2025 Frugal Friday File, January 31...

 

1.  I added https://www.libraryextension.com/ to my browser.  Now when I am book shopping online, it shows whether what I'm searching for is available at my library.  Mind blown!  No more opening another window to sign in to my library account and search the library catalog myself.  I can even borrow or place a hold at my library (if they have the book I'm looking at) right from the Amazon (or Barnes & Noble, etc.) page.  Free time and money saver! 

2.  On Tuesday night I planned upcoming menu and placed grocery order.  On Wednesday I picked up order and restocked the pantry and fridge/freezer...except for chicken breasts which I put immediately into the slow cooker and seasoned before cooking.  When they were done, I diced the three large breasts and placed in fridge.  They will be quick to add to burrito bowls (tonight) and tortilla soup another night (using the broth which I stored separately in the fridge).  It was a large grocery order, but we should be set for awhile now.

3.  Carey has been coming with me to volunteer at the library.  Though I originally was going to volunteer on my own, my start coincided with a huge donation to the library, so I asked Carey to come too and lift and tote boxes and bins.  He has enjoyed it, so he may continue at least sporadically as he has time.  And when we're done with our shift, we go out for a late lunch/early supper.  It has unexpectedly turned into a fun joint activity.

4.  Still no hair cut.

5.  Carey was sharing with me a conversation he had with his sister about walking in Walmart.  I've heard of mall walking back in the day, but we aren't near any malls.  So I will have to keep Walmart in mind for walking.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  out for burgers

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Spaghetti Casserole w/ garlic bread

Tuesday:  out for lupper (late lunch/supper)

Wednesday:  Crab-stuffed Salmon, Rice Pilaf, Salad

Thursday:  Chili

Friday:  Chicken Burrito Bowls

**designates meatless meal

What I'm reading Wednesday...

 

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

This would be the reason I haven't posted any finished books lately.  I am about 1/3 of the way through it.  Why, yes, it is the complete unabridged version.  😬  It's one of those that has been lingering on my Kindle for ages.  Occasionally I get it in my head that I should read a classic that I somehow got through school without reading.  

When I told my friend, the other Kathleen, what I was reading, she said her middle-school grandson had to read it recently for school.  Good God, surely they let kids read the abridged version!  Unabridged is something like 800+ pages.

I've had a library book that I had on reserve become available, so I will have to begin it soon.  

I may possibly read one chapter a day from Moby Dick, and then read my other challenge books the rest of the day, thus taking a long-way-about making my way through this one.

2025 Frugal Friday File, January 24...

1.  I feigned ignorance of menu at a drive through to stall for time.  The special price started at 5:00 p.m.  Didn't want to chance full-price as my clock said 4:59.  Hey, it saved five bucks!

2.  I'm binge watching Outlander as the Starz' cheap trial subscription needs to be cancelled by the end of the month so it doesn't auto renew at full price.

3.  When we go inside the store to shop, we take reusable cloth bags with us, but when we order curbside they put all items in plastic bags.  Normally we return the bags to the store for recycling.  But since returning from Colorado in November, I have been saving every plastic grocery bag we get.  While in Colorado I learned that their state restrictions mean that no bags are supplied with store purchase.  My friend said that plastic bags are 'like gold' and used as sparingly as possible to make each one last.  

    Since her birthday is this week (and we always exchange fun but frugal-ish packages on our birthdays), I used the bags that I had accumulated to cushion her boxes' contents.  This will be a reuse that will continue to be reused at their new home over and over.  

  I downloaded a free video meeting app so that friend and I could be together as she opened her birthday presents...at least virtually.  It was so fun, and I was pretty sure some of the items included in her gift box might need some explanation.  ;)

    (I'm sorry if readers find the use of plastic bags repugnant; the state I live in is not too eco conscious.  Carey and I try to do our part individually.)

4.  Same friend gifted me a viewing of a lovely documentary on Orthodoxy in Alaska over the last couple of centuries.  It was made by two filmmakers at her church.  Just finished watching it, and the scenery and message were very beautiful.

