Another year comes to a close, and we reflect on the days that have come and gone. Did we use them well? Did we make the most of every precious moment, or were we overwhelmed by how harried our daily lives have become?
We look to the future, wondering what each new day will bring. It is a time for hope and renewal. A time, not for resolutions which often fail, but to firm up our resolve to deal with and manage our own circumstances, whatever they may be. Once again we have the opportunity to start over and cull out the old and withered and usher in the new and fresh.
Here's to a great new beginning - to old friends and new faces - to 2010. Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Quote of the Week
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.
- Benjamin Franklin
Good words to live by not just for the new year, but all year through.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Quote of the Week
Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year to All!
May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!
- Author Unknown
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Winter Weather, Winter Food
Hi. Just more ramblings today. I thought I would start with the local weather report. We have the first Winter Storm Watch of the season for tomorrow and Saturday. There is apparently a big blow coming up from the Gulf. The moisture will come up and collide with the cold air here, and poof...Snow! Like many of these forecasts, things change and we end up not getting anything, so as usual I'll believe it when I see it.
I'll be staying on top of the forecast and following the progress on the radar. Now I really don't care for cold weather and the bitter windy days of winter. However, I have always liked snow, especially long walks like I used to take with my Mom. We had such fun walking in the woods with the snow clinging to the pine trees. One time we even took my sled and went sledding down the path made by trail bikes. It was hazardous to say the least, but thankfully we never crashed. Alas, those days are gone, and so are those woods. They are now a housing development with no sign of their former beauty.
Speaking of cold, snowy weather, it is time to break out the soup pots. Playing in or shoveling snow builds up a big appetite, and soups and stews are a warming, filling antidote for the chilly-willies. This is where the crockpot comes in handy. Just toss in a chuck roast, some onions and carrots, flip the switch and you've got a hot satisfying dinner in the making. What I did the other day was take some of the broth from the roast and made a gravy. I whipped up some mashed potatoes and it was pure deliciousness on a plate. A hearty, healthy, homemade dinner can be quick and easy when you let the slow cooker do the work for you. Dig in, everyone.
I'll be staying on top of the forecast and following the progress on the radar. Now I really don't care for cold weather and the bitter windy days of winter. However, I have always liked snow, especially long walks like I used to take with my Mom. We had such fun walking in the woods with the snow clinging to the pine trees. One time we even took my sled and went sledding down the path made by trail bikes. It was hazardous to say the least, but thankfully we never crashed. Alas, those days are gone, and so are those woods. They are now a housing development with no sign of their former beauty.
Speaking of cold, snowy weather, it is time to break out the soup pots. Playing in or shoveling snow builds up a big appetite, and soups and stews are a warming, filling antidote for the chilly-willies. This is where the crockpot comes in handy. Just toss in a chuck roast, some onions and carrots, flip the switch and you've got a hot satisfying dinner in the making. What I did the other day was take some of the broth from the roast and made a gravy. I whipped up some mashed potatoes and it was pure deliciousness on a plate. A hearty, healthy, homemade dinner can be quick and easy when you let the slow cooker do the work for you. Dig in, everyone.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
It's Almost Christmas Again
It's amazing how fast time goes by, and once again Christmas is just around the corner. Yep, just 9 days away. Is your tree sparkling from top to bottom with a zillion lights, and ornaments of silver and gold, red and green, and all the trimmings? Do you have all your shopping done? Presents all around the tree? I finally started wrapping/bagging yesterday.
My list is short these days, and on-line shopping makes is so much easier. No driving all over town, waiting in long lines of traffic and longer lines in the stores. Just click here, click there and you're done. Simple. So far, I've had 3 orders from Amazon, one from Penzeys, cashed in green points for a gift card, and ordered ink for my printer to print more money-saving coupons. The more you save, the more you can give.
I still have a few gifts to get for the "hard to shop for" folks. My guess is gift cards for them. I know that sounds like a cop-out, but personally I never mind getting gift cards. Being the frugal shopper that I am, I make the most of them.
So, my thoughts in a nutshell...Shop on-line, use coupon codes and seek out free shipping deals. When you do have to go to the stores, the same principles apply. Use coupons, especially combined with sales to get the best deals.
My list is short these days, and on-line shopping makes is so much easier. No driving all over town, waiting in long lines of traffic and longer lines in the stores. Just click here, click there and you're done. Simple. So far, I've had 3 orders from Amazon, one from Penzeys, cashed in green points for a gift card, and ordered ink for my printer to print more money-saving coupons. The more you save, the more you can give.
I still have a few gifts to get for the "hard to shop for" folks. My guess is gift cards for them. I know that sounds like a cop-out, but personally I never mind getting gift cards. Being the frugal shopper that I am, I make the most of them.
So, my thoughts in a nutshell...Shop on-line, use coupon codes and seek out free shipping deals. When you do have to go to the stores, the same principles apply. Use coupons, especially combined with sales to get the best deals.
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