Frugal Hits & Misses: The December Report

      We've had subzero temps early this month -- which makes me sooo glad I got the rosebushes covered, and flower bulbs planted. Bo and Tiger LOVE the snow, and tear through it at top speed. Then when they get back in the house, they nibble off the snow from our boots. Silly dogs.

Tiger is definitely bigger than Bo now, but she's still top dog.

This is what they looked like when we got them April 11 of this year.

Aunt Freya is standing by on the right. (She's smaller than both kids now.)

      I spent much of the month trying to catch up on appraisal reports, with three weeks lost to a broken laptop. The new computer needed uploading- with 28 years of appraisal reports, plus all the photos I've used for family and blog. Then I caught the flu. Oh joy. 

     Our Christmas decorating was minimal this year, something I've noticed with our friends, and even our church, in the Valley. Partly, they were heading out of town for the holidays -- partly people had commitments and illness to deal with, just like us. But it was nice to celebrate, just the same. 

FRUGAL HITS

(A few of these are from late November)

Los Pastore -- a Mexican mystery/medieval play, "The Shepherds," held at a church nearby in San Luis. It was all in Spanish, meaning I really had to concentrate. Fortunately, a friend who is fluent went, and was able to explain some 'iffy' moments. Our own personal shepherd (our pastor) came along, as well. Fun -- and some puzzlement -- was had by all.

That's Lucifer(ette) in the red cap; standing by the angel Gabriel

Grocery deals:  Jack Links beef jerky -- 20 pks for about $25; meatsticks, about the same price  (Amazon Warehouse Deals).  Bananas (25 cents/lb); flowers ($2.25-4.08 bunch); BOGO mandarin oranges, $2.50 for 3 lb each; a big 2-lb package of bratwurst, $3.87 (a bit more than 2 pounds!); potato salad, 5 lb for $4.05 (City Market/King Soopers). Potatoes, 5 lb for 97 cents!  I bought 75 pounds worth (Safeway).

    I am getting very tired of making a special trip to town for a sale item -- only to find it's out of stock, and no rainchecks! This time it was pork loin, advertised at $1.49/lb, and $1.79/dozen for eggs at City Market. Safeway is just as guilty of this practice.

*I tried hard not to shop much for groceries....and largely succeeded. Our bill was much lower this month. Not looking at the sale ads helped. So did buying milk only when necessary, and cutting back on egg consumption. I'd bought ahead for the Seven Fish Dishes, so we only needed some cod for our share (chowder).

*A $25 payment - from a Walmart class action settlement. Plus a $5 survey payment, a $25 giftcard (thank you, Swagbucks!) and a surprisingly hefty royalty payment. 

*Switched Medicare B insurance. The local med center no longer accepts Humana, so we've gone to Devoted. (Turns out they don't accept Devoted, either -- so we'll be going to a different medical center.)

*Free yak meat, thanks to the Brick. A friend offered him some. (I am not making this up. Tastes kind of like beef, but chewier.)

*Candlelight battery candles for church. Added a 'snowing' Nativity scene gifted by our friend -- it's lovely. But other than a small tree in the fellowship area, Calvary Blanca didn't have many Christmas decorations out, either. (I found a lit star to decorate the church next year -- 75% off at the thrift shop.)

*Several last-minute buys on sale -- including liqueur chocolates and Turkish Delight for snacking, plus cozy slippers for friends who are getting married. (They have practically everything else.)

*Free lunch at a LaVeta steakhouse -- for listening to a presentation. (Yes, we brought home leftovers - plus cannoli.)  We took friends out for Sunday dinner, planning to cover their meals...and another friend lunching nearby paid for everyone, instead!  (Monte, you sneaky man -- thank you.)

*An Audubon 2026 desk calendar -- for $1.50! (Thanks, Castle Rock's Treasures in the Park.)

*Got an armload of bread from the Castle Rock thrift shop -- and gave it out at church. Not one loaf left! People here in the Valley have been hurting some for funds; it's a pleasure to help out when we can.

*Son #1 got an antelope!  We always benefit, meatwise, from his harvests.

This is his earlier harvest this year -- a very nice buck

*Cut a Christmas tree from our own land.  An incredible feeling. Then we stacked and loaded wood. "Do you feel like a pioneer?" I asked the Brick.

*Christmas presents from friends:  Two plates of cookies, a new pen, olivewood Christmas nativity ornaments, panettone and tea -- and a beautiful new cloth 'grocery bag.' I had fun giving out boxes of chocolates, a few homecooked meals, blueberry muffins, a puzzle -- and a turquoise truck ornament to a friend who prides himself on his vehicles. (He said he'd keep it out all year long. He gave us Grateful Dead stickers...:)

*Watched friends' house while they were gone, checking periodically, as well as picking up their deliveries.

*Watched Christmas movies - both here and at our friends' house.  (I got several new ones thrift shopping last month, including The Santa Clause #1, #2 and #3.)

 *We now have a drivable trail to the fifth-wheel, parked nearby in our woods -- thanks to the skid steer Son #1 borrowed from his boss.

*Finished a baby quilt restoration that has literally taken years, off and on, to complete. I'm very, very glad to see it done. When the clients picked it up, they also gifted us a tin of flavored popcorn. (Nice!)

*December and January are 'off'-- I won't be doing new appraising, unless it's absolutely necessary. I need to catch up from getting behind...and having no way of accessing files for weeks. 

*Small savings to help fill Christmas stockings: free wildflower seed packets from the library; grocery items from storage (including the ubiquitous black olives); a $10 Chipotle giftcard earned from Humana; 'Chomps' meatsticks, for a bit less than $1 each. 

*Picked up a new gig, in Fort Collins! This one will be on Crazy quilts. 

*Homey stuff:  Baked French bread, biscuits, blueberry muffins, banana cake, cookies, Sachertorte. Made asparagus soup from the crunchy hard ends of asparagus -- kept the broth and threw the fibrous stuff onto the compost pile. 

*Bought more Ebay books -- buy 2, get 1 free, and free shipping! My monthly allowance will take care of these nicely. Bought some buy 3, get 1 free books, too, and got a 15% discount (and free shipping) on yet another order. BUT two of the books from the first order never showed up -- the package was open when it reached us. (The seller refunded the $$ -- thank you so much.)

*When it snowed heavily, we just Stayed Home.  We didn't go out to eat much, either.

*Thrift Shop Buys:  75% off Christmas -- 8 pottery bowls for 50 cents each, and several Christmas stockings. Plus a new dog collar for Bo ($6) -- she's outgrown her previous one.

'Mom, I'm sure that snacks have absolutely nothing to do with my current size...'

*Sent Christmas cards...fewer than last year.

*Helped out at a Dec. 26 Christmas dinner - I brought blueberry crisp, and we stayed around afterwards to help clean up. 

