Five Tiny Frugal Things
by Katy on June 7, 2024 · 68 comments
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I drove past another curbside stack of flowerpots and literally turned the car around to investigate. Most of the pots were of the plastic variety, but I chose a stoneware one which washed up beautifully. I was briefly tempted by the big terra cotta pots, but I don’t really have a spot for them and I’m trying to be particular about what gets to live at my house.
You probably already guessed that I nabbed the colorful one from the bottom right hand corner. Here it is all scrubbed up and ready for action.
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My younger sister was is town and the two of us hit up Winco Foods to grocery shop. (I found out last minute that she was visiting, which is how she got to accompany me on such an exciting adventure.) I’d been jotting things on a shopping list for at least a week, so there was no way I wasn’t going to check this off my to-do list. We had a nice catch up and it turned out she needed to grab a few things from the bulk bins anyway.
I picked up a couple of abandoned receipts in the parking lot and scanned them into my Fetch app*, which worked out well since one awarded me 4000 points!
I am THE cheap date!
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I did a metric ton of laundry for my daughter, whose apartment complex has terrible laundry facilities. I’m happy to do this favor for her as it saves her money.
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• I bought two bags of clearance price spinach at Fred Meyer and then immediately returned them as I hadn’t realized how truly slimy they were. Blegh!
• My sister and I also hit up the Goodwill that’s a couple blocks up from Winco, which I blogged about HERE. Combining errands is always a money saver!
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I didn’t buy a Lear Jet.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 68 comments… read them below or add one }
I should add that the green glazed pot had perforated holes, so it was maybe an orchid pot? Either way, it didn’t follow me home.
I wish I could pickup that orchid pot. Glazed pots like that can be difficult to find – even at a store- and a little pricey.
I passed the pots later in the day and I think all that were left were the plastic pots, so someone gave it a new home.
1. Took a bike ride around the neighborhood for exercise, and hit up the other Little Free Library (besides my own) and picked up a book.
2. On the same ride, I saw a sign for a garage sale and since I happily had some cash in my pocket for emergencies, I checked it out. Picked up a set of plain glass salt and pepper shakers–which I’d been wanting to get–for $1, and a small wooden cutting board for $2. Briefly considered a set of Christmas lights, but there was no price on them and I sensed they would be a tad more than the 9 bucks I had on me. Plus, Christmas lighting is my DH’s province, and we don’t put a tree up since getting a cat anyway.
3. Library books forever! (LFL or otherwise)
4. Decided to put off a haircut (last time I got my hair cut was…two years ago?) until my birthday in July. Then it will feel like a treat, and by then we should have more time anyway for such things.
Team library books forever!
I am in the season of my life (early 60’s) that I haven’t used the library in a long, long time (years?) and it has been so freeing not picking up and returning books by a deadline. I do use Hoopla for music, though. I have accumulated a lot of books by volunteering at the library sales as well as the LFL’s around the neighborhoods so I always have a book to read. So I know that helps with not wanting to use the library. Does anybody else feel that way?
Lifelong library user here. My library doesn’t charge overdue fees but I have to say I try to get my borrowed books back in a timely manner in case there is somebody else wanting to borrow them. We’re fortunate in my town that we have a gorgeous, state of the art new library from a state grant that funded 75% of it. The director and staff are phenomenal too. I feel like I’m walking into a bookstore where everything is free when I walk through the doors!
IRIS, I stopped using the library years ago because they simply ran out of stuff that I wanted to read. Weird, huh? I would go and come back with nothing. Whenever I tried to borrow electronically they didn’t
have it. And now they no longer even HAVE electronic borrowing. Really bizarre. Are they laboring under the illusion that it’s 1955?
Iris and Anne, I am in my mid 60s (how did THAT happen?) and wasn’t a library user for decades, but am back at it now. Love that my library has electronic holds (and I have some holds that are for a very popular book, I just wait it out as I have far too many books in my piles). And it has Libby (and other things that I don’t use like Kanopy and multiple events) and it has a new seed library. I go in to pick up the books that have come in, take a look at the wall of suggested books and usually find one or 3 to grab. I have been misusing their no-fines situation however they are now shortening the timelines before they charge replacement fees (which are dropped if you return the book). I have a couple that were moved (!! by someone else) and I am just wrapping them up. Have a large bag or two to return on Monday…. I, like so many here, have come to really love and appreciate my library, and I only use about 1/10th of what they offer.
