Month: April 2021

ECONOGAL > 2021 > April

April 2021 Wrap-Up

Posted on by Econogal

The April 2021 Wrap-Up signals the month is finally over. The month felt like a year in some respects. A small amount of progress was made on the last of the baby quilts. A tremendous effort yielded enough plants to fill the Big Vegetable Garden. Finally, I made it past my reading block and the writing is starting to come around as well.

Covid-19 Vaccinations

All of my immediate family has opted to vaccinate against the coronavirus. Reactions varied from none to mild. Mostly sore arm muscle at the injection site. This is a common side effect for me.

In my neck of the woods, many have decided not to vaccinate. Unfortunately, the result of a low vaccination rate is a resurgence of the viral outbreak. So, one way or another herd immunity should come about. Personally, I do not know of anyone who contracted the disease twice. But this new outbreak is taking a toll on the younger populations. This is particularly surprising because our students have been in school together since the fall. Thus there has not been an increase in contact and interaction.

Inflation Check Challenge– April 2021 Wrap-Up and Check-In

The comparison prices from the Inflation Check Challenge were quite a mix. Of the fifteen products, nine kept their regular price the same. However, sale prices changed with some showing a slight increase. Two items decreased in price. Bananas dropped four cents a pound. Most likely a seasonal adjustment.

Mysteriously, canning lids dropped in price. Not surprisingly the thirty cent price dropped resulted in an empty shelf. The product was sold out. I have no idea if the price will change again once new product arrives.

My expense for sugar was less because of a coupon, but the regular price remained the same. I love coupons! Both salt and mayonnaise remained on sale, but the sale price adjusted upwards.

The biggest increase was gasoline. It is now $2.79 per gallon. This increase took place in the early part of the quarter. I think the price has stabilized for a while. Here is the list:

Item                                                                                                                                   January 2021                                 April 2021                                                                                                                                                              Regular Price/Sale Price              Regular Price/Sale Price

Planet Oat Extra Creamy Original Oat Milk                                                                    $ 3.49/$ 3.99                        $ 3.99

Small Bag Signature Select Sugar                                                                                       $ 2.99                                      $1.99/$ 2.99

Signature Select Cream Style Corn                                                                                     $ 0.69                                      $ 0.79

Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast                                                                                          $ 6.99                                      $ 6.99

Bananas                                                                                                                                    $ 0.59                                      $ 0.55

Kraft Real Mayo                                                                                                                      $ 3.79/$ 4.99                           $ 3.99/$ 4.99

Meow Mix                                                                                                                                 $ 7.78                                      $ 7.78

Morton Salt                                                                                                                              $ 0.94/$ 1.19                           $ 0.99/$ 1.19

Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste                                                                                                $ 4.99/$ 5.99                           $ 3.99/$ 5.49

Align Probiotics                                                                                                                       $26.58                                     $26.58

Tide Botanical Rain Detergent                                                                                              $11.97                                     $11.97

Kerr Regular Mouth Canning Lids                                                                                       $ 3.18                                     $ 2.88      Sold Out

3M Ad. Allergy Furnace Filter                                                                                               $15.88                                     $15.88

Dunkin Donut-Boston Cream                                                                                                $ 0.99                                      $ 1.09

Regular Unleaded Gas                                                                                                             $ 2.36                                      $ 2.79

 

Yellow Roses in Honor of Mom

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Never make a Deal with the Devil

V.E. Schwab is the author of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. This lengthy, intense book rotates back and forth between New York City in recent times and various locations in Europe starting in the early 1700s. The ping pong action is necessary to understand Addie Larue. But it takes a while to catch the rhythm.

The protagonist is Addie Larue. She is not quite an ordinary girl. Unlike other young women of her time she has no wish for domestic life. Instead she desires travel and adventure. However, her parents have other ideas. So, she is pledged to a widower.

In order to escape her destiny, Addie makes a deal with a very handsome devil she calls Luc. Life is tough at first. But after the first hundred years or so, Addie makes a go of the circumstances.

Dark Blue book cover of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue

Addie’s Invisible Life

As part of the deal, Addie becomes invisible in a way. She no longer has the ability to make a mark on the world. This invisible life is almost her undoing. Over time, she pushes limits by influencing various artists. Thus a whisper of who Addie is, lives through art.

Centuries pass. Addie leaps from the old world to the new continent. Time ticks on. And then she meets Henry.

I Remember You

Henry sees Addie in the present as others do. But he also remembers her from one encounter to the next. This impossibility occurs for one reason only. Henry has also bargained with the evil of the night. However, his deal is vastly different.

Naturally, Addie and Henry fall in love.

Their love story is what kept me reading The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. One cannot help but hope for a happy ending for these star crossed servants of the dark. But true love involves sacrifice.

Recommendation for The Invisible Life of Addie Larue

To be honest, I struggled to connect with this book at first. If I did not need a very long book to occupy a five hour wait, I might not have finished it. But, in the end I found it enjoyable. The reader will need a suspension of disbelief.