*Bought a corduroy shirt. For myself. (40% off)

*Went through family photos Thanksgiving night with the kids-- sorted and enjoyed, some sent to cousins and Brother, or taken home by the kids -- and some discarded. (But I kept most.) 

 *Our furnace stopped working during our Really Chilly period. (Yes, the Brick, clever guy, is nearly done fixing it.) Fortunately, regular use of the woodstove keeps things warm upstairs, and just needs regular loading of the rack from the woodpile outside. We both prefer a colder atmosphere, anyways -- that's what blankets and sweaters are for. And it certainly wasn't as bad as this.

*Wrapped a few dozen boxes of chocolates to hand out at church for Christmas. Wrapped more presents -- using sale Christmas paper, and chunks of an iridescent tablecloth that was going to get thrown away! (They look great, too.) One of the boxes was donated for a young friend's birthday tea; two more went to our mail carrier and the post office staff.

 *Borrowed Daughter #2 and Son #1's connections to watch a series I've been curious about: The Mandalorian. Here's the sad part. It was okay -- but not that great. We're doing better with Fallout, a quirky end-of-the-world series. Okey-dokey.

*A lovely Christmas spent with all four kids, plus our adopted grandson. Including the Seven Fish Dishes. 

*Advent calendars for the kids -- 

Nakatomi Plaza -- every day moves Hans Gruber closer to the ground!

A fishing lure a day made our other set of kids happy.

*Registered the Highlander. We were relieved when the licensing fees came out roughly half of what we thought we'd have to pay. The truck also got new license plates. 

     One of our friends strolled up to the Highlander, looked it over and grinned. "Where didja get the fancy car?" he said. Guess he's used to our grubby, cracked windshield Ram pickup...

*Paid upfront for a lifetime insurance plan for ambulance coverage, including air helicopter. This might have been unnecessary in Denver -- but out here, where the nearest hospital is at least 45 min. drive away, it seemed important to both of us. If we use an ambulance once, we'll have paid for the entire plan, or close to it. The plan can also be used internationally, except for (ironically) Cuba. It wasn't cheap, but we saved $300, plus another $99 because the Brick is a veteran. That was nice. We paid with a credit card for the cash back, but have enough $$ in our emergency fund to cover it. Wow -- that reassures me that continuing to be frugal is the right thing to do.

* Eye exam plus two pairs of glasses: $136. Less than what I paid two years ago...and one of the pairs are sunglasses! America's Best is okay with us.

*Did up a lot of appraisal reports -- now finishing up more, and working on a big group for the Colorado Quilt Council (CQC).

FRUGAL MISSES

Rereading these, I realized a fair amount of 'Hits' had their share of "Misses' in this month's list.

*Found money: not a cent from the City Market or Safeway change machines, or anywhere else. (sigh)

*Missed out using up some Thanksgiving leftovers. (double sigh) 

*Wasted paper on the printer. (It sometimes goes dry when we don't use it...which means huge sections of text and photos skipped. Triple sigh.)

*Tiger's latest snacks:  the Brick's work gloves (both right and left-hands this time) and a placemat. (At least it was Christmas-themed.) He must be slowing down a bit. Either that, or he's ticked that I gathered up all the remaining gloves and put them away in a box. (He gave Dad a pair of leather gloves for Christmas...which he promptly started eyeballing, until I put THEM away.)

     He and Bo nibbled on a pillow while we took a Sunday nap -- but I was able to gather up the stuffing and restitch the corner. They also decided to run off during the last pee outing -- out all night, in spite of the cold and our calling them. Brats. I stayed up until 4 a.m., waiting for them, so am still a bit punchy while writing this.

*The wear and tear report:  scratches have appeared on the Highlander, which infuriates the Brick.  I accidentally spilled blueberry juice and milk on the backseat of the Highlander, as well...so much for the 'new car' feeling. (Thankfully both stains scrubbed out.) One of our best coffee mugs got messed up. The outdoors are muddy, as much as snowy -- which means extra dirt keeps getting tracked in, rubbed on the couch and pillows, the comforter, etc. It's an ongoing battle.

Last month's report is here; last year's is here. We were barely parked in Fort Garland in December 2023; that report is here. 

     A very Merry Christmas... and a Happy New Year. 

Frugal Hits & Misses: September Report

     Miss Bo-zer the pup has an interesting habit. To keep track of the Chipmunk Menace (and other threats), she enjoys sticking her head out of the gap between the glass panels on our back deck. Catch this from the side, and it's unnerving -- reminiscent of heads on pikes during the French Revolution, or gracing the London Bridge. 

      Weird...but funny. 

Our 'headless' Bo...with Freya watching on the other side of the deck

Ewwww...

  It has been a busy month. I've had several working gigs, including a lecture and appraising at the La Plata Quilt Guild in Durango. (Thanks, girls!) The Brick attended a national conference for the Convention of the States, a pro-states rights movement that advocates for, among other things, term limits. In between, we sang at church, worked on an upcoming music gig (Oct. 2 at Lu's in nearby Blanca), and started buttoning up for the coming winter. Our first frost and/or snowfall has been in October; we'd be foolish not to plan for it. 

    Meanwhile, the cooler weather, plus some rain, has been a relief. We've even had a few fires in the woodstove. Lovely. We may not have strong leaf colors this year -- it's been too dry. But there's still enough gold and red to appreciate.

     The first snow is starting to decorate the moutains -- but not our Blancas, thankfully. The last week of the month has been potato harvest here in the Valley. People are hustling to get the crop in before it rains/snows. Yes, we need the moisture. But finishing the harvest is more important. 

     Welcome, Fall. We've been waiting for you.

FRUGAL HITS

(This report is a bit early -- but I won't have time later in the week to work on it.)

*Allergies have blessedly eased up.  They were extra-heavy this summer.

*Cut the Brick's hair.  It was a lot faster than a 45 min. trip to Alamosa, and certainly cheaper. It turned out so well that I may continue it! (Now, if he could cut mine...)

*Mended a pillow. (I wonder why...) Stitched up a favorite tunic's frayed collar and cuffs.

*Found a free channel to watch the Michigan-Oklahoma football game. Go Blue!

Unless they play Colorado, that is.

*Propane for $1.59/gallon! At nearly 400 gallons to fill our tank, that savings really adds up. I told our friend, and his eyes widened -- he's been paying about $3.69/gal. (The best we could find in bulk before this was around $2.25/gal.) 

*Continued to stack July's dwindling pile of firewood...and water the perennials planted this summer. (All but one have made it, so far.) I'll put straw or grass around them -- hopefully that will protect them until spring.

*Plants galore:  lavender, Russian sage, a pepper plant and a blueberry bush -- all marked down from Walmart.

