Another strange month from the Bricks' strange summer. I spent a few weeks in Michigan that I hadn't planned on, but was able to get back in time to enjoy Colorado's mountain version of fall. (Hint: mostly gold aspen, with a few oranges and reds thrown in.) We've had our share of warm days, but the nights are much easier sleeping, now temperatures have cooled down.
I love fall.
The Brick is hoping to snare an elk -- hunting season starts in a few weeks. Our landlords, who have been gone all month, are hoping the same thing. That means we need to 'eat down' the freezer as much as possible, to make room for the meat. I bought several ready-to-eat items for the Brick to eat while I was gone -- which he didn't. That's made my cooking chores easier, until they're gone.
I love being home with the Brick and the doggies. But I am also very aware, given The Mama's precarious state of health, that things could quickly change. Just like this time of year.
FRUGAL HITS
(This is a touch early -- but I had the time to compile it. Some of these are from late August.)
*Picked up pears for The Mama from her tree. At least a bushel's worth...and helped her make pear bread from some. (I don't care for this stuff. But I DO like fresh pears.) Made a pear/apple tart for supper with friends, and a second tart for my quilting friend. (See next.)
*Free produce from a quilting friend: tomatoes, kale and green beans. (Thanks so much, Jerry!)
*Produce buys: 5 pounds of potatoes from Safeway (79 cents), but need to get more. They store nicely in a cool spot. I probably won't get 50 pounds, but 10 would do nicely through the holidays. Also: tomatoes (from a roadside stand) and sweet corn from Walmart: 10 cents each!
*Combined an appraisal stop with a trip up into the mountains to see the fall colors. Made a picnic supper we ate on top of Guanella Pass. (Quickly...it was cold up there.)
*Bought sugar on sale. Added to the rye flour, white flour and rice purchased (on sale) from Amazon earlier this year, we should be set for cookies, bread and such for the next 3-4 months.
*Bought myself a $1.00 iced tea from McDonald's -- otherwise, no snacks purchased, even at the airport, while I was gone.
*Brought home 'pogey bait' (the family term for sweets) for the Brick from Daily Deals. Ummm, fudge and dark chocolate-dipped Oreos (1.79 or less)...and a handful of our favorite candy bars, as well (50 cents each). Not to mention the 25-cent chocolate bars I got for Christmas stockings. Shameful confession: four bags of crunchy potato chips, also purchased. The Mama makes a dry pot roast I just do not care for. We had that a lot, including leftovers, in Michigan. My primary food soon became chicken, salad greens (also from Daily Deals) and potato chips. Actually lost a little weight on this! (Maybe I should start a new Potato Chip Diet craze.)
*Several appraisals done -- plus a book given away, and some sold.
*Earned a giftcard from Swagbucks -- and a bonus, for having a birthday in September. You can earn giftcards FREE this way -- just for doing your normal work! Go here for more.
*Will be returning our mattress -- a very large purchase, when we first got it. The Brick just is not happy with its performance.
*Went without a vehicle for several days -- but at The Mama's house this time! (Niece and nephew needed to borrow it, after theirs went into the shop. No matter; after going without our truck, I was used to it.)
*Watched college football at The Mama's. A lot of football. (Shameful confession: it included an Ohio State game -- and they won. Will my Michigan ever forgive me...)
*Free birthday burger at Red Robin, after I got home. Maybe Michigan will forgive me now for the Ohio State lapse, since we watched the Wolverines beat Washington while we were at Red Robin. Go Blue!
*Pretty little mum plants from Walmart: a dollar apiece. Also a larger plant as a welcome-home present for our landlords.
*Copy paper and personal items, 'free'-- because they were retrieved from storage in Michigan. Some of these items have waited there since we moved in 2019.
Michigan and Colorado thrift shop finds, including several Christmas presents. (Buying this way throughout the year lets me be picky and choose only the best. It also saves on sticker shock in December.) Purchases included: Suede leather gloves ($2.99) and a new-with-the-tags sweater for The Mama. My best buy, though, was a very expensive appliance that I paid $12.79 for! (Its cheapest price, used on Ebay: $100. It usually retails for $400-600.)
