209 update

There is not enough time in the day to get things done so we are looking at moving out of where we are into the BARN first part of Aug. until the house is done. Won't have hot water , so will be taking showers at in laws that's a lot closer than where we live. Barn has electric and running cold water, we have the out house if we can't use the inside bathrooms that are FINISHED.

Wall paint (taking 4 coats) and floors (2 coats of stain, 2 coats of polyurethane) and it's not drying as quick as it would if the humidity was down.

Crown moulding is done

Bathroom is done...yeas the tape has been removed LOL

Wheelchair bathroom is done. Tape removed also

Laundry room had 1st coat of paint and will be getting the floor laid as soon as the other coats of paint dries.

Bedroom is done except for the floor.

Hubby has been moving fence posts so we can put up the fence for the dogs. I started painting them...6 hrs and no where near done and I can be honest in saying that I can barely walk today as I have not did that many squats in YEARS.

This is a section that will be on the dogs side of the fence so I painted it also...made the rest of the fence around the pond look like crap.
Here is the pile of fence I need to paint so Hubby can put them on the posts.

This is were I just started before the work day ended. Carpenter was staining the east loft when we were leaving Thursday. He was hoping to get another coat on today and start polyurethane coats Monday.

We meet with the head contractor Monday afternoon. He had to change supplier for the counter top. Sent us what he was looking at ordering from a more responsible (his words) dealer.

Hubby decided to move us Aug 1st ,even if that means into the barn. We can take showers at his parents that are closer and cut out 2 hrs of driving for each of us by doing so. A little bit of a push to do that but that would give me a solid month to clean Staley and get my rhubarb and flowers dug up.

Blessed Be

Short..frugal moments

Every 3rd day Hubby takes a trailer load of our stuff to 209 as he is working on fence line. Since he is going that way it's saving us on the amount of trips when we can actually move in...waiting on wall paint to be done so they can to do wood floors.

Neighbor at 209 has sent home beets and zucchini again and told us to check the sweet corn , it's almost ready.

Landlord let us know to come get sweet corn as his father in law planted 2 varieties, one early and the other one later but they came in at the same time and everyone is swamped with trying to get it dealt with.

I have been decluttering, sorting and packing daily to file the trailer every third day.

I got the two bathroom doors for 209 done.

We went looking for a recliner for Hubby and a new couch... found 1 we both like and can sit comfortably on AND it's on sale until the end of July. SO we will wait until closer to the end of the month so MAYBE we will be getting ready to actually move in   SIGH... Our head contractor is more frustrated than we are because he has other jobs lined up and less workers to work on them since they are still working on our place.

Frugal week of the 4th

I prepped several meals and put them in the freezer and posted a list on the frig.

We went to produce auction and got

pickles and zucchini... I would like to have more zucchini but I am not going out to get a lot more, just enough to try another recipe I ran across that makes is taste like pineapple.

Jade green beans, I got enough to process for us to have plenty for the year and a couple meals as fresh.

Roma green beans, a wide green bean that I use for one pot green beans, ham and potatoes. I have enough for the year also.

Candy onions, we gave one box to a friend as each box is 10 lbs. I have enough onions for 2-3 months.

I have to find out where the local extension office is to take in a bit of my grapes which seem to have a problem they didn't have last year.

We went to see Daddy who was on the tired side as he had joined a group exercise instead of a morning nap.

Wilbur and Rascal sitting at my feet while I watch Charlotte to make sure she stays in the yard.

This is Charlotte's "I won't do it again" after she was let out of her cage after a 15 minute time out for taking off AGAIN.  Wilbur "told" on her and Rascal chased her back out of the field to the house. Doesn't she look so sweet and innocent ?

Hubby worked the "pit" at the fireworks so I stayed home and watched the ones that were shot off by the little village up the road from us.

Weather has finally cooled off, turned off AC, opened windows (almost kicked furnace on when it dropped to 55 in the morning) and enjoyed the good breeze while I put polyurethane on the bathroom doors for 209. I need one more good day to finish the second door.

Used gas buddy and Kroger fuel points for cheapest gas.

209 update

Head contractor is still saying July 15th for it to be finished... carpenter and painter are saying when the paint and then floors dry. HVAC is done, electric is being finished today. Plumbing will be when the dishwasher, sinks and toilets are installed AFTER the paint dries . Floors are sanded and covered until painting is done and then they will be finished. The basement is suppose to be ready for us to clean and seal. We had 7 inches of rain last week at 209 and there is a little bit of water from the outside door so that has to be changed so it doesn't happen again.

