The last day of January 2025

Sleeping in the Office next to Mommy!

 Well folks it is the last day of January and the first day this month that my Car has not been covered by a hard frost.

This won't last of course but it is nice. Not nearly as cold today.

I have finished my chores for the morning and must get up to Sissy's to help her with a spreadsheet.

My spreadsheet is a mess, but I plan on working on it tomorrow morning when I do my final tally and report my successes and fails.

I vacuumed the stairs to my Freddie Krueger basement and oh were they bad.  The carpet is still horrible, but I was able to get four pounds of Cat hair off them!

I am going to go to Albertson's this morning and get myself some fresh flowers, why because I want them, I have no discipline!

When I get back from Sissy's I plan on making a menu for the week after talking with her and hopefully I can stick to it.

When I cleaned the fridge this morning, I am afraid there was quite a bit of food waste, and I hate that, but I did it!  Will try and do better going forward.

Now I am off (well I am always a little off!)

Have a great day!

Hugs;

Kay

 

Okay two blogs in one day? 

I left my first bog of the day with great angst, only to have the Husb come and get me to tell me about the plane crash at Reagan National on the Potomac, (our old stomping grounds) how tragic and my heart goes out to all of the Families. Why, why does it have to happen in the winter, that river is so cold and swift, and this is not the first time.?  It does not matter who is to blame or what is to blame, they are gone, and I ache.

When things really stress me, I think back to my grandmother saying in Her heavy accent...Hands to work hearts to God!

And so, I prayed and went to work!  Finished my morning routines!

I have finally figured out the picture thing and this is Bud to the left.  He really wants to go south and help Sluggy pack!  She has yet to invite Him and His feelings are very hurt!

Trust me He is no help!  Unless you want Him popping up through all the paper you have gathered to pack!

It is January 30th, and I have been able to get all my savings challenges done and have a slush fund of $677.00 going into next month.  I wish I had the Slug's slush fund, but it will grow!

I promise I will be better, and tomorrow is the last day of January so I will not report the bad until February 1st!

However, I do see significant things I can do better and as I am a thinker (of many things) I must think on this. Hmmm?

Sissy is so much more disciplined than me, but then she has always had to be, it is part now of her DNA, mine not so much!

The Husb went up and looked at the bricks we pulled and just laughed and said, those won't work they are not pathway bricks but building bricks...and refused to help clean them.  Hmmm? He may be writing a check from His personal funds...we shall see.  Sissy has a magic way of manipulating Him.  I do not...go figure?

Hub's is feeling so much better, and we went to lunch today as our lunch date cancelled for good reasons, and He still wanted to get out of the House.  He did get to the laundromat and wash all His quilts yesterday, so He deserved it.  I did iron His sheets and get the bed made and that makes us happy.

Our lunch was not good, and the service was terrible but then it is not our last meal, and it will be better next time.

I still cannot get the bogs I follow on the left side of my blog, and I will continue to try or call Sluggy for tutoring.

I just went and put six pounds of processed burger into my freezer for future meals (Tacos etc.) and it is full, full, full! HUsb processed this yesterday for me while I was helping Sissy!

Sissy after looking at the Freezer inventories told me in no uncertain terms that nothing will be purchased until we use up twenty meals... fast forward to yesterday... I was planning pork chops (which will be cooked today "come hell or highwater ") she had cooked a huge pan of chicken enchiladas (they were restaurant worthy and so damn good) so we ate those for late lunch early dinner and brought home leftovers that need to be eaten.  I cannot plan meals if she cooks and vice versa.  We have to figure this out and then life spins out of control...I must stand firm on this, and she needs to be ever vigilant about her damn schedule! 

In other words, Sissy quit changing it to suit your whims, unless it is an emergency! The Bossy is coming out!  A nap is not a priority! Ha!

Now I am going to go read a book of some sort.

Have a great and productive day (my words not Sissy's...she just copied me!)

Hugs;

K

I have messed up my blog and cannot load pictures, do not know what I have done wrong and do not even know if this will publish!

Bricks? I mean really?

Sissy is twisted!

