In the spirit of Postcards from Yo Mamma (hi Doree!), I’m introducing a mini-installment of Emails from My Actual Grandma. Warning: The cuteness of what you are about to read may cause permanent damage to your eyeballs. Okay, it may not be baby pic cute (and I do want to get a montage of our Workman baby bonanza eventually–two more imminently on the way!), but pretty darn adorable, especially from my perspective.

Background: My grandmother appears in the book Be Thrifty, in a small but very VIP way. She’s feeling modest or something and didn’t want me to use her name–so for the purposes of this blog she will remain “My Actual Grandma.” (How’s that for a tease? Buy the book and see if you  can figure it out! Muhahahahahahha!)

Anyway, the point is, when her (yes, comp) copy of the book arrived, it started off a slow-building hurricane of thrifty activity. She’s already without a doubt the thriftiest person I know, but the book seems to have given her a newfound enthusiasm for the lifestyle. Basically, she’s pimpin’, thrifty style .

Right now the focus is decidedly on the cleaning section of the Home, Sweet Thrifty Home chapter.

Here she is on June 10th:

Hi, dear,

Am experimenting with soda and vinegar.
Even soda alone works wonders!  Also, the microwaving of lemons.
Love you,
Grandmother

I mean, the poetry of “Also, the microwaving of lemons”? But that’s just the beginning. Witness July 1:

Savannah, dear, I’m cleaning silver, sinks, tub, outside of frig with soda.  It’s so much more fun than using all those sprays.  And I had no idea it would even work on my everyday silver since I have only polished it once in eight years!!  Shame on me!

Love,
Grandmother

Yes, shame. Things are getting shocking. Plus, an addendum!

I want to get into some other chapters, but I really enjoy scrubbing the tub now.  I just look at it and smile!

More breaking news and smiles to come, but FYI, Abby Stokes, my grandma uses WebTV, and it’s really a lovely no-frills way for her to communicate with family (and high-school beaus!). Are you down with that, or opposed? Should she escalate?

Love you Grandma!

P.S. To share your thrifty tips, go here.

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“The sea, the great unifier, is man’s only hope.

Now, as never before, the old phrase has a literal meaning:

we are all in the same boat. ”

-Jacques Yves Cousteau

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