Wow! What an interesting day. It started for me around 4 a.m. I woke up and just *could not* go back to sleep. So finally around 4:30 I got up and looked outside -- and took a picture. At that time I was still able to open my door all the way.
About 5:15 I got the call letting me know school was canceled. I went back to bed and managed to sleep off and on til about 7 when I just couldn't stay any longer.
Then I got up and started haunting the Swagbucks facebook page for the code extravaganza. That is pretty much all I did today. Between the codes, search wins, videos, sbtv, etc., I earned about 150 SBs - about what it would normally take me a few weeks to earn. 
I also read a couple of books.
It didn't stop snowing ALL DAY long. By about 1 pm this is what my front porch looked like --- I couldn't open it any wider!
I took a handful of snow and put it under Kari's nose -- she sniffed at it a bit, then turned and walked away. She didn't want anything to do with it!
Around 4, one of my co-workers came by with a shovel and shoveled off my front porch and around my car!! I thought that was so sweet -- since I don't have a shovel!! (or boots - both things I guess I'm going to need to rectify if I'm going to stay here very long.)
Around 6 I saw one of my coworkers post that school had been canceled for tomorrow too -- so I guess today started our Christmas vacation! I feel bad for the kids missing out on their parties/gifts (and I was looking forward to revealing myself to my giftee and finding out who my Secret Santa was ... oh well.)
We also missed out on the Christmas program tonight - the kids had worked so hard on it. 
I was told we'll probably do it when we get back in January - but it won't be quite the same.
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I haven't seen this much snow since I was a young teenager living in Minnesota! Even then, I don't remember getting this *much* snow all at once.
We had at least 5 instances of short power outages. I'm hoping and praying that that is all we'll have -- short bursts of power outage. I do have a gas stove I could *gasp* heat stuff on the old fashioned way if I absolutely *had* to. Just in case, I'm keeping my phone plugged in so it is charged 100% all the time. (not the smartest to do long term, but in the short term I don't think it will hurt it too much.)
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I was going over my posted goals in my head last night and realized that they (financially) are probably unrealistic. So I'm thinking I'll do them in steps... Step 1: Travel Funds and EF; Step 2: Car fund; Step 3: Extra ROTH money and then if I manage all those ... go back to Step 1 and add to EF money.
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I don't know how much my car repairs are going to cost. I was going to go to the mechanic today .. but well obviously that didn't work out. My dad is insisting that I get it looking new again - i.e. take care of the cosmetics even if it doesn't affect the function. I didn't bother wasting my breath trying to explain that on my income, cosmetics take a *really* low spot on the priority list. Esp. on an almost 15 year old car. If it was 5 years old or less ... than that might be different. I personally only care that my car can get me from A to B, and hopefully keep me warm or cool while doing it. Other than that ... phooey.
Snowed In!!
December 20th, 2011 at 02:20 am
December 20th, 2011 at 02:26 am 1324348008
No matter what my income, I could care less about the cosmetics of our cars. I suppose it doesn't help that every car we buy seems to get hit the second we buy it. My beloved "practically new" minivan was hit the day after I bought it. (Hit and run while parked). I did get a quote - but have much better things to do with $1000. That was for like a very minor dent - I am sure the cost will be pretty bad. It's all the re-painting and everything, no matter how minor the dent is. Anyway, I personally give up on owning a "perfect" vehicle. I could just see fixing it, getting hit, and back to square one, but just broker. Certainly with my luck.
December 20th, 2011 at 02:35 am 1324348514
December 20th, 2011 at 03:55 am 1324353302
Maybe. My mechanic did that for me - I really thought we were going to have to pay to get the van fixed, which is why I got a quote from him - but is a family friend who also does body work. Anyway, he just straightened it out, so now all I have left is a little dent - the door was rubbing against something before he did that. I didn't expect a free fix like that!
An alternative would also be to get a secondhand hood to just replace. We had talked to my mechanic/body shop about that when I ruined my side door. The only reason we didn't go that route was apparently a miscommunication. Dh thought they said they couldn't do that, but we paid someone else cheaper/closer to fix it. Later mechanic told me, "You know I could have just got you a secondhand door, same color." I think knowing us, he was surprised we actually fixed it. I would have been FINE with a secondhand door, already painted.
December 20th, 2011 at 04:18 am 1324354733
December 20th, 2011 at 04:52 am 1324356753
Ceejay,
Yep, and it keeps on going. Kashi commented on FB today about how little snow MN is having right now. Very weird weather we've got going.
December 20th, 2011 at 01:43 pm 1324388580