Thursday, January recap, How did I do?

Well here is is the last day of January 2019 and I cannot help myself but take a sigh of relief. January being a cold dreary dark month here.  It is time foe me to look at my goals and see how I did for the month.  What did I accomplish what did I fail at and what do I need to tweak to be more realistic.  As you all know realistic is often not in my makeup.















Financial :
1. Save a ll change in the pig bank  DONE
2. save all 5$ bills DONE up to $120.00
3. Pay an extra $1000.00 on mortgage DONE
4.Keep adding to savings charts and I did complete one and I am onto #2 DONE
5. Set up budget for groceries of $50.00 a week DONE so far have a carry over of $49.00 we are eating out of the pantry and the freezers.
6. Set up a budget FAIL  Did not write one out but I did pay all bills on time 
7. We had two major repairs this month to pay that took money away from my Christmas pay off .  Hub's cell phone was close to $170.00, and our dryer repair of $127.00. So WIN and FAIL

Health Goals:

.1. Lose 20 lbs.( Lost 4) WIN
     a. get 10,000 steps a day working toward 12  FAIL
     b.stick to low carb diet FAIL      
     c. exercise for my heart one hour a day, 5 days a week.  FAIL 
2. Give up diet coke.  I started strong ended up with other related problems, so now have one or two a day.  I have no soda in the house.  So I call this a FAIL/WIN


     I can honestly say my arthritis is not bothering me at all, which is a win, and the monetary savings are huge another win.

Spiritual goals:

1. be better to myself , rest, sleep, relax more  WIN
2. Bless others WIN
3. Study more FAIL 
4. Continue to sing in choir and practice piano every day FAIL  I was gone so much of the month and then sick so will do better next month.
5. Continue to work on projects , embroidery, quilts, rugs. WIN 

     I have 11 wins and 8 fails so I will call the month a success.   I did the best in the financial category. I think losing 4 lbs this month was a win and I did have 13 days of low carb, exercise and steps accomplished.  If I could even boost that up to 20 I would be doing well.  I am really proud of the diet coke goal as this continues to be a struggle and I am working at it everyday.  Staying home will help with the piano and study goal.

     Now I had a January goal of getting rid of 500 items and I only rid myself of 290 things.  So this will obviously have to continue.  We have several places to attack in the house and I am not afraid that this won't be net soon.

     Okay any thoughts, words of encouragement, how about beating me up?

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

Kim
    

Wednesday, Blah months

     I call January and February blah months, mostly because of the weather. Cold, rainy, overcast, not much sun.  I find them hard to get through, a little boring.  But this is just an attitude, and I need a swift kick in the behind.  Every day should be a gift.  It is certainly a gift of time that will never return. So I need to find something to inspire me and quit wishing time away.  I have plenty of sewing and plenty of projects to get done.  I have an accountant appointment next Monday, I need to get the tax things ready. So instead of allowing the Blah's to take over I will make a list of things I can do and try to accomplish them or some of them.

I am not going to allow boring to take over.  Going to see Sissie and Sluggy helped a lot to get through January.  Now I need to enjoy and accomplish things in February.  Because we all know March will hit and the shop will get crazy.

1. alter three skirts call client
2. fix zipper on lawnmower bag
3. hem 6 pairs of pants
4. call some clients for pick up
5. get meat out for dinner
6. clean out linen closet
7. check shelves in spare room closet for donations
8. check closet in downstairs bedroom for things to donate
9. go through old movies and donate
10. go through photos and organize
11. get taxes ready
12 clean out computer desk
13. Hubs stuff ?
14.  all of the craft projects you have started?  Come on girl get busy.....

     See I have so much to keep me busy and occupied. No reason to be down and cranky.  Well other than this cold that is lingering.

How do you guys get through low points in your year?  Any Ideas?

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

Kim




    

 

Tuesday, Marie Kondo all the rage

     January seems to be the month that everyone in the nation (world) starts new goals and usually one of them is to get rid of clutter and things not needed.  I am no exception.  One of my January goals was to downsize 500 things from my home.  I am about 1/2 way done and yesterday finally got the Hub's on board to work on his things.

     Marie Kondo is all the rage right now.  She is sweet and fun to watch on netflix. I have read many articles on people for and against her method of cleaning.  Certainly I (we) all have too much stuff.  We are consumer driven and shopping has become a national past time. Even saving money can make you spend money.  I know from my own experience.There are yeahs and nays to any method of cleaning or getting rid of clutter.

     These are the things I have taken away from her method.

1. folding your clothing her way does take up much less space.
2. Does that spark joy?  (this is becoming a national phrase) well your toilet plunger does not spark joy unless you need it and then you really need it. Toilet plungers can spark all kinds of joy let me tell you. I have one in every bathroom. I decorate them with little skirts to match my decor.  (okay that last sentence was a joke , I was trying to see if you were really reading) 
3. All things in one place.  Great idea.  But I want some scotch tape in my desk drawer, shop and upstairs.  I think the real message here is know where you scotch tape is on all three levels.
4.We save things for two reasons.  I love this concept of hers.
     a.  guilt as in I spent good money on that even though I don't wear it.  I got that from Great Aunt Selma, even though I hate it.  So we keep items, many, many items because we feel guilty.  I am all over  this one.  So I (we) keep things, and every time we see them we have a twinge of guilt.  I agree with Marie get rid of it.  This is a new concept for me.  Even thanking the item for it's use to you is a great idea.  It re leaves a little of the guilt.
    b.  Fear but what if I need that someday?  Someday will probably never come.  Those outdoor hiking boots you bought and have never worn because they were such a good deal ?  But, but what if the zombie apocalypse strikes? Well find a dead zombie your size and take hers.  Problem solved.  How about the syringes and alcohol pads that are taking up 1/4 of a bathroom drawer?  But, but what  if I go back on another medication that needs to be injected?  Well the pharmacy will give you more, or in the case of a Zombie apocalypse you can break into a drug store if you have any medication you need to inject.  So every time I open my bathroom drawer I remember to fear the future.  I am deathly afraid of Zombies.
5.  Once you have completed her method you never need to do it again. Other than routine maintenance.  Many people are debunking this concept.They argue we will always have to constantly de clutter and I agree we always will. Because the real root is consumerism and our incessant need for more.  I have always said and truly believe that you cannot organize clutter.  SO buying storage totes for things is not the answer.  Unless it is for seasonal decorations kept to a level that makes you happy.

