So, the time went... Where exactly??
Happy 2011!! I didn't realize it had been since August since I posted. I thought it had been more like, you know... Octoberish. Oops.
You know how everyone this time year is saying "New Year, New You", talking about fresh starts, etc. etc.? I've never had a New Year's resolution before. My opinion is, why make a resolution for the new year when you haven't changed anything you intended to change LAST year?
Well, of course, in my ongoing quest to go green, I'm also looking to do such things as pay off my credit card bills, stash some money away, maybe not have to live paycheck to paycheck. Right now I have way more credit card debt than I care to admit, no money stashed away, and I can't wait for my next paycheck to come because maybe then I'll have a little breathing room. Seriously? This is the most stressful way to live EVER and I'm sick of it.
SO! Onward and upward. I pretty much just want to make 2011 way better than 2010 was. I'm hoping that I'll be able to do a little bit each day to work towards my goals. And now we come to the title of my post for today:
ADVENTURES! IN! FRUGALITYYYYY!
(Say the above like the announcer on the Muppet Show says PIGS! IN! SPAAACE!)
:Clears throat: so, here we go.
Adventure #1: I have learned to make my own laundry soap. Actually, I started doing this one at the end of last year and found that 1.) the ingredients to make laundry soap are WAY cheaper than even a small bottle of commercial laundry detergent. 2.) Homemade works just as well as commercial laundry detergent and doesn't smell like a flower farm threw up on my clothes (or a fruit farm, or a fresh meadow, or "clean air" which what-the-eff-how-do-you-even-bottle-THAT by the way). 3.) Less is used per load to get clothes clean because it's not all chemicals and fragrance and blech, it's pretty much just soap, water, and a few other incidental household ingredients... so it's even cheaper to use than commercial laundry detergent. I highly, highly recommend searching the internet to find a recipe that suits your needs.
Adventure #2: Roasting chickens! Again, this started last year when my mom got me a roasting pan for Christmas (THANKS MOM!). I roasted a chicken last weekend and after myself, Boyfriend, and Roommate devoured every last scrap of meat off of the bird I put what was left in the fridge. Why, you ask? Well I have 10 cups of chicken stock sitting on my stove right now. I have no idea how it's turned out, or if it was even worth it yet... but if it was then I just made 10 cups of chicken stock for basically free. I think I paid $8 for my chicken (~5lbs), so we'll figure it was around $3 each for dinner (after making my own gravy and whipping up some mashed potatoes from a box). And then I essentially, a gross as this sounds, took what everyone else considers trash, added some herbs and spices from my cabinet, and garlic and onion from my fridge, and tada! Chicken stock to freeze, then thaw and use as needed.
Adventure #3: To start today. Making my own bread instead of purchasing it a the store. Bread is way over priced, and why? Because some dude with a name I recognize made it? I'm going to make delicious honey wheat bread today and cross bread off the shopping list for the week (unless, of course, said homemade bread does not turn out as planned which has definitely happened in the past. In that case... back on the list you go, bread. Back on the list you go).
I have a lot more stuff that I'm trying to do, and that I'm working on... but I'll have to come back to that later, as I have laundry in the washer, stock to be strained, bread to make and an inordinate amount of housework to complete.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Totally off topic
I haven't posted in a while. Oops. Not having the internet has certainly been a hinderance, as has working and my keyboard on my laptop crapping out. Also, the dog literally ate my AC adapter for the laptop so I have to be careful when I charge and use my computer. That said, I'm still working on saving money (and finding out that things that I think are good might not be so great after all - more on that later as I'll have a lot more time this weekend), and I'm still working on going green, even if it's a little at a time. I've made progress and made some strides, but it's going to be a slow process.
Speaking of going green, I saw something absolutely infuriating today. I started Frankie on a new program of walking her to tire her out and having her sleep in the crate, because she keeps having accidents on the rug. She'll be a year old in three weeks and she's still having accidents in the house. Therefore - starting today - we walked at lunch in the pouring rain, then we too a 45 minute walk after I got home from work.
