Catching Up: Goal Update Week 8 & Back to Basics

Pollen is not my friend this week.  Well, I should clarify that pine pollen is not my friend.  I have been happy to see the bees with pollen from my citrus trees.  The pine pollen has left me feeling less than perky.  Earlier in the week I spent my time on things that must be done.  W is working a bit late, and I am taking a break so I thought it was a good time to check in.  Goals first....

1.  Save all of Our Change for the Year

I added a bit of change this past week.  We did very little shopping so there was only a few coins to toss in the jar.

2.  Plan Ahead for My Business

I am continuing to work on Easter baskets.  The rabbit is almost done, but I am rethinking the ears.  Next on my list is a dinosaur.  I am working away on orders and am on track at this point.  I have reached a fork in the road so to say about the direction for my business over the coming months.  I have decided to see how things go through March before I make any final decisions. 

I was pleasantly surprised to get a new list of orders just as I was about to catch up.  These are spaced out enough with a bit of extra room before the deadlines. 

3.  Use the Dehydrator More

I will certainly do this more when the garden is in full swing.  For now I am researching things that can be dehydrated.  We have an over abundance of peaches in the freezer so I am thinking homemade fruit rolls will be in my future.


Back to Basics....

With the sinus/allergy problems I have been trying to drink more.  I wanted something more than plain water. I ended up making some flowerchild tea.  I added in two cups of bottled juice and no additional sugar.  It is one of my favorite drinks.

We ate leftovers for several meals.  It helped to not have to cook every day. It also helped the grocery budget.  I was able to roll over a few planned meals to this week.  I skipped buying additional snacks since we had plenty of snack foods in the pantry. 

I used more aquarium water for my seedlings.  They are growing well so it must be working. 

I picked greens from the yard to feed the rabbits and chickens.  We have an issue with some pests in the chicken house due to the warmer winter.  W opted to treat it with Dawn dish detergent.  It is so much safer for our the animals in addition to being cheaper. 

Back to Basics & I Remembered

I did some bargain shopping this week.  I bought backpacks at 70% to donate to our church.  I got over $60 worth of backpacks for less than $20.  We are a small church so it helps to stretch every dollar.

I also bought some planner stickers, pens, etc at the same sale to give to my "sister" in the secret sister program at church.  I think all of her gifts except one have come from clearance sections.  I have heard through the grapevine that she has loved everything which proves you do not need to spend a ton of money on a gift.

I used water from the aquarium to fertilize my seedlings again.

The rabbits have been eating vegetable scraps or things scavenged from the yard.  We do not spray anything so they get to eat organic.

I won a book and tennis ball in an Instagram giveaway.  I really just wanted the tennis ball for Toby.  I do not read romance novels so I gave the book to my mom.

Many of my nieces and nephews no longer live close to use.  Rather than buying a gift and then paying for shipping, I find something on Amazon Prime that they will like and have it shipped free.

I did remember what I thought my third goal should be - use my dehydrator more.  This is something that is easy to do if I just push myself a bit.  I want to get out of my comfort zone and dehydrate some new things.  I also want to make better use of dehydrating herbs and excess garden produce which will be a money saver.  

Goals Update Week 7

1.  Save All of Our Change for the Year

The coin jar is a little fuller.  We do not do a ton of shopping so I am not sure the jar will ever completely fill up.  Still it will be interesting to see how much is there at the end of the year.

For our online purchases, I have decided to round them up when paying the credit card bill.  That should help chip a bit off the debt.

2.  Plan Ahead for My Business

This past week I posted something on my Facebook page every day.  I went from almost completely caught up on orders to having a list with deadlines through June.  I am not sure if the two are completely related, but I feel like it definitely helped.  Unfortunately I am mostly out of new things to post this week.  Instead I will post a few previous items since I do have many new followers.

I finished another Easter basket - a dragon.  

 

This week I need to finish up a bunch of sloth plant holders for online orders and a unicorn which is being donated to a local school.  I also want to find a bit of time to start on a bunny Easter basket.

