Frugal Friday Wrap Up 12/01/23

 

  Yes, I am still here.  All I can say is that life happened.  I got overwhelmed and needed to draw into myself for a bit and recover once more.  I've been keeping myself very busy when not resting.  Right now it is snowing outside, there is Celtic Christmas music playing and I have sourdough bread rising on the pellet stove to pop into the oven once it has a good rise on it.

   Decorating for Christmas has been fun this year.  I went with a Harry Potter inspired theme.  We had to buy a smaller tree that would fit on Grandma's hope chest, and luckily we found that at a thrift store.  The owl on top of the tree, along with the other birds, were all from the Dollar Tree.  The poinsettias were from an estate sale, along with the stuffed animal owls.  The cute little knomes were from Ikea, and the Dollar Tree.  The mirror behind the tree on the Wall is one I bought this Summer and used to hang in Uncle Bob and Aunt Norma's home.  On top of my teacup shelf, I created a bottle brush forest with a truck being worked on ornament.  These were picked up at a yard sale this past Summer also.

      I have been hitting Goodwill to both donate a bunch of stuff and also to shop.  One day I told Jeff that I felt like we needed to stop in...then I looked at the clock when we got there and it said 2:22.  That number is very significant to me and I knew it meant that I would be finding something very special.  Indeed I did when I found 2 copies of one of my favorite cookbooks from Hawaii, along with another one put out years later by the same organization.  The artwork on the covers is by one of my favorite artists, Peggy Hopper.  I was surrounded by her artwork as a child and finally found a print by her at another thrift store.  That was a huge find for me.  Peggy is a friend of my father's, so it makes it all the more special.  I will give the 2 copies of the book I already have as gifts to some special people who I know will treasure them.

   I also found some puzzles that I know my youngest grandchildren will love and that we will take down to them when we go to visit in May.  Other great finds at Goodwill were 2 shirts for me (not pictured), a bag full of Christmas things, a new Christmas towel, and some other books (not pictured).  At Walmart, I found some pajamas for Tate for $3 on clearance.

         On a sadder note, my cousin Amy's husband Bobby died yesterday morning.  He was baptized about a week prior, along with my cousin Amy and 2 of Bobby's cousins.  I am so very thankful that they all were.  Bobby and Amy shared 10 wonderful years together before his passing.  He was her soulmate and best friend and showed her the kind of love that everyone dreams of having in a marriage.  My heart aches for my cousin and Bobby's family.  Please keep them all in your prayers.