2013 Year's End Post

~ Miss Emma ~

Do you celebrate Hogmanay? Read my post, here, for more information. I don't but that's mainly due to the fact I keep my front gate locked -smile-.

It's year's end and a lot of people are busy making plans and resolutions. If you're a long time reader, you may have read what Daddy has to say about New Year's Resolutions: "If you're living the way you're supposed to live every day, you don't need to make resolutions that you're probably not going to keep anyway."  Amen.

~ Levi Lilly ~

So, I  make no resolutions but do make goals and steps to achieve those goals. A year ago, December 11th, I began a two post series entitled PDS - Pretty Darn Smart, Part 1, of how to dream dreams, make goals and see fruition. The series continued January, Part 2, and now, a year later, I'm looking at what I hit, what I missed and what I simply forgot. Overall, the biggest lesson learned has been to print off that valuable information and keep it in front of me. Out of sight, out of mind and not realized. ouch

I was hit or miss (mostly miss) on the Wife to Widow book and, truth be told, I got discouraged. In July, I met with two book publishers and both said, "Great idea but not what we're looking for." I've since met with an independent agent and she suggested self-publishing but I'm not sure I'm capable of that learning curve.  Do I put all the information on the 1 Wife to Widow blog or print into a spiral bound book form? My original intent was to teach classes, using a 3-ring binder for myself and participants so each would have everything they need to prepare their affairs. I'm not sure what to do; what's your opinion, which would you prefer and why? Please help me make a wise decision.

~ Tippy and Gypsy ~

These last few days have found me reviewing my finances and making decisions on what to cancel, what to keep or delete. For example, today I canceled Direct TV for a purely financial reason. I'm paying $959.40, yearly, to watch no more than half dozen television shows and that averages $159.90 per show. I'm not sure but that might be obscene with Bill Gates' money! So, I canceled and, of course, they told me I'd been a good great customer for more than thirteen years and they wanted to give me $10 off each month.

Big Whoop and I don't think so. For $959.40, I can fly, round trip to almost anywhere I want to go in the world. For that same money, I can buy a truck load of movies and for $7.99 a month, I can rent as many DVD's as I want every month through Netflix. (I lack the bandwidth watch movies on computer.)

The nice young man at Direct TV wanted me to "save more money by bundling" which is another way of saying "gotcha!" Maybe it works for some folks but I refuse to bundle; I refuse to be caught in a loop where the contract date is different for television, telephone and internet. When I want to cancel one, they say, "You can't without paying a huge fine to get out of the contract and the contract dates are different for each. HA! The only thing bundled around here is laundry.

~ Sadie ~

I'm not suggesting you should cancel your cable television but I am suggesting you review your finances and see if there's money you're spending here, you'd rather spend there. I'm already looking at where I could go with that same money...a sunny Caribbean beach sounds fabulous, as I sit here, watching the snow pour.

Earlier in the year, I reviewed my land line telephone and dropped that bill by $25 a month or $300 a year. I was paying for stuff I didn't even know I had nor how to use! I also had to replace my mobile phone and, unfortunately, only had the choice to purchase a lesser quality phone due to the monthly amount I want need to pay. I would love to have a fancy smart phone but, around here, it makes no sense but should I ever move to a less rural area, I'll research a better phone.

~ Sam and Tom ~

Here's how I look at money as a tool...the basic Straight Talk phone costs $50 and $30 a month for the call plan. The basic Jitterbug phone costs about $30 and the basic monthly plan begins at $15. The first year, the Straight Talk phone costs $410 and the Jitterbug costs $210 and Jitterbug has a 30 day return policy. After that first year is over, the yearly cost is $360 for Straight Talk and $180 for Jitterbug. Guess what? I just talked myself into saving $200 a year! I've never been one of those people who are impressed with what someone else has; especially when they're treading water due to credit card debt. I'm not impressed with what kind of car someone drives; rather, is it safe, reliable transportation? Does a person provide for their family? If yes, that impresses me; if no, the Bible says a man (woman) who won't provide for his (or her) family is worse than an infidel. I agree. Like Dolly Parton said, "I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb and I'm not blonde."

If you've been thinking about identity theft insurance and heard the LifeLock commercials, you should know this: LifeLock charges about $150 a year (single) and Zander charges $75 (single) plus Zander provides more and better coverage. Wow, seems like such an easy decision when put in black and white numbers.

~ part of my small flock ~

The only reason I'm telling you about some of my personal financial decisions is to help you think about money. Money is a tool, just like a vehicle, and it can take you where you want to go...but you have to have a plan. Mom and Daddy brought us up to give the first ten percent to God, save the second ten percent and we could spend the remainder. It's a plan I follow today and have found I've never run out of money for my needs and, often, have enough to pay for my wants as well.

Dewena, Across the Way, recently blogged about her decision to stop blogging and I found her post interesting. Especially in light of the fact I've been thinking along similar lines. I don't want to stop blogging but I do want to change directions; I'm spending the next few days pondering directions.

~ dressed for chores ~

I trust your Christmas was memorable, in all good ways, and New Year's will be safe and sane. God's blessings on you, yours and the work of your hands and heart.

