In Honor of Graduations Everywhere

Charlie the dog gives his own salute to an Alabama high school graduation ceremony.  






Wait til the end for the final wag! As good-natured about it, too, as our Charley.

No doubt many graduates feel the same way.

Frugal Hits & Misses: May Report

This has been anything but a frugal month. In fact, with all the money expended for help, dumpsters, renovations and such, I should be breaking into hysterical laughter, just mentioning it. But the truth is:

*We live in an older house.
*It's needed renovation we couldn't afford to do.
*It will sell at a much higher price if we make those changes before we put it on the market.

And finally:
*Just by moving, we can afford the money for renovating.
          Go figure.

There is the possibility of another trailer to live in -- but it will also need some work. We'll be talking to its current owners soon. Until then, our wonderful neighbors have agreed to let us use their trailer while renovation on the house continues. 

God willing, the house should be on the market in mid-June. (Let us know if you're interested.)

Thrifty Mom in Boise resolved to use up what she already had, instead of going out and buying more. I agree with her philosophy on money, as well:  "I have always maintained it isn't just about how much money you make.  It is all about what you do with it.  The choices and decisions we make with that money are truly what matters."
    Amen, sister.

Even if it means spending more now, in order to save later.

Try getting your house ready to sell...that'll do it, too.

FRUGAL HITS

*More clothes have gone out for donation.  (More than a dozen large bags!) I am finding I don't need that many outfits, as long as I have a few good ones that wash easily. Ditto for shoes, too -- I wear the same pairs over and over.

*Said goodbye to the popup truck camper. It did yeoman service for years, while the girlies were little. Now it will make another family happy.

*Got final payment for the totalled trailer. That cash has helped pay the working crews. Sold the hot tub on the back deck -- that will help, too.

*Fruit deals:  Two pounds of strawberries: $1.88. (They spoiled within two days -- even the 'perfect' ones tasted spoiled. Returned them for a replacement.) A marked-down melon for a buck. Four last apples in the crisper, plus some dollar store blueberries and a leftover box of piecrust mix, made for a tasty tart.

*Half-price doughnuts -- for the guys working at the house. (They've been wonderful.) Also: five pieces, for a four-piece price!
       I've also bought a submarine sandwich and Little Caesar's Pizza sometimes for our working-men. We've been very lucky to have Drew (crew #1 supervisor) and his guys: brother Joe, Dave, Cody, Nick and Richard; and friend Tommy (crew #2 supervisor), Steve and Sam. (The painting/floor crew start in early June.)
    Moral of the story: Lunch, as well as coffee, soft drinks and sweet stuff (doughnuts, cookies, candy bars, whatever) go a long way in helping people keep on.

*Two for $10 flower baskets -- plus six-packs of flowers on sale. For the front and back decks. (Our realtor gifted another hanging basket, as well.)




*Multi-day moving sale. We didn't sell a ton of stuff -- the weather was too cold and rainy. But we did sell enough to offset some of the money going out.

*Gave several graduation presents I'd stashed away in the past. Cleaned out the present box -- but reserved some items for later use.

*Returned a bad ham ("Bad Ham, Bad!") and got our money back. Redeemed a King Soopers freebie. (They didn't offer many in May, for some odd reason.) Also got credit for a bag of potatoes (frozen), a jar of spaghetti sauce we were charged for. (It was supposed to be a freebie).

*Made the loan payment early -- saving on interest. All other bills were paid on time, in spite of all the whoo-ha and chaos around here.



*Cash found while cleaning up: Dimes, quarters, and a few pennies. (Nickels too, of course.)  Plus $39 in dollar bills, tightly rolled and stored in an old eyeglass case. Found while running coins through the machine at the credit union: a few foreign coins and -- true to form -- a nickel.

*$20 in Red Robin bonus bucks, for buying giftcards. (You can, too!) Outback giftcards contributed another $10 in bonus bucks.

