Frugal Foodie

Well, not just my hands, actually. It seems like things are going by very quickly. I'm trying to get caught up on projects, some fun, some not so much.

We had a new roof put on last month. We saved up for it and I think it looks great. We've had some rains and so far no leaks, so that is wonderful. DH is the gardener and one of my retirement gifts was a gift certificate to a local garden place. We bought some lovely flowers which DH planted both in the ground as well as in pots and he has his small vegetable garden going as well.

Last week we cleaned the siding and windows. We don't have a power washer so this meant doing it by hand. I think the house looks better. DH wasn't thrilled with the prospect, but he does like the results.We figure it was a money saving procedure since we used what we had (Dove dish washing soap and elbow grease). I'm glad we did it when we did because the temps are in the 90s with heat index being nearly 100.

We hit some rummage sales the past few days. One had crochet thread so we bought some of it. I recently made a small dresser scarf out of a skein we bought at a thrift shop so I have some more to work with. A couple of months ago I bought a candlewicking kit for a Christmas stocking. I have the candlewick and embroidery finished and am now working on sewing the stocking together and finishing it. I don't have a sewing machine so it takes me longer, but that's fine...it keeps me busy. I plan to donate the stocking and some of the things I crochet to my church's Christmas bazaar.

I just finished book number 38 for this year. We go to the library regulary and we also check out magazines as well as books.

We succumbed to advertising and bought a bottle of Recolor which is supposed to bring back the color of things. Our front door is fiberglass and it had faded. It was stained to look like a wood door. I put that on this afternoon. It helped some. It wasn't the miracle worker stuff, but we didn't expect it to be either.

Since it is so hot, I put a pork roast in the Crockpot with potatoes and carrots for supper instead of heating up the house. I made a fruit salad for dessert.

We've spent a little money here and there, but nothing major. I hope keeping my hands and the rest of me busy, keep me out of trouble.

We were with some friends and we were talking about finances. One friend happened to mention that we were fortunate to be "comfortable." I didn't say anything really to respond, but it sort of made me wonder, is it all about luck or did I perhaps have a little bit to do with it?

I am not going to say I don't spend money. I do. But, I try to bargain hunt. I grew up relatively poor. Not dirt poor, but there wasn't very little for extras and most of the stuff I had was bought used. I saw my parents age and even though they worked hard their whole lives, they never really got "comfortable." My dad was always trying to figure out a way to make more money. He worked a full time job as well as doing jobs on the side. My mom helped run a used furniture store they had for awhile and then did garage sales and quilted. I knew once I had a full time job, I needed to figure out something for retirement because I didn't want to work until I dropped if I didn't have to.

I listened to a couple of people I worked with. Before I got hired as a teacher, I worked full time and picked up extra work when I could. I started a small IRA. They said the idea was to start saving young so the money had a chance to build.

When I was hired as a teacher, I went to church with a financial adviser and so I asked to meet with him. He was starting out like I was. I told him someone had said something about a retirement account where you pay low taxes when you retire. He explained it was a 403b and how it worked. It took out pretax dollars and then when you retire and drew it out, you paid less taxes because you should supposedly make less. Let me tell you, making what little I made at the time, taking out $50 a pay period was hard.

Fortunately I did not have school loans because I had some scholarships and worked throughout college and paid everything off before I graduated. Someone asked me how I did that and I explained that my college time, although a good time in my life, was not one where I spent a lot of money. I didn't go out partying on the weekends. I rarely ate out because if you lived on campus, you were required to pay board which was a food service plan. Spring break was spent at home. My folks helped out with buying clothes and shoes (mostly from garage sales), and snacks from Aldi. I ate more peanut butter and saltines for snacks and when I ran out of peanut butter, just saltines. I didn't have a fridge so I drank water in a glass from the fountain. Usually it was cool and I really lived it up when I got some iced tea mix. During the winter I had a little "hot pot" which was a small electric kettle and I had hot tea and hot chocolate. Am I sorry for not living it up -- not really.

Anyway, as DH and I got money ahead, the financial adviser (same wonderful guy!) directed us to other retirement options like a Roth IRA. I still have that small IRA I started years ago and it is still kind of small because the Roth is a far better vehicle for us now.

As I said, I spend money. But, I try to plan my purchases. I shop sales. Heck, I shop thrift stores, flea markets, and garage sales! We save for things. We recently put on a new roof. Actually we paid to have it put on. No home equity loan here...we have been saving for the past couple of years. DH went and got the money out of the credit union account and put it in our checking account and we paid for it when it was finished. We save for Christmas and we save for vacations.

Am I fortunate? Yes, I believe I have been blessed. I guess when he implied I had been "lucky" I kind of bristled at this...I worked hard and as an educator, realized I would make more salary if I had more education so I earned a master's as well as hours beyond my master's. This increased my pay. But, I didn't inherit tons of money. I worked and saved and DH worked and saved. So yes we are fortunate, but I also think we used our brains to help ourselves. Do you think I was wrong to bristle at this friend's implication?

Another Memorial Day here in the United States. I'm not sure if other countries have the equivalent and if so, if it is on another date. I know I'm tired of all the "Memorial Day Sales." Somehow I just can't get into shopping for Memorial Day furniture or whatever when Memorial Day means so much more. Leave it to businesses to commercialize it.

In other news, I'm officially retired. A week ago today was my last day. I finished up paperwork and had a marvelous day. School districts aren't fancy dancy like businesses and usually the staff at one's school takes care of these type of things. We had a luncheon in our gym. Another teacher was also retiring and we have three other staff who are either moving to other schools or leaving teaching. The social committee decided to set up the gym as a "tea room" and it was very clever. They brought in good dishes and glasses and a local place catered the food. They even had cloth tablecloths and cloth napkins. I thought it was delightful. One committee person thought I'd be upset because we didn't go out...this is so fitting with how I live my life. We couldn't go out because we had an hour for lunch (half day for kids as a make up of a PLC day in March) and the rest of the day was meetings. That afternoon they had a "tea" for the two of us retiring and many of my friends and former colleagues came by. It was very nice and well planned. I felt very special. One of my friends said I looked very happy.

It's been almost a week since then. DH and I have enjoyed the time together. Part of the time was spent trying to fix stuff -- we had three things break...a hinge on one of kitchen cabinets, a wheel on the tray in our dishwasher, and my modem went out. Two of these are now fixed. One was an absolute pain...we live in a middle sized town with cabinet shops and hardware stores. No one carried this hinge. I finally went online. There was a distributor in a small town near us. This is an Amish owned business. We take the hinge and he proceeds to show us that the hinge wasn't broken, but the plate and instead of purchasing a whole new hinge, just replace the small piece at a whopping price of a buck. Gotta love honesty!

