Five Tiny Frugal Things
by Katy on November 27, 2024 · 57 comments
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My younger sister is spending a few days at the house and wanted to take a bath. My husband and I both shower, so we don’t actually own a drain plug. (They always get so disgustingly mildewy, so I end up tossing them after a couple of years.) However, my sister really craved the full bathtub experience, so we scavenged a plastic lid from the kitchen and a heavy rock from the backyard and McGuyvered a solution. Apparently it worked great, so who am I to argue with success?
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I finally sold my son’s dining room table that had no place in his teensy studio apartment. I thrifted it for $30 and sold it for $175, which included delivery as I was a very motivated seller! We’d been storing it in my daughter’s childhood bedroom and unsurprisingly it took up half the square footage. My daughter’s room is once again ready for houseguests and for my daughter to chill out in when she visits the house.
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I took a thrifted black cashmere sweater that A) no longer fit; and B) had a prominent hole and upcycled it into an infinity scarf. Cashmere’s knit doesn’t unravel when cut, which made this sweater the perfect organ donor. It was as simple as laying the sweater on the floor and cutting across the abdomen for a loop. I then stretched the knit into a cozy “scarf” that loops twice around the neck. Am I . . . a fashion influencer?
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I started reading a library copy of The Echo of Old Books, by Barbara Davis. I’m only two chapters in, but I’m already hooked!
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I didn’t buy a vulgar gold plated apartment in the sky.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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5 things:
1) making a fried chicken Thanksgiving ( suggestion via Sohla from the NYT website) since it will be two of us this year. This will will tasty and fun!
2) am thankful to be employed this year, and will be working Friday in a quiet office, away from shopping madness.
3) My neighbor gifted me with free chanterelles this year! Woo hoo!
4) Am still taking transit- and masking. The difference in my health is profound- I no longer get as sick or sniffle!
5) I did not buy fake gold sneakers.
I must admit to staring at that rock for a long minute and trying to figure out if you had some baking go very badly. 😀
I made a cherry pie for tomorrow’s family get together with two cans of pie filling bought super cheap this summer at my beloved Ollie’s Outlet clearance store. It’s the same filling the grocery sells for twice as much.
Also gathered up all the mostly empty bottles of hand soap and let them drain into the bottle in active use, refilled the Mr Clean and window cleaner spray bottles from the big refill jugs, hand-washed several items that could not go into the washer together (bras and and oven gloves to not mix) and hung them to dry.
I thought the same thing…that doesn’t look very appetizing???
Not very palatable.
Now that you pointed it out– It needs frosting. Or ketchup.
I thought, “I GOT A ROCK.”
Rose– That was last month. I always felt so badly for him.
Poor Charlie Brown. So misunderstood.
1. Gathered books to sell=$11.73
2. Online survey=$30 in visa gift card
3. Charged portable power chargers
4. Made cornbread for cornbread dressing
5. Gave my sister 2 new toothbrushes from
our dentist
I’m gonna try for my first submission of five, because I also very much appreciate the daily posts, and want to support it.
1. I’m using up the last of some shampoo and lotion that I’m not enamoured with, and finishing off supplements I won’t be replacing.
2. My living room is featuring racks of drying laundry today, instead of using the dryer.
3. The last of some leftover chicken thighs will be the start of a chicken and wild rice soup for what looks like a blustery evening. The bones are in the freezer for future stock.
4. Used store points and change for 2# of sale priced but still spendy coffee. I’ll enjoy it with the free, sometimes unopened cartons of cream my daughter brings home from her workplace when the best before date is during or just after the weekend. They used to pour it out.
5. Re-reading my old, thrifted copy of The Scarlet Letter. I hear it’s on the banned books list.
I’ve done that lid for a tub drain cover, too, but with a plastic peanut butter jar of water as a weight, and after yesterday’s post, I closed a couple of online accounts I never use, even though I had already unsubscribed from emails. I can thrift almost everything I need.
KLC, that’s a great first list!
Nice! I hope that soup is delicious!
When I glanced at the photo, I thought it was a rock in the microwave! Like on the glass plate inside a microwave. Ha.
I thought the same exact thing!
Exactly what I thought, and I was looking forward to Katy telling us how to turn a rock into a microwaved meal!
I thought it was an overcooked meatloaf.
