2024 Pantry Challenge

I didn't go over budget for Christmas this year.  I didn't have to buy pricey foodstuffs because John requested only things I already happened to have on hand.  My sole purchases for our Christmas dinner were a can of whole cranberry sauce, a bag of Gold potatoes for potato salad and a package of Hawaiian rolls.  

No, I didn't go over budget there last month and for that I am grateful. My grocery bill was slightly lower only because I didn't take the time to shop and with good sales on baking items pretty much non-existent here in my area, there was no real stocking up.   It made sticking to the grocery budget easy enough.   

So why am I doing a pantry challenge for January if things are in decent shape?  

Musings on Bread and Children

 

I noted something the other day, as I was making bread.  I follow the same recipe I have now been using for years.  Each time I measure out the sugar, the yeast, the water, the flour, the oil, the salt.  In breadmaking I don't guesstimate. I measure.  I might guess when making biscuits or cornbread or muffins or pancakes, but with bread, I take care.  I measure.  I mix it in the exact same way every single time.  I use the very same cycles on my bread machine.  I time the last rising of the bread and heat my oven to the very same temperature and when I place that bread pan in the oven, I time it the same number of minutes that I've learned it requires in my oven.

The End: Goodbye 2024

 

I plan to be back on something like a routine writing schedule by January 2.  I'll be taking the rest of this week to catch up on errands, family, and seeing the work on the house finished.  

It's been a very strange year for me, difficult in places I didn't foresee difficulty, changing my view of myself in essential areas, and finding peace in places I never expected to find peace at all.  It's been a hard Holiday season.  I'm not quite done with it at this point, but it will be over by the time I'm back to writing once more.  Pray that it finishes off better than it's gone thus far, lol.  Seriously.  Pray for me.

Observations and Thrift: Dec. 16-23

Friday: Caleb had a bad afternoon on Thursday.  He fussed and talked back and was contrary as could be.  If I said yes to something he said NO and meant it.  Finally, he said to me "You're not my friend!"   I told him, "I'm sorry to hear that.  I still consider you my friend..."  A few minutes later, after crying, he came over and climbed up on my lap and put his arms around my neck.  He never said he was sorry, but he let me know by his actions that he was.  He lay his head on my chest and stayed on my lap for a good thirty minutes with his arms about my neck.  I knew full well when he started arguing with me that he was not feeling well and was overtired to boot.

Thrift and Observations- Dec 9 - 15

 

Dec. 9:  I slept in rather late this morning, almost to 9:30.  It was lovely to have a lie in and to wake feeling rested enough.  Last week was not a harsh one but it was draining.   I really felt I needed that extra sleep. I say 'extra' but it was gone 2am before I finally started to doze off.  It was the fact of getting to lie in bed beyond 7am that was the luxury.

The contractor left last night after 6pm.  He'd promised me a functioning kitchen before he left for the week, and he was a man of his word.  He'd let his help go earlier in the afternoon, first one then the other but he stayed, and he worked steadily until every last task was done.  I have a temporary sink; the dishwasher and the stove are both hooked up and working.  They laid scrap pieces of plywood over the cabinets to act as counters until the new countertops arrive.

Thrift and Observations: Dec 2 - 8

 

Dec. 1  I had to go pick up dog food and something else (What?  Can't remember) at the grocery.  John opted for the local store.  We checked the clearance racks and grabbed more marked down candy to stash at home, then we wandered down the meat aisle to look for clearance meats.  We got a nice package of 2 center cut pork chops and John chose a package of Boneless country style ribs.  We bought two packages of hamburger on sale.  I spent more than I went in to spend, partly due to the added stuff that Caleb and John decided we needed as well as the meat we'd picked up and the pricey tiny bag of dog food.  Pet foods are always very expensive in my town, even if you are getting lower end products.

Coffee Chat: Time Out

 

I've written another post entirely prior to this one but I am deleting it, unpublished.  What it has to say I'm not comfortable with in the least and I'm going to try to do better with this one.  

We've got stuff going on. People are hurting and angry and apparently have been holding on to resentments long term that might have been resolved if talked over.  They weren't.  There are other very painful things that have occurred recently that must undoubtedly add to the complexity of the personal relationships and so there was a big to do, one of the kinds that does a lot of harm and leaves no survivors.  I've done my share of grieving over these things, offered my apology, but it has been rejected because there is much else that concerns them more, as well they might.  

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Spectacular Crash

 

Saturday:  We've had a lovely day out.  It was short but so pleasant.  John took me to choose my Christmas gift.  I'd wanted a pair of earrings as a change from what I typically wear.  I love my hoop earrings and wear them nearly every day, but I thought I would get something a little different, just to change things up now and then.

In the meantime, I found one earring of my current pair had a slight wonkiness and in gently trying to correct it, I felt the metal bend and break.  Not all the way through but enough to warn me that this pair was well worn indeed.  

Thrifty Thursday: Not Quite Done

 

Saturday:  We went to our favorite restaurant today.  As usual we skipped the appetizers, we ordered water to drink and then we brought home half our meal each, which we had for dinner.

Sunday:  John went into the grocery to pick up the chicken for today's dinner.  He also bought me an iced tea and himself a bottle of water and then he got a small fruit cup and a lemon.  Why the lemon?  Because he's on a gig of drinking lemon in his water which will do him no harm at all.

I entered the receipts into both Ibotta (earned 20c) and Fetch rewards.  It all adds up.

Savoring December 2023

 

This is one month that can be very busy and hectic.  It's also a month just full of things that we can enjoy, many of which cost next to nothing.  It's not hard to right a 'Savoring' list for a month like December. 

I'm not going to say I'm doing every one of these things, but I am listing a load of things that I find pleasurable in this month and perhaps some of them might go on your bucket list as well.

#1.  Obviously the putting up of a tree is a moment to enjoy.  I encourage you, even if you live alone or generally don't put up a tree, get a small tree and just put lights on it.  The soft glow is the best sort of ambient lighting, and you'll find it oddly consoling in the dark of the evening and early morning, to see those lights glowing softly.  

December Goals: I'm Not Early...

I was sitting down going over various lists and such and realized that December is a busy-ish month.  It happens that our small groups have all decided to table all meetings for the month and I think that is just as it ought to be.  We've already got one firm commitment for a special program for our church.  There will be other things we wish to do.  It's going to be a busy month.

And for that reason, I'm declaring the last week of November as prime planning time for December and for getting started on all the extra tasks that December can bring.

