Frugal funeral

From 18 to 93 is a lot of living. Funeral is this coming Thursday. Brother and I are glad Daddy made several choices.

First ,,, he had a will , living will, power of attorney and medical power of attorney and kept it updated. HE had already put Brother's name on all accounts. The life ins and IRAs were already done for who they went to.

Second he prepaid and PLANNED his funeral in 1996... some where along the line he had lost the obit he had wrote and hadn't given the funeral home a copy to put in his file... They had a lot of the info just needed updated. The young man was wonderful to work with as he wrote the obit as if it was his own dad using the info we gave him to fill in. It was part of their services that Daddy had paid for. Daddy had already paid for the flowers and chose what he wanted. Since it's covid and Brother and I both are leary of a open service, we decided private family viewing with a graveside service that we will officiate , nothing Daddy hated more than a preacher preaching over a casket instead of focusing on the deceased and the families . With what he chose and paid for and how we adjusted it for the times there was a savings of over $15,000... yeah his solid oak casket is now $8000 and he paid $2000.

Third his grave is paid for along with his marker except for engraving the death date as my step mother and two of the three stepbrothers are already buried.  We do have to pay for opening and closing the grave. The cemetery would not do prepaid at that time. 

Since we sold the house last year to pay for his medical that wasn't covered under his 2 insurances... there is no property to deal with... I do still have some of his stuff from the house but it's now pretty much down to what needs donated or into a dumpster. I cut the cord off the non steaming iron he still had and gave it to M... works great on her wood burning cook stove and she was in need of an iron anyways.

I will add that lawyer and the Funeral home told us what Daddy saved by doing it all ahead ... beside us grieving and not thinking clear and not having to make choices.... close to $15,000 was saved.... that is a LOT of money and he definitely didn't have that left in any accounts when he died so it would have been OUT OF OUR POCKETS.

Second week of July ..14 days before we got any rain.

We started this week with a text from Brother at 10:30 at night to call the nursing home and make arrangements to say good bye to Daddy.Was only allowed a few minutes one at a time. I had already said good bye when I saw him in March but went again.. Always hoped he would go in his sleep... HE IS STILL ALIVE... getting worse every day but still alive with no help from medical.  Daddy always said he didn't want to linger... but that's exactly what he is doing.

Hubby's parents came to visit, had cabin fever and was a bit upset Hubby made them sit 6 ft away from us in OUR home. He made them wash their hands as soon as they came in also. He sprayed disinfectant and cleaned where they sat and the bathroom they used was the one he uses instead of mine. They said they had only been to the doctors(his mother fell and she has blisters on her eyes) and grocery. For some reason they thought no one was dying of Covid in our state (Ohio) and that it had pretty much ran it's course. Hubby contacted his 3 siblings about it. Big concern as we know they have some dementia also. Sister texted the next day and said the parents made her wash her hands when she came in and sit 6 ft from them because Hubby (who is an EMT) told them that was how it was to be...she's a nurse and she backed us up. She did take them to be tested for Covid, tests came back negative.SIGH OF RELIEF. 

M gave me 4 large zucchinis. I am going to dehydrate most of it , put a small amount in the freezer and have some for deep fried zucchini. 

I put 18 trays in the dehydrators of herbs. Will probably be the last of them as they are burning up even with watering daily. I also dehydrated a mixture of greens to blend into powder when I get finished with the rest of the greens.

I picked the last of the purple pod beans and most of the lettuce. Might get one or two more small salads of lettuce. I have one batch that I am waiting for it to bolt and produce seeds. 

I have dried clothes on the lines, Hubby has chose to wear wrinkled shirts instead of me running the dryer or turning on the iron. Said they absorb sweat better when not ironed and didn't figure I needed to turn the dryer on.

I bought some new slips from Amazon that Brandy over at The Prudent Homemaker recommended... LOVE LOVE LOVE them..as even working in 90 plus heat they didn't stick to me like nylon does. 

I cut the last of the red kale, it's in the dehydrator now(Thursday).

I put dried milk on the tomato plants to fight bottom blossom rot. I am now out of dried milk.

Daddy has died today.. storm damage.

He was 93 May 3rd. 

Relieved it is over for him as it has been a horrible two weeks of dying inch by inch . Relieved for my brother that I know he was paying for some of the care out of his own retirement and he didn't want me to know about it or how much. 

Daddy will always be with me, he taught me to garden and preserve. He taught me to sew and repair. He taught me to cook. 

But Lord, I miss the hugs, the kisses, him calling me at bedtime to talk over our day. 

Tomorrow Brother and I go to make arrangements...Daddy did most of it 8 yrs ago when Mother died and I spent Thanksgiving writting her obit. I was surprised he didn't do it when my step mom died several years before that.

We took a hit with storm that came through right before we pulled in , 34 mph winds took out the glass picnic table, 3 potted plants and the outhouse... I don't think the outhouse is going back up. Seemed fitting for the damage to be today after almost 2 wks of no rain.

Last of June First of July frugal

Used Listerine, apple cider vinegar and water to dissolve callus on feet and hands..even Hubby is now doing this.

Used geranium essential oil mixed with safflower oil for muscle pain. 

My ENT told me to quit using tissues for my nose bleeds (at least once a day for 2 wks) and use TP that it would stop it faster. Not only did it stop it faster... after 2 days I haven't had a nose bleed since. He thinks I was allergic to the lotion in the tissue as it was not a bad bleeder.  Generic saline spray a couple times of day (can't do nasal rinse as they cause headaches) and things are good in that area.

Ate lettuce, radishes, strawberries and onions out of the gardens, peas out of M's gardens and tomatoes out of N's hoop house.  Covered blackberries and blueberries with bird netting .Have small green paste tomatoes, beans have blooms , onions are starting to have dried tips but I don't think the Brussels sprouts are going to make. Battles with bugs every day. Started getting blackberries about a hand full a day. M gave me zucchini.

Put up electric fence to protect sweet corn from deer and coons.Thought if we shocked them now they would leave it alone with the corn started making.IT's on solar power instead of our electric.

Our township had a clean up day that accepted any trash our normal trash didn't take in weekly trash pick up (no commercial or hazard stuff and 8 tire limit) we took enough that would have put 1 layer across the floor of a single car garage. Since it was OUR trash company I asked what we saved ...around $250 of extra charges.We kept enough cardboard to finish the air barrier in the last 2 attics.Cardboard was over whelming. 

Sent in medical claims to RRA for reimbursement.Since I already paid these bills I will put the money towards Aug bills( which includes the propane order for winter heating) as we just paid off July that needed checks written and the rest is auto withdraw.Last month we had to use household money to cover the business bills... Mid June to mid July is a slow time without a pandemic and Mid Nov to late Jan is another one. Hubby made half of what was needed so that wasn't bad.He is picking up one time haul jobs to help fill in the lack in the steady work.

Bought clothes from ThredUp using a discount code, finding pants that actually fit me without hemming or taking in. 

We bought a $4800 motorcycle for $3200.... we were looking to upgrade and hadn't found anything we liked and in our price range( cash not loan) as the bike we have now was good for Hubby to take back and forth to work when he was in the factory  but not really comfortable for us to do any riding. We both have license and have rode since we were kids. Son 2 was going to trade his in as he went to a Honda goldwing trike (bad knee) and sold us his for what they were going to give him for trade in. Since we both have been on this bike we know it will work for us. We hope in a few years he will upgrade his trike and we will get to buy the one he just got. We already started that kitty. LOL We can ride the bike to go see his parents, if we go some where with them we always take their car as neither can get in and out of our car very well (Jeep is small) and they can't climb up in either truck.We can use it to visit the kids or go riding with Son 2

Hubby asked why I was using the kitchen porch clothes line on such a nice day instead of the yard clothes line . I had him stand at the kitchen window and took down one of the shirt off the line. The sun blasted him in the eyes. Blocks the sun out of the kitchen and keeps the house cooler. I keep an old white shower cloth curtain that I hang on that porch to block the sun from the dogs water to help keep it from getting as hot also blocks the sun from the bedroom. We check the morning temp... if it's going to be lower than 76 we turn off the AC (we only run it in afternoons and evenings) and open the windows to allow the cooler night air to come in. I've shut the windows and curtains on days of NO breeze and kept the house around 78 doing that without the AC. until around 1 pm.  I always check the windmill to see where the wind is coming from to know which side of the house to open.Yard clothes line is for towels, bedding etc that are too big for the kitchen line.

