Stephanie over at "A Year of Slow Cooking" has made it her goal to use the crockpot every single day in 2008.
I'm not up to that level of dedication, but I do love the crockpot -- its round self has saved my patootie more than once during the past few months of roofing. And there's nothing like coming in the house, cold and hungry, and smelling beef stew waiting for you. Right. Now.
Bliss.
Not only that, but crockpots use way less energy than your stove. Even your microwave. You do tend to cook in larger quantities-- occasionally a problem, now there's just Husband and yours truly -- but the stuff freezes nicely. Or we have it for lunch/supper again during the week.
Stephanie just gave an extremely nice recipe for Chocolate Fondue:
--1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark, milk, or white. Your choice.) 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla
Mix in a Small Dipper crockpot -- or put in an ovenproof bowl or glass casserole dish inside your larger crockpot. Don't add water. (I don't know why the stuff doesn't burn, but it doesn't.) Cook on low until it's melted -- about 1-2 hours. Dip in marshmallows, apple or orange slices, bananas, whatever. Enjoy.
There are a ton of other recipes on Stephanie's website, but you can find about any dish on Allrecipes.com, as well.
Here are some of my favorites:
MEXICAN PORK
1 pork roast (cut off the most obvious fat) 1 envelope taco mix
That's it! Cook 4-8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high. Don't add water -- the meat juices will give this a nice soupy mix. Tender, delicious --use for barbecue, enchiladas, tacos and such.
This is also good for beef, though I may substitute an envelope (or two tablespoons) of onion soup mix and 1/2 cup of wine.
CROCKPOT CHILI (got us through a snowy, blustery day this week)
1 pound ground beef or pork 1 cup chopped onions 2 cups chopped tomatoes (or 1 quart jar home-canned tomatoes. Or 1 large can tomatoes) 2 beef bouillon cubes 2 teaspoons dried garlic 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cumin (optional) 1 small can green chilies (optional, but very Coloradoan to use) 2 cups dried pinto beans
Rinse the beans and dump them into the crockpot; cover with water (about 1/3 of the pot). Dump everything else in -- do not brown the meat! (This way, the good juices go directly into the chili, rather than being wasted in the frying pan. The bouillon just boosts the meaty taste.) Rinse out tomato and/or chili cans -- add that water, as well. Cook on low 6-10 hours, or high 6-8 hours. Feeds 4-6 gorillas, especially when served with 'cheese guys' (cheese melted on corn tortillas in 450 degree oven approx. 5 min.). Stretch your meat further by doubling everything else --it's still delicious.
CHICKEN-BROCCOLI SOUP
1/2 pound raw chicken breast, chunked (1-2 cups cooked leftovers are good, too) 1 pound broccoli -- frozen package or approx. 2 cups chopped raw 1 cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon marjoram or basil 1 teaspoon lemon pepper 1 chicken bouillon cube 1 large can (or two small cans) cream of chicken, celery or mushroom condensed soup approx. 2 cups milk -----stop here ------------- 1 teaspoon sour cream per bowl (optional, but good - yogurt works, too) 1/2-1 cup grated cheese
Here we go. Dump everything, from chicken through the condensed soup, into the crockpot -- fill the empty cans with milk to rinse, and dump that in, too. Add 1-2 cups water if mixture looks too thick. Cook on low 4-6 hours, or high 2-3 hours. Serve each bowl topped with a spoonful of sour cream and sprinkled with cheese. Feeds 4-6.
We have now lived in Fort Garland for five months. It's been interesting to see how spring arrives here in the 'High Desert:' greener trees and sage, and grass growing along the roadsides. Real green!! What a lovely color, after winter shuffling through tan, gray and white, over and over.
This week, we brought back the last of our things fromthe Sedalia ranch we've called home for several years. When we pulled in, five deer greeted us with shocked expressions: "Where did you come from??" And we soon learned that hauling heavy boxes down the ladder from the garage loft was not exactly easy. (The Brick shimmied down three steps, trying desperately not to drop the box as I tried to grab it and ease it down. Do that a few times, and you'll feel it in back and shoulders.)
