Hello New Week

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you are all doing well. In my corner of the world, I've been enjoy all the lovely tree blossoms despite our erratic weather. We had one day, I believe it was last Friday, when I actually felt overly warm in my rain jacket. Many people were out in shorts, sandals and sleeveless shirts but I found the heat was only evident if you were in the direct sunlight. In the shade it was a bit chilly. 

Anyway, soon enough it will probably be too hot for me. The summer forecast is for heat, drought and  wildfire concerns.  I shouldn't get ahead of myself.  For now,  we are still in spring and waiting for the dog days of summer. 

Ducks at the park

Spring is a time for some heavy duty cleaning after winter. I was able to clean the oven and behind the stove. I'm so glad those jobs are done. I've also wanted a new toilet seat and cover in the main bathroom but had difficulty getting the old ones off. It seemed the nuts and bolts were very rusted and fused together. I finally asked dear hubby for help and he ended up cutting through everything and pulling it all out. Again, I'm so glad that job is done. It makes a huge difference to have a new cover on the bowl.   The main bathroom also got a thorough cleaning. I even got down on the floor and looked up to see where any dirt and dust bunnies were. I don't do that very often.

Spring is also my favourite season to get out for walks and enjoy all the beautiful tree blossoms and green returning to the city after the winter's gray skies.

This month did not disappoint.

We've had a lot of rain yet we still have drought like conditions due to the early snow melt on the mountains. We've had a few sunny days to offset the rainy ones. It's usually enough of a balance to keep me satisfied.

Walking to Beaver Lake

I haven't posted any food related photos for awhile. Here are some recent meals cooked at home or picked up at the restaurant. These were all delicious.

Cabbage Roll Soup

Mixed vegetable and chicken stir fry with chili oil

Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork and Spring Roll Bun

Chicken and grape salad

Pork chops with sautéed mushrooms and barley pilau

Classic pound cake

I hope all of you are enjoying your April. I have a lot more left to do before the month is over so I'll be keeping busy.

Thank you for stopping by!

A Bit of This and That

Hi folks,

I hope you are all doing fine.

I've been doing a little of this and that over the past 5 days or so.

First, I've been busy "window shopping" for various home decor accents, mainly throw cushions. Covers for throw cushions to be exact. I couldn't find what I want and certainly not at the prices I want to pay. Most cushion covers are priced at anywhere from $7.99 for a small lumber pillow to about $89 or so for a nicely patterned cover with cushion inside.   

Instead I decided to make cushion covers using some of my Japanese indigo fabric purchased over the summer at a sale price of $12. Canadian.  The remaining cushion covers will be made using some inexpensive solid burgundy pillow cases and burgundy/beige/white pillow cases with elephant pattern.  Both sets were purchased earlier in the week at $1.99 (+ tax) Canadian for each set.  Now I just need to find some deep gold coloured fabric (cost unknown) to make a few lumbar support cushions.  For closures, I will use buttons I have on hand instead of zippers. All cushions are for a friend who doesn't read this blog.  Grand total cost for 8 cushion covers will be around $20 (including tax) Canadian.  The cushion inserts will cost extra.

An idea of what the cushion covers will look like when done. I need to find fabric in gold/mustard colour.

This is the Persian inspired carpet in the living area. Current sofa and chair are a mustard colour.

At home I've started on another major decluttering exercise which usually gets combined with home organization.  Each time I get rid of a lot of things, I also end up moving things,  storing them in different locations and sometimes buying more storage containers.  Those of you who purge and organize on a regular basis know that the task is never really done.  I try to implement a major declutter once or twice each year.  But it has probably been a bit longer than that since I last tackled this task.  In this go around, I've decided one of my key tasks will be to organize my dresser drawers (and closet shelves) better so clothing is visible to the wearer.  I also plan to empty all the bags I've been storing under my dining table. Bags of fabric and clothing that need to find a home, go to the thrift or get thrown out.  I also have bags in my bedroom that need sorting. I am still trying to pare down what I inherited from my sister and my mother (mostly my mother). The storage room is filled to capacity so whatever I have in my home needs to be pared down. The kitchen will also be given a once over. I have at least one appliance to give away and a lot of cookbooks I need to pare down. Ideally I'd like to get rid of al cookbooks since I basically only use online recipes. But that is a pipe dream. I love books too much.

