WEEKENDS

We spend a lot of time at parks through out the city

Neighbors trampoline (what a monster) blew into our yard weekend before last and Eric spent 2 days taking it apart to remove it, returning it to rightful yard and putting it back together again. 

Why do HOA's allow monster trampolines but not clothes lines? 

Weather here in NoCo has been rather, bipolar, is the only word I can think of that accurately describes the past weekend. Friday and Saturday sunny and in the 70's, Sunday cloudy, snowing and in the 20's! Expecting snow through Wednesday this week then a warm up, though Halloween will be cold for the little ones out trick-n-treating. 

Warm or cold, I got my walks in-2 miles daily!

Working on a pair of socks that have been on the needles way, way too long. On the second foot now so hopefully soon, very soon they will be on my feet! 

Very little work done on wool rug..ugh!

Finished a smallish quilt for a donation. (Pictures to be posted later.)

I met my goal of $400 food bill for the month of October!! Wahoo!

Grand total $400.96, ( yes, I see the .96 cents, but I am calling this a win, win!)

To be able to cut our food bill in more than half, I have been cooking at home just about all meals and from scratch. Very little frozen and or canned foods used, this will change a little entering into winter and the fresh garden produce almost gone now. I am also back to baking bread once a week! 

Reading: The Zimmermann Telegram(audio)

-Roosevelt and Churchill(audio)

-The Erma Bombeck Collection

-I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness (this book is so good)

Stay warm!

WEDNESDAY

It's a blustery Wednesday here, snow coming this evening, always behind rain that will turn ice first. Then the return of 60's by Friday! Fall in Colorado, love it or leave it!

Finished pulling the garden last week! Making applesauce it seams weekly, we have been eating so much I doubt I will can any this season, hopefully get some in the freezer though. 

My grocery bill is going DOWN! Thus far this month:

Cosco-243.00

Week of Oct.14th-43.00

Week of Oct.21st-38.96

I guess planning ahead and using some imagination, one can do this. We have been eating some great dinners and some plain dinners, though no one is complaining. Another big positive for me is, we are throwing out very little wasted food. Use it up or do without ;-} We did eat out once that footed a 54 dollar bill. Though enjoyable, not worth the cost! My eating out budget is seperate from the grocery bill and is on a reduction diet as well! This goal will be easily met this month.

 An unexpected expense, the washing machine died! First it wouldn't complete a cycle, I thinking the drum was off balance and after resetting the machine balance several times I sat on the machine( picture above)- that worked but then the door would not unlock! Eric and I tried to fix it ourselves with the manual,( god bless eric , he keeps all manuals!), but had to resort to a service man. The cost was almost the price of a new machine, so we opted for the new machine. It really vexes me to have to replace machines! I think they should run for 30 years, this machine was maybe 12 years old. I hate adding to the county dump!

Lots of knitting and rug hooking going on around here. Knitting Alanis by: Elizabeth Smith. I am using yarn from my stash, Cascade and Brown Sheep.

Gus is wearing his Aran sweater often these blustery days and have mailed off 

Phoebe's sweater to NY,NY for a grand niece.

The rug hooking project is my pattern and using up wool strips from a previous project.

Reading: Of Windmills and War- a potato chip WWII book, (t's a love story)

I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, ( this book is amazing! a must read!)

I am still waiting for a copy of Just Mercy from the library, hope I get it in time for the book club

READ WITH US.

Until later.........

Hooking up with Unravel Wednesday

FIRST SNOW

my oldest son and his beautiful wife! aren't they amazing!

First Snow is always magical for me! Getting the outside tucked in for winter, cooking in the kitchen a great cold weather meal, and most of all, no anxiety about driving on ice roads, ( I get to stay home all day and everyday now.) Mercy though it was COLD and WINDY along with snow. The Front Range had the biggest temperature change in years, 50 degree swing! One afternoon it's 80 degrees and the next morning it's less than 30 degrees. One notices that shift and runs for the sweaters, wool socks and slippers. 

The day before I pulled more veggies from the garden and apples from the tree. Oh my, those carrots are unbelievably sweet and we ate several in a chicken soup-stew dinner. 

The bread is a recipe from the New York Times-no knead bread. I believe it's a Mark Bittman recipe. I let it rise for about 18 hours, the rich flavor is over the moon.

I have a new project this month, cutting my food bill by about 800 dollars a month. This includes  no, to very little eating out  and using up left overs. We get lazy around here about 4pm daily and often that laziness leads to restaurant meals. I may not meet my goal but sure will decrease the food bill this month. So far:  Week 1 - Cosco=243.00, (grr), but it will be our only Cosco visit this month.

I have been staying up later, a deliberate act, watching movies.

Mary Queen of Scots (2018)- excellent

Midway- always good

Operation Finale-excellent

Plans for my weekend? Not sure, but  I am sure it will include knitting, reading and a movie, (oh, and cooking dinner!")

THOUGHTS (2)

Not the best picture, but it's time for fall food again.

The above pictures are from a walk I took in our new neighborhood. 

Yes, we have a lot of open space around this newer subdivision and I plan on waking through it often. I know within ten-fifteen years it may well be gone to more building, I'm going immerse myself in this open space now while it last.

We are getting more settled in our new home, everything is unpacked, though we cannot find a thing!

Everyday it's: "do you know where such and such was put?" "Nope, look here and here, if that doesn't work, try here,"  or," I may have gotten rid of that."

Our old house has been on the market for a week and half now, lots of lookers but no offers as of yet. Patience is not one of my strong points, keeping our fingers crossed, real estate sales have slowed down a bit here in NoCo. 

Besides organizing and getting settled in the new house, I have been knitting and rug hooking. I try to get some crafting in everyday, looking through UFO's and making a list to finish projects during the winter. It is finally getting fallish and cooler weather! We may even get measurable snow this week. That first snow is always so magical for me! it's tucking in season!

How do you 'tuck' in for winter?