We've had subzero temps early this month -- which makes me sooo glad I got the rosebushes covered, and flower bulbs planted. Bo and Tiger LOVE the snow, and tear through it at top speed. Then when they get back in the house, they nibble off the snow from our boots. Silly dogs.
I spent much of the month trying to catch up on appraisal reports, with three weeks lost to a broken laptop. The new computer needed uploading- with 28 years of appraisal reports, plus all the photos I've used for family and blog. Then I caught the flu. Oh joy.
Our Christmas decorating was minimal this year, something I've noticed with our friends, and even our church, in the Valley. Partly, they were heading out of town for the holidays -- partly people had commitments and illness to deal with, just like us. But it was nice to celebrate, just the same.
FRUGAL HITS
(A few of these are from late November)
Los Pastore -- a Mexican mystery/medieval play, "The Shepherds," held at a church nearby in San Luis. It was all in Spanish, meaning I really had to concentrate. Fortunately, a friend who is fluent went, and was able to explain some 'iffy' moments. Our own personal shepherd (our pastor) came along, as well. Fun -- and some puzzlement -- was had by all.
Grocery deals: Jack Links beef jerky -- 20 pks for about $25; meatsticks, about the same price (Amazon Warehouse Deals). Bananas (25 cents/lb); flowers ($2.25-4.08 bunch); BOGO mandarin oranges, $2.50 for 3 lb each; a big 2-lb package of bratwurst, $3.87 (a bit more than 2 pounds!); potato salad, 5 lb for $4.05 (City Market/King Soopers). Potatoes, 5 lb for 97 cents! I bought 75 pounds worth (Safeway).
I am getting very tired of making a special trip to town for a sale item -- only to find it's out of stock, and no rainchecks! This time it was pork loin, advertised at $1.49/lb, and $1.79/dozen for eggs at City Market. Safeway is just as guilty of this practice.
*I tried hard not to shop much for groceries....and largely succeeded. Our bill was much lower this month. Not looking at the sale ads helped. So did buying milk only when necessary, and cutting back on egg consumption. I'd bought ahead for the Seven Fish Dishes, so we only needed some cod for our share (chowder).
*A $25 payment - from a Walmart class action settlement. Plus a $5 survey payment, a $25 giftcard (thank you, Swagbucks!) and a surprisingly hefty royalty payment.
*Switched Medicare B insurance. The local med center no longer accepts Humana, so we've gone to Devoted. (Turns out they don't accept Devoted, either -- so we'll be going to a different medical center.)
*Free yak meat, thanks to the Brick. A friend offered him some. (I am not making this up. Tastes kind of like beef, but chewier.)
*Candlelight battery candles for church. Added a 'snowing' Nativity scene gifted by our friend -- it's lovely. But other than a small tree in the fellowship area, Calvary Blanca didn't have many Christmas decorations out, either. (I found a lit star to decorate the church next year -- 75% off at the thrift shop.)
Several last-minute buys on sale -- including liquer chocolates and Turkish Delight for snacking, plus cozy slippers for friends who are getting married. (They have practically everything else.)
*Free lunch at a LaVeta steakhouse -- for listening to a presentation. (Yes, we brought home leftovers - plus cannoli.) We took friends out for Sunday dinner, planning to cover their meals...and another friend lunching nearby paid for everyone, instead! (Monte, you sneaky man -- thank you.)
*An Audubon 2026 desk calendar -- for $1.50! (Thanks, Castle Rock's Treasures in the Park.)
*Got an armload of bread from the Castle Rock thrift shop -- and gave it out at church. Not one loaf left! People here in the Valley have been hurting some for funds; it's a pleasure to help out when we can.
*Son #1 got an antelope! We always benefit, meatwise, from his harvests.
*Cut a Christmas tree from our own land. An incredible feeling. Then we stacked and loaded wood. "Do you feel like a pioneer?" I asked the Brick.
*Christmas presents from friends: Two plates of cookies, a new pen, olivewood Christmas nativity ornaments, panettone and tea -- and a beautiful new cloth 'grocery bag.' I had fun giving out boxes of chocolates, a few homecooked meals, blueberry muffins, a puzzle -- and a turquoise truck ornament to a friend who prides himself on his vehicles. (He said he'd keep it out all year long. He gave us Grateful Dead stickers...:)
*Watched friends' house while they were gone, checking periodically, as well as picking up their deliveries.
*Watched Christmas movies - both here and at our friends' house. (I got several new ones thrift shopping last month, including The Santa Clause #1, #2 and #3.)
*We now have a drivable trail to the fifth-wheel, parked nearby in our woods -- thanks to the skid steer Son #1 borrowed from his boss.
