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Currently we have weather that is above normal in temperatures and it has been so lovely -- sunny, warm, and replete with fall colors. I guess that is going to change tomorrow as a front comes in. Hope we don't get bad weather out of it.
I am trying to stay positive and think of things that I like doing that doesn't make me feel like I'm missing out on stuff due to Covid restrictions. I've concluded that my kitchen is my happy place. 
I know this summer I spent an awful...
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I am a big one for new year's resolutions. And birthday resolutions, sunday resolutions, month beginning resolutions, and so on. It gives me a sense of motivation and excitement. I accomplish some, and don't accomplish some. I somehow seem to be completely devoid of the guilt that comes with failed resolutions. If I don't accomplish it, I feel a bit annoyed, but just turn around and make it again.
Last week, I was in a bit of a funk, and on Friday, started to come out of it. I...
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Christmas is in 45 days are you ready??
Just wondering how different christmas will be for you guys this year...i know our country has very few restrictions...no covid cases in the community (haven't for months except in 2 states which are now clear) only cases we have are in quarantine so we won't be any stipulations on where we can go or what we can do with how many people....just wondering if you guys have restrictions over there that will affect your christmas...such as travelling...
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It's payweek this week..who doesn't love payweek..the only thing we need to use the money for is grocery and gas...the rest will go into savings.
Gas here for the last week has been 96c a litre (which is equal to 3.7 litres per gallon), don't know if that is cheap for you guys but it is for us...it has been around $1.47pl a majority of time so it has been nice...we still take out the same amount of gas money but we have about half left from the last pay...but being warmer we will...
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I finally got my car back from the shop.  $207 out of pocket, the rest was covered by warranty.  I used the car to run errands on Saturday and to go watch my gd for DD3 today while momma painted her bedroom.  Gd will be turning one in 3 weeks.  She is toddling and is just a sweet, happy girl.  Thoroughly enjoyed my time with her. 
On the way home, I stopped and picked up a small ham slab (on sale for $2.99) to go in the split pea soup for this weeks...
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I went to see my rheumatologist on Thursday while I was in the middle of one my worst RA/Fibromyalgia flares I've had yet.  She decided to try me on prednisone long-term in conjunction with the embrel and hydroxychloroquine I already take.  I started it Friday morning and by the time I took the second dose Saturday my swelling and pain had already started to go down.  By this morning my hands felt almost normal.  They still tremble, but they are so much more...
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It's hard to believe it is already November. A friend and I were discussing this at church this morning; it seems like this year has been so strange. I feel like my life has been on hold as we wait for the Pandemic to disappear and it hasn't and there doesn't seem like there is too much to look forward to as the holiday season approaches. Illinois' cases have been going up in staggering numbers. It is depressing to say the least.
I am glad that the election is over. Some of my...
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I feel like all I do any more is wait for medical results (just more infinite up/down/up/down).  MH just got MRI results; all clear for another year.   My Dad and BIL seem to be on the up/down/up/down merry-go-round.  They both have biopsies this week?  I don't know, who can keep track...
In other randomness, I am very pleased with a recent purchase/upgrade. 
These were my bed sheets:

They are probably 20 years old.  (I presume, because I...
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2020 TALLY:
$740 Cash (Chase Sapphire Quadruple Dip, Moi) 
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$740 TOTAL *ONE-TIME REWARDS*
**In addition, various monthly rewards that I will tally at 12/31
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I logged into Chase to see if statement had closed yet (for the month) and saw that I had about $835 cash to redeem!  Woohoo!  That was fast!
I had been skeptical, given the "can choose not to give rewards any time for any reason" language they...
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My granddaughter's birthday is coming up, so I picked out some things from her Amazon list and they will be sent to Oregon soon.  After using discounts, the cost was $40.  I wish I could be there to hug her instead, but that is not possible now.
Yesterday evening I went to my ex's house, along with my son's family, and we watched the speech of the president-elect and toasted with champagne.  A very fun evening with loved ones, and, I hope, the beginning of a better...
