Update on budget.

We came in UNDER budget even with being over budget with food buys

Our electric company doesn't do budget payments. They do leveling payments and every 3 months your payment changes.  I figured out what we averaged and then pay that amount each month. So we have a "credit" on the months the electric runs high like Dec and Jan with Christmas lights (even though they are LED) and electric lights that we don't use at all during the sunnier months.

I have been ordering 8 bags of salt instead of just a fill of 6 bags for delivery for our water softener. It's cheaper for us to rent and get it replaced every 2 yrs with the hard water we have, than buy a new one every 2 yrs. That cuts down on how many times I pay for a delivery charge by 2 times a year saving $5 a month. Hubby can handle pouring a bag of salt in the softener and when he can't E has offered to come over and do it for us as he does it for 2 other senior citizen neighbors.

I had our home/auto insurance checked and they lowered the cost by $5 a month based on where we live.

This month the new billing for internet/landline came in after Hubby called last month. Saving us $25 a month which is lower than what they quoted him.

Since my health OOP (out of pocket) is paid in full I had a credit at the chiropractic office of $175... they have been using it to pay Hubby's when he goes. I save $70/ month since I have my OOP paid...a 3 day stay at the hospital from my Crohn's wiped it out.

My primary doctor ordered my mammogram and dexa study(bone test) for this month since I do have the OOP paid I won't have to pay for these tests.

I will have my back injections this month and those will be paid for saving me $220.

We pay off credit cards in full each month to incur not interest charge.

Hubby was able to skip a payment (every 12 months the bank allows it) on his truck and we chose to make the payment. The bank said if we didn't use any of the skip payments it we would end up paying truck off 7-10 months early. That is a lot of interest saved.

We filled the jeep up once instead of twice as budgeted. We filled the old truck aka dog truck as it's the one we take the dogs in up twice instead of three times as budgeted. I do NOT budget the 350 truck. Hubby's hobby pays for EVERYTHING on that truck and the trailers. If he can't cover the cost he can sale the stuff right along with that truck according to him.

I used the dog food bags twice instead of trash bags. As long as I tape them shut they will accept it. Saves me 20 cents a month for something I was throwing away anyways.

We decided to not renew our Sam's club membership until we actually need it...if we need it. Walmart in our area has been beating the prices for the same amount. I am going to check out Gordan Food Service also as my brother said he buy a lot of bulk from them for his brother in law's youth church.

We will be using Daddy's whole house humidifier. I cleaned it the other day when it was warm outside and then looked for filters. I don't think Daddy or brother thought to replace the filter EVER. I found several sites with them, priced it out and got the best buy at Amazon with buying 3 instead of 1. This humidifier allows you to use softened water instead of distilled. SAVINGS will be $32 a month by using Daddy's over what we had. So that's a savings to look forward to, even better we won't have to go to town to get distilled water.

The baking soda that was in the refrigerators was used to clean with and to dump down drains with vinegar when I replaced it.

I asked M if she had any tips as I was trying to cut the budget. She uses Mr Clean, bleach, vinegar and baking soda for cleaning. She makes her own laundry soap (same recipe as mine). Uses a clothes line and drying rack for all. Keeps curtains closed on dark and cold  days,opens them up on sunny days (reverse that during the summer) and closes them BEFORE dusk to keep the warmth in. She bakes her desserts and cookies before her breads....that I don't do. I asked why and she said that way the kitchen is warmer so her bread rises easier.Getting bread to raise in this kitchen even in the hottest day of summer has been an issue. Mending was also mentioned and on a daily bases. Something I am behind on HA HA. She makes her own yogurt, catsup, mayo, butter, buttermilk, pancakes mix, harvest and cook down their maple syrup from their own trees. Offered to tap our trees next year. Saving for things or going without was two more mentions. Doing a routine cleaning lets her keep track of things that need fixed or replaced. Also not having a lot "pretties" keeps her time down on cleaning. She does use doilies or cloth to cover furniture to keep the dust down also. Less to wipe. She cleans windows weekly, let the sun in better so she uses less kerosene to burn lamps along with cleaning her lamps daily. I also clean my lamps daily and used to do the windows weekly. I replaced my squeegee this week when it was on sale 50 % off. I got two so I wouldn't go without again.

We are still talking over the grocery budget. 

When a simple thing is a major milestone.

Hubby is definitely one for eating out or picking up take out.
Yesterday we had our chiropractic appt and I knew he would complain he was hungry and needed to eat afterwards SO I made an early lunch of odds and ends and made sure I pointed out we had leftover roast and veggies or could eat bfast items for our dinner.

He did ask when we left the appointment if we were still eating the roast or bfast for dinner and I said FIRMLY yes. MILESTONE he didn't bring it up again like he usually does.

I told him I have a menu for Nov.  Every other Sunday is sausage gravy and biscuits. The other Sundays is bacon.  Mondays are oven baked meals. Tuesday is breakfast for dinner, Wednesday is pasta including his requested mac and cheese and smoke sausage a couple times. Thursday will float between chicken, turkey, beef,beans and pork. Friday is pizza, French pizza, calzones or appetizers. Saturday also floats between beef, chicken, turkey, beans and pork.  I don't bother to plan bfast or lunch as it's something we can always find to eat without much cooking. He did call me last night and said "I know pizza is on the menu for tomorrow but we have a free pizza coming so can I pick it up tonight since I am already here getting fuel for the truck, gas and kerosene for E ? YES, that just moves the beef and noodles (M's homemade noodles) and mashed potatoes and cole slaw to Friday. As we bumped pasta night due to leftovers from roast.

I told him I would like to make the 2000 gallons of propane I ordered for this coming heat season (plus we have propane water heater and cook stove) to last 24 months... I got 1600 to last 17 months and feel that if he gets done with the air barrier this month we should be able to get it stretched that much. I just ordered our first tank for the heating season. We averaged 10 % of the tank during the heating season last year so I do have a bench mark to go by during Nov through April. He asked how I thought we could do that as it's dropping fuel by 400 gallons a year. Getting the house insulated better. Multi dishes in the oven. Using the air fryer over deep frying or for small baking as our electric is cheaper than our gas. I also did not do any canning outside like I did the year before so I can go back to that using the grill tanks for canning (which runs cheaper in the summer) We didn't have a place set up for it this year at the barn so that needs to be set up by spring when the asparagus comes on.

He put insulator board up at 2 areas that was allowing cold air to come in at where a heat vent was in the dining room and took a board to the pump house in case we need it at that door WITHOUT me nagging. Called Son 2 to find out if he could come up the 9th and help him put air barrier in.

I rewrote the punch list with the thoughts of doing 3-4 things a week. Going through boxes in the barn is going to be a long time of dealing with. I have found a couple places to put Daddy's bedroom dressers. I just need to do some changing around to get them moved in. Not the priority right now.

I spent  2 hrs putting insulators in the switches and outlets before I ran out. Ordered more to start again on Tuesday since Monday I have a doctor's appointment for my back pain. I have no other errands to run with this appointment.

I started inputting the pantry inventory on a spreadsheet. I will finish doing it this weekend and start monitoring what we eat and what we need to eat. ANOTHER MILESTONE as I have inventoried before but never put it in a form I could monitor it other than look and go OH WE ARE LOW. It should help me look for sales better and not over spend other places. I have a clip board that I am going to rig to hang with a pencil in the basement stair case  to mark off what I bring up to use AND what I take down to stock.

While he was checking to make sure we had what we needed for air barriers as he didn't want Son 2 to show up and then have to go get stuff... Hubby found 2 holes in between the kitchen porch roof and the roof to the house that was letting tons of air in. He shoved some loose insulation in it but is going out tomorrow to see what we have that he can use to close those holes up.

