Hi everyone! It is beginning to get pretty cold around here. I've made a few changes around the house to accommodate colder weather.
1. Winter wear: I picked up a pair of winter chore/play boots for our toddler. I couldn't find any thrifted boots in as big a size as I wanted. I ended up just buying the size she is now. If she does outgrow the boots over the winter, I'll just put the wool inserts into her current rubber "chore" boots, possibly with some alterations if required. Obviously, I'll still be on the lookout for boots in a bigger size, but I wanted something we could use right away. I also stocked up on some extra socks for all of us. Wouldn't it be terrible if there were a sock shortage in the middle of winter?? 2. Winter wardrobe: I've been making some upgrades to my own wardrobe for the late fall/winter season. I bought a pair of black dress boots at the thrift store for $8.00. Then I found a nicer pair of boots at a second thrift store for more money (I believe it was like $12.00). Both boots will need separate arch supports, but otherwise they are in pretty good condition. My ambition is to take the $8.00 pair back and exchange it for other merchandise. Secondly, I've been wearing a lot of leggings lately, as they are SO incredibly warm and comfortable. That being said, leggings are neither flattering nor modest for the average woman, so I've been digging through my skirt collection to see what might pair well with the long sleeve shirts I already have. The most flattering skirts on me seem to be knee-length A-line skirts. These are also blessedly simple to make. I found several yards of plaid flannel in my sewing stash that will pair nicely with my collection of long sleeve shirts. I am now working on making three new skirts for my winter wardrobe. 3. Repairs/alterations: I shortened the sleeves on one of my shirts to make it a 3/4 length sleeve rather than a slightly-too-short-and-tight long sleeve. I also repaired my "B-grade" tennis shoes. Per Tightwad Gazette guidelines, I try to keep three pairs of tennis shoes around: A-grade: purchased new, worn only to town or during travel. B-grade: after about 3 years, my A-grade shoes get a few holes, a paint splatter, or they just start to look worn out. B-grade sneakers are okay to be worn in public, but I usually save them for walks, bike rides or non-messy everyday wear. C-grade: they say a cat has nine lives... I say a shoe has nine years. In the final three-year stretch, my tennis shoes are relegated to only the dirtiest of jobs: painting, garden work, slimy April mud. My current C-grade shoes have completely lost the bottom layer of rubber. I'm hoping to keep the bottom layer of rubber on my B-grade shoes, so I used some "shoe goo" to fix the flapping parts. My husband's shoes also tend to flap after a while, so I am going to get my money's worth out of that glue. And hopefully out of our shoes. 4. I re-examined my exercise program, since it is getting very cold out. Rather than walking on the road, I brought our tiny trampoline (in current terms I guess this would be considered a "rebounder") into the living room and use that to get my 10,000 "steps" every day. An indoor trampoline is also great for kids who have to be cooped up indoors. In addition to rebounding, I'll also be looking into strength-building exercises like yoga, dance or kettlebells, all of which I already have equipment for. In addition to just staying fit, I have goals to fix some muscle imbalances and posture problems via special exercises and resistance bands. 5. Food and meals: since I've had more time to spend indoors, I've been able to make more good, nourishing and CHEAP meals. During the summer I don't ever spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and during the fall there is such an influx of free food (garden produce, eggs, etc.) that it almost becomes a full time job and a burden to process it all. It's true that every year I become more organized and focused in the effort, but I do waste more food in the summer and fall because I just get tired of spending ALL my spare time growing or preserving food. Not so anymore! I'm not canning or drying or freezing, because that has all been done. I'm not gardening, because THAT has all been done. What am I doing? Well, I get to really hone in on reducing food waste and making the most of foods I have to use. For example, today I cooked one of my $0.60 butternut squashes. As I scooped out the seeds, I thought about saving them to make pepitas. Then I got to wondering if I could sprout the seeds, and thereby add more greens to our diet with a food that I already have. This is the kind of food project that I just don't have time for in the warmer seasons, but now is a great time to experiment with. In addition to seed usage, I've also been trying to make the most of meats that I've frozen or canned. The other day I cooked a 10-lb bag of chicken thighs ($4.75 on clearance). Out of that I got at least 4 meals' worth of meat, 2 quarts of broth, and a few ounces of fat to cook vegetables in. There are just so many ways to utilize ingredients, if you have the time to do it. That's about all I have time to write about today. I have some other writing I want to get done before the debate tonight, which—yes—I had time to make cookies for. Blessings, ~Prudence~
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About PrudenceI am a Christian homemaker who lives in the Midwest. I enjoy sewing, gardening, reading and thrifting. Archives
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