For the life of me I could not understand the logic of being asked if I was on a diet by Dr. Endo on his questionnaire form - or for that matter if I was on the other thingamajig diet. (I mean he's a tooth man). Then it hit me - Halitosis! that's it - it has to be. They'll put H beside your name if you are on a diet and will know this one is definitely 'a DB case'. (double bib - in case one falls off) Makes sense now doesn't it? The other major thing of course is that dieting is such an expensive business - a credit status is needed first, to ascertain you can pay the Endo - no kidding!
Let's face it girls - Dieting is an expensive business - right? Milk shakes, protein shakes, diet meals, membership to weight loss clubs, gym that you visit for a week and then forget about it, having paid your fees, and of course that gorgeous dress you bought as an incentive - one day I'll fit into it - and never do! - not to mention the daily cappuccinos to give you a lift, having skipped your lunch. Skinny lattes are a lot less calories - right?
Then there is the weighing machine for dieter alone, the cheerleader weight loss magazines, the 'dieter moods' which fill you with both euphoria and gloom in the space of an hour. The euphoria one is worse because then you go out and buy clothes because you are looking and feeling so bloody fantastic. You go home and people are all shouting "WHERE WERE YA ALL THIS TIME?" - spending...you feel guilty - right? You cook a big huge supper to satisfy the troops and then YES - you pig out with them and that trousers you just bought will never in a month of Sundays fit you...Damn!
Yes - dieting is akin to a lobotomy - the only thing you lose are your brain cells, and spontaneous delight in a good meal (why should we always feel guilty after a feast?). When people remark how 'good' they were going to a restaurant and telling the waiter to leave the sauce off the meat and the bread on the side - insane! - if you cannot properly enjoy your food - why go out at all? Like it's not as if you get treated every day of the week, is it? and besides will the worms care if the corpse had sauce on the side - I doubt it! (actually they'd probably prefer if you had the sauce). Wake up World - we are slowly driving ourselves INSANE. Long ago people never dieted and they never had weight problems. Ahaa...I had a light bulb moment - the secret is smaller portions, food lasting longer...smaller shopping bills...I think I'm onto something here...
So all in all "are you on a diet?" is like asking 'are you krazy or not?' and yes, now I understand.
Vicky loved the 74c canned mushroom soup - couldn't tell the differnce between it and the usual $2.99 one I got. Interesting. I'm finding my new challenge very absorbing to say the least. Husband is delirious with joy and wants to go on a mad spending spree to celebrate 'the new me'. What's this weird thing going on? He wants to spend - and I want to save! All I like to talk about now is the price of this and the price of that. I keep a copy of 'How to manage your money' and 'The Wealthy Barber' beside my bed in full view. Financial experts maintain it is the best Aphrodisiac for a man - forget the baby dolls!
Hubby is in Vancouver this weekend at a conference. Normally when he is away we girls get a pizza to last the whole weekend, or a Chinese meal, that way I get to have a cooking-free weekend - kept me sane thus far. I didn't get a take-away this weekend - Did I miss it? Actually no. We watch all the girly stuff on t.v. - 'Get Away Fridays', 'World's Weirdest Homes' and all the make-over programs - 'Style by Jury' 'What not to wear', etc. - love Fridays. Vicky baked delicious oatmeal cookies with walnuts (left over after the banana muffins). She's becoming quite the cook now. That was another ambition of mine that the girls would take an interest in cooking - now that the cupboards are bare - there's no choice! We rummaged around the kitchen and found ingredients for at least six different kinds of yummy things to eat.
Simplicity - no fuss - joy in little things - a pleasant book - a big roaring fire - bedside tea - stroking an animal - putting outfits together - lighting a candle in the bedroom, and listening to Leonard Cohen as he puts you to sleep - saying a little night time prayer and giving thanks for the day just spent - Gratitude - YES that's a big SA thing - a little prayer for your deceased friends and looking at their smiling faces before you fall asleep - taking a walk in the garden and watching all the new springs buds emerging (and knowing you wont have to pay for daffodils!). These are a few of my favourite things... when the world bites, when the neighbour stings, I simply remember my favourite things, and then I don't feel so bad!
I remember some time ago I girl I know told me she had a huge chocolate urge one night so her daughter and herself made a chocolate cake. I was hugely impressed (this girl is always very very sensible). If I had a chocolate urge - I would have gone down to the shops and got a 'quick fix'.
The world is changing. The birds are singing in chorus outside - laughter fills the air - (that's the kids saying I'll be back to normal by Monday!) Seriously -even the weather is getting better to please me! - Why soon I'll be able to grow my own spuds, tomatoes, berries and broccoli again...la di da...The devil calls me 'Polyanna' now. He chides and reminds me I never did a day's gardening in my life - that's hubby's baby. Well at least I cook the stuff he produces, and I clean the filth and mess around the sink and floor that all this organic stuff brings in - not to mention the crawling worms and maggots - Jeez I dunno why I do it. Give me pre-washed supermarket veggies in bags any day!
It sure felt like the Universe was conspiring to make it happen today. Claudia treated me to a complimentary Starbucks on her Starbucks card (b/day present from somebody). I accepted her offer as it made the two of us feel good. So after I dropped the girls into town where they were going to see a movie, I treated myself to the coffee from Claudia. I told myself that if I found money on the street, that would be a good luck sign and lo and behold! - before my very eyes, a bright silver toonie ($2) smiled back at me from the road 'take me I'm yours' it said. That shall be my lucky cheerleader toonie for the year ahead.
For the first time ever, if you were to ask me how much a loaf of bread is, I could tell you - even know the price of a litre of milk now. This is so much bloody fun - all the years I wasted and all the money - damn! I knew I'd be a dab hand at this! - O.K. Mr. Devil - I'm quite aware - thank you very much - that it is early days yet, and that it is only 3 weeks since I had a mad splurge in the Orlando Designer Outlets - enough stuff to last the next decade at least. Tomorrow ends the first full week of YOSA. Am I happy with the way things went? YES YES YES. I haven't really got into the full deal YOSA yet as I was too busy this week learning how to behave like a grown up in the supermarket - not to mention wrestling with the devil who is determined to put a spanner in the works - will he win? Now that is a question neither you or I know, at this point in time.
Tomorrow I will also tot up all my savings, share a healthy and inexpensive recipe with you, which I cooked last night - Vege Lasagne. Enough to last two nights and only cost approx. $12 to make, and has 8 generous portions...so keep an eye on this space. It is also super healthy.
Over the course of our journey together, I will share some wardrobe tips...my best consignment wear outfits, the good days and the not so good days of SWP,(shopaholic withdrawal pain), my favourite simple abundance tips - and more...much more. I am determined to prove to myself and y'all - that sure, the world is clearly changing economically - but it is a change for the better! If you lose your job - it may be the start of something better. God does not close one door - without opening another.
On that hopeful note,
Nighty night wherever you are...
Delisha xxx
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Oh by the way...
Dear Miracle Man,
I forgot to thank you for the helpful advice you gave me the other day when you suggested I eat my dogs, (being Chinese New Year, etc.) that way I could cut down on my grocery bills, and at the same time save on the vet bills. It does make sense. Believe me, I have thought about it long and hard, but then I did the math - a cooked chicken would cost me $7.99 and would really only properly feed four of us. Whereas if I was to sell my two chihuahuas, I could get a lot more money - thanks anyway. After your comments, I was looking at Lulu the other day, and really there isn't much meat on her - certainly not more than a quail.
Our cat Tessa is very sensitive to all the new vibes, and has been working over and above the call of duty (she's a Virgo). This morning I spotted her out in the back garden working really hard chasing birds and catching rats. She saw me looking and really upped her performance - so I think she's safe.
