First Signs of Spring -- Up in Colorado's (Higher) Country

 Sand lilies -- lovely.

Drive-By

 

Frugal Hits & Misses: April Report

 Is it really Spring??

    The first dandelions bloomed by the trailer. (I'm assuming our daffodils are blooming at the old house too...but our friends here at the ranch never planted any daffs. I plan to do so for them this fall.) The robins are here -- and I heard our first hummingbird this afternoon! 

     It may be sunny, but the wind's cold -- and brisk. And we got a sprinkle of snow to go with the bit of rain we received. 

      I guess that means it's here. 

After the relief of finally making it back from Michigan, we've been busy sorting and putting things away. Meals with friends are a special pleasure. So is being able to go back to church and other familiar spots...including the Colorado ranch that we have grown to love. 

FRUGAL HITS

*Chamberlain's Charge at Little Round Top: a beautiful limited edition Gettysburg print: $15.99 at Sally's (Salvation Army). Got it home -- and dinged the top of the frame. Maybe I can minimize it, at least. True value? Ranges from $200-1150!  (Here's an unusual tale linked to the charge.)

*A 'new' leather-topped folding chair, to replace one of our chairs going wobbily: $5.24, also at Sally's.

*Purchased seeds in bulk online. That way, we could share seeds with cousins and the girlies, at roughly the same price as if we'd bought smaller packets. (I did buy some of those, 4 for $1.25, at Dollar Tree.)

*Picked up the 'European mount' elk skull, which has been waiting for us. Turned out beautifully. (This is the same elk the Brick harvested last fall.)

*Sent cousins a surprise package -- sent another one (Curious George videos I found at the library booksale for $2 each) to our dear nieces and nephews.

*Five dollars from Venmo -- for being a good kitty?? I have no idea.

*Sent a box of Heath candy bars for a friend's birthday - and a case of mandarin oranges for another friend's retirement -- via Amazon Warehouse.

*Did some appraisals. Sold some books. Always nice.

*Got our taxes finished -- just in time. A refund on both state and federal, something that hasn't happened in YEARS.

*Bought Kit and Ben, an early 20th century 'poor kids make good' novel for $10 on Ebay. (The sequel to their story was given to The Mama as a Bible school prize when she was a kid...and snagged by me to take home. I had to find out how the kids' story began.)

*Got three Franklin Expedition-related photos for less, plus reduced shipping. Note: If they're offering it, ALWAYS offer less than the original 'buy it now' price. If they turn you down, you can always pay the higher amount. 

Hey, different strokes for different folks...

*A stack of $2 videos from the library's used bookroom, including Foyle's War and three seasons of Waking the Dead. I love it when the library whittles down their BBC offerings!

*Found some Christmas/birthday presents at the thrift shop -- at 20% seniors discount. (Tuesdays) Not much free bread this time around... darn it. 

*Dark chocolate bunnies from Daughter #2 and Son #1 -- thank you, Dears! So didn't buy any Easter 'pogey bait' for the Brick this year. I did get a lovely bouquet of carnations from him. 

*Ended up making my own Easter cards.  (No access to storebought cards, thanks to the truck being in the shop.) Sadly, the people I normally send these to are dying off. (Like The Mama.)

*Found in a Walmart Coinstar's return -- $1.10 in change! Someone was VERY careless...but I wouldn't have necessarily thought to look, if Donna Freedman didn't suggest doing it now and then. 

*Figured out ways to use up food in the fridge and freezer, combined with canned goods. Since the truck was in the shop, I didn't go to town much. Which meant very little shopping for groceries...or anything else. Sorted through what was in storage at our friends', and refreshed on what we have. (Besides elk meat...) A situation at the ranch limited our access to the freezer, as well.

*Minimized freezer and canned purchases. Bought a large bin to keep by the trailer door -- put canned goods in there to keep handy this summer. Inventoried ALL of the canned and jarred goods stored in our friends' basement and garage...and started eating through them. This should help a lot with food costs this month. (I just have to keep reminding myself not to 'save them for later,' and eat them NOW.)

