Some of the ways I saved money and got ahead this week were:
I made a double batch of Miracle Cleaner. It turned out so well! The best batch ever! It smells beautiful.
The recipe is here on Clean and Fresh.
This batch was better than ever due to making my own lemon vinegar first.
Since I have had so many lemons I have saved all the peel and added these to big jars. White vinegar goes in and you just let that steep.
The vinegar becomes lemon scented. Lemons have great cleaning properties. And the vinegar takes on a lovely yellow colour!
When I made up the Miracle Cleaner I strained some of this off for my recipe. The detergent component I used was dish detergent which was also lemon in colour.
There is something about yellow and lemons in the middle of winter that is just beautiful!
People are spending big on "all natural" cleaners and wanting less chemicals in the home. Making your own cleaners is so easy, cheap and beautiful. And this works so well and your whole house smells so good!
During the week I cooked up the beef I found on special and made a casserole in the crockpot. This was dinner the first night. Then this became pies. I made one large and eight individual beef pies which I topped with mashed potato. (Shepherds Pie style) This gave us another dinner and four meals to freeze.
Every day I did some sewing towards my sewing challenge.
It was raining so I sat all my house plants out in the rain for half a day. This does them so much good and does the dusting as well!
I finally made my own sweet pie crusts. They turned out to be easy.
My dough turned out nicely and it goes into the fridge for a while. Then rolling it out was no problem.
To fill these I made more lemon butter! And I still have so many lemons!
Next I am trying a Sour Dough piecrust. After that I will post the recipe I think is the best.
Andy made some rainwater barrels and set them up like mini rainwater tanks with stands and taps.
I packaged up more Bay Leaves for gift giving.
Mum gave me some venison. I cooked it her way which is with a thick layer of whole grain mustard over the top then roasted. Andy thought it was amazing!
Mum has been in town for a while. She has had Harper over for days with her. They walk over to my place with Harper pushing her babies in a pram!
The babies are tucked up in a rug I made years ago.. because it is really cold!
I made a huge pot of sweet potato and pumpkin soup. When I was cooking a roast I added the whole sweet potato plus the huge wedges of pumpkin to the stove. The next day they sliced up like butter.
This was beautiful. I got a dinner and ten containers of soup... some for the week and some were frozen.
I cleaned the oven. It was over due and a big job. You all know what a barrel of laughs cleaning the oven is. 😊
Last night I made pizzas. I took out my sour dough starter Wednesday and got it going. Being cold I warmed up a hot pack and put it around my dough yesterday. That worked a treat!
I got two large and four small pizzas.
The four small ones make up the bulk of the fishing day lunch I send the boys. That is another big savings, sending their days food and drinks. (which they seem to love as well!)
I still need to add up my Vicky Challenge but now I have ANOTHER floor man coming.
The last three weeks I have really felt like we got ahead in lots of little ways. This has been helped a lot by my shopping experiment and shopping completely differently. More on that on Monday!
How did you build up your home, save money and get ahead, this week?
Have a good weekend! xxx
Oh Annabel! How stylish is your Mum?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that photo!
(Just had to duck in and say that).
Thank you Lorax! I appreciate you ducking in! Mum will see your comment too! :) xxx
DeleteAnnabel, yours is the nicest, sweetest Australian blog I've ever read. Thankyou for your hard work and dedication.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Thank you so much! That is a lovely thing to say! Thank you also for commenting! Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteHello Annabel & beautiful Bluebirds :) .
ReplyDeleteBit of a rough week here as both DH & I have bacterial pneumonia and I can tell you all it isn't fun :( . We are slowly on the mend with antibiotics and we heard it is going around our area at the moment unfortunately. Taking things slow and steady at the moment.
Annabel and thank your for the miracle cleaner recipe I will read it shortly and if it involves citrus vinegar we already make it here both with either lemon or orange peels, but currently have lemon going here.
