Successes:
1. Planning a road-trip vacation. Carey insists on real maps. I'm willing to humor him, because (a) it is easier, (b) it's within the realm of possibility that we could be in areas where our phones have no service, and (c) I feel sad that maps are becoming obsolete. I started to go to amazon to order maps for each state that we will be visiting. But it occurred to me that state tourist bureaus might make them available for free. A quick internet search led me to heyitsfree.net where I found links for all the maps I needed on one page. It was fast and simple to request each one. They will be mailed to me free of charge and website indicated they will arrive in two to three weeks, though we already received one in today's mail!
2. Making reservations for the vacation at state park cabins mostly. Large savings over hotels, plus since we are going specifically to enjoy the change in seasons, it will be perfect to be as close to nature as possible. Will also be taking my slow cooker and groceries, so after days of sightseeing, we can go back to the cabins for an easy and inexpensive meal.
3. I had to go get some blood work done today, back to the same place I left my book for the weekend recently. Would you believe I walked off and left my current book lying on the counter when I was checking in? Thankfully it was a large hardcover, and so I realized pretty quickly that my purse was feeling too light and made my way back to retrieve it before I left the building. No wasted gasoline this time.
4. Speaking of gasoline... I filled up the car before the 'big storm,' and have been mostly staying close to home since, so I still have plenty without worrying about running out. There has been a bit of a run on gas stations around here (due to panic mostly), and the prices have jumped by more than 50¢ per gallon, so I've been happy to make my low-cost, pre-storm gasoline last and stay out of the craziness.
Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday: meatloaf, baked potatoes, corn
Sunday: Sunday family supper at Kasey's
Monday: *chicken and red beans & rice
Tuesday: sandwich
Wednesday: chicken curry and rice
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: something from the freezer
(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)
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Good luck with the holiday planning. I love going away but love coming home too. Our trip to Florida in October is now booked and I will have to plan what to take. We had been planning a quiet weekend but have to go to Manchester as Mum has been readmitted to hospital.
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend x
Truth be told, I rather like just staying home. :) Going away can be a lot of work. I'm already making lists and planning and schedules.
DeleteI'm sorry your mother is back in the hospital. We lived about three hours away from my mother as well, so it was three hours of worry sometimes...thinking I couldn't get there fast enough...dreading getting there at all. Hope she feels better soon!
That's a good tip about maps, I prefer physical ones too.
ReplyDeleteI was so happy I thought of it before I paid for them all! :)
DeleteThat's a big trip you have planned. How exciting. So glad you are well, I'd been worried (sent you a FB message!).
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip re mold too!
Your post made me realize it's been a LONG while since I used a real map. Yikes.
Big hugs! xo xo
Hardly every get on FB anymore. Sorry to worry you. :) The trip does seem like a kind of massive undertaking...so much, to prepare before leaving...and my calendar is kind of busy, so will have to be diligent about preparations.
DeleteWe just got back from a weekend getaway and I'm in sticker shock from adding everything up! Good grief, it is so expensive.
ReplyDeleteI know. I’m paying the cabin rentals up front, so having those out of the way will make the few nights we will spend in hotel (hoping not more than three at the most), gasoline and what meals we eat out (I’m planning on just lunches out) more manageable to face when we get home…hopefully.
DeleteWe have one big ol' book called Explore Australia that Gus insists on dragging along with us when we go on road trips. It is good to see the distance between point A and B but we use Google Maps as that tells you how long before you get to your destination.
ReplyDeleteMen! LOL Carey can find his way anywhere as long as he’s on back roads, but you let that man loose in a city, and he may never be heard from again.
DeleteHope you are feeling better!