August Happiness Challenge – Day 20

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Today's Happiness: Nothing. I don't mean that nothing made me happy. It's that nothing happened today, and sometimes a slow, uneventful day gives a Gal a happy opportunity to recharge.

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

Thursday Thirteen #476

More budge in your budget. Every time I buy groceries I toss something in the bag for the local food pantry. It used to be I could find all kinds of non-perishables on sale for under $1. Not so anymore. Not that it matters, but I blame the tariffs and the ongoing effect of the War in Iran. 

Of course, my opinion doesn't matter. The store brand pasta that was 99¢ under Sleepy Joe Biden will still be $1.39, whether or not I shake my fist at the clouds. Instead, inspired by a recent issue of AARP Bulletin and Martha Stewart's webpage, I give you ...

13 tried-and-true ways to curb your spending

1. Pay with cash. You're less likely to go over the fixed amount you set aside for groceries or dinner if you go old school and don't rely on plastic.

2. Get rewards. If you're going to pay with a card, make sure it's one that gives you something in return. If Card A will give you double miles on dining and Card B offers triple points at the pump, keep both in your wallet and tap the right card at the right time.

3. Clean your microwave more often. Crumbs left behind can create "hot spots" in the oven interior and shorten the its life.

4. Remove your roof rack. It's a scientific fact: a rack creates aerodynamic drag that makes your car use more gas.

5. Change the oil regularly. Yes, it's dirty and, even if you have someone else do it, time consuming. But skipping your vehicle's oil change can reduce gas mileage (expensive) and damage the engine (even more expensive).  

6. Don't park at the airport. People who are used to driving drive. But it's almost always cheaper to take a rideshare to/from the airport than to park.

7. Don't pay rental car insurance you're already getting. Major credit cards often include rental car coverage as a perk. Check your card's website before you take go to the rental car counter.

8. Turn down the laundry temp. Check the labels and the back of your detergent bottle. You can likely get your laundry just as clean at a cold or warm setting, and you'll lower your electric bill by not making your water heater go all the way to hot.

9. Look beyond the "big guys." Smaller providers – US Mobile, Mint Mobile and Consumer Cellular – access the same networks as Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile but often cost less.

8. Celebrate at the dollar store. Save on party supplies like paper plates, napkins, and cups.

10. Clean your gutters. Clogged gutters will sag and you'll have to replace them sooner. They can also overflow and leak, causing expensive damage to the outside of your house.

10. Think thrift for glass. Picture frames, vases and decorative jars are usually good second hand and all are readily available at your thrift store.

11. Keep a tote bag in your purse or car. Many municipalities charge a bag fee that you won't have to pay if you bring your own with you. 

12. Social media is not just for sharing vacation photos. Follow your favorite stores and find out about sales in advance. Some retailers post coupons you can load onto your phone for next time you visit.

13. Comparison shop for pet supplies. Often your local grocery store, Target and Walmart sell the same brands for less than the chain pet stores charge.

How about you? Any tips to add?

 

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

 

 

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 19

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Today's Happiness: A walk at sunset. I don't have many good memories of my dad. But this evening, one came roaring back, happy and clear. It was about 7:30, the sun was going down, and the heat and humidity had abated. On my way back from a walk I thought of my dad. 

 

Some summer evenings, after dinner but before our baths, he'd take my older sister and me for a walk. He'd make it a game. We'd go up one street and down another and around this corner or that. Then, when he was sure we were turned around, he would challenge one or the other of us to find the way back home. I realize now he was trying to teach us our neighborhood. I was terrible at this game – then, like now, I had no sense of direction.

 

But I liked this time with him. He wasn't grumpy. He wasn't distracted. He wasn't shouting at clouds. He seemed to want to be with my sister and me. 

 

I said a little prayer for my dad tonight. I hope that in Heaven, he gets to take long walks every evening and he's always relaxed and happy. 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Margin of Error by Edna Buchanan. Miami in the 1990s was hot, and not just by National Weather Service standards. For a time, Hollywood came calling and it was a popular location for films and made-for-TV movies. That's how glamorous actor Lance Westfall plausibly can be in the life of hardworking Miami reporter Britt Montero. Her newspaper has assigned her to him as he researches his role for an action movie. He's going to get an eyeful, because Britt works hard and is dogged in getting the story, no matter how ugly or how dangerous the story is. The last big story was awful in every way, and at the beginning of this book, she's still haunted by it.