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: It Goes So Quickly

 

We had a lovely time alone last week. I enjoyed it thoroughly.  I got several tasks done and I rested well.  I am still amazed at how easily we fall into our old routine of work and creative pursuits.

I missed Caleb and Katie like crazy...Seriously.

Caleb goes to school three half days this week.  There will be plenty of free time and plenty of time to fall back into our former routines.  I was telling Caleb on Thursday that he'd be going back to school on Monday and Katie said, "No Mama.  Not until December.  He'll be home all next week.  They are closed."  Ugh.  Not because I don't want to see him...I just hate that he has to miss another week of school.  He honestly thinks we aren't telling him the truth and that he's not going back to school.  I think I'll fix him up a calendar page so he can count down the days until he's back in school.  If weather is pleasant, we'll be spending LOTS of time outdoors and if not, then we'll figure out how to give him enough time outdoors to burn off some energy even if it's just on the porches.

Thrifty Thursday: Two for One

 

Friday:  I don't know why this popped in my mind last night, but there I was at midnight, suddenly thinking of what was in my freezer and one casserole dish in particular that I recall is there.  Which led me to think of the fact that I also tucked some chow mein noodles into the freezer to go with the casserole and then that led me to think of someone saying that chow mein noodles can turn rancid rather quickly.  Which led me to, "Oh! I have another packet of chow mein noodles in the pantry...I should do something with them."  Yes, this is indeed how my mind works.  

That last thought of using the chow mein noodles had me recalling that in the past few months I'd noted that some people make what I call haystacks but with chocolate chips instead of with the butterscotch chips Mama used.  I knew I had a container of mixed salted nuts that we weren't eating as quickly as I'd thought we might...So I had this inspiration to make chocolate haystacks using the mixed nuts.

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Thankful

 

Saturday:  John was sort of pushed into serving as the worship leader for a ministry that the church has a huge hand in.  Mind you all, the person who 'pushed' did so nicely and brought John and the man who does the ministry together and they agreed that John would be at the Homeless Outreach today.  Of course, John wanted me to come along, something I'd rather dreaded, not because I feel I am above the homeless that they serve, but because I sincerely 'feel' so deeply for these people and the plight they are in, as well as finding myself struggling with old skeletons in my own closet regarding substance abuse and an unwillingness to take responsibility for where they find themselves.  Some are truly just lost souls, not necessarily spiritually lost, but mentally incapable of doing better and without protectors of any sort who could help.  Some appear to be no more homeless than I am but seem to show up routinely for the free handouts and meals.  Seriously.  You can tell the difference.

November Coffee: Abundantly Done

I'm going to take the week off from posting this week.  There will be no menu post and probably no Thrifty Thursday, but I may pop in with a diary post on Friday.  And then, following the holiday, I will be back to my usual schedule of posting.

I want to take time this week to think about my plans for next year.  I have a few categories that I dwell upon and think about and jot down ideas for: spiritual, marriage, family, personal, blog, finances, home.  I think about what I hope life might look like in the year ahead, consider what it has looked like in the year behind.  It's an important process for me, because without that consideration I tend to just sort of drift aimlessly about through the year.  I gave myself that luxury this year without any resolutions made and no real purpose but, in the year, ahead, I foresee that I might possibly be having a bit more time to myself in which I might actually accomplish things.  And then again, life might toss another curveball and whack me painfully in the shin.  One never knows.

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: There It Went

 

Sunday:  I can say honestly this morning I did NOT want to get up.  I know because the alarm apparently had been sounding for more than five minutes before it even penetrated my sleep fogged brain.  John said he had already been awake and shut his off but figured I'd eventually hear my own alarm.  I stayed in bed and squeezed my eyes shut while he went to take his shower and then I made myself get up at last.

We were a little later leaving this morning, which oddly enough had nothing to do with my late rising.  However, we left later and, on the way, to church I assured John we weren't really late as long as we made it in the door while the countdown was on the screen.  He drove around front to park and let me out.  I yelped as I stepped from the car, "John!  There are the first musical chords!"  I was stepping lively to get in that door.  One of my acquaintances saw me coming and said, "Well you're spry this morning!" 

Thrifty Thursday: On and On We Go

 

Friday:  I made bread today...Well, first I made a mistake and didn't know it until the dough came from the bread machine.  I forgot to add yeast to my dough.  I stood there and contemplated the flat mess and seriously considered just tossing the dough, but I decided to see what I might do to salvage it.

In the meantime, I started a whole new love, beginning with yeast just to be sure that went in!

Step by Step: Do What You Can

 Start where you are. Use what you have.  Do what you can. ~ Arthur Ashe

I thought this quote really applied to this motto and our focus on our food storage this month.  

"Forget about peak performance. Would your results improve if you simply focused on being reliable in the normal moments?

Show up when it's easy to skip. Do the fundamentals and do them well. And so on.

Before you make it complicated, remember there are always simple improvements waiting to be made."

What I've wanted to convey throughout this series is that we are NOT in a hopeless place.  We can do something.   We just need to 'show up'.   And that's where we end this series: Do what you can.

Step by Step: Use What You Have

Start where you are. Use what you have.  Do what you can. ~ Arthur Ashe

Use What You Have.

Well, what do you have?

We've already looked at some of these things in 'Start Where You Are'.    But let's look just a little deeper at things, okay?

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Throwing Up My Hands

 

We had a lovely birthday party on Saturday, despite the cool, damp, gray day.  The children (six) were raucous and ran through the house.  It is a small house and 11 is quite enough in one room, much less when six of those 11 are running in the same space that 5 adults are trying to sit in.

But it was nice.  It was.  Katie kept the food part of the day very simple and easy.  Cody hooked up the gas grill and showed us how to use it.  He cooked the hot dogs.  We had chips, soda, juice packets, cake.  

Diary of a Homemaker: It's Been a Week

Sunday:  I didn't write a bit yesterday.  I was so weary with whatever this ailment of ours is.  It appears to be a slight cold but the level of tiredness that goes along with it was unexpected.  It didn't stop my getting the kitchen nearly finished with the packing up, but I took it in spells with long rests between.  And naps.  

Of course, there were meals to make as well, but only for the two of us and we managed well enough with whatever I found at hand.  We didn't go hungry.  Whatever ailment, it did not affect our overall appetite.  We weren't starving the way some illnesses will leave you, but we were our usual sort of hungry. 

Thrifty Thursday: On the Other Side

 

I sent out last week's post early by accident.  Mark it down to trying to write, hold a conversation and being generally distracted.  So, this week's line-up will look like a bit more than usual.  

