So, you know how you put something down, maybe on the floor in a corner of your room, or in the door pocket of your car, or perhaps on the bookshelf in your living room, fully intending to get back to it shortly, only to find it, 4 1/2 years later, dusty and neglected, still sitting where you left it those many months earlier? Uh, yeah.... I can relate. Obviously. Is anyone still out there? Perky

I've got a secret.......

I did something this morning that I thought I'd never do. And I did it in public! The roofers working on the house next door saw me the whole time as they peered through the shrubs. I'm somewhat shocked at myself. My mother would be upset to see her daughter do such a thing, especially where neighbors could see. My father would wonder that he didn't raise me better. My husband may see the evidence of my actions when he returns home this afternoon; he'll be reminded of the girls from his rural hometown. You know the ones -- they start at a young age, at first unwillingly, but eventually they're doing it almost every day without a complaint.

What did I do?

I hung my laundry out to dry on the line. Why? What were you thinking?

I've been trying hard to cut corners and save money here and there and all the blogs I read keep suggesting to line dry clothes and linens as much as possible to save on the energy costs to run the dryer. So, I decided to try it. Luckily, the weather is absolutely perfect this morning and it was a very pleasant task! I figure that even if I only hang half the loads for half the year, that could add up to a noticible drop in my PECO bill.

And it made me feel like such a radical! That is, if hearkening back to a prior age can make one a radical!?!?!?

What are you doing to save a few pennies or dollars today?

For your viewing pleasure.....

This is where my mind is. This is NOT where my body is. Sigh.

Gotta love the lazy days!

RockStar got up early and went golfing this morning. Since then, me and the boys have been hanging out. I've been trying to get a lot of stuff done (laundry, freezing leftovers, cleaning up, etc...) and the boys have been playing. Finally, I shooed them outside to enjoy the great weather!

Later today, we're going to our friends' cabin. We've never been there before, so we're all very excited. It should be fun!

Until then, I'm just lazing around, going about my chores in a very unrushed manner. Even the cats are all quiet right now. If we weren't leaving this afternoon, I'd seriously be looking at a nap pretty soon! Maybe RockStar will drive and I can nap in the car? Possibly. I won't count on it.

Oh, and word to the wise --- if you have kids and you also have On Demand movies, figure out how to block them from buying movies without your permission. Yeah. Learn from my example. At least HandsomeBoy really enjoyed Bolt. He honestly didn't realize he was BUYING it. He thought he'd just stumbled on the movie. Silly me for not knowing that was going to happen. I chalked it up as a stupid tax for me and not a strike against HandsomeBoy. Live and learn.

Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone!

Just say no!

I was on the phone with my local phone/cable/internet bundler yesterday. I won't name names, but here's a hint: it starts with V and ends in erizon.

The woman helping me was very friendly and thorough and cleared up my billing question for me in about 90 seconds. Great! I was very happy at that point. At which moment she says, "And since we value you so much as a customer, I'm happy to tell you about some freebies we have for you."

Anyone who knows me know how perky I get at the sound of the word "freebie", so I was eagerly anticipating the benefits they were about to offer me. Silly Perky! As she started to tell me about the "freebies", it became very clear very quickly that these were definitely NOT free. What they were offering was an opportunity to add on features to my account that I don't need and they would graciously wait two weeks before starting to bill me for them.

Now, I understand that they're in business to make money, so that part didn't bother me so much. It's called suggestive selling and anyone in retail whose worth anything will always do it at any opportunity.

Here's what made me mad -- after I politely turned down the first two "freebies", she then said to me, "Okay, well here's an offer I KNOW that you can't POSSIBLY refuse," and then proceeded to offer me something else that we don't need.

Excuse me, but DO NOT tell me that I can't refuse! That's just guaranteeing that I will! I understand that she was just doing her job as it was set forth to her by her managers, but I was doing my job as an educated consumer who is totally committed to improving my family's financial condition, both in the short-term and the long-term!

If not for RockStar's adamant refusal to even consider it, I would have cancelled the cable altogether when we recently bundled our services. As it is, we're paying less than we were before and getting more; however, I don't know how much of the "more" we really need!

The moral of today's story? Don't be afraid to say no. Just because someone is offering, doesn't convey on you an obligation to accept. Be an educated, conscious consumer and only buy what you need and no more!

