This Week on the Dining Table

The "Fa-La-La-La-La" Edition................

My plate at the Chinese Buffet where we took eldest son and GF the day after Christmas for lunch when they drug me out for after Xmas shopping on Thursday.
I know that the pickled ginger is suppose to be used as a palate cleanser but I LOVE it and put it on all my sushi rolls and sashimi items so I suppose no matter what I am eating it all tastes of pickled ginger. lolz

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday--Broiled Salmon, Yellow Squash and Onions
2. Monday--Ravioli, Salad, Garlic Bread
3. Tuesday--Leftovers or Fend for Yourself

4. Wednesday--Eye Round Roast, Roasted Carrots, Baked Potatoes, Lasagna, Corn Casserole

5. Thursday--Chicken Enchiladas, Beans, Rice

6. Friday--?
7. Saturday--Leftovers

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Broiled Salmon, Yellow Squash and Onions
2. Monday--Ravioli, Salad
3. Tuesday--Leftovers or Fend for Yourself

4. Wednesday--Eye Round Roast, Roasted Carrots, Baked Potatoe/Sweet Potatoes, Lasagna, Corn Casserole

5. Thursday--Fend For Yourself

6. Friday--Chicken Enchiladas, Beans, Rice
7. Saturday--Leftovers

Last week saw 4 nights of home cooked dinners, 3 nights of leftovers/ffy, and 0 nights of Eating Out/Take-Out(but a lunch out).  Mostly the menu happened just not necessarily on the chosen days.

What got put into the freezer last week.....

* 1 Boneless Ham(once I make room for it)

What got taken out of the freezer and used.....
* 1 pack of BSCB
* 1 hunk of Salmon
* 2 bags of Ravioli
* 1 big Eye Round Roast

3 small trips to Weis and a trip to Malacari's produce market brought the weekly spending to $75.36 and my December spending on food to $364.76 and as Porky Pig says, "Th-Th-That's all Folks!" for the month.
Anything I bought after last Friday(a few things)will be added into January's tally.

My savings percentage last week was 56.32%(without Rite-Aid trips)and December's monthly savings total comes in at 57.06%(w/out R-A).  

I have 0 more food shopping/spending days in December.

Leftovers going into this week.....some chili, lasagna, beef roast, corn casserole, rolls, refried beans.

Here is this week's "food plan".....

1. Sunday--Leftovers
2. Monday--Leftovers
3. Tuesday--?

4. Wednesday--Lasagna(I'm not making it tho)

5. Thursday--?

6. Friday--?
7. Saturday--Wedding Food

What needs buying for this menu?  Nothing.  I'll leave Ex-College Boy some cash if he needs to buy any groceries while we are gone.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week? 

Sluggy  

Christmas Time...Part 1

Well elder son and his GF just left to head back to Jersey, Ex-College Boy was out of here early for his shift at his work and I sent Hubs to return something to Weis so I can hear myself think again. lolz

Christmas is essentially over here and the household clean-up begins and the getting ready to leave for the trip to Louisiana for daughter's wedding begins as well this weekend.

But first.......
Here's a look at the Christkindl Market Hubs and I went to 2 weekends ago.

A town an hour west of here, Mifflinburg, has held a European style Christmas Market in their town for the last 31 years.  Booths with traditional crafts, food and drink you'd find at a German Holiday Markt, as well as traditional specialties from other regions of Europe are all to be found there.

It only goes for 3 days a year in Mifflinburg, a Thursday to Saturday.  We saw a report on it in Friday's news and were free on Saturday so thought, What the heck!, and went to check it out.  We've lived in our current town for 19 years and had yet to make our way over there for the event.

There were two problems though........first the parking and signage.  There were no clear directions on were to park, though we did find out there was a shuttle bus from some place clear on the other side of town but otherwise you were on your own and good luck finding street parking.

The second issue was the weather.....it rained. All. Day. Long.  And the rain got heavier as the day went on and it was in the 40F's which made it pretty miserable to linger there for a long time.  We also didn't dress appropriately.  Hub's had a hat and a rain slicker and I had an umbrella and a fleece coat on.  Gloves would have been an excellent idea but alas, my brain didn't think of that. ugh.
So basically we made a speedy pass through the entire market with a couple of brief stops and then left in a soaking wet condition.

Here's the main entrance where the shuttle bus let you off.  The brick church in the background and the old fashioned wooden painted gave it an authentic, albeit shabby, look.  I'm guessing here since I've never been to Europe or a Christkindl Markt there.
There were moderate crowds but with all those umbrellas to dodge making your way through was slow.

A sea of umbrellas held by taller than me people meant I was dodging metal ferrules(tips)threatening to poke me in the eye and water running off of their bumber shoots.

