Category Archives: Sports

WIP Wednesday

Still spending a lot of time watching the Olympics. So happy we’re in the Track & Field portion. I love to watch the slow motion shots of their bodies moving. The muscle movements fascinate me. Of course, I also love watching the diving and swimming for the same reason.

Last night we went to a baseball game. We have season tickets for all Tuesday and Friday home games and I have been trying to upgrade all of our Tuesday games. Last night we had really good seats. Just 3 rows back from out dugout.

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We live over an hour away from the stadium. I love my team, but I’ll admit there are many times this season (we’ve been losing so much!) that I have trouble staying focused on the game and keep thinking I could be home stitching and watching on TV. We’ve decided not to renew our tickets next season and just buy individual games.

Between the Olympics, Baseball, and daily adulting, here’s my latest progress on Sugar Skull. Mister was looking over my shoulder a couple of days ago and said he really liked how it was turning out. I’m looking forward to getting it finished, as I’ve never really been much of a one-at-a-timer and I’m feeling the itch to move on.

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It’s a little tilted and off-focus to show the beading better.

I’d love to have my piece finished by Saturday, but don’t know if that’s going to happen.  I have to take my car in tomorrow to have the rear end aligned, (one of the things I didn’t mention in my earlier post was that Mister and I were rear-ended on the freeway in March and this will hopefully the end of that saga), and I have some friends coming for a stitch-together on Saturday and am going to start to get ready for that.

I haven’t been a total slacker

Except for blogging 😉

Remember this post?  I finally got my Kona Color Card and have started deciding on colors for my Dear Jane.

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I have a new link in the upper left side bar. Bonnie Hunter’s new mystery starts in a couple of weeks. I decided that since I have so much going on already, I would use 1 constant colorway this year.  I’m using an off-white print and Kona black to go with these fabrics.

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No. I have not finished last year’s mystery. Don’t judge.

My guild is sponsoring a class with Bonnie after the first of the year for the Happy Scrappy Houses quilt. I also submitted a request to take  another class the next day, through another guild. We have to give 1st and 2nd choice and my first choice was Cathedral Stars.

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2nd choice is Pineapple Blossom.

I am now the very proud owner of 1/2 season Arizona Diamondback tickets. We decided that owning full season tickets would be just too many games for us to attend. We have full-season perks tho, and I’m already counting down to opening day. We took a tour of Chase Field on Halloween. It was eerily quiet, but no one being there gave us the opportunity to sneak in a few places not normally seen on in-season tours (plus I think our rep was bored and not ready to head back to his office). I did remember to take a couple of Club House photos – our “LSU” pitcher’s locker

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and one of the few remaining favorite players of mine.

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I’m holding judgment on a couple of late season rookies.  Of course, the very next week there was talk of moving our catcher. I’m a bit disgruntled.

Quilt camp was a lot of fun and very productive for me.  Meal times were announced and we pretty much did what we wanted to the rest of the time. I managed to finish (except for borders) a quilt top.

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I have fabric for the borders just need to decide how to use it. Hoping to take care of that later this month.

I also started on my Peace and Unity BOM. Despite my continuously measuring my blocks they didn’t come out right so a few need to be unstitched and redone.  I’m loving them tho.  Here’s a couple of the 20 setting blocks.

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Here’s a couple of shots of some of the works of the talented ladies in attendance

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I’m making good progress on my SamSarah Mystery Sampler.

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I started the 3rd, and last, section last night. Glad it’s going so quickly since the new Luzzie*Kate mystery started shipping today. I’ve already seen a photo of the fibers, and they’re beautiful. I’ve just about decided to go back to And They Sinned once both mysteries are finished.

We spent the majority of today running errands, which included buying paint for my room. Today marks 3 years that I arrived in Arizona and it’s taken me this long to make up my mind. I actually found an inspiration piece at IKEA a few months back but what I wanted to do was so far out of my comfort zone it took me a bit to just go with it – plus Mister Art Student said he thought it would look good 😉 So here’s what I’ll be working with.

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(I did change the satin black to glossy after that photo.)

Last, but not least, here’s my handsome son with the love of his life, out on the town on his birthday. He still has that big bright smile.

