Five Tiny Frugal Things
by Katy on August 22, 2024 · 61 comments
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My sister, husband and I drove to the Oregon coast together, as my husband needed to spend a couple days working on his late parents’ house. (He also needed to drive a U-Haul of stuff back to their storage space in Oregon.) Our youngest sister then drove up from Eugene to meet up and the three of us spent the day in Newport enjoying the beach and each other’s company. We did buy takeout burritos, but otherwise kept to the “Two Thin Dimes” theme.
My husband stayed the night at his parent’s house, which he normally doesn’t do as it’s been unsanitary in the past, but he’s done enough work at this point to make it acceptable. This saves us around $200/night. My sister and I were pretty full from the burritos, so we skipped dinner and gorged on quesadillas when we hit home at 10:30 P.M.
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I scored three two-pound boxes of strawberries for a buck apiece from Fred Meyer’s produce clearance shelf. I immediately washed and cut them up for the freezer. Except for the prettiest ones, which we enjoyed while they were nice and fresh.
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I spent twenty minutes or so cleaning out the minivan the day after we got back from the beach, which meant wiping surfaces with a damp cleaning towel and brushing things out with a broom head. (I unscrew the handle from the broom, which then functions as a hand broom. This eliminates the need to own a hand broom!) Easy. Simple.
I got to thinking about how doing regular cleaning maintenance on our 19-year-old minivan means we rarely need to do detail-level cleaning because it never gets gross. This also eliminates the need for speciality cleaning products and the task is easily completed without it becoming a Huge Project. I feel like this is a lesson that isn’t specific to car cleaning. Do the work before it becomes overwhelming.
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• My sisters did splurge on $6.50 cups of clam chowder at Mo’s restaurant in Newport, but I stuck with coffee as I wasn’t actually hungry.
• I mailed a piece of artwork to my cousin in Pittsburgh, but used Pirateship.com for discounted USPS shipping.
• I listed a vintage kitchen cart on Facebook Marketplace for $100 that I thrifted for $7.99. I don’t know if it’ll sell for that much, but I might as well shoot for the moon. My mother was over and helped me style it up cute to hopefully make it more appealing.
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I didn’t beach comb for a Lear Jet.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 60 comments… read them below or add one }
You DID style that cart up sweetly! If I lived in Portland, I might just be tempted to scoop it up.
Me too!
I feel the thin dimes thing….
1. This weekend I made home made spaghetti and alfredo. I only bought chicken and read meat. All sauce and noodles were garnered from my own home. I am trying to round out meals by buying the one or two ingredients needed to make them helping me utilize more things I have in the house.
2. One of our libraries is closing for remodeling and they are ‘offering up’ a lot of items. I scored a ton of craft supplies for my crafty club which is awesome!
3. I signed up for the United Way jeans days in my work place and can wear jeans for three months. Giving to a good cause and also wearing jeans = win/win!
4. I have been trying to spend less money overall the last few weeks and have cleaned up my porch and bedroom a lot. I want to keep with this theme as it also feels nice. Ahhh frugality.
5. My friend at work and I are organizing a Halloween celebration and staff wide costume of anything plaid. I love this because we all have something in plaid and the one co worker who wouldn’t want to participate only owns and wears plaid shirts. >.< lol costumes we already have in stock in our closets.
I need a nap.
Your office should watch the old Steve Martin movie, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid!
I like your costume idea. Everyone can participate and no money spent unless they want to.
Love the kitchen cart! I remember when those were a regular fixture in many kitchens.
1. Read a short blurb in “Woman’s World” magazine at the library that said a Harvard study found that people who order groceries online, rather than shopping in person, spend 44% more than people who do their own shopping. Possible reasons are spending more to get shipping and sticking with a constant list rather than comparison shopping or changing purchases. I wonder if people who buy online are more likely to buy more expensive groceries anyway because of their work situations and income.
44% seemed like a huge difference. This made me feel more comfortable about the amount of time I spend shopping in person and looking for bargains.
2. City workers dug up neighbor’s yard to replace gas lines, yet didn’t have to do ours except right by the street. I am calling that a win, to not have to fuss to try to re-grow grass. They will sprinkle grass seed, probably not water. Also, our water heater and furnace pilot lights went out two days later and the workers came back within five minutes of when I called to fix what was wrong, (air bubble in line sort of problem). Appreciated friendly, professional, communicative city office and workers through all this fuss.
