Midweek, New Month

 

I just can not believe it is October already. I have said this before, but I really think the older I get the faster the days, weeks, months and years pass by. 

Not looking forward to my eye appointment tomorrow as the drops really bother me and my eye sight does not properly come back for most of the day. I also need to stop by the pharmacy (after phoning in the script) and pick up my medication. 

At least I can knit as that is more by memory and feel than watching the needle go in and out of the fabric as I work on hand quilting. So tomorrow will be spent working on getting the mittens finished and Friday will be getting the hand quilting done so I can work on the binding.

Today I found the perfect pattern for the double oven mitts and will search out fabric for those a bit later today while supper is cooking. I will also find the fabric to make Harvey's pajama bottoms. May as well get things together to work on this month.

Finished one goal for this month already. Sat after the household tasks were completed and got all the papers shredded. There was quite a stack. I will not wait 6 months to do that task again just too much to do when that happens. 

Harvey got the garden tilled and figures that will be the last time this year. He calls it the back forty now that the garden is extended a little bit. It still isn't as big as it used to be though. 

I have gotten instructions that if I see corn or set onions while shopping early in the spring I am to grab them. This year both were not readily available. 

The Christmas list is made, and I am going to try and get a few things done each month. Once I get the second basket purchased I can start filling them. Hopefully both will be filled with items both of our sons can use and enjoy. Plan on making more jar items like spice mixes and soups that all they need to add is water and perhaps a bit of meat if they would like. 

They both really enjoyed the chocolates I put in and in Kris's case coffee, Kurt's case tea so that will continue.  

Working on the prep list for the cold winter months as well. There will be a bit of extra spending so as to get all that we need stored just in case. I also want to make sure I have lots of instant coffee, cocoa mix, and other simple drink and meal items. Preparing seems to take us longer every year and this year is no different. My sore arm is kind of slowing this down a bit, but I am going to do my best to be ready before Christmas as it is being said the worst of the winter will hit in January.

Off to get the table set, some pick up of yarn beside my chair and then start supper. After that it will be visiting time.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Tuesday Tidbits and Stuff

 So far it has been a very quiet week. Other than the excitement of Harvey losing a doctor and gaining a doctor, it has been a pretty boring week.

I did up our monthly budget entries and am happy to report I was under for groceries (probably because we were gone for a week and probably because I am really trying to use things up). Being under by as much as I was made a good payment on the first of Harvey's partial dentures. I do hope I can continue this way and perhaps actually have saved enough over the remaining months that the first partial is fully repaid. 

Only 13 no spend days this month, drat. But I guess it could have been much worse considering the first 8 days we had to pay for meals out. 

Harvey did his third quarter financial statement and we are slowly but surely making the money back that we lost during the first quarter and part of last year. That makes me feel a bit better about our having enough cash to last for our retirement. Hoping that we make enough back that we can give Kurt and Kris a bit extra come Christmas. 

Me, well I have been working on projects to see how much I can complete by the end of tonight. I will finish pair number 9 of the mittens, and perhaps even cast on pair number 10. Once those are completed I will put away all the bits and bobs of yarn, and concentrate on the last fireplace quilt, and then move on to embroidery and sewing those double oven mitts. 

I am leaving the weaving until Kurt has been home for Thanksgiving and left. This rug will be for him. I also need to order some heavier cotton for warping this one. The cotton I have is just a bit too thin for something like this. 

Since I will have a bit of time, I think I will do some refashioning of a few items and see if I can cut some scraps into 4 1/2" squares. Using the rotary cutter this week was a bit hard on my arm so this might have to wait. I could however check the fabric stash and perhaps find fabric to make Harvey a pair of pajama bottoms for Christmas. 

Found a small tear in the bottom sheet that was on our bed last week. I really don't know how it got there, but washed today and tomorrow I will do some mending on that. The sheets are just over a year old and still (other than the small tear) in very good shape. I do not want to have to replace them so soon.

Spent some time on the phone with my friend that is moving in just over a week. While we don't spend lots of time together, just knowing she was here and I could call her any time was wonderful. Judy taught Kris in Grade 2 and Grade 3. We also took Lay Ministry together for three years. Driving back and forth to Regina once a month for those years built a bond between us. 

Off to get supper in the oven.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Plan Monday

 I have managed to make a menu for the month of October. It should see me using up a few items that need to be made into meals. 

Monday

Smoked sausages, homemade baked beans, and the leftover salad.

Tuesday

Leftover ham made into a ham and potato casserole. I hope to make a fairly large one so there are leftover. Corn and sliced tomatoes on the side.

Wednesday

Cream of Chicken Soup from the freezer and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Thursday

Leftovers from Tuesday along with peas and carrots.

Friday

Breakfast for supper. I plan on making pancakes.

Saturday

I will use a package of leftover pork from the fridge freezer and make pulled pork. Served with coleslaw.

Sunday

Roast Beef, roasted potatoes, roasted carrots, and the remains of the coleslaw.