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And remember I’m not a photographer and mostly use my phone 😀

A whole lot of spending going on

Yesterday Mister and I went shopping.  It’s been a long time since the 2 of us shopped like this.  I had a list and some coupons and was on a mission to replace some things and wanted his opinion.  I love to shop with him.

First stop, not on my list but his, was Sports Chalet.  He wanted me to have an easy to carry water bottle for our hikes since he’s going to start running and leaving me hiking on my own.  He normally humps a Camelback. I also needed a whistle.  Isn’t he thoughtful?

Next was Bed, Bath and Beyond and here’s where I did some major damage.  I had 20% off coupons from before September 2011 😀  I love BB&B!

Asian Fusion Wok and Spider

Asian Fusion Wok and Spider

We eat a lot of stir fried foods and even though I lived in Okinawa for 6 years I’ve never owned a wok.  It’s been on my wish list for a long time, but it seems like other things always bumped it down the list.  I also wanted a spider since they’re great for poaching eggs.

Salad spinner, dressing carafe, storage jar, Spirooli

Salad spinner, dressing carafe, storage jar, Spirooli

I bought the cheapest salad spinner I could find.  I didn’t want a fancy one, and I wanted a small one since I normally wash our greens after I’ve chopped them.  My current dressing carafe leaks so it needed replacing.  The storage jar is the first of several I’ll be buying for my non-gluten baking goods.  And the Spirooli!  I can’t wait to start using it for zucchini noodles, etc.  Huge shout out and “thank you” to Mel for all of our back and forth texting and email conversations about this lovely 😀

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro 7" Santoku Knife and Steel

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro 7″ Santoku Knife and Steel

I have had Henckels knives for about 5 years. Mister bought me paring and utility knives for Christmas one year, and it was an immediate love affair. I never knew I was that capable with a kitchen knife until I had a quality one to use. Good knives, and a good cutting board (I use bamboo), are miracle makers, and while I’ve always loved to cook, those 3 items ramped up my skills. The next year I bought myself a 5 1/2″ Santoku knife and just about swooned. It was so much better than my slicing knife. I’ve had a steel for a while, but lately my knives have felt like I needed to sharpen them more often. Yesterday, I found out that the steel I have been using wasn’t hard enough for the Henckels. I went in to the store to buy myself a Chef’s knife, but ended up with a 7″ Santoku instead after my 30 minute conversation with the “knife guy.” I had to go find Mister afterward, since he got bored and wandered off. LOL I still have that chef’s knife and a peeling knife on my wish list. I also have the bread knife, but am now considering taking it off the list since, hey!, I don’t eat bread anymore. 😉

I headed over to another store to look at sheets but decided on some at BB&B and trotted back in there to snatch them.

I have 1 more purchase to make.  I want a Lodge 6-qt Enameled Dutch Oven, and a Lodge 8-9″ skillet, then I’ll be set.

Mister’s 35 mile bike ride had him dragging and he wanted lunch at Olive Garden.  Of course, by that time it was 1:30.  What I ordered was okay, and I left food there instead of bringing it home.  Since we ate so late we ended up just having a snack at 8 last night.

I guess I’ve made up my mind about which version of Dear Jane I want to do. I had posted a photo of an Amish version in this blog post, and this morning I ordered this:

Kona Swatch Card

Kona Swatch Card

303 cotton swatches.

Still haven’t sewn this weekend. I did stitch last night during the LSU game. Boy was THAT something to raise my blood pressure.

Today’s a lazy day. A little bit of laundry, and decide how to prepare some salmon for dinner tonight, are my only have-to-dos for the day.   Want to get a Wild & Goosey block stitched up and then get on my Civil War Club tablerunner.

More Caramel Corn

The Tour de France started yesterday.  We DVR it, but since we normally get up early anyway we start watching over a cup of coffee and fast forward through the commercials.  Normally we are not far behind going “live” by the end of our watch.   This “interferes” with the time I spend in my studio, but I don’t mind since I’m really enjoying watching.

I live in Arizona.  This is what I hid from yesterday

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It actually got up to 121!  Perfect sewing weather.

