end of May.

 petite peas are starting to come in, not even 1 serving so I froze them.

Scallions, radishes and strawberries are starting. Good on the strawberries as I had just cut the rhubarb back so we had strawberry rhubarb pie and I put 4 jars of the filling in the freezer. I harvested mint and red raspberry leaves for teas.

Love my peonies that have bloomed. I can sit on the deck and smell them. Reminds me of sitting at Daddy's and Mother's bedroom window where Daddy had planted them for Mother.

SIGH, well at least she didn't dig the potatoes up that is planted in that box. Hubby cleared the drain pipe he has stuck in the small lean to on the barn hoping she will lay there instead. Otherwise those potatoes probably won't make.

The summer curtains are up so that's off the to do list. 

Deep freezer #1 has been cleared of bad food (not much but I do need to stay with vacuum bags instead of freezer bags), reorganized and inventoried.  I now have only the other 2 deep freezers to do. 

The last 2 days has been finish planting potatoes, harvesting spinach, strawberries, lettuce, scallions, radishes and a couple cherry tomatoes. WEEDING... LOL Catching the yard work up since it is now dry enough as we got almost 3 inches of rain in 2 days. 

We got 7 items on the grid list done, 3 on order and paid for (wood/coal stove, solar pump and chimney for stove). We have 5 left to to get done. Have to save up the cash for those.

I've been hanging the wash on the kitchen clothes line so it blocks the sun from heating up the house. 

We have been opening the windows in the mornings to get the coolness in. I opened the skylight and the floor vent (old fashion cast iron floor vent) in the lofts to have the heat go up to help cool the 1st floor. We run the ceiling fans while sleeping if too warm. AC and box fans have not been on yet even though we hit high 80s the humidity is still low.

Meals are light and from the pantry. 

Left over water from dog bowls, glasses etc was used to water flowers. If flowers didn't need it I poured it in the drain off the kitchen porch that goes to the pond as last year I was having to run the well pump to keep enough water in to not have a fish kill on my hands.

I reworked the budget since the "grid down" stuff whacked out the get the mortgage paid off. ADD on top of the stock market hitting the IRA's. It's nice for both our IRA guys to call and keep us up to date with what is going on, how they are handling it and what we can do on our end to help keep things stable.

I want to tweak it a bit more for setting it in stone. 

Blessed Be 

Prayers for peace. 

Stay safe

done

 Ordered Solar Pump of deep well and paid in cash saving 3% ($225.00) by paying cash.

Hubby went to pick up Son2's cabinet that F had finished and found out our grandfather clock was finished. So I finished moving wardrobes over to the other side of the room for now to put the clock where it was going to stay. F came with Hubby to unload it  and set the time including having it go silent during the night and winding it etc. He also picked some asparagus ( almost done with it). We also made the final payment for the clock.

F also helped Hubby load Son2's cabinet into the back of our truck.

Next day we took cabinet to Son2's, spent time with him, his lady and her daughter and Son2 bought us  lunch at a local restaurant and then gave us a gift certificate for our local Chinese restaurant. 

On the way home we did some errands and then ate leftovers for supper.

Sunday, I updated the "down grid spreadsheet." Since we spent less than we budgeted for the solar pump, I moved it over to the odds and ends needed for the wood stove like chimney thermometer, ash bucket, companion set that has shovel, brush etc. through Amazon. Used my cash back points, a discount and a coupon saving 50% of that costs. 

Any amount that is not used gets moved to what still needs to be paid for.

I caught up the laundry and used the clothes line. 

I worked on #1 deep freezer in the basement. It's not in as bad as shape as I thought it would be. Vacuum packed food is in good shape, freezer bag stuff has a lot of ice crystals :(   

I will work on organizing it better and having it inventoried by end of the month and a good defrosting/cleaning. Only 2 more to go after that one.

We used the gift certificate at the Chinese restaurant and got enough for 4 meals. SO no cooking next 2 days. 

Monday I have a medical appt that is 2 hrs. away, we will drop off stuff to Daughter 4, and two of the grandsons. I need to call water softener company to deliver softener salt. 

Tuesday we have chiro( we have a credit at Chiro so that is a free) plus drop off to 2 places of donations, and Menards as I need a food grade bucket with Gamma lid. We will use rebate for that cost.

I will be redoing the finances to stay on task to pay for wood stove, chimney and propane come August. 

