Tag Archives: it’s the economy

Shop Small: Not just Once a Year

Posted on by
3
Shop Small, and Shop Local!

Shop Small, and Shop Local!

There’s more to this picture than just a reminder to shop small and use my own bag. The bag (cute, with polka dotted back) was free at a small downtown shop on Small Business Saturday, the day after Black Friday. If you look closely, you’ll see that also hanging on the kitchen chair is a large plastic bag from Kohl’s. Oops. So much for using my own bag, right?

Well, not exactly. Kohl’s is a Wisconsin company. Its headquarters are near Milwaukee. I shop there carefully to get the most for my frugal dollar. Between discounts and a gift card (earned through a wellness program) and sale racks, I got my money’s worth when I filled this bag.

As for the bag, it’s big. The reusable bags in my purse were not big enough to handle this order (mainly the hiking boots and their box). To make the most of the one-use plastic bag, I’ll make sure it sees at least another day as a wastebasket liner or a container for thrift store donations. I’m green, but I’m not perfect. Sometimes I have to make the best of a less than optimal situation.

So the moral of the story, the resolution to this tale, is this: shop small businesses, shop locally, be green whenever possible and use tools to shop frugally at those local and small businesses. Sound good? Readers, I value your input. Comments are welcome – consider adding your two cents about shopping small and shopping locally.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

Crock Pot Experiments – the beginning

Posted on by
Reply

Why attempt crock pot experiments? Because I can. Because being on break for a week lets me monitor recipes as they cook. Because I teach full time and need to provide a decent supper without much prep time (pun intended). And really, why not?

Sunday’s experiment: Overnight Oatmeal from the cookbook Fix it and Forget it

  • Crock pot size: 3 quart, overnight, on low
  • Results: a little mushy. Next time I try this I’ll either use old-fashioned oats or steel cut oats for a sturdier texture. Or maybe, just maybe, I’ll do this on a day that we won’t be sleeping in. That might prevent overcooking.
  • Modifications: since I’m only feeding three, I cut the cookbook recipe in half. If I make the full quantity, I could use a slightly larger crock and set it on Warm. The 3 quart only has low or high settings.

Monday’s experiment: Breakfast Bake from the cookbook Fix it and Forget it

Crock pot size: 3 quart, 5-6 hours on low

Results: delicious. I cut the recipe in half. A full batch might require a larger crock. The full batch might take longer. This has potential for an overnight bake.

Modifications: I might stretch this with a little more milk and a diced slice of bread. A handful of diced bacon was a good addition. I added thyme and oregano – maybe a little too much oregano.

Wednesday’s experiment: thaw and warm a soup from the freezer.

Crock pot size: I started with the 3 quart and then realized I only needed the smaller size, slightly more than one quart. Details below.

Results: about an hour into the process, I realized I’d overestimated the volume and moved the soup into a smaller crock. The smaller crock is more like the Little Dipper: no heat settings, just plugged in (on) or unplugged (off). Since the soup was already fully cooked, low heat and small crock were enough.

Modifications, general thoughts: I have a freezer full of soups and broths. This is an option that could carry us through a winter, including staff meetings, conference nights, and even help the family cope when I have to travel for standardized testing.

Readers, beyond the standard soups and chilis, how do you use your slow cooker? Do you own more than one?

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

Tradition.

Posted on by
1

I was browsing old posts for an encore related to Christmas, and I found  several.I also found a little peace in knowing the way some things stay the same. Continuity is good; follow through can be calming in the face of an uncertain future.

Wrapping – or my stubborn attitude toward commercial wrappings and trappings. I gave in and bought curling ribbon because it makes hanging the tags (repurposed greeting cards) so much easier. But I walked past the big rolls of wrapping paper. I stuck to my guns on that one.

Frugal gift giving – I spent money on quality. Both Chuck and I check reviews on expensive products before investing or buying cheaply. I feel like there may be fewer presents under the tree, but they’re worth more and they’ll last longer.

Canning and basic food preservation – I can and freeze summer produce with the goal of feeding the family through the winter. That’s not so different from our ancestors, really. They may not have had the farm markets available that I do, and they didn’t have the huge grocery chains as a back-up, either. The philosophy is the same, though. Quality food preserved in summer will take us through the winter.

Then there is the annual tradition of making and decorating Christmas cookies.

The family decorates!

The family decorates!

I was in the kitchen baking the molasses cookies to help defeat the Detroit Lions. Hey, it’s only weird if it doesn’t work.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

Wrapping – no problem.

Posted on by
Reply

Folks, it’s post holiday, I’m cleaning the house, and even with our small garbage can we did just fine. That’s a point of pride in this eco-green household. Despite the grumbling, our use of one-use wrapping paper is minimal, and it shows when we take out the trash.

La Petite combined grocery bags with pretty paper.

La Petite combined grocery bags with pretty paper.

An old card with bright scavenged paper.

An old card with bright scavenged paper.

A grocery bag acts as trim for a box.

A grocery bag acts as trim for a box.