We also cleaned out our share of food from our friends' freezer, and packed it in tubs. One of the tubs was put upside-down on top of a bag of quilts, to keep it secure. On the way home, just south of Pueblo, we hit a HUGE bump...and discovered, once we got home, that one of the tubs fell off. Weirdly, nearly all the frozen food stayed in the truck. Much of it stuck to the lid -- and the rest was scattered in the truck bed. All the road crew got was a few assorted bags of veggies, the empty bin -- and a frozen pizza!
I wrote this post for another website years ago...but it's worth visiting again. And yes, Paladin and we are still buddies.
We've been in good company lately, riding the Western backcountry with Paladin. (Hanging out in luxury San Francisco hotels, too.) In case you're not familiar with this knight errant, Paladin was a gun-for-hire in the American television show, Have Gun Will Travel. Richard Boone starred in this long-running series (1957-63) on CBS. His trademark was a knight embossed on his holster ("the most dangerous piece on the chessboard," Paladin says), and a business card prominently featured in each episode. Paladin quotes Shakespeare and the classics, appreciates fine food and wine (when he's not out in the boonies living on beans and coffee, that is), and shoots straight -- no matter what.
After multiple episodes of Have Gun Will Travel, I realized some of Paladin's lessons were good for life, too: *An expert is worth his hire. "I can get three guns for your price," one of Paladin's clients announces. "Quality is not quantity," Paladin retorts. This hired gun charges a hefty fee for his services - $1000 or more, and that in the 1870s! If you're good at what you do, charging more makes sense. Our oldest daughter, in college and paying her way via dogsitting, learned this when she was featured on her sponsor site, Rover.com. Suddenly her services were even more in demand, and at a higher price. When I began teaching and lecturing (my other jobs, besides writing and appraising), a teacher friend urged, "Double your fee." I was afraid groups couldn't afford my services, but the truth was a surprise -- I was busier than ever. My higher price confirmed to them, at least, that I was worth it. *Give your word -- and keep it. Paladin expects loyalty, both from his friends and himself. In spite of obstructions -- 'bad guys,' stormy weather or whiny females -- Paladin finishes the job, and does it well. He may grab a smooch or shoot the local tough in the process, but that just makes the plot more fun.
*Work hard, play hard. Does the latest job demand travel for days in the heat and dust, a teeth-rattling ride in a stagecoach, arguing with a hostile crowd, or a showdown on main street? Whatever it is, Paladin accomplishes it, an nobly. Between gigs, he retreats to his suite at the Hotel Carlton in San Francisco for hot baths, fine wine and tickets to the opera. (Okay, a lot of flirting with pretty girls, too.) A thousand bucks, after all, covers a lot of playtime at post-Civil War prices.
*A good education comes in handy. Paladin is well-read, from Cicero to Keats. (Another lesson: education is lifelong, not just classes.) He speaks more than one language, and understands several different cultures. He needs it: he has to get along with everyone from English aristocrats to Apache warriors. Which brings us to another lesson --
*The great ones are versatile. Not only is Paladin equally capable of fighting with a variety of weapons, riding a horse up a steep canyon, and analyzing great whiskies -- so are the actors and actresses in Have Gun Will Travel episodes. A number are famous now, including Charles Bronson, June Lockhart, James Coburn and Martin Balsam. Even more interesting: the really good ones appear more than once, as different characters. (Did they honestly think we wouldn't notice?) It isn't just the actors; a number of the episodes were authored by people who went on to fame elsewhere. Those names include Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek), Bruce Geller (Mission Impossible) and Harry Julian Fink (Big Jake, Ice Station Zebra...and the Dirty Harry movies).
Good lessons, all. And if you like cowboy Westerns, the research is so much fun!
As I mentioned before, our truck literally popped a wheelie (i.e., a wheel flew off -- all bolts sheared off) while our kids were doing 70 mph on the highway, pulling the fifth-wheel. Thank God Adopted Son was able to pull safely onto the shoulder, with no one hurt, and the truck and fifth-wheel surprisingly unharmed. (Well, except for no wheel or tire, burned out brake pads, messed-up axle, scraped up side, etc etc.) Fortunately, one of our Blanca friends had a truck with hitch that we could borrow. So the Brick picked up the kids in Walsenburg, then drove down south of Raton (about a 2-hour drive each way) to bring the trailer back.
