Monday, March 18, 2024

Menu Monday

 


A new week has arrived, bring with it surprise weather and me keeping my fingers crossed that Kris will be able to make it home for Easter and then back to his own home. The snow is supposed to start Wednesday night here and continue all the way up to Easter with a day's break from it. At least the amount of snow we are supposed to get is dropping each day. 


Monday

Leftover Lazy Perogy Casserole. 


Tuesday

I am taking a container of Chili up to Kris's. He is going to supply the bread for toast. Probably taking some veggies with us as well so they do not spoil. We can have them with whatever he wants to make on the next day.


Wednesday

Kris will surprise us, or perhas we can go out for supper. We shall see how we feel.


Thursday

Home and I have pulled some Cabbage Bread to warm up for supper this night.


Friday

Fish fillets, rice and a salad.


Saturday

Pulling out a package of frozen pork and warming it up. Probably have the leftover rice and salad with it.


Sunday

I am going to pull the last remaining Ham Pasties out of the fridge freezer and make some peas to go with this meal.


Slowly making headway on the using up the bits and bobs, as well as meals from the fridge freezer. The next week before Easter I will be trying to use up even more from this area of my house. It will also be a clean out some areas of the fridge and the crispers as well. 

Still doing research and finding out loads of interesting stuff on supplements. I may have fallen down a rabbit hole on this research.


Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Midmonth Goal Roundup

 


Time to update everyone on what I have accomplished so far this month.


1. Counted cross stitch angel. Plan on getting as much done as possible. Working on this.

2.  Sandwich the baby quilt.  Done

3.  Finish the first lapghan.  Done

4.  Start the next lapghan.  Started and almost halfway completed

5.  Make pantry book.  Done

6.  Make freezer books (I want to get two books done, one for the meat freezer and one for the chest freezer).

7.  Copy at least 14 recipes of the ones we have tried onto index cards. Add them to the recipe album.  Done

8.  Cut out a top.  Done

9.  Cut out a pair of shorts.  Done

I hope to get the one freezer book started tomorrow, perhaps even finished. The chest freezer may take just a bit longer to create. This is the only inventory I am leary of trying to do. So much in there. I am beginning to think I should use some items up before even attempting the inventory.


Off to check in with all of you, and do some more research on the Vitamin D problem. I think when I said "flush it out" I should have used a different term. Everything I have been reading says to cut back on calcium enriched foods or supplements, and drink lots of fluids. Mainly because an excess of Vitamin D can cause calcification in the blood and various organs. That can be flushed out. However since I have osteoporosis I am loath to cut all calcium. I need to read more on Vitamin K because some of my research states this is another method of controlling the amount of Vitamin D in one's body. 


Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Friday, March 15, 2024

Towards A Simpler Life

 


The quest to make your life simpler can seem daunting and out of reach, yet the book I am reading once again is giving me ways that will help me reach my goal. Perhaps not by the end of this year, but sooner than I thought.

This is what I have gleaned from my reading so far.

1. Make sure any changes you make come naturally and easily. That way one is more likely to continue with them. Don't attempt any major changes.

2. Realize we live in complex times, and keep this simple reality in mind.

3. When, not if, you encounter a problem, the solution might be right there in the problem itself.

4. Simple tasks, like making your bed each morning shouldn't be overlooked.

5. You must pursue happiness in every corner of your life. That way you will be more productive, focused and directed.

6. You need to be willing to let go of the idea of social status and financial success. Focus instead on the most comfortable, rewarding or enjoyable.

7. Start with easy wins in your efforts. Once you reap those rewards you will want to keep going.

So that is the first chapter done. The second chapter starts with some easy to do wins so you can focus your mind on a simple life.


I did Google the amount of Vitamin D one should be taking at my age and with osteoporosis. It is pretty confusing as the Mayo Clinic says one thing and other sites say something else. So right now my plan is to back off to the bare minimum and see how my back reacts (bone pain is one of the symptoms of too much D, and also a loss of appetite). I will still take my calcium and the bare minimum of the D. I will also be drinking lots of fluids to wash out what I can of the excess. I am giving it a month and then if there is little or no improvement will be making an appointment.


Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless. 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Thrifty and Frugal Thursdays

 Thrifty and Frugal 


It's been a cloudy day again, the sun is just starting to peek out from between the clouds. Of course too late for me to work on my stitching. 

It has been a nice thrifty and frugal week here on the old Phillips homestead.

I made bread crumbs from some of the bits and bobs of old dried bread pieces I had.

From the remains of the last dry, stale loaf (this happens way to much with homemade bread) I made garlic flavoured croutons.

Free exercise this week while the sun shone as I had a couple of longer walks.

Our gas bill was lower this month as was our electric bill and the phone bill (phone bill was because I got a $50.00 credit for doing our internet contract online). 

The bills will all be paid tomorrow online saving stamps or the gas I would use running around.

I baked a new loaf of bread.

Used the leftover rice to make rice pudding.

Rummaged through the fridge freezer and replanned meals for the upcoming weeks to use things up in there.

I have been reading free books on my ereader. Some have been very good, the one I am reading now is a bit confusing.

Did a bit of decluttering as well. 

