Monday,Catch up and Money saving madness

     We drove to Spokane last Thursday to celebrate our grandson and my mom's birthday.  It was touch and go there for a while as mom took two falls within a 24 hour period of time.  But she traveled like a trooper.  She has some very bad bruises on her arm.  We cannot get her to ask us for help.  Other than to tie her down I am not sure what to do.

     Daughter #2 had a bad flood in her house and had to clean out her husbands office and tear out a wall to fix a foundation problem.  This led to a big mess in her studio and we all know how bad water damage can be.  Then they bought a new King size bed for the master bedroom, which then tore up that level of the house.  All the extra bedroom things ended up on the third story.  Daughter had at least 20 people coming on Sunday for a party and she needed help getting the disaster area put back together.

     Thursday I just took stock of the disaster and I made dinner. We went into the spare room off the nursery, which has a twin bed in it to clean up all the clothes thrown there from the master bedroom move. It looked sparkling clean when we were done. Friday daughter took a day off work and we moved furniture all over the house. She had storage boxes up to the ceiling in the studio.  We put the office back together first and then went through all the storage boxes and got rid of many, many things. Then put everything back into the storage, swept the studio.

    Next we brought the queen size bed set down from the third floor and set it up at the far end of the studio.  I mended the bed skirt and a cushion that were torn in the move.  We set the bed and the bed tables up along with the foot bench at the far end of the studio.  Everything was wiped down and all the glass cleaned.  Daughter listed her bow-flex on line and it sold immediately, so that had to be dismantled and moved to the garage.  Ugh!

     Now we had to go up and get the new master bedroom put together and cleaned, pictures hung, tables moved.  It looked awesome when done.  Onto baby's room to clean and organize went through two large bins of clothes given to her.  Took out all the 18 month things to be passed down and restocked with larger clothes.  Now his room was clean for 2.5 seconds before baby realized the neatness and came to help.  We then went to third floor loft and put together a day bed, so when son-in-laws brother comes to stay he has a place to get away.

   That was a remake of 5 beds in a three story house, in about 12 hours.  We were wiped out let me tell you.  Lil sis showed up and daughter #3 and we had places for everyone to sleep.  We celebrated mom and lil Will's birthdays on Saturday.  Took mom to lunch and then shopping.  Home for a nice dinner, and cake, presents with Will and mom.  So fun.

     Sunday we were up early to get home in time for church.  Then I had promised mom a prime rib and lobster dinner for her birthday and she was not about to let me forget that.  I raced home from church to get the rib roast in the oven (purchased 75% off at a New Years sale) made baked potatoes, asparagus and green beans, homemade bis cuts, lil sis made a yummy cherry cobbler.  It was a meal to die for.  I had purchased the lobster tails for 2.99 a piece after the New Year.  So the entire meal for the four of us was under $30.00 with enough left over roast for a second day and then primerib soup.

     Of course mom had been wined and dined all weekend by everyone and now her party was over and she was immediately a cranky, bawling mess.  She has continued her good mood (not)all damn day long and I am trying my best to ignore her.  She is doing her best to throw herself into A-fib and I have about had it!  Lord give me strength.

     Monday's money saving madness

1. Cooked all meals from scratch except one lunch out with mom. 
2.  Cooked out of pantry and freezers.
3.  Used all my homemade jar covers and cloth napkins, reusable containers to save in kitchen
4. Took 2 dozen eggs and squash from the garden to daughters
5.  Pulled nice linens I had saved from closet for daughters beds.
6. Made a queen size St. Patrick's day quilt with old stained napkins,( I cut around stains) and $2.00 roll of green fabric scraps.  Used white cotton I had in stock and also reused the batting pulled out of a quilt my sister was getting rid of, so I only spent $15.00 on the back.  Now I have to tie it.  Will take a picture later.
7. Made two really nice new piano scarves from old curtains that were on a window in daughters house.  Trey had this beautiful 10 inch long thick heavy fringe. I cut them apart and made a new scarf for my piano and Lil sis's.
8. Took 5 small lampshades from daughters throw away pile and added black beaded fringe I had torn from an old project.  She trimmed the shades and Lil sis put them in her formal dining room.
9.  Finished another set of embroider pillow cases for a gifty.
10. Refused to go out to dinner Saturday night after shopping.  I stopped at a grocer and bought, 2 lbs of large shrimp, 2 packages of fettuccine noodles, two loaves of baguette bread.  Went home and had a nice diner on the table for 8 adults in as much time as it would have taken us to get dinner out or brought in. We had salad fixin's at home along with the cheese and cream for the sauce.  Cost $26.00 plus enough left over for another meal.  It would have cost us close to $200.00 including the bar tab for those who drink.  I just strongly dislike this kind of money waste.
11.  Made a nice private birthday dinner for mom at home.  Nicer than you could have gotten at a local restaurant.
12.  Used coupons for things purchased at Jo anns.
13.  Did not shop for many groceries last week and came home to no bread, soured milk.   I used sour milk in biscuits so we had bread at dinner. 

.The shop has been busy today and I have to get to work.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim