A Peek Into Last Week (August 19 - 25)~

early morning dental appointment~thankfully, during one of 

the cooler times of the day!

It has been a while since I've published any APILW style posts. I have been concentrating on relearning the ins and outs of YouTube and digital content creation. I had gotten very rusty in the things I used to know and do with ease before, because it had been years since I last made any videos for my channel. All that to say, I miss writing the weekly posts that give you a glimpse into my life, and hopefully you enjoy them too. I'd like to incorporate some video content into the posts as well, but we'll see how it goes!

So, let's get back to it shall we?!

It has been one long, hot and humid summer. And the one day we got a bit of rain, thanks to Harold, it was just enough to create a sauna for us! Someone in our area said "you know it's bad when we're praying for a hurricane! ". Weather has been strange and extreme in many parts of the country and my heart and prayers go out to all.

With keeping cool as one of my top priorities, I have been concentrating my efforts mostly inside, with only short trips outside to try and keep our lawn and garden alive by watering and brief trips out to run necessary errands. One the rare days that the humidity is not suffocatingly high, I try to do "bonus" outdoor jobs, with seed sowing being at the top of the list, in hopeful preparation for a fall harvest. 

I still find ways to enjoy the great outdoors by watching the birds, squirrels and even wasps making good use of the little birdbath oasis I keep full with fresh water for them. All creatures are welcome at TJ's Sweet Birdbath Oasis!

I  have been whiling away some spare moments sipping on cold, sweaty glasses of iced tea while reading books I was able to download for free from OceanofPDF .  I mostly read nonfiction and have found several of the books on this site that I have been curious about.

In the kitchen, I have been having to be creative with meal planning and prep, as finances seem to keep getting tighter and tighter living on our fixed income in this precarious economy. I continue to focus on purchasing sale items in bulk and cook and bake as much as possible from scratch which seems to be our saving grace when it comes to keeping our bellies full.

on the way to the dreaded V.E.T. 

after surgery...woozy

Our senior doxie had to have her teeth cleaned and nine of them were extracted, which was an unexpected, but necessary and major expense. She's worth it though!

On a more dismal note, in winding up this week, I found out that some of my social media accounts were commandeered as a "prank", supposedly (not a very funny one). I probably would have never known except for the fact that the person (someone we know and who has since apologized profusely) picked the one Instagram account that hasn't been used in a good while to send messages. I began getting questions from a few folks that took the time to privately message me about comments made on their accounts, knowing I hadn't been using the account lately. Luckily, it was caught early and no real harm was done so...all's well that ends well. I have learned from this ordeal to never leave my phone laying around unattended! I will ask that anyone that may have received messages from me out of the blue, please know that this is what happened and kindly disregard.  The WWW and social media definitely have their upsides and downsides!

How have you been spending your summer?

Thanks for stopping by! 

👄xo, 

TJ 

 

Money Saving Tip~Use It Up!

a quick money saving tip video

Hello again!

Here's another video I've uploaded. It's a very short one, so short that that's what YouTube calls them..."short".😉 

I hope you find it useful and informative and helpful towards your money saving efforts.

Thanks for stopping by,  I'll see you next time!

xo,

TJ

Five Frugal Things ~ 11/2/22

 

dollface

1)  I bathed my Dollface and did her nails. It saved not only the money for the service and the gas money to transport her to the groomer but also the time and her stress. We used to pay for a mobile service to come to our home to groom her but I figured that was money best spent elsewhere. 

2)  I baked the ten pounds of potatoes that I recently purchase for .29 cents a pound. This is a big deal for me as I usually put the bag(s) of potatoes in the pantry where they often take on a secret life of their own in the dark, out of the way place. My first reminder that they are still there is hubby telling me something doesn't smell right in there, lol. My "savings" is usually rendered null and void as I chip away the soft spots (and sometimes whole potatoes) and put them in the, always "baking", lasagna compost out in the garden. I soothe and comfort myself over the loss by reasoning that "at least they aren't completely wasted, they are building the soil!". They will be at the ready for use in all sorts of recipes and some will most likely find their way portioned out and into the freezer.

