Brrrr... that's all I can say.
This hasn't been a very memorable month. Other than a day trip to the hot springs nearby at Hooper, a welcome break, we didn't do much. No trips to Denver -- minimal grocery shopping, mostly to use up the new debit cards from our Medicare plan (see below) -- and no huge expenses. I did buy a few books, some next-season Christmas presents, and a birthday present or two for the Brick. We also helped out some friends with groceries -- it's a tight month here in the Valley, where many businesses shut down for a month or two.
We did our duty (and 'shook our booty,' according to the Brick), working on reports and making repairs. I did get a little quiet reading in, as well as editing work on a book for our pastor. (He talks, I type.) Very little snow, but lots of cold.
That's January for you.
The computer still is not completely updated, especially photowise. I still must reload photos that should be there to work with....which is frustrating. Older reports aren't there, either. (Sometimes they are -- sometimes they aren't.) My IT guy reassures me they're all there, but he can't upload until I get off, so to speak. So progress continues.
FRUGAL HITS
(Some of these were from late December)
*Hoppin' John a few days late! This good-luck dish is an important part of a Southern New Year. (Recipe here.) Christmas decorations were put away, and general tidying up happened, too.
Oh, and I made bread, apple crisp, homemade pizza and calzones.
*Did the year-end chores: updated the calendar, adding birthdays, etc.; did the month-end and year-end figures. We spent more than we made this year, but we also paid off the house, bought a vehicle and went to Europe. And our emergency fund is beginning to grow again. I'm not too worried.
*Filled the woodrack several times. The woodpile is visibly going down, but there's more than enough to get us through the winter. Having a full woodrack? A very rich feeling.
*Restocked the Little Free Library -- took out the holiday titles and put in a fresh batch of books. All the kids' books were gone, so that was a good sign. Two big boxes of books await further replenishing.
*Working our way through a few tv series: Fallout and an old favorite, Longmire. We finished off the 5th and 9th seasons of Perry Mason, SS-GB ("what if Britain had fallen to the Nazis by 1941?"), Tombstone Territory, as well as Perry's 7th season.
#SS-GB is interesting, but developing verrrryy slowly. I find myself irritated with Sam Riley, its star, who also was in one of my favorites: Pride & Prejudice and Zombies. How could the honest Mr. Darcy have so few ethics and sleep around so much? I know -- ridiculous. Unreasonable. He's just playing a part. Nonetheless, I may be discarding this series. (The Brick could go either way.)
*Tried a bit harder to keep things tidier. Loaded the dishwashter more often. Instead of buying more clothes, just kept our current wardrobes washed and put away. Dried clothes on the deck's drying rack several times, instead of using the dryer. Stuff like that. (I do need a few 'teaching/church outfits,' but will wait for the right ones at the right price. Update: ordered two skirts that might fit the bill. We'll see.)
*Chores around the house: the Brick fixed the furnace, replaced the motor's 'core' in the vacuum, and changed the Highlander's oil. (The truck is next.) As my IT guy, he continued to update the new laptop.
I painted the front bell, put away books (shelved by subject this time) and inventoried both pantry and storage. Conclusion: we're not going to starve anytime soon. Shared some of that food with friends.
*Income: some appraisals, plus a $5 survey from Neilsen and a $5 gift card earned through Swagbucks. Hey, the Bricks live large around here.
*The Brick got his anniversary present: a mandolin chosen by a friend who is expert in musical instruments. It wasn't cheap, but a great value, with a nice case included.
*Christmas presents from the Brick and the kids: several books, including a bio of Sarah Josepha Hale and the complete Sherlock Holmes; badly-needed slippers; a hanging balloon sculpture for the deck (now hanging and 'spitting fire' out our front window); a photo of the aurora borealis a few months ago, and a telescope for viewing more on the back deck. (Fort Garland is part of Colorado's best 'dark sky' area.) Plus a carpet cleaner, also badly needed -- and more. Thank you, Dears!
I also put out candy and cookies, jerky and meat sticks originally meant for Christmas stockings. The Brick and our kids have enjoyed snacking on these.
*Christmas presents bought for next season. Including one for a friend -- at 21% off. Some 75% off items...and some Advent calendars.
*Hot springs bliss at Hooper. It may have been chilly outside, but boy, was it nice soaking in that hot water. Our sore bones were thrilled.
*Watched Green Bay/da Bears football for free -- what an amazing game! (Chicago won. Too bad they lost in overtime to the Rams in the next game. The Broncos also lost - in the AFC Championship - to New England. Ah well.)
*Catered a pastors breakfast. Potato casserole, pigs in blankets, fruit salad and cinnamon rolls, thanks to help from several friends. (The pastors loved it.) I also baked a turkey that had been stored in the freezer for the church's monthly potluck. We were asked to dinner by friends (grilled prime rib - yum!).