*Kept Karmie, our granddog, while Daughter #2 and Son #1 went on a working trip. (They kept us for an overnight visit, after they got home.)

*Borrowed friends' vehicle while the truck was in the shop. We used it the bare minimum...or just stayed home.

*Lunch with a friend -- and she covered it. (My turn next time. Lunched with another friend -- and covered it myself. We also went out to lunch in late afternoon-- at a buffet that would have cost us $5 more, had we waited another hour or two. (It covered us for supper, as well.)

*Put stuff away -- and discovered a surprising number of items that kept us from needing to buy them. I also passed on things from The Mama's estate for the kids, as well as birthday and Christmas presents we were unable to give to them back then.

*Got another DVD holder...keeps things tidy around here.

*Washed clothes at friends' house -- we weren't able to use our normal method. This worked...except we had to deal with damp hanging clothes for a few days. (They're put away now.)

*Grocery Buys--  Safeway: Pizza for $2.77 each -- plus half-price milk and eggs. (Which made those prices what I USED to pay.) The best, though, was their $5 deal (meat, rolls, Swiss cheese and a bell pepper -- for roughly the cost of the meat alone.) Now, if they'd only have everything in stock! If they don't, you must mention the special, or you'll get charged the items' individual prices.) Safeway is notorious for this -- and not always giving you the coupon deal. I may have gotten the $5 special -- but had to make a return trip to get the proper price for milk: $1.77 vs what they charged me: nearly $4.00.  (Our local King Soopers will give you the item for free if they mess up -- Safeway is not as generous.) Safeway made up for it some with free coupons/rewards for potatoes, sour cream, cottage cheese, and green onions. I guess I'll have to forgive them for cranking up the price on their eggs...

Amazon Warehouse: Ginger at 20 cents/oz (the next best price was about 50 cents), individual servings of diced peaches (38 cents each), Knorr chicken & dumplings soup mix  $10 per 23 oz. package. Not only will this make a lot of quality soup -- it will keep long-term. And of course -- free shipping. 

      Now that I'm away from Daily Deals (it's a Michigan chain), and Denver's Fri/Sat store is closed (snif), this is my best source for lower prices. And it's clear -- food prices are not going down any time soon. (Other bloggers are seeing the same thing. Bet you are, too.) If you know of a good grocery 'consolidation' store in the Denver/Colorado Springs area, please share!

*Ended up checking out books I hoped to read, from the library -- rather than ordering them from Amazon. I also found a few books at the used bookroom, including a dollar copy of Nathaniel Philbrick's The Last Stand. (One of the very best books on Custer.) I found more books to savor in the boxes we brought back from Michigan, as well.

*Ebay purchases: used my allowance to get two budget cookbooks I've been reading about: The New Pauper's Cookbook and The Austerity Cookbook -- each much cheaper than anywhere else (including Amazon), plus 5% off and free shipping. 

                         FRUGAL MISSES

*Paid off the bills from the Michigan-to-Arizaona-to Colorado trip. Gas costs alone were more than $2,000. Thank you, kindly Government Leaders! (And Putin. Don't forget Putin.)

*Had trouble dealing with The Mama's estate sale. I knew it had to happen...those items needed to go elsewhere. We didn't have room to take everything back; in fact, we left some of our items there for the sale, too. But it felt very, very strange to see people snapping up glassware, quilts and other paraphernalia The Mama had treasured. (A cousin nabbed a plane and some bowls I had second thoughts about -- thank you, Joanie.) 

*Took the USPAP update class online: $230, considerably more than the last time I took it. But it's required, to keep my status with the American School of Appraisers (ASA). The best part: it's DONE, for another two years. (I don't have to recertify with my other membership, the American Quilter's Society, or AQS, until 2023.)

