May 2017 Frugal Chatter thread

[Natalka]

Good morning!

Hope all your Moms were spoiled on Mother's Day - I had a wonderful day!

[coupon girl]

we took our kids and grandkids out to montanas I saved 9.89 from caa card -it was nice being together as a family ,so it was a nice evening
-my son bought me a nice planter ,my daughter said she would treat me next week to a nice lunch out (we may go to out of town for the day just her and I )next week I have a week off from watching Ashlyn as son and wife are on holidays -sebastian,s dad will watch him
-just hung a load out

[Frugalbigmama]

Went home at lunch. My honey bought me a Greek salad from RCSS reduced and put it in the fridge for my lunch .

Sunny and blue sky. Wish I had put laundry on last night to put out to dry today lol.

Put the few dishes in the dishwasher that were in the sink on my lunch break. I have porkchops in the fridge thawing. They will be put in the crockpot in the morning. Tonight- It's just me and the teen. Not sure my dinner plan yet- Simple for sure.

[Ciel]

Mom was happy that I called her this morning, returning her call from yesterday. Weather is warm where she is-4 more weeks of vacation to go. She has taken some photos and I reminded her to keep doing so because in the summer, she'll appreciate having souvenirs of her trip.
I was happy that Saturday morning was warm (laundry day-outdoor drying, joy!) and that Mother Nature watered the flowers at 7pm (20min of rain) too! Bought $1.99 pop and sparkling water at Shoppers (weekend deals) so the beverage should last up to Victoria Day, depending on how hot midweek is (need popsicles too). Noticed that hot temperatures (28C) are on their way! Made a batch of banana oatmeal cookies too-yum-in the toaster oven as the large oven will not ignite after 45sec of choosing a temp. I think there is a blockage or 17yr of use means a part or repair is needed. No one is moving on the matter so I will MacGyver my baking needs to fit the smaller pans for the toaster oven. F
or some reason, I'd like either a pop basted roast chicken or beer basted one this week. Have to see what poultry prices are like at Fortinos and Food Basics--as there is the bbq stand for the can/bird available for use.

There was an ignored napa cabbage head and I trimmed some outer ribs/leaves but managed to get one large Ziploc container and a smaller one full of chopped cabbage for snacking or maybe a quick salad this week. Have one small container left of the baby spinach and spring lettuce mix-probably will use it for dinner tonight as the product is starting to turn.

Longos has the Luvo turkey kale lasagna frozen entrée on sale for $2.44 at my local store. Tasty, a bit spicy hot (not sure if its cumin or other seasoning) but do ensure you heat it the entire amount of time. I took my dish out before 30 of 37min elapsed and part of lasagna noodle and kale filling were icy cold still from the toaster oven (yes I removed the bag and placed the entrée into a toaster oven pan).

I had purchased Del Monte tetra juice cartons of mango (delicious) and lychee (tastes like liquid icing sugar from Turkish delight) fruit juices on Friday because I had a coupon that expires this month. I will mix the lychee juice with sparkling water so as not to pour that beverage down the drain. Had not expected the intense sweetness.

The Portuguese singer won the Eurovision singing contest on Saturday. Should be good for the country if viewers consider travelling to Portugal soon or in 2019. Too bad Canada was geo-blocked on Youtube and on the contest site from see the final show live.

[jasperandchar]

Hi all,

Sorry I've been MIAing, my laptop charger bit the biscuit and I need to find a universal charger which will actually work sigh.

In the meantime I have been using dh's laptop when available.

My chicks are getting so big they are now 8 weeks old and the other is 3 months old.

The hens are starting to lay more frequently I guess they are adjusting to their new home & environment.

I'll go back and catch up.

Wishing everyone a great evening.

[jasperandchar]

momof5boys sorry to hear about your mother

coupon girl great news about another grand-baby

[jasperandchar]

avrose great loot on the bake sale

[Ciel]

Sobeys no longer has the gift card display by pharmacy/floral dept (the other one is near the last checkout lane by the dog food) so no LD calling card by Telus under Compliments name. Decided to buy $35+ of groceries to rack up some Air Miles (found a few things I like such as seaweed snacks, hemp seeds and VH sauces all on sale).

Bought a LD calling card at Fortinos. Activated the $10 -great. Tried to transfer the 43 cents left on the PC International calling card to the new PC Cda/US calling card; no, it's a different brand (said the message)! Well, I certainly cannot call anyone on a payphone with less than 50cents on the card so I will see if there is a retail store (long distance) I can call from home to ask about product.

