn7HV8vwa33p-hYdD03UwCEw/s640/Bigfoot%2Bterrarium%2Bdoubled.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Keep it healthy by watering once a week, when the soil looks dry, and misting occasionally.<br /><br />These both took me about a half-hour to construct -- but I was busy fooling around with plant combinations and rock arrangements. Yours could be done in just a few minutes.<br /><br />I was surprised and pleased that the girlies liked them so much.<br /><br />For more help, <b><a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Desktop-Terrarium-with-Night-Light/?ALLSTEPS">go here</a></b>... <b><a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-beautiful-Terrarium-in-Minutes/?ALLSTEPS">or here. </a></b><br /><br /><i>Have fun.</i><br /><i><br /></i><i><br /></i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ipAOLpCvCMU/WMJbt6BsBdI/AAAAAAAAEpg/YCcOXp3ZRGkRjoLTz2BUYfs7zVfgmXzkwCEw/s1600/Bigfoot%2Bterrarium%2Bbrown%2Bcloseup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="383" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ipAOLpCvCMU/WMJbt6BsBdI/AAAAAAAAEpg/YCcOXp3ZRGkRjoLTz2BUYfs7zVfgmXzkwCEw/s400/Bigfoot%2Bterrarium%2Bbrown%2Bcloseup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i><br /></i><br />Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-32067203435106958942024-03-15T13:29:00.003-06:002024-03-15T13:29:39.226-06:00Happy St. Patrick's Day!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6u2UdEdmiKRg1akDFoav_sqUSkqc9LWWyEIPIwZ3MXd-Im-x8LVgeNNo2s99dgNMKMJT4PwcySM3zMcsVJiYCzMb-EvfXWGxetgxyyoFMCxaLg38jQZxEN0ZLCMQ9QGhK2um39Hj_75RMFqXls_QiLukQG4FKi4eS8uEndF_nwz_rIHsX0HZZwgYkSuuQ/s1500/Irish%20at%20heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6u2UdEdmiKRg1akDFoav_sqUSkqc9LWWyEIPIwZ3MXd-Im-x8LVgeNNo2s99dgNMKMJT4PwcySM3zMcsVJiYCzMb-EvfXWGxetgxyyoFMCxaLg38jQZxEN0ZLCMQ9QGhK2um39Hj_75RMFqXls_QiLukQG4FKi4eS8uEndF_nwz_rIHsX0HZZwgYkSuuQ/w432-h432/Irish%20at%20heart.jpg" width="432" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiZSyIARDSR4ZGSs6ED_mpyCN4kCfgE4ML-sJHG6fvuOYqQZ75mzydWpgBjP0vI9stDh0CXC38ji5fIxwDn9NE4gRKFu_BinIivY1oW2ovQC-tnndSnqIMEoYyxgDUVmURfjZTf-t8TJjZD5tEIiLxFQhY5xHVbOguwF5WZLkpy6ajVhwtuP76wgsg4O5/s442/St%20Patricks%20Day%20postcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="288" height="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiZSyIARDSR4ZGSs6ED_mpyCN4kCfgE4ML-sJHG6fvuOYqQZ75mzydWpgBjP0vI9stDh0CXC38ji5fIxwDn9NE4gRKFu_BinIivY1oW2ovQC-tnndSnqIMEoYyxgDUVmURfjZTf-t8TJjZD5tEIiLxFQhY5xHVbOguwF5WZLkpy6ajVhwtuP76wgsg4O5/w403-h618/St%20Patricks%20Day%20postcard.jpg" width="403" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-28617883282599192752024-03-14T16:27:00.002-06:002024-03-14T16:27:44.164-06:00Yes, It's A Storm...<p> <i> we were lucky yesterday -- only a few inches of white stuff. But neighbors just a few miles from us got a foot of snow.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lxp0-pRjIZuaWJT8d-lj6DkNu39FH6obVqF1FMOCGMY0vOY8chyOMx4g4nOEGfeJlC-gH9NKhuh04IcMc0Ce5cWi3Tp1lKe5bTjK8afoW5ctdili4NV5F1xB_cG8uK3UnXcAJVjzsCH1tKp1efKFJIJ4URJMclUP4lS3BaadzKC435T3Qw-uBYekvPyZ/s500/snow%20on%20branches.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="500" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lxp0-pRjIZuaWJT8d-lj6DkNu39FH6obVqF1FMOCGMY0vOY8chyOMx4g4nOEGfeJlC-gH9NKhuh04IcMc0Ce5cWi3Tp1lKe5bTjK8afoW5ctdili4NV5F1xB_cG8uK3UnXcAJVjzsCH1tKp1efKFJIJ4URJMclUP4lS3BaadzKC435T3Qw-uBYekvPyZ/w400-h211/snow%20on%20branches.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p><i> Today, we're making up for it -- at least a couple feet...and more's coming down. Our friends in Castle Rock say the same thing. At least it's an equal-opportunity storm!</i></p><p><i> That's Colorado in the spring for you.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwDnmUpjlEAdX2_0mUII95vLevmNauNtfjdmK5id2p0-ZiJ1sho87ustuPDUPxiv3VQPUo5GrsqgMQduy2ANK2gXOt85yuHBvyQ4pcxcEmo-dqQBu_lPelNn2gpwabO7Ug5-UDAfTp6Iwb9vtwTLbVRkO_n8_R17rVwRx635zt_yM7YEm5HEtsbS1xRbq/s564/snow%20whose%20lane%20is%20it%20anyways.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="564" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwDnmUpjlEAdX2_0mUII95vLevmNauNtfjdmK5id2p0-ZiJ1sho87ustuPDUPxiv3VQPUo5GrsqgMQduy2ANK2gXOt85yuHBvyQ4pcxcEmo-dqQBu_lPelNn2gpwabO7Ug5-UDAfTp6Iwb9vtwTLbVRkO_n8_R17rVwRx635zt_yM7YEm5HEtsbS1xRbq/w453-h453/snow%20whose%20lane%20is%20it%20anyways.jpg" width="453" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-91688446378535228302024-03-13T01:05:00.015-06:002024-03-14T16:30:21.985-06:00Another Great One Is Gone: Joann Montgomery<p> <i>Some years ago, I was teaching at an extension center in Denver when I got a call. A lady said she had some trims and fabric to sell -- was I interested? That was my first contact with Joann Montgomery.</i></p><p><i> Joann not only had 'some' items to sell -- she had a whole garage crammed full. Her partner's deceased wife was a shopaholic who enjoyed buying all sorts of craft items -- but never sewed or did anything else with them. I must have purchased hundreds of yards of lace, fancy trims and dozens of yards of vintage fabric...something my quilting students especially loved. I wrote dozens of pages of appraisal reports for donation and insurance values, which I swapped for more trims, fabrics and patterns.</i></p><p><i> But the best bargain of all was the friendship that grew between Joann and myself. Over the years, I stopped regularly at her home to have a cup of coffee (I brought the doughnuts) and tell her about Stuff. A family picnic included an invitation for us, too. Gradually, Joann's health began to deteriorate. Every visit, I felt would probably be the last. </i></p><p><i> My visits stopped in 2019, as we were elsewhere with commitments.... and gradually our paths diverged from each other. After The Mama's death and our return to Colorado in the spring of 2021, I realized I had not heard from Joann for some time. And of course, there was a reason for it. </i></p><p><i> She didn't write books. She wasn't a quilter. (when I knew her, at least.) She didn't do anything spectacular that I know of. But she was funny, earthy and fascinating, with an opinion about everything. She loved her family and Al, her partner. And she showed me so much kindness and affection.</i></p><p><i> I loved her back...and still miss her. This belated obituary celebrates this wonderful woman.</i></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigrMLCaH7tXfH_YvCsysBM4xleEhxCUXc-94JmCv29e1pyaTUi96WgV4lI94wubv_1BhrVRjv1FHpMB07fuR-hvz1Tluzd1BcTBlp4i_lBsPri-KdgyZ919is10YNtzgigz2BtA0Lgc33XfdTZ9kErp1ePRSJLt49dhK1wk5nN7nMRvYEOPis28FfgWA=s650" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="463" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigrMLCaH7tXfH_YvCsysBM4xleEhxCUXc-94JmCv29e1pyaTUi96WgV4lI94wubv_1BhrVRjv1FHpMB07fuR-hvz1Tluzd1BcTBlp4i_lBsPri-KdgyZ919is10YNtzgigz2BtA0Lgc33XfdTZ9kErp1ePRSJLt49dhK1wk5nN7nMRvYEOPis28FfgWA=w285-h400" width="285" /></a></div><br /><p><b><a href="https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/denver-co/joann-montgomery-9901508">From the internet:</a></b></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;">Joann Montgomery was born July 15, 1938 in McCook, Nebraska. She made her transition peacefully on November 12, 2020 .</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;">Those who helped welcome her to heaven include her parents, second husband, one brother, one son, and two daughters along with a host of other family members. Survived by those who will miss her dearly including her longtime companion Al, two siblings and her other children, grand, great grand and great great grandchilden. As well many nieces, nephews, and longtime family friends.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;">Moved to Denver, CO in 1941 at age of 3, with parents Gerald Shorey and Agnes Shorey and 3 siblings. Moved to Lakewood, CO in 1946 when parents purchased a home on a large lot. She worked part time in HI school at the Chicken Inn on W Colfax as a carhop Attended Lakewood Public Schools where she was active as a cheerleader in 8th grade, was on the drill team as a senior, and sang at school assemblies and was in many school plays. She graduated in June 1956.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;">Married Gerald "Gary" Bramwell on February 28, 1957. They had 3 children, Kimileen Gae, Liane Rae, and Jeffrey G. After several other posts, when Gary was in the service, they lived in San Francisco - stationed at Presidio Army Base. Returned to Denver for a couple of years, then to Culbertson NE for a year or so until returning to Colorado when he got the job on the Denver Fire Dept. During their marriage they enjoyed camping, square dancing and spending time with extended family. Divorced in 1966</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;">She met and married Everett "Monty" Montgomery. He was a single father with 5 children, Kathy, Jeff, Alan, Michael, and Janet. Joann moved to Aurora, CO with her 3 children and proudly became MOM to 8 children. Monty also had 3 children from a previous marriage who lived in Illinois that became part of the family, Gail, Gary and Sue Ann. They were both very active; Monty as a Scoutmaster with Boy Scouts, Joann as co leader with Camp Fire Girls; as well as just keeping up with raising 8 children! Joann had to learn to cook big meals, would often sing during ironing (Marty Robbins song Big Iron), enjoyed many sewing projects including making quilts with her mom and taught us all many life lessons including working hard, patience, listening, following the rules, being responsible and the importance of helping others.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;">The family of 10 did a lot of camping with Grandma and Grandad Shorey, mostly in the mountains of Colorado. They traveled to Wisconsin almost every summer to visit Monty's kin on the farm, that they all enjoyed. She referred to her family fondly as “The Montgomery Mob” and would often sign cards this way.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;">The children had daily chores, collected newspapers to recycle, worked at the body shop for extra money and assisted at home. They learned to work together and play together for the good of all. Joann worked for Arapahoe County in licensing department in Aurora from Jan 1985-May 1997. Monty passed away on May 12, 1999</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;">Joann started square dancing lessons and became acquainted with a neighbor, Al Wright, who was dancing also. They started dancing and traveling together, and became life partners. They traveled to Georgia, Tennessee and Maine to visit both sets of relatives as well as many sightseeing adventures. They also discovered that they had a common interest in coin collecting. They have been together for 17 years and have been a blessing for each other. The family is appreciative of Al being there with Joann during her final illness; giving her loving care, sense of humor and understanding.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;">Even though we will miss her so much we are so grateful for the times, memories and love that we were blessed to share with her and will look forward to the reunion still to come . . . .</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;"><i style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;">. Rest in peace, dear friend. Next time -- I'll make the coffee.</i></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxO5pZvdwrpwPZv-y7D5h-HKZDA0eJtLp8fmjq2sUGCWw9lbryjhW9ReUtjYexcztmCMh6-17eLvQhOLmDooLg4c5sDB66GDGdKCvCBTN587ATu2JA9obKCOG8K9PGY9kbOh19w9ltLa8ONBYVWdXf4Ff4Q5ukZnaaTS2Vp8pg6MfNJzGTWmQCZLyzRmPf/s450/amazonflowersus%20via%20pinterest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="443" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxO5pZvdwrpwPZv-y7D5h-HKZDA0eJtLp8fmjq2sUGCWw9lbryjhW9ReUtjYexcztmCMh6-17eLvQhOLmDooLg4c5sDB66GDGdKCvCBTN587ATu2JA9obKCOG8K9PGY9kbOh19w9ltLa8ONBYVWdXf4Ff4Q5ukZnaaTS2Vp8pg6MfNJzGTWmQCZLyzRmPf/w394-h400/amazonflowersus%20via%20pinterest.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><br /><i style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></i><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;"><i style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></i></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;"><i style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></i></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a3c31; font-family: Lato, Arial, Helvetica, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 30px 0px 10px;"><i style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><br /></i></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-46701044897253475922024-03-11T21:27:00.002-06:002024-03-11T21:27:19.585-06:00It''s Okay if This Happened Today...<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgm-PfHQSnrTY5D7YayEHhe_hpL8GZc6UA7kODlIaSErT-mdtqXsu_OjF3oAmr3OMxJ4JFdOP9x7AoM9oOraS3810n5XOCPgirF8EiauHRO2bnMjhCuSSEiU-UOgvu-J_L6gtBwzQg6qEKC50hrJBlYvFNvNYqmRCpaE2plm5reAAIH0uGyUelYfqvk7WL1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="700" height="483" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgm-PfHQSnrTY5D7YayEHhe_hpL8GZc6UA7kODlIaSErT-mdtqXsu_OjF3oAmr3OMxJ4JFdOP9x7AoM9oOraS3810n5XOCPgirF8EiauHRO2bnMjhCuSSEiU-UOgvu-J_L6gtBwzQg6qEKC50hrJBlYvFNvNYqmRCpaE2plm5reAAIH0uGyUelYfqvk7WL1=w374-h483" width="374" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-size: medium;">So you messed up -- you'll do better tomorrow. </span></i></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-80239520457215344272024-03-11T15:52:00.012-06:002024-03-11T21:05:08.157-06:00Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: SCAMMED -- Almost!