Two Frugal Things — Peppers & Zoo Animals
1) I stopped into Fred Meyer to grab cat litter and spent a couple minutes perusing the produce clearance shelves.
I ended up spending $3 to buy eight peppers, which I’ll slice and freeze for later use.
I’m fully aware that I’m straight up failing my “Freezer Challenge.”
2) My daughter and I hit the Oregon Zoo for her birthday. It’s probably been at least ten years since we last went, so there were a lot of upgrades to enjoy. Most notably the elephant enclosure which was both airy and sun filled.
Both of us were enamored with this red panda, who couldn’t have been cuter. It took everything in my power to not run straight to the gift shop in search of a stuffed animal doppelganger.
I WANT TO HUG THE RED PANDA!
The polar bear was hiding when we first came in, but was fully up against the plexiglass by the end of our visit. Such a majestic creature!
My husband and I continue to stick with our “experiences, not stuff” credo, although we did transfer a nice chunk of change into her bank account to complete the gift.
We also enjoyed a fish and chips lunch, as well as a sushi dinner with her grandparents. My daughter reloaded the Starbucks app on her phone in order to order a free birthday drink and it was an excellent day.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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I absolutely love red pandas, I don’t know what it is about them that just makes them so darn cute!
I’ve been absent for several days, partially due to sickness and then I was busy catching up on everything from when I was sick.
1. Took the kids to the park yesterday during an impromptu walk! I’m certain I got bit by mosquitoes but the kids had fun and we got some good exercise.
2. I finished The Time Hop Coffee Shop the other day by Phaedra Patrick and it was just meh. I couldn’t really get into it as much as I wanted to. The concept was good but I wasn’t a fan of the execution. Probably didn’t help that I had read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue right before I started this and it was fantastic.
3. My apartment had a ‘Breakfast to go’ this morning and were passing out brown bags of food to people on their way to work. My husband left for work too early to take advantage so I put the kids in coats and we walked down to pick up some goodies. I got a bit of a laugh out of the ‘breakfasts’ being a single processed baked good per bag, a juice or coffee, and an orange, but it was free and my kids were thrilled to each enjoy a mini chocolate donut and a blueberry muffin on the balcony for breakfast with some apple juice. We also got a ‘cinnamon roll’ that I saved for my husband. I didn’t partake since everything had dairy and I couldn’t carry a coffee up two flights of stairs while holding my toddler AND our bags but that’s alright since free coffee is always offered during the day.
4. My husband and I were very disappointed by our last electric bill so we’ve made the decision to try and cut more daytime usage where we can. This led me to initiating more reading time with the kids, which is always a good thing. We’ll probably try and get out some more while the weather is nice since we’re finally feeling better.
5. While reading today I added 11 items to our requests list at the library. Some books for myself, the kids, and a movie and a show. My husband told me he also requested a few items that he’s been looking for elsewhere and has been unable to find. Support your libraries, folks!
I’m finished up the audiobook for “Time Hop Coffee Shop” and am also very “meh” about it. Such a great premise, but it wasn’t the best. Happy to 37.21 minutes from completion!
I think red pandas are possibly the cutest animals on the planet. I LOVE THEM.
Enoki is cuteness overload. Happy Birthday to your daughter! Experiences are the best kind of celebration. My mom still talks about my birthday excursion from three years ago. She can’t remember 5 min, but a happy day trip…that is a miracle.
I bought a huge pork butt @ 50% off from the restaurant supply, watched a video, cut up some steaks, removed the bone to roast for beans and still have a 5 lb chunk for pulled pork all for $8.50.
Picked a delicata squash to roast for dinner, picked the last of the green beans and grabbed a shallot to cook with the beans. Have half a cabbage shredded, will stir fry with some green peppers and sweet onion.
Tonight is the peak viewing of the Draconid Meteor shower.
Happy Birthday to your daughter! I would hug the red panda but would not hug the Polar bear unless it was anesthesised. DH and I have a standing question we ask each other about cute animals including our cat: Would you pick ’em up and love ’em? Answers:
Yes.
No.
Yes if anesthesised. (The animal, not the person)
1. DH and I received our flu and Covid vaccines today, free with our insurance. In case we feel a little crappy tomorrow, I didn’t plan anything.
2. We haven’t turned the heat on but with the thermostat set at 60 degrees it came on automatically two nights ago. Temperatures did reach down into the mid thirties that night.
3. I baked and then mashed up a butternut squash with supper last night. It was very stringy and not the most delicious one I’ve ever had but we ate it anyway.
4. I made a batch of homemade deodorant.
5. DH took the air conditioner out of our bedroom window. The nights are usually in the 40s and 50s now so no need for it again this year. This is the time of year my electric bill goes down with no A/C and still being able to dry clothes outside.
Mine is an ode to mason jars:
— Cubed a cantaloupe, put in mason jars, and placed them front and center in the fridge. Â
— Cut up raw veggies and placed them in mason jars. So pretty lined up in the fridge and will ensure they get eaten.
— Prepped salads and stored in mason jars. All I had to do was tip the jars onto plates and add dressing.
— Made soup and stored in mason jars.
— Poured a large box of baking soda into a – yes, you guessed it! – mason jar. I draw from this for both baking and cleaning needs.
Ooh, I forgot about salads in Mason jars! I did that for a long time. I’d layer it so when dumped into a bowl, the lettuce would be on the bottom and other fixings on top. The Mason jars keep them fresh for days. So easy. Looks like you do the same.
My grandson adored red pandas back in the day, but is no doubt too cool now to admit it. But I always think of him when I see a reference to them.
I think they’re pretty cute, too.
My building has engaged a new property management company. In the process of making the switch, there was poor communication about what to do about our monthly assessment fees. I noticed they weren’t withdrawing them, so I waited for more information. (Calls, in the past, have been useless.) Well, finally a letter appeared outside my door, informing me I owed two months’ worth, plus a late fee. Grrrr. This is not a good beginning.
I walked the check to a mailbox this morning and then caught a train to the library, where I picked up a book on hold, plus three others. Then I stopped at CVS, where I was hoping to use a $5 credit to buy Dawn. Turned out I couldn’t use it without spending $20. Another of those annoying games we talked about the other day. Went ahead and bought it anyway, because I needed it.
I had another serving of beef stew and then put two servings in the freezer.
I had a jigsaw puzzle of what I thought was a fox. My granddaughter informed me it was a red panda! Now I know the difference. They’re so adorable.
The polar bear seems cuddly until you look at his huge claws. Glad you had fun.
1. Used some broken-off bits of the last of the solid antiperspirant so as not to let part of the product be wasted.
2. Re-scanned the (not-so-)smart TV. It added one local channel so I can get Jeopardy!, but erased another local channel so I wasn’t able to see The View and won’t be able to see Jimmy Kimmel. Not sure what I’m doing wrong.
3. Frugal fail, albeit a small one: left a plastic drinking glass on a side table. It had just enough milk left in it for Snuggles to get interested. Found it on the floor, empty, with bite marks on it. It’s now in the recycling bin.
4. AC is turned off, still.
5. Resisted the temptation to purchase an absolutely gorgeous, gigantic flower pot full of blooming mums. Would be perfect on the front porch to making things look more autumn-y. It was only $19 at Walmart….a bargain, considering its huge size. But the way I kill plants, it wouldn’t have been blooming for long.
We love going to the zoo with our grandkids. They live 5 minutes from a very nice zoo and have an annual membership.
Read library books for my grandkids on a video call. Free books and free call! Relationship-priceless.
Washed laundry before electric rates go up at 4pm and hung the load out to dry.
Picked up 2 cups of coffee at assisted living for dh. I got one on the way in and one on the way out. My mother doesn’t drink any and it’s available to residents and guests. Brought home food I had brought in that my mother didn’t like. Her appetite is smaller and pickier as she declines. I try to bring tempting food but sometimes I miss the mark.
Sewed 4 extra large cloth napkins that my mother requested. She’s shaky and drops more food on her lap than she used to. I used fabric that she had given me to sew these, so it cost me nothing but time, and I know she likes the fabric. I sewed her name tapes into each napkin. Name tapes were part of my life as a child at boarding school and they sure come in handy at assisted living too!
Happy birthday to your daughter’
I was fortunate enough to tour the panda reserve in Chendu, China some years ago. The red pandas escaped their enclosure and were chasing each other on the boardwalk and adjacent areas. I have pictures of them just inches from my feet as they ran past! Lots of excitement! Definitely cute, tame enough to not fear humans, but I was not going to attempt to touch one!
1. My car’s driver side seat cover had a hole in it. I sewed up the hole. I then switched the passenger side seat cover to the driver side as it was like new. I put the repaired & worn seat cover on the passenger side where it will see less wear.
2. I made pumpkin bread using the recipe found here. I added some walnuts I had in the freezer. It turned out nicely. I had a few packets of the chunky brown sugar that Panera has w/ their coffee. I sprinkled some of that on the top before baking.
3. I processed a large amt. of pears that the neighbor let me pick. I cooked them in the crockpot. I ate some of the cooked pears. The rest went in the freezer to make a pie at a later date. The wildlife got the cores & peelings.
4. Found a fine tooth comb on my walk. I will wash in the dishwasher & use it to comb my cat’s fur to decrease shedding.
5. Wanted take-out last night. Instead I cobbled together a dinner of a smoked sausage w/ a small package of sauerkraut. I had some baked beans in the freezer so I ate some of those. Stewed pears & carrot sticks rounded out the menu. It was actually pretty good & was surely filling.
Was a vendor at a small outdoor fall festival last night. My sales were ok but Got to take home leftover food
1. Quart of pulled chicken bbq
2. Quart of coleslaw
3. Pack of buns
4. 2 liter cream soda
5. 10 apples.
Plus I had a great time with my friend who was the food vendor. I saw a few other folks I knew and got to meet lots of new people! Plus the weather was gorgeous and there was a fire spinner! I also learned how to make next year more profitable. And I didn’t have to cook today!