Tuesday & Wednesday – April 7 & 8, Our Frugality

I didn’t write yesterday because I was busy trying to get the rest of the windows washed and all of the window tracks and sills cleaned. Just look at those dirty tracks from this past winter. UGH. We have well over 20 windows in our home and it is quite a chore to clean all of them every year.

They are a lot cleaner now. The best part, they are all done.

Not only that but I didn’t have much else to say besides meals and exercise.

Yesterday, we ate sausage and eggs again for breakfast, no lunch, and chicken fajitas for dinner. I had mine in a bowl with a little sour cream and Hubby had his in a wrap. We were all out of peppers both fresh and frozen so we just cooked up onions with the chicken.

I did the treadmill and the bike yesterday and today. I need to stay fit. Sitting around all day is not good for me or anyone else.

We also spent a bit of time in the yard both days. Hubby trimmed back some rosebushes and raked some thatch in a few areas of the yard. We planned on having a fire in our outdoor fireplace but, alas, it rained. It just feels so good to get outside in the fresh air.

Last night I started a list of all of the items that we use on a regular basis for food, household products, and health and beauty aids. Since I know how much we use at a meal and how many HBA and household goods we use in a month, it was easy to figure out how much we would need for a year’s supply of items. I am still working on this list and will do more tonight. I want a complete list to shop from and watch for sales on those items after our country gets back to normal. 

As soon as all of my stockpile is moved back into the pantry, I will know how many items I need to buy to have a year’s worth. I had a few Mormon friends back in Arizona and I learned well from them. Because of them, I had more than enough food to get through this crisis even if I didn’t get a pickup and a delivery for fresh items. It will take a few months to replenish things.

Let me update you on the basement pantry. The contractor I called was out of town and then the coronavirus happened. So since Hubby was waiting to have the contractor put up walls, I decided that we don’t need them anymore. I already have two large walls and the stairwell cuts off one side. It is all framed in but I really don’t need the sheet rock. So that will be many $$$$.’s saved. Hubby decided to prepare the floor for the carpet tiles. I had vacuumed the concrete really well and he had filled a crack in there. But he said he wanted to wash the concrete floor really well before he did the carpet. 

So this morning, after I finished the last few windows, Hubby and I washed the floor in the pantry. We just have to wait a couple of days for the floor to dry and then Hubby can lay the carpet tiles everywhere except under the freezer. We have to wait until our son is able to visit us again to move the freezer so that Hubby can do that. But that is only a few squares. I only have a 7 cu. ft. freezer. It will be much easier to move when it is emptier too. 

In between all of these things, I have put new sheets on our bed and washed the sheets I took off of it. I also did my normal daily load of towels.

You all know that we hire a landscape company to take care of our property for us. We paid them for all of 2020 already because we get a discount if we do that. Well they called yesterday and they are coming on Tuesday to do the spring cleanup. They told us that because of only essential businesses(they are considered essential) being able to work, they could not get mulch. So they would not be able to top dress our gardens. Hubby told them that was fine. 

Fortunately, Hubby bought 9 bags of mulch last year when Home Depot had it on sale. So the day after the landscape company does their work, we will top dress the gardens. The landscape company doesn’t charge us for mulch till they see how much we need so that is more $$$’s saved.

Today, I had scrambled eggs and an avocado for breakfast. 

Tonight for dinner we had something that I haven’t had in a very long time. Diet Coke and pizza! Yes, we have worked so hard this week that I went off my diet for this meal. I think I have had pizza once in the last 13 months and one Diet Coke in 3 years. So this was a special treat. The pizza was homemade. I made a tossed salad to go with it. It was all delicious.

Hubby and I watched “Gorky Park” for entertainment. We had seen it before many years ago in the theater. I also have been watching a new You Tube Channel. I am always trying to learn new things. So I have been watching “Different Russia”. It is very interesting to see how average people live there. 

Tonight is my usual Wednesday evening telephone call with my sister which I am looking forward to.

I hope you are all still healthy and safe. I hope you have a terrific evening.