tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64860325864452241432024-03-06T22:33:48.585-05:00Living The Small LifeLife on a small scale...Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.comBlogger280125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-20720816378474732972018-09-03T17:59:00.002-04:002018-09-03T17:59:42.479-04:00Moving On!I have decided to start a new blog for this new chapter of my life. Going forward, anyone who is interested in my musings will be able to find me at <a href="https://murphysmicrocosm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Murphy's Microcosm </a>-- where I will be posting about my life in retirement.<br />
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This blog was getting difficult to maintain so I've decided it's had a good enough run to retire along with me. I want to thank everyone who has followed my adventures (and misadventures), whether lurking or commenting -- I've learned a lot and appreciate your all! <br />
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The new blog probably won't be all that different, but will give me a chance to change some of the areas I focused on in the past.<br />
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I'll keep this blog up for a short-while just as a way to direct traffic to the new blog, but may eventually delete it. For those of you whom I visit going forward, rather than seeing comments from Alex M, you'll just be seeing Mrs. Murphy. I'm changing my address but not going away!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-42266885622474278122018-09-01T12:01:00.000-04:002018-09-01T12:01:06.142-04:00White Tile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I hate the white tile on our kitchen counter. We used to have it in the bathroom -- luckily it's gone now. There is no way I will ever use white tile in a kitchen -- this was here when we bought the house, and I have been struggling to keep it clean ever since. TBG did a good job of cleaning it a few weeks back, but he did it quickly and this is how it looked this week.<br />
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I've used a variety of methods to clean the grout. This time, it was a paste made from equal parts bleach and baking soda. I schmeared it on the grout and let it sit. Next I scrubbed it with a toothbrush. It was tedious and messy. It doesn't look a lot cleaner in this shot, but it actually did a pretty good job.<br />
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Looking at it from further away shows that it is a lot cleaner. I'll probably use this approach going forward. It will be a while before we can renovate the kitchen, so I guess this will be a chore to add to my retirement repertoire. Oh well, if I don't wait too long between cleanings, I should be able to keep the counter tops from getting too gross. However, this won't be fun!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-26371226683575395642018-08-31T11:53:00.000-04:002018-08-31T11:53:17.478-04:00Z Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had two left-over zucchinis from our farm-stand hall the weekend before last. This time of year, it's easy to over-buy them. They were cheap and they were tasty -- but it wasn't possible to eat four in a week. What is a girl to do? Of course, make zucchini bread. One batch was made in a baking dish, the other was in a loaf pan. We've enjoyed the baking dish version all week. It's breakfast, desert, and snack. No guilt either as I made it with oatmeal and whole wheat flour. It's been yummy.<br />
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Doubling the recipe called for eight eggs, but I just used seven. You can't tell that I shorted it. Teddy had already enjoyed a couple of egg shells Sunday morning when I baked this, so I rinsed these and they're in the fridge. She'll get a crunchy treat or two each day for the rest of the week. These are cheap, low calorie, healthy dog treats. I know most dogs wouldn't eat them, but that is the charm of Teddy. She eats anything. We waste almost nothing.<br />
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As for her veggie needs, this week I made up a batch using a frozen "California" medley (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots) and frozen peaches from Dollar Tree. To help it along, I added the dregs from a carton of orange juice, along with a good shot of olive/safflower oil blend. I am doing a good job of not over-buying produce, so we're making her nightly snack with frozen fruit/veggies. I reckon I spend about $2.50 per week on that. Of course, she gets scraps and other extras -- but this is the basis of her diet; two meat/bone meals, one veggie meal, plus a banana at lunch. She's not complaining and neither am I.Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-38254978924506517962018-08-30T11:40:00.000-04:002018-08-30T11:40:01.146-04:00Working for the Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is nice to have time to cook ahead for camp. We have a small fridge so storing multiple ingredients is out of the question. This weekend, one meal with be a chicken coconut curry. The cheap factor is that I am using a package of sauce that was a "Special Today" mark-down. The pans were end-of-season mark downs too. These are drip pans for grill -- the perfect size for a toaster oven. For ingredients: chicken breast, slaw mix, yellow pepper, onion, black beans and a packet of sauce.<br />
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Convenience items are generally high in sodium. I make my peace with this because ordering take-out or buying lunch at camp would mean we'd be eating something high in sodium anyway. The difference, is that this package was $1.75. The chicken was part of the bird I roasted on Monday and I'll have used the slaw in multiple meals this week. All together, this meal for two will come in under four bucks. Additionally, we won't have to leave camp to eat out. That makes it a camp winner. <br />
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The first thing I did was mix all of the ingredients into the small tin. This is the perfect size for two people. I might bring along instant white rice, however, the beans will add enough starch to help us feel full if we don't have rice. My goal these days is to make a bean/legume part of every meal in order to take in more healthy soluble fiber. <br />
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Although the recipe on the packet says to saute the ingredients first and then add the package, I'm improvising. Mixing it all together in advance will soften everything up and help blend the flavors. I can also heat it up in our electric fry pan. It is more likely it will go in the toaster oven.<br />
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Once I wrapped the meal up foil, I cut the label out and put it on top. Then I secured it in plastic wrap to help avoid any sort of leakage that might take place. We won't have to guess what's in the tin and if we don't need it, it can go in the freezer and not become a mystery.<br />
