30 Year Old Advice, Relevant Today

A Simple 5 min. Video

 

A Leap of Faith

 Hello Friends.

I know I've not been present very often around here,

but there is a reason.

I've been struggling.

We are both fine as far as appearances go.

It's been the internal "stuff."

You know "stuff!"

With everything going on in the world around us,

some thinking the world is coming to an end

and others choosing to live in ignorant bliss.

I am neither of those options so have struggled.

After 10+ years of chatting about canning green beans,

chickens in the house, and the annual cycles of the home,

I guess I've not felt the urge to repeat myself.

You can see the canning of corn if you'd like

or what we've done for certain holidays.

I've not discontinued doing any of that.

Well, I don't currently have chickens :-(

I still do my regular life activities,

and continue to recognize the many blessings

all around.

We're currently in blackberry season

so Hubby has been enjoying them on his ice cream,

in cobblers, and next up is hand pies.

But I digress. . . 

So the struggle, yes I that's where I was.

I've been searching internally.

Over the past several months,

I've really tried to figure out what it is I feel led to do.

I've always enjoyed helping people.

I realize at times some folks don't want help,

but the Mama Bear in me just instinctively takes care of people.

As many of you who have been around here know,

things haven't always been easy.

Over the past couple months,

we've encountered a few different folks

who we know and care about 

who are stuck in their situations due to debt

and financial hardships.

These are good people who work for a living

and are still struggling.

Some of you also know, 

I have a degree in teaching.

Even when I was in the schools,

there were things I thought those young people needed,

but the information wasn't offered.

There were so many things offered:

cake decorating, yoga, even basketball class!

but there weren't any classes on how to manage finances

after high school.

Now please don't think I'm blaming young people.

It's my generation that's failed to teach them.

And sadly, even many among my generation are struggling.

I've lived through a few trials to say the least:

single parenthood (with no support for about a year)

while going to school full time and living in a garage

was the toughest.

I managed.

I didn't take any government assistance.

I worked.

Even after Hubby and I were married,

we got it worked out so that we were living on my 

meager income which allowed us to save enough 

to open our business which is where I now work.

I'm not saying any of this in order to "brag."

I'm saying it as encouragement.

I'm just me.

If I can do it so can others.

And here's where I'm going with all this.

In order to help others,

which is what I feel led to do,

I started a YouTube channel.

It's a pretty big deal for me to be on screen

since I really prefer to remain unseen.

(How's that for a paradox?)

If anyone here is interested in tracking 

household finances and taking control of your money,

I would appreciate it beyond belief

if you would watch, like, leave a comment, and even subscribe.

I'm so new at it, I know there are rough patches,

but I'm hoping to improve and smooth things out as I go.

And with that,

here it is

PS: It is not letting me test to verify the video is working as a direct link here so there might be a quick hiccup as I post this.

Thank you all for your kindness.

A Different Kind of Shopping

For the record, I don't like shopping.
Searching for ways to give my money to others
is not my idea of a good time.

There are however, a few things I am always shopping for.
I keep a short list of items I need or would like.
This isn't like the milk and eggs list, but it is similar.
There's just no store that carries the items I'd like to purchase.
Before I get to the items on my list, 
I have to take you down a different path for just a moment.
As far as the milk and eggs above, I've sourced them locally
along with most other items one would usually purchase from the grocer.
I'm not saying I never need a grocer, 
but my dependency is lessening all the time.
I still like coffee, olives, Worcestershire sauce and a few other items 
which are not local or if we want a produce item that is not in season.
If something happened to the supply chain,
we would live (okay, maybe not so happily without coffee, but...).

Honestly, of all the things, raw organic/non-gmo milk was one of the most difficult to source simply due to state laws rather than supply.

It's unfortunate that wholesome foods can be so difficult to find.

I know others who think I'm a bit silly for this, but so be it.
We are healthy, and I accredit it in a large part to this effort.

Now on to the fun list.

There are a few things which probably seem odd to some folks,

but one of the things that I've been on the hunt for for at least a few years now

is a cobbler machine (pictured above).

This machine can stitch leather and has a narrow foot base

so it can reach in shoes.

My regular sewing Singers are all "ladies," but this one is a fellow.

I named him Sidney Singer.

My sewing machines have names because I can't just say "the Singer."

I'm pretty specific in my wants, but I have my reasons.

I wanted an old machine and a Singer.

Old machines have all metal parts.

Even in the best newer machines, there are plastic parts.

Sidney was born in 1906.

The other thing particular to Singer is that there are parts schematics available.

They were made to work and be repairable.

