J has been out of town since Monday, and this is very much what my week has looked like. I’ve been full-time Mama during the waking hours, and worker bee as soon as my little gals are asleep. I even admit to using the idiot box as a babysitter while I answered email from the couch.

This is not a complaint in any way, shape or form, because it was not all that long ago that I was sitting in an office, watching the clock tick away the day until I could go home to my family. However, I am very tired. I’m wholeheartedly looking forward to him coming home tomorrow.

Until then, some things that caught my eye:

– This one made me cheer, and say, “damn the man!” 

– Meal planning charts save me both money AND headaches

– Inspiring WWI posters. I LOVE the first one for my kitchen!

What have you found interesting this week?

I took these photos at the Vienna Historical Society back in August, and never found the chance to share them with you. Vienna is the next village over from us, and if you blink, you’ll truly miss it. We stopped one afternoon to support their flea market, and took a wander through the rooms of the Waite House, checking out all the old stuff there and in the Grange next door.

I didn’t see the typical records and research materials of an historical society, but I was also chasing two toddlers so didn’t have the chance to ask any questions.

 

 

I had a beautiful “sunrise” yoga practice this morning at our local studio. It’s a new class, and I was the only student today. The one-on-one attention and adjustments were wonderful. Partway through our practice, I sat in a gentle twist and watched the teeny tiny snowflakes falling outside the window. It was such a peaceful start to the week that I didn’t even turn the music on for the ride home.

Wishing you a warm and wonderful Monday.

 

Isn’t it interesting how plummeting temperatures and a blanket of white can send you scurrying for your pots and pans? It’s instinctual to search out warm and nourishing food during this season, and I found myself trying some new things in the kitchen this past week.

I like casseroles. I know they have a bad reputation for being gloppy and full of condensed soup, and some of them are, but I have a soft spot for these one-pan meals. You can alter them based on what you have in the fridge, add vegetables to lighten them up, and get all of your food groups in with only one pan to wash. My family doesn’t share my affinity, unfortunately. J will eat them and Beans usually will too, but neither will request a casserole. Swee is in a phase where she doesn’t like her food mixed together, but we can sometimes get her to pick the good bits out and eat them. This doesn’t stop me from cooking one from time to time, and when I saw the recipe for Sausage, Kale and Potato Casserole in my Taproot, I knew this would be one I’d try (if you click on the website image at that link, you can read the whole recipe).

I thought it was wonderful. The flavors melded perfectly, each one taking their place without being overpowered by another. We used sweet Italian sausage, and it added a nice zing. I might use less salt on each of the potato layers as I think the cheeses added enough, but it was still delicious. So much so that I got seconds and overate a little.

True to form, J didn’t love it but ate it anyway. Beans wasn’t a fan, and neither was Swee, but both ate the sausage once I gave them dippy (ketchup). It gets frustrating to cook for toddlers. I would like to eat a more varied diet than just Annie’s mac and cheese, but it can be hard not to take it personally when they refuse a perfectly good meal multiple nights in a row. I’m sure I’m not alone here.

Earlier in the week, we had a rough day of adulting and decided to spring for frozen pizza and a six-pack for dinner. Because my children won’t eat pizza (I know! Crazy, right?) they helped me clean out the leftovers in the fridge. I realized during this clean-out that half of my freezer was taken up by bread bags, each with one or two heels in them. I know I’ve mentioned my distaste for food waste before. I don’t mind the heels as toast, and sometimes I’ll turn them inside out and hide them in Swee’s sandwich. Overall though, they’re not a favorite around here. We are privileged enough to choose not to eat the heels of our bread, but I draw the line at tossing them in the trash. As we finish a loaf, I’ve been wrapping the bag around the ends and popping it into the freezer to make into breadcrumbs.

Since we already had the oven cranked up for pizza, I laid the slices out on a cookie sheet and slid them into the heat to thaw and dry while we ate. I turned the oven off so they wouldn’t burn and just used that normally wasted heat as the oven cooled. After dinner, the bread was nicely toasted and stale.

