I'm not an American and I don't live in the US. I'm a Canadian living in Canada. Like most Canadians I live very close to the border that runs between Canada and the US. Because of that proximity, the US tends to be a big influencer. Take Black Friday. We don't technically have a Black Friday in Canada. Our Thanksgiving occurs way back in early October. But we hear and see all about it, and over the last few years it has started to become incorporated in businesses north of the border.
The draw of big savings is hard to avoid. Everywhere you see and hear about savings, savings, savings.
I was able to snag the biggest savings of all. I stayed away. I stayed away from the stores, both physically and via the internet. By not shopping I didn't spend any money which gave me a big 100% savings.
Did you also save big? Good for you!
Showing posts with label frugality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label frugality. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Dehydrating Apples
A friend of the family has an apple farm in the Okanagan. We always purchase a few boxes from them, and they generously let us pick several more boxes for free. Last fall we ended up with 12 boxes of apples. I don't know if you can appreciate how many apples that is. We are just now on our last box. We've given a lot away, eaten an apple a day every day all winter long, made pies, applesauce, apple crisps, lately we've thrown out way too many bad apples (so sad), and recently I pulled out my dehydrator to see what I could do to save some of those apples.
You can, of course, make fruit leather with a dehydrator. I didn't. I was too lazy, which is likely why it's taken me this long to get the dehydrator out. I could make excuses - there was lawn furniture in the way all winter long. But really? It just seemed such a bother. In any case, I finally got out my handy-dandy Nesco dehydrator.
I bought it a few years back when I had big plans to dehydrate everything we were getting from the family farm (which was so much produce a lot was going bad before we could use it). Dehydrating is a great concept. Simply slice your fruit or vegetables into similar sizes/thicknesses. Place in your dehydrator and let the machine slowly dry the food. The problem is, of course, how long it takes. You have to realize - I'm used to waiting a bit when making bread. It's not like I don't have some patience. But dehydrating? Man, it takes forever. I did have a great piece of equipment for peeling, coring, and slicing my apples (10 seconds per apple!). Another Lee Valley item, the apple peeler (catchy name, eh?).
The nine apples that I could fit in the dehydrator were ready in a couple of minutes. Laying the apple slices out on the six trays of the dehydrator was another few minutes. Plugging it in. No problem. Then, waiting. A whole day later (from 6 PM Saturday night to 6 PM Sunday night). 24 hours is what it took.
They look pretty, in a dehydrated kind of way.
But ... that's a lot of time listening to the hum of a dehydrator for two jars of dried apples that likely could be eaten in a single afternoon of snacking.
Would I dehydrate apples again? Yes, but likely not a boxful since that would take a full week of running the dehydrator to get it done. Perhaps 2-3 days tops is all I could likely stand.
You can, of course, make fruit leather with a dehydrator. I didn't. I was too lazy, which is likely why it's taken me this long to get the dehydrator out. I could make excuses - there was lawn furniture in the way all winter long. But really? It just seemed such a bother. In any case, I finally got out my handy-dandy Nesco dehydrator.
I bought it a few years back when I had big plans to dehydrate everything we were getting from the family farm (which was so much produce a lot was going bad before we could use it). Dehydrating is a great concept. Simply slice your fruit or vegetables into similar sizes/thicknesses. Place in your dehydrator and let the machine slowly dry the food. The problem is, of course, how long it takes. You have to realize - I'm used to waiting a bit when making bread. It's not like I don't have some patience. But dehydrating? Man, it takes forever. I did have a great piece of equipment for peeling, coring, and slicing my apples (10 seconds per apple!). Another Lee Valley item, the apple peeler (catchy name, eh?).
The nine apples that I could fit in the dehydrator were ready in a couple of minutes. Laying the apple slices out on the six trays of the dehydrator was another few minutes. Plugging it in. No problem. Then, waiting. A whole day later (from 6 PM Saturday night to 6 PM Sunday night). 24 hours is what it took.
They look pretty, in a dehydrated kind of way.
But ... that's a lot of time listening to the hum of a dehydrator for two jars of dried apples that likely could be eaten in a single afternoon of snacking.
Would I dehydrate apples again? Yes, but likely not a boxful since that would take a full week of running the dehydrator to get it done. Perhaps 2-3 days tops is all I could likely stand.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Popcorn Without a Microwave
If you are of a certain age you will likely remember making popcorn on the stove top. Some oil in the pot, add the kernels, put the lid on, and start shaking vigorously so those kernels wouldn't burn. If you were smart, you would start the butter melting before beginning this process so that it would be ready to pour over your popped kernels.
Nowadays, most people just grab a box of microwave popcorn while doing their grocery shopping. Those microwave popcorn bags are so easy - a couple of minutes in the microwave and you have a piping hot bag of popcorn, all self-contained. Eat and toss the bag. Nothing to wash up except, perhaps, your fingers. And, as long as you don't eat too many bags a day, likely fairly safe. Not great for the environment, but oh so tempting.
Except, we don't have a microwave. Yes, you read right. We don't have a microwave. When we bought our house it didn't come with one. Although we had one in the townhouse, it wasn't used too much ... except for making popcorn. Once we read about popcorn lung, we really didn't want to use it for that either. So, new house, no microwave. No problem. After reading how little difference there was between heating water on a stove or in a microwave (we're talking 0.087 kWh for a microwave compared to 0.095 kWh on a stove top), it wasn't about money savings. Time is certainly a savings from the microwave perspective, but if you plan things right there really isn't much difference there either.
Does this mean we no longer eat popcorn? Of course we do! In fact, a couple of Christmas seasons back Santa gave the family the best present ever - he got us the Lee Valley Whirley-Pop popcorn popper. With this popper we can have popcorn in approximately 3 1/2 minutes.
1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 cup popcorn kernels into the Whirley-Pop. On the stovetop, medium-high, turning that little handle ever so slowly. The sizzle of steam, and a few seconds later the kernels begin to pop. At that point, we just turn the stove off and we're done. It's that simple. I'd show you how much we get, but it gets eaten so quickly it's hard to even capture some of the finished product (those orange bits are grated cheese!).
We make popcorn at least once a week. Friday night is popcorn dinner night :) ... by Friday I just don't have it in me to be creative in the kitchen. I want a break, but I don't want to order in. Popcorn is a fairly nutritious food source, if made right. High fiber, high protein. The grated cheese adds more protein and dairy. We often have this with a fruit smoothie to balance everything out. The perfect lazy end to the week.
Nowadays, most people just grab a box of microwave popcorn while doing their grocery shopping. Those microwave popcorn bags are so easy - a couple of minutes in the microwave and you have a piping hot bag of popcorn, all self-contained. Eat and toss the bag. Nothing to wash up except, perhaps, your fingers. And, as long as you don't eat too many bags a day, likely fairly safe. Not great for the environment, but oh so tempting.
Except, we don't have a microwave. Yes, you read right. We don't have a microwave. When we bought our house it didn't come with one. Although we had one in the townhouse, it wasn't used too much ... except for making popcorn. Once we read about popcorn lung, we really didn't want to use it for that either. So, new house, no microwave. No problem. After reading how little difference there was between heating water on a stove or in a microwave (we're talking 0.087 kWh for a microwave compared to 0.095 kWh on a stove top), it wasn't about money savings. Time is certainly a savings from the microwave perspective, but if you plan things right there really isn't much difference there either.
Does this mean we no longer eat popcorn? Of course we do! In fact, a couple of Christmas seasons back Santa gave the family the best present ever - he got us the Lee Valley Whirley-Pop popcorn popper. With this popper we can have popcorn in approximately 3 1/2 minutes.
1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 cup popcorn kernels into the Whirley-Pop. On the stovetop, medium-high, turning that little handle ever so slowly. The sizzle of steam, and a few seconds later the kernels begin to pop. At that point, we just turn the stove off and we're done. It's that simple. I'd show you how much we get, but it gets eaten so quickly it's hard to even capture some of the finished product (those orange bits are grated cheese!).
We make popcorn at least once a week. Friday night is popcorn dinner night :) ... by Friday I just don't have it in me to be creative in the kitchen. I want a break, but I don't want to order in. Popcorn is a fairly nutritious food source, if made right. High fiber, high protein. The grated cheese adds more protein and dairy. We often have this with a fruit smoothie to balance everything out. The perfect lazy end to the week.
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Learning the Art of Bread Making
I have been making bread for many years now. Sometimes with success, sometimes ... well, the results haven't always made me happy. With the recent purchase of my Bosch Universal Plus Mixer (four months and counting!) I have not had a failure. Is it the machine or have I been slowly learning the art - and science - of bread making?
Bread, at it's essence, is the simple marriage of wet (water, milk) with the dry (flour, salt, sugar). The leavening agent (yeast) along with some lubricant (oil, butter) brings the happy union together. The heat of the oven finishes things off. The result? Heaven. Yet, making bread scares most of us. I know it did me for many years. Bread can be temperamental. It needs to be worked to bring out the glutens in such a manner that the yeast will properly marry to it. Only then will you get the proper rise required for a delicious loaf of bread. Kneading, so required for that success, is something learned over time.
I have to give credit to my pizza making recipe for teaching me how to knead. The recipe created a small enough amount of dough that I was able to learn how to knead. I learned the right look and feel of the dough. The soft touch that meant the dough was ready to be rested.
Having learned how to knead, the Bosch has given me the ability to vastly increase the amount of dough I can make at one time. A recipe that makes 2-3 loaves of bread can easily be doubled. The machine takes care of the arduous task of kneading. I simply look on. I do clean up, but am always drawn back to the Bosch. I stare at the mixing dough, seeing it pull away from the sides of the bowl, being kneaded by the dough hook. I occasionally stop the machine and touch the dough. Too sticky? I gently add a bit more flour and let the kneading continue. After 10 or so minutes I stop my Bosch and do a final touch of the dough. Soft, pliable, but not sticky? Perfect. I pull it out, giving it just a bit more kneading by hand. Then into an oiled bowl, turning the dough over to make sure it's coated. Covered with a tea towel, I place it in the oven for 40-70 minutes of proofing.
The proofing is when the dough rests and grows. it should double. There is nothing more magical then seeing your dough doubled. Success. You kneaded the dough perfectly. Once doubled, you take it out ... and pound the dough, shrinking it back to somewhere halfway between it's doubled size and it's original size. At this point there are so many things you can do with it. Pizza shells, buns, breads, cinnamon rolls, twists.
With a doubled recipe I usually do three loaves of bread and use the remaining dough for treats. I've made cinnamon rolls, hot dog buns, rolls, and pizza. Bread sticks are always fun for a change.
I want to share with you one of the recipes I have been using recently. It's the culmination of 3-4 recipes from various sources, tweaked until the resulting dough works for me. You might want to tweak it a bit yourself, so that it becomes yours.
One special note - please use yeast from a jar. Those individual packages? I've NEVER made great bread with those.
Active Dry Yeast - 4 1/2 teaspoons
Sugar - 2 teaspoons
Water, warm - 4 cups
Salt - 3 to 4 teaspoons
Sugar - 1/2 to 2/3 cup
Oil - 1/4 cup
Flour, whole wheat or rye - 2 cups
Vital Wheat Gluten - 1 tablespoon
Flour, unbleached all-purpose - 12 cups
This recipe is for a double batch. If you and your mixer can't handle this amount feel free to cut everything in half. No worries. Note also, my instructions will be for the Bosch.