My first day of retirement we celebrated by eating leftover pulled pork from the school luncheon and then went to one of my favorite places...the library. DH retired from the library so we still know some of the employees. They were kidding me on my first day of retirement, here I am checking out magazines and books. Of course I did...I love reading!

We did go take flowers for some our family members' graves. One cemetery is a very old one and there are some graves that don't look like they have been visited in years. Kind of sad, but understandable if there is no one left. At one cemetery there were flags for Veterans. That is always nice. DH's dad was in WWII and has a military stone as well as a family stone. I try to take cleaning things to clean the stones.

I'm going to digress on to another topic...today's paper had Mary Hunt's "Everyday Cheapskate." Her starting paragraph stated that research indicates that many Americans are spending $1.22 for every $1 they earn. A very scary statistic, but I don't doubt it one bit. I look at the way some folks spend and continue to spend. I know my Thermos and lunch bag were kind of made fun of by many, but it saved us a bunch of money. I know I have to buy some things and I do buy things I don't always need, but I figure eating leftovers, making do with things, trying to repair things, and finding joy in what others consider simple things has certainly helped.

Hope you and your family had a wonderful day whether you observe Memorial Day or not.

In six school days, I will end my career. Eight if you count next weekend. At one of the buildings, we had a potluck and a couple of young coaches asked the other lady and me how we could afford to retire. My response was "save early and save often." They laughed because that was always my response when working with our school improvement plan so we didn't lose data. Getting back to the laughter, it wasn't a chuckle because they thought it was funny. It was actually one of discomfort. I wasn't trying to make anyone uncomfortable, but so many of these young people claim they are jealous that I'm retiring because they want a carefree life, but they buy anything and everything their little hearts desire.

I won't say I have been the best saver and that I didn't buy things. I did. I bought things both which were good and some things which were just plain stupid. Hopefully I've gotten wiser. But so many of these "educated" folks don't understand money. There are about three or four of us in the group who actively save, do without things, and live as economically as we can. With the changes in the teachers' pension system for the newer hires, saving for retirement is far more important than it was when I started out.

I'm currently reading a book about not buying a lot of things in a year. It's different than the last one I read; the author says their rules are buying things they can use like food and things like that, but to be more conscious of spending money for things simply because you want something new. He said the goal is to own what you have instead of saving money. I'm curious how the book will end.

DH has been busy putting in his garden. We had a fear of frost last night, but it looks like we dodged that bullet. I hope we get lots of tomatoes this year since I like to can them and this year I won't have to rush around canning on weekends since I will be retired. Yahoo!

Someone I know posted this url on Facebook and talked about how it is true -- so many can't come up with $400 in an emergency:

http://www.npr.org/2016/04/24/475432149/could-you-come-up-with-400-if-disaster-struck?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20160424

I know there are people out there due to circumstances beyond their control they don't have a decent income. I'm not writing about people like that. I'm writing about those who are not unemployed or underemployed. What I find amusing is the person who shared this has a good income, benefits, etc. This person doesn't save a penny, lost a home in foreclosure, has creditors calling about the unpaid bills, yet moans the job doesn't pay enough.Lots of shopping goes on. Lots of eating out and buying booze. Of course this person took a big vacation last year, went over Christmas to another vacation, and is planning a summer get-away.

I guess I'm getting old and tired of listening to people who won't help themselves whine how they don't have money.

Twenty-six...that's how many work days I have left. Someone asked me if I am getting emotional and I can honestly say I am not. I'm ready to be finished. State online testing has been a bear and somewhere along the line I injured my back, so coming home from work means all I want to do is rest. Last weekend I fixed some meals that I could just heat up and it certainly helped. Did have something slightly amusing happen -- I put our supper in the oven and was on the couch and fell asleep. I knew DH would wake me up because we eat at the same time each week night. Well, a friend who needed to talk came and supper wound up burning because I didn't feel like I could leave to get it out of the oven. So, best laid plans became cinders.

We went out with another couple and I guess I'm very old fashioned, but I think when you are with someone you haven't seen for quite awhile celebrating something, taking phone calls and texting is just plain rude. I can see answering the phone and if it isn't an emergency saying you'll call them back, but to have a full fledged conversation while we are sitting there. Then, to constantly text while you are sitting there -- all for non emergency things. We've been with them before and they've both received calls and talked at length while DH and I sit there. I've hinted that it is rude, but apparently we don't matter enough to get them to stop.

DH started his garden yesterday. He planted lettuce, radishes, and onions. He plans on planting carrots soon and then around Mother's Day tomatoes, bell peppers, and herbs. Usually we are beyond the fear of frost then. He doesn't have a big spot, but he makes uses of what he has. I look forward to preserving things this fall, especially since I won't have to rush around and do it on weekends because I won't be working.

We hit the thrift stores and a flea market yesterday. I found some nice greeting cards that were reasonable. I like sending cards and I still write notes so I try to find reasonably priced cards. I also found some crochet thread. Our church has a bazaar before the holidays and I wanted to crochet ornaments to donate. I found two skeins that were started and for a dollar each, felt they were a bargain. If I were doing a big project, I probably wouldn't have been satisfied with this, but since I'm just crocheting small things, this will work out fine. It also keeps my hands busy at night and I've noticed they don't get as stiff and sore.

A few weeks ago we donated a bunch of stuff to a thrift store that supports a charity we believe in. Are we weird that we went in to see if some of the stuff had sold?

This week has been our school district's spring break. It has been a pleasant time off for DH and I. We didn't do anything extremely exciting, but did get somethings taken care and had a chance to relax.

When I was in college and if we had any type of spring break, I went home. There wasn't money to do anything extra and I didn't think I was missing out much. I guess, from what I've read, that many felt spring break was a time to travel and party. Guess I missed that memo. Of course some of the people I know who attended college and participated big time in spring break festivities are also the ones with huge school loans because they apparently really couldn't afford to go anywhere either, but added it to their school loan amount.

I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. I like seeing and keeping up with friends. But, there are times when seeing some of the posts, I get a feeling I'm missing out. For example, some of the people I work with left town on spring break. They are posting photos and talking about what a great time they are having. I guess it is the media version of the post card: Wish you were here.

One friend has the money to travel. But a couple of them I don't think really do. Yet, the posts continue. Drinks, food, partying.

Part of me thinks I'm missing out. Then I sit and think and realize I am not. Five years ago DH and I went to Charleston, SC, over spring break. It was a planned vacation and we went then instead of taking a vacation during the summer. It was fun, but the whole time I kept worrying if the weather got bad, would we get back in time. It sort of made the trip a little less fun.

