Home Run

 This has got to be the very last word (or words) on the old year...

Just a few more bites to finish it off and I can look towards the next ideas!

So...

Month 12 - Bite 23

The spinning group I go to usually has a Christmas Lunch out. Obviously we couldn't during the restrictions and then when they ended last year we were unsure about crowded restaurants, especially as a number of members are older and more susceptible to bugs, germs and illnesses. We decided to eat in and each bring something alone.

It was such a success that we did the same again this year - here's some of the spread after we'd already started to tuck in!!

Not only did it leave those who act as carers the flexibility to turn up when they could and provision being made for those with specific dietary requirements, but it also allowed us to move around chatting - not necessarily our experience when sat at a long table.

I have a feeling we'll be doing the same again next time round!!

Month 12 - Bite 24

I've just finished wrapping 90 presents! It's not what it seems... The presents were all collected cheaply or free over the year (perfume sample anyone?) or handmade. The wrapping paper was that collected from unwrapping last year. It provided great fun and entertainment during our family get-together without too much cost or waster!

Month 12 - Bite 25

Time for a bit of reflection on the festivities. This year we've all cut back - some of that is to do with the present financial squeeze that everyone is going through, but much of it is because so many of the family were bug stricken so we were a bit more cautious in food buying and so on. Do you know what? We hardly noticed! So a rethink for next year while we still remember what went well and what could be ditched is due.

We've collectively made a note of what got eaten or leftover and what needs to be budgeted in for next year. As a family we'd already decided to cut down on sweets and treats as we always seem to be 'finishing up' well into January and invariably waste some of the leftovers. There was still plenty left so next Christmas we'll cut back a bit more and probably won't notice it even more!!

Month 12 - Bite 26

Planning for next year now while there's a lull in the frantic nature of everyday life. I love a blankpage, a new notebook or a pristine diary so mine's all ready...

First in go all those dates and reminder, appointments and birthdays. I usually pick up a free calendar from some supermarket or another, this year none were around at the same time as I was looking so I've just printed off the twelve months as individual pages using the calendar app on the phone.

Looks like it could be another busy year!

Month 12 - Bite 27

I'm ready to venture out again. Not too much to restock, just one or two essentials and a quick look at the post-Christmas stock clearance. 

I know I've made a number of cards for next year already, but there were some ridiculous reductions (24 cards for 10p anyone?) on these and on wrapping paper too. I have however resisted the urge to splurge on too many mini gifts so that I don't have a storage and cluttering problem before we put our heads together about what next years get-together game will be - lucky dip, tombola, tree presents - decision yest to be made!

Month 12 - Bite 28

Revisiting the budget I set at the beginning of the year is today's task. I've randomly noted spending for some weeks and I've got all the bills for the year. I'm going to settle down with a nice cup of tea, a pencil and paper and some soothing music to see where I kept to my intentions and where things may have gone awry before I go any further.

Month 12 - Bite 29

With all those facts and figures and the dates in the diary for birthdays, occasions and renewals known so far it's time to plan for finances for 2023.

I know there'll be some changes to the family pot - positive ones as I'm due my pension - I never thought of myself as being a pensioner one day!! We're also planning for a holiday or two and there's new pressures round the corner, but overall looking at the finances this year looks like fun.

Month 12 - Bite 30

And finally - never thought I'd type that and mean it!

The last act of this month is to take some time to think and plan generally. The past year has given me plenty of food for thought and some surprises too. The house is clearer and I can see a path for the home budget. More writing looks possible and I'm going to take some time to form a plan for my next projects...

In all a happy new year looks set ahead....

Finishing Up and Clearing the Decks

 All the sorting out and decluttering around the house seems a long time ago and it seems like the right time to revisit one or two areas. This will help sort out exactly what I've got at the moment and clear some space for what's to come (errr Christmas!)

So, here's a selection of bites to sort out what's about, what's needed and what to put on a Christmas list!

Month 10 - Bite 14

I'd got very efficient on the bathroom front, finishing odds and ends, not buying extras and more than one spare for when things run out and then it all sort of slipped.

