what we are looking to buy for "grid goes down" emergency

Our internet went down and Hubby was thankful he has "hotspot" on his phone as he was in the middle of doing work on the computer for gov't stuff needed for his business. 

Which triggered him to asking where we were at on the "grid goes down" emergency list.

I also found out what triggered him to tell me to stock up NOW instead of this fall. Several of the Amish bulk stores are having issues getting supplies in and it's more than just the ones in Ohio having issues.

I listed the following on our grid down list.

toilet... we have an outhouse, needs some repair this summer , but usable even if we don't get the repairs done. It sits on the septic tank that is connected to the septic tile so it's no going into a hole like my parents and grandparents. I would like two windows that have screens in it instead of a Plexiglas that you move if you want air... then the birds come in if you don't close it.

We have a deep well... Amish have told Hubby what to get to enable us to get water from it. There is a pump that is solar charged that would connect to the pressurized tank so we would have running water in house through our plumbing. You can also "hand" pump it if there is not enough solar. Ohio is #3 of being the cloudiest in the USA.

We have a cistern and a handpump at the mudroom sink. Big thank you to N for leaving us  that when he moved so we could at least wash our hands while doing construction. I use it to water my indoor plants.

I would love an ice house (we would have to buy/build it) but could very quickly convert the pump house to a spring house like many in my family had. 

I would love a root cellar even though I have a basement.

I already can and dehydrate. M and B offered to teach me to can meat when I get to that point. I have canned some meat... mostly beef.

We would need heat plus cooking. Hubby asked Amish and they pointed him to exactly what would do for us. One that has a home the size and layout of ours told Hubby how wood or anthracite nut coal (not the coal I grew up with that was nasty to deal with) it would take a year. Said to make sure we got a reservoir so we would have hot water to wash with. LOL

We have an open floor plan, would need to be able to close down some of those doorways to keep the heat in the primary living areas. I have fabric and extra curtains so I can make that up. Would need more blankets for the beds as the bedrooms would not be heated. Can make quilts from the fabric I have.

I have needles and thread to mend and Mother's old button can that I add to .

I have All Clad cooking pans and some cast iron so I won't have issues there.

I ordered 2 wash tubs to wash laundry or bathe... wringers is on back order. I actually have a wringer washer that Hubby thinks he could hook to solar (got a portable solar for camping bookmarked) to run. Again I think of our ranking on cloudiest states. 

I got 2 wind up pocket watches (Hubby just broke his) and a Big Ben wind up alarm clock that will definitely stay near Hubby because I am well known for tossing them across the room if they are within reach when I am sleeping and they go off.

Hubby is asking about grain mills. Might find someone that would just grind for us as that is common here. He is also asking a young Amish that just got married and is making clocks if he can make a key wind up clock.

I need to learn how to knit/crochet socks etc. 

Hubby said his buddy that is Emergency management for this type of stuff suggested some solar and a wind turbine or moving our windmill to the pump house ... that's on the list but at the end. He felt MY list pretty much covered it since we already use oil lamps and have a big supply of candles. I can get tallow or lard to make candles if needed.

Actually all I did was write down what was at Grandpa's house that only had 2 outlets in the whole house when I was a child. One for the refrigerator and one for the tv in the corner of the front room. There was NO running water, heated and cooked with coal that we got off the side of the mountain that they were mining. Kerosene lamp on ceiling of kitchen and one by Grandpa's rocker in the front room. Aunt Hazel had a small candle for her bedroom. Grandpa slept in was what the dining room. Daddy and I dug outhouse twice. I love mine is sitting on a septic tank connected to septic tile. 

Mother had outhouse, ice box but very seldom ice for it, kerosene lamps, they had running water and the cook stove was coal and had a reservoir on it. 

It helps to keep that knowledge.  

 

When you save $$ by NOT doing

 I didn't buy a ham or stuff for an Easter basket. We had ham steaks from the freezer and asparagus fresh from the garden rolled in tortilla wraps. Hubby is trying to lose weight and found he does better with small meals 4 times a day than larger meals. Almost like a diabetic which is good as it runs in both our families. 

We stayed home for Easter and just sent messages as our families seemed to be out and about and we didn't want the kids to have to make choices of what side to see. We have been thanked more than once through the years of not making them make choices. My parents always celebrated off holiday since they had to travel so much for Daddy's side and then when they divorced. Also by staying home no new outfits were bought. Something our parents did every year.

We won't be planting sweet corn or popcorn as I found enough in the 3 frig freezers and the barn freezer I have sorted and organized. Only 3 more deep freezers to clear, defrost and organize. I told Hubby the seed would be best kept for next year.

I won't be getting a top off on the propane. The manager of our propane company looked at our balance and usage and thought if I was careful, we would do better to leave the "balance" until a NEEDED fill. He thinks we might get at least mid June. A fill then would put us in to Nov or Dec. instead of needing a fill in Aug. Keeping us to the lower amount of 4 fills a year instead of 5 plus 100 gallons. That would save us at least $1000 at the going rate. 

I won't be stocking up any more. We should have all we NEED especially since one of the kids who took my supply of lemon lime koolaid has ordered it to be sent to me.  They also are sending Wild berry lemonade for Hubby as they know he gets it when we eat at Wendy's. I do need to replace the "emergency  like grid down" stuff as we used it up through the winter. I am still pricing it out to get the best deal.

I didn't mail the birthday cards because we will be in the area of all the kids on next Sunday due to great granddaughter's 1st bday party. We will be wearing masks. Stamps for all the cards would be $9. That's about half of what the gas is going to be to go to the party where they will be anyways if they aren't working. I can pass the cards to parents if they have to work.

We got the septic tank taken care of. I wrote a check instead of using credit card as he gave 10% discount for NOT using a credit card. He charges 5% to use the credit card since that is what the credit card companies charge him for accepting them.

We didn't eat out. I used leftovers out of the freezer in the airfryer or microwave instead of the stove that uses propane. 

We have several garden beds of painted plyboard needing replaced (4 yrs old). We decided to accept the offer from E to use the slab wood for free *he just wants it gone* for them also instead of using it just for the potato crates. 

We have had snow, graupel (frozen snow) and around freezing temps. Welcome to Ohio in April

Prayers for peace

Blessed be

Birthday cards on hold and in the garden

 Because I refuse to write a check and send it in the mail,(several disappeared last year) we told all the kids we would be coming down (as they are over an hr. away) and dropping off birthday cards when we go down for Lizzie Mae's 1st bday, Daughter 4's 1st grandchild.. I'll check to see who is in May and take theirs also. None in June of the kids or grandkids or great grandkids. Hubby's mom is June. 

As our norm we combined our errands with our chiro appt. and we took a grocery list from M for Aldi's. She wanted us to get her 10 pounds of bananas and cream cheese as she always wants 24, with 11 in the family I can understand it. She used to ask for it every month, now it's every 6 wks and a bunch of celery.

First we stopped and made Hubby's truck payment that isn't due until the end of the month BUT we won't be running errands until the day after it is due.

Then we dropped off some old meds to the police dept as they have a box in lobby for that kind of stuff.

Then we stopped at our bank (as they closed the branch here)to made deposit for the business.

Then we went to Menard's and got filters (had to order 1 as they don't carry that size), we got Chi Chi tortilla chips (the only ones Hubby likes), big bag of Fritos (can't find them any where else and we use them for spinach dip or chili) and candy bars that was on sale and 9 boxes of Puffs tissues so we don't need to stock that up any more. Plus got the wood strips to put on the kitchen porch ceiling where the seems of the paneling is gapping. WAS paid in full by rebates. We are good with working the rebate system ... We paid for a grill, smoker, the deck material, kitchen porch material and half of the front porch material with rebates from buying other stuff when remodeling this house.

Then we went to Kroger's fuel to use the points, I had couponed a double points two weeks ago so we used that up. Kroger's just happened to be the lowest cost in the area also.

Then we went to Applebee's for lunch. Got the "bowl" meal, leftovers made supper so it figured $12.50 a meal for the two of us. 

Then we went to Chiro. I still have an out of pocket so we had to pay for both of us.

Then to Aldi's, I got celery, peanut butter, catsup, lemon's ,limes, oranges and onions. Hopefully I won't need to buy onions after this. Hubby got celery and bananas for M

Then we went to Walmart on the way home for M's cream cheese.

