A New Beginning

 

The sun was shining today and even though it is cooler than spring should be, I felt joy when the sun warmed my face as I stood by the window sipping my coffee. That joy has followed me through my frugal, but simple day. 

First on the list of to do's was to put the clean dishes away and clean out emails from overnight. Neither of those took very long, and soon I was in the basement taking the clothes off the lines downstairs and getting them folded. 

I started the dough for two loaves of bread for the freezer and while that was going on cleaned the bathroom, swept my floors (I really need a new broom as this one is getting pretty worn out), did the ironing and collected those items that need to be mended for the mending basket (will do that next week). 

Simple things to keep the house running smoothly really. Nothing too difficult or time consuming. Those things seem to happen on a Monday.

Checked the fridge to see what needs to be used up in the crispers or at least processed so it does not spoil. I have some green onions that will be chopped up and used on our supper tonight as well as some cheese. Must get that grated and ready very soon. 

Then I got to play. I pulled out the small sewing table so I could watch some free shows that I enjoy and started sewing. I am afraid that I can no longer sew as quickly as I used to, as I must get up and walk around every so often to ease the pain in my back from sitting. 

Frugally, my sewing projects are using leftover pieces of fabric from other projects. The only one not is a knit dress and I bought the fabric a few years back at a deep discount at Fabricland. I am really trying to use up what I can and the smaller pieces are going to be saved and used in quilts or makeup remover pads/toner applying pads. While those you purchase in a store are not really expensive, they do seem to be climbing in price.

Still I did manage to get a pair of capris sewn, and start on a pair of bermuda shorts. Those I should be able to finish tomorrow and even get a pair of shorts done. Not as long a to do list to complete on Wednesdays so more time to play. The weather is still going to be cooler and so I do not plan on spending time outside other than a bit of a walk for some fresh air and exercise. 

Supper will be using up some leftovers. I made chili a little while ago and some was put in the mold to freeze and store for later, there was also some just put in a glass container in the fridge to be used tonight. Harvey likes chili and toast, but is willing to let me have chili on pasta for our second meal. A little change, but it really makes a difference. 

When I went shopping I did my usual $10.00 purchase for the pantry. I got 4 cans of tomato soup at 77 cents a can, and three cans of cream of mushroom for the same price. Those are used in cooking as I would much rather make my tomato and cream of mushroom soups for eating. I then bought some corned beef to bring the cost up to the mark. We do love a good corned beef hash. 

No money spent today, using things up, and enjoying the sunshine and the house smelling like freshly baked bread. Could anything be better?

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday

I am working on how the blog will be set up from now on. I think I will probably post Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. There could be a weekend post if something exciting happens, or if I have any news.

Other than Menu Monday, I am still not sure what the other days will hold. I do know there will be frugal tips, frugal cooking ideas, project completions, and my journey towards a simple life. 

I was asked why I make so many mittens for the school my son teaches at. It is a K to Grade 12 school and it is in a rather depressed area of Alberta. Yes, there is oil but there have been many layoffs over the years, and lots of the coal mines shut down many years ago. This is one reason and the other is after having worked in schools here, children are always losing their mittens up to a certain age. I want their little fingers to stay nice and warm.

I am also amazed that so many of you read my little blog and have given me a reason to keep on blogging. At one point I was considering taking a long break, but now I figure 4 times a week will be enough for awhile. Perhaps once I have reached a point where I have reached that simple life, I will go back to blogging a bit more often.

On to menu plans for the week, and considering we had a few snowflakes meandering down from the sky this morning, I am pretty happy I did not plan on any BBQ meals this week.

Monday

Hamburger soup, and buns or crackers.

Tuesday

Leftover chili served over pasta. 

Wednesday

Leftover Roast beef slices made into a casserole. Served with a salad.

Thursday

Leftover beef casserole from Wednesday along with leftover salad.

Friday

Salmon Fillets, rice, and mixed veggies.

Saturday

Chicken Pasta Bake. This is a ready meal pulled from the freezer downstairs. I think we will probably have some green beans with this. The weather should be better and I hope to get the perennial bed dug over and some of the weeds out. 

Sunday

Baked chicken thighs, homemade fries, and peas. 

As you can all see I am still making my way through various bits and bobs from the freezers. Also anything left over will be frozen to be used later in another meal, or perhaps taken up when we visit with Kris to share or for him to have for another meal when we are not there. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

 

Thoughts and Plans

 

As life and living becomes simpler, I am considering changing up my blog. I will probably keep my menu plan Monday, and the thrifty and frugal Thursdays, but the rest of my posts just might be changing just a tad. 

Don't worry, I will always follow a frugal and thrifty lifestyle, but times are changing. I will perhaps be adding more shopping tips, working on project tips (clearing out our stashes) and how to live a simpler life. 

The other thing is I might not be posting every day anymore. In entering a simpler life things are changing in my world and some of them really are not at all very interesting, or something I care to blog about. 

While I have been open about my lifestyle and spending, over the years I have found that not as many people are interested in a day to day lifestyle. People would much rather see things about decluttering, saving money, or living a much simpler life style. 

Forgive me if I miss a few posts over the next while, I will be working behind the scenes to get things to the point where I don't feel almost forced to post, and figuring out what my readers really want.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless. 

Friday, Moving Towards A Simple Life

 

I am loving that most of my days move along smoothly and simply. I get to take walks, not only do big things to get our lives in order, but do those little things that just make life a tiny bit simpler. 

Whether it be having a ready meal to pull out of the freezer on those busier days, or forming buns to bake in the oven. Each small step or increment moves me that much closer to enjoying life even more. 