I use full strength citrus vinegar in the toilet and dilute the vinegar half vinegar and half water and add a squirt of dishwashing liquid to it for a general surface cleaner. The half strength I use for washing down our interior house walls with to give it a nice fresh citrus scent through the home and rinse with fresh water.
For benches after bulk meat packaging or meat preparations and just to freshen the kitchen benches I use neat 3% or 6% peroxide on a cloth and wipe over Q Fever virus that may be in meat and other germs too and wash over with fresh water on a cloth afterwards. I also soak hankies from colds, flu, toothbrushes, brushes in a tablespoon of peroxide in around 500ml of water every now and again to get rid of germs.
Did a bit of a spruce up of the kitchen this week and soaked all the cutting boards, dish brushes and sponges in boiling water and bleach with a bit of dishwashing liquid added too to get rid of germs.
Can you tell I used to be a nurse :).
Our Vicky challenge adds up to $370.63.
Grocery savings -
- Purchased grocery gift cards from RACQ for a discount of 5% off face value which will save $10 off a combination of both fuel and groceries when we go shopping on the 25th.
- Purchased 2 chicken stock powders on special saving $1.
In the kitchen -
- Cooked all meals and bread from scratch.
- Made 4lts of pumpkin soup made from home grown pumpkins and onions for 2 meals for us and a meal for church Sunday sharing saving $29.32 over purchasing the same in the shops.
Firewood Savings -
- Cut another 1.079 cubic metres of firewood free from a friends farm saving $215.80 over purchasing it.
Electricity savings consisted of -
- Using our solar lanterns instead of mains power $10, charging our solar lantern and mobile phone with car battery via DC cable saving $6.15, steaming vegetables and cooking noodles on the slow combustion fireplace another $2.25 savings, boiling our water on top of the slow combustion stove for cuppas another $1.26 savings, heating water on top of our fireplace for washing up our dishes saving another 0.27c .
Rat bait savings (yes in the country we get heaps of rats and mice) -
- Laid bait across all the floor joists under the house instead of using a whole box as recommended saving on buying more boxes of rat bait.
Selling homemade items online savings -
- Listed 46 items on Ebay free by taking up a free listing promotion on Ebay saving $69.
Seed selling internet sales -
- Earned $9 from selling seeds saved from our gardens. I keep this money and save it up to use it for needed items we may need in the home or add it to our saving for our home with cash bank account.
Have a great week ahead everyone :) .
Sewingcreations15
DeleteDear Sewingcreations15 !
I really love reading your writings, and absolutely love settlers cottages!! Please let me know how to find your homegrown seed, and other saleable items!!
Regards,
Who else?!
(Rachel)
Oh, Sewingcreations15, you poor thing! My husband and I both got bacterial pneumonia in January. It was terrible! If you haven't had one, a breathing treatment helped us both a whole lot. Get plenty of rest!
DeleteHi Rachel and thank for your encouragement :) .
DeleteIf you search Ebay by seller by the same name without the cap, you will find what I design and make and saved garden seeds there :) .
Firstly I do have to say it is challenging spatially wise living in a workers cottage. We have learnt the fine art of stacking vertically with everything we do along with the use of shelving.
We also love the workers/settlers cottages and the one we are living in has solid wood VJ walls throughout and even a VJ wood ceiling in the kitchen. The belt/chair/dado rails are great for storing seeds, herbs and spices and little knickknacks on.
Have a great week and I am putting together an email to Annabel on items we have made for our little cottage to feather our nest too.
Sewingcreations15 .
Dear Sewicgcreations, I am sorry you both have been so sick! It is even worse when it it both of you!
DeleteI am amazed you still got so much done! Also your cleaning tips are really good and I like that you were a nurse, that means you have a lot of knowledge that is very useful!
I really hope you are both feeling better. Rest up a bit. Have a lovely weekend... you will find the miracle cleaner a bit different from your recipe I think. What you are using sounds very good though.
With love, Annabel.xxx
Hi Debby oh sorry to hear you and your DH came down with it also in January. Sounds as if you were like us and timed it together :(.
