Weekly Goals Update: Week 38

I am so behind this week.  It is mainly due to working on other projects.  I do plan to share our work in the hallway tomorrow and hopefully get back on track.


1.  Disaster Preparedness
Week 38 was communication.  We do have hand crank radios.  The batteries on our MP3 players stay charged for many hours and the radio on these picks up well.  Since the fire station is very near our home, I feel okay with this prep. 


2.  Makeover the Garden
I have my raised beds and several containers cleaned out, but it is just too hot to think about planting any fall crops.  Our highs are still in the 90s, and rain is scarce.  At this point it will be October before I do anything.  In the meantime W is working on plans for a hydroponics system in our greenhouse.  He bartered for some large containers to get started.  I will share more on that as he gets it up and running.


3.  Organize Recipes
I have been too busy with other things to work on this.  I am saving it for a cold winter day - if we ever get one.


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks
I had planned to go to the grocery store last week, but we ended up making do with what we had.  That brings my total to 12.  I will definitely have at least one in October.  Next week will be my big shop for the month of October.


5.  Focus on Saving
I am continuing to work on the various earning websites.  I am currently working to get gift cards to purchase pavers for our patio area.  We found some that we like which are 75% off.  I will not be able to pay for all of them with gift cards, but I can put a dent in the price.  At that price we are willing to pay the extra as we will save much more than if we purchased at the regular price.


6.  Etsy Shop
I need to find a day to list everything I have made.  I have a box full of items to list and am continuing to work on more. 

Weekend Book Reviews

Cooking from Scratch by PCC Community Markets is focused on cooking with seasonal ingredients.  The dishes are simple, and I marked several to try.  One of the ones I look forward to making is the Finnish Buttermilk Cake since I often have buttermilk that needs to be used up.  Many of the recipes include ingredients that I could never talk my family into trying.  An adventurous vegetable eater would make this cookbook more useful.  If you love all types of vegetables and are interested in finding new recipes, this cookbook has great potential.

Dorothy St. James' third book in the Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series is In Cold Chocolate.  Charity Penn has settled into life on the coast of South Carolina as owner of The Chocolate Box.  She joins a turtle watch team in hopes of seeing some baby sea turtles hatch.  One of the volunteers seems to take things a bit too far when she is found holding two guns over the body of a local homeowner.  Penn finds herself in the middle of another mystery all while dealing with legal issues over the chocolate shop.  It is not necessary to have read the first two books, but it does help as one plot line is ongoing. 

If the Coffin Fits by Lillian Bell is the second book in the Funeral Parlor Mystery series.  Desiree works at her family's funeral home and should be used to people dying.  Instead she is finding every death suspicious, and it is starting to cause problems for her family's business.  She also discovers that some people have no problem speaking ill of the dead.  That is the case of Violet who died in a car accident, and the source of Desiree's latest investigation.  Despite the funeral parlor theme, this is not a morbid series.  Desiree and her family as well as the other characters are charming.  This book easily stands on it own and is a strong second installment.  I look forward to many more in the series. 

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Frugal Friday & Living Room Update

This week I sewed more pillow covers for Toby. I used fabric that W got for free.  He came across someone throwing out some items and asked if he could have them.  One was a tote full of various fabrics.  I will have no problem getting six covers made.


We did a variety of home projects and spent nothing.  We used up some items we had previously purchased.  W also used materials from our old house.  I share some of those below in the living room update.


I listed some items we had decluttered on eBay.  Most were books or video games we had bought and read/played. 


I made invitations for a bridal shower I am helping with next month.  I used materials I had in my craft room so I only spent time on them.


I shopped a 75% off Schoola sale and purchased some nice children's jackets to donate to my church's clothing drive.  I also took advantage of a clearance sale at Dollar General to get three pair of shoes to donate. 


Last week we worked on finishing projects in the living room.  First on the list was the dog cave.  At the end of the aquarium cabinet is a opening for Toby's bed.  He does sleep in there at times.  W build an opening which helps finish it off. 