*Bath mats on sale! Ordered two from Amazon -- both under $10 each, with free shipping. Cheaper than the thrift shop, quite frankly.
*Thrift Shop Buys: a ship painting ($5), vintage rayon/silk kimono ($3 - yes, you read that right!), notes and notepaper ($1 each), a seleection of winter hats, scarves and gloves, all at half-price....plus a lacy sweater for a buck! And 5% off for paying cash (Nazarene Thrift Shop). Several books, including a few for my research shelf, at a buck each.(Rainbows End).
*Citrus Bowl at the country club: Michigan vs Texas. (37-27) -- but it was closed. Went to Chili's, instead and had the $10.99 special: chips/salsa (soup for the Brick), burger/fries and a drink. True to form, brought some of the food home.
*Kept our fruit and vegetable input up. I paid special attention to this, including juice and canned fruit, as well as a few apples and the remainder of the clementines. We also ate a number of salads.
*Grocery deals: four pieces of fried chicken free (a purchase just as the deli was closing up); cucumber, 79 cents; pork chops, $1.99 a pound (Safeway). Smoked salmon, a dozen 4 oz. cans for $25 and change; tins of sardines for a stunning 82 cents each -- cheaper than even the dollar store! Plus free shipping (Amazon Warehouse Deals). Smokies and chili-stuffed hot dogs ($1.99/pkg); cans of soup, baby sweet peas and hearts of palm (99 cents each); gallon of fresh-made apple cider, $6.99 (SLV Amish grocery). Bags of chicken potstickers -- 10 pc. for $1.75 each (Dollar Tree).
Thanks to a Dec. 31 grocery visit, I barely redeemed reward points from Safeway before they expired at midnight-- whew! But they earned a three-pound package of bacon, plus a dozen eggs -- and a future carton of sour cream.
*Kaffe Fassett's Collective Spectrum for Free Spirit -- I am just in love with this color combination. The 5" square collection I got for Christmas will become a 3-D Bow Tie quilt. (Thank you, Daughter #2 and Son #1!)
*Found money: one shiny dime from the City Market change machine. Here are the totals for 2025 - and a few years before.
*The Brick turned potato gnocchi (about a buck at the Amish grocery) into a gourmet meal, by pouring canned beef stew over it. Surprisingly tasty!
*A dentist appointment for the Brick -- and only a $25 payment.
*Sent out the annual sales tax report for Brickworks. Federal and state taxes are next.
*An 'everything' salad kit was not only too 'oniony' for our taste, but the bagel chunks got mushy. (And we LIKE onions.) I sent them a message...and they sent us a replacement coupon. Thank you, Taylor Farms!
*Grocery card for $54 - times two! One of the benefits from switching to Devoted for our Medicare plan: $108 for groceries every month. I'll take it!
*Gave away some books to appraisal clients. Worked hard this month to catch up on everything. (A trip to do more appraising is looming in early February.)
FRUGAL MISSES
*Sewed a chewed pillow - twice. No gloves were chewed on, though I caught Bo snoozing by one of my fur-edged pair. (She's got eyes on my new slippers, too.) We did have a couple of serious accidental poop accidents. (Thank you, Daughter #2 and Son #1, for that spot cleaner. Worked like a charm.)
*Lunch with a friend -- Thai food at full price. And it was worth every penny. (We were also treated to lunch by a good friend.)
*An 'elegant' Christmas night supper for us and Daughter #2/Son #1: Burger King! (Other than a Tibetan place, which was slammed, it was the only thing open.) We didn't spend much...I guess that was nice.
*No year-end bonuses... though we got a slight raise on Social Security, as well as the Brick's pension amount. Ah well.
*A higher than usual utilities bill -- in spite of regular use of the woodstove. On the other hand, we lived just fine with 50-55 temps first thing in the morning. Inside the house, that is. That's why you use a warm down comforter on your bed.
*A bunch of potatoes, scattered in the middle of road in town...and no way to pick them up without getting run over. Another ah well.
*I was a bad kitty, and bought a few books on Ebay, including 4-volume diary/letter set by Frances Burney, a 19th-century novelist. True to form, though, I got them for less. (Hello, Best Offer!) I also spent less than half-price for the Brick's birthday present.
*Paid full price for Bigfoot and Steampunk fabric prints -- but I only bought a yard of each. So does that make me a semi-bad kitty??
Last month's report is here. Last year's: here. Plus the report from 2024. Stay warm, preferably by the woodstove, with a steaming cup of coffee nearby. Plus a good book.
I've been keeping one book as a reward for catching up on work: a history of Schonbrunn, in Vienna, Austria. The kids brought it as a present, after their trip to Europe. A cup of coffee, a chocolate bar and a warm spot near the fire await.
