I Heard It Through the Bovine...

 

It's Finally Happened...

 The University of Michigan beat Ohio State 42-27!

The first time in ten years...wow. And at the Big House. During a snowstorm.

A LOT of people were expecting the Wolverines to whimper and fall over...

     But the Buckeyes did it, instead. Not that they didn't fight back -- what an amazing game. 

On to the championship game next week. 

GO BLUE!!

Get It?

 

Frugal Hits & Misses: The November Report

  If you guessed that this month wasn't stellar in the life of the Bricks...you were right. We spent it in Michigan, with the fifth-wheel parked in the farmyard of our parents. My dad, the original Dutch farmer, has been gone for more than 12 years. (See you soon, Pa.) The Mama is still hanging in there. Sort of.

     Her health crisis brought us here at a run in mid-October. Somehow she survived it, with two weeks in the hospital, and three in rehab. Now she's parked herself at the care facility, Learning to walk again and get around. We visit as much as we can, helping out wherever we can. We took her to Thanksgiving dinner at my brother's and sister-in-law's house, which she enjoyed very much. 

We'll be moving into The Mama's house soon -- it doesn't make sense to heat both her house and our house, too. (The fifth-wheel.) That way, we can continue to take care of things, yet have our Stuff nearby. 

FRUGAL HITS

(a few of these are from late October)

*Continued to visit The Mama in rehab nearly every day -- and incorporated errands into that drive time. Washed her clothes, as well. (No worries about lost clothing this way, although staff are doing it now. So far, so good.)

*Kept the heat as low as we dared. Not as low as this person, but low enough. To keep the propane from going too fast, we used a space heater and the electric fireplace to minimize the chill. After bed, though, the heat was turned WAY low. (That's what quilts are for, after all. The Brick also turned the water off, to minimize freezing pipes.)

*The Brick replaced a valve on the blackwater tank pipe. Result: a usable toilet again in the fifth-wheel. He also updated the insulation, repaired that section underneath the trailer, and emptied the blackwater tank a few times. What a guy.

*Daily Deals buys:  $2.29 double-meat pizzas, P.F. Chang chicken dumplings for $1.49, a $4.99 huge meat and cheese tray, peeled large shrimp for $5/lb and 88-cent/lb spiral ham. Prices have generally gone up at least 15-20% even at this place. Other buys:

*Used up every bite of Macintosh apples we bought -- and didn't waste a drop of the two gallons of cider. (If you're in the Grand Rapids, MI area, try the Hill Brothers orchard -- they stay open all year round, and have won awards for their cider mixings.)

*Won six bags of beans and a set of chicken towels from One Hundred Dollars A Month -- thanks so much, Mavis!

That's me -- top left. Yum.

*Dollar Tree buys: stocking stuffers, plus a notebook I'll use for my 2022 calendar, a buck each. Restocked on spring rolls and potstickers, too -- one of the great bargains of this store. 

*Mel Trotter thrift shop buys: a Lands End red Nordic holiday sweater ($8.99 - 15%); some Christmas presents. (I'll tell you what after Christmas.) A beautiful Christmas cup, some books...and a shelf that clips onto our regular shelves, for more space.

*Sent cards -- instead of going back home to attend a friend's funeral service. (And boy, I didn't want to do this.) Also sent Thanksgiving, birthday, get well, thinking of you cards. 

*Smaller flowering plants for hostess gifts -- on sale or clearance -- plus a ponytail palm to help keep things cheerful and focused, in spite of the gloomy days.

*Christmas 'bulbs' to replace the missing ones on the ceramic Christmas tree I got free out of the Missions Barrel at McNeal:  $2.99 each, rather than their usual $5.99.

*Donated some books.  (Applied for a library card, too.)

*Took some Civil War cemetery photos -- for possible use in an upcoming book.

*Some nice Amazon presents for the Brick. (Not saying here, in case he reads this post.) Also continued to stock up on canned items we use all the time, before they jumped in price: green chilies, Mexican-style salsa, more enchilada sauce, black olives, pickles, jars of mandarin oranges and tropical fruit. (I barely completed the order before the price changed, in some cases.)