I am also reading a few pages every day in my Simpler Living book which I will share with all of you tomorrow. I am really glad I pulled it out to read once again. It has reopened my eyes as to what is really important.

Still on the use up the craft stash mentality. So far I have used up quite a bit of yarn, and my fabric stash is slowly going down as well. 


I did a bit of research on why I could be having so much lower back pain, and discovered I could be taking a bit too much Vitamin D, so I am going to cut back on that and see what happens. Then my next doctor appointment I am going to discuss with him what exactly are the amounts I should be taking. It has been more or less a guessing game on my part.


Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.


Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Midweek

 


After all the snow we got on the weekend, the sun and rising temperatures have more or less made it disappear. In saying that however, the forecast for tonight and tomorrow is snow. And then a couple of days next week the same thing is supposed to happen. Pretty sure the snow is coming tonight as the sun has disappeared and the sky is very dark. 

I did get out for a walk which seems to have helped my back a bit. There is still a bit of pain, but nothing I can't handle.

Today I went through the fridge freezer and changed a few menus for the remaining days this month, just to use up a few more bits and bobs that have been in there for awhile. I think I will be doing so even into next month a little bit. Things are getting used up even if it is just going to be used in sandwiches. In fact I pulled out a bag that only has two slices of roast beef and Harvey can have those as his sandwich meat. There is also a bag of small cooked chicken pieces that I will make chicken salad out of when we get back from Kris's. 

Went for a walk yesterday and today, man am I out of shape. I will be glad when I can get out every day and enjoy the fresh air.




It was grocery list day today, so I pulled up the online flyers and started writing things down. I will even be able to get a few things to restock the pantry. Pretty much all is reasonably priced and I am refusing to purchase sandwich meat as that is not on sale. Our No Frills store had nothing on sale that we needed or wanted. The Co-op has a really great sale on ground meat at a price I probably haven't seen in many a month. I hope to stock up on that for sure. Summer BBQ season is coming and I see lots of burgers in our future, or Taco Salad.

Fuel prices have risen and I am so glad that we never really go any place other than our own city (well this month we go to the city for my cancer checkup and to visit Kris). My last purchase of gas was the end of January and here we are in the middle of March. Shopping only every second week is really saving us the cost of fuel. Makes having to fill more often when we go on a trip kind of shocking.

Slowly but surely finding ways to cut our bills bit by bit. This is actually fun and keeps me on my toes. 


Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.



Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Tuesday Tidbits

 


After a night of tossing and turning due to back pain, I have been taking it a bit easier today. I did get all the tasks done, but made sure I had plenty of rest between each. Since I can't sit for long, I made sure to do some walking around the house as well. My thoughts are another weather change is coming up (looked a bit ago and we are forecast to get some rain). 

Sky was dark and overcast today, so no embroidery was done. Having to get up and down often, kind of makes that difficult. I did manage to get some rows of knitting done, and a bit of extra cleaning (where I did not have to bend over). Dang back pain!!!

A list of items has been made and will be added to as things we will need to stock up on when I can find them on sale. Now if I can just get Harvey to mark off when he takes something out of the pantry to snack on I will be extremely happy. Right now I am going through and removing things for him. Bad Jackie, he is never going to learn if I keep doing this.

I was going to make the leftover pork into hash for supper tonight, but I found some frozen stir fry veggies that need to be used so I will be making that instead. There is always enough left over for a second meal. 

Bread crumbs were made from the bits and bobs of leftover bread, and I even cubed up the last bit of the loaf that was getting a bit dry and made croutons. Pulled the leftover rice out of the fridge and made rice pudding for our desserts the next little while. 

I am getting much better at using things up that are taking up room in my fridge. Still have to amalgamate a few things into one jar, but there has been some forward movement on that as well. 

Hmmm, wonder if one can amalgamate jars of peanut butter as for some reason two jars of smooth are open. Guess I could make peanut butter cookies to use up one of the jars.


Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless. 

Monday, March 11, 2024

Menu Monday

 


Time for another weekly menu, and this week I am doing a clean out the fridge and fridge freezer week of cooking. As is usual, things seem to build up in those hidden corners and I have become pretty darn lax at getting them gone. 

Monday

A bag of frozen leftover roast beef made into Beef Stroganoff. I will fry up the leftover potatoes from last night, and set out the leftover cucumber slices and grape tomatoes.


Tuesday

I will be using up a bag of leftover pork roast from the freezer. I think Pork Hash will be the menu item. Served with peas as the second veggie.


Wednesday

Leftover stroganoff served over noodles. Probably mixed veggies as the side.


Thursday

Leftover pork hash, this time with corn as the veggie and perhaps some green beans.


Friday

Perogies and sour cream.


Saturday

Pulling out the other container of leftover Chicken Casserole (will be adding some more tomatoes to it).


Sunday

Beef roast, roasted potatoes, gravy and roasted carrots. I will have done the weekly shop so salad will also be on the menu.


I should make a pumpkin pie and perhaps another pumpkin cake which I will slice and freeze.

I will probably make a few changes to next weeks menu those days we are home in order to clear some more room, in the dreaded drawers. Perhaps I should actually continue the clear out the fridge freezer for as long as I can. I will need to see what is left after this week and do a bit of planning.


Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.