We dropped of M's stuff along with the 2 egg cartons I had

Unloaded truck, played outside with Charlotte who decided she needed the box of tissues off the bfast bar (not chewed on but on the couch) and my GasX off the table (also not chewed on but on the couch) means I need to double check to make sure there is nothing that can harm her.  She knew she had been bad... was giving lots of kisses and nuzzling. 

Since supper was leftovers it was a YEAH ME for not having to cook.

Hubby checked his email and found a online lecture about grid failure. A friend of Hubby's is an Emergency Management Director had just been in a seminar for this so was allowed to share it. I asked if this was why he wanted stocked now. He said no , he was hearing that sources the Amish use was not being able to supply them like normal or supply at all. But this definitely made he start thinking about stuff. 

Peas are up (will cover this coming weekend due to 32 degree ). 

Prayers for peace. Blessed be

Hubby, pantry soup, Propane increase more than doubled

 It's my favorite photo of him. He was out on the tractor and turned around to check on something. I was a good 50 ft from him so he didn't realize I was taking a photo.

He came home Friday after hauling hay for Amish and told me we were going to check our stock for everything. He did mean EVERYTHING. He wouldn't say what he heard but he was clear we were going to be totally stocked up by May unless it was something for the gardens. It was worse than I thought in the maintenance stuff (thought we had until Aug  and were out in two areas) and was better than he thought (he is the one that forgot to tell me we needed furnace filters). 

I did several orders at Amazon (covid going around again on our area) and the 12th when we go to chiro we will do a pit stop at Menards for filters for the furnace, water etc. and use the rebates we have to pay for it with mask, gloves and sanitizer in hand. Starting to see limits on a few items

 I went to the grocery store (masked up etc.)and stocked up. I saved 32% and got double fuel points. I picked up ground beef . I made taco meat, ground beef crumbles, sloppy joe, hamburger patties and froze it along with bacon, Canadian bacon and sausage links. Today will be making meatloaf and freezing it on old cookie sheets to make meatloaf patties. Plus meat balls precooked and put in the freezers. I got frozen Gordon's fish patties. We went the Friday the week before for fish dinner at the local restaurant and they didn't get any in. Horrible during Lent.

I spent part of Thursday evening visiting with an Amish lady (my age). She is growing sweet potato starts for the first time in decades. Her youngest son (her husband and her live in the Dawdy (grandpa) house) who lives in the house connected to her is doing potato starts that he has not done in years. They have bought from other Amish that are now trying to feed their own.  She was talking about how cash flow was tight (several medical bills and 3 fires , they share those costs in their church) and how she was making things stretch. Growing more basic foods for storage. She was worried about canning lids ( she uses about 3000 a year for the two of them, remember they can their meat also and eat 3 meals a day) being an issue again. Said they (meaning everyone in her church) had placed orders of lids for twice of what they usually use. Hoping to get a bit ahead. I already have mine as I ordered in Jan. Due to their ages and health she said they eat a lighter breakfast (6 am)  now, just toast and egg and not the white potatoes. Dinner at noon is now their main meal. What ever is left over from dinner becomes pantry soup for supper at 6 pm.. She adds a can of cream soup and maybe a hand full of noodles. She doesn't add broth as that is for cooking noodles without anything. But will thin the soup with water or tomato juice. She makes 1 qrt of the soup and serves it with bread. They are trying to eat healthier foods. She laughed when she talked about going from a 12 inch pie to an 8 inch pie but still cutting it in 8ths. Was an interesting visit.

I got an eye infection, it's a lot better but one of the things doctor told me was to pitch any makeup INCLUDING face cream that I had been using. I knew makeup but didn't think about face cream. Wasn't much to pitch of either.

Water softener company let us know the price of delivery was going up *not a lot* as we have them deliver when they are already in the area so no extra trips. They carry the salt down to the basement also so we don't have to figure out who to ask to do it for us.

Electric company has let us know rates will be going up but they didn't know by how much as they are trying to change some things to off set the increase. We have a co-op.

Propane company let us know that propane has already doubled since last year*it had increased by 30 cents last summer right* and they are guessing that it will hit $3.259/gallon by August. I am thankful we already had insulated well enough to cut it by 2 tanks but STILL I need 2400 gallons $7821.60 plus tax of $567.07 for a total of $8,388..67 IN FULL by Aug. SO that has to be put back out of the budget as we are not pulling from the IRA's for it. I am thankful we have already had an energy audit and I completed most of it. I do have some caulking around baseboards and insulation foam pads on outlets to do yet.

What I am doing??? warnings of shortages

Pond has ice on it at the edges about 6 ft from bank. Not thick so will melt with the afternoon sun. E said the maple sap is still running a bit so he might get a bit more to cook down for syrup.

 Researched making cheese as Hubby really want this ... until I figured out the cost and how much cheese he would have to eat so it didn't go to waste. He decided we would just go to the cheese stores over around Holmes co like the Amish here do. Since he is already over there every other month anyways but I did mention it could be a good day trip for us to get away from the house and we could pack a picnic for lunch.

Dealt with an attempt to hack my phone AVG caught the malware and then a threat to wipe out my computer... Glad Son 2 talked me into getting Norton as they dealt with it on the computer.

Got a list of what the gov't thinks will be in short supply... they are adding to it each day it seems.

Anything in plastic, metal cans or glass. That takes in bottle water, sodas, booze, 

coffee (again that comes in plastic )

Biodiesel

toilet paper

paper towels (I guess maybe feminine products will be next on that list???)

dish soap/laundry soap

Clorox, Lysol etc. wipes 

shampoo and conditioner/deo. 

cooking oils

yeast

oats

cheese* especially cream cheese* after reading how it's made I understand it.

milk (probably all dairy)

sugar

flour and mixes made with flour... pasta, bread, cake, pie crusts... anything made with flour like cereal also... gravy mixes... some salad dressings.

corn ... corn products *corn meal, corn starch etc.

Beef, pork, poultry and eggs. They eat wheat or corn. 

dog food (made with corn, wheat etc.)

Imports will be slowed down most likely also.

Instead of inventorying my pantry, I just wrote down what was missing and how much. I am still working on that and trying to figure out where to get it if we don't grow it.

I ordered toilet paper as I was already told it's next to nothing around around here.

I will get sugar tomorrow when we are at doctor appts and running errands. I will also pick up Vernor's ginger soda, coke and sprite. I usually don't pick that up until closer to July 4th but with shortages looming I will get it now.

I dehydrated the last 2 pumpkins and ground that up for powder. I made apple sugar (dehydrated apple sauce with no sugar).I still have some apples from last fall in the frig to deal with this week.

I ordered a butter crock. Hubby doesn't like "softening" his butter in the microwave and we use real butter. So I ordered what my grandmother used and Nonna used. I went through The Prudent Homemaker site

https://www.amazon.com/Original-Butter-Bell-Tremain-Collection/dp/B000H47H0A?th=1

We were  starting to work on moving stuff around in the freezers so we could start defrosting them as we are getting ready for garden to start up. I freeze peas, snow peas, corn and asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower and some carrots and some cole slaw. I freeze strawberries, black berries, blue berries, red raspberry (hope to get black raspberries this year), jams  and some fruit for mixed fruit pies.

Had several of plastic bins, paper sacks, cardboard boxes, cloth bags etc. bust on us so after a day of researching and another of pricing we ordered wire bins. We are starting with the barn freezer to see how we like them. Lack of organization in the chest freezers bugs the crap out of me. Hubby just digs through and doesn't put things back in the container it was in so everything ends up jumbled together and it's a hunt and find every time.

 Hubby decided he wanted a list on a clip board of what was in each freezer. I went with a clip board per freezer. AND then to mark the top of each freezer of each meat. Like freezer one be pork, freezer two be beef, freezer three be poultry. Leaving the barn freezer out of that line. He thought that was great. And then the rest of the freezer be fruit and veggies etc. Maybe cheese and nuts in the barn freezer... he decided he wanted to keep track of the pantry also... I told him that meant HE had to mark off stuff when he went down and got it NOT just tell me. He is still thinking of that and started looking at Excel sheet to do that. 

I will be transplanting some of the seedlings from the grow cart later today. 

How is your week going?

Prayers for peace.

Blessed be

Planning frugal

We turn the furnace down. I started using an electric water kettle to make tea (pour the hot water into another kettle) and when making rice, pasta or boiled eggs. I have found I save 2 hrs. of propane a week. by using the kettle. Electric is cheaper here. Not reliable enough as losing electric happens  with storms and accidents.

