A Holiday Recap

It was a good day yesterday. I like a low keyed holiday, I really do. I had a great dinner with friends and best of all, NO INSANE EXCHANGE OF GIFTS!. There is something to be said about having a meal with friends and it being a no present type of thing. The two friends who were supposedly giving gifts did, but they were very small items (the scarf) and some soap I like. Nor did said friends seem upset that I did not have anything to give back to them.

I did end up with a couple nice presents, the new scarf, a calender, a couple bottle of cheer, a gift card and an unexpected $50 check from my uncle. I deposited the check to my account and promptly sent him a thank you note.

I decided that my holiday presents to myself this year will be

1) A new DVD player

2) A new feather bed (provided I can find one under $85).

3) A $30 Shopping Spree at IKEA.

I usually meet up with some friends at IKEA on New Years day to wander the store and we have lunch in their cafe. I need a few little things for the kitchen and I can probably find them at IKEA.

My DVD player has been on it's last legs for over a year and I cross my fingers and pray each time I put a DVD in that the machine will "boot up" and play. For $30 I can find a suitable replacement. Since my TV/DVD watching season has arrived, I would really like to have a DVD player that works.

Hopefully, you had a nice day with family and friends!

My Christmas Cactus is Blooming-for Christmas

Last year it bloomed in November, this year just in time for Christmas!

The Upcoming Week's Schedule and How It Affects My Budget

This week is a bit crazy for me, both in terms of a schedule and what I now am going to be spending.  I was  pretty strict with my present budget this year. I did give myself a small budget for "overages and unexpected purchases", and the operative word is small. I narrowed my list down to the few folks I truly want to spend money on and my plans for the upcoming week are all falling together.

Saturday and Sunday: Work at Barn, try to go to friends Hanukkah party on Sunday night on my way home if the weather co-operates. We are getting a weekend of snow here in New England-Think Bing Crosby's White Christmas!  I'll try to post a photo of my view.

Monday and Tuesday: Work a normal schedule.

Wednesday: Work a half day, pick up dessert from fancy pastry shop for Christmas, go home, put feet up and relax.  Supposed to go have Christmas Eve dinner with friends, may just stay home and watch Love, Actually, may head off to a mid-day matinee at the local movie theater (they traditionally have a Christmas eve matinee). The weather will dictate what I do. 

Thursday: Hopefully sleep in, but probably up early anyway, open a few presents, get dressed and head off to a mid-afternoon Christmas lunch/dinner. I'm thinking about making a nice spicy Bloody Mary to have with my Christmas breakfast.

Friday: Work (yuck!), maybe meet up with a relative who is unexpectedly coming in from out of state. My boss at my regular job is out of town and I'm stuck being in the office. 

Saturday and Sunday: ?

I have the option of working next weekend at the barn sitting job, but I may pass and pass on the cash for the sole reason I'm tired! Right now, at this point, I'm just not feeling motivated in any way, shape or form to drive back to the barn next weekend. I think I'd like to stay at  my house. I've not been home for a weekend since the middle of November.  I'll happily work the weekend after New Years, but I'm leaning towards taking this weekend off.

I'm having my Christmas meal with a group of friends, I know everyone except one person who is coming and I found out via the ever (and this time, very) reliable grapevine that two of the guests are bringing presents for me.  This was not supposed to be a present exchanging kind of a party.  I do have a small gift for the host and hostess and one other person that I know well (I'm recycling a gift for them). Sigh, I'm feeling like I need to go out and shop for the other two or more guests.  I really don't want to and I'm hoping the "moment will pass".  I have no desire to go and shop for 8 other people. They were not on my list!

Ah well, it is what it is. 

Christmas In July

I have three charities that I contribute money to on a yearly basis. I have a tradition of donating to "my" charities in July.This is especially true of the local food bank/pantry that gets flooded with food donations and contributions in November and December. People need to eat in the summer as well and I think lots of times we forget that fact in the pressure to make sure everyone one has a turkey for their Thanksgiving table.

