Friday, June 8, 2012

Friday Folderol

folderol - Trivial or nonsensical fuss, nonsense, or a useless trifle.


Feel free to pass on by this post. It is mere folderol! 


Top Ten Thoughts on My Mind Today (TTToMMT):

  1. I'm thinking about buying Michael a chainsaw for Father's Day. Copp's Buildall has electric ones on sale for $99.99! Hmmmm, might need an awfully long cord though to reach into our little forest!?!
  2. Giant Tiger has my brand of hair clippers on sale. Currently Michael and I share my old one. When he discovered he could achieve the same effect as his barber did with the clippers for FREE instead of $30 + tip every couple of weeks he was CONVERTED!  By doing our own hair we've saved thousands of $$$$$!
  3. It's GIRL'S NIGHT tonight!!  What should I take to drink??? I'm leaning towards a bottle of rasberry Sourpuss and 7UP, a drink I was introduced to at the Albert and Crown in Alberton last summer. A nice tart summery drink - YUM!
  4. As it's my bestie's birthday today (mine 2 weeks ago and my other friend's in a couple of weeks) I've decided to offer them a beach day next week as a gift (neither of them own a car). SO.MUCH.FUN!
  5. Don't look don't look DON'T LOOK!  Oh crap, I looked....I'm going to have to do some weeding today on my back patio. Lots of little weedy plants are growing up between the concrete patio stones.....
  6. The Euro Cup starts today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go England!!!!!!!!!!!!! (note to self: find and install St. George Cross flags on the car)
  7. What should I eat for breakfast? My choices are: Vector cereal on vanilla yogurt, sour dough rye toast with PB, oatmeal, eggs and chicken bacon. 
  8. Three weeks tomorrow morning I'll be headed east to PEI!!!!!!!!!!!!
  9. Twenty-two years ago this week I graduated from the University of Western Ontario with an Honours degree in Visual Arts. I was seven months pregnant and Kazi kicked up a storm all day long; soon she will be receiving her own degree from the same university. Momma's so proud!
  10. Visited with one brother yesterday and the other one this afternoon - I love my bro's!
Financial Uber Notes (FUN):
  1. For Kazi's graduation I am doing the following: helped her pay for her new silk very expensive dress, putting together a memory album dating back to her time in daycare, buying her flowers and taking her out to lunch after with her boyfriend, her uncle, our neighbour who has been like a gramma to Kazi since she was 4, Michael and myself. Oh yes, and at her suggestion I'm letting her use the car next Tuesday to take some friends to Canada's Wonderland.
  2. I have paid in full the cost of my new fridge and stove for PEI, and have paid off our new TV before incurring any interest charges. I just need the cheque from school to cover curriculum materials I purchased and my credit card will be back to ZERO! I love the feeling of a zero balance!
  3. The one area I am struggling with this month is gas for the car. I (no WE) have used almost two week's worth of gas money in ONE WEEK and I don't get paid again until the 15th. My dear daughter said she would put gas in last night but she didn't so I'll have to remind her and she hates that! Oh well...
  4. We are under in the food budget by $16 so I'll direct that to the gas fund. We are also under in electricity by $2 and natural gas by $2.  That ain't much but I'll take what I can get! It's better than being OVER budget!
  5. The only misc item purchased so far this month is a journal (for me) and a memory album and extra page inserts for Kazi's gift. (and icecream-shhhhhhh!)  I am really trying to rein in my spending, so far so good.
  6. From my next pay I will have $1200 to allot to savings. It will go into my PEI Maintenance Fund to help with costs that may occur while in PEI this summer like any small repair or rebuilding our fence.
  7. Next months savings will rebuild my Christmas/Birthdays fund in full ($1500) and the rest will go towards rebuilding my TFSA. (I owe it close to $20,000 after paying off my line of credit - it will take me til at least the end of this year to repay that account!) 
  8. I have no other EXTRA expenses this month to worry about - thank goodness!  May was a killer month! June looks to be "steady as she goes".  I noticed that Mr. Murphy is at B-Kat's house so the coast looks to be clear for the rest of us!
And that about sums things up. I have $$ in my wallet plus another $160 in my account for any misc items that may pop up. Like that chainsaw. The sale goes until the 17th so I have a while to think about it. If I can tighten the belt even more and save in some other areas (food), then maybe. 

So what do you think I really had for breakfast??

23 comments:

  1. Oatmeal, smoatmeal....you went up and got ice cream for breakfast!
    Well, if "I" had been there I'd have been whispering in your ear to be naughty and do that. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. don't think that hasn't crossed my mind!! Now that you mention it there SHOULD be a BREAKFAST icecream flavour! Like Strawberry Muesli!!





    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Friday, June 8, 2012 12:24:49 PM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ugh boy! Nothing like car shopping to really put a thrill in your life. That or bamboo under my fingernails. Equally fun!!

    I wish I was going to PEI in 3 weeks. I am totally jelly of you. (teenage speak for jealous). I have never been to east coast in Canada. It is on my "To do" list!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'd just like to say 'hello'.  Not sure how I happened upon your blog but I'm happy I did...we have so much in common!  My hubby worked for RBC in London; we are frugal; we love the east coast and have been there 5 times; John shaves my hair to save $$ and to make travelling/camping simpler...it's possibly shorter than yours! ;-)  We retired 'independently poor' when we were 45 and are now 61, still poor but having lots of adventures. 

    Super to 'meet' you!!!

