where is the money going?

I priced generic OTC meds that we were low on. Cheapest place was Amazon and got 6% back on my card for taking the later date of delivery besides saving at least 10% on each. I have been checking all the stores around us and Amazon to get the best price.

I bartared asparagus with neighbor for red rhubarb that I made into pie. 

I cut our green rhubarb for the freezer.

I have enough asparagus to have it once a week through the off season in the freezer. 

We put on long sleeves since it's turned cold again, actually have a freeze watch with is NOT normal for this area this time of year. A frost yes... a freeze no.I set the furnace to be 65 during the late morning/afternoon as I don't want to relight the wood stove.

Hubby found another Amish sawmill that was having issues getting rid of the leftover blocks. He is taking the wagon down this afternoon. It's a mix of hard wood and soft wood for half the price of other sawmill was charging for wood.

Peas that had sprouted took a hit with the cold spell last week. I doubt if they make but I won't replant them until late summer. Anything I can grow in spring I can grow in fall. If I planted them next week they would not make until after the heat hit and still won't be good.

Hubby has at least 2 medical appts each week for 5 more weeks.It's rough on the budget fuel costs. We do have the back state taxes paid in full. Now just have to pay off the IRS. THEN we can get back to paying extra on the mortgage.

I made sourdough starter 3 times before I got it to work. Felt bad until M told me she had the same issues. Finally got one loaf, not much rise but good. Added hops flower powder that another Mennonite suggested and got better rise. Shared the hops flower powder with M. 

Asked my aunt for her pie crust recipe as Daddy always said she had the best. Her husband laughed so hard he cried. She uses Pillsbury store bought crust and has for years. So much for that recipe being handed down.

I put money back for the propane, I checked to see what Ohio is running and it's about 70 cents more than last year per gallon. 

I've been fixing meals that we have leftovers for at least one more meal if not two. Gets warm (without freeze crap) I will start using the grill more.

We have been only going to grocery store for milk (1 loaf of bread when starter failed) and did a pick up of some odds and ends at Menards using rebate to pay for it. Hubby is allowed 1 chocolate candy bar with peanut butter on it.Better if I have him use our peanut butter with no added sugar than a certain candy bar where he eats four of the "cups"  Looking at you Reese's.

Hope everyone is fine and healthy.

Blessed be

prayers for peace and sanity

 

What a week!!!

 We helped with eclipse... that was low key for around here.

We helped Amish with funeral of young wife (thrown from car in car accident on way to a funeral out of state) No kids, her husband banged up pretty good. Driver now has reckless op, going way to fast around a curve and rolled car) and charges for the death. Husband is dealing with what to do about her greenhouses and how to run the home on his own.

WHILE setting up for the funeral (at their home and had almost 700 show up for the funeral) our Amish neighbor let us know her 19 yr old nephew cut his arm off using a notch machine (cuts notches in pallets so forklifts can lift pallet from any side). The notcher was jammed and instead of using the stick like he had been told repeatedly. He stuck his arm in it and it took his arm up to the elbow. Could not reattach. SIGH.

Dealt with the state taxes. No longer owe anything there. Got school taxes paid for the quarter. Will make first month payment on loan we got to pay off IRS for taxes from selling business equipment at profit. Have a year to pay it off but want to do it quicker BUT need to put propane money back first as it will come due before the final payment of the taxes will. Hubby is going to get more fire wood also.

E asked Hubby to move some large pieces of wood that his sawmill can't cut and he doesn't want for his fire wood. Hubby is going to cut it up for us since I use that type for when it's cool but still need the wood stove. He also reminded Hubby that he was going to fix the purple martin house and him and the boys to do the roof on the shed. He did not want to see either of us up on ladders

April bills and May's mortgage is paid so nothing is due until the 7th of May.

Bought new deep freezer. Small one is almost 15 yrs old and with our luck figured it would go out. We found this one for half the price of an 18 cubic. It's 21 cubic plus 2 doors. We brought it home on our trailer so no delivery charge.

I already have 52 meals of asparagus in it.  It will be fruit and veggies freezer which will let me move the poultry into the house freezer.

Yes, asparagus is in. I let M know the kids can start picking for them as they only do fresh eating of it. E doesn't like pickled asparagus.

My rhubarb is trying to flower (I take them off so the rest will still grow). M gave me a bunch so I can make pie.

Peas and snow peas have broke ground with radishes and turnips.

I inventoried the pantry, wrote out what I have, how much and what I need.

Will do the same with the freezers as I defrost them and move fruits and veggies to new freezer and poultry to the house.

Spent some time with M talking of the struggles of making ends meet, sourdough starter not making and just the daily trying of do things more frugal and dealing with the death and accident.

We had almost 5 inches of rain 2 weeks ago and almost 3 inches this past week. Hubby mowed as he put "made hay" as rain is in forecast and the grass is over 5 inches tall. Raked up the front yard and tossed it into E's pasture. Horses love him.😀. 

We talked about winter squash. I lost about half last year due to temps bouncing and they got too warm. I want to turn basement ramp into a root cellar also can  freeze some with the new freezer. We decided to leave so "weeds" in some of the old potato beds as the bees were loving the flowers. The rest of the beds I will either plant squash in or he will get rid of.

We talked about potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic and onions... all that I bought from the one that died. I usually get my flowers from her also. Her 2 workers are going to run the green house this spring so I will still get my flowers but most likely will shut it down after that as she was doing more of produce in the summer and fall and had told her husband she wasn't doing that this year any more.   He is not sure what he is going to do right now as they had talked about building a smaller home on the farm and letting one of the nephews take over it since they have no kids and looking at age 41 and what to do if one died before the other. Everyone told him to just wait on making choices. His family and hers are close by plus his sisters married her brothers. We checked on him yesterday, he was helping his brother in law with tearing down the old barn and planned today to rebuild it. Said he will have gotten 4 meals, 2 loaves of bread, a pie and cookies. Really needs everyone to stop trying to feed him unless it's breakfast. He's already found he hates cooking breakfast and doesn't care for oatmeal. Hubby told him boiled eggs and what ever pie would be decent. All the guys laughed. M said she would boil him 2 dozen and take him rhubarb pie when we told her. 

I watched our electric co annual meeting (they only do virtual) and earned a $20 credit on the next bill.

We went to chiro, then to Hubby's ENT appt. He only needs to go back if he starts losing his voice or speaking constantly low. He had to finish his voice therapy as they found he does not speak using his diaphragm like you are suppose to.  She told him speaking using his throat only will cause him to damage it and lose his voice completely.  Our primary already said he would renew the nasal spray for his allergies so we don't even have to go back for that. We then shopped at Menards, 11% rebate plus what we needed was on sale on top of the rebate. We ate out using a gift card that we almost forgot about and came home. Said several trips by combining them even though it wears us both out.

I did not go to grocery store. Will have to pick up milk this week.

Hubby had voice therapy, a Ham Radio meeting and a drop off of Ham Radio trailer they used during eclipse. He made it so he did it all on the way to his voice therapy so he wasn't over lapping, using more fuel. 

We have turned off the furnace during the day and only turn it on low at night. Still to cool in house without it completely. But we haven't even used 1% for this month by doing it that way.

Hope everyone is safe.

Prayers for peace 

Blessed be

 

Preparing for the Eclipse.

 Our local news showed you could use a pasta strainer (not mesh). I had a flat grater and Hubby decided to see if it would work. You just hold it (or strainer) out (do not look at sun) and see the " sun" pass over the holes, when the eclipse occurs, the spots where the sun shows through will become dark instead of light. 

