more rain, roller coaster ride of life.

Monday night
we came home after our meeting with our financial guy. We had already decided on what could be cut if we don't have enough $$$ AND where the money that is saved goes . Half goes to the household savings, the other half goes in to Ally where I am saving when we need money for health ins.

E and his boys, brother EL. and his Dad came over to fish our pond (have too many and we have enough fish in the freezer now) and invited us over for their fish fry. We didn't go, a bit tired of fish at the moment LOL

Hubby went over to where he was to pick up a load for hauling on Tuesday , that road was flooded Monday morning. It was down enough he went and got the load since we were expecting more rain.

I put the budget on a spread sheet and found we had a $200 mistake in the budget ... it's okay...it was $200 MORE than we needed... SO that $200 will be split and go directly into medical savings and household savings accounts.

I made laundry soap which I should have made Saturday so I could have done a load of laundry this morning and put it on the drying rack as it's RAINING and I haven't done laundry in 6 days.

I went through Brandy's web site The Prudent Homemaker to Amazon (she gets a very small amount when someone that does that no money out) and ordered red clover tea good for congestion, red clover salve, Mother used to sell this, we used it for skin issues, echinacea tea good for immune system also honey lemon echinacea cough drops, geranium oil( I mix with safflower oil or coconut oil for muscle pains,really did well when I had shoulder surgery), garlic ear drop oil (suggested by Brandy), some eye droppers, lavender oil( for bath, etc but also for the garlic salve I am going to make that is for congestion also that E mother gave me the recipe), 1 round 6 inch cake pan, 1 square 6 inch cake pan (the size we bake now), 3 books on herbal/holistic due to 2 of my kids walking off with my books and then losing them,some camisoles and tank tops that I needed to replace this year and they were on sale for 50% off ,(Hubby will need socks this fall). AND a book for me that I have wanted for years and finally found at the price I can afford... exactly the credit I had sitting at Amazon... Diana  Phipp's Affordable Splendor...  Some of it was on sale, some even had coupons.

Tuesday
I straightened the dry goods cabinet in the basement and realized I have NO choc frosting.  Since I am almost out of powdered sugar also I will either buy one or the other, depending on what is cheapest and if I can find it at the discount store we are stopping by today. M needs mayo/salad dressing and asked if we were passing by it when we go to the chiro and doctor appt (praying I will be healthy enough to start my biologics)

I canceled the auto refill of the water filter($50) for the frig that is going to the basement as there is no water line there. I priced the new frig water filter and the supplier wanted $50 for one, the very same filter is on Amazon for 3 for $32. Filter is changed every 6 months so I am getting over a year's supply for less than 1 of the old filter. Since the budget was set on the old filter that's money to be saved.

I washed clothes, drying rack is full, 2 sock dryers are full and so are both shower rods. I have 3 loads left I will wash WHEN the others dry. It's RAINING.

Tuesday night
We stopped at discount store and got White Lily flour for us (99 cents for 5 lb bag, their only bag) and 12 jars of mayo,1 cake mix, 2 box of ho ho's  and 2 bottles of Ranch dressing for M. She also keeps a running list like I do.

At Aldi's I got choc frosting and powdered sugar and a case of green beans. We got M 4 Ranch dressings, 4 loaves of bread (last her a day), and 2 more cakes mixes for the total she was wanting.

At Walmart we got the baby formula M requested and some cupcakes that was discounted since discount store didn't have any. For us I got an Angel food cake baked in a loaf pan, 4 shortcakes for the strawberries we have and a discounted mixed slices of cream cake.

We went to Chiro... nothing like laying down on the table and the doctor telling you it's bad before he really starts checking things. My chiro used an Activator so there is not twisting of the body. Hubby was in as bad as shape, probably from the fishing trip as he has been saying his hip was bothering him since he headed back home.

We went to doctor appt. Hubby blood work good, sugar at 100 (that's his normal even though doc would like to see it in the 80s)lost 3 lbs.. My weight was up 3 lbs, I must have found Hubby's and forgot to give them to him 😁. Blood work was good except my cholesterol was up , doc figures steroids. Gave me the option of going back on my statin 3 days  a week or waiting to see what it is without the steroids. I chose to wait.

We stopped and got a pre-bake pizza from our favorite pizza shop for dinner.The only place we get pizza from around here is the gas station.

 Doc cleared me to start biologics BUT strongly suggested I only start with the first dosage and wait an hour to make sure I don't have a reaction.He had talked to my GI and they agreed I should take 80 mg (2 shots) the first day, 80 mg the next day and then 1 wk later take 80 mg and then 1 wk later 40 and then go every 2 wks.   So I started. I don't do well with giving myself the shot, I tried twice and ended up with 4 sticks of the needle Hubby was cracking up laughing as he thought I hadn't realized I had already stuck myself as I did the "jerk" so quick... Hubby is doing Wednesday.

Side effects... my hands quit hurting and got warm, I felt like I had a buzz like I had a couple glasses of wine without food and too close together and I was sleepy.No soreness in legs and there is no way I am doing that in my stomach, one I have tons of scars and stretch marks which they say don't hit but any shot that hurts like that will cause my Crohn's to crap up. Been there and done that and had to have morphine to stop the craps.

Wednesday
Still sleepy, got up at 6 with Hubby as he has a full day of being gone running around with an elder gentleman who wanted to go see some friends on the other side of the state and had no one to take him. I went back to bed when Hubby left at 7 and woke up at 10.... Still sleepy but up and moving. Took all the clothes that was still damp from yesterday out to the kitchen clothesline as the yard is still a pond . Started washing what I did not get to and will finish that hopefully before the rain comes in that is expected around 3 pm.

Canceled a magazine renewal saving $49.99.

M sent over leaf lettuce and a head of lettuce from their gardens (it was the one behind them and didn't get flooded , has spring "crop" in it and a loaf of bread as thank you for going after the groceries and formula for her. She sent a note that E her Hubby said of we wanted manure(with straw) to bring the trailer or truck over and he would help Hubby fill it so we could start putting it where nothing is planted to help the gardens improve for next year.

I dehydrated garlic chives.

GI called they changed the plan... I am to take 2nd round of biologic this weekend and the last 80 MG on Tuesday. The following Tuesday 40 mg to start the every other week schedule. Worried because I usually have an attack from beginning of Sept to late Oct.

Raining again but all the laundry except 2 pairs of jeans was dry.

Hubby got in late, he ripped his pants from his pocket to mid thigh loading equipment. He picked up a job for tomorrow morning. Guy was flooded and thought he best  get his load out while the river was down. We had left over pizza.

Thursday
Hubby did the delivery and got a flat tire on the trailer. He ended up buying a new tire at the local trailer place instead of the tire place. Still wasn't a bad price of $120 for a 10 ply tire. He has a spare for it but with hauling blocks for the neighbor tomorrow wanted to have that new tire.

Paid last of the bills for June and July mortgage.Caught a over charge on one of the bills and got that corrected.

Got a notice through email that the socks and underwear Hubby prefers was on sale, plus I found a coupon so since I had the extra $200 (no I didn't spend $200) I ordered him a year's supply.He also needs new pair of steel toe boots and asked if I would start checking prices as he can order them on line.

Canceled a second magazine that originally started paid by our health ins. Saved $9.00 as now we would have to pay for it.

Patched a pair of jeans for Hubby.

Did a load of laundry of new shirts that came in and hung of drying rack.

