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ChickensAll about The Ladies.
How Does My Garden Grow?Ugly Garden Happenings
DogsEverything Dog.
So much of what we do in this lifestyle – day to day attempts to manage our dollars and our lives responsibly – so much of it is just our best attempts. Sometimes those work out. Sometimes they crash and burn. If you’re lucky, you break even somewhere between the two.
Exhibit A: $50 and a flyer from Whole Foods, with which I am demonstrating two of the three principles found in the above title. Read more
A little over a year ago, I wrote about my Urban Homestead Dreams. Chickens, expansion, raised beds, crops, and big, big, grandiose plans. Now that we once again dwell in the time of little daylight, when my garden is neglected because there just aren’t enough hours in the day (not that there’s much going on there anyway), I’m reflecting on those dreams and plans. What was a success? What failed miserably? What do I want to add? Was it all worth it?
Broccoli. I manage to grow broccoli. Read more
I’m writing this post because I wanted to use that word. A word, I am not genius enough to take credit for. I should probably be paying the venerable Mr. Money Mustache five cents every time I use it. And I would gladly hand over a fist full of nickels for the pleasure. Badassity. Badassity. Badassity. Not just fun to say, but a call to arms.
Am I really going to dedicate a whole post to another blog? Potentially. But, no. Hang on. It could be worth it. Read more
Many of us will happily wear a t-shirt declaring our strong feelings on spay and neuter policies, animal adoption, breed legislation, and a variety of other animal related topics. We will shout to the world our opinions and declare our unconditional love for a specific breed, dog, or activity. But, will you stand up to your Veterinarian?
Grizzled, old, immune compromised Springer lady or rabid bite risk? Who makes that call?
Educated animal types tend to know a little about food, about general health, about the dangers inherent in over vaccination. Maybe we haven’t done all our own research, but at least we’ve heard about it. We know the world exists. Some people have those opinions. Opinions that are brushed off by your local vet as ‘inconclusive’, perhaps ‘dangerous’. They use phrases like ‘to be on the safe side’. They are all too eager to sell you a prescription diet that you shudder to read the ingredients label on. Believe me, it’s best you don’t. The alternatives are expensive at best and incredibly labor intensive at the outside. Or at least that’s how we are made to feel. We cave. We aren’t experts. We don’t have the pile of student loans and certificates to prove we went to vet school. Sigh.
Despite my lack of qualifications, I don’t always do what my vet says. Look at me and my rebel self. Read more
I have expensive taste. It may seem contrary to the image of cheap bastard extraordinaire I cultivate. However, it’s true. And its my cross to bare. Why buy a print, when you can get the original artwork? (At 3 times the cost). Need new workout clothes? Only Lululemon will do. (But, they last and last and last). You’ve seen the vacuum I’m going to purchase (with its rave reviews). Cheap options don’t appeal. This is probably my secret weapon in the No Big Box campaign. It’s easy when most of the crap those stores sell, I don’t want.
Happiness is not a new set of sheets, but it ranks somewhere in there.
What it does do is leave me with a significant etsy habit, the need for a overwhelming sense of patience to save up for my purchases (this does not come naturally), and a desire to cut corners whenever and where ever I can (this does). Those are just different skills than coupon clipping and clearance bin scrounging. Read more
Do you follow me on Pinterest? Don’t worry if you don’t. I realize not everyone gets Pinterest. Just the other the day the BFF says to me “Yes, but what do I do with it?” As if the act of collecting other people’s ideas, images, hacks, decorating schemes, clothes, recipes, sayings, memes, and pictures of cats some how wasn’t actually doing something. Pah-shaw.
A trio of items already owned that will make it into the baby room. Bookshelf, lamp, and fox. Although, the fox may have been a Christmas request with a specific purpose in mind.
Lucky me. I do get it. Online pin board. Pin your interests. I’ve always loved me a real life pin board. Pinterest is the online, instant gratification, manifestation of that love of collecting. And wanting. Pine-ing, even. Pine-terest? Read more
I’ve got no business writing a post with cheap and any sort of reference to food in the title. It is not actually something I am good at. Anyone who remembers my grocery posts will attest. While I still hold the title of reigning champion in our local rounds of the What’s for Dinner Game, I put too much emphasis on meat, organics, local, and where I shop to put a sizable dent in my grocery spending.
But today, there’s a crock pot with beans and ham simmering away in my kitchen. Dry beans I unearthed from the depths of my pantry. Ham from the freezer by way of a bulk purchase, previously used for several breakfast and lunches earlier this week. I just ate (bulk purchased) oatmeal with (also bulk purchased) local peanut butter and the frozen organic berries I froze myself long ago. That was my second breakfast. My first was eggs. You know where those came from. For lunch I’ll have last nights leftovers, before I tuck into that ham and beans.
Huge grocery budget or no, days like today I don’t feel like a slouch. Read more
That is one of my favorite adages of dog training and management. Funnily enough, as I type it, I listen to a cacophony of sighs and snores coming from all corners of my office. Sacked out, as they usually are, at 11:00am. This is one of the benefits of owning senior dogs. They come with a whole raft of concerns too. Gargantuan amounts of exercise just isn’t one of them. Our life wasn’t always this way though. My old dogs are of high energy roots. Dalmatians, Springer Spaniels, and the bottom-less pit of energy that is a Jack Russel Terrier.
Rocco and the true love of his life. The Ball.
Exercise needs vary by age (I’m looking at my misfits here), breed (the pug at only 3, is not much of a go-getter), individual dog (his soul mate J.J. never was), and lifestyle. Us, with our pack of physically fit, highly trainable, too smart for their own good, very bad if left to their own devices, young dogs, well, we had to develop a whole lifestyle of energy expending activities. And use them. Frequently. Read more
I lost my Monday rhythm. Long, long ago. Oh, freaking well. It doesn’t mean I’m not still a cheapskate. To varying degrees. Each and every day. Sometimes more than others.
We still need both pair of shoes. Their use just won’t cost as much.
But, its time to get caught up. To give some substance to my el-cheapo-grande reputation. Cuz I’m not all just talk. (Although I’m a lot of that.) I do put my money where my mouth is, which should be guardedly in my wallet. Recent financial doings include: Read more
I’ve had a ton of time off. Restating that: It feels like I’ve had a ton of time off. When I look at the calendar, I actually only took 7 days of vacation. Add weekends. Add Holidays. Stir in the slower pace of operations during this weird year end period, I’m going back to: I’ve had a ton of time off! But, today is it. Back to work. Resume Corporate Servitude. More than that. Pregnant Corporate Servitude. Literally pregnant (me). Figuratively pregnant, awaiting the pause (at least) at the end of that term.
I certainly need the time, as I need the income to further my preparations. All those goals need funding. I’m trying to remember that. Constantly. Incessantly. Because I’m not looking forward to it. Appreciating your Corporate Overlords is even more challenging when there’s barely enough energy to go around. When that required time of butt sitting is much more exhausting than it should be. I always feel like there are better things I could be doing – more productive ‘things’. Wheeling, dealing, empire building. Which actually looks much like email writing, chicken tending, hanging clothes to dry, cupboard cleaning, and the annual pouring over of seed catalogs. Read more
