Laura Lately ~ A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #179

Hi y'all,

I hope you're enjoying a nice long weekend if you're in the United States or just enjoying a nice weekend if you're elsewhere. We're planning to barbecue bison burgers for supper Monday night. Then we'll head out to watch fireworks at the city park.

 For today, I have spent most of the afternoon in bed with a bad headache. I've had quite a few lately, but I'm hoping the chiropractor can help me. I see him again on Tuesday. Nevertheless, this has been a good week. 

I always feel like I should be doing more to be thrifty, but when I write things down I find that I've been more thrifty than I think. 

I think the key is changing the little things we do. Sometimes it's the little things rather than big things that really make a difference. 

I realize that, although I've tried to limit the amount of negativity and news that I'm exposed to, it still trickles through. All around people are feeling more tense. Some people press into Jesus during these times. Some people, even if they know him, don't see him as their ever present help in times of trouble. My heart aches for people who do not have hope or who are overwhelmed with anxiety right now. It's easy to see the bad around us, but I want to be one who sees every spark of joy, every glimpse of Jesus, the favor of God, the provision of God. It is around us. I know it's in me, and it's in my own home. 

I encourage you to seek God and his kingdom. All you need will be added to you. He will take care of us. One way he does that is by giving us creativity and the ability to work in our homes and to love others.

Here are some things I've done this past week.

In the Kitchen

• I continued feeding my sourdough starter. 

• I made sourdough waffles for the first time. Oh yum! The recipe made 8 waffles. It used 2 cups of starter. The starter was made with half water half flour. That means 8 waffles were made with one cup of flour!

Dinners

• Saturday we ate a pasta dish Emily made with leftover chicken and other items we had on hand.

• Sunday we ate leftovers.

• Monday sandwiches

• Tuesday Fend for Yourself... We have evening meetings on Tuesdays that we often eat at.

• Wednesday was not frugal. We were out late and ate Chinese carry out.

• Thursday I traveled to see my parents. Emily went with me. We stopped at Taco Bell for $5 boxes.

• Friday I borrowed Emily's Instant Pot and made baked sweet potatoes.  They were perfectly tender. I may have to put an Instant Pot on my wish list!

In the Home

• I replaced only my thumb nail Lily and Fox polish strips. This was to extend the wear of my current manicure a few more days. A set of strips is only $2.99 shipping included, but I like to try to make them last. I also use Sally Hansen Miracle Gel over them to make them shiny and make them last longer. It's just a brush on polish protector. This is a thrifty version of Color Street nails. 

• When it came time to redo my nails, I used some hot pink OPI polish called Toying with Trouble. What a silly name! I've had it for a couple of years. I used the same gel top coat. I hope it will last for awhile. No cost since I had it all on hand. (It started chipping the third day.)

In the Workbasket

• I'm knitting a blue and gray second sock. It's for one of the men in my family. I hope to give each of my family members something hand knitted for Christmas.  I finished knitting my daughter's Christmas socks. I just need to block them now.

• I mended our kitten's toy mouse and my husband's suit jacket. I still need to go through towels to see which ones need mended.

• I cast on a DK weight sock. I'm trying a new pattern that my friend Virginia suggested. It is her new favorite. It's called Travel Sock by Diane Lyles. It's available on Ravelry.  It's frugal, because the pattern was free, and my friend, Laura, gave me the yarn. Her love language is knitting! I'm making good progress after getting some help from my knitting friends Tuesday night. Thank you Jane, Virginia, Jill, Gloria, Jean and Laura!

• I cut up two worn out t-shirt to make rags.

• My husband cut up one of those rags to tie up tomato plants.

• I mended Amy's sleep pants.

• I mended the kitten's mouse again. This time I sewed the ear back on.  

• I also altered my daughter's blouse by hand sewing the back closed. I didn't finish my mending, because little Miss Ursula decided my mending basket was perfect for a cat nap! 

• I cut up a beyond repair towel into squares. I will zigzag around the edges to extend the usable life again.

Books and Such

• I am still reading The Songs That Could Have Been by Amanda Wen. Click here to enter the giveaway. It's a free review book, too. 

• I am listening to a few books on Scribd. I am bored with Spanish Verb Conjugation, but I haven't given up. I'm not sure how helpful it is without a written book to see. It's designed to use in the car while commuting.  I added a few more books to give me variety.  The Art of Neighboring is challenging.  Hand Made, and The Five Second Rule are educational like the Spanish book.

• I finished The House on Foster Hill. It was clean, and had a good pro-faith message while being quite mysterious. It is definitely an adult book due to the subject matter. 

Out and About

• I joined the local fiber guild. Since I joined mid-year, the dues were only $5.00. It will be nice to meet once a month with others who enjoy old-fashioned skills including tatting, weaving, spinning, crochet, fiber dying, and knitting. 

• We attended a free concert given by a local community symphony group.

• Knitting with friends on Tuesday night is inexpensive fun

• While visiting my dad and Ann, we went to a really nice thrift shop. We found lots of things for Emily's new apartment. 

• They also blessed her with supplies for her apartment. 

Surprises

• Nothing this week, but who knows?

I close with a quote from Pablo Picasso.

  "I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money. "

I wish you all well ladies, do what you can with what you've got where you are! 

Blessings from Harvest Lane Cottage, 

Laura