Re: Happy Thanksgiving!

[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Herself) wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...

> I remember when we were still in CA, I'd see around this time of year
> Land O Lakes butter coupons.  I'd go hunting in the newspaper recycling
> bins for those, and freeze 'em.  

Yeah, butter prices vary widely here in the San Francisco Bay Area.
However, the SO and I have found that we both like Trader Joe's butter
the best, and it seems to be a good everyday value, like around two
bucks, or two fifty. We usually get a pound or two, one going in the
freezer. The price stays the same, by and large, which is a nice
comfort, so I don't have to do butter hoarding as I used to. I still
don't understand why in such a huge dairy area like California, that
Land O Lakes or other "brand names" sometimes go up over four to four
and a half bucks, like they will be at Stealway or other pricey chain
groceries. The prices fluctuate like the damn stock market or
something!

Speaking of frozen butter, even though I no longer hoard, I still
freeze. I have found that butter straight from the freezer makes great
crusts for the few times that I need to make crusts, sweet or savory.
Some ice water, flour and frozen butter in the food processor and
BLAM! It's the best no-work crust that money can't buy.
  
> It's amazing how little "me" time there really is.  He's getting quite
> bold these days as well, doing tons of things like that.  But today he
> counted up to 14!  And he's not even 2!  </brag>

Don't worry about your brag switch in HTML. You should brag a bit,
it's a part of parentdom. Plus, you and your hubby have a cute little
nipper there.
 
> It's nothing like here...I love it here, even if I'm not always frugal
> (Deadend can attest to that, having seen my house :-) ).

I was wondering if we'd get around to talking about that! I honestly
didn't know what to expect when I dropped by your country and
neighborhood for a visit. But what I found is that in many ways, we
are more alike in our frugal goals than different; I think that we are
both being frugal not just to scrape by, but living frugally to live a
better QUALITY of life. I think that there is a contingent of people
around MCFL like us. I don't think you have to be living in a trailer
to subscribe here, not that there is anything wrong with that, but
hey, I have a new German car in the driveway as well! That isn't
necessarily not frugal—I got a fantastic deal on it, and the payment
is pretty much covered by my work through my mileage reimbursement.
What's more frugal than an almost free new car??? Well, I guess a free
trip (on my work's tab) to Ireland is pretty frugal as well!

I mean, if you ever visited my house, yes, it is in a working class
neighborhood, not a fashionable Bay Area address, and yes, my kitchen
is in DIRE need of a paint job. But I now recognize that the best
things come little by little. I came to this NG back in 1998 after a
separation and financial loss. Here on this group as well as on my own
I discovered how to work my way back from it all, move to one of the
most expensive places in the U.S. and STILL learned how to live below
my means, pay down my debt, and then pay CASH for cool things for my
home. Things like a handmade, solid cherry, four poster Victorian bed.
I see this as something that I will never need to replace, and may end
up passing down to my children (should I ever produce any). So that's
frugal to me; a good buy that will last my lifetime, but one that
looks wonderful and even elegant in my home. And sooner or later, I'll
get around to scraping and painting that damn kitchen and laundry
room!

Well, I should be working, so I don't have time to spell check!
G'bye!!!

Thanks again for the visit and hospitality. I still need to post about
that American Airlines deal...

Deadend