What a week... the good , the bad and the ugly.

 The good... all the bills are paid until Nov 7th.

We need no groceries. But I will check turkey and ham prices tomorrow while we are out for chiropractic and picking up meds.

My potato bin is done

I transferred $$ to the savings. I made a spread sheet to keep me focused on what we want to save for and the amount.

I canned 8 qrts. and 6 pints of chicken.

I  flash froze then  vacuum bagged 18 meals of Swedish meatballs, 4 meals of Chinese cabbage and 11 meals of Salisbury steak (done last week and I side tracked due to grandson and forgot to vacuum bag them).

Kraut is made... a little salty for us but I can rinse it. Might can it if the area it's sitting in gets too cold. I don't want a busted crock.

M gave us 4 dozen eggs. We had pancakes twice and eggs twice for supper to keep from ordering or going out for meals.

Propane is in. 

All the bedding (5 beds), furniture covers and throw blankets were dried on the yard clothes line.

I pulled from the stock up to refill meds, OTC and odds and ends. No running to the store due to being out.

Depending on the week, Hubby is either over ran with jobs or doesn't have any at all. Since he had no work he was able to cut more of the wood we have here. I loaded the garden wagon that is now called wood wagon, then reloaded the wood box and then reloaded the wagon. We now have 3 garden wagons... one for the garden, one for wood and one for coal. Makes it nice I can roll it up the ramp and pull it in the house. After I clean the stove (in 70s) I will "lay" the wood in the stove for the next fire by going out to the wood pile instead, use part that needs to go to barn anyways. We have 3 cords in the barn and probably another cord sitting by the garden shed. About half of it doesn't need cut just move to the barn as it is "pallet'' scrap from the one Amish that is cutting wood for the other one to make pallets. They just sell the scrap to whomever wants it.

The bad.

We were supposed to go have lunch with Son2... he got called in to work due to a broken water pipe that the water came through the ceiling. I am not sure we will get to see him until he gets done with AT. At least he can drive back and forth to home if he wants. But that means we won't see him until middle of next month. His lady is going to check on his cats but I will go down and also get a kitty fix.

I got dirt in my left eye and have been dealing with a blocked tear duct... it's  better but still an issue.

I still have 27 items on my to do list for Oct. Today and tomorrow are the last of the 70s weather... only suppose to drop down into mid 60s .... at least it's not the high of 47 like we had last week.

The Ugly...

Daughter 2's son2 is self employed  landscaping. He was working with his dad and 2 others trimming a tree. One was in the tree getting ready to start cutting branches and the other 3 standing down below... A branch that had already broke off that they didn't see fell out while the guy was climbing up and hit grandson in the left eye. Knocked him out... His dad thought he was dead. Even when he threw his hand (which needed stitches)  out to block it from Grandson. Grandson had surgery, metal plate and screw in eye socket. Said his dad probably saved his eye sight by blocking it some. He was out for 2 days, tube down his throat due to blood clots. He is home, not working yet but home. I had a short visit with him. Said his parents are a wreck so I made sure I talked to both of them and his stepmom (owns a business so she understands self employed)... third time his dad has seen one of his sons almost die. His mother, Daughter 2 does not understand when you are self employed you don't get workman's comp nor do you get medical time off with pay. Even though I explained it several times to her and know some of her friends did also. I love her dearly but she is a flake at times. Both of them nailed his butt when they found out he didn't get health insurance like they told him to. He applied while in the hospital.  ROLLING EYES. Daughter 4 is walking him through getting help for paying the bills. 

Daughter 4 is now jumping hoops for hysterectomy as she has a small amount of cancer cells in that area. They found it during her 2nd yr check up from the ovarian cancer. NOT enough to get chemo or radiation. Her doctor told her he was putting the info in to insurance to get approval. She said she checked she will get 60% short term disability but needs to have the out of pocket saved up and extra to cover what the 60% doesn't cover. She is back to Door Dash besides her "day job" I told her to call the hospital, and doctors that will be involved and ask their billing what her share would be. She didn't know she could do that as she is used to NOT having insurance.