Here is the pics.
First is "I blew a gasket" because I was told the cold air return duct would take about a drawer space out of my cabinet IF the kick plate wasn't enough. HVAC contractor took half the cabinet and then didn't want to box it off so I could keep the rest of the cabinet from being covered with dog hair etc. Like I paid $400 for his return ...and I knew he could have done it a lot differently. Head contractor and carpenter saved him from me ripping his head right off his shoulders and came up with a compromise. Funny how he only needed 8 inches and it could be boxed in.

I love my cabinets, were expensive but will hold up for decades .

The empty spot is where the dish washer goes. The white vent will be painted but that's the only color that size comes in.

Carpenter and Hubby hung my chandelier and then decided it was too low and raised it. Like someone is going to walk on my counter to hit their head? 

Hubby did say he had to lean almost to the middle of the cabinets to get his head in the picture.

Kitchen sink light is in . They are hanging the pot rack light that goes over the stove today.

bedroom ceiling fan done.

Laundry room light

bathroom ceiling light. Painter stood in tub and held up a drop cloth where the shower curtain would be so the electrician could put the light so it shown in the tub but not interfere with the shower curtain. They said their wives complain about a lack of light to shave their legs... Hubby just laughed because I do that also. Won't have that problem now.

Wheelchair bathroom light was done the same.

south loft lights done

north loft lights (and skylight) done

this is the wood we had the skylight boxed in with since there is about 3 ft from the skylight to the ceiling in that loft.

east loft lights

staircase light between east and west lofts. The north and south lofts don't have a light due to no place to install one. We will figure something out.

west loft light

front room is oak

the dining room and mud room is white(aka sugar )maple , the kitchen , hall and bedroom are red maple.

the east and west lofts have red maple.

Both bathrooms, laundry room, north and south lofts have to have floors replaced so we are using Sterling oak vinyl planks that are water resistant installed. Still looks like gray wood. Pictures to come when they get to that part.

Hubby is still working on moving fence posts to move the fence. Front porch floor needs repainted LOL.

Last time we updated the to do list, it was done from 600 plus to 350.
Our plans are to be moved by end of Sept if not sooner.

JUST BECAUSE

for no other reason than something to smile about.

It's for the laundry room at 209.

My 4 legged babies.

Rascal being afraid of the storms rolling through during the night. Wilbur standing guard over Charlotte, he thinks of her has his baby.

Charlotte looking back at off while she's on the front porch. I am standing in the house in the dining room looking out the window.

It just happened that was the last time she was allowed out by herself as she is now trailing bunnies and birds through the corn fields and not able to find her way back home. No way for us to find her while she's in the field either. SO Hubby and I take turns of who goes out with her. Side benefit is both of us are "slowing" down in the evenings to got out and sit and watch her . She's doing better after this last time but not trusting her. Be glad when we move as there will be a fence around the plus acre for her to run and not get lost in a field or on the road.

July groceries...please sit down ...

I'm not sure what type of grapes they are, this heat has been taking it's toll on them . Rain came in yesterday so that helps some.

I went to the store....by myself and Hubby was shocked. I haven't been shopping for much, we aren't eating much. A neighbor of 209 gave us some tomatoes and green tomatoes on Friday. But there is a good size hole in 2 freezers and one frig was almost completely empty. They...meaning the head contractor is HOPING to be done with 209 by mid July which means we need to pick up the speed of getting the fence moved so we can haul dogs over with us and let them run around (instead of a 20 x 40 ft area fenced off with the barn open for them to go in out of the sun).

SO I need meals that can keep us healthy (lecture from Doc) and not weigh us down but not salads a lot to trigger my tummy issues.

Spent $456.96...saved $147.36  of almost 31% savings... got $1 off 35 gals of fuel for another savings of $35.

What is on the menu:

egg muffins (Kevin Jacob's blog, some frozen for later,  bfast/lunch/supper)
Chicken Kiev (not rolled just butterflied)
meatloaf in muffin tins(some frozen for later)
Country fried Steak (Hubby loves it for a weekend bfast , might make extra for freezer)
Roasted chicken followed  by chicken and rice casserole.
Chicken salad
Philly cheese steak meatloaf (half sliced and frozen )
Shredded beef , broccoli stir fry
cauliflower steaks
pork chops
ribs
ground turkey Asian lettuce cups
Hamburger patties
Mini (bfast) sausage patties on slider buns
Cucumber, cream cheese sandwiches


I have strawberries, rhubarb(in my patch here), watermelon, honeydew, pineapple and cantaloupe.

