Frugal Hits & Misses: April Report

      Half of this month was spent finishing up our volunteer commitments for Ethnos360. Two months -- wow! In some ways, the time was long -- yet some days rushed by. It was sad to leave our friends here...especially our young friends David and Allison. We will miss them. 

Every time a plane or helicopter came close, all the staff members' heads would snap up alertly. It was often their husbands or friends flying. Checking made sense! But it did look amusing -- like prairie dogs, checking for danger.

     I will also miss the helicopters zooming by. One did some fancy maneuvers not far from the trailer, just before we left, and the Brick caught it in photos. So fun to watch this! 

Did my head start snapping up, prairie dog-style, whenever I heard engines? You bet.

The second half of the month, we wandered for a bit... then met our kids in Tucson. After a week spent there, staying with friends, getting new tires on the fifth-wheel and visiting some wonderful gem show dealers, we hit the road again. Now on the way to Truth or Consequences -- and exploring a lost treasure story. More on this in the near future. 

                                            Texas Canyon rest area -- not far from Benson, AZ

FRUGAL HITS

Some of these were in late March. NOTE:  I realize that I often tell you about what the Brick would call "pennyanny" stuff. But it's things like these that add up in the long run. I read somewhere: "Save on the necessities -- then you can afford the luxuries." It's true.

*Stayed put half the month in McNeal. We worked by volunteering -- but Ethnos360 provided free electricity, water and access to laundry. A big help. (We also donated some cash to pay our way.)

*Wildflowers and green sprigs for our table -- finally, something is greening up in the desert!

Hey, if that's all you can get, you enjoy it!

                 The rosemary hedges at Ethnos360 were just finishing up blooming.

*Grocery deals:  A $2.03 apple pie. From Amazon: 20-cent packages of various chips, Cheetos, etc. and 35-cent packages of fancy ramen noodles, Cheetos, etc; #10 cans of chorizo 'hash' (great in burritos) and corned-beef hash. (These were all markdowns on Amazon Warehouse Deals -- free shipping.) A free dozen eggs in McNeal. Not that many buys at the grocery stores, except produce -- which has uniformly been cheaper than Colorado, in nearly all cases. (Potatoes and onions excepted) Real homemade tortillas have been a bonus, even when they cost about the same as the commercial version. 

*Imported coffee from Laos and Papua, New Guinea -- direct from the coffee plantation, via a missionary! We don't mind spending a bit extra ($12/lb) when it directly benefits the grower. Both kinds have been delicious. (We got enough to give some to friends and the kids, as well.)

*Spring rolls and potstickers -- luxury items, right? Nope, one - or two-serving packages are one shiny buck each at Dollar Tree. (Asian food has been rare, for the most part, where we've been staying. These, as well as the sauces and spices I keep on hand, help fix the cravings.)

Tucson had all sorts of blooming cactus

*Made some meals for friends...and the kids, including our adopted McNeal ones. Saved a lot from going out to eat.

                                                                  The McNeal version

*Continued to work with what was available -- versus what the recipes specified. It's amazing what you can do by varying the dish. Beans, nuts and dry items help. We've been using up quite a few cans of things, as well, which lightens weight in the fifth-wheel.

*Cleaned out the freezer...and discovered several packages of meat and fruit I didn't know I had. Steak for breakfast!

*A large wood Victorian-style dollhouse kit: $8! Our friends' children loved this impromptu gift, which I found some months ago at a Colorado thrift shop. 

*McNeal volunteering -- The Brick worked on renovating the house. (He worked on a toilet for the house -- and also installed our new toilet.) I did some editorial work; made some more meals (or contributed to them); worked on the quilt for the sampler quilt class (and offered encouragement and tips via text); painted some trim at the house under renovation; and did the final cleanup on the laundry building. 

*From the "Missions Barrel:" found a t-shirt, some nice gold sequin trim and a few books to take on the road. Donated more stuff, including cleaning supplies and toilet paper for the laundry building. (We'd been using it the past two months -- just made sense.)

*More free books -- from the Lordsburg public library. A t-shirt and tunic from a Tucson thrift shop: $4. (My t-shirts have been wearing out. Big-time. Now for some 'new' jeans.)

