Hi Folks
Week two of the November No Boy Month and it was a much bigger struggle this week..
The reason’s can be broken down into two reason.
#1 reason is simple, I got to town for the shortest trip ever, I did find in the Canadian tire store, I let hubby go buy the oil for the snow blower and the new wet stone he wanted. While I looked at Christmas stuff and pushed all the buttons on the singing/dancing toys.
Then we went to the grocery store, we needed Cat and Dog Food and I wanted to spend my “allotted” amount on a few fresh things like Banana’s, Mushrooms, Fresh yogurt starter and they had a sale on flour, the big bag of the good kind on for 8.50 for ten pounds and I had to use money from week one and week two on this trip but worth it for that sale.
The URGE to shop, really shop, so many baking things on sale, the urge to put in a few easier meals into the cart, the urge grab a bag of something, anything that was “junk”
I made it out of the store with what we went in for.. but I truly felt limited, I felt a bit sad, a bit.. this sucks.. I let me myself feel it because It was a dang good reminder of it feels like when you are on a very limited budget, its a good reminder that others live and survive on extreme limits when it comes to these things..
It didn’t hurt me to feel those things, it reminded me that most of the time I am very spoiled in my current world.. most of the time I can and do walk in and spend and get what I want.. being reminded that its a blessing and a not a right is never a bad thing.
I was also sad to see that my small trip tired me out to the point of coming home and needing a couple hour sleep afterwards.
Then came the second thing this week.. Fatigue
I know, I know.. that is a strange word to use but it’s the one I am picking and sticking with, you see when I was so sick I could not see straight at times, I was so grateful to open a jar of soup or stew or chili..
Eating was hard enough but cooking really did not happen.. then I had a few good days, while they were not perfect they were good of course I over did it and find myself taking a every third day or so as a total rest day but at least some things are getting done..
fall is butcher season and I am so far behind and each day I do not get things done, the more money it costs us.. we are bleeding out hay at this point.. The fact that our butcher shop caught fire and that I can’t get in to a different shop (which will cost more travel costs, higher butcher costs, higher cut and wrap costs) and the fact that I can’t get in till late in jan..
Adds up to only one thing..
IF the lamb is being eaten by us.. We are home butchering it and I am pushing to get the biggest ones done, I would rather have whole back legs in the freezers waiting for me to pull out and process it, then keep feeding them daily and watch my winter hay being used at a faster rate then I want to see it go..
I still have a few ducks to go but 90 percent of the fowl is done, the pork is done, I brought in beef, so lamb is the last big push.. and I am sighing when I see someone posting.. got a deer and taking this long to process it because each of my big lambs is pretty much going to be the same and trust me when I say, I am going to be doing more then one..
None the less, over the time of not feeling well most of the easier things that I had prepped ahead have gotten eaten.. those premade and in the freezer cookies, gone.. those frozen cake pieces, gone.. those pre-prepped veggies, gone..
I have lots of frozen or canned veggies or fermenting veggies but I am down to beets, carrots, potato’s and onions for fresh.. that and sunchokes.. lots of sunchokes to come in yet.
For fresh fruit.. I have ground cherries, everything else is frozen or canned or dried..
For fresh greens, I have green sprouts, trays of them coming and mung beans coming..
I am not saying we are hard done by, we are not.. we have full pantries, all kinds of meat and dry goods.. Still I am blinking at it..
When I am fresh, I ADORE the challenge of figuring out new meals, new food.. when I am truly sick I am beyond grateful for not needing to think and being able to grab premade food..
Right now.. I am in the middle zone.. I want new food, new meals.. and yet I lag in it.. I want fresh food to add to my meals but I am holding tight to my no buy feb rules and I am feeling it. I need my creative mojo to kick in.. and that is where the fatigue kicks in..
Because I look like one of those teens standing in front of a full fridge and going.. there is nothing to eat.. lol
I am standing in front of a full pantry and blinking hard trying to figure out.. what should I make for this meal, for the next meal, for the meal after that..
Its the one thing that does not change.. meals and feeding your family must happen.. hubby needs things for work.. I know its because I am worn thin that I feel this way..
None the less its been a hard week in the challenge.. on a emotional level..
Here is hoping that week 3 goes more smoothly for me and my household.. On a good note, my blood pressure has gone back to normal.. it appears to be have tied to my illness so that is one less thing to worry about.. I am back to being in the normal zone again on multi checks.. A very good thing indeed.
So for those of my ladies that are joining me in my no buy Nov? how did your last week go, I hope you got though it better then I did..
Just another Day on the Farm 
I’m sorry the week has been so hard. Thank goodness for your pantry as that meant you had stuff in, even if it was hard to muster the strength to make something. I hope next week is a bit better for you.
Regarding the flour, I totally sympathise. When I did my £1 a day challenge, someone asked me why I didn’t just buy that bigger bag of rice as it would be cheaper overall and fill me up. To which I said, sure, I could buy that, but then the budget for my whole week would go. Even if it is cheaper overall, with my limited budget I just couldn’t afford it. Being poor means you have to buy more expensive choices of food in smaller packages.