     Right now Hub's has a very large hamper and I mean large holding his work clothes from his job that he retired from 3 years ago.  He also has a long boot chest in the basement under the stairs full of fire gear and boots. His closet has several pairs of boots.  He wears none of  these.  But, but he might need them. We are working on this.  I gave up my toe shoes and Irish jig shoes long ago.

     I had 8 spatulas in my kitchen.  I could never find a spatula.  I would hunt in three  or four drawers.  The kitchen remodel allows me to have more drawers!  So I can't find anything.  When I had one drawer I could always find a spatula.  Also many of these cheap spatulas would come apart when I stirred a heavy batter.  Frustration.  Searching for the head of a rubber spatula in heavy dough. I went through the 8 I have and 7 of the large ones came apart, they are now in the trash. I have discovered that I really need two large so I will replace one eventually.  As I cook a lot I mess things up and need multiples, but not 8 and especially not 7 that bring me no JOY. I now have a place for my spatula, what a concept!

Your thoughts?  How much stuff do you hold onto out of guilt and fear?

     I will be working on getting rid of things today after I get my sewing done.  The shop was very busy yesterday and I have enough work to keep me busy all week plus many things to get out by Friday.  I am blessed with work.

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

Kim

 

Monday, money saving madness

Well this cold left me in bed most of the day yesterday and my back is really killing me this morning.  It just aches all over like little pings of pain, so I wonder now if this is a flu, but I did get my flu shot. I will just take it easy.  I know the shop will be busy today as people have been waiting for me to open. I will have to be careful to stay away from them as much as possible.

Yesterday, I made a pot of beef barley soup and it was very good we have enough left for today.  I also took out some chicken breasts that we will have in salads tomorrow.  This will keep us out of the stores.  I also have to use up that sour milk in something. That is my extent of homemaking for the day, other than to put away some laundry, I just don't think I can Marie Kondo anything today.


Money saving Madness Jan.20th 26th 2019

1. Left Sluggy's with a bag of gifties for sis and I always nice to receive goodies.  More eyebrow pencils which I really needed so now I don't have to buy! 
2. Split meals with Sissie when we ordered out.
3. Hit great sales and bought several Christmas gifts at great savings.
4. Found a total of 48. cents over the week in airports, on the ground.
5. Added a huge bunch of change to my pig bank.  When I travel I save all my change from cash transactions.
6. Added $65.00 to my $5.00 bill savings.
7.Hubs had stuck to food budget and so have I this week.
8. Used meats and things from freezer and storage to cook with.
9. Finally used up a bottle of face lotion, use it up!
10. tried to downsize many of my blouses and succeeded with about 12 of them.  Bless others and keep my life simpler saves money.
11. Found boutonniere pins at Joanns for 80% off.  Beautiful with pearls and fake diamonds. This daughter is all about bling.
12. Keeping my diet coke consumption at bay is really saving money, it is still hard.  I want to drink it all day, but I am staying strong and setting my limit.
13. received a $20.00 savings Visa from Rite Aid.
14. made 3 loaves of bread, burned the fourth rats!
15. made four loaves of banana bread to give away and use up bananas.
16. fed food scraps to the chickens

I have no idea what this week will bring as I don't feel very well, but I will plug along as best I can.

What are your plans for the week, and how did you save money last week?

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

Kim

Sunday, Good news /bad news

One of the first things I did yesterday was to call a repairman.  I did not expect anyone to come out on a Saturday, but was pleasantly  surprised when one returned my call and said he worked 7 days a week.  I suspected that the heating element was bad and retrieved the serial # of the dryer to order an element.  The cheapest was $54.00 which I knew a repairman would double the price on plus his service call.  But the repairman told me not to order the part until he looked at the dryer as it could be something else. He arrives about 2:00 and yes it was the heating element.  He spent about an hour including vacuuming out the inside of the dryer.  The bill was $127.70.  I was thrilled.  A new dryer (large capacity) would have been at least $600.00 with tax.  I gave him a large loaf of fresh out of the oven banana bread wrapped in a towel.  He was pleased and I was pleased.

Yeah the dryer works!

 

 

 

 

 

 

     So I was able to start the three loads of laundry I needed to do.  But alas Sissie's husband had a bad cold while I was there and Sissie was coming down with it as I left and of course I was hit with it full blown yesterday.  So I am a drippy, coughing, watermelon headed grump today.  I could not go to church as I am contagious plus I feel like well crap on a cracker.

      But I tried to get through what I wanted to get done yesterday and my full head of gunk only allowed me to think with one of my two brain cells.  So I made 4 loaves of banana bread using up the bananas from the freezer and as that was cooking I let my bread raise, well then I had no pans to put my bread in, (dumb).  So I had one long bread pan left and I  put the other three loaves in round pans, which worked out fine but the larger round pan overcooked and I have a loaf of very hard slightly burned bread which will have to go to the chickens.  Of course I was trying to talk to Lil sis and then help the repair man during the cooking and that scattered the one brain cell.  Just not a good day.

     I continued to work on getting rid of things and have added 32 more items to the list.

I am going to watch TV.

Have a peaceful and restful Sabbath.

Kim

Saturday, putzing and putting away

Well I did get through the mail this morning and I am up earlier than usual due to the jet lag time change thing. I had to go to bed earlier than I normally do also as I was falling asleep sitting up last night.

