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Well I have to say that a big source of my pleasure this summer has been rediscovering my local library. The school year gets pretty busy and for the most part, if I take out books during the year, I inevitably find myself not getting them back on time and accruing that lovely debt called Late Fees.
But with summer I have had the time to go and wander and explore. I have had the time to read and enjoy the wealth of having a library full of things I have not yet read.
I will admit I am a book addict. I have purchased far far too many books over the years, many of which I garage saled at a pittance. If I had the money in my savings that I had spent on books, I'd have a very healthy account.
I have really cut back the past two years. I buy rarely, and it's out of my savings. I will buy if they are a favourite author, or if I know it's likely to be one I will want to read and reread. I still have to give myself a talking to if we go to the book store in the city, or even wander by the book section in Walmart. The self talk works almost 99% of the time. It goes something like "really?? really? you want to spend $10 -$12 of your savings on a book that you will read in a day and probably never read again????"
Now that my boys are old enough, I can take them there and they can wander alone without being high maintenance. Or better yet, I leave them alone at home and can take alllll the time I want to wander about and read.
I have found that if I choose a new book from the 'just released - 1 week borrowing only' as one of my choices, I am more likely to get them back there on time. 2-3 weeks...I lose track of time.
I also love exploring the magazines there. It gives me a chance to look at ones I would never buy, or read the ones I want to buy but won't spend the $ for. I mean really, an US or Star magazine is almost $6 with tax now!!! That's crazy.
I have rented a few movies from there but mostly when the boys are away and it's a chick flick or a historical movie that I know they won't enjoy. I loved The Other Boleyn Sister, but the chances of them sitting through it, is slim to none LOL. It makes the rare alone night nice....a glass of wine..a movie...maybe I'll cross stitch a bit....solitary luxury.
They also have movie showings at the library in the theater, but I'll be honest... there are a lot of kids there (ones I know) and it's really hard for the teacher in me to stand them yaking all the way through the show, while their parents let them...or worse...their parents are texting and the lights flashing ruin it.
Well reading that affirms it for me. I am getting old :P
One of the best parts of going there is that it is Air Conditioned. For a girl whose non AC'd house hit 85F last night..... AC is a wonderful incentive to read.
Do you make use of your public library?? After all, it's free (unless you pull a Jolie and forget to return them on time :-)
As many of you know, I did my first RRSP contribution in February 2010. I had saved a whole $1000 to put towards this (That should keep me for my retirement years LOL)
I couldnt' remember how often I had asked for my statements to come. Turns out I checked 'twice a year' as it came in the mail yesterday.
I had divided the money up between NEI Canadian Bonds and Ethical Dividends. I will be the first to admit I really don't know a lot about the whole things.
So after 6 long months of waiting.............the Bonds gained...the Dividends lost..........and my $1000 is now worth............................................$1000.89
I about died laughing. I am not sure what I was expecting but this did make me giggle. lots
As it was payday on Sunday, I happily skipped with my baskets of money to plop them in the various targets. It goes quickly so I try to savour the experience.
Seeing as I was close to finishing my EF goal of $2000 this year, I decided to take my savings money and allocate it all to the EF. It now stands happily complete at $2000, for this year.
Next month I will take the money that was to go to the complete EF and Xmas 2010, and combine it with my RRSP money and put it all on my RRSP goal. Barring any unforseen events, I will have my RRSP goal complete by the end of September.
It's lovely to see some green on those bars. Such a festive colour.
Happy Wednesday.
It was almost like a wee Christmas present in July. I love mail that makes me smile.
I got my monthly bank statement where my vehicle loan is held. It said last month I had 45 payments left plus a final one of $168 ish.
Since I made both the regular and one extra payment last month, it should logically read 43 payments plus some on a final one.
Much to my happiness, it reads 42 payments plus a final one. That means that in three months of extra payments, I managed to knock off a whole extra month. In three months!
I had to go to my journal where I've dutifully written out each of the 60 months of the loan and dutifully crossed out each regular payment and each extra payment. I counted what was left...42 plus one final one. Yup! there was one month that could be crossed off. It's very exciting.
So now instead of the loan being finished in (makes me cringe to write it) June of 2014, it is now finished in February of 2014. Still a scary number but it's going to keep changing as I whap on extra money.
It was a very good feeling and this simple journal gives me great motivation! Love it.
PS - I tried to take a pic of it and it just kept coming out white. will have to work on that and I will add it if I can
This is his fouth (or fifth???) time there and he absolutely loves it. DS1 usually goes too but didn't this year. Whole different story.
We 'found' this camp through friends of the boys..brothers who went there too. They suggested we send the boys there and am I ever glad we did.
It's a fantastic Bible camp. Interdenomination. It's about 90 minutes from home so not terribly far, but far enough that it's not someplace we would go regularly. Feels like a holiday for them, as it is.
The cost this year was $250 plus an optional $3 a day for the tuck shop (ice cream, treats etc). The kids are limited on what they can spend there each day and at what times they can go. I love that idea. $250 isn't bad for 5 nights, 6 days and 17 meals plus snacks.
It's a co-ed camp so there are a dozen or so boy cabins and a dozen or so girl cabins. Each cabin has one adult leader and one junior leader (think 16/17) and both sleep in. There is a wonderful chapel where they gather a couple times each day. speakers come in. lots of music, often done by some very talented junior leaders. There is a huge mess hall they just finished a couple years ago. High up on a hill with a view of the lake.
The kids get to pick three activities to explore while they are there. Each day they rotate through each of their three activities. There are things like crafts, outdoor cooking, drama, skateboard, BMX, horseback riding, wall climbing, paintball, water pursuits (wakeboard, kneeboard), swimming lessons, caneing, soccer, choir, bible studies, campfire building, archery, floor hockey, basketball, volleyball and riflery (for those old enough). There are 'wide' games in the evening where the whole camp gets together and plays things like survivor or amazing race.
It's not a fancy schmancy camp. The cabins are not insulated so hot hot when it's hot and some leak when it rains. adds to the fun, the boys say. Each cabin is required to help out once each day with either food set up, clean up or dishes. There are competitions for clean cabin...cabin theme each day. Each cabin has to come up with entertainment once during the week. Air guitar, a skit, improv.
I am so glad my kids had this opportunity. I never got to go to camp and wish that I had. Well worth the money when I see the exhausted smiles on their faces at the end of the week and their eyes light up with the stories of what they did.
