$10 Giftcard from Target

Spend $50.... get a $10 giftcard back when you present this coupon. Easy-- I used it this afternoon. The coupon won't be available long, though...

(Thanks for the heads up, Money Saving Mom!)

Engineers Are Commercial, Too

A very funny Doritos commercial, from Paul Klusman, the maker of "An Engineer's Guide to Cats." Having married an engineer, I can REALLY relate to these. (Oh yes, and the cat part, too.)

They're just a different breed, engineers. (No, I wasn't going to say cats!) The Brick is currently a bus driver trainer, but most of his time is spent working on a computer system for the school district. Figures --you can take the Brick out of engineering, but you can't take the engineer out of the Brick. These guys will be engineers the rest of their days -- and I love mine for it.

The Brick laughed and laughed at the 'accurate story' shown in the preface...I didn't get it!

Bang, Crash, Boom!

The good news: there are guys working right now in the basement! Yes, the Brickworks dungeon may soon turn out to be a business area again -- I've got my fingers crossed! Ken Knopp and his team are also putting in a couple sets of new outlets perfect for classes and demos. They're installing a 'floating' wall in front of the concrete one, and fixing up the pipes that have caused us so much misery (not to mention lost fabric) in the past six months.
     They say about it  two weeks of strange bangs and sawing noises. Now the bad news: the insurance still is denying our claim. That means we pay out of our pockets right now -- and again when we pay the lawyer to bring the case to court. I wish they were listening...

Ever try to find boxes of Christmas ornaments in a storage space that already has a few hundred quilts and quilt tops jammed on top? I turned up a few wreaths and lengths of holly garland. Hopefully the rest will appear soon. 

We're waiting it out for a huge snowstorm that's supposed to hit tonight. All I know: we had a huge red sunrise ("red in the morning, sailors take warning"), and now the sunset is just as spectacular. ("red at night, sailors delight.") So what am I supposed to do with that?!?

A Flash Mob Hits DIA!

It happened on Nov. 22 of this month at the Denver International Airport
     ...if you enjoy Swing, you'll like this one.

Interesting Oddities

The guy who returned money he stole -- back in the Forties.

The lady who insists on dressing like the Brontes. Yes, you read that right -- as in Charlotte Bronte.

Some very freaky Black Friday incidents at Wal-Marts across the country. (All I know is our Castle Rock Wal-Mart was allllmmmost there, based on what we experienced that night.)

Len Penzo gets very number-y.

And a lovely candy cane sky, courtesy of The Frugal Girl.

Getting Up, Moving On

I had a very peaceful Thanksgiving. Hopefully, you did, too!

The girlies (and Angel's boyfriend) spent the day with us, chattering away and planning for Black Friday. After dinner and the obligatory nap, we climbed Castle Rock. (They scampered up -- I puffed practically all the way.) Then another snack, and we braced ourselves for Wal-Mart's Black Friday.

It went better this year than last. Keith is a big guy, and could run interference. Also, there were more of us to dart in and out, grabbing armfuls of videos. (We sorted and threw the almost-rans back in the pond, so others could do their own grab-and-snatch.) I had to remind myself that they were only videos, though, when I saw someone else's cart holding both seasons of Fringe. (At $10 each! sigh...) I really, really, REALLY wanted to just grab them and run.

Wally kept their electronic bargains back until midnight, which produced some frightening scenarios. People tore open the black plastic covering the pallets, and were literally standing there with their hands touching an item, waiting for the 'go' signal. Angel overheard a huge argument between an older man and a lady that threatened to escalate into a punching match. We got out of there as soon as we could. One bout of lunacy over the videos was enough.

And if you weren't up and wandering about to see it in your neck of the woods...the drive-through line at our local Starbucks was PHENOMENAL.


The last of the turkey is almost gone, the tablecloths washed and Christmas decorations are looming on the horizon. But I've got other work to do before that happy event, including figuring our contributions for the rest of the year. There are plenty of organizations asking for money around here -- some, like Operation Christmas Child, ask you to fill a shoebox full of goodies for kids overseas. (Yep, we did. Two boxes full. You can too, by the way --just follow the link.)

