Journal of an Optimist: Living Simply in Small Town America

Boy, am I crabby today...

2009-11-14T15:56:00.006-05:00

I think I should have used capitals in the title. I am sitting here just trying to get underneath the crabbiness that I have been struggling with today. Yes, underneath... I have learned in the past that if I am struggling with being angry, frustrated, or discouraged, I have to dig deeper to the root. Like digging up a weed...if you don't get the root then it will grow back.

So here I sit. Well, let's see. I was studying today and I had hoped to get through three chapters in three different books. No, two more...I had already read through one of them. My boarder had taken over the television; it is Saturday so he tuned in all the testosterone-driven shows. Hunting, fishing, the dirty jobs, lobster fishermen, heck, there is even some show called, "Manhunter". Yup, they hunt people for fun. Heck, I saw that movie once...Jean Claude (can eat crackers in my bed anytime) Van Damme showed them didn't he!

I retreated to my headphones and continued studying about World War II. I wanted to kick him out of the living room but now that I am older I have to learn to play NICE. I have never kicked him out of the living room...for that...really. Before I started yelling about the man shows...I headed out.

For a peaceful diversion, I had taken my dog for a walk and he broke his harness trying to pull like a sled dog. He weighs twenty pounds but when he got a bead on the Jack Russell...well, he started pulling like a husky at the iditarod. (Google that one...lol!) Sure enough he broke the metal clasp that secures the harness.

But I handled it...I redid the harness to make sure he would not go AWOL on me. We had a lovely walk albeit a little shorter than usual. My dog has double cataracts that have obviously blurred his vision. He does have problems but they fall away when he gets a scent on another critter.

We got back home and he sprawled out to take a nap. Neighbor came to the back door and startled my dog. BIG BARKING FREAK OUT! Hustle the little poocheroonie to the front yard aka Shadow's Penalty Box. He was not even out the front door when the neighbor had come in the back door. What is it with people...when you tell them that your dog BITES they don't think it is serious because he only weighs 20 pounds? So after the visit I let Shadow back in, he returned to his pre-slumber position. Looked rather comfortable, you know.

Then I heard a 4-wheeler in the back yard. The dog went BALLISTIC again. Three kids on the back porch. I am yelling, "Don't open the Door"!!! Hustled dog back into his cage. I did realize that I was a little loud and perhaps shrill when I was yelling. Hustled Shadow to the penalty box again. This time he growled at me. Rats! Gave him a little duff...

Let him back in after the kids went on their way. They have been warned not to open the door because Shadow will BITE!...not NIP...BITE! So now I gathered Shadow back up and brought him back in. Actually, I opened the back door and he barreled into the house right to the back door. The door was closed so he returned to his pre-slumber position.

This time I locked the friggin' door. Before I go any further...can you figure out why I am crabby today??? Let's see if I can.

Sign me, GIVE ME back the darn remote, or

Sign me, stop making my dog NUTS, or

Sign me, HEY, I AM TRYING TO STUDY HERE!!!!!, in small town America, M

You pick the one that you think works...lol! I feel so much better. WHEW!

How to Make a Candy Wreath

2009-10-28T14:09:00.003-04:00

Thought you would like some Christmas ideas that won't break the bank! Here is a lovely wreath that only takes three pounds of candy to make.

Sign me, Thinking about Christmas Gifts in small town America, M

http://www.livingonadime.com/ebooks/candy-wreath-freebie.html

Is it Sunday Evening already?

2009-10-25T18:47:00.004-04:00

How did it get to be Sunday evening already??? I have been studying since 4:30 this morning. No, I just woke up and could not get back to sleep. So...I came out into the living room, got my American history book, and began to read Chapter 22. Well, it was good going for a good while but then I kept waking up. So, the time that I woke up the most, I got up and took a lovely shower. I blow-dried my hair, got dressed, and came back to Chapter 22. Where was I...after the Spanish-American war and before...well, you go the idea. I found my place again.

I read some more and then I woke up again. This time it was 7:40 a.m. That is much better. Continued with Chapter 22. Made it past the bit about the fighting in the Philippines (I think that is spelled wrong). On to the surge of imperialism that American experienced at the turn of the century.

It is evening now. The day has been a good day to study. I watched a PBS video on Eleanor Roosevelt for the history course, finished Chapter 22, and started the review questions. Had my professor have a look at my music appreciation Power Point presentation about Stravinsky. Ate breakfast, lunch, and supper. Treated myself with two mini bagels (cinnamon and raisin) with fat-free cream cheese.

This semester I have music appreciation, american history, technical report writing, and biopsychology of chronic illness...sorry about all the lower case letters...lol! It occurred to me that I have four more courses to go to finish my bachelors degree. Wow! I am not sure I will be believing it. I am looking forward to it. I am going to sit and relax this evening. I may review Chapter 22. (One of my friends is watching football on my TV....wish I liked football.)

