White Orchid Melody

Most married couples have a plethora of small appliances that they registered for, and received, when they got married.  I’d venture to say most of them never get used.  I saw a quesadilla maker on a registry once.  Really, people, how difficult is it to make a quesadilla in a skillet or griddle?  Most of the ones we received were practical, or I thought they would be anyway.  Even so, it was a few years before I really put some of them to good use.  I did not cook from scratch much when we were first married.  Take the bread machine for example.  I had a fantasy of making delicious homemade bread every week.  Yeah right.  I made a couple loaves and discovered that it just wasn’t that good.  The texture did not compare to the “bakery” bread I could buy at the store.  So, I didn’t use the machine much.  Then a couple years ago, I started making more things from scratch and trying to avoid trans fat and corn syrup as much as possible.  So, I decided to make my own pizza crust.  The first couple times I mixed, rolled, and kneaded by hand.  Kneading by hand is work, by the way.  I can see why my grandmothers just made cornbread, ha!  Anyway, all that work and the dough would not rise.  We just don’t keep our house that warm, between 64 and 67 degrees in the winter.  I even put the dough in a cabinet over the under-cabinet light, so a relatively warm spot, to no avail.  So, I gave up on the pizza dough for awhile.  Then, for some reason I happpened to puruse my manual/cookbook for the bread machine, and it had a recipe for whole wheat pizza dough.  Eureka!  It turned out perfect.  It kneads and rises beautifully.  I just have to pull it out and roll out the crust.  It also makes great breadsticks.  So, then I started using the bread machine probably once a week for veggie pizza.  I roast a mixture of frozen veggies (asparagus, green beans, green peas, broccoli) with some olive oil, sea salt, and cracked pepper.  Then I top the crust with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and the veggies.  It sounds weird, but it’s so good!

I consider using the bread machine once a week to be getting pretty good use out of it.  Particularly since we really enjoy the homemade pizza.  It is WAY cheaper than ordering out and much healthier than store bought freezer pizza.  But then when I was reading the Tightwad Gazette, one of the readers mentioned that they didn’t like the bread from the bread machine, but had found that if they used the machine to make the dough, then baked it in the oven, it was much better.  So I thought I’d give it a shot.  I used the french bread dough recipe from my manual, but substituted whole wheat flour for about half of the required flour.  That made it more dense, but it was still surprisingly good.  I think I’ve found another good use of my bread machine–making bread, of all things!  I’m eager to try some different kinds of bread.  I think the wheat french bread dough would actually make good soft pretzels, if I were ever so inclined.  But I’d like to try some of the other recipes, like dinner rolls, italian herb bread, etc.  I don’t have any bread pans, so I’ll probably stick to those breads that I can just roll out and bake on a cookie sheet. 

I made up this recipe for dinner this week and it turned out really good, so I thought I’d share.  I used chicken bullion granules, so technically this is not vegetarian.  I think the important thing is to buy organic animal products and use in moderation.  You could substitute vegetable broth/bullion though.  It was quick and easy.  The most time consuming part is cooking the rice.  I made it earlier in the day so it would be ready to go whenever I decided to make dinner!

Vegetable Wild Rice Casserole

1 cup brown rice
½ cup wild rice
1 lb frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, green beans)

Sauce:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
¼ c half and half
1 cup water
1 tbsp chicken bullion
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Lemon pepper seasoning

Cook brown and wild rice mixture until nearly done.  Meanwhile, in small saucepan, melt butter, mix in flour until smooth.  Add half and half, stirring until smooth.  Mix bullion with water until dissolved.  Add bullion to flour mixture, whisk smooth.  Add seasonings.  Bring to a simmer. 

Combine rice and vegetables in large mixing bowl, and pour in sauce.  Stir well to combine.  Transfer to baking dish.  Toss bread crumbs or crushed crackers with melted butter and sprinkle over top of casserole.  Bake about 20 minutes until heated through.

