Mornins With Mommy ~

 This is an all too familiar sweet scenario in my mornings. Gally on my lap, Dollar by my side. I thought I would share in the hopes that it might put a smile on your face! 😊

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by! ~ xo TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (December 3 - 9)~

 endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

Some weeks are more relaxed and low key than others. Truly, they all are pretty relaxed and low key for us at this point in time. Some are pretty dreamy though~

Even though I had a doctor's appointment for an ultrasound and some labwork, it went smoothly and quickly.

And there was the time and beautiful weather for more wonderful walks in the neighborhood.

Mid-week my allergies started acting up but it gave me the perfect excuse to take it extra easy, enjoy our blessings and just be.

One evening, after hubby and I left our vaccine appointments, we splurged and ordered takeout from our favorite Mexican restaurant 😋. It was delicious and it was such a treat to not have to cook but there was just one problem: it put us into a carb coma...

And then we woke up a bit later with a bad case of bedhead...

There was also plenty of time to snuggle with my buddy, Galahad...

I'm still watching every version of Little Women and A Christmas Carol that I come across that interests me. They are my favorite Christmas time movie traditions that I always make time for. I'm always surprised that there seems to be a new version of them both each year.

In the kitchen, I tried a new hot chocolate mix recipe and have been absolutely enjoying it (sprinkled liberally with chocolate chips that I stir into it to make it extra decadent🤫) as part of my cozy nighttime routine.

I hope you had a great week with plenty of time to do all the things that you find makes your week dreamy !

Thanks for stopping by!

💋xo, 

TJ

Five Frugal Things (and one, not so much)~ 10/26/22

what does a cat have to do with frugality? read on...!

There's no doubt that tightening up the budget takes more time, effort, thought and a dash of creativity. I don't mind though. As a homemaker,  it is part of my (personal) job description. A job description that I curate for myself to benefit our particular situation. 

As I've mentioned before, my husband is totally disabled. I had to quit working to stay home and take care of him, as he cannot do many things for himself safely that most of us take for granted. Because of this, we have been on a fixed income for over ten years. Until recently, we lived fairly comfortably on that amount and I,  admittedly, had gotten lax in my role as the penny pinchin' goddess that that I'm known to be in my household. Buuuut...today's a new day and we are feeling the squeeze, as are many.

This week, in addition to things so ingrained in my being that I don't even have to put thought into them anymore, I did the following to make our pennies beg for mercy, lol:

1)  Since groceries are my first line of defense when trying to save money, I started there. During the height of the "vid" I began taking advantage of grocery pickup. I never felt comfortable with it though, knowing that I was missing out on sales and in-store only markdowns that I employed during my usual, pre-vid shopping strategy. I have been back to shopping in stores for some time now and this week I scored a few things on sale:

*  five, eight ounce containers of fresh mushrooms. I  cleaned, sliced and simmered them in water, divided them into four ounce portions and froze them for future use. (If you haven't concluded by now..yes I am the freezer queen around here. I could and maybe I should do some canning, but it is too dadgummed humid (year round) for my liking, and I'll be doggoned if I'm going to add to that situation!) They were .99 cents each.

*  two 10 ounce bags of tortilla chips for .99 cents each. Hubby likes to have them with some of his meals.

*  two bags of shredded cheese (one 6 ounce and one 8 ounce) for .99 cents each.

*  one ten pound bag of chicken leg quarters for .47 cents a pound.

*  Roma tomatoes (a little over half a pound) for .99 cents a pound. 

*  organic granny smith apples (a little over two pounds) for .99 cents a pound. 

*  two bags of garden salad for .99 cents each.

*  I clipped a "$5 off $50 or more purchase" digital coupon that was applied to my grocery total.

2)  I harvested some sweet potatoes. I was growing them mainly for the leaves in order to have an additional source of greens to add to the veggie rotation. The sweet potatoes were a bonus! I still haven't harvested the ones in the container yet.

3)  I am focusing on using cloth napkins more often and less paper towels, with a goal to sew at least two new cloth napkins this upcoming week to add to the ones we have. Right now, we don't have enough to completely give up the paper towels.

4)  I sowed more seeds in the garden: a variety of carrot seeds, snow peas and mesclun seeds. 

5)  I began organizing cabinets and drawers in my cleaning zones in order to inventory and refresh my memory on items we have on hand (that can so easily become "out of sight, out of mind") so I don't run out of, and possibly buy, items we already have.

And one of the reasons we must plug those money holes...

this furry fella had to go to the vet for a second time to have a skin issue taken care of (the first round of meds back in August didn't completely take care of the problem). He has turned out to be a bit high maintenance for a cat (in my experience) but he is is sooo worth it! 

• “Frugality, quite simply, is about choosing the things you love enough to spend extravagantly on – and then cutting costs mercilessly on the things you don’t love.” 
• ~ Ramit Sethi
• I hope all your endeavors, no matter what they are, were successful this week!