*Cashed out a $25 Swagbucks gift card for Amazon -- I'll get a second one in early June, to help pay for needed tools and repair items. (The Brick used $50 of his SB-earned giftcards, as well.) Swagbucks is still a great place to earn gift cards easily! Go here to learn more.

*Did one appraisal -- and an addendum to an existing appraisal. Life was quiet, workwise, this month. (I'll pay for it in early June, when I have 2 lectures -- one for History Colorado in Denver, another for the historical society in Virginia Dale, near Fort Collins; and a multi-day gig in Granby.)

*Packed a suitcase on purpose with the embellishments, books and samples I'll need for the upcoming gigs in June -- so I'd have everything at hand, without killing myself looking for everything.

*Used Amazon Prime a lot -- it was a comfort to watch movies while resting sore legs and aching backs in the evening. Also caught up on the latest episodes in The Walking Dead.

*Cans of Danish butter on Amazon-- good for ten years-plus. This warehouse deal will join some other foodstocks, In Case the World Ends Soon.

*Didn't shop in stores -- except when I had to. (Home Depot, Walmart and Lowes were the major exceptions.) If at all possible, bought the items needed -- storage bins, tape, etc. -- on sale.

*Found all sorts of goodies stashed away while clearing the house. Including a number of wonderful trims and embellishments that will go for the Granby quilt guild. (Lucky for you, dears!)

*No piano lessons. Some restoration work. I'll finish up the latter as soon as we move out of the house. My piano students, meanwhile, will go on summer hiatus -- common this time of year.

*Earned money from some surveys. (The Brick did one, too.)

*Restaurant savings: Free burger at Red Robin.  Free Pick-Two coupon at Panera. Free order of Crazy bread at Little Caesar's.

*Bought a BUNCH of photos for the new book. (Yes, Ghosts & Legends of Colorado's Front Range is going to have a sequel.) Hard to spend the $$ for photos now, but it will save us so much in the long run. (Also found a picture of Charley Dickens and his daughters for my personal collection. Love that man.)

He was a little beat up, so I even got a discount -- after I'd saved via Best Offer, that is.

*Saved on those photos...by buying them on sale or submitting 'best offers' on Ebay. (Never pay full price if your Ebay item has a 'best offer' available! Didn't always get it the first time around -- but I did the second.)

*Took a friend and her mom out to lunch -- and gained some new stories and insight for the new book. It's priceless to hear these events recounted by people who actually lived through them.

*Made do with what we had -- even though we couldn't find a lot of things. (Our guys were far too efficient, packing.) Ate out of the freezer and a LOT of cans. Boring, but necessary. More difficult, though, once the guys packed the can opener -- and we couldn't find it.

*Donated to groups who could use it, including Habitat for Humanity, the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Vietnam Vets... and my beloved local thrift shop, sponsored by the Douglas County Task Force.

*Four new cushion sets for the patio furniture: $14.99 each at Walmart.com. Plus a new umbrella cover we'd purchased some time ago via Amazon.

*Carbon monoxide/smoke detector alarms required for the house -- found the six needed on Amazon for $15.99 each (reg. $23.99).

*An absolute steal on birthday presents for Daughters #1 and #2 from Amazon -- but I can't tell you now, because they read this blog. (I wrapped them early and gave them out -- that way, I didn't have to pack them.) Also from Amazon: family packs of strawberry Pop-Tarts -- 32 P-Ts for $3.99! I love these guys, but rarely buy them because they're so expensive.

*More videos  from the library's used book room -- including birthday and Father's Day presents, plus all 11 seasons of M*A*S*H.  ($2 each!) Returned a video that didn't work.

*Boxes of books, to friends with similar interests. At least some of my 'babies' could help people we care about.

*Continuing cleanup:  Made roughly a gallon of wild plum jam -- that's how good our harvest was last year. (The fruit's been hanging out in the trailer freezer, so had to be processed.) Some of the best jam I've ever made...

*Used up some office supplies collected over the years. We're low on shipping envelopes, but I won't replenish those until we move.

