Wednesday, June 24, 2026

SIGH MOAN GROAN

 Freezer room wall at corners of window

Bucket room wall..looked like a joint but actually in middle of slab.


Hubby just fixed the sump pump so at least that is done. Good news we caught it , bad news is the freaking cost. Including it has to be tied into a tile, which is within 10 ft (that was good news) BUT they will have to dig under the wall of the ramp which means more repairs to that.

Had first estimate yesterday. Get second one tomorrow. Because it's poured cement it's going to cost more to fix. Also the windows are not casement windows and can't be opened so we are having them replaced at the same time. 

All said and done, could end up being around $30,000 and 3-5 days of work.
Our insurance guy said to take before and after pictures so he can document the repair.

Money that was going to go on mortgage to pay house off early, is now going on repair. Our finance guy moved some things around in our funds  to come up with some of it. I have enough in CD's that will mature in early July to pay the rest. MOAN. GROAN. SIGH.

I whined to the kids... one asked if we were going to sell the house over it... I was kind of that would be stupid especially with houses NOT selling due to cost of loans. Three thought better us than them. One came back with ,cut the rest of the budget and make up the amount in next 2 years. Divide it out and keep on budget. THEN sighed and stated I just came out of her mouth when she was talking of buying a house. LOL.

Mean time I am going to start a fall garden.  I need to harvest tonight as the rain will be coming in for the next day or two. 

May all of you be safe and well
Blessed Be



Friday, June 19, 2026

pick a subject

 It's raining AGAIN, still and some more.  Cistern over flowed into basement. Caught it before it got really bad but STILL!!!! So cleaning it, finding replacement boxes for the ones that was ruined and a getting rid of somethings we don't every use. BUT glad the cistern is FULL instead of gone dry like last year.

Hubby is draining the totes we hooked to down spouts every other day into the pond. Pond is now full which is very good.

Can't get in garden , water above my ankles. But glad we have raised garden beds when several others including Amish said they would have to replant. I am not dealing with that but do have 24 veggies I need to get planted HOPEFULLY only ONCE. Several Amish said they lost sweet corn and are not sure they will be able to get back in the fields to replace it in time.

Hubby mowed during a light rain before the 24 hr. rain hit so the yard is not as bad. 

 HEAVENS!!!!


Lightening bug  FIRST SEEN 6.18.26

6/19 update. Got in gardens, got radishes, turnips, all sorts of "salad" stuff. Some strawberries for a week or so. Got blueberries, red raspberries and black raspberries right now. Blackberries are in starting to make.  I do not need berries for the freezer.  Had to replant peas again. Had a HOT spell that killed about half of our plants. Just steamed them to death. Hubby finally caught up the lawn. Said it brought back memories of cutting hay as a kid when they farmed.

We have dead fruit trees and dead roses we need to deal with. 

I am writing up a "restock" list to cover us through this winter to spring. Peaches is first on the list.Pasta sauce, bbq sauce  and catsup is also on that list.

We picked up 3rd wagon load of wood blocks, so now have 9 cords of that. We will get one more before fall. Hubby is sorting through them as some will need cut to 15 inches which fits our stove. He will toss the "extra" in a barrel that we got when the tree nursery closed down. I burn the "extra" I call scrap crap when it's chilly like early fall or late spring. We went through 24 scrap buckets this past spring when propane hit 30%. The sawmill gave us  for free 2 full scrap buckets they had tossed aside . Saves them from having to burn it in the field. His wife said she planted the field for the 1st time in 20 years and was very thankful for us taking the scrap instead. Now uses it herself for heating laundry water.

I will order my summer fill of propane (already paid for) after July 4th.Maybe closer to the end of July. Then will go in and reserve my winter propane after that fill. Lets me know what my balance is sitting at the CO OP  so I only come up with the difference and makes the summer fill last longer as we hit the 30% mark in propane a month before I thought we would. Since it's the most expensive of our fuel (pump house use 5 % during the winter), hot water, cook stove and house heat) I try to make sure we use the wood/coal for most of the house heat and at least half of the cooking. The 1st yr we lived here, We spent $2200 for propane. Amish neighbor gave us 2 tree trunks that are 6 ft long and 4 ft wide in exchange of Hubby helping cut down some trees that he needed removed from his maple farm.That should take care of the 16 cords of night wood we will need, if not Hubby will be looking for night wood.

Hubby finally called the Ohio Basement Doctor to come give estimate for basement issues. They come next week. Since I know I will have to move several shelving units for them to repair the walls, I decided to do that this week instead of starting my fall cleaning. Might as well declutter those areas also.  Hubby got the sump pump to work and cleaned to discharge pipe so that won't need replaced saving $1600. I really REALLY hope the old windows have to go away so I can have basement windows like the one Amish just got for their basement...opens nicer and easier to clean 😁. Might talk Hubby into going to get the windows this weekend.

We spent a couple hours with our Finance guy. Was shocked we were doing so well with our $$. Got emergency fund (say $800 truck tire ) in money market,and 1 month fund ( yep in savings) 3 month fund (in CD earning over 3 % ) Focus is now paying off the house and the truck. Changed a couple things around and that is now the focus completely after basemen repair. 

Went to grocery store... Spent $343.75, saved $76.26. Got enough to go to Aug, close to Labor day, except for dairy.  That's around 10 wks. IT is  a little bit more than I set the budget at $150 a month, prices went up so I am focused on eating healthy and figuring out where to cut.

Blessed be, Charlotte is whining at me, so it must be walk around the perimeter time or she wants to snuggle a nap in LOL