Hubby is working Ham Radio at the sherrif dept 3rd shift. I will probably have to say something to him about taking a nap. He is installing his Ham Radio that usually is in house in his truck and has his hand held for back up depending on if he is responding to a problem.  A lot of people don't realize that the area could run out of fuel, water, ER and Urgent care over ran and trash dumped, people using yards for potty, no place to stay and traffic jams are in the forecast. Think of a major sports event or concert and instead of a city being jammed it's the whole freaking state. National guard is on stand by. 

Hubby came home this morning, dealt with humidifer and put some wood in stove and went to bed. When he worked 3rd shift at factory he didn't go to bed until noon and was up at 4 then napped at 6:30 to time to go to work.  I told him I would wake him at 4 pm if he wasn't awake.

He said people were coming in that had reservations at motels and was topping off their cars (motels actually posted it on their doors and at check it to make sure they top off before Monday, to have snacks and water with them. Hubby is topping off his truck daily.

Update of 2024 goals

 

Hubby sold the motorcycle.( Money going for tax payment) With his neuropathy, he struggles to hold the bike up. It's too big for me. I told him after we get taxes paid off, and rebuilding savings. Have money back for replacing Silverado. We would look at a trike. I can handle a trike (son2 has one) and if he couldn't handle it for what ever reason, I could still take us out on the bike. He calmed down. It's hard for him to lose things he enjoyed and I understand that with my cerebral palsy in day to day issues. Like today I couldn't use the stairs on the front porch as my leg didn't want to lift and hold me, I had to use the ramp... which is why we have a ramp. I've dealt with it all my life, he is just now facing limits.  I immediately cancelled the insurance on it. Our agent let me know it was cancelled. 

Pay extra on Mortgage... not happening like we planned but we have made 10 EXTRA payments in 4 months. That might be all we can do until taxes and rebuild savings is done.

3 months emergency savings, We had it, now we are down to less than 1 again. Still moving things around to pay monthly on taxes.

Hubby called State tax as they have an assessement on us from 2012... we were in Ch 13 bankruptcy (slow pay). They sent it to the Attorney General office as the bankruptcy court should have filed a dismiss and didn't. Still waiting to see if we owe it and what amount. Hubby called back today, spoke to same lady and she was going to push for an answer. He told her he would call back next week on Tuesday. 

My mending day is floating. Everytime Hubby has 4 clothes to be mended I will do mending.

Eat healthier. Even the few times we have ate out, we chose places that we will eat heathier. 

I am inventorying the pantry (not freezers) to know what I need to put up this year to go a good solid 12 months if not 18 months. Readjusting what I am growing and what I will buy.

Instead of a small green house, I got a vegepod. I have to bend over which can be an issue but it's on the deck so Hubby can go harvest if needed.

In growcart I started tomatoes, herbs, and cabbages. I did not do brussels sprouts or bell peppers. Amish grower said said she should have some to sell me as she grows them for herself.

I replaced elderberry bushes and 3 peonies *if this crappy weather doesn't kill them*. I have not found roses I want to plant to replace the 2 that died. I have strawberries to plant .

I moved the tiger lilies to the north flower garden. I have not moved the daylilies.

I have sunflower seeds to plant , daffoilds showed up in veggie garden, I will moved them later but didn't get any tulips.

We haven't framed the puzzle we finished or worked on any more. Hubby is focused on next year's wood.

Project list is low man on totem pole though I did ask for the basement ramp tarp door to be installed before Aug so I can set that area up for a "cellar" like I had growing up. Would help with root veggies and squashes.

Major grocery shopping has went from once a month to once every other month. I am buying milk and this week added 10 lbs of potatoes from cash on hand. I was only going to get 5 lbs of potatoes as I have a few left but it was $5.99 for 5 lb. and $6.99 for 10 lbs. Just means we need to eat more potatoes.

Sweet potato did not produce slips. SIGH.  We decided against planting regular potatoes as we only ate about half of what we grew and lost the rest. I will have budget for buying them.

 Last fill for propane on prebuy acct is April 30th. We don't need a refill so the company moved our credit from propane to the gasoline and diesel fuel we had delivered. No cash out of pocket but I will have to save up more for the propane. I told Hubby that I was moving the fuel money we had saved to savings (not for tax payment) so I wrote it on paper to remind myself of that. I can pay in June and get a discount or pay normal time of August. It's going to depend on where the savings is.

Hubby is working the eclipse. He is a HAM radion operator and retired EMT. He has worked with Home Land Security for decades. He will be working 12 hr. Night shifts. He was trying to figure out how to do that until I just told him he went back to the factory.  He stopped and looked at me then laughed. Yeah, that is exactly how it was as he worked 3rd shift and was gone for 12 hrs with drive time. No pay but he feels good about being helpful for community, that's enough.He decided to cut more wood today. Would like to have all the wood on site dealt with before end of May to make sure he has enough. Since E just dragged this up to add to the 8  cords we already have...

I would guess we might have close to enough for next fall/winter.

Got to work on finance budget and inventory pantry

Stay safe 

Prayers for peace and sanity

Blessed be

taxes...

 Daughter 4 has been hit with owing federal taxes from 2022...  I told her to call IRS immediately and talk to them about it. She's okay with doing that. My thought was she can't seem to get a break and hold on to it.

The credit card we put the federal taxes allowed me to change the due date to after our Social Security comes in. Which is nice as I won't have to transfer from savings to checking and back. 

We got an assessment from State for taxes 2012. Yes you read the date correctly. I sent message to state asking why since we were in chapter 13 bankruptcy... they come back for us to contact Ohio Attorny General bankruptcy dept. Hubby did that and found out the court didn't file the dismissal of taxes which is normal when in Ch 13 and the court gives you an allowence to live on (normal 5 yrs, we had it paid off in 3 1/2 yrs) SO one of the lawyers in the Attorney General's office is looking to see what can be done NOW. We are to call back middle of next week to get the answer. 

Just to make sure we don't owe school taxes like we did this year. I increased the estimation our tax preparer had for us for quarterly payments. I also sent by registered mail with signature required to pay off 2023 school taxes.

We have 2 projects that need a bit of stuff to finish so we are SAVING those amounts. Hubby spent yesterday researching the costs. We think we can have it saved by summer. I think this money will come from grocery budget.

We are eating from the pantry/freezers.  I brought up a carton of shelf stable milk from pantry. I need to use this regularly so it doesn't go bad. I am trying to only buy milk every other Tuesday when we are doing errands. I use dry milk for cocoa mix in the winter. Had a friend that had shelf stable milk for 5 yrs, he kicked his butt for not using it, said the house smelled for a week because he opened it... It's only good 6-12 months in a cool dry place. I might push 18 months but never 5 yrs.

I made sourdough bread that was way to heavy for us. I am trying a different sourdough bread to see if it's better... I can always go back to the one we have used from the Bread Bible. It's kind of a sourdough yeast mix.

I usually use the grocery budget to buy plants during this time of year. I already used some from last year to order replacement strawberries and mortgage lifter tomato plants. I want (might not happen) to have 4 to 6 flower hanging baskets that are favored by hummingbirds. My hummingbird feeders are out as I saw male today. 

 Hubby needs to lose 25 lbs in 5 months. I pulled out from basement the plates we used when he was 300 lbs (thanks to eating out nightly in Alabama while working on the Honda plant) and went down to 225. lbs. He wasn't happy when I pointed out he has to quit snacking at 7-8 pm and going straight to bed even though the snack is less than 500 calories AND some what healthy (okayed by 3 of his doctors), not a bowl of potato chips. I saw the look on his face. I told him to have that snack either mid morning or mid afternoon when he is still moving and he is okay with that. I will make a point of making sure he does do that and to make sure we have a balanced meal at supper and not just a sandwich which is common this time of year. Actually we had to track his calories. Doctor said he has actually put himself into starvation mode and needs to increase his calories by 1000 calories as the work he does burns closer to 3290 calories. I wasn't shocked but he was. You just can't do the work we do and eat what little amount he does as I out eat him most days but I have went to grazing with my Crohn's  which is now in full remission !!!.

