must be KARMAH

Comeback of the Ghost Eating King

That's right Pac Man is back and he's ready to... err... drink some Coke? I wonder if Ms. Pac Man is into Diet Pepsi. Oh, the household must be fraught with the debate over Coke vs. Pepsi. Poor RC Cola never had a chance.

Taking Steps Towards Financial Freedom

We have begun to take baby steps. Figuring what we owe and to whom. Trying to come up with a game plan and being grateful for the assistance of a local banker who has helped us to come up with a plan to be totally debt free and have a sizable savings within the next 10 years. If you knew the mountain of debt we are facing down, you would be flabbergasted that it is even halfway feasible to reduce our debt by half, let alone all of it in that short of a time period.

To say that just hearing the news that it is a possibility has lifted a great weight off of us. Hubby has remarked that he no longer feels that he is going to have a heart attack from the stress. That now that he knows there is a way out of all this, a light at the end of the tunnel, that he can rest easier.

Now comes the tougher part. Going through with the planning and then sticking to it.

I am off to do research on ways to save money, cut costs and anything else that might possibly be helpful in our quest to be debt free. This is all quite new to me, but I hope to find some useful information out there and incorporate it into our lives. Off to do some searches, peruse sites and hopefully find some blogs where other people have been or are going through the same thing as we are.

Any advice, tips or links to sites about this?

Sign of the Times

Filling up the gas tank. Ouch.

Chugging Blithely Along

Chugging merrily through life, I seem to have gotten quite carried away. Speeding faster and faster along the track. Watching the world whip on by as if I haven't a care. Getting caught up in the scenery without really seeing where I am going. Faster and faster, time just swinging by as the cars begin to tilt crazily. Panic sets in, my heart jumps into my throat. I begin to realize that this is no pleasure trip, but a sure train wreck.

The adrenaline surges, clarity in it's wake. I can not go on like this. We can not go on like this. The train is going to crash. The train of debt needs to stop.

Thankfully, Hubby and I have come to an agreement and are going to be working slowly and surely towards that goal. The debt train is going to stop right here, right now. We are going to make it out of this wreck and start walking on the path to being debt free. It may take us a while, but we are determined to do it. Wish us luck.

Adventures in Movie Sitting

Recently I set up an outing for my daughter and her friends to see The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian at the movies. Le Artiste is at the age where she is old enough for outings, but not unchaperoned ones. At least, in my view. (That over-protective mother syndrome of mine.) Thus the group outing with me acting as chaperone and an open invite for any other parent to chaperone as well.

Being with the kids brought back memories of my own outings with friends and the silliness that reigned supreme. The energy, the youth, the running around like maniacs. It made me feel both young and old at the same time, if that makes any sense.

The girls all had a good time. Le Artiste is already planning the next movie going night. Something along the lines of the next Harry Potter installment or Twilight. And this time? She wants to invite boys. Apparently they got wind of the outing and were quite upset that it was a girls night out only. The question is... Am I ready for that? (gulp)

Art on Asphalt

Random drawing by le Artiste using Crayola 3D Sidewalk Chalk on the driveway.

Perusing the Stacks

As a teenager I became enamored with the written word. I can't say that I immersed myself in the classics, fell into the deep pool of obscure thought or anything along the lines of scholarly learning. I read to entertain myself.

I devoured books. Any subject that caught my eye. Any novel that intrigued me with it's tease of a synopsis. I could not get enough. I would purchase second hand books weekly at a farmer's market. Borrow them from classmates. I even looked forward to the weekly grocery shopping trip (torture for some kids) because it was across the parking lot from my favorite book haven, the library.

To this day I am still an avid reader. For me to read a book in a day is not unusual. A few hours of free time (most often sacrificing a little sleep because I have to know how it ends) and the book is done. I have read up to three in one day. And that is not an exaggeration.

My reading does go through starts and fits. I will have weeks where I want to read endlessly and others where I don't crack open a book at all. But my love of books endures.

It is that love of books and reading that I want to instill in my children. The oldest is reading above her level (and has been for a few years) which astounds her teachers as she needs help in other areas of school work. Her tastes run towards YA Fantasy (dragons and the like) to YA Paranormal (Darren Shan is one of her favorites). The youngest is also acquiring a penchant for reading. She loves going to the library and gets a kick of choosing her own books. Once a week during the summer months we try to get to the library. This time I am hoping to continue the once a week outing for the fall and winter (weather permitting) as well.

While I will read whatever tickles my fancy, I am more drawn to the paranormal/fantasy section. I always have been. (Do you think le Artiste gets her preferences from me?) Back when there was only Lois Duncan and Anne McCaffrey for me to choose from at the library. Now there is so much more out there. Urban, Sci-Fi, Vampire, Ghost, Time Time Travel. I am addicted but good.

My biggest thing is trying not to purchase many new books (as I only read them once) and am trying to get them through the online reserve system at the library. My local lets me reserve books from them and the other libraries in their "district" and have them delivered to my branch for pick-up. Then I am only tempted to purchase the new releases that they do not currently have. Since I do read a lot, the older books available tend to be ones that I have already read. But I am hoping to discover new treasures and that the library gets in more new releases. Wish me luck!

