Summer time shopping.

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Summertime is here & it's getting hot! I stopped by the Dollar Tree on Marshall road the other day & they had a nice selection of t-shirts, tank tops & even a few kids swimsuits. All $1.25 (plus tax, for a total of $1.40).

I stopped at the Dollar Tree on Essendene today & they had a lot of t-shirts & tank tops.

Spring time, shopping, budgeting & saving money.

May 01, 2018

Happy Spring, everyone. The weather has been pretty crazy this year, but its finally starting to warm up here in BC, everything is turning green & sprouting, flowers all over the place, even the trees. So of course my allergies are going crazy & I am still recovering from a broken arm I got on January 12th, the same day Mission & Sumas WA had that crazy ice storm.

This was taken outside of my apartment building in Mission.

Like most people, I enjoy saving money. Last summer, I picked up some tank tops &  a light long sleeved top, for $1.25 each, at Dollar Tree Canada!

They had lots of t-shirts & tank tops to choose from. I bought this one last summer.

Here's a photo of the long sleeve shirt I got here in August.

I was going to get some new tank tops today, but they were mostly out & this colour is just all wrong for me: 

Dollarama even carry slippers, underwear in 3 packs, socks & pantyhose!

I almost forgot Mother's day was coming soon. But luckily I saw something while I was doing some shopping at Dollarama, before coming across the border to visit my husband.

Speaking of saving money, have you ever considered giving up cable? I did & it ain't that bad. If you are Canada, CBC, CTV & Global all have shows online that you can watch for free the day after they come out on TV.  https://www.globaltv.com/shows/

https://www.ctv.ca/shows/all-shows#/

CTV also has a selection of movies, as well as older TV series: https://www.ctv.ca/Movies

https://www.ctv.ca/throwback

In the US, CBS, NBC & FOX also do this. ABC has something similar, but you have to wait a week after the broadcast date. Netflix is still under $10 a month I think, & in the US, Hulu is $7.99 a month & it also has a free trial & optional add-ons for HBO, Showtime & Cinemax (at an extra cost, of course). You can also watch Crackle online, but unfortunately is no longer available in Canada.  Plus there's a lot of interesting content available on YouTube.  I even have a channel there:   https://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelannDahlman/videos

There are even free online websites to watch TV, such as https://pluto.tv/ca/live-tv

and https://tubitv.com/home Unfortunately, like Netflix, there are fewer shows available in Canada.

Now that prices have finally started to come down, I am even buying some seasons of some of my favourite shows. And I bought a VHS-to-USB device to allow me to copy my old VHS tapes, into a digital format, that I can play on my computer! 

Soundtrack of my life

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Have you ever noticed how a specific song will immediately take you back to the 1st time you heard it? Or remind you of a concert or a specific person? I was thinking of that the other day, in relation to how many special people we've lost this past year. David Bowie, Gord Downie & David Cassidy, to mention just a few.

 One of the sad facts of growing older is that we lose more people, friends, acquaintances, family, favourite actors or musicians.

Do you have a song that personifies you, or perhaps different ones from different times in your life? Here's mine, the soundtrack of my life, so far:

"Who I am" by Jessica Andrews  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSA-rjH-1Xo
EDIT> An interesting coincidence, my paternal grandmother's name was Rose.

 #2 would have to be Valdy's Landscapes (I spend part of my teen years living on the Island):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8LJQaWzVuY
 

#3  I was just recently introduced to this song, but it definitely reminds me of me in my late teens:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc5iTNVEOAg&list=PLCAKB2kFnBEvpsZMJmQ8V818yiPsU-oUB&index=477

#4 would probably be Orianthi's "according to you":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu1aQvm5MrU

#5  is Phil Oakley's Together in electric dreams:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE1lzqJCeJ0

#6 would be John Parr's St. Elmo's fire:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSsanVx6Tjg

#7 would have to be Madonna's "I'll remember" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubTtANekn4g

"Today" by Joshua Radin, was the song I had played when my husband & I got married in Las Vegas in January 2012.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpdZa_Cam9k

I came across this video not long after I binge watched all 7 seasons of the West Wing, this song so reminds me of my wonderful husband: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvCKMuet6pA&t=1s

EDIT>  July 15, 2020 update: Okay, I recently came across 2 new songs (new to me, anyway) that I totally love, they are now a part of my life playlist.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_uM0nZRt7E&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvSzjPee89w&list=PLCAKB2kFnBEvpsZMJmQ8V818yiPsU-oUB&index=299&t=0s I first heard this version of this song, on the season finale of 9-1-1. Totally awesome!!

What songs speak to your heart? What songs personify "YOU"?

I tried a new recipe for breakfast this morning.

Tuesday October 17, 2017

I saw a video on Facebook & thought this might be interesting to try out. I am not a big fan of trying new things with all my allergies, but since all the ingredients are things I have eaten, I thought it was worth a try. I really liked it. It's messy to eat, I would recommend LOTS of napkins; but it's freaking delicious!!

