It's Thursday, Thursday is our errand day or at least the morning is. This is how the dogs are after we get home. They don't help unload or put away. HA HA. The one on the left is Kira (not our daughter and no, we did not name her , she was five when we got her so felt she should keep her name).She is a black lab retriever.The "pup" on the right is Rascal (because he is a rascal).We adopted him when he was six weeks old, he will be two in March and he is an Australian cattle dog(blue heeler)/ Australian shepherd mix. He is my ball player and she is the one I walk the perimeter with. The only thing she plays with besides the chew bones you see between them is empty coke bottles even if she has to empty them herself.

We went to pick up the snow blower that had to be fixed, maybe we won't get that bad of a storm that they are forecasting for us since it is fixed so I can start it.

Then it was off to the post office, then the bank, the Joann's for yarn to finish some Christmas gifts and then ....

The grocery shopping. I shopped for the rest of the month except for meat that will go on sale....stay with me.

I bought milk,heavy cream,half and half , buttermilk (yes we use all of them) the season's coffee creamer (my present to myself otherwise Hubby spends a couple bucks once a week to get me a cup at the local gas station and I can spend a couple bucks and have it all month), apples for Hubby's lunch, coffee beans for Hubby, bread (because I have been baking daily for Operation Thank You to send cookies to our deployed soldiers and will start baking for the family) tea for me (Can't drink coffee when my Crohn's is acting up), eggs, salad items,potatoes, sweet potatoes,bananas, pomegranates  and that is basically all I have been picking up for us. I check the non food items and fill in as needed. I try to make those last 2 mos since I do have the space to store it...like under my bed,couch, love seat etc.

On the other hand...cookie and candy ingredients were the main items on the grocery list today for the family and friends. AND I am able to buy that much (think 3 coolers full of brown sugar, xxx sugar, choc chips of different kinds, peanut butter and butter etc. I already have over 50 lbs of flour and 25 lbs of sugar in the pantry) because I grew canned, froze and stored the garden, I "gleaned" from anyone that had produce to give away and I shop the sales on meat (usually, not always but usually).I vacuum pack anything that goes in the two deep freezers.I boil any meat bones for broth, I boil veggie peelings (I was the veggies before I peel them ) for broth. I render "lard" from any of my fats from my meats. I use my leftovers in other dishes or soups.

I just mentioned to one of the kids that they needed to get their self a deep freezer. Turkeys and hams are on sale and when else can you get meat for less than a dollar a pound? Pork roasts and pork loins will be coming on sale. I use the loin to cut boneless pork chops from along with lean roasts. I will pay the price (after calling around and shopping for the lowest price) for Rib roast. I order a twelve rib roast. I cut it myself , four ribs for Christmas Eve and then rest as two bones and vacuum seal them for the rest of the year.

Tea time...Blessed Be