The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Thursday 30 March 2017

Feather your Nest Friday, 31 March, 2017.

This has been a really busy week.  A bit too busy.  It is really a blur.  So most of my achievements were last weekend before too many extra things came in to play.  But I had a really productive weekend so there are a few things to report.
This kind of goes to show that even if you have one day or a few opportunities somewhere that it still adds up!  Most of the time I think of "making hay while the sun shines" in terms of things like produce that has come in, opportunities to save, getting the washing dry when the sun is shining and things like that.  Now I also think of it in terms of making the most of time when you have it!

Some of the ways I built up our home this week include:

I cleaned out my kitchen pantry, washed the shelves and re organised everything.


I set up a new system so all my canned goods are in baskets with labels and also made a basket of things that need using up pretty soon.

The next cupboard looks much the same only with more bottles...

Then the cellar was the target but that is going to be something that will take me a while yet. Still, I made a start!  I am also working on the freezer.

During the week I found three baskets on the side of the road.  Neatly stacked, there they were! 


Harper was with me. So I got to teach her about good stuff on the side of the road!  The baskets basically match the rest of the white square ones I have used... I removed the liners as they don't go with the kitchen and now I just need to make them the matching chalkboard labels.  What luck!

We are about to start a big DIY bathroom renovation. This has been brewing for a couple of years. There is a huge old spa bath that doesn't work.  That needs to come out and is the biggest job of all. As far as expenses go the biggest by far is a new bath.   I found a bath!  It takes up around a quarter the space.  And I LOVE a bath and this is the most important bit to me. 
The trouble was it was way over budget and I had just been to another store with no success. The trend seems to be for huge baths.  I don't know why unless you are seven foot tall?  Here I had the perfect one and it was too expensive.  I have learned to just tell the truth and ask... "ask and you shall receive" has turned out to mean more than I once understood.                                                              So I told the man in the shop that I loved it but it was too expensive.  Despite no signs or anything the bath suddenly became on sale.  I was doubtful this would put it in my piece range though.  I guess my face told this story.   All while I was actually sitting in the bath as I tried it out lol   Then I added that I had cash. 
He went off and came back and he reduced the price by $600! That made it right in the budgeted amount.  I have my perfect bath! 
The other good thing about this is that I will be able to have a big set of shelves in the bathroom for towels and supplies. I can't wait! 

I wrapped my soaps that I made in January. To me they are rustic looking so I kept the packing rustic as well. 


I lined them up on my little table before putting them into my present cupboard. 



On Sunday I made a tray of sticky buns...


During the week a lot of my time was spent with the babies. Lucy was really unwell this week.  



So far Harper has said single words but yesterday when I left she said "bye Nan" while kissing and waving.  Yay!  

I haven't worked out my Vicky Challenge savings yet.  I will get to this over the weekend. Then I can add up my savings for March! 

I hope everyone in QLD is going ok.  What a week.  For anyone following the cyclone it has now become a flooding emergency and it is looking extreme.  The main thing is that everyone is safe.

How did you build up your home and save this week? 

Have a good weekend! xxx






51 comments:

  1. Annabel I am amazed by your finds on the side of the road, phenomenal! Those baskets look new, and how cute to teach Harper the value of kerbside shopping. The soaps look particularly inviting wrapped in brown paper and string, you'd pay a lot for that in a gift shop and as for those buns (straight to the hips for me).

    I love that photo of you and the girls. Just too precious. Harper is becoming the little lady isn't she? I would want to pick her up and hug her all day, and Scarlett too of course. She has a knowing little face, beautiful.

    Thank you to the ladies who commented on my very basic sewing last week, really just a knitwit tracksuit pant pattern. And to who asked (I can't remember), they are embroideries, not patches. I really splashed out and bought myself the Brother Dream Machine and have done more embroidery and sewing really. But there will be new grand baby announcements any week now I think (reading between the lines) so I best get sewing, but first off to work to buy more fabric and thread.