5.  I patched jeans, and figured out a way to adapt a design flaw on a couple of dusters that I will happily wear now.  I caught up on laundry.  Carey and I volunteered at the library today, and perhaps again tomorrow if needed, as the library received a donation of 6,000 books that need to be gone through.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  takeout Schlotzky sandwiches

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Pancakes, bacon, &eggs

Tuesday:  homecooked meal from freezer (15 Bean Soup)

Wednesday:  Broccoli Cheese Soup

Thursday:  out for Chinese

Friday:  Sweet Potato & Sausage Hash with Eggs

2025 Frugal Friday File, January 17...

1.  I recycled Amazon delivery boxes to make ornament organizers rather than buying pre-made.

2.  We ate leftovers two nights in a row, to avoid food waste.

3.  I received a check from our Medicare supplement company to reimburse some of my chiropractic treatments.

4.  I sewed some insignia patches on sports apparel for Jared.

5.  Semi-fail, and I don't care.  I had a semi-annual doctor appointment to review bloodwork.  Ferratin (stored iron) levels too high, so had to get phlebotomy...bad, bad veins...they have to access blood through my port...that's the only reason I have a port...drawing blood from it not easy...for them, pretty easy for me...except for the time...it took two hours to remove a pint of blood...left exhausted...stopped for takeout on way home for supper.

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  out for breakfast for dinner

Sunday:  Family supper with Kasey & Beau

Monday:  Twice-baked sweet potatoes w/ brisket from Beau's cookoff entry

Tuesday:  leftovers

Wednesday:  leftovers

Thursday:  Tex-Mex takeout

Friday:  ?

Working around the house...

I spent a good part of the day Tuesday measuring, cutting, and assembling these ornament trays for this bin.  I looked at pre-made dividers, but I since I wanted to use this precise bin with others like it that stack very well, and since (goodness knows) we had plenty of boxes to reduce/reuse/recycle, I just did it myself.  It made a good project to do while I watched a series of videos (which I can't even remember the name of at the moment).

Christmas decorations are all down, but I haven't gotten everything packed away yet, as I wanted to rearrange the closet they go in a bit.

I also washed (and hung to dry) all the bath mats.  And before putting them all back down, I cleaned the floors in the master and guest bathrooms.  I had ordered a new rug to use as a bath mat in the guest bath, so I put that down in there.  The laundered bath mats are very thick, and so they will need to continue hanging to dry overnight.

Feeling good about making some progress on this week's to-do list.

I still have some mending that I promised to do, so I will try to get that done before I call it a night.  Tomorrow I have an appointment with the chiropractor.

Reading Challenge - Book 4 finished...

This is the one I chose for free from Amazon First Reads.  I like a good time travel, and this was a little of that.  Parts of it I really liked, and parts dragged a bit.

2025 Frugal Friday File, January 10...

1.  Monday was quilting at the library day.  Two of our members created a group activity based on the cooking show Chopped.  They assembled brown paper sacks containing a collection of color coordinated scraps (each bag different prints and colors), embellishment, and batting.  We each chose a paper bag and had an hour and a half to complete a project of our own choice and design using at least some of each item that was in the bag.  All the bags were stapled closed, so we truly had no idea what we were getting.

My sack held all red, white, and blue scraps.  I made a miniature quilt (slightly larger than a hot pad).  It was not my best work.  But it was fun!  :)  And it was frugal, because everything (fabric, embellishments, and batting) was donated by the two ladies (who planned the activity) from their scrap collections.  The use of the library meeting room is free.  Such a fun group.  

After I got home, Caitlyn dropped by, saw the 'hot pad,' thought it was cute, and took it home with her.

2.  Before I left the library, I remembered to pick up a book I had on reserve.  Saved a trip.

3.  One-skillet meal on Wednesday from items on hand that needed using.  Sausage from freezer, head of cabbage from over purchase, apples from fridge, at the last minute I saw the half jar of leftover Alfredo Sauce in fridge from Monday's supper, and decided to add it so it wouldn't go to waste.  It actually wasn't bad.

4.  Still haven't gotten a hair cut...but it's gotta be soon!

5.  Amazon First Reads has been hit or miss for me lately...mostly miss.  This month had a pre-release book that sounded interesting.  I'm reading it now.  First Reads are a selection of books each month that haven't released yet, from which Prime members can select one for free.  I think the hope is that early readers will leave customer reviews.  

