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Archive for June, 2007

My Casino Win

June 30th, 2007 at 02:24 pm

Woo Hoo...

A friend and I had tickets to see Travis Tritt last night at Casino Rama.

Despite the bad traffic we got there about an hour early (the ride took about 2.5 hours but we had left lots of time - cause it really should take an hour but with long weekend traffic...). So I decided I would spend $20 playing on the slot machines. Lost $10 on the nickel slots. Then watched my girlfriend play for a while. Then put some money in the quarter slots. Ended up with a voucher for $27.10.. so I made an entire $7.10 last night. I figured I'd stop there while I was ahead!!!

Surprising Tax Reassessment

June 28th, 2007 at 04:17 pm

I got a surprise in the mail. I had applied for a carry back of a capital loss from last year to the year before. I had though I might get an extra refund of around $300.

Revenue Canada sent me a cheque today for $580. Woo hoo! Given the issues at work this is going right into my emergency fund.

Not all reassements are bad!!!

Update

June 28th, 2007 at 01:34 pm

Life remains pretty busy.

Got the cheque from the insurance company for my appointment last week. Had another dental visit this week but only about 50% will be reimbursed after the $50 deductible and the 80% coinsurance.

I have bought my lunches out. That has to change next week but have been pretty good iwth my dinner. Had a lovely one out last night but it was paid for by my date. I don't mind paying my way but I also enjoy being courted and treated to a meal.

There are a number of big ticket items I want but with the continiuing stresses at the office I'm conserving cash. While some are "sort of needs" most come under the heading of wants. Yes I sort of need a new couch (mine was torn up by the cats) but there no need to make the purchase right now etc...

Its a good lesson for me to start separating needs and wants again and learning to make do with what I have or adapt it. I might look into craigs list or freecycle a bit but other than that I need to stop coveting.

My part to bringing a smile to your face this monday

June 25th, 2007 at 05:44 pm

Text is http://www.webworksllc.com/i_like_you.swf and Link is
http://www.webworksllc.com/i_like_you.swf

My apologies if you have seen it before. I just "refound" it in my email and it cheered me up!

Weekend Recap

June 25th, 2007 at 04:32 pm

My date Saturday night went well. We went to my favourite neighbourhood restaurant and enjoyed a meal out on the patio I had a delicious and non creamy portabello soup followed by shrimp and bacon crepes that were also not too creamy. My date had steak. We sat, relaxed, ate, and caught up.

After we headed out to a nightclub. The floor show at midnight was "quite" something. Think latex covered "nun" with a strapless dress and two naughty school girls. Any vulgarity, of which there was quite some, was overshadowed by the incredibly bad acting. Ignoring the adult plot a third grader could do better. We walked out on it after a few minutes and found a quieter corner to chat and people watch.

Sunday I had a quiet no spend day at home. Found the floor of my spare bedroom, decluttered some drawers and got rid of quite a bit of crap. Felt good. Rest of the day was lazy which was really nice!

Make up Splurge Sort of

June 23rd, 2007 at 11:54 pm

I have had a hankering for some nice make up so I cashed in some of my drug store points and bought some of the good stuff today - Lise Watier foundation and base - yeah I bought the "you need'm both line hook and sinker". She did my face for me using both and I LOVED the look.

Along with some other odds and sods I needed the amount I spent out of pocket was less than $14.

I'm happy. And all made up for a date tonight curtesy of Make Up girl at the drug store.. (alas I'm of the age where make up makes me look younger and not older .. *sigh*)

French Results

June 22nd, 2007 at 12:34 am

I got about 81% on my French test. Not bad for studying under 2 hours for it.

Had a picnic today at lunch with the french teacher and the other student in my class. That was very nice.

Boss wants to talk to me about things that will give me more challanges at work and told me he'll be needing me to do more quotes. I'm not overly excited by that. So then the big one I was to be assigned to me isn't coming to me cause someone else wants it. Seems I can't win for losing at work. They assigned me a small pain in the butt one that I'll work with the new guy on - and make it into a training exercise - that is the best of a bad thing.