Tuesday:  I looked at the weather early this morning and they were predicting a freeze tonight, not just frost.  That got me in motion to do what I needed to do.  I brought in the plants I wanted to overwinter indoors.  I didn't bring in a lot this year.  Two orchids (I won't count the third one that the girl grand dog decided to chew the pot of until I get it repotted), two Christmas cactus.  I left the Sansevieria and one cactus outdoors to winter over in the bin and see how those do out there.  They all look bad after those last too hot days of summer that they faced.  

Step by Step: Start Where You Are, Part 2

  Start where you are. Use what you have.  Do what you can. ~ Arthur Ashe

Building Your Pantry

At this moment, I think I have enough foodstuffs in the house to feed us a varied diet for three to six months.  I'm slowly building my storage back up to a year's worth of foodstuffs, but I've had a few setbacks in recent years.  At one point we had enough food in the house that we could have gone nearly a year without buying more than fresh produce and dairy.   Then 2020 happened and retirement and family needs arose, and I supplied those from my own pantry and recently I've been keeping a child in my home and shopping only when it's really necessary.

Step by Step: Start Where You Are, Pt 1

 Start where you are. Use what you have.  Do what you can. ~ Arthur Ashe

"Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program. We could refer to all the components of personal and family preparedness, not in relation to holocaust or disaster, but in cultivating a life-style that is on a day-to-day basis its own reward." (President Spencer W. Kimball) from Becky's Monday Message on Frugal Measures blog.

Start Where You Are.

I was reading Patsi's blog, A Working Pantry, the other day and she wrote a post worth reading.  She ends her passage with these words, 

"There is always going to be someone who can do more than you, accept it and move on doing what you can with what's in your hands."

Having myself fallen into the current trend of following homesteaders who do ALL the things and seem to do it with money to spare, I have felt the sense of frustration and yes, helplessness, as I look at our own financial situation and the constraints we have upon our time in our home and realize that I CANNOT do all the things.   

I know how satisfying it is to look at homesteader cellars full of canned goods and to hear of freezers packed with various items, and the gardens that produce enough to feed them for a year and listen to others share about bug out kits and long-term food storage. 

But remind yourself of one thing before you toss up your hands and say, "I'll never be able to get there..."

You can only start at the beginning.  The beginning is where you are right now.

If the beginning looks like you've got enough food to last the week, then that's where you start.  If the beginning looks like enough food to last perhaps a month, then that's where you start.  If the beginning looks like a home with small children and not nearly enough hours in the day, then that's where you start.  If the beginning looks like retirement and limited income and less of that than you'd thought you might have, then that's where you start. You can't begin anywhere else except for where you are!

Let's talk about building up a pantry that can feed you for a month, three months, six months, a year and start right where you are.

This is where I am: I live on a little less than ten acres, and about 3 of it are clear of trees and underbrush.  I have no special equipment with which to till up a garden or even create a flower bed.  I am, at present, 64, and supposedly retired.  I am helping to raise a soon to be 4-year-old boy.  My husband and I share our home with this little boy and his mom.  

I currently make a few things from scratch, but I could do more, and I know it.  However, I have to take into account the time factor because of the little boy.  He needs time and attention, too.

I have only had a proper garden once in my life.  It was hugely successful but that was ages upon ages ago and not here on this property. My current 'garden' consists of lots of pots and two raised beds and a tiered planter full of mostly herbs.  To date, I have harvested 15 tomatoes, a handful of herbs, and currently have carrots and beans and snow peas that were flourishing but not yet ready to produce.  We're about to have our first frosts of the year.  So the dreams of those plants providing us with a thing are done.

In my youth, I often canned items, but I haven't done that in years..  I have only recently acquired an electric pressure canner and had gotten a hot water bath canner just a couple of years before.  I don't do a lot of canning at present.  I make jelly and apple butter. 

I bake bread and cook from scratch.  Over the years, I have built up a pantry, but it's taken time and sacrifice to do it.  My 'pantry' is a makeshift area.  I took over the walk-in closet of one of my bedrooms when my daughter left home and turned it into a pantry area with shelving and bins.  Now my daughter and grandson use that room as a bedroom and the closet needed for their clothing has been an old Chiffarobe and a spare bookcase.

I have passable sewing skills.  I've upholstered furnishings.  I've learned to use paint and ingenuity to transform things.  Over the years, I have learned new skills that have allowed me to do more.  Currently I am attempting to cultivate food.  

Following 2020, I determined that I could do better in being prepared for medical needs.  John, being a paramedic, feels we have what is required for an emergency that might affect wound care.  We don't have a full-blown pharmacy, but we have enough to see us and another family member or two through an onslaught of colds and minor accidents.

I've been trying to make my home more friendly for our elderly years.  We've had our back deck turned into a back porch with low broad steps at one end on which we might easily place a ramp if needed.  We've removed the upper cabinets in our kitchen and are just about to get the kitchen renovated with new lower cabinets in the coming weeks.   We're replacing a deep awkward tub in our master bathroom with a walk-in shower that will be large enough to accommodate a shower chair.  We don't anticipate needing a ramp or shower chair right away, but the porch and altered bath and kitchen will be just as useful to us now as it will be in the days ahead.  I want to be able to stay in my home long term. 

If I were to tell you I'm starting today, this is the place from which I would start my journey.  This would be MY beginning.  You can't start from this place unless you have had the exact same experience and the exact same materials I have right now to work with.  

I do have ideals.  One of my ideals is that I would be able to raise a majority of the produce we'd typically eat.  Because of where I live, I think it would be possible to grow something we might eat fresh year-round.  I'd like to have a few chickens.  I'd love to support local meat producers.  I'd like to be able to can and freeze foods all year round.  I'd like to be less dependent upon the grocery store and more able to buy in bulk those items that we must purchase from the store.  

I'd like to make still more items from scratch than I do now.  That means working harder.  And smarter.

I'd like to be better prepared for emergencies such as long power outages.  We've survived admirably well for a week several times without electricity in the aftermath of severe weather situations and I've learned a few things because of that, including what we'd need to do it better.  The last such outage saw me lose a considerable amount of food from our freezer.  I was lucky that my freezer was very nearly full so larger bulkier items were saved.

My ideal includes continuing to improve our home and property.  I want flowers as near all year round as I can manage.  I would love to have a prettily landscaped yard.  It's not important for preparedness but it is important to me because that's the sort of person I am.  I need to be surrounded by beauty. I would like to replace lesser quality furniture with better quality items that will see us through the end of our years.

This is my beginning.  

In the week ahead we're going to look at how to build a pantry and where that pantry can be located.