*Schlepped Daughter #2 and Son #1 to the airport - then picked them up. Saved on parking fees. We kept our granddog Karma during that period, as well -- which Charley and Ruby both loved.

*No hospital or doctor expenses. For us -- or the dogs.  I am more grateful for this than I can express.


FRUGAL MISSES

*Emptied the dumpster. Four times. Granted, the fourth time had items contributed by our neighbors -- but that amount of junk collected over three-plus decades is still...must I say it... Pathetic.

*Threw out the freezer -- at least half-full of way-too-old food. Also threw out a bunch of years-too-old cans and boxed food. (Drew insisted. He was right. Also Pathetic.) I will not be doing this much packratting in the future, for the simple reason that we won't have the space.

*Cleared out a bunch of freezer-burned items.  (Sometimes the dogs could eat it. Sometimes not.)

*Lots of $$ spent getting the house ready for sale. You don't want to know. At least the bathrooms upstairs were already done...and look beautiful, thanks to Son #1.



Go here for April's report -- and last year's.

We are close to dead tired and 'plum tuckered out,' as the Brick says. But the end is increasingly near. Just a few more weeks, and our lives will change once again.

Men's Fashions

Hey guys, spring is here. Why not update your wardrobe in a way that makes you stand out from your fellow man? Like these options:

...but only if you have cute gams.

Or a flair for the funky.

Yes, these were high-style back in the Seventies. God help us.

What can you say, but...

Entertainment Auction This Week

If you're a movie fan, Ewbanks' upcoming auction is perfect --

It's May 30-31, and features items from James Bond, My Fair Lady, 2001: A Space Odyssey and other iconic flicks, including:

A rare 1977 Star Wars poster

Description: Star Wars (1977) British Quad film poster, rare poster with artwork by Tim & Greg Hildebrandt, 20th Century Fox, folded, 30 x 40 inches. History: This rare version of the UK Quad poster was designed by the Hildebrandt brothers, and was issued when the film was initially released in the UK. However, subsequent to the films release it was felt that the depiction of the characters should more closely resemble the films actors, and therefore this version of the poster was discontinued in favour of Tom Chantrell's artwork.

Notice the foldlines? For posters, this is not that big a deal. Appraised value: between 2500-3500 British pounds -- roughly $3500-4500 dollars, give or take a buck of two.

Go here for more. May the Force be with you.

Memorial Day

Monday (Fine, Saturday) Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: Happy Memorial Day!

   Yes, this is earlier than my usual Monday post. But I figure you'll be sleeping in, going swimming or eating watermelon and hotdogs on Memorial Day...not reading my blog. So here are the latest things I've found, early enough for you to enjoy them.

The moving continues. We have more to do, but hope to finish it off this weekend...because next week, the painting starts. It's also the last few days of the moving sale, before most of the furniture gets carted off  by Habitat for Humanity. I keep getting a crick in my neck from trying to get work done, and watch for customers at the same time. 

No delightful lazing about for us this year on Memorial Day. Maybe next year.

What to do when you can choose the donor for your child...and you're black. I don't think the issues are quite so (ahem) black-and-white as this writer, but she does bring up some interesting questions.

Aluminum foil hacks that work!  Did you know that it can extend the life of bananas...and batteries?

When helping your kids is only hurting you. An interesting look at this subject -- partly because the blogger was once forced to accept help from her parent!   (From I Pick Up Pennies)

Easy ways to make your house smell good.  (From Knockoff Decor)

How to make a wooden spoon.  (From One Hundred Dollars A Month)

Want to live healthier and cheaper? Clean less!  (From Mr. Money Mustache)

Ten art auctions in a week: two BILLION dollars in sales. Christie's did the best -- more than one billion itself! Sotheby's and Phillips did less than in the past. Here's the full report;  fellow appraisers, take note.  (From Appraiser Workshops)
A walk in Tintagel -- and a rebellion against 'spend a penny' British toilets!  (From Life After Money)

Modernism in antique quilts. Why this guy is so surprised that a 'modern' look can be found in very old quilts...well, I'm just not sure. But interesting, nonetheless.  (From Wonky World)

"Twelve of my favorite decorating finds -- under $50."  (From Thistlewood Farms)

Are shortages and price hikes coming, because of China's tariff changes? Misadventures of Widowhood thinks so...

