Tuesday 7 January 2014

A New Year - A New Look!

Hello again and Happy 2014. I'm back, ready to start the New Year with a new look.

I added the column to the left to display post information, including a place to subscribe by email. When an email address is entered, a notification will be sent anytime a new post is published - until I know how well this works I'll continue to send out the emails. The labels list, below the popular posts, has replaced the blog archives and should make it easier to find an old post in any one of the categories. The hodgepodge category is for stuff like this that doesn't really belong with any of the others.

The centre column is for the current post and the comment section, while the right-hand column is for extra information including links to Richters, Smartsource Coupons and blogs I follow. At the very bottom of the page I've added links to other sites I like and find useful.

The most challenging change was correcting my name from Lenie Douglas which showed up in everything connected to this blog. I had used that name for my e-book because, while I had written it, my husband Doug had done the editing and I thought it would be nice to acknowledge his contribution by using both our names on the cover. I just didn't realize that google would take and run away with it. Anyway, that has now been changed to Lenie Hokansson, Lenie being my dutch name, one I have always liked better than Lena.

I'm now working on becoming an Amazon.ca associate. I often buy from there, including all my print cartridges at one-third the price anywhere else. I can vouch that the service is great, in most cases shipping on orders of $25.00 or more is free, most items are shipped by UPS and received within a week or less. Returns are easy and at no cost and financial transactions are very secure. I hope to have this completed within the next couple of weeks.

Here's something I'm really pleased about and want to share - I send emails about the new posts to 14 people and from there it travels to others. The number of readers of the post "Target vs Walmart" has surpassed the 100 mark, with the other three popular posts, shown at left, following right behind. That means people are continuing to find, read and forward the posts which I find really exciting and encouraging, enough so to keep me blogging away for another year.

Last minute "good-to-know". I had some over-ripe bananas so decided to make banana bread yesterday (Sunday) and I couldn't find any baking powder. I have never been out of baking powder and the only thing I can think of is that I threw it out during the pre-Christmas rush. Anyway, I remembered the following substitute - 2 parts cream of tartar, 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch. I needed 2 tsp. baking powder so used 1 tsp. cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 tsp. cornstarch. Worked like a charm.

Talk to you again next week,
Lenie

2 comments :

  1. Hello Aunt Lena,
    I had not idea you had a blog. That's awesome! I'm going to 'follow' you because who doesn't need a little advise and tips on how to be more frugal in our lives.
    Love, Bev

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Bev

      Welcome to my blog - I am having so much fun with it and am learning a lot myself.

      Delete

I want this blog to be interesting, informative and current. Your comments let me know if I'm on track, so comments are greatly appreciated.
Thanks - Lenie