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I went ahead and foraged more blackberries. Free sunglasses courtesy of the Red Cross, free hat courtesy of a neighborhood “Free Stuff” box.
I can see why your eye is drawn to the Supreme hat, (which I later sold on eBay for $65!) but it’s actually the olive green baseball cap hiding behind it. I like that it doesn’t advertise a sportsball team or even a university. Just a few simple embroidered leaves and the price was right.
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I stopped at Dollar Tree, as I keep hearing that they’re about to raise their prices. I was officially there for another pair of mylar baloons to scare off the pigeons that enjoy A) Hanging out under my eaves, and B) Pooping absolutely everywhere. They were out of helium, but I did stock up on shampoo, conditioner, bar soap and ginger snaps.
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I took the last of some not-so-fresh-feeling tangerines from my sister’s visit and juiced them for a batch of tangerine tofu. (Like “orange chicken,” but with tangerine juice and tofu!) I essentially made up the recipe, but it included the tangerine juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic powder, powdered ginger, sesame oil, brown sugar, red pepper flakes and lastly a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
Yum!
Random ingredients coming together to create a delicious, yet frugal meal. Anything I can do to stay out of a grocery store is a “win” in my book!
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I’d reached the point where I couldn’t get any more goo out of my lotion bottle, so I cut it in half. Now I can access every last bit of product to get my money’s worth!
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I haven’t been participating in an official “No Buy July” challenge, but I’m pretty sure than apart from a few thrifted items, I’ve only puchased comsumables this month. Although that’s pretty much every month for me.
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Tangerine tofu sounds delicious. I might have to try it.
1. I cleaned off my siding and cement on my front porch using a hose and my car washing brush. It looks great and no money spent on having someone clean my siding.
2. I shared some of my basil from my plants with a friend who will make some pesto with it.
3. I had oatmeal for breakfast yesterday. This morning I had some free to me cottage cheese with a spoonful of blackberry jam that I made from a previous years blackberries I had in the freezer. Cheap and healthy breakfasts. I ate my leftover pizza I made the night before for dinner.
4. I cut open a free to me sample tube of Aquaphor to get the last of it out.
5. I’m reading a library book on my Kindle. I’ve been reading the series The Dublin Murder Squad by Tana French. I like it. It’s nice to find a series once in a while.
I love Tana French. I’ve read them all, and patiently waiting for something new! The other series about Cal Hooper are my favorites….The Searcher and The Hunter.
1. Redeemed fetch rewards for Target gift cards to pick up groceries to get us through next week. Also will get $14 in aisle rebates
2. Went to an estate sale and bought a new candle and decor item (for a friend) and spent $4
3. Gathered a bag of clothes for church clothes closet
4. Sold one item on line for a friend. Frankenboxed to mail it
5. My son was discharged from hospital yesterday. Follow up appointments next week and will be home next Wednesday
1) Made eclectic meals to use up our entertaining leftover bits & bobs. Yesterday’s Mediterranean bowl was particularly great.
2) Made spaghetti, meatballs & garlic bread twice (meatballs from the freezer) to accommodate last minute dinner guests. This is my go to emergency dinner, when the leftovers won’t stretch to another diner.
3) Intended to go to a workout class during my lunch break. Very last minute work meeting cropped up, so the studio allowed me to move to the late class. While I don’t prefer working out in the afternoon, I prefer it a lot more than a $15 missed class fee.
4) Used a $20 grocery store reward + found $2 of peelie coupons to save on things we buy.
5) I get three bonus vacation days next week, as my company closes for wellness breaks. This is especially exciting, as I’ve only accrued 14 hours of total vacation, and don’t need to use my minimal time off. They are just free vacation days. Assuming DH doesn’t have interviews, we are heading to Napa and using points for a little mini getaway.
Hi Katy
That’s a $39 dollar ball cap from the California Academy of Sciences
https://www.muzemerch.com/california-academy-of-sciences-logo-ballcap
Katy you’ll have to call blackberries Rubus fruticosus when you’re wearing your cap
Hah! A free ball cap with a homework assignment.
Ha, that’s too funny! It didn’t occur to me to do the research.
And the hat is great since you believe in science and are not part of the Flat Earth society.