For sure, I think that is the truth in many cases, it is more cheap to wait and buy the big packs of so many things or the larger size but that means that you must be able to get it home.. (if you are walking or pulling a cart, you are limited) so they assume you have a car.. I did the same challenge years ago.. live on 1. 50 a day I think was what I was allowed, I do not know how I would have made it without foraging.. I eat more “foraged wild food” in that time then ever and I was so happy for knowing tricks, what plants you can burn and use the ash, like a salt in a dish.. How to use bitter greens to replace lemon and so much more.. I made my tea’s out of fresh plants or dried plants.. It was still brutal and eye opener. I am sorry my week has felt so hard as well.. I could have written a more positive post, I mean I did stick to rules, I did a good job in many many ways.. but I asked myself if a dear friend said, how did your week go.. my answer would have a been a honest.. it was good but a struggle.. That is what I try for the blog.. to be more honest on real life..
I am curious to know what plants you can burn and use the ash like salt?
It can be done with a number of different plants, it can also be done with a good old fashioned wooden match, light it, burn it, crush it and use it.. In my case I used dried nettle leaves that I did a slow burn on like a smudge speed, then I crushed the ash and used it as a salt to go with my herbs.. its the sulfides that mimic the taste in our mouths, there is some salt in the there as well but my research says its the sulfide mimic..
Good to know! Thanks.
And definitely sulphur from the match-head; )
I buckled down and did a much better job of not spending any money this week. Yea me.
I try to have preps specifically for illness. A bout of the flu or a bad cold can happen to anyone and its is so nice to have the supports in place so you can take it easy for a couple of days so you can rest up and get better. When I think about what we do, these preps are more like habits. For example, we treat the half way mark on our gas gauge as “empty” thus keeping at least half a tank in reserve should the budget not allow for a trip to the hospital (over mountain passes in the winter for more serious issues). We also kept the inside wood box full of wood. Last winter, when The Man was suddenly hospitalized, both these supports saved my bacon. As did a couple of ready to eat meals in the freezer. It is however, surprising how fast those preps get used up.
Hope you continue to feel better.
I am working on it, I have never! seen anything like this one.. I am used to a couple days or even a week or two for a really bad one.. but this.. this is crazy.. a few of my friends have gotten it as well.. and everyone is taking the same time to get over it.. its not just me.. and our household.. its in a number of places and homes but it is just crazy long time being sick and a equally crazy long time recovering. I hear you on how fast your supplies can be gone though when you are really using them.. I am glad your preps really helped you when you needed them.. Sounds like you had a better week on your challenge but I hope you also had a lovely time with your dear friend.
I sure did, thanks for asking. Nurturing friendships and supporting my tribe or community is perhaps my most valuable prep. My friends have saved my butt sooo many times. I wouldn’t be here without them. Rest up.
That is so nice to hear, I am so glad you had a good visit and that you have a good tribe of friends.. they are such a blessing when they are good ones 🙂
Well, I’ve said it before, and I’m going really stress it this time because you are in the same position… You are in still in deep recovery from a combination of several things and ‘No Buy’ be damned! Your health must ABSOLUTELY preclude everything else. Buy what your body needs and FRESH is what your body needs to recover. Otherwise you will ‘get better’ but only just and still remain more susceptible to coming down with something else, yet again because of it.
Blast it! Accidentally sent that unfinished:/ That 100-Days-Cough has done the rounds before – this year makes it the third that I’m aware of – but, after getting flattened the second time, we’ve started immune-building preventatives and so far (knock wood; ) managing to stay ahead of it this time.
Statistically speaking this year is a throw-away, so get healthy first and worry about November next year when you’ll hopefully be back in the pink and have your stores built back up again: )
♥️♥️♥️
Interesting, I had another friend that said she has had it 3 years in row as well.. she thinks its a version of whooping cough.. that’s a scary thought..
It is something extra ‘special’ that’s for sure! Just knowing that the Chinese also call it ‘the 100 day cough’ seems rather worrisome (and rather pins down its origin, wouldn’t you say? :/)
I know, and I am eating for it, I would rather have my home grown organic fruits from the freezer then the ones in the store.. I am buying banana’s because my body is craving one a day right now.. I have started extra trays of sprouts and I am eating a whole tray a day of fresh live green.. I have found that for whatever reason high bush cranberry is working better elderberry and I am being steady on it. I am the first one that will tell you that I do not want to get sick again.
I’ve learned so much from you, and now, ash-salt! How wonderful is that! 😀
You’ve had a hellacious year for your health as well as losing the Peanut, so it’s not surprising you’re taking so long to pull put of this one.
That’s the true if I ever heard it.. a hellacious year.. its got its sweet moment, it has some beauty to it but overall its been a very hard year indeed.