3)  It rained several days so I didn't have to water outdoor plants or the lawn on those days. I captured rain water in a bucket to water my indoor plants. 

4)  I washed and dried gently used zip close baggies for re-use.

5)  I saved butter wrappers for greasing baking pans to save on my baking spray.

How did your money saving efforts go this week? I would love to hear about them! 

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

Five Frugal Things ~ 10/19/22

 While at the grocery store this past week to fill in the gaps in our pantry and fridge, I was just about to make my way to the checkout and then head on home. I scanned my list to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, glanced at the eggs and their price and wondered if I should go ahead and buy some now, or wait until my next shopping trip (we had eggs on hand at home). I decided to do some comparison shopping right then and there. I pulled up the Walmart site on my phone to check their present egg prices on the case of five dozen that I normally buy when I can't find a better price elsewhere. $18.12. EIGHT. TEEN. DOLLARS. and twelve cents. I froze inside. The last time I had purchased those very same eggs on September 30th, just thirteen days before, they were $12.40. Back in December of 2021 (I would buy other eggs when I could find them at a better price in between times), they were $6.11. In ten months time, the price of the same item has almost tripled.

I  know, I  know...everything has pretty much increased in price lately. I have seen and quietly contemplated the rising prices, as I strolled the aisles of whatever grocery store I happened to be in, trying to calmly process it all. I suppose the eggs were the thing that set off something in me that said, 

"this means WAR!" (figuratively and financially speaking). 

Granted, I am always pretty frugal in most cases but this moment in time, standing in the aisle of Aldi staring at the price of eggs in the case and then the price of eggs online, collided with a couple of undeniable facts. One: that we are already on a fixed income that's not going to expand and rise like all the prices of everything swirling around me and two: recent personal events (that I won't go into detail about here) that have shaken our financial situation like an earthquake that continues on in aftershocks, with no end in sight.

 “If we attack our problems with determination, we shall succeed.” 

~ Franklin Roosevelt 

So, if our monetary belts weren't tightened enough already, I determined then and there that I was going to go at the heels of this situation like a nipping, yipping chihuahua and once I had gotten in a good bite, chomp down on it like a pit bull to ride this thing out as best as we can. Because, I have lived long enough to know that...

~this too shall pass~

I am embarrassed to admit, but don't mind saying, I have gotten quite lax in all areas of my frugal endeavors since before the "vid" came to town. It hit home when I couldn't find a speck of flour in the stores to make bread (thanks nouveau vid bakers😉😆) and hadn't been stocking up on it (or anything else) as I had in the past. Lesson learned. Still, almost three years later, I have not returned to my former frugal glory😄 during that time.

In the meantime, I have decided to revive my Five Frugal Things posts, to help encourage not only myself, but hopefully you as well, as we all ride out this turbulent season, keeping in mind with optimism:

                        

     ❄️🌱seasons change☀️🍂

Without further ado, my five frugal things this past week included (but weren't limited to):

1)  I mended one of my favorite sheets that has developed a tear and a tiny hole. Mending a sheet, you say? YES! I love these particular sheets. They're perfectly worn-in-smooth, soft and cool (and for this woman-of-a-certain-age🙋‍♀️👵😉that's muy importante). I will mend these sheets until they can't be mended anymore, especially since good king sized sheets are pricey and right now, not in the budget.

2)  I ordered my eyeglasses online from Zenni Optical. My prescription was about to expire so it was a necessary expense since the last time I bought a new pair of glasses was over nine years ago. I was able to apply a coupon code which saved me $10 off the order. Ordering from Zenni is a first for me, so I'm a jumble of nervousness and excitement. 

3)  After my eye-opening egg ordeal 😄, I sat down armed with my recipe binder, file box and tablet in which I have many recipes bookmarked, and chose several inexpensive ones to get started that will allow me to use foods we have on hand already. I will continue to tweak my game plan in this regards in the upcoming days and weeks. 

