Well, it is the last day of November, so it is time to change the message on my answering machine.
I am not a singer of any means, but i think it is funny to sing a christmas tune on my answering machine.
My favorite (I change it weekly) is"Grandma got run over by a reindeer, so she can't come to the phone just right now,
Leave your name and number and we'll call you,
Have a very merry christmas anyhow!"

My dh hates it since he is the one that calls home the most. I think it is a lot of fun!!

I just made homemade cookies for the first time in ages. Mainly because there are just the two of us, and we are always watching our weight. But my husband is really getting too skinny. So I made these cookies for my bridge ladies today, hoping my husband and not me, will eat most of them.
I ran to the store this morning to get the cookie mix, some eggs and some food for my little puppy Holly. why is it, the only food she will eat, cost $1.75 a tub? Talking about expensive dog food.
Oh well, she is worth it.
I used my store car and saved $3, plus I walked a mile and had a no gas day. So I have $5 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $18,687.00
today 5.00
new total $18,692.00

My husband has been a licensed builder in North Carolina for about 20 years. But we live in Georgia and there are no licensed builders required.
this past year, that has all changed. We have inspections now and all builder are required to get a license.
I filled out all the paper work, got the insurance and sent it in about 2 months ago. Nothing has happened.
Today, I checked on line and saw that my husband had been approved on everything. All he needs is the board's approval.
Hopefully, he will become a licensed builder in Ga. next year and won't have to get a job at McDonald's!

I am also a participant on a local forum in my area. Of course, not everyone is local, many are people hoping to move to our area some day.
One lady e mailed me asking for advice on who to get locally to pave their drive and cut down some trees. I gave her the names of our subs.
When they came to their vacation home, they invited us over for supper last night. It was fun to sit outside in front of a roaring bonfire. There were 2 other couples and we enjoyed ourself a lot. Dinner was cooked on the grill and was great. It is nice to make new friends over the internet.

In the mail today, I got a check from Tim Horton for $10 dividend. I also saved $2 with my advantage card yesterday, so I have $12 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $18,675.00
today 12.00
new total $18,687.00

I received my first check from my GM master card's 1% rebate. I don't really charge that much, but my husband buys a lot of materials for spec houses at Home Depot. So I got a check from GM for $100 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $18,575.00
today 100.00

new total $18,675.00

Last night I splurged on my dinner. I usually get something for about $7, last night I ordered the $14 chicken marsala, my favorite meal.
When the bill came, it was free. The owner had paid for my dinner in honor of my birthday.
I walked a mile yesterday and with my free meal, I have $15 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $18,560.00
today 15.00
new total $18,575.00

I decided to do my grocery shopping a day or two early, so it was nice and quiet at the grocery store. I went to pay a bill at the building supply store ,but they are celebrating a 4 day weekend and were closed. I also stopped to close out a very small account at the bank.
It one time had over $200,000 sitting in it earning interest, but I have used that money to pay the bills for this spec house, so the acct was down to $75 and I was going to be acessed a fee.
So I came home with $75 plus I saved over $3 by using coupons at the store. I also found a quarter in the paper machine.(I don't feel around, but if I can see it, it is mine)
So I have $78 to add to my challenge money today.
prev. total $18,482.00
today 78.00
new total $18,560.00

Last night was very nice. My husband made me a cake and then he fixed supper. We ate in the formal dining room for a change, by candlelight. We even played music for dinner and got up and danced afterwards.
I figured that I saved about $12 by eating dinner at home, so I added that to my challenge money.
prev. total $$18,470.00
today 12.00
new total $18,482.00

I went to visit my dh at his job site for lunch. He wants to make me a home made, from scratch cake.
We have a receipe we use to make a lot, but haven't made in years.
So,I went to the store and bought all the ingredients. I had some of them, but they were so old. I have not used crisco or flour in years, so I had to toss them out. I spent $8 on new ingredients, but it will be worth.
I can hardly wait til he gets home and makes my birthday cake. I am an icing lover and we have a great receipe for chocolate icing!
I had better get on my treadmill and really do some walking!

Thanks to some president for making my birthday a national holiday. No turkey for us today. I don't cook on my birthday. DH has gone to work, so we will grill steaks tonight when he gets home. Yesterday I had a no spend day, didn't even go to town.
I do think I will go to the job today to have lunch with my husband.
Happy Thanksgiving!!

