Birthdays...and Leftovers

Dave's birthday was yesterday. For a guy who's generally amazingly patient, tolerant of all sorts of shenanigans and chaos around him, and surprisingly sweet for such a big 'tough guy' -- well, I just had to do SOMETHING for him. The girlies both agreed to meet us for a birthday supper at the local steak restaurant...a feat in itself. (They both have different jobs -- Jess is in school full-time -- and their schedules rarely coincide.)

So...we get there. Supper was great. (At Black Angus - don't miss the "2for" specials, which are a terrific deal if you order the most expensive appetizer and dessert. By the time you're done, you've paid less than $22 for steak and all the fixings, plus appetizer and dessert. Almost unheard of nowadays.)

And, after waddling through the appetizer and part of the meal, knowing dessert was coming, I put half of the entree and fixings away. (So did Dave. The girlies, being thinner and younger -- 19 and 21 -- shoveled in nearly everything, but took doggie boxes home, too.)

Dave wanted a Sachertorte (a chocolate Austrian cake) for his birthday. But the girlies couldn't drive back home with us to light the candles and have some cake there. So I packed up the cake in the back of the Jeep. There we all were, the girls & me trying to light the candles on the cake in the parking lot -- a brisk wind fighting us all the way. And Dave laughing at his silly women!

We finally got it -- and Dave blew the candles out a few seconds later. (And then we promptly packed the cake BACK in the Jeep, and took off for home!) And it was one of the few moments in my life when I knew that an action that made me look both eccentric & silly also told my husband how deeply I loved him...and he knew it. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart.

This morning showed that the combined contents of our doggie boxes could make two extra meals! First, the baked potatoes, leftover veggies and the lesser quality steak were cubed, some onion added, and the whole shebang fried in a few tablespoons of olive oil. The result: Steak Hash. (And delicious.)

I have one more half-steak left -- enough to slice thinly and flavor a pot of potato soup. With cheese and sour cream added, it becomes Steak and Baked Potato soup...yum. It could also be sliced thin and layered on a whole-grain roll, with a slather of mustard, for a steak sandwich. (Ooh, I shouldn't have written that...)

One thing I've learned: never leave ANYTHING on your plate at a restaurant. (Even kale garnish makes a terrific soup when combined with chicken broth, chopped onion & potato, and slices of bratwurst.) Even if it's only a cupful of something, that food can often be added to or expanded into another meal. And because you've already paid for it, it's a free one!

Are these leftovers great at lunch, as well as supper? You bet. I found this discussion of 'lunch at the office' full of leftover ideas...
http://www.cleverdude.com/content/frugal-lunch-by-clever-dudette/

Now that the fun's over, I'm back to work. Did some appraising this morning -- now on to finishing up some reports (sigh) and doing some promo work for CRAZY QUILTS. (Which is still doing amazingly well.) At least it's gray skies again, so I don't feel like going out and wandering around...

Want to Learn More About Frugality?

Try this blog...and the various sources it lists -- great.

http://jwards.blogspot.com/2008/02/works-for-me-frugal-websites.html

A wonderful President's Day, sleeping in, curled up against the darling husband. Peace. Quiet. Even calm! It's not often we get a chance to just lay around and TALK to each other. Bliss.

Still Alive and Kicking...

Yes, I'm still here.

Spent last week in Michigan with the folks -- my dad, sick with bone cancer, started a new round of chemo. Michigan had blizzard after blizzard last week...and considering the folks had an appointment somewhere every day of the week, it was was interesting, to say the least.

Got home just in time to see the last few minutes of the Superbowl...and brought home a cold as a souvenir. Oh goody.

I'll be in touch in the next day or so.

Making Every Cent Count

I have a new goal for 2008: that as many purchases as possible will be either:

*on sale
*accompanied by some kind of freebie
*count for some kind of 'reward'

*or all of them put together!

So far, things are going better than I hoped. I found the Ebates site:
http://www.ebates.com/
(put me -- cindybrick@comcast.net -- as your referral, and we both earn bonus $$!)

This site lets you earn money back on purchases, like Home Depot gift cards. (In my case, we would have spent money at Home Depot anyway, so this is a nice little perk.) The rub comes, though, when you want to buy things you shouldn't. Keep yourself under control, and this will be a nice little money-back site!

Another goodie is http://www.cashcrate.com/
You complete surveys, etc., and get money credited for them. This site, you really have to be careful. The surveys are constantly asking for info I don't feel they really need to know -- and I just don't fill out stuff I'm not sure of. Which means you don't always get money credited. But I got $10 back for joining Netflix -- which was a long-planned Christmas present for Husband, anyways -- and racked up about $30 in money back. It may not seem like much to you, but $30 goes a long way in this house toward groceries.

And of course, there is always the cashback earned when you use a credit card with a rewards feature. Discover has paid off for us for several years this way.

A final case in point: Ye Olde Thrift Shop.

We're lucky to live in one of the wealthiest counties in the nation: Douglas County, Colorado. Which means that contributions to the local thrift shop tend toward The Best. During past visits, I've found everything from Peruvian llama sweaters (at $4, no less!) to designer dishware. Because I appraise items for the thrift shop, and do some repairs and restoration work on their linens now and then, I am considered a Volunteer. Which means a 25% discount, and any books I want are 10 cents each. (Which is heaven to this person, who can't stop reading everything from cereal boxes to the stuff on people's sweatshirts.)