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The Homemaker Tries To Plan Her Week: Unknowns

 "In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."

~ Eric Hoffer, The True Believer

Loved this quote that came in a newsletter earlier this last week.  It resonated with me.  Learning, and the willingness to learn, is the one skill that will keep us all in good stead.  The hardest thing in the world is to get into the "But I always...", "I only like..." when what you've always done and what you like is no longer possible in the current environment.  Be willing to change. Be willing to learn.  And yeah, it's okay to do it all while scuffing your toe and whining "I don't wanna..."  Just do it anyway.

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Not Quite As Planned

 

Saturday:  I went to an estate sale this morning.  Do you know what I like about estate sales?  Often enough they are places where one can plunder through stuff and find all kinds of treasures.  But I also love that I get to walk through houses I might not otherwise have had a chance to know.

I like houses almost as well as I like people.  I like to see how a house, especially an older home evolved over time.  The house I was in on Saturday was unusual because the central hall ran north to south in the house, though the front of the house faced east. I'm curious if that was the original plan or if the house was altered at some point, because the front door opened directly into the living room, and it's been my experience with older homes of this sort that the front and back door generally were at either end of the wide central hallway. 

Savoring November

 

I do not get to every item on my lists for each of these months, but it does make me think about what I might do to increase my enjoyment of the month.  So, I thought I'd do this for November because I feel like I'm going to really need it, with all that we've got going on in our lives just now.

1. Buy apples.  I have asked John to take me to get apples in North Georgia this month.  I had it on my list last month but October sort of took on a life of it's own.  We've got one weekend here in November when this might work for us so I've got my fingers crossed and we'll see.  

November Goals: Keeping It Simple

 

This month we've got a lot going on.  Caleb will be starting Montessori classes and working on potty training with someone other than me.  The renovations are meant to start.  The house will be torn apart.  I want to handle this month with as much grace and patience as I can, so I'm trying to keep my goals fairly simple and to the point of what I know absolutely must be done.

Outdoors:  Clear out the garden pots, though I'll leave the carrots if they appear to be okay.  I have compost I can spread on them that is ripe and then I'll see if I can gather enough leaves and pine straw to mulch the tops of the beds.  

Step by Step

 

Start where you are. Use what you have.  Do what you can. ~ Arthur Ashe

A few years ago, I used the above quote as inspiration for a full year to recreate my home.  I wanted to make my home pretty, functional and comfortable.  As I sat about moaning and groaning about the lack of funds, the lack of material, the lack of time, the lack of skill, I stumbled upon the above quote.  

It led me on quite a journey, so that my home was transformed into something that is cozy, comfortable, has personality.  And so was I.

Thrifty Thursday: Roll With It

 

I took the more difficult path last Thursday afternoon.  I wanted to make Enchiladas but had no tortillas.  I'd asked twice if others who were going out would please pick some up.  No one did.  I finally decided that since I didn't want to go to town myself, I'd just pull out my recipe and make some.  So I did.  I got fifteen and gave the 16th to Caleb to roll out on his own with his little rolling pin.  I cooked it for him, too, and he ate every bite of it.  

Truth: they were a tad too thick, and they were tough.  I'm pretty sure I know where I went wrong.  I skipped adding the oil called for and didn't knead them quite enough.  I knew this but just pushed ahead anyway.  Next time, I'll do this in a timelier way and knead them properly.

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: I'll Put It Somewhere

 

I'm not in the market for a new house, but I found myself looking at them of late anyway.  The other day we were in some neighborhood or another and I saw the nicest little English Tudor style home that was obviously new. In a world of cookie cutter look alike houses (not knocking them after all, you can hardly get more cookie cutter than a double wide!),  it was so refreshing to see a home that had unique detailing.  It wasn't a home with a massive soaring roofline, nor with ten different gables.  It just had one lovely curving peak above the front door and then a standard roofline but as an admirer of the 1920's and 30's Tudor style homes, I knew immediately that this house was meant to be like those storybook Tudor cottages of the past.  

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Acknowledging Limitations

 

Saturday:  Since we had no real plans for today, nor any bagels or croissants, John and I played tag team in the kitchen together and cooked various components of a big breakfast, which is one of his ideals.  It was good and most welcome on a chilly Saturday morning.

Thrifty Thursday: This and That

 

We had the kiddos on Saturday afternoon for just a few short hours.  Pizza was the menu, as it so often is for those three.  I had a portion of pizza dough in the freezer that I'd saved when making pizza last time they were over.  I let it thaw in the fridge overnight, set it out at room temperature about an hour prior to cooking and it rose up like a champion.

On Sunday, we went into the grocery to pick up lunch.  BAD idea.  I picked up extras.  A Carrot bar cake (reasonable) but I could have bought at least 10pounds of carrots for the price.  Sandwiches, chips.  John had said "It will be cheaper than eating out."  Uhm...NO, it was not.  But we did get two meals off the stuff so there's that.

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Letting Go of Every Plan...

 

Did you ever have the feeling that the universe just waits for you to announce that you have a plan and then kicks it good and hard?  My whole plan to return to routine went off into the air at the end of last week when I learned that Caleb will be starting school part time in two weeks' time.  It's only for a half day but it does change things somewhat.  Not an ill change mind you.  It's something I think Caleb very much needs in order to be prepared for school this next year.

As well, our plans to have Millie over every Thursday to play with Caleb has gone kaput with Caleb being gone.  So, it's all changing already.  I told you all, I could feel changes ahead and I suspect this is the tip of the iceberg.  So be it.  Let the changes roll in and we'll just stand here and watch them come and adjust accordingly.

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: ?What?

 

Monday:  I wasn't sure we'd get to see Taylor at all this weekend.  Katie was about to head her way home on Sunday for family lunch when her boyfriend noted that her tires were shot.  Off she went to get new back tires.  They finally got here about 2pm.  Caleb was very glad to see us, and we were glad to see him.  Of course, we barely had time with them before they left to take Taylor back to her Daddy, but a glimpse is better than nothing.

Last night, Caleb asked John to sit with him in the bathroom while he bathed.  Those two laughed and giggled and laughed for a good half hour all because of a silly rubber duck he'd gotten over the weekend.  Everything they did was funny to the other.  Katie and I took advantage of the guys being busy to have a catch-up chat.  I've missed her as much as I have Caleb and I'm glad to have her back home once more, but glad they had a chance to have such a pleasant week away as well.

