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.