Just a 46-year-old mom of 2 in Northern California. My kids are Monkey Monkey(MM) and Drama Llama (DL). I am married to Monkey Hubby (MH). Only a forum like this could appreciate my phone conversation yesterday. I was called about a focus group on consumer products -- one that paid $85. I knew I wouldn't get in because I don't shop. I don't feel like lying and prefer dh do these things anyway (he usually does) since he has more time. Though if I qualified, I sure would take it! So of course lady asks me if I do the majority of shopping. I say, "No. My husband does." Clearly she is desperate to find people, as they usually are. So she says -- "you mean you share 50/50." I say, "No. I never do any grocery shopping." I'm already out of the running but she is desperate. So she asks me what kind of plasic trash bags we buy. I answer that we don't buy any. At this point she is completely off script and getting frustrated with me. "What do you use if you don't use plastic bags?" I don't know what we use -- nothing disposable. I should have said we buy no disposable products (to speak of anyway) BUT instead I said, "We don't buy plastic products," because I am getting frustrated too. So she asks me if we us paper bags. I say, "Sure." She says I don't qualify, but thanks.
For the record, we don't use paper bags -- LOL. I just wanted the conversation to end. Now if this was my dh he would have some witty remark. I just give up.
That is how I really and completely confused some young lady yesterday -- she probably thought I was playing with her or something.
The funny thing is we stopped using plastic grocery bags, but we still seem to have plastic out our ears. We still take plastic bags from other stores -- not always, but sometimes. & I get a giant trash-sized plastic bag on my doorstep once every week or 2 (for donations). & beyond all that, we just don't generate that much trash to begin with. I could fill a giant trash bag once every 3 months or something.
So what do we use? Whatever we can scrounge up! It's never hard to scrounge up plastic.
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LM has his last swim lesson today and he is swimming like a fish! BM has been taking lessons as a refresher -- he is swimming like a pro!
A few people have looked at me like I am crazy or rich to have my kids in "private lessons." Yes, I spent $100 on 4 hours of lessons (for each kid). LM couldn't float, tread, or anything -- now he can jump in and swim across the whole pool. Money well spent if you ask me. If this particular teacher comes back next year I might sign up both kids one more time -- at least LM. If not, they are done. City lessons would have been more costly and time consuming for similar results. (Because they'd need to take quite a few group lessons). BM has been working on freestyle/breathing, backstroke, and diving. He only took 2 hours of lessons last year.
Anyway, you can't win. But I assure you this was a frugal move in the end. (Plus we didn't have to DRIVE anywhere for lessons).
Having a child who can swim so well in such a short time? Priceless!
(I really only signed up BM For 2 weeks so he could take long lessons if LM Refused. So I am pleased LM went "all in" -- wasn't expected. But more lessons were good for BM, regardless).
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When it rains it pours. I have been trying not to count on the "usual" windfalls, but a bunch of them have come through this week. The latest is the kids got their "usual" $1k each from Grandma.
I should have posted this earlier. Dh got the check Sunday and I told dh, "The stock market will rally all week because I won't bother going to the bank until Friday or Saturday." Did I call it or what? I'll probably buy Monday -- expect market to peak then and dive the next day -- how it always goes.
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Oh yes -- escrow thread in the forums...
Reminded me of my pet peeve. A few of my friends (local) have complained of skyrocketing payroll taxes. HELLO?!? Payroll taxes do not skyrocket here -- they can not rise more than 2% per year. I assume they mean their escrow increased. It's just driving me nuts. Yes -- all our taxes are going up. Stop complaining about the ones that aren't! 
{If it's the 2% they complain about -- they are worse off than I thought!}
I am not a fan of escrow -- and this is just one more reason why. Most people with escrow have no clue what they are paying for taxes, insurance, etc. IT's just one more excuse for not understanding any of this stuff.
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One more thing -- divorce, divorce, divorce. It's rampant among our friends. I don't even think it's the economy. I know a couple of people staying together for economic reasons -- more common in these times. The divorcing couples really want out -- regardless of financial ruin and upside down assets, etc.
Just about anyone I talk to any more -- "By the way, I'm getting divorced." None of them have said anything about their marriages, prior. So the first few times I was rather shocked. Now I am just like, "You too?" NO schock any more.
Leaves most of our friends single or divorced. Kind of strange. I think most of them would say they "rushed into things" or "didn't think it through." They did all marry rather young. On some level, I think it's a sign of the times. More people are waiting longer to tie the knot -- many people feel they have missed out by not waiting.
I personally don't identify in the least -- I met my spouse at 18. Of course, though we met young, we are certainly not the types to rush into anything. We waited 5 years to marry, and 3 more years to have children. People often made fun of us, for being engaged for so long, etc. Just one more way we are weird I guess. Apparently, a dying breed as well.
So is it just my little bubble or what? Yeesh. Mid-to-late-30s must be a common divorcing age.
You don't BUY plastic bags?!?
July 17th, 2009 at 06:14 pm
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I think the swimming lessons were an excellent investment. It certainly is a good thing that LM knows how to swim.
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We buy a box of kitchen bags but they last us a year or two. Rest of the time we use plastic bags we got from the grocery, hardware, or retail stores.
Sorry to hear about your rash of divorces. There really is a 7 year itch. The hallmark of the recession will be when couples divorce, but they can't split up due to economic reasons.
July 18th, 2009 at 01:23 pm 1247923385
Although people might make a big deal out of not using the plastic bags at the grocery store, most of us still buy plastic bags for our trash. Everyone generates some trash, and obviously you need to bag it somehow. So what's the difference between plastic bags at the grocery store and plastic Hefty bags? Not much, i don't think. It's still plastic.
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As regards the divorce thing... I read somewhere that financial issues lead to a lot of break-ups so I'm sure the recession is causing a "spike" in divorces.. I'm not convinced by the whole marriage thing myself...
I remember sitting across from an elderly couple on the train one day and the lady said beind married is like a job and you have to work at it...
I think previous generations weren't expecting so much from marriage and were more likely to stick with it (like a job)...
Emmm... as a single man, I realise I've no experience in this ares so I'm gonna stop now.. :-)
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BA gives the winning advice. Phew. I like typing up entries offline - so this is cool. I found a plain text converter online.