Done so far... back to back doctor appts rest of week

 I canned 16 pints of shredded green tomatoes and then shredded enough to do the next batch of green tomato apple pie filling. 

I spent a good part of the day doing phone tag with doctor's offices. I confirmed my appt with the cardiologist that is checking my vein problems for today (Wed). His office called back since they realized I live over an hour away, they got the preapprove from my health ins to run a ultra sound before my appointment so I wouldn't have to make a two more trips. That is very nice. Son 2 and Daughter 1 and 4 warned me when they had ultra sound ran on their legs, they had some issues of keeping their balance. I can't keep my balance to begin with... LOL.

 Hubby can't go in with me so he is going to do some banking for the business and go look for snow shovels. 

Our Chiro office called to confirm we were coming for our adjustments on Thurs. They don't usually call but it was a new girl and she was calling everyone.

My pain doctor's office called and left the message they had ins approval for my injections so to call them to schedule. So I called them back.... and they were at lunch so I had to call back an hour later. That is scheduled for Friday morning.

Which means I won't be doing much more than sitting with ice on my back Friday. I won't do much over the weekend either. 

Do you ever feel like all you do is run to doctor's office or testing? 

Planning for November.

 Finances for both us and Daughter are set. Both households need to stay on budget. We also decided to make 1 extra payment each month on the mortgage.

We completed 4 more things off the punch list and made a new list for Nov.

Our list for November is :

Finish green tomatoes if not done

finish taking down the brussel sprouts and kale.

finish air barrier in North attice

install insulator board on backs of north attic door, east attic door, front room crawl space door and make a door with insulator board for the mechanical room crawl space.

The perimeter fencing to be finished

remove the old fencing, the old dog house(not ours , was N's) and it's fencing and take all the scrap metal to the junk yard.

Install outlet in bucket room of basement by outside door. Wiring is there, for what ever reason the outlet didn't get installed.

Finish mending dining room curtains and make the French door winter curtains.

Finish installing outlet/switch insulators in WC bath, bath, kitchen, laundry room, bedroom, and all 4 lofts.

Do the fall cleaning (20 areas not including the barn)  

Do Nano (me myself and I) 

Get my back injections

Get what ever is causing sever bruising on my legs (varicose veins issues I hope) dealt with.

Do you have plans?

We won't have any family meals or go to our friends due to covid and our grandson's wedding in Dec.

Monday night ...When your finance guy calls in the evening

 your gut kind of drops thinking it's not something good...

He apologized but was looking for someone to cut down trees at the office and thought of us living amongst the Amish that someone would want the wood. So I told him Hubby would ask around and get back to him by Thursday. He did tell me my earnings rate was up. Thought he would offer that. Hubby went to E and he is still clearing dead wood out of his woods and suggested H who lives on the other side of us and sort of behind . The back of his workshop is at the side of our back field. H wants to look at the trees first so Hubby is taking him over to see them tomorrow afternoon.

We had smoked pork butt along with Simply Ming French Onion soup with apples. I switched the cheese to swiss as it was what I had. Decent soup, though we both thought we could have put the bread to the side instead of in the soup. I wouldn't mind some mushrooms in it. On the time consuming side and a light soup but went very well with the smoke pork. The shallots were costly, next time I will use a small red onion and add a bit more to the garlic. 

I added another meal of meat to the shepherd pie meals in the freezer. I cooked the hamburger for the mild chili and hamburger to make philly cheese egg rolls to finish bagging for freezer tomorrow. I cleaned and prepped red tomatoes for tomorrow. I cleaned out the frigs (nothing in them to toss!!!!) and gathered the trash (forgot my bedroom trash can SIGH) and Hubby took the trash to the road for pick up. Trash is anywhere from 5:30 to 6:30 AM. 

Hubby finished the air barrier in the side attic of the west and east lofts. They are what is commonly called knee wall attics. He has the north loft attic to do yet but it's a regular attic over the dining room ceiling so it's lay the barrier on the studs not staple them to the walls. 

I scheduled my appt with the back doctor, have to go in and do the ins paperwork for approval first. I scheduled my appt with the cardiologist as my primary thinks the problems with my leg veins is coming from my heart failure (I think there was a duh moment there with him) and I scheduled our flu shots at CVS to do before voting. We finished the leftovers.

