Budgeting: You Do You, I'll Do Me

A few years ago, a well-known and much-loved blogger with a real ministry for others to feed a family on a tight budget mentioned buying margarine on sale during a group chat.  The furor that arose over that seemingly innocent statement was terrible.  Within 24 hours, the blogger had been attacked so much and so viciously over that one sentence, that she seriously considered deleting her complete body of work and leaving blogging behind forever.

Another popular blogger that I follow off and on, once made a post stating why she was no longer buying organic meat.  The post lasted two hours before the blogger removed it and all the comments following it.  She never reposted that particular post, nor made mention again of the lack of organic meat in her household.  Again, public opinions were harsh, hateful and hurtful.  Never mind the very valid reason she had for her budget adjustment.

Budget shaming is a real thing.  Seriously folks!

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Ch-Ch-Changes

In my home this week, I am considering the options of housework, Christmas decorating, gifting, first of the month tasks, and a change of circumstances that I didn't predict.  I'd laugh at it at this point except I'll admit I was tossed for a loop and haven't quite untangled myself yet.  So, there's that.

I'm also contemplating the handful of projects I'd just added to my list of homemaker projects.  Scratch that.  Scratch the remainder of the list.  They aren't going to happen this year.  Regrouping is getting to be what I'm really good at. 

Diary of a Homemaker: Thankful

 

Saturday:  The above picture is to inspire me to remain calm and enjoy the week...We had an opportunity to see Caleb late this past week and thoroughly enjoyed his visit.  Not so fun for him.  He's still sick and Katie thought it best if he was seen by his pediatrician here.  Poor little fellow still has ear infections and complications to his system from the previous round of antibiotics.  We tried all sorts of natural home remedies prior to the doctor visit, but the doctor assured his mama that none of them would have eased Caleb's way in the least.  Here's hoping he feels better with the new medications.

After they left today, John and I quickly cleaned house and then took a formal Sabbath rest through the afternoon.  That said, we both did some other tasks that would be considered quiet work, simply because it was necessary.  

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Begin Again

 

In my home this week, I am determined to begin over again.  This afternoon when we'd had time to settle down, I felt overwhelmed at the unknowingness ahead.  Well, that wasn't going to do, now, was it?  Just because others refuse to make firm plans doesn't mean I should skate along and make none either now does it?

So, what to do?  Go back to Plan A.

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Ho Ho No

 

Saturday:  We had a miserable night last night for both of us, though John slept a bit more than I did.  I've no idea why I was wide awake, but I did manage to keep my mind quiet which is restful in itself.  It's the nights when I'm awake and my mind races that I find very exhausting.   We finally got out of bed at about 5:45 this morning.  I told John about that time I was tired of pretending I was sleeping, and I thought I'd get a cup of coffee.  He quickly agreed.  I didn't think he was asleep.

I was sitting in the kitchen watching Instagram Reels as I sipped coffee, when I heard the unmistakable sound of Scrooge.  Yes, the annual showing of A Christmas Carol has begun.  I confess that between watching vloggers decorate their homes for Christmas and now viewing A Christmas Carol, I am feeling far more of the Christmas spirit earlier than I have in years upon years.

Coffee Chat: Love, Hope and Thankfulness

 

Do come in dears and let us have a nice hot cup of something and have a talk.  It feels like it's been forever since we had a visit.  In looking back, I see that we've not had a proper chat since the end of September.  Weeks ago.  I suppose it's to be expected given all the stuff to be dealt with these past few weeks.

I've done periodic updates of sorts in the Weekly diary, but I am ready for a right proper chat, aren't you?  Soon we'll all be stuck in the holiday preparations and I'm afraid time will fly even faster than it is at present, and it will be 2023 before we have a visit.

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Catch Up

 

In my home this week, I shall actually (hopefully) spend more time in it than I have in quite a few weeks.  And I'm rather looking forward to that!