*Stayed home -- a lot.  Dealt with some issues at the ranch that we did not anticipate, including the weather -- it has been very, very windy. 

*Five dollars to help a little girl buy clothes for her dance team.  Not sorry one bit...and I did get a candy bar out of it.

*Dislodged a crown. Serves me right, for biting into a Rice Krispies bar. The dentist said I had a cavity to fix, too. Oh goody. 

*Saw two of our friends test positive for Covid.  Fortunately, they both have mild cases. We both had a bit of flu -- but it wasn't Covid.

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

Here's last year's report...and last month's. Hey, even the year before's report.  It is hard to believe -- but I've been writing these for more than seven years now.

                 Life -- and spring -- continues.

Did You Know This?

 

Karens everywhere would be thrilled.

Worth Remembering Now -- And Every Day

 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Catching Up

      Still working on going through what we brought home from Michigan -- but we are definitely making progress. I am hoping to be completely done by the end of this week. A few appraisals need to be completed yet -- but those will be done by week's end, too.

     The Mama's estate sale was this past weekend -- and harder than I thought it would be, even with several states between us and the Michigan farm. I did glance at the advertising quickly, but that was all I could bear to do. One major blessing: the estate sale staging made it look like a totally different house. One cousin, who stopped by, said the same thing. "They even put the living room couch in the dining room!" she said. The sale included some of our things that we didn't have room for -- and a number of The Mama's things I would have loved to have kept. But no room for those, either.      

Based on some of the clueless and chuckleheaded things our Fearless Leaders have been (caught) doing in recent weeks, was Mark Twain right when he said, 

   "Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it."

I'm starting to wonder too! At this point, it seems to be a tossup.

Meanwhile:

Twenty great movies that had HUGE problems behind the scenes. (Well, they ended up great.)

Two neighborhood boys agree to shovel snow -- and what they say to each other after they get the job!

Healthy but cost-efficient food you can live on...thanks, Quora readers, for the input. In this vein:

How to turn 'table scraps' into delicious meals.  Donna Freedman passes on her wisdom.

Frugal tips you've tried -- but abandoned, because they didn't work for you. (From One Frugal Girl)

What do you do if you live in a car -- but need a street address?  Be sure to read Jay Douglas' response on this Quora thread -- it's priceless.

A woman drops her phone in a pit toilet at a national park -- and falls in, trying to retrieve it. Have you ever SEEN the contents of these pit toilets?? Yuck...at least she retrieved her phone (and called for help with it).

A little dog boogies to the band.

Two more Quora questions to interest and amuse you. (Guess where I've been hanging out this week?)

"If I'm cooking dinner for my family, what are some foolproof easy recipes?"

"What's the cheapest dinner to make?"

Have a great week.

You Go, Henrietta...

 

Not that I've ever brought this up before...

I resemble that remark!

(thanks to cousin Joy for passing this on)

And Boy, Is It...

 

The Brick clocked one of today's gusts at 36 mph -- but we've had worse since then. Storm clouds are blowing in; we're supposed to have rain the next few days, and snow on Sunday!

The Mama was terrified of high winds, because it reminded her of tornadoes. She apparently learned this from HER mama, for good reason.

     My grandma was napping upstairs in her house one sultry afternoon when a tornado came through and literally upended the house. Grandma's brother found the 16-year-old in the basement, with the stove (cold, fortunately) on top of her. 

Some good came of this. The young photographer the Grand Rapids Press sent out to photograph the house became... my Grandpa Cumings!

Easter -- And After: Ways to Stretch Your Food Budget

     Saturday, we stopped into the local Walmart...and found a huge empty space where the cartons of eggs normally are.

    The day before Easter -- when practically everyone in the country is boiling and coloring eggs. And...

    Not. One. Egg.  Not even the "are-you-kidding-you-must-be-nuts-to-buy-these" expensive ones. 

find out more here.