3. Gorgeous 70’s weather and low humidity for a week.
4. Watching parts of DNC in evenings on PBS online for free. As a former teacher of the subject, I am glad that Public Speaking is not dead!
5. Library books. Finally moved up the line to read Susan Wittig Albert’s “Forget Me Never” in the China Bayles series. Should get Amish Police Chief Kate Burkhalter’s latest, by Linda Castillo, soon.
@Heidi – Thanks for the Harvard statistic. It is nice to have a little evidence that my habit of going to three stores is worth the time and money. I had more own little research study going. Up at the cabin in Tahoe I was building my food packs for my 16 day backpack. I bought IV Fusion Electrolytes at a Whole Wallet store for $15.00 thinking they were a specialty item I couldn’t get anywhere else. I ran across them at Savemart for $5.99. That is a nearly criminal mark up.
@Mary Ann,
I noticed my local Aldi has a similar “IV infusion”
hydration mix for sale as well….I forget the price, but it looked very reasonable (NOT $15, more like $5.99 or so). My hubby uses this product from time to time.
My daughter is a live by the spreadsheet girl, and says she has seen decreased grocery spending since ordering online, because a) no kids begging, and b) no impulse purchases.
A decade or so ago, I suffered terribly from Meniere’s disease, and grocery shopping would always trigger the vertigo. I have hated it ever since. We have only two choices for groceries in our community, and one of those is WalMart…blech, their produce and meat departments fill me with dread. It and my preferred grocery are 7 to 10 miles away. So by making a menu plan and placing an online order bi-weekly, I save gasoline, and I do not buy impulse purchases. That’s the best I can do. I do try to incorporate the store specials when planning, but due to the lack of competition, there are no great sales. I’ve never been a big coupon user, because they almost always seem to be for processed food, and we stay away from those.
I have some doubts about that stat, too – I’ll look for the underlying study. I can think of several reasons to spend significantly more on an online shop that aren’t about being online:
– maximizing the delivery fee
– maximizing a shop at a store you don’t normally visit (ie, when there are major loss leaders at Meijer, I will buy those plus items that I can’t find elsewhere)
– taking advantage of the domestic help because you have a large/busy family and shopping is overwhelming
– using delivery for big/heavy/bulky items that are also often expensive, like pet food and litter (I did this a lot while recovering from long Covid)
– using delivery to get a jump on major sales stockups (you can reserve the earliest morning shop even if you can’t leave the house then)
– getting absolutely everything you will need in an organized fashion to avoid having to “run out” and potentially impulse buy in store
That cart is so cute! That’s great that your husband has his late parents’ house clean enough to stay in.
I turned the last three lettuce leaves into wraps for lunch yesterday. Mended a piece of clothing with one of the nearly used up spools of thread set aside for that purpose. Mended a slightly redesigned toy for the puppy with another nearly empty spool and she has stopped trying to destroy the toy. Scoped out the best deals for grocery shopping this week at Aldi, Ollie’s and our local grocery store and acted accordingly. Chopped up more peppers and tomatoes from our garden and froze them.
1. I sold the solar oven I can no longer lift. (All-American and fabulous otherwise.) I bought it for $100 in 2006. They now sell for $400. I sold mine for $200.
2. I found an Estee Lauder freebie travel hairbrush in the trash at work in 1993. I’ve been using it ever since. Alas, it has lost half of its plastic bristles. I’ve asked for a replacement on Freecycle and Buy Nothing to no avail. Today I ordered a new one. Having used a freebie for thirty years, this does not feel like a failure.
3. We have an eggplant in the garden that thinks it’s a zucchini—two or three big ones every couple days. Lots of pasta alla Norma and baba ganoush.
4. Have been picking (with permission) from a neighbor’s fig tree every morning. I chop them, toss with a little balsamic vinegar, and feature them on our hot cereal—it feels like dessert.
5. TOMATOES! I’m buying in bulk from my CSA farm. San Marzano’s—small enough to chop easily and delicious. 66 quarts from the first seven boxes with another two boxes coming. I’m acidifying with the citric acid I bought for $7.48 in 2020, and I have several years’ worth left. Cheaper, easier to store, and doesn’t outdate like lemon juice. This is also my seventh year using the reusable canning lids. They have saved me a lot of money on metal lids. I resisted the urge to buy more quart jars. I’ll can the rest in my 1.5 pint jars—they are a good size for my enchilada recipe and some stews. I don’t peel my tomatoes before I can them. If I need no skin in a recipe I puree them with my immersion blender.
