I really should stop watching Extreme Cheapskates.  It makes me want to budget more.  It does not, however, make me want to dumpster dive, ask for free things at the expense of others, or eat somebody else's leftover food.  Gross.  So maybe it just makes me want to be a little more sensible than I usually am - isn't that a good thing?

 And I'm still going to buy coffee when I'm out, so there.

Apparently some of you were a little put off by the octopus.  Ha!  You're just lucky you didn't have to sit in the same room that it cooked in for over an hour.  I have no sympathy for you.

Lily and I went to a birthday party in North Lakes yesterday.  That's the suburb directly next to my future house - about 30 minutes north of where I live now.  The park was next to a lake, and Lily had lots of fun running in circles around the jetty with a small three-year-old boy chasing her.  Until she decided to jump IN the lake.  There was a moment of panic from those of us who saw her frantically swimming under the jetty - seemingly having completely lost her sense of direction.  I lay down on the rocks beside the jetty and managed to scoop her up, imagining her to be terrified...

...after which point she jumped back in, so I gave it up.  Apparently my cowardly puppy is now a water-dog.  And quite a grubby water-dog too.  After about half an hour of playing in the water/lily-pads, she was all done, and we then had to go home early as she couldn't stop shivering.  Silly little mutt!

before the mud...

looking sorry for herself, the filthy little rat that she is

wrapped up for the walk (carry) back to the car

We took choc & peanut butter no-bake cookies to the party which were a hit.  I even had some left over for myself.  I must remind myself not to make them again any time soon as I have a habit of just eating them one after another... and I'll end up about 100kg!

I had a massive cooking day yesterday, making up a big batch of chicken curry, spaghetti bolognaise, chicken soup and the no-bakes - ending up with 10 meals in the freezer plus the soup in the fridge - so there you go, budgeting for the win!

better looking than the octopus?

This of course all being an excuse for not studying for the sim, which I go to on Monday.  I'm just surprised the house hasn't gotten a spring clean yet, although I do keep eyeing the dog in a "you need to be clipped" way.