Day 1 of week one.

 Charlotte insisted we start the day with our normal routine of sitting on the kitchen porch while I drink coffee. I was definitely wrapped in a blanket.

We decided to eat our main meal at noon with snacks later. 
I roasted the turkey, baked a large sweet potato to split between us. Baked Brussels sprouts in bacon grease so they were crispy on the edges. Bakes stuffed mushrooms.  I added a spinach salad with sliced strawberries, feta cheese and strawberry salad dressing one of the kids passed to me as they didn't like it. I heated a couple rolls. We did not have any of the pecan pie or pumpkin pie but the day is not over.

I set the table (used to bug the crap out of Hubby) with the dishes my Daddy bought Mother on their 5th anniversary to celebrate buying their first home. Plus I used the silverware that was Hubby's grandmother on his Dad's side. His parents said it made them feel good because none of the kids wanted it because it was silverplated instead of silver. Since they would have been farming for a living , I struggle to see them spending money for real silver. But that is just me I guess. 

I took the crystal punch bowl Son2 gave back and used it for the citrus fruit. There is oranges, lemons, limes and pomegranates. The oranges look yellow in this photo. 

While putting leftovers away I found a bag of mixed salad that has taco flavoring that needs used up. So moved enchilada casserole up to this week to go with the salad.  

I washed the outside of the  west side windows so we can start dealing with Christmas decorations. I ordered some things we needed replaced for Christmas decorations that was on sale at Amazon.

Tomorrow I will be bagging up the turkey by meals and starting broth from the bones. Probably cleaning, and decorating. 

Be safe

Prayers for peace

Blessed Be 

Happy Thanksgiving to those celebrating it.

 Okay, we had 3 doctor appts, DONE until Monday and that is only Hubby.

I no longer need to take potassium (YEAH) , or go get more blood work and won't see primary until Feb. Am able to schedule my doctor appts I missed while sick. Able to schedule our vaccines also.

Primary is letting Hubby's cardiologist make the call over one med that Hubby takes for tremors, it might be the glitch in his heart beat, or it could be just how it beats since he has a deformity.

We sucked it up after chiro and my blood work and went shopping for the bulk.

Went to Menards, got bottled water, pretzels, Chi Chi chips (the only place that carries them) and candy for Christmas. We will get 11% back.

Went to Aldi's, got a small turkey for roasting later this spring, corned beef (now in freezer for St Patrick's day) some specialty cheeses, a pretzel bite tray, brown and serve buns and fresh cranberries. They did not have any ham which I usually buy there.

Went to Kroger's. Hubby pushed cart #1, I got cart #2. I got fresh veggies and a couple salads, oranges, limes, lemons, a pineapple, apples, pears  and pomegranates. I got dairy.  Hubby grabbed some different breads as at this point doc wants it on the table and we will work at lowering chemicals after the holidays. I have lost 30 lbs. I look like my mother when she was taking chemo. They were out of their 49 cents turkeys so I did not pick another turkey up. I usually have 2 in deep freezers.  I did get a log of ground beef (I had coupon) for making ground beef crumbles this week. I bag them in 1 cup sandwich bags and then in freezer bag. Helps make quick meals or to add to casserole or pasta. I use Bluapple in my frigs to help keep produce longer. It does seem to work pretty well.  I got junk food as I know if I didn't he would start picking worse crap up when he would go get milk and veggies.  He picked up a pie that was half pumpkin and half pecan. He would have gotten more but I pointed out I had the stuff to make cranberry custard pie, mini cheese cakes along with any fruit pies, cakes , cookies etc. I do not make pecan pie any more as Son2 can no longer eat it and it was being tossed. I think half a pie will get ate. Pumpkin never gets tossed LOL.

Went to the butcher shop, got 2 meals of cube steak, 2 meals of bone in pork chop, 2 meals of boneless pork chop and ribeye steaks to make in to Guy Fieri sliders for NY eve, Philly steak subs, and Philly steak pizza.  I will slice them on my meat slicer after they are frozen. Confirmed I had 2 prime ribs or 1 large one (depends on what he gets in) on order for Christmas eve. I will make several meals from that.

Went to Save A Lot and got a ham. If I don't use it for Christmas I will use it at Easter. I have a rack of ribs, a pork shoulder roast and 2 small pork tenderloins I can use for NY eve/NY day.