Sign me, plugging along the education trail in small town America, M

Harvesting the Desert

2009-10-22T20:55:00.003-04:00

This is a really excellent story of a tribe from the southwestern region of the United States. The tribe has had an extremely high incidence of diabetes. They had abandoned the natural foods that the tribe had historically eaten for the fast foods of the drive thru generation. To quote the article, "The Tohono O'odham Nation has chosen to fight diabetes and obesity with a return to desert foods".

cholla buds

Sign me, loving the simplicity of life, M

Time for Reflection

2009-10-17T18:07:00.003-04:00

It is Saturday evening here at Silver Lake. The dog and I walked this morning. Could not run though because of the colder air. This dog has been good for me! He walks me once a day whether I need it or not. We have been running together a little bit when the days were warmer.

We had snow yesterday when I woke up. It did not last though, whew! I am not ready for the white stuff yet. Just got the new roof done, need to have the soffits done before the snow comes. Checking the calendar....

You know I really feel like they put summer away before I was done playing with it. I really should not complain because I did get to go the Newfoundland for two weeks, one in July and one in September. That is quite a gift, no doubt. I did not get to work in my garden and side yard like I wanted. You know sometimes things just don't get done.

I am hoping to get tickets to the Best of Motown show at Kodak Eastman Hall in Rochester. There are two quartets, one female, and one male who do Motown tributes. I am so looking forward to it! My mother used to love the Supremes, Smokey Robinson, B.B. King, the Temptations... She was the best dancer! I am sure it will make me miss her but I am so going to enjoy it.

I was just thinking a few moments ago about the technological advancements that have crept up on me. I was on Facebook chatting with my sister, who lives in B.C., Canada and my eldest granddaughter, who lives in Northern Ontario, Canada...at the same time. We just kept typing and I really had to laugh. When I first came to the States so many years ago, I was young and foolish. I spent so much money on long distance. Today, I have unlimited long distance to Canada, the US, and Puerto Rico. (I don't know anyone in P.R. yet...) So I can chat on Facebook or call them...for one flat fee! My ex-husband used to go nuts with me for running up the phone bill...lol! He was so patient with me. God love him! Be right back, my sister is sending me a new message...

Anyway, I joined Weight Watchers two weeks ago. Had to do something, you know. I jiggled so much I felt like Jello woman. Anyway, the first week I was playing the fool eating stuff that was not a weight reduction anything. Well, when I weighed in I had only lost one pound. (Ticked me right off...) Now, don't get me wrong...one pound is good to lose every week. I am just a little competitive.

I got down to business the second week...more activity, less junk food, more fruits and veggies. Goodness, I even ate veggie burgers and veggie crumbles instead of my usual ground turkey and ground beef. One of the other new things that I added was V8 juice so that I could drink TWO servings of vegetables in one cup. It was fun! I lost 4.4 pounds BUT I did not use up my extra POINTS and my activity POINTS were lost on Monday because I did not use them. The ladies set me straight on the perks of all those activity points...lol!

This week I have tried to use up my extra points but there is no way in $%#^ that I am going to be able to eat the extra 24 activity points that I accrued. I ate extra points today but I feel like it was too much. Even with jogging/walking at the YMCA for activity points I still felt like I had eaten more that I needed. I did change to lower sodium V8 juice and veggie steamers for variety. For a desert to treat myself I found this stuff called The Skinny Cow Chocolate Truffle ice cream bar (2 points). Yup, it is carob but I like it!

I was cruising the freezer section of our little market for WW cake or something like that but no luck. Anyway, I will weigh in on Tuesday morning...so I will let you know how that goes.

Have to get working on my psychology chapter assignment...ttyl. For now, sign me,

Just have more homework to do in small town America, M

Frugal Tips for the Beginner

2009-09-19T06:20:00.002-04:00

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2009

Frugal Tips for the Beginner

Sphere: Related Content

Someone wrote to my Facebook "Living Simply" group to ask for frugal tips. Initially, I wrote several small responses but the list got quite long...lol! See what you can add to the list of frugal information.

1. Downsized - gave excess to thrift shop in town.

2. Purchased and moved to a smaller house. No longer paying rent. Mortgage will be paid off in 14 months.

September 7th...wow!

2009-09-07T11:56:00.005-04:00

Before I echo the words of so many people by saying, "What happened to summer???", may I remark that I do hope that you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. Today is the end of the weekend that is regarded last hoorah of summer here in small town America!

All the campers who have spent the last few days here at Silver Lake are getting ready to return to the city. There number of cars has decreased since yesterday. When we walked the dogs this morning we noticed how much quieter it was this morning when compared to yesterday. The extra dogs are gone; the visiting kids must have been sleeping. The rental cottages were much busier yesterday. There were families enjoying themselves. BBQ grills were working overtime exuding the wonderful aroma of steak and chicken as well. This morning there were no grills in action; the chefs were resting up from the previous evening. Today, there was a solitary camper enjoying the view of the lake. Yup, summer is over.

Sign me, Living simply in small town America, M

Salvage Store SHopping

2009-08-28T07:40:00.002-04:00

I read an article today on the ABC News website concerning the salvage grocery stores that have become very popular as individuals turn to frugal living in this time of financial difficulties.