4)  I upped my seed sowing. I have many seeds saved and want to focus on getting the older ones in the ground and containers first using the FIFO (first in, first out) mindset. Because just like me, those seeds aren't getting any younger! Luckily, in my area the weather is cooling a bit, making it a good time to sow many types of seeds.

5)  I tightened up my water conservation efforts around the house. I have never been wasteful with water but I know I could always use less. One major change I've reinstated is taking what I've heard called "navy showers". 

           I Can~I Will~I Must

If you have read this far, thank you SO much! I appreciate you joining me here.

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

Friday Fave #3~ (hint: it may include 🥧)

 

it's NATIONAL DESSERT DAY y'all! 

 This Friday Fave isn't something you or I would necessarily have to spend money on (other than maybe a tip to your server. PLEASE...ALWAYS tip your server. #beentheredonethat) It combines two of my favorite things: Friday and DESSERT! 

Of all the national this & that days, I think I may just love NATIONAL DESSERT DAY best!😍🍰And FREE sweets? Don't mind if I do~

Here's a few places that TODAY.com says may offer free desserts to celebrate this glorious day!

You're welcome😉

Now get on out there & get your dessert on!

Thanks for stopping by!

💋xo,

TJ

*this/these product(s)/businesses/suggestions were/are not sponsored and is not an ad~just a friend sharing with friends!

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

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

This past week I wasn't very productive imo, due to a case of the blues. But that's okay. We all find ourselves in that position at times. I did manage the following little snapshots of productivity here and there though...

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

I didn't do a lot of cooking or baking this week. Of the few things I did make, these are those:

crockpot chicken and noodles. I love a good (practically) dump and go crockpot recipe for those days when my energy, or enthusiasm for fussing over a meal, is low. This is one of those dishes, and I had everything on hand except the egg noodles. I substituted pasta "twirls" instead and it came out just fine. It was tasty and one of those comforting types of meals, like a hug in a bowl, lol.

I, again this week  made another "power food meal" that feeds us several meals worth of food. I love "template" style recipes that allow me to use and combine what we have on hand to made a delicious,  nutritious dish. This time, I made it into an "Italiano" style, with ground turkey, black olives, cauliflower, green beans, mixed veggies, canned diced tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, tomato paste, garlic cloves, garlic powder (we like our garlic!), Italian herbs, oregano, fennel, parsley and salt & pepper. I like to keep the grain, which in this case was rice, on the side so that the amount of carbs can be controlled by whoever is eating the meal.

Homekeeping ~

This week's focus was the living room, entryway, and front porch. This area proves challenging to clean and tidy because the area is still in disarray from water damage that originated with the hot water tank in the attic and worked it's way down to the first floor. I do what I can, take a deep breath and try to look the other way 😉 until we can get it repaired.

I cleaned the screens flanking the front door, the front door and the decorative lantern. I didn't need to sweep this time because the lawn fellas always blow the porch clean when they are here. 

I  spot cleaned the entryway rug.

📷: unknown 

"I find it soothing to take something wrinkled and make it smooth. It feels anticipatory. It's what I do before a celebration. And nobody bothers me when I'm ironing."

~Alexandra Stoddard

I ironed a few items that needed it. I know, I know...ughhh, right? But, we can do it! The job will be finished before we know it~👍And once you get started, it can become a relaxing exercise in meditation of sorts (and my Rowenta iron is a great tool to help get the job done *not an ad* I've had it for many years and it has been quite the workhorse). 

We don't have many clothes that need ironing but the linen items we wear to keep cool during the sweltering summer demand no less than naturally cool fabrics. And sometimes that means ironing.

The thing about linen though is, even after ironing, it still looks like it needs ironing! 😂

What I'm watching/reading ~

This week, I started a new (to me) series called Marcella on Netflix. I'm only on episode two of the first season but so far I am really enjoying it! 

