*  I got my estimate for Home Improvements today.  It wasn't pretty.  Siding (Vinyl - basic nothing fancy) whole house except back porch - $13,937 (this includes everything like window wraps and carport ceiling).   Replacing all my windows with the siding job $5,585 (but doing just the 6 I need most would be about $3,000).  This is a Home Depot installation.  He estimated payment of $106 for I think 88 months.... at 13.9% interest.  Not - I could put it on my credit card for 10% - but I'd get a home improvement or equity loan.  One thing I do have is excellent credit. :-)  Needless to say, back to the drawing board.  There's no way I can commit to that amount.  I'm going to get two more estimates - then rethink my plan.  I'll probably get some emergency siding put on the bad side of the house - then make a plan to save for the next year to pay for half of this in cash (or less if I can get a better quote)  I gotta say - while it was as bad as I expected, it was good therapy to do it.  I didn't turn into a stone and crumble into a million pieces when I saw the $$ amount afterall :-)

* The Main Mama Hen layed a torpedo yesterday.  Almost 3 ounces.  Here is a picture comparing it to what her competition is laying.  Today I got 8 eggs - all with good shells, so the embryo eggs hopefully are a thing of the past. I did pick up layer mash and oyster shell grit today though.


* Did anybody catch todays episode of God's Warriors on CNN?  They did the Jewish, segment, and it was enlightening (no pun intended). I'm glad to see this type of coverage. I was just glad to see someone put it out there - the fact that the settlements are basically illegal, that our government is sending billions of dollars to the settlements even when we officially condemn them, that all our congressmen and senators are afraid to speak out about what is right there out in the open for fear of being labeled anti-semite. 


* I found more cantaloupes hiding in the tomato vines.  When I try to grow melons I'm a complete failure.  I guess the trick is throwing out old moldy melon pulp and waiting for the bionic melon vines the following year.  I also harvested August tomatoes.  August tomatoes are better than no tomatoes at all.  See the dime in comparison with the cherry tomatoes - they don't get much smaller than that - and they are very sweet.



* Today the temperature was101F, so I got minimal stuff done outside.  I'm going to try and go to sleep now and get up super early so I can do some garden work.  Fall is coming!!!! - I have to get the garden ready for planting, and I want to finally level and laydown weed barrier around the perimeter of the garden (doubtful I'll complete that tomorrow with all the other things I have to do - but I can at least try).  I was wanting to see Dark Knight at IMAX tomorrow evening, but I don't know..... maybe I won't - such a long drive just for a movie.

 

I bought "Learn Japanese In Your Car" at half-priced books for $19.99 which is a pretty good deal.  It came with 3 extra CD's on learning a foreign language.  I've taken Japanese twice in school and lived in Japan over 7 years - and still I cannot speak the language.  I refuse to give up though!  After I learn Japanese I will move on to Spanish :-)

I forced myself to come in to work this morning.  Partly guilt - Saturday's are bad enough without a bunch of losers calling in sick and making it twice as busy for everyone else.  Party because our supervisor brings in donuts Saturdays.

I hope these continue to grow until I plant them in May. 
You are supposed to cut it up so each little vine has some roots then plant them in the ground. 
I am looking forward to seeing if I get a crop of sweet potatoes in the fall! 

 
I didn't exercise Thursday or Friday, so I have to exercise Saturday and Sunday to make up for it (usually I take the weekends off).  I don't know why I even try - my weight is like concrete on me - seems like no matter what I do it stays put.

I paid $4,449 in mortgage interest last year - no wonder I'm so poor!

I only paid $1,915 in property tax.  According to homeowners I know in other parts of the country - this is good.  Though they probably pay more because their homes are probably 4x as valuable as my little shack :-)

I did my taxes last night.  I'm getting back a decent amount but it is less than $1,000.  I hope to set it aside for Sierra's car.