I am having some rebellious thoughts about it all this time around -- and a lot of it has to do with the recipients. I am all for helping people who need it. Honest. But it really cranks my gourd to be donating to a group that pays for someone's rent when they could have paid it themselves, had they tightened down on groceries. Or clothing purchases. Or goodies.
     There are a lot of people in our area this season who have been living high, thanks to debt, and are now running into problems. Yes, I understand that they may have been laid off for months and months. (Aren't there ANY short-term jobs they could take while looking for a better one? Or are they unwilling to 'lower' themselves?) Yes, I understand their health may be bad. (Is it because they drank too much? Or took drugs? Or got in an accident while...?) 
     If their unspoken argument is that "Well, I didn't save anything because I thought my job would last forever,"  that's just plain foolish. Should my hard-earned money reward that kind of behavior? 
     The crowning point was in Sunday's Parade magazine, and an article about three groups of people who 'need your help.' One featured a mom and children whose heating bills haven't been paid, boo hoo. But gee- look closer! Mom is pictured in her living room, sitting on fancy custom leather furniture. Her children are perched on similar pieces, and expensive accessories just happen to be in the background.
     Hmmm. So I should help chip in for this family's heating because they were spendthrifts, and wasted their available cash on furnishings. The Brick's response: "Tell them to sell the furniture, and pay their bill!"
     I'm lucky. I don't have to deal with this issue regarding relatives, at least right now. That would be much more difficult. All the same, though, I think we'll be contributing a lot less to American causes, and more to kids who REALLY need it -- like Jury's Orphanage in Thailand, sponsored by Lightbridge International. These kids have been living with a leaking roof -- and a good steel one would only be a few thousand dollars. We can help those kids.
     And I guess that means 'poor' American families will have to find someone else to pay their bills for them.

A Very, Very Funny Video (For Us Geezers, That Is)

Ever think you're the only one who has trouble figuring out this computer business?

Nope! (And the Huffmans do just fine, eventually...)

Earn Money...By Staying In Bed!

Thanks to the heads-up from Penny Hoarder, that is...

NASA is doing ongoing studies on how bodies are affected by weightlessness. Staying in bed for weeks at a time will help them study how muscles deal with the loss of pressure. (In other words, gravity on astronauts' bodies.)

The nice part about all this: you'll get paid up to $5000 monthly, with all your meals and expenses provided, as well. The bad part: you aren't going anywhere for up to three months.

Read about one girl's experiences as a "pillownaut;" it's not as easy as it sounds, but there are definitely benefits. (Maybe I could actually finish this book-in-progress without interruption!)

NASA is currently offering an "Exercise Study" (70 days) and a "Compression Suit" study (says 14 days, but the description suggests a month commitment). Go here for more, including an application. Hmmmm, maybe this would be worth a trip to Houston...

Happy Almost-Thanksgiving!

The restlessness continues...but I'm making slow progress. Even chipping away at stuff gets it done, eventually. The Internet aboundeth with interesting stuff, and here are some more nibbles to munch on while the turkey is thawing.

*Two very good reasons why you need an emergency fund. (Plus another.) The emergency fund sure saved our patootie during hunting season, when we were stuck two hours drive from home, with a broken-down Jeep. Final count on that little adventure: $1000, including the four-wheel-drive that had to be replaced when we got home. Score one for the emergency fund...it's looking a little shrunken, but will slowly build back up. (At least 10% from my earnings goes there, every time I do a gig.)

*Cars with clean titles -- and dirty secrets. How to protect yourself.

*Monkey-picked tea. No, I am not making this up.


*How to make money gambling. The answer: you don't. Be sure to read Tight-Fisted Miser's next post, on how he makes money doing this, as well. Basically, he argues that because the casinos comp his hotel room, plus meals and drinks on occasion, that he gets a nice vacation and comes out ahead. This guy has been trying to become a professional gambler off and on for years -- although I enjoy his blog, I have yet to see him make a big killing. (Congratulate him, by the way: he just passed his bar exam.)
    This rings close to home because of our recent anniversary trip to Las Vegas.  We didn't gamble any money. Not one cent. We did, however, get a 'players card' at one casino because it gave us a discount on the buffet there.