Figured out we still stayed in the $85/week range for the groceries . IF we go longer than 8 weeks and don't pick much up, it might be lower than that.

 Wrote out 154 meals without repeats from what is in house (included prime rib ordered).  That is 22 weeks and puts us to Easter. 

I would love it. We know we will have to get dairy and some fresh veggies. I should have enough winter squash, potatoes, and onions ( might be on light side there) . 

It took four hours of shopping, on top of 2 hrs. of driving AFTER blood work and chiro appt.  Lucky that the weather was on cool side so we could just leave the perishables in the coolers out on the porch and I put it away the next morning.

We talked about how it worked.. I had a full grocery list on clip board, in categories and in order to shop store (non perishables/middle of store first). 

We would set the carts at one spot, he stood with them and I walked the aisle to get what was needed, Limited us from trying to work around others. We went on Tuesday so the crowd was not bad as it was on Wednesday when our grandkid set me a pic of him trying to get some odds and ends. The check out line was to the back of the store.

BUT the negative, if is is colder than what it was (34 degrees out is like a frig) or hotter like in Summer, we would have to leave earlier, not have any other appts (especially blood work) to get it , get home and put it away immediately. It took me 1 hr. to put it all ways (yes it fit in 3 frigs) and the meat is wrapped and in freezers. I was hauling butt to get it done that fast.

I do have some things to do before Monday night (trash goes to road) like dealing with today's turkey carcass. Making the apple sausage stuffin muffins (Rachael Ray the only stuffing Hubby will eat), making apple sausage puffs (crescent dough), noodles (main dish and side) and taco seasoning. Off the top of my head.

We will be cleaning and decorating this weekend. It usually takes us a week to get the decorating done inside and out. I think it might take 2 wks. just because of him still going to cardio rehab 3 times a week and my energy is still in the toilet. 

We figured if we only go every 8 weeks. We will save 4 hrs. of our time, not counting cost of the gas to run the stores. We did not stop at the Mennonite or Amish store. They were packed.

This week on the menu is 
Today: Roasted turkey, roasted Brussel sprouts, baked sweet potato, baked stuffed mushrooms, salad optional ( easy meal) pie and pumpkin roll (from Amish)

Friday . Leftover steak from Applebee's that we celebrated at last night after no more blood work and back to 3 month appts. Probably will have bell peppers, onions and mushrooms sliced with it into tortilla wraps to give us enough for a meal. Pear salad or apple salad.

Saturday Leftover turkey in noodles (making noodles for pantry), Mashed potatoes, asparagus from freezer, cole slaw (canned) 

Sunday Apple sausage puffs (I am using a lot of recipes out of the cookbook The Cabin full of Food) . This works well as the ingredients is close to what the apple sausage stuffin muffins is. So less mess to clean up. 

Monday Nonna's pizza... think sheet cake pan, thick dough, good coating of pizza sauce, sausage, pepperoni, bacon, ham,2-3 different color of  bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, banana peppers, black olives and cheese. Chef salad .

Tuesday Spaghetti squash bowls (turkey alfredo most likely but could be taco meat and toppings) 

Wednesday Rheuben casserole on rye bread. It's a crock pot thing, layer of canned corned beef, thin layer of Swiss cheese and then topped with a layer of kraut (I have homemade kraut) I usually put a layer on Swiss on top when I serve it. We both use horseradish cream sauce on the sandwich if we eat it like that. Other wise we use the rye bread to sop up the juices. 

Thursday I will finish using the spaghetti squash as pasta.    

Stay safe

Prayer for peace

Blessed be

Hubby brought up

 He would like to do the grocery shopping like we did when the kids were growing up. I'm like... which part? The stop at butcher shop for the reduced on Saturday night because the store was closed on Sunday? The nine loaves of homemade bread I baked DAILY? The leftovers going into casseroles and leftover casserole going into soups?

No, the part we only go every two or three months for bulk. 

That was before Amazon for sure. 

 I had changed to once a month with milk run between last summer when one of the Amish ladies told me she was saving 25 % by not going every other week. 

In Sept with all the medical problems I went to 6 wks. Groceries are now averaging $85/week.

I showed him our standard list. There are a few things added due to holidays. Pointed out that fresh salad and fresh veggies will not last that long. He is willing to pick up some fresh veggies when he picks up the milk. 

I have no problem with going to January without being in the freaking stores. I don't want what ever new crud is going around. We are still averaging 4 medical appts a week.