First, place the first 1 cup of warm water and 2 teaspoons of sugar into the mixer bowl. Swirl with your fingers to blend together. Add the yeast and swirl again, so that the yeast is wet. Cover and let rest for approximately five minutes. While this is happening, measure out the remainder of your ingredients.
Once the yeast mixture has become frothy, you can continue. In a separate bowl mix the remaining 4 cups of warm water, salt, sugar, and oil. Mix and add to the mixer bowl. Pulse to combine. Next add the whole wheat or rye flour and the vital wheat gluten. If you are using only white flour you probably won't need the vital wheat gluten. It's useful when using flours that need more protein, providing an improvement in the texture and elasticity of the dough. Pulse to combine. Add approximately 4 cups of the regular flour and start the mixer on 1. Watch as the dough hook stirs the ingredients. Slowly add more flour. The mixture will start to thicken and the kneading begins. Continue adding flour, slowly, until the dough leaves the sides of the mixer bowl clean. Now let the mixer knead for another 5-10 minutes. Check the dough occasionally to see if it's too sticky. If it is, add just a little more flour (perhaps 1/4 cup at a time). You don't want to add too much flour - then you'll have a dry, unmanageable lump of dough. A little sticky is better than too dry.
Determining when enough kneading has occurred takes some practice. The dough shouldn't be sticky. It should feel as soft as a babies bum. Take the bowl off the machine. Pull out the shaft from underneath and remove the dough hook. Pull the dough out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface.
Knead just a few times to make sure the dough is at the right consistency. If it isn't, you'll have to do a bit more kneading by hand. Place the dough into an oiled bowl that will provide enough room for doubling of the dough. Make sure the dough is rolled around in the oil so that all the surfaces are oiled. An un-oiled dough will dry and crack and this cracked surface is impossible to remove or re-incorporate into the dough.
Cover the bowl with a tea towel and place in a draft-free place. (Dough doesn't like to get cold ... cold slows the doubling time.) I like to place my dough in my oven. This keeps it warm, and safe. Set the timer for 40 minutes. At the 40 minute mark check the dough. If it's doubled, great. If not estimate how much longer. Sometimes it can take a total of 60-70 minutes. For dough with more whole wheat/rye it can take longer. In the winter dough takes longer to rise then during the summer months. Wet weather, dry weather ... all types of weather will effect your dough.
Once the dough has doubled take it out of the bowl. Place it on your counter and pound it down. you aren't beating the life out of the dough, more like pressing the excess air out of it. It shouldn't shrink down to it's original size, but somewhere between. Now, you can cut it into pieces for various baking items. This amount of dough will make 4-6 loaves of bread. I only have two loaf pans so I always make two loafs of bread, I use a square cake pan for a square loaf, and perhaps the rest of the dough becomes rolls or breadsticks placed on a cookie sheet ... or I might roll it out for a couple of large-sized pizzas. For the bread pans and cookie sheets a light oil will prevent the bread from sticking. I place these filled pans on top of my stove and cover everything with tea towels. While the dough rests and rises again I heat the oven to 350F. Usually 25-30 of rising is all that is necessary. For the pizza dough, no rising is necessary - once you've rolled it out you can put your sauce, toppings, and cheese and bake at 425F for approximately 20 minutes. For the rest of the breads, 25-40 minutes of baking at the aforementioned 350F will do.
I hope you try your hand at bread making. Once learned, a whole new world of baking is possible. You'll be released from ever needing to buy store-bought, plastic-wrapped bread from the grocery store. You'll know what your bread contains. You'll actually be able to pronounce every ingredient. You'll be able to create something wonderful that you can share with friends and family.
Bread, at it's essence, is the simple marriage of wet (water, milk) with the dry (flour, salt, sugar). The leavening agent (yeast) along with some lubricant (oil, butter) brings the happy union together. The heat of the oven finishes things off. The result? Heaven. Yet, making bread scares most of us. I know it did me for many years. Bread can be temperamental. It needs to be worked to bring out the glutens in such a manner that the yeast will properly marry to it. Only then will you get the proper rise required for a delicious loaf of bread. Kneading, so required for that success, is something learned over time.
I have to give credit to my pizza making recipe for teaching me how to knead. The recipe created a small enough amount of dough that I was able to learn how to knead. I learned the right look and feel of the dough. The soft touch that meant the dough was ready to be rested.
Having learned how to knead, the Bosch has given me the ability to vastly increase the amount of dough I can make at one time. A recipe that makes 2-3 loaves of bread can easily be doubled. The machine takes care of the arduous task of kneading. I simply look on. I do clean up, but am always drawn back to the Bosch. I stare at the mixing dough, seeing it pull away from the sides of the bowl, being kneaded by the dough hook. I occasionally stop the machine and touch the dough. Too sticky? I gently add a bit more flour and let the kneading continue. After 10 or so minutes I stop my Bosch and do a final touch of the dough. Soft, pliable, but not sticky? Perfect. I pull it out, giving it just a bit more kneading by hand. Then into an oiled bowl, turning the dough over to make sure it's coated. Covered with a tea towel, I place it in the oven for 40-70 minutes of proofing.
The proofing is when the dough rests and grows. it should double. There is nothing more magical then seeing your dough doubled. Success. You kneaded the dough perfectly. Once doubled, you take it out ... and pound the dough, shrinking it back to somewhere halfway between it's doubled size and it's original size. At this point there are so many things you can do with it. Pizza shells, buns, breads, cinnamon rolls, twists.
With a doubled recipe I usually do three loaves of bread and use the remaining dough for treats. I've made cinnamon rolls, hot dog buns, rolls, and pizza. Bread sticks are always fun for a change.
I want to share with you one of the recipes I have been using recently. It's the culmination of 3-4 recipes from various sources, tweaked until the resulting dough works for me. You might want to tweak it a bit yourself, so that it becomes yours.
One special note - please use yeast from a jar. Those individual packages? I've NEVER made great bread with those.
Ingredients
Water, warm - 1 cupActive Dry Yeast - 4 1/2 teaspoons
Sugar - 2 teaspoons
Water, warm - 4 cups
Salt - 3 to 4 teaspoons
Sugar - 1/2 to 2/3 cup
Oil - 1/4 cup
Flour, whole wheat or rye - 2 cups
Vital Wheat Gluten - 1 tablespoon
Flour, unbleached all-purpose - 12 cups
This recipe is for a double batch. If you and your mixer can't handle this amount feel free to cut everything in half. No worries. Note also, my instructions will be for the Bosch.
First, place the first 1 cup of warm water and 2 teaspoons of sugar into the mixer bowl. Swirl with your fingers to blend together. Add the yeast and swirl again, so that the yeast is wet. Cover and let rest for approximately five minutes. While this is happening, measure out the remainder of your ingredients.
Once the yeast mixture has become frothy, you can continue. In a separate bowl mix the remaining 4 cups of warm water, salt, sugar, and oil. Mix and add to the mixer bowl. Pulse to combine. Next add the whole wheat or rye flour and the vital wheat gluten. If you are using only white flour you probably won't need the vital wheat gluten. It's useful when using flours that need more protein, providing an improvement in the texture and elasticity of the dough. Pulse to combine. Add approximately 4 cups of the regular flour and start the mixer on 1. Watch as the dough hook stirs the ingredients. Slowly add more flour. The mixture will start to thicken and the kneading begins. Continue adding flour, slowly, until the dough leaves the sides of the mixer bowl clean. Now let the mixer knead for another 5-10 minutes. Check the dough occasionally to see if it's too sticky. If it is, add just a little more flour (perhaps 1/4 cup at a time). You don't want to add too much flour - then you'll have a dry, unmanageable lump of dough. A little sticky is better than too dry.
Determining when enough kneading has occurred takes some practice. The dough shouldn't be sticky. It should feel as soft as a babies bum. Take the bowl off the machine. Pull out the shaft from underneath and remove the dough hook. Pull the dough out of the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface.
Knead just a few times to make sure the dough is at the right consistency. If it isn't, you'll have to do a bit more kneading by hand. Place the dough into an oiled bowl that will provide enough room for doubling of the dough. Make sure the dough is rolled around in the oil so that all the surfaces are oiled. An un-oiled dough will dry and crack and this cracked surface is impossible to remove or re-incorporate into the dough.
Cover the bowl with a tea towel and place in a draft-free place. (Dough doesn't like to get cold ... cold slows the doubling time.) I like to place my dough in my oven. This keeps it warm, and safe. Set the timer for 40 minutes. At the 40 minute mark check the dough. If it's doubled, great. If not estimate how much longer. Sometimes it can take a total of 60-70 minutes. For dough with more whole wheat/rye it can take longer. In the winter dough takes longer to rise then during the summer months. Wet weather, dry weather ... all types of weather will effect your dough.
Once the dough has doubled take it out of the bowl. Place it on your counter and pound it down. you aren't beating the life out of the dough, more like pressing the excess air out of it. It shouldn't shrink down to it's original size, but somewhere between. Now, you can cut it into pieces for various baking items. This amount of dough will make 4-6 loaves of bread. I only have two loaf pans so I always make two loafs of bread, I use a square cake pan for a square loaf, and perhaps the rest of the dough becomes rolls or breadsticks placed on a cookie sheet ... or I might roll it out for a couple of large-sized pizzas. For the bread pans and cookie sheets a light oil will prevent the bread from sticking. I place these filled pans on top of my stove and cover everything with tea towels. While the dough rests and rises again I heat the oven to 350F. Usually 25-30 of rising is all that is necessary. For the pizza dough, no rising is necessary - once you've rolled it out you can put your sauce, toppings, and cheese and bake at 425F for approximately 20 minutes. For the rest of the breads, 25-40 minutes of baking at the aforementioned 350F will do.
I hope you try your hand at bread making. Once learned, a whole new world of baking is possible. You'll be released from ever needing to buy store-bought, plastic-wrapped bread from the grocery store. You'll know what your bread contains. You'll actually be able to pronounce every ingredient. You'll be able to create something wonderful that you can share with friends and family.
Monday, April 14, 2014
My Microsoft Surface RT
You may wonder why I recently purchased a Microsoft Surface RT. I have an HP Pavilion g7 laptop as my main home computer for writing this blog, paying bills, doing work from home, and surfing the net. It's what I use to edit my photos, and to email friends, family, and colleagues. It's been my go-to device for a couple of years now. It does it's job well and I have been, in general, quite happy with it.
It really all started with Manuel getting a new laptop to replace the old Toshiba laptop we'd had since 2006. The one that accidentally got beer on it's keyboard within the first week of ownership (which would have been OK except that Manuel and his friend Rick decided to use some special product that Rick used at work to help dry electronic parts ... except it literally melted the keyboard, making the down arrow obsolete from that point on - a bone of contention for me throughout the years we used the Toshiba). Manuel's new laptop was a fairly low-cost piece that came loaded with Windows 8. It's one great feature was a touchscreen monitor that everyone liked. But in the early days I was uncomfortable with the whole modern Metro User Interface (UI). From my Windows 7 experience it just felt all wrong. As the resident IT person for our house it was me that had to learn how to deal with it. I managed, but I didn't use it much in the beginning. But as time went on and I had more time with it I began to understand that Metro UI. I began to realize it was just brilliant. I could touch the screen for some actions and still use my mouse or touchpad for other actions. They co-mingled perfectly. There even came a point when I would be at my HP and accidentally touch the screen when I should have been using my mouse. I became frustrated that I only had a mouse and touchpad. I was ... jealous. The modern Metro UI that frustrated me so much in the beginning I now loved and longed for. It was simple and elegant. I loved that you could build the desktop to reflect your needs and design style. I wanted it for myself, but I had a perfectly working laptop. Sigh.