*Found a penny! (backseat of the truck) Two more in the wash.

*A final edit on the new book: The cover's looking great, and text has gone through the final copyedit. This book is going to happen!

*Bought a package of online training classes -- $39 from the New York Post. This will help expand my work online, particularly in the video area. 

*Couldn't attend a Michigan birthday party in honor of our Dad -- so we sent a cake, instead. 

*The Brick registered for hunting...hopefully, we'll have a Big Hairy Friend for supper this fall. (He also renewed his drivers license online -- one of the few benefits of the Covid effect.)

*Two Ethnos360 t-shirts and a ballcap -- $22 total. Our friends threw in a couple of keychains, too. The Brick went back later and got the $5 mug he craved. (Which, it turned out, that we needed -- you'll see why later.)

*Free boondocking and dry camping spots -- no phone or internet in some places, but that was actually a blessing most days. Used the hotspot on my phone to get work done. (And send this post, incidentally.) The rest areas have been open -- but any welcome centers/free information spots have not. Victims of Covid.

                                                    Texas Canyon rest area, near Benson, AZ

*A few new gigs scheduled!  I also did several appraisals.

*Just one purchase at the gem shows: a curved petrified shell that's perfect for a paperweight. We saw plenty of other pieces, and at good prices. (It was the last week of the shows.) Just wasn't convinced they wouldn't shatter during travel.

*Stayed with kind friends in Tucson -- filled up our water, and did laundry, as well. (The sweethearts)

FRUGAL MISSES

*New tires for the fifth-wheel. They were needed; one has been consistently losing air. (small sigh) The bill: roughly $1000. At least it includes a road hazard warranty. 

     More repairs and replacements are needed, but we'll get those done in Michigan. Maintenance, maintenance.

*A broken shackle bolt on a trailer wheel -- $20, and $109 to install it. It's ok -- we expected much worse. Because we hit an especially high railroad crossing. Which caused things in the fifth-wheel to bang around. So:

*A mug smashed when I opened a cupboard. One of the Brick's favorites, too. Actually, a jar of pickle relish bounced out, and landed right on the mug. (sigh) Two candles also cracked badly, but are still usable. Considering the bumpiness we've been enduring during travel, this is minor. 

*Some spills and crashes, foodwise. A jar fell out of the refrigerator when I opened it, and exploded at my feet. Chili sauce all over, including my feet, jeans -- and a bit on Charley.

     Also spilled: some dried milk. (Didn't waste much produce, though -- which was an improvement.)

*More spent on gas and supplies toward the end of the month... but it was expected. 

*Ate out in Tucson. A lot. Including a GREAT Ethiopian restaurant and outstanding Mexican food. 

*Got to keep a copy of our friend Neil's magazine article -- because I spilled coffee on it. Ordered a fresh issue, and extended his subscription, as a little thank you. (What an idiot I am.)

*No money coming back from the world cruise cancellation. The last credit card company turned down our appeal. Yes, we can take this off as a business loss on taxes, because I've written extensively about it. But still...

Here's last month's report.  And April's report from 2020. (We were finally home from the world cruise.)

Denny Gresham

 We're in Lordsburg, NM, now, hunkered down at the New Mexico Welcome Center. We stopped at the library here to do some research...and the Brick started feeling really ill. Time to stop for the night.

It's not Covid, just some nasty flu. Fortunately, after an afternoon and night's sleep, he's feeling better. 

What did set us back, though, was the news of Denny Gresham's murder. 

We've known Denny since babyhood. His parents played and sang with us on Worship Team, and I often covered their insurance office when they were on vacation. They were -- and are -- multi-talented people who were close friends for many years. 

Their son Denny was smart, resourceful -- and had the same sense of humor I loved so much in his parents. He moved to Sheridan, WY; one of his jobs was designing car washes! He'd been supposed to pick up a friend from the airport, and never showed up. Turns out he'd been accosted by a couple at the campground he was staying at -- and shot, after they took his van away from him. 

The couple crashed the van -- and both fled. The man killed himself during a shootout with police. The woman has been arrested. 

What a waste. What a tragedy. They killed a wonderful guy. 