Blessed Be

Stay safe

Pray for peace

 

Frugal moments

 Furnace has been doing short cycles. Our HVAC guy suggested new thermostat. I love the new one as I can read it from across the room and don't have to touch it to see what the temperature is. BUT that didn't solve the problem. Another HVAC friend suggested we check the intake and exhaust pipes and we found a birds nest in the intake. We thought there was screens on the ends but if there was, there isn't now. Hubby got the nest out and let our HVAC guy know and to see how to make sure nothing got sucked into the line and to stop it from happening again. Our HVAC guy doesn't charge for calls or texts for information (we had one that did).

Since our weather has been mid 70s to almost 90 and then down to low 60s. I turned the schedule off on the furnace and only run it when it gets down to 68 unless the sun is shining and it's around noon. After noon we get a lot of sun from the French doors in the kitchen/dining area so we don't bother to turn the furnace up. The house heats up by a good 3-5 degrees.

I have started checking as Hubby forgets to turn the ceiling fan off when he leaves the front room.

I am monitoring how much rain we get. If we get an inch of water in 7 days, I do not water. M sent over 8 red oxheart tomatoes and 4 goat bag tomatoes. Last year both varieties only took 1 tomato to fill a pint jar. I have never seen a tomato get that big.

Asparagus is almost done. We have a year's supply between the freezer and the pickling of them. We have shared with E and M and 3 other families. We both are tired of having asparagus every day. Even M said her family is getting tired of asparagus. 

Chives, garlic chives, spinach and rhubarb are ready also. 

Peas, strawberries and blackberries are blooming.

We have limited how much ice we are getting in our glasses. I told Hubby if he had ice still to not dump it in the sink but in the dog's water bowls. He mentioned he probably didn't need to get that much to begin with. Charlotte, our dog has one water bowl in house and one on the kitchen porch. Out of habit I have always did this. It wasn't until the other day I saw him dumping his ice in the sink before putting the glass in the dishwasher that I realized he wasn't.

I am using the family size tea bags to make hot tea (water kettle ), then letting it cool for ice tea... both of us are starting to just drink it as room temperature. I also use the bag a second time and just let it steep longer.

MEALS

First we had Arby's thanks to an Amish family Hubby did some message running for. 

From the pantry:

bacon, eggs (free from M) and asparagus. 

cheeseburger with spinach instead of lettuce , last of the French fries, asparagus 

smoked sausage with fried onions , mac and cheese, asparagus

leftover mac and cheese with spinach salad

pork chop, rice and veggie mix of onions and bell peppers

leftover porkchop, rice, onions and bell pepper turned into stir fry.

Last of turkey and ham lunchmeats into tortilla wraps.

pancakes with homemade peach pie filling instead of maple syrup( from M), eggs(from M), homemade potatoes O'Brien.

 I had some friends give me a heads up  about a possible salt shortage..

https://www.tridge.com/news/celestun-producers-forecast-salt-shortage-by-2022#:~:text=Surely%20by%202022%20there%20will,one%20of%20the%20main%20producers.

I am not out but will be by mid summer instead of waiting I priced my local stores and then a couple over in another area that one of the kids live in and Amazon was the cheapest. I made sure I have canning/pickling salt, sea salt and table salt. I also ordered pepper as it is the last spice I have on my list.

I can not find 5 lbs. bag of yellow corn meal. I even asked a couple bulk stores. they said it's on order but said they were iffy because most grains that are coming in are on a limited bases. I found some on line and ordered it. I am down to 16 oz of yellow corn meal.

Unless I get speltz (Amish spelling) which I can get locally , my grains are or will be in stock by the end of this month.

I had a friend give me an e-gift card from King Arthur that I used. I only paid shipping.

Update on get it done list

Highlighted in green means it is done completely.

 Stay focused on saving for Grid down items (stove and pipe and solar water pump especially) started on

Stay focused on saving for winter propane. Hoping we got enough to make it to Oct 1st when we get winter fill... going to be close and depend on cold days. 

Continue to do deep cleaning (good for rainy days) Bedroom and front room completely done. Age is definitely slowing me down LOL

Clean outside front room windows so Hubby can put on full size screens. All the rest take  adjustable window screens. 

Install front room window screens (Hubby)

Finish washing summer bedding and put on beds

Finish washing summer curtains and hang up

Finish washing summer furniture throws and put on furniture

Wash last of winter bedding and put in barn

Wash last of winter curtains and put in barn Sitting in mudroom as Hubby said he would take them out... 

Wash last of winter furniture throws and put in barn

Wash summer clothes and put in drawers

Pull winter clothes and put in barn.

Finish planting the garden by Memorial day. Plants are in, sweet potatoes, the last of the potatoes and root veggies are not.

Take grow cart to barn.

Take grow lights to barn

Clear garden shed completely. 

Repair garden shed floor and add ventilation. (Hubby)  cancel ventilation since it will remain garden shed.

