Isn’t it funny how things come about full circle? I remember in the 80’s  when things were sooo tight and money was a big issue; I found that I could make my budget stretch by using coupons for my groceries. Every week I would try and get the Sunday paper and pour over the grocery ads. I would cut out all the coupons and match them up to what store was selling the cheapest items I wanted. It got to be a game and my kids got to taste things that I wouldn’t normally buy because it was too expensive. But by using a coupon and doubling them the items were very cheap and sometimes free! This saved me a lot of money.  As the kids grew up and left I still did some, but the fun was out of it by them, and after all how much could I eat–I wasn’t home long enough to fix my meals for working!

Years later after I remarried, I still didn’t use coupons, figured I didn’t need to. Well the light bulb went off in my head” wait a minute I like to save money; pay the least for things; and make my money go farther”! so I am back in the saddle with coupons; and boy am I having fun! The internet has been a boon of coupons and free samples. Some of the grocery stores are even “tripling” the coupons-WOW! I am having such fun! It is a big game to see if I can get something cheap or free out of the stores, and it’s working! I even have a coupon for my thanksgiving turkey and for a lot of the trimmings. Love it!

Boy is time flying! Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is near and then just around the corner CHRISTMAS! The anticipation leading up to it is more fun than the actual day. Nevertheless I look forward each year to it. Now to start the shopping!!!

Recently we have been traveling the easy way. We have been on 2 bus tours and I have to admit I kinda like them. Oh sure there are some things that don’t suit, and people that we wouldn’t ever travel with again, but that can be taken care of. We went to Cape Cod for a week and it was the most enjoyable time! The bus driver was our favorite-( hubby knows him personally), the tour guide was our favorite- and the fellow travelers were ok. There was one couple on the bus that we quickly figured them out! They were elderly, and couldn’t quite get around as good as others; BUT when it came to being pampered by fellow travelers who took pity on them, they got worse. Just couldn’t get out of the seat or the bus without help, but when nobody was around they literally jumped around. They also let it be known that we should be eating at Mc Donalds instead of these expensive restaurants; afterall we are on a fixed income. So one lady took pity on them and every time we ate lunch she made sure they had a goodie bag from her in the bus. Now I don’t have a problem with this if I hadn’t heard her say, that the next trip in Dec. to Branson Mi. would be exciting too. These two trips cost them a total of $2,500. If they can afford that then they don’t need doggie bags from others! I really think they work over the younger people to get extras from them. Shame on them!   In spite of them we had a glorious time:)

We went on a Mystery Day Trip next. That was different. We were told NOTHING! Even on the way we were told NOTHING! After we crossed the bay bridge I thought ok the Inner Harbor? No we kept on North. Finally in Northern Md. we stopped in Westminster Md. for refreshments. A beautiful old bar restaurant for crab soup and rolls. Delish! Then back on the bus to further North to Union Town; finally it was coming together- the Civil War. We toured an old grist mill where corn was milled, sifted, and poured into a bag for me. Then we toured the home where the antiques were original to the house. Next stop was to an old restaurant for lunch; complete with linen tablecloths, wine, the whole nine yards! Mouthwateringly good! We toured a plantation home,beautiful then back on the road to an apple orchard for apples, and apple dumplings-Yummy! We were back home by 11:00 pm. tired but happy. The best part? No driving, no getting lost, etc. what a way to go!

I have just let my blog slide, for Facebook. Facebook is so much easier and it’s instant to see your friends and what is going on with them. I used to like My Space, but it is just for fun not at all like Facebook, ok I admit it I am hooked on Facebook! I just have to remind my self to come back here and post more often.

Summer is over and autumn is here. I have to admit I like the weather now, but really miss summer. Camping is over and now the serious stuff begins: planing for the holidays! Christmas is on Friday this year and my clients will be unhappy for that, when o when can I get my hair done? Oh Well, do it yourself!

We are going to eat crabs tonight at the Old Mill Crab House. This time it is a free dinner from hubby’s work, Good, because the all you can eat is $30.00 now a person! I’m sure Delmarva Power can afford it.

Hubby is hard at work making a bed for his raspberry bushes that are coming soon. He is determined to cut down on his garden, so with the blackberry bushes doing great, now the raspberry will fill out the other half of the garden, leaving just enough for tomatoes, cukes, etc. I can’t wait, I love raspberries. If we have as much as we have had in blackberries, I will sell them. We were loaded with blackberries this year, I made jam, jelly, and wine. Don’t know how the wine is yet it is not ready until this winter.