*Multiple streams of income. Robert Allen was the first to turn me onto this idea -- that if you can make money a variety of ways, that income will remain more steady than relying on just one job. So I not only wrote articles -- I wrote books, too. And didn't just appraise...but judged competitions, as well. And as a teacher, I could say, 'I can also judge/appraise for you while I'm there.' Extremely helpful.
    And in a pinch, I can always fall back on catering (my mom was a professional, and I've done it on occasion over the years) or secretarial work. All multiple streams.
    We're currently looking at an investment property that may prove to be another 'stream.' If we can get the price down some more, that is. (Go here for a blog that covers multiple streams, plus ideas to save a bit here and there. Adds up for your emergency fund!)


The Brick is sick and tired of dealing with our leaky dining room picture windows. He saw a sale notice for Anderson windows -- but when he threw his name out there, window salesmen from all companies have been coming out of the woodwork, so to speak. We endured a nearly three-hour presentation from Scott at Ameritech last night (great windows, high price - and lots of sales pressure). Tonight is the Anderson rep, and Friday yet another. The emergency fund is trembling...so am I.

Want A Million Dollars?

(Australian, that is.)

Some guy in tropical shorts and a "singlet" (whatever that is) left a battered suitcase stuffed with cash in a Sydney restaurant. According to witnesses, he then got nervous and left suddenly, leaving the suitcase behind.
    The police have no idea what's going on here. I'd guess drugs -- but hye, if you have a plausible explanation (or can prove ownership), I'm guessing the money is yours!

Tuesday - Stuff Continued

What's up with me? I wander off, take a lick at this job, wander back, finish up that one, return and finish up this one...just restless, I guess. And the mind is going a bunch of different directions, including:

*Wishing (or maybe not) we'd run into Prince Harry. He was apparently partying in Las Vegas the same time we were. He even went to a Cirque du Soleil performance...though not the one we did. Too bad -- he would have enjoyed the nakey people carpet. 


*Is there a way to give TOO much? Liz Weston thinks so. (I confess that we have seen this happen, too. Friends that we tried to help out long-term turned right around and took advantage of it, even stealing money before they disappeared. They are no longer friends, sadly.)


*ElfYourself is back, courtesy of Office Max and Jibjab. This is an incredibly fun and silly way to tease your favorite people -- by superimposing their faces on elves who boogie to disco, or in the case of Daughters, jump to funk. This year, they even sing! Use the link provided to see what's possible...and start your own. (Yes girlies, you can kill me now.)

Ah well. Thanksgiving's only a few days away...maybe that's good. Considering the amount of stuff I still need to get done beforehand, maybe it's bad!

Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff

Whoo hoo -- after three tries, I have passed the USPAP appraisers exam! It was needed for me to feel confident writing donation appraisals for the IRS -- but even better, it's a big part of my taking -- and certifying -- to become a general personal property appraiser. I've been 'doing' textiles and related items ever since 1999. This new certification means I can actively head toward appraising everything that isn't nailed down: furniture, glassware, paper and such.
   ( Ok -- not Newt Gingrich. Or any of the Occupy Denver protestors, who are showing every sign of staying put through the winter.)
    This whole process has been a revelation -- I hadn't failed an exam since nearly flunking out of high school geometry class back in the mid-1970s. It wasn't that I didn't know what I was doing -- it was much more that I didn't know the vocabulary USPAP used for the same actions. Instead of mentally arguing with that glossary every time I tried to use it, finally sat down and just memorized phrase after phrase after PHRASE. That, and being able to study what I'd already tested on, helped immensely.
    Thank God. I mean that - literally.

MORE STUFF, ETC.

*Funky Junk Interiors gives us one last look at fall colors and textures. (Not that they're happening around here. Our trees are stripped bare, due to the windstorms lately.)


*This girl and her family gave up eating out for a month -- and gained some unexpected benefits. (Eating just from your pantry and freezer, or resolving not to spend any money past the critical stuff, can change your life, too. Going without cable's been an eye-opener for us.)