The schematics identify each part down to the size of spring.

And, because Singer is still in business, some of the parts are still available.

All of his mechanical parts are in working order though there are a few issues.

As is, he has neither the knob to be hand-crank, a motor to be electric, 

or the original treadle to be foot powered.

There was a single bobbin that came with him.

His bobbin winder is missing.

He was absolutely filthy!

This was in addition to a bucket of soapy water!

The first thing I did was take the soap and water to him on the outside.

I also had a scraper to get some of the crud off.

Then I worked on "his joints."

Someone had gobbed a bunch of 5 in 1 grease in it.

On the positive side, I guess it helped prevent rust,

but there was so much dirt and grit in there, I didn't want to turn the wheel.

I got him all cleaned up.

I ordered a set of bobbins which have already arrived.

I found the proper bobbin winder and am waiting for that.

I have a knob to add to his wheel so he can have hand-crank.

And now that I have him cleaned up,

I will call the local sewing machine repair shop that has taken care

of my other machines and ask about a motor for him.

I don't mind that he doesn't have the treadle at the moment.

He is on a smaller stand that came with him.

It does have the cast iron legs that are part of a regular treadle.

I've been working on a slipper pattern and am excited to work on that.

Once I have him in a solid functional state, I will order leather.

I want to be sure of what leather I am getting

and get the correct weight for what I will be doing.

Leather's not the cheapest of materials so it has to be right.

I am pretty excited (an understatement)

but have been patient in my search 

so need to be patient in readying him for work as well.

As I said above, I looked for a few years before finding him.

There have been other things that have taken a while,

and those things are among my most cherished items.

(That sounds weird.  I don't worship them, but am content with them.)

I think part of it is that if you're willing to wait,

you don't end up settling for something lesser than what you want.

A few examples:

Our travel trailer is a 1968 Aristocrat Land Commander.

My cauldron.

Concrete double sink.

A butter churn.

I know these things aren't exactly on par with diamonds,

but they make me far happier than jewels.

So with this oddball list, what could possibly be left on my list?

Well, a few more oddities of course.

Yet to find:

A cider press (like this one)

An old (not new repro) cast iron single sink with double drain board.

And yep, there's a reason for the old part - the shape of the basin is different.

A stove-top, corning, avocado green, percolator coffee pot.

McCall apron pattern 1105

and a few other smaller things.

We live in an age of instant gratification.

That avocado green coffee pot has been on my list for almost a decade.

You can bet whenever I do find one, I will relish every cup of coffee

I drink from that pot.

It's the same with Sidney.

Hubby has laughed at me (kindly) when my bobbins arrived, and

when I got him cleaned up & tension adjusted, 

then stitched a little scrap of leather.

I'm sure he will get to laugh again when my bobbin winder arrives.

He laughs but is coming up with projects for me to make for him - Ha!

I told him my slippers are first.

I'd be curious if anyone else keeps a list like this.

I guess it's my form of shopping.

I don't mind waiting - none of these items are life threatening.

They are just items that make life either easier or more enjoyable.

As long as I don't find them, I just figure I'm saving money by not buying them.

It's okay if you think I'm a bit silly~ so be it.

 

Uncharted Territory

That's what our accountant called it

when we were discussing our taxes recently.

You see,

I am a planner - not much for surprises,

especially if they impact my finances.

Source

Mr. LB and I have had several talks about this.

Haven't we all?

We don't have a crystal ball.

(Voodoo dolls maybe, but no crystal balls - heeheehaha.  Not really.)

So what do we do?

We live pretty organically - that word seems cliche any more.

But we are not extravagant.

We've decided that the best thing we can do is to get ourselves

into the best situation we can be in heading into the unknown.

There are hundreds of posts and tips on "how to save money."

This is a little different.

We've been rolling along on cruise control,

not paying much attention to the fuel gauge.

We don't give it much thought when we expect

a fuel station around every corner.

Isn't it pertinent to top off the tank when we have the chance?

That's what we are doing.

We don't generally carry debt but do still have a mortgage on the mountain house as well as rent here in town.

Many folks have at least one or the other and possibly other debt.

In the last post, 

I spoke of circles.

I like circles.  They flow with no abrupt corners.

We can't omit a portion of the circle and still call it a circle.

There have been several breaks in our circles recently:

supply/demand, social, travel, and on and on.

We've been fortunate in that we haven't had to cope 

with a real travesty as a whole society.

Instead of trying to "save money" so to speak,

we are trying to build security.

"Saving money" implies that we are still going to spend it

and purchase whatever products, just for a lesser amount.

