Some Autumn Cemetery Pics

I didn't have a lot of time yesterday to take pictures, but I did manage to take a few while walking through the cemetery.

I'm not sure what type of plant this is, but there are several planted along a hedge. The sharp leaves were a bit wilty yesterday from the frosty night we had.

I chose this image because of where it lays. In this area of the cemetery, there are many old upright monuments, and this gem was laying in/on the ground among them.

Many of the monuments in the older section have this fungus/moss growing on them. After some time, it starts to crumble the stone beneath. All I could think was, "Out of death comes new life."

A couple of full sized cover slab monuments placed directly over the entire grave/lot.

The huge uprights in the background are wonderful pieces of work, with beautifully carved urn shaped tops. Both of these types of monuments are rarely made anymore because they would be cost prohibitive.

Here is a close look at the larger slab monument, placed in 1901.

Another old beauty.

This beauty is slowly sinking into the earth. I wanted desperately to peel away the grass and earth that will eventually cover it, and bring it back up to a level where it can be seen by all. Truthfully though, trying to level this with the ground again would probably break it.

They just don't make behemoths like these anymore. Way too expensive.

This monument was one of three hiding behind some bushes that were likely lovingly planted eons ago. The bushes are now bigger than the monuments, perhaps shielding them from some of the weather.

Just look at the intricate work on this piece. How beautiful!

Same with this one. Such craftsmanship.

This is a style that isn't seen much anymore. A whole piece of stone carved to look like it was formed from several field stones put together.

See what I mean?

A larger example of this style.

From the front. You can just make out the delicate carving of the information.

That's it folks. Just a teeny, tiny glimpse of the beauty I saw in the cemetery.

Go for a walk, while the weather is still reasonably nice. There is so much beauty to behold.













 











Happy Friday

" Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." - Will Rogers

There has been lots going on in my head, and with me in general.

I cleaned out the freezers and took some time to do some stocking up on items that we will use for the next few months. Here are my purchases over the last couple of days:

1x Sirloin Tip Roast, $ 11.66
1x Package Ground Beef, $11.06
8x 1 lb Unsalted Butter, $23.04
2x McCain Frozen Cream Pies, $2.58
1x 10 lb bag potatoes, $1.88
3x 1L Oasis 100% juice, $2.97
3x Pillsbury Apple Turnovers, $6.00
8x Dr. Oetker Frozen Pizzas, $24.00
4x Knorr Rice/Pasta Mixes, 4.00
1 each chicken & beef bullion cubes, $3.00
3x Glad Cling Wrap, $3.00
3x Oatmeal Crisp Triple Berry Cereal, $9.00
2x Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, $3.74
2 lb bag Macintosh Apples, $2.00
3x 90-100 count bagged frozen cooked shrimp, $9.00


There was a lot more, but I don't want to bore you with the details. However, I'm not done with the shopping just yet.

Tomorrow and Sunday, Shopper's Drug Mart is having a 'Spend Your Points Event' , where you get additional dollar amounts in free purchase if you redeem your points over 50,000.
I've combined their sales items from the flyer, along with redeeming 50,000 of my accumulated points. If I've done my math correctly, I will get $100.99 (before taxes) of products for $14.12.
I like to think of it as my version of Extreme Couponing, without the actual coupons, lol!

Products purchased will be:
4 x 2kg bags of sugar @ $1.99 each
4 x Life Brand 2-roll paper towels @ $0.49 each
4 x 24 roll Royale Toilet Tissue @ $5.99 each
2 x Oral B Children's Toothpaste @ $1.88 each
2 x Herbal Essences hair care @ 2/$5.00 each
4 x Vim Cream Cleanser @ $0.99 each
1 x Aleve Tablets @ 9.99
1 x 4 pk Tic Tacs @ $3.49
1 x 320 count Pampers Baby Wipes @ $9.99
2 x Sunsilk shampoo (with free 355 ml conditioner) @ 3.99 each
2 x Balea 2-in-1 Kids Shampoo/Bodywash @ 3.99 each
1 x Trident gum, 4 pack $2.99
2 x Pringles Chips @ 1.99 each

This will give me a head start on some of the stocking stuffers that I typically buy for Christmas, along with a few things to stock up on.

I'm hoping that this weeks shopping excursions will help to lower our costs overall for grocery spending and planned holiday spending.