I used kitchen twine to tie up the grape vines and berry vines.

Hubby got more slab wood from E for free to make more potato crates.

I moved the utility bills to a cash back credit card that paid more than the other card.

Hubby wanted a different table for his HAM radio instead of the tv tray . Which I hate to move to dust mop the floor.

Sunday I took him out to the barn and we went "shopping" through all the furniture (Daddy's Mother's Pop's, late husband's, 6 kids LOL) and found a table he is trying before we refinish it and buy some wheels (to make it easier for me to dust mop the floor).

While shopping the barn:

I found a tub of place mats and cloth napkins that had been Mother's. They are now washed and hanging on the yard clothes line.

Hubby found a metal stand he used to use by the swing...which made him put out the swing also. Then he decided to bring out the outdoor furniture so he cleaned that. The stands needs refinished but he can do that later this summer. It's still damp and cool here.

We found a dresser buried under boxes that can be refinished for an upstairs bedroom. H, Amish neighbor on the other side can do that later this summer as he's already behind doing Son 2 cabinet LOL.

I found small pots that I can use to transplant seedlings into from the grow cart that can go under the bigger grow light  upstairs. 

He found a wicker hamper and decided he wanted me to repaint it so he could have it in the front room for throw blankets storage plus be able to use the top for a stand next to the love seat as the top is flat. 

We found 2 birdhouses, one was for a wren and that was hung up. The other needs a repair and then it will be put up.

I mentioned there was several cabinets I could use in the basement for dishes and appliances or even storage for boxed goods and the metal shelfing units it would replace could be used in the barn when we set up the summer kitchen (that I was calling canning area). AND there was also cabinets that we could set up a work shop for him and he wouldn't be constantly looking for stuff. OR having to buy it because he needs it NOW and can't find it. 

After walking through it he admitted that he defeats my decluttering when he takes what is supposed to go to the trash or to the thrift shop and it just gets shoved here and there in the barn since I always look to the left of the door in the first stall instead of INSIDE the barn, for what is supposed to go. Which means I as it's very seldom we, have to re-sort things .Since I am not willing to pay $100 a month for a dumpster. We will be working it through the normal trash that has a bag limit on it per week, recycling and thrift shops on the Tuesday we have errands and appts. I down loaded the Goodwill list so we don't take anything there they will just dump. I also brought up we could start donating some things to Habitat ReStore that we are not going to be using... like the kitchen sink that  a friend gave us and two bathroom sinks along with cabinets the kids passed to us.  I keep checking to see if there is a township clean up or a hazard waste clean day in our area. Last year both was cancelled.

Gathering information

We have seen here and there of comparisons of recession in 2008 when we lost 2 houses and about half our income and Daddy lost over 50% of his retirement (IRA) and had to start living on his social security alone. It's really not a surprise but a heads up. We are looking strong at the budget and seeing what we can cut to only live on social security which means not paying extra on the mortgage to start with.

We have friends that their work place payroll got hacked... they didn't get anything for almost a month and now are getting about 1 day a week for 5 days work. The company hopes to be back on schedule and everyone's pay be caught up by April. Another company that Daughter 4 was working for got hacked also. Her paycheck came in 2 wks later for less than what she made by hour even though she worked 80 hrs. They said that wasn't a full pay check (gee really?) but just a test to see if things were working. She had already put her notice in as she got back in to the company she had worked for a long time ago. They had called her and are paying more than where she was working AND it's closer to home and more stable hours.

Hubby's business has decreased by 50%. He is still making his bills as long as he doesn't take any wage, no profit, but worries about any big out lays with repairs. He does have a business credit card but prefers to pay it off in full and not waste his money on interest charges.

I had a credit card hacked... the credit card company caught it and denied the charges so at least I don't have that headache. Been there and done that. I had to go in and change the auto pays I had on that card. Might be a blessing as the card I use (that I got the in the mail the day of the hack) now gives more cash back on than the card I had on the bills.

We had an audit of the home to see if it would be worth getting solar power. Three different estimates, first on the barn roof and then just out in the yard, all 3 showed it would not be a break even point on the money side for 15 yrs. At our age, that's not worth it. It did show there were a few places that needed caulking and that replacing the windows and adding more insulation(wrap insulation if we were changing the old siding) would help. But for electric use we are on the low end for 2 people even with a grow light cart and heat mats. 

We are on the low end of using water also which the softener company told me we were saving about $16/ month between saving on salt and saving on changing the whole house water filter. Since our outside water is NOT ran through the softener that saves even more. 

We are on the low end of using propane for the size home (including pump house heater) we have. 

We only have one internet company in our area and they just lowered their rates by 5% without me calling and asking.

Monday what a weekend!

 I called for propane as we are down to 24 %. I should have checked last Thursday 

I called and scheduled our Moderna Boosters. Since Daughter 2 said that the Delta has joined omicron I would want to get the booster. She thought they were calling it deltacron 

Barn that burned was up by last Friday.

While dropping off horses on Saturday, one of the Amish told Hubby where the bald eagle's nest was.

you might have to zoom in to see it as it's in the white tree branches.

Hubby got "snippy" with a friend who texted him out of the blue that I shouldn't be wasting his hard earned money on the hobby of gardening. Hubby first asked why he thought it was a hobby... because it's not a real job from a real employer where taxes are taking out of the paycheck. And it wasn't a real farm because we have no live stock (makes you wonder what he thinks of the farmers growing grain for that bread he buys at the store).Hubby texted buddy's mom and told her he was sorry her son didn't think she worked taking care of the home and him and his brothers when they were growing up AND included the message from her son to Hubby. Made sure they knew he had not asked for the opinion or even had been "talking" to his buddy about anything.  His buddy not only has his mother on him, but his dad, wife, both of his girls and his son in laws on his butt.  Hubby said if he had asked for the opinion it would have been different . BUT since it was just because his buddy saw a post from Hubby's mom about the 150 seeds I planted Friday, his buddy thought he should text Hubby and tell him. 

I have a few family and friends that just got over covid. Two told me they were warned they could develop dementia/Alzheimer's 20 to 30 yrs sooner than normal and it will be worse with those that already have mental illness like bipolar etc. AND since the Buddy just got over Delta covid it and is in his 70's ...it made me wonder about his mental health.

 She is watching the bunny in E's field. Had to stand on the back of the love seat to get high enough

Frugal

 We turned the furnace down twice when we left home for appts. Sunday we turned it off as it was warm and forgot to turn it back on before we went to sleep. I let Charlotte out at 1 am and realized it and turned it back on.

I opened the windows and increased the humidity in the house from 31% to 62%.

I ordered humidifier filters for next winter. They were on sale for 40% off. I have found if I get supplies AFTER season it's cheaper than BEFORE season.

The buzzards are back(geese came in early also) means it is spring here. It's a bit early. But since they are back and it was warm I went to clean up the gardens. North flower garden, north gardens with  100 ft asparagus patch, 6 strawberry beds and the blackberries, red raspberries and the honey raspberries rows, south garden beds including trimming all the herbs back and the flower hill at the mail box are done. Usually that takes 1 week if not more and recover of 7-10 days. Hubby spent $$ to buy me a Stihl pruner and clipper. I would replace it tomorrow if it broke. IT was that great. I had some soreness but pretty much the next day was FINE. I still have the lilies and mint at mudroom door and the lilac and Halo bush at the kitchen porch. Hubby said it was a frugal buy since he isn't dealing with me being down with recovering after cleaning up the gardens and him having to do the work instead. 

I made taco seasoning , Cajun seasoning and seasoned salt. 

We ate leftovers I had frozen from the freezers. The leftovers are now making leftovers as I am now tossing what ever is left in eggs (frittata), pasta, rice or in a tortilla wrap. 

Hubby made more potato crates using free slab wood from E.

Hubby got clothes line marked down as it was 100 ft and most only want 50 ft so the store sold it to him for 40% off plus he had a coupon for 25% off one item. 

I ordered some spices I was low on thru Brandy (The Prudent Homemaker) at Amazon that was on sale (on my wish list) using my cash back to pay for it. I have found by putting what ever I want on the wish list and then only spending what my cash back is keeps me reined in.

Prayers for peace

Blessed Be

Amish barn fire

 No one was hurt, well, the wife sprang her ankle jumping over the fence to get her husband to tell him the barn was on fire.

