An update from the Frugal Workshop

Here is a photo of Wednesday night's dinner. I had half a pound of ground beef that I browned in a skillet with some onions and afterwards added a can of beefy mushroom soup. I also made some green beans with onions and evoo. I also used up one of the bags of Ore Ida County Inn Creations Peppers & Onions Hash Browns that I bought in September from UGO.  I added a can of cream of potato soup from the pantry and sour cream and some bread crumbs and made a hash brown casserole. The entire dinner cost just under $6.00 to prepare and there is enough left for lunch today. 

For Thursday night's dinner, I am going to use the other 1/2 pound of ground beef and season it with taco seasonings. I have some Mexican Rice I took out of the freezer this morning along with some cheddar cheese. I have tortillas on hand and will make something for dinner along this theme. 

Yesterday was the first day I had been in IGA in at least two months. We've just been so busy with Mom in the Rehab Center that I have not had time to stop in there. I ran in for some milk, bread, and butter. While I was there I noticed they had cans of Libby's vegetables for 50¢ each, so I picked up eight cans. Four green beans, two corn, and two peas. If I can find the time between now and Tuesday I may go back for more. 

 Pictured above is a Verizon bag that I had carried some items in, but the bottom of the bag gave way and I was unable to use it anymore. I brought it back home to remove the nice handles though, so I could reuse them on another bag. There are many tutorials online on how to make your own gift bags, so I kept these to use for that purpose. This bag could also be used as a pattern to make another gift bag.

This is going to be the start of a very busy week for all of us here. Mom has been away from home for 52 days as of today and will be coming home on Saturday from the Rehab Center. Her Insurance would only pay for twenty days of rehabilitation and after that it would cost her $150 per day to stay there. They wanted her to stay for four months, but she cannot afford that and so we are bringing her home. My Dad will be here and my sister and her family are coming in from Illinois to help us out and will arrive on Friday morning. 

My daughter and I have spent numerous hours cleaning out her bedroom to make room for the hospital bed, wheelchair, lift, walker, and bedside commode that is being delivered tomorrow. That is where the majority of my time has been spent lately. My daughter and I hauled away three van loads full of stuff. I do believe my Mother saved everything she ever had. It was like a walk down memory lane. My sister's family will be here until at least next Friday while we get Mom settled into some kind of routine. Afterwards the majority of her care will fall on my daughter and me. 

So, I may or may not find the time to blog within the next week. Time will tell. I really wanted to post some of my Thanksgiving Day recipes and I may still find the time to do that. Hopefully we will settle back into some kind of routine here and life will settle down some. That would definitely be a blessing. 

Hope you all have a good Thursday. :)

 Belinda

© Belinda Richardson and Frugal Workshop, 2012.

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without”