About Marcella, Netflix says "An emotionally damaged ex-police detective goes back on the job to investigate a serial killer after her seemingly happy marriage falls apart." 

and~ 

"Despite marriage woes, a tragic loss, memory blackouts and her struggles as a mom, a London detective excels at what she does best: catching killers."

Sounds juicy!

I also ran across this YouTube video  describing how to turn milk, that is on the verge of having to be discarded, into farmers cheese and wanted to share. In these days of rising prices, I think we can all use any help we can get to make our dollars-and food- go further. I always love a good "waste not, want not" tip and I look forward to finding out what he does with the whey! (my usual use for whey is to add to soaking beans, but there are many other great uses for whey. I would love to hear your favoriteuses for whey!)

Pamper ~

Have you taken time for yourself this week? I did...and as you can see from the picture, the process wasn't pretty, lol, but it felt great! The fast pace of life these days can overwhelm our spirits if we don't slow down sometimes and show ourselves some kindness. Treat yourself like someone you love! Inexpensive (or free!) things we can all choose from to pamper ourselves:
📚 get lost in a favorite book
🛁 soak in a bubble-or just a nice warm-bath. (bonus~light candles!)
☀️ sit out in the sunshine for a bit
🫖☕️🍫 take a tea/coffee break and maybe nibble some chocolate
🌹💐 buy a pretty bouquet or pick one from your yard...even if it is just greenery
🦶💅 diy mani/pedi or just soak your tootsies in a basin of warm water (optional: add Epsom salts/acv/a drop of a delightfully scented body wash or bubble bath) 

💨 take a few deep breaths

And so many more ideas are out there! Feel free to add your favorite(s) in the comment section! 

Treat yourself like royalty ~~👑

Highlight ~

my pov from under a shady tree♡

This view from underneath a shady tree. It's the simple things for me sometimes!

Well...that's about it for me this week. I hope you had an enjoyable and productive week! But before I go...please join me this week at a FREE online event, The Traditional Skills Summit, given by School of Traditional Skills (get your ticket here). We will learn more about subjects such as sourdough bread, the Back to Eden gardening method, traditional bone broth and much, much more taught by the experts themselves! I can't wait to "see you" there!

As always, I thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read my blog. Until next time...

💋xo,

TJ 

Ginger Shots~

I'm always highly intrigued by the specialty beverage section in our local supermarkets and equally as taken aback by the prices for them. On my recent shopping trips, I've noticed teeny tiny little bottles of ginger shots costing two dollars and more. Each.

And, as one does (okay...me. As I'm prone to do), I began to research ginger shot benefits and decided I would like to try them. (Another article on the benefits of ginger shots is here.)

 I found lots of diy versions online but many of the recipes I ran across called for a juicer. Well, I don't have a juicer, nor am I in the position to buy one. So, what's a juicer-less girl to do? Just as I was beginning to give up on the idea of making them for myself-hip hip hooray!-I ran across this blender ginger shot recipe!

The ingredients were easy to locate at my supermarket (I found all mine at Walmart) and the process was fairly straightforward. And...OH BOY, what an eye opening way to start the day! Whoooooh! 

I doubled the recipe, kept it all in a glass canning jar to pour my daily "shots" from and then saved and froze all the ginger-cayenne "goodies" (fibers) that were filtered out to add to smoothies at some point. #wastenotwantnot

bts: fresh ginger, lemons, Zatarain's Cayenne Pepper and C2O Pure Coconut Water

Since it was easy to make (you don't even have to peel the ginger!), and the ingredients were inexpensive enough to justify adding to our grocery budget, I think this will be a good little addition to my immune boosting repertoir! (I say "my" because, as much as I would love to get hubby on some of my healthy kicks, he just isn't having any of it. He likes his "little boy food" (if a toddler would love it, so does, he, lol) thank you very much.

Have you tried ginger shots? I would love to know what your experience is/was with them. Do you buy them or make them yourself? Do you have a favorite recipe or two (easy and blender-able preferred 😁) you wouldn't mind sharing?