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (August 20-26)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

It was one of those weeks around here. We all have them. Nothing major, just enough wrenches being tossed into gears to throw me off balance a bit. A leak in the laundry room that had to be sorted out. Sir Galahad our kitty had to be taken to the vet for some skin issues (and I am, and always have been what some would call a "nervous mother", even with my fur babies). The truck window decided it would not roll back up again. Ya know, life stuff. I know it could always be worse. So, I did what I could around here despite feeling wayyy off kilter, and let the loose ends fall where they may. They will still be there when I can get to them.

And even during those days and weeks when I'm feeling a bit jostled...

"There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again."

~ Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

Errands ~

On my way to the pharmacy and grocery store where I only picked up a few sale items.

What I'm cooking, baking and eating (besides the usual) ~

Italian herbed baked chicken (that we had for several meals) to go with sauteed cabbage or pan fried green beans (different nights), Toll House cookie bars, banana bread snack cake, tuna salad (that we had with crackers), devil's food bundt cake, a loaf of white bread, easy blender salsa (I'm more than happy to make a meal of chips & salsa!)

I made, and will freeze in ice cube trays, our Dollface's food. I only have to do this every two or three weeks.

Homekeeping ~ 

This past week's focus was the bathrooms. There are two and a half that I need to tend to, the other is our daughter's responsibility. 

In addition to the usual cleaning, I focused on decluttering the powder room cabinet and it is practically empty now. Only a couple of rolls of backup tp. It was so packed at one point, I would squint my eyes when I opened the doors to the cabinet, as I never knew if things would come tumbling out!

In the upstairs bathroom, I dove in under the sink, wiped it down and tidied it up.

Garden ~ 

a tiny bud from "rose" readying to unfurl

I am experimenting with propogating my old girl "Rose" (🤭) by ground layering a couple of stems. Fingers crossed in hopes they take off. I would love to be able to plant her babies in our front garden beds. She has been a faithful bloomer for close to twenty years now and was one of the first plants we brought home after we moved here. She was a lone rosebush with no tags or markings so I don't know her origin. It was her pretty pink bursts of blooms and wildly intoxicating scent (interestingly, not everyone can smell it like hubby and I can🤔) that won me over.

I harvested a bit more swiss chard annnd...I know you're tired of hearing about the growing-in-overdrive sweet potato leaves, so I won't mention them again until they die off.😆 (But I am still squirreling them away for the winter as fast as I can!)

What I'm watching/reading ~

This past week I was feeling a bit nostalgic and watched Baby Boom with Diane Keaton. That movie always reminds me of around the time my middle child was born. 💕

I also watched Edie on Hulu. I can relate to the character of Edie in several ways, and found myself boohooing😥 within the first few minutes of the movie.

Two great movies that I would watch again and again!

Highlight ~

L👀K  what arrived from my from my Amazon Wish List! 

I am so excited to use it to continue my watercolor adventures!

You MADE. MY. DAY! 🥰 (Yes LOTS of exclamation marks but that's just how excited I am. 😊) Thank you.

Now, that the week's end is here, I shall resume sipping tea and reading other's blogs. Won't you join me?

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ 

A Peek Into Last Week (July 23-29)~

I had the curtains open all last week to let the sunlight in so, if you happened to be passing by and caught a glance in our windows, you may have seen a bit of this and that...

Homekeeping~ In addition to the usual suspects of daily chores, this weeks focus was the office, desk and paperwork. I was successful in clearing off the top of our filing cabinet (that had been more of a "piling cabinet") and shredding a three inch stack of business papers dating back to 2016(!) that were no longer needed. 

I also spent some time copying and transferring recipes from my phone and tablet bookmarks, that we've tried and want to make again, into my recipe binder.

In the garden~ I planted out a Roma tomato plant that was grown from seed and harvested more sweet potato leaves.

What I'm cooking, baking & eating~

Pancakes and over easy eggs, oatmeal with cinnamon raisin toast, scrambled eggs and toast, fruit & veggie smoothies, French toast, chocolate "nice cream" (frozen bananas, chocolate almond milk and a bit of Swerve sweetener blended until smooth), banana bread, "French" cobbler, lemon cooler cookies (you wouldn't know we have a sweet tooth would you?😋), fresh cherries, Chana masala served over rice, tuna pasta salad, bean burritos with blender salsa, mac and cheese, cucumber salad with homemade Italian dressing, pulled pork burritos. 

What I'm watching/reading~

"Janina Duszejko, an elderly woman, lives alone in the Klodzko Valley where a series of mysterious crimes are committed. Duszejko is convinced that she knows who or what is the murderer, but nobody believes her." (movie summary taken from imdb)

It was an interesting and enjoyable movie!

the books I've been pursuing lately

I like to read several books at once at any given time. I mostly read nonfiction but will occasionally get caught up in a good fiction read. I hardly ever read the latest and "greatest" books that are out since most of my books are found on my treasure hunts at thrift stores.

