Is it just me?...

 This has been scratching at my brain for awhile, and today, I just had to ask the question.  Is it just me?  I am really over the style graphic (or should it be graffic since it screams graffiti to me?)

I am seeing this cover style everywhere!  These six were in my inbox just today!  

I don't know, but titles screaming at me don't make me want to read the book.  I have a feeling the publishing industry is letting AI design covers these days.  

Has anyone else noticed this trend?  Am I the only one it is bothering?

Homemade Moist Dog Food Recipe...

Disclaimer:  I am not a scientist or specialist of any kind.  I did online research to determine what is and isn't healthy for dogs, and I ran the ingredients and preparation method past our vet at our last visit to make sure it sounded okay to her.  Doing your own research and using your own best judgement in regard to feeding your pet are advised.

As per my research, I try for a variety of meats, brown rice, and vegetables that provide vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber that support the health of the entire dog...joints and bones, skin, eyes, digestion, immune system, etc.  

Today I did the math.  I actually thought that store-bought canned food might come out less expensive than the homecooked version.  BUT it turned out that one can of the brand we used before is about 50¢ more expensive than an equivalent amount of my homemade; even considering that I buy ingredients like boneless/skinless chicken thighs and frozen chopped vegetables for convenience.  It may not seem worth the trouble to everybody, but for me it is.  Especially since I just put it in the slow cooker and add different ingredients during the cooking time, and I only have to make a batch about once per month to six weeks.  (And especially since the first benefit we observed was no more stinky flatulence!  I can't make any promises that your dog would have the same benefit.) 

If interested in the containers I use, they were purchased through Amazon and are linked here.  This is neither a sponsored link nor an affiliate link.  I just like the size (they thaw in the fridge overnight) and straight sides of these containers (makes them easy to fill and easy to wash).  I also like the screw on lids.

Homemade Moist Dog Food...do not add any seasonings in the making!

Step 1:

Beef Shank bones (our meat department sells these, I use one or two per batch, or use any bones you may have.)

3 or 4 carrots, washed and sliced

6 cups of water (approximately; bones need to be submerged)

Place above ingredients in slow cooker.  Cook on low overnight to make bone broth.  In the morning remove the bones placing any marrow back in the broth in pot.

Step 2:

2 to 3 pounds Chicken Thighs (Boneless/skinless cost more but are much more convenient.  If you use bone in, remove skin before cooking, and remove all bones before shredding meat.)

Place the chicken thighs into the beef broth, and cook on high for about 4 hours or till cooked through.  Remove the chicken and shred it with forks, or pulse in food processor to get a rough chop.  Place the chicken back into the broth.

Step 3:

1/2 of a 16 oz bag of frozen Chopped Broccoli

1/2 of a 16 oz bag of frozen Peas & Carrots

1/2 of a 16 oz bag of frozen Cut Green Beans

1/2 of a 16 oz bag of frozen Whole Cranberries

15 oz can of pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 1/2 to 2 cups brown rice

Make sure there is at least 4 cups of liquid in the slow cooker with the chicken.  Place the brown rice and canned pumpkin into the slow cooker and stir to distribute.  Then add about half of each bag of vegetables, and if they are above the level of the liquid, use a spoon to push them into the liquid (they can be a little above the liquid level).  Continue cooking on low for about 4 hours, or at least until rice is tender.  (Reserve unused portions of frozen vegetables and return to freezer for next batch of homemade dog food.)

• When the rice and vegetables are tender, let cool for an hour or so.
• I separate into 12 oz containers, and attach lids.
• I use painter's tape to label lid with dog's name and the date the batch was made, and store in the freezer.
• We remove a container from the freezer a day or so before it will be needed to give it time to thaw in the refrigerator.  Can be placed in microwave for a minute or so if needed to thaw/warm
• We feed a combination of purchased dry food with the homemade food stirred into it.
• Adjust amount used according to dog's size and/or if you use dry kibble with the homemade,  Rudy is a 19 pound Jack Russel terrier, and very active.  We feed him about 1 cup of purchased dry food and about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the homemade moist food daily.  Using in this way and amounts, one batch of homemade food lasts us about 5 weeks.
• I would suggest monitoring your dog for weight increases or decreases and adjust food accordingly.