I dehydrated garlic scapes ... first time doing this  so not sure if this will actually work decent.

I vacuumed bag the bfast pork chops, bfast steaks and dinner pork chops I had flash froze. I had wrapped them in plastic wrap and wanted better long term protection. I sliced the angel food cake I bought and put the last of the cream cake and the shortcakes in the freezer to be vacuumed bagged tomorrow.

We had rolled up stuffed flank steak with roasted red bell peppers, pistachio pesto and provolone, and hash browns. Ice cream for dessert.


Friday
Hubby and E going after building blocks today so he packed his lunch, a snack and a thermos of coffee. Texted me around 10 and said they were going to be more work than was thought and it would be late before he got home.To go ahead and eat without him.

M asked me to go get her mother in law to help her with the kids while M worked in the gardens. So I let mother in law know the men were going to be later than they thought so she could tell M (E is her Hubby)

I did a couple loads of laundry and hung them on the kitchen clothes line. A small pond is at the yard clothes line.Charlotte is having fun running through it splashing the muddy water as both Wilbur and Rascal can show as they are now covered with splatters from her doing it.

Both Hubby's socks and underwear was on sale and I got a discount code so I ordered them now instead of waiting for until this fall. They were 50% off and I got free shipping. He is going to need a new pair of boots as I noticed the toe of his one boot is cut on top. Should last him until fall.

Daughter 4 asked if we had any full size sheets, blankets, bath towels or kitchen towels. Her's is worn through that she bought from yard sales and thrift shops. So I am going through some stuff in the barn to see what I do have. I do have a couple sets of sheets from Dad's that she can have.

M came over and asked if I could take her and baby to urgent care. She got a babysitter for the kids and had her mother in law go with us. Three month old has walking pneumonia. Regretfully the meds the doctor ordered was not available any where in town so I took mother and baby home. Grandma went and borrowed nebulizer and I took her home to get Grandpa and their buggy while I drove 1 hr to another store to get the meds. AND an hr back to give them to them. I also kept Hubby updated so Daddy E could stay in the loop of info.

ON top of the neither woman had MONEY, Their hubbys had all the cash. M had the check book but the pharmacy wouldn't take her check because she does not have an ID. I paid for everything. They struggled more with that not only because they didn't have the money, never thought to have money on them but they felt they failed on taking care of the little one. I brought up the Bible verse of carrying each others burdens. Grandma started rattling off all the verses of helping one another and then M joined in. 

A very long day, both exhausted so I decide to take my biologic tomorrow.

Saturday, we had to load the trailer with the furniture that we had planned to load the day before that was going to Daughter 4 and Son 2. Forgot the pans I was giving Daughter 3 so I will mail them.AND forgot the picnic table we was giving Son 2. Daughter 1 asked if I had her box of stuff around but I didn't because I am still finding stuff that is going to her.

Got stuff to Daughter 4, her 2 boys helped unload their stuff.

Got to stuff Son 2, he helped unload his stuff, Hubby did the repairs he had agreed to do and then reloaded the trailer with 2 furniture in serious need of repairs, 2 cement drain things for down spouts , 4 metal picnic table chairs , a trash can of limbs he forgot to give Daughter 2 but she's moved so we didn't have to drop them off to her because she doesn't have a fire pit now, and the basket ball hoop that was at his driveway when he bought the house 4 yrs ago that he finally decided to get rid of since no one wanted it.

On way home we side tracked and picked up the new frig.

AND stopped and ate dinner since it was already 7 pm.

We did use the tractor to bring the new frig in , loaded on the forks and put it through the French doors. We uncrated it and I cleaned it. It's sitting in the corner of the front room.

At  9 and we  showered and went to bed. NO injections. AT 10 pm E was knocking on the door with the news the person they borrowed nebulizer from needed it back Monday night because they were leaving town and wanted to take it with them. PANIC was all over his face as baby needs it another 10 days. I text foster sister as her son has been on one all his 33 yrs (lungs damaged due to pure oxygen at birth) and asked where to go and let me know Sunday.

Sunday 8 AM... foster sister calls, she has an extra one (3rd hand) . It works (she tested it) and she was sanitizing it and her Hubby and son was gathering what ever equipment they could find to go with it. Son has a new one and supplies. Made him feel good to help another as he is disabled (all his life) and not been able to do much for others in his own eyes. SO I went over at 10 and let the family know one was on it's way and would be there in the afternoon after lunch... Hard to see E cry with relief. He is going tomorrow with M and baby (Hubby is taking them and sitting in on appt with doctor at their request) and he is getting a prescription for a new one... I made a dozen phone calls to find a place that has one in stock or could get in within 24 hrs. Walmart had a 4 day wait.Rite Aid has it in stock and could get one from a hospital supply store in 24 hrs of they are sold out.  Sis got down here at 1 , Hubby took it over just as the grandparents were arriving from church so it went well as he not only showed the parents how to use it but the grandparents. He also shared some things to help Baby A when she is coughing. Their daughter L mentioned I told them to hold the baby a different way and that opened the door to cupping Baby A back also to help break things up. Hubby also stressed that even though help was coming to stay with them (E stopped on way home Friday and made those arrangements) that E needed to not be gone 12 hrs a day until Baby A was better. From a few comments made it sound like grandparents felt the same. Without a cell phone and only a buggy or not even that if he rides with some other Amish to a job a few hours away, getting him home in an emergency isn't going to happen..



8:30 pm INJECTIONS... wasn't the best I had hoped for but not the worse either.

Bed, definitely bed.



How did your week go?

10 day busy

OK, hubby got home from fishing, we went the next day and picked out the new frig. Saved 1/3 of costs... for the first time when something quit working the replacement was on sale.

E came over with his older 6 children and fished for an hour and got over 30 fish. They had 2 meals from it.

We have had rain 5 days out of the last 7 and expect to have 6 days of rain out of the next 7. Gardens are under water, not sure if anything will survive.

Hubby picked up 4 last minute jobs last week ...good thing because 2 jobs got canceled this week as the Amish can't get out and we can't get in due to flooding of the Scioto River.

We multi tasked our errands on Monday and Tuesday including going to the grocery store and replacing what we lost. I did "OK" I got the same things but also go meat for  buy one get one... I made sure the price point was still with in my range. Hubby got his truck maintenance done and thought to ask what brakes was going to cost him as he will most likely need that in 3-6 mos.

 Thursday we had the energy audit. Glad I had it done even though Hubby thought it was a waste. The windows we thought needed replaced don't need replaced.. it's not the windows but the actual frames around them that is leaking air. Our side attics is the worst of letting cold air in, as the person who put the insulation in didn't know it needed to have air barrier ( told us since that it's not an moisture issue we could just nail card board and it would be fine)also as when wind blows directly on insulation, it reduces the R value to next to nothing.Also suggested we do interior "storm" windows like they do with church's stain glass windows ... AND we can make our own... I need a LOT of caulking ... he said to ask if we could get a discount for buying a case of caulking at our local store. He made it clear we do great on keeping our electric down and thought the propane was reasonable until he went through the audit and then thought we did a GREAT job as he would have figured at least 2000 gals used NOT counting summer fill.... we did 1600 and 350 of that is what was the summer fill I just got it at the end of May instead of beginning of June.

