Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Is it just women

that run around the day before surgery and clean everything, prep food and do the laundry?
 I can add on deal with the 1200 sq ft gardens and my great grandson's afghan that I need 2 hr to complete.

A neighbor (in his low 20's) came in last night and mowed the largest part of the yard and is coming back to deal with a mole we discovered yesterday after he mowed. Hubby will have to finish around the house and trim as the neighbor's mower was too big to get in some areas around my gardens. But he cut down a 6 hr job to a 2 hr job for Hubby and we made sure he knew we were very grateful.

Let's Hubby work in the gardens with me and cuts MY time down.

Hubby told me to do the afghan first as doing it with a arm in a sling is time consuming and difficult (yes I tried to just to see if I could do it) and he isn't willing to learn to crochet. I could ask one of my kids to finish it but I am going to block out time to finish it myself. Anything else he can deal with himself.

torn muscles ( they located 4 on the MRI,) bone spur above bursa ...it hurts now but Hey I can still use it unlike a couple years ago I couldn't lift my coffee cup out of the microwave and put it on top of the microwave.

I've looking forward to having the surgery and getting this fixed... I am not looking forward to the IV. I have very small veins that roll, blow out and disappear.I've made nurses cry because of how it goes.

MEAN TIME water and water and more water... try to pump it up as of midnight the liquids are shut off and surgery is at 2: 00 pm.

The good thing is even though I had to buy some clothes to wear, I bought mens elastic band shorts in my son's size because I tried his shorts on and I could make them work and I bought 6 shirts that my son fondly calls Hawaii shirts for a total of $50. My son is buying the shorts and at least 2 of the shirts if not 3 of them off me after I am done with them so I will get back $35. Thankfully I have a lot of slip on shoes so I didn't have to go buy any.

I best get back at it.

Blessed Be

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Tuesday before surgery


Yesterday I spent the afternoon in town getting fitted for my sling which looks like this. There is a huge wedge of foam between the arm and the body. The lady had told me I had a $44 copay...hum... I politely told her she needed to call my ins and confirm that because as of 2 wks ago my deductible and copays had been met and I was what Hubby's employer considers catastrophic and they pay 100%. She really didn't want to take the time, wanted me to pay it and then wait for a refund. Very polite but I politely insisted she call them and I would come back to get the sling after I went grocery shopping. She called me 30 min later and confirmed what I told her. Kept apologizing and then one of the other ladies that knows me told it that the young lady had got nailed the week before because someone told her their copay was at zero and she didn't confirm it and let them have the sling when in reality they were suppose to pay over $500 for it. Lucky for the young lady that they were able to get ahold of the spouse and the spouse came in and paid it or it would have came out of the young lady's paycheck. I told her that she needed to confirm the day before what the copay is because with our ins it can change in one day.  I didn't have a problem with her wanting the copay but I know that it would take me MONTHS to get that money back since they can't give me credit for it as all medical bills are paid in full from the ins as of now. After fitting me she put it in a case and zip tied it shut. If the hospital feels that it is over kill and I don't need that, we are to return it to the doctor's office as ins won't pay for it if we don't use it...it's $2500...talk about prices running wild.

Since I was in town and I had the grocery money on me with plans to stop after the appt at Krogers for the sales. I went to Aldi's had picked up this month's part of the "stock" up items.Scored as 4 of the veggies I was picking up was down to less than 50¢ a can.. We need 97 items restocked, that's 97 variety not 97 total... more like cases.I got 11 yesterday off the list. I usually restock Aug through Nov but I am not sure how I will be doing after surgery and during physical therapy. I've been warned I should  have someone take me the first week because I will be crying when I leave therapy from how bad it hurts.

I stopped at Krogers and got the sales. Came home and picked a few veggies out of the gardens.

Have my list of MUST DO BEFORE SURGERY for today and ready to get started.