 

This is a series and I like the recurring characters, but be warned: these books are not remotely "cozy." Edna Buchanan was a Miami crime reporter in real life and she is unsparing in what she shares. But the violence is believably, frighteningly rooted in real life. (That's the complaint I've had with Rosenfelt and the Andy Carpenter books. Most crimes are do not involve in international intrigue. The stories Britt covers and uncovers feel real.)

 

2. What did you recently finish reading? Touched by the Sun by Carly Simon. Carly Simon was galpals with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis for the last decade of Jackie's life. This is the story of that relationship, and the ongoing impact it had on Carly's life.

 

The first time I read this book it was for Jackie and yes, she continues to fascinate. This time through I concentrated on Carly. At one point she was dealing with the death of her mother and Jackie's last illness. I wanted to revisit Carly's attitudes and observations because now, at age 83, she is simultaneously battling Parkinson's and skin cancer. 

 

The Carly on these pages is fragile, complicated and indulgent. I liked her, related to her, yet was frequently annoyed by her. Maybe the things that annoyed me are the same things I see in myself. It's an involving memoir. A slim book, I may reread it again in the future, and maybe I'll get something different from it.

3. What will you read next? Zelda Fitzgerald: Her Voice in Paradise by Sally Cline.

 

  

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 18

 

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Today's Happiness: Two in a row! Frankly, I don't usually care about the Crosstown Classic one way or the other. The Cubs and the Sox play in different leagues and usually there's a tremendous disparity in the quality of their play. Not this year. The first place White Sox are 65-60 and my Cubs are 74-53, but in second place in a stronger division. 
 
My guys have won two in a row, and they have been great games! Extra inning nail biters. Both teams are going to make the playoffs and while I don't see a Crosstown World Series in our future – not even Pope Leo's influence is going to get the Southsiders past the Yankees or the Rays – both teams are playing really good ball. I'm happy for the Sox players. They seem like nice kids (they are the youngest team in the MLB) and it's not their fault their fans are ... well ... Sox fans.

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 17

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Being back in The Loop. I was downtown during late afternoon on a weekday for the first time in years. All the handsome men in their collared shirts and crisp pleated chinos! In the immortal words of ZZ Top, "Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man." Sigh ...

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

Planning Ahead

It began with a joke I made during a recent sit down with my financial guy. We talked about my spending over the first six months of the year and my biggest expenditures came back-to-back – first my Connie Cat's surgery and then my trip to the TCM Film Festival. Yeah, I bought a new mattress and bed, but that came in distant third. 

 

As we discussed this, it washed over to me that my lifestyle is different from my friends. "Elaine went to Paris, Lisa went to Ireland, and I went to vet." I thought it was funny.

 

"You know," Jonathan said, scrolling through my financials on his screen, "If you wanted to go to Europe, we could make that happen." My spending over the last two years has been less than we projected. I'm OK with that. We still have two+ years of Donald Trump with his fakakta tariffs and international adventurism and insistence that "affordability" is a Democratic hoax. To say I don't trust him with our economy is an understatement of almost epic proportions, so I'm good with being conservative with my personal finances. 

 

But Jonathan got me thinking about my future and what purchases would make me happy. I need a nice new winter coat, but I think that will be my only big fall/winter apparel purchase. I love my sweaters, but I already have a shit-ton of them and I got two pair of boots last winter.

 

There's a new refrigerator on my horizon. But I neither want nor need bells and whistles there. I'm dragging my feet on this more out of reluctance to toss more steel and copper into the landfill than financial concern.

 

I want to visit my niece and little Violet a couple times before the year is over. I'm attending Noir City Chicago for several nights and I'm headed to Wrigley Field to see my guys, and while I will be spending a lot, it's not on a par with a trip to Europe. 

 

I don't want to go to Europe. I just don't. I'd like to go to Springfield, IL to visit Abe, but that's a hotel and an Amtrak ticket.

