Money, it doesn't grow on tree's, it grows on paper

I am still in that whole "January is new year, a new me" mind set. Of course I have fallen off the diet plan, and the blog twice a week plan. The wagon I haven't fallen off of it "Be Smarter With Your Money". This year The Fella and I are slowly merging His and Her's finances. We are just feeling it out as we go. So far we have a joint savings and as of this morning a joint investment account. That joint investment account it my little baby. I love reading financial articles and my podcast list would make Ben Bernanke roll his eyes. But I find it all so... worth my while.

It's snowing in Nashville

Today was my first day of classes for the Spring semester. Before I even got in my car to drive there the snow was falling. I made it to class without any traffic problems, a rare case indeed in Nashville when it snows. My wonderful professor whom I would also consider a friend let us go early since she too didn't want to drive home in slush.
So now I am home and all bundled up. I have candles lit, the curtains drawn back and cocoa in my mug. I am having a great first day back by simply watching it snow. Damn, it is the little things in life.

Thinking of warm days

I get an itch to be back in the garden right around this time of year. So I start flipping through seed catalogs and browsing garden sites while I start compiling a mental shopping list. The Fella really got into helping me in the garden last year because he was able to plant about 10 different varieties of hot peppers. He was a happy man, a very happy man. In fact, he got a dehydrator for Christmas to preserve peppers from this years harvest.

There is a hitch in the plan. We usually go back to the large house in Chattanooga during the summer so that we have lots of land to work on. This summer though, the Fella is teaching at Vanderbilt and I will be in my last semester of college. So we are going to try our hand at container gardening on our small but sunny balcony.

My list:

jalapenos

small hot peppers

lettuce

tomatoes

cilantro

basil

rosemarry

thyme

cucumbers?

It is probably a little to ambitious since we don't have a huge amount of room, but I am so used to a large garden. At least its something to think about on cold days.

anyone have any thoughts on container gardening?

A New Year, A New List of Goals

I love this time of year, no really I do. I feel like I am passed all the crazy stress of the holidays and for me, and The Fella, it is back to school. I enjoy having a routine and a plan for the day, week, month, etc. My favorite part of the new year is going to the store to pick a new calendar. I can easily spend an hour opening each agenda and looking over, assessing what works for me and what doesn't and then finally, achingly making my decision.

I mentioned this aspect of the new year to a friend of mine over lunch the other day and she shared with me that she feels the same way. She then told me that she puts a stick note on the front page of the calendar with a list of her goals for the year. She says this way she is reminded every day of the things she wants to accomplish. I am excited to adopt her stratagey.

My list for the year:

• Transition to a cash system for groceries.
• Exercise 5 days a week
• Must be better about calling the Grandmother
• wash all dishes before going to bed
• I swear I'm gonna do my Christmas shopping earlier this year ;)
• try to be a better blogger

What are your goals for the year?