Blessed Be


Sunday, July 23, 2017

Frugal preparing for Surgery

Surgery is Thursday afternoon.... I have bought clothes from Goodwill what I couldn't bum from others with acknowledgement that my son is buying some of what I bought off me when I am done with them. I might use what is left for paint shirts since I just toss what I had been painting in into the trash.Figured when the shirt is HARD after washing due to the amount of paint on it , it's time to toss it.

I dug through the medical equipment bag and found a mesh sling to use in the shower so my main sling isn't getting wet nor am I chancing messing anything up when I get the go ahead to shower. I think it was the youngest that had the sling. I have other supplies including the stool softener that seems to be number one with everyone that had the surgery that I talked to...makes me wonder if they didn't know that pain medication causes your digestive system to slow down and can cause constipation.Our friend that has had this surgery 3 times told me the worse was physical therapy and being able to reach above your head...he could only lift to the top of his head...I'm still hanging clothes on a line that is 6 ft from the ground... going to be some difference there I think. More worried about my elbow freezing up on me again with the lack of movement by being in the sling for so long.

Hubby doesn't braid hair and he's not the greatest on ponytails either even with his own ponytail, so I dug out my bandanas and tied them so I can pull them on with one hand to keep my hair out of my face while working in the gardens.
This herb garden is running me over daily with harvest...which is very good except for the lack of rosemary,basil and oregano...the rabbit must be Italian.Bunny sure hopped right by the lettuce and spinach to those 3 herbs and never touched anything else.

I have inventoried the pantry (not freezers) and wrote out what we need to be stocked so it doesn't matter which one of us is doing the shopping. I also listed the most I would pay for each item.

I have made a general menu based on what we have  with side notes of what is needed to be bought for the meal when it's made. We decided we would sit down on Thursday when we do finances and figure out a menu for the coming week as Hubby will be doing the prepping and I am trying to not over load him since he is doing my work in the gardens ...can't wait until he has to start doing the canning.  We decided on one meal a week either store bought made or eating out to give him a break.I don't think it will happen that often because of what I have prepped and put in the freezer that it's more of a thaw, combine and warm up type meals but I would rather budget for it than not.

We have decided for Aug since I am down and he might be buying one meal a week out that we would buy milk, eggs, in season fruit and lettuce as our lettuce  is done from Aldi's.Dog food for the dog as we are only doing 5 lbs at a time instead of the 40lbs as usually with the dampness we can't store it in the basement or garage. I've been using coupons and sales to keep the cost as the same as the 40 lb bags.Any other money goes for stocking up.

I mended some clothes, changed some buttons  on a couple things so I can wear them after surgery using buttons from my late mom's button can. I'm down to a flat sheet that the hem got ripped out by the wind on the clothesline, a skirt that needs a hook and eye on the waist band and a skort that needs a new zipper in the mending basket.

We have ate zucchini, the last of the lettuce , the last of the spinach and green tomatoes from the gardens. I left the last head of lettuce and spinach to go to seed.

I have harvested and preserved spearmint, peppermint, choc. mint, chives, garlic chives, thyme, curly parsley, flat parsley, cilantro for coriander seeds, and basil. I bought a jar of oregano (maybe bunny will quit eating it) that was on sale from an Amish store.

I repotted 7 pots of flowers that were root bound and now have 7 pots plus 14 more areas in the gardens of flowers.All of them are doing fine.

I saved 10% on my MRI bill by paying it in full early.

I combined errands with tests being ran for surgery.

Used Kroger points and Speedway fuel card to save on gas money. Used sales and coupons when shopping. I shop Aldi's FIRST. We would use the motorcycle if it wasn't storming so much. Wet roads and bikes aren't the greatest either. We only have the truck right now besides the bike.