Hubs and I went to the bank and I paid $1000.00 extra on our mortgage so that goal is complete foe the month.  This is a sacred goal with me and the others may slide but this one I will do.

Then we went to the grocery store, I had $59.00 left in the food budget for the week.  Boy does money go fast when you are shopping.  We bought milk and cereal and fresh fruit, yogurt, cheeses, one loaf of bread and salad fixings.  Came to $48.00.  So I will have a carry over of 11.00 for next week.  But we have plenty of food so we will be fine until we have to go to the store again.

     I just made pancakes for breakfast as there is 1/2 gallon of spoiled milk upstairs.  I will make muffins or something else to use up the rest.  I plan on making banana bread today and ww bread.  We need to go visit the 7 missionary couples next week and I like to take a treat with us when we go.  So I have all the old frozen bananas out to thaw.

     I have unpacked the suitcase and taken it downstairs, but nothing from it is put away yet.  It is all over the bed in the master bedroom.  I need to get two boxes ready to ship.  One to my grandsons and daughter and one to my brother's girls.  They will be Valentine boxes.  Sis and I bought an outfit for each girl and I will put in homemade treats and a Mc D's gift card.  As my oldest grandsons B-day is Feb 15, daughter Feb 13 and Valentines day I will ship a few fun things I have picked up and some home made treats.  If sis and I did not dress our brothers girls they would be in rags.

     I called an appliance repair man this morning and he said it was well worth fixing the dryer.  So he is coming over.  The average fix is between 110 and 200 dollars.  I can live with that.  There is a ton of laundry as Hubs did none while I was gone, nor did he sweep or vacuum.  How about cleaning the cat box?  Well maybe?  He did do the dishes, so I am pleased with that.  I don't know if the dryer will be repaired today or I will have to wait for parts.  SO I will only be doing one load and line drying at a time and it takes most of the day for laundry to dry.  Also the clotheslines really takes up room in the laundry area and I don't want the repairman fighting my underwear, no matter how beautiful they are *snort*

     As I have been going through the house and putting things away I have been throwing away things we do not need.  I put things aside that can be donated. I see another run to the donation center, but I want to go through my closet and drawers again.  I wish I could get hubs to go through his closet as it is stuffed full of things he never wears.  Maybe?

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

Kim
      

    

Friday, Pussy cat, pussy cat where have you been?

     I went to Wilkes-Barre to visit the Queen!

  
     My Sissie and I surprised Sluggy on her 60th birthday.  I could not say where I was going as if she knew I was going to visit my sister I would be coming to see her.  So her Hubby and I hatched the plot.  It was hard to not blow it as I was so excited.   So on Tuesday I drove to Spokane and had some dental work done then got on a plane to DC.  Sis and I drove up on Friday and met the family at a Steak house.  Of course everything had to be purple as that is Slug's favorite color.  We hit some bad weather and had to leave earlier than I wanted but it was so nice to see Sluggy.

Of course we had to thoroughly embarrass her and the staff brought out a saddle for her but alas her legs were too short to get up there.

It was so much fun , wish you all could have been there.





















                                                                             
Here are Sluggy and Sis in front on The famous really bad opera singer,Florence Foster Jenkins.  Don't they look great!

What would a trip be without a selfie of the three of us?  Look at those wrinkles.




     I had a great time with my sister, we shopped and I was able to get many Christmas gifts for next year at really good prices.  I love to save money.  Now I have to unpack and put everything away, face the bills for next month and get busy earning some money so I can go have fun again. 

     Hub's only spent $42.00 on groceries when I was gone so I have $58.00 for the rest of the week putting us on track for grocery budget.   I am able to add to my $5.00 bill savings, and  my pig bank.  I was not able to get as much exercise as I would have liked, but it was worth the slow down to see my sister and Slugs.  I will get back on track.  My diet coke consumption is much less than it used to be.  I am not buying any soda for the house nor drinking cans of soda.  I will go to Mc d's for a soda once a day now that I am home.  I was a little worse on the trip by drinking a couple a day. Sissie was quite impressed with my effort as she knows how much I was drinking.  This has really helped us stick to our grocery budget as I was constantly going to the store to buy soda and then buying things that we did not necessarily need.  You all know how I love a bargain.But sometimes you just don't need to buy the bargain and if you don't know it is there, you don't buy it.

     I have 10 days worth of mail to open and go through and need to go buy a few things at the grocery store.  I also need to get busy working on my de cluttering as I only have a week left to reach 500 items.  I guess I have to Marie Kondo my wardrobe and the linen closet and the kitchen again.  Does this spark joy?  Well maybe those old clogs don't but my trip sure did!

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

Kim

Tuesday, appliances break down in threes

   Well our dryer died last night.  It must be the heating element.  As I am going to Spokane for a few days it will just have to be.  I will research whether it is cheaper to call a repair man or get a new dryer.  What really worries me is that appliances usually died in threes.  So what else will go down?

     Right now I can hang laundry in the laundry room and it drys in a few hours.  This will be our 3rd dryer in 40 years of marriage. We did not have a dryer for the first 6 years when we were students and poor.  I have to laugh at that last sentence, by most peoples standards we are still poor. The first one we bought after I graduated from college lasted 21 years, this one 13 years.  I guess we have done well with dryers.

     Will this slow me down?  No  I will just tighten up and figure how to pay for it!

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

Kim

Monnday, money saving madness Plus!

 I finished my first chart for the year.  I am onto #2.  Great way to start the first half of January.  However I have been paying Christmas bills off so I have no interest charges and that means I have not paid any extra on the house Yikes!  But I will before the end of the month.  I have some money socked away from last month and more will come in I am sure.

