From My Home to Yours: 10/23/26

 From My Home to Yours

10/23/26

~ Frugal Choices We Made This Week ~

My hubby is back at work ... him and his walker, that is!  His boss told him that if he could just come and sit and supervise, it would be so helpful, so that's what he is doing.  Only, it's a lot more complicated than it sounds ... he can't drive.  That means that I'm his chauffer to and from work.  I said all that to say this ... when I drop him off at his work place, I stop at a local grocery store and shop their mark downs.  Since it is so early, I've been able to literally come behind the butcher, within 30 minutes or less, as he marks meats down giving me close to first choice.  I have gotten some really good deals and our freezer that we lost half of it's contents about a month ago, is slowly being restocked.  God is good!

I froze apple juice that I had left over from another pantry preserving project.  Instead of letting it sit in the refrigerator until it had to be tossed, I decided to divide it up into smaller containers and freezer it.  Waste not, want not!

I also had some apples that I needed to do something with so I made and canned chunky applesauce.

~ the loaves turned out perfect for gift giving or taking to a potluck ~

I had enough applesauce left over to make applesauce bread.  I let it cool, wrapped it really well and put it in the freezer for holiday gift giving and or use.  (I have a list of items I plan to cook and freeze for holiday gift giving and or use.)

I started making a potato flake sourdough bread starter with the intention of doing the same ... make bread, freeze ... use as gifts and or use as needed.

In the garden I did very little except for watering and watching it grow.  Our temps were and are in the 70's during the days and our fall garden is loving it ... the carrots are up, the beets are up, the garlic is pushing out green foliage from the ground, the collards are thriving as are the cabbage, broccoli and brussels sprouts.  I'm still continuing to get the occasional rose to bring inside and enjoy as well.

Our 'purple' greenhouse that we were working on with the intention of growing food in throughout the winter has been put on the back burner until spring.  By then, hubby should be recovered enough that we can resume our efforts.  Yes, it makes us sad, but we have resolved to not dwell on it.  (Sometimes, we have to do that don't we ... resolve ... make up our minds ... put it in God's Hands and move on.) We have so much to be thankful for that not getting to complete a project seems insignificant.

I finished putting together "Boo" mail for our grands and got it all in the mail.  I can't wait to 'see' or 'hear' from them once they get their 'G & G' mail!

I also got our 'fall' themed dishes out, washed them up and am we have started using them.  I don't have many and they are a mismatched lot to be sure, but that was and is what I want.  It's fun to go thrifting for 'fall' themed dishes at thrift stores and yard sales!

The joy is in the journey!

(This is what we're going for ... I made this one back in the summer.)

My sister and I started our annual 'holidays' sewing project long distance via technology.  This year we're making drawstring bags with plans to stuff them with holiday goodies for gift giving.  We really do enjoy our annual tradition of making something together during the holiday season ... sometimes we laugh so hard ... well you know!

In addition this week, I started compiling our Christmas card list of those whom we hand deliver cards either at church or along with a hand-delivered gift locally.  I also compiled our Christmas card list of those we mail cards to via the postal service. 

I got my Christmas journal out and saw that it was already set up for Christmas 2026.  I did that last year as part of my 'after the holidays' packing things away for another year chore.

Here are the 'pages' I have labeled that serve me well each year:

Christmas Card Message page ... throughout the year I keep my eyes and ears open for a 'saying' or 'quote' to go in our Christmas cards.  When I find it I write it down on this page, then at the appropriate time, I add it to the cards as part of our holiday greeting.

Cards Hand Delivered page ... I write down who we hand deliver cards to so I don't forget anyone!

Cards Mailed page ... I keep a list of these as well for the same reason.

Gifts page ... I list the people we give gifts too and when a gift has been purchased, made, etc, I write down what by the recipient's name.  It's so helpful to be able to look back on prior years and see what we've given to whom!

Activities page ... I list the holiday related activities we participate in for that year.

and the last page is so very important ...

Notes for _____ (the next year) page ... on this page I write what holiday supplies I need to restock, what I have an abundance of, what worked really well and what did not work.  I also include what was stressful and what not to do again. 

It's nothing fancy and doesn't include a lot of things many Christmas journals do that we don't use, it meets our needs and is a beautiful reminder of our holiday seasons.  In fact, I guess you could say it might even be considered a walk down memory lane of Christmas' past!

(Sidenote:  I love decorating each page with stickers, doodles and of course my supply of colored ink pens get a workout as well!  It's all very personal, pretty to me, and mine!)

The joy is in the journey!

I finished reading book 7 of the Bregdan Chronicles, Glimmers of Change, by Ginny Dye and started reading book 8, Shifted By The Winds by the same author.   

Ladies, lesson 5 of our Bible study on Anna has been posted HERE!

Week #3 of our October pantry challenge has been posted HERE!  We'd love it if you'd join in!

In closing, I want to say a big 'THANK YOU' to all who have reached out to us, who are praying for us and have shown an abundance of care and concern to us during that last 2 weeks.   It's been hard ... and still is in many ways, but knowing that others are 'holding us up' means so much to our weary hearts.  Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus!  May you be abundantly blessed!

That's it for this week, I hope you've found something in my ramblings that will help and or encourage you in the upcoming week.

Until the next time ...  

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry  

~ quietly holding the home front ~

Sharing 46 years' experience of frugal living and pantry building (if you include my frugal childhood, well that would add several more years to my experience!)

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

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From This Heart of Mine  

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