Forty-Seven Cents

First the BEAUTY:

photos from a recent sunset

and now the BEAST!

Yep, 114 degrees Fahrenheit today!  It is really and truly HOT.

This is why the Phoenix metro is only the fifth most populous metropolitan area in in the country instead of the second (after New York City) - summers are pretty rough.

Not to complain, of course, we have it eay!  I keep thinking of the men (women lived up in the mountains for the most part until a/c was invented) who founded this area (ranchers and miners) and the indigenous peoples who lived here.  I feel sorry for them!  I am THANKFUL for our new and powerful air conditioner.

I am also VERY thankful for my Cube's amazing air conditioner.  It's fast and COLD, and I don't sweat buckets just driving around town as I did before we got the Cube.

On to CATS!

As I was making the bed with fresh sheets, Stephen decided to get in between the blankets.

And then he slowly trickled out, one let at a time.

He is a silly, wonderful boy!

Allistiar has been missing all the snuggles he got when I was sick - I don't sit on the couch all that much in the daytime anymore.  Sometimes he'll just meow and meow in a sad way so I have to sit down on the couch and snuggle him.  I don't mind!

Sometimes he doesn't need the snuggles - sometimes he just needs a nap!

Juvy likes to wedge herself into a corner of the couch

or stretch out with her little feet on the arm!

Well, you had the weather update and the cats update, so here are some finds and outfits!

Outfit from earlier this week.

Shirt: Target
Skirt: Max Studio
Purse: LPS Designs

I found this bag in a little shop in Sauk Centre, Minnesota near my parents' lake cabin.

It's made of beautiful heathered red felt with lovely black and olive poppies on it.

I couldn't find out anything about the designer online - I assumed it was a local person, but I can't be sure.

And now some treasures . . . 

Look at how cute this sweater and pants are!

Usually I buy sweaters on the baggy side, but I took a risk on buying my actual size with 

this one and I really like how it fits.

The pants are actually navy-on-navy brocade!

pants: Old Navy

And the sweater has little rope and knots on it!!!

sweater: Old Navy

I also found this cute polka-dot t-shirt

t-shirt: Old Navy

I like the scoop neck and nice looong sleeves (I love sleeves reaching half-way down my hands!)

I paired the t-shirt with a teal knit pencil skirt as an outfit on Wednesday.

The sleeves were pushed up most of the day, but it's convenient to have sleeves in case of air conditioning overuse in restaurants or similar.

Look!  The pants were $.47 (yes, that's right; forty-seven cents!)

And look!  The t-shirt was $.47 (yes, that's right; forty-seven cents!)

 The sweater was on the expensive side . . . $3.97.

But I love it.

I have been working hard to get a bunch of binders for the first module of lessons complete and stocked before I send out letters and e-mails to raise awareness.  Look how wonderful they look, all lined up and professional-looking!

Oh!  And I found a soda replacement you may be interest in if you're trying to limit GMOs (genetically modified organisms): Veri.  There are a few different flavors (orange, lemon-lime, cola, and ginger ale).

Only 60 calories.

Good stuff in there.

I even like the packaging and graphics. 

It definitely tastes less sweet and less bubbly than traditional soda, but I only drink one when I'm about to break down and purchase a diet Dr. Pepper (my drug of choice in addition to french fries, tater tots, and M&Ms).  My goal is to only have traditional soda when I'm out to lunch with a friend (which happens about once per week).  I told myself I'm not going to keep it in my house anymore.

We are in the midst of a big dust storm RIGHT THIS MINUTE!

Greg isn't home yet and visibility's getting poor - I hope he makes it!

BONUS:  PLEASE don't stack up your truck like this!  

(this one is LESS piled up than most of them are!)

I never saw things like this in Minnesota!

Why do I find it so annoying?

Sigh.

Only in Arizona . . . 

Or Mexico.