N(E's brother and the man we bought this house from) lost the milk cow and 6 calves, the smoke got to them. 

They lost 2 dozen chickens.  But got out their 5 horses. Buggies are usually in that barn but the wife had decided to clean all 3 buggies so they were up at the house. Hubby hauled the 5 horses to F's barn until the barn can be rebuilt Saturday night.

The fire marshal thinks that a bird took something in the barn that must have caught a spark from the chimney on the sugar shack (maple syrup shack). They know it didn't "blow in" even with the high winds we had as N had closed up all the doors on the side of the barn that was towards the sugar shack because he didn't want the smoke to go in the barn. 

Over 10 ft tall of hay and straw, even wet it was smoldering.

Trying to see if there was anything left useable.

Light from fire truck so everyone could see. They still was there at midnight. Fire started at 3 pm. E said the hay/straw stack got spread out around 9 pm and they just kept spraying water on it as they knew higher winds were coming in the next morning around 3 am.

Fire department had to take water from the pond 2 doors down from us. We offered our pond if they needed more. 

E said they stood around (no work on Sundays) and decided what the battle plans were for rebuild . Eighty percent of the cement block foundation is useable. 

SO today they have a group of Amish going to a woods that an Englisher offered if they could use any of the trees for lumber. They have to use their horses to pull it out of the woods after they cut it down. E got a line of someone that could haul the logs to N's and another of someone to haul 2 saw mills (just the saw and stand) to N's also. Hubby is on stand by after he gets his hauling job done today in case they need something else hauled. N is hoping to get at least 1 stall put in his other barn so he can have 1 horse for his buggy for his family other wise they are "car less" buggy less , stuck at home and have to walk miles for anything. 

Prayers for peace.

Blessed Be

when family and friends are not getting their paychecks

 due to cyber hacking. I think all the kids, grandkids and a few friends either texted, called or FB us to give us a heads to watch our finances due to cyber attacks. I have some orders sitting at Amazon, I get notified when it runs through my credit card. My credit card is now giving 24 hr. notice of when something will actually be ran through so I have time to check to make sure it's for what I ordered. Hubby said his business card is doing the same. At first I was like crap... now it's like "this should stay" so I have time to STOP it if it is fraud. Fighting fraud on your credit card sucks... been there and done that. Son 2 is helping as he went through this about 7 yrs ago when  the govt shut down and he still had to go to work without a paycheck coming in.

I have one that the landlord is working with them but the utilities didn't care even though the company gave it's employees  a letter on company letter head with a number to call to confirm the person is employed with them. So we helped with utilities. One just needed gas money for the next few weeks (they get every two weeks) and their company is hoping it gets it fixed. Kid was like" if they had waited one day to hack it, I would have had my check".

We went to chiro, doctor told me I did a good job of getting my hip back in place... I was out less than normal. HA HA AND I could start back on the inversion table but only at a slight tilt which is what I was doing anyways not the full upside down.

We stopped at Menards, 11 % rebate and got more off the list that the other Menards didn't have the other day. Added drinking water for storage . 

Stopped at TSC to get clothes line stuff since Menards didn't have it. They were out also. BUT we found a solar unit for the electric fencing so we can put the electric fence around the corn (stops deer and coons from eating the corn) and not increase the electric bill. Got dog food that was on sale. 

We went to Aldi's... M needed cream cheese and bananas. They were out of cream cheese so Hubby just got the bananas. SO we stopped at another Aldi's on the way home, they were at a limit of 2 cream cheese but I got 2 also (she needed 24) and some stuff that was on our grocery list, I added more sugar for us as M had mentioned it was not coming in to the local store.

Then we went to Walmart that was 1 mile down the road from Aldi's. Got M's cream cheese and the rest of what was on our grocery  list. Loaded the truck AND

TRUCK WOULD NOT START .... Hubby then realized he had taken the jumper cables out of that truck for the work truck and when replaced work truck cables he laid the other set in the barn instead of putting them back in the other truck. SO he went in to buy jumper cables and to see if there was anyone there that could jump us.

Automotive dept employee came out and jumped the truck for us. He had a jumper box aka Jumper car box. I told Hubby we needed 2, one for each truck. Then we never would have to wait for someone to come by and jump us.   

We stopped at Auto zone on the way home, alternator is good, battery was in bad shape. We have a new battery. Auto zone guy told me to put on the calendar to have it checked in 2 yrs. BEFORE winter LOL.

The Amish have been growing spelt... they call it speltz. One of women figured out how to make decent bread with it and brought over a loaf with the warning it goes stale faster than even whole wheat but will make good toast even stale... I mentioned that it would then make good bread pudding... he is passing that thought to his wife as neither of them thought about it. He also brought some of the flour so I could "play" with it.  I think I will try a cake. If it turns out I will take some over to they with the recipe. 

Both humidifiers are out of water and need filters changed. Since it's getting warmer and more moisture is coming in. I decide to not change the filters. Might regret that choice in a couple weeks if we get hit with another round of freezing rain, sleet and snow.

Prayers for peace.

Blessed Be 

Day to Day thinking of more frugal ideas

 Just another day of freezing ice followed by sleet followed by snow (at least it was a dusting not a dump).It seems to happen every 7 to 10 days. The lane is so iced Hubby told me to walk in the grass if I was going to the mailbox. I just let him go out to it instead as I already threw my  back out. I didn't go in early to chiro. Our insurance pays for 26 visits a year and thing over that we have to pay the full amount. Our regular appt is every 2 wks.... which is this coming Tuesday.

Laundry is on the drying rack. Dishwasher is unloaded. Lunch is leftover smoked sausage and mac and cheese. Supper is dried beef gravy over leftover rolls. Most likely I will toss some peas in it also. Applesauce for the fruit.

E offered what he calls slab wood for free as he needs to get rid of it. It's what is left of the outside edges (bark side) when he is cutting for lumber. Hubby got some to make potato crates so he is in the barn tinkering on how he is going to make these boxes. 

This will sit on the ground (or weed barrier) with potting soil on the bottom and then the potato eyes and then more potting soil. As the plants grow we will add garden soil and Hubby will add more to the sides. We will also grow sweet potatoes in this style of crate also.

  https://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2022/02/17/easiest-way-to-grow-potatoes/

Not quite what he is making but where the idea came from.

I figured up what we spent on ice cream at the store through last year. I did not include Belly Acre as we get ice cream as a dessert when there. We spent almost $200 between gallons, ice cream sandwiches, klondikes, push ups etc. I got a ice cream/frozen yogurt/gelato/sorbet maker for $60. Hubby already cleared an area in the barn freezer for the bowl. He decided he wanted ice cream first, then gelato then frozen yogurt and then sorbet LOL.

We went to Menards to get garden stuff. Saved $114 using our rebates and their sales. 

I had a company send me 5 lbs. of potato tubers when I ordered 3 lbs. as they weren't sure what kind of condition they would be in with the weather that was going through. Box was so wet it had been put in a plastic bag by our carrier but the tubers seem fine. They were slightly damp. I have them spread out on a towel to dry.

We ate from the freezers and pantry. I only need dairy and season salt from the store.

We turned the furnace down when we left for an hour or more. Which has almost put us back on to our regular schedule of propane to keep us from using more than I budgeted for.

I made 5 gallons of  laundry soap. Unlike M who made 50 gallons of laundry soap on Saturday as someone got a cow butchered and didn't want the fat, so she made tallow laundry soap. 

I used my digital credits and Amazon gift card from Pinecone research to buy Jamie Oliver 15 minute meals cook book and his 5 ingredient meal cook book. Hubby has been watching his cook shows and thinks it's great as he uses a lot of fresh in season veggies. At one time half the kids were using the 5 ingredient meal cookbook but not one of them kept the book.

How did your week go?

Blessed Be

 

How do you spend your day?

 Son 2 asked me this last night and I wondered why ...then he mentioned he knows what I do when I start in the gardens... March through November  but not what I do November to March.

I told his this.

I get up between 3 and 8 am. I don't use an alarm unless we have to be some where before 11. That went bye bye when I retired since Hubby worked 3rd he never used an alarm. It is usually between 5 and 6 (sucks retired And I can't sleep in)

I drink 1 cup of coffee, open curtains and turn off night lights.

I drink 2nd cup of coffee and start the laundry and put away the laundry on the drying rack. Hubby usually unloads dishwasher at this time if not then I do.