With NASCAR being rained out yesterday I enjoyed listening to it this morning after TdF while finishing preparing the “x” blocks of Caramel Corn.

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I also got the “slices” from yesterday glued down.  Since I stand while doing this it’s tiring to my back and I have to take frequent breaks.  I now need to get the “half slices” and “quarter slices” prepared since I’m traveling by plane later this month and they’ll make a great handwork project for the plane.

 

Follow me

With the upcoming demise of Google Reader (weep!) I’ve decided to check out Bloglovin’.

Clickable link over there >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I know I’ve been absent, but it’s only because I’ve been busy.  Nothing exciting to share, unless you want to hear about my rearranging my craftroom (yes, again), trips to purchase landscaping and patio container plants, or detailed spring cleaning. 😉

A regular post will come shortly that will include my finished miniature quilt and updates on A Sampler Grows and And They Sinned.

Today, though, it’s stitching on And They Sinned, watching NASCAR, potting a few indoor and outdoor plants, and bleaching my kitchen towels.  Exciting stuff!

Oh wait!  There is something exciting happening today!  Mad Men!  Woohoo!

Quaker Needlework Treasures Update

Here’s as far as I got last week.  I’m going to have to go back and frog the ’06’ out of the main piece 😆

Last night was full of football goodness by way of my Saints!  Woo to the Hoo!!!

Today Kahuna’s team plays…the Cowboys.  Yuk.  He’s a Saints fan too and doesn’t know what he’s going to do if they end up playing each other.  I know what he better do, and that’s all I’m going to say about that 😉

I made my floss tags for HOHRH last night and ‘loaded up’ the NPIs for the first house.  I even made my working copy of the house I’m starting with — the upper left house.  I’m SO excited!  I still need to cut and serge my fabric but will tackle that in the morning.

More Summer Queen stitching today and maybe even a new progress picture tonight.

Barium…it's what's for breakfast!

and lunch and supper.  Yum!  Not.  I have a CT scan on Monday so have started ‘prepping’ for it.  Not being one for ‘flavored’ items, drinking berry flavored barium for breakfast immediately kicks in my gag reflex.  Actually, just smelling the stuff got me started.

I had a psych appointment on Tuesday.  Nothing like drudging through all 50 years of your life — starting at the moment you were born — with a stranger.  Needless to say with some of the skeletons in my closet this has been a rough week for me.  Not sleeping, or if I do immediately go to sleep waking up at 3 a.m. and not being able to get back to sleep.

I have several more appointments to make between now and December 14th.  On that day one of my doctors will decide if I’m ready to be referred for surgery during January.

Today Kahuna and I are going to see ‘New Moon.’  Housing shut our water off at 6 a.m. this morning and we’ve already been showered and shaved, filled our tubs with water for the toilets), had our breakfast, entertained Harley (an all day affair, anyway), and are nursing a cup of coffee while we play on our respective computers.  I intend on spending the majority of today (while not at the movies) watching college football, DVRd stuff, and stitching (working exclusively on Summer Queen).  I’d like to start up a “goodreads’ on my facebook, too, but that might wait until tomorrow since I won’t be able to leave the house.

Although I haven’t posted it here (I don’t think?) Harley smacked Kahuna in his left eye a couple of weeks ago and tore his cornea.  At his last appointment this week he was told it’s as healed as it’s going to be, and there’s a wrinkle in the cornea.  He’s having vision problems because of it and they’re talking LASIK surgery….again.  This will be the 3d time for that eye…his good eye.  Sigh.  He’s undecided about having it, but has set an appointment with the doctor who did the first two (he’s the eye doctor for the San Diego Chargers) and I think he’ll decide based upon that opinion.

We’re headed to Disneyland on Thursday for our almost annual Thanksgiving tradition.  There are rarely any lines for any of the rides on that day and they serve turkey and dressing at the major eateries.  We try to eat at the Blue Bayou for lunch (but this year we waited too late to get reservations) and in downtown Disney at Brennan’s for supper to get our Louisiana fix every year.  We did manage reservations at Brennan’s and may even head over there for lunch and get a poboy.  I love Disneyland, especially this time of year.  The carols and fireworks in the evening even make me cry and miss home.  Kahuna and I are both still kids enough that we have a good time, just the two of us.

