Friday - A Good Example

Finance and Frugality Friday

Tonight Rob and I will continue our tradition of being frugal while spending our time and money on what we truly value. We meet our best friends at our local Thai restaurant. Do we eat dinner there? Oh my, no. This place is famous for the most fabulous martinis. Rob gets the Lychee fruit, Sammie and I get something called a Wedding Cake, and Stan always goes for the traditional dirty vodka martini. With a generous tip, this outing costs us $25 per couple. Then we head over to Stan and Sammie's place. We throw a tri-tip on the grill, eat plenty of chips and salsa, and enjoy Sammie's famous mixed green salad. We gather around their fire pit for general merriment and then head down to the rec room for playing a bit of pool - we prefer 9 ball. If we need a cab to get safely home that'll cost us $20.

We do this almost every weekend because we love it. We get the cool environment of the bar scene that we love without the high cost usually associated with such evenings. We get to eat good food and enjoy good friends. We take turns hosting so the food cost is minimal.

Some (okay many) people disagree with this approach. They choose to rarely socialize or never enjoy a drink in a bar. But Rob and I and our friends have chosen this style fully informed. This is what we want. This is what we value.

What do you do about socializing on a budget?

Thursday - Rethinking Chores

Homemaking Thursday

I have a list of chores:

Monday

o   Vacuum bedroom/bath

o   Mop master bath

o   Dust bedroom

o   Empty bed/bath trash

o   Vacuum kitchen

o   Mop kitchen tile

o   Mop pad to laundry

Tuesday

o   vacuum all wood

o   bona all wood

o   bona pad to laundry

o   Clean tv screens

o   Dust living room

o   Leather wipes in living room

o   Empty house trash

o   Trash to curb

Wednesday

o   clean kitchen table

o   Remove nose prints kitchen

o   Wash dog water dishes

Thursday

o   Clean out fridge

o   Plan future meals

o   Plan shopping

o   Remove nose prints dr

Friday

o   Pick up dog poop

o   Vacuum house

o   Empty kitchen trash

Saturday/Sunday

o   Launder linens

o   Make bed

o   Clean master shower

o   Straighten laundry room

o   Check all cleaners

But these items very rarely get done on these days. In fact, most of the time they never get done. At least not weekly. So, does realizing that I'm not following my list mean I should revisit my plan? Should I just try and honor my own rhythms and routines? If I did that then weekdays would only be for laundry, meal prep, and daily kitchen clean up. Then the weekends would be for all the other crap.

If I do this then that means I need to make a new list. Best idea ever!

How do you handle your weekly home chores? A big sweep on one day or spread out over the week?

 

OMG Blonde and Balanced Likes Me!

I can't believe that I can't stop smiling. I'm wiggling around in my chair with delight and glee. The Blonde wrote an entire blog post because she was inspired by a comment I made to one of her previous posts.

I'm just going to repeat that because it makes me feel so good.

Em The Blonde mentioned me by name in her blog.

And this is where I'll take the time this weekend to learn how to link to other blogs.

Wednesday - I Only Cried a Little When I Read the Scale

Health and Wellness Wednesday

Yuck. Yucky yuckiness. I felt like shit when I stepped on the scale at the gym yesterday. A gain of 3 pounds. I plummeted into a shame spiral. I drink too much and eat too much and I'm a fat piece of shit and why don't you just give up and accept that you're going to be over 200 pounds forever and you're disgusting and gross… and on and on and on.

I feel a little better today, but not much. What's wrong with me? Why am I so gross? It's not okay with me to be this big - but apparently it is. I mean, why don't I just stop eating and stop drinking and exercise for hours every day and hire a personal trainer and on and on and on.

Take a breath. Start again. Get up off your ass and do something. And I will start again and again and again until my outside self matches my inside self.

Blessed I am to live in such a beautiful temple.

Blessed I am to love in such a beautiful temple.

Repeat it until you believe it.

 

 

Tuesday - Still Forgetting the Goals + A Great Story

The Woman I Want to Be Tuesday

My 5-5-5-5 plan is not going very well, which just underscores that I'm over-planning and over-thinking and over-scheduling. I'm so over it.

I found this little thing I wrote a few weeks ago:

 I've been telling stories for as long as I can remember. Mostly to myself, but whatever. At summer camp when I was 13, I experienced a cliché rite of passage with my first French kiss. After Josh and I swapped spit, I walked back to my cabin. For the entire walk I rehearsed what I'd say to the other girls. I scripted the retelling of this first tongue kiss. Ha! Take that, blonde, older girl who on the first day of camp demonstrated to the rest of how to dry-shave her legs - an idiotic thing to do then and now. But she had our attention. Well, now I'd be the one with the attention. Thus setting the standard for so many of my future liaisons - I did it because it'd be a great story. I did it because I wanted to be able to say that I had done it. 

I know I'm not the only one who has imaginary conversations. Where do you win that fight or make the most eloquent point? In the shower? When you're out for a run?

 

Monday - Zen Weekend

Marriage and Relationship Monday

Last week I determined to cut back on complaining and enjoy my relationships and my home more. Wow, I did a great job at this! Specifically yesterday. I awoke early feeling refreshed and energized. I spent the day in my kitchen. I rearranged. I de-cluttered. I made better use of my limited cupboard space. I cleaned. I organized.

And in between these many, many moments of introspection I chatted with Rob and Morah. I went into the back yard with the dogs and tossed the ball around a bit. I addressed some holiday cards. I interacted. I enjoyed my home and the people in it. A couple of neighbors dropped by and I chatted with them.

It's wonderful to feel this way. Spending my time and energy enjoying my home and paying attention to myself and those around me feeds my soul.

I also watched Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Those babes are crazy.

How was your weekend? Were you crazed and rushed or did you get to relax and enjoy? Or maybe did you get to do both?