I also thought this but I thought Katy was going to give us a tip about somehow using the rock to steam clean the microwave.
1. I made a trip to Meijer and loaded up on loss leaders. I used $10 in Meijer rewards towards my total.
2. I forgot that I had a coupon for free eggs with purchase of $70. I found it as I was checking out. I went back in to the service desk with eggs, coupon and receipt and received my free dozen eggs.
3. I made yogurt when I got home and I will use half of it to make dog ice cream.
4. I made stir fry with tofu for dinner last night and the leftovers will be dinner tonight.
5. My heat is set at 62 during the day and 58 at night. I’m wearing a fleece jacket and warm slippers. If I’m sitting, I cover up with a blanket because I get cold otherwise I’m very comfortable. I also sleep with extra blankets.
1. Bought Smart Ink for My HP Printer at 10% of the price. The blue cartridge was malfunctioning. I got on the Chat at the website and they are sending me all four colors. Wow! three cartridges free.
2. I am saving used cartridges to turn in at Staples for $2.00 a piece.
3. Hubby has been away so I have had multiple meals of Homemade yogurt with pomegranate sauce on top. The sauce is the seeds I gathered and froze mixed in a microwave with pomegranate jelly I was gifted by someone to whom I gave free pomegranates. Yum. Also, I have been eating fresh eggs scrambled which were gifted to a man I let pick our Hamachi persimmons. I only use the fuyus.
4. DS is HOME!!!!!! We usually go out to dinner to celebrate – an expensive proposition with a 22 year old who likes steak and sushi. I suggested using up the homemade pork and beans whose days are numbered. I’ll serve it with “pumpkin bread.” I use the .99 spice cake mix, mix it with 15 ounces of pumpkin puree, dates, and walnuts from our coop. Super delish. Then I suggested Wicked. Total for tickets for a week day was 38.25. That is the cost for one entree plus tip and tax these days.
5. I don’t wear make up but I do use Dr. Gross’ daily peals. They are on a rare sale of 30% off this week. I bought 60 days worth and will use them every other day. With what I have, I should be good till next year’s cyber week.
I made the pumpkin bread for the first time last year. It WAS super delish! I don’t wear make up either. I have never heard of the daily peals. I’ll have to check that out.
1. Spent the morning over at Frugal Girl’s blog and we were all consoling one another about our lives not being Hallmark movie perfection, esp. at Thanksgiving. Very therapeutic!
2. I am being extremely good to myself in the aftermath of my elderly dog’s demise. She usually weighed over 40 pounds but was 32.6 pounds when I took her in for her final visit to the vet Monday. So, sadly, it was time for her to cross over the Rainbow Bridge. After 14+ years with me (and she was already about 2 y.o. when I got her), our house is too quiet. I’m playing some Motown songs online to cheer me up; I know I need to be really good to myself.
3. To that end, I gave myself permission to wiggle out of a standing invitation to go eat lunch with an out-of-town friend. We always do this the day before a holiday since my town is halfway between her home and her relatives’. She’s a wonderful friend, I usually greatly enjoy our visit, but we have different viewpoints about everything (read: elections) and I’m just not up to hearing what a great guy Trump is and how vaccines are a hoax.
4. Went to another friend’s house and she gave me a “doggie bag” of a Thanksgiving meal and all the trimmings. She also gave me a portable coffee maker/toaster oven/electric grill that her boss had given her. It’s as cute as can be and just perfect for a single person!
5. Instead of ordering Magic Mendit online for “only” $29 (they give you 2 bottles and throw in a bottle of glue for gemstone decorations), I did my own research. There is another, similar product on sale at the Walmart website for $2.99 a tube. Ordered that instead.
Fru-gal Lisa, I’m very sorry to hear about your dog. It’s so hard to say good-bye, and I’m glad you’re taking good care of yourself.
I think gifting yourself permission to skip the lunch was a very kind thing to do! We all need to be more mindful about taking care of ourselves – especially during difficult times. Here’s hoping you find comfort in your memories and happy distractions in your songs!
Not just kind but a mentally competent decision. I have a maggot relative – whom I’ve been there before, after, and to be during the orange pox. He knows better than to bring it up when I am in his presence. He comes from a dysfunctional family so I’m not sure if it is respect or fear of me. Regardless, he knows I’m a better ally than enemy.
