There are a few things you should know about me before you read this post:1. I love food.
2. I am super organized about 85% of the time when it comes to meal planning and groceries.
3. The other 15% I am a slacker full of apathy and fond of shortcuts.
4. I take the bus home from work.
5. I live in Florida and it is HOT here. Currently, at 6:40 a.m., while I write this post, it is 77* out.
Onto the post....
Summer is a hard time financially for us. I do not receive child support (for my eldest) during the summer (due to odd logic by the Judge who presided over my divorce) and we have the increased expenses of day camp for Zoe. Additionally, birthdays for both kids come up in August along with all the expenses of returning for school - again, during times of no child support.
Additionally, there is an emergency room bill for a rather nasty slice on the chin when Zoe went down the slide the "right" way. 7+ stitches - about $100 a stitch when it all came down to it.
All this said, I am distressed and very irritated with myself. I cleaned out the fridge today - and threw away a lot of food that was not used. When I added it up, the total was almost $100. Fresh vegetables, cooked roast, cooked chicken, broth and some rolls.
Last week I was out of my routine. I had not grocery shopped on Friday, I did not do any cooking, I did not do any meal planning, I did not pack lunches. I had a general state of apathy. This leads to wasteful behavior - buying a lot of take-out food and things going to waste in the fridge.
In my defense (as if there really IS one), I have begun walking home from my bus stop. In 95-100* heat. I am a sopping wet, jiggly mess when I actually hit home. My routine is all jacked up. I have to shower and then, by about 6:45 pm, I can start in on dinner.
I need to find a balance with this new "routine" of walking home. I cannot allow it to totally throw me off every day because it affects everything - from dinner with the family to throwing $100's of dollars down the drain. I will have to make cooking and planning a priority for the week-ends and employ things like the crockpot and quickie meals like sandwiches.
Why is it so hard to "do it all"?
Wish me luck - I will keep you posted!
I need to find a balance with this new "routine" of walking home. I cannot allow it to totally throw me off every day because it affects everything - from dinner with the family to throwing $100's of dollars down the drain. I will have to make cooking and planning a priority for the week-ends and employ things like the crockpot and quickie meals like sandwiches.
Why is it so hard to "do it all"?
Wish me luck - I will keep you posted!
ON THE NEEDLES: Betty Bangs Jaywalkers and Hanami
ON THE BOOKSHELF: Hooked on Murder
ON THE iPOD: Cast On podcast
ON THE TABLE: NOTHING! Damnit.
Everyone eats dinner , maybe there could be kid dinner nite and baby daddy dinner nite? I am freezing leftovers and any veggies that you see just sitting freeze them for soup later. Ewe inspried me to keep on walking !!!
ReplyDeleteYour 1,2&3 could be mine :) I do all the cooking but work shifts so once a week I get up early in the morning and do most of the cooking. For things that can't be frozen like stir-fry, I chop everything up, marinate etc so that it just takes a few seconds to cook. For us prep is half the battle and makes things easier on the non cook when he needs to make dinner.
ReplyDeleteTotes agree with making extra when we cook dinner - lunches the next day. Also Bubble and Squeak is yummo. Do you guys have that in the US?
ReplyDelete