How I did with 2024 Goals...

Goal 1.  Eat meatless twice a month.

    Didn't make the twice a month goal every month...but we ate meatless more than we had at anytime previously.

Goal 2.  Stop buying "baby" carrots.

    Complete success!

Goal 3.  Find a volunteer opportunity.

    I found it difficult to schedule volunteer days with my kind of erratic on-call schedule of work.  However, as of today (12/31/2024), I am fully retired, so will be trying for volunteering again.

Goal 4.  Send 52 letters in 52 weeks.  

   I did not do well at keeping track this year, but I'm pretty sure I met this goal.  And I got some nice phone calls thanking me for the notes I sent.

Goal 5.  Read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and perhaps work on the daily journaling.  

    Gave it a try, but it really wasn't for me.  Fail.

Goal 6.  Visit at least one friend I haven't seen in years.  

    This was a huge success!  We had a great visit, and I managed flights and airports quite well.

2024 Reading Results...

Here's is my 2024 Goodreads Bookshelf.  I averaged one book per week.  A couple were pretty awful.  Most were pleasant to pass the time with.  Quite a few were standouts, as I rated 17 of this year's reads a 9 out of a possible 10, which for me is about the best I ever rate books.  I only rate books a 10 out of 10 if I love them so much I want to read them again in the future.  I did rate one 10/10 this year, because I know I will read it again, both for the short essays and for the charming illustrations.

If you would like to read a short description and see the ratings of each book I read, you can visit my Reading List, which is linked under the title photo at the top of the blog.

My ultimate favorite this year was The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See.  Ms. See is a favorite author of mine, and I learned so much from reading this one; about China, about customs of remote village people, about tea...farming, harvesting, curing, and trade...and about the relationships of mothers and daughters in a changing world.

Next year I will be participating in The 52 Book Club 2025 Reading Challenge.  Their prompt list is interesting, and I have been working to fill as many as possible of the categories with books already on my Kindle which have not yet been read.  My goal has been to whittle down my unread ebooks, and this will go a long way toward accomplishing that.

 

2024 Frugal Friday File, December 27...

 

1.  I worked four days this week.

2.  I finished a book that had been lingering on my Kindle (The Searchers by Alan LeMay, circa 1954).

3.  I purchased really good quality gift ribbons at 70% off right before Christmas.  I had wrapped packages, but not added bows yet.  Then I announced to the family before gift giving that I had tied all bows without knots, so there was no need for cutting.  I asked that they please return ribbon for 'recycling'...on next year's packages!  LOL

4.   I paid the 2025 annual premium for our long-term care insurance, which I had budgeted for monthly and set the money aside to be available for said payment.  Carey used to argue with me about this; he thinks it is too expensive.  He used to say that if we paid the premium monthly it would equal a house payment.  I told him that it is a housing payment...for our futures.  I also told him that there are things that I do not expect him or our children to have to do for me if I am disabled, and he shouldn't expect it either.  He quit arguing with me after that.

I was lucky enough to be able to be offered group long-term care insurance for myself and my spouse without pre-qualifying through a job, and was able to 'take it with me' and pay for it individually after leaving that job.  And if I were to die suddenly and never get the benefit of the policy, I would still count myself blessed to not have worried all these years about being as much of a burden to my children.

5.  I didn't buy any eggs at Costco, or any charcuterie meats at Costco or Sam's where those items are apparently being recalled.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  leftovers

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Schlotzky's sandwiches

Tuesday:  homecooked frozen meal Chicken A La King

Wednesday:  Christmas dinner at Kasey & Beau's

Thursday:  frozen pot pies

Friday:  homecooked frozen meal Mac & Cheese and Ham, veg

**designates meatless meal

2024 Frugal Friday File, December 20...

 

1.  Frugal Fail:  I am starting to freak out.  I went to the city today looking for a particular item.  Couldn't find it...rechecked the website...available for online order only.  So, of course, I did the only thing I could do under the circumstances.  I impulse shopped.  Found fabric for two baby quilts.  Do I have a baby needing a quilt?  Not yet, but with one grandson engaged, I figured it couldn't hurt to get started.  Plus I was watching quilting videos on YouTube while working on a gift last night.

2.  Frugal Fail:  Came home and ordered the particular item from Amazon making sure I ordered the one that had one-day shipping.  After I clicked "Place Order" it said it would be here in two days.  Oh well, I'm not gonna fret, it was only part of a gift and can be given later.  With my luck it will get caught up in the picket line anyway.

3.  Frugal Fail:  Ate out once and ordered in once this week.

4.  Frugally questionable:  I am having some nerve issue with my neck affecting my left hand.  I've had success with chiropractic care for this type of thing in the past, so I am on a plan to have treatment regularly for the next couple of months.  Could be frugal if I can avoid surgery.  

It is affecting my Christmas crafting and my typing.  I can't tell you how many times I have mis-typed in this post and had to correct.  My ring finger and pinkie are tingling, and weakness in grip.

5.  Frugal wins?  Working next week.  Still no haircut.  Needed 2 pizza boxes for a Christmas present...local Domino's gave me two unused boxes free of charge.  I made a decorative surround for the base of the Christmas tree by recycling an Amazon shipping box and some gift wrap; bonus...it will fold flat to store and reuse next year.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  ???

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  carry-out fried chicken

Tuesday:  out to our favorite Tex-Mex

Wednesday:  Chicken Curry w/ Rice

Thursday:  leftovers

Friday:  leftovers

2024 Frugal Friday File, December 13...

 

1.  The Christmas tree is still in excellent shape, and in working order.  I finished decorating it  with much-loved decorations; no purchases necessary.

2.  I've made our Christmas cards from supplies on hand.  I spent today finishing them up.  Even had enough envelopes. They will go out in tomorrow's mail.

3.  We had a car accident this week.  Carey was driving, and apparently we were in the blind spot of the driver on our left.  That driver began pulling into our lane and there was a minor collision and we were forced off the road.

    All things considered, this made the frugal list because it wasn't as bad as it could have been.  Nobody is hurt, and the car is still drivable (after purchasing a new rear passenger-side tire).  Carey has gone over it with a fine-toothed comb, and he's sure there is nothing more than a tiny bit of cosmetic damage, which we can live with as the car is ten years old.

4.  I washed my makeup brushes this week.  They have lasted forever, and are still in great shape.  

5.  I'm not sure when I had my last haircut.  

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  Ham, Squash Casserole, Green Beans

Sunday:  Sunday Family Supper @ Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Lunch out, skipped supper

Tuesday:  Pasta w/ Shrimp

Wednesday:  out for burgers

Thursday:  15 Bean Soup w/ Cornbread

Friday:  Omelettes

**designates meatless meal

What I'm reading Wednesday...

The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne

In general, I have not enjoyed very many memoirs that authors produce about their own families, even when I have loved their other works.  

This one is a pleasant surprise for me.  Mr. Dunne's writing style is very entertaining and is very well done.

I was wondering why, with my past experiences, I put this on reserve at the library.  I believe I had watched the documentary on Joan Didion (Mr. Dunne's aunt, and he directed the documentary), and I enjoyed it.  So if that is the reason, then I feel pretty safe recommending both the book and the documentary.

I'm about 1/3 of the way through the book.