Hubby stopped over to E and M's to drop off some fish we had in the freezer from his fishing trip. His buddy had packed too large of amount for us and Son 2 didn't come up with his bike buddies for a fish fry. I don't want it getting freezer burn and going to waste. M said it was perfect as they would be gone all day Friday but everyone was going to be home on Saturday. Hubby mentioned he thought they would be gone longer as she had 8 loaves of bread rising...until I told him they eat 5-6 loves a DAY. I will add when they eat sandwiches,there is only 1 slice of bread. They eat open face sandwiches most the time. She bakes 12- 15 loaves depending on what is left on Saturdays. He didn't remember we ate 3-4 loaves a day with the kids all home with a couple of us not being much of bread eaters.

I am doing NANOWRIMO ... AKA Nano... National novel writing month during the month of Nov. It's 50,000 words in 30 days.  I try to do it every year, haven't always made the 50,000 words due to work load. This year I am keeping the work load down, working on a routine and writing.

No appetite fatigue.

Tuesday
I did 2 loads of laundry and hung them on the kitchen clothes line.

I turned off the furnace and opened the house to air out.

Found the dust mop head that has been missing since the rooms were painted in my snow boot.

Ran Afresh through the clothes washer.

Unloaded the dishwasher and put the dishes away, reloaded the dishwasher and set it on delay cycle to wash during the night.

Cleaned both toilets.

Cleaned both bathroom sinks.

Cleaned the kitchen sink.

Took 2 naps.

I was going to eat leftover mac and cheese but it didn't taste right to me so I didn't eat it. Ate cheese,pepperoni and crackers for lunch instead. Had nachos for dinner that helped me start breathing better but it was medium salsa instead of mild so it triggered my acid reflux and tummy got ticked at me over it even though I took my acid reflux med before eating. I'll check the label better on the salsa for sure next time.

Watched master class on the British bake off.

Took over 7000 steps during the day. (Fitbit tracker).

Hubby got in around 8 and didn't stop talking until close to 10...he isn't much of a talker to begin with. He really enjoyed the day.

Wednesday

Hubby off to deliver the food that was sent back with him yesterday and check on the newest arrival in the community. E's baby brother wife went in to labor so baby should be ready to start meeting everyone especially when he was dropping off food to them anyways.

I have the only load of laundry for the day out on the kitchen porch clothes line.

I turned off the furnace and opened the house to air out.

I need to think about how to change how I store my baking pans etc as I have picked up more and want to start baking more.

I need to get the summer stuff tubs finished packed so Hubby can take it to the barn to store when he gets back

Tummy seems to have forgiven me for yesterday's salsa but not sure what to eat today that won't trigger anything. I haven't ran a fever in 24 hrs... I might have jinxed myself on that.

Did another load of laundry of summer curtains from the bathroom and laundry room. Those winter curtains are now up along with the ones in the lofts.

Fixed quesadillas for dinner after eating toast for lunch. Tummy doing okay.

I straightened part of the bedroom. I still have the dresser to unbury from stuff from when rooms were painted.

Sent Hubby a picture of the east loft attic door that had blew open with the winds. He now has that moved up the to do list as he was looking at doing it late Nov.

THAT was Wednesday and now is MONDAY...

Tomorrow is my last day of antibiotics, I will be back on my biologic YEAH. Never thought I would look forward to getting a shot.

We have been working at getting things done as the weather is turning quickly. Below average temps starting this Friday... after a day of soaking rain and 40 mph gusting winds with the temp dropping to low 30's or high 20s. I feel for the ones out Trick or Treating that night.

We have been eating from the pantry. Not as balanced as I would like but at least we are eating. But neither of us feels up to cooking much.

We got fuel at Krogers using points.

 I inventoried the pantry (not freezers). Variety is abundant. So we shouldn't get appetite fatigue. Ten varieties of dried beans, 2 more of canned.Eight different rices and 12 different grains not including corn meal or wheat flours. I have enough fruit and veggies for a couple meals each day  NOT counting what has been frozen as I have 3 large deep freezers, 1 small deep freezer (think 6 turkeys and 6 hams size) and 3 refrigerator freezers... all bottom drawer freezers... and yes Hubby decided to keep the old frig that is NOT reliable... it holds things that can handle getting warm and not going bad like mustard and ketchup, etcThe next time it goes down He can be the one to deal with it and that will change his mind LOL.

Best thing is the small deep freezer is almost empty and ready for the turkeys and hams and the one frig freezer only has the peach juice I need to make into syrup and jelly and it will be empty.  Didn't think I would ever feel good seeing empty space in my freezers but at this time of year that means I have room for turkeys, hams and desserts.

ANYWAYS.... I have 39 different pastas... and figures when he saw the list he asked why I didn't have the ditalini.... hum...because I haven't found it on sale for the price I am willing to pay for it. We can have a different pasta every week for 39 weeks and he points at 1 that isn't there. SIGH.

We had to go to the store and restock perishables. Decided to stop over to E and M's and ask if they needed anything. E has been trying to get the last cut of hay in, his corn shocked (tee pee the corn stalks to store in the field and pick the corn later off the stalks)  with 2 soaking rains in the next couple days and freezing temps along also and M is pregnant with the 4 little ones at home as the older 4 are in school. I didn't see her loading the little ones up to drive the buggy into town and get groceries and back on her own. We got  3 gal of homemade noodles and a warm loaf of fresh bread for going for her.

We get in the store and Hubby checks out the meat sales... I pass the grocery list to him and I go for the meat sales and dairy.

I got the buy one get one sales of beef  and had coupons for smoked sausage and bulk sausage so got 10 of each ( total 30 as I got 10 mild bulk and 10 hot bulk and 10 smoked). I got 2 bacon that I had coupons for that was marked down also.
I got 2 bags of frozen chicken that was on sale and I have coupons for both of them. Hubby loaded up his cart with produce that was on sale that we could put in the freezer such as berries and pineapple. He also got coffee,canned mackerel  and coke as it was on sale and what I drink.  I picked up the dairy after the meat. No sales or coupons there except for the cheese I got 2 packages of thin Swiss cheese as we eat it on casseroles during the fall and winter.

I need to put the inventory on a spread sheet and mark off what I use.  I did find that I was low in a couple things that I thought was being kept some where else and it wasn't. I ordered it from Amazon along with another order that was sitting until things went on sale. I can't remember the last time I used my almond extract but I was completely out. I'd spend more in gas that I did by ordering it and I know of 4 recipes Hubby has asked me to make calls for it.

We still have not ordered propane. It's paid for in full so that's not what is holding us up. When I called the other day about ordering it, we aren't down to the OH WE NEED PROPANE mark LOL...she asked if I could call back end of month to order it to be delivered the first week of Nov as they knew the price was going down a bit. Even though I have paid in full we get the lower price but never charged more if it goes above what I paid.

Hubby took down the garden to start pulling up weed barrier so he could mow the whole area.... he found poblano peppers around the cabbage. He told me the cabbage was not good that the worms had gotten it but when he started pulling it up he realized that within a couple layers of leaves the head were good. I have 16 cups of freezer slaw and 11 cabbages tightly wrapped with press and seal wrap in the frig produce drawers of the old frig. I want to finish the last of the cabbage with cabbage lasagna and unrolled cabbage rolls. I want to make for supper Lidia's torte di polenta which is polenta "cake" sliced and filled with a filling of cabbage and potatoes cooked and mashed together with cheese. Old Italian recipe that my Nonna used to make but I forgot about until Hubby had was Lidia cook show on PBS.

Errands are tomorrow as we have chiro. I want to stop at Aldi's that is close to the appt to see if I can fill in the holes...

update on deck and Staying frugal when you are the one sick

Railing needs to be done, bottom enclosed and a small ramp to go over the door jam but it's usable for now. I love the red reflection of the barn on the French doors.

The 4 feet wide ramp goes to the sidewalk that runs from the front of the house to the barn. The sidewalk 36 inches wide so a wheelchair will fit nicely after I finish moving some of the flowers that are in the flower garden beside that over whelm the sidewalk during the summer.