<p> <i> 'You have some extra charges on your card,' the caller said, identifying herself as from our credit card company. Someone had charged more than $1000 on AirCanada, among other things -- and she was just checking 'as a courtesy.'</i></p><p><i> She asked for the last four digits of our Social Security -- then, when questioned, read off an OLD CARD NUMBER. She obviously thought it was a current one. </i></p><p><i> <b> Alarm bells went off immediately. </b>Why would the credit card company use an old card number? </i></p><p><i> A check of our account showed nothing amiss. A further call to the credit card company cemented it -- this was definitely a scammer. Meanwhile, after hanging up on her, she called back <b>22 times in 30 minutes.</b> Obviously, she thought she had a live one!</i></p><p><i> <b> Whew.</b></i></p><p><i> Just in case, the company sent a replacement card (yes, with a new number). And we'll be checking our account regularly. But this woman was very convincing. To make things worse, the number that came up on the phone was one of the credit card company's <b>real </b>toll-free numbers. (They can easily fake this sort of thing.) And we have had it happen a few times that the company would question a charge -- and text to find out. </i></p><p><i> Don't make the mistake we nearly did -- don't panic. Don't believe what they're saying. CALL THE COMPANY DIRECT. </i></p><p><i> Work is progressing -- but there's more to do. A 'big' storm came in last weekend -- everyone around us got 4-12 inches of snow, but Fort Garland had barely an inch. Supposedly we'll have stormy weather nearly all week, with plenty of white stuff. I'm a bit skeptical...but we've got 'mare's tail' clouds out there -- a harbinger of bad weather. Time to reload the wood rack and make some chili, just in case.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9N1qFKfiXAh4_6x-pwVdI3TZQExuDl1HC6rotbBqtEnvugn_FobrWxRkNLpB1D_8yR6ZHC_I4eW7eilrGHE3552aDQd__PGBeVngZ1a3veC-jDwrMb5xltPaMFzAI4opdZk_sC_2-cBlmkgw3L-zCJOi498DbWH6JOWIPAcOQQgR-xN4O9FGdCEppt2Vu/s700/Colorado%20spring%20break.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9N1qFKfiXAh4_6x-pwVdI3TZQExuDl1HC6rotbBqtEnvugn_FobrWxRkNLpB1D_8yR6ZHC_I4eW7eilrGHE3552aDQd__PGBeVngZ1a3veC-jDwrMb5xltPaMFzAI4opdZk_sC_2-cBlmkgw3L-zCJOi498DbWH6JOWIPAcOQQgR-xN4O9FGdCEppt2Vu/w434-h434/Colorado%20spring%20break.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><i>P.S. If you've been reading any of my Really Old posts (like 2008-2009), and wonder why they're disappearing --</i></p><p><i> Someone has been hacking my oldest posts, and using them for something -- I'm not sure what. But the visits to the blog have been blowing up, ever since this started happening. If I return the old pasts to 'draft' form, it seems to slow them down some. Sorry about that.</i></p><p><i> It does seem weird to realize I've been blogging since Dec. 2007 -- more than sixteen years!</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><b><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2024-oscars-winners-list">The Oscar winners list. </a></b> Think 'love theme for <i>Oppenheimer.</i>' Or<i> Poor Things.</i>.. take your pick.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/stars-who-turned-down-major-awards-and-honors/">People who've DECLINED major awards.</a></b> Including Dolly Parton and the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- twice!</p><p><b><a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/pro-palestine-protestors-slash-lord-balfour-portrait-2449410?utm_content=from_www.artnet.com&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=3/10%20Sunday%20AM&utm_term=Daily%20Newsletter%20%5BALL%5D%20%5BMORNING%5D">A beautiful antique portrait slashed and sprayed with paint -- by pro-Palestine protestors</a></b>.<i> Gee, I am sick of this...</i></p><p><b><a href="https://www.travelwithkevinandruth.com/2024/03/the-right-place-at-right-time.html#more">A trip down the river to the Tam Coc caves in Vietnam</a>. </b> <i>(Travel with Kevin and Ruth</i> has been visiting Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam lately.)</p><p><b><a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/13-expenses-can-remove-budget-pronto/">Thirteen expenses you can take off your budget right away</a></b>. (From<i> One Hundred Dollas A Month</i>)</p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/things-seen-no-proof/">Things you saw personally -- but couldn't prove. </a></b>Some weird ones here.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13163583/Tragic-words-Hollywood-sex-symbol-Gina-Lollobrigidaer-stole-8m-son-reveals-heartbreaking-deathbed-lament.html">Gina Lollibrigida's last words.... at her death, aged 95.</a> </b>And if you enjoyed that...</p><p><b><a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/ironic-demise/setareh-janda?utm_source=newsletters&utm_medium=weirdhistory&utm_campaign=wh_active&utm_content=20240310&lctg=641bef847a8f17228a0ddeb7&user_email=60c7d987bbdc82af2dccfbbf654b3114">Ten peoples' ironic deaths.</a></b> Including the general who declared, "They couldn't hit an elephant at that distance" -- just before Confederate snipers cut him down.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/ancient-tomb-filled-gold-sacrificial-victims-uncovered-archaeologists-special-type-burial">The "gold-filled" burial just discovered in Cocle Province, Panama</a> -</b>- and the chief was buried face-down!</p><p><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13164003/america-creepiest-school-colorado-classrooms-abandoned-haunted-students.html "><b>The abandoned (and haunted, they say) school in the "San Luis Valley" that's being renovated for ne use</b>.</a> <i>This is near us! I suspect it's a building I noticed in San Luis, about 20 miles away -- but have to find out.</i></p><p><b><a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/entertainment/2024/03/07/bird-divebombs-reporter-moos-cprog-orig-bdk.cnn">Some very funny "impeckable" bird photobombs and divebombs. </a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13176941/Pennsylvania-woman-job-scrubbing-toilets-Baltimore-McDonalds-owns-TWELVE-restaurants.html">The woman who started her career at McDonald's scrubbing toilets...and now owns TWELVE McDonald's restaurants.</a></b> Good for her!</p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-photos-before-disaster/?all_submissions=true&media_id=6422861">Just before everything went crazy...</a></b></p><p><br /></p><p><i>Have a good week. </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjRwIME24TmJmV1iUeq9gj06w0qKRtRpLEdIOFNxRhxff8RvlgiNSbPFsvn9oQ59kuWMdIK1fI_JxbPb4LOqyHD9XSsUv882_A_b3Pc4fL7B3hA1hLT4QIcSaAZmuZbpAXxRUd0xTciCobDAPdhohTGS_mVYqEIZzTviLPYAc7byEQInoo3WClr0gQgqI/s931/its%20spring%20-%20nope.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="931" data-original-width="640" height="513" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjRwIME24TmJmV1iUeq9gj06w0qKRtRpLEdIOFNxRhxff8RvlgiNSbPFsvn9oQ59kuWMdIK1fI_JxbPb4LOqyHD9XSsUv882_A_b3Pc4fL7B3hA1hLT4QIcSaAZmuZbpAXxRUd0xTciCobDAPdhohTGS_mVYqEIZzTviLPYAc7byEQInoo3WClr0gQgqI/w353-h513/its%20spring%20-%20nope.jpg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p><br /></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-68543823113879216062024-03-09T14:15:00.002-07:002024-03-09T14:15:17.627-07:00How Did They Recruit for This?<p><i> And, as one commenter pointed out, "What happens when it rains?"</i></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9K_qdVIkQ4fSMfoG4ZTi7fE-y9ienpxiC6vYtAVDLG6IZ592vAuuODTMMyAX5KA1g0wuItTMnwxogLXi0DT5XsI1s_H-1EgRr8sYyf5wxsZ9NLnLMDFGiEOvFGO8PWYOwmqb-J7YefJP3fCu21bkFVLZDNuOY8qAGQeG4CzUY1dCXbZFIFqzFrUN7NlLq" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9K_qdVIkQ4fSMfoG4ZTi7fE-y9ienpxiC6vYtAVDLG6IZ592vAuuODTMMyAX5KA1g0wuItTMnwxogLXi0DT5XsI1s_H-1EgRr8sYyf5wxsZ9NLnLMDFGiEOvFGO8PWYOwmqb-J7YefJP3fCu21bkFVLZDNuOY8qAGQeG4CzUY1dCXbZFIFqzFrUN7NlLq=w492-h492" width="492" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-90214232657921600782024-03-06T22:04:00.000-07:002024-03-06T22:04:16.700-07:00Interruptions<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivACD7kEi28SX3_ZNIDnVwlQbkL-Sjl9FZsSTyk-QFSlF4wA_B72w-SlELbjmD6g27m-BEkbijUyanSUlRO1Xp5Ni22h35nLifKL6DpA58HFVfG5rxtVk8eNZyTIR4Wyrs3TZwRlUbkxNtSyzs1zZEVKPCZj37RP-lEkxgQcO1DU5X4ehlipX21LscD-fO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="750" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivACD7kEi28SX3_ZNIDnVwlQbkL-Sjl9FZsSTyk-QFSlF4wA_B72w-SlELbjmD6g27m-BEkbijUyanSUlRO1Xp5Ni22h35nLifKL6DpA58HFVfG5rxtVk8eNZyTIR4Wyrs3TZwRlUbkxNtSyzs1zZEVKPCZj37RP-lEkxgQcO1DU5X4ehlipX21LscD-fO=w547-h409" width="547" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-19815895049329894542024-03-05T21:38:00.004-07:002024-03-05T21:38:44.064-07:00Seven Tips That Don't Make Sense<p> <i>..but actually work. </i></p><br />Some really go against the majority of expert opinions. "It <b><i>must</i> </b>be done this way" pronouncements don't always have to be that way! Remember the fuss about <a href="http://coffeetea.about.com/b/2013/08/02/coffee-benefits.htm"><b>coffee </b></a>or <a href="http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-eggs.html"><b>eggs</b></a> being bad for you? (Now, suddenly, they aren't.) It applies to other things too, like the <a href="http://www.gobankingrates.com/retirement/you-dont-need-million-dollars-retire/"><b>million-plus dollars you'll need for retirement</b></a> (you won't)...or <a href="http://midlifefinance.com/2014/04/world-according-suze/"><b> Suze Orman's abrupt flipflop about paying off credit cards</b></a>.<br /><br />Some may not work for you. (Husband, the Brick, seriously disagrees with tip #1 -- he says he couldn't do it.) But they may save far more money, time and energy than the conventional way. Try them...and see.<br /><br /><b>#1. Sleep less</b>. Bill Cullen, the author of <b>It's A Long Way From Penny Apples</b>, and the longtime owner of Ireland's Renault franchises, grew up a poor kid in Dublin. He credits his successes to determination, consistency...and sleeping no more than 5 hours a night. His suggestion: cut 15 or so minutes off your usual hours every week, to get used to it more gradually. Within a month or so, you'll be sleeping less -- and accomplishing more.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51DHQWIjwcL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51DHQWIjwcL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>#2. Buy cheaper luggage</b>. Paying more gets you sturdier luggage...right? Not always. I travel a lot in my "other" job, as a teacher and speaker. A colleague on the teaching circuit got tired of spending big bucks for luggage -- so she tried an experiment. The first year, she paid premium price for the best-reviewed luggage on the market. The second year, she bought sturdy luggage that was bargain-priced, and used it, instead.<br /> The results? The cheaper luggage held up just as well as the more expensive kind. Unfortunately, hardly any luggage can stand up to the abuse dealt out today by airline baggage handlers. (My own experiments in this field, by the way, were consistent with my colleague's.)<br /><b><br /></b><b>#3. Don't get the latest version.</b> Electronics and vehicles are the star examples here. Not only do 2014 models cost more -- they don't always have the bugs worked out yet. Look for models that are at least a few years old; they'll be less expensive (often on sale!), and any problems generally solved, as well.<br /> I feel the same way about bestselling books and movies -- we'll often wait for shows at the dollar theatre, or view them on DVD. We also make use of our local library. (You can often request your favorites, or have them put on hold.) That means waiting for a while...but with rare exceptions, we've benefitted from the anticipation.<br /><b><br /></b><b>#4. Losing weight may be less about the food than you think. </b>Dieters tend to focus on the menu when regular exercise would do more good. Also, try a simple trick -- use a smaller plate. You'll get the visual cue "I'm full," and still eat less. Or start with a<b><a href="https://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-best-soup-in-world.html"> bowl of good soup</a></b>. (<i>Okay, lean meat and lots of fruit and vegetables have something to do with it, too.)</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzyI8lCibfkHsX8YLZt_8fDoOMO5n2mxwqWnc0FTh-rKTzwTMyIn51KMn4ag5lWPh_K8FK6yF4XjdcAstMajaZpYzw3tHvY_b7kSHNuY5a00Y2peccslwmncyiL4Quun-MmSX6HdNxyzcTeXyoFVY4Z_yG47Ep8L068iauAL1zuxGM6KulXwM4wUFJOyD/s500/eat%20your%20veggies.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="500" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzyI8lCibfkHsX8YLZt_8fDoOMO5n2mxwqWnc0FTh-rKTzwTMyIn51KMn4ag5lWPh_K8FK6yF4XjdcAstMajaZpYzw3tHvY_b7kSHNuY5a00Y2peccslwmncyiL4Quun-MmSX6HdNxyzcTeXyoFVY4Z_yG47Ep8L068iauAL1zuxGM6KulXwM4wUFJOyD/w540-h228/eat%20your%20veggies.gif" width="540" /></a><i><br /></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b>#5. Getting engaged? Don't buy a diamond</b>. This faceted stone has been the traditional choice ever since the 1800s, when the DeBeers cemented their monopoly on diamond mines. That made diamonds more accessible...and allowed the syndicate to keep prices high. There still are plenty of diamonds out there - but thanks to the DeBeers, they're still expensive.<br /> <a href="http://www.ehow.com/info_7911740_engagement-rings-18th-19th-centuries.html"><b>Antique rings featured diamonds</b></a> -- but three-stone rings were popular, as well, using birthstones. Popular gems: rubies, sapphires (Princess Diana's engagement ring was a blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds), emeralds, garnets and opals.