He also used an old door from our old house to build a coffee table and end table.  The trim is made from boards from the old house as well.

Originally he had build a stand for Agatha's tank, but he was never happy with how it looked.  Instead he painted the original stand. 

That wrapped up the last of the projects for the living room.  This week we have been working on the foyer and hallway.  I feel like we are on track to finish everything by Thanksgiving.  I love seeing all of the little things done.

Weekly Goals Update: Week 37

1.  Disaster Preparedness
My prayers go out to those affected by Florence. At some point nothing you do can prepare you for the devastation that follows a natural disaster.  My heart just is not in discussing my own preparations when so many are suffering.


2.  Makeover the Garden
I have been so busy working on other projects that the garden has taken a backseat. This week I will spend at least an hour a day working to get it ready for fall planting.


3.  Organize Recipes
I have a large box of page protectors so once the time changes and the weather turns cold I am ready to organize.


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks
I stayed out of the grocery stores last week bringing my total to 12.  This week I will have to shop for a few things.


5.  Focus on Saving
I did an awful job last week with the earning websites.  I finally figured out my problem with the Swagbucks videos so this week should go better.  I am making it a point to work on them while I am drinking my coffee in the morning.


6.  Etsy Shop
I have been busy making samples.  My plan for Friday is to spend some time posting the items I have made and setting up a Facebook group page.  A friend suggested that I set up an Instagram page as well so I want to look into that.  I will continue to make samples of items too. So much to do!

Weekend Book Reviews

Pandemic 1918 by Catharine Arnold is a well written book about the 1918 Spanish flu.  The first hand accounts painted a vivid picture of the horror that people faced during that time.  It ties World War I into the story and explains how trying to stop the spread as in the case of Alaska and Australia was futile.  The book also carries readers to the present and shares how researchers are working to prevent history from repeating itself.  I have read several books about the 1918 flu, but this one was especially griping due to the first hand accounts of survivors and caregivers. 

Allison Brooks' second book in the Haunted Library Mystery series is Read and Gone.  Carrie is happy with her job at the library and her visits from the library ghost Evelyn.  She gets a Christmas surprise when her often absent father Jim returns.  It would be a good thing if he was in town to see her and not track down his share of stolen jewels.  When Jim's partner Benton is murdered, Jim is the first suspect.  Despite his treatment of her, Carrie is determined to track down the gems and clear her father.  I did not read the first book in this series, but I had no trouble keeping track of the characters.  The mystery was strong with several likely candidates for the guilty party.  I loved that Evelyn was a serious part of the book rather than a silly addition.  I look forward to catching up on the first book and reading future ones in the series!

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Weekend Book Reviews

In Want of a Knife by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli is the third book in the Little Library Mystery series.  I had read a previous book in the series.  I had hoped to see some stronger character development in this book.  Unfortunately Jenny is still moping around since she has no man in her life and appears weak.  Her friend Zoe comes across as bitter.  The story did not flow well at all.  It jumps from one thing to the next without ever accomplishing anything.  The idea for the books is wonderful, but for me the execution falls flat.

Southern Snacks  by Perre Coleman Magness includes 77 recipes.  Some of the recipes are in most southerners arsenal including cheese straws and comeback sauce. A few were new to me such as the collard pimento cheese dip.  I was slightly offended at the thought of adding anything except salt to the water for boiled peanuts.  Good boiled peanuts do not need anything else.  Of course each southerner has his/her own family twist on most recipes.  It is a nice mixture of traditional and new.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Frugal Friday

We needed one more gallon of paint to finish a project in the kitchen and do some touch up painting.  Sherwin Williams had a sale ending earlier this week so we went on the last day to take advantage.  We will not start the painting for another week or two, but I wanted to buy the paint while we could get a discount.


I added a couple of containers of taco seasoned meat to the freezer.  I might reach W's goal of a month of freezer meals with little grocery shopping.  It took about as long to make an extra big batch of taco meat as a regular one.


