Posts

A Few Modified Basic Recipes

Image
      I spent part of Wednesday and Thursday adding some meals and snacks to bring to my brothers and to eat here as well. I'm not a great cook or baker, but adequate. I am able to adapt recipes to work with what I have, or prefer, so never am a stickler for following a recipe. I've linked the ones I found so as not to take credit as my own.  Modified Nestle Toll House Cookies Substitute 1 stick butter with 1/2 c crunchy peanut butter reduce flour to 1 1/4 cup, add 1 Cup Quick cook oats Reduce Choclate chips on half (so the PB flavor comes through-still plenty of chocolate) Trust me...these are rich and oaty and so much more satisfying than the regular cookie. They are a bit more affordable as I use 1/2 the chocolate chips. These also easily can be made vegan by using coconut oil or vegan butter instead of the real butter, use a vegan chocolate chip like trader Joe has, and use flax seed eggs. In fact, I make them vegan over half the time. As I didn't have vegan chip...
16 comments
Read more

Friday Fiscal Wellness Check, April 25, 2025

Image
            I've just been adding as the week goes on to this post. I'm back and forth between home, my brother's, helping with pets and trying to manage life. I hope to catch up blog reading and comments today as I'm the all day carer support, and when he sleeps, which is a lot, I can be online.      How is it already nearing the end of April? My fiscal month ends on the 26th and I'm determined to not spend anything the rest of April, other than sending the check for health and dental insurance. Here's my recap of Friday, April 18-Thursday, April 24. Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs See below, as it was not a budget week in the food department but I at least batch cooked when possible to split food for home or with others. Entertainment was streaming movies with popcorn and pizza rolls with my kids, playing a couple board games, reading, playing with the pets, and going on walk. Brunch is a shared effort so more affordable family get ...
17 comments
Read more

Wednesday Wellness Check

Image
      Photo by kaboompics.com at pexel       This might not be a weekly thing but I was motivated by The Hawaii Plan to use blog world as health and fitness accountability tool. Let's start with a few goals at least to June 1, roughly 6 weeks. That's the meteorological start of summer and then I can set some new goals. It also is timed with my first post-retirement travel trip with my sisters. I have a wedding the Friday before as well and would like to look nice in a friend group picture with the mother of the groom. We plan to put on the miles, foot wise, exploring the sites. Plus, I plan to indulge in good Memphis cooking so best to tone up a bit beforehand.  Lose five pounds. I've put weight back on since my peak of weight loss before Thanksgiving. Now I could lie to myself and say part of that is muscle weight, but the reality is I have not been taking the best care with my eating. Being intentional again about movement and what I eat has to ...
21 comments
Read more

Chaos of the Back Yard

Image
           It may not look much better in a month or two, but thought I'd share what I'm starting with in my back yard. I had to do in a few short videos, but I think you'll get the idea of the chaos I'm working with. This is just the fenced in back. I've got two sides and the front to work on as well. Baby steps, right?       Life's been challenging and I can't commit to any timeline or project completion date. I'll incorporate yard work as I can, a bit each day weather permitting, taking any help offered. I've rambled on so much, I thought visually seeing the starting place might put a picture to the mountain of work I'm taking on.  Edit: I filmed this on Friday. Over the weekend, we got two hours of rain and the bit of green that has burst through already makes me feel more positive about this. It's still going to be a beast, but any little progress will be satisfactory.  *  I've been making a few posts ahead of time. I...
11 comments
Read more

A Challenging Start to the Week

       My brother made the decision he's done fighting. There's nothing more the doctors can do. He'll have hospice care in his own home as he wants, but my SIL needs 24/7 support as  nursing hours provided are minimal. There's three of us under 65 siblings retired, though we each have part time commitments. (I had just accepted two Tuesdays subbing jobs in the coming two weeks), but we'll coordinate as needed. My SIL is the youngest of her siblings at 76, so other than being there for company which is a blessing, likely not a lot of help.       My other brother has to return to Florida for his own medical care appointments, impossible to reschedule and we wouldn't want him to. He'll come back when those are done. My other three sisters are not physically able to help much either, but will do meals and errands and be there. My nephew has five children, two with significant physical disabilities, so he's not able to help his parents much. His ...
24 comments
Read more

The Week Ahead Sunday, April 20, 2025

Image
           Happy Easter to all who celebrate. I'm doing a quick post as I'm aiming for 8:00 church then coming home to get my egg bake, hash brown patties, and fruit ready to bring to my sister's for 11:00 brunch. The cats are using me as a launch pad while I type. Later all four of us will have a sort of non-traditional dinner of picky bits and cocktails. They'll bring a plant to their grandma too for Easter, after dinner time and she's home.       I'll share more, but we'll also have a family meeting to plan additional care support for my brother. That will dictate much of my week. I didn't accept any sub jobs until next week, and then just one.       Minimally staying up on housework is my goal. Things have slipped in my embracing of no schedule, no "have to's". To keep my week intentional light, he's a short list of what could be happening. Get raised garden beds assembled. Rake and clear pumpkin area  Get sm...
28 comments
Read more

Friday Fiscal Wellness Check April 18, 2025

Image
           Today is the last paycheck day and last deduction for health insurance and flex medical spending (not HSA). I received the first invoice for the continued insurance in retirement. It's actually $96 more than I had planned, so over the course of the 21 months my daughter will stay on mine, that's $2,016 more than I budgeted. The electric company sent out a    notice that there's a 10% increase over base rate beginning in June, and the city water increase of 20% goes up starting July 1. More reminders that I need every dollar to have a purpose. It's ok if the purpose is fun or giving to others, or even a planned want. I just need to be intentional. Grabbing a coffee through a drive through because I didn't plan to make at home, buying a good "deal" even though it's not a necessity or even a big joy, or any shopping as entertainment is done. Here's my recap of Friday, April 10-Thursday, April 17. Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs Mea...
29 comments
Read more