Load firewood into garden (now wood) shed. Split any that is too big for stove.(Hubby) Might pay a could of Amish kids to help put the wood in the shed. Hubby has decided to store fire wood in barn in the old dog kennel area since we don't use that area for anything. He is slowly moving the cured wood to it. He is putting anything that needs split to the side.

Continue to get wood for winter. E has wood we can use for kindling and it's cured just needs split. J and A both have scraps from making pallets Hubby can buy for $30 a cord (most cords around here are going for $300). They will load his trailer for him.

Store large drying rack in east bedroom 

Unload Hubby's wardrobe in wheelchair bathroom(me) and move to front room( hopefully Hubby but probably me)

Deep clean/ caulk if needed/ install insulation covers on outlets and switches if needed wheel chair bathroom.  Since Hubby is drilling holes in the walls for closet he told me to wait for clean it until AFTER he is done building closet.

Build closet where wardrobe was (Hubby) in wheelchair bathroom

Put Hubby's clothes in new closet. (Should be Hubby but I can guess it will be me)

Remove wardrobe in front room by Hubby's desk (Grandfather's clock will go there) Take to East bedroom (both)

Remover wardrobe in front room by wheelchair bathroom. Take to West bedroom.(both)

Move Hubby's wardrobe that was in wheelchair bathroom to front room by wheelchair bathroom door. ( Probably me but hope Hubby)

Mark off area that wood cookstove will take and space needed around it for safety. (both)

Straighten 1st bay of barn to store garden stuff.

Put garden stuff in 1st bay of barn. Which will clear a lot in the front room. 

Start moving front room furniture around for stove to come in.

MAINTAIN GARDEN 

EAT FROM PANTRY.

This and that... saving electric/ mice control etc.

 I am facing retirement LOL... Son 2 has put in his retirement package and just went to the range for the last time. He doesn't think they will send him to annual training. He is hoping to get completely out (normal time out date is 6 months from putting in package) in Sept when he turns 40s. 

First time we have had a Baltimore oriole here. This is a male, the female flew before Hubby could get his phone out. Hummingbird was not happy he was sitting there.

I was asked about storing winter clothes in our barn and mice. One we use Rubber Maid containers that mice are not fond of eating through. Two we have a gizmo called Pest Repeller (Amazon) that have worked wonders. I have noticed hawks and Amish barn cats visit our barn off and on in the back stalls where the horses used to be kept when this was owned by Amish. Off season items are in barn enclosed loft.

Cutting the electric...Hubby asked how I did this also. It's little things

Phantom aka vampire power users is horrible. 

I unplugged all extension cords that had stuff on it but not being used  and power strips that have a on button light that not being use.

Full freezers and not packed to the gills refrigerators do better energy wise.

I unplugged the DVD player in the front room (I would not turn off or unplug cable box or phone modem, most updates are during the night)

I unplugged cell phone charger station and got in the routine of charging the cell phone while watching the news and not leaving it charging over night anywhere. Hubby has started charging his when hauling and only charging in the house when he doesn't haul which is usually Sunday and Tuesday.

I put the second tv, radio, my laptop etc. on a power strip (that does not have a on button light) and turn it off when not using.

We turn the coffee pots warming plates off (yes, pots as we don't drink the same strength of coffee) after second cup of coffee. Hubby cut his coffee consumption in half so that cut that power in half since he is only brewing every other day instead of daily. We don't have issues with leftover coffee. That also cut the amount of coffee having to buy.

I cut the amount of from 4 to 1on night lights ,even though I am using holiday candles that use LED lights. I don't close the curtains completely on the side of the house the security light is. It helps as a night light.

I turned the furnace down, it's propane but has electrotonic ignition so  it's not coming on as much. I stopped turning on the water with my left hand... that's the hot water and 9 times out of 10 I wasn't needing hot water. Propane instant ready water heater , still electrotonic ignition plus it would pull propane. Saving the propane also. In the past week we have used less than 1% propane.

I run shorter cycle of the clothes washer and the dish washer. Don't use the dryer on either, except maybe every 3rd month. I only run full loads in the dish washer. Since I dry clothes on a drying rack or on the clothes line I do laundry daily with cold water.

I put the radio in the barn on a timer other wise all sorts of lights flicker on it while plugged in  and Hubby doesn't think to unplug it or turn the power strip off... pretty electric vampire is what son 2 called it and since it was HIS , he should know.

I told Hubby that within 30 mins. of him getting in his recliner to sleep that he is passed out. I've turned off light by him and tv several times. So now he is trying to set the tv to go off in 30 mins. instead of the 90 mins he was doing and turn off the light as soon as he is done setting the timer. 