I was well enough to go visit my Daddy on Father's Dad... we sat on his bed and held each other. I can't remember the last time he held me like that. A memory that will last. He is getting weaker and starting to take more naps. AND EATS LIKE A HORSE  :)!!!! I took him strawberries from our neighbor for Father's day gift. No card, he no longer reads or like to look at things with writing on them.

We stopped at Hubby's parents and gave his dad a outdoor.indoor thermometer that says this place is for the birds... they are bird watchers and have several feeders. They were feeling better also.

We worked the budget, then reworked the budget and then did it again one more time. Went to our financial guy, he went over the budget, checked our IRAs and then went over the budget again. It's how it is going to be... not where any of us wanted as things are about twice as expensive as we had budgeted originally but it is what it is. I have supplements(holistic)  I have to take that I need to check out prices. I want quality items. M is checking with her mother in law that knows all about that kind of stuff.

I have several things I need to change of how I am doing things first for my health to rebuild my immunity system and second to help get some things paid off, savings built back up and still eat healthy. With watching the garden drown... I know I have to work out a back up plan NOW.

In the kitchen. Mirepoix etc WARNING FRIG TOOK A CRAP

I enjoy the way my kitchen is laid out. It works well unless we both are at the coffee pots which both are at the corner where the silverware drawer is also. Since Hubby goes to that drawer automatically for silverware I put it there even though I wanted it at the end closer to the table. He usually sets the table so I let it be his choice.

We are having more waste then either of us like. Not that any waste is okay but things are getting shoved to the back of the kitchen frig and not being used. I do pretty decent with the basement frig .Hubby admitted he asked me where something was the other night and I told him where I put it but since he couldn't find it he didn't use  it up and I found it yesterday and it's not good.

SO today is change the kitchen (and my cooking practices) to not waste, be able to find what we are looking for without digging through the frig and have my different mirepoix where I can use it. To get back to cooking healthy flavorful foods.

Okay... let's start with yes I am a chef, a personal/private chef. I do have some culinary education/training not cordon bleu.

I am going through both frigs today. Combining condiments, tossing what isn't being used and organizing things. I will be grouping things together that are used together. AND finding room for my Mirepoix

I was raised by parents that grew up during the Great Depression with a great grandmother that was Cherokee, the other Amish and my Nonna (great uncle's mother in law that adopted me)was from Northern Italy. Between them and my culinary classes I use a lot of different mirepoix ...

Mirepoix is what you start the dish you are making with and it doesn't matter what the dish is.

French mirepoix is 2 parts onions, 1 part celery and 1 part carrot.

Cajun Holy Trinity is 2 parts onions 1 part celery 1 part green bell pepper

Cuban/Latin (chef I worked for testing recipes and helping when she taught culinary classes) call it sofrito... Spanish onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, cumin, oregano, and Sazon without achiote seasoning

Spanish call it sofrito also but use olive oil to cook the onion, garlic, bell peppers and tomatoes

Suppengrun is Germany... my granddaughter speaks German fluently and her uncle on her Dad's side lives in Switzerland so she passed this to me as it's carrots,celeriac and leek

Nonna from Northern Italy (at base of Alps is all she would ever say) always started EVERYTHING with a battuto ... onions, carrots, celery,rosemary, garlic, thyme, parsley and a little of bacon or Canadian bacon to replace the pancetta, prosciutto or speck she used when in Italy. When this blend is COOKED it's called soffrito.  Really it didn't matter what she was cooking... eggs, it's in there, fried potatoes, it was in there. When she fried chicken she would brown it in the skillet then put it in the oven, add the battuto to the skillet and make sauce/gravy of what was there.

SO I want in containers prepped onions, bell peppers, celery, and carrots  I will also prep mushrooms and black olives, I often toss in also,  so I can grab and toss in the pan. I figure prepping twice a week as I don't want anything to go bad.

I organized the cheese drawer. Hubby is bad about using something up and not mentioning it's needed and also opening more than one of the same thing.SO I keep extra cheese in the freezer.

The kitchen frig is good now so I can prep mirepoix.

The basement frig is making noises again... so it needs dealt with..of course Hubby isn't home so appliances act up. Tuesday it was my coffee pot. Wednesday was my Toshiba laptop and the plug to my Kindle.

OH CRAP..... basement frig took a crap... yes I know it's 10 yrs old, Yes I know we have had it worked on repeatedly to the point the repairman (a friend of my kids) actually showed me how to get it running again and again and again. It's the bigger of the two frigs and really nice for holding produce from the garden while I can or sale items. Condiments, extra dairy so I am not running to the store every week... We went without a second frig for about a year a couple years ago... that was a big pain as I ended up using a cooler and ice a lot during the garden season and then apples in the fall.

Thankfully the freezer in the barn only had ice in it so all the frozen stuff that was still frozen solid is there. I have the dairy and the fruit I just bought in the kitchen frig now. I still have condiments, cabbage etc that is okay and in a cooler with ice.

I lost the produce SIGH... I unplugged the frig, let it set over night and we'll see if it will start working again (have done this more than once) but now is the time to get a new frig to replace this. Hubby said when he got home we would check out what I was wanting and see about getting it.

We both want French doors, freezer on bottom. At least 26 cu ft. Which is part of the problem with the one we have in the kitchen is it is too small.  You would think after all these years we would know better than to buy a smaller frig.Son 2 is still reminding me of what I told him when he bought his, better to have a little bigger than a too small frig.

Son 2 did some research at his go to review sites while I checked mine.  I am leaning heavy towards LG LFXS38968D (black stainless steel) 27.9 cu ft... for the kitchen and moving the kitchen frig to the basement. I think Hubby will like it as he gets a bit tired bending over to get ice and this one has it on the door

Frig working... but I don't trust it, so what goes in it is condiments etc. NO produce or dairy. I am glad it's working. I hope it holds until we get a new one.

Got to go clean the home, Hubby on his way.... 13 hrs before he will be here... the first 4 hrs he is the passenger so he is cat napping.

a quiet morning after storms

after a night of storms and tornadoes going north of us ,it's a quiet morning. I have dragging butt syndrome with only 3 hrs of sleep while still coughing and hacking ...not as bad but still SIGH.

The yard is a soggy mess that I would have to wear muck boots to get the yard clothesline so laundry is on the kitchen porch clothesline.

For the first time ever, Charlotte hid from the storms. It was the one that produced tornadoes so that's something for us to keep in mind when she heads to the basement. I am glad I had no glass jars on that shelf as it was,she moved a 5 gal bucket of rice to get back in there.

 Usually it's Rascal trying to crawl under me and hide his face.

But instead he decided to hid his face in the dried fruit shelf.

Wilbur has no care in the world no matter how bad it storms or how many guns are being shot ... we have a hunting club within a couple miles of us and they have skeet shooting around once a month. He can snooze through the whole thing.He didn't even look up when I closed the door during the first storm or opened it back up.Just kept snoring away like he had no cares.


I did go out and put the flowers back up first thing this morning that I had placed down so they could get a good drink of rain water last night.

This is the rose bush my sister of my heart gave me. I didn't figure it would bloom any if at all when it being the first year it's planted.

Laundry is drying on the line so I can mark that off.

I won't be in the garden and I don't think it will dry out enough before Hubby gets home from fishing for me to get the rest of the garden in. I was hoping that I could get it done so it was just maintain after he got home.

I won't spray for the bugs/ants outside the house either.

I'll do the home blessing tomorrow so the house is nice and clean for him to come home to. Do the laundry of bedding and throw blankets also tomorrow, should be able to walk to the yard clothes line by then if we don't get any more rain.