Thanks for stopping by for a ginger shot! ~Tj

A Peek Into Last Week (July 30-August 5)~

Errands~ It's been a busy week for me! Usually the most I get out is to buy groceries. This week I had to take care of that, plus a few more things: Dr appointment, groceries, pharmacy, vet grooming appointment, orthodontist appointment.

What I'm cooking, baking and eating~

white and cinnamon raisin breads

oatmeal coconut cookies 

breakfast burritos, fried egg sandwich using a lone leftover hamburger bun (one of hubby's favorites. He's the breakfast eater, I don't eat my first meal until later in the day. I have never been  much of a breakfast eater,  I guess I was an "intermittent faster" before it was cool, lol.), fruit and veggie smoothies, oatmeal coconut cookies, "wacky" cake, black bean dip and tortilla chips, chicken and broccoli fettuccine (using thin spaghetti noodles, as that is what we had on hand-I freeze pasta when I buy it in bulk on sale, and jarred Alfredo sauce I bought on sale this past week at Kroger.), cinnamon raisin and white bread.

mix in baking pan Wacky Cake

pouring on the fudgy icing 

finished Wacky Cake! 

What I'm watching/reading~I'm still reading the same books as I was last week, as I only read a few minutes here and there when I can squeeze it in between all the other things I like and must do.

I've just begun a new Norwegian series on Netflix- The girl from Oslo. I haven't watched enough yet to form an opinion but I do enjoy seeing the different decor and layouts of homes in those areas (actually, I have always found that I will sometimes watch a movie or show soley based on the decor or scenery. Does that make me odd?🙃)

Homekeeping~ Along with the daily chores of laundry, dishes and whatever else needs to be kept on top of, this week's focus was the laundry room and storage area (which in my case, could mean the garage or my craft/sewing/office room 😎)

I braved *wink* the heat and went out and swept a portion of the garage that has been in sore need of it. I usually only spend 5-10 minutes at a time doing chores outside during the summer months Heat and I are NOT friends. I also spent some time decluttering a few things out there. Even though hubby has been unable to spend any time in the garage doing anything for years, I am careful to not throw out any of his things without his "ok". 

In the laundry room, I wiped down and reorganized the messiest shelf. I was able to declutter several unused items that had been covertly taking up space (you know, those things that become part of the landscape and manage to hide in plain sight?). 

Garden~ I planted out four more seedling tomato plants (2 Roma and two Jellybean). I harvested some Swiss chard and sowed some cucumber seeds.

Highlight~ More rain! Rain is ALWAYS a highlight for me.

can you hear the rain?!♡

Annnd...my orthodontist only charged me half price to repair my permanent retainer that had come loose. Plus, she squeezed me in three weeks earlier than the first appointment she noticed available, I just had to come in super early, before their business-as-usual day started. WOW! Thank you Lord!

It is my sincere wish that something you read when you visit here gives you an idea or inspiration that you can use! And as always, thanks for stopping by!~TJ

Making Ends Meet During Tough Times~

Seeing and hearing so many with concerns over lack or loss of income made me realize that I forget sometimes, that the things I do regularly, or have had to do during tough times to get by, not everyone has had to do or even thinks of doing. So, as I think of them, I will post them here, updating as they come to me. They aren't anything groundbreaking, earth shattering or things others have not done, or do not do, but on the off chance something I post helps someone get through a difficult day (or more) I'll be happy to know it helped. I've been there...

*If you think of anything, please add your tips in the comments too~I'm still learning new things after all these years!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♡ Advise to my daughter last night amid concerns of possible future lack: let's be conservative with the supplies and food we presently have on hand to make them last longer and stretch further. No need to use things with wild abandon right now (I've seen how some people in my family squirt the dish soap around here...not mentioning any names ;~D ).

