tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171875900005696712024-03-05T16:57:27.484-05:00Home PrepHow to decorate on a budget, The home lifestyle, and TravelPatricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-47167688374432086272021-05-28T16:57:00.000-04:002021-05-28T16:57:22.038-04:00Announcement: This blog has moved<p> This is a brief note:</p><p>This blog is no longer on Blogger. All new posts have been moved and written on Godaddy. </p><p>The latest blog post can be found <a href="https://pldmdn.com/f/spring-cleaning-2021" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>The new Home Prep can be found <a href="https://pldmdn.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>I appreciate all of you who have followed me to this point. The journey has been great. I will keep the posts that I have written on this version of Home Prep in case you want to refer back to it from time to time. Any updates to past blog posts will be done on the new site. In fact, I am currently working on updating the post on creating notebooks as part of the spring cleaning routine right now. I just stopped by to kick the tires on this blog one last time.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QHkZ2QtxqwepLL5826mn7TBMiw3soBWkRvgHbf7_FX4zRuhEV-D3QNKeyVMf9gi8pXuuTIerjdnJ7-ZfZiY03PMhxK6We1f6xM_N4p4mWkrDqISr4HgMOAqRovCWl7sMf-hwhrsX5Em1/s1920/hand-truck-564242_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QHkZ2QtxqwepLL5826mn7TBMiw3soBWkRvgHbf7_FX4zRuhEV-D3QNKeyVMf9gi8pXuuTIerjdnJ7-ZfZiY03PMhxK6We1f6xM_N4p4mWkrDqISr4HgMOAqRovCWl7sMf-hwhrsX5Em1/s320/hand-truck-564242_1920.jpg" /></a></div>I cannot believe that this blog started out to talk about how to decorate with Longaberger products, and when the old Longaberger company closed its doors in 2018, I was not sure what I wanted to do with this blog. I was not ready to shut it down. Like My Ambience Life (which is now The Writing Cove), I had high hopes for this blog and the places I could go with it. So, I continued it without being a Longaberger consultant, and I love the blog more than ever. <p></p><p>(Note): I am not a Lifestyle consultant with the New Longaberger either, but I do support them. Check out the products <a href="https://longaberger.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /></p><p>This is why I had to move my blogs to a different host. If I was to make Home Prep and my other blogs a success, I can not and will not deal with the limits that Blogger gives. The sky is the limit, and I wanted to take these blogs to a place where now I am pleased with the results. </p><p>I am not saying do not use Blogger if you plan on starting a blog. You can still use Blogger as a beginner who is starting out, or if you are a seasoned pro blogger, who does not want to deal with all the complications of a WordPress site. I do not mind because I learned some coding. You do not have to learn how to code in order to make your blog work. You can even hire someone to deal with the coding. The choice is yours to make. I am making a decision that is best for me.</p><p>Anyway, I have overstayed my welcome on this blog. Check out the New Home Prep blog over on GoDaddy. You will be glad you did. </p>Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-81392441760083205702020-08-13T06:00:00.000-04:002020-08-13T06:00:06.787-04:00I am now a fur mommy <p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: .25in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This post may contain affiliate links, which
means that if you click on one of the product links within the post, I may
receive a commission for your click and purchase. You do not have to make a
purchase to enjoy this post, I only highlight products to help with the cost of
running the blog, and I only post links to products relevant to the topic in
that post and to companies I use and trust.”</span></i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the things about being a single person with no
children is you become a mommy to other species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me explain today’s topic….<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">About almost 3 years ago, my nephew and his girlfriend came
to me at the time and ask me if they could bring home a kitten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This family, especially me and mom are not
fond of cats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not know what is it
about cats, but the cats that were around mom when she was a child were
outdoors cats, and they roamed where they wanted to roam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were not allowed in the house (both mom
and dad were raised in a rural area, outside a small town called Moundville,
Alabama).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither were dogs but they
were tolerated for the most part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
only cats I had been around as a child was a family friend’s cat named Monkey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was scared of cats because Monkey scratched
me when I was 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never had any cats
around me until I laid eyes on Gizmo.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYST-0HZXQARvQ1lhoGKfJDAw6a9OWMNzHaA2MrZ6hWuizP1TacsumZxwqM_5N4W7kRw1JRsLdMonHxpu-ZEDgTtzhUP5Is_uvDUZphpUXiZa_FzXhdEMSk2eOQrabudAT8FNvFDKFm2x/s2048/I+am+now+a+fur+Mommy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: block; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2048" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYST-0HZXQARvQ1lhoGKfJDAw6a9OWMNzHaA2MrZ6hWuizP1TacsumZxwqM_5N4W7kRw1JRsLdMonHxpu-ZEDgTtzhUP5Is_uvDUZphpUXiZa_FzXhdEMSk2eOQrabudAT8FNvFDKFm2x/w410-h306/I+am+now+a+fur+Mommy.jpg" width="410" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet Miss Gizmo Elizabeth<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Anyway, up until today, I have always referred to Gizmo as
my nephew and his girlfriend’s cat because they were the ones who basically
took care of her, until their daughter was born in February 2020.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew they had to move to a new place
because there was barely enough room for the 5 of us (me, Gizmo, nephew,
girlfriend, and Strype, who is a miniature Husky), with the baby would make 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The baby is now 5 months old, and every day that
she grows, she needs more room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually,
this means her own room.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When she was born, my nephew and his girlfriend moved into
my parent’s home with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have
more room than I need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gizmo stayed
here, and I started feeding her, and my nephew came over once a week to change
the litter box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now they are moving to a
new city where his father and step-mom are staying, which is an hour and a half
from here.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I got upset when I hear the news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, they decided to let me have Gizmo, and I
am now officially a cat mommy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
hoped to be a human mommy first, with my child begging for a dog, cat, or the occasional
hamster or gerbil (sorry future children, mommy does not do snakes, mice, lizards,
or spiders), but I will take being a fur baby mommy as well. So, what does it
take to be a fur baby mommy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well….<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">In the first two years, I
learned of her temperament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gizmo is a pretty chill cat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wants to
be cuddled, but she also is in a place that I could be sitting at my desk
(like I am now) and she lays at my feet or goes someplace to lay in the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loves her sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will lay there for hours if I let her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will get up on occasion to check on her. This includes what she likes and does not like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will scratch or slightly bite me if she does not like it (stroking her head for too long).<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">She loves belly rubs (but not for long).<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">She does not like her cat bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is going back to Ikea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has not laid on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will lay around it, but I have never seen her on it, even for a minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I gave her two months with it and nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to try a cat tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the way, Ikea has a 365-day return policy.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">She is not crazy about wet cat food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I give it too her every once in a while, and I got a can with my grocery order this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to try a <a href="https://www.chewy.com/" target="_blank">Chewy.com</a> subscription.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has never had any cat treats before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not sure how I feel about that.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, now I have some tips for all you first-time fur baby
parents.<o:p></o:p></p>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Know what type of animal you are getting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want a dog? A cat? A ferret? Fish?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does not matter what type of animal you are getting as long as you do the research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew Gizmo since she was 6 months old,
but she was my nephew’s cat. I had dogs before…at my parent’s home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guess who took care of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yep, my parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were in charge of the feeding and the cleaning up, but it was my parents who took them to the vet, making sure they had the food to eat (the right kind), and where they were going to sleep at, not only at home (the dogs were mostly outdoors, except in really bad weather; Gizmo is an indoor cat) but where will they be boarded when we go out of town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have a retreat in January out of town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cats can take care of themselves for a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will be gone for 3 days, but to be on the safe side, and since I will have a <a href="https://amzn.to/33BUf46" target="_blank">carrier</a> to take her back and forth, I may take her to my nephew’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the family goes to Walt Disney World next year, I will have to board somewhere for a week because my nephew, his girlfriend, and baby will be at <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/" target="_blank">Walt Disney World</a> too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have not seen any rules about boarding cats at Disney, only dogs.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">Establish a routine with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gizmo has a routine already,
but I am changing it up a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
I mean is I am getting rid of the current litterbox for a <a href="https://amzn.to/31CFvPX" target="_blank">new one</a> so that I can change it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got her a cat bed, but it is not working, so I am getting rid of it for a cat tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will have a chewy subscription, and she will have a regular vet.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">Speaking of which.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like you need a regular doctor, so does the animal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get a vet that is friendly and board if you need it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of the dogs had a vet who also boards them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most will clean and groom a pet while you are gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;">Finally, talk to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have mommy and me time with Gizmo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will sit and cuddle her, and say something positive to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tell her she is a pretty cat and a good fur daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only it helps them, but it also helps you too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cuddling a pet has been known to lower blood pressure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why doctors and therapists use them in hospitals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call it animal affirmations.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<p class="MsoNormal">Well, that is it for now on the pet end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will have more, since your pet is part of the family, and I do have family posts on here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I will also talk about the adoption of a pet, rescue pets (Strype is a
rescue mini Husky), and other pet care areas.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Until then, be well.<o:p></o:p></p>Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0Columbus, OH, USA39.9611755 -82.99879419999999211.650941663821158 -118.15504419999999 68.271409336178849 -47.842544199999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-3538840159107065392020-08-10T06:00:00.002-04:002020-08-10T06:00:16.106-04:00Food Delivery-One year later<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Today, I am going to follow-up on a subject that I talked
about two years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this time, I was
not sure if I like the idea of having meals from my favorite restaurants delivered
or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My feelings at the time were, if
I could take the time to order from them, I could take that same amount of time
to go into my kitchen and whip up a meal or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, there were three advantages of
cooking your own meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One, I know what goes
into my meals, two, I can shop my grocery store for those meals and spend less money
on those ingredients that the restaurants have to buy in bulk and keep on hand
because the entrée is on the menu, and three, I can portion control my
meals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order for the person to get
their money’s worth out of a meal, restaurants feel that bigger is better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not if you are watching calories.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I still have those feelings, but I now have a soft spot for
companies like Uber Eats, Postmates, Grub Hub, and DoorDash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can read the<a href="https://triciabskts.blogspot.com/2018/10/your-food-is-ready-for-delivery.html" target="_blank"> original post</a>, and see my results. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHHf5hSHYKrcgIsRFGD4j7m_FLfIEOmD5X3ocAtSv5qUmqu38QA3p1GdPOaZxsPVTxpLAy9Ubt0H_05_plM7z47fdW7HqoZ4dkRatrH2zBCLSrhD18OoZcUewOEwfuoAz58BVFomfuwyP/s1920/Food+Delivery-One+year+later.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1920" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHHf5hSHYKrcgIsRFGD4j7m_FLfIEOmD5X3ocAtSv5qUmqu38QA3p1GdPOaZxsPVTxpLAy9Ubt0H_05_plM7z47fdW7HqoZ4dkRatrH2zBCLSrhD18OoZcUewOEwfuoAz58BVFomfuwyP/w514-h364/Food+Delivery-One+year+later.jpg" width="514" /></a></b></div><b>What’s changed?<o:p></o:p></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Covid-19, that’s all I can say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before March 15, I ordered my meals to be
delivered every once in a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
really did not have an excuse for ordering out. I had two other people living
with me at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was my nephew
and his girlfriend, and sometimes we would have a family meal, and sometimes
they would have their meal and I would have mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We shared the groceries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On February 23, 2020, they welcomed a baby
girl into their lives, and they went to live with my parents while looking for
a place of their own. So now, they live 5 minutes from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have their cat, but as soon as they move,
the cat goes with them. She is the sweet little thing. I am talking about both
the baby and the cat.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When we sheltered in place, I was not sure how I was going
to get my groceries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was new territory for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, I did start to order out, but I
started getting bored with it. By July, when the governor said it was okay to open
up the bars and other eating place back up, It was my cue to start getting back
to normal. I was getting tired of pulling up the Uber Eats app on my Ipad, then
I thought to myself that I really like this.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Uber Eats pros<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Naturally, when I start to think about the pros of using
Uber Eats (or any other delivery service) is the convenience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, there is the “I’m too tired to cook”,
and when you have to deal with kids all day and you are sick of cleaning, and you
feel like unappreciated by these tiny humans, the last you want to do is to
cook for them. This option is also a plus if you are a single person like me
who has no kids and you now work remotely from home. I usually order something
that I would normally not cook in the kitchen like poke or sushi. Both are easy
to make (I have made them before) I do not have the proper skills to make them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, it is not easy cutting up raw fish.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The next pro is no cleanup.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is nice to get out your paper plates or
eat right out of the container, with the utensils they provide, then throw away
once finished with your meal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The last tip is to save on gas.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of our lives are spent traveling in a car
unless you are unable to afford one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of the problems I have especially in the winter months is the
routine one must do to prepare to go to a simple place a drive-thru.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, you plan where you want to go, put on
shoes, 10 points if it is snowing really badly, then it is booted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next, put on the outerwear, another 10 points
if what you are wearing is a double-layered parka, I bought one at Costco last
year, that thing is so cozy, too bad I cannot drive in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will have to explain to you my whole winter
month ritual while driving when January comes around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there is snow on the ground and roads,
retreat, or risk doing donuts on black ice. Get to the fast food place and you
better have exact change or your debit card out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the moment, coins are scarce in the United
States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put in 10 more points if they
get your order right, another 10 for a nice teen.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Cons of using food delivery by Uber Eats<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I already mentioned two of them:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Not a good choice for calorie counting</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are looking to see how many calories
your favorite sandwich in your favorite eating place, this is not it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though they are required by law to
disclose that information, sometimes they do not. The best place to find out is
to go to the restaurant’s website and look around.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Same with Macro counting, which I will be starting next week.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Budget</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen, if you want to save money,
cook it yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your card gets charged
twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once for the food itself, then
the fees for the service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will see
it on your statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a small
charge but added up over time, it can take a chunk out of your budget.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Items can go missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Three weeks ago, I order a drink with my meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not order one that often because I am
trying to stay hydrated and have water with my meals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only that, but it is also easier to have this
stuff at the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like I said, I only
order food that I cannot recreate in my own kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, I felt like having some iced tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not have any in the house, not even a
teabag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had sugar, but no tea. So,
with my poke bowl, I place a bottle of iced tea in my cart and paid for
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the meal arrived, no tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stated that on the review site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope I get my $2.00 refunded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the second time this happened.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, the question remains today, do I still like food
delivery despite the pandemic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Um,
yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I can put this post away, I want to
talk about the other type of food delivery.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Shopping for groceries…<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You heard me right, having your groceries delivered, more
important, delivered with other items.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have used Target’s delivery for two months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss going into the store, but you know,
Covid-19.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, I love it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first two deliveries, I paid $9.99 for
the delivery charge, and the third time, I signed up for Shipt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one thing that I noticed about Shipt is
how inventive the driver is. I had been tempted to use Shipt for a while, but
I never had the nerve to use them before now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first is free, and then it is $99 annually. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Likewise, I used Kroger’s delivery, and I was not pleased with it at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ordered at the store that I
normally shopped at (which was the one near my doctor’s office, while the one near
my house sucks), and they switched the order to the one by my house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They did not get half the items I asked for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew now all stores are the same, even if
they are from the same company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought that at least they would have the substitutions, and they did for a
few, but not all of the items I asked and paid for. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the food services I did not mention that I used was
Walmart.com.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used them when the
pandemic started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never got out of my
car, and yes, they do deliver, but the store they would have delivered from, is
like the Kroger’s close to my home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
not in a favorable location, and they do not care about the products that I would be
looking for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason I stopped picking
up from the location was they too had a lot of substitutions or were out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I think that most of the time, it was when I had the
groceries delivered or when I picked up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were later on in the day when products have been picked over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I work at home and I need my beauty sleep, which
is no excuse for not getting the quality of foods that I seek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not a problem for prepared food
delivery, but keep in mind if you use Uber Eats that each restaurant does have an
inventory of entrees that made for delivery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Sites mentioned in this post:<o:p></o:p></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.ubereats.com/" target="_blank">Uber Eats</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.kroger.com/" target="_blank">Kroger’s</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.target.com/">Target</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.walmart.com/" target="_blank">Walmart</a><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-89092224707508976502020-07-27T06:00:00.027-04:002020-07-27T06:00:06.220-04:00New Series: 56 Home Prep things<div class="separator"><p class="MsoNormal" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">I just celebrated my birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, that one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>July 21 is the date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not one to reveal my age because I do
not feel it and I do not think it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s
just say that I am a Gen X, the forgotten generation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They talk about the Baby Boomers and they
talk about the Millennials, and they talk about the older folks (my parent’s
age group) but they never talk about mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I guess that we are the people that others warn each other about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, if you were born between 1964-1979, you
know exactly what I am talking about, but this is not that conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not here, and not on this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can explain further as I go through “56 My
Ambiance Life Things on that blog, or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You never know until you read all 4 blogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I say 4?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1920" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5HgQG6WqTRi2d0bj89Ad2xBNYCSBb7X5x7kqif91w6p4rL7_iju3wbWbcsXgKrE6AAGWgwqfYvMmJHVZ6Jff9NdclSgdtnpHhbQ6Gm-7zfkb_GrUzy7SRIKdqqH66tJ6nVduZDhmyfl3/w500-h331/56+Home+Prep+things.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's to the start of a new series!!!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p class="MsoNormal">Hello, long time, no see, rather no write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They say that if you think too hard,
something ugly might come up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK, I am
the only one who said it, BUUTTT….<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, today and for the next couple of week or so, I will have 56 Home
Prep things on this blog, 56 My Ambiance Life things on that blog, 56 P. Lynne
Designs things on that blog and 56 Miss Froggy Loves Traveling things on that
blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each series has no rhyme or reason
except that it has to do with what each blog has in store for the reader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Home Prep blog's case, it is home living,
organization, and of a lifestyle of home, beauty, and product reviews. So here’s
a start. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Today’s topic: Quarantine cleaning and organizing </b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have been doing a thing that someone might consider “nesting”.