As for Fluffy the rabbit - She/He/It (I never worked out the gender) does absolutely nothing to help the household, and is getting as fat as a pig and the stink out of his/her/it's cage is disgusting. I remember once eating rabbit stew in Paris and it was surprisingly delicious. So I would say that Fluffy is definitely treading on dangerous ground at the moment. In fact He/She/It tried to escape about a week ago and we had to put the cage up against the wall. Maybe I should have just let it run away...Rabbit food and bedding is so expensive and Fluffy has quite the appetite. I gave it a wilting carrot (to use it up) the other day and He/She/It spit it out. I dunno - It's a sign of the times I guess!
Dear Canadian Mounty,
I promise I don't make a habit of breaking the law - as it would appear from my last blog. I am a good living citizen - I don't drink, smoke, eat chocolate and for the last few days gave up being a shopaholic. I only ever got 3 tickets - only 1 for speeding and that was the incident on 14th St. Calgary. My car is 12 years old and like myself is not up to speed these days.
Keep doing what makes you happy...
Dear Viv and Jim,
Disturbed to hear the world economy has crashed since I stopped spending. No, the Chinese PM has not been in touch with me yet.
Cheers,
Delisha
I forgot to thank you for the helpful advice you gave me the other day when you suggested I eat my dogs, (being Chinese New Year, etc.) that way I could cut down on my grocery bills, and at the same time save on the vet bills. It does make sense. Believe me, I have thought about it long and hard, but then I did the math - a cooked chicken would cost me $7.99 and would really only properly feed four of us. Whereas if I was to sell my two chihuahuas, I could get a lot more money - thanks anyway. After your comments, I was looking at Lulu the other day, and really there isn't much meat on her - certainly not more than a quail.
Our cat Tessa is very sensitive to all the new vibes, and has been working over and above the call of duty (she's a Virgo). This morning I spotted her out in the back garden working really hard chasing birds and catching rats. She saw me looking and really upped her performance - so I think she's safe.
As for Fluffy the rabbit - She/He/It (I never worked out the gender) does absolutely nothing to help the household, and is getting as fat as a pig and the stink out of his/her/it's cage is disgusting. I remember once eating rabbit stew in Paris and it was surprisingly delicious. So I would say that Fluffy is definitely treading on dangerous ground at the moment. In fact He/She/It tried to escape about a week ago and we had to put the cage up against the wall. Maybe I should have just let it run away...Rabbit food and bedding is so expensive and Fluffy has quite the appetite. I gave it a wilting carrot (to use it up) the other day and He/She/It spit it out. I dunno - It's a sign of the times I guess!
Dear Canadian Mounty,
I promise I don't make a habit of breaking the law - as it would appear from my last blog. I am a good living citizen - I don't drink, smoke, eat chocolate and for the last few days gave up being a shopaholic. I only ever got 3 tickets - only 1 for speeding and that was the incident on 14th St. Calgary. My car is 12 years old and like myself is not up to speed these days.
Keep doing what makes you happy...
Dear Viv and Jim,
Disturbed to hear the world economy has crashed since I stopped spending. No, the Chinese PM has not been in touch with me yet.
Cheers,
Delisha
Cruising down the Root Canal
Driving to the Endo this morning, I don't know which was bothering me more - the thought of what awaited me there, or the fact I had to pay him out $100 for a sneeze of his time! - $100 - just like that! Seeing the way I sweated and toiled to save $6 on 2 lbs of Starbucks breakfast beans - that would mean I would have to buy approx 33 lbs. of coffee to save that amount of money! Bah humbug!
To take my mind off my worries, I played my favourite road game - looking out for messages from my angels on the back of buses or trucks and sometimes I'll see them displayed on stickers in cars. Now I'm looking out for butterflies as well to assure me I'm on the right track. Doing this, I could see a plumber's van driving in front of me with the message 'Why go to bed with a drip?' and 'take me to your leaker...'. Now the 'take me to your leaker one' reminded me of another thing that happened to me on Wednesday which I forgot to mention.
There was fish sitting in the fridge for 5 days and I ate it!! Ali said it tasted "weird" so I ate it - couldn't bear the thought of throwing out nearly $8 dollars worth of good fish. Besides if they can survive on the fear factor eating worms and rancid meat in sour milk, well then I would too. Dentist Day I was lying on his couch and I got the most dreadful pain in my abdomen. Suffice to say...I needed the peoples plumber!! and all for the saving of a couple of dollars - well at least it went to a good cause and I am still here to tell the tale.
The minute I arrived at the Endo's, the annoyance about the $100 fee became like dust in the wind. He had an army of women working for him - three to be precise. So I had visions of the four of them sitting out on the grass dividing the spoils after I left - $25 for you, $25 for me...and then I didn't feel so bad about it. A smiling Bonnie (who lived up to her name) brought me into the Endo's surgery. What would happen if you had the face and body of the amazing hulk and your name was Bonnie? Somehow I have never come across that yet.
Anyway, Bonnie sat me down and lo and behold I could see my office building right in front of me outside the window - so weird - I could see the people going in and out. Was that Johnny X coming in early for his 10 am appointment? I recognised his coat. Bonnie proceeded to put the dreaded 10 ft sticks into my mouth to take X-rays. Prior to that she gave me a list of things they were going to do to me, and was I allergic to latex? not that I know, I don't wear condoms, and did I like to take anti-biotics before a procedure? I asked her to pass on that one. Later she told me I would be given a questionnaire to fill out, after the Endo had done his 3 seconds thing. Really Bonnie should have got the lion's share of my $100 - it's so unfair, especially when she's doing all the work!
Bonnie was being really helpful, while the Endo was doing the rounds (and making tons of nosh). Did I ever play with my teeth? she continued with a serious expression on her bonnie face, as if playing with your teeth was a bigger offence than not parking your car parallel to the meter. No that one was new to me too. I've heard of people playing with their toes, and their hair and...but teeth? By 'playing' she meant tickling your teeth with your tongue and that it can sometimes give you a tootache - Really? you learn something new every day.
Then Dr. Endo appeared with the mystique and grace of Obama himself. "How are we today?" I dunno about you Sir, but I've seen better days... My Gawd - he was young enough to be my grandson! He had eyes that made me realise I still have not entirely grieved for chocolate. There is still some residual longing for the brown stuff. His peepers were like my favourite chocolate rum truffles, when I used to eat them. Suddenly I had the urge for chocolate. If the eyes are the window to the soul...I wouldn't mind seeing the rest of his house - that was the Devil - not me who said that!! I'm a happily married woman thank you very much. You can look at the shop window but you don't have to buy...actually that ism is a bit too close to the bone at the moment!
Endo, with the heavenly eyes did all the usual tapping and freezing and said I was on 'the fence' as regards #17 - and he didn't know quite what to do - it could go away by itself and sometimes they do that and I should wait and see and if the pain continues, put some topical desensitizing agent on the tooth. Wonderful! if it does go away by itself then I wont have to fork out several hundreds of dollars for a journey down the root canal. Give me Paris or the Panama Canal for that matter - but not the Root Canal!
Endo left the room, leaving a pleasant fragrance and Bonnie busily proceeded to give me yellow forms to fill out, as promised, and hundreds of questions to answer and was I on a diet? none of their business - aren't women always on diets? Besides, why would they want to know that? Was I pregnant? - hopefully not - at my age it would be an immaculate conception. Then the questions became even more exploratory 'was I on the yin-yin diet?' or something like that. I asked Bonnie what that was and she said that it must be some dreadful diet that people go on but brushed it off as if it wasn't that important and besides, I didn't have the appearance of a mal-nourished woman.