So to help with getting my dresser organized, I stopped at a Japanese variety store earlier this week.  The store is sort of like a dollar store though most goods cost at least $2.00 and go marginally upward in price.  I was looking for drawer dividers.  Not the basket or container type, but the kind that partitions the drawers.

I found two types of dividers to try and have since organized the small dresser drawers where socks and undergarments are kept.  The total cost was $10. but I need to buy one more sock container at another $2. for a grand total of $12. Canadian. Perhaps I will upload a photo or two when done with this project.

I also need to purchase some inexpensive fabric or plastic boxes suitable for larger clothing items.  These are for the larger dresser drawers and for the open grid shelves in my closets. For the moment, I've used several shoe boxes and a cardboard box in one large drawer. I've rolled up the t-shirts and put them side by side so they are clearly identifiable when the drawer is opened. If I had more boxes I would simply use them instead.

There are fabric boxes and various kinds of plastic storage containers widely available in my city and in a very wide range of prices.  I live in a large city but if you live in a smaller city or town, the best place to check for organizational items would be the local dollar store. If you don't have one of these, then Amazon is a good place to buy them and Wal-Mart also has these kinds of items.  Personally, I prefer to buy these types of items in a brick and mortar store so I can examine them and buy them on the spot if they will suit the purpose.

Dollarama and the Dollar Tree are the next stores I will check out.  I never get to the latter but will make a point of going there soon to check out what they have since all items are priced at no more than $1.25 Canadian whereas items at Dollarama can go up to $3.00 and the Japanese variety store prices are also $2. or more.

None of these prices sound so expensive.  But when you are purchasing a lot of items it is best to spend the least amount possible on each item.  The total can really add up even at small prices per item.  For example, to separate socks and undergarments the spend is a  grand total of $12 (+ tax ) Canadian.  But there are still 3 large dresser drawers (estimated cost to organize each drawer is at least 3 times more for each drawer ($36 each or subtotal $108  + tax).  There are also up to 8 closet shelves to organize.  Depending on what kind of containers one buys it can be anywhere from $6 to $20 per shelf (estimated subtotal $ 48 to - $160 total for the shelves). That means I potentially have another $158 to $268  (+ tax) total Canadian to spend on organizers dresser drawers and closet shelves.  This is still a high cost when you consider that all items are going to be purchased in dollar stores or inexpensive variety stores rather than the high end container stores.

There is no way I am going to spend this amount to organize clothing.  

I simply cannot fathom spending that kind of money when there are so many needs in Kenya and here at home.

  Now you see why I haven't already organized these spaces. 

In the past I've just folded everything nicely and tried to keep it organized as best I can by colour and garment type.  But my system just hasn't been working too well.  It is also  too much work to keep clothing from getting all jumbled and messy because my closet shelves are open grid.  I need an economical way to organize the clothing.

Perhaps the solution is to make my own out of foam board. Here is a good YouTube tutorial if any of you are also interested. You could even cover cardboard pieces with Mac Tac contact paper or wrapping paper. Personally this is too much work for me.  But it might work for you if you have time and especially if you already have all the required items around your home. Foam boards are available at Staples for about $14. (+ tax) for 3 sheets. I will need at least 9 sheets for a total of $42 (+ tax). I already have the cutter. Wal-mart Canada also sells the foam board in store at 2 sheets for about $6 (+ tax) so this is a better deal. Perhaps they also sell it at the dollar stores for even less. I also like the idea of just using boxes so you can use different size boxes that will fit into your space. If you don't like the look of boxes you can cover them with wall paper, Mac Tac, wrapping paper or colourful tape from the dollar store.  I'm not 100 percent sure yet what solution I will use but I will do what is quickest and cheapest for me to get the job done soon.

While I was out looking for organizing aids I was also finally able to find a suitable phone for my mother.  My brother and I have both been looking for a set for over a month both on line and in store.  He was even going to go across the border to buy the phone we need.  But on Thursday evening I found a suitable phone on a sale price of $69.99 (+ tax) marked down from $99.99 (+ tax).  I was happy.

Some time ago I started reading a biography on Charles Dickens and while I have been enjoying it I simply haven't had too much time for reading. I've renewed the book several times already and it can't be renewed any more so I've decided I'm prepared to pay a small over due find of about $1.50 for one week so I can finish the book.  After posting about this, I called the library and was able to get an extension to the loan period for one additional week. That's great and a savings of $1.50.

