I continue on the challenge not to go to the grocery store until Monday. We're well on track for that - and at that time it will be for basic staples, such as milk, OJ, sour cream, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese from Costco, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, eggs and a few others from Trader Joes, and produce from the Milk Pail. No need to buy meats this round.

I have also been looking at other extraneous costs. As such, I've turned off the air conditioner and opened the windows (allergies aren't too bad right now), unplugged appliances not in use (this includes the microwave - we don't need the little digital clock up all the time there), I've started running laundry on cold using half detergent, half oxyclean. I am giving thought to a clothesline in the garage - both green AND financially friendly - but this may be a bit longer term of a project as it requires the space available to put it up. Looks like it may be time to Craigslist some of the bike stuff, we have a loooooot of wheels, and a few bike frames collecting dust, a mountain bike - and I need to figure out if I"m going to get around to using my fixie. I'd LIKE to use it, but it still requires more purchases to be useable, tires, tubes, rimstrip (I may have this already, I'm not sure). I'll give it a little more time. I rode it a bit, and then had a flat, with sew-ups on, on the road. It's sat since while I tried to get some fixed-gear wheels with clincher rims. I have them now, it's just a matter of putting it all together.

I had someone talking about getting a side of beef and raising a hog for butcher. These are both great ideas, but, well, not here.

It's a bit humorous, actually, in the process of using up the food we have, the kids are being forced a bit to open up their palates... and they are! Not without a fight, but they are accepting eating that which is given to them.