Our family's best clothing items come from the thrift shop, though we rarely point this out. I have a leather coat with a huge furry collar ($19 on this one) that never fails to get compliments. Daughter Angel bought a leather jacket ($10) that her roommate (wealthy, from CA) begged to borrow over the holidays -- because it was nicer than anything SHE owned!

Anyways, I stopped by the thrift shop a few weeks ago, to replenish my books and see what was new. I snagged a beautiful black lambswool sweater, as well as a cotton skirt/t-shirt combo for the upcoming Brazil trip, a few videos and some Wedgewood Patrician dishware. Went up to pay, and the counter clerk said, "Did you get your gift certificate?" Turns out I had $25 credit for being a volunteer, and DARN!! walked out of there without paying a cent!

Does the thrift shop benefit from my help with appraising and repairing quilts? Of course. Is it hurting me? No, of course not -- I believe in their work in helping people in our area. God knows, with the recession alive and well in Colorado, we need it.

So I can help them -- but they're helping me, too.

See how much you can save on your next purchase! Even if it's a dollar, that sawbuck can fit quite snugly in your piggybank. Take it from someone who's trying to find $2000 extra to pay for our Brazil trip in May -- every dollar counts!

Weekend's coming...videos are beckoning

...and I still have 'week' stuff to do. But YouTube beckons...

could there ever have been a funnier car commercial for the SuperBowl? Slated toward women? I think not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQm6TG5qPE&NR=1

And one for those poor souls who have been waiting for the next Super Bowl, anyways...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uP-TClX9hI&feature=user

On the other hand, who cares -- the Broncos blew their chances bigtime.

Sigh

I get a kick out of 'one frugal girl' on blogspot.com, and start out many a day finding out just what she's up to. Today's post references the 'simple dollar' site, and asks the question"When is being frugal actually stealing?"

http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/01/04/when-is-frugality-stealing/

The case in point: Simple Dollar's blogmeister had the effrontery to go into a bookstore and copy elements of a recipe from a cookbook. (Apparently it wasn't the full recipe -- just a few helpful parts.) He wondered -- was that cheating, since he didn't buy the cookbook? Also mentioned: people who ordered (free) water while joining friends at a coffee shop. Or ordered water, then used the shop's WiFi.
I smiled to myself a bit, because one of my uncles is famous for clearing the table when he eats at a restaurant. All the sugar packets, etc. on the table go into his pocket before he leaves, on the premise that he 'paid' for them. Whenever an extra ketchup or sauce packet (I am a sucker for Arby's 'Horsey' sauce, incredible!) goes home, my family starts wondering...am I turning into Uncle S.?
Well, I'm not. And I don't take any more that wouldn't amply cover my sandwich. The book issue hits a bit closer to home -- as a writer, one of my sources of income is royalties from my own book sales. I honestly don't mind a bit of taking notes out of my books. I don't even mind being quoted. (Actually, it's kind of flattering.)

What does tick me off, though, is the innocent who can't believe I'd 'mind' if she photocopied 10-20 pages out of my book, then distribute them to her 20 closest friends. (The same person has no scruples about asking for extras when I hand out freebies during class, or taking 2 or 3 items, when I offer one free.) Does this person believe she's stealing? I'm sure she doesn't. But in my book...she is.

You'll want to read the post mentioned above -- and especially the comments. As of tonight, there are nearly 90. Fascinating. Some of this also brings to mind stories my mom told about living in Norfolk, VA...her then-husband was in the Navy, and rarely left her enough money. She survived by working whatever job she could find, as well as collecting and redeeming pop bottles. Sometimes the only meal she had was a bowl of hot water at the luncheonette, with ketchup, salt and pepper mixed in, for "tomato soup." And this, while she was pregnant with me -- and anybody who's been p.g. knows that most of the time, you are RAVENOUS.
Some of the people who practice this extra frugality wouldn't be able to eat any other way. I remember my mom, if I find myself getting too huffy about this subject.

What can I do in 2008?

This year is going to be different. I can already feel it.

For one thing, a new book's coming out in mid-February...a new reference (and how-to) on Crazy quilts.

For another, our daughters are finally making their own ways...good for you, girlies!

DH's new promotion (training bus drivers) is much more rewarding than his past work. (Tell ya what, bus drivers do NOT get much respect. Think on that the next time your child comes home safely on a stormy, slippery day.)

My crazy Hollander farmer father is slowing down -- and slowly losing his battle with cancer. He works as much as he can, and is still his feisty self...but I need to spend as much with him and Mom as I can. (They live in Michigan. We live in Colorado.)

In late May, Dave and I are headed to Brazil...and nearly two weeks headed along the Amazon river in a boat. Our job will be to bring medical and dental services to tribes along the river...as well as classes and music for the people. (Which means not only music for me, but sewing classes!)

So in some ways, this year will be calmer (I think). In some ways, it won't. My dad isn't just in this picture, but I have a LOT of traveling and writing to do in 2008. Will it be better this year? Worse? Who knows...but it WILL be different.

My goals for this year:

*Finish one book -- and work on another (writing them -- not reading them!)
Do some other writing, as well

*Lose some weight (I am sooo sick of feeling bulgy)

*Get the living room painted! (and windows replaced)

*Spend some regular time in the garden -- no matter what

*Get completely caught up with the restoration jobs

*Learn some Portuguese

*KNOW WHERE THINGS ARE (this would be especially wonderful)

Here's to 2008-- the Year of Difference