I was going to work on the railing this month BUT

I am sick. Even my antibiotic is making me nauseated. Exhaustion haunts me. Sleep cycle is out of whack. I love my Fitbit for tracking this for me. Part is I can't go get my back injection while sick and the other is just from being sick. I called the doctor yesterday to whine about the antibiotic making me nauseated.My doctor and his head nurse whom is his wife are friends so they know me very well. I was told to suck it up (in more polite terms) and eat before and after taking the meds and to quit trying to get things done and go lay down and rest so I don't relapse like I did last year. Suggested I start my anxiety med and my Vit D for my SAD. IF I still get nauseated to take the nausea meds I have.He will call in a refill if I need it. TO GO LAY DOWN. I took 2 naps and slept better during the nap then I did during the night.

Sigh.

I don't know if it's good that your medical doctor knows you that well...LOL

Still if I lay that much my back hurts worse and I don't sleep if I don't get enough movement during the day...

I have done 2 loads of laundry a day, both were able to be hung on the kitchen porch clothes line. It's been nice even when the rain came in so I opened up the house and let it air out.

I stripped my bed, washed everything but only tossed a blanket over the top of it to sleep on as I am now washing it every day until I get well.   IF I wake up cold I know the dogs aren't sleeping with me. I usually have the snuggler.

I don't know which one of them took the pillowcase off the other pillow but all the pillows got washed because of it. I really need to not use light colors on the bed.

I said something to Hubby about meals and his answer was Arby's, Pfeiffer Station (Wed meatloaf, Thurs beef and noodles), Jump n Jim's (gas station with good pizza) Subway, Wendy's, Michael Angelo's pizza which we haven't tried yet. He did add he would heat veggies and chill canned fruit to go with it and pay for it out of his hobby money.

I just looked at him.

Right now he is running hard to help the neighbors with fall stuff to be ready for winter. He made a trip to Indiana today to take canning jars and an ice house for E's in laws. Since word went out he was going 3 other families added to that load that needed things dropped off in that area. E's in laws are making sure the rest gets  to where it's suppose to go. They covered his costs plus he gets 3 Amish cooked meals and got $ for as a tip for doing this at the last minute. The driver that was suppose to take it got sick and is in hospital.

Meals we have ate

Spicy chili I canned for Hubby, I ate tomato soup.
mac and cheese and smoked sausage with Brussels sprouts
cheese and meat tray with pickles and pickled beets
sausage gravy and biscuits with peas and carrots
Scrambled eggs with applesauce with biscuits
Philly steak subs with leftover beef from freezer and onions and mushrooms.

Since Hubby is getting fed today by Amish I am eating on my own. I had meat and cheese and crackers with juice for lunch. I'll eat eggs for dinner as we are being over ran with eggs at the moment since I am sick and Hubby doesn't fix eggs for himself let alone the 3 dogs. Wilbur and Rascal no longer have skin issues since we been giving them cooked eggs once a week.Charlotte loves her eggs also.

I think this week will be

bean and meat burritos with taco meat from freezer. Salsa and tortilla chips

Loaded omelets (with grits for Hubby)

123 pasta (1 onion, 2 cups protein and 3 cups veggies which is already cooked and in freezer) with garlic cheesy bread made from sub buns (in freezer)

Reuben casserole with rye spiral bread(in freezer)

French bread pizza using sub buns (in freezer)

IF he is home for lunch then I will add
quiche
Big eggs( aka frittata using left overs for filling)

For desserts this week WHEN I feel up to it....

Sunshine salad (orange jello with shredded carrot, Hubby puts Miracle whip on top of it, Mother always put mayo)

pumpkin pie and double layer pumpkin pie

Spice cake with apple butter filling

snicker doodle bread (new recipe)

I need.... okay want ... to make some noodles while I am baking so I can us the warmth of the oven to dry my noodles.

I'm tired so I guess it's time to lay down again.


 

CELEBRATE

The Pantry is stocked.

IF I find blueberry pie filling, peach pie filling, Italian green beans (our favorite for one pot ham, potatoes and green beans) and small black olives I will pick some up as we are low in these areas but if we run out, it's not a issue.

I canned pomegranate molasses and am working on balsmatic vinegar reduction today.

I have beets to finish. We decided to can them plain so I can make some different chutneys with them.Hubby has been recipe surfing and has over a dozen bookmarked.

I have  a few tomatoes to deal with

I have cabbage (hopefully the bugs haven't ate it completely) in the garden to come in this weekend.

I have red onions to pickle.

I have yellow onions to make in to marinade.

BUT the pantry is stocked. I need to straighten it up and finish inventorying it but no more looking for bargains.

 We would like a ham and a turkey. I don't think we need more than that as I have brisket still that needs ate first.

Annoying Hubby

During our 1 hr and 15 min drive to the doctor office (yes, I am sick again but nothing serious as we "caught" that I was sick fast. Allergies went into infection in my throat and ear.) Hubby mentioned there was things I was doing that annoyed him.

My first thought was not using the dryer and his clothes being stiff followed by me dancing at 2 pm to my alarm and getting Wilbur to "dance" with me.

Maybe keeping the curtains closed until the sun comes up, closing them when it goes down during the winter.

Weird things I make and can starting with trying to decided which beet marmalade/chutney to make (we decided to just can plain beets and make different chutney's from them when we couldn't decide between 6 different chutney's and I am not canning that many without tasting them first.

Eating part of something (apple, banana etc) and putting the rest of it in frig wrapped???

NOPE

It's washing plastic bags of all sorts followed by washing foil and putting it on the kitchen porch clothes line in front of the kitchen window.He doesn't want to wash any of it but is okay if I do, just doesn't want to see it when looking out the kitchen window. I can tell you the only time he looks out that window is when he is pouring a cup of coffee.

I don't make enough sausage gravy and biscuits and I don't cook bacon often enough and he wants mac and cheese with smoked sausage more often.

He wants 3 to 4 desserts, ice cream in the house and cookies every week. He still needs to lose 40 pounds to be down to where the doctor wants him and I am right where I should be.

Since he knows I am not going to change my lifetime habit of washing out plastic bags (I toss greasy or raw meat bags) and foil ... as my parents did this when I was a child... we agreed I would hang them on the other end of the kitchen porch when he wasn't seeing them when standing at the kitchen sink window when getting his coffee.

The man eats 2 lbs of bacon in a meal. THICK sliced bacon. He agreed to 1 lb. a meal so the 1 1/2 lbs packages I buy would be 1 meal for both of us with some left over for crumbles.  THEN we could have bacon twice a month instead of once a month.  The other 2 weeks of the month could be sausage gravy and biscuits. We both miss taking Daddy out for sausage gravy and biscuits every other Sunday. Daddy don't miss it because the nursing home serves it every Sunday morning.

 I could put mac and cheese and smoked sausage on the menu every other week.

Three to four desserts,ice cream and cookies when he needs to lose weight was the biggie for me.

He didn't want to but agreed that I could cut the desserts and he only took ONE serving and I had to check his serving of ice cream as he will take a pint (used to be a quart) as a serving.

I would bake cookies but only keep out 1 dozen for the week.
A 6 inch fruit pie or a 8 inch cream/custard pie
A 8 inch round or square cake or brownie single layer.
A jello dessert or jello salad
A pudding or custard if the pie was fruit.
Ice cream but he could not have it daily.

BUT he had to quit putting stuff in the one frig freezer where I will put this stuff as I will make 2 of the cakes and make cookie dough to freeze. He mentioned he thought that frig was full of other stuff... I definitely need to be checking that freezer.

HE asked for more casseroles, roasts with veggies and meat pies. Two years ago it was "I want my steak, pork chops and short ribs. "

My doctor did suggest I go back to drinking my "medicine" teas and eating from the rainbow. Asked if I needed it in writing to show Hubby. He texted him instead of writing it... good to have your doctor and Hubby be friends.

