Bits and Pieces: Aunt Leeza's Box

I was perhaps 12 years old when Big Mama gave me this 'jewelry' box as she called it.  I loved it right away just because it was old and Big Mama had a habit of giving me things that had belonged to others and had some special meaning to herself.   This box was Aunt Leeza's.  I am spelling her name phonetically at the moment because I'm not sure how it was actually spelled.  (her name was Eleazar, but the family always shortened it to what sounded like  Leeza) I was given several of Aunt Leeza's things because, as Big Mama put it, "She was so taken with you."

Aunt Leeza was my great-great-great aunt and I did indeed meet her once when I was perhaps 5 or 6.  I clearly remember meeting her at Big Mama's home.  I was sort of 'taken' with her too, firstly because she was without a doubt the tiniest adult I'd ever met.  Second because she was dressed in a pale blue peignoir that was without a doubt the finest and most beautiful nightgown I'd ever seen outside of a magazine.  And third, because she was so very old.  I'm not just sure why Aunt Leeza was with Big Mama.  She lived in Montezuma and I suppose she'd been ill, though I recall her as smiling and happy that day I visited.

Frugal Friday

My 'new' wall in the living room, redone with things I had on hand and the thrift store pictures (the two long ones) I bought several months ago.

 Saturday:  A quiet day at home.  I cooked food yesterday and needed only to reheat today to eat.  Microwave reheating is a lot cooler than turning on the oven.

I finally have the summer measures of food down.  Maddie likes about 1 1/4 cups.  Trudy is a 1 1/2 cup measure.  The cat prefers just under 1/4 cup.  I seldom have leftover food these days to pour back into the container.

July $25 Grocery Challenge Week III

Week III July 16-22
  
Monday:  peach pancakes/sausage*
lunch: Submarine sandwich, john's treat we were out doing errands chips, ice cream*
supper: Cheese omelet, sliced tomatoes, grits (leftovers t and g) toast, turkey bacon
all ingredients except turkey bacon on last weeks cost line-up.  Turkey bacon purchased end of  May and stored in freezer.

Iced Tea Chat

Before July gets away from me completely I thought we'd sit down for another Iced Tea Chat. I've not been baking this week as you can see.  There are however, some German chocolates in the jar on the counter and Honey Roasted Peanuts.  I'm afraid things get a bit low the day before our bi-weekly shopping trip.

John and I spent the first part of last week recovering and catching up after our weekend of guests.  We had to run an errand on Monday to the home improvement place for heavy duty ant poisons.  I really like the Terro traps but I confess I'm completely unnerved when the tiny trail of ants suddenly increases to epic super highways of ants coming in to gather that bait.  It just seems to me it's not working, though I suppose it is.  John got some stuff to spray around outdoors, more of the ant traps and then decided to add in a bottle of stuff from Hot Shot that is natural and supposed to be safe for children and pets.  That made me feel good  because I do worry when we're using heavy duty sprays.  

Basil-Peach Chicken

http://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/summer-peach-recipes-00417000067799/page30.html

Frugal Friday

Of the gifts we bought for our grandson this one was the cutest and the least expensive.  He has a thing about trains.  John found this at Toys R Us: a bandana neckerchief, conductor's hat and a wooden whistle that sounds like a train...

 
 What a full week it was!  I am just now getting all caught up once more. I'll try to walk back through the week just past and see where we saved money.

Friday:  The last of the housework done, I headed into town with my lists.  Three of them: grocery, dollar store and local packing shed.

Dollar store: I bought two extra towels and four pillows.  Two of the pillows were down alternative pillows and I'll be honest with you, I think they are better quality than the ones I bought at Target for half again as much money.  I'll be going back next month to buy about four more pillows to replace some on our bed and we should be set for pillows for quite awhile.  I paid just $7 each for the down like pillows and just $7 for a pair of fiberfill pillows.

Week II Challenge Week/Company Meals

Week II of my $25/per person challenge was uninspired and strained my imagination a wee bit  having guests.  I don't really know how to count the overage.  I know I'm in budget with the number of people we had through the weekend but I don't really know how to figure it other than in breaking down the costs overall.  Friday afternoon I had four adult guests, 1 toddler and two infants in the house and fed six adults and 1 toddler supper.  Breakfast the next morning totaled the same number of people fed, but dinner was for ten adults, 1 toddler.  Supper that evening was leftovers from the noon meal and consisted of feeding 5 adults and 1 toddler.  Sunday morning breakfast was for 5 adults and 1 toddler.