 Here is a close up of my nieces wedding dress.  I completely remade the top as we bought the dress for the skirt.  I do not like the low cut look but it is what she wanted.  Her colors are lavender and purples.  I was trying to get her to decide if she wanted bling (hand sewn rhinestones) so I did one side and she tried it on and decided she liked them with the rhinestone inset.  All of the filigree I had in the shop from other projects.  We just had to buy the lavender satin for the bias straps.  We have enough left over to make all the satin roses for center pieces and bridesmaid bouquets.  Use it up and don't waste my motto.

 Isn't she beautiful?

I finished putting on the bustling buttons this morning so it is DONE!

The back of the dress, sorry for the blur.

     I am going to Spokane tomorrow for a dental appointment with my daughter.  It is a long way to go but for free or reduced dental I will travel.  Plus I will stay for a while to be with my grandson.

     SO today I am up and trying to clean up the house after the mess I made sewing all weekend.  I need to get some banking done and set up things for Hub's to cook while I am gone.  As usual when I try to leave town I have three pairs of pants I need to get done today.  It always happens.

Money saving madness: Jan 6th-12th  2019

1. Continued to use up products and was able to get rid of two bottles
2. Used my clothesline for heavy things.
3. Redid a wedding dress with just things in the shop already saving my sister a ton of money.
4. Ate all meals from freezer or pantry except one that was a treat from my Lil sis.
5. Used wax wraps and plastic containers I have saved over time
6. Did not buy any soda for the house and stuck to grocery budget.
7. Used Joanns coupons when I needed an item.
8. Used a couple of mixes, a package of noodles, some shrimp, some burger, a couple of steaks, a couple cans of veggies, and cans of chili from the pantry.  Trying to use up what we have for meals instead of buying groceries.
9.Bought sugared cherries and pineapple for next years  fruit cake at 75% off also got enough for mother-in-law.
10. Down sized and reduced clutter by another 30 items. Donated most of it!
11. continued to save change and $5 bills  it is slow going when you don't spend any money.
12. Fed all food scraps to chickens.
13. replaced old green clogs with new to me from posh mark  a used clothing sight.  The new ones cost  $35.00  and were brand new never worn.  Normally would have been  about $140.00  I often will wear a pair of clogs for over 10 years.
14. Bought over $200.00 worth of large expensive candles of $32.00.  I keep a couple of candles burning downstairs year round, with the cats and the damp basement.  I always want the shop to smell nice.  This can be expensive so when I get a good deal I wipe them out.

     What did you do to save money this week?

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

Kim

Saturday, The thimble

     I really slept in this morning, I think I was just over tired from the busy shop and the kids.  Can you imagine that?  My nieces plane took off late from St. Louis due to snow.  So she did not arrive Friday evening but was stuck in Salt Lake over night. She came over about 1:00 and we started to work on her wedding dress.  I had almost everything we needed in the shop in my left over lace bag.  Why I never throw anything away on the dresses I rip into.

     I will take a picture when I am done. Lil sis took us out for a late lunch and then we hit Joanns for some lavender satin.  I have to teach in church tomorrow so I had to spend time getting a lesson ready and I also have to take treats to choir tomorrow.  So I was mulling over  what to make.  Scones? Muffins? Orange rolls?  All are good and breakfast like but taste better when warm and fresh.  About 5 p.m. I became very tired as I was working on the wedding dress.  It is all hand work, and I decided to go lay down for a minute while Hub's watched the news.  He woke me from a dead sleep a little after 8 p.m.  I had only be up for 6 hours and I was back to sleep.  This is not like me at all. 

     So now I have a dress that needs a lot more work or at least Lil sis will expect me to be farther along.  I have to work up a lesson and I have to make something.  I then decided so unlike me to just go buy some sweet rolls and muffins from Albertsons.  I know it was not the frugal way to do this and I so seldom have ever done this but I was tired, and I do not want to be up all night baking, just to save a little money and look like Suzy homemaker.  I can spend another couple of hours on the dress tonight.

     My finger tips are pretty raw from working on the previous dress so I have to wear a thimble and you know that makes me stop breathing.  I can just see my grandmother and my mom laughing together at me as I put the stinking thimble on and start holding my breath.  What is it?  That sweaty feeling of not being able to feel what I am working on.  I don't like it.  Never the less.  A thimble is the only answer at this point.  No pun intended.

Have a peaceful Sabbath.

Kim

Friday, I thought yesterday would never end....

     Yesterday, turned into one of those days where the shop was just not going to go away.  I knew I had to finish up the wedding alteration I had and I got that done right away, but then I had customer after customer, which was great as they were picking up and I was able to pay off the Macy's charge.  But I have the littles today and my Lil sis's daughter is due in also and I will be altering her wedding dress over the weekend, so I wanted that free.

     Well all of my best made plans are .....  So I get all my sewing done and now I have nothing to hinder me.  Then I get a suit in that needs to be worn on Saturday and late in the day I get a ball gown needed Saturday, and a bride calls me and needs a veil knock up.  So I was sewing until after 10 pm.  I love Thursday night TV.  Big bang theory, young sheldon and mom.  All of these programs are close to home with me, so I was running into the shop during every commercial to get the dress done.  Three huge layers of slippery satin.

     Well I did get it all done and I have my weekend free for my niece, but I also need to really clean the house and get laundry done.  With the little's under foot this is hard.  If Hub's can get the baby to sleep I may be able to get a few things done around the house.

     The baby is now off formula and we are working on potty training the older of the two.  Getting both of those things done will certainly help the bottom line as formula is really expensive and so are diapers.  I can't believe we have had these two for over  year.  I doubt the little boy will be able to be potty trained next year, but just getting both of them out of diapers will be a big financial boon for our neighbors. The day care bill will go way down for them at that time.  We sure enjoy these babies.  They are so fun.

     I have several pick ups today and a royalty court coming in later this afternoon, I had better get busy.  I am blessed with work.

     Well one is asleep in Hub's arms so I am off to try and clean up a few things.

