Weekly Goals Update: Week 44

1.  Disaster Preparedness
Week 44 was collapse investing.  The site says it considers events such as hurricanes.  With that in mind, their advice of having gold is just silly.  Following the last hurricane stores were only accepting small bills/coins and absolutely no gold - not that I knew anyone who tried. I feel like this goal is going by the wayside with some of these preparations.

2.  Makeover the Garden
The bantam chicks got into my swiss chard and spinach seedlings and had quite the party.  That means I need to fix the hole where they got in and replant this week.  Chickens are wonderful, but free range ones are very resourceful.

3.  Organize Recipes
I actually worked on this a bit last week.  I cleaned out some from Pinterest and printed copies of a few to add to my notebook.

4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done

5.  Focus on Saving
My plan for this month is to save on the grocery bill and organize the pantry.  We have piles of random things in the pantry.  I want to make a menu each week of this month with a focus on using what we have.  I will purchase any items to round out the meals and hopefully save some money.

6.  Etsy Shop
My plan for this month is to add an item each day (except on Sundays) to my shop.  I am off to a good start and will hopefully have a variety of items for sale in time for the Christmas season.  Last week I listed three items.

Beagle Coffee Cozy

Berry Stitch Hat (Doll - Adult Sizes)

Cloche Style Hat with Ties

Weekend Book Reviews

The Nightmare Before Dinner by Zach Neil features recipes from the Beetle House.  The book features everything from sauces to desserts.  I found the sauce section to be most interesting.  A large section of the book is cocktails which did not appeal to me.  Only one includes directions for a non-alcoholic version.  I did expect to see a few more recipes for main dishes.  My husband quickly nixed the burger which included chocolate covered bacon.  That might work well in a theme restaurant but not in the average home.  If you are a Halloween fan, you would enjoy this cookbook though. 

The Frighteners by Peter Laws takes a look at people's fascination with the macabre.  Peter Laws just happens to be a pastor who loves all things horror.  He takes a look at everything from ghosts to vampires to zombies.  It might seem like the two do not go together, but it was interesting to read how watching The Exorcist led to him being saved.  I enjoyed this unusual look at horror through the eyes of a minister.

The sixth book in the Candy Coated Mystery series by Nancy Coco is Forever Fudge.  A film crew invades Mackinac Island over the Labor Day weekend.  Allie is busy with the end of tourist season.  It seems that a murderer is taunting Allie after two bodies are found with notes addressed to her.  I figured the killer out early on, but I still enjoyed the book for the setting and characters. 

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

Weekend Book Reviews

Final Roasting Place  by Devon Delaney is the second book in the Cook-Off Mystery series.  Sherri takes part in a cooking contest during a local morning tv show.  Her father is on hand to watch.  When the young co-host of the show is murdered with a tool from her father's ruggery shop, Sherri jumps back into another murder investigation.  This is a strong mystery with an equally strong female lead.  I enjoy both sides of the focus of this book:  the ruggery and the cooking.  This is quickly becoming one of my favorite series.

Book five in the Chocolate Whisperer Mystery series by Colette London is The Peppermint Mocha Murder.  Hayden is taking a break from her global chocolate whisperer job to vacation over the Christmas holiday in a small New England town.  She as invited by her financial adviser Travis.  Also along for the trip is her friend and sometimes body guard, Danny.  The small town is rocked when a murder is committed at the bed and breakfast where Hayden is staying.  The chocolate theme of the book is interesting.  I enjoy this series, but I am looking to see some growth in Hayden's character beyond her obsession with Travis while she strings Danny along. 

Premeditated Peppermint by Amanda Flower is the third book in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series.  Bailey is spending her first Christmas with her Amish grandmother.  She is looking forward to a simple holiday season.  That is sidelined when her ex-boyfriend shows up with a camera crew in tow.  He plans to rekindle his romance with Bailey in Amish country to save his floundering career.  When the shows producer is murdered, he begs Bailey to help find the murderer before he is arrested.  I love this series.  The Amish setting mixed with Bailey and her non-Amish friends is well done.  The ending was a surprise to me, and I am looking forward to book four. 

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

Frugal Friday

The past few weeks have been hectic here with some family things going on.  I have tried to focus on being as frugal as possible.