    I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I am sad to see the after effects of Cyclone Debbie. The damage is terribly sad.

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    1. Fiona,
      I think the little pants are my favorite! It looks like your Dream Machine was a really good buy the stuff you have shared is beautiful!
      XOXO
      Vicky

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    2. Dear Fiona,
      I figure the adventures Harper has with me will be different! I wonder if she will like op shopping?
      Ooh! I just twigged on to what you have said here. REALLY? I hope so and how exciting! I know this will be the best news ever for you!
      Your sewing is wonderful and that embroidery machine is amazing! I love it! Have a good weekend Fiona! With love Annabel.xxx

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  2. Dear Annabel and beautiful bluebirds,
    Thank you for another lovely post Annabel. I just love those baskets , they are perfect for you . Well my week has been rather quiet but I do have some savings to report .
    I got free delivery on my online grocery shop this week as it was my first time shopping online with a particular supermarket . I saved $30 on groceries this week .i have saved $20 of my savings for Christmas so I count that as a $20 savings all up. I received two meals from my parents , $20 savings. I have had two hours subsidised cleaning , $40 savings .i had two hours of meal prep on Monday and might have two hours of meal prep this afternoon , saving me on takeaway or convenience food , I will say $30 savings. As I said Annabel a very quiet week but I still saved approximately $110 .i hope everyone has a lovely weekend love Barb W ,

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    1. Barb,
      I think you are doing fantastic with your savings! It may have been a quiet week, but it looks like a good one anyway. Is your kitchen done yet>
      XOXO
      Vicky

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    2. Dear Vicky,
      Thank you so much . They haven't started my kitchen yet, I am still waiting.I will hopefully hear something soon.
      Thanks again Vicky
      Barb xxx

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    3. Dear Barb, That was still a good week and the main thing was that you were safe and dry and not caught up in floods and bad roads etc. The help with the meals is really very good and so are meals from your Mum and Dad. I hope you are having a lovely weekend! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  3. Hello Annabel and Bluebird friends,
    Annabel those babies are so gorgeous. Makes me envious when my little grandie is so far away. Keep on hugging, loving and teaching.
    This week has been interesting but not necessarily in a good way. Bluey's cousin is in Proserpine, and we couldn't contact them. Finally last night we got a message that they are OK. Yesterday ex Cyclone Debbie paid us a visit. We had around 6 hours of Cat 1 winds and lots of rain. Our water catchment dam, which had been severely depleted, in now overflowing. We had one Tamarillo, one lime and one pomegranate go over. These have been propped back up and I think we have saved them. This morning the lawns and yard have been mowed, whipper snipped and blower vacced. What debris?
    Ex Cycone Debbie is now causing flooding and havoc on the Gold Coast and Northern NSW. My heart goes out to all those who have been negatively affected by this natural disaster.
    In the midst of panic and shelves being emptied of bread and milk, we were at home snug and safe, with a pantry, freezer and fridge full of good food. The gas canisters for the Barby are full and the fuel jerries for the gen set are full.
    Today the skies are blue, the sun is shining and there is a delightful cool breeze blowing. Life is good.
    Life is good.

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    1. Dear Jane,
      That was a big week! It is really good how well you got through it and that Blueys cousin is ok. I hope your trees will recover too. Quick action might have saved them hopefully.
      When I see all those homes flooded I think of all their things ruined and it is heartbreaking. Homes and gardens all washed away it is just awful.
      Im glad you were so well prepared and set up. This has been a good reminder for us all.
      Now your garden will be so green and your tanks full! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  4. Jane, I am glad to hear Bluey's cousin is safe. I am also glad your house weathered that wind and rain well.
    I hope Bluey is going well.
    I love your saying, life is good. Love, Bridge