 

So, where was I? Oh, yeah!

Thank you for your emails this past week. I’m sorry I turned off comments, but I just didn’t want to have a bunch of comments that made me feel like everyone felt sorry for me. I don’t feel sorry for myself that I’ve made this decision – in fact, I’ve had a great stressfree week, knowing what I had waiting for me the upcoming weekend.

This is the first Saturday in a long time that I have absolutely no obligations.  The ONLY thing I have to do this weekend is go grocery shopping.  That leaves lot a ton of room for catching up on my DVR’d stuff, stitching 😉 and maybe a load of laundry or two. I do plan to ride this weekend though.

Kahuna has been fighting off ‘pneumonia’ since the weekend before last.  He finally went to the doctor and had his lungs xrayed this past Thursday.  Thankfully they are clear.  He got pneumonia (for the first time) in bootcamp 100 years ago and didn’t have it again until about 1999, when he got it twice in a 3 month span and has had it (what feels like) every other year since then.  It scares me and I get all hovery and naggy about going to the doctor.  So he’s hanging out in the garage doing some tweaking to his tri-bike instead of surfing like he really would rather be doing trying not to cough up a lung.

I watched the first episode of Fringe bright and early this morning and thought it good enough to keep watching it.  In the past I seemed to miss out on a lot of early showings because we go to bed so early and everything is on at 10:00 p.m. here.  That’s changed a bit since we finally broke down and got a DVR.  I have a couple of West Wing DVDs waiting for me to stitch to today, and this afternoon will find me in front of the TV watching the LSU/Auburn game.  Need I say . . . Geaux Tigers? 

So, where was I?

Training – I finally bit the dust and rode on heavy traffic roads this week.  The first attempt I swear there were a couple of times I actually closed my eyes and prayed that I wouldn’t get run over.  There are a LOT of road-ragers living here that hate cyclists.  I survived and will do it again this week – at a further distance.  Kahuna goes with me and that helps me feel safe.  At least if I get run over, I’ll have a witness 😉

Work – going okay.  The paralegal who went out on extended sick leave 2 weeks after I started returned about 4 weeks ago to work 4 hours a day.  It’s definitely taken a lot of work load off me and I’m starting to get a tiny bit into what I was hired for…personal injury litigation. I’ll miss the criminal work, though.

Reading – I’ll be updating my Books tab (up top) some time this afternoon.  I have several things to add.  I even read the Twighlight saga twice over the past month.  I’m looking forward to the movie release in December.  Have I said lately how much I love my Kindle?  Right now I have some books by James Grippando waiting.  I like his books that feature the character criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck.   The first book in the series is The Pardon.

Stitching – working on French Alphabet Sampler this weekend.  Before and after photos will be posted soon-ish.  I’m pondering what to take with me to Hawaii next month.  Probably Hannah Beebe since I’m embarrassingly behind (read = not even started) in the stitch-a-long I started and am thinking of also taking Mimi’s Tape Measure kit.  I’ve also pulled out 3 things to have Jill Rensel frame and will make a final decision on that by the end of the weekend.

Stash – I added to my collection this week too. I’ve just now started collecting the Drawn Thread Chartpacks for Sampler of Stitches and received ABC and DEF. I also got Homespun Elegance Delivering Needlewares and Home is Where You Hang Your Needleswork; and Katidid Designs Come Gather (the colors match my dining room).

Puppies – they *trapped* a gopher this morning. It was on the other side of the fence and was a very brave critter. Every time it popped its head out of the ground Harley would spaz and bark like there was a grizzly bear over there. Bandit supervised the whole time. Kahuna said it even kept poking its head out of the ground at him when he was getting the trap ready to push into the tunnel. It was rather a large one as our gophers go and it’s now in the trash bin waiting on the Monday morning garbage truck. It was hard work and the puppies are now recouperating in the sunbeams coming through the windows.

Brain dump

Didn’t really know what to title this.  It’s more of a “get it out of my brain” kind of post.