I have potatoes to make potato salad, potato presse (recipe from Son 2 Home chef) and mashed potatoes, and mashed potato patties.

I have sweet potatoes to make baked sweet potato and sweet potato wedges.

I bought different lettuces, kale, spinach etc for salads and cooked greens (boy do I miss my gardens)

Green tomatoes to fry, red tomatoes to go with cucumber and onions, and carrots to shred for sunshine salad(orange jello)

 I HIT THE SALES

PASTA, I had coupons for $2 off of 3 or 4 and had several coupons. Kroger's had a pasta sale, buy 4 save .... I came home with 30 lbs of pasta for $11.70

GARLIC POWDER. Not something I use a lot of as I grow garlic but I didn't grow as much this year since I knew we would be moving. I will run out about December so I got what was on sale that I can use when making pasta sauce instead of my fresh garlic.10 for $10

COFFEE, Hubby drinks 3 times as much coffee as I do and we don't drink the same type (he drinks BOLD) I had coupons for 2 cans so picked them up as Kroger's had a sale. Ended up being half priced.

FROZEN CHICKEN BREAST, on sale and I had 2 coupons, usually $9.99 I got for $4.99

CHEESE on sale with coupons

ANCHOVY PASTE in tube...clearance

TOMATO PASTE in tube ...clearance

PUFF TISSUES .... on sale with coupons and I was completely out due to allergies for both of us. I would hate to think how bad they would be without our meds.

BACON...on sale with coupons

MUFFIN MIXES...on sale with coupons. I don't normally buy muffin mixes but at this point even thinking about making anything from scratch is pushing the limits of my energy which was already low before the antibiotics that causes sever fatigue.

SODA POP...on sale with coupons and I buy the drinks for the family reunion that is in Sept. I always get the drinks around July 4th when the prices are low and combine them with coupons. For the last 3 years I've been able to get all the drinks (including 3 cases of bottled water) for less than $25 for 50 -75 people.

FOR FREE...olive oil, balsmatic vinegar, 64 oz diet cranberry mix juice, energy drink, 2 pkgs of Always underwear, Hefty slider bags, Klondikes, flatbread,loaf of bread, bibb lettuce and 2 bags of frozen corn.

For the next 2 days I will be prepping everything as much as possible to take the"what's for dinner when we get home" and "it's too hot to cook"  out of our lives for a few weeks.

Blessed Be

90 plus degrees, heat index over 100 and humidity above 80

Swelting is the term Daddy uses. Said it was a combination of sweating and melting. If it was after July 22 I would say the dog days of summer which runs from July 22 to Aug 22. I really hope it's just early and not that it's going to get worst at the end of July.

We have taken to opening the doors before 7 am to get fresh air in the house and closing it back up by 9 am. Curtains are drawn across the tops and binder clipped to keep the sun out  with sheers shading the bottom so we get light and don't have to turn on lights. We took down the chandelier in the dining room (needed to take it to 209 anyways) and installed the old ceiling fan. We have to keep it on low or it triggers the gauge to the ac as it blows air there. Won't have that issue at 209 as our electrician made sure that issue wouldn't happen when he installed the thermostat.

The grill is at 209, I doubt if  either of us would go out to cook on it after being outside most the day in the heat anyways. I've been fixing quick foods that can be reheated in the microwave for a couple meals. We don't care much for sandwiches. Frankly neither of us care to eat at the end of the day between being hot and tired. Hubby will grab a salad but I can't always eat salad due to my Crohn's. Couple suppers have been ice cream with fruit.

I mended some shirts and a couple pair of work jeans for Hubby.

I change the dogs water 4 times a day.

I washed clothes with homemade laundry soap and vinegar for the softener. Still not using the clothes line as they are back to working on the road in front of us.  I do put the dryer on sensor and wash and dry the heaviest first so if it's not dry the first load it can be tossed in with the second load. What ever isn't dry in the last load goes on the drying rack.

Hubby has quit needing a light on in the kitchen during the night when I leave the dining room curtain open at night. I close them at night as people from a mile away can see in if there is lights on in the house and they are driving down the road.Its a window that faces the away from the road so unless they are coming down the lane they can't see in.