First task on the list is to collect up all the 'nearly finished' and ends of things and put them somewhere obvious to use up. There's some samples I sent for but didn't use on holiday and a few squirts of perfume to be finished. I'll make a note of some of the items too as my sister's doing me a hamper for Christmas and some of them - hand cream, face wash, moisturiser - will be going on that wish list to replenish my stocks then.

Month 10 - Bite 15

Now onto the kitchen....

The fridge is groaning with stuff that really needs using up. While we've been decorating and generally working on the house my neat and tidy shopping and cooking timetable-ish planning has fallen apart a bit so order needs restoring.

This is just the first batch of stuff I've rescued from the fridge. Pasta for dinner I think and then time for a series of 'make what you like as long as you eat it' lunches. The principle is simple. Once all the available ingredients are put on the table, everyone can choose whatever they like to put in a sandwich, however strange, off the wall or downright disgusting it might seem to anyone else. The only rule is that it has to be eaten before any other combinations can be tried. This is about not wasting rather than seeing how novel or revolting a sandwich filling you can make.

It does help to finish off the last scrapes of jars that seem to congregate at the back of the fridge and also makes me think of how I can use up what's there (particularly the fresh stuff) before going out and raiding the supermarket.

Month 10 - Bite 16

Freezer next..

I did freeze some produce when we were tidying up the garden, and there's also the last few bags of food I had to cook and store after the meltdown incident. There are, however, some other containers lurking that need liberating.

I'm sure there's at least the makings of a pasta bake and a bolognaise sauce so it's time to go through it all, defrost something for dinner and then list what's left...

By the time I've finished I should be ready to start the thinking process of what needs preparing for the festive season with nice, clean, empty storage for it all!

Clean and Tidy

Now onto a few tasks I find boring, but quite pleased when they are done! It's a bit more maintenance and tidying which doesn't sound like it's greatly financially rewarding. However, with these jobs off the list it means that a whole host of bits and pieces are put to bed for the winter in a way that means they won't need replacing next year - and that can only be a real life saving!

Month 10 - Bite 8

Driving home yesterday and noticing that one of the running light bulbs is out reminded me that a proper winter check is due. Not the drive-it-into-a-main-agent just to hear a whole load of expensive 'you-ought-tos'. A simple checking over at home so... I need to test all the lights (including the fog lights that I so rarely use) and pop out to replace any that are needed. A search for the ice cover, scraper, screen wash and so on are on the list so they are ready and waiting when the time comes. Then an oil check and washer bottle top up and I should be good to go.

Month 10 - Bite 9

 

The garage is today's port of call. 

Since we've now finished the decorating all those tools and materials can be safely cleaned up and stashed away. I know there's a growing pile of paint cans, but I've got a plan for those in next month's round up so it's just a matter of storing them away along with a collection of sheets, towels and tennis balls. Sounds an odd selection but bear with me on this one.

The garden chairs, ladders, outside table and lawn mower can be cleaned and put in their hibernation locations - although I know the mower will be called into action again before the final winter slowdown in growth.

Month 10 - Bite 10

Now onto the shed while I'm in an outside tidying mood!

There's still a number of gardening tasks to be done, but I'm getting started on checking and cleaning the tools and equipment, sorting out the bamboo canes, that kind of thing. As I mentioned earlier, keeping what we already have in good condition is always going to be cheaper than having to go out and buy new because it's rusted or blocked or whatever. I'm not talking about replacing worn out stuff, just making sure that what we've got lasts as long as possible in good condition.

By hanging much of our stuff on hooks it doesn't rest on the floor and has good airflow around each item to keep off the mould, damp and wet - it is a shed after all.

The secateurs, shears, etc. need attention today for sharpening and then we know they'll be ready for action in the spring.

Month 10 - Bite 11

Finally, in this section, it's the cuttings. The plants we saved last year meant that we didn't have to spend out to fill all our pots. They are far too large to save this year by bringing them inside - the shed isn't that big! So, as I've mentioned previously, cuttings have been struck and planted. 