I wrote out the list to increase the amount of time before we need to shop. Added some healthy snack food as I know we will snack more than eat meals with being mostly at home. I am hoping that the medical appts go down to one or two a week not four like now. 

I also made note... fresh salad and seafood first/ fresh veggies (think carrots and celery) and poultry next. Root veggies (and winter squash, cabbage in storage) next and then canned goods and freezer goods. 

I did tell him if it goes to waste we lose that money. I usually will dehydrate, freezer or make casserole or soup before that happens but it does happen sometimes.

He understands he will be in store pushing a cart. AND there will be at least 3 if not 4 stops.

If we take our time and I figure it correctly, it should be manageable between the two of us.

The side benefit, if I reduce the grocery budget doing it , that money can go over on to the mortgage.

Stay safe

Prayers for Peace 

Blessed be

When you get reminded of some funny things that happen at family holidays.

 Like the house catching on fire (no one hurt but enough damage) right before Halloween and we ended up with the spookiest house because the windows were black and looked like they had spider webs on them.

Same year, had Thanksgiving for 25, used church kitchen up the street. No one could believe we pulled it off but we did.

I made an Alabama Lane cake, went to move it from counter to table and it fell. Hubby caught it in the bowl he was getting for mashed potatoes. Ended up being Alabama Lane cake trifle. I cried over that one.

Deep fryer with turkey in it blew out at controls. Hubby kicked it out of Daughter 2's garage and saved the turkey. She said her garage smelled like turkey for months. No damage to garage or an cars.

Had Tday dinner outside as it was a great day, saw a couple next door and thought it was neighbors friends so invited them to share meal. Neighbor's thought they were kids friends, kids thought they were our friends... Not one of us knew them but it was the best of times. Never could figure out who there were. LOL

Daddy asking me where I got yellow cucumbers because he liked them as well as the green ones. He was eating raw yellow squash and zucchini. Yes we eat them raw. 

When Pop (stepdad) asked what I used to make the turkey moist but not mushy and I handed him a pint of homemade turkey broth that he helped me can. 

When Mother asked what was in the pinwheels... and it was tortilla wrap, cream cheese and diced bell peppers. 

BUT the part that still gets shared to this day... Is when someone will tell the grandkids (most are adults) to NOT SPOIL their dinner by eating from the veggie platter. Daughter 4 still can not live that one down. As she really did tell her kids to not eat from the veggie platter or they would spoil their dinner. Her husband at the time looked at her as she had lost her mind. LOL

What day is this?

 We are now marking off days like I did for my parents so we can keep track. 

I asked Hubby what day it was, his answer was 4.

I don't think so as we already had Veteran's day and Daughter 2's birthday. He laughed.

He thought I was asked what the day was to figure out how many prednisone and potassium tablets . I was to take which was 4 that day. Doc and told him to write it on the calendar since we both look daily at the calendar on the wall.

Hubby had voice therapy today, I had blood work.

I put away the stuff on my computer tray (that I never use for my computer) that sits at my rocker. I wiped all the tray. I put the pile of papers on the radio by my phone in the bill box where it belonged and wiped it off.

 I did my blog and started catching up on my National novel writer month of 50 K words by Nov 30th. 

I checked with Life Lock to make sure that was all up to date.

Ordered 2 prime rib roast, one for Christmas eve and one for the freezer.

I am not up to cooking. Lifting pots and pans is still a struggle but better.

I could actually give my phone number and social without looking today. Last Friday I was clueless.

Yesterday, Hubby stopped at Taco Bell's , not one of our normal places (would be mine) and got me 3 crunchy tacos for lunch and a Mexican pizza for supper. I took 2 potassium at lunch and 2 at supper. Today I go to 3 a day.  for 3 days and then it is 1 a day twice a day until a month..

I walked very slowly around the perimeter twice. It was a nice day. Hubby said it was nice to see me out of the bathroom and bedroom where I have basically lived for a week. 

We went for his voice therapy while I played where is my blood order? sitting at the hospital and it didn't help Doc's office was ran over with sick people and his head nurse aka his wife was the only one in besides him so she was slow getting back to me of the phone number she faxed it to.

I finally tracked it down (where Head nurse said she sent it and they said they didn't get it) and within two minutes watched the office manager walk the young lady that lied about getting it to the door.  Had 8 "vampires" what I call the blood takers LOL, trying to find a place to pull blood from...sigh. Finally the head boss found if she moved her thumb a certain way she could get to a good one and stuck me. 