I have a lot to be thankful for. One of those things is this forum and all the nice people on it. I feel like I have made some good friends this year.
Happy Thanksgiving!!

I had to go to both grocery stores and they were mobbed. I thought everyone had already gotten their turkey. The first store wasn't too bad, but the second one had long lines.
I got steak for our thanksgiving dinner and I saved $3 using my store card.
I will add that to my challenge money.
prev. total $18,467.00
today 3.00
new total $18,470.00

I finished taking begginer bridge lessons and I had 3 ladies come over and play all yesterday afternoon. I served very little, some snack mix, pretzels and potato chips. I only had diet soda, but they all drank water, so it was a pretty frugal afternoon.
The only place I splurged was on the heat. I keep it set on 60 and wear 2 sweaters. I really blew it and turned it up to 67. I noticed that they all still kept their sweaters/coats on while I sat there in short sleeves.
Well, it was a lot of fun and we are going to try it again next week. I think I played pretty well and never went set, even once.

The electric bill was $75 this month about $7 higher than last month, but still way under the budget of $160. that gives me $85 to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $18,382.00
today 85.00
new total $18,467.00

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They are calling for snow flurries tonight. I really hope it does not stick to the ground. I am not a winter person and there is still a month to go until winter starts.
I did go to Bi Lo to pick up some snacks for tomorrow. I have invited 3 new friends over. We all took beginning bridge and are going to try to get together to practice once in a while.
Shopping at Ingles is cheaper but boring. I like the music they play at Bi Lo. When I walked in the door, they were playing, "You ain't nothing but a hound dog" Ingles plays elevator music!
I did save $3 with my bi lo card cause steak was on sale . Oh, and I walked a mile too, so that is $4 to add to my challenge money.
Prev. total $18,378.00
today 4.00
new total $18,382.00

What was I thinking of, doing my grocery shopping on the sat. before thanksgiving. I ususally go on sundays when it is slow. but I was out of diet sprite, so I went. Not much on sale today. With my advantage card, I only saved $1, so that plus $1 for walking is $2 more to the challenge.
prev. total $18,376.00
today 2.00
new total $18,378.00

A few of you have put pictures up, but for most of us, we just have to guess what each other looks like. I think pricewise said I reminded him of the lady in Fried Green tomatoes.
He must think I am a wrinkled old gray haired lady!!
I love when I get to meet people from my local forum in person. They never look like what I imagine!
Maybe someday we will meet. I would like that!!
What do you think I look like??

I mentioned in my "list", that my grandma had me steal a puppy when I was 3. My grandma was a big dog lover, so am I.
The neighbors dog had a litter of puppies that they were giving away. The children were riding the littlest puppy, the runt of the litter, all around, in a wagon.
My grandma thought it was too cold outside for the puppy and that the kids were too rough with it.
She told me to go into their garage and take that puppy and put it in my coat pocket (It was really little)
I did just that and I went and sat in the car til my mother came out to drive us back home.(We lived on the other side of Norfolk, va.)
I got that puppy all the way home and into the house without my mother knowing. By the time my mother found out, my daddy came home. He fell in love with the puppy!
My mother called the neighbors to explain the theft by her 3 year old! They said I could keep the puppy and I did. My very first dog. I named her Melody Rebecca Christine Jingles Hudson Lady Bug Crosby. She became "Lady" I had her til she died when I was a teen.

About me:

1. my dh is the most important thing in my life.
2. I don't eat fruit, veggies, or seafood.
3. My best compliment was when a guy told husband#1 that he had a very pretty daughter. (He was 39, I was 32)
4. My favorite thing to do it dance.
5. I won't ride in a car with anyone else driving except me or my dh. I get car sick in a block.
6. I graduated 4th in my H.S. class.
7. I was born on thanksgiving day, my mother got no turkey dinner.
8. My grandma told me to steal a puppy and I did. I was 3. I got to keep it.
9. I spent the night in jail. I got to the bus station late at night and it was locked, so I went to the police station and asked if I could stay there. I got a cell just like in Mayberry.
10. I love parties. I should be 19 so I could act my age.
11. My favorite number is 13.
12. I don't know how to do housework.
13. I had 2 convertible spitfire cars.
14. My first husband was 6 feet 7 inches tall, I am 5 feet, 2 inches.
15. I have no living blood relatives.
16. I am addicted to ice, I keep refilling my glass.
17. I love dogs.
18. I have only been to a doctor twice in my life.
19. I still have my ticket to my only Elvis concert.
20. I won a free scholarship to college but eloped my jr. year. (stupid)
21. We moved to the mountains, just on a whim. Had no jobs. Lived on our savings for a year.
22. I got my first sled when I was 41.
23. I am shy.
24. I once had the job of Madame Zodi even tho I was not into astrology. The real lady quit and I had to fill in at the newspaper.
25, My dh proposed to me on April 2nd and my divorce became final April 6th. So I was legally married to one, and engaged to another, for 4 days!