They had to wait for a wrecker, who then towed the truck to a dealer in Trinidad, where it sits -- and waits. The dealer said it would take a week to get most parts, and two weeks to get a replacement wheel. (The kids searched all over, but never found the wheel. Perhaps it decided to roll home on its own.) Brick and Co. finally got home about 1:00 a.m.
There are several problems with this:
*The truck is our only vehicle.
*I have an appraisal to do Tuesday in Castle Rock, 3 hours away...and a package to ship.
*How in the world are we going to get around, meanwhile?
The answer: a truck generously provided by a friend. We're renting it from him.
How much is this going to cost? We have no idea. Hundreds of dollars already flew out the door with tows, gas, etc. Not to mention wasted time and energy.
Yes, we have a claim filed with the tire company (which put on NEW tires only last week). The kids could have been killed. (Honestly, they should have rolled -- only the grace of God and Adopted Son's driving skills were in play.) The truck and fifth-wheel can be replaced -- our children cannot.
We have a heart for this subject, having seen elderly friends very concerned about this same subject, when we were living in McNeal, AZ, near the Mexican border. They not only would have illegals crossing their land -- but had people banging on their door in early morning, asking for food and water. And these were elderly widows, Gentle Readers. How terrified do you think they were?
Otzi the Iceman had 61 tattoos -- but they weren't done the way scientists originally thought. (Nor did he die naturally -- not with an arrowhead in his shoulder, a head wound and a defensive wound on his hand...)
In his time, he was a fine football player -- and that is about all I can say.
I was working at Quilter's Newsletter Magazine during Simpson's 1995 murder trial. If you were around in those days, you had to be living under a rock not to know that Simpson was accused of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. And there was a LOT of evidence pointing to that conclusion.
(What I didn't know: Kris Jenner was best friends with Nicole -- and her ex-husband, Robert Kardashian, was on OJ's defense team. Weird. What I also didn't know: Simpson went off his arthritis medicine a few weeks before the trial -- so when he 'struggled' to put on the indicting gloves, his hands were actually more swollen than normal. Yep, I'm sure that was just a 'coincidence.')
When his acquittal was announced, total silence in the lunchroom... and practically everyone on staff was there to watch. I remember this vividly.
We just got a very scary phone call -- Daughter #1 and her partner were headed home from Texas, towing the trailer... when a truck wheel sheared off! They were able to pull over safely. They're ok. The fifth-wheel's ok, too... but the truck isn't. (They can't even find the wheel -- it must have rolled like crazy.)
The Brick is on his way with a borrowed truck, to get the trailer, arrange to have the truck towed, and pick up the kids. Here's the kicker -- we had new tires put on the truck just last week, so they could be more 'safe.' The wheels were fine before that.
Thank God everyone is all right -- I'm thankful for Adopted Son's driving skills, too. (Yes, we have a phone call in to the company that installed the tires, as well.)
Meanwhile... these ideas may be of help in your upcoming travel plans. They've certainly helped us. Maybe I should add -- check your wheels before you leave!
Vacations not only give you more time to go places -- that travel can help you decide where you'd like to retire or relocate, eventually. Although cruises, bus tours and other package trips can be fun, you'll learn more (and incidentally, save more) by doing it on your own. And it may change your life.
*Thinking of relocating to another country? Then visit first -- long-term Stay at least two weeks, and preferably 1-2 months. (You'd be surprised how many people turn their lives upside down, sight unseen, then regret it later.)
*Thinking of moving to another state, because retirement expenses are said to be lower there? (Money magazine has regular features on this.) See the previous tip. Wyoming, for example, has no income tax, all right -- but if you can't handle windy expanses and a certain amount of ruggedness, don't bother. *Don't fly -- until you have to. Take the train or a bus. Rent a car, or even better, a motorbike. (The latter will get you on dirt roads and back areas more easily.) Either will let you go where you want to -- rather than just following the crowd.
*Pack light. Everything should fit in a small wheeled suitcase, duffel or backpack. Plan for three days' clothes, items like t-shirts and knits that can be easily handwashed and hung to dry. A pair of lightweight sandals will give your feet a rest. (Wear the heavier shoes you plan to use for walking.) *Do what the locals do. If you're in another country, hit the beaches with the fewest tourists. Where do the locals shop, use the internet, have a beer? Go there.
