Featured Post
Posted by Lizzie on May-28-2008
I have issues with budgeting and planning. I don’t like to do either. However, with the way gas prices are today, I think it’s a good time to start. My husband and I aren’t going to retire any day soon and we’d like to keep our home, so this is something I really need to get a grip on. Right?
Lately I’ve seen a lot of people asking “What are you doing to cope?” That’s a good question. The economy is tanking and people are feeling the pinch. It’s come down to “Do I keep all 5 cell phones? Cut down to basic cable? Eat day old bread?” While I’ve been trying to learn to cut down on our expenses and find extra dollars here and there, I’ve been thinking of what my grandparents had to endure. And somehow managed to survive.
My great-grandmother was born before the Great Depression. They managed to live on $2-5 a week- if that. They didn’t have a car (much less two) and couldn’t afford to buy their children a different pair of shoes for each different outfit. As a matter of fact, my grandmother once told me that they had their “Sunday best”- which was only worn on Sunday - and their everyday clothes. Two outfits. That’s it. How did they do it? And meat was only eaten once a week- or twice if there was a holiday. They convened at the neighbor’s house when there was an interesting radio program playing, otherwise they did without (no TV mind you).
I look around my house and realize that we’ve got it good. I’m typing this on a PC and posting it via the Internet and if we were really that bad off, I would have neither of these luxuries. I wouldn’t have a special shampoo or be able to choose whole grain bread over white bread. I wouldn’t be able to say “Hey! I need new sandals because these are just ugly!” Nope. I would be canning and hoarding and scraping to make sure my kids had a roof over their heads, not worrying about going to basic cable instead of America’s Top 150 on Dish. My children have closets full of clothes and have milk and meat everyday. I’m scrimping and saving to keep these things. So they don’t go without them. Not so they’ll survive. Because I have no worries that our money woes are going to cause our kids to get sick, go homeless or die. We are LUCKY. I don’t think enough people realize just how lucky they are.
I’m still coming up with a budget, though. I like our little luxuries and don’t want to have to give them up. I like having cable and the internet and being able to buy my kids little cheap toys every so often. I like being able to choose between good food and processed. I like that I can take my girls to a decent doctor and not have to worry about them dying from an ear infection (my great-uncle died from an ear infection when he was 1 year old). We have one car (and it runs!), two tvs (we married our households so one of them is 15 years old), and one PC. Our bills are paid on time every month and our refrigerator is always stocked. We’ve got it good. I’m not complaining. I’m counting my blessings.
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Archive for the ‘sinful pleasures’ Category
Jul
09
Posted by Lizzie
Sometimes (when my house is full) I wish I had a Slingbox (it works in tandem with my satellite so I can use the tv without the satellite hookup). There are two teenagers here, a restless man and a preschooler. All of them want to watch something else. Since I’m not feeling well I would love to be able to watch what I want to watch. Apparently, so does everyone else. It’s a beautiful thing.
At any rate, I’ve decided that I’m going to use my MT installation for a gardening blog. I’ve got sooo many ideas but don’t want to put them here. My MIL gave me a “Birds and Blooms” book and I LOVE it. It’s got a lot of interesting information and I want to try some of the tips. That would make a pretty decent niche blog, I think. Plus I’d have somewhere to put my flower photos.
See? That’s one of my problems. I get all these ideas and have to implement the right now and everything has to be perfect and then… See? I have been doing well with my Drama TV gig though. Writing a niche topic just once or twice a week works well for me apparently. And I get the practice. Hmmm. Yes, I’ll do well with a small niche blog.
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Jul
06
Posted by Lizzie
I’ve been spending a lot of time outdoors. For some strange reason, my illness seems to have gone into remission and I don’t get sick from the sun anymore. As a matter of fact, I don’t even get the rash on my face anymore. I’m not complaining though. I’m thrilled. I love being out in my yard planting flowers or playing or just writing. The writing part is doing a lot better now that it’s done out among the trees.
I get a couple of cheap pens, some loose-leaf paper and go to work. As long as I’m not interrupted I can really churn some stuff out. Right now I have a couple of articles in rough draft and those are destined for BellaOnline, but I’m hoping to start putting some gardening articles up on my other blog soon.
I love to garden. I’m not an expert by any means, but I don’t care. I love to plant stuff and watch it grow. So far I’ve only killed one thing, I think, and it was almost dead anyway. Last summer my poor flower beds were horrible. I couldn’t get out to them because I was so sick. Not so this summer. Except for the vegetable garden. Sadly, since it’s been raining so much, the weeds are gaining ground at there. In my defense, that’s supposed to be Grump’s spot in the yard. We say that, but we all know that it’s Lizzie’s job to keep it up. 
At any rate, my mother brought me a couple of things that she can’t plant at her house and I’ve determined that it’s time to build another bed. I’m hoping I’ll have enough beds soon that I won’t have to mow such a huge patch a grass anymore.
So, back to what I was saying about writing. We have a couple of tables in our yard and I plop myself at one and go to work. Mags will usually find something better to than bug me, but occasionally she’ll sit right with me (trying to get me to identify various insecti). Grump will randomly come over to attempt to start up a conversation about something that makes no sense to me (when he thinks about things he forgets that the conversation was in his head and I wasn’t privy to the first part of it). I don’t mind the small interruptions, though. It’s nice to be able to write like that. This is why I want to move south. So I can have more seasons of warmth and always feel this good.
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Jun
22
Posted by Lizzie
I’m taking a few days away from the tubes for a while. I’m overdoing it and my health is really suffering. I’ve taken on too many projects on top of what’s going on in my offline life and it wasn’t a good idea. I’ve really got to learn to pace myself when it comes to jobs. I mentioned in my last post that I’m only able to keep two jobs right now and that’s all good for me. Neither one of those jobs is full time so I can get away for a few days to regroup.
