I'm tired BUT

 Son2 got rid of some of his clutter. Mother had gave him this LEAD crystal pitcher (he doesn't remember using it ever) 

It might kill off the orange roses but what ever. I got them for $5.

Son 2 also sent me this.

He asked about where we were with updating our will and crap (his words) as he was updating his. Since I am his next of kin and he is our executor... it followed his thinking.

Then he brought up stupidity in DC (retired vet with working as civilian on base) over the debt ceiling . Could we make the bills without SS since we have always focused on making the bills only on SS.  I spent 5 minutes while he yacked about VFW (he works 2 jobs there) and Combat Vets (works 1 job there) I did said he was a work alcoholic right? Plus helping his girlfriend with her teenage daughter whose own dad doesn't make the effort.  The last time this crap hit I was paying his gas for him to go to work as ordered but not getting a paycheck.

YES we can either live on 1 IRA or on both SS with medical from Daddy's IRA that I inherited. ALSO know that's WITH the mortgage. 

Mean time we decided to put extra money back in savings instead of on the mortgage incase crap hits the fan. Then if it doesn't hit the fan we can just send it to the mortgage. 

The Amish lady I was buying herb plants from , waited on an Englisher (what Amish call us) who was telling Mrs. Y all about where she was going shopping with her friend. When  I stepped up to check out, Mrs. Y told me that the Englisher comes up from southern Ohio, a 3 hr. trip one way, once a month to go shopping at several stores with her friend. Mrs. Y had asked if the stores near her didn't sell what she was shopping for. Yes they do but she gets to go to more stores with her friend. 

Mrs. Y who very seldom offers that kind of conversation continued with " let me offer some thoughts,  more stores you shop, the more money you will spend because you see what you think are good deals. Deals you really could go without."

 I asked how often she went to the store, bulk or English... not even once a month.  But she acknowledged she had chickens for meat and eggs along with a milk cow so have milk, heavy cream and butter. I asked if she need to do other work, I wanted advice to help save money and eat healthy. She said she had the time for me.

Eat from your garden (or in season if you don't have a garden). Eat what you process yourself or get at farmer's markets. Leave boxed food on the store shelf. Make it from scratch. Buy canned goods or frozen if needed. She would add pasta if on sale cheap.   She pointed out I just over ran 5 Amish families (actually it was 6) with asparagus, one actually sold it at the produce auction and gave us the money. Everyone else's asparagus is just now coming on, ours is done. We ate it daily. I have 3 more meals of it in the frig and 26 meals of it in the freezer. Hubby would like to not see it on the table since it was on the table nightly for 5 wks.

She asked what would come in next. Rhubarb is ready now, strawberries are in bloom. Peas are just starting to come on, might end up with peas and green beans at same time.  She nodded. Eat that, and use what you already have in pantry.

She also told me to have Hubby say something to J at feed store about what cheeses he brings in from Holmes co. I pointed out that Hubby is hauling someone every other month to Holmes co. She strongly suggested he get his cheese then. 

Men must talk about eating cheese when Hubby is hauling them LOL.

I asked if she did pantry soup like E's mom. She said no, she does scrap soup or casserole. What ever is left over the day before goes to soup or casserole for lunch.

She asked how often I go to the store or shop Amazon (yes Amish shop Amazon through Englishers)  Twice a month store, once a month Amazon, but that was stock up of medical supplies including the dog medical, that I couldn't find local. She suggest to cut in half... or even down to one with just pick of milk and eggs.  She pushed  to every 5 to 6 wks. when she realized they had started going to the store on average of every 10 days. They were already in town, let's stop. When she quit that and pushed it to twice a month, the bill dropped by 25%. She pushed it again to once a month, it dropped another 25%. Now she is at 5 wks. and looking to push it to 6 wks. She's spending 1/3rd of what she was. She does put her gardening supplies in the grocery budget.... as she put it...it's food right? 

It was an interesting conversation from a woman I barely get any from.