I wrote about it some years ago in the My Ambiance Life blog, and the title at
the time was, “<a href="http://patricialogan.blogspot.com/2016/02/am-i-nesting.html" target="_blank">Am I Nesting?</a>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time, yes, and now
yes, but for a different reason, I am sick of the way that this condo has been
looking since the start of Covid-19, and really before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, after re-reading my “Am I Nesting?”
post, I am sure I am in the same position I was when I wrote it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only difference is the room intended is
much cleaner, less cluttered, and will be ready for both baby/child and
craftroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My nephew and girlfriend no
longer live in the room, and they need to move the remaining stuff out of
there. I am almost sure that I am in the mode that most people are in since
March, and that is “quarantine cleaning” and “quarantine organizing”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have been changing things in my kitchen as well, throwing
out old containers and buying new ones for the sugar, flour, and other ingredients
needed, and I have a cute little coffee bar.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So, how did I do it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I would love to say that it is super simple, but it is not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For this project, I would have to give it
about a 5 (1 meaning you do not have to think just do, to 10 meaning you need
an expert to help navigate).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Disclaimer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is
no right or wrong way of doing this project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do not stress or overthink the project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do what makes you happy. These are only suggestions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Project Needs:</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Honestly, you really do not need a thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have been organizing before, you can “shop”
from your home.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Education time:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
I say “shop” from your home, this means that you can literally take things from
other spaces of your home and repurpose them to another space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For an example:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to be a Longaberger Home Consultant (now
called Longaberger stylist), I have tons of baskets from the time I started
selling (October 8, 2001) to the time when the previous owners declared
bankruptcy and were bought out (after court litigation)(May 5, 2018), and these
baskets are versatile for many reasons in many spaces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I do not like the Medium Market Basket in
my bedroom, I can repurpose it for the Master Bathroom or my car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I have to do is take it from my bedroom
to the new space, thus the meaning of “shopping” in your own home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You did not have to get dressed, check your
bank account, and go to the store (or Amazon) to get what you need for
space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This saves time, space, and money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You already have what you need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will further explain “shopping” in your
home on a future “56 Home Prep things” blog post.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you do not have what you need for the space that you are
trying to clean and organize, you are welcome to go shopping for what you need
or if you are like me, you will also shop your parent’s home to see if they are
going to use something in the future.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oh, I forgot… You will need a notebook or binder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Choose your weapon of choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason? You will need to take some notes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is part of the planning process and you
will need to write an introduction to your project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is included?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Write the following:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">* Any measurements<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">* Your color scheme<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">* Any styling you want<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Prices of the items you buy in case you may have to buy
something or do not want to shop from your home.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Note: If you do not want to shop from your home, I suggest
that you get rid of some items in a giveaway to a relative or sell it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you sell the item, please put the money to
good use (like a bill, towards the new item that is going in the space, or a
charity).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does not matter how much
you are making already, you are going to need this money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Steps to completing the project:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Disclaimer #2:</i></b> Shopping in your home (as explained earlier)
also helps keep social distancing in check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I write this in July, one day after my birthday, the state and federal
governments still are not sure what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is best to shop in the home until better solutions to this pandemic can
be given without the government threatening. There is nothing wrong with going
shopping, especially if the item is delivered or you do curbside pickup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want you to be safe and your loved ones
safe.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Survey your room:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In this exercise, you are not clearing out anything yet, You
are taking notes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As explained earlier, you
are planning this project to turn out how you want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During this process, you will be doing a
little investigating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using my craftroom
as an example, I sat down, and I thought about the following:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>What I wanted out of the room?</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is simple, I wanted a room where I can create
projects for myself and others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My current
space, which is in my dining room turns into a home office that is not working for
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need a space that I can spread out
and be able to work without dealing with a cat that will not let me work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even before I got Gizmo, I wanted the ability
to spread out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My office is next to the
kitchen, which on a good lazy day if I am eating at my desk (which I often do),
I can throw a tissue into the sink from my chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is how close I am to the kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This also separates me from getting any food
on my work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also want a space to store
my craft supplies. Currently, I am using my living room for that, and I would
like to entertain without my company seeing all of my stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also like the idea of closing the door to work each day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reminds me to take a
break and take care of some other item, and it symbolizes me getting into my “car”
each evening and driving home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The door
closing is me walking out to my car, and walking down the stairs or going next
door to my bedroom, symbolizes me walking into my home and going to the couch.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">BTW, half of my home office is moving upstairs too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>what you want may be different than me, especially
if you have been spending the last four and a half months working from home.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>What do I want in the space?</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have mentioned everything as before, my craft and office supplies and
a place to craft.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>How big is the area?</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is slightly smaller than my master bedroom.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>How many hours so I plan on spending there?</i></b> I plan on
spending about an average of 5-6 hours, some days more, some days less
depending on the project or order.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Anything else?</i></b> Yes, I have to be able to transition it back
to a bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I mention that I still
want to be a mom?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My child needs space
and since I only have one extra bedroom (other than my own), it is paramount that
my child comes first before my business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Plus, I am in the process of looking for a new home anyway, child or no
child. So this means no build-ins and nothing that is permanent to the walls
or floors. Ikea has lots of furniture that makes it look like I have some build-ins,
so that is what I am using in the room. I already have a Kallax 3 x4 unit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Next….</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Once you make these notes, now you are ready to
measure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Measure everything, the walls,
closet space (if it is a bedroom), counters (kitchen, garage, office, and bathroom),
and floor space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You do not want to
return anything unless the store made a mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Measure twice to make sure that you are not off in your
measurements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are not sure, ask for
another person to help you. Write these down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Screenshot them on your phone so you can take it to the store with you.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Further research….?</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It depends on you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
planning do you need more information? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Work in bite-size increments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even though things are not with they seem, you can still take it slow,
since delivery is slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am still
somewhat quarantined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot go to a
restaurant and have a sit-down meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
use Uber Eats a lot, even more so since I did that <a href="https://triciabskts.blogspot.com/2019/02/how-to-have-hot-meal-in-no-time.html" target="_blank">post a year ago</a> on how I felt about fast food delivery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My, oh how times have changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love it now.<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Putting it all together…..</b></h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You have planned, created a budget, check on the space,
the measurements, and prices on the materials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everything has been delivered and it is time to bring this whole thing
to a close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can change your mind on
where everything goes in that space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
can find more organization pieces and you can send things back if they do not
fit your changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, there is no
wrong way of doing things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Once the project is finished, are you satisfied with the
result?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please, do not lie to yourself
and say “yes”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can afford it, and
it is within your budget, change it. Do not change everything, only the parts
you do not like, and do not wait until the 30-day return policy runs out. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tip: if you do wait until the 30-day policy runs out and you
cannot use the item in another part of your house, do a quick sell of the item
on one of the selling sites Mercari, Let Go, and a couple others like them that
I cannot think of it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Enjoy your new space.</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for reading the first of 56 mini to full blog
posts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please note that I am not an
expert yet on everything regarding space and what has worked for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I said at the beginning of this post, I
will also do a “56 posts” series in my other respected blogs:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>P. Lynne Designs, My Ambiance Life, and Miss
Froggy Loves Traveling. I have decided for the moment that this series will be
an annual thing, happening around July 21, which is my birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is something that will help me motivate
me to keep more consistent blog posts, which has not been happening
lately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not going to lie about it.
Covid had left me unmotivated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
also around the time that I want to change up my business, P. Lynne Designs a
bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not much, just little tweaks here
and there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you have any questions or any topics that you would like
to see me tackle in Home Prep, let me know in the comments below or you can
shoot me an email to <a href="mailto:plogan721@att.net">plogan721@att.net</a> <o:p></o:p></p><br />Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-62003704513225885262020-04-08T09:00:00.000-04:002020-04-08T09:00:01.733-04:00The Shape of Things to Come…<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
THIS IS A SHORT POST TODAY!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>NEW POST IS COMING AFTER THIS ONE!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The way that this world today is mind-boggling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never would anyone imagine that a little
thing like a virus would stop the world as we know it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two weeks ago, I was contemplating this stuff I had to
do for my business, my home (spring cleaning), and time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am not here to talk about the world and what COVID-19 is
doing to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless you decided along
time ago (as in 5-20 years) to isolate yourself from the world, to which
congratulations are in order and live in a cave somewhere off the coast of The Caribbean on an island, I am here to talk about a different shape of things to
come.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfem_V6VPWfGC5l1d7xR2Nnye2AdKp7Wxrral7LFqzgQOL_exdRsU6vLyRSt5Mk9uPnrK7OKQHLo20Cx88uGR5c_8owdD3KsXKdKlMc3U-8LZ-Mocl9e8eHZl7Zm3lBblasQuOAFR1GaM/s1600/The+Shape+of+Things+to+Come.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="984" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfem_V6VPWfGC5l1d7xR2Nnye2AdKp7Wxrral7LFqzgQOL_exdRsU6vLyRSt5Mk9uPnrK7OKQHLo20Cx88uGR5c_8owdD3KsXKdKlMc3U-8LZ-Mocl9e8eHZl7Zm3lBblasQuOAFR1GaM/s400/The+Shape+of+Things+to+Come.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>(c) 2020 by Pixistock.com</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am talking about this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have hinted this on the My Ambiance Life
blog, and it is finally getting ready to roost. First off, the current blog of At
Home with Tricia's Baskets will change names once again (hopefully this will be
a permanent name-next time will be in the art of deleting it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason has to do with how this blog was
set up, and how it functions as of now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First off, I did a major scramble when Longaberger first closed
its doors for what I thought was a permanent thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone who has been following this blog for
quite a while knows that I used to be a home consultant for the company, and the
first thing I did after naming this blog was to get rid of anything remoting
related to any sales on this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
only left a couple that highly mentions Longaberger and any of its past
products. I was not ashamed of selling for the company, I did not want to keep
explaining to potential clients that the company was no longer in business, and
I could not take their order if that was the end goal for that person.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would like to invite you to look at the New <a href="https://longaberger.com/" target="_blank">Longaberger</a> website, and the company will
be run by Rachel Longaberger Stukey, another daughter of Dave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Tami was running the company, Rachel was
behind the scenes running the Longaberger Foundation and attending the
convention for consultants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The company has a new owner, and currently,
there are no consultants, only the website and <a href="https://www.qvc.com/kitchen-&-food/longaberger/_/N-lglvZ1ab6xzq/c.html?sc=PSCH&qq=mh" target="_blank">QVC</a>,
that are selling the products.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
stated in the past post, when the company starts requesting for consultant
again, I will not be part of the salesforce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had my run, and I am working on my own company, P. Lynne Designs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Second, The name will not reflect my name at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know, shocking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will not contain the word, “baskets” in it
either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The name of the new blog is
called, “Home Prep”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be on the
WordPress platform and it will talk about the home and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally, the travel portion of the blog will have a new blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is tentatively named D’Princesses Travel
Blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know what that means, Disney
Travel first, the rest of the world and cruises later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will all be there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This time, I will not be removing posts from the blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized that it was a big mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will not be changing the blog name on the
old blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am keeping the name, At Home
with Tricia's Baskets and there will be a link to the old blog as well on the
new one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fact, I will have a link to
all of my blogs and websites on all of my blogs when I change, as well as affiliates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are the topics I have on Home Prep:<o:p></o:p></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Organization:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has been a running theme since I
was writing in Simply Organized Crafts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In this category, you will find:<o:p></o:p></li>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="a">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Home-closet, kitchen,
bedroom, and craft room (which was previously covered in my craft blog, P.
Lynne Designs) are the main subjects.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Work-time management,
office organization (which may be different than The home office)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Time management- Believe
it or not, time management is part of home organization, and once you divide
your time into manageable pieces, your life will be easier to manage as
well.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Decoration:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once you have organized your home, it is
time to decorate, and not just any decoration will do, it must be on a
budget. I am not talking about only Dollar Tree, but there are some really good deals in Target, Ikea, and even Pottery Barn, if you know where to look.