We did some projects in the living room using materials and supplies we already had on hand.  I will share pictures next week.  Now that W has more free time we are determined to finish all those little things that never quite got done on the new house.    We are off to a good start.


The batteries in our heating/air conditioner temperature control went out.  I was happy that they lasted nearly two years.  We replaced them with rechargeable batteries.  The unit gives a low battery warning, and I always keep a supply of batteries charged. 


W has started tearing down our old house.  I asked him to pile up any trash in one area so I can dispose of it.  Yesterday evening I took time to fill our trashcan as full as possible with the trash.  We pay a set amount each month so it makes sense to take advantage of it.

On The Farm: Animals

We recently took in a few more rabbits. They are all girls and fit in nicely with the rabbits we already have.  Unfortunately not all of them like to be still long enough for pictures, but here are a few of the ones that cooperated.

This white rabbit is beyond fluffy.  She also sheds like crazy.  She is very friendly and comes right up to me for her treat each evening.

This rabbit is velvety soft.  She has a lovely gray/black coat.


We recently got some peafowl - a few peacocks and several peahens.  The boys are starting to get their new tail feathers.  They are currently shedding the fluffiest gray feathers I have ever seen.  I collect some each day to use in craft projects.





The turkeys are doing well.  Whitey actually has nicer tail feathers than Frank this year although no one could convince Frank of that.





Rebecca was hanging out under a building in the shade.

The triplets are growing well.  W is still convinced they are all three girls. 

When I zoomed out you can see that neither Toby nor the turkeys pay any attention to each other.





A Few of My Favorite Cozy Mysteries

Over the weekend olderandwiser asked about my favorite cozy mystery authors.  I thought I would share some of the series that I particularly like.


The first one that comes to mind is the Bird Lover's Mystery series by J.R Ripley.  I enjoy the mix of characters in the series and the bird watching theme.


The second series that I love is the Cora Crafts Mystery series by Mollie Cox Bryan.  The setting for this series is a craft retreat and the characters change a bit with each book.


Perhaps my favorite series is the Bunco Biddies Mystery series by Julie B Cosgrove.  This series focuses on a group of very active seniors at a retirement community.  The books do have a religious aspect to them.


Each cozy mystery series has a theme be it cooking, a craft, a location.  If you have a particular interest, that is a great way to narrow down what cozies you might like the best.  Hope this helps a bit. 

Yard Work

Last week was our week to focus on the yard.  We still have several projects remaining, but we managed to cross some things off the to do list.  I completed the two flower beds that I mentioned in my Frugal Friday post.


W took some time to pressure wash the deck, kitchen steps, and the front porch.  Everything looks nice and fresh now.

We also got the old storage building emptied and moved.  We had gotten a new-to-us garden shed late last year.  The old one was moved to the back of the property for use as a feed and chicken cage storage area.  We still have to clean up the area where it was, but the front part of the yard already looks more open.

We also discovered what happened to most of Rebecca's eggs.  Our turkey was robbed by wharf rat.  Hopefully with the rat's home gone, it has moved on as well.

Finally we cleaned part of the area at the back of the chicken house and the entrance to the rabbit house.  I have three sizes of pots for water.  The turkeys, bantam chickens, and some baby chicks all come to this area for water.  I like to have something available for all of them.  I added a small turtle decoration just for fun.



This week we are working on the living room.  I made a list of projects and chores to keep us on track.  Check back next week for the update.

Weekly Goals Update: Week 36

1.  Disaster Preparedness
Week 36 was sugars.  I keep a stockpile of sugar for the short term, but I also have stevia growing in the garden.  I already use packets of stevia or the leaves in my herbal teas.  I expect everyone else would have to get used to the taste if a disaster lasted long term.


2. Makeover the Garden
W mowed the garden earlier today.  Tomorrow my plan is to start cleaning up some of the beds to prepare for fall planting.  I still need to wait a week or two before I can plant any seeds, but I need that time to get everything back in order.