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

Kim

Thursday, Answer to a question

     How do you know Kim has been here?  Is there a mess that needs to be cleaned up?  If the answer is yes I have been there.  Sorry to say, I am like pig pen and the dust follows me.  Case in point:

Kim was definitely here last night.  Wedding dress, pins, lace, lining, all evidence.

Kim's pin cushion, this is an old second hand sofa and I would have more respect for a new nicer sofa.

Will I ever do anything with this pile?  Well maybe?
Maybe if I can get the wedding dress done?  The slip done? The veil done?  Oh and don't forget that bridesmaid dress I found hidden behind the curtain in the dressing room.  And the three pairs of pants that need fixed.  Then maybe then I can attack the pile.


In the mean time I need to address a question that a reader posed to me about why I was using charge cards at Christmas?  I use cards to save money on extra promotion, if you use the card you get more money off.  As long as I pay them off before the due date I am fine and I am doing just that.  I will go and pay the Macy's card off today.  That will just leave the visa card to pay at the end of the month.  So far I have been very diligent about this if it gets to be a problem I will get rid of the cards.  I will never go back to my old ways it is just too scary and I love the piece of mind I have in being able to pay my bills and not worry all the time.


     I ran to Winco last night to get some celery as I had used it all yesterday and some bean sprouts for dinner it came to $3.00  Yikes!  Two items.  We might have to start eating each other.



Well I have a work to do so I had better get busy. If I want to pay off my house and my lifestyle I have to work, I have to find ways to save and cut corners where I can. Blah!

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

Kim

Wednesday, I must, I must!

    Today I MUST work on a wedding dress as I have a fitting at about 5 this evening.  It is a great deal of hand work so I will be sitting most of the day, needle to nose.  Other than that there are only a few things in the shop.  So once that is completed I can work on some projects.  I need to cherish these days as I get so few of them.

     Sluggy has been nagging me to get sparkling water.  I did not realize there was such a thing, with no artificial sweetener.  But as we were almost out of TP and I needed to stock up, I went to Riteaid. They had a deal where you spend $50.00 on certain items and you get back a gift card for $20.00.  Now I found these items to be more expensive then I would usually buy, but I had coupons and some points to include in the deal so it made sense.  Stocked up and bought 3 packs of bottles fizzy water.  I had one and it is not something I would guzzle like diet coke, but will help with the withdrawal of wanting something other than water.

     So 4 packs of TP, 3 packs of sparkling water,  two packages of diapers (for a church member that takes in foster kids), plus $5 worth of Valentine treats for my girls gift boxes.  I have two sets of really cute kitchen towels and socks for valentines day I bought at 90% off.  I will use.  I doubt I will do this again as I am trying to think more about minimalism,  and these things are rather silly and just lead to consumerism.  We see a sale and think, What a good buy, I must have those for so and so.  Really must have?  Are they really necessary?  We are all driven by a goo buy.

     I then went grocery shopping for the week.  It was so easy to spend $42.00 quickly.  I was shocked.  But I did stock up on more low carb treats I can eat. Forgot to get bean sprouts so I will be running to the market for those. I don't dare send Hub's. Went and picked up a prescription I was out of, I had to pay $10.00 for it which means it was very expensive. I did not ask the pharmacist. My Zeljanz co pay is paid by the company as I requested the help. 

     I have to say my hands feel better, don't know if it is due to the new double meds, the steroids.  Anyway I will take it.

     I am holding well at using things from the freezer, but I had to use the last of the chicken that I made into  a large pan of enchiladas.  Hubs wants nothing to do with chicken for a while so sent it with the neighbors, but was able to use up, several things from the pantry.  Woo Hoo!

     Well I am going to clean up and run and get some bean sprouts and some leaf lettuce on sale at a store and then get busy working on the wedding dress.

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

Kim

    

Tuesday, Over did it!

     It was a beautiful day yesterday, as in sunny and about 50.  The pup was just naughty wanting to play and play.   Here he is looking so innocent under the serger table, he is anything but, let me tell you. I had sewing to do and I wanted so badly to get it done as the littles are coming today.

     It was mostly zippers and hems, Like 6 zipper and 8 hems.  Zippers are hard and time consuming., I realized I needed a 28 inch zipper and the sun was shining, so even though I don't leave the shop during the day I decided to take advantage of the weather and go for a walk with the pup to get rid of some of his excess energy.  Off we went and I wore a pair of tennis shoes that I have worn before and I have actually taught in them.  I did not do the 5 mile loop as I was not sure pup could handle the distance , but that little bugger drug me almost four miles.  I mean always ahead, he never seemed to tire and the pace was fast.  Some how and I don't know if it was the pace, the shoes, the, socks, are my feet swollen?  But I ripped the sh*& out of the back of my heels, Huge 50 cent piece blisters broken open.  So I will have to be careful with what I wear for a while.

I dropped the pup off at home and went to Joanns to get the zipper.  They had some of there really nice quilting material, 80 percent off plus an additional 20%.  Sounds like free, but it doesn't work that way.  Anyway $1.59 a yard.  So I picked up a few pieces for aprons that my Sissie wants me to make and a quilt back for later.


I came home and sewed zipper after zipper, it took me most of the afternoon.

But here is a picture of my coat from hell that happened later in the afternoon.  It was a heavy carhart jackets that needed the sleeves shortened and taken in.  This is a tough alteration and I managed to break not one but two serger needles on this puppy.  I was not happy.  But it is done.

My poor serger, how I abused you.  Poor Kim how I abused her.  I still had 8 pairs of pants to hem after this debacle. But I got it done, and today I am sore, my heels, my back.

Pants hemmed Kim tired and cranky.
















     I have been watching the art of Tidying up ion netflix and I am going to try a few of her strategies.  They look interesting.  I love the idea of does this item spark joy in your life.  I know I have many things in my wardrobe that do not spark joy and I keep them out of guilt.  So I see another purge coming on.  I mean clothing purge. I am going to try and get some box lids(free) and fold my socks different so they are not all spilling of of the drawer. Maybe my dresser drawers also.


