Well, I have 27 no spend days in January. I would have been 28 but I caved and spent yesterday cause I had a gift certificate for Costco and She Who Must Be Obeyed asked me to come with her. Yes, I spent the gift certificate and spent $21 more. My total grocery spend was $126.94. Forty of that I didn’t need to spend. Bills are paid on the 1st and the 15th. My car gas I filed up in December a whole $31.45. I did not need gas during January. I am happy with most things. February I will see how many no spend days I can do.  We are headed into another Alberta Clipper, though this time it will be warmer. So happy tomorrow starts February. To me it’s been a brutal winter. I guess that’s what we get now. The weather, it is a changing. Jean

 I have been busy doing other things like the valentines project and cleaning my abode. There were days where it was just best to laze around. I have read two full books so far: At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon A Light in the Window by Jan Karon From A Far And Lovely Country by Alexander McCall Smith is presently being read. It is warmer here today -19C presently but the windchill is making if feel like -33C. Pleasant with the sun but when in the windchill is making very cold feeling. I am so over winter but we still have seven weeks till spring and even then though warmer we can still get bad snow storms. All I’ve been doing the last couple of days is household chores.  Jean

 I have to park somewhere else on Saturday, they need to clear out the parking stalls again. Hope it doesn’t take longer than the three hours. I don’t want to leave my car unplugged for much longer. Sh Who Must  Be Obeyed has a leak in her water cooler. Tomorrow she wants me to come with her to get a new one. Her water is horrible where she lives. She needs the purified water. I really don’t want to go out as it’s still really cold and now as the weather changes next week, the windchill values will be very high.  I started knitting an Afghan. This time in browns, greys, greens, greeny, torquise. It’s going to be pretty. My meals have been soup, chicken wings, pasta dish and pizza. Most of it has been dishes with lots of root vegetables in them.  Photo taken from the internet free stuff. Looking forward to early spring. Jean

 It’s a cold one this morning. We have done two short walks. Two more to go.  I was going to go out a couple of days ago for some groceries, but decided not to. At some point next week I may go out or not. I would really like to go the rest of the month as no spend days. I am up to 20 now. Our local store has their big Warehouse Clearance sale. I don’t see too much that I use on sale so will not partake. There aren’t even any good loss leaders.  I tried my car and it started beautifully. Happy my battery and plug in works. They seemed to have had trouble with the plugs the last few days. Happy all is fixed. I have lots of wool to use up. I think I am back in my knitting phase again. I want to do a cardigan but can’t seem to find a pattern I like. I will have another look today. Jean

 Yup, we are headed for a few sunny days. It was nice to feel the sun even if the temperature was -24C with a windchill making it fell like -38C. Along with the sunny days come the high windchill values. In a couple of days we are going to feel -40C. I did some shopping today at the pharmacy. They have a Canadian brand of tissues and toilet paper that is really nice. The flyer said it was on for .79 each box of tissues and 5.99 for a bag of 12 rolls toilet paper. When I went to pay the tissues rang up at 1.19 each and the toilet paper rang up at $11.99. Normally I would have just put them back, but I did ask about the flyer and was told there was no flyer for here and no idea when we would start getting flyers again here. I bit the bullet, and paid the price. This will do a couple of months so I am okay. I also bought a couple more things. While I was putting the amounts into each category, I noticed I did not get charged for the vitamins and they were the wrong ones. I took them b...

 The golfer and his youngest son got caught in the latest snow storm and ended up getting a hotel for the night.  They then picked up sons friend so they could go swimming. At least the kids had fun. Today has been cold due to the wind and now the clouds are coming in for round two. I hope the boys hockey games have been cancelled for the weekend, otherwise the golfer may be spending another night or two in a hotel. I am so over these storms. It’s been one after another since way before Christmas. We cannot even get to the dog yard as the drifts are too high. Enough being cranky. Not doing much. Reading Alexander McCall Smiths book called From Far Away. It is one of the #1 Ladies Detective Agency. It takes place in Botswana. Usually I enjoy those books, but find the sentences in this one are stilted. I will read it though Housework has been, dishes, cleaning carpets, vacuuming, dusting and I “Spring” cleaned my bedroom. I still need someone to help me move my bed so I can clea...