Have you been shopping this week?

Bloggy Secret Santa Project Hosted by Serendipity

Today I was going to post more about RRSPs, but something got in the way.

A Secret Santa project.

Serendipity is hosting a Bloggy Secret Santa Swap, and I've got to tell you, I'm uber-excited about it!

As part of the participation in the project, I have to write about me a bit, and what I like and dislike.

Here goes:

1. I love reading, especially chick-lit. I am not a girly-girl type (never wear skirts or dresses) so this gives me a bit of an outlet where I can at least imagine that I'm more girly than I actually am.

2. I have allergies to coconut and pineapple (no fruity tropical drinks for me when I might ever be in the Caribbean again), but definitely not to chocolate! I would try almost anything treat-wise, even if I do have particular tastes.

3. I have a 'thing' for all things death-related (go figure, seeing as I am a funeral director); I would some day love to have a collection of Mourning Photography. I collect figures of Egyptian Anubis, and Anput, the god and godess associated with mummification/embalming in ancient Egypt.

Do not click this link if you are squeamish, or cannot handle photos of a sensitive nature! You have been warned. http://mourningphotography.com/

4. I'm a knitter. I love yarns, especially ones made of cotton or bamboo. I'm still learning, and would like to stretch my abilities and try something new in the coming year.

5. Journals and diaries are another favourite of mine. Clean, fresh unwritten pages that beg to have stories written upon them are like an addiction. I can't get enough of them.

Ok, I guess that's enough about me.

Are You Saving for Retirement?

Here in Canada, we are fortunate to have a fantastic registration program known as the RRSP, or Registered Retirement Savings Plan.

Unfortunately, lots and losta people have almost no idea what they are talking about when it comes to their retirement savings.

"Hey Eboo! I just invested in an RRSP!"

Me: "Um. No you didn't. You invested in a savings account, GIC, mutual fund, etc. and registered it."

I have understood the basics of RRSPs since I first heard about them, thanks to a swell guy named Dave F. who took the time to explain it properly to me.

When we head into that time of year when the financial institutions start flogging their RRSP products (read loans), you should have a basic understanding of how it works before you even give them the opportunity to confuse you. Because they will.

Here is a great article that my hero and financial Sham-Wow, Gail Vaz - Oxlade wrote on her blog to help explain it in the simplest of terms. Please take a minute to go read it, and tomorrow, I will post more on the RRSP and how to use it to your advantage.

We Talked Last Night

Hubby & I had a very impromptu budget meeting last night.

He brought me his Holiday booking sheet from work. If he wanted to book time off in the first three months of the year, he would have to book it now. He thought it would be a good idea to book a week off for a tropical vacation we should be taking. I reminded him that there is no way that a vacation like that is in the budget.

He's very disappointed about that. Now he knows how serious our financial situation is, once again.

The good news is we have an income still coming in, both his and mine. The bad news is that all savings we did have to keep us afloat is now gone. Again, we will be spending the winter struggling to keep up with the bills, and paying whatever we can toward the debts.

We agree that we hate feeling this way, like we're always seconds away from financial disaster. I think he's now aware that he must be much more involved in the day-to-day workings of our money. The way it is now isn't working. I always have to be the bad guy, and say no to things that I want as much as he does. (And Lord knows I have trouble saying no to spending money!)

We are still very much a work in progress. We have paid off huge amounts of debt in the last three years, and there is more waiting to get paid off. It's just different kinds of debt now. We're still living above our means, and that is something we need to work hard at changing. Together, we can do this.

Owing the Taxman

In the end of May monthly report, the amount of tax owing was $4432.11.

When I filed my taxes, I had that balance down to $2,829.52. 
I had paid down $1602.59 of it. I also finally filed my 2010 taxes the same month.
I knew there was more to pay the tax man when I filed, but now I have my Notice of Assesment in my hot little hands.

It ain't pretty.

For the record, I am paying on taxes owing for 2009, to which they've added taxes owing for 2010, and a notice that I may have to start making installer payments for the tax year of 2011. This budget monster just keeps getting bigger and bigger. :(

I remember watching Gail on an episode of Til Debt do Us Part, where someone who hadn't filed their taxes on time (or at all) and owed Revenue Canada a considerable amount of money. She explained that not only does RC charge interest on balances owing, but they will also charge late filing fees and interest will be charged on that as well. Adding that every year you are behind in filing, the interest rate and fees on balances owing will climb, from something reasonable like 2% to extrodinary like 10% or even 50%. I remember thinking, "What a dumbass!"