*Found Money:  55 cents in the Safeway change machine. Not comparable to the bonanza find -- but not bad, either. No more for the rest of the month. (And yes, I HAVE been checking.) At this rate, I'm not going to get anywhere near what Katy at The Nonconsumer Advocate puts in her Found Change Challenge jar. 

     Our bank does not have a coin-changing machine anymore. (Booooo.) And I refuse to pay a percentage to the Coinstar ripoffs. In fact, I find a good share of money in their return slots! So for the Durango gig, I gave $5 in change (half-dollars) to one customer, and left a goodly share of nickels and dimes ($4) as a tip in the hotel room. I also have $15 worth separated for the next trip to the Monte Vista thrift shop. (They offer a 4% discount for cash. And last trip, I had little to use. Double boooo.)

*Friends came over for a French-style dinner: French onion soup, chicken fricassee and mashed potatoes -- and cookies bought while we were in Paris. Other friends gave us a sloppy joes supper (she called it 'taverns!') and put us up for the night. Yet other friends invited us to supper, the sweethearts -- and friends from Castle Rock came down to visit during the monthly potluck at church. And our kids took us out for breakfast. (Thank you, Dears!)

I almost tried this version of French onion soup...

*A handful of baby zucchini, beans, plus greens from the back deck bins. Planted rainbow chard -- and picked an awful lot of green tomatoes.  (The first tomato didn't ripen until after the 20th. Sept. 20, that is. Go figure.)

*Got myself a birthday present:  

*Bought some baby eels for the Seven Fish Dishes. They were delicious in Madrid. (The Brick gave me a birthday tote bag and fan he'd bought there on the sly.)

*Tried hard not to Look for Things on Ebay and Amazon...I did buy a collection of Helen Forrester books (about $3.99 each) and a Charles Dickens collection -- about the same.

*Made $5 on an online survey. 

*Kept Freya, our granddog. Every day we do this, it saves our kids $75. The puppies love her.

*The Brick attended the COS (Convention of the States) national conference in Indiana. He paid the fee and covered his food -- but got a scholarship for hotel and travel costs. What a guy!

    For my part, I stayed home, worked and took care of the dogs. No money spent, and I ate out of the freezer and pantry. 

*The $3 roses lasted for weeks! I have never had this happen before. After they dried up, I made do with wild asters, as well as roses and zinnias blooming on the back deck plants.

*Umpteen appraisals worked on...including a teaching trip to Durango and the La Plata Quilt Guild to speak and do a few days of appraising. 

*Little goodies snagged during my Durango trip:   some fabric from the guild's giveaway pile. Four apples from the hotel breakfast buffet.  (Future apple crisp!) A stop at the local Goodwill -- and a 3-cent-per-gallon discount when gassing up for the trip home. And meeting with some of the kindest guild members in the world. 

*No trip to Palisade for peaches this year-- bought peaches on sale (if you want to call it that) at City Market and Safeway, instead. 

*Sold some books. Always welcome.

*Thrift shop buys:  a floaty white tunic ($5.99) and a frugal living book - $1.99  (Goodwill/Durango). Several Western history books and the final book in Winston Churchill's biography set, The Last Lion ($2 each), eight Calvin & Hobbes comic collections (a buck each!), some mugs (25 cents each), storage boxes ($1 each), a sturdy pair of Riders jeans that FIT ($7.99) -- and a big $2.50 pkg of cards (Nazarene/Monte Vista). 

Love these rude guys.

* A Free 40 oz. pkg of frozen burgers from Safeway, thanks to their rewards program.

*Grocery deals: Green peppers (78 cents ea) and Roma tomatoes - 97 cents/lb (Walmart). $1.47/lb chicken breast, $2.50/lb shredded cheese, 99 cents/lb chicken legs, 99 cents/lb strawberries, $2.50 gallons of milk, 49-cent pkgs of macaroni and cheese (Safeway). Boxes of a date/fruit confection (Pharooj) resembling Turkish delight, $1.59 each; 1 1/2 lbs bacon, $5.39 (SLV Amish Grocery).  

Am I the only one who thinks pasta has skyrocketed in price?? I used to find it regularly at 79-99 cents a pound -- now the cheapest is $1.59/lb. Ironically, it's usually the imported stuff that's more inexpensive. Go figure.

    I also stocked up on peach and pineapple nectars, as well as canned beef stew, for wintertime use. Amazon prices weren't earthshaking -- but not bad, either. 

FRUGAL MISSES

*Total cost for the two emergency room visits in July:  $125. The actual figure was thousands more, so I guess that's good.

*Some food went bad before we could completely eat it up:  sausage, hotdogs, chicken & rice. Ah well.

*Several pee, poop and throwup incidents -- but from Aunt Freya as well, instead of the no-longer-puppies. Go figure. A dishcloth and my nightgown got chewed up, as well. (My guess: that was Tiger.)

Looks Too Cute to Chew, doesn't he...

*Dickens books - yep, 35 books for roughly $140. (Does it help that they were published in 1911?) I honestly didn't think I'd get them, at this bid.)

Here's last month's report -- and September 2024's offering. The year before that, too.

  And on with life.

Frugal Hits & Misses: The December Report

 Well.  A more cheerful month than the past few, in spite of a horrendous truck repair bill, and plenty of cold weather. We somehow kept our bills paid, thanks to God's grace and the emergency fund. But it's time to pull our belts in and replenish that fund. I have a stuffed-full freezer, fridge and storage area, which will help with food. Our firewood pile is still going well. And I've got plenty of new books to read, thanks to a wonderful Christmas. 

    We had visits from both sets of kids -- but not at the same time. Which meant TWO 'Seven Fish Dishes,' which was a little freaky. Dear friends from Castle Rock finally made it here for a visit, which was lovely. And we're finally starting to feel better, after a week of flu. All good things. 

    Upward and onward for the new year. Here's hoping it's a happy one!!

FRUGAL HITS

(a few of these are from late November)

*Processed the 'harvested' doe. Ground up pork roast for taco meat, while we were at it.

*Cleaned and returned the Jeep (and meat grinder) our friend graciously loaned us. 

*Made Christmas cake,  Sachertorte, sugar cookies, 7-layer cookies (a favorite of the Brick's mom) and pecan tarts. I've been baking at high altitude for decades now, but 8600 feet is still quite a bit different than our previous 6500. A friend here recommended using a bundt pan...which was a big help. So has been using even more flour than I had before. So 'one cup of flour' is really 'one REALLY heaping cup.' Cooling the dough in the fridge for a while also helps.

*Appraisal reports worked on -- and a few new ones. 

*An 8.5 foot Christmas tree -- cut from our property. It's a bit sparse in the ornaments department; the bulk of our holiday decorations are still in the Michigan storage trailer. But lots of lights and some tinsel make up for it. 

