Snowed in (sorta) and My Semi Monthly Big Shop

If it's Monday, it must be Colorado. On Saturday night I went to a dinner in the foothills, to discuss the goals for my church in the next year. We have some ambitious plans, and although I don't talk about it much here, there will be a ( really not religious)post coming in the future about our possibly overreaching outreach goals and my trying to find a comfortable place in church and charity giving in retirement.

Anyhoo, when I headed to dinner it was eighty degrees. As I headed down the hill home it had cooled some, but nothing terribly out of the ordinary. Sunday was again a different story, as I woke up to freezing weather and snow-which continued overnight and into this morning, giving us somewhere around four or so inches. This morning things were still a mess, but now the sun has come out-although it is still only 21 degrees F and the snow is supposed to continue tomorrow into Wednesday before clearing. And then warm up again, but not up to the eighties, rather hanging between fifty and seventy and sunny for the next couple of weeks. Which is nice fall weather-and maketh me happy.

Joyfully retired and thankful I CAN stay home when I choose,  did "church" at home yesterday, worked on some projects and threw a gigantic mixture of vegetables and some meat into the large slow cooker in order to make minestrone. I also threw some herb biscuits into the oven that I had from Schwan's. Someone else grabbed the big size of herb deli chicken on their way home the other day so even without accessing the huge freezer we are well taken care of if I stay home until Wednesday or Thursday-although tomorrow I will need to do a seriously intense house walk. Today and yesterday I have taken a break. While it looks beautiful out there at 21 degress there is way too much ice still on the ground for this klutz.

I am that type of gal who has no problem keeping herself busy at home-although I am sorry we had to cancel coffee this morning and probably will need to force myself outside into the sun at least in the back yard.  The knit poncho keeps growing slowly, as does progress on the Christmas coaster "small gifts". This morning I finished the newest Catherine Coulter book and thanks to the library and my Kindle Unlimited subscription, I have plenty of fiction and non fiction reading on the ole Kindle. 

That's Catherine up on the left corner, as well as the previous Harry Bosch novel.

Add some writing and possibly some television (either Prodigal Son or Catherine the Great I expect) and normal household stuff and I have plenty to keep me going around here. Until the end of the week when I have knitting if the weather clears in time and then a coffee and conversation morning and a happy hour and and a knitting group field trip to a gigantic holiday craft fair on Saturday.  

I did get my planned spending for this the first half of the month out of the way. I have yet to push the buttons because I probably won't be going out to pickup until later in the week and I want to be home on two day delivery day, but the orders are ready, the plans have been made and the planned spending is set through mid month or sooner (scroll to the bottom) My mid- month shopping generally occurs either on the fifteenth or on the day of the SS Payment which as we all know is a moving target-mine falling on the second week. This month that week is a little early so I'll just even up the groceries later!

Speaking of the frugal (or not) food budget.....I'll be doing some experimentation the next couple of months. My local meat market has a variety of "bundles" with everything from steaks to cooked meal bundles, to one called the "fall harvest bundle" right now. It's one of those things I keep thinking about and just have never taken that final step. This week though, we'll be ordering the "fall harvest option". My grocery order just has regular groceries and the stuff needed to make lasagna soup and beef stew. Other than that, I'll be filling in with stuff from the list below, and from that freezer list-with some stuff being added to the freezer. I'm still working on whether to make Italian sandwiches from the chuck or to go with good ole fashioned pot roast.  

And guess what?   I just got a text letting me know we have a storm warning from tomorrow morning to noon on Wednesday. Good thing I have everything needed to eat, drink and be merry, I guess!!




Barb's shopping/spending list Part 1-First Part of November. 

I am not doing this to be no spend as such, and will allow for special occasional deals in my inbox, a special deal on a Christmas gift or other things. My goal is simply to get all this stuff out of the way and leave room for life the rest of the month. We'll see how it goes. 

I'll be sharing any spending beyond in my weekly Frugal Friday posts, as well as what we've eaten starting now. Food budget is for two retired adults who like to eat well (read coffee, wine, chocolate, lamb and seafood) and a thirty year old who only eats breakfast and two days a week at home, Someone else does occasionally shop and cook once and rarely twice a week.

Grocery Pickup Order $121 minus produce

Meat order $99 (these two take well over what half my grocery budget is but if we like the meat, and especially the meals we will slowly start buying them to add to the inventory).

Clothing purchased $ 75 (heavy cardigan  and regular sweaters which seem to be in short supply in thrift stores, consignment stores and not on clearance as of yet)

Amazon order $70  (Headphones, my first watch since the millennium since I've given up my Fitbit, and a keyboard for this tablet. The current one lasted two years. The keyboard is a surprise need as the whole numbers layer has basically already stopped working, the headphones are a need, and the watch is really a want I suppose since I have a phone with me all the time.). Edit:  I added two microwave plate covers and four bowl hot pads that were on my list for those darned hot instant oatmeal bowls.

Prescriptions $24 (for 90 days of four scrips. Thank you Medicare Advantage Plan)

Filling the tank $45 (The disadvantage to having a 6 CYL SUV is that it has a really big tank. It's also the advantage. I can drive from here to Dallas with one refill and not be empty).

Entertainment until and including 10 Nov $100 pulled out in cash. (I expect this spending to be less because I have movie gift cards for the two movies on my list and I really only drink with no food ordering during happy hour, but that craft sale may suck me in ....... entertainment includes meals out, movies, any other aumusement and purchases for books from Amazon which is rare. This will increase a bit as we get closer to the holidays)

Haircut $20 (The advantage of short hair is it takes five minutes to cut even with shaping. The disadvantage is it has to be done every four weeks minimum).

Health spending $40 (I'm including all Bill's and spending beyond monthly bills for now. This is the out of network urgent care bill for tearing the earache from hell. I pay Bill's twice a year at my desk. Not when they come in.)

There you are....what do ya think?