Sunday, July 31, 2011

Cucumber Ginger Juice

I'm not much of a water drinker. I know it's the most economical drink of all. It's free (or cheap if you use a filter) after all. I need to do better and I'm always trying to find ways to get myself to drink more water. I don't drink soda or juices either. I generally don't drink anything. I'm really going to die in this 100 degree heat if I don't get myself together.

Earlier this summer I was out doing some community work and the person who was driving me around had a craving for Jamaican Food. I told him we should go to Pimento Grill in SE Washington DC. They serve delicious Jamaican Food along with fresh juices. I've been going back again and again. Earlier this summer I discovered a fresh juice drink that is mostly water and it will help me use up the cucumbers from the garden. This morning I decided to pull out my juicer and make it myself.

Ginger Cucumber Juice

2 Cucumbers (juiced)
1 Lime (juiced)*
1 Small Orange (juiced)8
8 cups of water
1/2 to 1 cup of simple syrup
1 inch of ginger sliced

*Use a citrus juicer or juice over a sieve. Do not use a regular juicer for citrus or you will tons of bitter pith in your juice.

Yesterday's Target Success

Chez Southeast has been less than frugal these days. Our income is back up so I am trying to not go back to our old habits. In September we are sitting down to talk about our goals so that we are making progress. Yesterday I got back to my old ways and headed our to target. Here's what I got

2- 4packs of Shick Quattro Razors
3-9oz bottles of J and J baby lotion
1-box of J and J baby Q-tips
1-Oral B Floss
1-Target Brand Hydrocortisone (i have a bad bug bite)

I used $11.49 in coupons, paid$13.08 and received a $5 giftcard. That makes the final cost $8.05. You can barely find a pack of razors for that price these days.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Drawer Space Step Child

When I moved in with my now Fiance almost two years ago, he simply would not give me any drawer space. That should have been a sign that we were doomed to a life of clutter. Daily, I senselessly search three rooms to create a complete outfit. We are getting married in two months so I finally sat him down and said "Our bedroom always looks a mess because you've never really given me any space to store my stuff in the bedroom." He had noticed that when I switched from my winter to summer wardrobe that my summer clothing is quite sparse so it's not that I have too much stuff. I have many different things that need appropriate storage solutions. This morning I have been poking around for some solutions to make it work for me. Here are three free ways to get a handle on bedroom storage.

1. Toss It or Hide It: Not so secretly I am pairing down his t-shirt collection from 90 to 30. He only wears them after work and on weekends so we don't need so many in the dresser drawers. I'm going to store them in the guest room. I did the same thing with his vitamins a while ago.

2. Boot Storage: I found boot shaperss and http://www.containerstore.com/shop/closet/shoeStorage/shelf?productId=10009590&green=2582186951 but that seems expensive. Instead I will stuff the boots with my daily paper for the next week. After that, I will put them on the high shelf at the top of the closet. In the winter I will store my sandals in my favorite shoe box in this same location.

3. Rearrange Bulit-ins: We have a built-in closet system that I have never found adequate. I rearranged them this morning making the things I use more often at my eye level.

4. One of these things is not like other: When I was heavy into cycling I amassed a significant amount of gear and accessories. I have all of that mixed in with my regular workout gear. I have packed all of the bike gear into a storage container and put it next to the bike. The same goes for my swim gear, I can barely swim. I should probably get rid of it but I want to start swim lessons in the fall. If not, to goodwill it goes.