Another Goodbye

She did it.  After years of cutting, curling and coloring at Headlines, Melissa Quandt (the Evil Twin as I like to refer to her), took the sign down and walked away last night.  She takes her clients with her to a new salon in Wichita, one that’s closer to her new lovely home and right on the way from her house to Starbucks, so the commute will be, let’s call it PERFECT.

When I started My New Life, Melissa was there, so I was pretty much expecting to be the one that would be there for her.  I was and you know what she did??  The little hussy made me clean out the crappy color cabinet.    Actually,

it’s a huge compliment.  You only allow those you love the most to help you with the crap you hate the most.  So I bitched about it, then grinned because I knew she couldn’t live without me, or better yet….wouldn’t want to.

As for her New Life, I’m not sure any of us get why she was crying cleaning out her shampoo bowl, she is after all, still a hairdresser.  All her customers are following her to Salon Images (over there near 21st & Tyler by Emperor’s Grill-which has awesome fried rice!) and she will stay in touch with the girls she worked with at Headlines, I can hear  ”I have lunch today with Shelly ” already in my head!   So telling her that she should be happy to have a change of scenery seemed almost unnecessary, but it was.  Her heart was broken, just like any of ours would when you walk away from a life you know, to one that at this point, ,only seems good on paper.

Most of Melissa’s clients will show up on Thursday and comment on the new place, the new location, the new stuff and most will really like it.  I know I can’t wait to be the first one in for a color job (even though it’s merely for accent, I wanted the place of honor, I am so a TV Diva, amazing I didn’t make it in the business past the 20 year mark!)  What we won’t see or remember is all the years it took to get her to this new place.  She once owned Headlines (she hated that part of the business), she has had clients who’ve married, divorced, moved, and God Bless Them, passed away, yet she was always there, ready to make them beautiful and listen to all those stories.     For most of us, it’s just a new setting, for Melissa, it’s “Her New Life” just beginning.  Congratulations Melissa, if I’ve learned anything while I was starting over….it’s just that sometimes we stay too long. A wise woman once said (in a teaser for her new TV project, “Sometimes change is GOOD.”    An even wiser one (which means not ME) said, “Often the only thing standing in the way of a great life, is a good one.”  Well, DUDES, get of our way, we’re on the fast track to Heaven on earth, but I promise, we’ll make plenty of pit stops at Starbucks along the way.

Even I’m Not THAT Broke

Just got back from the grocery store.  It was a total success.  I mean how many times do you go to buy something, have a coupon, and that particular item happens to also be on sale??  Yep, it happened to me.  Thanks to All detergent and Dillons.  Funny though, I didn’t realize how valuable SOAP has gotten.

Check out the picture of my 12.99 bottle of laundry detergent.  Yes, that is an ALARM tied to it.  The lady behind me in line said, I’ve never seen that.  I said, “That’s what I said!”

Here’s the scoop.  The cashier at Dillon’s tells us it’s response to a big theft ring, yes, involving detergent.  I thought man are they making some new drug out of All?  Turns out, the cashier was told, the theives only want it to sell it on the black market.  No, I didn’t realize there was an underground run on soap, so I feel pretty lucky that I have my own bottle and its  completely paid for.  Then again, Breaking News Dudes, I am still broke, so maybe I’ll just check out a dark corner next time my ratty clothes need to smell better, I mean maybe I could be buying it on the low-down for just 5 bucks.     Well, that’s what’s happening at my grocery store, I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the next item to be put on lock down, my money is on the fresh flowers, have you seen the price of those babies??

My New Office

I am loving my new life, including working out of my new Barbie home office.  I say Barbie house, because this house is cute and stylish, but perfectly proportioned (I mean it’s not the kind of house you say, “Can I give you a TOUR?”  I’m learning though, I like things small, and not just my BUTT.

Mostly these days besides shooting webisodes for “My New Life” and trying to get that into production to air on TV, I’m busy blogging or supposed to be busy blogging.  It’s a little hard to get motivated when there is laundry to do, and dinner to make, and Kent to play with (when he’s working at home too) and Starbucks to be had (Melissa and I went twice the last few days.)  You get my drift.  More than anything I just want to enjoy my time, and for the first time in my life, I’m so at peace, so if something doesn’t get done, what are you gonna do??  Not pay me.  Exactly, so if I’m not getting paid, I’m taking care of my family and everything else can take care of itself.

Thought I’d share some pix of the new office, here’s what I see when I’m writing at my desk….yep,I’m looking out the window, like that won’t be a DISTRACTION!   Worse yet, I’m at the end of the street that the model homes are on, so I watch people come and go all day.   Plus I spy on Trent, the guy who helped us design our house and who has become a good friend.  I always hope he comes down and plays the piano and sings for me, but he’s usually working (in case his boss ever reads this!!)

On my right, is Kent’s work station.  It closes all up and looks almost neat except for all the crap I’m storing on the top.  That nice comfy couch is where Hershey naps, and I sometimes sit and write because it beats sitting up like a working stiff in a big girl chair.