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  5. Hello Annabel and beautiful Bluebird friends. Thanks for the sharing of info Annabel re the cyclone. We were lucky as we missed the cyclone, but unfortunately headed south. Some of my family were just south of it...luckily they are ok, but they have had power off for days. I hope the people in SE Qld are safe. Thnak you for writing these amazing posts, you seriously made me feel sommuch better and I felt so much more prepared when we were in the zone. You made a difference to so many people's lives.
    Annabel, I love your panty organisation! It is magnificent! It looks so clean and organised. I also love your baskets. They are so pretty and they will be so handy. How lovely you found them with Harper. These are lovely memories you are making. Your sticky buns look so delicious!
    We have had a good and also tough week, re the cyclone, but there were great positives in it too, my DH got some good news from his Dr.
    We were also given some avocadoes and I went to a garage sale today. The fmaily were so nice! It made my heart happy to meet such nice people. I bought some shoes for my DH (2 pairs) a small truck, muffin tins and a child's frame and book for $12. I will have to pass the love and kindness on.
    I love the bath story! What a great outcome! I can learn a lot from that story.
    Lots of love, Bridge

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    1. Dear Bridge,
      I am celebrating that you got good news! This sounds very good!
      I am glad you were out of the cyclone area. It could have come closer there are one stage then it seemed to drop down south and further south...at that point I could see you were well above it.
      You don't have to be mean and it doesnt have to be embarrassing at all to beat the price down. Just asking for the "best price" and saying you will think about it and head off out the door is usually enough that the price will miraculously come down.
      I am really glad you felt calm and prepared. Something like this can remind us all that needing to be well prepared is real and have us add to things and review things. I have seen prices of boiled water in some areas that were it was $44 for a pack of water bottles and things like this. This is an example of ordinary things becoming gold! Better to have them on hand!
      I hope you are having a lovely weekend, I am thrilled about the good doctors report! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  6. A beautiful photo of the girls Annabel. Love your soaps too. Very pretty. I made another batch of olive oil soap this week. Now I need to wait another 5 weeks for it to cure. Hopefully I'll have enough of the last batch to see us through as Darren won't use anything else.

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    1. Dear Wendy, Thank you! You had a very good week I saw! I have been using homemade laundry power and wool wash so I feel really happy with all our soap making! I am due for some card making though!
      Have a really good week Wendy, with thanks, Annabel.xxx

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  7. Thank you for a lovely post Annabel.

    We have had a house of sickness this week but I managed to work two extra shifts and make all meals at home. I am finally on top of the washing and I have bought DGD's 2nd birthday gift. I finally got around to having DD's wedding photos printed and their is one which is magnificent, it truly captures DD's beautiful personality. It cost me only $20 to have enough photos printed to share with myself my mother and my brother as well as four 8 x 10" for my wall with photo frames for only $7 each. This has saved us a fortune by having a photographer that gave us a USB with all the photos on to print ourselves. I am so happy at the beautiful outcome.

    I am saving for my time off work coming up and am feeling better and better each week that I continue on the healthy weight for life program. I have lost a large amount of weight in the first five weeks that I have been on the program and since I am allowed to partake of it for free I feel that I should give it my best shot.

    I am planning Christmas gifts early and have some very good ideas already thanks mostly to your blog. I have also been reading up on Theprudenthomemaker again and going over old posts which is very inspiring.

    Praying you have a good week to come
    God Bless Mel S

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    1. Mel, I am so glad that you are feeling much better, you have had a long rough patch.
      Margaret

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    2. Margaret thank you very much. I have one more surgery looming and then I am home free. Even better it will leave me pain free, you never realise what an impact pain has on you until it goes away.

      I am working towards being the healthiest person I can.
      God Bless

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    3. Dear Mel, The photos sound beautiful! What a treasure! This is the best thing ever, photographers who do not charge a fortune per photo and hand over the whole lot to do as you wish. Massive saving. They make stunning gifts as well I agree.
      Well done on everything you are doing for your health. You are really making the most of your opportunities. I am hoping when the next knees is done you will just be so happy and pain free. Imagine! You are giving yourself every chance of success with all you are doing!
      I hope everyone is feeling much better. I think this time of year when the weather is changing is a bit of a minefield for bugs. With lots of love Annabel.xxx

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  8. Hi Annabel and Bluebird friends,

    Such a gorgeous photo of you with the girls, Annabel. I'm sorry to hear Lucy has been so sick - never an easy time with two littlies.

