Cheating a Little

I hate wasting things. I save bottles, rubberbands, newspapers, and plastic grocery bags, hoping to find a use for them. Last summer, 2009, I couldn't get rid of the custom draperies in our living room after the remodel.  They were washed,  packed in a huge plastic bag, and stored under the extra table in the laundry room. And there is the black curtain rod taken down over what is now the cooktop.  Last weekend I found the hardware for the curtain rod.  Mr. C does not like hanging pictures or curtain rods, doing plumbing repairs or rearranging furniture. Last weekend he installed a towel bar (from the old kitchen) on the makeshift laundry room sink cabinet. He also agreed to hang the curtain rod hung over our bedroom window.  Uh-oh, I didn't have a curtain to hang.  The only thing I could find to fit the 120 inch drop was a very long table cloth. Yesterday I remembered the old living room curtains. Lucky me! They fit the window!  It's even the right shade of blue. I love the darkness.  For the first time in 22 years the curtain covers the entire window.  No more light from the streetlight shining in the bedroom at night.

Wasting food is a frustration, too.  The pantry and refrigerator were well stocked at the beginning of November.  Rather than buy all the food we need this month I have used liberally from the food in the house. Potatoes, dried beans and dried pasta, canned tomatoes and tomato paste, frozen pizza, bread, sweet rolls, and other things I can't recall. We have eaten out several times just the two of us and with the kids.  Grocery spending thus far is $73.05.

Food Purchased since 1st November
Cookies
Canned tomatoes
Tomato paste
Dried pasta
Bananas
Apples
Orange juice
Milk
Yogurt
Boca Burgers
Colby cheese
Savoy cabbage
Cereal
Sweet potatoes
Fresh green beans
Mozzarella
Potato chips