Mid week Ramblings

 It was and still is another cloudy day. We did have some rain overnight and a bit of a drizzle around noon. I haven't looked at the forecast for the rest of the week, but I sure hope there is some sun in there.

I am definitely trying to keep calm. Canada and Mexico did not get hit with "reciprocal tariffs" this time around as far as I can gather. However those tariffs that had been postponed are now in effect. So glad we got the range before the steel and aluminum tariffs were started up once again. I do know that this is going to cause hardship for many companies in Canada. Hopefully not too much and we find other places to trade with. The hardest hit will be the automotive plants. 

If you all remember when we went to visit Kris we ordered some new chairs for the dining room as the old ones were just too dilapidated to repair, or if we could get them repaired the cost would have been more than new chairs. 

Well, they arrived today, a full two weeks before expected. Harvey says he hopes we are done spending for a length of time. I then reminded him of the partial plate payment coming up.

The big containers seen in the picture are Harvey's wine making. Yep my dining room sometimes becomes a distillery. This will continue for probably another 5 or 6 weeks. 

I baked bread today, and I think the oven bakes a bit cooler than the shown temperature so I may have to recalibrate it. I will try to bake a few other items to get a good reading and then decide what to do. 

Finished one project I carried over from last month. I got the recipes copied that I wanted and the two cookbooks are now residing in the box for this month's donations. Hope to add a great many more items to the box before the end of the month. I seem to be falling behind in the decluttering department. 

Off to visit with you all and then get the leftover casserole into the oven to warm up.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Tuesday Tidbits and Stuff

 

I want to thank all of you for the get well wishes, and I am feeling much better today. I am still aching body wise (hips and back) but am pretty sure it is because of the weather, rather than a viral or bacterial infection. 

Worked around the house and actually managed to get most of yesterday and today's tasks done. I got a bit tired out by mid afternoon, but for a good reason. 

Harvey dragged me out (well not really dragged) to shop for a new range. I was prepared to have to wait until after Easter for it's delivery. We priced out at the three places that sell appliances and not that there is much to choose from here in our small city. Prices in most cases are very close to each other. 

Our last visit was to a small personal business on our main street. There we found the range we had been looking at in the other stores and when we asked the price found out it was on sale, and for less than the other two stores sale prices. 

We purchased it expecting a wait. To our surprise the gentleman who runs the store had bought a stock of various washers, driers, ranges, fridges and freezers to beat the tariffs. Kept our fingers crossed that there was at least one of these ranges left.

So we brought home this....

I now have a new range and while I haven't tried the oven yet, I did the oven set up and am planning some baking tomorrow. Harvey said I couldn't seem to stop smiling as we got this set up. Now hopefully this will last us much longer than the last one.

We have also had snow off and on. Not a nice April Fool's joke at all.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday

 

Still not feeling totally well. The headache is sticking around as well as the stuffed nose and sinus cavities. 

Once again blogger is not letting me set up my post as I would like. Oh well, will continue.

Menus for this week, since I am still trying to use items up in the fridge freezer as well as items in the freezers downstairs that have been hanging around for awhile. Also by feeling not to well meals are very easy.

Monday

I made a hamburger casserole to use up some items from the crispers. There is enough for another meal in a couple of days. I also made some egg rolls that I purchased from Walmart a bit ago.

Tuesday

Baked ham, mashed potatoes, the remainder of the asparagus, and a salad.

Wednesday

Leftovers from Monday. Served with leftover salad.

Thursday

Warmed up slices of ham, potato patties, and peas or carrots.

Friday

Salmon patties, rice, and mixed veggies, though I could make another salad.

Saturday

Baked chicken breasts, leftover rice, green beans, and if I made salad yesterday the remainder will be served tonight.

Sunday

Roast pork, roasted potatoes, roasted carrots, and I have a rutabaga that I could roast as well.

I am heading to bed, so will visit you all tomorrow morning.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Not At All Well

 

Not at all well. Headache, sinus' are plugged, stomach churning, slight fever and I ache all over. Hopefully better tomorrow. 

Heading to bed early tonight.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Money Mastery

 

I don't have a roundup of crafts for all of you right now. I really haven't managed to get anything completed. I think I just might have hit a brick wall craft wise as the remaining projects are taking much longer than I thought. So I thought I would try something different today.

There are so many ways that a frugal and thrifty person can save money. Yet the main and probably easiest way is controlling our shopping habits. 

This is one reason I try and have no spend days, and only shop every two weeks. If I don't have something I need I will either try a substitution or do without.

Today I am going to go over some of the ways I save when shopping.

1.  I love shopping at my Co-op grocery store. People say the prices are higher, but I find if you shop their sales and are a member getting money back on what you spend for the year, it is pretty much the same as Sobey's here. If you find a store with good prices, and great merchandise do patronize it as often as you can. 

2.  You can save lots of money by purchasing clothes off season. Most retailers are trying to get rid of the items to make room for the new season clothing.

3.  Shift to thrift stores for kids clothing especially. Children outgrow their clothes very quickly. You can get inexpensive children's clothing very inexpensively. You can often find good quality clothing for yourself as well for an excellent price.