Once the girls were in bed, I tore each slice into chunks and tossed them into the blender with dried parsley, dried thyme, and some garlic powder. If I had any, I’d have included some basil and oregano too. This would probably have been easier with a food processor, but “make it do,” right? Twelve slices of bread filled this quart-sized Mason jar, which I then tucked into the freezer. No preservatives, colors or additives, and they taste good. I made chicken parm a couple days later, and it was wonderful. Now, to just make my own spaghetti sauce…

 

 

 

 

 

 

vintage picnic baskets holding fabric and thrifted flowerpot

I hadn’t planned to share any of my goals publicly, and in fact, had said that I was very certainly not going to share them. And yet, in reviewing last years’ ambitions, I realized that perhaps one was really quite appropriate to include here as it’s been an important step in our efforts to simplify. A year ago, I made a conscious decision to source more of our purchases and acquisitions secondhand.

Now, an important distinction here is the difference between my goal, and the typical act of shopping. I have always enjoyed poking around flea markets, thrift shops and antique stores in pursuit of a good deal or something interesting, but most of those endeavors have been purely recreational, with the added bonus of scoring something useful from time to time. It would be easy to simply shift the practice of retail therapy from new to used. However, there’s more than one end result to be gained here, and the mindless acquisition of more stuff is not one of them. The first step in this goal was to eliminate shopping as a form of entertainment.

It’s perhaps a little easier to move away from buying something just because it’s a good deal when you don’t have much money, which was certainly the case when our family was living in separate states and just scraping by. Even in meager times though, you really have to condition yourself to remember that if the purchase isn’t a necessity, then you’re not really saving any money by buying it, no matter how low the price is. In fact, the only way you’re saving money is by not buying it, whether it’s secondhand or brand new. This line of thinking is completely opposite of what the stores and media try to tell you, as evidenced by that obnoxious line at the bottom of your receipt touting how much you “saved.”My family has never been wealthy, so this step was maybe not quite so difficult for us as it might be for some, but there is still a definite shift required.

secondhand console, rug, trunk as table, and even the popcorn bowl

To be a secondhand shopper, one has to be both patient and prepared. If something in my kitchen breaks, I can walk into Target and buy a replacement with minimal effort. I will probably find a suitable product in multiple colors and made by more than one brand at a variety of price points. However, with my commitment to shopping used, I have to just keep my eyes open, and it might be several months before I find what I want at a price I’m willing to pay. And when I do, I have to be prepared to buy it right then and there, because it might not be there when I come back. This requires keeping some cash on hand just for these types of situations, which is yet another change to how we typically operate. It’s very rare that either of us have cash, and I don’t think we’re odd in that respect among people our age. I’ve started a wish list that I keep in my wallet, folded around a small wad of bills, so that I’m able to be both patient and prepared.

pre-loved cardigan for Beans

I know you can’t always anticipate when an appliance is going to break, or when you’re going to need new tires, or when your child is going to blow out their sneakers or outgrow their snowsuit. And I won’t pretend that we’re perfect in our new shopping habits. When I busted the crock for my slowcooker this summer, I went without for several months before we purchased a brand new appliance. I can rationalize it all I like – the old one was ten years old and missing a handle; the new one is far larger and was less expensive than we’ve seen previously; I hadn’t seen a good used one anywhere, and we use it all the time. The reality is that no one is perfect, and we will just keep trying. Doing what you can is better than doing nothing.

It seems to be easier to shop used for my kids than for any other items. I think that because they grow so fast, even people who wouldn’t normally buy secondhand are more willing to do so for their children, and you can usually find really good quality at lower prices. It’s rare that I buy something brand new for my girls, and it’s usually shoes when I do.

I do have some criteria for what I will and will not buy used. Underwear and socks and bathing suits are a no, as are upholstered furniture (unless from a friend) and mattresses. Anything that can’t be tossed in the washing machine or dishwasher, or easily scrubbed gets nixed. Pretty much anything else is fair game.