Many times the grocery store will have a box by the front door for donations of canned and non perishable items, but I've noticed that box seems to be MIA in the summer.

For the past couple of years I've been buying a gift card to the local grocery store and mailing it to my local food bank. I buy what amount I am able to give (some years it's only $10 some years its $50, one year it was 5 cans of beans, that was all I could afford), but I try to make sure that I give in the summer. I actually bought the card this am on my way to work and posted it in the noon mail drop. One GOOD thing off my list for July.

While we are all caught up in our debt reduction, savings and bankruptcy proceedings, please take a few minutes to donate what you can to the charity of your choice. I realize that for some folks, you may not have any money to spare, but if your grocery store has a food donation box, please take the time to at least buy some items to donate.

What I Got for Christmas

Here be the list:

1) A bottle of Irish Whiskey.
2) Assorted Gift Cards (most to be used for my new TV) to various stores and some that are visa/mc/AE types.
3) A new dog toy storage bin, plus some toys for the dogs.
4) A 6 pack of new dish towels.
5) A set of holiday themed napkins (I actually can use these).
4) A new Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer.
5) A mini crate of oranges (Yummy!)
6) Two loaves of date nut bread (Yummy again).
7) A box of decent chocolates (already split up and part in the freezer for later consumption).
8) A new lunch sack.
9) A Black Watch plaid throw.
10) A travel set of body wash, conditioner, body scrub and shampoo-all in my favorite scents.

All in all, not too bad and I'm very happy with everything I got and the dogs were pleased with their new toys as well.

Thank Goodness the Present Madness is Over

As I posted earlier, I really had no idea who I was buying holiday gifts for, I knew not a lot of people, but some. I specifically opted out of the holidays this year for a variety of reasons, but I still have a few folks to send to. I am having a hard time getting into the holiday vibe, and that makes shopping for even my few gifts tough.

I did want to get my lovely neighbors a present, but was stuck on what to get. I ended up buying a laundry basket, a fleece jacket from Old Navy (on sale 50% off) , gift cards for the two girls, some warm fuzzy socks, assorted snacks (they love salty snacks), a dog toy for the dog, and I'm going to have my local liquor store arrange it all in the laundry basket with a six pack of the adults favorite beverages. My local liquor store does great gift baskets and will customize and pretty up the laundry basket for me and the service charge to do this is minimal (the joys of being a regular customer!)

I got a small Starbucks coffee gift pack and a gift card to give to someone who was very helpful to me earlier in the year. I am also going to Christmas dinner at an old friends house so a couple bottle of cheer will come with me and I'm bringing dessert from the local fancy pastry shop. Another mutual friend will be at dinner and I got her a microfiber couch throw (on sale for $13.99 ), she is always cold and this was one of those impulse buys that actually works out (and being on sale helps). Plus she gave me a present last year and I did not give her one.

I have to go through my receipts as I send my friend James a food goodie box and a lot of that food was tacked on to my grocery bill. I think I went over my $25 limit, but his birthday is in February and the overpriced candles I got at the Candle Party will be his main gift. They did not make it to his Christmas Box this time around.

I did send out a ton of Holiday cards and I actually had over half of them written, addresses and mailed the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The last batch went out last week. That's better than last year when I barely sent out any at all.

My Christmas present to myself was a heated mattress pad (bought on sale at Linens and Things, plus a 20% off coupon). This by far, has got to be one of the best presents I have ever gotten myself. I feel like I'm sleeping in a warm cocoon. I have no desire to get out of bed in the mornings, I will also get myself a nice bottle of bubbly, a gourmet pizza, and a DVD for Christmas eve. Yup a pizza and a DVD. (My DVD player sort of works, I thought it was dead, but it is in fact just dying I'm planning for a replacement in January).