Now who's the dumb bunny?

$2829.52  amount left owing from 2009 Tax year
$6250.29  amount owing for 2010 Tax year
$ 500.02  late filing penalties
$ 150.15  arrears interest
--------------------------------------------------------------
$9729.98  Total Amount now owing to Revenue Canada

Now to figure out how to pay this monster off.

I Dreamt

This morning, for the first time in what seems like forever, I dreamt, and somewhat remembered what I dreamed.

Mostly it was having this intense hunger, and having food in front of me, and the something happened which made me not be able to eat. I dreamed of turkey dinner, with all the fixings. More specifically of dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy. Then it was chili dogs. I wanted cheerios when I woke up. :)

The dreams were also violent, and seemingly very real. Car accidents, fistfights, and stabbings.

But I'm glad they are over.

I wanted to go to Timmie's this morning for a coffee and muffin, but decided instead to come home and just make my own. Less spending equals happier budget. And we are on a tight one this month. Bills are piling up, and nothing coming in as of yet. Stress be my name.

Worry over tomorrow's dental appointment has me jumpy. I do not deal well with pain of any sort. I feel like a little kid, frightened of the dentist, even though he's a really nice man who has promised me lots of freezing for the procedure. I'm still scared though.

I keep reminding myself to breathe deep, and remember that this too shall pass.

It's Going to be a Quiet Week

I had an emergency appointment with the dentist last evening. I guess I'm getting that root canal done sooner than I had anticipated. He was nice enough to give me a presciption for pain meds and some antibiotics, and booked the root canal for Friday morning.

The pain meds made me feel really loopy for about half an hour, then I started having a reaction. I was dizzy, nauseated, itchy all over and I needed to sleep it off. 12 hours after I had taken one pill, I was still feeling pretty gross. A 'drug' hangover I call it. And my teeth still hurt. No more of those meds for me. I'll stick to Advil.

I'm not talking much, and I'm not eating very well, so it's going to be quiet around here, lol.

I think I'll go back to bed.

I'll be back when I'm feeling better.

Sunday Thoughts

I'm stressing myself out about money again, even though I am trying to relax a bit about it. I always have this feeling of dread, like something bad is going to happen, and we're going to end up homeless or something. Not that that would likely happen, but it's how I get when I am stressed out about money. I really can't change what is, but I am striving to spend less and earn more to reduce my stress.

I've had a toothache since Friday, and I know it won't be good when I finally do go to the dentist. I have an exposed broken molar, and the molar beside it is cracked, almost in half. For the most part they don't bother me, but it will be an expensive fix. $1200 that I just don't have right now. And that's the amount I will have to pay after insurance. Grr.

I did pick up some extra work from the 20th - 28th, and am looking forward to it. I pray that I can earn enough money that week to pay the rent for a month. :)

I've been reading and knitting lots this week. Sometimes it's easier for me to escape reality inside a good book than to worry about things that I can't really do anything about right now. I'm making progress on an afghan that I am working on. Hopefully I can have it done by Christmas.

Cub's sitter wants to start potty training this week, which ought to be interesting. He has no interest in using the potty whatsoever. I've cut down his liquid intake in the evenings so he won't wake up soaked in the middle of the night anymore. I've never trained a boy before. Any method suggestions that have worked for you?

DD1, her BF and grandcub are coming over today for Indian Tacos and watching the Season 2 premiere of The Walking Dead. I miss having all my family together and it will be nice to have a crowded, noisy apartment for the evening.

I haven't been focusing on my Top Ten daily, and the house is definitely reflecting that. I have got to get doing the laundry, or we'll all be wearing shorts and tank tops this week. :(  I just have no motivation to get things done.

I have got to go to the grocery store today. It's not going to be a fun trip at all. Wish me luck.

P.S. Hubby owes me a million dollars. This morning when Cub came into our room at an ungodly hour, I thought "Yay! It's my day to sleep in!" After prompting Hubby to get up, he rolled over and said, "I'll give you a million dollars if you get up with him". I waited thinking that he would still get up, but instead it was me givng cub breakfast before 7 a.m. I'll take a money order, please.

