Thrifty Tuesday

 

So this past week has been much like the others so far this year. Except we had some rain towards the end of the week and now we are being hit with temperatures reaching the low 30's C. Poor air conditioner is runny lots the last couple of days.

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

I have been busy sewing and using up those 4" squares I cut out of old clothing.

Removed the zippers from 3 pairs of Harvey's ragged jeans, and cut up what was usable into more 4" squares.

Used my rebate from my Co-op to buy groceries... Only cost me $5. 79 for a weeks groceries (some items for the pantry were in there as well).

Used vinegar and water to wash my walls.

Did a small amount of batch baking.

While not really thrifty as thanks to Kris for getting our security system up and running I sent home with him a meal of chili and macaroni, an apple crisp and a rhubarb crisp.

Downloaded some free reading material onto my ereader and will be doing more of the same this week.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Menu Monday

 

We had a lovely weekend. Kris managed to get down, Harvey and he went fishing for a few hours, and he (Kris) managed to get our new security up and running. All in all a lovely weekend.

On to the menus for this week.

Monday

Hamburgers and salad.

Tuesday

Sweet and Sour Ribs, rice, and salad.

Wednesday

Hamburger soup and biscuits.

Thursday

Clean out the fridge.

Friday

Gone (hopefully)

Saturday

Gone (hopefully)

Sunday

Gone (hopefully)

We will hopefully be gone on the weekend to visit with Harvey's brother. The guys will take out the boat and go fishing, I am not at all sure what us ladies will do. Perhaps just laze around the house. I have a feeling that we will take out our hosts one night for supper though.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Wednesday's Happenings

 I had forgotten to take my blood pressure the last couple of days (okay last 4 days) so I quickly took it today. Not bad at all, though my pulse is a bit higher than I like. 

Really nothing much going on, and the fishing trip is being put off until Harvey's brother feels a bit better. He figures next weekend, which is the long weekend here in Canada. We celebrate our countries birthday on July 1st. Now, Kris usually comes home on the long weekends so I called him to see if he could come for a visit (bringing Eiko of course) this weekend. 

It turns out that Friday is his EDO, but he might have to give it up depending how much he needs to get done on the city's budget for next year. He does the budget for the swimming pools, parks, and rinks in the city and sometimes there are numerous rewrites. However he did say that if he managed to get Friday off he would come home that morning, if not he would come home after work. 

Harvey and he will go fishing and we have a tech type job for him to help us with. Harvey bought some lightbulbs that have a camera in them and he needs help installing them..... Thank heavens for Kris. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Thrifty Tuesday

Happy Tuesday blogging friends. It has been a quiet day at home. I did send Harvey to buy some new clothes as his jeans and pants are getting pretty bad. He is keeping a couple of pairs for working around the house and yard.

So what are the thrifty happenings here on the old homestead.

1.  I fixed a seam on a pair of my shorts and the fly on a pair of Harv's boxers.

2.  I am cleaning out leftovers from the fridge with great success. Either using them in new ways or having them for lunches.

3.  I fixed a pair of sandals. Not the best repair job, but hopefully they last for at least this summer.

4.  Using up yarn from my stash knitting those Secret Santa scarves.

5.  Foraged some extra rhubarb from the neighbour. Free food is always great.

6.  Saved some plastic bags to use for weeding my flower beds.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday

 

Hello all fellow bloggers. I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We put up a few things in the backyard and did some outside work. So things were a bit hectic around here.

One of Harvey's brothers is in the hospital (in fact it is the one we were going to give a lift to another brother's this weekend). Harvey plans to go and see him tomorrow.

On with the menu plans for the week.

Monday

Smoked sausages, pasta and salad.

Tuesday

Leftover Chicken from Sunday made into a casserole (it has been fairly cool with a lovely breeze). I will make up another salad in order to use things up from the fridge.

Wednesday

Sweet and sour ribs, rice, and salad.

Thursday

Clean out the fridge night. 

Friday 

Gone

Saturday

Gone

Sunday

Back at some point and will make something relatively easy.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Frugal Friday

 So what frugal things have I been up to on the old homestead.

