PLURAL checks ... when did that happen?

kids' freezers

Property tax

My desktop died about a week before the check came. The check went straight to the credit card company. The old computer was about eight years old, so it was not unexpected.

I have saved most of mine. My car is soon going to need a brake job and my pup is requiring some non-immediate vet attention but neither is feasible at the moment, so hanging on to it until it is.

Have spent some on take outs from local restaurants and at my local garden center as well :-)

I have given some to local food pantries and a bit more to the local homeless shelter. I bought some baby chicks to increase/replace my flock of aging laying hens, then bought 25 meat chickens. I have freezer room, might as well take advantage of it. I don't want to rely on our current food distribution system for anything that I can make/grow myself and that lets me leave the stuff at the stores for those who need it.

I'm kind of thinking that maybe we should pick up some take out on our way back from Mother's on Saturday, and I'll definitely be stopping at the local coffee shop for her weekly latte. The baristas there love to see me coming, Mother's coffee is $4.89 and I always hand them $10 and tell them to put the change in the tip jar. I know those kids aren't making any tips right now.

Annie

We paid off the car, paid a little extra on a couple of credit cards then used them to make some online donations to a few charities that I support every year.

I'm giving mine to a family that can really use it--and won't be getting one.

Tornado tree cleanup.

We get takeout from some of our favorite locally owner place at least once a week, maybe twice and I really overtip. Like $20 on a $25 order. But these are people who recognize us when we come in, remember our favorite orders, have out drinks ready. I really want to see them make it. I paid my housecleaner for three cleanings when she didn't come, and now that she's back, I've given her a raise. In June, I'll give her an extra paycheck on our 4th anniversary of her working here. We also had a dead tree taken down, again by a local business. I do think I could make some donations, but I want to keep the money very local in our small community when possible.

I plan to donate some of it but not sure where yet but it will be to support someone locally that is having a rough time.

Need to have the springs on one of our garage doors replaced as one broke earlier this week. Also need to have 20 tons of rock spread on our 500 ft. driveway. I used $300 of it to pay the processing fee at the Amish butcher for our beef and $150 to buy fertilizer for our cattle pasture. We are also planning to add another fence line to divide the pasture in two. Not sure how much that will cost.

Paid my taxes so they could send out more checks.

Bragu, I'm married, so we each got one. Thanks for all the ideas!

Mine is now spent! food bank, emergency vet bill, emergency main drain pipe replacement, and I just splurged with the remainder by ordering a new Honda self-propelled mower for myself. :)

I think I'll spend some on baby stuff for our twin Grandbabies due this fall!

Gave it to a self-employed friend who's struggling to recover from her second bout of stage 4 breast cancer and thus hasn't had any income since early February 2020.

I know some people that still have not gotten theirs!

And it's a timely provision for many people that helps meet real needs. If you can afford to give it away, count yourself blessed.

bragu....what's up with all the fireworks? We've had a couple of devestating wildfires in our area in the last few years (Sonoma County CA), and it's HOT and DRY and breezy!

Fireworks are illegal in all but 2 cities in the county, yet they've been going on for more than a month, now!

The weekend of the 4th the calls went from 150 to over 300 calls!

Some people are just stupid!

Iowa was a no fireworks state until last year when they made them legal from mid-June to just after Independence Day, and then for a few days around the new year.

Prior to that, one could possess, but not detonate, them.

Snakes, caps and sparklers were what we grew up using. And the occasional Roman candles that shot out tiny balls of color. We used to play dodge ball with them ... or have wars. Not sane, not safe, but fun.