Besides shopping and organizing, I've been knitting a stash of dishcloths for home use and for small gifts. I've also been giving some thought to what to get for Christmas gifts this year and have a lot of ideas for economical and sentimental gifts that will be suitable for my family members.

In progress

This is a beautiful buck from the land of Kenya.

And here are two beautiful exotic birds living at the Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver.

Pied Imperial Pigeon

An Electus Parrot. I think his name is Kiwi.

I hope your week has been a good one.

Joining with our host Eileen at Saturday's Critters.

Enjoy the weekend and the week ahead!

Success & Gratitude

If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius.

~ Joseph Addison

Sometimes I view success in life as just having strength to get through the days.  

Don't you?

Then there are other times, when, success in life means some great achievements you've been working toward.

I've been fighting illness for some time with the coming change of weather. It wouldn't be so bad but for the fact I've been having great difficulty sleeping, I'm working long hours on multiple projects, doing a lot of reading, keeping up with the day to day household needs and missions.  Last but not least, I've got a lot to do concerning looking after my mother's urgent care needs. 

I just started to feel good about things and then something happens to take the wind out of my sails and cause me stress.

Soon things have to change but I keep putting one foot in front of the other in the meantime and ask God to help me because the hill often seems too hard to climb.

Mombasa sunset.

It is also at times like this that it is important to take time to reflect and consider the blessings in our lives despite the difficult patches, trials and challenges.

Very soon it will be Thanksgiving here in Canada.

I have much to be thankful for and I am very grateful for all the many blessings which I do have.

A new friend asked me what I was doing for Thanksgiving.

He was having a last dinner with his aunt who is transitioning to a life of retirement and soon for him a lot of what he has come to know and rely on as his annual holiday rituals will change. He is missing it before it has disappeared.

Life often brings changes for us. While we have certain people in our lives that we love to spend time with, it is important to appreciate them and let them know how much we love them.

I am having a dinner this Thanksgiving with a small group of loved ones.  Amongst other things I have to do this week (like crocheting, sewing, working on a community project, sending Christmas cards to my sponsored kids, following up on care needs of my mom and touching bases with friends), I will be getting things organized for the dinner.

What about you dear reader?

Do you have Thanksgiving plans?
What ever you do, I hope you enjoy and appreciate those you spend time with.

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things 

which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."

 ~ Epictetus

Frugal Reflections

Hi friends,

Today I thought I'd write about the delayed gratification factor and it's relationship to frugal living and debt reduction. It might help someone else who is trying to change spending habits.  I've been working on this for quite some time now as my natural inclination is to spend, not save.  It takes lots of practise, reflection and correction for me to get back on track with a disciplined approach to finances but I'm determined to do it. Each year, I add new financial goals to help guide me in staying on track too. This year I've managed to pay off  3 smaller debts related to my home.  I've also managed to slightly increase my regular investment contribution.  There are two things that helped me with this.  The first is wanting to contribute more to Kenyan missions.  The second is the Biblical verse that says "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave."Proverbs 22:7  I no longer wish to be a slave to debt.


Earlier this week, I wrote here about several perceived needs I have that were going to cost me a fair bit of money.  The list included:

• duvet covers (2)
• bed skirts (2) to match the covers
• tower fan, and an
• office chair

Like many people these days, I try to think two or three times before spending money on these kinds of items (one of my financial goals).  Generally I do not have to think twice about buying food items or items to help me with my health but I do shop around for the best prices on absolutely everything.  A lot of my thinking about when to spend is connected to debt and the commitment I have to avoid unnecessary debt.  While I know I am not as frugal as some of you,  I am more frugal than many people in my circle and try to more mindful about my spending habits (a hard thing for a natural born spender).

Debt (mine or yours) is often connected to credit cards or lines of credit.  In my case, credit card debt is usually connected to travel and to helping my mom get whatever she might need to be comfortable or address her health issues.  Since I have no where to stay, when I travel to see her, much of the expense is related to hotel and food needs.  When I make the charges, I do try to think about the payments that will have to be made in future to pay them off and try to assess how long it will take. So every month, I examine the credit card charges and pay the maximum I can possibly afford each and every month. Some months I pay much more than other months. It really depends on the household and other expenses in a given month.  I also examine any other debts I have and pay as much as I can, as often as I can.  As for the line of credit, I got the balance fairly low and might move one credit card debt to it in order to pay it down faster and save on the interest rate.