Then I have my 3rd cup of coffee while waiting for the clothes washer to stop then put clothes on drying rack (clothes line in late spring/summer)

I get dressed, make the bed, straighten the house and walk the perimeter with the Charlotte.

If is is garden season (what my kids call it) I go to the garden. When it's not I get on the computer, email some friends, check Fb for other friends, read blogs, drink hot tea, read some, bake bread etc... if I need to plant seeds in grow cart I do that in the morning. 

I have a snack for bfast at 10. Take another perimeter with Charlotte. 

AT 11:30  I take meds, get more tea. If I didn't eat at 10 I do now. Do what ever needs done for the day. Grab a shower (which I would do at same time in garden season) and then take a nap at Charlotte's insists this is nap time on the bed and I have to be with her. Rascal was the same way. Thirty minutes to an hour later she is up and running and expects me to be also. SO we go for another perimeter.

By two , I am wrapping up any work. by 3:30 I start supper as we try to eat by 4:30 to 5. Hubby is a weather spotter and likes to watch the weather on 2 of our local channels. I clean up the table, set the dishwasher to run when I head for bed.

Five to 6:30 is watching the news. Then in warm weather we go outside, usually another perimeter (she hates winter and won't go as much). 

Around 8 I head to bedroom to get around for bed as Hubby sleeps in the recliner of the front room due to health issues. He usually goes to sleep around 8:30 but if I am there he will try to stay awake. He turns the tv timer on and turns off the light at 8:00 most nights. I read, usually with glass of water. I read my kindle first for 30 minutes so the light from it doesn't mess up my sleep, do my journal next and then read a book until 9:30 then it's lights out also.

I told Son 2 it doesn't matter if it's garden season or not. My routine is pretty much the same. I don't have a cleaning routine *yet, still, some more* so that's more of a I can't stand it anymore and slide it in between other things. I can tell you it takes a solid 60 hrs. to clean this house from top to bottom. The old homestead where I raised the kids took 30 hrs. I think part of the hours now are lack of organization and the other is I AM OLD. LOL

Blessed be 

2021 food costs

 The best thing we changed at the beginning of 2021 was using only one credit card for all food ... groceries, eating out, snack on the road from gas station. Hubby told me more than once he didn't buy a snack due to not wanting to use a credit card for something that small and was not carrying cash on him.

Total for the year  spent on food, groceries, stock up, eating out etc. $4979.73

OF that $1622.95 was eating out, that is about 32.6 % of that total.... I noticed about   1/4th of that amount was during last Feb the two weeks before I was going in for hip replacement and the two weeks after that. Chinese 4 times, 2 pizzas, garlic bread and salads, 1 KFC 12 piece bucket with sides, 1 Ralph's (local sports bar with great food that takes us 3 days to eat) and 2 Arby's.

We have a friend that goes to the store every week for groceries. They kept track of what they spent last year. They pretty much eat the same as us. Do some canning but that is no where near what we can.  She said they spent a month $503.76 on fresh veggies (they do can green beans and beets and freeze corn).They spent $272.94 on fresh fruit (they don't can or freeze any nor eat canned fruit). They average $260 on meat (neither eat much of it nor eat any beans). UNLESS there is a sale on brisket, ribs, spiral ham and turkeys.  But their average grocery bill is $1036.70 a  month. They eat out twice a week and that comes to $200 a month, $250 in a 5 week month. SO that is 1236.70 to $1286.70 a month. SO that is at least $14,804.40. The only reason they tracked it is they want to buy a different home closer to their grandkids and was moaning about how much her meds were and trying to come up with a down payment without pulling more. Their sons asked why they were pulling so much from the retirement and where was it going. 

I thought it was on the strange side when their younger son asked me how much we spent.  I did point out to him that they don't can as much as they could or freeze as much as they could. His dad eats salads every day but always choses the most expensive lettuce there is and refuses to shop at any other store than Kroger's even though Aldi's is right next door and sells the same lettuce for about 2/3rds the price.

It did make me feel better about what we spent for the year and what we are trying to move towards this coming year. I have bought 3 heads of lettuce since end of Nov. Instead of lettuce salad I had carrot salad, canned coleslaw (vinegar base) fresh coleslaw and 3 bean (4 bean) salad.

Blessed Be

In the garden

 Okay Not Really. BUT I do have 2 of the January King Cabbage sprouted. We were going to remove row cover from gardens today but the winds coming in at 20 MPH with gusts over 40 MPH has put that on hold.

I am updating what I keep track of on the "inventory" after noticing that Thomas Jefferson didn't note if his tomatoes were determinate or indeterminate. So I decided to add that information to my seed sheets aka inventory sheets aka plant sheets ... depending on the day of what I call them LOL.

These will go into sheet protectors and then 3 ring binders.... H is heirloom, MD is maturity date, and  GC is grow cart.

Thank you to the ladies

 that sent me a knife sharpener. I had saw Kevin Jacobs (agardenforthehouse.com)  using this. So  a big thank you.

We finished buying what we planned to give to Grandson D (and TB). Delivery is tomorrow as the weather today is to turn nasty. Hubby is doing a hauling job that is close by so not a big deal according to him. I am waiting for the last load of the dishes I bought to dry so I can box them up. Both have called me about odds and ends they thought of (already got) and then we got the call to bring staple gun and the fabric came off the back of the couch. It had been stapled. 

They warned us they had idiots (their term) running around them so to wear masks and bring gloves or hand sanitizer. Hey at least they are thinking about keeping us safe. We would have anyways as the great grandsons are in school and don't have vaccines yet. We just had 3 friends get covid after watching their great grandkids that were in school. 

Laundry is done and on the rack drying. I walked to road and got the mail.

Son 2 reenlisted to Army reserves.... he was going to be 23 days short of having 20 yrs for his pension... you have to have 20 years. He was talking of doing at least another year as his girlfriend (her term and he calls her his woman) has a teenager and he is looking at possible marriage and the teen going to college. He told Hubby he wants to be as good as stepdad as Hubby was. My kids don't acknowledge he is a step dad. They call him dad and introduce him as dad as their biological dad turned his back on them when they were about 10-12. I was totally shocked when he did it.

Daughter 4 had a hit and run driver total her car 2014 Jeep Latitude. She was able to find a newer 2016 Jeep Patriot sport for only $1000. more than she got from her insurance of the other car. She likes it better and thinks when I drive it I will be looking for one myself. Said it reminded her of my Ford Explorer. We will see. 

I had my check up with the GI/PA . I do NOT have antibodies to my Humira. The Humira is working. THAT IS VERY GOOD. He got the report from my ortho doc and said if he had knew I was walking around with a fractured socket for 7 months waiting for my hip to be replaced, he would have increased the Humira and put me on other meds to help keep things calmed down. NOW it's more of stay off the OTC pain meds as they are causing issues in the small intestine (Tylenol messes up my liver so can't take that either) BUT if in pain for longer than 8 hrs. TAKE SOMETHING LOL, do a food journal/ daily do list to see if it helps calm things down. Right now my CRP (C reactive Protein) is half of what it was a month ago. Since I am on NO meds to calm it down , he thought what I was eating (an not eating) was helping. I think  stressing over whether or not my Humira was working didn't help. He did mention he has several on Medicare that are paying huge amounts for their biologics. He hopes the new pill that is to replace biologics that has came out will be covered by Medicare within this year. 

I am reading Thomas Jefferson The Garden Book. He was better at keeping up with it when he retired.

Next will be The Richest Spot on Earth by Peter J Hatch that is about the same gardens as he worked with restoring them.

The Lost Super Foods by Art Rude, Lex Rooker, Claude Davis, and Fred Dwight is on the next list also. 

The Bread Bible By Rose Levy Berandaum 

I am definitely tired and sore today after a 4 hr. trip and being poked on by the PA. The nasty weather coming in does NOT help a thing at all.

Blessed Be everyone. Stay safe, stay well, be content.

Johnny Seeds grow cart AKA grow lights cart

 

This picture is from Johnny seeds. 

This was one of the first things I bought for our garden when we bought this house. 

I did not use it last year since I had hip replacement last Feb. It will be used this year as I am not paying that price for plants.

Today I will be starting the seeds for January King cabbage, Giant Red celery, Utah Tall Improved celery, Utah Tall celery (seeds given to me) D'Elne celery, and Pascal celery.

I've not had much luck getting celery to grow for me in the past.