I was walking around town today and noticed a lot of commercial real estate for sale. I thought that was really odd. But I asked a friend who’s a realtor if that there are more properties on sale than usual and she looked into it. Seems that it’s about steady for right now. I’m secretly wishing I had an office away from home so I could actually leave to go to work and still be self-employed. How nice would that be? I could leave all this craziness here while I did the “normal” thing and went out into the world to work. Ha!
I didn’t think that was my goal. But who knows? It’s possible. Not now, of course. Maybe some years down the line. At any rate, there’s a website production company setting up downtown and I was thinking of submitting my resume to them. Part-time out of the house work would probably do me some good too. Too much together time makes for a crazy Flynn household.
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May
29
Posted by Lizzie
Yesterday I blogged that I was thankful for everything that I have. And I am. I’ve been working on a budget today and realized that we’re a lot better off this month than I thought previously. Looks like we’re going to be able to pack our Briggs and Riley and go to our “cabin” in the woods soon. Maybe even as soon as we get our “economic stimulus” check. I’m sooo thrilled!
We haven’t been down to Grand Haven since last August (I think) and I really like spending time down there. It’s like a little village in the middle of nowhere, but there’s plenty to do. We usually get a two-bedroom pet cabin, so we can take our pooch. This time we might not be able to take him, though, because of all the car seats. Mags and KJ sure do take up a lot of room for such little people. At any rate, when we go down, we take our food and other supplies and just hang out for a few days. We were hoping to hang out for a week this time, but sadly we can’t. Three days will be plenty, I think.
The resort isn’t really a “resort” like you think. It’s a woodsy type place (cabins) and there is a swimming pool and a club house. Plus horse back riding, golf, hiking, etc. It’s really nice. Last time I went up in the woods and didn’t come back for hours. It was so incredibly peaceful. I can’t wait to get back. It’ll be so refreshing. I can’t access the Internet down there, so I can’t be stressed out by jobs (or lack thereof) or silly Internet drama. I won’t be able to check my email or my page stats and I won’t be able to fret if no one is clicking my ads. I’ll just be free to be without. I love that. When we go I’ll make sure to take a few pics and post them here.
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May
22
Posted by Lizzie
I have been trying to lose some pounds for a while now. I’ve been doing yoga, dancercise and even considered top diet pills. All to no avail (of course, just considering the diet pills doesn’t help, buy you get my gist). I have been steadily gaining the pounds. I was having a difficult time understanding it, but then realized something.
My medication for the FM is probably making this happen.
One of the methods of treating Fibromyalgia is anti-depressants. I can’t take the usual kind- such as Lexapro - because I’m allergic to SSRIs. So I’m taking Elavil in small doses. Still, one of the side effects is, sadly, weight gain. And it’s working a little too well in that area, I think. Yikes!
Another thing that could be working against my efforts to slim down is my reproductive ills. I have a 3.3 cm (1.15… inch) cystic mass on my left ovary. My Gyn says that it’s nothing to be worried about, but that it could be messing with my hormones. That can cause a whole range of issues, most of which I’m certain affect me right now. The solution? Medication, of course. Birth control pills. I think we all know what one of the side effects of those is. That’s right, folks. Weight gain.
I should be thinking about my self in a more positive manner, but I am absolutely convinced that some of my medical issues are stemming from my weight. For instance, my lack of energy. Were I a few pounds lighter I would no doubt have more energy. Also, my hip and ankle issues. Hello? I’m 5 foot 1 inch tall and my poor ankles and hips aren’t designed to carry this much weight. I think if I dropped down to a more healthy weight these issues would resolve themselves. Ya know?
Of course, it doesn’t help that my beautiful daughter weighed in at 161 lbs when she gave birth and almost two weeks later is a svelt 120 lbs. She’s lost 40 pounds and that makes me green, green, GREEN with envy. Seriously, I want to do that. LOL! I would like to mention, though, that I’m happy for her because she’s gotten past the danger of the pre-eclampsia and my jealously is purely selfish wishing. She still looks much better than that cheeky friend of hers that I can’t stand.
Today we go for a long walk and HOPEFULLY I’ll be able to manage my pain afterward.
Keep your fingers crossed.
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May
21
Posted by Lizzie
We’re pretty creative with old stuff around my house. For instance we use a couple of audio racks as book cases/toy shelves and a wobbly end table as a plant stand. I like to save money that way, so “Design on a Dime” is my friend. But I’ve noticed a trend in my neighborhood with yard “art”. And I don’t think I like it.
For those unfamiliar, this is taking something old, making it look “rustic” (old but pretty) and, well, sticking it in your yard. Used to be that men would bring home huge tires and the women would either use them as planters or hang them from trees. I’ve even seen them cut in half, cemented in and used as the base for a teeter-totter.
Old bathtubs are popping up in yards near me. The claw-footed kind. They’re usually white and are usually filled with pansies of some sort. I guess they’re supposed to look folksie or something, but really? They look trashy. I feel like they should just drive that beat up old Chevy into the front yard, take the tires off and put that baby on blocks. It’d have the same effect, yes? I do blame HG TV, because I remember seeing something like this on there. The look on the television was sweet and almost nostalgic. However, my neighbors cannot pull it off. Pansies? Really? Where’s the vines and ivy and the pretty little bushy things? tsk, tsk.
I won’t be keeping up with the Joneses with this trend. I do believe, though, that I will ask them for their big rocks (last years trend, I think) so that I can put them around my own flower beds. I’m going for the “wild” look and need something for a “natural” border. I don’t have any old bathroom fixtures to trade, but maybe they’ll take my old washer off my hands.
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