    ~ Cheers, Hazel

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jane @The maple Syrup MobJune 8, 2012 at 5:43 PM

    You had a fresh fruit smoothie including grass and avacado!
    I LOVE LOVE LOVE your hair...I'm too afraid to shave mine (even though it is really short)  I have a natural tendancy to look like a not very nice skinhead.
    Jane x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ha ha Jane, I read the drink with raspberry sourpuss and 7up and laughed. I just bought a 1.14 litre in Quebec for a whooping 26.00...

    I'll make plans  to meet up with you for my days  off this summer...

    PS. stop and buy beer in Quebec on your way here this summer ( if your so inclined) way cheaper than NB and PEI

    ReplyDelete
  7. The sourpuss and 7up sounds divine.  hmm, maybe a run to the liquor store is in order for me too?  p.s.  electric chainsaw bad, batteries don't have enough juice to do any real work and cords can get tangled around legs and be dangerous (as well as not stretching into the woods!).  It's expensive but a large gas saw is well worth the money.

    ReplyDelete
  8. We go on vacation at the same time :)   Wow you got a lot done this month and your gift for Kazi sounds wonderful!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ahh... A chainsaw for Fathers Day... The international gift of love! ;) Sounds like everything is going well & you have lots of fun stuff planned! 3 weeks till PEI! That came fast! How long are you staying for this time??

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for giving me the heads up on Murphy's whereabouts, Im avoiding him this month.
    Sounds like you are going to have just as much fun as your Daughter for her Graduation, and it is a one off so enjoy and too bad about the expense.
    I am having a cheap as chips kind of weekend as we are all full of the cold again and so we are avoiding going near the Grandchildern, I swear Euan will be at school before I get to see him again...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Jane don't go cheap on a chain saw.  Those under $100.00 saws are knock offs and dangerous.  My husband is an old logger and they bind up.  He has seen way too many really bad accidents with cheap saws.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks Kim! I've heard from a couple of people re chainsaws. Definitely not an item to go "cheap" on! I'll pass that one by!





    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2012 12:12:38 AM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete
  13. Awwwwwwwwww not colds again!!! Sheesh, but then I just realized winter is coming your way isn't it? I've got the central air on already, it's only 9:30am! It's going to be hot as Hades here today!





    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Saturday, June 9, 2012 9:06:45 AM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete
  14. I've been told NOT to buy a cheap chainsaw so will pass that one by. As for PEI, I'll be staying til around the 24th of August :)





    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Saturday, June 9, 2012 8:18:11 AM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks! Now I just need to get started on MAKING Kazi's gift!!






    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Friday, June 8, 2012 10:40:51 PM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yes, I've received lots of advice re chainsaw and will be passing this "special offer" by and holding out for a really good one. CHEAP is not good when it comes to chainsaws!!





    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Friday, June 8, 2012 9:32:04 PM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow, that's an amazing deal on the sourpuss! Here it's $20 just for a 750ml bottle!! I will definitely take your advice about buying in Quebec! I never knew their prices were so much better. I'm so excited that you're going to visit!





    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Friday, June 8, 2012 7:17:30 PM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete
  18. Looking like "a not very nice skinhead" could have its advantages sometimes lol! The lady behind me at the ATM a couple days ago just raved about my hair. I love it when that happens because then I can say "I do it myself!" I actually started doing it myself after my older BROTHER told me how he does his - we both have the same little round heads but THAT's where the similarity ends as I'm younger and better looking...hee hee hee!





    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Friday, June 8, 2012 5:43:32 PM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete
  19. Welcome Hazel!!  I think you must be a bird lover! My dad, who lived in Norwich all of his life, installed around 250-300 bluebird houses in the local countryside in an effort to help bring bluebirds back to Southwestern Ontario.  He was very successful and received an award - this was back in the 1980's and 90's. I loved going with him on his "Bluebird Trail" and we would sit in lawnchairs on the side of a rural gravel road with snacks and binoculars as he would record how many bluebirds had nested and how many babies they had.
    We DO have a lot in common, my goodness! Before I became a teacher I worked for the Royal Bank. I found it a great place to work but knew I wanted to finish university and become a teacher. The bank worked around my class schedule and I was able to work enough part-time hours to support myself. Growing up with parents who had lived through the depression taught me to live frugally - I don't know any other way!
    Retiring early means we'll be living on a reduced pension but it will still be more than enough for our needs. I would love to hear more about your adventures and how you managed to retire so early!! It's really a mindset isn't it? I know many families where both adults are teachers so they are pulling in nearly $200k a year yet they don't think they have ENOUGH!! Their priorities are a little askew to my way of thinking!
    Again, WELCOME, and look forward to hearing from you!






    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Friday, June 8, 2012 3:02:54 PM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete
  20. If you ever come east you'll have a place to stay!






    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Friday, June 8, 2012 12:51:35 PM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete
  21. I didn't know they made electric chain saws - what happens if you cut the cord? do you get fried? yikes hope not! my dad didn't like the electric weedeaters because of that but he used one - he got me one that charges for my little patio area. I think his chain saws always ran on gas.
    boy I'm tired - being off for 2 days doing kinda nothing is exhausting! tomorrow it's back to work. blech!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Sometimes doing nothing is exhausting lol!! Hope your week goes well!






    ________________________________
    From: Disqus
    To: j_harrison@rogers.com
    Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2012 9:22:20 PM
    Subject: [jamhair] Re: Life DOESN'T Begin at Retirement - LIFE Begins TODAY!!

    Disqus generic email template

    ReplyDelete

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