Building our security is an attempt to eliminate as many expenditures

as possible so that we are no longer dependent on those items.

It's not a simple task!

I already track our expenses and challenge myself to try to set new lows.

Now, the challenge will be to completely eliminate

 as many of the expenses as possible.

To do this, we must prioritize those things that cost money.

In looking at what we spend money on,

I'll put those in order of importance.

Obviously, those items towards the bottom of the list

will be the first items nixed.

I'm not trying to make predictions or

saying anything awful is going to happen.

I hope it doesn't,

but like the accountant said, we just don't know.

There are a few things we are doing now

"just in case."

As always, I am continually trying to lower our power bill.

I've mentioned before, where we live now,

everything is electric - not my first choice.

We are keeping our possessions in good repair.

From changing the oil in rigs to mending clothes, and
making healthy personal choices.
Now is not a time to take our health for granted.

Whatever our things are that we have,

we are keeping them up the best we can.

By doing so, we are decreasing our chance for needing them

repaired or replaced down the road.
That one alone can seem a little tedious.
It's like nagging at myself to get some of those little tasks done.

Source

As spring progresses, 

I am planting the garden - still kinda early here.

I even planted the garden up the mountain.

I planted carrots, onions, beets, beans, and lots of spaghetti squash.

The deer don't bother those things (as much) and they are 

pretty low maintenance.

If it comes down to it, we will have the extra food.

It would make for a pretty boring diet, but it would be food that stores well.

Here at home, I am planting a "normal" garden with items

that will require a little more care and proper preserving.

If all goes well and the garden up the mountain produces, 

we will just have lots to preserve and/or share with others.

I'm keeping our stores topped off of things that we use 

to make our own household cleaning and hygiene supplies.

It is amazing how with just a few items/ingredients, we can actually make

most of the things used to clean ourselves and our homes.
If you think about it,
they didn't have all the variety of products in the past
and were able to keep their homes and families clean.

Again, this takes some doing.

We've been moving this direction for years,

but now it seems 'there is a chance' that it might be necessary.
Again, maybe not.
I know many of you already do quite a few of these things.
If it's all new to you, and you're just digging in,
start with what you can and build from there.
Right now, at least here, most things are still available.
I know it might be different in different areas.
We're just trying to top off that tank a bit :-)

We are really evaluating what money goes out

and if there is a way of eliminating the expense.

Just to get the juices flowing, 

here are a few of the things we no longer purchase:

paper towels, laundry detergent, fabric softener, soap, saran wrap,

waxed paper, napkins, shampoo and conditioner, multiple misc. cleaners,

toothpaste, deodorant (for me), furniture polish, air fresheners,

packaged foods, candy, seasoning mixes (taco, chili, etc.), garbage bags,
lotion, internet, television, games, lawn and garden fertilizers, . . .
(I'm still thinking.  At first all I could think of was paper towels.)

A few things we will purchase until we really can't:

coffee, tea, olives - we can't grow these things where we live.

Source

Hubby just went to the little place where we buy bread
and on occasion a few produce items.
They use/provide all organic items so he can actually have their bread.
While he was waiting for the kind he wanted to come out of the oven,
there was a gentleman about 30ish who walked in to talk to the owner.
He was looking for work and/or a handout
since he's not able to work right now.
He evidently said he couldn't afford food or diapers.
(They had stepped outside so Hubby didn't hear them.)
That puts the owner in a tough situation.
He wants to help, but he has to make money too.
He's already paid for the supplies and ingredients to make the foods.
If people are paying for diapers right now when they can't afford food,
I would question their ways.
I mean that in a "Are they aware there is another option?" sorta way.
Every household has its own ways and capabilities.
There are no right or wrong ways, just different ways.
Some ways cost a little more than others,
and that can even vary by what prices are in different areas.
I will say, this is where there was value in having
 multi-generational homes in past times.
A grandma could mend clothes for the family and 
help the mother in the kitchen
while those who could were out working.
There were rolls, and it took everyone doing their part to make it work.
For a single person or a couple (like Mr. LB and me)
that makes quite a bit for each person to take care of.
And on the other side of that, there is far less in the way of
laundry, food prep. etc than with a large family.
It will be interesting to see if changes occur 
once we are able to get back to "normal" whatever that might be.
My hope is that we heed warning and make positive changes.

Source This has become a lengthy post
and rather heavier than usual,
but there is definitely a bright side.
We have options and opportunities to improve upon what we know.
We still have access to most of what we need.
If there's something on the list above that you are curious about,
just leave a comment.
Likewise, if there's something that you don't purchase and have found
 a better way or option, please let us know.
We can be here for each other.
The more we share, the better off all of us will be.