Since I needed a little more change before I could buy the phone card, I did another can walk and found 3 containers and 35c in coins (yay) and a McCafe sticker.
@jasperandchar -when I was catching up on the Toronto Star papers, I saw an article on raising chickens in the special organic section and thought of your new chickens! While I cannot seem to find the item online, I did see this one about entering chickens in the fair-a Toronto family entered in the Royal Agricultural Fair (there are different classes for chickens).

[sweet sparrow]

MIL passed away last Wednesday after a long and drawn out struggle with cancer. On the Thursday before, the family was called in and were told she only had a few days based on the scans. Her body was giving out and they did not expect her to make it through the weekend. On Monday, they told everyone she only had a few hours left. Finally, on Wednesday, they stopped giving estimates and that was when she passed. Since then, I've had to spend several days alone with the children, sometimes overnight. It's been exhausting. The laundry, cooking, cleaning, and entertaining both still needs to be done, and if they wake during the night, I'm it. There is no Plan B.

Boy, was LO difficult. This one has gone on until now with every pain kissed, every bump hugged, every word responded to. Now with just me and a baby demanding attention, I feel quite drained in the evenings. Well, most of the day, but the evenings are the only quiet that I had to be able to listen to my body.

Slowly, slowly, I've been weaning LO out of tantrums and dealing with problems herself. I've been explaining that I am sometimes unavailable, and she does not always have to accompany me to the washroom. Unfortunately, with DH gone, I leave the hall lights on all night because I'm too exhausted to respond to her waking at night and the subsequent whining about how she needs company the entire night.

She still gets upset and has fits, but thank goodness the throw-yourself-on-the-floor and hurl-solid-objects-across-the-room phase is over. Daddy's absences are hard to explain sometimes and DH has not wanted to tell her that her grandmother is gone. Sometimes I feel I have a new respect for single moms, but at the same time, I feel they don't have to deal with a super clingy child insistent upon the absent parent. DD1 practically has a breakdown if DH so much as tries to pick up take-out or goes out to weed the front lawn without her in tow.

So, I've been trying to make allowances for her crying for DH and the strange goings-on that she must be noticing. My friend tells me that children sometimes act out if their routine is disrupted, like Daddy suddenly not being there to say goodnight in the evenings, or that the weekends (when Daddy is home) somehow seem as though they're never here. I am so looking forward for a return to some degree of normalcy, but there is no normal in the death of a parent, is there?

[sweet sparrow]

Up for work as my replacement is having an emergency. I am so pooped tonight. Thank goodness for a small break in laundry, but I will have to return to it on Tuesday or Wednesday. Cloth diapers can be a lot of work sometimes, as well as a child bent on visiting the playground daily!

In case anyone is saving their SB for gift cards, I just ordered a $25 GC for Amazon for 1,760 SB, down from the usual sale of 2,000 SB for $25. It lists the 2,000 SB price, but changed to 1,760 SB during checkout. I have no idea why, but I'm not complaining!

http://www.swagbucks.com/p/category/-998/On-Sale

[lizzie bargain]

SS-so sorry on the loss of your husbands mother. Hopefully your older daughters behaviour will settle once her Dad returns.

[SassyAshley]

So sorry for your family's loss Sweet Sparrow

[Natalka]

@sweet sparrow - so very sorry to hear about your MIL; my condolences.

As difficult as it is with your husband having been away, hopefully soon things will be back to how you like them. Men tend to grieve differently than women, so I'm hoping he talks things out with you at this hard time for him, and accept your comforting.

[Frugalbigmama]

So nice to not have the heat on! Just paid my Enbridge bill. Put the full budget amount on it and will continue to do so all summer so should have a nice credit on it once winter starts (yikes don't want to think about it but have to since I know it will be back) Scared what the bills for heating and hydro will be this winter.

We are expecting a thunder storm today. Then a hot day tomorrow is expected. Count down to the long weekend is on! Short day on Friday yippee! Oldest is going away to a weekend concert. We have a hotel room booked Sunday night for a little getaway. (free of course) I have also booked us a fancy dinner at the steak place (free with comps) We plan to bring our bathing suits and work out gear to enjoy the facilities. Love long weekends!

[Angela273]

@ Sweet Sparrow I am sorry to hear of your MIL's passing. It can be particularly difficult to parent alone when your children are used to having their dad around in the evenings and on the weekends.