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  Chicken & White Bean Chili

Sunday:  Family Sunday Supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Chicken fingers, Pasta Alfredo, Garlic Green Beans

Tuesday:  Schlotzky's sandwiches

Wednesday:  Sausage, Cabbage & Apples Skillet Dinner, Cranberry sauce

Thursday:  Carey had leftovers, I had late lunch so skipped

Friday:  Beef Stew and Cornbread

Reading Challenge - Book 3 finished...

 

I started this one before #2, but just finished it tonight.  Really liking this series so far.

Reading Challenge - Book 2 finished...

 

I reserved this one at our library, and picked it up after quilting there this morning.  Of course, I have read Shirley Jackson's story before (it always gives me the willies), but wanted to 'challenge' myself by adding a graphic novel to my reading list for the year (thanks for the suggestion, Juhli).  This authorized adaptation is by Miles Hyman, who is the grandson of original author Shirley Jackson.

His art is beautiful, and like a setting for a jewel, this gem of a story settles securely into it.  The salient points of the story were condensed down and shared through speech bubbles.

Glad to have read this.

Reading Challenge - Book 1 finished...

 

For some reason this title just spoke to me.  :)

2025 Frugal Friday File, January 3...

1.  After a full year of letting our credit card's cash-back accrue (5% on store-brand groceries, and 1.5% on everything else), I have transferred to our bank account a tidy $281.97.  We only use this particular card for groceries and meals out, and we pay the full balance off each month.

2.  I made a week's menu and grocery order.

3.  I made a batch of homemade Rudy food.

4.  I read.

5.  Jared was off today, so he and Carey went out for brunch at IHOP.  Carey had received a coupon for 20% off of a visit.  They really like IHOP, and it is a rare treat that they get to go out for a meal together.  Though I was invited, I wasn't in the mood for anything I could think of on  IHOP's menu.  Lunch out, even when it's 20% off, is still money out of pocket.  I enjoyed the Toasted Cheddar Jalapeno Bagel topped with Mashed Avocado that I made at home so much more.  And I can enjoy another one tomorrow.  :)

On the menu this week:

Saturday:  Out for Tex-Mex

Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's

Monday:  Dublin Coddle

Tuesday:  New Year's dinner at Kasey & Beau's

Wednesday:  takeout burgers

Thursday:  Spanish Rice

Friday:  leftover Spanish Rice, 1/2 bagel w/ avocado, grape tomatoes

**designates meatless meal

Bucket List of Hopes for 2025...

 

  1.  Stop wasting so much time on my phone playing games.  On 12/31/2024, I deleted all games on my phone except for four New York Times puzzles (Strands, Connections, Wordle, and Weaver) that I play once each per day.  If I want to play Sudoku, my plan is to use puzzles in book form.  If I want to do a jigsaw puzzle, I have a number of new, unopened ones on the shelf.  

The time freed up should help me accomplish more of the following goals:

  2.  Bake bread at least once a month.

  3.  Finish two quilts.

  4.  Complete The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge with e-books already on my Kindle and library and/or free books.  I won't say that I won't buy any books this year, but if I do it won't count toward the challenge.

  5.  Complete the Storyworth project and have it printed by Mother's Day.  Kasey gave me a one-year subscription for it awhile back, and I have since had to renew the subscription so as not to lose completed entries (which is not enough to justify printing).

  6.  Start volunteering.

  7.  Find a new reflexologist.

  8.  Relearn Canasta.  Carey and I used to play all the time, but have forgotten how.  We so frequently lament that there is 'nothing on tv worth watching,' so instead, why not play a game of cards to spend time together.

  9.  Get my Singer Featherweight up and running and in use.

10.  Make some progress on our family trees.

11.  Check out our local farmers market.

12.  Send 52 letters in 52 weeks.

This is a longer list than last year's, because:

    a.  last year's shorter list wasn't very challenging,

    b.  some of these do not require much sustained time over the year, and

    c.  these are all things that I continue to tell myself, "You really should..."