6. The CSA sends an info sheet every week with the share. Three weeks ago the sheet featured a recipe for a tomato/melon panzanella. We’ve had it for lunch most days. I’m not a big melon fan, but they have been delicious in this recipe.
Growing Roma this year, have done San Marzano in the past. I freeze them whole, better half then “does his thing” with them. The years we have excess slicing tomatoes, I’ll remove the “goop” and freeze them in quarters. Saute or add thawed to chili, commercial tomato sauce etc. they work out just fine.
Come the day I go PT (or retire), I will be trying my hand at sun-dried tomatoes. Perhaps reclaim my dehydrator too!
Love the balsamic fig preparation. My fig tree is gearing up – it’s planted so that one side is reachable from the sidewalk, to share with neighbors, and one side is for us. I plan to air-layer a bunch of babies to share as well.
The NYT has an eggplant lasagna recipe – I really like the idea of roasting thin slices to use as “noodles,” and they can be frozen flat for later use.
I have a red version of that cart, which was my mom’s, in our basement. It’s being used as storage. I’ll have to pay attention to what yours sells for!
That kitchen cart reminds me of the one my grandmother had stationed between the side of her stove and the wall. It saw a lot of use, as I remember. They’re nice in that you can fit them in a small space but with the three tiers they can hold a lot.
1. DH fixed the clamp for the metal hood on our birdfeeder using Gorilla Glue. Now we’ll see if the squirrels are stronger than the glue.
2. I finally felt well enough to take a walk around the neighborhood today. It’s a beautiful day with no humidity to speak of so it was perfect walking weather. Free exercise to build me up from that apparent virus I had last week.
3. Using cloth napkins to save money and trees.
4. I consigned two items at the consignment store that didn’t sell at our yard sale. Hopefully someone will want them.
5. Eeking out the groceries until I do my monthly shopping next week. I threw together a vegetable soup for lunches using what I had on hand including a baggie of frozen white beans to add protein. Thank goodness it’s cool enough to enjoy soup. Tonight is pork chops and a medley of root veggies tossed in oil and coated with spices. Tomorrow is eggplant parm and spaghetti, our weekly meatless meal. Enjoying our own tea, iced tea and coffee. All meals at home. Eating the second crop of raspberries from the bushes I planted some time back. So glad I did as they are expensive in the grocery store. Going to a free concert at the library tonight featuring Beatles music and Beatles fun facts. Will return a library book while there.
I have been experimenting with some new frugal hacks with varying success:
1. Grocery outlet regularly has a giant bag of Kale for 3.99. It is more than I can eat in in two weeks. I made my classic Kale, fruit and almond salad with blue cheese and flavored balasamic and oil. The stuff that was about to go bad I put in my dehydrator then Vitamix. I now have homemade gree powder to put in my smoothies. i just bought a store bought version for $5.00. So I saved $5.00. I will use homemade first.
2. I picked and dried figs from my tree down at the ranch. Usually I am laze and let the deer eat thyme but I promised myself when I retired ( 76 days today) I would be a better steward. They are very tasty and i will eat them up before I eat the store bought dates because those will last longer.
3. From this and other blogs, i got really interested in thrifted pottery. I needed to replace my cheapo plates that constantly burn my hand out of the microwave. I use my grandmas Franciscan Apple Everyday but I didn’t want top microwave it. I researched hand crafted stoneware china that would work. No lead, not hot and high quality. I then spent a glorious two days shopping at thrift place becuase it was nearly free ( gas with errands) and so interesting. I found one Denby. I want more. I found a set of Kanney that matches beautifully with my china for .50 a piece.
4. In the spirit of learning I picked up about five china platters to work out how to list on Facebook and get a bid from Replacement LTD. Two of the W.S. George platters were bid on but not enough to cover shipping. The Noritake was not taken but super pretty to look at. I put everything on Facebook Marketplace for the first time. Ta-da. Lots of fun and learning for about $40. Three of the platter pieces I could use as gifts so it will all work out.