Thrifty Thursday: New Week New Goals

 

Friday:  Yesterday, after I'd sent off the Thrifty Thursday post, I was sitting here in the quiet listening to the well shut on and off.  It seemed to be running over much.  I set the stopwatch on my phone and the doggone thing was coming on and going off every five minutes.  We weren't running any water anywhere in the house.  

I looked online (thankful yet again for the technology at our fingertips) and there was no really concise answer about timing of a pump priming.  But I did manage to gather the impression that we were having well trouble again.  After two hours of timing, I tapped John on the shoulder and said, "Call Roy...I think we've got well trouble."  

Ten Things I Plan to Do, Starting Now

 

I've been thinking a great deal lately...Always a sign that I am feeling it's time to change something because of costs, efficiency, etc.   I've got a short list of things here that I plan to begin changing.

1.  Stop buying cooking spray.  Here of late most of the sprays I find are actually the mister can sorts of sprays.  They are the least expensive option.  Also, the most inefficient.  I find that they tend to let loose a squirt of oil instead of misting, no matter how much you shake the stupid can.  And then the baked goods stick anyway, even if you've taken care to spread the stuff evenly about the pan.  It's also costly because it rarely lasts more than a few sprays. 

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Back to Routine

 

I'll be honest with you all.  If I'd known how last week was going to run, I'd have taken time to go over and visit Mama.  As it was, I was working on the idea that Katie and Caleb would return any day and the days stretched out to the full week.

This week, we should be back to regular routines.  I'm just hopeful that we all settle right in without any adjustment issues.  I think Caleb is in a much better place than he was this time last year and unlikely to be as emotionally undone by his week away.  Or so I pray.

Let me gather my thoughts and get to work planning my week.

Work:  

Zone 3 is Beds and Baths.  I just cleared up Katie and Caleb's room as best I could on Friday, so nothing much is required there.  I'd like to dust our bedroom this week, and once again clear my dresser of unnecessary clutter.  I can move the accumulation of seeds and seed packets to the basket in the laundry area where I store those items. 

Routine cleaning is all I need do to both bathrooms, but I do want to tackle my bathroom cabinets.  All are cluttered and crowded and there's excess in them that really is beginning to bug me no end.  I'm done with it.  I think I can rearrange the top cabinet which we use as medicine storage in a better way.   The towels need to be sorted and folded neatly and stored away.  The bottom cupboard of that three-tiered cabinet is filled paint cans, paint brushes, painting stuff.  I need to get rid of the almost empty cans and the shot paintbrushes, etc.  It just needs to be done.

And if I have time aside from my other household duties this week, I want to see if I can arrange the kitchen island cabinets in a better way.  It's simply not working for me.  I find myself frustrated too often.  I suspect I can declutter a few more items that will net me enough room for all I want to have out at present.

I don't think we have any appointments or other plans this week.  Just all the routine things which is enough.

Kitchen:

I never baked a thing last week.  I have the same list I had last week: either apple pies or carrot cake.  I'll add bagels this week since John will likely have polished them off this weekend (typing this out on Friday afternoon).

And since I don't know if I'll get to the grocery (no plans at present), I'll likely make up some fancy muffins for my weekend breakfast.   By fancy, I mean with streusel topping and all that sort of thing. I think some apple muffins would be nice.  Or perhaps that lovely Mennonite Cinnamon Quick Bread that I keep promising myself...Oh plans!

Meals:

I made out a whole list of foods I was craving in August, just waiting for cooler weather.  I think I've made every one of them.  I would like to make another 'wish list' of entrees I would like to make now the weather is cooler.

???To each their own???

Gramma's Fried Chicken, Mac n Cheese, Cauliflower and Broccoli Casserole

Meatloaf, Italian Peasant Vegetables, Biscuits.  I have a listing on Pinterest of six of seven meatloaf recipes.  I'm going to choose one of those to try, not sure just yet which one.  

Chicken Cobbler, Peach Salad.   Tiktok Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit dough tops this cobbler.  I kept thinking I needed to cook chicken for this meal, but I'm pretty sure I have a packet of chicken pot pie filling in the freezer I can use, which will cut down on the pre-prep cooking.

I feel like I need to add to this menu...just not sure what I'd add.  Perhaps some type of extra vegetable, perhaps Butter Beans? I'll see what I have in the freezer.

Chili, Rice, Salad, Cornbread

Ham with Pineapple, Au Gratin Potatoes, English Peas, Rolls.  We have the ham and pineapple already in the freezer, saved from a previous meal.  I've got boxed au Gratin potatoes.  All of this with an eye towards keeping the meal as simple as I can since I should have Millie at least a good part of the day.  The rolls I'll make up fresh.

We go out for a meeting.  Katie and Caleb will likely go visit her friend, so something leftover or something snacky.

Personal/Leisure:

I've recently added dry brushing to my shower routine.  I'd done it in the past, but my brush broke, and I never picked up another until very recently.  So, I'm back at it.  It's supposed to be very beneficial to skin and the lymphatic system both.  I like that this is a natural system stimulant that doesn't require more pills/minerals, etc.

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This week I want to take time to go out and BUY the ingredients to make the homemade heavy duty moisturizing lotion for my skin.  With cooler weather coming in, the heater running here and there, I know that my skin will be dry.  I noticed this last year and this year I mean to be proactive with it.

I'm also going to look into Intermittent Fasting.  Do you know my greatest problem with it thus far has not been the process but the way the people who employ it have become nearly fanatical about it.  I don't want to be fanatical. I do want to lose weight and from all I understand this is a healthy approach, one that my doctor has mentioned to me in the past as something worth trying as well as being a good way to help control blood sugar overall.   John's admonished me to make sure I don't 'crap out' as it refers to my blood sugar drops, and I agree.  I want to work with this slowly and determine how this will work for me.

What I like about this method of eating is that it doesn't rely on cutting out food groups, nor in limiting oneself in a stringent manner.  Most of the people who do intermittent fasting still eat dessert, have bread and butter, put cream in their coffee, etc.  They just have chosen to eat during a constricted time frame, not assume a constricted diet.

Just so you know, it's not just for losing weight either.  If you are one of those people who are very thin, who tend to lose weight to dangerous levels from even slight illness, intermittent fasting and higher protein/higher calorie eating (GOOD fats and nutrition not junk) can be employed with the intermittent fasting to increase weight healthily. 

 Honestly, I need to step up self-care in so many areas.  I'd like to do light makeup most days and get back into that habit.  I want to be more consistent with my mani- and pedicures.  I have terribly dry cuticles, especially my fingers and they look ragged and torn half the time.  It takes moments to moisturize properly, but I rarely take time.   Ditto for all my skin care needs.  

