One Hundred Dollars a Month – Mavis’ Weekly Highlights 4/24/2021

Hello Saturday!

On the agenda for today:

Wait for Dock Guy to show up {again}
Pack up orders and ship them on out
Cut and prepare wool
Get out Manny and level the garden area {so we can make garden beds next week}
Pick out spot for fire pit
Work on whale rug

How about YOU? What’s on YOUR list for today? Anything good?

I hope you have a wonderful Saturday,

~Mavis

Stories, Recipes and General Nonsense From this Past Week

Small Business Saturday. A Few Things I think Are Pretty Cool:

LEILAjewelryshop – Personalized Mom Necklace

SweetFeeders – Geometric Window Hummingbird Feeder

WolfSpiritWoodWork – Planter Box Plans

Still need a few seed packets? This month Botanical Interests is offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders! Yee-Haw!

*****

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OTHER

kim Johnston says

April 24, 2021 at 8:05 pm

Dear Mavis,
I am a BIG fan and I have been following you for a long time. I live in Florida with my 94 year-old mom-in-law, my husband, grown daughter, and my parrot. Our son lives nearby. I spent 8 years at the University of South Florida getting an education late in life. I spent another 10 years looking for work with no luck. I am now studying for another related job field. All along, I have struggled to save money and stretch my budget, so here’s what I have done recently:
1. I planted a garden. The squash failed, but the tomato plants are reaching 6 feet tall. I also have rosemary, oregano, Egyptian lavender, and flowers. I have to find varieties that are drought resistant, rabbit resistant, and resistant to bugs. Neem oil is my new best friend!
2. I garage sale a lot. Old sheets are now sewn into table napkins to beat the paper towel habit. I also find the old fashioned luxury goodies that make a southern home: silver, glass cake domes, cobalt blue glassware, sewing supplies, foot stools, clothing, etc.
3. I make zippered, washable pillow covers for my decorative pillows. I have all the holidays set!
4. I make my own purses just the way I want with the pockets I want. Men’s jackets from Goodwill are cheap and interesting.
5. Polishing silver: Fill a large pot with water to boil. Add some baking soda and tin foil shiny side up. Put our silver to soak in the water. Change the foil often. Wash with toothpaste on an old rag. Dry.
6. Old towels are great! They can be made into potholders, bibs for grandma, and slipper booties.
7. We have Winn Dixie grocery stores here. Today, I bought pork tenderloins… Buy one get one free (BOGO). I cut them into 1 inch chops, wrapped them in plastic, vacuum sealed them into bags, and froze them. Each portion is about 34 cents! I also bought bottom round beef BOGO and diced them into small pieces. The one pound bags will each be fresh stew.
8. Sometimes, the food stores cook too much deli chicken and put it on sale. I strip the meat and save the skin and bones. The meat can be used for pot pie, salads, stir fry, etc. The skin and bones are used to make broth or chicken gravy (with some meat) that is served over fresh biscuits… A very delicious cheap meal indeed!
9 When cooking, freeze your veggie scraps for veggie broth.
10. Do you have an Aldi store near you? The veggies are always cheap and fresh. I can also find items that work for my keto diet. What about a Sam’s Club? I buy in bulk!
11. Do you use coupons? None of the stores double them here but I get what I need from Lozo.com.
12. We recycle old newspapers to line the bird cage. She talks so much that my neighbors give me their old papers.
13. Do you fish? Clam? Hunt? More fresh meals…
14. Stop buying bottled water! Buy a reverse osmosis kit.
15. Do you grow roses? Rough up the bottom of the stems, dip in rooting hormone, and plant the in pots with saucers. Water must be kept in the saucers. In a few weeks, about half will grow into new plants.
16. Cannabis will be legal this summer for personal use and sold with tobacco and liquor. It saved my husband from going blind. If it is NOT exposed to heat, there is no THC to get high. Cold pressed oil helps with pain (orally), dry skin, and hemorrhoids.
17. THANK YOU for the simple syrup idea! We have ended the store bought ice tea habit. In two weeks, I made blood orange, lemon, blueberry, and mint will be next. BTW, keep your mint in pots. It really takes over a garden.
Sincerely, Kim Johnston

Comments

Rebecca in MD says

April 24, 2021 at 11:24 am

On my list for today is dividing up a large patch of Black-Eyed Susans and moving them to the driveway slope. I am growing the “Rudbeckia Goldsturm” variety and they spread nicely. I started these from seed three years ago. It really is true about perennials – – – the first year they sleep, the next year they creep, and the third year they leap!

