100 DOLLARS A WEEK PT.2 - Day 7 (TURKEY DAY!!!) & Things For Which I Am Thankful...

So many things to be grateful for this Thanksgiving, not the least of which was that this was the first Thanksgiving in many years in which I was surrounded by a near-complete (and happy) family. My big brother is missing from the picture, and I miss him dearly, but human drama sometimes has a way of tying knots between us that are hard to untie. I've not given up on him, and I hope he's not given up on me, but for good and bad, while the past few years have made me a more simple person in some respects, it's made me a much more complicated one in others. And I'll just leave it at that.

At the age of 38, this was also my first Thanksgiving with a true life partner by my side - one who is really good for me, and hopefully I for him. In a very short period of time, the Man's goodness, decency, kindness, and emotional generosity have been tested in so many ways, and they have been unfailing and unwavering through all. So among the things for which I am grateful are the life experiences, many of them difficult ones, that forced me to reevaluate what it is that makes a man good in general, and good for me specifically.

And for a cozy and comfortable home in which we all laugh and love easily, in which we can live close to our needs and yet not too far from most of our wants, in which I can teach my children the life lessons I wish to be my legacy to them, and in which we all can be a part of a family dynamic that I would be more than happy for them to carry on into their futures, I am grateful beyond words.

BREAKFAST

for me was the last of the pasta.

For the Man, it was bacon and eggs. 

For both of us, a very juicy and flavorful but super puckermaking grapefruit that screamed for a sprinkling of sugar. (Or was I the one screaming for sugar?) 

Always coffee.

   2 eggs and 3 slices of bacon $0.80
+2 cups of coffee $0.40

= $1.20 FOR BREAKFAST

LUNCH

was coffee and gummy bears for me, coffee and a little bit of Lindt dark chocolate with fleur de sel for the Man while we were driving up to my parents' place with food in tow.

   gummy bears $1.70
+ Lindt chocolate $2.00
+ 2 cups of coffee brewed at home $0.40

= $4.10 FOR LUNCH (The rest of the budget considered, this sounds a little ridiculous, doesn't it?)

DINNER

My contributions to Thanksgiving were:

Soy Braised Short Ribs

    5.5 pounds of short ribs $23.00
+ 1 onion, 2 carrots, 1 head of garlic, half an apple $0.80
+ a bag of cooked chestnuts $5.00
+ soy sauce, brown sugar, and some rice wine we got as a housewarming gift that we're still trying to use up $0.50

= $29.30 for the short ribs

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

   3 pounds of potatoes $0.30
+ some butter, sour cream, milk, heavy cream $0.50

= $0.80 for the mashed potatoes

Baked Sweet Potatoes

    2 sweet potatoes $0.70
+  a little butter, brown sugar, pinch of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg $0.30

= $1.00 for the baked sweet potatoes

Crunchy Red Cabbage Soy Slaw

    half a head of red cabbage $0.80
+ cilantro, green onions, soy sauce, sugar and vinegar $0.50

= $1.30 for the red cabbage slaw

Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

   1 package of carrot cake mix $1.25

+ 15 oz. pumpkin $1.25
+ 3 eggs and some oil $0.50
+ 1.5 packages cream cheese $2.25
+ 1/2 a stick of butter $0.50
+ 1.5 cups of powdered sugar and some vanilla $0.40

= $6.15 for the cupcakes

S'Mores

   1 Hershey's Bar $1.20
+ 1 Bag Marshmallows $1.50
+ 1 box graham crackers $4.80

= $7.50 for s'mores

Soda and Sparkling Apple Cider

= $4.70 for drinks

All tolled for Thanksgiving...

= $50.75 FOR DINNER ($8.50/serving for 6 people)

$56.05 spent in total on Turkey Day.

Friday 11/18 - $9.05
Saturday 11/19 - $12.65
Sunday 11/20 - $15.20
Monday 11/21 - $7.20
Tuesday 11/22 - $14.05
Wednesday 11/23 - $16.15
Thursday 11/24 - $56.05

$130.35 in groceries spent in the first week of this project, and considering that it included Thanksgiving, I think we did alright!

Can I just say this was one bitch of a post??? 8/

I actually do think I can manage to get Friday's post out too. But I think I'll take a break to work on our tissue paper Christmas tree for a bit.

Back later,

shinae