Create~ I spent a few minutes a couple of days this past week prepping pages in my traveler's notebooks. I love the calming outlet this provides for me but don't always make the time for it. I have begun to put it on my to do list so I don't get too busy and overlook this small gesture that feeds my spirit so greatly. 

Highlight of the week~ Another good rainstorm!

And watching Galahad give Dollface a bath, lol!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed this peek into our week, and that maybe something you read here gave you an idea or inspiration to put on your to-do list for your upcoming week.~TJ 

A Peek into Last Week (July 9-15)~

Here's a glimpse into our days this past week... 

Mornings~ I like to start the day in a serene way with coffee☕️ and quiet time reading my Bible 📖 and devotional.

sometimes Galahad joins me

Homekeeping~ After I get myself ready for the day, make breakfast for hubby when he gets up, I feed the pets, clean up in the kitchen, get started on laundry and any other things that may need attention. 

flour sack and bar mop towels are my current favorite kitchen towels

What I'm cooking, baking & eating~ some things we've had this week: I've made several bean dips (hummus & black bean) that were enjoyed with flour tortillas and/or tortilla chips, 3(+) ingredient cookies, smoothies, yogurt bowl, coconut oatmeal cookies, breakfast burritos, eggs and biscuits. grilled cheese sandwiches and more!

What I'm watching~ Borgen

 

Borgen is a Danish political drama television series about prime minister Birgitte Nyborg's

rise to power and how power changes her.

When the day is done and I want to unwind with a cup of tea and TV, this is what I've been enjoying.

Several months ago I got engrossed in Nordic noir and the like and I find I am still enjoying the drama of it all! It does require me to read subtitles in order to follow along, which isn't always easy, but I see no end in sight to my latest obsession.

Highlight of the week~ Rain!

Although it's hard to see it in this picture, it is raining quite a bit and boy did we need it! I always love when it rains but it's even more the blessing when we haven't had any in a while.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into this past week for us. How was your week? What was the highlight of your week? I'd love to hear about it. 

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ 

Making Home and the Freezer Queen Strikes Again~

This past week was a pleasant one!  Many days started with the comforting, yet economical breakfast of oatmeal and toast made from homemade cinnamon raisin bread...

After adding the vanilla to the porridge, there always seems to be some that is running down the side of the little brown bottle.  I swipe my wrist across the bottle to catch the drip of vanille "perfume".  That keeps the drip from staining the lazy Susan where the bottle lives, in between times of being called into the service of making something delicious.

After breakfast, and before beginning my day, I like to get some simmering potpourri going.

I vary the scents according to my mood, the season, and the ingredients I have on hand.

Today I decided to use some very fragrant loose tea.  I only used a couple of spoonfuls.

I tuck it into a nook in our dining room, right around the corner from our front door, so that the fragrance du jour greets our visitors with its subtle, natural scent.

At this point, I usually set about doing kitchen cleanup and other necessary chores for the day. This week I had some items I wanted to put up in the freezer to keep them from going bad.  I don't like to throw our money away in the form of spoiled food!

I had an almost full big bottle of V8 juice, that I got for free when Randall's was having their Monopoly promotion, that wasn't being drunk.  I decided that it would make a delicious addition to soups come this fall!

I also froze the leftover cranberries from making cranberry water.  I like to add them to smoothies and to my dog's homemade food.  They also make pretty little "ice"  

cubes to add to a tall glass of water on a hot summer's day.

Throughout the day, I am usually being observed from afar by a kitty or two...

And after the chores are finished and the day is done, I have been enjoying a little ambiance...

Who says the fireplace has to be reserved for the cooler months (especially if it doesn't put out heat)?!

A little surprise my daughter and I had when we were out shopping late one evening...

Fireworks!  It's always nice when there's a little something that causes us to stop and savor the moment.  

I hope you had a wonderful week and many moments to savor!

Thanks for stopping by!~ TJ

Weekend Puttering~

This past Father's Day weekend was so pleasant!  The weather was nice, as the humidity wasn't very high.  I did some baking, sewing for my Etsy shop, sowed some seeds in the garden, did a little reading and enjoyed the company of my family.

the studio guard cat

I baked some peanut butter cookies using the only recipe that I have used for years, some of which I made into thumbprint cookies, using some strawberry jam that I had in the pantry.

On Father's Day, I made a quick and easy devils food cake with cream cheese frosting, because that is my husband's favorite type of cake.  I did cheat a bit by using a cake mix, but I added my own twist to it to make it a bit...extra, as the kids say nowadays.😃

I hope your Father's day weekend was enjoyable and spent with those you love!