A few days later, our local Safeway had eggs -- but the CHEAPEST dozen was $2.99 -- more than double the price I'd paid just a few weeks ago. (The skyrocketing price is being blamed on bird flu, but I honestly wonder.)

We already knew that food prices had gone up. (I just wonder whether the experts who say inflation 'isn't that bad' are doing their own grocery shopping. Probably not.) And it's not just eggs, either. Milk, which was running between $1.99 (on sale) and $2.39 here in Colorado, is now $3.69-3.99. Other foods are quickly following suit. Heads of lettuce, formerly a buck, are now $1.99. Cheese on sale is around $4/lb. And steak? Don't even talk about it. 

That's a heck of a lot more than the "10% or so" price increases I have heard our beloved government officials talking about in reassuring voices.

     So what do we have to look forward to? Obviously, in the case of canned and dry goods that have only increased 50% -- more of same. Chocolate Easter candy wasn't toooo bad. (If you don't mind smaller amounts in the package, that is.) And it was still possible to fill an Easter basket reasonably. 

     If you want to do better than just survive these price increases, you've got to do something. Since we're generally on a fixed income, due to Social Security and the Brick's pension, we must keep our food purchases within a set parameter. 

     So here are tricks I use, over and over again:

*Buy half-priced -- AFTER the holiday. Easter may be over, but there are sure to be chocolate bunnies and peanut butter eggs hanging around -- at least for a while. This goes for many other holidays, including Valentine's Day and Halloween. (For Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day, look for half--price sales on soda, hot dogs and potato chips.) 

     My family has grown used to seeing some candy goodies stretched out this way. One year, they even got Easter bunnies in their Christmas stockings!

*Use your holiday foods up BEFORE they go bad. We may have had a lot of ham-and-potatoes breakfasts, but we also had pizza and a potato casserole. Next on the menu: Michigan bean soup, using the hambone. The Brick also makes it a personal mission to see that every cookie and cake slice are safely disposed of.  (The man has a real sweet tooth.) 

*Amazon Warehouse. If you read my monthly Hits & Misses reports, you'll see this mentioned often. When Amazon gets ready to clear out certain areas and products, these are discounted and offered for sale. Sometimes the 'Grocery and Gourmet Food'section has expiration dates...but anyone using these quickly realizes that those dates are 'guidelines, really.'

 

I learned this from my forays at grocery discount stores: nearly every canned item can easily go another 6 months to a year...or longer.  You'll want to test a can quickly, because Amazon has a window of time for returning things. If there is a problem, they can be returned at Amazon's cost -- and you get your money back. (I have only had one issue. An order for 3 pounds of black licorice arrived as -- I am not making this up -- a big stick. That was quickly rectified by Amazon. I still wonder what yahoo was munching on my licorice while they giggled about sending me a stick.)

    I have found everything from pasta to sauces to flour to breakfast bars to chips on Amazon Warehouse -- all from 25-75% off retail. The items are often high-end brands, including organic and gluten-free offerings. A recent box of oversized Heath candy bars, sent as a birthday present, cost me about 75 cents a bar. Shipping was free, thanks to Daughter #2's Amazon Prime account. If I'd bought these retail, it would have been double or triple the price.

    The drawbacks: if it's a great deal, the items on Amazon Warehouse go FAST. (I often check at least once or twice a week, just in case.) Also, if it's a multi-pack, there's only one left. If you have to buy $25 minimum (to get free shipping), you'll have to hustle to check the other categories. There are several to choose from. 

*Buy up your favorites that haven't gone up in price yet -- or increased just a little. I bought a case of green enchilada sauce last fall from Walmart; I could eat this stuff by the spoonful. Buying several cans meant I had plenty -- true to form, enchilada sauce is up at least 50%. 

     Other canned and jarred foods that keep well -- and WILL go up in price:  

           *Other Mexican favorites -- refried beans, nacho sauce, green chilies, salsa, etc.