Here I am posing with a Zwetschgenmännle or Prune Man.  The tradition of making little prune people figures started in Nuremberg Germany. They are suppose to bring luck.
 It's said there...“Hosd an Zwetschga im Haus, gäid dir es Geld und Gligg ned aus” or "With a prune man in your house, money and happiness stay too.".  Maybe I should have brought one home with me to ensure that I keep finding change! lol

Here are the vendors of a booth were we actually bought something.  They were selling goat products-cheese, fudge(goat fudge?!?), milk, soap and lotions.  They are from Mifflinville not Mifflinburg, which is a lot closer to us and we have been there.  We tried the fudge and flavored goat cheeses and bought some cheese.

Very nice folks and products.  If  you are ever out this way, look them up.

Here's Hubs feeding St. Nicholas' steed from coffee.  He needed warming up in the rain too.

This was one of the odder vendor booths, the Light Bulb Lady.  Evidently she takes old burnt out light bulbs of various shapes, paints and decorates them into Christmas tree ornaments.  An ingenious way to recycle old light bulbs really!  I didn't get close enough to see how much she was charging for them though.

We made it over to the entertainment stage just in time to see a set of folk dancers in costumes performing various dances.  I thought I had my phone set on video but it was on still photo so I didn't get film of them dancing. oh well.....
They had a space heater up there on stage with them.  I was this close to climbing up there and dancing with them so I could keep warm. lol

There were tons of booths of craft vendors...everything from traditional wooden Christmas crafts, prune men, to blown glass ornies.  Lots of pottery, knitwear too plus more modern crafts(hello, lightbulb lady!).

This guy was selling dog/cat sweaters/collars/bandanas/leashes/etc.  All of it was way overpriced since it all looked machine made and something you could get in any pet shop.
I did want his hat however. lol

Here's Hubs posing with Kris Kringle.  I think he was asking Kris to make the rain stop for Christmas.

There were TONS of food vendors!  Every kind of German sausage you could imagine, Strudel, Schnitzel on a stick or in a sandwich, Krauts of every ilk, Glühwein(German hot mulled wine), as well as the ever popular Philly Cheesesteak sammies and French Fries.  There were also other Central European specialties on sale for eating.  They had two "Eating Tents" set up to escape the rain while knoshing on your purchases but these were very crowded(no seats available)and still cold and wet so we didn't eat anything there.
This board at one stand advertised a German Sauerkraut Chowder.  Mmmm, no thank you! lolz

I kept hearing sheep bleating and on the way out I found the Live Nativity area.  The people were wrapped up in coats and looked more like a Boy Scout Troop than Mary, Joseph, Shepherds and Wisemen but the Donkeys and Sheep were cute.  This sheep and dog were having an interesting conversation while I was there.

Here's the one photo Hubs took of me in front of the giant German Christmas Pyramid.  My mother gave me one of these Christmas decoration years ago(but hardly this large!).  We always called it a "Whirlygig" since you put candles on it and the warm air moves the blades and spins the figures on it.  I never knew it's proper name and that it was a German thing.  I thought it was Dutch.

We did end up buying two things(besides the goat cheese)to bring home to eat.....2 hunks of Strudel and a loaf of Stollen.  The strudel was heavenly but the stollen left much to be desired.  It was tasty but I've had better from Aldi's. ;-)

One last look as I left to wait for Hubs to bring the car around.
I only wish the weather was better, we were dressed better and Hubs wasn't a Grumpy Gus.

We did stop at that Amish Grocery Outlet on the way out of town which turned out to be a great thing and made my day complete!


Sluggy

Frugal Friday...........December 27th Edition

A look around finds these frugal happenings for this past week...........

*  A earned a free meat item at Weis.

Since I already have 2 turkey breasts in the freezer as well as a smoked bone-in ham(I got free at Thanksgiving time at Weis(PMITA)Markets)I chose this boneless ham.  It's good to live in the fridge until Mid March so I have plenty of time to make room in the freezer for it.

The receipt showing what it cost if I didn't get it for free with Weis Points.  I had almost 600 points(only used 400 for the ham), most of those were earned doing surveys and not from spending $$ at Weis.

*  I earned $4.70 in Ibotta this past week.  Mostly that was at Weis, not Rite-Aid.  There was a $2 Hatfield ham rebate good at Weis, but the single ham steaks also qualified.  Ham steaks were 2/$5, got $4 in Ibotta rebates so they ended up costing .50¢ each.

*  I got the Weis freebie last week.........

Just what I needed after getting that GALLON jar of olives at the Amish discount grocery that week before for $3.99.....another free small jar of olives. lolz

*  I found money!

