FMJ - Day 187

Eleven cents found on Day 187 -- a penny and a dime. The first find was the penny during lunch at Carl's jr. on Madera Rd. The dime was found in front of Straight Cut on L.A. Ave. where Ajay and I went for our much needed haircuts.

FMJ - Total Found: $565.77
Since Blog Inception: $105.15
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $533.32

Day 186 -- Early posting due to tennis.

Found just one penny so far... at the McDonald's on Tapo St.

At the recycling center last night the B&C fund picked up $1.88 from our turn-in.

FMJ - Total Found: $565.66
Since Blog Inception: $105.04
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $533.32

FMJ - Day 185

No finds were to happen, sadly, on day 185.

FMJ - Day 184

I found a dime and penny at the Chicken Bowl on L.A. Ave. There, I had an good lunch of Steak & steamed Veggies over steamed rice. Played a tough two hours against Danny C. at Rancho Simi Courts. When I first came to Simi Valley, he was easily beating me... now, the table is turned and we're switching off on the sets. Today, he bested me 7-5. This weight loss has improved my court coverage... I'm running down tough shots! My two-handed backhand is much improved these last two weeks. Watch out! Add another penny that was found in the evening by Ajay while stopping at Ralph's in Wood Ranch.

FMJ - Total Found: $565.65
Since Blog Inception: $105.03
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $531.44

FMJ - Day 183

No Finds for day 183. Really? Yes, Really. Bummer!

Looks like we're not moving! Day 182

The Found Money Jar staffers are staying in Simi Valley, CA for at least the next year, or so. We are staying put... my wife met the new SVP at her old company on a business trip last week and decided that she's not the type of personality (reptilian bitch) that she could work for and mesh with well. So, until there's another opportunity or a change in management, I gather we will be planting some roots here. I didn't want to move anyway... so, there! The universe is back in balance! I've played tennis for 2 hours or more for 21 days this month and lost 13 pounds... why would I ever want to move back to a cold winter climate? Forget about it!

Back to business: For day 182, we made just one find of a dime. We found it in the food court at Cerritos Mall.

Recycling returns: $6.80

FMJ - Total Found: $565.53
Since Blog Inception: $104.91
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $531.44

FMJ - Day 181

No finds for Day 181.

FMJ - Day 180

On FMJ day 180, we found at quarter and a penny at the Carl's Jr. on Madera Rd. Add another 26 cents to the Found Money Jar. The quarter was a L.A. Times box find. The penny was left discarded by the soda fountain.

FMJ - Total Found: $565.43
Since Blog Inception: $104.81
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $524.64

FMJ - Day 179

Total found on day 179 was 8 cents. A nickel and three pennies. The first penny was found at the ARCO gas station on Madera Rd. The next find was another penny in the parking lot of Jack in the Box on L.A. Ave. In the evening, a nickel and penny were found at the Wood Ranch Ralph's.

FMJ - Total Found: $565.17
Since Blog Inception: $104.55
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $524.64

FMJ - DAY 178

A dime and five pennies were found on Day 178. My wife took a Jetblue flight out of Long Beach Airport in the morning. She's flying on business with her most loyal minion, Kristina, for some presentations to Fannie Mae in Herndon, VA. As I was their driver to the airport, I made an after drop-off stop at the only Chick-Fil-A on the west coast that I've seen in Lakewood -- off the 605. I had a chicken club sandwich and found 2 pennies. After that, a stop for gas at the ARCO on Artesia Blvd. in Cerritos, CA and found another penny. In the afternoon, the kids and I had an after-school snack at the Taco Bell on Tapo St. -- Found the dime and final two pennies. My wife and her compadre landed safe and sound at Dulles Airport.
Total for Day 178 - 15 Cents.

FMJ - Day 177

No money found on Day 177. Didn't look... too busy.

FMJ - Day 176

Found 26 cents on Day 176 --- a quarter and a penny. The penny was found near the counter at the Famous Brands Shoes in the Camarillo Outlets. The quarter was dropped by a kid at the Auntie Anne's Pretzels in the same center. I saw the kid scramble for his lost change which fell everywhere from his stuffed change purse... even picked up some coins to help him gather it but we must have missed the quarter as it was found about after he left the store about a couple of minutes later. Didn't see him later... so, we will kindly offer up a new home for the coin in the Found Money Jar.

The B & C Recycling fund garnered $6.64 from our trip the recycling center.

FMJ - Total Found: $564.94
Since Blog Inception: $104.32
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $524.64

Early post for Day 175!