*Turkey -- at 33 cents a pound! I have not seen this price literally in years. What happened to all those dire warnings about turkey prices skyrocketing?? Also purchased at the same time: canned green beans for 49 cents each. Thank you, Meijers.

*Free pumpkins and squash from a generous cousin. Made her a pumpkin pie, as a thank you. Trimmed some kale from the bottom of a rapidly-freezing flowering kale decoration outside the rehab center. Result: Tuscan soup! (recipe coming)

 *Waited to get a haircut. So did the Brick. The Mama doesn't care, and we didn't spend much time with anyone else. He finally got one on Veteran's Day, when it was free for the Brick. He was also given coupons for two free haircuts. Cha-ching!

*Two free Veterans' Day meals. For the Brick, at least. Plus a free burger from Red Robin.

*A $20 Sam's Club giftcard -- for doing an order for pickup. 

*Returned printer ink we bought for the printer that died.   A nice credit out of this

*From Ebay: three photographs for future articles/books: bought 2, got one free.

*Mailed Christmas presents to the Brick's two brothers and sisters-in-law early...just in case. Media rate, too, which also saved. 

and the best 'hit' of all -- our airline tickets refunded by Southwest Airlines, after we explained about having to leave suddenly to help with The Mama. Yay for Southwest -- thank you!

FRUGAL MISSES

*Driving, driving, driving. Went to visit The Mama nearly every day in rehab, as well as her care facility. And gas prices have gone up considerably. (But hey, you knew that.)

*Paid some of The Mama's bills out of our account, so she could keep a healthier balance.

*Let some food spoil. (sigh) Mostly romaine lettuce -- what we salvaged had hung around for at least three weeks, so I can't gripe too much. (Our landlord friend taught me a trick -- wrap the greens in a damp towel, then enclose in a plastic grocery bag. Salad lasts practically forever that way.) One of the pumpkins given froze -- lesson learned. Keep your squash INSIDE the car, rather than stacked in the garage. Inside the vehicle, it's okay -- outside, mush. 

     We actually didn't do that badly, using up leftovers. But for everything I have to throw out, I wince. 

*Ordered some Christmas presents online. Usually I search for these -- but just didn't have the time and energy. On the plus side, most were on sale, and I got 10% off on the ones that weren't. 'Free' shipping, too, though I just LOVE how they smack you with an additional 'handling fee.'

*Donated some books -- mostly Colorado Curiosities, but a few of the Ghosts & Legends and children's books, too.

*Refilled a propane tank: $3.75/gallon.  (We usually spend $2/gallon, so are trying to make this go as far as possible.)

*Lost some of the dogs' (expensive) food.  About a quarter-bag's worth had to be thrown away when it got wet and started to mold.

*Weren't able to return some plumbing items -- we'd held onto them too long, and the receipts had disappeared. (ergh) Fortunately, the printer ink receipts were still in the bag with the cartridges. (See above.)

A beautiful sunny Michigan fall day-- when it's good, it's very, very good.

Last month's report is here.  Last November's report is here -- and the year before that.

Life goes on...whatever and whenever.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

A beautiful piece designed by Holly Anderson...

             and my best wishes for a peaceful, thankful holiday

Mayflower Memories

    "One of your ancestors came over on the Mayflower," The Mama said.

 I was puzzled by this. Isaac Cumings (Note- one 'm'), was said to have arrived in 1635, along with his wife and children, from England. Were the arrival dates wrong? The passenger list? I used to think the Pilgrim in question was old Isaac who, after he was freed, built up a substantial legacy for Cumingses to come -- including my grandfather's ancestors.

But it wasn't him -- it was Grandma's side of the family! 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

UPDATE:  After Thanksgiving, I proudly checked the 'Cumings family tree' on Ancestry.com to once again bask in my ancestor's fame -- only to have another last name leap out at me. Yes, I have a Pilgrim ancestor. But 'my' Edward's last name is FULLER, not Winslow! 

    Ah well. Winslow and his wife Susanna really were wonderful. I would have loved to have met them. More on this in an upcoming post. I did find a valuable list of what are termed 'Pilgrim ships,' which will lead me on even more bunny trails. Yes, Edward Fuller and his wife (probably named Ann) are on the Mayflower list. Whew.

