Thrifty Tuesday

 

Another week of managing the household as economically as possible. Though with rising prices this is becoming a bit of a challenge.

I have been cleaning out the fridge freezer over the past week. Using up the bits and bobs that seem to have accumulated. This meant no real roast meal this week, instead I managed to heat up some ham (thus saving the ham in the freezer for later). I also used up most of a package of frozen leftover beef. Slowly but surely using those items up and getting the most from my grocery dollars.

I have been making sure the dishwasher is completely full before running it, and only handwashing dishes once a day. Really until baking begins washing dishes once a day is no problem. After all the dirty dishes for the most part are in the dishwasher. Saves water, dish soap, and time. 

Today I made myself a new nightie. Probably about 8 months ago I purchased some rather inexpensive knit fabric. Perfect for what I needed, and I have a new nightgown for about half the cost of buying one in the shops. Better quality for the most part as well.

I froze a leftover banana to be used later to make either muffins or a tea loaf.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday

 

How can it be that time passes by so quickly, during a time when we are all shut in and unable to do the things we are used to doing. I am not going to complain though, I really am happy that I can keep my days full and help with the passage of days.

Monday

Spaghetti and meat sauce. Should be enough leftover to make another meal later this week (on Wednesday to be exact).

Tuesday

Leftover ham (last bag of frozen from the fridge freezer) made into a casserole. Tossed salad as a side.

Wednesday

Baked spaghetti, and the remains of the salad.

Thursday

Leftover ham casserole, along with some extra veggies.

Friday

Perogies. I will more than likely make Lazy Perogies, but a small batch.

Saturday

The Baked Spaghetti leftovers will hit the table tonight. I am not sure but I think I will make some sprouts to go along with it.

Sunday

It's our usual roast meal night, but I am going to pull a package of frozen beef roast from the fridge freezer and do something with it. Perhaps roast beef sandwiches, coleslaw and home made fries.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

 Things have calmed down a bit, or at least I have calmed down. I talked to Kurt again tonight and he is feeling okay. He says he gets very tired easily, and his sense of smell might be off a bit, but other than that and a bit of a cough he is doing well.

I didn't tell you all yesterday, but he was also having a bit of a plumbing problem and needed a plumber to snake out his sewer line as things were backing up a bit. Of course because he had Covid no one would come. The poor guy thought he was going to have to live in filth for 10 or so more days. 

Well he was letting another friend know that he had Covid and the conversation morphed to his plumbing problem. His friend managed to get ahold of someone who had one of the big electronic snakes that plumbers use and brought it over to him. This wonderful friend even helped him carry it into the house and down the stairs as Kurt said it probably weighed 300 pounds.

Plumbing fixed, and I have a happy (or at least as happy as possible) son.

He will be doing live streaming of his classes starting tomorrow until he can get back in the classroom, and has friends who are phoning and checking on him often. I can breath once again.

Today I got the tree finished, while watching Christ the King Mass live streamed from the cathedral, and it doesn't look bad at all. Christmas is slowly arriving in our home. Pictures of decorations once I am totally finished will follow. I even have an Advent program to follow online.

My baking/candy making list is hopefully complete and I will start on that right away in December. Things are definitely getting down to the crunch.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Saturday Roundup

 

A very short post tonight and not really a roundup of the week. 

I am a bit discombobulated. This morning our oldest son Kurt called to give us a bit of news. He had developed a bit of a cough on Tuesday and so following the Covid-19 protocols for schools in Alberta he left and went and got a test.

Last night (well very early this morning actually) he got his results. He has Covid-19. Not a bad case really according to him, but now he is in quarantine, and staying home. This means he will need a sub teacher for the next 13 or so days. 

Also he is 9 hours away from us and there is absolutely nothing that we can do to give him a hand. 

He has promised me and his Dad that if things take a sudden turn for the worst he will head to the hospital immediately. Kurt does say there is one bright spot in this whole thing, and that is he will be immune for at least a month (perhaps 6) and so won't worry about bringing it home to us at Christmas.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

PS

He did follow all protocols and has no idea of how he managed to catch it. He did say the virus is really making the rounds in the town he lives in.

