It’s been a nice week. Nothing exceptional. Just had a good flow.

I found a crumpled $20 bill in a parking lot. Looked around to see whose it might be, but since it was earlyish( 8am) no one was near, so I scooped it up.

I sold the treadmill(today) and it’s getting picked up this morning. so one more thing out of the black hole.. oh, I mean the barn.

I used 2 bananas to make chocolate chip banana bread. I’m not much of a sweets baker, but this is the old Marth Stewart one that uses sour cream that I’ve used forever.

I’m making homemade pizza tonight.

had a few no spend days, and went to the thrift store yesterday, but didn’t see anything I needed.

We walked in the rain this morning. It was nice. Today, I’m going to the gym again this time with my daughter and then to Safeway. We need to load up on cat food for the cats while we’re camping next week. Our housesitter is a friend of my sons and we have used him twice before. He’s responsible and reliable. But I want to be sure there’s enough bird food and chicken food and cat food.  He’s vegan, so he can figure out his own food. I have lots of beans and rice.

Okay, what happened to no spend stuff. Well, right out the window with spring on it’s way.

B and my daughter went to Home Depot yesterday and bought lumber for 1 raised bed and soil and some fencing. $ 170.

Then I found a source for linen so I can make some bread bags. I’m having lots of fun with my ‘new’ to me Zojirushi. I’m experimenting with whole wheat and white organic flours and ratios. Also, the timing of the rises. But I want something, not plastic to keep the bread in and looked up bread bags. So Food 52 had beautiful linen bread bags for $38. No, I’m not doing that. So I found an online source for 100% linen at $8.40 a yard. Wow, I ordered 2 yards.

But, remember, I don’t have a sewing machine as mine bit the dust. So I bit the bullet an ordered a Brother from Amazon. Right around $100 so I’m happy with that. I did try to source a free one or a used form thrifts but didn’t find much. I did find a Brother but they wanted $85, so I thought, well I may as well get a new one. I actually use to sew quite a bit in our ‘hippie’ years so maybe I’ll be inspired. At least I’m getting linen bread bags at a fraction of the cost of buying them made. I had also checked Etsy and forget it , way too expensive. I thought I’d make linen napkins too. I love how linen gets better with age. And this website had beautiful colors.

On a decluttering note, I did sell the Heywood Wakefield coffee table for $40, and today I’m going to list the treadmill. B also finally sold my son’s huge box of Brio.(probably $1000 worth) for $200. But he gave that to Z since it was his Brio. Still, it’s one one thing gone.

We went to the gym and did a small workout and then my daughter wanted to go to Target and look for some interview clothes. She has an interview next week which would be a bump up from her position now. Fingers crossed she gets it. So, back to Target.  I went in to get a spray bottle to make a mixture of water bleach. Yes, I know bleach isn’t environmentally friendly, but we have to use it in our bathroom since it’s so small it gets mold.  I also use vinegar and water but not on the shower curtains.  So then, of course, I figured I better get some cat cans, some of the said bleach, some veggie bacon, and then… an expensive SimpleHuman garbage pail for the kitchen. We’ve been using 2 different pails and it’s a pain in you know what. We have been trying to separate all recyclables but in our county, we have what’s called one pail. It’s everything goes on a conveyor belt and then gets separated. So we’ve gotten a little discouraged and will just keep trying to reduce waste. We compost anything that can be. Give the chickens any scraps. So Not frugal but it looks lovely and it’s quite big so we won’t be using so many liners. I call that a win.

Well, no more spending this week. I have all the groceries I need and more. So I figure a no spend week.

So, the good news is my Kappa light chains and Lambda are still in the normal range. And my ratio is normal too at 1.16  My lambda actually went down so the ratio went up slightly.

It’s so exciting that this is my 9th month off drugs and I feel good.  So, I won’t see him again ’till June but still get labs in 6 weeks. He said I didn’t need to get labs that soon but I’d rather do so. My myeloma markers have never just jumped up quickly, so even testing every 6 weeks is over reaching but I’d rather keep an eye on it all.  he mentioned that my Hemocrit is slightly high ( 46) high normal is 45, so he wanted me to drink more water. I honestly don’t think it’s a dehydration thing but probably some damage to the blood plasma in the bone marrow from ongoing treatments. And it started to go slightly high after 4 months of Velcade. Who knows. I’m not too worried about it.

So, let’s see, I dropped off a big load at goodwill that had been accumulating in my car. And then took some Life magazines to the Humane Society bookstore. I also got out to the barn and dragged out my Heywood-wakefield coffee table and sold it for $40. A  big win. It’s one more thing gone. Then we moved my daughter’s Yamaha keyboard back into my office area for her to play.  If it doesn’t seem as if it’s working right, we’ll donate it but at least it’s in a place where it could be used.  Then B took all the cardboard which does add up because of his samples to recycle. So that cleared up space.  Next, I’m going to take a picture of the treadmill and list on our local sell group. It’s a good treadmill that folds up but now we’re going to the gym, I don’t see using it. And we really have no place, literally , in our small house for it.

I’ve been making the Zojirushi bread daily to try different recipes. Some have looked and tasted great and some have had issues. The middle is falling, or the crust isn’t quite right. They all taste great but I you tubed some videos and am trying some corrections this morning.  After I get this figured out I want to try bagels, raisin bread, and some other recipes.

We decided not to go the farmers market this morning since I don’t need anything and we went to Costco on Thursday. I’m making a chard soup tonight from last weeks chard bought at the Farmers market.

So, it’s been a productive week. Next week looks cloudy and rainy. Then the following Monday we head down to new Brighton State beach for the week. It had better be nice.

The first time out with the tent trailer always has a learning curve of what do we have in there and what do we need. Capitola is fun in that we can go to the store and get stuff so I’m not planning on bringing tons f food. I know I’m going to cook in the Lodge cast iron at least once.

Well, off to do stuff. I’ll post some frugal things and budget stuff later today.( or tomorrow)

This is a really fun book to read. The authors have visited all these places across the country. If you’re planning a road trip, this book is for you. They really go into detail about each place and give what’s great to order.

We’ve been to the La Super-Rica in Santa Barbara and their description is spot on. It is barely a restaurant and it has florescent lights. But the food is very authentic and of course, this place was made famous by Julia Child, who frequented it when she visited SB.

Based on their very accurate description of La Super-Rica, I would trust their reviews of other places.

I would have like more reviews of California especially Northern California but what they did, I think, would be fun to visit if you’re on a road trip.

We also have been to Tecolote in Santa Fe and believe it was and has been one of the greatest breakfasts I’ve ever had. So again, their description is spot on.

I would definitely recommend this fun book of restaurants and cafes.

This book was provided by bloggingforbooks in return for my honest opinion.