There are also projects to make ordinary-looking items look like you spent
thousands of dollars, when you only spent a fraction on creating them.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is so much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These are only the major parts of the new blog.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-18613620175437504612020-02-18T08:00:00.000-05:002020-02-18T13:40:09.074-05:00New Name, Same Blog: Home Prep With Tricia <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
OK, you may have wondered where I have been for the past, oh say, a month or two, maybe three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all started when I changed this blog’s name from Tricia’s Baskets, home of all things Longaberger, including the products, sales, and whatnot, to At Home with Tricia's Baskets. I had said all this time that the name was a way to transition from the decorating with Longaberger feel about this blog to other brands, decorating
with what you have, Ikea, organization, and traveling to name a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, it is time to abandon Tricia’s Baskets
for real this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all started with
a journey, a Disney Journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVk_9KQrSKZSYvZGJgUxNemALcoh4bV5VWM_IRnrKQ8yoHopPQrzlsN4n9AiEPv8qVd5Y533gXmX_SGlJUszqWSXwEBlenV0yqb4Ow1MwMbaI2phE8q2ffS-0S7FPORIb93Y_PX4a3bE-/s1600/Home+Prep+With+Tricia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVk_9KQrSKZSYvZGJgUxNemALcoh4bV5VWM_IRnrKQ8yoHopPQrzlsN4n9AiEPv8qVd5Y533gXmX_SGlJUszqWSXwEBlenV0yqb4Ow1MwMbaI2phE8q2ffS-0S7FPORIb93Y_PX4a3bE-/s320/Home+Prep+With+Tricia.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planning for a change-Photo by<br />
DarkWorkX for <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/diary-table-flowers-candle-3299128/" target="_blank">Pixabay</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back in September, I believe it was, I set out to talk about
how to go from “I’m Going to Disney World with my family” to “We are getting ready
to ride Dumbo”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me tell you what a
failure that was, and I very rarely admit to failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a total disaster on my part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will write about it later, but the problems
stemmed from failure to inform a family member until the last minute and feeling
guilty about it to enforce the money paying schedule to members who were
paying, to finally swallowing my pride, and calling Disney World reservations to
cancel the trip in October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This to me
was no way to do any type of prep, both in the home or getting ready for a
trip.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>This gave me an idea: Change the Name, again.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know there are tons of information out there about preparing
for something, like finance, Home buying, decorating, and travel, but in one
place?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is possible for me to entertain
and to inform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have tackled this in
the form of Simply Organized Crafts (Now Simply Organized Business on Facebook),
where I covered these same topics, except travel, which was in the form of “Traveling
to the Mouse’s House”, a blog about traveling to Disney World with a large
family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really did not want to have 5
blogs also include My Ambiance Life, and P. Lynne Designs (which is becoming
a selling website). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So out of the ashes
comes Home Prep With Tricia. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Home Prep With Tricia is basically At Home with Tricia's
Baskets and Tricia’s Baskets without the <a href="https://www.qvc.com/Longaberger-Woven-Bread-Basket.product.K50159.html?sc=PSCH" target="_blank">Longaberger</a> products.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want to learn more about the blog’s
purpose, you can read <a href="https://triciabskts.blogspot.com/2018/05/changes-are-coming-to-this-blog.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The name is shorter for both me and you, but mainly for
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want you to remember the name,
and the average human cannot remember a title any more than 4 words, and they
have to be short and sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The name
gives purpose, even though there is some traveling sprinkled in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will focus on budget decoration, budget
organization, working inside the house (I refuse to say the “C” word (cleaning),
and traveling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounds like a lot, but
really it isn’t.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi447NfQwOH4beJNGLcf4BdN28JnLmP2bePD7u1py5Vrb7bqj59uP6ynTdHNq5ZgTTEGnbK9GrZSq0hLJNIA3rry6kKFV5GWBImPB6g-YI26gFil9IcfMU86Cn3zNerTYNBG3StHWXw7b38/s1600/coffee-2390136_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1600" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi447NfQwOH4beJNGLcf4BdN28JnLmP2bePD7u1py5Vrb7bqj59uP6ynTdHNq5ZgTTEGnbK9GrZSq0hLJNIA3rry6kKFV5GWBImPB6g-YI26gFil9IcfMU86Cn3zNerTYNBG3StHWXw7b38/s320/coffee-2390136_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">come and relax a while -<a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/coffee-book-flowers-setting-2390136/" target="_blank">Pixabay</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The platform is changing, and I have the groundwork for a WordPress
platform, which is on the <a href="https://www.siteground.com/?referrer_id=7974715" target="_blank">SiteGround</a> hosting site, so that means that the blog
is moving. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I know most people use
Bluehost, but this comes highly recommended by one of my mentors, Renae
Christine. As a side note: I do not recommend HostGator at all. I had a really bad experience that I will and
have talked about over on my other blog, My Ambiance Life. This resulted in someone stealing my site,
placing Malware on it, Google rejecting it, and HostGator not caring. It was a terrible 5 months back in 2018. I
also have some choice words for Google about Blogger, but they are mild in
comparison to my choice words about HostGator, and I highly recommend the host
site to someone who is just getting started with a website or blog, and they do
not want something technical because WordPress can get very technical, and if
you are not ready, then again, I recommend this website host. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, I had said that this was going to be a “short and sweet”
post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blog name will come when I
switch over to the new platform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
typing after Midnight, Eastern standard time, so I do not have the time to set
things up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will start placing this
week, hopefully, no later than next week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Once that is done, and the announcement of further changes and additions
will be made on Home Prep With Tricia, and there will be some changes in the
future as this blog grows in its new home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the meantime, thank you for being patient with me and
this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you read my other blog, <a href="https://patricialogan.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My Ambiance Life</a>, I made the announcement of things to come on that blog as well. Also, come and leave a comment or two.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-62093345208831197212019-10-17T04:07:00.000-04:002019-10-17T04:07:07.464-04:00Update....<a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/7314177/?claim=7y69jkjkpeh">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a short post to tell you that I am doing a new
series that is exclusive to this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you can recall last year, I had a series that crossed paths with all
three of the blogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have something
planned for the other two, and they will not match what I have for this series.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will continue with the Disney series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right now, they are a bunch of questions I
answered on Quora, and I love doing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
am not being paid to do it, and they are not sponsoring it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is something that I feel that I should
share with my audience on my blog posts.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until next time, be safe, and God bless you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-64947680011939107192019-10-15T09:00:00.000-04:002019-10-15T09:00:00.156-04:00What should you never buy at Disney World?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am answering
another Quora question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may wonder
why I answer this question and make them into whole posts for you to read?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is simple, to answer your most burning
questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have the same questions
as some of the people who are looking at planning for a vacation, and I may
have the answer to that question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
that end here is my answer and the in-depth look into why I said what I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrXM90FHtjz9uh0gIPMFJ924vPrrpY7V2e_b-MYVI-lS2jGhyFa5V2wFylXv-zaB82Vf7bQI_8gEY_E4RK8a9p_h9BfFRYrOZoKPBKlbdeVQaOxaFLzIGySahqrasPupuzsYJ9yh_L4JK/s1600/What+should+you+never+buy+at+Disney+World.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="155" data-original-width="177" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrXM90FHtjz9uh0gIPMFJ924vPrrpY7V2e_b-MYVI-lS2jGhyFa5V2wFylXv-zaB82Vf7bQI_8gEY_E4RK8a9p_h9BfFRYrOZoKPBKlbdeVQaOxaFLzIGySahqrasPupuzsYJ9yh_L4JK/s320/What+should+you+never+buy+at+Disney+World.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I am really not
sure. I say that to tell you that everyone is different with different tastes.
To tell you what not to buy is like telling you not to breathe. I have some
guidelines on your purchases that will help you with your purchases (you did
not think I would leave you hanging with that answer, did you?). Keep in mind
the following tips:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As much as the souvenirs are as a
whole, never purchase anything that you think is not worth the money. This includes edible souvenirs. Not every cupcake is the same at WDW, nor worth
the price you pay<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Keep in mind your budget. Yes, it
is your vacation, but you have to eat the rest of the time you are there,
and you have to get home, and you need some money in case of emergencies
(Hospital costs, rental car/own car needing immediate repairs, child
drawing on the wall of the resort room, and bail money are examples that come
to mind) So sorry, a Michael Kors bag from a Disney Springs boutique is a
no go, unless you can get it with a credit or debit card, and you have
plenty of money to get home.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Speaking of which, never buy
anything that you cannot do a return on BEFORE you go home. There are many
ways of returning something, and if shipping back something is a problem
(such as you live outside of the United States, Japan, France, or Asian
countries that have a Disney Park in them) do not purchase.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do not purchase something just for
the heck of it. I learned this the hard way. Back in 2004, I thought I
might have a Disney pin collection. I do not like pins, but I bought a
Mulan pin because I was advised to start off with one, and every time you come back to Disney World, I can trade for something better and build on my collection. I do not know where that pin is, and I feel like I wasted my money. For my next vacation there, I will not buy a pin, no matter how
cute it is.”<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Keep in mind I am using souvenirs in my example. think about
this when you purchase a vacation package, using a travel agent, or a paid
event at Disney. You know what your family likes, and you know what you like.
This is also a perfect way to be budget-friendly even on vacation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Souvenir Prices and your Budget<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Souvenirs and Returns <o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Way back when Disney was an exclusive company, you could get
away with purchasing anything at the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of the things I have purchased in the past were:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Lora; mso-fareast-font-family: Lora;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Stickers (because I was a crafter)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Lora; mso-fareast-font-family: Lora;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Autograph books<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Lora; mso-fareast-font-family: Lora;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Towel (for my sister who was a teen with no money-who
goes to Disney with no money, LOL).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
loves Tigger, and I thought that she would love it, along with the <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Lora; mso-fareast-font-family: Lora;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Big Stuffed Tigger. Hey, that’s what big sisters
are for.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Lora; mso-fareast-font-family: Lora;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Pin (see above)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Lora; mso-fareast-font-family: Lora;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Mug (the airline broke it on the flight home)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is nothing wrong with these purchases, except the pin
at the time of purchase, but since that time, Disney has loosened up a bit, and
now you can go to Target, Walmart, and your local Dollar Tree to get some of
this stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only save your money for the
exclusives, and only if it is worth the money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please, do not purchase something because someone has one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may not be in your best taste, style, or
budget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please teach your little ones
especially if they are using their own money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Discount tickets</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now this one has an exception:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it is bought through your travel agent, go
ahead and buy them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not go through
these holes in the walls type of places in Orlando.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is the reason why you do not buy
discount tickets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you buy them, you
are running the risk of not getting into the parks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, these so-called ticket centers may
have bought tickets from someone with a day left on the ticket itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They then sell to you what may be a ticket
the center says is a ticket that is the length of your stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also may be stolen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Buy from a reliable travel agent, who buys only from Disney.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This goes for package deals as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These are the items that you should never buy at Disney and
any place.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-39967409067009854172019-09-17T09:00:00.000-04:002019-09-17T09:00:08.418-04:00Disney is Forever Changing: <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Disclaimer:</b><i> P. Lynne Designs is a participant in the
Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program
designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising
and linking to Amazon.com. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
I am once again answering a question from Quora. This time, the question was “How do you Rank the Disney Theme Parks from Best to Worst?” My answer was as follows:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“The best park by far is the Magic Kingdom. This is classic Disney, celebrating all things Mickey and the gang, Princesses, and classic rides. It is almost Disneyland’s Doppelganger.</i><i>Next, is the Animal Kingdom. I love the way that the use of a non-Swahili term called Notazu (Not a Zoo, get it?). It is exactly that. You can see the animals at their finest, and I think they take better care of the animals than my city Zoo (which is the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium-sorry, shameless plug). the only I do not like about AK in Dinoland. It looks like an old carnival, but it works.</i><i>Next, is Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They have toy Storyland, and they just opened Galaxy’s Edge, so the story is still out for me until I visit there. the reason is they had all the construction there for the longest, and I heard that it was hard to navigate there.</i><i>Last is Epcot. I will not say that it is the worst park in terms of nothing to do., but much of the stuff is so dated, and it needs some TLC, but that will soon change with all the changes that are happening now and all that is to be completed by the 50th anniversary of the resort area.</i><i>Construction seems to make things look bad, so that is the other reason why I rank the parks the way I did. First, it was the New Fantasyland a few years ago, then it was Downtown Disney, which not only it got an upgrade, but a name change to Disney Springs. That was completed 2 or 3 years ago. Next came Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and that was just completed. Now, like I said, is Epcot’s turn. The Animal Kingdom did get a little update in between Disney Springs and the start of Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ construction, with Pandora, replacing Camp Minnie Mickey, but it is all to keep us coming back and entertained.</i><i>for this is the reason I ranked the parks the way I did.”</i></blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANYvE45cFBQrzVl0JgnHYcozYkkmbqgErDuhLaPGLcVvjPYGKM7tnkbe4EEWI6HF-Nlw6xo34vAhsHXd6wORgB3U7LqtQdjpsijFLURRph-4zcvN1zPq-W7mzASyISL-EFgZIp1DWZdOq/s1600/Disney-is-Forever-Changing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANYvE45cFBQrzVl0JgnHYcozYkkmbqgErDuhLaPGLcVvjPYGKM7tnkbe4EEWI6HF-Nlw6xo34vAhsHXd6wORgB3U7LqtQdjpsijFLURRph-4zcvN1zPq-W7mzASyISL-EFgZIp1DWZdOq/s320/Disney-is-Forever-Changing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo By P. Lynne Designs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Before I get to my answer, I want to get you an update on my <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Disney</a> trip series. There has been a slight delay to get out in the next chapter. We are still going so far, but I as far as writing the series, I did not want to push myself into a “give every detail” account of the trip because there are some things that are private and personal. As I formulate my ideas, I will write it. No worries. For now, let me stick to my answer and I will move on from there. <br />
<br />
What is my ranking of the parks? <br />
Well the ranking of the parks (my ranking) goes like this: (Best to Worst)<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Magic Kingdom (TMK)- As I said in my answer, this is classic Disney. You cannot get any better than that, next to Disneyland, of course. Yes, some of the rides are dated, but when you cannot get to Disneyland and looking for some nostalgia, this is the place to be. In fact, The Magic Kingdom is probably the closest you will get to a “Disneyland” in Central Florida. The difference between the two is<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Disneyland is older, has The Sleeping Beauty Castle.</li>
<li>The Magic Kingdom is, of course, newer, has Cinderella’s Castle, and the “lands” are:</li>
<ul>
<li>Adventureland</li>
<li>Fantasyland</li>
<li>Frontierland</li>
<li>Liberty Square</li>
<li>Main Street USA</li>
<li>Tomorrowland.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Disney’s Animal Kingdom (DAK)-has the claim, “Notazu”, which is supposed to be an official Swahili word, which means, “Not a Zoo”. For anyone who has Swahili as their native tongue already knows that it is not a word. Yes, I can get Disney on that, but it is a minor thing. Other than have the humor for making up words to a language that I know very few words to (does Lionel Richie’s song, “All Night Long” ring a bell, anyone?), the Animal Kingdom does a pretty good job in making sure that the animals are safe. Yes, they have been criticized by conservationists and organizations like PETA, but this animal lover loves this park for all the right reasons, including having a conservation area.<br />
<br />
<ul><ul>
<li>The “Lands are named</li>
</ul>
<li><br /></li>
<ul><ul>
<li>Oasis (Discovery Island and Pandora)</li>
<li>Asia</li>
<li>Africa</li>
<li>Dinoland.</li>
</ul>
<li>The best part of DAK is Africa. This is what the park was built on. You have a safari ride, called Kilimanjaro Safari that takes you</li>
<li>The worst part of DAK is Dinoland. It looks like a carnival, and each time I go, I have that feeling of a carnival, and all its minions (oops, wrong characters). You have your carnival games, Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama, Primeval Whirl, which are part of those put/takedown carnival rides that I started hating as a teen, but yet, I am okay with these rides. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Disney’s Hollywood Studios (DHS)- I actually should have ranked this park first and the reason is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. More one that in a moment. I thought at first, for a Disney park, it was kind of boring, since I do not ride thrill rides as a whole, nor do I gravitate towards them. If someone from my family asks me to ride with them, maybe, but I am not really a thrill ride person. However, if you are, this is perfect because Disney is considered a resort geared towards kids, but in the last 20 years of so, they have been really aiming towards the adults. After all, it is the adults who pay for everything.<br />
<br />
<ul><ul>
<li>The lands are named</li>
<ul>
<li>Animation Courtyard</li>
<li>Commissary Lane</li>
<li>Echo Lake</li>
<li>Grand Avenue</li>
<li>Hollywood Boulevard</li>
<li>Pixar Place</li>
<li>Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge</li>
<li>Sunset Boulevard</li>
<li>Toy Story Land</li>
</ul>
<li>The Worst part about DHS there are a few lands that have only one attraction there, and the rest are restaurants and shops. They do have a few sideshows, which remind you of the Vaudeville acts. One act I saw in 2004 had to do with the “Rule of 100 jokes”. I cannot exactly remember the act itself, but one of the characters was named “Miss Bunny”. The park is also one of the parks that do not grab you with “Disney sweetness”. It is very rare that you will see the “fav 5”, even though Mickey is in a “Newsies” type number. They may show up every now and then.</li>