I will visit you all tomorrow, right now I have to do some more pacing, and worrying.

Frugal Friday

 Another week has disappeared, even with this pandemic the time is flying by. Christmas is just around the corner and will be here before we know it.

My frugal five (or six) for the week....

1.  Kept drapes open on sunny days which solar heated the front of the house. Kept the drapes closed on cold cloudy days to keep the heat from the furnace in the house.

2.  All meals made at home using items in the freezer, fridge or pantry.

3.  All leftovers eaten either in another meal or for our lunches. Harvey said Butter Chicken tastes great in a sandwich.

4.  Saved $22.98 at the grocery store and $3.41 on items bought at Walmart.

5.  Baked 2 loaves of bread this past week for a savings of about $2.50.

6.  Put $35.00 of my leftover allowance in the savings envelope and another $9.85 in the change jars.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thursday Tidbits

 Snow is once again falling, but tomorrow the temperatures are supposed to rise. That means we will end up with icy slush once again. The joys of winter on the Canadian prairies.

I managed to get both my quilt tops sandwiched this week. However, I decided that I needed the quiet of hand stitching and have started to hand quilt the first quilt. Hmmm, I had forgotten how long that takes. I have a feeling I will be extremely lucky to finish one top this week. Oh, well, I am enjoying the needle going in and out of my fabric and seeing how far I manage to get every day. If I only get one done that is just fine. After all I have all winter to get these quilts completed (well maybe not all winter, but a good portion of it). There really is something soothing about hand stitching.

Bible study has been cancelled due to new Covid-19 restrictions. This happened with the last study as well. I phoned 8 of the participants today to let them know. Most had already received the email, so why I needed to phone was totally beyond my understanding.

Harvey pulled out the Christmas tree today. I have decided to set it up down in the basement. May as well not give Kris's cat Eiko the temptation to climb. Hopefully I can get decorating it this weekend. I might pull out some of the totes of other decorations and start putting them up. I miss seeing my Nativity ornaments and some of the bigger ornaments I have made or collected over the years.

I am thinking of getting Harvey to cut some box shaped pieces out of wood and painting them up like gifts to use outside on the front deck.

Baking/candy making list will be done this weekend and then the first two weeks of December will see me stirring, mixing and spending loads of time in the kitchen. 

The province has mandated masks to be worn in all indoor public places and has set a limit on the number of people that can gather in your home. They would prefer that only those who live in the home gather, but since the number is 5 pretty sure we will have both Kurt and Kris for Christmas if at all possible. These new mandates are for a month and on the 17th of December will be re-evaluated. Hope they don't change or even lift them a bit back to the 10 gathering that they had before.

I went shopping the last two days. Split it over two days as I did not want to spend too much time today shopping (thought there would be the study and if the weather turned bad...which it sort of did) I wouldn't be traveling too far on icy roads. I managed to get in and out of the stores with very little trouble. I am all stocked up now and will not be heading out again until late next week and then only to one store to pick up produce and dairy (unless turkeys are on sale).

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thrifty Tuesday

 

I thought I should remind myself of what the word thrifty means. In the Collins Gage Canadian Dictionary I found this....

thrift- economical management, the habit of saving

Thrifty is the adjective to describe such accomplishments.

I love the sound of economical management. Classy.

So how did I economically manage my household this week, what did I actually do for thriftiness.

I did some mending, which makes clothes last longer. 

Opened drapes on the beautiful sunny days to allow light and heat into the house.

Used up all leftovers to make new meals or to eat for lunches. 

If I used the oven it was for more than one item.

Used scraps, and remnants to make Christmas gifts or useful items for around the house.

All leftover change and bills were put in either jars or the money envelope and saved.

The fact is when you run a thrifty house, being frugal just happens. The two go hand in hand quite nicely as I have found.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.