DH and I have gotten things done around our home this week. We went to Teacher's Retirement System to talk over some details, and we have eaten some meals out. We shopped and found some bargains on things we needed. Each night I had the privilege of sleeping in my own comfortable bed. So, no, I didn't miss out.

This is also Holy Week and attending Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services are important to us. I wouldn't want to miss these services.

Maybe I should post a photo sitting in my chair drinking my glass of water...nah...they wouldn't get my point.

It's not mine. Supposedly it is for progress. But it is a shame nonetheless.



I shot this photo last June. That's my husband standing in front of this beautiful Burr Oak. It had been on his family's property. There was a twin at one time, but it died. Yet this majestic tree has been standing tall and proud.

Not for long, apparently. A developer said he has to cut it down for a fire line for the new hotel he's putting up.

An arborist thinks this tree is between 200 to 300 years old and was probably mature with Abraham Lincoln rode the circuit through Macon County and Central Illinois.

My husband and I were married under this tree and its twin. Last summer we renewed our vows under it (with permission from the land owner).

It's sad that progress often kills natural beauty. As I said, it's a shame.

A couple of weeks ago when reading someone's SA blog, it was mentioned that someone was reading a book, "A Year Without 'Made in China.'"

So, I wanted to read that book and it worked out because our library had it. I checked it out and read it. It was an interesting read. I know that not everyone lives the way I do, but I think she could have been more creative in some areas of purchasing. It is scary how much China made items have flooded our lives. I looked for her email and there wasn't one, but I would have suggested that on some items she try thrift stores and consignment shops to buy used things.

Most of the things in my kitchen are not new. Yes, I have a few things from China, but very few. Many of my pots and pans are older. I've been going to estate sales and thrift shops and finding pots that were made by Revere in Clinton, Illinois, a number of years ago. (I live 30 minutes away from Clinton). Most of my casserole dishes are Pyrex and Corning from years and years ago. My dishes are blue willow and came from England or USA. Granted, I can't get away from China on some of the electronics, but I sure have made an effort.

I continue to count down until retirement. We are down to 52 school days. Each weekend I rush around thinking I've got to get this, this, and this done before Monday and I'm looking forward to not having to do that.

Last weekend I dropped off some books to a friend who was going to read to a class at my school for Read Across America and were talking about this and that. He is probably one of the cheapest people I know and I was shocked to learn he buys his laundry detergent. I don't judge people on stuff like that, but the fact he doesn't like to spend any money, I was kind of surprised. So, I told him I would give him some of the stuff I make and see how he likes it. I made a big batch yesterday because I was getting low, so I gave him a small bottle to try. I wonder if he will decide he likes it well enough to make it.

I made a big pot of chili today. I like chili, but DH doesn't. A friend of mine is spending a lot of time at the hospital with her husband so I thought I could give her part of it so she can heat it up for some meals and freeze whatever she doesn't eat. This will give me some for lunches too. It was nice being able to use some of the tomato juice and tomatoes I canned late last summer for the chili and some of the basil I dried.

A month or so ago I gave another friend my extra cast iron skillet. He was wanting one and I happened to have an extra that I wasn't using. I wasn't perfect in appearance and I was afraid he would be turned off by it, but he wasn't. I made sure it was seasoned before I gave it to him. He retired last year and is doing more cooking and he told me he has used it for so many things. I'm glad because I'd like to think he is getting some enjoyment out of it. He did credit me with getting him to cook more. That was kind of him.

I've paid bills, reconciled the checkbook, put money in savings (yahoo!), and updated our church's Facebook page. Hopefully I'm ready for another week.

I've been sort of lurking around SA, but haven't had too much to say. I think it is because I'm coming home from work exhausted and after fixing supper and doing whatever else I need to do, I haven't the energy or brain power to write anything or feel like I have anything worth saying.

I finished a crocheted dresser scarf last night. I haven't crocheted for a number of years because it used to make my hands go numb. For whatever reason last summer, I found some thread tucked away and a small crochet hook and started making Christmas tree ornaments. I made one for each staff member at my school. It helped I didn't try to do them all at once. So, I thought I'd get a little brave and start a dresser scarf, just working a little at a time. It wasn't very wide because the area I wanted it wasn't very wide, but it turned out the way I had hoped and updated the look for around $4. It also kept my hands busy and I wasn't as tempted to snack if I crocheted. So, it was a cheap hobby.

I've been reading a lot. A group started a Facebook group that we post the title we read and what number for the year. The goal is to read 16 books because it is 2016. I'm at 17 and started #18. I continue to use our library so that saves money.

Yesterday was had a spring like day so DH and I went antiquing to a couple of small towns. We didn't buy anything, but had a nice time and did, as my dad used to say, "Got the stink blown off of us."

I've also been cooking a lot. Well, maybe a lot isn't the operative word. I continue to cook. I'm trying to fix stuff that we can get a couple of meals out of which makes it easier on me to get meals fixed when I get home as well as saving money. DH is fed and happy so that is what is what matters.

Last Sunday I paid bills and then wrote out checks to different accounts. We have money in three different institutions. At one, we have a Christmas club, a vacation account, and a regular savings for house improvements. At another we are just putting money in it for reserve. I also wrote out a check for my Roth. DH informed me he took "my" money to all the places last week. I laughed and said when did it become "my" money since it is for both of us. He just laughed.

Before the holidays stores had quite a few things on sale we use so I stocked up. Our grocery bills this month haven't been very high other than fresh vegetables and dairy. It's weird going into the store and not buying a whole lot, but we aren't doing without so that is good. I'm trying to use up some of the things we have in our freezer as well. I have a pot of ham and beans cooking from the ham that was in the freezer and the broth I made from leftover bits and pieces from chicken. So other than the beans and a few spices, basically an almost "free" main dish.

School has been hectic. We are doing district testing and some folks can't keep to a schedule which stresses me out when they inconvenience others with their disorganization. DH keeps reminding me it won't be long before retirement.

The house smells pretty good right now -- I made a blueberry crumble for dessert tonight. We are having a pork roast with carrots for supper. I'm also roasting potatoes and zucchini casserole. It should be a decent meal. I figure if I have to have the oven on, I might as well fix lots of things in it.

We hit the thrift stores today and I found a mini flag for $1 that was for Valentine's Day. We have one of those mini flag holders in the front of the house, but I hate paying big bucks for the holiday ones so I thought I found a decent deal.

I rarely feel caught up on everything, but for some reason, this afternoon, I felt like I was ahead in enough things I could pull out some cookbooks and see if there were any recipes I'd like to try. I refuse to go and buy anything at the grocery so it meant finding stuff I already had in the pantry, fridge, and freezer.

