1. I put the brakes on starting my What I'm Reading Wednesday book when two library books became available. I'll read them first, and then get to the other when I can...or else it will be one of my 14 selections for my 2025 reading challenge to read 14 books from my Kindle within 2025.
2. Made birthday card for one grandson, and Halloween cards for all grandkids.
3. November will be busy, busy month for me with a quilt retreat and a short trip. These are my equivalent of Carey's baseball trip this past summer. We won't get a joint vacation this year, but this way we will at least both get to do something we love within budget. And taking separate vacations leaves one of us at home at a time to care of Rudy.
4. Yesterday was my birthday, and tomorrow is Diego's birthday, so we are having a combined celebration dinner tonight at Kasey & Beau's
5. Girls are picking me up in a few to go vote!
On the menu this week:
Saturday: takeout
Sunday: family supper at Kasey & Beau's
Monday: Chicken Burrito Bowls
Tuesday: Lentil Soup w/ Cornbread
Wednesday: Meatloaf/Baked Potatoes/Broccoli
Thursday: takeout for my birthday
Friday: family supper at Kasey & Beau's
**designates meatless meal
2. Free vaccines...one of the benefits of being this old?
3. Monday I paid the electric bill. It was about $90 less than last month's bill since we've been having some lower temperatures (finally!) Tuesday we had an area-wide power outage at 4:30 pm, with a repair estimate of over 2 hours. Carey didn't want to wait the two hours, and then wait for me to cook IF it even came back on as estimated. So we drove 6 miles to see if anything 'in town' had power, but no, so we drove to the city for a meal. There went a big chunk of the savings on last month's bill. :(
4. Anybody else play the New York Times games? Granddaughter introduced me to Wordle two or three years ago (maybe four?). Then Carey and I started playing Weaver as well. Then granddaughter said I had to try Connections. And the other granddaughter wanted me to play Strands. Carey sticks to just the first two. Me? I stay up until midnight to do all four of the new day's puzzles. Just the free versions.
5. I'm on my fourth library book in as many weeks. Still wanting to read down my Kindle books...soooo many. I have a blog friend from way back that now is a YouTube vlogger ( youtube.com/@CarolineMrsM ) who said recently that she wasn't going to buy any new books for the rest of the year, just read what she already owns. I'm not sure I can do that, though as I was thinking about it, I realized that I may not be able to get through the ones I already own in my lifetime.
So for my 2025 reading challenge, I think I will pick out 14 books on my Kindle to read in the coming year. I did this quite a few years ago with physical books from my shelves, in fact, the photo at the top of my Reading List page (link found under the photo at top of the blog home page) is of the 14 books I selected to read that year. It was very helpful, and I was able to accomplish the goal, and then I donated all the books to our library. You may ask why 14...because it allows a book-per-month goal, so 12, plus allows 2 alternatives in case you find yourself really disliking and not finishing any of the monthly reads.
On the menu this week:
Saturday: Easy Enchilada Casserole, sliced avocado
Sunday: Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's
Monday: Mexican Cornbread casserole
Tuesday: meal out due to power outage
Wednesday: Homemade Pizza
Thursday: pot pies
Friday: Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes w/ Brisket
**designates meatless meal
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.)
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
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
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