Serves 4

Everyone wants to save a buck where they can, but in our daily lives we often miss those opportunites.  You really have to pay attention to make sure you are getting the best price.  For example, we were getting cat and dog food at Petsmart last week, and the label on the shelf showed $5 off the regular price of dog food.  When we got to the check out, however, it rang up at full price.  Fortunately I was paying attention.  I explained to the cashier that the food was labeled $5 off on the shelf.  She had to walk back there with me to verify this, of course.  Turns out the tag was from last week’s sale, but since it was still on the shelf, she honored the price, and we saved $5.  That is a pretty good return on an investment of 2 or 3 minutes of my time.  It shows how important it is to make sure your receipts reflect the advertised prices.

Other times, it isn’t so simple.  We recently bought a travel system (carseat/stroller) for the baby.  This was one of the most expensive baby purchases we’ve made.  The day we checked out they gave us coupons for 15% off starting the next week.   That was annoying.  I’d liked to have saved 15% on that item!  Then, the next day I get a 15% off coupon emailed from the store, which was even retroactive a few days.  Had they sent it on time I could have used it on the travel system.  I debated on whether we should return the system (we haven’t used it yet) and buy another with the coupon.  The coupons say “not valid on prior purchases” so I didn’t think they would do a price adjustment.  I debated over this for just over a week, then decided I should at least call and speak to the manager.  When I called and explained the situation, she said they typically only make adjustments for the first 7 days, which I’d just missed.  So, I asked her if she could make an exception.  She said yes, I’d just need to come into the store and see her for the refund.  That saved us $43!  And we didn’t have to go through the hassle of returning the item.  It pays to ask! 

I had a nice breakfast friday, with some friends with whom I’d worked at May Co.  We got to talking about how different our lives are now versus when we were working.  We were all making quite a bit of money, especially by midwestern standards.  But we were all equally miserable.  Where did all that money even go?  I can’t believe how much I spent on clothes and shoes and crap for the house.  A bunch of stuff I really didn’t need.  And I probably wasn’t as bad as most people.  But it was like a compulsion.  I’d go to a store and feel like I HAD to buy something.  It was a way of filling the void left by an abusive workplace.  We were so degraded there.  There was constant criticism.  Our VP even admitted once that they were so negative and hard on us because they truly believed we wouldn’t work as hard if they gave us praise.  Wow, hard to believe that company went out of business!  Anyway, all three of us are on different career paths now.  We could have gone and gotten fashion jobs making as much or more than we were at May, but we opted out of that whole scene.  We were all really burnt out and bitter and our self esteem had suffered.  We each realized that the money just wasn’t worth that. So even though our household incomes had been basically cut in half after quitting, we were much happier.  And the interesting part was that our standards of living hadn’t really changed.  All that money was pretty much down the drain to make up for our misery at work.  I think a great deal of Americans fall into that pattern of rewarding themselves for putting up with an awful job, whether it is through shopping, drinking, or whatever addictive entertainment makes those 40+ hours a week tolerable. And why? For an illusion of security?  Because working a 9-5 (or so) is a guaranteed paycheck?  Well tell that to all those who’ve unexpectedly lost their jobs due to mergers and consolidations.  There is no such thing as job security; it’s like Santa or the Easter Bunny.  Of course, sometimes a job is necessary.  Somebody has to bring in the money to pay the bills.  The point of my reflection on my working days is that they were a big waste of my time because of how I spent my money.  I should have been stashing away as much of my paycheck as possible to pay off student loans and for savings.  At least that would have some tangible benefit for the future.  If I had to have a job again, I would look at things very differently.  I would make sure I was maximizing my income and using it in the absolute smartest way possible.  It never makes sense to say “I deserve this because I work so hard.”  If you wouldn’t buy it if you didn’t have the job, you shouldn’t buy it at all.  Reward yourself by building a nest egg that will either let you retire from your job early, or maybe just quit altogether and pursue a different path.  But realize that spending your money by shopping for things you really don’t need or by eating out all the time or by going to happy hour every friday won’t solve the problem at hand.  That is just treating the symptoms, not what is causing them. 

This recipe makes individual frittatas using your muffin tin.  I personally don’t care for eggs, but my family LOVES this recipe.  They look fancy enough for a special brunch, but they are easy enough for a Saturday morning treat. You could add any sort of filling to the eggs.  My version has onions, garlic, and spinach.