So much is routine here. Love your berries! I also put the cut lotion bottles together as you do when I slice them open.
1. Most of my shirts are thrifted or from yard sales, as I seem to find prettier colors that way. Currently wearing one from a cruise that I would never pay to go on, but it is all organic cotton and very soft.
2. Asked pharmacy to put not-the-childproof caps on my future orders. We are beyond the era of needing them and this pharmacy’s childproof ones are very frustrating to me. I had to switch from WalMart pharmacy, where the caps could just be turned upside down to be easy-open.
3. Great rain last night! I won’t have to water my plants, and I like the noise of rain and distant thunder at night.
4. Library books.
5. Strategically using 5% “cash back” in “rotating categories” on our credit cards. One has quarterly specials (this quarter is utility and gas, on a card we seldom use) and another lets us choose (we picked streaming services and entertainment). The little bits add up to more than the cost of a stamp and I have time to do the extra running around for these bills.
I just got a new credit card thru my local bank. It’s a cash back, and utilities is one of the categories I can choose full time for 5% back. Also if I spend $500 dollars in 3 months I get $150 back, and no interest, which I always pay balance in full, for 18 months so if I decide to put in a walkin shower I can extend the spend with no interest, and get cash back.
Heidi Louise I’m glad you posted this because I need to remember to put my power bill on the card. No problem spending $500 in three months!
Yes– Spending $500 to get a big credit is not a difficult move to make!
Timing a new card with a big purchase, such as when insurance is due, is my norm. I am not worried about our credit score, as it is high now and any brief drops recover in a few months. We also aren’t doing anything that needs a credit score now.
@Sugar Cat Farm – I don’t know if you have price of walk-in showers or not. Friends of ours are getting one (one- day install). $24,000.
Melissa N
Yes, I’ve seen that and more! A one day install seems like it’s too fast and asking for shortcuts that may lead to future problems. Also if it’s one of the companies that advertises on TV you’re paying for the advertising also. My husband and I built houses for many years, and attention to detail is more important to me than speedy installation. Fortunately I have good friends that are plumbers and contractors that I know do good work and that eliminates the issue of strangers who are watching the clock.
Thank you so much for the heads up!
1. Walked to beach this morning to get my Vitamin D and a little nature drenching. It was reasonably cool after a day of stormy weather.
2. Found an abandoned pair of flip flops. They just need washing, and then they will go in the Goodwill bag. I also found some kind of nylon carrier. Maybe for wet swimsuits? Towels? I will wash and donate that, too.
3. Picked up three bottles and four cans that went into the recycling bin.
4. Today’s menu from the pantry project — blueberry pancakes for breakfast (I froze one because I made too much). Lunch — grilled cheese and tomato soup, which I didn’t eat yesterday after all. Dinner — apple wedges with peanut butter and honey. I may make brownies today, too, if it doesn’t get too hot.
5. A library book I put on hold came in, but it was so big and heavy I just couldn’t handle it. So I put the e-book on hold, and it arrived today. Much better!
1. Making various pickles–bread and butter, pickled peppers, pickled peppers, and soon chow-chow, but that’s better made when the tomatoes are almost finished as it calls for not quite ripe tomatoes.
2. Eating mostly from the grill, which tends to be cheaper.
3. Taking advantage of free solar Vitamin D at the beach, though I never seem to have enough.
4. Foraging amaranth leaves. Later on, I’ll forage the seeds, which are a pseudograin.
5. I didn’t sign any of my books for Jeffrey Epstein.
Rose,
A friend of mine grew up in rural Indiana, and remembers making chow chow with her mom (her siblings helped, too) at the end of the summer or early fall, with “whatever was left in the garden”, including (but not limited to) green tomatoes. My DH and I made and canned chow chow once, many years ago….we were getting a weekly CSA at the time, and had an overabundance of cabbage. It was fun making it with other produce from the CSA boxes, and we ended up giving most of it away to friends.
As I am sure you know, chow chow is not a Long Island thing, but I love anything pickled. It is SO good on hot dogs but many other things too. I don’t grow cabbage because I don’t have the room and it’s not as though cabbage is so expensive, heh. Come to think of it, I also like anything to do with cabbage.
also the second pickled peppers should be “assorted pickled peppers.”