DeleteThank you for your kind thoughts, we are on the mend and I am taking asthma medications so that is helping to open up my airways and make it easier to clear the lungs.
Sewingcreations15
Hi Annabel and thank you for your well wishes :) . We usually don't time it so we are sick together so this is a first for our married life.
DeleteMost welcome for the cleaning tips too and we will make sure we rest up a bit. Pneumonia tends to slow you down a bit and I think we did a bit too much when we first became sick. We are resting until early next week now and just doing the necessary housework.
Have a great week as well :)
Sewingcreations15
Dear Sewingcreations15,
DeleteI know someone who has found a vaporiser wonderful in your condition. Second to this would be a steaming kettle on a wood stove!!
Take good care of yourselves!!
Regards,
Rachel
Dear Annabel and beautiful bluebirds, wow!, it's Friday again , the week sure does go quick!. You have had a wonderful week Annabel, more lemony goodness and yummy looking pizza , oh you have worked miracles again Literally ( in the form of miracle spray) !.
ReplyDeleteMy week has included :
I bought some new blouses this week and at one store I received 40% off a top and $$40 off another one plus $10 off a camisole like top which I wear under my tops sometimes, I call these under tops gazunders as they go under! , in total at that shop I saved at least $76 . Today I went to my favourite clothes store and bought two blouses and received $25 off my total cost because I spent over a certain amount.also for every accumulated$100 you spend you get a $5 gift voucher.i used mine today to buy a lovely butterfly key ring I wanted last time but it was $20 last time and this time it was marked down to $5 so I consider that a $20 saving. I have saved $40 in total at that shop today.
I went to Kmart today also and got some memo cubes a pencil case and a memo board ( notice board) all were marked down . A saving there of $12 .
I have saved a total of $35 on groceries this week according to my dockets and I have also spent $100 less than normal so far. I have used the savings to go towards my blouses as I am going on holidays and need a few new clothes for that.
I have made or had made all meals at home this week except lunch today which was $12 , Savings on meals include 2 meals from my parents$40 total , which includes not getting takeaway on state of origin football night when I really wanted to .
I have lost more weight and now fit into some of my smaller clothes which has stopped me needing too many clothes but as I said above , I did need some clothes..I estimate I saved $100 by fitting into smaller clothes I had here . I will be saving this coming week by buying some bedding using a friends. 60% off discount at a top retailer . It is actually a friend of hers who works there and is buying our items.this will save me at least $90 so I am thrilled about that. I am adding it this week because I do not want to forget it and it has been something I have been meaning to do For months!.
Another saving was I thought I had killed two of my plants but I noticed new growth, a $30 saving!.i better stop there Annabel!. Sorry for another huge comment!. Happy weekend to everyone, I hope you all enjoy it. I meant to comment the other day but a huge congratulations to Kelsey and your husband on the new baby bluebird, how wonderful.
Take care Annabel and all.
Love Barb W.
Hello again Annabel and beautiful bluebirds!. I forgot to tell you my total savings for the Vicky challenge this week!. My total was : about $531 , so another good week!.
DeleteI meant to say before that I didn't realise I had such a good week savings wise because I didn't think I had done much due to my extreme pain levels but it has turned out to be a great week.love Barb W
Dear Barb,
DeleteI hope you are feeling better with less pain. I think the cold weather is bad for pains. Everything hurts more in the cold!
Well done on your weight loss! That is fantastic!
It is great knowing someone who works at a store and sharing their discount this way! Your savings were really good! You re right we can not even notice how much we saved but its good to tally it up! Its very motivating!
I hope the new week will be a good one for you Barb! Keep up the good work! I know the weight loss will help you towards your goals with your knees and mobility. Excellent work! With love Annabel.xxx
You always amaze me Annabel how productive you are. How cute the pic of your mum and Harper pushing her babies. Patricia looks about 25!!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend. Fi xx
Thanks Fiona! My Mum will be saying "that Fiona, she seems like a lovely girl" !! Yesterday Lucy and I saw Mum riding a little scooter with Harper, she was going that fast and Harper was laughing so much! So thats Mum, she's a goer! Have a lovely weekend! xxx
DeleteGood morning Annabel,
ReplyDeleteThe photo of your mom and Harper is a treasure.
