This post has no point. You’ve been warned. There will be no Friday morning wit. Sorry. Fresh out. Instead you get my new favorite saying. See: Title. Consider it a more worldly alternative to WTF!? I’ve recently discovered that most every abbreviation sounds cooler in military phonetics, even if its more of a mouth full. Totally worth the effort. This is what happens when you are a good wife, and you watch Man TV with The Husband.

But this post needs a picture. Taking pictures of words is hard. And not very entertaining. The alternative?

Potatoes. Read more

Sometimes, even I have to admit, its not about the money you’ve spent.

Its about the food

and the booze

and the conversation

and the shenanigans

and time spent in good company.

In the aftermath of such an evening,

despite all the mess,

it’s pretty easy to feel content,

and be reminded of what you are thankful for.

Recent profitable trades in our household have included…

• 3lbs of smoked salmon for a bunch of unused totes sitting in The Husband’s garage.
• 2 jars of pickles (1 quart, 1 pint) for 5lb pack of the good green chiles (actually from New Mexico)
• a day of very enjoyable labor at The Pet Store in exchange for  Dog Food
• Watering Chickens over a weekend and taking home the fruits of their labor (eggs)
• Dinner for a evening spent with Zombies.

I am oh-so excited to add Barter to my mad survival repertoire. (See previously: Hunter Gatherer)

Nope. Did not do it. I did not go to Vegas.

And I’m not going to burn up my Corporate America time-off anyway.

I’m staying home, folks. 3 days with literally no plans, because I was, ya know, supposed to be out of town. I’m snubbing my nose at BOTH my jobs. It’s really quite exciting. Me. The Mutts. And a rapidly growing to do list.

I’m looking at this time as a self-induced sabbatical. A gift to myself. Not a stay-cation. It’s not (entirely) about leisure. An opportunity to  focus  on the things I want to do. Things I usually don’t get to because of interruptions, and just life. It’s a rare opportunity to write my own ticket.  This is makes me so happy.

So far my plan goes a little something like this…

Blog, blog, blog; With a focus on getting caught up on the backstory. I’m finding it very cathartic to review what we’ve been through and put it all down. It’s a new way to look at the circumstances, and fascinating to me what details and events are sticking out in my mind.

Get caught up on various administrative tasks; change our garbage service to a smaller can, call around to find a lower price on some prescription dog meds, order a replacement credit card for The Husband. I’d like to knock several of these out of the park. Usually if I get an opportunity to focus on such a list, I can save myself from having to onesie-twosie these tasks for the next couple weeks.

Spend some time in the Garden!; Yay! I’d like to paint the fence, and get our hoop house built, before the weather turns.

Exercise with a focus on strength training; The gym was closed last week (Boo!), which left me feeling out of sorts. Although, absence makes the heart grown fonder. I am back with renewed vigor. I did some running outside last week, but not much in the way of muscle work. This week, I’d like to work hard enough to feel it.

Work on my crocheting; I am just learning how to crochet, and frankly I stink at it. My industrious goal is dish rags. Rather hilariously, its proving to be taxing. They are uhm, less than square, lets say. As a bonus, I think this may involve a visit with my very best friend, who is a lovely crochet-er, and can teach me how. Also, she has a new baby I’d like to spend more time with. This however, is my only planned socialization.

I like this plan. Sunk costs be damned! Who needs Sin-City? I’m going to make this time-off count.

Sort of.

I am supposed to be leaving for Las Vegas today. I’m all signed up to attend SuperZoo, a pet industry trade show. I’ve been to one other such show, 2 years ago, but I’ve always wanted to go to this one. So much so, that I’m spending my vacation time, and paying my own way, for a trade show in an industry I no longer work in. Can you tell I’m becoming less than excited about it?

I’m not sure what’s changed, but I’m no longer chomping at the bit to spend 3 days on a convention center floor ogling a bunch of pet related stuff, and talking shop with industry peeps. I don’t know if it’s traveling alone that’s putting me off, which I admit I have a fair amount of anxiety over. Mostly because I haven’t done it in quiet some time. Or if I’m really just over it.

That concept, being ‘over it’, brings up a lot of thoughts and questions about my next steps. Questions I’d rather not get into at the moment. I can feel them there though, lurking.

Honestly, I’d rather stay home. I’d rather spend the next 3 days, at home by myself, pretending I have the life I want. Going to the gym. Writing. Futzing with my financial empire, and the pack of mutts. Maybe a bit of gardening. I know these are exciting, earth shattering things, and that’s what I’d most like to do.

I am only going to SuperZoo for my own edification. Maybe a bit to help out my old boss, but she doesn’t need me. She’s fine on her own. I’m there to shop for things I don’t need. To get a bunch of info on products to put in a store, I don’t have and am not sure I want to open.

I am clearly talking myself out of this.

What would I really be out if I choose not to go? All I can come up with is the sunk cost of the plane ticket. The ~$250 ish that I won’t recoup one way or another. J.D. over at GRS has written some great pieces on the whole sunk cost  concept.
I will be reviewing those this morning  and trying to get right with this whole decision, whatever that decision may be.

Thought I would take a second to acknowledge the new digs, before proceeding with business as usual.

If you are new to Dogs or Dollars, which is pretty much everyone at this point, take a moment to familiarize yourself with my original site dogsordollars.blogspot.com and check out my on-going schemes and activities for a little background info.

Like what? you ask.

Well, since you asked and all….

My Once a Month Grocery Shopping Experiment  currently in progress and where I keep tabs on it in Sunday Spending and Things Forgotten.

Or perhaps you’d like to read a bit about my other financial ramblings in crowd favorites such as My Big Fat First Mortgage or Organic Bacon from Hippieville 

Whatever your fancy, thanks for playing. I’m happy to have my shiny new home up and running. Not quite in it’s permanent state yet, but getting closer.