Okay now back to what I've identified as my current needs.  The good news is that I won't be spending much on these after all.  After paying the bills this month and examining spending patterns over the last month or so, and the balance left over, I can better determine that some needs are not so urgent and in fact some are more "wants" than necessities.

My rationale for spending decision went something like this. If my fan gives out by the end of summer, I can wait until next summer to get one.  If my mother's fan gives out before next summer because she uses it virtually every day for hours a day, I can give her my bedroom fan which works perfectly fine.

I do have to get a birthday present for a loved one so I will order 1 (one) of the duvet covers but not the bed skirt. The duvet cover is already reduced and I have a 50% off coupon so the overall cost is minimal. Many truly frugal people do not buy gifts for others. Some frugal people only make gifts for others. I have gone through periods where I buy gifts, make gifts or don't give any gifts.  The duvet cover I wanted for myself is not absolutely necessary so I won't buy it.  This will save me money.  It will also save me the aggravation of not having adequate storage space.

The last thing on my list of needs was a new office chair.  The chair I currently use is perfectly sturdy but the "leather" on the seat is tattered and torn. I can make do with it.  If I get tired of looking at it I can make a seat cover.  I can also look at free items on Craigslist or Freecycle to see if a good office chair is up for grabs.

One thing I've learned in the last few years of working to get a better handle on my overall financial picture, is that it pays to sit down now and then and examine monthly bills and spending habits over a period of time.  In a recent round of self-examination I've noticed a number of things that are costing me money:

I keep current  bills in these plastic folders to help me keep them from spilling all over the place.

• I forgot to submit paperwork for 1 (one) medical item when I submitted paperwork last month. I need to follow up on that. It could mean $80. (Canadian) in my pocket.
• I am consistently late paying my all-in-one (tv/phone/internet bill). Besides shelter, food and charitable giving, this is currently my largest monthly bill and I get a discount for "bundling" the services through one provider.  Though I thought I was up to date with the bill, I got a shock in the mail this week.  To make sure this doesn't happen again, I've set up recurrent, automatic payments.  I've done this for other bills already. I think I'd left this bill out of the automatic payments because I wanted to see how this bundle package was turning out for me.  I'm still undecided but in the meantime, I've scheduled future payments so I'm not late again.  This will save on late charges and nasty surprises. I also need to look into whether to change my services to find a better deal. I examine this possibility every year and have opted to stay with my current service provider each year.  Some day that may change.
• I totally forgot about some charges (spending) incurred in late July. These charges impact my discretionary spending in August. This doesn't usually happen but when I get very busy like I was in June and July, some things get totally forgotten.  When I get too busy I also get anxious about the time I need to go over my accounts carefully to help correct any misspending and make sure all the bills are paid.
• I haven't yet followed up on two sources of money I think is due to me. I have to make time to write some letters and make phone calls. I had followed up on one some time ago but didn't take the next step.  Sometimes these matters really require effort from us and often people overlook these things because they are too busy.
• I need to cancel 2 automatic purchases I make from The Shopping Channel for vitamins and facial products. It is costing too much though it is much cheaper than the regular prices. My improved dietary changes should help balance the need for vitamins and minerals and I have more than enough facial products.  Besides, I've been unhappy with TSC lately. I've been having problems with TSC getting full refunds on items returned and credit for savings coupons. I've decided to block this channel so I no longer have to view what is on offer.  This will eliminate any more temptation to spend, the headache of paying and the hassle of getting properly refunded.

One of my former big spending vices was buying books and magazines.  I stopped buying magazines long ago (like 10 years ago).  I pretty much stopped buying new books a few years ago but once in a blue moon I will purchase one if I really want it.  I love reading and I don't like to wait long to read new books that I've been anticipating reading. Another way of saving money on my reading habit is to use the library.  I had gotten out of the habit of using the library when they built a new one farther away from me but recently reactivated my account.

I put some books on hold and it wasn't too long before the first one, Paris, was ready for pick up. I read the book in the first week of the loan period but delayed returning it.  Last night, I was notified that another book I put on hold, And the Mountains Echoed, is now ready for pick up. So now I can make a drop off and a pick up at the same time.

