Nothing better than a couple of hours with a good book

If you take pleasure in recognizing the book’s characters as you read, like offbeat protagonists and refrain from moralistic drivel in which the hero’s fate is resolved by the end of the tale, Come Up and See Me Sometime is for you.

Why is this book included in the blog? Well, you definitely get your money’s worth with Erika Krouse’s short story collection. I haven’t enjoyed a work of fiction so much since I rediscovered Chekhov in high school. (If you want to purchase a copy, make sure not to get the Constance Garnett translation. Unless you prefer to read Constance Garnett, not Chekhov).

Krouse suffers from the same affliction as he did. No, I don’t mean tuberculosis. She also loves to paint sad pictures that make us smile.

Now, if we all could take a hint and learn to see the comic aspects of everyday tragedies… Didn’t mean to sound preachy here. Just read the book. Amen.

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You win with Aveeno

You read about celebrities using expensive skincare products and you wonder. The one that keeps reappearing in the press is LaMer lotion. A 3.4 oz. bottle of the heavenly cream goes for $265.00. Now, I realize that rich people are baffled about what to do with their money and have no qualms about spending an average person’s weekly paycheck on a few applications. But, come on! As the ‘90s exercise guru, Susan Powter would say, “Stop the Insanity!” Have they ever tried Aveeno? I have. It’s the only lotion that is non-greasy and long lasting. As someone with extremely dry skin who lives in New England, I panic when I run out of Aveeno lotion. I dare to make a bet that it works at least as well as the more (much more) expensive CREAM. Oh, and you can find an 8 oz. bottle for about $6. Put the lotion in the basket!

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Quick Dinner

If you are hungry, don’t have much in the refrigerator and are craving a nutritious meal, raid your freezer and pantry to prepare Ira’s Improvised Inexpensive Chili. Find a large pan and add the following contents: a 15 oz. can of Great Northern White Beans, a 15 oz. can of red beans, a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, a couple of cups of vegetable broth. Cover and do the following while waiting for the contents to reduce. Sauté a large onion with a pound of lean ground turkey and a couple of cloves of garlic. Add some chili powder and cumin, cook on low under a lid until turkey is browned and ready to eat. Add the contents to those in the large pan. Simmer for about a half an hour. End result: great tasting chili. Don’t forget to serve with Near East brown rice and sour cream. The leftovers taste even better!


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Splurge

Even though this blog is about saving money, it will contain an occasional extravagance. Excess in moderation, so to speak. This time, the splurge is a $4.00 bottle of beer. I must add that this is THE ONLY beer that I like. It's thirst-quenching, light and absolutely not bitter. What gives it a unique flavor is added strawberry juice (there are also apricot and cherry versions, but strawberry is my favorite).





It smells like a meadow on a sunny day and goes down much better than sweet iced tea. So, if you are craving something alcoholic that tastes like summer, this is your drink. Pick up a bottle of Melbourn Bros' Strawberry Beer and kick back. Cheers! ♦DiggIt! ♦Add to del.icio.us ♦Add to Technorati Faves