To read the article, go here:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/MensHealth/story?id=8398640

Within the article the author references a listing of salvage stores throughout the United States. Here is the listing address:

http://www.andersonscountrymarket.net/directory

Sign me, Living Simply in Small Town America, M

Craigslist Pays Off Once Again

2009-08-24T21:17:00.009-04:00

Being frugal has become a daily process in the little gray house. While stretching the dollars and pinching the pennies I have adopted a certain strategy that has been quite effective. I have been able to save quite a bit over time. You see, I have an imaginary list of items that I am looking for that I use as a point of reference. Each day I check Craigslist to see what has been listed after I went to bed the previous night.

Well, I have been looking for a fridge. Not a brand new unit, for sure, but a newer one than the one that I have. It is rather old and it has begun to make quite a bit of noise. So while figuring that my fridge is on the way out...I have been checking the Craigslist listings. Now, mind you, I don't check the FREE section any more. This section is one that is under a broad range of scrutiny. Very typically, items go within seconds of posting!

I have been perusing the For Sale, Appliances, Household, and all the other sections that might hold a listing for a refrigerator. Sometimes an item has not sold and the older listings are like a gold mine. If I find what I am looking for I contact the seller through the ad. At times the item is still available. This has paid off for me on a number of occasions.

So being vigilant, I was surprised to see that one particular fridge had been re-listed for $1. Yes...one dollar. I contacted the seller only to find out that the refrigerator was not cooling as well as it used to. This Whirlpool model had the freezer on the bottom. We discussed the fine points and I made arrangements to come and pick it up. Apparently he had initially listed this for $95 but people were put off by the fact that the fridge section had not been cooling before they decided just to replace it.

The seller was almost apologetic as he explained that he had just gone ahead and purchased a black refrigerator for his wife. She wanted that particular model for quite a while so they had not made any attempt to have the old fridge repaired or serviced. Those days are long gone for myself...lol!

With the borrowed GPS in the lead, my friend, Linda, and I headed up the road to Rochester. It was one hour from my place to the seller's location. We plugged along wondering if what we would find once we got there.

When we pulled up to the house we were a little early. The neighborhood was quite nice; it was very quiet even at 9:00 a.m. The fridge was in the garage with the doors removed. Aside from needing a good cleaning it was in excellent shape! We visited briefly with the seller and his wife sharing pleasantries. He helped us to load it on the truck. I paid him the $1 and off we went back to our corner of small town America. He had expressed his hopes that the repairs would not be too much. His parting words were encouraging as he remained hopeful that it would be a $5 repair.

We had positioned the fridge upright as the manufacturer had documented on the back. However, on the way home the fridge decided to lay down gently in the back of the truck. We flipped it over on its side hoping that there would not be any damage.

We got home and set the fridge on the deck. We let it sit upright there for five hours before plugging it in. For the next two days the refrigerator remained plugged in with a thermometer in place to judge the cooling situation. On the second day I had to adjust the settings lower as the fridge was cooling to 32 degrees F!

So the refrigerator is now in place in my little kitchen. Here is a photo of the one-dollar fridge! Please don't think that I found this lovely piece of appliance gold in one day. I kept looking until this gelled for me. Being frugal can pay off. Trust me!

Oh, by the way...the next thing on my list is an automatic washer. I found the gas dryer on Craigslist a couple of months ago. It was free...the people had bought a new front-loading washer and dryer. They had traded in their old washer. No problems with the dryer at all.

Sign me, Living Simply in Small Town America, M

Whirlpool...Yeah!

Fridge on the top

Freezer on the Bottom

Kewl...eh?

Sunday Morning Ponderance...

2009-08-09T06:31:00.005-04:00

It is way too early for me to be awake...lol! The house is quiet and it is raining outside. I am sitting here checking out my garden through the dining room window. I have quite a few tomatoes but my corn is quite short. Wondered what had happened to make the corn so short. All the rain has taken a toll on the summer vegetable situation. The cucumbers are coming along. The good old zucchini plant is getting some height to it but it too is rather small. I have been feeding the plants since I got back. Wish I could find some fish cleanings (heads and tails)...although that would be a little pungent it certainly produces wonderful produce! I will stop down to the boat livery and see if I can get something from the fishermen.

We cleared out the wood that we were hanging on to in the storage upstairs in the new shed. A couple stopped and took what they wanted last evening. The rest will go to the trash tomorrow morning.

You know it seems like fall this morning! Rats! What an odd summer this has been. I am so glad that I went to Newfoundland in July. It would be no fun to go and have rain, drizzle, and fog...like this. That reminds me...

I did have a lovely return trip as well. I did not post so I do apologize for the unfinished adventure input. On the way back from Port-aux-Basques the gulf was a bit rough since there was a bit of a storm on the go. The ferry was an hour late arriving in PAB. Lots of people were sick that evening, let me tell you.

I slept in an airline-type of seat for a little while until the lounge entertainment started their performance. They were quite good but one cannot sleep while people are singing and telling jokes...lol! By that time all the good seats were taken but I found one down the other end of the boat where the swells a bit too much for my comfort. So using my noggin I moved to the center of the ship where the storm would be a little less noticeable. I had taken some gravol that my friend had given me...I did share the surplus with some other passengers. You used to be able to purchase gravol on the ferry until someone sued them over some BAD gravol. Bad gravol...now there's a foolish stretch of the imagination. Hey? If someone got sick would it not be from the fact that they did not ingest the medication long enough before the journey began??? Bad gravol...give me a break.