Went to see my doctor today and she made an appointment for me to get an ultra sound. That will happen on Monday of next week and will rule out tendon or ligament damage. She also said that Harvey could become one of her patients. Now that is a big relief. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

 It has been awhile since I did a rambling post, so I guess I should do one tonight. 

We found out today (well very late yesterday) that Harvey's doctor will no longer be practicing. Now he needs to find another doctor within the next 4 or 5 months. Perhaps even earlier if his prescriptions are canceled because of this. I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday and will ask if she is willing to take him on as a patient. Chances are not good and this means he will need to go to a walk in clinic (which are few and far between) to see if he can get them renewed. Also we have a nurse practitioner which could take him on at a cost of almost $100.00 a visit. But if worse comes to worse that will be the way we have to go.

Mass was actually very good today. Probably the main reason was we could actually understand and connect with this visiting priest. Makes such a difference when you can understand where the speaker is coming from. He had such wonderful stories that combined so very well with the readings today. The Mass reached me in a way that it hasn't in a very long time.

My arm is a bit sore today, but I powered through some hand quilting this afternoon and I hope to finish the first of pair number 9 tonight. It would be so nice to be able to mark a few items off the project list early in the month (carried these over to October). 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Saturday Roundup

 

Since we have gotten home I have been trying to catch up on the various projects I would like completed. There is no way I will get them all done, so a bit of carry over next month, and not that many new projects added. Those that have been added should be able to be completed in October.

I did get two of the firepit quilts finished. Just working on the last one now. I do know that will not be done before the end of the month, but will be completed early next month.

Beans picked and frozen, carrots picked (some saved to use in coleslaw and our various Sunday roast meals), tomatoes cored and frozen, granola made for the rest of the month on the yogurt, and hot pepper jelly made.

I only made Kurt and Kris two each this time around.

Christmas list has been pretty much completed. New projects (and some that need finishing) are chosen for next month. Most of the projects are for Christmas gift giving. I have gotten the inventory for my fridge freezer completed, and am working (notice I say working) on the one for the meat freezer downstairs. 

Number 8 pair of mitts are on the needles, but I doubt very much I will get the full 10 done by the end of the month. So a carry over, along with the last firepit quilt. 

Still, considering the arm I am quite happy with what I have managed to get done. Along with the fact we were gone for the first week plus a bit of the month.

Hope to get the inventory of the meat freezer done before the end of the month and perhaps a bit more decluttering done as well. I have been kind of lax there.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Living Simply

 I am slowly but surely moving towards a life that is simpler. Not simple in that there is no effort to live, but one that takes our world into consideration and one that makes the most of what we already have. 

With rising costs I believe that the more we can do for ourselves, the better off we will be. Add in the wars that are raging around the world and preparation is definitely necessary. Today, Canada and the U.S. under the umbrella of NORAD, had to scramble planes as Russian fighters were getting very close to Alaska and Canadian airspace. We do live in turbulent times, and I don't think things will improve for awhile. This is not the first or only time that Russia has tried to enter the airspace of other countries with their fighters.

While I do have many things that make life easier overall, I am decluttering those items that I no longer use. Thus making space, not for other things but space to breathe and to just be. 

I have been reading so much about waste lately that it has made me realize that at times I have lead a very wasteful life. Small changes have been made and more are coming. The more that are coming is shopping more at a secondhand store. We only have two here which is kind of limiting, but I am sure I can find things to recycle into my life. I have already found reading material and craft supplies in one over the years, but now I will be looking for clothing to refashion and things to use with what I have. Perhaps I can find a decent set of pots and pans. 

Living simply means using what we have to the best advantage. This also goes very well with using up, wearing out, making do or doing without. 

Are you moving towards a more simple life? If so how?

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thrifty and Frugal Thursday

Thrifty and Frugal 

I just can not believe how quickly this month is passing by. Days whiz past and I am not really sure what if anything I have accomplished that is frugal and thrifty.

Here are a few things other than the usual ones that have become second nature to us.

1.  Turned up the air conditioning a couple of degrees, for some reason it was feeling very cold in here a few days ago.

2.  Managing to get a few no spend days in to finish off the month. I hope to add a few more before the end.

3.  Cleaned and tidied the fridge freezer baskets and made an inventory. So far I am actually using the inventory and now that I can see all that is in there I am sure I will be able to save even more on the grocery bill by using things up.

4.  Used more of the 4" fabric squares from clothing and leftover fabric to make some bookmarks for Christmas gifts. 

5.  Made some hot pepper jelly. Some will be for us and jars will also go into the Christmas baskets for Kurt and Kris. 

6.  Got the first of the wipe off boards ready for the inventory of the meat freezer.

So that is all I can really think of right now. My arm seems a bit better today, but yesterday was not good. I think I have to learn to rest it a bit more often and be slightly more careful of how I move it, and what I try to do with it. So happy that my doctor's appointment is at the beginning of next week

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.