Today . . . .

I need to:

• Do some Chicken Mama's Graphic & Web Design work.
• Do some of the above - pro bono - for the local art festival. DONE! Okay, so now I only have 2 things done, and it's already 12:54. Greeeeatt.
  
• Kill mosquitoes.
  
• Work in the garden (tomatoes, onions, and potatoes need to be planted).
• Work in the chicken yard.
• Kill mosquitoes.
  
• Call a girlfriend back about babysitting on Friday. DONE!
  
• Kill mosquitoes.
• Empty the compost bucket.
• Make the 1-hour-round-trip down to a client/friend/massage therapist's to work on her computer in trade for massages.
• Finish & deliver belated birthday present for above friend.
• Print two essential oil invoices.
• Eat something. DONE! Not satisfying, though. Although, the hour+ break I took in front of the DVD & flatscreen upstairs was . . . even tho I'm feeling a little guilty about taking the time.
  

I want to:

• Make cupcakes (the butter is softening). After all, I DO have my priorities!
• Clean the pantry (whose desperate state I noticed while grabbing the ingredients for the cupcakes).
• Work on the family tree.
  

I should:

• Get some ironing done.
• Wash a batch of clothes.
• Vacuum.
• Do some yard work - still have those flowers seeds to plant.
  
• Pay some bills.
• Fill the birdfeeder.
• E-mail my Tallulah's goose egg customers telling them she's done laying for the year.
  
• Brush my teeth and wash my face! (Oh, you mean most people get that done FIRST THING in the morning?!) DONE!
  
• Do the dishes.
• Clip my toenails.
• Make cottage cheese out of the gallon of milk in the refrig before it goes bad.
  
• Work on my own Chicken Mama Originals (photography business) for the upcoming art festival. Tiny bit DONE by default of finishing above-mentioned birthday gift. New card line: Quotationery! (Get it: stationery + quotes!)
  
• Update the blog. DONE! (Thanks, Mom!)
  
• Refill the water that's evaporated out of the fish aquarium.
• Put the screen in the window above the kitchen sink so I can open it now that it's bug season.
  

Word to the Wise

Our loss can be your gain. (Although, fortunately, things have been caught in time and we haven't suffered any losses that can't be fixed.)

One of our credit cards has been getting fraudulent charges, and we've had to cancel the account. I know this isn't particularly unique to us, but what I did want to alert y'all to is the bogus Merchant Name. I hope you all - always - give your credit card statements a thorough perusal when you get them. I did some research and found out that this particular "merchant's" modus operandi is to make very small - but also very frequent - charges. In our case, it was only $11.89. That's why many people never notice them. And, based on the "merchant's" name, it just looks like you or your partner (whoever else has access to the credit card) just made a simple purchase to some sort of online store. This particular Merchant Name to keep your eyes open for is 'HTTP://WWW.MCAWEBTECHNOLO 623-742-3769 AZ'.

And, even tho only one fraudulent charge was made, the point remains that this person/persons has our credit card number and can, obviously, successfully use it. So, for safety's sake, we had to immediately close down the credit card account.

Anyway, keep your eyes open!