What I read this week

 It's ugly bitter and cold out there, and my brain felt focused so I dove into a book for the first time in awhile. I had purchased a stash of them before Christmas but never really got into the reading.  

New year, new focus. Let's read.

The first book I chose was Lady in Waiting: My extraordinary life  in the shadow of the Crown.

Anyone who follows me knows I am a huge follower of the Royal Family ( not stalker paparazzo level though). I thought this would be an interesting insight from the point of view of some from the Ton, but not of the royal family.

It took me a bit to get into it, and once I did, I realized the tie in to Netflix The Crown. It is the wedding of Anne and her husband Colin, that princess Margaret is at, when she meets Tony for the first time. He was the photographer.

I found the details of how Mustique came about to be very interesting. It also gives a different glimpse of Princess Margaret than I have read about before.

Overall, though, it wasn't a book I will re-read. I found it to be a bit name droppy, more than stories. The behaviour of Colin, her husband, was a big turn off. I can't imagine living that life with him.

Reading reviews on amazon, I see people either loved it or hated it. 

Have you dived into this tell all?

multiple RRSP updates

 OH yes it's been awhile.

It isn't that I don't love ya'll or appreciate all that I learned while doing this blog.   

I seriously have NEVER been this tired after work days ever in my teaching career.

I come home, eat, do dishes and crash, often just barely holding out until 8 PM so I can go to bed.

very sad indeed.

It isn't just the blog that has been neglected. My mail pile of non critical mail has been too.

So here are 3 RRSP updates I found in a drawer.

It looks like the last RRSP updated I tagged on here was July 2020. wow girl.

I definitely added to it last November. Not a ton, but a bit.

 July 2020 - $19 197

December 2020 - $24 086. well hello that's up more than I contributed

June 2021 - $24 868.11, hmmm not much movement there.

September 30 - $25 253.  a wee bit up.

This reminds me that I need to contact my person for this year's.

I am doing that immediately after publishing this, though I know she won't see it until Monday.

And then I am going straight down to the filing cabinet to put these away.

I miss ya'll!

Saving for Renos

 It feels like the bulk of my money focus has been on saving for the necessary upgrades that are needed at our new house and the old one. 

At the old house it is desperately in need of shingles. We installed the old ones in the fall of 2004 so they have made it not quite 20 years. The south side are a mess on both the house and the garage. I have the money saved for it. Now, the trick is just to find a weekend we can get enough people together to work fast and efficiently and get it done.

At the new house we had an electrician come to do an estimate on work in the downstairs garage. We have had to gut the ceiling due to water damage and squirrel damage. Once we get the electrical done again, then we can install the lights and the ceiling gyprock and get moving on getting it organized. A LOT Of memories in that space. My cousin was here last week and was quite overwhelmed with them all.

 At the new house we also to replace windows. They are the originals from when dad built the house in 1972. They are ridiculously NON energy efficient. We had a quote on that as well. To do the whole house (main level) will cost just under $14 000. I definitely cannot afford all of that so we shall do the picture window and the windows of the front two bedrooms this year. I will have to save up to do the rest. The install won't happen until November according to their schedule.

Ah the joys of home ownership.

New Little pots of planned expenses

 I have been following the 'jar philosophy' of weekly expense budgeting for ....(doing the math) holy, 13 years. Wow, that 's crazy when you think about it. 

It has, without a doubt, been my saviour. 

I have one real payday a month and I create three fake others to give myself that guidepost for weekly expenses: Gas, 'mad money' spending, groceries/household. It has evolved over the years but the basic idea remains the same.

I still do  cash withdrawls. I know many of you who do this are very successful with debit/credit card versions of this. I have found that I am my most successful when I stick to cash. That became a bit more challenging when many places were not taking cash during the height of Covid times.

When, if I have any leftover money, it often goes into a holding jar. (yes there are real little jars). I use it for one thing or another as new planned expenses evolve.

Right now I have a few little side missions I am planning for.

 Any money leftover from the gas budget goes away and is used for the more costly gas expenses when I have to go to the city for my infusions. I am also tucking that away to use for my oil changes

I have two other little jars I started now. Both are for things that aren't concrete plans, but fingers crossed, will be. DS1's wedding. No, he hasn't proposed yet. They have been together for 7 years and frankly I am tired of waiting, but apparently that's not my decision :-)

The first jar is for the mother of the groom attire. Not sure what kind of wedding it will be but it will be nice to have $ set aside for when the time comes. I don't own many fancy clothes and I will want something special for that day.

The second little jar is for her veil. I don't have daughters and won't get to do the shopping for the bridal gown etc. I wanted to put some money aside for her for a veil, or her shoes, or jewelry....whatever she ends up deciding on. Just a small gift from me to her.

The amounts are huge and the additions to the jar don't go in regularly, but a little bit here and a little bit here will be a nice way to start things off when it's time.

Hopefully sooner rather than later.

What are your go to air fryer recipes?

 My kids got DH and I a fancy air fryer for our 30th anniversary. 

Everyone at work raves about them.

So I am wondering, for the air fryer aficionados out there....what are your go to recipes for your fryer?