Guess I will go play in the kitchen

Frugal moments and this week's plans as Hubby fishes

Hubby is deep sea fishing in Florida. We live in Ohio. His Alabama buddy and him went last year as I paid Hubby's share of the trip as a retirement gift for him. This year his(our) buddy retired so another deep sea fishing trip. I can see this becoming a once a year thing as they have been good friends as close as brothers for over a decade.  They are being frugal with how they are doing this.

Hubby turned his Bunn coffee pot off since he won't be here making his coffee. That type of coffee pot is always left on to keep the water hot to make coffee in 3-4 min.

Hubby drove my car (25 mpg and not his truck which is 10 mpg). They are driving Buddy's truck (S10 truck 20 mpg) from his home in AL to cut the costs for Hubby. Hubby is using Gas buddy app find best prices for gas. He took coffee, water, apples and hand pies I made for him to eat while traveling. He drove through the night, less traffic, no rush hours of stop and go and very little construction. His buddy and him are eating bfast at Buddy's local restuarant that gives seniors a break on bfast.

Buddy has a "membership" to a hotel (a lot of his work he has to stay in hotels) and got a midweek discount. The $150 room  was gotten for $85 including taxes for them to split the costs. They are staying 3 nights. Included in the hotel price , is bfast including protein so they won't have to go somewhere else and pay $10 for bfast as Hubby would just skip the meal but buddy is a diabetic. There is a gym (buddy works out twice a day to keep control of his diabetes) and a hot tub (Hubby will definitely be in that).

Also they got a discount on the fishing boat by RSVPing before the open booking date. Saving $15 each on each of the 2 trips they booked.

Buddy took the fishing equipment so Hubby doesn't have to rent any.

Hubby took a "lunch" cooler and a big cooler. Big cooler will be for any fish brought home. Lunch cooler is they go to the store and buy their lunch and snacks. They will eat their dinners at a couple places that does senior citizen discounts on some of the meals.

They will be checking out the Market stands selling fresh produce on the way home.

We took the 3 dogs to the vet's. Wilbur had been limping last week, we thought just a pull or maybe arthritis.He has lost 10 lbs over the spring GO WILBUR. He is almost down to where he should be for his size but the vet was very happy with where he is. He was 150 lbs when daughter 2 had him. It was just a pull but does have arthritis.

Rascal had been limping, another pull plus he now has a fatty tumor (common and not cancer). He is holding steady on his weight but needs to be a little less as he is no spring chicken. He got his annual shots.

The "boys" need to remember they are not spring chicks like Charlotte and can't be jumping off the kitchen porch or out the French doors(since the deck isn't there yet) and run like all get out to see what she is running after or barking at.

Charlotte is good. A little underweight but that might always be due to Daughter 2 not getting her dewormed as a pup. GRR.

BEST of it ... I asked for 6 months heart and flea/tick meds as Wilbur and Charlotte aren't due for shots for 6 months. I figure we can cut toe nails ourselves saving $10 each dog (that's $180 savings total not counting gas taking them). The young lady took the time to figure out how many free ones I could get as it was buy this amt and get this free. She saved us $90 PLUS filled out and sent in for a rebate for us for $12 for us. They also waved the $25 office fee for each of the dogs because we got their nails clipped($10 each) Saving us $75. THE local vet here charges $46 per dog for office visit and $32 for toe nail per dog on top of the office visit AND the same meds were over $5 more per package. Well worth our drive back over to the old vet. PLUS here they only give 1 year rabies and our vet does 3 yr rabies for the same price as 1 yr. In 6 months I will have the money saved up again to buy another 6 months of meds and visit. NEXT time all 3 will have heart worm tests, Wilbur and Charlotte get their annual shots. Young lady gave me the costs of that so I would know what I needed to save up.

Hubby was given 2 gift cards for helping couple of neighbors that we used to eat out.

We decided to not go to the store this past weekend. I am going to chiro this afternoon and will pass right by a discount store that I want to check out first. Last time I saved over half of what I would have spent at Aldi's or Save A Lot.

I harvested garlic scapes. the only radishes that grew and basil from the gardens.

Plans for the rest of this week by myself

going to chiro and stopping at discount store.

planting more in the garden.

clean and repaint old desk to put in front room for my computer so clear the bfast counter.

change how the kitchen is set up to function better.

do the test paint in the mudroom

go through at least 2 boxes of stuff from barn.

AND do some cleaning and organizing.

How are you all doing?

June Goals

most of May's goals didn't get done either due to down pours of rain or scheduling. Me being sick hit us hard in that area also.

SO June's goals...

HUBBY
go deep sea fishing with BFF who just retired.

trim the entire property (got it mowed but not trimmed)

remove old owner's dog house. E is going to use it for kindling.

Gravel for deck laid

Deck built

put a gate in fence at mudroom door

getting spouting changed in cubby hole area

transport stuff that was Dad's to Daughter 4 and Son 2

do odd jobs at Son 2

put up tower and antenna (HAM radio not tv)

SMOKER put together.

Straightening the fence line at road has been moved to Aug.

MINE

STOP BEING SICK AND GET WELL ENOUGH TO START BIOLOGIC

Change how kitchen is set up. I am walking to 4-6 places to get stuff to put a meal together (which means it doesn't get put together if we are both tired or I am sick which I am still sick). I used to have a prep counter that held what I used daily and a "basket" in the frig from my containers of dice onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers.I need to change this kitchen to get that back together.

Clean, repaint and set up old computer desk in front room for my computer. That clears 1 1/2 x 4 ft off the bfast counter that I can use for appliances. We sit at the table and use the bfast counter for my computer or any project we are working on.

 nag Hubby about smoker on rainy days

GO over finances as we meet with our financial guy in a couple weeks.

clear garden shed

get house ready for energy audit

SUMMER CURTAINS

Sand and wash area of wall to do apply test paint for contractor that has to redo 4 rooms (half the house) due to bad paint... which actually the paint company said it's not "bad" paint but the contractor didn't specify that I wash walls (I repeatedly told them I did) so they use a middle of the road paint where if they had said something to the paint company they would have told them for the deep pigmentation I choose AND me washing the walls, they would need a higher level of paint.. Lessons learned. The section I am doing the test paint on is about 4 ft by 3 ft. so it's not a big area but still takes time to prep, paint, sand between coats etc.

Finish cleaning pantry (1 1/2 shelves and 3 deep freezers)


BOTH
Finish getting garden in (please no rain for 3 days in a row would be GREAT)

join a gym... looking at Anytime fitness or YMCA. IF we do YMCA we could also go with Hubby's parents at their YMCA.

Join Son 2 on motorcycle rides.

One thing after another... Air fryer also

Rain every other day, ground is now like bricks from the beating. Couldn't even get the tiller to break it up... so Hubby spaded up holes for some of the plants and we put compost and potting soil in the holes with the plants. The beans are not going to make at all. Popcorn is still iffy...At least we didn't lose them in the 2 inches of rain we got in 90 mins or the constant daily down pours ... yet... Neighbor E lost the entire front garden they had just planted with seeds.... haven't been able to get back in it to replant. He lost the hay he just planted and might lose 2 fields of corn that aren't being able to dry out.

We cut the last of the asparagus and left the tall ones to become ferns and gave it to H and his family as their asparagus didn't do well and they got 3 meals out of it.