*Same for restaurants. One couple looks for hand-written menu boards, especially with fish: "that means they caught it last night or this morning." Overseas, look for phrases like "comida de corrida" or "menu el dia" ('special of the day'). If you want cheap-but-good homestyle cooking in the U.S., pick the place with the most pickup trucks outside. Or cars -- period. (My folks swore by the place with the most semis -- and they didn't eat at truck stops, either.) Other dining tips are here.
*Talk to someone who lives there. Do it while standing in line, or on the beach. Ask directions. We spent a summer on a motorcycle just before moving cross-country. Our non-Hell's Angels appearance, gear in tow, prompted an amazing number of people to ask where we were going, and suggest good camping/eating spots, as well as interesting places to visit. People love to talk about themselves, and the place they live. You're not fluent in the language? Learn at least a few words (Hello, goodby, how are you, thank you, where's the bathroom?) and use your smile. Resolve to learn more. (Duolingo is free, and lets you learn gradually.) Many overseas people love to practice their English, as well.
*Buy your souvenirs at the grocery store or outdoor market. You'll pay far less for interesting food items than at some fancypants boutique. (Fewer tchotchkes to get rid of, too, if family and friends don't like their presents.) While you're there, grab some sandwich fixings and fresh-baked bread for meals. (Most grocery stores will often cook meat, especially seafood, for you right on the spot.) Did you pack plastic utensils in your luggage, for just this reason? You should have. Just make sure, if you're overseas, not to bring fresh or dried fruit, veggies, seafood or meat home until you're sure it will pass through customs. (Often if it's canned or in a jar, it will. We had processed meat tapas from Mexico confiscated at the L.A. airport -- there's a ban on pork from other countries, due to fears of spreading worms.) Even better: buy direct from the producer. Sadly, we quickly finished the last of ten pounds of coffee from Finca La Milagrosa in Boquete, Panama. Every cup reminded us of Sr. Tito's warmth, friendliness...and his delicious product. We can't wait to go back and get some more.
Did you see today's eclipse? We saw it...we think. It was supposed to be 70% here in Colorado, but there was a sliver off the sun, at best. (It was shining -- but the rest of the sky was clouds. Later on, it started snowing.)
The Dallas Zoo had their first eclipse, andthey were curious what the animals would do. Turns out the gorillas and elephants could care less -- but the giraffes, zebras and ostriches freaked out and galloped in circles. One ostrich even laid an egg!
This has been an incredibly tiring week. We spent most of it clearing out the fifth-wheel, and cleaning it so Daughter #1 and her partner could take it to Texas for the eclipse. (Daughter #2 and Son #1, meanwhile, headed to see the eclipse in New York, and do some rockhounding while they were there.) We thought we'd cleared a lot out -- but the hallways are lined with boxes and bags of Stuff.
To make life even more interesting, the UPS truck drove up while we were working, and Ruby threw a fit. I heard her (the Brick was vacuuming), and hurried out -- tripped on the bottom step -- tripped again on Ruby, who was still barking, and face planted in the gravel rock bed. The UPS girl was shouting, "Are you ok??" I was yelling back that I was fine (I wasn't). She wouldn't leave the package until 'you get hold of your dog.' Finally she left. Ruby stopped fussing about the 'evil UPS girl.' The Brick eventually heard me yelling -- and hauled me up. Results: a sprained hand and two knees full of blood and scratches.
I'm better now...but no doubt the UPS girl thinks I'm an idiot. I certainly felt like one. However, the Brick pointed out that we wouldn't have to do much more work to get the fifth-wheel in salable condition. And he's right. (Want to buy a nice fifth-wheel?)
I'm behind on reports -- and the house looks like a bomb went off in it. We have taxes to finish up, too. Guess what we're working on this week?
We finally finished all five seasons of Person of Interest. If you want to watch a show that predicts the Covid epidemic, the government's need to 'watch' (and control) us, as well as AI's rise in eerily accurate form... you'll want to watch this. Bear in mind that this tv series started in 2011, more than ten years ago!
I especially enjoyedits booklover references -- including Finch proposing to his love by giving her a hollowed-out copy of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, with engagement ring inside. However, none of the social media whizzes seems to realize that the password for installing the virus that kills Samaritan is 'Dashwood' -- a direct reference to S&S! The creme on the top, though, was the occasional references to my buddy -- and his books..