I still would like to have 24 cans of mushrooms (or 12 large), 14 cans of spinach and 2 gals. of apple cider vinegar.IF I get fresh apples and fresh pears this fall and  3-4 pie pumpkins we will be in great shape. I still am cooking down last year's tomato juice for sauce. I even have essential oils, etc to make my own hand sanitizer and cleaners as I KNOW this pandemic is going to last at LEAST another 6 months (they all last at least a year if not 2 yrs) and things are most likely turn worse this fall rather than better. I am now seeing majors order masks to be worn by ALL when in the city  when people are out. I think we are headed for another shut down.

I took some masks that Son 2 had that was too big and he wanted ties instead of elastic and remade them for him. He had some ribbon that a friend of his gave him as she sews and I used it for his ties. NO money for either of us.

I use my meter to gauge how much to water the gardens. Helps to not over or under water. Saves water and electric running the pump. I don't pay for water or sewage but we are very careful as the water table dropped really low last year and a few around us had to pay for water to be hauled in as their wells were not deep enough. 

I use the air fryer to bake and I use it OUTSIDE so it doesn't heat up the house. It will raise the temp in the kitchen 10 degrees. I used the grill for meat and some of the sides, been eating more cold meals than hot anyways. I have about one more week of salad and then I will have to wait for it to grow again as the heat wave is going to bolt what I have. Ham salad, chicken salad, chef salads, cold meat in tortilla wraps have been pretty common.I did grill some extra meat last week and tossed it in the freezer to be reheated in the microwave if needed. We have taken to eating our dinner on the kitchen porch and morning coffee on the deck (west side of house).

I put lemon peel and slices in the dehydrator. I put lemon zest and slices in the freezer and I juiced the last of the lemons and froze the juice in a ice cube tray.

I chopped what was left up and put it in the gardens. 

I found Tattler wide mouth rings AND  regular mouth. Had to wait as they were on back order but they have finally came in. I was told to practice canning with them with jars of water as you need more head room and you don't tighten them as tight as a regular canning lid... sounds like a learning curve but that is okay. If I decide I don't care for them I already know who I can give them too that already uses them.

I finished dehydrating the butternut squash from last fall. 

We watched fireworks from our porch as the neighbor down a few houses set some  (not big ones) off for the kids in the neighborhood since our local ones were cancelled. My brother sent a video of the ones he was at.

Hubby found spinach for 54 cents/ can and mushrooms for 64 cents for 8 oz can and cannellini beans for 56 cent/ can and bought enough to finish the pantry. YEA!!!!

How is it going for you?

July projects

With permission from these two I post this picture. Son 2 is on the right. Grandson S on the left. Grandson started his 1st day in the Army today July 1st.He wants to follow in his uncle's foot steps.

I finished the gardens... mostly. I will be working on an irrigation system for next year. Hubby is looking for a better way to control weeds around the area. He does still have to put the electric fence up around the sweet corn in the south garden . That's about 4 hrs of work. I need to move the red rhubarb. I mentioned moving it up under the grape vine but Hubby really doesn't like that since he would have to do more trimming.

E came over with his boys a bit back and help move the metal frame (was a garage in a box that we lost the cover in a wind storm) to an area south of the barn, gets shade during the summer from the tree on the north west side there but will get light during the winter and the barn it's self will block a good part of the north winter winds. We think we have it set where it will be good, I pulled out the pots I am using and the cover so we can get it on this week.Goal is to be planted by July 15th. 

We found some old wood fencing that matches the wood fencing in front of the house. I found a paint scraper in Daddy's stuff that I was going through. I told Hubby I could scrape it and paint it when I paint the posts for the deck railing and we could use it for the railing on the deck instead of wire fencing.  We just need to buy paint with primer which we need anyways for other stuff that needs painted. Something outside always needs painted.

Other projects..

basement ramp, Hubby wants to start on this as he doesn't want to lose that entrance. 

kitchen porch after the ramp as the ramp will affect the south end of the porch. 

tower for antenna in cubby hole (which means he might finish the weed barrier in that area. I am collecting field stone/rocks to lay in that area to have a rock garden (which Wilbur won't go on and do his business there ). E said to remind him when he plows this fall and I can go to a couple of his fields for rocks. I already did his pasture.

Gravel that is here spread out.

But my first project is to get over food poisoning that I got from my own frig. Neither of us thought about the deep fried onions I reheated was 5 days old not 3... I usually don't eat any leftovers over 2 days old anyways.SIGH. Doc was not happy with me and told me to not be surprised if it takes a month due to my Crohn's to get over it. Mean time every day is a bit better. I actually slept all night last night. I made it through getting my MRI of my knee. I was glad the worse part of the food poisoning was over before that.

I would love to have one of the parts completely cleaned in the barn, the pantry nice and clean and organized and clutter out of the mudroom (which reappears every time Hubby comes through the door carrying something that belongs in the barn that he just walked through and forgot to put it away out there). BUT realistic it is not going to happen this month.

 

Saturday afternoon...nap time

This week has went by in a blur. 

Monday Hubby took H and B to their doctor appt. I went to mine... MRI needed... but can't see doctor to go over MRI until July 23rd...sigh, now have a soft brace to wear when the knee is giving me trouble or I am going to be walking a lot. Monday late evening Hubby got an emergency call that  another hauler blew his engine and couldn't go get a load of equipment in TN. SO Hubby left at 1 am Tuesday morning.

I have been having problems with calluses  on feet due to knee shifting how I walk. I was told to use equal parts of Listerine (no other mouth wash will work)apple cider vinegar and warm water and soak my feet for 15 minutes then use wash cloth to "wipe" my feet. THIS WORKS. and it didn't do anything to the skin that wasn't callused. I will have to do it a few more times for the one callus on my heel but at least my feet are not hurting or bleeding due to calluses.  

Tuesday I had to go get my truck from Son 2 and give him the jeep as his car was going to be in the shop longer and I need the truck to take dogs to vet. Total day was gone by time I got back as my knee was killing me...can't drive or sit in car with brace as it binds up on the back of my knee and causes MORE issues. I argued with myself about stopping for drive thru or fixing something when I got home.Drive thru won because I know myself well and know I wouldn't bother to fix anything at all.

Wednesday,I actually got crap done, several herbs in the dehydrators, laundry including bedding, furniture throws and extra stuff was washed, dried on clothes line... it was a nice day. Hubby got in worn out and after he ate he was asleep in his recliner before 5 pm.Repair guy called to change appt due to his grandmother dying. 

Thursday Reloaded dehydrators with more herbs, mints are going a bit nuts, glad they are in pots. Chiro went well, dropped of some things that are son 2's into his car at the shop as he was going to be picking it up with in an hour. Mechanic is keeping our jeep Son 2 was driving to do oil change, tire repair etc. Did not go to vet as our finance guy called early and needed to move up our conference. Repair man ran late. 

