Ten Countries Most Likely To Default

Bottom 10 Sovereign CDS ranked by spread at end-March 2012

Name    5Y Spread   Change   % Change   Feb ranking
Cyprus     1183             4              0%             N/A
Portugal   1075          -90            -8%             2 (0)
Ukraine      859         101            13%            4 (+1)
Argentina   809           32             4%             3 (-1)
Venezuela  712          -13            -2%             5 (0)
Ireland       572          -27            -5%             6 (0)
Hungary    546            50           10%             8 (+1)
Egypt        544           -52            -9%              7 (-1)
Lebanon    459          -17            -4%               9 (0)
Spain         428           55            15%             16 (+6)

Source markit

Greece is not on the list, because it has already defaulted.

Easter Weekend 2012

I hope you are feeling refreshed and renewed after your Easter weekend!  Our plans to go to the beach on Friday were thwarted by everyone else in Houston having the same idea, so we didn't quite make it.  But we did set up a little pool in the backyard and I don't think James missed the beach all that much.

On Saturday, we road-tripped it to my brother and sister-in-law's house for cousin Riley's 3rd birthday.  I love these people so much.  That's my baby brother, 12 years my junior, and his sweet, mature, and naturally gorgeous wife.  She put together such a wonderful party, cooked and baked everything from scratch, and you could just feel the love.  I am so proud of them.

And home to color eggs.

Chubby baby hands don't understand that eggs are delicate.

I can't even remember the last time I colored eggs.  It was fun and surreal to be coloring them for the first time with my son.  

Our church service was awesome too.  When we got home, we had a little Easter egg hunt in the front yard.

The confetti eggs are especially fun.

Hope y'all had a great weekend.  Looking forward to a great week!

Little Doodahs Giveaway WINNER

Thank you to everyone who entered the Little Doodahs giveaway and thank you to Little Doodahs for offering the prize!

The WINNER is Jessie from Mix and Chic!

Jessie, I will email you the winning code so you can claim your prize.  

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !

Good Friday

Today we're off to enjoy some R&R at the beach!  

Wishing you all a wonderful, long Easter weekend!

via

Blog Spotlight {Mini Manor Blog}

I love blogs and, over the last few years, have really fallen in love with many that I check in with daily, never missing.  It's just become part of my day to see what so-and-so has been up to (even though I don't always leave comments-bad blogger!).  Other blogs, although I want to read more, I don't always have the time, so I read them a few times a week, or get to when I can- typically catching up on Friday nights.  I have lots of blogs in my reader and that I subscribe to and I love browsing them, always finding great inspiration, pictures of gorgeous families, cute babies, and tales of lives lived and projects completed by the home blogger.  





But isn't it exciting when you happen upon a new (to you) blog?  One that "speaks" to you and you get sucked in, going back through old posts, reading for hours, and feeling like you've found a new BFF even though they have no idea who you are?  Tonight, that happened to me.  I came across the Mini Manor blog and was immediately smitten. 

First of all, her story totally intrigued me.  Ashli is a 28 year-old housewife.  That's right, a real, live, no kids-yet, woman who stays at home.  They live solely on her husband's income.  In her "About Me" page, she says she should have been born in 1950!  I love it.  I have a very traditional side to me too, and often wonder if I should be staying home with my son. (I work a very flexible full-time schedule, but my 2 year old son goes to preschool/daycare usually 5 days a week).  But I digress.  

Back to Ashli- I love her simple, organized, green living philosophy.  And when I look at her home (a basic builder home in British Columbia) I see that she and her husband have added so much crisp charm and character to it.  I greatly admire homes that are simple, not over stylized, and look effortless.  Just easy to be in.  They make you want to come over for a visit and never leave- you instantly feel right at home.

I'm just going to show you a few pictures to illustrate what I mean, and you can check out the gorgeousness for yourself at Mini Manor.  

Her beautiful entryway.  How inviting!  I dig the black deer head, the neutral quatrefoil rug, lively green plant and gorgeous molding.

The library.  So bright and airy and fresh!  I'm starting to think I need to add a few plants to my house. (Did the rug get transferred? Must go back and investigate further:) (update: It's another, identical rug! She loved it so much and since the rooms are next to each other, they look cohesive with the same rug).

Beautiful dining room.  And you gotta see her Easter table.

I think her living room is a place I'd like to sit down at and relax in. It's nice that her t.v. isn't the focus of the room- you kinda barely notice it.  She keeps her neutrals interesting with the pops of yellow for Spring.  I adore the frames over the mantle and the basket on the coffee table.  She has more detailed shots on her blog. 

And talk about organized- a woman after my own heart!  Makes me want to go clean my kitchen right now and it's 9:38 p.m. as I'm typing this!

Have I gotten your attention?  Go pay Ashli a visit! :)  





******

There is still time to enter the Little Doodahs GIVEAWAY!  

The winner will be announced Saturday, April 7.

Greece's Ever Flexible "Deadline"

On 2nd April I wrote the following:

"Oh, that's easy, Greece has yet again postponed the "deadline" (from 4th April) to 18 April!"

Well I was a little ahead of events, and was two days out on the the date.

Today Greece has announced that it has indeed postponed the deadline for remaining bondholders to accept a debt swap, the new "deadline" is 20th April.

Ever flexible "deadlines" are the tools of fools, conmen and dreamers. 

Big Society Capital

David Cameron has finally defined the "Big Society", and put "his" money where his mouth is, by launching the Big Society Capital.

This a bank that will lend money to charities and community groups. It is funded with £400M stolen by the government from dormant bank accounts, and by £200M funded by other banks.