After a trip to Denver, we made it back through a blizzard on the highway and La Veta Pass...thanks in great part to God, four-wheel drive and the Brick's competent driving. The snow was so bad that the Brick was guiding by the colored posts alongside the road edge -- and occasionally they 'disappeared.' (Hit by another motorist, who couldn't help sliding?) The last 45 or so minutes, I practically wore a crease in the door handle, trying to hold steady. The truck was covered in ice by the time we turned off the highway.
We were both very grateful to get home to a fire in the woodstove, a warm couch and a few episodes of Rifleman. True to form, the snow stopped by the time we went to bed. And now the sun is shining!
Welcome to Colorado... especially in the spring.
* * * * * * * * * * *
I thought I'd share this classic from the Brickworks files, since the T-word is creeping up on us again.
Fellow Coloradoans -- don't forget about the Tabor credit on your taxes! As near as I can tell, you MUST apply by April 15.
*Take care of a sick child. The Brick and I stayed up one memorable night with both girlies -- and the flu. They were then about 5 and 7. After the third session of throwing up (complete change of bed linens each time), one of us wrapped them up in afghans --the only clean 'blankets' left. The other got busy scrubbing up the trail that led to the bathroom. Lessons learned: always keep Coke, a bottle of Pepto-Bismol and some anti-diarrhea meds on hand. And clean bedding. Brace yourself -- if you get sick, as well, you'll still need to take care of your kids. (Thankfully, both of us stayed healthy.)
*Get a colonoscopy. A recent study strongly suggests that colonoscopies cut your risk of colorectal cancer (the second leading cause of cancer deaths) by 50%, both by detecting cancer, and by removing precancerous polyps that might otherwise develop into something more serious. Lessons learned: "Sure, it's a pain in the neck. People complain to me all the time, 'It's horrible. It's terrible,'" said Dr. Sidney Winawer, the leader of the study, and a gastroenterologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. "But look at the alternative."
*Get your teeth cleaned and checked regularly. At the least, you'll have clean, shiny teeth and peace of mind. At the worst, you'll need cavities filled, a root canal or crown, or a wisdom tooth removed. Maybe more than one. Lessons learned: Don't put it off. If you don't take care of problems right away, your teeth may abscess -- which leads to jaw infections. It not only weakens the bone, but can affect your overall health. It's not going to be cheap, but insurance helps -- and you can often make monthly payments. (Groupons are also often available for teeth cleaning and x-rays.) I wish I hadn't learned this lesson the hard way -- but I did.
*Deal with pooping -- the full scope. Pets, babies, etc. (And don't forget cleaning the toilet.) If they make a mess, guess who gets to clean it up? Lessons learned: Some older people struggle with this, too. One very nice older lady at our church enjoyed resting in a wing chair out in the lobby. I quickly learned not to sit in that chair until it had been sanitized first. (Yes, I know what you're thinking. Ew.)
I hope you enjoyed your Easter as much as we did. Not only did we sing and play at church, but had a great dinner with our neighbors and friends, Laurie and Mike. They're enthusiastic game-players, so we had a few rousing games of Smart Ass before they went home. (They were easy on us neophytes, which was nice of them.)
Categories include Smart Ass, Dumb Ass and Kick Ass. What can I say...
It's hard to believe that April is here...but I'm glad. Maybe it will get warm enough to actually plant something! April 1 may be April Fools, but it is also my dad's birthday. (He was actually born on Easter Sunday 1934.) The poor man was incessantly pestered by my mom, who enjoyed putting plastic wrap or rubber ham in his sandwiches, or salt in the sugarbowl. (Every Hollander worth his salt - ahem - enjoys a good spoonful of sweetness in strong coffee. Dad was no exception.)
She even got the receptionist at his business to leave messages for him to call Mr. Fox. (The phone number was the zoo -- when he phoned there, the person answering said in a tired voice, "Yes, we get that a lot.")
Happy Birthday, Pa. I love you very much -- see you soon.
* * * * * *
This weekend was also the birthday of Daughter #1's partner, who over the years, we have grown to love very much. Happy Birthday, Dre! Hope you had a fun day.
