Subscribe Subscribe | Subscribe Comments RSS
~ a place I call my own…

Stray Cat

Guest post written by Derick Burks

Last night, there was a stray cat that was getting into my garbage can that I had put outside for collection the next day. I didn’t know it was a cat at the time, and I was terrified. All I heard was a loud bang, (which was the trash can falling over) followed by all kinds of strange scraping and rustling sounds. I thought for sure someone was outside of my home trying to break in. I lied in the bed motionless, trying to figure out what to do. I was just waiting for my alarm systems Hayward to go off, and alert the police to the robbery I was positive was under way. Then, all of a sudden, I heard a distinct “meow” sound. I listened closely, and heard it again. Strange, I thought. I made myself muster the courage to get out of bed and peek out the window, only to find a silly old cat, messing up my garbage all over the porch. So funny to think I was so scared of a cat.

Why Women Lie…

One day, when a seamstress was sewing while sitting close to a river, her thimble fell into the river. When she cried out, the Lord appeared and asked, “My dear child, why are you crying?”

The seamstress replied that her thimble had fallen into the water and that she needed it to help her husband in making a living for their family.

The Lord dipped His hand into the water and pulled up a golden thimble set with pearls. “Is this your thimble?” the Lord asked The seamstress replied, “No.”

The Lord again dipped into the river. He held out a silver thimble ringed with sapphires. “Is this your thimble?” the Lord asked. Again, the seamstress replied, “No.”

The Lord reached down again and came up with a leather thimble. “Is this your thimble?” the Lord asked. The seamstress replied, “Yes.”

The Lord was pleased with the woman’s honesty and gave her all three thimbles to keep, and the seamstress went home happy.

Some years later, the seamstress was walking with her husband along the riverbank, and her husband fell into the river and disappeared under the water. When she cried out, the Lord again appeared and asked her, “Why are you crying?”

“Oh Lord, my husband has fallen into the river!” The Lord went down into the water and came up with George Clooney. “Is this your husband?” the Lord asked. “Yes,” cried the seamstress.

The Lord was furious. “You lied! That is an untruth!” The seamstress replied, “Oh, forgive me, my Lord It is a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said ‘no’ to George Clooney, you would have come up with Brad Pitt. Then if I said ‘no’ to him, you would have come up with my husband. Had I then said ‘yes,’ you would have given me all three. Lord, I’m not in the best of health and would not be able to take care of all three husbands, so THAT’S why I said ‘yes’ to George Clooney.

And so the Lord let her keep him.

The moral of this story is: Whenever a woman lies, it’s for a good and honorable reason, and in the best interest of others.

That’s our story, and we’re sticking to it.

Signed,
All Us Women

Image via Wikipedia

Prepare for the future and get through every day by finding ways to strengthen your finances. There are different stages in life with each putting a financial need on your part. Here are five helpful ideas to help you out. Most of these are things that can be accomplished quickly and done continually.

Review All Your Bills

Make a list of each bill, including water, electricity, phone, entertainment and groceries. If you are paying for any services you don’t use, such as texting, then look into cancelling your account. Even a few dollars can add to future savings. Look for coupons and discount days when it comes to shopping. Don’t forget your credit cards and try to reduce the interest rates you’re getting.

If you can, perhaps it is a good option to move everything to a new card that has a very low balance transfer.

Look Over Your Insurance

Any insurance you have should be reviewed. Is there any way of reducing services you don’t need? Just be sure you will be completely covered in case an unexpected emergency does occur. Talk to your auto insurance agent about increasing your deductible for comprehensive insurance. If you are considering a new car, then you might want to make changes. Remember you can always look for another insurance company to compare services and prices with.

Join Rewards and Discount Programs

Many stores and websites provide rewards and discount programs. Often, these programs are free and have many benefits, such as free shipping or discounts from coupons. There are other programs that are paid services but also provide benefits. If you know you will use it enough to get your money back and actually save more, you should definitely consider. It is great to use these programs if you frequently shop there because the savings will add up.