I am also potting up some seedlings of zinnia, orange wellington tomatoes, and basil.

I have been enjoying watching “Gardener’s World” with Monty Don on Amazon Prime and highly recommend it.

- Kate says
  
  April 24, 2021 at 8:54 pm
  
  I’ve been watching GW as well. It’s inspiring and restful all at the same time.
  
Debi says

April 24, 2021 at 7:54 pm

Today we spread some stone, pruned a hydrangea, did some laundry, knit a dishcloth and took a nap.

kim Johnston says

April 24, 2021 at 8:05 pm

Dear Mavis,
I am a BIG fan and I have been following you for a long time. I live in Florida with my 94 year-old mom-in-law, my husband, grown daughter, and my parrot. Our son lives nearby. I spent 8 years at the University of South Florida getting an education late in life. I spent another 10 years looking for work with no luck. I am now studying for another related job field. All along, I have struggled to save money and stretch my budget, so here’s what I have done recently:
1. I planted a garden. The squash failed, but the tomato plants are reaching 6 feet tall. I also have rosemary, oregano, Egyptian lavender, and flowers. I have to find varieties that are drought resistant, rabbit resistant, and resistant to bugs. Neem oil is my new best friend!
2. I garage sale a lot. Old sheets are now sewn into table napkins to beat the paper towel habit. I also find the old fashioned luxury goodies that make a southern home: silver, glass cake domes, cobalt blue glassware, sewing supplies, foot stools, clothing, etc.
3. I make zippered, washable pillow covers for my decorative pillows. I have all the holidays set!
4. I make my own purses just the way I want with the pockets I want. Men’s jackets from Goodwill are cheap and interesting.
5. Polishing silver: Fill a large pot with water to boil. Add some baking soda and tin foil shiny side up. Put our silver to soak in the water. Change the foil often. Wash with toothpaste on an old rag. Dry.
6. Old towels are great! They can be made into potholders, bibs for grandma, and slipper booties.
7. We have Winn Dixie grocery stores here. Today, I bought pork tenderloins… Buy one get one free (BOGO). I cut them into 1 inch chops, wrapped them in plastic, vacuum sealed them into bags, and froze them. Each portion is about 34 cents! I also bought bottom round beef BOGO and diced them into small pieces. The one pound bags will each be fresh stew.
8. Sometimes, the food stores cook too much deli chicken and put it on sale. I strip the meat and save the skin and bones. The meat can be used for pot pie, salads, stir fry, etc. The skin and bones are used to make broth or chicken gravy (with some meat) that is served over fresh biscuits… A very delicious cheap meal indeed!
9 When cooking, freeze your veggie scraps for veggie broth.
10. Do you have an Aldi store near you? The veggies are always cheap and fresh. I can also find items that work for my keto diet. What about a Sam’s Club? I buy in bulk!
11. Do you use coupons? None of the stores double them here but I get what I need from Lozo.com.
12. We recycle old newspapers to line the bird cage. She talks so much that my neighbors give me their old papers.
13. Do you fish? Clam? Hunt? More fresh meals…
14. Stop buying bottled water! Buy a reverse osmosis kit.
15. Do you grow roses? Rough up the bottom of the stems, dip in rooting hormone, and plant the in pots with saucers. Water must be kept in the saucers. In a few weeks, about half will grow into new plants.
16. Cannabis will be legal this summer for personal use and sold with tobacco and liquor. It saved my husband from going blind. If it is NOT exposed to heat, there is no THC to get high. Cold pressed oil helps with pain (orally), dry skin, and hemorrhoids.
17. THANK YOU for the simple syrup idea! We have ended the store bought ice tea habit. In two weeks, I made blood orange, lemon, blueberry, and mint will be next. BTW, keep your mint in pots. It really takes over a garden.
Sincerely, Kim Johnston

- Julie says
  
  April 25, 2021 at 10:28 am
  
  Thanks Kim…lots of good ideas for a retiree on. Budget!
  
Cheryl says

April 25, 2021 at 2:00 am

That picture of Lucy is priceless! I figure you caught her in the middle of a yawn, but the captions we could come up with are endless. 🙂

Comments

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