Thrifty Thursday-New Recipe, Previously Loved Clothes

It was an expensive weekend with meals out, hotel stay, and the concert tickets. Still, it was worth the dollars spent and I had a wonderful time with my family. I’m back to watching the pennies again though and had some minor success even within some expensive, but needed, costs for the car.

• Found about to expire cottage cheese and made a crock pot lasagna, which the leftovers worked for lunch and DD2’s dinner on Tuesday.
• DH used a coupon and got a free tire rotation and a discount (not sure how much) on new back brakes for my car.
• I worked from home Wednesday, saving gas and wear and tear.
• Inspired by the Q’Doba burrito bowls, made our at home versions with brown rice, black, bean and corn salsa, refried beans, chicken, and an avocado. The three of us were fed for $7.41, with leftovers for two of us for lunch. One Q’Doba bowl with chicken is $8.10. this was a new to me way of serving food and one we enjoyed.
• Went to a thrift store with my older daughter and hit a 505 off sale for Presidents day. She got  a dress, coat, and a shirt for a whopping $12. Plus, the same greenery she was looking at Target at $9.99 a bundle, was three for $.99. I got DD2 three shirts, a dress, and two sweater for $15. It was quite a haul! 

So far I still have spent nothing on myself for clothing and was not even tempted to look. I'm saving a little of my money for new under garments for spring. Until then, I'm making do with what I have. I still have no functioning oven, but not buying take out. February will end a little financially better than I thought heading into it, and for that I am happy to keep up with my frugal ways. 

Happy (Snowy) Wednesday Thoughts

I took this just a moment ago. I think it must have started snowing sometime after 3:00 this morning and is expected to keep coming all day. I've watched the traffic flow, and it actually does seem that bad, but I always seem to get in the places with the muddles. I have my check-ins scheduled with staff so will do all by Skype and the one live meeting I had is now a virtual meeting using  Zoom. I brought my work home with me for a major review of work plans for 40 different schools, so will be very productive today despite the snow. 

I left my phone at work yesterday-my personal phone. It has my drivers licenses and a credit card in it. I'm sure it will be fine, but now that I won't be in the office, it is an inconvenience. We have a home cell phone and I have a work phone, so it isn't like I am without communication means. It will be interesting to see tomorrow morning what the missed calls and text volume will be. 

I'm not sure what we ill have for meals today. There is still wild rice soup and some portions of other soups in the freezer. DD2 quickly ate the leftover pasta while I curled her hair yesterday as her show choir performed for the 8th graders and parents at their high school orientation night. Some of the kids and parents seemed really enthused, but others looked a the stage like it was complete insanity for a high school to have a choir like this. I just came and watched the show, but left when it was done and the middle schoolers and parents could go to the commons for a resource fair. People really have no filters though. As I was walking out, I heard a mom being snarky with her kid, basically making fun of a few of the girls in the front that have very  "show choir" expressions. It wasn't my kid, but I just smiled at her and said, "Well, that's part of their show choir performance. They work incredibly hard." 

DD2 and her boy friend are no longer a couple. She was a bit disappointed and though the timing was odd, but agreed they are better as friends. She has so little time and he perhaps has too much time not being in an extra curricular activity right now. She had said right from the beginning that if they decided to not be a couple, they didn't want it to impact their friendship. In her big group of friends there have been other on and off couples and so far, they all seem to still be friends. There is a newer girl to their group, a friend of one of her friends that now is part of most things that DD2 says seems to create a bit of drama in her wake. She can't put her finger on it-says the girls is nice and "chill" yet, whenever there is a little spike in tension, she seems to be there. Interestingly, she just happened to be around the corner when DD2 and her friend were calling it quits as a couple. She also was part of a car pooling crisis (DD2 told me about it-she was not part of it) that created a rift between two of her other friends. I will not miss high school drama, even with DD2 staying usually an arms length or more away. 

Time to get back to work. I have a fresh cup of coffee and  Skype call one starts at 9:00. Be safe if you are in the wake of the snow storm. 