Edward Winslow (1595-1655) was one of the Pilgrims' reps, a mover and shaker who managed to dig up funds and goodwill for the Separatists who were determined to move to the New World. Most thought them crazy. But a few influential companies were more interested in what would be a substantial ongoing profit, should the venture succeed. Winslow was well-educated. Although his family had a salt business, he turned down an apprenticeship in stationery, and became a printer, instead. 

He originally sailed with his wife Elizabeth, brother Gilbert and a few servants on board the Speedwell, which was too leaky to continue on. Some accounts suggest the captain didn't want to go -- so deliberately damaged the boat. Maybe so, but it didn't deter the Winslows, who crammed onto the Mayflower. They lived through the voyage, landed in November 1620, and settled into the New World.

No doubt Edward's education helped with the spelling of the Mayflower Compact, which he signed.  Here he is, in a 1651 portrait, looking very, well... Pilgrimly. I love that little quirk at the corners of his mouth that says: "Don't take me too seriously -- I don't."

Edward was instrumental in making friends with the local Native American tribe, particularly a friendship with Massasoit, the Wampanoag leader. (It's thought he nursed the chief back to health after he grew ill -- with a special chicken soup!) He could not save his wife, however. Elizabeth died in March 1621. Less than two months later,  Edward married again to Susanna White, a widow who'd lost her husband that same winter. No doubt she was one of the women who cooked the Thanksgiving feast that the Pilgrims celebrated with Massasoit and his braves in December 1621. Winslow wrote:

“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some 90 men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”

 Edward and Susannah had three sons, Edward, John and Josiah -- plus a daughter, Elizabeth (named for wife #1?)  and a child who died young. (He also had two stepsons, Resolved and Peregrine, from Susanna's earlier marriage to William White.) Edward became one of the Colony's chief apologists, and made three trips to England to argue their cause. He also published a number of writings promoting the colonies, including 1624's Good News from New England, and became governor of the Plymouth Plantation three times. 

Somehow he gained favor with Oliver Cromwell, who in 1655, sent Winslow on a voyage to Jamaica, planning to install him there as governor. Winslow died during the voyage, but two of his children survived. (Two sons and another child predeceased him years earlier.) Susanna outlived him, too. 

Susanna was also literate -- it's her letter that Edward is reading in the portrait above. I'm guessing the Winslows passed this on to their children, as well. (The Pilgrims, in general, emphasized the importance of education.)

You can find out more about Edward from the Mayflower400 website, which says he "often isn't the most heralded of the Mayflower passengers. His skills in diplomacy, writing and politics don't usually put him in the story books' limelight." Susanna's life is covered here, as well. She is famous in her own right, as both the first mother and bride in the Plymouth Plantation, and one of only four women who survived that first winter of 1620-21. (The first Thanksgiving. is celebrated now, but I doubt the women were thrilled about preparing all that food. Too bad frozen pizza wasn't around.)

     Eventually the Winslows moved to Marshfield, MA. Susannah is buried there in the Old Winslow Burying Ground...but there is some question when she was born and died, though Find-A-Grave.com lists it as 1592-1680. Son John only lived a year, according to Find-A-Grave: 1627-1628. His brother Edward lived only a few years longer: 1624-27. The only Winslow son to survive to adulthood was Josiah: 1629-1680.)

Josiah Winslow - Plymouth Colony's thirteenth governor.

No sense of humor here.

Elizabeth, Edward's first wife, is sadly left out in the cold. Ancestry.com not only fractured the Winslows' history considerably, but called Elizabeth 'Ann' -- or left her unnamed -- and gave her no further notice.

Even though I'm not related, after all, as I'd initially thought, Edward and Susanna Winslow are proud parts of the Plymouth tradition -- and early influencers on the colonies that became America.

Thanksgiving at Plymouth (Brownscombe, 1925)

All Pilgrim photos courtesy of Wikipedia

Grandma's Gravy...And Other Thanksgiving Goodies

     Thanksgiving: the perfect time to trot out your old favorite recipes...and a new one or two. 