My financial situation took an upbeat twist as I left the Endo's. My dental insurance will cover 80% of the fee and also I may not have to get a root canal done after all - hip hip Hooray! Oh yes, that reminds me I had forgotten to mention medical and dental expenses on my list of 'Essentials' in day one of this blog. That's another biggie for the list.
Still staying firm to my frugal lifestyle - I've been reborn - told ya and you didn't believe I'd stick to it - right? Well you're WRONG - wrong wrong wrong.
I had to make a quick trip to the supermarket this evening. This time I had a list and boy did I stick to it this time - better still EVERYTHING I bought had to be on sale. There was only one item not on sale - mushroom soup - so I got the cheapest brand 74 cents per can as opposed to the $2.99 container I usually got. I'll tell you how it tasted later. I am going to slice in fresh mushrooms into it and do my magic tricks with it. I'm deferring gratification on supermarketing until the big day next Tuesday when we have 10% off everything in Safeway. They do that for the first Tuesday of every month and call it 'Customer Appreciation Day'. In fairness, I always avail of that - even when I was a shopaholic I did it.
By the way, my toothache went away all by itself. Sometimes they play tricks on you - just like that. #17 - you are weird - totally weird!
I love y'all.
Be good to yourselves this day and don't forget customer appreciation day in your local supermarket - wherever you live.
Delisha xxx
To take my mind off my worries, I played my favourite road game - looking out for messages from my angels on the back of buses or trucks and sometimes I'll see them displayed on stickers in cars. Now I'm looking out for butterflies as well to assure me I'm on the right track. Doing this, I could see a plumber's van driving in front of me with the message 'Why go to bed with a drip?' and 'take me to your leaker...'. Now the 'take me to your leaker one' reminded me of another thing that happened to me on Wednesday which I forgot to mention.
There was fish sitting in the fridge for 5 days and I ate it!! Ali said it tasted "weird" so I ate it - couldn't bear the thought of throwing out nearly $8 dollars worth of good fish. Besides if they can survive on the fear factor eating worms and rancid meat in sour milk, well then I would too. Dentist Day I was lying on his couch and I got the most dreadful pain in my abdomen. Suffice to say...I needed the peoples plumber!! and all for the saving of a couple of dollars - well at least it went to a good cause and I am still here to tell the tale.
The minute I arrived at the Endo's, the annoyance about the $100 fee became like dust in the wind. He had an army of women working for him - three to be precise. So I had visions of the four of them sitting out on the grass dividing the spoils after I left - $25 for you, $25 for me...and then I didn't feel so bad about it. A smiling Bonnie (who lived up to her name) brought me into the Endo's surgery. What would happen if you had the face and body of the amazing hulk and your name was Bonnie? Somehow I have never come across that yet.
Anyway, Bonnie sat me down and lo and behold I could see my office building right in front of me outside the window - so weird - I could see the people going in and out. Was that Johnny X coming in early for his 10 am appointment? I recognised his coat. Bonnie proceeded to put the dreaded 10 ft sticks into my mouth to take X-rays. Prior to that she gave me a list of things they were going to do to me, and was I allergic to latex? not that I know, I don't wear condoms, and did I like to take anti-biotics before a procedure? I asked her to pass on that one. Later she told me I would be given a questionnaire to fill out, after the Endo had done his 3 seconds thing. Really Bonnie should have got the lion's share of my $100 - it's so unfair, especially when she's doing all the work!
Bonnie was being really helpful, while the Endo was doing the rounds (and making tons of nosh). Did I ever play with my teeth? she continued with a serious expression on her bonnie face, as if playing with your teeth was a bigger offence than not parking your car parallel to the meter. No that one was new to me too. I've heard of people playing with their toes, and their hair and...but teeth? By 'playing' she meant tickling your teeth with your tongue and that it can sometimes give you a tootache - Really? you learn something new every day.
Then Dr. Endo appeared with the mystique and grace of Obama himself. "How are we today?" I dunno about you Sir, but I've seen better days... My Gawd - he was young enough to be my grandson! He had eyes that made me realise I still have not entirely grieved for chocolate. There is still some residual longing for the brown stuff. His peepers were like my favourite chocolate rum truffles, when I used to eat them. Suddenly I had the urge for chocolate. If the eyes are the window to the soul...I wouldn't mind seeing the rest of his house - that was the Devil - not me who said that!! I'm a happily married woman thank you very much. You can look at the shop window but you don't have to buy...actually that ism is a bit too close to the bone at the moment!
Endo, with the heavenly eyes did all the usual tapping and freezing and said I was on 'the fence' as regards #17 - and he didn't know quite what to do - it could go away by itself and sometimes they do that and I should wait and see and if the pain continues, put some topical desensitizing agent on the tooth. Wonderful! if it does go away by itself then I wont have to fork out several hundreds of dollars for a journey down the root canal. Give me Paris or the Panama Canal for that matter - but not the Root Canal!
Endo left the room, leaving a pleasant fragrance and Bonnie busily proceeded to give me yellow forms to fill out, as promised, and hundreds of questions to answer and was I on a diet? none of their business - aren't women always on diets? Besides, why would they want to know that? Was I pregnant? - hopefully not - at my age it would be an immaculate conception. Then the questions became even more exploratory 'was I on the yin-yin diet?' or something like that. I asked Bonnie what that was and she said that it must be some dreadful diet that people go on but brushed it off as if it wasn't that important and besides, I didn't have the appearance of a mal-nourished woman.
My financial situation took an upbeat twist as I left the Endo's. My dental insurance will cover 80% of the fee and also I may not have to get a root canal done after all - hip hip Hooray! Oh yes, that reminds me I had forgotten to mention medical and dental expenses on my list of 'Essentials' in day one of this blog. That's another biggie for the list.
Still staying firm to my frugal lifestyle - I've been reborn - told ya and you didn't believe I'd stick to it - right? Well you're WRONG - wrong wrong wrong.
I had to make a quick trip to the supermarket this evening. This time I had a list and boy did I stick to it this time - better still EVERYTHING I bought had to be on sale. There was only one item not on sale - mushroom soup - so I got the cheapest brand 74 cents per can as opposed to the $2.99 container I usually got. I'll tell you how it tasted later. I am going to slice in fresh mushrooms into it and do my magic tricks with it. I'm deferring gratification on supermarketing until the big day next Tuesday when we have 10% off everything in Safeway. They do that for the first Tuesday of every month and call it 'Customer Appreciation Day'. In fairness, I always avail of that - even when I was a shopaholic I did it.
By the way, my toothache went away all by itself. Sometimes they play tricks on you - just like that. #17 - you are weird - totally weird!
I love y'all.
Be good to yourselves this day and don't forget customer appreciation day in your local supermarket - wherever you live.
Delisha xxx
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The hated 8 came back to bite me today!
I can't believe it's only day 3 in our magical mystery journey - today it felt more like day 73! By the way I should explain the symbolism of my blog picture. That's me on the flying leaf with Angelica my support buddy. We're heading towards butterfly land. I'm turning over a new leaf - get it? and the butterfly is the symbol of transformation and I'm singing a happy song...
"Beautiful butterfly, joyfully free, no longer awkward or earthbound to be,
the way it has changed, tells what is happening to me. The old me is going, my spirit is renewing..."
Anyway nuff of that soppy nonsense, I'll bet you want to hear how the hated 8 came back to bite me today.