Now into Fall 2013 Manuel's old cell phone was barely working. That's when I started toying with the Windows phones. After much deliberation I bought myself a pre-paid cell phone - the Nokia 520, a basic entry level Windows phone - so that I could test it out to see if it would work for Manuel. I liked it enough to encourage Manuel to buy one. He did and we became of family of Windows cell phone owners.
Those two cell phones were the beginning of my true infatuation with the Windows 8 eco-system of cell phones, tablets, and PCs. I started using my cell phone all the time - reading my emails, keeping our calendars up-to-date (I loved the family room concept that allowed Manuel and I to share not only conversations and photos, but to keep a synchronized calendar between us). It was the place I went to when I wanted to read the news (Huffington Post, Flipboards, Bing News, etc.). It came out at meetings at work, was in hand during weekly grocery shopping with the Simply Shopping app I had downloaded for free. I liked the Windows Store - it wasn't as over-crowded as the Google Play Store. I was able to find everything that I needed to make the phone useful, and fun. And, of course, those Nokia off-line maps. Wonderful.
I was so into the Nokia 520 that I started to fantasize about using it to maintain my blog. I tried ... but with only 4" of screen and no solid keyboard I came to the conclusion that it really wasn't a real option. Close - I could just manage to create a brief text based entry, but not sustainable.
At the same time, my old trusty Archos 43 tablet wasn't doing well. I'd had it since 2008. It had served me well. But it's aging 2.3 Android OS was clearly showing it's age, and Walter had banged the screen in his eagerness a few too many times.
I was thinking about something to replace the Archos 43. I toyed with getting an Apple iPad, but just didn't want to fork out that kind of money knowing that Walter would be using it. I considered just getting a cheap Android tablet that he and I could share. I so wished that Nokia had a tablet since I really liked the Nokia 520 cell phone. Although there were rumours while I was researching my options there wasn't anything available in the Canadian market at the time. That's when I started thinking about the Microsoft Surface. I had initially read such bad things about it. It seemed everyone thought the RT OS was just a bad concept, and the initial cost for the Surface made it as expensive as an Apple. But, by the end of January 2014 the prices were dropping on the Surface, and I was starting to find some people who like the RT. I also found out there were two styles of Surface - the RT/2 and the Pro/Pro 2. Because I was thinking about sharing it with Walter I liked the idea of the RT - a closed OS that didn't allow users to simply download and install anything they wanted. It meant I wouldn't have to worry so much about Walter did. And, just like with the Nokia 520, I wanted to see what I could do with the lowest level model - the Microsoft Surface RT. I was able to purchase the 64G version at an educational discount for under $300. I knew I wanted to get a keyboard with it - I wasn't sure whether to go with the touch or the type. Again, I figured I would go low-end (touch) to see if I could make it work. The touch and type keyboards act as a cover for the screen which makes them wonderful double-duty devices.
There were posts complaining about the quality of the Surface RT screen (something much improved on the Surface 2) - I haven't had a problem with it. The screen resolution is just fine. Others complained that it could be sluggish in rendering websites - again, I find it just fine (and I work with some fairly high-end computers at work, so I know what fast should look like). I love the built-in kickstand which makes it a wonderful stand-in for a laptop.
The keyboard that I was worried about is an interesting experience. You don't slam the keys with the pads of your fingers - you press them. The keyboards come in multiple colours - Walter asked me to choose white. I like that it can be easily pulled away (it's held in place with strong magnets) when you just want to hold the tablet - so versatile.
Not only am I fine with typing on the touch keyboard, I actually enjoy it, and find that my carpal tunnel pain is less of a problem with it.
The Surface RT/2 comes pre-installed with Office. With the update to Windows 8.1 it even gets Outlook. So, I'm able to keep up with my work, as well as maintain content for my blog. I use the included OneNote to maintain notes and ideas. Since I keep many of my OneNote notebooks in the Microsoft OneDrive (nee SkyDrive) I have up-to-date content that's accessible at work, on my cell phone, on my laptop, and on the Surface - WOW!
When I'm done working, I can also enjoy Netflix or any number of games ... many free for download from the Microsoft Store. I can easily connect my Surface to our TV HDMI connectors, and with an Xbox PC controller we can have large-screen play time. I love that I can monitor Walter's access time with the Family Safety feature - it even sends me weekly reports to let me know how he spent his time.
If we were replacing our old Toshiba laptop today I would totally by-pass the laptops for Manuel and get him a Surface. It's just so practical for so many of life's everyday needs. When my HP laptop goes I will likely replace it with a Surface Pro (you do need the Pro level if you want to load software beyond the scope of the Windows Store). The Pro would allow me to install Photoshop Elements and Lightroom - two software packages I use quite a bit. Yes, I could definitely see us becoming a three-Surface family in the future.
It really all started with Manuel getting a new laptop to replace the old Toshiba laptop we'd had since 2006. The one that accidentally got beer on it's keyboard within the first week of ownership (which would have been OK except that Manuel and his friend Rick decided to use some special product that Rick used at work to help dry electronic parts ... except it literally melted the keyboard, making the down arrow obsolete from that point on - a bone of contention for me throughout the years we used the Toshiba). Manuel's new laptop was a fairly low-cost piece that came loaded with Windows 8. It's one great feature was a touchscreen monitor that everyone liked. But in the early days I was uncomfortable with the whole modern Metro User Interface (UI). From my Windows 7 experience it just felt all wrong. As the resident IT person for our house it was me that had to learn how to deal with it. I managed, but I didn't use it much in the beginning. But as time went on and I had more time with it I began to understand that Metro UI. I began to realize it was just brilliant. I could touch the screen for some actions and still use my mouse or touchpad for other actions. They co-mingled perfectly. There even came a point when I would be at my HP and accidentally touch the screen when I should have been using my mouse. I became frustrated that I only had a mouse and touchpad. I was ... jealous. The modern Metro UI that frustrated me so much in the beginning I now loved and longed for. It was simple and elegant. I loved that you could build the desktop to reflect your needs and design style. I wanted it for myself, but I had a perfectly working laptop. Sigh.
Now into Fall 2013 Manuel's old cell phone was barely working. That's when I started toying with the Windows phones. After much deliberation I bought myself a pre-paid cell phone - the Nokia 520, a basic entry level Windows phone - so that I could test it out to see if it would work for Manuel. I liked it enough to encourage Manuel to buy one. He did and we became of family of Windows cell phone owners.
Those two cell phones were the beginning of my true infatuation with the Windows 8 eco-system of cell phones, tablets, and PCs. I started using my cell phone all the time - reading my emails, keeping our calendars up-to-date (I loved the family room concept that allowed Manuel and I to share not only conversations and photos, but to keep a synchronized calendar between us). It was the place I went to when I wanted to read the news (Huffington Post, Flipboards, Bing News, etc.). It came out at meetings at work, was in hand during weekly grocery shopping with the Simply Shopping app I had downloaded for free. I liked the Windows Store - it wasn't as over-crowded as the Google Play Store. I was able to find everything that I needed to make the phone useful, and fun. And, of course, those Nokia off-line maps. Wonderful.
I was so into the Nokia 520 that I started to fantasize about using it to maintain my blog. I tried ... but with only 4" of screen and no solid keyboard I came to the conclusion that it really wasn't a real option. Close - I could just manage to create a brief text based entry, but not sustainable.
At the same time, my old trusty Archos 43 tablet wasn't doing well. I'd had it since 2008. It had served me well. But it's aging 2.3 Android OS was clearly showing it's age, and Walter had banged the screen in his eagerness a few too many times.
I was thinking about something to replace the Archos 43. I toyed with getting an Apple iPad, but just didn't want to fork out that kind of money knowing that Walter would be using it. I considered just getting a cheap Android tablet that he and I could share. I so wished that Nokia had a tablet since I really liked the Nokia 520 cell phone. Although there were rumours while I was researching my options there wasn't anything available in the Canadian market at the time. That's when I started thinking about the Microsoft Surface. I had initially read such bad things about it. It seemed everyone thought the RT OS was just a bad concept, and the initial cost for the Surface made it as expensive as an Apple. But, by the end of January 2014 the prices were dropping on the Surface, and I was starting to find some people who like the RT. I also found out there were two styles of Surface - the RT/2 and the Pro/Pro 2. Because I was thinking about sharing it with Walter I liked the idea of the RT - a closed OS that didn't allow users to simply download and install anything they wanted. It meant I wouldn't have to worry so much about Walter did. And, just like with the Nokia 520, I wanted to see what I could do with the lowest level model - the Microsoft Surface RT. I was able to purchase the 64G version at an educational discount for under $300. I knew I wanted to get a keyboard with it - I wasn't sure whether to go with the touch or the type. Again, I figured I would go low-end (touch) to see if I could make it work. The touch and type keyboards act as a cover for the screen which makes them wonderful double-duty devices.
There were posts complaining about the quality of the Surface RT screen (something much improved on the Surface 2) - I haven't had a problem with it. The screen resolution is just fine. Others complained that it could be sluggish in rendering websites - again, I find it just fine (and I work with some fairly high-end computers at work, so I know what fast should look like). I love the built-in kickstand which makes it a wonderful stand-in for a laptop.
The keyboard that I was worried about is an interesting experience. You don't slam the keys with the pads of your fingers - you press them. The keyboards come in multiple colours - Walter asked me to choose white. I like that it can be easily pulled away (it's held in place with strong magnets) when you just want to hold the tablet - so versatile.
Not only am I fine with typing on the touch keyboard, I actually enjoy it, and find that my carpal tunnel pain is less of a problem with it.
The Surface RT/2 comes pre-installed with Office. With the update to Windows 8.1 it even gets Outlook. So, I'm able to keep up with my work, as well as maintain content for my blog. I use the included OneNote to maintain notes and ideas. Since I keep many of my OneNote notebooks in the Microsoft OneDrive (nee SkyDrive) I have up-to-date content that's accessible at work, on my cell phone, on my laptop, and on the Surface - WOW!
When I'm done working, I can also enjoy Netflix or any number of games ... many free for download from the Microsoft Store. I can easily connect my Surface to our TV HDMI connectors, and with an Xbox PC controller we can have large-screen play time. I love that I can monitor Walter's access time with the Family Safety feature - it even sends me weekly reports to let me know how he spent his time.
If we were replacing our old Toshiba laptop today I would totally by-pass the laptops for Manuel and get him a Surface. It's just so practical for so many of life's everyday needs. When my HP laptop goes I will likely replace it with a Surface Pro (you do need the Pro level if you want to load software beyond the scope of the Windows Store). The Pro would allow me to install Photoshop Elements and Lightroom - two software packages I use quite a bit. Yes, I could definitely see us becoming a three-Surface family in the future.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Kruppa Joe - Our New Coffee Machine
I'm sitting here writing this while sipping my wonderful cup of hot coffee made with our new coffee machine. Yes, after months of researching everything to do with making a cuppa Joe and going into countless stores to check out the display models we finally, unexpectedly, found the perfect coffee machine for our needs - The KRUPS KM611D Automatic Drip Coffee Machine.