Push myself to be more consistent with reading the Bible.  Work harder at getting those three 'Morning Pages' written each morning.  

I'm thinking perhaps I should be rising just a little earlier than what I do.  My excuse has always been that I don't sleep well so many nights that I 'deserve' the extra sleep.  However, I have noted that I do tend to fall asleep more easily when I rise earlier.  It would also give me a window of time to read the Bible, work on those Morning Pages and get ready for my day.  No rule says I have to exit my room earlier, just get up a little earlier.

Wardrobe...Why I keep putting this off I've no idea.  I need to just do it! After typing this out, I took into consideration my calendar for the next two weeks.  I need 7 outfits.  I then went off to the closet and set up 7 outfits, some of which have layers that can be easily removed and still have a cohesive looking outfit if it happens to be warmer than I'm anticipating. Mark this one DONE!

Diary of a Homemaker: One of Those Weeks

Laura Ingalls Wilder

“The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.”

Saturday:   Apparently, I am sleeping more at night than I think because John has mentioned three times in as many days that he'd gotten up at night and told me the times he's been up.  I never saw or heard him at any point.  So, I am sleeping more than I realize.  I got up at one point this morning and sat in the living room in the quiet house in the dark, thinking about getting a cup of coffee and dozed right off. I woke about an hour and a half later because Katie and Caleb began having a conversation in their room.  It was 6am.  I was cold and decided to head back to my bed, and I slept another hour or so.  John woke me running Caleb into the bathroom and then Katie came in behind them and apologized and hugged me.  She had apparently been showering in the other bathroom.  

Thrifty Thursday: All Mixed Up

Friday:  Briefly for this day: Baked bread, made bagels, Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal cookies and then salvaged some shredded seasoned chicken and made it into Mississippi Chicken Sliders for supper.  Remembered as I lay awake pondering what tonight's supper might be that what I appreciate most on a Friday evening is EASY and little clearing up.  

Coffee Chat: The View From Here

Hello love.  Come in and have coffee with me.  Let me share what I've been doing lately to get a 'flavored' cup of coffee: I put a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in my refillable k-cup with my decaf coffee.  Then I brew it, add half and half and somehow there is autumn in my cup.  I love it this way.  Will you give it a try?  

I confess I was willingly misled by another blogger/vlogger who had a Pumpkin Cream froth recipe that appeared simple enough and not overly sweet and so I tried that last week.  I love pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie and pumpkin pancakes and even pumpkin in enchiladas, but let me say just one more time, I do NOT like pumpkin in my coffee or in my half and half on top of my coffee. Never mind the fiber, the antioxidants, etc.  I'll just skip those in my coffee and stick with the blend of spices.  

The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Work Ahead

 

This past week went by too quickly.  I don't think I accomplished much on my list from last week, but I did what I could.  Did I even mention John had called the contractor?  He told John there were delays on the job he was one, then added "Call back on the 21st..."  I'm wondering if this year, my kitchen will be under renovation for Thanksgiving or even Christmas.  That would certainly put an end to the endless, "What will we DO for the holiday?" from outside persons with all their incidental demands for this and that as well, wouldn't it?  I'm probably being hopeful, lol.

In the meantime, I shall not worry about the future. Doesn't the Bible say that my worries are sufficient for this day? (Matthew 6:34).  Not exactly perhaps but very close.  I've promised myself that I shall try to be conscious of NOW as much as possible.  Of course, that rather negates any planning, doesn't it?  I'm not quite there.  I do like to have a plan, if only to use as a sort of roadmap that I can at least find detours by.

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: October Glory

Saturday:  Who are we?  We had all of yesterday evening alone and so far, all of today as well.  Our 'date' day to the tire place was at least pleasant, thanks in part to the fact that I brought along my book and John started talking with a group of men who had a regular old gabfest.  Since it was a four hour wait, I'm glad he found some company.  I had mine in my hand, lol. 

We left home without eating.  John looked amazed when I asked at 10am if he'd like for me to get him something to eat. "Are you hungry?" he asked, as if that is an unheard-of thing.   And this from a man who can barely wait for me to rise in the morning to tell him what's for breakfast!   

Thrifty Thursday: Where's Soup Weather?

Friday:  Unlike me to clear the fridge on a Friday, but that's just what I did this week. I had myriad containers in the fridge, yogurt scattered over three shelves, breads tossed here and there.  I had to get it all organized.  Hence, I did not have to cook today.  I have something for all three meals, so I have decided to take advantage of my surplus and have an extra day off cooking.   Sounds pretty awesome to me.  Heat and eat.

I combined the tail end of a bottle of catsup and another of mustard with my nearly empty Barbecue sauce.  I'll play with this mixture a bit more, adding in some brown sugar and vinegar and perhaps some onion powder and Worcestershire sauce.  That will make a rather tasty barbecue sauce, although, Baby Ray had little to do with it.

Romancing October

In the first week of September, I shared a list of all the things that I wanted to do to savor September.  In reading back over it, I can say honestly, I didn't touch on only two items.  I think that is a pretty awesome thing!  This was one area where I really expected to face more of a challenge, since it wasn't work/finance related and yet it went along very well. 

I'm going to renew that commitment and dream of ways to enjoy October.  Won't you join me?

The two things I didn't do in September: I never started a movie or tv series on my own, though I did watch a single documentary on Beatrix Potter that Patricia Rutledge narrated and appeared in.  Patricia by the way, was the lovely Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet).

I thought this movie sounded good, October Sky.  

I'm going to try to watch one movie or documentary each week.  I'll shoot for a smaller goal this month, lol.

I didn't find any new apples in market just yet, but I'll look for some.  An Oregon Cottage said they do an annual apple tasting with a lovely homemade caramel sauce.  I thought that sounded like something fun to do, don't you?  

I'd like to take a trip to the Washington, Georgia area and see if we can find some of this year's North Georgia apple crop.

I'd like to make Fried Apple Pies. Whether or not I make a trip for fresh apples, I can do this.  Granny used her homemade biscuit dough rolled thin, and cooked fresh or dried apples.  I used to make these and bake them instead of frying.  They are both good.  But again, it's nostalgia I'm going for.  She fried them in butter.  They were delicious.  I won't do a big batch.  I'll make just enough for one for everyone and that will be perfect.

Drive up to the foothills to see fall color.  I suspect it will be a little more towards the end of the month for that.  Usually, our deepest colors come after frost in November, but every now and then we get to see color prior to that.

Also later in the month:  I've promised Caleb we'll get a BIG pumpkin and carve it.  I'll probably not put it on the porch but have it here in the house on the table and we'll put a battery powered light in it so he can have the joy of seeing it lit up.  

