2024 Frugal Friday File, April 26...

 

1.  I have a trip coming up to visit an old friend.  I haven't flown in at least fifteen years (in fact my last flight may have been to visit this particular friend).  Luggage rules have changed in that time.  Since I fly so rarely, and my current luggage works for the car trips we usually take, I will be borrowing carry-on luggage from Kasey instead of buying.

2.  Last night Carey was eating leftover pizza.  I wasn't starving, but I wanted something.  As I looked through the fridge, I saw the remainder of the blueberries (that Carey said he would eat, but he hadn't eaten all week).  I had a bag of lettuce mix, I added the blueberries, some pears from the pantry, some pecans from the freezer, some feta, and I mixed up a quick Honey Dijon dressing.  It was all things that were needing to be used up and/or hanging out waiting to be used.  It took all of five minutes (opening the can of pears was the hardest part).  It was fabulous.  

3.  A week or two ago I had some blood work done.  The lab was in a building that was nearly impossible to find.  GPS sent me to a weird dead-end roundabout and down an alley.  I pulled over and Googled two more times and drove back to a known starting point twice before I found it.  Originally, I had felt stupid for leaving an hour early, but thank goodness I did, because I arrived barely on time.  

This morning I am having a mammogram at a different provider than I have gone to in the past.  Guess where it is located...same building!  I won't waste time and gasoline finding it this time.  It is burned in my memory!

4.  I will pick up a reserved library book on my way home.

5.  Tax refund arrived!  I have squirreled it away into four different subaccounts: some for emergency cash, some toward money waiting to pay our long-term care premium at the end of the year,  some toward property taxes also due at end of the year, and some in a long neglected account to go toward our next vehicle (I'm really hoping we won't need one for a long time, but really need to keep socking away for that purpose when I can.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  Leftovers

Sunday:  leftovers

Monday:  Sunday supper at Kasey & Beau's

Tuesday:  No Peek Chicken

Wednesday:  Homemade Pizza

Thursday:  Carey leftover pizza - me **salad

Friday:  ?

**designates meatless meal

What I'm reading Wednesday

Things to Look Forward To: 52 Large and Small Joys for Today and Every Day

by Sophie Blackall

This was an ebook impulse buy from Kindle Deal of the Day email received this week.  I paid $1.99. The short essays and the author's illustrations are delightful.  I read it in one sitting, and I will go back to it again...and maybe again...on repeat.

I want to buy a hardcover copy of it and tuck things like movie ticket stubs, old photographs, and postcards into it.  I've also ordered a hard copy of it to give as a gift.

The Alienist by Caleb Car

This one caught my eye on special price for Kindle.  I briefly thought about buying for $1.99, but, as always, I checked the ebooks at library instead, and they had it available for checkout.  

I haven't seen the Netflix program, but am aware of it...I've currently started reading another book that I want to put off reading for awhile...I'm waiting on reserve to come up for one I really want to read...so I thought I'd give this one a try.  Hardly a ringing endorsement, but then I haven't started it yet.

Sunday desserts, 4/21/2024...

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake from realhousemoms.com

 

On Sundays we have supper with Kasey and Beau and family at their house.  We've been doing that for around ten years now.  We usually have something from the slow cooker if Kasey is doing the cooking, or something from the grill if Beau is doing the cooking.  From the start I've been taking a dessert almost every week.  I never missed in the early days, as I never wanted to disappoint my sweet grandchildren.  My youngest grandson asked me one Sunday, "How do you think of a different dessert every week!?"  (Thank you, Pinterest, for making me a super Grandma!)

 Aside from delighting the grands, it is also a way that I still get to prepare desserts without Carey and I having to eat the whole thing on our own.

This week I had those yummy free blueberries in the fridge, and in the springtime I always crave something lemony, so I searched for Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake, and this one popped up.  Thanks to realhousemoms.com for the recipe, and I've linked to their recipe above right under the first photo.

The lemon flavor and generous blueberry ratio make this delicious.  The ease of preparation makes it a keeper.  I should have taken it out of the oven about 10 minutes sooner, but even so, it is moist and yummy!

