Good Saturday morning! I hope you are well and up and ready to tackle the weekend. It really got cold last night, and the house was under 60. I lost the battle to not turn the furnace on until November. DH said he just didn't want to be cold in his own house. He doesn't have an internal heater like I do. e se it at 68, but I'll lower it to 65. Here's my mind dump of things I didn't yet yammer about in earlier posts this week.
Nixing the Little Cans
Budget meal challenges have me really reading labels and I'm not happy with what I see. Sure, I think our meals are tasty, but I can't ignore the amount of sodium any longer in many of the products I've pretended are fine, giving them a pass, justifying that I use them in moderation or as part of an overall meal so per serving, not that bad. They are that bad! My biggest bad habit item is "cream of" soups. I know, I know, I know! This should have been nixed decades ago, but it is so convenient to whip a hot dish, or a meat sauce in no time with the help of those little cans. I'm going to become the queen of béchamel sauce. So I say.
Purging
Why do people, AKA me, get too much stuff in the house to begin with? Why having a simple rule that if something ne comes in, something else has to go isn't just common practice? As many of us can relate, my purging need/problem really hit a high after each of my parents health declined and then passed away. Part was so much time dealing wit their household and not looking properly after mine, and part accumulating some of their things as well. This happened after DH's dad died too. IT's also the nostalgia of not getting rid of my kids things when they have long stopped using them-or worse, long topped living here. I'm trying to break this mind set, and remember, the memories are in my head, not a possession. If it has no real place in our home, it shouldn't' be there.
Treating Ourselves
A dear reader Scarlett had a post on her private blog about going ahead, even when being thrifty and frugal most of the time, and buying something you have wanted, particularly if it is with money found or earned above normal such as a survey gift card or rewards point. I am butchering this paraphrase, but I think I sort of have her point. It might also seem counterintuitive to my purging sentiments. The difference, giving myself permission to buy something that has been a long time want, something that will make life better, tells me I am worthy of being treated kindly by myself. I think of it as a take on investing in myself. This doesn't mean walk down the aisle at Target and pop every cute Hearth and Home doo dad that strikes my fancy, but might mean finally pulling the Visa card I earned last spring and buying that new front porch settee I've been eying up (or a similar version) for the last three years. I'm doing it this spring folks-I really am! And, I'll keep purging other crap.
Book Club or Discussing Books
Book club moved to a Zoom meetup because of how cold it got last night and would still be this morning. Half of the gals did not want to bundle up and sit outside and we hadn't planned an indoor alternative. We finished te meeting. Where the Crawdad's Sing was a good read and a good discussion book. We've had other books that were a good or OK read, but the discussion was a bit flat. This one did not disappoint, Even if you aren't in a book club, find someone to read along or after you and talk about all the angles. I highly recommend it. I realize tough I have a small collection of book club books I've ended up purchasing-this including because the hold on the library was too long to wait. I need to get these book passed along to someone else. I may write my name in the cover of the ones I'd eventually want to read again, and perhaps it would work it's way back to me, but most if I can't find a reader who wants them, will go to the next library books sale. Ironically, after my copy was bought, a book club friend found two copies in the library sale held last week. I suppose they were donated and no one cross references to see if they should perhaps keep and catalogue the donations before selling.
I've started a bit on the spare room already before logging on for the meetup, and will get back at it now. First, I am going to get stuff ready for chili-the last of my $3 meals which may be eaten tonight or tomorrow. I hope your Saturday is fun or productive, or maybe both.
It was 60 here this morning outside and it felt good, but if it drops anymore it would be chilly. I have issues with needing to purge too especially since we yard sale. It’s just so easy to bring something in because it was cheap. I need to work on that. I hope you have a productive Saturday too.
ReplyDeleteI think we might have missed a good opportunity to meet in person-It had warmed up considerably by 10:00 and I had heat completely off and didn't turn it back on. I filled the garbage can and have a sizeable donation box. Nothing but consumables shall pass my threshold with 2-4 leaving in their place.
DeleteI think if most of us read the labels on these cans we'd give them up all together! I wrote a while ago about using the YUKA app on my phone to see how items panned out (either "good" or "bad" due to their contents) so I pulled it out while shopping this week and got a few surprises too! And I agree with Scarlett - go ahead and treat yourself occasionally. It's the little things that make life sweet!
ReplyDeleteWe have such a wide berth allowable additives in foods in the US-it's obscene. I need to do the work myself.
DeleteIt was chilly in here this morning too. It was 85 yesterday and humid, but then we got storms last night and today it is supposed to only by 59. I love this weather. I did open our bedroom window to get some air circulating... I am sure Bill will complain when he comes home. LOL I also opened up our kitchen window. I have chili in the crockpot and made 2 loaves of pumpkin bread while I have laundry going. I am going to make some chocolate chip cookies later as well. I am staying home today with nothing on my absolutely need to do list so I am puttering around getting some cleaning done and just having a low key day! Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteI've not made pumpkin bread but have the pumpkin ready to make next weekend and send some back to school with my daughter. My back and knee is killig me from all the hauling I did, but I am seeing progress.