<li>The best part of the park is the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (ST: GE). For me personally, the jury is still out since I will not see it until December. At that time, I will give a full report on all things Disney. From what I can tell by the reviews given on YouTube, most people love ST: GE, but from the perspective of someone who is a Star Trek fan, I am finally warming up to the whole Star Wars saga, due to my brother being a Star Wars fan since the age of 7. I hope to give a glowing report on the new land in DHS.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Epcot (or Epcot Center as the new-old name suggests) (EC) is the worst park. It is not bad in the sense of bad, but it is dated. It is more dated than TMK. I think that is why it is getting an almost total makeover. This has been the park with the most problems in terms of appeal for both children and adults. I have often called Epcot the “Education Center” because when parents take their children out of school for Walt Disney World, a teacher used to give them “homework” to do while on vacation. Most of the homework would be conducted while at Epcot. The Lands are<br />
<br />
<ul><ul>
<li>Future World</li>
<ul>
<li>This land contains the rides, Fast Trek, which is Epcot’s answer to Autopodia in TMK’s Tomorrowland, and Mission Space, where you become part of an astronaut crew, on the way to Mars. You also learn about growing your own garden in a ride called, “The Land”.</li>
</ul>
<li>World Showcase</li>
<ul>
<li>This land contains little pavilions of counties to visit. These countries are</li>
<ul>
<li>Norway</li>
<li>Germany</li>
<li>United Kingdom</li>
<li>Mexico</li>
<li>Canada</li>
<li>The American Experience</li>
<li>Japan</li>
<li>France</li>
<li>China</li>
<li>Italy</li>
<li>Morocco</li>
</ul>
<li>They have eating places, shops, and a couple of pavilions have rides. Now I see why teachers want their students to study at Epcot.</li>
</ul>
<li>One of the worst things about Epcot is that it is so dated, but I still have fun while I am there. I can learn a language, experience new food, and for rides, there is Frozen Ever After, which re-tells the story in ride form. It is in the Norway pavilion. In Mexico, there is the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. In this one, Donald Duck gets lost, and his friends try to find him. This used to be called “El Rio De Tempo” (The River of Time) until it got an upgrade in 2007 to the new theming.</li>
<li>The best thing about Epcot is World Showcase. As they say, the best things have yet to come, and this is when the executives at Walt Disney World announced at D23, a fan convention that happens every couple of years, there will be an upgrade to Epcot, which will be completed in time for Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary in 2021.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
Well, this concludes my ranking of parks in Walt Disney World. I apologize that I did not cover the waterparks, and the thousands of activities you can do outside of the parks, nor did I include the resorts or Disney Springs, a shopping area inside the behemoth of a resort.<br />
One tip I do leave you with before I go is <a href="https://amzn.to/304jfk2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Disney</a> is changing, and as Walt Disney once said about Disneyland, “Walt Disney World will never stop changing”. There are always new ideas, new ride trends, and new generations of people to enjoy this massive resort area. So with that being said, this ranking of Walt Disney World parks will most likely change, especially after I get back from my trip.<br />
Until the next time, be safe, God Bless you, and good luck with your planning.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-69323152414373424332019-09-01T09:00:00.000-04:002019-09-01T09:00:05.154-04:00 Saying goodbye to summer 2019<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Disclaimer:</b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> P. Lynne Designs is a participant in the
Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program
designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising
and linking to Amazon.com. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am trying to figure out where the time has gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon the 2010s will be gone, and we will be
saying 2020 everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No longer the
name of television once headed by Barbara Walters, or what your vision should
be, 2020 will be a force to be reckoned with, and I am looking forward to how
2020 will treat me my family and friends, and my business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we are jetting towards fall, and I did
not have a summer that was wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Swimming pools, vacations by the beach, and
being patriotic will soon be replaced with teachers, making new friends, warm
drinks, ghosts and goblins, and a fat bird named Tom.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
September, the month for <o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Going back to school (if
you have not already done so)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Labor Day<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">And Autumn (Fall if you
are in the United States)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBSPY52ybOnmxq8yMJtR-pfnbYLhoOqVPXU1nxGfIZXJqffqbC-kBB1fHS5SUZbwxvzRtCmXLPb98Qu_rU-mhq-8qKwiGA9JTw8U6lblWnw80AsR9HHEYOyI_NhWF7liCD7nigqW_5eEw/s1600/Saying+Goodbye+to+Summer+2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1280" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBSPY52ybOnmxq8yMJtR-pfnbYLhoOqVPXU1nxGfIZXJqffqbC-kBB1fHS5SUZbwxvzRtCmXLPb98Qu_rU-mhq-8qKwiGA9JTw8U6lblWnw80AsR9HHEYOyI_NhWF7liCD7nigqW_5eEw/s320/Saying+Goodbye+to+Summer+2019.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px; white-space: nowrap;">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/Goumbik-3752482/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2902546" rel="nofollow" style="color: #333333; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;" target="_blank">Goumbik</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2902546" rel="nofollow" style="color: #333333; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px !important;" target="_blank">Pixabay</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small; white-space: nowrap;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fall?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Already?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, Fall (or Autumn elsewhere in the world).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are talking:<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Leaves turning shades of
brown, red, yellow, and a darker shade of green.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Apple Cider<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Roasting <a href="https://amzn.to/2MNRTaO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">marshmallows</a><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Blankets<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Fireplaces and <a href="https://amzn.to/2ZFoilP" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">fire pits</a><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Halloween and
Thanksgiving (Pass the turkey, please)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">In addition to these major
holidays, we also have<o:p></o:p></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Grandparents day<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Patriot Day<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">The Jewish holiday Rosh
Hashanah<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">And some cute little
holiday like:<o:p></o:p></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="square">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level3 lfo1;">Talk like a pirate day<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">But we also have:<o:p></o:p></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">National Potato Month<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">National Chicken Month<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">National Biscuit Month <o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pull out your favorite chicken, biscuit, and potato recipes<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">National Hispanic Month
(September 15-October 15)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And for all of us who play the piano, National Piano Month<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For those of you born in the month of September, you have:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Birthstone: Sapphire<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Flower: Aster<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And zodiac signs: Virgo and Libra.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I love about
September:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a transitional
month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It transitions from hot to cool
to cold in a matter of 30 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
start out in shorts and ended up in a nice warm toasty <a href="https://amzn.to/2NJKFUE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">blanket</a> and sweater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For food, that is simple, hot chocolate, soup (which is
actually a winter type food, but you can start having some in September), and
apple cider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Towards the end of the month,
Halloween candy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also National Potato,
Chicken, and Biscuit month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So eat and
celebrate all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cook up some of your
favorite recipes with these ingredients, and you cannot go wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can also add them to your favorite Spanish
foods because it is National Hispanic Month, starting September 15, and continues
until October 15.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Decorating for the season:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For decoration, it is time to break out the reds, oranges,
yellows, and browns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Fall 2019, the
trend is about architectural shapes, heavier weighted material, which includes
an Italian feel in terms of textures and colors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are on a budget, you can add one or
two pieces to make it feel like you did a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An example of this may be adding one or two pillows to your couch, chair,
or bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can also add paper lamps to
your decoration.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The colors according to Pantone are Chili Pepper, Brick Red,
Crème de Pêche, Peach Pink, Rocky Road, Fruit Dove, Sugar Almond, Dark Cheddar,
Galaxy Blue, Bluestone, Orange Tiger, and Eden.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fashion colors include caramel and merlot, but also purple, pistachio,
hot pink and orange. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No matter what the month of September brings you, make it a
good month, a blessed month, and get ready to be nice and toasty around the
fire pit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have a great day, and God bless.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-84251240789415373442019-06-18T23:38:00.001-04:002019-06-18T23:38:03.359-04:00My planning system setup with Erin Condren<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6JpEc_sy1yA" width="459"></iframe>Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-41349595747291502052019-05-06T09:00:00.000-04:002019-05-06T09:00:03.438-04:00Welcome to May<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided to go with a very simple title for this blog. Why?
Because I feel like May is the only month that is very simple, very,
Spring friendly. Some facts about May:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">It is the last full month
of Spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where did spring go this year?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent over half the season so far with the heat on and freezing or prematurely celebrating the summer to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> After all</span>, Ohio is not California,
Florida, Texas, or Arizona, four of the notorious months where temps can get into the 90’s around June 1<sup>st</sup> or before.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">May Day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is official, as I said earlier, we are
at the halfway point before summer makes her debut for the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When my parents were children, they grew
up in the same town of Guinea/Moundsville, Alabama, 8 miles north of
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, my mom said that they used to dance around the maypole and did other activities that celebrated spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac,
the tradition started with “<a href="https://www.almanac.com/content/what-may-day" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ancient Celts dancing around a tree</a>” not a pole, praying for crops and fertility. If the
pairing was a hit, then the courtship will continue, followed by marriage
6 weeks later in June.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No wonder
June became the top-rated wedding month of the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blame the Maypole.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Lei Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On May 1 in Hawaii, it is also Lei
Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you ever visited Hawaii,
which is on my bucket list of places to travel to, you can receive leis everywhere you go, from the airport to hotels and events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are given in the symbol of welcome,
goodbye, affection, celebration, or honor which is in the spirit of Aloha.
This celebration started on May 1, 1928, long before the territory became a state in 1959.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Cinco De Mayo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone knows about May 5<sup>th</sup>,
it is the day we celebrate Mexican food, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Um, wrong, in fact, we celebrate this
Mexican holiday in the wrong way here in the United States. In fact, this is a day of victory celebration when the Mexicans won over the French army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, in technicality, this is not a day where you can get 5 marguerites for $5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I always caution people to drink responsibly and do not get caught.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">For Star Wars fans, there
is Star Wars day, or May the 4<sup>th</sup> (get it, May the 4th be with
you, May the Force be With You-I can feel that pun going over some
person’s head really quickly as they give that look of confusion,
LOL).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing special if you are
not a Star Wars fan. I am personally a Star Trek fan, but I have seen all but the last movie that came out, and I respect these fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are limited to one eye roll if your co-worker comes in dressed as Chewbacca The Wookie on that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it will be scary, but trust me, by
5 pm, it will be all over with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Two eye</span> rolls if he screams like <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9Ex_-pNldfPGJFNgVSYSXbmDNcMJbkfr61TCq33nzSQ8bkNXqsGuRrHPQvc0GYJdA8Vtl_eo4qyNdh_L8RrtejZE7a8obrOnCXLzybLoOFuE9mUIXk_DDOdtZyxua3VADZe4CAiKpuYy/s1600/Welcome+to+May.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="782" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht9Ex_-pNldfPGJFNgVSYSXbmDNcMJbkfr61TCq33nzSQ8bkNXqsGuRrHPQvc0GYJdA8Vtl_eo4qyNdh_L8RrtejZE7a8obrOnCXLzybLoOFuE9mUIXk_DDOdtZyxua3VADZe4CAiKpuYy/s320/Welcome+to+May.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pray that he does not get fired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>OK, I am done.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Mother’s day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, it is May 12, and it is
merely an appreciation day for all things mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cook for her (although if you are under
12, peanut butter and jelly sandwich will do…. let dad or a restaurant
do the rest), present a gift from the heart, or a simple, “I love you”
will do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not forget to say thank
you.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Victoria Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not Canadian, so I know nothing
about this day, except it, celebrates Queen Victoria’s birthday. May 20<sup>th</sup><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Memorial Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here in the States (United States) we
celebrate those who passed on and served in the military.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many people go to the gravesites of beloved ones who served, place an American flag or flowers on the grave and reflect on how much the military has served this country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This month, it is celebrated on May 27<sup>th</sup>.
<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
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Now for some fun celebrations:<o:p></o:p></div>
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According to the Almanac, May is:<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Get caught Reading month<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">National Good Car-Keeping
month<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Scrapbook/paper crafting
month<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">May 1<sup>st</sup>- School
Principal’s day<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">May 2-World Tuna Day (dang
I could have tuna sushi-I had salmon sushi for dinner)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">May 5-11: Root Canal
Awareness week<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">May 8: No socks day (Humm,
I should start wearing sandals on that day-YAY!)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">May 14: Dance like a
chicken day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t ask.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">May 28:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slugs Return from Capistrano Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, do not ask, but you can celebrate
with a game called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QrtCCFzdzg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Best Fiends</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
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Other notable things you can do for the month of May:<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Are there any weddings
that you have been invited to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Prepare your planner for all things wedding by:<o:p></o:p></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Marking the date, which
includes any special events leading up to the wedding, especially if you
are part of the wedding party.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Now is the time to buy
the gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for discounts and coupons, but also be aware of the price on some gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Online shopping may be the way to go and excuse to shop on Amazon, but it may not always be the best price.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">Consider getting a gift
that will benefit both the bride and groom, not one or the other.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">When in doubt, get a gift
card so they can both be present and pick out the gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make sure that it is a universal gift card (like a Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, or Discover) so they can spend at any place. Also, put enough money on the card so the couple does not have
to use their own money<a href="https://www.giftcards.com/gcgf/wedding-giftcard-etiquette" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> for the difference</a>.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Do you usually put off
spring cleaning until this month?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some advice for May 2020:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Prepare in April.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do a
walkthrough in the house to see what needs to be cleaned and organized by the end of the month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> For example,</span> I started to prepare (I am being honest, half prepared) last week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">The two major areas I am
concentrating on this month is my master bedroom and craft room, which are leftovers from last year (May 2018).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In my complex, they usually will have a big bin (more like a
shipping container) where you can place your broken, unwanted stuff there. Last year, I throw out my old sewing machine, which was sitting in the garage since 2013 when I changed out the old carpet, but never brought the machine back in the condo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The reason why I threw it out was the bugs. I saw one crawl of it one day as I was getting into my car, saw the bin, turned around, got it, and chucked into the bin on the way out. I already see a couple of items that are ready for the bin this year.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;"><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1;">January, I went to Ikea
to get a Kallax unit (3 x 4 or 4 x3 depending on which way I turn it) and it still needs to be put up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
need to clean my room to put the 9-cube Closet Maid unit in my room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two items from my room need to go to that bin in the complex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also need to buy a smaller Kallax unit (2 x 4) to replace the current bookshelf in the living room. This is a real example of what I need to do and what I wrote down last month for May. <o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">As I mentioned at the
beginning of this post, May is Good car-keeping month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now is the time for us to service our cars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, I am being honest,
every time I turn on my car, it tells me to get my oil changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been doing it for 5 months
(Busted by my father last month).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
engine has been running rough, probably because I did not get the oil changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also need to get the
back door (which says Gate Door on my dashboard, I have a Dodge Caliber 2008)
arms replaced since they will not hold up the door anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything gets put on the back seat.