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We do whatever we can to eat meals at camp because we love the view and love being there. Lately, we've been lazy and buying more meals out. Now that I am trying to keep costs down, this will be the way to go. It's going to be possible now that I have more time to prepare in advance. This is just another piece of my chicken strategy!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-14961011589525757272018-08-29T11:28:00.000-04:002018-08-29T11:28:07.789-04:00Culinary Tools<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have needed a potato/tomato masher for some time. There is probably one in a box in the garage that I have yet to unpack, but that doesn't help me now that it's summer and I am making fresh marinara. Rather than heading to Target, I knew I'd do better at a thrift store. I ducked into Amvets last Thursday and found this one for 79 cents. The saute pan was a separate purchase on Saturday.<br />
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I had wanted a second saute pan and had been coveting those made by Cuisinart for years. The brand I have is Revere and I purchased it as a set. It is of a lower quality but it was what I could afford twenty years ago when I bought it. With all the cooking I do, I often need two pans this size at the same time. This one was $3.98 and it appeared to be nearly unused. <br />
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The pans I have slightly warped on the bottom. It's a quality issue. The bottom of my Cuisinart pan is completely flat. It is also less likely to warp because it is a higher quality. Now that we have a conduction cook top, the flat bottom is important.<br />
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I've already used this pan a couple of times and am very happy with it. Of course people think you only get worn out or cheap stuff at thrifts, but the rest of us know it's a great way to get something high quality that you never would be able to spend money on in the retail world.<br />
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While I don't recommend buying plastic kitchen utensils at a thrift (unless they are totally unused), stainless steel is a winner. It's not easy to find good, affordable stainless steel products at a low price at retail, which is why a thrift store is my first choice. Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-43547456756820401862018-08-28T11:13:00.001-04:002018-08-28T11:13:34.896-04:00Chicken Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was chicken for 79 cents a pound this week -- again. I realize that a lot of people would be kind of grossed out to fully dismember a bird -- removing the skin, back and wings is a slimy job. It does take time and without a pair of kitchen shears, it would be impossible. But I am always willing to get in and butcher a bird because it's one of the best ways to save money. I like to dump the parts in a bowl, then rub them with oil and seasonings, prior to roasting it.<br />
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The skin, wings and back went into a zippy. This will be at least two meals for the pup. The skin will help her coat as well. The reason I love processing a chicken is that what is not optimal for us is great for her. Chicken skin and wings are high in fat and calories, so the healthy thing is to take a pass -- even if that means letting go of some serious yum. The fat is great for a dog -- it's their primary source of energy. There is also the philosophy of treating like with like -- and as I've written before, Teddy has skin woes. She has been doing well this summer -- and I think the skin is a part of it.<br />
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The breast meat went into a large zippy to be used for future meals. So far, we've had two great dinners with it and TBG is happy to be able to make chicken and hummus wraps for lunch. We have just enough to last us until Wednesday night -- which was my dinner goal pre-Labor Day weekend. Having this set aside means I can make cold salads for dinner -- either as a focal point or side.<br />
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The juicy thigh meat was immediately diced and mixed with onion, black beans and Ranchero sauce. I like to make this up ahead of time so that the flavors have time to meld. When it comes time to prepare dinner, it can be easily sauteed. <br />
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This is my favorite way to make chicken tacos. Adding the beans means the meal is higher in fiber than traditional tacos. Chicken is also cheaper than ground beef. It's leaner and lower in calories too. This was a nice fresh summer Sunday dinner and enough was left for lunch on Monday.<br />
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One downside to using this method is that there is not as much carcass left for stock. I did make a batch which is quite weak. That's fine for making rice or a grain. It gives just a touch of flavor. I can also simmer it again with veggies if I want to add more flavor. I just can't throw anything away without fully using it. The pup did get the bits of meat and cartilage I could cull from the pot. Once it has been cooked down that much, it is lower in nutrients. At that point, it's just a snack/treat.<br />
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I've read a lot about how Americans over-consumption of chicken is part of the obesity epidemic. That may be true -- if you are eating it fried, making it the majority of meals, eating the skin, wings, etc., that would explain a lot. In the past, poultry was not as cheap so a family only bought one bird per week and made it last. There was a saying: "A chicken for every pot." That's what I try to do as well. While our ancestors couldn't afford to discard the skin and wings -- that's our modern luxury. Dogs in the past did exist off of human discards -- dog food was not manufactured until after WWII, so what we're doing isn't radical or new.<br />
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I think the best way to be frugal in the modern world is to be anachronistic. Maybe my grandparents weren't having tacos for dinner, I know that they were using every last scrap of the bird they brought home each week. I guess that makes me an old-fashioned girl after all.<br />
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<br />Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-68015170222976467492018-08-27T10:00:00.000-04:002018-08-27T10:00:09.200-04:00Switching ISP/Cable Providers Sucks!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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So we have broken away from Time Warner/Spectrum -- and am glad we did. However, transitioning over has been a real nightmare. The biggest hassle was changing email. We've wanted to ditch TWC for quite some time but because I had been looking for work at various times, we didn't want to change our email address. Now that I am done working, I don't really care.<br />
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Nothing we could say or do would get TWC to lower our bill. Once I went to turn in the equipment, they told me we could switch back and they'd treat us like we were new customers and give us a better deal. Like, really? Well we do know that Verizon will jack their prices up in a couple of years so we might just switch back then. The thing is, Verizon internet is a lot faster (and I was paying extra for "turbo" on TWC), and that is a big thing to me.<br />
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One problem we had, is that Verizon does not offer email and hasn't for years. I didn't think to ask about that. That meant I had to set up a gmail account for us. This has messed with signing in to this blog -- lots of my replies and comments to other blogs don't show "Alex M" anymore. They show the joint email I set up for me and TBG.<br />