Tuesday

Turned the tomatoes on to make juice on my way to the first cup of coffee. Gathered the last of the laundry and kicked the washer on. Made my bed and got dressed BEFORE I finished my first cup of coffee... not the norm for me as I don't move quickly when getting up. I think it's the orthostatic hypotension I have is the reason I don't. 

By the second cup I have the tomatoes cooling to be juice, that juice is going into chili. Laundry on drying racks and my emails and FB done and sat and read The Prudent Homemaker comments on her frugal blog. 

I had 4 things to do out in the garden that isn't getting done as it's cold and rainy and I am not chancing getting sick. Winds are out of the north and they are cold. I canned 7 pints of hamburger chili. Hubby decided he didn't want me to make sausage chili so I put those 3 lbs in the freezer to sausage gravy later. I repackaged bacon to make 6 of 1 1/2 lbs packages and put 4 of 1 lbs packages of smoked pork in the freezers.

We had hamburger pie for supper.

Wednesday

We left the dogs in the house, first time in a long time. It was storming and Rascal and Charlotte don't do good with storms. I put the trash can on the front porch so Wilbur wouldn't get into it. Figured we come home to someone's mess as Charlotte has not really had to hold it longer than four hours. She still gets one of us up during the night. NO MESSES at 6 hrs.

I had to be in Centerville for an appt to start the paperwork needed to get my back injections, a 2 1/2 hr drive and had to be there at 8. Got that started.

Pit stopped at Daughter 4 and gave her organic veggies I had and my juicer.

Got home and both of us took a 2 hr nap. I cleaned the jars I canned and Hubby took them down to the pantry for me to put away later. 

I rewrote my to do list as in 10 days I start NANO and want to get most of the stuff done before then. I know I can spend 4 hrs a day writing NANO.

We had chili for supper.

Thursday

pea soup fog this morning

Daughter 4's 36th birthday. She had her first external radiation treatment. Scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursday for the next 6 wks. Said it wasn't as bad as she had planned for it to be. Felt like a sun burn on her stomach. Her daughter said she fell asleep around 4:30 and woke up at 10, ate a salad and salmon, risotto and green beans for supper and went right back to sleep. 

We got our flu shot and went and did early voting.

I washed all the bedding and furniture throws besides regular laundry as this looks to be the last or next to last warm day for it.

We finished 98% of the outdoor work including gardens. There are a couple sq ft gardens with strawberries ,1/3rd of of the north flower garden and the berry trellises that could just a bit more work but if they don't get done this fall it's okay. It's a lot better than last year. I planted 4 types of garlic taking 4 of the 2 ft by 8 ft garden boxes and transplanted walking onions in another 2 ft by 8 ft box.

We finished the chili I didn't can and snacked of apples.

Both of us tired and chilling... I usually have side affects from the flu shot, Hubby usually doesn't by I am thinking this time he is going to.

Storming tonight

Friday

Check on Daughter 4, she said that she felt like she had the flu along with eating something super spicy (radiation can feel like that) that burned all the way back out. Said she tried to work the night before but the storms was too bad so she didn't call in to deliver anything. She does Door dash. Also told she wasn't going to work any as she was told when she called Door Dash this morning that her county is almost to purple on the coved 19... that is level 4 the worse that can be. SO she is staying home, we will all suck up tight budgets with us supporting her.

Hubby started  working on replacing the perimeter fencing between the pond and E's pasture on our south side. Going to take a lot of time but he figured he could do it off and on.

I made meatloaf patties (instead of loaf) and meatballs for the freezer. Sorted the last of the red and green tomatoes to work on over the weekend. Made 2 hot sauces... 5 more to go and if Daughter 4 ever buys her dad something like this again SHE can make the stuff instead of me LOL.

We had meatloaf patties, mashed potatoes and hot pickled cauliflower. Apples for a snack.

Saturday

I finished red tomatoes !!!!!

Still have a wagon full of green ones. 

I did another hot sauce... four more to go.