♡ Waste as little (of anything) as possible (re-think those leftovers.
*Leftover bits of meat and veggies can create beautiful, delicious soups and stir frys and pizza toppings! ( my favorite no knead pizza dough recipe: https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/best-ever-pizza-dough/ ~ grandson approved!)
*Add a tidbit of water to get the last little bits of dressings, condiments and sauces out of bottles and cans.
*Use spatulas to scrape out every little bit clinging to sides of bowls and cans, etc.)
*use "day old" breads to make croutons and/or bread crumbs for coating.
*fruit on the verge of going bad? Don't toss! Process (peel, dice) and freeze to use in smoothies, homemade popsicles, banana bread/muffins/pancakes, sorbets, fruit purees/sauces. Use your imagination! And...fun bonus: you can use the peels combined with herbs and spices for a simmering potpourri to make your home smell inviting naturally!

♡ as icky and distateful as the thought might be to some, if you find yourself without access to a washer and dryer, or the money to go to a laundromat, you can put some soapy water in the sink or bathtub, take a clean and santized plunger, and plunge, plunge, plunge those dirty clothes clean! Rinse well then air dry using what you've got: clothes hangers, a clothes line, etc.

♡  when my kids were itty bitty, to discourage the whizzing whir of toilet paper being spun off the roll at the speed of sound, I would flatten the roll before putting in the roller. The resulting lopsided, oval shape didn't as easily allow a tp free for all.

♡ in an attempt to conserve the bleach/sanitizers you have on hand, or would rather not use them in order to avoid the chemicals, you can always boil water to pour over dishes and other things that need to be sanitized AND can stand the heat. (Gentle reminder: NEVER mix bleach with ammonia and other cleaners-even some dish soaps warn not to mix with bleach. Please, always read the label. I've known someone that ended up in the hospital from the noxious fumes from mixing bleach and ammonia )~: )

♡  in a pinch, you can make your own syrups, crackers, herb/seasoning mixes and more!

♡  if you feel the need to stock up on water but find grocery store shelves cleared of it, you can always fill any bottles, glass jars, or jugs you have on hand with...are you ready for it?...TAP WATER! Our family has filled rubbermaid tubs and bathtubs with water when hurricanes were headed our way. Not to drink of course, but to wash, clean or flush toilets with. I prefer to drink bottled water too, and even exclusively give bottled water to our pets (I know, I know) buuut, if our back's against the wall, I refused to NOT drink tap water, even if I have to disguise the taste by making tea, infused, or some other flavored beverage out of it.

♡out of dog food? Can't afford it? For many years, before manufactured dog food was a thing, our faithful companions ate the same foods we ate (and, granted, some things we wouldn’t THINK of eating, lol). I've been making and feeding my dog a 2/1 veggie/meat diet for years (I do keep dry food for emergency backup in case I am unable to make her meals for some reason). I will add: PLEASE remember to research a food that you are unsure of before feeding it to your pup.
On the same subject in regards to feeding cats, as the owned (yes, owned) of a finicky feline, I can't even begin to help you there...#catsarecomplex

♡ be thankful. There's always something to be thankful for no matter how trying the times get. Right here, right now I'm thankful for:
*  the garbage workers that I hear outside picking up our trash.
*  the birds I hear singing in our neighborhood.
*  the sun that will be peeking out from behind the clouds...any minute now.
*  the flowers and trees that are beginning to bud and bloom.
*  the earth that continues to spin and rotate.
*  my heart and lungs that keep on keeping on, regardless of the maltreatment I have subjected my body to over the years.
*  everyone that is working hard to keep us safe and healthy.

More to come I'm sure ;~D ...

●My prayer for us all is that we try to think calmly, rationally and prayerfully during these trying times. Stress and worry contribute to illness~we need our immune systems in the best condition possible!

Stay well!😷

What We Ate this Week ~Dinner Edition

It is still so helpful to me to see what others are having for meals, as I sometimes get into a rut and can't seem to figure out what to make for dinner. (Breakfast is fairly simple and we often don't eat lunch, opting instead to graze.)