When I am very bogged down with the cares of day to day life such as I have been since April, it is good to have a break.  Reading and movies are some of the ways I like to take a break.  I also like getting together for fellowship with people, especially people who are from another culture.  Fortunately, I have a few social appointments this week, including one with a young friend who has just returned from Kenya.

I hope your week is going well.

Blue No More

I wrote the other day (here) about how yellow stains in clothing were making me blue. I described what I was doing to get the stains out and invited helpful tips from you my readers, in getting out the stains.

Since my post on this, I stumbled on an alternative to Oxy-Clean powder. I was browsing in a discount shop for a few small items when I came across a new to me product called, L.A.'s Totally Awesome Oxygen Base Cleaner. I purchased a small tub of it for $2.99 (Canadian).  I think this product is very much like the powdered Oxy-Clean.  When I used Oxy-Clean a few days ago I was using the liquid spray not the powdered form which probably works better.  If you can't find the Oxygen Base at the dollar store you can find it on line at Amazon.  One of the ingredients in the product is peroxide. Using peroxide on the stains is a tip that was left by Dimple on my previous post.

When I got home I mixed a bit of the new-to-me powder with water to make a paste.  Then I rubbed the paste into the sleeves of my blouses and left them to soak in hot water. After that I washed the clothing in a long cycle in hot water.  Voila, the look was much improved but still not good enough for me so I washed the blouses again with hot water only.  Again, the sleeves looked better but still not good enough.

I soaked and washed the stains in the solution again and this time I put them out in the sun to bleach. Presto, the stains are GONE or almost gone!  I've put these back out in the sun on the patio for another hour or two to "bleach" them even further. You can see in photos #2 and #3 that there is still a bit of discolouration but if the items are worn, the discolouration is not so noticeable. If you enlarge the photos you can get a better view of the sleeves.  I'm sure that with continued attention to the sleeves, the stains will be completely gone soon.

I would have put the blouses out in the sun earlier but I needed to have a long period of sunshine at the right time. As things happen, yesterday was not so sunny and warm until late in the day and I had no time then to leave the clothing outside.

I am pleased with the results and next time this happens I will be quick to sun bleach the stains.Thank you to every one of my readers who left helpful tips.  With a  lot of time and patience, I've now saved myself from having to buy new blouses for next summer. I think I could save time next time by placing the clothing in the sun much quicker and I hope I remember that should I need to in future.

Travels

I've seen these kind of maps on blogs of friends.

I thought it would be fun to make one for myself so here it is.

Create your own travel map - TravBuddy

I've done an awful lot of travelling in my lifetime but the map says I've only covered 7% of the countries of the world. I've been back to many places 2 and 3 times, especially to Australia & Kenya. I hope to cover more countries before I'm done.  Clearly I have a lot more travelling to do.

Yesterday was a very very busy day for me, catching up on washing and folding laundry, vacuuming (hoovering), emptying the vacuum canister, changing bed linens, unloading and loading the dishwasher, making salad, emptying garbage cans and a whole lot of errands to get some things for mom and some things for me as well.

I also did a lot of research on line looking for deals on duvet covers. I've narrowed it down to two possibilities, both of which are on a very good sale. I've been looking for these for a very long time but hate to pay the prices that they usually are on offer for.  I want to buy one solid coloured duvet cover for myself and one for my brother's birthday which is coming up in the Fall. Yesterday's flyers also showed a sale on two other things I need (a new tower fan and an office chair.  I've needed the chair for some time but that might have to be put off again.  Maybe I can get one for free. I always keep my eyes open for free things if they fit my need and they aren't too shabby).  I need to carefully think about each expenditure and figure out what I really need and can buy this month. Thinking two and three times before buying anything, buying on sale, or getting things for free is all part of my frugal living approach to living and to managing my finances.

The fan could potentially wait but the problem is that in my country, the fans will not be in stock again until the summer of 2014.  I can't take that chance since the fan I use in the living room sounds like it ready to quit.  Though I try not to add credit card debt, at times like this I often justify the use of  a credit card if those charges will be paid in the near future.  This is always a gamble as you never know what other expenditures come up in the meantime that are equally important.

Sometimes I dip into savings for such needs.  But again you must be careful.  If you get into this habit you will find it hard to save.  I know this because I often dip into it for needs other than travel which is what my savings are supposed to be dedicated towards.  I'm hoping to get to the point where I don't have to do that.  It would help too if I could get some donors to help the Kenyan man named Elvis. You can read about him by clicking the badge to the right of my blog. He still needs a lot of help to finish the year.