Thank you, Selena. I am absolutely thunderstruck with how many people have drunk the orange Koolade.
Thanks, Christina, for your vote of confidence. I felt a bit mean, but I just can’t go it some days.
Fru-gal Lisa, keep on doing what you need to do to take care of yourself.
Sorry about your pup, Lisa. At least she was elderly, anyway. One thing that tortures me about my sweet Betsy’s recent demise is that she was only six. In 40 years of owning dogs, she is the first one who didn’t reach old age.
I’m struggling a bit too. Yesterday was my mother’s birthday (she died in May) and tomorrow is my first Thanksgiving without her. I hope somewhere, she’s got a seven-letter word in a Scrabble game with Dad. Scrabble was a blood sport in my family of origin.
@Rose – “first” withouts. It was not difficult for me after my mother passed away. Because the mother I’d known was long gone before she left this earth. I was glad the torture she’d endured was over. And wish she and/or I had options to have prevented the torture.
That’s one thing to be thankful for: when cancer got to her brain, she had off days when she was worried about my getting home from college for Thanksgiving safely, for example. But mostly she was just herself. Same with my dad.
And my ex and I took over Thanksgiving/Christmas 20 years ago to give her a break, so I’m used to that, too. Thinking wistfully about one Thanksgiving with the four of us, my parents, MIL, sister and her family, and two friends who are NYC cabaret artists. After the usual hustle and bustle of hors d’ouevres and cocktails before dinner, with dogs underfoot and fires blazing in the fireplaces, we sat down to a feast. After pie time, with the candles glittering in the dining room, my friends played the piano and sang. The wife and I sang “Camptown Races” because that’s a private joke of ours; I provided the doo-dahs and summoned my inner Paul Robeson to bellow: Someboy bet on the bay! Great memories.
I’m so sorry to hear about your pup. It’s so heartbreaking to loose them. You never get enough time.
*lose
I’m so sorry about your dog. Healing vibes coming your way. Pets become family, no doubt about it. You made the right call on skipping that lunch, too.
When I saw the picture of the rock, I thought “oh, this is going to be an interesting story.” And it was!
1. Distributed throws and blankets to chairs, couches and beds for extra warmth. (Although I must admit we keep our heat a lot higher than many of you.) As I type this, I’m looking over at our dog who is wrapped up in a velvet throw from Restoration Hardware that was given to us when we adopted her predecessor. When she jumps off “her” chair, sometimes the throw is hanging off her back as she walks, which is when we call her Liberace. She’s living a life of luxury!
2. Added insulation and weatherstripping to the mechanical room which is off the garage and under our bedroom. Much warmer all around.
3. Requested and received a neck gaiter from Buy Nothing. I stay a lot warmer when my neck is covered. I might even wear it to bed.
4. A former colleague treated me to lunch. It was wonderful to catch up with him after seven years.
5. Cut off the fronts of three beautiful cards and glued them onto folded cardstock to create new cards.
I like the cashmere scarf! Great price, too.
1. Remembered to search for coupons online when I made an online order and got free shipping, (google: Name of Company Coupons). Men’s size 16 6E shoes just don’t show up in stores around me.
2. Didn’t do much raking this fall, except moving some leaves onto flower beds. The grass will be just fine with a crunchy topping.
3. Renewed my ACA health insurance at healthcare.gov for next year. Overall, it is a very user-friendly website. I have no idea what I would have been paying between my employer suddenly closing seven years ago and starting Medicare next year without that program.
4. New library books: “The Phoenix Ballroom” by Ruth Hogan was a good happy story. The newest Stephanie Plum is closer to the author’s original style, (bounty hunting based in the Burg), which I like better than some of her recent more fanciful stories. I have the latest Louise Penny for over the holiday weekend. I get new releases from the library more quickly by putting the large print ones on reserve.
5. Hmm– not too creative here. Time to sort the recycling for the next city pick-up. We don’t save a lot of room in the trash, but we certainly have less trash since we recycle.
1. I had been storing an awesome, sturdy table in my garage. It was my Mom’s when I was growing up. She had gifted it to me when I moved into my first apartment. It traveled with me to two other homes before we bought this one. My son used it in his “classroom” for school and crafting through the years. He’s in high school now, and hadn’t used it in a while. I loaded it in mom’s vehicle and she set up a new art station for my niece. That table is worn and has paint splatter and other evidence of art all over it, but my niece thinks it’s the best art table ever!
