Time Warp Wednesday

While mid-month approaches on our No Money March Madness, I have been learning and remembering.  We still have plenty of food and are enjoying new recipes.  I have learned to make Quiche, Eggplant, and homemade Pizza Dough.

I have also found myself remembering habits of my grandmothers and my husband’s grandmother.  Well, not just remembering more like resembling.  Yes, I will admit it.  I washed freezer bags that I just couldn’t bring myself to throw away after one use!  The one thing I wish I had stocked up on and stashed away?  Freezer bags!

I have been using freezer bags for leftovers.  I made plans for those little bits of meat and veggies for future meals.  With half the month to go, I realized, I will run out of freezer bags.  Since the object of No Money March is to spend as little money as possible, I washed my freezer bags this week. Our grandmothers truly knew how to save money!  They also knew they could depend on their neighbors.

I learned I could depend on my neighbors too!  I was given an “extra” eggplant and taught how to cook it.  I had to “borrow” some cornstarch for homemade fajita mix.  I was also given some extra dog shampoo from a family who is moving back to the states.  All of these became examples of my time warp.

I felt I had gone back in time to an era, where neighbors shared their gardens, borrowed staple ingredients, and gave to others.  I could picture our grandmothers’ dish drainers stacked with plastic baggies after they had been washed.  I thought of the stacks of fresh vegetables and fruits dropped off at their doorsteps.  Through this adventure, I am beginning to resemble a past era of saving and giving.  Perhaps this will be the greatest lesson of the month or maybe just a lasting memory for our children.  Either way, saving and giving are important habits for every generation.