Morning all, Am currently waiting for my grocery order to be filled.
I need to pick it up in 3 hours. It took weeks to make this order out. Weeks of starting with a huge order of everything we need. The first order total is almost a thousand dollars, and includes every tiny thing that would work, or will be needed during the month.
Over the weeks, I watch prices, what’s in stock, and what the Hubble is currently craving. Say he stops eating one thing for awhile, I then substitute something else. Or say he gets sick from something, we nix that off the list forever.
Over time, the list shrinks. We usually don’t eat a lot of take out, but say during the month I can’t cook, or he’s in too much pain, we have take out. This really alters the order.
Sadly, though, other things alter the order. Say the Hubble really wants crackers, but the store is completely out, and it looks like they won’t be in for quite awhile, then I substitute other crackers, or go with another adjacent product. There are times his stomach is really riled, and crackers are about the only thing he can eat with a little cheese.
Now we talk about reusing things. Instead of paper towels for most things, we have adapted to using flour sack towels and regular towels for most things. For day to day use, I use cloth pads instead of a commercial product, and just wash them. Then I only use commercial products when I have to leave the house.
Cutting quantities of things. Coffee, we are rationing right now. I’ve been having only one cup per day. Instead of eating until I think I’m full, I cut back on how much I put on the plate for myself only. The Hubble, I encourage to eat more, because he just isn’t hungry most of the time.
We turn the lights off, we don’t run appliances unnecessarily, and we combine errands. For example. Lightbulbs are now led, but we don’t use them if we are just sitting watching a screen. The fridge is the only appliance we leave plugged in, and on, other than the Hubble’s much beloved background noise fans.
Our furnace is left at 70, and usually less. We can wear ponchos, sweaters, sweats, socks, and even cover up with lapgans and shawls. At night, there are extra blankets around. We usually sleep in sleeping bags, to be honest, and if we need more warmth, cover up with another blanket on top of the sleeping bag.
Errands. When the Hubble or I have Dr appointments, then we stack other errands on top. For a recent day out, while he was at the Dr, I ran to the post office and walgreens. For the first time in forever, he had to wait for me, but I didn’t account for the line at checkout this time. This means that we aren’t making separate trips for everything.
The bonus effect on this, since Hubble and I are both immune compromised, we don’t get exposed, and have turn around time between exposures. Catching a cold or simple flu is hell for either of us. Today’s errand base includes picking up groceries, checking on a package that seems to be lost in the ether, and picking up another thing. If he needed his meds, I’d run through the pharmacy drive through.
Being disabled, both of us, means that recovery physically from our weird lifestyle takes longer. That errand day earlier in the week? He spent the next day in bed. I spent it curled up in a chair with my crochet.
Now for the one splurge in today’s order. I needed yarn. Um… I have a stash of it in my studio dungeon, but I needed one ombre that hadn’t been available when I originally ordered the project. The Hubble doesn’t know, but he just bought it for my Valentine’s gift. Shh! don’t tell him. I certainly won’t. That said, our order total is 144 dollars, all but the yarn is food.
Take care, hoping you have a lovely day. Please have a cuppa good coffee for me. -L
Disclaimer: This is a pre-canned post. Hope you understand. Thank You.
AnonymousKnitter 