Blessed Be 

Prayers for peace.

temperatures are dropping

 Both maple trees leaves have turned colors

I have a few carrots covered in the garden beds and the only thing to pull is the marigolds but some still have blooms. Won't be the end of next week as every morning is to be at freezing or close to it.

Not a good pic but my brother wanted to see the flames. We have learned that Hubby can start a camp fire in a heart beat but I am better at starting the stove. We only kept it going for the day, give it time to burn off factory stuff (didn't get any smell, I scrubbed it pretty good like M told me to) and figure out how to control the oven temperature. Wood box in house is full, kindling bucket is full, starter basket is full. Humidifier pot on stove is full

Better picture at 2:30 this morning when Hubby and I both were up checking the fire. It was 84 in the front room at his recliner where he sleeps. It was 78 in dining room, 76 in kitchen and 74 in the bedroom because I woke up HOT. Opened 2 doors and a window and got it back down  after 2 hrs. to mid 70s. Stove was running at correct temperature. We were supposed to be in the 30s this morning but the cloud cover kept us from dropping and we stayed in the 40s. GEEZE I might have to get the summer clothes back out for wearing in the house. At least with the furnace on 60 I don't have to worry about propane. I did tell Hubby he is still short a cord of wood and he doesn't have all the wood cut that is here as it is. BUT at least he wasn't like E who had to go to his woods Saturday and cut logs to cut into firewood as M was down to the last at the house.

We decided to run to the bank over in Ada. On the way there we passed a small local grocery store. Hubby asked if I had the stock up list with me... yep... so we stopped on the way back. They had Brussels sprouts. We now have enough to have them once a month. I can float them between peas and asparagus. They had hamburger for $2 off a lb. IF you had their loyalty card. I mentioned at the meat counter (they grind their own hamburger) that I wished I had Son2's card. Told me to say something at the checkout. She had me fill out the form while she ran me up, scanned the paper and let me know the card should be to me within 2 wks. IF not call and say something. PLUS I got 10% off the total. I got enough  hamburger to make a dozen meals of Salisbury steak and Swedish meatballs and 23 meals of taco meat(because I wanted tacos that night LOL)

Coming on back into town we decided to stop and get our flu shot. Since the crap is starting to go around through the Amish.

Then I went in Walmart while Hubby got fuel at Walmart (cheapest right now). I got an 18 plus pound turkey for $1.60/ lbs. If I don't get any others, we have Tday turkey that will make at least a dozen meals for us and broth. I got a ham butt on clearance. So that's in freezer for the week after Christmas (we do prime rib at Christmas). I got 2 -10lb bags of frozen chicken breast on clearance. I tossed them in the freezer until I have time to can them.  I got 5 bags of Fritos for Hubby.

It was a good day.

Hubby went to an auction on Saturday, cold and windy but sunny. We had highlighted what we were looking for if the right price.  He was able to get a wooden chair that is a glider and stool with cushions (that look new) for $75. He knew we paid over $100 for the girls. THEN he had 3 Amish ask if he could haul stuff home for them since he had taken the trailer with him. One of them went with him to help unload the others stuff. The pit stopped at the Amish farm store to get dog food, the guys chimney was in so Hubby and him loaded also on the trailer. By time he was done, he got paid enough to cover his fuel for going and coming home AND the glider and stool. 

Today after I take a nap as I never went back to sleep from getting up at 2:00. I am starting the humidifiers, taking the hummingbird feeders down (haven't seen one for awhile) and making Salisbury steak and Swedish meatballs for the freezer. Laundry was on the line by 6. 

Blessed be

Prayers for peace.

Rambling...

 

2008, Daughter 2 was going to toss this because the lights burnt out. I hauled it home and put a new strand of lights in it. Every October I take a pic of it and send it to her.

It's almost all the way turned now but the maple behind it is still mostly green.  

It got cold over the weekend. Like Cookie , our other husky mix, she is laying on the heater vent.

E came over and helped Hubby put the chimney up. We have another section for just incase. It's the right height etc. but E said it's more of how the wind comes through with our barn being taller than out house. He had to add another section to his. Said we would know about the second time we lit the stove.

Stove needs 2 small pieces on it's chimney and it's starter up. Hubby is trying to get it done before Thursday when the rain comes in and brings the colder air. Looks like these few days are our Indian summer. 