Got to take Charlotte for her evening walk and play time. Hubby has stove duty LOL

Prayers for safety and sanity 

Blessed Be

how we save money every month.

 When we moved here, the first year it cost us $14000 a month. Six years later with mortgage the same payment it's half that. With the tax hit we just got, I will have to cut it even more

Scrap wood...I can use about half to a whole one in one day if weather is on cool side like around 40.

Day wood, burns about 3 hrs. 

We call these chunkies. They will extend an fire about 2 hrs long more than usual time frame.

This is night wood. Average burn is 3-4 hrs. Sometimes 5 hrs depending on the wood and curing.

This is how we save money. Yes it's a lot of work, hard work. BUT we saved about $5,000 on propane keeping the home WARMER than propane. We only buy about 1/3rd of the propane now for the kitchen stove, water heater and pump house heater for winter.

I do use the wood stove in winter for cooking and baking. I use the grill ( get free refill when I order and pay early for propane for the year), air fryer and microwave during the rest of the time. I fry my eggs on the propane stove... I am picky.

We have a septic tank and leach bed. I use ridx once a month to keep it "healthy" I have to have it pumped every 4 yrs instead of 3 and according to our pump guy he says it due to using ridx. I buy it in bulk to get the lowest price. We do not pay for water as we have a cistern and deep well. Deep well is on electric but does run about 1 wk. a month on solar panels. There is a $3 difference between on solar and on electric. We thought it would be more than that. We do have a water softener. $33/month. They deliver the salt and put it in the tank which is why we got them because I couldn't lift the bags at that time now I really don't want Hubby carrying 12 bags of 40 lbs of salt from the front of the house to the basement.

We pay for trash... $53/ every 3 months. 6 kitchen trash bags is allowed a week. I have used the 25 lbs dog food bags for trash bags and taped them shut. Hubby has used the 2 cubic garden soil bags for trash bags in barn. Our township takes recycling once a month for free... except of the fuel to drive there. It's 2 miles way so not far. I use a separte trash can for that. Anything that is paper or cardboard is burned in burn barrel which is then dumped in compost pile in the fall.

All lights are LED but still we only use task lighting or oil lamps (Hubby takes Amish to go get barrels of mineral oil for lamps).  We spend $5 a month for it. I have found when we don't use the oil lamps the electric will go up at least $20 a month.I do have over head lights in kitchen. BUT try to do all meal prep when I have sun light. Same when canning or dehydrating food. I will use Christmas candles with LED for night lights. I unscrew about half of the bulbs.

We have internet and land line (our cell numbers would route the 911 call to another area we no longer live it) It's the most reliable in this area and mid range on price. The home behind us does hot spot... their bill runs close to $300 every month. Ours is $108.

We have straightalk unlimited for our phones. It's the only service I found that worked going through mountains in traveling to Georgia and Hocking hills. I've had service when 3 of my kids with BRAND names services couldn't talk to each other on phone was only 5 miles apart from each other. 

We just rechecked our farm, motorcycle and car ins. It's good price and service as we have had them since 2006. Farm insurance is always more expensive than house insurance.

We rechecked everything to make sure we had the best price and good quality. 

I woke up hearing crackling sound

 thought something was on fire (and not the stove). It was freaking grapple (frozen snow pellets) hitting the windows.

Now I am wide awake. 

We are attending a classmate reunion this evening, about 4 times a year whom ever can gets together at a local restaurant. We have had about 30 % of our classmates die in 47 yrs. Health issues is main cause of most. 

We are burning what we call crap wood... bits and pieces that most just toss in bonfire by handfulls. Hubby put all of it in pots as he was cutting and cleaning up the area the timber was laying. I call them nursery pots since trees were in them, Hubby calls them stock pots as the farmers use them to have water in pastures for animals. We have about 10 of them that he has filled as he cut and split wood. I can burn it during the day when I am in house, as it will burn about an hour and need more but it saves the split wood for next winter and cleans the wood cutting area he has. I can use a whole pot in one day if  it's on the cold side like today, other wise it might go a day and half.

I wrote out recipes of making self rising flour, self rising cornmeal, 2 ingredient biscuits and White Lily biscuits on scrap paper and taped it to the inside of my Hoosier cabinet door.  I also wrote out how to making baking powder without cream of tartar. 

I started sourdough starter. We don't really like a strong sourdough but I thought I would try smaller amount.I also got recipes to use it from M and a website called iamahomesteader.com. She had soft pretzel recipe( that's imabaker.com I think) and Hubby really likes that type of pretzel. I had to sit the starter in the front room on the desk as the kitchen is too cool for it. It needs at least 70℉. Did first feeding today (Saturday)

Had my check up for being in hospital this week. It was noted that my heart meds increase sugar levels (isn't that nice) and now doc understands why my sugar (Prediabetes)  is always up knowing I don't eat that much sugar or carbs that would turn to sugar. He is talking to a cardologist to decide wheither to take me off completely (he had talked about it a couple times) as my BP is staying decent or change what I am on.. My EKG came back good.Liver count will be on next blood work because they gave me meds in hospital that could increase that. I already had  hepatitis as a child and I have heart disfunction (failure depending on what doctor I am seeing). Told me to increase my cruciferous veggies, I already do that as that is broccoli, cabbage etc.

We adjusted our OTC meds after our blood work while talking to our doctor. Hubby is now on Co Q-10 and green tea extract as he won't drink the green tea besides vitamin. I am on Co Q-10, resveratrol (looking to raise that up to get rid of statin and it has green tea extract) biotin (temporary due to covid hair loss) and my vitamins. Results will lower OTC costs by $24/ year.   Hubby's ENT has him using OTC stuff for his throat. I found it on sale for half price so go a year's supply. 

It's the little things that count

St Patrick's day and we got snow

 I mended 3 work shirts for Hubby. He is very hard on clothes and boots. He does not wear tennis shoes at all but sturdy work boots that do hold up well.But his long sleeve shirts take hits. He even ripped the neck line around a tee shirt and I was too afraid to ask what he caught it on, but E asked if Hubby had told me that he was carrying a limb and went to put it down and it caught on the neck of his shirt. I've seen E clothes, he has more patches than Hubby does. 😂

Last fall I lost 30 lbs while sick (not something I could afford to do) I borrowed clothes from a grandchild and took in some things with darts. I gave the clothes back to the grandchild when I gained 15 lbs. I am going to have to take up some tee shirts as I refuse to buy anything with how finances are going. 

We ended up taking a 6 hr round trip to drop off stuff to two of the kids.So I didn't bother to thaw the corned beef. One of the kids gave us money to eat out before we got home, we went to the local restaurant and got corned beef, cabbage and potatoes  😁. Hubby made a comment when the one asked if we could make their car payment right after admitting they had moved their friend and kids in with them... AFTER agreeing if he helped them they would NOT move someone in (common occurance it seems but I didn't know the agreement or I would have told him to not bother, they are a "rescuer"). Got mad when he asked for the last name, said that wasn't any of our business... he brought up it wasn't any of our business to pay their bills. Mom and Dad Bank was closed. They were like , that's cool, I don't need your money... well then why did you just ask for him to pay your car payment of a car you just bought?  Grandchild let us know later it was NOT our child's car payment that being asked for but the friend's car payment they just moved in. One grandchild is now living with adult sister and the other one is looking to move when they get enough money saved up and told landlord parent had moved another family in. Landlord increased the rent as it is in the lease moving someone else in would do so as the landlord gave a "break" because they are good friends with two of our other kids.

 LORD GIVE ME STRENGTH.Times like this I am glad I live 2 hrs away.

