An Inspirational Legacy

After spending some time last night brainstorming a quick list of free to cheap entertainment ideas I began to think of my grandparents and where and how "entertainment" fit into their lives.  

My maternal grandparents were ranchers and my paternal ones were farmers.  They spent long days managing their homesteads but this didn't prevent them from enjoying life.  

First of all, I do believe that they thoroughly enjoyed their work.  Maybe not every moment of every day but as a whole I believe they highly valued the work they were engaged in.  My maternal grandfather was still striving to find ways to feed the cattle himself into his nineties.  He wanted to take his last breath on his ranch and although that didn't happen he did manage to have a horse to the end.  He told me that although he couldn't ride anymore he just couldn't bear not having a horse as he had had one since his grandfather gave him his first horse at the age of twelve.

My grandmothers were invaluable in the functioning of the homesteads helping outside whenever needed while preparing three full meals a day and keeping the house running just as smoothly as possible.

Even with the long days of running the ranch and the farm my grandparents found time to engage in more leisurely pursuits.  Their "entertainment" rarely involved dining out and I never knew them to spend a dime on movies or miniature golf or bowling.  Obviously, the majority of their lives preceded computers and gaming consoles and television was only useful for the evening news.  Instead, their "entertainment" largely involved engaging with the community in a variety of ways.  

They were very active in their churches, attending all services and special events.  My maternal grandmother was involved in a ladies group and I recall going to a social event with her once.  This event had a Hawaiian theme.  The women crocheted flower leis for each attendee (I still have mine) and each brought  a Polynesian-inspired dish.  I remember my grandmother scouring recipes before deciding on a sweet and sour dish.  It was all very exciting.

My maternal grandmother was also involved in a quilting circle.  Once a month these ladies would share a dish and work on a members quilt.  I joined them a time or two and remember the warmth and conviviality.

My maternal grandfather was actively engaged in area singing conventions (his father was one of the founders of these conventions).  These were significant social events that my grandmother would participate in as well - bringing a dish or two and enjoying the singing.  And there would be lots of socializing.  They also routinely attended a group that would play 42 together, a domino game that my grandfather was profoundly good at.

My paternal grandparents were part of a square dancing club.  I loved my grandmother's dancing dresses.  I recall a time that I joined them.  The dance was held in a postage-stamp sized community center.  I had no idea what I was doing but the elderly gentlemen insisted on getting me to the dance floor.  My grandparents were vibrant.  It is a glowing memory

These grandparents also learned to play a variety of instruments, made public performances and participated in and won competitions

In their quiet moments at home my grandfathers stayed abreast of current events - they watched the news and read newspapers.  My grandmothers had hobbies that enhanced their homes.  They both sewed.  Their sewing skills allowed them to clothe their families but as that became less necessary they utilized those skills to make sweet gifts for their grandchildren.  I have baby dresses and a doll that my paternal grandmother made me.  My maternal grandmother made dolls with yarn or with fabric yo-yo's.  I still have some of those as well.  My maternal grandmother tried her hand at macrame and decoupage and, when a neighbor got a kiln, ceramics.  My paternal grandmother embroidered item after item leaving me with some beautiful pillowcases.

My grandparents are an inspiration to me.  They did work that they loved and they had leisurely pursuits that didn't break the bank; those activities that did require a small bit of money enhanced their households.

I will keep this in mind as I strive for a rich, full and thrifty life.

Some Small Frugal Successes to Lead to Financial Fitness

September 27 - October 5
I had some successes.

-Even with the reduced paycheck I was able to continue to pay extra on the mortgage and two student loans.

-I found green bell peppers on sale at Aldi.  They were .79 for a package of three.  I will dice these and place them in the freezer.

-I purchased two hams at .89 per pound.  I will likely save one for the holidays.  The other ham will be used for ham and cheese omelettes, ham sandwiches, ham and scalloped potatoes and will use the ham bone to make beans.

-I took two Pizza Hut surveys that enabled me to receive two $10 off coupons.  These were used for meals for the boys; once upon Maceo's request after the closing of his production.

-Bishop and I attended a potluck.  We enjoyed great food and even better company and when it was all over we left with more drinks then we arrived with.  There was leftover root beer.  It was offered to me and I accepted.  Maceo and Bishop will enjoy this little treat; maybe I will even get them some ice cream to make floats with.

-My dad treated us to Crackerbarrel while he was in town for a visit.  We brought home all the leftover biscuits; if the kids don't eat them the chickens sure will.  We also brought home the little syrup bottles.  I intend on washing these and using them as vases for nosegays that I can gift others.

-Bishop and I attended an event at our botanical garden.  We got to tag monarch butterflies.  It was really cool and a nice free way to enjoy an afternoon.

-I was able to watch Grease for free a couple more times by volunteering to usher and to sell flowers.  

The last two frugal successes mentioned above have me thinking of ways to keep our entertainment budget to a minimum so here is a quickly brainstormed list of possibilities:

-Volunteering at our community theatre is a great way to enjoy amazing entertainment at no cost.  I saw Grease eight times (and enjoyed it every single time) and paid only once to see it.  I used a comp ticket once, ushered three times, worked boutique once and flower sales twice all allowing me to watch the show for free.  I am already scheduled to usher the next show of the season and will attempt to usher each one of them.  Also, we have other theatres in town maybe I can volunteer at those theatres as well.