I want to make up Halloween treat bags for all six of the children.  I'd like to include non-edible things, but I'll have to see what I can find that's inexpensive.  And then I think it would also be fun to include some candy from mine and John's childhood, something from their parents' childhood and something that is their personal favorite.  

Look out for flowering kale and snapdragons at the garden centers.  Plant them for winter color.  In the past they have done so beautifully here even in frosty weather.

I want to do a fall manicure.  There's one online that I've seen a lot with a golden yellow color, russet, brown, an olive green and some orange color.  Can't find the image just now, but I think they are so pretty.  I have all but the golden yellow color.  Something like this:

I have all of these colors but not the golden color.  This isn't the exact one I had in mind, but it's similar.  There are other possibilities, too.  Look them up on Pinterest under Fall inspired manicures.

I found this one that might work.  Amazon Affiliate Associate Link:

This one might work...I've got it ordered.

Set up a month of outfits if I can.  I don't have that many clothes, but if I put the shared bottom with the multiples of tops and the necklace or scarf that can go with it that particular outfit, I can set up close to a month's worth, I think.   I'll have fun trying anyway, especially since I'm going to pretend it's really going to turn autumnal and I can wear my sweaters, lol.

The peach sheds near us often start to sell pecans and butter pecan ice cream this time of year.  I'll try to convince John to go but if he backs out on me, I'll see if I can't do this with Mama one day.

I've made up my mind: from this month forward I'm going to try and keep something fresh in the house in each season.  Right now, we have pumpkins and winter squashes meant for eating, tucked into the old wooden dough board.  I'll see if the big pine tree has dropped pinecones which I could add in.  And in the weeks ahead I'll have sprays of persimmon or pyracantha in the blue and white jars or colorful leaves, etc.  I'm not against buying these things either if I can't find them in the wild.  I just want to have something pretty on display in each month of the year.

I know it's not really cold yet...but I'd love to find some pretty throws to go on my chairs.  Not the thin little fleece type ones be had for $2 at Dollar General, but lush knits or velvety ones.  I know they will cost a pretty penny.  Don't care.  I can buy one this year and another next year...

I want to find some pretty bowls to go with my dinner set.  I know what I'd like to have.  I'll look around on Ebay and see if I can't find some that are affordable.

Read.  I know some of Emilie Loring books are set in the autumn, Diary of An Edwardian Lady is set up by month, again some of Glady's Taber's books, Frugal Luxuries...and I'm just willing to bet I can find a Grace Livingston Hill that is set in autumn.  I only have about 50 to choose from!

I'm going to make up my own little blend for my evening cup of decaf coffee.   I have plenty of spices and I am pretty sure I can come up with something lovely that will give me the aroma and taste I want for an autumn cuppa.

And since the evenings are getting cooler, I'm going to try to slip out to watch the sunset while I have that evening cup and count the blessings from my day while I'm there.  

Make autumn leaf shaped sugar cookies. I think I need to replace my sugar sprinkles but this has become something I so enjoy doing.

And that's my list for this month.

October Goals: Work, Work, Work

 

I've just read over September goals and boy...I thought I was doing so well!  Did I over plan?  Perhaps in some ways.  Looking back, I know I did accomplish many things, just now all of the things I'd hoped to accomplish.  I confess I'm a mite disappointed in myself at this moment.  It's a good time to read through that post and remind myself to not be quite so terribly ambitious with this month's goals.

Spiritual:  No on Bible study last month, so so on prayer.

What will it take to make this a habit once more?  Years ago, I started reading the Bible daily and I very, very rarely missed a day.  Then when I started keeping Caleb full time this year, I let it lapse and here we are, a non-reader.  Since a full-on Bible study seems to be beyond me and my mind, I'm going to go back to basics.  This month, I'm going to try to read a chapter a day.  I'll go back to Roman's and start where I left off in August.  I know that eventually I'll have the time to do a proper study, but it seems to me that reading alone is better than good intentions and doing nothing.

I did get better at journaling daily and some of those days turned into a written conversation with God which was nice.  I hadn't expected that my journal might become part of my daily spiritual practice.  Since it did, I'll add here that I hope to write daily.

Outdoors:  I didn't get the broken rocker off the back porch, no encourage John in looking to see if there's any way possible to fix it.  I'm thinking maybe two small 'L' brackets might do it.  We'll see.  I might even attempt it myself.

I did get the excess things off the back porch and then came back to find the headboard sitting there...I'll get that to the shed this month, heck this week.

The front porch needs a hard cleaning and by hard, I mean it needs a good hard scrubbing.  Since I've just about got my shoulder where it's not super painful all of the time, I find I'm really reluctant to test it out.  I know from the past that I can do this in small sections and since I'm out there nearly every day, I'll attempt to do it in that manner first.  

The patio table is still there on the patio and with the new playhouse, the water table, scooters and bike and the two wagons, and all the planters it's looking mighty crowded.  I can move something away and put it under the carport for now.  Speaking of which there is a table under the carport that needs to be removed as it's falling apart.  Mostly I leave the carport to John, but I put the table out there and I expect it will be up to me to remove it.

The fall/winter garden has been planted and there are mums and pansies planted. I am still hoping to find snapdragons and Kale, but I haven't found any yet.  As we get nearer the end of the month, I want to plant garlic, and then I need to get the Mandevilla up out of the pot it's in and ready to go into the bin for the winter.  I'm hoping the Hibiscus will overwinter.  They're supposed to here in our area.

Caleb:  Potty training goes on...

We are getting outdoors every day just now, unless it's full-on raining.  This has been so beneficial to him.  He's afraid of every little thing, no kidding, but he's growing in confidence and being more independent out there as long as I'm standing by.

Indoors, there are too many toys in the toybox and he either ignores them or dumps them all out in a search for something else.  I'm going to bag up a few things to send over to Katie's boyfriend's, so he has some of his own things there.  I won't overload that poor man with my cast offs.  Some I will simply put way in the shed and hold them until he needs something fresh to play with once more.  I find rotation helps.  How it is that we ended up with such a lot of stuff is beyond me, but we do.

House:  I pulled out a 9 x 13 pan and the lids to my pots and lo and behold, my kitchen angst died.  Those were all the items I brought out...nope, I also brought out the 12-cup muffin pan after I found my cheap 6-cup one from the dollar store was rusting.  Those things have made a huge difference in how I feel in my kitchen.  

