A quiet month, starting cool with rain, then hot days with hot winds. The plants in the back deck beds have been popping up and growing like crazy. We ate our first spinach omelet on June 3, but the plants are already going to seed. Normal for this time of year.
After the drama of getting the storage trailer home, it was nice to rest. The Brick started clicking things off on his to-do list, and I worked on catching up with appraisal reports. We're headed on a European trip in July, so have been getting ready for that, as well as training our silly half-grown pups and taking care of their aunt Freya.
Not your typical June -- then again, it never is.
FRUGAL HITS
Yes, this is a few days early...but I have reports to concentrate on.
*Sent a goodies box to our favorite kiddoes in Michigan -- including candy and videos I already had. (Plus a thank you note and check, for storing our trailer for so long.)
*Didn't go out to eat much. (We'll make up for it during our upcoming European trip.) We often made do with the dollar pizzas from the Amish grocery store, instead. (Oh, the suffering...) An invite to a Trinidad steakhouse (for an arthritis treatment seminar) netted us two free steak dinners -- and breakfast steak hash next morning. (I dropped off an appraisal report while we were there, saving $2.50 in postage.)
*Watched our granddog Freya.
*Trimmed all three dogs' nails. (They didn't like it -- but it had to be done.) Gave them baths, as well.
*Kept myself from making several business purchases until the end of the month.
*Played and sang on Worship Team. The Brick led music for three of the services.
*Thrift shop buys: a Yellowstone-themed t-shirt ($4), two t-shirt dresses ($6 each), a dinosaur doggie chew toy ($2.50) and several books, ranging from 50 cents - $2 each. Also an old-fashioned meat grinder ($5, marked down from $10). It will come in handy if we get any venison or elk meat this year. (Nazarene and Rainbow's End thrift shops; PALS thrift shop.)
*Made bread. Made it again, after Daughter #2 and Son #1 gobbled it up. (Okay, the Brick and I had some, too.)
*Money Found: Change machine hauls -- two pennies at Walmart; a dime, nickel and penny at Safeway. Plus a bonus washer. The kids found $2 in a Boulder change machine. (Showoffs.)
*A small batch of books: Depression Era glassware, quilting...and the Good Old Days -- for $11 and change. A second batch included a few Good Old Days (including Christmas!) and an important book on textile traditions in NM and CO -- $14 total. All Buy 2, Get 1 Free -- plus free shipping.
*Did a survey for $5.
*Watched over our friends' place while they were on vacation. I got a pretty bouquet of columbines and phlox out of it, too.
*City Market coupons -- including one for a free pound of butter. I was able to combine several of the others with sale prices, making those items even less.
*Grocery Deals: Tubes of tomato paste (29 and 39 cents), Deutscher shortbread cookies ($1.59), and peach nectar (33 cents a can) (SLV Amish Grocery). Fresh from the barnyard eggs, $3.75 a dozen** (Worth the Drive). Four avocados (red-bagged) for a buck (City Market/King Soopers). Gallons of milk, $2.77 each (Safeway). Beef and pork prices have gone up 10-20% in our area, just in the last few months, while egg prices are down...yep, instead of $8.99 a dozen, they're now $4.99-5.99. Generous.
**These were 25 cents cheaper than SLV's prices -- so 75 cents saved! Bragged about it to the Brick, who thought it was hilarious. Hey 75 cents is 75 cents.
*Ran out of eggs periodically -- and just made do without them. Made use of freezer items, especially meat -- I can actually see bare spaces in there! (This is a minor miracle, considering I am usually a stuffer-inner.)
*Bought a few antique quilt photos on Ebay: $5 each, including shipping. (Another Best Offer.) A few more were purchased, as well -- $3.70 - 7.95 each. (These prices are soooo much cheaper than photos used for previous books. Stocking up, when a usable photo appears, really pays off.)
*Bought a windmill quilt top -- Best Offer accepted again.
*Did a few appraisals-- and finished several more, including a huge report and an updated one. Got offered a free pizza by a grateful client; thanks, K and D!
*Two mini-pizzas ($1 each), cut up and brought for an appetizer: my contribution to a girls' night out. (The Brick got the first bowl of homemade copycat Olive Garden, instead.)
*Started unpacking the storage trailer.
*The state tax refund, including our share of TABOR, finally arrived. (The Federal refund came last month.) Colorado guv'ment people have been very reluctant to give up TABOR funds -- is that why it took so long?
*The Brick installed the Bigfoot weathervane that was my anniversary present. It looks great! He also replaced a screen door, and rewired some electrical outlets for a friend.
The single grapevine cutting that survived -- is growing! At least I got something out of my $29 investment. I persuaded the Ebay seller to send me another batch of cuttings to try -- hopefully these will root.
*The Brick decided not to travel to hunt this year... in protest of some new Colorado gun laws 'protecting' us from ourselves. (Obviously crime will just disappear now.) It saved us money on licenses -- but also means no meat for the freezer.
*Kept errands in a tight mix several times, to save gas and time. We added the $5 McDonald's deal for supper, and shared the chicken nuggets with the doggies.
*Had friends over for Father's Day... the Brick even had to work by grilling his own steak. Poor Baby. At least he got strawberry shortcake to ease his pain.
*Got a few Father's Day presents on discount -- including these beautiful hummingbird feeders. (That's what he asked for!)
FRUGAL MISSES
*Protested the property tax evaluation: $100,000+ increase in one year?!?
*Missed out using the discounted Groupon for the Money Museum in time... but will use it eventually, at full price.
*Lost some seedlings. Not all of the Arbor Day baby trees are going to make it, either. We've had some stifling hot winds that are tough on the plants. At least the puppies kept their grubby paws out of my planting beds...so far.
*Freya's latest snack: a down pillow. (I stitched the torn corner , and we picked up the feathers.) She nibbled the leather strip off on one shoe for dessert, and was planning on the rest of the shoe (which I'd never worn) when I caught her. (sigh)
Not to be outdone, the puppies chewed two large holes in my favorite fur throw, and pulled out a bunch of stuffing. I can stitch these up, as well. But it won't be the same. (double sigh)
*Paid the annual propane tank fee. (Their contract required that we only buy propane from them. The Brick protested -- and we were allowed to cross that requirement out before signing the agreement.) Renewed the truck license, as well.
*Paid the last of the travel fees (plane/hotel, etc.) for the European trip. We also bought tickets to Anne Frank's house (Amsterdam), an all-day tour to Normandy and the Louvre (Paris). More to come.
Last month's report is here. Last year's is here -- and the year before that.
A number of things need to be taken care of in July, including an appraisal gig at the Black Canyon Quilt Show in Montrose, CO July 11-13. This is one of the premiere quilt events in Colorado -- please stop by!
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