The day before the tornadoes came through we had wind damage...

This is looking out my bedroom window. Winds took the roof off the basement ramp... thankful there was no damage to house and a few blocks knocked loose that can be dealt with a temporary fix and this area is on next years to completely redo.

It landed at the end of kitchen porch,

Got stopped by the crabapple tree.

Hubby tied it to the tree and the porch brace to stop it from going anywhere else until the winds calmed down.

Next day he cemented the blocks back that had shifted and fixed the roof and put it back on.

He added braces to it that should stop it from being able to be lifted even though it weighed about 200 lbs. It's closer to 300 now with the braces

Tree didn't get damaged, not even bark knocked off.

Since Hubby had to go get cement for the basement ramp, he fixed the yard clothesline that the deadman came out of ground and let the pole lean in when he went to tighten the lines so the sheets wouldn't drag. Said it was dried before it rained (tornadoes went through but didn't damage anything here or around us) But he needs to drive the tractor over the dirt to pack it down when the yard isn't a mud puddle.

this is in what we call the cubby... area between the two porches... babies are getting ready to learn to fly... I never can get a shot of them sticking their heads out. AND since this is an area that the dogs can get to  I put up fence so if the birds fall to the ground they have a chance to get back up before the dogs get to them.

Since the water hose valve is there I put a big flower pot there with 3 stones to keep it weighed down, turned another flower pot upside down inside it and then put one of my hanging planters on top of it. We can move the pot when needed and yet the dogs won't mess with it. I am glad we keep this stuff around.

Then

I started cooking in the air fryer... May 19th....

Hand pies were good and will be on the menu more often

So I decided to try a pork loin

and heard a pop and then watched the inside glass break... I emailed a complaint through Amazon to the seller. I did acknowledge that I knew this was a supplier issue and would like a replacement instead of a refund.  I was thinking I wouldn't get an answer back,until Monday. Sunday night they responded...
Monday they let me know they contacted their supplier of that safety glass and Tuesday they shipped this

I did NOT have to nag, battle or anything else... 1 email and it was done and I had heard there was issues with their customer service. I didn't have any, if anything I would say it was the best customer service I've dealt with in the past months.
SO after cleaning, heating, cleaning and reheating it (it's coated with protective oil on inside) I cooked this

10 mins and it was on the platter and on the kitchen porch table for our snack.

Memorial day we had this

Steaks on the grill with

onion rings and broccoli fries.... CRISPY in 15 min. I did rotate the trays every 5 mins.

IF you noticed in the picture I have a wood cutting board under it and on the end of the bfast bar. It does produce heat on the bottom and I don't want heat on my counter top. It's on the end which was due to space but I can tell you it helped with the heat coming off it. The air around it came up 10 degrees.... yes I measured it. I made sure there was NO paper or anything that could catch fire close to it (think stove). I like it that it's big... I could get 4 trays in it with 2 being onion rings that take more space so had to adjust to that.

Not sure what I will pop in it next.

THEN I went to the doctor for follow up due to getting bronchitis hoping I was good to start my biologic...

NOPE... I am borderline bronchial pneumonia ... different meds along with inhaler 6 times a day do deep breathing exercises every 30 mins.. and go back the 18th of June.  AND then if I am HEALTHY I can start my biologic.

Hubby has had to turn down a couple jobs, they don't want to pay him even his costs and he's not going to lose money to get work. E asked me what was going on and I told him , the other guy's truck is gas and Hubby's is diesel which costs more plus Hubby's livestock trailer is bigger so uses more fuel to pull and he's not going to lower to match someone else and lose money. E said it's like him using 6 horses (more oats and hay ) to pull his equipment where his brother N uses 3 horses (less oats and hay) . Yep you got it.

Monday morning...hum drums

This is Charlotte. She will be 2 on June 17th. She is trying to get me to move out of my chair on the kitchen porch which she now has decided is HER chair.

Then it was fine, I will go over here and sit in Daddy's chair and pout.

I shifted in the chair and she was looking to see if I was out of HER chair yet.

The temp is 60 and that is the warmest it is getting today as we to drop in temp all day until it's 45 tonight. Furnace is back on.

 I have laundry rolling and I will clean out the frigs and some more of the pantry as trash goes to the road tonight.

I pinned a sheer curtain that will go on the French doors. I will have to sew them by hand as my sewing machine hates sheer fabric and I don't care to fight with it. I can do the hand sewing while watching cook shows on tv in the evening.I don't usually watch more than the news but Hubby started watching them and asked me to watch some with him. We get a kick out of Nick Stellino as he reminds me of my brother. British bake off is interesting also. Others he watches are Simply Ming, Martha Bakes, Patti's Table, Lydia's kitchen,and Rory O'Connell if he is on.

I really really just want to go  back to bed and lay there. Don't care if I sleep, just lay there. Depression and I are old friends, I think he is a cousin to Crohny (my Crohns).

Even with everything we did in the garden to help bring the soil back up, I don't think it was enough. Rain coming in every 2-3 days isn't helping. Neither will this cold snap.  In GOD's Hands is what I keep repeating to myself, I do the work, keep the faith and leave it in his hands.I only have half in which is a concern,I don't have the flowers planted at the windmill either. I told Hubby it was going in this week even if I have to mud it in. E and M don't have anything in and E said over half of their church (180 families) don't have anything in or what was in has flooded and rotted.

Deck isn't getting done due to the rain also. We did go out and mark the area. Which was good as after I mentioned we would be standing in front of the door trying to grill like we did on 245, Hubby moved the deck 2 feet so that wasn't going to be going on. It will allow us to change the down spout to drain farther away from the house also. E is going to put an awning on for me and he is doing it so when it rains I can still have the doors open if we ever get the deck on.

Can't get to the dog house, it's a muddy swamp where it is, chicken coop hasn't been moved for the same reason. Can't clear the garden shed until AFTER we take furniture to Son 2, Daughter 4 and maybe Daughter 2 as she is thinking of taking the last of the furniture as that's where the garden stuff goes. I have 4 boxes of Daddy's stuff left to go through.

Hubby's schedule and Son's 2 schedule has not worked out as Hubby wants to haul the furniture down and do the odd jobs at the same time. Daughters have kids in and out so someone is usually home so they don't care when we bring it down to them

Hubby trims the day after rain and tries to mow the entire area the following day.

Last week he got slammed with work even with having one person cancel 2 jobs...actually turned out better as he picked up 4 jobs for the same time and now has plenty of money for his fishing trip. He said his goal is to have one of the 3 trailers "paid off" meaning the money is back in the investment accts. He also was able to give me money to give to our grandson that is graduating. BUT because he was "working", he wasn't able to do all he wanted after yard work and garden work..

I look at all that is NOT done and don't see what is done....

I don't see that I cleared the southeast corner of the front room and moved the radio Son 2 got us for Christmas into the dining room where we will actually listen to the local news in the mornings while having coffee like we did growing up. Which now allows me to bring in another small table to sit my computer at and take it off the bfast bar in the kitchen. I can then use that section for canning supplies when I am canning. Hubby said I need to paint the table before bringing it in.

I don't see that I moved all the grow light cart plants out to harden off. Have 2 that is going to end up in pots as they aren't doing well out in the wind and sun. I want to declutter a basement area , (the last area in the basement to declutter) and move the  grow cart there for next winter.

I don't see that the pile that is commonly at the basement door is not there.