It became abundantly clear when I awoke this morning that this was not going to be one of those pleasurable, lazy hazy SA days - you know when you kick off your shoes and slob around the house and tell everybody "I'm OD" (off-duty) and they shout back "Yes mum we know you're odd!". I was howling like a banshee suffering from an excruciating tooth ache in my upper east side. In fact the tooth has been bothering me even more than the SWP (shopping withdrawal pain). I didn't want to tell you about that in case you thought I was a real martyr. And seeing as I don't wallow in self pity and all that...
I had an appointment with the dentist for 9.00 a.m. sharp (preferably 8.45 a.m.) but first I had to get Vicky to her school for a mathematics test at 9.00. I'm a mother for Tut's sake - I'm a dab hand at having to be at several places at the same time! We arrived at the school at 8.46 which left me 14 minutes (not counting time killing pedestrians) to get to a destination that would normally take 20-23 mins. approx. and I hadn't even my face made up yet. I flew - literally flew and made up my face at each red light. Somehow, rushing to the dentist didn't give me the same adrenalin fix as getting to the shops on Boxing day. Still...I arrived at my punctuality-obsessed dentist's office at 9.03 and he was all ready and raring to go - waiting for me of course! He is sporting a moustache now and it looks really odd - I'm afraid to say he now bears a chilling resemblance to Hitler. But he is such a darling of a man - should I tell him to drop the tache?
Two seconds later - pleasantries dispensed - I'm lying down, all the fight gone from me, with my mouth wide open, and at the mercy of Dr. Hitler lookalike. Hm..hmm...he keeps saying looking into my extremely painful orifice and pearly browns. Hm..hmm he continues. (is he punishing me now because I haven't flossed since my first communion?) Would he ever do something - like take the bloody tooth out - anything!
He got out his weapons of mass destruction and began to squirt ice into my mouth, hosing down each resident tooth on the upper east side. Eventually one resident reacted violently "THAT'S IT" I shouted - "THAT'S HIM". "Yes Sir" That's my P-Spot". His assistant looked at me kindly (I had given them oranges and chocolates at Xmas so she was being really nice to me). Dr. Hitler look-alike then got his little dentist hammer out and began to bang on the roof of each of the 3 suspect teeth to further ascertain which one was 'IT'. I put my finger on the one I thought was the culprit and he said it was different from the one I had said earlier - it was all so confusing - for him and for me.
"O.K." he continued, dangerously intense, and the bib now covering his nazi moustache. "It's either tooth #16, #17 or #18. He is very precise at the best of times (most likely a Virgo). "I'll bet it is #17" I offered, trying to help - the tables had turned. "You see any number that comes to an 8 doesn't like me - we're not compatible" I whispered timidly, scorched beneath his masterful gaze. The assistant smiled kindly again - they're trained not to laugh. Guess what? we eventually discovered that the carnassial culprit was no other than tooth no. 17! - Take a bow # 8 - you've done it again!!
Root canal work on #17 is something I can look forward to as soon as they can get me in, but in the meantime Delisha has to dole out $100 for a consultation with an Endodontic Surgeon tomorrow morning - Endo? that one is new on me. Do they end peoples lives? And yes, I would count this one as an 'essential' - not a luxury. As it so turns out Vicky has a big job on tomorrow with her Orthodontist. So we can both look forward to another bitingly tense day.
Finally - I earned a few brownie points for thrift today - despite the tramua of this morning - Not as traumatic as the fact I had to get up early to make us home made cappuccinos as we had run out of coffee - why? because I was determined to drive into town today to get 2 lbs of Starbucks in Chapters where they give you a 20% discount when you buy 2 lbs. - Trumpets please!! However, I could only find a 20 mins. max parking space so had to dash into Starbucks at Chapters. I ran all the way and just by the skin of my teeth - (YAW why did I mention 'teeth' ) anyway you know what I mean - It was a race between me and the Meter Monster as to who would reach my car first. I beat him! T.G. because the 20 mins had expired - just!
They are demons in Victoria for giving you tickets. Once the MM gave me one because I hadn't parked my car directly parallel to the meter. (it was likely 1/8th of an inch off). Rumour has it they carry rulers around with them and measuring tapes. Some even tie you up and whip you. (that might be a young wives tale). The day I got the unwanted slip, I could see him in the distance writing out the ticket and ran over to fight with him, (almost getting knocked down) because I knew I had loads of time left in the meter - he explained why he was giving me one - B.....D! I uttered to myself - his wife must have withheld favours last night. If you are married to one - be kind - do the world a favour , and unwind the beast before he goes to work.
I know I know - it's not entirely fair to tar all ticket dispensers with the same brush. I've had a couple of scrapes with the gentlemen in uniform - and believe me - some of them are suckers for a sob story, a blonde and an Irish accent!
One Saturday morning in Calgary when flying up 14th St. to bring 5 year old Vicky to ballet classes, I could hear sirens blaring, horns honking - there was a fierce racket going on outside. I remained oblivious as I had a mission on hand to get my gorgeous little blonde Shirley Temple lookalike to her ballet. Suddenly a face appeared beside me. He wasn't smiling either as he beckoned me to stop. Who me? I asked incredulously - "YES YOU LADEE!"
He directed me up a side street until I could stop - and as sure as God it felt like a scene from the Godfather where they put a bullet in your head! My hands began to tremble and my heart stopped for a minute. Mr. Mafia himself looked into the car and when he saw my little golden angel in the back seat, looking out angelically at him, "who's that strange man mommy?" his face crumpled like the incredible hulk before he sheds his skin.
He had got me on 3 offences all in one go! surely worthy of a bonus at the station - no drivers licence on me (left the bag at home I was in such a hurry) no current tax disc (I had bought it the previous day and forgot to put it on - damn!) and leaving the best for last I was travelling 30 klicks above the speed limit! (I was a harried mum that morning and had learnt my lesson!) I explained about the ballet, and after a discrete telling off he told me I was lucky it was him. He pretended to write me a ticket because his boss was watching him and when I got home and opened it up - it was blank - all blank. As we say in Ireland - God Bless him - may he be the father of a Bishop!
Can you imagine my angst if I had got a $30 ticket from the MM today and all for a saving of $6 on 2lbs of Starbucks Breakfast Blend coffee beans!! Now wouldn't the devil and his brats have had the last laugh!!
Sleep tight...
Delisha xxx
"Beautiful butterfly, joyfully free, no longer awkward or earthbound to be,
the way it has changed, tells what is happening to me. The old me is going, my spirit is renewing..."
Anyway nuff of that soppy nonsense, I'll bet you want to hear how the hated 8 came back to bite me today.
It became abundantly clear when I awoke this morning that this was not going to be one of those pleasurable, lazy hazy SA days - you know when you kick off your shoes and slob around the house and tell everybody "I'm OD" (off-duty) and they shout back "Yes mum we know you're odd!". I was howling like a banshee suffering from an excruciating tooth ache in my upper east side. In fact the tooth has been bothering me even more than the SWP (shopping withdrawal pain). I didn't want to tell you about that in case you thought I was a real martyr. And seeing as I don't wallow in self pity and all that...
I had an appointment with the dentist for 9.00 a.m. sharp (preferably 8.45 a.m.) but first I had to get Vicky to her school for a mathematics test at 9.00. I'm a mother for Tut's sake - I'm a dab hand at having to be at several places at the same time! We arrived at the school at 8.46 which left me 14 minutes (not counting time killing pedestrians) to get to a destination that would normally take 20-23 mins. approx. and I hadn't even my face made up yet. I flew - literally flew and made up my face at each red light. Somehow, rushing to the dentist didn't give me the same adrenalin fix as getting to the shops on Boxing day. Still...I arrived at my punctuality-obsessed dentist's office at 9.03 and he was all ready and raring to go - waiting for me of course! He is sporting a moustache now and it looks really odd - I'm afraid to say he now bears a chilling resemblance to Hitler. But he is such a darling of a man - should I tell him to drop the tache?