*$20 coupon from Oriental Trading Company:  used for candy,  ornaments and some Valentine projects. Plus free shipping.

*Found money:  a quarter the Brick found in the church parking lot, and 81 cents, plus Mexican peso and 50 centavo coins, at the City Market change machine in Alamosa. A second visit, on the last day of 2024, yielded 24 cents. Whoo hoo!

    This makes $13.47 total for the year -- way more than 2023's ($1.54) and 2022's ($2.32) totals. Plus: a 20-cent Euro; 20 Chinese 'something;' 20 and 50 British pence, respectively; a Canadian quarter; 2 pesos and 50 centavos; a Russian ruble...and a bunch of old Mexican currency found in the 5th-wheel. Plus two tokens. And this total doesn't include $13.50 in half-dollars and $45 in bills found cleaning the fifth-wheel...plus a $20 bill that floated out of the dryer. I feel rich.

*Post-Christmas buys:  Candy, cookies, Pez, Christmas decorations and some future presents -- all at 75% off. (Wal-mart) Virgin of Guadalupe candles (60 cents each) and dollar pine-scented large candles, regularly $8.99 each. (City Market)

*Thrift Shop Buys:  some wonderful books and videos ($2.50-3.50 each), a pretty patchwork hanging ($4.00), Christmas velvet ribbon ($3.00 for 30 yards), coffee mugs ($2-6) -- all at a 20% seniors discount -- then 50% off most of that. Hooray! Also -- more Christmas CDs (including Elvis and Frank Sinatra - $1.50 ea) and heavy rolls of Christmas paper, some which can be used year-round, for a buck each (Treasures in the Park).  A new Wilton bundt pan ($3.99), drinking glasses ($2.99 each), a Texas Starbucks mug ($2.99), some new heavy crystal Bohemian wineglasses ($1.99 ea), a designer cape ($7.99), and a large print of an Irish seashore - $7.99. (Goodwill).

*Half an order sent, instead of a complete one -- but cheerfully refunded. (Thank you, Amazon.) I also found some History Channel documentaries at an excellent price, a present for friends in Michigan.

We both love history...and tend to collect friends that do, as well.

*Tried to make the most of our Medicare benefits before the year ended. I refilled meds (no charge), cleaned out my Over The Counter allowance ($500 -- but missed out on a dollar), and got a $25 giftcard before year-end. (If we don't use the funds -- they disappear.) The Brick got a $20 giftcard and cleaned out his OTC fund, as well.

*My big decorating splurge: used the ribbon from the thrift shop ($1.50 for 30 yards!) to decorate a wreath for the front door -- and a ribbon bow by the driveway.

*More Ebay books, buy 3, get 1 free, plus free shipping. (I got refunded on one book, but received the three I wanted the most.)  Late in the month, I also got a buy 2, get 1 free special, also free shipping.

This was one purchase - a wonderful book.

*Started supporting a new missionary in the Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF).

*Making a monthly payment, instead of an annual one, for my ASA membership has been a real blessing. (No extra fees or interest, either.)

*Messiah tickets to the local symphony and choir: $10 each. Really enjoyed it.

*Out to eat at Lu's, a local diner - and had our lunch paid. (Thank you, Steve!).  Also used the McDonald's $5.00 special after the Messiah concert, plus a hot fudge sundae -- and got a 50-cent double cheeseburger, too. (It's in the freezer.) And a 3-for-me deal at Chili's got us great burgers, with leftovers enough for breakfast. (Hey, you eat your breakfast choices -- I eat mine.)

Safeway savings: I barely saved my monthly points from disappearing (45 min. to go!)...and got a free bag of carrots out of it. (Tip: if your reward points are expiring, put in for something -- quick. It is still usable the next month.)     Then I earned $10 off my $50-plus purchase, plus 10x points because I spent more than $100 on that shopping trip. (On bargains, but don't tell Safeway that.) Those accumulated points were enough to shave off 60 CENTS per gallon on our next fillup. At 24 gallons, that really adds up. 

Grocery buys:  less than $1.30/lb pork roast (I plan to grind it up for 'burger'), triple romaine heads, plus three salad kits ($1.99 each), a package of salad greens I got paid 80 cents to buy (!!!), gallons of milk ($2.47 ea), two-pound pkgs of cheese ($5.77 each -- and a $1.50 coupon off one, as well), BOGO petit sirloins, a bunch of 50%-off frozen goods and five pound bag of black beans, 2-for-one Marie Callender pies, with a free Reddi-whip thrown in (Safeway). The only bad part this month: the wonderful meat deals advertised at Christmas disappeared in the blink of an eye. No rainchecks, either.

A surprise check (for leading and playing music at a church in Monument). Much appreciated.

Except for the Nativity figures, some thrift shop greenery and ribbon and one ornament, no extra purchases for Christmas decorations. I did buy extra butter (on sale) and eggs (not on sale) for holiday baking. Eggs, when you can find them, are up in price again: the cheapest was $4.99/dozen for mediums. Egg prices here in Colorado haven't stabilized -- and the cold cases were nearly empty.

*My big decorating splurge: used the ribbon from the thrift shop ($1.50 for 30 yards) to decorate a wreath for the front door -- and a ribbon bow by the driveway.

*Candlelight concert. We used tiny electric candles I'd gotten months earlier (on sale). The band included our good friend Bert, who helped out on guitar. It got jazzier than I'd thought...but went well. 

*Some wonderful presents, including books on Navajo rugs, Baby Doe Tabor -- and Michigan's Dogman! A beautiful scarf from Prague, a tiny Nativity (Czech Republic), goodies and a tiny cuckoo clock (Germany) from Daughter #2 and Son #1. (They spent a month in Europe on their honeymoon this fall.) Heavy whiskey glasses and a decanter from Daughter #1 and Adopted Son #2, as well as a photo frame. (The Brick will have fun with this one.) Teabags, cookies, mugs and some 'solar dancers' from the Black Sheep party at church. Rummikub and Ticket to Ride games from friends. Plenty more, too. 

FRUGAL MISSES

*My 'w' and '2' keys have been out of commission (except occasional use) for weeks. The Brick ordered a keyboard to fix the computer...wrong size. This week, he got a replacement keyboard...still wrong size. Aaarrrghgghghghghghgh. This has meant relearning a new computer -- and precious little access to previous reports, photos, etc. I try not to complain -- because the Brick is frustrated, too.

*Wrote a letter to Experian, after they decided to bill us every month for a so-called 'free' credit report. Still waiting for their answer.

*Some food spoiled, particularly produce. I was just too out of it to preserve them -- shame on me.

*The truck's latest repair bill:  $2200 and change. Double aarrgghgghghghg.

