2025 Frugal Friday File, October 24...

1.  Taking advantage of the great opportunities at our public library.  Tuesday was Cook Book Club.  A different cook book is selected each month, and members sign up, choose a recipe out of it to cook, and bring the dish to the monthly meeting to share (potluck style).  Wednesday was chair yoga day.

2.  We decided not to take a vacation this year.  Carey had a rather expensive vacation this past summer with our son and Carey's brother and nephew.  We had kind of kicked around taking a road trip vacation in the fall, but I just don't feel good about it right now.  With all the skunks that have been around lately, I don't want Rudy spending all day and after dark outside by himself.  There have been rabid skunk and fox in the county, and I just don't feel right about leaving him.  Jared is always glad to take care of him, but he works different shifts throughout the week, so just not ideal right now.

3.  The dress I ordered to try for the December wedding arrived.  Ummm...  I haven't tried it on yet, but I can tell it is way too long, and so wrinkled from the shipping, I'm wondering what it would look like after driving to the wedding venue.  Thinking I might have to get back on the hunt.  The good news is that I can do the shortening myself, not that I want to.  More details later.

4.  Made a menu for next week, and placed grocery order.  

5.  I put out the autumn decorations.  Same ones I've had for years; some used in a new way.  I don't have a lot, but I love what I have.

     Now, we have a lot more Christmas decorations than autumn.  Between now and Thanksgiving, my plan is to decide what I will put out for Christmas THIS year.  All other Christmas decs WILL be donated in the next few weeks so that they can be useful items for someone else's holidays this year.  I say this every year, and I have donated some, but I need to be more ruthless about what goes and what stays.  I am putting it out here so that I will be accountable.  I would love it if decorating for Christmas was as easy as decorating for other holidays/seasons.

What we ate this past week:

Saturday:  Family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Sunday:  burgers out

Monday:  **takeout pizza

Tuesday:  Tuna Salad Sandwiches, Fruit

Wednesday:  lefovers

Thursday:  Quiche and Stir Fried Asparagus

Friday:  leftovers

**designates meatless meal

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

Murder on the Mind by L.L. Bartlett

I received this book free in January of 2013, and it feels awesome to get another one read that has been lingering for far too long.  

It was pretty good.  Liked the plot and the characters.  It is the first in the Jeff Resnick Mystery series.  I have two others in the series which will be read soon (I hope).  The premise is interesting.  An uninsured insurance investigator is mugged, beaten, and left with a severe head injury and broken arm.  While still in the hospital he is plagued by nightmares and frightening visions of a murder.  His injuries reunite him with his brother who helps him investigate what the visions mean.

Some of last week's meals...

Chicken Burrito Bowl

I didn't get around to a frugal friday post last week.  The week was very busy. But I did cook every meal or else we ate leftovers.

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef w/ Stir Fried Vegetables

I'm so excited to have found this Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef recipe at Dinner At The Zoo, but we really like vegetables at our house, so when the cooking time was up on the beef, I pan stir fried carrot, celery, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, baby corn, and sliced water chestnuts on the stove top, and then added them to the crockpot, stirring to distribute all evenly.  Then served over rice.

Mexican Cornbread Casserole (w/ beef and cheese baked in)

This casserole has been in regular rotation at our house for forty years.  I got it from my late best friend, and I think of her every time I make it.  Usually I like picante along with sour cream on it, but we were out, so I garnished with tomatoes.

Green Enchilada Casserole w/ Avocado, Tomato, Corn Salad

When I made the menu for the week, I swear it had lots of variety.  But when I placed the grocery order I must have been sleepy or distracted.  I managed to get all the ingredients for the Mexican inspired meals, and the Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef, but oddly the main ingredients for the other meals weren't as lucky.

In addition to the meals shown in this post, we also had fajitas, but they weren't exactly satisfactory, and I forgot to snap a pic.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

The Notekeeper by Hannah Treave

Three quarters of the way through, and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  The characters run so hot and cold.  I want to know how it ends, but I'm tempted to flip to the last chapter to get it over with.

Debbie's photo story haiku...