Two seconds later - pleasantries dispensed - I'm lying down, all the fight gone from me, with my mouth wide open, and at the mercy of Dr. Hitler lookalike. Hm..hmm...he keeps saying looking into my extremely painful orifice and pearly browns. Hm..hmm he continues. (is he punishing me now because I haven't flossed since my first communion?) Would he ever do something - like take the bloody tooth out - anything!
He got out his weapons of mass destruction and began to squirt ice into my mouth, hosing down each resident tooth on the upper east side. Eventually one resident reacted violently "THAT'S IT" I shouted - "THAT'S HIM". "Yes Sir" That's my P-Spot". His assistant looked at me kindly (I had given them oranges and chocolates at Xmas so she was being really nice to me). Dr. Hitler look-alike then got his little dentist hammer out and began to bang on the roof of each of the 3 suspect teeth to further ascertain which one was 'IT'. I put my finger on the one I thought was the culprit and he said it was different from the one I had said earlier - it was all so confusing - for him and for me.
"O.K." he continued, dangerously intense, and the bib now covering his nazi moustache. "It's either tooth #16, #17 or #18. He is very precise at the best of times (most likely a Virgo). "I'll bet it is #17" I offered, trying to help - the tables had turned. "You see any number that comes to an 8 doesn't like me - we're not compatible" I whispered timidly, scorched beneath his masterful gaze. The assistant smiled kindly again - they're trained not to laugh. Guess what? we eventually discovered that the carnassial culprit was no other than tooth no. 17! - Take a bow # 8 - you've done it again!!
Root canal work on #17 is something I can look forward to as soon as they can get me in, but in the meantime Delisha has to dole out $100 for a consultation with an Endodontic Surgeon tomorrow morning - Endo? that one is new on me. Do they end peoples lives? And yes, I would count this one as an 'essential' - not a luxury. As it so turns out Vicky has a big job on tomorrow with her Orthodontist. So we can both look forward to another bitingly tense day.
Finally - I earned a few brownie points for thrift today - despite the tramua of this morning - Not as traumatic as the fact I had to get up early to make us home made cappuccinos as we had run out of coffee - why? because I was determined to drive into town today to get 2 lbs of Starbucks in Chapters where they give you a 20% discount when you buy 2 lbs. - Trumpets please!! However, I could only find a 20 mins. max parking space so had to dash into Starbucks at Chapters. I ran all the way and just by the skin of my teeth - (YAW why did I mention 'teeth' ) anyway you know what I mean - It was a race between me and the Meter Monster as to who would reach my car first. I beat him! T.G. because the 20 mins had expired - just!
They are demons in Victoria for giving you tickets. Once the MM gave me one because I hadn't parked my car directly parallel to the meter. (it was likely 1/8th of an inch off). Rumour has it they carry rulers around with them and measuring tapes. Some even tie you up and whip you. (that might be a young wives tale). The day I got the unwanted slip, I could see him in the distance writing out the ticket and ran over to fight with him, (almost getting knocked down) because I knew I had loads of time left in the meter - he explained why he was giving me one - B.....D! I uttered to myself - his wife must have withheld favours last night. If you are married to one - be kind - do the world a favour , and unwind the beast before he goes to work.
I know I know - it's not entirely fair to tar all ticket dispensers with the same brush. I've had a couple of scrapes with the gentlemen in uniform - and believe me - some of them are suckers for a sob story, a blonde and an Irish accent!
One Saturday morning in Calgary when flying up 14th St. to bring 5 year old Vicky to ballet classes, I could hear sirens blaring, horns honking - there was a fierce racket going on outside. I remained oblivious as I had a mission on hand to get my gorgeous little blonde Shirley Temple lookalike to her ballet. Suddenly a face appeared beside me. He wasn't smiling either as he beckoned me to stop. Who me? I asked incredulously - "YES YOU LADEE!"
He directed me up a side street until I could stop - and as sure as God it felt like a scene from the Godfather where they put a bullet in your head! My hands began to tremble and my heart stopped for a minute. Mr. Mafia himself looked into the car and when he saw my little golden angel in the back seat, looking out angelically at him, "who's that strange man mommy?" his face crumpled like the incredible hulk before he sheds his skin.
He had got me on 3 offences all in one go! surely worthy of a bonus at the station - no drivers licence on me (left the bag at home I was in such a hurry) no current tax disc (I had bought it the previous day and forgot to put it on - damn!) and leaving the best for last I was travelling 30 klicks above the speed limit! (I was a harried mum that morning and had learnt my lesson!) I explained about the ballet, and after a discrete telling off he told me I was lucky it was him. He pretended to write me a ticket because his boss was watching him and when I got home and opened it up - it was blank - all blank. As we say in Ireland - God Bless him - may he be the father of a Bishop!
Can you imagine my angst if I had got a $30 ticket from the MM today and all for a saving of $6 on 2lbs of Starbucks Breakfast Blend coffee beans!! Now wouldn't the devil and his brats have had the last laugh!!
Sleep tight...
Delisha xxx
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Miracles are happening...
Wow,
It's only day 2 of my 365 day challenge and I can already see miracles happening!
I awoke to a song on the radio - you know the one that goes 'Be happy...be happy' and when I looked outside and saw the snow re-appear, I knew that would be the major challenge of the day. Then the first words out of dear hubby's mouth were "People need to spend more money and not stop spending..otherwise the economy is going to crash...people need jobs...we need to keep the wheels of industry rolling". WHAT? was this the same hubby who only a few weeks ago (in the midst of Xmas lunacy spending) said to me that if given the choice to spend - or not to spend, I would choose the former! After 25 years of marriage he knows me too well!!
So here he is now saying that people should spend more during these times of recession. Yes, I can understand the logic of that... but if I was unemployed, would I still? - so as I was digesting my coffee, images of all those nice fluffy things I saw at the mall yesterday came back into my head. Hmm...I wonder did I mistake the message on the bus yesterday - the one that said 'Quitting is contagious'. Did they mean I should quit now while I'm still ahead?
Haw! No - I ain't a quitter... Six months ago, I was a self-confessed chocaholic - could not live without chocolate - had to have a daily dose of it, and now I'm proud to say I have not touched the stuff for at least six months if not longer. It was for a special intention that something good would happen to somebody I care about a lot - the miracle hasn't happened for her yet, so I have to keep off the chocolate until such time. I even resisted all those delicious Irish chocolates that were sent to me for Xmas.
Vicky had an exam today so did not have to be at school until lunch time and Claudia had a bit of a cold and was not up to gym first thing, so I changed my plans and went into work this afternoon instead. What a morning! I have not enjoyed one like that for a long time. It brought me back warm memories of when I was a fulltime mum and looking out at the Alberta snow with my precious little girls. I baked some banana walnut muffins for us to enjoy with the 'American Idol' tonight - nothing like the smell of baking! Then I made us all delicious chicken quesadillas - "aah just like old times mum" Claudia and Vicky announced happily Yeah! - way better than a bought subway! I thought to myself.
The simple abundance joy continued as I got dressed for the day. This part of the morning doesn't always run smoothly for me - What shall I wear? is a constant problem despite the fact I have enough clothes to wear something different for each day of the year - well maybe not quite that much!!