Blessed Be

Stay safe

Prayers for peace

Get it done list for May

Stay focused on saving for Grid down items (stove and pipe and solar water pump especially)

Stay focused on saving for winter propane.

Continue to do deep cleaning (good for rainy days)

Clean outside front room windows so Hubby can put on full size screens. All the rest take  adjustable window screens. 

Install front room window screens (Hubby)

Finish washing summer bedding and put on beds

Finish washing summer curtains and hang up

Finish washing summer furniture throws and put on furniture

Wash last of winter bedding and put in barn

Wash last of winter curtains and put in barn

Wash last of winter furniture throws and put in barn

Wash summer clothes and put in drawers

Pull winter clothes and put in barn.

Finish planting the garden by Memorial day.

Take grow cart to barn.

Take grow lights to barn

Clear garden shed completely. 

Repair garden shed floor and add ventilation. (Hubby)

Load firewood into garden (now wood) shed. Split any that is too big for stove.(Hubby) Might pay a could of Amish kids to help put the wood in the shed.

Continue to get wood for winter. 

Store large drying rack in east bedroom

Unload Hubby's wardrobe in wheelchair bathroom(me) and move to front room( hopefully Hubby but probably me)

Deep clean/ caulk if needed/ install insulation covers on outlets and switches if needed wheel chair bathroom

Build closet where wardrobe was (Hubby) in wheelchair bathroom

Put Hubby's clothes in new closet. (Should be Hubby but I can guess it will be me)

Remove wardrobe in front room by Hubby's desk (Grandfather's clock will go there) Take to East bedroom (both)

Remover wardrobe in front room by wheelchair bathroom. Take to West bedroom.(both)

Move Hubby's wardrobe that was in wheelchair bathroom to front room by wheelchair bathroom door. ( Probably me but hope Hubby)

Mark off area that wood cookstove will take and space needed around it for safety. (both)

Straighten 1st bay of barn to store garden stuff.

Put garden stuff in 1st bay of barn. Which will clear a lot in the front room. 

Start moving front room furniture around for stove to come in.

MAINTAIN GARDEN 

EAT FROM PANTRY.

just rolling along

 

Bought a kraut crock. Got the crock but no lid or weights. Sent email. They immediately sent lid and weights... even  though the lid and weights were wrapped good and the box was not damaged. The lid was broke. I am guessing since the weights could shift in the box, they hit the lid. Company is sending new lid and credited my credit card for the issues. Hubby told me to just pitch it and let it go. Nope that is not happening.

Turned off 3 nightlights.

Turned off all the grow lights (10 bulbs).

Cut the electric bill by $35. BEFORE turning off the lights. 

Washing and drying on yard clothes line the summer bedding for 5 beds. Furniture covers will be next and I am hoping to get the summer curtains done also. I doubt if the warm weather will stay long enough to get the summer clothes done. Might do the winter bedding and curtains before the clothes as they can always go on the drying rack if things turn wet. 

Have plants to go in the gardens. Hubby is not working Friday so that will be planting day.

Son2 had to go out of town, his friend offered to take care of his cats so I did not drive 4 hrs. and lose two days (as I would stay over night) in the gardens. 

I got my back injections on Monday. Instead of eating out like usual we have cheese and crackers and water in the parking lot before driving home.

Tuesday we "pit stopped" at a friends' house to drop off eggs and asparagus then we had 2 doctor appts, drop off of meds to the city police that I don't take any more, stop at Dollar General for 2 graduation cards, furniture polish and heavy duty foil and then went to Texas Roadhouse using a could gift certificates Daughter 2 gave us. We now have enough leftovers for the next couple of days.

Which is good since Hubby doesn't know when he will get home. He was suppose to haul 1 load on Wednesday, got a call at 8 am. and it became 2 1/2 loads. Got another call and it became 4 loads... possible 5 which means part of it will be done Wednesday and Thursday as the company that is getting the deliveries closes at 3 pm. Ran by Amish that has chores to do before supper. Hubby actually likes they are that way because that means he is home by 4 himself instead of 7 as the other company is open to 6 and is an hr. away. T

No groceries bought though we will need milk... Amish selling milk for $5-$7 a gallon. NON GMO, fresh etc. Have to sign a waver to buy it. Some require you to buy a share of the cow. Depends on the laws in that area. I am not spending that at this time.

I am keeping track of costs for the "off the grid" stuff. Keeps us on budget for sure.

AND the get it done list is growing by leaps and bounds.

  

Happy birthday in heaven

 Daddy would have been 95 on the 3rd

My late husband would have been 72 on the 4th. Out of respect to our oldest I won't post a photo. He died when he was 39 of a heart attack.

