Wendi {at random}

We're in the midst of a home fellowship with some other folks from our church (called "small groups" in some circles) on Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. We're learning how to "live like no one else so that later we can live like no one else." And basically, it's working. (Yeah, we did this when we lived near Pittsburgh at our church there, and we loved it then. Curt is leading this group now, so we like to think we're graduates. Our budget says otherwise.)

The idea is to budget, drop debt, save, and then be able to spend and give. This is great on paper. It works beautifully. A little harder when Target is your nearest neighbor. Nevertheless, we're pressing on. One thing I've learned is that if I spend cash only, I spend less. Significantly less. It hurts to pay with cash. I didn't realize how much I loved my little green friends, horded them in my wallet, all organized smallest to largest which isn't very large and front-to-back the way greenbacks should be. I don't want to part with these guys. And did you ever notice how they're all guys?



So, we're on budget lockdown here at Casa de Emmalemmalimabean.

obligatory picture of Emmalemmalimebean

Which means I am very choosey about what I can buy for my 2nd grade classroom.

Drat.

I love to buy stuff for my 2nd grade classroom. I really can only afford the 1-cent deals from Staples, but I have to pay $3.94 a gallon for gas to drive to the nearest store to get them, so they're not really such a big deal now, huh?

$3.94 - $.01

Not even extreme couponing can touch this. Of course, however, I have to drive to the same town where Staples is located to pick up Camden's glasses - yes, he's blind as a bat like the rest of us here at Casa de Emma-who-has-cataracts-lemmalimabean - tomorrow. So perhaps the cost differential isn't so bad. You didn't know I knew such terms, huh?



Finally, because this book was a freebie, borrowed from a friend who has a house at a beach, a real live beach that is here in tax-rich Connecticut, complete with sunshiney rocky shores and a splendid view of a nuclear power plant off-shore, I am convinced I am a Southern Lady and I must practice my Southern charms. So I deferred to this sequel to Margaret Mitchell's original GWTW. I am deep into it. I am breathing the South. I am living the life, hearing the words, feeling the humidity, seeing the Spanish moss drape over trees that have never known such beauty. I am wishing Rhett and Scarlett would just give up their stubbornness and be happy already!

I am not ready to fight the Civil War again, however. Scarlett herself is tired of the war. I am, too. Having grown up with a Rebel flag in the back seat of a good portion of my high school senior class, not that I was in the back seat of said portion, I can see that the South as it was will never be again. I for one will not miss hoop skirts and chaperones to Target. I, however, could use a carriage to take me to the bank so that I can exchange my gold for cash to buy something nice for myself.