pantry pictures

The bottom freezer

The Refrigerator

Baking Cubboard

Misc.

Mostly Canned goods.

This is why I need to do this.

Meals for January

Just brainstorming here, but some ideas of things I can make with what I have on hand--

1. Sweet and sour chicken and rice
2. Tuna Casserole
3. Salmon Patties
4. I still have some mini meatloaves frozen, bake a potato
5. Grilled Cheese and soup
6. Spaghetti
7. Chicken Salad
8. Tuna Salad
9. Spinach salad-fruity or savory
10. Deviled eggs, baked beans and fried potatoes.
11. Goulash
12. Cereal and oatmeal
13. French toast
14. Smoothies w/ yogurt, bananas and frozen fruit ( maybe a dash of Amaretto!)
15. 
    

Bookmooch

I eliminated my inventory on Bookmooch last month when I went to spend time with Mom. I just started listing books back on there this week, and I have already taken 41 of the 100 books I listed to the Post Office and still have 6 more to ship later this week. I have spent over $75 in postage. I think the reason they are going so fast is that I didn't list any that had a lot already in other peoples inventory, and most of them were on the wishlists of several people. I have books going to Australia, Japan, Bhutan, Canada and England. Now I just have to mooch the books that are going to translate into cash on Ebay. The only way that seems to work is if they complete sets that I have already got going. Those books are usually easy to find on Bookmooch. I have started listing on Ebay again, after about a 6 week break. That seems to be working out fairly well. I have been doing quite a bit of research during this week of break. Not reading much myself though!

2009 is running down--long live 2010

I have a new project for the new year. Well, for January anyhow. I am going to eat out of my pantry. Oh, Yeah. I took a box of food to the Herrin Pantry earlier today, now I am going to whittle it down, day by day, myself. I know I have lots of tuna, salmon and spaghetti sauce. Lots of pasta, and the freezer is full of chicken. I don't drink much milk, and would love to make some bread. I think all I am going to have to buy is fruit and veggies and eggs. I am trying this week to cut way back on the soda. After each soda I have to drink a large glass of water before the next. Maybe two glasses of water next week. We will see. It would be fun if other members of my family joined in..hint, hint.

My goals for the month--
1. clean out cubboards and refrigerator
2. stay out of the grocery store except for freebies, fruit, fresh veggies and eggs
3. spend less than $50 on food for the month
4. take food to work all month, no eating out

Off to do an inventory!

DeToy family reunion 09

The hosting clan, Tom's Family

The Carlson's

Bob DeToy's Family

Benson, Minnesota

Hosted by the Tom DeToy family

I will be adding more photos as they get uploaded by other family members!

Picked my first blackberries this year!

I picked about 3/4 cup of blackberries, they will be coming on strong this weekend. I also found a lot of Japanese Beetles, so I am off to the nursery to see about some beetle traps. I also need to pick up some RoundUp because my ditch by the road is being overrun by vines that nothing else will kill. Hate to use that stuff.

A shot in the knee

I finally broke down, after a month of heavy duty Ibuprofen and no change to my bursitic knee. That probably isn't a word. Yet. I got a shot yesterday. It didn't really hurt, and still doesn't. Let's hope this takes care of the left knee so it can get better and carry the right knee, which is the one I normally think of as my "bad" knee. Aging is such a fun process.

April rains in May

Haven't seen the sun lately, and my yard is a swamp. The flowers look happy, where they haven't been beaten into the ground. All the blooming trees have had their petals pummeled, hope they all got pollenated before this. I only planted 2 beefy tomato plants and 2 cherry, and already lost one beefy to cut worm. Still time to get another out there. Soon it is going to be time to start trimming the new growth on the blackberries back so I can get to last years wood and this years berries. They are growing inches a day it seems. The cats are spending major time on the window sills, checking out the birds that are nesting in the porch rafters. Drives them crazy, birds and cats.

Almost May

I put my air conditioner in the window of the bedroom today. I almost made it to May. Dang it.

It's the economy, doofus!

I have been disappointed lately with my box lot auction results. I was wondering if it was because I was starting them too early or too late? Wrong day? Would free shipping help? None of the above. I was hoping that people would be more likely to check out Ebay in the downturn of the economy, but now I think people just aren't buying, period. How has this been affecting you? Are you still buying whatever you want? Are you worried about your job, or are you in a comfortable place?