My friend Debbie is one of the most fun, and funny, people I know.  Tonight she texted me three photos of her geraniums that she has been prepping for overwintering inside.  She included a brief photo story clip with each photo.

Previously in the day in an unrelated conversation, I mistook something she mentioned about writing poetry, and I jokingly told her I was going to write a haiku for her.  

So enjoying her photo story, I had haiku on my mind, and then I read and reread her description under her last photo, and I realized it was just one syllable short of a haiku.  So with her permission, the following is all Debbie (except for the "just").  😂

they asked if they could

come in...but I told them it

just wasn't time yet

Fall gardening...

Carey's fall garden is coming along.  This was the largest of his spaghetti squash as of two days ago (Saturday).

Here is the very same squash today (Monday).

Amazing, right?!  I'm looking forward to it being ready to harvest (along with its twenty or so siblings!  :)

This is the first time he's put in a garden since 1982 maybe?  That one was a big disappointment.  This year's is doing well so far.

When we bought this house, it already had a fenced-in garden area with fence tall enough to keep the deer out.  But before retirement he wasn't home enough to garden, as mowing our three+ acres and various house upkeep was about all he had time for.

Also in the garden are beans, beets, potatoes, Brussells sprouts, and a fig tree.  I may be forgetting some.

Stay tuned.

2025 Frugal Friday File, October 10...

1.  When I opened the refrigerator on Thursday, it made me so happy and proud.  The produce drawers were darn near empty; there were two apples in one, and a bag of onions in the other.  I somehow managed to use up a crazy stuffed-with-produce refrigerator with minimal food waste!  It took some inventive meal planning.

2.  Then I had to think about restocking, so I prepared a menu plan, and placed my grocery order.  I'll be picking it up later today.  We haven't really had any lower temperatures yet (accept in the early mornings), but I am SO ready to switch my menu plans to more slow cooker meals.

3.  Wednesday was mammogram day.  Health insurance is a wonderful thing that I wish everyone had.  

4.  Monday was quilting at the library day.  Love that the library offers the room for us to meet.  I worked on a baby quilt using fabrics I already own.  I decided not to attend the quilt retreat that will be next month.  Though it is a very low-cost retreat, I'm still trying to build back up our cash reserves after the car purchase earlier this year. 

5.  I love not having a car payment, so it was worth shopping within our budget so that we could pay cash for it.  Also worth sacrificing a few fun things to build savings back up.

What we ate this past week:

Saturday:  family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Sunday:  leftovers

Monday:  Cabbage Bacon Skillet

Tuesday:  takeout BBQ Baked Potatoes

Wednesday:  Omelets

Thursday:  Grilled Cheese and Bacon Sandwiches

Friday:  Chicken Burrito Bowls

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

This one was heartily recommended by a friend.  I was very happy that it was available at the library with no wait.  I finished it this morning.  ✮✮✮✮

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Poems of Parenting by Loryn Brantz

I bought this as an e-book at a special low price.  I read the sample that Amazon offers online, then I wanted to be able to read its entirety to see if I would want to buy the printed book for a gift.  I enjoyed it.  Humorous.  I enjoyed some of the poems better than others, most of them discussed thoughts that I have had.  Like the kids bringing Mom breakfast in bed on Mothers Day; and Mom smiling as she is thinking, boy that glass of juice is going to be a mess when it spills on the bed linens, and the syrup, oy!  (Not that I have ever been served breakfast in bed.  I'd rather have an extra hour of sleep, while Dad takes the kids out for breakfast!  But you snooze, you lose out on precious memories.)  

I might buy it for a gift, but it would have to be for the right recipient.  I think the parents of toddlers may be about right, or kindergartners.  Parents of younger babies may be too exhausted to take it in.  Not that toddlers and kindergartners aren't exhausting, but parents of toddlers and above have learned some coping skills.  :)

82 Days on Okinawa

by Col. Art Shaw (Ret.) with Robert L Wise

I started reading this one on Sunday.  I'm over halfway through it.  I've been getting a lot of reading done as I have had a stomach ache the past couple of days, and so I've spent a lot of time lying down and reading.  Today I began wondering if maybe my stomach ache was because of this book.