-The theatre also provides a great deal of entertainment for Maceo.  He has a great time performing in shows and it doesn't cost him a thing.  Bishop is now considering learning to do tech for shows.  (We also consider this free education; you will probably see a lot of overlap between entertainment and education).

-The library has to be routinely checked for programs.  They have some great stuff going on.  They also have a 3D printer that we can use for minimal cost.

-The park board also has great offerings that are free to cheap.  The aforementioned butterfly tagging was through the park board (educational, entertaining and free), 

-Our conservation department also offers up a lot of cool free classes and activities as well, such as the warbler walk that Bishop and I took in the spring.

-Last month Bishop and I enjoyed three free events with the Audubon Society.  If we continue doing things with them we should join but even then the membership is only about $25 per year.  We could also join the Mycological Society or the American Culinary Federation or the Blacksmithing Association or all of the above and then some.

-We have a family fantasy football league which is very entertaining and keeps us all connected regardless of geographic separation.  We do pay for a satellite television subscription which allows  us to watch all those football games, as well as other great shows, but maybe we do need to find a less expensive way to get screen time.

-Not too long ago we used to have a lot of little celebrations.  We would celebrate just about anything.  I think we need to go back to that.  We create interesting menus that fit into our grocery budget and use the abundance of items that we have around the house for decorations.

-We could also institute a game night.  For some game nights we could even invite friends over...make it a potluck.

-There are books to read, recipes to make, genealogical and photographic materials to organize, scrapbook pages to make, blank canvases to use, science kits to explore, instruments to learn to play, sketchbooks that need drawings, and so on and so forth.

This is a list worth taking the time to expand in the future!

Christmas Jar O' Change:  I added $3.77 to the previous balance of $156.39 for a new balance of $160. 16.  I think it is time to start focusing on Christmas gifts!

Home Emergency Fund:  $0

52-Week Savings Plan:  I am going to have to wait just a bit more before I make a deposit into this account so the balance remains at $984.

Lifestyle of Learning 2015 Edition: Volume Twenty-Four

September 27-October 3

Sunday:  Bishop returned from his scout camping trip at Pomme de Terre.  It was a success.  There was fishing and kayaking.  Bishop caught a fish with his hands but not with his pole.  He hasn't finished up fishing merit badge yet.

Immediately he joined his youth group on a trip to Smallin Cave.  He said it was a fantastic tour that covered as much in the way of history as it did science.

Maceo did a matinee performance of Grease then had to rush to a nearby farm for Huck Finn headshots.

We spent the evening keeping our eye on the lunar eclipse.

http://www.space.com/30656-total-lunar-eclipse-supermoon-viewing-guide.html

http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html

Monday:  This was a slow day with plenty of time for conversation.  I shared portions of the Republican debate with the boys which led Maceo to research the Democrat nominees.  We also discussed the process for nominating,

Maceo had his pre-professional training acting class (1 hour 20 minutes), while I went to a scout parent meeting and Bishop worked on the Citizenship in the Nation merit badge by watching the news.  Later we discussed what he had seen.

Tuesday:  Maceo attended troupe  (2 hours) and his improv class  (50 minutes).  Then he went to Incredible Pizza with friends and played a considerable amount of laser tag.
Bishop again watched the news and we had a discussion.  Bishop read a chapter of history.
Then he and I had lengthy discussions with Bishop about stories he creates (not written), names he chooses and why (word origins, derivatives, meanings), and we discussed story and character archetypes and ways in which they could be presented in a unique fashion.  It was an absolutely fascinating conversation.  It is when we have conversations such as these that I learn what the boys are researching independently and how they are making connections. It is amazing!

Wednesday:  I wasn't feeling well and had so much to do this morning that we didn't make it to science group but Bishop did go to history group.  He did narration, discussion and map work related to Champlain, Hudson, and the Pilgrims.  We ended by sharing a meal with foods that the pilgrims might have eaten; succotash, corn bread, pumpkin, spoon pudding.  It was yummy, yummy!

Maceo had his pre-professional acting class (1 hour 20 minutes) and managed to squeeze in a vocal rehearsal for an upcoming wedding (1 hour) before going to Huck Finn rehearsal (2 hours).  I had great conversation with Maceo about plays and churches and did some brainstorming about thespian troupe (performing one-acts, performing plays written by other troupers, rewriting public domain book into script and performing, creating a banned book monologue type thing).

Thursday:  Maceo had vocal lessons (1 hour) and had a touring company rehearsal (two hours).  Then, prior to performing Grease (three hours), Maceo participated in a training session for a local middle school's drama club (two hours).
Bishop did some yard work for me then made an incredible pork dish with cranberries and apples.  He researched recipes then created his own.  It was amazing.  He and I watched Face Off.