A - B - Cs of Me

Lots of bloggers have done this, so I thought I would join along.

A-Age: 39
B-Bed Size - Queen
C-Chore you hate – Taking out the garbage and recycling!
D-Dogs – Not at the moment; would love one to grow up with Cub when we have a house of our own.
E-Essential start to your day – Coffee. Must. Have. Coffee.
F-Favourite Colour- Purple J
G-Gold or Silver – Silver or White Gold
H-Height - 5ft and three quarters of one inch. J
I- Interests – Learning stuff.
J-Job Title- Funeral Director
K-Kids – Three: 22, 12, and 3 (and a 9 mth old grandcub!)
L-Live – Southern Ontario, Canada
M-Mothers Name -Pauline
N-Nickname - Eboo
O-Overnight hospital stays – Too many
P-Pet Peeves – People who use the non-word ‘irregardless’
Q-Quotes from films - "It’s so fluffy, I’m gonna DIE"
R-Right or Left Handed - Right
S-Siblings – 2 half-sisters on Father’s side & 3 half-sisters and 4 half-brothers on Mother’s side, too many step-sibs to count
T-Time you wake up - 6-7am
U-Underwear – only from the Gap
V-Vegetables you hate – I haven’t met one yet J
W-What makes you run late – usually Cub, but pretty much anything and everything!
X-X-Rays you've had - teeth, knee, ankle and hands
Y-Yummy food that you make – Lots of baked goods.
Z-Zoo animals – Lions are my most fave.

Probably more than you ever wanted to know about me, but here it is anyway.
Have you done one yet on your own blog?

Tips for Dealing With Impostor Syndrome

Yesterday, I blogged about something I have been dealing with. My Impostor Syndrome. For me, it's a voice that makes me feel incompetent, useless, and is very destructive to my self-esteem.

In researching for these posts, I found one statement that truly encapsulates how it feels for me.

In her mind she believes it's only a matter of time before everyone discovers that she's "faking it."


Faking it in my professional career, in my relationship with my spouse, with my teaching and nurturing of my children, as a blogger, as someone who is fixing their financial mishaps, as member of several families, as a member of society in general. Ya see how this can grow to toxic levels for my self-esteem?

There may be a gender issue at work here too. Men are more likely to attribute their success to internal factors (their ability and effort) and their failure to external factors (task difficulty and luck), whereas women are more likely to attribute their success to external factors and their failure to internal factors. Men are able to boast of their accomplishments and skills, and women typically do not. Are differences in hormone levels a factor also? I believe there could be.

How do I deal with it all? How can a person who feels like a fraud hope to bring themselves out of that kind of self-destructive thinking?

Firstly, recognition of Impostor feelings when they happen is key, and knowing when it goes from Impostor feeling to becoming completely toxic. Stop it dead in its tracks. Reminding myself that I am a worthy person who has come from difficult circumstances and bettered herself, by herself, in order to be where she is today.

I'm learning to separate feeling from facts. Just because I feel like a fraud as a blogger, does not change the fact that I do blog, therefore I am a blogger. I'm no J.D Roth from Get Rich Slowly or Trent from The Simple Dollar but I am a blogger.
Same goes with our finances. We haven't gotten it all down pat yet. We are not out of debt yet, nor are we perfect with our savings, but we are trying, and getting a bit better at it every day and every year.

Rewrite your mental script; If your Impostor is telling you that you don't deserve to hold the position you are in, or to have accomplished something, tell yourself and that stupid voice exactly why you are worthy and the work you have done to get where you are.

Talking about your feelings is always of great help, especially to me. Talking things through with others is one of the ways that I learn to cope, and it helps to know that I am not alone, that others struggle with this too.

Consider the context, the surroundings and the circumstances that surround the Impostor feelings. I find I have these feelings often when there is stress at work, and usually something that I have no control over in the first place.

Seek support. My family and friends (both RL and online) are invaluable to me. They are my greatest cheerleaders and often see the success in things I do that I cannot see for myself sometimes.

Be kind to yourself. Remind yourself of your good qualities; kindness, loving, caring, etc. Know that when people smile at you, it is almost always genuine, and with good reason.

I will continue to struggle with this, for many reasons that would take to long to explain here, but I am learning to cope. I think that it ties in to my procrastination tendencies also. I tend to want everything done 'perfectly' in my way of thinking, and if I can't, I will put off doing anything. These are the reasons why I never contributed to an RRSP until last year. It's also why I struggle with budgeting. If I can't do it right, I won't do it.