Another kid that we didn't drop off anything but they wanted a hug as they haven't seen us since Sept. (it's like that road goes both ways as the youngest (Kira) would tell you). Let us know the drama they had going on in their life ... hum... did you not listen when you asked advice the last time you went through this? NOPE as the older sibling said basically the same thing to them in front of us when they blew up their phone over the drama. That child made the comment they hate working 6-7 days a week to make ends meet but their goal is to buy a house (small one) in 5 yrs. but it did keep the drama out of their life as long as they cut other siblings whining off when on the phone. LOL.

We are using the wood stove enough though if we shut the windows it gets up to 80, we act "Amish"and leave windows and doors standing open to keep the house cooler but still use the wood stove. We now know why the upstairs windows open from the top instead of the bottom in a lot of the Amish houses around here. If we don't need another refill before Oct. I will only have to come up with $600 to order next year. I will do this in June as I get a discount by doing so. Hubby told me he had more wood coming from the sawmill as payment for moving stuff around for the sawmill. They have a back hoe that an Englisher owns but if he can't be there to move stuff due to his job, he okayed for Hubby to use the back hoe. Hubby said he needed dry and not windy weather to move 2 more cords of wood to the wood shed and when it's windy and wet he is in the barn cutting wood and splitting it from the sawmill. E dragged another log up from the woods for us to have. It's too big for his stove and he does not split wood. They cut trees that are about 6-8 inches around that they don't want to grow anyways. Hubby said we have next year's wood if we don't have to burn wood in June. 

The electric bill dropped $17. Hubby was happy but couldn't figure out why the drop. Maybe because I walked through the barn and turned off power strips he had stereo and 2 fans running (I do not know why as there is no onions or garlic curing there). I turned off most of the night lights he had running and moved one to the bookcase beside the wood stove so we can see what we are doing when "feeding" the stove in the night.Leave open the mudroom blind on door as the security light *that went up to $12/m* could light that room and the curtain in his bathroom. Someone would have to be coming out of the barn to see him get out of the shower if he forgot to shut the curtain. NO one goes through our barn but us. 

It will go up with the grow cart lights being on now but that will only be for 4-6 wks. more.  I don't have the growcart and the table lights on 

We went out to eat... something we really have restricted with the IRS and OH state and school tax bills. We went to Chinese restuarant that has dine in for lunch. Saved $19 then we would have spent going to the local diner for Lent. We still had seafood.  We stopped at Burger King for Oreo shake to celebrate our Forever home anniversary.(3.10.2018 signed papers)

We bought gas and diesel for on site. Saving $30 at the time of purchase.It's more now as Hubby said he saw diesel at the gas station had went up and he is still filling from home.

I have enough credit left on Propane acct to fill our tank 1 1/2 times. IF we can make this last fill last until after Oct 1st. I won't need to buy as much when I order for the coming winter. I will drop order 100 gallons. Another reason the wood stove is on instead of the propane furnace. Which is another reason Hubby is working on cutting wood every other day if not daily except for Sunday.

He bartered for 5 gallons of mineral oil (lamp oil). 

We changed some appts that were scheduled April 9th. We are in the path of the eclipse ... Hubby is Ham radio which is part of EMS/ Homeland security so he will be working to help with traffic etc. One of the doctors laughed when he told them why he was changing his appt. The doctor then decided to call everyone after that and just shut his office down for the 8th and 9th. Called Hubby and thanked him for reminding him how bad the traffic could be and phone service might not be working right. Felt it was better for his patients to not deal with that and he was going to work longer hours to work everyone back in .

I am not on Humira any more. I take Visbiome OTC not prescription strength. My GI let me know the results from my hospital stay was that my Crohn's is in remission. The one GI from the hospital ,could not understand how that could be without being on a biologic. He said he told them I take Visbiome and I eat foods that I grow or the local farmers grow and don't eat much processed food (most of the restuarants we eat at fix their own food). My GI feels a lot of IBS and IBD is coming from the chemicals in the food we eat or what they are "wrapped" in when it comes to fast food.My GI grows most of his own food so he practices what he advises.

Prayers for sanity and peace (less drama) 

Blessed Be

LORD!!!! Happy St Patrick's day.

 

Tornado that was heading for us and then went south instead when a tornado from the north joined with it. Wiped out at least 3 communities ... Indian Lake, Russels point and Lakeview Ohio destroyed. Those areas are around Indian Lake, have mostly mobile homes and RV campers. Small homes.Boats tossed like they were just toys. Not enough time to go to safe places due to little warning coming out. We were thankful the grandsons and their dad and his family was not there at the vacation home. Even our sheriff did not get the warning (he sends text messages for it).A weather spotter that was on his way to see a friend saw it and called it in and included a phone call to Hubby as he is Ham Radio in our county. It was already on ground. Other areas was hit north and south east of that area. Charlotte kept trying to go out , her answer I think was to run from it. I had to pin her down as we locked the doors to keep her from running out. Freaking dog won't go out to potty in the rain but wants to run in a thunderstorm with tornado. She was not happy to be pinned with me in the basement safe area. We had told our Amish neighbor that there was a tornado watch.He figured there would be as he had was coming over to tell us there would be bad weather as he had watched our windmill while he was at his sawmill turning 360 degrees most of the afternoon and then checked his own which was doing the same thing. His is about 15 ft higher than ours. 

Last count was 3 deceased and several injuried but not a head count as there was hospitals taking patients but from all over the state. Beds are not available as we have a flu going around that antibotics and steroids cause to BLOOM and get worse.

Ohio State taxes is holding up a lot of refunds checks for unpaid taxes,child support and over payment of unemployment  and a couple other things going back over a decade. They say we owe from 2012. We didn't have any of that information BEFORE but still they held it. I am making phone calls and will be filing a complaint over it. Twelve years later, I would think that without notice of being offset that they couldn't hold the check but they changed things due to constantly not collecting the correct amounts. It is a mess there and trying to get answers for a tax return I no longer have is next to impossible. I felt sorry for the young lady that answered my call, I made it clear to her I was NOT blaming her and she was as clueless as I was of why it was held. She gave me another number to call on Monday to see if they could tell me exactly why it was held and if they could send me a copy of the tax form we sent them then. I told her we were in a Ch 13 bankruptcy then due to two of our kids taking our check book and forging checks. YES I filed charges against them over it. She mentioned that the bankruptcy court might have missed sending that money to pay it since THEY were responsible for it. I know the court screwed up the payment to IRS that year and we made payments on it. SO might be that. SIGH

Thank heavens I have a credit card that lets me make installment payments on high ticket items without interest but a fee. I called our two banks about personal loan to pay federal taxes (Hubby sold business trailers and made money. He didn't catch that when he did it or he would have put money back instead of paying off the truck) and both wanted more than the credit card did . They thought the question of what would be the final amount of interest paid was a little weird until I told the one WHY I asked it that way. Then she was checking her own credit card as she also owes IRS.  Long run, it's coming out the same amount he paid the truck off with and the payments to the credit card is the same as his truck payments. BUT instead of 2 yrs of payments we would still have, we only have 1 yr if I don't pay it off early.

IT is definitely the year for being thankful for being stocked. I have one OTC med. Hubby takes that I will have to buy in a couple months but things should be easier by then.

Dandelion... which means the ground is 50℉ (we are expecting a light snow Monday) At 50 ℉ we can plant spring crops. 

These are planted with herbs ,leafy greens and radishes.

This is new. Vegepod. The top closes and it has a sprayer attached. I do have to water the very front as Hubby hooked it a little off center when he attached it. I have snow peas, shelling peas, carrots, lettuce, spinach and radishes in it.

Asparagus is starting to pop up in gardens, blackberry vines has leaves (raspberries always is two weeks later) Rhubarb is starting to grow. 

