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Archive for July, 2016

Thanks, Snafu!

July 30th, 2016 at 01:49 pm

A few months earlier I posted about fixing all the broken things and cleaning all the dirty things around the house. I complained that I just could not get grout clean in my bathrooms and Snafu suggested an inexpensive handheld steam cleaner.

After watching some youtube videos, I finally bought one and it arrived yesterday. Oh my gosh. I wish I'd known about these years ago!! The dirt just flew off the grout. It isn't perfect, but it's the best and cleanest and whitest it's ever been. And all using just water and no chemicals.

Thanks Snafu! I'm addicted to the steam cleaner now!

(PS It was a Bissell Steam Shot.)

finally saved money. woot

July 15th, 2016 at 02:33 pm

We finally were able to put a chunk of money in the savings account. Maybe we're finally out from under the expenses from all those family (obligation) vacations in spring. It's only $500, but still. It's a start.

My plan is to eat from the pantry and minimize expenses for the next week or two, in hopes of freeing up more money for savings.

A scare, and book news

July 14th, 2016 at 07:18 pm

For two months this spring I had a weird pain in my armpit that was always present and didn't seem to have a logical cause. All signs pointed to breast cancer (I'm 41, no meds, no health problems so far in life) and I finally made it through the battery of blood tests, exams, and mammograms, and well, there's nothing there. No cancer. Yay. But still no idea what could have caused that weird pain, which also seems to have disappeared.

So this is all good. I'm a don't freak out until there's something to freak out about kind of person. I didn't tell my mom, sister or friends about this, because I didn't want them to worry until there was something to worry about. Good thing. DH was scared and freaking out the entire time. He seems to have calmed down now.

In other news, a wife of a former coworker is a NYTimes best selling middle grade author, and she has offered to review the query letter and synopsis I will be sending to agents soon, in my effort to get my first YA novel traditionally published.

Fingers crossed I'm on the right track. I've been working on all the required 'sales' pieces for the novel since June. a query letter, 1 and 3 page synopsis, author bio, etc. It's a lot of work! I had no idea. Hopefully I'm on the right track, and my author friend will be able to help me polish it all up.

I'm also outlining a book to write during NaNoWriMo. It'll be my first one. if any of you are doing it I'd love to make our own support group!

I also had a surprise 4 day freelance gig last week, which will mean $1450 to the Ira for this year. What a nice big boost! It's interesting work, and it pays well. That's the kind of gig I want.