<br /> Or choose a gemstone that's truly rare, like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larimar"><b>Larimar</b></a>. This lovely stone varies from green to white to blue. It's found only in the Dominican Republic, in mines that are rapidly depleting.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Larimar.jpg/776px-Larimar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Larimar.jpg/776px-Larimar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>#6. Don't throw out your garbage</b> -- not right away, anyways. Leftover vegetable peelings, meat bones and such make wonderful broth. (Also known delicately as <a href="http://donnafreedman.com/2011/02/05/garbage-in-supper-out/"><b>"garbage soup.</b></a>") They can also accent your pet's diet -- or use these leftovers to help feed other protein sources, like fish, chickens and pigs.<br /> It's not just food, either.<a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_2192453_firelogs-fire-starters-fire-bricks.html"><b> Newspapers can be converted into fire logs, starters or bricks</b></a> for your fireplace or campfire. Use your glass and plastic to help store food or organize. (Buy staples like flour or oatmeal in bulk, and you'll have even fewer containers to get rid of.) Recycling <i><b>before </b></i>you put materials out makes for less waste. It also cuts back on garbage pickups -- and lets you brag about how "green" you are.<br /><br /><b>#7. Communicate slower</b>. Text messages, Facebook shout-outs and e-mails are fast and effective. They also have the lifespan of a fruit fly. When it's important, take time to make a phone call, send a card, or write a letter. (Hand-write it, for even more impact.) The people you care about will appreciate your gesture even more.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgRmtCvJAmeaQIciT9mTyxEMQHOzuUwSL9qrQERWhlqM12OzJQSUW3H5xkDkypRE5DRONnIPSYrOlYhEN7Im-faPRjQffpJXY7Oqck6hBUKx2yuJcuZh_urhLSiCsKMB_FF1mY-7Wc-GTwVvRGAKrXh-ZBJaanPGGFGqHL5p_w-gwDTi3pU93OPSec2_xr/s2000/talking%202%20-%20HuffPost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="2000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgRmtCvJAmeaQIciT9mTyxEMQHOzuUwSL9qrQERWhlqM12OzJQSUW3H5xkDkypRE5DRONnIPSYrOlYhEN7Im-faPRjQffpJXY7Oqck6hBUKx2yuJcuZh_urhLSiCsKMB_FF1mY-7Wc-GTwVvRGAKrXh-ZBJaanPGGFGqHL5p_w-gwDTi3pU93OPSec2_xr/w400-h200/talking%202%20-%20HuffPost.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Huffpost photo</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i>This classic was a guest post on another website...but it still applies today.</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-48927961075940191902024-03-05T01:07:00.001-07:002024-03-05T01:07:03.645-07:00What?!?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6QJ3qWW0fBZyAOzXBxpA5JSuK-gwuAsQHbphR_UShd9wHnoDMY4N8d1_4LLuPkfAHei0bNr8LlGWkHIoLEZZLM8QRqcjUPD2iKyD0aoWpaNwoW0vpLNeUXmUf_knF53Z5jpIIFPTkSi6xp-c-7svI4RgM_c2LmJHrASAbmHpsCU_U_IkYoPCoeWVy9EMg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="700" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6QJ3qWW0fBZyAOzXBxpA5JSuK-gwuAsQHbphR_UShd9wHnoDMY4N8d1_4LLuPkfAHei0bNr8LlGWkHIoLEZZLM8QRqcjUPD2iKyD0aoWpaNwoW0vpLNeUXmUf_knF53Z5jpIIFPTkSi6xp-c-7svI4RgM_c2LmJHrASAbmHpsCU_U_IkYoPCoeWVy9EMg=w424-h377" width="424" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-out-of-context-animals-memes/">More animal silliness here on</a> <i>Bored Panda</i>.</b></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-88777975684817369882024-03-04T13:28:00.002-07:002024-03-04T13:28:27.609-07:00Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Dust Storm<p> <i>One thing we were NOT told about moving here: the wind. </i></p><p><i> Our friends in the Valley tell us that it's very common to have the wind blowing. Normally a breeze doesn't bother me, so I didn't think much of it. But this weekend, we went to an auction out on the plains. It was actually very cool -- an interesting mix of Amish and Spanish-speakers, with a generous sprinkling of rednecks. And us! Several black buggies and horses were parked out by the rows of dirt-streaked pickups. (Including ours - it's a tradition out here.) </i></p><p><i> Halfway through the auction, a cold wind picked up... to 30 mph or more. Huge dust clouds surrounded the auctioneer and the crowd before it was through -- but we at least got a floor jack the Brick was hoping for. </i></p><p><i> We drove home in a tan haze. Fortunately, the trees and brush around our house keep the dust to a minimum. But we (and Ruby) must have absorbed a cup or two, at least. Welcome to Southern Colorado. It will be interesting to see what happens the rest of springtime. </i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7saLnbts2wtPt24m3ds02lXzewKULTA28ccoF7tVB8JLCb_ri-gP2FZs7AbHn8q6NINw97mlFM_j2cxBttgJsCr8QNdvIsQv9lgNQJLIBuszkDgO2pUDnAc8_I3QUVT60LmLnN0_j0aDB1DcZbHBX3vln3ks-08vhvBMGShWskJn5GZjryuiWE0SBSHp/s1085/sheep%20and%20windmill.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7saLnbts2wtPt24m3ds02lXzewKULTA28ccoF7tVB8JLCb_ri-gP2FZs7AbHn8q6NINw97mlFM_j2cxBttgJsCr8QNdvIsQv9lgNQJLIBuszkDgO2pUDnAc8_I3QUVT60LmLnN0_j0aDB1DcZbHBX3vln3ks-08vhvBMGShWskJn5GZjryuiWE0SBSHp/w325-h400/sheep%20and%20windmill.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yes, it looks like this...</div><br /><p></p><p><i>Stuff is a bit sparse this week -- still working on reports a lot. Next week should be beefier.</i></p><p><b><a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/supreme-court-opinion-trump-ballot-03-04-24/h_058c8ac13ccd998a17d39eb1bc107383">The Supreme Court rules unanimously -- Trump's name WILL be allowed on the ballot, regardless of what Colorado's Secretary of State says.</a></b> Here's a thought, people who thought otherwise -- if this didn't happen, couldn't you choose anyone whose actions you didn't approve of, accuse them of whatever (without bothering with an arrest or trial) -- then decree that they couldn't be on a ballot, either?? <i>(I intend to point this out to our esteemed Governor Polis, who's pulled plenty of 'iffy' things in the past.)</i></p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/european-mind-cannot-comprehend-this-meme/?cexp_id=89501&cexp_var=1&_f=featured">Europeans don't understand these</a></b>. But Americans find them funny!</p><p><b><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/ex-ny-times-editor-staffers-worried-lending-credence-hunter-biden-laptop-story-would-hurt-dems">The New York Times, the 2020 election and Hunter Biden's laptop.</a></b>..was it biased? A former editor says yes. </p><p><b><a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/latronico-american-house-joshua-shapiro/index.html">The guy who bought an apartment in Italy </a></b>-- and found some surprises that complicated matters.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/way-close-history-moments/">"Whew, that was close" moments.</a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-13141579/Incredible-story-Himmlers-masseur-nicknamed-Magic-Buddha-went-treat-Greta-Garbo-saved-100-000-prisoners-Nazis.html">The incredible story of Himmler's masseur.</a></b>..and the many lives he saved during WWII.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/widow-donates-1-billion-cover-school-tuition-nyc-poorest-area/">A $1 billion donation will let medical students at one school attend tuition-free.</a></b> Wow!!!</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Have a good week. Stay out of the wind!</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjth5M_fQ7acaZD-h00qjkGxAMH_iDV2rFLgascrMmccOhnxmjmFLLBc28KejkgwwFZxXvJcSwMXqt737_Xzxa13oAR8TDeEzGVS44IlxaIBkP73Y5EVBkjMwAggYdOT_zZB7GHfoEDfKisD5tM7lGPjpmDQowzyLqchbIRahRVxmV9wsrUdjWG7IfgADC1/s480/dogs%20in%20the%20wind.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="270" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjth5M_fQ7acaZD-h00qjkGxAMH_iDV2rFLgascrMmccOhnxmjmFLLBc28KejkgwwFZxXvJcSwMXqt737_Xzxa13oAR8TDeEzGVS44IlxaIBkP73Y5EVBkjMwAggYdOT_zZB7GHfoEDfKisD5tM7lGPjpmDQowzyLqchbIRahRVxmV9wsrUdjWG7IfgADC1/w340-h604/dogs%20in%20the%20wind.gif" width="340" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-20449110941214455952024-03-01T15:33:00.011-07:002024-03-01T16:28:06.524-07:00Frugal Hits & Misses: February Report<p> <i>January and February are 'filled-up' months for us, both with happiness and... well, sadness. We lost The Mama in late January, our Charley in early February -- as well as my Dad in late February, several years ago. I am so glad none of these three are in pain anymore -- but I still miss them, all three. That, the weather and the holidays ending are probably why I fought with feeling blue. Dealing with the "black dog," Churchill called it. </i></p><p><i> We also have several birthdays in February, including a dear friend, a sister-in-law, a niece...and the Brick. That means stuffing all sorts of emotions and plans into an already-short and icy month. Plenty of work, plus several social obligations, also kept us busy. </i></p><p><i> We did our usual two trips into Denver -- one included a doctor's appointment for my knee. (Finally.) But we did not take a trip this year, like we usually do...instead, we're trying hard to pay off a house loan...and doing quite well, so far. That's given me even more incentive to watch our expenses carefully. </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGyETgNWJ7n1sM9eRJ7eLmx4RGZg_lIgXqO1AjM99-MUyshwGqtV_1ZywXGMb3E50IoXaq2rt6bL7P8xj2oAgWm3K9jSMUR4rgNc85een3GtVd9V9jnWn3_xfyr3e5NNRmUkgb_KSMbLJgJ56xcaKJQv3Cdfa4sADx7shOPwCFBnLcDooWY2LBpK_8C7I/s664/money%20100%20dollar%20bills.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="664" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGyETgNWJ7n1sM9eRJ7eLmx4RGZg_lIgXqO1AjM99-MUyshwGqtV_1ZywXGMb3E50IoXaq2rt6bL7P8xj2oAgWm3K9jSMUR4rgNc85een3GtVd9V9jnWn3_xfyr3e5NNRmUkgb_KSMbLJgJ56xcaKJQv3Cdfa4sADx7shOPwCFBnLcDooWY2LBpK_8C7I/w400-h300/money%20100%20dollar%20bills.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>I wish.</i></div><br /><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">FRUGAL HITS</span></b></p><p><i>(as usual, some of these are from late January)</i></p><p><b>*Half off Valentines candy.</b> The Brick gave me a wonderful card, and a handful of interesting snacks. Sent off a huge batch of Valentines and birthday cards. (February is a busy month for us.) </p><p><b>*Ate our Valentine's lunch at Calvillo's Mexican buffet in Alamosa</b>...not cheap, but not bad, either. Other than a bowl of cereal in the morning, it served as food for the day. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAFtcrQRyYMlnoaz89nUlp03Yoq6h34nmZzAwUqkQl6AWgobOPWFhVxowYvN_livs0k5i2iHyb4deCX_7vscJNe3D5rOHsfX2RIVKuJkOP19hO9GuNKuFQoxrYUotLxp81ynLSaHNZX4I7j6RRuDB6uki00tbOjZW8-lVfXKDWczDustwqeWjJavOij3r/s500/Valentine%20-%20interest%20is%20growing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAFtcrQRyYMlnoaz89nUlp03Yoq6h34nmZzAwUqkQl6AWgobOPWFhVxowYvN_livs0k5i2iHyb4deCX_7vscJNe3D5rOHsfX2RIVKuJkOP19hO9GuNKuFQoxrYUotLxp81ynLSaHNZX4I7j6RRuDB6uki00tbOjZW8-lVfXKDWczDustwqeWjJavOij3r/w400-h400/Valentine%20-%20interest%20is%20growing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b>*Found money:</b> two pennies in the hallway at the doctor's office... thanks to the Brick. A twenty-dollar-bill fell out of the dryer. (I teased the Brick we were 'laundering money.')</p><p><b>*Chilies from Hatch, NM </b>-- the best in the world -- brought back by Daughter #2 and Son #1. (<i>Thanks, Dears</i>.)</p><p><b>*Dinner at a friend's house </b>-- I brought iced tea and lemonade (her request), plus a box of cookies. <i>People here in the San Luis Valley have an interesting custom. Visit them at their house...and they will try to give you something when you leave. I found this out when we left Friend's house, when my bag contained not only leftover drinks and cookies -- but a meatloaf/biscuit snack and a jar of chokecherry syrup. Another friend insisted on sending home a container of pea soup, his specialty.</i></p><p><b>*Teaching piano again.</b> One student -- her mom swapped lessons for baked goods, including a hunting-themed birthday cake for the Brick. Okay with me!</p><p> I printed off <b><a href="https://gmajormusictheory.org/Freebies/freebiesAlphaA.html">free piano music</a></b> for her first lessons, then ordered some books (buy 3, get 1 free - free shipping) from Ebay. </p><p><b>*Didn't buy flowers for myself most of the month</b>. I have been lusting for anything with color right now. All of a sudden, King Soopers had a $2 special on alstroemeria! (I got two bunches.) Feeling much better. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtEEocZMQX6Y7M29B7p02Hsub47QnyG8nS1CYuMwJJtF8KJ_bBdRc99u59mCSwS7cdQJD7yb-NYZO7Sp-7qiTAONMAcIU8yooutcQTTyHsF9Anamv2aUvNjMzBlasa3EQrWmu2tzBHi87UcLgObD9iY1XOhWcsuUPZWLwR-n69zk1yGP3qHxvylKHqmsQ/s960/tulips.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="851" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtEEocZMQX6Y7M29B7p02Hsub47QnyG8nS1CYuMwJJtF8KJ_bBdRc99u59mCSwS7cdQJD7yb-NYZO7Sp-7qiTAONMAcIU8yooutcQTTyHsF9Anamv2aUvNjMzBlasa3EQrWmu2tzBHi87UcLgObD9iY1XOhWcsuUPZWLwR-n69zk1yGP3qHxvylKHqmsQ/w355-h400/tulips.jpg" width="355" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b>*Kept Son #1 and Daughter #2's car (salvage) for them,</b> while they get ready to work on it.</p><p><b>*Thrift shop buys, Castle Rock:</b> $5 rattan hamper; Uncle Wiggily and Scrabble board games ($3 and $4); two prints and a Central City Opera poster, all nicely framed, for $22; drinking glasses, $1 each; an indoor/outdoor rug by the front door for $18 (we've been needing this for months), plus two new pillows for the couch ($6 and $7). Added a 20% off 'senior discount.' Valentine cards (25 cents each) -- and everything had an additional 10% taken off. I also scavenged two big containers of Lincoln Logs from the free box. I found several books at the <b>Alamosa thrift shop</b> -- $2/$3 each, plus a 25% discount. One of the books was on frugal living -- I find it very amusing to buy 'how to live cheaply' books for cheap!