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The worst part of it, was the time and effort it took me to get the new account set up in Microsoft Outlook on my desktop. This is something I want to have and it means messing with options and required me looking up directions on-line. TBG would never have been able to do that. I also had to copy over the emails I wanted to save from the old accounts to new folders under the new account. Once that was done, I had to remove the accounts so that I wouldn't get continual messages that Outlook could not connect to the TWC email server. Ugh. It took me about two days and lots of cursing to get it done.<br />
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It would have been way easier to stay with TWC, but I was not going to shell out over $200 bucks per month. Further, we live in NY state, which is litigating them now. There is a good chance they will be forced out -- so we would probably have to switch anyway.<br />
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In any event, this is done. At some point, I may need to ditch this blog and start a new one just so I can get my profile and email addressed linked correctly. Blogger does not let you delete the primary email address so it's been a pain. Well, at least I am saving money so I'll stop complaining!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-64494426473991648362018-08-26T09:30:00.000-04:002018-08-26T09:30:10.355-04:00Summer Score<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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There is plenty of summer left, so I was happy to find another bathing suit and a pair of shoes suitable for the water. At this point, I can't have too many comfortable bathing suits. I wear one almost every day at home and at camp. Having this suit means I don't have to pack one for camp -- I will leave this one there. I will also leave these shoes there, rather than bringing the pair I found last week back and forth. The convenience will help a lot since the shoes are rarely dry on Sunday when I need to bring them home.<br />
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I prefer plains suits like this which minimize my pudginess. That doesn't mean I am ashamed to walk around in a bathing suit. When I go for a swim, I don't cover up. Afterwards, the pup and I generally take a walk -- and I see no reason to hide under anything. I want the air to dry the suit and I want to get some sun. This suit was $4.98. While some might get grossed out by wearing someone else's swimwear -- I wore a lot of hand-me-down bathing suits growing up. Most of the time, women buy them and are afraid to wear them in public. They end up at the thrifts in good condition. If they are at all stretched out or showing elastic frays, I take a pass. <br />
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These are made by Lands End, so I know the quality is good. They appear to have been barely worn as well. While I generally wait for shoes to be marked down, I couldn't pass this pair up as I knew they would sell at that price and the chance of getting another bargain like this is totally unlikely. So my old cruddy pair won't go to camp -- I am saving them for gardening.<br />
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When I shop, I use a coupon so the purchase has to be above fourteen bucks. I picked up a saute pan too -- so the whole haul was twelve and change. I love summer and sauteing... so this was a real score!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-79931351680258960782018-08-25T12:37:00.002-04:002018-08-25T12:37:38.683-04:00Welcome to Retirement!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Even in semi-retirement, I was keeping the bathroom clean. The big difference now is that I don't have to rush through it after my morning shower, because I don't have to be anywhere! I've also added a few extra steps onto the task that I didn't often get a chance to do each day -- like cleaning the outside of the glass of the shower stall. I'm also going to start sweeping the floor every day. Woo hoo, do I know how to have fun or what?<br />
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I now have time to hang laundry out to dry. One thing I like about having more time to do laundry, is that I can wash our bathroom towels more frequently. They always smell fresh -- not always the case when we were struggling to get it done even once a week. How gross is it that I just admitted that?<br />
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Running Bill and the dog pillow got mangled by Ziggy at work. I just never had time to mend them. Yesterday, the Verizon technician was at the house all morning and I couldn't leave the house. That gave me time to fix them both.<br />
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I was so busy on Thursday and Friday that I didn't have time to post. And here we are reading that retirees don't know what to do with all of their sudden free time? On Thursday, I baked, I cooked, I cleaned, did some laundry, and I ran around picking up the catering for TBG's work event. That event was a blast and I was happy to help. Teddy and I swam and walked in the morning and had some time with our swimming buddy Jim. We had a longer walk because I wasn't fitting it in after work.<br />
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I am really hoping we can keep our expenses low enough for me to not have to go back to work. There is so much more that we'll get done and not have to let things go for weeks (or forever).Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-41331611981928237052018-08-22T19:44:00.002-04:002018-08-22T19:47:40.757-04:00Wednesday is Thursday this Week...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are hosting a river cruise tomorrow night for TBG's best clients, so no dinner at home. That is OK, I used left-overs to make dinner tonight and it's just like it would be if it were Thursday. I had stock from last week, and a jar of marinara from last night. TBG left a half a pepper in the fridge from his chicken wrap at lunch. Add in half a zucchini, pearl barley & red quinoa, onion, celery, the tail-end of a bag of cabbage/carrot slaw, and diced chicken breast from Monday, and you have a thick soup made with summer veggies.<br />
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We had the end of a loaf of bread. I made three batches of pizza dough last week and baked the final batch into bread on Friday to bring to camp. We didn't eat it then, but we enjoyed it with pasta last night. Tonight I chopped it and tossed it with oil and spices, then baked it until crispy.<br />
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The soup and "croutons" were delicious. I still have chicken and veggies to use on Friday -- but we might just have food left from what we'll serve tomorrow night -- which we are getting from a deli. I still have bones and a couple of corn cobs to make into stock tomorrow.<br />