They are thriving well and growing strongly at the moment. Of course, they'll need protection as the weather gets colder and darker, so today's mission is to track down and organise the insulating materials used before. This comprises of wood or small crates to layer bubble wrap on to cover the cuttings without touching the leaves - and the bubble wrap itself of course. With that to hand the plants have a fighting chance of gracing the garden next year.

Recycling and Reusing

 

Month 9 - Bite 24

Having shortened the curtains to save buying new ones there was some fabric left.

Today was about using the offcuts to make some storage without it costing anything.

Thanks to the internet there are plenty of videos showing how to create items and so the ends of the curtains are now a fabric box and a bag to use in the bedroom to keep a certain someone's toys together!

Month 9 - Bite 25

One of nature's big pluses is that it regularly provides the opportunity for reusing and recycline, thus saving even more cash.

The next task on my list is to tidy up the garden as many of the plants are reaching the end of their season. By gathering the debris into a heap it can easily turn into compost over the winter. The ever growing pile of leaves that have been falling on the lawn and under the shrubs is being collected in a corner ready for its transformation into leaf mould - a great mulch for next year.

So, with very little effort the garden is crating its own produce from its cast-offs! 

Month 9 - Bite 26

Although the mint here will happily grow on throughout the winter there are other herbs that need a bit more care if we are to continue to make the most of their free bounty.

These - the basil especially - are about to be transferred in smaller pots onto a light windowsill where they can continue to grow on and provide ingredients at a fraction of the cost of buying them in the shops. The basil is a particular favourite as it helps to create very cheap pesto extremely quickly...

Month 9 - Bite 27

Some of the plastics haven't made it as far as the recycling bin.

The containers with holes are for planting seeds to grow on in the kitchen (think rocket or small sprouting greens). Those without holes are for trays to capture the water underneath the planted ones. Then some are put to use to cover the seeds and seedlings as min propagator/greenhouses.

Much better using these free materials rather than buying seed and drip trays - and when they're finished with they can be cleaned up and put in the weekly recycling collection too.

Harvesting the Garden

 Now's a good time to turn my attention to the garden to organise things ready for next year! Plenty of money can be saved if you tidy and check the shed/greenhouse/tool store now to preserve the cash for next year. So with thinking ahead in mind here goes...

Month 9 - Bite 8

A big shed sort out is on the cards. I need to double check that all the tools are clean and hung up or stored where they can be accessed quickly and safely. The left-over compost, etc. needs stacking and the bags securing so that the contents don't spill everywhere and ger wasted (some nice large stones to sit on them usually works well). Then I must double check the dates on any seed packets that haven't been entirely used up.

I'll record the seeds I've got in the back of my diary, I can then add this list to next year's diary so I know and don't go buying more next spring!

Month 9 - Bite 9

We've got a few flowering plants around the garden that are setting seed so I'm off out with some brown, paper envelopes to gather what I can - antirrhinums, poppies, that sort of thing. The envelopes need labelling and careful storage for next year - oh yes, and adding to my list for the diary.

Our neighbours do the same and we can have a seed swap in the spring to make the most of the free seeds we've gathered.

Month 9 - Bite 10

The other way of getting free plants is by taking cuttings. Our main 'crop' is geraniums. It's actually the one big memory that lots of people have of my dad! He used to dig up and bring in the geraniums over the winter. They lived on the tallboy on the landing and oh, how we used to avoid brushing past them so that they didn't release their pungent smell into the air!!

Anyway, we luckily have a shed so that's where they are going. Last year we saved the actual plants, but they have grown into giants so cutting it will have to be. Totting up what we've saved by keeping the plants going was eye-watering when we looked at the local garden centre prices earlier in the year. I know the cuttings might not get to quite the same size, but the savings will be just as good.

 

I've also just read in the last week that basil can be propagated from cuttings, so no prizes for guessing the next job...

Month 9 - Bite 11

Last year we visited a local farm for their pumpkin festival. While walking through the crops there were plenty of pumpkins and squashes that had split open so I was able to gather some seeds from them as I was curious as to how they might 'take'. 

This year, with very little care just lots of water this happened...

Will I be repeating the process this year? Definitely!

One of my neighbours has tried using the pips from a tomato that she bought and enjoyed so I think that needs trying too..