Frugalicous Domesticity - Thursday Edition

Good day dear readers~!

Thought I'd share a photo of me with my fridge.

I finally made it to the grocery store today.

Between the two stores I went to, I spent $121.57.

That will feed me, Glenco, and Aaron, breakfast and lunches, and me, Glenco, my sister Cindy and Aaron dinners for about a week and a half. I don't think that's too bad, but I'd like to see it lower. My sister and Aaron eat supper with us more often than not. The family eating together is incredibly important to me, almost a sacred event. After working a full stressful day, I don't see why my sister should have to go home and cook, when I have food right here, hot and ready.

I had the absolute delight, and the absolute horror of meeting one of my readers today at Aldi.

I seriously have to dress myself before I 'go to town'.

Pam, it was such a delight to meet you!

Thanks for introducing yourself to me.

If you see me in town again, looking like I did today, please look away.

Today was Bedroom and Livingroom day.

I took the nicest photos of both rooms.

I can't get them transferred to the computer.

My camera is in a box now, ready to ship back to Canon.

What is a blogger without a camera?

It's going to be ten days before I get it back.

It's like...it's like peanut butter without jelly.

Like coffee without cream.

I'm rather lost.

A tad frustrated.

I'm going to TRY and take pictures tomorrow morning with my phone.

Today's blog seems a little pointless without pictures to explain things.

To show you how sparsely my bedroom is decorated.

Well, my bedroom is very sparsely decorated, but I do love it. I have a dust allergy, as I've mentioned before, so I have no carpet. I don't have a lot of 'things'. I wouldn't have any books in there at all, or curtains. Nothing that will collect dust. I don't have a pile of pillows on my bed. I can't use the 'fancy' sheets because I have to wash them in hot water to kill the dust mites. I also keep nothing under my bed, so that it's easy to dust mop or vacuum under.

Before becoming a better homemaker, I had to take Allegra D everyday to deal with my dust allergy. I no longer have to take it. I do notice on Thursdays, from dusting the house that I do wheeze a little.

My weekly bedroom routine involves the 'work around the room' method. Working top to bottom, right to left, all around the room, ending with the making of the bed. Vacuuming is done with the rest of the house.

As I mentioned before, you should air your bed every morning. As soon as I get out of my bed, assuming Glenco is out of it too, I take all the covers off and open a window in the summer and turn on the ceiling fan. I can't open the windows in the winter, because we have that plastic on the windows that you blow dry....so I just turn on the fan.

Your bedroom becomes oxygen depleted throughout the night, from breathing. It's true! I like to replenish the oxygen, and let the bed breathe some. It makes a big difference.

I vacuum the bed about once a month, when I wash the dust allergy mattress cover.

If I'm in the mood and have a little extra time, I'll dust the blinds, or the ceiling fan.

Once I can post the bedroom pictures, you'll notice something suspiciously missing from my bedroom.

That would be a closet.

I have none.

I have one, 3' x 3' closet upstairs.

It houses our scuba diving gear and a couple of random coats.

I have an antique dresser with two large drawers, and two small 'sock and underwear' drawers.

If it doesn't fit in those drawers, I don't have it.

I own about three pair of shoes.

It's hardcore simplicity with my wardrobe.

I simply have no room for it.

If there were ever a candidate for 'what not to wear', it would be me.

Ask Pam, she'll tell you.

The livingroom is the same.

Work around the room method, dusting everything from right to left, up to down. I dust all the pictures, etc. Again, I have a very simple, yet inviting decor. I find it so easy to keep clean. I do not allow magazines to accumulate. I do not buy movies. We have a CD player that holds 300 cds. We have a booklet that holds all the cd paper covers, so you know what number the cd is, and I don't have all the clutter of the cd's about. I am vigilant about not letting it get cluttered.

I vacuum the upholstery every other week.

I shampoo the carpet every month.

Not necessary, but it just makes me feel better, ok?

I know I have issues.

Total time today spent on housework:

29 minutes.

Two rooms completely cleaned and dusted.

House vacuumed.

Bathroom spot cleaned.

You know what I love about this routine?

I never come home to a mess.

I never wake up to a mess.

When I see dead lady bug carcasses (does anyone else that lives in an old house have ladybug troubles?), stuck next to the baseboard and carpet, I don't freak out...I just know, that on Thursday, I'll get that. When I see a dustball rolling through my bedroom, I don't think....oh woe is me, I know that it will be dealt with on Thursday. When I see dusty kitchen shelves, I don't feel that I need to spend my day cleaning, I know that on Monday, when I'm cleaning the kitchen again, I'll get it.

You'll be surprised at the freed up brain cells you'll have.

A few of you asked about the tub and bathroom.

If you look under 'labels' and click on This Old House, scroll down a few posts and you'll find everything about the bathroom re-d0.

I'll leave you with a great recipe, since I've no pictures to show you.

Dirt cheap and delicious.

Spicy Black Beans and Rice

Prepare enough rice to feed four.

In a skillet with two tablespoons of olive oil, saute four cloves of minced garlic with a medium onion, chopped.

Add one 14 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed.

Add one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes with chilies.

Add ground red pepper to taste (I use a 1/4 t)

Simmer for ten minutes.

Serve over rice, top with shredded cheese and cilantro.