It sounds as though funding for the system hasn’t kept up with price increases. I’m fortunate to live in a county that consistently votes for library levies and has one of the strongest systems in the country. But, it takes political will, and a lot of volunteer energy if the area isn’t already committed to adequate financial support.
You have amazing self control. I would have taken all that were usable. I am always giving baby aloe and tomato plants away. Plus if I have a pot I fill it with free compost from our town and throw seeds in it.
1. We are emptying out our basement for the French drain next week. The kids have helped several times. We put up a tent that we got over 20+ years ago to keep everything dry instead of renting a pod.
2. I was treated out to eat by 2 different friends. I didn’t over spend because someone else was paying.
3. I have a bridal shower tomorrow. It is at her Godmother’s house(local). I got a gift off the registry that was marked down because it was flannel sheets. The wishing well item I grabbed from my gift closet. It is a Halloween kitchen towel that I got free from Kohl’s. They asked for holiday items. I used a card from the thrift store(12 for $1). Tape and wrapping paper were dumpster dived from the college.
4. I have been picking and eating snow peas and strawberries from my garden. I froze some strawberries for a fruit compote for pancakes or waffles. I have transplanted lettuce and baby tomato plants that self seeded. I mixed all of the wood ash from the fire pit into the compost. I try to do at least 1 firepit a week.
5. Hubby garbage picked a Honda lawn mower. He spoke to the owner. He said it was messed up. Hubby started it up when he got home. He said it probably needed a tune up and oil change. We will sell it after he does that.
6. I have been on the look out for a deal for Peacock for Hubby since we cancelled cable. I got it for $20 for a year so he can watch football when it starts. I marked my calendar to cancel it next year.
That’s so smart to put stuff in a tent, I don’t think I would have thought of that.
As a similar idea I might not have thought of, when friends were moving out of their house, they packed up boxes over several days and put them in a rented storage shed. This cleared out clutter, clearly sorted out the good stuff from the no longer wanted, made the house look nice for real estate showings, and made it very easy to load the final truck when they left.
I wrote “rented storage shed” misleadingly: I meant they rented a storage unit, not that they rented something and put it in their yard.
HA! I was just trying to imagine if they had the shed in the front yard or the back, and How, exactly, that would have helped with the ‘looking nice for real estate showings’. Thanks for doing what I do – reading what I wrote and rushing to explain. GAH! However, I am far less confused now!
Also a creative solution!
I attended a free “behind the scenes” tour of the local historical museum. I was fascinated by the archives and the gardens (of course). I attended with a group and was the only Florida Native. I knew more about the area than the docent, but it was still an interesting morning.
While walking through the gardens, I spoke with one of the volunteer gardeners, She offered me seeds from a Vietnamese Hollyhock, and she also gave me many bulbs for the Red Spider Lily which I had admired. I will share these with my Garden Circle. One of the best ways to acquire plants on a budget is to speak with serious gardeners and landscapers. They love to share and trade.
I have been searching for a bookcase for quite some time — over a year, in fact. I found a lovely large, glass fronted one at my favorite all-volunteer thrift store. However, it wasn’t going to fit where I intended to put it, so I passed. Because it was so large, it sat for several weeks beckoning me every time that I went into the store. One evening when home by myself, I rearranged all my furniture and found the perfect spot to put this fabulous bookcase. I purchased it at the beginning of the week. It suits my needs which makes me happy, but best of all, the dollars that I spent will do double duty. The thrift store where I made my purchase sponsors our local food bank and emergency ministry —- a cause close to my heart. Someone besides me will benefit and no more books on the floor!
I drove into the city with a friend to purchase a prescription that is not covered by my insurance. The pharmacy near me charges $383 for it. However, the pharmacy in the city only charges $190. Round trip the journey takes about an hour and 1/2. I try to batch errands to make the most of it, but yesterday I didn’t have any. I did, however, have great company.
All the usual things – drinking filtered water from the refrigerator, brewing my own coffee, and eating leftovers. I’m listening to a series of cozy mysteries featuring Eliza Montagu on Hoopla as I rearrange the house.
Wishing everyone peace, good health and prosperity.
I love and identify with your bookshelf quest. Dad is a skilled carpenter who over the years has gifted us a table and chairs, a storage chest, and an 8′ 6″ long bookshelf–yes, it is all one piece! When we were house hunting, I kept a tape measure in my purse to not only measure doorways for moving but to make sure that shelf would fit somewhere, ANYWHERE, in a given house. Our chosen home has precisely one uninterrupted wall (no windows or doors) that fits Dad’s shelf, so perfectly that visitors often mistake it for a built-in!