5. I learned how to “cast” Kanopy and Hoopla onto my smart tv from my iphone and then cancelled Netflix. I had bought it for two moths for Hubby as a gift because he had a few shows he wanted to binge.
I have been doing a major house and life overhaul. I had no time to think over the summer, but walking back into my house after 6.5 unexpected weeks away, I have been re-evaluating most things. This overhaul hasn’t cost anything because it has mainly consisted of using up food that was poorly organized and therefore forgotten, organizing the freezers for better item retrieval, donating several loads, selling some things. We lined the inside of our unused fireplace and now use it for storage of all the grandkids toys, with a pretty screen in front. They live 4 hours away and don’t come too often-we go to them mostly since they are toddler and baby.This freed up space that had otherwise been used for toys, and I have better organized my fabric and business supplies. I have eliminated some of the hand watering areas in my garden. All this is with the intention that I do more of what I love/want/need to do, and less of the things that I always did without even thinking. Also less aspirational stuff sitting around. Use it or lose it!
Here are some other things I’ve noticed:
1. If I have one book beside my bed I will read it. If I have 3 books there, I won’t read any of them. I suspect that this same principle applies to many other areas of my life. I listened to an interview with Cal Newport that talked about this very thing.
2. The areas that the house or kitchen is overstocked-we probably have enough toothpaste for the next 5 years. and my husband had 30 pints of milk frozen (he would just throw them in any location in either freezer and so he never saw all of them together. He is the only one that uses milk, perhaps a pint a week. Needless to say, they are now all together and I will not be buying milk for a while. I need to pay attention to other areas that this is happening.
3. I like taking notes on things I read, but then I never look at the notes again. I’ve been going through my finance related notes and typing them alongside the sheet where we do our quarterly financial review. This way I will see them and use them. I probably need to take less notes.
4. I’m enjoying having my Etsy shop open again. Sometimes you have to miss something to realize it’s important to you. There’s only one item there right now since the love-in-a-mist bouquets have been selling, but when I get back from next grandkid trip, I have all the items that I need to list all in one place. https://fabricspeaks.etsy.com
5. I can take some shortcuts more than I do. I’m getting ready for another trip and time and energy are short. I bought pre-made pie crusts dough at Trader Joes because that made it possible for me to make a pecan pie for my husband’s birthday, without exhausting myself. Cheaper than buying the pie, also more delicious.
All this is frugal because it makes my life more joyful (and so less tempting to splurge) and it means my limited energy can be used in the right places.
Thanks for listening!
Kara, this was a really interesting post you did. I’m really pondering a lot of what you brought up. Thanks for sharing these thoughts about clutter. I recognize myself in some of what you mentioned.
I’m glad it was interesting. I worried afterwards that it was too long and rambling.
Kara, I love hearing all about your overhaul efforts! You’re taking so many great steps. I’m glad you re-opened your Etsy shop. I think of you every time I put on the beautiful apron you sewed for me!
Oh thank you! That means a lot to me!
I too am glad you have reopened your Etsy shop. I have enjoyed the napkins you made so much.
I am so glad. Cloth napkins are a real joy in my life and I always hope to spread that joy. I have napkins ready to list next week!
I also enjoyed reading your FFT’s.
Thank you!
from one rambler to another – thank you for such an interesting post, your sharing of your thought processes and the actions you are taking (and why) was inspiring.
As for your time away, with my Grandbaby overdue 10 days now, you must know how much I have learned from your posts, made during those long and hopeful weeks. You demonstrated what service can be; Imperfect, yet full of love. Difficult, yet satisfying. Tiring, yet uplifting, too.
I hope to be half the granny you have proven yourself to be!
Thank you for such kind words! I hope for a safe arrival for your grandbaby.
Kara,
I, also, enjoyed reading your comment. I’ve been on a loooong journey of decluttering, and your comments encourage me to stay the course.
Also, I realize you may have made the pecan pie already – but Smitten Kitchen has a scrumptious pecan pie recipe. You toast the pecans before using them in the pie, and using golden syrup as an ingredient is a delicious change.
Oh I will keep the Smitten Kitchen recipe in mind for next time!
It is lovely to hear from others who are on the same decluttering/simplifying journey. Best to you!
I find that taking notes when I read helps the information “sink in” a bit more, and I often do not go back to look at them.