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I made today my last day of work. Everything was done and I saw no point in going in to waste 6 hours. Truthfully, I am glad to be done. Apparently only the boss knew I was going and it was a surprise to everyone else. It ends up like that a lot when I leave a job. I never said anything negative to anyone so it might have been a surprise -- unless they were paying attention to the dynamics of what was going on and then they might have realized that I was frustrated and confused a lot of the time (but not with them). It was a truly strange situation that I am disappointed over, but glad to move on from. Especially since now I will have time to make consistently yummy, frugal and health meals. That's "Souper!"Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-30829042774463987962018-08-21T19:49:00.002-04:002018-08-21T19:49:53.515-04:00Marinara<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is a farm stand down the road from our camp. They have great produce but also stuff they hold back as "Seconds" because the product is not perfect. Well, not perfect is fine when you want to make marinara. Four quarts of fresh tomatoes set me back four bucks and this afternoon, I cooked it all up. These two jars are destined for the freezer. A smaller jar is in the fridge for another meal this week.<br />
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Dinner was some more marinara with spiralized zucchini, four large ones set me back two bucks. Three large red and yellow peppers were two bucks too. We will be eating colorfully this week. This is a quick picture of what was left from my plate after I ate my fill. I don't avoid white pasta if I mix it with high fiber veggies. This would not have tasted right with wheat pasta.<br />
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Last year, we had a farm share and paid almost twenty bucks a week for veggies. We had to give half of it away. This week, I spent eight dollars and will use it all up. No more farm shares for us. But I'll keep on buying those "seconds" so we have plenty of sauce!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-69199901084154189282018-08-20T19:34:00.001-04:002018-08-20T19:34:18.468-04:00Hair of the Dog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have been doing very well dealing with Teddy's tendency to get hot-spots. Knock on wood, but we have not had a single spot all summer. Her allergy pills are expensive. At the vet, they are well over three bucks per pill. I had a large refill from an on-line pet pharmacy this spring for $2.49. This time, I found a source for them at $2.24. I will look for a lower price next time around. I am so thankful for Internet pet pharmacies!<br />
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Because I am always aware of side-effects and also want to keep costs down, I've got her on a minimum dose that seems to be working. She gets a half pill (8mg) every other day. On the off days, she gets either a Benadryl or Zyrtec. Both are safe for dogs.<br />
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In addition to her meds, she gets a tablespoon of "The Missing Link." Their skin/coat formula was recommended by a vet at a seminar I went to years ago. The lady was a canine immunologist so allergies were her thing. Some people say this formula has too many things in it and they don't think there is enough of any one ingredient to make a difference. All I can say, is that we are using it -- and my dog's skin and coat does look better. A bag lasts close to two months but sets me back around $29 when tax is included.<br />
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Along with meds and supplements, we rinse her off after every swim. Every three times, she gets a shampooing. I used to use dandruff shampoo but I think that dried her fur out too much and caused itching. I use a mixture of Neutrogena Rainbath, dog shampoo, a small bit of dandruff shampoo, and a little bit of Povidone Iodine. I dilute this with quite a bit of water.<br />
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She gets combed every time she gets wet. As for flea/tick preventive, I give that every month -- but I give a half dose. She is on the low weight end for the dosage and this works fine. With most things, I find I save money by buying the largest dosage and cutting it in half.<br />
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In order to be sure ear infections from swimming don't cause trouble, we use a vet solution to clean them every couple of days. She hasn't needed a daily cleaning so far. We do check her ears for gook every day. As for grooming, we're sticking to every six weeks and not letting her coat get too full/long.<br />
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As for food, I have been adding an egg a day to her diet. I am also giving her chicken skin along with her regular meals. When I made her veggie slop, I add oil to it. I figure all the extra Omegas can only help. Since she is not fat, eating extra fat causes no additional weight gain.<br />
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We have had to spend serious money to treat skin allergies. It's tough to pay so much for prescriptions and formulas -- but it is cheaper than a single vet visit and it makes us all feel better. Other than skin issues, this dog is never sick. She has been quite an expenditure -- between orthopedic surgery and skin allergies... but I love her and she is my baby. All this is the reason why we only want to have one pet at a time. It's easier to treat everything if there is only one animal to deal with. At one point we had a dog and two geriatric cats. Now that was tough on the wallet!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-17622314836333836352018-08-19T20:10:00.002-04:002018-08-19T20:10:34.694-04:00Rainy Day Bargains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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We went to camp this weekend and it absolutely poured on Saturday, so we decided to go to the outlet mall. I had needed to replace my water sandals. They are probably five years old and the soles are coming off. I will try to re-glue them, but am not optimistic. I have also wanted a pair of basic black flats that I did not need to wear socks with. The pair I have is too big unless I wear socks -- not the best for summer. Famous Footwear and a BOGO-1/2 price sale. My water sandals were $20 and the ballet flats were half of their sale price of $15. I was so glad to find both on sale as they are normally fifty to sixty bucks a piece and I just was not going to pay that.<br />
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TBG needed to replace his sneakers but could not find anything for the second pair to get half price. He wears an 11.5 4E shoe, so not a lot will fit him. I picked up the boots to complete the deal. At $15 on sale, they were mine for $7.50, and are just the type of thing I like to wear with leggins in colder weather. I was very happy to have gotten what I wanted plus the boots as a bonus.<br />
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Christopher & Banks was having a clearance/liquidation sale. I picked up two vests and a jacket and they were three bucks a piece. The vests are very large because I didn't realize how C&B sizes in order to make larger girls feel better. That is OK as I can wear them over bulky sweaters or sweatshirts.<br />
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The black vest is reversible and has a faux fur inside. On the shiny side, the zipper has a ruffle. I think the boucle will be good with a sweater or sweatshirt. The jacket is a great fall-weight and the lining is polka-dotted. I see myself wearing it with leggins and my new booties.<br />