I did minimal grocery shopping this past week.  I want to focus on eating out of the freezer/pantry this month.  I already have a turkey in the freezer for Thanksgiving.  Now if only we could get some soup weather, I would be set.


I reused the pumpkins from my front porch to decorate at my church's trunk or treat event.  Those $3 pumpkins have been well used this year.  I plan to continue their use after the season is over by feeding them to the chickens.


I kept up with the weather forecasts and washed clothes according to the weather.  Things that could be dried on racks inside were left for rainy days. 


I found dish washing gloves marked 90% off at Dollar General.  We also picked up a set of drinking glasses on clearance.  I will add these to my gift closet.  Paired with some crocheted dish scrubbies and cloths they will make a nice wedding shower gift. 


I gave away leftovers from our trunk or treat.  In the end there were still some hot dogs and hamburgers left.  I brought these home and put them in the freezer for future meals. 

Random Happenings

Earlier today Toby was playing with my parents' oldest dog and he ran over a water spigot/pipe in the back yard.  Truthfully it was in a bad spot - right out in the open and up out of the ground.  W had all of the materials to repair it.  While it had to be repaired, he decided to move it against the garden fence and brace it with a piece of rebar.  He also went ahead and wrapped it for winter.  He used half of a pool noodle purchased on clearance at Dollar General.  We paid just 10 cents for the noodle which works as well as the more expensive foam sold specifically for wrapping pipes.

Our angel fish laid eggs.  Of course not all of them survived, but we do have about 20 teeny, tiny angel fish babies swimming around.  They are too small to photograph just yet.  Instead here is a picture of the daddy fish who gets very annoyed when anyone tries to look at the babies.

Finally a couple of the acorn squash I had bought for wedding shower decorations had started to rot.  W sliced up the squash for the chickens to eat, but he saved the seeds.  I washed them and spread them out on a pet potty pad to dry.  This is my new favorite way to dry seeds.  The absorbent pads soak up the moisture quickly, and the seeds do not stick.  I did the same thing with pumpkin seeds last week.



Weekly Goals Update: Week 43

Hopefully this week will go more smoothly than last.  I definitely need to work on some household stuff since the house is petty much in total chaos.  I have a few posts planned.  Be sure to go here to enter the book giveaway!


1.  Disaster Preparedness
Week 43 was gardening and livestock.  I feel like I have a pretty good handle on the garden.  We are expanding our fruit trees each year.  While I do continue to buy seeds, I often save my own.  We have piles of chickens as well as rabbits and turkeys.  For the time being they are pretty much pets rather than food.  The garden is something I have always done.  Homegrown food just tastes better!  I also have what I jokingly call my zombie apocalypse garden.  It is an herb garden full of medicinal herbs:  nettle, yarrow, etc. 


2.  Makeover the Garden
I managed to get in the garden one day to give everything a once over.  I lost one cabbage plant and will need to plant a few more seeds.  The seeds were older so the germination rate is not as good.


3.  Organize Recipes
*Sigh* I am going to get this done but it will probably be after Thanksgiving.


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks
Technically I bought groceries last week, but they were for my mom and ingredients for baked goods for my cousin.  Since my cousin and mom reimbursed me, I am counting that as a no spend week for myself.  That brings me to 14!  I hope to get a couple more in before the year ends. 


5. Focus on Saving
I did not do anything extra special last week for this.  I did take advantage of a couple of pet food coupons this past week to save money.  I have two savings goals.  We are working to completely pay off the credit card, and I am saving to purchase new living room furniture.  Obviously the furniture goal will be funded at a slower pace until the credit card is paid off.  For now I am saving quarters for furniture.  It will be interesting to see how much I can stash away.


6.  Etsy Store
I got nothing new listed last week.  I am working on a couple of projects and have a few quick projects planned for this week. 

Book Giveaway: Go To My Grave

Go To My Grave by Catriona McPherson is a mystery set in a bed and breakfast.  Donna is in charge of the current visitors - cousins returning many years after a tragic event.  The book is an interesting gothic style mystery.  This descriptive book is full and twists and turns.  It is perfect for reading on a cold fall day.  You can win your own copy courtesy of the publisher.  To enter simply leave a comment letting me know your favorite fall activity.  Good luck!

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*Contest is open to US Residents.