 Friday’s car disaster is over.  The rain didn’t let up much so I went out in the rain to cover it.  Looked like a wet rat when I got back in the house and kept hot water going all day for Japanese milk tea.  I didn’t watch the DVDs I have, but I did just about clear out the DVR and I got quite a bit of stitching done. 

Saturday the sun came out enough that I could uncover the car, roll down the windows and remind myself over and over not to let it happen again.   Of course, I also spent a lot of time looking out the window wondering if it was raining again.  Kahuna had a 56 mile bike ride and we ended up going swimming later that afternoon, after he recouperated some.

Sunday it was raining, again.  I was heading out the door to WW and discovered I hadn’t received my monthly pass, so I didn’t go.  I found out after I called them that I could print one off.  I could probably have figured that out earlier, but honestly I didn’t want to go out in the rain.  When it slacked up I headed to the grocery store, but it was raining again when I got there and all the carts were soaked.  It was an interesting experience seeing all the wet people and water on the floor everywhere while we shopped. 

Kahuna had a 2 hour run and wanted to re-carb so we went out to pizza.  We wanted to watch the NASCAR race, but it was raining north of us as well and the race was stopped.  I turned the Oscars on and sort of listened while stitching and finishing laundry.  I’ve seen so few of the movies, though, so it wasn’t all that great to  me.

I finished up a RR I was working on plus I finished the 1st 3 bands of Ann Holewll.  

I’m back on FAS and enjoying every stitch.  I reworked one of the parts to include Bandit’s name and will do the same elsewhere for Harley.  I’m working kind of weird on this page because of the rework and am keeping my fingers figuratively crossed that it works out.

I have errands to take care of after work today so am skipping the gym.  Tomorrow I start back running, but since it’s for such a short period (15 minutes) while I get used to my new orthotics, I’m swimming too.

Making Filipino Adobo Chicken for dinner tonight.  Haven’t had it in forever and I can practically smell it now.  I made brownies yesterday.  I’m getting back into my “homemaker” mode where I’m wanting to cook all the time again.  One more reason I need to be a kept woman….can cook more!

Woohoo it's Monday!

and I don’t have to be to work today 😆

I managed to make a dent in the “to-do” list I posted on Friday.

The swim went great for me. I managed to push myself 100 yards further than the last trip, plus for the 1st time I managed to swim 100 yards twice without stopping. The second time I had to roll over and backstroke a couple of times, but I did NOT stop. This is a great breakthrough for me as it shows me that I have not been pushing myself hard enough. Kahuna is convinced I need to be swimming everyday, and I’m going to ramp it up a little this week. I don’t know if that means going more yards per trip, or more trips. I’ll be playing it by ear.

Saturday I got my hair cut….short. She even shaved my neck, which I’ve never had done in my life!! I’m not sure I like the cut. It’s really the same as I’ve had, just shorter in the back. My hair grows in a circle around my head and with it being this short, it kind of wants to do the fuzzy chicken thing unless I mess with it a lot. I’m not the sort of person who wants to mess with her hair much. I got it cut short for less messing with. I’ll see if it “grows” on me. I love the way it looks, it’s just a little more work than what I’m wanting. I also went to a new stylist, who was 50% cheaper, fast, great – and pregnant. Why is it I feel like I find someone I like, they’re never around for long? I didn’t ask her if she was going to return after having the baby (her first). I’ll go to her again in about 6 weeks and I’ll talk to her then. I’ve also found myself a new manicurist, who’s also 50% cheaper than my last one. I wasn’t going to continue having my nails done but the swimming just destroys them, and while I don’t keep them very long, I would like for them to look nice. Both ladies work at the salon on the base which is 5 minutes from where I live. Amazing the great resources you can find when you take the time to look. But you realize that I’m moving right? 😆

During all this beautifying Kahuna was surfing, and then he had a cycle/run brick which left me at the house working in my office. I think it was 3 before we left the house to do our errands. I went to Joann’s and got the fibers picked out for Hannah Beeby. I am really happy with my choice and am looking forward to the stitchalong starting the end of March. I’ve decided on DMC 839, 3863, and 224 on Lambswool Linen.

