Monday, June 7, 2010

Monday Loveliness. And Yuckiness.

Just thought you could use a little dose of beauty with which to start your week . . .

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And now, moving from black and white beauty to real life yuckiness, in just a few minutes I’ll be leaving for my third saline fill in the Ever Ongoing Expanding the Expanders Endeavor. (Last week, I took a break from the process altogether, which was lovely.) These visits are not something I look forward to (to put it mildly), but at least I did find a great thrift store near the surgeon’s office so that makes the whole outing a bit more enjoyable.  Bargains are a balm to the soul!

In other news, we had a wonderful time yesterday with Bob and Murriell McCulley, long time missionaries to Africa.   I cooked lunch for them after they spoke in our morning service and then Sarah, Steve and I sat entranced, listening to the amazing stories they had to tell.   I’ll write more about them in the next couple days but for now, here are a few pictures from our gathering. 

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I love this one especially.  The McCulleys had met Sarah 6 or 7 years ago and she remembered them and they remembered her.  (Which is amazing considering how many people they’ve met in the intervening years.)   It was wonderful to see her life being impacted by spending time with these amazing people.  Murriell has her doctorate and has written a book so she and Sarah enjoyed some “book talk.”

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And finally, let me answer a couple questions that have come in recently:

Q.  Are things as lovely and calm as they appear to be in Manteo? I need to visit if they are, because my life is anything but calm lately...Is it a vacation/tourist kind of town?   

--“A Mom’s Serious Blunder”

A. Although Manteo is only about five miles from the ocean, it is not as “touristy” as a lot of ocean towns  although we’ve heard that at particular times, the traffic through town can get pretty heavy, especially when all the cars and tour buses arrive each evening for The Lost Colony production.

While there are a lot of things for tourists to do (downtown harbor area with restaurants/shopping, aquarium, Elizabethan Gardens) it doesn’t at all feel like a tourist town to me—it just feels like Smalltown USA.  (Which I love!)

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Q. Great photos! And that dinner party - oh my goodness! Love the decorations! Tell me more about the tulle & lights on the porch!   --Saffyres

A. Well, I would certainly love to tell you all about the tulle and lights on the porch, but I am probably even more clueless than you are!  The lights looked to me like tulle wrapped around wire cages that were hung upside down--almost like the wire forms that hold tomatoes up.

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With the white lights placed inside, they were gorgeous!

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There’s one more question that came in having to do with any tips I had to share about living frugally.   I have a few things to write about in that regard, but I thought it would be fun to also open up the Bargain Tip Blog to you, as well. What do you and your family do to save money on food, clothes, repairs, electronics, shopping, basic living?

I’ll add your tips to my post along with your blog address, if you have one.  I’m always interested in learning more about living well on less.

Sigh.

Well, it’s time.

I figured that if I sat here and typed long enough, I could just forget all about the appointment looming over me.  But alas, the clock has announced that it is time to wrap this up, and get into the car.  And drive.  And be poked.  And expanded.  And drive home.

After two weeks of feeling really good, I’ve been having some pain and discomfort in the last couple of days which means that The Procedure will probably be a bit more unpleasant than usual.

Happy, happy day.

 

10 Had Something To Say (Just click here!):

Margie said...

Well yuck Becky- sorry you have been having some pain. Hopefully today won't be too traumatic. Prayers for safe travels.

Leece said...

Hope today went well for you. Here's my money saving tip. I have a rectangular greenhouse...I think in America they may be called glass houses - anyway, you grow your veggies in them! For years now whenever the glass breaks I simply hang up a clear plastic shower curtain instead of paying for new glass. I know it sounds weird but it works really well, the heat and light can still get in even if you use a patterned one. I use hooks to hang them on and wedge the bottom to the floor with flower pots.

A said...

Praying for your appointment, safe travel, less pain, and a great week!

Anonymous said...

I hope you will find joy in the scenery you pass and the thrift shop!

Well, I barter my computer/graphic skills, sewing skills and staging "skills". Sometimes I receive money. Other times I've had an expert redo my resume and once I received a keyboard that looks like a piano (now for some sheet music - I only have a book of Christmas songs which is great in December!).

I save my old shower curtains and use as drop cloths for projects and painting and outside for the annual dragging of the fallen leaves back into their woods. They do make good tarps!

I found out a neighbor down the street does small engine repair ($40) versus the local "big business" that wanted to charge me almost $100 for the same repair.

Another person in my life is an auto mechanic for a big dealership and does work on the side for wholesale prices. Another person left working for an HVAC company and cleans / repairs furnaces on the side (and is not invested in a particular oil company).

I've learned that there are only a very few recipes that I need to buy brand specific ingredients for and can often go with the store brand.

So I try to find the "little guy" down the road that charges less.

Now if I could just find someone who needs one or two of my skills in return for cutting down some (more than 5) trees! :)

Ciao!

Guerrina in Ledyard

Anonymous said...

Welcome Home! I hope your appointment went well with minimal pain.

Did Nathan find a job?

Nancy(bratt) said...

Becky
I have a question for you. When my Grandma had breast cancer and had a masectomy they didnt do the saline fillings on her. Was it a choice you had to make? Can I ask you how long it hurts after you get Saline in there? Is it something that hurts for days? I wish you didn thave to go through all of this pain. I"m so sorry. I love you always
Nancy

Anonymous said...

Dee from Tennessee

Sarah is stunning! I'vw followed y'all so long from cb....I'm just so proud of her (and her big brother too).

Still praying for you and thankful for good reports for you.

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