Frugal Friday File 2018, week 13...

Successes:
1.  Daughter (I call her our non-certified private accountant) did our taxes this year.  Hooray for refunds!

2.  She is also going to help me find a certified refurbished phone, since mine has been having issues for over a year.

3.  Carey's cell phone and service is through his work, so free to us.  But my service is an ungodly monthly amount.  Daughter is going to add me to her family plan.  Since their family has seven phones currently, she thinks adding one more will only be an additional $5 to $10 a month, and will have unlimited talk/text/data.  If that's the case, I'll write her a check for a year's service, and still come in less than my current monthly bill.  She can track my calls and location all she wants.  :)

4.  In the past month I have driven the one mile to daughter's house to 'borrow' Worcestershire sauce, canned tomatoes, an onion, and eggs.  Beats driving seven miles to the grocery store or 2 miles to the expensive quick-stop shop.

5.  Not to mention she feeds us supper every Sunday!

Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  leftovers?
Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey's
Monday:  goulash
Tuesday:  *chicken
Wednesday:  *Schlotzky sandwiches
Thursday:  *burger
Friday:  *barbecue

I have done terribly at having the energy to cook in the evenings, but I DID manage to pack my lunch to take to work every day.

(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)

What I'm reading Wednesday...

The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne

Amazon wore me down.  They kept advertising this one, and I liked the cover art.  LOL  I just started it.  I loved the scene introducing the main character.  He is a computational biologist, who becomes involved in the search for a killer in the wild; one the authorities are convinced is a rogue grizzly.

So I started reading this book Monday night.  Then on the commute on Tuesday I hear a story on the radio.  It seems that in Sweden, a mere twenty-five years or so of more strictly regulating the hunting of mother bears with cubs is turning female brown bears into helicopter moms.  "The hunting is filtering out the females that keep their young for a smaller amount of time."

I kept thinking that twenty-five years is a nanosecond of evolution to create a measurable change in behavior.  And then I thought that the study cited in the article seemed like exactly the kind of study the main character in my book might undertake.

This is the kind of deep thoughts I have when commuting.  LOL

Weekending...

Well, tomorrow starts the first day of my month o' work.  The surgery of the person I am filling in for got moved up a week.  Praying all goes well with her surgery and recovery.

Caitlyn spent the night here on Friday.  She wanted to make some chokers and bracelets.  That was fun...and handy.  When I delivered her home, I came home to a table still set up for jewelry making.  I made this necklace yesterday; pearls and metal beads on twine.  Another one is planned to put together soon; too tired tonight, and I want to go to bed early (for me). 

I caught up on laundry this weekend, and made sure my clothes are ready for the week.  I have a pretty limited work wardrobe, since I usually only work two or three days in a row, so the next few weeks are going to be a challenge.  I thought some new necklaces might help me stretch the wardrobe a bit.  Also, I want to downsize my jewelry-making supplies, so after I make a few pieces, I will know better what I want to let go of.

I made an Apple Upside-Down Cake for supper at Kasey's tonight.  A couple of the crew don't like pineapple, so didn't want to make that, and I had a bag of apples in the fridge that needed to be used.  I just sauteed the apple slices in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then spread them in a greased 9" x 13" cake pan and poured yellow cake mix batter over it and baked.  I let it cool a little and then turned out on a serving dish.  It was pretty popular with the troops, Chloe in particular, who asked me to please leave the leftover cake at their house.  :)  Supper was delicious: Carne Guisada in the slow cooker with homemade flour tortillas courtesy of Diego, who was taught by his 'uela recently.  I'm stuffed.

I need to empty the dishwasher, make a lunch to take to work tomorrow, and call it a night.

Hope everybody has a good week!

Frugal Friday File 2018, week 12...

Successes:
1.  I went to Hobby Lobby this week with the purpose of purchasing two bronze door knobs for the armoire.  They happened to be on sale; half price, so $2 each.  Left only with what I went for and no impulse purchases.

2.  Took the girls to the library last night.  They've always used their mother's library card or mine.  We took the time for them to each sign up for their own card.  Free.  Priceless.

3.   Finally did an online grocery order with curbside pickup, taking advantage of the $4.99 fee being waived for the first 4 orders.  So much less frustrating.