Comment below if you plan on or have done some preventive maintenance on your car or other vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May I
also mention that since the weather is getting warmer, watch out for
Motorcycles, mopeds, scooters, and bikers, as well as pedestrians. <o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So what does all of this Mean?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I change and grow this blog, as well as my other one, My
Ambiance Life, my website and blog, P. Lynne Designs, my YouTube channel, as
well as other things, such as my social media, I want to bring you one of the
best contents and I may make some mistakes (such as not making videos during
this time), I am building my business and my social footprint. To some of you,
it may not mean anything, but I believe in leading by example, and I hope you
have enjoyed this post. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you have enjoyed this little spot or want to see more,
please let me know in the comments below.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until then peace, Happy May, and God Bless.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-30689770892105597962019-04-09T00:00:00.000-04:002019-04-09T00:00:20.873-04:00How Cruising around the World is a Beautiful Reward<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Don’t believe me? According to a document I got from the cruising industry, 2017 was another record-breaking year, with 25.8 million global ocean cruise passengers. This was up from 2016 where the industry reported 24.7, a 4.5 % increase. Now from what I understand, I have not been able to get the stats from 2018, which I was one of the passengers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I sailed on the Carnival Dream from December 31, 2017, to January 7, 2018, on my first cruise. I have been on little boats before, including a gambling and dinner boat in Miami, Florida and a gambling boat in between the Indiana-Ohio border. The latest was during a time when Ohio did not allow gambling, so folks either did it illegally or hopped across the border to Indiana. Guess Ohio got sick of losing money, and the lottery was no good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SbZRHTv6ufzyKv81OJpD0cZFSMgWN4_gx4J8xoi6Hu-RZXzwaheQRSslNSB_VzMTh2V2hVkkHyLePnLCshjFjq_cBKYhHwrgsi-81EM_BV2tqv6IkMS0T-x45KL5HKlHZ_3_pNuIqrwl/s1600/How+Cruising+around+the+World+is+a+Beautiful+Reward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SbZRHTv6ufzyKv81OJpD0cZFSMgWN4_gx4J8xoi6Hu-RZXzwaheQRSslNSB_VzMTh2V2hVkkHyLePnLCshjFjq_cBKYhHwrgsi-81EM_BV2tqv6IkMS0T-x45KL5HKlHZ_3_pNuIqrwl/s1600/How+Cruising+around+the+World+is+a+Beautiful+Reward.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Anyway, I had a wonderful time on the Carnival Dream, and I recommend everyone to take a cruise at least once in their lifetime. My next ship (never call it a boat, THERE is a difference), I hope, will be a ship called the Disney Dream. Now, how Disney and Carnival can get away with naming their ships the same. Both also have the names, Magic and Fantasy. That is another story for another day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Before you set sail on your next maiden voyage, beyond the land, I have some tips that may not only save you money but lots of headache in the long run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Plan. OK, that seems simple, but it is not. I was lucky. I went with a group of people and my trip was all set. I knew the travel agent, the people in my party, and I researched online and even set up my Sail and Sign card.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Research the cruise line. I knew about Carnival. There is a good reason that it is called, “The Fun Ship”. If the cruise line has several ships in its line, research several ships before choosing Your Ship. In my case, the ship was already chosen for me, the Carnival Dream and the Carnival Conquest (more on the Conquest later). You may have another cruise line in mind, and it is good to have a second ship (and cruise line) in mind in case something happens.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You can go solo (But why would you?) here is the thing… there are a lot of things that could happen when you are by yourself. One thing that I did not know about myself is I had a small bout of motion sickness. It was a silly little incident. While in Grand Cayman, the ship did not have a place to dock, so when that is the case, a smaller boat (yes, you can say "boat" with this thing), comes to get the passengers and brings them ashore. I was fine going to the port and I was fine coming back. As I was getting off the tender (which is what they are called), I looked down into the water (where the plank hook up between the tender and the ship, and I got dizzy and felt sick. Now, this is a rare thing because I never get sick in a car, a theme park ride that spins, or on a plane, so I was surprised. I did bring something with me, in case I did get motion sickness, but I felt better as soon I got to my stateroom. If it wasn’t for my friend who was traveling with me, it could have gotten worst. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This also leads to a very important step: know the ship’s schedule for debarking and embarking (leaving the ship and coming back on time to enter the ship). At the time of this writing, a ship will leave you, no questions asked if you are not back in time. I have seen YouTube videos. While it may make a good laugh in the long run, it is not a laughing matter at all. In fact, being left behind could cost you thousands of dollars to play “catch up to the ship.” It is even worse if you leave all your belongings on the ship, so therefore, bring your passport, money, credit card, and your children. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="a">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My travel agent sponsored a trip in which a man traveled along within the group. He got left at the port. He had to pay close to $2,000 to get back on the ship.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have also heard of a couple who left their children on board and was left behind at the port. It is nice to do a getaway excursion without the kiddos, but keep in mind that you do have children on board. Lucky for them, the kids also had their grandparents to take care of them while mommy and daddy were missing for a few hours.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a budget. In addition to knowing how much you need to save and when it is good to have a budget so you will not run out of money. The best way to budget is to check online to see how much food, drinks, souvenirs, and activities (excursions on and off the ship) will cost you. for example, I looked online at the excursions that I and my friend would be able to do while on the Carnival Conquest. I did not check beforehand for the Carnival Dream. When we got into the stateroom, there was nothing appealing to us because there was a difference in pricing between booking online and booking on the ship, so we did not have enough money to do anything. That does not mean we did no on the ship. There is plenty to do that is included or free on the ship. If there are any questions, you can always call or email before getting on the ship.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Know your food intake. Did you know there are many different types of menus on board? If you have diet restrictions, let them either when booking or when you get on board and check in.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you have allergies, the last place you want to be is in the Casino. I never had any breathing problems before, but once I walked through the casino, I was wondering if I needed an inhaler. The smoke was so thick, you cut it with a knife. For the most part, ships are a non-smoker’s paradise. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Take in the shows. Enough said.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes, almost every cruise ship has a kid space, but you are your kid’s best protection. Please do not send your child into the kid space without checking on them, especially if they are teens. The third night of our 7-day cruise, my friend and I decided to take in the fresh air on Deck 11. Above us were some kids on deck 12. One kid even decided to do chin-ups on the overhang. They were rowdy and disrespectful. The 5<sup>th</sup> day, I wanted some sushi, so I went to Bonsai, ordered my snack, and while eating, a kid walked over and stared at my plate of sushi. Lucky for me, his grandmother was not far, came over, smacked him on the head, and said, “can’t you see she is eating”. I wanted to kiss her. Not too many parents would reprimand their children/grandchildren in front of a stranger, but yes, I wanted some privacy. Normally I would reply with “that’s Okay”, but it was not okay to me. So please, watch your children. Not only that, but there are some strange passengers on the ship, and you do not want your child to go to anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Decide if the ship amenities are for you. Sailing on the ship can entice anyone to splurge and coming home with nothing to show for it. Again, this is where having a budget can save you. Tip: do not forget to let your bank and credit card companies know where you will be while spending your money. You can do it the Online banking section of your bank’s website. Life changer!!! On Carnival ships, if you decide to purchase the CHEERS or Bubbles package, everyone in your room has to, even if you have separate money. I wanted to purchase the CHEERS package, but my friend did not. I had to respect her wishes and not purchase one. That was fine, it kept me from getting the fancy coffee beverages and milkshakes, which I should get because I did not want my stomach to tie up in knots. Oops, I said too much already, LOL.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This pretty much covers it. I gave you lots to think about when taking your first cruise with or without an agent booking it for you, and with or without kids. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now for the story on what happened to the first cruise, I was supposed to take on the Carnival Conquest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Carnival Conquest is a much smaller ship than the Carnival Dream. She (forgot that ships are female in nature, LOL) is a first of the Conquest-line. Her maiden voyage was in 2002, so she is a fairly new ship, and she holds 2,980 with a crew complement of 1,150. We were to sail from September 9, 2017, to September 15, 2017, on a 7-day cruise from the port of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The ports were San Juan, Porto Rico; Grand Turks and Cacaos, and the Dominican Republic. I was looking forward to this trip. This would have been my first trip out of the States without crossing the border in a car. The only other countries I have visited were Tajuana, Mexico, and three territories of Canada, all as a child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Three days before we were to leave, Ms. Hurricane Irma made her debut, and I was not happy about it. I knew she was around, but at the time, she as an itty bitty storm, with no oomph to her. Then all of sudden, she picked up speed, and before I knew it, Delta would not let anyone at John Glen International (formally know as Port Columbus International) Airport. The ship was delayed but made a decision to sail that Tuesday on an abbreviated cruise (Cozumel and Belize) for 4-days. My travel agent said nope and asked for everyone’s refund. I was climbing the walls because I had not been out of the country since my family’s trip to Niagara Falls in 2012, and I wanted to see the world, even if it was only two ports. That was good enough for me, but I had to do what the rest in the group wanted to do. In October of 2017, this was when my travel agent found a cruise for us for the Western Caribbean (Montego Bay, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, and Cozumel, Mexico).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Lora; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Next time: I will talk about the Carnival Dream. Until then If you have any questions about the ship. Let me know in the comments or email me at <a href="mailto:plogan721@att.net">plogan721@att.net</a>. Until then, God bless you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-9579020730629143742019-02-25T05:30:00.000-05:002019-02-25T05:30:02.034-05:00How To Have A Hot Meal In No Time<div class="MsoNormal">
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored ad. I bought all of my meals with my own money on my own debit cards. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISV4tw3TGVb3NBOzoj9ghtegtcyCtSn8WPAehkqTGDndQiZXFTPLJargHJWSZpWa9pIWqs5YM_G-TPhukN66yephu0QZtSUvUZ9qt8UcLLDcb77bMG0mHkdoPyGf81z39_tqmBJfGqK1j/s1600/Blog+picture+for+delivery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISV4tw3TGVb3NBOzoj9ghtegtcyCtSn8WPAehkqTGDndQiZXFTPLJargHJWSZpWa9pIWqs5YM_G-TPhukN66yephu0QZtSUvUZ9qt8UcLLDcb77bMG0mHkdoPyGf81z39_tqmBJfGqK1j/s400/Blog+picture+for+delivery.jpg" width="400" /></a>In a Follow-up to my story in October 2018 on food delivery services, I gave basic synapses on the services, and what you could expect from them. I have tried all the services who deliver in my area except one, which I just signed up for. For the most part, I was pleased with the services. No one never got my order wrong, and it is a good way for me to be lazy on that day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With that in mind, I will give a rundown on the following:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal">Order process<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Fees and tips<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Places I ordered from through these delivery services<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Miscellaneous things<o:p></o:p></li>
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The services I ordered from were: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal">Uber Eats<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">GrubHub<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Postmates<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">DoorDash<o:p></o:p></li>
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The restaurants I ordered from over time were:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal">Chipotle (Postmates)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Red Lobster (GrubHub)(2)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Jersey Mike’s (Uber Eats)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Viiza (Uber Eats)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Piada (Uber Eats)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Starbucks (DoorDash)<o:p></o:p></li>
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Keep in mind a couple of things, I do know how to cook, in fact, it is my preferred method of eating, and it should be since I work at home. Sometimes life and work to get in the way of having to take the time to properly cook a hot, delicious meal when you are in the middle of a project, AND you have a deadline. It does not happen often, but at least as long as I have the money to do so, and do not mind the delivery fees on top of that, having your food delivered is a nice back up to get a meal. So, I do not consider myself lazy at all, maybe just a little too busy, which is a misconception about ordering from food delivery services.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ordering Process:<o:p></o:p></div>
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The first thing you do when you decide on ordering from a service like Uber Eats is to sign up for an account. It is helpful to have the app on your phone, but in case you do not want to clutter up your phone (like I usually do), you can go through your desktop or another device. Once you download the app or visit the website, you signup for an account. Payment can be entered once the order has been made. Once you created your account, you can then look through what each restaurant has to offer through that app. If you find your favorite restaurant on that app, and you are familiar with the menu, all food items may not be offered through the app. You could order from more than one place, but I would not advise it. Act as though you going inside and ordering from the restaurant and having a sit-down meal with the wait staff, only the wait staff is your driver. Keep in mind like most orders, all delivery services take debit or credit card, even if you are going to pick up the order.<o:p></o:p></div>
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UberEATS:<o:p></o:p></div>
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I order from several places throughout 2018. I have yet to order through them this year. So far the service is wonderful. For Jersey Mike’s, which is a local pizza place with several locations throughout Central Ohio (Not Sponsored), I made the order from my parent’s home. Usually, any order is made to be delivered to my home. We ordered two large subs and a salad if I can remember the order, and the driver had no problem finding the house. (I had a problem with a GrubHub order I will mention in a moment). <o:p></o:p></div>
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The food was hot (the Subs), which they were supposed to be. The salad was your average salad, nothing to write about. In all my orders through UberEATS, I had no problems with the orders, the service, nor bad delivery drivers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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GrubHub:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Next comes GrubHub, and I must say that the first time I had food delivered by them, the driver did not know where to go to my front door. In fact, I had to open the garage to get the food from him, as he refused to walk to the front door in case he had to deliver food here next time. I usually do not have to give instructions on where my front door is, but here was this guy who with no clue. I am going to chuck this one up as this was his first day or he has never driven in this area before. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Both orders were Red Lobster orders. The first one was $19.52 and the second was $25.02. More on pricing in a moment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Postmates:<o:p></o:p></div>
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So far, I only had one order with Postmates and that was Chipotle for $19.90, and I did not realize until I just glanced at my receipt, but they will put a temporary hold on your card for the amount charged. The food was hot and tasty as if I picked it up myself. One tip, Chipotle does have an app that allows you to pick up the food, so if you are picking up, it is best to use their app then to use Postmates or any other delivery services mentioned in this article.<o:p></o:p></div>
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DoorDash:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, I was reserving this one for a later post, but I could not resist seeing how my Starbucks Coffee comes. Yes, Starbucks is using a delivery service. Well, it just arrived as I was typing this. Since I was a new customer to DoorDash, the delivery fee was waived. It is normally $5.99, which is not worth it for a $4.45 cup of coffee, so I took full advantage of that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The coffee:<o:p></o:p></div>
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I ordered a White chocolate Mocha in a Grande (medium), and it is still warm. This was the reason I ordered from Starbucks to bust the myth of rather your food arrived at the temp that you ordered (hot stays hot or as warm as possible, cold stays cold), otherwise, I would have hopped in my car and drove for 5 mins to Starbucks. It took 55 mins from the time I placed the order to the time it arrived. For those of you who have coffee machines in your homes, yes, I have one too. This was just an experiment to see, and I do not order Starbucks that much anymore since having a coffee machine, so this was not the most cost-effective experiment I ever did. (the good news is I probably can write it off in my 2019 taxes, LOL).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now for the breakdown:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cost:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Your total food bill is going to be the cost of the food, plus tax, plus service fee, plus tip. In the case of my Starbucks, I incurred a small order fee (probably the food order has to be more than $10 to avoid this fee). It was $2.00. Not worth it in my opinion. Before you order from any of these services, I recommend that you take a look at the service fee to see if the worth the hassle or can you pick it up on the way home. As I mentioned, many of these eating places have a separate app for you to order from, and it is cheaper to just go to that app, place an order and pick it up on your way home from work or a long day of running errands. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Service Fees:<o:p></o:p></div>
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So far the service fees in my area are at a minimum of $5.99 with the maximum being $20.00. Most of it depends on how close you are to that establishment. The further out you go to get that food, the heftier the service fee. Here is the breakdown of my little coffee from Starbucks:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Subtotal, which is the price of the coffee: $4.45<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tax: $0.00 (even though sometimes, Ohio will charge tax on beverages, in today’s order, nope, and I do not have a recent receipt to compare apples to apples on tax).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Delivery Fee: Free for this round because I am a new member of DoorDash. This would have easily cost me $5.99, which is the delivery fee on GrubHub since I made orders before.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Service fee: $.67. I am not sure if this is the norm for DoorDash or if it was because I was a new member ordering for the first time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dasher Tip: On other services, it is just the tip for the driver. One thing I have to note is this driver had her children with her. I could have given her more, but I do not think that is allowed. For all drivers, they get out of the car with the food, hand it to your customer, and get the heck out of dodge-type mentality, like the UPS and FedEx delivery services. Mine was $1.00<o:p></o:p></div>
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Small service fee: Like I said, I think because this order was under $10, they charged me this fee. I am not going to contest that charge, but I need to watch what I order next time. I think the idea behind that (and I do not know any other service that I used so far had this fee) is to encourage larger orders or group orders. I am just grasping at straws on this one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My total is $8.12 vs. a pickup myself fee of $4.45 (plus whatever tax Ohio decides to impose on people). Yes, I could avoid that. It would have been worse if I had the delivery fee, which the total would have been $14.11. Save yourself the trouble and make yourself a big old cup of coffee in your coffeemaker, two points if the coffee does not come from a pod or K-cup. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Starbucks and I love my K-cups but if you are on a budget, this should be a luxury, every other month item you need to indulge in and skip delivery unless you are very, very sick.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My Final Conclusion on Hot Food Delivery:<o:p></o:p></div>