Meanwhile:
I did some research after adding his Good Friday cartoon to the blog -- Johnny Hart, a staunch Christian, died the day before Easter Sunday 2007, while drawing at his board. Weird.
This has been a tighter month than most -- due in great part to some unexpected truck expenses. Last month's property tax payment sucked up the extra cushion we normally have, and left us scraping bottom. We made it through, but not without dipping into the emergency fund. Hey --that's what emergency funds are for!
It has snowed a lot this month. The first was more than 2 feet. Another snowstorm was 'only' a foot. But thanks to our bright sun, it's melting fast. Typical for Colorado. (And typical for March in Colorado.) Whenever I get tired of gray and white, I read Brandy's blog at The Prudent Homemaker -- her garden photos are wonderful, and she makes a gracious life for herself and family on a miniscule budget.
Spring, you are coming back... right?
FRUGAL HITS
(Some of these are from late February)
*We went to our first local auction -- with many of our attendees Amish and Hispanic. (I had trouble not staring at one swaggering vaquero, complete with cowboy hat and pistol on one hip, tucked in a leather holster.) When the dust cleared, we'd spent only $65 for a floor jack. (The cup or two of dust consumed was free.)
*Finished the USPAP update class paid for in January. (Expensive, but I had no choice.) This is required every third year -- so now I'm good through 2026.
*Made a quadruple payment on the house loan. It stretched us more than a bit, but we made it. (Would I have done this, if I'd known about the truck expenses? Will we regret it in the long run? )
*Used surprisingly little propane for heat, thanks to our trusty woodstove, large windows with southern exposure... and a generous supply of cut and split wood. (Thank you, Mr. Hawkins!) I'm looking forward to warmer weather, when I can stop using the dryer and hang clothes out, instead. That will cut our propane use even more.
*Red Robin gift cards - at 20% off! We'll use these for presents, as well as ourselves.
*Used up some peppermint lotion by adding a little water. (It was too thick, anyways.) I cleaned out several other bottles of Stuff this way.
*Found a wad of $2 bills while cleaning in the fifth-wheel: $110! (I'm gettingas bad as The Mama, stashing money in places, then forgetting where it is.)
*Friends are coming for Easter dinner...I'll be serving several things from the freezer, including ham, frozen peaches (smoothies, maybe?) and apple tart. No colored eggs, though.
*Bought 8 frugal living/finance books on Ebay -- for the price of 6! Most paid was $6.50 - the rest were $5.50 or less.. I grouped the more expensive books together in one order, so the 'buy 3, get 1 free' applied to a higher price. (The third order of 4 was cancelled - and money refunded. See below.) Went back and bought 8 more, with 2 free -- this time, mostly on Great Lakes shipwrecks and lost treasure -- plus two copies of an especially good frugal book, How to Survive Without A Salary. Two more books, one heavily discounted to $3.99 from $14.95, from Amazon. Free shipping on all the books. (Not being close to a library really wears on this booklover. And yes, I used my allowance.)
These are incredibly helpful for frugal savings and wise investments.
Look for the seller 'Second Sale' on Ebay -- they might still be running the special.
*We waited to go to the local hot springs -- then got the senior discount. Less than $25 for two, which is a real steal here in Colorado. This was our 'vacation' -- one of the few years we haven't gone somewhere in Feb. (for the Brick's birthday) or March. (We'll make up for it a bit in April.)
*St. Patrick's Day corned beef hash -- made from canned corned beef in the pantry, onions and local potatoes. (we are in the middle of a huge potato-growing area.) The leftover corned beef was combined with a box of Kraft macaroni & cheese -- surprisingly delicious.
*Made two gallons of milk stretch for almost three weeks. Didn't visit the grocery store much, either, though the Brick got me a gallon of milk while running errands. Even paying a little more for milk pays off if you don't get anything else.
*Expanded one burger to feed both of us -- by adding a can of kidney beans and barbecue sauce to the crumbled-up burger. Voila: sloppy joes! I could have made the mixture go even further by serving it IN the bun, instead of on top, openface-style. (It was good, too.)
*A free pizza from Daughter #2 and Son #1...who also stopped and picked up some extra groceries (milk! eggs! steak!) on their way here to visit. (And wouldn't let me pay, the sweethearts.)