Hubby did some "taxi" driving for the Amish. They had a wedding on Thursday and a death of Friday. He helped get those that were needing to change bus tickets into town to get that done and then were they were staying over the weekend. He picked up calzones and popcorn chicken that a few of the Amish got together and paid for as a thank you for helping them as he didn't accept any money for being taxi. We don't when it's an emergency and having a family member die the night of a wedding qualifies in our mind.

So we had the popcorn chicken with butter garlic dipping sauce and split a calzone. 

Sunday 

Day of rest... I did dishes and a load of laundry to hang on drying rack as the loads on Saturday were more than the drying racks could handle. Damp again today.

Hubby carried down the canning to the pantry and I put them away. I went ahead and cleaned out the frigs... NOTHING TO TOSS 2nd wk in a row. 

I checked the finances for Daughter 4 and we decided we were going to run money for her from my personal acct instead of the joint acct. She put herself on a budget that is less than we figured and she wants it weekly like a paycheck since that is what she is used to and she knows what she pulls out when. She figures habit will work over the brain fog she knows she will get with the chemo when that starts. I have her set until Jan.

I checked our finances, put in for the transfers (as I don't keep money sitting in accts that don't make much interest) and when it comes in so Nov will be mostly paid for. I cut our budget to cover Daughter 4 budget. Organic non processed food is going to take a good bite above what she normally buys.

We had arugula salad with apple, pecans, bacon and feta cheese and split the second calzone for supper.

I have at least 1 doctor appt due to problems with veins in my legs and maybe if the insurance processes the paperwork for the back injection I might get that one in also this week. Fingers crossed.

How did your week go?

Blessed Be

 

 

On Budget

 Since we are also supporting Daughter 4 we are double checking the budget every day. Granddaughter said something about money and Daughter 4 pointed out that she shared the budget with all 3 of them (2 sons and daughter) so they would know what was going on. They wanted a pizza and Daughter 4 wasn't willing to pull money for a pizza so the 3 kids chipped in and got a cauliflower crust loaded with veggies. Daughter 4 thinks she has automatically bought take out when ever the kids asked as they don't live with her,*her medical put her repeatedly in the hospital so the kids lived with their dads to stay stable. She was able to pick up some work this weekend (starts treatment Thursday) so used it for oil change, gas, vet bill, dog food and groceries. 

We went to the store and got hamburger for 36 meals (Shepherd pie, taco meat, eggroll meat, meatballs and meatloaf) to fix and put in freezers. I will make chili with some of it and can that . I found some beef roast marked down that I cut into chunks for stew and froze that also. I got 3 lbs zesty sausage for chili for Hubby. I eat the hamburger one.

We caulked the north window in the front room. HAD the caulking. It was allowing air to come in from the sides of the window frame. No condensation on the inside window now.

I have used the clothes lines or drying racks for the laundry. Been raining or 30 mph winds have been blowing.

Hubby burnt some stumps to get that done off the punch list. He used scented oil for oil lamps that triggered my asthma so it was not wasted.

I am still , some more, what ever canning red and green tomatoes. Apples are next and then brussels sprouts . Kale is being used as fresh  as I have plenty dried for soups. I dehydrated the tomato skins to grind into powder for my supplies. I got a bushel of 48 lbs. Honeycrisp apples for $22 Local store would have been $109.92. I got a bushel 48 lbs. Mutsu (crispin) apples for $11 for $80. but would have had to ordered them and was warned they would be bruised in shipping. I found a recipe for green tomato apple pie filling to can.

A friend across state sent us a medium size box of medical supplies she no longer uses including a nebulizer that will be welcomed in the Amish community.

We ate mostly from the menu. The one night we had pizza from our favorite place over in Sidney as I ended up with 2 doctor appts at the last minute and wasn't getting home until after 6. (homemade pot pie was on the menu) The pizza along with 2 salads made 4 meals. Gave me time to go later to the store to finish the shopping.

Rest of YEAR groceries will be dairy, some produce and 1 turkey breast to smoke and at least 2 hams if not more depending on room in freezers. And 1 prime rib roast for Christmas eve size depending on that kids show up. Usually it's one of our boys. 

I have been having some vein issues in my legs. My primary decided to send me to a cardiologist instead of a vein specialist so I could get my heart failure check up at the same time. One co pay and one appt. Right now I have to have my legs up for 10-15 minutes a time,  4 times a day 

I harvested some volunteer kale and swiss chard from the north gardens. I might get one more pick.

