Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: Brrrrrr...

     Boy, it's been cold around here. And everywhere else, pretty much. Just an inch or so at our house, and a bit more nearby at Alamosa. 

     More of the usual this week...reports and repairs. The Christmas stuff is cleared away; if I behave myself, a friend and I will have a thrift shopping day on Friday. Hopefully we'll get more snow, too -- we really need it. 

Meanwhile:

A failed Hail Mary pass (or a 'whew!' win, depending on your team) at the Fiesta Bowl -- that last call sure looks like pass interference to me, too.

Denver's stock show parade this year -- very cool!

A 1577 palace fire in Venice that still affects the art world today.

The backstory on "Whistler's Mother."  See if you can read Mr. Bean's analysis of the painting -- and not laugh!

Prince Philip -- frugal?!?  How dare he! (I've heard the same thing said of Queen Elizabeth.)

Can you REALLY trust a snowman??  A classic from yours truly. 

Three babies, all abandoned years apart from each other -- turn out to be siblings.  Authorities are still looking for the mother. 

And... a very funny use for rubber chickens.

Have a good week. Stay warm.

Space Cadet

 

True, True

 

Not to mention total strangers insulting and assuming...especially on Facebook.

I am not a big fan of Tyson -- but he's right, in this case.

Boo Hoo

 

Peasants Point of View

 

We're the peasants, by the way...

He probably deserved it.

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Resting/Working

     Happy 2026 to you! It was a quiet one for us, working on reports, playing with the dogs and keeping warm -- the Brick fixed our furnace and continued to update my new laptop. We also took a day to restock on groceries and necessaries in Alamosa, after we watched the Citrus Bowl at Chili's. (Sadly, Michigan lost to Texas.) We also went to our friends' wedding Saturday -- which was lots of fun. 

     The woodrack is full, and I'm gradually clearing the table of paperwork. Plenty of work to do, including a possible trip to nearby Hooper to soak our aching bones at the hot springs, and catering a pastors' breakfast on Friday. We're due for snow Thursday and Friday -- the moisture would be welcome. 

Life goes on.

Meanwhile:

A classic -- Donna Freedman's take on surviving at $12,000 a year. One of my favorites. Her "7 essentials to grab at post-holiday sales" is very good, too.

'Frugal influencers' moneysaving tips -- that are pooh-poohed, sadly. "You can't budget yourself out of poverty" is one comment -- but you can by saving money, whether you deliberately budget or not. Speaking from experience here -- in 44 years, we've never really had a budget. 

Perfect comeback statements.

A Colorado mountain lion attack proves fatal. 

What were the best investments of 2025?  I'm not sure I completely agree with all of this expert's conclusions -- but hey, it's interesting to know.

Has a generation of credit-card users been brainwashed?  Dave Ramsey's wake up call.

Saved by strong intuition?  Ricky Nelson's sons think so...that their dad saved their lives. 

Entitled plane passengers. 

I have no idea what to think about the whole Venezuela business. Honestly. I also have no idea why such corruption was allowed in state programs meant to help children. Think of the kids who could have been fed and cared for, if the money had been properly used. 

It will be interesting to see what continues to happen in our country. Meanwhile, have a good week.

Found Money

      I pick up pennies. And nickles, dimes and quarters. I'd be thrilled to find a five-dollar bill or more, but other than what comes in the mail now and then, I've been out of luck. 

      Change machines at supermarket, until recent months, have been a bonanza. (Look in the return slot.) If you're flying somewhere, check around your feet at the security line. Couch cushions, washing machines -- you never know where a coin is going to be shining at you. Even parking lots! 

      So -- what did I collect this past year?

Jan.  0.00    Feb  .72     Mar  .05   Apr  0.00   May  1.70   June  .18   July  1.56   Aug  1.57   Sept  .55  Oct  2.03   Nov  2.13   Dec  0.00

    ...for a total of $10.49 found in 2025.

     plus 50 cent and 5 cent Euro coins, found by the Brick in Europe. He enjoys teasing me about my odd hobby -- but he'll look, too.

The found money totals in 2023 and 2022 were far less:  $1.54 and $2.32, respectively. But I did very well, at least for me, in 2024:  $25.76! And that doesn't count the extras: 

50 centavos (Ecuador), 20 cent Euro, a 10 Chinese 'something,' 50 and 20 pence coins (Great Britain), a Canadian quarter, a Russian rouble, a handful of Mexican coins...and 2 antique tokens.

Strange, what people mix in with their coins. Except for the Mexican change (leftovers from a trip years ago), these other coins all came from the return cup on Safeway machines. 

I'm not the only one who keeps track of this sort of thing. Katy at the Nonconsumer Advocate is an inspiration; so is Donna Freedman. But I think I would do it, anyway....that's just the Hollander in me. 

    It will be interesting to see how the increasing lack of pennies affects found money. Meanwhile, I'll keep looking.