Menu Monday

 

This is going to be another week of trying to either clear things out, can items from the garden, or freeze leftovers for use later.

Monday

Chinese noodle soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches. 

Tuesday

Spaghetti and meat sauce, salad (need to use up some lettuce, cukes, and one pepper. May throw in some black olives to get those used up as well).

Wednesday

Chicken Parma, mashed potatoes, and the remains of the salad.

Thursday

Leftover spaghetti and meat sauce. Probably sliced cukes to go with (dip as well). Any leftovers will be put in a tinfoil container and frozen.

Friday

Fish fillets, leftover potatoes made into patties and fried, along with some frozen veggies (just not sure what).

Saturday

We plan on taking corn on the cob, 3 hamburger patties that need to be used up, and some lettuce with us to Kris's for supper. That will clear a bit more out of the freezer.

I also plan on trying to make some soups from the broth in the chest freezer probably tomorrow or more likely Wednesday. Then we will have some ready made soup for meals when we are home. There is ham broth, and chicken bone broth as well. I think there might be some turkey broth as well.

This week is going to be a busy one, even though I have really managed to get lots done, there is still lots to do. I think I will probably crash once we hit the ship.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. Pictures tomorrow of projects I have managed to complete, and perhaps some of the garden as well.

God bless.

Towards A Simple Life

 

Sometimes the difficulty in living or moving towards a simpler life are the obstructions you or others seem to put in your way. 

I get questioned quite often on why we don't go out and eat or order in more often. I usually say it is because I love to cook and we have a full freezer and a full pantry. I also know what is in the food I prepare, and we do go out for a meal or order in every so often, especially when I have been extremely busy in the garden or cleaning the house.

Sometimes I am asked why we don't travel more. I usually say it is because I love my home and enjoy spending time with my flowers, processing the garden, or working on projects inside. It isn't that we couldn't, but I do find the lead up to traveling to be a bit overwhelming at times. Traveling to visit our sons is different and easy. Traveling to a cottage in a National Park here in Canada is easy as well. It is traveling overseas that causes me angst.

Then of course there is the obstacles I put in front of myself. There are times I find it very difficult to rid myself of those things we no longer need or use. I also find it hard to rid myself of bits and bobs of yarn (getting better as I can use those to pull my warp together, make mittens or toques for Kurt's school). Still I have yarn enough to last another decade, fabric to last at least a year, and other craft supplies that would probably last years as well. Still I am slowly working my way through everything and things are slowly being cleared out bit by bit.

Still both of us are working towards a slower, more intentional life. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

P.S. 

Photos to be put up tomorrow over what we have been accomplishing so far this month.

Thrifty and Frugal Thursday

Thrifty and Frugal

The usual thrifty and frugal practices are happening here. I did go out and purchase what we needed for our trip and probably on Sunday I will venture out to the grocery store before picking cherries and getting the one tree processed.

I mended a pair of pajama pants for Harvey. Another pair has been put into the sewing/craft room to make into rags. Those rags are very needed right now.

Sewed two dresses, pictures of which I will share on hopefully Friday. I make a very simple shift type dress for summer as those seem to be the coolest to wear. Some are made of a light cotton, and some are made with knit fabric.

Found fabric in my stash to sew Harvey a pair of summer weight pajama bottoms. Those will be completed tomorrow.

Pulled out my old tablet, powered it up and tried to get it to work. Not going to happen as it kept freezing on me. It is just too old. I guess I will be taking my notebook with me on holiday. Or perhaps I will struggle through with my phone. I can manage many things on that.

Visited our cell phone service provider and will be going back on the Saturday morning we leave for Regina to get a package put on so as to be able to use it when we are traveling for the 15 days we will be gone.

So other than eating up bits and bobs, making new lists, processing what I can from the garden, sewing, and planning on how to keep my plants watered and alive while we are gone, this is all I can come up with.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless. 

Tuesday Tidbits and Stuff

 Wow, I looked at the Viking Journey home page and we only have 13 days left before we take off. Kind of scary as I do not feel at all prepared as of yet. I hope that by the end of this week I feel more ready to be flying across Canada, the Atlantic Ocean and halfway into Europe (though it could be closer to 2/3 of the way in). 

Each day I try and do a little bit more in preparation and slowly my list is getting checked off bit by bit. However the garden really is not helping things. Neither are the cherry trees. I only hope things do not get over ripe or in rough shape from lack of rain. 

Yesterday I finished one of the two dresses I want to make, and today I cut out the second dress. Plus, Harvey asked me to make him another pair of summer weight pajama bottoms, so I searched my fabric, found some and got those cut out as well. Hopefully sewing will be happening over the next few days and things will be finished. I would love to get another skirt made, but I really don't think I have the time left, or perhaps I should say the inclination. The skirt I have in mind and the next jacket will more than likely have to wait until we are home again.

There were errands that I had planned to get done today, but I got a phone call from my doctor's receptionist saying that Dr. N would be phoning me this afternoon. So those have been moved to another day. It could be two days as I don't know how long it will take in the cell phone store. Or getting the few groceries I need for the rest of the time here at home. I may be getting our prescriptions a bit later. 

