Saturday: When the work was all done at last yesterday and I was more recovered from shopping in the deep heat, I went out to check the compost pile. John said I had a squash plant out there and he was quite right. One squash and four more blooms. I don't know just what sort of squash it is, but it's a squash.
Nosed around the flower bed in the back yard and discovered a Star Gazer lily had bloomed in the shade of the lantana. I clipped it and brought indoors. I pinched back some petunias that have returned to their original cultivar and set them to root in water.
Kept things fairly simple today. John packed for his trip and I made a big 'Gee I'm sorry to see you go' dinner. We had a very light supper of leftover hot dogs because no one needs two 'Gee I'm sorry to see you go' dinners.
John double and triple checked his packing, reservations and times.
We set the alarm for 1am. UGH.
Sunday: Stopped on the way to the transportation service to get John coffee for the trip.
Came home and attempted to gather a few more hours sleep. I think I was able to get two more hours sleep. I was up about 15 minutes when Bess and boys arrived earlier than expected. Thank goodness I'd thawed chicken Saturday to prepare. I had sliced bell peppers. I made a stir fry dish of a favorite Oriental inspired crock pot meal.
Spent the day kissing and loving on baby boy and bigger boy.
Went to bed hoping to sleep. Hope is a wonderful thing.
Monday: Bess delayed her departure until tomorrow. Called Mama to see if she felt up to coming over. I'd planned to make dinner but she wasn't able to come here and I couldn't think of anything convenient to take and go. Instead, we went over to visit her and I went to pick up dinner. I was grateful she offered to pay for the meal.
We brought home Josh's leftovers.
Tuesday: John's day to return home. Bess's day to move northward to see her parents. I tried to pick up the house but didn't get very far with it. It was all I could do to drive the 35 miles to pick up John.
John was on his own from the moment he arrived. I barely made it from car to bed. I don't know what he ate but he apparently managed on his own.
Wednesday: Somewhat better. Left John somewhat on his own for meals once again. I had frozen entrée sandwiches and leftovers set out for him.
Thursday: Improved somewhat more. I made a big pan of chicken and dumplings before collapsing once more. I got some rest. That nourishing soup was just what I needed to set me right once more.
Bess and boys due back sometime this afternoon.
John washed a load of clothes. Most went into the dryer. His sister in law had kindly sent me some nice heavy knit tops she no longer wanted. Those were included in the load and I dried them because I wanted to remove as much of the scent of the laundry detergent she'd used as possible. I'm not just being picky here. I don't use scented detergents and I find that the aroma bothers me a great deal.
I washed a full load of dishes.
I worked up the bill box. I will have to balance the checkbook tomorrow but the bulk of the work is done. It was a long session this time. Big decision: now all the sub accounts are filled through the first part of 2018...what do I do with the savings? I voted for starting up auto insurance renewal fund. In three pay periods it will be filled. At that time, end of August, I'll set money aside for our Christmas funding.
Pulled together sandwiches for supper.
One of Bess' colleagues went out of business and offered her the wraps and tools she'd accumulated for vendor displays. We had a great time looking through all the stuff and getting ideas about how she might use them to further her own business.
Friday: Sent John off to work with breakfast, coffee, packed work lunch. Crawled back to bed.
It's been a short week on savings but a long week. There's a starving three year old boy whose just finished grazing through 3 hours of breakfast demanding to know what's for lunch. I think Gramma needs to get busy once again.
What did you do to save this week?
Living Well:
John and his brother talk most weeks but hadn't visited in 17 years. It was a huge big deal for John to be able to fly out to see him and stay a couple of days. I'm so happy that we were in a position where he could afford to do that and not have to sacrifice something else. We've been especially blessed this year in being able to pay up these sub accounts ahead of time and freeing up our cash flow. And I think from the look on my husband's face, it was well worth doing just that!
3 comments:
A starving 4 year old boy comes in the door here about one day a week. Last week 4 leftover waffles limped him through til lunch. :)
I am with you on the other people smell on clothes. Hanging them out in the rain and letting them dry in the sun works better than anything else I have found.
Our get away for my husband's 60th Birthday was not frugal but it showed us some things about ourselves and where we want to retire to that were invaluable. I am glad we celebrated!
Prices keep falling at our Aldi due to the competition. We went on 50% pay starting Monday so the $70 of remaining grocery money for the month can just roll into next month. I am thankful that I have stayed with my $250 budget for years and am used to stretching my dollars. We have come to the place where our 14 and 17 year old vehicles must be replaced. We have saved for that for many years and have started looking through a dear friend who is a used car dealer. Again, thankful that we have planned for this.
We are at the place where visits from friends or relatives that last a day wear us out. It is not just the cooking and such but having to be 'on stage' so long. Hard to explain. Our relatives are not little kids either and little ones would wear anyone out!! :-) Bless the Mamas. Yet you can't hardly stay away form those precious ones too long no matter how much it takes out of you, can you.... Our grandchildren grew up way too fast!! Yesterday we did get to have them for dinner and have a long visit at the table. That was a time to cherish.
I haven't been together with one sister for over 25 years now and the others 10. We live total opposite sides of the country. At times I wonder just how much I actually know each of them anymore. Not being on a daily basis with them through the years I imagine their close friends know more about them than I do anymore. We share past experiences together but nothing since. We do write often through. That is wonderful. Circumstances make it so we may have to visit in Heaven if not on the earth. It is such a blessing John got to be with his brother! It took some doing but you made it happen. How wonderful for both of them. :)
We continue to shop at Aldi since they came to town. We like it more and more as time goes on. As you said some things they just don't carry but that is ok. We just stock up on those things other places and shop at Aldi till they run out! LOL I never heard of the other store Lana said came there and is now in competition with Aldi. It came perfectly on time for their budget cuts didn't it! :-)))
If I use a scented laundry product I can't smell anything else. It is over powering no matter how little I use and even if I use the usual vinegar rinse after the wash cycle. I also use the no scent etc washing detergents. One time my daughter gave me a pillow case she had washed in her detergent. I couldn't sleep no matter how much I tried. I felt smothered in that scent. I had to get up and take the pillow cases off. How people use heavy scented detergents then dryer products then plug things into their wall with maybe another scent and spray to disinfect with another etc. It would drive me buggy to have to smell all of that. For that matter it is a wonder how animals with their keen scents of smell live in the world. And how do they smell so many things at once! God is a miracle worker to make all his creatures with so many complex systems. ..And they all work!! Sarah
Sarah, We do get absolutely worn out when our little grands come to visit! We are so thankful for every little help to the budget. We are especially thankful that we went into this debt free. How we would make house and car payments and keep the lights on and food on the table I do not know. A friend was over and said that we had been such good stewards of God's money that we will be fine and taken care of. I so appreciated that.
Post a Comment