     Look at the house it went down almost $1200.00 with the last payment, I have not added my $1000.00 extra yet, but I will.  So excited, it is really moving quickly now.

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

Kim

Monday, Money saving madness

     I was so excited to take the dog for a long walk after church as it was warm, and I out him in the car and headed for the levy and DOWNPOUR.  By the time we got to the levy it was obvious we were not going to walk.  So I headed to Lil sis's house and whined about not being able to walk.  She asked me to help her take Christmas down in her dining room, kitchen and back deck.  So I stayed for a couple of ours and made I don't know how many trips up and down the stairs for her.  At least I got some sweaty exercise.

     Hub's ate left over spaghetti hot dish and some of the chicken I made myself for dinner.  Then he got really sick,  I think it was his esophageal closing again as he had no fever or any other signs of illness.  Later in the evening he had some toast, as I suggested buttered toast would be good for him before bed.

    This is the second week of the year and how am I doing on those goals?

1. I put a little change into my pig, and I had no $5 bills come into my hands.
2.  I did pay all household bills for the month but nothing extra on the house yet
3. I stuck to grocery budget and have a carry over of $8.00 for this week I only went to the store once and hub's once because  I forgot fruit. Not constantly going to the store for soda really helps the old budget. :)
4. Hub's trip back to Riggens will I am afraid put us over our gas budget, but we will see.
5.I paid off some charges I had made at Penneys, so interest.

Health

1.I gained 4 lbs (fail)
2. I only had 3 days of reaching my step goals fail
3. Low carb, I found myself gorging carbs late at night twice, I am weak.  Ice cream and crackers.  Will try again. fail
4. No diet coke.  I am finding it hard to stay hydrated, even though I am trying to force water down myself asap.  This is leading to other health problems, as the meds I take are meant to go through my system quickly and leave just a trace which builds up over time.  Which is why doctors want you to move and keep your system running smooth.  I did break bad and had one soda on Sunday while I was helping Lil sis.  I am back on the wagon. I am not going to say this was a fail because it is really a miracle.  

Spiritual

1. I did take it pretty easy last week as far as pushing myself goes, just not eating carbs and the diet coke has slowed me down.
2. I did pick up a good book to read at a second hand store.
3. I was able to meet with the choir director and get music for this month, we had a good turn out and practice.
4. I completed, all of my receiving blankets and one quilt, and also went thrifting and picked up a few needed things for very little money.

So I would say I am on track for the money and the spiritual, the health well....... crap

Money saving madness Jan 1st-6th 2019

1. Stuck to meals at home but one that was on a gift card.
2. fed food scraps to chickens
3. Used my clothesline
4. Ate out of the pantry and freezer, doing really well on freezer challenge, one large package of chicken breast, 2 packages of meatballs, one large bag of tomatoes, two steaks, bag of shrimp, two 1/2 used bags of peas, 2 boxes of pasta.
5.  When we ran out of bread I was able to pull a loaf of homemade from the freezer, eliminating a trip to the store and the bread cost .25 to make.
6. used coupons at Joanns for zippers I needed
7. Cleaned and eliminated many items from under sinks and found items to be used up to eliminate waste.
8.reused and cleaned plastic bags in kitchen. Only used cling plastic once Win, win, win
9.Helping Lil sis I found beautiful smaller crystal glasses that were mom's and some beautiful Swedish vases, I pulled for gifts.

     So over all I feel pretty good about my goals, although the health ones are well not good.  I will persevere. I realize I need to stock up on low carb foods for snacking so I don't go crazy, and find a way to increase my liquids, so I stop retaining water.  I am trying, I am not giving up.

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

Kim

Sunday, warm enough to walk!

     It is over 50 here, we really are enjoying what I would call a typical Lewiston, Idaho winter.  The last two have been anything but typical.  We still could get hit so I am not holding my breath.  I am going to go on a walk with my puppy after this post.  Then I will take a nap.

     Church has been switched to mornings at 9:00 and we now get out at 11:00.  I am so happy they reduced the hours as sitting for 3 hours was very hard for me.  Choir practice is right after church so we are home a little before noon.  Love it.  This gives me the afternoon, read, sleep, have someone over, take long walks, call my sister, work on what ever I want.  I do not sew on Sunday unless it is an emergency, or a project that I want to work on for myself.

     I was very pleased with what I accomplished yesterday.  Hub's and I did the round of second hand stores and I found another nice piece of wool for my braid rug and three more pieces of old silver for centerpieces, and a large rattan basket for dog toys.  Spent, $11.50.  Then we went to Taco time so I could stay on my low carb diet.  We used a free birthday gift card and another gift card so no out of pocket for us.  Then we came home and watched TV.  I just vegged and relaxed the rest of the evening.

     I did hire a yard service to come and trim up the back yard bushes.  Hub's kept saying he was going to do this but, I was tired of waiting and when the man came with his big power trimmer and mowed and shaped the bushes in less than two hours he had everything cleaned up and was gone.  This would have taken me or Hub's days, plus at least three trips to the dump.  I definitely will have this man back.  The cost was $100.00.  I can't believe the amount of work he was able to get done.  Hubs was not very happy about it until he saw how fast and efficient the work was done and how little it cost,compared to his sweat and blood.

     Now that we are in a more secure financial place we can have more things done for us.  I am all about do it yourself  and save money but not at the risk of my hands or an accident with Hub's.  He did admit yesterday that the last tree he took down scared him.  As it started to fall he could not jump up quickly and get out of the way as he did when he was young, so after hearing this no more tree felling for him unless I am there.  We will just have someone else do this for us from now on. 