That is a big bookcase! It’s wonderful that your father made that piece. It truly is a family treasure. Good-quality bookcases are difficult to find in good condition. There are many particle board variations out there and many are damaged. But I finally have one!
E and Bee, your stories remind me to tell this one: During his painting/remodeling career, DH found two pairs of leaded-glass bookcase doors (but no bookcases) in a client’s attic. The client told him to take them for free. DH’s father, a skilled amateur carpenter, constructed two bookcases *around* those two pairs of doors. I have them still, and won’t part with them till the eventual estate sale.
I love leaded glass and I love that DH put the doors back in circulation. It is special to have something handmade just for you!
Before your next refill, you might want to check Mark Cuban’s mail order pharmacy. They offer amazing prices for many, many drugs and charge only a small markup for every drug they sell. I have used them successfully and they were recommended to me by my physician and also by the nurses from the cancer center. The drug I used them for saved me literally hundreds…
Thank you for the reminder. I will check there. I have been on the site before. There are many meds available. This is the first time my doctor recommended something that wasn’t available through my insurance. I’ve been fortunate.
I love a good behind the scenes museum tour, lucky you!
I agree 100%. Museum is much more than just the exhibits.
Your mileage may certainly vary, but when I was a medical assistant and calling in tons of Rxs, it was our experience that if you HAD to pay money from your own pocket for meds, then Costco was the best deal in town.
Also, someone told me that you did not have to be a member to use their pharmacy. But check on that.
Be careful. I heard that scanning receipts that aren’t yours into Fetch is against their rules.
Oops.
Is it illegal to scan other people’s receipts for Fetch?
Unfortunately, that’s not allowed. We love your pursuit of points! But per our Terms of Service, you’re only allowed to snap receipts from purchases you made yourself.
Just googled this. I didn’t know either and have always picked up stray receipts. Did one today in fact.
Who knew.
https://fetch.com/terms-of-service
While I do aim to “do the right thing” – even when no one is looking! – I’m not sure that I could get exercised about Katy scanning discarded receipts.
1. Stopped at sprouts and picked up boneless/skinless thighs for .99/lb. I may return tomorrow to pick up more
2. Sold another 2 items online and used poly mailers we had for mailing
3. Worked 7-11 am today. Brought a granola bar, my own coffee and a 64 oz bottle of water. It’s so tempting to get a Starbucks at work
4. Watched a movie on tv
5. Download a coupon for a $1.00 car wash
$1 car wash? That’s a screaming deal!
I love the colors on that pot you picked out of the free pile. It cleaned up nicely!
1. I’m reading a library book, Crying in H Mart. Excellent read.
2. DH is hiking more of the Appalachian Trail, a section about 3 hours from our house. I drove him up and spent a few days with him on a mini vacation in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We stayed at a hotel on our rewards program, brought a cooler full of water and seltzer (we didn’t bother buying ice for it…instead we just used some of the hotel’s ice when we arrived), took full advantage of the hotel’s free breakfast that came with the room and then ate just one other meal in the late afternoon, took advantage of the free coffee and tea in the lobby and enjoyed their hot tub and pool.
3. Kept my speed to 64 mph on the highway after leaving DH at the trailhead to save gas $$$. I’m not in any hurry…I’m retired.
4. “Hid” some of the rocks I paint along a trail in the woods. There was three groups of kids behind us on the trail so I’m hoping they found the painted rocks. I painted positive affirmations on them along with flowers, hearts and colorful decorations.
5. Tomorrow I will be attending a free picnic at my church, paid for with a grant, so no need to make a dish to share. Yay for food I don’t have to cook!
I absolutely LOVED “Crying in H Mart!”
Reading it as we speak – due to recommendations here!
1. For my husband’s birthday we went to a concert about 2 hours away. Since we’d get out around 11pm we didn’t want to risk being tired and driving home. My husband used his hotel points from work travel to get a hotel room. When we got back after the concert we turned on the air conditioner and it was on its last legs and the noisiest thing I’d ever heard. My husband asked if we could change rooms but they didn’t have any available rooms so they just returned his points. We opened the window instead and had to listen to the trucks on the highway all night. Very little sleep. But a free night at a hotel and a free yummy breakfast in the morning.
2. Had a record amount of books read last month – 12!! Didn’t buy a single one – all either borrowed from a friend or the library.
