March 2017 Frugal Chatter - All Welcome!!!

[Ciel]

Today DD and I are going to take the ferry into San Francisco to celebrate my Bday.

Lovely place to be with someone-happy birthday!
Mom had a choir trip about 10 years ago to San Fran and loved Fisherman's Wharf and some other sites.

[coupon girl]

hey all -had a stomach bug today was running to the toilet half of the day as I watched Ashlyn (she was soo good thou )-stuck to eating half a banana and applesauce-just had a piece of toast
-my daughter-in-law thinks it was the French onion soup I had yesterday -but I don't think so -anyway feeling a lot better now

[jasperandchar]

@jasperandchar -who will do the heavy lifting (work and cleanup-feeding, changing and replacing water in water dishes, cleaning the crap out of the coop every so often, lugging the feed sack) for your prospective poultry bunch? Does your area (municipality/region) have zoning restrictions on which areas can raise poultry for personal consumption? Do you fancy being awakened at 5:30am during the long daylight hours of summer-and other calling times during day? You may have found a calling. How far does sound carry in your area? Neighbours might be a concern. Also where to deposit those chicken leavings once they are swept up (garden? compost pile? have to truck them out?). In the winter, someone has to break the ice in the water dish for the birds-will the home be warm enough (insulated)? Have straw to line ledges?

Dad went on a chicken tangent in 80s and boy did we (sibling and I) stick to KFC because we made mistake of naming the adult rooster and hens so when their turn for the soup pot or freezer came, we did not want to eat formerly known as ___. Suburban area. If it helps, someone in our area had free roaming turkeys and think a pheasant-at dusk. That person happened to like hunting too, so go figure. Corn feed came in large sacks from the rural COOP feed store, old pots were water dishes (when baby chicks were on the scene, an inverted water fountain attached to red dish was for them). Co-op had to be swept every often. Adult roosters and hens came from livestock auctions-a few birds improved from living in the coop (they looked a little rough from the auction house). An old wooden shed was their home after Dad popped out bottom window of the three pane door and put in ledges on both sides. There was a smaller breed of hens-that were super squawky when they were keeping eggs warm bent on hatching them. Did not do well to try to reach around them.
Then one year Dad got a goose to join the crowd. Goose always tried to wade in a deep old wide pot for the drinking water. It got old fast to have to change water three times in short range one morning and I chased the goose with the bristle broom.

The chickens got to be free ranging (let out of the coop) on warm summer nights. Thing is some of the hens beelined for a neighbours shrubs to scratch around. Try chasing chickens away from there. And then trying to get 30-40 birds to get back in the coop-always a few that go round and round and bashing their heads against fence before finally going back into coop.

You are not doing this for relaxation. There is work and money involved. The chicks one summer became 33 birds for the freezer. Plucking is not fun. Who is going to have the joy of axing all those chickens?

you made me chuckle....

We own 67 acres so we are allowed and zoning is all good (hobby farm).

My only deterrent is chickens get bugs (mites, lice, etc) which freaks me out.

We would be getting meat birds so no winterizing. There is a slaughter house that charges a flat fee per bird, fully processed (from live to ready for the freezer) and stamped so the meat can be sold if we wish.

Meat birds are not kept for very long 18 weeks or so it would depend on when we would get them. I would like a few turkeys for the freezer as well.

BUT we'll see we already have so many projects planned for this summer at home & cottage

[Frugalbigmama]

you made me chuckle....

We own 67 acres so we are allowed and zoning is all good (hobby farm).

My only deterrent is chickens get bugs (mites, lice, etc) which freaks me out.

We would be getting meat birds so no winterizing. There is a slaughter house that charges a flat fee per bird, fully processed (from live to ready for the freezer) and stamped so the meat can be sold if we wish.

Meat birds are not kept for very long 18 weeks or so it would depend on when we would get them. I would like a few turkeys for the freezer as well.

BUT we'll see we already have so many projects planned for this summer at home & cottage

Friends do this- meat birds. 200 usually and take them live for processing and ready for freezer. He says he pays about $4 per bird for processing I think he said.

[GoodBoy]

Very well! In the end all veg and meat was cooked fine. Quite tasty. Spices a tad harsh and missing some depth of flavour but that may be the recipe. Have some slow cooker cook books which will try next. I was surprised that it all cooked but in the end it was cooked just fine.

Will know hydro use in a couple of days when Sunday shows up on the portal. It will be mixed with laundry and baking brownies

Wanted to add that it appears that it was very hydro efficient. Better than I expected.