About the time I took it out of the oven, Kasey texted me that they need to postpone Sunday supper till Monday this week.  I'm sure it will still be delicious tomorrow, but I shouldn't be held responsible if there are a number or slices missing by then!  :)

What I'm reading Wednesday (on Saturday)...

The Girl in His Shadow by Audrey Blake

Finished this one on Tuesday.  When the main character is orphaned during a cholera epidemic, the doctor takes her home with him to figure out what to do with her.  The doctor's housekeeper insists they keep her.  She's bright and interested, and he trains her to help in his practice.  I liked it, and would rate it 7 out of 10.

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

Inspired by an actual midwife in 18th century Maine.  I love a good midwife story, and this did not disappoint!  I would rate it 9 out of 10.  The Author's Note and Acknowledgments were very interesting, and are worth a read after finishing the book.  I had to wait several months for this library ebook, but so worth it.  I couldn't put it down, and finished its 450 pages in 3 days. 

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

For a change of pace I will be starting this one next.

2024 Frugal Friday File, April 19...

 

1.  Planned the menu for the week, placed grocery order.  Our grocery does a fantastic job getting orders correct, but there were quite a few errors this week.  I first noticed when I came across an 18 oz container of fresh blueberries which I knew I hadn't ordered, along with a pint of half & half which also had not been on my order.  Then I decided I'd better check everything on the order, and I found four missing items totaling about $18. 

I phoned customer service and was completely honest about what was missing and what was included which I was not charged for.  They pleasantly reimbursed me the $18, and told me to keep the items that they sent out in error ($8 value) free of charge.  

This is the second time in the past month or so that I've had to call about a refund; the last time was about a damaged container that had leaked a lot of its contents.  I have been ordering online and picking up since the pandemic started...four years now?...and these are the only errors I have been aware of in all that time!  Customer service is so friendly and helpful, that even with the errors the process is much, MUCH less stressful than going in store and 'hunting and gathering' myself, not to mention standing in long lines.  And no impulse purchases!  :)

2.  I cancelled a monthly subscription for Britbox that was set to renew tomorrow.  as I wasn't using it.  I am also subscribed to Acorn, and was going to cancel it as well; however when I clicked cancel, it asked if I would keep it if I could get 3 months for half price.  I chose that option, but if I don't watch it regularly between now and then, I'm canceling at the end of that period.

3.  We did not buy each other anniversary gifts, not that we often do.  I think I mentioned that I told Carey what I would dearly love was for him to get his own library card, which he did.  

4.  Received the paycheck for the days I worked last week, and I booked another day for next month.

5.  Other than for food, it was a no-spend week!

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  takeout fried chicken

Sunday:  Sunday supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Spanish Rice

Tuesday:  Vegetable Fried Rice

Wednesday:  anniversary dinner out

Thursday:  Quiche

Friday:  Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, Corn

**designates meatless meal

And they said it wouldn't last...

Forty-eight years ago today I was skinny, Carey had hair, and we tied the knot...even though I had to do it on crutches.  (And seriously, one of my own sisters said it wouldn't last, because I was interested in nothing but pretty clothes.  Guess we showed her!  LOL)

Tonight Carey and I went out for an early supper at a favorite restaurant, and we were literally the only customers in the place.  We were seated, and it was so quiet, but that was a very good thing as we could hear the soft music that they had playing.  The song that was playing when we were seated ended, and the next song started playing...it was the song that we had requested to be played at the wedding!  A forty-eight year old song that the number of times I have heard it played on the radio over the years could be counted on one hand.  I almost thought that Carey had called ahead to request it, but no, it was serendipity.  It was a lovely surprise.

 

This is the wedding photo that cracks me up.  The Baptists are smiling.  The Methodists are glum.  Can't speak for my pastor, but I was just wanting to get the shindig over so I could sleep off the Valium I took to get me through the day.  

I always say I was the bride from Sixteen Candles.  Not being a party person, and hating to be the center of attention, I begged my doctor for something to help me not have to spend the entire event hiding in a bathroom somewhere...the whole crutches thing put my stress level over the top.  Since Doc was elbow deep in plaster and had just given me the choice of going down the aisle on crutches or in a wheelchair, he took pity on me.