*You can make $200,000 a year with no education or experience...just be a miner in Australia. (Don't miss the next post, either, on the financial pro who lost his own house! We're supposed to hire him because he now Has Learned From His Experience. Kind of like rehiring a babysitter who 'just happened' to misplace your kids for a few hours.)

*A British grandma wishes her nocturnal groper would leave her alone. Only problem: he's a ghost.


* It's pies this week on the Christmas Goodies blog! (Yum)

And The Nester is advocating a "fuss-less" Thanksgiving table.

Hope your Thanksgiving week is shaping up nicely. (And congratulations to online friend Marcie, who just gained a new baby granddaughter!)

Friends and Influences

The Mama called, with a surprising message -- one of my high school teachers had a massive stroke, and never really regained consciousness. Her husband has had Alzheimer's for years now, and it is doubtful how much he understands.

Maxine Garland Schut was my English teacher. She taught the basics like English comp -- but I reveled most in her elective classes, meaty stuff like Shakespeare and satire. She was tough -- didn't take any crap. And she insisted on knowing - and using properly - a wider range of vocabulary than we cretins generally subsisted on.

I was a voracious reader before meeting her, but her classes gave me 'permission' in a way to explore more. She probed, asked questions, forced you to defend your opinions. (And praised you when you did, successfully!) She gave me a love for the Bard that endures to this day. (It was actually one of the things the Brick and I shared in common from the first we met...that, plus Gilbert & Sullivan.) 

Would I have written for publication without her influence? Become a teacher myself? I think so...but who knows. She inspired this little farm girl to reach to things I'd only dared to dream of, things like grad school and books with my name on them. I am better for having known her.

Turns out that she influenced many people during her thirty-three years of teaching at Sparta High School in Michigan. You can meet her, too, via her obituary.

Thank you, Mrs. Schut, for pouring yourself into your students. I am so grateful you did.

More on Life

Charley the dog is very, very glad we're back from the days in Vegas -- he follows me around, and makes desperate attempts to sneak into the car, if we go anywhere. The neighbors spoiled him rotten -- they actually hauled out one of Daughter #2's beanbag chairs (one that got wet during the basement caper) for him to sleep on. So now he snoozes on a leopard print pouf, up high so he can see more of what's going on. I swear he's even a little bit fatter. (These are good neighbors.)

I finished taking the USPAP appraiser's exam! God willing, I passed it...but I won't know for at least a week yet. It is so nice not to be studying about appraisal reviews, summaries and restricted use. Now on to the other things I'm supposed to be working on...

Las Vegas really was a welcome break. I don't think we acted like their typical visitor, though -- we didn't gamble. Not a cent. We generally only ate one meal a day...and that was at a buffet. (Try Main Street Station -- $8.99 for breakfast or lunch, and that includes whatever you're drinking. They'll validate your parking, too.)

We went to one show -- just one. Cirque du Soleil was great...except the only show we could get tickets for was their 'sexy' one, Zumanity. Other than a huge series of inane jokes about sex, most of the time the sexy part was that the women went topless. The effect was less than mesmerizing: I kept thinking, 'how come the guys aren't stripping down as much?' And quite frankly, the women just looked cold. They would have been sexier if they'd kept their clothes on...
    The gymnastics were great. Lighting and music - fabulous. And at interesting intervals, some pipes from the ceiling spouted out 'rose petals' onto the audience. Parts of the show were truly great -- but more of it was just waiting for the sex jokes to die down. And sadly, those jokes sounded like they came from a junior high school boys locker room. Come on, Cirque...where's the classiness you're so famous for? 