    Great savings on the new bath and great roadside finds. Your baking looks so amazing as usual.

    I haven't really been recording my savings, but had to mention three great bargains for this week - 10 tins of soup for 40 cents a can (normal price $2/can), 2x 100 tablet packs of Panadol for 70cents/pack (normally $2/pk) and 4 packs of hot cross buns 70cents each (normally $3.50/pk). Wow! Wow! Wow! I paid $8.20 for $38 worth of goods (all well within date).

    Have a great weekend,
    Janine

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    1. Dear Janine, Thank you! I remember times when the girls were little having migraines. In my life the longest migraine Ive ever had I think is five days. Poor Lucy gets seven days and ten days etc which is terrible. They keep trying new things to help her but the last effort didn't work.
      Your savings are huge! 40c for soup is amazing. Tinned soup is the base of many recipes for me. Also the pain killers, buns... well done. This is the way to shop!
      I hope the new week will be a good one for you! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  9. Sorry to hear Lucy has been unwell - hope she feels better soon. How wonderful that you are able to lend a hand when needed (I brought up my daughter with nearest family about a 1000 miles away, I can tell you your assistance is worth your weight in diamonds!).

    And those baskets waiting on the side of the road for you! And your new bath! And that beautiful pantry! I feel like printing out pictures of your pantry and Patsy's and sticking them up on my walls to remind me what I'm aspiring to, lol.

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    1. Dear Allegra,
      It would be hard being so far from family especially with a baby. I was very lucky to have Mum fairly close by. And my Nan as well. I am so grateful I am close by to Lucy and can see the babies at least several times a week and be a practical help. I think how lucky I am with this!
      Thank you that is such a beautiful compliment on the pantry! In earlier posts I had a lot of pictures of Teri's pantry which was amazing to me and inspired me! You really can do it gradually and cheaply. There are so many options for free or really cheap containers and labels etc. In the end I love the old fashioned things and they don't cost much at all.
      Keep at it as truly a little bit each week adds up amazingly! With love Annabel.xxx

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  10. Hi Annabel and Beautiful Bluebirders!!

    My husband has been asking questions - How do you find things on the side of the road; do they fall off the back of a truck?!! I explained that they are left out as rubbish. Did you actually sit in the bath in the shop? That was worth a chuckle! Are most of the Bluebirders Queenslanders?!

    Annabel, your beautiful work makes it look like you live in the bush! Bird's nest, tropical-looking plant, rustic soaps .... Are you sure you're not really a Queenslander who just can't stand the heat?!

    Phew, Jane, you've had a lot of rain in one bucket! Your place won't be brown and crunchy now!

    One would have to think that all the rain rolls downhill from north to south, the way so much collects in the south-east.

    We didn't have heavy rain, but good rain, and I planted an autumn garden today.

    My olives have now been curing for one week. There are five days to go, and there could be another bucket of olives waiting for me! I love it!

    We really enjoy Cookie's bread. It, too, is part of my life, now! This both saves money and adds quality to our home!

    My husband says that, if I smile whilst looking at the internet, that I must be reading Bluebirds! Well, why not?!

    With warm regards,
    Rachel Holt

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    1. Dear Rachel,
      This is funny. Yes I really sat in the bath. Reclined even. Well I really love baths and the problem with a bath that is too big is you float away and spend all your time trying not to drown which isn't relaxing. This bath was just right. I took my shoes off and got in. This was all made worse by the fact it was in the window of the shop with a busy road outside!
      When I told Andy I got $600 discount he asked if I had my clothes on when I got in the bath haha! Anyway the bath is here now (in the house) and the old bath has been removed. I think it is going to take three weeks to get the new floor, tiling etc done and the new bath in.
      You are set with beautiful rain, good bread and olives.
      There are quite a few QLD Bluebirds. It was a busy week as I worked out where everyone is located on the map trying to see if they would be ok.
      I hope you are having a lovely weekend! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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    2. Rachel I am so glad that you popped in - I have been wondering how you fared with the weather, now I know that you are OK.