Today could have been canceled due to lack of interest

June 21st, 2007 at 05:07 am

Started the day at work for 2 hours studying for my french test. Did the french test (i take french at work for work so studying at work seems reasonable to me, and my boss didn't protest).

Then a dental appointment for a cleaning. A tooth is chipped so I'm back next week for an unchipping.. err.. filling

Home and realise the chicken I was going to make was bad despite being three days before the best before date. Realised that this was the third time this happened. So it might be something to do with the fridge. So i defrosted the fridge/freezer compartment, to see if that might help and frankly I want to ask for a new fridge but it was so bad I figured I better do that first. $16 of chicken thighs tossed in the garbage.

Did laundry

Got all the ice out of the freezer area finally. Dumped much of it on the balcony to melt there.

Mopped floor in kitchen (defrosting the fridge's freezer makes a mess)

Got laundry.

Realised some a$$ stole my big purple bathsheet from out of the dryer. Damn I'm annoyed - that was the only bathsheet that was large enough to cover all of my fat A$$.

Made bed. Am in bed.

Tomorrow has to be better right?

Wednesday

June 20th, 2007 at 01:11 pm

I am going to go to work today - I have a french test at noon I haven't studied for so the hours before then aren't for work but to study for my french test.

Then work. Ick. But as a friend suggested to me yesterday more than a day hiding from it isn't a good thing for me mentally. I hate it when friends are right but I'm not going to bite my nose to spite my face.

So back to work. I'm pretty sure nothing more will happen with respect to the letter I'm supposed to get until next week but who knows.

Today's fun events are capped off by a dental appointment at 5pm. Those services should be paid for by my dental plan. My dental plan (my employer is my insurer, one of the "perqs" of working in insurance) isn't one of the most generous however so who knows.

Then home and hopefully I'll have some energy to do a few chores that have been put off way too long.

Took a Day off

June 19th, 2007 at 08:35 pm

After the fuss yesterday I slept for 14 hours last night. Feel tired still today but like there is hope with life.

I'm going to not make any rash decisions about my job until I get the letter. But I'm going to put off any large purchases and generally tighten my belt. I have no need that I know of for going on a spending spree for the next little while, so I won't. I have an funded emergency account.. I'm well off considering.

I'll update my resume in the next week or so and start seeing what is out there too.

Also thinking about going to 4 days per week and working 10 hour days. My boss in onside with me in all of this, and focussing on other areas of my life now might be a good thing.

So much for relaxing on vacation

June 19th, 2007 at 07:31 am

After a great couple of weeks off, recharging and enjoying myself I go back to work today to find out I'm in lots of trouble. Seems one of the sales people is upset at my lack of enthusiasm and the Snr VP suddenly had this memory of me being negative at a presentation he gave. My boss and I don't remember me talking at that presentation but we do remember that I was upset after. Some of his comments were quite hurtful and I guess it showed on my face and he remembered that. So my boss is writing me up a warning and I have three months to shape up my attitude as he was clearly given the direction to do so by Senior Managment.

This was told to me an hour after my vacation ended today. So much for being relaxed and happy. With all the changes in my life ,work has been the one stabilizing thing in my life. I'll do my best to be miss cheery about everything and see what is up. Amazing while I'm not the cheeriest of the lot in the department it is the large groups I've quoted on that are the ones that have sold. Peter thinks it is bad luck and will pass so long as I'm seen as positive.

I had just come to the decision to buy my sewing machine. I will be putting that off until things settle down.

Vacation Pictures

June 17th, 2007 at 12:20 pm

Got my vacation pictures uploaded to the web if anyone wants to take a look. This was my vacation a week or so ago to Nova Scotia, Canada and Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada.

I'm very struck by the beauty of PEI and definitely want to visit there again. This is not saying I didn't like Nova Scotia but I have been there many times and have had many opportunities to enjoy it's beauty.

If you care to look the pictures are available at

http://

Text is picasaweb.google.com/yummy1/NovaScotiaPEITrip and Link is
picasaweb.google.com/yummy1/NovaScotiaPEITrip

Home

June 17th, 2007 at 12:48 am

I'm home again. Got the pleasure of grocery shopping today. $50 quickly gone. But at least have basics again, so won't be eating out too much.