I don't see that I have my sewing area set up except for the sewing table that Hubby found me last night. Wednesday and Thursday are suppose to be rainy days so that's a good time to be sewing. SO he is planning to have the sewing table put together by tomorrow.

Son 2 called last night to let me know he would be bringing friends up to see us probably this coming weekend... figured I would like a week's notice as he already knows the house isn't company ready. I do like to dust and clean the floors of fur before I have company. THEN he mentioned us feeding them and he would pay for the groceries...  deep breath... okay.I will watch the weather after Thursday and see if we will grill out or cook inside before making the decision of what to get.

Washer buzzing, next load to the line.

savings this week/month

I scheduled the energy audit for mid June. IF we do any of the work they suggest and provide receipts we can be credited up to $50 on our electric bill.  I asked if he could estimate how much propane I would save by doing $50 of what ever... close to $100 savings of propane as an estimate.I do need to do some preparing for the test.

Hubby has been driving the Jeep for anything that does not require a trailer. He said he figured out he saved $80 in the past 2 weeks.

I finished one summer curtain for the laundry room as it faces south and the heat is starting to warm up that room and my bedroom.

I turned the furnace OFF... might have to kick it on during the night a couple times this coming week but it's off. By doing this I also might fingers crossed make this tank last until June so it's filled on the summer fill which is CHEAPER fill

I refused to turn the central air on...told Hubby to open the windows (he had to remove winter storm windows anyways on front room to install the screens ) turn on ceiling fan when he is in the room and I turned on a small rotating fan on low for Wilbur and Rascal (who is black), both are old dogs and can't handle the heat during the middle of the day when it's over 80. After supper the fan is turned off until lunch the next day. Rascal will nudge it with his foot when he wants it on LOL.

I had bought screen repair that was suppose to be self sticking but wasn't. Hubby told me to throw it away and he would go get new...nope I super glued the patches to the screen. Amish guy that was stopped looking for Hubby asked how I fixed them as he had some spare screen but not enough to replace his entire window screen.

Our softener salt lasted 9 days longer than regularly. I've been using the cistern water to water my plants. Better for them also.

I used my digital dollars at Amazon to order a book for my Kindle.

I used my Rakuten rebates,Swagbucks points and Pine Cone pay to order 2 new roasting pans that have racks and handles on the pans. Hubby and I both are having trouble lifting roasting pans (especially turkey) without handles.I used American Test Kitchen to decide what I wanted.

I didn't go to the store until today. I limped us through. BUT today I bought for a basic grocery list AND for the airfryer we bought for testing how it does this week. My brother, sister,Hubby's best friend, and 3 of the kids are interested in how it does.

In the end with how I saved, we have over half of July's budget in savings. So Hubby can go on his fishing trip without worrying how to make up the loss of income when he gets home.

Being frugal while sick....winter sowing

The rose my oldest sister(of my heart) has bloomed.

You would never guess it's been raining pretty much every other day here with the way this soil looks. My beans are planted here.With in  1/2 inch of the top soil it's mud. The quality of the soil is bad. E said the guy the owed it before his brother just kept planting the same crops in the same spot and never added compost or anything. N only lived here 1 yr so he wasn't able to get it turned around before we bought it.

Tomatoes, peppers, marigolds and rosemary... lots of compost in the holes and fertilizer later.

The gourmet potatoes in the grow bags are doing decent

The winter sowing I did the first round did very well

The second round did hardly anything but the weather was colder than normal and we got twice as much rain as normal so I think that was the why they didn't do well.

I am getting about 1 16 ft section done at a time before I have to go hack and cough while I work in the gardens looking like this

My allergies went nuts and I went in to bronchitis the day before I picked this up at drug store

I now have bronchitis GRRR... now I can't take it due to being sick and on antibiotics... waiting until I am cleared by primary doc and then I can start. SIGH

Since I was sick and I have no flowers (didn't buy any at auction either) I cut some crabapple blooms for myself.

So while out for doctors' appts we stopped at a store the Amish had mentioned. It's called Stites. It's a discount variety store, had some coolers for marked down dairy etc. but mostly dry goods. I got bfast bars for 49 cents a box, face masks I wore in garden (50 in a box for  less than $2), I got a bottle of chipotle molasses marinade for us and Son 2 for 50 cents. I got 1 birthday gift, 3 Christmas gifts and a sign to hang over our archway between dining room and front room for 1/4th of what I had priced else where. Reminds me of the old Odd Lots aka Big Lots.

We stopped at Menards and used rebate check to get fertilizer and weed killer during 11% sale.

I have still not went to grocery store because of this...

After reading bloggers, reviews, talking to others including daughter 1 who has an airfryer  and knowing it dehydrates also (I need another dehydrator as 1 died end of last year and this was the same price)... we broke down and ordered it.

It came in yesterday while I was in the garden and Hubby was trimming and mowing around wet areas.

I unpacked it today, cleaned it and read all the instructions (please do if you buy one READ ALL OF IT) and we decided we were going to pick out some of the recipes and do the "test drive" of it this week.

Meantime I am going to take another round of meds for this bronchitis and go find a table in the barn for my sewing machine as I found the scissors finally.

Is it really May 8th?

Grandson P said yes, he should know because it's his birthday and he reminded me  that in 1 yr he will be a teenager. SIGH.

Hubby mowed part of the yard twice...will need to do it again and he hasn't trimmed at all.

He planted popcorn on Monday.

I went through 4 boxes.

I finally got all the hoops jumped for my Humira ONLY to have a glitch that caused the delivery to not be made but is suppose to be by tomorrow (May 9th)

The paint issues are settled, paint company is providing new paint , contractor chose a store credit over being paid (he got more "money" that way) and I chose to have it done late summer, early fall and one room at a time since we have to move furniture.It can be done in combination of fall cleaning.

FINALLY all the GI doctors and PA's are on the same page of my treatment. I chose to have my primary doctor monitor my heart failure (he already does now) instead of getting a Cardiologist and paying another doctor who will run tests my primary already ran. I have left sided heart failure, not a lot of anything they can do at this point, I am on meds for it. I am glad to see there is experimental surgeries that look to be helping left heart failure.

I found the straight pens to start on the curtains... now I can't find the scissors. GEEZE.

We spent hours in the asparagus patch (4 ft by 120 ft) pulling weeds especially thistles and crab grass the last couple days, almost done, probably if we worked together we could finish it in 1 more round.

I transplanted some volunteer strawberries that had came up in what was the old strawberry patch we took out due to blight. These didn't show any signs of blight.

We went to produce auction and bought 2 flats of candy onions, 1 flat of cabbage, 1 flat of cauliflower and 10 of 4 1/2 pots of tomatoes.

We then went to the local green house and got 1 flat of broccoli, 1 flat of Amish paste tomatoes and 2 flats of marigold that had not bloomed yet.

I have plants in the grow lights cart that needs harden off starting this week.

Looks like we can be planting what we bought this afternoon after Hubby gets backs.

I told Hubby I would pick up milk when I got get my Humira. Then we don't have to make another trip to town for it this coming weekend.

Goals for May

On top of working and running the house etc we have decided on the following goals

Save and earn enough to pay July's bills.

ONLY buy dairy or fresh produce needed this month.



Hubby

put deck on which will also finish the gravel

delivery what ever furniture Son 2 takes that was Dad's

do the odd jobs he has been putting off to do with Son 2

Yard mow or if it keeps raining it might be bale hay.