I mended a skort and one of Hubby's shirts.

I turned the furnace off a couple days when it was warm with the sunshine. I found out that if I turn the bfast bar ceiling light it gives enough light off to see over the entire kitchen and dining room otherwise I have to turn on 2 or 3 lights.

Hubby used dirt from a pile to contractors left 2 yrs ago from digging to install our water lines. I said something about I was tired of seeing the pile at the deck. He mentioned he had left there so he could use it to fill in holes on the property. SO I took white fence posts (used for electric fencing) and stuck on in every hole I had found. The dirt is now down by half and we know next spring we will need more since he burnt down 6 tree stumps and dug up the field tile.  At least we aren't buying dirt for filling.

Have a safe week everyone.

Blessed Be 

gardens cleared of tomatoes and dried beans

 won't harvest Brussel sprouts or kale until after frost. 

wagon is full of mostly green tomatoes and I now know where my old cookie sheet went to LOL

We have set the 2021 budget

 On average since Jan 2, 2019 our budget has floated from $8794 to as low as $5062. I've tracked the changes which sometimes incurred every month and the reasons why it changed. The average is $6,690. 

SO with our health insurance changes, higher co pays and 1/3rd increase of out of pocket. (OUCH). AND doing worse scenario for Daughter 4 not working (her doctor doesn't know if she can handle doing Door Dash while in treatment) due to cancer and keeping her in her own home. I just added her $18000 (not counting medical costs) into our budget. She needs $1500 a month to run her home. AND I am paying extra each month on the mortgage. 

We come in at $5500 for us and her $1500 is $7000. Hubby asked how that could me when it's only $310 more than what the budget averaged with increased insurance and daughter. 

What did I change?

Insulated curtains on windows. Keeps the propane down and the electric as the furnace is not kicking on all the time. Opening up house in morning to cool house down and closing curtains when the heat of the summer day comes in. Opening curtains in the winter to help keep lights off and warmth brought in. Covering the crawl space vents at the heater ductwork. Same thing.

Turning down the heat when furnace is on, turning OFF the AC when we leave when it's on. Right now I turn the furnace off when the mornings are no cooler than 55 and I have the furnace set at 70 (68 in the dining room where the thermostat is is 63 in the front room and too cold for Hubby even with long sleeve flannel shirt over his tee shirt.)

Turning off FANS when not in room.

Not using the dryer except to defur dogs beds. I have started hanging out the pillows and blankets to air them out instead of fluffing in the dryer. They actually smell better that way.

Using an oil lamp for mornings at the dining table and a candle at supper... Not for romance though he thought it was. 

Using LED through out the house, using LED for night lights so we are not turning on bigger or more lights. I turn off coffee pots. Unplug computers. Unplug phone chargers You would be surprised what vampire electric appliances cost you. 

Keeping frigs and freezers full (they run less). 

I changed where I get my BP meds because I can't take blue dye. I am now paying $5 for 90 instead of $25 for 30. 

Our prescription meds goes up next year and might costs us more than Good RX will. I just have keep track of what and where I get our meds to see if I can get this amount down. 

The electric bill hit over $200 last year for 5 months. It only hit $166 once this year the rest of the time it was $140 or lower. This month was $105... $45 lower than last year.

I conserve water from showers etc. to water the dogs and plants so the softener isn't using as much salt.  We have dropped 4 bags a year in usage (our salt is based on water used). That saved us $32. PLUS we just have them bring 8 bags and what ever doesn't fit we add later saving 1 service call of $50/yr.

We have rerouted the field tile to go to the pond except one that goes to the county. We will be having some more spouting put on the barn to tie into the pond field tile so we won't need to be running the water pump to put water in the pond to keep the fish alive. That should be happening in the next week or so. Amish is doing it when they get out of the field.

He got the internet/house phone dropped down from $125 to $85.

Our house insurance and car insurance dropped down  and then the umbrella insurance got cut in half. 