Before the Chinese year of the Ox began, I cleaned out my closets (as the sages advise people to do before a new year) - I spent all weekend at it. So picture my delight when I discovered long lost tops and skirts that I had totally forgotten about. I organised everything in prep for the YOSA - everything now organized by colour - trousers all together - closet heaven ensued - Yeah! I put together the most amazing outfit - Claudia my fashionista was hugely impressed.
Last weekend as I prepared for YOSA I brought down all our old clothes to the Mayfair Mall and they gave us $5 gift vouchers for each bag weighting 15-20 lbs (What a great idea!). I used these vouchers along with points accumulated from spending at the Bay and bought Kevin a trousers which was on sale. He was thrilled because he had been looking and couldn't find his size in navy. As well they were on a 40% off sale so I virtually got his designer trousers for nothing - Boy! did it ever feel good coming home triumphant with the pants for him especially with the great deal I got him. Was he happy? You bet!
With this new 'sensible' regime, I am getting to appreciate my clothes more and give each one a proper turn on my back! It's like my friendship with long-lost clothing has been rekindled. I'm using my accessories more - taking more time to look good. Before starting the YOSA year, I was aware of how nothing was a treat any more - I was too spoilt! I wanted it - I got it!
Now everything is becoming more of a treat. I like the feeling that I'm not letting the marketing gurus and consumer society control me, or dictate what I should, or shouldn't wear. The word 'trendy' can feel threatening to some people. Another word for trendy in my estimation is 'conform'. It's like if you don't conform to 'our' idea of what trendy is - then missus you are one of the POOFS (peculiar out-of-fashion simpletons). Yes! hurrah I want to be a POOF!
I think where clothes are concerned - I agree with Coco Chanel who once said:
"Look for the woman in the dress. If there is no woman, there is no dress". So work on having a healthy figure girls - then even a sack bag will look good on us - right on!
I still cannot forget the image of those two little orphan sisters in the mud cabin, with nothing around them but the bare essentials - no living relatives alive since all their family and parents had died of aids - and their greatest challenge each day was not what to wear but whether they had enough
food to survive. Yet despite all this, they had a glimmer of hope in their hearts and were teaching each other how to read and write. One wanted to become a teacher and the other a doctor so she could cure people. The female reporter could not contain the tears - nor could I. Ever since, I've been feeling guilty at how spoilt I am. I want to lessen the woeful waste in my life, and the woe in others' lives.
So that's about the size of it for today...and as the song goes "I wont back down".
Have a great day,
Patricia Delisha xxx
It's only day 2 of my 365 day challenge and I can already see miracles happening!
I awoke to a song on the radio - you know the one that goes 'Be happy...be happy' and when I looked outside and saw the snow re-appear, I knew that would be the major challenge of the day. Then the first words out of dear hubby's mouth were "People need to spend more money and not stop spending..otherwise the economy is going to crash...people need jobs...we need to keep the wheels of industry rolling". WHAT? was this the same hubby who only a few weeks ago (in the midst of Xmas lunacy spending) said to me that if given the choice to spend - or not to spend, I would choose the former! After 25 years of marriage he knows me too well!!
So here he is now saying that people should spend more during these times of recession. Yes, I can understand the logic of that... but if I was unemployed, would I still? - so as I was digesting my coffee, images of all those nice fluffy things I saw at the mall yesterday came back into my head. Hmm...I wonder did I mistake the message on the bus yesterday - the one that said 'Quitting is contagious'. Did they mean I should quit now while I'm still ahead?
Haw! No - I ain't a quitter... Six months ago, I was a self-confessed chocaholic - could not live without chocolate - had to have a daily dose of it, and now I'm proud to say I have not touched the stuff for at least six months if not longer. It was for a special intention that something good would happen to somebody I care about a lot - the miracle hasn't happened for her yet, so I have to keep off the chocolate until such time. I even resisted all those delicious Irish chocolates that were sent to me for Xmas.
Vicky had an exam today so did not have to be at school until lunch time and Claudia had a bit of a cold and was not up to gym first thing, so I changed my plans and went into work this afternoon instead. What a morning! I have not enjoyed one like that for a long time. It brought me back warm memories of when I was a fulltime mum and looking out at the Alberta snow with my precious little girls. I baked some banana walnut muffins for us to enjoy with the 'American Idol' tonight - nothing like the smell of baking! Then I made us all delicious chicken quesadillas - "aah just like old times mum" Claudia and Vicky announced happily Yeah! - way better than a bought subway! I thought to myself.
The simple abundance joy continued as I got dressed for the day. This part of the morning doesn't always run smoothly for me - What shall I wear? is a constant problem despite the fact I have enough clothes to wear something different for each day of the year - well maybe not quite that much!!
Before the Chinese year of the Ox began, I cleaned out my closets (as the sages advise people to do before a new year) - I spent all weekend at it. So picture my delight when I discovered long lost tops and skirts that I had totally forgotten about. I organised everything in prep for the YOSA - everything now organized by colour - trousers all together - closet heaven ensued - Yeah! I put together the most amazing outfit - Claudia my fashionista was hugely impressed.
Last weekend as I prepared for YOSA I brought down all our old clothes to the Mayfair Mall and they gave us $5 gift vouchers for each bag weighting 15-20 lbs (What a great idea!). I used these vouchers along with points accumulated from spending at the Bay and bought Kevin a trousers which was on sale. He was thrilled because he had been looking and couldn't find his size in navy. As well they were on a 40% off sale so I virtually got his designer trousers for nothing - Boy! did it ever feel good coming home triumphant with the pants for him especially with the great deal I got him. Was he happy? You bet!
With this new 'sensible' regime, I am getting to appreciate my clothes more and give each one a proper turn on my back! It's like my friendship with long-lost clothing has been rekindled. I'm using my accessories more - taking more time to look good. Before starting the YOSA year, I was aware of how nothing was a treat any more - I was too spoilt! I wanted it - I got it!
Now everything is becoming more of a treat. I like the feeling that I'm not letting the marketing gurus and consumer society control me, or dictate what I should, or shouldn't wear. The word 'trendy' can feel threatening to some people. Another word for trendy in my estimation is 'conform'. It's like if you don't conform to 'our' idea of what trendy is - then missus you are one of the POOFS (peculiar out-of-fashion simpletons). Yes! hurrah I want to be a POOF!
I think where clothes are concerned - I agree with Coco Chanel who once said:
"Look for the woman in the dress. If there is no woman, there is no dress". So work on having a healthy figure girls - then even a sack bag will look good on us - right on!
I still cannot forget the image of those two little orphan sisters in the mud cabin, with nothing around them but the bare essentials - no living relatives alive since all their family and parents had died of aids - and their greatest challenge each day was not what to wear but whether they had enough
food to survive. Yet despite all this, they had a glimmer of hope in their hearts and were teaching each other how to read and write. One wanted to become a teacher and the other a doctor so she could cure people. The female reporter could not contain the tears - nor could I. Ever since, I've been feeling guilty at how spoilt I am. I want to lessen the woeful waste in my life, and the woe in others' lives.
So that's about the size of it for today...and as the song goes "I wont back down".
Have a great day,
Patricia Delisha xxx
Monday, January 26, 2009
D-Day
I got off to a rather wobbly start once I realized that it was the 6th anniversary of the day I broke my ankle in Calgary (like an idiot I was attempting to ski for the 1st time at 45). Needless to say - it was the start of a year from hell! I've never liked the 26th since then, or any number that arrives at a single digit of 8. I've noticed it doesn't work well for me - something to do with it being a Saturn number and all that... Once at the supermarket when I realised I was at checkout #8, I wanted to turn on my heel but it was too late! I went home to discover that the checkout girl had left out the sandwich meat and given me somebody else's bread soda!! It was so annoying when I reached for a slab of turkey breast to discover it was left behind.