We have been going to bed by 9 (so no lights and the ac isn't as cool as during the day) and up by 4-5 am. Under doctor's orders I rest between 1 -3 in the afternoon.

I continue to sort and pack for 209. I am using used cardboard boxes and Rubbermaid totes bought on sale at Home Depot by Son 2 using his military discount. The totes are for things that will be stored in the barn loft like Christmas stuff and out of season items.

I've been searching for winter curtains for 209... I am not willing to pay $100 for 1 set of curtains so I will be finding material and making my own. The windows are not regular sized windows but not something we will be replacing this year.  I have curtains for the lofts as Son 2 gave me his old curtains that he didn't use any more. I am going to line them for winter.Only 12 more windows to figure something out.

Hubby is doing a lot of outside work moving fence, dealing with the gardens, the pond etc over at 209. Gas Buddy and Kroger fuel points has been a lot of help on saving on gas. We are still under budget for that area.

When we go to town we combine errands. I had a last minute doctor appt (thank you sinus infection heading in to strep) so pit stopped on the way home at the store to do a partial shopping. We did the rest of the shopping the next day as I had to go back in to get my meds for the infection.

I would admit our meals have been BLAH... and that is something that bugs me (I am a chef after all) so Son 2 that started Home Chef has taken to sending me a picture of his meal (he eats the 2nd serving as his lunch) every night and I share it with Daughter 4. Who is a great cook and at the BLAH stage as she is single again and the kids are with their dad.

He is plating them according the the directions... SO I am sharing them with you. He does add a side of fruit. Says he is eating healthier as he is getting more veggies in and actually is saving money of $5 a day from lunch and the $100 of food he was throwing out every 2 wks as it got bad before he got it ate.

They include the recipes so he can make it for others if he wants or if it's not on the menu that they change weekly.

Blessed be

209 and frugal

I haven't been to the store to buy any groceries.

I used a volunteer lettuce plant from 209 and lettuce from the neighbor to make Kevin Jacob's lettuce soup. I cut the recipe in half, served it hot the first night, Hubby said it tasted like green potato soup to him, and cold the next day.I could taste the lettuce better when cold but liked it both ways.

I fried a green tomato a friend gave me and potatoes and served applesauce for a light dinner.

Made potato presse (recipe from Home Chef that son2 got as he is using that service and LOVES it)  double the recipe son got (his service is for 2 even though he is single,uses the other serving for his lunch). I doubled it so I could have leftovers for Wed as we will be on the road between doctor appts and ordering the windmill for the pond. Son2 said it reheated nicely in microwave on 50% power for a minute or two.

I found a box of 30 dinner sausage patties that was froze solid together. So I cooked them ALL and then refroze the leftovers after dinner on a cookie sheet so I could bag them and then pull what I want for fast meals.

I have to make a grocery list tonight, basic produce is needed, chicken as Hubby wants some chicken salad, bread and milk, not sure what until I finish making the menu.

As for 209... we walked through on Sunday, crossing our T's and dotting our I's and found 2 switches and 6 outlets were not installed...Got a hold of the head contractor by email (he has his email on his phone) who forwarded to the sub contractor who admitted he just ripped his son's head(co owner of business) BECAUSE he was there on Friday and was suppose to check and make sure everything was correct. Son admitted he forgot to take the paperwork but did look around and noted 3 of the outlets weren't done.  HEAVENS.

They already got a guy there (not the son as he is now doing crap duty.instead of one of the employes SNICKERING..unplugging a customer's sewer line as they do electric/plumbing and HVAC) and the guy at 209 that is no longer on the crap duty job also noted to Hubby that he thought he could do all of it if Hubby could help him run the one line. We have no problem helping.

We cleared an area (again) for us to take stuff over that was packed...and the contractors took over it for their painting and building odds and ends. SIGH. Can't complain as they moved it to the barn so the ones sanding the floor wouldn't have to stop and wait on them.

Front room floor is oak, dining room floor is maple, kitchen floor, hall and bedroom is pine.

This is where the maple (came from our land)meets the pine.

Can't wait to find out what the two rooms over the front room are. I am willing to guess the hall and the bedroom are pine since the original owner, a young man of 18 when he built the house, put the kitchen in.  The front room was put in by an Amish owner. He cut down oak trees in the pasture and made the floor boards.

Front room oak floor sanded

This is the wood that the north loft skylight is being boxed in with.

It will also be the bottom of walls in the south loft.

