Worth Sharing: November 16 - 22

Merry Go Round thoughts I call them, and there's too often not anything merry about them at all.  What do I mean?  You know how when you ride the merry go round you watch to see the familiar face in the crowd and then you've gone back around again before you can blink?   Well sometimes the most pernicious negative thinking can be the same way.  I think I've set these worries aside and there they are again, right before me and it goes on and on and on.  I found myself increasingly tense  the other day because of thoughts that kept coming back around again and I finally set myself down to write them out in my journal...along with exactly why these thoughts were NOT true ones.  Fears they were and worries and what ifs that haven't come to pass.  Ugh.  I was so glad to get down off that merry go round!

And just to show how foolish those worries can be, I've found at least three of the four  were not even fact, just my own fears spinning around and around!  Glad I sorted them out at the time through my journal and then discovered the 'real' stories just a couple days later.




Thanksgiving is only about two weeks away as I write this and I've decided something rather monumental...This year, I am doing Thanksgiving to suit ME.  That means Stuffed Turkey,  a pan of dressing (because there's never enough stuffing), and a handful of sides of my choosing and a PUMPKIN PIE.  Will there be complaints?  From one or two perhaps but the majority will say "Great Meal!" and mean it and that's quite enough.  My second decision is to stop trying to get people to not bring anything.  It's something everyone wants to do so why not let them?  While I know that if we had only the foods I prepare we'd have plenty, it's important to others to feel they've shared part of their traditions, too, so I say, "Sure!  It sounds awesome!"



Frugal Girl has up a list of tutorials for simple inexpensive ornaments to make  including her favorite applesauce and cinnamon one.  I made those one year but a child kept trying to eat them and John was convinced rodents would attack the tree in the night, lol so no more of those for us, though they do make a tree smell pretty awesome...

By the way, I thought you might like to see the tutorial I used to make the sheep I mean to use as ornaments this year.  I've go legs and faces painted and ears and tails cut out and now all I need to do is to start wrapping the forms.  This is a lovely bit of quiet work.

Mavis Butterfield shared these Tea Bag Christmas Trees which would be a cute way to gift a tea lover.

I'm not by any means rushing Christmas by mentioning it here this week...It's just that I usually decorate my tree on Thanksgiving evening and then fast on the heels of Thanksgiving we generally have our Family Holiday.  So I do tend to think of Christmas rather early on, even while I'm happily planning the Thanksgiving Week.





I said I'd share my grocery spending totals and then I didn't...Well I will now!  My first week I spent $72 at Publix and then $15 at Aldi later in the week.

The second week I spent $70 at Aldi and about $26 at Publix.

This week:  Dollar General $12, Publix $21, and at Aldi $151.
Total for the month: $355 which is about $90 higher than I wanted to be.

Yes, I went well over my previously proclaimed budget of $264/month at the beginning of this month.  My turkey was 17c after that lovely big coupon check I was given.  I can't really claim it was the expense of Thanksgiving that made me go over, but I tried that excuse on John anyway.

The bulk of my expense this week  was stocking up on things I know full well are seasonal at Aldi: pumpkin and cranberry sauce, and heavy duty foil.  I bought more than the usual amounts of butter,  cheese and cream cheese which we use loads more of this time of year, too.  I steered clear of sweets and tempting items  though and we got only one bag of chips.

I also picked up some personal care items at Dollar General...I do count personal care items as part of my grocery budget.  Yes, I do and paper products and cleaning products and pet foods too...So no need of pretending now that I don't so I can fudge my figures a bit.  It is my hopes that I can swing this $264 a month for every single thing but we shall see.

I won't be going back into the stores this month.  I loathe Thanksgiving week at the grocery and carefully plan to avoid it.  Last year, I think it was that I gave in to John's demand to wait until payday to purchase (last year payday came in Thanksgiving week) and we were caught in a snarl of shoppers at Kroger.  I had my arms full of groceries because John kept leaving the aisle so he could get away from people.  I was peevish by the time I got done and fully distracted too because I had to continually chase him down then backtrack to where I left off.  I told him very politely when we were in the car once more that never again would I wait...We wouldn't go belly up buying groceries before pay day anyway.  Never mind...I've rabbit trailed on you.  My point is  I'm going to try hard come December to stay within budget, because I've really done well the past few months with  lowering my budget and I am sure I can go this one step lower still.




