A little of this, a little of that...

Just quick blogging today because my To Do List has grown due to the extra babysitting days this week. I refuse to fall behind!

Are you decluttering and donating items to charity? Here's a great FREE web site affiliated with Turbo Tax (though you don't have to use Turbo Tax) that let's you keep track of your donations, give them a tax deductible dollar value, and add it all up at the end of the tax year! Check out It'sDeductible online. My husband the accountant was excited about this one!

I'm really enjoying the Home Sanctuary blog. It really is my goal in life to make my home a sanctuary for myself, my husband, and our family and friends when they visit. Today's HS task: Check your first aid supplies and add necessary items to your shopping list. And she's right -- if my grandson falls down and scrapes up his knees, or my husband gets a case of the stomach flu -- I need to have the necessary supplies ready and accessible.

My Simpler Life's Decluttering Calendar (free online) task for today is: "Toss old food in one kitchen cabinet". I have to admit, this made me laugh out loud. She didn't mention when I'm supposed to take it back out -- on trash day, I suppose. Other than this small grammatical faux pas, it's worth downloading this Decluttering Calendar!!!

Joey the killer cat has a boo-boo on his eye. I imagine he had a run-in with another cat or a wild animal in the woods behind our house. This little guy (he's short and stubby) has the attitude of a lion in a teeny kitty body. I'll keep watch on the boo-boo, but haven't a clue on how to change the attitude.

Does your family have a patron saint? Ours does! About 10 years ago I sold books on the Internet (before Ebay put an end to the profits of that kind of business). I went to auctions and estate sales and bought books by the boxload and carload. My husband and I enjoyed bringing the books home and going through them one by one -- amazing what people leave in old books! We found money, photos, gorgeous old bookmarks, advertising pieces, handwritten letters and more. One day I bought a particularly good lot of books, with many profitable first editions (a first edition John Steinbeck with dust jacket!). As I was thumbing through the books, out popped a small black and white photo, and on the back was the name "Fortune". I knew I was going to make some good money on the books I'd bought, so I showed my husband the photo and said, "Fortune is smiling down on us." No sooner had I said it, than the phone rang. A national chain grocery store had their grand opening that day, and my name was drawn for their grand prize!

Since then, Fortune has been our patron saint, and sits on the bookcase amongst photos of family. Her poor photo is fading (I hope that's not prophetic), but she still holds a place of honor in our home. She's in the small silver frame. Those are my maternal grandparents in the larger frame.

Speaking of home, do yourself a favor and go to Tipper's blog Blind Pig and The Acorn and listen to her wonderful musical family! The music will get your foot tapping and the singing will make you smile, for sure.

Enjoy your day! I'm off to get things DONE!