Minutia

I absolutely think you are right that early morning in the dark, gloomy thoughts can prevail.   

The sun coming through the windows does make a difference.

Also, I agee, that we are so spoiled.  I have always known that my family in England spend

an inordinate amount of money for gas (petrol), which is why they drive the smallest cars they can find.   But since my first visit to England in 1964, I have been quite aware just how spoiled Americans are.   We have so much, and overall, most people have no idea how well off they are, and have no idea how expensive things are in other countries.   I was always shocked by how little "space" they have in England....small houses, small yards.....after all it is a small country.  Compared to our huge houses, and huge yards, it made quite an impact on me. 

In 2001, I went to Guatemala on a medical mission.   I came home thinking that everyone should have a "3rd world experience", just once.  If you want to know how spoiled and priveleged we really are, I highly recommend it.

I don't drive around much, so higher gas prices won't be too hard on me.  A tank of gas lasts me quite a while.

It's $4.03 in my neighborhood, and will probably get a lot higher.

Insulating my house isn't an option......because it's a post and beam house, there are no spaces in the walls for insulation, which means "studding up" the walls would be the only way to go, and with the price of lumber and insulation, it would not be feasible.  I am too old to reap the rewards of such a venture.

On a happier note, I just got the statement from my fuel company, and I have to admit, I must have read the last one wrong......I did not spend as much as I thought I did, and it wasn't as scary as I had imagined.    I could still find ways to cut back, but maybe not as drastically as I thought.....although again, who knows how much fuel will be this coming winter.

Only time will tell.

I am going to get heavy drapes for two of my doors that are drafty, cheaper I think than putting in new doors.   I am also going to do some research on the option of turning down heat at night, versus leaving the thremostat alone.   I know some say that it doesn't save you any money, but I can't see how that is true.

Today I hauled myself over to Aldi's, a bit out of my comfort zone, as I usually shop 3 miles down the road from my house.  But every time I go, I am glad that I did, and today was no exception.  I have 5 bags here, and honesly some of them are too heavy, but that's how many I took into the store.....and it came to $113.   Usually I leave my grocery store with 3 or 4 bags, and it is always over $100.  Plus their veggies and fruit are mostly nicer.  A whole pineapple for $1.55, and a gorgeous canteloupe, that was huge, for $2.29.   I had a list, and I didn't think that I would find everything on my list in that store, but I did.

Organic tofu........$1.55.  I am shopping their MORE OFTEN.   For sure going forward, as we anticipate higher prices for food that we are paying even now.

I'm not sure if I have already shared these, but they are my new favorite purchase, so here they are anyway.

Amazon......about $15 for 48 of them.

If you have dry eye, and boy do I ever have it....they are the bomb.   I put it on at bedtime...it stays warm for an hour, and when I wake up, usually in the night sometime, I take it off.

My dry eye has improved greatly doing this.

MYEBONG.....that is the brand name of these, but there are several vendors.

I have been doing a little spring cleaning......this front bedroom upstairs got some 

downsizing and cleaning.

It has my stepper machine in the window, and other than that, I use this room to wind skeins on my electric skein winder, and to wind cones on my electric cone winder, and to store thread, obviously.

This is only some of my yarn stash, there is more downstairs.  I have gotten rid of a

lot of it though.

In the hallway right outside this room is where I play with watercolors sometimes.

Play is the operative word, I am not very good.

It has been way too warm in my humble opinion....I know it is somewhat of a relief after the winter we have had, but I hate it when we jump from winter to summer, with no spring in the middle.

I need to ease into it.

I do love my house, but some days I wish it were not on the NYS highway.  There is way too much traffic.  Either I don't hear it at all, or it drives me wild.    So clearly, it is me that's the problem.

Maybe I need a nap.

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