I saw a recipe for chicken breasts where you marinate them in Italian salad dressing and then roll in crumbs and bake off. I had planned on having chicken, so that something I am fixing.

What I really thought I'd like trying is a Quick bread. It is a Parmesan bread.

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 T of baking powder
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup of milk
1 egg
1 t sugar
1 t oregano
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

You mix the first seven ingredients together and put in a greased 8 inch cake pan. You put the cheese on top and bake 18-20 minutes.

I changed the recipe before putting it in the pan. I added a little more milk because the dough seemed dry. But it turned out great! I think this recipe is a keeper!

Hope you all are having a great start to 2016! So far, mine has been very good.

DH and I went out to eat last night and then to church. We came home and relaxed. This morning was a relaxing morning as well. We didn't eat any of the foods that are supposed give us a lucky year; we had leftover vegetable soup. A friend gave us a Pike's Peak Roast and we had it for supper the other night and I used the broth and the leftover meat for soup. We've had three full meals out of it and I still had enough to freeze for another small meal.

We did go out and do a little shopping. Found a couple of things on sale and used a coupon to save a bit more. It was stuff we would have bought anyway. Just happened to find it on sale. We also bought furnace filters which weren't on sale, but necessary nonetheless. I figure maintaining the furnace is important and hopefully saves us money by not using a clogged, dirty filter.

We did go to the grocery store and pick up bread, milk, and fruit. We will be eating from the freezer and pantry for everything else. We need to use things up so they don't go bad or get freezer burn.

I know some make resolutions for the new year. I do not because I usually tend to "forget" them and do whatever. So, I'm just trying to make wise decisions as the days go by. I am trying to get things organized. I tidied up my closet today and believe me, it needed it. I have been going through drawers and areas so I can donate things. The other day I organized my thread. I have been buying spools of thread at estate sales and garage sales. I don't do serious sewing, but I do hem my slacks and I do some mending. I have amassed quite a few spools and it was getting to be a problem seeing what I had. So, I decided to put them in a shallow drawer on their sides so I can see their colors. It sure makes it easier to find what I need. Lately I seem to be mending quite a few things.

I did splurge yesterday and bought some crochet thread. I have an old bureau that I have had for over 40 years. I like it, but the top is narrow (it has three drawers on the top, two stick out further than the center one) and I have used a folded runner for the past few years over it. I decided to buy some pretty crochet thread and crochet myself a runner in the right width. Yep, I'm living dangerously, aren't I?

Hope your New Year is a fabulous one filled with many blessings.

Another weekend and another time the maid didn't show up! Of course she didn't...we don't have a maid. But a gal can dream, right?

We took down our Christmas decorations and put things away yesterday. After church and brunch today, we went to work of cleaning house. I think the house looks bigger after we put away our decorations. I usually put some things away when I set Christmas stuff out. Then when we put away the Christmas decorations, I pull out some of the stuff and it is like having something new. I know, I'm weird.

We had a small ham for Christmas dinner and supper. Today it made an appearance chopped up in scrambled eggs for brunch and tonight, hopefully it will have its final and encore performance in sandwiches. I'm not a huge ham lover -- I can eat it and enjoy it the first time or two. But, I tire of it easily, yet I am too frugal to throw it away. I've tried freezing it before and it was OK in ham and beans, but nothing to write home about.

We had a delightful Christmas and like so many of you, everything was paid for in cash. Well, sort of. I did put some things on my Discover card to get the extra cash back, but paid it off when the bill came.

Yesterday supposedly was to be a big shopping day. We didn't participate and help the economy. There really isn't anything we needed. DH picked out what he wanted for Christmas and I picked out some of what I wanted and he chose well for the rest. I'm indeed blessed.

The countdown continues for retirement. I have 95 school days left barring any snow days. Part of me is very excited and part of me is scared. My pension will be smaller than my current salary. I am not eligible for Social Security since I am a teacher in Illinois. I keep telling myself that with no outstanding debt and the fact we are careful with our money, there shouldn't be any problems.

I do have a question though. I plan to retire in May. Do I have to fully fund my Roth IRA before I retire, or do I have the rest of the year to fund it?

Hope you all have a wonderful prosperous new year!

After a wonderful Thanksgiving, it is now Black Friday. We had stores open yesterday and last night and again early this morning. I guess I am not much of a shopper because I can't see missing out on Thanksgiving to go and buy more stuff. I have no desire to fight crowds and I'm not sure the "deals" really are deals. I think our society has become so skewed that we put shopping ahead of other things.

It's rainy, windy, and the temperature is dropping here. I'm glad it is just rain. We plan to do our weekly grocery shopping today. Normally DH does the Aldi run when I'm at work, but since I'm blessed with the day off, I get to go and then we go to the other grocery store to get the things we can't get at Aldi.

I have almost all of my Christmas shopping finished. I have one more thing to get and two packages to mail, but other than that, I think I'm good. I have either made or purchased things throughout the year when I found them on sale. DH picks out the majority of the stuff and we have a Christmas club account so what he picks out is within my budget. I also have addressed all of our Christmas cards and I purchased stamps on Wednesday. I did cut back on the cards this year. It is getting pretty expensive to send them anymore although I did find cards throughout the year more reasonably priced.

Lunch is leftovers. Not Thanksgiving, but from the other night.

I have some baking to do for our church's Christmas bazaar, but I bought the baking stuff when it was on sale.

So, did you face the crowds and the chaos to shop?

Bread...not the cold green stuff, but the stuff you eat. This is the time of the year I bake it with some kindergarten classes and it's funny to hear the reactions from not only the little ones.

I was wheeling a cart with a mixing bowl, flour, and other things and staff members would comment, "If you have extra, I'd like a piece."

Amazing that homemade bread is such a commodity! The custodian after eating a slice told me if I opened a bakery when I retired, he would be a loyal customer. Through the years it has been interesting to hear people talk about the family members who baked bread and what glorious memories it hearkened. The class I worked with Friday gave me a thumbs up after they ate some warm, buttered slices. Hopefully tomorrow will also be successful.

I wrote the last check for my Roth today and I'm fully funded for 2015. Now I need to save up to start for 2016. Yay!

My pastor today was doing a children's moment and he asked the kids what they wanted to be when they grew up. One said he wanted to babysit puppies which was a cute answer and the congregation chuckled. He then commented about Jesus being a carpenter before starting His ministry. I know this next thought wasn't what he intended, but I was thinking how pleasing it is to make something with your hands and see the progress. I'm sure a carpenter has that sheer joy. I was crocheting Christmas star ornaments last night and thinking the same thing. I might be an educator, but sometimes it is fulfilling to make something and see a finished product. It's even better when it is a gift and the person receiving it appreciates it. Just a simple joy, but a joy nonetheless.