Sunday I was played out so I just relaxed. I didn't do much other than reading a very few blogs, continuing to try and get yellow stains out of my summer tops, logging my daily blood glucose, making soup and salad, and watching movies. Tomorrow I have to try and get to several accumulated "to dos" including getting to the post office.

I wish you all a great week.

Yellowing Makes Me Blue

These are the yellow stains after about the 4th wash. I've just sprayed them with Ocy-Clean.

Some time ago I noticed I had a few white blouses that were yellowing in my closet but I never got around to trying to deal with them because these are items that I seldom wear.  I've read that if you don't wash white clothing (or linens) on a regular basis, they start to get yellowed from dust and other particles in the air. Often the sleeves of tops hanging in the closet are affected because these parts are usually exposed more to the air while hanging in the closet.

I wanted to wear some of these light, white tops due to the very high temperatures we've been experiencing this summer.  I did some research on line about how I could get rid of the stains. Oxy-Clean is a ready made stain remover that I read could be sprayed on clothing and left for 10-60 minutes before laundering.  I also read that if I scrub the stains with laundry bar soap and let them sit or soak the clothing over night in a solution of vinegar and water, that my stains would be removed.  I decided to try all three approaches.

Altogether, I treated the stains about 7-8 times.  The stains are far less noticeable but they are still there and the items of clothing are still not wearable. I think part of the problem is I may have washed these items before and inadvertently set the stains by washing them in warm or hot water. That apparently is a "no-no". I've used cold water in my recent attempts. I will give these items a rest for a few days and try to scrub them out again. I think another 3-4 times might accomplish the job.

Have any of you had to deal with stubborn stains like this? If so, were you able to get rid of them?  Would you like to share your approach.

A Simple Friday

The pleasantest things in the world are pleasant thoughts: and the great art of life is to have as many of them as possible.~ Montaigne

I don't think I wrote on my blog that both knees started bothering me this week. Fortunately when I awoke on Friday the pain in my right knee had gone away and the pain in the left knee was considerably reduced. I am still not back to "normal" but I am much better. I am hoping and praying for complete recovery soon as I already know the healing process is cyclical; at least where my knees are concerned. In any case, I was very grateful today!

I stayed up very late last night (early Friday morning) and finished reading "Appetite for Life", a biography of Julia Child. I would have finished sooner but the last two days have been rather busy with lots of phone calls and interruptions.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. What most impressed me was just what a tremendous work horse, Mrs. Child was. She worked tirelessly to bring the joy of French cooking and good food to Americans.  She also worked until  near the end of her life:  keeping constantly busy with writing, cooking, and making cooking television shows as well as her charitable and other educational interests.  Another thing that impressed me was her devotion to her husband;  in fact, their devotion to one another really touched me. Julia Child and her husband Paul were fully devoted to one another and they supported one another throughout every stage of their lives.  It was also surprising to me just how much moving around Julia did before and after her marriage and how many different jobs she had before she become a French cook. She lived in many different places in California, Massachusetts, India, China, France and Norway.  When she married, she and her husband had several homes on both coasts in USA.  They also had a home in France where they spent as much time as possible. They travelled a lot and socialized a lot throughout their marriage.  Julia's non-stop energy for work and socializing was noted by all around her.  All in all, she led a fascinating life.

I made some ham and lentil soup on Friday evening.  You might say I was inspired by Julia Child, but I've always loved a hot bowl of hearty soup on a winter's evening.  Yesterday was also grocery shopping day so I had all kinds of veggies to use (onions, carrots, celery, potatoes) and left over ham from the ham roast made the day before.  I also had a bit of bannock bread (whole wheat and white)  left over from the day before to round out the meal. I never got round to eating the strawberries for dessert and saved them instead for a late night snack.

Photo from my archives.

I did a lot of  window shopping (the internet version). I made myself tired looking for boutis work, flannel sheets, and pendleton blankets. I  think I better give that a rest for awhile since I don't plan on buying any of these items anytime soon. I also spent time sourcing some very large containers for dry goods storage. I don't have a pantry and my kitchen has very limited storage so I need to find storage containers that will sit in the corner of my kitchen and store some of my food. I think I may have found just the thing. These are actually storage containers for pet food but they are air tight and will work just as well for dried goods.  The bonus is they cost a lot less than similar items sold for (restaurant) food storage. I also looked at other types of bins but I like these ones on wheels with tight closing lids.