Another 8 day happened at the ferry terminal - ignoring my warning cries, hubby boldly made his way to gate #8 laughing and muttering something about superstitious nonsense. What happened? - you guessed it - the ferry we were aiming for was full so a long, boring 3 hour wait in the heat ensued.
So along comes D-Day - the start of my YOSA (year of simple abundance) and it comes to a bloody 8!!
The negativity continued well after K (hubby) brought me my early morning coffee. I was suffering a bit of PTSD from the skiing accident when a heading from Sunday's newspapers caught my attention for obvious reasons 'Why the party is over' and 'High flying couples brought down to earth with a bang' (Ireland's Sunday Independent 18 Jan).
Not being one to wallow in self-pity (the kids would disagree) I put on my positive thinking cap and came up with a couple of nice ideas to help get me through D-Day (day ones of any new regime are always brutal anyway). It hit me that the Chinese love the number 8 - every house they live in has to have the # 8 and if it doesn't they have it changed and insert a number 8, so a Realtor once told me. Eight is the number associated with wealth, which is why our office neighbour, Dr. Lee, has the only office on the floor with an 8. He is Chinese so that makes sense. So maybe I'm off to a good financial year - only time will tell.
The day laboured on with mixed blessings. When I was driving the girls to school I noticed a big message on a passing bus which said 'Quitting is contagious'. I roared in delight - it was definitely a message from my angels for me. It reminded me of a saying I once heard 'when man decides to do something, the universe conspires to make it happen' - and yes I'm quitting being a shopaholic - I've thrown out my mall walking shoes -for a year at least.
I'll admit the two younger kids didn't conspire to make it happen today and it wasn't plain sailing. We had a bit of a showdown tonight when Vicky and Claudia announced that I was going through a mid-life crisis and that in a week or so (they hope!) I'll be back to my normal spontaneously generous old self - yeah right!!
I had to bring Claudia to the Mayfair Mall today to get a new cellphone charger. She lost her old one in Vancouver at the weekend and I made her pay for the new one out of her own spending money - don't worry her personal account is way bigger than mine. If that wasn't bad enough - I ignored the foodcourt and Starbucks completely. Normally I would pay them a visit on such occasions but not today. Later I passed a florist shop displaying the most beautiful Spring daffodils - my favourite! Prior to YOSA I would have bought them in a heart beat. I could just see them on my office desk. Then I had to pass several dress shops displaying all the latest bright, fluffy spring wear - YES -the devil and his brats were working overtime on me. I resisted. Yee Haw - I had the last laugh.
I don't intend to go back to that mall in a hurry - no way baby!
I am being sensible now. Instead of my daily fix of Starbucks cappuccino I bought a container of Italian espresso coffee which will produce 30 cups for the price of four Starbucks and believe me way nicer! When I got home from the mall, I was still a bit weak after the devil's attack, so I cleaned the cobwebs off my home made cappuccino maker (which I had got free on Visa points) and brewed Ali and myself a cup each of delicious frothy cappuccinos. Believe me, they were finger lickin' good.
Later I went outside to the garden and all around me I could see the sight of little daffodils beginning to emerge. They looked like fluffy little yellow goslings. In another week or so I'll have my daffodils for free!!
Honestly - I really did a lot to deserve a big pat on the back today!!
I ended up my first day of YOSA making four separate suppers - stew from leftovers for Kevin who loves that - salmon for Ali and me - mozza burger for Claudia, and vege burger for Vicky - Whoever said Mothers have an easy life!!
I'm going to retire to bed now before I get the urge... for a McDonald's strawberry sundae...
Only 364 days left in the challenge...
On that happy note - Goodbye.
Tomorrow is another day - wonder what it will bring?
Another 8 day happened at the ferry terminal - ignoring my warning cries, hubby boldly made his way to gate #8 laughing and muttering something about superstitious nonsense. What happened? - you guessed it - the ferry we were aiming for was full so a long, boring 3 hour wait in the heat ensued.
So along comes D-Day - the start of my YOSA (year of simple abundance) and it comes to a bloody 8!!
The negativity continued well after K (hubby) brought me my early morning coffee. I was suffering a bit of PTSD from the skiing accident when a heading from Sunday's newspapers caught my attention for obvious reasons 'Why the party is over' and 'High flying couples brought down to earth with a bang' (Ireland's Sunday Independent 18 Jan).
Not being one to wallow in self-pity (the kids would disagree) I put on my positive thinking cap and came up with a couple of nice ideas to help get me through D-Day (day ones of any new regime are always brutal anyway). It hit me that the Chinese love the number 8 - every house they live in has to have the # 8 and if it doesn't they have it changed and insert a number 8, so a Realtor once told me. Eight is the number associated with wealth, which is why our office neighbour, Dr. Lee, has the only office on the floor with an 8. He is Chinese so that makes sense. So maybe I'm off to a good financial year - only time will tell.
The day laboured on with mixed blessings. When I was driving the girls to school I noticed a big message on a passing bus which said 'Quitting is contagious'. I roared in delight - it was definitely a message from my angels for me. It reminded me of a saying I once heard 'when man decides to do something, the universe conspires to make it happen' - and yes I'm quitting being a shopaholic - I've thrown out my mall walking shoes -for a year at least.
I'll admit the two younger kids didn't conspire to make it happen today and it wasn't plain sailing. We had a bit of a showdown tonight when Vicky and Claudia announced that I was going through a mid-life crisis and that in a week or so (they hope!) I'll be back to my normal spontaneously generous old self - yeah right!!
I had to bring Claudia to the Mayfair Mall today to get a new cellphone charger. She lost her old one in Vancouver at the weekend and I made her pay for the new one out of her own spending money - don't worry her personal account is way bigger than mine. If that wasn't bad enough - I ignored the foodcourt and Starbucks completely. Normally I would pay them a visit on such occasions but not today. Later I passed a florist shop displaying the most beautiful Spring daffodils - my favourite! Prior to YOSA I would have bought them in a heart beat. I could just see them on my office desk. Then I had to pass several dress shops displaying all the latest bright, fluffy spring wear - YES -the devil and his brats were working overtime on me. I resisted. Yee Haw - I had the last laugh.
I don't intend to go back to that mall in a hurry - no way baby!
I am being sensible now. Instead of my daily fix of Starbucks cappuccino I bought a container of Italian espresso coffee which will produce 30 cups for the price of four Starbucks and believe me way nicer! When I got home from the mall, I was still a bit weak after the devil's attack, so I cleaned the cobwebs off my home made cappuccino maker (which I had got free on Visa points) and brewed Ali and myself a cup each of delicious frothy cappuccinos. Believe me, they were finger lickin' good.
Later I went outside to the garden and all around me I could see the sight of little daffodils beginning to emerge. They looked like fluffy little yellow goslings. In another week or so I'll have my daffodils for free!!
Honestly - I really did a lot to deserve a big pat on the back today!!
I ended up my first day of YOSA making four separate suppers - stew from leftovers for Kevin who loves that - salmon for Ali and me - mozza burger for Claudia, and vege burger for Vicky - Whoever said Mothers have an easy life!!
I'm going to retire to bed now before I get the urge... for a McDonald's strawberry sundae...
Only 364 days left in the challenge...
On that happy note - Goodbye.
Tomorrow is another day - wonder what it will bring?
Sunday, January 25, 2009
A self-confessed shopaholic gives up compulsive spending for a whole year - how long will it last?
