Thirty two weeks into our experience here in Kirkland, Washington, the one time hotspot in the United States when cases of COVID-19 first arrived here in the United States. Thirty two weeks, and I’m certain we’re in it for at least another thirty two, which feels long and hard.

I’m not sure how long I’ll continue to track things in “COVID weeks,” but since it’s still such a dominating part of life, I’m keeping it for now. I can’t decide if tracking it is a good or a bad thing, but it’s reality.

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Friday’s Frugal Five

1. I forgot to celebrate ticking off another month of my clothes buying ban at the beginning of October. Like I shared on Twitter, it really doesn’t feel like much these days. After being on this journey for more than three and a half years now, this challenge feels more like just life. And with COVID still in full force, there aren’t too many reasons to need new clothing anyway.

I had meant to do a photo shoot with my mother right before COVID hit to show off a “clothes buying ban fashion show” to share with you all what I wear these days without buying anything. Perhaps it’s time to finally get that done – now from a distance.

2. My car’s dashboard light up the low tire icon this week, and I mentioned it to my husband when I got home. He was able to measure the air and fill the back two tires, which were in fact low. So far, it doesn’t seem like they’ve lost any air, so hopefully that’s it.

While I can change a tire and change my own oil and windshield wipers, my husband takes care of all the automotive related items these days that don’t involve a mechanic. While we don’t always settle into “traditional” gender lines, I do appreciate that he takes care of the cars, as I have no interest in them other than getting me from A to B, with the hopes of someday only having an electric car (or no car at all).

3. It turns out that I have have Delicata squash growing in my garden after all! I’d originally thought they were some variety of zucchini, but I let a few get bigger and finally realized that they are in fact the tastiest of winter squashes. I’m leaving them on the vine through this week, but with the stormy weather this weekend and more fall type weather forecasted after that, I think I may need to pull them and sit them on a windowsill to ripen fully.

I also planted the last of the onion starts and all of the garlic this week and I’ve attempted a final seeding of spinach before the weather cools off any more. I haven’t purchased any seed garlic in years, and it feels really good to be self sufficient with one food item these days (likely now two – kale as well).

4. I’ve cooked up what I hope to be my own take on Mama Lil’s Hot Peppers with goathorn peppers purchased from a local farmer’s market. I’ll report back in a few weeks once the flavors have time to fully meld, but my initial taste test has me very hopeful.

These peppers are my very favorite to add flavors to a variety of meals, from pizza to stir fried vegetables to hot dogs. They aren’t cheap to purchase though, so I’d love to have my own source.

5. Our roommate made an awesome dinner of chicken vindaloo Thursday night, which was perfect since it was one of my evening meeting nights. He’s also been helping with full days of kindergarten and childcare every week while he continues to be out of work as a machinist. Roommates aren’t just for your early twenties and when you’re flat out broke; they can enrich your life and become family.

Exercise Update

I’m through two full weeks of being more focused on tracking my food and exercise, and it’s slowly becoming more normal again. I’m about to start my period though, so I’m retaining water and will wait on tracking my weight again until after then.

The kiddo went for a run with me on Friday morning before we left to go camping for the weekend up at the Lynden KOA. They have paddle boats on a large pond, and we checked on out on Saturday, and my husband and I were surprised at how much exercise they were. To get them going at any speed, it’s like riding a recumbent bike, which is a muscle group that neither of us use regularly. We weren’t sore the next day, but we definitely felt it after we got out of the boat.

Monday was stair walking while listening to Parable of the Tenants on audiobook. Tuesday and Wednesday were both long walks while on work calls, and then a run after I was done for the day on Wednesday. Thursday was a long walk with the kiddo and a friend as part of his homeschooling for the day, helping him to write a nature log of everything we saw on the hike.

How are you holding up? 25 days to the US election. If you’re in the US and able to vote, please, please vote.