Your pizza looks delicious. 5 of my grands will be here today and we will have pizza for our lunch but I'm confessing it won't be homemade but readymade from Aldi. One of these grandboys is so active, there is no way I could do homemade pizzas with him "helping"
Dear Rhonda, Its sounds like you will have your hands full! Enjoy! It sounds like you might have a bit too much "help"!!!
DeleteHave a wonderful weekend! With love Annabel.xxx
Annabel,
ReplyDeleteYour cleaners looks lovely, you always go that little bit extra to make the simplest items looks spectacular.
The picture of your Mum with Harper is so precious, definitely worth framing. She is building such great memories for Harper.
I saved 60% off my grocery bill this week, it was a bit harder to do since most was produce and dairy. So it made me feel good afterwards.
I have been working on Christmas projects, a Dr Who scarf for Grandson, lace suitcase organizers for the girls and now on kitchen towels, I blame all my sewing on Patsy's Challenge.
All meals were at home, I even made a cherry crisp, (Cherries topped with an oatmeal topping) From cherries we purchased. Delicious I have to say. I accidentally sprinkled some ground cloves over the crust before I realized it wasn't the cinnamon I had wanted. It added the perfect extra touch.
Dear Rosanne,
DeleteThank you! Mum and Harper are such buddies. It is really lovely! I got a similar photo yesterday as well.
Your Christmas cupboard is going great and these have been very major projects! I cant wait to see the kitchen towels!
I have never had cherry crisp. It took me ages to work out what crisps were as we call them crumbles. This is how I first tried peach crisp which is about the best thing ever!
Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx
Your pizza looks yummy, Annabel and I'm intrigued to hear of your successful recipe for the sweet dough. The photo of your mum with Harper, is exactly as I pictured them in my mind! My husband's maternal grandfather used to take our oldest around the block on her roller skates, I think I have a photo of them tucked away somewhere. Ashley was always thrilled to be with her great-grandpa!
ReplyDeleteI, too, would like to send congratulations to Kelsey and her husband on their new baby boy! How exciting!
Work has been very busy for me lately, so once I am home, it's a quick dinner and then I settle into my cozy chair and usually asleep by 9 pm! I am leaving work early today for a doctor's appointment to see about my knee. It's been quite painful and I'm having trouble bending it. I fell on our front porch on some ice back in January and it's been slowly getting worse.
My brother is coming to visit this weekend with his new girlfriend, so we'll be having some fun times!
Take care,
Jeanette
Dear Jeanette,
DeleteThe dough was good... but I thought I would make a stack of bases and freeze them... but it took two egg yolks... for one small pastry shell... so I am trying another one with sour dough... then Ill let you know which I like the best!
I am in bed often at 8.30! Mind you I read and write for ages!
Knees are problems. I hope it is nothing serious!
I hope the weekend was good and you thought the new girlfriend was lovely! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx
You did great putting up all that lovely food! What a wonderful picture of your Mom with Harper.
ReplyDeleteWe had enough money saved up and were able to replace the refrigerator for the garage. The old one died several months ago and how we have missed being able to stock up on sale items and have cold drinks available. I saved $130 by finding it on sale and another $59 by choosing to buy from the retailer who is offering free delivery right now. I bought my nephew a $45 duffle bag for Christmas for only $9.50. We found eggs for 35 cents a dozen and gallons of milk for $1.39 this week at Aldi. Lidl recently opened here and they are having a price war from which we benefit. I cooked mostly at home but we did have a lunch out for only $3.60 on Chick fil A day. I baked bread and cookies and made chicken salad from leftover grilled chicken. It is very hot here so we have been enjoying cool foods like melons and salads. I stretch Aldi frozen lemonade concentrate by adding a bit of sugar and extra water. It is wonderful on a hot day.