*Didn't use our Medicare dental/vision allowance for the year. I stopped by Walmart's Vision Clinic on Dec. 31, hoping they'd fit me in -- no dice. It's my fault; I should have done this weeks or months ago. Turns out the Brick hadn't used his allowance, either. We are bad kitties.

*Will the Social Security Fairness bill be signed?? This would restore lost income that has been punishing the Brick for working in the public sector -- he put in 'only' 28 years in the private sector, instead of 30. To his surprise, the bill passed in both the Senate and House. Now it's waiting for President Biden's signature. It would mean a substantial boost in income for us -- and many others.

Last month's report is here; last year's December report is here. Plus the year before...

A very, very Happy New Year to you. 

Frugal Hits & Misses: The October Report

     What a month. 

     It's felt like a very slow treadmill -- not difficult day to day, but relentless. We kept up with it (sort of), doing chores for winter and reports for appraisals -- but the Brick has enjoyed a week of hunting with his buddies while I trudged off to Elections in nearby San Luis. I came home at night, took a short break, then cooked supper for the guys (plus our friend Sharon). After the dishes were cleared and the dishwasher filled, I could hardly keep my eyes open. Since the guys were heading out around 5:30 a.m. every morning, we went to bed early, anyways. 

    The last hunter went home this afternoon, and second hunting season is over. The Brick celebrated it by getting the truck stuck on a mountain road -- and some people got stuck right behind him. They managed to get their vehicle out, and gave the Brick a ride home. We'll head up there in the morning to pull ihe truck out, then take me to work. (We borrowed a friend's Jeep during hunting, so will use that. The truck is normally our only transportation.) 

    The trees are rapidly shedding their gold now, and temperatures are dropping. We had our first hard freeze about the 28th, but my garden boxes were pretty much quiet, anyways, with a few exceptions. We had our first scrape of snow about the same time...but the Blanca girls have had their winter coats on for a few weeks now.

     A quick bout of flu took some of the steam out of both of us. So has doing Worship Team week after week. I have next Mon, then Election Day to work...and that's done. I need to catch up on a few tasks, too...like writing this report.

There the Blanca 'girls' are -- with their grouchy boy cousin, Mt. Lindsey, on the right.

FRUGAL HITS

     (some of these were from late September)

*The last check  from the tire claim arrived -- finally!

*An offer to appraise again during July's Black Canyon Quilt Show in Montrose, CO next year. Hooray!

*Rinsed, scrubbed then rinsed again the vintage 8x12 Karastan rug Daughter #2 and Son #1 gave us. It's on the floor in the dining room right now -- and looking great.

*The Brick finished 'screwing around' on the roof. (Yay!) Now the metal plates will hold firm during the winter winds.The garage door spring is next, now that hunting season is over. He also replaced a headlight on the truck. (The earlier one was bad.)

*Pulled tomato plants, and experimented at getting them to root in water.  Weird discovery: not only did a few grow roots -- but they developed small tomatoes from blossoms, too! (Our lemon plant also has a blossom.) I'll plant them inside this week, and hope for the best.

 *Hunting friends gave me a lovely bouquet of fall flowers. So nice of them!

*Free iridescent plastic tablecloths. These were used at a birthday party, and were headed for the trash before I asked if I could have them. They're a bit sheer, but two layers will make great wrapping paper.

*Stayed home from a trip to Castle Rock -- to take care of the dogs,  and work on deadlines. (See Misses)

*Quilt tops at incredible prices -- $28.88 each (two star quilts), $17.50 (another star quilt), $8.00. Even the shipping costs didn't ratchet up totals too much. Used my allowance money for some of this.

*Still cutting back on electrical and propane use (especially the clothes dryer), and keeping lights turned off when we don't need them. It has been warm enough this fall that we've needed an occasional fire primarily to keep the paper items from piling up (cardboard, etc.). A time or two, the heat came on propane-wise -- otherwise, we've relied on the woodstove. Our Excel electric bill this month: $28.33.

*More books bought -- but at least they're under $6 each, buy 3, get 1 free (which bumps the price down to $3.60 each) -- and shipping is free. Several are Christmas presents. (Thanks, Second Sale on Ebay!) Weirdly, they also included a book I hadn't ordered...but got to keep. Another Ebay seller sold me some DVDs for Christmas presents -- buy 2, get 1 free, and free shipping. I like that sort of math!

I also got a antique Cooking for Profit tearoom how-to that I thiiink is eventually going to be an article: $13.88, free shipping. 

*Did a few appraisals in person. Worked on a few others, via extraordinary assumption. (That means I can appraise them, using extensive photos, plus interviews with the owners -- via ASA.) Finished a big batch of reports -- but more to go.

*Served/serving as an Elections judge in Costilla County. (Two more days to go.) I worked 8 hour days, plus a 4-hour day on Saturday. We've had free snacks and a very nice spagheetti lunch, thanks to our bosses. I completed the online training, too. In some ways, it's very much like the Election judge work I've done in past years for Douglas County.

*My Money Diary was published!

*A very interesting t-shirt, from friends for my birthday:

*Fun meals:  our monthly church potluck -- plus a birthday party for my piano student, supper with friends, and the Brick's meals in Castle Rock with friends. Friend Sharon gave me a break, and made supper one night for the hunters -- and it was delicious.

*Grocery bargains:  two free containers of cottage cheese (rewards), 99-cent specials for bread, cream cheese, bacon, Cheez-Its and 10 pounds of potatoes (darn, only 1 allowed of each), whole chicken (87 cents lb) (Safeway). A free package of bacon, half-gallon milk (1.29), 99-cent pie pumpkins. (City Market) Coffee beans ($3.29/12 oz) and large containers of fresh salsa - 79 cents each  (SLV Amish grocery).

*A $30 credit for my first pickup order from Safeway. (True to form, I had to call customer service to get it.) 

*Free produce:  pumpkins, green bell peppers, zucchini, turnip greens, yellow and spaghetti squash from friends at church.

*A nice surprise package from an old friend:  hankies, quilt squares (from Gertrude Brick's estate in NJ -- go figure!), fabrics...and a Hanky Panky quilt she made, pictured in my very first book. Thank you!

*Found money:  four nickels from a VFW mailing, three crisp dollar bills from Nielsen surveys, plus two dimes in one of the bags I was emptying at the house. Also: two dimes and a penny in the washing machine. (Still counts, right?)

*Several free books from the San Luis Library -- one went gratefully into my permanent stash, and the others are destined for the Little Free Library establishing in Blanca. (Look for more about that in November.)

*Took care of Freya, our granddog, pretty much all month. Why is this a hit? Because it saves Daughter #2 and Son #1 SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS a day. Plus, we love this wriggly rubber band girl. Even Ruby's grown fond of her; the Brick calls them "the Honyock sisters."

