Slory's Story

It's wintertime, which means the cats get more cuddly than usual.  It's actually really nice and you find yourself not wanting to move to disturb them.  If the remote is barely within arms reach - forget it - you'll disturb them and they'll jump down.  Sometimes they'll nestle themselves between me and Tom in bed and make the blanket into a sort of hammock.  We were able to catch them in some snuggle-bug poses.  In the one picture, Tom kneeled on the floor for just a minute and Matty came right over and curled up on the back of his legs.  They also appreciate the toasty radiator covers (that is, when our heat is on!)  Matty is also trying to stay warm another way by playing with his new toy stuffed with catnip, which he absolutely loves!  Just thought I would include it because it's another cute one.  What do you think - should I send these in for next year's "Cuteness Overload" calendar?!

A new year always brings resolutions that are overly ambitious that I don't carry through.  While my situation is not unique, I really want to make an impact in '09.  So I'm reading The Power of Less, by one of my favorite bloggers, Leo Babuta. One of his lessons is to not try to do everything at once on January 1, but to set smaller goals that allow you to form a habit that becomes a part of your routine. 

My main resolution in 2009 is to get more organized so I can use my time doing things I enjoy.   I hope to read other productivity books that allow me to better manage my time.  That will also help me when I go to clear out the clutter in our house, room by room.  This is something I hope to have done by the end of May so I have a good pile ready for another summer yardsale. 

My other resolution is to work on a healthier lifestyle.  The subgoals are to exercise at least 3x/week and make one fish or vegetarian meal per week. 

I'd also like to give up coffee this year, but this one will be hard.  I think I'm going to start by reducing my consumption to a cup a day and then make coffee with half decaf.

Another very hard one for me will be to work on worrying too much.  How will I try to accomplish this goal?  Read a couple of self-help books and practice meditation. 

So you see, these are more long term goals, but I hope by this time next year I've at least made some progress on them.  I have a plan and I think that will make the difference this time. (Of course, if you have any suggestions to help me further my goals, feel free to leave them!)

My Mom is one of the greatest people I know, and last Saturday about 30 friends and family gathered to celebrate her.  The guests came from all over the area, as well as my grandmom and aunt, who traveled from Florida and my uncle, who lives in Maine.  My uncle surprised my mom and brought my two cousins, too.  It was a lot of fun with many laughs and catching up. 

My Mom was actually looking forward to turning 50 and when you spend time with her, you understand why.  She looks so youthful, yet possesses a wisdom that's even beyond her years.  She knows she has a lot to be grateful for, starting with a family that loves her so much.  Mom has lots of great memories and much to look forward to in the next best years of her life.

Happy birthday, Mom.  You are the best and deserve the best.

(Click here for even more pictures!)

On Sunday, we lost a dear friend, companion and to me, the closest thing I have to a child. Rusty provided so much joy in our hearts and inspired love. From his purr to the little noise he made when he saw me in the morning, as if to say ‘hello,’ to his little tail that quivered when he was happy, I miss everything he did and all that he was.

One of my earliest memories of Rusty was when I was particularly sleepy with a cup of coffee in hand. We always had a playful relationship, but I was too tired to notice Rusty on this particular day. He wanted my attention, so he reached up, grabbed my arm and made me spill coffee all over my outfit. I couldn’t be mad because he was just too cute. When my parents first brought Rusty home, he hid and was a little shy at first. It wasn’t before long that he touched our hearts in a special way. He loved cuddling up next to you and being petted.

Rusty had a rough start to life, and we learned early on that he was a survivor. He lived on boxed cereal and toilet water for a few weeks while in a house that had been foreclosed on. This house happened to be in the same neighborhood as my mom’s boss at the time, Chris. Being an animal-lover as well, Chris rescued Rusty and promised to find him a good home when she found out Rusty’s life would be prematurely ended had she not intervened. We quickly fattened him up and he came to know the life he always deserved.

Rusty had a best friend for the last 10 years. Matty joined our family a couple of years later and ever since they were inseparable. They loved to play fight and clean each other. They frequently passed the time by looking out the window together. I know Matty misses him very much too. Before Rusty got sick, I used to say he was like a dog. After I parked my car, I would see him in the back bedroom window. By the time I got to the back door, he was right there to greet me.

Rusty also had his favorite toys. He found a lot of pleasure in two furry mice and a white furry ball. He’d make weird predatory sounds, a sign that he was having lots of fun. Every morning, before I went to work, he’d pace in front of the closet in the dining room, where these little toys wound up. You see, he’d throw one of those things around, chase after it and wedge it in the space under the door where he would then spend several minutes trying to get it back out, only knocking it back further in. So I would open the door and he would come looking for it. I usually found it first, so I would throw it deep into the living room. He ran, then pounced and the routine started again.

The adorable picture of Rusty on the blue couch followed me through college. I thought of him often and it made me a little homesick. I used to have a poster in my dorm room, “All I need to know in life, I learned from my cat.” I don’t have it anymore, but I remember there being some cute sayings, like: “Life is hard, then you nap” and “Curiosity never killed anything, except maybe a few hours.” I learned this and much more from Rusty. Rusty was very special in many ways and he is sorely missed. Our home is just not the same without him, but I seek comfort in all the memories he made for me. There’s a saying: “Cats leave paw prints on your heart forever.” Rusty’s will always have a special place in mine.

I quickly dismissed the CVS circular last week.  But when I saw that next week's was no better and I had ECBs to use, I examined it closer and I'm glad I did!  I could not believe my good fortune:

2 Colgate toothpastes
6 bars of Dove Soap
Dove Shampoo
2 Kitkat packs (for Halloween)
1 Reese cup pack (for Halloween)

All for .59¢!  Total saved: $25.17!

I had $12 in ECB's, a $3/$15 and various manufacturer's coupons.  I got $7 ECBs back, along with a bonus of $4 in ECBs for my summer purchases.  In addition, CVS sent me a $4/$20 coupon to spend in November!  So already I have $15 to spend next time and that's not including coupons!

I also scored a little at RiteAid.  Those Herbal Essence Shampoos were virtually free.  They were 2/$6 and there's a $3 rebate instant check, plus I had a $3 coupon on two.  The Hershey's Bliss were the most expensive - we paid $2.50 plus tax for both bags after also having a $2.50 coupon.  Those are for us!

We made out pretty well at Giant, too.  We got lots of things BOGO and walked away with two heavy canvas bags spending $57.  (It would have been less if Giant took my expired coupons!  That's the first time I was rejected in a while.)  I really wanted to make a Perdue over stuffer tomorrow, on sale both at Giant and ShopRite.  Would you believe both stores were out of stock?  So I got rein checks. 

While it takes some effort, I just love couponing!