Friday took all 3 dogs to vet. Charlotte got her nails done and allergy shot. Wilbur got his nails done and now has surgery to remove a growth on his eye lid July 22nd. He now has to have an antibiotic gel put in his eye 3-4 times a day. I found if I reach from behind him and put a bit on his top eyelid he will not fight me over it and he blinks enough to get it into his eye.I put it to the side according to vet's directions. Rascal got his annual shot,nails clipped and has a torn ACL. They don't treat that type of injury and wanted to send us over to OSU in over an hour away..I found an orthopedic vet right here that the Amish use and will be making an appt for him through them. Not sure we can afford the surgery as I was warned it was expensive but he might be able to use a brace . He is not in any pain and that is the big one for me. He has good days (like today) and bad days (like I do). Both Wilbur and Rascal need to take a supplement for their joints. Good thing I had already got some on sale through PetJoy.com

When we got home we spent 2 hrs gathering stuff to take to the township clean up... think 1 car garage of crap (1 layer not stacked) going . LORD Hubby had kept broken small appliances from when we lived at the old place.Said he thought to throw it in the dumpster when we first had it here     and forgot.We pulled enough cardboard to finish the air barrier in the last 2 attics and got rid of the rest.We had odds and ends for dinner and called it a night

Saturday , took the stuff to the township clean up, was in and out and thanked that we had things as organized as we did on the trailer. Since it was our trash company Hubby asked what we just saved since this was free for as the township was paying for it...$250. So thankful our township does this. They usually do it spring and fall but not sure what they will do...this one was to replace the spring one.

Hubby had a hauling job that was suppose to be in afternoon, he got it moved up and was done with it by 11 right as the storms started in...so we called it a day. Didn't really have anything other than checking the gardens(rather have the rain so I don't need to water) today anyways. 

I put the dried herbs away out of the dehydrators, straightened some of the pantry...never ending job. Checked the non food and ordered frig filters, water filter (main line of water into the house) and furnace filters that we will be out of next round. Found them on sale on Amazon so ordered them and got enough to go a year. Maybe Covid will be done running around so much by then. 

A couple weeks ago ,I had ordered 12 bottles of Clorox toilet cleaner , the big bottle... found at less than $2 a bottle,figured that covered us and any kids... well the company selling them didn't have the size I ordered so sent  me 24 of the size below what I ordered (no extra charge) My kids were just cracking up over it...figured they would get some as Christmas presents. 

I pulled hamburger patties to go with lettuce and green onions from our gardens, tomato from N's garden and the leftover onion rings, with possible cheese sticks .

M sent over peas she had just picked (she's not had baby yet...week 41) I plan to have a few of them tonight and freeze the rest or make pea salad.... Hubby likes pea salad. Maybe I will just make him pea salad.

We are both tired. I hurt from so many car rides and the storms rolling through just makes it worse... best news is I have nice wide walking paths through the piles of crap in the barn. Next section to clear is the area where the broken old chest freezer is that E wants to use as an ice "house". Hubby pulled some tires and tossed them in the back of the old truck that he is getting rid of this week. THEN maybe he will finish getting the rest of the scrap metal out of  here after that. LOL

How did your week go?

Busy week ahead

Daily work of course, meals, dishes, laundry, dust mop so the dogs don't bury us in fur and gather things together for the township clean up day that is Saturday. It's for things that costs extra with your regular trash... they usually have a clean up day twice a year but they aren't sure about the fall one right now.Maintaining the gardens and harvesting what ever. Right now it's lettuce, radishes, green onions and herb... a few strawberries here and there. Township clean up is Saturday.

Tomorrow I have to be up at 5 am to leave at 6:30 to be at a doctor appt for my knee that I messed up over 4 weeks ago falling on Rascal. Hubby is taking H and B to the doctor in the opposite direction so I am driving myself. When I get home the to do list is as long as the legal notebook paper it's written on. I have some chicken salad made for lunch and some odds and ends that might be a stir fry for supper.

Tuesday it's work on what ever didn't get done on Monday. E and his older 3 boys helped Hubby move the metal frame we are using for the hoop house to where we decided to put it. I dug out some of the pots we are going to use.I need to get the cover out of the box and let it "relax" before trying to put it up on the frame. I think casserole or pasta would be good.Because with the rain and heat we are getting I know the weeds will be up in the gardens

Wednesday ... the part for the clothes washer is in so the repairman is coming Wed morning, he did offer to come late morning so I could get my laundry washed before he works on it. We measured the area we need cardboard for in the attic for air barrier... I will be breaking down card board boxes and seeing if we have enough. I think we do,, But I don't want to start using the bigger boxes for pathways in the gardens and find we needed it for the air barrier.

Thursday... We have a chiropractic appt (YEAH) first time from March and my back is definitely telling me about. I stepped AGAIN in the dip and messed up my back over the weekend. Hubby FINALLY after 2 yrs of nagging went around the property filling in holes. He also turned the compost pile since he was on the tractor. THEN after our appt all 3 dogs have appts with the vet... saves gas since the Chiro and vet are an hour away and only about 15 mins apart. Lots of shots, nails clipped (no office call charge with we get  a nail clip) and talk of Wilbur's surgery to remove growth on eye lid, Charlotte's allergies and Rascal's struggle to walk (back legs. I think he has hip dysplasia like our dog Tashy did. Right now he can get around decent on most days. He is falling on stairs so we have been letting him out on the deck which is ramped. Doesn't seem to get it that he doesn't need to go up and down the stairs since he thinks he has to follow me right now.He has gotten so he goes up or down the stairs (main living and bedroom 1st floor)with Wilbur or me. Wilbur is heavier and bigger than him so can stop him from falling far. I just sit on my butt and go down with him. If he is going up I have my hands so I can lift his back feet if needed. Today was a good day, no problems at all and even ran to chase the horses at the pond. 

Friday is focus on getting as much as possible to go to the township clean up on Saturday morning

We have an old 27 cubic chest deep freezer that got dropped and ruined when we moved here. E looked at is and said when we were to the place to move it, he would take it to use as a ice chest as it has a drain that he could attach a hose to and drain the water when his ice melts so M wouldn't have to bail it out by hand. We have some oven racks that don't work for our stove that he will get also as he can prop them up on old bricks so everything would sit above the water from melted ice. 

Hubby moved some gravel so he only has 3 and a partial left to move around.

Next project to get done is the hoop house... SO I am hoping by next week that is done.

What does your week look like?

Blessed Be

FRUGAL

My brother called (always know it's bad when he calls instead of texts) Daddy was not breathing well and the nursing home sent him to the hospital... Covid test came back NEGATIVE. He has a UTI and pneumonia, still bad for a 93 yr old man. He improved to the point he could talk (which he doesn't do much of anyways) without losing his breath and hasn't improved in the last 5 days. Hubby and I are getting a text once a day of the status he is at.

I reused canning lids for dry goods, I write a capital D on it in magic marker.

I bought Tattler canning lids, I was told to practice canning water first as it has a learning curve as you can't fill the jars as much and be careful of how tight the metal band is.I am canning tomato sauce this week so I figure to do a couple different size jars with water and see how it goes. I had a person who is going into assistant living give me her canning jars. I gave the regular mouth quarts to M and kept the wide mouth (M doesn't use them) for myself.

I reused a piece of foil 5 times. I used silicone covers for my bowls instead of plastic wrap. 

Son 2 needs to borrow the truck (Red is now it's name) while his car is in the shop... he is trying to get it scheduled so it works with my doc appt in the same area to save both of us money.

Son 2 left his change bag in my car when he gave it back. He finally told me to keep it as he didn't want to brother to change it in at the machine in the grocery store. I bought 3 food saver bag rolls, 3 lbs of Almond flour and a miracle grow universal feeder for the pump house hose from his change. I have 2 cents left LOL. It was over $75. Daughter 4 told Son 2 next time to meet her when she picks up her son at school and she will take it to the store and give him back half. I told him to ask the VFW that he is an officer for if they wanted to buy the change.