 Yep, this is what I did yesterday morning with Sissy in 27degree weather! We went and salvaged bricks and it about killed me.  I am still frozen but will thaw eventually.

My Sister is one brick short of a load!

I think we got enough for one path.  Now I would have written a check, but Sissy would not let me, and since I did not want her to go it alone, I acquiesced.

We still have to clean all this brick, oh joy, the things I have to look forward too!

Husb was still not feeling great, so He was down for the day drinking Gatorade and eating chicken soup.

So, no linen washing, that will be this morning as He is up and actually drinking a cup of coffee which is a good sign.

After I ran an errand, I went back to Sissy's to unload said brick and then helped her with a five-layer prom dress that was taking over the shop. Took me 30 minutes just to iron two layers, the rest was netting.

I then did a freezer inventory, and we have enough premade dinners for three of us for two months.

This does not count the whole chicken, the whole turkey and a whole ham.  Then there are pork chops, burger, steaks and plenty of chicken in the raw form.

I was able to gift Kim's daughter number two with three meals of stuffed cabbage and three of Swedish meatballs.  I now have room for Chicken and beef enchiladas that must be made and also will thaw six pounds of burger for taco meat.  We do have room for this.

By my calculation we can eat for at least four if not five months.  Now no one wants to eat down their entire inventory and I date everything I make so it will be loss leaders only and fresh produce as we eat a lot of salad.

Still so much fruit and so many nuts left over from Christmas.  Just crazy! Sissy did put a shout out to someone in her Church that bakes like we do, and she is coming to get some of our excess, so it does not burn.

Sissy had a Bride last night at six and did not come for dinner, so I ate scalloped potatoes and ham. and tonight, I will make pork chops with a side of scalloped and corn.  We just do not waste food. I purchased the pork chops in late August, and they need to be eaten before they freezer burn.

So, my focus is to eat the oldest first and this will take several weeks.

Two more days until the end of the month and I have really blown it at the grocery store, way over budget.  I now realize that I love to cook, and it gives me something to do.  I need to find a hobby. I love yard work, but it is too cold to do anything.

I cannot wait until February first as my bank will have my tax forms I need and I can finish our taxes, which will be interesting filing in two states.  I have done this before, and I can do it again.  I refuse to pay an accountant.  Now when I owned a business, I always used an accountant for business taxes, but personal...no way!

Now I am going to strip the Husbands bed and get the linens in the wash and then get dressed and do my morning chores or routine I should say. Husband is taking quilts to laundry mat and will drop me off at Kim's so I can help her in the shop.

I wonder what crazy thing she will want me to do today.

Stay tuned...as life with Sissy is an adventure.

Hugs;

K

Up and at EM!

Slept 9.5 hours last night and was up at 5:30, thanks to my Cat Bud who wanted me up! Sluggy can tell you all about Bud!

I am now on my second cup of coffee and will go for a third as is my routine. Anne in the Kitchen and I are very sympatico about this!  Three cups and then I can start my day!

I am very into routines which makes Sissy crazy.

Why do you ask...?

Well, when one works in Construction, one must be up before the Chickens, and one must be organized, or everything goes to hell in a hand basket!

I worked in the Construction Industry for more than 30 years and for Clients that were super wealthy and very demanding.  This made me what I am.

When I hit the sheets at night I think about my day and what I have accomplished and then say my prayers and think about what I am going to do tomorrow.  I plan in my head, what I will wear (having checked the weather) and what needs to be done on my list of projects hanging out there.

I plan out meals once a week, and generally stick to it, but not always. I have routines in place for morning and evening.

When the Hubs and I were living in Spain more that 20 years ago I read a book by Marla Cilley A.K.A. The Fly Lady called Sink Reflections, and it changed my life for the better.  I was always neat as an Adult, but I like my stuff, and I had too much.

If you are struggling with stuff, I urge you to read the book.  Not everything will apply but it really helps.

I re-read this book every January and learn something new, or something I have been lax about. I need to go through every drawer and closet again next month!  Just how many socks does one Girl need?

I also just finished the three volume Tightwad Gazette (read every January also) and have picked up a few more tips.