Helped a daughter fix her roof that her landlord was dragging his feet on doing (been 2 months). She'll be breaking her lease as she has already started court proceedings against him for not honoring the repair list he signed off on that he was going to do when she moved in. Well I guess that means HE broke the lease not her.Meantime she is living there until the court part is over. She likes where she is but you can't live with roof leaking and ceiling dropping, broken pipes and no furnace in OH winters. She paid for the supplies, and two meals and gas.Helped as we were bringing her car to our mechanic and she offered it to be used to go see my Dad after my surgery so I don't have to flip with her brother or rent a car as Dad can't get in a truck.

I cooked 10 lbs of hamburger and bagged it for meals and put it in the freezer. While doing that I had a bit more (not a pound) of hamburger so cooked it also, added a can of black beans that someone had given me, some leftover corn, homemade salsa and simmered for taco soup. Served it with cheese quesadillas and topped the soup with cheese and sour cream. Hubby thought it was really good , especially after I told him how I put it together.

I have two 2 x 2 square pots to plant for fall crops that I can do after surgery with one hand. Sort seeds is on the I'm bored list.

I have made a list on the whiteboard of things I need to get done that I can do with one hand so when I start the "I'm bored, I can't do anything" crap with Hubby he can pick something off the board and tell me to do it...Yes I can act like a whiney 2 yr old that needs a nap after I've had surgery...he's worse and he admits it.

I wrote out what I have to get done before surgery... each day is listed separately and priorities are noted. Keeps me on track and will become the list of what he needs to take care of after I have surgery.

I cancelled our Amazon subscribe and save as it is no longer saving me money.

I open curtains and windows in the mornings and late evenings (if not humid) and close them in the late mornings. Fans are on when we are in the room. Central air is off when I have a breeze and no rain.

I used the clothesline, homemade laundry soap and tap cold water cycle doing the laundry.

I started my Christmas shopping from what I already have here.

I mailed out the rebate forms that  we had from this past week. Checked coupons and sales for this week's to buy for stock up. I am breaking it down to what is on sale with coupons only unless I am at Aldi's

Have a frugal week. Blessed Be










Sunday, July 16, 2017

Mid July... 11 days to surgery..staying frugal

I have a post it on my desk that I sit down at every morning that says"what can I do frugal today?"

Sometimes that is only take a shower when I really really want to soak in the tub even though we don't pay for water (live in the boonies) we pay for the electric to heat the water and the electric to run the pump for the water. BUT the last few days I've had to soak due to a rash from the weeds we cleared from our daughter's. Not the type of soak I was wanting. I used epsom salt, witch hazel, rubbing alcohol and Aloe on the advice of my doctor since I am allergic to so many things that most use for rashes

Wikibuy cancelled my order for the 2nd dehydrator. I got one during Amazon's Prime day sales for half of the normal price cheaper than what I would have gotten through Wikibuy and BIGGER... that is frugal.

I made 5 gallons of laundry soap that cost me less than $1.50 to make.Used the clothesline or drying rack when I did the laundry.

Used the inserts to the cold cereal (Hubby's meal before he lays down in the mornings)to layer meat on cookie sheets for the freezer to freeze individually before I bag them. I buy cereal when it's on sale and I have coupons that puts a big box around $2.

Hubby fixed his tailgate twice and then fixed his rear lights.

AC has been off a couple nights and I kept the windows shut and just turned the fan in the bedroom on low. Windows open every morning, curtains closed in the afternoon.Hubby ran the window AC in the bedroom when there is enough breeze I won't turn on the Central Air.Lights off when not in room or needed, Computers and coffee makers on powerstrips that are turned off ( I unplug at night or during storms)

The fuel tank for the tiller is to be in this week and that will be fixed. They gave us a discount due the wait of getting the part in.

We used Speedway fuel card and Kroger pts for our gas.

I am weeding daily to keep up with it so Hubby isn't overwhelmed when I go down on surgery. Cherry tomatoes are starting to turn, eggplants are about half my thumb length, bell peppers are getting a decent size, Should have a couple nice green tomatoes to fry next week.Still have lettuce which is a shock with this heat.