Rose, I don’t know if you like collards or not, and this recipe deviates a little from the original. The original has the sandwich topped with chow chow. I wash my collards cut tem in 1/2 inch strips, and saute for about 5 mins in bacon drippings or oil. I’ll freeze the collards for summer when we don’t have fresh. We also eat chow with field peas, such as black eyes or purple hull.
https://gardenandgun.com/recipe/how-to-make-a-collard-sandwich/
I do love collards. And I used not to be crazy about black eyed peas until BFF made them with snaps for Thanksgiving and they were out of this world. Mmm, I’ll try the collard sandwich. Thank you!
Basically I like all vegetables and fruits. Obviously some more than others.
Rose,
I like pickled things, too – like pickled onions….who knew they’re so yummy? I make cucumber refrigerator pickles, too, that are kind of sweet/sour. I agree, chow chow is good on all kinds of things. We used some of what we made on burgers (yum) and cold sandwiches (also yum). If we hadn’t had such an overabundance of cabbage that year, I don’t know that we would’ve ever tried making it. I did try growing cabbage a few years ago, but fending off the cabbage worms was more work than this lazy gardener could manage. 🙂
The cabbage worms and bunnies ate all of my cabbages the 2 years I tried growing it. My dad has no problems so I get some from him or a local farm.
My criteria for what I can grow on my small bit of land:
1. Is it hard/expensive to find but also the best? Yes, in the case of my apples and pie cherries.
2. Is it easy enough to find but ridic expensive? Yes, in the case of the herbs I grow.
3. Does it taste much better picked seconds ago? Yes, re my tomatoes. Sweet corn also falls under this category but again, don’t have the room.
IF I move this year (Lurch sigh) I will also plant some more things for category one, including blackcurrants and gooseberries. We shall see.
I have never heard of chow chow before. I had to look it up. What a great way to use up an overabundance of produce. I always learn something new here.
If you like that sweetish, tartish, pickly taste, make some! It’s extremely easy and cheap. Pack them in clean jars and water-bath can them (no need for special equipment–a big pot is all you need and just boil your jars for a while.) I can give you the recipe, but it’s mostly just cabbage, onion, and greenish tomatoes. Seriously easy and makes a nice gift.
Thank you for the inspiration with the tangerine tofu. I have a sesame chicken recipe I loved but since I no longer eat meat, I haven’t made it. I think it would taste great as a tofu recipe too though so I will give that a try.
1) Made a big batch of navy bean soup and a loaf of “beer” bread (made with seltzer water instead of beer)
2) Trying to source another kids desk, a challenge without Facebook. I posted on free cycle and the buy nothing app, neither look super active for my area but it’s worth a try. Next I’ll check Craigslist.
3) My sister is flying in tonight, I’ll pick her up from the airport and she’ll spend the night here then tomorrow morning I will drive her to a halfway point between my house and hers, where my parents will pick her up. Saves her any sort of airport parking or transport costs and gives me extra sister time!
4) Made my coffee at home and drank it out of a mug from my grandparents house. Because I drink coffee, I tend to get mugs as gifts a lot but since I’m the only coffee/tea drinker here, I really don’t need a lot of mugs so I’m very picky about which I keep. This mug from my grandparents house made the cut because I would use it when I was at their house so it makes me think of them and remember good times there when I use it.
5) Free exercise per usual, did a YouTube workout last night and will be going on a run to the beach near my house.
My son gave me a vintage cutting board shaped like a whale for Mother’s Day this year, since it was one of the things I loved in my great-grandmother’s house.
What a lovely, thoughtful gift! Also such a unique item. I also took the cutting board from my grandparents house, it’s not shaped like anything but they used it all the time so it also has a strong association for me.
I love the idea of that tofu! I think tofu is so delicious – it just soaks up whatever flavours you introduce it to. And thanks for the tip on Dollar Tree raising their prices – our prices in Canada are already a bit higher, but I’ll expect further increases for sure.
1. Enjoying books on the Libby app as always! A Maeve Binchy novel right at the moment.
2. Fried egg sandwiches for lunch! And sliced peppers (on sale) with a delicious red pepper dip. Yum.
3. We love Larabars, but buy them in a bulk box to lower the price somewhat. They’re not the cheapest option, but with all our allergies they are a treat that we can enjoy.