             Beans -- the amazing stretcher for many dishes, including Mexican

           *Corned beef hash (the 'Mary Kitchen' brand is great), tamales, sausage & gravy, chili, beef stew. (We swear by Dinty Moore as a quick supper -- but many hearty soups go further, used like this. Buy the brand you like -- but serve it over rice.)

          *Canned fruit -- pretty much any kind. (I've noticed a price jump in vegetables too, but it's not quite as serious. Or they're decreasing the amount in the can. Or both.)

      Frozen food prices have pretty much already jumped -- but you may find a bargain here and there. Compare with Amazon Warehouse, Sam's Club and Walmart's prices (I use their websites), and you'll know for certain.

*Headed to the grocery store? Check the sales -- but also the clearance section. Or in the case of our local King Soopers, a bin of marked-down fruit and veggies, encased in red mesh -- the whole package is 99 cents. Some stores put their meat in one area -- others space it out wherever the regularly-priced meats are sold. (By the way, don't assume that vegetarian entrees or 'almost meat' products are going to be cheaper. They usually aren't.)

*Add things you grow or process -- a garden is an increasingly-great idea, Even a leaf or two of spinach, kale or basil will perk up a dish -- and they can be grown in pots, as well. So if picking your own fruit, if possible. Daughter #1 swears by a weekly box of fruit and veggies delivered by a co-op.

Okay -- maybe not this 'crop.'

*Cook it yourself -- or at least heat it yourself.  Homemade is usually the cheapest, and often the best -- but what if you don't have the time or energy that day? Freezer entrees, bought earlier, will almost always be cheaper than stopping by Burger King. And if you put them in the microwave or oven when you get home, they'll almost always be faster, too. One family swears by frozen pizza for those "I'm exhausted -- YOU cook" moments. (They also cook several meals-worth at a time, which works -- if you plan ahead.)

*If you're still going out to eat -- make it a late lunch. Going before 4 p.m. will generally get you the same food items, but at a discount. And you will be satisfied enough for a light supper, as well. (I'm assuming that you'll take every bit of your leftovers home, for use later -- even if it's just for The Grateful Dog. Or Cat.)

*Serve less of the more expensive items. Instead of one steak per person, cut the steak into strips and serve it as a stir-fry or goulasch. Add TVP or other fillers like beans to meat when you use it for chili or burritos. Even one eggshell of water can be substituted for an egg in baked goods -- provided you add at least one or two more eggs, that is. (I just got away with 3 eggs plus a little water for a 4-egg carrot cake, which was praised for being so moist. Hmmm.)

*Put out your food, accompanied by 'appetizers:' crackers with a thin slice of cheese, cut veggies, breadsticks/rolls... or a cup or bowl of soup, made from leftovers! This not only helps fill up your eaters, but stretches the main dish a bit further. Another option, for leftovers not quite enough for a full meal: save them up, and serve all together as a 'buffet.'

I make extra of this copycat Panera tomato bisque, whenever possible --

especially in the summer, when tomatoes are fresh. Mavis got me hooked on it.

*Don't eat it if you don't like it.  I am finally giving myself permission to skip those two eggs for breakfast most mornings. The Brick, on the other hand, loves eggs in any shape or form. So I make his -- and have my toast with cream cheese, instead, for extra protein. If you're not a fan of whatever your family adores, go ahead and make it for them -- but feel free to indulge yourself with something else for that meal -- especially if it's cheaper. The World will not End. 

*Make an occasion of it. Stop keeping your nice china for special occasions. That also goes for candles, festive napkins and table linens. After The Mama's death in January, I discovered shelf after shelf of beautiful items she'd been "saving for later." That date never came...and I could not take it with me, either. (Space in a fifth-wheel trailer, after all, is limited.) Use your pretty things -- they may crack or chip eventually, but they'll be remembered with love.

     And don't waste anything, if at all possible. Period. 

Do you have ways you save money on your food budget? Please share in the comments -- I can always use more inspiration!