I thought I was, preparing for retirement in 16 months and thinking I had it under control, but now this! A quote from the linked article.

"The governor’s proposal would hit certain retirees even harder. For a retiree who is not yet old enough to qualify for Medicare, premiums would rise from $12.98 per month to an average of about $582 per month."

Now, that is a lot of moolah.

Not much changes around here. Mini Meatloaves

I made another batch of Mini Meatloaves today. Seems like I do this at least once a month. I made two batches for Mom when I was there a couple of weeks ago. It's just one of those "go to"
recipes when ground beef goes on sale. It is very handy to have them in the freezer for days you just don't want to cook. Bake a potato, toss a salad and you are good to go.

Mini Meatloaf

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick cook oats (more if too wet)
1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
(other spices of choice)
1 small onion, diced
dash Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 pound ground beef (lean)

Sauce

2/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
dash Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats, onion, Worcestershire sauce and spices. Let sit for 5 minutes for oats to get soft.
Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place these in a lightly greased 9x13 inch dish.
In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf.
Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30-45 minutes, depending on how big you shaped your loaves.

What a difference a year makes!

Two weeks ago, and today below. Last year I almost dug this azalea up because I had so few blooms on it. See last years post here. I did nothing extra, but she must have heard me talking about her. Poor girl.

I hab a Code. In my Nose.

Just in time for a 3 day week-end. Just my luck. I am not going anywhere without a box of tissue. Soft ones. With lotion. I slept for 14 hours yesterday and I am going to try and break that record tonight. Nyquil here I come.

Shopping!

Today was my coupon maximizing day for the week and I went to CVS, Schnucks, and Walgreens. The photos are being cut off here for some reason, but they are clickable to see the whole haul!



At CVS I did 4 transactions, spent 3.20 total and yes, I already ate one of the snickers bars.

1 Fructis shampoo/conditioner
3 Snickers Bars
2 double packs ZipLock freezer bags
8 Atkins bars
8 can pack of SlimFast
2 Kleenex w/lotion
1 Pepcid Complete
1 Mylanta
2 NasoGels




At Walgreens I spent $15.33, but will be getting 10.99 back in a Walgreens rebate and 8 back in a Bayer rebate. Purchased

1 Revlon blush
3 Mountain Dew's (fillers)
2 Bayer Heart Advantage
1 Bayer regular
3 Fructis shampoo/conditioner
1 Alka Seltzer Plus
1 Dimetapp
2 Centrum Vitamins



At Schnucks I spent 15.72 and purchased

2 Totino's Pizza Rolls
6 Progresso Soups
4 Betty Crocker Potatoes
3 Fuze drinks
4 Fruit Naturals
8 Temptation snacks for the cats ( on clearance)

So Total I spent $34.14, but will be getting 19.99 back, for a revised total of $15.15 out of pocket. The cashiers at all three stores were impressed!

My Dad, Robert John DeToy

It's really hard to believe that it has been five years since Dad graduated to a better place. It was the morning after we celebrated Mom and Dad's Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary, and he held on long enough to make that happen. He fought Leukemia for 10 years, but most of that was still good times, because he made it so. He didn't think he would live to see 70, but he did. We had a family celebration of their anniversary in the summer of 'o3, because he didn't think he'd make to January, but he did. Love you Daddy.

My Oster Blender

When I was still in the Navy, back in 1978, I went to the Hawaii State Fair and there was a man demonstrating this Commercial Oster Blender. It was stainless steel and he made it do all kinds of tricks and I had to have one. Had to. So I bought one. I still have it and it still does tricks. However, I can no longer get the bottom off. Someone much stronger than me probably could. Maybe.
Last week at the Salvation Army I found a box with three small Oster blender thingys. I bought them and once I got them home I realized that I couldn't use them because I could not get the ring off my Stainless Steel container. I went on Amazon and found some Oster parts so I ordered the crushing blade and sealing ring and the cap. They came today and they work!

This blender was not cheap, I think I spent $149 back then, but I have used it for 30 years and I think that is a pretty fair return, don't you?

Grasshopper, anyone?