And the tree still looked festive and fun.

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday and good times with family and special people.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

That’s my (wrapping) story, and I’m sticking to it.

Posted on by
2

I rescued a big stack of bright yellow paper from being recycled at school. It had been crumpled to take up space in science kits, and when the department heads unpacked, they didn’t save it. I intervened, of course. Folks in my school building know that I’m the scavenger among us.

I share this encore presentation because it’s still true. Amigo still insists that I’m a”green freak” and I take my eco-sensibilities too far for his taste. The rest of the family tolerates me, so here’s the rest of the story.

Several years ago I vowed to stop buying wrapping paper. I didn’t say I’d never use it or reuse it, just that I wouldn’t buy any more.

  • Very little wrapping paper is recyclable.
  • Commercial gift wrap can’t burn in a fireplace, either; it releases too many chemicals.
  • Most wrapping paper will wrap one gift and then end up in the garbage.
  • Gift wrap costs add up. The shiny patterned paper is expensive.

Amigo doesn’t like the philosophy. In fact, he’ll only help me wrap if we’re using real gift wrap. I compromised by using gift wrap I’d rescued from the wastebasket when the school PTA cleaned their closet. We wrapped with rescued and reused papers, and the gifts look great.

He doesn’t object to my green version of gift tags. Every year we take stock of the previous year’s holiday cards, cut them apart creatively, and with the help of a little ribbon and a hole punch, turn those cards into unique and lovely gift tags that cost nothing but a little time. We’ve done this since before he was born; maybe that’s why it feels natural to him.

Thanks to my spreadsheet gift record and my online shopping prowess, the majority of the shopping is done. Maybe I can sneak some of my eco-friendly and frugal methods past my wrapping assistant that time. Or maybe not; after all, he reads my blog.

 

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

Shopping in non-traditional places

Posted on by
Reply

An encore presentation: it’s all still true. I just got back from a short shopping trip that included Half Price Books and a local dollar store. I can finish the wrapping now. 

Folks, you know me. You know I gave up buying wrapping paper several years ago. You know I plan ahead for gift shopping because of all the birthdays that mingle with Christmas. You know I love Christmas music and listen to it – well, I love to listen to holiday music, new or classic.

But do you recall – of course you do. Creative wrapping, frugal gift planning, and finally, the shopping, take a little thought. And then, with a little thought and planning, the fun begins.

Thrift stores! By carefully perusing the racks, I have often found good buys on brand name and quality clothing. Lands’ End, GAP, Old Navy, and my favorite jeans just take a quick cycle through the wash and then look good as new – or better. Better how? Because they’re already worn in, but not worn out.

Thrift stores again – baskets. I enjoy filling baskets with my own canned goods for special people like extended family. My favorite place to find baskets? Goodwill and other thrift stores.

Stores that specialize in vintage. This angle requires good knowledge of the gift recipient. If you’re considering that rabbit fur coat that’s marked 20% off, you’d better avoid buying it for me or for La Petite. But if you see a lovely scarf or classic cameo pendant, go for it.

Stores full of repurposed and crafty pieces. There’s a shop near my workplace that sells wonderful creative and useful household pieces. I look at their wine cork frames and trivets and think “I could make these.” Then I realize no, I don’t have the time or the talent. I’ll buy it from someone who does have the time and talent.

And finally, last but never least, I thoroughly enjoy shopping at Fleet Farm. Don’t bother with Toyland; just stick to my standard departments. Friends and family know that they can buy anything for canning and preserving and I’ll be thrilled. They might even find gardening tools and toys there, despite the weather outside being frightful. We’ve also discovered that the foodstuffs designed for hunting or camping are also good pantry staples. Bear Creek soup mixes, anyone? Yum.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

All This for a Stack of Books?

Posted on by
1

It’s not just any stack of books. In my family? Books fill and overflow the shelves until we have book piles – and that’s after I swap away quite a few and deposit a few more in neighborhood Little Free Libraries.

But I’m already getting off topic. La Petite called and asked if I could help her transport a bookshelf she would like to buy. I was going to be there anyway, coming to pick up Amigo after a weekend visit. Of course I said “Sure, why not?”

First: the bookshelf she wanted, a display model, flew off the store shelves before we arrived. It was gone. The store had the item in stock at full price, but La Petite wasn’t quite prepared to pay that much that day. That’s my girl: frugal to the end, even with a bookshelf.

But we had the van. And the shelves were unlikely to fit in her Saturn. Unlikely? Impossible .And the shelf unit was perfect, just perfect, for her apartment and the Big Art Books that needed a home. The shelf unit was a little more than she wanted to pay, but the Momvan was temporarily available, and it was Black Friday weekend, after all. She asked for a manager – nicely, of course.

The manager on duty offered her 20% off – close to $100 discount. We bought the shelves.