Anyway, I sat in my calm section of the ship and could not sleep. Honest to my goodness, not a wink. So when we got to Nova Scotia I was glad to get on the move again. I headed out to the highway to look for a gas station so I could gas up. After passing three closed stations I stopped at a motel to see if there was a 24-hour station ahead. Not a chance, I had to go back to North Sydney...lol! No problem. Tooled on back to find that it was no longer a 24-hour spot and it was closed as well. So I says to myself, is someone trying to tell me something? I pulled in to the Ultramar station and crawled in the back of the Jimmy. I slept until the sun came up.

Once I had her gassed up I headed out along to find my rider at the cut off to Halifax. What a lovely day for a drive along the Trans Canada Highway, Nova Scotia section. It was not raining and, thank you HP, the sun was poking through the clouds!

I took this picture and I hope to paint it this winter if I can dig out my artistic skills. I have not drawn or painted in a long, long, long time. I liked the way the house and boat were reflected in the water. Just seemed rather quaint. A perfect example of what that day was like.

Well, by the time I got to Need's service station (aka Treaty) there was no sign of my rider. I was supposed to pick him up at about 2:00 a.m. but with the delayed ferry and the lack of 24-hour gas stations I was way behind schedule. Rats! I hate being late and here I was really, really late. So off I go toward New Brunswick again. I enjoyed the journey even more after that because I was not rushing to pick someone up.

Wait...I better check the time here...got to go!

Sign me, Have to get ready for church or I am going to be late, M

Returning home...awww

2009-07-27T14:00:00.002-04:00

I spent a wonderful week in the Codroy Valley of Newfoundland. They gave me so much food to eat...what could I do??? Anyway, I am heading back home again. I am in St. Andrews, NB once again. This time the fog is in and it is somewhat cooler but it is still a good place to visit.

I had a walkabout this morning. I am at the library using their computer to check my e-mail messages. Hope that you are doing well! I will post photos of my trip when I get back. Sign me, Needing a nap in St. Andrews, NB, M

Small Town Canada

On the Road again....

2009-07-17T07:35:00.006-04:00

I am so enjoying my frugal roadtrip. I will be in North Sydney tonight after I drop two riders off at the Evolve Festival in Antigonish, NS. I will be heading across on the ferry to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland early Saturday morning. The boat will have left by the time I get there today...that is okay though.

Last night I camped out near St. Thomas University here in Fredericton, NB. I slept pretty well considering the lack of padding in my hips. Who knew? I am not skinny...you know. I am a bit chubby but the adipose is in all the wrong places...apparently. Anyway, I awoke before 7:00 a.m. and meandered over to the University to find a ladies room, or loo, as my friends down under like to say. Met a lovely young woman who was able to direct me to the facilities. We chatted and she is also a student like myself. Her father is also from Newfoundland...small world isn't it? Thanks, again, Nessa for the early morning chat! Be sure to contact me...I will be glad to help u with the frugal tips.

Just in case u did not know, I have ventured from my little cottage in western New York. My friend is minding the house and watching my dog. I am off to Newfoundland on a frugal roadtrip. To date it has cost $143.15 and I offset that by delivering some antique doors to a lady in Maine. I began my journey with $35.00USD and $10.00CDN plus a 3/4 tank of gas. With two riders, one from Rochester, and one from Albany I was able to offset the gasoline and toll expenses. I spent $20 in gas up until I reached Portland, Maine. I had dropped off the riders at their destinations. On my own, I delivered the doors to Jennifer, the restoration carpenter. She would not let me camp in my vehicle but did offer me a very comfortable couch, and a bath in the morning. We had a delicious cup of Acai tea as well. I took a few photos for the friends back home before I headed to the laundromat. Yes, I brought my laundry with.

That done, I filled up my tank ($35.00) and headed northeast to the Maine - New Brunswick border. It was nice to be back in Maine. My family and I had lived there at Winter Harbor many, many years ago. I found myself reminiscing about them when they were little guys. Nice memories for me. Before I hit Route #9 I topped off my gas tank ($16.79) and bought a popsicle. Meandering along I enjoyed the pace and the lighter traffic. I was surprised to pass Wyman's berry factory! I love their berries; I had called them several months ago and told them so. While I continued along I found myself recalling the young people from the Navy base who had driven up to pick berries one summer. They thought it would be fun...but it was really hard work. They use a berry rake to rake berries from the bushes. A picture is worth 1000 words so, here are some photos:

http://www.yankeemagazine.com/issues/2009-07/features/maine-blueberries

By late afternoon I arrived at St. Stephen, NB where I stopped at the Welcome Center to gather a map and some tourist goodies. The attendant was very helpful. Armed with my new information I headed off to St. Andrews-by-the-Sea. It is not too far from St. Stephen so with not too much ado I arrived at my stopping place for the night.

What a lovely...how many times have I used that word...lol! It is a very picturesque little town on the Bay of Fundy. As is my usual, I checked in at the library to update my family as to my safe arrival and current whereabouts. I checked my e-mail messages and continued on to the campground. It is located on the water! Such a breathtaking view...I paid for my campsite and settled in at Site #6. Of course, you know we dickered on the price. I just wanted a safe place to sleep with a shower in the morning. The woman who helped me was quite helpful; she gave me a very good deal. The usual rate is $28.00CDN but I cannot tell you what she charged me...lol! She was very kind.

