Oh baby - it is cold outside! TV says 0 degrees, my thermometer says 3. No big difference - cold is cold!!! High today is to get to 20F. Geesh - Canada you can have your weather back!!!!!
We sure got spoiled over the past few years - and now we are getting a healthy dose of what winter used to be here every year. I don't like it!
Let's talk a bit about using what we have. Recently I have been trying really hard. I have so many things that will work for more than one thing. Yesterday we talked about advertising and how they lure us in to buy things we don't need - well, I like to challenge myself to use things here instead of buying the newest gadget or fancy food.
Last week I mentioned my 'leftover' soup. One day I had made a taco sort of skillet, ground meat, beans, and lots of veggies with taco seasoning and salsa. Tasty. One day I made a small batch of dirty (spicey) rice. I mixed the leftovers of the two together with a small jar of home canned tomato juice (juice leftover from making salsa) = SOUP! Really hearty and good soup and I had dinner and put a container in the freezer for another day!
I ran out early in the week to the store for a few fresh items. I got celery - which I wrapped in foil. It will last ages that way. I have been doing that for years.
I have a bag of Romaine lettuce that has a few paper towels in with it. It pulls out excess moisture from the heads and helps it last much longer. I do this with Romaine or other lettuces I get as a plant type lettuce. (not shredded)
After Christmas was over, and I took down all the decor and I sure did miss my twinkle lights! They are so sweet and give off a nice glow at night. Well, my little nightlight for living room, had its little bulb burn out and a regular bulb is just too bright. I need one of these silicone covered bulbs and I am out.
So, I looked around and found a 20-light set of clear twinkle lights and wrapped them around an area over in the corner. They stay on 24/7 and give off such a sweet light at night. It is in the living room (center of my small house) so it lights enough to walk through the house with no other light.
I often freeze leftovers for another meal in Rubbermaid type containers. I write on top of the container what is in it with a permanent marker. When washing them, I was scrubbing really hard with a scrub pad and hot soapy water to clean the writing. The other day I came across a pack of thin magic erasers that I had in the bathroom storage. I took one and used to clean on the top of one of my containers and like "magic" all the writing was gone - super simple. Now I keep one at the kitchen sink!
I was mending some jeans last week - and used a really old pair of jeans that are no longer worn for patches. I cut and place the patches 'inside' the jeans - so there isn't a big old patch seen on the outside. I guess it doesn't matter as they are work jeans - but it works pretty well. I like to place with 'liquid sew' - a type of fabric glue - then I sew too.
Of course, I have been using what pantry and freezer items I have. I really need to work hard on that, so that the older items get used and then I can replace when I find a deal.
It sure is a fun thing to do, especially with the kiddos. I used to make it every winter for Glen and I when we had snow.
What have you been doing lately to use what you have instead of buying? Love to get some ideas.
Spread love, light and joy today in all you do.
Have a fantastic day.
I have just been making some firelighters from shredded paper packaging material, cardboard egg boxes and the ends of old candles. I stuffed the shredded paper into the holes of the egg boxes, melted the candle stubs in an old tin can placed inside an old saucepan which had an inch or so of water in the bottom (like a double boiler) and then poured the melted wax over the paper. I have made these for years. They work great, use up stuff that otherwise would be thrown away and don't have the nasty chemical smell of regular firelighters.
ReplyDeleteLove it. Nice way to recycle and helps you stay warm. They sure do make great fire starters.
DeleteThanks for the idea.
I have long detested advertisements-except of course, sale ads for the grocery store. Hub is a business major/minor in accounting. He rolls his eyes when I say I wish advertising were illegal and prices could drop by 30%. When federal law was passed to allow drugs to be advertised, being in healthcare became a PITA cuz suddenly everyone diagnosed themselves and clogged appointments to get what they wanted. Yup, drug prices rose quickly at that time as they need to recoup those costs.
ReplyDeleteMade hubster lunches for the week from the freezer/pantry: corn, Taco meat, black beans and add canned salsa.
Dinner: garden ratatouille and Italian meat from the freezer and spaghetti squash from the final November CSA delivery.
Now I'm off to cardio class! It's 23F outside so warmer than you but not conducive to walking 5 miles for this girl!!!!
I agree with you on advertising. They pay heaps to advertise and guess who pays for it? WE DO!
DeleteGood for you on using up the food. Freezers can sure be our friends!
You go gal - stay warm and safe while taking that walk. Sure beats going to the gym (and the price).
I get annoyed when it gets in the twenties! I can see light in a crack all the way around the front door. We are going to buy a storm door since it is leaky, too, hire someone to install the storm door and tighten up space around wooden door, maybe ever buy a new wooden door.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, I asked Tommy to give me an onion soup mix packet. He brought one from 2024 and one from 2020. I used the older one. He was afraid it was too old. I opened it and it smelled okay, so used that one. It was fine. I am seeking the items that are old but still good to use up. On top of the hamburgers, it was great and made a little sauce/gravy that he put on his leftover potatoes.
I don't like drafts. I installed more stick on weatherstrip last year - that helped a lot.
DeleteYes, so many things are good for a long, long time. I have used older onion soup mix too - stays fresh for ages. It sure does make a burger taste good. Always good to use up those older items.
My husband went through all his clothes recently. He had several pairs of pants that are too worn at the hem or waist or along seams and he didn't want them any more. I took them and I'm making my grandson pants as he's only 4 and skinny. I can get him a pair from each easily. I have 2 turtlenecks that are too small for me and I'll be sewing up my 8 mo old granddaughter some new leggings. I bought the turtlenecks for $1each new at a sale. I wore them a few times and decided they weren't loose enough for me.
ReplyDeleteI took the treats we had at Christmas and portioned them into individual servings, wrapped them in waxed paper & zip bags and put in freezer. Now if my husband wants a treat he gets one and is not tempted to eat several. Since the treats are lasting longer I save on not having to make or buy more.