I started pricing dogs items and cut the price by 1/4th. Vet wants them to have dental treats as they fight if you try to brush their teeth. Instead of cutting them in 3rd I cut them in 4ths so I have and extra 10 days of the dental. Vet okayed that change. We changed vitamins for them that include the things that Wilbur and Rascal needs and it's okay if Charlotte has it also so I don't have two to three different pills to shove at them. They all hate taking pills but okay with chewable. They think it's a treat.

I cut back on buying chips, Fritos, tortilla chips, chip dip, trail mix completely(he now makes his own) and granola bars. I cut back on candy bars (both of us). I buy these items at the dent store along with cold cereal there also. Though this time Dollar General brand cereal was actually cheaper. I will go back to making yogurt.

I cook from scratch... that takes my time and has at times been an issue, but to stay healthy (so I am not spending so much out of pocket ) I need to cook from scratch.

I buy bulk when it's cheaper, break it down and store it. 

I change the non food as the cleaning rags are right with the paper towels. I use Bounty select a size and still will tear them into 4ths when using them if that is all I need for a smashed stink bug, or in half for grease. I use less than needed with cleaners.  I always price out furnace and frig filters before buying and I buy for the year if I can get them cheaper.

I grew a lot of my herbs/mint teas this year cutting that out of the budget. Last fall I spent over $250. On herbs and teas. I didn't need to buy any this fall.

I cut the grocery budget by $400 a month... first I went back to only going every 2 wks instead of every week. Second I started back into making a lot of my own mixes. Third I change where I bought what I didn't grow and save a lot of money on produce that is organic. 

The garden budget has been cut in half. I have saved several of my own seeds and found Amish that are growing some of the produce that will save me money also as they are willing to barter.

Since I am not running around much and not going to Son 2 's to take care of his cats as he's not going either for work. My maintenance and fuel has dropped by 3/4ths. It also dropped my car ins.

Daughter 4 is looking over her budget again with her 3 children to see if there is any where for her to cut also. 

Paying off the house early is going to make the difference of living only on SS or needing the IRAS to help pay the bills. 

Do you set a budget for your finances?

  

About mid Oct.

 I was walking up from the gardens and glanced across to E and M's and noticed their woods behind them. I just stopped and looked at all the colors that are changing. I went and got my phone to take a picture . I miss not having maple trees up at the house. We have 2 but they are across the acre behind the oak trees. 

 M's garden is pretty much down except what she left for fresh eating. Said she might have 1 or 2 canners left but she's thinking to just harvest it and put it in the spring house for fresh eating after this coming weekend that is suppose to be low 30s in the mornings. She was washing bedding Friday and Saturday. This week is curtains and her fall cleaning of both her house and the "Dawdy Haus" Grandpa house will be completed. Her parents used to live there before they moved back to Indiana to live with her brother. 

I have 136 things I want to get done before the end of the month. SIGH. I moved the rest of fall cleaning to Nov. Figured it would get me up and moving around since I know I will be sitting 3-4 hrs a day writing for NANOWRIMO. That's 50,000 words in 30 days (1667 about/ day). 

How is your Autumn going?

Heaven's it's Wednesday. Hubby birthday on Friday

 Okay... Tuesday I did laundry and hung on kitchen porch line. I washed the curtains, shower curtains, bath mat of the wheelchair bathroom and shined the window and mirror. I washed the inside of the front room windows, took down summer sheers and curtains, washed them . Bathroom and front stuff went to yard line. I hung winter curtains in both rooms. I cooked the last of the 3lbs of hamburger and make taco meat. Divided by 3, put 2 in freezers for later and had tacos and tortilla chips with salsa for supper. I canned 8 pints of diced green tomato(first for doing this).

Hubby did his last haul for the produce auction and picked up a load for Friday to deliver pipe for fencing. He finished the field tile.

Wednesday... it's 11:30 and I am waiting for the second canner of diced green tomatoes to finish and then it's off to the gardens. Laundry is on the kitchen porch line and the dishwasher that didn't get ran last night is now running and I can reload when I come back in. I will check the dehydrators while waiting for the canner.

Wednesday after supper. Hubby flex sealed the basement casement windows. He covered the crawl space vents to keep the cold from going across the heater vents. He put away the garden hoses, did a fly bomb in the pump house (said there wasn't many but did it anyways), he covered the AC. 

