Tuesday Trot-about Town Thriftiness

One word... well kinda sorta two:  Mucinex D... it's gotta be the "D" in the name that you sign for at the pharmacist's counter and pay the big bucks for. It's worth it!

I ended up with a dang blasted cold.  Suffering since about Tuesday night with it and it has settled in my lungs. If you know anything about me, I have suffered lung damage from a chemical spill and my lungs are never in the best of shape.  I am off oxygen, but when a common cold gets me down, it REALLY gets me down when it settles in the lungs.

It's Friday and I was thinking I might need a trip into the walk-in clinic if my lungs don't clear up. I end up with bronchitis or pneumonia very easily.  After steaming this morning in the tub with eucalyptus gel on my chest, then I saw a commercial on tv.  I asked if Steve could please run over to Walmart in between his clients today and could he pick up some Mucinex D?

AHhhhhhhh relief!   I could feel it going to work in the first hour, drying me up from the inside out. I am feeling comfortable and my head is not pounding. I am not coughing up a lung and feeling pretty good. I think the cold is over,  I just have to get rid of the lung gunk.  Wish me luck for a good night's sleep?  The last 3 nights have been pretty rough.


On Tuesday, before I got too sick (though I could feel it coming on) we took a run up to Appleton for a couple things.  One which was the last three remaining  tubs of Tom and Jerry Batter Mix at Festival Foods. I asked them to hold it for me! It's a seasonal drink and they only make so much each holiday.  I LOVE Tom and Jerry drinks....  it's like a thick frothy warm eggnog drink with a shot of brandy and a sprinkle of nutmeg on top.

The pre-made batter is nice, because it is kept in the freezer.  Heat up half a mug of water in the microwave till almost boiling. Scoop out two dollops of batter (like soft ice cream consistency) and it melts into the hot water and mix a bit with a spoon. I let the grandkids take a sip before I add any alcohol.  Add brandy or rum to your liking and a sprinkle of nutmeg on top.  YUMMMMMMMM

Soooo we scooped up the last three containers they were holding for me, and headed over to Menards for a few things.  On the way there, we saw a little antique/retro/recycle place that was open.  Ye Old Goat  is the name of the place. It's all little booths of various sellers on consignment.  We enjoyed strolling along, up and down the aisles.

And WHAT do you think I found?????  

 Can you believe it????? 

 A whole set of Tom and Jerry mugs and the big bowl to mix it up with!!!!

(guess I am gonna have to start making it from scratch?)

I looked this set up online and it runs in the $70-100 range!  I got the set for only $20.  I only have 7 mugs and one bowl, and that is enough for all of my grandkids, but I would love to get 1 or even 5 more mugs.  Gotta keep an eye out at thrift shops and rummage sales now. 

I vaguely remember one of these mugs from my childhood. I am not sure if we had the mug as kids at our house, or if it was at Grandma's house. I do remember begging for it thinking it was Tom and Jerry, you know, the cat and mouse cartoon!  LOL 

Our next stop at was the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.  We love browsing through there, you never know what you will find.  We found two adorable little footstools!  $10 each.  Steve hauled them out to the car for me.  The legs match my furniture style. I am going to recover them with matching paisley fabric like my dining room chairs. 

And.... I have the PERFECT place for them!!!

(for now I covered each one with a piece of sheepskin)

Finney and Binney Loom Room Window Perches! 

I had some other things there they could sit on and look out, but now they are both the same height and match, kinda sorta.  Until I get more of that fabric to match my other stuff.  They are happy with them just the way they are!


One of our other projects Steveio came up with last week as well.....

When we bought our house 5 years ago, the pantry room really contained all of the kitchen stuff except for the stove.  Yes, they had the sink, dishwasher, and fridge in this little butlers pantry room.  It was pretty crowded and we later moved things out to the main kitchen.....

We ripped it all out,
changed the plumbing a bit for the washer and dryer,
and put in new flooring.

With some fresh paint, 

it sure came out to be a cute little laundry room on the first floor! 

Now... fast forward to last week....

Steve was thinking, and when his brain gets to thinking look out! 

He took his tape measure and went up to my sewing room!  Then he removed the unused clothes pole from in my sewing room closet.  What was he up to? 

That's not a cigarette in his mouth, it's an extra screw! 

VOILA!

We now have a clothes hanging pole in the laundry room!
Previously, for the last five years,
 we had been trying to hang clothes on the back of the door,
We were hanging them on the towel bar, on an angle.  

Most of our clothes are stored on hangers, so this works out very well.
And a lot of my sweaters and shirts I do not like to put in the dryer.

Now as we  reach in the dryer to grab out something, we can hang it up and out of the way and reach in for the next thing. Instead of trying to hang it from the towel bar on the back of that doorway right across from the dryer.  That door leads up the back servants stairs to the upper floor.  With all the clothes hanging off it at times, it can't even be opened easily.  Sooooo Steve decided to change that for us! 

That is what happens when my guy
starts to "think" of something!