It's not my usual genre.  I picked it up because my dad served in the Battle of Okinawa.  I'm over halfway through it, and I'm feeling like it is a miracle he made it home, and that I (and two of my sisters) were born.  It's very well written, but also definitely enough to give me stomach trouble.  I'm glad to know these things.  I wish I had asked my dad more questions.  I'll be glad to finish this one.

2025 Frugal Friday File, September 26...

 

1.  I keep thinking of things I want to do.  Then when it comes down to it, I don't want to all that bad, and talk myself into putting it off a week.  :)

2.  Reading library book.

3.  Doin' chores.

4.  Haven't killed anybody...saved attorney's fees.

5.  Got my Covid and Flu vaccines.

What we ate this past week:

Saturday:  Family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Sunday:  Chili

Monday:  frozen beef & broccolli

Tuesday:  Grilled Cheddar & Beau's Smoked Turkey Breast sandwiches, chips, apple

Wednesday:  **Vegetable Stir Fry

Thursday:  Frito Pie (with leftover chili)

Friday:  takeout sandwiches

**designates meatless meal+

Fridge Fare (or using what you have)...

We had a lot of vegetables in the fridge.  I didn't want them to go to waste, and stir fry sounded really good to me last night.  And, most importantly, it's easy and quick.  I even had sugar snap peas.  I didn't have carrots, which is so out of the norm, and while I really wanted some, I did without.

It was exactly what I wanted.  I had looked up an easy stir fry sauce, and added that at the end, and let it thicken a little before removing from the heat.

The easy stir fry sauce is from Simply Whisked.  I threw it together using what I had, and leaving out what I didn't, and it still turned out great.

Recipe as it was published:

1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1 to 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 Tablespoon minced ginger

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

I had the reduced sodium soy sauce, and used about 1/4 cup.

I used a teaspoon of chicken bouillion powder with about 1/4 cup water.

I had the cornstarch so added it.  (I would consider this essential for thickening, but not at all needed for flavor.)

Did not have time or energy to peel and mince fresh garlic, so I just threw in some dried minced garlic.

Didn't have fresh ginger, so I used about 1/4 teaspoon of really old powdered ginger.

I left out the brown sugar.

I had olive oil so added it.

I had rice wine vinegar so added it.  

I was out of sesame oil, so left it out.  (Though it would have been great!)

I am saying all this because I rarely follow a recipe to the letter, and at least 95% of the time no one but me would ever know.  Don't fret about it unless it's something essential like a leavening agent in a baked good.  In a pinch, I've even used another flavor of extract when I was out of vanilla.

Oh!  Here's a little confession.  For the past 49½ years, I have cooked rice and had it boil over...every...single...time.  I even bought a rice cooker for the microwave, and IT boiled over in the microwave!  Counting yesterday, I have twice prepared rice without a mess.  I've started rinsing the rice before adding it to the water in the saucepan.  It didn't boil over either time, and it didn't stick and clump together.

I'm sure I am the last person on earth to learn this.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Fifty-first challenge finish of the year.

This one has been on my Kindle for exactly ten years (September of 2015).  You've already seen its cover picture a couple times lately on 'What I'm Reading Wednesday' posts.  I took my time reading it, because there were other priorities claiming my time.  

I enjoyed it very much.  The dual timeline was handled in a way that I found much less jarring than many others that I have read.  The characters were such that I would enjoy visiting with them over coffee (or another beverage).  I would happily read others by this author.

Fifty-second challenge finish of the year.

I had never read The Secret Garden.  I have heard a lot about it, but had assumed that it was a children's book.  It would be a good book to read aloud to children; I think a child reading it would have to be a pretty advanced reader to read and understand the Yorkshire accent that a lot of it was written in.  It also had some pretty advanced vocabulary.  Its plot dealt with lack of parental attention, improving health by being out in the sunshine and fresh air, exercise and healthy eating, using self-reflection and the will to change to improve our relationships with others, and treating others with respect.  Reading aloud to a child would be a great opportunity to ask them how they felt about how the characters dealt with these topics and changed through the story.

