Something awful happened last weekend. Friday before my night out with my work girls, I lost Lucy. I absent mindedly left the garage doors open and she slipped out while Rob and I were visiting. After realizing she wasn’t hanging around like she normally is, Rob and I went searching for her in our neighborhood. Thinking she couldn’t have gotten farther than our coldesacke considering the group of kids at the house outside our street (Lucy loves people), our minds and eyes were racing to where she could be. Driving in my car, with my sweet friend Kelly, we screamed for her and flashed my mini-flashlight everywhere. God must have forgiven my foolishness, because after 30 minutes, I got a call from an unknown number. That’s when the tears came! A lady had Lucy at her house! Here’s how the conversation went:
“Do you have my dog!!!!???” (me, instead of saying ‘hello’)
“Yes, I do!” (lady)
“Oh, my God! Thank you so much! (sobbing) Where do you live??” (me)
“I live in a coldesack, on Rawhide Avenue.” lady)
“I LIVE in a coldasack on Rawhide Avenue!” (me)
“Really?” lady)
“Yes! I’m at 720 W. Rawhide!” (me)
“Well, I live right across the street from you then” lady)
“Oh my god!” (me)
Lucy had wandered only 20 yards to our neighbor’s house across the street, where this lady found her scratching at her door to get in to see her dog, Lily.
This little incident, (mind you, the 3rd time she’s slipped out on my watch), just goes to SHOW, that I shouldn’t have children for awhile. If I can’t keep an eye on a 3 year old, 28 lb curious dog, how can I monitor the whereabouts of a small human!? I PRAY that I’m a better mother than I am a dog owner. I’m pretty anal when it comes to Lucy (she’s the best gift I’ve ever received other than life), but when it comes to all the things I juggle in a day or weekend, it’s OBVIOUS I need to slow down. If I had more time to enjoy the day, I might have been more aware of the back door I left open (or the unread books I have stacking up on my bed stand).
This is why I haven’t bought a planner this year. Instead I bought a journal (to write down all my crazy dreams and random thoughts/feelings), and will only use my work Outlook calendar to plan my days. I’m also trying to say “NO” more. I don’t have enough time in the week to do all the things I want to do, plus accommodate everyone around me, plus have time to just sit around and read a book! SLOWING DOWN is my big initiative for 2009. By slowing down, I’m also going to NOT spend money. To not go places because I think I need to be doing something. I’m going to try my absolute hardest to NOT spend money, or buy things I don’t absolutely NEED. Like shoes or pedicures. I’m content and by slowing down, I can spend more time doing NOTHING, and saving for the future! Like Greece in 2 summers, or a trip to see Sarah in NY w/Rob in June. Save now, play later!
If you have any other tips on how I can SLOW DOWN, please share with a comment! I’ve done the research (even gave a speech at Toastmasters about prioritizing your time for the most important things), but would appreciate any other helpful insight!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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Having been tight on money, or saving for different trips over the years, I have a few ideas to entertain w/o spending money or constantly going out. Here are a few:
Take up scrapbooking. It's relaxing, and gives you time to reflect on past trips you and Rob have taken. Or you and your family. Once you buy a scrapbook, and a few art supplies, save all Birthday cards, or greeting cards. They have different illustrations or phrases you can use, with photos from your past trips. (What you may be short of, I know Tayler and I have in spades.) I'm not an arty person, but that's the beauty of scrapbooking. You don't have to be; to create a book of memories with your photos and a little decoration to each page. If you end up really enjoying this, it also gives relatives ideas for BDay and Christmas gifts, knowing you scrapbook. From supplies to picking up a scapbook for you. You can make different scrapbboks different themes.
Of course then there is your blogging.
For a while I got into putting puzzles together. A 500 or 1000 peice puzzle can take weeks. Have a card table devoted just to your latest puzzle. Whenever a friend came over to visit, all were required to find the spot for a peice of the puzzle. You'd be surprised how your friends as well, will get into trying to find a peice. My last one I did was a scene from Gone w/the Wind. Once it was complete, I used puzzle glue ($2.99) and poster board to hang it up in a bedroom.
Playing cards. Get g/f's together, each bringing a dish for a potluck, and 5 or 10 dollar buy-in, for poker. Instant party at a fraction of the cost. Make it BYOB, so everyone brings their own drink, and plan a theme as far as the dishes for the potluck.
A Trivial Pursuit party/game. (Which can be borrowed from different relatives) I have Sex and the City trivial pursuit and of course the original.
Potlucks with BYOB is a wonderful way to entertain without spending a lot of money, and you get to try different dishes your friends make as well. Add a twist to it, by having each friend write out their recipe they made on an index card, and have a recipe exchange while you're at it.
I know I'm not thinking of other ideas, I may be back as they come to me.
I admire you and Rob for setting goals for trips. It isn't always easy to not spend. Trust me, it's been one of my weak spots for decades. But it is so worth it, to be able to take a long planned for dream vacation.
I just thought of another idea. I'm not sure if you and your girlfriends have gotten to this point yet, but if you have loads of accessories and/or costume jewlery, each gal brings an assigned number of peices they don't wear anymore. And then make a game out of exchanging your old ones for "new" ones. Different ways to go about this. Starting by laying it all out, and numbering them with post-its. Everyone draws a number from a hat. #1 gets to peruse the table and pick a peice she loves. And then down the line. Each number can bump the previous number. If that happens, the one who lost her peice to the last number goes back to the table to pick something else. When everyone has had at least one shot at the jewlery table then negotiations begins. Make sure each friend has a peice they have NOT put on the table that they may want to use as a bargaining peice to throw in the mix to offer up to get the peice or accessory she really wants. Add the potluck idea to it, for a full evening of fun.
Hope that gives you some ideas or sparks a few of your own. Btw, have I told you lately how proud I am of both you and Robby. I love you both so much!
Teri
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