Update on gallbladder tests

I had an appt with my doctor this morning at 9:15am - I got called into the office at 9:30am - not bad actually, it is usually closer to an hour later.

Doctor comes in about 10 mins later - he has no idea why I am there - he has not yet received the test results. Great!

So he says he will look into it and call me with results later in the day since he is a 40 minute drive from where I live and I wasn't keen on going back for another appt.

Around 2pm this afternoon I get a call "This is Sarah from Dr XYZ's office, we have your test results, can you come in one day this week?" "Um I was there this morning and the results were not!" "Oh they were here" she says, but in the "to call" pile. Great. She said she would give the results to the doctor and have him call me.

Around 3:30pm he called - after about 5 minutes of medical jargon, I was told that there is no sign of gall stones. However, there is a small growth on my left adrenal gland they want to keep an eye on - I will have another CT scan (without dye this time YAH!) in about 2-3 months - but it is probably nothing to worry about.

Ok so the New Years day attack was a fluke or something - who knows - don't care as long as it doesn't happen again.

Fabulous frugal fabric finds!

Now say that five times fast!

This is the bounty from my trip to Walmart today.

This fabric is pretty heavy - would make good cushion covers - $1.75 for 0.9 metres.

This fabric is light and stretchy - I am thinking to make a skirt out of it - $1.87 for 1.9 metres.

This fabric is medium weight - again good for pillows or even to incorporate into crazy quilts - $1.75 for 0.9 metres.

Light-weight jacquard - to include in a cream-coloured crazy quilt project I will be starting soon - $1.76 for 2 metres (but it is only 15 in wide)

Cotton - will use for quilts - $5.96 for 2 metres.

This photo doesn't do the colour justice - it is a pale lemon yellow - see the scalloped edge on the left? Only 0.97 a metre - I bought one metre - will include in my cream-theme crazy quilt - I know it is not cream but I think it will work and I just love it!

Fabric with embroidery - for cream crazy quilt project - $3.30 for 1.7 metres - only about 16 in wide.

Another small piece - again for cream crazy quilt - $0.18 for 0.4 metres.

A kind of blah piecec compared to the others - plain light beige- for the cream crazy quilt - $0.30 for 0.3 of a metre.

Light weight jacquard-like (?) cream fabric - cream crazy quilt - $1.36 for 0.7 of a metre.

I also bought myself a new iron - the one I have is about 20 yrs old - it works fine but does not have an auto shut-off - I forgot it on last week for a few hours - no damage done - but if I keep doing things like that I will burn the house down - so I got one with auto shut-off - a Black & Decker one for $27 - I will freecycle my old one as it is still good.

Ok off to get started!

Frugal Friday - Five Frugal Things

This is my first time participating in Frugal Friday's over at Biblical Womanhood. Pop over for more great tips!

This is my first Frugal Friday tip of the New year I am going to post five frugal things I will start/continue to do this year.

• Keep heat to 18C during the day in the winter - I have been wearing slippers, sweaters and occasionally a knit hat to stay warm. So far so good. In the summer we will not set the AC lower than 22C (let's hope DH can handle that LOL)

• Keep track of what we have in the fridge/pantry/freezer and only buy what we really need - I used to throw away far too many things that spoiled. Plan meals around what we do have.

• Cook from scratch most days - have a leftover night to use stuff up. There are times when all we really feel like is a bowl of cereal anyway - why cook if we don't feel like eating.
  

• Don't buy any new clothes unless I get down a size - I really don't need anything anyway.

• Really think about things before I buy them - do I really need this? Can it wait? Can I do without?

Right now my goal is not to save money but to stretch what I currently have as far as possible - I am looking for work but so far, there isn't much in my line of work right now - so I have to pinch pennies until I have an income again.

Favorite Ingredient Friday - Hummus

I can't claim this as my own - I got it from my online friend Jean at the Frugal Foyer.

I love this stuff - I could eat it all day! I usually eat it with celery - my DH likes it with crackers.

Fat Free Hummus

• 3 c. cooked garbanzoa (chickpeas - I use one lg tin - rinsed)
  
• 3 cl. garlic or more
• 6 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. cayeene
• 3 tsp. cumin

Blend it all together in food processor or blender. Add water/bean liquid as needed to make right consistency. Like a dip. Adjust seasonings to taste. If you want you can add some tahini or sesame oil (I never have).

For more Favorite Ingredients - pop over to Overwhelmed With Joy!

Making Money Blogging

As some of you may know - I am not currently working. I am on a quest to find work, save money and make money.

One of the ways I have decided to try making money is via Blogsvertize.

How Blogsvertize works is that once you sign-up and are approved, you are periodically sent assignments.

These assignments contain a URL for a product or service. You then visit the URL, check it out and then write a post about the product or service. You have to mention the website and post at least 3 links to the URL. You do not have to endorse the product or service - just write about it.

And the best part - you get paid! Hey it also generates traffic to your blog which isn't bad either right? :)

For detailed instructions, check out the this page.

If you think this is something that will work for you, head over to Blogsvertize and register your blog!

Works for me Wednesday - Sewer's tip

My tip this week is for people who sew - I can't remember where I first heard to do this but it definitely Works For Me!

You know when you sew and then cut all the stray little bits of thread off and they just attach themselves to your clothes or you try to be neat and make a lil pile but before you know it they are all over you and the floor again?! (Not just me is it?)

Ok so what I have been doing is to tape a small bag, grocery, Ziploc, whatever is available, to the front of your sewing table - I put mine to the right as I am right-handed and it is easier for me - I tend to hold my work to the right, I snip off the threads and brush them into the bag.

Sew much neater! Get it? Ha ok bad joke :)

When the bag is full and sagging (like mine is now) just pull it off and tape on another.

For more great tips - head over to Rocks in My Dryer!

Quilting update

Whew I finally finished the pink quilt top. These pics aren't the best - the dark colour isn't really that red looking - it is more of a wine/burgundy colour. I was aiming to make it for a single bed, but it seems to fit a double just fine.



I have several of the assorted center pink squares - I think I will be making a matching or at least similar lap quilt.

Below is my second crazy quilt block - I haven't yet finished the embelishments - but I have done most of the embroidery.




I am really enjoying this!