3. Rescued two bikes from my neighbor’s trash a while ago. Sold them both today.
4. My parents gave us some unfinished and unassembled Adirondack chairs. We kept them in the box for a couple years and this year my husband painted them and built them. So now we have two nice new Adirondack chairs on our patio.
5. I have a small basket that I keep makeup in that I am trying to use up. Powder and foundation that are almost empty, eye cream and night cream almost done, some mascara that only has a bit left in it. Doing a “project use it up” and using all up of my makeup, lotions, perfumes, hair stuff, etc before buying anymore. I haven’t purchased any of this in years and I don’t think I’ll need to for a long time.
Hooray for selling those bikes — You kept them out of the landfill and made some money, the perfect combination!
1. Hubby was a gem today and took both our cars up to Costco to fill them. His car was on fumes and I probably had a quarter of a tank. We usually take my car out when running errands as it’s easier for me to get in and out of.
2. I fell out of bed this week at 2:30 a.m. I really slid cause I didn’t want to fall. Our lovely police department sent two guys over to lift me up and I went back to bed. I pay taxes but this was a freebie.
3. Went to Walgreens today on our errand tour and got two kids items for .75/each. One is a memory game and the other was bingo. Will put them in my Toys For Tots bag for this holiday season coming up.
4. Got powder dishwasher detergent (Target brand) and I waiting to for the pods to be used up to try it. We are using powdered laundry detergent now but I really need to get to Dollar Tree and buy an extra set of measuring spoons.
5. I’ve been feeling chilly in the house so I turn the thermostat to 78 now. I’ll see what happens when the real heat and humidity hits us but I’m happy to be spending less money on our electric bill.
I’m so sorry to read that you fell out of bed.
Today was a neighborhood garage sale, parked and brought along the garden cart. Picked up a lighter version of a fence post pounder thingy for very little, a safety vest for working on the busy county road /quarter, 4 free pots of daylilies, a wrought iron hanging pot for $1, 6 pairs of jeans in my favorite brand/cut for $3 ea., a selection of screw drivers, picks and needle nosed pliers for 4/$1. I picked up 3 skeins of yarn to make tomato ties. Got in 12k steps!
I tore apart my lawn tractor and replaced a couple of parts and fuses, cost me 2 hours, saved me $100/hr + parts and the pain of getting it to the repair guy.
Went to a good bye lunch for a friend today at local pizza place. Personal pizzas were on sale for $5 + included drinks. My GF was going to be $19, um no. I enjoyed my visit and marked that restaurant off the list.
Picked strawberries, pea pods, broccoli, kale and garlic scapes. Froze the strawberries, made a stir fry with the rest to go with bbq pork chops.
No No No to $19 personal size pizzas, gluten free or otherwise!
FTFT, Crap Out of the House and Garage, Some Money In Edition:
(1) While Grad School BFF was here, we took another load of stuff to my young friend with the secondhand-housewares shop in the ‘burbs, and we included some of DH’s more picturesque tools. (The shop owner likes to keep some tools and other “manly” stuff around for the benefit of those who aren’t interested in kitchenalia.) She bought two of the tools, plus almost all of the two boxes of cooking/gardening books I’d brought. Another $75 into the till.
(2) DH’s and my friend who occasionally helps me with minor problems around the house paid a call this week. He also took another look around the garage and found most of a Prius trunkload of things he said he could use. (He accepts no other form of compensation for his efforts, and both he and I are happy so far with this arrangement.)
(3) My yard man/snowblowing wizard was likewise here this week, likewise took another look around, and likewise took some more stuff. He’s not as much into barter as my friend in #2, but I agreed to an *extremely* reasonable price.
(4) And the local peace-and-justice group is having a garage sale on June 15, to which I will be donating yet more stuff (more things from the garage, plus some housewares that my friend in #1 didn’t want).
(5) Finally, I found a dollar bill and two quarters on this morning’s bottlepicking walk. The first found change of June!
About time! I count on you for my “money finding” inspiration!
1. The latest, and final, Maisie Dobbs book was released. I had requested it months ago. It was on the Hold shelf at the library for me so I made a trip to pick it up yesterday. It’s not something I do often but it was worth it. I have offered to loan it to a friend after I finish it before it is due.
2. We stupidly gave away our trusty carry on suitcases and bought bags that we didn’t realize were smaller. For an upcoming trip we will borrow bags from DD and SIL.