2024 Frugal Friday File, October 11...

 

1.  Laying low.  Not leaving house much.  Working on a batch of cards for a group I swap with, and they took SO long, and were past their due date.  I just couldn't get them to meet the image I had in my head.  I was going for a kind of mod white tree, with sparkly, pastel-ly decorations.

Needless to say, this card will not be one I will send out to a large group at Christmas, as there is just not that much time before the holiday.  LOL

2.  I cancelled the Audible membership I used while cleaning out the garage.  I can still use it through 10/17, but it will cut off then, and I won't have to worry about it auto-paying for the next month.

3.  Enjoyed library book.  I finished and returned it early so the next person didn't have to wait.  Picked up the next one while I was there.  (Time got aways from me this week, so didn't get a What Are You Reading Wednesday post up.)

4.  Made a menu plan for the week and a grocery order.  I know I put this here almost every week, but it is SUCH an important part of staying within budget, and avoiding hungry trips for takeout.  

Somehow we ended up with an abundance (like a LOT) of eggs in the fridge last week.  We ate a lot of egg-rich meals, and even this week used them for supper one night and in tuna salad another.  I tried to make deviled eggs, but got the filling too runny, so I just added the chopped up egg whites and the overly-moist filling into tuna salad.  Doesn't sound great, but it wasn't half bad.

5.  Playing with an idea plan for a low-budget mini makeover in the guest room.

6(ish).  Not really mine, but worth a mention.  My sister just adopted a shelter dog today.  She made the decision a day or two ago, but they couldn't release him until he had been neutered.  So when she picked him up today, they told her he had been licking his incision, and would need a cone.  She stopped on the way home at PetSmart and got one.  Once they were home, sis realized that she had not see him licking at all, so she doubted he would need the cone.  I asked her if it cost enough to make it worth the trip to return it.  She couldn't remember what it cost, but while we were talking, she looked for and found the receipt.  $21!  She will definitely be returning.

On the menu this week:

**Saturday:  Potato/Broccoli/Cheese soup

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Scrambled eggs w/ smoked sausage

Tuesday:  Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Wednesday:  Chicken a la King

Thursday:  Chili

Friday:  Twice baked stuffed sweet potatoes

**designates meatless meal

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston

I was so happy to see my reserve for this one at the library come up.  And I was ready for a change from the seventh century I've been reading for, seemingly, ever!  

This one was a delight.  Humorous without being too silly; sweet without being too saccharine.  I picked it up Saturday, and finished it Tuesday morning before work.  

Marilla of Green of Gables by Sarah McCoy

I started this one last night.  I have loved the time I've spent in Green Gables, and always wanted more back story on the Cuthberts.  Looking forward to this imagining and hope it is one I can get into.

2024 Frugal Friday File, Sept 27...

1.  Made a menu for the week and grocery order.

2.  Made another batch of homemade dog food for Rudy, and I had all the ingredients in the pantry and freezer, so no outlay this time.

3.  Reserved two library books from the list of their recent acquisitions.  I've had my eye on both of these, so was happy to get on the list early.

4.  Carey got home from a baseball road trip with his sister and brother-in-law.  (You may have wondered why I was cleaning out the garage without his help.  I like to do these clean-out projects on my own when he's not around, so was happy he had this trip coming up.  And it was a surprise for him when he got home.)  They had a great time, and attended games in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Chicago.  They split the gasoline, game tickets, meals, etc. three ways.  Sis and b-i-l have a new hybrid car that they wanted to take on the road, so mileage was not horrible.

5.  Worked two days.  Money in.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  Takeout 

Sunday:  Takeout

Monday:  Fried Rice

Tuesday:  Chicken Burrito Bowls

Wednesday: Pork Chop, Scalloped Potatoes, Squash

Thursday:  leftovers

Friday:  pot pies

**designates meatless meal

What I'm STILL reading Wednesday...