We also took a long day to head for Hoover Dam (about 30 min. drive away) and the Grand Canyon (4 hours). The Brick is an engineer by training, and was fascinated by the Dam tour. (Frankly, I enjoyed it, too.) You get a very-close-up look at the system's tunnels, turbines, and of course, that huge, famous wall that was constructed by pouring load after load of concrete back in the 1930s. Hoover Dam is really quite old in the parlence of construction, yet it still is producing an incredible amount of energy. It has already paid back all the costs of construction, and is now supporting itself, just by the energy it can produce from flooding the turbines with water from Lake Mead.
    You can also have an incredible amount of fun talking about all the Dam things you can do there, from visiting the Dam store and spending time in the Dam exhibits. (Oh, and sending Dam postcards to your family!) Not to mention our Dam guide's accent and voice had an unnerving resemblance to the Church Lady...

We had so much fun there that we got started late to the Grand Canyon. And got there just as it was getting dark. (Hey, I can tell you what the ranger station and the pine grove around it looks like in the dark!) Note to selves: Arizona is on Pacific time -- and you not only lose an hour going there, you lose an hour of daylight. Quit fooling around with all those Dam subjects next time, and leave earlier.

It wasn't a total loss. One of the reasons for making the trip was to check on a good friend who was working nearby in Williams. (He's been sick. We were worried.) We had supper with him before driving back to Vegas; thankfully, he's doing much better.

It was a long day...and we had to be at the airport at 6 a.m. the next morning, to catch our plane home. But it -- and the whole trip -- were worth it.  I'm looking forward to the next thirty years with the Brick - he's a wonderful guy. 


Happy Anniversary, Honey!

Where Did All the Lights Go?

It seemed strangely dark outside last night. Guess I'd gotten used to the blaze of glory that is Las Vegas 24 hours a day. (The Hoover Dam guide said, tellingly, "We provide less than 1% of the power that Las Vegas uses." To which my beady mind replied, "Yeah, and you're one of the biggest sources of power in the U.S. How much exactly DOES Vegas use?" But I stayed quiet...)

We got home and promptly took a nap. Today, I am in the final throes of taking yet another crack at the USPAP exam -- will be back in touch shortly. Including a Full Report on the trip. Promise.

Las Vegas, Part 2

On to the Grand Canyon this morning! We saw Cirque du Soleil last night, at the New York New York theater -- another item off my bucket list. They were amazing, though we both could have used about triple the acrobatics and a third of the dancing. (Weird side note: the carpet design in the theater was full of naked cherubs and other human types - ahem - all mixed together! Especially strange when viewed from the cheap seats: one poor lady got her face walked on all night.)

Husband is chafing at the bit. On to the Canyon. More tonight.

Las Vegas, Baby!

We have a wonderful room 21 floors up at the Luxor -- I've been having fun watching planes fly by! The windows are angled, so it feels a bit like we're in a French garret. (Don't all attic rooms in France have angled windows, according to the movies? Go see American in Paris or La Boheme, so I can prove it...) Except our French garret has comfortable beds, a television and lots of weird fake 'Egyptian' stuff. The armoire has hieroglyphics, and we've got a weird slab of 'stone' on the wall with 'wall paintings' on it.

While I'm getting my wits about me, take a look at this interesting post -- international workers who make reasonably good money here, but don't spend it and become the equivalent of millionaires when they get back home. Fascinating. And way different from the people parked in front of slots here.

More in a bit. 

Saturday Stuff

Temps are up...and so is the wind. We get these strange chinooks now and then, especially during the spring and the fall, that are unnerving to a girl who grew up with regular tornadoes in Michigan. I must keep reminding myself that wind is normal here. I do not need to rush down to the basement. (Besides, the repair guy doesn't start until next week. It's still like a dungeon down there. Ew.)

One day...then we leave for a quickie anniversary trip to Las Vegas. Staying at the Luxor, but not gambling: we do mad, crazy things like sleep in, watch a full football game (a luxury since we gave up cable), and go to -- the Grand Canyon! It's only a few hours away, and the Brick has never seen it. He's especially curious about the Skywalk. (I am curious, too, but my Hollander heart is rebelling. Costs a boatload to use it -- more than $70, once you add in the shuttle and the entry ticket. Just to walk on a clear glass observation deck?!?)