As we gear up for Thanksgiving here in the U.S., hope you have plenty for which to be thankful and plenty of joy in your life.

It's been awhile since I've posted. Wish it was because I was so busy doing so many exciting things, but alas, it wasn't. The past few weeks have been a struggle because with my allergies and asthma, I've been not feeling the best. I think the worst of it is over and I feel better.

It seems like we've been spending a lot lately and I think we have. Granted, most of it was planned. We put away money all year in a Christmas account and last weekend we journeyed to a large mall where DH picked out what he wanted for Christmas. This past year we lost both our Penney's and our Sears so other than Kohls, we don't have many stores that have good bargain prices. I also bought a few things for other presents and have the majority of my shopping finished. I am planning on getting the envelopes addressed for Christmas cards, and in the next couple of weeks, will need to be doing some baking for our church's Christmas bazaar. We sell cookies by the pound so we need a lot of different types of cookies. It is a major fundraiser for our women's group and they give part of the money to missions and use the remainder for projects they have locally.

We did splurge and buy some new towels. I haven't had new towels in about a decade so that was a nice treat.

I wasn't happy that my router is going out. But, after 6 years, I guess I'm lucky it lasted this long.

I have a family night this week so I had to plan a meal that I could eat early and DH could heat up on his own. I made a huge pot of soup yesterday for tonight's supper and there should be plenty for at least one more meal and maybe a could of lunches.

Last night I made something I hadn't tried before. There is probably a recipe for it somewhere, but I was trying to chop vegetables for the soup, so I chopped onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and sauted them in a little olive oil. Then I cut up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and sauted them. I added a can of cream of chicken soup. While I was doing this, I was boiling spaghetti. I used some of the pasta water to add to the soup/meat mixture and let it cook down, then added a little more and added the spaghetti and let it cook together for a couple of minutes. I added some shredded cheese, mixed it all together and served it in a bowl. DH loved it. We also had enough leftover for two lunches after he had four helpings. Cheap meal and basically I was already chopping vegetables and I only used spaghetti because I had some left in a box. I could have used any pasta I think.

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving. I have been posting on Facebook something I'm grateful every day, many so I think about how good my life is. I am grateful for my SA friends because I feel we help each other and support each other.

The last few weeks have brought about a slew of envelopes, phone calls, and door bell ringing as people ask for donations or fundraise. It's been bad in the past, but this year is has totally overwhelmed me. I know the mail part has to be because our name and addresses were sold and I'm not happy about it. One particular charity sends something almost weekly. I looked them up and only about 5% of the money donated actually goes to the folks they are supposed to help. Fat chance they are getting anything.

I work in education and I understand the concept and necessity of fundraising, but the district I live in has gone crazy. The neighbor kids have been selling so much stuff.

Today we received what I think was a telemarketer call at 7:08 a.m. Normally I would be up and gone, but today is a day off because we had parent-teacher conferences until 7 two nights this week. I had looked forward to sleeping in. DH didn't answer the phone; I would have and let the person have it. We had someone about a year ago call about that time to inform me he wanted to help me fix the virus on my computer. I informed him I didn't have a computer virus and how absolutely rude it was to call before 9 a.m. in America and if he was calling from another country, he needs to find out what time zone he was calling.

Locally we had a community food drive a couple of weeks ago. My school was collecting and DH went and bought 3 cases of canned goods so I could take them in. Then the other building I work in decided we should donate too and started browbeating us to donate money. I said I had already donated and this person said I should donate more because it was a good cause. I kept my mouth shut, but I wanted to tell this person that yes, it is a good cause, but we consistently donate to a food pantry every month and belittling me because I wouldn't donate even more wasn't influencing me. It's none of this person's business what I do with my money.

In other news, I have been struggling with my asthma. That was one of the reasons I had hoped to sleep in because I haven't been sleeping well. Since I got home after 7, I couldn't do my breathing treatment until after then and it kind of wires me up. I needed the treatment, but I also need some sleep. Guess the telemarketer didn't think so.

Right now I stand at 126 school days until retirement. Some days fly by and some just crawl. I imagine with the holidays coming, these days will fly.

Lots of things going on at our house.

We had a projected killing frost this weekend, so a lot of time was spent getting tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and onions picked. DH pulled up a lot of the plants Friday night and the rest yesterday, including his flowers and the herbs. I spent a big part of Friday night cleaning vegetables and yesterday I did some canning. The pantry is looking pretty nice. We had bought some apples on sale too, so I canned some apple juice, apple jelly, and apple sauce, and I made some bell pepper soup. We will have some of the soup tonight and I canned 3 quarts and a pint of it for the pantry. A fellow who does landscaping stopped by to talk to us and he was saying his wife has gotten caught up in the blood moon conspiracy theory and has gone crazy canning since she is afraid there won't be food available. Funny, there was something on a program saying if Martial Law would go into effect, we would be hard pressed to find food. I don't subscribe to all this, but it could be scary if you thought about it and believed it. I just like to save money and know where our food is coming from.

My school district has this wellness program where they encourage you to get a screening during certain days they have set up. The screening can be as simple as a blood test for the basics, or you can pay for extra stuff, and they included a free flu shot. I had already gotten my flu shot, but I did the basic screening. Supposedly if you signed up by a certain time, at the end of the year you will get a $75 "refund" since we pay a portion of our health insurance. I like to keep track of my vitals, so the blood test wasn't a problem and the refund this spring will be a nice bonus.

This was my payday so I finished paying bills and then figured out what goes into savings. This is the last month to put money in Christmas club since they send us the check the first of November. We have a decent amount in it. So, in November I will start over for the next Christmas. We are also saving up for a new roof. We have a few years, but figure we should have the money so we can negotiate when the time comes. I truly believe "cash is king" when it comes to these matters. When we met with our financial adviser last summer, I was afraid he would get upset over our different savings accounts. He actually applauded us for saving up for things. We have a vacation account as well and then we have regular savings. It isn't like we are actually losing a lot of interest since interest rates aren't paying squat anywhere. I like having the different accounts because it makes it easier for us to keep track. We also don't have all of our bank accounts at the same bank.

We received our water bill and there is a flyer with it. On the back of it was a photo of a rain barrel...it looks like our rain barrel! The flyer said there could be a credit if you use something like this for storm water run off. So, I need to call the city to find out if we can get that credit at some point. Every little bit helps.

DH has been fighting some squirrels. They like to dig up his front yard because they are burying nuts for the winter. DH loves his front yard and doesn't want a bunch of holes. So, I am being entertained by him running out the front door to chase the squirrels and it gives him some exercise too.

