Snips and snails and puppy dog tails

Our dogs are asleep and all is quiet in my world for the moment. We have 5 dogs and 1 cat in the house and one unofficial dog and one unofficial cat in the yard. They are strays that has adopted us. It's as if the neighbor animals tell all new comers to go to the house at the curve. She is a sucker for half-starved animals. She will feed you. And like an idiot I do. Their is no telling how many I have taken in since we have lived here at Speake. I guess a lot are dropped here because of being so close to the Bankhead Forest. Its really a shame what folks do to these little fellers. Oh well off my soapbox.

Today is Wednesday and once again they didn't direct deposit Mike's pay check. That means tonight I have to get really inventive with supper. I have no clue as what to cook. We are out of everything just about. I told Mike I am so tired of Pintos and Cornbread and Chicken Dumplings I could scream. It would be so nice to be able to go and buy what we would like instead of what we can afford. Lately I have been spending about $55 each week for groceries for a family of 4. Talking about having to be inventive. By the time I buy Mike's meds, cologne, stickem and denture cleaner, dog and cat food (not cheap by any means), tp, washing detergent, dish detergent there is hardly any left for food. I buy flour canola oil, sweetener, tea, flour, meal, pintos, and a $10 bag of chicken, bread, Ramen for me and the boys to eat during the week, eggs, bologna, and I'm scraping to find more money to pay for the stuff. The boys buy most of their luxury stuff they want to eat like spaghetti and meatballs, ravioli, deli sandwiches, chips etc. which helps out a lot. If they didn't they wouldn't be getting any. The sad part is we don't owe many bills just our monthlies but still I am having a hard time making ends meet. We do have lots of monthly meds to buy and doctor/ex-ray bills lately but even so. What I am doing wrong I have not a clue. Mike makes over $13 an hour and I should be doing better job than what I am currently doing. It's not as if we go buy new clothes, go to the movies, or do anything fun. We pretty much stay at home. I really need to keep praying to God to help me improve in balancing our budget and stretching our dollars.

Please don't get me wrong, I know that it could be so much worse. I don't mean to sound ungrateful for what all God had done for us. He is so much more good to us than we deserve. I just get frustrated at myself because I know that I should be doing a much better job than I am.

One funny note though, I haven't been buying any Paper towels lately and I miss them very badly. Mike came home Saturday afternoon with some tp and Paper towels and I felt like he had bought me home a bouquet of flowers. lol!

Wow! Mike and the boys are on a roll. They did a wonderful job making my hot water heater cabinet. Brandon fixed my garbage bin so the the garbage men won't have to reach so far down to get the garbage out. He also staked it down where they won't push it in the ditch anymore. (Accidentally on purpose in my opinion).
They are in the process of putting up the new fence to go around the boy's trailer. The front porch is up. They still need to put on the porch roof. They need to put in new windows, work on the floors, lots of cleaning, did I mention LOTS OF CLEANING, and check the plumbing, underpinning and what ever else that they see. It will be a while before they can move in. It's a work in progress for sure.
I have several prayer request. My uncle is having a rough time with his health so I ask anyone reading this to please remember him, our finances is in rough shape right now, so please remember us, the US economy and our leadership definitely needs prayers, and anyone involved in ministry. Everyone having health problems, financial, or relationship problems.
I had so much fun yesterday. Momma, Brandon and I went to BK and got us Spicy Chicken Crisps, and went by Foodland at their coke machines and bought some pop (as my Yankee kinfolks calls them). We went to the Courtyard Mini Park thing beside the Methodist Church and ate lunch then played several games of Dominoes. The sweat bees kept buzzing momma (I told her it was because she was too sweet lol). We left and went to the park by the fire station at Speake and played several games of Rummikub. I love to do stuff like that. Guess I'm just easy to please. : )

Hot Water Again! Yipee!

After over 3 months we finally have hot water again. Between procrastination, finances, and dread we finally have hot water! I fixed my own washer so two broken things fixed and uncountable more things to go. Don't get me wrong I am very thankful for the two things that have been fixed. BUT my car has been down over a half of year so hopefully finances will get better and we will get it fixed. Our kitchen floor in front of the sink needs replaced along with the linoleum in every room of the house. Our cold water at the bathroom sink needs to be fixed along with the drain. For some reason the hot water in my kitchen sink is barely working after the replacement of the water heater. My dryer needs to be fixed. Our mower needs to be fixed. We need to do endless amount of things to the boys mobile home. It needs windows, flooring replaced, lots of cleaning and lots of cosmetic work. Power put in, toilet replaced and lots of other things. Not enough money to get these things done. Now for the positive things.

We are in good health, Mike still has his job at Automatic, Brandon is getting unemployment at the moment. The house, vehicles etc are all paid for. I have my scooter that we can sell if an emergency comes up. And most of all Jesus loves us and is with us even when things seems to be following apart all around us. This is the most important thing of all. All in all I have a wonderful life. : )

My first CMA meeting

I went with hubby to his CMA meeting last Thursday evening. I really enjoyed it. The folks were very welcoming and loving. Made me want to join but I still need to pray about it and see if it is what my Lord wants me to do. Mike got put on the "hot seat" and was interrigated on his drag racing down Hartselle Main Street on the previous ride back from Little River Canyon. The "supposed" drag race was with the Chief of Police of Sommerville lol. The esteemed Road Captain of the Redeemed Riders and same Police Chief of Sommerville pleaded being "punked" and having Never been "punked" before what was he supposed to do. The verdict came back that the good Chief of Police was the guilty party and had to put $20 into the Redeemed Riders fund. :) All in loving good fun. They said it was hard to believe that the Chief let a Kawasaki beat his Harley. His excuse was he didn't know when to start the race. Mike told him when the light turned green lol. What fun was had by all that night.