I reloaded dehydrators with more greens. Put laundry away. Set today's canning aside so I can check it tonight and again tomorrow. Cleared 40 of the 104 tomato plant. Was going to try to get half done but my back decide it had enough and I couldn't bend over. Guess that is better than not being able to straighten up or stand up. 

Hubby had elbow mac with chili over it. I had it with butter and mushrooms. 

And we have called it a day. 

OH wait. Daughter 4 said during her check up (and weekly covid test) they did another ultra sound and her doctor is checking with another doctor about instead of doing a port and Radiation ... they might do IV with radiation. Less chance of her getting infection and there is a slim chance of doing External radiation... For her sake I hope the external. 

Thursday

My back is a bit cranky, Hubby suggested I wait another day before going back to the gardens for tomatoes. Work at winter curtains and dealing with what I have to process already in the house. 

We need chili in the pantry... so that has to go on the list.  

Daughter 2 gave me 2 cases of chili I had made her (her money and my time)she found when she moved that are too old to eat(five yrs to be exact). They were still in the boxes and she thought the boys had finished them, the boys didn't realize the chili was in the boxes and thought it was gone. SIGH. Said now she takes everything out of the boxes and puts the boxes in the garage to put empty jars back into. Lesson learned. Her man cooks so he is now making chili this week. She's the "Box and can" cook in the family.

Hubby started the morning (after coffee) turning the gas generator on and running the house on it as the "test" for this year. He will let it run low on fuel before turning it off to keep the fuel fresh during the season. He burnt another stoop. Cleaned out the purple martin bird house and covered it for the winter. He also cleaned out the other small two on the north side of the house the sparrows use. The only one left to clean is the wren house that is getting moved to the garden as that's were I found the nest. I don't think they like the dogs being that close.  He also moved more gravel around for the trailers to sit on instead of their back wheels sitting in dirt.

I harvest the last of the herbs I am doing this year and they are in the dehydrator. I have grinded the last of the greens for the greens jar so done with that and the tomato skins for tomato powder. I dehydrated more kale and more red tomato skins as I finish the tomatoes.

I finished the fall decorating. I washed more winter curtains and hung them in the bedroom(making due as I haven't found anything to make curtains for this room) the laundry room and the bathroom. Washed the bath mat and the shower curtains for this bath also. 

I put away summer dress clothes and brought down some sweaters and long skirts to wear. I have no closets in this home.  I use a pipe Hubby put up that will hold 7 hangers of clothes. The rest of my hanging clothes is on 2 clothes racks in the south loft. Hubby has 3 wardrobes for his hanging clothes, either in the wheelchair bath or right at that bathroom door. 

Friday

My favorite photo of him. Today  is his 62nd birthday. He is hauling pipe for fencing for the Amish. E is with him. M sent over caramel iced cinnamon rolls last night as she knew today was his birthday and it's his favorite that she makes. I told Hubby since we decided against going to Lock 16 for his birthday (we have a bridal shower and wedding coming up in Nov and Dec) He could decide what fast food he wanted to have for supper and I would order it, pay for it and go get it. He laughed as he knows I hate talking on the phone. I'm okay with paying or getting it.

We spent a quiet morning until almost noon since he wasn't hauling produce to the auction and talked about his personal goals for this coming year. It's something we do on our birthdays. He decided that he wants to lose twelve pounds, practice his welding this winter (he used to weld all the time at the factory) and depending on the pandemic go deep sea fishing next  year with his buddy. 

Then he went off to haul pipe. 

I have did the finances for the last part of the month. Checked his business finances so he didn't have to. Did the regular laundry, then started washing bedding, dog beds and furniture throws since it is a great day for that type of stuff. Ironed dining room curtains and marked where the button holes will go as these will be hanging with shower curtain hooks at request of Hubby. Actual sewing will be on a rainy day. Cleaned the iron.  I ordered my Humira, making sure they were sending it to CVS and not my home. Aired out the bed pillows. Checked Facebook, emails and here. Checked on ALL the kids and a few of the grandkids that was dealing with crap due to pandemic.  Swatted stink bugs and spiders more than a dozen times that seem to come in every time I open the door. I've ignored the 2 dozen spam phone calls but it takes my time to go check the phone...will be thankful when the election is over.   