Some of the basics, however, are always needed -- like gravy. Good gravy remains a mystery for some cooks. How do you make it, so it's flavorful, yet not lumpy? 

As a kid, I loved a pile of velvety turkey giblet gravy poured smoothly over mashed potatoes and stuffing. (Still do, for that matter.) As the mother of eight kids, who (with the exception of my mom) each had 6 or so kids themselves, Grandma had a lot of gravy to make. Her holiday table was HUGE, and stretched the length of the living room into the dining room...all the way to the deer head that hung on the wall (with a Rudolph red ball on his nose at Christmas), and almost to Tweety, the yellow canary whose cage basked in the thin winter sun in the alcove on the other side of the house. 

     Cousins, uncles and aunts all vied for the food, passed in huge bowls and platters: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, squash, 'relishes' like celery, carrots and black olives. (The olives were usually gone by the time they reached the younger cousins, like me.) I made sure the jello zipped by (usually it had disgusting things in it, like cottage cheese), and grabbed extras of the stuffing. And, of course, the gravy...which by then, had been refilled by whatever aunt was manning the kitchen.

     One stellar year, Grandma had gravy leftover at one event. So she froze it, planning to whip it out at Thanksgiving, mixing it in with the newmade stuff. My grandma was New England-born and bred, and had a Mayflower ancestor. She was proud of that heritage. For Thanksgiving, therefore, everything had to be Absolutely Perfect. 

     The usual chaos ensued after the prayer: silverware clinking, voices, bowls passing at the speed of light. Then it happened. Everything stopped, for just a heartbeat.

     Grandma was back in the kitchen. A cautious voice: "Who made the gravy??" Others answered, "Grandma did." 

     "It's terrible!" Voice #1 moaned. Groans ensued as others tried it. (Yes, me, too.) It was bitter! (Burned, no doubt.) Too bad, our moms insisted. We weren't going to hurt Grandma's feelings, no matter what. So everyone scraped as much gravy off their respective food as they could, and choked down the bits they couldn't. The kids had a wonderful time making gagging faces and whispering, "Grandma's gravy!"  at each other. Fortunately, Grandma was so busy, she didn't really notice too much.

     Naturally, Grandma had a LOT of gravy leftover that holiday. No doubt she wondered why no one ate much of it...but I really hope she didn't freeze that batch, as well. 

     'Grandma's Gravy' hasn't been repeated, though it's now a cherished family tradition. I did learn how to make excellent gravy, however, from my mom. 

NEW ENGLAND-STYLE POULTRY GRAVY

*drippings from the pan you roasted a large chicken or turkey in

(add 1-2 cups water during the roasting period, to help keep the meat moist and make extra for gravy)

*giblets -- liver, heart, gizzards -- cut in small cubes, and simmered in a saucepan 1/3 water, for at least an hour

*some kind of extra flavoring   (Mom used Kitchen Bouquet -- or I add a bouillon cube or two with the giblets)

*1/2 cup flour, plus salt and pepper to taste

     Scrape the pan, to get every luscious bit out. Add to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, mix the flour with water (this is called a "slurry") and pour into the saucepan, whisking as you go. Continue whisking until the gravy begins to thicken and bubble. Salt and pepper, then serve. 

(Leftover gravy may be kept in the fridge, or frozen for later use. Check to see it's not 'Grandma's Gravy' before you serve it!)

Solving Gravy Problems:

*Lumps: this is the biggest issue for beginner cooks. Usually it happens because the slurry has been stirred in, then left to just -- sit. Constant stirring (whisking is better) will solve the problem. Or:

        *Melt a few tablespoons of butter, then mix the flour in that before adding water. 

        *Substitute 1/4 cup of cornstarch. It makes a glossy-looking surface, and thickens quickly.

*Bland Flavor: the other problem, but this is easily solved. Add another chicken bouillon cube, some chopped mushrooms, a few tablespoons of butter, dried onion, onion or celery salt. Even more salt and pepper helps. Some cooks, like this one, add milk -- though neither Grandma nor Mom ever did. No sour cream, either.

nicely cooked, and ready for you to harvest the drippings.