Bigfoot's been spotted on Google Earth? Maybe...but at least you can see:

Ten reports of Yeti based on more than just footprints.  (From Listverse) And while we're at it:

Ten government officials who admitted the existence of aliens. Listverse, you just give us a giggle. After all, the Pentagon finally admitted to running a five-year investigation of UFO sightings.

Emptying the septic tank. This was surprisingly interesting, and reminded me a lot of Red Green's cohort, Winston Rothschild III and his 'septic sucking' business.  (Thanks for the smelly memory, Get Me to the Country)

The right salary versus the right job. Sometimes you take one, so you can accomplish different goals. (Thanks for the reminder, Donna Freedman.)

Estate planning mistakes you can avoid.  (From The Wealth Advisor)

Five products Trader Joe employees always buy for themselves. And they don't even mention the green curry sauce I would run people over for...

Seven Tiny Home kits you can actually buy on Amazon.  (From Dwell) Including the Sunray from Allwood, shown below. Less than $9,000 -- and they say two adults can build it in 2-3 days with minimal tools.

Feeding your family for $10 a week -- is it really possible?  Well, yes...and no.  (From Coffee with Kate)

The World Health Organization blew nearly $200 million on misused travel funds. The wasted funds were spent on first class tickets (a definite no-no, by WHO rules), unnecessary trips and luxury accomodations. No worries, though. It's less than they misused the year before. Gee, I feel comforted. Don't you?

Getting ready for winter. This blogger is Australian, so winter is beginning to loom...but it's good advice for the rest of the world, too.  (From My Abundant Life)

Have a great week(end).

Happy Memorial Day!

A lot of soldiers past, present and future, have made sacrifices for us. 

Let's remember them this weekend.

Working

Ran errands part of the day, sold some stuff, returned some stuff...and ended up taking a nap. I seem to be fighting off something. 

The concrete guys have been grinding away downstairs. They finished the floor prep a couple of days early! Now for pouring the overlay.

I'm not big on vodka...but the sleep sounds wonderful.

Free Movies in Colorado This Summer

If you live in the southern Denver or Colorado Springs area, this might be just the thing for a warm summer evening.

Coin Auction May 22nd

   Hundreds of gold and silver coins are coming up for auction tomorrow, thanks to the IRS -- and a guy who didn't pay his taxes for decades.

Go here for the full scoop.

A Morgan silver dollar -- these are still
reasonably priced

Jeffrey Sullender, a licensed nutrionist, apparently decided that he was granted free tax privileges, as early as 2000. (The rest of us poor misguided law-abiding schmucks never got the message.)

So he didn't. Pay taxes, that is.

Not only that, he sold his various properties to himself, for coins -- which he also kept.

If there's anyone you don't mess with, it's the IRS. (Ask Al Capone -- it's the major reason why he ended up in prison.) After they caught up with him, Sullender ended up in court, minus his real estate and coinage.

Which is now coming up for auction.

You can view the full catalog here. The actual auction is in New Hampshire on May 22. (It's hard to tell... but I believe you'll be able to bid online, as well. Check tomorrow, when the auction is set up.) No doubt there will be some real bargains. The auction includes not only coins (including my favorite, the Morgan $20 gold piece), but palladium bars and silver ingots.

This Morgan $20 gold piece is from wholesalecoinsdirect.com, via Pinterest

This is an event worth spending your hard-earned pennies for. Even if you don't/can't bid, it will be a great source for "comps" (comparables): how much precious metal coins are going for on the open market now.

If you miss this one, Invaluable is hosting a huge multi-century gold coin collection May 27-28.

Have fun. Don't break the bank.

Two Completely Different Events -- And Baring Our Souls (Or Our House)

Our lilacs are blooming! 