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Well, it's finally over. The election has been called & I couldn't be more relieved. The markets handled the uncertainty just fine.
I planned on giving all of my immediate family planners with stickers for the next year. (Added: I already purchased the Denise Albright planner stickers. She has several sets of stickers for working people, moms, dads, budgeting.) I found some planners at Dollar General yesterday, but I think I will end up buying something spiral-bound. They...
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Our retirement has gone up  from $36,810.93 on 10/10/20 to $37,826.36, a difference of $1012.43.  Only $440 of that was contributions, so we've made a profit of $572.43 in 4 weeks, during one of the most unsettled periods of our nation's history.  I wish his work was contributing the to the 401K.  I hate that they had to quit in July due to Covid in order to stay afloat.  We would be further ahead.  I will be glad when this awful year is over and I...
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Lunch with BFF yesterday was so much fun.  The damage -- I spent $33 on a birthday gift for her (I got there early, so popped into a shop), $30 on lunch, and $20 on miscellaneous shopping -- Christmas and housewares.
It was a very pretty day, unseasonably warm.  We ate outside and, after poking around in a few shops, we sat on a park bench and talked for at least an hour.  We wore masks while in the shops, but I noticed some other people weren't, even though it...
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Consumer Reports put out a couple of articles recently about the lower repair costs in electric vehicles.
This was one of the articles:
https://www.consumerreports.org/car-repair-maintenance/pay-less-for-vehicle-maintenance-with-an-ev/
**I have no idea how to do links in this new blog format**
The general conclusion is that EV cars cost half as much to maintain, versus gas vehicles.
"“It has long been well known that EVs are cheaper to maintain than their gasoline-powered...
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October Miles Driven:
Teenager Gas car: ??
Hybrid Electric car: 626
All-Electric car: 712
Total fuel costs September: $33
Note: Back to lower winter electric rates.
**Note: We received 90 FREE electric miles last month.**
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For reference, fuel cost in October 2019 was $110.    Savings of $77.
Fuel costs October 2017 (two gas vehicles): $196.  Savings of $163.           ...
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September Miles Driven:
Teenager Gas car: 5
Hybrid Electric car: 214
All-Electric car: 1,556
Total fuel costs September: $43.52
Note: This was our last month of higher summer electric rates.
**Note: We received 470 FREE electric miles last month.**
I would have guessed 10 miles on the kids' car. It was a whole whopping 5 miles. That was probably just one trip to the orthodontist. We had mostly been putting miles on the hybrid, so I drove the newer car to work some, in addition...
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So we are moving in february next year...so I have decided to start decluttering and going through things so we can donate/sell/throw away...I am a big organizer and want things done...I'm kind of excited to be going through things and packing things up...just need to find another rental...but thats another issue!
Hopefully will make a few dollars selling a few things off...fingers crossed will be doing it I go through things over the next few months
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I'm such a dork but I did a big happy dance when we got the grocery flyers on Wednesday.  Our "fancy" supermarket chain is opening a new store so has fabulous specials at all their stores.  I walked out of there with two gallons of milk for 99cents each, a $5 rotisserie chicken, 18 eggs for 99cents and #5 of potatoes for 99cents. 
In other decluttering news I got rid of a giant electric palm tree.  I'll bet most of you have never had to say that?  It was...
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Student Loan update:
Principle: $58,638.33
Interest rate: 3.2%
Current interest balance: 0 (just cleared a payment)
Daily interest cost: $5.15
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We're trying to make November as frugal as possible.  Some of this comes from the desire to pay DD's tuition without dipping heavily into her 529 plan, while some of comes from wanting to accomplish a few home improvements. 
We'd like to knock out part of a kitchen wall and put in French doors onto our patio.  it's a bit complicated as there would be masonry work, moving electric switches and a heat register.  We also got a bid on a new front door.  I...
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