Anyway, on the afternoon walk, this person was walking down the street in front of us and threw her umbrella on the ground. It had broken, and she tossed it on the ground. I was so, so irritated by that. I mean, I don't particularly love our neighborhood anyway - it's ok, it's a place to live, and it's not dangerous or anything, but the people around here are really dirtbags. We're constantly finding chicken bones in the yard, garbage in the sreet, for whatever reason the end of the street smells like rotting fish and people literally toss their stuff on the ground.
So I'm sleeping again because I don't have to worry about the dog peeing in the house. I'm writing again, because I'm actually able to use my computer and get on the internet. And I'm cursing every idiot on this block because seriously - SERIOUSLY - I'm tired of people that don't care!
Speaking of going green, I saw something absolutely infuriating today. I started Frankie on a new program of walking her to tire her out and having her sleep in the crate, because she keeps having accidents on the rug. She'll be a year old in three weeks and she's still having accidents in the house. Therefore - starting today - we walked at lunch in the pouring rain, then we too a 45 minute walk after I got home from work.
Anyway, on the afternoon walk, this person was walking down the street in front of us and threw her umbrella on the ground. It had broken, and she tossed it on the ground. I was so, so irritated by that. I mean, I don't particularly love our neighborhood anyway - it's ok, it's a place to live, and it's not dangerous or anything, but the people around here are really dirtbags. We're constantly finding chicken bones in the yard, garbage in the sreet, for whatever reason the end of the street smells like rotting fish and people literally toss their stuff on the ground.
So I'm sleeping again because I don't have to worry about the dog peeing in the house. I'm writing again, because I'm actually able to use my computer and get on the internet. And I'm cursing every idiot on this block because seriously - SERIOUSLY - I'm tired of people that don't care!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Farmer's Market - Sunday, May 16th
After what felt like an insanely short weekend, here I am. Trying to figure out what would be best suited to write about.
I went to my very first farmer's market yesterday. I went with my mom to the one in Schenectady, NY (held every weekend through the summer in front of City Hall, right on Jay Street). I was able to walk away with some delicious goodies that were a lot cheaper than buying them at a grocery store. I found some organic spinach hummus, fresh seasoned goat cheese (in an 8 oz cream cheese-sized tub for $7. Score!), a couple of different bakeries that were present with some amazing fresh bread (I picked up San Francisco style sourdough and a loaf of rye with dill and caraway seeds). My mom and I also found some bruschetta, the proceeds of which go directly to alleviating hunger (100% of the proceeds, not even just the profit but the whole shebang). I found some annual plants through a local college's cooperative extension that I was able to get for a steal as well (I bought four four-packs of annuals and it cost me $10. Pretty decent).
The best part about this whole experience was that I was able to get all of these nice, local goods for generally under $5 each (the only exception was the goat cheese). I walked into the farmer's market with $40 and walked out with cash to spare.
The only part about the farmer's market that I didn't appreciate was that I drove nearly 20 minutes just from my parents' to get there (it was 35 minutes to get up to my parents' house to meet my mom so in reality it was closer to an hour) and upon arrival was then told that I was not allowed to bring Frankie in to the market. There was a silly little sign by the "entrance" and a rather rude lady in an apron who told me that if I wanted to I could walk the perimeter of the market (you know, on the back sides of the booths where you can't purchase anything) or I could tether my dog somewhere. I tend to be a relatively calm person but upon her suggesting I tether my dog I just about slapped her in the face - she obviously was not, nor had she ever been, a dog owner.
Luckily it was a cool day and we were parked in a safe area of Schenectady. We put Frankie in the car, vented all of the windows, and flew through the market as quickly as possible. Upon leaving the market the same woman was harassing a woman with two Boxers that appeared to be very friendly - one adult and one puppy. She was a lot less cordial to the "gatekeeper" than I was. We both expressed the same concern - no where is it posted on the Greenmarket website that you are not allowed to bring dogs to the Greenmarket (as it's called), and it's held on a public street and, as far as I know, operated by the city of Schenectady. Were it on private property I think that we would both have been a little more understanding of the regulations (and honestly, if it hadn't been on a city street I wouldn't have brought Frankie at all - the only reason I assumed she could come with us was because it was not held on private property).
