Thursday Tid Bits

Brrrr, still in the deep freeze here. Kinda like Frozen, but without the princesses, or snow creatures. Really the temperature is not too bad, its the darn wind chill that is causing the problems. I am hopeful that the temperature will go up by next week.

Today I went grocery shopping. Well I guess I should say "we". Yep, I dragged Harvey along. He hasn't been shopping here in years. Yes, I do get him to go with me in Regina Costco or the Great Canadian Warehouse for stock up shopping. Usually the men (Harvey and Kris) disappear for quite awhile, or you could say I send them off to collect various items for me which seems to work well. This time the poor man seemed a bit lost. At the end of our trip, Harvey looked at me and mentioned that he knew where to find things in Costco, but not in our own cities grocery. Do you think that means he will come shopping with me again???? Doubtful.

Stuck to my list, but even sticking to the list I still noticed that prices have risen. The only meat bought was the turkey for Christmas dinner, and I had a $10.00 off coupon for that item. My final bill was $150.00. I dread having to buy meat in the near future.

Tried my first new meal tonight. Swiss steak using ready made hamburger patties. It actually turned out not too badly. A few tweaks and everything should be perfect. I think I have found a new meal to add into the rotation.

I will share a picture the next time I make it as well as the recipe, as usual I forgot to get a picture before we ate.

Off to work on my knitting and enjoy the lights on the tree.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Mixing It Up

While I am not a bad cook, I think I just might have fallen into a rut. As a family we have our favorites, and those old home style recipes serve me well.

However, I have lots and lots of cookbooks and more recipes than I can try with what probably remains of my cooking life.

So today I climbed up and pulled down 6 of my Company's Coming Cookbooks (I already had two down when I was cooking up those leftovers). So I have a new challenge to myself.

I will be going through these 8 cookbooks and searching for new ways to tantalize our taste buds. I am hoping to add some new favorites to our menu and perhaps even find some new ones to share with all of you.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Nasty Weather

Last week we got about 12 inches of snow, and then we were hit once again.

Highways were closed in and out of the city, city roads were blocked by stalled and stuck vehicles. The poor police were constantly on the move helping those foolish enough to be out driving in this mess.

Harvey had done a bit of shoveling before this picture was taken (about an hour before). There is about 12 inches of snow on the car, and it was still coming down. By the end of the storm we had received approximately 15 inches of the white stuff.

Today Harvey spent about 2 1/2 hours digging snow and blowing snow. The snow has stopped, but the wind has risen throughout the day and the temperature is dropping.

I pulled out my draught dodgers and laid them in front of the doors tonight. When the wind comes up it seems like it finds any little crack to come into the house. The hall has been freezing today so hopefully this cuts heat loss a bit and keeps the warmth in the hall.

We have been spoiled the last few years, it has been a very long time since we have had a blizzard or back to back snow storms. While we have had freezing temperatures, we were kind of wishing the real cold would hold off until well after Christmas. I have a feeling we are in for a seriously white and freezing winter season.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday

We are in for a snowy, blizzardy week. It may be later than I want before I get my few cards and the parcel mailed out. Just hope to do so by the end of this week, if the weather cooperates at all.

Good, hot and hearty meals this week. We will need them in order to shovel or blow all the snow we have gotten.

Monday

Leftover beef roast made into something wonderful (new recipe book = new recipes to try).

Tuesday

Leftover chicken made into another new casserole.

Wednesday

Fridge smorg, there will be leftovers from the previous two meals and what we don't eat here will be finished for lunches or frozen and pulled out later when I don't want to cook.

Thursday

Hamburgers, baked beans, and raw veggies with dip.

Friday

Salmon patties, rice, and peas, and a salad.

Saturday

Sweet and sour ribs, rice (using up leftovers from Friday) mixed with the leftover peas.

Sunday

Ham, spicy noodles, salad, and pickles.

There you have it. Our meals for the upcoming week.

I am also going to get the chicken bones going and make some soup stock one day very soon. Right now the carcass (as well as a second one) is stored in my freezer.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings....It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas

I am slowly getting into the Christmas Spirit. It seems to be taking me much longer this year than any other year, and I can't figure out why. Perhaps it has to do with Kurt and Kris getting older (at 40 and 35) and they no longer have the awe that they had for the holiday season, or perhaps I am just becoming a Grinch. Whatever the reason, things are at least beginning to look and smell like Christmas on the old homestead.

The weather is even cooperating this year. Lots of snow!!

This was just the start of the storm that dumped about 25 cm in one day and night. We have had a bit more since.

I even decorated over the last couple of days.

My Nativities are out, just need some arranging and the Christmasy table cover....

My snowmen are out.

The snowman Santa Claus my sister gave me as a Christmas gift many years ago.

 

My smaller tree is up and decorated. I couldn't use all my decorations as the tree is only 2/3rds its usual size. Harvey could not see the television when the bottom portion was on so we decided to do without it. I have been promised a second tree so that all my décor can be placed on the tree. However I did get all my angels on this one. Christmas just wouldn't be the same without them.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Frugal Friday

Wow, are the weeks ever speeding by this year.

Here are my frugal five for this week.

1.  I am working on some cross stitch ornaments that I inherited from my mother. Free decorations for the tree, just have to spend a little bit of time getting them done.

2.  I managed to save $ 6.00 on the grocery bill this week. While this does not seem like much, it was saved without using coupons at all.

3.  Came in under the total budget for the month, and it looks as if we could be under budget for the year.

4.  Making sure the lights are off in rooms we are not using. Shutting the doors to rooms that are not being heated right now as well.

5.  Using up items in the house to make meals. I love cooking once and eating twice.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

New Month, New Goals

First off I was asked if I noticed a difference in the house since I started the on going decluttering project.

Yes and no. Yes in that my closet and drawers are less full, the cupboards are not filled to overflowing, and before the basement flooded the storage rooms were getting straightened up and very well organized.

No in that with the flood things have been moved around and now take up room in other areas of the house or are in storage.

I figure once the basement is back together, bookcases set up, and the walls redone in the storage room I will really notice a difference in other areas of the house.

Until that time, project declutter will continue. It seems like I can always find a few things to donate or recycle.

Another blogger asked how our basement is coming along. Well we are still waiting on the furnace guys to pay us another visit. The venting into the addition has not been done, but once that is completed things will move along quickly. At least I hope things will begin to move quickly.

Harvey does little things, but we are running out of little things for him to complete.

So here are my goals for this month.

1.  Get the tree up and decorated.

2.  Gifts parcel done and mailed to my brothers and nieces.

3.  Cards/phone calls/and ecards done.

4.  Wash, iron and frame our sons cross stitch gifts.

5.  Wrap gifts.

6.  Finish the Christmas baking.

7.  Continue with my knitting, sewing and cross stitch projects.

8.  Try for as many no spend days as possible this month (I am not going to set a goal, rather I am just going to see how many I can accumulate).

9.  My new household calendar pages need to be made.

Sure hope I manage to get these all completed. I do have a good start on many of them, and some will be fairly quick to complete, others, not so much.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.