News From the Met Gala...

 

And plenty more where that came from...

Ummm...

 

Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: Driving, Driving and More Driving

    That's basically what I did for two days (11 hours each way), plus my aunt's funeral in between. Got back very late Sunday night. The Brick had to stay home to keep a dogsitting commitment, but I had the pleasure of Cousin Phil's company all the way home. 

     It turns out he enjoys pioneer history, too. We stopped a few times at landmarks of the Santa Fe Trail: ruts left by the thousands of wagons that journeyed up and down, including Charlie's Ruts. Fascinating. 

     It felt a little strange to see lines that had been there for hundreds of years, and know that other eyes had seen these plains and hills -- and wonder how they were going to make it.

I get to stay home this week -- it's my turn to cover dogsitting chores while the Brick and Cousin work on our back deck. Reports to work on, too.

Meanwhile:

This celebrity had to sell everything just to get out of debt, after his company was defrauded. But he and his wife did it, and now they're thriving. He says: 

"I am where I am BECAUSE of this woman. Brothers Bond Bourbon is actually here today because of this woman. I was able to start my life over because of this woman. Needless to say it’s been the most eye opening and truly humbling experience."

A Chick-Fil-A employee almost gets away with stealing $80,000...by charging, then refunding mac & cheese orders! 

Do you REALLY think the side effects from a Covid vaccine that was hurry-up tested were nonexistent -- or just minimal?

Recycled art. In some very cool ways. Including this piece:

Easy kitchen hacks.

Cruise senior boo-boos.

Crazy finds from Goodwill bins.

King Charles' speech to Congress. English major types, take notice: he referenced two writers in his comments -- including my buddy!  His Royal Highness made some funny remarks during his visit to the States, including a cheeky admission that Brits had done some 'redecorating' of their own to the White House. (He meant the War of 1814, and soldiers setting the White House on fire. I guess you could call it that...)

Have a good week.

'Nuff Said.

 

Famished

 

Tell that to Bo and Tiger...

"I'm starving, Mom... I tell ya! See my ribs sticking out?"

Frugal Hits & Misses: April Report

      If April showers bring May flowers, we're not doing too good.

      It has been a very dry month, with occasional rain/hail -- but 'not enough to spit at,' the Mama would have said. The mountains got more than us...but this is the country's largest 'alpine desert.'  We always need more. I did keep the rosebush and some baby greens from freezing -- we've had temps down into the 20s at night. Luckily, the daffodils by the front porch have been blooming their heads off.

      We are definitely better, healthwise -- but need a lot more sleep. Does this mean our bodies are still healing? I still notice 'crackly' noises while breathing, and run out of steam easily. Give it a bit more time, and I think we'll be stronger in coming weeks. 

FRUGAL HITS

(Some of these were from late March. This is a few days earlier than I normally submit -- but I have some commitments to finish up.)

*The Brick paid $3.52/gal for gas, using the Love's app.   (Normal price around here:  $3.76-4.00/gal. It would have been even worse for diesel.) Another visit, I got $3.50 a gallon.

*Went without a second vehicle -- or no vehicle -- for a few weeks. The Brick took the Highlander off to play music with friend Bert for a few days...and the kids borrowed the truck to return the skidsteer and bring some items back, We also kept granddog Freya for most of the month, while they worked. Considering we only had one vehicle - the truck - for years, this was a terrible burden. (Limp hand to forehead.)

Freya and Tiger Bear

*Found money:  one dime in the City Market Coinstar machine, and $1.75 in quarters and dimes, left in the truck's ashtray by the kids. (Keep the change, they said - it was "truck rent.")

*Two sessions at our friends' house, on dogcare and giving shots. (They threw in dinner and supper -- thank you!) We're taking care of the dogs now -- see the May report for more.

*Played and sang at church.  Refreshing to be there, after being sick or gone for so long. While I was there, I checked and restocked the Little Free Library. 

*Five meals out -- in one week?!? Took friends out for Sunday dinner (Mountain View - meal #1). Monday, had lunch with a new friend at Lu's Cafe (meal out #2). Then a few days later, other friends for supper at our favorite Chinese place, Wonderful House in Trinidad: great food, good conversation, and three (count 'em) meals from leftovers. (meal #3) Then we went to a concert at Lu's (meal #4 out), and saw the Michigan/Arizona game at Chili's (meal #5) on Saturday night.  Ridiculous, but tasty.

*Finished a big batch of appraisals, including a huge job I've been working on for months.

*Royalties from Arcadia, for Ghosts & Legends and Colorado Curiosities...always welcome! 

*Gave away a few books. Of my own, that is. No books were purchased online, except a housewarming present for a nephew.  (This is incredible for me -- but hey.)