1.  Using up items from the fridge freezer and the larger veggie and baking freezer downstairs.

2.  Windows open at night to cool off the house.

3.  Combined errands to save on wear/tear on the vehicle.

4.  Put change into the change jars. Added money to my cash envelope.

5.  Got a lovely rebate from our Co-op grocery/gas bar.

7.  Filled in two surveys this week for points towards gift cards or cash.

8.  Picked and froze rhubarb.

9.  Made sugar scrub. 

10.  Used the rain barrel to water all the plants.

11.  Harvey fixed his lawn mower, as well as our house number.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Thursday Tidbits

 

Slowly working my way through the various projects I want to get done this month. I also managed a bit of baking and soup making over the past week.

Here are some pictures with my rather old digital camera. 

A package of Butternut Squash being used to make soup. I managed to get 2 lovely containers into the freezer.

Two zucchini loafs are wrapped and in the freezer as well. This used up a bag of shredded zucchini from our freezer.

Three Apple Crisps made from two containers of homemade pie filling from the freezer.

I also made two Rhubarb crisps that I did not take a picture of, and chopped up plenty for the freezer as well. 

My cross stitch is moving along. I think I should have chosen another colour of background fabris as there is lots of white and paler colours involved in this one.

The top I finished today. I just may have to take it in a bit as I keep losing the weight I gained over the past year.

So that's all from around here for now. Hopefully more projects will be done over the next week. Got to get that list pared down quickly.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Midweek

 The weather has been very warm the last couple of days, but today the wind has been blowing something fierce. I have a feeling a storm could be moving in.

Really not much happening here. I picked rhubarb again last night washed and chopped it this morning. It is now residing in my fridge freezer. 

Been working on a few of my many on the go projects and I will show pictures of them tomorrow

Other than a headache today (another reason I am thinking storm) I am in fine health and have managed to lose another 3 pounds. Keep this up and I will be back to my pre pandemic weight very quickly. Or at least I hope.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thrifty Tuesday

 

Summer brings other expenses, but I have managed to keep spending on yard items to a minimum so far this year. We could use another umbrella on the deck, but that might have to wait for another year or until I can find one on our online garage sale sites. We shall see what happens. 

Thrifty happenings here this past week have been small but mighty.

I made sugar scrub as I have gone through the scrubs I have made previously.

Windows open at night when it has cooled off. 

Using up items in my fridge and pantry well.

Getting rhubarb harvested in the garden and either freezing for use later in the year or using up now. I would love to try and make rhubarb vodka or brandy. Need to get on that with the next harvest.

Making sweets for later in the summer when it gets too hot to bake very much. 

Cut up some t-shirts to use for rags. 

Tried out my new wet mop pads, and will need to tweak them a bit.

Not using the stove or oven as much, finding different ways of cooking our meals. This keeps the house cooler.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Menu Monday

 Good evening friends, time has been getting away from me. Working in the yard, doing cleaning jobs inside that have been put off for much too long. Plus of course working on my various projects trying to get as many done as possible.

Here are my menus for this week.

Monday

Crab (imitation crab) Pasta Salad.

Tuesday

Leftover ham, probably just warmed up in the microwave. Serving it with broccoli and rice.

Wednesday

Clean out the fridge night (we have lots of leftover Crab Pasta Salad).

Thursday

Vegetable curry (a new recipe and new idea hope it turns out).

Friday

Lazy perogies since I did not make them last week.

Saturday

Leftover roast beef. I foresee another main dish salad if it stays hot.

Sunday

Roast chicken which just may be done on the BBQ. Served with rice, and mixed veggies as well as a salad.

So there are my meals for the week.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Friday Update

 I have now informed all the family as to what I found out during my visit to the Alan Blair Cancer Clinic on Wednesday so I guess it is time to update all my blogging friends.

We traveled to Regina on Wednesday for my appointment and the construction on the highways was crazy. We left 3 hours before my appointment and just made it. Harvey and I were both very stressed by the time we arrived. 

Got in pretty much immediately, but my stress level went even higher when they gave me a "My Treatment Journey" journal almost as soon as I arrived.

The oncologist said that the area of concern was in fact cancer, but it was stage 1A which is the very least that they measure and it seemed from what he read on the report that no more treatment would be necessary (lowered my stress level almost immediately). However he would not say I was 100% cured as they never do so.

I had an examination to make sure those sneaky cancer cells had not reached my colon and was told that for the rest of my life I would need to be checked once a year by my OB/GYN. That was a surprise.