I Think I'm Turning Vegetarian... I Really Think So

Pictured: Black Bean Veggie Burger from Max & Erma's

I ever used to eat vegetables. Okay, that's a lie. Let's just say that I was very limited in my veggie intake. So much so that it's a wonder that it didn't stunt my growth. My basics were canned or fresh corn, canned green beans, bread and butter pickles, canned baby peas, mashed or fried potatoes and the occasional "salad" consisting of lettuce and carrots only. Yes, that's it.

It wasn't until after I gave birth to my oldest that I started eating a bigger variety of vegetables. It all started with onions and mushrooms and then the ball went rolling on from there. I will now eat broccoli (cooked, not raw), mushrooms, onions, asparagus (but only if it's in my stir fry), bell peppers, hot peppers, bok choy, cabbage, water chestnuts, cucumbers, celery, bean sprouts, all kinds of beans (no lima or wax ones though), squash, zucchini, and many more since my local Asian cuisine place tosses whatever they have on hand into my favorite dish... Hunan Chicken, and I can nver tell what some of the veggies are that are in there. But they taste good.

Chicken? But I thought this post was about turning vegetarian. Well, it's more about turning more veggie friendly than giving up my carnivore tendencies.

When I am out with the family or even at home I find myself craving more vegetables. I want salads. I am ordering veggie burgers off the menu instead of it's red meat cousin. I go back for seconds of vegetables instead of meat. I will order a side salad with my entree instead of french fries.

This has cause le Artiste much concern. She is the one who asked, "Mom, are you turning into a vegetarian?" Apparently a few of her friends have tried to go down this veggie only route but were thwarted by their love of steak and meat loaf respectively.

I assured her that I was not giving up on meat, but expanding my vegetable horizons. I then related to her that I was very anti-veggie like she is at her age. But that now they appeal to me, and I keep trying new things to see if I will like them. So far I have liked the vast majority. And that maybe someday she, too, will like more vegetables than she does now. She gave me a look like she very much doubted it, but now she no longer worries when I opt for a meatless meal.

Table... Unwrapped

A few years back when my grandfather had to have full time care, he gave his possessions away to the family. We all got to pick and choose what we wanted. A set of TV trays were among the hand-me-down heirlooms and from some reason I decided that they needed a place in my home.

Until recently they were just sitting around only used a few times a year when we had people over and needed a little extra table space. The other day I am sitting with my laptop, well, on my lap and a flash of much-delayed brilliance hits me. I could be using one of those TV trays and worry less about my lap getting too hot and making it more comfortable for typing.

I trudged down to the basement and picked out one of the trays. Now for some reason almost all of them are covered in that stick-on vinyl that you usually see used in cabinets. I am guessing that my grandparents thought it would make for easier clean-up. Since part of the vinyl was already coming off of the table I decided to remove the rest of it. (The photo above is about half-way through the removal process.)

Right now I am using the table naked. Err... That is that it's unfinished wood. I assure you that I am fully clothed while using my computer. Mac and I may spend a lot of time together, but we do not have that kind of relationship.

My eventual plan (when I get the time to do so and convince Hubby that I am not totally crazy) is to sand down the table and paint it. If I am really ambitious I could do the other three as well. I think it would be a neat touch, plus it would add some character and not look quite as tacky when it is sitting out in the living room. We have tons of house paint downstairs, so it's kind of a reuse/recycle project as well. I think we would only have to get some varnish and I may be able to borrow that from my folks.

Hmmm... All this future planning is getting my mind whirling as to designs, etc. Should I make it classic, a bit beat up and shabby or go for outrageous and colorful. Oh the possibilities!

Tradewinds Sweet Tea

I may have been born a nothern gal, but my tastes at time have a southern twang to them. One of my passions just happens to be a good ice cold glass of sweet tea. I like to thank my best friend for turning me on to the stuff, but somehow it just doesn't seem right to thank the person who led you down the road to your addiction.

While at the Home Depot, on yet another run for a necessary fix-the-mess-the previous-owners-did-to-our-house run we stopped by the little lunch shack directly out front. I needed to grab something that I could eat on the way to work and Hubby and Boo-boo decided that they needed nourishment for their ride home. Hots dogs all around it was. (Yeah, I know, but dang it, they taste good!) Checking out the adjoining cooler section for something to wash down that doggie what to my wandering eyes appeared? A brand of tea I have never heard of before. And not just any tea, but sweet tea. My weakness.

I am a sucker for trying out bottled tea (both sweet and not), even though I am of the mind that it can not be as good as the fresh brewed stuff. This one more than pleasantly surprised me. Tradewinds Sweet Tea is the closest in taste to fresh brewed as I have ever drank from a bottle. I was so darn mad at myself that I didn't buy more than one. It tasted that good. Nothing too overwhelming and definitely not the sickening syrupy sweetness that makes you want to wash your mouth out with sandpaper. Just the right balance of tea and sugar. Delicious!

Just the memory of it's refreshing coolness makes me want to jump in the car and go and get some. But I fear that the fates conspire against me. Gas prices are over $4.00 a gallon now, the Home Depot that we went to is not exactly close to home and that little lunch shack doesn't keep regular hours. With my luck I would arrive and either they'd be out of tea or they would have closed up shop for the day. My taste buds would get mighty ornery at such a tease. But I have just discovered that on their website they have delivery! Oh my. Definitely tempted here.