Last weekend was another weekend hanging near home. The weather was actually pretty decent – with sunshine and low fifties for part of the days – so we spent quite a bit of time outdoors. It might not be summer yet, or even spring, but it’s obvious that the winter gloom is starting to loosen its grip, at least for now. The gray lingers until full summer though, so we especially pay attention to and take advantage of the nice days when they appear.

What I do need to do is spend some more time out in the garden. This time of year the sunshine never touches the yard though, so I continue to get drawn away and toward the sunshine. Thanks to earlier efforts, my perennial plants are doing well, and the first of the rhubarb leaves are already beginning to poke through the soil.

Friday’s Frugal Five

1. Since it was actually not supposed to rain most of Saturday, we invited a few friends over for a bonfire and a low key dinner. One of the friends brought her two kids with her, so the three of them played together for much of the afternoon and evening.

Once some other friends arrived, we got ready to walk over to the grocery store to pick up the few things we needed for dinner. The kiddos wanted to stay at the house and play, and our roommate offered to stay back and hang out with them while we went to the store. For a single guy with no kids of him own, he is pretty great with the kids, and we’re lucky to have him.

2. I had some training for work in Seattle Monday afternoon, so I hopped the bus downtown. Instead of waiting for the transfer to the building where the class was, I got off the bus and walked the mile and change, enjoying the warming sunshine.

The route took me across a bridge I had never been on before, giving me a new and stellar view of the Seattle skyline. Whenever I can manage it, I prefer to walk or take the bus. It’s so much easier, cheaper, and less stressful, and it tends to come with a better view as well.

3. I finally booked our flights to Kauai for Bethany’s wedding in June. I had set a Google Flights alert for the dates for a good four months, tracking the costs of the trip. On average, each round trip ticket ranged from $518 to $758 dollars or more.

On Tuesday, I got an alert that the cost per ticket had dropped to just $338. After watching the price fluctuate for so long, it was clear these were likely to be the cheapest flights we would get, so I booked them. We also had our Alaska companion ticket for the year, so one of the tickets was just $99 + taxes and fees.

All in, we paid just $1,160.49 for four direct, round trip flights to Hawaii. While we could have used points to offset the cost, we can now use them toward lodging and other trip costs. Sometimes, it’s worth paying out of pocket, and for under $300 a ticket, I’d say this trip is a good example of that.

4. We went to Ash Wednesday at my church with our neighbors, and she texted me earlier in the afternoon if we wanted to have a quick dinner together beforehand. She picked up the ingredients and then the two of us prepped a really good meatball soup (will need to remember it for future!), ate the quick dinner, and then headed to church together.

(And then, of course, we headed down to the park with them and another neighbor family with kiddos the next day. We really do live in the best neighborhood.)

It’s now the start of Lent, and I’ve decided to give up alcohol for the duration. While I don’t drink all that much – and don’t usually spend a ton on what I do – I want to break the habit of having something to drink when we go out or on the weekends just because. It should save a bit of money over the forty days as well, but that’s just an extra bonus.

5. If you missed it, Frugasaurus and I launched Ecofrugals.com this week! I’ve been overwhelmed with the positive response to the project, and she and I are having so much fun putting it together. When you live and breathe ecofrugality like we do, it’s no wonder we have endless ideas for what to do with this project.

I would be eternally grateful if you popped over to the site and let me (us!) know what you think. We’re in the early days yet, but I have high hopes for the resource it can be for the ecofrugality community and anyone looking to dip there toes in to get a bit better at it themselves.

Exercise Update

My heel definitely feels better than it did a week ago, but still not 100%, so I still didn’t run this week, though longer walks seem to be okay. Here’s to hoping it will be back to normal soon.

Friday was a long walk plus some time on the stationary bike. Saturday was a slow three hour meander in the park for PokemonGo community day with the kiddo and my mother in law.

Sunday was the gym (stationary bike, weights, and stretching). Monday was walking to and from the bus in Seattle, and Tuesday through Thursday was more walking and trips to the park in the nice weather.

Am I bonkers to take on another project? Or are you like me with the tendency to always fill up your time with (good) things?