Sissy and I are on a no spend journey and I have failed in some areas, but not all and have done so much better than I thought I could, so I am going to give myself a pat on the back so far. I am very proud of Sissy; she can be so much more disciplined than myself when it comes to money!  I am learning.

I will fill you in at the end of the month, when my spreadsheet is complete.

It is now 6:45 and Hubs is up and feeling much better, so we will strip His bed and then will take all quilts to the Laundry Mat and give them a good wash (will not fit in our machine).  Now this was not what I had planned for my morning, but it must get done.

I will then head up to Sissy's and see how I can help Her.  I really want to do a freezer inventory up there as it is a mess. I finally got mine done last week.  We have so much food back stocked; it is ridiculous.  I cook too much! I also like Sissy cook for a threshing crew and need to learn how to downscale.

Tonight, we are having scalloped potatoes and Ham with a salad.  Sissy will join us. Hubs may have chicken soup and that is fine.

Now I am off to get dressed.

Have a productive day!

Kay

 

Sick Hubby!

 

It is Monday the 27th of January and I have a sick Husband.  Some type of Roto virus and He has been a bed all day.

Just took Him a piece of dry toast and some Gatorade.

Sissy and I are both fine so ...do not know, but this will pass.

Spent the night last night at Sissy's as She was having a bad night and came Home to the Husband this morning and He was very punk.

Ran to the grocery store for Gatorade and Campbells Chicken Noodle soup which were His requests.

It is bitter cold today for me and both the Husband and I have really suffered from the cold here.  We are just not used to it!  It has been very cold back East and somehow, we learned to tolerate that but here, just plain no.  I am triple layered up with Cuddle Duds, Danskin leggings and Turtleneck and then fleece lined leggings and a cotton turtleneck with a heavy sweatshirt.  Just crazy layers and still freeze if I go outside.

Sissy says I will get used to it, but in the meantime, I am going to complain because I can!

After helping the Husband I changed clothes and freshened up and ran back up to Sissy's to help her with a few things, besides I had her Car.

Did some laundry and read most of the day when I got home.  Had leftover soup from last night for dinner and will turn in early as I am very tired today.  Hope I am not getting what the Husband has!

Did not get much done today, and that is okay as there is tomorrow!

All take care!

Hugs Kay

Sunday morning...1/26/25

 Out my Windows Sissy here! Yes, I decided to start my own blog so I can keep up with Kim?  

Wait, can anyone keep up with Kim?

Sluggy, don't answer that!

This is a picture of a t-shirt that a very good Friend gave to me who knows Sissy well!

She has seen us both in action.  I can't wait to wear it, but it is just too cold at present.

It does explain me very well and I don't mean to be Bossy, I just know what you should be doing!

It is hard for me to believe that we have now been in Idaho eight months!  Where does time go?

I absolutely love it here as I get to harass my Sissy on a daily basis. It has been too long a separation, having lived in the DC area for thirty-six years.

Yes, I am jaded! 

This is supposed to be a Thrifty blog, and I will try and make it so.

Kim and I are both thrifty, but in very different ways.  I was not so in the past, but then I earned a great deal of money over the years. and trust me, the Hubs and I enjoyed it!  It also enabled us to help our Nieces and Nephews who are all doing well as adults!  Well, most of them.

The move was very, very expensive and we have decided that 2025 is going to be a year of serious belt tightening and so far, we are plugging along.

My goal is to save at least $2000.00 per month and put another $800.00 into three sinking funds for Taxes (house is paid for), Christmas, and to pay cash for a new Car when we need it.

This is doable on our retirement budget, or I may be playing with the Fairies and totally fail! I will keep you all informed.

I was up at 4:30 this morning and it is now going on 8:00 am. I need to put a call into Sissy (Kim) and have her help me finish setting up this blog as I do not know what I am doing?

I am then going to make a double batch of chocolate chip, toasted walnut cookies (always, always toast your nuts and I am not talking about your Husband, although He may already be toasted!).

Sissy is coming up after Church to help me with this.  Hope it works. Tune in tomorrow.

Kay

It's time...

 This is a test, simply a test, as I do not know what I am doing.