Aside from the inconvenience involving Frankie (who, by the way, was very comfy in the car when we returned and must have slept the whole time) the Greenmarket was a nice little farmer's market. I was able to get some nice plants, some good food, and everything was from farmers and artisans located in New York state.
Next weekend, I think Frankie and I will attempt to head up to the Farmer's Market in Saratoga Springs. After all, Saratoga just became a dog friendly city (the kick off event was last Saturday). For now, if you're considering visiting the Schenectady Greenmarket, just remember to leave your four legged friends at home... otherwise you will feel the wrath of the apron clad entrance lady!
I went to my very first farmer's market yesterday. I went with my mom to the one in Schenectady, NY (held every weekend through the summer in front of City Hall, right on Jay Street). I was able to walk away with some delicious goodies that were a lot cheaper than buying them at a grocery store. I found some organic spinach hummus, fresh seasoned goat cheese (in an 8 oz cream cheese-sized tub for $7. Score!), a couple of different bakeries that were present with some amazing fresh bread (I picked up San Francisco style sourdough and a loaf of rye with dill and caraway seeds). My mom and I also found some bruschetta, the proceeds of which go directly to alleviating hunger (100% of the proceeds, not even just the profit but the whole shebang). I found some annual plants through a local college's cooperative extension that I was able to get for a steal as well (I bought four four-packs of annuals and it cost me $10. Pretty decent).
The best part about this whole experience was that I was able to get all of these nice, local goods for generally under $5 each (the only exception was the goat cheese). I walked into the farmer's market with $40 and walked out with cash to spare.
The only part about the farmer's market that I didn't appreciate was that I drove nearly 20 minutes just from my parents' to get there (it was 35 minutes to get up to my parents' house to meet my mom so in reality it was closer to an hour) and upon arrival was then told that I was not allowed to bring Frankie in to the market. There was a silly little sign by the "entrance" and a rather rude lady in an apron who told me that if I wanted to I could walk the perimeter of the market (you know, on the back sides of the booths where you can't purchase anything) or I could tether my dog somewhere. I tend to be a relatively calm person but upon her suggesting I tether my dog I just about slapped her in the face - she obviously was not, nor had she ever been, a dog owner.
Luckily it was a cool day and we were parked in a safe area of Schenectady. We put Frankie in the car, vented all of the windows, and flew through the market as quickly as possible. Upon leaving the market the same woman was harassing a woman with two Boxers that appeared to be very friendly - one adult and one puppy. She was a lot less cordial to the "gatekeeper" than I was. We both expressed the same concern - no where is it posted on the Greenmarket website that you are not allowed to bring dogs to the Greenmarket (as it's called), and it's held on a public street and, as far as I know, operated by the city of Schenectady. Were it on private property I think that we would both have been a little more understanding of the regulations (and honestly, if it hadn't been on a city street I wouldn't have brought Frankie at all - the only reason I assumed she could come with us was because it was not held on private property).
Aside from the inconvenience involving Frankie (who, by the way, was very comfy in the car when we returned and must have slept the whole time) the Greenmarket was a nice little farmer's market. I was able to get some nice plants, some good food, and everything was from farmers and artisans located in New York state.
Next weekend, I think Frankie and I will attempt to head up to the Farmer's Market in Saratoga Springs. After all, Saratoga just became a dog friendly city (the kick off event was last Saturday). For now, if you're considering visiting the Schenectady Greenmarket, just remember to leave your four legged friends at home... otherwise you will feel the wrath of the apron clad entrance lady!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Frankie Fridays, Volume #1
This is Frankie.
Aren't I a doll??
Frankie is my 8 month old Wirehaired Dachshund Puppy. And she is without a doubt one of my best friends in the whole wide world.
She's a goofball...
Smile for the camera??? Sticking your tounge out for the camera. Now THAT'S fun!
And a total diva.
