Weekend Recap

It is great to have Maya back! We arrived at my sister Naomi's house at 4 in the morning Saturday, and Maya didn't bark at all. She was doing a super crazy whole body shake while on her back and whimpering. My mom said that they all decided that I would be more excited than her, so you can only imagine how I looked. It was great to see so many family members and catch up a bit. I really love them. The older I get the more I want to live closer to them. This is a picture of my nephew Henry and I. So adorable.

Maya!

I am so excited to see Maya and pick her up this weekend. She has spent the last 4 months! with my parents bonding and I'm sure making best friends with their dog Sunny. I'm really happy to have my running, walking, dancing and cuddling buddy back. Family reunion! Yeah! I'm also really excited to see my mom and dad and sister and her family. Should be a great weekend!

Second Job

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Dom is still currently unemployed, and so I'm looking for a second job, I'm thinking about 10 hours a week. As I've said, I really want to pay off all debt in a year and I can't really do that if we aren't even making ends meet with food and housing.

I've never liked the idea of a second job even though so many people do it (my sister Sarah worked 2 full-time jobs one summer). I guess that I take after my dad in placing very high value on my free leisure time. I'm worried that I will be more stressed, exhausted, eat worse etc. But, I'll only do it until we are able to float without it. I'm headed to a clothing boutique and coffee shop today.

When I brought up the idea of getting a part-time job at my current full-time job, it was not good. Apparently management does not like you to have another job which I have a hard time understanding. I mean I get it that they want you refreshed, whatever. But, what about people with really consuming hobbies or families or the ones who stay up late partying every night? Is that any better?? We'll see how it goes I guess.

Wish me luck!

Farming

I want to be a farmer. Just 4 or 5 acres, enough to grow all my own produce and keep chickens and maybe a few goats or something. I can't stop thinking about it. My inner domestic goddess is itching to get out. On the weekend I made plum jam, went to a U-pick blueberry farm with some girlfriends and picked over 6 lbs of berries, made a blueberry pie with honey instead of sugar, picked blackberries.... and I completely LOVED every second of it. I love knowing exactly what I am eating and taking the time to make yummy stuff.

Recent books I have read that I really like and are influencing me deeply: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan; Fast Food Nation; 100 mile diet (called Plenty in the US - so good); Food Inc. I've also made the decision to not eat any meat or dairy products unless they come from a local farm where they had a happy life (Read all these books and you'll understand why). Obviously it is more expensive to eat meat, eggs etc. this way and seeing my financial status above... well I'm eating lots of veggies and beans. But wow is the produce ever delicious this time of year!

Oh yeah, I also really want to be a beekeeper on my farm!

Balances & Interest Rates

Canada Visa - $8770.06 at 19.5% interest! Ouch.
US Visa - $2762.22 (US dollars) at 7.9%
Overdraft - $1416.33 at 18.5%
Canada income taxes - $470 at 5%

Grand total in CAD $13,634.50

At this rate I would have to put approx. $1300 a month towards debt to pay it off in a year. This is pretty impossible as I am the only income right now and I am taking home about $1800 a month. My first step is to get those interest rates lower. I have applied for a line of credit and hoping I can transfer the balances to that. Unfortunately in Canada, no cards offer 0% balance transfers like the states.

On another note, I came home last night to ripe plums falling off the neighbors tree, so I quickly ran over and asked them if I could pick them, no problem. Then I went across the street to another neighbor who I had seen working on his house and asked to borrow a ladder, and I have a liter of frozen delicious plums now and I think I'll make jam too! Free food!! And, the blackberries are starting to ripen in the backyard :)

Happy sunshine to you all!

A New Beginning

Hello! Wow, well it has been months since I have written on my blog. As many of you know, Dom and I are now back in beautiful Victoria. The reasons for returning are not easy or simple, even though I seem to explain them that way hoping maybe the sadness will subside quicker I guess. It has taken me awhile, but I seem to have turned a corner and feel hopeful and pushing forward. Maybe one of these days I will write about the whole experience. We wouldn't change a thing, and would go again in the same circumstances.

We are completely broke, actually very in debt. My goal over the next year is to get rid of all the debt we have accrued, and I'm very determined. I am the only one working so far, and not getting much money. We are living in a basement suite of a house, no car. It may not be very exciting and most likely a bit depressing to read about, but I think it will help keep me motivated to write about it on here.

By my guess we are in debt to the sound of $12 or $13,000 Canadian dollars. I will have an accurate figure in the next few days, as I realize this is an important part of managing it. My other short term help ideas are to move to a cheaper rent unit as quickly as possible; contact companies for lower interest or move money; budget, etc. I hope to hear ideas from everyone and I'm actually getting pretty used to being the poor kid around (Dom not so much). Today I got a free pillow and lamp from generous people I work with. You might remember that we sold or gave away EVERYTHING.

Best wishes~~L

Living It

It is not the critic who counts
Nor the man who points out how
the stong man stumbles
Or where the doer of deeds
Could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man
Who is actually in the arena;
Whose face is marred by dust
And sweat and blood;
Who knows great enthusiasm,
Great devotion and the triumph
of achievement.
And who, at the worst, if he fails
At least fails while daring greatly-
So that his place shall never be
With those odd and timid souls
Who know neither victory nor defeat.
You've never lived until you've almost died.
For those who have had to fight for it
Life has truly a flavour
The protected shall never know.

-Theodore Roosevelt