3.  Organize Recipes
I have to order some page protectors so I can organize my crochet patterns.  I opted for the slightly bigger package.  It is more cost effective and will give me enough for the two projects.


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks
I have no plans to go to the grocery store again this week.  I skipped shopping last week to get my total to 11.  I feel confident that I can knock this goal out very soon.


5.  Focus on Saving
I slipped a bit doing the websites to earn gift cards.  Since I have several things I want for the house, I need to get back to these this month.


6.  Etsy Shop
I have been busy crocheting samples of items to post in my Etsy shop.  If all goes well, I will add those later this week.


Also not officially on the goals list, but something we are working on - finishing up house projects and getting things in order.  Several neighbors have asked about an open house since we built our own house and it is unusual.  I am combining the Holiday Grand Plan with our projects lists.  Tomorrow I will share what we worked on in the yard last week. 

Weekend Book Review

The Taco Tuesday Cookbook by Laura Fuentes offers 52 taco recipes.  I love that there are varying degrees of difficulty for the recipes.  A few provide short cuts for days when time is limited.  The restaurant-style salsa is great for winter as it uses canned tomatoes rather than fresh.  The pulled pork tacos and siracha chicken tacos are at the top of my list.  I also like some of the extras such as watermelon aqua fresca and siracha lime dressing.  If your family enjoys tacos, this cookbook can help you add variety to your menus!

Olivia Hopps' The Edible Cookie Dough Cookbook is easily my favorite cookbook of the year.  The recipes are quick to make using basic ingredients for the most part.  The method for heat treating the flour uses a microwave to keep things simple.  I marked several recipes to try out but made the snickerdoodle cookie dough first.  It was delicious with just the right amount of sweetness.  The recipe made enough dough to fill a 23 oz container.  Most of the finished doughs can be kept on the counter with options for the refrigerator and freezer for long term storage.  If you have a cookie dough fan in your house, you need this cookbook!

disclosure:  I received this e-book from NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own!

Weekend Book Reviews

Goodbye Crueller World by Ginger Bolton is the second book in the Deputy Donut Mystery series.  Emily and her father-in-law are hired to do a doughnut wall for a wedding.  It seems to be going well until the groom dies from suspected poisoning.  The additional characters in this book are not quite as eccentric as the first book.  The mystery was on the weaker side since I guessed the murderer early on.  Still I love the idea of a former cop owning a doughnut shop and will give a third book a try.  I would like to see Emily moving forward in her own life rather than pushing her friends into romances.

Lynn Cahoon's A Deadly Brew is a Kindle single in the Tourist Trap Mystery series.  Jill and her boyfriend along with three other couples are spending the weekend in a haunted house.  This is a fast past mystery perfect for the upcoming Halloween season.  I liked that I could read it in one sitting.  The former owner's disappearance years earlier is the focus of the mystery.  I enjoy Ms. Cahoon's writing style and how she brings the characters to life!

The latest book in the Welcome Back to Scumble River series by Denise Swanson is Die Me a River.  Skye has enough to deal with following the birth of her twins while living in a motor home after her own home was destroyed by a tornado.  While she and her husband Wally are at the church planning the twins' christening, an explosion at the nearby bowling alley adds more chaos to their lives.  Wally is unsure if the target was the gambling machines or the unpopular insurance agent who was the only fatality.  This book has plenty of action and wonderful small town characters - including the quirky ones.  This is a great series for classic cozy mystery fans.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise comp.  ensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Frugal Friday (with Pictures!)

1.  Since we will not be doing the expanded front porch on our house yet I decided to create a couple of small flower beds on either side of the steps. 

I used bricks from in front of the old storage building which was moved this week to create the border.  I planted sweet Williams that were previously in pots and very root bound.  I left a couple of petunias that were already growing in the spot.  The plants should improve in appearance now that the roots have room to grow.  It cost nothing except some time.