Another quarter at R-A in the corner by the register peeking out from the floor mat last Friday.

Then this crusty, salt laden penny, also at R-A, next to the cigarette butt holder outside by the front door on Friday.

Another quarter in the same spot in front of the register at Rite-Aid on Sunday.

This penny at Malacari's produce that same day.
There was another penny I forgot to photograph that day at Rite-Aid as well.  Total of .27¢ on Saturday.

This nickel was found at Rite-Aid on Sunday in the middle of the entrance as I walked in right out in the open.  Sweet.

This dime was found, where else but Rite-Aid, back in the Pharmacy area on Tuesday.

And another crusty penny found that same day on the sidewalk outside of Rite-Aid.

The day after Christmas I got dragged out "after Xmas shopping" and I found these two pennies in Staples.  I didn't buy anything so I was "up" 2¢ for the day. lol
Grand Total of last week's take........... .71¢.  8-)))

*  I combined a 3 day Q(Spend $15 on select Beauty items/Get $5 off)at Rite-Aid with an In-Ad $2/1 Nivea lip balm/men's items and a 50% clearance on one type of Nivea shave cream with 2 Cover Girl deals(1-Spend $15/Get $5 BC 2-$5 BC wyb certain CG foundation monthly)to buy this stuff.........

Should have been $10.51 spent in BC and $15 earned back in BC.
Of course I bought the wrong Cover Girl foundation(should have bought the Matte finish)so I had to return them and bought the  correct ones(they were $1 more each than what I bought so I couldn't just exchange).  I got $8.51 back in BC AND $9.28 in cash(huh?? prolly all those Qs I used).
The the return/rebuy I "spent" $9.76 in BC and earned back $20 in new BC because rebuying 2 Cover Girl triggered the weekly $5 wyspend $15 CG deal again, so the 2 x $5 CG foundation worked and the $5 wyspend $15 G worked again.

I should make mistakes like that on purpose more often.  ;-)

That's about it for this week.  Christmas and having family here has kept me from going out and spending money lately.

What frugal wins happened to y'all this past week?
Tell me all about it!



Sluggy

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah!

I hope that whatever you celebrate this time of year(or don't celebrate)that you are with the ones who matter to you, either in person or in your heart.
Be happy for whatever blessings you have.

From Chez Sluggy to your house we wish you are peaceful and joyous holiday!

Now excuse me while I go nuts cooking and getting ready for company..ack!! lolz

Sluggy

Christmas Past Matters to Me

My mom was what they might term today a "Christmas-aholic".  She loved Christmas!!!

Mom was born in the Depression and her parents didn't have two nickels to rub together when they got married in the early 1930's.  Mom was an only child and was doted on by her parents and her 11 Aunts and Uncles as well as her Grandparents, but not monetarily.  My grandmother wrote a letter to one of her older more well-off relatives to borrow $5(a fortune to them I suppose back then)so that their family could move their meager belongings to Norfolk so her husband could get a job at the Naval Shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia.  Life wasn't easy for my mother's parents....first the Depression and then the civilian deprivation during WWII(rationing)and my grandfather's ill health and inability to keep a steady job.  My grandmother ended up the family breadwinner by the 1950's and died at the age of 53 in 1967.

I had a pretty typical middle class childhood.  My parents married very young and struggled financially but by the time I was born our family was solidly in the American middle to upper middle class of the 1960's and 1970's.  Before that, when my brothers were young and I wasn't around yet, I heard our grandparents funded most of my family's Christmas.

Us kids never got special things though throughout the year as was typical during that time. We could expect 1 gift on our birthday and a small amount of presents at Christmas.....usually one big toy gift, some new clothing and a stocking of fruit and candy.  If we were lucky we'd also get a few little things from grandparents.
But Christmas wasn't just about the gifts.  It was about how my mother made Christmas special in other ways.

* The decorating--Mom decorated everywhere for Christmas.  We usually had a big tree and then a small tree.  When I was about 9 I got to put the small tree up in MY bedroom.  I still remember it was one of those silver metallic Pom-Pom trees that had a revolving base and a 4 colored wheel to reflect off of it. 
There were wreaths, holly, mistletoe and candles.  I think mom got her love of Christmas and decorating from her father.  He was an master craftsman and he made a full sized Nativity scene which graced my grandparents front yard every December.
Mom was crafty and also made ornaments for our trees.  One year it was a paint-by-number set of wooden ornies and the kit had sequins to glue onto the finished products too.  One year she made felt ornaments and sent some to our school's Christmas craft bazaar too to raise money for school activities.  She also made little drums(her homage to the little drummer boy), made dancing ladies with lace and chenille stems and wooden doll heads, and another year she made paper-maché dolls.
There was also crochet snowflakes when she was into crocheting.  Not only all of her handmade ornies she bought store-made ornies over the years(a few or a set each year)which were kitchy and very 1970's. And then there were all the ornaments she bought back in the 1950's(and I am sure some of these ones I inherited from her were my grandparents), the fragile glass ones.
I have TONS of ornaments(along with all the decorations she bought after us kids were grown)I inherited from mom.  I would need to put up 10 Christmas trees to use them all! lolz