We went through Mc D's and got a double cheeseburger for each, split small fries and I got a small ice tea as I had a headache. 

Got home, Hubby went back to town for groceries that I was not up to dealing with and he had to jump the truck to get it started twice. Replaced that battery, thinks there is a short in the  rear brake lights again (has happened twice now) and it drained it. Going to call about scheduling that to be checked. He picked up Special K, milk and 3 bags of mixed salad. 

Doc calls to tell me my potassium in not in the toilet (2.9) but hanging over the seat (3.4 LOL) and he would like it to be at 4 (with toilet lid shut). Magnesium is in normal range and he can't think what would cause the potassium to drop. I asked him if he had checked my B9, Folate? Total silence. No because I am past childbearing. I pointed out that just because I am past that doesn't mean it can't be the issue as I know from experience that drops my potassium. Has been added to my blood work on Tuesday even though we see him Wednesday. Means I can go to store and pick up a few things to get us through the holiday and decorating for Christmas and NOT on the day before the holiday. 

There is one thing I would never miss about the holidays. The kids start fighting with each other until I want to smash heads together. I blame Mother as she always felt she needed to start it right before the holidays. I am glad they are having meals with their kids (yes our house is big enough but they know they can't fight with each other within the length of our arms) So they are eating else where. Son 2 who just broke up with his lady due to her cheating is going to his biological aunt's for dinner as he is close to her boys he hasn't seen for a couple years. Son 1 is going south with some buddies as he is not seeing anyone.

 Hubby said he noticed that they didn't offer for us to come to eat and I laughed. They know full well they start fighting with each other in their own homes we will still smash heads. Until the day we die before that stops. Less stress for us as I would probably try to figure out how to eat with 4 different kids, couple of the grandkids are going to be with their other parents also. By Christmas things will calm back down. 

Hubby mentioned we had no place for putting puzzles together. I used to have a cardboard for the table and we would move it to the bfast bar. His Mom told him to quit doing them as he made 2 into pictures for her (framed etc.) so he stopped completely when she meant for her alone.   I ordered a puzzle table and some puzzles I think he would like, one I know I would like to do  for us as our Christmas gift to each other. I know I will have to change what I store on the bfast bar (beside clutter) so we can sit it there when using the table. It has drawers for the pieces so I won't have to keep gathering them up and putting them back in the box. Daughter 2 had one like this for years for her 4 boys(who fight with each other around the holidays also).

We are having pumpkin spice Special K for bfast

It's supposed to rain, soaker rain most the day but be warm. I have to clean the stove as the rest of the week is to be cold. Nice to have a couple days break of hauling wood

I am thinking beef stew for supper. I have canned beef, just turn broth into gravy, add carrots, onions and potatoes. Either bake bread or biscuits along with salad should be plenty. 

Best try to get some sleep. 

Prayers for peace

Blessed Be 

 

I am in recovery. Its going to be long time.

 My potassium is 2.9. Usually at 3.5 they have you in hospital with potassium IV. Since Doc just watched me hobble in to his office on Hubby's arm. He knows I am better... as I could not walk into the ER or out of it on Friday. LOW POTASSIUM CAN CAUSE HEART ATTACK. I already left sided heart disfunction (which goes in to left sided failure).

At ER on Friday night

Paramedic took me to my room as the staff was busy and my BP was 85/53 and I was having chest pains. Pain level at 8, throwing up and diarrhea. I had taken 2 Humira and it did not not slow down the freight train (because Crohns wasn't the problem) Told Hubby he expected me to just slump over at any time and figured he was the best person at the spot to deal with it. Hubby told him they could tag team it as he was retired EMT. plus squad driver.