Vacation was great! It seems impossible that I am going back to work on monday - I'd like another week or two off to be honest.

Thank goodness for Drug Insurance

June 12th, 2007 at 12:43 am

I Picked up my prescriptions today.

Paid 10% of the bill 43.00

Glad the rest went on the drug card and gets paid by the insurance company and I don't have to ante up first and wait for reimbursement.


A drug habit costs..

Been blogging here a while

June 11th, 2007 at 06:30 am

Just realised I have been blogging here for more than a year.

Thank you for all of you for your comments on my posts. I've come a long way in the last year, and you have all helped me on my journey to being more financially secure.

Money for the first time in my life has become something positive - a tool I can use to enhance my present and my future - rather than a worry in my life. Its a nice feeling!

I look forward to the rest of this my second year of blogging here....

Lazy lazy day

June 11th, 2007 at 12:50 am

I've enjoyed today. Been lazy and relaxed. Did a little bit of decluttering but not much else.

It was a no spend day

Woo Hoo!

Dangerous Lotions and Potions

June 10th, 2007 at 01:02 am

Yes, I have to confess that we tried to smuggle Jergens Gradual Tanner and Lubriderm SPF 15 lotion to Toronto. However, A and I were caught by the salwart airport security. She was caught trying to smuggle on 150ml of Jergens self tanner and I surrendered my Lubiderm 300ml lotion once I realised that nothing could slip by the steadfast and vigilant gaze of the three young vibrant blondes manning the security counter.

We were then prohibited from going further until we had placed our potions, creams and devilish lotions into 1litre plastic bags supplied by our trustworthy goverment. Never mind that the other airport we travelled from allowed us to bring them in larger size bags. Of course being the frugal souls we are instisted on packing our stuff into the little bags ourselves. We wanted to make sure, in our frugal way to ensure if stuff had to get left behind it wasn't the expensive stuff A told those behind us in line that we might be awhile and that they might want to try another line. We were worse than the little old lady in front of you in the check out line at the grocery store purse diving for 2 pennies.



They were kind to us in that they did not demand I be able to seal my bag when they let me through. I think they were afraid I'd just repack it until I got it to work holding up the line for hours. Anyone who has seen what I can put into a small purse realises that I do have the ability to make much fit into a very small space.

I got so confused that I almost forgot to put my bag on rollers so it could be scanned - they had to remind me.

And yes we had them all laughing and joking with us by the time we were through - hell our flight was delayed and we had time to kill and they were there until the end of their shift regardless!

Late and Tired, but Home Sweet Home

June 9th, 2007 at 06:51 am

More holiday posts sure to come. We got home tonight after lots of delays. The airport at Toronto was closed for a while (hours?) due to a huge thunderstorm. This meant the plane picking us up that was starting in Toronto and returning with our flight was late

The most fun we had though was in checking in our lotions and potions. I have a pic of that but haven't uploaded it yet. Lets just say we had to ditch items over 100ml and we were able to creatively pack the rest.

I got home after midnight and am still tring to unwind.

Oh they charge those in steerage (I think they call it economy) $1 for a chocolate bar and $2 for a small thing of pringles on the plane. Yes highway robbery is alive and well and the coach robbers are now employed by Air Canada

Holiday Update

June 6th, 2007 at 12:55 am

Found an internet connection (free at the inn we are staying at) so am indulging my internet fixation. I'm so addicted it isn't funny.

The holiday has been great. The weather was great for Peggy's Cove but it rained cats and dogs while we went to Lunenburg and Mahone Bay. The Bluenose was out so we didn't get to tour that. One day I'll manage to be there for that.

Today we are on PEI. Went to Green Gables where they have done a nice job of fixing up the house to authentic late 1900's style. There was a gorgeous nature walk we did too!

Tomorrow we see a bit more of the lsland before heading back to Nova Scotia for a few days before heading back to Ontario.

Off down east - bye for now

June 1st, 2007 at 07:01 pm

Be back in a week or so unless I hit an interent cafe!

I'll miss reading and posting!

But I'll say hi to Green Gables and the Lake of Shining Waters as well as Peggy's Cove and Mahone Bay for you all!