As I'm traveling to Ventura, CA to play tennis at the very ritzy Pierpont Racquet Club and as such, I thought it wise to post my earlier finds now... I played two sets of singles this morning at Rancho Simi Courts. Very windy! Santa Ana Winds -- big fire caution today! I found a single dollar bill at Ralph's in Wood Ranch where I cashed in a coupon for a free Propel sports water. The bill was folded in half and had been dropped on the floor near the exit way. After tennis, a stop for a spicy chicken sandwich ( still only 99 cents!) at Carl's Jr. on Madera Rd. produced 2 dimes and a penny for the found money jar. We have a big match for the Ventura Men's Doubles USTA Team Tennis League today -- our team captain has switched the partners for this match as we are playing against one of the best teams in the league -- I hope I can make a big showing and give our coach a win! I played 11 straight days of two or more hours of tennis until yesterday... really starting to see my "A" come out right now. Lost 9 pounds from playing in less than two weeks. Total found so far today: $1.21

A further note: At Pierpont, my partner and I played their #1 team and lost 7-6, 6-1... we got the play on the center court and had a crowd... I was really playing well... held all but one service game... many aces and played with pinpoint returns... My two-handed backhand return of serve was a real weapon... Their players had a tough time handling my power game. Unfortunately, my partner broke his strings at the tie-break and had to play with his back-up racquet... he just couldn't keep his game up after that and they attacked him with low short balls and made him run... He couldn't find his strokes.. Sadly, we lost the second set and try as hard as a I could... I was not able to carry him. I play incredible tennis when I've got a crowd. "I coulda bin a contendar!"

Trip to Cabazon, CA - Outlet Shops! Day 174

On Day 174, we trek 290 miles round-trip to go outlet shopping at the Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Cabazon, CA. There we also found the Morongo Casino... an indian gambling house and den of iniquity -- I played while the ladies shopped... won $37.80! My wife spent $300! On the way to Cerritos to pick-up our Mayma, we stopped for breakfast at McDonald's on Kanan Rd. off "the 101" -- Ajay found 10 quarters ($2.50) resting in the change-shoot on the L.A. Times box. We lunched at Aunt Pratu's house in Cerritos. As I'm not a vegetarian, I went to Albertson's to acquire my rotisserie chicken... found another 2 quarters in the L.A. Times box in front of the store. At the outlets, we found 2 quarters, a nickel and 2 pennies. Ajay found a Disney "Madagascar" Gameboy SP game card resting atop a kiddie ride on the sidewalk in the outlets. He has a gameboy SP! Needless to say, happy is he with his spoils. During a stop for gas at the Arco station in Cerritos about 11:00pm, I found another nickel and three pennies. Desert Hills Outlets... worth the long trip! Total found on Day 174 - $3.65!

FMJ - Total Found: $563.47
Since Blog Inception: $102.85
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $518.00

FMJ - Day 173

No finds for day 173.

FMJ - Day 172

A single badly beaten penny found on Day 172. It was picked up in the parking lot near Albertson's on Madera Rd.

FMJ - Total Found: $559.82
Since Blog Inception: $99.20
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $518.00

Happy Birthday to Maya! 10!

On day 171, Maya's Birthday, we found nine cents -- a nickel and 4 pennies. The nickel was found while shopping at the 99 Cents Only store. The 4 pennies were found at the Cosco snack bar... where I am eating their Chicken Ceasar Salad... very helpful for the diet. I'm hoping a little weight loss will help with the tennis. Recycling: another $4.00 for the fund.

FMJ - Total Found: $559.81
Since Blog Inception: $99.19
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $518.00

FMJ - Day 170

No finds were made on Day 170. 9/13 is Maya's 10th birthday! Yippee!

FMJ - Day 169

Total found on Day 169 was 44 cents. First find: a dime at the Costco snack bar in Simi Valley. Glenn, Dan and I stopped there after morning tennis for their Chicken Ceasar Salad. Yummy! Find#2: At the Taco Bell on Cochran Ave. -- 2 dimes & two pennies left as a donation on the self-serve drink fountain... A kid left them right in front of me as I was re-filling my drink... I guess he doesn't need the money... Kids are so rich these days, you know! Thanks, my unwise fellow Simi Valley compadre! In the evening, we went out for pizza at Topper's Pizza... upon leaving, we found a dime and 2 pennies.