That is such a cute cart. I always wonder how people use them.
1. Use it up – I turned my lotion bottle upside down to get the last bits out.
2. Wear it out – My old everyday slip on sneakers which became my dog park shoes are now too raggedy so they are now my yard work shoes.
3. Make it do -I only have one cooling rack and could use a second but instead of buying another I’m using a rack from my air fryer to cool baked goods.
4. Do without – I’m continuing to rake up grass after I mow rather than purchase an expensive bagging attachment for my rider.
I love how you used Katy’s theme to describe your frugal activities! It would be fun to have everyone follow this format sometime.
Christine, I agree!
We’re house sitting for friends that live a few miles from
were we lived for 42 years. We moved in 11/2020 from
So Cal to Central Oklahoma
Although not totally frugal my airfare was paid for, hubby used air miles. We have cars to use. We’ve been able to connect with many of our friends. Hubby has played golf and I’ve visited a couple of thrift stores.
I will be embracing the “two thin dimes” philosophy upon return home.
My heart surgery is set for 9/25. We just received the news that our youngest son has a reoccurrence of cancer from 2008.
All the best for you surgery and I’m sorry to hear that about your son. It is hard to watch our children hurt, even when they are adults. I told my son that it was an honor to be able to work shoulder to shoulder with him through this difficult summer.
Thanks Kara…Our oldest, 47 and his two digs have been living with us for the past 2 years.
Best wishes for a successful surgery and speedy recovery. I’m sorry to hear your son has had a cancer recurrence…always a worry once a loved one has experienced it. Treatments have more than likely has much improved since 2008. Prayers going up now for the two of you and healing vibes airborne directly to you and your son, too.
Kathy I’m so sorry for this double whammy you’re facing. Sending virtual hugs from the Heartland.
1. I went on line and ordered the latest issue of Canning Canadian fruits and vegetables for free. I have an older version from 1985 and just want to make sure I am following the latest rules for save canning. This publication is from Agriculture Canada.
2. Decided to have a last minute St Stephen Day dinner for family so invited my sister and spouse and my brother the night before. I made rakott krumpli (a potato casserole) using our home grown potatoes that we keep in the cold room. They are wizened up a bit due to excessive sprouting but still usable. My husband bought the sasauge on sale and I had the required eggs and sour cream on hand. I sometimes make it with yogurt or 50/50 yogurt sour cream but it tastes best with the sour cream. It is an inexpensive and filling main course.
I draped the chandelier with red white and green ribbon and used my zsolnay china on green placemats to complete the Hungarian theme.
3. Picking about 3 lbs of blackberries every second day and freezing them on trays to use through the winter.
4. Made a lemon meringue pie using a prebaked pie shell I had in the freezer. My recipe for piecrust makes three double crust pies and I typically make some blind baked shells with the scraps to freeze for use later. I remember this batch because I was able to make three different size shells and freeze them.
5. Made another batch of zucchini muffins from a new recipe. I did not have enough raisins so substituted dried cranberries and also out of walnuts so used almonds. Used two cups of grated zucchini and froze six more cups for this winter. They looked dry when I put the in the oven but they turned out delish. I have an index file where I keep track of recipes that we like so we can use them again.
6. Made my first batch of canned tomato sauce using my home grown tomatoes, peppers, celery and onions. I will double the batch next time to save energy for processing.
7. Installed the new closet organizer and have room for a shelf or two above it. I saved the shelves and brackets from my daughter’s room when I took them down so I am able to use those. I just needed to buy the track for the wall that the brackets fit into to. I had used the ones she had when I installed shelves in the broom closet.
8. Picked up all the ground fallen fruit (apples, pears, plums) and will be processing them into pectin, apple pie filling, and preserves.
1) I got myself out of the “spend more to save more” spin cycle this morning with an online retailer I love. I left stuff in the cart twice and then thought “Nope, just nope”.
2) Hanging out clothes after days of dreary weather.
3) I counted it up last night and we are getting 14 servings out of a Costco rotisserie chicken. This may be a new record for me. It started in the parking lot at lunch time when I realized that DS, with his many food allergies, would be better off eating a hot chicken leg and groceries we had just bought. In the middle, it was sandwiches and the Tightwad Gazette Make Your Own Casserole, affectionately known as Cat Food Casserole in our house. It ends today in two quarts of chicken broth.