A bunch of things need to be finished up before we go. The camper should be scrubbed out, from hunting. (Clothes and nearly everything else are clean and put away.) An armful of appraisals need to be mailed. And some business paperwork should be submitted. (sigh)

I noticed a few other things you might enjoy, as well:

*the merits of wearing glasses, versus futzing with contacts. (I have both, have worn glasses since the third grade, and contacts since middle school. Colorado is so dry, though, that I have trouble with contacts. Maybe should take them to Vegas, and experiment while we're there.)


*a wonderful blog for vintage clothes and accessories. If I had access to the places this girl gets her stuff from, well.. at any rate, check out Vintage Vixen. She's got some interesting ideas for rehabbing, too, like fringing a t-shirt with scissors, then letting it ravel. Looks great.
    If you enjoy this sort of look for your home, try Thrift Shop Romantic's blog. She's got a weird thing for Alice-in-Wonderland stuff, but I do like her taste in painted plates and vases.

And don't forget to take a quick visit to my new blog, Christmas Goodies! Snickerdoodles are on today's menu; next week is The Week of the Pie.


The Brick is definitely working on his to-do list. The storm windows are up and in place (whoa! warmth in the dining room!), and Charley dog has a heat lamp set up in the garage for chilly tootsies late at night while we're gone. Guess I'd better get started on mine. Have a great weekend.

The leaves are coming off fast in the wind -- won't be much of this left soon.

So This One IS True...

The Swiss freighter Cassarate, nearly sank in 1972, after its cargo of tapioca started cooking and its weight threatened to buckle the ship's steel plate. As the article pointed out, where do you go to offload 50 truckloads of tapioca?


Hmmm...add a few truckloads of sugar, a dash of cinnamon, and...

The New Orleans Mystery UFO...Isn't

The puzzle of the UFO filmed during a recent football game has been solved.

Turns out that the NFL game photographer does some of his work in time-lapse photography! So what appeared to be a rod-shaped object with lights streaking across the background was...

a commercial jet.

Oh pooh. And it looked so convincing, too.

(See the original report here.)

Money Cache Found!

An elderly widow hid money all over her Florida home. After her death, a plumber found $20,000 in an airduct...and turned the money in. Read all about it here.

I keep looking around our house -- but it was always owned by people with large families. (We technically have 7 bedrooms here at Chez Brick.)  I'd guess they didn't have any extra cash to hide!

A Reminder...

...that not everyone gets to even think about holiday goodies.

This special report details what many poor Haitians are eating to fill their stomachs:

mud cookies.

Dirt, a little shortening, salt, water and maybe a little sugar. That's it.

And the women who are selling them are paying high prices for the dirt, said to come from the mountains. (I wonder.) A big sack of dirt? $5.

Go here for the full report. 

Hot Dogs And Holidays

Welcome to the exciting world of Chez Brick. Yours truly has been doing household stuff and schlepping Daughters #1 and #2 to and fro from the grocery store, doctor and dentist, etc. This afternoon has a date with ironing and AVP (Alien vs Predator, one of my favorite monster/pseudohistorical flicks). Hey, they go together!

After a quick lunch of hot dogs, I started thinking: what's the Thanksgiving menu going to be like? One possibility is to crockpot the mashed potatoes, like this blogger (via Land O'Lakes butter) is suggesting. Hmmm...not a bad idea, considering my family views these as the Holy Grail of Thanksgiving. Whatever isn't snarfed down with gravy gets scooped out, fingerfuls at a time, and eaten cold out of the refrigerator around midnight.

Well, they are good. Here's the recipe:

FARMER'S WIFE MASHED POTATOES


5 pounds potatoes
1/2 - 1 stick butter (no substitutes)
2 cups milk
salt and fresh-ground pepper

Peel your potatoes. (Save the peels and fry them slowly, then top with cheese while still hot. Oh my.) Cut in half or quarters.
Or save time by going straight to the boiling -- boil the peeled/unpeeled potatoes for approx. 35-40 min., until a fork pierces them easily.  (Peel after draining, while they're still hot. Actually goes faster, and leaves more potato on the peel for the appetizer.)
   Drain your potatoes. (Save the water for soup base or potato rolls. Nothing is wasted to a farmer's wife.)  Pile into the biggest bowl you've got, and grab a large spoon, salad fork or an old-fashioned potato masher. (These have a criscross pattern, and a strong handle.)
    Now mash. Push hard. Keep mashing, until the bits start to blend together. Toss in some butter and a cup of the milk. Mash more. 
    Keep adding milk, a splash at a time, plus butter, until it's incorporated into the potatoes, and you have a creamy mass with a few lumps. Cover the bowl and set it back on the warm stovetop while you finish the rest of the meal.