And one last little note:
The dogwoods and lilacs are blooming.
They are absolutely stunning!
Don't forget to recognize your blessings.

Mystery Squash Results

A couple posts back I showed you a mystery squash that we purchased for $3.

You can see that post here.

Here's the picture of it.

It's huge!

After some input from you kind folks,

we figured it was a cushaw - or close.

Upon research (because that's just what I do) I learned that the cushaw is referred to as the sweet potato pumpkin.

That concerned me just a little 
as I'm not fond of either sweet potatoes or pumpkin.

This evening, I finally decided to break into that big boy.

The shell / rind is tough as nails.

Just getting the neck portion cut off was a workout.

The meat however is tender.

The fragrance smelled like watermelon to me which actually worried me a little.

I was preparing myself for something ultra sweet.

The first small batch, I had sliced about 3/8" thick and dipped in milk 
then shredded Parmesan.

I fried those in some of our home rendered bear lard.

Man oh man!  It was delicious!

The second batch, I didn't even bother with the milk or cheese.

Just a sprinkling of salt and we gobbled them up.

It does have a slight sweet potato flavor but not the overwhelming flavor 
of regular sweet potatoes.

It is/was almost like a cross between a potato and sweet potato.

We will probably be eating on this cushaw for about two weeks!

The next thing I did was clean out the "belly."

The seeds are even huge - and a ton of them.

I am saving some to try to grow, but I will roast the rest of them.

As much food as we are getting from this one squash,

I can't believe I've never heard of them.

Also, I can't believe they are not more widely promoted as 
a cost effective way to eat or feed a family.

They store easily though from what I've read 
not as long as some other winter squashes.
These store up to 4 months.

So far, the only thing that is a bit of a deterrent 
is how difficult it is to break into.

I am making arrangements to get a couple more.

So all of this from someone who's not a squash fan.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am with the discovery of this mystery squash.

And healthy to boot!

~Focus~

That's my word of the year.

Have you ever heard of that?

At the beginning of the year, you choose a word 

to reflect your primary aspiration.

At the beginning of this year, I felt as though I had spent the past two years in "Remember."

I lost two very special people who were like grandparents to me 

within a year of each other.

I didn't want to loose or forget their influence in my life.

Now, I felt I needed to look forward rather than backward.

Not only did I want to look forward, 

but I wanted to move in a positive direction.

That kinda forced me to ask myself some tough questions:

"What am I after?"

"What do we want our lives to look like?"

That's pretty deep, personal, and specific to our beliefs and values.

I say "we/our" because MrLB and I are in this together after all. 

What happened when I asked myself these questions is amazing really.

Spending a little time in my own head and heart

offered an element of clarity.

In my mind's eye, I envisioned our lives, circumstances, and surroundings.

Maybe what was most astonishing was what wasn't in the picture.

We weren't loaded down with debt, obligations, or physical "stuff."

It looked so clean, not just clean like when you sweep the floor.

It was more like peering through a really dirty window vs. a very clean one.

I was in awe of my own vision.

The thing is, this wasn't fiction - not like those dreams where you can fly 

or do some super-human feat.

It was just clarity~

and letting go of what wasn't helping or didn't belong.

Now let me tell you a little something about myself.

My knee-jerk comfort zone is scarcity 

or fear of not having or not being able to provide.

It comes from years of training.

I could look around and see the result of that mindset.

This year has been "transitional" for us - in a good way.

There is a learning curve to this Life thing.

Way back here I made the grandiose plan to spend zero.

Then here I shared my first failure.

And since then, I have failed more times than I can count.

But what I learned is that it wasn't the right goal.

Perhaps a wiser statement would have been

"only spend money on items I will use."

That would have been closer at least.

An example~

This step stool I found as I walked in with a bag to donate - eerrrrg!

It was $12.

I could beat myself up for spending the money, but I use it almost daily 

in the pantry to reach the upper shelves.

It's not something I could run out and buy 

when I decided I was ready to purchase it.

Maybe that's partially what's meant by seizing the opportunity.

Granted, not all of my spending has been on such useful items

-just a matter of full disclosure there.-

Buuuut. . . . . 

I am mindful, and we are still making really good progress.

We've done some major decluttering 

to remove much of the physical stuff that just took up space.

That post was relatively recent so I won't expand on it much here 

except to say, "It's so nice to have clear spaces."

And the fun bit is that people have paid us to haul it off 

which is how I prefer to look at it.

And lastly, we haven't really committed 

to any extracurricular activities or events.