</p><p><b>*Cleared away the snow from a Big Storm</b>...we managed to clear the driveway, using shovels and the truck's weight to pack down the snow. (We need a snowplow.)</p><p><b>*Dollar Tree buys:</b> several kitchen tools, some Easter and piano student presents -- all for $1.25 each. Plus TWENTY FOUR dishcloths for only 5 bucks!</p><p><b>*Heirloom variety seed packets</b> -- 32 of them for $24.99, thanks to Amazon. Enough for us to use, and share with Daughter #1. More seeds ordered (lettuce), plus Jerusalem artichokes for planting. It will be interesting to see how these do.</p><p><b>*Two beautiful clocks -- one for the Brick's birthday.</b> These are made by a local artisan -- so I helped out someone else in the area, too.</p><p><b>*Amazon savings:</b> they marked several series (DVDs) down, and offered more discounts for multiple copies. I got <i>Hawkeye, The Persuaders </i>(ever see this series? Great reviews) and the Emma Peel version of <i>The Avengers. </i>We're starting to watch<i> Crusoe</i>, another series that got little notice -- but isn't too bad. <i>The Snoop Sisters</i>, too. (Helen Hayes and Mildred Natwick are amazing.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QdMMNDbv0_A" width="320" youtube-src-id="QdMMNDbv0_A"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><b>*Tickets for Southern Rocky Mountain Agricultural Conference</b> -- in return for articles written. Free supper and a coffee/pastry break were included. We brought home free Cokes, a booklet on noxious weeds in Colorado and several handouts. </p><p><b>*Teaching/appraising gig </b>-- and more appraisals done. Two large reports finished, and more smaller ones -- that always feels wonderful!</p><p><b>*Google group checks came through</b> -- big bucks: $7.70 for each of us. But would you pick this money up off the ground? (We would, too.)</p><p><b>*Sang/played at church</b> -- and the Brick led music once. </p><p><b>*Free birthday burger for the Brick from Red Robin</b>. Leftovers made for a quick (and nice) breakfast a few mornings later. </p><p><b>*Birthday dinner for the Brick at Rodizio Grill. </b>Fortunately, they had a $10 off President's Day special, plus free meals for kids. And the Brick had a gratis coupon for his meal. Which is nice, because that place is delicious -- but <i>expensive.</i> (Daughter #1 and her partner paid for it -- which was really kind of them.)</p><p><b>*Grocery bargains:</b> green peppers and cukes (69 and 79 cents each), whole chickens ($1.24/lb), <i>Walmart.</i> Whole bean coffee (less than $7 for 28 ounces), <i>Amazon Warehouse Deals</i>. Free can of black beans plus a bag of mini-carrots, mushrooms for $2.40/lb (<i>Safeway</i>). Frozen pizza, 4 for $9.95 -- plus a large heavyduty front door mat for the same price (<i>Sam's Club</i>). Free granola bars and generic Pop-Tarts; mandarins for 99 cents/lb (and still good, surprisingly, this late in the season); sirloin steak for $3.97/lb; hot dogs for 99 cents/pkg; several 99-cent bags of peppers, cukes and squash (3-4 in each bag); and the real stunner: box after box of Dolly Parton's banana cake mix for 30 cents each, (<i>King Soopers</i>.) A cake-baking friend is going to love the mixes.</p><p><b>*Worked one chicken until it clucked!</b> We had roast chicken for one meal, and devilled chicken from the parts leftover. Made homemade chicken broth from the chicken carcasses-- and stashed packages of meat in the freezer for later. Another chicken run included two meals of chicken, plus chicken-and-rice...which did a rerun as fried rice, with some veggies added.</p><p><b>*Made extra payments on the house loan.</b> Feels wonderful.</p><p><b>* Bought more DEF</b>, critical for use in the truck, at $2 less than its marked price. (We got four.) If you drive a truck, you know that DEF supposedly helps you pull things (like trailers) better. But even when you're not towing, you have to add it regularly. If you don't, the system automatically restricts you to 10 mph... until you do. Frustrating.</p><p><b>*Two #10 cans of tomatoes finally used up</b> -- they made multiple servings of <b><a href="https://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-best-soup-in-world.html">Mavis' wonderful tomato bisque,</a></b> which fed us and several dinner guests. Some liked the soup so much, they asked to take extra home! (It IS that good.) I've been using up other cans and boxes, as well, which makes for extra closet space. Ruby is more than happy to take care of leftover crackers, cookies, etc. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1HJ4Rc6VKLfxnZxK58OLpQLhXFeIC2ly8H0xVyYpTcg0PWHJ7JGOO0lVCUuV9U0aLTjur62is3kF9sE5RS0tEDlnYyl_HVPPj49f0SoDVlRrR5g7d_e2rpfVqxUAVChsKAWZdWzpQwHoMv5x1crs59IbbgWIW7hpg30-x_C18Z2EAjNQyqxOhuOEPM5M/s4032/Ruby%205-22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1HJ4Rc6VKLfxnZxK58OLpQLhXFeIC2ly8H0xVyYpTcg0PWHJ7JGOO0lVCUuV9U0aLTjur62is3kF9sE5RS0tEDlnYyl_HVPPj49f0SoDVlRrR5g7d_e2rpfVqxUAVChsKAWZdWzpQwHoMv5x1crs59IbbgWIW7hpg30-x_C18Z2EAjNQyqxOhuOEPM5M/w400-h300/Ruby%205-22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>And carrots, Mom...</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">FRUGAL MISSES</span></b></p><p><b>*Had to throw away some beef broth I'd made, along with beef bits</b> -- I put off using it until it was too late. I cannot seem to make beef broth -- but my chicken broth is terrific. (<i>She says modestly.)</i></p><p> I also had to discard some turkey lunchmeat found in the<b> fifth-wheel freezer.</b> We found out it tasted moldy the hard way -- YUCK. (Ruby enjoyed it, though.) Some gunky fish went bye-bye, too.</p><p><b>*The saga of the Amazon Warehouse Ferrero Rocher chocolates </b>-- I ordered a 'pack' that was supposed to be four boxes -- and got one, instead. A text exchange with Amazon refunded the money...but it was a lot of work in exchange for a 'bargain' price. (We did get to keep the chocolates.)</p><p><b>*Returned library books to Alamosa -- and didn't check any out</b>. It is just too difficult to get there easily right now, due to limited hours. (At least for our schedule.) For a girl who loves her books, this is hard to reckon with -- but necessary.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmtraTH45BBMIXIb4_ym95ztDGIBV8T1otH3_dlQpNVYkcvAVjaIlBu30_Ow-XPb3yAPl2Wz-hTCE_lIUgC4Ncv7wKhAb09Gs7My3-b66oHaiKpqwehKjWNXGEue-PC9BllFnfQSWvAQpx-WF3FtNOe5PDB3PRVjGHWfXzkJ-1PEFw1jUKwb_v4E1mxNF/s800/I%20love%20books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="532" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmtraTH45BBMIXIb4_ym95ztDGIBV8T1otH3_dlQpNVYkcvAVjaIlBu30_Ow-XPb3yAPl2Wz-hTCE_lIUgC4Ncv7wKhAb09Gs7My3-b66oHaiKpqwehKjWNXGEue-PC9BllFnfQSWvAQpx-WF3FtNOe5PDB3PRVjGHWfXzkJ-1PEFw1jUKwb_v4E1mxNF/w266-h400/I%20love%20books.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p><b>*Paid the first half of property tax -- OUCH</b>. We lost the 'homestead exemption' (have to stay here 10 years or more), and didn't qualify for the seniors discount either (same reason). This is the first time since 2019 that we've had to pay property tax -- so it's a bit strange. But that's what happens when you own property...and technically we own two lots, instead of just one. Which means more taxes.</p><p><i> Yet there are blessings here: No more having to turn the water off/on every night, so the pipes don't freeze. Warmer rooms...and WAY more room. ('Stor-age, stor-age...') And no having to empty the holding tank every other week! </i></p><p> Fortunately, only half of the property tax was due. Also fortunately, it wasn't nearly as high as the huge jump our Castle Rock friends were hit with. </p><p><b>*Messed up a King Soopers customer service complaint</b>. I thought they'd charged me for a free item; the clerk cheerfully refunded the money. Then I got home, and with a red face, realized they hadn't. (Although they dinged me on egg prices, which also got fixed.) The finale: I wrote an apology letter to the King Soopers manager, and enclosed a check.</p><p><b>*The truck needs repairs.</b> On our last trip to Denver, the truck started shaking all over -- the Brick calls it a "death wobble." It only lasted 20 seconds or so, but was terrifying. Fortunately, it's still usable -- for now. And the Brick can fix it. But we're talking at least $800 or more before the smoke clears. <i>Double ouch.</i></p><p><b>*We need to finish clearing out the fifth-wheel</b>. Poor weather and cold has given us plenty of excuses not to finish this job -- but we need to.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><a href="https://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2024/01/frugal-hits-misses-january-report.html">Last month's report is here</a></b>, and the <b><a href="https://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2023/02/frugal-hits-misses-february-report.html">2023 February report is here</a></b>. I'm including the <b><a href="https://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2022/02/frugal-hits-misses-february-report.html">2022 Feb. report</a></b> as well,<i> but it's a little vague. The Mama had died just a few weeks before, and life was a bit foggy at that point. But here it is. </i></p><p><i> Snowy February, are you sorry to see yourself go? We're not! </i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBg7D7LqFX5GuJOKTzKLAXbnO-ZBS8NKYKAyJHU28UHhZJ15JxYyX7hjoeWs_GZBB-GzonH0tPgi8WFVQ-Iy9Y9vOIoNunMXgRgQ70NCJ3qdZHUXkkfj92YCCxQFwauPUccjf7fItiCZVndW7mdg-CBMkPyAVOtuf8C-nuAuGeo9jCx75jEfRVD9k3pmD8/s480/glowing%20snow.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBg7D7LqFX5GuJOKTzKLAXbnO-ZBS8NKYKAyJHU28UHhZJ15JxYyX7hjoeWs_GZBB-GzonH0tPgi8WFVQ-Iy9Y9vOIoNunMXgRgQ70NCJ3qdZHUXkkfj92YCCxQFwauPUccjf7fItiCZVndW7mdg-CBMkPyAVOtuf8C-nuAuGeo9jCx75jEfRVD9k3pmD8/w400-h225/glowing%20snow.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-58843922844874746372024-02-29T21:31:00.002-07:002024-02-29T21:31:17.789-07:00Leap Day<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUs74xzQNniJzgzgPQMWPDzQMRn5zCZ9jn9X8B92xy3ZeOnMTEZDPDvYkHHBqUR7vM9wZAfNdZzBHaiTcAISYdUZFyqbKzJuTUvAH54McU7Upyne3yH6rGRbBO4R6ETW585wCGv_bBKUxT-YONFkgr1cuJsNv3kGsFWg9xiAub_WAsMOwZUcjvoMTl0hOg/s498/leap-day-leap-year.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="487" height="455" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUs74xzQNniJzgzgPQMWPDzQMRn5zCZ9jn9X8B92xy3ZeOnMTEZDPDvYkHHBqUR7vM9wZAfNdZzBHaiTcAISYdUZFyqbKzJuTUvAH54McU7Upyne3yH6rGRbBO4R6ETW585wCGv_bBKUxT-YONFkgr1cuJsNv3kGsFWg9xiAub_WAsMOwZUcjvoMTl0hOg/w445-h455/leap-day-leap-year.gif" width="445" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-11410596731031535052024-02-28T20:45:00.006-07:002024-02-28T20:45:39.509-07:00Legal Help for Dogs<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIlx9GjtiWUL9lvF65xl30zQEu-hqAqX8A_cJcAgkO_p9Lcb2-d0HybyltChTkel8cyY0EtDLV7srJcKxIIASokHgSKzNnCcX2H9CacI-23-C-v0NIDUgYwvd-Mo-FU7JgqZqTSS9_llhm-_4ESH3xvtWURkKxMp6a8GSVvYxD5vG7WQQ5n0i6eN-DmHz3" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="880" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIlx9GjtiWUL9lvF65xl30zQEu-hqAqX8A_cJcAgkO_p9Lcb2-d0HybyltChTkel8cyY0EtDLV7srJcKxIIASokHgSKzNnCcX2H9CacI-23-C-v0NIDUgYwvd-Mo-FU7JgqZqTSS9_llhm-_4ESH3xvtWURkKxMp6a8GSVvYxD5vG7WQQ5n0i6eN-DmHz3=w368-h460" width="368" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>'Always pro bone-o.'</p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-attorney-ads-for-dogs-kensingtoncampbell/">More on <i>Bored Panda</i>.</a></b> (Don't let Ruby read this...)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq1wSDLCp_8ayoAH-TFrYNyiR8EYY_rcxbCdrftRLkXW-faQBSN6HcUN3Ouab0iVINA9lpoI-dZTQ556k1hrXMbOuCmYhG7_o6UI8QTVrWd0So_3i5EBnBBiechjc_y4uNIH7kOhPuobNdCB6D-YLzOiP6orZmunHFWiOjA28ySNsWJGnucaU0CTYbXlG/s4032/Ruby%207-21.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq1wSDLCp_8ayoAH-TFrYNyiR8EYY_rcxbCdrftRLkXW-faQBSN6HcUN3Ouab0iVINA9lpoI-dZTQ556k1hrXMbOuCmYhG7_o6UI8QTVrWd0So_3i5EBnBBiechjc_y4uNIH7kOhPuobNdCB6D-YLzOiP6orZmunHFWiOjA28ySNsWJGnucaU0CTYbXlG/w300-h400/Ruby%207-21.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">'Too late, Mom!'</div><br /><p><br /></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-66128793907561830002024-02-27T16:06:00.003-07:002024-02-28T20:43:35.065-07:00Guns<p> </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-hm6lqGGaDsPsLlxfgTkJfUDTxMQeJKBIK25z5l5l1MDsqm2lkVD0hqY-1RH-JD0Y9qTbPkiLmr8a_jUDq_wpjLutHuQrhuqugxrYtWwXAp9K2us_F6GrMBPY8UcmvLXkxAc4qHtt1o5_xeflKS7TB_8BD-SAXGmg0x7MfgbDBml-Sqf7pcXSxWRUhi2G" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-hm6lqGGaDsPsLlxfgTkJfUDTxMQeJKBIK25z5l5l1MDsqm2lkVD0hqY-1RH-JD0Y9qTbPkiLmr8a_jUDq_wpjLutHuQrhuqugxrYtWwXAp9K2us_F6GrMBPY8UcmvLXkxAc4qHtt1o5_xeflKS7TB_8BD-SAXGmg0x7MfgbDBml-Sqf7pcXSxWRUhi2G=w507-h640" width="507" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>This lunch lady would have...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="316" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VY14zcUM9SI" width="380" youtube-src-id="VY14zcUM9SI"></iframe></div><br /><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/clever-comebacks-posts/"><br /></a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/clever-comebacks-posts/">More clever comebacks here, </a></b>thanks to<i> Bored Panda</i>. Some of these are really funny.