My work station is also an armoire that closes up, but it’s almost always down because I’m just that kind of girl.  I took a funky picture of me sitting in front of it, and used my MacBook Pro and photobooth to make it really weird looking.  Thought that might be best so that I don’t reveal any company secrets.  Oh wait, I don’t work for a company.  Too late.  The funky effect stays.

I have yet to get this room accessorized.  I just haven’t felt the need to

put a lot of “stuff” around.  I’m waiting for inspiration to doll it all up.  By that time, the Barbie House really will be picture perfect.  I’ll let you know if I ever get there.

Too CRAPPY Not To Share

Remember that great Sears coupon I told you about yesterday?  I found it on one of my favorite blogs www.springsbargains.com.  I printed those puppies off, ran to Sears and got to the cash register to hear, “We don’t take those anymore.”

I said, “AnyMORE or EVER?”  No one seems to know but both Wichita Sears are NOT honoring the $10 off Junior Clothing coupons.  So BOOOO Sears, actually it’s the second time I’ve fallen prey to Fake, or “Whatever These Crappy Coupons Are” on the internet.  The other time was at TGIFriday’s where I was greeted by a sign that said internet coupons are not accepted here.  (At least the ones I had gotten ahold of.)  It makes me sad, not just for those of us looking like idiots, but also for those of us who try to spread the word around to make social media marketing WORKABLE.  Frankly, a couple of these incidents and  our credibility goes right down the crapper with the Crappy coupons.  At least I have a way of letting you know when they don’t work, and I ran home fast to make sure you’d get this ASAP.

Someone suggested I follow a more local bargain blog, I do that too, so for now, I’ll just look like an idiot for you, then SCREAM, “RUN” whenever I find a crappy coupon ANYWHERE.  This time I don’t mean RUN to Sears, I mean RUN away from the Sears Coupon, it’s a CRAPPER.

Too Good NOT To Share

One of my favorite websites/blogs/daily emails comes from a woman in Colorado Springs.  She’s taught me a ton about saving money and always  has the best coupons, so you must check out http://springsbargains.com/

The two things that caught my eye, the free burger from TGIFriday’s, it’s a coupon but hey, that’s the next best thing.  The other is a coupon for $10 off Junior Fashions at Sears.  They have tons of shirts for the girls on sale for 9.99 so yes, it’s free! (Or so it seems, I’ll be trying it out in the morning, and I’ll show you what I bought, I mean GOT for FREE, right here tomorrow!!)

Couple other $$$ notes.  Thanks to coupons, I’ve been trying different products.  I like to think of myself as the ultimate consumer.  I’ve spent a lot (in the past) and I’ve spent next to nothing, and really, you don’t ALWAYS get what you pay for.  So I’ve decided that in the interest of saving you money by exposing crap, or costing you money, but ENSURING that you love something, I’m going to name names.

First off, if you’re shopping at Walgreen’s and buying Fabric Softener sheets, do NOT waste your money on the Xcel brand, 80 sheets for $5.49 on sale for 3.49 ( I must have had a coupon because I wouldn’t have spent even that on it!!)   They not only STINK, they don’t smell at all, and I tried to throw half a dozen in a single load.

I really want to love the Purex Complete 3-in-1 sheets, that you put in the washer and it serves as laundry soap, and softener….then you just toss into the dryer and it is supposed to continue it’s magic as a dryer sheet, but I can’t.  The poor thing is spent by the time it gets to the dryer.  I must be a very “nasal” kind of gal, because NO smell is fine for Body Odor, but for laundry needs give me something to make me go, MMMMMMMMM.

I do have to highly recommend the Glade, Fragrance Collection soy candles.  Thanks to a trusty coupon I tried three and while I like this  Mcintosh Apple smell, the green one I used all up was even yummier.  Totally would buy these again, but being to notches tighter than tight, I might have to wait for another coupon.

The jury is still out on Walgreens brand “Big Roll” Toilet paper.  I bought it because it’s way cheap, and way big, but it sort of feels CHEAP.  My thought, when money is tight and guests are coming, stock their bathroom with this stuff and keep the good stuff for your own arse.  Now aren’t you glad you didn’t even have to ask.  :)

A Little Spending Experiment

If I am on the spending wagon, then I better just admit it, I fell off of it last week.  I fell so hard, I’m lucky I didn’t lose an arm, a leg and half my retirement savings too.  I did a little retail therapy at one of my favorite boutiques, and came home with a sack filled with just two pair of jeans and a shirt, and a debit card transaction that showed more than 400 dollars had been taken out of my account.