A purchase I made a few weeks ago arrived last week and I haven't taken it out of the box yet. I need to finish moving things around so I can it up and try it out (more about that later).  Instead I spent some time dealing with purchasing the new Word 2013 Suite and having it installed on my PC. Later I will have it installed in my laptop too.

I gave some time to my calendar and planned to attend my writer's group.  However the session for tomorrow is fully subscribed so I'll have to wait for next week or the week after.  Much later, I spent time viewing parts of a 'new to me' documentary called the Up series I believe it is the last in a series of

documentary films produced by Granada Television that have followed the lives of fourteen British children since 1964, when they were seven years old. The documentary has had seven episodes spanning 49 years and the documentary has been broadcast on both ITV and BBC.

The children were selected to represent the range of socio-economic backgrounds in Britain at that time, with the explicit assumption that each child's social class predetermines their future. Every seven years, the director, Michael Apted, films new material from as many of the fourteen as he can get to participate. The purpose is also stated at the beginning of "7 Up," as, "Why do we bring these children together? Because we want to get a glimpse of England in the year 2000. The union leader and the business executive of the year 2000 are now 7 years old. (Source: Wikipedia)

Part 1 of the series can be found  here if you are interested and youtube also has several parts to this series available on line if you don't mind watching on line. I didn't get to watch all the parts so I will continue another day as it is quite engaging.

I found it very interesting having a peek into what life was like in 1964 for these British children from all walks of life and  was quite impressed with them  The documentaries begin to document these children starting from age seven and then every seven years thereafter until they reach age 56.  At age seven they seemed so mature. I don't think seven year olds today are quite so mature but perhaps I just haven't spent enough time around this age group to really know.  I do know that youngsters of today are exposed to far more than the youngsters of old, so perhaps they are more mature or as mature, but in different ways. One of the things that surprised me about the 7 year olds in the documentaries is how many of them had boyfriends or girlfriends and spoke so freely about having these young relationships.

I read a blog post today asking what the readers have done to save money today as part of frugal living. I always make an effort to live frugally and stretch my funds as far as they will go but I had to think about my answer for today's savings.  I saved elastic bands from the produce purchased yesterday, made coffee and drank it at home, made home made soup and ate home made bannock bread.  Lastly, I guess I saved the cost of a movie ticket since I am not going to the "56 Up" documentary which is playing in town. Instead I am watching all the free parts on line.  On my brain is the question of how much the new appliances I got after Christmas will save in my power bill.  The appliances are all energy efficient so if they save me money it will likely be evident over the course of the year.  Any savings through the new appliances will be offset by my heavy use of the electric heating this winter.  With the sore knees I could not tolerate the usual cold.  Still, I am curious and will be watching the power bills.

I hope you are keeping warm if you are having a cold winter. For those of you suffering from high temperatures like in Australia, I hope you are managing to keep cool and hydrated.

Happy weekend to each of you.

Doing What I Can

“Don’t let what you can’t do stop you from what you can do.”

~ John Wooden

How are you my friends?

I'm doing okay. My left knee is still a bit sore and believe it or not my right knee started acting up too. But overall I am walking much better than a week ago. I've decided to use a cane now and then too just so I don't over stress my joints when I have to walk a bit further. I'm just so thankful that I can still move around and that there have been improvements. I guess I should have gone to the doctor but really what can they do for me besides give me painkillers? I will try to schedule an appointment for next week and get it looked at as well as deal with my blood sugar test results. I really did not have the energy this week to deal with the doctor, testing for sugars and leg and all of the things that come with it....so I wait awhile.

Around the house, I've been contemplating how to move things around. It seems a never ending job around here. I'm making room for mom's medical lift chair and walker (with a seat and basket) to be delivered by my brother. He has had to go out of town and get these items as they have no storage room where mom lives and she doesn't use these mobility aids anymore. In fact she hasn't for the last two years. It turns out I might need these items myself and if I had to purchase these items (again) it would cost me quite a pretty penny.  So I've decided to keep them here at  my home in case I do need them.  I'm also returning the stove I bought a few weeks ago and getting the exact same model as a replacement. There was a minor flaw on the stove top but it was in a very noticeable place so I'm getting a replacement which will be delivered Thursday.