Did the bride think that just maybe she should take one pill ahead of the day to see what kind of timing to expect for it to work?  No, she did not.  She waited till right before leaving for church, and since it seemed not to be helping, she took another one.  That did the trick.  During the vows, I got tickled when I had to say "in sickness and in health."  It was apparently not an inaudible giggle, because in the reception line guests kept telling me how funny it was when I laughed out loud.

Good times.  Good times.  :)

Happy Birthday, Disco Baby...

I was SO excited to come across this mirror-ball plant pot.

Kasey says that she hates disco, but being born in 1977, I call her my disco baby.  She is also about the least bling-y girl there is.  

When she and I went to visit my mother-in-law awhile back, there was a car in the parking lot with a rhinestone steering-wheel cover, and Kasey commented on her distaste for it.  I filed that away till we got home.  Then I set to work gathering every bling-y car accessory I could find and held on to it till her birthday.

While she and Beau were busy with prom stuff with Chloe, Carey, Caitlyn, and I set to work.  Carey put on the rhinestone-covered license plate cover.

There were also tire valve caps for him to put on all four tires.

Caitlyn and I did the inside with rhinestone drink-holder coasters, console cover...

...steering-wheel cover, ignition ring, radio-button rings,  and gear-shift cover.  There's one or two things that I don't think she will find for awhile, so I won't name them here in case she peeks.  

As we were working, Caitlyn said, "Mom is going to hate this."

I said, "I KNOW!  I'm SO excited!"

She has already texted me that she is on to me. .' She referred to her car as being 'bedazzled.'  LOL

This was a very satisfying birthday surprise for my disco baby!  I can only imagine that the majority has been or very soon will be dismantled, but it was totally worth it.  :)

 

2024 Frugal Friday File, April 12...

1.  I filled in two days this week at my previous branch.  Good thing, as I had mandatory training due by the 18th.  Money in!

2.  Kasey finished doing our taxes (bless her, she is the good child this week for sure!)  We were pleasantly surprised to be getting a nice refund this year.  We weren't sure which way it would go since this is the first year we are both retired, and were kind of experimenting with how much withholding we set up.

3.  Jared's car went into the shop for repairs on Wednesday, so he borrowed Carey's truck to drive to work that day.  Then yesterday, though he was off, they were having a going away party at work for one of his co-workers that he wanted to be there for.  He borrowed my car this time, as I wanted nothing more than a stay-home-and-read-all-day kind of day.  How was this frugal for us?  He filled both the truck and my car up with gasoline as a thank you (and mine was really getting low).  Maybe HE'S the good child this week.  ;)

4.  An old friend of Kasey's lost her dad this week.  I asked Kasey if I should take some food over.  She said Beau was barbecuing to take them a meal, so she suggested maybe I could make a dessert to go with it.  They even picked it up to deliver for me.  

I had everything on hand to make my favorite sheet cake recipe.  I never like to deliver a meal in a container that will have to be returned; and though I didn't have a large foil cake pan, I had two of about half the size of a 9" x 13" sheet pan.  I split the batter between those two, and iced each. Now if they had a lot of meals delivered, they can freeze one or both, or share with her brother's family.

5.  Tomorrow is Kasey's birthday.  I've had her birthday gift planned for and purchased months ago.  Not extravagant, but a little work intensive.  Hope we can pull it off and keep it a surprise.  I'll try to remember to snap a photo or two.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  leftovers

Sunday:  Sunday family dinner at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  takeout Schlotzky sandwiches

Tuesday:  frozen Bertolli pasta meal from the freezer

Wednesday:  takeout Tex-Mex

Thursday:  Smoked Sausage with Roasted Potatoes & Butternut Squash

Friday:  leftovers

What I'm Reading Wednesday...

 

The Strange Courtship of Kathleen O'Dwyer by Robert Temple

I completed this one over the weekend.  I liked it.  Sort of an unconventional love story, with a lot of feminine self-reliance, horseback riding, fighting, shooting, and hunting that moves the story along.  

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

I've been waiting on the ebook of this one to be available from the library for months.  I just finished it last night, and loved it.  Indigenous Canadian family crosses the border into Maine to pick blue berries year after year.  And one year their four-year-old daughter disappears on the first day of picking.  Couldn't put it down.  (If you enjoyed the Little Bird series on PBS, you will want to read this one.)

Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly

I'm about to start this one, but it will have to wait until tonight as I am working today.  This is the 2nd in the Scottish Isle Mystery series by Lucy Connelly.  It is newly acquired at our library, so of course I jumped on the reserve list.

I am having a heck of a time keeping up; trying to finish each read before the next on my reserve list is ready.  :)

2024 Frugal Friday File, April 5...

 

1.  Picked up my grocery order, and a 24 ounce container of sour cream was split and leaking.  Luckily it was in a bag with just one other item that was able to be wiped off.  Phoned the grocery help line, and was cheerily refunded the $3.62 without having to return the damaged item.  I had taken a photo of the damaged carton that I offered to send, but they didn't need to see that either.

2.  Batched an errand with the grocery order pickup, and drove through the library parking lot to return the book I just finished.  Seven miles to town is a trip you don't want to have to repeat unnecessarily.

3.  Carey finished building one of two floating shelves for the half bath located in the craft room/office.  Then decided that he wanted to paint the bathroom before putting the shelf up.  He found a gallon of paint from the guest room re-do a few years ago.  I was happy to have that color in that bathroom as well.  Painting completed, and the shelf was installed.  He's built the second shelf that will go above the first, and will install it soon.  I'm tickled pink, as it all turned out even better than I had asked for at very little expense!

4.  Spent a lovely evening last night with our friends visiting from Canada.  I made homemade lasagna and salad.  They brought a bottle of wine.  We enjoyed a relaxed evening, not having to talk over poor acoustics in a restaurant, or an expensive tab.

5.  This morning, another two reserved items became available at the library.  One of them was for Carey.  He said he would pick them up while he was out, but would need my library card.  I asked him, "You know what I want for our anniversary this year?  For you to get your own library card."   Our anniversary is in a couple of weeks, so he bit at that; he picked up the library books using my library card, and got his own library card while he was there.  I'm very, very happy, considering that I have been asking him to get a card since we moved here fourteen years ago!

     He reads a lot, particularly in the winter.  But since he has always worked away from home so much, he didn't like to take library books out of town with him in case they got left somewhere, etc.  So he's always preferred to peruse the library's used book nook and purchase from there, then re-donate them when he was done.  He's retired now, so he doesn't have to worry about losing books, and the general library selections are greatly more varied than the used donation book nook.  I think he will be happy...and not just with the free anniversary gift!  :)

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  takeout salad (me) & Philly Cheesesteak (Carey)

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Chili Frito Pie

Tuesday:  Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Wednesday:  leftovers

Thursday:  Lasagna, Salad, and Key Lime Pie

Friday:  leftovers

**designates meatless meal

This project has been waiting for YEARS...

These are the tracings of silver trays, and they are taped to the wall as a template to see if I liked this arrangement.

I've been collecting silver bread trays forever, and always intended to hang them someday.  The impetus, finally, was a few larger additions to the silver collection.  My friend, the other Kathleen, was downsizing, and she was trying to decide what to do with two very large trays, and three medium size trays.  I told her to hang them, that's what I was going to do with mine.  She said, well why don't I just give these to you?  😮

They have literally been on the floor of my craft room/office for a year and a half.  That room has finally reached critical mass (pronounced: MESS), so I figured there was no time like the present to get these hung.  Also the other Kathleen is coming to visit this summer, and I wanted to shock surprise her by having it done!

 I've been polishing and attaching hangers for the better part of a week.  I didn't try to get every bit of tarnish off, as I kind of like them to show a little vintage wear.  (That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.)  Carey put all the holes in the wall this morning...some nails...some screws for the heavier trays.

Once the trays were up, it looked a little top heavy with that largest tray at the top, so I tried switching it out with the round tray in the middle.

Ah...I like this better.  The middle tray overlaps the light switch plate a bit, but the switch that it partially covers controlled an outdoor pond pump that is no longer in use anyway.

There are a couple of trays that I couldn't hang, and one that was just so big and heavy that I put it on a stand on a nearby shelf instead.  Most are silver plated.  One is gold plated; it was a gift to my parents on their 50th anniversary, and I wanted it in the group.  A couple of them are vintage hand-wrought aluminum family pieces.  But taken as a group, I think it looks pretty cohesive.

So what do you think?  I'm just SO glad it is done at long last.