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I am Sandra - faithful steward. listener. shepherd. dream believer. hard worker. collects brass bells, boots. Jesus follower. contented. star gazer. homemaker. farmer. prayer warrior. country woman. reader. traveler. writer. homebody. living life large.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Everyday Ruralty and Economics 101

Patrice and Wendell, or is that Wendell and Patrice?, over at Everyday Ruralty have a blog hop on Tuesdays. They call it Chats on the Farmhouse Porch and ask five questions. 
1. What's the last thing you baked? Bread and have almost given it all away. Each week I bake and then hand out the results to folks. Some weeks it's shortbread, other weeks it's bread, sometimes it's brownies or cupcakes. Anything to put a smile on someone's face or to say "thank you" for a kindness they've done for me. Tonight is our volunteer fire department meeting and I'm baking cookies and brownies to share.
2. What's your favorite thing about fall? The cool temperatures and the colors. Both are so welcome although I do love that acid green that screams growing things. The heat bothers me so the coolness is most welcome.
3. What's your favorite room in the house? This is a toss up between one of the porches, the sun room or my bedroom. The porches mean the weather is wonderful and I'm sitting on a porch with hand work, a book, a lap top, a drink and a pair of spy glasses. I'm easily entertained -smile-. Last night I watched as a doe and her twin fawns grazed the pasture behind the house; such a delight! The sun room means I'm having morning devotions or eating a meal and the bedroom means I'm sleeping...ahhh...wonderful, restorative, restful sleep!
4. Who handles bill paying in your house? Ummmm, since Dave died, that would be me. I paid bills the first half dozen years we lived here and then he took over. Maybe this is a good time to plug my upcoming book...Getting Your Affairs in Order is the working title but that's apt to change. There are so many ways to prepare now for losing a loved one later. So many ways to, legally, keep more of your hard earned money in your pocket and home as opposed to paying death taxes. I've learned via the School of Hard Knocks and want to share my information with others. It doesn't matter what your marital status, your gender or race; one thing we all have in common is death. It will come, eventually, and it's best to be better prepared than not prepared.
5. Tell whatever you like to share with our chatting friends. Well, my post today was going to be on economics, specifically the economics of the US of A. Just you try handling your personal affairs like those folks in Washington handle tax payer slave dollars and you'll be in jail lickety split! Someone sent the following and I thought it worth repeating.
LESSON NUMBER ONE
*US Tax Revenue: $2,170,000,000,000.00
*Federal Budget: $3,820,000,000,000.00
*New Debt: $14,271,000,000,000.00
*Recent Budget Cuts: $38,500,000,000.00

Now, let's, remove the eight zero's and pretend it's your household budget:
*Annual Family Income: $21,700.00
*Money the Family Spent: $38,200.00
*New debt on the credit card: $16,500
*Outstanding balance on Credit Card: $142,710.00
*Total Budget Cuts so far: $3.85

Any questions?

LESSON NUMBER TWO
Another way to look at the Debt Ceiling: After a long, exhausting day at work, you come home to find there's been a sewer back up in the neighborhood or your own back yard.There's raw, stinky, nasty sewage all the way up to your ceilings!
What do you think you should do?
Raise the ceilings or pump out the crap?
Your choice is coming November 6, 2012; choose wisely.

Blessings ~ Wendell ~ Patrice ~ Everday Ruralty ~ economics ~ wise choices ~ home baking ~ volunteer fire departments ~ sun rooms ~ porches ~ 

22 comments:

  1. OK I'm loving this - excellent economics lesson - we'll know by November 7th whether Americans want to live in crap or pump it out!

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  2. The debt thing you did is great I am going to show my kids.
    I like that you bake so much and I am so excited about your forthcoming book.
    So glad you joined in this week.

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  3. I am very much looking forward to your book!

    Almost wish I could run our household budget like the government does ... not really. The stress of that much debt would make for WAY to many sleepless nights. I wonder how politicians sleep?

    (I have just tried four times to decypher your word verification. Any chance you could turn it off? Going for attempt #5 now)

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  4. That last metaphor is the best one I've heard yet!! Raise the ceiling - bwahaha!

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  5. I like the 2 shoe box method. One going OUT and one comming in. You can tell right away something is wrong. We have CRAZIES running the Govt. Plus Theives.

    yvonne

    I have tried to submit this comment 6
    times. Can't read the code.

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  6. I am sure your cookies are full with love!!! ♥
    I like these questions...:o) and your answers :o)))!

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  7. Lesson #1? My jaw hit the floor. Never had it explained like that before. :) Thanks for the lesson!