DeleteI love the creamof soups, too. But, I rarely use them. Besides, when I add ingredients with no sodium, the number of mg of sodium spread across the recipe and divided by servings is surprisingly low. Plus, I try to balance the whole day of sodium. Consuming no or minimal sodium for the rest of the day works and seems reasonable.
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked craft shows, I tried to be frugal for many years until I could not stand the sadness of getting home and not having bought anything I wanted. So, I started buying something I wanted at each show. One thing was expensive hand-crafted wooden spoons. So, the thing I bought was useful. Sometimes, just pretty.
It is 64F right now at 11 am. It feels good inside. Okay, the ac came on and that is not right! I now have it on 72, so it will not come on all the time, just when it gets stuffy. And, no, windows or doors cannot be opened. I am barely making it allergy-wise, so no fresh air for me...lol.
The porch bench or what I end up will be practical, and the two chairs we have now can easily be used for the back yard or at the lake. Allergies are tough-I take m 24 hour tablet each morning because I can't handle not getting fresh air.
DeleteWhen I was in the US last time I showed my BFF hw to make red lentil soup. She could not believe how easy, tasty and inexpensive it is. I always found it quiet amazing to see shelves full of canned soups in the US. Last time when I was on the road, I did buy a couple of cans of New England Clam Chowder and they were OK not great. For me, making soup is so easy with whatever ingredients I have on hand. Of course I cannot make the variety that the soup companies make but still, lentil soup, yogurt soup, chicken soup and any vegetable soup are so easy to make. I do not add fat to most of them let alone cream. May be I should write some soup recipes in my blog?
ReplyDeleteI'm always up for more soup recipes, but to be honest, I just wing it with soups. Funny, I make soup all the time, but the cream of something soups are used as a binder. Perhaps I need to freeze portions of my homemade osp, whisk for creamy, and use them as binders instead.
DeleteI have reached the point, in my house, that 1 thing new means 2 things removed. It works wonders and no longer implement it as much, since we both have realized that some of the things we've purchased don't hold the love that it once might have when we purge. We really apply "do we need or do we want" before buying. And we still, sometimes, purchase a want, but rarely. Having realized the amount of sodium in so many of the canned foods, I haven't given up cream of anything soups, but when using them, avoid adding any other salt, replacing sometimes with garlic powder or other herbs. Most of the time I'm successful. And I drain and rinse canned vegetables (used only when fresh are not in season, which, as you know, in Minnesota is short) and I do the same with any canned beans. I haven't ventured into cooking dried beans beyond lentils and black beans, but should give it a go.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was cold this morning. 39 degrees with a frost warning. Brrr! Furnace did not get turned on yet but I did use the oven to make bacon this morning and boy did that feel good. I look rediculous with my sweatshirt hood pulled up indoors but I'm convinced I feel warmer. Extra layers and blankets when not busy doing something saves us. I don't think we will make it to November though.
Loved "Where the Crawdads Sing" - really a good book. We also donate to our library but I don't think they usually save back donated books for the shelves either. Library book sales would be dangerous for me. I do donate to the few places that will take books and save favorites for a re-read. Stay warm.
This is years of clutter that I am paying the price for now. But, I am making a dent. I thought I had done so well on my closet, but another purge in there wouldn't be bad. I have to remember this was years in the making, so it might take at least weeks worth of weekends to put to rights. too drain and rinse canned veg when I use, and try where I can to reduce the salt use, but those darn hot dish soups are so convenient.
DeleteI agree that sometimes we need to buy ourselves something special. I don't buy very much other than necessities, but every now and then I allow myself a want, particularly if it's also useful (like a setee!). I've been catching up on blog reading today, and just read yesterday's post- I want to add that it's lovely that your cousins are pitching in to help their aunt, and that you extend the care to her as well. You have a kind and generous family. Best, Celie
ReplyDeleteMy cousins nieces are gems! I grew up with them as they are my age-my sister above and below me crossed generations, like my youngest daughter has on my side of the family, growing up with my niece and nephews kids.
DeleteA new settee for the porch sounds wonderful! I treated myself to some dolls' house supplies with my latest survey money. Both houses that I have downstairs are going to get some zhuzzhing as a project for the gloomy months.It's something just for me, which years ago I wouldn't have spent on, but I'm worth it!
ReplyDeleteAh, decluttering. I think having too many things is something a lot of us struggle with,especially if we end up with other people's stuff!
It is human nature to hoard, lest bad and lean times are ahead.
ReplyDeleteNowadays we have to be on constant guard about 'what comes in'.