I will be in the gardens weeding asparagus patch and planting spring crops. Including peas in hanging baskets. They worked decent last year. I have peonies to plant and some sunflower seeds.  I won't be buying my hanging baskets of flowers so I will have to figure something out for my hummingbirds.

We are taking some things to 2 of the girls today so that's 6-8 hrs out of our day of rest but the ONLY day the one doesn't work and the other one works doordash if she's not at the restuarant. Son 2 has announced he is not running for Commander of his VFW. In fact 85 % of the officers are NOT running again either. He figures it will shut down if no one else steps up. He is a life time member so can go to the other one that is right down the road if he wants. His cardologist told him he needed to quit two of his 4 jobs, 3 are volunteer. His work load was one of the problems between his ex girlfriend and him but she knew upfront how much he worked since she's known him for YEARS.  

Hubby accepted Vice President of his Ham Radio group SIGH. He is lucky a friend of his from his old group walks him through the paper work and stuff. 

Hubby dropped off 5 large yard trash bags (Daughter 4 reused trash bags that people gave her stuff in) at the church ran thrift shop  that was donated to Daughter 4 but she couldn't use.She said it was bedding for twin beds.... she donated some to a family that had lost their home to a fire also, over whelmed them also. I was to the point of nagging as he kept forgetting them when he would go to town. I can now get to my garden stuff without having to move them. He liked the "clean" area so much he went and cleaned an area in his section of the barn (I do not move his stuff as it causes his dementia to flare). He tossed his trash in a empty 4 cubic foot garden soil bag so no cost of trash bags.

Electric bill was down $17. 

We only bought milk and a loaf of bread when I got out of the hospital. 

We got an Oreo shake from Burger King for our "bought our forever home" anniversary.

We signed papers for this home 3.10. 2018 Our oldest grandson's birthday.We moved in August 31st on his younger brother's birthday LOL. That mail box has been changed already. 

Prayers for peace and sanity.

Blessed Be

I am better but not well

Thanks for caring and checking on me. My kids got twenty million texts from me while I was in. 

He was asleep when our local hospital after 6 hrs and 7 different hospitals finally found me a bed and a surgeon . Instead of a hernia I gave myself a kink in small intestine. It unkinked it's self which they thought it would but worried it might tear instead. SO NO SURGERY .I had PT to strentghen core. I was under the small side of A frame loft lifting 25-35 lbs to reorganize  that area and on my knees in a weird position. Next time I will just sit on my butt and shove it with my feet like Mom used to.

They thought I was having a Crohn's attack on top of it.... NO.. stool testing said I had the flu even though I was not running a fever (temp was actually low) and not throwing up. LOVELY.

I am better, as the pain is next to nothing now, we thought I was having a heart attack. I just finally ate a regular meal last night. I can imagine my system dealing with that going through is going to be on the tender side.

While in, Hubby sent me this

Last load of wood we bought is in . He can stack it before he cuts more of the other wood he has when it stops raining. He covered it with a tarp for now. We should have the majority of next winter's wood on site but not all cut as there are 4 timbers(trees with limbs cut off) at the gate to E's pasture E dragged up from his woods he doesn't want. (too big and he doesn't split wood, they burn logs about 6-8 inches around). But these needed cut down so he gave them to us. If Hubby doesn't want them the Amish on the other side of us will come get them.

M sent over a recipe booklet one of her friends/family lent her, she wanted copies of the recipes.Hubby made a copy for us also instead of charging for the copies.

Our tax lady called to tell us we were going to owe Federal ... a lot...like over $10,000 ... due to selling the business equipment for more than it was depreciated...  making a untaxed profit. She had her boss check to make sure she was correct because we usually get money back, not a lot but some. I put it on my credit card, got cash back and bought time of paying it off so I can transfer money without cashing CD's in. We also had an increase from IRA as they decided that you have to take RDM's from inherited IRA's. I have Daddy's so that added to it also.

My credit card offered to let me make payments charging me a flat rate of $85/month instead of interest for a year. Most likely I will NOT do that. 

We had some wind damage from storm that we have to fix but we are not claiming on insurance. Not worth the increase we would get hit with on the policy. 

I went back over the last 12 months of credit cards, seeing where money went etc. 

We stayed mostly in budget except on stocking up. I am stocked up for non food and medical including holistic early . Don't usually have that until autumn but found good deals and knew how much we used. Glad I did as now I can focus on paying off this debt, not worry about going without something (though I am sure there is something I didn't stock, I have TP... that is all that matters LOL).

Hubby is using more fuel than normal. He has medical appts weekly and over an hour away AND is VP of ham (*Why do they call it a ham radio? The word “HAM” as applied to 1908 was the station CALL of the first amateur wireless station operated by some amateurs of the Harvard Radio Club. They were Albert S. Hyman, Bob Almy, and Poogie Murray. At first they called their station “HYMAN-ALMY-MURRAY”) radio group he is in so they are working with local law and hospitals preparing for the solar eclipse that will be passing through our area. We are trying to combine errands with his appts.

 My doctors decided I did NOT need to come in for the usual after hospital stay check up... they don't want the flu either LOL.Glad I got the flu shot since I didn't get sick from it. 

I need to set goals and figure out what I need to refill in pantry since this coming winter will be tighter than usual. 

 

Just released from hospital

 

Hubby took this picture. She kept going to the door and looking for me as the squad took me out that door. 

I am home, will be back later... just extremely tired.

This week

 The Geese are back, the buzzards are scouting (like we have 3-4 instead of 2 dozen).

About a month early. Ch 10 in over in Columbus is saying March is going to be warmer than normal. 

I will be bringing in seed starting soil to get it warm so I can start my seeds. I was able to get the grow cart in the laundry room. I will have to roll it if I use the dryer to fluff dog fur off blankets) About the only thing I use the dryer for.

I will be covering 2 garden beds to prep them for spring planting. That way if we get cold weather (and we will) I can just pull the row cover over them to protect them. 

I have started my sweet potato slips. In two weeks I will chit my potatoes for planting the week before Easter.

I have started reorganizing the home. I have found that storing in boxes does not work for me. One I don't like cardboard boxes as they get mites and I end up getting bit. Two I can't see what I have and constantly have to look or keep written track and that doesn't happen when Hubby gets something and doesn't say something or a kid walks out with the whole box. 

SO open shelving is happening.

I had a small end table for the home phone in the dining room. I now have a 3 tier pipe and wood shelving unit for it and I am slowly putting the cook books I use the most on it.That end table will probably end up in one of the lofts.

We will be picking up 2 more shelfing units today as they are on sale at Menards and I have rebates I can use to pay for them, like what I have in the basement for the one loft  so I can moves stuff there. THEN I can move the metal shelf unit to the other side of the loft for medical supplies.There is a cabinet in the barn that might work in that room also. It was above the washer at the old homestead and I hated it as I had to climb on the washer to get anything. But Late Husband could reach it easily so that's where he put it. I think if it fits( north and south lofts are A frame) that I could put medical stuff in it and take the bookcase that I have been using to the east loft where I have bedroom/sewing room and over flow of books.

I have 4 black trash bags ready for donation. We will do donation on Tuesday that are NOT appts days. 

Hubby got the wood that was delivered in the wood shed and then cut up more wood that E had dragged out of woods and up to our wood shed for us. He still have a lot more to cut and split. We have 1 cord of wood left in the barn for this year's wood. We can always use what is in the wood shed but we are hoping we don't have to use much of it.Hubby would like 2 yrs of wood cut by Sept. That is 18 to 20 cords of wood... That is twice what our wood shed will hold so he is definitely planning on using the 1st stall of the back of the barn for wood. I told him that should be spring/ fall wood, stuff that we don't need a long or hot fire due how cold it doesn't get. Keep the more solid stuff for winter. When the winds go above 20 mph, we burn through the wood more than normal winds. 

