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Friday, July 13, 2012

Friday Frugality and Learning Something New.

Because I am so darn anxious to harvest things out of my garden - or, more likely, I am so anxious to beat the chipmunks/slugs/snails/rabbits/Japanese beetles/etc. to the harvest - I was out last night cutting onion greens.  Then I trotted inside and sliced them thinly and put them in the dehydrator.  This morning I had one quart of nice dried 'green' onions.  Woot!  I also poured my leftover gazpacho into ice cube trays and froze that - it's my own Bloody Mary invention:  tall glass, gazpacho ice cubes, shot (or so) of vodka.  Bingo!

Earlier this week, I discovered that my drivers' side headlight was out.  I hate it when car-type things go wrong, because I know bumkus when it comes to cars.  And I swear that headlights don't last as long as they used to.  I hardly do any nighttime driving now, but I usually drive with my headlights on, day or night, because of the safety factor.  It would be just my luck to zip past a trooper who had a quota to fill.  Or an ax to grind.  Yesterday, I had my lights on when I pulled into the parking garage at my office building.  The building superintendent came out of the interior door and yelled, "Hey, your left headlight is out!"  Sighing loudly in my best helpless-girl manner, I told him I knew that it was and I was going to have it fixed when I got my oil changed.  In three weeks.  Then I flounced off to my office.  An hour later, he came up and told me to stop at an auto parts store and get two replacement bulbs and bring them with me to work.  This morning, both of us bending over the open chasm of what is my car engine, he showed me how to change the bulbs.  I feel emancipated!  I feel in charge!  I love it!!!!  And it cost one half of what it would have cost me to have ONE headlight changed at the shop.  Frugality - it's a wunnerful thing.  And, hey!  Knowledge IS power!  Right on!  (Where's my tie-dyed stuff - I'm getting my groove back.)

9 comments:

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

I dont care for car stuff too. You didnt have to change any bulbs on a horse.

Susan said...

Jane - I would take a horse over a car or anything else in the blink of an eye.

Unknown said...

I've figured out how to change both front and rear light on both our cars, have pulled panels, changed wiper blades, pulled seatbelts at junk yards (and installed), and changed dashborad little tiny bulbs. I saved a ton of $$$$! It was nice that he helped you :) Make him a cookie!

Sue said...

I think you do just fine "mentioning" the needed repair. I think most folks LOVE to help-given the opportunity. And hopefully, there are some cookies in his future?

Candy C. said...

It is liberating to be able to do some of that "stuff" yourself, and saves money! Nancy's right, the nice man deserves some cookies! :)
What a great idea for using up that leftover gazpacho too, yum!

LindaCO said...

Pretty darn clever to replace both bulbs at once!

Mama Pea said...

Ooops. I think I need to bake my husband some cookies. He's so good at doing all that mechanical stuff and I don't have to worry about it. Yes, I definitely need to show my appreciation to him more than I do. Maybe he even deserves a little leftover gazpacho-vodka drink, too.

Unknown said...

May have to try the gazpacho with a shot, sounds good. Random acts of kindness from a stranger is wonderful. Congrats on your green onions and good graces with johnny law and avoiding being part of any quota filling agenda.

Erin said...

what a great act of kindness, and so timely LOL! That drink sounds great!