Cats And Coupons

How many of you have a coat rack? How many of you have fitness equipment? Is your fitness equipment your coat rack? I was just wondering. I haven’t used my exercise bike or my treadmill since before my surgery, and they’re just sitting collecting dust. The treadmill is folded, on one side of the living room. I looked at it today and either my hubby or my older son has left a shirt on it. I have seen my hubby leave shirts on it on numerous occasions, so I suspect he is the culprit. The exercise bike is in front of the picture window. I heard that hubby is picking up the Christmas tree this weekend, which means the bike will have to be moved somewhere, I don’t know where. I know the solution to this problem. It’s the same as the solution to a couple of other problems. We need a bigger house. I really want to add a second story. But that requires money, which who knows if we’ll ever save enough of.

Looking for some new bedding? Maybe something simple but pretty?I found some Asian Bedding that fits the bill. This line includes blankets, bedspreads, pillow shame and duvets. The soft, relaxing colors would coordinate well with many other colors. I read the description and wanted to curl up in the blanket. It’s snowing outside here in Jersey right now, so I know I’d be comfy curled up with a good book under there.
The double layer blanket is made of microsuede on the top and plush polar fleece on the bottom. This is one of two designs in Vision Bedding’s new Asian Bedding collection. Vision Bedding specializes in creating unique customized bedding and photo bedding, as well as carrying so many other designs that there’s something for everyone.

I have always tried to give my husband nice gifts that he will appreciate and enjoy. He’s had his own friends tell him he’s spoiled, and that he doesn’t deserve his gifts. One year I bought him a big screen television for Valentine’s Day. That same year I bought him a home theater system for Christmas. In fact, if I got him leather home theater seating it would complete the whole movie theme I unknowingly started. But then I’d only have myself to blame for him falling asleep in the living room.

Drive by my house. Which house is mine? I have a cat mailbox, complete with a head, tail and feet. A couple of years ago my Mom wanted to get me something different for my birthday. So, while we were on vacation in upstate New York, she and I went to a small business that sold nothing but custom mailboxes. This man carried so many neat mailboxes including different animals, fire trucks, cars, people, fish, houses, even light houses and windmills, and many others. I love my mailbox. It’s got a black cat with a tiny bit of white. Unfortunately, when my hubby put it out there he attached it too close to the edge and the door got a bad ding and won’t quite close all the way. So now I think I’ll buy an inexpensive mailbox just for the door, and see if I can fix it.

In my house we’re connected to the internet on DSL, which we get through the phone company Verizon. I’m rather happy with it. Lately we’ve been seeing Verizon television commercials for FIOS, which stands for fiber optic service. Now I don’t know about anyone else, but when I hear those words I think of those table lamps that were popular years ago. The lamps consisted of fiber optic cables that appeared in different colors and looked sort of neony. Some of them were pretty neat. I’ve never had one. If any of you had one, how was it?

I was looking at some lighting fixtures online. I couldn’t help but notice that at least half of the fixtures for sale on the web aren’t terribly pretty. Ok, they’re downright ugly. Some look like they could be featured in a scary movie. They make a bunch of those candelabra looking chandeliers. There is most of the lights I looked at would fit into my home decor, or the decor of anyone I know. In situations like this I like simple better. A simple and understated look can be so elegant and attractive. Maybe they can find some vampires to sell them to. In the meantime, perhaps I should go see what Kichler has.

I have a few odd fears. When I say fears, I don’t mean they obsess me so I can’t carry on my life. I just mean that I acknowledge I have them. I am afraid of things burning or shocking me. What do I mean you ask? I won’t use the grill outside. I never ever leave a candle burning if I’m not in the room. I check ashtrays three times to be sure nothing is lit. (And I don’t even smoke any more.) I worry about any clothing, bedding and such being too close to an electrical outlet. (That one’s mostly in my older son’s room.) I never ever go touch the outlet the microwave is plugged into. (That’s because once I was cleaning and it got damp there and a giant spark came out of it.) When we got my son his imac a couple of years ago I found some great deals on IBM memory. I bought memory for his imac but was too afraid to put it in. As with most computer hardware upgrades, I asked my Dad.

Want to streamline your budget? Ask your utility company if they have a twelve month budget plan. We’re on one for both our electric service and our natural gas service. What they do is average out your monthly bill over the past year, and make that your payment amount. Somewhere between eight and twelve months in they may evaluate the numbers again to adjust the average. It’s much easier to plan a budget when you have the same amount to spend on something every month. And there’s no more giant electric bills during the summer because you’re running the air conditioner, or giant gas bills during the winter because you’ve always got the heat cranked up.

Replace the filters regularly. Clean filters keeps the coil clean which increases efficiency.
Check your ducts for leaks. Sealing and insulating your ducts will keep your money from being blown away.
Install a programmable thermostat.
Use curtains, drapes, blinds and shades to use sun and shade to your benefit.
Turn the lights off. I don’t only mean when leaving a room, I mean whenever they aren’t truly needed.
Upgrade your light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs.
Use solar powered lights outside

Going back many years, my closest friend and her husband had a dehydrator. Her husband used to make home made jerky, and she’d bring it to work for me. Well I liked it so much that one year for my birthday she gave me my own dehydrator as a gift. That’s how I started making my own jerky. My Mom liked it so much she bought her own dehydrator and started making it too. I have an American Harvester Snackmaster and my Mom has a different brand. I have a Jerky Works Kit which contains a gun and different tips so you can make your own slim jims, as well as some seasoning packs. I use 97% fat free gound beef if I can get it and if I can’t I use 93%. It takes a while to make jerky so I make a big batch, usually at least 2 pounds of ground beef. I have also made home made fruit rollups. The next thing I want to try is dried apples.
When we’ve made something I seal up whatever isn’t being eaten so it doesn’t go bad. I have a Foodsaver vacuum system that my parents got me. I recommend it highly if you have anything you want to store and be sure it’s air tight. If you’ve ever thought about getting a vacuum system for your home, now’s a good time. Foodsaver has been nice enough to give me some specials.
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Let me know what you make with your dehydrator if you get one!