4.  Plan just one big supermarket trip. Use a list and unless something is a big markdown do not purchase if it isn't on the list. Shopping a couple of times a week often encourages us to add extras to the cart.

5.  Shop early to miss the crowds and not have to wait in long lines which might tempt you to add one of those magazines or candy bars to the cart. Always eat before you go, never shop hungry.

6.  Decide how much you want to spend before you go. By limiting your spending, you will be less tempted to splurge on non-necessities. 

7.  Add items to the grocery list as you run out and then check to see if they are on sale. This way you won't forget anything.

8.  If you are always shopping the same store organize your list by aisle. Something that can be difficult as many stores are constantly changing things around.

9.  Menu plan using what you have in your fridge, freezer and pantry. Then you only need to add a few ingredients that you do not have any longer, or you may find that you only need things like dairy, fresh fruit and vegetables.

10.  Look high and look low. Groceries tend to place the more expensive items at eye level.

11.  Try out those store brands instead of the name brands. You may just like them more and in many cases they cost much less.

12.  Check the per serving cost. 

13.  Try and cook from scratch more. Processed foods are more expensive and cooking from scratch enables you to make your meals more to your taste.

14.  Make your own spice mixes. The packages are only for one meal and your own spice mixes can be made to handle more than one meal and for at least half the cost.

15.  Grow a garden in season and freeze or can the harvest. If you can't have a garden due to room constraints, perhaps there is a Farmer's Market you can pick things up at a more reasonable cost.

So there are just a few ways to save money on shopping. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Winter Is Back

 

It seems as if winter is back once again. Harvey went for a short drive and said the roads are getting icy. The snow is falling harder now and I am sure we will actually get the amount that was forecast. Or at least very close to that amount. So very glad that I went out yesterday and did all my errands. 

This morning Harvey and I put together the shelving unit that came yesterday. 

This has enabled me to get all my small appliances that I regularly use out of the spare bedroom (the closet consists of shelves) and into a space where I can access them a bit easier. I really like the set up and now I also have room to store my dehydrator and electric roaster upstairs instead of down in the basement. I am hoping to declutter more in the spare bedroom closet to enable me to bring up my blancher and my water bath canner. At least I will not have to go up and down the stairs as much during harvest season.

We have decided that next week we will price out ranges and order or purchase a new one. I am so looking forward to having a working oven, but unless bulk cooking or baking, will continue to use the toaster oven or electric roaster. 

I was asked about my mint salve and this was something I made last fall. I used dry mint, soaked in a carrier oil (I believe I used grapeseed oil). I put it in the window for about 6 weeks, perhaps slightly less and then drained through a double layer of cheese cloth, put in a double boiler, added some cosmetic grade beeswax pellets. Then stirred until the pellets melted and were combined with the oil, and poured into small tin containers. 

This is how I do most of my salves, some have a bit of cosmetic grade shea butter added as well. Many of the recipes I use say to use a few drops of essential oils, but I have never done that. 

One day I will purchase a new hand mixer and then use the old one to make lotion and refill my pump bottles.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thrifty and Frugal Thursday

Thrifty and Frugal  

Another week of thrift and frugal happenings here on the Phillips homestead. 

I really need to stay away from the news, it is just so dang depressing. Now the President of the EU is tell the citizens to prepare for a disaster by stocking supplies, and being ready for higher prices. Life is spinning out of control.

However, frugalista's should be able to weather whatever happens, even if it means doing without things.

First I will let you all know we finally have a price for fixing our oven/range. I think we may just go with purchasing a new one with old fashion coil burners. I have been taking the water bath canner outside in order to use it, our smooth top stove will not keep a steady heat for that purpose. The price for fixing it is about $600.00 as it is the mother board that went, a new coil stove is only about $300.00 more and we would have a stove that actually is more of the type we need. Not very frugal, but we have the money to pay for it. We will see what Harvey thinks tomorrow as he has been known to change his mind.

Now on to frugal and thrifty happenings here on the homestead.

1.  The butt of my celery is starting to grow baby celery stalks. It will be awhile before they can be used, but should save us a little bit on groceries.

2.  Bought various dried beans and peas on sale today. I am hoping to make even more meatless meals and these will certainly come in handy for that.

3.  Fixed a seam on a shirt of Harvey's. Darned two pairs of socks.

4.  Found enough lining fabric for the jacket/coat I want to sew in my stash.

5.  Used all leftovers from meals for lunches except for a tiny amount of gravy that had dried up.

6.  Hung clothes on the lines downstairs.

7.  Once again on the sunny days heated the house with solar heat. 

8.  Combined errands today before the chance of freezing rain. Shopping was done a couple of days earlier than I wanted, but a couple of days later than when I did it two weeks ago.

9.  Using mint salve on my sore hips, and getting up and walking around the house a bit more. Also changing from sitting to standing more often.

10.  Used saved water to water the plants.

Off to get supper started, still working on using items up in the fridge freezer. Then a visit to each of you.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.