4.   Made many freezer meals for Carey to take to work.  Trying to get a head start on the month I will be working/commuting and not wanting to come home and cook a lot.

5.  Caitlyn is spending the night tonight.  She wants to make some jewelry, and goodness knows I have jewelry making supplies, so free entertainment.  ***edit***Ended up not being free.  We spent $ on supplies.  Thank heavens most of what we got was half price.

Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  Dublin Coddle
Sunday:  Sunday supper at Kasey's
Monday:  Roast beef, potatoes, carrots, green beans
Tuesday:  Chili Frito Pie
Wednesday:  *Tex-Mex
Thursday:  supper at Kasey's
Friday:  *Tex-Mex

(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)

Before and after...

Before

After

It looks very white, and I know the distressing doesn't show up much in the photograph above, but it actually shows up very well looking at it in person.

Sometimes there is a fine line with distressing, and I didn't want to go overboard.  Here are some closeups.  

The handle on the right is the original.  Its original mate broke (as in irreparable metal-fatigue broke) a long time ago, so we had to replace knobs.  I found the bronze flower knob on the left at Hobby Lobby yesterday, and they were half price.  It never happens that the thing I want is actually on sale when I need it, so that was awesome...$2 each.

I tried just the knobs, but that looked a little too bare, and somewhat juvenile, to me.

So I put the original ornamental knob backing back on with the new knobs, and I like it a lot better.

And there you go.  Before and after.  I haven't had Carey seal the chalk paint yet.  It is pretty resistant to scratches as is (we tried scratching, and it resisted, LOL).  And in case the white continues to look too bright to me, I wanted to be able to do some sort of a lightly tinted wash before we put on a coat of polycrylic to seal it.

I have to say that even though people say how easy chalk painting is, it wasn't Carey's favorite foray into experimentation.  That could have just been user error.  

Wait till I tell him that the big brown wall looks too big and brown now and needs to be repainted another color.  ROTFLOL!  Oy vey, that wall requires scaffolding.  He's going to flip.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

A new one by Kristin Hannah.  Very different from The Nightingale.  This one is about a family forever changed after the husband/dad, a Viet Nam war vet and prisoner of war, returns suffering PTSD, self medicating with alcohol, and abusive.  He relocates the family to the Alaskan wilderness looking for peace and healing.

I'm about halfway through it.  

Making it Monday...

I had to go in to work for awhile today in preparation for jumping in next Monday.  I left Carey at home with one chore.  This is all he got done.  :)  I have been cracking the whip since returning.  Funny...that doesn't speed him up any.  LOL  I'm starting to worry that it won't be done as soon as I was hoping.

For some reason, every time I look at it now I see this...

Yesterday...

This armoire was my 16th birthday present; the armoire plus the rest of a matching bedroom suite to be precise.  Yes, being the last child at home had its advantages, but I vaguely remember that my mother had credit at the furniture store that she needed to use or forfeit, so I lucked out.  Over the years, I've sold the headboard, nightstand, and dresser, but I've always liked the armoire and hesitated to part with it.  

I like the smaller compartments that it has as opposed to a lot of similar pieces.  When we lived in a one-room hunting cabin for eight months (when we moved to the ranch, and before we put a house on it) it went with us.  Carey thought it was a waste of space, but it added a lot more vertical storage than it took up floor space, so was priceless to me during that time.

I planned a wedding while in that cabin, and this piece held so many of the things I was working on: decorations, invitations, lists, receipts.  It was my command center.  I taped all the receipts to the insides of the doors, and then once the wedding was over, I put them all in an envelope.  Today I found that envelope still tucked inside a drawer.  I've never totaled up the receipts.  :)  

The armoire hasn't really been in use for years, so it was kind of like opening a time capsule.  Lately I've been thinking about how to better use this furniture piece by consolidating storage for some like items.  I was just going to fill it as is, but I happened to ask Carey if he felt like painting it before he went back to work, and surprisingly, his response was a definite maybe.  :)  I hope to get it done and filled before I have to start my month of work (only one more week to go!).  I'll show 'after' photos...eventually.

It was oddly coincidental that I decided on yesterday (St. Patrick's Day) to clean it out, as I came across maps and souvenirs from my trip to Ireland.  :)

The armoire wasn't stuffed full of things, thank goodness, but I did fill a box with books, and crafts, etc. to donate, and will drop it off next time I go to the city.