I got my son's wardrobe done without buying anything to refinish it. Score for both of us.

I am working on the buy list to be stocked up when Hubby retires and by doing so I have found some things that should have been in one spot but was in another so we aren't as low as I thought.I brought a bookcase that was sitting in the farrowing house (storage building now) that we bought over a year ago and used it upstairs to sort the Personal Items on for storage.I moved a smaller bookcase into another bedroom upstairs to put empty canning jars on so I can get to them if I try canning with one hand.

I dehydrated spearmint, peppermint, thyme and basil.

I used milk/water mixture to treat the mold on the plants. I use borax and sugar at the base of the hummingbirds feeders to get rid of the ants. I use borax to scrub the bathroom and floors.

I changed a 30 day med order to a 90 day on 2 prescriptions saving $10 between the two so that is $40 a year.

We went to a hog roast on behalf of the man that Hubby had to do CPR (none of the Medical people had ever seen someone that gray that survived with very little damage). I took 2 salads from our pantry and gardens.We took water also instead of buying it.

I picked up medical items I will need after surgery on sale at Dollar General.

We went to Menards to pick up weed killer for our daughter (should have done that before we all got rashes from the honeyvine milkweed) and ran across several good FOOD buys of things we needed to fill in the pantry. I almost have my pasta filled back in and I got a few more boxed dinners that Hubby thought he could handle to get us pass the two week mark.I figure by then I can start cooking with one hand and not mess myself up.

I fixed egg sandwiches tonight for dinner just to see if I could crack eggs one handed, fry them and then make the sandwich and then cut it. Closing the bread sack was the hardest.

We are at what Hubby's employer considers catastrophic medical wise so we no longer have copays or deductible which hit just at the right time with the surgery in 11 days. What we do owe is sitting in the saving waiting for the bills. Two of them will give us discounts for paying before the due date. We try to wait until about 3 -4 days before it's due to pay it.

I wrote up a menu for 37 weeks even included sides on some. If there was a recipe I noted where it was (computer bookmarks main, side etc, what cook book , BRANDY.( The Prudent Homemaker) yeah the eat beans for a week and whatever is on her menus that I had already in the pantry and freezers is listed.

 I am half way through my have to be done before surgery list. Even if I only get 1/4th of what is left done... I will consider it a success.

May you find peace in your day
Blessed Be

Monday, July 10, 2017

Second week of July...remembering


Do you have a certain bowl that when the family sees is they can tell you what is in it without looking?

This bowl used to belong to my late Husband's grandmother. After the rest of the family had went through and got what they wanted before the auction, we went through it for what he wanted. I asked for this bowl. He told me that that bowl had mashed potatoes in it during the cold months and either potato salad or macaroni salad during the warm months. SO that's what I put in it. My kids will also tell you that is held popcorn many times also.It was at one time the only large bowl I had. The kids keep trying to claim it.

This bowl doesn't see much action now days with just Hubby and me. I only make about 1/3rd of the potato salad and now pasta salad (Hubby prefers it) and less than that with mashed potatoes. Popcorn is only once in awhile since I have to watch corn products with my Crohn's. Even though it's not used regularly, it sits in the front of the cabinet with mixing bowls.

Why? Because it reminds me to be frugal in the kitchen. Grandma Cate grew all their food and took care of the farm animals while Grandpa ran the sawmill. If she didn't grow it, find it wild and can or dry it  they didn't have it to eat. They ate fresh in season, milk came from the cow in the barn, ham from the pig. She had chickens always and 2 turkeys that she raised for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I never got to meet her but I try to honor the lessons she passed to her grandson who is now with her.