      Lynette
      XXXXX

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    3. Oh, thank you, Lynette! Yes, we are high and dry, with hardly a puff of wind in recent days. I am hoping you have not become an island at your place!
      Regards,
      Rachel

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    4. No island here Rachel. The main road in was cut on Thursday which seemed to cause major issues with a lot of the locals. They had to go the long way round.

      We have had the wind, some more tonight too. Late Thursday it was like a freight train going past - so loud but didn't cause a lot of damage in the area. Small snippets of trees mainly with the odd larger tree which look like they may have had some rot in them breaking off.

      The shopping center was over run Thursday morning with people trying to get supplies.

      Lynette
      XXXXX

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  11. What a find with the baskets:) Also, your pantry looks lovely. But the real Wowzer! $600 off the bathtub - nice! I too like a hot bath, especially in winter.

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    1. Dear Lady Locust, Thank you! I love a bath. I am so happy with this one and wanting to get it going. The old bath came out today and it was a big job. It is going to take a few weeks to do the new floor, tiles etc and get this bath in. I am so excited though! Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx

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  12. Great find on the baskets! That is wonderful on the new bath! Cash talks is what we always say! We saw several rolls of sod on the interstate that had fallen off a truck but it was just not safe to stop there and pick them up. I was sad to see them wasted.

    I canned 15 pints of green beans from beans found on sale for 99 cents a pound. We got the overwintered plants out of the garage and they are looking good with lots of rain and sunshine but cold is coming again so they have to go back in today. Having these 35 pots of plants gives me a huge start on summer for almost nothing.

    My husband tried 3 hours back in the office this week and was so exhausted after that the doctor said no more for several more weeks. I am thankful he has a job that can be done from home. He is beginning to drive again. I am hopeful that he can drive himself some places soon. I spend a lot of time driving him and waiting right now.

    Praying for safety for all in the paths of the flooding.

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    1. Dear Lana,
      Yes cash seems to have a lot of power when it comes to discounts.
      This happens to us to... Andy tells me things he saw in his day that he could not pick up and I say don't tell me! If it is not safe to stop then it is no good.
      Well done on the beans! And yes your plants in pots will love bring out in the nice weather and look beautiful.
      I really feel for your husband. If he was so exhausted then three hours was just too much. But as each week goes by hopefully he will build up what he can do. Doing too much is like a set back though. Many of us will have seen this or experienced it with a major surgery or hospital stay. Even going for arrive can be so exhausting! Little by little though progress is made. It must be hard on you with all the driving and waiting but hopefully soon things will start to get back to normal.
      Have a good weekend Lana! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Lana, Bluey's operation was last October. He has only just started doing more around home. He occasionally thinks he is completely recovered, does too much, and has his belly all swell up and has to just sit until the pain and the swelling go away. This is 6 months of recovery time with at least another 6 months to go. Your darling husband will be able to do more if he does it gradually. If he's anything like Bluey, patience is not one of his better attributes. Thinking of you both.

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  13. Hi Annabel and everyone,

    Annabel, your soap is gorgeous, and I love those baskets!

    We also had severe weather this week (tornado watch - It must be spring!), but were very lucky in that it was just severe thunderstorms with lots of rain in our area. We stayed in quite a bit last weekend just in case!

    * Made homemade jell-o (plain gelatin with fruit juice), soup, and pudding for a sick husband - he liked it a lot, and it was less expensive and far better for him than the prepared cups at the store.
    * Batch cooking for the week, lunches, and the future (cornbread, pumpkin bread, roast chicken, wild rice mix, pork roast, huge batch of meatballs for the freezer).
    * Great sale on chicken for our freezer stash.
    * A small start on organizing my kitchen cabinets with jars - there is a lot more work to do, but every little bit helps.
    * Progress knitting on a large throw blanket and a pair of cozy socks, and some embroidery work.