Roast Turkey, courtesy of allrecipes

For more favorite Thanksgiving recipes, visit One Hundred Dollars A Month. Mavis has some great ones in this post. 

Enjoy.

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Thanksgiving Week

      We've settled into a sort-of pattern, now that we're (sort of) established in Michigan. Sundays, we sing and play at a local church. The rest of the week, we get chores done at The Mama's house, work on our own 'house' (the fifth-wheel), I do some writing...and we visit The Mama at her room in the care facility. It can be a little strange, and she still is struggling with the idea of staying there. Our job: to help her adapt, yes, but hopefully get better. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

     Thursday, we head to Brother's house for Thanksgiving. Our job is to take The Mama there and keep her comfortable and enjoying the celebration. Our job: bring the appetizers ('relishes' and a meat & cheese tray). I'll tuck in a package of Dutch windmill cookies, as well.

Meanwhile:

The strange story of the German who wanted to go to San Francisco...and got off in Maine instead, thinking that's where he was. I would laugh more at this, had my mother-in-law not done much the same thing -- she planned to go to Montana to see her oldest son and family, and ended up in a totally different state, instead. (The airline people, to their credit, did eventually put her on the right plane.)

Ten celebrity interviews that didn't do them (the celebrities) any good.  (From Listverse)

A 13-year-old metal detector enthusiast finds a 65-piece Bronze Age axe hoard. 

A recipe that combines chili rellenos with croque madame, a hot sandwich. Delicious.

'Problems come, and problems go...' yes, yes they do.  (From Budgets Are Sexy)

Oriental (or 'Asian') slow-cooker meals? Yes, please. 

If the FDA has its way, it's going to be 55 YEARS before we have a complete picture of vaccine-related information. Really.

Who started four large fires? Authorities think a former college professor did it.

Frugality: using ALL the bits.  (From Donna Freedman's Surviving and Thriving)

Conversations overheard in San Francisco, some pandemic-related. See if you don't burst out laughing at the first one...and if you liked that:

Extremely funny boyfriend/husband shots. 

A ghost dog, caught on camera?

Some insanely cool photos from the recent moon eclipse... especially the pyramids one!

Dean Martin's daughter -- on life with her dad. (A surprise -- he didn't drink that much, if at all, she says. That was cider in his glass.)

A fall wreath -- in five minutes flat. (You could do a Christmas one this way, too.)

Scenes cut and changes made for big movies...that make a lot more sense.

Will seniors on social security actually get $1400 stimulus checks? This group hopes so...but frankly, I doubt it.

Antiques found on the beach. Really intriguing ones, too.

Super quick, effective (she says) and cheap laundry detergent to make.  (From Harvest Lane Cottage)

Did someone really see a flying dinosaur in Boise? The video makes you wonder:

The secret history of New York City's subway globes. They're actually a special code.

Mike Pence is finally talking about his role in the Jan. 6 Electoral College vote.   One of the gutsiest moves, in my opinion, since Jerry Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. (And no, I don't believe Ford 'got paid off.' In fact, it cost him the POTUS election, and pretty much slammed the door on any more career in politics.)

A vicar comes home to find his house has been sold. What's worse -- the man who stole it from him gets to keep the sale proceeds! This really was a miscarriage of justice.

A Mayan canoe is found submerged in a Mexican freshwater pool.

  Could future soldiers be armed in flying suits?   Shades of The Rocketeer:

Nancy Bavor, a friend and colleague, is retiring as the director of the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. They'll miss her talent and inspiration. 

Did the USS Connecticut submarine actually strike a seamount in the China sea?

   The Brick wonders why it was uncharted...but says it almost happened before, to his sub.

At any rate, a BUNCH of officers were fired because of the incident. 

Have a good week. Enjoy your Thanksgiving.

A Shoutout to Southwest Airlines -- and Updates

      Southwest Airlines has one of its major hubs in Denver, at Colorado's Denver International Airport (DIA). 

             (image from we heart it.com)

     We've used Southwest for ages, for some very basic reasons:

            *With care, we find some very good bargain tickets.

            *It has a lot of flights all over the country that connect to DIA. (the closest airport when we're home)

             *It flies to Florida, and connects to Mexican flights:  Our two favorite getaways in the winter.