4. Going to make a big batch of ‘breakfast’ cookies this evening. Has so much delicious stuff in them, and packed with good things. We eat them anytime of day, but also at breakfast.
5. Our yearly zoo pass expires soon, so we plan to go at least one more time (but hopefully twice) before it does. 🙂
Noticed you bought White Rain shampoo. White Rain is a terrific brand and it doesn’t cost a lot. One of my buddies is a PE teacher/coach and she swears by White Rain hairspray; although inexpensive, it holds her hair well enough, that she still looks professional after being outdoors on the ballfield. In fact, I’ve noticed the hairstyles of my customers who purchase White Rain or Tres’seme (another cheaper brand) are just as gorgeous as those of the ladies who buy the skinny $15 cans of Kendra hair spray. Or Paul Mitchell. Or other costly products. (Don’t tell the store manager I told you!)
1. Got the roofers to move 2 heavy packages of leftover flooring planks from laundry room to garage for me. It was only about four or five feet away, but it kept me from straining my sore arm again.
2. Paid electric bill with Discover card; 5% cashback.
3. Also called them and stopped a home warranty subscription I didn’t realize I had, so I saved $300+ for the “annual renewal.” Much cheaper to hire retired guys and pay cash for that kind of work, which is rarely needed anyway.
4. Set up wooden clothes rack in unused bathtub/shower in guest bathroom, and closed the shower curtain….so that when I air dry my undies, the workers won’t see it. I usually dry them in the garage or laundry room, which is out in the open should the workers need to access the garage, attic, etc.
5. Didn’t put the squeeze on prestigious universities, making them donate to my presidential library in order to release (previously approved) federal funding for scientific research.
1. I picked up a free large tube of toothpaste at the senior center. There is a table where people leave free items, usually produce in summer.
2. My garden is producing more cucumbers than I can keep up with. I don’t need to make pickles since I have some left from last yr. So I have a bowl of cucumbers and onion soaking in vinegar and sugar in the fridge.
3. I have been giving the dogs cooked vegetables with their dog food dinners every night. I just bought a cauliflower. Since these dogs absolutely love cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli, I am cooking the cauliflower leaves for them.
4. I am having some major dental work done soon . I went to Aldi and stocked up on their excellent cottage cheese and Greek yogurt.
5. My husband has lost a lot of weight. We were able to take 5 bags of his too big clothes to Goodwill.
I don’t know how you feel about spicy but we love this smashed cuke salad in our house.
https://grilledcheesesocial.com/2021/03/25/xian-famous-foods-chinese-smashed-cucumber-salad/
We’re big fans of Xi’an Famous Foods (basically only in NYC) around here.
Rose, that looks delicious, though I would have to reduce the heat level by a lot. Thanks.
Chili crisp is so popular now it shouldn’t be hard to find. Start out with a tiny bit and if not hot enough, increase a bit. Sesame oil is yummy but can be left out. The only sticky wicket is black vinegar, but it is so tasty, you can easily use it on non-Chinese dishes too.
There are also very old recipes for things like cucumbers a la Poulette (sauteed and then covered with a creamy sauce). You can also batter and fry them.
In conclusion, I love cukes and they don’t have to be saved for salad.
1. Used a $10 reward from the grocery store, towards more groceries.
2.Picking some small carrots out of my garden to give to my dogs. They get a carrot treat every day, and love it.
3. My short term rental has been fully booked for July, thank goodness.
4. Had an amazing salmon dinner with three other ladies. The host has a lakefront home, and we sat on the dock and chatted, shared snacks and drinks, then the host cooked for us. I took leeks and zucchini from my garden.
5. My DD lives about hour’s drive from me, and works from home some days, so I make a big salad and took it to her house. She took her lunch break and we sat on her deck and ate and had a good visit. Better and cheaper than going out. I left her with kale, leeks, green onions, zuchini, garlic and radishes all from my garden.
One year I got the brilliant idea to train one of my Irish wolfhounds by rewarding him with peas, pod included. It worked beautifully, until he realized he could pull the peas off the vine, indeed the entire vine, without ever having to participate in my training sessions. I vowed not to do that with our rescue Dane, but it turns out he didn’t need human intervention either. Last summer he ate every single cabbage, 12 of them, within 2 days. In the rain…which he hates.