</p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-61233847119417327462024-02-26T23:10:00.001-07:002024-02-26T23:33:07.730-07:00The Best Soup In the World<p> <i> Mavis Butterfield, over at her blog, <b><a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/">One Hundred Dollars A Month</a>,</b> offered a<b><a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/copycat-panera-tomato-bisque-soup-recipe/"> tomato soup recipe</a></b> she said was a dead ringer for Panera's tomato bisque. I'm not sure about that. I do know that every time I've served it, even people who say they hate tomato soup practically lick the bowl.</i></p><p><i><b>It's that good. </b></i></p><p><i>I'm going to give you Mavis' original version (which I followed faithfully the first time around) -- and mine. Both result in incredibly rich, tomato-y goodness.</i></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mavis's Copycat Panera Tomato Bisque</span></b></p><p><span data-amount="2" data-unit="tablespoon" face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">2 tablespoons</span><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"> olive oil</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Karla, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" /><span data-amount="5" face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">5</span><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"> garlic cloves, minced</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Karla, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" /><span data-amount="1" face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">1</span><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"> large white or yellow onion, diced</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Karla, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" /><span data-amount="2" face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">2</span><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"> {28 oz} cans of peeled tomatoes, undrained</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Karla, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" /><span data-amount="1" data-unit="cup" face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">1 cup</span><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"> chicken stock</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Karla, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" /><span data-amount="1" data-unit="tablespoon" face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">1 tablespoon</span><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"> sugar</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Karla, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" /><span data-amount="1" data-unit="teaspoon" face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">1 teaspoon</span><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"> of dried basil or </span><span data-amount="6" face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">6</span><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"> large fresh basil leaves, chopped</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Karla, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" /><span data-amount="0.25" data-unit="teaspoon" face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">1/4 teaspoon</span><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"> dried oregano</span></p><p>----------------------------------</p><p><span data-amount="0.25" data-unit="cup" face="Karla, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">1/4 cup</span><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"> half and half </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">P</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">armesan cheese to sprinkle on top; </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;">Salt and pepper to taste</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXGYJvO4882uapceoXRx-R-dzkO7W2IUPbG-bDPytrmWiulRgESFYVakX8va5wUqsW-rtvnk1Q915iM6jgFw5wEAb_TePuuVXz0-7glTLIywQmprTI9G-1Ui3PXV2VXBXOtbCN5me6pTQedKxZPHf4r8ryjqaXjyUS8FxVikfT_aS0Y4wMEhx4N2MMl2V/s933/Panera%20tomato%20bisque%20soup%20-%20HUndred%20Dollars%20A%20MOnth.jpg" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="700" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXGYJvO4882uapceoXRx-R-dzkO7W2IUPbG-bDPytrmWiulRgESFYVakX8va5wUqsW-rtvnk1Q915iM6jgFw5wEAb_TePuuVXz0-7glTLIywQmprTI9G-1Ui3PXV2VXBXOtbCN5me6pTQedKxZPHf4r8ryjqaXjyUS8FxVikfT_aS0Y4wMEhx4N2MMl2V/w390-h520/Panera%20tomato%20bisque%20soup%20-%20HUndred%20Dollars%20A%20MOnth.jpg" width="390" /></a></p><p> Mavis' soup -- from <b><a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/">One Hundred Dollars A Month</a></b></p><p><span face="Karla, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><b>My riff on Mavis's recipe:</b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a tablespoon of butter</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">1 1/2 tablespoons dried garlic</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">1 large onion, diced</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">1 #10 can tomatoes (diced or whatever -- cheaper than buying 28 oz. cans)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">3 chicken bouillon cubes (plus a cup or so of hot water)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">2 tablespoons sugar</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">1 teaspoon dried basil</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">1 teaspoon dried oregano</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">------------------------------------</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">1/2 cup whole milk</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">Parmesan cheese, plus salt and pepper to taste</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">* * * * * * *</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Directions for both:</b> sizzle onion and garlic in the olive oil/butter for a few minutes...then dump everything but the last two line items in a big pot. Let cook slowly for about an hour, thinning if needed with a little water. Buzz the hot soup in a blender -- a handheld blender works even better. Stir in the half-and-half or milk, then add salt and pepper. Serve the soup with Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top. (It's good cold, too.)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">* * *( * * * *</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><i>The Brick, who like myself, grew up on Campbell's tomato soup (and didn't like it), LOVES this soup. I have to admit: it's pretty darn wonderful. It keeps in the fridge about a week, but freezes well. </i></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Makes enough for at 4-6 people, plus leftovers. </i></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Serve with a grilled cheese sandwich, Mavis' terrific<b><a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/no-knead-dutch-oven-crusty-bread-3/"> Dutch Oven Bread</a></b> or her <b><a href="https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/easy-peasy-naan-bread-recipe/">Easy Naan Bread</a></b>. Or go for the traditional accompaniment: saltine crackers.</i></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNPTQAcvnHqC2Go4cB4Cla7q6xub5OkkxVs-UNbORdAFWmvX7UGlkRTPJMV56MxTDXFXWBNo7xLJmFbalEvxzwTfvYsBLyCYW3XcWZ2PyazbbjXTx3QO0g9XjSibDmWqRrf0dQBJrIB27UwOCcYEUlMObz73gvreY6Lka1I4v5crCUL99qgqlfpmxIPF2/s960/mf%20-%20soup%20eating%20guy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNPTQAcvnHqC2Go4cB4Cla7q6xub5OkkxVs-UNbORdAFWmvX7UGlkRTPJMV56MxTDXFXWBNo7xLJmFbalEvxzwTfvYsBLyCYW3XcWZ2PyazbbjXTx3QO0g9XjSibDmWqRrf0dQBJrIB27UwOCcYEUlMObz73gvreY6Lka1I4v5crCUL99qgqlfpmxIPF2/w300-h400/mf%20-%20soup%20eating%20guy.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Chicken noodle soup's good, too!</i></div><br /><br /></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-63713088063133930022024-02-26T12:09:00.008-07:002024-02-26T18:03:23.947-07:00Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Clearing Out, Finishing Up<p><i> After a fun couple of<b><a href="https://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2024/02/monday-stuff-on-way-to-other-stuff_18.html"> birthday days for the Brick</a></b>, it was back to work. The Brick also spent a few afternoons ferrying around a friend who had a hip replacement -- and researching a future repair on the truck. I put stuff away and worked on reports. Exciting, huh...but all were necessary. </i></p><p><i> More of same this week, too.</i></p><p><i>The snow is gradually melting, with sunny days...but a bitter wind and occasional snowflakes keep the outdoors chilly. It IS trudging toward spring, isn't it? </i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih14oUu4rNIt4hZQOXgjrFo0QVWTop0kRB6gx_XySZhyphenhyphenRyWtTbJfO-QpOEHGgGF0AV7Iou6RomU_8WE9GD0QcpwauSP5hx18GwYw_eGSl1rJ93CWj5D6L4hhu0-vh9sMef65f4ykciCJ5xCl34Lm8RubEBD6gpCNKP2zwBomf9gubOY0cNTkS3kuL81B-5/s556/winter%20room%20piper%20creations.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="445" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih14oUu4rNIt4hZQOXgjrFo0QVWTop0kRB6gx_XySZhyphenhyphenRyWtTbJfO-QpOEHGgGF0AV7Iou6RomU_8WE9GD0QcpwauSP5hx18GwYw_eGSl1rJ93CWj5D6L4hhu0-vh9sMef65f4ykciCJ5xCl34Lm8RubEBD6gpCNKP2zwBomf9gubOY0cNTkS3kuL81B-5/w320-h400/winter%20room%20piper%20creations.gif" width="320" /></a></div><p><i>Meanwhile:</i></p><p><b><a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-history-facts-that-sound-fake/lauren-glen?utm_source=newsletters&utm_medium=weirdhistory&utm_campaign=wh_active&utm_content=20240224&lctg=641bef847a8f17228a0ddeb7&user_email=60c7d987bbdc82af2dccfbbf654b3114">Weird history facts -- that are true!</a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/02/26/world-news/mystery-of-missing-ss-nemesis-ship-solved-after-120-years/">The wreck of the ship <i>Nemesis</i> found</a></b> -- lost for 120 years near Australia.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-13101911/hotel-room-lienz-austria-adlerhorst-views.html">A two-year wait for this hotel room in Austria</a></b> -- but it looks like it's well worth it, at $85/night. (Breakfast is included, too, but you'll have to share a bathroom with others.)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUs1OQkyRqxOOViAJl9OEomhwQRFYI1gLzKo15gs6gYSfqwnXROfSTnHXQnWLpFHqgpLAIQWJ_MM1MCwKJ3Q91Ca__A5mwuJmGLjJyUYMHEqg54XTr9bMNM7_xTMFew4088oLVYcOLckkVnMqCtK5fE7h1cB8PcFQvNuDsHSoTa6MfS2GnkXxJS7aXohyQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="634" height="495" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUs1OQkyRqxOOViAJl9OEomhwQRFYI1gLzKo15gs6gYSfqwnXROfSTnHXQnWLpFHqgpLAIQWJ_MM1MCwKJ3Q91Ca__A5mwuJmGLjJyUYMHEqg54XTr9bMNM7_xTMFew4088oLVYcOLckkVnMqCtK5fE7h1cB8PcFQvNuDsHSoTa6MfS2GnkXxJS7aXohyQ=w318-h495" width="318" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><b><a href="https://gmajormusictheory.org/Freebies/freebiesAlphaA.html">Free piano music for all levels! </a></b>The only 'free' site that didn't give me the runaround, or try to sign me up for a 'free' trial.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/people-reveal-corporate-secrets/">Insiders reveal some interesting corporate secrets.</a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.quora.com/Why-do-you-think-you-still-remember-your-favorite-childhood-meal">Favorite childhood meals remembered.</a></b> Quorans look back with nostalgia.</p><p><b><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/01/27/news/veteran-christopher-stultz-faked-using-wheelchair-for-nearly-20-years-to-collect-660k-in-benefits/">This veteran faked a need for a wheelchair for years </a></b>-- and collected hundreds of thousands in benefits. He even wheeled out of a meeting, rolled up to his vehicle, got out -- and put the wheelchair in the back before driving off!</p><p>Here's a weird one -- s<b><a href="https://www.fox29.com/news/pennsylvania-thrift-store-finds-rare-14-karat-gold-lego-mask">omeone donated a 14-carat Lego mask to a thrift shop!</a></b> (Bids for it are up to $11,000-plus, according to the article.)</p><p><b><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/02/22/us-news/internet-scammers-who-target-americans-caught-on-camera/">Turning the tables on the scammers</a></b>... including revealing their faces. </p><p><b><a href="https://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/edward-avedisian-clarinetist-philanthropist-dies-at-85/">Edward Avedisian's $50-million-plus donation to BU</a></b>...on a modest musician's salary. </p><p><b><a href="https://www.nightwatchparanormal.com/schooner-jenny.html">The story of the schooner <i>Jenny</i> -- her crew was still on board</a></b>. Frozen solid.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/henry-worsley-antarctic-exploration-tragedy/erin-mccann?li_source=LI&li_medium=desktop-also-saw">The sad story of Henry Worsley's 2015 Antarctic expedition. </a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.quora.com/What-is-your-go-to-recipe-when-inviting-guests-over-for-a-dinner-party">Wonderful go-to recipes for dinner parties.</a></b> Yay, Quora!</p><p><b><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/02/21/us-news/don-henley-targeted-in-scheme-to-sell-him-stolen-hotel-california-lyrics-prosecutors/">Don Henley is suing to get his 'Hotel California' written lyrics back</a></b> -- after they were 'borrowed' by a writer decades ago.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/genius-decisions-people-made/">'Genius' decisions by people</a></b>. (Yup, foolish ones.)</p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13074353/sleepy-joe-biden-physical-therapy-aides-disaster.html">A rather unnerving look at President Biden's schedule and habits, </a> </b>through the eyes of his aides.