2. I sorted through my crafting supplies and gifted some paint brushes, craft paint, and an assortment of items to my Mom. She is making no-spend Christmas decorations with my niece at her “new” art table.
3. I needed a shift in energy and decided to pull out my old yoga mat this morning. I pulled up some free morning yoga videos on you-tube.
4. I pulled my sons old 5lb weights out of the garage and cleaned them up. I watched another free video on you-tube to follow up the yoga.
5. I spent some time barefoot grounding myself while the dog relaxed in the son this afternoon. I chatted on the phone with my brother and came back in much more relaxed than when I went out. I’ll go for a walk this evening with my sister-in-law.
I love your tables travels. Hurray for sturdy furniture that last for generations.
1. Made coffee at home.
2. Didn’t buy any snacks or drinks at the movies.
3. Will crash at my sister’s house instead of a hotel. I did buy her Bailey’s Irish Cream (her favorite) as a hostess gift and a bunch of snacks as well as a couple contributions to Thanksgiving dinner. It’s still cheaper than a hotel
4. Signed up son for winter basketball during the early bird pricing
5. Combined good sale and store credit to get kids some needed pants for cool weather
Truth: When I saw the photo of the rock, I thought, “Gee, that’s a weird-looking loaf of pumpernickel.” 😀
Now, FTFT, Pre-Thanksgiving Roundup:
(1) I’m getting there on the process of cancelling my next-door neighbor’s (NDN’s) auto insurance after the donation of her dead car to our local PBS station. More hoops to jump through than I’d anticipated, but I’m making progress.
(2) And since (1) has convinced me that doing this sort of thing would be a *lot* easier if either NDN’s other close friend (CF) or I had durable power of attorney for her, I’m now reluctantly preparing to look into this. My own elder care lawyer’s office is offering a Black Friday sale on estate planning, and I’ll try to pursue this as soon as they offer more details. (NDN’s only living relative who might be of any use is a nephew down South who’s sympathetic but not in a position to do much, for various reasons.)
(3) NDN and I will be having Thanksgiving dinner at CF’s, along with members of CF’s family and church. I’m taking my signature kale, carrot, and apple salad. One thing I’m enormously thankful for this year is having CF along for the bumpy ride with NDN.
(4) And because I’ve kept shoulder to wheel and nose to grindstone on both NDN’s business and my volunteer proofreading for JASNA’s electronic journal, I am planning to spend Black Friday morning at my Salvation Army superstore (50% off everything) and the Thrifty Shopper’s boutique store. Pardon me if I go off the rails!
(5) Finally, I’m kicking back this evening with some more of my extensive collection of Celtic holiday music. Bring it on. Chieftains (“The Bells of Dublin”) and Eileen Ivers (“An Nollaig”)!
I’m a Chieftains fan. We listened to them at home growing up and I went to a concert at about 13-14 and was thrilled to get their autographs. Somehow I don’t think they have a lot of teenybopper fans.
DH and I saw the Chieftains at a music festival on our honeymoon, nearly 40 years ago. They were wonderful.
1. Had our visit to the children’s museum today, we got 6 people in for $16 instead of $96 through a combination of discount tickets because one of us is entitled to WIC benefits, and free passes from the library’s Discover and Go program. It was a much enjoyed visit.
2. Used our prepaid visa card received for completing wellness activities for our insurance to pay for thanksgiving groceries. I like to be generous with food and have a good range of favorite things when our adults kids/grandkids come to stay for a week. I also want to enjoy the people and not spend hours in the kitchen, so a few convenience foods were involved.
3. I have made a couple of intentional and needed purchases in excellent sales. I wrote the sale dates in my planner so I didn’t lose track.
4. Had a sweet time hanging cloth napkins on the clothesline. My grandson (3) came out with me and handed me one napkin at a time. I love this age where everything is fun. And I love my cheerful array of cloth napkins, all made by me. None match but that means that each person knows which napkin is theirs.
5. Received a product that I’m testing for a market research company. It is a consumable product I don’t often buy, and Thanksgiving was a great time to test it out.
