Sunday, September 26, 2010
Of Tucking Away Food
So early this year I read that a middle-aged couple went to ask their financial advisor where the best place would be to invest their money.
He told them, "Groceries. Invest in groceries. Too many people are being laid-off right now and it's going to grow worse."
Well they left his office, wondered what was up with him, then decided to visit their old friend, Stan, who was very good with money and often advised his friends (and others) on the side. They sat in his living room and asked, "Where should we invest our money?"
"Invest in groceries," he said. "People are losing jobs by the score and the cost of groceries is going up."
Wow. I read that to Tom and both our eyes were as big as proverbial saucers. We considered 'investing in groceries' at that moment and then? The moment passed. I said something like, "That sounds serious. But I'm glad we don't have to worry about you losing your job."
Oh the pride. Oh the assumption of it all. Good grief.
So guess what I've decided I want to be when I grow-up? A food hoarder.
No, really.
Did you see that woman on Hoarders who filled her house with groceries so she'd be ready for any emergency, especially a job layoff? Well, aside from the way she was out-of-control and wasn't organized and had destroyed her home and was letting food spoil and was eating that spoiled food (eww)--aside from all that--she was my hero. ツ
Yep, I'm gonna be a food hoarder, too, except that I'll share what I have with others. I'll stay organized and rotate stuff (Organized is my middle name). And I'll buy things on sale and try to just get the healthiest stuff, not things with a bunch of bad extra ingredients. And I'll match coupons with sales when I can. I'm already tossing/giving away non-edible trinkets in order to clear my cabinets for more food, a necessary thing since Naomi still lives with us and I gave her half my pantry space, half our refrigerator/freezer space, too, which caused me to fire-up the ol' chest freezer downstairs, into which I'm gratefully loading our garden and orchard bounty.
Besides, always at this time of year I stock-up for winter, so this feels right. I'm just thinking Larger Scale this year. I'm having fun and feeling as though I'm contributing.
So there's that.
It's a good place, this one, a pro-active place, and since we returned home from our vacation we've tried to stay pro-active. Tom and I do at least two productive things daily, two things we did not do the day before, two non-general-housekeeping tasks. And we like where that's taking us--to a more orderly, peaceful way of living.
Pro-activity is a choice. So are thinking and reacting positively. I'm reminding myself of that--and things are going well lately around the ol' farm.
*******
Tom sold an extra tractor this week and got a good price for it, so that was cool. Oh, and remember that phone call I was pretty excited about last week? Well, hopefully on Tuesday I'll be able to explain more about that.
*********
"14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet." ... Proverbs 31:14-21
A penny for your thoughts. :0)
ReplyDeleteNice thinking.
Your heart is definately in the right place.
Isn't it nice that your husband had an extra tractor to sell?
ReplyDeleteAnd I have to say, the food hoarder lady totally grossed me out. I watch that show and want to get rid of every unnecessary thing I have.
I just went through our panty and threw out some stuff in boxes that went out of date in 2008. There is probably more that I haven't discovered yet but I will keep looking and try to do better.
ReplyDeleteOdie
Oh my yes! That need to pay attention to dates, and food rotation thing!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with whatever is for Tuesday!!!
Gentle hugs,
From someone who is so happy that you commented on my weekend post. I appreciate it, in many ways.
Someone sent me this blog link and I thought of you. They live on a farm and tuck away lots of food...
ReplyDeletehttp://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/canning-tomatoes-bbb/