Since I pretty much have enough stocked of the different colors it isn't going to cost us much. I do wish my eggplant would have grown, not something Amish grow around here.

Blessed Be

Photos..

Starting with Charlotte.  The 3 dogs and I were in the barn getting winter items. On the last load I told the dogs to go to the house. Watched all 3 go out the door and turned to pick up the last load to take to the house... LESSON LEARNED... STUPID will go back in behind your back and HIDE.  AND then when you go looking for her 15-20 min later you will see this

Wilbur and Rascal were sitting on the deck just looking at her. Guess they decided that since she didn't come out of the barn with them she could just stay in the barn. Usually they will bark if she is stuck some where like, the upstairs loft over the kitchen when the door gets shut. , the basement when the door is shut after she went down and Hubby thought she went outside something along that line. They went and did this when I let her out of the barn. Rascal being black makes him blend in some.

I have put in the pantry...

popcorn

corn in the freezer

candy onions in the crates

green tomatoes in the freezer

tomatoes and apple butter in the pantry

more apple butter 

from all these apples

I cleaned out flower

pots and found Daikon radishes and onions

We went to Stites (damaged and past best buy date place) and spent $50 for this

I saw this there and think if I have time I might make some for us

A young Amish lady I bought beets from while she was in the hospital having a C section came over to tell me that I left too much and she could either pay me the difference in beets or cash... KNOWING they don't have insurance and money is really tight for everyone as gardens didn't do well and those that earn their money through the produce auction was barely making enough to cover their costs. I chose the beets. THEN she told me that she had asked her mother in law for some beets because N's wife is her sister and her sister told her I couldn't find beets. SO I bought those beets also. 

 I am canning plain beets for my foster sister and mother as they don't can any more and are the only ones that like beets. Since I am canning them anyways. I will also make beet jam and beet and red onion marmalade. I have never done those before but it will be something different if I get it right.

THEN a friend called me asking if I knew where he could get 10-15 lbs of beets by Friday so he could dehydrate them. YEP I sure do. I will stop over and let her know.

I am still caulking and putting the house back together from being painted. There are a couple things I have misplaced...one being the hooks to the dining room curtains. Since mornings are in the 30s I definitely want curtains up and since I am not willing to go buy something I KNOW is here some where. I used clothes pins.

I pinned them so we could open and shut them with only moving 1 clothes pin.

Hubby walked over to the neighbors to help with a horse and he got a ride home

Not the usual to see an Englisher in the buggy.

Hubby spent some time working on the deck ramp. Not as far along as he had hoped to be due to rain coming in but at least the digging part is done

I took him to Lock 16 in Lima for his birthday. He got his steak but also go these scallops that were wrapped in bacon. He loves seafood but doesn't eat much of it here in Ohio since he was spoiled by fresh seafood while living in Alabama for work.

I think this will always be my favorite picture of him. 

 

The Harvest moon was this weekend... I am thankful for what I did get raised and thankful for those that were willing to provide me with more to make sure my pantry was full.

The sky was a violet color and it was wonderful to see.

Blessing on all of you

Spent the day working together

On Friday and  Hubby figured out that he moves like a snail (his words) and I am a Belgian plow horse. Since he said it in front of E, he got ribbed over the comment. Yes, I take breaks but I don't side track or wonder off to check something that has nothing to do with what I am working on. I will send a memo to myself on my phone to check it later. NOR do I look at my phone every time a notification or text comes in.It took him 6 hrs to scrape and paint a trim on the house that should have only took him 2 hrs. Since E was going up and down the road he could see him and how he was doing where I was inside working , E came over to see why it was taking Hubby so long.

The items still on the to do list
Mine:

finish stocking the pantry

finish inventorying the pantry

cut and sew the winter curtains for the bedroom

hang the rest of the winter curtains up (have 50% up)

finish 72 things off the energy audit list. I am fall cleaning while I do the audit stuff.

build, paint laundry room closet

install deck railing.

Hubby

the trim has been painted that wasn't on his list but should have been.

He has 1 board STILL to cut to finish the deck and then start on the ramp

He looked at the list he made and realized he is going to working outside in the cooler weather when he really should have had that stuff done and be working in the attics before we start getting freezing temps. E talked to him about taking care of the home on the way over to get some lumber for E's calf barn.

I wrote up a routine...AGAIN... BUT this one includes me spending time doing National Novel Writers Month that starts Nov 1st.

It worked for over the weekend.

disagreement and frustration.

Hubby and I have been doing a lot of talking about our lack of routines or what messes up the routines we have... lots of talking and lots of ideas. AND then I clued in after a frustrating difference of opinion.

First we have things needing done from the energy audit. Do this will savings us $$$ in the long run while it is costing us $ in the now. There is 120 items. I could do all of it myself if I had to.

Second we have the remaining 139 things on the punch list that we set a deadline of 2 yrs (now into year 2) to finish except for big projects aka basement ramp redone and the gravel in all places. Those items were set at 4 yrs. I average 8 items per month. Hubby averaged 1 item every 3 months. This is going to take both of us to work on to get it done in that time frame. And 1 every 3 months isn't going to get it done.

Third there is the daily living items...

Mine is meals,(planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning up, cleaning frigs) home blessing (decluttering, dust, shine, swish, swipe, sweep, mop and vacuum along with burn trash and half the time take the other trash to the can or/and to the road) Laundry (sort, wash, dry (clothes line or drying rack) iron if needed mend if needed) Putting the food up, maintaining the pantry. Being the one to manage the finances for the home.

Hubby is in charge of keeping all vehicles maintained.We schedule health appts that we both need together to save fuel $. I try to schedule my others... so I can combine them with other errands.

We both do yard and garden jobs. We both do repairs on the home.We both take care of the dogs. We both drive Amish or elderly that don't drive any more or take messages to those without a phone or to the English neighbor who forgets to charge her house and cell phone and her kids are worried since she isn't answering. 

Hubby is doing more hauling this year than expected due to 3 other haulers down on medical or retired out. The one that retired out is back as semi retired and the medical ones are starting back slowly.

I clued in to that he was trying to pay back the money he spent on all 3 trailers in this year. Unrealistic goal. I did business management in college. He also wanted to have his truck paid off 2 yrs early... that might be possible if he wasn't trying to pay back the trailers even with just a paying hobby which is what he is doing.Which is why he started booking so much that he wasn't home for 12-14 hrs 5 to 6 days a week.

I also clued in when he wanted me to do something that he offered to do for someone else even though doing so meant I lost 2 days of doing my own work right in the middle of me canning and trying to caulk 3000 plus square feet of this home and he had a poor attitude with my response.

I refused and told him to call the person and tell them he couldn't do it or change what he was doing to get it done. I went to bed upset, angry and woke in the middle of the night with a mild Crohn's flare up.

The next day we were on the road for several hours. Nothing like being in a car where you can't just walk away. I did tell him it was a conversation not a dialog
so he needed to at least acknowledge he was listening. He was really upset that it flared my Crohn's but he understood it wasn't the disagreement it was the fact he disrespected me by not acknowledging the amount of work I already do. Funny thing is he has constantly told others I save him more money than I could earn (after taxes especially ) when he was working in the factory. Wonder how he thought I did that ?

We realized that he doesn't really understand the time it takes to care for a home even though he was a single parent with custody of his 2 kids. He did a pick up and maybe a dust and run the vacuum a couple times a month. His daughter cleaned the bathroom and kitchen as she said she couldn't' stand it otherwise...she was 10. He never saw his mom clean the home , his mom said he was either in the fields or one of his grandmothers did it while he was in school since she worked outside the home. Never saw his ex clean their home. It threw him I knew that average amount of time it took me to keep this much space cleaned on a regular bases and how long it took to fall/spring clean. How much time it takes me to do the finances, do the meals etc. Processing food changes all the time. When it comes in, everything else is put on hold.