I now wrap the green onions I harvest in a dish towel instead of a paper towel. I pick what we are eating each day. 

I turned ceiling fans and floor fans on where Wilbur lays when the house is at 80 (he is old and can't handle the heat, Rascal is a year younger and black but he hunts for shaded spots instead of the sun like Wilbur)and not turn the AC. Cheaper to run 110*fans* that 220*AC*I also close curtains that are on the side of the sun.If it's to be hot 75 and above in the mornings, I don't open the east curtains,I'll open the west instead. and then around 1 pm when the sun gets to the west side I close them and open the east side. That way I am not turning on lights or using the oil lamp to see.

Last night and tonight the night temps are in the high 40s or low 50s. The furnace was turned on when I went to bed and Hubby turned it off at 7 when the outside was up to 60. We will do the same tonight.IF we get the house up to 75 with sun light during the day, it will hold around 62-65 thru the night without the furnace.

Our electric bill was down $25.

Our summer fill of propane was 50 cents/gal cheaper.(300 gals for 1 tank.) We buy a set amount at a certain price each fall. If its higher we still don't pay more but if it's cheaper we get the cheaper price at the time of the fill. We have enough credit for 2 tanks to be filled... but it was a really warm winter for us. So we will ordered the set amount again (4 tanks or 2000 gals)and use the credit to help pay for it.

E came over and helped put up barb wire (he gave us the wire in exchange for watering his 2 horses) He also gave us some clips to fix the wire fence we have along the pond side of the land.I told Hubby to pick up some plastic zip ties for the rest of that fence. Cheaper than metal straps and it holds the dogs in.

I submitted a claim on the RRA medical acct we still have from Hubby's old employer. By the end of this year we will have that closed as there isn't much left in it. 

A friend lost my PH/moist/light meter and replaced it finally. I now can check to see if something needs watered BEFORE I water. Saves water and my time.

I told Hubby we were out of carrots, celery, heavy cream,half and half, buttermilk, almost milk, fresh fruit (H another Amish neighbor gave us some strawberries). I asked Hubby if I should use what we have stored in pantry as canned, dried or frozen and he thought about it for 2 days and decided we would not eat it because he fears of a second and possible third round of the virus and loss of income as this month he has not made enough to pay the out go and had to use saving to cover it. July will be the same (it's the "down" month along with the time between Thanksgiving and New Year's day). 

M is giving me head lettuce and I have leaf lettuce coming in. I have radishes, turnips and green onions coming in. Kale,baby spinach are also coming in. The Swiss chard did not grow 😕😞

Yesterday morning we went to the store. Those that didn't have mask were making sure they were practicing social distance. The store didn't have arrows (said it didn't work anyways as most forgot to follow them). Kids told me to plan on 2 hrs in store. We spent 1 1/2 hrs. I had to walk slower than normal to stay at social distance even though I had a mask on.

I went through and got veggies and fruit. I had several coupons and things were on sale. Hubby checked out with that cart while I did the meat and dairy.I had coupons for all the meat and it was on sale. Dairy, I focused on expiration dates at least 3 wks out even if it meant I paid more. Means I won't have to go back except for a gal of milk and I won't have something going bad within a week.

I bought my tomatoes from N who we bought the house from. He has a green house that he uses to start his plants and then opens it up when it gets warm. His plants are IN GROUND. His tomatoes were a bit more than the store but I try to buy from the Amish as first I know where it's grown and how and two is supports the community.

Still we saved 25% almost 26% on the total and have points for fuel. Hubby uses the fuel points for Red (Chevy truck) and Jeep. 

I prepped produce for salads including fruit salads.

I will prep meat Monday(tomorrow) so the packages they came in go straight out to the road with the trash. That will pretty much stop the running to town for something because I side tracked and forgot to thaw something and put in marinade and then put it on to cook.

I have made a list of 30 different salads and we have all the ingredients to make them. I started the list with the salads we eat at our favorite restaurants or fast food places. Added a few of the "bistro" salads that I have ate at Son 2's. Watch about 2 wks from now we will run out of lettuce since the storm destroyed what I had planted for next month.I need to find a different pot to put lettuce and one to start Swiss chard in.

 I made a list of different meals we can eat that I can have at least half prepped if not all the way prepped.

We have a township clean up day in a couple weeks. I told Hubby we have some things he was going to take to the dump that we needed to gather them and take them on the clean up day for free. We also will have scrap metal to go to the scrap yard, we won't get much out of that but better than paying for it to be taken away.

I have 8 medical bills coming in with another 5 within 3 months and a large vet bill within a week or so... money is very tight.

How are things on your end?

Last of the garden plants

I ran out of room in the gardens, and I ran out of soil but Hubby finally found some after looking at 5 other places. 

This is the one that lost it's soil during the storm yesterday. I had moved it from here to the north side of the house... should had just left it here. I had planted different leaf lettuce in it. Now I have the walking onions laying over on it they were flattened on to the sidewalk from the storm.

my over flow is mostly herbs. I was going to put this table in the south gardens to wash the veggies before I bring them in. I will have to figure something else out 

More potted plants here, most are different mints...Next project is the railing for this deck. We have the stuff here, just need to paint posts and get it up.

Wilbur and Rascal love this ramp,they would love it if I let them in and out of this door in the winter but I don't. 

These plants get watered every other day unless there is a heavy dew or rain.

Now I can start planning on it all coming in .

South gardens

These will get watered every 3-4 day depending on rain fall. I am looking at drip lines or PVC piping when I put it in.

This is the annual plantings. I do have a herb that will stay in this area. 

what is not showing is 16 grow bags (25 qrt) of sweet potato plants...they would be to the left of this picture along with 2 patches of sweet corn. I tried 3 varieties this year to see if we could find one we liked for the freezer. I don't want a small kernel for my freezer corn. If none of these work I will grow the "canning" corn that the Amish grow for canning (they use white or bicolor for sweet corn eating) for my freezer corn next year.

I companion plant. There are a lot of runner beans for dried beans between the 50 some tomato plants. There are also bush beans for dried beans in there also.

These "big" boxes are just under 12 inches deep. 

This is the herbs that will remain in this garden. I have some chives and garlic chives I will move from the north garden over to this area next spring. 

My Brussels sprouts have taken off with this last rain... you can see the unpainted box (treated lumber leftover from house remodel) that has the red candy onions and petunias 

Grow bags are potatoes, there are 3 varieties we bought and 2 varieties of what sprouted in the pantry so I planted them.

the unpainted box on this side has white candy onions and petunias. The big box has the same as the other one, tomatoes, Brussels, lettuce, carrots, radishes, spinach etc. The lettuce is about done, maybe with luck and this cooler weather I will get enough for another 10 days. The storm we got yesterday blew all the dirt out of the pot I have planted the next lettuce batch in... and it was on the north side of the house in a protected area.

Gardens are mostly in... North garden

I still need to plant runner beans (they are dried soup beans) with the four patches of corn and have about a dozen herbs to pot and the flower pots are root bound and need redone also... BUT for the most part it's in 

Asparagus is mostly ferns now, it's on the right of this pic. Some herbs are on both sides of the weed barrier. This fall I will move them to the south side The red pot has artisan lilies.

the weed barrier on the left is the first row of raspberries... Hubby will be cutting grass when the heat breaks on Friday. I one handedly pulled weeds from around the actual plants. He is planning of some different mulch to help with that issue.