But it is not just a children's book.  I enjoyed it very, very much.  It was a pretty quick read at 281 pages, and I barely put it down.  I did not own this one, and couldn't find an e-book edition with formatting I liked from the library, so I shelled out a whole 69¢ for it from Amazon.

And that brings me to...

...the end of the challenge.  There have been additional prompts introduced through the year that one can carry on with, but I am happy to have finished the original 52.  There are so many other books I've come across this year that I want to move on to.

Before I heard about the challenge (thanks, Juhli!) my goal was to read 14 books (one per month, and two alternates) that had been lingering on my Kindle unread.  When I decided to do the challenge, I perused the prompts and my Kindle content to match as many prompts as I could with books I already own.  I have cleared at least 22, so exceding my original goal.  :)

Now going forward:

Friedrichsburg: A Novel by Friedrich Armand Strubberg

translated by James C Kearney

This one is a new acquisition at our library.  It is about the German immigrants who colonized the part of Texas we live in (and other parts as well).  So far I am still in the introduction.  The novel itself was published in Germany in 1867 by the first colonial director during the founding of the communities.  It is said to interweave his story with a fictional romance.

We live surrounded by original German settlements.  One church we attended regularly had a German-language service until the 1960s.  One of my favorite things about the area was sitting in the crowd of parents and grandparents (when our kids were younger and involved in community sports) and hearing German, Spanish, and English conversations going on around me.  So I had to be first in line to reserve this new addition to the library.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

Restless by William Boyd

Halfway through with this WWII spy story.  Enjoying it.

2025 Frugal Friday File, September 12...

 

1.  I haven't been cooking at all this week, since I'm still having a lot of knee pain.  But having frugal and/or homemade meals in the freezer and ready to pop in the oven helped limit the number of times we had to fall back on takeout.  

2.  I remembered to make dental appointments for each of us this month (prompted by email reminder that we shouldn't let our insurance benefits go unused for the year).  We hadn't used this insurance before, as I think we had to have it for at least a year before coverage kicked in.  I'm not sure that's right, but it was something like that.  So I wasn't sure what it would actually cover, but a preliminary check by the dentist's office was that it would pay 80% of my visit today for exrays and cleaning.  The dentist came in to look at the images, and said I was blessed with really good teeth.  Boy, don't I know it!  Sixty-seven years old and no cavities!  (I did have one small cavity once, but I don't count it because I broke the root of that tooth grinding my teeth in my sleep about twenty years ago, so it is gone and has an implant in its place.)  Carey's appointment is next week.  It will probably be more expensive, because he wasn't quite as lucky in the teeth department.

3.  I have a book ready to pick up at the library tomorrow.  And I found another that I'm looking forward to, but I'm number sixteen in the reserve line for it.  But that's good, because I have plenty of others to finish in the mean time.

4.  We were going to go to the movie theater tomorrow for the Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale opening day.  But with my dodgy knee, I really don't want to do all that walking, so I think I'll wait for streaming release.  Besides, do I need all that expensive, salty, greasy popcorn?  No.  Want it?  YES, but I'll live.  :)

5.  I still have all the ingredients in the fridge, so tonight I think I'll try to replicate the omelet I made last week.

What we ate this past week:

Saturday:  Family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Sunday:  takeout barbecue baked potato

Monday:  frozen pot pies

Tuesday:  oven-ready meal from grocery: salmon, potatoes, green beans

Wednesday:  homemade meal from freezer: Jambalaya

Thursday:  takeout burgers

Friday:  omelet

**designates meatless meal

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

Fiftieth challenge finish of the year.

This one is my book club's selection for October, so it's playing double duty counting it for  my 'Read In A "-ber" Month' prompt.

Really lliked this one.  Good research, likable characters.  I did get a little annoyed with the main character's inability to control the things she said; but offending people was probably all it took for a woman to be arrested as a witch in 1600s New England.

And I always love when the Author's Notes and the Acknowledgements are interesting.

Sunday afternoon...

Sunday afternoon my eldest cousin called me.  He was named after my dad, and has always been the absolute best about keeping in touch.

