It Always Comes Back to Money, Doesn’t it?

Well, winter appears to be here, reminding me that I need winter boots, new mitts/gloves and ski pants. I hate shopping, yet I am able to spend so much money every month. I blame the grocery stores where you can buy everything in one go. Although, it saves me from having to lug from store to store just to get Christmas gifts, new sheets, decent knives, etc. Now whether I would bother to lug myself around in the first place is part of the whole thing.

So where have I been for the past seventeen days? Why, laying laminate in my basement. I wasn’t a huge laminate fan and only gave in as it really is the only way we will ever be able to cover the vast floor downstairs, but I must say that it looks quite good. My dad came up and taught me some tricks for tough angles and cuts and I must say that I did a pretty good job. (I didn’t do ALL of it by myself, but I did do quite a bit.) Now all we need is to get some baseboard and the place will be looking pretty spiffy. The problem is that with some of the rooms being so big, we had to leave expansion gaps at the walls for the laminate which means that the baseboard that we have upstairs will not work down there as it won’t cover the gap when you go up over the doorways as it is a tapered baseboard. So, we have to try something different. And cheap, like MDF. Although the laminate is on ‘don’t pay for thirteen months’, they are still going to want their mullah in thirteen months. Money, money, money.

My daughter is pretty pumped to have a play area downstairs. We started arranging things today and it is amazing how quickly you can fill up an area, even when you have ‘nothing’.

Did you know that there are very few direct flights to Vegas from around here? I didn’t know that either. It is crazy, really.

It all comes back to money.

Water Bottles

I forgot about part of my whole best day ever (yesterday–although today is shaping up pretty good too). Oops! Anyway, a package came (we did order it and do have to pay for it, so it isn’t like it was a SURPRISE or anything. Nevertheless…). The package came from MEC (one of my favourite stores as their products last forever). We ordered four stainless steel water bottles and I also got another long sleeve organic cotton shirt. These shirts ROCK. They are soft, hold their shape and colour and are great and affordable. I love them. I think I have gone through 4 or 5 of their white ones, but you know what? They are only $12! Or is it $15? Either way, I can afford to buy a new one when I inevitably stain them.

So, ta-da, there in the mail was the box. Very nice.

With all that hoopla about water bottles lately, and being unable to get to the bottom of the whole truth thing, we decided you know what? Skip it. Let’s go stainless steel. So, here we are. We bought two different kids to test them out. The one style was more expensive than your regular water bottle, but it is worth a try. And considering that I don’t go anywhere without a water bottle, it really pays off for me. (Plus, if the plastic bottles really do kill people, I’d like to be ahead of that curve.)

Downside is that they are rather plain bottles. I can see in a few years, someone making a good living off of etching/engraving them and whatnot to make them a bit jazzier. Personally, I think I’ll find some cool stickers and have at it.

And I so far, the youngster doesn’t seem to mind hers, although I don’t think she realises that it means she is going to have to give up her pretty pink one with the lovely flower on the side. We might have to do some persuading. Another downside is that it is big (they didn’t have much variety in size or shape) and heavy and it’s not PINK with a lovely FLOWER. But you know, it’s either hormone altering chemicals leaching into her water or a little temper tantrum or disappointment now (maybe). Hmmm…gee. Really tough choice. Besides, she likes stickers–which we will plaster it with. And her mom is doing it.

Now what to do with the huge supply of plastic bottles that we’ve acquired? Hmmm.

Thinking of recycling and whatnot, I discovered that Future Shop takes all those dead little batteries I have lying around, as well as old digital cameras and cell phones and all that to be recycled. YES! Now I can clear more junk out of here. Well, eventually when I get around to it. Sort of like the recycling and the bottles…

Best Day Ever!

Best day ever!

Decided to start the day by going to the book store, where once again we got a PILE of books for great discounts. For example, eleven books for under a hundred bucks–but worth over two hundred. You gotta like that. And so I’m in there cruising the tables, looking for a deal and the Starbucks lady comes up and asks if I’d like a free sample. And she is holding the largest drink I think I’ve ever seen and it has a pile of whipped cream. I’m thinking, ‘so, do I take a sip off the top? Can’t be.’ And as if reading my mind, she goes, “It’s a bit large. It’s a gingerbread Latte.”