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  8. Oh I like this post it is real life in a form where anyone can understand it. I am in Canada but it rings true for both countries just with different numbers. Everyone should read this. Never know what can happen and your lessons will help all.:) Love #3. B

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  9. Quite an eye opener!! Thank you so much for visiting me; it was good to see you!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  10. D'you know, yours is one of those blogs that are just too brilliant to comment on. What more is there to say or do, except read on, read on, read on. But I wanted to thank you for popping round Strawberry Land lately- here, there's a little slab of carrot cake still on the breakfast bar, and I suspect you'd be just the woman to spend hours about what to do with this sour dough batter, how to begin to think about yet another review of domestic budget, and boy, do I wish I had one of those American porches. American porches. Crave. Any old how. I think you're just fab!

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  11. I don't bake much but reading about all your baking makes me want to get busy!!

    Love #5!
    Here’s My Answers

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  12. If only I knew someone at the Republican Convention I could send this to. Well said, Sandra. And, big props on your book, darling. I think this is great. I should write one about the injustice system we have in the Probate Courts of Texas. xx's

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  13. I like the picture at the top of your blog!Sounds like you're baking a lot. Wow! I can't wait for fall. I like your last answer. Well said! Thanks for the blessing for Wendell and me. Blessings to you, my friend!

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  14. Well said, Gal...all of it, but I'm going to comment mainly on the baking question. I've been surprised lately at home many folks are baking bread again. What a wonderful gift and somewhat of a lost tradition in so many homes...country or otherwise. I bake bread about once a week, too. I do use a bread machine as the bread I bake is Gluten Free and does much better in the Express Bake mode than going through the Knead and Rise method. Because it is gluten free it doesn't require as much handling.

    Thanks for your visit to CITexas Gal and my post about Barbara Willis. Wasn't she an amazing woman? Kind of like you, I think!!! Your economics make a great deal of sense...look forward to your book.
    Sue

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  15. Good post! One anyone can relate to. Thank you for your prayers. This chemo hit really hard. New normal, not so sure I like it. God's Blessings.

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  16. Pumping out the crap would be my choice...regarding sewage and the current administration.( Oh, did I just write that for public reading?) Oh my.

    I think your book is most needed Sandra.

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  17. What a fun blog hop. But what a great #5 whatever you'd like to share! I just don't get how folks don't get this. And I think your book idea a fantastic one.

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  18. Thanks for the book plug & let me know when it's available.

    I love your second lesson at the end. I'm all for pumping out the crap!! lol So, funny, my friend! So, funny!

    It's good to see you back visiting!

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  19. Fun post...I loved learning more about you!

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  20. Thank you, My Kid's Mom. I like to keep things simple -LOL-.

    Hi Linda Sue, I await Nov 7 fearfully because I know a lot of dumb people.

    Hi FarmGirl, it's fairly easy to understand so I'm amazed that so many liberals don't seem to "get it".

    Hello Roses, DONE! and thank you for reminding me. Thought I'd taken off word ver. but forgot to click on "save" -LOL-.

    Hi MK, I'm all for pumping and flushing -LOL-.

    Hi Yvonne, took off word verification; thought I'd done that but it's fixed now.

    Hi Timi, as much love as possible!

    Hi MamaTea, when things are simply put, they are easier to understand, eh? -LOL-

    Hi Buttons, thank you for visiting and commenting. Come join me in the sun room, I'll make tea and cookies.

    Hi Karena, hope you're feeling better and have recovered.

    Hi Mags, you are so kind! Thank you for your lovely comment and so glad you're visiting the farm.

    Hi Vicki, I don't cook much but I love to bake. I need to get the crock pot out and start eating better.

    Hi Marsha, I could understand, perhaps, people who lied, cheated and stole because they were dirt poor. But. Politicians aren't poor and they lie, steal and cheat and STILL are leaving it all behind when they die! Dumb, dumb, dumb.

    Hi Patrice, this was fun, thanks for letting me play.

    Hi Sue, I don't have a bread machine but I'm thinking about getting one. It would free up so much time. You are so kind, thank you for your comment!

    Hi Terry, as far as I was concerned the "new normal" stunk to high heaven! I tried to have a good attitude and, sometimes, succeeded but watching Dave go through radiation and chemo was AWFUL. Even worse for him. You and G. are on the prayer list and in my prayers.

    Hi Kathy, when I think about politics, DC, etc. a lot of bad words come, unbidden, to mind. DC brings out the worst in me!

    Hi Leigh, I don't get it...are people really that stupid or are they rebellious?

    Hi Cathy, I'm slow but steady -LOL- and visit not as much as I'd like but when I can. There's only me now and I'm being pulled in fortyleven different directions.

    Hi Linda, I tell people, "I'm not all that interested but I do interesting things."

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  21. Sandra, I'm so glad that a book is in the making. Thanks to you, I am working on my Widow's Notebook against such a time.

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