I'll leave it to you at this point? Do you struggle with this also? Tell me about your experiences please.

Impostor Syndrome

It started coming to the forefront of my mind several weeks ago when fellow blogger Captain Sweatpants asked a question about the Awesomeness of Women in this post.
He asked: Why is it that women don’t ever admit that they’re awesome? Do you actually know you’re awesome but just don’t want to verbalise it? Or (this is worse) you don’t even realise you pure awesomeness?

My inner voice told me, "Yeah, you're awesome. You do all this great stuff, multi-task with the best of them, have a great career, a wonderful family...."

And literally that's when this tiny whisper of another inner voice started to speak. I couldn't hear her very well at first, but she reminded me that I hadn't been living in this happy state for very long, and it could come crashing down on me at any moment, and it would be all my fault.

Truthfully, that second inner voice, who I know know as my Impostor voice, has always been there, whispering all along. You can't even finish high school, let alone graduate college. What kind of parent are you to let your child escape the house and almost run out into the road?

In response to Captains question, I tried mightily to prove that I am awesome, and I know how awesome I am with this post. My own challenge the day before was to have fellow lady bloggers talk about their accomplishments, career, personal or otherwise. It didn't matter. Say something about how wonderful you really are. The three responses that I got amounted to saying that it was a difficult task, and never went any further.

In my work, I am constantly afraid that someone will somehow figure out that I feel like an impostor in my chosen field. That they will challenge the validity of my choices, and that they will want a 'real funeral director' to come and take over.

Then when the Impostor Voice goes from a whisper to a being heard clearly, it runs through me like some sort of rabid infection, telling me that I am not a good enough mother, wife, sister, auntie or friend. She reminds me of my failed marriage, and incompetence of being a provider, communicator, lover, nurturer, and teacher. Her oily voice changes and takes on toxic qualities that make me doubt my relationships with everyone I know, pressing me to stay home, alone and quiet, lest the world find out about the real me and that I am not a good person. Oddly enough, at that point her voice sounds just like my mother's.

I have been dealing with it for awhile, beating that voice into submission, when something else pops up. Lousy sales of my home made candles. A problem with communication at work. An article that Gail wrote that "People have all kinds of reasons and excuses for not saving money. And then there are the people who act like they’re saving, only to end up tapping those savings to cover their butts. "
Later in the article, she wrote, "Hey, if you aren’t saving, regardless of what your excuse may be, you’re an idiot." And cue the toxic voice again. Just like that. Reminding me of my failures, and that I can blow through a $1000 emergency fund in 12 seconds that took me 12 months to build.

Some tidbits about this syndrome:

The impostor syndrome, is a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments.

Despite external evidence of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.

"Others deal through extraordinary effort, working harder than everyone else while secretly convinced that if they were really smart, they wouldn't have to work so hard."

"People who feel like imposters often have high, unrealistic expectations of themselves, perfectionist issues, and the conviction that they shouldn't be struggling at all.


Tomorrow: Ways to deal with this syndrome, other than letting it have free reign over your life.

Tuesday

Thanksgiving is a particularly difficult holiday for me, as my step-dad passed away during Thanksgiving weekend some 20 years ago. Since that time, I have never been big on celebrating the holiday, although I make it a point to remain thankful for all I have that others do not (and I don't mean the material stuff).

We spent some time this weekend with Hubby's family eating turkey and having a laugh or two. But most of our weekend was spent at home, waiting on the phone to ring. It's our weekend on -call and it's been rather busy. Today is our regular on-call day, so we will have been on-call for five days, and will continue to be until 8 tomorrow morning. Which is just fine by me.

My sister has decided not to continue with the booth at Gibraltar's. We'd only sold $5 of stuff all weekend, and with rent being in the $85 range, it is just not good business sense for us. I have another 'market' type  place in mind, and knowing that the season of holiday bazaars is about to start, I'm not too worried about having places to sell our wares. I need to spend some time repackaging some of the candles. The oils from the wax and fragrance got  too warm, and the boxes and bags don't look too good anymore.