DID YOU FLY YOUR FLAG?      MAY WE NEVER FORGET! 

This week is state fair week. I always look forward to this time of the year. I guess I’m just a kid at heart. I love walking around and looking at all of the competitions and exhibits. This year I took my 12 yr. old granddaughter. It’s fun looking at things through their eyes! I was really surprised that she didn’t care for going through the barns where the cows, pigs, sheep were. She said they stinked! But when we walked past the chickens she wanted to go in there! Boy there were some BIG roosters in there! I think some of them were as big as my Jack Russell terrier! And the one eye beatty look one gave us over it shoulder was deadly! I promised her one ride maybe 2, with me with her on one, well I got her on the Himalaya, she had never been on that one; after that mom-mom was finished for the day. She went on to ride the air glide, and the tilt-a-whirl. She looked like she was done after all of that!

The temp. was 90 degrees and hot in the shade. As we walked back down to the front gate to look for a hat for hubby, we saw Mc Donald”s McCoffee, they were giving away free samples, so she had the mocha and I had the vanilla, I don’t care for it , but she loved hers. Then I remembered the caffeine. Uh-Uh, hyper here we come! LOL~! Wasn’t to bad, she just talked, and talked, and talked!  Loved it! By the time we left we were all tired and happy. Another year of fun

SURE HAS BEEN AWHILE SINCE POSTING, I’VE BEEN VERY BUSY THIS MONTH. JULY AND AUGUST IS ALWAYS THE BUSIES TIMES FOR OUR HOUSEHOLD. THAT IS THE TIME THAT EVERYTHING WE WANT TO DO OR SEE OR GO HAPPENS! LOL!  THE JOB I INTERVIEWED FOR I TURNED DOWN, SORT OF A LETDOWN BUT I REALLY DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE TO TRAVEL TO BALITMORE FOR COURT, OR TO TESTIFY. THE TRAFFIC AND THE HASSLES JUST WASN’T WORTH IT. SO MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE WILL FALL IN MY LAP, I AM REALLY TIRED OF BEING BEHIND THE CHAIR AND ALL THE DRAMA AROUND ME AT WORK.  I GUESS I’M GETTING OLDER??!!

WE HAVE BEEN DOING ALLOT OF CAMPING AND LOVE IT. FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND WE SPENT CAMPING AND WENT TO A BEACH PARTY, COMPLETE WITH THE LIMBO DANCE AND ALOT OF LINE DANCING ON THE BEACH. WHAT A BLAST.  THE FIREWORKS WERE SET OFF OF THE PIER , JUST BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT ON THE WATER. WE LIKE THE CAMPGROUND WE GO TO AND WE HAVE BOOKED SEVERAL WEEKENDS THIS MONTH COMING UP. WE CAN EVEN TAKE JACK WITH US; HE IS LEARNING TO SWIM!

ONE DAY A CHESAPEAKE RETRIEVER WAS TRAINING ON THE BEACH; RETRIEVING A DUMMY BUOY, JACK WATCHED AND WATCHED THAT, THEN DECIDED THAT HE COULD DO IT TOO. HE REALLY DIDN’T KNOW HE COULDN’T SWIM THAT FAR OUT!  I WOULD’NT LET HIM EITHER!

I TOOK A VACATION WEEK AFTER THE FOURTH TO RECHARGE AND TO GET THINGS DONE AROUND HOME THAT I HAVEN’T HAD TIME TO GET TO. IT’S BEEN A BUSY ONE, I PICKED BLACKBERRIES AND MADE JAM AND JELLY, AND THEN PICKED SOME MORE FOR A FRIEND OF OURS TO MAKE OUR WINE OUT OF. THAT SHOULD BE GOOD!  ONE OTHER DAY I PULLED MY BEETS FROM THE GARDEN AND PICKLED THEM; BOY I HAD BEET JUICE EVERYWHERE!!  I’M GLAD THAT’S OVER WITH!  I WANT TO MAKE SOME MORE BLACKBERRY JAM IF I HAVE THE TIME. THE PEPPER RELISH WON’T BE READY TO MAKE UNTIL LAST OF JULY OR FIRST OF AUGUST. I’M GLAD. HUBBY AND I WENT FOR ALOT OF DAY TRIPS TOO, WE WENT TO THE TUCAHO STEAM ENGINE SHOW IN EASTON, I ALWAYS LIKE THAT IT’S AWSOME TO SEE SOME OF THOSE BIG STEAM ENGINES WORKING.