    Thanks everyone for being so encouraging. :)
    Kathy

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    1. Dear Kathy,
      Your week sounds lovely to me. Soup is wonderful. As it is cooling here I am very close to starting to make soup. I love the crockpot for it. I made masses and give some to the girls as well. I really think when someone is sick the best thing is soup. I have started making stock the last couple of years as well for extra goodness. I am interested to see that bone broth now is something everyone is talking about when it is such an old fashioned thing. Very good for us.
      Your method of making jelly is good too and Harper loves jelly. Thank you for that.
      I know the pantry is a big project! As you know I love jars! Your knitting sounds beautiful too. In winter I love having a big blanket to be working on as it keeps you warm while you do it.
      Have a wonderful weekend, with love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Hi Annabel,

      Oh, I love using the crockpot for soup, too - I even make my own chicken stock in it. So easy and super healthy.

      The ratio I used was 1 cup (240 mL) of juice to 1 tablespoon (15 mL) powdered gelatin, and just made it the way I would usually make jell-o/jelly.

      Hope you are having a great week!
      Kathy

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  14. Dear Annabel and Fellow Bluebirds,
    Thank you for another inspiring and encouraging post! You certainly did get a lot done! Great job on the pantry organizing. The soaps look beautiful and the sticky buns are making my mouth water. Your side of the road finds continue to amaze me. I love the photo of you with your precious little ones. Wonderful that you were able to give Lucy a hand. I hope she is feeling much better. What a savings on the bathtub! We would like to remodel and have a jaccuzzi tub or something, but aren't ready for the expense, yet. Thinking and praying for the ones impacted by the cyclone and flooding.
    I did get a little baking done--24 muffins and 2 small loaves from my favorite pumpkin bread recipe, but substituting butternut squash. I read somewhere that the canned pumpkin we purchase is usually actually butternut squash. I also made a large meatloaf that provided several meals.

    We have been enjoying a break from hot weather and have been using up some of our frozen broth in soups. Every once in a while, we find cold rotisserie chickens in the deli section reduced to $2.50. We enjoy the chicken a variety of ways. The bones then make lots of yummy broth.

    I picked lemons again from our neighbor's tree. I picked 35. Priced at $.89 each for much smaller lemons at the store, it would have been $31.15. I also picked 8 remaining tangeloes from our tree and 2 oranges from the neighbor.

    I hope you and the rest of the bluebirds are enjoying a lovely weekend!
    Love from Arizona, USA
    Elaine


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    1. Dear Elaine, Well done on making the most of those lemons. They have been very expensive here at over a $1 each. I have been very glad about the ones I had juiced and frozen when my friend gave me lots. It really paid off!
      The cooking sounds lovely!
      I see a lot of things put out on the road side. Sometimes giant piles of stuff. Most of it is just rubbish but I always check and I have found amazing things. My huge planter pots I have with trees in them were on the side of the road I had to call Andy to come and help me lift them (then was stuck on the side of the road until he came!) and other adventures. One time I found a chicken house on the side of the road! I guess it was 5 x 5 foot with a pitched roof. Of course I had no hope of getting this. But I wanting leaving it there! Eventually someone helped me and another person picking up things helped me and I gave this man $10 for petrol and he lifted it on to his truck and drove it around to my place! Happy Day! Its an adventure!
      Have a good week! With love Annabel.xxx

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  15. What an awesome deal! Add that $600 to your Vicky Challenge. Love your new pantry and baskets.
    Praying for Lucy. Of course, with you training Harper in curb-side deals...she has nothing to worry about. ;)

    Our big savings was a gift of encyclopedias..60 volumes! Many with great works by: Dickens, Melville, St. Augustine..the list goes on. These were passed on to us as the family who purchased them never used them. Well, we will! My children nearly swooned. :) savings of $400-500?

