Donations really help…

Today I am thinking about the trip to the Big Village yesterday. I was given a couple of donations to by things at the village. They specified that I use them for everyday living and I did just that. I had 4000 rubles to spend and I decided to keep track of what I bought for 4000 rubles. 4000 rubles is about $60…

First thing I bought was a new water heater pitcher, 450 rubles… Made  by IRIT in Russia… Actually China for Russia! 🙂 450 rubles is less than $7… Holds 1.8 liters of water… Need to buy another for backup… This device, or like it, is the most used device in a Russian home…

Then I went to the cheese store and bought a kilo of Russian cheese for 300 rubles. That will last two weeks at least…

I went to the local market and bought four pairs of 100% thin white cotton socks, at 35 rubles a pair… 140 rubles…

I then bought near the socks at another babushka sitting in the sun, a pack of zip lock bags, for the dehydrated foods I am doing. They cost 30 rubles for 25 bags…

I just spent 920 rubles and I took the rest of that 1000 rubles and bought two pig in the blankets. Thus I spent in my greediness, a 1000 rubles…

At this point I went to the big grocery store and spent less than 2000 rubles and or $30. I bought two packs of 12 each flour tortillas, 5 sticks of kielbasa, two sticks of real ham, one two and half liter bottle of Diet Pepsi, three cartons of 10 each eggs, four liters of milk, three cans of bug spray, six 300 gram packs of cottage cheese, two boxes of fruit tea 50 count each, two cans of sweet corn, tub of salt cucumbers, four huge cucumbers, two packs of 10 each chicken legs, one pack of ground meat (half kilo,) ten packs of goose liver pate, two squeeze mushroom sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, big big big bag of cookies (my weakness,) two kilos of bananas, a sandwich pre-made out of salmon,  lids for canning jars, one pack of chicken breasts 6 each of halves, one deodorant – old spice, razors to shave with (Bic,) two yogurt drinks, Olivier salad pre-made and several other items…

Lots of things are long term; milk is sterilized in a pack and it lasts up to a year. Therefore, things like can goods, freezer goods and such are used months down the road. I also included items that are not food. And my big big big bag of cookies, will last for months…

Of course this is all supplemented with turnips, potatoes, rutabagas, carrots and tomatoes from the garden. I also have tons of apples to eat and have eaten strawberries daily. So much of this food that was bought will not be eaten for awhile. I like to have stock when I can afford it…

Oh and now I hear you saying, “But that is only around 3000 rubles!”

Never fear! Boza has to have food and it takes a 1000 rubles to buy three boxes of his food. Well I get change back…

Maybe…

I then still had about 500 rubles left over and it sits on my desk for this Friday. The truck comes to the village every Friday and we can buy more food then. I always try to have enough money to buy something from the truck. They come a long ways to serve us and we need to make it worth their while. I will spend the last 500 rubles at the truck. They have great sour cream and other goodies… 😉

Thanks to all who have donated, it makes life much better in the village and I was able to splurge on a salmon sandwich, now that is something Russians know how to make and Russians love salmon. I enjoyed the sandwich this morning with coffee, after I walked the dog, pulled the turnips and weeded the strawberries… Yummy sandwich…

I am one well fed and happy bear! Yes and Boza also….

WtR

Bonus…