Wheee!
Birthday month! Yes, my birthday is this month, I am a Virgo. In Portuguese it’s quite funny, be cause “Eu sou virgem” is like saying “I’m a virgin” LOL and me, a 62 year old with 12 kids…. and seven grandkids. No! Eight now, I just found out last week that my estranged second daughter has had a little girl recently.
Toward the end of the month I will be celebrating with a BBQ at the bar, as I do every year, but this year will be a little different since I have embarked on my ‘beefless weeks’ each month, which are still happening. To compensate for the excesses and sins committed during my BBQ, I am making the rest August ‘beefless’.
Still no cat. I am catless, therefore sad. But I am sure that being catless is a temporary state.
There is some good news, but I will refrain from mentioning it here, as it complies with part of this weeks CTWW, coincidentally.
This week’s CTWW, let’s move right along.
It’s a triple banger, and I get to do a little of each.
Buy only local foods and products this week thereby reducing the amount of fuel used to get products from their origin to your shelf.
Go on a “no spending” diet this week. Refuse to purchase anything but the bare necessities thereby reducing the industrial processes required to manufacture stuff.
So, in reverse order… I often do things backwards, I hate being predictable, it’s a bit like being ‘normal’.
Well, the last bit is the easiest, because most of my buying is necessities, not quite the bare, but necessities. But I promise I won’t buy any wine, beer, chocolate or fancy cheeses this week or make any big purchases.
The second bit is harder, because I don’t have the means (no car) to get really local produce. But I will walk hobble, remember I am on a walking stick, to the supermarket for my weekly shop (today) and the sacolão (fruit and vege shop) instead of using the bus.
The first bit, I already do all that. But last week, I bought a new stove, it’s energy rated No. 1 on a scale of five.

Mine has a smoked glass door
I have used two old stoves, both recycled from the street, for 5+ years. Neither have ever functioned well, but I persevered through necessity even though it has bugged me all the while.
My new stove (gas) does have electric start, and an oven light, but I am not plugging it in. I don’t find it necessary. To light it, I will continue to use my recycled cigarette lighters; once the gas runs out, the flint has another six months use.
I splashed out and got the ‘five-burner’ model, because the larger ring will reduce cooking times for big pots which I do sometimes.
Also the stainless steel will be easier to clean. I know this from experience in commercial kitchens.
Okay, that’s it for this week. I’m off back to bed at 3am…. *yawn* I only got up for a pee.
Posted by atyourserviceadmin on August 7, 2013 at 4:20 pm
Happy Birthday month! 🙂
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Posted by argentumvulgaris on August 7, 2013 at 4:40 pm
>nc, thank you, and welcome to the blog.
AV
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Posted by atyourserviceadmin on August 7, 2013 at 4:41 pm
🙂 My pleasure. AA
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Posted by livingsimplyfree on August 7, 2013 at 9:00 pm
Happy birthday, friend.
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Posted by argentumvulgaris on August 7, 2013 at 9:48 pm
>lsf, thank you, it’s closer to the end of the month, but I am being enigmatic again. All will be reveled, well, almost all. 🙂
AV
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Posted by livingsimplyfree on August 7, 2013 at 10:52 pm
Please no over-sharing 🙂 My grandmother, great-grandmother, son, and two grand-children are all Virgos, you have lots of company.
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Posted by argentumvulgaris on August 8, 2013 at 5:51 am
Yes, there are a lot of Virgos around, something to do with the Christmas Bonk, I believe. 🙂
AV
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Posted by Rachel on August 8, 2013 at 11:34 am
Happy birthday. 12 kids? That’s a bit greedy isn’t it?
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Posted by argentumvulgaris on August 8, 2013 at 11:37 am
>Rachel, no, not greedy. Not all with the same woman (I’m not a cruel man), and never all under the same roof at the same time. My eldest is 38, and youngest 6, well spread out. Thank you for the Happy b/day wishes.
AV
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