But he realize I actually work over 40 hrs a week in maintaining the home. Add to that the energy audit, the punch list, and filling the pantry I am doing closer to 70 hrs plus and when I have to do the mowing because he hasn't done it add about 20 hrs to my work.

I bit my tongue to keep from saying most single parents do that. It used to be most women and a lot of women still do when they work outside the home but I know a lot of men that are doing that now especially when they have kids.

I did convince him that paying back one trailer a year with his paying hobby is really good and then after that is all back he can focus on paying off the truck. I told him to wait another year before he decided to make it a business , it will cost more to do but  he could do more hauling also... or stay with a hobby. He also knows he is going to have to focus on blocking time to do his work at home and if he does it as a business he will need to block time also.Amish have no issue when you say I can't do that due to work at home as they do it themselves.

Since tomorrow is his birthday and I am taking him to Lock 16 over in Lima (where he orders steak always) he is going to pick up his hubcap he ordered for his truck last month since we will be right down the street so no extra $ spent on fuel to get it.

 He asked if I could write down what part of our routine is working and some thoughts on what to change to get things done and taken care of without the stress to talk about while driving over, during the meal and driving home.  I wanted to bang my head on the wall.. or better bang his head as I have done this several times and the monkey wrench has been him adding to MY work load.  AND I POINTED THAT OUT...

I said I might as well be single and do everything myself.

Can I do all the work on the lists and not put myself in the hospital doing so... YES if I plan it out and refuse to do anything he has promised to another without asking me if I can fill in if he can't do it.It will take longer to do.

BUT that means I have to change MY routine to add that load to be done without his help.

Is this a solution ... not to my way of thinking but I am so over stressing because it's not getting done, I see $$$ floating away that doesn't need to be and I am definitely tired of the constant "I can't get to it because I told so and so I would do this" even though it's on his work calendar he has other work to do and then I have to either ignore it needs done and is costing us money or go into crisis mode and deal with it.

Frugal steps in past week.

We are still trying to work on getting routines beyond getting up at 4-5 am and going to bed at 8 pm.

Meals

Breaded chicken tenders and steak fries. Pickles and pickled beets (Thursday)

Spaghetti with meat balls and green beans (Friday)

Leftover Spaghetti with meat balls with mushrooms, bell pepper and onion added and applesauce (Saturday)

Spicy (not hot) cinnamon pork chops served in bed of apple butter with Brussels Sprouts roasted with apple and served with a basmatic vinegar, honey and dried cranberries dressing. (Sunday)

Cube steak with gravy,mashed potatoes and breaded mushrooms (last in freezer, good thing as we really don't like the breading on them) (Monday_

Pork cubes with pineapple and bell pepper served over rice and pot stickers (Tuesday)

Six meals cooked and out of pantry. That's a big deal as we have "snacked" our way through most of the summer. ROUTINE NEEDED !!!!

Hubby called our internet home phone provider and saved us $23.45 and kept the same services.

Last night Hubby asked why the house was up to 75 and then dropped 20 min later to 72... my answer... you propped the door open for the dogs so you wouldn't have to get up and let them in . He got up and shut the door.

Canning has been helping keep the house warm. I now have another 30 pints of applesauce and another batch of apple butter to make.

Winter bedding being washed and dried on clothes line off and on this coming week.

Hubby used leftover weed barrier from gardens to put under the stone under the steps to the deck. He has enough to put under the ramp when he starts working on it. We will have to widen the driveway as when he turns in with the trailer he ends up in the grass. That's next year's to do.

The oil lamp is lit every morning and every evening.

The furnace is turned on at 8 pm to 72 and then turned off at 6 am. The house drops to 62 but warms back up with the sun shining. Dark days it stays on the cool side.We still have not had to have the 1st propane fill of the heating season. Last year we were about half way through the tank.

We figure I have 10 days to finish fall cleaning and caulking. Our frost is usually around the 15th, last year it was a freeze.

I found another pair of tennis shoes in the winter shoe Rubbermaid. Since it still had tags on it I thought one of the granddaughters passed them to me. Not a style I have seen them wear but I don't care about the style of my tennis shoe that I wear around the house. But daughter 4 thinks it came from her younger son's grandma in his dad side as she wears the same size as me and she had gave Daughter 4 several pair of crocs and she thought a pair of tennis shoes. Daughter 4 kept the crocs as that size is too big for me in those shoes. I wear a 4 in children's crocs, and they were 6's in the crocs.

Our HVAC guy came down to do a repair on insulation on a heater vent that his guys forgot to tape closed. While here he installed the whole house surge protector. BECAUSE he was coming down for a repair he did not charge us the $53 trip fee and took 10 % off of the installation fee since we gave him the information and where we bought it from as he has had 2 more customers ask for it.

I canned 36 jelly jars of apple butter, froze 9 cups of corn and shelled 1 pint of popcorn.

I told Hubby that the next 10 days is getting stuff done off the energy audit and fall cleaning. That he is on his own for bfast and lunch but I would try to have dinner on the table at 5. IF he isn't going to be home at that time he needs to let me know so I can eat and just make him a plate. Instead of me waiting until he gets home to fix something.

I did more laundry and line dried. Told Hubby we are about to the time of using the drying rack over night.I hope to find another drying rack within my price point soon.

I started the fall cleaning in the front room as I am also caulking baseboard and windows there also. I got half of the room done, was feeling a bit bad about not finishing until Hubby reminded me that most rooms at 12 ft by 12 ft and our front room is 24 ft by 24 ft. So it's the size of 2 rooms. I also replaced the window insulation seal that had went bad on 2 of the windows. Figure that the other 2 will need theirs replaced.

There has been 2 fires, 1 a sawmill and another a calf barn in the past week. Last month a barn burnt down and a couple months before that a house did while the family was at Church. Amish community have already rebuilt the house and the barn. Yesterday Hubby said he stopped by the calf barn to see if they needed help and they were sending people down to the sawmill which was just 1/2 mile down the road because they had plenty of help. Today Hubby is hauling lumber in to the sawmill. No one has been hurt but the lectures of fire safety is going strong.

Monday Watching the fog roll in

after it's rained off and on during the night. Will be having a slow drying day for sure. Since the laundry room has been torn apart since last Saturday , I definitely need to do the laundry today and there is a lot of it.Since there is a small pond at the yard clothesline I will use the kitchen line and the drying rack for any thing that there is no room for. It took me 4 hrs to fall clean the laundry room and then do all the caulking in that room on Saturday. Only 12 more rooms to do.

I ordered the King Arthur Flour items, used a discount, got free shipping and now have 4 more discounts. SO that is off the Oct goal list

I ordered the Amazon order, using a couple credits I had and they had coupons. SO that is off the Oct goal list.I have one thing that was damaged that I will have to return.

We have put the Christmas money aside and paid 4 bills. So far on budget...good thing to say on the 1st day of the new budget.

Hubby put the steps on the south side of the deck so I can use the deck to go to the yard clothes line or the pump house. We decided to move it to the end of the deck towards the barn or it would have been right at the bathroom window. Hubby forgot to put the window in the drawing of of the house. 😏

We shifted the deck 2 ft to the north as I didn't want to have to "dodge" the grill when I opened the one French door.Something else he didn't think of. It should work out nicer since that's the side of the ramp and now we can take it straight to the sidewalk that goes to the front of the house without putting any concrete at the sidewalk.

We looked at ideas of the railing, decided on using the extra feed panels we have from the garden, 4x4 treated posts.... some 8 ft tall to come up from the ground so I can hang baskets and the hummingbird feeder from them.Maybe a shelf for eating at or sitting potted plants on. I told Hubby I would wait on the railing until he is done with the ramp and see what is left for me to use so we weren't buying something that we don't need.