California, Better Reevaluate Your State Flag!

 

More silliness here.

'Feeling Like This Right Now...

 

Taxes are done, our friends are back, boxes cleared out...and I'm beat. 

Now working on sorting through The Mama's items for the girlies. If you're in the Grand Rapids, MI area, you might want to stop by her Sparta estate sale Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and 24.

Now What?!?

 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Taxes and Such

     Hope you had a wonderful Easter. Christ is Risen -- He is Risen Indeed.

Now we're up to our hips in finishing up you-know-what, pitifully hoping that the agony will end. Soon.

Our friends (who own the ranch we caretake for them) are back on Tuesday. There are a number of small jobs to take care of before they get home...but the work has to wait until taxes are done. Then it's back to the regular routine of tidying up, putting away and working again on appraisals. (I have a new one to finish up, as well as some restoration work.)

What a merry-go-round. At least it's warming up around here.

That sounds like a lot more fun than what we've been up to. (Ruby did this today -- woke herself up by farting, then stared at her backside: "What the -- ?")

Meanwhile:

A DJ at a fundraiser is slammed for being in 'blackface' -- only, he's actually black! Oops...how did one of his accusers, a (black) school official try to get out of that miscue? By accusing the poor guy of 'black facing' his black face...crazy.

Koulourakia -- Greek Easter cookies. And they're gluten-free...

A 'historic' snowstorm bangs the American West.  What a mess. 

Will giving lots of money to your adult children spoil them? This blogger (Financial Samurai) says no.

A chapter from Donna Freedman's frugal savings book, Your Playbook for Tough Times:  "Challenge Yourself to Save."

No one can survive on $10,000 a month -- hey, this model knows!

A couple celebrates 70 years of marriage -- and she wears the same gown she wore at age 16!  (Gee, I wish I could do that...)

The ten spookiest submarines. One is at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago. 

The USS Batfish -- the Brick's favorite sub. (Not that one -- this one.) He was stationed on it. 

(His brother commanded the Pennsylvania.)

'Fake' paintings and sculptures -- that turned out to be real.  In contrast:

Viral images -- shocking, surprising, etc. -- that turned out to be fake. This is one slideshow worth flipping through. 

Eleven ways to make your cruise cabin (and other small areas) feel bigger.

Is Jack Monroe "authentically poor?'  I've been reading this girl's budget cookbooks lately -- they're great. (And yes, Gentle Readers -- she is. Or was, at least.)

Black bear vs fat pigs. Guess who won?

All right -- True Confession.  It's been a hectic and sometimes strange week. To keep myself on an even kilter, I like to think about -- Christmas.

     So spank me with a holly branch. It helps. (The reading, not the spanking.)

Ways to make it easier to celebrate Christmas alone. 

Celebrating Christmas in wartime.   (From the Austerity Kitchen) And finally:

More than 100 wonderful (and odd) details about the movies you watch -- and love.

Have a good week.

Taxes

 Aaaarrgghgh...

Never Hurts to Ask...

 I was overwhelmed and swamped my first year at university, but I’m a keener who’s determined to do well. One of my hardest classes involved a final exam that was in essay format. It was one essay question, and you had three hours to write on the topic. I asked the professor if we could see exams from previous years to help us study and prepare. I figured it would give me a better idea of what type of question to expect. At first he seemed hesitant, but he wound up giving me an exam from a few years back so I could study. The day of the exam, I opened the test booklet — the exam question was the same exact question from the previous exam he had given me. I looked at the professor, and he was looking directly at me and smiling. I have never been so prepared for an exam.

I wound up acing my hardest class. Afterward, the professor told me he’d been using the same exam question for 20-plus years and that I was the first person to ask to see an exam from a previous year.

More preparedness that paid off -- here. 

Imaginary Friend

 "My daughter, when she was 3, used to talk about her imaginary friend all the time. Said he was big and fun, and spent a lot of time playing with her. One day I was scanning old photos and had a photo of my father on my desk and she said, “hey how did you get a photo if my friend?”