That's not saying we haven't done anything,

just that we haven't formally committed to things and have operated from more of an "act of kindness" mindset or "pay it forward" maybe.

Whatever the words?

For some reason saying that or seeing it in print seems sorta selfish,

but it's really working for us right now.

We both work full time so our home time is rather sacred.

(Maybe more folks need that?)

The year isn't over and we could certainly derail at any given moment 

- just as any of us could.

We are as busy as ever~

still need more firewood before winter sets in,

middle of various hunting seasons,

preserving harvest, and

we still have a couple of large expenses ahead of us

including property taxes and beef.

So you see, our year isn't taken care of yet.

That's where that 'Focus' comes in.

It's the word whispered in self-talk.

Keeping that vision not only in vision but in 'Focus' as well is essential.

I've not even thought about next year.

Right now, what's important is Right Now, 

and staying 'Focused.'

I realize this is more of a serious post, but life isn't always candy and roses.

There are real decisions to make everyday.

And it's those everyday decisions that take us where we're going

whether it's in a good direction or not.

So today is all about today.

And that's a good thing.

$ I Failed $

Back before Christmas, 

I shared this post and told how I was planning to basically 

go on a spending fast.

I made it through January and was doing well in February

until that last week.

I'd bought no magazines nor coffees.

I have taken my lunch to work everyday this year.

No new clothes or diamond jewelry - just seeing if you were paying attention.

So what was my demise?

It was a bowl.

Yep, a bowl.

Sounds too simple doesn't it?

Not just any bowl, but a terra-cotta bowl.

I have a bit of an affinity for terra-cotta cookware.

It can go in the fridge/freezer or the oven safely.

When using the roasters, food stays moist and cooks evenly.

If you must know, my actual thought when I saw it was~

"Yes! I can set it in the oven to heat, and it can keep mashed potatoes warm."

Evidently with me, it's all about the spuds.

I did struggle even in the shop where I found it, knowing that purchasing it would mean breaking my promise to myself.

This being the first terra-cotta bowl I've ever see in a thrift shop, I got it.

So how much did it cost?

It was $3.00.

Now, you might be laughing at me and thinking,
"All of this over a three dollar bowl?  You're nuts!"

You can think I'm nuts if you like, 

but I will explain what this $3 bowl really cost in my mind.

You see, Mr. LB and I have some financial "goals," (as well as other goals)

 a magic number to hit at which point we feel we can retire and be okay.

By retire, I don't mean quit working, but quit the 8-5 with an hour drive on each end of the day, five days per week.

We are working towards that goal.

There is a sorta financial cliche that says,

"$10 in an interest baring account in 10 years will be $1000."

Yes, I am completely aware of all the variables and conditions that can make this statement false.

But it is a really easy thing to stick in my little ol' brain as a guideline.

With that, I felt like I was robbing my future self of $300 

by purchasing this bowl.

Does it make a little more sense why I was struggling now?

I am cognizant that this is how all those little things add up over time

and impact us in the long run.

I've made peace with my decision though.

How on earth did I do that after what I just said?

Well, just after I got the bowl washed, hadn't even used it yet,

I set it on the table rather than in the cupboard with the other bowls.

I am careful with it.

I look at it and appreciate it as a $300 bowl.

In my eyes it's beautiful (will be more so full of spuds!)

Maybe that sounds like a lame excuse to some folks,

but there are so many people who struggle with debt and trying to save.

Perhaps if they thought of it in the 10 year way, they too would struggle with small purchases, be it a cup of coffee and a muffin or a news-stand magazine.

Do they really appreciate those things?

No denying, I am still a little disappointed in myself.

I'm on another decluttering run (more on that later,) and this was something

coming into the house rather than going out.

So now I'm back to no spending.

I'll see if I can make it through March and go from there.

In the mean time, we'll continue to inch towards our goal and continue trying

because that's how we learn ~ right? ~ by practicing.

Does anybody get it right 100% of the time?

I suppose it's a mark of my humanism, humaninatiy, humanness???

I'll just try to behave.

I just wanted you to know since reading declarations online such as~

"I'M SPENDING NO MONEY!"

then you hear nothing as far as follow up, can make you wonder.

I suppose I can look at it like I failed, but guess what.

We have saved money over the past couple months.

If we look at it in perspective, even with that one failure,

the success is great and far out-weighs the failure portion.

So I'm choosing to focus on that.

If you are trying to save, maybe focus on what you've done right 

rather than what you've failed to do.

By honing in on what we are doing right,

we can do it more and more often,

in return become more and more successful.

So far, one week into March, we're doing it. 
I guess you could say practice is going well.