Today I put 4 meals of ham in freezer and canned 16 pints of ham broth. I have a couple friends watching for sales for turkey for me. I loaded the dehydrators with celery, zucchini, yellow zucchini and crockneck squash. 

We ate from the menu until last night when I made Philly steak subs. We will be eating the rest of it for tonight's supper. 

We have been using the oil lamp in the morning and trying to make sure we eat supper before it gets dark. Another month and it will be dark and hour before we usually eat. We use mineral spirits aka mineral oil in our lamps. It doesn't trigger my asthma. 

We have noticed we automatically eat red, green or orange veggies and fruit. Yellow and blue/black/purple are not usually on the table. At least we are improving.

Need to bring the laundry in off the line.

Blessed Be everyone

Prayers for peace

Staying on frugal track when sick

 you can see the fog droplets frozen looking like white drops on the fence. Not pea soup fog but enough that you can't see the sun while looking straight at it.

Doc called yesterday and checked on me as viral gastroenteritis will trigger Crohn's. They have had some be admitted to the hospital over it. I'm doing okay... bent over HA HA. wait, laughing hurts so does sneezing. 

We are eating from the pantry... Hubby suggested we wait and he would bring food home but I was NO as I pushed for us starting to eat from the pantry Oct 1st Bfast and lunch we are on our own.

1st: Chicken soup for me, home canned chili soup for Hubby Pumpkin roll

2nd: Leftover chicken soup for me, scrambled eggs with odds and ends from frig for Hubby. Cherry pie from M

3rd: mac and cheese, smoked sausage, peas, cherry pie from M 

*** M and E's kids named the baby Ruby. ***

4th: today... shrimp scampi, green beans, mushrooms and diced onion, applesauce.

5th: Baked ham, baked sweet potato, baked apples , spinach for me, yellow hominy for Hubby

6th: Baked scalloped potatoes with ham, baked carrots and pickled beets, blueberry crisp. 

7th: Beef roast with potatoes, carrots and onions and leftover crisp. I will bake a cake for the weekend.

8th: Pancetta, red wine, radicchio risotto (The Secrets of Cucina Povera by Loukie Werle)adding some leftover beef and beef broth and mushrooms. I will add a veggie plate with dip and the cake I bake the day before.

9th: Leftovers that haven't been frozen. 

This is doable even with me being down. Multi dishes in the oven which will also help warm the kitchen dining area. 

Other frugal done.

I priced iron on patches, baking powder and baking soda. I ordered through The Prudent Homemaker's site at Amazon which was 20% cheaper than any where close to me for the bulk amount I wanted. I wouldn't have caught I was low in this area if Hubby hadn't been reading Prepper's pantry and asked. 

Oil lamp on table is lit every morning. Curtains not open until the sun is up.

 Laundry on clothes line or drying rack, sometimes finished on drying rack. 

I made laundry soap.

Furnace is now set on 68 from 8 am to 9 pm and 70 from 9 pm to 8 am. We have used 1 % of the propane in the past week. That is really good.

Tuesday is errand day... no errands for us ... no need for even milk or anything else.

Hubby's work

 

We grew them in crates and growbags and more straw than dirt. He said the best came from the store bought one... you know the ones you forget you have and they start growing. Not sure we will grow potatoes again. I like the variety but they take up a lot of room. E checked them out, said his produced a bit bigger but not as much. His sweet potatoes made ours look like wimpy. 

Speaking of E... M delivered a healthy baby girl last night. Midwife didn't make it in time so E delivered the baby. M was in labor 1 hr. Hubby went and got E's mom to check the baby and M out. She retired from midwife 2 yrs ago. Not sure her kids got that memo. Baby weighed 8 lbs. 11 oz. Letting the other 9 kids name her so it might be a few days before they settle on a name. Said it was the fastest deliver she has ever had. She said she didn't mind it not taking the usual 1-2 days. Her niece is coming down from Michigan today to help take care of the younger kids and finish the canning which most of it is done anyways. I think the gathering of the last of the tomatoes and squash is it as she told me she already had her apple pie filling and applesauce done and that' usually the last of what she cans.