    Stay dry, stay safe Bluebirds.
    Blessings,
    Leslie

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    1. Dear Leslie, Thank you!
      What a great gift for your family! I am glad you will put them to use and make the dos too them!
      Thank you fro your prayers for Lucy. I will give you a report soon as she is trying something new. We need a break through desperately. Thank you so much! With all my love, Annabel.xxx

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  16. Your new baskets are lovely ❤
    When the grands start talking is so sweet, isn't it? And an especially sweet first sentence from Harper.
    That's wonderful your getting a redone bath. I'll be looking forward to the finished photos. I know it will be pretty.

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    1. Dear Rhonda, I took before photos in the bathroom.... and Ive taken some during i.e. the bath coming out. So I will for sure post after photos as we hopefully will be able to show you can have a major bathroom makeover for a pretty small price. I am so looking forward to reaching that time!
      Have a good week! Love Annabel.xxx

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  17. Dear Annabel,
    You always find the best things on the side of the road! Those baskets showed up at just the right time too. That's great about the bath discount. It pays to be honest and to be patient (and to have cash, haha). I really hope you will show us pictures once your bathroom is renovated! I know it will be beautiful.
    This week has been full of more organizing and cleaning. I think I am in nesting overdrive lol! I am trying to simplify things so that everything will be neat and orderly and easy to maintain. I am still working on sorting out the utility room, and I am just about finished, but I found that the baskets I mentioned in my last comment won't work after all, so I am searching for a better size. I am also still trying to sort out the craft area, and when I went into the laundry room to fetch a basket today, I found things that need to be done in there, too. See what I mean about overdrive lol? But I take naps and have still managed to get a lot accomplished at a good pace, so I am happy with my progress. I think before I go to bed tonight, I will make a list to help me clear my mind :)
    My husband is almost finished painting the nursery! It looks so nice and fresh. We went with white walls, so it looks like a completely different room already, as before it had dark faux wood paneling. I just love the light in the room now. All it lacks is one more coat of paint and I can take the tape off of the trim.
    I love that picture of you and your granddaughters! It is so sweet. I hope Lucy is feeling better. She is so blessed to have you help, and I know she must really appreciate it.
    Have a lovely weekend, everyone!
    Love, Kelsey

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    1. Dear Kelsey,
      I will show pictures for sure!
      You do sound like you are in nesting mode! This is good and natural. Some of us go into super nesting mode just before the baby comes... you better watch out for that!
      Yes you will get more done overall if you have rests and naps. Get refreshed and do a little more.
      The nursery sounds transformed! I hope you are also taking photos! I feel the white will work a miracle in it after dark wood. It will seem much bigger also I would say.
      Keep up the good work Kelsey. Your time will also fly by why are are making the most of it like this. And soon you will slow down and need more rest so this is a good case of making hay while the sun shines! Have a really good week! With love Annabel.xxx

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  18. Glad to hear your all o.k. Love the picture of you and the babies. Someday I hope to have grandchildren. My hubby brought a cough home from work and with my C.O.D. I have been having a rough week, but I also have been taking notes of things I need to do. With my illness's I have learned nothing gets done fast but it does get done. Your soaps look wonderful, I can only imagine how much the soaps would cost in a shop. Still to cold here to start much for gardening but soon summer will be here.

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    1. Dear Tealady, I hope there are Grandchildren in your future. It is just like having babies again and amazing.
      It is so hard to avoid bugs. I am sorry about the cough. With health issues additional things are just such a set back. There is only so much you can do to avoid exposure of course.
      From all the handmade soaps Ive seen and from pieces at the Lush store I think about $8 is the price for a chunk of soap. Which seems ridiculous and I would have said $4. But $8 is now the going rate!
      I hope the warmer weather comes for you as that will be lovely and so will gardening! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  19. Dear Annabel,
    It's amazing to me that people leave so many good things on the
    Side of the road. Wish that still happened here! Love the baskets. I love the beautiful picture of you with the girls!
    And what fantastic deal on the tub!!