I made my brief journal entry (too tired to write that evening) and walked over to a bench on the water. Like the newfie that I am, I opened my can of spaghetti and meatballs right there. There is nothing like a simple camping supper by the water. It was so delicious...simple fare. In the quiet I was able to really appreciate the beautiful scene that surrounded me.

Shortly, I gathered up my few things and headed back to the Jimmy. I had made my pallet in the back. I fit just right! I read a little before nodding off. That is all I remember until the sun came up.

Sign me, Simply heading north to the Rock, M

Here is where I dropped off the doors:
http://www.portlandmaine.com/

Here is where I crossed the border:
http://www.town.ststephen.nb.ca/

Here is where I spent the night:
http://www.standrewsnb.ca/

Here is the campground:
http://www.standrewsnb.ca/

Total costs to date:
Rochester, NY to Fredericton, NB
overall costs: $143.15 my costs - $43.15

July 3rd and 4th

2009-07-04T21:07:00.003-04:00

Here in small town America we like to celebrate Independence Day with picnics and fireworks. This year it was no different except that we were dodging raindrops with the best of them. It was a beautiful day until 7:00 p.m.. Then the sky opened up; it rained and rained. We visited while enjoying appetizers and good conversation. Friends gathering around the back deck under the trees hoping for a break in the weather. Well, we finally withdrew to my friend's living room and ate a lovely meal while chuckling about the rain.

It was a wonderful surprise when at 9:00 p.m. the rain ceased. We quickly got in position for the celebrations! The neighbors gathered along the lake shore with surprising enthusiasm. The fireworks began as night fell. We were all so pleased to be in such a great location! The neighbor several houses down had the most wonderful display of fireworks! All along the lake the celebrations continued without the rain recommencing. The Ring of Fire is a yearly event with all the neighbors setting flares along the water's edge. At a certain point the word is given to light the flares and the end result is a complete illumination of the lake shore. There are lots of fireworks throughout the evening so it is a great pre-July 4th experience!

Today is July 4th, we are too tired to go to another round of fireworks! We did attend a wonderful picnic earlier today. We are going to go to bed early! Hope that you had a great weekend as well!

Sign me, Living simply in small town America, M

The Rain Cometh...Again

2009-06-29T12:09:00.000-04:00

One corner of the deck

What a wonderful day we woke up to this morning! The sky was clear blue with no clouds for miles. My friend, Linda and I walked the dogs and enjoyed the nice breeze near the lake. Just lovely...the weatherman says that we are in for thunder showers until Thursday. The water is already pooled around the place...lol! We had rain yesterday and for part of the day before...the rain has been good for the garden though. It also makes it easier to tug the weeds out of the ground so I am glad for that.

The Moat in Front

The Friggin' Moat

Well, today I finished my last university course for the summer. I am officially off until September! What a good feeling to know that I can work in my garden and recoup before getting back to the grindstone in the fall. I took Psychology of Trauma and Loss, Native American Literature, and French Language and Culture this semester. Whew! Next semester I have registered for the advanced (3-4th year ) Psychology of Chronic Illness, Technical Report Writing, and Music Appreciation. I am waiting to hear if I will be able to take World War II history as well. I love that era!

It is going to be a nice summer here in small town America.

Sign me, the roof still leaks and the water still goes under the house, but...I am happy, M

I need to put the wading pool away

Part of my little Garden

More pictures...

2009-06-21T00:16:00.001-04:00

The Big Shed/Bunkhouse with all the windows in place

Can you see my lilac bush?

The side of the house showing Shadow's Penalty Box

The back porch/deck with my RED chairs

The small shed next to the Big Shed

My old front door - now the penalty box door

Shadow's Penalty Box

Shadow BITES!

I have to protect my friends.

Sign me, Loving the summer here in small town America, M

The Finished Shed/Office

2009-04-26T15:19:00.000-04:00

I realized that I had not posted a photo of the finished shed office. It is really quite roomy with the storage loft as an added 144 square feet. For those doing the math, that is 288 sq feet. One of the neighbors stopped over to ask the carpenter about it. We offered him a walk through...he loved the extra spacious loft. Good move on our part!

This was our test shed office. We wanted to see just how much work, time, and money it would cost to build one. We did the math, made notes, and have already set down our improvements. Anyway, here it is. TA DA!

Finished Shed Office

Sign me, First one down...Next! M

Weekend Wind Up

2009-04-26T14:50:00.000-04:00

This weekend is coming to a close. Two friends and I went to Cananadaigua for the weekend. We listened to inspirational speakers all weekend. There were may friends attending the conference. It was such a good weekend! We all shared expenses so we were saving money while we nurtured ourselves. I would recommend that to anyone needing an energy boost.

The water side of the hotel jetty.

One of the picturesque views

from the back of the hotel.

The weather was very beautiful with temperatures in the 80s so the ground is drying up around the little yellow house quite well! I am going to be having the house raised toward the end of summer or early fall. I qualified for a program that will help me to offset the cost. What a blessing! So by the fall I will be better prepared for the usual wet, muddy spring.