He chose Philly steak subs , I added a side salad for me. He was definitely on the dirty side and was thankful E went with him as they had to hand lift all 350 pipe over a 4 ft high rail off the semi. The pipe weighed 150 lbs each. DOG TIRED.

We called it an early night.

Saturday

Leftovers are being ate today since there is enough of them instead of me cooking something else. 

Hubby off hauling hay. I have the second load of laundry going as I had to wash what he wore yesterday separate as they were that filthy.

My morning jobs are, laundry, unloading the dishwasher and reloading the odds and ends,  clearing both emails, checking Facebook, checking here, vacuum packing frozen hamburger patties and frozen green tomato slices.  Updating our health insurance elections for next year.  THEN going to the gardens after that is done.  Be back later.

I finished harvesting the last 8 bags of potatoes. I won't be growing potatoes next year. Take up way too much space for the little bit we get. I can buy the from the Amish or the Mennonite bulk store for less than what it costs me to plant them. I've tried 2 yrs now. This ground isn't good enough >>YET.

I cleared 1 1/2 boxes of tomatoes before calling it a day.

Sunday

Daughter 4 called to tell me I have been hacked on FB. I have yet to figure out how someone in Chicago can hack my acct without my password. 

I rewrote our to do list as there was so much marked off that we couldn't figure out what was needing to be done.  Hubby did paperwork for the business. I in with Daughter 4 to make sure she is staying on track with her budget. Her son was there visiting and he double checked what she was doing. All 3 of her kids are doing what they can for her.

I wrote out the menu for dinner for the coming week. Hubby and I don't eat bfast very often and we  eat different times for lunch. Most time's he is walking out the door before dawn and doesn't come home for lunch . Since he doesn't do eat and drive, he might grab a couple granola bars or trail mix he makes for himself to eat while waiting to be loaded or unloaded.

Sunday :(today) Tomato soup and lunch meat tortilla wraps

Monday :Beef roast (saving some meat and broth for noodles in a couple weeks) with carrots, red onions and white potatoes. Will have pickles and peaches also

Tuesday : Burritos , Spanish rice with black olives and carrots and celery with ranch dip. Custard or flan.

Wednesday: Double crust Turkey pot pie *white potatoes, carrots and peas* with a veggie platter of celery, yellow and red bell peppers. Plums 

Thursday: Leftover pot pie and salad as we will be going to appts and the grocery store for the major stock for this month.

Friday: homemade pizza, sausage, pepperoni, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, banana peppers and a salad.

Saturday: Philly Cheese eggrolls (new recipe), store bought frozen pot stickers , veggie tray and fruit bowl. 

Blessed Be everyone

 

 

Fortune cookies/ Oct. goals

 

Hubby's was the top, mine the bottom and both of us was laughing. He had bought us take out the other night. He comment was the problem was Daughter 4's cancer, the stepping stone is because we are buying her organic food if we don't have it ourselves and the rule is now we (her daughter that is expecting, Daughter 4 and us ) must take a picture of what we are eating...maybe we all will be eating better. Finding her organic food, fresh veggies and fruit is going to be hard during the winter. 

Goals for Oct.

Stay healthy as I know if I get cold and wet I will get sick. 

Decorate for fall.

Clear the gardens including north flower garden

Clear all pots.

Finish processing the food from the gardens.

Transplant spring bulbs

Transplant fall bulbs

Transplant walking onions 

Plant the garlic (after 1st frost)

Shell the dried beans

Finish making the hot sauces Daughter 4 gave Hubby for Father's day.

Fill all the oil lamps 

Get hamburger, veal and ground pork and make meatloaf and meatballs for freezer.

Make noodles to dry for pantry.

Wash and dry (clothes line or drying rack) summer curtains and put in storage.

Weather strip north front room storm window.

Fix the dining room winter curtains

Make winter curtains for French doors

Make winter curtains for bedroom

Continue seasonal cleaning. Still working through  drawers, cabinets and shelves. I'll start cleaning outside windows this week on warm days that are above 68.

Hubby will help with clearing the gardens and planting the garlic. 

He also wants to finish the last field tile, burn the last two stumps , test the gas generator , cover the AC, cover the crawl space vents at dining room (they are right at the heater vents so sucks all the heat during the winter) Finish the air barrier in the north attic and the east/west attic. 

