It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve posted anything (beyond an update of my Christmas Traditions posts that I originally wrote back in 2017). I didn’t want another week to go by, so checking in with a quick update.

We spent nine days in Mexico right after Thanksgiving, and then promptly tested positive for Covid for the first time once we got home. Between the travel and then being down with Covid (the brain fog is real, folks), I haven’t had a lot of brainpower to write much. I’m starting to feel slowly better, so here’s to hoping I’m back at it like normal next Friday. (Hopefully I’ll write a post about our trip as well, because it was fabulous)

Friday’s Frugal Five

1. While we were sick and testing positive last week, a friend dropped off a dinner for us one night, along with a hot coffee for me. Another day, someone dropped off groceries. We had another dinner delivered (thanks delivery services for being able to do no contact drop offs!) And I was feeling pretty sorry for myself another night and so another friend dropped off a holiday coffee for me to cheer me up a bit.

We really do have the very best community. Covid absolutely sucks, but I am so grateful to the folks who surrounded and supported us through it. Zero stars though, do not recommend. We almost made it three years without catching it, but it finally found us. (The kiddo never tested positive or had any symptoms at all though – Covid is weird)

2. Speaking of Covid, in case you didn’t hear, the federal government has restarted their free home tests for this winter (four per household). You can order them here.

In Washington State (or Minnesota or Wisconsin)? You can order another two boxes for free every month, delivered to your door, which works out to ten tests per household. Really proud of our state for never dropping this service. Yes, you can get them for free through your insurance, but that’s an extra hurdle, and leaves out everyone without insurance.

3. I’ve skipped biking to work all week, and it’s been the worst. I’m still tired post-acute Covid infection though, and to give myself the best chance at not dealing with Long Covid, I’ve been taking it easy. Finally going for walks the second half of this week, but I stayed away from any more active exercise.

Not “frugal” to drive my car, but definitely frugal if you consider the cost of lingering health issues. Here’s to hoping by skipping the bike this week means I’ll be able to bike a lot more in the future.

4. The kiddo’s back in theater camp, and he should have missed the first week while we were in Mexico, but we got enough snow here that the class was cancelled that day. That means he didn’t miss a day and we got a $30 coupon code for the next round of camps (which he wanted to sign up for anyway), so it worked out in our favor there.

At this point, we’re happy to have the kiddo do one after-school thing at a time, and for now, he’s chosen theater camp. I realize folks end up with a lot more than that (2-4 times a week with extra stuff), but for our family, one is enough. Both for the cost of the extracurriculars, but also to keep a lower key week that doesn’t involve us rushing places through the week.

5. I spent my midweek day off hanging out with my 88 year old grandmother. We went to breakfast and then walked around all the little shops downtown, capping off the adventure sitting and drinking holiday coffee drinks together (decaf for both of us).

The days the two of us spend together are so special, and I love being able to remind her just how special she is and how much she deserves honor and care. I’m so lucky to have her in my life.

Oh! And it was my birthday this week – I’m now 35. 🥰