*Finished a baby quilt restoration that has literally taken years, off and on, to complete. I'm very, very glad to see it done. When the clients picked it up, they also gifted us a tin of flavored popcorn. (Nice!)
*December and January are 'off'-- I won't be doing new appraising, unless it's absolutely necessary. I need to get caught up from getting behind...and having no laptop to access files for weeks.
*Small savings to help fill Christmas stockings: free wildflower seed packets from the library; grocery items from storage (including the ubiquitous black olives); a $10 Chipotle giftcard earned from Humana; 'Chomps' meatsticks, for a bit less than $1 each.
*Picked up a new gig, in Fort Collins! This one will be on Crazy quilts.
*Homey stuff: Baked French bread, biscuits, blueberry muffins, banana cake, cookies, Sachertorte. Made asparagus soup from the crunchy hard ends of asparagus -- kept the broth and threw the fibrous stuff onto the compost pile.
*Bought more Ebay books -- buy 2, get 1 free, and free shipping! My monthly allowance will take care of these nicely. Bought some buy 3, get 1 free books, too, and got a 15% discount (and free shipping) on yet another order. BUT two of the books from the first order never showed up -- the package was open when it reached us. (The seller refunded the $$ -- thank you so much.)
*When it snowed heavily, we just Stayed Home. We didn't go out to eat much, either.
*Thrift Shop Buys: 75% off Christmas -- I got 8 pottery bowls for 50 cents each, and several Christmas stockings. Plus a new dog collar for Bo ($6) -- she's outgrown her previous one.
*Sent Christmas cards...fewer than last year.
*Helped out at a Dec. 26 Christmas dinner - I brought blueberry crisp, and we stayed around afterwards to help clean up.
*Bought a corduroy shirt. For myself. (40% off)
*Went through family photos Thanksgiving night with the kids-- sorted and enjoyed, some sent to cousins and Brother, or taken home by the kids -- and some discarded. (But I kept most.)
*Our furnace stopped working during our Really Chilly period. (Yes, the Brick, clever guy, is nearly done fixing it.) Fortunately, regular use of the woodstove keeps things warm upstairs, and just needs regular loading of the rack from the woodpile outside. We both prefer a colder atmosphere, anyways -- that's what blankets and sweaters are for. And it certainly wasn't as bad as this.
*Wrapped a few dozen boxes of chocolates to hand out at church for Christmas. Wrapped more presents -- using sale Christmas paper, and chunks of an iridescent tablecloth that was going to get thrown away! (They look great, too.) One of the boxes was donated for a young friend's birthday tea; two more went to our mail carrier and the post office staff.
*Borrowed Daughter #2 and Son #1's connections to watch a series I've been curious about: The Mandalorian. Here's the sad part. It was okay -- but not that great. We're doing better with Fallout, a quirky end-of-the-world series. Okey-dokey.
*A lovely Christmas spent with all four kids, plus our adopted grandson. Including the Seven Fish Dishes.
*Advent calendars for the kids --
* Eye exam plus two pairs of glasses: $136. Less than what I paid two years ago...and one of the pairs are sunglasses! America's Best is okay with us.
*Did up a lot of appraisal reports -- now finishing up more, and working on a big group for the Colorado Quilt Council (CQC).
FRUGAL MISSES
*Found money: not a cent from the City Market or Safeway change machines, or anywhere else. (sigh)
*Missed out using some Thanksgiving leftovers. (double sigh)
*Wasted some paper on the printer. (It sometimes goes dry when we don't use it...which means huge sections of text and photos skipped. Triple sigh.)
*Tiger's latest snacks: the Brick's work gloves (both right and left-hands this time) and a placemat. (At least it was Christmas-themed.) He must be slowing down a bit. Either that, or he's ticked that I gathered up all the remaining gloves and put them away in a box. (He gave Dad a pair of leather gloves for Christmas...which he promptly started eyeballing, until I put THEM away.)
He and Bo nibbled on a pillow while we took a Sunday nap -- but I was able to gather up the stuffing and restitch the corner. They also decided to run off during the last pee outing -- out all night, in spite of the cold and our calling them. Brats. I stayed up until 4 a.m., waiting for them, so am still a bit punchy.
*The wear and tear report: scratches have appeared on the Highlander, which infuriates the Brick. I accidentally spilled blueberry juice and milk on the backseat of the Highlander, as well...so much for the 'new car' feeling. (Thankfully both stains scrubbed out.) One of our best coffee mugs got messed up. The outdoors are muddy, as much as snowy -- which means extra dirt keeps getting tracked in, rubbed on the couch and pillows, the comforter, etc. It's an ongoing battle.
Last month's report is here; last year's is here. We were barely parked in Fort Garland in December 2023; that report is here.
A very Merry Christmas... and a Happy New Year.
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