Thriving In My thrifty Week–April 13, 2020

During the past week, I took the opportunity to use up some more pantry items that have been there for a while. One thing I did was make gluten-free bread and buns from a recipe I got from the internet. It used some gf flour for bread. I have enough to make one more batch, and I will certainly not wait too long, because it came out great!

I don’t eat a lot of bread, so I froze most of this.

Rob hit the jackpot at Cash and Carry and got a bulk box of eggs. They were mediums and very inexpensive. We shared a bunch, and still have a lot to work with. Eggs are one of the things that have limits (2 cartons) and are often out at the store. So, we were delighted. It’s not bothering us in the least that they are a little smaller.

He went out and got some groceries for us. It had been a couple of weeks. Things are more expensive than they have been, and many things are simply not there. Still, he was able to get plenty for us. I understand why this is happening, but it just makes me more determined to use the things I already have to the utmost, and to get that garden growing!

My small row of overwintered snow peas are blooming. I got the few garden rows weeded. It’s still too early here to plant most things, but the hardy ones are up and growing well. I’ve picked a couple of small artichokes and more are coming along. There are a couple of volunteer lettuce plants that are growing rapidly in the sunshine we’ve experienced this past week, and baby lettuce is pushing up. I cleaned out underneath my blueberry bushes. Rob is saving sawdust and shavings from when he cuts wood with his saw, and soon we will spread that under those bushes.

Patsy and I are spending quite a bit of extra time on the Biology course I ordered when this Covid-19 event started. She’s loving the microscope work. This old microscope was a discard from Rob’s college, and cost us $20 years and years ago, but works just great for us! I’m so glad we have it. It opens up a whole new world, that’s for sure!

We’ve been taking lots of walks. We found a park that’s not too far from our home that we had not visited before. It’s small, but has a few paths to walk on. We just stayed far, far away from everyone else, and enjoyed our walk.

I’ve made a few masks, and my daughter made us some, as well.

10 thoughts on “Thriving In My thrifty Week–April 13, 2020”

  1. Hello
    I’m seeing higher prices and I think that is just going to how most everything is in the future. We are also planning meals with no waste, using what we have and putting in a garden.
    At the same time, I’m also trying to deepen my pantry, I just feel the need to do it.

    1. I agree! 100 %! When I used my mother’s expression “it’s like money in the bank” I got a bewildered look from my daughter. I guess I hadn’t used that expression before:). Anyway, I explained it to her. It’s just as true today as it was when I was little–but as I explained–maybe even more needed today, since it wouldn’t matter how much money a person had right now, there are just a few things that absolutely are not on the shelves around here. At all! So, it’s good to have a little extra set by to use until some more of those items came into the stores. I think she got it!

  2. Great deal on the eggs! I am sorry your husband will have to wait even longer for his hip surgery-mine will too but he is able to walk easier than Rob and not in quite as much pain. Hopefully soon enough they will both be good as new.

    These times remind me of the stories my Grandma used to tell. She said she used to have only 1/4 lb of corn beef to make a corn beef hash for her family of 5 for dinner-I am sure it was mostly potatoes. My grandma lived until the ripe old age of 99 so this too shall pass.

    1. I’m sorry your husband has to wait, as well. I wouldn’t wish the pain on anyone, and even if your husband has less pain than Rob, I’m sure it’s still pretty bad. Those bad hips seem to cause some of the most intense pain I’ve ever seen.

      Go, Grandma! We used to go through hundreds of pounds of potatoes each winter when we had a lot of kids at home–Rob used to buy them by the 100 pound sack from farmers–and he would buy more than one! Now-days, I’m diabetic, and he’s dieting, and there’s only one kid left at home. Imagine my surprise last winter when we actually lost a half of bag of potatoes because they rotted before we could use them! Yikes! Times have changed around here, for sure:). But, I still love to eat potatoes from time to time.

  3. Good memories. My Dad grew up in the Depression and he said his favorite dinner each week was Milk Toast. A good friend’s Dad used to say she was lucky to have BOTH jam and butter on her toast.
    Great that you have a microscope. How fun is that!! I loved Biology from early on.
    I’m paying more for groceries because I’m using the delivery service from the store. I miss wandering the aisles for the ‘this store only’ sale signs. I too am trying new recipes and really using up the food in my freezer.
    Cheers

    1. That’s funny! Milk toast was reserved for me when I was little whenever I was sick and my Mom thought there was the slightest chance that I was exaggerating my illness:). So, I didn’t like it at all!!!

  4. Great deal on the eggs. They have so many uses. Your bread looks delicious.
    Glad Patsy is enjoying biology and using the microscope…a whole new world for her to discover.
    I had a stupid accident last week by spilling hot chicken broth on my foot causing a nasty burn. Since it didn’t seem to be healing, I did a telehealth call with the Dr. So glad I didn’t have to go in to the office.
    Hope you have a good week.

  5. Just a head’s up for what it’s worth. I just got my weekly delivery of groceries. The flour and yeast were still out of stock which I expected. However, they were also out of canning lids. Both regular and wide sizes. Thought you’d be interested. Cheers,

    1. We have noticed the lack of canning lids. My sister tried to order some on-line, and finally obtained some, but it was very difficult because she had to look on many different websites, and they were not cheap. Rob was in Walmart a while back and took the last few boxes they had. The canning aisle was almost bare. There is very little to can around here right now. It had to be emptied by people who are looking ahead to can this summer. I have several boxes left over from last year. I have the few boxes Rob found. I can get a few boxes from my sister, as she graciously offered to share. I also have my mom keeping her eyes out at the store where we usually get them….I think it’s going to be a lot more work this year to get them, but I think we will prevail. Here’s hoping anyway:). I think we will can a lot this summer. We’ve used a lot of jars this winter and the garden is already starting to look good. It seems to be an early spring. It’s too soon to plant things like tomatoes, but Rob is starting to harden them off, bit by bit, since they are getting huge.

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