Get the garden in

Straighten the fence along road

remove old doghouse since the other neighbor decided he didn't want it and E said he could burn as kindling.

Put the smoker together to stop his wife (ME) from nagging.

Mine

nag Hubby about smoker.

go through 2 boxes a week minimum of stuff... that makes it done in a year but I really see me doing more.

Contact ins about processing biologic

Contact Paint co about dealing with this bad paint

schedule energy audit

defrost and organize 3 deep freezers

finish cleaning the last 2 1/2 shelves in pantry

clear garden shed so E can move it to his place.

clear old chicken coop so H can move it to his place.

plant flowers at windmill

get garden in

find straight pins so I can sew the warm weather curtains.

sew warm weather curtains.

Frugal at store May groceries

First... the old trailer has sold so that covers June's bills. So we are working on July which is NICE since Hubby will be deep sea fishing during a week in June.

Since May's bills are paid including what medical bills were in, I think there is 2 left going through ins still.... I had EXTRA grocery money. We together checked what we had and talked about what we wanted.

We decided against freezing asparagus. Don't like mushy asparagus and we know we don't like canned unless it's pickled... So I am pickling asparagus we don't eat fresh or give to family.

Since we were over to Sidney yesterday for doctor appt we felt we should go to Aldi's for groceries for May's groceries. Hubby stopped over and said something to E & M asking if they needed anything. The WHOLE family as in parents, 6 adult children and spouses and all their kids was coming over to have a work day, cutting wood, making repairs, sewing etc. We ended up with a list (Thanks to M it was on 1 list not 7). Hubby took care of their list. I did ours. Since we have been asked repeatedly what Amish buy at Aldi's... veg oil, saltine crackers, powdered sugar, celery .iceberg lettuce,cream cheese and butter if less than $2.60/lb. I have seen them get bananas and whipped topping.

I got :

Milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, and 3 "bars" of cheese. I got Greek vanilla yogurt that less than a gallon of milk which would make the same amount of yogurt.

lemons, limes, oranges, kiwis , and a pineapple, strawberries(to make Daddy a strawberry rhubarb pie for his 92nd birthday on the 3rd) bananas, mangoes and fresh figs. Avocados.

Cherry tomatoes (anti pasta salad) Roma tomatoes for salads(cucumber tomato salad etc) and tomatoes for BLT's

Hamburger for taco meat

Thin chicken breast for satay

Chicken breast for the grill for me

Chicken thighs for the grill for Hubby

Prosciutto and speck for a couple recipes Hubby wants to take to a cookout at end of month.

Waffles and pancakes and hash brown patties...not something I normally buy but Hubby asked for them since we just finished what I had fixed for the freezer and it's not something I normally fix at dinner time during the summer.

Celery, carrots, potatoes, garlic (completely out of what I grew), radishes, broccoli, green onions, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and mushrooms. I really think I need a "green house or hoop house" for winter/early spring growing.

I bought bread products that I will freeze and bag in servings for us instead of the whole package. Hubby feels at this time with dealing with all the boxes and stuff on top of gardens that my time is better put towards those items and not towards baking all our breads. I got 1 loaf of sliced bread (as Daddy calls it) 2 pkgs croissants, 2 pkgs of bagels, 2 pkgs of English muffins, 2 pkgs of sub buns, 2 pkgs of hamburger buns,and 2 pkgs of hot dog buns. Actually that should last most of the summer. Tortilla wraps... 8 inch for wraps/enchiladas/burritos   and 6 inch for tacos .

total came to $292.24...

Lessons learned with dealing with Daddy's house

Daddy usually smiles, if he isn't smiling something is wrong. Even the nursing home staff  has mentioned that if someone is down, Daddy will go visit them and then that person with start smiling along with him. Well he wouldn't have been smiling this weekend... he would have been kicking certain family members butts for the disrespect they showed by trashing his home to grab what they wanted instead of what they actually deserved especially since Daddy gave them money through the years as their inheritance when he wouldn't do that for Brother or me even after Brother confronted him about it. JUST and FYI, I gave paid off some of Mother's and stepfather's bills with my inheritance from them. I don't want the money. If they have something I would like I say something then, if I get it fine, if I don't fine.Since my brother is a hoarder... that's a different on how he looks at things.

Since Daddy has been in the nursing home over a year and we definitely know he isn't coming out  and I pushed for his house to be sold or at least rented out (Brother is paying the balance between what ins and Daddy's income covers) and put towards taking care of Daddy. Brother put word out he was going to sell the house, figured he would get a realtor and we had at least 30 days if not more because it's not in a great area, lots of poverty surrounds him since the factories closed down usually takes a year to get a house sold.

House sold in 24 hrs, Brother is going through Daddy's lawyer to make sure everything is at is should be and then came the news that closing would be in 10-14 days... We got the message on Wed. Sister in law and our schedules didn't mesh until Saturday and only for 2 1/2 hrs.

We walked into a nightmare... and she was overwhelmed as she had a wedding rehearsal as she is a preacher. AND there was mold and feather pillows that triggered her allergies in the house.. SO we agreed if she was willing to let us in, we could work without her BUT she had to walk through the house before and after before we left .  We were suppose to come back on MONDAY.

My brother made a bad decision (his words) over trusting another family member to get certain things that had been made for Daddy by their dad WITHOUT him being there which they did BUT they gave the key to another family member who wanted something that they had made for Daddy (it's what they said) Definitely ransacked the house and it was apparent they thought they would find cash hidden, something Daddy used to do but I can tell you we had already cut his "cash" flow off LONG before he went in the nursing home.Family member who gave the key was upset along with Brother who stressed out and I was more than willing to punch the person and they know it.

Brother got the call from the lawyer ON SATURDAY that the closing would be Tuesday.... SO Brother called us to come back on Sunday so if needed we could finish on Monday morning and he could get the trash out before Tuesday morning.

I packed a cooler with boiled eggs, sliced cheese, crackers and apples. Filled several water bottles and Hubby took a thermos of coffee. Brother looked like death warmed over, he has been sick with his allergies, other health issues and is going to be 70 and caught himself and got checked...he is in the very early stages of dementia that stress of changing jobs, his own moving, dealing with Daddy, and then the house (before it was trashed) of course  makes everything even worse and now dealing with a family member over trashing the house.

So Hubby and I  not only took what we wanted, we cleared it completely since we know he got everything he wanted out of the house. All the clothes was put in one area so Brother could haul it out easier. HEAVENS 52 underwear, 52 socks, 52 muscle tanks aka dress tee shirts,52 short sleeve button down shirts, 52 long sleeve flannel shirts, 52 long sleeve dress shirts, 52 sports jackets, 52 dress pants, 52 pairs of jeans, 52 ties, and 52 suits along with 24 pairs of shoes and 14 pairs of slippers.Brother is hauling all of it to a ministry that helps those that can't afford clothes or needs "work" clothes for an office job. We bagged 95% of the trash and put it in one area also. Garage wasn't done as well, there is nothing left but trash but it's hazard trash,such as fuel and oil and paint.

SO on top of dealing with the mess. I had to accept that things Daddy had wanted to be passed down where beyond keeping. Hubby picked up a bed frame that was to go and it to fall apart where it had rotted in his hands. Dishes were chipped so bad I would have been afraid to use them. He was using 1 plate,1 bowl and 1 cup...those were in good condition. When family came in he used paper plates so it wasn't caught.Heart breaking that he didn't use things himself and wanted to pass it on, but didn't do so while they were still of use.