How our childhood affects our adult lives.

 First I need to share what Hubby did.

This is the small trailer we used to move everything here 4 yrs ago. These are the sides Hubby built for it to protect our furniture. This is  1.5 cord of wood, maybe a bit more but it's not 2 cords. He got it for $30 because the Amish guy wanted it hauled away or he was going to burn it in the field as it's scraps from his pallet shop. Hubby gave the boys that loaded it with him $10.

Hubby grew up on a sharecropper farm. I wouldn't have called it that but that's the term he used. Their bills were paid by the owner and they were able to write checks for what ever else they needed. The "money" came from a loan. IF there was not enough money from the crops to cover the loan in the fall, the owed amount just got rolled over... but it did not affect their lifestyle. The owner they worked for  was the one that had to cover the debt. When Hubby was about 25, he was working for the same owner. It all went down that year. He not only lost his job, but his home. The owner actually moved in to his parents house, as theirs was auctioned off and they moved in with his grandpa. He got married to his first wife at age 21. For the next 10 yrs he continued to get loans and run up credit cards. When we started dating he owed almost a half of a million and was losing the house his ex and him still owned together. (She had the same upbringing).

I was picking up glass bottle and lose change to help pay off the mortgage at age 4 so we could save for my brother (age 14) to be able to go to college (grants etc weren't common then). At age 6 I was still doing that and doing odd jobs to save for his college. We did it as a family. Daddy and Mother always paid in full for a car. 

We come from opposite ends. Twice Hubby has had to file for bankruptcy because he did not learn as a child to think about the long term cost of something.  The second time was during his divorce and I went with him to the hearings. I had mentioned to his lawyer he needed counseling to learn to handle money. His lawyer brought it up to the judge and the judge did order it.

He still struggles a lot. I run the finances because he forgets to pay the bills, doesn't check to see if the ones on auto pay have ran through. Forgets that the amount at the ATM doesn't show what hasn't ran through (Daughter 2 was bank teller and said this was common and probably worse with kids growing up on a card that they don't put money in for(I am not sure he knows how to keep a checking account register as he won't and I do mean WILL NOT even list a written check in the register let alone something on the debit card.

I know he has talked to his friends and even some of the Amish about his struggles of not really paying attention to money matters. He even brought it up to his parents... and his mom said she now take care of the finances and his younger brother will do it if she dies first. His dad did tell him to think of the costs of not doing something or doing something first. Take a list to the store and if something he wants to buy isn't on the list to call home. He quit his bus driving job 3 months before he qualified for health ins during retirement. He is thankful MIL could put him back on her health ins even though  she was retired.

I am not being disrespectful when asking the price of him doing something or not doing something. I am working with him on where he wants to be in the manner he can deal with it. I think he has ADHD, his doctor is now looking at prodromal dementia aka MCI or does he have both. 

Prayers for peace

Blessed be

Hubby feels nagged

 Can't blame him as every time he doesn't do what he should have done I ask how much that choice cost us. Everything he does something he shouldn't have, I ask how much that choice cost us. He is now focused on those issues. AND he wondered why I put everything in a wish list at Amazon for 3 days before ordering. The apple trees, strawberries, grapes, and chives are blooming. Asparagus is running us over. 

We picked up our 12 hanging baskets and 6 flower pots from B on Friday. I added some small plants to cover what I had that didn't make. Not the only one struggling to get seeds to grow. Three of the local green houses had issues also.

We ordered a Heco wood and coal cook stove 520 series.  

I got glass doors as the wife of the Amish seller said she wished she had gotten the glass doors. I was going to get the warming closet until she told me that she had been burned a couple times leaning in to reach the warming closet. She is my size. It should (ha ha) come in sometime in August. MEAN TIME. We need to get wood to get it cured in time.   We plan to order some coal for heating but use wood for cooking. Will have to clean out the firebox when flipping what we are using.

Firewood especially hardwood (think nut trees) is running $300 to $500 a cord. A cord is 4 ft by 4 ft by 8 ft. We got hardwood scraps from one of the Amish building pallets  4 ft by 4ft by 7 ft for $40. E said he had softwood that was good kindling or a quick fire in the summer for cooking that was cured we could have for free.

The only thing from the grocery store has been a gallon of milk.

I did order vitamins that we were short on through Amazon as it was the cheapest.

We did order a solar cube... that should come in this week.

Hubby is hunting for a solar water pump for a deep well that will connect to the pressure tank.

Amish have let us know that they are switching to spelts from wheat flour.  About half of them now are growing it. It's like whole wheat flour. 

Prayers for peace

Blessed Be