4) Back to school shopping for DS was completed at the consignment store. I am grateful that he cares more about color and fit than brand names, though we did score a couple of those too.
5) Processing what little grew in our garden (think rain followed by massive flooding followed by EPIC grass growth) and grateful for it, mostly zucchini and summer squash. Picked 12 quarts of blueberries over July from a family patch and apples are next. I am also saying yes to excess produce from friends.
1. I made my own coffee at home and packed breakfast and lunch to bring to work everyday this week.
2. Dinners have been made all week using what I already had in the fridge, freezer and pantry.
3. I bought an emergency pair of glasses for $5 on http://www.zennioptical.com instead buying another pair at the optometrist.
4. Going to a concert to see STYX on Saturday that was a gift from my inlaws. I pulled up the information for the arena and saw I can bring my own sealed water bottle and snacks in a ziplock bag so I will be taking advantage of that.
5. I’m going to a baby shower on Sunday and instead of buying a new outfit, I will be wearing something from my own closet.
1. I was invited to my friend’s house last week to visit with another friend who was in town from out of state. Initially I planned to bring a tiramisu from the grocery store ($22) but instead made a batch of brownies from some mix I had gotten for free a while back.
2. Sunday was my son’s birthday party. In years past we ordered pizzas to be delivered from a local place to the tune of $150ish. This time I ordered 3 super large party pizzas (120 pieces total) from a local grocery store for a total of $65. (Big Y party pizzas for any Massachusetts people)
3. My mother in law offered to supply a pinata for the kids. We skipped goodie bags full of junk toys and had the candy from the pinata be be the goodie bag.
4. We had a few people back out of the party at the last minute for various reasons, so we ended up with a TON of left over pizza and other food. My husband, kids and I had so much pizza this week, but I think we finished almost all of it. We even packed up a bunch of it and took it to the beach and ate it cold rather than packing sandwiches.
5. Other random items: brought the kids to the trampoline park to use their summer jump passes ($65 per kid for the whole summer and they could jump for 2 hours each day) and we also went to the beach with friends – we parked at a different friends house and walked so we didn’t have to pay for parking. The kids turned in their summer reading charts at the library and got to pick out some free books. And I went through my school supply stash and other than a package of dry erase markers, I shouldn’t have to buy either of them anything.
I love your list, so much end of summer creative fun! You really stretched those dollars until they screamed. In a good way.
FTFT, Antimacassar Edition:
(1) My beloved old recliner has holes in the leather upholstery on both armrests and the back. The recliner was my FIL’s before it was mine, so it doesn’t owe anyone a thing–but I’m loath to throw out a perfectly functional and immensely comfortable chair just because of a few holes. I’ve been experimenting with a few cover-up solutions lately and have settled on this one: A basket I purchased recently at the Salvation Army superstore had a surprise set of placemats and napkins tucked into it. The placemats are made of a heavy damask-type material with a floral pattern that coordinates nicely with the dark green of the chair. I’ve attached two of the placemats to the armrests with Gorilla Tape, and have made a sort of antimacassar for the back out of the other two. (And for you young’uns who don’t know what an antimacassar is, look it up in your Funk & Wagnalls!)
(2) On Tuesday night, I made a very thrifty minestrone that used up some aging veggies (a zucchini, a small tomato, and an ear of corn), a can of tomatoes and a box of chicken broth that were past their best-by dates, and a can of chickpeas I trashpicked. (I know that corn isn’t a traditional minestrone ingredient, but no one I’ve shared the soup with has complained.)
(3) The neighbor on the other side of my next-door neighbor brought over four fresh ears of corn from the Regional Market. I shared two of these with the Bestest Neighbors.
(4) I’ll be going to the Regional Market myself tomorrow morning to restock on other veg. We’re moving into that magic time of year in Central NY when the late summer stuff overlaps with the early fall stuff.
(5) And the other reason it’s a magic time of year in Central NY is that butterfly season is in full swing. After a slow start (no doubt because of all the heat and then all the rain), migrating monarchs are moving through like a mighty wind. As I passed one of my buddleias (butterfly bushes) today, five monarchs fluttered out of it!