*Amazon sales:  Dewart cordless drill kit for $147, queen sheet sets for $17 and change each -- plus free shipping. They sent 2 two-packs of flashlights, by mistake. (I only ordered one.) Keep or donate the other one, they said. Thank you, I'll keep it! Gave one to Daughter #2, and kept one. I also ordered some clothes, including a Spanx for nearly 50% off. (If you don't know what that is, male Gentle Readers, you don't need to know.)

*Spent our Devoted allowances for OTC products.  Our Medicare supplement plan gives us $60 each every three months to spend on Tylenol, cold medicine, etc. It's the same as the  $58 grocery card, though -- if you don't spend it, the money disappears. (We ordered one day before the deadline.)

*A $50 giftcard for doing a Zoom wellness meeting with Devoted. This is our Medicare supplement people. Maybe got my $10 gift card too, after all. The Brick did a Zoom meeting, as well, and also got a $50 giftcard. This will cover gas for the next month.

*Saw Michigan (barely) beat UConn for the basketball championship. Well done, Blue!  (Had the $10.99 Three for Me combo at Chili's while we were watching.) The Brick found an app special that let us watch one hour daily during March Madness games...so we saw part of nearly all the Michigan games, at least. 

*Two separate trips to Colorado Springs, Golden and Castle Rock.  The Brick had a daylong commitment for COS (Convention of the States) during the Republican primaries; I had three appraisal sessions. One person stayed home with the dogs, while the other had a very long day...but it worked. 

*Bought a few more shares of Red Robin stock.  After the doldrums, it's gone up in value. And down. And up. Go figure.

*Discovered a new discount outlet!  Our friend Bert has been raving about My Bargain Mart in Colorado Springs for months. Both the Brick and I stopped there recently, and it was fun, albeit a little scruffy. Essentially it's a big warehouse, with dusty corners and shelves full of who-knows-what. "The Amish grocery store on steroids," the Brick says. We'll be back.

*Grocery deals:  Marked-down salad kits; roma tomatoes, 82 cents/lb (Walmart). Two free pounds of butter, with more butter at $2.49 each (I got 7 total); 99-cent pineapples; red mesh bag of several limes, $1.50; 3-pound bags of mandarin oranges, $2.49-2.99 (City Market/King Soopers). Large Snickers bars for 72 cents each (Amazon). Canadian cookies (99 cents each) and presliced ham, approx. $1.25/lb; big cans of mixed almonds/cashews/pistachios for $3.99; 99-cent loaves of Pepperidge Farm bread, including cinnamon raisin, Jewish rye and sourdough, as well as BOGO bags of hotdog buns (My Bargain Mart, Colorado Springs) Cans of Pellagrina and apricot nectar, 20 cents each; Oscar Mayer chili-stuffed hotdogs, $1.79  (SLV Groceries). Two dozen duck eggs, from a friend at church: $10. These are richer than chicken eggs, and especially good for baking. 

Went through a TON of meat, thanks in part to the kids' new diet. (See below.) Finished off a barely-hanging-on ham, but couldn't find a replacement until the Bargain Mart. (City Market, bless their li'l hearts, were totally out of ham when I stopped by. They rarely keep weekly specials in stock.) Got a big batch of meat sticks from the Amish grocery store, as well as Amazon, for all four kids.

     (Have you noticed how much rice prices have gone up? In Colorado, at least, they're roughly 75-100% higher per pound than a few years ago.)

*Booked a hotel room for Aunt Ruth's service.  (Saved a lot because the hotel didn't have a pool.) I plan to drive, and will meet Daughter #1 and Adopted Son #2 there. Eleven hours each way -- anyone need a ride?

*Thrift Shop Buys:  Pale blue suede shirt ($3), Easter teapot, $2.49 -- I couldn't help myself (PALS Pet Assistance Shop, Trinidad).  We met two friends in Trinidad, who were heading north to their summer home....with just enough time to stop at the thrift shop.

*Easter celebrated -- including the rabbit teapot, plus a dollar rabbit candleholder and plenty of cut daffodils. Instead of their usual chocolates, Daughter #2 and Son #1 got a wooden box of Alaskan smoked salmon. (No chocolates for Daughter #1 and Adopted Son #1, either -- they're also on a largely meat diet.)

Not the chocolate version -- but the bunny should be a bit wary right now.

*Freebies and cheapies: .a handful of Easter cards and a few oranges, handed out free at church. Plus two beautiful yellow roses. Two tubes of cinnamon rolls, from friends who came to visit. We found bags of Lindt chocolate truffles ($1.59 ea) to give to the ladies at church for Mother's Day. 

