Drinking and Driving - Just Don't...

The rule "don't drink and drive" is probably one of the most important rules to remember next to "keep your hands to yourself". But what happens when you ignore these rules? I got to experience this first hand, although it could've been a lot worse... And a lot less funny afterwards.

So my husband picked me up from my mothers house (I had been visiting most of the day) to take me on our Labor Day Weekend away with his parents. I knew something was wrong when our roommate stumbled out of his car, obviously very drunk. I asked my husband if he'd been drinking and he told me no, and that he was fine. Satisfied with his answer, I got into the car and we drove off.

My next warning came when I noticed the brightly colored cans that littered the floor of the car. "It's just energy drinks, babe." My husband had assured me, but I knew better. Shortly after I noticed how badly he was swerving on the road. Again he came up with an excuse that a lot of people had their brights on and it was hard to see... I demanded to be let out of the car at the next gas station.

My complaints were ignored but eventually I convinced him to stop at a McDonalds to eat. My plan was that once I was out of the car, I would call my mom to come get me. It was close to midnight by the time we pulled over at the gas station.

I immediately went inside and called my mom to explain the situation. I gave her directions to the McDonalds 45 minutes away from her home. When I got outside, our situation had become even worse. My husband had left the car keys with our drunk roommate while he went to the bathroom, and the drunk roommate locked them in the car.

After getting into a yelling match with my husband, I called roadside assistance. Hearing sirens off in the distance, I was told it would be two hours before someone could make it out to us... 2am. To make matters worse, my mother got lost in the middle of nowhere after driving to a completely different town thirty minutes away from where we were. Not wanting her to get lost worse, since it was now 1am and she had work in the morning, I apologized and asked her to just drive home, I would meet her there when the tow truck arrived.

By this time our roommate had gotten advise from one of the gas station workers to call the police to help us. He asked to borrow my phone, still drunk with his locked in the car, to call the cops. I of course turned him down, remembering the open beer cans in the car and obvious smell of alcohol on his breath.

He kept insisting and actually flagged down an officer while I was using the bathroom. By this time, I had come out... The officer asked if they had been drinking and asked about the cans in the car. I could feel my stomach sinking until she asked who had been driving. Knowing the consequences would be less severe for me, I offered myself as the driver. I told her she could test my breath for alcohol, as I didn't ever drink anyways, but she said that wasn't necessary.

She informed us we could get a citation for the beer cans but could tell we had a rough night and was going to let us go. Just then our roadside assistance showed up to save the day, but now we had a bigger problem. Our lady officer sat in the McDonalds with two other police, making it a point to watch us drive away.

This should be fine, right? I mean, I haven't been drinking... Except I didn't know how to drive a stick. Defeated, tired and upset... We argued outside of the restaurant for another 45 minutes while the cops watched us before giving up and walking two miles to the nearest hotel.

So that was my night and honestly I feel blessed. In some ways I believe God was looking out for us that night. My husband was swerving so bad, who knows if we would have ever made it to his parents house. Little miracles happen in all sorts of ways... But this whole situation could've been avoided if people would just remember not to drink and drive.

Blog Share: DandilyonFluff - More Chicken Ban Business

Sent August 21, 2014. A letter from Nathan Boyles, the commissioner who thinks we are smart enough to care for a few chickens if we want to. I’m glad somebody up there has confidence in us!

I thought it was a simple issue but by the time it was over, I felt a bit like I had been boiled and plucked. I was trying to repeal the rule in Okaloosa County that outlaws backyard chickens – even a single hen- in all residential districts, rural or not. In truth though, the issue isn’t really about chickens at all. It is about being true to core principals. That means ending government interference into our lives – and our backyards, unless our individual actions harm our neighbors. I assumed, wrongly, that with an all Republican “conservative” Commission the issue would be a homerun. I noted a government ad from 1918 – near the end of World War 1 – encouraging Americans to keep backyard chickens to boost the productivity and self-reliance of a nation at war. The ad featured two children building a backyard chicken coop. The children represented the same generation that would later become “The Greatest Generation.” Those children, raised in a time when self-reliance and duty to the greater good existed in harmony, would face down the greatest threat the world has ever known. And yet less then 100 years later, it is okay for government to outlaw a former virtue... Read the rest at: http://dandilyonfluff.com/2014/08/more-chicken-business/

Who needs TV when you have Pets

My dog, Tobi, is a bit of an only child in our home. He plays with his toys by himself, goes on walks by himself and doesn't have to worry about other dogs trying to eat his food. Socializing is important in a dog's life though and one mommy can't replace the company of another furry friend.

Because of this, I try to take Tobi with me whenever I visit my mom. She has two dogs of her own (both twice the size of my miniature dachshund) and those three have a blast together. Her two, Dante & Chief, will usually start wrestling on the floor with Tobi trying to wiggle between them and nip at their ankles.