Toddler helpers are everything.
I sold a very valuable clock in my constant decluttering efforts. At the last moment, looking at pix of the same model clock online, I realized it was missing a piece. (This explains a lot.) So I made a good drawing with sizes (extrapolating from the photo) and took it to a local machine shop. They’re promising to have the piece made by Friday. Phew!
I called my cable company and got the seasonal discount, which means my bill is vastly reduced during the winter. In a summer town where everyone clears out for the winter, the company prefers to charge a nominal amount to keep people from canceling every autumn and then restarting service in May.
I thought the rock was for keeping the lid on fermenting cabbage.
Frugals this week included buying the digital coupon deals at Kroger. $2.99 lb. for butter $2.50 for 5 1b bag of Gold Medal flour.
I already finished one bag of flour baking 2 loaves of bread, a pecan pie and 2 sweet potato pies. I use the recipe on the crisco can for pie crust. I know it’s “bad” for one’s health, but I’ve tried using lard in pie crust and did NOT like the taste.
Packed sandwiches, drinks and snacks for the 9 hour drive over the rivers and across the prairies to grandfather’s house.
Gathered Christmas presents to bring with us. Hooray for being Ellie Package Service. Shipping is so expensive! Any little savings helps.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone
Thanksgiving Meals: the Frugal Editions
My partner and I are making Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving meal for 6 at my inlaws:
1. Made smoked trout pate using a free tin of trout (given to me) and cream cheese that I had in the freezer leftover from a party. Served with seeded crackers gotten from FlashFoods, and radishes with salt (free from work CSA box)
2. Thanksgiving Eve was beef stew with mustard (with the chuck coming from FlashFoods), served over potato-cauliflower mash (both free from work CSA). Partner made a loaf of no-knead bread instead of buying a baguette and we got heads of lettuce, rather than a clambox.
3. Dessert was financier made with eggs free from mystery shop. We’ll use the egg yolks tomorrow for an extra-rich omlette. Butter came from my $1.99 butter stash from a couple of years ago that has been in the freezer.
4. Tomorrow will be butternut squash soup (free from CSA and homemade chix stock, garnished with yogurt free from mystery shop), duck breast (half price from FlashFoods), and Hakurei turnips (free from CSA) with brown butter and thyme.
5. I didn’t buy any Big Macs or McDonald’s milkshakes.
Love turnips! This sounds like the kind of food I love to make.
I haven’t done a mystery shop in a long time, for a variety of reasons, mostly because most weren’t relevant for me, but groceries certainly are. If you have a referral code for that company, please feel free to email me. Thanks!
I too, wondered what the rock was. Perhaps a cooking misadventure.
I am perplexed about readers having to cancel holiday plans due to political views of others. When we have a family holiday we talk about other things. My brother served 23 years in the USAF. I don’t know who he voted for. It is not my business. He is a patriot.
1. The cashmere scarf is a good idea. I didn’t know cashmere does not ravel. It is so soft & stops the cold dead in its’ tracks.
2. I am making veggie broth from frozen veggie scraps.
3. I made a green bean casserole for a Thanksgiving get together using ingredients I had on hand.
4. I got busted last week on my Dollar General dumpster foraging. An employee came out & made me put some items back in the dumpster. I told her “It was thrown away” to no avail. It was some shelf stable iced coffee in bottles & cans. I did get away with 6 bottles of Dunkin iced coffee.
5. I trimmed my husband’s neck w/ clippers to spruce him up for Thanksgiving. It will make his previous hair cut last a bit longer.
Some families just can’t keep from discussing politics, I guess, and the current US political climate has been very divisive. For some people, staying away is the better option. I was horrified before the election to learn that at least two of my sisters, an adult niece, and likely my mom (who voted for Trump the first time) have very different political views than I do. If we ever get together, I can only hope we stay away from politics.
A good plan. I was taught don’t bring up religion or politics in social conversations. The topic of COVID vaccinations could likely be added to the list. I keep my big mouth shut & change the subject to a less volatile topic.
Texasilver – unfortunately, the GOP targets good people I love, and it’s no more possible for me to socialize with someone who thinks the country is threatened by “illegals” and “transgenders” than it would be to break bread with a Nazi.
Not even if they keep their mouth shut. Life’s too short.