             *It has a connecting flight not only to Chicago, but Grand Rapids...closest airport to The Mama's farm.

              And finally:

              *Free luggage! You can bring on not only a carryon bag, but TWO free suitcases. 

That, Dear Readers, can save you a bunch, considering most airlines charge $25 a bag -- both ways. You can end up paying as much, or more, for luggage than you do your own ticket.

       We've had good experiences with kind customer service people, both on and off the planes. And we had tickets purchased to come visit The Mama in early November. In Michigan.

     But thanks to The Mama's health emergency, we were already here! The Brick canceled our flights. (Southwest is very good about that, too.) BUT Southwest gives you credits, based on when you booked the flights, that must be used within a set period of time. Otherwise, they're gone.

     In our case, those credits had to be spent and air travel completed by mid-December.

     The Mama is better (see below)... but not well. There is no strong indication that she would have been that much better by December. If we were going to do our jobs here, we could not leave.

     We couldn't spend the credits on anyone else, either. (Another Southwest rule.)

     The Brick called Southwest and explained the situation. The customer service rep listened patiently, then said we could have the credits extended -- for a $100 penalty. Each. In our case, that would have eaten up a giant share of the money.

     Silence. We did not know what to do.

     The rep asked for my reservation number. A few minutes went by. (He was obviously checking.) Then --

     "We're going to credit your card for the amount you spent. Look for it in 10 days."

     We couldn't thank him enough. He said, "My mom is in poor health, too, so I understand."

     Thank God. And thank you so much, Southwest!! Yet another reason for us to keep you as our favorite air provider.

  You're the best.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

UPDATES:  For those of you who have been following The Mama's health journey -- 

      I don't know how -- God's grace -- but she survived the emergency that brought us East. She spent two weeks in the hospital, then three weeks in rehab, learning how to walk, get up from the chair and take care of basics for herself. 

     This week Wednesday, we were able to move her back into the care facility.

      The same place she only spent a week in, before she was ambulanced to the hospital.

       She's not thrilled about it -- she would rather come home. But we cannot lift her and care for her the way she needs. This care facility is one of the best in the state, albeit a little expensive. But right now, at least, her frugal living -- and my dad's Hollander ways -- have given her enough savings to stay there for quite some time. 

     Until she's back on her feet -- literally -- we'll keep staying in the fifth wheel, parked in the farmyard. We can keep an eye on her house. We can keep an eye on her. The Brick, our stuff and the dogs are here. For now, we're ok. 

The Mama -- just before she really started feeling terrible

The hard part for me are the commitments I had to cancel... the holiday concerts and parties we'll miss... the holidays spent with the children we love so much. Yes, we can spend time with our family here, which is nice. But Colorado is our home. 

     We'll be here through the end of the year, then will take stock and decide what to do next. 

     Meanwhile, at least The Mama is doing better. Thank God.

Hopefully she'll get back to feeling more like this.

     

They Said It...

 Typical Colorado forecasting -- I wish I was making this up.

Colorado generally does this right away. 

Michigan is better   -- they wait a few hours to panic, instead of doing it right away. 

(Yes, it's snowing off and on here in Michigan.)

Dealing with Milk and Food Prices

 Maybe it's just Colorado.  (I certainly noticed it before we left in mid-October.)

Maybe it's just Michigan. But prices seem to be even higher here, and not just on gas.

I'm talking about food.

Some media types made fun of this family griping about the rising cost of milk. In their neighborhood, milk prices had gone up considerably -- and they drank an estimated 48 gallons a month. Which considerably crimped their budget.

Granted, they had a huge family, and many of the kids were younger. But I did an estimate of the milk the Brick and myself (mostly me) put away, and it's easily 8+ gallons a month. Let's see -- milk, both here and in Colorado, went from approx. $1.99 (on sale) to $2.59 each gallon. So whether I like it or not, I'm suddenly paying about $5 more, for the same product.

