January in Review

I'm reposting this from one year ago today.
I KNEW January jilted me last year too.
I have a confession.
The upstairs bedroom remains the same, I'm still not out of debt, still having dental issues - I swear - nothing has changed in ONE WHOLE YEAR! 
Except I've lost 80lbs and now only use about a half a pound of butter a month.
Hey - that's a great change - I'll take it.

Get this.
Aaron might be coming back to homeschool.
We are calling a family meeting.
If you could see my face right now...oh if you could just see it.
I'm Beaming with a capital B.


Oh - and rest assured that there shan't be any culling or killing up around in these parts.
Foolishness talking yesterday!  Foolishness!

And now - the repost from one year ago today.
Warning - drivel ahead.

Refill your coffee cups...this might take a while.

I know the majority of you are ready to kiss January goodbye...

I on the other hand, am not.

I feel like January jilted me.

It barely got started, and it was over.

It laughed at my plans and made plans of it's own.

Stupid January.

Did I take one photo outside the house this month?

Nay.

These are pages from my 2007 scrapbook phase.

I'm a phase kinda girl.

Look at Aaron's teeth in this one.

I miss those teeth.

I'm planning on doing a post about the boy child this week - it's been so long since I've updated you with all of his shenanigans and devilment.

Oh I had big plans for January.

Big plans to finish up that upstairs bedroom.

Remember that mess?

(if you don't, you can click on the label 'Decorating with the Coop Keeper' and view the related posts)

I got a few things done...here's a bit of a sneak preview...

The bed skirt falling off and the tag on the quilt is a nice touch, isn't it?

Mmmhmmm.

And what's that you say...that picture hanging over the bed looks awfully high, and 'sideways'?

Why yes, yes it is.

I have plans to fix the bedding...of course...

And the bed is going up on risers, to be higher, ergo, I hung the picture where I wanted it to be when the bed is up....and I'm planning on doing an embroidery stitchery in the frame of that old print I no longer want.

I did get the bed painted though, and I'm oh so happy with it now.

Sorta kinda.

Stupid January.

Here's another view...

I'm not really big into Teddy Bears anymore - but I bought this mohair one during my

Teddy Bear phase (do you see a pattern here?) and it was so expensive, I haven't the nerve to discard it.

So here he sits, mocking me - reminding me of my dysfunction.

Stupid January.

I had plans of working on my dollhouse.

I finally got it put in it's final resting place.

I found a neat old dresser - beat to heck - on Craig's List for next to nothing back in November.

Finally got it painted, and the dollhouse fits perfectly.

A little elbow grease......

A little paint I had in the basement....

And bingo...

the dollhouse has a spot, and I have more storage

I'm realizing the dollhouse will be a life long project.

I didn't bother fixing the chips off a couple of the drawer corners, I felt it gave it character

 (translate - I was lazy).

I have no idea what I'm doing with the things on the wall there.  I'm just trying to use what I have-I thought some flowers in the basket would be pretty.

I'm not really inspired yet for the walls.

Stupid January.

I've made two rugs this month, and Saturday, I took all the warp off the loom to restring it - it was a tangled mess.  I'm new to this, and I know there's a learning curve....I also hadn't realized what a dusty affair this was, and I feel like I have a good case of Weaver's Lung.  I'm going to have to start using a dust mask when I weave.

Stupid January.

That wall there looked plain.  That's the side of the bed I've slept on for the last 20 years.

I can't be trusted near the alarm clock, I will just turn it off and go back to sleep.

We learned that the hard way.

Since the clock is on the dresser - I got the wall side.

Due to some hormonal fluctuations during the night - it's become a bit of a burden to sleep next to the wall  - oh, not for me!  For Glenco.

I had a couple of cans of spray paint to return to Lowe's and I exchanged them for the brackets.

I'm not completely in love with it, but it'll work.

I got the mirror at a yard sale for $2 years ago.

I love old beat up stuff!

Onward...

The Pink Chicken Update....

Well, in case you didn't notice - or figure it out - I have the Internet at home again.

I'm sorry if I've disappointed you!  I tried - Good GOD I tried.

I was fine the first week.  I loved not having it - I loved the library.

The second week - my schedule was all catty-wompus and I got to the library on the wrong day, and it was a mess - the third week, I found a rogue wi-fi signal in the house and spent the better part of the day contorting my body to keep the signal as it roamed through the house like a ghost taunting me with it's connectivity.

Last week I called AT & T.

Law.

Total spent on groceries for the month:

$216.78

This included cat food, toilet paper, and various toiletries, iceberg lettuce heads for the chickens, and we had people over for supper twice.

I cleaned my pantry and freezer out.

I can't say that I have any great 'money saving' tips for you right now - other than to eat less.

Ha!  You think I'm jesting.

I really cut back on the snacks....and I didn't buy any sodas.

I shopped sales and we had a few meatless meals.

It's just the two of us, most meals would last a couple of days for us.

For the entire month of January - I only spent $14 that wasn't essential.

On what?

A fancy latte and a margarita.

They involved social situations, and I deemed them worthy.

The dentist bill was an unexpected expense of $900, but I was still able to reduce our total debt by 8% this month, and I'm happy for that. By this time next month I should have ONE bill left to pay off.

Being vigil about the finances has been eye-opening.

Even when you 'think' you are watching - little leaks spring up everywhere if you aren't careful.

Being a Pink Chicken doesn't mean that you are a tightwad, or a cheapskate - it means that you put a value on things - and perhaps you value a family vacation more than spending $100 or more a month eating out.

Perhaps you value your time at home more than you value a new car or clothes.

It's all about choices people.

And now a confession.

In the month of January, I bought 10 pounds of butter.

I just checked and I have one pound left.

I feel like I could throw up thinking about it.

I'm calling the cardiologist as soon as I finish this post.

I had NO idea I used that much butter.

Move over Paula Deen!

I spend more on butter than I do my wi-fi!

So, I shall try to do with five pounds for the month of February.

I. will. try.

I will just have to kiss my dreams of a Butter Benjamin Franklin sculpture good-bye.

Are you still with me!?

What a trooper.

Lastly, I wanted to talk about the chickens.

This is "Tales from the Coop Keeper" after all....

The girls are bored y'all.

B.O.R.E.D.

This is the gloomiest January in my memory, and for some reason that will absolutely not come out of the chicken run unless it's sunny out - so they just sit there.

Bored.

I've been putting heads of lettuce out there for them to play with - and next I'll tie some CD's on strings to entertain them.

They like shiny things - just like we do.

If you do not have chickens, and you want chickens...you might not want to read this - cause you will probably NOT want chickens after you do.

Remember Sissy?

My favorite banty hen eva?

OK - this isn't as UNCOMMON as you think...

well...she was the only banty in the coop....

and they used to pick on her....

well...

*gulp*

they picked on her to death.

And then ate her...halfway.

I know I know!

I can't say anymore about it.

It's horrible.

Chickens are animals people!!

Even though I try to humanize them, and give them names and teach them to knit and help them memorize poetry, they are omnivorous cannibals!!

With that lovely thought - I shall end this post.

Be happy today.