Last year I cooked a full roast meal for the now exBF(Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, Gravy, Two Veg, cheese, crackers and fruit for desert) for Christmas Eve which was nice, but a lot of work.

Right now I can't think of a better way to spend the night. Feet up, fuzzy pajamas, good drink, good pizza and a movie.

My Christmas List

I thought I'd post what I wanted for Christmas, I'm not giving much, and I am not expecting much, but I thought I'd post a couple five things I want (as compared to what I need). I can supply a ship to address for anyone who would care to purchase one of these items for me :)


1) A new flat screen HDTV with DVD player.

2) A gift card to Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks (gotta have my coffee when I travel).

3) 3 Pairs of Smart Wool Socks.

4) A new blade for my Felco Pruners.

5) A new wooden cutting board for my kitchen (mine fell apart over the weekend).

6) A new tube of L'Occitane Hand and Body Cream with 20% Shea butter.

7) A GPS for my car (I used one a couple weekends ago while traveling with a friend and it was great). That little Magellen would be so handy and useful in my auto.

8) UNSCENTED pillar candles.


Just throwing it out there.!

I Want a Dog for Christmas Charlie Brown

OK- I already have a dog, but playing on the radio right now is Vince Guaradli (he wrote the Charlie Brown themes) and last night on TV was I Want a Dog for Christmas Charlie Brown. I am a bit Bah Humbug about the Holidays, but I love Charlie Brown! Just could not resist the post!

Christmas Presents~It's OK to Give Contact Lens Solution!

I’ve been reading various posts about what folks are buying as Christmas presents. Lots of homemade items (cookies, cakes, sweets, knitted wear, scrapbooks, coco mixes), lots of planning for special gifts (I Pods, TV’s) and the usual selection of candles, fragrance, clothes, DVDS, CDs, Etc.

I’ve misplaced the link, but one PF blogger is getting a relative contact lens solution as a present. At first glance, this might seem odd, but when you think about it, it’s not. I use contact lens solution on a daily basis, it does not go bad, so why not give someone a couple bottles as part of their present? My ExBF and I used to pack our stockings with what some folks would consider the mundane items of life, toothpaste, moisturizer, toothbrushes, bar soap, emery boards, etc. Each item was nicely wrapped in festive paper (scraps from the previous years gifts). I have a friend who lives in the UK and each year for Christmas I get a bottle of Lemon Scented Fairy Liquid, a box of PG Tips Tea, and a tin of Cadbury Drinking Chocolate. Cost to her, about 10 USD, priceless to me. I can’t get these items easily in the States and I love the smell of Fairy Liquid.

Personally, I can’t bake well enough to give food items away, I’m not creative enough to knit or sew, I don’t draw or paint, I'd forget that I offered someone a coupon for a service (babysitting, lawn mowing, etc) and if one of my relatives will be happy with toiletries, I’m all for it. I don’t need a lot of “things” in my life, what I need are big ticket items and no one in my circle will be buying me a flat screen HDTV this Christmas, nor do I expect them to. Nor do I really enjoy sweets (and that includes Christmas cookies) to have more than one small tin. I’ve put on my “present list” items I would like to have, most of which are less than $8 each.

I’d be happy with a couple new good quality screwdrivers for my tool box ($3-4 each). I’d be happy with a nice bottle of real balsamic vinegar (not the wine vinegar stuff with caramel coloring)$6 for a small bottle at my local organic grocer, a new paring knife would be helpful ($5), as would a new set of kitchen towels ($3.99). Since I tossed all the various open jars of condiments from my fridge a couple months ago, I know a visit to Pearl River Mart and $15 will give me hours of cooking happiness and about 5 jars of sauces and spices, a three pack of Chocolate Cover Altoids would make me very happy and satisfy my occasional sweet tooth, the list goes on.

So folks, proudly wrap up those bottle of contact lens solution and happy holidays!

The Cost of Twelve Days of Christmas $72,608.02

From PNC Financial, See their report here.