Hello dear friends! I just wanted to come on here and wish you all the happiest new year and to thank all of you that have contacted me either via comments, e-mail, or by post, this past year! It is so kind of you to remember me! I'm still here on earth and still kicking. Ha! Today I became officially a senior citizen. Oh boy! But even at my advanced age, I am still looking forward to setting goals for the coming year. I have an exciting challenge set, and that is to live almost completely from my pantry for 2024. You know how other bloggers and vloggers have a "no spend" month? Well, I intend to do that for an entire year. Of course there will be times I will have to make a foray into the grocery store, Blackie our cat, is not willing to give up his daily saucer of milk, and I am sure at some point I will run out of flour, but mainly I will use what I have. I assure you this is no hardship, as the past few years I have worked feverishly to stock my pantry. I don't know how much of an aid it would be to you for me to record the weekly menus and my thought process behind the choices I make, but if it is of interest to you, just let me know and perhaps I will post my weekly progress.
This past year has also been an exciting time of spiritual growth for me. Our little family has been studying the Bible together and for some reason, many of my questions have been answered, where before they have eluded me. Everything old is new again as each passing day I realize that the faith of my Puritan forefathers is the faith for me.
It has also been a time of great creativity for me. Whether it is taking scraps from the old rag bag or bits and bobs of leftovers, nothing gives me greater pleasure than taking those things and creating something if not wonderful, at least passable from them. Ha!
So that's what I have been up to in a nutshell. Thank you again for all your kindness! If there is any way I can be of service to you, just let me know! I do so hope and pray that the coming year will be kind to you and that each day will be the loveliest one.
Hugs
Jane
God bless you Jane, and Happy New Year. I for one, would love to read more posts from you!❄️♥️
ReplyDeleteThank you Rose! Blessings to you too!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Hi Jane! Happy new year and many blessings for your refreshed faith! This is what everyone should do now. We worry about everything except our spiritual growth, it seems. That is amazing about your pantry stock. I'm sure it makes you feel good inside to not waste. I'm learning that I need a lot less food than I think!
ReplyDeletecongrats on being a sr citizen. lol. I've been one for one year, and I have to admit, it seems longer. Mostly because I found the medicare system so difficult to understand! And the dr checkups seem nosey with what they are required to ask you. Freedom is so important, without being managed by a system. I will envision you in snow this winter. hugs,andrea
Hello Dear Andrea! We've discovered it doesn't take much to fill us up also. A little food can go a long way.
DeleteI'm hoping I will not need to use that medicare card. Signing up for social security was a nightmare as a stay-at-home wife. It felt like I was being interrogated by the FBI. They asked questions in such rapid fire, I was sweating bullets. Ha!
We are finally getting some snow today. I had hoped for a nice snowy winter when we got the first snowfall in mid-October, but alas it was not to be. I hope all is well with you!
Hugs
Jane
I would've liked to sign up for ss in person, but our office was still not open when I turned 65 and we had to do it over the phone. It was surprisingly easy (and I had no weird questions asked of me) ..... our lady on the phone was very knowledgeable. The problem we had was for me dropping my husband's retirement insurance from his job. (A large company). He is two months younger than me so I was first. But his company dropped him and me, both! He still had two months and one dr. bill. Although small, it took at least three letters and six phone calls to fix that and pay the bill for us. I am not one to give up! "The squeaky wheel gets oiled"...lol.
Deletebut i did find the concept of an advantage plan for medicare confusing. I also realize how it's just "the luck of the draw" to not have medical problems early in life that could hit a person' finances hard. And it is smart to never enter into retirement without having your house paid off. Good old-fashioned sense. hugs,andrea
Hi Andrea! Because I was drawing on Ran's social security I couldn't sign up on line, so I had to call a 1-800 number and wait on line for eons for an operator. When I finally got a hold of someone to talk to he asked all sorts of questions for about 45 minutes. When he was through with the questions, he made an appointment for the local ss office in 2 1/2 months. That appointment went very smoothly and the gal was nice. Actually at that point I was only trying to sign up for medicare, which we are required to do, but since Ran had delayed drawing on social security and would at the end of the year, the lady went ahead and took care of all that business for us.The district I can sign up in is near Detroit, which isn't the nearest office, but the one for our district. I was so glad everything could be done over the phone, as Detroit is not a place I want to drive to! You'd think each county would have an office. Anyway, it is all done now thank heavens! I told Ran he has to outlive me, because I'm not going through that mess again. Ha!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Oh, yes, at this point I can hardly remember. But I think we had the same case...not drawing ss yet but medicare first. hugs,andrea
Deletep.s...that's why we couldn't do it online either. hugs,andrea
DeleteWhatever it was Andrea, it was your typical governmental bureaucratic mess! Something to rejoice in is that it is done.
