A lot about a little

After three days of thunderstorms and rain, the outside world is bursting with green!  Every spring, I think it can't get prettier but then the pastels of April become the lush deeper colors of May... beautiful.  The forest is so alive... a metaphor of sorts as to be really alive... Narnia and Lord of the Rings alive... would be rather frightening.  Let's just say new life abounds.

Yesterday I took a much needed visit to the bigger town near us to shop at the Super Target.  They have the best prices on some items, such as the 7th Generation dishwashing liquid and the gallon size container of Carapeli mild olive oil.  Even on an extremely limited budget, I am picky about some items for the sake of my health.  The olive oil is obvious, I use it along with extra virgin olive oil most of the time.  As for the dishwashing liquid, I spend a lot of time each day doing dishes...

I've also found Target also has the best prices for tea.  A friend had given me coupons for Celestial Seasoning teas (thank you, Carol!), which I used for a couple boxes of their new teas which are competing with the expensive Traditional Medicinal.  If they work as well, that will be great.  I bought their tea for sore throats.

Right now I still keep a mental price book... similar to the written down version (which is far better) as found in The Tightwad Gazette.  I need to transfer this to a notebook soon.  The difference in price between various grocery stores is huge. 

Of course, this trip meant a visit to both the Goodwill in that town and the Mission Thrift Shop, where I found a few goodies in both places.  Then I decided to stop by my own Goodwill on the way home and came away with two gorgeous vintage glasses that are exactly what I've desired for the display on the buffet and a whisk broom my husband has been wanting.  Will take a picture of those glasses soon.

The Mission Thrift Shop is one of those places where I often find hidden jewels and the only place I have been able to find inexpensive vintage books (apart from the library's used book sales).  With Goodwill now scanning every book that comes in and selling online, it has become much more difficult to purchase good, vintage and kids books there. 

Anyway, I found an ex-library copy of Katherine Wentworth for $1.00 at the thrift store.  A very nice friend had sent me the sequel recently so I was so excited to find this D. E. Stevenson book. I love finding books and things for the house for just a few dollars total. 

My biggest splurge was for a Whopper with cheese and heavy onions at Burger King to take home and enjoy after a morning of errands.  I've been concentrating on a more vegetarian diet (for health and financial reasons) so I figured this wouldn't kill me... although I did have to wonder (after I ate it) what in the world I was thinking!

Hopefully we will have a break in the rainy weather to continue working outside.  I checked the garden this morning and the green beans are beginning to sprout.  I'll have to thin the seedlings soon.  Everything looks good so far and I am so happy I was able to plant the herb garden before the rainy weather started.

The old peony bush is beginning to bloom but this year I'm also getting blooms on the two new bushes I planted a couple years ago.  I had bought them on clearance for just a dollar each, looking more like sticks than a bush.  I had to point them out to my husband so he didn't pull them up, thinking they were weeds.  Last year there was hardly any growth at all but I read online this was to be expected.  They are really taking off this year.  Once we get some more sunshine and heat, they all should pop.

I must admit to walking through the garden section of Wal Mart this morning while waiting for prescriptions to be filled, coveting after the many plants (although Wal Mart has nothing on my favorite local nursery).  Christopher had to go to the clinic on campus this morning and came home with three prescriptions, even with two generics the total came to just under $80.00... yikes!  Not having any medical insurance can be quite a bummer.

One sighs and swipes their debit card, thinking of much better ways to spend the money but also thanking God for antibiotics and inhalers .  He is one sick puppy and must recover soon.  This illness is causing him to take an incomplete in Calculus but he thinks he can pull out all the rest of the finals.  The last one is Saturday.  It was most likely staying up until the wee small hours of the morning studying in the midst of severe allergies that caused him to become so sick.

I am being very quiet as he sleeps on the family room sofa.  Even Miss Victoria seems to realize he is sick, she is stretched out near him while letting a sunbeam warm her fur.  Hehehe, recently the three of us were watching her and my husband commented that Storm was always known as The Queen so what would one call Victoria?  Christopher immediately said "The Empress"... yes, that does describe her quite well.  :)