My grandma had a big, fragrant lilac bush in her backyard. Its first purple blooms heralded the entry of spring. More than forty years after her death, that bush is still sending up growth in its Michigan yard.

    I love the smell of new-blooming lilacs.

This one comes via Pinterest - and Etsy

This year, for the first time, we had a large batch of blooms on the lilac bush we planted a few years ago. I've been looking forward to eating breakfast outside on the deck, smelling the perfume. Normally, we would, but...

Those lilac blooms are covered with snow right now. 


We have at least 6 inches, and more's coming down.

This was from May 2017 -- but it looks like this now, too. Charley loves it.

Fortunately, the air is not that cold, so the plants I haven't planted yet (thank God) don't seem that upset. They're just hanging out on the warmer concrete of the back deck, protected by an overhang, and the warmth of the house. Snow this month isn't that uncommon for us. Nonetheless, you keep thinking, 'Hey, it's May. Spring, right? Flowers, warm breezes and rolling in the grass??'

Or...shoveling out the sidewalk and grilling in the snow. It happens.

The house is definitely emptying out. Downstairs is clear -- upstairs has pockets of stuff here and there, but is emptying quickly. We worked so long packing boxes that my legs were shaking before we knocked off for supper. The cleaning guys cleared out the kitchen today. The result: we had to go to the garage to find any tea for supper. The can opener is persona non grata, and I'm betting we'll have to search for the coffeepot (not to mention the coffee) before we go to bed.

     Ah well...at least we still have a bed to sleep in. That won't be the case much longer. 

And the snow will melt soon. It always does, this time of year. 

Thanks Pinterest -- via the-poppters-apprentice

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: It's One Way to Clean A House

Know how to do it?

Strip everything out. EVERYTHING. Hire two guys (or even as many as 4, one day) to help. Get a dumpster -- you'll need it. Takes a week or two, but your house will be empty. And sort of clean.

With the exception of a couple of bookcases and a small pile of fabric, the basement is empty. Scraps of paper and a drift of dust and dirt are waiting to be cleaned up. 
    The upstairs is half-empty...the remaining rooms have all had their big items removed, except for our bed. Piles are here and there, but two days of hard work should clean those up. We still need to strip out the dishes, food and appliances from the kitchen, too.
     We've sold some things, but lots of items are left. Our popup truck camper is waiting for a good home, too. 
     No couch to sit on, only a few chairs left. It just feels weird...as if this isn't our home, anymore. 

Which, in a way... it isn't. 

A reader is dying -- and his wife will inherit $500,000 in life insurance. What should she do next? Readers weigh in, through ESI Money.

A reader case study: more frugal than the Frugalwoods?  (From You-know-where)

Best quotes from Warren Buffett's 2019 conference. (This is Part II; there's a link included to Part I, as well...but I couldn't get it to work. Maybe you can. From GuruFocus)

Maybe you CAN stop those unwanted robocalls and texts to your cellphone. Here's hope.

An elderly Las Vegas man dies...after being shoved off the bus by a 25-year-old. Not only that, later reports state she did this in front of her young son. Contrast this shameful behavior with:

A Florida mom rushes back into her burning apartment to save her children -- and dies with them.

An eighteen-egg casserole??  It looks delicious.  (From Hundred Dollars A Month)

What the Kardashians eat in a day. I'm ashamed of myself for being nosy about this famous family...but this will satisfy my curiosity. (Nothing about their butts -- PLEASE.)

The burial site of an early Anglo-Saxon prince...found in a patch of grass near a pub and a supermarket. What's especially cool -- it's produced more than 40 unusual artifacts, some thought to be the first of that type found in Great Britain. At c.575-615 A.D., it's thought to be the earliest Christian Anglo-Saxon burial found, so far.  Also intriguing:

The Plain of Jars.  Whoa, what an intriguing site -- with more giant jars being found.

"My mother, her mother and a bargain" -- the story of a Korean deparment store -- and a coat.


Have a good week. I'll check in later, and let you know how things are going.

I Wish...

Got any curtains like this? We could use one...or two...or...