A Day of Work, Outings, and Leisure

Oh the blessings of a day of work that most everyone you work with has off as well! I have today off for Presidents Day though I've been up early since DD2 had today added to the calendar to make up for one of the snow/cold days. I already got a couple things on my list done. My plan is to speed clean until mid morning and then again later afternoon. I'm meeting DD1 late morning. We plan to get out and about with cameras, have some coffee, and maybe stop in a thrift shop or two. I'm  sticking to and so far so good, my no clothing purchases, new or previously loved, with the exception of socks, tights, and under garments as necessary to replace. Still, a good poke is fun and won't cost anything. I might find a thing or two for DD2 as she wants to have clothes she feels will be more a college look, yet practical for next year. Maybe there will be other treasures to find or just be amused with and save myself the money and clutter. 

My house needs more than a speed clean though, but after being sick, then a jam packed work week, then weekend, I'm settling for presentable. Kim at Out My Window has me taking a close eye to all the places I normally don't always look at to find the cob webs that materialize. I'll have to wait to dust as I really need some dusting spray but I'll pick that up when I am out along with laundry soap and cleanser. Another hour or so later to dust and clean bathrooms, and I'll feel like there is order to the week. I'll plug away at folding the laundry mound on a table, while washing, hanging, or drying (and folding and putting away) any lingering items from the laundry baskets while watching some YouTube tonight. I've been trying to add more plant based meals to my diet for a multitude of reasons, and have found some interesting channels. 

I ended up making a crock pot hot dish not on my meal plan list yesterday after finding a container of cottage cheeses dated 2/16/19. Sort of a mock lasagna, mock pasta primavera, I layered canned spaghetti sauce, uncooked elbow macaroni, between frozen mixed vegetables, cottage cheese blended with garlic and Italian seasoning, and mozzarella. The elbow macaroni wasn't the best choice, but I didn't have nay heartier type noodles. It tasted good anyway, with a couple portions leftover and soup is already made, so not even thinking of doing any cooking today. 

I'm getting caught back up reading blogs and commenting if I have anything to add or at least just a note to the blogger. There's still time to get your name in  Sluggy's February drawing at Don't Read This, It's Boring. My routine is back. I'm still sick of winter, but at least I am not sick. We've just one or two more winter weekends left and then might start seeing signs here and there of spring, starting with rolling the clocks ahead on March 10th. Have a great Monday. 

Meals Without an Oven

My stove/oven make and model. 

We have not figured out the oven issue, though to be honest, neither of us have had the time to sit and try. DH thinks he resolved the furnace issue where the pilot light would go out at times for no reason, saving a service call. We were waking up some mornings to a 55 degree house-not cool, though hearkens to the days when someone had to get up and get a fireplace and wood stove started. With no oven, I am left to figure out meal planning with stove top, microwave and crock pot DH spent mote on groceries, but it was combined with a gas stop and I didn't see the receipt. I'm estimating he spent $22, bringing our February 20 $193. I have a weird eye to trying to keep to another month under $350 so with two challenges, low grocery budget and no oven, here is my plan for the week. It does require some groceries, plus we will need more laundry detergent, cleanser, and dusting spray, which I guess will be at least $7, leaving me a nice round $50 to supplement the remaining 11 days of the month to self imposed challenge. Of course, if I find  a loss leader or other great buys, the bets are off. .

Some of this will look familiar as items we didn't eat last week so they are carried over. A few standbys, turkey meat loaf and tuna hot dish are off the menu until I get my oven back, but might come up with alternatives. *Indicates includes some items needed from the grocery store. I'm trying to stretch! Saturday we will all be working our Show Choir competition, but will set aside a leftover plate for DH before he joins us. this should yield lunch left overs for the week as well.

• Cheese ravioli, broccoli salad
• Turkey meat balls (fried on stove rather than baked) and mashed potatoes, green beans
• *Brats, shallow pan French fries
• *Chicken wild Rice soup (DH made a massive pot last night so there are two meals worth still), homemade bread
• Bean and cheese burritos with tomatoes and corn
• Beef and vegetable stew with side of rice or egg noodles
• *BBQ pulled chicken, coleslaw

Shopping list
laundry soap
cleanser
dusting spray
Hot dog buns
Coleslaw or cabbage (and I'll make my own dressing)
eggs
bread
Tortillas
Coffee
yeast
apples
bananas
butter

It should be a low cost week for shopping, leaving me funds for next week. I'm going to get the bread maker out and do at least one loaf to go with the soup. Perhaps I might just hit the clearance bread rack-we'll see how ambitious I am.