Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Thrifty Tuesday And Updates

We did a stock up shop this past weekend, and while the cost was enough to put us over budget for this month, the next 3 or 4 months should see me well under our grocery budget.

Meat was packaged for the freezer. Sandwich meat packaged up as well and frozen.

Here is the sandwich meat, along with the bacon ready to go into the freezer.

I have also been stretching meals a bit more than usual. Today a small amount of leftover chili was stretched by serving it over pasta. There is even a bit left for my clean out the fridge meal tomorrow.

Now on to my updates.

1.  Finish my quilt.  Not quite, I am still trying to find a large enough space to sandwich it.... I have a feeling that I may end up trying to do so on the deck.

2.  Work on rug (finish it if possible).  Done. Not finished but I am working on it.

3.  Finish off some knitting projects (knitted hoods need sewing up and one needs the hood knitted).  Done.

4.  Knit two pairs of socks for myself.  Done.

5.  Cut out three skirt patterns.  Done.

6.  Cut out 4 top patterns.  Done.

7.  Try for 18 no spend days this month (could be tricky as it is plant buying time).  Done, in fact I actually reached 22 no spend days this month. Combining errands and keeping busy around the house seems to be working well for me.

Well, this did not go so well this month. I did manage to remove another 7 items from my home so there are 7 less things cluttering up the old homestead. I am hoping that next month will be a bit better.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.
 

Monday, May 30, 2016

Menu Monday

Monday

Eggplant Parmigiana from the freezer.

Tuesday

Leftover chili from the fridge freezer.

Wednesday

Clean out the fridge night so anything leftover will get eaten.

Thursday

Homemade Soup and egg salad sandwiches.

Friday

Baked salmon fillets, rice and asparagus.

Saturday

A bag of leftover ham from the fridge freezer heated up and served with rice and a salad.

Sunday

Beef roast, roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus and cauliflower mixed together.


Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Sunday Ramblings

We finally had a break in the weather and I could actually take my two walks today. It was lovely. However we will be back to rain tomorrow, just hoping it holds off long enough to get my laundry all line dried. Guess I will have to wait and see.

I promised you some pictures of my fabric haul. I only picked up four different fabrics, but enough of a challenge to me to get them made up into something perfect for wearing this summer. These will add a lovely spot of colour to my wardrobe.

The green, blue and orange patterned fabric will become a pretty tunic, and the blue fabric will be either a longer length skirt or a pair of capris (and hopefully a pair of shorts).

The light blue knit will become a long skirt. I love how knit fabric drapes and hides a multitude of flaws. The tie dye fabric will become a sleeveless dress.

I managed to package up all the meat and bread products we bought yesterday this morning before Mass. They are now residing in the freezers.

The buns made into packages of 6.

The meat made into meal sized packages. Well except for the roasts, I always want leftovers to make new meals with. I didn't buy any chicken or ground meat and the smoked sausage and ham steaks had already been put away before I remembered to take a picture.

Hopefully tomorrow Harvey will slice up the slabs of bacon and the sandwich meat.

I also bought coffee, some cleaning products, and canned goods that I managed to get into the pantry last night.

Freezers will be well stocked for the summer.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.






Saturday, May 28, 2016

Pre Summer Stock Up Done

Today we traveled to Regina for a bit of a stock up. The weather wasn't too bad on the way up or while we were shopping. However, as we were eating supper the rain came once again. We ended up coming half way home in a down pour!!! While we do need the rain I kind of wish it would stop for just a little while.

Pretty happy with what we managed to get at Costco and the Great Canadian Warehouse. We should be good for expensive meats and sandwich meats for a good long while. We will be over budget on groceries this month, but the next three months should see us well under budget. Harvey says to worry more about the total spent in a year than what each months costs are. Hopefully we will be well under budget for the entire year.

I also went to Micheal's to pick up some embroidery floss to work on the Christmas gift for Kurt. While there I noticed a yarn sale happening. Anybody that knows me knows I can not pass up a good yarn sale so I picked up some to add to my collection.

Since I did not have a cart this haul was actually quite small. Well small for me.

I also hit Fabricland.

My notions haul of buy one get one free items.