CSA - Community Supported Agriculture or Creates a Serious Appetite????

This is my second year as a site host for a local CSA and I'm LOVING it again!

We're on the third delivery week now and my fridge has been full of beautiful produce such as radishes, strawberries, rhubarb, scallions, mizuna, romaine, baby lettuces, collards, and asparagus. I've searched through my own recipe books and Googled and AllReciped in order to transform these into delicious salads, tangy radish-top soup, Asparagus and Scallop Risotto, Southern Braised Collards, Rhubarb Pie, Rhubarb Crisp, Rhubarb Sauce (served over ice cream, of course!) and Spring Vegetable & Turkey fried rice.

Can you tell I'm in love?

We eat pretty well during the winter, but I can already see a massive change in our diets now that spring and the CSA is here! I look forward to each Monday's delivery like it's my birthday! Each week, we receive the most amazing gifts of fresh food and we enjoy it all week long!

Next week, I'll have to wait until Wednesday to get our delivery since Monday is Memorial Day. I'm really going to miss it on Monday and Tuesday!!!!

If you've joined a CSA, great! If you haven't, please visit your local farmers market as soon as you can. Even if you only buy one thing, the visit should inspire you to try new foods and/or new recipes and incorporate more fresh produce into your diet.

The ABCs of me

I picked this up off Rancid Raves quite awhile back and never got around to posting it. Was it worth the wait? Doubtful, but here goes.........

A is for age: 40


B is for burger of choice: Either mushroom swiss or blue cheese blast, but it MUST be cooked medium rare. I know, I know..... I'm bound to contract some horrible food-borne pathogen like e. coli, but what's the point in eating it if you don't enjoy it? I prefer my meat to moo softly when I cut into it!

C is for the car I drive: Minivan. But, unlike a lot of other people, I LOVE my minivan! I love sitting up a little higher than a sedan (although still lower than some SUVs) and I love the flexible seating/storage space!

D is for your dog’s name: < sob > Since we lost Big Red last fall, I guess I don't have an answer for this. But, I've decided that it's time to submit our application for our next dog, so maybe my answer should be "to be determined"?

E is for essential item you use every day: Blackberry Storm. I've become totally spoiled and need to access my email and Facebook from every red light!

F is for favorite TV show at the moment: Uh...... I have no idea. I really don't watch much (okay, ANY) TV these days. Although I do occasionally catch The Daily Show on Hulu. Luv me some Jon Stewart!!!! As my Bubbe would have said...."Such a sheyner Yiddisher boychik und klug, too!!!!!"


G is for favorite game: Scramble, I guess.

H is for home state: Born in Virginia, raised in Pennsylvania.

I is for instruments you play: None, really. Although I am learning Cello with HandsomeBoy as he goes through the Suzuki program.

J is for favorite juice: Tomato Juice (but only after I've added vodka, horseradish, pepper and hot sauce and garnished with a stalk of celery and a small paper umbrella!)

K is for whose bum you’d like to kick: Wow -- that's a pretty long list! I'm not sure where to start!

L is for last restaurant at which you ate: The Great Machipongo Clam Shack

M is for your favorite Muppet: Kermit

N is for number of piercings: At one time, I had five ear piercings. Now I'm down to two.

O is for overnight hospital stays: None since being born.

P is for people you were with today: RockStar, HandsomeBoy, CutiePie, the three cats and now I'm at work.

Q is for what you do with your quiet time: Hike, walk, surf the net, bike, read, housework, take photos

R is for biggest regret: Rushing back from Israel in '93 to get back for my next semester of law school -- I should have stayed and spent time on the kibbutz I'd fallen in love with.

S is for status: Married, awake, upright, employed, Independent.... what else are you looking for?????

T is for time you woke up today: 7am -- about 30 minutes behind schedule, but it all worked out okay.

U is for what you consider unique about yourself: Hmmmmmmm...... no idea what to say for this one.

V is for vegetable you love: Most of them!!! Especially grilled or roasted!

W is for worst habit: Chewing on pens (doing it right now) and procrastination (doing it right now),

X is for x-rays you’ve had: Dental, legs (born with bad legs that got worse in adolesence) and chest (walking pneumonia last year)

Y is for yummy food you ate today: homemade turkey fried rice

Z is for zodiac: Cancer --- yes, Perky is a crab!!!