I canned 14 pints of applesauce on Saturday after doing the laundry room. M sent over 12 ears of corn late Saturday night. I think she was done canning for the weekend.That's added to the tomatoes I am working on this morning, the apple butter I have simmering right now and the rest of the apples.

I have 1/3rd of the pantry inventoried. Would have been more but Hubby and I were talking about the condiments like mustard (not pickles or relish as I count them as veggies)and he felt I should inventory that also. I didn't because I will go without condiments.BUT since he asked if I would, I will.

My youngest granddaughter gave me a pair of tennis shoes she wore for 1 month and then out grew them. She thinks she wore them twice. Daughter 4  told me to look in Nov as tennis shoes usually go on sale then.Since I have wore the same 2 pairs for over 8 yrs before wearing them out. I doubt if I will go buy another pair unless they are cheap but good quality ..SO off the Oct goal list

I haven't been to the store. I think if I do go this week it will be for milk and depending on price, unsalted butter. I don't need anything else.

Hubby mowed, he didn't get all the trimming done but hopes that is the last time he needs to mow. Said if he mows again it will be late Oct.

The vehicle insurance dropped by 20 cents.

Tuesday

We have been running the AC during the night (90 and muggy) so Hubby feels rested when he is driving. I never feel rested any more. I turned it off at 6:30 this morning and opened the widows and doors as it was a bit cooler than the house. No sense running it during the day even with 90 degrees as I put the canning outside to sit when it comes out of the canner. Counter space is lost to stuff I use daily since the furniture isn't back in the dining room to hold it... so far behind. 

HVAC guy is coming back next Monday to fix the stink pipe to the wheelchair bath shower as it showed on the energy audit it wasn't done correctly. We keep a cover over the drain so the dogs won't drop anything in it or catch a toenail like Wilbur did when he checked out the shower. He is also fixing the insulation on a pipe that was supposed to be taped and wasn't and installing the whole house  surge protector. Was glad we sent him what we bought and the installation manual as he had 2 other customers wanting one and he had them get what we got. 

My health ins is requesting proof I needed a test ran that was ordered by my GI. They did say since I went directly to the lab I cut 50 % off what the bill would have been. Still I would think when a stool test is ordered by a GI I shouldn't have to justify it. BUT it is a $700 bill after the 50% so I will spend today getting that dealt with.

I shelled some popcorn. Now have almost 2 pints. Still have some ears in the garden to pick. Hubby looking at dealing with the garden this afternoon. He went to help an elderly Amish whose kids went to Michigan to live and he wanted to clean out his barn and storage shed. I will get canning supplies and Hubby will get some tools in exchange for the help. 

I canned 14 qrts of tomato juice yesterday and probably have about the same for today. Dishwasher is running from last night's dishes and a few of that I used canning. It ran last night but wasn't enough room to add more and I have the counter already full with the rest of the canning stuff. Was just too tired to dry the dishes LOL.

We decided to wait on seeing the parents until mother in law's beets she wanted came in this week. One trip to do all of it.

Back to work for me...

Blessed Be

October goals

MY LIST

Take Hubby to Lock 16 steak house in Lima for his 61st birthday.

Start the new budget and not have to rob Peter to pay Paul.

Have the money saved for Christmas.

Place order to King Arthur Flour for specialty items we are low on.

Place order to Amazon for kitchen pans needing replaced.

To have pantry fully stocked.

To have pantry inventoried to base menu on how much is there ..First note I do not start eating mainly from the pantry until Nov 1st. Just a habit from childhood most likely. Hubby's mom said that is how she did also when raising the kids.
Example I have 80 pints of pickled beets, that's at least 1 per week or 1 every 4 days (yes I can eat that much). I have 150 slices of green tomatoes for fried green tomatoes. We eat 8 slices per meal , that's 18 meals. So I can serve it every other week for 9 months or every week for 4 1/2 months. I have 10 cups of corn in freezer that is 10 meals, that's 5 months...(I have corn to process still to add to this). I want these amounts so I can use them up instead of buying something else at the store.

I want to have the bedroom winter curtains done.

I want to have to railing to the deck done. Which means I have to decide how I want it done. I know I want 4x4 posts... I just keep thinking about what I want between the posts as the deck is 3 ft off the ground and I don't want Wilbur and Rascal jumping off and getting hurt. Charlotte is still young enough to handle that jump... she jumps 5 ft high sideways as it is.I think she has springs instead of  legs, must be the terrier part in her.

I want 80 % of the energy audit items completed... and that is on me as Hubby can't caulk worth crap and of course there is tons of caulking to do. LOL.

I want to wash the winter clothes and get them in drawers etc

I want to get the summer clothes in storage.

I need new tennis shoes, not want but actually need.

I want to build a closet in the laundry room.

I want to have summer curtains down, washed, dried and stored

I want to have winter curtains washed, dried and hung

I want to decorate for the fall.

I want to complete 15 things on the punch list.

I would like to make some homemade preserved lemons, roasted red bell peppers and balsamic reduction to add to the pantry.

HUBBY'S LIST 

Take scrap metal, old appliances and old trailer to junk yard which should pay for his tags for the bike and the one trailer.

Last mowing/trimming

Garden down

All vehicles including tractor,mowers etc ready for winter

All air barriers listed in energy audit done or at least started (can't be in attics until it cools down) but the bottoms of porches can be done now.

Sept Goals status

Sept goals done:
4 rooms repainted but still need put back together LOL

deck (Hubby's part) will be done by this weekend

tractor mower fixed

truck maintenance done

green beans done

cucumbers done

beets done

butternut, acorn sq,spag sq.,  pie pumpkins and jack be little pumpkins rinsed in bleach water to store until late winter when if not cooked by then I will cook and freeze. Butternut and acorn do not need to be cooked to be frozen.

green tomatoes (wasn't on Sept goals) done

I have cabbage in the garden, apples, corn and tomatoes waiting for me to get home and do this weekend.Cabbage will be last since they are holding well in the garden.

We still are sitting at 45% on propane so not needing winter fill YET.

What a week...

 First. Charlotte has a clean bill of health

Second Wilbur had a light stroke that only affected the left side on his mouth a little... which means I now sit with a towel on my lap as I know he is going to wipe his drool on me. I also wipe his mouth after he eats or drinks or that slime gets every where. IT seems to be getting a bit better.

Third, Rascal... yes has a tumor, BUT with where it is Vet could not tell 100 % if it was a fatty tumor. Asked me to monitor it as he would like it to be removed like in Nov when Rascal isn't likely to be out running around as much. Said to really watch how he pees as that will show faster if it is growing that the lump it's self. He had a hard time finding it but I didn't have any problem finding it even with Rascal sucked his tummy in .

MY OWN blood work came in good...don't need to take potassium pill or B vit  etc. I will have to take Crestor 3 times a week as my cholesterol is 250. Good cholesterol is maxed out (LOL) but both my parents have/had numbers over 200. Hubby's was good. I will have to take my vit D during the late fall to spring. After my bone test in Nov we will decide if I need to go back on meds for that.


4 weeks ago I had no beets, not many was going to have beets. B is a dear sweet young lady planted beets last month so I could have some. They ran over both her and me in the last 3 days.  I now have canned 80 pints of pickled beets and she was still canning when Hubby stopped over to deliver a message to A. Told Hubby she has more coming in late Sept/early Oct and he told her good as his mom was looking for 25 lbs of beets and we have another friend that might also be looking for beets.

I also canned 16 pints bread and butter pickles 32 pints dill pickles, 8-12 oz of bread and butter pickle relish, 8-12 oz dill pickle relish,9-8 oz jars of turmeric banana peppers and 8 jars of apples slices. I simmered the skins and cores to cook down later for apple butter since I have 3/4 bushel to cook yet. I have onions for onion marmalade and pickled onions yet to do.I have to wipe all the squash down with bleach.

