Last week was a busy one for my jobs. Trying to get financials done for both and I had gotten a bit behind with taking time off last month for moving. But I got it all done. Sure made for a quick week. Plus, Friday was my half day and I really wanted to get it all done so I could have my half day off. I drove into the city and got my 2 weeks of shopping done (sorta). I'm not sure I'm not sure I really like trying to do 2 weeks worth in one trip. It's too hard on me, physically, to tell you the truth. Just getting all the soda (DH drinks alot) and water on the cart makes it so heavy and then start adding in all the other stuff on my list and the cart is so heavy by halfway through the store it's all my muscles to get it turned around corners, etc. Then my back starts hurting. I take a cooler with me to keep the frozen and refrigerated stuff cold on my way home, but it's hard to get 2 weeks worth in there. I'm almost thinking that it would be better just to drive the 45 minutes each way once a week (at least during the good weather months). I could shop in town (I do a little bit) but most things are way more expensive. Though I did get eggs for .69 a dozen in town last week!
We had a guy come last week and kind of finish the walls in our attached garage. Basically prep them so we could paint. Originally DH had also wanted him to texture the walls, but the guy recommended us saving $300 to pay him to texture and just primer and paint as it was after he got done. Glad we did. Looks fine. We put on the primer Wed evening and then painted it on Thursday afternoon/eve (another reason I didn't have any time to post!). It looks a lot better than just drywall with some mud over the nails.
Saturday DH's friend came to help again (we have been giving him some money for helping, even though he doesn't want to take it, we make him!). First, the 3 of us went to breakfast at the restaurant in town. This time they fixed something that broke on the 53' trailer we had bought to move all our shop/garage stuff in. It's fixed and we have it for sale (praying for a quick sale on it) now. They also put base board trim around the garage floor/walls. We still need to put trim around the door that goes outside.
Sunday DH and I spent a good half of the day washing the concrete floor in the garage (he's so OCD!). I don't think it really helped much - seemed like a lot of work for not much result, that's for sure. DH is going to build some wood shelving up above where the garage doors open, so that will give him more storage space.
Today a guy is here getting started on the fence project. The fenced in area we do have (just front and part of side yard) was done so half-assed! The fence guy is basically having to re-do it :/ Oh well, at least it will look good when done and be done right now - as well as give the dogs much more space outside.
I want a large distressed looking type clock to put on one wall of my living room. I am having a heck of a time deciding! The one or two that I really really like are $300 range. I'm not paying that. I've found a few others I like in the $50-$150 range, but I just can't decide on one. Now I keep flipping back and forth between a more barnwood face/rustic look and one that is rustic/antique looking, but not like slats of wood. Plus I don't know if 23" is really big enough. I might need to go 30". I tried to eyeball it using a tape measure, but I think I'd be better off just to cut a circle out of some paper and visually look at it that way. I also saw a you tube video on how to make one out of pallet wood (we have tons of that now!) and I'm considering that option too, but I'm afraid I won't do a very good job of it. I CAN'T DECIDE!! So, in the meantime I have this big empty wall, haha.
I was pleased with the election results and am hoping to see much more reasonable health insurance premiums next year. Guess we'll see what happens with it, along with that I'm hoping the economy finally picks up.
We also got our mattress for the guest bed and that is all set up now.
So comfy! Hopefully those that sleep on it will like it. I think it
might become my napping spot :)
I've got two questions.....about selling that trailer and about spending $ on decorating your new digs. How long until you'll be building and moving again? Might be worth holding onto that trailer and/or not putting too much $ into decorating depending on how long you plan on staying at this place.
ReplyDeleteI am not one to be much into decorating/spending on that type of thing but I understand some folks are "into" it.
Also isn't your DH handy and crafty with wood? Getting him to make you a clock out of those pallets would give him something to do and keep him outta your hair? ;-)
it will be at least a year and a half until we build. The main reason we bought it to move wasn't so much the volume of stuff to move in it, but the distance. When we build we'll just be moving 10 miles, we can make several trips to move stuff and don't need to hang onto it and planned to sell it. We don't have anywhere really to store it here. This lot is way too small for it.
DeleteDh is handy with wood and would do a good job of that part. I thought the same thing, would give him something to do this winter. I'm just worried I wouldn't do a very good job on the finish, making it looked distressed and adding the numbers, etc. I'm pretty much planning to keep my budget on the clock down to $75 or less.
and to clarify on the trailer - it's not something we can store at the property, as there are covenants that don't allow for it. Currently it's parked alongside our house, half on our our lot and half on the vacant lot next to us. DH got permission from the guy who owns the lot next to us, but told him it would just be temporary.
DeleteA suggestion on the shopping. Go in and get all the drinks, buy them, bring to the car, go back in and buy the rest of your things.
ReplyDeleteBring another cooler, or invest in a few insulated shopping bags. I refill empty 20 oz bottles part way and freeze for this purpose. They fit real well between the things in the cooler bags.
Those are great ideas! I did buy an insulated shopping bag this last trip to try and it seemed to work very well. I put all my meat in it. The frozen bottles is awesome idea. I will do that too.
DeleteI have to go food shopping once a month and I have to also get 80 pounds of dry dog food including 2 cases of wet food ontop of everything else. I am a small woman. 5ft1 105 pds and I am disabled with illness. So all of this? Is impossible for me. I've gone to ordering most of the heavy stuff off Walmart.com because they offer free shipping to your home for every order over 50 dollars. Maybe something like that could help you?
ReplyDeleteHi Robyn. That's a good idea too. I have been ordering our dog food from Amazon. I'll have to check more into Walmart and Amazon Pantry/subscribe and save.
DeleteGood to hear from you. With the winter fast approaching, I guess you need a lot of stuff done around the house. Hopefully, you will be able to relax and enjoy the snowy days. I know some frugal bloggers who shop once a month but they usually get help from their spouse or kids. If you have space for water and soda, may be you can stock up on them and just replenish your stock little by little during each bi-weekly shopping trip or take your husband with you every month for a bigger shopping trip. I order heavy items such as drinks and detergent online and have them delivered but then again, I do not drink much soda and water is delivered by a separate company.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a lot of room in this small house to stock up too much, but I do have some extra space I can utilize. I'll have to watch the weekly sales ad for the little store here in town and try to stock up on some stuff when they have sales, that way it's a quick and easy trip. I just can't get myself to pay $6 for a 12 pack of soda, when it's usually $4.88 or less at Walmart.
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