Monday roll call

Waiting on the coals to get right so I can smoke my briskets.

Good Morning,

Eleven days and counting, until I will be off work for the summer.

I had a nice quiet day yesterday. Monica, Scott and Morgan came over for supper, we ordered KFC. And, I spent some time reading, outside.

Today, back to work. I think there will be 3 of us in the office today and tomorrow. We aren't all that busy at this time, but its nice to have others to talk to.

If you can, get outside today. It will be a nice sunny warm day.

Hugs,
LISA

Indeed yesterday was awesome and it looks like today will be as well.

Do you have a list of catch up repairs and projects for the summer?

Randy, the only job I want to get to this summer is to paint the dining room. I am sure other projects will come up, but nothing else at this time.

BTW, I can almost smell those briskets smokeing. I have 2 small briskets in the freezer, and the smoker is cleaned up. Now to get them going.

LISA

Got two chest freezers and the fridge freezer all in one freezer except for the ice in the fridge.  Books and book cases in storage.  Today I will stay busy tending the fire and lining up files to take to storage and deciding what I need to keep out.

Still waiting to be told we got the apartment.  Worried someone else has an app in before us or we may be rejected.  Got in a blue funk last night because of all we do not know about getting around the are so I woke up at 3am and got on the CTA, Aldi and Target sites so I am feeling better.  I would have looked up Walgreens but I am confident there is one on every other corner and I already know where the Jewel is.  Now we just need the approval.

I am sure this will be an adventure and not all positive but it is my job to bring the positive with me.

The blue funk too was partially because I ate a thigh and some brocolli too quickly and that backed up sickness scared me that I was going to have to go to the hospital again. 

Crystal - I want to thank you for the links and if not approved I will go back and look at them but I did not have much luck with the apartment one and I get easily frustrated because our finances are ok but we basically have no credit record now except our bankruptcy, tax debt which does not yet show a payment plan but one is in place, college loans up to date and the car as going into limbo during the bankruptcy but actually we continued payments and it is mine free and clear.

Craigslist will be new to me if I need to go there.

Hello everyone

I am sitting here relaxing before I start my day.  I have a few job applications to submit...I found quite a few yesterday but I told myself it was Mother's Day and I can wait till the next day to submit them and that I was going to enjoy my mother's day.  Then I am going to go to Aldi.  I haven't gone to Aldi in years.  I used to go there all of the time when me and Amanda were first on are own.  Money was really tight and I had about $50-60 a week for groceries.  So this is where I'm going to stretch my food money...not exactly organic...but oh well. 

Yesterday was a good day.  Amanda came by in the morning to visit and she dropped off some potted lillies.  Then later we met up for pizza.  So it was me and Amanda, Charles, and his mom.  It was nice to get out and forget about my troubles.  I got my present.  It is really nice.  It is this scent warmer (like Scentsy) but it looks like a a little frying pan and the wax scent things are shaped like food...hahaha.  It's very detailed.  My favorties are the little apple pies....but there are cookies and fruit...all that look EXACTLY like cookies and fruit...hahaha.  I saw this at the store months ago when me and Amanda were working out together.  I thought it was sooo cute...well she must have gone back and bought for me....Awwww she's so good to me.  I'm going to take a picture of it and put it on Facebook...it's just so cute.

Randy...I understand your credit problems.  I had to deal with credit issues for years.  The aftermath of my divorce and then I went bad on some credit cards.  I charged them up more than I wanted to but Amanda needed school stuff and her father wasn't helping.  Well long story short my credit was destroyed (I couldn't even get a bank account at one point...my ex bounced checks on our old account).  Good luck on getting the apartment.  

Well time for breakfast...see you all later.

Dave and I really like Aldi. We have a real nice one near us in EGV. They say that Aldi has 80% of the items that you will buy in Dominick's or Jewel that you need in the course of the week and naturally at a lower price.

I have an email from a friend that sent you a bunch of websites to contact for job finding and also tips and tricks. If you are still interested PM me you email and I will forward it to you.

Oh yes I went to Aldi and the one here in Urbana is very nice.  I was able to stock up on all of the essentials, meat and even some extras for less han $30!!!  I walked out with 3 big canvas  bags full. 

Obviously the meat and produce won't be as good as the organic or Farmers Market stuff but beggers can't be choosers.  I'm very pleased.  If I can get my grocery bill down to $100-120 a month...that would be a huge money saver.  And it's very possible.

I'm already saving big on gas...I'm still on the same tank of gas from when I first lost my job and it's at about 3/4 of a tank.  So I know I can go about 2 months on a tank of a gas.  Another big money saver.  

   

You've got mail.

Aldi's is a great money saver and they have MUCH better stuff than they did 25 years ago.  They even have a "Fit & Active" brand of things that are healthier.  Lisa told us that they are owned by the same company at Trader Joe's and I have found some of the same stuff in both stores!

The produce is what leaves the most to be desired usually but if you can use it quickly, it will do.  I once got the "Artisan Lettuce" for 0.49 each container or something crazy cheap.  It was good!