Do you remember the post I added that introduced the little Wonder Washer. Well, you are not going to believe it...but I got one. No, I did not pay full price. Being a frugal individual (aka cheap) I spotted one still in the box at a yard sale. For $8.00 I was able to secure the little beauty. It is so cute!

Wonder Washer

I put one pair of jeans or 6 pairs of undies into that little washer and away we go. It must sit on the floor at my place because it was not very steady when I put it on the table. It agitates east and then west for timed periods that go from 3 to 15 minutes. I did find that I had to rinse the clothes with a slight vinegar rinse to cut the soap. The amount of detergent that one might assume adequate for the little washer is much, much less than what will work.

The clothes were a little stiff when they dried but I do believe that this was relative to the well water's mineral content rather than anything else. Before I forget, it does look like a overgrown blender! So one step further for the frugal lifestyle.

Sign me, the proud owner of a Wonder Washer, M

The Well

2009-03-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

I am sitting here thinking about my day. It is so lovely outside this morning. The sun is shining and it is warmer. Spring is tiptoeing into the neighborhood. It is lovely.

At 3:00 a.m. I was laying in bed thinking about the problem that I have to deal with this Spring. It woke me up at that time; I could not get back to sleep. There are two wells here at the little yellow house. One of the wells overflows and the water used to run under the house through an overflow pipe. Well, it now runs out on the ground and has proceeded to make the ground right next to and under the house really wet. this is a problem for me this Spring with the house on piers and the house way too close to the ground. It is making it very hard to get ready to put in new piers to better support the LYH. The ground has to dry out for the work to continue.

So, needless to say, I was not able to get back to sleep. This morning I am going to start cleaning up the ground around the well to see if there is some way that I can divert the water away from the house. Such is the dilemma today.

Well, at 4:30 I got up from bed and put the TV on. I let the cat and dog out of their cages. We all curled up on the couch with an old movie on and went to sleep. Now that we are awake, up, and moving the well is my problem. I remind myself that these things take time but it must be handled now. (Deep breath...omg.)

Sign me, One thing at a time, one moment at a time, Living in small town America, M

New Shed/Office/Shop

2009-03-19T18:32:00.000-04:00

Side View 12' x 12'

Front View 12' x 12'

Here it is! What a time we had getting this thing approved!!!

From the files, no one would make this up...lol!:

FIRST:

Because my shed is going to be bigger than 12 ' x 12 ' I just had a meeting with the zoning fellow. Excellent! Then I met with the building code fellow...not so excellent. My finished shed will be 12 x 20 feet. We have to make sure that we abide by the regulations set down by zoning and the building codes people. It is going to be so nice to have everything that I work on out of my little house...lol!

Just heard back from the zoning guy. We have to make sure that the shed is 10 feet from the house. We have stopped work while we waited for his input. He is going to call back with how far from the fence line it has to be. Onward and upward! Still some problem with the size of my double lot. I had my property surveyed to make sure of the property lines ($450.00). Just to make things fit I am going to take the shed down to 10 x 12 feet. That way I will have plenty of room to position the shed where I want it. Next! M

THEN:

I have had to compromise and the shed is now going to be downsized to 12 x 12 ft. That way we don't have to worry about regulations. The zoning permit will cover us. I will post photos as we progress. It is so much fun to be working on this! M

THEN:

Are you ready? I think we have to move the shed back five FEET. The zoning permit specifies that it has to be five FEET from the line. FRIG!

THEN...CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???

Well, after they made the my lovely shed/office/shop smaller and got it all leveled up again...the zoning fellow told us that it has to be 40 FEET from our front property line. SO they took it all apart again and MOVED IT. So over the course of this construction process the shed was supposed to be 10 feet, then 5 feet, then 40 feet. It is a good thing that I don't yell as much in my old age. I will send you a photo...lol!

Sign me, I did not yell...honest, M

Shadow

2009-03-11T18:15:00.000-04:00

Hello again,

I was just sitting here waiting for some friends to call. We are going to meet them for supper. It is nice and windy here today. I do wish the wind could dry up all the WATER that has settled around the little yellow house. It will be quite a while before that happens.

Shadow

Anyway, Shadow and I were enjoying a quiet evening several weeks ago. I heard a funny sound and when I looked to see what it was my heart stopped. Dear little Shadow was in the midst of a seizure (grand mal). He started to come out of it but then he began to seize again. I called the vet's office for advice. While waiting for the vet to call me back I watched helplessly as Shadow again had a seizure (3). I was so scared for him. A good friend who does not drive at night quickly came to my assistance despite the darkness. We whisked Shadow to the vet's office.

After examination, bloodwork, and some Valium, Shadow was very uncoordinated but mellow. The Valium was to lower the threshold so he would not seize again. We headed home with instructions to time the next seizure. Well, two weeks went by uneventfully. Shadow and I walked every day. He was doing so well. Yesterday, Shadow had a six-minute grand mal seizure while I patiently attended to him making sure he was safe. I was so relieved when he came out of it without any further distress. I called the vet's office and updated them as to the situation.

Today, we are just relaxing and enjoying a quiet day. Shadow is going to be okay. However, I made the decision not to put him on Phenobarbitol because of the damage that it can wreak on his liver.