 

I am looking forward to the TCM Film Festival in 2027, and I'm excited that I can do it in an elevated way. I know what hotel I want to stay at: The Loews Hollywood. The location is perfect. While I don't think I want to upgrade my room – I'm really not in the room that much – I would like to take advantage of room service more often. Jonathan says I can afford it.

 

But most of all, there's Meeow Chicago. When I'm at the Loews, Connie and Roy Hobbs will be enjoying luxurious digs, too. They can share a suite with a skylight and a climbing tree and boxes to hide in. Best of all, they will have staff attending them from 7 am to 7 pm each day and will be monitored overnight. I'll get photos and text updates every day. I've emailed the owner, who outlined their protocol in case of emergency, which I find comforting.

 

I will have more fun in Hollywood knowing Connie and Roy Hobbs will be under constant scrutiny and care. I take my responsibility to them very seriously. I may not want to go to Europe, but I want to do this, and I'm grateful I can afford it.

 

 

 

August Happiness Challenge: August 16

 

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: My bath mat. Yeah, sometimes it really is the little things. I like my new bath mat. It's pristine, bright white and it feels cushy under my feet.  

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Sunday Stealing

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ...? 

1. Flavor? Cinnamon 

2. Movie?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Piece of jewelry? I often wear this charm as a pendant. It's a recreation of one of the coins found on the Atocha, a Spanish ship that went down off Key West in the 1600s. The charm is made from scrap silver that remained in the wreck. Amazing to think I'm wearing metal that rested for centuries at the bottom of the sea!

The pendant means a lot to me because it reminds me of my favorite uncle, who loved Key West and collected Atocha coins, and of my dear friend Henry, who lived in Key West and was with me when I bought it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Place to be? My home. Which is why what happened yesterday disturbed me so. It's hard to relax when a nosy neighbor is just waiting to impinge on my privacy.

5. Boy's name? I think I like Robert best because it can be adapted to fit the person: Bob, Bobby, Rob, Robbie or Robert.

6. Girl's name? Margaret. See above. Maggie, Margo, Marge, Peggy, Reta.

7. Candy? It changes. Lately it's Hershey's with Almonds.

8. Sports team? This never changes.

 

 

 

 

 

9. Color? Pantone 294. It's the exact blue of the Cubs logo.

10. Month? Today I'm thinking September. It feels like the beginning of a new season and a fresh start.

So, do you feel like you know me better?  

August Happiness Challenge – Day 15

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Two old ladies from Florida. This one is hard. I'm in a bad mood because of my neighbor (see post below) and because the Cardinals shellacked my Cubs. But then I looked at the mail I'd heedlessly tossed onto my coffee table.

 

I got two postcards today! One from my Cousin Rose, from her visit with cousin on her dad's side, Marlene. The other from my Aunt, on a road trip to Pigeon Forge with her husband and dog.

 

These are the last two people alive who held me as a baby. They both exasperate me – Rose because she can't stop telling me how to live my life and Auntie because she can't stop being more MAGA than thou. Yet they both love me. I know they do. And the universe reminded me of that today.

 

That's a lot to be happy about. 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

I'm not a Kardashian

I'm in a very bad mood as I write this. Something happened today that was unfair and I can't shake it.

My neighbor at the end of the hall is not well. Chris has mobility issues – he wears a brace on one of his legs – and some form of Tourette syndrome that causes him to yell loudly when he's alone. I can hear him when I'm in the hall, the same way I can hear other neighbor's music or TVs, and definitely when he's alone in the elevator because the acoustics carry sound like Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall. His downstairs neighbor hears him all the time through the bathroom vent but has never complained because understands Chris can't help it. 

I try to make allowances for that, too. I always smile, I'm always polite. He knows I am on the condo board and makes up questions about building business. I'm always tempted to say, "Why do you ask? You were at the meeting and know the answer!" But I know why he asks. He is lonely and is looking for connection. He also loves to intercept me on the backstairs, which only lead to two places: the laundry room and the dumpster. Yet he always asks, "Gal! Where are you going?" Well, if I'm carrying a box of Bounce fabric softener sheets, I'm finishing my laundry. If I'm hauling a Hefty bag, I'm taking out the trash. So why is Encyclopedia Brown asking me this? Does he think I'm off to Madagascar to see a lemur in the wild? But I get that he's lonely and so I chirp a merry response and try to scurry away.