RN took one look and called for blood work, and all the heart crap  stat. PA came in and started hooked up IV but was nice to draw blood since he taking my only good vein. They did a small amount later to run second test for heart attack. NO heart attack but definitely heart event with stress. Still was at level 8. pain

Meds for throwing up. Had to wait for ct scan to show nothing was blocked before they could give me a pain shot.  NO blockage, gave me standard morphine (that's all I can take) It did not kick the pain down. Still at level 8. Not throwing up (such a relief) but went through 8 diapers in the 3 hrs. we were there.  Said potassium low. So as I was being releases I asked what meds was being sent to pharmacy... Potassium. Doctor has already been in an out making comments about I have crohns. I asked for pain meds to get me through until I could see my doctor. He refused. I could see my primary for pain meds for my crohns. Nothing for diarrhea, nothing for throwing up, nothing for pain. PA could not understand it and mixed the powdered potassium and wondered out loud why I wasn't just given the pill. When I immediately threw it up and he wiped up the floor, washed and dried my crocs so my feet wouldn't get wet. He pulled what was in the that powder, Printed it off and told me to make sure my doctor saw that. It has citric acid. Citric acid is know to cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and sever stomach cramps. 

I walked in hanging by my fingernails on that cliff and walked out wondering how to harm myself without screwing it and causing more pain. Thoughts on our 30 children, grandkids and great grandkids pasted through  my mind. It was great grandbaby that had to have four surgeries since birth 3 months ago to get her shunt to work correctly that stopped me. I could imagine her tiny little foot kicking my in the butt. She worked so hard to come home and I was giving up over a butt head's belief. I had crohns so I should just accept the pain. IT was not the crohn's causing the problem but the potassium.

I hadn't been able to hold anything but water down since Tuesday the 7th (Hubby said politics has made me sick). Call primary early Monday morning and leave message including I had thought of self harm until I thought of baby. I was in, blood work drew. Meds for pain, throwing up, diarrhea and potassium. He filed a complaint at that Hospital. He is checking my blood work again on Thursday, got the hospital Hubby has voice therapy to take his order and run it so I don't have to drive so far. IF it is still down, I will be in hospital until it is up enough I am not in danger.

My GI  and my GI PA was through the roof. I was not told to follow up with them (I did request it be after Tday as I want to get the potassium fixed first). Was not sent records I was even in. Full review of the doctor and his orders concerning me are under review. The fact that several of the staff heard him tell me I had crohn's I could talk to my primary and ignored I was a heart patient  and GI patient with level 8 pain and no meds to cover Friday night to Monday was shocking. The nurse at my GI office called and asked how I was doing. She doubts if the doctor remains on staff. In this hospital , it's not 3 strikes you are out, it's one strike and you are out. He didn't even follow protocol. Said the RN and the PA and the ct scan tech all reported him also. 

We will see where that goes.  

Meantime I am limited up as I get to shaky to walk. I have no strength. But I have to eat solid food with the potassium. Yesterday I cut up 3/4s of a cheeseburger slider in to 8 pieces to have 1 before each pill and 1 at the end to get rid of the nasty tasting crap. I actually held it all down with sips of water in between and puke meds 30 minutes before I started. Now down 30 lbs. I look like Mother when she was on Chemo 

Update of Hubby Neurologist report

First they did nerve testing on his legs. He has very little feeling in the skin of his legs but the muscles definitely are NORMAL on the feeling. Said we will have to watch him for minor cuts etc. getting infected. His arms are the same way. It is due to the prediabetes. His balance has improved also. 

Doc K said heart issues can mimic other issues so make sure he does not miss cardio appts. Was surprised Hubby doesn't go back to cardiologist until May. Said that meant he was doing great. 

Doc K didn't get the results of the testing done by another Doctor. Hubby didn't have them either so Hubby is calling today to find out what is going on with that. 

Doc K ordered at home sleep apnea study... I have to find a way to keep Charlotte from waking him up. I would have him sleep upstairs but he gets up to potty through the night.  

Doc K agreed that eating foods that help with issues instead of popping a pill was the best way to go. He thought it was funny primary took Vit B complex out as you just pee the excess, until I showed him on my phone (thank you Google) that high dosages will affect SLEEP. Since we eat the foods that have B Vitamin in them, the pill was making it too high and neither of us was getting a good night's sleep. 

B Vitamin helps with Dementia.  He asked about coconut oil (another one that helps) Sends triglycines up and he just had a heart attack. That went bye bye also.

We talked about Beta glucan (oats, barley, sweet potatoes etc.) helping with the metabolic syndrome and some issues and he was for us trying it for the next 3 months. That will have another round of blood work from primary done to show if it is helping. 

He asked if Hubby was in cardio rehab. As he felt Hubby probably doesn't need it . It starts today. His cardiologist said he only needed to go for information and ins reason for 3 visits and if he doesn't want to go any more that was fine as he does more "work out " at home than he will at rehab. 