So he says, two of my siblings (family of 11 kids) want to know why your mother was buried in a little town in Nebraska and not with your dad.  I told him she wasn't.  (Well, she was buried in a little town in Nebraska [still is], but not the one he named.  And she is lying next to my dad.)  He said, "I texted them your number, and said call this number to find out.  But I'd be surprised if they call."  (I'm not even sure he told them whose number he sent them.  LOL)

I told him, "Well if you give me their numbers, I can go one better and preemptively text them a photo of the headstone with both names on it."  He thought that was a great idea, and was tickled that they would receive it out of the blue.

This is where the story gets interesting.  I texted both of his siblings.  My youngest cousin (baby of the 11 kids, and maybe a whole 6 months younger than me) texted back thanks, and we talked a little about our boys (now men).  Then he texts me, "Well, explain this to me," accompanied by a photo of a funeral card with my mother's name on it...almost.  I told him the birth and death dates were not mom's nor was the middle initial.  

He said, "Well, I'll be darned.  I don't know why we have this funeral card.  I guess it's a mystery that will never be solved."  Maybe I should add here that the card was dated 1985, and they had apparently been holding on to it all these years later.

I had to laugh, because my mother would have.  I told him that Mom would have gotten a kick out of his confusion, because she loved to trick people...maybe she still does?  :)

He replied, "Yes, she would."  I could almost see his smile.

It was just a nice little connection with family that hasn't seen or talked with each other for too long, and it reminded us all of our connection, and our parents.

And some unknown lady with a familiar name.  :)

2025 Frugal Friday File, September 5...

1.  I have NOT been in the mood to cook lately.  Today at five forty-five p.m. I hadn't even thought about supper yet.  I had quite a few eggs in the fridge, some bacon ends and pieces, and colorful peppers.  Also had a variety of cubed cheese left from the charcuterie board I made for book club.  I fried some pieces of bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. After cooked to fairly crisp, I set aside on paper towel to wick away grease.  I removed some of the bacon grease from the skillet, and added the chopped onion and pepper to the pan.  When they were tender, I crumbled the bacon and sprinkled it evenly over the top of the onion and peppers.  On top of the bacon, I added some cubes of smoked cheddar, gruyere, and jack cheese about every 3 inches across the top, as the cubes were about 1" cubes, I didn't want to over do it.  Then I poured six beaten eggs over the top.  As the edges cooked, I lifted them  with a spatula to let the uncooked egg flow to the bottom of the pan.  Then I lowered the heat to low, and put a lid on the skillet to let the eggs cook through.  

After a few minutes, I folded the omelet, cut it in half, then plonked the two halves on plates.  We were eating by six thirty.  And actually, this was the best meal I made this week.  The outside of the omelet was tender, but lightly browned from the bacon having been cooked in the pan first.  The cheese cubes melted into little cheesy pools.  The eggs were just perfectly cooked; still moist, but cooked through.

It was possibly the best omelet I've ever made, I didn't have to work too hard, and I used up things from the fridge that needed using.  I'm considering making another one for breakfast in the morning.  😋

2.  After bemoaning the sad state of my bra-drawer contents, I decided to buy a new model to give it a try.  If it passes the comfort and support test, I will get more before letting the old ones go.  

3.  I remembered to water the plants before they croaked.  Honestly, these monsteras are the hardiest plants ever!  

4.  I started the next book for book club.  It was one we chose because it had been an Amazon First Reads option that several of us had clicked on for free (for Prime members), and others of our group were able to get it for free as well after the club met.

5.  I have a 2026 calendar (23" x 34") in my shopping cart.  It's the whole year on one large sheet, and it has daily squares big enough to write a couple of appointments on.  It can just sit there till I have other things to add to the order.  

What we ate this past week:

Saturday:  Family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Sunday:  leftovers

Monday:  takeout Tex-Mex

Tuesday:  Poppy Seed Chicken, Cranberry Sauce

Wednesday:  grazed the fridge

Thursday:  leftovers

Friday:  Omelet: bacon, onion, yellow bell pepper, variety cubed cheese, eggs

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Forty-eighth challenge finish of the year.