"Mom, you got my good side, right? Right? Where's my bowl of filtered water? I requested PINK Kong toys you idiot! RED is not PINK!"
It only makes sense that I would take the time once a week to dedicate myself to finding the best products for my little furry best friend. If people can use recycled products, wear eco-friendly clothing, and eat organic foods, then doggies should be able to enjoy the same luxuries!
For now, Frankie says to check out these awesome recycled handbags we found online. Not only does the designer recycle to create these pieces, a portion of the proceeds from each and every handbag sold goes to animal rescue foundations and shelters. Eco Pet Handbags
Happy Friday!!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
A Thought on Cats
I love them. I have two that still reside at my parent's house due to the constant chaos that tends to ensue in my apartment, and I love them.
However, they use a litter box. Not my brand-new vegetable garden.
For the past week, ever since I planted my peas and onions and tomatoes and peppers (early, yes, but I've been able to protect them from the unseasonable cold we've had thus far), I've come home to at least one of my pea plants completely buried in dirt. I'm sitting at work now and all I can think about is having to uncover my plants when I get home. It took me almost a whole week to figure out what was going on. I could constantly smell poo but figured that it was either the composted cow manure I worked into my garden or one of my neighbors wasn't cleaning up after their dog (wouldn't be suprising, they don't even clean the garbage out of their front yards so why would they clean up dog dookie?).
A couple of days ago I took my dachshund puppy, Frankie, outside after work. I had some random composting to do, and figured she could do her "business" while I was puttering around the back yard. As usual, I went to do something in the garden and she hopped in and sat down right between the basil and the dill. No biggie. At least she's stopped sitting on the peas (poor peas. Come on, animals, give peas a chance!). I turned around to work in my compost bin (I'll have pictures up at some point as this was my first project prior to starting this blog) and heard her chomping on something.
You have to understand, when I put the garden in and was working the composted cow manure into the soil, Frankie was finding little "cow cookies" and was eating them left and right. :gag, vomit, gross gross gross:.
Frankie was not eating cow cookies. Frankie was snacking on what appeared to be a fresh cat... present.
My first thought: EW!
My second thought: Cats have been using my garden as a restroom! EW!
My third thought: You dirty, fuzzy, opportunistic scallywags.
OK, I didn't use scallywags, or any other old-timey word that would take the place of a good old F-bomb. But I'm trying to keep it clean here folks - you know, clean? Green? Ahhhh, moving on.
So between working today, I did some research. I can go to PetSmart and purchase a bottle of pet repellent. A lovely chemical substance that you put around your gardens and flowerbeds to keep animals out.
My first thought: EW!
My second thought: There has to be an option with something I have lying around the house.
I have four options to use, all of which I was able to locate through eHow.com today. The first and probably most simple method I found was to put a motion operated sprinkler near the garden so that when my little intruders try to potty in my veggies they'll get a healthy dose of cold water to the fur. This would be great, except I don't have one of these lying around the house (although I'm seriously considering investing in a Super Soaker for when I'm home. Insert evil maniacal laughter here).
Option #2 - sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on the soil and water them in so they don't blow away. Repeat every 2-3 days until the plants are big enough that they won't be damaged.
Option #3 - sprinkle powdered ginger around the perimeter and on the soil of the garden/flower bed. Apparently, cats despise the smell of ginger and won't enter any areas that have been "contaminated" with it. (Why do they despise ginger? I'll have to do some digging on that one, especially if this one works.)
Option #4 - mix 2 cups of water with 1-2 tablespoons of flour, 1 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper, 2 tsp powdered mustard and 1/2 tsp regular black pepper (ground) in a spray bottle. Spray on the soil around the plants as well as any other areas that the cats may be attracted to (in my case, my stockade fence alongside the garden). Again, not sure how this one would work but it might be worth a shot.
When I get home from work tonight I'm sure I'll find a suprise in my vegetable garden. I really wouldn't have a problem with it, except that everything you read online says to NOT use dog and cat waste as fertilizer as they consume meat-based diets. Therefore, I'm constantly digging poopies out of my garden and therefore I mind immensely. I will definitely be using one of the above methods tonight (depends on what I have in my cupboards), and will be sure to post the results.