We had gone to Costco's to buy one of those huge packs of toilet paper and, of course, like everyone else we wandered the aisles looking at things we didn't really need. Down one of the aisles we saw a couple of coffee machines, including the KRUPS. We lifted the lid, pulled out the carafe. 12 cups capacity - check. Strong brew - check. Finally, we checked the price $57. Hmmm ... nothing too fancy, but at that price it wouldn't hurt our bank account either. And really, having to keep things closed with a piece of string was getting old.
BAM! Done. And we couldn't be happier.
We had gone to Costco's to buy one of those huge packs of toilet paper and, of course, like everyone else we wandered the aisles looking at things we didn't really need. Down one of the aisles we saw a couple of coffee machines, including the KRUPS. We lifted the lid, pulled out the carafe. 12 cups capacity - check. Strong brew - check. Finally, we checked the price $57. Hmmm ... nothing too fancy, but at that price it wouldn't hurt our bank account either. And really, having to keep things closed with a piece of string was getting old.
BAM! Done. And we couldn't be happier.
Sunday, February 09, 2014
Hario - The Fancy Pants Coffee Grinder
I used frugality as a label for this post which some of you might think is funny or just simply wrong, considering the title of this post. But hear me out.
We have had a few coffee grinders over the years. Our current setup includes a Proctor Silex coffee grinder. it's OK. Manuel likes it, but I find it a bit irritating because you can't get a uniform grind - it's all by look and feel. Manuel often over grinds and I definitely under-grind. This over/under scenario can leave us with coffee results that are lacklustre ... so sad because we really love our coffee.
While I was researching for our new Windows Phones (and Nokia's in particular) I happened open Andrew Kim's Minimally Minimal blog. You might disagree with his views on certain products, but this 22 year old visual designer from Microsoft can truly open your eyes to the concept of design and esthetics ... to form and function. I love how he writes about objects that we use and, sometimes, lust for. So, after reading his post on the Nokia 1020 I continued to read through his blog. Which is how I happened to read about the Hario Skerton ceramic coffee mill. At the time we weren't even thinking about getting a new coffee grinder, but after reading Andrew's post I got curious ... and then forgot about it.
Just before Christmas we were in Crate and Barrel in Oakridge and I happened to see the Hario.
At $50 CAD it wasn't cheap, but it was beautiful and well made. Andrew's post had already convinced me that it would be a wonderful grinder to own, and because it's manual and doesn't require electricity to use I figured it was both frugal and practical. I could even take it when we went camping since it wouldn't require power.
It's taken me a bit of time to get the perfect grind. Since you have to remove the knob at the base of the handle, remove the handle, and a little metal footer beneath the handle before you can manually adjust the coarseness/fineness of your grind it does take time to arrive at the perfect grind. I finally reached that yesterday. Wonderful.
Now, I'm thinking we need a new coffee machine. Why, you ask? You see that string? That's holding the basket from flinging open. The clips been broken for eons. We have to shake the lid of the thermo pot to make sure it's moving - if we don't we often get freshly brewed coffee all over the place (and none in the pot) ... which is why the coffee machine is placed inside a tray. Yes, it's decorative, but it's real function is to contain that overflowing coffee. That tray saves us at least 1-2 a month.
I've been contemplating the Technivorm, a made in the Netherlands coffee machine that is supposed to make the perfect cup of home brewed coffee. I've hesitated because it's about $400 CAD. Is it really worth that much? Despite the string on our machine, it still makes a good pot of coffee ... when we get the grind right. We've been looking around for several months now and can't decide. Go cheap and get average coffee or take a chance on an expensive machine?
What do you use to grind coffee? How far are you willing to go to make the perfect cuppa?
We have had a few coffee grinders over the years. Our current setup includes a Proctor Silex coffee grinder. it's OK. Manuel likes it, but I find it a bit irritating because you can't get a uniform grind - it's all by look and feel. Manuel often over grinds and I definitely under-grind. This over/under scenario can leave us with coffee results that are lacklustre ... so sad because we really love our coffee.
While I was researching for our new Windows Phones (and Nokia's in particular) I happened open Andrew Kim's Minimally Minimal blog. You might disagree with his views on certain products, but this 22 year old visual designer from Microsoft can truly open your eyes to the concept of design and esthetics ... to form and function. I love how he writes about objects that we use and, sometimes, lust for. So, after reading his post on the Nokia 1020 I continued to read through his blog. Which is how I happened to read about the Hario Skerton ceramic coffee mill. At the time we weren't even thinking about getting a new coffee grinder, but after reading Andrew's post I got curious ... and then forgot about it.
Just before Christmas we were in Crate and Barrel in Oakridge and I happened to see the Hario.
At $50 CAD it wasn't cheap, but it was beautiful and well made. Andrew's post had already convinced me that it would be a wonderful grinder to own, and because it's manual and doesn't require electricity to use I figured it was both frugal and practical. I could even take it when we went camping since it wouldn't require power.
It's taken me a bit of time to get the perfect grind. Since you have to remove the knob at the base of the handle, remove the handle, and a little metal footer beneath the handle before you can manually adjust the coarseness/fineness of your grind it does take time to arrive at the perfect grind. I finally reached that yesterday. Wonderful.
Now, I'm thinking we need a new coffee machine. Why, you ask? You see that string? That's holding the basket from flinging open. The clips been broken for eons. We have to shake the lid of the thermo pot to make sure it's moving - if we don't we often get freshly brewed coffee all over the place (and none in the pot) ... which is why the coffee machine is placed inside a tray. Yes, it's decorative, but it's real function is to contain that overflowing coffee. That tray saves us at least 1-2 a month.
I've been contemplating the Technivorm, a made in the Netherlands coffee machine that is supposed to make the perfect cup of home brewed coffee. I've hesitated because it's about $400 CAD. Is it really worth that much? Despite the string on our machine, it still makes a good pot of coffee ... when we get the grind right. We've been looking around for several months now and can't decide. Go cheap and get average coffee or take a chance on an expensive machine?
What do you use to grind coffee? How far are you willing to go to make the perfect cuppa?
Saturday, February 08, 2014
Bosch Sugar Cookies
I have a ton of cookbooks, but I'm finding I use the internet more these days when selecting a recipe to use. I tend to use my cookbooks to figure out meal plans, flipping through the pages to get inspiration.
This recipe comes from the place I bought my Bosch Universal Plus stand mixer, Healthy Kitchens. It's great to get some actual Bosch-centric recipes because the machine is capable of making large batches of almost anything and having a recipe ready to use that volume makes it a no brainer.
I loved making these cookies. It took me about five-seven minutes in total to mix them, separate them into batches, roll them, and put them in the freezer. Not bad, eh?
If you have them, use the cookie paddles as they can definitely handle the firmer dough more easily. If you don't have them start with the batter whisks and switch to the dough hook once you start adding the dry ingredients.
Cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes, scraping at the 1 minute mark. Add the eggs, one at a time. Scrape after mixing in the second egg. Add in the vanilla extract. Next, put in half the flour mixture. Mix. Add in the sour cream. Mix. Add in the last of the flour. Do one final mix.
Remove the bowl and turn & pull the cookie paddles to remove them. I divided the dough into four, rolling them into long logs, and wrapped them in wax paper. I put the logs on a cookie sheet and placed them in the freezer.
The other morning I grabbed a roll while making our lunches and baked a batch before heading out to work (375F for 12 minutes). Being able to have freshly baked, homemade bakery items is a total win for us. Knowing what the ingredients are is great, and going this route saves us so much money.
I'd say I could easily get 8 dozen mid-sized cookies from this recipe. You could easily make changes to the recipe to create different flavours - lemon zest instead of vanilla extract, some chopped nuts or chocolate chips. Candied fruit for a Christmas cookie.
This recipe comes from the place I bought my Bosch Universal Plus stand mixer, Healthy Kitchens. It's great to get some actual Bosch-centric recipes because the machine is capable of making large batches of almost anything and having a recipe ready to use that volume makes it a no brainer.
I loved making these cookies. It took me about five-seven minutes in total to mix them, separate them into batches, roll them, and put them in the freezer. Not bad, eh?
Ingredients:
- Butter, room temperature - 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups)
- Sugar - 2 1/4 cups
- Eggs, room temperature - 4 large
- Sour Cream - 1/2 cup (I used yogurt)
- Vanilla Extract - 1 tablespoon
- Flour - 8 cups (I used 1 cup whole wheat flour, and the remainder unbleached all-purpose)
- Baking Powder - 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Salt - 1 teaspoon
If you have them, use the cookie paddles as they can definitely handle the firmer dough more easily. If you don't have them start with the batter whisks and switch to the dough hook once you start adding the dry ingredients.
Cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes, scraping at the 1 minute mark. Add the eggs, one at a time. Scrape after mixing in the second egg. Add in the vanilla extract. Next, put in half the flour mixture. Mix. Add in the sour cream. Mix. Add in the last of the flour. Do one final mix.
Remove the bowl and turn & pull the cookie paddles to remove them. I divided the dough into four, rolling them into long logs, and wrapped them in wax paper. I put the logs on a cookie sheet and placed them in the freezer.
The other morning I grabbed a roll while making our lunches and baked a batch before heading out to work (375F for 12 minutes). Being able to have freshly baked, homemade bakery items is a total win for us. Knowing what the ingredients are is great, and going this route saves us so much money.
I'd say I could easily get 8 dozen mid-sized cookies from this recipe. You could easily make changes to the recipe to create different flavours - lemon zest instead of vanilla extract, some chopped nuts or chocolate chips. Candied fruit for a Christmas cookie.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Dreaming of Stand Mixers
I have been baking by hand since ... forever. We do have an old Betty Crocker hand mixer that I sometimes break out, and my Mom gifted me a Bamix that likely sees more use than the hand mixer. But mostly I mix up ingredients with either a wooden spoon or with my own bare hands. This has worked, but there are recipes I avoid because they would either be impossible or just too difficult. Lately I've been lusting for a stand mixer. You know, those contraptions that sit on your counter, taking up enormous counter real estate. With a flip of a switch they stir your ingredients for you, usually much more efficiently and much quicker. Of course, there's a price to having this luxury which has made me think about if I really need one. While I ponder that, I started researching the various stand mixers available on the market. You know, just in case.
At the stores around my area I have access to Kitchenaid, Cuisinart, Breville, Hamilton Beach, Sunbeam, Bodum, Kenwood, and Ankarsrum stand mixers. There is also a local distributor for Bosch stand mixers (although these must be ordered on-line). A few of these stand mixers have fairly limited use - if all I want to do is whip some egg whites or mix a cake the Sunbeam, Hamilton Beach, or Bodum would work, but for more difficult tasks, such as heavy cookie batters and bread dough, they would fail. So, I immediately excluded them. The Breville should work, but several tests have shown they can't handle bread dough. Another dropped from the list. That leaves the Kitchenaid, Cuisinart, Kenwood, Ankarsrum, and Bosch to consider.
And, of course, do I need one? No, I don't. I can bake with what I have. My reasons for considering one are to let me make more healthy, homemade products for us to consume while freeing up more of my time. I'm thinking I can save us money by making our own baked goods, and letting me process more of those fruits and vegetables we get in such abundance. I think I could recover the cost of one of these machines within 1-2 years ... maybe even less time if I plan carefully.