This little black dog is even more dear to me these days. We love our little schipperke. He is in his bed. His feet are muddy from a short trip outside. I do hope that we have a quiet day. Sleep tight, little guy!

Sign me, Loving my Schipperke in small town America, M

Good grief, where does the time go???

2009-03-02T14:42:00.000-05:00

I had no idea that it had been so long since I had blogged. Ouch! The days all run together. Time flies when I am having fun. My first semester has just wrapped up. I have a sixteen day break. So I am just relaxing and trying not to get into the books again.

My dog, Shadow, and I went for a lovely walk this morning. Yup, I did rescue Shadow and Ghost. Ghost now lives out in the Philadelphia, PA area. I wish I could have kept them together but he went to a very loving home. I have been hoping that he comes back...lol!

Moving right along, Shadow and I walk every morning. He is a dear old fellow! I do enjoy his enthusiasm; he gets so wound up when it is time for us to walk. He is just a flurry of joyful excitement!!!! I know he loves our walking. You know, so do I. It has given me some time out in the fresh air. We are taking a little more time these days. We avoid several rather verbose canines...lol! I do believe that their people may be sleeping or trying to have a quiet start to their day. We just go another way and circle back around avoiding their houses until later on. It is a little quieter.

I have been waiting for my new shed to be finished. It is 12'x12' with a storage area above. It is coming along; I am getting ready to start boxing up all my craft and gift basket stuff, native american books and all my other gear. This will be my own area for creativity. Thank goodness!

Anyway, I will write more later. Good to be back. Sign me, Where did February go??? M

Traditional Ways Prevail Today

2009-01-11T12:35:00.000-05:00

My husband is a Native American. He is a Tuscarora from New York State. We live simply and I have noticed that some of our lifestyle reflects the traditional beliefs. I was raised with some pretty basic old-fashioned beliefs that go hand-in-hand with DH's upbringing. It is just something that we have always enjoyed. Living simply is very important to both of us.

I am taking a Biological Psychology course presently and in my reading this week I came across something that just stayed with me. DH and I discussed it later. The subject was eating and the brain's functions in the feeding process. The Native American Pima tribe out in Arizona and New Mexico have a problem with obesity. This is genetically connected to the presence of two genes linked to obesity. However, there is also the fact that the tribe were not obese until the 1990s! Previous to that their diet consisted of plants from the Sonoran desert. They have been struggling with diabetes as a result of the severe weight problems.

Read more: http://journalofanoptimist.blogspot.com/2009/01/traditional-ways-prevail-today.html

Dog Shopping

2009-01-10T18:49:00.000-05:00

I know that it has been six months since our dogs went missing. It is really hard for people to understand that this is still something that hurts. I have been looking at schipperke puppies as I try to move along with things I cannot change. We know the longer they are gone the chances of them being recovered are less and less.

I was watching the schipperkes on YouTube and I got very lonely for my dogs. It has helped me in a way. I know that I am lost without them but I need to start looking. This weekend we inquired about a puppy that was very little! It was so lovely but its tail had not been docked. I personally did not want to have it docked at 8 weeks. That seemed rather cruel. So, I checked into a puppy from a breeder up here. The puppy would be just adorable! Our Little Missy was just a little thing when we bought her. She looked much like this...ain't she cute!

But wait, there are so many dogs that need someone to rescue them. So I checked PetFinder to see if there were any schipperkes available for adoption. There were quite a few actually. They were from all over the country. There were two that caught my eye. One called Shadow and one called Ghost. I was sorely tempted to apply for both of them. I took some time to think about it.

We have applied to adopt a female that is 5 years old. She is very pretty. I will let you know how it goes. We had to answer a lot of questions but that is par for the course. I would hope that they are going to be very careful in placing their rescue dogs in loving homes.

Talk 2 u later. Sign me, Searching for a schipperke to spoil in small town America, M

Another Day in the Neighborhood

2009-01-07T16:37:00.000-05:00

It is a quiet day here in small town America. The fresh snow is so beautiful! I trooped out to collect the trash can earlier. Well, I have to get another trash can because the snow plow obliterated my last one. I had loaded the trash into my little gardening wagon to get it to the curb. Now I noticed that the recycling bin has taken some shots, too. It has a couple of good-sized chunks missing out of it. Rats! I guess I better make a stop at the hardware store before next trash day.

My neice lives out west in British Columbia, Canada. We visit on Facebook almost daily. She just had her van stolen...and her phone! She was more upset about her phone...lol! The only thing I ever experienced was having my overnight bag stolen. That was a bit of a mess, trust me! Apparently, the little buggers went into a Blockbuster Video store and rented some Pink Floyd videos with my video club card. They kept the videos and I got a bill for a LOT of money. The police officer who had taken my statement went to the video store to vouch for the fact that my bag had been stolen. No problem, right? Wrong. I went through a lot but I ended up with the bill. I sure learned a lot during that mess.

Anyway, I hope that my neice does not have any problems. That would be a pain.