I am still sick... not allowed to touch produce (doctor's orders) until Friday and only if I have no symptoms SIGH. Might end up making pear butter from the pears in the frig. Apples are on the porch but it's only in the 50s. Hubby said there are a few crockneck and zucchini he needs to pick (and pull the plants)and he would cover the onions and carrots that are still growing. Yes I am whining about not being in the gardens or processing food.😷

I miss eating....I am thankful that I have bone broth and juices canned. Hubby is glad I have meals he can put together for himself quickly. But I miss eating. 

Blessed Be 

Prayers for peace

Caught the flu and I really don't want to share.

 

Yes I sleep on the bathroom floor when I am sick. For the first time she felt she needed to sleep with me and was willing to cuddle (that was Wilbur)... AND she went and got Hubby who was asleep in his chair. He thought she wanted out but she guided him to my bathroom to "show" him I was sick. THEN when I finally went back to bed... she went and got him again to show him I was in bed. We had a laugh over it. Rascal would do that when he was alive.

At least it's not Crohn's nor is it COVID . We were thankful we just had that shot. We get the flu shot in Oct. I know a friend whom had the flu last month he thought it was worse then when he had Covid. I am not as bad as he was but I haven't had Covid and don't want to. 

MEANTIME... sigh... since I can't process any food. Hubby went out and finished harvesting the potatoes by himself. 

I started reading A THOUSAND WAYS to PLEASE a HUSBAND. With Bettina's Best recipes... been very interesting as it first was published in 1917. 

Then I started playing with our diet/meals.

I did a spreadsheet of colors of veggies and fruit. I was looking at the varieties not how much as that is on the inventory. We will have each color once a day. 

We have 30 varieties in the red color. 

We have 27 varieties of yellow/orange color (is banana white or yellow? )

We have 19 varieties of green color. I was surprised at that but realized I only counted green beans as one and not the varieties of Italian wide, French cut and regular or stir fry. I didn't count the green chilis or the green jalapenos that are canned. I didn't include fresh lettuces/greens either. 

We have 14 varieties of blue/black/purple.

We have 13 of white/tan. Onions are on the table in some form almost daily but it might be a red onion or yellow onion instead of the white onion. 

Mixed colors...9  that is home canned veggies soup, cole slaw, ratatouille, Russian salad, giardiniera, 7 bean soup,5 bean soup, 3 bean salad, tropical fruit blend and fruit cocktail. 

Daughter 4 suggested we pick our veggies and fruit first, then our protein and grains. AND  add quinoa... that was backed by Son 2. 

We talked about starting eating from the pantry now Oct 1st (TODAY) since we will get the turkeys at Thanksgiving. Even though I still have tomatoes, 2 different apples to process and carrots and onions in the gardens

Hubby still wants us to "eat out" once a week and rotate thru our local owned restaurants to be supportive on them  

Pfeiffer station on Wed (meatloaf) or Thurs. (beef and noodles)

Belly acre, Michael Angelo's, Ralph's, Royal Buffet, En Lai Chinese and Marathon gas ($11 pizza and good sandwiches. Neighbor's family works there).

I agreed to Pfeiffer on the week we don't have appts with rotating which day. 

The others will rotate on Tuesday when we have appts and are out anyways. Pfeiffer is 1 mile from us.

I also realized I am in a rut of what veggies I serve together. Green beans and corn, peas and carrots, white potatoes, yellow onions and carrots (with any roast), cauliflower and broccoli.... then white potatoes and white onions with any beans, ratatouille with pasta, spinach with hominy. Kraut with mashed potatoes.

I need to switch it up. Daughter 1 does Hungarian cabbage rolls with tomatoes.

Daughter 2 does green beans with onions and mushrooms (she only eats fresh mushrooms).

Daughter 3 tosses greens with tomatoes and yellow or orange bell peppers

Daughter 4 does brussels sprouts with red onions and yellow bell peppers

Son 1 does V8 fusions as he hates the texture of veggies and fruit.

Son 2 does butternut squash with red onion and kale... he tries to get purple kale if he can. 

They sure didn't get those combinations from me. LOL 

Need to go let Charlotte out and take another round of meds. 

Blessed be

Prayers for peace