My original lite BLT made with 2 Tbsp. lite Mayo, 1 slice of bacon (halved) & white bread with the crusts removed (did you know that removing the crusts cuts the calories & fat for the bread in HALF!) is 199 calories. This makes 2 little BLTs & is approx. 90 - 100 calories! Wow! 😍

Here's the Facebook address for the video from Delish: 

https://www.facebook.com/delish/videos/10154509771927437/?hc_ref=ARTD4dHYKAGzq6FUPJ7x-P104buOfQVMRzIKdLhQ1X8LgrGEdz05d_l7TbYIpSZdefs

And here's the address on their site: http://www.delish.com/cooking/videos/a43536/how-to-make-no-carb-blt/

Oh & here's my video:

As for the "pause" I don't know if my camera can do that, what I actually do is turn the camera off, re-start it when I am ready & use a cool free video editing program, called All Free Video Joiner, which is available here:  http://www.allfreevideoconverter.com/index.html They have a lot of wonderful free audio, video & other software.

Recipes

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Today's post is going to be about food. Recipes & other goodies. I have been finding some interesting stuff on Facebook & wanted to share them here as well. 

This recipe is for easy-to-make, healthy cookies!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe25ikI_MWU

This creamy cucumber salad is only 90 calories!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe25ikI_MWU
I prefer mine with a light Italian vinaigrette, cuts the calories almost in half.

And here are some useful tips on using up your leftovers.  http://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/at-home/the-best-15-ways-to-use-kitchen-leftovers/?utm_source=livingonadime.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange_facebook

Here's a pretty good recipe for refrigerator pickles:  http://www.livingonadime.com/homemade-garlic-pickles/

Here's a very interesting take on a cheese burger:  https://www.facebook.com/ChefClub.tv/videos/1660387150652558/?hc_ref=ARRY0gasNp5RKiwGQ6tXMgE3-LOk92tUY4kiL0uUkdd3C1pRxOxq_rOMh-_12-0JBYQ


And here's a recipe for home-made Ranch dressing:  https://www.facebook.com/luxuryfoodlondon/videos/1536521949739594/?hc_ref=ARRNJ8LKXx0ZLtVkTcr7bZqm_iIpW1eM9xBFFdi60NtGPEFCdLgmv4VIaHi20-lH1Xk

Potato recipes for every mood: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=528518325937653

8 one-pot pastas:  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=1215212305794611

Cheesy recipes:  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=1909043052779372

home-made Ice Cream Truck favorites: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=3347397918845050

13 easy microwave mug cake recipes:  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=705330774429415

hot diggity dog (hot dog variation recipes):  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=6106259782753664

An interesting new recipe for steak:  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=866628307791579

Tasty's top brownie recipes: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=892529621945448

9 juicy hamburger recipes: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=849485396378528

Cake mix cookies 9 ways: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=830524911546654

And some interesting sheet cake decorating hacks: https://www.facebook.com/firstmediasoyummy/videos/1834172333563576/?hc_ref=ARRzc9cTHVdHX8azPSWN0hfmeKW7VZiKHT-jN1fZG_nUOfD01QwWnQEwPrYnSsOjmYw

Saving money on clothes.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

This blog is going to be about saving money. I see all kinds of advertisements for what seems to be a good deal, until I look a little deeper. Sometimes I find good deals totally by accident. Last spring when I was still living in Abbotsford, I saw an ad for Garage, a very cool shop in 7 Oaks mall. They had tank tops on for $5 each, which is a pretty sweet deal, or so I thought. Later the same day I was buying some Mott's vegetable cocktail at the Dollar Tree & as I walked in the door I noticed they had racks of shirts. I liked this one so much, I got 2 of them! 

This spring I checked them out while I was in town (I live in Mission now) & bought several tank tops, like this one: 

They had a lot of different types of shirts & I even saw some girl's bathing suits at the one on Marshall road. They also often have socks, underwear & even bras.

And remember, this the Dollar Tree, each of these is only $1.25 (pt) for a post-tax total of $1.40!

 I got 3 pairs of beautiful jeans at Sears before they went out of business, for under $10 a pair. And I got a beautiful faux-fur winter coat at Sears in Abbotsford  in December 2015 for only $35 (originally tagged @ $199!) Check it out!! 

I got the black shirt @ Liquidation World in 2008. Black tends to make me heat sick, so I can only wear it in the winter.

An assortment of articles on different things. Mostly stuff I found on Facebook.

Monday, April 17, 2017

Hope those of you that celebrate Easter had a wonderful long weekend. I haven't posted anything since before Christmas, so I figured it was time to get off my ass & blog already.

It occurred to me that I should be sharing more of the stuff here, that I generally share on Facebook. Here's an interesting article on the rash of "religious liberty" & "bathroom" bills cropping up across the US. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zoe-dolan/the-civil-rights-struggle_b_8490982.html?ncid=engmodushpmg00000003
A couple of interesting articles on women's rights as they are reflected in public nudity laws: 
https://www.mtlblog.com/lifestyle/montreal-woman-walks-topless-on-saint-catherine-street#

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/31/moira-johnston-bares-her-breasts_n_1721308.html

And something new & interesting looking on Netflix:  https://www.queerty.com/london-spy-gives-viewers-sexy-spy-couple-queer-style-20170408

I just learned something cool, did you know that we can make roads with recycled plastic?
https://www.facebook.com/1MillionWomen/videos/10158869878595393/

On a somewhat sad note, the author of one of my all-time favourite books "Zen &the art of motorcycle maintenance" has passed away. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/4/26/1656487/-Robert-Pirsig-Who-Took-Us-On-Inner-Journeys-In-Zen-And-The-Art-Of-Motorcycle-Maintenance-Has-Died