Saturday snail mail...

I've always loved St. Patrick's Day.  Not the rowdy public celebrations.  Not the pinching.  But the calling to mind of Irish family members on my father's side whom I know only by very limited stories passed down.  And then there was always my mother's birthday to celebrate.  Today would have been her 102nd.  

One thing that rankles me at this time of year is the profusion of decorations with four-leaf clovers all over them.  Arggghh!  Walk on by...boycott...just say 'no!'  Four-leaf clovers should be four-bidden on St Patrick's Day!

It is said that in the fifth century St. Patrick used a shamrock...one sprig with three leaves...to illustrate the concept of The Holy Trinity...one God in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Trinity.  Tri.  Three. Three leaves, not four.

Rant over.

I made all of these cards very late at night, so not my best work, and really terrible lighting for photos.  But they are on their way with letters included.  This first one has a shamrock against the colors of the Irish flag.

A simpler color palette.

I took some artistic license with this one.  I know that looks nothing like an actual shamrock plant.  All of the shamrocks on this card are made with a tiny heart stamp and/or punch.  

I have two birthday cards to make, then I will put away my stamping supplies for awhile.  It is doubtful there will be any time for stamping in April.

Frugal Friday File 2018, week 11...

Successes:
1.  I've requested a second card on a major gasoline credit account we've had...forever.  We've always made due with one card, but it's not very handy.  They usually have the lowest fuel prices around, plus discount it further if you use their company card, so it was time to take better advantage.  We pay account in full monthly, so no interest charges or fees.

2.  I used up the last of the ham.  

3.  Some grapes had been lingering in the fridge without getting eaten.  They were still perfectly firm and good tasting, so I removed them all from the stems and put them in the freezer to use in smoothies. 

4.  Use-by date on milk had passed.  It didn't smell sour, but like it might go off soon, if you know what I mean.  I used some to bake cornbread.  I was going to use the rest to make a buttermilk pie (by adding a little lemon or vinegar to the milk), but Jared came by for dinner and drank it.  He said it was fine.  LOL  

5.  Batched errands, added 9 individual meals to freezer for Carey to take to work, paid all bills on time as well as returning library books (no fees, no fines).

Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  leftovers
Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey's
Monday:  Mixed greens with turnips and ham, cornbread
Tuesday:  *burger
Wednesday:  *baked potato
Thursday:  quiche
Friday:  *Chinese takeout 

(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)

Ides? What Ides?...

I think this is the day that the slippery slope begins.  We are well into the year, and it will be over before we know it if we aren't careful!

We have become accepting of the everyday, instead of accepting every day as the gift it is.  I've been letting my year's goals slide...doing really well on some, but doing abominably sucky on others.

Beware!  Beware!!!  And then start over.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

The Last Suppers by Mandy Mikulencak

I am enjoying this novel so much.  Wonderful characters.  

In 1950s Louisiana, Ginny lived in the shadow of the prison.  When she was eight, her prison-guard father was murdered by an inmate, and her mother insisted that Ginny witness his killer's execution.   As an adult, Ginny goes back to the prison as the cook, and discovers a special calling to prepare the last meals for the condemned, even taking care to reach out to their family members for favorite family recipes. 

Frugal Friday File 2018, week 10...

Successes:
1.  Rudy:
     bathed 🗹
     pedicured 🗹
     ears cleaned 🗹
     bedding washed and sunned 🗹
     kennel cleaned 🗹
     treats given to Rudy AND Mama 🗹 
This was a battle of wills, but I AM the pack leader!  He hasn't had a bath since cold weather set in, so he was out of the routine and NOT happy.  I earned every bit of that $20 to $35 saved!

2.  Rudy's 'spa day' somehow resulted in an incredibly painful strained knee and a literal pain in the neck.  I really wanted to go to the chiropractor, but there just wasn't time this week.  And after a day or so, the knee feels better, so maybe I can save the doctor's fee and the gasoline for the 90 mile round trip.