Electric bill came and shocked me beyond words at how low it was.  Yes, it was partly costs per kilowatt hour which was under $4 a kwh, an unheard of low rate.   I had finally accumulated six months of bills and so I went through and looked over this year's figures compared to last year's.  Only one month did we use more electricity than we had the previous year.  In the six months that we have had the new foundation on the house, we have used less electricity all but one month!  Isn't that rather awesome?  I told John I've figured the cost of our savings four or five times and each time I've come up with the same high figure.  I'm convinced I've done something wrong in how I've figured it...But I do know that savings is savings and for sure we're saving money which means this foundation work is paying for itself!




Patsy Norwood shared how she treated her husband's sprained ankle a couple of weeks ago.  I used to sprain my ankles constantly as a teenager and young mom.  With two little boys getting to an age to run about the fields here I think this is worthwhile information to have.



Becky at Frugal Measures often repeats quotes she's headed posts with in the past.  This one line stood out to me several months ago when she first shared and it stands out in last week's reposting as well: "Let us be prudent in every respect."  It lends itself to so much more than being well stocked with foodstuffs doesn't it?  And it reminds me of a bit of wisdom Granny often repeated, "Moderation in all things..." she'd warn when I'd start sounding like I was about to go over the top with plans, or was  or spending too much or over eating.  It was always said quietly and always made me hesitate and think about the choices I was making.  I often repeat her words  to myself even yet.




I roasted a chicken for our Sabbath dinner this past weekend.  We had chicken sandwiches for supper and I had a chicken breast half and the bones leftover.   I  made up a recipe of Spaghetti Diable.  I used the canned mushrooms from the pantry in this recipe.  It's one item I don't think I'd like to stock any longer as I dislike the texture compared to fresh, however, they are okay once chopped into this sauce.  I  added a finely diced zucchini, an extender of the casserole that I discovered worked well a couple of years ago.  I had enough to make two pans.  I love having this dish in the freezer because it holds up well so that's two extra go to dishes in the freezer for busier days.


Carolyn shared this link on Facebook and I thought it worth sharing here.  Gratitude has been a journey for me.  Years ago, when we were having a really tough financial time, I started keeping a gratitude journal.  I needed that daily reminder that I had much to be thankful for, even during our  hard struggle.  There have been emotional seasons since then where I also resorted to keeping that gratitude journal once again, because the times we faced were difficult and I needed to see blessings instead of the hurdles before us.   This whole past four years have been hard as nails on us, with many and many a struggle to be got through but gratitude definitely has changed my attitude.

Our pastor is currently doing a series on Being Thankful.  He issued a challenge for the next seven days: NO complaining!  Seriously complaining does nothing at all for us, but it does become a habit far too quickly.   Any one want to join me as I spend the next week reminding myself I'm NOT complaining?

P.S.  Well I have struggled with this and it wasn't the usual things that got to me this week. No indeed!  It's been silly things that proved to be my undoing like poor sound quality on a tv program...Oh gracious there's always a new layer of learning isn't there?


Outfits I wore this week:

Sunday: Oatmeal t-shirt, black jeans, blue jeans jacket, and the Souvenir of Paris silk scarf.  Comfy and allowed me to move quickly and freely since we took the boys to church and keeping up with little Mr. Long Legs Josh meant Gramma had to move!

Monday:  Out with Mama. I put on the Mustard shirt with the same scarf I wore yesterday.  I wore my slim legged jeans (which keep sliding off me...Time to take up the waist!).  Because it was cool outdoors this morning, I put a charcoal gray tank underneath the shirt and was quite comfortable all day long.  A pretty pair of earrings that are statement pieces finished off the outfit.

While I was getting dressed I noted I also had a red scarf with hints of mustard in the paisley print...Yet another accessory to use with these pieces!