One time I was walking down the hallway of her house to suddenly be nearly knocked over by the three dogs racing each other. As they bolted down the hallway, I saw Chief try to leap over Tobi to gain the lead. Dante wasn't about to have that though and reached out to grab Chief's leg in his mouth to stop him... all while they were still running.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I watched Chief get thrown to the ground... right on top of Tobi and in a giant rolling ball of dog, I watched all three of them crash into a wall. They weren't hurt or anything, on the contrary. Tobi immediately hopped up to let his concerns be known with a squeaking noise, Chief bolted out the doggy door to win the race and Dante tumbled after him. Who needs TV when you have pets?

A Glass of Water a Day keeps the Doctor Away

What if we switched out all the soda we drink for water? Would we be happier, healthier and breath easier at night? Recent studies show the average American drinks 44 gallons of soda each year - yikes! That's like 44 milk jugs.

If you take into account that the average soda contains 140 calories of sugar alone multiplied by the 1.6 soda a day average... you're looking at over 100,000 calories of sugar alone in a year. So what would happen if we switched our daily soda for a bottle of water? Would we be happier, healthier and breath easier at night? ...most definitely!

Milestone: 100 Blog Posts!

100 posts and seven years ago, my mother started this blog to share her frugal experiments and savings tips with the world. No one knew at the time, not even her, that this small blog would help set her on track for the career she has today... Assistant Editor, Author and Part-Time Blogger.

When my mom began blogging in 2007, it was a hobby. She always loved writing but with her kids being a full-time job, it was often put on the back burner for things like soccer games and school field trips.

This post is the one draft and yesterday's post was 'Scheduled'

The Original 'Penny Pinscher'

With the help of our dog, Penny the Doberman Pinscher, she began to reach for what she truly enjoyed... writing. Her blog posts were featured on websites and in news articles, eventually prompting her to start the blog DandilyonFluff.com. When she let this blog go, her daughter (me!) picked it back up three years later and I'm here to stay.

I will never be the great writer my mother is, but hopefully I to will have interesting stories to share and helpful tips to give in the coming future. Congratulations Penny Pinscher on making it to 100 blog posts!

Blast from the Past

Pictures from posts over the years.

Coupon Brag Book

January 4th 2008

The Saturday Summary

January 12th 2008

My Dirty Little Secret

February 6th 2008

Scenes From the Backyard

February 15th 2008

Sunday, After Church

February 24th 2008

Stop the Train! I Wanna Get Off!

April 20th 2008

The Cost of Clutter

May 26th 2008

Paying Almost $500 Less Monthly...

September 10th 2009

The Pinscher Has Moved On

November 9th 2010

Advising a Friend

Children, the loves of our lives and the future of our country. Some would say family really isn't family without them... but what if children aren't a possibility for you?

A good friend of mine was asking me for advice today. He said that he's been with this girl for eight months now and couldn't be happier. While they were out having dinner she made a side comment about kids which lead him to ask if she wanted children one day.

"Of course! What woman doesn't dream of being a mother one day?"

Back in the present, my friend told me that he froze up. He had never told his girlfriend that he wasn't able to have kids; it had never come up in their relationship before.

"What am I supposed to do? She seemed so excited at the idea of kids and I really love this girl..." he had told me.

This situation is never easy and I'm not really the counseling, wise friend. But I told him what I would want in that situation.

"If you really love her and want a future with her, it's going to come up eventually. I know its difficult but you should be honest with her now. It will hurt her more if she finds out you've hidden it from her."

"Some people can't be in a relationship where children aren't an option and you have to respect her opinion. If she loves you in return and can accept that a life with you will be one without kids, then you know she's right for you. If not... well then she wasn't the one."

Did I give him the right advice?

The importance of “Looking Good”

Don’t misunderstand my title – None of us are super models. But there is some importance to keeping up with your appearance. Buying yourself a new shirt every now and then will have your whole wardrobe feeling fresh.

We all have those days where we might’ve slept in late and had to rush off to work without our morning shower. Heck, we’ve all had those days where some of our food spilled (or was thrown - *Cough* toddlers.) on our favorite white blouse and we know that stain isn’t coming out!

Those days we feel especially crummy and everything seems to go wrong; you miss your important phone call, you get splashed with water while trying to grab the mail… literally everything.

But the days where we’re looking good, (and we know it) those turn out to be some of the best days! So do your hair up differently, maybe even dye it – take some extra time to do your makeup or start moisturizing your hands with that wonderful smelling lotion your friend recommended.  Even the little things can brighten up your day and we all know a beautiful attitude is the first step to a beautiful life.