[Newfiescreech]

Regarding Cuba-I understood tourists get a specific Cuban currency while there was a different one for the locals. Also that if guests gave employees "gifts" it had to be done outside of the resort property-something about employees having their bags/stuff checked when they sign out of work for the day so as to confirm they did not take anything. This was information I have seen posted online. Would notes with items help make the takeaways explanatory to hotel managers? @Newfiescreech, what was the pricing like for medical insurance on your Dec trip? That is now mandatory for visitors to Cuba.

Hi Ciel.. to answer your question about medical insurance on our trip in December.. we didn't have to purchase medical insurance ...we have medical insurance with company we work with and only thing we had do was inform company we were going on vacation out country and then they put medical insurance on us while we were away in Cuba.. resort we stayed at cayco coco ..we give people gifts at resort .. we left gifts for ladies that clean our room and gifts for bartenders etc .. they were so happy get whatever you gave them..we change our money from Canadian to Cuban currency and it was fine shop anywhere with their money .. we didn't have any problems.. second time I been to Cuba.. only thing I found prices is gone up a lot to last time I was there .. getting very expensive in Cuba

[lizzie bargain]

Thanks everyone for the birthday greetings. We strolled all along the water-tonight my legs are tired and my face a little sunburned but I am not complaining. Brought back a fresh loaf of SF sourdough bread-yum.

[sweet sparrow]

I envy the Peel Region residents who can get cartlid pickup of their expired or depleted batteries-nice service if you cannot dispose of them at a local municipal centre or store!

I am in awe that Toronto residents can put their used diapers in the green bin. That blows my mind. My garbage would be so tiny if I could put diapers in the green bin. I use cloth but DH does not and both kids wear a disposable overnight.

[Frugalbigmama]

Happy hump day! DS is in another hockey tournament today so I will be popping in and out of the office all day long again.
Have something that has to get done today so it will be a busy day for me.

Dinner tonight- No plan. There are leftovers so will see who wants what.

[Angela273]

Our road trip to Regina starts in 1hr. Our twins are still sick, but the rest of us are basically healthy. I'm not placing any bets as to when we will arrive home later today. I have a list and packed most items yesterday, medication, snack food, diaper bag. I'm hoping that hospital parking isn't too bad, otherwise we will have to park on a side street and walk, my wheelchair sign is only so useful. The double stroller will be utilized and I found floor plans for the hospital online, which will be useful. Dh already knows that he will wait at the front doors after everything is done and I'll bring the van, that way he won't have to walk very far.

[jasperandchar]

Afternoon everyone,

It was a very productive morning.

I washed the walls in the staircase and the stairs of course. Washed the hallway hallway walls & floor. The entryway walls & floor.

Tomorrow is the bathroom and my bedroom.

Supper plans have changed, it will be chicken burgers and home fries and I'll bake some cookies.

My sheets are washed and the bed has already been re-made, I'm going to sleep like a princess tonight.

Wishing everyone a great afternoon & evening.

[Frugalbigmama]

Afternoon everyone,

It was a very productive morning.

I washed the walls in the staircase and the stairs of course. Washed the hallway hallway walls & floor. The entryway walls & floor.

Tomorrow is the bathroom and my bedroom.

Supper plans have changed, it will be chicken burgers and home fries and I'll bake some cookies.

My sheets are washed and the bed has already been re-made, I'm going to sleep like a princess tonight.

Wishing everyone a great afternoon & evening.

Fresh sheets are wonderful! DS was on his laptop in my bed last night and asked me if I got new bedding. lol He notices things like this lol He will make a good husband one day

[Natalka]

@Angela273 - hoping all goes well for your husband's operation, keeping him in my prayers.

[Angela273]

@Angela273 - hoping all goes well for your husband's operation, keeping him in my prayers.

His surgery is over and we are in the van, pulled over to nurse a baby. Medical staff frustrates me and makes me worry unnecessarily. The surgeon was over 1/2hr behind schedule and they chose not to tell me when the kids and I were waiting. Dh was back there for nearly 1hr before his surgery started and he wasn't supposed to have his phone on...otherwise he could have texted me. The surgery went good, but the freezing is already worn off and Dh is in pain. They sent Dh home with prescriptions, but no medication. Our pharmacy is in Estevan, where our medical coverage is set up. I've got to get driving. I'll update again later.

edit: 2:30pm We are stopped for a break. Dh is in considerably more pain than we were told to expect. The bumpy highways aren't helping things. Dh and I are both in a bad mood. Baby boy was crying because he wanted out of his car seat.

efit: 4:00pm There are a few people ahead of Dh to get his prescription filled. She said to give them 15-20min. Dh and kids are waiting in the van. Dh told me to relax and go shopping, they've got it under control. I'm running down to Dollarama at the other end of the mall.

[Angela273]

It took 1/2hr to get dh's prescriptions filled. They cost less than $2 after coverages. I found a folded $5 bill in the parking lot when I finally left the store. I find the odd coins, it has been years since I found a bill.