 

Hild by Nicola Griffith

OMG this is taking forever!  I listen to the Audible version, then move back to my Kindle, and trust it to sync.  I read for a looooooong while, then realize that I've already heard what I'm reading.  Which I guess it's okay that I'm re-reading, because obviously listening to Audible version while I'm working meant I was too distracted by the job being done to pay attention.  So I'm plugging along.

Honestly, I'm not loving it, but I'm almost 3/4 through it and hate to stop now.  It has been keeping me company while I'm recovering from the garage clean out.  THAT was incredibly hard on my body.  Sore muscles and joints are slowing me down, and I'm still doing things like laundering found items (some to keep and some to donate) and finding homes for things that I want to use in the house.   Working also for a paycheck on Th/Fr and then Mo/Tu/Wed.  I will get back to a follow up on the garage results, but, you know, I also have a book to finish.

And did I mention this book is 700+ pages?  Oh, I did?  Well, okay.

2024 Frugal Friday File, September 20...

 

1.  It hasn't been a particularly thrifty week.  I've picked up takeout rather than cooking after days spent sweating in the garage.  I haven't weighed lately, but there should be about a stone of water weight lost due to the sweat of my brow (and neck, shoulders, back, and legs) over the past week.

2.  Free shredding:  I went through thirty years of my parents' financial paperwork (that has filled a 30 gallon storage bin for twenty-five years without being opened).  It was so heavy it could not be moved by me.  I had to sit down beside it where it was and just go through it.  It took two full afternoons.  I don't know that it needed to be shredded...all of the bank accounts have been closed for years, and the owners of the Social Security numbers have been deceased for decades...but I just couldn't put it in the trash.  For one thing, we would not have had room for our household trash if it went into our weekly pick up; also I think there is a weight limit for our pick up which would have been gone over.  I removed things like documents from things like envelopes, and put everything I knew was harmless into the trash.  Anything with personal info, etc. went into bags.  I took those to my old office, and was allowed to put them in their locked bins which a shredding service picks up and shreds on site.  The office never comes close to filling their bins, and we've accepted documents for shredding from clients over the years.  That felt SO good to get that done and gone!  

I did keep maybe a half dozen documents, some of which will be shredded at home at a later time.  I just couldn't do it at present.  My parents rarely put things in writing unless work related.  Seeing their signatures exactly as I remember them just makes me feel a little emotional.

3.  Free drop-off unloading:  So far I have taken two FULL carloads (SUV) to Goodwill, and the third load is ready to be  Ioaded.  I could have had a garage sale, but in past experience, they are a lot of work for very little reward.  I have a busy couple of months coming up, and I just want this stuff GONE!  I suppose I could ask Kasey to list a few things on FB Marketplace or Nextdoor, but I haven't come across anything yet that even made me think about doing that.

4.  Not so free entertainment:  I've been listening to the Audible book I wrote about previously.  I listened all Wednesday afternoon...all Thursday afternoon...in the bathtub at night...and some Friday morning.    I still have twelve hours of listening to go (even though the speed setting has been set to an accelerated speed).  SO glad to have taken this method of keeping myself working and 'reading' at the same time.

5.  Free help:  Friday Jared helped me by sweeping cobwebs off of everything before I loaded it into the car.  He is kind and patient and does whatever I ask.  Today (Saturday) his sister {Kasey) came over and she is a MEAN OVERLORD!  She has worked me non-stop.  She has given me a short break presently, then she is coming back and assures me we WILL be getting done tonight!  Help!  (But seriously, we have made amazing progress that would not have been accomplished without her.  Now I will post this before she comes back and chains me up again to finish sorting donations from keeps.  

I have brought a few things in the house to find a place for...some old towels and bedspreads that will be washed before taking them to the animal shelter....and also some framed artwork and photos.  I have been pretty ruthless about donations and discards.  I may make my goal of not over filling the shelf I purchased for the garage.

On the menu this past week:

Saturday:  Omelette

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Late takeout lunch, skipped supper

Tuesday:  Late takeout lunch, skipped supper

Wednesday:  Late takeout lunch, skipped supper

Thursday:  Late takeout lunch, skipped supper

Friday:  Late takeout lunch, skipped supper

**designates meatless meal