Today the earth moved.... It wasn't really supposed to move 'officially' until the 1st of February but because tomorrow heralds the Chinese New Year, I decided - to hell with it - No time like the present. Besides between now and the 1st of February there is an awful lot of damage I could do, stocking up for the hungry year ahead - those cute black shoes I saw in Winners at a steal of a deal will have to take a walk - on somebody else's feet that is! Yeah, I may as well start now - 'No sooner said than done - so acts your woman of worth'.
I have made a firm commitment to give up compulsive spending - YES - give up compulsive spending for a whole long year - no luxuries - just essentials - like food, gas, hefty mortgage, childrens school fees, dental fees on braces for two of the kids, retirement savings plan, education plan for kids university, property taxes, bank interest fees, insurance and taxes on two cars, life insurance plan, B.C. hydro costs, telephone charges - (landline and 4 mobiles), Terasen Gas for heating the house ( it's going to snow next Tuesday so we'll need lots of heat), city charges for emptying the garbage (I don't want rats around the house), clothing for three children (not ME remember I'm off luxuries for a year) hairdresser (does that count as a luxury or a necessity?) food for 4 pets and occasional vet visits, (the last occasional vet visit cost me $420!). Yes, folks the aforementioned are just a few of the daily/weekly living costs of an average family of five. Give me luxury any day - screw the essentials - they're no fun!!
Just seeing the above all written down has made my heart turn inside out - Flippin' hell - I never knew we had so MANY life essentials - how on earth did I ever afford to become a compulsive spender? I mean...? O.K. I shouldn't be so hard on myself - I'm not that bad. Really, I just compulsive spend on bargains. Phew! that doesn't sound so bad. For a minute there I was beginning to get worried... The guilt was about to choke me. The devil just whispered into my ear "Your house is bursting at the seams with bargains Delisha" - the cheek of him! He has no right to call me Delisha either - especially when he is insulting me.
Maybe he's right - I know I didn't really need that sleeveless RL top I got in the January sales, even if it was on a 60% off bargain or the two pairs of boots for the price of one. The challenge ahead is to know the difference between want and need. Right?
Why do I want to do this? Because there is too much waste in the world and I have far too much stuff - and my knuckles have blisters from bringing 6 black sacks of stuff down to the charity shop - the last time I brought it down to them they told me that they had no room for any more stuff!! So I had to drive around until I found a thrift shop that wanted my unwanted stuff - Then when I saw the starving children in Africa on t.v....and the little 12 year old orphan girl who had to walk two miles for water and carry it back on her head and the sight of her little toothbrush stuck in a hole on her mud cabin wall - it got to me. I already have one adopted kid in Africa. Now I want two more - one for each of my three children. I should have done it ages ago but I turned a blind eye. Oops - I'm getting a nasty guilt attack...but I cannot take tylenol to ease the pain...It's stuck in my gut.
When you see our essentials list, you probably think we're millionaires - Nope, we're just ordinary Joe's living in North America (though I'm not a hockey mum), and there's only one earner in this little family of ours - just one earner. Sadly in some homes now, there's not even one earner, so I know I'm lucky on that count, but life can change in an instant for anybody, which is why I want to learn how to lessen my grip on the glossy stuff - I'm sure by the time I've finished writing this, I'll remember other things I forgot to mention on our 'essentials' list - Yes - the annual family vacation - my husband says it's not a luxury - "It's an essential!" I wont argue with that.
I work in the office for my smarter-spending other half (as his secretary/receptionist), so at least that saves us having to pay somebody and can go on my list of credits - as well as the fact I just compulsive spend on bargains. Correction - 'used to' compulsive spend on bargains!
Tomorrow is D-Day.
Please tune in and join me on this adventure of a lifetime...A year of Simple Abundance...Will it make me even more irritable than the normal menopausal woman that I already am? Will I be able to pass on some wisdom from the experience to you and give you some useful tips? - or if bad comes to worse - will I crumble the next time I see a bargain in the weekly flyers?
Let the Adventure begin as we welcome the Chinese Year of the Ox...Yee Haw!!
Anchors away...
Patricia Delisha xxx
I have made a firm commitment to give up compulsive spending - YES - give up compulsive spending for a whole long year - no luxuries - just essentials - like food, gas, hefty mortgage, childrens school fees, dental fees on braces for two of the kids, retirement savings plan, education plan for kids university, property taxes, bank interest fees, insurance and taxes on two cars, life insurance plan, B.C. hydro costs, telephone charges - (landline and 4 mobiles), Terasen Gas for heating the house ( it's going to snow next Tuesday so we'll need lots of heat), city charges for emptying the garbage (I don't want rats around the house), clothing for three children (not ME remember I'm off luxuries for a year) hairdresser (does that count as a luxury or a necessity?) food for 4 pets and occasional vet visits, (the last occasional vet visit cost me $420!). Yes, folks the aforementioned are just a few of the daily/weekly living costs of an average family of five. Give me luxury any day - screw the essentials - they're no fun!!
Just seeing the above all written down has made my heart turn inside out - Flippin' hell - I never knew we had so MANY life essentials - how on earth did I ever afford to become a compulsive spender? I mean...? O.K. I shouldn't be so hard on myself - I'm not that bad. Really, I just compulsive spend on bargains. Phew! that doesn't sound so bad. For a minute there I was beginning to get worried... The guilt was about to choke me. The devil just whispered into my ear "Your house is bursting at the seams with bargains Delisha" - the cheek of him! He has no right to call me Delisha either - especially when he is insulting me.
Maybe he's right - I know I didn't really need that sleeveless RL top I got in the January sales, even if it was on a 60% off bargain or the two pairs of boots for the price of one. The challenge ahead is to know the difference between want and need. Right?
Why do I want to do this? Because there is too much waste in the world and I have far too much stuff - and my knuckles have blisters from bringing 6 black sacks of stuff down to the charity shop - the last time I brought it down to them they told me that they had no room for any more stuff!! So I had to drive around until I found a thrift shop that wanted my unwanted stuff - Then when I saw the starving children in Africa on t.v....and the little 12 year old orphan girl who had to walk two miles for water and carry it back on her head and the sight of her little toothbrush stuck in a hole on her mud cabin wall - it got to me. I already have one adopted kid in Africa. Now I want two more - one for each of my three children. I should have done it ages ago but I turned a blind eye. Oops - I'm getting a nasty guilt attack...but I cannot take tylenol to ease the pain...It's stuck in my gut.
When you see our essentials list, you probably think we're millionaires - Nope, we're just ordinary Joe's living in North America (though I'm not a hockey mum), and there's only one earner in this little family of ours - just one earner. Sadly in some homes now, there's not even one earner, so I know I'm lucky on that count, but life can change in an instant for anybody, which is why I want to learn how to lessen my grip on the glossy stuff - I'm sure by the time I've finished writing this, I'll remember other things I forgot to mention on our 'essentials' list - Yes - the annual family vacation - my husband says it's not a luxury - "It's an essential!" I wont argue with that.
I work in the office for my smarter-spending other half (as his secretary/receptionist), so at least that saves us having to pay somebody and can go on my list of credits - as well as the fact I just compulsive spend on bargains. Correction - 'used to' compulsive spend on bargains!
Tomorrow is D-Day.
Please tune in and join me on this adventure of a lifetime...A year of Simple Abundance...Will it make me even more irritable than the normal menopausal woman that I already am? Will I be able to pass on some wisdom from the experience to you and give you some useful tips? - or if bad comes to worse - will I crumble the next time I see a bargain in the weekly flyers?
Let the Adventure begin as we welcome the Chinese Year of the Ox...Yee Haw!!
Anchors away...
Patricia Delisha xxx
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