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Most of these bargains were there so that the shops could clear things out for back-to-school. I really like to shop a few weeks before BTS in order to get the fall merchandise left from the prior year and to also get what is left from summer -- because we still have a month to go! Grabbing summer end-of year deals means we will be set to go when summer comes around next year. OK, and also because I am cheap!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-3321363941945818512018-08-16T20:52:00.001-04:002018-08-16T20:52:47.809-04:00Thursday Objective Met<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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My Thursday dinner goal is always to finish up whatever is in the fridge and to make dinner without buying any new ingredients. It was a success again this week. Of course it was a given that pizza was part of the plan since I made up three batches of dough on Tuesday. Then I rummaged through the freezer this morning and found a snack-sized zippy back with small chunks of cooked Italian sausage. There was also very small amount of chicken thigh left, and a third of a log of mozarella. I've been going through a small can of Hunts tomato sauce (courtesy of the Dollar Tree) all week, and that was finished tonight too. The pizza was delicious!<br />
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In addition to the pizza, we had half a head of romaine lettuce as well as the shredded cabbage and carrots from pierogi night. I had also grabbed a small bag of grapes earlier in the week. The grapes and the rest of a red onion served as salad with a Parmesan-Romano type of dressing.<br />
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Now I don't have to worry about heading into the weekend with a refrigerator of food we won't get to eat. I still plan to augment a container of store-bought guacamole with an avocado that should be ripe tomorrow. We'll plow through that over the weekend to be sure.<br />
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It has been a $65 food week but I'll have to spend a little more tomorrow to get us through the weekend, plus the pup needs meat. In any event, it has been a frugal food week and we've still managed to eat really well!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-88549986566063009762018-08-15T21:09:00.000-04:002018-08-15T21:09:19.286-04:00Jammin'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I made "refrigerator" jam this afternoon. Pup and I swam and went for a short walk after work, which took an extra hour or so out of the day. Even though I wanted to do some housework, I've been wanting to make fresh jam. Last week, blueberries were uber cheap, so that was what I thought I'd use. Well, they weren't on sale, but strawberries were.</div>
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The recipe calls for four cups of berries and four cups of sugar. There is just no way I would use that much sugar. The instructions warned not to cut the amount of sugar. Well, I'll live dangerously and with imperfection. Ingredients are simple: Strawberries, a few remaining blueberries, sugar, cinnamon, water and pectin. This batch probably cost under five bucks to make.</div>
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To compensate for the under-use of sugar, I filled three jars mostly with fruit. The last jar is more liquid. I will use this as a syrup over ice cream or waffles. The jars will sit on the counter tonight and then the syrup and one jar will go in the fridge. I will freeze the others.</div>
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I also made a chicken, spinach and basil pizza on a wheat crust for dinner, so we are just about done with the chicken. Not sure what I will make for dinner tomorrow, but it will be a pizza-like meal. So far I've spent about $65 on food this week and don't want to shop for anything else unless we absolutely need it for the weekend. I do think I saved money by making jam and will probably keep this up for the rest of the summer.</div>
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Are you jammin' too?Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-75522691280948978892018-08-14T20:26:00.000-04:002018-08-14T20:26:36.250-04:00Chicken, Day Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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It was the second day with the chicken I cooked up yesterday. We both had a wrap for lunch and then once that was done, I set about to start prep for dinner. It was Taco Tuesday at Chez Petite. The Ortega shells came from Dollar Tree, so they were cheap. They are a slightly higher fiber/grain version. Although by higher, it's 2g rather than <1g of fiber. We had the shredded cabbage/carrot mix from pierogi night and I had purchased three red peppers. These are the misfits that Price Rite sells for cheap ($1.49 per pound). We were out of cheddar so for cheese, it was Swiss and Assiago. Someone actually forgot to pack the package of Swiss and I found it in a cart I picked up at Aldi. So I just dropped it in my car. That wasn't stealing as someone paid for it but just forgot it. The sour cream is actually cut 50% with plain Greek yogurt.<br />
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While I'll eat a taco any day, I love them in the summer. We ate them out on the patio. It was a healthy meal -- and especially so because I added black beans into the chicken mixture. We had black beans last night in our chicken chili and we still have some left that I will use up tomorrow or the day after.<br />
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As for tomorrow, I started dough tonight. I actually ended up with three batches. Tomorrow and Thursday will be pizza nights. I'll make a loaf on Friday for the weekend.<br />
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The pup has been super hungry because she is swimming and outside so much. The extra skin that I pulled off the thighs is helping to round off her meals and even serve as a quick snack/treat here and there. She doesn't have any sort of weight problem -- and dogs metabolize fat for energy anyway. Since she is wet so much and we do not want her fur or skin to dry out, the extra fat is much needed. We have to do what we can to avoid hot spots and fat in her diet helps.<br />
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We really get our money's worth out of cheap chicken. After a week or two, I will go with some ground beef or another kind of meat -- just to give us a break. Because we mix it in as part of a meal, our serving sizes are small too. That means many meals of chicken right in a row. After a while that can be tiresome. But tonight, it was yummy!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-79055359106746207782018-08-13T20:29:00.000-04:002018-08-13T20:29:33.941-04:00My Life of Inconvenience<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I took advantage of yesterday's sunshine and scorching heat, and dried my laundry on the line. While TBG doesn't like his clothes stiff from the line, I do. As a result, I did a load of my clothes and then hung them out. When I do loads with his clothes, I give them a quick tumble to soften them up. However, I prefer saving energy by using the power of the sun. It's a lot more effort than just throwing the washed clothes into the dryer, but it's economical and environmentally friendly so I am up for the extra work.<br />
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Yesterday I purchased a tray of four large chicken leg quarters. The .53 cents per pound fryer deal was past but I still knew we wanted meat. As soon as I got home from work, I put the four quarters in the pressure cooker with some liquid, celery and spices. After 25 minutes, I took them out and set them to cool while I walked the dog.<br />