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

Summertime Backyard Sittin'

the view from my patio chair at dusk

This past Saturday, the weather was so delightful, what with it's low humidity and all, I couldn't help but harness up our kitty Galahad, and head out back for some sky gazing.

The soft, warm breezes delicately caressed my face as I cuddled up in the gently descending blanket of dusk.  Galahad lay in the grass nearby, taking in the wonders that the dreams of indoor kitties are made of.  Cicada song, toads chirping and seeing sights that only his keen feline vision could detect in the inky atmosphere. 

And then, after a little while, when the darkness had descended full on, the buzzing began.  Surrounding us.  I tried to be brave, as whatever it was flew from plant to plant.  But then I could take it no more.  I unleashed Galahad and scurried inside, much to his dismay.  I'm OUT!

You see, we have palmetto bugs in these here parts, which for the uninitiated, are basically big ol' roach-y bugs that can be over an inch long.  And can fly (I'm getting heebie jeeebie goosebumps just thinking about the times I have been chased by them).  And they tend to live in palm trees.  There's their condo right there...

It was nice while it lasted.

I hope you had a weekend full of adventure as well!

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

By the Dawns Early Light~

In the wee hours of the predawn, under the cover of darkness at 4-ish a.m, I was awakened by a crashing and clawing. I proceeded to get up and search out the source of the ruckus. All appeared calm. Two innocent looking cat bread loaf silhouettes in the darkness seemed to be coyly asking me, "Did you hear that too? Whatever could it have been?" 

Now too awake to possibly fall back asleep, I made my way to the coffee station  (what else could it be called when you have three coffee makers?) which seems to give the felines the go ahead message: "Lady and gentleman, start your engines!".

And so I sat, bleary eyed, me and my coffee, my coffee and me, while the sound of 1000 wild horses stampeded through the house. 

The sun is up now. 

And they doze. 

Good mornin' y'all!

Five Frugal Things ~ 8/10/18

I'm sitting at my kitchen table having a cup of herbal tea, listening to the cicada song. As I write this, I occasionally lift my eyes to take in the view of our cat as he intently watches the birds enthusiastically calling out to their friends from our feeder, "lunch is served!" (don't worry, he's contained in his pop up kennel and can't get to them!). The weekend is on the horizon and quickly approaching.  I'm especially looking forward to this one as I will be spending part of it with my son and grandson as they do their back to school shopping!  This weekend is a tax free weekend and my oldest always likes to take advantage of that to optimize his hard earned dollars.

Before I get down to busying myself with my Friday homekeeping and wrapping up some odds and ends for this week's business however, I wanted to post my frugal five for this past week...

•  added a bit of leftover pickle juice to the last bits of store bought salad dressing to        thin it out and be able to get the last delicious drops out of the container.  (I mostly      make my own salad dressings, but I have had a hankerin' for thousand island                lately, which is not a dressing I have ever cared much for in the past.  Now that I          know I will enjoy eating it on my salads more often, I will try to find an easy,                yummy recipe that I can throw together myself.  If anyone has a delicious 1000            island dressing recipe they would be willing to share, I'm all ears!).

•  I had two store bought organic salad dressings that I bought a while back but didn't     care for them on salads.  I ended up using them as marinades for chicken                       breasts, which worked out well.

•  several times this past week, I was tempted to buy things but, took the time to               pause, take a deep breath and ask myself:  1) do I really need it? 2) do I have                   something alike or similar that I could use instead?  3)  could I make it with                   materials  I already have on hand?
    One such item that tempted me was a pot holder (yes, a lowly potholder!  BUT this       one was silicone.  Yeah.) since the ones we have been using year 'round are worn         AND get this, Christmas themed.🎄🎅  I had made them a few years ago, and     LOVED how efficient they were at protecting my hands from the heat of fresh-             from-the-oven pans!  Alas, I got distracted by the shiny things that each day brings,     and although each time I pulled those red and green potholders out to use, I                   swore that this was the week I would sew up some new, more day-to-day                   appropriate pot holders.  Oh, how I procrastinate!  (And ramble.)
    But this, this is the week I make new potholders!  The End.

Galahad in his pop up kennel

•  I continued to persevere in the garden, still experimenting, and trying to grow               things that I either have not grown, or had success in growing, in the past.  I have         enough seeds to keep me busy for a good while!  Still, I am keeping my main focus       on growing what I know grows well for me, mostly herbs.
    Knowing that the health of our soil is not the best right now, and is also a mixture       of clay and sand, I amend and mulch as much as the budget allows.

•  DD and I took advantage of our local dollar theatre's Terrific Tuesday to see a                 movie.  The movies aren't the latest releases but that isn't something that concerns       us.  The tickets were only .50 each!

What are your plans for this weekend?

If you have back to school shopping to do, have you started yet?

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

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