Told ya, this was no little bump on the head, this was a fall the size of  Texas, but even new jeans didn’t make me feel like dancing a two-step.  I slunk to my car with the BFF in tow and we sat there, looking at each other.  Then it started, she started going on and on, about how this is so not YOU.  You, Anita Cochran, don’t go spending 400 dollars on stuff you don’t need, much less don’t even really LOVE.  ”What the Hell are you doing???” Melissa asked.  Actually I don’t know what she really said, other than, “Didn’t you see me shaking my head???” At that point, I was hoping her head would spin all the way around and land back in the story to get my money back.  It didn’t, but by the time we got home, we were both so sickened by the overspending that at least she quit talking.  It’s not that she wasn’t right, oh she was right, but I already knew that and was beating myself up the whole time too.  I bet my tongue lashing will leave a mark so deep I won’t buy jeans for a year.  (Ok I won’t buy jeans over 30 dollars a pair for at least a week or so!!)

The end of the story goes something like this, I returned the two pair of jeans and got a good 300 bucks of my money back.  I needed to do that, it’s not fair to my family to make the sacrifices we have these last few months, and spend foolishly on something like that.  Just for a moment I returned to the days of yesteryear, when money was coming in and all too often was going out again on things that needn’t cost as much.  This time however, I noticed, I nearly barfed from the regret, and I righted my wrong, and now I’m ready to hang tight to the tight-wad wagon again.  The one thing that money couldn’t buy me was freedom, and now that I have it, I’m not gonna let a stupid thing like stupid spending drag me back to a time when working was all I knew, when spending was all I wanted to do, and where answering to EVERYONE else became a way of life.  Granted I’d be wearing spectacular jeans when I got there, but frankly, as Melissa would say, “I’ve seen your ass in all your jeans, and it pretty much looks the same  no matter which one you’re wearing.”    So the next time you see me, look me in the eye, because the rear is gonna look just like it did the last time we met and be covered in the same ole denim.

We Did It

It’s a been awhile since you’ve heard from me, I was moving.  It sounds more like we went on a coast to coast ordeal, but our move was really only about a mile west of our old house, and let me tell you it felt like it was a world away.

Luckily, we scraped up every dime we could find to hire movers because frankly, 45-year old backs are almost useless.  Then to prove that point wrong, I was on my feet for two days straight, so much so it called for Lortab Monday morning to keep me from chewing my aching legs off.  Typically my line is, “I’d rather chew my arm off”….but in this case, insert LEGS.   Anyway, a couple days later and I’m wiped out still, but on my purple couch finally wielding the laptop to prove to you all that downsizing pays off.  Well, I have no proof, but I do have pictures of the new digs, and frankly, that’s what you’re here for.  To keep you coming back I am only gonna piece meal this little unveiling, and just so you know, not a single room, is COMPLETE yet, so by next fall, I’ll have eeked out as much mileage out of this move as possible.

We’ll start with a little peak at the kitchen, a self-portrait, I took on moving day, while I was waiting for my junk to show up.  Someone had to wait on the cable guy, and luckily, it turned out to be me.  Got to admit the get-up wasn’t probably the most appropriate for heavy lifting, but hey, it worked and as you can see in this picture, I was actually smiling.  The move felt good, but not until I arrived at the Barbie house.  Saying goodbye to the old house was hard but only  until my things were taken away….as soon as my stuff was out, so was I.    That was the moment my new life began, that’s the moment I finally felt free.

We’re a bit RATTLED!

The Labor Day weekend ended with a BITE for our family.  Most of us were at Grand Lake enjoying the last blast of summer when we got a call that our farmer-in-law, Doug Wewe had stepped on a snake.    Not just any snake, within minutes the bottom of his foot where the snake decided to bite him started stinging and swelling….to cut to the chase, we’re dealing with a Rattlesnake.

Doug spent the night at Wesley’s ICU receiving the anti-venom, and Shasta and I high-tailed it back to Wichita to make sure he would live (like we would be able to do anything, but this family doesn’t handle crisis well unless we’re on scene!)   The ending of the story should be good, eight hours into it, he was feeling a little less pain (Yeah Drugs), and the swelling had stopped so anti-venom must have been working.  The details we really want to know though, how did this happen, are pretty interesting.

Doug spent the day farming, that’s why he got left behind in the first place, took a shower and heard fireworks at Cheney Lake.  My sister Shasta, Doug and their four kids live about a mile from the lake, so curious Doug decided to stop out on their front porch and watch the show.  When he stepped into the grass, he apparently stepped on the little snake and the snake didn’t like it.   The picture of the snake posted on my website is a little misleading, I thought it was a monster, but it’s only about as thick as your finger and maybe two feet long, so it actually was quite small.  Didn’t matter, little snakes can pack lots of venom.

Here’s a note to all of us, whenever you’re bit by a snake, take the snake with you (in my mind preferably DEAD like Doug did) to the hospital.  It helped ER people identify and get the proper treatment.  Later today, the Fish and Game folks will check out the little bugger too, so it’s going to come in handy to have the remains, though I have to say it grossed me out.  I can’t even look at the picture while I write this.  In my life, my biggest fear has always been snakes.  Now I know WHY, and that all along, I was RIGHT.  Love you Doug, glad you’re big and strong and adapt well to Anti-Venom.  My guess is the next Rattlesnake Hunt will be held at the Wewe House!!