    Aside from cooking and usual tasks not much feathering this week this week. We've also been having very heavy rain for the last few days and lots of flooding in some areas. Thankfully it's not snow again. Hopefully today it will stop and it will dry out. Wishing everyone a beautiful Sunday. Blessings, Cookie

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    1. Dear Cookie,
      The finds I have had! A tour of my house has me saying half of my stuff came from the side of the road including a wall of antique mirrors!
      It sounds like you are living here in Queensland! I hope it improves for you and you get some nice weather. I notice a lot of ladies are now making your bread and loving it! Thank you so much Cookie! With love Annabel.xxx

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  20. Annabel,
    Last week was a really good one for my Vicky Challenge. You may remember that I tried cheese making for a time. It was fun, but a lot of hard work, and I didn't want to continue it at this time. But the cheese leaves this huge amount of whey. That whey makes the best bread I have ever made!

    Anyway, last week I got a call from a friend. She had whey. Did I want to make bread? I ran over and got it. Then came home and made 5 loaves of feather bread, 48 crescent rolls, 4 English muffin loaves of bread, and 4 pizza crusts for later pizzas. Now I have a freezer full of homemade bread my family actually likes and will eat.

    And, last week, I decided to ask my son's elderly friend if she would give us some of her daylilies. She used to have quite the collection in the day and lately her health has deteriorated. There was a rumor that she was getting rid of the gardens altogether. My kids have all played at her home. She always came to their birthday parties. She was just a second-grandmother to them. I wanted the flowers for my kids to have for happy memories of her.

    Well. I have to tell you. It was the best, most wonderful, memory making experience!! She would touch the plant and be able to remember exactly what it looked like. (She has some sort of dementia that impacts her memory.) Her husband watched with great joy. He hasn't seen her like that in a long time.

    My son dug the plants for her and you could see that it brought her joy to remember the plants. It brought my son joy to spend time with her again.

    What I meant as a remembrance became a brand new memory we were able to make with that wonderful family. It brings me to tears, I tell you.

    I got them all planted as of yesterday. Each of the daylilies was worth at least $7 here. The non-fancy ones sold for that. I looked, before I got up the courage to just ask. But all of hers were fancy ones. She was a collector, see. There were 36 of them! I recorded $252 for just the daylilies, not counting the other plants she gave me. But the real treasure was the memory we made. :)

    Sorry it's so long.

    I know your granddaughter will love op shopping, because she will associate it with happy times spent with you!

    Blessings to all the Bluebird-ers.
    Cristy

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    1. Dear Cristy,
      The whey is very useful and nutritious. Maybe your friend will make it a regular thing to give you some? That would be good!
      The Day lilies sound just beautiful. I am glad you asked as now the flowers will live on and I really hope when they flower you will send some photos! I am very fond of Lilies. I know what plant prices are like too. Enormous. And over time of course they will multiply!
      Of course hopefully the lady will be with you for a long time yet and you can take her bunches to enjoy. Imagine that!
      I loved hearing about this thank you! Have a wonderful new week! With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. I love the idea of bringing her back flowers to enjoy! Great idea. Thanks.

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  21. Annabel, your granddaughters are just adorable, as is their grandma! I love the baskets that you found along the road. One of our local towns recently had a bulk pickup and I was tempted to drive around and see what goodies I could find, but decided against it as I have my own "goodies" I am trying to get rid of! Maybe next time...

    Your pantry looks so neat and orderly, I bet it's easy to find anything in there now! Your rolls look scrumptious, my husband would enjoy eating them!

    Jeanette

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I really appreciate your comments thank you! The aim of my blog is the be a place of encouragement and happiness. Very rarely is anyone rude. Actually only twice so far! If you post a rude or aggressive comment I will read it but not publish it, thanks for understanding.xxx

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