8 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Onion
Garlic
fresh baby spinach
Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350° F. Beat together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Saute onion, garlic, and spinach. Brush the inside of a muffin tin with olive oil or coat really well with cooking spray.  Pour the eggs 1/3 full into muffin tin.  Add spinach mixture.  Pour remainder of eggs. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350° F until cooked almost all of the way through, about 15 minutes. Then broil until the tops are brown, about two minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes and serve.  Makes 10-12 frittatas.

I’ve been reading a book that I checked out from the library entitled, The Complete Tightwad Gazette.  It is basically a series of newsletters from the 6 year run of the Tightwad Gazette.  It is a compilation of articles and research from the author, as well as lots of helpful hints sent in from readers. 

The tips tend to be about getting the maximum use out of the minimum expense.  So, buying things used (or getting them free from friends/family) and then maintaining them rather than just throwing them out when they need a repair.  This is fiscally and ecologically sound advice.  I once read an article by a “green” home designer who pointed out that spending extra money for “green” was absurd because the most economical choice was usually also the most ecological choice, such as building a smaller house.  The author of the Tightwad Gazette, who titles herself, the “frugal zealot” points out that there are a few cases where buying new is best, such as with freezers/refrigerators (due to improvements in efficiency) and with computers (due to improvements in technology).  But almost everything else, she buys used or salvages from free sources. 

This got me thinking about my business plan for the shop I’d like to open.  I’m working with a consultant on this and have written the business plan and even did a “faux shopping” exercise where I priced out everything I’d need for the shop.  Well, turns out it was going to be much more expensive than I could afford to open.  So, I have a few choices.  One, abandon the idea altogether and find something more attainable.  Two, save up for years and years until I can afford it.  Or, three, find a way to do it cheaper.  I’ve been pondering over that last option for a few months now.  How can I make this happen sooner and for less cash?  I wasn’t really thinking about the business when I started reading this book, but then I read an article in the book about a lady who had started a bed and breakfast.  They bought the 20 room Victorian as a fixer-upper and started by renovating the common areas and a few guest rooms.  As they brought in money from the first few guest rooms, they worked on renovating more.  Meanwhile, they furnished the place with elegant pieces from estate sales, yard sales, flea markets and the like.  They also bartered and traded for certain items.  They had a dream and made it happen on their terms.  How inspiring! 

So it got me thinking about my “faux shopping” exercise.  I’d chosen everything brand new from retail sources.  I’d found the cheapest versions for the look I wanted, but still, I was paying a premium for all that “newness.”  What if I took the time to accumulate the items from a variety of thrifty sources, including yard sales and thrift shops?  How would that affect my budget?  I think it could make a huge difference.  Some of the ideas that appealed to me:

1.  Estate/Yard Sales - tables, chairs, storage pieces, baskets, kid’s paint brushes, decorative items such as faux foliage, flatware, serving dishes, books

2.  Flea Markets - decorative items, furniture

3.  Building Supply (or surplus) Stores - the ReStore, run by Habitat for Humanity, has a random, ever-changing selection of building supplies, from tile to cabinets, to windows.  Some of these items could be transformed into storage and display pieces for the shop.

4.  Home Improvement Stores - reject paints: the ones that people had mixed and then didn’t claim, or that were mixed incorrectly.  This could be great for adding color and fun to the salvaged furniture. 

5.  Other - I’d also like to look into going out of business sales and overstock type outlets.  I’m not sure what exists in this area, but even a trip to Chicago could be worth it, if there were some good sources for used/discount supplies.

The biggest chunk of change in my business plan was the rent on a space.  The area I was originally looking into was fairly expensive and buying was not an option.  But I’ve been considering other neighborhoods, such as close to our own home, where we might be able to purchase as space, rather than leasing.  Ideally, we’d find an old building with storefronts on the lower level and apartments above.  We could rent the apartments to cover some of the mortgage, which would ease some of the business expenses.  Plus if you own the building, you can build out however you’d like. 

We’re not the average entrepreneurs who would need contractors and such to fix up and outfit a space.  That will be a great savings on our part.  If we own the building and are getting rental income from residential space, we can take our time fixing up the retail space without the pressure of that monthly rent outlay.  So the combination of buying our own building and outfitting it with frugal finds gives me hope that my dream of opening the shop in the not so long term future may actually be possible.