There are some runner beans between the raspberry bushes on the first 2 rows as they are just starting to get leaves and the beans will be done before they come up the trellis

The black pot is a maple tree we started from SEED from the old maple tree of the old farm, terra cot pot is a lilac start that actually bloomed this year so I will be finding a place to put it in the spring. The trellis to the left is the blackberry vines... they are covered with blooms so if I get to them before the birds do we should have a decent harvest. The brown bare dirt is popcorn and sweet corn and zucchini, yellow squash and cantaloupe.

red pots are blueberry bushes... first year to even get blueberries and we thought we wouldn't because the freeze hit after they had blooms. I would like a couple more bushes,  Two of the green buckets have bay laurels trees  and the other green and white one have wintergreen in them.  There are 6 boxes of 6 different strawberries ...They will be transplanted to the south gardens next spring. There are some onions (being pulled daily) and lettuces in with them. This is the first year for them and they are filling out the boxes faster than I expected since they also got hit with the freeze right after I planted them.There is rhubarb along the left side that blends into the tree line. It's red rhubarb and didn't do well this year, no one's has either. I am transplanting them next spring but not sure if over to the south gardens or towards the east end closer to where the popcorn is.

 close up of one of the boxes.

I spent 3 hrs today fertilizing and watering everything. So irrigation system is a going to be a must by next spring.  

Gratitude...

I have read more than a few bloggers and some FB friends that are struggling with gratitude. 

When I start feeling ungrateful I remind myself of the followings

I wasn't suppose to live from birth... I am alive...as my parents put it I am a miracle.

I wasn't suppose to crawl ... I didn't ...I walked which I definitely wasn't suppose to be able to do.

I had horrible speech problem... I don't now after years of speech therapy

I have went without food as a child and teen ... I don't go without now (and neither do my kids unless they don't say something since they no longer live at home).

I went without decent clothes, I was a girl and in how my parents were raised girls were not important as they didn't carry on the name, they were workers in the home and that was all. Daddy stopped be that way when  I had my first as she was a girl. Mother never got over Brother not having children until he was 50 and then it was a girl and he made sure there wasn't going to be any more (he has a step son). Mother before she got cancer ,even offered to pay for him to adopt a boy as my brother is the last on Daddy's side.

I have been homeless while trying to go to college, been homeless when I had part of my kids. I am not now and neither or they as they all know they can come home if needed.

I have been abused , emotionally, verbally and physically by family ... I am not now.My parents were raised abused... they started breaking that cycle with my brother and me, I would love to say we have broke it even more as not only do we not abuse...we don't take abuse either.

My late husband died from a heart attack at age 39 leaving me with our 6 kids, no health ins, no life ins and no will. Lots of back utilities bills (he handled the money). I had just given up my part time job to be with the kids as a babysitter was more than I was earning. I had no money coming in. We made it, I paid the bills off, worked jobs when the kids were in school or not at home, sold things we could go without. Made clothes from other clothes or what other people said were rags like ripped sheets.

 Daddy was raised by an Amish grandmother (his mom was an invalid) and his Dad was Old German Baptist. Mom's family were non believers and Spiritualist(her great grandma was Native American). I still remember the fight Mother had with Daddy when he bought a huge Bible for me when I was 7 yrs old.She didn't want it in her home and it was the first time Daddy ever ruled the home. Brother got one when he graduated the same year as me but he had been allowed to go to the local church because he went with friends and connected him to those he played sports with... the image Mother wanted for her son. 

Still, raised in that home I had my faith and I hold that faith tight with gratitude as it is what gets me through those times. I try to remember to learn the lessons even if it's I don't ever want to go through this again lesson. 

When the gardens don't produce enough more than a meal I am grateful as I had the chance to raise the gardens unlike the city folk surrounded by concrete with no where try to grow food.

When you are feeling ungrateful, count the hard times you have made it through, count the family and friends you have, the four legged ones also. Count the things you have , home, a way to get to places, medical care, food (I lived in a food desert). 

What you are wanting or not wanting ... might not be the plan that is for you at this time... what ever your faith is... be silent and listen... you can't hear if you are not silent.  Time will bring what is best if you keep doing what is good.  

If you read the Bible... JOB and RUTH are two good books to read when you struggle with gratitude.

Blessed Be 

 

In the pantry

 Okay... the pantry is mostly stocked except for what comes in from the garden that I process.

My thoughts are to only buy dairy, celery, carrots(if they don't grow and I need fresh as I am pretty stocked with dried), bell peppers and maybe once a month fresh mushrooms and lettuce. Flour and sugar as needed from Sam's club as the limits are just too low in regular stores. 

Non food... I need paper towels (bounty select a size) and toilet cleaner. I can do without both if needed as I do use rags most the time and have some regular size paper towels I can cut in half and will clean toilets with baking soda.

I haven't got enough apple cider vinegar so I will have to be frugal on what I use it for. 

I haven't found canned spinach. I am not canning my own spinach as I am not growing that amount (18 lbs for 7 pints).AND I am not taking up freezer room for spinach.  If it becomes more available I will get it. I usually eat spinach once a week. I have enough to have a can every 2 months. I will eat fresh if I can get it to grow and I have some planted. Will plant another crop of it when I do the 3rd round of lettuce and radishes.

I haven't found pears in juice... right now we can have 1 can every 6 wks. M said she is out completely. A lot of the fruit trees around here got hit with the freeze that took the blooms.

I still need 3 dozen cans of mushrooms... I use a can a week... if I don't find them we will be going without.I will not grow mushrooms nor buy them to can. If I have money we can have some fresh once a month to stretch out the canned mushrooms. Hubby prefers fresh on his steak anyways.

I have 1 lb of frozen peas and 1 lbs of frozen peas and carrots. My peas are up but not far enough along to see if they are going to make. I will plant peas again this fall along with a double crop of green beans. We use 12 lbs of peas and 12 lbs of peas and carrots a year. I don't care for snow peas but Hubby likes them raw and in stir fries so I am growing some of them also.They will be frozen if he doesn't eat all of them raw LOL.

I am lower of canned corned beef and corned beef hash than I like but will make do. Maybe every 3 wks right now, I prefer once a week as one on one week and the other on the next.I have Spam and Treet (canned meat) that I can used to fill out that area.

As celebration of having the pantry close enough to being filled. I ordered calzones from our local pizza place. 

N who I get my tomatoes from said his crop is sluggish and not sure how much he will have at the end of the season . I help him clean his green house in exchange for free tomatoes.He just wanted to give me a heads up.He was over to get asparagus as his didn't produce anyways.He is who we bought the house from.

I have planted several varieties of dried beans and will plant more. 

I am cooking down the tomato juice from last year to make tomato sauce. I won't season this as I am looking at using it for pizza, enchiladas and pasta. I will can it in different jar sizes.

I plan to cook down what is left of the grape juice to make jelly IF the grapes produce enough to make juice other wise we will just go without the jelly and use the juice.

The goal is to have every single shelf full. I do have 1 freezer not full... it's being used to make ice for E and M... They are paying us $4- $6 a week for ice and a dessert of M's choice every other week. She is also baking us a loaf of bread each week until I can knead bread again. (2 to 4 more weeks) The ice will be needed until next Jan/Feb. I do have 26 lbs of butter in it. 

back to work for me... one handed that is.

I started my Autumn stocking early

I started to say fall stocking but considering I just got the results back from the second more detailed xray I am not using the word FALL. Just a FYI... what the Urgent care thought was a hairline break was actually an old break (that is common to show up as a new one) BUT it is broke at the capitate which is in the wrist at the bottom of the middle finger. They were surprised there was nothing else broke as it usually doesn't break by it's self. Now I have a different splint that Velcro's so I can take it off to rub the arm or wash. No lifting or pulling... of course I have tried to open the dishwasher twice now and immediately STOP. OUCH.

We turned the furnace back on when the temp in the house hit 66. Hubby can't handle that cold after 30 plus years of working around furnaces in the die shop.The wind is from the north east and that sucks the heat right out of the house. By Saturday afternoon it should be warm again and hopefully stay there.

Sorry side track there..

