SMILE!! You're On Candid Camera

Yesterday was all about cameras.  I'm pretty familiar with cameras, but you'd never know it if you talked to the saleswoman from my Alarm Company.  She was quick to tell me she knows absolutely everything about security and cameras and alarm systems and military security and on and on ... and even tried to scare me into buying.  She knew of FIVE home invasions in my neighborhood alone.  Funny, I never heard of them.  My bet is they don't sell many systems with her sales approach.

I at least expected her to take a walk outside to see what areas I needed covered, but the entire time was spent sitting at my dining room table.  I don't need internet she said, just a recorder.  I can view it any time to see who might be in my back yard or at the front door.  If I buy a "decent" television, I can even check it from my bedroom.  She missed the whole reason for having a video system, even though I explained it to her three times.

The numbers are pretty outrageous ... don't laugh.  I can lease the system of three cameras for an up front cost of $925 plus a yearly charge of $840.  I can PURCHASE the system for $3,000 and pay only $360 a year for monitoring.  If they break, I'm on my own.  None of that includes internet.  I did finally talk Xfinity (previously Comcast who probably changed their name because of their bad service reputation) into providing high speed internet at my house for $900 a year.  Pretty crazy, right??

In the end, I think it will be cheaper to reseed my lawn every time it dies!!  Last night I decided I can spend $3,000 removing grass from the back and landscaping with gravel and slate, lowering my water bill and my anxiety about dead lawn.  Even that will be put on hold for now however, as I've found several houses in Arizona to check out.

MY OWN PERSONAL CHEF!!  The second thing I did yesterday was hang around to receive my meals for the next three weeks.  This is a service I thought I'd never see in my neck of the woods.  Yes, you can sign up with ones like Blue Apron who deliver all the ingredients to your door, but you still have to cook them.  These are all par-cooked, meaning they finish in the microwave or oven as you heat them up.

This happens to be the Get Fit menu which I ordered on-line from Valley Meal Prep in Modesto.  On Mondays, they deliver right to your door.  In my case, I figured out which ones would freeze best and put the remainder in the fridge.  Last night I had perfectly cooked salmon with two-pepper-mushroom veggies.  No more casseroles!!!  Maybe a cupcake or two ... I can't give those up.  

It was delicious and more than I could possibly eat.  I'll know next time to split the meals in half, making it even more wallet efficient.  All 28 meals (more than enough for three weeks) including delivery came to $210.  The other cool part is I can make up my own order if I wish, from the huge list they have on-line.  Not that I won't cook any more ... these will take the place of my Lean Cuisines.

AND I just had another thought!!  These are very cool washable containers.  I can write down the contents and refill them myself ... at least with those meals that don't end up in the cemetery.

I spent the rest of the afternoon making banana bread from the twelve I received at Saturday's Bingo. We didn't have near the 120 kids expected, and all those bags with candy and fruit had to be separated.  The candy was saved for another day.  Although we usually donate to the Rescue Mission down the street, they have moved their kitchen facilities elsewhere, so all the volunteers took a few home.

One more super moon image I took this morning.  She was beautiful peaking through the trees as I sipped my coffee on the patio to the barking of dogs and crowing of chickens.  I do LOVE living in the country!!