He also told me that any change at all in my health, unexpected loss of weight, bloating or pain I was to get in to see a doctor immediately, and I was to be tested, scanned and any other tests my doctors figured necessary done and the results sent to the Alan Blair clinic. I was not to be put off with a shrug. He would be sending those recommendations to both the OB/GYN and my GP here in Estevan.

They were very disturbed that it took me almost 2 years to have my surgery and are checking into that. The oncologist said that should never have happened. Hopefully that changes how quickly others are able to have their surgery in the future. He said if it had been done earlier the pre cancerous cells probably would not have become cancer.

So there you have it. Good news over all and it is wonderful to know that they will be keeping a close eye on me. 

I also want to say that everyone who works at the clinic are wonderful and very caring. 

I will hopefully get to visit you all tonight, but forgive me if it takes a couple of days to get into the swing of things once again.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thrifty Tuesday

 

I haven't really been concentrating too hard on being thrifty since Friday but there have been some thrifty things happening.

I picked rhubarb in the later part of last week and today managed to get my pie made. I used up the pie crust in the freezer. Time to make more crusts.

I hope to make some rhubarb crisps (aka crumbles) tonight and perhaps a cake all for the freezer.

Clothes were all hung on the lines outside.

What little rain we have had has been collected into the rain barrel.

Walking for exercise, and I brought up the 5 pound weights to start doing some exercises with those at some point.

Windows open at night and then closed once the heat starts to build up inside. 

Leftovers being used up (though I did have to toss some roasted potatoes from when Kris was home and some rice from the same time period). Trying to keep things where I can see them and use them up is becoming difficult.

Fixed a skirt seam, and repaired a zipper that was coming loose.

Made some steam mop covers to use. Hopefully they work well as they can be washed and used again and again. I am tired of the disposable, highly expensive types. I will improve the pattern if they do work.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Menu Monday

 

Wow, the second week of the month. It isn't as hot here as it has been, but still no rain which means hand watering the garden and all my boxes, and baskets. I got them all done early this morning and even managed a bit of a walk. Not as far as I usually go, but far enough to get a decent step count for the day. I am pacing a bit as well, which adds to the count. 

Monday

Leftover Taco salad. I am sure there will be enough for lunches tomorrow and the following day. I may be all taco saladed out by the time it is done. Now at least I know to cut the recipe in half.

Tuesday

Leftover roast beef. I think I will thinly slice the slices, and cook in a gravy with some mushrooms and sautéed onion added. Served over slices of homemade bread.

Wednesday 

This is the trip to the oncologist day. I am not sure what time all the tests will be completed and/or the consult. Perhaps it will be a pick up something through a drive thru day. Or if we are home early enough and I feel up to it soup and sandwiches.

Thursday

Supposed to be a clean out the fridge night. Probably will have some of the roast beef in gravy left. If not there is bound to be soup leftover.

Friday

Fish Sticks/fillets/cakes along with a salad and homemade fries.

Saturday

Sausages done on the BBQ along with the remains of the salad and brown beans.

Sunday

Ham, mashed potatoes, corn and perhaps coleslaw.

So there is the weekly menu. No real changes unless Wednesday goes topsy turvey on me.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

 

Another beautiful day, a bit cooler which is wonderful considering how hot it has been. We even managed a teeny tiny bit of rain overnight. 

So I have kind of processed my news. I always thought that the Cancer Clinic would phone, but that it would be a conversation over the phone with an oncologist saying "No everything is fine, you will not need any more treatment. Just keep going to your OB/GYN for the next (fill in the year) years to make sure all is okay.

Instead the call I got on Friday was to set up an appointment for a consultation as to where my journey will take me next. Hmmm, hopefully they are just being thorough, but the way my luck has been going lately, there is just that little bit of niggling doubt and worry that I will need more treatments. If so, I hope that all moves along smartly and considering how quickly the clinic phoned (about a week and a half later), I am pretty sure that if my worst fears are realized my treatments will start rapidly after my consultation (and another Pap smear, and another strange to me doctor). I just can't seem to win for trying lately.

So that's my news for now. I am busy working on those goals and slowly making my way through them. The pants were all hemmed, another 4 inches of a scarf done, and at least 200 stitches in the counted cross stitch (though that looks like nothing has been added to it). 