Moving Update:  Two dumpsters down; the second is being emptied and will reappear soon. The downstairs is nearly clear...amazing. You would not BELIEVE the amount of STUFF I managed to jam in that area over 22+ years.

Now it's on to finishing off the upstairs. We've also got a moving sale going, with lots of furniture, fabric, collectibles and other goodies. Take a look by clicking here.

This is Me...

Gee, it's nice, being an adult.
                At least we're making progress.

Another Great One is Gone -- And A Moving Update

Tim Conway died Tuesday, in Los Angeles. He had not been in good health for some time. His wife Charlene was recently appointed his conservator, since Tim's dementia had been increasing.

Not that it would have been easy to notice.

I have loved the work of this funny, funny man ever since I could remember. Especially his schtick on the Carol Burnett Show. (Carol revealed that one of his great aims in life was to make Harvey Korman break up laughing during the scene -- something he did very well.)

I still cannot watch his 'elephant story' without laughing -- his fellow actors couldn't do it without cracking up, either.

   Tim writes, on his website:

I was born and then I did The Carol Burnett Show for eleven years. What else is there to know? I have six Emmy’s. Big deal. I am also in The Comedy Hall of Fame, it was a natural since I spent alot of my time in grade school out in the hall. I went to Bowling Green State University for eleven years. A very slow lerner (I proof read my bio). I was in the army (ours) for two years and was in McHales Navy for three years. That is a total of five years of service. My ambition was to be a jockey, but at my weight, even the horses were asking me to get off. I have seven children, two grand children and a puppy. I have been married since 1984, a record for Hollywood. I do not have a serious thought in my head. Enjoy the show.

(A serious bio follows, written by 'somebody else.')

And don't forget Mr. Tudball and  Mrs. "ah-Wiggggggins:"

I knew secretaries worse than Mrs. W...and sadly, some of my bosses could have given Mr. T. a run for the money.

Tim's autobiography, What's So Funny?, is well worth reading. It's very funny -- honestly, I don't think he could help himself -- but explains a lot, too.

Mr. Conway, you've given me comfort and a chance to think about something else during some very sad and stressful times in my life...and helped me celebrate during the happy times.
     Thank you. Thank you so much.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Moving Update:  One dumpster emptied, the second one a third-full. I think we're slowing down, though, in volume. (Whew) Half of the house echoes emptily when you walk through the rooms; the other half is still littered with boxes and bags. I was especially grateful to see the freezer head out -- that monstrosity and I have been doing battle for years. (The door would rarely shut properly -- which meant I was forever having to defrost and start over. Grrrr.)
     Joe and Drew, our declutterers extraordinaire, had other work elsewhere for a day, so it's up to us to pull what we need to keep from the upstairs -- then let the guys clear out the rest when they return. The dogs watch everything, puzzled. Just so they won't be left behind, they rush to hop in the truck, or squeeze into a spare corner:  "You're not forgetting us, are you, Mom?"

Sir Charles, the ringleader...but Ruby and Karma are right behind him.

    I had a few twinges yesterday, watching some things go out the door -- but it hasn't been too bad. It helps to remember what I learned from that book,  or the tattered remnants of that fabric (nibbled by mice out in the garage, sadly) -- then let them go in peace. Daughter #1 suggested this approach -- and it's worked.
    The items we're keeping will go into the horse trailer, kindly loaned by friends. They need it back in a month -- which means, once the house is cleared out, we'll make a quick trip to put the stuff in storage -- then back. I have several commitments the first part of June, so we'll be at the house at least until then.
     If all goes as planned, we'll be moving our mattress to the library, then sleeping (and basically living) downstairs from now on while the guys work on painting and refinishing the floors upstairs. It's a little weird -- especially when you can hear banging and walking around -- but ok. It's only temporary.

     It all needs to happen, but is Definitely Not Fun.

STUFF (Sigh)

   ...and MORE STUFF.

One thing I've learned, all too well:

Just get rid of it now -- you won't regret it when it's time to move. 

