I’m riding high on the excitement of summer and a three-day weekend: got my first sunburn, saw lightning bugs, had my first dip in the pool, and celebrated the solstice, a little early.
It was a rough week at work and my day off on Friday could not come fast enough. Thursday night was busy: T at his GF’s graduation, N singing with the choir at the Collingswood HS graduation, and F at the good old Blacktop Bash at their old elementary school. Later, N and F both went to the same birthday party, which makes me wonder if their friend groups will merge once again, like when they were little.
Speaking of singing, I attended N and F’s chamber choir concert last Sunday and the music was really beautiful and gave me chills: The Song of Purple Summer and I Am: The Song of Amergin were two of them. (More on the Irish legend of Amergin here.) Thank you to their awesome choir teacher, Mrs. I!
Tuesday night I finally bottled the last of the dried oregano. I have two full bottles now.
Friday was nice. I started my day off by weed whacking, as one does. Later I treated myself to a mocha frappe from McDonald’s, something that used to be my go-to “little treat” for myself when the kids were little. Delicious and gave me a brain freeze. T and F and I ran some errands, including a stop at Costco, where I used my rewards gift certificate ($17). In the evening F had a summer solstice party.
After running around helping F, I ended up hanging out outside with my next-door neighbors, which was really fun. At least until I had to get up early for N’s swim meet.
Saturday was a long but fun day, spent mostly at the pool. I soaked in the atmosphere at the swim meet (first summer swim meet for us) and realized that I know a lot of the summer swim parents. So I’m looking forward to future meets. Then it was off to the post office to mail N’s clothes that he resold. Later, when it was time for his lifeguard shift, F and I went to the pool with him and got our summer tags. More socializing at the pool and a lovely swim, a quick dinner at home, then a drive to Marlton to get a tall planter from Facebook Marketplace. Only $50 for this big guy!
Why is the gardening stuff always in Marlton though? It’s a hike.
I am becoming a fan of this style of planter. I don’t have to get down on my knees. I don’t have to deal with the soil in place, with whatever bugs it may host, and can just use bagged soil.
After that drive, I took the dog for a walk, and then I was DONE. I slept like a brick, passing out during the Phillies game.
The weather all weekend reminded me of the Shore: breezy, just a little humid, not that hot.
Last Saturday night, I had a chat with my neighbors about them being vegetarian, then saw this article.
Maybe I could reject capitalism and save money by truly trying to eat less meat/find alternatives? I used to try to buy ethically raised meat, but it became expensive. Maybe the answer is simply to eat very little meat. That article really brought back the horror of factory farming, which I had managed to forget about.
Some garden pics. The beans and tomatoes are flowering and vining, and the onions are so tall. And the bees have found the oregano.
The front garden looks pretty nice, if monochromatic (light purple flowers on almost everything). Very full. I enjoy reminding myself that it cost zero dollars.
Meals this week:
Sunday: pizza with Grandmom M
Monday: spaghetti Bolognese with garlic bread (everything from the freezer)
Tuesday: carnitas from Sprouts and sauteed green beans: leftover rotisserie chicken with rice
Wednesday: Grilled chicken, rice a roni and baked potatoes (Tom cooked)
Thursday: free stuff from Wawa with points
Friday: First mozzarella and basil sandwich of the season
Saturday: pupusas from Costco
Lunches:
Monday: leftover rotisserie chicken mixed with the roasted potatoes and carrots it comes with, all mixed with Caesar dressing, served cold
Bought on Tuesday and Wednesday
Spending for the week as of tonight:
- $50 for a swimsuit for N for swim team. Bought through Fetch so I got 450 points. Avoided Amazon.
- About $200 at Costco
- $23 on work lunches
- $8.85 and $16.95 at Sara’s Produce (some produce plus flowers for T’s GF (that he forgot to bring her)).
- $21.72 at Walgreens for soap and an ointment.
- $20 to reload my train card
- $74.40 at Sprouts
- $19.01 and $10.49 at Haddon Culinary for a rotisserie chicken and something else, and mozzarella cheese
- $96.89 and $18 at Acme
- $40 on two pizzas, plus tip
- $40 on a birthday gift
- $175 for pool tags
- $13 at McDonald’s
- $10 donation to help vet bills for a sick mama and puppies being fostered by our rescue
This is over budget, but the pool tags are worth it, I think. The only thing on this list that annoys me (besides the general continuing high cost of groceries) is the work lunches.
One day I got a big bag of free bagels that were being given away in the work cafeteria. And today I picked up a summer read for $2 at the thrift store: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (author of Gone Girl).
Tom and I just had another tiff about running the A/C. I do not feel it should be running if it’s only 80 degrees outside. I will be delivering the electric bill right to him when it comes in a few days.
Today we took a ton of stuff to Goodwill and then browsed another thrift store. Otherwise, we didn’t do much besides go out to eat with my extended family for Father’s Day. Onto the last full week of June.
Garden State of Mind 
Leave a comment