Denny leaves his wife Megan and two small sons, 5 and 2. If you can, please consider contributing to their Go Fund Me account.

I Was Just Doing My Job...

 

We've been staying with friends in the Tucson area. This morning, while we were starting to pack up, the repairman arrived -- their garage door broke. While he was fixing it, he also left the door to the house open. Charley and Ruby just strolled right in.

And where was our friends' dog, Doc, while all this was happening? Getting Himself scratched by the Brick -- over by the gate! 

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Tucson

      We've had a good time in Tucson. 

      While Daughter #2 and Son #1 bought items for their business, Phenomenal Gems, we traipsed along behind. We saw a lot of beautiful stones this time around -- and considered adding some to our collection, but refrained. (Not enough room in the fifth-wheel, and the bumping around could easily break some of the more fragile pieces. Sigh.) But we did enjoy some great meals, including Mexican and Ethiopian, and it was wonderful to be able to spend time with our kids. We've missed them. A lot.

     They're heading back to Colorado -- and we're on our way a bit north to New Mexico. What will we be doing, this week? Hunting for lost treasure!

Meanwhile:

A hoverboard in the city?!?  Sign me up!

Call your dad "The Chequebook," treat him that way.. and see what happens in his will. As in 7 million pounds not willed to his daughters, after all. (They argued that they should get it, anyways, for "maintenance" -- and lost.)

Here are the winners of the 2021 Oscars. No, we didn't watch. No, we were not impressed, either. 

A high school relay race in Utah -- but the dog wins!

An amazing local artist (to Arizona, anyways) -- Phoenix-based Papay Solomon. Take a look at his Facebook page. I'm betting we hear more about this man in the future. 

Happy Anzac Day to our Aussie friends!

Rep. Maxine Waters came into town to protest police action (and demand their defunding) -- but she was also careful to request a police escort for protection during her trip.   Huh??

Incredible photos produced by drones.   These are especially good because you can view them by scrolling down -- instead of the interminable page-flipping. 

An unusual interview with a Russian model -- married to a Hollywood mogul. I was surprised at the honesty and resourcefulness expressed by this lady. 

A strange Albanian visit to an old church -- and a pile of bones. (From Travel with Kevin and Ruth -- one of my favorite RV bloggers)

Just watched two Shirley Temple movies, including The Little Princess. I'd forgotten what an instinctively good dancer she was, at such a young age. Here are 5 moments (the first one is my favorite)

And another look at 'Old Kent Road:'

Chocolate chip sea salt cookies. Just don't sprinkle a few when you invite me over -- I'm allergic.  (From One Hundred Dollars A Month)

A new documentary on the Death House Landlady -- who wiped out her indigent renters, after she collected their money. What a scary woman.

Best advice for graduates. (From Making Sense of Cents)

A five-year-old and a bobcat face off...in Castle Rock, CO, our old hometown!        

Another great dance by Gregory Hines -- and several other incredible tap performers, including Sammy Davis, Jr.:

A little boy wants to stay -- and his uncle says he'll help. Let him!

All of the unrest, including looting, in the big cities? It's all make-believe. (Guess who's being accused of making it up.) 

Ex-president George Bush reveals who he voted for in 2020 -- and it's not who you'd think.

A cash treasure trove -- $46,000 found under the floorboards.

What makes a good side hustle? Retireby40's got some ideas.

During Prince Philip's funeral, his widow carried a photo of them as newlyweds -- and his favorite embroidered pocket square handkerchief. Our condolences, Queen Elizabeth. 

A bicycle mailbox walkway -- to make yourself.  (From Hometalk)

"What are the perfect things to do -- and say -- when someone is being rude to you?"  Quora comes through again. 

Have a great week. 

The Brick Would Agree...

 

Unlike Robin Williams, if I ever use this, I tend to revert to German for it. The Brick, being a strong Anglo-Saxon type... would not. But I am grateful for friends who will listen -- then ask probing questions. It helps.

But Officer, It Was An Emergency...

 

I"m Featured On 'Frugal Girl' Today!

 Take a look -- here's my interview. 

Of course, if you've been reading here for a while, you already know a lot of this stuff. Good for fishwrap.