Frugal In Florida

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! This is a repost from 2009 ... sometimes you have to look back on things and realize that for all the bad things that happen in life, good things will generally come of them! This year marks 12 years ... Today is a big day in our home for a totally different reason. 7 years ago today, on a beautiful South Florida sunny Sunday, my life changed forever, as did my husband, my kids, my close friends, and our family. See, 7 years ago today, my husband and his best friend decided to take the Harleys for an afternoon cruise to Miami and back. No big deal, they’ve done it before, many times. After the ride, we were all going to have dinner at their house (my best friend is the wife). So we head over there around 10am. Of course, hubby wears long jeans, a nice t-shirt and sneakers. As they get ready to leave for their ride, unbeknownst to me, he tried on several different helmets to find one that fit his head comfortably. His buddy also gave him a dif...

I realized the other day that I can easily be come discontent with a mere trip through Target. Oh, don't get me wrong. I have it made in the shade, in my humble opinion. I have a beautiful house that I LOVE to stay in and entertain, fun family and friends, good food in the fridge/pantry/freezer, even during a pantry challenge, a few vehicles that never leave me stranded, a job that pays well and bosses that I wouldn't trade for the world and so forth. However ... when I start looking around me, taking the so-called blinders off, I think I'm missing so much more in life! That trip to Target? It was to simply get my dad some zicam and bottled water. I figured I'd be in and out of Target way quicker than a trip through the grocery store. Ha! WRONG! Within 10 minutes of being in the store, AFTER grabbing a full sized cart, strictly by habit, and really, for TWO things, I had the water bottles, zicam, a turkey (49 cents per lb!), oranges, OES lip balm, a few cleara...

Happy Memorial Day weekend. Not a whole lot of anything special planned ... I will bring my dad over on Sunday so he can watch the Indy 500 in comfort ... Hubby wants to make him some real bbq chicken and corn on the cob to enjoy too . But first, Saturday afternoon, we have to go to a funeral. My neighbor Joan passed away on Wednesday. She survived throat cancer all those years ago. Then  recovered very nicely from the removal of her kidney. Then went through 3 months of chemo and radiation for 5 days a week, 3 months straight for lung cancer. Got a break from all that stuff. Was told after 3 months that it had spread. To her bones. They wouldn't (couldn't?) do anything until she gained a little weight. We did a few things here and there. But I've been 'busy' dealing with my dad and the usual LIFE things so not as much as I should have. Had no idea it was as bad as it was as she didn't tell me, or anyone. But 2 days after I spoke to her, I ...

On December 7th, 2011, at 10:54 (central time), my mother passed on. It was sudden and so very unexpected. My only consolation is that she did not suffer for a long time. She died from complications of Leukemia. Ummm. She was diagnosed with that at 6pm on December 7th. Apparently, she had been feeling ill for quite some time but just never told anyone as she did not like people poking and prodding at her. They were in the ambulance transferring her from St. Anthony's in Michigan City to Rush Hospital in Chicago. She never made it. I believe she never intended to. I'm quite certain under 'normal' circumstances, my mother would not agree to undergo aggressive chemo and whatever else. Her blood platelets were something stupidly low, like SIX when they should be in the 100s. Her blood could not clot. I spoke to her for a mere 2 minutes that morning. Asked if I needed to come up. Said no (yeah, that's going to work with me mom). Then abruptly asked th...

The long holiday weekend is coming to an end and I am sitting here, being thankful. Thankful for many things. And not so thankful for others. But the key is to remember those things that I do give thanks for. Thankful that we were able to feed a houseful of teen boys this morning even though we've been gone for 6 days. Thankful for my friends who teamed up and worked out a schedule (without me knowing) to play with the cats, check the mail and garden and such. Thankful for my Hubby who made our trip completely possible with as little fuss as possible. Thankful for the love his family shows ME. Thankful that I have a job to look forward to tomorrow (and a paycheck is waiting). Thankful that I have clothes to wear this week without necessarily HAVING to do laundry today if I choose not to. See. There are plenty of things to be thankful for, things that you just take for granted. Because it's so easy to say "woe is me" and feel sorry and discontentment....

I seem to have hit a wall, or something like that. The savings account has a grand total of $50 between the two (gasp). (NOTE: the Textbroker stuff is going to the no spend account). The checking account has a total of ... um, I don't even want to say, but its substantially lower than what is acceptable to me (but not negative, thankfully). All bills are paid for the month (which only has 3 more days left) and I will be getting another 3 checks on Friday, so no need to panic. I have a few credit cards with BALANCES on them. And I'm not talking $100, but rather, add another zero and change the first number (gasp). Everything that I am against is happening. Its not anyone else's fault, but mine. My inability to tell Sonny Boy NO, that he must buckle up and get ready for the bumpy ride, to GET A JOB, no matter if it's something that interest you or not. Also, I need to stand up to Hubby and say NO, we don't need to do this or that, and buy new rugs (??!!) f...

Princess and I have had such an odd time of her growing up. As a baby, she was great. Started the day I gave birth to her, two weeks early and QUICK. As in "Dude you better hurry or you are going to miss the arrival!" to hubby as he walks down the hall.  Happy go lucky. Never cried for any unknown reason. Slept through the night 85% of the time. Ate veggies (broccoli was her first veggie, and she still loves it the most!) and was always by my side. Then she went to elementary school. She was always the one bringing home the troubled kids. Ok, not troubled like that, but ones who didn’t have a stable home environment. Like a mother hen. And she didn’t understand why they just couldn’t move in with us? Then middle school came along. The comment about being poor which really hurt her feelings, and I think, catapulted her instant gratification “I can buy it if I want it” attitude. Funny enough, try as I did to explain the fine art of living frugally yet well was lost on her ...