With a big box of ready-to-assemble bookshelf loaded into the Momvan, we realized we didn’t have a hand truck or dolly to help us maneuver this big, not too heavy but definitely awkward box from the parking lot to her apartment. We found a nearby Menard’s (doesn’t every strip have a nearby Menard’s?), bought a simple hand truck and a toy for the Toys for Tots box, and we were ready.

It wasn’t easy, and it was punctuated by repeated utterances in the category of “Mom, you’re pushing the wrong way,” but we got the Big Awkward Box to her door and then up to her second floor apartment. Luckily (for me, anyway), she didn’t want the shelves up in her loft bedroom.

And so, all was well with the world. Amigo and I hit the road with a few chips and sodas for a snack and the Green Bay Packers battling the New England Patriots on the radio. La Petite watched the game and put together her new set of shelves.

Home, sweet home.

Home, sweet home.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

Eating the Opponent Research

Posted on by
2

We’ve been eating the Opponent for a few years now. For some teams (Chicago, for example) we have a go-to signature dish. Papa Murphy’s makes our favorite Chicago-style pizza, so that one is almost too easy.

It was Philadelphia this week, and we considered the basic Philly cheesesteak on French bread. We’ve had it in the past, and Chuck makes it well. We got adventurous instead and looked up scrapple recipes. It was okay – we all ate our portions, but no one wanted seconds. If we make it again, we’ll look for a different recipe or resource.

Meanwhile, our tradition spurred discussion on Plurk and Facebook. both Amigo and Chuck nixed the idea of having marshmallow Peeps. Friends and family were shocked. No Peeps? Really? Then an old friend from college commented, “Peeps are made in Bethlehem, not Philly!” He did admit, however, that Bethlehem Pennsylvania is part of the greater Philadelphia area. I’d compare it, perhaps, to my hometown being part of the greater Green Bay area – but the greater Green Bay area covers most of the state of Wisconsin!

Next week is Minnesota. We all agree that lutefisk is a no-go. There’s not quite enough Norwegian blood running through our veins to handle the codfish. I’ve been pushing for fruit soup, and Chuck isn’t quite sold. Amigo (he does his own research and does it well) suggested a Minnesota style hotdish from Mr. Food’s Test Kitchen.

Chuck will be traveling for work next week. His destinations include Madison (state high school football) and Minneapolis (Packers vs. Vikings, of course). He can Eat the Opponent while he’s on site. We’ll do the hotdish and fruit soup. I’m ready!

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

What’s Next on the Blog?

Posted on by
Reply

The garden has officially succumbed to the freezing temps overnight.

The election will be over (and I’m worried, yes, I’m worried) on Tuesday.

So what’s next? How will Compost Happens find a way to continue without politics or gardening on the topic list?

Don’t worry, friends, family, and fans. There is still almost half of the NFL season to go. You’ll read the reactions of the O.K. Chorale as the Packers do their best to protect their best – Aaron Rodgers, that is.

The garden by be a simple pile of dirt and scattered straw, but I’ll continue composting all winter long. The second (and smaller) compost bin is closer enough to the house that we dump scraps in it all year round. I still have a tray full of green-turning-red tomatoes. There isn’t enough for soup, but I have enough ripe cherry-type to add to salads and stews and other dishes that we’ll still have fresh tomato taste for a little while longer.

As for the election results – I’m sure there will be reactions, good or bad, from the family here at the Chorale or from our favorite time traveler, Grandma Daisy.

What to write? Blog fodder? No shortage here, folks. As my favorite quarterback said a few weeks back, R-E-L-A-X. I’m not going away any time soon.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

Dear World; election day?

Posted on by
Reply

Dear candidates: remember what you learned in grammar school? A double negative isn’t effective in American English. Well, politicians, when I hear negative from both sides of a race, I tend to discount both reports.

Special interest groups ans PACs, this means you, too. The negative ads ain’t got no purpose or meaning to them, ya know what I mean?

Dear clerks and poll folks; we appreciate you. I don’t think you hear that enough. I know that many, many voters are stopping by at the city clerk’s office to vote early. You are crazy busy, and that’s a good sign. This is what democracy looks like.

Dear bake sale donors; I might arrive later in the day this time. Please save some goodies for me! I hear cookies calling my name.

Dear voters: A woman voting for Scott Walker is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders. Or maybe it’s a frog voting for Doc Hopper. Remember Kermit the frog feeling devastated at the thought of all those little frogs on crutches? Never mind.

Dear 24/7 news outlets (you know who you are); doing a special all about Ebola Panic increases the panic. Got that? Stick to the facts, people, just the facts.

Dear farmers; do you really support the governor enough to put up several huge signs? It’s rather misleading. Drivers going down the rural highways may think the gov has a lot of supporters, when it’s really just one farmer with one vote.

Dear lawmakers; the concealed carry law actually made it harder for police officers to wear their weapons in a school, even if they are liaison officers there. Local school districts had to renegotiate with law enforcement to allow their police school liaisons to do their job.

Dear candidates; stay classy. I mean, get up and take the high road. This negativity hurts everyone. Let’s get Wisconsin out of the mud and make it a great state again.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares