COWBOY WISDOM (By Montee Tucker)

[Diane Amberg]

Those braces are a good investment in your daughter. If you ask, perhaps they can knock off a little. Go for it. Remind your hubby that's not for just one visit, that's for the whole procedure.

[flo]

well, I'm all for "change" if it's for the better, I'm for "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", but folks, this country is "broke" and it needs fixin.  But.... be a wee bit leery of any change because it may not be what you had in mind.  Second hand clothes, one bathroom, less food on the table, less entertainment, been there, done that.  What's wrong with good second hand clothes? Wore em all my life and so have my children.  I remember not having any bathroom at all, so just one makes me feel right "up town".  With today's "obese" problem, maybe less food on the table is a good thing.  And teaching children that "if it wasn't fit to eat it wouldn't be in front of you, so eat" instead of running to Micky D's for a happy meal cause that's what they want to eat.  We are an extravacant country and, sorry, I blame a lot of what is going on with people today on that little plastic card that is so easy to get.  I know, I've been "pre-approved" for em all and that's 4-5 days a week.    have been known to tear off anything that identifies me and put visa app. in the mastercard envelope and stick it back in the mail.  Hey, it costs them the return postage.  Young marrieds thinking they need to "start" with what it took their parents years and years to accumulate.  Just my 2 cents that in the few minutes it took to type this has probably put me in debt by now.

[Wilma]

You are absolutely right, Flo, but I have two bathrooms and glad that I do.  Nobody else uses my bathroom or cleans it.  They don't clean the other one either.   We started out in a 4 room house with just my bedroom furniture (bed and chest of drawers), a stove, table and 2 chairs, old kitchen cabinet and icebox.  My kitchen equipment and other household goods was what I got at a small neighborhood shower.  My mother gave me cutlery for two.  My brother had to bring his own when he came to eat with us.  We didn't need much.  We had each other.  And about half of my clothes now are what I have bought at thrift stores and yard sales.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

Flo, my kids love second hand clothing.  I was not complaining at all.  So don't think that at all.  I tell my kids all the time, what I fix is what you eat like it or not.  And if you don't eat it, then don't ask for a snack in 10 minutes.  Ok, so I think that Montee Tucker would be a great President!!!  None of the others!!

[sixdogsmom]

I have to agree with Flo, that plastic is probably the worst of the problems in this country. Not only does it allow debt to be accumulated at a fantastic rate, but it also scratches that greedy 'I want it now' itch. How much is purchased every day that isn't used or really wanted? You only have to go to a yard sale to find out the answer to that, dolls that were new at Christmas, cars and games abandoned so that there would be room for more. Clothing that little sister or brother could wear in a few months sold for nickles and dimes. Mom has a couple of garments there that are new with the tags, decided that she really didn't like it, but would sell for a dollar rather than return it to the store. Trash cans full of the left over items that will fill the dump rather than donate to charity. We have become a greedy nation, full of the notion that the mall holds our happiness. Next time you go to the mall, look to see if anything there is really something that is needed rather than something wanted. Our beloved pastor Ted Smith used to preach regularly on the difference between 'wants' and 'needs'. Wilma, some of my prize posessions are things given to me to start my housekeeping. I have a measure cup from my mother, a small pie dish from one grandmother, salt and peppers form the other grandmother. I have since added several things from my mothers' kitchen, her mixing spoon that is grooved along one edge from banging against the side of a bowl or pan. I also have her tea kettle that whistles. My cornbread pan belonged to my great grandmother, and is the same one my mother made cornbread in. Would not want to trade for new ones made of gold. I use these things every day, and think of my family whenever I do. There are some that would not consider these things good enough, and out they would go. Surely things from Function Junction are better! Hmmmm, don't think so!

[pam]

I had one of those moments the other day where the Universe slaps ya up side the head with what an ungrateful pain-in-the-ass youre bein. We bought a fixer-upper and it gets discouragin when you get caught up in the "gotta get more, better" rat run.Then you see these people livin in huts basically with a fire in the middle of the floor for cookin and heatin and sleepin on mats, carryin water 2 or 3 miles and boy does it make you ashamed of yourself. Ask my Mom, I'm NOT a stuff oriented person, but if I can get caught up in it once in a while anybody can and THAT is whats got us in the fix this country is in. The whole population needs a major reality check! The government needs an even bigger one. Lol, most of my stuff is old , scavenged, rebuilt, or second hand lol. And I love it:)

[Tobina+1]

Not sure if this is the right place to post or not, but it kind of goes in with the "Conserving" thread on Coffee Shop...
Anyway, living in a small town and wanting to support local businesses, kids, and schools seems to somewhat conflict with the idea of conserving and doing with what little you possibly can.  For example, yes, we could go out to eat less and save money... but I also feel like going and getting a pizza from Poplar every-so-often is also supporting the community and the people who live in the community.  Not only is my pizza-buying habits supporting the owners of Poplar (who moved to Elk County from NYC and who's kids also moved their families here), it also supports the local kids who work there who are saving money for college, as well as the local organizations that Poplar gives money/food/support to.  I feel like my $9 pizza once a week turns around and helps more people and the local economy better than me saving that $9 in my savings account.  Same thing goes for buying gas at P&J's for a couple cents higher than somewhere else... yes, I could time it so that I would fill up somewhere else for cheaper, but spending money at P&J's ultimately helps the whole community, in my opinion. 
I guess my point is that those of us in small communities need to save and conserve just like everyone else (or more), but yet we also need to keep in mind that we also need to keep supporting our local community so that it doesn't wither away.  So, instead of cutting out some of the "extravagant" things we don't think we need, how about supporting a local business?  AND as a local businesses, we need to make sure we, in turn, are supporting our communities! 

[flo]

good point, Tobina.  Every woman needs a break from the kitchen once in awhile.  Especially working mothers.  Heck, I don't work and I still need a break so ate at Toot's tonite.  Well, I did mow my yard today, so guess that was work.

[greatguns]

Flo,  I sometimes wish my Hubby seen it your way about a woman getting out of the kitchen once in awhile.  Steve took me out to eat the evening we got married, but not since then.  That will be 13 years ago in September.  Guess I've got use to cooking.

[frawin]

I love to cook, and do quite a lot of the time; but, frankly, there are times that we can eat out cheaper than we can cook at home.  We got a flyer in the mail yesterday and when we looked at it, we both said "wow, that's cheaper than we can eat here at home!  Since we both are very careful about what we eat due to health issues, we don't take advantage of all of the ads that we get.
Myrna