And yes, they're good with more stuff added: bits of bacon, a scoop or two of sour cream, garlic, finely chopped onion and cheese.

* * * * * * * *

THERE'S A NEW BLOG COMING!

I wanted a way to feature all the wonderful foods of the upcoming holidays -- so ta da! Take a look at my newest blog, CHRISTMAS GOODIES! I'll include old family recipes, plus some quick ideas for great dishes, from appetizers to that great bastion of the holidays -- desserts. Come on over and say hi. 

Weird Monday

Strange things are wandering around the Internet today. For example:


*The guy who was living on food stamps in August -- and now is bragging on a $75,000 job he got at a few days notice. (Oh yes, he admits to still being $50,000 in debt. No doubt he's actively paying it down now. Right.) Not sure where to go next on this -- we should ALL go out and do likewise??

*A piece of Saddam Hussein's famous statue (the one that was toppled) was auctioned off in September...a piece of his butt. (The seller, a former British soldier, says that choice was totally random. Sure.)

*That's not the end. (smirk)  Perhaps you'd enjoy reading a new novel about Empress Theodora, who gave a whole new emphasis to the phrase "she slept her way to the top." This one's puzzling, too. So we're supposed to admire her because she had spunk and spirit -- and knew how to influence lots of lovers?? The reviewer sure spends lots of time burbling away about her courage, etc. (Funny - integrity is not on the compliment list.)

*Or perhaps you'd prefer the heartwarming tale of the woman who attacked her elderly father because he wouldn't share his potato salad. 

*And the Russian who gives family living a whole new meaning -- he scavenged 29 corpses from various graveyards, dressed them up and positioned them all around his apartment. (Maybe he needed partners for canasta?)

One more thing: 
*There's a naked guy wandering around Dulles Airport -- but don't worry. He's not a threat.

Makes me grateful for things like dirty clothes and household chores -- at least they make sense. I learned a new trick today: if you've got problems with a spot or two of mildew on your walls (especially in your bathroom), try this: spray it with a 50/50 mixture of bleach and water. (Use one of those fragranced bleaches for a nicer smell -- mine was "clean linen.") Let dry, then wash off with regular water. Solves the problem in a snap! Be sure to remove towels, rugs and other textiles first, though, and stay out of the way of any backsplash or vapor -- bleach spots could spot your clothes.

Husband surprised me with breakfast in bed this morning -- the sweetheart. Guess he realized I was pooped, too. His selection: a sausage-stuffed omelet...and a piece of leftover pizza. The breakfast of champions! 

Dead Tarred And...

Just finished the last gig of the year, appraising at Holly's Quilt Cabin in nearby Centennial. (Hi guys! I had a great time -- thank you for all your help!) Tore home, just in time to catch the tail end of the Brick's song at church...then went and stood by the missions committee table for the outreach fair at church. I took care of some other matters, and by the time I got home, the Brick in tow, I realized:


I am just plum tuckered out.  When people say similar stuff, I can relate.

Still some appraisals to go out from yesterday's gig -- some bills to send -- some other writing to do. Even some appraising to do here at home. But I think I will generally lay a bit low this week. Get a few hours of needed sleep. Maybe even read a book or two! We've got another storm moving in tomorrow night; it may be the perfect opportunity to just stay at home and get stuff done here.

Also, both daughters are saying they're heading here tomorrow night to celebrate my September birthday. (I was in Michigan, with the Mama, at the time.)

Sounds wonderful. 

Yep, it's Coming...

Christmas is just around the corner, and J.D. at Get Rich Slowly wants to know how much people spend on presents. 
   The answers range from $5 per person (J.D.'s personal response) to hundreds of dollars.