</p><p><b><a href="https://denvergazette.com/outtherecolorado/news/man-dies-after-getting-bitten-by-venomous-lizard-in-colorado/article_e29cfc96-d040-11ee-9914-77872686d645.html?utm_source=Master&utm_campaign=3fa4d75d75-Daily+Newsletter_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b88b5f678d-3fa4d75d75-174531145">A man dies from a gila monster bite! </a></b>This hasn't happened in decades. </p><p><b><a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/robert-peary-1909-north-pole-photos/bailey-brown?utm_source=newsletters&utm_medium=weirdhistory&utm_campaign=wh_active&utm_content=20240220&lctg=641bef847a8f17228a0ddeb7&user_email=60c7d987bbdc82af2dccfbbf654b3114">Photos from Robert Peary's 1909 expedition</a></b> -- crystal-clear!</p><p><b><a href="https://darksecretsdaily.quora.com/What-is-the-most-condescending-advice-you-received-from-someone-who-assumed-you-were-poorer-or-less-educated-than-them-14">"What's the most condescending advice you've ever received from someone who assumed you weren't ----- ?"</a></b> <i>Quora</i> answers can be VERY interesting!</p><p><b><a href="https://www.hometalk.com/posts/kitchen-dining/countertops/my-faux-granite-counter-top-and-a-new-use-for-fabric-softener-sheets-18878987">A new use for fabric softener sheets </a></b>-- faux granite countertops!</p><p>And while you're pondering that...<b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/cleaning/article-13107465/chantel-mila-melbourne-cleaning-queen-mum-shower-grout-mould-australia.html"> a household mix that will keep your shower grout sparkling clean.</a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.financialsamurai.com/dont-let-pride-get-in-the-way-of-taking-care-of-your-family/">Taking care of your family should have first priority -- even if it means taking a 'lesser' job for a while.</a></b> And I agree! (From <i>Financial Samurai)</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Have a great week. </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3K5sLoVkS2Y08a_def2UT22EnT7awy5KDqrjsKjl2uXVtN0AxJlJVaXEZ3KnlryqhIOWI5eDebek62TLf1Fpbi6VwmMgZnuEMuqC25G6VVOCzZsYg3NX4OpzOsBNEyJz9MEZSmOYHZ2P65oIEkwpggZmiwaDjiYeom_QewJB6vsUPXbfGjH2a0XbMs5PC/s889/dog%20in%20sunshine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3K5sLoVkS2Y08a_def2UT22EnT7awy5KDqrjsKjl2uXVtN0AxJlJVaXEZ3KnlryqhIOWI5eDebek62TLf1Fpbi6VwmMgZnuEMuqC25G6VVOCzZsYg3NX4OpzOsBNEyJz9MEZSmOYHZ2P65oIEkwpggZmiwaDjiYeom_QewJB6vsUPXbfGjH2a0XbMs5PC/w315-h400/dog%20in%20sunshine.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-3234358225073413462024-02-23T01:52:00.003-07:002024-02-23T01:52:25.318-07:00Or Quilts...<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwcFZhTYJiN3wPlYp7nCfPFLO81MI-pCjrD1jZt2w_8N5onMjOKi6Jsh7cTjkVDRC87iUROqqv9-EAProrMd9RuckzU3Exr3sS_bTruOtNr80Dy7FHZnScpRsOfVElEZbWIvYF_MzrvsvLwqZ9Qyd6tr1l6AkFYuJ6DcmqIVEnauyykbyNYCZ2hInYpY1_" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="700" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwcFZhTYJiN3wPlYp7nCfPFLO81MI-pCjrD1jZt2w_8N5onMjOKi6Jsh7cTjkVDRC87iUROqqv9-EAProrMd9RuckzU3Exr3sS_bTruOtNr80Dy7FHZnScpRsOfVElEZbWIvYF_MzrvsvLwqZ9Qyd6tr1l6AkFYuJ6DcmqIVEnauyykbyNYCZ2hInYpY1_=w536-h419" width="536" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>...or maybe Bigfoot. Who knows.</i></div><br /><p></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-77308164356696668532024-02-22T23:45:00.002-07:002024-02-22T23:49:16.772-07:00Do You Need A Million Bucks Before You Can Retire? <div><i>I thought you'd enjoy this 'blast from the past' about the Brick's retirement. Did he (or we) do it with a million dollars in our bank account? Far from it...in fact, our finances have increased substantially since the Blessed Event. (P.S. I haven't retired yet. Probably never will.)</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Plenty of financial experts announce that 'you need a million dollars in your coffers in order to retire.' Do you believe them?<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> Guess what? It isn't true. </b><br />
<br />
My husband, known hereafter as the Brick, has been officially retired since September 2015. It was the cap to an interesting series of careers:<br />
*first, as a student after 6 years in the Navy (poor pay, but help with college costs)<br />
*a mechanical engineer, often for military contractors (terrific pay)<br />
*a controls engineer, for the University of Colorado (also great pay)<br />
<br />
Then, after 60-80-hour workweek and exhaustion, he became:<br />
*a school bus driver. (awful pay)<br />
<br />
After thirteen years, most of them at less than $20,000 annually, he'd finally worked his way up to designing the computer system that tied the Transportation department together. (reasonably good pay) But it increasingly meant dealing with politics and people...people he didn't always agree with. When the stress started to resemble his previous exhaustion, he took the obvious choice:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> He retired. Not long after his 60th birthday.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8yieaNDoVcAxQe4_FQyX6QWiAIlRtYgoH-26YJtZZXW4SRdkKo6wCHbEaXJC1SnoXmedWzqG-gw5v8AbWyFJfHidh8FDdbRXziGeu6-PIJ5oFfVW4LnHbNOZqqLWm8WMtbD-N4Ssh0_dccoTUAMu7UVzJnpygegv_7yT8ofx1ARyviBLUeyARDu7zHg9/s3264/Dave%20at%20Rockies%20game%20-%20maybe%202019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8yieaNDoVcAxQe4_FQyX6QWiAIlRtYgoH-26YJtZZXW4SRdkKo6wCHbEaXJC1SnoXmedWzqG-gw5v8AbWyFJfHidh8FDdbRXziGeu6-PIJ5oFfVW4LnHbNOZqqLWm8WMtbD-N4Ssh0_dccoTUAMu7UVzJnpygegv_7yT8ofx1ARyviBLUeyARDu7zHg9/w400-h300/Dave%20at%20Rockies%20game%20-%20maybe%202019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b>
<br />
Our finances aren't even remotely in the million-dollar department. But over the years, we'd made several decisions that really helped:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> *The Brick qualified for a pension</b>. He didn't have enough time put in to qualify for PERA, the Colorado version of the state pension fund. That meant meant paying for a few extra years of service -- but we had the money to do so. (I'll explain how shortly.)<br />
The pension was one of the benefits that kept him working for the state, instead of going back to private work. We chose the option that gave us less for now -- but guarantees me his payment, if something were to happen to him.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> *I kept on working at my job.</b> I have a company, Brickworks LLC, that sells quilting and craft products online, including my own books. (I've written six, so far.) I write articles on a wide variety of subjects. I'm a personal property appraiser of more than two decades...a national judge...and I teach about quilting around the country. It's only part-time, except for the writing. But I love what I do.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XlVm09rDIOU/VYDHAtdLQCI/AAAAAAAABOY/HID97o7huxEAWwLKfb_rc4fc67eW6aPCgCPcB/s1600/Barn%2BDoor%2Bblocks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XlVm09rDIOU/VYDHAtdLQCI/AAAAAAAABOY/HID97o7huxEAWwLKfb_rc4fc67eW6aPCgCPcB/s320/Barn%2BDoor%2Bblocks.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b> *We had no debt...except the final payments on a car loan.</b> And that was paid within six months of the Brick's retirement. Over 33+ years of marriage, we had no credit card debt, although we used our credit cards for everything from groceries to medical bills. The reason: <i>we paid the cards off every month</i>. No matter what.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> *Our house was paid off. Completely.</b> We'd sold one house before this one -- and since we paid extra on the balance, had a hefty down payment to make on House #2. That, combined with more scrimping, plus a welcome inheritance from the Brick's mom, let us clear away the mortgage years early.<br />
<br />
<b> *We gradually saved up money in 401(k)s</b> -- and took advantage of every employer's match. Even if we couldn't 'afford' it at the time. When we got raises or windfalls, those were carefully put away to cover expenses for emergencies and taxes.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> *We knew how to work -- at several different jobs.</b> And were willing to keep on doing it. Over the years, the Brick and I have taken on everything from dogwalking to catering, working at Home Depot and Wal-Mart, scrubbing out toilets to home repair.<br />
Not only are we both capable of doing a number of different things -- we're not afraid of doing so. If it's honest work, and not immoral, we'll consider doing it. Most of all:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> *We knew how to live frugally.</b> Although the Brick made good money while engineering, his pay while bus-driving was less than $20,000 annually -- and that included what I could contribute to the pot. The only way to make it work was following the age-old principle:<br />
<i> Spend less than you earn. No matter what.</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> *That meant buying EVERYTHING at a bargain.</b> Groceries were purchased on sale or discount -- or I made them, using basic foodstuffs. (I also grew a garden, whenever possible.) We raised our own rabbits -- then later on, chickens. Our family hunted deer and elk.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-smu_2OcMtT0/WMonhu-H9GI/AAAAAAAAEuU/wGlruqRrKxgEEzFnG8pu-2TGBzacLXY7QCLcB/s1600/Angel%2Bdoe%2B10-16.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-smu_2OcMtT0/WMonhu-H9GI/AAAAAAAAEuU/wGlruqRrKxgEEzFnG8pu-2TGBzacLXY7QCLcB/s400/Angel%2Bdoe%2B10-16.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Daughter #2, doing her part to add to the family larder</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I bought most of our clothes at deep discount -- or the thrift shop. (This wasn't as much of a burden as it seems: we live in one of the most prosperous counties in the country, and thrift shop offerings were often of high-end brands and quality.) Our furniture was given to us, purchased on sale or via Craigslist.<br />
We bought our major appliances the same way -- after we'd done a great deal of research to find the most reliable brands. We purchased two houses, only after doing our homework again, including visiting dozens of homes and carefully bargaining.<br />
The savings weren't that much by themselves. But over the years, they added up to tens of thousands of dollars. And they definitely helped ease the Brick's path in the last few years.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> *Even now, we still make our money stretch</b>. Health insurance that's hundreds of dollars cheaper a month. (The Brick found that one recently.) A seniors pass that gets us into national parks for the rest of our lives: $10. (It's going up to $80 by the end of 2017, by the way. If you're 62 or over, buy it <i>now</i>.) Plane and cruise tickets for rock-bottom prices. A 30-foot trailer that will eventually become our permanent home...and the sturdy truck to pull it by. (The trailer's a done deal -- we saved at least $5,000 or more. The truck's still in process. We may have to drive to North Dakota to get it at the right price, but it will be worth it.)<br />
No savings is too small...because it means we have to work that much less to cover the expense.<br />
<br />
And finally:<br />
<b> *We love adventures and pleasures, small and large -- but we choose them together. And the best ones are often the least expensive. </b>Driving through Divisa, Panama. (And talking our way out of a ticket for, of all things, making a left-hand turn off the highway. It's illegal there!) Hiking in the mountains, then drinking coffee at night by the fire. (Maybe even hearing the rain patter at night on our tent -- one of the coziest sounds of all, if you're dry.) Late nights watching a movie, homemade caramel corn in hand, knowing we don't have to get up at dawn's crack for work. Teasing our silly dogs, Charley and Abby, as we snuggle in bed on a snowy morning.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPcdIANJ52g/WKFMYYYdvOI/AAAAAAAAEek/EqGlbk7EKoM10xljEhNO9YMhuooRWK4-ACPcB/s1600/Charley%2Bhappy%2B-%2B1-17.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPcdIANJ52g/WKFMYYYdvOI/AAAAAAAAEek/EqGlbk7EKoM10xljEhNO9YMhuooRWK4-ACPcB/s400/Charley%2Bhappy%2B-%2B1-17.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sir Charles, at his zaniest.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now that the Brick is retired, he can occasionally go on teaching gigs with me -- which meant that our trips to Oklahoma City and North Carolina were paid for. We take separate jobs now and then, which gives us time apart -- and helps us appreciate the time we get to be together.<br />
<br />
Could we have saved more money? Of course. You always can. In fact, we're still saving some.<br />
<br />
Could the Brick have kept on working longer? He'd originally planned to -- it just didn't pan out.<br />
<br />
Are we happy, retiring earlier?<br />
<br />
<i>You bet.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xkSCYtzItTE/VOd9KtVFIqI/AAAAAAAABBw/UQ3ri0fIAZU2vQZDSCx0eDTRfZChMEE5wCPcB/s1600/cindy%2Band%2Bdave%2Bat%2Bthe%2BRockies%2Bgame%2B-%2B2012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xkSCYtzItTE/VOd9KtVFIqI/AAAAAAAABBw/UQ3ri0fIAZU2vQZDSCx0eDTRfZChMEE5wCPcB/s400/cindy%2Band%2Bdave%2Bat%2Bthe%2BRockies%2Bgame%2B-%2B2012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
