Venting on a Happy Note

[CWS4322]

Monkey off my back!!! I made the last payment to the lawyer to get rid of my business partner on Thursday. Oh, what a relief...$22K later. Finally! Monkey off my back!!!! I worked hard to stash the cash.

 

[Zhizara]

Congratulations!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Yea!!!!!!

 

[CWS4322]

Thanks. I learned a lot about being thrifty, doing without, and all kinds of other things while stashing that cash--amazing how much $ you can put aside if you have to...Not to brag, but over 1/2 of that was put aside since March 2011. I am now treating myself to the cheeses I could not justify....I have Havarti! The things you do without...

I probably should say that the law firm put a foreclosure writ against the house I own--which is why I live at the farm--it is paid for--and the tenants would pay the mortgage while I scrambled for the money--so by paying off the debt, the writ goes away. My DH and I keep separate financial lives--my mistake <g>. I need that house for my retirement--it's what I'll sell to go in a home.

 

[Zhizara]

WooHoo!!! Finally I can access Yahoo from firefox! Yahoo has been trying to force me to "try" their new format and gave me a terrible time getting to use my old version. I finally gave in and after checking my emails on IE, checked again to see if I could access it from Firefox. TA-DA, it works now! Good thing too, because the flashing ads on IE were driving me nuts, especially when I've got loads of mail to read.

 

[joesfolk]

I have had two very good days. Yesterday I got all of the cupboards in my new kitchen beautifully lined and they are already to accept anything I want to put in them. Now I know that doesn't sound like much to most of you but 15 years ago I married dh and moved into his bachelor quarters. Now he hates change and I have never been allowed to make the place our own. The whole house is so poorly organized that it has driven me crazy and I have been embarrassed to have people over because he hates it when I clean because he is afraid I will throw something away. (Don't get me wrong, everyday sort of cleaning is okay but I can only deep clean when he is away and he never goes away anywhere.) Well, now we have purchased a house and before we move in I am going to have that house so clean it squeaks. All that to say that it has taken over two weeks but the new kitchen shines like a new penny and putting the shelf liner in the cupboards made me feel so like a woman. It was just right. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it. Before we bought the house I made dh promise that I could organize the place so that it makes sense with things that are used often close at hand and things that are seldom used out of sight. Now all of that is happening. I'm just so pleased about that.
As I said, the kitchen has taken me over two weeks what with scrubbing and painting every inch of it including inside all of the cupboards. The entire rest of the house needs painted too and that has had to wait until I got the kitchen right. But today a friend came over and together we taped off the woodwork in five rooms so they are ready for the primer. Then when she left dh and I primed three rooms, well really two because one of the rooms had to be done twice. I feel like I have gotten so much accomplished in the last two days...finally. The house is beginning to show some progress. Tomorrow I hope to at least be able to prime the livingroom and get a coat of color on the master bedroom. I didn't even feel this happy on the day we closed on the house. It's a good day.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I have had two very good days. It's a good day.

I'm so glad you are feeling like things are getting accomplished. It's a long haul but worth it! Have more fun!!!

 

[Dawgluver]

Wow, woman, what an accomplishment! Sounds like a lot of work, but I am so happy for you closing in on your dream!

 

[babetoo]

finally, finally. a sewing day that went well. got the bodice put together. thank goodness. now tomorrow will make the lining and put in the sleeves. good to know i am not a complete idiot.

 

[Dawgluver]

finally, finally. a sewing day that went well. got the bodice put together. thank goodness. now tomorrow will make the lining and put in the sleeves. good to know i am not a complete idiot.

Yay Babe! we knew you could do it! So frustratng when it doesn't go the way you want it.

 

[babetoo]

monday and tuesday will be exciting days. the gas and electric is installing, a new refrigerator, new hot water heater and new air conditioning. and it is all free. it is a program that they are doing to help lower the bills of the elderly and poor. well you really don't have to be elderly, just poor. and i certainly qualify. it will be interesting to see if the bill does go down in any significant way. i am totally jazzed. dare i be greedy and ask for new stove and dishwasher? probably not!

 

[Aunt Bea]

monday and tuesday will be exciting days. the gas and electric is installing, a new refrigerator, new hot water heater and new air conditioning. and it is all free. it is a program that they are doing to help lower the bills of the elderly and poor. well you really don't have to be elderly, just poor. and i certainly qualify. it will be interesting to see if the bill does go down in any significant way. i am totally jazzed. dare i be greedy and ask for new stove and dishwasher? probably not!

I say work it girl!

It is good for you and it is good for the economy. These programs create many jobs.