3. Meals at home, meals at home, meals at home. I did take lunch with me to a friend’s house on Tuesday. It’s easier than trying to find something GF to eat at her house.
4. I sat outside at a friend’s house yesterday. It was perfect weather for an outdoor visit.
5. Wearing the same old, same old clothes though they are augmented by a few shirts I picked up at the clothing exchange I attended.
Meals at home, meals at home, meals at home, Costco hotdog, meals at home, meals at home at my house.
I’ve read a few Maisie Dobbs books, thanks for the reminder.
I feel like there’s been a frugal fail-a-thon going on at my house, having purchases of a router table and chair cushions happening. Plus we essentially wiped out the savings from strategically buying our mattress set by having to go back to the store and custom-order the correct box springs. That last one was not totally our fault, but we got the bill for it.
However, I made up three heat & eat lunches for myself from open bags of veggies in the freezer. Caught a friends and family sale at one of my favorite clearance stores and bought more cat food, saving 20% off the already below regular prices. Picked Cubanale peppers, cherry tomatoes and bush cucumbers from my container garden. Visited Dollar Tree again and bought more baking cocoa, a 2 lb. bag of flour, and more large jars of applesauce. The pantry is looking good!
Gave both my dogs a bath and deep conditioned their coats. One of them had half a tiny snail dried into her coat. No wonder she smelled so rank! Doing their baths at home saved us at least $30 over the DIY dog wash place.
Ruby, I smiled at your mention of the half snail in the dog’s coat. Both of DH’s and my dear departed dogs were dedicated stinkers.
Abercrombie’s finest moment in this regard was the night when DH and I were hosting much of his family at a Memorial Day BBQ. Well after the meal, when I was sitting on our deck steps just wishing everybody would go home, Abby pranced up with a full load of fresh stink on her shoulders. She cleared the deck in 30 seconds flat. I snuck her a few dog biscuits in between the scolding and the bath.
As for Dinger–well, she never did learn that those cute little black and white critters were “armed” and dangerous. She got skunked four times, and it would have been a fifth the July evening we visited Dr. Bestest Neighbor while he was trying to fix his garden pond’s pump. Dinger suddenly went prancing up to his garden gate–where a mama skunk and three babies were all “presenting arms.” I screamed so loudly that Dinger dodged out of the way at the last possible second. But at least Dr. BN got out of having to fix the pump that night.
“Presenting arms,” I love it.
“Presenting arms” is so funny! We have never had a dog sprayed, although the wolf hound we had when I was little got nailed bt a skunk. He was an outdoor dog and we encouraged him to play a lot in the creek for a few weeks until it wore off.
At our previous house, which was in a pine thicket in Georgia, skunks would sometimes use the porch roof under our bedroom windows as a roadway at night. We could smell them even when they were not upset.
I know this is weird, but my sister and I are part of a small subset of humans who smell skunk as lemon. I once saw an ad looking for participants for a study trying to figure out why. Unfortunately, they didn’t want to pay from someone from Alaska to get to them. My father used to take us for Sunday drives and my sister and I thought for years that there were lemon fields all around us because inevitably there was a skunk smell someplace along the route. I still love the smell of skunk!
Oh, dear, that half snail. I currently have either a snail or a slug trail all over the front passenger footwell of my truck- and we haven’t found the culprit, who is certainly cooked by now. Here’s hoping that dehydration has firmly completed its task and we won’t be treated to the evocative scents of eau de Slug this summer. GAH
Oh yes, we all have Frugal-Fail-A-Thons. Sorry.
1. I bought two outfits for my DD’s friend’s baby girl at a thrift store, cost was $1.60.
2. Sold a pair of running shoes I bought for $15.00, for $40.00
3. Got some perennials from the lady I buy eggs from, she gave me 6 plants for $10.00 (She was selling them for $6 each).
4. Got rhubarb from my cousin’s garden.
5. After fearing my short term rental wouldn’t be booked for June, I now have all the nights I want, booked.
1. Happened by a neighborhood garage sale. Got to meet my neighbors. They are raising money for a mission trip. My ex-roommate has never bothered to come pick up a bedside table after more than a year of reminders to do so, and the last time she cussed me out for asking that she please come get her table. Figured if she wanted it, she would’ve already gotten it. So I got their teenage son to come get it and put it in their sale. While I didn’t make any money from it, I got rid of the item, which was a terrible reminder of Bad Roommate. Oh, and I picked up a nice desk lamp and some Tupperware containers, all for $8.