This month is supposed to be the start of our renovations.  Will it be?  I honestly can't say.  I guess we just limp along until he shows up and then if he's not here when November starts, we try calling once again.  In the meantime, just all the cooking, cleaning, etc.

The house is a bit better but there's a lot of backlogs of work to be done.  Getting back into Zone work has meant that something is being done in every area every month and that's something I plan to continue working with.

I started a running list of things I am completely out of stock of in my pantry and this month I hope to fill those gaps with not only one for now but two for later in most things and case lot in the areas that are affordable as case lots.  We don't get special sales on those around here, but these are the canned items that aren't typically horribly expensive anyway.  Other things, like Maple Syrup and Spam, I'll work at over the next few months.

Restock my supply of candles.  I only have one matching pair left to use in the candle holders on the table.  We typically burn them for Shabat but in the darker months, I've been known to light them at the supper table and on really dreary days even at lunch, just for the brightness they give.  Kids love it when I do that.

We'll just leave that there. I tend to examine upcoming zones and know pretty much what I'll be working on when I hit that week.  

Personal:  Continue with my plan to eat better. I did get into a couple pairs of pants this past month that had been too small to even consider zipping.  I'm not saying they aren't snug yet, but I'm able to close the zipper and button them.  That's progress.  So I plan to keep going with this and yes, I did this despite entering whole heartedly into baking fall treats this past month.

I got my coat. And a pair of leopard ballet flats.  Right now, I need to step back and assess where I am and what I think I need before I buy anything else for my outer wardrobe. In October, I start to look for new bras, nighties, and underwear then I buy a few pieces each month, so that will be my direction starting this month.

I'm trying to be mindful of my skin once more.  I do have some very rough looking skin on my arms and with winter coming in they will only look worse.  One of you reminded me of a formula I'd used in the past of baby oil, lotion and something.  I stopped using it because of the high scent of the products.  I realized the other night I could easily sub in the fractionated coconut oil, the unscented lotion I typically use...and seems like a third ingredient, perhaps Vaseline?  I'll have to look it up and see if I can't recreate this beauty balm for my skin from the products that have no scent.  

Manis and pedis.  I didn't quite reach the point of doing it as often as I'd said, but I'm going to keep trying.  I did find a nice express dry topcoat that I can use to help extend the life of my polish.

Finally, posture is being a bear for me lately.  My shoulder pain is very nearly gone.  What helped was sleeping with a rolled towel under my arm (about the armpit and upper breast area) which took some of the pressure off the shoulder at night...Of course, the chiropractor did a lot of work that brought the pain down to something bearable herself, so won't forget to mention that.   

I realized that my posture while sitting in my chair was making my shoulders hurt, so I started to put a pillow behind me so that I could comfortably lean back upon it and lo and behold the remaining shoulder pain pretty well has decreased.  

Then I found that sitting with my feet up as I like to do was doing a number on my legs.  I do need to elevate them some, but I was sitting too long with them up and I noted I was hobbling most when I did.  So, I started intermittently putting them up and after 20 minutes putting them down for 20 minutes.  Made a huge difference in my gait.

Now to continue with these three things.  I need to make one more correction.  I need to use another pillow to elevate my laptop better, so I don't lean into it when I'm writing.  So that's my last goal in this area.

Finances:  I don't think I announced this, but Maxine who comments here on posts often enough issued me an invitation to join her and her daughter in a financial challenge.  Our goal was to physically SAVE $125 this past month.  Maxine has done exceptionally well with her challenge.  I didn't do too shabbily either.  I started a whole brand-new savings account and put away about $250.  Right now, I'm trying to determine just what I think I'm going to earmark this money for.  I also cashed in Fetch rewards and put that into a restaurant gift card for us to use.  

I'm setting the same goal this coming month: $125.  

I also put aside nearly $400 towards the deficit in the home insurance amount to pay it off in full in November when that bill comes due.  That puts me ahead with that as well.

I won't tell you these funds came from a reduction in our grocery spending.  I haven't even looked at those figures, but I'm going to.  This month, in order to encourage me to reduce that down to my previously budgeted level, I'm going to keep a running tab on my bulletin board so that it is IN MY FACE and reminds me that unless it's a super-duper unexpected sale I need to really stick to my budget, produce and dairy, or my running pantry list, which will be my primary goal when I do shop.  

Keep a close eye on Amazon orders and make sure I'm still getting the best price.  Last month I got a shipment of two different lots of paper plates.  One had been unavailable for months.  I didn't get my August pre-order approval notice at all, so I had no idea I was getting a massive shipment of paper plates and being charged for both, which I ought to have been.  Not complaining over that.  Here's the deal, I can go in and see what's coming each month well ahead of time and catch these things if I'll just take the time to go look.  In the meantime, I've come across a smaller paper plate (going from 10 inches to 8.5) for one fourth the price.  John can be happy with two inches less paper plate for that sort of savings, or so I say.

I need to work up a budget sheet for the last quarter of the year.  This is always a sticky sort of time as we have several annual renewals that we must have money set aside for, two major holidays, six birthdays and Christmas.   I've got Josie's three taken care of but there's plenty more grandchildren and children and a husband and mom and family otherwise on that list.

Blogging:  Ugh.  This one I really didn't do as well in as I had planned.

So back to square one: Try my best to remember to put up an Amazon Affiliate link in each post.  My June/July sales from this and the recipe blog netted me $14 in September from Amazon. I thank everyone who took the time to use those links.  It's a slow earning, but it's a help.  That $14 paid for a half case of Pizza sauce and ten boxes of tissues for the pantry. Again, I thank those of you who stopped to use them.  I doubt August nor September will do half so well since I took time off in August and then couldn't seem to remember to add in the Affiliate links.  

I hinted I was going to start a new blog and I have posted a couple of the older edited and compiled pieces to a new one.  I'm just not ready to totally launch it yet.  It needs work.  When I do get it fully up, I'll be sure to monetize it as well with ads and Affiliate links.  Please understand that this is not an alternate to this blog.  It is my plan to direct traffic from public readings to the new blog so that they can read pieces they've heard and skip over all the frugal and daily life stuff.  I'm perfectly happy posting here and plan to continue to do so.

I hope to get in a few more posts on this blog. I did fair this past month, but I'd like to be up to at least four posts a week and even five if I can swing it.  I can't make a hard commitment to that while I'm watching children.  I also need to 'prime' my inspirational pump.  It's run dry over the summer.  I'm working on that as well.

And that's it for the main goals.  Keep an eye out.  I'm planning another post on Romancing October...I think you'll enjoy that one!

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Isn't this a  pretty planner?  And it's two years...