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 

 

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

A Peek Into Last Week (October 8-14)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

How was your week? I hope it was a good one! I was able to be a little more productive this week, thank goodness. Here's a little peek...

gregg's mist

Garden~ 

I harvested swiss chard. I can't wait to incorporate it into something delicious (TBD)!

I sowed several different types of seeds: parsley, cilantro,  kale, spinach mustard, jalapeño, bell pepper, zucchini, turnip, radish and lettuces (Grand Rapids. Black Seeded Simpson, Four Seasons and Iceberg). Some of the seeds are several years old, so only time will tell if they are viable. I'm also experimenting with trying to grow more Gregg's Mist from (what I think is) seed from my existing plants. The butterflies love it!

We have not had rain in many, many days. Plus it hasn't been as humid on a lot of those days so I have had to water much more often. Our poor grass sounds crunchy when you walk on it if I don't. On the bright side, less humidity is making the mostly still warm October days, much more pleasant. 

Homekeeping ~

This past week's focus was the kitchen, dining room and breakfast nook. I focused on wiping down the cabinet facings, cleaning out the "junk" drawer and in the breakfast nook area, I set up a small table by the window for seed starting.

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

Egg salad (hubby likes his served with crackers and I have mine served on a bed of salad greens), cheeseburgers & pork burritos (using the pork from this recipe that has been in the freezer. A pork roast lasts the two of us an astonishingly long time. I cook it, we eat some right away, then I cool the remander and divide it up to freeze for future meals.)

I was thankful for being able to pull out a couple of "power food meals" (the one I made "Italiano" style back in September) one evening that I had previously frozen from leftovers, for a quick and easy (seems to be a favorite thread that runs through my mealtime repertoire, no? 😁) dinner for the hubs and me. DIY "TV dinners"? I'll take it!

I know I don't often mention veggies but yes, we do eat them alongside our meals. Common around here are: broccoli, cauliflower,  mixed vegetables, green beans, salads of some sort or crudités.

“Walking is a man’s best medicine.” 

~ Hippocrates

wanna go for a WALK?

Highlight~

The "cooler", less humid couple of days we had afforded us the opportunity to take a walk around our neighborhood. 

the pattern the wind created in these fallen leaves fascinated me!

I'm looking forward to more cool weather walks but enjoyed immensely these little tastes of being able to enjoy the great outdoors in comfort! 

Thanks for stopping by! See you next time~

💋xo, 

TJ

{VLOG} Come Walking with Us | A Neighborhood Walk with Dollface Vlog~

 

Up for a little walk in the neighborhood? Come along with Dollface and me as we finally have the chance to get outside and enjoy the cooler weather! Video here .

Thanks for joining us!

💋xo,

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (September 17-23)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

 Well...Happy Fall y'all! I've been noticing an almost imperceptible change in the weather for a couple of weeks now. It's slightly less hot (I can't say cool yet) and slightly less humid. It's autumn in Texas, lol.

This past week has been the busiest I've had in a very lonnnnng time! This may be a very short and uneventful read since I was thrown off my usual scheduleand routines.

Errands ~

Hubby went to the ER Monday as his pain level was getting the best of him. I had a follow up appointment with my oral surgeon on Tuesday and a deep cleaning on Thursday. 

Somewhere in the mix of things there, I went to the grocery store and to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions and other OTC necessities. 

Homekeeping ~

The focus this week was the office, desk and paperwork. My special project was to clean out a couple of desk drawers and recycle some unnecessary papers. 

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

tomato mozzarella salad 

I did big batch baking of chicken leg quarters (half with lemon pepper seasoning and half with Italian herbs and spices) and a second pan of hamburger patties seasoned with Montreal Steak seasoning. I also made a crustless quiche and a tomato mozzarella salad. It made dinners easy for a busier than usual week.

What I'm watching/reading ~

I watched a movie, Father Stu, on Netflix. I don't know if I was having an emotionally hormonal day or if the movie really got to me that much but I'll just say, the tissue box was definitely on standby 😭. I  found it very touching.

IMDb says the movie, "Follows the life of Father Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-priest who inspired countless people during his journey from self-destruction to redemption.

It is based on the real life story of "Father Stu".

Highlight ~

This little guy had a birthday this past week! He is not so little anymore (he's taller than me!), and has grown into a fine young man that his Mamaw (me!🙋‍♀️) is extremely proud of. Here's to many, MANY more birthdays for this handsome fella!

And...not quite as major as a grandsons birthday, but a highlight for me just the same, is these two snuggling up next to each other...

I hope you had a wonderful 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 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

Hello! It's Been a While~

 

I have missed you! Life's goings on sometimes take center stage. It's good to "see" you again, I hope you have been well!

I am (apparently) one of the few that LOVE when the cooler weather of Autumn shyly begins to peek into our lives. Lower humidity, the crunch of fallen leaves beneath our feet, the golden glow of the afternoons, the way the atmosphere allows you to be able to hear train horns blow from miles away annnd...gathering around cozy fires! Break out the hot chocolate, roast some marshmallows, pour a glass of wine-whatever your pleasure-and settle in by a mesmerizing fire with those you love (or all alone~depending on what your soul needs😊). Whether it's a campfire or fireplace fire, I'll be there! 

How about you? Do you love Autumn? Cooler weather? Cozy campfires/fireplace fires? 

