What I did today

Today was another day I got up early (for me), this time to go to ShopRite for several sale items. Everything I bought was on sale, and/or it had a digital coupon, except one item - a small box of "sandwich bags", which I am almost out of (and I rarely use them, so I'm surprised I remembered to get some!). The app on my phone I had to bring up told me I had been off of it for so long (over 3 months) that I had to "log in". That tells you how seldom I go to those supermarkets - only when there are some super-deals, which is very seldom. The pineapple was $1.49, mushrooms 99¢/8 oz (occasionally Aldi has that even better, so I wouldn't go just for that), Jimmy Dean bacon $2.99/12 oz (plus I had a 50¢ coupon for one of the 4, sugar for $1.99/4 lbs (Aldi had this up to $3.09 this week!), and all these things had a limit of 4, and the pineapple was the only thing I got one of. I also went to Aldi on the way home, which was perfect - I got there about 3 minutes before they opened, at 9 am, and I only needed a few things - more oats, for cookies (they weren't that much more at SR, but I looked, and knew the price here!), more eggs, and a couple other things for the baking, and got home at 9:12, which might be a record for me!

The weather, later on, got nice out, after the frost all over melted (it was mostly melted on the car, even when I went to SR), and I got some stuff done in the garden! I dumped the bottom of my rain barrel out, and turned it upside down for the winter, and put a drain hose on what normally catches the rain, and that drains into my herb bed (though lately, it has been very wet). I also planted a bunch of shallot "sets" - ones I harvested several weeks ago, that weren't large enough to use in the kitchen, but should produce something more than a seed did. And those garlic chives were still alive! All those clusters of them had dead leaf heads above, but still some greens down below. I cut a few of the best looking greens, to put on a salad tonight - I also have some lettuce still producing, and that flowering lettuce is finally drying out some of the flowers, which I've been waiting for. I'll go out tomorrow and pull some of the totally dried ones, and get the seeds from them. Supposed to be sort of nice tomorrow, though not as sunny, but still good for outdoor work.

DS and I went to Aldi a couple days ago and saw the price of Organic Free range eggs went down. $2.54! We both got some. The price of regular ones did go up, $1.74.

I went out today and piled some leaves around that small fig tree I have - this was only the second year I had it, and it got to about 3½ ft tall, though too early to flower. I didn't even bother with it after the first year, and was surprised that it survived, and grew more than the first year. This time I wanted to insulate it some, so I put some chicken wire up on one side, and piled the leaves against that, and around the tree, then a trash can over it, and weighted it down. We'll see if it over-winters better this year.
Getting fig tree covered with leaves, before putting the trash can over it. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Trash can weighted down over the fig tree, with a bunch of leaves, to insulate. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Well I received my boosters together and had a reaction.  Felt like crap, feverish and my arms ached like I had a tetanus shot.  First time that I had anything more than fatigue.   My husband was the same only his symptoms lasted twice as long.  I would separate boosters next time.  Just saying.

Easing back into a routine. Treadmill every morning. Breakfast. Yesterday I hand quilted most of the day while watching The Sinner on Netflix. Walked the Princess. Not cooking much, have lost 4 lbs over the past month. Gotta get that back. Had a barley pop with a neighbor last night. Today I WILL vacuum, long overdue! Started hydroponic lettuce last night. Thursday will be leaf clean up day again since it will be the warmest day of the week. This weather is too strange for December.

There's not too many times in our lives when we get to eat as much as we want of things we think we should moderate. From what you've posted over time, it seems you eat a mostly plant based diet. Splurge on non dairy ice creme (my fav is So Delicious/dark chocolate truffle, made with cashew milk. To die for!) or cake! I make a vegan carrot cake (whole wheat flour) with Kite Hill (non dairy) creme cheeze frosting . Think of all the slices you can eat! Within a few days you'll retrieve those 4 lbs! Could be fun! I think you've mentioned you have a Natural Grocers? They should have some good vegan ready made or frozen desserts if you're not in the mood to bake just yet.

Today we dragged our Xmas tree inside & got it installed in its stand. Everything went smoothly & quickly. Definitely helped that the tree has a ramrod-straight trunk. Where we've run into problems in the past is when the trunk - hidden by the branches - turns out to be slanted or once - like a corkscrew. Then you have to do a lot of finagling to not only get the tree looking straight, but getting it balanced enough so it doesn't fall over. One year we had a tree that really hid the trunk well, & it turned out to be awfully crooked. We ended up having to put a cement block on the legs of one half of the stand. But this time - no knocking things over dragging the tree in, no problems getting it into the stand, no eons-long spinning it around to find the best side, etc., etc. It was inside, in the stand, up, & turned to the very best side (although it doesn't really have a bad one), in no more than 20 minutes. And it IS a gorgeous tree!! I think Lowe's has definitely become our new Xmas tree place; & the day after Thanksgiving is now THE day to get it, what with the one-day 20% off sale. This particular 8'-10' tree would definitely have cost more than $100 anywhere else, & we got it for $64.

Also hung the large mixed-greens door wreath, & except for a few minor items, have all my gift shopping finished. So all that's left will be decorating the tree, wrapping gifts, making cookies, & shopping for Xmas dinner. Now it doesn't sound like I got all that much done today after all - lol!