I best get around. We have to leave at 7:30 and I need to get laundry done first

Prayers for Sanity 

Blessed be

Can the week get any busier?

 The answer is YES.

Last week Hubby made several calls to medical offices because he wasn't getting follow up appts or information. He had me help him make the list of what doctors he was needing to call and over what issue. He now has 9 appts, two will have more follow ups (voice therapy) in next 8 wks. FUEL costs just went over budget. 

He has been diagnosed with acid reflux and it's messing with his voice box. With his dementia they use every day words instead of medical words. They sent a list of what he can do to help with it to his My Chart. I printed it off... he read through and asked why it seemed familar... maybe because I have had it for decades and our grandson has it also. I also pointed out he does not drink the amount of water he thinks he does... then he mentioned he was drinking coffee or unsweet tea when he was out and out of water...he called back to the doctor office and she specified he was to drink WATER of the amount she said and coffee, tea (and limited both to 20 ounces each) and soups were extra.  Man used to drink 3 pots of coffee by himself. I got him down to half a pot. 

He called the insurance he had for the business as he got a bill from the state the accident was in. They did bill him and his insurance 8 months AFTER the accident but wanted it paid in 30 days. It's been over 30 days, insurance said they were processing the claim 3 wks ago... now he can't even get the person dealing with it to answer their phone or send him an email about where it stands. He told me last night he was calling his old agent and filing a complaint. He used to shrug this crap off and just let it go where it may. 

I had a call from hospital about therapy for me... I'm like I haven't been to hospital for anything that needs therapy. She looked back at the order and found it was for a foot injury...I sighed that was over 2 yrs ago and I did not need therapy for it even then.  Then she SIGHED. It was a Urgent care sub doctor that was not use to their system, in her notes she says that I did NOT need therapy.

MIL was diagonized with heart issues.... doctor told her at age 86 (87 in June) that she could do some things to make it easier for her or just put up with the tiredness. They did get her on meds to reduce water retention, she lost 35 lbs in one month, had to go buy clothes. The oldest son got her a lift chair that has helped as her polio is also getting worse with her age. FIL has diabetes and Alzheimers. Their home is NOT wheelchair friendly so the oldest has some land and needs to tear down the old house and rebuild (roof leaked and the grandkid living there didn't say anything so he didn't find it until year later because he was helping his wife with her disabled daughter that now has past away and wasn't checking on it). He has decided on wheelchair accessible like we made this house. The parents will still need help. There is not enough money to cover a nursing home for both of them. They admitted they had planned for the oldest to take them in. His late wife would have quit her job and did it. His 2nd wife is a no go, she just spent 30 yrs with a disabled daughter. She is burned out.  We suggested home health care, two of our daughters worked in it for awhile. That seems to be working at this time with several of the grandkids stopping in and someone is doing some house hold chore needed done right then plus only daughter goes 1st Saturday of the month and does a good cleaning between her and her Hubby. She's almost 10 yrs younger than Hubby. Hubby talked them into ramping the front porch. They love it. IF it was up to us, we would widen doorways and put in a wheelchair bathroom and get rid of the cubby hole office they have beside it. Change access to the sun room that neither can use during the winter due to having to go down stairs to get there and they can't go up and down stairs.

We went over last night to say good bye to the young Amish family that is moving to Michigan. He built our clock. Did give us the info that if something happened to it Hubby could call the company that built the clock part. Then told us  several times we could just bring it to him and they would put us up so he could fix it. Or we could just come up to visit. Gave us their address and told us to keep in touch. I will miss seeing the changes she does on a daily bases as she was working at improving the gardens and landscape of where they were living. Even during the winter she was outside doing something. The home is owned by his dad, so they are only taking what they need right now and will send for the rest later. OR they can move back but I doubt he will. He likes carpentary work especially outside and there is not enough around here for him to make a living with the amount of other Amish doing the same. He does not want to keep taking his buggy 10 miles one way to join another work group and then be driven 30-60 miles before being on the job. He was coming home at 8 pm and not having time to do any of his own farming. His family was trying to help but still. The only family they will have in the new area is her widow aunt. Said he didn't realize how much he preferred to be outside rather than working in the saw mill(his dad runs a mill) or even building furniture. He wasn't making enough to pay the taxes on property with just farming. The area they lived in was next to the river so not enough land.

Prayers for sanity (mine especially) 

Blessed be

What a week

 At least I got snuggles from Charlotte. 

Son 2 lost a good friend of decades in a car accident last night. 

The guys we bought wood from before called to let us know they got timber in and was cutting again. Trying to finish paying their dad's medical bills off from his heart attack. He definitely now has medigap insurance and has learned Medicare doesn't pay for everything 100%. I talked Hubby into ordered 4 cords, delivered and let them know we don't need it for the stove now. They had 2 cords delivered in 3 hrs.Had their boys home from college so put them to work. Hubby is stacking those 2 cords in the wood shed. 

I filled the inside racks with wood and then the extra racks with more wood and swept the floors 3 times to clean up all the little bark that fell off. 

Got laundry washed and on line, dried and put away. Ran dishwasher this morning as Hubby forgot and I thought he was turning it on. Put all that away and reloaded for after dinner. Cleaned the 3 frigs. 

We saved $17 on fuel using Kroger's fresh mode points. They are no longer doing fresh mode in our area after this month. I'm not going to miss it except for the fuel discount. 

We saved $54  on Hubby's meds using Good Rx Gold and moving the script to Rite Aid over CVS.  We have now saved enough to have paid for the membership.

Our medigap insurance covered 20% of 3 bills.. Not enough to cover the monthly fee (YET).

I am going to Walmart for some things that the local Save A Lot does not carry. Hubby has appt for his hearing aids a mile away so he is dropping me off to do the shopping while he is at the appt.Saves fuel.

Any savings at your home?

Prayers for sanity 

Blessed be

 

Update on kids

 Back to normal of bickering with each other  😉Mom and Dad are not ones to complain to when our first question is WHAT did you do to start this issue?

Daughter 4 has a new job, is still organizing her home (or organizing as she found somethings don't work well with where she put them). Financially it is beyond tight as she still isn't working. She did get her bank stuff replaced so can use her checking acct. Waiting on the fund raiser to release money to her (corperate takes a few weeks) and Daughter 2 is dealing with the go fund me acct. Mentally she has her moments but not as bad or as often. Grandson that pulled her out, is thinking of being a fireman or Emt like Hubby. He's still young so that will probably change.

Daughter 3 is doing okay, weather has her ankle that has metal pins in acting up and causing her to fall. She thought it was her CP (we both have it) but it's the pins.

Daughter 2 would like to hide from her 4 boys (all adults) that are bickering with each other and now understands why I have the rule no calling Mom to complain about sibling. It's one thing to say, they are doing bad things and need help, another to use me as the B...hing post. 

Daughter 1 is still upset that every single one of us has told her to quit calling in middle of night to complain. Her oldest finally told her step dad what she was doing and he took her into her doctor. She's been drinking (on meds that she shouldn't be drinking with ) after he goes to bed and then calling the rest of us. She's in rehab (THANK HEAVENS)

Son 2 is still dealing with his heart issues but has gotten his BP down after breaking up with his ex girlfriend that was cheating on him (he knew it but kept taking her back and being crabbed at by his sisters over it). An old friend of his is a nurse and she asked him when he was going to be HIS own white knight in shining armor and save himself. He told the ex, he was done, announced it to all their joint friends and blocked her phone number and on social media. 

Son 1 went to doctor, has weight problems and high BP. He is going on meds to deal with it.