Wow! LL Bean Totes
“Vintage specimens of the brand’s iconic Boat and Tote are now fetching hundreds of dollars online.”
https://www.gq.com/story/vintage-llbean-boat-and-tote-it-bag?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=flipboard%2Fmagazine%2F10+For+Today
Hot dog! Maybe the LL Bean tote with tempera paint stains that I found in a dumpster outside the nearby high school’s art classroom about 20 years ago will make my fortune! (I’ve been using it to haul firewood, which should only add to its cachet.) 😀
A. Marie
I saw in the article they were used to carry blocks of ice
among other things. Pop it on ebay…you never know what is another man’s treasure!
Thank you so much for posting that link! I still use my school bag from first grade–which is the LL Bean tote bag—and I turned 50 this year!
Katy, that is a smart way to cut the tube so that the contents do not dry out while you are using the remains. I am going to try it. Previously I used a bankers’ clip to secure the end, but I think your way is better.
It is funny, how what I want to buy or run out of shows up in your blog the next week. Two weeks ago, I needed yellow cake mix. Then Dolly brand showed up in your post. This week I am out of conditioner. You & readers post about conditioner. You are psychic.
Katy, I hope it’s okay to mention this but if not just delete or whatever. I think it was you who mentioned the instagram account of @therichgoodwill I think some of your readers might be interested. A woman drives around wealthy neighborhoods on bulk trash day, or something like that, and picks up their abandoned items, rehomes them, keeps some. What is fascinating is what these “rich” people put out for trash pickup. $2000.00 rugs, Anthropologie sofas with a tiny coffee stain, beautiful children’s furniture, light fixtures, etc. It is horrifying and fascinating at the same time. Beautiful, useful things set out for the landfill. The waste is mind numbing. I’m a little obsessed with the account. Thanks for sharing it.
Yup. Tag sales are off the charts here too. I once bought a ton of Porthault towels for like thirty bucks and the seller threw in the bleach spotted ones for free. She also sold me a fab copper plant pot for $10 (I have a thing about copper) and a copper bowl for a Kitchen Aid that I sold on ebay for $500.
Rose, great score on the copper bowl! At least they’re attempting to sell their stuff, not just leave it at the curb to potentially end up in a trash truck. I am fascinated and horrified by the level of waste.
Yes: Why did they buy it in the first place? Or how did they get the stuff? How much change in their environment do they need every year?
1. ate my usual bfast of homemade yogurt with granola, chia seeds & pumpkin seeds. I put a measuring cup/spoon in my granola and seeds containers so as not to waste any by eating more than I need. Extra proud of myself for making my own granola yesterday. Haven’t found any granolas on the clearance aisle lately.
2. used captured runoff water from the air conditioner to clean & refill the birdbath.
3. so far so good on keeping up with all the garden produce. makes me so happy to not waste any & we share some too.
4. successfully got a stain out of some laundry. keeping things like new feels good.
5. remembered to thaw something from freezer to cook for lunch today. trying extra hard not to eat out any this month, since we were out of town last month & had to eat out a bunch then.
Katy, have you tried using old cds on fishing line to determine the pooping birds? In my experience it works very well, and I can’t be only one with an old cd or 100.
That’s an interesting idea, but the problem is that I can’t safely reach near where the pigeons are hanging out, which is why the helium works so well.
No Frugal Five but a reminder of why we are all frugal.
My 23 year old Kenmore refrigerator died. I called my trusty independent appliance repair person, they asked for a picture of the model number so they could look up possible parts before they came out and charged a service call. Most of the parts that might be the problem were no longer available 🙁 He suggested that I replace the refrigerator and suggested that I purchase a Whirlpool or KitchenAid model.
I went on the Costco website to look. I prefer to use them because they offer haul away, 2 years of support, free delivery and set up. Found the least expensive one that would suit my purpose, it was on a summer time sale, and bought it. The best part was, because we are frugal, I was able to move money into our debit account and pay in full immediately!