    There are two  trees that at leaning and need to come down in the back yard. I will schedule them for next month.  Hubs can take care of them once they come down, as in take off the limbs and cut and stack the wood.  Then as the wood is piled up next to the city easement the neighborhood can come and help themselves to the firewood as needed.  I just put it on a neighborhood website and it is gone without us having to clean up or haul it around.  Free wood seems to go fast in this part of Idaho.  We have at least 3 cords stacked down by the house already for emergencies.  I don't want anymore as it attracts bugs and pests.

     Well the levy awaits.

Have a  blessed and peaceful Sabbath.

Kim

Saturday, Look at me go...splat!

     Well I actually made it through yesterday and it was by far my worst day for the no diet coke and low carb.  It was day 4 from hell.  I did get my exercises done and I worked on some blankets after the littles left.  No sewing to speak of which was bad, but after running with kids all day I just didn't feel like it.

     I am still working at getting rid of clutter and I have really concentrated on the kitchen the last two days.  When ever I go up to make myself a cup of herb tea, I clean a cupboard while the kettle heats up and the tea steeps.  I was able to down size 8 different pots and large bowls.  I also threw away about 25 items from under the sink after consolidating things.  My sissie buys me all this cleaning stuff I don't use and don't realize I have.  So now that I know I have 4 boxes (yes 4) of swiffer wipes,and 2 boxes of swiffer dusters I will use them.  Thanks sissie.

     So I cleaned out the lazy susan and my corner cupboards,  putting things I love to use at easy access.

Don't look at the dirty floor, hub's is about to mop.  See all my bowls I use religiously.  The colored ones have lids and it is so nice to store things in the fridge and reuse over and over, so no waste of plastic.  The blue covered casserole is perfect for shepherds pie and scalloped potatoes or any hot dish it was way up in the top of a cabinet I cannot get to with out a small ladder.  I am short.












Here are a set of old fashioned bake wear given to me by my older neighbor.  I love these.  They can go from freezer to oven and bake with lids.  Again perfect for a no waste scenario.  I know she bought them from one of those old fashioned catalogs and spent a pretty penny.  But where were they?  Up in the top of a tall cupboard.  Stupid.

 See the cleaned out cupboard?  I will clean out another food cabinet next week that is always a mess and reuse this space.  The bottom cupboard holds my toaster, bread and mixer and measuring things that I use daily.

  I am going to remove the two Almond cake trays to another cupboard.  It will be so nice to have this room for food stuffs.














Here is the tall cupboard I told you about on the top shelf are vinegar and molasses and glass wear and glass wear and things that are used very seldom.  My wheat grinder and blender and rice cooker take the bottom of the high cupboard and I can reach these, with my kitchen stool.



     Now I ask myself, why didn't I do this a long time ago?  I don't know.  Mom, grief, not slowing down long enough to realize what could be done.  My Sissie would be so proud of me.

     Now speaking of Sissie, she buys spices when she comes here because she is a fabulous cook and she does most of the cooking.  But she doesn't really look hard to see what I have probably because my stuff is such a mess.  Even though I know she has reorganized my spices several times over the years.  Well I went into both spice cupboards, and combined the duplicated spices and jars that were almost empty.  Why do I need 3  one quarter filled jars of nutmeg?  Four jars of dill?  Three jars of partially filled cloves?  You get the drift.  By the time I was done, I had 31 jars and boxes to throw away and my spices and baking things are so much easier to get to.  Again for someone that cooks almost constantly why?

     So combine the last two days and I have downsized another 64 things from my life that were aggravating me so to speak.

     I just need to keep tackling, the closets and cupboards.

     I was able to use a large bag of frozen tomatoes and two packages of meat balls and another box of pasta, from storage and the freezer. yesterday.  Eating down and saving money.

     Today hub's and I are going to run around to the second hand stores looking for a large basket for dog toys and old silver for the wedding center pieces.  It is just something to do that we enjoy and we might go out to a late lunch with a gift card.

     I pulled out a large package of chicken breasts out of the freezer for tomorrow and what ever else I can come up with during the week.  Using it up is the motto around here.  I think I am making headway on the upstairs freezer, but the one in the garage is another story.  A work in progress,

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

Kim

Friday, too many interruptions...

     The littles are here today and the baby is one and has learned to crawl up the stairs and then fall down them.  He started walking at nine months.  So my morning has been full of no nos. I am living for nap time.  Okay finally got him down.  I tried making a comment on another blog and it ended up a post which I deleted this is what happens when you have two kids under two in your presence.

     I am really struggling today with giving up diet coke.  I just do not want water.  I don't drink things with calories as I would rather have those in food, and the only other things out there are flavored waters which also have the artificial sweetener in them.I have drank several cups of Herb tea and I enjoy that.

     I was so wiped out last night from absolutely nothing that I fell asleep on the sofa with out doing my exercises. I also did not get the cleaning done under the sink.  I fed Hub's a container of homemade bean soup I had in the freezer in stead of spaghetti and meatballs.  But I pulled out a large bag of frozen tomatoes, that I did not can and I am going to make a big pot of sauce and send some home with the neighbors.  This will eliminate about 4 items in the upstairs freezer.  Once I get that eaten down I will bring things up from the freezer below.  There are enough bananas for a large recipe of banana bread, and I was able to make a large shrimp salad for a funeral today with everything from the pantry.  I saved some of the salad for hub's and I.

     I did get a baby quilt tied and pinned for self binding last night while we watched Katherine the Great on Netflix.  SO all I have to do is finish that and I will have one done and 5 to go.  I still need to make one more baby blanket and I have everything I need.

     Yesterday was police uniforms out my ears.  I got several emergency orders in as the new uniforms were held up by Christmas mail and our police force has to go to some training in Atlanta this next week.  So after I sewed all afternoon on only uniforms and I thought I was done for the day I had three more pants come in.  I have plenty to do in there and also need to have a Wedding dress ready for a fitting on late Monday afternoon. Plus I am now up to 7 zippers to replace. Blessed with work.