I put my binder together for what I am growing in the grow cart dividing it into sections of how many weeks before last frost to start the seeds. I then realized I have 28 varieties during 8 wks to last frost but have 8 days that are in the right" moon sign.. so figured out I would plant 3-4 on each of those days instead of trying to get all of them done as I know I will plant more than 1 seed per variety. Won't over whelm myself.

Hope everyone is doing good, everyone is well, warm and safe.

Blessed be 

going into a busy week.

I started a program that helps deal with procrastination. On day 3 of the 4 week "course" and I realized that I used to push through the bad health and do the work and then medical said to not do that as I was doing more damage to my health and now I just am like... I don't feel good so sit on my butt and read. I love to read, read for hours, don't care much for tv. Got to figure out a happy medium.

Another change is we are planting/ seed starting by the moon and signs this year so that is a set time frame instead of when ever I get to it.

 Monday is always a big laundry day as I don't do laundry past Saturday morning except for the cleaning rags. Today (Saturday) I will be soaking some stained kitchen towels for the last load instead so they might get a wash later tonight or tomorrow morning as I didn't really clean much this week.  I will also be starting any of the veggies that need started in grow cart that is in the start 12 wks before last frost date. This is also  the day of clean the kitchen and freezer room (basement) and take trash to the road.

Tuesday: hour trip to Sidney for blood work for both of us, vet for Charlotte and hopefully finish up the shopping list I have for grandson D. Hour trip back home and I will continue to be starting any of the veggies that need started in grow cart that is in the start 12 wks before last frost date.  Clean wheelchair bathroom and start bread starter for frig.

Wednesday: baking day, clean the dining room and bathroom and hall. Finances.

Thursday: Clean front room and mudroom, medical appt (4 hrs. round trip) 

Friday:  Clean bedroom and pantry. MAYBE pit stop to grocery store for perishables for grandson D if we deliver that day

Saturday: Clean laundry room and 2 of spare bedrooms. IF we don't deliver Friday to grandson D we might this day.  I really don't want to do it on Sunday LOL . I will continue to be starting any of the veggies that need started in grow cart that is in the start 12 wks before last frost date

Sunday is the day of rest, I can up date "goal " aka to do list, figure out a menu and REST.

Let's see if this works. 

garden planning

 I bought 3 sets to store seeds in from Amazon and bought colored labels for containers of this container. IRIS USA 4" x 6" Storage-16 Inner Keeper Organizer Cases Storage Containers Box for Photos, Clear-XL (2Pack), 2 Count

I bought 2 inch ring binders and protector sheets to organize seed information. I had note book paper. 

I bought plastic clothes pins and paint markers to mark what is what while in grow cart and then in gardens. 

As I am listing variety etc. on notebook paper and putting into the protective sheet I marked what color the veggies is. I am keeping track of how many of each color I have since my doctors want me to eat 5 colors a day. 

So far my colors are green/red/ green and red/ orange and yellow/ yellow to red/ purple/ black/ blue/ white and tan and brown. I have a few more color mixes. 

I counted how many varieties I had per color and then added some in the colors that was low. 

Hubby would like to at least do row cover again but maybe add a small green house also that we had planned last year but didn't get to. I would rather have cold storage first as we might not need a green house between the cold storage and the row covers in 3-4 of garden beds.  I would like to add at least 1 more garden bed( to make at least 4 beds) to the row cover. 

Last year I planted 1500 seeds in the "3 seasons" I grew.  That sounds like a lot... okay that is a lot HA HA but I have 32 garden beds and that is only around 15-16 seeds per bed per season. 

We added more dried beans, more cabbages( will be making kraut), more potatoes (even purple), more variety of tomatoes (black and white tomato? ), and sweet potatoes. There is broccoli, cauliflower and kohlrabi that I haven't been able to get to grow here but I am trying it again. I am trying to grow celery also that I have never done. I added more winter squash and yellow summer squash. I added cantaloupe, honey dew and watermelon. I added a couple winter lettuces that Thomas Jefferson grew in his winter gardens.

I will be using pots for plants like lettuce that can't take the heat so I can grow them in the summer in partial shade. (M grows her on the north side of the house).  I will use grow bags for the potatoes unless Hubby wants to do it like E does then he can go for it. E digs the ground, plants the potato and then covers it with weed barrier that decomposed at the end of the season, you just till it under. When the potato plant pokes against barrier you cut a hole at that spot. Said their crop almost doubled last year doing it this way.

We decided also to plant according to the moon/planets not just the last frost guidelines. We will see how this goes. 

We are under a winter storm warning. Last check was 1/4th is ice, 6-14 inches of snow AFTER 1/2 inch of rain. With winds 20 mph to 35 mph. Winds at 35 mph for 3 hrs. with snow is blizzard conditions. I will be cooking hamburger for taco/burritos and making 6 qrts of beef stew. I thought of beef stew (been craving it) and then second round serve over homemade noodles then 3rd round have it with dumplings and then the butcher mentioned using what was left for pot pie. YUM.

Blessed be everyone 

February goals

To eat something from each color group of veggies and fruit a day. Orange n yellow/red/green/ white n tan n brown/ purple n blue n black.

To eat at least 3 servings of anti inflammatory foods a day.

To drink at least 12 ounces of anti inflammatory tea a day.

To cut my sugar intake by half by end of Feb. Already cut it by 1/3rd.

To do my stretches and exercises from PT to get ready for clothes line (touch my toes, stretch to the sky) and garden work (bent over, lifting and pulling) that starts end of this month beginning of March.

To finish gathering stuff for Grandson D (and Grandson TB >>>D's oldest brother that is moving in with him) for 1st apt. THIS coming weekend... of course we are looking at a nasty storm rolling through also.

To sleep 6 1/2 hrs. straight nightly (I get 2 maybe 3 hrs. at this time)

To finish organizing garden seeds, get seeds started in grow cart and plot where I am going to plant what because I definitely do NOT have enough beds for everything. 

Hubby is debating... pay the extra $5000 on the mortgage or put it in the gardens(that will be needing 12 beds repaired or replaced) and cold storage areas and then put what ever is left on the mortgage.

He still wants to start making cheese, yogurt and ice cream.

Now he thinks he wants 95% of our produce to come from our own land. He acknowledges we would have to buy citrus and bananas. But looking at more like M buys  of celery and bananas (she also gets graham crackers, saltines, cream cheese and cool whip). I added I would miss my fresh bell peppers and fresh mushrooms. I do not know if we can hold onions until they come back in also. I think it would be closer to the 85% with maybe some coming from Amish cause I got onions from A & B until Nov.

Frigid...this week's plans

 Still no propane. BUT since we took the pump house off the propane and went to kerosene there. We aren't dropping like we were. Which means the pump house needs the old insulation (on punch list but low priority) ripped out and replaced with better and possible the window in there even though covered with plastic should probably be replaced also, THIS YEAR.  We will also have an 120 gallon propane tank installed for the pump house alone. Our supplier does that size also.

I made instant mashed potatoes instead of frying potatoes to go with sausage gravy. We had enough for lunch and supper last night.

M sent eggs over last night so that's the menu for today with the leftover sausage gravy and the potatoes.

Looking at the roller coaster of temps of the weather with Tuesday 45 and rain and Wed 38 and SNOW  and temps back down BELOW zero without windchill by Friday.

Monday I have contrast (drink not injection) CT scan and blood work to see if I have developed antibodies to my Humira. We have to leave at 5:30 in the morning , two hr. drive, 3 hrs. for testing and then 2 hrs. back home.  Hopefully we will get propane.

Tuesday is Chinese New Year.  We have Chiro. I might stop at thrift stores in Sidney to look for stuff for GS D.

I was planning to make the dinner, Hubby suggested we get it on the way home from the testing and just get enough to have leftovers for Tuesday. As I usually eat rice after testing anyways. Both of our Chinese restaurants are closed on Tuesday (pizza shop and one restaurant is closed on Mondays) . I will also need to start gathering what I am giving Grandson D for his 1st apt. He was texting me last night as his oldest brother is moving in with him that they need food and kitchen stuff. He thought it was funny when I asked Box cook or scratch cook. UNTIL his brother went " box mac and cheese or Uncle B's mac and cheese) then he understood. He is a box cook. Oldest said he would buy perishables as he cooks from scratch. So I am just fill the cabinets not the frig and freezer. GS D then sent Towels, wash cloths, dish towels, dish cloths, bedding dishes pots and pans... cleaning supplies.... then just put ... HELP ME. Oldest is trying to make the youngest get most of it as he is only moving in to help D get up on his feet. He is turning 19 but is in last year of high school. Oldest didn't like the idea of him going out on his own. BUT plans to move out after GS D graduates and can work full time to pay the bills on his own. Living with either parent is not a good choice and he has been floating between his 2 brothers the past year. 

