I've been out of the loop here for a couple of days. There's another killer catalina deal going on at the grocery store - could I resist? NO! It has taken up most of my time since Friday. I have a lot more food I want to get between now and Thursday. So far, I'm ahead by $41.79. I expect to lose some of that "profit" though, depending on how I can structure the rest of the deals. I think it will be more important to get soup and such to add to the stockpile. My brother has said he'd like some soup and I warned him he may regret saying that!
I still haven't recovered from the last catalina deal, so this time I really might shop til I drop!

Well I updated the sidebar to reflect the now paid off loan.

As a treat for myself for all my coupon shopping (over $3800 saved YTD) and for getting debts paid off, I bought myself a couple of gifts. One is due to arrive tomorrow and the other on Wednesday. I think I will wait to announce them when they get here. Ooh, this is better than Christmas!! I never get myself anything.

My brother contacted me today to let me know he got a message from the girl I sent the care package to. She basically was fishing for ideas on how to show her gratitude. I mentioned it to DH and he got a message from her as well. She knows my brother, but has never met me or DH. She just knows of us and has friended us online. She seems like a great kid from a rough life. Just knowing she appreciated the package is really all I wanted.

It was such a beautiful day here today and I took advantage of the weather to rip up the garden for the winter. I still need to bring in the hose, but I may need it this week. That sure was a lot of work for a teeny tiny area!

On our way back from the grocery store this morning, we stopped at a yard sale. They said the stuff was priced to sell and they weren't kidding! DH picked up a Uniden bearcat scanner for $1.00. It seems to need a new battery since it only wants to run plugged in. He's not sure he wants to replace the battery. He only picked it up because he liked the antenna it had. Worse case scenario is that he'll put this antenna on his scanner. I found this for 25 cents:





Oh yes, I WILL use it if I need a trivet! Cute and functional.

Still not much word from my mother. She sent a Halloween card to a friend of mine and told him I was upset with her. Well yes, but I've calmed down a bit. It's HER that doesn't call, doesn't respond to my emails, in general just doesn't let me know what's going on in her life anymore. She's still spending up a storm and I will not bail her out again. No no NO! Yes, I AM bitter about her spending, especially where I loaned her so much money and she never paid me back. I learned my lesson - never again.

These days - I worry about ME. Everyone else just needs to figure out their own issues. It's so hard though since I'm so giving. Yes, there's a box upstairs for my mother - 8 laundry detergents and 10 cans of tuna fish. It's from my last catalina run. I can't help it since I know it's stuff she could use and I got it for next to nothing. I have boxes started for my mother, my MIL, and my brother. Just can't help it.