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Once at home, I pulled off the skin and set it aside for the pup. Then I pulled the meat off the legs. I dumped the bones back into the pressure cooker and added more water, then set it that to cook. Since the meat still needed a little more cooking, I cut it into slices and tossed that with lemon and garlic, then convection roasted it for twenty minutes at 325. Once that was done, I set aside the larger slices for TBG to use in wraps and for me to make meals with during the week.<br />
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The smaller bits (to the right) went into a black bean and chicken chili tonight. I added celery, onion and red pepper and a little bit of tomato sauce. It was very yummy. In the past, I would have made bread but TBG and I are trying to drop a few pounds and I also knew we would have the rest of the homemade blueberry pie for dessert.<br />
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The stock was enough to fill three sauce jars. I plan to freeze two of them. Since summer is not really hot soup weather, there is no need to have three jars in the fridge.<br />
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Making up stock from scratch, cooking up chicken in bulk and getting it ready for other meals is not convenient. Convenient would be to buy boxes of broth in the store and bags of chicken strips by Perdue. Unfortunately, that would be expensive and the products would be super high in sodium and other additives.<br />
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I don't have apps on my phone, our cars are not "smart," and very few things I do outside of work are technology-centric. The manual nature of my life would drive the average American crazy, however, I like doing these basic things. We don't need the latest of everything and we don't need things to be easy. What we do need, is time to get to do these things that take more time. For me, part of the way to get that time is to ignore FaceBook and use my phone for phone calls (and sometimes text), and that's it.<br />
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The world is trying to sell us all more technology to save us time, in order to use even more technology. Seems pretty stupid to me!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-36197195548793344092018-08-12T20:05:00.002-04:002018-08-12T20:07:01.329-04:00Free Food!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Jimmy Jam gave us this pound of ground venison quite some time ago and I'd never gotten around to using it. Since it's been in the freezer a long time, I decided I wasn't going to make anything for us with it, but it would be just the thing to make a batch of dog food out of. The large yam has been taking up counter space for a while too. Even if food is free or it doesn't cost much, I am still loath to let it go to waste.<br />
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I put the meat and chopped yam in the pressure cooker with a couple of eggs and their shells. Once it was cooked up, I added a blend of EVOO/Safflower oil. Since dogs need calcium too, I turned two 1000mg with zinc pills into powder in the coffee grinder. I think this batch of food will feed our girl for three days. She will love it!<br />
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A friend passed a long two bags of homemade pirogie to us. They were potato and cheese filled. All I needed to do was fry them. The kielbasa was an awesome "Use Today" bargain for a buck. On the side, I made a cold salad based on bagged shredded cabbage and carrots, a chopped apple, walnuts and craisins. It was tossed in an apple cider vinaigrette. For dipping, a mix of sour cream and plain Greek yogurt. TBG grilled the sausage.<br />
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I thought a semi-sweet hard cider would be the perfect beverage. This was made by the Embark Cider Company. The apples are from Laggoner Farms in Williamson, NY. I bought a four pack while at camp a while back. It was an awesome pairing.<br />
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TBG rated this as the best summer meal I've made so far. It started with a free ingredient that made me think of all sorts of things to put it together with. If we include the price of the beverage, I would guess this was about a five to six dollar meal. There is also one and a half lunches left over.<br />
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I rarely turn down free food. Those "Use Today" buys are also a staple of our meals. It's not necessary for me to know what I want to do with the food before I accept it. I know I will always find a good way to use it. Tonight, it was delicious!Old Mercedes Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02857030637545359773noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-48167840435613800202018-08-11T22:41:00.000-04:002018-08-11T22:44:39.285-04:00Thursday, Friday and Saturday in a Single Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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I made a blueberry pie on Wednesday after work. Since I was so rushed for time, I bought the crust. A store bought box of crust in the refrigerated section is around $1.99 near Thanksgiving, but for the rest of the year it is $3.99. That's OK, because I filled it with fresh blueberries which were $1.29 per pint -- it took two. Around Thanksgiving, blueberries are around $4.99 a pint. So I'm fine with what I spent. Had I purchased a pie made fresh with fresh blueberries, it would have cost twice as much -- if not more. That's why I'm willing to "cheat" on the crust if I have to. You will, however, rarely catch me using canned pie filling -- too much sugar (or worse, High Fructose Corn Syrup) and too many additives!<br />
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Along with baking the pie, I started a big batch of pizza dough. We were having TBGs best bicycle pal for dinner Thursday night. Her mom was coming along too. It was also another chance to see her new baby girl. Since I needed time to clean on Thursday after work, as well as being around to donate extra furniture to a friend's daughter (and my honorary niece), Wednesday night was my only time to bake -- or prepare to bake. I did use one bag of dough for dinner tonight -- which I was planning for at the time and the reason why always make at least a double batch of dough each time.<br />
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Our dinner was nice. We had one large pizza with tomatoes, mozarella and fresh basil from the garden, with a chicken and spinach salad -- made using meat from the bird I roasted on Monday. We ate on our patio and had a very nice time.<br />
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I was able to sleep in a little on Friday, take the pup for a swim, and then wash the Benz before taking off for Canadaigua. My friend drove because she wanted to listen to her music in the car -- no blue tooth in any car from 1984. I took her out to dinner, then we took in the Alan Jackson show. He was wonderful. We stayed in another friend's fifth wheel and then all of us went to breakfast this morning.<br />
