(NEW) SMART SPENDING CHAT THREAD

[TheOtherMe]

Sister found the ballot.  She said I don't want to know where.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Our 10-day forecast is very consistent ... sunny every day with highs between 84 and 86.  And the nights are definitely cooling off quite nicely!

We had one adoption at the Petco Adoption Center today ... three scheduled for tomorrow. The one today that was adopted was a sweet little orange and white striped boy named Harley. The three scheduled tomorrow are all girls ... Sierra, Cleopatra and Petunia. I'm also meeting with one of the Public Relations interns tomorrow at the Adoption Center, too. Should be a busy day.

It's drill weekend for my wonderful DH ... and he flies out to Tucson on Sunday morning, too. He should be home late Wednesday night. Thursday night, we've got a fundraiser to go to ... so I'm glad he will be home to go with me.

I just noticed I've got two big sunflowers that have sprouted up out front under our tree ... when they bloom, they should be lovely!

[Deleted]

Hello to everyone. Please forgive my intrusion. It's been years since I've visited here. I never posted (that I can recall), but I used to check in everyday. On a lark, I thought I would check back in to see if the boards were still active, and I see many names that I remember. It's been so nice seeing that so many are still here and doing well. Thank you for letting pop in and catch up a bit! 🤗

[Sharon]

@bigdaddysgirl welcome and glad you joined in. 

I just got home from an impromptu weekend away.  While I spent a great deal of money it was planned and I got a killer deal on some (very expensive) outdoor furniture.  There is a man in central Oregon that handcrafts various pieces of outdoor furniture.  Over the years I have admired his furniture at various fairs/festivals etc.  A few years ago he made me a deal on one of his display models of one of the lower end pieces.  I have loved it, it is so comfortable.  This year I saved up my survey money etc for the year to be able to buy either a glider or rocker, knowing that it would not be cheap.  At first he wasn't interested in selling his display model this year, he said it wasn't time to recycle them yet.  Then he relented and said he would sell it to me for $25 off but I couldn't pick it up until the next day in the afternoon, once the harvest faire was close to being done.  That was fine with me.  I went to pay him to seal the deal and when he saw that I was paying cash he knocked another $25 off the price, so a total of $50 off, yay me.

Today when I went to pick up my rocker he asked if I would be interested in buying the demo model of the chair that I had bought a few years ago for $25.  Heck yes that is practically giving it to me.  So I got two new to me pieces of patio furniture for less than the price of one new piece. 

I told Mom it was pretty sad that I had paid more for my patio furniture than for my living room furniture but I absolutely love these pieces and I didn't go into debt to do so.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Sharon, sounds like a great getaway and a good deal on the furniture!

We had 5 kittens adopted on Saturday at the Adoption Center ~ all girls. It was a pretty hectic day, but a good hectic day.

My wonderful DH left Sunday morning for a conference in Arizona. I did some cleaning (kitchen) and some cooking in the air fryer (sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli). And did some reading in the afternoon sunshine. It was nice.

It's been a pretty quiet day today (Monday.) The pool guy came. I took out all three trash cans to the curb for Tuesday's pickup. Scooped litterboxes, fed cats, emptied trash. And did some online banking (payday today.) We're expecting our property tax bill in the next 3 weeks or so ... so I'm hoarding cash in the checking account to pay that before sending some off to savings. It goes up every year and should be around $4,500.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) I will be staffing the adoption center by myself ~ we've just had one employee quit and another one has a doctor's appointment. Then (of course) I'll be back all day on Friday, too. 

One of my sunflowers is blooming!

[TheOtherMe]

Sunflowers blooming sounds wonderful!

There was frost on the roof this morning.  Supposed to be a hard frost overnight so no more flowers will bloom until spring.  

It was crisp outside today but sunny. Lucy spent her day following the sun.  

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

If I get a sunflower photo, I will post it on Facebook, Theo.

My wonderful DH let me know that he was selected for a focus group thingy for next Monday. Only it's not at the focus group place, they are coming to our house ... 12-4 and it has to do with our Amazon Echo and dots. I told him HE's going to have to vacuum and tidy up the family room since this was his bright idea. (It pays $325 and is through the research company we've both done focus groups multiple times.) Let's hope they like cats.

My sleep schedule always gets so messed up when my wonderful DH is out of town. Last night, I had the hardest time falling asleep.... and then getting up in the morning. Luckily, I don't have to be at the adoption center until the afternoon tomorrow, so I've decided NOT to set an alarm. (Other than having cats ... they are an alarm unto themselves)

[TheOtherMe]

Lucy is the first cat who has owned me that does not wake me up in the morning.  If I sleep late, she will be staring at me when I wake up, but she doesn't meow or paw at me.