This one has been on my Kindle since early 2018, when I bought it at a Kindle special price.

This is a compilation of blog posts by the author.  I've enjoyed the author's work in the past, and I like that this is blog posts.  The first is about a survey the author was asked to take inquiring about her spare time (hence the title).  Some essays/posts were over my head.  But my favorites were Pard and the Time Machine and Exorcists.  Many were very enjoyable, but those two stood out to me so much that I remembered their names.

Forty-ninth challenge finish of the year.

I read this when I was in high school.  Every once in awhile I've thought of it and wondered how I would feel about it on a second read through. I really didn't remember the young men in the book very much...and it's pretty much only about them.

Let me just say that coming-of-age stories are not my favorite.  I read A Separate Peace by John Knowles, and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger as an adult, and they were a struggle for me to get through.  The self absorbtion of pubescent boys is painful to read.  I have long said that, "I didn't even like teenagers when I was one."  Holds true.

edited to add:  I didn't mean to imply that all pubescent boys are self absorbed.  It's really the way they are written in these coming-of-age novels...all written by men...so I painted with a broad brush in my description.

2025 Frugal Friday File, August 29...

 

1.  Received a notice about my 401k.  I thought it had all been rolled over to an IRA, but I must have earned more last year before I retired from part-time work.  Sure, I'll take another $1,500!

2.  While talking with financial planner (former boss) about rolling it over, we couldn't help talking books.  He asked how many I had read so far this year.  When I told him, he groaned a bit that I was ahead of him again.  We talked about best books we had read this year, and he told me about his favorite so far.  I looked it up later, and it is one of a trilogy about traveling in the U.S.  None are available at our library, so I ordered used, "very good condition" copies of each of the three to put away for somebody's Christmas present.  We've always enjoyed his book recommendations.  (That makes three Christmas gifts so far.)

3.  We still had a $50+ credit at the vet, so that was nice to get subtracted from our bill for Rudy's annual exam and vaccines.

4.  I've lost fifty pounds since I retired from full-time work, and my blue jeans are too big.  I've put off buying new ones, but the time was now or have them fall down.  I received an email this week that offered 40% off denim items, so I took advantage.

5.  I don't frequent Starbucks.  I don't get manis or pedis.  I've gone a loooong time since my last hair cut.  I use the lilbrary as my first choice of obtaining books.

What we ate this past week:

Saturday:  leftovers

Sunday:  takeout barbecue

Monday:  pot pies

Tuesday:  Homecooked meal from the freezer (curry)

Wednesday:  Homecooked meal from the freezer (meatloaf & twice baked potatoes)

Thursday:  15 Bean Soup

Friday:  Linguini with Lemon Cream Sauce w/ Chicken

**designates meatless meal

The lost week...

This is not my photo.  It took it from my pinterest page, and it was for an Etsy item that is no longer for sale, nor can I find the shop it came from.  It reminds me of my mother, because this is the type of clown doll she made for the church bazaar.  She had the whole family making yo-yos and pom-poms for them.  I don't know why I'm using it for this post, except I'm feeling a bit like he looks...kinda worn down.  :)

Well there was no What I'm Reading Wednesday yesterday, because I haven't been reading a lot.  I'm still working on No Time to Spare by Ursela K. Le Guin, and parts of it are pretty deep and require some thought, so I don't read more than one essay a day usually.

Last Friday was our book club here at our house.  I was pleased with how much work I got done around the house, and I haven't re-messed things up yet.  My goal is to keep the dining room table and the kitchen table clear and unburied by mail and packages and mending, etc.  :)  And to continue decluttering, of course.

My knee was extremely painful last weekend (too much cleaning!), and mostly I've just tried to stay off of it.  I had to resort to taking Tylenol and Advil (not at the same time).  Just lying still it was aching badly.  I'm writing this on Wednesday night, and it is much better, but I want to give it the rest of this week to heal before I tax it.  I'm thrilled that I am able to be mobile again without too much pain.