Blessings ~ blog world ~ readers ~ smart financial decisions ~ saving money ~ spending wisely ~ dreams ~ goals ~ plans ~ travel ~

Hogmanay and Happy New Year 2010

 It's New Year's Day and, hopefully, you've celebrated in a manner that's left you full of life and looking forward to this new year and all the promise it holds. We celebrate quietly at Thistle Cove Farm, no mad dashing about, no frantic parties, no serious consumption of spirits, no overeating. Heck, we don't even stay up to see the Times Square ball drop, hear the clock chime or clink out glasses together in a toast. My attitude is the new years have managed to get here without my help for lo, these many centuries; I see no need to change my ways now. -smile- The dogs and I did get up in the wee hours, for an outside visit, but it was too overcast to see the Blue Moon, the last full and Blue Moon of 2009 and the decade as well as the first Blue Moon of 2010. I believe there's a Blue Moon on New Year's Eve about every seventeen years or thereabouts so this was another rarity. The next Blue Moon will be later this year, in November.

"Full moon is a blue moon on New Year's Eve 2010" reads NY Daily News. Ummm...does anyone want to help out staff writer, Tracy Miller or the editor? New Year's Eve 2010 isn't for another twelve months, folks, you've got it All Wrong.

 ~ Boscoe Mancat ~

We ended our year just as we'd begun our year...by saying good-bye to a beloved family cat member. Boscoe Mancat passed away and is being cremated and will, eventually, be buried with our other deceased companions. He just couldn't seem to pull through and, we think had cancer. Bos was a good little cat, well mannered when at all possible, and spent his last few months in a quiet, warm place with lots of canned tuna, cat food and fresh water. He loved to be petted and would purr his happiness loudly. We've lost eight companions this year and, frankly, I'm happy to see this year, and the body count, end. We had many blessings though, among them Sadie, Sam P. Spade, Miss Emma and Mama Cat who is now called Mama Cass because she's a fierce consumer of calories. Thank God our animals, and ourselves, had good health this year with no accidents or injuries.

 ~ Sadie Lady and Sam P. Spade, Secret Agent ~

Yesterday, was spent in the Scottish tradition of Hogmanay. There are many theories as to how the word derived, visit the link to take your pick. For many centuries, Christmas was banned in Scotland and it's only been since about the 1950's it's been celebrated but Hogmanay has been celebrated for hundred of years. "First footing" means to welcome the first foot, or person, in the house after midnight. The "first foot" should be a dark male and never a light male because that harkened back to the days of Viking invasion and a light colored male meant Trouble. The dark male was to bring coal, shortbread, food, whisky and salt which symbolizes prosperity, enough food to eat and plenty to drink; salt is necessary to live and for food preservation. Like most of Christian holy days, or holidays as its come to be known, there are plenty of pagan rites and activities closely associated with Christmas and Hogmanay brings its fair share. It is interesting and, in some of the byways and smaller, older Scottish communities, those ways are still inter-connected. BTW, it's spelled whisky in Scotland and whiskey in the rest of the world.


While I don't participate in all Hogmanay activities, I do clean house, sweep porches and, if we had wood burning fireplaces, would have cleaned them as well. My donations were mailed so folks would receive end of year credit, bills were paid and I worked on getting calendars ready for today. It seems to Dave and I, we lead quiet lives but for all that, I keep four calendars. There's the photos of Scotland kitchen calendar, my Franklin Covey/Day Timer book, a spiral bound desk calendar at the computer and the erasable monthly calendar on the refrigerator door. I also worked on my notebook where I keep a prayer list, quotes that prick my heart and mind, notes on various sermons I've heard, etc. For a few months, I've been working on clearing the decks...somewhat...by giving things away, gathering my studio projects in the studio, moving furniture around, hanging photos, paintings, pictures...in general, making this house a home. Many people in the south eat black eyed peas on New Year's day; Aunt Esther has eaten black eyed peas and pigs feet for seventy or eighty New Year's. -shudder- I just can't get my mouth around pig's feet and she swears I don't know what I'm missing. I do though...know. I'm missing pig's feet and am much happier for it!

How do you keep your family organized?

I've never made resolutions, have never seen the need and as Daddy always says, "if you're living right, there's no need to make resolutions." Goals are another thing and I do spend some time thinking about the coming year, what I'd like to accomplish and then make some plans, write some goals and forge ahead. I've a goal that's been held over from two years ago and should be ashamed to say it but there it is! This is the year I want to finish that goal and am making room, daily, to spend time to accomplish that end. Another goal that goes from year to year is to read five chapters of the Bible each day and, thus far, I'm pretty much on target. There are a few days I don't plan well and only manage to read a smaller portion but, rarely, do I miss Scripture reading entirely.

~ Do you see what I see? ~

Robert Burns wrote Auld Lang Syne which is traditionally sung every New Year's Eve midnight. We didn't sing it last night but I did think about it as I was going to sleep.

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne."
I wish you well, this coming year; also peace, prosperity, happiness, good health, wisdom and enough love to share.

Until next time,


Blessings ~ new beginnings ~ goals ~ organization ~ traditions ~ good health ~ promises ~ blue moon ~