3.  Goal #3

This one is tough.  Last night as I was trying to shut my mind down so I could go to sleep, I decided that trying to master 12 cooking techniques this year was probably not in my best interest.  I thought of a wonderful new goal that would be a bit challenging but something I could achieve.  The problem.....this morning I cannot remember what it is.  I am hoping that it will come back to me so I can share it with y'all.  *Sigh* I feel like that is what my life is like now.  

Sunday Book Reviews

Crisis in the Red Zone by Richard Preston is a thrilling non-fiction book about the most recent Ebola outbreak.  While I knew some of the story from the news reports, Mr. Preston takes readers much deeper into the events.  Most shocking was the information about Doctors Without Borders and their ineffective politically correct policies.  It makes me wonder how many people die needlessly due to their "fairness" policies.  How is not treating anyone since they cannot treat everyone in the midst of an emergency a smart practice?  I was amazed by the strength of the African doctors and nurses who did so much with so little in the face of overwhelming sickness.  This book was eye opening and a wonderful read.

The fifteenth book in the Mystery with Recipes book series by Isis Crawford is A Catered New Year's Eve.  I had not read any of the previous books in the series which might have led to the fact that I did not like the main characters, Bernie and Libby.  The two honestly made the worst decisions.  They get tons of red flags regarding some estranged relatives but continue to pursue a relationship.  Then the engage in a high speed chase in a snowstorm driving a van on its last legs.  Their father should be the main character as he is the only one with good sense.  The mystery was okay, but the characters were just not people with whom I connected. 

Three Widows and a Corpse is the third book in the Food Blogger Mystery series.  Hope and some friends are taking part in her town's annual scavenger hunt when she stumbles on a dead body.  The scene gets even more complicated when three women show up all exclaiming about their dead husband.  I like the series including the setting, Hope's life, and the supporting character.  My only issue is Hope's constant need to explain that she is "curious".  She is not curious but an overly nosy busybody which is fine if she will just own it and move on.  The mystery is strong.  I simply want Hope to be a smarter, stronger character.

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

Garden Update Week 6

The seedlings and plants are slowly taking over the living room and kitchen.  W has offered to build me a growing tower, but he is swamped with his business right now.  I am just trying to find room as best I can for now.

You can see a bunch of new peat pellets this week.  I planted several varieties tomatoes, a few herbs, and some eggplants.  The dwarf tamarillo seedling (smaller green plants) are continuing to do well.

Many of these pepper plants are almost ready to be transplanted into larger containers with compost.

The banana pepper seeds have sprouted.

Here are more tomato starts and the transplanted baby sweet peppers.  For some reason a few of my artichoke seedlings are dying.  I wonder if these would be better if direct sown in the garden.  

I also cleaned out a few more beds in the garden.  The temperatures here continue to fluctuate, but it is much too early for planting outside no matter if we have 80 degree days.  

Grocery Spending Weeks 5 & 6

I went a bit overboard during the last two weeks with my shopping.  We were out of fresh produce.  I am dreaming of spring when I can just get that stuff from the backyard rather than buying it at the store.  I also added in some quick meal items.  Overall it is not horrible, and I should be able to avoid the grocery stores next week.  Many of this week's meals will provide leftovers for the freezer too.

Week 5
pineapple juice (wonderful for sinus congestion)
apples
avocado
hamburger
broccoli
cabbage
carrots
cheese
Italian seasoning mix
egg rolls
lettuce
grape tomatoes

Total $35.27

I appreciate being able to buy fresh produce, but I really, really want to have our greenhouse and hydroponics set up before next winter.

Week 6
half & half
potatoes
bread
pepperoni
sub rolls (I have yet to find a good homemade sub roll recipe.  Anyone have one to share?0
butter
pretzels
cream of mushroom and chicken soups
creamed corn
crushed tomatoes
refried beans
ketchup
cheese
mushrooms
oatmeal
bell pepper
jam
lunch meat
pickles
tortilla chips (I found tomatillo salsa in the freezer)

Total $64.54

I will have to watch the spending for the rest of the month, but I know I have more than two weeks worth of meals out of today's purchases.