One of the ways I have made our lives a bit simpler is only going shopping every two weeks. My back might cause me angst after the shopping trip, but one day out of 14 or more is not something that I can't live with. 

Having to rest after serious cleaning is awesome. It gives me the time to enjoy my home, or the outside. And really that 15 minute rest helps me concentrate on getting little things straight in my mind. 

The weather is warming and soon we will be planting outside. I am a little sad that not as much will be planted this year, due to us going on our trip and not wanting to bother anyone to, well water the garden and flowers. I may ask Kris if he would be willing to come home on the weekend and water all for us, and I might have figured out a way to keep many things watered, but we shall see. 

Life is good, and even with costs rising, one can find joy and pleasure in a sunrise, a sunset, sunshine throughout the day, smiling at strangers, and just taking the time to be grateful.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Thrifty and Frugal Thursday

 Thrifty and Frugal 

I can't remember another month where the last day coincided with Thrifty and Frugal Thursday. Mind you my mind might be going a little bit.

We have had a few frugal and thrifty wins here on the old homestead, but of course there is always a catch and that was today. We needed to have 2 batteries put into the tire sensors, and they were ridiculously expensive. However there was one thrifty/frugal thing that happened while the vehicle was in.

On to my list.

1.  Straightened up some cupboards and managed to fill a few containers. Thank heavens for step ladders as I would never be able to reach these two cupboards without it.

2.  I managed to go 24 days without spending any money. May is going to be a tougher month, but I will try my best to get at least 20 no spend days. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

3.  Working on my projects and using up more yarn. Slowly but surely that stash is kind of shrinking. Hoping to have even more gone very soon. One would think after what will be 120 pairs of mittens knitted, things would really be used up.... Not true in reality. So I will knit some hats next for the school. They should be kind of funky looking and all sorts of colours.

4.  I put another $100.00 in the savings envelope. I also put $2.35 in the change jars. 

5.  Leftovers are being made into new meals, and those new meals actually end up feeding us another time. Nothing is being tossed. 

6.  Making bread and buns and eventually I will try and make bagels once again. 

7.  Darned another pair of my socks, and fixed a seam on one of Harvey's shirts.

8.  Now while this was not an inexpensive trip to the dealership for our vehicle. My advisor did not charge for his labour in replacing the sensor batteries. That was more than likely a savings of around $50.00. So nice of him.

So that is some of the new things happening here on the old homestead. Of course we are still following the tried and true frugal and thrifty things we have been doing for years.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Midweek/End of the Month

 The middle of the last week of the month of April is upon us. Not only is it the middle of the week, but we only have 1 day left this month. Wow, where is time going?

There will be a couple of tasks (projects) that will be carried over to next month, but I have come to the realization that what will be done is what I can manage. I can make long lists, but if I want to enjoy what I am doing I will need to manage my expectations of the time I actually have. Still, things are getting completed, I am enjoying the process of creating something, and slowly but surely decluttering and making my life just a tad simpler with each declutter and using up of what I have. 

Tomorrow we take the car in to get the winter tires off and the other tires put on. We will also get them to service the tire monitor system. The appointment is at 10 am, so I hope to have the vehicle back sometime in the afternoon. 

I have pushed my shopping until Friday which is actually 3 days later than the two weeks I usually go. I am hoping to be able to do so even more often.

The sauces/coatings/cracker cupboard is cleaned up, now I will go back to seeing what can be cleaned, refilled, and labeled in the pasta cupboard. Part of my organizing to make things just that little bit easier as life goes on. 

Enough rambling, I am off to set the table and get the step ladder to complete the organizing.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Tuesday Tidbits and Stuff

 Quiet reigns on the old homestead. I have been trying to get lots of little things done around the house. You know the things we keep putting off each and every day. Getting those little things completed is easing my stress level each and every day. 

I am still getting my regular tasks done and I am slowly learning to pace myself. Taking rests between tasks and finding ways to complete something with the least effort. This will not last as soon I will be washing walls, painting outside, planting, and getting the deck set up for use. I will also be pulling firewood from the wood box and resupplying the holder near our firepit. Must remember to get Harvey to split some as full logs don't start a fire very well. 

Work on projects is ongoing, and I now realize that I will not finish all that I had planned to do. Still I did manage to get a few completed, and some ready for the next step. That is pretty much all I can ask of myself at this point in my life. I am getting too old to go, go, go, each and every day and resting is imperative I find. Too much on my plate just seems to frustrate me in trying to get all done. 

This means my projects/goals list will contain things that I can get done quickly as well as those that will take a bit longer to complete. It is also making me rethink things like making cards (which I will still do) after I use up all the cardstock I have. In fact I am thinking that using some of the cardstock to make flowers might be a great way to clean that bit of my stash out. I am also considering sticking to cleaning out the yarn stash even more as that has really gotten out of hand over the past few years. Bits/bobs and orphan balls really add up and take up lots of valuable space. Hence why once I finish the 120 pairs of mittens I am going to try and get some toques made for Kurt's K-12 school. Might even make some colourful knit blankets to rid myself of even more. 

I no longer want to do things that do not bring me peace or joy, and am finding it extremely difficult to even read family members posts on Facebook. Perhaps it is time to take a step back and evaluate if that social media is serving it's purpose any longer. Could be the time to block some of the family.

At 70 years of age I want peace, joy, humanity, and love. I don't need complaints, hatred of people who don't follow the same political leaning, and those who want to drag the country down. 

Life is meant to be lived and enjoyed.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.