This week we had:

Ham and baked acorn squash~ (ham and squash both bought on sale at Aldi. I cooked the ham loosely following this recipe since I didn't have any pineapple on hand and made it in my Wolfgang Puck 8 qt Cooker . For the acorn squash, I  halved them {I  had 3}, scooped out the seeds {saving them for roasting later!} took a stick of softened butter & combined it well with 1/2 cup of sugar and salt and pepper to taste and them frosted those babies all over, placed them in a baking pan and cooked for about 45 minutes in a preheated 375°F oven {your timing may vary. I usually start checking after about 30 minutes, poking with a fork. When they are nice and soft, with a beautiful caramelized glaze-y surface, I  consider 'em done!} )

Chicken and veggies soup with wheat saltines ~ (whole chicken bought on sale at Randall's and slow cooked in my Wolfgang Puck 8-Quart Cooker , meat picked off the bone and broth from the carcass in the same cooker. I used veggies that I had on hand in the freezer {broccoli, cauliflower, mixed Asian vegetables}, pantry {mushrooms, peas and carrots} and crisper {celery, carrots}. I seasoned the broth with herbs and spices I had on hand {garlic powder, dill, turmeric, parsley, salt and pepper}).

Lentil and ham soup with cornbread ~ (lentils were bought when on sale and stored in the freezer and the cornbread was made with pantry staples, eggs {bought on sale} and milk bought at Aldi})


We used the leftovers from the above meals to have for dinners on other nights, making for quick, heat and eat meals.

What did you have for dinner this week?

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

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Pizza Night!

We love pizza! But long gone are the days when we had the regular income that allowed us the privilege of going out to eat twice a week like clockwork, and ordering up a couple of pizzas when the mood struck. We can still enjoy pizza that is as delicious as any pizzeria has to offer though, AND at a fraction of the cost since finding a pizza dough recipe that we think rivals any pizza restaurant's. Add a little of my simple pizza sauce (recipe below) and a few favorite toppings (all bought on sale or grown in the garden, of course!) and dinner is served!

The pizza dough recipe I use is this one. Although it is technically a "no knead" recipe, I find whipping up the dough is even faster, and appeals much more to the lazy housewife in me, when I dump the handful of ingredients into the processor bowl of my Ninja and whir it 'til it all satisfyingly comes together in a ball, but...I have done it both ways. The dough does take some time to do it's doughy thing {aka rising}, so plan your pizza party a day in advance (better yet, just keep some dough made up and keep it in the fridge for those impromptu pizza cravings!)!

what's this?!

it's a pizza dough baby! peek-a-boo!

mama's gonna tuck you in for a nap so you can grow big and strong. night-night little one. shhh!

Mamaw's Simple Pizza Sauce

2 cups canned crushed tomatoes  (can use tomato sauce)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried basil

salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Combine all ingredients. Spread a thin layer on pizza dough before adding toppings. 

*Want to make less sauce? Simply half the recipe, but...keep in mind, any remaining sauce can be frozen and be used for your next pizza party!

Mangia!

Does your family have a regular pizza night? What are your favorite toppings? And if anyone has a tried and true "white pizza" topping/sauce (the garlicky-er😉 the better), please share, as that's my mine and my daughter's favorite. 

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

*I would so appreciate it if you would spread the word to friends and family! Every little bit of income I make through this blog via the sale of my aprons, Avon products, or through my affiliate relationships, helps to support my dear hubby and me and this blog! A million thanks friends! 

Still Eatin' on the Cheap~ And Other Tales of Tightwadery this Past Week

When it rains, it pours, they say.
I can attest to that! Both literally and figuratively.

We have had some glorious, soil soaking rains this past week that have allowed me a break from having to water the garden on a daily basis.

On the "figurative hand", our gate needs replacing and our television has decided it doesn't want to entertain us anymore.  Replacing the television can wait.  The HOA is not as forgiving, which leaves us even less wiggle room in our budget than normal.