2. Yard work! Chopped up some brush from the downed limbs and uprooted shrubs and most of it fits in the yard waste garbage cans. Got scratched up some, but happily won’t have to pay to have this stuff hauled off. Also prepared some large planters, stored in the garage, for making some patio arrangements. Raked up some leaves for the bottom layers to save some potting soil and got some compost from my pile for the middle layers.
3. Rigged up some box fans near the floor vents for my central AC. This blows the cold air into the room and makes me feel cooler.
4. Did my laundry in the wee hours of the morning (when not so much electricity is used, for AC and such) so as not to add to the problems with the electricity grid. Hung everything in the garage to air dry. (I have clothes racks set up there, and the lighting is good.) Didn’t have to use the clothes dryer.
5. I’m enrolled in two classes this summer, so I decided not to take a third. Won’t have to buy the book and materials for the third course.
In my first port-college group house the basement was packed with things previous tenants had left behind. No one ever comes back for anything. While I am usually generous, I refuse any asks to store things in my basement.
I dunno, Mary in maryland – couldn’t you make a few bucks a year after the storage starts, if the owners haven’t come back? Sounds like a perfect start of a yard sale!
LOL
Nope. Could never have gotten agreement from the group. Case in point– DC hadn’t billed for water in 11 years until we got a water bill for 800 bucks. I suggested we just all six chip in and pay it. But no, the group decided to send bills to anyone who had lived in the house during the past 11 years and ask for their carefully computed share of the bill. I rented an apartment by myself and missed the water being turned off for three weeks in February.
My daughter’s antique double bed is from the attic of a rental my aunt lived in many years ago. It had been abandoned and my husband and I used it for at least twenty years before moving up from a full to a queen.
It was not a frugal week, as we had my parents in town for DS18’s graduation, and had lots of guests over for meals. But, a few frugal wins:
1) Used a $20 grocery store reward to offset some of the cost.
2) Made chicken fajitas & guacamole for dinner one night, using up bell peppers (fajitas) & cilantro & jalapenos (guacamole).
3) Menu planned for our dinners. We ate two lunches out, and the leftovers from those meals served as lunches for the other couple of days.
4) Remembered to get out our corn hole set, for free entertainment.
5) dS17 had another impromptu pool party, and I served things from around the house (minus the two Costco pizzas DH picked up for dinner for the teens.) The adults had leftovers, & left the pizza to the teens.
I was just talking about I love playing corn hole and that it’s my favorite “sport!”
Congratulations on seeing your son all the way through high school!
I have been reading but not posting FFT for a full month! So…
1. Last fall our flagpole snapped in high winds. This week I sawed it shorter, using borrowed tools, and then set a cast off piece of pvc into quickcrete. Will fill pipe with sand and walla! A flagpole again. A dear friend, now deceased, gave us the flagpole 25 years ago. We are going to toast him when we celebrate Flag Day with hotdogs, kazoos, neighbors, etc, this Friday. The flag will be flown right side up!
2. I thoroughly cleaned out our dryer ducts and the dryer is running like new. Although we hang our clothes to dry, it is very handy to have a dryer once in a while.
3. My friend told me that if you have Costco Executive membership, you get a check in addition to your Costco credit card rebate. My husband had been tossing the checks without opening envelope (They do look like junk mail on the outside.) I researched online: put in a request, and two weeks later got a gift card for $1296! This represents 18 years of rebate: wow!
4. My library seeds are doing well, and I got 3 raspberry starts on Freecycle. I also bought some perennials on Marketplace for very little, from gardeners who had prolific native plants. My NYS DEC bare root plants are doing well and I am experimenting with cuttings of some of my favorite shrubs. I am really seeing some progress on my yard, and am aiming to eventually eliminate grass and even mulch in favor of ground cover. I brought my saw to a friend’s house and cut bamboo to use for tomato cages, etc.
5. I was really lucky to spy a glass topped outdoor table that seats ten, for my backyard. It was at the end of a driveway. It is perfect, and we nabbed it. yay!
Re: number 5: it had a big free sign on it: we did not just take a table!
The owner came out and was so glad we took it: she didn’t want to toss it in her dumpster. We were so happy to have it for when all our children visit.
$1296?! WOW! Imagine all those people who never do this.
And hooray for your free table!!!
Your #3 —- Wow! Good for you!
Bee, I was so surprised!
I think I still haven’t normalized the thrill of having my own washer and dryer after a decade of using laundromats after high school!