I cut off my aunt and cousin because I couldn’t stand their hateful opinions any more. “The gays” are going to hell, etc. Makes my blood boil.
My sister, on the other hand, just ignores that and gets along with them. Different strokes for different folks.
At first glance I thought the rock was a loaf of rye bread strangely shaped. I’m glad you figured out a stopper hack. It has been decades since I’ve taken a bath.
I did not know that cashmere does not unravel. I will keep that in mind.
1. We wanted some tart apples for an apple pie. They were $2.99/# (both organic and non-organic) at the Giant. I bought a 3# bag for $2.69 at either Aldi or Lidl last week.
2. I am listening to Worthy, written and narrated by Jada Pinkett Smith. I borrowed it from the library. She has an interesting background.
3. I put away our few fall decorations and will get out our December holidays decorations over the weekend. There is no need to purchase anything new this year.
4. I will eat a salad with my breakfast to help clean out the refrigerator to make room for Thanksgiving leftovers.
5. Same old, same old…
1. Sold three items I had on Marketplace, one was a meetup and two I delivered, all in the same day, as I was in the area anyway. Total in: $120.00 All three were thrifted items.
2. Bought a 30 pack of toilet paper that was $7 off. The cashier told me that if I bought two, I could earn 1000 points which gives me another $10 towards groceries. I had noticed that on the display, buy didn’t really want that many, but she convinced me to get two, which really is the smart thing to do. It’s just storing it is a pain.
3. Accidentally bought a can of pumpkin pie filling months ago (I buy pumpkin puree for my dogs as they eat it every night) and I was going to give it to my sister, who hates food waste more than I do, and will use up everything. She told me just to make muffins with it, and I did, as I had all the other ingredients on hand. I added some apple sauce I just made as I didn’t have quite enough pumpkin. They turned out quite well.
4.My first homeexchange.com guests arrive tomorrow for two nights in my cottage. They will pay in “points” which I will accumulate and hopefully will eventually have enough to actually spend staying somewhere nice.
5. Paid $.50 for a thrift store birthday card for a friend. I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices for Hallmark, etc cards.
I thought the rock was an ancient Native American corn grinding stone, lol!
Picked up free manure spreader from dh’s coworker. It’s old,old,old but very serviceable. It will really cut down on my time spent.spreading compost.
Made 3 sweet potato pies. Used the excess whites to make scrambled eggs for supper a couple nights ago.
Received a very nice kid’s telescope from a friend who’s son had outgrown it.
Sold an exceptionally ugly 90’s sweater vest on ebay.
Did not buy a king ranch dually. 🙂
1. Sold a bedframe we no longer needed for $20. Clutter out, cash in.
2. Cooked turkey bones down for broth and to get the rest of the meat off (by the way my husband smoked the turkey and it added great flavor, would recommend. Also I didn’t have to do the turkey, so bonus, and it kept the oven free for other stuff).
3. Used Amy Dacyzyn’s univeral muffin recipe and put some leftover cranberry sauce in the muffins.
4. Earned enough fetch rewards to get a $5 Amazon giftcard.
5. Staying warm at night with a thrifted blanket.
Post Thanksgiving FFT
1. Met my friend (who live 30 min away) this morning when she drove up to shop at Costco. We love food shopping together and being frugal. After we shopped we visited at the food court area with coffee we brought from home. She also gave me a dozen eggs she didn’t need. Gold.
2. While away shopping I had 2 items picked up from my porch that had sold on Marketplace. I do porch pickup so I don’t have to hang around waiting on folks. $60. Both items were from the Goodwill Outlet (bin store) so cost almost nothing.
3. Then after lunch I walked a third item I sold on Marketplace (a heavy metal coat rack that hangs in the walk) a block over to the buyer. $15. This was a trash picked item. Funny thing is I trash picked it from a row home four houses down from the buyer.
4. Walked my dogs for free exercise for all of us
5. The Great Pumpkin Drop Off of 2024 has begun! For the last four years I have advertised on social media that folks can drop off their unwanted pumpkins, gourds, dead mums etc… after Thanksgiving. I compost the mums (lots of good dirt in those pots), and the gourds/pumpkins feed my chickens and the animals on a friend’s farm for quite some time. Last year we saved over 500lbs from going into the trash.