3.  The knee must have been really painful, because I resorted to grabbing a cane from my collection and used it.  Yes, I have a collection of canes.  It started with our antique hall tree having a receptacle for umbrellas and walking sticks.  After my great aunt died, I asked for her cane, and it has had a home in the hall tree ever since and has been joined by a handmade cane my father-in-law made me, a beautiful cane bought from a fair trade shop, and others.  When you have sprained as many ankles and broken as many bones in your  feet as I have, not to mention that shingles outbreak on the sole of my foot, it has proven to be a very practical and frugal collection to have on hand over the years.

4.  For last night's dinner I baked a ham that was bought on sale during the holidays and has been in the freezer since.  It, along with homemade mac & cheese and broccoli, fed us and made Carey three work meals for the freezer.  Still lots of ham.  Will make quiche tonight; ham, turnips, and greens, with cornbread over the weekend; sandwiches for lunches; etc.

Next I should thaw that turkey that's in there.  :)

5.  Beautiful cool but sunny days here.  Another week with no need for heat or A/C.

Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  *pizza & salad
Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey's
Monday:  *burger
Tuesday:  leftovers
Wednesday:  *Tex-Mex
Thursday:  ham, mac & cheese, broccoli
Friday:  *pizza

(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Year One by Nora Roberts

I was on the library reserve list for this one for ages.  I took it to bed with me about midnight Sunday night/Monday morning, thinking I'd read myself to sleep.  I had to be up and at quilting at the library by 10:00 a.m.  I never got to sleep.  About 9:20 a friend from the group texted me to make sure I was going to be at the group.  I texted back that I had ten more pages, and then I'd be there.  :)

Before I started reading, I had it confused with another book about prehistory, but it was actually about a virus that wiped out eighty percent of the world population.  

Even though I couldn't put it down, I'm not sure how I feel about it.  

Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles

I'm working my way through this author's titles.  I've been on the reserve list for this library ebook, and my turn just came up, so I've only just started it.  

It is set during the Civil War in Missouri (a particularly divided state during this period which  experienced an extremely dangerous neighbor-against-neighbor atmosphere).  The main character is an 18-year-old girl whose family has been struggling to remain neutral.  She is arrested as an 'enemy woman' and sent to a women's prison filled with the criminal and the deranged.

Saturday snail mail...

I spent a day at the craft table this week.  I had letters I wanted to get in the mail, and I wanted to play with stamps and papers.  

This one is for a teenage girl.  

I used washi tape to mask off the stripe on this one so I could sponge it with two colors of ink.  I was happy with how it turned out...until I removed the top strip of tape and ripped the paper.  :)  Enter the 'thank you' banner.  There's almost always a way to save the project.  :)

I made several along these lines, changing up the colors and layers.   

A handful of letters are winging their way around the world.  That makes me happy.  I hope they brighten their recipients' days as well.

Frugal Friday File 2018, week 9...

Successes:
1.  Carey's paycheck and annual bonus has been deposited in the bank account.  The bonus will be promptly transferred to our interest bearing savings account to earn a little while it patiently awaits its turn to cover the property taxes at the end of the year.

2.  While it has been extremely humid recently, it was bearable (just) without turning on the AC to dry out the indoor air.  The temperatures have been pretty moderate, without need of heat or cooling, so I am anticipating a steep drop in our electric bill.

3.  I booked an afternoon of work for next week.  I usually don't accept partial days, but this is a local branch, so no commute (gasoline and other vehicle expenses) to eat into the profit.  I had to turn down several other days that they also inquired about due to having a full month of work booked coming up soon.

4.  I am in the process of going through my closet...mainly the work wardrobe side.  I need to make sure I have work clothes lined up and in good repair for the full-time month (see item 3 above).  Since my usual work schedule is only a few days in a row, I have really pared down my working wardrobe.  It may take some imagination, and being willing to repeat and mix-and-match the basic pieces, but I refuse to buy more items for just one month of need.

5.  Since Carey had errands out, one of which to the grocery to pick up some foodstuffs for his weekend hiking trip, I had him pick up some ground beef for tonight's meatloaf.  (I took twice-baked potatoes and corn out of the freezer for the side dishes.)  No need to use the gasoline in my car if he was bound there anyway.


Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  grazed the fridge
Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey's
Monday:  Dublin Coddle
Tuesday:  French toast and fruit
Wednesday:  *burger out
Thursday:  Enchilada Casserole and Spanish Rice
Friday:  meatloaf, twice-baked potatoes, corn

(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)