Now, she does paw at me in the middle of the night.  She wants to cuddle and purr and I want to sleep.

Lucy gets to follow the sun again today.  Life is so much better when the sun shines.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Trash cans in.

Sunflowers photographed.

Trying to decide whether or not to wear new dog shoes to the cat adoption center

[TheOtherMe]

Sunflowers are beautiful!

[Sharon]

I was out of town this past weekend and when I got home Oreo was mad, mad, mad.  She slipped out the back door and refused to come back, until dusk any ways.  When it got closer to bedtime she decided that maybe being inside would be a good thing.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I did yard work today since it was so nice out ... but halfway through I decided that mid-80s was a tad bit toasty for yardwork so I came back inside.

Our vote by mail ballots arrived today.

My wonderful DH comes home late tonight ... yay!

[Sharon]

Oct 17, 2018 21:12:29 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

I did yard work today since it was so nice out ... but halfway through I decided that mid-80s was a tad bit toasty for yardwork so I came back inside.

Our vote by mail ballots arrived today.

My wonderful DH comes home late tonight ... yay!

Does Jack help you with yard work when you are outside?  If Oreo is out when I am working in the yard she is always nearby, under a rhodie, or some other bush but nearby.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Sometimes, Jack supervises. If he is around.

Yesterday, no sign of Jack out front ... but I had a lot of hummingbirds, finches and swooping jays keeping me on my toes.

I was in the pool for a while this afternoon. It was pretty chilly in there. We were 84 degrees, so my top half was toasty.

Since cooler weather is coming, I got out the heated comforter for the Catio couch. I didn't plug it in yet, but I'm getting ready. Also got out a few afghans and blankets. (Because we don't do anything normal like turn on the heat or close windows )

[Sharon]

This morning it was mid 30's when I headed to work but nice and warm when I left.  I worked in the yard until the street light came on.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I played hooky from Petco on Friday and stayed home.... it was a nice break, especially after being there on Tuesday.

We went couch shopping on Saturday and found one that was 50% off (yay) at Ashley Furniture. It gets delivered on November 5 (after the Open House) It's a pretty shade of blue called Pacific. Not sure if this link will work:

www.google.com/search?q=ashley+aldy+pacific+sofa&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi66paSlZneAhVlNn0KHU2wCVEQsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1536&bih=728#imgrc=AVUXt0_6PQRlHM:

My wonderful DH's 3-hour in-home Amazon Echo "focus group/interview" is tomorrow starting at 11am. I guess this means I need to be properly dressed by then. He was vacuuming this afternoon, lol. (I laugh because his timing sucks ... the cleaning lady comes on Tuesday!)

Dentist appointment on Wednesday (oh, yay!)

I did not win a billion in the Mega Millions Lottery. Drat. But I did just put $10 into a pool that some friends of mine are putting together for the next drawing. (I only lost $2 when I bought my OWN losing ticket, lol!)

I was in the pool this afternoon ... the water is QUITE chilly. But it WAS 85 degrees and sunny. We'll be in the 80s all week ... 87 on Saturday. Summer is just not giving up easily over here.

[Sharon]

I have been trying to catch up on the yard work I neglected all summer while working on the inside of the house.  It is still very nice weather here, we are expecting some rain later this week and it is very much needed.  My allergies kicked into high gear yesterday because everything is so dry and dusty.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I bought some Korean Bulgogi marinade at Cost Plus and used it today on a pork shoulder that I tossed in the crock pot with onions, garlic and baby potatoes. I wanted to offset the slightly-sweet flavor, hence the garlic and some crushed red pepper flakes. It is AMAZING.

The in-home focus group for my wonderful DH went well. They actually did it in the family room, so I tended to answer most of the questions, too. Anyway, we earned $350 .... and we earned it because we did a LOT of cleaning and tidying up for it, LOL! (And they were here 4+ hours!)

[Sharon]

I did a quick mowing of the backyard to get the latest leaves that had fallen, filled the lawn mower bag 3 times, my back yard isn't that big.

Last night I got my ballot filled out and dropped it off this morning at the drop box at city hall on my way to work.  Oregon is strictly vote by mail so no polling places for us.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I did not win the Mega Millions Jackpot. I went in on a pool with some friends which was sort of fun.

Dentist tomorrow.

House is clean.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

A pair of kittens adopted today at the Adoption Center... yay.  And I get to go back tomorrow.