I did a count last night...My pantry has 19 quarts of tomatoes, 12 pints of tomatoes, 5 half pints of tomatoes, 17 pints of beans, 4 pints of beans, 1 half pint of beans, 3 quarts of corn, 2 pints of corn, 1 half pint corn, 14 half pints sweet pepper jelly, 2 quarts of sweet pickles, 5 half pints of sweet pickles, 1 quart of applesauce, 1 half pint applesauce, and 4 pints of bread and butter pickles...not bad, eh? Especially since we have a very small spot for the garden. I taught myself to can last year and didn't can a ton, but have really ventured out this year. The green beans were from a friend and the corn was a combination of a gift and some we bought. I haven't made the apple jelly yet and I was thinking of green tomato chow chow since we have quite a few green tomatoes. We will probably get a frost in the next couple of weeks so I'm trying to figure out what to do before then. I hate for stuff to go to waste. I am proud of what we have put up. I posted a photo on Facebook last night and did get quite a bit of validation.

I have been working on a project at work and sent it in for a presentation for our school board. The IT person replied to my principal and me that since I did such a good job, I should get Monday off. Yeah, that was a joke...we have no school tomorrow in observance of Columbus Day. However, my ever witty boss said if I continue to work so hard, in ten weeks he will give me some time off for Christmas break. Ten weeks. Suddenly I started seeing the same time frame on Facebook that Christmas is ten weeks away.

Last summer I started making some things for Christmas. I have been working steadily. On Facebook this past week, someone had a meme that said a homemade gift really isn't a cheap gift and pointed out if someone knitted or crocheted an afghan how many skeins of yarn are needed, how much a typical skein of yarn is, and how many hours was put into it. All very true. It's sad that people think that because something is homemade it is cheap. Homemade foods aren't cheap either. I have spent hours today in the kitchen canning and making jelly. Plus there is the cost of the jars, lids, rings, and whatever else is needed. When I bake there is the cost of the ingredients as well as whatever else is used to store and/or transport.

Yesterday we hit some thrift shops and I found some jelly jars very reasonable. I snatched them up because I'm about out. Good thing because today I made 6 half pints of Sweet Pepper Jelly. I have been using it on toast simply because the last time I made some I had a little left over -- not enough to can, but too much to throw out. One way it is really good is over cream cheese and serve it either on crackers or celery. Right now we have quite a few bell peppers so I figured I might as well make use of them. Below is the original recipe, but when I made it a second time, I changed it by adding more peppers. I thought the amount they had was kind of skimpy.

Sweet Pepper Jelly
3/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
3/4 cup finally chopped green pepper
1 1/2 cup white vinegar
6 1/2 cup white sugar
6 Tablespoons pectin

3 pint sized canning jars or 6-7 half pint jars, sterilized and hot

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large stainless steel sauce pan. bring mixture to a boil and boil for 6 minutes. Add pectin and boil for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and skim off and discard foam. Ladle the jelly into the prepard jars. Wipe off rims and apply the lids. Place the jars in a large pot of water and bring to boil for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from water and let cool. Make sure lids have sealed. Refrigerate after opening.

I'm toying with the idea of making some apple jelly. I made apple juice yesterday and I'd like to see if I can also make apple jelly.

We hit the grocery store Friday night and found some baking ingredients on sale. I was pleased because we have a church bazaar and our church is known for selling all different kinds of cookies by the pound.

Ten weeks. Don't forget! Or are you all ready?

This has been a busy weekend. After getting off work, we drove about 45 minutes to pick up a bookcase we ordered to replace one. I'm trying to get things bought that we want before I retire such as furniture. We had saved for it so it wasn't an unexpected expense, but it came sooner than they said. So, I left work, we went to pick it up, ate supper, unloaded the piece, and then went to the first of two nights of celebration for my husband's class reunion. He had a wonderful time and was so happy we went. Of the two evenings, it was very reasonable -- we each bought an ice tea so that was the cost. He was a little worried that when we got home I was in bed by 10 p.m. I tried to explain after working all week and getting things done at home in the evenings I wasn't ill, just exhausted.

Saturday was busy doing some of the things I normally do on Friday night like grocery shop and laundry. We had the nice dinner for his reunion and it was a very nice evening. We dressed up. A friend teased me I needed to buy a new "frock" for the gala event, and we laughed and laughed at that. I said I didn't think they had a frock department. We both wore things we already owned. So other than paying for the dinner which we did earlier this summer, we didn't spend anything else.



Today was church and then brunch, then house cleaning and moving the new bookcase in and the old one out. After brunch I put a whole chicken I got on sale yesterday in the Crockpot. I had a bag of navy beans in the pantry that I soaked overnight. White chicken chili sounded good for a supper one night this week and then we will have enough for lunches. I made sweet pepper soup yesterday for tonight's supper and lunch tomorrow. We still have bell peppers coming on and I figure why not make use of them?

I think I'm a little crazy, but I enjoy cooking and it some ways it relaxes me when I can put things together and have something good to eat. One of the local restaurants advertised Sunday brunch for $12.99 each. I guess that isn't too expensive; we haven't eaten brunch out in years because after church we come home and I fix sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, cheesy grits, and fruit salad. I tease DH we could go out, but he loves what we have on Sundays and we figure we save a wad of money eating in.

School has kept me very busy. We had assessments and deadlines to hit. Of course with that comes stress and as I call it, "woman drama." One unfortunate thing about working in a profession of mostly women is we sometimes don't get along and tend to hold grudges. Sometimes I need a score card to keep up with who isn't getting along.

We've had some things break around here. Yesterday we purchased new heads for DH's shaver and wouldn't you know it after we put them in, his first attempt to use it, another part broke. I pulled a drawer out on our Hoosier cabinet Friday and the front of the drawer separated and splintered from the drawer. And the list goes on. Nothing major, but annoying.

Today is DH's birthday. We actually celebrated last night with dinner out and a movie. DH had a gift certificate for a local theatre and we used it, plus he had the senior discount. We saw "The Intern" and it brought up some thoughts.

I don't want to ruin it for anyone who wants to watch it, but what I will write about one can see on the trailer. A 70 year old becomes an intern for an up and coming business and sticks out with his suit and manners and work ethic. Although it was written to be humorous for the movie, I think it has become a sad commentary on many work places.

I work in an educational setting. I remember my teachers being dressed nicely and acting professionally. I have tried to dress decently and act like I have some sense. But, I'm not seeing that as much anymore. And it isn't just an age thing. I'm seeing teachers who look like they threw on what they are wearing from the laundry basket. A work ethic is non-existent, and anything goes when it comes to conversation. I admit I have a potty mouth at times, but never at school or at church. I try to act like I have some sense most of the time. I try to give my employer my best work and often "donate" time (I don't get paid by the hour) to get things accomplished. It is just discouraging.