Personal development is an ongoing process throughout one’s life.  No one is ever a perfect display of everything for which they have potential.  A few virtues I’d like to expand upon in the new year are gratitude, structure, and diligence. 

1.  Gratitude

In our world of manic consumption, many of us never take the time for simple gratitude.  Are we grateful for what we have, or distracted by our constant quest for more?  I think sometimes it is a challenge to see the bright side of life when everything seems to be going wrong.  It is easier to focus on the problems and complain about everything.  But if you take a moment to evaluate all the things that comprise your life, you quickly recognize that not everything is bad.  In fact, most of life is pretty good.  There are probably just one or two things creating a black cloud over the rest.  So instead of focusing on the storm clouds, look at everything that needs the rain to survive. 

2.  Structure

I have struggled with structure since leaving the corporate world.  Everything was so structured there, I rebelled against all of that when I quit working.  I’m a natural procrastinator anyway, which doesn’t help.  Some people thrive on structure and organization.  I’m a bit more free flowing than that.  I can work like crazy under a deadline, but in my daily life, I prefer to be a bit more relaxed about things.  The problem with this is I’m sometimes not as productive as I could be.  And then there’s the procrastination issue.  The things I don’t want to do, don’t get done for a very long time, such as filing.  I like to have things neat and organized and know where they are, but I really hate to file.  The best solution is to file as I go, and not let things pile up.  I’m not very good about that, but I’m trying to improve.  In reality, things are about to get much more structured for me.  The baby will be on a certain feeding/sleeping cycle which I’ll have to work with and not against.  So, I’m trying to practice a more structured approach to my day now, before I’m forced into it!

3.  Diligence

This goes hand in hand with structure.  The dictionary defines diligence as: constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.  I can be very diligent about some things.  I ran a marthon, which took a persistent exertion of body and mind, during both training and the actual feat.  But in other areas, I let my doubts (see point 1) or my procrastination (see point 2) get the best of me.  This is particularly true in my business endeavors.  Working on your own requires a great deal of discipline and confidence in order to persist.  I tend to get discouraged and question my path.  “Is this really the best use of my time?”  Often I’m asking that question far too soon in the process when it is easy to answer “no.”  There are no guaranteed results for anything.  But through a diligent effort, one may find that they have at least exhausted the possibilities. 

In summary, I hope to have a brighter perspective of life and be grateful for all my blessings.  I seek to cultivate a more structured and productive approach to daily life.  And I will exercise my capacity for diligence to follow through with opportunities that may cross my path, without letting fear deter me.  I’m sure there are many other virtues I could improve upon in my life, but these I feel will cultivate a happier outlook and a stronger sense of well-being.

Further to my New Year’s Resolutions, I have some that are about finishing what I’ve started.  I guess that could be a good umbrella goal “finish what you start.”  Seems simple enough, but life and boredom often interfere with good intentions.  I have a couple of craft projects that have been going on for over a year, several years in fact.  It is time to get them done!  Brian laughed at me when he saw that I was giving myself a whole year to complete them, but when it has been 3 years already, another year doesn’t seem so long!

I have a sweater that I started knitting out of this beautiful baby alpaca yarn.  It is so soft and cuddly.  I figured if I was going to take the time to hand knit a sweater, it should be really nice.  And it will be.  If I ever get it done!

The second project on my list is a quilt.  

Great-Grandmother Sparks Tulip Quilt

My tulip pieces

A completed tulip square 

This is a more significant project.  I have an old quilt that was made by my great grandmother, whom I never knew.  Even though I didn’t know her, the quilt is one of my most prized possessions.  It is one of the things I’d grab if my house caught on fire.  In honor of her handiwork, I decided to make a replica.  Well, not an exact replica, but a quilt out of the same pattern.  I traced off the shapes and made pattern pieces.  The original quilt is pretty small, might fit a twin size bed, good for just cozying up.  My version will fit a queen size bed.  So, that was a bunch of pieces to cut out.  The pattern is a tulip shape, where four tulips make a square.  All the squares are different colored tulips, so it is very bright and fun.  I have all of my tulips sewn, but I need to cut out some more of the surrounding pieces.  Then I’ll have to sew up the pieces into squares.  Once all the squares are complete, I need to decide how I want them arranged and then piece the squares.  Then the big fun begins, backing, batting, and the actual quilting.  The original is hand quilted and I’m planning to do the same.  We’ll see if that happens in a year!  Very few people hand quilt any more.  We received several “homemade” quilts for our baby and only one was cut and pieced, and none were hand quilted.  But part of what is so special about my great grandma’s quilt is the imperfect stitching.  So, that is one characteristic I’d like to preserve in my interpretation.