Honest. Recent experience speaking here. 

The score, so far:  one full dumpster. (It's currently being emptied, and brought back for a fresh batch.) Hopefully we won't fill it this time -- but you never know. 
    One thing I discovered: the mice in our garage are avid Dickens readers...or maybe they just enjoy snuggling up to Charley's words. I had a set of Dickens' works out in the garage in boxes -- now amply nibbled and full of mousey presence. (Another sigh - into the dumpster, as well.)

The Vietnam Vets are stopping by on Thursday for a donation pickup. Next week, the Habitat for Humanity people will pick up any furniture leftover from (hopefully) the garage sale this weekend.

I keep reminding myself that we're making it easier on the girlies, if  the Brick or yours truly drop dead anytime soon. 

Back to packing.

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Here We Go

The work crew starts first thing Monday morning: 8 a.m. 

We normally get up at 9 or even 10 a.m. (sigh)

Their first job is to clear out all the areas upstairs. As in CLEAR OUT -- furniture, bags, books, whatever. A giant dumpster waits to take whatever we can't use -- which is a lot. 

I plan to Craigslist some of the bigger pieces of furniture -- a Habitat for Humanity truck will pick up what's left on the 25th. 

We chose a realtor -- Karine Welton has been in contact with us for the past two years, and we feel confident she'll do a good job for us. 

We looked at a trailer possibility, but want to have it checked over first for water damage. (Can't help it, after our other incident.) And we can't seem to find a storage trailer yet. So for now, the boxes and 'keeping' stuff will be piled in the garage. 

(If you're thinking, 'Gee, all this stuff is happening so quickly -- all at the same time!'...well, you're right. That's how we Bricks seem to roll.)

It's all finally happening. I did not realize that 'things' can drag you down, as well as support you. This decluttering actually feels refreshing. I paid so little -- or nothing -- for a lot of the stuff, that it doesn't matter that much.

I don't think I'll regret it in the future, either.
.

The weird contents of Queen Victoria's coffin.  Ya just can't make this stuff up. Speaking of:

Doris Day died this weekend. What an amazing, versatile actress -- who went through a lot in her personal life, as well. She kept a low profile in recent years, but earned it: she was 97.

Found money: where and when do you draw the line?  (From Len Penzo)

Lose your fish, just as you're pulling it up? Go after it!

Speaking of -- one of the biggest fish I've ever seen caught with a pole. By someone on the bank.

An underwater cave with sparkling bones. Mayan bones -- and artifacts.

Uses for shipping containers -- 50 of them. Maybe for storage while moving, too...we're considering it.

Nine incredible minutes of incredible events -- all on video:

"Do you know who I am?"   Celebrities who've said this -- and regretted it. This is from Ranker, which has an incredible amount of lists, including:

Brain farts with serious consequences. Do you know why Constantinople was overrun by the Turks? Because someone forgot to close and lock a door. Tell that to your kid next time, instead of asking if he "was born in a barn."

"I'm just -- happy."  (From Picking Up Pennies)

Save more for retirement -- in a Solo 401k account. This unusual combo is offered from Vanguard, one of my favorite companies to invest in.  (From Retire by 40)

A female game reviewer gets tired of being trolled -- so she reports the creepy guy to his mother. (Don't blame her one bit.)

Remembering Granddaddy, by installing his old mailbox.  (From A Working Pantry)

Having fun with the lawncare people.  And not in a good way.  (From Misadventures of Widowhood)


Have a great week. Declutter something yourself -- it may feel wonderful.

Moms Everywhere Will Appreciate This

Mother's Day is looming, and there's all sorts of silliness out there to celebrate. 

How do our moms put up with us? How do we put up with our kids? 

Makes you wonder, doesn't it.

This one's subtitled "Pranking Mom." Thanks, guys.

I have seen this face often --
particularly when our church handed out little boxes of chocolates to moms.
Our daughters made a beeline for me every time.

Mom to the rescue -- Happy Mother's Day! 

P.S. Ma, we love you.