2.  I had saved a crochet pattern that I liked on Etsy.  When I was looking through my favorites list, I clicked on the description and discovered I could get two patterns free by signing up for the shop's newsletter.  I choose the bee pattern that I liked and a penguin pattern.  I saved $11.

3.  Our two inside cats are older and often made a mess when using the litter box.  W took an old tote we had and made an enclosed one.  Most of the mess stays confined, and the tote is easy to wash out.  This was another free project since we already had the materials.

4.  I made sure to put any leftovers that we were not eating within two days into the freezer.  I started a list so we would remember what we had.  W thinks it will be nice to have an entire month of no grocery shopping and just eat freezer meals.  I am not sure that will happen yet, but it will be a nice goal for next year.

5.  One of the outside cats turned over a pot with a dragon fruit plant in it.  Unfortunately one section of the plant broke off.  I noticed that the broken section had some roots on it.  I stuck it into an empty planter on the front porch and have been keeping it watered.  If all goes well I will have an additional dragon fruit plant.

Weekly Goals Update: Week 35

1.  Disaster Preparedness
I could not get into the week 35 goal of carbs.  I do keep rice, pasta, etc on hand.  Since I am really only focused on short term emergencies rather than 20+ year disasters I feel okay.


2.  Makeover the Garden
The garden needs mowing again.  This week I am busy in other parts of the yard so the garden is taking a back seat.  I am planning out my fall garden and will work on that next week.


3.   Organize Recipes
This is going to be a cold weather project.


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks
I have 10 of these knocked out and plan to add another one this week.  I have no plans to go to the grocery store at all this week.


5.  Focus on Saving
I feel like September is not the month for savings.  I have been buying patterns and materials to stock my Etsy shop.  The patterns are an investment since I can use them over and over.  I have also been choosing patterns that are in a variety of sizes or can be adjusted to different sizes.  I still have a bunch on my wish list but for now I have plenty to keep me busy making samples. 


Second we are determined to finish the inside the house projects.  Most of these are minor but will require some spending.  It is best to just buy the items and get it all done.


6. Etsy Shop

I spent a morning last week adding a few items to my Etsy shop:  Chick-a-D Designs.  I am working each day to crochet an item to add. Hopefully by the end of this month I will have a well stocked shop.  I also want to set up a Facebook group page later this month.  I am starting with crochet kitchen items, baby photo props, and hats/gloves.  I have plans to add other items as I build my shop.

Weekend Book Reviews

Shattered at Sea  by Cheryl Hollon is the fifth book in the Webb's Glass Shop Mystery series.  Savannah, owner of Webb's Glass Shop, has been offered a temporary job as a glassblower on a cruise ship.  Her boyfriend, Edward, and his cousin, Ian, are going along.  The trip gets off to a bad start when Ian goes missing.  While the ship's security suspects suicide, Savannah and Edward are not convinced and begin their own investigation.  The change of scenery was a nice touch.  The mystery moved along quickly and kept me guessing until the end.  I enjoyed the information about glassblowing as well.

Tina Kashian's second book in the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series is Stabbed in the Baklava.  Lucy agrees to take on a catering job for a high society wedding.  She thinks it is the perfect opportunity to prove she can run Kebab Kitchen.  When the best man winds up dead in the locked catering van, Kebab Kitchen's head chef is the prime suspect. The book had several twists and turns.  The only thing missing is some hummus recipes.  All of the descriptions of the varieties on the hummus bar have me hungry for my own to enjoy!

Dim Sum of all Fears by Vivien Chien is the second book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series.  Lana is all set for a second interview for an office job and a way out of her parents' noodle shop.  Her plans are for naught when her parents announce they are going to Taiwan and put her in charge of the restaurant.    Soon after they leave the couple who own the shop next door are found dead.  The apparent murder-suicide is just a cover up for something more sinister.  The setting of Asia Village is a place I wish I could go to in real life.  The characters only add to the charm.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!