Happy St Patrick's Day. I've got a tiny touch of the Irish, but no corn beef and cabbage tonight as we are going to a concert. It's been a quiet week here. The relative warmth of Sunday, has stayed the week, but it feels chilly due to the dampness and little sun. Daylight savings throws my body off both spring and fall, so I've been trying to get into the new activity cycle that aligns with later sunsets, while not succumbing to wanting to hide longer under my covers in the morning. I've been happy to focus on stuff at home, a little cleaning, a little purging, and some cooking.
Still no news on when the new office will be ready for staff, but as I go through more clothes with a discriminating eye, there's holes I'd like to fill before going back. I'll start there with some thrift on replacing well used items.
- My Nike running shoes are toast. I used a sale at Kohl's, $5 anniversary savings from DH's card, and free shipping to order a new pair for $47. Considering they started at $65, I'll take the price. I like the mesh flex version, and while of course I don't run, I find them a great walking shoe for my feet.
- As I was just $3 away from earning $10 in Kohl's cash, I pulled up the under $5 clearance, with an eye to replace some stretched and shapeless t-shirts to wear under suit jackets or cardigans. I struck it well by finding both a teal and red basic version. I had 30% code, so bought both at $2.50 each. While I couldn't use the 30% code on the national brand shoe, getting the tee's for so little was awesome. I'll apply the $10 likely towards a Mother's Day gift for my MIL.
- Used the last of a 10# bag of potatoes for soup, enough for supper, a lunch, and a 28 ounce jar for my sister. There was a rotten one in the bag, so glad I got to them before the rest were ruined.
- Compliments of Sluggy, the magic box of goodies arrived. I shared items with my sister, set aside things for my girls and she made DH happy with the Snicker bars that kept on coming from the box! Thank you Sluggy.
- No additional cost entertainment this week was the movie Eye in the Sky, featuring Alan Rickman in his last role. It was an emotionally raw movie about the impact of the risk and result of collateral deaths and injury when fighting terrorism. I won't give anything away, but felt tears on my cheek, anger, but also the sad acknowledgement of no easy or absolutely right answers. Dame Helen Mirren was a total surprise in a role of which I'd never have thought of her in.
- All meals cooked/made at home, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Though, DH may have had a run somewhere Tuesday, but he did well avoiding fast food for a week so will still consider it good.
- Need to start listening but got my Audi book download for book club from the library. I was tempted to buy, but then didn't find online so saved the funds.
- I received this book in the mail that I don't know why or where from, but it looks interesting. It might be from a past virtual conference. I'll add to my reading pile.
- We got our Met life fun money dividend. It's a pittance a quarter, but proceeds from a class action lawsuit decade's ago.
- Coffee is running dangerously low is running dangerously low but I didn't want a stop in a grocery store as both coffee is so much more at the store by my house and I didn't want impulse buys. I know I drink too much anyway, so rationed out what's left to cover today and tomorrow, enough to fill my large thermal mug. DD1 and I are doing a round of stock/ top off shop Saturday and we'll get a coffee as a low cost treat. Then, I'll stock up.
I'm excited to not have to drive four hours to hear my daughter's concert. They are doing a mini tour, and while on the opposite side of the Twin Cities from us, an hour drive vs four tonight is a win. Theoretically, it saves over $225 in wear and tear and gas per the federal mileage rate. I've got a little care package for her with a noodle bowl and Annie's Mac and cheese. I meant to send with her a few weeks ago. If I get a break in my schedule, might whip up a quick bread for her too. Those are my simple thrifty actions. How did you do this week? Did you have any big wins? How are you celebrating/ acknowledging St Patrick's day if at all?
Today is Nick's birthday, so it's always been about that vs St. Patrick's Day. When he was small, he was obsessed with all things St. Patrick's Day (the color green, shamrocks, leprechauns, etc), as he related them to his birthday.I loved that phase & miss it. :-)
ReplyDeleteHe has an away tennis match, and I have a critical work meeting that will go late, so M is on pickup duty & then we will have Nick's preferred dinner choice - pizza delivery. After dinner, he's requested boba tea, so we will do that as well. He opened gifts last night, as Sam has a late soccer practice, and last night was our only sports free evening.
