Weather Wanderings

What to do on a day when you don't have to go to work, but shouldn't get out in the weather until after noon? Clean silver! I know, it doesn't seem that exciting, but I was fascinated with this new (old) way to clean silver. Ever since I got a couple of pieces from my grandmother's house (just a small platter, salt and pepper shakers, and salad serving tongs that are silver plated), I've been itching to clean them. I was definitely channeling my Alton Brown/Bill Nye today.

Get your tarnished silver, a bowl, salt, baking soda, aluminum foil, and stock pot to boil water in.

Tablespoon of salt

Tablespoon of baking soda

Fill a stock pot with ~3 quarts of water, salt, and soda and bring to a boil. While boiling, line a large bowl with aluminum foil with shiny side up. I put my bowl in the sink for good measure.

Once boiling, take from heat and pour enough water to fill bowl almost to the top. Immediately dunk in a piece of silver. The piece must make contact with foil to work. With tongs, rotate piece until all tarnish has dissolved.

It worked so perfectly! It was the coolest home project I've done to date. Look below at all the tarnish that came off in the middle as opposed to the outside edges.

After everything looks pretty thawed outside, I decided to head to the grocery store and get all of my items for the week. Kitty was pretty excited about my groceries too.

*Kraft Mayo

*Reynold's Wrap Aluminium Foil

Ground Turkey

Aveeno Lotion, FREE coupon

2 cans Red Beans

*(3) Horizon Organic milk singles 3 pk., (3) $1/1 coupons [I've been taking these to work for breakfast in the morning and it's been perfect!]

MaraNatha Almond Butter, $1/1 coupon [soooo good!]

*DiGiorno pizza

Bananas

Nature's Path Granola, $1/1 coupon

Sweet potatoes

Kroger Quick Oats

Butterball Turkey Sausage

(2) Knor Pasta Sides, $.50/2 coupon (doubled to $1/2, making one free)

*(3) Jello Instant Pudding, $.55/3 coupon (doubled to $1.10/3)

*Ghiradelli Brownie mix

Kroger Peanut Butter

Tabasco sauce, $.50/1 coupon (doubled to $1/1)

Onion powder

1 dozen Eggland Best Eggs, $.35/1 coupon (doubled to $.70/1)

*Mega Event $5 off total when you purchase 10 select items

Total Value: $82.28

Total Spent: $44.26

Total Saved: $38.02 (46%)

I also went by quickly to TJ Maxx to use the rest of my MyPoints gift card and look for a basket to replace a container I had for my medicine that broke. Looking around, I found the rug I had my eye on discounted for $10!! It was only $19.99 to begin with, but I was pretty pumped. We've got this scary defunct furnace in the hallway that we have to cover up and I have never liked the IKEA rug we had on it anyway. Such a nice change!

Kitty loved it immediately, of course...

Hope the weather is better where you are!