*Froze more tomatoes -- and some squash. Plus some of the bargain salsa. Started collecting seafood for the Seven Fish Dishes.

*Tidied up -- tried to unpack two bags/boxes a day. I brought in firewood, and the Brick split some for kindling; we'll have to do this regularly from now on.

*Started a clothes donation bag -- it will get dropped off in mid-month.

*Three snowflake-patterned metal candelaria, with battery-powered candles inside -- for $5. These will look lovely outside our church in December. I plan to borrow them during the week, as well, for our place. 

*Another reproduction coverlet for my collection -- Bicentennial era. This one was a lot more reasonably priced, thanks to a Best Offer on Ebay, and some dickering.

*Royalties for Arcadia book sales...a bit less than the last payment, but still helpful.

*Planted the mum plant that's been decorating our front porch.  Took out the other plants. A few kale and lettuce seedings came up in the planter on the deck. (I put a glass cover on top, to keep them growing.)

*Bought a few pumpkins for decorating. Just three: 99 cents each. (I just couldn't afford any lavish decorating at $5.99 a pop. Mavis, you must be a bazillionaire.... or you lucked into some real steals on those 50 or so. P.S. They're gorgeous.)

*Continued to play and sing on Worship Team at church. The Brick coordinated two of those Sundays.

*Thrift shop goodies:  a number of 50-cent and dollar items for Operation Christmas Child boxes; a few dollar books, quilting and Native American collectibles (worth WAY more); a new Henley shirt ($7); several 'clear glass' items (on sale for 75% off),, and two badly needed suitcases, high-end brand ($20 & $25) -- Nazarene Thrift Shop. 

*A promo package of Christmas cards, notepaper and a music CD - free!  (The charity also sent a small check -- weird -- but we burned it in the woodstove, a la Molly Brown. They sent a second one, which I'm currently using as a bookmark.)

FRUGAL MISSES

*I drove all the way to the county building for an Elections training session. Got there, to find out it had been cancelled. (Two of my fellow judges also did the same thing.)

The 'w' key is sticking on my keyboard   -- again. It seems to have refixed itself in the past few days...but I'm skeptical.

*More truck repairs: $1140 and change. (sigh) Plus the time and effort the Bruck used up, driving roundtrip to Castle Rock for the work. (I stayed home. See above.)

*We hit a deer. Poor little doe -- she slid right under our front bumper. Thankfully, she died quickly. She's hung, cleaned and skinned, for a week to season the meat. We should get some venison burger for the freezer... at least something good came out of this sad incident. (The truck was fine.) 

*WAY overspent my budget on Ebay goodies in September. (Darn those Best Offers!)  At least I got several Christmas presents while doing it. But still...

*Used up a lot of meat from the freezer for feeding the hunters, including two packages of steak. On the other hand, they left some groceries I can use during November, including canned chili, milk and eggs. (I ate the potato chips!) Another plus: I have more space in the freezer.

Last month's report is here.  October 2023 is here -- and October from the year before is here. I'll be finishing up several things...and doing my best to keep the black dog at bay. We'll be close to paying off the house loan, so we can start looking for a second vehicle. A gas-efficient smaller car this time. Hope springs eternal -- 

Frugal Hits & Misses: January Report

    Another interesting month, getting used to a totally different lifestyle. 

     We're not that far from Civilization -- a 10-minute drive gets us down to the highway, and another five minutes puts us in Fort Garland. Another ten minutes gets us to Blanca, and Alamosa is about 20 miles after that. Technically it's not much different from when we lived in Sedalia. 

      But we don't tend to go. Partly it's because there's very little to DO in Fort Garland, other than the post office, a gas station, tiny grocery store, dollar store and a few restaurants. Good, but not great. Blanca has a diner, and our church. But not much else. (Also a gas station and RV park. We don't use either.)

     And Alamosa? Plenty of fast food, a terrific Mexican restaurant (Calvillo's), grocery stores and Wally's. Two thrift shops, both mostly full of  raggedy, faded, Really Used items. (I did not realize how spoiled I'd gotten from the Castle Rock shop, Treasures in the Park.) Sure, they have Safeway and City Market (their version of King Soopers) -- but the prices have been consistently higher, and sale items largely nonexistent. (No rainchecks anymore, either.) No Sam's Club. The local library is 'okay' -- beautiful, but again, recent titles are sparse. (Again, spoiled from the wonderful Castle Rock library.) 

     Sigh. 

     I feel certain this is ennui is due in part to being the newbie in town.  Time will endear this more. (And we'll find some better restaurants.) Certainly the people we've met are kind and friendly. There's a ton of history here, which we both love. And due to the holidays -- and the weather -- we haven't had a chance to explore much, even on our ten acres. Thanks to two weeks of flu, it's been a blessing to hunker down and rest, too. 

     But it's been very, very quiet. 

     On the plus side, we've been making good friends at our church. Planning ahead, when we do make the 3-hour trip north, means we're using our time and money a lot more wisely. Amazon delivers. And we've been spending less money, too. 

     Dentist appointments meant we needed to go to Denver this past week; we added stops at King Soopers (oops, some sale items nonexistent there, too), the thrift shop -- and Sam's Club. Plus a Vietnamese restaurant for lunch with Daughter #1, which we loved. But traffic was horrible. We just crawled along most of the time -- and we didn't go that far into Denver. This drove us both NUTS. In comparison, the drive south...and home... was nearly deserted, and quite peaceful. (After Colorado Springs, that is.)

     I'm not sure I ever saw it that way before. And the following is definitely true this month:

FRUGAL HITS

(some of these are from late December)

*Cleared out a lot of misc. Christmas presents stashed away in the fifth-wheel. Both sets of kids got 'goody boxes' that included plenty of candy, sauces and other items... including bags of candy 'coal.' (Because they haven't always behaved themselves this past year! Snort...)

    This is actually a sort of homage to The Mama -- she loved to send boxes of sausage, cheese, crackers and sweet things to us at Christmastime. It cost a ton to ship, but I could not get her to stop doing it. Guess I'm continuing the tradition. 

*A $5 Michael's coupon popped up in my in-box, and was splurged on half-price iridescent crystals. I completed a $2 survey, and earned another gift card for volunteering. (I exercised, too, which will eventually earn yet another gift card.) Still using Swagbucks; another month should be enough for a $25 gift card. Bit by bit, these add up.

*A romantic hot dog supper at Sam's Club -- an all-beef hotdog and large drink are one of today's best buys, at $1.50 total. AMAZING....and the hot dogs are great, too. (Sam's believes in sauerkraut, as well -- an extra bonus.) Something odd happened this time -- while I was standing in line, a guy came up and said, "I ordered too many hot dogs -- would you like it?" 