As I have said I am trying to use up and go through the pantry (both in the kitchen and in the hallway closet). I fear when we get home there is going to be a fairly expensive shopping trip. Things are being used up and will need replacing very soon. 

Off to get supper made and then visit all of you.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday

 

Keep in mind that this menu could and probably will change due to me wanting to use up all that I can before we leave the country.

Monday

Leftover Tuna Pasta Salad, along with some hamburger buns made into Cheese topped garlic bread.

Tuesday

I need to check, but I think there is either leftover chicken, beef roast, pork roast that needs to be used up. This means something will be done with that and any extra put into a container for youngest when he comes home to look after the garden for us. I also have some cucumber salad to go with.

Wednesday

Soup and sandwiches. I am leaning to tuna melts using the hamburger buns. I think I might make 1/2 the asparagus into soup.

Thursday

Sweet and Sour Ribs, rice and asparagus. There is lettuce so I may make a tossed salad as well.

Friday

Fake crab made up into a creamed style meal. Served over the remaining hamburger buns and the remains of the tossed salad.

Saturday

Leftover Sweet and Sour Ribs and rice. I will probably slice some veggies to serve with dip. 

Sunday

Chicken strips, creamed new potatoes, and perhaps a salad of some kind.

Slowly getting things used up and cleared out of the fridge and fridge freezer. There will probably be a few items we take to Kris's instead of allowing them to go to waste.

A Simpler Life

 The next few weeks will see us embracing Simple Living. I am amazed at how close we are to this definition of living simply.

"Simple living refers to practices that promote simplicity in one's lifestyle. Common practices of simple living include reducing the number of possessions one owns, depending less on technology and services, and spending less money. In addition to such external changes, simple living also reflects a person's mindset and values."

The past few years both Harvey and I have been reducing our possessions, and trying to spend less money on items that really are not that important to us. We are frugal so we can take the occasional long journey. However, now that we are getting up in age or journeys will likely be a great deal shorter. 

We are enjoying more of what we already have rather than always looking for something new and exciting. Taking things a little bit slower, finding joy in a beautiful sunrise or sunset, the flowers and veggies growing in our yard, planting fruit to harvest sometime in the future and just taking deep breaths. Not so much the deep breaths right now as we are getting smoke from the fires in North Dakota and Wyoming. 

I am enjoying getting projects completed, and going through my stashes of craft supplies, yarn and fabric. Things are being completed if a bit slower than I had hoped. Then again I am enjoying the creating process a bit more.

Now the depending less on technology and services is really something that is difficult to do in this day and age. If I depended less I would not be able to do online banking (saves lots of time), or watch YouTube or documentaries on the television (antennas do not work here any longer). Being able to depend on our accountant come tax time saves Harvey lots of angst. He hated doing our tax returns once they became a bit complicated. Some technology is wonderful though there are drawbacks if you get too attached. Also technology is great in the health field. What would we do without x-rays, MRI scans, CAT scans, and laboratory tests. Pretty sure that the depending less, does not include those. 

Simple living is wonderful as it makes a person slow down.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless. 

Thrifty and Frugal Thursday

Thrifty and Frugal

This is not the most thrifty or frugal week. In fact the next few weeks and into August will probably be pretty darn unfrugal with just a touch of thrifty thrown in.

I was asked to explain what Glace is. It is kind of like a very heavy noodle as it is just tablespoons of the flour/egg mixture put into boiling water with some cubed potatoes. The "glace" will float to the top when done. I usually fry some eggs to dip the glace in after putting melted butter with sautéed diced onion. Not the most healthy for the heart meal, but one my German grandmother made when money was tight. Flour was relatively inexpensive, onions and potatoes grew in her garden, the cow gave milk which could be separated into milk and cream, the cream made into butter, and the hens of course laid lots of eggs. While this meal is a bit more expensive now, it is still something I make as it brings back many memories of visiting with Grandma and Grandpa.

So what have I done that is thrifty or frugal this week?

1.  Errands were combined to save on fuel.

2.  I only purchased a few items of grocery as we have lots to use up (even with Kurt visiting). 

3.  It has rained here so I only needed to water my pots and baskets once. We got 2 1/2 inches just a couple of nights ago.

4.  Harvesting some cucumbers (salad will be made once Kurt leaves as he does not like them other than in pickles or relish). 

5.  Picked the last head of lettuce that was ready from the garden.

6.  Hung all the laundry on the lines outside.

7.  Using up as much as I can when making our meals.

8.  Made lemon balm and mint salves from last years harvest so nothing would go to waste.

9.  Made bread crumbs from leftover buns from the reunion.

10. Used fabric scraps to make reusable facial cleansing pads.

So there you have it. Looks pretty good however in the 16 days we have had this month there has been spending 8 of those days. After our trip, I will need to buckle down and tighten the frugal belt a little bit. Got to save some cash for Kurt and Kris's birthdays, and then there is Christmas.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.