</div>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-4162124463674497982024-02-21T22:30:00.006-07:002024-02-21T22:30:43.456-07:00Secret Confessions<p> ... like this one:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVW84pl7HDyUhlOsA_etVygaKGavyif1mm8KoR-ePU7xkg3RtqE5RRRObHw3D9QlQM9beoOBogDfv2hwYhJUDjGF3eyHq-XcD8SmxIUNTCqTDUU5pJKiUt-hzTjixTZTxK407prCyRhayiisnarR2eHA6vu1FDEcW4oNl1n4gjEmyzoQMBvJlPK20ZXS0g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="700" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVW84pl7HDyUhlOsA_etVygaKGavyif1mm8KoR-ePU7xkg3RtqE5RRRObHw3D9QlQM9beoOBogDfv2hwYhJUDjGF3eyHq-XcD8SmxIUNTCqTDUU5pJKiUt-hzTjixTZTxK407prCyRhayiisnarR2eHA6vu1FDEcW4oNl1n4gjEmyzoQMBvJlPK20ZXS0g=w524-h262" width="524" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I find this particularly interesting. My dear little daughters used to call each other "vaca" (cow) until I put a stop to it. At least publicly.<br /><br /><p></p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/weird-fascinating-confessions/">More from<i> Bored Panda</i> here.</a></b></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-16381341175042333072024-02-18T22:14:00.004-07:002024-02-18T22:24:18.027-07:00Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Birthday Week<p> <i> The Brick's birthday is Tuesday...Happy Birthday to him! </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQpEgUinkPzxMSdktJi1mbI_T7MqJhuiwyRUgrpZToBIMvrgdNXgAeBCFqulgAMwZAS8GXk26g50H4mmEFH0g65RxvrwuVkKeod4cbZbEAPdq6PPSPwcFFMLmMhSEqG-teqaoUi5gdXmgGvP-7SpW0f6SCSLQUELH-QERa5ZmmSZv-rz1K3t7OL9RO4cH/s640/2015%20-%20Dave%2060th%20birthday.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="640" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQpEgUinkPzxMSdktJi1mbI_T7MqJhuiwyRUgrpZToBIMvrgdNXgAeBCFqulgAMwZAS8GXk26g50H4mmEFH0g65RxvrwuVkKeod4cbZbEAPdq6PPSPwcFFMLmMhSEqG-teqaoUi5gdXmgGvP-7SpW0f6SCSLQUELH-QERa5ZmmSZv-rz1K3t7OL9RO4cH/w400-h388/2015%20-%20Dave%2060th%20birthday.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><i>This remarkable guy has been in my life for nearly 43 years...and I don't know what I'd do without him. Ruby, either...we both love him very much.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZh4qwHuFr-VIY-dRH8hJj783r_NNpmOqRKW7moSImIV5tlaKDgBkqQWABZ7zqyhmMBvqEnCKyfjyF9S4hsIIsn6gZ-6qEf6F0HDaF2mVctXpmyCkIhahfR9mieWgM7f1rSJ5flCkjcBdY7f_dVoloDytIgGHyR_gAN02R_HvcbEtAJtnKTYSApEkF-5vb/s4032/Dave%20and%20Ruby%209-23.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZh4qwHuFr-VIY-dRH8hJj783r_NNpmOqRKW7moSImIV5tlaKDgBkqQWABZ7zqyhmMBvqEnCKyfjyF9S4hsIIsn6gZ-6qEf6F0HDaF2mVctXpmyCkIhahfR9mieWgM7f1rSJ5flCkjcBdY7f_dVoloDytIgGHyR_gAN02R_HvcbEtAJtnKTYSApEkF-5vb/w375-h500/Dave%20and%20Ruby%209-23.heic" width="375" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><i>Meanwhile:</i></p><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-kind-wholesome-memes/">Cheerful memes</a></b> -- that will cheer you up, too.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/shaq-gives-retirement-advice-jason-kelce-dont-be-an-idiot-like-me">"Don't be like me"</a></b> -- interesting advice from Shaq to Kelce. (And us.)</p><p><b><a href="https://www.financialsamurai.com/embrace-living-paycheck-to-paycheck-then-get-out/">Sometimes living from paycheck to paycheck temporarily can save you enough -</a></b>- to get out of that pattern. (From<i> Financial Samurai</i>)</p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13084601/crystal-mangum-escort-murder-true-crime-series.html">The stripper who accused the college lacrosse players of rape... is now in jail for stabbing her boyfriend to death.</a></b> Did you know the 'rest of the story?/' (I didn't.) Her story is actually <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Mangum">WAY more complicated</a></b> than this article implies. What a messy, wasted life...and it's all everyone else's fault. (Or so she says.)</p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-13065639/experts-reveal-favourite-hangover-foods-world.html">Favorite hangover foods. </a></b> Biscuits & gravy?!?</p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13062045/vietnam-war-hero-doug-hegdahl-stupid-one-memorize-names.html">The Vietnam War POW who fooled his captors into thinking he was an idiot -- and memorized 256 names of fellow POWS</a></b>. (He did it to the tune of "Old McDonald," and can still recite them today.)</p><p><b><a href="https://www.internationalquiltmuseum.org/exhibition/feed-sacks-american-fairy-tale?fbclid=IwAR2xvJMnUVjoA1SxECyt-ZUXAvhUn51HVnv0w309et3x1tAmZddmRKOY6r4">Feedsacks</a></b> -- an interesting exhibit at one of the Depression's most useful textiles.</p><p><b><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/02/16/lifestyle/im-a-trailer-park-mom-living-on-30k-a-year-how-i-feed-my-family/">'I'm a "trailerpark mom" on a limited budget. Here's how I do it, foodwise.'</a></b></p><p><b>'<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/05/18/magazine/money-diaries.html?auth=login-google1tap&login=google1tap">Six families -- what we spent in a month.' </a></b> This is a <i>NY Times</i> article, so you may have to sign in for a free account -- but it's worth it, at least for this post. P.S. They spend a LOT.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/12/uk/roman-egg-intact-intl-scli-scn/index.html">A preserved egg found -- with liquid still inside -</a></b>- buried in Great Britain during Roman times!</p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13075117/Loyal-daughters-Pythons-money.html">The sad story of the guys in Monty Python and all their terrible, financially-strained lives. </a></b> (Where did all the money go??)</p><div><p>I have a Modest Proposal --<b><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/02/13/news/inventor-of-gold-standard-cognitive-test-suggests-itd-be-a-good-thing-for-biden-to-take-exam/"> let's have EVERY MEMBER OF CONGRESS and EVERY CABINET FIGURE, as well as our President -- take the 'gold standard cognitive test!' </a></b> It sure couldn't hurt...</p><p><b><a href="https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-13082259/Nigerian-scammer-tricks-used-fleece-women.html?ico=mol_desktop_ushome-newtab&molReferrerUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fushome%2Findex.html&_ga=2.150796790.1798706178.1707887675-529786365.1707859867&_gl=1*1qd7nyc*_ga*NTI5Nzg2MzY1LjE3MDc4NTk4Njc.*_ga_XE0XLFFF16*MTcwNzkzNDY4Ni4xNS4wLjE3MDc5MzQ2ODYuMC4wLjA.">A closer look at tricks and phrases Nigerian scammers use on their victims. </a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/banking/article-13066937/kevin-oleary-regional-banks-bancorp-silicon-valley.html">Protecting your money better in (and from) banks,</a></b> according to Kevin O'Leary.</p><p><b>The extended cut of that very silly (and funny!) Ben Affleck Dunkin' Donuts commercial</b>. What can I say...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yxTRX1NrsUY" width="320" youtube-src-id="yxTRX1NrsUY"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><p><b><a href="https://theprudenthomemaker.com/eat-for-40-cents-a-day-part-one-eat-more-meatless-meals/">Meatless meals, from a specialist: </a></b><i>The Prudent Homemaker</i>. I'm planning on her <a href="https://theprudenthomemaker.com/chicken-fried-steak/">'chicken' fried steak</a> this week for a vegetarian friend. </p><p><b><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68282189">Interesting things noted in the 2024 Oscars class photo -</a></b>- including Godzilla!</p><p><b><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/get-squatters-house-court-florida-eviction-lawyer-explains">Something you CAN do about squatters in Florida</a></b>, thanks to a little-known law. </p><p><b><a href="https://mytirelessretirement.blogspot.com/2024/02/my-grocery-shopping-strategy.html">A very effective strategy for making your grocery money go further. </a></b> (From <i>My Tireless Retirement)</i></p><div><p><b><a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/spoiled-kids-reality-check-stories/">Reality checks for entitled kids. </a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/02/13/news/shipwreck-found-at-bottom-of-lake-superior-that-sank-in-1940/">The <i>Arlington,</i> which sank in 1940 with its captain still on board, is found,</a></b> deep in Lake Superior.</p><p><b><a href="https://nypost.com/2024/02/14/entertainment/barney-the-dinosaur-shocks-fans-with-first-message-since-2010-heres-what-he-said/">Barney the purple dinosaur weighs in -- for the first time since 2010. </a></b> Does this mean he's coming back?</p></div><p><i>Have a great week. </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwowZHLoin4SDJ2u30RybxEj-R4rdRREO90gtZBjrnmZCIIb_4JocFhTNWEfV1pGulztDMrj6jMj4ZpkNxysrn-2Uj4deCfZroUU0E_dKhguT3qJPnFkgWq8dnUWcbeDtGe61SaCjmQeHfY_JzSOA0bVfdJ-tR8HE6_qTVVbeJbnEafeIHdVzdydbkwQ2/s480/charlie%20chaplin%20happy%20birthday.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwowZHLoin4SDJ2u30RybxEj-R4rdRREO90gtZBjrnmZCIIb_4JocFhTNWEfV1pGulztDMrj6jMj4ZpkNxysrn-2Uj4deCfZroUU0E_dKhguT3qJPnFkgWq8dnUWcbeDtGe61SaCjmQeHfY_JzSOA0bVfdJ-tR8HE6_qTVVbeJbnEafeIHdVzdydbkwQ2/w400-h300/charlie%20chaplin%20happy%20birthday.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p></div>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-49395446188023537112024-02-17T14:24:00.000-07:002024-02-17T14:24:19.657-07:00True, Dat.<p><i> This is more true than I would care to admit.</i></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMc9U8OFAow4ZNb5MzoGW2M7B3OZyWQeO8ljs_uAMxf1ke37TW7J68wAwAsPqEHb85S2HjGXuCRYbaVU69ikQHJHzx81zphgsxpn8eQ_0CSGdZu5RoDHO_Ui-AIjrvtmNly6QEjTPzeTbZJ7_p-I3Nnsmks-L23plQhLW5FYArXMyNvFZZsjaxEp85mimc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="640" height="553" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMc9U8OFAow4ZNb5MzoGW2M7B3OZyWQeO8ljs_uAMxf1ke37TW7J68wAwAsPqEHb85S2HjGXuCRYbaVU69ikQHJHzx81zphgsxpn8eQ_0CSGdZu5RoDHO_Ui-AIjrvtmNly6QEjTPzeTbZJ7_p-I3Nnsmks-L23plQhLW5FYArXMyNvFZZsjaxEp85mimc=w450-h553" width="450" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-5179655853706353832024-02-15T22:44:00.002-07:002024-02-15T22:57:48.268-07:00Secret Weapons That Keep the Money Coming In -- the Redux<p> <i>...not to mention, getting ahead! </i></p><p><i>This was published several years ago, and I thought it worth repeating. I still use these to help us save money! Here's the post, slightly edited and updated.</i></p><br />I wrote some posts earlier, about<a href="http://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2015/06/debt-or-no-debt.html"><b> staying out of debt</b></a> -- and <a href="http://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2015/06/6-ways-to-pay-off-debt-and-keep-from.html"><b>ways to get yourself out if you were.</b></a><br /><b> </b>I promised myself that I'd share some of my secret weapons -- tricks I use over and over to keep our household budget balanced, with money stashed for the future. They're particularly important, now that <a href="http://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2015/09/monday-stuff-on-way-to-other-stuff-more.html">my income has gone down some</a>, and the Brick is officially retired. (Two weeks and running.)<br /><b> </b>Our income took a nosedive when he retired, but I am not griping -- he is feeling and acting so much better already. But his body decided to give him one more smackdown first...earlier this week, he started feeling much like he had <a href="http://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2010/09/updating-for-this-week.html"><b>when his liver shut down,</b></a> and he spent a week in the hospital. I was frightened...shoot, <b>he </b>was frightened. With God's grace and a dose of antibiotic, though, he is starting to come out of it.<br /> <i> I am so grateful. </i><br /><br />The lower income is not terrifying -- we've lived on less before. But it does mean that we have to carefully consider any expenses -- and I must pay attention to how much I'm spending for food, decorating...and the business. And <i>that's </i>where the secret weapons come in:<br /><b><br /></b><b>*A small side job, preferably a regular one. </b>For me, it's piano lessons. I've had anywhere from 1-6 students, each paying up to $15 weekly. (<i>Yes, I know. That's cheap for lessons -- I don't do it to make a lot of money. I do it to hopefully pass on the music.</i>) Even if they cancel, due to sickness or traveling (we take off August and December, too), that's $30-45 weekly. It helps fill in gaps, pays for some extras, and gives me money for guilt-free presents for the Brick.<br /><br /> Even $10 extra every other week can add up. Possibilities:<br /><br /> <i> Mowing yards or shoveling sidewalks</i><br /><i> Babysitting </i>(even if just filling in when the regular sitter is on vacation)<br /><i> Ironing </i>(my mom used to do this for extra money)<br /><i> Selling meals or baked goods (or swapping them for what's needed)</i><br /><i> Picking up/dropping off people from the airport </i><br /><i> Dog-sitting or dogwalking </i>(Daughter #1 pays for her college this way)<br /><i> Church nursery</i> (many churches are looking for people to fill, for MOPS especially)<br /> <i> Selling items you've picked up cheaply at library sales, garage sales and the thrift shop </i><br /><br /> Once you get a regular customer and do a good job, they'll help spread the word. But there's also Craigslist and community clipboards.<i></i><br /><i><br /></i><i>We also sell eggs</i> -- which pays for the chickies' feed and straw, plus some leftover.<br /> I am flirting with the idea of going to our local pizza joint, and offering to work one day a week, plus filling in for vacations and sick days. I've noticed they have a fairly high turnover, and could probably use the help. Plus I'm hoping for free leftover pizza! Call it silly, but I have always wanted to work in a pizza place. (<i>And, knowing me, write about it...can't help myself.)