So lesson's learned... check furniture including the areas you don't normally see until you take the bed apart, bottom of dressers, drapes, and mattresses . IF you are in charge of someone that goes in a nursing home,check for dirty dishes in the oven (hum... yes, I found them), have someone not only mow the yard but clean the house and don't throw newspaper in the door and toss junk mail around (Brother's butt now kicked by me) instead of throwing in trash.Better yet CANCEL newspaper and save the money. Everyone in the neighborhood knew he was in the nursing home. 

We tallied what we are now dealing with...

 5 boxes I have held from my late husband that his only child did not have room for. She agreed to find room by this summer as I want them out of here.

40 boxes from a daughter who said the boxes were ours from the old homestead and not hers only for me to find out when I started working on them they were ALL hers or her sons. I've talk directly to the sons since 2 are adults and the other 2 soon to be about if they want this stuff or not.One is planning on coming up this summer and going through it.

12 boxes that were from Mother's estate and that Pop gave us at that time since he knew he was going into the nursing home. He passed a couple years after Mother.

From Daddy's 12 boxes and couch (Daughter 4), 2 stands(Son 2) 2 dressers , 2 bureaus, 1 bed frame and mattress/box spring and 1 cabinet and 1 metalwork bench... the cabinet and workbench goes to Son 2. He tried to buy it from Daddy but he said he was still using it 3 yrs ago. The rest of the kids had gotten some things through the years and wasn't interested in anything that was left. Daughter 4 said anything we want to get rid of to bring to her. She now has a list of 10 families that are searching for stuff for their homes.

I was down to 40 boxes of our stuff and half is either fabric or yard.

AND REALLY all I want to do is have less rain so I can plant the gardens

Thanks for listening LOL

Blessed Be

Busy week

Monday

The manager from the paint store came and down checked ALL the paint in the house. Noticed I had a coat rack and broom rack sitting in the mudroom and told me to NOT put anything on the walls until after they figure out what to do about the paint after the testing comes back. SINCE I kept all the paint cans that still had paint they were able to test that paint instead of taking a sample off my walls.

This is the paint off the mudroom wall, it's a dark teal metallic... they were thinking the metallic was the problem BUT the 24 x 24 ft crimson front room is doing it , the cobalt blue dining room is doing and the lime green laundry room is doing it. I was shocked the purple in the bedroom was NOT doing it.

I finished the laundry after the guy left and worked on turkey.

I did soil tests on north and south gardens. North garden needs nitrogen.. South garden needs nitrogen and potash.

Tuesday

Errands and chiro appt. We got the potting soil for the grow bags for the potatoes. We were getting 1 cu ft bags as that is easier for me to move, they had the 2 cu ft on sale ... so we went with the 2 cu ft bags. I just told Hubby I would use the 1 cu ft ones I have to do the flower pots with and he would have to help me with dealing with the 2 cu ft. Saving us $148.They didn't have enough of the bags for all that I needed but I told Hubby I can watch for the next sale and finish picking them up then.

We went to chiro.... Hubby wasn't any worse than he normally is ...but it's the first time I ever heard my chiro cuss when he started examining me... I was told to knock the Sh.. off and told Hubby to keep me off the ground which Hubby being to smarty pants he is said he couldn't since I had to be on the ground to WALK.  He warned me I would be VERY SORE and have a headache for 2 days... I already was sore and had a migraine. DUH. What usually takes him 5 mins took him 20 min. He adjusted, waited about 5 min and the adjust again until it quit popping back out of place. The combination of my knees being out and my cerebral palsy acting up was causing me to fall. With drawl from from the medication they gave me after being in the hospital which I just finished triggered my CP. Migraine went away and eased down to a regular headache that went away at 2 am the next day. Little "shakey" with the knees , just going down sideways when on stairs when I am not sitting on my butt going up and down the stairs.

We were going to go to the grocery store... I tossed that out after the adjustment to come home and crawl in bed.

Wednesday

Just a little bit of headache and not much soreness and a beautiful day...
Hubby moved the burn barrel to where we can use it.

and then dump the ashes into the gardens.

I picked our first batch of asparagus for dinner

Thursday

We spent the afternoon putting down weed barrier in the south garden for walk paths.

We only have 10 of the cross sections done but the rain was starting to coming in so we called it a day and put every thing away.

Friday

It's a rainy day and we were planning on being outside...no go now. BUT this week we got 38 items off the punch list and about half off our monthly to do goals. Hubby is going to help move some calves and a bull for a friend tomorrow. SO we are taking today to relax and look over the goals and the punch list and the weather forecast which is NOT working with us.

Today is the last day of school for the Amish. The boys will be going to the fields to help their dads and the girls will be in the gardens or watching smaller children for their mom's.L is leaning over to tie her shoe.It's amazing to watch these children all under the age of 12 with their work ethic ... Reminds Hubby of his childhood a lot. I didn't think anything of walking a mile to my friend's house to help her corral sheep and sheer them, we were 10 yrs old.

I will miss watching for them in the mornings and afternoons. Always wave high or if at mailbox ask how their day went.

Saturday

Calves and bull got canceled but Hubby was given $20 for his time and for stopping another person from going over to J's house as J was on his way to meet Hubby. Bull is a maybe for Wed night. Calves are now sold to someone that has their own trainer so no need to move them twice.

We went through our goals list and took off things we know isn't going to happen due to paint issues. Checked punch list and then some May to do's that might get done when it's not raining.

Checked our finances.

Hubby went to get fuel for truck so I had him pick up the groceries I was going to get that was on sale at Kroger's.

I canned turkey and beef broth from what I found in the freezers looking for the ham for Easter.

Sunday HAPPY EASTER.

A  quiet day.We spend part of the day visiting with Daddy and some of the evening communicating aka texting my brother who was very sick.He thinks allergies but since he works in the school system figured he best go to the doctor to make sure he didn't pick anything up and starting passing it around. We nearly lost him 3-4 times due to his allergies, I think he's allergic to everything..

I fixed ham from the freezer, baked sweet potatoes and asparagus from the garden. We had ice cream for our sweet.

Monday

Laundry washed with homemade laundry soap and hung on kitchen porch clothes line. Area at yard clothes line still too wet to walk in unless you have boots up to above ankle. Hubby checked before I started hanging clothes. Said he could see that a fall waiting to happen.

We had fruit muffins for bfast that I pulled from freezer. Sliced ham, cheese and crackers for lunch. Will have one pot green beans, potatoes and ham for dinner with biscuits.

Hubby did some odd and ends jobs he had on his list this morning since he had to taxi an Amish horse to the vet this afternoon due to an infection after being "fixed".

I checked soil temp in south gardens... 60 degrees, if it holds there after the next batch of rain comes through I will be planting peas and beans at the same time... just like spring 2011. SIGH


Hubby came out of barn and he had found bulbs growing in kitty litter buckets ...

I didn't take pictures of the ones that were super small. I am hoping they are the grape hyacinth.I planted 150 flower bulbs that Hubby for some reason decide to NOT use the labels I made when we were digging them up last year when moving. Going to be interesting of what comes up and when next year as I know they are spring early summer bulbs.Unless the one is garlic... I really think it is garlic. If it is , I should be able to tell this summer because all my garlic is hard neck so produces scapes.

Stay in the light
Blessed be