My creative juices are flowing but I'm not entirely up to making anything.  Instead I've been admiring a lot of handcraft on line.  In particular, I've been admiring the Boutis work of the French.  Boutis is a Provençal word meaning 'stuffing', describing how two layers of fabric are quilted together with stuffing sandwiched between sections of the design, creating a raised effect.

I've long admired Boutis and once I even asked a long distant relation to pick one up for me. She did in fact search for a quilt for me when she went to Paris, France.  However I was quite disappointed when I got it and found it had a tag on it stating "Made in India"!   I could have purchased a similar quilt here in town and in a more appropriate size (French beds are a bit narrower). Nonetheless I did appreciate all the effort my relative went through to search for and find me a quilt.  She also had to get her Parisien friends to visit the vendor from time to time as the quilt had to be ordered.  Then her friends brought it in their carry on luggage when they paid a visit to Canada.  That quilt really made the rounds!!.  I enjoyed my quilt for about 10-12 years but I gave it to the goodwill last year.  I don't plan on buying another one soon  But I would like to make a Boutis for myself one day.

Boutis Quilt Ideas

Photo Credit:  Satin Moon

Photo credit: J. McEwan's  Etsy shop

Photo credit: Japan Lovely Etsy Shop

I've got so many lovely projects to work on right now so boutis making won't be happening anytime soon. But it is so nice to dream.

Pendleton Blankets 

I've also been dreaming about this cream, gray and light blue Pendleton blanket.  Some day I might have one for my bedroom.

Photo of the blanket alone.

Blanket dressing the bed.

A throw blanket like the one above, in shades of cream, khaki and black, might work for my front room. It gets very chilly here from about November to about February.  A throw blanket is a must.

I love Pendleton blankets and own two already. They are quite expensive but I've noticed the prices have remained almost the same since I bought myself  one some 20+ years ago. As far as blankets go the price is actually no more expensive than other quilts and comforters and what's more the Pendleton blankets are great heirloom pieces. I use my Pendleton blanket in the bedroom but I'd like another for those extra cold days. I inherited another one from my mother but use it for decor rather than as a cover because of it's lighter overall colour.  Some of my long time readers might remember the one I purchased for my nephew's baby.

This week I've also  been enjoying reading my two books (see my last post if interested in the books) but it seems like I haven't done anything. I have in fact been dealing with a lot of little things related to the university procedures, my medical appointments, various business related to my condo and follow up matters concerning my new appliances.  Also this week I need to get some grooming done.  Earlier this week, I put some henna in my hair and my nails are really overdue for a nail treatment so I have an appointment tomorrow. I'm so pleased I could get in as I only just called today. Usually the nail technician is so busy I can't get in when I want. God is with me on this.  You might be laughing about now.  But I really rely on my pedicures to treat an on-going ingrown nail problem.   I've noticed that after 10 months of going to this young woman and having her do my pedicures, my ingrown problem has improved a lot. This means I have far less pain than I used to have when she does my nails. Halleluia!!! You would not believe just how painful it has been every time I go and get my nails done. Most people equate getting nails done with a time of relaxing and pampering.  But trust me, it hurts a lot when the nails are embedded in your skin and the technician has to do minor surgery without anesthetic.  True, with the price of such things, it is a luxury though and I feel very blessed to be able to get this done on a regular basis as part of my health regime. Diabetics needs to look after their feet.

Well I've rambled long and I want to get the dinner made and more reading done. I hope you all have a lovely rest of your week. 

Simple Pleasures This Week

I want to thank all my newest followers and readers. Welcome to my blog of simple things. I hope you will find something you can comment on so I can get to know you better. I go back and find your blogs and read them too!

This lap blanket will be finished today or tomorrow. I'm pleased with how it's turning out.

This is my latest book. It is easy to read and later I discovered that it is actually a child's book and comes with illustrations in the child's version. Interestingly, the author is described in one site as a pre-J.K. Rowlings kind of author and this book was somewhat of a departure for her. It's a delightful book. You can learn more by checking amazon.com. The book is called "The Star of Kazan". I'm still working on "Paris 1919" as I set it aside for awhile. Both books are good reads.

What are your simple pleasures this week?