I have enjoyed reading the lists, I haven't done much else this afternoon. I did have a no spend day cause the grocery store was out of the only dog food my Holly will eat.
I had a free lunch at the builder's supply place, all builder's were invited.
Then I turned in all my change in my change jar, so I have $31 to add to my challenge money.
prev. total $18,345.00
today 31.00
new total $18,376.00

I took another pinecone survey the other day and received my 3rd check today. I take a couple of others, but have not earned enough points to get paid for those yet. I will add this to my $20 challenge.
prev. total. $18,340.00
today 5.00
new total $18,345.00

My little pooch, Holly, is gone today. she is at the groomers til about 4 pm. It is a rainy and gloomy day too.
It is funny how much I miss her when she is gone. I don't see how anyone can live without a pet??

We made an appt. to see a foot doctor for my husband. Even after 30 years, I still go to the doctor's and into the room with him.Looks like it was a clogged sweat gland and now his foot no longer hurts.
The bill was for $108.80 and the receptionish informed me that I was getting a 20% discount.
I have found that if I say no insurance, the bill will drop.
My last bill they knocked off $150 cause I paid cash. doesn't anyone pay in cash anymore?

I went into rite aid today because I badly needed a new lipstick and some self seal envelopes. I know I can buy cheaper envelopes, but I just like the self seal type.
They had all kinds of candy and cookies on sale for Christmas, so I bought 5 presents. They are handy if someone gives me something and I have nothing for them. If not used, my dh gets all the candy and cookies.
All 5 presents were on sale, plus I used my rite aid card. My savings came to $16, so with that, plus my walking, I am going to throw a $20 bill into my challenge money.
Prev. total $18,320.00
today 20.00
new total $18,340.00

I got some great deals on candy and cookies for christmas presents at Rite Aid today. It is pretty and sunny right now,so I am taking my puppy for a ride in the red vette!!

I just got an e mail from New worth also, so I went and update mine. This time I was more specific, instead of saying, I have $59,000, I noted that I really have $59,934 in that catagory. My net worth rose about $12,000 this month. all my cash is going into that house we are building. In case you are wondering why houses are so high, I just paid almost $400 for 2 pieces of window trim. The marble shower was over $1500 and without a door, so far!Opps, this first line should have read NET worth, not NEW worth!

I had to make a dr. appt. for my dh this morning. Something in his foot has bothered him for weeks now.
He is going to a foot doctor. He went once before and was in the office 1 minute. The bill was $175. I am glad I put away $100 a week in our medical envelope! Today is pay day, so I will be going to the bank and then home to do my budget for the week!

We are having one of my favorites tonight. N.Y. steak, potatoes and hot crusty bread.
I am so lucky. My husband comes home after working from 7am to 6pm., fixes the potatoes and is going to grill the steak. All I have to do is set the table. Did I ever tell you that he does all the housework too??
And you wonder why I am happy all the time!!!!!

I ordered 300 gallons of propane in Sept. I already had about 200 gallons left from last season.
I have a 1000 gallon tank, so that made my tank about 50% full.
I did not turn on the heat until about the middle of October, so it has been on for about a month.
I went out and read the gauge to see how much we have used.
I am happy to say the needle is just below the 50%. So obviously keeping the house set at 60 degrees has helped a lot!
Of course, It is not that cold yet, but I am happy with the results so far!

DH came home with 10 loaves of free bread yesterday. The guy he is building for , use to own a restaurant and this was the bread he would serve. I always loved it, so he sent me some. I had some for breakfast and will serve it with our steak dinner tonight. DH had a sandwich with it, for lunch!
We are really enjoying it. Is it ok to freeze it? I don't think we can eat all 10 loaves before it goes bad.