In Bitter Cold, It Takes So Little to Make Me Happy . . .

The farther south you go, the less winter weather it takes to make everyone go directly to Defcon 5.  I have friends in Florida griping about temps in the 40s – friends in Tennessee with ice bringing down tree limbs – friends in Kentucky who got a foot of snow on Monday.  And here it was five below this morning (with –25 windchill) and expected to be ten below tonight.  So we take our enjoyment where we can get it . . .

Since I gripe at Ranger (and other suppliers) when new releases come late, it seems only fair to note that two boxes of the new February Distress Color arrived this morning – a day earlier than we expected.  So the first 100 or so of you who ordered these are going to start getting happy e-mails from our system.

And this one is personal – but fun.  In December 1975, American Legion Post 615 in my hometown sponsored a Citizenship Test for the seniors at our high school.  I don't remember much about the test -- except that we got out of class to take it -- but I got the highest score and was awarded a $50 U.S. Savings Bond.  I put it in a safe deposit box and have rarely thought about it for years.  But a couple of nights ago, I ran that bond and several others through the Savings Bond Calculator to see what they're worth today.  That $50 bond stopped earning interest nine years ago -- and now it's worth $269.50.  Ah, the power of compound interest.   The Legion is responsible for lots of good deeds in our town – this is just one of them.

I put this on my Facebook page yesterday – most reacted like I did, but one wet blanket started lecturing me about inflation and taxes and how in the long run I will have actually lost money.  His comment started with “I hate to burst your bubble . . .”

But my bubble is still intact – I didn’t spend a dime to get the bond, and it brings back a lot of fond memories.  Anything monetary that comes with it is just a bonus . . .