The Robbed that Smiles Steals Something from the Thief

My latest challenge of money pinching is to figure out how to keep my monthly grocery bill under $100 and still be eating healthy. By healthy, I mean keeping fresh fruits and veggies in my diet. Thus far it's been....iffy. I've been managing to keep it under $100 (partly by eating dinner at my parents' a couple times a week, but those aren't really planned), but I am not planning combinations very well. Recently, I've been finding myself putting off eating because there's nothing I can consider a meal. For instance: One night my dinner consisted of cereal and a glass of blackberry merlot (merlot is usually drier and more bitter -- not good w/ cereal, but this kind was a cheap, sweet brand). Another instance: For lunch (I think it was lunch), I had two slices of rye/pumpernickel swirl bread with butter and pepper jack cheese, and a small bowl of vanilla yogurt with honey. I've also been eating a lot of spaghetti with sauce and Parmesan cheese and leftover meatballs from a spaghetti dinner I hosted here at my house.

The problem? Notice the lack of fruits, vegetables, and quality meat. The meatballs were frozen, so although they may add some protein, I wouldn't consider them "quality". I had oranges, and I think I might get a bag of those again, but I need a way to get myself to eat them before half of them go bad (which is possible, I just haven't always had/made time to cut them). I'm thinking I'll try slicing a few of them and putting them in baggies. Vegetables have been almost lacking completely! The hard thing about vegetables for me, is I prefer to eat vegetables mixed in with other things.

My current plan is to mix either chicken or ground beef in my pasta sauce, I might see how artichoke hearts taste in that (although those are canned, not fresh). Then, do a spoof off of the sausage and couscous recipe I have and put different vegetables in it (not both of these at the same time, that wouldn't help the saving money cause). Then lots of cereal and PB&J's. Yay for non-perishable food.

Wonder if it'll work?

A Good Glass of Wine

Mmm, Lambrusco. Sure is a nice drink to have right now, something to relax my mind and the crazy emotions of withdrawal.

It's been torture these past couple of weeks. Wanting to call, or text, or see "Blake" and forcing myself not to. There have been several days and nights of all but succumbing to depression. The one roommate I could talk to had just left for two weeks. I wanted so much to talk to her, but she wasn't there, and since COS disbanded, I've had no one else to turn to, no one else to have deep Biblical discussions with, no one else to hold...except Blake, and I couldn't turn to him.

But obviously, I am still around, and the days continue to pass, one day at a time. I'm greatly disappointed in myself for not allowing God to be enough, and it was a necessary torture in order to realize that He's still here, and He's still God. So, I guess I'll keep taking things one day at a time, because anything beyond that is...well, an overwhelmingly huge question mark, and I'm in no condition to deal with that.