 

[purple.alien.giraffe]

My husband is the awesomest of the awesomeness! Seriously and for real y'all! OK, so, Rol was working on the house and asked if since I was running to the store anyway, could I stop by the post office and pick up the package he's been waiting for. I didn't really want to but knew it was stuff he'd ordered for the house and that he needed. So I told him yeah, but under mild protest. He just shook his head and laughed and told me it would be worth it. I of course assumed he was talking about getting the house ready for the move, and because he knows me so well, he knew I'd assume that.

So I get home with the box and he opens it and starts pulling things out. I was playing with my phone and not really paying attention when he taps me on the knee and says, "Here, this part's for you." I look and he's holding a copy of COOKING FOR GEEKS! Eeeeeee! Of course I had to jump at him and half tackle half hug him because I so was not expecting it and have been telling everyone in my family that it was on my Christmas list ever since Princess Fi told us all about it. I mean, I'd looked for snippets online from it to see if it was as cool as it sounded and was sold with the whole making an ice cream machine out of Leggos bit.

So yeah, hurray for totally amazing husbands who buy wicked sweet books for their wives!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

My husband is the awesomest of the awesomeness! Seriously and for real y'all! OK, so, Rol was working on the house and asked if since I was running to the store anyway, could I stop by the post office and pick up the package he's been waiting for. I didn't really want to but knew it was stuff he'd ordered for the house and that he needed. So I told him yeah, but under mild protest. He just shook his head and laughed and told me it would be worth it. I of course assumed he was talking about getting the house ready for the move, and because he knows me so well, he knew I'd assume that.

So I get home with the box and he opens it and starts pulling things out. I was playing with my phone and not really paying attention when he taps me on the knee and says, "Here, this part's for you." I look and he's holding a copy of COOKING FOR GEEKS! Eeeeeee! Of course I had to jump at him and half tackle half hug him because I so was not expecting it and have been telling everyone in my family that it was on my Christmas list ever since Princess Fi told us all about it. I mean, I'd looked for snippets online from it to see if it was as cool as it sounded and was sold with the whole making an ice cream machine out of Leggos bit.

So yeah, hurray for totally amazing husbands who buy wicked sweet books for their wives!

Wow! Sweeeet! It is loads of fun, just to read!

 

[DaveSoMD]

I went to the Dr yesterday for my 6 month check up and got great news. Not only have I lost 30 lbs since April ( I knew that) but my blood test results show everything "right down the middle" and he said my HDL/ LDL and Triglyceride levels were really good! Yaaaaaa!!!!!

 

[Dawgluver]

I went to the Dr yesterday for my 6 month check up and got great news. Not only have I lost 30 lbs since April ( I knew that) but my blood test results show everything "right down the middle" and he said my HDL/ LDL and Triglyceride levels were really good! Yaaaaaa!!!!!

Fantastic, DaveSo!!! And 30 lbs too!!!

Shopping trip time.

 

[DaveSoMD]

Fantastic, DaveSo!!! And 30 lbs too!!!

Shopping trip time.

Thanks!!!

I've been having to pick up some new stuff along the way and that has been a great motivator to keep going.

 

[simonbaker]

CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!

Will you share your secrets?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I went to the Dr yesterday for my 6 month check up and got great news. Not only have I lost 30 lbs since April ( I knew that) but my blood test results show everything "right down the middle" and he said my HDL/ LDL and Triglyceride levels were really good! Yaaaaaa!!!!!

Yea!!! It's nice to get good news.

 

[DaveSoMD]

CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!

Will you share your secrets?

No secrets really, but I'll tell you what I have been doing.

I walk every morning before work, about 1.5 miles around the neighborhood. It takes me about 35 minutes, so not too fast but not to slow.

I also walk after work, usually try for another 1.5 miles that includes taking the dog or dogs for walks. During the summer I sometimes walked 3 miles after work.

I cut out almost all soda and soft drinks. I'll have one occasionally, maybe every few weeks or if I'm out. I drink water, unsweetened tea, coffee, and 100% fruit juice. Oh and I use milk in my coffee, not those "creamers".

I cut WAY back snacking at night. I used to have ice cream or a dessert every night and then chips or something else as a snack. Now those are special treats. I haven't given them up, just maybe once or twice a week and only one thing (if I have dessert, not snacking later).

I started paying close attention to portion/serving sizes. I started out measuring everything so that now I can eyeball them better when I am plating up my meals.

I do eat 3 meals a day and drink lots of water.

We never bought a lot of the processed foods/meals anyway and budget-wise we have limited eating out / take out food to a few times a month so those weren't a problem. Oh, I do try to have a salad almost every night with dinner.

So except for the soda, I really didn't completely cut out anything. I still eat almost all of the same foods I always did, just smaller amounts and more realistic proportions. I didn't go low-fat, or low-carb, or anything else. Well, I do use 2% milk, but I still cook with cream and butter if the recipe calls for it, use mayonnaise, salad dressings, eat cheese, etc.