While I did have to throw out most everything in the freezer (kept flour and cornmeal), I was able to save most everything in the cooler. We have two large ice chest from school sports days, child graduated high school 10 years ago. I did have to buy bags of ice but said child, who is a paramedic, brought me quite a bit of ice from her station 🙂
We all practice tiny frugal fives so that when the unexpected happens we can quickly and frugally handle what life hands us
1. This morning I made banana chip muffins with bananas that were in the freezer. Hubby had brought them home from work before they were tossed. I used silicone muffin cups. I subbed eggs with aquafaba. Also used homemade vanilla. Did all of my baking first thing while the windows were open and the electric rates are lowest.
2. I washed a load of laundry on the cold short cycle. Hubby hung everything outside. I used 2 tablespoons of detergent.
3. I made a batch of homemade dog food. Scraps from the last 2 weeks were added such as zucchini ends, string bean ends, potato skins, egg shells, chicken skins. I keep a container in the freezer of foods that are safe for the dog. They get added when I make her food. Very little gets wasted in our house.
4. The dishwasher got run after everything above was done. We only run it when it is full which is almost every day. We cook most of our own meals so it fills up fast. Our electric rates go up in the afternoon so I do everything in the morning.
5. Hubby replaced the battery in his corvette. It kept dying. He will return the old one so it can be recycled.
6.Hubby and I met a friend at a free concert locally. It was a local artist that Hubby really enjoys. We took picture with him after and he signed autographs. We brought drinks with us. We had eaten dinner at home before we went. It was a nice free night out. I gave my friend some figs.
7. The garden is going crazy. I have so many string beans from while we were away. I need to do something with them this weekend. Another batch of pesto will get made from all of the basil. Figs are being eaten and given to whoever we see. Lots of salads. I picked a bunch of sunflowers and they are in my living room. So pretty.
7. I stopped at a big free pile on the way to work. They couple started talking to me. They are retiring to SC. They asked me if I was interested in some frozen foods. I happily said yes. Everything was new. I got waffles, pigs in blankets, french fries, mixed vegetables, a lasagna, a stir fry kit, a small pie, a Mexican bowl, fried rice with veggies, frozen blueberries. I also took a set of pots and pans, a bin of sewing stuff, a cute cart, a magazine rack, a laundry basket, a broom and Swiffer, a surge protector, lots of dog stuff, a bag of clothes, games, books, 2 wicker baskets, a pocketbook, a new backpack, and lots of new party supplies. I posted a picture on my local buy nothing so others would know about it. I left everything neater then I found it. The couple was happy I was taking stuff. However the next morning when I drove by the pile was trashed. Someone ripped apart the bags, stuff was all over the place. They took stuff out of the cans and didn’t put what they didn’t want back.
Why do pigs in a blanket sound so miraculous right now lol!?
Compact discs that you no longer want or use also make dandy scarecrows. Just string a cord through the hole and hang them up. Sunlight will reflect the CD’s iridescence and make glowing patterns around that move anytime the breeze moves it. This tends to scare off the birdies. I’ve used it in my garden for sparrows, but hopefully it’d also work with pigeons.
1. I turned the air conditioner temp to 79 degrees bc my bill is going to be outrageous.
2. I walked an hour at 6 a.m. this morning in my neighborhood to avoid the heat.
3. I washed my work dresses and my jeans and bra in the tub. Dried outside.I feel that washing machine and dryers are really rough on clothes.
4. I did my eyebrows and nails myself as always.
5. I cleaned my house myself. So I did nothing outstanding but am trying to save money bc my house insurance just went up… sigh
We are getting absolutely hammered on AC costs. It’s so hard because we have a little one who runs hot. I’m really hoping that having our basement finished and the added insulation helps at least a little.
I don’t understand why my bill didn’t jump up. I pay using you put money in the account and it only costs me about $3.00 a day to keep house cool. But it is only me, the dogs and cats (they can’t turn on lights). When I was in 5th grade the started a program, that I thought was national, that we were going to run out of resources by a certain year if we didn’t start paying attention by turning off the lights and using less resources. Well the turn off the lights really stuck with me. If you come to my house and don’t turn them off it gets to me. After people leave I go through the house turning them and not believing that they were turned off. I do enjoy reading how you manage to keep costs down.
I like how you ladies roll. I already do a lot of frugal things that you do. How can I join?,
Beth, you’ve joined by being here. Welcome!
