Today I pushed out of bed reasonably early to try to get another quilt in the wash during cheap time (our cheap time goes from 10 pm to 6 am nightly plus 1-3 pm daily PLUS all weekend.

Then, I came back to finish up the blog post I had written - had to fix some of the photos and recheck for errors.

After breakfast, I came back and worked on the computer a bit more - wanting to try to pay for coal for the last three families I took on quite recently. I had to contact the handlers of these families for the information of where to pay. That took quite a while. I had sent the text messages out at 6:30 am (before we ate) figuring that they would see them when they got up. I only got one of the three coal orders paid for early - the other two I did manage to pay for by the day’s end, however. That was a total of 4 tons of coal as one household needed 2 tons, and the other two, only 1. That will keep them warm for the winter. Thanks to you all.

Then, a bit later, I decided to start hitting the road. I knew I needed to make at least 2 trips to the grocery store.

Why? The biggest reason is if you get TOO much at once, everyone hates you if they are in line behind you AND you run the risk of the cash register flipping out on you. There is a maximum number of items you can get at once before it doesn’t like it and resets.

Don’t ask how we know that.

I headed to Biedronka first thing. I had a voucher for about 150 zl that I had to use this week. That was a mighty big coupon! Seriously. I had bought some toys last week and they gave me the voucher for that much in merchandise. But I had to use it this week. So, I felt pretty good about that.

I bought the basics for the families that we are told - sugar, flour, canned vegies and fruits, pasta, rice, etc. They need to be shelf staple goods - I’m sure they are fine with giving whatever you want as long as it won’t go bad quickly. I do have some dried meat that I’ve bought. I am including tuna and some ham type and deviled paste meat in a can in these packages well.

I checked out and took all that stuff to the car. It was about 9:30 am by this time. I decided to head to Lidl in the town near us - Otwock. The Biedronka I had gone to was in the outskirts of Warsaw. - which is also near us - but the other direction. I happen to prefer that Biedronka because the parking is so good there. It’s also a new store.

I arrived at Lidl at 9:45 - only 15 minutes until the time for seniors (“seniors” start at 60 and I’m 58 - but with a mask, coat and my hair - who has the courage to ask a lady my age?) starts in the store. Oh my.

I hurried as fast as I could but I needed to fill up my cart as well and so I did with more of the same kinds of things. Now I still have 3 more families to buy food for. One of the families, however, has not particularly requested food- unlike most of them - instead they have requested cleaning supplies. I’ve been giving them everything. I’ll make sure the one who has requested cleaning supplies get a little extra in their boxes.

What I mean by that is each family has three “main things” that they need. It can be something as simple as 1. coal for the winter, 2. food 3. cleaning supplies. Those are the most important. (When we sign up for the family - those are what we are obligating ourselves to get.)

Then, as the descriptions go on down, there are more details and if we want to get other things, we do. And so we have. We have been able to get almost every thing that everyone has mentioned/requested. With 6 different families, however, I definitely see a difference in “Handlers”. Some ask for more, or prompt for more ideas. That is actually helpful than those who are bit more sketchy.

After Lidl, I moved the vehicle and went to another PEPCO where I found what I had looked for the day before at a different PEPCO. This one is much larger. AND I’m glad I didn’t find a snowsuit in his size, because it hit me that what they want are sleepers in the 18 month size. I found about 4 or 5 that would fit him perfectly, and so I got those.

Then I headed next door to the Euro AGD store where I was looking for a microwave for FAM 6.

I found one that I liked and bought it and checked out their pots and pans. I need a set of those for one of the families whose pans are old and in awful condition.

I priced them but didn’t buy them.

Then I went to get a package that had come in overnight from a Paczkomat that wasn’t my normal one.

After that, I went home and had to take in all that food from two full baskets plus the clothing, microwave and such. My husband helped me tremendously by bringing things into the house.

I then spent the next bit working on sorting things. I had it all just kind of dumped and I needed to put each family’s things in their own pile. Then I could see what I need to get more of and where my family might be short. I have one family that doesn’t seem to have much and I’m not sure why - mainly that they didn’t ask for that much. I’m considering what to do about that.

I was also waiting for the courier to come - he had said he would be at our house between 1 and 2 pm to pick up a package - that we weren’t home for the day before. At 2:15 I called him and asked him if was coming today after all - as we wanted to go get something to eat for lunch - we were going to go to McD’s and get something and sit in the car and eat since all restaurants are drive through or take out only.

So we did - we went to our very local McD’s which is located 1 mile from us and ate. After that, we came back home, and I took care of a couple things and then headed out to the mall that we got recently in Otwock. I had only been in there once or twice, so today was a pleasant experience.

First I went to Empik to get a more or less adult coloring book for one of the girls in FAM 1.

I was also searching for some clothes for the young ones that I hadn’t gotten yet. I was tickled that I found some at KIK and H+M. I’m probably destroying the planet with my “fast fashion” purchases, but I was also pleased with how inexpensive they were. Hopefully they will last long enough for the kids to outgrow them! I didn’t get any photos of that since it was in the mall and lots of people were around. Well, maybe not lots, but a few.

After the mall, I decided that I needed to try to find a toy for a 5 year old. The parents had asked ONLY for children’s cosmetics. Really? What is she going to think when she has such a boring thing? I’m not sure - but I wanted that to not happen, so I went to a really nice toy store near us. I found her a nice Paw Patrol set. She’s 5. My twin granddaughters are 5 and they love everything Paw Patrol. I expect she will like it.

Then, the last stop I made was to a store called Mrowka which is a sort of Home Depot type store - only not really. They sell home supplies - including some kitchen things. I need one “big pot” - and I’ve been having a hard time finding that. I did find one nice looking pot that I was willing to buy there - it’s not enormous like a stockpot - but it is 7 liters, so not too shabby!

I got it.

I checked and had one more package in - so I went to the paczkomat we usually use and picked up 3 packages that were housed in one spot.

Then I came home and brought what I bought into the house. A courier had come and brought the brown paper I had ordered!! He left it on the front porch area.

Yeah!

I want to wrap the boring things like food and cleaning supplies in brown paper and use colorful paper for the actual things I consider like a real present!

At this time, I completely segregated my families into their “stuff”. Before I had just started. This time I did it all—all the things except for the food and cleaning supplies and cosmetics.

Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!