Do you have a stand mixer? Which one? What made you choose it and would you choose it again?
What Do I Need a Stand Mixer to Do?
Since I'm capable of making cookies, cakes, muffins, pie and bread dough by hand, in these areas I'm looking to see a time savings. Instead of working on dough for one loaf of bread I want a stand mixer that can let me do 3-4 loaves at once in a shorter time frame. I want to be able to whip up egg whites or whipping cream without the walls around me (along with myself) getting splattered. I'd like a stand mixer to have a shredder/slicer attachment so that I can make coleslaw, French fries, hash browns, slice vegetables and fruits for the dehydrator, and slice apples for pies. It would be nice to have a machine that was strong enough to mix batters smooth - a velvety cheesecake would be a dream.At the stores around my area I have access to Kitchenaid, Cuisinart, Breville, Hamilton Beach, Sunbeam, Bodum, Kenwood, and Ankarsrum stand mixers. There is also a local distributor for Bosch stand mixers (although these must be ordered on-line). A few of these stand mixers have fairly limited use - if all I want to do is whip some egg whites or mix a cake the Sunbeam, Hamilton Beach, or Bodum would work, but for more difficult tasks, such as heavy cookie batters and bread dough, they would fail. So, I immediately excluded them. The Breville should work, but several tests have shown they can't handle bread dough. Another dropped from the list. That leaves the Kitchenaid, Cuisinart, Kenwood, Ankarsrum, and Bosch to consider.
Kitchenaid
You see Kitchenaid stand mixers everywhere. They have so many different models (and colours) that it can be difficult to know what you are seeing, and what each might be capable of doing. I learned that the Costco Kitchenaid was a slightly different size and most of the extra attachments that Kitchenaid offers wouldn't work with it ... so even though it's a good price it wouldn't be a good choice. I learned from the many articles and reviews I read that Kitchenaid stand mixers aren't great for lots of bread making - bread making really taxes the motor and often will shorten it's life considerably. There are many stories of people fixing their KAs several times before moving on to different makes. Price range: $189.99 (on sale) for the Classic, a 4.5 quart 275 watt machine to $699.99 for the Professional, a 6 quart 575 watt machine. All come with whips, paddle, and dough hook. Some come with bowl shields. Other attachments cost extra.Cuisinart
Another make you see a lot of in the stores is the Cuisinart stand mixers. Not as much variety as Kitchenaid - there's a 5.5 quart and a 7 quart. The 7 quart only comes in silver, the 5.5 quart comes in silver, white, and black (for some reason the white is always priced the highest). Both provide 800 watts of power. Although they seem to handle dough-making better than the Kitchenaid, some say it likes to dance across the counter while doing so. Also, not as many attachments. It does have a timer which many say is useful. Price range: $279.99 (on sale) for the 5.5 quart (silver) to $444.99 for the 7 quart. Both come with whips, paddle, dough hook, and bowl shields. Other attachments cost extra.Kenwood
There are two models - the Chef (KMC010) and the Chef Major (KMM020). The Chef is a 750 watt machine with a 4.6 litre bowl while the Chef Major is a 800 watt machine with a 6.7 litre bowl. They come with a glass blender and a 5-cup food processor as standard. There are additional attachments to get. People who have them say they last. Price range: $499.99 (on sale) for the Chef to $799.99 for the Chef Major. Both come with whips, paddle, dough hook, bowl shields, glass blender, and food processor. Other attachments cost extra.Ankarsrum
This is a Swedish made stand mixer that has been around since 1940. They have that hip factor, but perhaps a bit too unique for North American sensibilities? They come with 600 watts and a 7 litre bowl. Price range: $799.99 for the standard package which includes lid, dough roller, dough knife, scraper, spatula, cookie whips, dough hook, and a double beater/whisk with a 3.5 litre extra bowl; for $1,174.99 you also get a meat grinder, blender, citrus press, grater, strainer, cookie press, and pasta discs. Other attachments cost extra.Bosch
This is a German engineered, built in Slovenia machine that has been around for a long time. Although Europeans and Asians have access to a wider selection, we North American's only have two choices - The Universal Plus and the Compact. The Universal Plus (model MUM6N10UC) is a 800 watt machine with a 6 1/2 quart bowl capable of handling 15 pounds of dough (this series has been in production since 1950). The Compact (model MUM4405) is a 400 watt machine with a 4 quart bowl capable of handling 6 pounds of dough. Price range: $199.99 for the Compact and $439.99 for the Universal Plus. Other attachments cost extra.Which Would I Choose?
I'm drawn to the Ankarsrum and Bosch stand mixers. Quality, longevity, and the hip factor are big drawing points for me. The Ankarsrum is just too expensive ... which makes me lean towards the Bosch. But which one - the Universal Plus or the Compact? I've been reading lots of reviews and watching the videos. I'm really struggling here. I love the size factor of the Compact. It would fit so easily on almost any counter top. But the bowl size? Slightly too small. If it had been 5 quarts I'd buy it immediately. 4 quarts means doing more work for extra batches of baking. I'd like to be able to get through more batches quickly so that I can have time with Walter and Manuel. The Universal Plus is so big, but perhaps it's the more sensible choice?And, of course, do I need one? No, I don't. I can bake with what I have. My reasons for considering one are to let me make more healthy, homemade products for us to consume while freeing up more of my time. I'm thinking I can save us money by making our own baked goods, and letting me process more of those fruits and vegetables we get in such abundance. I think I could recover the cost of one of these machines within 1-2 years ... maybe even less time if I plan carefully.
Do you have a stand mixer? Which one? What made you choose it and would you choose it again?
Monday, December 23, 2013
Craigslist - Final Results
Back on November 15 I posted about how I create a Craigslist post, and even gave an example to hi-light some of the points I made. Then, a week later (on November 23) I gave you an update on how things were going. I think it's a good time for a final check-in to see how things have gone.
We've put $1000 into our household account to pay for the upcoming yearly city utility bill. Walter got $90 (I'll try to build in some spending/saving lessons with it). The remainder we split between us adults to do with as we see fit. I'll likely use mine for Christmas groceries and last minute stocking stuffers.
I have to say selling on Craigslist isn't always so successful. It can take a lot of patience and waiting before you see results.
I'm actually feeling a sense of loss for the Honda. It was the car Manuel drove me in on our first date. I guess I was more attached than I realized!
- Triumph Bike Trailer Holds 2 Children - $55
- Sold in 7 days, sell price $30 (54.5% of asking price) - Summer Extra Wide Extra tall Bedrail - $20
- Sold in 7 days, sell price $15 (75% of asking price) - Combi Stroller - $55
- Sold on December 19, 25 days - sell price $45 (82% of asking price) - Wooden Radio Flyer Rocking Horse - $75
- not sold, no emails/calls - dropped price to $45 since there are a lot of wooden horses for sale at Christmas time - 1989 Honda Prelude - $1750
- lot's of interest, several people have come by, continued to get intermittent calls and queries beyond the initial two weeks, and finally sold today after 29 days - sell price $1750 (100% of asking price)
We've put $1000 into our household account to pay for the upcoming yearly city utility bill. Walter got $90 (I'll try to build in some spending/saving lessons with it). The remainder we split between us adults to do with as we see fit. I'll likely use mine for Christmas groceries and last minute stocking stuffers.
I have to say selling on Craigslist isn't always so successful. It can take a lot of patience and waiting before you see results.
I'm actually feeling a sense of loss for the Honda. It was the car Manuel drove me in on our first date. I guess I was more attached than I realized!
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Craigslist - Where I'm At 7 Days In
It's been a week since I placed my Craigslist ads. I thought I would give you an update of where I'm at.
The list ended up being slightly different. In my previous post on selling on Craigslist I had indicated a bike trailer, bedrail guard, foldable stroller, digital baby scale, and a folding dolly. What I ended up actually putting on Craigslist was a bike trailer, bedrail guard, foldable stroller, wooden rocking horse, and a 1989 Honda Prelude. I decided to hold on to the digital scale for now - it can be used for many things, such as fruit and vegetable weighing, and postal weighing. The dolly will likely get advertised later on. The wooden rocking horse has been sitting around taking up too much space for too long. And the Honda? It's been a great vehicle, but it really doesn't fit our lifestyle anymore.
So, what prices did I set and what results have I had?
The list ended up being slightly different. In my previous post on selling on Craigslist I had indicated a bike trailer, bedrail guard, foldable stroller, digital baby scale, and a folding dolly. What I ended up actually putting on Craigslist was a bike trailer, bedrail guard, foldable stroller, wooden rocking horse, and a 1989 Honda Prelude. I decided to hold on to the digital scale for now - it can be used for many things, such as fruit and vegetable weighing, and postal weighing. The dolly will likely get advertised later on. The wooden rocking horse has been sitting around taking up too much space for too long. And the Honda? It's been a great vehicle, but it really doesn't fit our lifestyle anymore.
So, what prices did I set and what results have I had?
- Triumph Bike Trailer Holds 2 Children - $55 - Sold in 7 days - sell price $30 (54.5% of asking price)
- Summer Extra Wide Extra tall Bedrail - $20 - Sold in 7 days - sell price $15 (75% of asking price)
- Combi Stroller - $55 - not sold, no emails/calls
- Wooden Radio Flyer Rocking Horse - $75 - not sold, no emails/calls
- 1989 Honda Prelude - $1750 - lot's of interest, several people have come by, no firm offers to date
Apple Pie
Apples, apples. Everywhere apples.
I've been trying out several pie crust recipes as a means to work through that huge load of apples we have. I think I've finally settled on one ... unfortunately, I can't remember where I got it from. I found the ones that incorporated egg to be a bit chewy, and not flakey enough. This recipe has a very simple list of ingredients. With all pie crusts, the results are very dependent on the execution of the recipe. Cold is your friend - pastry dough loves to be cold. Keep that in mind before considering pie making.
Pie Crust Ingredients:
Flour - 2 cups
Salt - pinch
Sugar - 1 tablespoon
Butter, cold - 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cubed
Ice/Cold Water - 4 to 8 tablespoons
Filling Ingredients:
Apples, peeled, cored, diced - 6, approximately
Sugar - 1/2 cup, approximately
Minute Tapioca - 1 tablespoon
Start with the pie crust ... you can even do this several days ahead (or keep the unrolled dough in the freezer for longer - just wrap well so it doesn't dry out). Put all the dry ingredients in a good sized bowl. Take your cold, cubed butter and start by tossing them in the dry ingredients. Then, use your fingers to work the butter in. You aren't trying to make the butter blend into the dry ingredients ... rather you are trying to break the butter into smaller pieces with some flour coating added to them. Your goal is coarse crumbs. If you overwork this part you'll end up with pastry that won't be very flakey.
Once you've got your coarse crumbs add one tablespoon of ice cold water - toss the flour mixture. Continue adding water by tablespoons and tossing until the mixture is moistened, but not wet. Form into a ball and flatten to a thick disk. Wrap in Saran and put the disk into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. These steps might have sounded quick-quick. They should be. You want the pastry dough into the cold fridge as soon as possible. [It's at this point that you can leave pie making to another day, week, or month.]
While the dough is chilling, prepare your filling.