Got to get around to get some work done before we head to rehab. 

Prayers for Peace

Blessed Be

What I am doing this week

 Not canning  SNICKERING

Dealing with scarp wood. We put it in tubs and I use it to limp evening fire to night wood, bump up heat for cooking or if it's warm (50s) outside use it instead of the longer lasting wood.

We have several appointments. Hubby has nerve testing and follow up with neurologist today. Tomorrow is cardio rehab and that will be 3 days a week unless he stops. His cardiologist told him he does more work at home than he will with the physical work out he get in rehab but he wants him to at least go 3 times due to insurance issues. Wednesday he has to take the wood wagon to the saw mill. He also has to catch E when he is not in the fields taking off beans. Amish work together taking their crops off. He need E to mow the around the edge of the pond, mow the asparagus (our mower would damage it, his is to the side so weight it not on the asparagus) and see if he knows anyone selling cords of wood. He would like to have one cord cut as he gets tired easy and not sure he will get the wood he has cut to size. He had someone give him about half a cord....it's too long for our stove so he has to cut off about 2 inches (more for tubs) .

I changed our chiro appts back to the regular day so it matches our appts with primary and blood work. One trip, less gas and Hubby will be less frustrated of losing a day of working at home.

I need to declutter and clean the 1st floor. THEN I can start decorating. Won't turn the decorations on but we won't be worn out trying to do the "get it done in one week" mode we usually do at Thanksgiving. He is going to start decorating the outside since it's to be nice this week.

Daughter 1 is having surgery next week. She's on disability right now. She has had serious health problems for the past few years. We talked to her and her hubby about them needing to look for a different home that was one story and not up a hill that she has to walk down to get to the car or where she can't get to the laundry room as it's in the basement. They didn't do it. NOW she can't walk up or down the 9 steps to get to the car and it's too steep to ramp. They had to take a window out of the bedroom and put a door in to get her in and out of house. Lesson learned. She does not want to rent but might have to due to interest on mortgage loans. She's too young for the one set of apartments that would work great. Daughter 3 told her a couple places that she could probably get into. Daughter 3 used to work at the old folks home.

Son 2 is having more testing and tons of follow ups. 

The berries are only half weeded. So one or both of us will probably try to get more done this week. 

I am reading "The Cabin Full of Food" by Marie Beausoleil. I am also following her at justplaincooking.ca

I need to rewrite the to do list that is for both of us. Hubby loses his list.

Prayers for peace 

Blessed Be

Sunday is the day of rest. I cleaned the basement.

 I went down to get something out of the one freezer and had to move the dehydrator and thought enough is enough.

I cleaned the mechanical room first as it is off the freezer room. Cobwebs down, breaker box, furnace and water softener dusted and floor swept. I had Hubby check the furnace filters and water filter. He couldn't remember changing the water filter so he change it now. I will now put that on the calendar to make sure one of us changes it. I will remind him to flip the pipe on the septic tank. It's changed with the time change.

I moved the dehydrators to a shelving unit in the bucket room and finished putting away stuff off the top of the 3 deep freezers. Move a couple things off the top of the one refrigerator (now in donation box) and put some of the extra empty canning jar boxes there. I picked up a green Rubbermaid thinking there was stuff in it... it was empty. I have been sitting the food processor on top of it. Now food processer is in bucket room on shelving unit, rubber maid is going to barn. I stacked all the empty wide mouth quart jars there

The regular mouth pints and the wide mouth pints stayed by the refrigerators. I keep them neat as if I don't we fall over them walking into this room.

The pantry area was just dust and sweep. I do need to finish grinding some of the herbs and greens I dried but that can be done later. 

I hung the onions on the wall. Hung garlic in bags from stairs and put the little onion in the hanging basket. Straightened up the regular mouth canning jars under the stairs. Moved the solar cube to that area so I am not moving it daily to get into the chest of drawers (It was Daddy's) that I store small baking pans in.

Straightened up the buckets that hold flours and grains. Hubby takes things and sits what ever on these buckets instead of putting it away. Just something I have to get used to with his dementia. 

I have 3 rice buckets and 1 bucket of homemade noodles and one bucket of Ramen noodles in the pantry. 

There is 9 buckets at bottom of stairs of what I use weekly. 