Dear Lana,
DeleteThank you! Well done on the new fridge! That will be so handy!
I have heard of Lidl and they are coming here I think. But that is all I know, I need to find out more! A price war between supermarkets is good for us. Currently our local two main supermarkets seem to be pretending that Aldi never opened. They haven't had good specials or anything! I think they will go broke the way they are going!
In summer we do the same... lots of cold meats, salads and avoiding the oven. Right now it is so cold I want the oven on just to add a bit extra warmth, the total opposite!
Your bread and cookies sound lovely. Have a good new week! With love Annabel.xxx
We went to Lidl once. We found it to be quite overwhelming because they have so many products and the store feels so stuffed. The produce at our store was quite sub par and I had to hunt through it to find acceptable ones to buy. The lighting is weirdly dark but probably it is LEDs. You have to bag your own as they come down a belt to the end of the register and that is quite a stressful thing for me as I like to organize what goes in which bag when I do it at Aldi. Our oldest daughter is moving to Germany this fall so she decided to make herself shop there to get used to it and after more than a month she still finds it stressful. She has heard that they will shout at you to hurry in Germany if you do not bag fast enough and get out of the way. YIKES! So, we have always been just very happy at Aldi so we will shop there. Aldi is not near so crowded since Lidl opened so that is a plus along with the competitive prices.
DeleteOh, and Lidl prices are higher than Aldi. Just 20 to 30 cents on most items but that really adds.
DeleteThat's quite a nice pile of lovelies, you made yourself, Annabel! I love the fancy tie on the cleaner! I do have a question about the cleaner. I can look up the metric conversions (I hope!), but what or how much is a dessert spoon? That's entirely new to me. The cleaner looks and sounds wonderful and I'd love to try some this winter using citrus peels. Right now lemons are very expensive here, but come fall, tangerines are affordable.
ReplyDeleteAdd me to the admirers of that sweet picture. Such fashionistas, those two ladies!! Now we know where you get your flair!
I couldn't agree more at how good it feels to get a lot accomplished. It certainly makes me feel good. Enjoy your weekend!
Dear Debby,
DeleteA desert spoon = 2 tablespoons. The recipe is totally flexible so don't worry, you could use 1/4 cup as that is about right.
Lemons have been really expensive here. Getting them free from my friend has been a big bonus and it is why I use them for so many projects. I still need to juice some to freeze which I might get on to today.
Thank you for your kind words!
It is the best feeling getting stuff done. Even getting a bit ahead! I love it! Make hay while the sun shines! I love this!
Have a good weekend! With love Annabel.xxx
Teaspoons or tablespoons Annabel?
DeleteJane, tablespoons, teaspoons not enough. Maybe we should just say big spoons. That would be close enough! xxx
DeleteHi I have just found your blog and read your latest post about miracle cleaner. I am going to give it a try I assume when making the lemon scented one you have used lemon oil not eucalyptus with the lemon vinegar and dish liquid?
ReplyDeleteDear Cheryl,
DeleteHello and welcome! Lemon oil would be really good in it but I think more expensive and I didnt have any so I used eucalyptus as usual. I can get a big bottle of that at Aldi for about $6. Because both lemon and eucalyptus smell so fresh it worked and smells lovely!
Another time I used a lilac dish detergent and used lavender oil and that was gorgeous! So it is reasonably flexible. I hope you love it! You only need a small amount of this mix in any use. Ie I make up a spare bottle of it to wipe benches etc.... I put about one inch of miracle spray and the rest water. It works very well. Have a lovely weekend Cheryl! Love Annabel.xxx
I must say Annabel I always feel as though I'm hearing a well loved teacher when you write your posts. I have read on down through the blog to see all of this week's posts. I was just reading how a woman said that she shopped for food as she'd done in France, buying that day's food that day but then she went on in the same post to say all stores closed at 6 and if you missed that hour then you went without as there was no option of restaurants were also filled, for they closed as soon as every table was full! I do live in the country and I surely can't imagine life without my pantry! It is 30 miles to the better store (Aldi) and I certainly don't want to run over there every day.