I decided since we were going to Sidney to my bone doc appt that we would stop at Aldi's. I let M know and she gave me her list but it included diabetes test strips from Walmart (right behind Aldi's) since she is having issues with her sugar during her pregnancy, her 9th. Hubby went to Walmart to get the test strips and a few other things we know Aldi's doesn't care while I was at the bone doc appt. Which worked out well.

We went to Aldi's... Hubby got M's list. He found out at check out that he could only buy 2 five pound bags and she needed 25 lbs.  Another person bought 2 of the other bags for him and the cashier took the 5th one back. I found out that I can only buy can goods at 4 at a time... really? Even my girls open 6 at a meal for their families. I understand setting limits but there is no acknowledgement of the larger families. I am glad I started my stocking up NOW.

We stopped at the IGA to get my pepperoni. I usually buy the whole stick?LOG? I was allowed a pound as they haven't gotten any in a month and are looking at another 2-3 months before they start getting pepperoni.I do not eat what comes in plastic bags. My Italian grandmother spoiled me, the other tastes off and like old grease to me. I grabbed another 5 lb bag of flour for M.

We unloaded at M's and then unloaded ours at home and while I taking things out of bags Hubby mentioned he noticed everything was costing about 4 times a much as it used to. Yep.

We sat down and reworked the budget. Made some changes so we can get to next year. Shifted some things. I told Hubby I was going on line to finish out stocking. We won't have as much as we like to have, won't have all the varieties we are used to  having but we won't have to worry about going to the store.

I priced out Sam's club, (that will be sugar and flour in bulk) Target,Krogers, Walmart and Amazon. I ordered from Krogers, Walmart and Amazon (through the Prudent Homemaker) Now we aren't running all over trying to find stuff, aren't taking a chance of getting sick especially important with me having a colonoscopy on Tuesday (sucks no cook out for me on Memorial day as that is a liquid diet day).... and it's being delivered free from all of the places.

About 3 more weeks I will have radishes, lettuces, green onions, spinach, Chinese mustard and kale for salads so we won't be buying that at the store.

 I have 1 1/2 deep freezers of different meats, I have canned meat.

I have pastas, rice,beans, lentils,dried and canned potatoes and I am growing potatoes and sweet potatoes.

I have veggies canned and in the freezer and more that with prayers will grow well in the gardens.

I have rhubarb for our fruit. We have berry bushes that won't make for another year or two and just planted 12 fruit trees. We have 2 apple trees that haven't done well even after pruning and spraying so they might only be cider apples. But I know where I can get apples for a good price along with peaches. We planted 8 grape vines as the old one is concord and good for juice and jelly but we got nothing off it last year. I am going to try to start a new vine off of starts from it next spring. We will also be splitting the asparagus as it's not growing as well. Too crowded.

I bought canned fruit.

We won't buy anything but dairy from the store.... might get red bell peppers and fresh mushrooms, two things I don't grow nor do any around me grow.

Are you planing to stock up ?

frugal moments

I would rather plan ahead for the worse and make the sacrifices now and prepare then get hit with bad and it cripple us.

When I broke my wrist I went to the Urgent care instead of the ER... that saved us $450.

As we planted the garden, I am setting aside seeds for the next year to two years even though that reduces what I will plant this late summer for fall harvest and fall planting for winter harvest in the hoop house (plastic green house with no heat). I am also planting things I want to harvest the seed from to have more seed away from the garden so I don't accidentally cross pollinate anything.I have set aside 6 cu ft of dirt to start seeds in this winter. 

I got enough fertilizer to go this year and start next year, more if we get manure off E. 

I have kept the empty soil bags to use as trash bags.

I've washed foil, switched to a reusable cover on my bowls instead of plastic wrap. 

Leftovers are every other night instead on only on Monday night. So it's cook once and reheat or remake the next night.

 

We have already heard this summer will be hotter than the last 5 yrs and that the heat will run through Oct.We had over 100 degrees last Oct here in Ohio, not anywhere close to the norm.  Hot summer means gardens can burn up. Wells that supply our water can drop low also and there is no place to buy water from. That means we need to hook up rain barrels NOW while we are getting rain and conserve our water as much as possible.We have a 400 gal tank (cistern) that is connected to the rain down spouts now.We average 65 gals. in the winter and 95 gal during the summer per day. Difference it the gardens and canning and the amount of water the dogs drink. 

It also means our Amish neighbors are going to have struggles as no one around here was able to harvest ice last winter since the river and ponds didn't freeze. Our small freezer in the barn is almost empty so we offered to freeze buckets (we sanitized kitty litter square buckets then put in plastic liners ) for E and M. Right now she is using 2 a week... we asked her what she used last Oct.during 100 degree days.. 1 a day. Okay.We can get 4 in this small freezer (they pay us for the ice even though it saves us money have that freezer  full). I told Hubby I if got the one corner of the larger freezer cleared out we could start putting some in that one to build up a bit for them. They tried saving it in their ice house but it melted on them.Their spring house keeps it about a week... but if water levels go down like they did last year that won't be a good deal either.M has offered to teach me to can meat.

I have the furnace off (finally) completely. I am using the airfryer (outside on the table) over then oven to save propane. I dug out the crock pot so it can be in use this summer. I have a grill and 3 turkey fryers .  I can use the turkey fryers for water bath canning (keeps the heat out of the kitchen and off the main propane tank) and the grill off the stove and the main propane tank. After June 1st I will call to have the tank filled (it's at 35%, need to fill at 30%) as summer fill is cheaper. The I will know how much we will need to get us through next summer and how much credit we have left from this past year so I can figure out what we need to pull from savings to pay for next year's. We get a discount for paying in full for a reserved amount and then the price doesn't go up on us but can come down.

Hubby retired from Honda Engine plant a couple years ago. Our health ins is through them with them paying part of it. They have put out that the health ins is going to change and some will have to go to public health providers. We figure the retires that are not old enough for Medicare is going to be the ones looking for health ins. Hubby has some money in his RRA (to help pay medical that the company gave him for years of service). We were just going to leave it sit there, but decided to use it to pay off the medical bills I just ran up and close that acct out which earns NO interest for us and keep our own money where it is earning interest for us. I have already started asking others that pay for their own ins of who they have and how well they like their ins.

We are eating from the pantry,keeping meals simple so I can cook with only one hand and not dirty a lot of pots and pans that Hubby will have to wash himself. LOL.

I cancelled a couple memberships even though I was using them regularly. Choices have to be made are not always comfortable. I kept Milk Street because Hubby asked me to as he watches it often and finds cheap meals that we usually like from other countries.

I reread  https://theprudenthomemaker.com/ website to "refresh" my thoughts on cutting budget and saving in areas 

How is your week going?

Blessed be 

I should not have asked

what else could break and need fixed or replaced.

weed trimmer head fell off.

push mower quit running

So the grass is going to look rough with trimming not being done.

The hot air  now blows on the drivers side in the chevy when you turn on the AC while the passenger side gets cold air.

Hubby spent 2 hrs yesterday putting together one box for the garden. He had to make a stand so he had something to hold the boards while he nailed. I asked why he didn't use the screws we just bought for it... blank look back to me as he admitted he forgot to go to the machine shop and get them.

I fell... okay I fall a lot as I have a twisted spine on top of cerebral palsy.  My limbs do not always do what my mind tells them to do.. I compare them to a 2 yr old.

But this time, I was hanging Hubby's bibs over the drying rack and noticed the knees weren't as clean as I wanted them to be so I was taking them back to the washer.

I KNOW Rascal lays here all the time.

so instead of watching where I was walking I fell on him. He's okay. I did land a bit on his bad leg  so he limped a bit more but by supper he was back to four legs

I, on the other hand, have a bashed right knee that is bruised and aching and

a hairline fracture between the wrist and little finger...SIGH.AKA boxer fracture. LOLOLOL.    I am surprised it wasn't shattered, so my bone meds must be working.It's new fangled splint, part plaster.

