Pets. Etc.

When the pet discussion began, we knew dogs, cats, and any type of rodent (hamsters, gerbils, etc) were out.  Goldfish would be okay.

But suddenly, parakeets became the choice.

Especially when we learned that two birds, the cage and

the food came to just under $10.

 I'm okay with that.

They liven up the place, especially during the day when

I'm here by myself.

Even if they don't last, it has already been worth it.

 Etc.  

Ellie and Alice are going to a fall camp-out with their school; 

three days in the mountains.

Ellie came home with a bunch of old cardboard last week--

she'd volunteered to make the cue

cards for her group's skit.

Until I reminded her that we don't have our stuff--

what was she going to use for the lettering?

We brainstormed.  

Cut out paper letters and glue them on?

Wow, would that take a long time!

 We were going to Home Depot on Saturday anyway,

so we looked for paint.

No such thing as spray paint.

No pint or quart paint containers.

Only gallons--Behr Paint, $80.

Then I remembered that when we moved into the apartment,

there was a small plastic bucket with a brush in it, 

and something that looked like cream-colored paint--all wrapped up in 

an old grocery sack.  Yucky!

(They must have done some repainting in-between tenants.)

All we had to do was buy a 40-cent small brush.

And it worked well. 

 I was SO glad that I had resisted the urge to throw that messy bucket away (twice!).

Every once in awhile, my hoarding instincts actually pay off.

[And the weather this week has been clear, in the 70's, and the patio

has been a fun place to be!]