Tuesday Tidbits and Stuff

 A dark and dreary day here with a couple of surprises. It seems like the weather pundits were correct in what they predicted.

The weather channel said that at 2 pm the rain would hit and surprisingly it actually did. It was also predicted that the rain would contain snow.... Making it more sleet than rain. Next they said that this would happen.

And it did. The snow is supposed to fall off and on for the next 3 hours now and more will fall over the evening and night. 

Both Harvey and I got out early and got as much done as we could before the rain and snow hit. I am hopeful that there will be a slight warm up next week with some sunshine so we can get more of the yard cleaned up before winter. But what will be, will be I suppose.

I made up the menus for next month and I am hoping to use up lots of the bits and bobs in the fridge freezer and clearing some more items out of the chest freezer that need to be used. 

The weather is playing havoc right now with my back so I hope once the cold and snow settle in things will be better, or at least a bit more manageable with my mint salve and comfrey salves. As it stands right now I end up sitting for awhile, standing for awhile and then walking around the house. One good thing is I am getting all my steps in for sure over the next little while.

Did a bit more decluttering and organizing, but with the weather being so blah, I will probably get a great deal more done this week. 

Not too sure how many children will be out trick or treating as of course the weather forecast says cold and rainy. It is so hard to believe that this month is almost gone....

Many projects on the list that did not get accomplished, but I am hopeful of getting at least one or two done (finished off) by the end of the month. I did get some meatless meals looked up and plan on looking up a few more. I did work on the Christmas baskets, and have almost finished the garden produce. Been organizing and tidying the sewing/craft room as well and could probably finish that very soon.

In other words just the typical life I have been leading since retirement.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless. 

Menu Monday

 Wow, the last week of October is here. I will be starting to pull ready meals a bit more often as I need to get Christmas candy and baking done. I also need to get some mixes made to add to Kurt's and Kris's baskets and make some gifts for Hubby... Though what I can make for Harvey I don't really know right now. I will figure something out though.

So meals this week are a mix of ready meals, and using up leftovers to make new meals.

Monday

Chili and toast. Ready meal pulled from chest freezer.

Tuesday

Leftover turkey made into a casserole. Served with a salad.

Wednesday

A Lentil casserole hopefully or perhaps a lentil, chickpea stew. I have so many red lentils (heck green and brown as well) that need to be used up.

Thursday

Leftovers from Tuesday along with the leftover salad.

Friday

Leftovers from Wednesday and any remaining salad, or I will make a frozen veggie up to have as a side if necessary.

Saturday

Soup and egg salad sandwiches. It is Halloween so something easy and able to finish quickly.

Sunday

Ham Pasties from the freezer. Another ready meal to clear out a bit of room.

So the meals for next week are figured out and there were absolutely no changes. 

I will be working on the next month's menus this week, as well as planning some batch cooking days towards the end of the month, just so there is a replacement of food in the freezers ready to heat and serve. I do kind of a beef day, a pork day, a ground meat day, chicken day and then a soup day. 

Fitting in the other baking as well as my regular bread baking and a few sweets for Harvey as well. I really love how my house smells at this time of year. Cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh bread and nothing smells better. Well unless it is the pine smells of a real Christmas tree.

Off to set my table and then visit with all of you.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Friday And In The City

 

We made it to the city and I managed to get a bit of shopping done before we arrived at Kris's place.

I was a bit disappointed in Michael's this time around. Way too much still in boxes and taking up room in the middle of the aisles. Was quite hard to move around the store.

Since I got my shots yesterday and didn't sleep very well, I will be heading to bed very soon.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thrifty and Frugal Thursday

 Thrifty and Frugal

The week has passed by very quickly. I have been busy finishing up the tomatoes and pumpkins. Only three more pumpkins and I have gotten them all processed. 

We are not too sure if the ground cherries are going to survive. It is getting pretty cold at night and soon will be well below freezing. Nothing seems to be ripening on the plants. Could be a failure this year.

Now what frugal and thrifty things have been happening here on the old homestead.

I bought 2 on sale beef roasts, as when I looked at the on sale stew meat realized the roasts were actually less expensive. So one roast was cut into cubes for stew. A cost savings of $10.00, which is nothing to sneeze at.

Pretty much all of my groceries and other shopping was either store brand or on sale. Still the cost was eyewatering but I am sure my next shop will be much less as I am pretty well stocked right now.

The usual hanging of clothing on the lines downstairs.

Mended a blanket that was given to me last Christmas by Kris.

Stretching most meals into a second dinner or at least a lunch for one of us.

Still making sure everything that uses electricity, like the oven, dishwasher, and washer are completely full before using them.

I have been using the electric roaster a great deal, as well as my air fryer. Next up is to get the slow cooker into the rotation a bit more. 