FMJ - Total Found: $559.72
Since Blog Inception: $99.10
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $514.00

FMJ - Day 168

On Day 168, we found a nickel and 4 pennies. The first find occurred during our team tennis match against Pacific Tennis Club -- a penny beside court #8 bench at Arroyo Vista Park. I've joined Moorpark Tennis Club. Our doubles match was fun but, sadly, we lost 7-6, 7-6. The next find was made in the Target Shopping center parking lot in Moorpark. I had an after-match burger at the In-N-Out Burger there. There we found another penny. After the Burger, I shopped in the Target and found a penny and nickel. In the evening, we picked up the kids who stayed the saturday night with Grandma in Cerritos, CA. Found a penny near the King Dragon Restaurant in Cerritos. We did Carry-out chinese for supper. Total for the day - 9 cents.

FMJ - Total Found: $559.28
Since Blog Inception: $98.66
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $514.00

FMJ - Day 167

Tennis in the morning... Doubles at Rancho Simi... played with a stand-in partner against Glenn and Dan... I'm really playing well the last few days -- crushing two-handed backhands returns like I'm 20 again. My intensity level was very high and I'm attacking at the net. I hope I can keep this up.

No coin finds for this day 167.

FMJ - Day 166

No Finds to report for day 166.

FMJ - Day 165

A dime was found on the ground near the ATM at the Wells Fargo Bank on L.A. Ave.

FMJ - Total Found: $559.19
Since Blog Inception: $98.57
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $514.00

FMJ - Day 164

2 pennies found on Day 164. The first find was made while purchasing the morning paper at a newspaper box near Dan's Racquet Shop on Erringer Ave. in Simi Valley. The next find occured at lunchtime in the parking lot of Sharkey's Restaurant.

We turned in $10.20 worth of recycling -- add it to the fund and we now have $514.00 towards our first stock purchase. Thinking of Scottrade for the account.

FMJ - Total Found: $559.09
Since Blog Inception: $98.47
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $514.00

FMJ - Day 163

Three Cents found on Day 153. One was found laying in the dirt near the Rancho Simi Tennis Courts. My little Beamer needs a new "something..." not sure as it stalled out... I had to push it to a side street last night. Upon walking home, I found a penny... heads up! Penny number three was found in the Vons grocery store on Cochran Ave.


FMJ - Total Found: $559.07
Since Blog Inception: $98.45
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $503.80

Trip to Hearst Castle -- FMJ: Days 161-162

On Sunday, we drove to San Luis Obispo to spend the night and partake in the SLO scene. Dinner at the Firestone Grill -- Nice Tri-Tip Sandwiches. Found 24 cents on the trip -- 2 dimes & 4 pennies. We drove 160 miles and made a stop at Pismo Beach to watch the surfers. Labor Day, we made it to Hearst Castle in San Simeon. My son found a penny in the castle. Tell W.R.H. that it wasn't his... Please? We made several stop along the way home to view the coast... I think the central coast of Cali in the finest in the world. We got a picture of a seal on a rock -- Neat. Dinner at The Great American Seafood Restaurant on the docks at Morro Bay. Morro Rock is quite a sight. Fish and Chips --- the Shrimp on a stick was very good. Found 35 cents -- a quarter, nickel and 5 pennies. Total for the trip: 59 cents.

FMJ - Day 160

Day 160: Sixteen cents found in the form of a dime and 5 pennies. Two pennies found in the parking lot of Marie Callendar's in Simi Valley where we had brunch buffet. In the evening, we went to Cerritos to drive my little 320i back home... Found the dime and 3 more pennies while strolling Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach, CA.

I played tennis this morning... 3 hours of near perfect doubles on my part -- I had 10 aces and at least 15 service winners.... Serve & Volleyed very consistently. Sometimes you just play up in the zone. I'm playing on a newly formed team for the fall season. So, you 'll see more tennis tales on this blog.

FMJ - Total Found: $558.45
Since Blog Inception: $97.83
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $503.80

FMJ - Day 159

Eighteen Cents found on Day 159 while shopping at the Camarillo Outlets (3 pennies, a nickel & a dime.) The first find was a dime and 3 pennies while ordering burgers for dinner at the IN-and-OUT Burger near the outlets. A nickel was found in front the Adidas store.

FMJ - Total Found: $558.27
Since Blog Inception: $97.67
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $503.80

FMJ - Day 158

Found just two cents on Day 158. First find was made in front of Jack-in-the-Box on L.A. Ave. The next find was in front of Dan's Racquet Shop on Erringer Ave. in Simi Valley. My daughter got her first "real" racquet... not a hand me down from Dad or Mom. She deserves it!

FMJ - Total Found: $558.09
Since Blog Inception: $97.49
Bottles & Cans Return Fund: $503.80