ReplyDeleteI've had a lovely week of savings again. I think I'm happiest with the four landscaping blocks I found at the dump yesterday when I was taking our trash to the skips. I loaded them right up into my car! I drove on to my daughter's home and she looked in the trunk while I was taking out things for her. "Why do you have landscape blocks?" "I found them at the dump this morning..." "Good job! Those are pricey ones!" I knew that of course, it was why I loaded them up,lol.
Thank you for all you've shared this week and for your encouragement. You are living proof you can live with 'stuff', the right sorts of stuff, keep it neat and lovely and not look cluttered in your home. I think I've struck that same balance in my home. It's a lot of work and it means being very creative but is so worth while.
Dear Terri,
DeleteI think having only enough food in your house for one day is living close to disaster/asking for trouble! And yes... the time factor... I don't want to have to go shopping daily. The less the better really!
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! You are a person always working so hard at home so thank you! Now to see what you have planned for the landscaping blocks! I love a good road side find!
I hope this will be a good new week for you Terri, with love Annabel.xxx
Hi Annabel and Bluebirders,
ReplyDeleteA little behind here with comments, again ... don't know where the time is going.
Firstly, congratulations to Kelsey and her DH on their new baby. I hope all a settling in well to their new roles.
What a great selection of gifts, last Wednesday. There will certainly be some lucky recipients later in the year. For my part, gifts are sadly lacking this year. I can't seem to get motivated with my sewing, though I did manage to pick up a few bits'n'pieces for the grandchildren at the recent toy sales.
That is such a fabulous picture of your Mum with Harper. As soon as I saw it, I thought your Mum looked so stylish and I love her hat.
I can almost smell those gorgeous lemons! I've been promised some lemons from a dear friend, so that is something to look forward to.
A few things for nest feathering this week included giving the dishwasher a good clean out (YUCK!! I loathe that job), spent a morning with DGS(3 1/2yrs) and DGD(2yrs)making the CWA "5 dozen biscuits" recipe - they loved it and were very happy to take home a bundle for themselves plus Mum and Dad. Took in a pair of wool pants that needed altering since losing weight, stopped at a chicken factory outlet and saved $$ over the supermarket price ($14/6kg for Maryland pieces, $12/2kg for breast fillets), made a huge batch of vegetable soup, stacked a double load of fire wood.
Have a great weekend,
Janine
Dear Janine, The best thing I did was join in Patsys sewing challenge. We are meant to do 15 mins of sewing a day. OF course this leads to more! But having it out and doing 15 mins really got me going. I am amazed at what that gets done! Otherwise I struggle to even get the sewing machine out.
DeleteLemons are so useful. I hope you get yours! We have had beef snitzels with lemon, chicken snitzels with lemon, lemon pie, lemon cleaner... lemon in water every morning. Next I will juice some for the freezer.
Baking with your Grandchildren is wonderful! They would have been so proud of those biscuits! The fire wood is really good and you also are shopping around I notice! That is the way to buy chicken!
Thank you also for your kind words on Mum and Harper! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel and Friends and LORAX! How lovely to see Lorax here! Annabel, that photo is one to treasure for many years to come. Absolutely gorgeous. You all had a great week. I feel like an amateur. We are surrounded by half a kitchen, thanks to renovations, and that alone makes it difficult to do too much. However, I did make all of my daughters school lunches, always a huge saving, all meals, and baked some gluten free bread. So for all that, the kitchen clearly still functions! The lemon ideas are all wonderful. In years to come, I'm hoping to emulate your efforts there! We had about a dozen lemons from our trees this year, but they are still only two years old. I am patient. I can wait. I found a cheaper fruit shop and a good butcher, and we are trying to have 4 meat free days a week, which really makes a difference to the food bill! So all up, not too shabby. Well done to everyone. Mimi xxx
ReplyDeleteDear Mimi,
DeleteIt will all be worth it when the kitchen is finished! Then you will have to get the hang of our new stove... a new stove always takes a bit of getting used to and testing.