January Total:  80.41
February Total:  99.87

Back to Basics

I feel like last week passed me by.  W was under the weather for a few days, and then I had a migraine.  The good news was that while I did get a bit behind on housework, I managed to feed us from the pantry/freezer.  I did pick up some quick meal items while at the grocery store since we had cleaned all of those out during the pantry challenge.

One of my back to basic goals for this year is to do some decluttering so the house is easier to clean.  That means I need to set aside time to sort items that are trash, to be donated, and to be sold.  I started in my craft room which is by far the worst room.  I am giving myself until the middle of March.  I already tossed out some trash and set aside items for a neighborhood yard sale. 

I only bought yarn that I needed to start on an order.  It was tempting to pick up some other especially since there was a sale.  I am working to make as much as I can from yarn that I already have and am only buying what is necessary to complete custom orders.

Rather than buy fish emulsion fertilizer for the seedlings I dipped water from the aquarium.  Water must be taken out and replaced once a week anyway. Rather than throw all of it out I used it as fertilizer.

There was a clearance sale at Dollar General this past weekend.  While I did go look, nothing that I needed was included at the store near me.  I left without buying anything.  A deal is only a deal if it is on something that you need. 

How have you saved money recently?

Goals Update Week 6

1  Save All of Our Change for the Year

I have gotten in the habit of cleaning out my coin purse when I come in from running errands.  The jar is slowly filling up.

2.  Plan Ahead for My Business
I am working to catch up on orders right now.  I have three left but all are rather involved.  Technically I will have one left.  It is a multi-item order, but I have until June to do it.  I ordered the yarn for one of the items over the weekend so I can get started.  I am also still working on the Easter baskets.  The unicorn is done, and the dragon is in the works.

3.  Try 12 New Recipes/Cooking Techniques

I am attempting to make a sourdough starter this month.  I ended up getting a migraine at the end of last week and was pretty much useless for a few days.  As a result my starter suffered.  I think I need to start over.  I want to look for a more in-depth tutorial since I have no idea what it should look or smell like.  I am determined to make it work

Weekend Book Reviews

Deadly Ride by Jody Holford is the third book in the Britton Bay Mystery series.  Molly is helping cover the Classic Car Crawl organized by her boyfriend Sam.  When one of the car crawl's co-founder is found murdered, Molly begins her own investigation.  This is an enjoyable series in a nice setting, and this book fits in well.  This particular series is a bit heavy on the romance for my personal preferences.  The mystery was strong, and that is the most important part of a cozy mystery.  It is more than enough to keep me reading the series in the future.

The third book in the Black Sheep & Co Mystery series by Anne Canadeo is Hounds of the Basket Stitch.  Maggie and her knitting group visit two sisters to teach them some basic knitting stitches.  When the sisters are attacked, Maggie cannot help but get involved in the mystery.  The suspect list is long from a mysterious drifter to the sisters' half brother.  This book is best enjoyed if you have read the previous ones.  I enjoyed the mystery even though I figured out the suspect early on, and I love the characters.

Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey is the first book in the Cider Shop Mystery series.  Winnie is working hard to save her grandmother's orchard and open her own cider shop.  It seems like someone has it out for the orchard when a dead body is discovered followed by a series of threats.  This was a wonderful start to a new series.  I enjoyed the small town setting.  The characters were easy to relate to as the story progressed.  It was also the strongest mystery I have read recently.  I was stumped up until the end.  I look forward to many more from this series!

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

Goals Update Week 5

I cannot seem to get my act totally together.  Maybe next week....  Better late than never though.

1.  Save All of Our Change for the Year

I added more coins to the jar this week.  It is slowly building up.  I am definitely going to wait until the end of the year to see how much we accumulate.

2.  Plan Ahead for My Business
I am still busy with baby shoes and am also working on orders.  I continue to chip away at the Easter baskets.  I have yet to add anything to my Etsy shop, but I am thinking that I may give the Easter baskets a try.  I do not see many of those listed yet.  Trying to guess what will sell is not my strong point.  The shoes I made just to fill a space in my booth sold before the ones I thought would sell.