I found this mildly amusing, since I'd just gotten a whole stack of free samples in the mail -- items that were earmarked to help fill up Christmas stockings! (Try Money Saving Mom; she often has a whole raft of items available. My own blog, Saving Site, also features regular freebies.) I would mention some of these specifically, but both girlies have a bad habit of reading posts here now and then. I want to surprise them.
   Other cheap/frugal possibilities in the stocking stuffer department:

*travel sized fancy shampoos, perfumes and cologne

*half-priced holiday candy (Halloween stuff may still be available! I just bought a large bag of miniature candy bars, plus three "Boxes of Boogers" that will be perfect presents for friend Tommy, who enjoys tormenting me, and my darling baby brother -- the same guy that sends nose-picking birthday cards practically every year.)

*small packages of specialty nuts (or make your own mix) or the giftee's favorite candy (My mom would kill for Almond Roca, and loves the homemade version as well.) 

*hand-knit wash/dishcloth (these are quick to make, and  surprisingly effective)

*movie tickets (Groupon offers great discounts on these. Buy them via Swagbucks, and save even more. (See the 'swidget' on the bottom right column to sign up.)

*gift cards (Even a $5 Target or Starbucks card is appreciated. Groupon recently ran a special - $26 bought not only a $25 Target gift card, but a $50 Restaurant.com gift card. Plus, I got bonus points at Swagbucks, which will soon add up to two free $5 Amazon giftcards. Score!)

*small stuffed animals (generally a buck or less at the dollar or thrift store)

*pack of cards

*a book or comic book. (Donna Freedman's giving away a Tundra comic book -- but hurry, it ends today!)

   Our Christmas stockings also include a can of black olives (adorn the fingertips, and nibble them off while reading your Christmas book), as well as a can of tuna for Daughter #1, who is passionate about it. (She'll also get a can of mushroom soup, which she enjoys cold. Right out of the can. At 25, she's old enough to eat whatever she wants, I guess. Ewww..)

Sunshine

Storm's over -- for the day-long break it gave us, it was a lovely one. I am now caught up on Fringe's second season, and starting into The Walking Dead. (Do you think the latter is a big reason why zombies were so popular at Halloween this year?)

For other oddities, check out this UFO inadvertently caught during an NFL Foorball game -- what do you think it is?

Brrr.....

Boy oh boy, is it chilly around here. When we went to Small Group last night, it was cold, but dry. By the time we got out, only a few hours later, an inch of snow was on the ground!
    We had a heck of a time driving home, too. The Jeep, thanks to a hunting mishap, is down to two-wheel-drive only, and just couldn't quiiiite make it up on the easier hill to the house. (We have a steeper alternative that is often used by the neighborhood kids for sledding on a day like this.) The Brick had to give the Cherokee a not-so-loving push just to get it to the stop sign, then down the hill to home.

    Woke up to 8 inches of snow on the ground, and lots of drifting. No school. Which means, since the Brick works for the Douglas County school system,  an automatic paid vacation day -- whoo hoo! He's been having fun eating pancakes and playing rude videos, like this telling "Obama Budget Plan" one by Ray Stevens. (Ouch. Maybe TOO close to the truth. But hey, let's ALL follow the guvment plan!) 


    We'll have a fire and Mexican food for supper. Staying close to home today.

Sylvia Plath Revisited

This American-turned-Brit poet is best known for her last group of Ariel poems...and her suicide. I have always preferred her fiction and nonfiction writing, instead; she was a brilliant essayist. Even her letters home to her family,  filled with notes about home decorating, picking daffodils and making strudel along with poems and manuscripts submitted, have a crinkly aliveness to them that is a pleasure.

Now her daughter Freida Hughes, a good writer in her own right, has brought out a collection of Sylvia's drawings. Take a look at the slideshow -- a sample of Sylvia's work is below.

As the article points out, Sylvia would have turned 79 a day or so ago. What a waste of an incredible talent.

"The Pleasure of Odds and Ends" by Sylvia Plath