Pie pumpkins and butternut squash are in. I got acorn squash, jack be little pumpkins, spag squash and a couple green tomatoes at Hurley farm. I also got a dozen ears of corn to eat this week, Hubby got fresh cider.

Hubby was making a delivery and was told tonight that we have 125 lbs of tomatoes coming tomorrow from N... M told me today that while she is gone this coming week to harvest what ever tomatoes ripen. Hubby's mom then called a few minutes ago looking to tomatoes. She needs enough to make 14 qrts of juice. I think we can cover it LOL.

Hubby has gotten "blown up" with calls of everyone and their brother looking for a ride (like 1:30 in the morning when the Amish family south of us driver didn't show up to take them to the train station,Hubby almost took them but they found someone already heading that way and was within 5 min of being able to pick them up), 3-4 English wanting to know if he was going to be over to the eastern side of the state (Holmes Co  was one) as they wanted stuff to be picked up and the a couple "can you haul" calls. He finally just started saying I am booked you need to call someone else.... He now has 3 that changed when they needed him TO WHEN he can do it. Produce will be slowing down with mid-Oct being the end of the harvest so that is 2 jobs that won't be there. At this point I think Hubby doesn't mind as since the truck was in the shop 2 days he was able to get some work done on the deck and he is making a list of things to do this fall and winter. He even was called while we were at Menards and the Amish guy had been at the house and the truck wasn't there so he used the Amish neighbor cell phone that is kept in the barn to call and find out where Hubby was as he was looking for someone to remove wood to go to another Amish BEFORE he had church this coming Sunday.  The guy laughed when Hubby said I am with my WIFE running errands... told Hubby that was okay  still laughing. When Hubby hung up all I could say was GEEZE while we both laughed.

On Sunday I cleared and prepped laundry room (after I did Monday laundry)for the painters and then cleared the other 3 rooms. Was told it would take them 4-7 days to paint all 4 rooms. Wished I had the two show up when we first painted the house as the ones that came Monday as they did all four rooms in FIVE hours.They said first we cleared, and prepped the one room but also Sherwin Williams provided the top paint they had so 1 coat  was all that was needed. They usually have to have things moved etc before they can even set up.I haven't used Sherwin Williams due to price but after seeing this paint and how it went on I will suck it up and pay for the top paint, even their flat in this top is washable. Not only did it cover nice, it dried to touch in 1 hr and the fumes was very little with the house closed up and the AC running. We figured I would have to leave due to fumes as it triggers my asthma NO PROBLEM !!!!.

Now I can do the fall cleaning, caulking and outlet/switch insulators starting Friday since I am cat sitting and paper work at Son 2. ON TOP OF PRODUCE.

An Amish family this morning met him at another's house and brought tomatoes and canning (yellow) corn for us as they couldn't use it and knew we would take anything. If we don't want it, we pass it to who does.  BUT I can use the corn. Right now we have 10 cups of corn in the freezer.

I put 150 slices of green tomato in the freezer that I floured for fried green tomatoes. Not bad since I have no broccoli or cauliflower in the freezer.I also put in 2 loaves of bread sliced so we can get a few slices and not end up throwing away bread. I froze raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. I did this yesterday before coming to cat sit.

When running errands Hubby decided to get some staples he wanted stocked in the pantry that I normally don't get much of.We did very well staying on budget until we walked passed the bulk candy and it was about half price.... sigh. Still he was paying for it and even though I said "we don't need that" we got it. BUT we decided to put it in the frig in the basement and just take a few of each in the snack drawer in the kitchen frig. For what ever reason if it's in the basement, he thinks 2-3-maybe even 4 times before going down after it where I go to the basement for our meals usually daily. I am not taking his candy up for him.

Hubby said he has been blown up this morning with work and turned it all down as he trying to get "his" section of the deck done so I can do "my" section which is railing. He has a 3 hr job tonight and a 3 hr job on Friday morning. He might have a job on Saturday... an auction of building supplies.. which he was being iffy about going to himself because of it being out of state, he wouldn't mind being paid to go to it LOL.  His next week is full already.  One job is about to go away beginning of Oct. Two of the drivers that had been off work (both medical) are back which will help Hubby as he won't have so many calling for help. He hates telling someone no when he knows it's causing them a problem.

I am going to sit down and figure out where we are with the punch list, check to see where we are at with our goals , house and finance and figure out a better system of the pantry.

Have a great day
Blessed Be

Busy week...

Monday morning

Hubby has been working an hour or two on the deck off and on all week. Yesterday he started laying the actual decking.He laid some across at the French doors so if I had to go out that way, the dogs have something to walk on until they get to the edge. Which I would have to lift Wilbur and Rascal down as it's 3 ft off the ground and they can't jump that.

Contractors start painting next Monday so this week is take things off walls, move furniture, wipe down walls so they are painting a clean wall. If I have time I will sand 220 grit as that was part of the problem is the paint used needs to be lightly sanded between coats and they didn't do that. I don't think the staff that sold them the paint really knew what they should have.

Hubby lit the oil lamp this morning for the dining table for our morning coffee.

Leftovers for dinner tonight.

I down loaded statements from our ins. My primary keeps telling me that I have a deductible and my deductible and out of pocket is paid in full. Hubby's isn't.

Hubby is on his way to an auction. There was some things he wanted to look at and a couple of the Amish wanted to go also they are splitting the cost between them  of him driving even though he was going anyways. Nice as that cost isn't coming out of our pocket.

Rascal was acting sickly this morning so I checked him out... he has a lump...sigh ... probably cancer, we have lost a few to cancer, lump in same area. Will take him to vet later this week as they charge more for appts than walk ins.. He is only 7 but is acting like his is closer to 10.

I might get a pup when we lose him.Charlotte is only 2 and Wilbur is 8 and he can't play so much with her as he has hip and leg injuries. She gets in trouble when she doesn't have anyone to play with. Son 2 got promoted to E6 military side and will be changing drill units (he is in reserves) but will stay in state and go over to Whitehall in Columbus instead of Chicago like they first told him. Means I won't have to go cat sit when he has drill weekend.

Laundry is rolling and will be hung on the line.

zucchini ready to be shredded for freezer.

Cucumbers next to be turned into relish and canned today.

Beets to be cooked, pickled and canned will be today. Might have to finish them tomorrow as there is 40 lbs.

I will start clearing the dining room and part of the kitchen since it's an open area.

I will check garden to see if there is anything besides the cabbage which for what ever reason is growing decent.

Tuesday
Hubby will haul produce to auction for S .. S is paying us with pie pumpkins and butternut squash.

I scheduled chiro appt before primary doc appt so we are only making 1 trip. Will also slide a stop at the store as I am almost out of milk.

I will finish beets if I don't get them done today along with clearing the dining room and wipe down walls if not finished also.

Wednesday

Hubby has to take his truck to get serviced.

He will remove boards off basement ramp  so we can pull old frig out

He will make a block for staircase that goes from hall to basement so dogs and be in basement but not get upstairs while painters are here.

I have apples to make applesauce and apple butter

I have peach juice in freezer for syrup and jelly

I have pie pumpkins  and butternut squash to deal with.

I have onions for onion marmalade and pickled onions to can.

I will clear the mudroom, wipe down walls for painting.

Thursday

Take Rascal to vet.

finish any canning

clear area in basement for grow light cart and for frig that was in kitchen that has been sitting in front room (kind of nice to not go to basement for produce that needs canned) that will also go to basement.

I will start clearing front room.

I will start prepping meals for next week. I am thinking calzones, pot pies and lasagna, maybe a roast. The lasagna and roast would make 2 meals so that's 6 meals to get us through the week. I think I have everything in the freezers to make it except the cheese for the lasagna. That would save the $68 Hubby was going to spend on meals.