Back to better things. I baked a cake for DH's birthday and made soup for our supper. DH loves soup so that was a win and he certainly loves cake. I'm blessed to have a wonderful spouse and a nice home. So, instead of grousing, I should be thinking how fortunate I am. And being busy shows I have something to do.

Years ago my folks bought a small grocery store building. This was in the early 1960s when little neighborhood stores were still going. My dad had the dream of opening a used furniture store in addition to his full time job of working for the Coca-Cola plant. I was three years old when they bought the building. We lived in the apartment above the store. My parents worked very hard and when I was old enough, I helped out too. Even as a small child I learned to sweep floors and dust furniture.

Because of the Labor Day parade and a train blocking a crossing, we had to venture into this neighborhood. There stands the old store building. It is empty. Kind of sad and forlorn, really. The neighborhood was kind of sketchy when we moved out in 1972 and it has gotten far worse. The apartment house next to the store building was bulldozed a number of years ago so there sits a vacant lot. The house across the street has also been bulldozed; the space if vacant. I was telling DH about both sets of neighbors when I was growing up. The couple who lived across the street was always cleaning. I bet you could have eaten off her front porch. He was meticulous cutting his yard even if it was tiny. The owner of the apartment house (there were 4 apartments) planted geraniums in the window boxes, changed storm windows and screens every spring and fall, and kept things very tidy. Now both places are gone and what is left is a shadow of its former glory.


I know there's a saying about "you can't go home again" and in some cases it is true. I'm not sure I would feel safe even walking around the block now. In this case change isn't good. But it is change.

Thinking back on these neighbors does give me a warm feeling -- one lady was like a mom to me and taught me many things including how to cook and clean. I learned by example from these neighbors how important it was to cherish what you have and take care of it. So, in this instance, I would say change was good.

It is easier to complain than to do something.

OK, that isn't a novel idea, is it? Personally, I'm just about fed up with the whining and complaining of some of the people who call themselves friends. Maybe it is because I'm just tired. Between work and home, I've been very busy and with the extreme hot temperatures, my patience is thin.

Every time we see one couple, they have to go into great detail about their illnesses. Even when we receive an email it is a laundry list of this and that. The gentleman tends to exaggerate his problems...it is like when he is tested for cancer, he wants to have cancer. If a doctor says something could turn into cancer, he brags he is a cancer survivor. I think it is ridiculous; we have friends who are cancer survivors who fought bravely and some lost the battle. I think his is more attention seeking. As we age, I know our bodies start breaking down. I am not denying that, but some of the problems they have could be prevented by making other choices. They, of course, do not want to hear that. I wish I could find a nice way to say I don't want graphic details of their health issues. There is another couple we associate with that if she doesn't turn the conversation to how much she hurts, she must consider it a waste of a conversation. I no longer ask these people how they are because I don't want to hear more details than I can handle. Yet they persist in telling me. So, I have the struggle of being a friend and listening yet inside I'm screaming, "Noooo. Don't tell me anymore!"

This is the same with with money issues. One couple always complains they have studied their budget and they need to save money. So, they use coupons when they eat out. Of course they eat out every day. It has gotten to the point it is embarrassing to eat with them because they want to use a coupon and press the server in letting them use it even if they don't follow the standards the coupon states. I don't mind the use of coupons -- I just don't like people to try and cheat by using them. If I suggest they eat at home, I get excuses on why they need to eat out.

We know this other family that is always complaining they need more money -- she left for the weekend to go to a party in Chicago. Meanwhile they need some major home repairs and she will soon be whining about that. Her justification is she needed to get away and be with the girls.

For so many, Facebook has become Whinebook.

OK, rant over. Thanks for reading. sorry I whined.

In other news I have been figuring out new ways to use bell peppers. DH planted just a few plants, but have they gone to town. What a great problem to have, right? Supper tonight is sweet pepper and tomato soup. Last night I made sweet pepper jelly (found the recipe on Pinterest) and we will be having it over cream cheese and having crackers. We have shared some of the peppers with friends too.

My pantry is filling up. I canned one quart and two half pints of tomato juice last night, as well as having some of the juice for our soup tonight. Last weekend I canned 3 quarts of sweet pickles -- I gave one quart to the lady who shared the cucumbers with me.

One of the local stores had quite a flyer out on sale items. We bought quite a few things to stock the pantry on things we normally buy. I spent a couple evenings last week inventorying what I already had and then matching coupons to stuff on sale.

No school tomorrow so that is a wonderful holiday to look forward to. Plus, the stock market won't be open which the way it has been dropping, that might be a good thing.

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend.

It's been a busy couple of weeks. School started for teachers August 13 and students returned August 17. We had some very hot days (most of our schools are not air conditioned.) But, like most educators, we are optimistic about a good year. We have a new principal at our building this year and if the last 7 days are any indication, he's going to be a winner! A strong leader makes a workplace so much better.

DH planted a small garden and we have been enjoying tomatoes, peppers, onions, and herbs. We had hoped to get more tomatoes this year so I could can quite a few, but our tomatoes have really dropped off. A friend and her brother have kept us supplied in green beans. Another friend gave us some sweet corn. And I have acquired cucumbers to make pickles from a variety of places. I have canned what I could and have quite a few things for our pantry. There is something about looking at what we have that makes me feel good. Weird, eh?

Before school began, I had meetings in the district. It was funny how old habits pop up. We were given ample time to go out to eat. I took my lunch and ate there and worked and I took my coffee instead of stopping and getting some for the morning. It was interesting because some of the folks were already complaining how money was tight. Imagine that!

I plan on retiring at the end of this school year. I didn't get a special deal or retirement bonus or anything. Someone asked me how I could plan to retire so soon (I'll be 55.) I said we saved and paid off things. Our home is paid for. Both vehicles are paid off. Other than our every day spending and bills, we don't have any outstanding bills. Basically, we have lived below our means. We met with our financial advisor last summer and when he saw our budget, he was astounded. He said that so many folks "finance" everything and are never prepared at this stage in their lives. So, unless we have some major thing come up, we should be doing OK.

I was telling a young person the other day I was planning on retiring and we were talking about Roths and 403bs. He said he and his wife don't have money to save. I told him he needed to find money to save, even a little bit, because it is over the years that it increases. I could tell he really didn't want to think about how to save money; it is far easier to complain you don't have it instead of trying to figure out ways to save it.