If you're dealing with 48 gallons a month -- and they're paying much more than that increase -- it's not going to be enjoyable to deal with. There are ways to amend this, of course:

*Use dry milk.  Amy Dacyczyn of the Tightwad Gazette swore by her family drinking this. My family, however, did not like it at all. They didn't mind, however, if I used it for baking and soups. And I only bought it on sale. The Mama used to belong to a program that gave out free food for seniors; she regularly collected bags of dry and shelf-stable milk she sometimes passed on to us.

*Buy whole milk, and water it down.  As much as 2-3 extra cups of water can be added, without loss of taste or creaminess. Whole milk is the same price as skim in my areas -- but tastes much better thinned with water than the original skim. (Don't tell -- but when the gallon started getting low, Iand I had no time to go to the store, 've sneaked in some water to keep it 'fuller.' Did my family notice? Naaaah.)

But it's not just milk.

Food prices are fairly consistently rising at least 10-20% across the board in recent months. Meat is one of the worst culprits, particularly beef. Thanks to the Brick's recent harvest, we're not as hard-hit as some. But I continue to be very careful, watching prices. Sales and clearance bins have taken on new importance. For people on fixed incomes like us, being told 'You're rich, you can afford it' is no comfort.

 Even the discount stores I've relied on have been raising their prices, or putting less in the packaging. Dollar Tree has great potstickers for a buck -- but only 6 are in the package now, instead of 8. Daily Deals, one of my favorites here in Michigan, now charges $3.99/lb ON SALE for bacon it was offering at half the price a few months ago.

So what can you do?

*Stock up on your favorite canned goods now -- IF you can get them before the price jump.  Places like Amazon and Walmart tend to raise prices after the current stock is depleted. Beat them at their game by getting 6, 8, or even a case now -- especially if they're on sale. 

     Frozen goods are a smart choice, too -- especially items like pizza. Usually three or four will be eaten up before freezer burn becomes a serious problem.

     This is a great way to invest. The only problem for us: where do I put these, in our fifth-wheel? Fortunately, we have a "basement" lower level that holds a fair amount of items. We also keep a few cases' worth in The Mama's kitchen right now, since she isn't using it. (See below.)

 *Use discount spots to double-check prices.  Aldi's, Walmart and other discount places are a good starting point. However, my favorite right now is Amazon's Warehouse Deals. They sell all sorts of items at discount -- but right now, my biggest savings comes from groceries. I've gotten everything from jarred peaches to Hawaiian coffee at a big discount -- sometimes because they're just about ready to go out of date, sometimes because it's past the holiday. (Halloween candy i going for a nice price right now -- do you REALLY think it will be noticed in Christmas stockings?? Our girlies used to look forward to the large Easter rabbits I snagged from the Russell Stover outlet near Manhattan, KS. P.S. They now ship! Click on the link, and get 20% off your first order.)

*Always double-check your 'discount.'  Sometimes the item in question hasn't had its price raised...yet, that is. I've even found this on regularly-priced items from Amazon. Yet it can also be higher-priced than if you walked in and bought it off the shelf. How do I know for sure? Websites like Walmart.com and Sams Club.com are good starting points. Type in the item, and compare its price. (Don't forget -- if you're not on Amazon Prime, you'll have to order at least $25 worth to get free shipping. Sometimes I'll just park the items in my cart, then search to see if another will fill out the $25 minimum.) 

*Substitute other tasty options.  We won't be eating prime rib at Thanksgiving -- because I found turkey at an astounding 33 cents a pound. (I still don't know what's going on -- the best I saw before this was $1.89/lb.) Yes, we love bacon. But the Brick also loves ham, which I found spiral-sliced at Daily Deals for a similar astonishing 88 cents a pound. These excellent proteins will be stretched with homemade mashed potatoes (about 8 cents a pound, on sale) and pumpkin pie (free pumpkin from a cousin, baked and the pulp scooped out). If I can save on the main item, I can even spend more on sides -- and it's not so painful.

*Try foods that stretch ingredients.  Soup is a wonder, but so are casseroles and stews. Macaroni and cheese can mix leftover cheese with reasonably-priced pasta. Spaghetti Carbonara combines bits of leftover vegetables with parmesan and a few strips of bacon. There are all sorts of options, if you're willing to experiment.

Mavis' copycat version of Panera's tomato bisque is amazing.