Friday 

Hubby produce auction

finish clearing front room and wiping down walls

finish prepping next weeks' meals

Saturday 

do laundry

Clear laundry room

Sunday

Move washer and dryer and wipe down walls of laundry room.

prep bfast and lunch for tomorrow, thaw tomorrow's dinner

Monday

move dog food and water to basement. They have water bucket out side

I will be cleaning the basement and working outside the whole week while the painters are here except for the overnight stay at Son 2's to cat sit while he is out of town. He has a class pop up since he was promoted. I will take my fabric for my winter curtains for my bedroom that I didn't do while at his house the last time. He said he now calls his dining room "Mom's sewing room"

What are you doing this week?

lowering the budget to match Social Security income

In a year Hubby will be 62... we have debated on whether to take social security or wait

Why are we looking at it now?

First he decided to not go to ODOT for the winter. If they could have promised him 3rd shift I think he would have but they couldn't.

Second , the RRA his company put aside for him that pays our health ins runs out next Oct. That's $1200 a month that will have to come out of our pocket. His social security would cover the mortgage (which is more than the health ins) freeing that money to pay the health ins. BUT not sure that is the answer at this point.

Third,  a friend suggested we leave the annual payments in the IRA until they are due and then  month before pull that extra amt. Our finance guy suggested  put half in a savings acct we already have that pays more in interest than our regular bank and leave the big ones like propane in the IRA.

SO We decided to live on the "budget" of social security and see if we could do it and how much we would still have to pull from IRA... looking at what he earned hauling in a year (that will be late April minus costs as it's a paying hobby not a business but still we do all of it) and what we can pull on top of SS and earnings and not take the hit on taxes

SO digging through the budget

1/1/2019 the budget was set at $8794 based on 2018 (2 homes for 6 months)

8/1/2019 the budget came in at $6123 (even after 100 degree days)

9/10/2019 the budget hit $7695. I paid off some extras that incurred while doing this home and moving just to get them out of my hair and not incur interest.

Last night 9/12/2019 we set the budget at $5883... we would have to pay the mortgage and truck from IRA at the budget. Social security would cover the rest.

That really limits us in some areas that I am not sure we can go as low as we set it.

What it affects?

I will not be putting in a garden next year as it would cost us $2500 to finish bringing up the soil at this point to have it ready for next year. Hubby talked to 3 of the ones that send produce to Produce auction and they are willing to sell us what I am looking for in the amounts I want based on what the going price at auction was. AND they are basing it on Tuesday auction where they actually get more money at Friday auction. They judged we would be spending close to $400 including canning lids according to the one that actually just set up her youngest and new hubby as they didn't have a garden this year.One heard I was looking for beets last month so she planted extra to come in later this month. I will buy soil for my grow bags to grow a few things I want. I can get the soil at the end of Sept/ Oct when the stores are clearing those items.

I will buy frozen yellow corn, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, peas and peas with carrots during Kroger's 10 for 10 sales.

I will get my acorn squash from the place I usually get my squash. The rest was grown by Amish so I don't need anything else. I only got pie pumpkins this year and no regular pumpkins.

Son 2 is military. He is going to check out his commissary to see if they carry things that I normally buy at Sam's club and if which is the better price.

Right now I save more that my prime membership at Amazon costs me.

It's going to be an interesting year.

choosing to be frugal

Sometimes it's a habit... like washing out freezer bags that didn't have meat or grease in them and reusing them. Washing foil also. Mixing dish soap with water... any soap with water. Bar soap scraps go with water.Making my own laundry soap, using vinegar for the rinse.Using the clothes line or drying rack over the dryer. Washing in cold water short cycle if not real dirty.It's combining loads to make a full load..

There are lots of things we all do automatically... but what about the other things?

Hubby and I was talking about trash bags. We know our Amish neighbors have MAYBE 1 every couple months... ONE and that is usually broken glass or something they can't reuse or have used it to the point it can't be used AKA cool whip containers that have cracked.

I asked M how they do that... first we are in a burn barrel community. M doesn't have one, they keep anything that can burn to use in their stoves or for E to burn to heat water to make milk for calves he raises for cash crop.They don't have magazines or newspapers. They get a couple "news" things that are for Amish etc that they use for lighting fires. Envelopes are turned inside out and reused for mailing letters to family and friends. Any paper that can be used for notes is done so. She cans 90 % of her food. Flours, etc either are in paper (burned) or cloth depending on where she gets it. Plastic like cool whip are used for storage, some will use them for carrying food. They use thermos for lunch boxes and cloth bags or butcher paper for sandwiches. They have dishes for "left overs".Milk is put in glass jars.She uses disposable pans for when she bakes for neighbors but that is the only time. She uses rags not paper towels, cloth napkins not paper napkins, and rags for cleaning  not paper towels or wipes.

Then she added "they respect their resources". They don't change styles of clothes,nor do the change what they wear according to season except the men go from straw hat to leather hat. Men might wear a white shirt more often when in the fields but it's not something just for the warm season. When clothes are out grown they are reused either for someone smaller or taken apart and made into something else. OR even into rugs and rags. Even the grocery store plastic bags are made into rugs. They are not tossed in trash or burned.

Then she mentioned men cleaning their tools and putting them away Her cleaning the home daily and then from top to bottom on Saturday, cleaning her tools she uses to clean and putting things away. If you take care of what you have it will last longer and that is respecting the resources. She talked about not running water down the drain when brushing teeth, showering, rinsing dishes,etc. Reusing gray water to water the gardens. Being very careful about what type of cleaners she uses (vinegar and soap is her main cleaners) They don't have a lamp (she uses kerosene her mother in law uses oil) on in every room when it's dark. The family gathers in ONE room and they use 1-2 lamps. She does her sewing and mending in front of a window that the sun is coming it.

She really tries to not have leftovers (they have a spring house that holds at 36 Degrees year around) as she feels that's an easy way to start wasting. Something I need to focus on. When she is baking she starts with breads as they take the highest heat then pies cakes and cookies, some time custard. She bakes 4-6 loaves at a time DAILY except Sunday. Saturday baking is HUGE. 18 to 24 loaves of bread, 3 cakes , 6 pies  and a couple custards as she won't be baking until Monday.IT takes 4 chickens to feed her family ONE meal. She might have a little leftover to go into noodles or a dressing.

I must have looked over whelmed as she patted my shoulder and told me "yes we get tired but it has to be done. Winter is easier and more time for rest. ROUTINE is the only way to get it done but at first it has to be a constant reminder to do it. She follows the routine she was raised with and there are a few times her mother in law mentioned she did it differently to make things easier. Mother in law raised 6 , M is the 13th child on her parents.

Her oldest girl in back in school and the 6 yr old (they start school at 7 yrs old) is now having to "watch" the littles, get the eggs, help mom with laundry and the daily cleaning. I can tell you the 6 yr old is happy to be helping, no whining about having chores and not having to be told to do her chores. She even went out to bring the milk cow up so her mom could milk... regretfully the cow didn't want to go and got away from her because she wasn't tall enough to get a hold of the halter when she turned away. BUT SHE TRIED because she knew her older sister used to do that before she went back to school so she thought she could. She is now watching baby A while Mom does that and she feels good because it helps Mom and she is now responsible for making sure the pup doesn't follow the rest to school as Hubby had to go get the pup down the road because the kids couldn't get it to go home and they didn't want to turn on out the other road, pup definitely would have gotten killed on that road.

Looking at my home, there is WAY TOO MUCH. Hard to clean, hard to know where something is or if I need to buy it, or worse , know I have it and can't find it and have to buy it wasting money and time to go get it. Too much paper comes in so I am canceling magazines I don't read or can get on line. There is NO routine in our lives except Sunday being the day of rest.

Something for me to focus on... routines and getting rid of the extra.

WHICH now is a good time with the contractor coming in to paint the four rooms the 23rd and Son 2 is going to paint his hall after that so I chose to get the same paint he is getting for a room we will paint( not contractors) so if I have extra he can have it.

Thoughts of changes ... respecting our resources