Hubby and I spent his "shut down" working around the house and helping our youngest with her to do list at her house. Older daughter didn't have anything that needed done right now but will before winter hits so we postponed going to her house. Yard work caught up, all gardens weeded and planted , there is no room for anything else at this point.. I potted up 8 of the tomato plants and 2 dozen onions to give to youngest daughter as she is the only one gardening this year besides us. I found some strawberry plants that had came up in the old strawberry box so I transplanted them into the new beds. The old bed got killed off last winter and these just started up. We put the swing together and moved the set into the garage so we can sit and swing in the garage during the heat of the day when we are out in the back yard area.Moved the fire pit to the driveway. It's portable and kept blowing away in the other area of the yard , I can roll it in the garage during storms and it's not going to catch anything on fire in the driveway plus the garden hose is right there if needed.

Wikibuy cancelled my dehydrator order due to lack of supplies...so back to hunting for that.

Turned off AC when we were outside all day. I opened windows and doors every morning,open curtains in the morning, close the top of them in the afternoons to keep the sun out but breeze coming through the screens.Walked behind Hubby turning off lights and fans when he left the room. He got better by the end of the week of stopping before he left a room and checking to make sure he left nothing on. He called it practicing for retirement of not having me nagging him about it. It's funny because he used to get on the oldest about her leaving tvs and lights on in HER home 24/7 and then complain about her electric bill.

We went out once with our friends (coupon) and ordered calzones once (daily special).

We ate onions and lettuce from the gardens and I had mint tea from the garden.. Have blooms on tomato plants and some soon to be cherry tomatoes. Have an eggplant growing. Have spinach that will be ready this week. Have jalapeno peppers that I can pick today for our meal. Harvest spearmint and peppermint.Checked the garlic that is curing.

Moved dehydrator to garage. Usually in the summer I set it on the table on the front porch so it doesn't heat up the house but this summer the table is turned upside down every day to keep it from blowing away with the storms that are rolling through. So it went to the garage. The good side of that is Hubby cleaned half of one side of the garage so nothing would be around the dehydrator and in doing so found several things he thought he had lost. Lost it alright in his clutter of dump here and deal with it later.

I finished son's wardrobe and can take it to him on Thursday when we flip our truck for his car so we can go see Dad and take Dad out to eat. Dad can't get in and out of our truck. Son uses the truck to haul stuff he can't move in his car while he has it.

I finished getting the emergency supplies with a note to myself that we can eat everything in that area in December as I get fresh supplies in March.

I decluttered a couple boxes in the front room and put them in storage where they belong.

We used Speedway fuel card and Kroger points for gas.

I combined coupons and sales to stock up for this winter when we have no income and for items that I will need while down due to surgery.

I bought Hamburger Helper ...4 boxes (my coupon stated I had to have 4) that was on sale. I don't usually buy Hamburger Helper but Hubby used to when he was a single parent. So I got them for when he is cooking while I am down. We figure 8 wks of me not cooking at all. I can't lift my pots and pans with one hand (both shoulders need surgery, right one is the first one to operated on). I found hamburger on sale, I cooked 3 lbs and divided it in to 4 bags (yes I know that's less than a pound but Hubby who is a big meat eater doesn't realize it ), and labeled the bags for the Hamburger Helper and froze it. I will make some meatloaf in cupcake tins. prebake them and then freeze them also. I found pork loin on sale and then marked down, cut it in half for pork roasts as we have plenty of pork chops in the freezer. I can always use the meat slicer to cut it in to pork chops if needed. I found London Broil beef marked down, cut it in half and froze it. It can be London Broil or sliced on meat slicer for Philly steak or stirfries. I am trying to get 8 wks of meals that are just warm up or finish putting together.

I got several medical supplies, dish soap and body soap with coupons and on sale. I bought Olay bar soap, coupon and sale to make laundry soap. It seems to be the only soap both of us can stand the smell of .

We both are losing weight but decided (again) to postpone buying anything.