Wed. I will clear and reorganize the kitchen frig and it's freezer. I will do finances also. Start the bread starter so I can bake bread on Thursday. Probably will pull meals from that freezer

Thursday  Finish what ever up. Make noodles as I am out. Bake bread.

Friday is up in the air. GS D doesn't move until the 11th so I don't think I will be taking stuff to him until that date. I might go shopping at the local Goodwill and the Dollar General. 

Saturday up in the air.

Blessed Be

Emergency we did not plan for

 When we bought this house we thought about emergencies... 

bad weather (HAM radio and cell phones that gives us local alerts)

home phone line goes out/ cell phone drops service... covered

electric goes off... 2 generators.

BUT never did it cross our mind about not getting propane delivered before we ran out. I check the level at the tank WEEKLY for that reason.

Two days ago I called in for a delivery. We were at 31 % and using 4% each day due to how cold it is with the windchill. We usually use 10% / wk. during the winter. This was 15% in a week. Today Hubby checked the propane. 25%... furnace will not run at below 20%. He called to see if the propane was coming in today.

 IT'S NOT. They have several with NO propane and they are trying to get them filled first. I do not have an issue with that at all.... BUT they did warn us that if they can't get to us by tomorrow (they hope to) that it would be MONDAY so we will be out. 

We took a deep breath... thought about if this was a blizzard, we could be in the same position. What do we have to keep the pipes from freezing and us warm enough plus our water heater and cook stove is propane.

Hubby went to the barn.

 He found the 2 kerosene heaters with good wicks. E had 5 gallons of kerosene that he was not going to use so passed it to us. Hubby turned off the propane heater in the pump house and put a kerosene heater in there. The odor will not matter since it's where we won't be. He is also going after 5 more gallons of kerosene (and a gallon of milk).

He found 2 gas buddy heaters we used to use on the old farm in the bedroom and front room. Those are now in the house with 2 grill propane tanks(both full) to run them.

 The canning stove in the barn is on a full grill propane tank and the grill's tank is half full.   I have electric roaster, electric skillet, crock pot, and air fryer plus microwave.  Hubby brought in the camping stove and it's fuel. We will be reheating leftovers today and tomorrow I will fry potatoes and make sausage gravy that can be reheated in microwave or over the camping stove. 

I found the old electric heater in a north loft and brought it down. Turned the lights on in the grow cart which will warm that area by 10 degrees. 

Right now we have some sunshine so it's feels warmer than it actually is. Furnace is down to 65. At bedtime we will turn it down to 60. 

It made us really think about if this was a blizzard we wouldn't get propane for a week or more... so rethinking back up for the propane is now something to be dealing with. 

Meantime.... I have Mother's thick cable sweater on. Hubby is wearing his insulated vest in the house over a heavy fleece shirt and tee shirt. We have thermos which we might be using for PJs tonight. 

We will be okay for the short term.

I am tired

and looking at the window when it's at 17 below wind chill and seeing this made me more tired.

YEP... they were back at it before day break to finish cutting ice for the last 3 families ice houses. Even the 2 boys (ages 5 and 6) were out there working and running after thermos after thermos of coffee that M was keeping supplied.

It's 3 pm now,they are finishing the last wagon and loading the tools and the slide they use to load the ice on the wagon back up in the rafters of our barn over hang. Good place for it to be stored.

We used 20% of propane in last week. First time ever to use more than 10%/week. The frigid temps and wind chill sucked that right down. We had to turn the furnace up 2 degrees to keep the front room where Hubby sleeps in his recliner (so he can breath) up to 66. Below that his tremors get really bad. Still only 2 degrees and turning the fan on ON instead of auto kept the home warm. Called propane co and ordered a refill. They said they had one that dropped 9% over night and their furnace was struggling to run so was glad I called before we dropped down to 30% so we weren't an emergency. 

I used paint markers to mark the plastic clothes pins that I am going to use in the grow cart to track what I am growing. 

We bounced some thoughts of how we wanted things to be a year from now around the kitchen table. I  made notes so we can talk more about them and then see how it goes. 

Hubby took a break from his one hauling job, they were starting to load hours which he can't do with having State numbers. They know they can call him to help fill in as they hired 2 drivers to replace him. In this cold of weather, he is glad to not be hauling at break of dawn. 

Stay warm , stay safe, be kind.

Blessed Be

finance report

 Will most likely repeating a few things. 

Mortgage...met the $5000 extra we decided to try to pay each month this year. Taking 10 months off the mortgage loan and saving $16, 870 in interest.

Bought new chain saw, paid cash and got 10% off.

Put our name on the list for the pruner (Stihl) that is on back order but suppose to come in during the next 3 months. Been trying to get it for 2 yrs. This is through the company that sold us the chainsaw. So another cash item and they give discounts for cash.

Bought dripline for gardens. Saved $175 on delivery by Hubby going after it (within 15 miles of the chain saw) and 10% of purchase price (web promo) and 1.5% cash back from Hubby using his cash back credit card. 

Since he was already in the area and needed to kill about 30 minutes between stops, he pit stopped at the Mennonite store (cash or checks , don't accept credit cards) to check on half bushel baskets and crates for our cold storage we will be doing. Baskets are normally $7 and crates are normally $6. He got a $ 2 off each as he took last years that was in barn storage and "dusty" . Plus he got a free pallet as the guy was just going to burn it and Hubby offered to take it off his hands. 

He stopped and got gas using the new Marathon card he got and saved 75 cents total. 

I've used promo codes, discounts and priced checked all of the seeds I have ordered. Saved 1/3 of total costs.

E let us know he was adding 2 rows of sweet bicolor corn for us since we have helped them so much this year. So our eating corn is taking care of.

I have gotten 50 yellow sweet corn (aka canning corn) seed, tomato seed, Armenian cucumber seed and 2 packages of flower seed for free.   

I ordered some "office" stuff to make a better inventory record keeping of the garden seeds and such. I used promo code for 15% off and my cash back credit card. Got free shipping.

I have to go get a diagnostic CT scan and blood work at the hospital that is 2 hrs. from us. They arranged it so I could get both done the same day saving us gas and time. That is on the 31st.  

Amish ways of keeping food

  I think we all know that they can  a lot of their food... veggies, fruit, and meat.

But there are many that don't realize how they keep food fresh without electric.

Some have spring houses, like our neighbors and Johnston Farms ,https://www.johnstonfarmohio.com/Exhibits/exhibits.php had one. 

Here are some pics I found on the internet

This is what they use as a refrigerator. M says she can keep hers around 32 to 36 degrees with just making sure there is fresh water going through it. She will add some of her block ice to the water holding areas in the summer.

Most have an ice house to hold huge blocks of ice. This is NOT like a freezer. It's more for just keeping things cold. Like using a cooler to camping.

Here is some pics from the internet of ice houses.

M has said about the only thing she throws out is about a quart of milk every other day. They have 2 milk cows and 11 of them in the family , the cows still produce more milk than they need. She dumps the extra milk where she will be planting her tomatoes this summer. Both of us are planning to start making our own cottage cheese and cheeses this year. 

Hit mortgage extra payment goal

 

They are clearing snow off the pond as snow makes ice mushy when they cut blocks for ice house. Probably late next week they will be cutting as we will stay below freezing. I hope they get at least 6 inch blocks. 

I am feeling better, rough with some light discomfort but not really any pain. I was able to eat 1/2 cup potatoes and 1 egg last night for supper which was great. I had 1/2 cup of canned spinach for bfast. LOL Daughter 4 told me to eat my veggies first, then fruit and then protein carb so if I don't feel like eating I at least have my veggies and fruit in. Voice of experience there.

We made our $5000 extra on the mortgage goal this month. Coming out of the holidays and me going down, we didn't eat out or get take out and the groceries was down also as we are eating from the pantry. Okay HUBBY IS EATING from the pantry.

Blessed Be

UPDATE Day 9???

 My crohn's has went back to where it was when I started Humira two years ago, even though 1 yr ago this month I was in full remission with out signs of damage. They are thinking the hip and it's replacement triggered enough inflammation to retrigger the Crohn's as it triggered inflammation up my entire back causing headaches. That is the bad news.