Wash the apples. Peel, cut into quarters, and take each quarter and remove the core. Slice the cored quarter in half and then slice these halves into thin chunks. Yes, this goes against that pretty slivered apple pie you might be envisioning ... but, really? Chunks are far easier to cut through once the pie is baked. The pie won't fall apart, it also cooks better, and it's easier to eat. And ... it will still look lovely.
Now, add the sugar and tapioca to your cut up apples. The sugar is an approximate measurement because it depends on the apples you are using and your personal taste. If you are using tart apples you may well want a bit more sugar, if they are sweet (like mine were) go for less. the tapioca will help bind the liquids from the cooking apple, making a nicer end product. After adding the sugar and tapioca toss to coat ... you might even get in there with your hands because you really want everything well incorporated.
Back to the fridge for your pastry dough. Break it into 2/3 .. 1/3 (2/3 for the bottom, 1/3 for the top). Lightly flour your work surface and use a good rolling pin - I use a marble rolling pin for pastry dough since it's heavy and colder than a wooden one. Roll your 2/3 pastry to an even thickness. Try to do this quickly. This is the hard part where you have the greatest potential to ruin your dough by overworking it. Somehow you need to get it thin enough and big enough to fit into your pie dish without toughening the dough. Once it's big enough move it into your pie plate. Don't worry if there are cracks and funky seams. Patch where necessary by finding larger overhangs and cutting them to use elsewhere. It doesn't have to be perfect. It'll all bake up fine in the end.
Add your filling and then roll out the 1/3 remaining piece of pastry dough. Place it on top and pinch the bottom and top portions together, creating little ripples with your fingers (some people use a fork, but I think the finger press looks more authentic).
Place the prepared pie in your oven for 45-60 minutes. You want to see some bubbling happening, but you also want to make sure the pastry doesn't get too dark. Some people use tin foil around the edges to help lessen this - that's your choice.
When it's ready, take it out to cool. The cooling will allow the juices and tapioca to congeal nicely. Of course, it's hard to resist a fresh pie.
We had unexpected guests show up within 30 minutes of this pie coming out of the oven. Apparently it was delicious!
I've been trying out several pie crust recipes as a means to work through that huge load of apples we have. I think I've finally settled on one ... unfortunately, I can't remember where I got it from. I found the ones that incorporated egg to be a bit chewy, and not flakey enough. This recipe has a very simple list of ingredients. With all pie crusts, the results are very dependent on the execution of the recipe. Cold is your friend - pastry dough loves to be cold. Keep that in mind before considering pie making.
Pie Crust Ingredients:
Flour - 2 cups
Salt - pinch
Sugar - 1 tablespoon
Butter, cold - 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cubed
Ice/Cold Water - 4 to 8 tablespoons
Filling Ingredients:
Apples, peeled, cored, diced - 6, approximately
Sugar - 1/2 cup, approximately
Minute Tapioca - 1 tablespoon
Start with the pie crust ... you can even do this several days ahead (or keep the unrolled dough in the freezer for longer - just wrap well so it doesn't dry out). Put all the dry ingredients in a good sized bowl. Take your cold, cubed butter and start by tossing them in the dry ingredients. Then, use your fingers to work the butter in. You aren't trying to make the butter blend into the dry ingredients ... rather you are trying to break the butter into smaller pieces with some flour coating added to them. Your goal is coarse crumbs. If you overwork this part you'll end up with pastry that won't be very flakey.
Once you've got your coarse crumbs add one tablespoon of ice cold water - toss the flour mixture. Continue adding water by tablespoons and tossing until the mixture is moistened, but not wet. Form into a ball and flatten to a thick disk. Wrap in Saran and put the disk into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. These steps might have sounded quick-quick. They should be. You want the pastry dough into the cold fridge as soon as possible. [It's at this point that you can leave pie making to another day, week, or month.]
While the dough is chilling, prepare your filling.
Wash the apples. Peel, cut into quarters, and take each quarter and remove the core. Slice the cored quarter in half and then slice these halves into thin chunks. Yes, this goes against that pretty slivered apple pie you might be envisioning ... but, really? Chunks are far easier to cut through once the pie is baked. The pie won't fall apart, it also cooks better, and it's easier to eat. And ... it will still look lovely.
Now, add the sugar and tapioca to your cut up apples. The sugar is an approximate measurement because it depends on the apples you are using and your personal taste. If you are using tart apples you may well want a bit more sugar, if they are sweet (like mine were) go for less. the tapioca will help bind the liquids from the cooking apple, making a nicer end product. After adding the sugar and tapioca toss to coat ... you might even get in there with your hands because you really want everything well incorporated.
Now, you may have noticed that there is no cinnamon mixed in with the apples. What sacrilege you might say. I ... I prefer a simpler pie, free of other flavours that might overshadow the loveliness of the apple. I urge you to try my approach. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.Turn your oven to 400F to get it up to temperature. Find your pie plate - you'll want it ready for when you need it. I prefer a Pyrex (glass) one for pie baking.
Back to the fridge for your pastry dough. Break it into 2/3 .. 1/3 (2/3 for the bottom, 1/3 for the top). Lightly flour your work surface and use a good rolling pin - I use a marble rolling pin for pastry dough since it's heavy and colder than a wooden one. Roll your 2/3 pastry to an even thickness. Try to do this quickly. This is the hard part where you have the greatest potential to ruin your dough by overworking it. Somehow you need to get it thin enough and big enough to fit into your pie dish without toughening the dough. Once it's big enough move it into your pie plate. Don't worry if there are cracks and funky seams. Patch where necessary by finding larger overhangs and cutting them to use elsewhere. It doesn't have to be perfect. It'll all bake up fine in the end.
Add your filling and then roll out the 1/3 remaining piece of pastry dough. Place it on top and pinch the bottom and top portions together, creating little ripples with your fingers (some people use a fork, but I think the finger press looks more authentic).
Place the prepared pie in your oven for 45-60 minutes. You want to see some bubbling happening, but you also want to make sure the pastry doesn't get too dark. Some people use tin foil around the edges to help lessen this - that's your choice.
When it's ready, take it out to cool. The cooling will allow the juices and tapioca to congeal nicely. Of course, it's hard to resist a fresh pie.
We had unexpected guests show up within 30 minutes of this pie coming out of the oven. Apparently it was delicious!
Friday, November 22, 2013
A Place for All the Baking Sheets
I do a lot of baking which means I have a lot of baking sheets, muffin tins, pizza trays, and other large, awkward pieces that are hard to store. Up until recently I kept them in one of the bottom cupboards in the kitchen. Every time I needed one of the cookie sheets (or something not even related to these cumbersome pieces, but stored nearby) I usually ended up with everything cascading out onto the floor or sliding sideways into other areas of the cupboard. I'm sure you can relate.
If you wanted that third cookie sheet from the bottom? Ouch.
Then, several months ago I bought one of Ina Garten's cookbooks. You know Ina, right? The Barefoot Contessa? A wonderful cook, evoking elegance, grace, comfort, and friends and families. I have five of her cookbooks now and have tried several recipes - all have been incredibly delicious. From her "barefoot contessa how easy is that?" cookbook I found a great idea at the back of the book for keeping large kitchen pieces accessible - a large wicker basket kept near the kitchen prep area.
It seemed like such a good idea. I tried it out by using a cardboard box - it worked like a charm. Everything was accessible, nothing crashed. It also meant that the space in the cupboards could be utilized much better. A win-win.
Now that I knew it would solve our storage problems I needed to find a proper basket. Sounded simple, but finding that perfect rectangular basket with enough height (but not too much) was more difficult than I originally thought. There were a lot of baskets that were just too short, and others that were too tall and more like clothes hampers. Finally, this week I found the perfect basket at my local London Drugs. The Water Hyacinth Frameless Basket had a tag reading $9.99. The price was right, but it was even better when I got to the checkout counter and found it was on sale for $5.99!
I moved everything from that temporary cardboard box to the new basket - everything fit perfectly.
There's still space to spare.
I'm really happy with this cheap, yet elegant solution.
Where do you keep your baking sheets? Would you consider using a basket left out in the kitchen?
If you wanted that third cookie sheet from the bottom? Ouch.
Then, several months ago I bought one of Ina Garten's cookbooks. You know Ina, right? The Barefoot Contessa? A wonderful cook, evoking elegance, grace, comfort, and friends and families. I have five of her cookbooks now and have tried several recipes - all have been incredibly delicious. From her "barefoot contessa how easy is that?" cookbook I found a great idea at the back of the book for keeping large kitchen pieces accessible - a large wicker basket kept near the kitchen prep area.
It seemed like such a good idea. I tried it out by using a cardboard box - it worked like a charm. Everything was accessible, nothing crashed. It also meant that the space in the cupboards could be utilized much better. A win-win.
Now that I knew it would solve our storage problems I needed to find a proper basket. Sounded simple, but finding that perfect rectangular basket with enough height (but not too much) was more difficult than I originally thought. There were a lot of baskets that were just too short, and others that were too tall and more like clothes hampers. Finally, this week I found the perfect basket at my local London Drugs. The Water Hyacinth Frameless Basket had a tag reading $9.99. The price was right, but it was even better when I got to the checkout counter and found it was on sale for $5.99!
I moved everything from that temporary cardboard box to the new basket - everything fit perfectly.
There's still space to spare.
I'm really happy with this cheap, yet elegant solution.
Where do you keep your baking sheets? Would you consider using a basket left out in the kitchen?
Friday, November 15, 2013
Selling on Craigslist
On my last post I ended with a few things that still needed selling. These included:
Let's try these steps out with the first item on my list - the bike trailer.
OK, so what did I pay for it new? I bought it at Walmart for around $109 ... say with tax $120. It now sells for $104 with a current pre-Christmas sell going on for $50. Ouch! Looking at e-Bay I see a price range of 54-200+ ... but the 200 plus ones are way swanker than mine. The 54-74 range are closer to mine. On Craigslist the swanky ones are going for 200+ also. Not much under 100. Despite the sale at Walmart I'm thinking $55. This will give some wiggle room for potential buyers to negotiate (everyone likes to shave off a few dollars). I did do a couple of photographs of the box. I confess to not taking it out and setting it up. So, I copied the photo from the Walmart website (something many people do). If I have time on the weekend I'll set it up and take some more photos to make it more authentic.
So here would be my ad:
TITLE: Triumph Bike Trailer Holds 2 Children - $55
PICTURE: I usually take a few photos, including the box, manual, and an overall photo
DESCRIPTION:
When our son was younger he wanted to ride in this bike trailer every day! Although it can hold two children, our son always had his stuffed toys, snacks, and water bottle taking up some of the space. Still, we could likely have put a few bags of groceries in there too!
Now that our son is older we've outgrown the bike trailer ... time for our son to have his own bike.
Our loss is your gain.
Bike trailer has been kept in pristine condition, in a no-smoking, no-pet household. We have the original box and owner's manual.
If you are interested call, text, or email Louise (cell ###.###.####)
... cash only
That's it. I made the ad personal - which tends to draw people in. I'm a person, not a crook. The item being sold is mine, it wasn't stolen. I included details that made it seem spacious (it is), and that my child liked it (which was true). Having the original box and manual makes it sound like I looked after it (which I did).
I'm going to put it up now. I'll let you know if my strategy works!