Grandkids are okay, Driving their parents nuts with their bickiering. I can't wait for the great grandkids to get old enough to start theirs LOL

It's Thursday

 Still have the mortgage to pay but the bank was updating when I went to transfer to mortgage co. Everything else is paid and a little back into savings.

Ordered softener salt and they added a limescale remover for the toilets as after almost 8 yrs we are now having issues with it. 

Hubby replaced the broken over flow pipe in the pond and did it wrong so he has to go back out and fix it. He made it too high (pond is still way low) I showed him the photo of it since he didn't have one himself. At least he doesn't have to dig it back up since he laid it where the old pipe was. E paid for the pipe as he hit it with his mower when he mowed around the pond after his horses was there. 

Hubby split more wood and stacked it in wood shed. He then pull other wood and brought to the front porch and in the house.

I still need to clean the grow cart and figure out where I am going to put it (used to sit where the wood stove it) 

I need to sort what I want to plant this spring vs plant in the fall. I will plant a lot of radishes as I know that is one thing M likes but can't plant it until late April, early May as she does in ground only. 

I need to figure out if I am planting potatoes as they need to be planted Good Friday. Peas are planted in March also. I will also be planting the hanging baskets with peas also.  I need to cut row cover for 2 of the beds, maybe 3.Good to do on a warm Feb early March day before planting.

I told Hubby I was not doing any spring cleaning until the wood stove is not in use... so probably May before that starts.

Enjoy the weekend coming up.

Prayers for peace

Stay safe

Blessed be

WOW... there is NOTHING on the to do list today!!!!!

 I hope you were sitting down for that one 😃!

This passed week done...

Bought Daughter 4 this table (actually a sofa table) BIG shout out to Big Sandy Super store, not only did they have what we were looking for , the person waiting on us focused on clearance and on sale items when we told her why we were shopping.She wasn't about selling expensive stuff. 

She is using it in the kitchen, she is NOT running all the appliances at the same time. Freaked us both out when we saw it plugged into power strip... She also turns OFF the power strip with nothing is on. 

Today she gets the dining table and chairs. It was cheaper for them to deliver it than us go back down and get it and take it to her. I wouldn't mind having it  myself but Hubby didn't like it as much.

Good thing as Hubby was asked to help work on the HAM radio trailer to prepare for the total eclipse that is coming through our area. They want to be ready for cell phones to not work, lack of water and gas etc. Computers might not work. They are also looking at having 5-10 posts through the county to help with aid.

I dealt with the last of the winter squash.I didn't have enough small butternut 😒.

Sorted out the garden seeds that will need to be started this month. 

Stuck in a jar of water, the sweet potato  that I saved for growing sweet potato slips. 

Pruned all the flowers except roses (not time yet).

Pruned blackberries, honey raspberries, red raspberries, and black raspberries. 

Weeded blueberry pots and old strawberry patches. Ordered new strawberry plants as I want a mix of everberring and Junebearing using a credit and coupon I had.

Used the points I had at Amazon to replace some items I gave Daughter 4 and to order some daylilies. So only spent $25. 

We ordered propane... Still have a credit after that fill. We should NOT need any propane until next heating season. 

Hubby cut and stacked 3 cords of wood (a cord is 8ft x 4ft x 4ft or 128 cubic ft.) of free wood from E.

Our grandfather clock quit working. Amish gentleman that made it for us pushed the clock maker to replace the workings. They expressed shipped it and he got it in this week.

Our tankless water heater shut it's self off. Hubby videoed the code flashing and sent it to our repair guy. Drain hose was plugged. So repair guy told Hubby to see if the water in the sump pump hole was up over it... it was. Just lifted it and placed over brace so it wasn't down in the water. No charge for the phone call and the heater is working. We think when they worked on the water softener it got knocked off the brace so Hubby fixed it so it won't happen again.

It's Chinese New Year's . Hubby offered to pick up take out from one of  Chinese restaurants. I told him I would just fix us something. I figure I can use a leftover steak, sliced up to strips from Christmas prime rib that I froze with mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, carrots and celery with a garlic ginger sauce of some type and tumeric rice. Maybe toss some onion, carrot and peas in the rice.

I updated the to do list for next week... 

Sunday is vaccines, that catches us back up.

Monday is primary doctor and pit stop at the Mennonite store to replace my knives I gave to Daughter 4 and the spices/herbs I am low on or out of as I gave her the last of it. 

Tuesday is chiropractice, Menards as we want to replace the smoke detectors and flashlights and pick up 4 ft industrail power strip fo Daugher 4.

Wednesday is pay bills and wash the grow cart to get ready for starting seeds.

Thursday is finish getting around the stuff for taxes so our preparer can have it and we just go in to sign it.Also making copies of all credit cards, license etc that Daughter 4 is having to replace. 

Nothing on Friday or Saturday. Might go see Hubby's parents.

Sometime I will start putting the seeds in the grow cart. 

Prayers for peace

Stay safe, do fire prevention.

Blessed Be

Over whelmed and Over loaded

 We ordered Daughter 4 a dining table and chairs. It was the last of furniture she was looking for. We also gave her our old metal yard chairs. She said she can get cushions for them.  We can take her off the OMG list. 

THEN had to put Daughter 4's granddaughter on the OMG list due to her shunt malfunctioning. Surgeon said it would have to be replaced as she grows. SIGH She's home and doing well. Now she's off the list

THEN Daughter 1 was diagonized with MS (she knew it was coming) but she went on a drinking binge and her Hubby had to deal with getting her help as she was blowing everyone's phones up in middle of night drunk after he went to bed for a solid week. Triggered 3 of the family that are recovered alcoholics that ended up blocking her as she would not stop calling even after asking her to not call after drinking when she was sober. I told him to get ahold of her doctor as I know the meds she is on, that she shouldn't be drinking at all. TO remove all alcohol from the house as she can't leave the house without help and to make it clear to family and friends to NOT bring any to her. He wasn't going with her to appts because he didn't have time off at work to do so. Appts are now made after he gets off work, Doc has scheduled them for last appt of the day for now on. She is still mad she was ratted out for drinking... in the long run we are okay with her not speaking to us (her daughters do) as it's what was best for her. She could have died with the combination. Hopefully she will be able to accept we were trying to save her life. The ones that blocked her have unblocked her. 

Son2 is having serious health issues due to burn pits in Iraq then had his now ex girlfriend's daughter let him know her mother was cheating on him and she told him in front of her mother. I can't imagine how that went down after he walked out. 

We got the propane tank filled. Last fill was in May. It's warm this week so we are back on the furnace. 

We have started garden prep work. Hubby has taken care burning the old asparagus ferns. and pruning apple trees. I started pruning the flower gardens. Still have pollinator gardens, herbs and all the berry vines to prune and weed. We have 2 more days , maybe 3 if the rain doesn't mess it up to get it all ready. 

I started my sweet potato to make slips. I do not plan to plant regular potatoes. We just don't eat enough of them as Hubby prefers sweet potatoes. I will put potatoes on the buy as needed grocery list.

I have my GI appt. Doc said I was doing great off of biologic and on Visbiome (VSL#3 orginal formula prior to 2016). All my numbers were great. Potassium good but could easliy drop on me even though folate and magnesium is where they should be. He thinks it's the diuretic I am on for heart failure.  ANYWAYS... I do not have to go back for a year unless I have a flare up I can't deal with at home.

I have NOT had a flare up at all even through all the stress (which has always sent me to ER for flare up even on biologic). 

I need to sit down (on rainy or cold day) and figure out what I am planting this year besides sweet potatoes and mortgage lifter tomatoes 

Stay safe

Pray for peace

Blessed Be

February to do list

 Call life insurance and find out why payment wasn't pulled for my and 3 of the kids's insurance. 

