A reason to celebrate

July 21, 1984 - July 21, 2014

Yesterday was our 30th wedding anniversary.  Wow!!  I can hardly believe it myself.  We were so young...hahaha...I'll bet that's what everybody says!  But it's so true.  Looking through our pictures, we were so young and hopeful for our future together.  We're still hopeful, and thankful, but we're older, wiser and fatter.  *sigh*  I hate it when that happens.  Don't you?  Oh well, whatever.  I'm much more comfortable with myself, with who I am and I'm content.  Well, most of the time anyway.  I never, ever could have said that about myself 30 years ago.  Not even.

So, we celebrated by going out to dinner and eating too much.  But, boy was it good!!  News flash -  that's how that happens!  Getting fatter, I mean.  :)  Totally worth it.  Dinner was delicious.  Company was delightful and cozy.  Yes, cozy.  That's how it feels when you've been married to your best friend for 30 years.  I love that.

Life is good.

Last weekend we were busy.  A dear friend gave us her firewood that she wasn't planning on using.  Score!!  I'm guessing we got about a cord of fir...we'll definitely use it!  And we got a little over a ton of 2nd cut alfalfa for our older horses.  Last winter was the first year we added a flake of alfalfa to their evening ration and they blossomed.  Now they expect it...and of course, they deserve it.  It's a simple little thing that gives them so much pleasure.  How could we not?  It smells so good!  Our alfalfa farmer says that in 2-3 weeks he'll be putting up the 3rd cut, and we plan on getting maybe up to a half ton of that too.  He's only charging $7 a bale for the pure, leafy stuff so I can't resist getting a little bit for my Kadie girl.  She had her 30th birthday on May 24th of this year and I say, why not?  It's only money...

Our truck is in the repair shop.  Again.  We've never been able to truly figure out why it's running so roughly.  It doesn't want to idle and will die unless you pop it into neutral and give it the gas.  Such a pain!!  This time, it's at the Dodge service shop.  Time for the big guns.  To date, we've done a tune-up, new plugs, oil and filter change, new battery, new idler actuator and maybe that's it.  I forget.  Now they're replacing the EGR valve and OC sensor which together are supposed to adjust the air/fuel mix and hopefully, that will do the trick.  It obviously has a vacuum leak and the mpg has taken a serious dump; I can smell strong gas fumes when it tries to idle, so...fingers crossed.

My car though, is running like a top again.  And my sweet hubs gave the old gal a thorough detailing the other day and she is looking good!  Well, as good as a '97 Taurus can look anyway.  :)  My mom's old car.  I called it the granny mobile and my mom didn't like that.  At all.  She said,  it's "sporty".  Well okay, I guess it's a little sporty.  It has a rear spoiler after all.  :)  I concede momma.  You were right.  You usually were.

So between the auto repairs, the home renovations, paying for a year's hay/alfalfa supply, taking a week of vacation and paying for the caretakers...our savings account is all but gone.  Finito!!  Easy come - easy go right?  Well, truthfully?  It goes a heck of a lot easier and faster than we can save it.  Oh well, what's a person to do?

I choose to look at the silver lining.  Our vehicles are old, but they're paid for.  Everything requires maintenance, right?

Our horses are happy, healthy and fat.  Their years' supply of food is safely tucked away in the barns and it's all paid for.

Our humble little home is looking wonderful.  I'm loving the new and improved look.  We still need to finish installing the trim board around the bottom and re-install our pellet stove in the living room...but hubby's bringing home pictures of granite selections tonight for a decision on the hearth.  That is a perk of the trade.  Free is a very good price.  :)  See what I mean?  Always be thankful.
I seriously doubt we finish this project until the weather turns bad.  Summer time is just too short not to enjoy.  We have better things to do right now.

Then...on to our bedroom!!!!!!  In my mind, it's already done.  My breezy, coastal retreat awaits...

I'm thinking of getting a quote on having a small front porch built on our house too.  Right now there's nothing, and that would be a nice improvement.  My hubby's gonna kill me if I don't stop.  :)

This coming weekend we're attending the wedding of a friend, and it promises to be a heckuva shindig!  Ceremony, food, music and dancing.  I love weddings!!  What to wear????  So many decisions!!

And then the first weekend of August, we're going camping.  Just the hubs, our horses, our dogs and me.  My favorite - just us.  Not sure where we're going yet, but that's another entertaining little chore.  And with my last week of vacation time, I'm thinking maybe the beach...oh, how I love spending time at the beach.  *sigh*

Summer is so fleeting...must enjoy...

Blessings all,
Lorie

p.s.  winter is the time for saving money - summer is the time for spending.  Am I right?

:)