- a bike trailer
- a bedrail guard
- a foldable stroller
- a digital baby scale
- a folding dolly
- Put together as many facts about the items as is reasonable. Who makes it, model #, year made/bought/age, original price, dimensions (not everything needs this, but if you'd want to know others will too - especially true with furniture that people will need to place in their homes), weight (if important), materials it is made from. You might not need all these details, but it's good to have them on hand.
- Do some searching on-line to see if it is still sold new - if so, what's the price like now? Does it seem popular? Amazon reviews will give you a good idea what people think about your product. Key phrases might pop up that you can use when writing your ad.
- Next, e-Bay. If you don't have an account with them consider getting one because this gives you access to some information that the average person doesn't get to see - what things sold for (and what didn't sell). This is known as Completed Listings. These completed listings often give you a good idea for a price range. It will also give you an idea of which ads work better - style, layout, descriptions used.
- Now, Craigslist. See if your product is being posted by others. What are they asking? Is it similar to e-Bay prices? (Note: You could also look at Kijiji - I use Craigslist so I'm more comfortable remarking on it.)
- Take a few photos. Yes, you need them. Would you buy something without seeing it? If there are multiple ads (and there usually are), do you go for the ones with photos first? Me too. So, take a few minutes to take some shots of what you want to sell - a few overview shots, some close-ups. Try different angles. The most important point I can make here is to get rid of as much personal background/detail as possible. You don't want people thinking "Gross, that stuffed toy looks like it's been kept in the filthiest garage I've ever seen!" ... you want them to focus their attention on the item you are selling. I've even used bed sheets to create a plain backdrop. If all else fails try to find an image from the store you bought it from and copy that into your ad.
Let's try these steps out with the first item on my list - the bike trailer.
Bike Trailer Ad
I bought this trailer a few years ago thinking I would bike around with Walter in tow like all the other parents seemed to be doing in town. Except ... it didn't really happen all that much. Maybe three times? I just felt really nervous with my precious little guy behind me and all these vehicles rushing past me. At the time we lived in an area nearer to secondary businesses which meant lots of truck traffic - these made me even more nervous. Suffice it to say the idea was a bust (although Walter loved it - he asked to go out every day!). I kept the trailer thinking that when we moved I would use it. Our new neighbourhood is very hilly, and there are no nearby bike paths. I'd have to drive with the bike and trailer, park, hook up the trailer, get Walter and myself all geared up and then finally start biking. Ah, nah. Instead, I traded my bike - which I never really liked - for a DSi for Walter.OK, so what did I pay for it new? I bought it at Walmart for around $109 ... say with tax $120. It now sells for $104 with a current pre-Christmas sell going on for $50. Ouch! Looking at e-Bay I see a price range of 54-200+ ... but the 200 plus ones are way swanker than mine. The 54-74 range are closer to mine. On Craigslist the swanky ones are going for 200+ also. Not much under 100. Despite the sale at Walmart I'm thinking $55. This will give some wiggle room for potential buyers to negotiate (everyone likes to shave off a few dollars). I did do a couple of photographs of the box. I confess to not taking it out and setting it up. So, I copied the photo from the Walmart website (something many people do). If I have time on the weekend I'll set it up and take some more photos to make it more authentic.
So here would be my ad:
TITLE: Triumph Bike Trailer Holds 2 Children - $55
PICTURE: I usually take a few photos, including the box, manual, and an overall photo
DESCRIPTION:
When our son was younger he wanted to ride in this bike trailer every day! Although it can hold two children, our son always had his stuffed toys, snacks, and water bottle taking up some of the space. Still, we could likely have put a few bags of groceries in there too!
Now that our son is older we've outgrown the bike trailer ... time for our son to have his own bike.
Our loss is your gain.
Bike trailer has been kept in pristine condition, in a no-smoking, no-pet household. We have the original box and owner's manual.
If you are interested call, text, or email Louise (cell ###.###.####)
... cash only
That's it. I made the ad personal - which tends to draw people in. I'm a person, not a crook. The item being sold is mine, it wasn't stolen. I included details that made it seem spacious (it is), and that my child liked it (which was true). Having the original box and manual makes it sound like I looked after it (which I did).
I'm going to put it up now. I'll let you know if my strategy works!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Getting Rid of Clutter
Back in June I had a goal of participating in a boot sale (sort of a group yard sale) to get rid of things we no longer had any use for or had outgrown. It didn't happen. The boot sale was organized for every other Saturday during the summer season. Every time a boot Saturday was looming I either got sick (or someone else in the house did), or we were away, or some other event got in the way.
Finally, a couple of weeks ago (well into the fall season) I talked with the owner of Walter's out of school care program (OSC) to see if they would be interested in any of Walter's clothes, toys, books, and DVDs. Turns out they were interested in most things. The other day I managed to load everything into the back of the truck and drop by the OSC, and yes, they did take almost everything.
I went back home and looked at what remained. Boxes of cups, dishes, knickknacks, curtains and curtain rods, lamp shades, clothes, and miscellaneous toys. I loaded these into the back of the truck and headed out again. There were a couple of thrift stores in our town - one for a hospice and one for teens. As I drove along I thought about simply driving to the garbage dump and just getting rid of everything ... because what if neither thrift store was interested? I finally talked myself into driving by the hospice thrift store. I had already read their website and knew that they took drop-offs at the back of the shop. I drove around back and a nice lady told me to back it up and drop it off. In the end there were only three things that they wouldn't take - a Bob-the-Builder pillow, a stuffed dog backpack, and some old ski boots. I put the pillow and stuffed dog in the back seat of the truck, figuring they could be left there for travel times. That left me with just the ski boots which I'll see if my friends husband will take (he takes sporting equipment, cleans them up, and re-sales them).
Yes, I could likely have made a few dollars with the boot sale, but in the end I just couldn't organize myself. The pressure of all that stuff sitting in piles in the basement was getting to me, and donating took that pressure away and gave me a feeling of giving back. Since I'd already spent the money on these items long ago the money was already gone. The potential for getting a few dollars wasn't enough incentive for me - my time was more important to use in other ways. I'm sure if we didn't have jobs with good salaries I would have been more committed to accomplishing this goal, but it obviously wasn't the money I needed.
I did keep a few things.
These were bigger things that I figure I can put on Craigslist (except for the car seat - I'm not sure what I'll do with that).
What do you do with things you no longer need or use? Do you think it's important to make money on them or is donating a valid option?
Finally, a couple of weeks ago (well into the fall season) I talked with the owner of Walter's out of school care program (OSC) to see if they would be interested in any of Walter's clothes, toys, books, and DVDs. Turns out they were interested in most things. The other day I managed to load everything into the back of the truck and drop by the OSC, and yes, they did take almost everything.
I went back home and looked at what remained. Boxes of cups, dishes, knickknacks, curtains and curtain rods, lamp shades, clothes, and miscellaneous toys. I loaded these into the back of the truck and headed out again. There were a couple of thrift stores in our town - one for a hospice and one for teens. As I drove along I thought about simply driving to the garbage dump and just getting rid of everything ... because what if neither thrift store was interested? I finally talked myself into driving by the hospice thrift store. I had already read their website and knew that they took drop-offs at the back of the shop. I drove around back and a nice lady told me to back it up and drop it off. In the end there were only three things that they wouldn't take - a Bob-the-Builder pillow, a stuffed dog backpack, and some old ski boots. I put the pillow and stuffed dog in the back seat of the truck, figuring they could be left there for travel times. That left me with just the ski boots which I'll see if my friends husband will take (he takes sporting equipment, cleans them up, and re-sales them).
Yes, I could likely have made a few dollars with the boot sale, but in the end I just couldn't organize myself. The pressure of all that stuff sitting in piles in the basement was getting to me, and donating took that pressure away and gave me a feeling of giving back. Since I'd already spent the money on these items long ago the money was already gone. The potential for getting a few dollars wasn't enough incentive for me - my time was more important to use in other ways. I'm sure if we didn't have jobs with good salaries I would have been more committed to accomplishing this goal, but it obviously wasn't the money I needed.
I did keep a few things.
These were bigger things that I figure I can put on Craigslist (except for the car seat - I'm not sure what I'll do with that).
What do you do with things you no longer need or use? Do you think it's important to make money on them or is donating a valid option?
Sunday, September 29, 2013
How Sears Nearly Drove Us Crazy
Remember when we bought the patio furniture, dishwasher and fridge back in August? We put the patio furniture on our balcony, we installed the dishwasher, and next we were going to get the fridge hooked up. Except ... that never happened. Let me explain.
We bought everything back on August 24th and we took the patio furniture with us. We had the dishwasher and fridge delivered. That ended up being the following Saturday, August 31st. The delivery guys wouldn't bring the fridge into the kitchen because the doors had to be removed in order to fit it through the doorways. That wasn't in their job description - they would void our warranty if they did that. Ugh. On the phone to Sears - they organized for a technician for the Tuesday ... except, they misunderstood and scheduled the delivery guys again. So, another wait while they organized the technician along with the delivery guys because, of course, the technician doesn't move things, only takes them apart and puts them together. The technician arrived early, got the doors off and suggested a re-schedule of his time to get the doors on once the delivery guys had moved the fridge into the kitchen! I must have looked shell-shocked because the technician ended up helping Manuel move the fridge into the kitchen. Just as they were placing the fridge in the kitchen the delivery guys arrived! The technician put the doors back on, and we plugged it in. BEEB-BEEB-BEEB! A never-ending alarm sounded, and the fridge wouldn't chill. The technician wasn't sure, but decided to order a new motherboard. Another week and a half of waiting with a dud of a fridge taking up precious kitchen space while our old fridge sat in the garage. Yes, that meant every time we needed something from the fridge we had to go through the garage ... and go back out to put things away. The motherboard finally arrived ... no, wait, maybe not ... there was a mix-up ... the technician was booked ... we waited ... no one showed up ... oh, maybe the part hadn't arrived after all. Finally, we couldn't take it anymore. We called to have it taken away ... which resulted in more problems because, of course, the delivery guys who came wouldn't take the doors off! Finally, Sears Outlet organized a private moving company that did take the doors off, and did remove the fridge for us.
We went from this:
To this:
And, finally, back to this:
We'll move the old fridge back ourselves. Once we've recovered from the stress of experiencing Sears customer service.
Just in case you are wondering, we would still consider shopping at Sears in the future. We've bought from them in the past without these kinds of problems and we're hopeful that future experiences will be better.
We bought everything back on August 24th and we took the patio furniture with us. We had the dishwasher and fridge delivered. That ended up being the following Saturday, August 31st. The delivery guys wouldn't bring the fridge into the kitchen because the doors had to be removed in order to fit it through the doorways. That wasn't in their job description - they would void our warranty if they did that. Ugh. On the phone to Sears - they organized for a technician for the Tuesday ... except, they misunderstood and scheduled the delivery guys again. So, another wait while they organized the technician along with the delivery guys because, of course, the technician doesn't move things, only takes them apart and puts them together. The technician arrived early, got the doors off and suggested a re-schedule of his time to get the doors on once the delivery guys had moved the fridge into the kitchen! I must have looked shell-shocked because the technician ended up helping Manuel move the fridge into the kitchen. Just as they were placing the fridge in the kitchen the delivery guys arrived! The technician put the doors back on, and we plugged it in. BEEB-BEEB-BEEB! A never-ending alarm sounded, and the fridge wouldn't chill. The technician wasn't sure, but decided to order a new motherboard. Another week and a half of waiting with a dud of a fridge taking up precious kitchen space while our old fridge sat in the garage. Yes, that meant every time we needed something from the fridge we had to go through the garage ... and go back out to put things away. The motherboard finally arrived ... no, wait, maybe not ... there was a mix-up ... the technician was booked ... we waited ... no one showed up ... oh, maybe the part hadn't arrived after all. Finally, we couldn't take it anymore. We called to have it taken away ... which resulted in more problems because, of course, the delivery guys who came wouldn't take the doors off! Finally, Sears Outlet organized a private moving company that did take the doors off, and did remove the fridge for us.
