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Nine Days In
**This post is part of the June Food Stamp Challenge located over HERE.** Yesterday was shopping day — or what I like to think of as my foraging day, because of the many pit stops to gather our food supply, including the local nonprofit where I share in surplus bread for free, the farmers’ market held on Tuesdays on Webster Street and Haight Avenue, and whichever grocery store has the best deals this week. Sometimes I also stop at other stores, pick up or drop off Freecycle items (in summer, that might mean vegetables or fruit or canning supplies), plus get gas, go to the post office, etc. Busy day,…
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The Longest Night
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Minor mishaps, monetary and otherwise
Sunday we were tootling along working in the yard, mowing, raking, painting, scrubbing, etc. It was hot, and then I said, in a wishful sort of way, “Man, I’d love a tall, ice cold Pepsi right now,” and then someone — it may have been me, or someone who looked just like me — said “Mmmmmm, Taco Bell,” and the others jumped aboard the train and….there I was driving across town to order Taco Bell for four of us. It set me back $25. Fast food is not part of the FS budget because you can’t buy it with FS — but it does come out of our real budget. 25 bucks! Yeesh.…
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Sunday: A Day of Rest — or is it?
When you’re hungry and struggling with finances or single-parenting or illness or trying to get/keep a job, the thing you need most, perhaps, is a day of real rest. I’m going to try to make today restful — but the reality is that there is food prep for the week, if I’m going to stay on budget and keep the wheels turning. Sunday Stuff I’m already thinking about my menu of meals for the coming week. I have half a bag of dry garbanzo beans ($1 for a pound, bought last week) soaking on the stove*. Beans go on salads, into soups or omelets, and I’m going to try to make hummus…
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Saturday Saga, with Free Rant included!
Last night I neglected to mention that we enjoyed Lemon Drops (an adult beverage made with lemons and vodka) as a part of our Friday Night Date Night. All those (free) lemons we gleaned the other day came to good use, especially when a few friends dropped in. It was simple entertainment, and leads me to a conversation about food stamps and paternalism. But first, today’s menu. Look at that potato frittata — although to be proper, I should call it a Spanish tortilla. No fancy pan needed. I baked it in the cast iron skillet, which adds extra iron to whatever you cook. This was so delicious that we have had…
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Fine Dining
I was going to pour myself a cup of coffee in a regular mug this morning, but decided to make it a treat — by using one of my nicest teacups and saucers. It feels like I’m having an elegant mini-vacation when I drink from so civilized a vessel. I can even crook my pinkie if I like. I was feeling as if I needed a little boost because I’m doing the June Food Stamp Challenge, and I didn’t want to waste money on cream for my coffee. I had some left from a previous week, but it’s not in the JFSC budget. Even though this budget is not “real,” because I can…