* The food--Like Thanksgiving, mom went all out with Christmas dinner too, cooking and baking from scratch.  One, what I thought at least, strange tradition on Christmas morning was serving Oyster Stew.  Mom was from South Central Virginia(but she and her parents moved to coastal Virginia when she was five)but I still don't know if this was a family tradition from back in the country where she was born(oysters would have been a high treat once a year back there)or if she decided to embrace this stew later as a tradition after her family moved to the coast where seafood was readily accessible.  I am sure the fact that mom dearly loved oysters in any form/preparation had something to do with it too.  ;-)

* Sometimes a movie or a trip to see a live holiday show on the weekend before Christmas fell. And there was always a trip to see Santa at a local department store with much hoopla.  Many times either my father's employer or some civic organization he was involved in would hold a big party at Christmas where the children were invited.  There were snacks, games, sometimes a show and then Santa would hand out gifts to all the kids(and the gift was usually something your parents gave Santa to give you I found out when I got a little older).

* There was always the special trip Downtown with mom's friends and their daughters together to Christmas shop for gifts for our family and friends.  Searching the stores together for just the right gift to buy for someone with me clutching my dimes and nickels from my allowances, I had saved over months for this grand adventure. And somehow I always worked it out that I had enough gift money left to buy myself a Christmas Book of Life Saver candies. ;-) 
After the shopping was the lunch out at the Chinese restaurant which was our tradition.  I took this tradition and incorporated it into our ritual Christmas eve Chinese dinner out with my family. ;-)

My father handed over some money each Christmas and that was about the extent of his involvement in making Christmas happen at our house.  Mom would take whatever amount he budgeted for the Holiday, cash the check and put it into an envelope in her purse and mark off as she spent the money and hoped it stretched to provide for everything she had to buy.

The only time mom told me about my father actually taking an active role in Christmas was when my brothers were young.  He went toy shopping for them and took great enjoyment in that.  Father didn't have the best home life as a boy and after his father left the family there wasn't much money to throw around on toys so he got to live vicariously through what he bought my brothers. ;-)

In the 70's as my father's career was going well and he has making more money, mom would buy gifts for needy kids too through some local organization or other that asked for donations.  So I've tried to repliate that "share the joy" that mom modeled.

So where is this post going//trying to say?

I saw my future in-law's pictures of their extended family Christmas gathering this past weekend on FB.  Her Christmas tree was over the top!  It looked like it cost $$$ to put together with all the new and shiny baubles on it.....couldn't see the tree for the stuff covering it. lolz  And all the nice and new Christmas decor in the photos too.  I didn't see a glimpse of anything old or handed down. 
Then I see all the Christmas decor they sell in the stores and how a good number of people just chuck all that stuff out when the Holidays are over and buy it new again the following year.

Then I overheard someone in a store shopping for new Christmas stockings, asking their daughter which stockings should be buy this year?
It never occurred to me that people don't use their one and only stocking each year and only replace it if it gets lost, destroyed or worn out.

This is the ONLY Christmas stocking I've ever had!  It's been in service since December 1959.
(Disclaimer-I made myself another stocking after I married and we moved to NJ as "my" stocking had to stay at mom's house for when we came down for Xmas.  I had to have a back-up for Hubs to fill at our house.)

And then I read a fellow blogger's post HERE.
She talked about making Christmas magical for her family.

I especially liked this........"It was the continuity of the decorations showing up every year that gave me comfort and joy"...."I think back on my memories from my childhood memories and reflect on just how grateful I am for them and how much love the feeling when I am drawn back to those simpler times.  This is why I have put up older decorations in my house, to invoke the memories from our families past Christmases for those who live here, and for those who visit during this holiday season."

The newest and the best for Christmas is fine and good but it's not my thing either.  I find comfort in the rituals I knew as a child and incorporating vintage things into my home makes me feel safe and loved and a little closer to my mother who left us 19 years ago this year.

This Christmas rug has been part of every Christmas I've ever known and it will make an appearance every year until I am six feet under.

My oldest brother died in 2007 and my other brother has no children of his own so I inherited mom's Christmas Hoard.  I mutter under my breath every November when I drag it all down but you know, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Merry Christmas!

Sluggy