Calling our HVAC/plumbing and electric repairman as the water heater has dropped temperature. Not only needs fixed (probably replaced) but we want a bigger pressurized tank in the pump house so I don't have to take 45 minutes to fill a soaking bathtub when on solar power. 

Deal with the turkey carcuss that I roasted yesterday and could not bring myself to just toss it in the trash so made more broth SIGH.

Print copies of medical reports from other doctors for primary, cardiologist  and GI that is not in same network.

Call local dentist and see if they are accepting patients as our dentist closed their office. I've called 2 they recommended and they are full. 

Print off directions for quick oats, regular oats, minute rice and long grain rice I gave to Daughter 2, grandson wants to post it so he knows how to cook it.

Pick up cover for grow light cart being made by Amish tarp guy.

Check and process the winter squash in storage.

Prune fruit trees, berry vines and roses.

Fertilize raised beds, cover 2 beds for early spring planting and order strawberry plants.

Go shopping for dining table and chairs for Daughter 4, Son 2 and maybe us as the table we have is falling apart and the Amish guy said the veneer need replaced  and with the style of legs it's going to be very hard to do and expensive. The legs are also dried out to the point they are splitting in half.It's not stable any more. It's over 100 yrs old. I think we will move it to the barn loft to be used for sorting stuff.  

We are contacting our home insurance agent and making sure we are up to date.

Making sure our will etc is up to date. 

If I get 1/4th of this done I will be happy 

Daughter 4 update

Daughter 2's granddaughter had to have her shunt replaced as it stopped working. Surgeon said because she grew and as she grows it will have to be replaced so more of those happening but a normal thing for children with shunts. Scared the crap out of the family as they didn't remember that part.

 Daughter 2 found her a house to rent and helped her get a copy of her license so she could get a car. Local Buy Here Pay Here cut their down payment to help her. They are where her son bought his car which broke down at the time of the fire. He got it towed in and they are fixing it and just putting that bill on the loan he already has so no money out of pocket since I paid for the tow. 

Her landlord helped her find renters insurance, the agent went through the rental and not only made sure she was going to be covered , a list for the landlord of things that needed repaired (handy man already fixed most of it and will be working on garage when the other renter finishs getting his stuff out)was made  AND gave them the number for Red Cross to come put in smoke detectors. Salvation Army is also helping.

Daughter 2 started the go fund me plus got a local restaurant to do a fund raiser for her. She got a percentage of the sales that happened last Wednesday. 

Son2 had been gathering clothes for them and gave her 50% of his kitchen stuff.

Hubby's brother was clearing his rental house that his granddaughter was renting from him and donated beds her kids didn't want when they moved out and side tables, couch, and dishes from it. His sons own a church that donated cleaning products and bath towels and wash cloths. Daughter 4' s daughter also got a twin bed for her older daughter. 

MIL donated two sets of dishes, glasses, silverware, cups, coffee pot and filters, cooking utensils and casserole dishes.  

Daughter 4's uncle on biological side donated more furniture to her that had been her grandparents before they went to nursing home.

We dug out the old dog cage and cleaned it up (I cured onions on it) for Mace her surviving dog. They cage him when no one is home or when a lot of people are in the home. He doesn't like a lot of people around him at this time. We call it his den as she covered it so he could hide from people and feel safe. His mother was that way about at that age. We also gave some dog toys Charlotte does not play with but I kept from Rascal.

Tomorrow we are going to go find her a table and chairs for 6-8 people. They have nothing to eat on and she misses having family dinners. Her daughter only has a table for 4. There is 7 in the family. We do have a banquet table we can lend her until we find something. She said chairs do not have to match... Geeze I never had chairs that matched anyways in almost 50 yrs.

She has to be cleared by her doctor to go back to work (appt is today) and have the fire report (it's done but for some reason they can't get it to print, they say) and have her license.She ordered birth certificates and Social Security cards. Since she had her bank's app on her phone AND had her phone when she got out of the house. Habit of grabbing it when she got out of bed. She was able to do change of address on the app and then order new checks and debit card through the app. 

She is in therapy and going to meetings so she doesn't "toss away" (her words)  almost 10 yrs of being clean and sober. 

She has put aside some of the money coming in as she knows without a paycheck coming in for half the month, the next two months will be rough. She has bagged up what she knows she is donating and is dropping it off today.

Mental health day... I need a month at least, a year would be better.

 Yes I  made noodles

Update on daughter 4 She has a place thanks to Daughter 2 who had a friend willing to rent to her while she is still waiting for the fire report so she can go get her ID. She just keeps crossing to do things off her list. Her employer is now requiring her to have a release from her doctor before they will schedule her back to work, meaning no income to pay bills, gas to run car, or buy groceries. She can't get into her doctor until Feb 5th. Friend of Daughter 2's got a restuarant to do a donation night on her behalf. They are letting the gofundme acct sit as she wants try to hold off closing it out. Her older son that lives with her made full time!!!!

Red Cross is installing smoke detectors in the house she is now in. Salvation Army is paying deposits for utilites. She's had enough furniture donated that they can MAKE DO . She bought a frig off FB. We are helping Hubby's brother clean out his rental (was trashed by another family member he rented to so he is done renting it out). He told her if she didn't need it to sell it or donate it . He did not want to see it again. It is taking 3 trips with our trailer and truck full to get it all to her. Definetely things  she will be selling as I think they hoarded bed frames. 

We still have to finish moving stuff to her this week, tow Grandson's car to their new home and go to 2 medical appts that are over a hr away. I need to go to store also.

No one is getting more than 4 hrs sleep at a time in the family. SIGH

Update on Kira

 Kira is our youngest, she is also the one that has now fought cancer twice. First time we supported her financially for a solid year to keep her and the 6 dogs in the home. Jaxson, one of the dogs that died, was her emotional support dog that helped her as she was dealing with mental crisis and coming off drugs her ex boyfriend had been slipping in her drinks. He did not realize her doctor ran blood tests for her meds for bipolar and caught it. She turned him in while sitting in at doctor's office. That's was 2014. 

The house has been leveled. She watched, said it was a form of closure for her. 

She said yesterday morning, she had too many texts and questions for her to handle. With the joy her son and her were alive, with only 2nd degree burns, she has Mace, one of the 6 dogs. Brother to Charlotte. The grief of loss of her dogs, her home comes in storm's waves with the sand shifting under her feet. 

Her employer let her know they were going to have her line shut down for 3 wks. She got a different job and starts tomorrow. They are having to rent a car to get to work as their only car(her son's as her died last month) broke down. Had to get her older daughter to rent it and used the money I sent to pay for it. Son2 has a mechanic to look at the broke down car, he's paying for that.

She has found a new landlord that is going to show her what he has available as he has more than one rental available ,is okay with pets.  We scrapped our accounts to get up her deposit and first month rent. Rent in her area is $1000-$1500 a month(I went onto shock but her siblings that live there was like.. that's normal).  Son 2 in no longer complaining his mortgage went up due to taxes and property ins. Nor is he looking to move now either. LOL

Her and the boys are going to go through the clothes donated. We are trying to keep track of what came from who so what ever doesn't get used can either be given back or donated to Salvation Army.  

Red Cross could only put them in motel for a couple days and nothing for the dog. Family and friends took them in. 

People that were closing estates, or just hadn't removed stuff from their home from deceased family have offered what is sitting there to Son 2.

Son2 is retired military, the military family has been supporting him to help her. His boss told him if he needed off to help her or us all he had to do was say something. 

I am making a list for myself that she needs... will be sharing it with her and Son2. 

Please make sure you have fire safety planned, make copies of license and such, put imporant papers in  gun safe, lock box that is fire proof (which I have a cousin that the box was there but the stuff inside was ashes) or freezer.

Prayers for peace

Stay safe

Blessed be