Our meals for this week:
brunch: scrambled eggs, sausage, grits, toast, fruit
BLTs
Baby back ribs, mashed potatoes, greens beans, fruit
Pork tenderloin roast with carrots and onions, roasted potatoes
Leftover roast with sweet potatoes and green beans
Quiche with leftover sausage, sliced tomatoes
Chicken with barbecue sauce, roasted potatoes with peppers and onions, roasted vegetables, fruit

Geeze, it is hot out there. They predicted 90 and my car thermometer said it was 91 over an hour ago. So glad we have a/c. I remember growing up we didn't and sleeping wasn't easy being hot and sticky. I know we are very blessed now, even if we do complain about the bills.

Started back to school last Thursday. Our building is not air conditioned and it was warm. I dread tomorrow after it being closed up all weekend and so hot. The good thing is this is my last year; my intention is to retire at the end of this school year. Some of my friends are already doing a countdown of school days.

My church is doing a capital campaign and last Sunday I posted on Facebook a query -- if I baked something would people be willing to donate for whatever it was? I had a decent response. Last Monday I dropped off a loaf of zucchini bread and today I baked 5 loaves of banana bread. Two have been delivered and three go tomorrow. Tomorrow evening I am fixing a meal for a neighbor for a donation as well. People have been generous so that has been nice.

One of my older friends no longer emails, so I have been writing her a letter every weekend and mailing it. She says it is like getting to visit with me each week, so that's kind of nice. Do you still write letters?

It's getting near supper time. We are going to have some leftover pork roast from the other night with some leftover vegetables, but I think I will have to come up with some starch. I like the option of cooking once and having a meal or two off of whatever was fixed, even if I have to add to it. Saves money and time.

Today is the last day of my summer vacation as school begins for staff tomorrow and the students return on Monday.

What a summer this has been. I can't say I've saved a ton, but what we spent was anticipated. We planned on taking two small trips and everything was paid for.

I did wind up buying more canning jars than I anticipated, but that is a mixed blessing, no? It will be nice having the food this winter and not buying as many groceries.

As an educator, it is always exciting to begin a new year, but it is also sad to think my vacation time is over. Yes, I know, that's the beauty of vacation...enjoying the time off, but returning to work.

One thing I'm not looking forward to is packing lunches again. I don't mind fixing lunches at home, I just dread packing lunches to take to work. I don't know why, it isn't difficult. I guess it is just knowing I have a limited amount of time to eat and I don't want to have to little or too much, and there are some days the pickings are slim...that's when I resort to crackers and peanut butter from the pantry. Oh, well. My eating from stuff at home saves us money so we can do all those fun things during the summer.

DH and I went to the Amana Colonies on Monday. It is about 4 hours away from our home here in Illinois. We stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast and enjoyed two meals in Amana. Breakfast the following morning included two different types of quiche, toast made from homemade bread, oatmeal, muffins, and fruit. They had two different juices available: mango and orange. DH cannot drink orange juice because of his acid reflux so he tried the mango and really liked it. We were back home Tuesday in time to have supper. It was a nice getaway and we had saved the money to go and fortunately gas prices weren't too expensive. Here is a photo of our room:


Since being back, I told a friend that I wish I could make some mango juice. The next day she messaged me that Kroger had mangoes on sale for 99 cents. I bought some and made two quarts...DH said it was just like what he had and was delighted.

DH harvest our garlic and I cleaned and minced it last night and packed it with some olive oil. A friend gave us some a few years ago to plant and we've been doing it ever since. I keep the minced stuff in the fridge.

I decided to try and make some more pickles and followed the recipe for bread and butter ones. It said to wait for a few weeks before eating them so they can get the full flavor. I canned 5 pints and one half pint.

I also canned two more quarts of tomato juice this week. Unfortunately with the lack of rain and the heat, our tomatoes are starting to slow down. Hope we get some more before this fall because I'd like to have a few more to can and have on hand.

Yesterday I pulled up the remainder of the radishes. DH had tried a second planting and we got a few, but the excessive heat kept them from growing like they should. We have had a bunny eating the lettuce so there isn't too much left. I did pick some yesterday and wash and put it in the fridge before he got the rest.

One of our local stores (it is a chain around here) sends out a coupon book at the first of every month. Usually it is for things we don't buy, but this month they had potatoes as part of the coupon. I used quite a few coupons this time for things we normally use...the prices are really cheap. I bought two boxes of tissue for 69 cents each. I need it for school because I leave it out on my desk so at that reasonable price, it isn't too expensive. Our grocery bills continue to be lower since we are using so much produce either DH has grown or has been given to us.

The friend I wrote about early did a nice surprise...she took some of the bell peppers we have been sharing with her and stuffed them and gave them back so we could have them for supper. There was enough for a couple of meals.

Another hot weekend scheduled. I don't think we will be going too far. I'm happy to be home and read a library book.

No, I haven't found a new hybrid of tomatoes...it comes from that mixed blessing auto-correct.

My friend has a garden and DH has a garden. Her tomatoes aren't doing very well due to her gardening flooding in June, but she has been sharing green beans with us. So, we've been sharing tomatoes and bell peppers with her. I emailed her the other day to ask if she needed some more tomatoes, but auto-correct changed it to meow tomatoes so that has been the joke around here lately.

Speaking of produce, I've canned 2 quarts and 1 pint of tomato juice and 2 quarts of tomatoes. A friend gave us some sweet corn and I canned it and have 2 quarts. My before mentioned friend gave us some green beans and I canned 3 pints of them in addition to having some for the table.

There's a small town near us called Arthur that is well known for having many Amish residents. There is a bulk food store called Beachy's. We go there and purchase sausage patties, spices, and when needed different types of flour. They had a container of small cucumbers that looked ideal for pickles. Mind you, I've never made pickles, but the cost of the cucumbers was 75 cents and I had salt, vinegar and sugar at home as well as mustard and celery seed. I found a recipe in all recipes for sweet pickles, followed it and wound up with almost a quart in the fridge and 3 pints canned of sweet pickles. I'm a little bit proud of myself for this because I've never made them before. My mom, when I asked her to let me help or show me how to can, told me I was too stupid to do it. I taught myself to can last summer with tomatoes, applesauce, and green beans. So, I'm venturing out.

Another friend gifted us with a large yellow squash and zucchini. I sliced and roasted the squash with some onions and extra virgin olive oil. I made zucchini patties out of the large zucchini. The recipe is simple -- grate the zucchini, grate a small onion and piece of bell pepper with it. Add an egg and bread crumbs to make patties and saute in hot oil, browning both sides. I added a little cumin and tumeric to the patties while I was mixing it, but I'm sure you can add whatever you want. DH loves them and I hadn't made them in quite awhile and he asked for them again tonight. Good thing that was a large zucchini!

With all the garden stuff, our grocery bill was pretty reasonable -- less than $50 which is pretty low since we eat a lot of meals at home.