*Read up on other possbilities.  Grow a garden. Eat more grains, and research frugal recipes. Find out more about beans. International favorites, like Thai food. All these are easy to research, thanks to the internet.

Are we going to be paying more for food costs? Unfortunately, yes. Supply chain problems and emptying shelves are going to stay with us for a while, at the very least. But with care, you can reduce the "OUCH!" on your food budget to an occasional wince. 

And that's an improvement.

UPDATE:  Donna Freedman has put out a chapter of her second book -- a free Google document that focuses on food costs. It's helpful and thorough -- click here to access it.  (Thanks so much, Donna.)

Patience

not to mention a clear mind for writing and reports...

 

I Hope This Really Happened...

 afds

Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: November Rain/Snow

    After a nailbiter game between Michigan and Penn State (Blue won, but barely), we sang and played at a Sunday service, went out with friends for lunch afterwards, took a nap, visited The Mama several times, and...the weekend just blurred away. 

More of same this week, I guess. The Mama finishes rehab on Wednesday, and moves back into a care facility. Which means we'll be taking her there, and setting her back up. She wants to come back to the farm for a visit, so I'm planning on making lunch for her here, before heading for the care center.

    It will be easier for us -- ten minutes of driving each way, versus the 30-40 min. drive we've been doing. It's still not what The Mama wants -- she wants to come home. But that's not possible right now, and my heart breaks a little every time I have to acknowledge it.

    We got the first snow last Thursday...and it's been raining, snowing or both pretty much since then. In Colorado, a day of this would be a celebration. In Michigan in November, it's the norm.

Meanwhile:

'We rented our home after we moved into a fifth-wheel -- and lost our savings when the renters refused to pay.'  This could easily have happened to us, had we not sold our house.

Some amazing transformations of thrift shop dresses, yardage...even a tablecloth.

Modern treasure hunts...some succeeded!

"If you don't ask, you don't get."  (From Filled with Money)

Info on the Herefordshire Hoard.  (I was in a Viking frame of mind this week.)

The Galloway hoard -- and its textiles. Be sure to read both Part One, plus Part Two. (Which covers dirt balls!)

The world's oldest woven garment -- so far, at least.  (Hint: it's Egyptian linen.)

The mortgage deadbeat who's avoided paying for TWENTY-THREE YEARS is finally booted out. No sympathy for this guy at all.

More than 6000 ancient coins -- found underneath an Austrian farm.

A real live rat king -- yes, they exist!

Charles Dickens is said to haunt a mirror from a hotel suite he stayed in during his last trip to America. I'll believe it when I see it...

A bank teller who disappeared with more than $200,000 is found decades later -- but it's too late. 

Redneck engineers, doing what works. And most times, it does! My Hollander dad would be proud.

Now President Biden has finally acknowledged that inflation is a growing problem for Americans, what is his administration going to do about it?    (At least, it's finally "of concern" to him. )

A six-inch dinosaur carving meant for Russian royalty, lost for more than a century, is FOUND -- and even though 'broken,' sells for 62,000 pounds. (About $100,000) It's not a Faberge egg, but still...

Sonoma Chicken Salad -- one of Whole Foods' star recipes.

Unexpected and 'it's about time' kisses on tv and in movies.

A daughter finds her mother's favorite coat on Ebay, after searching for it for ages.    (Dad accidentally donated it after her mother's death, not realizing she'd want it.)

Pumpkin recipes -- from our sister blog, Holiday Goodies.

Touchdown!! A squirrel...a slow college ball game... six points. (He didn't hang around for the extra point, though.)

The 99-Cent Chef. A new blog I've just started reading...some good recipes. He has an odd habit of showing his meals 'exploding' -- or de-making themselves. But once you get used to that, the ideas are wonderful.

Thrifty Christmas dinner ideas.... these would work for Thanksgiving, too.

The urge to splurge -- do you fight it, or don't you? Yes...and yes.  (From Get Rich Slowly)

Christmas stocking filler ideas. Another classic from yours truly.

Dean Stockwell died last week. I admired this quirky actor's work.

Sixteen treasures looted from Benin have been returned...by France.

(The Benin Bronzes are part of this international issue. See more here.)

Have a good week.