We went from this:
To this:
And, finally, back to this:
We'll move the old fridge back ourselves. Once we've recovered from the stress of experiencing Sears customer service.
Just in case you are wondering, we would still consider shopping at Sears in the future. We've bought from them in the past without these kinds of problems and we're hopeful that future experiences will be better.
Friday, September 06, 2013
Finding a Cheap Solution to Recovering Chairs
Remember, in July, when I started to take the fabric off the seats of the dining room chairs? Remember that?
Well, I didn't get any further. Part of it was the daunting task of pulling out all those staples, part was the daunting task of stapling on new fabric. But the biggest obstacle was fabric. There are seven chairs. That's a fair chunk of fabric. I did have some different fabrics already ... but none of them really made me happy - they were either too flimsy for seats, not the right colour-pattern-style, or I just didn't have enough to do everything. So, I put it on the back-burner while I thought of possible solutions. Intermittently, throughout July and August, I checked out possible solutions ... I checked fabric stores - nothing caught my eye. I even thought about using bed linen - but couldn't find something that just hit that sweet spot. Then yesterday, whileworshipping visiting Ikea I saw some curtains. Funky pattern - check. Two colour options (blue with white, or black with white) - check. Fabric thick - check. The best part of it? They were marked down to $14.99 for two big panels. More than enough to do all the chairs. Check, check, check. Happy girl here!
Kajsamia - funky, thick, and cheap - I think it will be perfect as a chair fabric. It won't be just a plain, solid colour, yet the black base should make it work with almost any colour scheme we finally develop for the dining room. The pattern of the trees echoes the forest view from the windows of this space, and at the same time provides a bit of whimsy.
Well, I didn't get any further. Part of it was the daunting task of pulling out all those staples, part was the daunting task of stapling on new fabric. But the biggest obstacle was fabric. There are seven chairs. That's a fair chunk of fabric. I did have some different fabrics already ... but none of them really made me happy - they were either too flimsy for seats, not the right colour-pattern-style, or I just didn't have enough to do everything. So, I put it on the back-burner while I thought of possible solutions. Intermittently, throughout July and August, I checked out possible solutions ... I checked fabric stores - nothing caught my eye. I even thought about using bed linen - but couldn't find something that just hit that sweet spot. Then yesterday, while
Kajsamia - funky, thick, and cheap - I think it will be perfect as a chair fabric. It won't be just a plain, solid colour, yet the black base should make it work with almost any colour scheme we finally develop for the dining room. The pattern of the trees echoes the forest view from the windows of this space, and at the same time provides a bit of whimsy.
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
Shopping For A and Bringing Back A, B and C
For several months now we've been debating what kind of patio furniture to get for the deck that leads off the living room (the deck is approximately 13'5" by 11'9"). All summer we went back and forth on a table with chairs or sofa with chairs. I was leaning towards the later, but Manuel really wanted a place to sit outside to eat. My thinking was within 20 feet of the patio we already had a large dining table in the formal dining room and a smaller family table in the kitchen/family room area - why have another eating area so close?
Then, a couple of weeks ago Sears Outlet had a sale on patio furniture and we decided we'd go check it out. Within minutes of getting into the store we spied the perfect set - a loveseat, two chairs, and a coffee table. The seats were really comfortable and the edges of the arms smooth - nothing to hurt a young child. Although the frames looked like wood they were actually made of light weight metal which made them perfect for outside living. Sold!
Of course, while we were in the store we looked around ... and spied some appliances that were hugely discounted. We ended up buying a Kenmore Elite dishwasher (model #630.14003) which is actually made by Bosch, and a French-style refrigerator made by LG (model #LFX25978ST). What started out as a simple patio furniture shopping trip ended up a tad higher in cost ;) Still, we were happy with our purchases since the existing fridge and dishwasher that came with the house were fairly old and not running as efficiently as they could (the dishwasher sounded like a jet plane taking off when it was running!).
We had to wait a week for delivery, and naturally, when they arrived Manuel was out (getting a nail taken out of the truck tire). We hadn't checked the width of our doors - the entry door was wide enough, but all the doors leading into the kitchen were only 28-29" ... too narrow for modern-day appliances to fit through without some work. The delivery men said they didn't have the tools to do the work and they left everything in the garage. When Manuel got home ten minutes later he was not a happy camper (as I expected). Although he was OK with dealing with the dishwasher the fridge was another story. The fridge came with a water/ice dispenser - LG places the mechanics in the door to save interior space. This is a great idea, but it means that there is a fair chunk of electronics and hose going through the hinge areas. When trying to get a fridge through a narrow doorway you usually end up taking the doors off ... but with this setup Manuel didn't want to chance damaging something and ruining the warranty. So he called Sears to arrange help. While on the phone he also mentioned that the water filter was missing and some of the hosing (when getting items from the Sears Outlet stores it's something you have to consider - that parts might be missing). He arranged for a technician to come out ... four days later. Thankfully, we hadn't sold the old fridge yet. Of course, we had moved everything out and placed the old fridge in the garage.
In the meantime, Manuel got to work with the dishwasher. Getting the old one out wasn't too difficult. I took some photos before it was pulled so that I could place an ad on Craigslist. It still works and someone can likely use it - perhaps for a secondary suite. (For an old dishwasher it's incredibly well maintained and so pristine inside.) Of course, once we pulled it we started to run into problems. The new dishwasher came with a great setup for getting power and water to it, but the old kitchen setup wasn't a great fit to it. We found a junction box behind the old dishwasher and old copper piping. Manuel got that all cleaned up and leveled the floor area so that the dishwasher would be level in front and back. When we tried to slide it in we realized that it wasn't going to fit - it was too tall! Now, dishwashers come in pretty standard sizes so this was a bit puzzling. However, we soon realized it was the floor in the kitchen that was causing the problems. At some point they had put wood throughout the foyer, dining room, and family room, but not originally the kitchen. They must have changed their minds and instead of pulling the lino they overlaid the wood floor ... which meant it was higher than the other floor. This also meant the floor was higher than the floor underneath the lower cabinets. Ugh. Manuel was forced to shimmy the counter up enough so that we could slide the new dishwasher in. Next, he hooked up the plumbing and electricity. Oops ... water leakage. What? No, the dishwasher was fine. It was the drain leading from the sink to the garbuerator. A huge vertical crack almost the entire length of the pipe finally gave out. It was a good thing it happened then instead of after everything was back in place since we likely wouldn't have noticed it for weeks (who looks under their sink on a daily basis?!). Once Manuel got that replaced and everything hooked up we were able to run a load. The quietest dishwashing load that had ever occurred in that house!
Now, all we have to do is put those doors back and put everything back where they belong.
You can see we also need to replace the stove at some point, but for now we'll leave it. I'd like to paint the cabinets white to lighten up the room, but the major renovation of the kitchen won't happen for quite some time. In the meantime, we have clean dishes ;)
Next up - installing that fridge. I'll let you know how that goes once it's complete.
Then, a couple of weeks ago Sears Outlet had a sale on patio furniture and we decided we'd go check it out. Within minutes of getting into the store we spied the perfect set - a loveseat, two chairs, and a coffee table. The seats were really comfortable and the edges of the arms smooth - nothing to hurt a young child. Although the frames looked like wood they were actually made of light weight metal which made them perfect for outside living. Sold!
Of course, while we were in the store we looked around ... and spied some appliances that were hugely discounted. We ended up buying a Kenmore Elite dishwasher (model #630.14003) which is actually made by Bosch, and a French-style refrigerator made by LG (model #LFX25978ST). What started out as a simple patio furniture shopping trip ended up a tad higher in cost ;) Still, we were happy with our purchases since the existing fridge and dishwasher that came with the house were fairly old and not running as efficiently as they could (the dishwasher sounded like a jet plane taking off when it was running!).
We had to wait a week for delivery, and naturally, when they arrived Manuel was out (getting a nail taken out of the truck tire). We hadn't checked the width of our doors - the entry door was wide enough, but all the doors leading into the kitchen were only 28-29" ... too narrow for modern-day appliances to fit through without some work. The delivery men said they didn't have the tools to do the work and they left everything in the garage. When Manuel got home ten minutes later he was not a happy camper (as I expected). Although he was OK with dealing with the dishwasher the fridge was another story. The fridge came with a water/ice dispenser - LG places the mechanics in the door to save interior space. This is a great idea, but it means that there is a fair chunk of electronics and hose going through the hinge areas. When trying to get a fridge through a narrow doorway you usually end up taking the doors off ... but with this setup Manuel didn't want to chance damaging something and ruining the warranty. So he called Sears to arrange help. While on the phone he also mentioned that the water filter was missing and some of the hosing (when getting items from the Sears Outlet stores it's something you have to consider - that parts might be missing). He arranged for a technician to come out ... four days later. Thankfully, we hadn't sold the old fridge yet. Of course, we had moved everything out and placed the old fridge in the garage.
In the meantime, Manuel got to work with the dishwasher. Getting the old one out wasn't too difficult. I took some photos before it was pulled so that I could place an ad on Craigslist. It still works and someone can likely use it - perhaps for a secondary suite. (For an old dishwasher it's incredibly well maintained and so pristine inside.) Of course, once we pulled it we started to run into problems. The new dishwasher came with a great setup for getting power and water to it, but the old kitchen setup wasn't a great fit to it. We found a junction box behind the old dishwasher and old copper piping. Manuel got that all cleaned up and leveled the floor area so that the dishwasher would be level in front and back. When we tried to slide it in we realized that it wasn't going to fit - it was too tall! Now, dishwashers come in pretty standard sizes so this was a bit puzzling. However, we soon realized it was the floor in the kitchen that was causing the problems. At some point they had put wood throughout the foyer, dining room, and family room, but not originally the kitchen. They must have changed their minds and instead of pulling the lino they overlaid the wood floor ... which meant it was higher than the other floor. This also meant the floor was higher than the floor underneath the lower cabinets. Ugh. Manuel was forced to shimmy the counter up enough so that we could slide the new dishwasher in. Next, he hooked up the plumbing and electricity. Oops ... water leakage. What? No, the dishwasher was fine. It was the drain leading from the sink to the garbuerator. A huge vertical crack almost the entire length of the pipe finally gave out. It was a good thing it happened then instead of after everything was back in place since we likely wouldn't have noticed it for weeks (who looks under their sink on a daily basis?!). Once Manuel got that replaced and everything hooked up we were able to run a load. The quietest dishwashing load that had ever occurred in that house!
Now, all we have to do is put those doors back and put everything back where they belong.
You can see we also need to replace the stove at some point, but for now we'll leave it. I'd like to paint the cabinets white to lighten up the room, but the major renovation of the kitchen won't happen for quite some time. In the meantime, we have clean dishes ;)
Next up - installing that fridge. I'll let you know how that goes once it's complete.
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