Enjoy your afternoon!
However, they use a litter box. Not my brand-new vegetable garden.
For the past week, ever since I planted my peas and onions and tomatoes and peppers (early, yes, but I've been able to protect them from the unseasonable cold we've had thus far), I've come home to at least one of my pea plants completely buried in dirt. I'm sitting at work now and all I can think about is having to uncover my plants when I get home. It took me almost a whole week to figure out what was going on. I could constantly smell poo but figured that it was either the composted cow manure I worked into my garden or one of my neighbors wasn't cleaning up after their dog (wouldn't be suprising, they don't even clean the garbage out of their front yards so why would they clean up dog dookie?).
A couple of days ago I took my dachshund puppy, Frankie, outside after work. I had some random composting to do, and figured she could do her "business" while I was puttering around the back yard. As usual, I went to do something in the garden and she hopped in and sat down right between the basil and the dill. No biggie. At least she's stopped sitting on the peas (poor peas. Come on, animals, give peas a chance!). I turned around to work in my compost bin (I'll have pictures up at some point as this was my first project prior to starting this blog) and heard her chomping on something.
You have to understand, when I put the garden in and was working the composted cow manure into the soil, Frankie was finding little "cow cookies" and was eating them left and right. :gag, vomit, gross gross gross:.
Frankie was not eating cow cookies. Frankie was snacking on what appeared to be a fresh cat... present.
My first thought: EW!
My second thought: Cats have been using my garden as a restroom! EW!
My third thought: You dirty, fuzzy, opportunistic scallywags.
OK, I didn't use scallywags, or any other old-timey word that would take the place of a good old F-bomb. But I'm trying to keep it clean here folks - you know, clean? Green? Ahhhh, moving on.
So between working today, I did some research. I can go to PetSmart and purchase a bottle of pet repellent. A lovely chemical substance that you put around your gardens and flowerbeds to keep animals out.
My first thought: EW!
My second thought: There has to be an option with something I have lying around the house.
I have four options to use, all of which I was able to locate through eHow.com today. The first and probably most simple method I found was to put a motion operated sprinkler near the garden so that when my little intruders try to potty in my veggies they'll get a healthy dose of cold water to the fur. This would be great, except I don't have one of these lying around the house (although I'm seriously considering investing in a Super Soaker for when I'm home. Insert evil maniacal laughter here).
Option #2 - sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on the soil and water them in so they don't blow away. Repeat every 2-3 days until the plants are big enough that they won't be damaged.
Option #3 - sprinkle powdered ginger around the perimeter and on the soil of the garden/flower bed. Apparently, cats despise the smell of ginger and won't enter any areas that have been "contaminated" with it. (Why do they despise ginger? I'll have to do some digging on that one, especially if this one works.)
Option #4 - mix 2 cups of water with 1-2 tablespoons of flour, 1 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper, 2 tsp powdered mustard and 1/2 tsp regular black pepper (ground) in a spray bottle. Spray on the soil around the plants as well as any other areas that the cats may be attracted to (in my case, my stockade fence alongside the garden). Again, not sure how this one would work but it might be worth a shot.
When I get home from work tonight I'm sure I'll find a suprise in my vegetable garden. I really wouldn't have a problem with it, except that everything you read online says to NOT use dog and cat waste as fertilizer as they consume meat-based diets. Therefore, I'm constantly digging poopies out of my garden and therefore I mind immensely. I will definitely be using one of the above methods tonight (depends on what I have in my cupboards), and will be sure to post the results.
Enjoy your afternoon!
Introduction to Madness
I've been reading. I've been researching. I've been occassionally ignoring tasks that are way more important than reading and researching (namely walking the dog and cleaning up the apartment. And sleeping. But that's partially because I haven't been walking the dog).
I've been painstakingly trying to discover the best methods for saving myself some money. In this day in age, isn't that what everyone is trying to do? I've found countless blogs out there that are literally devoted to the "frugal" life and noticed some things that were rather interesting.