The bank accounts are frighteningly low right now as we are waiting on monies coming in from the business. We really need to stock up the pantry and freezer but it will have to wait. In the mean time, we are 'eating down' what is in the freezer now. I'm hoping to get it low enough to be able to defrost it to get rid of the ice build up that has accumulated on the inside of it.

I'm planning on tackling the 'office' area of the apartment this week, to see if I can make some sort of sense and order to it. There is still filing to be done, and some paperwork to catch up on. That should keep me busy for most of the week.

And there are books I have that I want to read.

And there is knitting to be done.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the week and getting things accomplished.

"All money is is a tool. A dollar bill is no different than a shovel. It's used to get you something." - Gail Vaz - Oxlade 

A Post for Angus

As promised, today's post is for Angus (HI!!).

We met with some members of the local Gail Club Wednesday night. There was one new member in attendance. I didn't have a Gail Book on the table so we may have missed some new people coming in. Sorry if you didn't see us because of it.

We talked a lot about how our respective members got started, and how through trial & error, they did what worked for them. (Ya know, the personal in personal finance?) The newest member said that he and his wife has the budget all set, the jars ready to go, but something is holding them back. The something being the fear of change I think. Been there, done that!

Another member reported that whose debts were in astronomical amounts in 2007, have now paid down their debt to $2500 (excluding mortgage)! That's fantastic. Three cheers for S & K!

The older member of our group talked about her 'sandwich generation' challenges; her children saving/not saving while attending school; her invoking Power of Attorney for Financial matters for her ill mother; retiring recently and struggling with her own finances while trying to keep her husband on board.

I've had a few busy days since then, and am trying to take it easy this morning. It's our weekend to be on call, so I've made very few plans for us this Thanksgiving weekend. DD1 is coming over to spend the day with us (without the grand-cub) so I think I'll pop a chicken in the crock pot for dinner.

I've not been keeping up with my Top Ten list this week, but I do read it every morning, and its location on the fridge is a good reminder of things that I want to be doing that align with my priorities. I would like nothing better than to spend the entire day today knitting and just being with my family, but there are chores to do, and laundry that won't get do itself. Hopefully I will find me some motivation to at least get some laundry done today. I'm even more hopeful that the phone will ring, and there will be more work for me. I've agreed to take on some extra work from the 20th to the 28th of this month, and that should provide us with some much needed additional funds to get our finances back on track.

Maybe there will be a ton of sales at Gibraltar this weekend! :)

Yesterday was Productive

At least it felt really productive to me. I got a blog post written, had a smoothie with at least 8 servings of fruits & veggies, I cleaned out the bathtub and toilet, washed down some walls, cleaned the kitchen, did the dishes, made dinner and had it on the table by 5, did dishes again, did some knitting, made cookies with the hubster, went over the budget, did dishes again, and was in bed by 11:00.

Considering I have days where almost nothing gets accomplished, I'm feeling pretty optimistic about this Top 10 List. It helped to keep me focused most of the day.

Tonight is our local Gail Club meeting, and I think I might be meeting a fellow blogger tonight (Hi Taybird!). DD1 is going to watch the kids for us, and will be doing some baking with DD2. I think Banana bread is on the menu. :)

Hubby and I used the stand mixer last night when we were making cookies. OH-EM-GEE! I think I'm in lurve! Mixing everything was so easy and my arms didn't hurt at all, lol! Hubby and I are making a 'baking' shopping list tonight so that we can go buy necessary ingredients to make all sorts of baked wonderful-ness.

I'm hoping to get more than 6 things done on my list today, but if not, I'm OK with that.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

My Top 10 Checklist

Thanks to Carla over at My Half Dozen Daily ( who attributes her post to Momof2 at Abundance: Frugality, Food, Fitness and Fun ), I have also decided to make my own Top 10 Checklist.

The idea is to make a list of ten things that are important for you to do every day. Write them down, and then check them off as you go along.

At first I thought, "Oh, I'll just write down the top ten things I need to do today" and then I realised after rereading both articles, that the list should be things you need or want to do everyday. Thinking about it while writing my list really shows what I value and where my priorities are.

