Short Notes..... Rabun Cross

I received an email this week regarding my story on The Shining Cross. The email included a link to the website Rabun Cross. If you would like more information on the cross, the story of the cross or to see additional photos, check it out, it really is spectacular.

Short Notes.... Fall Splendor

Why do I call it God's Country?

Take a look at the video....

Fall Splendor

Thanks to my brother, Sam for sending this to me.

Short Notes...

Mama called today to tell me that she did NOT elope! Aunt Beck, Uncle Larry, Aunt Tenie and Uncle Lloyd went with she and daddy to get married.

Record corrected.

Short Notes

There are only a few species of the animal kingdom that I just don't like. I am not particularly fond of snakes, but I leave them alone and they leave me alone. Spiders, roaches and bees I have no use for. At the top of my list of least favorite animals are raccoons, I have never liked them.

Raccoons are just big overgrown rats, they look cute but they are anything but. Raccoons are mean, nasty varmits!

We have raccoons that scrounge around my neighborhood from time to time, I stay away from them at all cost.

This morning, Lita, my beautiful 9 pound attack dog, wakes up at 2:15AM in full barking assault. She had her sites set on the French Doors in our bedroom and she sees something outside. Her attack wakes me and I peer out onto the back porch. I see a raccoon looking through the glass at us as we USED to be sleeping.

I try to calm Lita down to no avail, I tap the glass to try and get the nasty varmit raccoon to leave and then notice another one on the porch as well, I look again..... FOUR nasty raccoons are outside the bedroom French Doors having a party!

Like I said, raccoons are my least favorite member of the animal kingdom.

Short Notes...Five Easy Budget Savers

I published this in another venue several months ago, but thought it was still relevant today, so I decided to share.

Five Easy Budget Savers

The economy is in the tank and we are all struggling. I have been searching for as many cost savings tactics that I can successfully implement into my own household.

Today I share 5 easy cost-savings steps that you can put into practice in your own household to help get through these difficult times. I am always searching for more, so if you have any ideas, add them down in the comments section for others to read.

Dump the Dry-Cleaning

Until recently I was spending 40 - 50 dollars per week on dry-cleaning. I sent all of my work clothes out to be laundered. When the economic crunch hit, this was one of the first things I cut back on. Now, I am laundering all my work clothes at home. I have started ironing while I watch television and it isn't so bad. One of my biggest worries when I started doing my own laundry was wrinkles, I love heavy starch in my shirts and can't stand wrinkles. A friend told me about a great product, Downy Wrinkle Releaser, it really works and gives the clothes a nice fresh smell as well.

Weekly Savings $40

Yearly Savings: $2,080

Save Your Change

For years I have saved change. I don't ever spend it under any circumstance, I only spend bills. At the end of the day I have a large jar I put the change in. I average at least $1.00 per day in change. During the Spring I emptied the jar because it was full, imagine my surprise when I had $1,368.49 in change saved!

Weekly Savings $7
Yearly Savings $365

Internet Coupons

We all know about coupons in the newspaper, but in today's culture one of the most important marketing tools any company has is their website. Before I go to the grocery I make my shopping list and then check out websites. Product websites often feature coupons that you won't find anywhere else, check it out, on my last visit to the grocery I had $12 in Internet coupons, I am a single person household so I don't buy as frequently as most, you can do much better than $12.

Weekly Savings $12
Yearly Savings $624

Hang It

As a child I loved the smell of sheets that had been hung out to dry on the line. I have reinstated the clothes line tradition in my own backyard. I am fortunate this time of year it is still warm in south Florida, so I can hang year round, but whenever available I highly recommend it, a clothesline is a great cost cutter and it is good for the environment as well! As in the last hint, remember I am a single person household so my cost may be lower than yours, I usually do 5 loads of laundry per week total, I know people who do that many per day, but if you save just 50 cents per load, that comes to $2.50 per week.

Weekly Savings $2.50
Yearly Savings $130

Brown Bag It

One of the best cost savings tools you can do on a day to day basis is brown bag your lunch. I have started cooking roast and turkey breast that can be extended through the week, this helps keep lunch interesting and tasty. I can't brown bag it every day, but I am doing 4 days per week, I usually spend 8 - 12 dollars per day on lunch. Over 4 days at just $8 that is $32 per week, brown bag it and eat in a nearby park, you get some exercise walking to the park and save money in the process!

Weekly Savings $32
Yearly Savings (Based on 50 Weeks) $1600

Those are some easy cost cutting tools that have a big pay-off. Any idea how much we just saved with those 5 easy tips?

$4,799!!!

Short Notes....

From time to time I will post "Short Notes," these are follow-ups to previous post or quick questions.

• Several of you have mentioned that you don't use soap in cleaning your Black Iron Fry Pan. You are right.... I was wrong! Water only.
• Banana Sandwich.... Mayonnaise? Peanut Butter? or You have never had one?
• Thank you so much for all the positive comments I have been receiving on the Blog, I am thoroughly enjoying writing it and sharing these stories with you.