I haven’t decided on 28 or 32 count, but am leaning toward the 28. I just need to see if what I have is large enough. I also picked up a pair of embroidery scissors, a thread holder for my sewing machine and a couple of other little things bringing my total to less than what I would have paid for the scissors full price. Yay for sales and coupons. I neglected to get a new bulb for my OTT though and I have a 40% coupon for that, that I really need to take advantage of, since the lighting by my sewing machine is next to none.

I went through my pantry Saturday and made a menu and grocery list around what was in there. I’m determined to get us back to eating better and not break the bank doing it. I spent less than my budgeted $75 on groceries Sunday, and only forgot 1 thing. Woohoo!

The rest of the day was spent doing a whole lot of not much. We really enjoyed Daytona 500. I would have been happier if Dale Earnhart or Casey Kahne won, but it was great that Tony Stewart or Jeff Gordan did not! 🙂 The rest of my time on Sunday was spent on and off in my office. I made great headway with my desk and got my keyboard and printer moved and almost everything put where I want it OFF the desk. I have some photos to be framed and moved around and I’ll be tickled with my desk setup.

Stitching? Well except for playing floss toss for Hannah, I didn’t have anything to do with stitching on Saturday or Sunday. That will be different today though. I am running out to town to see about the above mentioned picture frames, and to hit up Costco for some bread (but will still be way under budget). The rest of my day will be spent doing laundry, stitching, and catching up with the stuff I have recorded on the DVR. I only have 1 small thing to stitch on the RR that I want to mail out tomorrow and then I’ll be working on Ann Holewll. I’m going to have to piece together some qsnap components for it, but am planning on using some of the money I get from selling my stash to buy another set of rods for my Handi Clamps.

I would like to get the fabric cut for Houses of Hawk Run Hollow today, but if it doesn’t happen I’m not going to worry about it and just put it on next week’s “to-do” list. My poor French Alphabet Sampler is probably going to be ignored today as well since I really need to get caught up with Ann Holewll.

I wanted to stay off the computer over the weekend and except for cleaning out some old emails and emptying my camera chip, I did pretty good! I managed to sell several of the Shepherd’s Bush items I posted so was on the computer getting that squared away. I didn’t do any posting of The Silver Lining stuff, but that’s because the box they’re in is sort of out of reach right now as I work my way across my office cleaning and sorting and selling. I do need to get them up though.

I didn’t get anything done on ebookdrop.com either. I could probably do that from work, since I’ll have to haul them in for mailing anyway. I know the prices won’t be much, but they’ll be more than just sitting in my office taking up space and collecting dust. I’m almost to the point of throwing things away so I don’t have to move it or clean around it so if I can get some money for it, that’s better. I also want to look into cashduck.com for a bit more income. I think I’d rather go this route for now and not increase my hours at work until we decide where we’re going to live. I may increase them by 15 minutes a day though in a week or so. We’ll see.

I’ve decided to split whatever extra I have coming in equally 3 ways:

Training – Kahuna is building me a bike from components he’s selling on one of his bikes, and I want to contribute. This money will stay in paypal, since he buys a lot of components from places that accept paypal.

Stitching – I love my hobby. I have tons of money invested in it. I have lots of beautiful things to work with without buying more so I’m trying to buy only what I need to stitch from my stash. The first item will be the 14” bars for the Handi Clamps I mentioned above. I’ll probably also use this $ for finishing. I have a savings account I don’t use that I’ll keep these funds in.

Debt – While it won’t be much, the last 1/3 of my extra income will go toward getting my debt paid off.

I thought I would feel deprived while I worked on getting myself out of my debt fix; however, I have taken the advice of several blogs I read and made sure to have some “wants” budgeted for (like my manicures). It’s working and I almost feel like I’m playing a game seeing what I can accomplish with what I have. I’m also trying to get out of the impulse spending that I practiced in the past. I’m doing pretty good! I also have my wonderful hobby that entertains me which helps a lot.

I didn’t mean for this to get so long, but I guess I had a lot to get down after all my thinking this weekend. I guess I’d better say “The End” to this novel and get on with my day.

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