I watched fireworks twice from our front porch and Hubby worked the pit during the fireworks in town. We had brats and watermelon and potato salad on the 4th. We ate twice a day while he was off work and had a snack of ice cream that I had put between cookies and froze.I think I will put some in the freezer before surgery including some brownies.

We get the grocery ads on Tuesday in the mail. They go straight to the burn trash.

I decluttered the area that I store the bath/health products.

I took yarn that I already had from other projects to crochet a twin size afghan for my great grandson that I am now finishing up as his first birthday is right after my surgery.

I got frozen peas and frozen peas and carrots for 10 for $10 to finish the "stocking" of the freezers. If I don't freeze or can anything , we will be okay going through the winter until next garden season.We use one bag a month except in the spring when peas come on.

I transferred more savings to Ally bank and noticed we made more in the interest in one month than we did in 2 yrs together from our regular bank.

We carried individual thermos of water while out instead of buying water some where.

I've started a list of items we need from Menard's , we are waiting until the 11% rebate comes along. I still check Lowe's (no Home Depot around) to see what they are sale price is .









Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Hello July


and the flowers continue to grow LOL. If you read June's post this is the same flower box. Notice how much the scarlet runner beans have grew.You can just barely see the red on the blooms that are starting. You will also notice spots from where flower pots sat for a week to catch the rain that kept coming in like a watering hose set on a timer.

Mommy Hummer isn't around any more but Daddy Hummer is using the back yard feeder while Baby Hummer is using the front yard feeder... much longer and I won't be able to tell the difference between Daddy and Baby as Baby's green feathers are getting more like Daddy's.

I got all the warm weather clothes, bedding and furniture throws out and the cold weather ones washed, dried and put away correctly (meaning I didn't dump it somewhere instead of walking upstairs and putting it in the closets where it belongs out of season).

We got all the yard mowed (4 hr job just mowing) and the bushes all trimmed and about half the things trimmed with weed eater ...that will be finished tomorrow. Plus Hubby needs to cut a tree that has decided to grow up in the lilac bush. Landlord's oldest (has cattle and hogs in the barn here at the house) did some tree trimming on the other trees and then hauled that wood including some bigger limbs that had fell out of other trees during the storms for us since we "look" after the cattle and hogs for free.

Bugs got the rhubarb but I didn't cut it down, I hope the bugs stay on the rhubarb and leave the rest of the garden alone.

Garden produce done:rhubarb, strawberries(which we didn't get any due to late freeze), snow peas, garlic scapes, leaf lettuce, radishes, beets(actually just the greens as the beets didn't grow),rose petals and lavender.

I pulled the garlic, it's about a month earlier than normal but it's ready and with the constant flow of rains I didn't want it to rot in ground.It's taking it about 2 wks longer to cure than normal.

I harvested one lonely green bell pepper that is suppose to be red or orange but fell off it's plant during the last storm.I can't eat green bell peppers (messes with my Crohn's) so Hubby is going to get to eat it with his brats tomorrow with cooked onions.

I planted more tomato plants and still have 18 more to get in ground this coming week.

I planted more onions...over 100... and I have 200 more to plant. I just can't bring myself to toss them away and no one wants them to grow so in they go. I usually store them in panty hose hung from rafters or rod in closets along with drying a few. A friend mentioned she cuts some up while in the "green onion" stage including the green and dehydrates them for winter....she also stores the dehydrated green to use instead of chives. I grow chives regular and garlic so I don't need to do that but a mixture of onion and their greens would work for me I think.

I have 3 heads of lettuce that need ate this week...We will only eat two and I will let the other bolt and reseed for this fall. There is some spinach ready also.

I need to replant lettuce, spinach, onions (SIGH) and then I will have to think because I am having surgery and will be down to one shoulder for about 4 months...end of July until end of Nov. and then the plan is for me to have the same surgery on the other. I don't think the doctor thought I was funny when he asked how I was even using the arm with the way it was torn and I held my arm up and said like this. But Hubby is concerned with him being able to handle MY workload on top of his and taking care of me.