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The concert was great and I had an opportunity to introduce two of my good friends to each other. They are two ladies who share a passion for educating disadvantaged kids and I've wanted them to meet for ages. I also ran into a few people I know from camp, so it was nice to see them as well. It is always awesome when you go someplace a little far from home, or out of your normal orbit, and still manage to meet someone you know.<br />
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I find that I am very fortunate to have great friends and value when I can do things for them. That is why I like to take the time to cook a meal and share friendships. I like thinking that our life will be even calmer so I will have more time to do this. I did miss a couple of days of posting, but sometimes a girl's gotta go out and live life!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-54922054664954224472018-08-08T20:23:00.000-04:002018-08-08T20:23:20.510-04:00Getting Smaller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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I am starting to cut back even more on what we spend on food. More to follow on that later in this post. The basis for tonight's dinner was a whole fryer (chicken) that I got for .59 cents a pound at Save-a-Lot. I bought the bird for $3.02 on Monday and got to work on it as soon as I got home. Before putting it in the oven, I cut off the back and wings, then cut off all of the skin. That provided two big meals for the dog. I roasted the meat and then pulled it off the bones. The bones then went into stock. We did not have chicken for dinner on Monday as I had pork from the weekend, so I made that into burritos. Dinner for us both and three lunches!<br />
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Dinner tonight was a stir-fry. A bag of three red/orange/yellow peppers
is $2.49 at Aldi. I think I buy two or three bags per week. This stir
fry used two peppers, thigh meat from the bird, and a good amount of
smoked Asian tofu left from a soup last week. This was served with
white jasmine rice. My estimate is that this meal cost under five bucks
to make. We have a few large lunches out of it too.<br />
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We have started serious cost cutting because we've decided I am going to fully retire. Working part-time hasn't turned out to be as stress-free as I thought it would and I still don't have time to get to everything we want to get done during the week. Along with scaling back grocery spending, we're planning on changing cable/internet/phone providers. We pay Spectrum over $200 per month! Cutting back to the most basic TV and Internet would still only take about forty bucks off the bill.<br />
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We can get Fios for $128 per month. They advertise their deal for $79.99, but once you figure in equipment and taxes, the amount is a whole lot more. That should be criminal, but there isn't much of an alternative. This would be for a bundle package and gives us everything -- if we stayed with Spectrum, we'd be giving up most of what we have now.<br />
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Since I do not plan to look for another job, now is a fine time to change my email address. My guess (and I know it's optimistic) is that if I go into full-on frugal mode, I can slice about four hundred dollars in expenses each month. Maybe I could do even better than that. Living on TBGs salary alone will be a good test for how ready we both are to actually retire -- which I hope will happen in about five years anyway. Aside from work stress, I am also having a lot of nerve issues in my hands from working at a keyboard for over thirty years. My fingers are numb most of the time and my arms get painful. The best relief is when I am working around the house and moving my arms. So I hope this will also improve.<br />
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This is a big step that might seem irresponsible, but we are hoping we can be financially responsible enough to make it work. I'll be posting more about cheap meals and cost cutting endeavors. I'll be using my new-found time to clear junk out of the house. This business of living small takes a lot of time and I'm going to focus back on doing it.Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-48401755076044459802018-08-07T20:34:00.003-04:002018-08-07T20:34:44.918-04:00Back from Camp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There hasn't been much exciting to post this week. Teddy and I went up to camp early, a day ahead of TBG. We got up Thursday night, relaxed and swam on Friday. TBG got up later on Friday so we back-tracked to Pultneyville and grabbed panini's at the Pultneyville Deli Company. The Village of Sodus Point was too crowded and we'd have to wait for a table to eat anywhere there.<br />
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We are in the village before the crowds start and stay well past Labor Day when they disappear. It is good to see people in the area spending money after last year was such a wash-out because of the massive flooding. Friends were supposed to come out but the cancelled at the last minute. People do that entirely too much. Well, we took the big batch of pork chops and made dinner for our friends Mark and June. We didn't suffer too much because it was a great swimming weekend. June and I went out to breakfast on Friday. Best of all, we saw tons of eagles and found a new nest with a young one perched nearby. It is so awesome to see these birds rebound.<br />
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I drove the Benz and it went great. Of course, I am always a little on edge, so I headed for home a half hour before TBG, so he could assist if I broke down on the way. It is about 120 miles and takes a little under two hours to get there. Most of it is highway. I figured if I broke down and had to be towed, he could drive us the rest of the way. Yes, that is the adventure of driving a 34 year old car! On Friday, a friend and I are going to Canadaigua to see Alan Jackson. Seeing him is on her bucket list and none of her other friends want to go. Hey, I like music, so I'm willing to do it -- and she is buying the tickets. I will ask if she wants to meet men. If so, and she's up to an adventure, we can drive the Benz and tailgate a bit before the show. The car is a man magnet.<br />
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Now I've got to start listening to some Alan Jackson songs so I will recognize them. I wonder if he'll notice me in the audience and remember that we met almost thirty years ago? Of course not! <br />
<br />Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-63600927504479846162018-08-01T19:34:00.001-04:002018-08-01T19:34:08.271-04:00Wagon Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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This is why I love my station wagon: I was looking out the window at work while my coffee was re-heating in the microwave. One of the buildings on the street next to our office had a growing pile of trash. Once it was time to take Teddy for her morning spin, I scoped out this stand I had my eye on. Once I determined it was worth grabbing, I went back and got my keys, stashed it in the back -- along with an iron magazine rack. <br />
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I have not introduced it to the house, and TBG won't be happy I picked it -- but there was other stuff I wanted that I did leave behind. My first offer will be to our campground because they have a cabin to furnish and I think they might like it. If they don't, I will paint/finish it, then use it. I will keep the magazine rack on the picnic table at camp to hold paper plates, etc. It will also do a good job of holding our tablecloth down.<br />