Set Up a Savings Account

This can be done through your bank, but there are also companies that provide this service online. Money can be directly deposited. If you don’t “touch” it for the little things, then it can be helpful for emergencies or other important purchases in the future. Consider personal loans online if funds are not available yet when an emergency arrives. You never know when an emergency will occur and this can help you in a pinch.

Everyday Savings

There are everyday ways to save as well. Start with your electric bills. Use a thermostat that can be programmed in your residence. This means these utilities are off when it is not needed. Then put CFL light bulbs in lighted areas to use less energy and have these bulbs that last longer to reduce cost of purchasing more.

Many of you do not want to stress about finances. You will always have a desire for a positive financial situation.


Image courtesy of Elly Blue at Flickr.

Statistics show that many drivers get behind the wheel of their car while above the legal limit for intoxication. It doesn’t take many drinks before you could end up with a DUI. Because of this, it’s important for drivers to truly understand what could happen if arrested and charged with drunk driving, otherwise known as driving under the influence. In the event that you’re charged with drunk driving, you’re going to want to find great DUI lawyers.

The Effects of a DUI

When charged with a DUI, there are significant effects that will last quite a long time. With most jurisdictions, there are many penalties and even convictions to anyone who has been charged on more than one occasion with a DUI. This could include jail, even prison time, large fines, and the loss of your driver’s license. Also keep in mind that depending on your state, your vehicle could be taken away during your arrest. Your DUI lawyers will inform you on your worst case scenario, based on your situation.

There are many other effects that can happen, once you’ve been charged with drunk driving. Other repercussions to being charged with a DUI is your insurance company could drop you, either during your charge or if you were convicted of a DUI. This is something to ask your DUI lawyers about. In order to get your license reinstated, your insurance is required. Depending on your work situation, some industries are difficult to find work in once you have a DUI on your permanent record.

Length of Being Charged to Court Hearing

One important question that you should speak with your DUI lawyers about is the length of this case. Once you’ve been charged, things will start happening right away. You will be sent to jail immediately. If this is your first DUI, you’re more than likely going to get out on bond or on your own recognizance. If you have prior cases, your bail could be set at a significantly higher rate. If it doesn’t happen right away, it could take a few days from being charged with the DUI for your driver’s license to get revoked.

Zero Tolerance for Drunk Driving

Your DUI lawyers will inform you of the zero tolerance that courts and persecutors have for drunk driving and dealing with these cases. There are few cases where the courts will show genuine sympathy. Don’t count on this happening to you due to their zero tolerance for drinking and driving. This is where hiring the best DUI lawyers will come in handy for you.

There’s a lot that can happen when charged for drunk driving. It’s important to hire a great lawyer who can explain everything and get a good plea bargain.

Upsizing Our Bed

When we moved in to our new home, the first thing we decided is to upsize from a queen to a king-sized bed. We needed the upgrade because our three-year-old son still co-sleeps with us and he’s using up (or rather invading) more and more space as he grows bigger. Sometimes hubby and I would end up sleeping on our side just to make room for our squirmy toddler thus giving us all sorts of body aches in the morning. So to end our suffering (LOL!), we decided to buy a bigger bed. Although we know eventually we will have to train our little boy to sleep in his own bed but realistically speaking, we know it’s not happening real soon that’s why we got ourselves a new bed, a mattress, and of course new bedding sets! I must say the latter was the fun part although I got confused when asked what type of fabric and how many thread counts I prefer for the bed linens. Thankfully The White Company was there to answer all my questions. Their buying guide was a great help indeed. And after going through their website, I finally decided on their Egyptian cotton bed linen collection. Not only did it make sleeping more comfy but it feels truly luxurious as well!

New Homeowners

Good things come to those who wait. And I’m very happy because our good friends in Louisville are finally living their dream! They are now proud owners of a 5 bed 3 bath home! But that’s not all, the home they just bought comes with a huge backyard with a huge swimming pool! To top it all, they got it a very good price. Thanks to their hardworking louisville real estate agent! They already sent us a few pictures of their beautiful home as well as an invitation to visit them this summer. Oh how I wish we can go! I hope hubby can get another vacation so we can all fly to Louisville. *crossing my fingers*

Do It Anyway!