 Monday was a beautiful day. We hit a high of 5C. Did some chores then settled in to stitch some hardanger hearts for a wreath I am thinking of making.  Tuesday was much the same as Monday, though I read blogs also. Worked more on the hardanger. I am planning on doing three. I had a mammogram last Tuesday. So today was seven days since and there were no issues. It’s important to have them done on a regular basis. Wednesday. I have a sick dog. I gave him a bone that didn’t agree with his stomach. He has had a bit of diarrhea all day. I finally gave him some meds to calm his bowels down. He should feel better tomorrow. Bichons have delicate stomachs. I won’t repeat that mistake again. Worked on the hardanger again. Have had 13 no spend days.  Jean

 First thing my curtain fell down in my bedroom. This is the third time. I have been using those sticky back hangers. Not a good time. After two times of one side I decided to put it up with crazy glue. That side has held really well. The other side decided only one day later to fall. No more of this nonsense, I put it back up with crazy glue. When I move I will leave the holders. Next I checked my banking. Due to my clumsiness doing my banking, I was overdrawn by a couple of dollars. Math to me is check it twice. I forgot to. Made quick work of that and transfer money from a to I don’t know how that couple of dollars will affect my overall banking on there end, but it scared the pants off me. Went to take Oaks to the dog yard and the lock is frozen again. We ended up walking to the far end of the block and back. Man is it slippery under that fresh snow. Even with my cleats on, it was treacherous. One of the young guys fixed it.  Today I was working on a project for Valentine’...

 Did I tell you I hate ice? It is so slippery out, then the shoveler comes along and gets the rest of the sidewalk down to bare concrete, but at my end he left it as shear ice. I am so happy I have cleats on my shoes/ boots. When it is still left over from the freezing rain, it stays as shear ice. When we get frost and it is that rimes ice, my cleats break through that no problem. I shall quit complaining now. How has your week gone. I fixed a 40 year old table today. It had lost a screw. Easy fix. Then I did laundry - four loads. Did my dishes and cleaned the closet. Productive day was nice.  Jean

 Beautiful day today. It was -12C when I got up. As the morning and afternoon came we hit -3C. We did not have much wind you could hardly feel it. The sun was bright and everyone was out moving snow. They had cleared the street yesterday and today the apartment parking got cleaned out. The snow looked soft like early spring. It truly looked like early March. Beware, this only lasts till the middle of the month then it gets back into the -30s till late February. January 1, 2 ,3 ,4 ,5 no spend days January 6 spent 41.56 on groceries. January 7 no spend day Jean

 1. My family. They are awesome, joke around lots, there when we need each other. How else would I know what mischief they got into as teenagers or young adults. 2. The Internet. Where else could I learn to make sour cream bread, or any punch imaginable. Where else could I find awesome things I don’t need. How else would I know I need the five egg a day diet or the soup and water diet? Who the next star is? Or what to watch on Netflix, Disney, Acorn, Zubba Doo or any other station? 3. My dog. Oakley keeps me on my toes. One minute he’s fast asleep, the next he got the zummies, the next it’s out the door we go.  He teaches me how to get stuck in the snow and more importantly how to get out. How else would I know where all the mail is and what it says, oh, and how to cover up the mail he just sniffed. He’s my little buddy. 4. My neighbours. How else would I know who’s who, who’s moving, who’s in trouble, who needs help, what’s up in the neighbourhood. How else are we to make up ...

 I had a batch cook up today. Made spicy chicken hamburger soup. It wouldn’t have been spicy if I hadn’t of had a whoops with the paprika. It’s still good though. Then I made a pasta dish with loads of vegetables. Pictures to follow. In the mean time here is Oakley prancing through the snow. It’s cloudy and cooler today. At some point we are to get another round of freezing rain. I am so over freezing rain. I don’t think we have ever had as much freezing rain as this year. With what I have in the freezer, I am set for awhile. Smells divine in here. Jean

 Today was the day I pulled out the turkey carcass and made broth. It turned out really well. It was a small turkey so only got two containers. It will make some nice turkey wild and brown rice soup. I just need to use up some stuff in the freezer to make room for the soup. Beautiful day here. Not any wind till evening. We had another 4” of snow over night. The snow is one up to Oakley’s belly. With his white curly hair he looks too cute trundling through the snow.  He’s a Bichon Frisée. One day I’ll remember to take a picture of him in the snow.  Played online games with She Who Must Be Obeyed and some other friends. It’s been a lazy day for sure. Tomorrow being the first church day of the year, we will wait and see how much snow we get tonight and how windy it is tomorrow. As we go into the city for church, weather in the winter usually plays a role. Not so much for me, but the rest of the family. I did some ironing today. It’s been awhile but with only three pieces to ...