    Ruby loved her extra hot dog. (Yes, Dad gets her one, as well...though he is not so far gone that we buy her a root beer, too. We keep her unused cup for future visits.)

*Cleaned out the refrigerator and freezer in the fifth-wheel. Long overdue. Carried more bags of Stuff in, and put them away. Ruby ate a lot of the freezer-burned items, but the cake we'd gotten at one of the investment dinners (and stashed away) was still tasty! Go figure.

    The best part of this: now we could turn off electricity to the fifth-wheel. And yes, we'll keep cleaning until the fifth wheel is completely done. 

*The Brick changed the oil and the filters on the truck, saving us a bunch of money. He also fixed the fridge, which had been making odd "breathing" noises. He is amazing.

*Didn't buy much Christmas candy on sale -- we still had plenty from Halloween. I did get a half-priced box of chocolates, and a few presents for the birthday box.

*Enjoyed a church potluck and supper at a friend's house...then asked a few friends here for Sunday dinner. And Daughter #2 and Son #1 stopped for a quick visit! 

*Watched the championship game at Kneeknockers in Alamosa. (Go, Blue!) This is the country club at Alamosa's golf course, by the way -- and one of the few places in town to watch sports. Yes, it cost us $$ for supper -- but this game was important, and we don't (still won't) have cable. 

Do we care about the Superbowl? Not really.

*Played on Worship Team for church. 

*Waited to put away Christmas decorations until Three Kings Day (Jan. 6), per the Brick's request. (That man...) I did put away Christmas gifts earlier, and we burned the torn wrapping paper, boxes, etc. in the woodstove.  Two rolls of wrapping paper went in the closet for next time. (Storage is wonderful!)

*Stayed away from sales. And boy, that was hard. But next month's credit card bills show it was worth it. Dealing with flu helped; I just didn't feel like going out much. 

*Bought stamps before the price went up. Only 6 books worth, and only a two-cent raise...but it helps.

*Found money:  29 cents and (I think) a Russian rouble in the coin cashing machine!. I tallied up the money found for 2023:  $1.54.  (In 2022, it was $2.32.) This doesn't count $45 in bills I found in a drawer while cleaning out the fifth-wheel. Or should it?

    I'm not the only one who 'picks up pennies,' but the Brick thinks it's hilarious. Let him. As Katy at The Non-Consumer Advocate says, "watch the pennies, and the dollars will take care of themselves." Donna Freedman's also a big fan of picking change up. I follow in the steps of giants.

*Made another double payment on the house loan.  (See how that 'found money' helps, Brick??)

*A small raise in our monthly Social Security payments. (I took mine early last year, and haven't regretted it one bit.) 

*Cashed in my Colorado PERA account, started long ago when I was substitute teaching. Haven't subbed for decades, but the money was welcome. 

*Saw the Rose Bowl at a friend's house. (Thank you, Bob!) I should be embarrassed by our screaming and jumping around -- but he was yelling just as loud. (After the championship game, he confessed that he'd been backing The Other Team all year.) Ruby, on the other hand, was NOT impressed. Must have hurt her ears.

Sigh...

*Kept the wood rack filled -- and use of propane low (for heat). Keeping the southern exposure windows open during the day -- and closed at night -- has helped. 

*Used sale-priced baby carrots as a snack for Ruby. They're cheaper than dog biscuits.

*Green chile, made from homemade chicken broth and cans of chilies in our stash. The stacks have steadily been decreasing . I was able to restock two loads of canned soup and vegetables from 'storage' to our kitchen pantry -- whoo hoo!

*Two trips into Denver: one for the Seven Fish Dishes and 'Christmas' celebrating, and one for dentist appointments.  -- a big savings on gas, compared to other months. Turned away from buying food on road trips -- though I knew the Brick would stop, if I asked.  (KFC, you are sooooo tempting!) 

*Delayed some income into January -- including payments made for earlier jobs.

*A beautiful hutch -- hauled from Arvada. My birthday present from Daughter #1 and Adopted Son #2. It makes the guestroom look nice, and houses my fabric stash. 

Thrift shop buys:  a half-off coupon let us get several needed items -- especially a lamp and cloth napkins. I also snagged some DVD series, a handful of free Christmas cards, plus a few holiday CDs. (The latter were 25 cents each.) Plus Valentine's cards, a Deluxe Boggle set ($4) and a birthday present for the Brick -- plus 20% off overall. The biggest buy, though, was at King Soopers -- a 90%-OFF birthday present! 

*Baked our $2.99 pumpkin! It was starting to spoil...but I'm not a big pumpkin-lover, anyways. The pulp will make a few pies, and I saved some seeds to plant in the spring.

Grocery buys:  Red Baron pizza ($2.97), half-gallon milk (97 cents), and chicken breast at $1.27/lb (Safeway). KIND bars for 86 cents each, chocolate kisses for $4.25/lb, cans of Dinty Moore stew for $1.93, and Pad Thai noodle kits, 40% discount (Amazon Warehouse Deals). Half-gallons of milk, $1.19 each, green peppers, 79 cents, large dented boxes of Rice Krispies and Special K, $2.06 and $2.41 (King Soopers). Buying cheese at Sam's Club was $2.75 a pound, versus Safeway's and King Soopers' 'sale'-priced $4-plus; I also got an 8-pound bag of crinkle fries for $1.08/lb. (And we gassed up the truck for at least 15-20 cents a gallon cheaper.)

I've been trying to stick to 'My Tireless Retirement's' $50/month grocery challenge.  It's difficult, even if you factor in $100 for two people. The noodle kits were a splurge, at roughly $2.50 each -- but one kit, with veggies and meat, feeds both of us at WAY less than a restaurant meal. (Besides, it's difficult to get good Thai food here.) 

    I haven't gone a lot over, if you don't count the Sam's Club run -- $118.50, and what I bought was on sale. I guess that counts for something. Kinda.

*Safeway didn't cheat me this month! Instead, one of my coupons (shrimp for the Fish Dishes) double-rang up; "It's our mistake, you keep it," said the clerk... after I managed to pick up my jaw off the floor.  (I did have to write two letters, to the Safeway in Boulder and the Wal-Mart in Alamosa, about overcharges. Still waiting to hear back from them.)

*Ate a lot of leftovers. Leftovers from a big pot of Hoppin' John actually went out to three people as 'good luck' New Year's presents. Salvaged as much as we could from the fifth-wheel, too. 

The girlies, with Grams. This is our 'missing' month -- The Mama died Jan. 22, two years ago, and our beloved dog Charley died just a few weeks later.

FRUGAL MISSES

*Sales tax for our company, Brickworks. This time, we needed two forms: one for Sedalia, one for Fort Garland. I hate doing paperwork for sales tax. And of course, federal/state taxes are looming on the horizon.