Tuesday: Errands day.  I kept it real simple.  The floral shirt and a pair of jeans and earrings.  Done.  I was mostly at the post office (drop box) and bank, etc., and dropping off something at Katie's.  It was a lot cooler out than I'd imagined and I shall make it a habit to put on a tank top underneath from now on and to grab a jacket, too!


Wednesday: Grocery day  I wore the khaki green pants, the long sleeved maroon shirt with a tank under it (olive green) and the hunt scene silk scarf.  I confess with the maroon and olive I felt a bit like I'd dressed for Christmas

Thursday:  Appointments day for Katie and baby's first visit to his Great Grandma's.  I wore the mustard shirt, this time over a blank tank top, with black jeans and the Souvenir of Paris scarf (getting a bit tired of that one at present...just saying).

I realized this morning that  I'd really like a few more pieces for added variety, but I'm determined to make it through this month on this particular capsule.  I'm already planning a different one for December, however.  I am learning rather rapidly where I  feel limited (mostly accessories and definitely need an extra shirt or two) and what is going the distance (three pairs of pants are really just fine).




I went into the dollar store (a local store) this week with the intent to pick up a handful of items that I know too well are far less expensive there than at the drugstore and with less expensive impulse items, lol..  I came out with quite a haul!    Aside from my short list of personal care items, I had some Christmas things, too.

We give our children a gift of money each year for Christmas to use as they see fit.  We don't care if they pay bills, or buy toys or groceries.  It's theirs to help ease the burden of the season upon the household.    However, John almost always regrets that there are no physical gifts under the tree for the kids.   Then he fusses if I buy things.  It's a bit of a Catch 22!

 I found a compromise last year of buying simple coloring books and crayons for $1 each.  He was quite okay with that.  This year,  I stumbled upon a bunch of fun items and bought a few for each grandchild who will be here for Family Day (a total of 6):  a Santa hat, a light up Rudolph the Reindeer nose that can be strapped on  and a drinking cup.  They were all just 67c each so for less than $10, I have little gift bag fillers.  I'll add in some Christmas candies and we'll call it a Holiday!  I'd love to find Christmas coloring books for $1 to add in because I remember the fun of having a special coloring book for the holiday...But if I don't, I think the children will still enjoy their simple gifts.

I generally buy the grown children something small as well, usually a favorite candy of some sort and a coffee mug or seasonal socks etc.  Nothing too big.  This year I've no idea what I'm going to do for them.   That is something I must dwell on.



Remember my mentioning the Christmas catalogs last week?   Well Ancestry.com is allowing free access to the Sears and Roebuck catalogs, 1896-1993, from now until midnight on January 2.  You will  need to sign up for a trial account to access.  Just make sure you mark it on your reminder calendar so that you can cancel before they charge your card.



John sees things on YouTube all the time that he's fascinated by.  Last week he watched a guy open an older guitar case.  Inside, there was a thin layer of fleece-like fabric over the guitar.  Well...He wants those coverings for extra padding in his cases.  He asked if I could make some for him.  I assured him I could.  He suggested we buy the fabric at the fabric store and I laughed.  I told him I could buy thin fleece blankets at the dollar store for far less and we could likely cover two guitars with each one.  Sure enough, I found solid color, thin fleece throws for $5, 50in. x 60in.  They will easily make two covers each.


I haven't a recipe to share with you all this week because our meals have been pretty sketchy.  I don't know just why this is so but it has been.


Travels by Narrow Boat   What you get is a droll, dry delivery of much of nothing, a handful of recipes sprinkled through the seasons,  and loads of beautiful scenery on English canals.  If you view it on Amazon Prime, there should be a 'recommended for you based on your viewing history' and there's a lovely history on Narrow Boats and the canal system in England that is well worth watching to get a background view of why the canals  are in place.

"The Crown" is back with season 3.  I am looking forward to spending some time watching that.  I hope it's as good as it's been thus far!

And "The Great British Bake Off Holidays" edition is out with a new season as well...Lots to watch if you can find the time or just need to sit down for a break one hectic day.


That's the week...Hope you all have a great weekend.