Now for the new goal....

3.  Try 12 New Recipes/Cooking Techniques
I will have to double up one month to make up for January.  For February I am trying my hand at making sourdough starter.  I am not sure the first batch is doing much so it may take a few tries to get it right.  That is what makes it a challenge though to work toward. I am trying a method in Grit magazine, but if anyone has a starter method please share.


I am going to double up and add Back to Basics on today's post.

• I entered some online sweepstakes and instant wins.  It is free so much cheaper than playing the lottery and occasionally I win something.

• We ate leftovers, and I cooked from scratch.

• I planned laundry around the weather and washed clothes on the sunny days.  It meant doubling up a bit, but I did not have to use the dryer.

• I needed to transplant the pepper and artichoke seedlings.  Rather than buy potting soil, I dug up some compost.  It has extra fertilizer from the added rabbit manure and the chickens.  I expect it is better for the plants, and it was free.  

• I did not buy any yarn.  I admit that I was really tempted by a sale.  My plan for this month is to make as much as I can with the yarn I have on hand.

Weekend Book Reviews

Late Checkout by Carol J Perry is the ninth booth in the Witch City Mystery series.  Lee has her hours cut at her local television reporting job.  She uses the extra time to volunteer at the local library with her Aunt Libby.  While shelving books, Lee discovers more than she bargained for - a dead body.  The recent death soon leads her to digging into the past as mysteries overlap.  I enjoy this series.  The characters mesh well together, and Lee is a likable heroine.  The mystery was strong and kept me guessing back and forth until the end.

The first book in the Cat Cooper Mystery series by Victoria Laurie is Coached to Death.  Apparently Cat is the main character from another series which I have not read.  Perhaps that made this particular book hard for me to get into.  Cat is divorced and living in the Hamptons where she has decided to become a life coach.  Things are going okay except in regards to her neighbor Heather who dislikes Cat.  After a particularly bad encounter with Heather who winds up dead, Cat is the only suspect.  She and her best friend Gilley are determined to prove her innocence.  I really, really wanted to like this book.  I even overlooked the snide shots at people with religious convictions.  In the end the problem was Cat.  In her previous life she was supposedly a very successful business owner.  In this book she whines and throws temper tantrums (hissy fits for those in the south) that would make a toddler jealous.  Heather was fa from perfect, but no one should ever be rooting for the main character to wind up in jail!

Have Yourself a Beary Little Murder by Meg Macy is the third book in the Teddy Bear Mystery series.  Sasha is thrilled that her family's store, Silver Bear Shop and Factory, won the Teddy Bear Keepsake Contest.  Now in addition to all of the other holiday busyness, they are producing the specialty bear.  Sasha finds herself in the middle of another mystery when the man in the Santa Bear costume, the town's mayor, is found dead. This is a nice holiday themed cozy with plenty of things happening.  The mystery was not the strongest, but I enjoy the setting and characters of this series.

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

Pantry Challenge Days 22 - 27

No pictures, but I did remember to keep up with what we ate.

Saturday we had a pizza.  I picked a couple mini bell peppers from the greenhouse to go on top of the pizza.  I also used up the last of the pickled jalapeno peppers on mine.

Sunday I put a turkey breast in the slow cooker before we went to church.  Unfortunately I turned it to low rather than high so it was not done when we got home.  Instead we had corn dogs and fries from the freezer.  Supper was turkey sandwiches.

Monday and Tuesday were more turkey sandwiches and chips from the pantry.  By Wednesday I was trying to be creative with the turkey.  I made pot pie filling with the majority of it.  We had a pot pie for dinner, and I froze two containers for future meals.  There was still turkey left so I put it in the freezer so I can make a ham and cheese wrap in a week or two.

Thursday we had ham, macaroni & cheese, and corn.  We ate and there was enough left for a plate of leftovers.

Friday was Brunswick stew and grilled cheese since it was so rainy and cold.  The Brunswick stew was from the freezer, and we used the last of the homemade bread I made. 


I am going to continue the pantry challenge until my grocery shopping day this coming week.  I will either share menus or something new starting next Saturday.