Moving right along, my stepdaughter and grandson are coming over for supper. We get KFC when they come over because that is their favorite take out meal. It is amazing to me that the grandson is going to be SIX this year! Wow! I can still see him rolling around the floor here in his walker. We had duct taped a keyboard to his little walker...lol! He loved the computer back then. He was a little angel! Now that he is older he is into the wrestling thing. Who the heck is Shawn Michaels? I scored a big bunch of points at Christmas time. I found a wrestling T-shirt that he loves! Thank you, Walmart! Way to go WWF!

Well, I better get off of here. Talk 2 u later. Sign me, Spoiling the grandson, M

Already...?

2008-12-27T10:12:00.001-05:00

It is December 27th, I think. As I drove into town I saw my first Christmas tree on the curb....yesterday. It was neatly confined in a plastic village recycle bag awaiting the trash truck's arrival. Wow, already??? I was surprised. Why would anyone toss their tree out on Boxing Day?

I grew up in Newfoundland. Christmas lasts a LONG time with us. From December 25th to January 6th...that is Old Christmas Day. Well, that is what we always called it. I did google "Old Christmas Day" and got this:

"Before the calendar was reformed, England celebrated Christmas on the equivalent of the 6th of January by our modern, Gregorian reckoning. That is why in some parts of Great Britain people still call the 6th of January, Old Christmas Day." from http://www.christmas-time.com/cp-old.html

However, all definitions aside, Christmas was a lovely time of visiting. It lasted for twelve days though not just one. Richard Steele has a few prints that give us a peek into the way it used to be. Richard grew up on Livingstone Street just below Cabot Street where I grew up.

In his print "Midnight Mass at the Basilica" Richard has captured a bit of the way it used to be. I personally never got to go to Midnight Mass because my grandmother would not let us go out that late. Trust me. We used to go to the morning mass on Christmas Day at 9:00 o'clock. You know I remember getting the slapper once because I did not go to that mass. Poor Sister Perpetua, what a job she had motivating all of us little catholic girls to get ourselves up and go to early mass. There was nothing like an experience with the slapper to get you out of the warm bed and down the road the next Sunday. For those who don't know, the slapper was a small leather belt that she carried tucked in her belt for motivation and character building.

The good Sisters eventually stopped that particular form of motivation. I still remember the service though. It is a beautiful Basilica! For a small place like St. John's to have such a thing as a Basilica is quite an honor. There is a wonderful story behind how the Basilica got built but I will save that for another time. My grandfather loved to tell it! But back to the stories of the season...lol!

This one is called, "Misses can I see your tree?" We used to go up to LeMarchant Road to see other people's Christmas trees. Yes, a few of us youngsters used to go in a small group and ring doorbells. When the door was answered we would then all ask to see their tree. They would invite us in (honest). They would turn on their lights for us. Then, while we stood in the ambient glow of the colorful lights and evergreen magnificence, they would offer us a little bit of fruitcake. There was usually a small drink of Purity syrup. There was nothing like it! You talk about a fun thing to do...lol! We used to go up one side of LeMarchant Road and down the other. I still remember one house just across from St. Clare's hospital. They had the most beautiful tree...and the best fruitcake! Yes, byes, those were the days.

This one is called Yuletide Interlude. It reflects the sense of awe that we felt for the season of Christmas. It was such a time of parties and visiting. Thank goodness it lasted for a whole lot more than a couple of days. What a good thing that we were gifted with twelve days of gladness and fellowship. You know now we did not call it that...we never knew that other people did not enjoy the twelve days of Christmas. Who knew? I mean the candies, nuts, and fruits that we garnered in the old stocking on Christmas morning only lasted so long. We visited all the fine houses to see their Christmas decorations. We all enjoyed the gifts that we were given, mind you.

The friends who got more were not so bold as to bring it to your attention. Well, some of them. There were new sleds and trips to Martin's Meadow to try them out. There were new sleds for some and trips to Martin's Meadow to try them out. I don't remember being disappointed in anything I got for a gift. No matter what we got we all were filled with the sense of excitement and innocence that childhood entails.

Do you remember Figgy Duff or Christmas pudding? How about the smell of allspice in the kitchen...I still love golden currents! My grandmother was the best cook. However, when I close my eyes and remember the many Newfoundland Christmases that I had over the years I remember the love and caring. There was always a cheerful, "Merry Christmas" sent your way when you walked down the sidewalk. I can hear the raffle bells when I think about walking downtown on Water Street. Those raffles actually went on before Christmas but they are a fond memory for me.

Goodness, I am getting homesick just sharing with you. I better get off of here. You know, the sad sight of the Christmas tree sitting on the curb on the day AFTER Christmas has given me something to think about. I did go to my friend's church to see their service; they have those bells that I love so much. On Christmas Eve I attended our afternoon mass, it is called the Children's Mass. The hymns were so beautiful. I just love it.

You know I feel sorry for the family that tossed their tree out before the turkey dinner was cold in the fridge. As for me, I am going to make sure that I greet everyone with Season's Greetings...for the next twelve days...lol! I plan on enjoying every minute of it.

"On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me"...well, here let Corey and Trina do it for me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLW51zO6hdM

Sign me, Still living simply the way I was taught even here in small town America, M

And by the way, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

To view more artwork by Newfoundland Artists, go here:

http://www.butlerframing-gallery.com/newfoundlandArtists/RichardSteele/default.html