     When I was plating up the shrimp salad, I decided to redo a couple of cupboards and get rid of a few more things and put things I use or would like to use down in my lazy susan and the things that are in the lazy susan up in the taller cupboards that I have a hard time reaching. It just makes sense.  I have a beautiful set of glass covered baking dishes and I rarely use them.  They are so nice because when you are done the leftovers can go right in the fridge.  Funny how you can just push things aside and not use them when you really love them.  I can get rid of many other things and use these instead.

     I even have pots and pans I do not use clear in the back of my cupboard and those are going to bless others.

     So day 4 of my no diet coke and low carb is going but not without complaint. I do not want a glass of water I feel water logged, and I want a sweet roll.

     Gripe, complain, moan, feel free to skip this blog.

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

Kim

     

Thursday, Use that crap up!

     Well I am on day three of no diet coke and I am cranky and headachey but persevering. As usual I am having a hard time getting back into the shop after and almost 2 week hiatus.  I love to be lazy and get nothing done in there.  Well I can't say I was really lazy yesterday as I hit my exercise goal and steps of 12,500.  But I did no sewing.  There was work brought in so I have no excuse not to get something done today.

     I deep cleaned under the bathroom sinks in the master bath and the spare bath upstairs, also a little out of the kitchen.  Just in those areas I found 96 things to get rid of or donate.  Today I will tackle the kitchen sink and some other cupboards.  What do I really use?  How many do I really need?  Is this necessary?  Also I am looking for things to use up.  These 1/2 full conditioners, that I found and expensive face and eye creams that have been given to me.  Use this crap up!

These are things I found that I need to use up, and I am going to, so I don't waste.  Now I did not buy any of these they were gifts, my family must think that I look old or something. I am always getting wrinkle cream and night creams.  Is it a hint?

I found three bottles of 1/2 used conditioner under the sinks, so these will get used before I open another bottle.  I can be so wasteful. Also a really nice jar of bath salts, so I will use these, silly not to.

I will make a shrimp salad for a funeral tomorrow.  Hub's will play at the funeral and take the salad with him as I will have the Littles.

So today I am going to:

1. pay bills
2. make a shrimp salad
3. clean under sink in kitchen
4. Make  spaghetti and meatballs for hub's, I will have meatballs and salad change up did frozen soup in stead
5. sew uniforms, a bridesmaid dress, shorten coat sleeves, and 3 or 4 zippers.
6. take a small load of things to goodwill
7. exercise and get in my steps


     I am off to set the world on fire, or myself whichever comes first.

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

Kim

Wednesday, Happy New Year, a day late.

     We had planned on staying at daughters house until today and then driving parents home and spending the night and coming home Thursday, but dad was getting antsy to get home which made mom a dither and he drove her nuts so she drove us nuts, it was just better to get up and go on New Years day and make everyone happy.  Daughter needed a day to relax before returning to court and us staying with the old folks was not the answer.

     So we took off and dropped mom and dad in Nampa and then came home.  We stopped in Riggens to potty the dog and when we were about 30 miles outside of Lewiston we got a call from D#3 that Hub's cell phone had been found in Riggens in the parking lot.  Great, we are about 2.5 hours away and almost home.  So we called and asked them to ship it, but Hub's decided this morning to go and get it.  He called a few minutes ago from Riggens to say he was there and the phone had been run over, but we always put the toughest cases and screen protectors on his phones because he worked in the woods all those years.  I have a new case for him here and we will go buy a new screen protector or I will order some on Amazon, if the screen is broken I will have it fixed.  What a way to start the new year right?

     I am still in my Pj's and I am okay with that.  I will get myself dressed and ready to face the year as soon as I am done with this post.  So many things have happened over the Holiday that I want to talk about so it will take several posts.  Yikes!

Goals for the new year are as follows:

 Financial Goals:

1. save all my change in my pig bank
2. Save every $5 bill that comes my way  (already have $15.00)
3. continue using the $1000.00 savings charts (I completed 21 of them last year with savings from sewing and money saved out of our household income and debt pay off)
4. pay off house at least $1000.00 extra a month on principle should do it, but I plan on paying more as the year goes on and I pay off other Christmas bills.
5. Set up a budget.  By the way I really don't have a budget, I just write down my bills for the month and pay them and then use what is left over for groceries and debt.  So I guess you would call that 0 based?
6. Set up and envelope system for groceries and gas and stay at $200.00 a month for groceries and $125.00 a month for gas.
7.Pay off Christmas bills  (I was bad)

Health Goals:

1. lose 20 lbs (I lost 17 last year but I have just been having fun since)
     a.  exercise 5 days a week at least a hour for my heart
     b. get at least 10,000 steps a day on fit bit going for 12,000
     c. stick to a low carb diet until weight is lost ( I already miss my donuts)
2. Give up diet coke  ( this is a huge like big deal)  I am so addicted it is not funny.  But my specialist wants to see if the artificial sweeteners are causing an inflammatory response in my system.  I will do anything to keep from switching meds.  This is a big damn deal for me.   Sluggy say a prayer and no laughing at my pain and probably failure.

Spiritual goals:

1. be kinder to myself, slow down, smell the roses
2. continue to bless others everyday.  Try to do something nice everyday for someone even if it is just a smile or a conversation with someone lonely. ( I did this last year and the blessings I received were beyond anything I would have imagined.  When you are in the service of your fellow man you are in the service of your God) Try this make the world (your world) a better place.
3. Study more
4. continue to sing in choir and play piano as needed, practice at least 5 hours a week on accompaniment songs.
5. continue to work on hobbies that I enjoy, sewing, crochet, embroidery, reusing and redoing, thrifting.

     Now these are my yearly goals.  I will have monthly and weekly goals to try and achieve and keep track of my yearly goals.

So as I have only 1,227,00 steps on my step tracker, I would suggest I get my butt in gear and get dressed and maybe start living like I can achieve something other than writing about how great I am going to be when I achieve all the above.
*snort*

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

Kim