I will be trying to get as much done as possible just in case!!!

In other news are shots caused us to feel very fatigued, and my arm is sore and very red around the injection site. The redness is fading, but the fatigue and slight headache (me only not Harvey) is still with me. I have not been doing my walking over the last couple of days but hope to do a bit tomorrow.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Frugal Friday

 Well, we got our second jabs this afternoon and it feels wonderful to be fully vaccinated!!! Now if just a few more people will get the jab things could be back to a sort of normal sooner than we thought in my province.

So what are my frugal 5 for this week.

1.  Using rain water to water my plants outside.

2. Used up all leftovers this week making meals.

3.  Only used the stove one day this week, thus saving on electrical costs. Good thing as it has been so hot this past week that the AC is running almost continuously (especially today).

4.  Combined errands again this week.

5.  Got a free service job and car wash at the dealers this week.

There is a bit of scary news, but I need a bit of time to process it. I will let you all know how I feel about said news tomorrow.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Thursday Tidbits

 

Well it has been a very hot two days and tomorrow is not going to be any better. There is a chance of a storm in the afternoon. Hopefully not when we go to get our second jabs. 

Since it has been so warm I have not ventured outside in the heat of the day. Instead I have been working in the house and trying to get a bit ahead on those monthly goals. 

Today I actually finished hemming two pairs of the pants my friend gave me to do for her Dad and tonight I hope to cut the other pair to ready them for sewing...Difficult when they have a knit cuff that they want rid of. Hopefully I can get those cut off reasonably straight.

I also snuck out for about 15 mins and gave my plants a fairly good watering. I will probably do the same tomorrow morning. This heat really dries the pots and baskets out. I still need to weed, but that will be accomplished bit by bit whenever the heat allows.

I am about halfway finished my first Secret Santa scarf, just another three evenings of knitting should see it done and dusted. I really would like to get a couple or even three done this month.

No work on the cross stitch, but once all the sewing is done I will get back to it.

Blocks are chosen for the next quilt top and I hope to start that right after I finish the two patterns I have had cut out for awhile.

So as you can see my days are full even if I can't get outside. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Monthly Goals

 

It has been a very long time since I did a monthly goals post, and it seems I need the boot in the behind that posting gives me.

That being said here are my goals for this month.

1.  Knit at least two scarves for my Secret Santa escapades in December.

2.  Get more of the angel cross stitch completed (I know it won't totally be done, but I am going to try my best).

3.  Get one more quilt top done.

4.  Hem my friends Dad's pants.

5.  Make Birthday cards and envelopes. 

6.  Place an order for new Blades for my Cricut (found out it is less expensive to order them online than buy them at Michael's or Walmart).

7.  Order some embroidery floss if I can not find any at Walmart of the colours I need.

8.  Start on the rag rug.

I just may have bit off more than I can do, but I will try and see what happens.

Another good bit of news. I managed to get Harvey and I in for our second shots on the 4th of this month. Hopefully they have lots of vaccine and we aren't postponed like the last time. Hurray to being fully vaccinated by the end of the week.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thrifty Tuesday

 

First day of a new month and it has started off well. No, no phone call as of yet from the oncologist, or appointment for Harvey's second jab, but I did get my vehicle in for an oil change tomorrow, the sun is shining, and the temperature is rising.

So what thrifty things happened on the old homestead this week?

I managed to declutter some plastic storage containers to Kris as well as some glass spice bottles. I even gave him my old canister set! Cleared room out of my cupboards and gave him something he can really use. Might just help with the bug problem a bit.

I darned some socks, hemmed some pants for Harvey, made a very large salad so I did not have to make one for a couple of days.

I made my menu for the next month and made sure that any and all leftovers will be used up.

Made chocolate dipped strawberries for a bit of a change in dessert.

Decided that perhaps planting the rest of the reserved gladioli bulbs would suffice instead of buying more plants to put in the remaining pots (probably saved quite a bit by doing so).

Did lots of cooking outside either on the smoker or BBQ to save me a bit of bother. Harvey was in charge of those meals.

Went through my yarn and found some to start making my Secret Santa scarves for next Christmas. Even found some to make a few gifts for the family.

Working on my stitchery, and reading free books or books I already own.

So things are pretty much getting back to normal...or at least as normal as they get around here.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.