My Grandfather’s recliner’s upholstery was in great shape after 25 years because it had always been covered with a set of matching towels. Bathtowels on the back, seat, and leg rest, face towels on the arm rests. Compare that to my husband’s–his body is outlined by spilled coffee. Cream was a poor color choice, but he made that choice years before we met.
A. Marie, thank you for the new word!
“(And for you young’uns who don’t know what an antimacassar is, look it up in your Funk & Wagnalls!)” – just in case the young’uns don’t know Funk & Wagnall’s – it is a dictionary. No, not the urban dictionary. Plain old regular dictionary – any publisher will do.
A. Marie,
I’m an old’un, lol, and if I recall correctly – that is never a given with me – there was a hair pomade/hair product in Victorian times called “Macassar”. I don’t know if that was a brand name, or a more general name for the product. Antimacassars were decorative cloths draped over key areas of furniture to keep any Macassar drips or smooshes from staining the furniture.
Is that close?
Liz B., you’re absolutely right. (And for Selena, I’ve been saying, “Look that up in your Funk & Wagnalls”–an old, old joke from Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In in the late 1960s–for some time now, both here and on The Frugal Girl. I think even the young’uns may know what I mean by now.)
Oh I do remember Laugh-In – watched it with my folks. Don’t remember 1967 episodes but definitely 1968 and on until “the brass” couldn’t take any more heat, not unlike The Smothers Brothers. Note even though I was perhaps only 7 years old, I watched it with my parents. Parents who did their job and probably why I (and my kids) stay on top of politics and world events.
TBT, I haven’t seen a Funk and Wagnalls in quite a long time. A quick Wiki says 1997 but annual yearbooks still being published as of 2018.
All I can say is “you bet your sweet bippy”. Rowan and Martin both gone, Tommy Smothers gone. George Carlin (how I do so miss him – still can’t bring myself to read his last book, published posthumously. Some day I’ll be ready to do so.
A. Marie, I threw what was left of a bag of frozen corn into the pot of vegetable soup I made this week. Like you, I know it’s not usually in the veggie soup I make, but it tasted great and added a natural sweetness to the soup.
Back to work this week, so back to a routine.
1. Ate out with work people the first day back, but suggested Panera because I had a gift card. No OOP costs for me.
2. I combined grocery store coupons, ibotta deals and sales to score some great items at the grocery store today. Al Fresco chicken sausages for $1.25, Barilla pasta for free, other deals and I had a $5 off coupon
3. I had a dr appt today for a follow up. She wanted to do more testing, and I was able to complete 2 of the 4 items while I was already there. The other 2 I will do at a location closer to my house to save on gas and time.
4. We’ve been enjoying fabulous weather this week which means no heat or AC. And yes it got cold in our house when overnight temps dipped into the 40s but I put a coat on.
5. I didn’t know what to make for dinner last night and my dh suggested going out for burgers. I told him I would get stuff for burgers at the grocery store today and we could have them tonight. I dug through the freezer and found a box of pierogies for our dinner last night. I can make 4 burgers at home for less than the price of 1 at a restaurant.
I didn’t realize you had a younger sister in Eugene! I don’t know how I have missed that for the past fourteen/fifteen years of reading your blog….. lol. I can be slow on obvious things…. lol.
1. Stayed home today instead of spending $ on gas to get to the beach.
2. Bought loss leaders and save a bundle on chicken breast. I then found a delicious marinade and I had all the ingredients.
3. Watched the DNC all four nights. Feeling hopeful is priceless.
4. Windows are open and the aircon is off! I love a good breeze.
5. The usual-coffee and water from home, hanging laundry ect.
#3 – hope, unity, freedom, liberty. My almost 85 year Dad is just loving it.
Selena, I would add to that: intelligence, integrity, sanity, civility, decency, respect and order.
AMEN!!!!
I agree with your #3! Make sure and go vote!
Reading through these feels great! I always am so impressed with the resourcefulness of your followers, Katy!
1) Went to lunch with friends, and brought some peaches from my backyard tree as well as a side I already had. It was so fun to laugh and enjoy each other, and at someone’s house we could stay as long as we wanted to!
2) I packed my work lunch today.
3) I made enough dinner last night to have leftovers tonight, which is helpful, since Monday night feels hard to face cooking.
4) Thrifted some beautiful fall clothes this weekend.
5) Hiked and enjoyed the CO weather!
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