Again, I'm not planning deep cleaning tasks, but I have plenty to do to get my home ready for next week and to catch up on things I haven't been able to get done.  My zones this month will be turned topsy turvy and I guess I should explain that Zones themselves are a set number of rooms but the order in which I work those zones is how I number them based on what week I shall be doing them.  It's really a sort of prolonged block schedule, where I block out an entire week or a set number of days for each area of my home.

Diary of a Homemaker: Let the Blessings Come

 

Friday:  I am a woman of my word. I promised John if we worked really hard together on a set schedule at the house in town this week that we'd take Friday off and boy did we plow through the work.  We didn't quite finish up, but we'll go back on Monday (though John's said twice now we'd go over Sunday after church) and do some of the last bits.

We were very leisurely in our getting ready this morning.  We took time to strip our bed and remake it.  I wanted to sweep the kitchen floor and we just went about everything slowly and easily without rushing.  We puttered, literally puttered.  So, we didn't leave home until nearly 12N.  After a week of hurrying to get things done here and hurrying to go to town and do things there and hurrying back, today was just as leisurely as could be.

Survival Plans for Thanksgiving 2022

 

Last night John told his brother, who had asked if they might come for Thanksgiving, that he'd love to have him here.  He then said he'd let us know if they decided to come. So, we are up in the air with plans, but we are committed to being home now regardless of what they decide.   

 I've made plans to follow this year and make things easier on myself.

The Homemaker Plans Her Week

 

In my home this week, I continue to work double time on two houses.  We are so very close to being done, but I'd promised John that if we worked hard four days this past week, we'd take a proper 3-day weekend off.  It was just the incentive we needed to work and not quit even when we were tired and frustrated and it looked like it was never-ending.  But when we walked out on Thursday, we knew we'd made a huge difference and we could clearly see the finish line from where we stood. 

We had a lovely lunch out and a wonderful time of prayer on the mountain.  But most wonderful of all was the opportunity to have a proper Shabat candle lighting in our home this Friday evening.   I have deeply missed that these past two months.  We were with Caleb and when we'd return home, we were tired and weary.  But this Friday night, we returned to candle lighting and prayer.  God's leading us to change a few things in our lives, but this shall remain as long as we can possibly manage to make it happen.

Drawing Winner

 

Oh My Goodness!  I have been so busy I completely forgot all about the drawing for the MFK Fisher book.  I do apologize to those of you who took the time to comment.  

I've written out names and numbered them and used a random number generator to pull the winner.  I had six entries and I listed each name and assigned it a number. I used Calculator.net to choose the winner.

FRANCES MOSELEY!  You've won!  contact me at teaccheney@gmail.com and give me your address.  I'll try to get the book in the mail to you next week.

Diary of a Homemaker: Times 2

 

Sunday:  I was too busy yesterday to take time to share at all.  We were up early and picked up Caleb from the house in town and brought him out here.  Caleb's third birthday is next weekend, so with Katie's permission I presented him with his birthday present. 

I've shared that his favorite program is called "Trash Truck" and I found a toy trash truck on Amazon back in the summer.  He was so thrilled with that truck.  Though it wasn't meant for it, he sat on it and rode it.  He worked the lever that lifted the cans up, he pushed the button that dumped the compactor, he carried it all over the house and pretty much stay glued to it.  He'd left all the cars and trucks he normally plays with on the octagonal table where he'd typically pull up a chair and play.  Those were ignored utterly yesterday.  Trash Truck was all he played with.

November 2022 (!) Goals and Plans

 

It's so difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that it is November.  Or very nearly at the time I'm writing this.  Where did the year go?!  I seem to ask that more and more often these days.  Is time truly just going by that quickly?  

At this time the plans are to get the house in town cleared and cleaned.  Homes in our area do not make big money but they are selling from what I'm told, so I do hope that this one will do the same.  In the meantime, before listing, I insist we clean it up and give it a look of Sunday best even if the best is a little shabby.  Neat and clean never hurt a soul or a house either one.