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We all want hot, convenience food delivery. This should be done on an “as needed” convenience. A lot of people are opting to cook a lot of food and freezing it, which they are calling it meal prep. This is a healthier version of food delivery. You cook what you like, freeze it for a rainy day, and everyone still gets what they like from the freezer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I like food delivery, but again, I need to watch my budget. I have been ordering a lot lately and the main reason is to show you what is out there, how much does it costs, and if it is worth the coins you are trying to save for that new car, house, or to pay down some debt. If there is anything I have learned from this experience is to buy what you need for the month at the grocery store, and do meal prep, even if it is just your main course. You can add sides later or add them to the meal and heat the whole thing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the other points that I did not spend a lot of time talking about is time management. If you have someplace to be at a certain time, food delivery will not be your friend on this one. Like I said on my Starbucks order was that it took them 55 minutes to get this order to me. Why it took so long? Well, I made the order at 5:05 PM EST, they have to receive the order from my computer, make the order. At that time, the driver has to get there, receive the order, find my house, and give it to me. In that same time, I could have hopped in my car, drove to the place, put in my order, wait on my order, grab it and drive back home. I also used the Starbuck App back in the summer. I placed my order on the app from my location (I forgot where I was, which was not at home), drove to the store near my home, which I assume this current order came from, and the summer order was ready when I picked it up. So, be wise if you are on a time crunch.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last tip: You can also use all the apps for pick up. I had mentioned this earlier in this piece. If you are on your way home, use the app to pick up the food. It will save you a service fee, a driver’s tip, and in most cases, a small order fee. Your food will be ready when you get there.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Note: Amazon Restaurants was not mentioned in this piece because it is Amazon doing too much and I have not tried the service as of yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-62380612307610900502018-12-03T06:00:00.000-05:002018-12-03T16:41:01.717-05:00Part 3 Decorating the Home and Taking Care of Family During the Holidays<div class="MsoNormal">
The holidays are about decorating, right? You are only half right. In fact, I would be happy if the house was not decorated, meaning I am not going to stress out if I do not have any decorations. You do not have to be elaborate with the decorations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This reminds me of a little story called, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”. In the story, turned in a 30-minute television special in 1965, Charlie Brown is in search of the Christmas spirit, so Lucy suggested that he direct the Christmas play. Meanwhile, Snoopy, his dog is decorating his doghouse. Now, how many dogs you know who can do that?<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you know the story, you will see that Charlie bought a little tree, whose pines keep falling, and brought it back to the school, to which the other children made fun of the decision he made. So, after his friend, Linus talked about the true meaning of Christmas, Charlie Brown took the tree and gave it an ornament from Snoopy’ s doghouse, which won first place. He places the ornament on the tree, and it falls over, devastating him more than when the children made fun of him. If your decorations feel like Charlie’s then you are missing the point of my analogy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMG1ndsO6MKW7ERTH8SHKEdNKqTrbbsrwXjyttGPHitq3Gyx5ki3-dgnvNaeJp2q1bYXRFgYNLVW3U4VkmldmQkKC4wgCMXjgp6PAMydqwcr1ydbHan_mGu5ID9D-VvhKRwvuUyRKQhp9h/s1600/Decorating+the+Home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="1564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMG1ndsO6MKW7ERTH8SHKEdNKqTrbbsrwXjyttGPHitq3Gyx5ki3-dgnvNaeJp2q1bYXRFgYNLVW3U4VkmldmQkKC4wgCMXjgp6PAMydqwcr1ydbHan_mGu5ID9D-VvhKRwvuUyRKQhp9h/s320/Decorating+the+Home.jpg" width="320" /></a>If you have very little decorations from the beginning, you can always do what the children did to the tree after Charlie left. They were secretly following Charlie Brown to see what he was going to do next. When they saw him walking sadly away they decided, with Linus’s help to fix the little tree, and when Charlie came back to the tree, it has been transformed into this beautiful little tree, and they wished him a “Merry Christmas” and sung. One day during the season on the My Ambiance Life blog, I may talk about the true meaning of this cute, little show.<o:p></o:p></div>
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How are your decorations?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Obviously, in the story, we see two decorators, Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Charlie decorates very little, entertains very little (See A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, equally as funny, yet meaningful). He is not the life of the party, and this is the same kid, who is modeled after Charles Shultz’s childhood, who got rocks in his Halloween bag (It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown), never got to kiss the little red-headed girl (You’re in Love, Charlie Brown, It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown, and Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown), and finds out that he is not the first owner of Snoopy (Snoopy, Come Home). If this is you, take solace in knowing that you are not alone. Snoopy, on the other hand, loves to decorate, cook, and dance. This is not a chore for him. Nothing phases him, and he is glad to do it. Snoopy also takes care of his own (to a certain point).<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is not a comic strip.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course, I am comparing real life to a comic strip, and we are not adults who go “Blah, Blah, Blah” when we talk. This is the real deal, and this is Part 3 of a 3-part series on the holidays. <a href="https://patricialogan.blogspot.com/2018/12/motivational-monday-holiday-prep-or-how.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Part 1</a>, covered on My Ambiance Life, introduces you to the series, and in another post, talks about taking care of you and your mental health during this time of the year. <a href="https://plynnedesigns.blogspot.com/2018/12/part-2-of-holiday-destressing-making.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Part 2</a>, which is on P. Lynne Designs blog, talks about going homemade for gifts and decorations. In Part 3, I will be tackling how to decorate and entertain on a budget, organizing everything, and taking care of your family during this time. I hope you will take from this tip on how to decorate like Snoopy on a “Charlie Brown” budget.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Decorating on the cheap (or fake it til you make it).<o:p></o:p></div>
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I like nice things, and I love decorating even more. Sometimes, especially the last couple of years while I am trying to pay bills and putting together my business, P. Lynne Designs, I may not have the fancy stuff to decorate and make my home livable. In fact, sometimes it is hard to do so. I know what I like and do not like. I try to come up with ways that I can do that on a budget. December is the month where I draw up my budget for the next year, so I have to know how much I am allowing myself to spend on new decorations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last year, I went to Dollar Tree, and in a way, I have become sort of a Dollar Tree snob. Now, I do not buy everything at Dollar Tree. I do go to Target, Walmart, Ikea, and even At Home if have to. I also look to see what I can make, now that I have a Cricut Maker to use and a new sewing machine. This year, I have to be careful because of the cat. I want to make sure that I do have cat-friendly products, so I nor my nephew have to run to do an emergency run to the vet. I am also working on a budget of $200 (low end) to $500 (high end), but closer to $200. <br />
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One of the things I do advise to signup with lots of rewards programs. I have signed up with Ebates, Be Frugal, Dosh, and Acorns. Each one of these programs, I linked my debit card to that program. The way these programs work is you shop as normal. When you go to a store that one of these programs are attached to, you will get money back. It may not happen right away, but it is like paying yourself for shopping. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Ebates (which I have been with since 2010), sends a “big check” 4 times a year, which I am not happy with (I want to be paid once a month, LOL), allows you to shop both online and in store. With the in stores, you have to activate online in order for your card to tell Ebates you have been shopping.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Be Frugal works the same way as Ebates, except you do not have to enter a debit card on your account.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dosh and Acorns work the same. You put your card number in, and every time you shop, you are automatically given a cash back to our card. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Entertaining your guests.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Plan your holiday dinner NOW, if you have not already started. You can find some great deals similar to the ones I mentioned above. I am a member of Kroger and Giant Eagle rewards program. If you do not have time to shop, use the delivery programs, such as the ones that Kroger has or Shipt. Be mindful of food delivery services as some do have a fee. Shipt is $99 yearly or $14 monthly. So, if you do not have it in the budget or will be shopping on the way home from work, this may not be a good fit for you and your budget.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The way to create a budget is to figure out how many people you will have over for dinner then figure out the cost per person. in the case of my family, which includes my parents, brother and wife, sister, me, oldest nephew and girlfriend, my brother’s youngest, and my sister’s two children (oldest is my brother’s child), this adds up to 11 people. I am going to round up the price from USA Today estimate of $49.87, reported in 2016 to $55.00 in 2018, and we have the cost down to $5 for each person. Of course, you may have more or less depending on where you live.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last on this part is family.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Family, rather you are married, single with or without children, or with a partner, is important especially this time of the year, and it is important that you do not leave them out. So, I combine this segment into something I like to call, “divide and conquer”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The way it works is a combination of organizing teamwork and individuality, and everyone has to cooperate to get things done. You are the overseer of all things. In decorating, do the task at the same time, but assign each person with a task. Someone gets and decorates the tree, another hangs the garland around the house. You have little children, they can set things up like the nativity scene, the Menorah, or unity candles for Kwanza, anything that is safe for them to do. No glassware type stuff and only if they can handle it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For cooking, you can have a potluck if you have extended family. You provide the meats and main stuff while you have someone bring in the side dishes. See how that works. If you are sending out cards, one person can address the cards while the other can sign the cards.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In between all of that hustle and bustle, rest, take in a movie night with your family. See other decorations or have story time with the kids. Do not forget some coupling times as well. It is more important to be with family then to plan for the annual holiday party at your house. Have a family get together with the kids. My family gets together on Christmas Eve, have our main dinner, maybe open one present (save the rest for in the morning), and have movie night of whatever is on Netflix or Hulu. Not sure about this year since mom and dad are asked to do the reading of the final advent candle at church, but we will make it work.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This concludes this series on making the holidays work without the stress. Please check out <a href="https://patricialogan.blogspot.com/2018/12/motivational-monday-holiday-prep-or-how.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">part 1</a> on My Ambiance Life and part 2 on P. Lynne Designs blogs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Until then, my Peace come upon the Earth and have fun. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-24884181133582330392018-10-23T06:00:00.000-04:002019-04-27T04:43:05.262-04:00Your Food is Ready for Delivery<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0HRw4FudrPZuu2yCe0ffFiosjtMuB_hATqz-R3jo2M0hE86f6vk8_Hkw2JWO5N7vHFY0MyS6mPnx3vP6RqgJl9R7xEFf0BnJi2TeH1ZYIg2y0miAabtcsMc6mRRnBs8-JlYyEryX-irWj/s1600/Your+food+is+ready+for+Delivery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0HRw4FudrPZuu2yCe0ffFiosjtMuB_hATqz-R3jo2M0hE86f6vk8_Hkw2JWO5N7vHFY0MyS6mPnx3vP6RqgJl9R7xEFf0BnJi2TeH1ZYIg2y0miAabtcsMc6mRRnBs8-JlYyEryX-irWj/s320/Your+food+is+ready+for+Delivery.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(c) 2018 by Various Websites such as Shipt, Amazon, Walmart, <br />
Blue Apron, and unknown restaurant.<br />
Photos Arranged by P. Lynne Designs</td></tr>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Disclaimer: I have links to many of the services you will see on in this post that I may or may not receive a small commission. The commission helps me with maintaining this blog and other business things. I like to inform readers of these services and you are not obligated to make a purchase. Thank you<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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A few years ago, I wrote in my blog, Simply Organized Crafts, an article on home meal prep services. At the time, I was a willing participant of <a href="https://www.blueapron.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blue Apron</a> (not sponsored). By willing participant, I bought the service with my own money. The blog post was not a sponsored post, and I did a review on what I thought about it. I also did a product review on my YouTube channel. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-im462lk3zM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">You can watch it here</a>. The reason I loved Blue Apron (and other home meal services) was the convenience of having to prepare a meal, delivered to your home, and you do not have to go out or hunt down the ingredients at an international food store which you are not familiar with. You get a hot meal with your family which you actually cooked, and you get to spend time at the dinner table. This is something that experts say we no longer make time to do anymore. The food is fresh, and it can make time for couples and or families to share together a hot meal. From there came grocery store home delivery services.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "chaparral pro light" , serif;">Grocery Store Delivery<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Grocery stores looked at this and felt that people no longer wanted to shop in their stores, especially when Amazon offers food delivery services, and with the acquisition of Whole Foods, other chains were starting to feel the pinch of fewer shoppers to their stores. So, they started delivering food to homes as well. Companies like:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.peapod.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peapod</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.shipt.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shipt</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.gianteagle.com/in-store-services/curbside-express" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Curbside</a> (by Giant Eagle)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://grocery.walmart.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Walmart</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.kroger.com/topic/clicklist" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kroger Grocery Delivery</a> (formally known as Clicklist) <o:p></o:p></div>
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Started popping up for home grocery delivery, turning the dreadful grocery shopping trip into a wonderful experience. Just think, you go to an app on your smartphone, pick out the items listed, select how many you need, and put it in your virtual shopping cart. Two seconds later, you are in virtual checkout mode, paying for groceries via debit or credit card (sorry, not available for those with an EBT/Snap card). A personal shopper is picking out your groceries and other items and getting them prep for pickup by you or delivered to your location of choice. How convenient is that concept?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "chaparral pro light" , serif;">Restaurants want some love too.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Since I no longer have the blog, I cannot refer you to the post on home grocery or home meal prep, but that is not the point to this post. I am here to talk to you about the convenience of coming home, too tired to cook, and having a hot, delicious meal delivered to your home by your favorite restaurant faster than you can say, “pizza!”. This service was started by the concept of delivering pizza and has grown to include steak, cakes, bubble tea, and even sushi for starters. Services like Grub Hub, Door Dash, and others have made it fun to eat out, and the best part is you get to stay at home, warm and comfy in fall and winter months with your family. Even Uber is getting into the act. Not only do they deliver people to their destinations, but they will also deliver your food as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I started using Uber Eats a few months ago. I was bogged down with working and too tired to cook. Actually, I was close to running out of my monthly stash, and I wanted something different. I ordered a dish from a local Italian street food place called <a href="https://mypiada.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Piada</a>, and order a bowl dish and some cannoli chips with a spread for dipping. I paid by debit card, including the delivery fee of $4.99, and in 20 minutes, I was eating my meal and continued working. The last time I used it was 2 days ago when I ordered a Poke Salad (not very good) and some Thai Iced Tea with Ginger in it (it was very good). My total was $13.00 for the meal, plus a delivery fee charge of $6.99, making the total, $21.99. The difference between the two delivery charges depends on the distance between the eating place and your home. In other words, mileage for the driver. Could I have gotten up and driven the place? Yes, I could have, but once again, I was bogged down with work, and having no time to cook.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "chaparral pro light" , serif;">I Need Some Backup For my Claims…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Certainly, I am not the only one who uses these services. Yesterday, I asked my Facebook friends if they have ever used a restaurant delivery service like Grub Hub, Door Dash, or Uber Eats, and out of 1,080 friends, I got 3 answers. A friend uses it at least once a week, another only use it for pizza, and the last friend uses it by ordering and picking it up herself, while a family member uses it for pizza only. She also mentions that she mostly cooks and take out (which is where all of this originated from) is very rare in her home. I also asked if it affects the family dynamic by not cooking together and the last person who answered my question said that it does not matter if the meal is home cooked or not, what’s important is the family sits down for a meal together.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "chaparral pro light" , serif;">Family Matters<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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I happen to agree with my friend. We need to sit down to eat together as a family, no matter where you are; no phones or computers, sit down and have a conversation with your children, your spouse or partner, a roommate, your parents, or anyone who is living with you. A person does not need to feel like a guest in their own home. During this time, play a game called, Catch-up. In this game, the rules are very simple. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Ask the people around the table how their day was before the meal was prepared or delivered. You do not have to ask for report cards, reprimand a child for not taking out the trash, or ask a spouse where the water bill was $200 this month. This is a time of peace, good conversation, and a hot meal. Enjoy each other, and the only rule is to leave the electronics where they are. No phone conversation, no texting, no playing the latest game, and no scheduling of play dates, hair and nail appointments, or in my case, business appointments. If there has to be a problem to be solved, do not come to the table mad, explain in a calm, peaceful way, and listen with intention. Do not criticize the person in need and do not belittle them. It is not easy for them to come to you in the first place. If you must correct people, especially children, do it in a calm, peaceful manner. I am not trying to tell you how to parent, but if you want a peaceful time to eat and enjoy a meal, this is not the time to yell and scream at a person. The world is stressful enough without making dinnertime a place of stress as well. Not only that, it does nothing for the digestive system when you are trying to eat, and you tense up due to stress at the table.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "chaparral pro light" , serif;">Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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There are some many ways of getting hot meals today. This includes cooking the traditional way (going to the grocery store to pick up what your heart desires or have it delivered, and sling pots and pans), home meal kits (prepare a meal based on a recipe and ingredients, handpicked by a company, delivered to your home, and slinging pots and pans for a delicious meal); or order in (restaurant prepares the food and you either pick it up or have it delivered to your home). It is not a new concept. Even fast food eating places are getting into the act. You can order McDonald's, Wendy’s, or White Castle from the comfort of your own home and have a company like Uber Eats deliver it there. Some call it lazy while others call it convenience. I am on the side of convenience. Some people cannot cook, nor do they want to. I have also done the traditional, “order pizza in, skip the lines to get a table.” I do have one delivery service, who I do not recommend, but only because the delivery fee was $36.00. I cannot remember the name of the service, but for the same meal from the same restaurant I was ordering from, the delivery could have been $6.99, the same fee as the one I ordered from two days ago. (they are within a block from each other). This is the only thing that I have to ask you to watch, the delivery fee. Ask yourself before you put in your debit or credit card number if the food and the delivery fee worth it, especially if you are on a budget. It may be more convenient for you to drive over and pick it up or not order at all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Also remember, it is not if the food was cooked by you or Mickey D’s (McDonald’s), what matters is family, and it is more important that you spend time with them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I want to thank my three Facebook friends for answering my question, Friday. I will have more questions to help me with future blog posts later on, and I do not have to mention your name unless you want me too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You have a blessed day.<o:p></o:p></div>
Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-15438877673911075072018-08-08T06:00:00.000-04:002019-04-27T04:44:27.911-04:00As Summer ends and School Begins.<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-mNN_GOUKbWjzxOEy6BU8NEC-U2pX7ojZO8wXjVNbz0jNS_KWbv6WiowcA8ag5Aty0jRTp3D7-qdKwKraw1mGjcqqG27vu7uhaQoWpL-wsJCpBO04fy46iq9hAqr3IpTQ4xDATaeWuqy/s1600/Walmart+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-mNN_GOUKbWjzxOEy6BU8NEC-U2pX7ojZO8wXjVNbz0jNS_KWbv6WiowcA8ag5Aty0jRTp3D7-qdKwKraw1mGjcqqG27vu7uhaQoWpL-wsJCpBO04fy46iq9hAqr3IpTQ4xDATaeWuqy/s320/Walmart+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, these look like they could be a bargain,<br />
but check again. The photo was taken at local Walmart<br />
by P.Lynne Designs</td></tr>
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This is the second post I have started. The first one has already posted. I have not looked at the views. Perhaps, it will go viral, or not. I am not going to wrap my brain around it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What I am going to try to wrap my head around is the fact that it’s that time again. What do I mean by that? If you are a parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle, you know that time. It is time for back to school shopping. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now for some, the school year blends into one seamless motion, otherwise known as “All Year” School. It is when the kids go to school from January-December, taking the usual spring and winter breaks, but take 1-3 weeks off for summer break. This allows parents to take the iconic family vacation but also allows them to work normally, without finding a babysitter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For others, it is the traditional, “September-June” or now the “August-May” School year. 10 months of studying and learning, followed by 2 months of a family vacation, summer camp, summer school, while parents find the babysitter. Most babysitters charge enough that you need a small loan to pay for them. Do not forget the local neighborhood pool, theme parks, and family outings. (Personally, I do not like saying “picnic” because of the origins of the word, please search for it.).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVSj7IpzXURY6PjKlzVboDANDB4x7z5XhO6Pakw5dSzNIo1DZ7Dr1QBfHVG16D0vevyMffToV2hxYYDqARlRRcgzsjOTosk-xNpuquv5zFeAwrpDPHUUhRn2KrN7lC9CieTyw2reuaSG_/s1600/walmart+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVSj7IpzXURY6PjKlzVboDANDB4x7z5XhO6Pakw5dSzNIo1DZ7Dr1QBfHVG16D0vevyMffToV2hxYYDqARlRRcgzsjOTosk-xNpuquv5zFeAwrpDPHUUhRn2KrN7lC9CieTyw2reuaSG_/s320/walmart+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shorts are now on clearance at Walmart<br />
Photo taken by P.Lynne Designs</td></tr>
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Summer is also the time when we go shopping for back to school, and this is the main topic for this post. As a child, I used to love going “back to school” shopping. I have never won a uniform, so my parents did not have to deal with that. OK, I did, the gym uniform. I remember we have two choices: a white blouse with navy blue shorts or a unitard (combo top and shorts). I always choose the white top and shorts because I had bladder issues and was afraid that if I played hard enough, I would not get out of the unitard in time to go, and you know what happens when you don’t. I can now rock a mean onesie though. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Anyway, I would have in mind what I wanted mom to get, and that was when the small but stern fights in the store would begin, but my sister was the worse. She would walk around the store half the time with her lip poked out. Mom would finally give in to something we really wanted. She had no problems with my brother. He agreed to everything mom would put in the cart. (suck up, LOL). <o:p></o:p></div>
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Side note: My parents raised my oldest nephew. One year, my nephew, who is now 22, wanted everything Pokémon, including underwear, and got it. I guess as a grandmother, you do things differently for your grands then you do for your children. <o:p></o:p></div>
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School supplies were my thing. The latest notebooks, binders, planners, pens, and pencils. You name it, and I wanted it. This past weekend was “no tax” day, and once again, I missed it. It is a good way to save while trying to shop for clothes, supplies, and all things, school.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have some tips on how to shop for school.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal">When they get out for the year, rather your child goes to a private, public, private-public (otherwise known as a charter school), pre-K, college-bound, or whatever, please do an inventory check when they get out. My mom did this for a while, and it saves dollars, which is what we want. Have your child give you their unused supplies and look through them. If there is anything they can use for the start of the new school year, use it. Unless it is a new school (5<sup>th</sup> grade transitioning to middle school; high school to college), it is not really cost effective if you buy 5 new spiral notebooks and have 5 unused ones sitting at home. Same with pens, pencils, and other stuff. <o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Get your child’s supply list from their school and stick to it especially in high school. There may be a particular brand that is more cost-effective than that $5 notebook your child has been eyeing. If they really want that notebook, have them save for it, buy it themselves, but use it at home.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Catch all the sales. Staples and other stores are good around this time of year for school supplies. At the same time, they may issue limits on the number of supplies you can get in each category (ex: Buy 3, get 2 free with a purchase of $50 or more). Reading the fine lines of a sale will prevent the “I did not know” when you get to the checkout.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">If you can shop without your child, do so. While it is nice to get your child a toy every time you shop for supplies and clothes, it can add up. Plus, a child may have everything by the time the holidays roll around. Save a headache and the extra bucks by not taking children with you.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">If you must take them, please explain to them why you are going to the store and this trip is a “no toy” trip. Stick to that. By “no toy” means you are not getting anything extra either (that new book you have been dying to read or that top and it is on sale). You need to set an example for your child. This goes for the spouse as well.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Big name stores are not the only source for shopping and discounts around this time of year. Mom and pop stores (otherwise known as small businesses) will have some deals as well. Take a look around these stores, who may have a bigger discount than you think. The rewards include getting on their mailing list and being the first to shop before the mainstream public can shop the latest collections. You may also find that one-of-a-kind piece that would look good on your little one (or big one). Also, a lot of these stores are handmade items, sewn by the owner, no middle person involved in the process. This is one thing I have a personal testament to because I own a stationery company. The only people I pay at the moment are my wholesale suppliers for my materials. I do not have any fancy machinery to maintain, just my computer and die cutting machines. The money I make goes towards the things I need, like supplies, paying my business bills, and maintaining my household. Other business owners are paying for their child’s dance lessons, or just getting by. I will touch on why prices are so high for handmade business products in another post.<o:p></o:p></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUnLPpxsPIzNOqMZT5mOcPR5sRaeHP7sjNrfYYx_rlhdDtlq3jpvLWTVZxkvcrwhS8oKLtO74Ov3MlFBJXzz29grVYIZoElA0mYE3Y9c94T8tZl9GUEEje3GZFGQVa8OducJyDjlskCTw/s1600/Walmart+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUnLPpxsPIzNOqMZT5mOcPR5sRaeHP7sjNrfYYx_rlhdDtlq3jpvLWTVZxkvcrwhS8oKLtO74Ov3MlFBJXzz29grVYIZoElA0mYE3Y9c94T8tZl9GUEEje3GZFGQVa8OducJyDjlskCTw/s320/Walmart+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking for a good backpack<br />
The photo was taken at a local Walmart<br />
By P. Lynne Designs</td></tr>
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<li class="MsoNormal">Use online stores too. I know there is a huge debate about this topic so I will make it brief: if it saves you time and money, order online. Do not order because everyone is doing it. If there is a cheaper price at a traditional store than an online store (after all, you are paying Shipping and Handling and now sale tax for these items), use your gas and go shopping. If you do not have the time to go, and you can get that item from Amazon in 2 hours or less, and you save money, shop online. <o:p></o:p></li>
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There is no right way to go shopping. Everyone needs to have a back to school budget, and how you maintain that the budget is up to you. Find bargains, discounts, and institute a few routines along the way will make a smooth transition into the new school year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now I am issuing a disclaimer, which should have been at the beginning of this post: I cannot help you out with your child’s grades during the year. I can issue pointers, but if your little Einstein refuses to study with all that stuff you saved to get, then the best advice I can give you is start taking away the electronics. That should get their attention. Have a great start to a new school year, and God bless you. <o:p></o:p></div>
Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-69430660354905179672018-06-13T06:00:00.000-04:002019-04-27T04:45:46.207-04:00Planning to Shop for Your Room<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4zQJQCBaAzsyVN0pZz_gXYvRivtl-Wf20LquTdjo3RCH_FIFiexAeU9AZUfkJUDV9UTfr4tAniBypuvnlMhyphenhyphenOF_zlZ_NeNQ4DTdAga_3lDGOHJmNz6Mc-Cl-SjaxezZ3t8PSU8D0GL5j/s1600/Planning+to+shop+For+Your+Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Planning to Shop for Your Room" border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="581" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4zQJQCBaAzsyVN0pZz_gXYvRivtl-Wf20LquTdjo3RCH_FIFiexAeU9AZUfkJUDV9UTfr4tAniBypuvnlMhyphenhyphenOF_zlZ_NeNQ4DTdAga_3lDGOHJmNz6Mc-Cl-SjaxezZ3t8PSU8D0GL5j/s320/Planning+to+shop+For+Your+Room.jpg" title="Shopping trip in your home" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by P. Lynne Designs</td></tr>
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In my previous blog post, I started talking about the art of organizing your room, by first decluttering to get rid of the stuff. I also mentioned that recycling it the best way to go, and you can do that by re-purposing or make someone else happy with it. You can also toss it if torn beyond repair. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Once you are done with decluttering, you can determine this, start organizing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Main Thing that Needs to be Organized… <o:p></o:p></div>
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My craft room is a hot mess. I can work in it, but I need to put things in drawers, shelves, and make cubbyholes (more on that in a moment). <o:p></o:p></div>
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My craft room is actually the dining room. I decided when I moved in that it was to be a home office, and then the crafts started coming downstairs. One. At. A. Time. Soon my computer table doubled as a crafting room/filming room/eating room (because I like to eat while I work). My dining table got pushed up towards the sliding door, making that the eating area. My living room became this mixture of living room/storage area for the crafts and baskets. Yes, this is my bottom half of the condo.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Make a plan<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is one of the first things I do when getting ready to organize a space. Using my Craftroom as an example, I am going to go through this process. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Determine what is the space is being used for. Even if you are remodeling the area, writing down this is part of your plans for this space helps you focus on what needs to go in that space. In my case, this space will still be a craft room/home office. Since I have occupants, this is the only space to put it. Before, I could have transferred it to my second bedroom.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Make a detailed plan for what this space is used for. Why did I repeat what I just said? Because sometimes, people are funny in saying, “I am making a craft room, and turn it into a laundry room. So, my detailed plan for my room is to “make and product crafts for myself and others (both paid and gifts), writing (freelance and blog post), stationery products, and to relax on the computer at the end of the day”. Now, experts say that you cannot relax in the same room you work in. I do not have that luxury to do what the experts say, even before the occupants. Why? Because my second bedroom was not set up that way, and when the new carpet was put in 2013, I tried to get my parents (who are the owners of the condo) to see it that way, but they talked me out of it. My mom said that I would not like it. At the time, I could keep the security system on, and I would have more walls. Do not listen to others when you know what’s right. Make these plans, ask people what they think, but it up to you to make that decision. You have lived with that decision unless you have money to blow, and I do not think that most of us have that decision.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Work with your favorites<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->What are your favorite stores? What stores speak to you. This is a general question to answer. My favorites are (keep in mind that most are U.S. based stores):<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Target. That bullseye gets me all the time. I love the layout and the prices (when they are on sale). You can find bargains if know where to look.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>i.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Ikea. I know it is now a United States based store, but I feel like it. The store with the funny sounding name and brands that you need a translator for has gotten me with their prices (yesterday I walked out with 7 items under $20). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Any craft store like Hobby Lobby, Joanne’s, or Michaels. You know I craft, but in the last few years, the craft stores have been increasing in Home décor and organizational items. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Walmart. I do not like them then the way I used to when they sold Cricut machines, but for home décor and organizational items, I still love them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->d.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The Container Store.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->e.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Amazon. Enough said.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Go online, not to the store. All the stores I mentioned above are online, so go online to shop, but put them in Wishlist form. Go wild, but not too wild. Still, check prices, but places like Amazon will tell you when the price has gone down, increased, or go on sale when you register to get notices.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Now go Shopping. With list in hand, go to the brick and mortar store (yes even with the Amazon list), check to see if that same item can be purchased for less. You may find a better price. Sometimes it is higher. Sometimes they may beat the competitor’s pricing. You will never know until you go. Take your budget with you. Do not buy anything with a credit card, if you do not have to. Debit cards are different.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Takeaway moment: Just like in the My Ambiance Life blog, I will give you a summary or little bit of takeaway moments. This takeaway moment is brought to you by the words “plan and shop”. (Sorry for the Sesame Street take on it).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal">Plan your organization. Know what the room is used for and why is it being used that way. Plan your furniture and other things to go into the room. Now is a good time to plan your budget.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Shop. Pick your favorite store. One store I forgot to mention is your own home. You may already have a piece of furniture that might look better in the room you are organizing than another room. It saves you time and money. Go online and make a wish list. Finally, go shopping WITH YOUR LIST AND BUDGET. <o:p></o:p></li>
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Once you do all of that, you are ready to get to organizing and decorating. Good luck.<o:p></o:p></div>
Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-67214067700914393482018-06-11T06:00:00.000-04:002019-04-27T04:46:54.652-04:00Decluttering the Home<div class="MsoNormal">
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Hello, and welcome to my first official post of this newly named blog, At Home with Tricia's Baskets. I had to decide on which direction Tricia’s Baskets needed to go, and with much prayer, crying, pouting, and submission (which most religions including Christianity practice, and should practice daily), I have concluded (with God’s help of course) that I have come too far with this blog to just put it down. Even though the company let me down and I have decided an exit date if the company comes back before then (June 30<sup>th</sup>, which also marks the end of the selling season, July 1<sup>st</sup> starts the new one), I should press on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have outlined in the previous post the plans for At Home with Tricia's Baskets, which may go through changes with the new blog, such as a platform change, so far, I am satisfied in the direction I am going.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Let me shut up about these changes and get to the real reason behind this particular post.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>My home has changed…</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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When I was writing Simply Organized Crafts, I had mentioned that I live in a condo for one. Since that time, I have acquired tenants who live with me. They are my nephew (22), his girlfriend (20), and a cute cat, named Gizmo. So, the home now has 4 occupants. When you have other people living in your house, especially after living alone for over 16 years (2 apartments and this place), adjustments need to be made. I had to ask myself these questions:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->How long are they staying? My nephew and girlfriend arrived in August 2017, and they were camped out on my living room sofa. Not good. I moved them into my second bedroom after it was apparent that they were not trying to find an apartment. He was in between jobs, she was not working at the time, and my father told my nephew that he can move back home, but not the girlfriend. Guess who got them? I would have to say the only problem has been switching cars when one of us has to leave. I am only allowed 2 spaces; one in the garage and one directly behind, all other vehicles associated with this condo have to park in the overflow parking. The cat came later. Adjusting to a cat (and the occasional dog visits by his other pet, a mini-husky mix name Strype) has been challenging since I have no pets. So far, it has been 7 months.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->What is the purpose of them not finding any other lodging? No money. They stayed in a hotel for a week, so they had to come here. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Exit date of Casa De Patricia? Who knows, but a friend of mine told me last Sunday that I have to give them a date, and she is right. I have been too soft on them. I am left babysitting the cat (she is under my feet as I type this), and I need to get stuff out of the corner near the stairs. So, if you have this problem, give your guests a date to exit Casa De (insert name here), and remind them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The kitchen is pretty much well taken care of. The girlfriend organized it herself, I just have to put things where I need it when they leave. For now, it stays. The living room can use a little touchup, with my stuff in the corner from the second bedroom, as well as the bookcase that I may put in my bedroom. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Let's Get Started </b></div>