*The Brick fixed a clogged toilet and a leak under the kitchen sink. A handy man is wonderful to have around.
*Ate down the freezer -- because we needed to. Among other things, we made roast beef, peach smoothies, beef pad thai (tiny piece of beef), orange chicken, one (small) chicken potpie, a leftover cinnamon roll, 'freezer' chili (tomatoes, roasted green chilis, leftover salsa -- and a few hamburger patties), pea soup and Korean dumplings. (What a burden -- limp hand to forehead.) I do NOT want to find myself in the position of the Collins house -- when we dumped the barely functioning freezer with food still in it.
*Planted basil, onions and chives. Jerusalem artichokes are next, when the snow melts.
*Binge watched Person of Interest. We both love this series -- just finishing up three seasons.
*Dollar Tree buys: bought seeds (4 for $1), plus a few 'reward' gifts for my piano student, and a paperback from one of my favorite authors, Jenny Colgan. $1.25 each!
*A friend at church gave me a series of beginner piano books for my student. Saffyra is playing out of the first one now. (Thank you, Karen!) My student's mom paid with a loaf of challah and some tamales. (Thank you, Rebekah -- yum!)
*Royalties from the Crazy Quilts e-book. Also a small check from Quora. Every bit helps!
*Did you know you can freeze mandarin oranges? (Peel, then freeze separated sections on a cookie sheet. Store in a plastic bag.) They'll be a refreshing treat this summer.
*Gave a book away. Did a few appraisals... and finished up several reports.
*Played and sang on the worship team at church.
*Visited Sunshine Salvage Country Store during their inventory reduction sale. This bare bones Amish place not only has all sorts of things in bulk, but offers a range of discounted/salvage items similar to my beloved but past tense Friday/Saturday Store.
We trotted out of there with two huge boxes stuffed full of goods, everything from chocolates to cereal to teriyaki sauce, for less than $60. The Brick found reasonably-priced LED bulbs, and I snagged several items from the 'free box' for Ruby. I also found dollar bags of chewbones for her. We took a friend who had never visited there; it was a pleasure to watch him digging excitedly through boxes, and exclaiming when he found a treasure.
*Heart-shaped waffle makers -- for even less than the one I ordered at discount a few years ago!
*Several birthday, St. Patrick's and Easter cards went out.
*Grocery buys: 25-cent containers of Progresso soup-in-a-cup and boxes of Keebler cookies; dollar boxes of Ferrero Rocher and Russell Stover chocolates; boxes of stuffing mix (2 for $1)...and a variety of other sauces, soups, cereal, etc. for 50 cents to a dollar each. Yoww! (Sunshine Salvage). Free pizza; $3.97/lb sirloin steak (same price as sausage and pork chops? And only 50 cents more than regular hamburger? Really??), half-gallons of milk, $1.17 each; 1.5 qts of ice cream, $2.77 each; a pound of ricotta cheese for $2; mushrooms in bulk, $2.55/lb. (Safeway)
*Got an 'iffy' package of bratwurst from Safeway -- and returned it for credit. And yes, had to stop and fix yet another mischarge. (Why is it always in the store's favor??)
FRUGAL MISSES
*LOTS of truck-related expenses: tools, labor and parts. (We're past $1500, and headed for a cool $2000 now.) The Brick saved a great deal by doing some of the repairs himself.
*Paid full price for groceries -- milk and eggs. We needed them. (Yes, I know this sounds silly. But I do pride myself on buying even necessities on sale, if at all possible.)
*Got a bad book from the Ebay order -- not only was it grubby, with a garage sale sticker, but the back cover was half torn off. But something surprising happened -- the third 'cancelled' order of books, showed up, anyways! The seller graciously let me keep the 'cancelled' books. A nice bonus.
*Some of the Progresso cup-of-soup toppings were stale. (The soup, on the other hand, was fine.) And of course, I had to serve it on the same day our breakfast sausages also tasted 'iffy.' Sigh...
*Spent a lot more on gas than usual. Between our friend's therapy appointments and truck parts and maintenance, several trips to Alamosa were needed. We did not go to Denver at all this month.
*Trouble with my 'w' key again, which spread to the '2' key. Then suddenly cleared itself up...
*No found money this month -- though I looked. (Well, except for the $2 bills.) Darn it.
