I mentioned that I use a magnet to cover the vent in my basement, which makes the basement chilly but ideal for storing extra food. When I started blogging in 2006, I was reading mostly personal finance blogs and wanted to be more of a stockpile grocery shopper. However, I lived in a 333 square foot studio apartment where storage space was a premium and I knew I would be moving within a year. Instead, I used coupons and shopped as frugally as I could and said one day I will live in a space where I can have a stockpile.
That day has come. I now have shelves in the basement where I can store extra paper goods (sometimes given to me by my gramma who loves to find a bargain) and dry goods. I am storing the ingredients for several make-ahead meals I like. The good thing is the basement is on the same level as my garage so I can pull into the garage and if my groceries are packed correctly, can leave all but frozen foods in the basement. Then, come back and sort between stockpile and kitchen. Less lugging items up and down the stairs!
Welcome back to udandi & the craft of money where I love connecting with readers through comments, Twitter or Flickr - Andi
The point of this photo is the 5, which is a magnet from pizza shop I found on my walk and kept thinking I would do a craft project. Instead, it was the right width to cover the heat vent, which is the first one off the furnace. By shutting the lever and covering it air is forced past the opening up to the first floor vents, which is the main living space of my house.
I have been in my house, just over three months and I have enjoyed slowly getting to know it and brainstorming how I can best live in it. My gramma was anxious to help me decorate, but that was the least of my worries. To keep her satisfied, I suggested she look for a couple panels of neutral color thermal-back curtains, plain rods and a couple tension rods. I figured whatever she found, unless the color was so awful, could be used in some fashion.
My second floor is a finished attic space with old windows. After putting plastic on the windows, I decided to hang one thermal curtain. It helps, although when it is 15 degrees out it is hard to feel a big difference. At the stairway going upstairs there had once been a door, but it was probably removed because when open, it would create an awkwardness in the hallway where the bathroom, bedroom and linen closet doors meet. To help, keep heat from rising through that stairway, I used a tension rod and panel to serve as door. It seems to be working well with no draft of cold air in the hall or vacuum of warm air being pulled up the stairs.
As a singleton, my parents were interested in seeing me buy a house with an attached garage. Currently, I pull into the drive, get out, walk down, open the door, get back in the car, pull in, get out, close the garage door and enter the house through the front door. Why? Because my garage door does not lock so the door from the garage into the basement has a deadbolt. I will be living high on the hog to pull into the drive, especially after my night shift, hit a button and wheel into the garage!
The final steps of my garage makeover include painting that back wall and replacing the heavy, wood garage door with an aluminum door, which should be lighter in weight, but more importantly but insulated and hopefully an automatic opener. Even though it is not complete (I need to get rid of the previous owners’ stuff), I think it is a vast improvement. You can see the before photos on my flickr account, by clicking the above photo. Also, check out my basement paint improvement.
Friday night, my friends and I met up at a dueling piano bar. After settling into our tables two of us took out our phones and were teased by others who asked if we were Twittering?! Um, no. The iPhone user was checking on Gowalla while I was creating a venue and checking in on Foursquare, which would then push to our Twitter stream, if we chose.
I will not apologize for liking my network on Twitter or a possibly new obsession of Foursquare. This week alone on Twitter, I tried to win tickets to the Cinci Beerfest and Aronoff’s Spring Awakening and am aware that two local blogs are giving away copies of the book, The Spark. I won Martha Stewart’s Craft Encyclopedia through Twitter and have met a host of new people. I scan Twitter for coupons, deals and freebies. I find myself enjoying friends’ Facebook updates, but checking fan pages of the businesses I am following to see if they are offering coupons or promotions. But it is not all about me gaining, if I see something noteworthy, I share even with those who tease me about being on Twitter.
Surely there’s a better name for these, but I’ve yet to find it. This holiday season I’ve used three pounds of sausage to make these for various parties and celebrations.
In a stand mixer combine:
1 pound of sage sausage
8 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
3 cups of Bisquick
Roll into 1 inch balls.
Cook at 350* for 15 minutes.