I would like to have this done BEFORE Nov 1st... why? Because Nov 1st is the start of National Novel Writers Month that I try to do yearly. That's 50,000 words during the month of Nov. Average is 1667 words a day or around 15 words per min for less than 2 hrs a day.

Financially... Daughter 4 gave us her budget, her daughter will help keep her on track of paying the bills on time. We estimated the groceries on the high side as I figure I won't always be able to pull a variety for her to eat and she must eat a variety to stay healthy. She will pay everything she can first and then let us know if she needs help (a week before it's due). BUT in our finances I planned for the worse so we could cover her completely.

Then we did the finances for the business for the slow time is already starting to happen. There has been a bit of an increase as several decided to change to pipe fence instead of wood or barb wire. Last a lot longer and the animals can't shove through it. That will give Hubby 2 jobs for this month that he didn't have. He has 2 maybe 4 for the produce auction and that will finish it.  We figure he needs 6 months for the business. 

The house budget got cut in some areas and increased in the others. We did decide to continue to pay extra on the mortgage.  When Daughter 4 is recovered and starts paying us back that money will also go on the mortgage. We figure 2 solid years after last treatment for her to be back up and ready to start repaying the debt.

I need a basic grocery list... instead of I would like this on this week.  We will be going to the store once a month for basic, then Hubby will pick up milk when he is already out when needed. 

What do you have planned for Oct?

Blessed Be

Thank the heavens it's a new month

 My uncle (by marriage but we never count that part) just died and we were going to go to the viewing until my cousin let us know his sister has covid and is not quarantining and was going to be at the viewing. Cousin said the sister's kids had already warned the funeral home. Uncle Sam(yes that is his name) will understand why my brother, our kids and ourselves didn't go. I understand her need to see her brother...the funeral home offered a time for her to just come in so they could make sure everyone stayed safe and she refused. Just and FYI , he was a retired cop and his Buddy's know she's positive. Rock and hard place and I hope that she works with the funeral home. Meantime we all stayed home. 

It's been a rough week that we all got through.

I had to rework the budget. Daughter 4 is working Door Dash and said she made enough this week to pay her mileage on her car and get her furnace fixed (which is taken off her rent)plus her credit card, phone and car ins so she's now working for mileage for the rest of the month and next month's bills... BUT we have agreed when she can't make the bills we will pay to keep her in her own home. Her budget  is $1500 a month including organic food. She is hoping she doesn't have to pay out of pocket for her Lupus meds but does have GOOD RX if she does. She is filling out paperwork every day, has some to take into her oncologist to finish filling out this week as she goes in for blood work etc. Her first radiation is supposed to be the 21st but she hasn't had that confirmed by the treatment center yet.

Hubby had enough jobs to finish paying off his bills for Oct with his business except 2 filing fees that are due quarterly. He is sure the few jobs he has lined up this week will pay them. Makes he feel better that he is already working on paying Nov bills. Late Nov to mid Feb is his slow time for hauling. 

He burnt stumps that was here when we bought the house,  this past week along with mowing the entire 2 acres and E's pasture on the south side of us. AND did the trimming. He cleaned out the basement ramp and made sure that drain was cleared and redid it's roof as Charlotte had knocked part of it loose and I worried Wilbur would go across it and fall in. It's fixed so it won't shift now. Since Hubby jumped on it I can say the dogs won't fall in on it. GEEZE.

We are looking at the to do list and decided we would see where we stood this coming weekend. 

I shelled dried beans and cooked up some hamburger to bag and freeze for quick meals. I have a list as long as my arm to do this week. Finish clearing the gardens (killing the mole GRR). Plant spring bulbs, transplant fall bulbs etc.

Going to be a busy month. I thought about a menu, wrote it up and then after we didn't go the Uncle Sam's viewing I tossed it as I would have had to make a special trip to town for the stuff. We will just wait until we go to chiro and get it then. Hubby pulled out 1 lb. of frozen turkey breast for Monday. I think a pot pie might be nice or ala king over rice. 

I would like a good part of the to do list done this week... We will see how much gets done.

Do you have plans for this month?

Blessed Be