I will show my fabric haul off tomorrow. In a couple of cases it was buy one meter get one free, or at least 40% off.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.


Friday, May 27, 2016

Frugal Friday

1.  Packed my lunch for work.

2.  Had 5 no spend days over the past week (since I posted last Friday).

3.  Used up all the leftovers in the fridge for meals this week. Nothing got tossed at all.

4.  Rained Wednesday, Thursday and off and on today so the water barrel is full, the grass got nicely watered, and the car got a free wash.

5.  Got a free sample kcup in the mail.

Tomorrow we are heading to Regina. We will visit Kris, do a stock up shop, and perhaps find me a new bread maker.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Just A Few More

Well, before the rain hit over the last couple of days we managed to get our fire pit area cleaned up and set up for the summer.


The perennial garden is ready to go. We dug out the spreading juniper in the center and I planted annuals instead. Hopefully giving a bit of colour for the entire growing season.


I have always planted my herbs in containers on the front patio. Harvey wanted to save me watering time, so he built me some benches from leftover deck building and placed them at one end of the garden.

I am loving this. When Harv waters the garden the herbs are watered and when it rains they all get watered, whereas before most of them needed me to go out with a watering can.... They were under the eaves and didn't get wet at all.

When we visited Spain, we got to try all sorts of interesting foods. Tapas being one of them and something Harvey and I just loved.

One item was cheese filled phyllo pastry filled pockets. While I could not get mine to look like those beautiful round pockets, I did manage to make these square ones.

While they weren't as pretty to look at, they tasted just as awesome!

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Thrifty Tuesday

I haven't been very thrifty over the past week, but I suppose as thrift goes it wasn't too bad for this time of the year.

Planting time is never very inexpensive for us. Our growing season is so short that we buy mostly bedding plants rather then buying seed. I suppose if we had a place to actually start plants in greater number things would be different.

I did however use every single plant I bought, unusual for me as I usually over buy. We did cut down on container plantings this year (well I did and kind of regret it right now) but when watering with the rain barrel and watering can could and did take an hour, perhaps things were getting a bit out of hand. Mind you next year could see another movement back to the number of baskets and pots I do plant (people already say they are missing the riot of colour out front).

Now that everything is set up properly I will be posting some pictures of how things look and one of the benches Harvey made me to set my pots of herbs on.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.


Monday, May 23, 2016

Menu Monday

The final full week of May is here and almost time for me to plan next months menus.

Monday

BBQ hotdogs, the leftover roasted veggies reheated, and a salad.

Tuesday

Leftover Sweet and Sour ribs, plus any other leftovers still in the fridge.

Wednesday

Leftover Beef Roast made into meat pies. Served with a salad.

Thursday

Leftover pork made into a stir fry.

Friday

Soup and sandwiches.

Saturday

Clean out the fridge once again.

Sunday

Roast beef, roasted potatoes, carrots and a salad.

I might actually be able to get back on and do a bit of reading of my favorite blogs today. Harvey and Kris will be heading out to their fishing hole sometime and that means house to myself and a bit more computer time. Yea me!!!

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.



Saturday, May 21, 2016

Shhh, Sneaking In A Post

Kris made it home around 3 today and since that time has been busy working on our computer. He is in the shower right now so I am making this a quick one.

I think our cat Shania has the right idea about how to spend the summer.

Relaxing on the lounger.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Frugal Friday

Not a totally frugal week, but one that spending was kept to a minimum.

1.  I am afraid when I buy flowers for the spring planting I go a bit overboard most years. This year I made a list and kept to the list. I bought more inexpensive plants, fewer plants that cost a great deal so I hope to be under budget for a change. Will let you know at the end of the month when I tally everything.

2.  Baked bread again this week. Only twice, but only used a loaf I bought once.

3.  Made a grocery list that took advantage of items that were on sale.

4.  All laundry dried on the lines outside.

5.  Air conditioning off as much as possible and when on turned a bit lower.

No pictures of the garden tonight. Hopefully some tomorrow. We have been busy tidying areas of the yard up today. Making things look pretty.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Thursday Tidbits

I did my bill paying and grocery shopping early today, came home and started trying to catch up on all the work I didn't do in the house while potting up plants.