</i><br /><i> <b> </b></i><b>Keep this money separate</b>. Use part of it to help fund your savings, then stash the rest in a tin. (I use a sugarbowl, as a joke.)<i> </i>'Found money' goes here, too. It will build up.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-D3UH_Au6T-gG94wQWhxlLMG6SdZhySr6-H_fRXrQ8dq-htAB03n-a-JrD7Xl7zjgyF-t-_Pw6s9Dqoclm6oqrE02_wsZHhi2o_JCwd5-8W7pXAglViCNLe1kA_begBz3dGPorq76Xq4GdDfMqbQa4eO9kKfTuoGXONCvfC7cWgWSJk4TlM1gd_9K62T5/s541/chicken%20-%20baby%20chicks%20coffee.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="460" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-D3UH_Au6T-gG94wQWhxlLMG6SdZhySr6-H_fRXrQ8dq-htAB03n-a-JrD7Xl7zjgyF-t-_Pw6s9Dqoclm6oqrE02_wsZHhi2o_JCwd5-8W7pXAglViCNLe1kA_begBz3dGPorq76Xq4GdDfMqbQa4eO9kKfTuoGXONCvfC7cWgWSJk4TlM1gd_9K62T5/w360-h424/chicken%20-%20baby%20chicks%20coffee.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A special mug might be fun, too.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><i>*</i>Clearance sections.</b> If you're not checking at the grocery store every time you stop in for milk, you're wasting prime opportunities to save<i>. </i>Grocery stores are not allowed to sell spoiled food -- if something tastes 'off,' then bring the label next time you stop in, and ask for your money back. My local King Soopers has marked-down areas in deli, meat, seafood, dairy...and canned/boxed foods plus produce. The local Safeway has a clearance area for freezer items, too.<br /> Don't forget the floral section, either. I just bought a dozen roses for a dear friend who lost her father: $3.00. (One rose had accidentally snapped off in the bunch.) Sprouts has especially good deals on flowers -- they'll mark plants and bouquets down to 99 cents.<br /> Best time to check: Wednesday night isn't bad, for 'old' sale items. I do best, though, late on Sunday evenings. <a href="http://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2013/10/groceries-on-30-week.html"><b>More ideas here, too.</b></a><br /><br /> There's also the <a href="http://www.yellowpages.com/arvada-co/mip/friday-store-2373939"><b>discount outlet store</b></a>. Ours is 45 min. drive away, though, and only open on Fridays and Saturdays. However, it's not far from the drive to see Daughter #2 in Boulder<b>. </b>Guess what days I often choose to go visit her? {<i>Darn: this store closed back in 2019 -- but we've found <b><a href="https://nicelocal.com/colorado/shops/sunshine_salvage_amish_discount_grocery_country_store/">Sunshine Salvage</a></b>, an Amish surplus store near Alamosa, that's almost as good.)<br /></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqGuhGnONxJUWlmsqtc5ErOz5W_rvDOpT-AE3gQZuGK7g1XmYyJXgl-TiNz5rBPmHxQAiHFlZTaLtQTwTeXyR8QAfE3jCsoFCTLLhgV6aC3cZIvDXJDm0tRIhNp9_x2dVu22UFhNpiBaJIgCvCljV2eME5TvNyek8qarzyuwynZOy2bA8wmAl70SzJ3Zv/s720/lemon%20cookies.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqGuhGnONxJUWlmsqtc5ErOz5W_rvDOpT-AE3gQZuGK7g1XmYyJXgl-TiNz5rBPmHxQAiHFlZTaLtQTwTeXyR8QAfE3jCsoFCTLLhgV6aC3cZIvDXJDm0tRIhNp9_x2dVu22UFhNpiBaJIgCvCljV2eME5TvNyek8qarzyuwynZOy2bA8wmAl70SzJ3Zv/w417-h277/lemon%20cookies.webp" width="417" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b>*Going 'tomorrow.'</b> This is a new weapon that's been surprisingly effective. If I need something, I'll put it off until 'tomorrow,' when I can get it for a better price...or make a trip with several errands, instead of just one. The one exception: when your coupon or the sale is about to expire.<i> (If your freezer is full, and it's an especially good price, odds are excellent that the item will not be in stock on the last day. <b>Get a raincheck, instead</b> -- and let the store 'keep' your item until you're ready for it.)</i><br /><i> </i>This also encourages you to adapt recipes (often with better results!) and see if you really need that item, after all<i>. Often, you don't.</i><br /><i> </i><br /><b>*Stocking up on things you use over and over...IF they're at a great price</b>. Canned soup, chicken feed, toilet paper and frozen pizza all fall into this category. <i>(This is where the extra money you earned from that occasional job comes into play.)</i><br /><i></i><br /><b><i>*</i>Want to see the latest movie?</b> Here's where 'tomorrow' plays in. Go to the discount show...or wait until it hits the dollar movie theater. (Or look for a good <a href="http://www.groupon.com/"><b>Groupon deal</b></a>.) Watch it on video...borrowed from the library. Or if you really want your own copy, buy it on Amazon, or at <a href="http://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2011/11/getting-up-moving-on.html"><b>Wal-Mart's or Tar-jay's Black Friday</b></a> sales.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="334" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WNNUcHRiPS8" width="402" youtube-src-id="WNNUcHRiPS8"></iframe></div><div><br /><b><br /></b><b>*Buy high quality only if you're going to use it regularly </b>Otherwise, dollar store stuff works just fine. (I do buy classier items, like paper napkins, at discount places like Tuesday Morning.)<br /> This applies to clothing (especially sweaters and boots), tools, things like that. And, if possible:<br /><b><br /></b><b>*Buy your high quality items on sale...or used</b>. If there's a good sale, that's great. (Especially after-season items...summer clothes and beach gear are on deep discount right now.) But if you buy high-end items used, odds are good that any potential problems have already been repaired. All you're out is the 'new car' smell -- and often you've saved a LOT. If you can use that item over a period of years, you'll save even more.<br /> Do your research. (We bought<a href="http://cindybrick.blogspot.com/2013/10/paying-to-save-on-energynow-and-later.html"><b> our Subaru Outback</b></a> this way -- for such a steal that the local dealer kept trying to buy it from us.) Find the brands, makes and models with the best reputations, then look for them at:<br /><b><br /></b><b>*Thrift shops or Craigslist spots in high-income areas: one of your best weapons</b>. These people have money to burn -- or spend like they do. Let them break in that cashmere sweater or portable sander...then you swoop in and generously take it off their hands. (If it's Craigslist, never pay first. ALWAYS dicker; you can pay full price later on, if you must.) <br /><b><br /></b><b>*Borrowing --and lending -- with people you can trust</b>. Good friends and family members are tops on this list, but we also swap dog-sitting and checking-on-the-house duties with neighbors. Reciprocating is important here. So are sharing items you've gotten a bargain on -- like the boxes of peaches we just got on our trip to the Western Slope. (One of our neighbors never returns a dish without including cookies or a loaf of bread in it. Another just stopped by, with a bouquet of lilies and a "Happy Fall" note -- now, that's the kind of thank-you I like!)<br /><br /><b>*Do it yourself.</b> Berries, deer meat, greens...all make regular appearances in our kitchen. No, we do not live on a country estate -- Home Depot's roof is just down the hill from our place. But we do have a backyard with a chicken coop in one corner, and a garden in the other. (If you live in the city, grow your spinach and rosemary in a pot on your windowsill.)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1KPNAa0d950smMRW1m0kzg6KH7WptCETgDodJKwINWEMUiSnpl2kjHlEiaxyi9FBfMAfhGibFmCPA8JW2moYiYf3MYGYPTvdWSU7zpIRrhi_-EniZ87RVtXJRwH7vpDiekSDoVv43OcJ4d5x9PRS776BL9eGgmTsSElH8wCs5teU2S_Uo2Tse5PZkpYd/s535/Charley%20gardening.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="519" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1KPNAa0d950smMRW1m0kzg6KH7WptCETgDodJKwINWEMUiSnpl2kjHlEiaxyi9FBfMAfhGibFmCPA8JW2moYiYf3MYGYPTvdWSU7zpIRrhi_-EniZ87RVtXJRwH7vpDiekSDoVv43OcJ4d5x9PRS776BL9eGgmTsSElH8wCs5teU2S_Uo2Tse5PZkpYd/w361-h373/Charley%20gardening.jpg" width="361" /></a></div><br /><div><br /> Make your own repairs, sew on your own buttons...and if something is beyond your capability, swap with someone who knows how. (And loves cheesecake, or needs his dog walked.) If you don't know anyone like that, ask your friend at work...or your neighbor...or somebody at church. You'll find just the person you need --with not that much effort.<br /><b><br /></b><b>*Never miss a chance to research and plan ahead.</b> Thinking about going to see your mom in the near future? You should be looking NOW for good plane tickets. (Frontier and others have had some interesting $29-plus offers lately.)<br /> Planning on turkey for Thanksgiving? Forecasters are saying that since turkey flocks have been hard-hit with sickness lately, turkey prices will be going up 20% -- or more. If you're getting one, you might want to buy it now. (Or think about serving ham, instead -- hogs are overstocked, according to the same forecasters.)<br /> You'll find the best vacation pricing this way -- the best sales on computers to cars -- and have what you need (and can afford) for gifts, home decorating and future plans -- IF you think ahead. <i>(I kind of enjoy this, too...it's like seeing the floor already tiled or the living room painted, or taking a vacation even before you hop on the train.)</i><br /><br /><b>*Unclutter -- then repurpose.</b> I have been cleaning off shelves lately...and finding everything from dozens of shipping envelopes (my staffer thought we were out) to a pair of heavy wool hunting socks, still in their original packaging. (Those will go in Keith's Christmas pile.) Extra items can be donated, and the cost taken off your taxes. Other items can be stripped down -- a high-end silk blouse, for example, often gives you a yard or so of fabric, plus quality buttons to reuse. In the Desperate Old Days, people would buy damaged wool sweaters, unravel them, and re-knit or crochet into gloves and scarves. If that mohair sweater is too small, why couldn't you, too?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItn5MbxBiqIn-JBLrTye_zmy2dxwS2IbzvUDiSoJgdC-J7IrqnAmME0ros3FS8B2CNT27Udvmtc6pH-8m1yD8G0mXknaw0nin9SnqfAhRDHMWQ1FLghTyFMrvnw4ADHnoouWqaYNvIj4Wk91BbG0MdueHqwuPG_007tVxzp6XTl4isoRIRTVTnWbxvmBt/s663/Yarn%20-%20self-medicating.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="564" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItn5MbxBiqIn-JBLrTye_zmy2dxwS2IbzvUDiSoJgdC-J7IrqnAmME0ros3FS8B2CNT27Udvmtc6pH-8m1yD8G0mXknaw0nin9SnqfAhRDHMWQ1FLghTyFMrvnw4ADHnoouWqaYNvIj4Wk91BbG0MdueHqwuPG_007tVxzp6XTl4isoRIRTVTnWbxvmBt/w353-h415/Yarn%20-%20self-medicating.jpg" width="353" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br />And the best weapon of all?<br /><br /><b>*Be willing to adapt. </b>Sometimes that change out of necessity ends up being the best thing that could happen to you.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFJ-STfcrtvLngIUuRu0HoMlcVrGJAzQrXmdGHOdZGjhEuuC8F6Gh8LxPBoN1B5CjFAXAoShJBTL87c44KeQ4Zkyrw3TL0MgBb9auqFY3UC1IWZf-o0aCnR6Z9ghqcbleKVg0j5j0ZUVtitxTJC1mm6aRPQ-mFJVcZkJYzXvNHTUrZpW5TqVx5CtmsJXW/s700/Happy%20Corgi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="700" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFJ-STfcrtvLngIUuRu0HoMlcVrGJAzQrXmdGHOdZGjhEuuC8F6Gh8LxPBoN1B5CjFAXAoShJBTL87c44KeQ4Zkyrw3TL0MgBb9auqFY3UC1IWZf-o0aCnR6Z9ghqcbleKVg0j5j0ZUVtitxTJC1mm6aRPQ-mFJVcZkJYzXvNHTUrZpW5TqVx5CtmsJXW/w526-h334/Happy%20Corgi.jpg" width="526" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2933097612306343473.post-8793471282658766232024-02-14T22:41:00.003-07:002024-02-17T14:23:59.862-07:00The Most AMAZING Garden Tour in Vegas!<p><br /></p><p>I have been reading Brandy Simper's blog, <b><a href="https://theprudenthomemaker.com/">The Prudent Homemaker, </a></b>for years. She regularly feeds several kids and her husband from a garden that bountifully combines veggies, fruit and flowers...on little money and less water. </p><p>Brandy's growing things are beautifully kept -- and just plain beautiful. Now that our landscape is pretty much tan and/or white, all the colors and textures (not to mention the lemons and fresh greens) are a real encouragement to this color-starved Coloradoan.</p><p><b>Now YOU can visit Brandy's garden, and see how she does it!</b></p><p> She is opening her garden for a tour and class on March 9, in the morning. If you live in the Las Vegas area, or are planning on visiting during this time, it's a budget-priced chance to learn a LOT from an experienced gardener. Frankly, if we lived closer, I'd be there, too. </p><p><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=7253417351381305&set=a.951715954884841">This page will tell you more</a></b>. <b><a href=" https://www.facebook.com/brandy.simper">Brandy's Facebook page</a></b> is also helpful. I love visiting <b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/theprudenthomemaker/">her Instagram page,</a></b> to see what's currently blooming and/or ready to pick. </p><p><i>Our frost dates are much longer than hers. but it gives me hope that even for us too, spring will come. </i></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0mCaTYxM4ClpUkQNTOGs3yiaXEicevUMrer4PTIOHEHWQZOJn2ly4uNMliavN8wM41E10Fn7ZjZFJCUAdczWfEetlMACY09BMxcUFbXx23PfESI8O6hWhWinYERA_Fc3XSY-J2WV6iHG42VpkqOExENvf5LcxdQF3fkLekS1DMHqztPgOC0TmwuMbx7Ag" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1153" height="794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0mCaTYxM4ClpUkQNTOGs3yiaXEicevUMrer4PTIOHEHWQZOJn2ly4uNMliavN8wM41E10Fn7ZjZFJCUAdczWfEetlMACY09BMxcUFbXx23PfESI8O6hWhWinYERA_Fc3XSY-J2WV6iHG42VpkqOExENvf5LcxdQF3fkLekS1DMHqztPgOC0TmwuMbx7Ag=w446-h794" width="446" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Brandy Simper photo - yes, from her garden.</i></div><br /><br /><p></p>Cindy Brickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09255999402913887987noreply@blogger.com0