This morning I woke up to this

Since Hubby was already gone to an auction over in Holmes co. I called the ER and asked ... they had me take off the top wrap and keep moving my fingers and keep my hand up above my heart when I can.

Its has been almost 3 hrs and they are close to be normal.

I am going to sort plants this afternoon ,Urgent care told me to cover the hand with a trash bag when in dirt or tub. I have to have a follow up with the orthopedic which is hard to get an appt during this time. Urgent care did say it would probably be healed before I got in. Which the nearest date I can see the actual doctor is in June in 3 wks. I did get a return message from my ortho doc office to call Monday morning at 8:15 ish and they would see if they could get a PA to come in to check it.

On the good news side. Hubby decided after he paid all the business bills for this month and half of next month that he wanted to buy something for our 25th anniversary which was in Feb. ....he wanted new dishes... yes really. We have Corelle, white was bought when we got married, I added Iris pattern on our 10th anniversary. . They have slight chips in them. I also have an Asian style stoneware we use  that has chips in it. He wanted all off them replaced.

I got these from Oneida on sale  with discount. They are already in. Hubby loves the cups as he can get his hand in the handle.These are stoneware. They are the reverse of the colors I am replacing.

I then went to Corelle and ordered the following

Plain white: 2 - 10 inch plates/2- 8 inch plates/4 cereal bowls/ 2 coffee cups/ 2 appetizer plates and 1 appetizer tray

frost pattern :2 - 10 inch plates/2- 8 inch plates/ 2 appetizer plates and 1 appetizer tray

Iris pattern:2 - 10 inch plates/2- 8 inch plates/ 2 appetizer plates and 1 appetizer

Bandhani pattern: on clearance 2-10 inch plates... it's red band around the plate and will go well with the rest and good for red white and blue(dining room is blue and white woodwork) or Christmas.

The white and the iris replaces exactly what we have.
I only ordered 2 instead of set of 4 as it's only the two of us. If we have a couple come in to eat,  the patterns will work together. If the girls come in and bring kids we use paper plates.

My granddaughter Becka that just graduated.

asked for the dishes even if chipped as she is getting her own place come fall and has nothing. Guess hope chests are out of fashion. Her mother is trying to talk her into living with her for a year (she lives with her dad and step mom ) and just focus on college. Instead of trying to work full time and go to college.She definitely won't be staying with her dad as he constantly condemns us... until my granddaughter pointed out he would have not had his diploma if it had not been for us and his parents encouraged him to quit school  and it showed how stupid he could be by slamming us because we are of a different faith (same one we were when he married our daughter in our church). She said it at his parents house family dinner where two of her dad's uncles are good friends(one is a cop) of mine and my late husband.Nothing like getting a lecture from your uncle that verbal abuse is still abused while the other uncle who works for a funeral home pointed out that we paid for his other daughter's funeral when his parents said she didn't exist in GOD's eye because she had not been baptized... she died at birth and they didn't even attend the funeral. OH YEAH, she is her mother's child.

This is our grandson that graduated.

 Skyler is going into the Army, constantly says he wants to be like his uncle (son 2). He is a lot like Son 2 in personality.He will continue his education as he can. He like law a lot

Time to prop arm up to above heart level...

Blessed be

Can anything else need replaced or fixed?

YES, ALWAYS!! FOREVER!!!

Water softener was checked out this morning. Nothing wrong with it , white flakes coming from ice maker in frig is what our water ions are showing up. UNLESS we want to pay for osmosis system and move where the water softener is at... white flakes will be wiped up daily. Salt level was on the low side due to the fact we don't use the average amount of water. They went ahead and ran ALL the tests on the water. They do it every 2 yrs which will be Aug. Figured since there was a trip fee they would do that so they don't have to come back in Aug.

The new to us truck needs some work done on it. Our mechanic said  to schedule it before fall and he would take payments...which means it's over $300.

My sturdy baking sheets are starting to have rust on them. SIGH. Can't complain as they are over 25 yrs old and I know my kids (and probably Hubby) have cut things in the pans. I found a good deal that got better when I was offered 10% off

The rubber maid we store dog food in, now has a family of mice. 52 lbs of dog food wasted along with a rubber maid that we used to haul stuff in the bed of the trucks.

Two of E's work horses got loose while they were at church yesterday. We finally got them to the barn. OUR GATE had broke in the wind and that was how they got out. That's another bill.

This MORNING Molly (one of E's horses that pastures on the other side of us and uses our pond for water) decided she wanted to be in the yard with Charlotte... now I have a broken wire fence, Hubby rigged it and E is coming over tomorrow to install barb wire to keep horse out of yard and dog in the yard. But we know we need to replace that section with new fence as it's the original fence that was here.

Since it was freezing this morning *OHIO* and then suppose to be up almost to the 80s by next week. I decided against planting any more cool weather crops. I will try to get some in late summer early fall.

I will divide my bean seeds by 3. Beans are usually good 4 yrs so to make sure I have seeds 3 yrs from now I am dividing them up.I will try to gather some so I can more to plant year 4.

We had taco casserole, using stale tortilla chips (refreshed in micro wave) taco meat using homemade seasoning, and cheese. Salad and sour cream were options.

I then put 3 more meals of taco meat in freezer in a container that can go in microwave.

We had a ground pork with 5 spice seasoning that we both hated. We finished it by mixing it with eggs for a frittia.. still disliked it but didn't go to waste.

I made Philly steak cheese pizza using left over prime rib from Christmas that I shaved on my meat slices, onions and mushrooms and cheese on homemade pizza dough. Made a second pizza crust and prebaked it and shoved in freezer. Can be for taco pizza or regular pizza later this week.

Tonight is turkey (1 Lb  bag that was cooked and frozen couple months ago), since I was chitting (cutting the eye sections of potatoes to plant in a couple days) the Yukon gold potatoes I ended up with a small pan full of pieces that had no eyes. They are now half way cooked so I can pan fry them to go with the turkey. A veggie and fruit to round it out.

Tomorrow as the plants in front of the grill should be IN the garden we will have GRILLED steak (cut from prime rib roast at Christmas before baking) baked potatoes and salad.

How is your week going?
Blessed Be

weather affects to do list

can't paint garden boxes or deck posts
can't plant plants, well, I guess I could if I was just wanting to kill them off.
Can't work on the railing on the deck which includes painting them.

So I spin my wheels and water over 300 plants and try to make sure everyone is getting enough light in this house.

Someone please let Mother Nature know ,it is MAY in Ohio. LOL

I changed my style of daily to do list.... it seems to be working better.

I have a list for "outside projects" on it's own sheet of paper.

I have "it's spring "and what cleaning/caulking/ weatherization" comes with that on it's own sheet of paper.

I have "BUGS ME " list on its own sheet of paper.

THEN I have a to do today list...
it has the daily "dishes, laundry, meals, dust mop and computer"

Also on this to do list is "swish, swipe, shine, dust, sweep, vacuum, mop and trash".

ALSO on this list is !!!priority list!!!... that follows the daily part and if that is all I get done then swish swipe list waits.

I have no routine that gets it done unless you count the small daily. I get that done.

I am finally waking up between 6 -7:30. Going to sleep around midnight ... I might get 2 hrs sleep or 5 hrs sleep which is the reason I am having to rest during the day. They are now blaming the dehydration issues for the sleep problem. My water softener company is coming down the 11th to make sure the softener is not putting too much salt in for the amount of water we use (half of average amount even with canning) Plants get watered with straight well water.

Not doing anything Mother's Day. Hubby doesn't even acknowledge it to me, says it's because I am not his mother. I do remind him to connect with his own mother.