There was 1 small bag of trash, 2 small boxes of burn trash (one was mostly dog fur as Charlotte has a bed in the basement for when she is hot or scared) and 2 boxes of donations and 2 boxes for Daughter 4. I do have 1 boxes of extra kitchen stuff as we have grandkids starting to go out of their own and I let them pick through that box.

It took 6 hrs. BUT it's done and I should be able to maintain it since I moved things around. It helped we bought 3 shelving units when we bought one for Daughter 2.  I might add another one for the oils that sit to the right of the staircase . I will see what I have in barn I can use as this area never gets water so I won't have to use something waterproof.

I already did the lofts last month. I do need a better system for some things in then north loft. I might go book cases for it. Make it out of the scrap lumber we have in the barn  as the north loft is canned goods like cases of soup, coffee and teas etc. and canning supplies like canning salt, citric acid etc. Cleaning products are in boxes on the other side. Building book cases is winter project.

Ever think "I am not going to do anything today" and then work twice as hard?

Prayers for peace

Blessed be

frugal choices plus solar pump

 

The solar pump is now connected to the pressure tank. Electric pump is off. We will see how this saves electric. AND we will know how long a solar charge (goes to batteries and then the pump) works with OH sunlight. If the grid goes down here NW Ohio) like it does repeatedly in NE Ohio. We will be ok water wise.

I never bought a baby monitor for the kids or grandkids but Hubby sure did for this solar pump. He wanted to monitor the pressure and make sure there was no issues and doesn't want to go to the pump house every time he wants to check it.

First day, it turned off. He had it programed wrong.

Second day, he had the pressure drop to 15 before it would kick on. Takes less than 5 mins. to bring back up to pressure but the washer wasn't done filling and it shut off due to lack of water. So the pressure is set for 25 with no higher than 45 (50 is the max).

He wrote on the calendar were the electric meter was and where the propane tank level was. Said he was going to read both once a week. 

I have learned the curve of watching what water I am turning on with what ever is running also. Flushing the toilet when showering is  NO NO. LOL

We are being careful with our water. Our pond was 12 inches lower than normal. We have gotten 1 inch total rain this week. It's supposed to be drier winter in Ohio. If we don't get enough rain/snow. Six Amish families won't get ice this winter for their ice houses... which means we will be making ice blocks in the freezer. Been there and done that the second year we were here. We get our well water from SNOW. Rain runs off to the streams and rivers. Snow fills the water under ground which is the deep well.

Our Amish neighbor had his 1000 gallon cistern go dry. He is putting up more spouting to run to that on the new wash house he is building. Mean time has his wind mill pumping daily to bring water into the house by a garden hose. His sister in law is washing their whites so the rust in the well water doesn't ruin their whites.

Our water softener company let us know we are only using the water of 1 person daily. That does not count the watering of the gardens as I don't have outside water lines going through the softener. We have 3 more beds to replace then I can run the drip lines in the gardens. Goal for next spring. I have the drip lines. Bought them on sale.

I reused our canning water several times in the canner. I then used it to wash the pots and pans. We had a rain downspout break, Hubby put a trash can under it to catch the little rain we got. He then poured it in the drain of the pump house as that goes to the pond.

Our Amish neighbor came over to use the phone. He came up to the house because it wouldn't go through (we put a phone in the barn for Amish to use). He handed Hubby the paper with the number and then had to pull out his flashlight for Hubby to read it. He wasn't using the 1 in front of the number for long distance. He thought it was funny he was using his flashlight in an Englisher house. We only have a ceiling fan light in the dining room and I have it so the light doesn't come on. We use oil lamp and Christmas LED candle for light in that area. We moved our supper to 4 so we don't have to turn on lights to eat since it will be getting dark at 5. 

The wood stove is on. Propane furnace is off. It's now cold enough outside that the house doesn't get up to 80 plus with the wood stove (we open windows just like Amish do) and it stays around 74  to 76 degrees.

I didn't decorate for Fall... mostly because of how sick I have been (thankful it is SLOWLY going away, doc thinks it's long haul side effect of covid) SO besides the pumpkin decoration with LED string lights there is no extra lights. I bought LED lights for 2 windows that was still the old lights so ALL the lights for Christmas is LED now.

I am done canning (Hubby says I will find something to can) but all the food is in the pantry. I told him We are eating from the pantry and freezers. I want to do more canning of our meat and less counting on the freezers. 

How are you doing?

Prayers for peace

Blessed Be