DeleteIt is so wonderful to see a post from you! I would love to see your weekly posts about your no spending progress, or whatever and whenever you would like to post. May you be blessed with a wonderful New Year!
ReplyDeleteHello Mrs. White! Having a good last day of 2023? We will have to see if there's much interest in such posts, but it is good to be able to correspond again with so many of you! As Brooke wrote to me recently that this blog was a good place to find commonality with so many of the homemaking, Christ-loving, frugal people such as yourself. I loved that in its heyday so many of the dear readers used it as a sort of forum for sharing ideas.
DeleteHugs
Jane
Happy New Year to you and your family, Jane. I miss your posts and would love to read more of whatever you choose to write about. ~~Mary~~
ReplyDeleteAnd Happy New Year to you Mary!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Happy New Year, Jane! I also became a senior citizen this year, which I didn't find all that easy to navigate. I enjoy all your posts, whether about creating, cooking, thrifting or other, and would love to see posts about your pantry challenge or anything else. I enjoy learning from the info you share.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you also, Laurie! And a happy belated birthday. I'm so glad you learn from my blogs. Sometimes I wonder if the posts are of any use to anyone.
DeleteHugs
Jane
Wow, good luck. It's wonderful that you have so much food preserved. Congratulations for such an accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteIt's really not that difficult, Sharon. Just having a huge garden and taking advantage of every meat sale I could the past few years. Doesn't hurt that Ran and I are old and we just don't eat like we used to. Ha! Of course, I will still be buying things along the way, but for the bulk of our meals, we will be eating what I have either canned, or root cellared or fresh from the garden.
DeleteHugs
Jane
I was so happy to see your post, I have missed you! I would love to hear how it goes. much love -Laura
ReplyDeleteHello Laura! So nice of you to leave a comment. So far it has been a piece of cake. Ha! I was just thinking my living out of my pantry isn't as much of a challenge as most folks because I can everything including milk, butter and cheese. It's just a matter of reaching for those things rather than buying them fresh.I'm just looking forward to having some space in my pantry. Hope 2024 is off to a good start for you!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Jane,
Deletemy goal this year is to get things stocked up and use my new pressure canner (still in the box because I'm a Fraidy cat to use it). You have been such a blessing to me with all the knowledge you share. Thank you!
much love-Laura
Don't be afraid of your pressure canner, Laura. They are pretty safe if you use common sense when using them, and I know you will. Just be sure to read your manual to make sure you are putting the right amount of water in it and then it is just a matter of using a good canning book. The one I use is from the Georgia extension office. I wouldn't follow anything you see on YouTube, I've seen some terrible errors on there. If you have any questions, just drop me a line.
DeleteHugs
Jane
Thank you Jane!
ReplyDeleteMuch love-Laura
Oh, what a wonderful surprise to see a new post! I feel like I just got a Christmas present!
ReplyDeleteI would love to see a weekly (or whatever you can manage) post about your pantry challenge and meal planning choices. I would also love to see any of your creative works. You are a very talented needlewoman!
Please never wonder if your posts are of any use! I come back to this blog again and again for information, ideas, recipes, and your wonderful stories. I am certain I am but one of many who find your writings a treasure trove.
Best wishes to you and your family in 2024!
Hello Sue! Keeping warm? Thank you so much for your kind words! I will see what I can manage, it won't be anything regular as life is busy, but I do miss all the friends I've made via this blog. Stay warm!
DeleteHugs
Jane
Hello Jane, I just saw this post. That would be quite a challenge to not shop all year, but if it can be done I know you can. And you will do it where it seems like a treat instead of a hardship.
ReplyDeleteIf you decide to blog about it, I’ll be reading. You are right about missing blog friends when they aren’t posting.
We are having ridiculously cold weather for Oklahoma, I don’t know you people in more northern places manage in this. But you probably think our 100 degree heat in the summer is too much.
Hello Rhonda! I'm looking forward to having some room in my pantry. It's a fun challenge, and you are correct, I'm enjoying it. I hope you are keeping warm, I'm keeping cozy sitting by the fire and finishing projects that should have been finished ages ago. 75 degrees is about as hot as I can stand, I don't get how others can take the heat, just as others cannot understand my love for winter. Ha! Bundle up and stay warm!
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Jane
I just popped in to see how you are doing!! So thankful I did. You are a blessing and an inspiration to me!! Keep posting….we need to encourage one another in these gloriously dark days! He’s coming!!!
ReplyDeleteKim Eversman
Hello Kim, dear! Hope all is well. I missed my blog not only because I missed corresponding with all of you, but also because it is fun for me to look back and see what the weather was and what I was working on. I did a lot of complaining about the weather. Ha!
DeleteHugs
Jane