Friday:  Papa and Helen arrived in town last night.  Maceo was quite busy today with touring company rehearsal (3 hours and 15 minutes) while Bishop and I went to hang out with family.  Together we played Colorku and other logic puzzles.  We all had dinner with Papa before another performance of Grease.  Maceo performed (three hours) and Bishop and I viewed it along with some family.

Saturday:  Maceo had two performances of Grease today (six hours) while the rest of the family hung out together.  We went to a park where we had the opportunity to tag monarch butterflies 

We then walked through the beautiful gardens in the park.  I was particularly taken with the scent garden - a garden full of scented geraniums.  I learned that the "geraniums" were found and named in 1600's by explorers to South Africa.  At that time there were about 700 varieties and now a bit over 200.  They are truly fascinating.  I now want to plant my own scent garden.

After the park and after the final performance for the day I took Maceo to the Grease cast party.
It was an amazing party...

and an amazing way to end the week.
Tomorrow we shall say goodbye to Papa and Helen and to this production.

Lifestyle of Learning 2015 Edition: Volume Twenty-Three

September 20 - 26

Maceo's theatre commitments are really picking up.  He logged 2 1/2 hours of acting instruction through a pre-professional training program and another 1 1/2 hours of an improvisational acting class.  The touring company has resumed rehearsal and logged 5 3/4 hours of rehearsal time.
He also performed Grease five times this week which was about a 17 1/2 hour commitment.  And, finally, he had youth performance troupe (an additional 2 hours) which involved participating in the filming of a public service announcement.  It was a remarkable experience.  So very cool.  Maceo logged 29 1/4 hours in theatre commitments and another hour in vocal instruction.

Bishop attended a scout meeting, had a pottery lesson, made stuffed sopaipillas and the best burrito filling ever.

Bishop continued science group.  We took a look at DNA at a basic level, primarily looking at the chemical ingredients that comprise DNA.  We made an edible model and we are looking forward to covering it in more depth in the future.  We also began getting familiar with the microscope by looking at prepared slides cells and tissue.

After a picnic at the park we did history group.  Bishop gave a presentation on Hideyoshi.

We also had a guest who shared information about her time in Japan

and we enjoyed some tea together.

I failed to mention this last time but Bishop and I attended an Audubon Society meeting where we heard an entertaining presentation on evolution given by an evolutionary ecologist.
This week Bishop went on a campout with his scout troop.  I am so proud of him as he planned the trip, making all the pertinent calls, etc.  He helped a fellow scout complete cooking requirements, went fishing (caught a striped bass with his hands), and went kayaking.

What a beautiful week!

Last Weeks Frugal Accomplishments as I Strive for Financial Fitness

September 13-26

Just some simple successes that contribute to my goal of financial fitness:

-I went by Aldi to buy groceries for Bishop's scout camping trip.  While there I noted that they had strawberry-rhubarb yogurt for ten cents per container.  I have no idea if we will like this yogurt or not but I figured it was worth a shot at that price.  I also figured that I could use it in baking if we didn't want to eat it alone.  I purchase two packages.

I also found that they had cans of crushed tomatoes with basil discounted to seventy-nine cents each so I purchased a case.

-I have seen our theatre's production of Grease four times in the last two weeks and all for free (which has an approximate value of $120).  I ushered twice, worked boutique once and did flowers once as well.  One day I volunteered to help the guild with concessions during intermission and was gifted with a bottle of water and a cupcake.  Unexpected and delightful!

-Herb and I added free apps to our phones that allow us to text and call internationally at no charge.

-Bishop and I attended two more free events with the Audubon Society.  We went on a warbler walk.  We also attended their monthly meeting where they had lots of yummy food and a very entertaining speaker.  Not knowing that they would have food, I had fed Bishop dinner before going but I was able to graze enough to qualify as dinner.

-History group has restarted and, in fact, we have started a science group to be held on the same day at the same place.  The first week we went out for lunch at a Chinese buffet between groups.  The second week we decided to pack lunches and head to the park.  It was perfect.  The kids expended a lot of energy, we soaked up some sun, and we saved some money.  We have decided to picnic just as long as the weather allows.  (I really want to start planning ahead for this so that we are not scrounging each and every week as we did this last time).

-I used a toothpick and other implements to dig chapstick out of the bottom of the container until there was absolutely no chapstick left.

-Fed the hens all leftovers and scraps that were not going to be utilized by humans.

-After a busy day of performances I ordered pizza from Pizza Hut for some of the performers.  I took the survey offered on the receipt and received a $10 coupon.

Christmas Jar O' Change:  The previous balance was $140.57.  I added $15.82 for a new balance of $156.39.

Home Emergency Fund:  This meager fund was wiped out when I gave Maceo the money for a quick lunch while Bishop and I were out.  (I really need to plan better).  The balance is $0.

52-Week Savings Plan:  I did not manage to deposit money in this account for the last two weeks of September so the balance remains $984.

A Remarkable Experience

Maceo had quite a remarkable experience today.

The thespians of Maceo's youth performance troupe had the opportunity to film a public service announcement.  Still photos were also taken that will be used in printed material.

It was great fun and a truly great experience!