Most of all, there is the mail issue. Whenever anyone gets mail that doesn't fit in their mailbox, or receives Amazon packages, Chris delivers them to our doors. He bangs on the door, hoping we'll answer and thank him. He means well, but it's tiresome. I'm home, I'm behind my closed door. Maybe I'm still in my pajamas after noon. Maybe I'm watching a movie or reading. Maybe the game is on. Maybe I just want to be left the fuck alone. I don't like feeling as though I'm on call 24/7. I resent feeling under obligation for a delivery service I never asked for and truly don't need. I also really, really don't like it when Chris asks, "What was in that big box I left for you yesterday?" I always say, "I order so much, I really don't remember."

But today! Today I felt especially intruded upon and it's galling. I order groceries from WalMart once every two months or so. I stock up on things I can't get at my local grocery store. This morning's delivery of 11 bags happened to arrive at just about the same moment as my every-two-weeks Subscribe and Save from Amazon. What are the odds?

Of course Chris showed up at that moment. He'd received an Amazon delivery in that same shipment, as had many of our neighbors. He literally brought a cart to do his rounds and deliver the packages (something again, no one has ever asked him to do). He offered to take my groceries up but I told him no. I don't need his help and besides, I don't want him nosing around my grocery bags, asking why I prefer Brawny to Bounty. I also told him not to bother with my Amazon box, I'd be back down in a moment for it. 

He argued with me! In front of the WalMart delivery girl. He insisted on following me up in the elevator with my Amazon box, after he delivered everyone else's. 

When he got to my front door, I opened it and took the big box. I thanked him and, with my front door open, he loitered. He's tall, making it easy to look over my head around my living room! Asking me meaningless questions about the condo board that I know he knew the answers to, stalling as his eyes darted around and surveyed my surroundings. 

MY SURROUNDINGS! I have the underbed boxes from my old bed stacked up in my livingroom, there to remind me to go through them before placing them back under my new bed. He saw the water bowls placed all over the living room, there to encourage Roy Hobbs to drink more. He saw the cellophane label that I've never thrown away because Connie likes pretend it's big game and chase it. He saw the shoes strewn all over, the sofa pillows I'd kicked onto the floor while lying down to watch the game.

I am not a public person. This is my life, not a reality show. My mess is not his business. This is my home. 

I have been so careful of his feelings that I've allowed him to trample mine.

I am just as mad at myself as I am at him. But still I am mad.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Blueberry Hill (1956)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

This month Saturday 9 will be tasty, featuring songs with food in the title.

1) Fats Domino sings about a hill named for blueberries. According to the Old Farmers Almanac, blueberries can grow just about anywhere in North America, as long as they have plenty of direct sunlight. Do you have a garden? No. I don't have my own yard. Though I suppose if I cared to, I could tend to the little plot in front of our building. We pay a landscaper to come a couple times each season to do minimal maintenance. We all agree it looks crappy, but we aren't willing to spend any more money on it.

2) Blueberries are low in calories and rich in fiber. Are they a regular part of your diet? Sporadically. Sometimes I want them, most of the time I don't.

3) They also have a high moisture content. Staying hydrated is important to human health. Do you drink the standard recommended 8 glasses of water every day? No. I try, but I seldom get beyond 5 glasses.

4) Fats originally had a big hit with "Blueberry Hill" in 1956, and then enjoyed the record's renewed popularity in the mid-70s, when "Blueberry Hill" was often referenced as Richie Cunningham's favorite song. Without looking it up, do you remember what show Richie Cunningham was on? (Extra non-existent Saturday 9 points if you can also name the actor who played Richie.) Happy Days, Ron Howard.

5) Born Antoine Domino, he took the name "Fats" not just because of his physique. Growing up, jazz pianist Fats Waller was one of his heroes. If you were to adopt the first name of someone you admire, what would we call you? Jacqueline.

 

6) Despite his warm and friendly stage persona, Fats was shy around strangers and hated giving interviews. Tell us about something you did only because it was part of your job, not because you enjoyed it. At my current job, I hate handling customer returns because I believe the cash register is my enemy. I always end the transaction by saying, "Thank you for your patience," because I know I suck.