I did manage to clean the bathroom, wash walls in the sewing/craft room, wash the curtains from this room, do a bit of a pick up on the deck, and patio. Plus clean out the second kitty litter box and I even made a loaf of bread!!

Then I started in on the rug project. Slowly, but surely, step by step I will get it done.

Just a few more pictures.

These are some of the herbs I planted. Just have to find a place to put them, we are trying to group things together to make it easier to water everything.

That's enough for tonight. I don't want to bore you all.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.


Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Finished

The past two days I have been busy getting my bedding plants in so I haven't been blogging.

Just a few pictures (well a great many) of how the back looks in the beginning.

This is pretty much the deck finished. Tomorrow it will be the final clean up, and setting of the herb boxes as well as the clean up around the fire pit area. 

Post some more pictures tomorrow.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Goal Update and Project Declutter

Promised you all an update for my goals this month.

1.  Finish my quilt. No progress on this as of yet. I need a rather large area to lay everything out and have not really discovered one as of yet.

2.  Work on rug (finish it if possible).  It is out of hiding and sitting by my chair, kind of glares at me every now and then. Hoping to start work on it this week.

3.  Finish off some knitting projects (knitted hoods need sewing up and one needs the hood knitted).  Done.

4.  Knit two pairs of socks for myself.  Done.

5.  Cut out three skirt patterns.  Done.

6.  Cut out 4 top patterns.  Done

7.  Try for 18 no spend days this month (could be tricky as it is plant buying time). I am up to 12 so far this month.

 Well this ongoing project isn't seeing much happening this month. Right now I am only at 13 items gone from my house. I do have a feeling though that once I get working on planting there are many old broken pots and hanging baskets that will be adding to my total.




Menu Mondays

Another week of supper menus and another week of May already behind us.

Monday

Chili and toast.

Tuesday

Pork chops, mashed potatoes, and salad.

Wednesday

Cabbage bread from the freezer.

Thursday

Clean out the fridge night.

Friday

Tuna Casserole and salad.

Saturday

Sweet and Sour Ribs, rice and a salad.

Sunday

Roast Pork, roasted potatoes, peas and carrots, and hopefully a salad (depends on how much I have left in the way of greens).

Tonight I will do an update of how my goals for the month are progressing.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Sunday Ramblings

Quiet day, nothing much happening around the old homestead. It has warmed up some so that is a good thing. I do need to check what the overnight temperature is going to be as my bedding plants are sitting on the deck.... Freezing is no good for tender plants.

I had picked up some strange yarn a few months ago and am knitting a few spa cloths for the bath tub. Should give us enough abrasion when scrubbing to get all the ground in dirt from gardening off our hands and other portions of our anatomies this summer. I will post a picture when I get them finished.

Cut out the last of the three knit skirts, so next month I can get busy sewing them and the tops up. I have enough fabric left of one pattern to make a dress or pair of pants. I just don't know if I want pants covered in rather large flowers.

I learned something this week. I now know where many of our youth get their unsportsmanlike behaviour. Not from fellow youth, but from their parents. I say that because my Facebook page is filled with posts of hatred to our new Prime Minister from many (well mostly) who wanted our previous Prime Minister elected once again. Now they have started to attack his wife. I am tired of it and have started to block those posts. As I said to a friend, I didn't want the politician that won our Saskatchewan election to win, but since he did I will support him. After all we are a democratic country with the freedom to vote, the freedom to disagree, but not the freedom to slander, and cut down.

Everybody have a great day.

Take care.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Saturday Roundup

Really not too much to share on project updates. I have been busy cutting out those tops and skirts to meet my goal though. One more skirt to cut out and that goal will be met.

The weather has not been cooperating at all for us to get our veggie garden planted, or my flowers done. I am hoping that next week will be more productive on this front.

The cherry blossoms, however, are beautiful.

We have not had this many blossoms in many a year. The longer they stay on the more fruit we will end up getting (provided I can pick before the wasps descend).

