Saturday, February 20, 2021

Were Having a Heat Wave-And Looking at Numbers

      What a difference a few days make. Today the high will be 26F and tomorrow 33F followed by a whole string of above freezing temps. Not to be fooled that winter is over as we know we'll have another bought of cold and guaranteed snow storms. March is often the snowiest month of the year, but it usually comes and melts so much quicker than the November and December snows do. Even the last few days, I've had to put the thick mittens back on the shelf-too hot for holding the leash and then later the bag of deeds to get to the trash. I left my scarf by accident, but didn't really need it. My cheeks were good and cold still. Rosy. 


     I've got a boring list of household stuff to do as mental energy was so taxed with work, I physically felt no ambition. I apologized to DH for the meals of the week. Pretty much everything was pulled form the freezer after Sunday, but he never complains, just is less than enthused. I'll  do a homey favorite tonight chicken, rice, cheese and broccoli hot dish and am planning to bake some beer bread. Since I felt like meals have been pretty spotty this week, I made him blueberry pancakes this morning before he heads for work. His company brings lunch in on Saturdays so he gets a break from sandwiches for a day. My to do list today then is:


  • Laundry-With just two of us, I try and stretch it out so the loads are sizeable enough and I'm not wasting resources, but it means we are getting lean on some clean clothes!
    • Strip and wash bedding
    • Towel load
    • Delicate load
    • random darks and rando lights
    • Whites
  • Clean bathrooms
  • sweep and mop the hard floors 
  • dust and vacuum
  • clean refrigerator shelves
  • bake cider beer bread (trying an online recipe)
  • prepare rice hotdish to bake at same time as bread
  • Get pup for a walk-potentially driving to one of the rivers or a county park
     Kim had raised a point on my Thrifty Thursday post that perhaps we are saving a lot of money with me working from home. I agreed that we probably have reduced our spending a lot, but overall cash flow has been impacted. We haven't done taxes yet to see how much lower DH's earnings are in 2020 compared to 2019, but I wanted to dive deeper. Comparing February 2021 to February 2020, as he just got paid yesterday, and his February take home was 35% less than the same month a year ago. I'm estimating that overall we'll likely show a 20-25% decline. My salary was up 2% but a chunk of that was taken with higher health care premium, plus I  increased because I could, each of our life insurance through my employer by $5,000, though that was a minimal additional deduction. As April was when we started seeing the regular effects of the pandemic economy, I am concerned this trend of decreased earnings for DH will continue well into 2021. So yes, I'll continue to watch all the waste in our budget, while hoping we maintain spending on joy and priorities. Today's joy, a long walk in the sun, will cost nothing! .

Last February.

      
That's my Saturday plan. I've got Premier League on while finishing this post, and load one of laundry going. Of course I have a big old mug of coffee. I took my bodies lead and went to bed well before 10:00 and slept well. I'm hoping DH has an interest in a card game or two tonight to take a break from the screen. If not, I think I'll spend the night reading. I'm off to poke around other posts now, and then hit the shower, then crack on with my list. Have a good Saturday, and I hope where you are, weather is conducive to getting outside, and for those in Texas, that you are getting some normalcy back. 

17 comments:

  1. Your snow is truly beautiful. I think those of us who see it rarely really do appreciate the inherent beauty of it.
    I am interested in the cider beer bread. Please let us know how it turns out!

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    1. I so still find it pretty, just would be fine in a shorter duration. I'll post a recap Wednesday.

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  2. Glad it's warming up there at bit! We have nice cool weather here today so I'm taking advantage and getting back to some deep cleaning and decluttering before the temps go back up. Sure sounds like you will have a nice productive day too! Enjoy the weekend :)

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    1. Taking a quick nreak, and on second to last load, bathrooms cleaned, and will dust and vaccuum soon. All should be done by 2, and we will go outside.

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  3. Looking at your first picture it really does make me think of the lane at the back of my mother-in-law's house. And look at all that snow. Ours is gone down here and I've a feeling even in the mountains it's going to turn to slush this week. Temperatures are definitely on the up though - 17°C/62°F here today. Just lovely!

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    1. That weather sounds perfect for February. I'll try getting some pictures when I'm out and about.

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  4. Maybe your thrift and lack of work expenses will offset what the reduction in his pay will be. We can only hope, anyway. Tommy is very tolerant of meals. He does not have to cook. But, he is also happier when a meal is cooked from fresh. He certainly won't be cooking anything!

    In the middle of March 1993, Alabama and the rest of the country experienced a blizzard, so I never feel safe from that kind of weather until April. That was 27 years ago, but I remember not being able to get out of my front door with snow almost to my waist up against the door.

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    1. We have access to shivels inside because we can get snowed in at any time. No, not likely the savings will offset his income-maybe one months over a while year of thrift. It's a sign of what others are going through-can't but cars if peoples wages are cut.

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    2. *Shovels!!! I have no idea what a shivel is, lol.

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  5. It got up to 43 here yesterday and it felt great! Right now it is 45 today and that makes me happy. That bitter cold makes me ache and I don't need that.

    I did my laundry on Thursday evening and Friday and then mopped the whole house, so that is done for a week or more. I like doing laundry and folding it, so it is enjoyable for me. Not every household task is enjoyable as laundry.

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    1. I ended up not mopping-laziness, but outdoors was calling! I did the rest of my list so can do that today. Laundry seemed to go on forever!

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  6. Well I am sure your husbands income was affected, I know that between hubs and I we lost over $15,000 last year.

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    1. I know there are people that have had no change, or even made more, but not anyone I know! I think we are all in this together, and I' trying to do my part to help those hurting, as we are OK. If I need to defer retirement a year, so be it.

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  7. A commendable list to be sure. I seldom achieve such industry. Good for you!

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    1. I seldom do as well, which is why it was needed.

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