Moving

First of all I have moved 12 and now 13 times in 39 years. That is once every 3 years. Keep in mind that I did live in the same place for 11 of those years. Also 3 of the moves were just different dorm rooms/apartments during college. Also the last 4 have been with my husband. The others were because my father was in the military.

It is like a career with us. My sister has moved 18 times in 46 years and as we speak is inbetween homes, not really homeless but almost.

SO how do we do it? First reduce. Throw away anything that you have been hoarding: egg cartons, juice jugs, varios containers. Take library books back and return anything you have borrowed. Then go through clothes and get rid of faded, stained and holey anything. Even if you had it as a back up. It is now time to officailly let it go. Only keep enough rags to clean up the new home or the old one you are leaveing. A good goal for us is 1/3 of our household. Nothing misses inspection.

In the past if I had extra time before hand I would have a yard sale not this time. Extra clothes will go to the Goodwill. Freecycle and Craigslist will also be used.

Frozen Goodness

While at the farm market Wednesday purchasing my usual second baskets. I was told I could get a bushel of freezer corn for $10. What, are you serious? last year I paid $22. I was all over it. The corn was larger then I usually prefer for corn on the cob but perfect for freezing. I got 27 quart bags from the bushel, plus 2 meals of COC.

Also the second baskets are awesome. This market puts a mixture of veggies in 4 qt and 8 qt baskets. Sometimes they aren't pretty. In other words they are marked, small, misshapen, larger then normal, mutated (2 summer squah stuck together) singles, or yesterday's. I stop once or twice a week and get a fruit basket for fruit and yogurt and a veggie basket. I also buy new veggies, but mostly the seconds keep up fed most of the summer.

Why I don't comment and don't care if anyone comments here.

I haven't been blogging for long. Most of the time I am trying to create a place to put down ideas. I have middle of the road ideas about most things: religion, politics, childrearing and relationships. I don't think I am offensive in the least.

However I have found that the majority of the time my comments on other moderated comments are deleted. I just had it happen again. I mean it makes me want to check to see if my deoderant is failing me. You know?

I am not every time, just more then I thought was usual. A week or so ago I commented that I agreed with a blogger about a recipe that was posted. I mean those are pretty much the words I used, "I tried this recipe and it was great." What about that could have turned someone off. The lastest one was a comment about the kind and color of paint. I think I said something along the lines of I tried a similar color in a different brand.

I also stopped joining swaps and giveaways.

Sorry for the rant. Leave a comment. Maybe you will see it on here, maybe not.

How to stay cool in 95 degree heat without A/C

It is 95 today, yesterday and all week long. How to stay cool?

1. Fans are your friend. For some reason air that is hot and moving doesn't feel as bad as plain hot air.

2. Drink lots of water.

3. Go swimming it cools your body.

4. Visit air conditioned public places: libraries, stores, mall, etc.

5. Eat cold foods: popcicles, ice cream, etc.

6. Take a shower.

7. Regulate the heat in your home. Open windows on the cooler side, close the ones on the warmer side. Cause a draft using two fans in opposite windows first blowing one way and then the other.

8. Relax. There is no better time to just get as much done as fast as possible and then just sit back and relax, with a book or movie or whatever.



8.

Things I think about

After living in 3 of my own homes and 6 or 7 of my mother I have decided that the out in the middle of the hallway linen closet doesn't work. The ones in the bathroom also make little to no sense. I want to try one in the laundry room.

I prefer electric ranges over gas, but gas ovens over electric. I don't like the seperate range and oven though. No idea how to solve this one.

I want a home with a summer kitchen. My brother bought a house like this the second kitchen is downstairs. Its an old farm house. I love it but I don't think they use it.

I want a pergola in my dream back yard with a crap load of flowers. Peonies, tulips, daffadils, marigolds, sunflowers, roses, asters, daisies, etc. I want a willow tree too, but they can be hard to manage. Fruit trees maybe.

I want 3 bathrooms in my home: girls, boys, and guest.

I want a house with character but not falling down. I want a porch not a deck. I have a house with a deck. I want wind chimes. A lot of them.

I want a pantry and an office, a laundry shoot.

I just really want to move.

A broken mower, a gym membership and a trip out of town

What do these all have in common? Well they are all a drain on my budget. Which I haven't consulted in the last 5 days. It was becoming a crutch so I tossed it. It felt good. BUT now the dred comes back.

First the mower will have to be fixed or a suitable alternative will have to be arranged. I think I will look for a push mower as soon as I get home. I have gone through 2 in 3 years. I will pay around 50 for it.

Then the gym membership will have to go in the last 4 months he has not gone to it anyway. First there was enough time, then he didn't feel like it, and now says it is because he doesn't have the "right" clothes. I am officially done.

Finally I will have to live with my decision from this trip for the next 2 months fortunately part of the spending is for school clothes so that isn't so bad.

Ever wonder how we get to a place in time?

What a frugal family does on vacation

1. Drive to a location within 8 hours of their home.

2. Stays with friends or relatives or camps out.

3. Visit free admission attractions,( ie local parks, museums, neighborhood pools.)

4. Brings food for the drive there and anytime we eat away from the place we are staying.

5. Takes a lot of digital pictures.

6. Has a budget.

7. Saves for the journey.

8. Enjoys each others company.

9. Checks out local attractions and has a plan.

10. Goes only once a year.