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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The Heat is On!

strolling the beach on Galveston island in TX, with a lone fisherman in the distance

As much as I would like to be one of those people that embrace the hot, sultry summer months here on the coast of Texas, sadly, it just doesn't happen for this girl.  And never has.  As a child and teen, while all my classmates were hoping for sunshine and warm weather for their weekend beach plans, I was silently praying for a cool, rainy weekend, so that I could curl up with a good book.

Once the heat and humidity really set in, I easily become physically ill.  Spending too much time in the hot outdoors leaves me feeling, exhausted, queasy, and like I might pass out at any moment.  Our first official day of over 90 degree Fahrenheit temperature was on the 8th of this month.  That is about the temperature that I notice I just can't take the heat anymore and have to spend most of my time indoors.  I become phantomlike, waiting for sunset, if at all possible, before venturing out to run errands.  Even then, the humidity can make my evening and nighttime outings as unbearable as during the heat of the day.

I have learned to wholeheartedly embrace the months that have temperatures that agree with me to the fullest, and that's just what I have been up to.

any day that leaves you, your dog, and your vehicle covered in sand from stem to stern, is a good day!

One of the things I did before the mercury hit the high 80's, is take a little day trip to my hometown of Galveston, Texas.  I explored my old stomping grounds, walked the beach and closed out the day with a late lunch, parked at Sonic, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.  While noshing, I was treated to the sight of birds, divebombing into the water to catch a little lunch of their own!  The weather was glorious, with light, sea salt scented breezes!  The high that day was 80°F.

a late lunch at Sonic enjoying the view

How is the weather where you are?

Thanks for stopping by!  I'm off to sit in front of a fan, lol!~ TJ

Five Frugal Things ~February 23, 2018

Whooooowheeee!  Lawd have mercy!  Our weather has changed from chilly/cold/wintry to warm and muggy.  All in a matter of ONE DAY.  I had some Michigan in-laws that came to visit years ago, and after experiencing our high humidity, said they felt like they were suffocating.  Said they literally felt they couldn't breath easily.  So, if that gives y'all any idea of the dripping-sweat-before-you-can-dry-off-fresh-out-of-the-shower ick I am currently experiencing, there ya go.  Or, it could be hot flashes.  No. NO!  Dripping-sweat-before-you-can-dry-off-fresh-out-of-the-shower ick has been a thing the whole of my life living here.  But, I'm not complaining (as much as I could be if I really let loose). 😉

I know from reading instagram posts (@tjssweethome should you be inclined to check it out) that there is such a wide range of weather conditions everyone is experiencing, and it seems everyone is "over it", no matter what they're weather is like.  Even though I grouse a bit, I do realize how fortunate we are here in our climate (the giant fire ants hills and mosquitoes that are already staking their claim to co-exist with us notwithstanding).

I'll let that be a segue into my Frugal Five this week:
•  I saved money by not having to go to the sauna for my steam bath and facials.

Just kidding...

•  I took some bananas that were getting all freckly and froze them, along with some apples that I "baked" in the crock pot with some cinnamon.  I'll add them to my smoothies at some point.  Or a dessert.  It all depends on if I'm feeling healthy or "in the mood for something sweet".  I also placed a small amount of leftover fresh cilantro in an ice tray and filled them with water until they were submerged.  I will throw the cubes into soups or some other yummy dish at some point.  I froze some homemade yogurt, before it got to the aforementioned "lactic acid face mask" stage, in my handy dandy ice cube trays.  They are also destined for smoothies or whatever recipe might call for yogurt (or even sour cream).

•  I have been using some expired homemade yogurt for lactic acid facial masks.

•  I have been leaving the blinds and blackout curtains closed during the sunniest and hottest parts of the day so the a/c doesn't have to work as hard.  Our weather has been in the 70's lately which doesn't sound bad until you add in our high humidity. Being a "lady of a certain age" (😂😭) hasn't helped endear me to our weather either! I follow the strategically placed fans that are throughout our home, only turning them on when I am in the direct path of their glorious breeze. #followthefans

•  I picked up three cans of wet cat food using the last of the coupons that was included in Galahad's (our kitty) adoption kit.  I also had three coupons for free items at our local Randall's grocery store that I received playing their Monopoly game.  And let's not forget the free Chobani coupon I took advantage of to get a plain yogurt to start more crock pot yogurt. (I know I could've used some from my last homemade batch but...it kinda got away from me.  Hence the frozen yogurt cubes and lactic acid face mask.  Sometimes, no matter how diligent I try to be, I miss the mark.  What can I say?

•  And last but not least, making shopping lists and sticking to them! I am getting better at not allowing myself to be distracted by all the pretty shinies that like to capture my attention like so many, trench coat clad, back alley "watch salesmen.  "Pssst! Hey, sweet-hahhht. Wanna buy a... ____fill in the blank_____".  Taking deep breaths, and thinking purchases through, before my trembling-with-excitement hand places said unlisted item in my cart has been my strategy.  My recovery even includes sometimes removing items after taking the item on a happy, breezy tour of the store.  Yes, it means I have to backtrack to put them back in their rightful place, but I try to look on that as the exercise that I so desperately need.

Now your turn!  I'd love to hear how you make those pennies, nickles and dimes clink in your change jar.

Thanks for stopping by! ~ TJ