1. The heat has been difficult with a 14 month old. I took him to an indoor play place that has “happy hour” where admission is 1/2 off. Met a friend and we had a nice time catching up while our little ones played.
2. Sold a few things from the basement on marketplace last week.
3. I have been having not so great thrift luck lately , and my favorite thrift store just raised their prices. I went to multiple kid consignment stores and could not find what I needed for my kiddo so I caved to some actual retail. I got some great deals at gap/old navy and used cash back. Also find some things on Mercari to round out his wardrobe. For the current size and next. I always try to buy used first , but sometimes it doesn’t pan out. I’ve learned in our BN group that toddler boy clothes are a little harder to come by, they are so hard on their clothes .
4. Went through our budget and caught a few things to cut out. My shift to being a sahm for this season of life has left a lot less disposable income but that’s okay. I feel very fortunate to have this time with my little guy.
5. Found a really cute boxy t shirt at the bins that is a teen girl size at the bins. It has stitch all over it. It’s nice cotton and in perfect condition. My little guy loves stitch so I busted out my sewing machine to rework the shirt to a boxy toddler tee. Not quite done but excited to do something crafty.
Helium is a finite substance – we can’t make more. That’s one of the reasons why it’s become expensive and harder to find.
I gotta get down the road to check on ‘my’ blackberry bushes, however that is the road I walked my old dog on, so I have been avoiding it. Maybe early this coming week…
1. Picked still more cherries (1 ½ gallons) from my finally over-producing tree. The cherries are kindly ripening in batches so they haven’t gotten ahead of me. This week has been full of mourning our old dog so I am pretty short of spoons for doing much more than getting up and letting the chickens out. However, The fruit is happening so action is being taken. The first of the blueberries (1 cup) and as many gooseberries as I could stand picking (3 cups) – the plants have sharp spikes that make blackberries’ seem like wussies.
2. Made morning glory muffins using a canning jar of muffin prep that I had put together over a year ago. I located the recipe as I was poking in a cupboard, and actually pulled together all the bits and pieces (lots of grating and measuring and chopping and soaking of tasty ad-ins) and got the darn things baked. I promptly ate two, so then madly texted #2 son to come take most of the rest away!
I am now planning to make the 6 week bran muffin mix that someone posted about earlier – I did some research and made a lot of notes in the recipe I found online, taking suggestions from the comments. Just need to pick up some (a lot of ) bran.
3. Tried a recipe for whole roasted cauliflower from the How not to Diet cookbook. Meh. My best buddy dropped in to check on me and my aching heart, and she stayed for dinner because I had just put it in the oven when she arrived. She lost her old dog a month ago, and her husband is away this week, so she had no responsibilites at home. This meant she had time to stay. We could actually connect, and have a cry over both of our dogs.
A lesson that I learned a while ago: friends come to see me, so if the meal isn’t perfect or the house is a mess, it ain’t no never-mind. We ate our veggie heavy meal (lots of roasted veggies as part of the dish), dissected the cooking method I used, and riffed on possibilities to improve both the flavour and texture of the meal. Without changes I won’t make it again, but there were some good takeaways and future possibilites.
The cauliflower were two for $1.49 and have been in the very cold downstairs basement for at least 10 days. The potatoes were dug by yours truly – I didn’t get all my potatoes dug last year so they have kindly given me another chance by growing new potatoes. Tiny and delicious. I also threw in some discount carrots and the last handful of sad cherry tomatoes. More veggies cooked and eaten or in leftover portions in the fridge.
4. I’ve posted to our Buy Nothing a few baby things that got pulled out during DD’s bedroom clear-out.
I am a lot annoyed right now as there are three people interested in an item, I replied to one and she didn’t get back (I replied as SOON as she messaged). Replied and had a back and forth with the second person, now she is ghosting me. I am going to contact person #3 and ask if she would be willing to come get it, and if there isn’t better response everything is going out on the road – lots of traffic, but I did want to give the Buy Nothing folk a chance. Sometimes things are handled quickly, but free seems to reduce people’s commitment, unfortunately.
There is a wonderful person who is interested in picking up a whole swack of stuff, will pass on what she doesn’t want, we are now doing the dance of what day works…. I can’t leave things on the porch because the chickens think that I am giving them things to peck.