Planning what things I really need for my crafting and sewing this winter. I need some warp material, some embroidery thread, batting for quilts, some solid quilting fabric, some flannelette to make some pj's for myself for winter wear, and some interfacing (actually lots of interfacing if I want to try and make some tote bags for sale). There is a great sale at both the stores where I purchase these things so hopefully the expense will not be too bad. 

Reading some financial blogs and watching some frugal living YouTube channels. Interesting what many people are doing. 

Took the cans and bottles in to the recycling center for some cash.

Harvey started some Pinot which will be ready before Christmas.

Almost finished the first aid kits, just have to put in some of my thin rubber gloves to get them done.

Once again combined errands to save on fuel and wear/tear on the vehicle.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Tuesday Tidbits and Stuff

 I went shopping today and spent 3 hours doing so. Of course I got away a bit later than I would have liked, but man 3 hours comparing prices and looking where things come from. About drove me crazier than I already am. 

Also things have once again increased in price. I ended up purchasing two roasts as the stew meat that was on sale, was actually more per pound that the roast. Spending some time tonight cutting and getting that into the freezer. 

Still I am pretty sure that what I purchased (other than dairy and perhaps the fresh veggies) will last me well into November and even December with any luck at all.

My sister messaged me and we went out to lunch together. Had a lovely visit, and since today was her birthday I bought her lunch. When she said I shouldn't have done that, I told her she could take me out for lunch for my birthday.

Going out for lunch and the three hour shopping trip cut out my working on projects. Tomorrow I take my glasses in to have new lenses put in. Probably won't get much project work done without being able to see properly. I do have some older glasses, but I don't know how well I will see with those. Just put them on and not well at all. Guess I will be doing more cleaning and processing until I can actually see once again. 

I was asked what I was weaving and at one point I was hoping to warp the entire reed, but the warp went haywire so my plans for my wrap have changed. I will need to do two parts and sew them together down the middle.

I was also asked who the toques (knitted hats aka beanies) are for. Kurt once mentioned that many of the elementary students at his school come with no hats in the winter. So along with the mittens I made for them, the hats will be going to the school as well. As Kurt told the teachers there "Knitting keeps Ma out of trouble." Kind of, because eventually a few years down the road I may need to get more yarn. C'est la vie.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless. 

Menu Monday

 A new week has arrived and with it comes more changes to the monthly menu. I am beginning to think perhaps a weekly menu could be slightly better....

We had supper out on Saturday at the birthday party, so I made that meal yesterday. Moving lots around, and figuring out meals for the weekend when we make a trip to visit Kris so he and Harvey can attend the last Rider game of the season. I usually take at least one meal up to offset costs to our son, and this time I am actually thinking about 2 meals. Mostly so I don't have to move everything around once again.

Monday 

Roast beef (was supposed to be Sunday's meal), salad and cauliflower with cheese sauce. 

Tuesday

Baked spaghetti using the leftovers from Sunday. Probably finish off the salad as well.

Wednesday

Leftover roast beef made into a casserole of some type. Leftovers will probably be taken up to Kris's and used for one of the meals.

Thursday

Soup and sandwiches. I am planning on pumpkin soup and egg salad sandwiches. 

Friday

I plan on taking up some fish fillets and a package of store bought fries. 

Saturday

The leftover roast beef casserole.

Sunday

Ham Pasties, and probably a salad if I get home in time to make one.

I do hope there are no more changes, as next week I want to make broth from the carcasses I have saved, and use the ham bone later in the week and see what I can do with that other than ham broth. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Weekly Roundup

 I was asked about our Thanksgiving here in Canada and I must admit to not knowing a great deal about how and why our date is in October. I did know a few tidbits about our holiday in this country.

The first Thanksgiving in Canada was held by Sir Martin Frobisher in 1587 while in Nunavet. It was done in thanksgiving for a safe journey and the sailors ate hard tack, peas and the other items have slipped my mind.

Then in 1606, Samuel de Champlain held a series of "thanksgiving feasts" in New France.

Loyalists who left the United States and immigrated to Canada continued to practice the Thanksgiving they were used to.

In my reading our Thanksgiving changed every year and in fact one year many, many moons ago Parliament decided that December 6th would be a great day to celebrate. 

In 1957, the second Monday of the month of October was chosen as the permanent day, mostly because harvest was done by this time.

But even before Europeans started celebrating Thanksgiving our First Nations people had been celebrating something similar for many years.

Now that I have bored you all with Thanksgiving tidbits, on to what I have accomplished this month.

Pumpkins were processed over a couple of days. Just too many for me to do all at once, and there are yet more to do.

My collection of pots that seemed to add up after the puree processing and tomato processing. 

Some baby corn cobs that Harvey picked and we ate last night. They actually look pretty large here, but the biggest one was
about 3 inches. Sure were sweet though.

Weaving has begun. This colour is off as it is a very dark purple. 

I got to work on the embroidery once again. Sorry for the wrinkles. 

The bag of 15 toques left with Kurt and I am now working on some more. Pictures once I have more done.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.