I was SCAMMED

OK --- so I can see how people get scammed. In addition to my scratch lotto ticket, I found a Lotto Max ticket, and well -- I might as well take that with me to see if it's a winner. YES -- I know I can have the app on my phone, but I haven't reinstalled it since I got the new phone, and I rarely buy tickets. 

I get to the mall and scan the Lotto Max ticket, which is a WINNER. $10!! There were two employees at the kiosk, and one of them was busy, so this woman popped over and grabbed my ticket. Is it a winner? YES, Did I scan it? YES, and I said it was $10. She was speaking FAST, and English was not her first language. Next thing I knew -- I had a FREE PLAY in my hand. WAIT! That's not right. 

I should have made her rescan the ticket, but I didn't. Again -- she was fast and hard to hear. And she had grabbed my scratch ticket and was trying to decipher it. There is no scanning code like on the newer ones, and I will have to call to see how to claim that one. 

But the other ticket thing? That was disturbing. By giving me a free ticket, that kiosk just walked off with my $10. I'm going to ask the Lottery Corporation if that is possible. And it shows how easy it is to get scammed, and I'm pretty sensible. DRAT --- I don't mind the money -- it's the fact that they did it! Where was my OUTSIDE voice? 

So to get rid of a piece of paper (the scratch ticket), I now have to make a call to do that. That's why things take so long. It seems that most things are never easy. I'll deal with it today and get it off my plate. 

I was sitting in the office yesterday morning, playing ball with Murphy. That dog is NEEDY! I noticed something. 

The floor in the office

Under the second desk

Do you see it too? What is it? 

NOTHING!! Other than the tiny dog bed that Murphy loves to sleep in, there is NOTHING on the floor. OK -- behind the table are still a few boxes, but very few - maybe 6 at the most. This place used to be PACKED with boxes as recently as 2018. Jammed, so I think I'm doing OK. Give me another year or two; it'll be so clean you won't recognize the place! 

Yes -- it's been a lot of hard work, and I've thrown a lot of stuff out. The biggest issue has been finding homes for things, but with so much, that's been a challenge. My goal is to clear the surfaces next, and since I did a clean sweep of the table, that leaves the other desk. But I can only start clearing a new surface once the other one is thoroughly dealt with, and here's how that is progressing. 

Good grief -- there's the old hard disk from years ago when I did an upgrade into the electronic waste basket. 

An old hard disk

When I was upstairs (yes -- I had moved a bit of the mess upstairs and then got sidetracked), guess what I found? The bag of keys!!!

The bag of keys

So the keys are all together now in this beautiful dish and on the buffet where I expect them to be! That makes me happy, and now when I need to look for a key -- I know exactly where to go. Yes --- things need homes! 

All the keys are together

This was the file of stuff on the kitchen counter that needs to be sorted. It's less this morning. By leaving it on the counter, I grab a thing or two while waiting for breakfast to cook or for the kettle to boil. It just blows my mind how many junky little things accumulate, and then what the heck do you do with them? The new rule is DO NOT ACQUIRE it and then try to deal with it immediately if something slips through my defenses. 

Stuff to deal with

That is a taxing thing for my brain, and I seem to be good at dealing with the bigger stuff, but those junky items. I know -- just throw it out! I'm getting better, so don't yell at me! As mentioned, I've made LEAPS and BOUNDS in getting rid of stuff. I may move this stuff off the kitchen counter, return to my filling a small box daily, and deal with what's in the box. The key is to try to make that a habit! Then the closed box will look pretty. DH is home tomorrow, and I need to get that moved before he comes home. 

And the more I go through, the more I realize that I don't need or want some of the things I have coveted over the years. 

I mentioned that I had found my favorite tea. I actually look forward to brewing that cup (as my reward for walking the girls), and it has beetroot in it, so it turns bright red. This is the Forever Nuts by David's Tea, and it's a herbal tea that tastes great even cold, and I've got my forever tea. 

Forever Nuts tea

And I have to contact that online store to return this power tower. I never liked it from the beginning -- it felt FLIMSY, and I don't like it. Now it doesn't work, so it needs to be returned, and there goes the paperwork time for today. 

The power tower needs to be returned.

Yep -- the more stuff you own or buy, the more administration and upkeep it requires. So going minimalist is a good thing. 

I had to stop at the library and pick up a book, so I officially met Sheila! That's so funny that we've known each other for so long and often chatted about quilting and crafts, but I never knew her name! Now I know!

Shoot -- -I took a screenshot of the "gas station" in Nigeria, but it didn't come through. The next time I see something interesting, I'll screenshot it for you. But it's wild to see huge trucks, cars, vans, motorbikes, scooters, pedestrians, and bicycles simultaneously on the same road! How many accidents do they have? 

And can you believe this? 

Where's my mom's afghan? I have no idea why these famous people think this is cool? It looks ridiculous. While I appreciate the tribute to the handcrafted world, it just looks crazy, and what's with those puffy pants? Who designs this stuff, and are the famous people (Justin Bieber, in case you were wondering) asking for this crazy stuff, or do they get duped by the designers to wear it? Like the emperor's new clothes? 

Well, I have more stuff to share, but that it's for today. I made progress on the writing and more of that today. I finished off TWO sewing items yesterday, but I can't share them with you yet. I almost have all the class paperwork together. Almost and then someone else signs up! Once that is done, that will help with time. 

Having a blast reading that habit book. It's scary, though, when you see how in 2010, the companies were mining the data to make you buy, and now 12 years later, I bet they are mining even harder to the point where the retailers are setting habits for YOU, not you developing your own habits. 

I've got sucked in before. I was a HUGE Tim's customer, and I NEEDED that hot chocolate or tea up to three times a day! EVERY DAY. And a cookie on top of that. It took a LONG time to break that habit, but I've done it! Lost weight, and I won't go back. No, that's not true -- I will go to Tim's, but it's now a TREAT, not a habit. 

I have one annoying habit, and I don't know how to get rid of it. I touch my FACE all the time. Why? I've no idea. I know my nose is often itchy due to allergies. But I've done this for years --- my hands/fingers touch my face. So now I have to start thinking of why. What is the cue - what is the reward? And then I can figure out how to stop it. 

Just being conscious of it may help. 

On that note -- I'm out of here!

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!