I am trying to do the same with meat.... mainly I am reducing the portions in some way and using tricks like using bacon on something or salami or something where you get the effect of meat and flavour but really it is such a small amount. Im making a lot of adjustments!
Like you I have been finding new shops! This has paid off too!
Have a really good new week! With love and thanks, Annabel.xxx
Mimi, WOW to 4 days a week without meat. I have gotten my family used to 2 days a week meatless meals, but I think they would revolt at 4 days a week. I like to use small portions of meat in stir fries and casseroles, like Annabel said. That lengthens the food budget for us.
DeleteAnyway, I am really impressed that you got that level up to 4 days. Congrats.
Hi Annabel, Love anything lemon and t your home would smell amazing. Might have to make some lemon or orange vinegar and try it.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your sweet pastry recipes as that is one thing that I haven't been to successful with.
That photo of your Mum and Harper is priceless and one to cherish.
Hope you are getting much needed rain and your garden will be loving it.
Have a great weekend everyone! Debbie xx
Dear Debbie, For some reason I was intimidated by sweet pastry! Well it was pretty easy but it had two eggs for a small quantity... and you know me if I do something I like doing a lot. I thought oh Ill make ten and freeze some... but 20 eggs? So this is why I am trying the sour dough version... Ill let you know the results!
DeleteAll today (Sunday) it poured . It was all freezing! I never set foot outside! Ive got to find out what your working on now....
These photos are special. I got quite a few las week that I love! Have a lovely new week! With love Annabel.xxx
Hi all. Hope by now that those who are sick are feeling much better. I certainly wish I had all the energy you all have. Good on you!
ReplyDeleteMy week here has come with the good, the bad and the ugly.
The good
I gave Dexter a much needed bath saving $70. Yup grooming here is very expensive.
I only went grocery shopping once, spending $37.00.
Filled my gas tank for next week and it cost $40 00. Our gas use to be around $1.40/litre. It has come way down so now it is .87 cents/ litre. I can easily manage to stay within my gas budget.
I received my hydro (power) bill for the last month. It came in at $35.43.
The bad.
Dexter promptly got under my feet when I was squeezing a blob of ketchup out of the container. He now has had a dye job lol.
I spent $50.00 to go to the spa. This is a mother, daughter, son thing we do about once a month. As we all have arthritis, we find the various pools, saunas, and relaxing help tremendously. I do so wish it was covered under medical coverage though. I also find the wet sauna that has eucalyptus in it, works wonderfully on my asthma. I guess this one could go both good and bad.
The ugly
We have so much wind here, that the tracks of my patio door are constantly filled with dirt. Vacuuming only gets a bit. The rest has to be manually removed. Ah well, it looks wonderful now.
I have been working on a stumpwork picture that will be a gift. I also found a new to me pair of sheets, so the other ones will move to the guest bed and the ones presently on that bed will be cut up and used for rags etc.
Dear Jean,
DeleteIt is amazing that gas prices have come down! That is good! Also washing to dog is a big savings!
I think spas and water therapy are wonderful for aches and pains etc. I hope you enjoyed it and it helped.
Wind is hard to deal with, I do not like it or dust! So I sympathise there!
I love embroider and you must be very good to do stump work! I am impressed!
Have a wonderful new week Jean! With love Annabel.xxx
Annabel how is it you can make something as mundane as a cleaning product, beautiful? You have a gift that leaves me in awe.
ReplyDeleteBefore we left home we were gifted several bags of mandarins. All the skins went in a large jar with white vinegar. This will be a well steeped citrus vinegar by the time we get home. I will have a mandarin miracle cleaner.
We are now in the Mallee and everywhere we go Bluey knows someone or is related to them. He is having a ball catching up with everyone. This afternoon we are off to a cousins house.
Our magical mystery tour continues. It is freezing but life is good.