And here was my momentary dilemma. It seems that coffee (as well as wheat) gives me a rash–nothing major though, just annoying. And this morning I was thinking, ‘to have a coffee today, or not?’

Anyway, there is this FREE, HUGE Gingerbread sprinkled, whipped cream covered coffee. Like I could say no.

Anyway, she totally made my day. Rash or no rash.

Then later, this other lady who works in the book store comes up with these coupons. She’s like, “Here, put this 20% off sticker on your most expensive book. All you have to do is spend over $35.” And she eyes my huge pile of books in my arms (eight) and almost (almost) smirks. As if $35 is a problem when I go in a bookstore. More like trying NOT to spend $35.

So, the day is pretty great. Then we find a geocache. And then, I don’t have to make lunch because we go out. And then we rent movies.

And then, ahhhh, we relax.

Ahhhh…what a great way to spend the day.

TV Land

You know, it must be fall. There is actually TV on that I don’t mind watching. Well, how about that?

You see, I’m not much of a TV person. In fact, when we moved into our new house, I asked my husband to choose between satellite TV or high speed internet. Guess what he chose? The smart boy. So, basically instead of losing him for hours in front of the TV, I lost him for hours in front of his computer.

Oh well.

Anyway, here are a few shows I’m watching sporadically.

How I Met Your Mother: Pretty darn good. I really like Barney. He’s funny. Mr. Wait For it. Although, I am already noticing that this season isn’t as good as last season. I really liked the sardonicness of last season.

Gossip Girl: I read part of the series and can I just say that Blair (on TV more than in the book) is absolutely amazingly evil? Like oh my god. No wonder adults are afraid of teenagers. This girl is scary! I’m not really watching it much anymore though. It’s losing it’s appeal, I suppose. It is the whole other world, other life, people with money in New York thing which, to me, is getting a bit old. Not to mention that it really isn’t that interesting in the first place. Maybe it is the farm girl in me.

Private Practice: I have only caught a few minutes of this and it intrigued me. So, I have an hour of it recorded that I need to get around to seeing. And as a bonus, it has that guy from Wings in it and he was healing people with rocks. I’m all over that.

The Office: What do I need to say, but that the boss guy is kind of sexy he is so innocent and wanting to do good. A bumbling loser, but a loveable one. I love it when he says stuff like, “My own two girls that I hope to have one day really like that show too.” Or, “Yeah it is hard to balance work and time with my wife and kids that I hope to have one day.” And the characters are just good. They are real.

Survivor: This one is a habit. I’ve been watching this one for, well, since it came out in 2000. The immunity idol thing in this season is pretty good. But, I think they should rearrange the tribes more often because really, the castaways rarely switch sides and then some of the good people get booted off just because of the numbers game.

The Amazing Race: This one just started up again and I am glad to see that the guy who was like, “Karma is a bitch, but I’m a bigger bitch” got bitch slapped by Karma and was the first one eliminated. Go karma!

Desperate Housewives: Okay, so it is not as pithy as it used to be. Still, they are getting a few good one liners in there. And some ‘problems’ you just know is going to blow up in someone’s face and all you have to do is wait. It is pretty crazy the things that the characters get into. Not exactly realistic, but amusing nevertheless.

The Rick Mercer Report: I love Rick. I think I’ll join his little Facebook account thing where it is ‘Rick Mercer for Prime Minister’. I am all over that. But what I wonder, is where does he find all those alleys with such bright coloured graffiti. Is it the same alleys over and over again and I just haven’t noticed?

Pushing Daisies: Or is it ‘Pushing Up Daisies’? I couldn’t care less. I tried watching it as some commercial was raving about it. Well, whatever. It never captured me. I tired it, I didn’t like it, don’t make me watch it.

Brothers and Sisters: There seem to be a lot of brothers and sisters wandering around in this ‘oh, it is all so dramatic’ show. Yak. Spare me. I’d watch soaps if that was what I was into. Which I’m not.

In the music world: Paolo Nutini again. I guess, if I had thought about his last name more and ignored the fact that his singing accent sounds East Indian (to me), I would have gone, ‘oh. Nutini. ‘ini’ like in Lamborghini, Linguini, Fettuccini and all those Italian ‘ini’s and thought he was Italian too. Even though he is Scottish. But really, what does it matter, other than the fact that I thought there might be a little bit of variety in the white guy singing thing. And there isn’t. He’s white.