I spent $30 at the end of June for sea salt grinders (idine salt causes me issues with my Crohn's) tortilla wraps, milk and lunch meat that I had coupons for and was on sale. Even though we don't care for sandwiches much we have been eating lunch meat, cheese and veggies in wraps for our mid day meals. I struggle to eat, always thinking of causing a flare up.

I have my son's wardrobe and small cabinet yet to do and a set date to go to the older daughter's to help her with yard work that she doesn't have tools for.We want to go see both our parents before my surgery.

I had 71 declutter missions from Home Storage Solutions 101 declutter 365 at the beginning of June. I am down to 55 (go me ;) ) 22 which can be done with 1 hand!

Yeah that is a biggy. If you wonder why, tie your dominate arm to your side as if in a sling and not move the arm away from your body for the day.I  saute a lot of fresh veggies that have to be cut...try cutting with one hand. I have a meat slicer, mandoline, chopper, and apple peeler. Hubby knows he is going to be prepping. Better is I was born left handed and was changed to right due to superstition so I'm not as bad off as other can be.

We hauled 3 loads (about 5 -10 boxes) to thrift shop. Took some leftover scrap wood from the old homestead (moved in 2008) and built 4 bedside stands for the youngest daughter and her kids. I thought that dropped it down to only OUR stuff...nope, I already saw 4 boxes of assorted toys and books that belong to the grandkids that they have out grown so nope, not yet. I should have charge when it went over a certain amt of time of me storing this.

I switched where I was getting my vsl from and saved over $10 a bottle AND it arrives on time.

We bought a plumbing auger (snake), we have a drain that is starting to cause problems and we have natural drains (hole in concrete basement floor for pipes to go into to flow down field tile and then we have a separate sewer line which goes to the septic tank and leach beds. Luckily it's the gray water drain but I don't like using much drain cleaners because the fumes come back up those natural drains in the basement. Got it on sale and used it here and then at the one daughter's who was going to pay around $60 for a house call.

We used our Kroger points and Speedway fuel card for gas.

We have been doing better about eating out of the pantry until last Friday when I was in the ER for my Crohn's (stress of medical issues and surgery).
Yes Hubby is sleeping. He's had a lot of practice through the years of sleeping at the hospital with one us. He is the one the kids, especially the girls want with them when they go in , even now as adults.

The bad news was partial blockage of bowel and major Crohn's flare up. The decent news was I could go home with a pain med of my choice( I can only take 3 different ones or I flare up) and drink my meals for 3 days and see if I could "get through" it. Better news was if we paid the copay right there as I was being registered we could save 5 %..Hubby wrote the check. That made the fourth medical bill we paid that we got discounted for paying before it was due.

Not so much good news is Hubby bought his meals for the weekend at the grocery store since I was on liquids. The OK news was he bought a family size meal of fried chicken and split it up so I wasn't smelling him cooking. He used the last of the chicken to make himself chicken salad. I am thankful today I am back to eating somewhat. I'll probably be eating baby food while in my wheelchair when I get older.

We researched money market vs savings etc for our new savings for emergency acct. Best interest was Ally Bank.

I ordered a 2nd dehydrator just like my other one. Excalibur dehydrator. I found one on Amazon for what I thought was the lowest price I could find until I hit Wikibuy and got it for $40 less. I read about Wikibuy on Forbes.

I have a lot of things I have to get done before the surgery at the end of the month or they won't get done at all. Like my great grandson's afghan for his first birthday about a month after my surgery.

The "good" side of this surgery besides getting my arm and shoulder fixed is it will give us the expenses of when it's done on the NEW ins that starts in Jan. We pay 10 % now and will be paying 20% then.

One last picture...this is our lane, 2/10ths (why don't they call it 1/5th) of a mile. Hubby usually mows it last so when he is coming back up it he knows he is coming home and the job is finished.


Blessed Be