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.