I instantly got shivers down my spine. My father died in the house ~15 years previously, and she played in a room that used to be his office.

I cautiously asked her to tell me more about her friend, and without hesitating she told me he talked funny. The chills stopped me dead in my tracks because dad was an Aussie who never lost his accent."

more creepiness here. 

Ever Thought About This?

 

But don't mind me. I may just be in a cynical mood, after hearing that inflation lately is All Putin's Fault.

 I could make some comments about bird poop not being the only ---- bandied about here...but I won't.

More of same here.

Taxes

 Gripe, Moan, Complain.

I hate doing taxes. HATE, HATE, HATE it. 

The fact that we're supposed to have colder, blustery weather gives me a reason to stay inside...but I still hate knowing that instead of cooking, cleaning, putting stuff away and ANYTHING but taxes --

I still need to work on taxes.

Sigh. 

Maybe Bill Murray wants to come do our taxes.

    He can even have 100%  of my ice cream. 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: I Must Be Hungry

 Still putting things away.

I've found huge bags full of Christmas presents for the kids -- plus a number of wonderful sauces and canned items I squirreled away from the Friday/Saturday store when it was in business. These will go to spice up our current meals...which tend to repeat a lot right now. 

     Maybe that's why I noticed so many recipes this time around. The grand prize winner has been the 'bakery-style chocolate chip cookies.' Son #1 (who's on a keto diet right now) even said, "I'll go back on my diet -- after I've finished the bag of cookies!"

     Still hoping for spring -- even though the forecast is for rain and possibly snow tomorrow. Figures.

Very funny notes strangers have left. (Sorry, you have to flip to read these.)

Ten amazing items (or the secrets to making them) that we've somehow lost over the years. Including Stradivarius violins and a fourth-century iron column that's never rusted.

Living stingy...or frugally?  (From One Frugal Girl)

How to Murder Your Husband author on trial for... murdering her husband! 

Dropcloth curtains -- no sew, thanks to cafe curtain clips. (This is from Hometalk, but my blogger friend at The Prudent Homemaker also uses dropcloths for Christmas tree skirts and stockings -- even vintage-look overalls!

Bakery-style chocolate chip cookies. **drool**  (From Foodtalk)

Why did six nannies quit, after babysitting her dear little child? One mom finds out -- the hard way. (I loved reading this because it was all on one page, instead of the incessant flipping. And there's a bit too much of 'Well, the kid didn't know what she was doing.' My bet: she did!The strange thing, though: it never says whether Mom was able to hire another sitter...)

"My $1 tax refund." Yet another intriguing post from Donna Freedman's Surviving and Thriving.

Congratulations to our new Supreme Court Judge, Ketanji Brown Jackson. May she do a wonderful job...and follow the Constitution and the law, rather than her own personal bias!

Secret uses for everyday household items. Like mayonnaise!

ANZAC biscuits...courtesy of My Abundant Life.

'Spill' your planting pot for a cool new look.  (From Gingham Gardens)

'Sweet and crunchy' broccoli salad. I could live on this stuff...thanks, Home is Where the Boat Is.

The top three money habits of 'happy retirees.'  I can see the wisdom of a lot of this.  (From ESI Money)

Tsundoku book piles...I found out about these, courtesy of cousin Amanda, herself a librarian and fellow booklover. What's in your pile?

Little-known ways to get more about your Amazon orders.

Quinoa salad, Mediterranean-style. (From Cheapskate Cook)

What was the most mysterious item you ever found in a thrift store? Quorans want to know.

Dolly Parton memes that started up a challenge. (At least she's a good sport about it.)

Stephen King's writing habits. They're good ones, too. And for those souls who think he's creepy, anyways, here are some of the true-life inspirations behind his novels.

Some of the strangest -- and interesting Grammy outfits out there...including why/how comments. Like Cardi B's "Eve" dress, worn to the 2019 Grammys...