Furthermore, I believe The Invisible Life of Addie Larue is not appropriate below a high school senior level. In fact, college lit classes would be a better fit. Older generations may be put off as well. As for my millennial friends- I think you will adore the Invisible Life of Addie Larue.

The Survivors Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Another Winner

Jane Harper has another winner in The Survivors. Harper is one of my favorite authors. Her characters are compelling and the plots twist and turn. Furthermore, the books go beyond just a mere mystery. They offer a plethora of literary meaning and insight into the human condition. The Survivors is a great stand-alone novel.

The Symbolism of The Survivors

An artwork entitled The Survivors is a local landmark. The iron sculpture dominates a series of cliffs and caves above an ancient sea wreck. The spot also marks a more recent tragedy. A major storm a dozen years back took the lives of two young men and forever changed the life of the sole survivor.

More mystery surrounds that fateful storm as a young teenager disappears, never to be found. This is the backdrop for The Survivor. The story takes place in a small beach town on the island of Tasmania. Like many small towns, the community of Evelyn Bay is tight-knit on the surface with jagged scars beneath.

The Protagonist

The novel centers on Kieran Elliott. As the sole survivor of the storm, he battles survivor guilt as he makes a new life with his partner Mia and their newborn. Both grew up in Evelyn’s Bay. But a four year age difference kept them apart before adulthood.

A return to their home town highlights the various coping mechanisms of survivors. Further, it shows the devastation parents face after the loss of a child. Finally, the importance of living life and finding love is featured.

Harper’s use of flashbacks provide an understanding of the trauma and tragedy. Short passages provide great insight into the difficult task of living with survivor’s guilt without distracting from the story. Indeed, these flashes of memory fully flesh out the protagonist.

Additionally, the young man and his partner must deal with the great changes in Elliott’s parents. Verity and Brian Elliott still reel from the loss of their older son in that terrible storm. But in different ways. Verity is ultra-controlled. Brian has early onset dementia.

Storyline of The Survivors

Harper deftly weaves the theme of survivor’s guilt and the loss of an offspring around a new mystery-one of murder. A young waitress from off island turns up dead. The investigation turns up new information on the earlier tragedy. And the small community begins to rip apart. Neighbor turns against neighbor. Women are afraid to walk alone.

Kieran Elliott and his young family are the most affected by the discoveries. Misplaced and misdirected guilt test the young man. Yet he manages to piece together the evidence of what really happened long ago as well as the current murder.

Recommendation

I highly recommend The Survivors. The pace of the novel is quite a bit faster than the two earlier Harper penned books I reviewed, The Dry and Force of Nature. And I have yet to read The Lost Man. Plus, in my opinion, The Survivors focuses more on the growth (or lack thereof ) of the characters. And also the ability to survive. The murder is secondary.

Perhaps it is the inclusion of the infant. Little Audrey has her own personality at just three months. Even though the book ends on yet another death, the final feelings of this reader were of love and hope. Put The Survivors on your reading list!

Significant Milestones

Posted on by Econogal

Spring Arrival

So far April has spotlighted a variety of significant milestones. Both sad and happy. Definitely a rollercoaster of emotions to open one of my favorite months of the year. Spring is a time of rebirth in nature as well as in the religion I adhere to.

Easter 2021 Brings Significant Milestones

This Easter was a bit more social than last. We celebrated with one of our offspring and my mother-in-law. So double the number from Easter 2020. Much of the family is reluctant to travel at this time.

But the four of us enjoyed the fellowship and the good food. We missed seeing the little ones. Easter egg hunts last for hours at a normal gathering with various kids taking their turn to hide the eggs. Hopefully, next year will be a return to normality.

The Easter season brings memories of those who have left this earthly world. I am still absorbing the loss of my Mom. Two significant milestones relating to her fell just after Easter. Her first birthday after her passing. This was difficult. Additionally, it would have been my parents’ sixtieth anniversary. So, sadness and a few tears marked the week.

Significant Milestones

Several significant milestones were joyful. Most centered on our oldest grandchild. The little one has embraced her newborn sister. Furthermore, she is grasping the difference between a newborn and herself. Just shy of two, she has decided to use her little potty. I am sure this will be beneficial for her parents as well.

The little miss is also increasing her vocabulary by leaps and bounds. She can tell you her own name. Plus she pleased her grandparents immensely by learning Grandpa and Grandma-in that order. It is amazing the joy a youngster can bring in life.

We are also pleased that after a few sputters, the U.S. is rolling out the vaccines. While we are not all clear yet, there is hope we can put this stubborn pandemic behind us. Historically, we should be near the end of the virus lifespan. But, many outbreaks remain from Covid-19. I hope those of you who wish to be vaccinated are able to.

Looking Forward

The last few weeks have been marked by both writer’s and reader’s block. I may need to put aside the lengthy book I am reading in favor of a shorter, lighter piece. Just writing this post has helped with respect to the writing. Spring marks a renewal of life and faith: A season I am so grateful for.