It is during these times that I look for ways to tighten up on spending even more than I usually do.  The first two areas I look to to save money are groceries and the second is "wants".

I've been very vigilant about making my shopping lists and sticking to them.  I usually very easily get distracted and tempted by items when I browse during my shopping trips. So, I've been extra mindful to remain focused on my list while shopping.  I put my "blinders" on, so to speak, make a beeline from item to item on my list, put them in my basket and get the heck out of the store!  NO SIGHTSEEING WHILE SHOPPING!

I've also tightened up on electricity monitoring around the house, making sure that if we aren't using lights or fans etc., they get turned off.  I'm beginning to love the romance of candlelight when the sun goes down!

I had also become lax about dishwasher and laundry loads, running both at times when they weren't at a maximum load.  I am aiming to become more efficient at loading the dishwasher and doing loads only when both are truly full.

Another small thing I have begun doing again is requesting samples that interest me and are useful to me or one of my family members.  This week I received samples of a packet of emergency prepared food from the Wise Company, a Vichy skincare product sample and a sample of Dermablend face makeup.  We are especially excited to try the pasta as we have been thinking of researching options for emergency food supplies.

Of course, there is always the offerings, however small,  that the garden gives.  I've gathered some grapes from our grapevine, some sage and a small bunch of celery that grew from a planting of the rooty stalk of store bought celery.  The celery was an experiment that surprised us with a new bunch!

In the kitchen this past week, along with the usual fare, I decided to dust off my old stovetop waffle maker (there's a similar one here) one morning and whip up a rare treat for breakfast.  It's been so long since we've all had waffles the family was pleasantly surprised!  I love honey on mine, hubby loves maple syrup~opposites attract!

I also made an easy cinnamon roll cake that always hits the spot, day or night, with ingredients I had on hand in the pantry.

Of course, I spent a little time in my studio preparing a new apron pattern for future offerings in my Etsy shop.

All in all, I had a productive, wonderful week doing what I love most, making our house a sweet home!  I hope you all have had a happy week and are looking forward to special moments in the week ahead!

Thanks for stopping by!~ TJ

This Past Week's Doin's~

This past week kept me busy around the house.  I try to stay home as much as possible for many different reasons.  The main one is to be available to care for my hubby, who, as I've mentioned before, is disabled due to a stroke. The secondmost important reason is that, the more often I go out to run errands or grocery shop, the more temptation there is to spend money.  We have several different big ticket items that need to be taken care of so I'm trying to save in every area I can.

I simmered a big ol' pot of chicken broth for 36 hours, using a whole chicken, some carrots, celery, a bit of apple cider vinegar and assorted herbs and spices.  I portioned out and froze the resulting liquid gold and will use the broth in several different recipes.  I purposely don't add onion to my brother so that I can add the Nourishing broth to my dog's food as well.  The resulting cooked and cooled chicken meat was also portioned out and frozen for use in future recipes.

I spent some time working on listing items in my Etsy shop.

I collected some basil and snow pea seeds from plants that I purposely let go to seed this past season.  (I posted a quick video of my basil seed collecting on my TJ's Sweet Home instagram account .)

I also sowed several varieties of seeds in the garden: mina lobata (Spanish flag), snapdagons, salvia, forget-me-nots, zinnia, shasta daisy, dill, cucumber, summer squash, jalapeno, oregano, basil and tomato.  Being what I feel is still very much a novice gardener, I do a lot of experimenting with when and where I sow seeds.  I have not had great success following seed packet instructions always, so I figure, what have I got to lose by "breaking the rules"?  I plan on using up the seeds I have on hand and if I never succeed in growing certain veggies or flowers, I won't be buying those particular ones again.  In the meantime, I am going to vary the times and ways I sow the seeds that I already have.  

A few things that we have enjoyed from the garden's offerings have been: lemon balm (for delicious tea!), kale, green onions and tiny johnny jump ups.

I hope you have had an enjoyable week!

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