7) In 1956, when this record was topping the charts, the Olympics were held in Melbourne. Have you ever been to the land down under? Nope.

8)  The star of the 1956 Olympics was Austrian Toni Sailer, who won all three gold medals in Alpine skiing. Do you prefer snow skiing, water skiing, or just watching other people ski? I enjoyed snow skiing, even though I am no good at it. I've never been on water skis.

9) Random question: Do you believe everyone has a jealous streak? Yes.

August Happiness Challenge – Day 14

 

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Blueberry muffins. With sugar sprinkled on top! I don't expect to be this delighted by something found at Target, which makes it even better somehow.

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

August Happiness Challenge – Day 13

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: I'm that woman. I worked today with my favorite shift supervisor, Zoey. She is a junior at college, now aged 22.* She still lives at home with parents she believes don't understand her, is majoring in journalism, and can't figure out if she wants to marry her boyfriend or break up with him. She's curious and creative and more naive than she realizes. Today she paid me a compliment that was so sweet it made me want to cry.

 

"I'm so lucky to know an older woman who makes me comfortable with my messy life." 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

*She had been pre-med as she thought she wanted to be a shrink, but lost time when she switched majors. 

 

Thursday Thirteen #475

Back to School! For four years, my nephew lived in the dorms at Western Illinois University. As I was folding and putting away my last remaining WIU Leathernecks t-shirt, I reminisced about his dorm days. He moved from one hall to another, but his rooms had a sameness: a microfridge – which I'd never seen before and amazed me – and a bed and drawers and the largest collection of dirty underwear and discarded WalMart bags I've ever seen. (He was going to recycle those bags at the store someday, honest he was.) So it's with a sense of nostalgia that I share ... 

13 items from WIU's "What to Bring" list

1. Bedding: XL twin sheets (80"), pillows, comforter/blanket

2. Shower sandals

3. Laundry detergent and dryer sheets

4. Hangers 

5. Silverware and dishes 

6. Anti-bacterial wipes 

7. Small vacuum 

8. Reusable containers (a la Tupperware) 

9. Power strips with surge protection

10. USB drives 

11. Headphones

12. First aid kit 

13. Umbrella*

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

 

 *It amuses me to see this made the list. It seems my nephew was not alone in never having one, and the school was weary of being asked to provide them.

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 12

My 2026 Happiness Icon

Today's Happiness: Movies! Every August TCM hosts Summer Under the Stars – special programming that features a single star for 24 hours. Yesterday was Barbara Stanwyck. I missed a thriller that I hadn't seen in years – Sorry, Wrong Number – so I DVR'd it and caught it this afternoon. Then I took a break for baseball (Cubs vs. Nationals) but returned to TCM for Julius, aka Groucho, Marx's day. He and his brothers are going to keep me company as I pay my mid-month bills. So you know I'm going to go to sleep smiling.

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Touched by the Sun by Carly Simon. Carly Simon was galpals with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis for the last decade of Jackie's life. This is the story of that relationship, and the ongoing impact it had on Carly's life.

 

This is a reread for me. I reached for it when I heard Carly is ill. I grew up on her, and of course on Jackie. These are two very complicated, high-profile women who grew up with wealth and achieved fame (though through very different routes). Yet there is universality in this memoir – they both experienced heartbreak, they both loved their children, they both felt at times inadequate. 

 

2. What did you recently finish reading?  Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden. Suburban housewife Debbie Mullen is having a really bad day. Her oldest daughter is all hormones and bad attitude and just can't stay away from the class bad boy. Her younger daughter is having trouble on the soccer team but refuses to talk to Debbie about it. Her husband is under appreciated and underpaid at work and they need more money – for the mortgage, for home improvement, for the girls' college – but he's reluctant to ask for it. Her neighbor works from home and plays his music too damn loud all damn day. The bitches in her book club are condescending. It's too much. She's starting to hear a hum in her head. 

 

She's going to have to start doing something about everything that bothers her. 

 

This is a twisted little thriller. There are plot holes, but they are really beside the point. It's the zigs and zags that will propel you from chapter to chapter. This book is about boredom and isolation and rage and revenge. 

3. What will you read next? I don't know.