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Frugal Friday

This week has seen the usual frugalities. However I will add a few

1.  Used a coupon buying my lunch today so lunch was free.

2.  Packed my snacks for work.

3.  Ate all the leftovers in the fridge this week.

4.  Using fabric in my stash, bought at yard sales, rummage sales and leftover from other projects cut out 4 tops to sew next month.

5.  Picked up another days work this month.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Thursday Tid Bits

Got up this morning, bundled up as it was just a degree or two above freezing and set out on my walk. I got to the end of the block and felt wet drops on my face. No it wasn't raining, as I looked closer I saw lots of tiny flecks of white coming down. Yep it was snowing...... Not what a person wants to see the second week of May.

Time to snuggle in and enjoy a day inside.

Remember I said I was knitting myself some socks with the leftover yarn from my wrap project.

Well here is what they look like before I finish them off.

Look a bit strange don't they. However once sewn together they turn into lovely, warm socks.

See, they look just great. Almost finished sewing the second pair.

Supper saw me using up a few items from the crisper and freezer.

I used up the onion, what was left of a bunch of celery, a green pepper, most of the broccoli, and most of the cauliflower as well as a bag of frozen leftover meat making a stir fry.

So yummy and so filling served on rice. We even have enough leftover for another meal. I may add a can of mushrooms to it when I reheat.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.




Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Weather Change

Weather here on the prairies of Canada is nothing if not unpredictable. The old rule of thumb is to not plant gardens or bedding plants before the Victoria Day weekend, because we are bound to get a frost. This year is no different, and all I can say is thank goodness none of the veggies Harvey planted are breaking through the soil. We will be going below freezing for a few nights and then up again to the mid teens during the day and above freezing temperatures for the nights.

I am a bit concerned about my cherry trees. They are loaded with blossoms again this year and I hope the frost doesn't do too much damage.

I am also happy that I did not plant the few flowers I bought. Last night we moved them from the deck into the house. Some friends of mine planted theirs during the hot weather we got late last week and on Saturday. I think they might now be wishing they had waited!

Thought I would share the plants I have managed to get so far.

Can you see the colour scheme I am working towards. I still have to pick up a few more, but I am hopeful of finding what I need this week.

Now because these flowers, and larger veggies are in my hall way, I have had to give up my spring cleaning for a bit. I, plan on starting that up again next week when the weather once again changes for the better.

Some of my lovely smellies. Kris bought some lovely candles for me for Mother's Day. I have one burning so it isn't in the picture.

Harvey got me a bead to put on the free Pandora bracelet I got. Boy those are hard to put on, and get the bracelet closed.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.


Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Thrifty Tuesday

A few thrifty things happened around here this week.

Along with the usual laundry, baking bread, and windows opened to allow cool breezes to enter the house thriftiness we managed to fit in a few others.

I turned three of Kris's dress long sleeved dress shirts into short sleeved dress shirts. Saved the buttons from the cuffs as well as mended a small hole he had in one of them.

We have been watering our plants with water from the rain barrel. It was getting pretty low, and the grass needed water badly....Well today we got rain! Free grass watering, rain barrel filled and I did not have to water our plants. The car even got a free wash, something it really needed as well.

Took the vehicle in for an oil change which was free. Free is always the best in my books.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Menu Monday

Monday

Soup and sandwiches. I have some chicken carcasses in my freezer so I will make stock for my homemade soup. Chicken Veggie Soup with ham salad sandwiches (couple of cans of ham flakes need using).

Tuesday

Pulling out a package of leftover pork roast from the freezer. I think a stir fry might be just the ticket. Served with rice.

Wednesday

That last package of leftover ham will be made up into a casserole (weather getting colder again so we will need something hearty).

Thursday

A clean out the fridge of leftovers night.  Got to get those bits and bobs out and see that nothing goes to waste.

Friday

Baked Salmon, steamed veggies, and noodles.

Saturday

BBQ Hamburgers. The weather is supposed to get much cooler but start to warm up again on this day (that is if you can believe the weather forecast) so may as well get Harvey out with the tongs once again.

Sunday

Roast chicken, roast potatoes, roast carrots, and probably a salad. Leftover meat will be bagged and saved to be used in recipes later on.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.