On Saturday I really enjoyed being snowed in. I spread birdseed all over our ground floor porch, which is sheltered by the two apartments’ decks above it, and on the grass around the railing. Then I put hot water and a bit of food on the porch railing.
That night, though, I called and received an order for some of my homemade good food from a woman we would have seen at Holy Mass yesterday in Topeka. When I looked at the weather forecast I realized there was no way we could drive to Holy Mass. We didn’t, either – we stayed home and inside all day Saturday and Sunday, except when I joyfully went out in the sleet yesterday afternoon to get the mail.
Now it is Monday morning and the snow is really coming down. I woke up and looked out the window and could really see a lot of it by looking against the darker porch roof. This is one of those situations where we realize our helplessness in God’s Hands. We are out of all but my milk, and we have one apple and one orange left. We have plenty of food in boxes and cans, but some of it needs milk. We are almost out of orange juice and I have a nasty cough.
How much joy it brings to give to others. Now a family down the street has more good food. Deo Gratias that we are able to do that. I wrote on the salad, “compliments of St. Joseph” so I know we are in no danger of running out of food.
Please share any money-saving advice you have so I can put it on my website. Here are some for starters:
in one week, replace a box of cigarettes and/or some pop cans with a meal (a healthy and needed alternative)
turn off the TV and lamps and let the daylight in, and read some books (exercise for your mind)
give the birds and other animals the old food you were going to throw away (peanut butter with seeds, hot water in a separate bowl, baby carrots, what you can save from moldy potatoes, cereal you don’t want to eat), on a side of the house that is not very busy so they have enough time to eat before being scared away – our bird eatery is on the back porch, away from the street, so they are only bothered by us watching from the windows, me coming out to replenish their supply, and neighbors taking the dogs out
turn the heat down a few degrees during the day and put an extra layer or two of clothing on, and turn the heat back up at least a half hour before you are going to bed
do as many chores that require daylight during the day as possible (cleaning out the car, detailed floor cleaning inside, etc.) so you can have lamps on for less time when it is dark
fill old washed-out milk jugs with water so you have a good supply in case the pipes freeze, or the power goes out: especially filtered water for drinking
forget about buying lots of electronic and other toys for the little ones – they will love leftover containers that they can put things in and out of all day, wooden spoons, plastic spoons, almost anything but knives and other sharp kitchen tools; you can put boxes down too before they go in the trash (old noodle soup box, old frozen meal box)
get a small bookshelf and put your child’s books on the bottom shelves with stuffed animals