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The Benz was at the garage (repair shop) for a very long time. It takes "Hans and Franz" a while to get around to looking at it once we drop it off. We had an appointment on June 12th -- but apparently, that just got us a parking spot. It took them weeks and weeks to look at it. They determined it was a blown fuse. The fuse was for the glow-plugs. Diesel cars these days don't have those -- they are fuel injected (or something like that). The fuses are no longer made. The mechanic had to make his own. But now I have my car back and am happy about it. Otherwise, I never would have been able to trash pick this find!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-13403604741932978752018-07-29T14:31:00.001-04:002018-07-29T14:31:31.237-04:00Small Garden Adventure<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVXcRWF1gNA4ui82CfLvfyzqLPWhRBLfBYVNI5k5eloY1Or-UJdrb5MHmnz473OkvsnRcJxH7GG7fYbjeRHXsAtn46YrVAaRiFY8UeKJ0AuhE4J3swI3FeXeX2a1vUg5E-goJaFuV5l4/s1600/IMG_1235.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVXcRWF1gNA4ui82CfLvfyzqLPWhRBLfBYVNI5k5eloY1Or-UJdrb5MHmnz473OkvsnRcJxH7GG7fYbjeRHXsAtn46YrVAaRiFY8UeKJ0AuhE4J3swI3FeXeX2a1vUg5E-goJaFuV5l4/s320/IMG_1235.JPG" width="213" /></a><br />
It is Buffalo's Garden Walk weekend, so we decided to view just a few areas near downtown. You can be near to the heart of downtown and still find pocket neighborhoods with small secluded gardens. We just wanted to walk for two hours and picked the "Johnson Park" neighborhoods, off South Elmwood Ave. We were just blocks from City Hall.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgopiAPAYtNOQPiHrTxI23JJhYVU7wsBqCrC-lPnCfsBh3AUXoecwIGgd2IOC_2oXYcspje8RQfoh6t8qV8ku3npRexL4FClE1VHOCvCLSEIFUteDxZyZgXQPnrpp9lEZFKBl1kyr9rHFc/s1600/IMG_1234.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgopiAPAYtNOQPiHrTxI23JJhYVU7wsBqCrC-lPnCfsBh3AUXoecwIGgd2IOC_2oXYcspje8RQfoh6t8qV8ku3npRexL4FClE1VHOCvCLSEIFUteDxZyZgXQPnrpp9lEZFKBl1kyr9rHFc/s320/IMG_1234.JPG" width="213" /></a>It is hard to tell from this picture, but the homeowner painted the pavement between houses a brilliant blue. It helped create the feeling of a small oasis. I didn't take a picture of her front porch, but she painted that cement blue too. Her garden was small and nicely shaded, with lots of calming Zen elements. You wouldn't know she was in the downtown area at all. <br />
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One thing I liked about the shaded walkways between the closely spaced homes, were that people planted all sorts of Coleus plants. I do believe next year, I will go to the farmer's market early in the year and pick up as many as I can. The shaded area in our driveway is crying out for densely planted coleuses.<br />
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I would love to find a spot in our yard to create a secluded corner like this. Our patio is just plain open. There is also very little shade. We cut down the only tree because the roots were a big problem. Now I wish we could come up with a sensible solution to create some shade and find ways to divide our "open concept" into more discrete areas.<br />
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Now, this is the problem with Garden Walk, it's beautiful and enjoyable, but then it creates too much envy and reminds me of how much my own yard is lacking! <br />
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<br />Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-7276636840674666382018-07-27T17:08:00.001-04:002018-07-27T17:09:33.304-04:00Jewelry Mish-Mash <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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These three Alex and Ani bangles were a nice garage sale find today. At two bucks a piece, I figured I couldn't go wrong -- even if they were somewhat bereft of charms. I can't believe how much people spend on them new -- so that was never an option for me. But I knew I could fix these up just fine. There were actually five of them, but I took a pass on the other two because the charms were religious -- which I am not!<br />
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My plan was to make use of odd charms and broken earrings. Any girl who loves jewelry must keep an assortment of wire cutters and pliers on hand. I was able to cut, snip, twist and bend my way through it. <br />
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Here's how the bangles turned out. I think it's a happy ending for six bucks. <br />
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I don't think anyone will know these are garage sale and odds-n-ends baubles. Of course, they'll find out because I can't keep my mouth shut.<br />
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Another thing I did this week, was sell off a bunch of old damaged and broken gold jewelry. I got six hundred bucks for it. It often isn't worth it to re-sell jewelry. However, I'd had this stuff for many many years, so I ended up getting back more than I paid for it. Since it was just sitting in my jewelry box, getting in the way, it was a worthwhile trade.<br />
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I am helplessly addicted to jewelry -- I'll buy it, break it, fix it, refashion it, and even sell it. As long as I am able to get a bargain and it's not total junk, I'm willing to give it a try.Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486032586445224143.post-50638312956058045102018-07-26T20:24:00.000-04:002018-07-26T20:24:38.031-04:00To Tell the Tooth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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We have been using a Cybersonic ultrasonic electric rechargeable toothbrush for years and years. The first one was close to a hundred bucks. We stopped being able to use it because it didn't hold a charge and the top wore down enough that the brush heads wouldn't stay on. I found the replacement at Tuesday Morning for $39.<br />
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The worst part about these gadgets is the price of the brush heads. When we first purchased, the deal was (and still is) that the brush heads are free. They are automatically delivered every three months. At first, the shipping and handling was $3.99, then it went up incrementally. We cancelled that when it hit $9.99 as we had some surplus to use up.<br />
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Now we are back to brushing the old-fashioned way -- by hand. That is what I was doing in the morning anyway. Since we both brush and floss religiously, I don't think our teeth will fall out of our head.<br />
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I know you can buy Phillips Sonicare units on sale or with coupons, but I still don't want to have to track down a coupon and a sale. Then you have to look for the brush heads on sale and stock-pile them. I'm just not that ambitious. I can get toothbrushes in a three pack for a buck at Dollar Tree. That's where I get my little plastic flossers. The only thing I need to be sure of, is to make sure the design of our brushes are different enough so I can tell them apart. Being color-blind, I need a surefire way to know which one is mine!Alex Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.com4