I really should have a plan and timeline for completing these projects.  But those sorts of constraints tend to work against my creative urges.  (hence why its taken years to get only partially through these projects)  But maybe I’ll have some quarterly deadlines for progress anyway, just so it isn’t thanksgiving and I’m trying to complete a quilt and a sweater in a month!

It is so cold here!  This is a great stew for warming up these winter nights!

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
4-6 cloves garlic
1 cup carrots
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp italian seasoning
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups cooked white beans (can be navy, northern, or cannellini)
1 cup green beans, cut into 1″ pieces
2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 cup of pasta (rotini or elbow macaroni work well, but any small pasta will do fine)
salt/pepper to taste

Heat oil in stock pot over medium heat.  Chop onion and garlic (I use a food processor).  Saute in olive oil.  Finely chop carrots in food processor (this adds texture, rather than having chunks of carrots).  Season with italian seasoning mix and celery seed.  Add tomatoes.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened.  Add white beans, broth, and green beans.  Return to a boil.  Stir in spinach.  Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  If you are making this early in the day, you can allow it to simmer here for as long as you want.  About 20 minutes before serving, stir in pasta, salt, and pepper.  Cook until the pasta is tender, but firm.  You can thin with additional vegetable broth if the mixture seems too thick.  Serve with crusty italian bread.

In addition to financial fitness for the new year, physical fitness will also be a goal.  I will definitely have some baby weight to contend with, so getting back on a lower calorie meal plan and into an exercise routine will be tops on the to-do list. 

I was using the weightwatchers.com “core” plan last summer and had lost excess weight and felt really good.  Basically it is about eating whole foods: all the fruit, veggies, and beans you want and a limited amount of whole grains.  No processed crap, easy on the sugar.  There is wiggle room, of course.  One can’t live life without chocolate!  But moderation is key.  In contrast, refined carbs have been my comfort food throughout this pregnancy.  That is natural and normal as your body needs the extra fluid and calories.  But my body won’t need all that after the baby is born.  So, I plan to get back on a healthier track with my eating habits.  Then, when the doctor gives his okay, start up strength training and jogging again.  Now keep in mind I haven’t jogged since I got pregnant, so I’ll be starting from scratch! 

http://whiteorchidmelody.com/blog/2007/09/16/how-to-start-jogging/

Yeah, I’ll be doing that again.  Walk, jog, walk some more.  I figure it will take a few months just to get back in good enough shape to get in 15 to 20 miles a week in the form of 3 to 5 mile outings.  Then I’ll start to increase my mileage and I’d like to train for another marathon.  I had about 10 or 15 extra pounds on my frame when I trained for my first marathon.  And we were rehabbing, so I was eating really crappy food like pizza and bean burritos all the time.  I think if I can get down to a good base weight before I start the marathon training, I can improve my time.  Marathon training is not a time to try to lose weight, as your body needs lots of calories to deal with the stress of those long runs.  But losing the weight beforehand can really help once you start the training.  I read in a magazine that one extra pound of body weight puts 4 pounds of pressure on your knees while walking and 25 pounds of pressure on your knees while jogging!  That should be incentive to lose a few pounds!  Anyway, I might consider doing the Lewis and Clark Marathon again.  Really it is an awful course, but it is in September, which might be a good time frame.  There is also the Chicago marathon in October, but the weather is so unpredictable…I could end up running in extreme heat or extreme cold, you just never know!  Otherwise, there is a marathon in Huntsville, AL in December.  I could stay with my family in Alabama and go to that one.  I’m not sure how I feel about travelling to race though.   Then again, I might just take it easy and do a half-marathon for Lewis and Clark and then train up for the St. Louis Marthon next April.  Or maybe the baby will really hate going on jogs with me and I won’t be training for any races!  Things are pretty unpredictable as far as that goes!  But those are my goals none the less.