1.) Nearly everything I've read is not only a "frugal" option for things that we use or do every day, but also a "green" one,
2.) I'm pretty sure my grandparents probably did some of this stuff back in the "good old days"
It's been really interesting. My whole "project" if you will started out as a way to save myself some money. Cash. Dollar, dollar bill's, y'all. You see, not only does the economy suck right now, but there is a generation of us that is relatively screwed until it gets better. We would be those who graduated college (or were attending college and close to done) right when the economy started its downturn. High college loans, a lack of jobs, and living on credit cards to supplement the balance has lead to a whole group of people that are forced to significantly change a lifestyle that became comfortable. Very comfortable. All of a sudden, individuals that are graduating college are moving home and working in fields completely unrelated to their chosen fields of study. I'm part of a group of people that had to move home after college because affording rent was (and totally is) out of the question at this point.
I want to be able to afford to do all of the nice things that I used to do, except pay cash for them. Also, having a savings account with more than some low two-digit figure in it would be nice too.
And, hell, if I'm doing all of that, why not reinvent my lifestyle in a way that will help out the planet too so that in case Nostradamus and the Aztecs weren't right then future generations will actually have a decent place to live, regardless of what kind of shape the economy is in?
So this will begin my little "journey" if you will (because it appears that that's what everyone calls stuff they do now - a journey. Bandwagon, ho!). There have been projects that I've started in the past few weeks that I'll be able to share (with pictures! Because who doesn't want to see a pile of rot in a compost bin??), as I find information on varying topics I'll post links and information, and of course I'll keep you up to date on the madness that will ensue from everything that I'm doing (I live in an apartment where it took two months for me to convince the guys I'm living with that recycling bottles and cans wasn't a total waste of time so this could definitely be an interesting endeavor...).
For now, you'll just have to wait in a state of quivering anticipation to see what will happen. If I have to wait then darn it, you do too!
Have a fabulous day!
I've been painstakingly trying to discover the best methods for saving myself some money. In this day in age, isn't that what everyone is trying to do? I've found countless blogs out there that are literally devoted to the "frugal" life and noticed some things that were rather interesting.
1.) Nearly everything I've read is not only a "frugal" option for things that we use or do every day, but also a "green" one,
2.) I'm pretty sure my grandparents probably did some of this stuff back in the "good old days"
It's been really interesting. My whole "project" if you will started out as a way to save myself some money. Cash. Dollar, dollar bill's, y'all. You see, not only does the economy suck right now, but there is a generation of us that is relatively screwed until it gets better. We would be those who graduated college (or were attending college and close to done) right when the economy started its downturn. High college loans, a lack of jobs, and living on credit cards to supplement the balance has lead to a whole group of people that are forced to significantly change a lifestyle that became comfortable. Very comfortable. All of a sudden, individuals that are graduating college are moving home and working in fields completely unrelated to their chosen fields of study. I'm part of a group of people that had to move home after college because affording rent was (and totally is) out of the question at this point.
I want to be able to afford to do all of the nice things that I used to do, except pay cash for them. Also, having a savings account with more than some low two-digit figure in it would be nice too.
And, hell, if I'm doing all of that, why not reinvent my lifestyle in a way that will help out the planet too so that in case Nostradamus and the Aztecs weren't right then future generations will actually have a decent place to live, regardless of what kind of shape the economy is in?
So this will begin my little "journey" if you will (because it appears that that's what everyone calls stuff they do now - a journey. Bandwagon, ho!). There have been projects that I've started in the past few weeks that I'll be able to share (with pictures! Because who doesn't want to see a pile of rot in a compost bin??), as I find information on varying topics I'll post links and information, and of course I'll keep you up to date on the madness that will ensue from everything that I'm doing (I live in an apartment where it took two months for me to convince the guys I'm living with that recycling bottles and cans wasn't a total waste of time so this could definitely be an interesting endeavor...).
For now, you'll just have to wait in a state of quivering anticipation to see what will happen. If I have to wait then darn it, you do too!
Have a fabulous day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)