They have the 2 access doors that will allow us to have a separate shut off for the showers done and ready to install

and finally.... so floors,ceilings and walls can dry... the AC is in and running when needed.

The contractors are turning it on when they leave and then off when they get in. They set it at 74 which is a good temp for paint and polyurethane .

We put a portable AC in the loft where the carpenter is working on the skylight as he needs it during the day. Said it was a good thing we did as he got stuck in the tresses while boxing in the skylight (he said his size 14 feet got caught) and one of the other contractors went to see what he was banging on so much. They got him out and then stayed with him while he finished that area (they joked he was building his own casket but they didn't think we wanted to pay for it for him.)He said it wasn't bad because he at least didn't get over heated and pass out or have heat stroke which can happen in those areas because we had turned the AC on the night before so it would be cool when he arrived in the morning and wouldn't have to wait for it to cool that area.

I started putting polyurethane on the bathroom doors and then had to take it off the first door and drag both doors in the house in the AC due to the wood had drew so much moisture from the air the polyurethane wasn't not drying at all. House stunk for a couple days until the humidity dropped enough I could get the house opened up and the first door back out the garage to get it finished. I will start the second door later this week as I see rain in the forecast tomorrow and it takes a good 3 days from start to finish on the doors of dry weather.

They keep telling us July 15th if everything dries and the kitchen counter gets in.

Blessed Be

8 days of frugal

We made a milestone on 209 and celebrated by eating the special at the local restaurant , the special was a rib eye steak . We brought half the steak home and a baked potato and used it in another two meals. The rest of the meals came from the pantry/freezers.

I went to the store and used coupons and sales for the odds and ends we needed...really odds LOL orange and lemon frosting for the cupcake mixes I had and some plain white to make "lime" frosting for the cupcake mix and cookies.
That I made for the Father's Day cookout on Hubby's side on Sunday.I took some to Daddy for his Father's day. We split the day between the two dads saving gas.

We used Gas Buddy app on our phones to find the cheapest gas where ever we are. We are driving to 209 or somewhere else for appts or supplies almost daily.

I harvested rhubarb, strawberries and cherry tomatoes from gardens. The neighbor at 209 canned me more strawberry pie filling and strawberry jam and let me know the strawberries were almost done and gave me 3 heads of summer lettuce(aka Iceberg) . The seller of 209 wife gave us a tomato and green tomato when we stopped to drop off some mail that had came to us instead of them. She also told me where she got the heavy fabric that she had made curtains with that kept the cold out very well so I can check that out to see if I can find fabric cheaper than what it would take to buy new winter curtains as I am not finding anything insulated at thrift shops or yard sales.

We picked up somethings off what we call the buying punch list (punch list is what contractors call the finishing list)at Menards with the 11 % rebate. Carbon/smoke detectors and a clock for the kitchen and one for the front room as the ones we had died, and furnace filter for 209 and dog food for here.

We are working in 103-110 heat index weather. Drinking tons of water and eating a decent lunch from either the local store or Chinese buffet. we prefer the store as most times we can split the meal or bring it home.Suppers are next to nothing...maybe a salad,eggs or a wrap of leftovers. Soup has been a regular even though Hubby doesn't like much soup.

The AC is running here, I do open the windows and doors in mornings , especially before the sun rises, curtains shutting out the sun in afternoons and late evenings as we have a picture window facing west. One ceiling fan and two other floor fans run. The one in the front room is on low all the time as it's right in front of the vent that air is doesn't "drift" out into the room.After putting the fan there I found we could raise the AC temp by 3 degrees. THAT being said... 209 will have ceiling fans in the dining room, front room and bedroom. The AC is installed (will be ran for the painters otherwise not on) but all the crews have mentioned if they keep the doors/windows shut on East side the house but open the west side in the morning, the house is cool. Then they shut the west side at 11 and open the east side , the house stays around 80 even when it was 100 outside. Humidity is an issue with trying to get things to dry.

I trimmed my hair. Washed laundry in homemade soap and used dryer sensor for drying. Hung a few things off and on this week on the drying rack. Made gallons of unsweetened ice tea to go with the gallons of water we are drinking.Hubby has taken to shutting the TV off within 30 min after he goes to bed and not leaving his computer on all the time.

Bought work jeans for Hubby for $10 each instead of the normal $30. Found all weather dresses and skirts on clearance for myself.

Back to packing for the move which is suppose to be in 4 weeks

Blessed Be