The good news according to my Doctor is we know Humira will work so it's back on the original schedule of one shot every two weeks instead of once a month like it has been the past year. AND remove chemicals from my diet AND increasing anti inflammatory foods. WHICH is more than I did two years ago. 

Told me to look at my garden as my drug store and the food as the medicine. Can use it as practice when I hit Medicare and they don't want to pay for the Humira. His wife and him garden and can a lot of their own food.

What am I doing?

Still in pain that rolls through on a 2 hr time frame instead of a 10 min time frame, still cramping goes with the pain and chilling. Have the shakes (might be a drop in caffeine as I am drinking ginger tea and white tea instead of black tea). I am able to eat 1/2 cup of food at a time and then have to wait 3 hrs before I can handle eating again. I've lost 8 lbs. 

MEANTIME I have finished hunting for seeds and am now planning what to start when in the grow cart. 

Hubby has ran 3 people to the ER in the past week including one today. Medication is taking twice as long to get filled. 

Things are not good.

Doctor office (sorry for the ramble)

 gave me a list of inflammatory food additives to remove from my diet. You would think since I grow my own veggies etc., there would not be much.

I just bought salad/ lettuce the other day and then had to toss it as it is on recall and I had ate some of it. SIGH. They didn't test for food poisoning when I went in for Crohn's so there might have been some of that. 

EDTA is used in salad dressings amongst other things... I have lots of different salad dressings that are now in the trash can WHY? EDTA was formulated formaldehyde. I do not think I need to eat that.

Another one that is being pitched is Carrageenan that has been used for hundreds of years and indeed is organic, there is damning health research around it, suggesting that is in not necessarily safe to eat. It is linked to IBD, IBS RA and colon cancer and is banned in European Union ... My cottage cheese had it in it which funny thing is my go to when having Crohn's attack. 

I HATE reading labels especially in a store where I have to keep flipping reading glasses up and down. One lady suggested I look only for ingredients... like what I would buy to make it. As I don't see me  looking for carboxymethyl cellulose for a dish (ok in small amounts, large amounts ferment in large intestine).  Worse they go by different names depending on where the product is made.  Some even have numbers. 

Hubby and I started through the salad dressing and condiments. Now we wonder if the raw veggies/salad that we thought was messing me up was actually the dressing I was putting on it. SIGH.

Doctor office said also since I am not in the hospital (still no beds and selective procedures being canceled again) my recover time will be at least twice the time (as least 16 days) and the pain will be longer to deal with as my home med is no where close to the strength of morphine I take in the hospital.  

I am in pain, I compared it to the final stages of natural childbirth and Daughter 2 asked if it was when I delivered her or Son 2 which I went into labor ... hard labor 7 times for, Daughter 4 I didn't have labor as I was too busy puking from the flu . I look like I am pregnant for the bloat.  

I went from walking 10,000 plus steps a day to less than 1,000 steps a day. I didn't eat for 3 days, than ate cottage cheese and crackers. Last night was double pumpkin pie as it was what Hubby fixed from scratch. I figured it was safe.  Tonight is potato soup.  I have no energy (need to eat for that right?) 

I am tired, either fall asleep at the drop of a pin or not sleep due to pain and just be tired. Have to be careful not to shut down the digestive system with pain meds and then have to go through the pain of starting that back up. Been there and done that. A HELL far worse than now.

I am whiny... I haven't gotten to the point of Hubby telling me to knock it off but he does point out improvement which is next to nil at this time. Well , maybe not as one was I was home not in the hospital surrounded by covid  And I have Charlotte to cuddle some with me.

I have started inventorying the seeds coming in and planning what season to plant what. Hubby wants to try a 4 season with storage veggies. 

I need to look up salad dressing to make from scratch.

IN ER

 all day Saturday due to Crohns attack.

They had to send me home as there was no beds and since Crohns means you spend a lot of time in the bathroom , it was not that they could keep me in the ER or the hallway until a room was available. 

Two injections of Morphine did not wipe out pain .... been here and done this.. 

4 injections of Humira did help calm it down but not take it away.

Blessed be everyone , stay safe. wear your masks

drip lines for garden vs cold storage/root cellar vs pay off mortgage

 Hubby is all for root cellar and waiting on the mortgage. 

I am for drip lines as I know how much time I spend watering all the gardens and fruit trees (in pots)and possible cold storage for some things as I felt we didn't really have an area for a root cellar... might be because I have built a couple with Daddy for his sister and his Dad.

Our friend who is a Community Emergency Management Director, CEMD for short (aka Prepper) made the choice for us.

Basing what he knows and on our age and abilities and then he added the layout of our land. His suggestion was No root cellar ( not enough slope and would lose 2 trees) and no buried tanks, freezers etc. Our health in 5 yrs will not be able to handle climbing in and out with ladders or being on our knees uncovering frozen stuff that would cover the lids of what ever we buried.

The drip line for the gardens was a yes. (Showed us on line where to buy it local) Saves us electric from running the well pump, saves me time, and as it takes less water, more on target of plant, it will save more ground water and that also affects our neighbors on the same  underground water supply. He was glad the pond was not graveled as that allows the dirt around the pond to absorb water (more ground water). He was glad we have 90 % of rain water going to the pond and the other 8% going to the county drain, 1 % going to a cistern and he wished we would reroute the one that just goes to the ground at the back door of all places (ME TOO).He suggested it be routed to the cistern. That can be done when we rebuild those steps.  

He then pointed out some areas that could be used for food storage. We could drill out concrete in north wall of basement for venting and do an enclosed 8x10 area. That is my pantry area now. I would lose space for 3 shelving units that I would have to find other places for. CEMD understood this and went looking for other places for those shelves. He suggest to move all empty canning jars to barn where we are going to set up the canning stove, add a refrigerator (we have 3) and a sink (we have that in barn not hooked up) Move the shelving units to those areas where the empty jars are sitting. Start canning our meat (I don't do much ) and get rid of 1 frig (as the 2nd one would be moved to barn) and at least 1 freezer.(two would be better)(lower electric, more food easier to fix). Put shelving units for meat where frig and freezer is at. 

Thought two places in barn that would be good for storage (cabbage) but Hubby was against it as he would have figure out where to move what he has stored in barn. CEMD being his buddy politely told him to quit keeping things that needed to go to junk yard. That is now on the March project of clearing the barn, as I had not put the back stalls in that as it's mostly tractor stuff and stuff along that line.

He found a decent place in house in north south lofts for winter squash, temperature is perfect thought the humidity is a little low. We have a small humidifier that was Son2 that would work there.

Said to leave beets, turnips, etc out in the garden with cover of screens to keep mice out as we have raised boxes and some other cover. Thought of other ways we could keep stuff in gardens that overwhelmed Hubby for sure. He personally had never used row covers for winter growing and was interested in how it does after this spell of wind chills at 10 below zero.

I do need to focus on heirloom/open pollinated seeds and harvesting the seed. Suggest I plant one or two  of each variety in pots and move them behind the house so they don't cross pollinate with anything. 

CEMD then walked through looking at how the home is set up for emergencies. We have 2 generators, one diesel and one gas. We fuel for both on hand. We have a wind mill at pond that we could move to the water pump. We would like to get some solar power down the road. We have thought about getting a non electric pump that some of the Amish use for the deep well. I have a hand pump on the cistern. He strongly suggested we do that even though it is expensive. We just need to know how deep the well is first. (On to do list now). CEMD thought we were in decent shape except for needing a way to heat without propane. We have looked a bit for a wood/pellet cook stove for the barn as it has the chimney in place. If things got real bad we would move to the barn. Front bay was where the guy(age 18) lived while he built the house. It has water, septic line and the chimney for the stove right there. Would be easier to keep going in bad times. 

He strongly suggested Hubby to get his HAM radio back on line. We are in an area that we get NO alerts or warnings of bad weather. IF he had his HAM radio on (we have it on antenna) we would hear other HAM radio operators sending out alerts and warnings. 

Over all , we are in good shape and he priced the drip lines for the gardens including the fruit trees at $750 if we did the installation our selves.

We got to visit with someone of like mind, that understood where we were trying to head for. He is also hunting for some seeds I haven't been able to find that is good for winter storage food. He would like to try them himself. 

Enjoy your day. I got seeds in the mail I need to inventory and to get the ham in the oven.