"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it." Henry David Thoreau

While, we're still working on success, we certainly have had a busy weekend! 

Friday had originally been scheduled to be a MFA day, but due to a badly sprained ankle on my part and other things coming up we postponed going to see the Samurai exhibit until after The Move.     

Scheduled the appraisal, filled out the Loan Application and generally busied ourselves doing the "should do"s we normally put off.   Saturday was a work party day for the local Ren Faire that we've volunteered for since Year 2.  Not thinking about how many years ago that is right now.  It hurts.  

Spent a pleasant afternoon repainting the signs and supervising the dogs adoring crowds.   It was a lovely, warm and sunny day.  We felt it was a crime to lock them in the house all day so brought them with us.  They spent the afternoon sun bathing and being cossetted by the other volunteers.  

I want to return as a pampered house pet in my next life.  Seriously.  

After that it was off to Nashua to color a friend's hair and dinner.   Today was for relaxing and dinner at my cousin's.   

Tomorrow I have more orders to ship, jobs to apply for and errands to run, but for now I think I'm going to relax with a favorite book. 

Slainte

“Budget: A method for going broke methodically” ~ Unknown

I'm sure there are many people in my socio-economic tier who don't have to budget and are not Diamond Members of the Half Inch Club.  

I am not one of those lucky people.  

There was a brief period when my husband and I did not have to budget out every expense.   That was over a decade ago when we were both making the same amount and living extremely cheaply in Korea in an apartment the size of my first floor and half the size of our new house.

/sigh I miss $5/month HI-Speed DSL (for the time) and $10/month cable.    

Since returning from overseas and especially since the downturn, we have had to stretch each cent to try and make ends meet.  Sometimes making them meet, but more often being a Half Inch Too Short.   

Half Inch Club Diamond Member, that's me.

Most of my friends are in the same Club and to that end my very good friend Kate and another friend Kirsten have created a non-denominational, straight talk Thrifty blog that doesn't get bogged down by too much "And You're Saving the Planet Too" cheerfulness.

Not that being eco-friendly isn't good, but that's not the focus here.  Being  thrifty and finding cheap alternatives to national brands/standard methods is.  

Everyone likes to save where they can and believe me, K + K are masters at it.

Check out their blog at Misfit Thrift.   

"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort." ~ Jane Austen

After 8 house tours I think we've finally settled on a house.  Sadly, it's not the grand old brick house that everyone fell in love with.  

We asked for the estimated payment options on both the Brick House and a very cute and cozy ranch in fabulous condition that was ideally more than we wanted to spend.   Those came back yesterday and the numbers were a bit surprising.   Due to the limits of the VA Loan- you can build, but you can't renovate.  Someone explain that to me- we would actually pay more per month under the 203k loan for the brick house than we will with the much more expensive ranch.

Still, it's a beautiful house with a fully finished basement that has a kitchenette.  Oh, and a fireplace.  Guess what will be my new bedroom?   

It's not set in stone and we haven't made an offer yet so I'm trying very hard not to rent a U-Haul this weekend and pack it up.   

Still- /squeeee!!!