Other purchases: a dollar memoir from Charles & Diana's former housekeeper (wonderfully gossipy) and a 50-cent Dave Ramsey finance book for couples. Ten videos (6 for Christmas presents, $2 each) and a few books, as well, came from the library's used book room in Colorado. Patience is a virtue -- I found four, count 'em, FOUR seasons of Poldark for $2 each! We'll keep Season #5, and gift the rest. Also found season one of a British cop series, Line of Duty, that we like very much.
*Chores for our landlord -- both the Brick and myself: computer work; watering and weeding; painting (steps and trim on deck, as well as the front door and entry deck); grass trimming (and poop pickup); clearing out tree roots from the septic system. (This has to be done at least twice a year -- once in fall, once in spring) Couldn't find the root dissolver, and ran out of the paint used on the steps (also incognito) -- but Amazon came to the rescue. Whew.
Handyman chores are part of our pay, for living in this beautiful place.
*The Brick was treated to supper a few times from friends while I was gone. I got a birthday supper when I got back, too. So nice of them.
*Red Robin gift cards, which we'll use for gifts and going out-- 15% discount.
*Fridge food, with instructions to eat it up while friends were out of town. (Thanks, John and Margaret!) A pound of ground elk meat and some rolls, from other friends. (I got more bread free, including french bread and bagels, from a quick visit to the thrift shop.)
FRUGAL MISSES
*The $1.88 trudge: I had a giftcard, printed out for doing a survey, that had only $1.88 left on it. First stop: McDonald's -- because it wasn't a card they could swipe, they couldn't use it. Next stop: Goodwill -- ditto. Finally, Michael's was willing to try...and succeeded. (I still came up 22 cents or so short, to allow for sales tax.)
A LOT of time, energy and stops, just to spend down this card. (It was the last day I could use it.) I know. Ridiculous.
*Tickets to a Michael Cleveland concert: $35 each. Way more than we usually spend -- but our dear friends asked us to go. So we will.
This musician is blind and mostly deaf, but has worked about his disabilities to produce amazing music. Based on his reputation and Youtube videos, this may well change into a 'hit,' instead.
*Our truck was FINALLY repaired... after borrowing yet another vehicle from friends -- approx. four total. (We've been doing this for nearly two months.) All the borrowed vehicles were returned clean and with full gas tanks. (One even got an oil change.) The final bill, including emissions testing and licenses: nearly $14,000. Groan. Which reminds me of:
*The truck license two- (three/four?) step. We couldn't get a permanent license, because the truck needed emissions testing. But it couldn't get an emissions test because it was waiting for repairs. (Our local diesel repair shop was in the process of moving to a different location -- so the truck had to wait.) BUT in Colorado, if you're overdue more than 30 days, it's $25 penalty a month. To keep from paying more than one month's penalty, the Brick had to make a special trip to Boulder to get two (count 'em) temporary licenses. (Actually, we made more trips than that -- Boulder's motor vehicle offices are closed on Fridays, a fact we were unaware of.)Then once the truck was in running condition, a final trip to get the permanent license.
Never let your truck break down when its license comes due. And your repair shop is moving. Just sayin'.
*Out to lunch, more than once. (No smart-alec comments about this from the peanut gallery.) We did try to be frugal in our food choices, though.
*We came close to losing two whole pounds of bacon. They were starting to smell funny...but I cooked them anyways. Delicious. (That's what I get for assuming the Brick would cook a lot of bacon while I was gone. Lost a package or two of other stuff, as well, although the soggy bread was inhaled by the dogs.) Candied bacon is next on the 'make-this' list.
As of this month, I've been writing the Hits & Misses reports for more than five years! That seems incredible, but it's true. The Brick has been retired six years now, which means, other than my work (which shifts up and down), our living is based on a pension and two Social Security payments. We need to keep track of our spending to fit within those parameters. That has helped keep me focusing on the small things, as well as the big purchases. They do add up!
Looking forward to hunting season -- and staying home for a while, God willing.
See the first Hits & Misses report I ever wrote -- Aug. 2016. Weird. You can see last month's report here, as well as last September's report.
Michigan IS beautiful this time of year...
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