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I would like to show you how to organize your room. We will start with decluttering, and in the next post, I will tackle how to plan and shop for your room, this includes shopping in your own home to save money and time. In the last post, I will show you how to organize what you bought so you will not have to organize in this manner but every 5 years or when you move. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Decluttering the stuff<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am organizing my craft room. You may be decluttering the closet, something else that I am doing, but for this post, I will use my craft room as an example. I have been decluttering this room, slowly. Keep in mind some things when you are decluttering:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Can I still use it (wear it)? Does it have holes that should not be? If so toss if it is not usable. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Do you want it or need it? If you can still use it, by all means, use it. Set a date, say “a year from now, if I am not using this pink cardstock, I need to repurpose it by giving it to someone who needs it.” This need could be again, donate it to a school or nursing home, or sell it. Find a place to put it for now. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Donate. As mentioned before, if you cannot use it, donate it to someone who can. Your donations are taxable at the end of the year, and someone can always use it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->4)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Sell it. If it is in excellent (never used) to gently used condition, you can always sell it. I have run into a lot of and belong to many destashing groups on Facebook and other social media sites. Some are specific groups (like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/139560356246678/">Rubber and Clear-Mount Stamps: Sell, Buy, or Swap Group</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/819755314709007/">Columbus buy, sell, trade</a>), brand specific (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/951845858177751/">Longaberger ISO (In Search Of)</a>) or generalized (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/DestashDivas/">Destash Divas</a>). Be sure to check the rules of each group BEFORE you join, introduce yourself, and you may get something that you are looking for or have someone to take that 50 spools of Persian White yarn off your hands. Also, be sure to use the Facebook Marketplace if you are not up to joining any groups. Name your price and prepare to negotiate down your price (rather stick to that price), especially if you need some room for new stuff. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->5)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->If joining groups are not your thing, or you are not on anything social media sites, the best way to go is to sell your stuff on eBay. Keep in mind that once your stuff sells, Ebay takes a percentage of that sale (3% and up depending on the item and how much it sells for). You can always use Craig’s List, Amazon (providing that it is current items), or if you are totally off the internet Grid, an old-fashion yard sale. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Make sure your items are good-quality items (no junky stuff)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->b.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Make sure your prices are well-noted in the listings (on the item if you are having a yard sale). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->c.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->If you are listing your item as an auction, be sure to have a good starting price. This means that this is the price that you will accept as the minimum price. It could go higher. I would also list it for a week. Any longer, and people who have your item on their watch list will grow tired and will take it off their watch list. In other words, make them want it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->d.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Ship small items through the post office, larger Items through either FedEx or UPS. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->e.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->GET A PAYPAL ACCOUNT. I cannot stress that enough. If you do not get paid (and I recommend that you receive payment before shipping), or if the money is shady, you can dispute a claim. Same thing if you pay by Paypal, and you do not receive your item. They will work to get your money or refund on your behalf.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->6)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Trash. Yes, there are times when you keep something, thinking that you can fix it. Sometimes that does not get done. If you can get a new one, trash the old one. You had good intentions, but nope, trash it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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These are some of my recommendations for getting rid of your clutter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Your takeaway:</b> </div>
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I want you to have the best-organized home, but it is going to take time, patience, and strength to purge the items you no longer want and need, and to give to someone or to toss. Once that you get rid of those items for either reason, you have more room to put the things that you treasure the most, and you will gain space that you never knew you had in the first place. I have only touched the surface of getting your home or room organized. Next, we will talk about shopping, including shopping in your own home to organize that space. This is also part of recycling pieces once used to hold your discarded stuff. You will find that piece of advice in the next post, titled “Plan to Shop for your room”.<o:p></o:p></div>
Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-29608273815803496982018-06-09T06:00:00.000-04:002018-06-25T12:33:03.192-04:00Announcement: Career Change<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making a Career Change<br />
Image by P.Lynne Designs</td></tr>
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Hello, and Welcome to At Home with Tricia’s Baskets and the first day of June.<o:p></o:p></div>
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From time to time, I will be making announcements on my blogs and on my YouTube channel. I do not like being in the dark on changes, and I am sure you do not like them either.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This announcement comes on the heels of what I have been dealing with the whole month of May. As you may have seen on the news and on social media, the owners of Longaberger made an announcement that Longaberger has ceased operations due to a number of things that I will not address on this blog, nor on my Facebook Pages, Tricia’s Baskets-Longaberger and At Home with Tricia’s Baskets. The reason being that they are dealing with a lot of legal issues, some which I, as part of the sales field, are not privy to seeing, until the owners are able to talk about it to us about it. I have been going through so many emotions about this, even some that my friends and family do not know about. I am going to leave it at that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It will be a month since they made this announcement on May 5, and if sometime in the near future they are able to reopen and resume operations, I will not be continuing with them. This decision was hard, and I only have one customer who may be affected by the company not able to complete her order. It was an order in August 2017, and before my website shut down yesterday, I was able to conclude that since there was still an extended order on two the items she asked for. I will try to contact her to see if she received them, if not, then she can dispute the order with the credit card company and get a refund on the items not received. This gesture would probably be my last as a Longaberger consultant. I will inform my upline, Marilyn of that decision before June 30<sup>th</sup>, which would have been the last day of the current selling season. I do want to remain friends with her.<o:p></o:p></div>
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June 30 also ends my run in the direct selling industry for now. It has been a good 18 years total. During this time, I was also a Tastefully Simple consultant and a Your Inspiration at Home consultant (a sister company to Longaberger). I had fun, made new friends, new customers who are also friends. It has been a wonderful ride. My life is changing to a new industry…. The stationery industry, the crafting industry, and Freelance writing. With these industries, I am able to touch more lives, and expand then being just a consultant with an established company, should Longaberger reopen. I feel like I need to explore this, which I had the company, P. Lynne Designs since 2010. You can read about it sometime, not in this blog.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This was the whole reason for me to change this blog from what it was, which was an all Longaberger blog. Now it is including other decorating companies, some home life, family (including pets and singlehood), and travel. I hope to make it better than the three blogs I had before (Tricia’s Baskets, Simply Organized Crafts, and Traveling to the Mouse’s House). I hope you will enjoy it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here’s to the new blog, full of wonderment, shiny, and new.<o:p></o:p></div>
Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-33346760987412917062018-05-17T06:00:00.000-04:002018-06-25T12:35:15.757-04:00Changes are coming to this blog<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9w5HMT8qawzbxvTw-0BMi4Ff26-lGqYiSbMAoGR8GmC55_FJ5QMFptjaO_SEQr5Bh7B659DjohS9GfY_DczYUkAjMV3xhNkuZW2lPIZE_hYuEN88n4py0B9_tjFlSGM-KNc7j0yLB_5M/s1600/Changes+are+coming+to+this+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Changes are coming to this blog" border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="260" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9w5HMT8qawzbxvTw-0BMi4Ff26-lGqYiSbMAoGR8GmC55_FJ5QMFptjaO_SEQr5Bh7B659DjohS9GfY_DczYUkAjMV3xhNkuZW2lPIZE_hYuEN88n4py0B9_tjFlSGM-KNc7j0yLB_5M/s200/Changes+are+coming+to+this+blog.jpg" title="redirection" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many Choices<br />
Copyright @2018 The<br />
Longaberger Company</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hello, and welcome to the new At Home with Tricia's Baskets. It has been over a year since we talked, and I do apologize for being absent. I decided to revamp this blog for several reasons, but first, I want to explain briefly why I have not blogged in that time span.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1)<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I have been blogging. Not here. For those who follow me in social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube), know that I have my rounds as a crafter, writer, graphic designer, influencer, and now YouTuber. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2)<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I have restarted my YouTube Channel (never really left) but finding content for all my blogs and a YouTube channel has been challenging that I am willing to take.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3)<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">My family and I have had some health challenges in 2017.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4)<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, as of May 4, 2018, I am faced with an uncertain future as an Independent Home Consultant with The Longaberger Company. As of this writing, I still do not know what’s up, and the news that you are hearing is of a temporary closing. I will not know until they (the owners) send me an official email of what is the current and future status of The Longaberger Company. I know that I am angry that we (the sales field) was not better prepared, but an email is better than finding out when you place an order that your website was closed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The last statement is what got me to see if I closed this blog or not. I know I had downloaded a copy of every post written by me, in the form of a single file, so that I could purge this blog. I am so glad that I forgot to do it, as I discovered 3 days ago. </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, what is next for Tricia’s Baskets?</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The last statement also had me thinking, “what if Longaberger closed its doors for good?” Surely, everyone will find out through the news media, rather you are an employee of the company or part of the sales force getting that official email or a customer who has ordered from their consultant in the past, or visited Longaberger’s headquarters (Big Basket, Homestead, or their new place in Dresden, Ohio). I want more from this blog than showing you how to decorate with or to buy Longaberger products. There is so much information on decorating for your home, and I showed that to anyone who read my now closed Simply Organized Crafts blog. I also showed you lifestyles for family living, as well as travel tips. I want to transfer that knowledge to this blog.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I want to Introduce you to <i>At Home with Tricia’s Baskets</i></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the last post under the name, Tricia’s Baskets. I am not getting rid of talking about Longaberger either. The blog is getting a new name and a niche upgrade. It will also be a little less “sales”, meaning I will not be placing sales flyers in every corner. I think that is what turned people off from engaging in the posts and not fully reading them. If a product is on sale, I will only provide a link to the article, and maybe say something like “Featured in this post”. Something like that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In addition to the way I present Longaberger products (if and when the company is fully back in business), I will also feature their sister companies as well. I am no longer “Just a Longaberger product” consultant. There are Tomboy Tools (tools made specifically for women’s hands), and Paperly (paper products, such as notepads, clipboards, business cards, and more). I will also talk about decorating on a budget, especially with products from Ikea, Dollar Tree, Target, At Home, The Container Store, and Walmart as examples. I will also include Amazon when it applies to what I am talking about. I will include online coupon codes, but only if it applies to the post I am writing. I will not have it as a weekly feature. Finally, I will talk about travel, but since I do not travel every month, it will feature some tips like, “what to pack for a cruise”, “How to plan for your family vacation”, or even some Disney Tips and tricks. This is just a sampling of what is possible for this change.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I cannot do this alone…</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This blog is for you the reader. I gave you my ideas and I want to hear from you. I want this to be a place where you can get some tips, some tricks, and trends. I will do my best to give you information on what is trending, but on a budget-friendly scale. Not everyone can afford to Rose Gold everything, but by just having 1-2 pieces to start with, and when you can afford to get more, get the pieces within your budget. This is an example of the advice I would present to you each week and your tip for this week. I also do hauls and starting “Come with Me” videos on my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/patriciallogan">YouTube Channel</a>, but it is not enough.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I want you to make suggestions. If there is something that you have seen or want me to do, tell me in the comments area below each post. You can even make these suggestions on my YouTube channel.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, it is nice o be back, I wish it was on happier terms with concerns with The Longaberger Company, but I have faith that whatever happens with the company, there would be a reason for the decisions made, and I trust God for it. If this company does continue, I will be continuing to be a consultant until June 2019. I will explain when the time comes. </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Until then, it is time to revamp a blog. Talk to you later.</span></span></div>
Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-24731726033778449172013-06-13T06:00:00.000-04:002013-06-17T01:17:53.672-04:00Need a vacation? I hope so.Today of all days, I was just thinking about the goals I
have planned this year. It is close to the end of the year for me and my
colleagues at Longaberger, and it is time to think about the annual convention.
These are the things I am thinking about:<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"> My
sales <o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Sales
of my friends.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Sales
that my cousin should be earning.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">New
products I will get to see.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">What
products will be retiring? <o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">What
products will be staying on, but will get their fall color on them? <o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"> New
recruits that may be coming my way? <o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Hawaii (Incentive
Trip) and Walt Disney World (Family Trip)<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
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Some of the things that happened that were good in my
business this year (July 2012-June 2013): <o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I made $5,200 in sales, and will get a ribbon.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Made new friends while working at the Jeffersonville
Longaberger at Home store and Homestead.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Being able to make some cards to sell during the
silent auction at the team’s Horizon of Hope luncheon in October, and knowing
that the proceeds will go to a worthy cause. (There will be one in October
2013 as well)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> <a href="http://www.longaberger.com/patricialogan/joinme" target="_blank">
</a></span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><a href="http://www.longaberger.com/patricialogan/joinme" target="_blank">Signing up</a> my cousin to sell Longaberger. </span></li>
</ul>
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....And so much more<o:p></o:p></div>
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Of all the things that I think about during that course of a
fiscal year in the business, it gives me joy when I can make a difference in
someone's life, no matter how great or how small. I look at the little
things in life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So maybe you have been thinking about this business and you
wonder, "What’s in it for me?" I will honestly say that I do
not know what this business will bring for you if you sign up, but I do know
this: <o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Maybe you are looking for something new to do in
your life. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Maybe you are looking for something new to place
in your home or office, but you do not have enough money to make that purchase.
You will earn a commission to do whatever it is you want to do, including
buying product and perhaps earn <a href="http://www.longaberger.com/patricialogan/joinme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free products</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Maybe you do not know about Longaberger but
perhaps you are curious enough to give it a try.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The best way is to purchase an item or business
kit, and learn about the company and its products.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Perhaps you are trying to find a way to earn
extra money to pay off a few bills, get a new car because you need one, or to
take a vacation to anywhere, because you have never been on one in quite a
while.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Maybe you need a new friend in your life.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">At the bee, Longaberger’s convention for
consultants, you will meet tons of new people, all striving towards the same
goal or perhaps different goals.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">You always wanted to stay at home with your
child, but could not. If you are a single mom, you need to earn a second
income, without dealing with a second set of traffic, trying to get to that
second job, and missing more of your child growing up before your very eyes.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">This business is flexible enough to allow you
to work as many hours as you need or want to.</span></li>
</ul>
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Whatever the reason for you to try this business, know this….give
it a year, and if you are not satisfied, the Longaberger can always buy your
kit back. No questions asked, and I
will not beg you to stay. This business
is not for everyone, but someone always say, “Nothing beats a failure but a try.” I am not going to say it is going to be easy,
but if you do, you may get a vacation to Hawaii in March 2014, sooner than
later.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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These are my thoughts and I thank you for listening. If you want to try Longaberger, as a customer
or a consultant,<a href="mailto:plogan@columbus.rr.com" target="_blank"> let me know</a>. You have
nothing to lose.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-817187590000569671.post-77031409816857765022010-02-26T07:28:00.000-05:002010-02-26T07:28:19.074-05:00Hello and ...Welcome to my Basket site.<br />
<br />
This is my first entry on this site. I will bring you all ideas on how to decorate with Longabereger products, as well as entertainment tips and more. I started this long before this first entry. I have mentioned this business on my other blog, MDN Creates, newly named and already for my paper business. I can't wait to get started.<br />
<br />
First I want to give you a site for you to cruise to...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.longaberger.com/patricialogan">www.longaberger.com/patricialogan</a><br />
<br />
This is my website to where you can look and decide to make a purchase or if you in need of some extra money, to join my team.<br />
<br />
Now before you think that this is just another site to get you to purchase something. Think long and hard about it. Everyday, everyone it trying to sell something. For instance, did you know that every time you go for a job interview, you are trying to get an employer to hire you? That is a sale. How about when you were age 10, and you are trying to get your parents to let yopu go up the street to a new friend's house. That too is selling. We have been doing it all our lives, and you have no idea, that every idea, convencing the parents and teachers, as well as dates, and jobs are all based on this principle. another word for that is called marketing. You market yourself to get the job, the promotion, and the marriage to a long standing relationship.<br />
<br />
Still convinced that I am trying to sell you something. Yes, but what I am trying to let you see is the fun side of what I do. I love this business, because first of all, Longaberger makes good quality products, and they are so innovative with the creation new products. I will explain to more about that quality at a later time. what I want to talk to you about are bills. Everyone has them. with the recent change of the credit card industry, it is ntot safe to have a credit card any more, and many of you out there are probably just opened up your statement, and asked yourself where are you goting to get the extra money. You can always ask for a raise, but what if you do not have a job. If you can just pay down one bill at a time, would you do it? with Longaberger business, you can give yourself a raise, and pay off your bills, save up for a vacation, or a house.<br />
Just <span id="goog_1267184565001"></span><a href="http://www.longaberger.com/patricialogan/joinme">click<span id="goog_1267186375572"></span><span id="goog_1267186375573"></span> here <span id="goog_1267184565002"></span></a>to join my team.<br />
<br />
I will admit that selling is not for everyone, so if you are uncomfortable about being in front of others, or you are not sure if you like the products or the company, I will explain in my next post.<br />
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Well that is all for now. I will have more things for you to ponder. Have a good day, Keep in touch. God Bless You.Patricia Loganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16604008416380429859noreply@blogger.com0