Today I went to a quilt fabric store in the city with my friend Catharine, and we registered to participate in a year long quilt-along that meets monthly.  It's a cute chicken block that we will be making each month, with each block using different colors and prints.  I did buy three non-related pieces of fabric today, and one of them is the perfect color to match another piece I already owned to make a baby quilt.  I felt like it would while I was in the store, and when I got home and put them side by side they were perfect together.  THAT doesn't always happen!

On the way home Catharine and I were talking about a quilt that she is wanting to get finished using fabric inspired by the Outlander books and TV series.  I had also bought the fabric back when she did, but had never settled on a pattern to use, so the fabric remained in the craft room somewhere.  Since Catharine was missing enough fabric to make borders, I told her to come over and we could look through the craft room to try to find my fabrics that matched.  We got back to her house to pick up my car, and I came home to start looking while she followed shortly.  I was ecstatic to find it before she even got here, and I had several prints for her to choose from to finish hers.  

Carey's birthday is in a few days, so I guess I will make him a pie.  He's been working hard to get a fall garden put in.  Oh, and trying to rid us of a pesky, nighttime visitor.  Rudy got sprayed by a skunk TWICE last week!  Luckily we had some odor eliminator that really worked pretty well.  Between that and the air purifiers running non stop, the house smelled fine by book club day.

Yesterday was Rudy's annual vet appointment for vaccines, etc.  Good report.  We saw a new vet in the office, and he was surprised by Rudy's age.  He said he would have guessed he was several years younger.  (And he probably would probably have guessed that Carey and I are several years older.  Both of those assumptions would have been due to Rudy's constant motion and exuberance!  Exhausting.)

Well, this is kind of rambling.  I didn't have a clear idea for a post, I just wanted to reach out, and record the events of the week.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

No Time to Spare:  Thinking About What Matters by Ursula K. Le Guin

I haven't finished either of the books I'm working my way through this week.  This one (above) has been on my Kindle since 2018.  While I have read some of the author's science fiction, this one is a complilation of some of her blog posts.  

I've not had a lot of reading time this week; and I'm dividing it between the above, and also...

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

This one is my book club's selection this month.  I read it back in 2021, so to refresh my memory I checked out the audio book from the library, and while I'm cleaning and getting ready to hold book club, I'm listening to this one.  A story of Appalachia and the remoteness and the poverty of the people, and the Franklin D. Roosevelt traveling library program to reach and educate them.  It is excellent, and I am enjoying it all over again.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

Forty-seventh challenge finish of the year.

This one has been on my Kindle since 2017.  It was a pretty good story, I just couldn't go a full four stars.  It was an interesting depiction of a friendship between these two women from American history, and I did believe that it was a true friendship.  I just didn't fully engage with it somehow (but I have been busy and had other things on my mind too).

The actual dressmaker wrote a memoir, Behind the Scenes; Or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House by Elizabeth Keckley, which I have added to my wish list at the library.  

2025 Frugal Friday File, August 8...

 

1.  Still doing a bit of decluttering each day.  I'm going pretty deep doing master bathroom cabinets and drawers.  Donated and discarded lots.  Today I started working in the craft room.  That is the worst room in the house.  Oy vey!  (Can't just keep the door closed, because that is where the most convenient restroom for guests is located.)

2.  My sweet husband cleaned the window exteriors; something I would not even think about doing in the summer heat, and I didn't ask him to do it either, but that's just the kind of guy he is, always looking for something to be doing.  Sometimes his hyperactivity makes me crazy (because it makes me feel like a slug staying in air conditioning and reading a good portion of the day, LOL).  I can honestly say that I have never ever nagged him about doing anything...because if I even mention that I'm thinking about doing something, it's done before I know it.

3. As I was doing laundry, I pulled the step stool in and dusted the open shelving and neatened them up.  I wanted something pretty, so looked through the china cabinet and found a hand-painted plate and plate stand.  I was happy for cheap.  Shopped my own inventory. 

4.  I have another Christmas present ticked off the list.  That makes two so far.  :)

5.   Aside from an appointment last week, volunteering at the library, dropping off at Goodwill, and picking up prescriptions and grocery order.  I'm not venturing out much.  This is my estevation season (definition:  [zoology] prolonged torpor or dormancy of an animal during a hot or dry period.  