Supreme Court judge Barrett deals with a heckler...and does it nicely.

Rosa the Sumatran rhino has her first calf -- after eight miscarriages.

A wonderful post (by an old friend) on loving, losing -- then loving again. If you're ever lost someone, you'll appreciate this. (From Sweet Tea and Sandals)

Oldest canned food in the world?  And they actually tasted it...

A satellite abandoned in 1967 began transmitting again in 2013! The only problem: scientists aren't sure how it's doing it...

Monty Python: top 25 sketches.  I love this silly English group, though they can be rude and disgusting. Plus:

The top ten MIA fighter pilots -- whose planes were eventually found. 

                                    Have a great week.

Spring?

 

Different Drummers

 

Another Great One Is Gone: Elsie Campbell

     Elsie Campbell, a fellow writer, teacher and colleague, died Jan. 25 of this year. 

(Apologies, Gentle Readers -- this was soon after The Mama's death. Fuzzy thinking and Covid kept me from doing much of anything around that time, let alone blogposts. Otherwise, I would have mentioned Elsie's death sooner.)

From her Facebook page:

This is Ken Campbell.

Elsie, my beloved wife for over 50 years, passed away suddenly Tuesday, January 25 at 4:15 pm.

She was home recovering from successful back surgery last Friday in Wichita and was up and walking around the house with the aid of a walker without much pain. She was feeling much better and was optimistic about her future recovery from her series of illnesses this past year.

She was lying in bed resting after a light lunch. When I checked on her later she was having difficulty breathing and I called 911 about 3 o'clock. They arrived quickly but found only a weak pulse. She was transported to the Ponca City hospital where efforts were made to help her. Cause was probably a heart attack caused by an embolism according to the ER physician.

Those wishing to may send a memorial gift to the Mennonite Central Committee. Please send no flowers. These were her express wishes.

Here is how Elsie described herself:

I travel and teach across the nation, teaching hand quilting, precision piecing, and hand and machine applique techniques and quilt design. I grew up with quilts on every bed. My mother, grandmothers, and aunts all made quilts. They were made to be used and most were 'loved to death'. I just thought everyone knew how to quilt.

After graduating from college with a Bachelor's Degree in Home Economics, I taught in public schools until the birth of my first son. A variety of career experiences followed, including that of insurance agent, piano teacher, and custom framer. I then returned to school to earn my Master's Degree in Special Education. It was during my 13-year career as a special education teacher that I rekindled my love of quilting. Since that time. I have produced many award-winning hand-quilted quilts in addition to constructing many more as gifts for family and friends.

I am an active member of many different quilt-related organizations and have won numerous awards. Awards include: Best Hand Wormanship Purchase Award, American Quilter's Society 2003, Best of Show at Quilt America! in Indianapolis, Indiana, the Mary Krickbaum Award for Best Hand Quilting from the National Quilt Association; and First Place ribbons in such prestigious shows as the World Quilt and Textile Show, Quilter's Heritage Celebration in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the International Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas, and Indiana Heritage Celebration, Bloomington, Indiana.

Her husband Ken has also done a wonderful article on Elsie that you can access here. 

     I would run into Elsie now and then as we both worked 'the circuit,' teaching and lecturing on quilting. (Like myself, she also wrote books -- one is pictured above.) Her quilts were admired by a lot of people (me included) and won many prizes. But in spite of the adulation, Elsie remained her kind self. She dealt with several health issues and surgeries the last year, but seemed to be recovering. 

     She was my friend.

She will be dearly missed.

An excellent way to honor Elsie is to contribute to the Mennonite Central Committee in her name. MCC is one of the very few charities to send nearly 100% of your donation to the field, to fund water, farming and income projects for a wide variety of needy communities around the world. The Brick and I also contribute to this worthy cause. 

Are You Listening?

 

Now You Know...

 

(More of same here, in case you're curious.)