*Helped a friend move.  

*An incredible Excel bill: $6.69!  Plus a $40.42 bill from the Solar Garden people. Not bad for a month's worth of power during cold weather.

A Fort Garland postcard -- from 1910! $7, including shipping

FRUGAL MISSES

*My truck key is not working properly.  It often refuses to start the truck. Is it the battery? Is the key defective? Or is the truck pouting because we haven't been using it much, now we have the Highlander?  I'm not sure I want to know. (Update:  the Brick ordered a new truck key -- approx. $70.) The Brick tells me that both vehicles need an oil change -- which in the truck's case, means $300 or so IF he does it himself.

*Property taxes are paid. I figured out a way to use our regular deposits, plus the money from royalties and a few unexpected checks, to cover the bill. That way, our savings account could continue to earn the extra interest. (Our regular account earns just pennies.) The sting hurt just a bit less that way. 

     Nonetheless. And of course, there are:

*Income taxes.  These are paid, too.  A tiny $50 refund, thanks to Tabor, but that's better than owing anything.

                  More than that, actually.

*Tiger's (and probably Bo's) latest snacks:  A container of driveway salt chewed on. (Fortunately, they didn't get sick.) Plus the handle of a dustpan, Blue Moon cardboard box, discarded outdoor plastic  hood (aeration), one of the Brick's socks, empty plant containers, etc. And for dessert:  a sponge mop. (sigh)  No pee or poop accidents, though Freya contributed some minor throwing up.  Shit happens -- literally.

*I got a mammogram. It was necessary...or so I was told. And yes, in spite of all the hospital staff denials, it did hurt. But now it's done.  'Nuff said.

Last month's report is here.   Last year's April report is here, plus the year before. Spring is coming -- just taking its time. If that means rain, bring it on!

Bigfoot, Are You Listening?

 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Life (and Spring) Goes On

 It may not be too lush in southern Colorado, but the sage is greening up, and the hummingbirds are back! Well, a few of them, anyway. We are currently dogsitting for friends, so I haven't got our feeders out yet...too much other stuff to do. But I'll take care of it soon.

    I'm hoping to see other signs that, dry as it is here, we'll have Spring, too.

Meanwhile:

Would this have been 'okay' if it was directed at Trump's predecessor?  Of course not. What was Kimmel thinking?!? I know what I've been thinking: What a jerk. The man just cut his own throat. I suppose it's to be expected, considering his remarks on Charlie Kirk's murder.

A comprehensive guide to removing stains. Now how about those white circles on tables, from coffee cups...

A piece of Homer's Iliad -- discovered inside a Roman-era Egyptian mummy!

Extreme cheapskates. As in REALLY extreme. Living in a dumpster, for example. (How do you get the smell to leave?)

The best burger in the U.S. is Five Guys? Really??

How to survive in New York City (and a lot of other places) on $50,000/yr -- or less. 

The amazing cloud jaguar has been photographed again.  It doesn't happen very often.

An Egyptian temple discovered in the Sinai desert. 

Peoplewho faked diseases for money. Sad.

The Tombstone Rose in Arizona: The world's largest rose tree covers a city block!

Have a great week.

Hmmm...

 At least they're honest about it.

THIS IS BAD...

 ...and I laughed. Shame on me -- I am a Very Bad Girl.

Revenge

 What a nice dad.

He probably packed her a lunch, too.

No Bones About It...

 

I Miss Football...

 

Oh Yes, They Would.

 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Holding Forth

    Now that taxes are done and paid (yayy!!!), we've been working on tidying up the scruffy hidey-hole that our home has become. Piles are everywhere...but gradually disappearing as we put stuff away, load the dishwasher, etc etc. I know we're making progress, but it can be intimidating. 

Just gotta keep plugging away. 

Maybe a wheelbarrow...or dump truck? (from HouseDigest)

Meanwhile:

Really foolish lottery winners.

Hollywood fashion history -- backstage secrets about various things like Elizabeth's golden cape, Marilyn's 'subway grate' dress and Audrey's little black dress. Fascinating, especially for us textile hounds.

A 'lost' film by George Melies, found at the Library of Congress!  You may not recognize this legendary director's name, but you've probably seen stills from his film "A Trip to the Moon," including Mr. Moon, with a spaceship stuck in his eye. (Poor guy.)

Shakespeare's missing house has been found! (Or located, at least.)

Well, this is interesting...is a stay at a luxurious hotel the same thing as being held without cause by ICE?

Queen Elizabeth's dresser holds forth.  Her viewpoint on the royals, including her employer? Fascinating. 