Have a great week
Blessed be

This past weekend

Hubby moving gravel. We had a strip of grass next to the fence that I thought shouldn't have been left when we first moved in but hey, what do I know? Well I knew it would be a pain in the butt to keep mowed and it was. First thing Hubby did was deal with that pain in the butt then he smoothed out the part of driveway that was tailgated. Needs a bit more at the road. He will be moving stone around for 2 wks. OF course since we got the stone in , his hauling has picked  up. He has Saturday still open, not really as he might be helping son 2 deal with a lawnmower and trimmer that isn't working. He also needs to finish cutting boxes so I can paint them.Plus the stone needs moved and the yard needs mowed... No he doesn't have Saturday open LOL

I planted the 125 strawberries. Five varieties so give us strawberries for a longer season and enough hopefully to not have to buy any. That gives us a total of 150 strawberries if all survive the transplanting . Next year they should start producing so one more year of making do. M gave me a few pints of strawberry pie filling and strawberry jam to help get us through this year. Pints were given to her from the family of a person that died. Wasn't enough to help her but she thought of us and with the blessings of the family gave them to us.

I planted 150 red candy onions... now have 600 in the gardens. Some will be ate as green onions, others canned as pickled besides just stored. I figure we eat at least 1 onion as green for each of us during the 90 days of summer that's 180... Hubby is known to eat green onion sandwiches like his grandma so that is a LOW count. I have a friend that asked to buy about 15 lbs if we have it this fall.
I was able to get a hold of onion seeds to start for winter onions. I've not had much luck doing that before but try try and try again.My walking onions are not far enough along to start using. Did not help that Hubby


I have the Brussels sprouts hardening off that I will put in the garden next week. This week we still are in the 30s in the mornings and 40s to low 50s in the day.

I have  2 types of  potatoes "warming" to chit and plant next week.Had to order my red potatoes from another company that let me know they are shipping this week.

We planted 7 more fruit trees. I should transplant the maple and the lilac to bigger pots, still too small to put in ground.

I got 3 more boxes painted and Hubby got them together and moved to the gardens so it's just fill with dirt. He still has the smaller in depth boxes to put together as they are painted and ready to be put together. If there gets a warm day I will paint more. This week is on the cooler side. I don't think we get out of the low 50s all week and couple times the morning temp is the high for the day as it spirals downward the rest of the day. Welcome to Ohio.

We got the last of the porch order in and picked up more dirt while at Menards.

Hubby saw that Arby's had their orange cream shake back so picked up sandwiches and the shakes. We have been trying to do 1 take out a week to help our local restaurants stay in business.There are 2 closed, no longer even doing take out. Talk of they might not reopen. Hard for the one as it has been here over 125 yrs. A little store with a lunch special Monday thru Friday. You could buy Amish baked goods and jams also.

I need to make a menu of simple meals this week as the work load is heavy and going to get heavier.

Neither of us has went to get groceries. I need a good solid day in the kitchen to make tortillas and bread and put some casseroles together. Might be doing that today since it's not much to be done in this temp outside.

I started making masks for Daughter 4 and Son 2, mid way through of Daughter 4's I sent a pic of what I was making and she was, that's not going to work so I changed the style to be more like how a N95 elastic band is and that works for her. Son 2 said his style didn't matter as he wears any and all.

What are you doing?

to Hades in a handbasket.

Laundry is done, dishes put away , grow lights are on. Chose what plants will go out to be hardened off starting today.

Was going out to start sitting up to paint the garden boxes when the rain started. So that's off the list until this afternoon. Not going to plant in the rain, not bad for the plants but the last thing I need is a cold from a cold wet rain.

So thought I would go up to the office where I set my sewing machine up and sew masks..

NOPE

Hubby is half way across the state and got the call the 115,000 tons of gravel will be coming in TODAY IN ONE HOUR.

Nothing had been moved as they said they would call the day before. SO I had to go out and clear areas for it to be dumped as it can't be tailgated due to the trailers being in the way. I had to pull the chevy and jeep into the yard, hope they don't get stuck because it's pretty soggy in the yard.

 Thankful it's not the whole order of 250,000 tons. I was a little upset Hubby didn't order it all at once but after he got off the phone he said he wanted to fill in the hard areas they can't tailgate it (where they dump out the tailgate while they drive) before he had the rest brought in case he needed MORE than we thought since we are adding 2 parking areas for trailers and more around the barn perimeter and then widening the lane which is over 300 ft long.

SO I swished and swiped both bathrooms.

Now it's sit and wait.This is when I wished I had thought to make a sewing area on the first floor.

May 1st

ER follow up with GI doctor isn't until May 6th and on the phone then.

I still am trying to get a hold of my family doctor. I was told by a mutual friend that they thought there was a family emergency out of state. Which closes his office as his wife is his nurse and receptionist.

It's a good thing I am staying at home... ER Doctor called that the only test result not back was the Covid 19 but since my lungs are clear and my bloodwork was good he is looking at me testing negative. For me to continue staying at home, wearing my mask and gloves when out. I am wearing my mask while making masks and then washing in hot water and drying in hot dryer and then with gloves and mask on putting them in a plastic bag to mail and then Son 2 will dump them directly into washer and rewash as he doesn't like the smell of my laundry soap LOL.

The masks are cut waiting to be sewn.I was just sewing for Son 2 but he caught wind that Daughter 4 now needs them also to go to work as her company only bring back who has their own face coverings.

My washer is acting up... mother board is doing weird things. Will get a hold of Maytag to see if this is under warranty. Either way I can't get it fixed until I have my test results back.

The is now 8 raspberry bushes, 125 strawberries, 6 trees and 8 grapevines sitting on my porch to be planted. OF course they came in when Hubby will be working the next 2 days. Going to be a couple late nights for him.

I have to finish painting the sq ft boxes so Hubby can put them together.

There is 10 lbs of potatoes to plant.

There is over 5 dozen tomato plants to start hardening off

There is 9 Brussels Sprouts to start hardening off

There is 6 apple mint and 3 rosemary plants to start hardening off

There is 3 dozen seedling (assorted veggies ) to be transplanted.

I have seeds that need planted.

I have to build 3 trellises

There are another 150 onions to plant because I marked can substitute on the order form when I ordered SETS instead of plants ( I wanted sets for fall planting)

Asparagus is coming in. I canned 5 pints of dill pickled asparagus and blanched enough to cover a cookie sheet and freeze it. I will vacuum seal it today. Probably going to be harvesting asparagus daily for the next 3 weeks.

The Amish produce auction is working with the Health dept on how to open back up.

What's on your to do list?

Dust bunnies are breeding here

trying to think of what I did frugal

this past week...

We reused 4 sq ft gardens boxes and 1 sandbox from the old farm for the north garden.

We reused some weed barrier we had taken up from the south garden last fall for the north garden.

We reused the dirt from the bags we had potatoes in last year for the onion boxes in the south garden.

I washed several freezer bags out and some foil that was not in bad shape.

I put used coffee grounds on the blueberries.

I dug up strawberry plants out of the yard and transplanted to a sq foot box.

I hung clothes on line or drying racks.

Couple meals were cook once and reheat afterwards

Transplants seedlings into used containers so they can get bigger before it's time to put them in gardens.

Planted more seeds in the seed warmer (little hot house that sits on the table in the office)

Used Kroger points for fuel.

Son 2 gave me clothes to cut up for masks for him. I went through them and pulled out clothes for myself. The rest can go into masks.

Had a Crohn's attack and end up in ER (not frugal) had a ton of testing that also checked my heart(I have left sided heart failure). Which actually saved me from having 4 other visits to other doctors and testing appts so I guess that was frugal.

My GI call me today with a couple recipes for homemade electrolytes drinks that I need to start using on  a daily bases. That was frugal as he knew I wouldn't spend the money on it for daily use.