Some of my most favorite and useful possessions belonged to someone else before they became mine. I have a beautiful cast iron skillet that once belonged to J’s grandmother. When she downsized and moved to a smaller home, we took a walk through the old farmhouse and chose some items to save; the skillet was a definite yes. She didn’t need it, and I think she’s glad to see it have a new life with us, helping me feed my family. We are always open to accepting useful items when they’re offered to us for a second life, and have benefitted from numerous gifts of treasure, including handmedowns for the girls.

 

Where? Where do I look to find the things we need? 

Yard sales: These are touch and go, and usually I only find things that would be nice to have, like knicknacks. Yard sales seem to be filled with things no one really wants, but they’re selling as a last ditch effort before donating them. Most recently, I’ve gotten several sets of candleholders for a dollar each, a pair of brass taper holders and a pair of mercury glass votives.

Goodwill: I often think that Goodwill’s prices are inconsistent, but if you have a few minutes to poke through the racks, it can be worth it. We’ve found an LLBean barn jacket for $12, Sigg and Camelback water bottles for $1 each, a handmade cardigan and the above mentioned OshKosh pants. We need curtains in our rental, so I’ll be heading back soon to look through their linens.

Small thrift stores: In Baltimore, most of the secondhand shops focused on high-end brands, and were still way out of my price range. However, if you can find a good shop, the bargains can be excellent. The girls’ snowboots, hats and mittens this year were purchased at a privately owned shop nearby, and all for under $20.

Craigslist: This used to be my go-to, though it doesn’t seem to be as useful in our new area. If you’re careful, you can find some great items. Craigslist is usually better for furniture and large purchases. Our living room rug was a Craigslist find.

Facebook: Almost every area has at least one yard sale group now, and many have groups dedicated to kids. The thing to remember is to meet in a very public place. I’ve bought and sold quite a few things through these groups. Swee’s winter coat this year was acquired through Facebook: new with tags, original price of $60, and I paid $15. Our new TV console was also a Facebook find. We chose not to move our hunk of junk from Baltimore, and decided to find something else when we got here. For $30, I got this upcycled Zenith console, and only had to change out the fabric in the speaker openings.

Freecycle: If you haven’t heard of this one, check it out. While not available in all areas, the concept is pretty cool. Eco-minded individuals post items for free in order to keep them out of the landfill. This is especially great when you’re looking for construction materials. You can find posts for a pile of bricks, or a stack of odd-sized boards, or half a can of paint. My best finds were a bike rack for the car, and a working breadmaker.

Ebay: Don’t underestimate this old standby. I like to check Ebay for gifts because you can often find unused items for sale.

Why? Why make this a goal, and why lay out such strategy to achieve it?

One reason is certainly financial. Why would I spend $30 on a pair of OshKosh pants for Swee, brand new, when I can get them gently used for a dollar, simply by planning ahead and popping into Goodwill while I’m out and about? If you keep your eyes open, you can find most anything you need at a lower price.

Another reason is ethical. The next time you walk into the thrift store, just stop for a second and look around. Look at the aisles and rows of stuff that people just gave away. Everything in that store is there because someone decided they didn’t want it. That means they have a house full of stuff they do want, and there are stores and houses like that in every town, all across the country. That’s a lot of stuff, most of it still perfectly good. Why would I want to use up more of our resources to buy new stuff when all this good stuff is being discarded?

Anyway, that’s enough talk about stuff for one post.

Do you shop secondhand? Why or why not?

 

 

 

 

A very happy new year to you all! We are doing our very best here to ease back into a routine, a process made so much easier by the fact that I don’t actually have to leave the house for work. We made a slow start this morning, donning sweaters and fuzzy socks to enjoy our waffles and local maple syrup. It’s bright and sunny here, though the temperature is barely in the double digits with a wind chill below zero.

We have had such a calm stretch of days here, following the rhythm of our minds and bodies for our sleep, food and play. I think we all feel nicely recharged and ready to welcome a fresh start.

Our first snow is still on the ground, and we are anticipating a new layer at the end of this week. My reading list is growing (do you use Goodreads? I love being able keep track of my books and get suggestions from friends. Join me!) as is my list of projects. I’m looking forward to sharing them both with you!

Wishing you all a cozy sweater, a warm cup of tea, and an easy start to whatever you’re returning to this morning.