Sandi's 2019: Wow This Is A Challenge!

[SandiSAHM]

Other titles up for consideration: 2019: Does it Have to be THIS hard?!? 2019: When Will The Price Skyrocket Stop? and 2019: Does Gardening Actually Save Us Anything?

But here it is.

In truth gardening somewhat saves DH's sanity, so there's that But for the cost sometimes I wonder if a sane man is overrated. I'm kidding.

We are 0 - ZERO - for 3. But one of those was a travel day (gas, the rental car was free), the other was a refreshing of the empty fridge we found when we got back, and today I had to order sheets because the existing set is really buggered up. Before moving in 2015 I had a spare set of sheets. Nice ones. Gone, in the move. I thought they might crop up again when we moved in 2018 but, no. So. New sheets. For the win!

Happy New Year, people. May it be frugal, charitable, and chock full of good surprises.

[Dgflorida]

Happy new year to you as well.

[alliesmama4]

Other titles up for consideration: 2019: Does it Have to be THIS hard?!? 2019: When Will The Price Skyrocket Stop? and 2019: Does Gardening Actually Save Us Anything?

But here it is.

In truth gardening somewhat saves DH's sanity, so there's that But for the cost sometimes I wonder if a sane man is overrated. I'm kidding.

We are 0 - ZERO - for 3. But one of those was a travel day (gas, the rental car was free), the other was a refreshing of the empty fridge we found when we got back, and today I had to order sheets because the existing set is really buggered up. Before moving in 2015 I had a spare set of sheets. Nice ones. Gone, in the move. I thought they might crop up again when we moved in 2018 but, no. So. New sheets. For the win!

Happy New Year, people. May it be frugal, charitable, and chock full of good surprises.

Sandi good to see you are posting and challenging yourself again this year. Happy New Year to you too. Janet Alliesmama

[2dogs+someCats]

Other titles up for consideration: 2019: Does it Have to be THIS hard?!? 2019: When Will The Price Skyrocket Stop? and 2019: Does Gardening Actually Save Us Anything?

But here it is.

In truth gardening somewhat saves DH's sanity, so there's that But for the cost sometimes I wonder if a sane man is overrated. I'm kidding.

We are 0 - ZERO - for 3. But one of those was a travel day (gas, the rental car was free), the other was a refreshing of the empty fridge we found when we got back, and today I had to order sheets because the existing set is really buggered up. Before moving in 2015 I had a spare set of sheets. Nice ones. Gone, in the move. I thought they might crop up again when we moved in 2018 but, no. So. New sheets. For the win!

Happy New Year, people. May it be frugal, charitable, and chock full of good surprises.

Happy New Year Sandi!! I am so on the fence about a garden this year. Stay tuned...

[SandiSAHM]

fenced off garden.jpg

Happy New Year Sandi!! I am so on the fence about a garden this year. Stay tuned...

I can be done entirely more frugally than DH wants to do it. He's going to build raised beds - with 14" cedar plank framing, of course - , mulched walkways between, "good" dirt, a compost area, fence it all in (dog = not good for garden) and make it pretty, with arches for viney things to grow on.

We (by that I mean he) start all our plants from seed. Under grow lights. In the house. Which is okay, it's not like the whole 'starter' contraption is on the dining table or anything, its just... intense. He monitors soil temperature. Later the plants get 'hardened off" - after he goes to work I take them outside for a little while to experience ambient temperatures and breezes, then bring them inside again overnight. Dozens of little green pets until they're strong enough to be transplanted. Then he puts water-filled "teepees" around the tomatoes so they don't get killed by frost.

Its like... Seriously, in the old days when these heirloom varieties were just 'tomatoes' farmers stuck the seeds in some damp soil on a sunny windowsill at MOST, honey, then just planted them. And clearly THAT worked out...

But engineers do not make for laissez-faire gardeners.

Its the first growing season in this location. So he's starting off 'right.'

As long as it results in a whole lot of vine-ripened tomatoes and maybe a few squash, I'm good to go. Cucumbers and zucchini we will have to give away (stuff I have limited use for, DD makes pickles and I put some zucchini in the freezer for soups and breads, but those 2 things are always prolific), but I'd be thrilled to have about a dozen or so butternut squash to cube up and freeze.

I went to a couple farmers market style stands last year for tomatoes... Huge disappointment. Flavorless mush. So, it's either let him garden project-style or go without decent tomatoes forever

[SandiSAHM]

DH is out of the country since yesterday. And I now have 2 no-spend days. 33%

Coincidence? I think n -

Yeah, its a coincidence. Its not his fault.

I wouldn't want some people to hear me admit it, but I need a doctor. I've picked up some icky bacteria that my people put where I could pick it up (DH and both kids have acquired / been medicated for the same thing in the last 3 weeks) and now I feel like crud.

Is it spending if it's FSA funds? For a quick clinic visit and a scrip? That's what the $$ is there for, and its not like you get it back if you don't use it...