What we ate this past week:

Saturday:  Family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Sunday:  out for Mexican food (and was extremely ill that evening and next day).  Our favorite place was closed, so we tried a different place.  :(

Monday:  Turkey & Rice Soup (homemade)

Tuesday:  Spanish Rice

Wednesday:  Charcuterie Board  (test run)

Thursday:  Breakfast for supper

Friday:  Sausage, Rice, & Green Beans stovetop skillet dinner

**designates meatless meal

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

Forty-sixth challenge finish of the year.

As I made my way through this book, I thought many times that I would just stop where I was and move on to another book, but I stuck it out.  It wasn't great, but it's been on my Kindle since 2014, and now it's read.

2025 Frugal Friday File, August 1...

 

1.  On Sunday I made a huge pasta, vegetables, and turkey salad; I had to get the BIG stainless steel bowl down from the top of the pantry to be able to toss the salad in.  I mixed together salad dressings that were a couple of weeks in the fridge and needed to be used: cilantro lime, salsa ranch, and some mayonnaise to tone down the salsa ranch which would have been too spicy for Carey.  After we ate, the leftovers were down to what would fit in a large salad bowl (large but not BIG) with a snap on lid.  We'll be eating leftovers for lunches and/or dinners through the week.

2.  I found a way to pay almost half for the bacon I prefer, at least some of the time.  (see Monday's post).

3.  I've reached the end of my rope waiting to get the motivation to get the house decluttered.  My friend Catherine was scheduled to host the next book club meeting, even though she is booked up till just a few days before the meeting.  So I asked her if I could have it at my house this month instead.  I have a serious case of clutter blindness, so I need outside motivation, like public humiliation if it's a wreck when people show up.  :)  Let me assure you in case you are worried, there's no trash, I do throw trash away.  Nor is stuff all over the floor with paths through it.  Good grief, Carey would not put up with that.  It's just that I cover tables, desktops, a couple of chairs, with mail, packages, crafts, books, etc.  Oddly, my closets stay mostly neat and organized...it's the horizontal surfaces out in the open that are a jumble.

So far I'm doing a little bit every day.  The whole house won't be completely decluttered by the 20th, but the rooms people see should be.  And hopefully the forward progress will propel me forward on my journey.

4.  I've already read this month's book club selection, but it's been several years.  I just checked out the audiobook from the library so I can listen while I declutter.

5.  On Fridays after 5pm, Schlotzky pizzas are only $5.  Carey had one of their sandwiches, but I got the personal veggie pizza.  (I know, I know, that is hardly even a fringe frugality.)

What we ate this past week:

Saturday:  Family Supper at Kasey & Beau's

Sunday:  Pasta Salad with red, yellow, and green bell peppers, golden Greek peppers, grape tomatoes, red onion, carrot, celery, yellow squash, zuchini, cubed turkey, & dressing

Monday:  Shrimp Gumbo

Tuesday:  leftover pasta salad

Wednesday:  Carey made a sandwich; I ate more pasta salad.

Thursday:  we can't remember...possibly pasta salad...don't judge me, please

Friday:  takeout sandwich/pizza

**designates meatless meal

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Forty-fifth challenge finish of the year.

This one has been on my Kindle since January of 2024, so not the oldest, but still I am so excited to have another one with the "Read" banner across the corner of its cover's thumbnail on my Kindle's home screen!  In this case the storm was the non-human antagonist.  The subject was the 1900 hurricane that had a death toll of more than six-thousand (some say eight- to twelve-thousand) people.

Reading this so close upon the heels of the flash flooding that occurred so near us was a bit difficult.  The descriptions of the storm's suddenness, the children and families lost, the loved ones searching and waiting for news.  So very sad.

I feel like a traitor just giving it three and a half stars, because I really admire the author's work in literary non-fiction.  But this one was very history, technical, and climate science heavy and bogged me down a bit in the first half, and I found myself playing on my phone rather than reading.  But the second half was really gripping.  The very well researched descriptions of the violence and devastation the storm assaulted the island with had me reading with one hand covering my mouth.