Picked up some groceries at the Grocery Outlet on the way home ... grapes, sweet potatoes, asparagus, cheese, hummus, shrimp, pork chops and a roast.

Dinner tonight: garlic/lemon asparagus, grilled pork chops and tater tots. (My wonderful DH did not want sweet potatoes 2 nights in a row!)

The weather here has been beautiful. Fingers crossed it stays that was for next Saturday's (Nov 3) Open House. Currently forecast for sunny and 81.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

One adult cat and one kitten adopted today!  Pretty busy ~ I was training one of the new girls.

[Sharon]

I was pruning my boysenberries today, now my arms look like I was refereeing a cat fight.  That job is pretty much done for the year.  The rain came back in this evening, I have even heard a couple of heavy showers go through.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I have foster kittens ~ I always look like I've been referring a cat fight!

Our annual property tax bill arrived and has now been paid. About $100 more than last year. Also paid my auto insurance on the Navigator for the next 6 months. That did an impressive job of emptying out the checking account quite nicely.  Now to build our savings back up before the end of the year! (I am always interested to see where we are on January 1 of every year.)  The stock market is way too volatile right now for my risk-averse self, so I just transferred 80% of my wonderful DH's retirement money (TSP ... like a 401k) into the no-risk G fund, leaving only 20% in common stocks. I will re-evaluate this again on January 1, but decided I didn't want to fret about losing money over the next 2 months. (We have only lost gains from this year, so far ... not any money contributed this year ... and I am not mentally ready for more losses in the short term.... so I moved it.)

I refilled bird feeders and the bird bath out front. Looks like a beautiful, sunny Autumn day. I brought up the recycling bin, but the trash can hasn't been emptied yet. I also did some general calendaring and organizing and planning, too.

One of the staff members who works during the week at the Adoption Center is in the hospital, so I may need to work Wednesday and Thursday, as well as my usual Friday.... waiting to hear.  Saturday is our Autumn Open House Fundraiser.

Blood test on Thursday (Nov 1) and Doctor appt on Nov 12.   I have both of these on the calendar and hope I remember that Blood Test!

We have candy for trick or treaters. Not sure if we will get any/many. But the leftovers will go to the open house as snacks.

[TheOtherMe]

My small town did trick or treating on Sunday.  No kids rang my doorbell.

[Sharon]

I just brought home some carpet samples to look at replacing my hallway/living room carpet.  Oreo seems to think those are new scratching toys.  She took of with one down the hallway.  I wonder if that was her top choice or if she was rejecting that one.  I was considering putting in wood floors but will probably sell.  Since I am heavily considering selling I don't want to pay for hardwood.  The guy I have been working with at the floor covering place said it probably triple my costs (and that is for the cheapest laminate) to go that route.

[TheOtherMe]

I didn't realize laminate is that much more expensive than carpet.  I was thinking of someday replacing my bedroom carpet with laminate.  

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

California is on fire again and our air quality is triggering my asthma.

1 adoption yesterday at Petco.
4 adoptions today at Petco.

My two foster kittens get fixed on Wednesday. Then we're adopting the fuzzy little black one (his name is Bear)

Not sure if my wonderful DH will be helping with these fires, or not.

Brought Jack in the past 2 nights ... low 40s.

Going to make a pork roast in the crockpot tomorrow ... with potatoes, carrots and onions.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I had a doctor's appt this morning and was told that I need to get some compression socks because one of the prescriptions I'm on is causing leg swelling. I spent a lot of time online at have ordered several different kinds and styles so I can see what works. (I have fat calves and really long feet, so sizing will be an issue.) This will come out of our "health care" budget. I don't mind spending the $$ if they will fit and work ... I didn't dare buy more than 1 of any kind/type until I see what works.

We hit Trader Joe's on the way home so I could pick up some fresh veggies: Kale , Chard, Spinach, tri-color baby carrots, eggplant hummus, light string cheese, and radishes. My blood sugars are too high (diabetic), so I need to eat more veggies/protein and less junk food. This comes from our food budget.

I was a bit dismayed by the doctor's appointment, so I splurged and bought a mini rose bush in a pot for $8 at Trader Joes. It's on the table out front and makes me smile. It came out of my "crap I don't need" budget.

LUNCH VEGGIES: romaine, tomatoes, orange pepper, pea pods, hearts of palm, radishes
SNACK VEGGIES:  green beans
DINNER VEGGIES: carrots, baby red potatoes, red onions   (might have some squash)

[Sharon]

❤ mollymouser ❤ do you have a medical supply place in your area.  My Mom used to take my Grandpa there and they would fit him for compression socks to make sure he got the right size etc.