My Top Ten Checklist

1. Write a blog post, a letter, a thank you note, or a section of my story. Writing everyday is something I love doing.
2. Have my 5-A-Day. Smoothies make this much easier but I need to keep this a priority if I ever expect to lose any weight.
3. Clean for 1/2 hour. I can break this into two fifteen minute intervals if need be.
4. Do 1 load of laundry. We go through lots of clothing, and the mountain never seems to get any smaller. I have to keep up on this, and this is a good way to do so.
5. Spend 1 hour a day making or creating something. (Knitting, plastic canvas, candles, etc.)
6. Spend 1 hour daily on business paperwork. This should keep me caught up.
7. Make dinner from scratch.
8. Exercise for 1/2 hour; Walking outside in nice weather or doing at least one circuit of my DVD.
9. Spend 1/2 hour on budget/spending or finances. Must. keep. costs. down.
10. Spend time with members of my family, either individually or together. I love spending time with these people, so I will continue to show them that they are a huge priority in my life.

So, that's my 10.

And this post means I can cross off one thing on that list today. ;)

Monday Links, Love and Hate

Hate:
I got my first 'hater' comment yesterday. Anonymous (why do they always post without a name?) managed to insult my husband, myself and my children, along with blaming me for what is wrong with society in general, all in 3 short sentences.

I must be moving up in the blogging world if I'm getting those kind of comments, lol!

I've left the comment up for now, just in case anyone is interested in finding it, and making a rebuttal. Good thing I have thick skin. ;)

Love:
Of course, because I posted yesterday that I needed more hours, I've been busier than a one-armed paper hanger. Yay for money coming in.
DD2 loves her room! She's slowly working on putting things away, and making a 'donate' pile to let go of some things as well.
Thanks to everyone who has left encouraging comments on my posts about having such a bad month. I know it's going to get worse before it gets better, but I'm still prone to get in a funk over the financials. Oh, how I wish I were not in this mess in the first place. But, it is what it is. I've sharpened the shovel, and am ready to dig us out of this once again.

Links:
If you have not already done so, please, please take the time to get your Will, and Power of Attorney documents done. Yourmoney.ca has a great article called 6 Things to Know About Creating a Will. It points out valid reasons why everyone should have these important documents.

Month End Report - September

Let's review:

September goals:

1. $75 for the pager; this will pay up the account until June 1/12 No
2. Continue making small-ish deposits to Emergency fund, EEE Account, House fund, Vacation fund, car fund, and laptop fund. Sort of.
3. Start 2 new funds for Business Equipment and Dental Work. No 
4. Our Insurances are coming due. Pay off #1 & #2. 1 of 2 paid
5. Catch up with all paperwork for business. o_O Halfway accomplished.

OK, so I didn't accomplish much this month or so it would seem. I did pay the contents insurance on our apartment for the year, and I did get the dreaded Income Tax filed (finally). I so dislike doing that. Of course, the result wasn't favourable, which is probably why I dislike doing it so much. Everything seems to be on hold until I can get a grip on the finances. Paying out an additional $600 per month for childcare is something that is hard to get used to. If I don't start getting more work soon, I may have to pull him from daycare.


Ok, on to the Month end report:


TFSA/ EEE Account $460.54 (up $23.70)
Xmas Fund/Car Fund $1603.72 (up $0.10)
RRSP Savings Acct. $107.19 ( up $25.08)
Vacations Account $48.65 (up $2.80)
RRSP MF Acct. $1,687.75 (down $20.84)
RESP MF Acct. $1371.75 (down $24.11)
Emergency Fund Account $8.94 (down $991.46)
House Fund $5.03 (down $114.99)
Biz Savings/5 Categories $129.07 (down $2291.07)
Canada Savings Bonds $1605.00 (up $140.00)
B's Savings Acct. $59.10 (down $184.41)
$5 Bill Laptop Fund $60 (up $35.00)




Personal Loan: $5655.50, down $160.00
MBNA Card (27.98%): $1,213.73, down $267.64
Capital One Card (19.8%): $2948.15, down $125.93
Overdraft 1: $648.58,down $260.86
Auto Loan: $ 0
Tax Owing: $3191.26, up $8.73 (correct as of Sept. 19th)


Our current total Debt owing: $13,657.22


Total Debt owed January 1, 2011: $23,861.01
Difference since January 1, 2011: $ 10,203.79
Difference since last month: $ 908.49


The auto loan was paid off, finally. I got my credit card balance under $3k, and hubby's credit card balance is approaching 3 digits instead of four.It is going to be a rough few months for us if I can't get more money coming in. Hopefully, October will be a good month income-wise.