Waste Not, Want Not

I won't post pictures of the empty store shelves as we all have experiencced them first hand.  When all of this started Chuck ran into the store to pick up a few things on my list.  As he was in the store he sent me pictures of what he called "mass hysteria."

Fast forward to Friday night.  I was sure I had a back up of an item, but it turned out I didn't.  It's a essential item so we headed to the store.  Chuck had not been into the stores since all of this had started.  He had seen it on the news and I had been telling him, but seeing it for himself was sobering.  Actually, it was for me also.  Isles, and isles of empty shelves.  It's only been a little over a week since that first shopping trip, yet it feels like months ago.

Seeing as how food is now scarce it's time be extra diligent about food waste.  The fridge was fairly full and a container of leftover roast beef was pushed to the back.  Sadly, it had to be tossed.  That was the moment that I knew I had to take better charge of the kitchen.

I went through the refrigerator and put away things that I thought might go bad before they would be eaten.  Chuck had picked up some lunch meat.  I divided it down into more manageable portion sizes and put them into the freezer.

A container of blueberries were close to passing their prime, so into the freezer they went.  They will be used in baking or for Megan snacks.  She loves frozen blueberries! The browning bananas became banana bread.

I had used some beef broth in a recipe earlier this week.  I took the leftover broth and poured it into ice cube trays for later use.  I saved just enough broth to use in the roast I intend to prepare on Sunday.

We had take out recently and there was a small container of dressing left.  That was added to my current bottle.

I know I've mentioned this before, but you can write on plastic/glass containers with a dry erase marker.  I am now making sure to mark the date on all leftover.  I want to ensure that things are used in a timely manner.

Beside the fact that finding food is scarce we also need to be diligent due to cost.  For those without a stocked pantry it's currently hard to shop on a budget.  No ground beef or chicken means you may have to buy the more expensive cut of meat.  The $1 loaves of bread out stock means you may have to buy the premium loaf.  All of those subsitutes can add up to budget crushers. 

I still find it unreal to think about all of the events that have unfolded in such a short amount of time.  If you let it, you could become anxious and paralyzed with fear.  I find that besides prayer, the best thing I can do is "look well to ways of my household."

Please let me know how you are doing.

Semi Quarantine: Weekend #1

I same semi quarantine because we will go out as needed. Although the goal is to stay home as much as possible. I feel better,but I know that I am one that is the risk catagory.   I still have no voice. It has now been three months with a hoarse/raspy voice. Nuts!

Speaking of nuts....

 

I imagine it has been the same everywhere.  The paper goods and cleaning products were already selling out.  Then Wednesday it was announced that the schools were closing.  That lead to what Chuck refered to as "mass hysteria."

After all of the crazy it was nice to enjoy this snowy scene.  There is something about falling snow that says peace. 

With the schedule cleared and time at home it means that things can be marked off of the to do list.  That is exactly what happened this weekend.  

Our window blinds are almost 19 years old.  Several of them no longer worked properly.  The blinds had arrived last week and the week before, so it was time for their installation.  

I love them!  We have two large windows like this one and previously there were three blinds in place.  It has always been a wish of mine to have a blind that fit the window correctly.  I'm a happy girl!

For the last month I been working on a little kitchen update.  I did some painting and hope to have it completed soon. 

Of course there were  every day things like laundry and dinner. 

As unsettling as things have been this week the best thing we can do is use caution and carry on as normal as possible.  The Bible tells us to fear not 365 times, so most important thing we can do is pray.