Happy birthday, to Nick! Birthday celebration has to be squeezed into busy schedules but they grow up just the same.
DeleteNeither of us is Irish (or have any Irish relatives) so St Patrick's Day isn't something we celebrate. It seems to be a big deal in the USA.
ReplyDeleteWe went to the cinema to see The Duke yesterday, Helen Mirren was brilliant in that, too.
Thrifty? Us! No chance what with my new PC, the winter fuel bill, this years'council tax and our festival pitch fees to pay. In fact we might book a cheeky week away this afternoon and go completely mad. You can take it with you, can you? xxx
That should read - you can't take it with you!
DeleteThat's for sure! I just don't want to spend on stupid things. Travel, a needed computer, getting ready for festivals are smart.
DeleteThe only shopping I've done this week is a new TV for the bedroom. Ours died Friday so I looked online at Target and a new one arrived Saturday. TV's are one of the few things that have gone down in price. I got a 32 inch Vizio smart TV for 179.00. I thought that was a good price.
ReplyDeleteMy girls have gotten visios at good prices so hope yours lasts.
DeleteI'd completely forgotten about St. Patrick's Day, thanks for the reminder! I might wear something green.
ReplyDeleteI love that you'll be looking to thrift your wardrobe holes, Sam! That's awesome that you're getting to your daughter's concert, and not having to drive so far! Enjoy!
I could use another pair of gray pants, it a textured check to wear. I'll only be one day in the office but zi don't want to look like I'm in the same uniform each week.
DeleteNot sure if it's a frugal win, because I wound up spending $, but I was at Rite Aid where I found 5 oz. boxes of dried fruit, raisins, apricots and pineapples, for $0.37 each. I bought some raisins for oatmeal raisin cookies (which were a hit), left the apricots out for snacks, and tucked the pineapple away for my fruitcake. As for St. Patrick's Day, we will celebrate with a boiled dinner: Corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes slow cooked in Guinness. A Guinness cake for dessert. I think it would be more appropriate that we celebrate St. Gertrude's Day in this house, with all the damn cats we've rescued this past year, though.
ReplyDeleteWe'll nab leftovers or a sandwich before heading out. I'd love a good Reuben!
DeleteHappy St. Patrick's Day! My father's ancestors arrived in Canada around 1830 from Ireland. Someday I hope to get to the Emerald Isle to visit.
ReplyDeleteMy best deal of the week was on cleaning supplies at Costco. I picked up Finish tabs for the dishwasher and Mr. Clean. Both packages will last for a long time, and other than a bag of potatoes (10 lbs. for the price of 5 lbs at my local grocery) I didn't buy anything else. So that's a win too.
Enjoy the concert!
I'm going to compare prices at Sam's on Saturday for dish washer tabs. I'm leery of another big bag of potatoes when I found a few spoiled.
DeleteWe saw that film, it was a hard watch. Yes, very different role for Helen Mirren, who is a brilliant actress.
ReplyDeleteWere you not clutching your gut the whole second 1/2? And then the scene at the end? Heart wrenching.
DeleteHub's is Irish, his great grandmother was Nellie Ireland. So we had corned beef and cabbage last night with friends. It was a day early but fit the schedules. Isn't if fun to get a Sluggy box, like a Christmas stocking!
ReplyDeleteI knew you'd do it up well. I won't even get a Reuben, though I know that's not Irish.
DeleteYou did well on the Nike running shoes - now to put them to good use (see ya at the next Olympics)! And thanks for the recommendation of that Alan Rickman film. I always loved him so I'll look up to see if I can get it here on streaming!
ReplyDeleteMy Nike running shoes are walking shoes. I won't be competing with anyone. Be prepared if you watch the movie.
DeleteGood shoes make a great difference in your willingness to walk since your knees will hurt if the shoes do not fit right.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'll walk even if my knee hurts, but not as far or rigorous as I would without pain. Good shoes help anyone overall, but not much for the knee issues I have.
DeleteMy dad's grandparents on one side of his family were Irish, and on the other, they were Welsh, but I don't celebrate any of the saints' days.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoyed the concert, and seeing your daughter.