*The 'w' key on my keyboard is still troublesome. sticking occasionally... but doing better. Unfortunately, I can't get the capitalized version to work much. Did you realize how often you start a sentence with 'w' capitalized??

*The Brick changed the oil on the truck. Don't even ask how much filters and oil cost for these vehicles, let alone installation.

*Let a few leftovers spoil, including an orange and some things in the fifth-wheel freezer and fridge. Shame on me. 

*Got the bill for our monthly internet -- and it's more than we used to pay. ($63, vs $50.) At least we have access to it now. 

*Lunch at New Saigon -- nearly $100 for three people. At least we all had Vietnamese-style coffee with our entrees...but still. The food was not as good as I'd remembered, either.

*More sweatpants for the Brick, since he liked his Christmas ones so much -- but I had to pay more for these. (sigh) I also paid full price for a birthday present -- but I knew he'd like it, too.  (Yes, I am a Hollander. Yes, this bothers me.)

Last month's report is here, and last year's January report is here. (2021's version, as well.) Upward and onward...

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Here, There...And Somewhere Else

      Christmas is coming... right?  The Brick has been sick. Our weather stays cold, sunny and occasionally snowy. Apparently we passed some sort of deer test -- because a few have come right up to the house. (One saw me staring at her from the office window, and the grass literally dropped out of her mouth in shock: "Oh crap...") I trudge along, unloading boxes and sacks of Stuff from the fifth-wheel, working on reports (including a really frustrating photos problem) and wrapping presents now and then. Fortunately, there aren't that many left to do. I might even make a few cookies...who knows.

     We've watched some Christmas movies. Listened to music. But we'll be here by ourselves on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Daughter #1 goes to Boulder with her partner, and Daughter #2 and Son #1 have to work. (sigh) It's supposed to snow here, anyways. Meanwhile, we'll head to Denver ourselves earlier in the week to see friends; I have two appraisal jobs to do, as well. Shoot, we might even be able to drop off Christmas gifts to both sets of kids, while we're at it. 

     Sometimes odd holiday seasons just happen. We will get to do the Seven Fish Dishes next week with the kids, and have a proper celebration. 

Meanwhile:

Thirty-eight 'forgotten' Christmas movies worth watching. (Really?? Many of these are familiar.) And...

Thirty unconventional Christmas movies. (Die Hard, one of our favorites, is on the list.)

Jimmy and John Christmas prank each other. 

More here. Silly men (and women).

Food Network's very favorite Christmas cookies. 

Including these gingerbread men 'mug mates.' Cute, huh...

Portuguese custard cupcakes. Otherwise known as queijadas.

What are the King and Queen of England having for Christmas lunch?  Now you know...

The deputy chief for the British Museum resigns, after a BUNCH of artifacts go missing, others are damaged...and some show up for sale on Ebay.  Oopsies...

 Three interesting words stick out from Hunter Biden's impromptu news conference last week: "...not financially involved..."

A sort-of recap of latest discoveries from the Franklin Expedition, including hairs from a hairbrush (DNA discoveries?) and a fingerprint in sealing wax. DNA also helped identify at least one skeleton found on King William Island. More here, too.   (Yes, I'm a bit of a nut about this subject.)

   

What living in California's 'Slab City' is like. This offgrid group of trailers, RVs, etc. is intriguing (and pretty lawless).

The Tiktok swindler who has had several 'lives' (and multiple scams) -- and apparently is still out there doing it. Scary.

How did Lance Armstrong cheat drug tests for so long?  I have always wondered this.

A baby survives a tornado -- found in a tree! Fortunately, the rest of his family was ok, too, with minor injuries.

Spoiled people -- as in REALLY spoiled people.

Secret weapons to keeping yourself out of debt -- an old classic from yours truly.

Real German lebkuchen you can make yourself -- one of the best Christmas cookies in the world.

Christmas tree mini-quiches.  Happy Kitchen.Rocks, you've outdone yourself on this one!

An interest resolution (in some ways) to a Jewish factory owner's murder, back in the early 1900s.

Why "STENDEC?"  Why did a plane crew, about to crash, repeat the word twice? This mystery has been partially solved, after years of searching.

Mickey Mouse -- at least the early version -- will be public property in Jan. 2024. (The copyright's lapsed.) Boy, I'm guessing that Disney is pissed. They've been trying to argue for ages that Mickey should continue to belong to them.

This version -- 1928's Steamboat Willie

An avalanche down Mount Washington's 'Airplane Alley,' a NH White Mountains landmark. (The guy is alive, but barely...)

Eighteen ways to decorate for Christmas -- on a budget. Including this cute 'gingerbread' doormat.

Historic artifacts found by accident.

Now they say it's a real Rembrandt! (This painting was said to be a student work, instead.)

 Fourteen macho actors -- who really were.   Plus:

One hundred left-handed celebrities.  I know...you're not that interested. Unless, that is, you're also a leftie. (Which I am.)

One of the strangest sea creatures ever filmed near a drilling rig:

A dozen odd Appalachian critters you may not have heard of... including the Not Deer...

One of Hermes' older patriarchs wants to adopt his gardener -- so he can split his billions-of-dollars inheritance with him!

Flocking your tree or Christmas wreath. Especially nice, if you live in a warmer climate...and snow is scarce. Or make a DIY tree -- from garlands and an umbrella stand.

"Why secondhand stuff is more expensive."  Well, yes...but it really depends on what that stuff is.  (From Bitches Get Riches)

A 103-year-old WWII veteran shares his secrets for a long life.

Another look at a Portuguese Christmas tradition: El Caganer. (Sorry, you'll have to click to find out.)

The cottage where Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein is up for sale.  Lord Byron's Picadilly mansion is up for sale, too.

A huge pilosaur skull, found on a beach cliff in Great Britain.

No passport, visa or tickets...yet he got on a flight from Copenhagen to Los Angeles. How did he do it?

A very funny story (for us Hollanders, actually) of a dog's 'leftovers' feeding the family for weeks!

Funniest pet videos of 2023 -- more than an hour's worth!

Scottish shortbread - now you can make it yourself.

An interesting recap of three university presidents' testimony on anti-Jewish demonstrations. 

What to do when your best-laid plans go bad.  An interesting reader case from Miillenial Revolution.

Homemade gift ideas.  (From The Reid Homestead)

Upside-down Christmas trees...are an old European tradition? 

Drawing inspiration from the Middle Ages, the benedictine monk, Saint Boniface revolutionized home decor with an unexpected twist. Hanging fir trees upside-down in households was seen as a representation of the Holy Trinity and soon became popular all across Europe – especially among working and lower-class citizens who didn’t have much room to spare.

Have a good week.