Weird tweets that actually make more sense than you'd think. Like this one:

Biotech executives not only badmouth a professor, but fake a crime and get him arrested. 

One of the Minnesota  medicaid fraud suspects skips court, forfeits his bond -- and disappears.  Surprise, surprise...

Tattoos that don't mean what their recipients think they mean. 

How much did these rare items sell for??

Yes, these are Dorothy's ruby slippers...

Have a great week. Keep up the good work.

photo (and ideas for a wheelbarrow planter) from Family Handyman

Now That's True Love!

 

Squirrelly Stuff

 

Tax Day Specials and Freebies

 They're here, with specials from Pizza Hut and Popeyes's to 7-Eleven. Click here to find out more.

(Don't bother with the free Goldfish crackers, though. It started at 2:15 p.m. - I checked in at 2:21 p.m. -- and by the time I got done waiting in line at 2:31 p.m., the freebies were gone. Darn.)

"If I see weird stuff, I call them..."

Really?!?   And this one, as well:

Here For You...

 

Does he commisserate over taxes, too??

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: TAXES

 This is us.

Papers are everywhere, and the Brick is earnestly staring at the computer screen, announcing numbers and asking questions.  ("Where did you put the mileage figures?") I'm typing this at 1 a.m. Tuesday morning. But federal taxes are allllmmmost done -- and state taxes won't take that long. 

     We might make it to bed by 2 a.m. Maybe. We might look like this.

                            But at least the taxes will be DONE.

Guess what else is due this month? Property taxes. It's nice to know that the 'guvment, in spite of its many weaknesses, still knows how to stick it to you. Politely speaking, of course.

Meanwhile:

The ten scammiest people ever to make the '30 Under 30' list.  Forbes, you ought to be ashamed of your collective self.

A very strange set of UFOs glimpsed during a plane flight.  The creepiest part? The pilots, who, when queried, said they see the same performance "every night."

This Oklahoma superintendent should get a medal -- he tackled a school shooter, got shot in the leg -- and saved the lives of his students.

So... how come the "Black Lives Matter" people aren't screaming about the massacre of Nigerian Christians?  John Cleese wants to know...and so do I.

The world is going to end a whole lot sooner than thought -- according to scientists, that is.  (I think we're supposed to be terribly worried.)

The man who dived the deepest.

Talking parrots -- and the dogs and babies they pester!

Have a great week. And if you're not done yet with your taxes, rest up. You're going to need it.

It's RAINING!!!!

 Yes, we get this so rarely... it's worth celebrating.

      And it looks like an all-day event. Hopefully!

Maybe I need to watch this today, while the Brick is at the Convention of the States conference:

Did you know Gene Kelly was sick, and running a fever

when he filmed this? The moisture probably felt good.

I gave a lecture once while sporting a 103-degree fever. 

(I have no idea what I said, but my uncle was there: "You did real good.")

Must Be A Head Case...

 

Not That This Ever Happens...

 

Goooooo, Blue!

 Michigan beat UConn to win the men's basketball championship.

     And it wasn't easy -- both teams made a lot of mistakes. UConn also seemed to think it was a rumble, in the style of West Side Story.

“If you would have told me we would shoot it this poorly and get dominated on the glass, but this team’s just found a way all season,” Michigan coach Dusty May told CBS after the game.

     But the Wolverines persevered, and won their first national title since 1989.  

          Well done, Michigan! 

                       69-63

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Happy Easter!

 Christ is risen.

He is risen, indeed.

     It's a big difference to believe in -- and follow -- a Leader who is alive in every sense of the word. 

------------------------

    Last week was Zanyland -- lots of appointments and meetings. This week is better, but I'll spend a very long day in Denver appraising, and the Brick will be in Pueblo for a COS meeting a few days later. Tonight:  Michigan plays UConn for the men's basketball championship!

"Go Blue!"

Meanwhile:

A cannonball, quite possibly from the 1836 battle, found buried near the Alamo! And intact, too -- the first ever found in this condition.

Thinking about doing a side hustle?  Here are some ideas...

The East Coast fort - whose remains are now in a parking lot.  

My buddy, the Japanese salaryman, takes us on a tour of cherry blossoms. If you're wishing for spring to really come, this is encouraging.

Freebies for seniors -- 15 of them.

Whatever happened to John Walker Lindh?  He was released from prison in 2025, by the way...

Tiffany Henyard -- remember the lavish expenses (and lippy responses) this Democratic Illinois mayor ran up before she got defeated? Now, she's trying a political comeback: as a Republican in Georgia. (I am not making this up.)

Handling divorce -- one woman's experience.  (From The Frugal Girl)

Have a good week. Hopefully you've got some trees blossoming, too.