ONE DAY HUBBY SAID “LET’S TAKE A RIDE OUT FOR LUNCH”. OK, LET’S GO. SOMEHOW GOING OUT TO LUNCH TURNED INTO BUYING A NEW TRUCK! SMOOTH MOVE, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, HE’S BEEN TALKING ABOUT A NEW COLOR TRUCK THAT FORD HAS OUT!  IT WAS A GREAT DEAL SO WE CAME HOME WITH A NEW FORD. SO FUNNY!

TODAY HAS BEEN CLEANING DAY, MY GOODNESS DID THIS HOUSE NEED IT!! IT HAS BEEN LEFT ALONE FOR 2 WEEKS AND IT WAS BAD.  SO NOW I HAVE FINISHED THE CLEANING AND EVERYTHING IS SPARKLING CLEAN AND SHINING. I QUIT!!   HUBBY JUST SAID” WANT TO GO OUT TO LUNCH?”ABSOLUTLY I’M GONE!!!  SEE YA

I found this picture and fell in love with it. This reminds me of my little boy Jack, so this is my fourth of July banner from us to all of my internet friends.

Thank goodness it’s stopped raining, the sun’s out!!! The garden is growing, I really don’t know how it is with all the rain. Broccoli is just about over, it tasted good until one night I looked on my plate and said” What is that?” THAT was a little WORM, then another one, OMG what happened??? Hubby deadpanned,”Did you wash the broccoli good hon?” I thought so!!! “Evidently not” He said. Needless to say it went in the trash and the new broccoli I picked went to my parents, let MOM wash the suckers!!!!!! I’m done eating that!!!

The blackberries are coming on and turning dark. I picked some for a trial run of jam. The are still tart and when I made the jam it wasn’t dark enough, it reminded me of raspberry jam that I make. So I think I will wait until next week, that is if the birds don’t find them first!! LOL! I’m looking forward to making blackberry jam. I have strawberry already made for this year, and am going to make more blueberry jam in a few weeks. Then the peach jam next. I said that I wouldn’t compete this year, but I might change my mind if the blackberry jam turns out,===ummm we’ll see.

I’ve been so busy on face-book that I have totally neglected my world. It’s hard to keep up with it all and work too. Lately it seems that i have been doing alot of traveling around, not far but   enough to throw things off.

I first went to Baltimore City for a job interview, that was a trip. The last time I had to go downtown Baltimore it was to take a test for a  higher license. This time hubby went with me and it was interesting. First off the traffic was busy and the roads went every where! We found the office building and looked for a parking garage. Luck us we found one 4 blocks away and on the 6 tier! Glad it wasn’t raining! Walking around I felt like I was the best dressed on the street, what with the tourist, the homeless, and the drunks! The interview was only 20 minutes long. The trip took all day just for that. Oh well it was something that I have always wanted to try for and am glad I did.

After that day we decided that we needed to get away for a couple of days, so we went to our fav. place, PA. First stop is New Holland then on to Mannheim for Roots, a  big farmer’s market and produce market only open on Tues. They had the best and freshest veggies and fruits, I tried to bring them all home! LOL!

Saturday my daughter and I went to NYC to a broadway play-Mamma Mia was at the Winter Garden theater on broadway.

Our bus got there early and let us off, so we walked up and down Broadway. Such fun and alot to see. I was surprised that the city wasn’t full of people, there were people walking and traffic was there , but I expected it to be allot worse. But as we walked to Times Square, it was so funny, it was like basking on the beach in the city. The streets were blocked off, a band was playing and people were sitting in web lawn chairs, reclining ones! Just chilling like on the beach or the boardwalk in OC> so funny, but a neat idea, if you can’t get outta the city, improvise!!! LOL!

did you know that you can turn your phone around and take a pic??!! This is us in Times Square chilling too.

I have never seen a Broadway play and now I am just hooked. It was totally awesome, I would go again in  a heart beat! Now I have to see the movie.