Monday,I'm sorry for this mess,but.... Money saving

      Someone gave the mouse a cookie on Saturday.  My list is only half done and I made a bigger mess upstairs instead of helping to get rid of messes.  I swear I worked my rear off so what happened?  Here it is Monday and I have already had two customers here and I have things that need to be done in the next hour and, and, the house.... well....

     Mom had a really difficult weekend.  I think it is mostly due to our insistence that she re look at an assisted living center.  I just don't think she wants to go to one.  I thought it was the money, but now I really think she is just too far down the road and would need a full care center.  We had a lot of tears and several really messy accidents.  She is very weak and I am going to try and go a different route.

     Saturday I started out like gang busters, stripping the beds, cleaning the bedrooms and the fridge and freezers.  I took stock of what meats we had.  We have been living off of left overs from my birthday party over a month ago so the fresh fruits and veggies were really depleted.  We needed to get groceries.  I pulled several things out of the freezer that were getting old ad needed to be used. This is where the mouse came into the kitchen.

     Rhubarb 3 packages needed to be used, along with 3 pie crusts.  I had a bowl of mealy apples that needed to go into a salad or a pie.  I found a container of shredded zucchini that had to be used.  I also pulled out every container of chicken broth and there were at least 5 small containers of homemade stock and chicken meat.  So now the freezers are clean and organized and all of last years garden produce is out.  We have plenty of meat in all varieties and frozen buns and veggies.

    So all the while I was doing this I was also doing laundry which I did get done. As I was cleaning the fridge, I was  thawing broth, chopping celery, carrots and frozen dehydrated onions. I also thawed 2 large awkward bags of dipping chocolate and then refroze them into three smaller square containers, easier to stack and allow us to thaw when needed.  I made a grocery list and put mom down for a nap.  Hub's and I went and did the biggest grocery shop we have done since before Christmas.

     Now we came home to a nice clean fridge to put everything in and I invited mom upstairs to help me cook.  She said she was too weak, but soon came up to join me.  We made a strawberry rhubarb pie, and a dutch apple pie.(Hub's favorite)  We also made two loaves of zucchini bread.  I had mom grind all the nuts and it was hard for her, as her hands are weak and she said her left side felt weak signally another small stroke.  But she rallied on until I had made a batch of homemade noodles for the chicken soup and then I cleaned the very disgusting kitchen all except the floor and the stove top. Which I will do today.  (Hub's did the floor already blessed man)

It was 10:30 when I finished and I was exhausted.

     Sunday we woke to no power and mom too weak to go to church, so I went back to bed for a long snooze. The two younger girls came down at about noon and still no power.  Finally at 20 minutes to one we had power restored and I had not bathed or set my hair.  So hubs zipped off to church and I stayed home with the girls.  Lil sis came over to get mom and we all enjoyed homemade chicken soup and pie.  Then D#2 and I went and walked the bridges, and had a nice long talk.  I sent soup home with D#3 and made D#2 take home many things for her house.  I am trying to down size clutter and she has a huge house.  I never let the kids go home without taking something.

     I did not get the floors vacuumed or anything done in mom's domain or the shop, but I plan on getting those things done in the next couple of days.  My housekeeper will be back next week  bless her.  I hope to get some yard work done this early evening if the weather allows, if not I will clean some more.

Monday's Money Saving Madness

1. cooked at home from scratch using storage.
2. continued to work on bath rug
3. Picked up several free things from Albertsons monopoly game and also won $5.00 
4. Used 1/2 the laundry soap called for on laundry that was not filthy.
5. Hung sheets and heavy articles on clothesline to save on dryer.
6. Cleaned out freezers and fridge and used all older food in things we can eat and enjoy
7. Took stock of food storage and purchased peanut butter on sale.  It was the smallest jars that were cheapest by the ounce. Funny it was the same way with crackers.
8. Stocked up on olives and pickles that we eat and use a lot more of in the summer months (went to an Aldi equivalent)Also found a sink basket for washing veggies there.  Ours had broken and it was 1/3 the price of a normal store.
9. One market had sliced cheese on sale  for .99 cents limit 4.  As hub's was with me we purchased 8 packages.  When I got outside I looked at the receipt and we were over charged, I went back in and was reimbursed $7.03.  It pays to pay attention.
10. Finally went through my purse and gathered all my change for my pig.  It is still starving to death.
11.  Ignored the baskets of 1/2 price merchandise as I needed nothing and 1/2 off was just not enough to tempt me.
12.Was able to alter several prom dresses with beads and scraps in the shop.
13. Found a beautiful piece of wool for $2.99 at a thrift store for a future rug.
14.Hubs asked me for a wax wrap to cover and onion.  Yeah I even have him now using the bowl covers, and wax wraps for things rather than plastic wrap.

I have plenty to do in the shop today and I think I may have to run to Jo Anns.

Tomorrow is a new month with new goals, I wonder what debt  (s) I will conquer next.

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


Kim