Root cellar

Hubby grew up with a pantry of combination of home canned and store bought canned goods and freezer full of meat in the basement.They raised cows and pigs.

I grew up with a small pantry of home canned food and a root cellar. 

Mother grew up with small pantry, Daddy grew up a cabinet of what ever Grandpa could buy from the company store or the girls and Daddy's grandma put up. His Mom had polio and could not walk or even peel a potato.

I've talked about making small root cellar's and Hubby has listened but really just wasn't ready to make that choice. E pointed out to him the other day he was kind of surprised we didn't have something set up as a root cellar since Hubby talks of being prepared to be off grid if needed when Hubby told him we had trouble keeping potatoes. 

Sunday Hubby asked where my book on root cellaring was (Root Cellaring by Mike and Nancy Bubel). I went and got it thinking he wanted to look at it. Should have known better as he hates to read much of anything, He asked about areas in the home that we could store veggies and fruit. So I showed him the lists in the book, varieties that are good keepers, temperature and humidity, how to store them etc. They even had lists of what they ate from fresh(had a solar greenhouse), from freezer, from canned foods and the root cellar. I pointed out if I had a root cellar I would be canning less veggies and fruit and could can more meat and have room for it on the shelves. 

He is willing to try it. More he is willing for me to do it and is agreeable to carrying food into where ever I think we can store it. 

I have a some temperature, humidity thermometers that I can place a wireless sensor to monitor that also. We have one in south loft, east loft, barn, front room, pump house and two in the basement (pantry and bottom of basement ramp to outside as I make kraut there). Good thing we decided to move them around and found out that 5 out of the seven was not working correctly. Changed batteries in sensors, unplugged the monitors, reconnected them and still had 4 not working. I ordered new ones that were on sale. We figured we could adjust where we have them and I would be able to monitor areas we store food in.

He wanted to check temps and humidity now, I had to explain that we needed to wait to do that in late Sept. as the temps and humidity would be a lot differnet then.  Then he was like, Oh yeah that's right. (cognitive dysfunction strikes again, some more, what ever, we call it glitching, he is okay with that term).

He asked HOW MUCH we should store... got to love this book as they told what they stored for a family of 4. Hubby took those figures, cut them in half and converted bushels to pounds so I could do some of the buying at the one store that brings in fresh produce from local farmers. Yes I checked his figures. 

He asked if we could afford to buy artichoke heart jarred... I am thinking okay, I have some, not a lot.... he knows he should eat spinach (does fresh, but gets nausated with smelling cooked spinach or any greens) but thought if I made spinach artichoke dip while he was outside and air the house out it would be a way for him to eat spinach.He eats kale in Home Chef Autumn stew.

Then he asked how much money it was going to cost to do root cellaring... NOT including food... the cost of the humidity/temperature gauges. I have crates, baskets, we can get saw dust from E or other sawmills for free. I can save a few boxes and use that for carrots, parsnips, etc. I have bee's wax to coat rutabaga like you see in the stores.  I have 8 areas to check to see if they will be able to be used for storing food. 

He mentioned I would have to plant more than just what I usually do for the fall garden... I pointed out some things can be left in the garden and just covered a row cover (I use Agribon 19 or 30 and just double it )I did that a couple years ago to keep cabbage and brussels sprouts through Dec in the garden. Cleaned snow off and gave E 3 heads of cabbage  and watched his jaw drop. Jan. King Cabbage does well for me.

We have several errands today along with starting to stock up grains. M told us to check blueberry prices, she heard they were less than $2.50 lb at Aldi's and the orchard down the road has them for $2.50 So if they are less than $2.50 get her 15 lbs and if not she's have one of the kids go to the orchard to get them.

Does not help we had a storm go through at 2:30 so Charlotte has me up. 

Stay safe

Prayers 

Blessed Be

July 14th next goals

We celebrated last night... we met the goal of getting our mortgage down below $200,000.  We have paid off 9 yrs in 3 yrs.  His first words was"if we keep it up we can be paid off in 3 years, maybe 4 if we have to replace the silverado.

When we bought this house in 2018,two years after bankruptcy, we took a mortgage of $345,000 to buy the house(Amish) and land and convert to English with wheelchair accessible and some off grid due to electric not always on. In 2021, 3 years later, we refinanced for a lower rate (and removed PMI) and the amount was down to $247,500 on a 30 yr loan (lowest rate we could get for a farm). It was a 2 bedroom with no baths and is now a 4 bedroom with storage and 2 baths (one wheelchair accessible). 

We put a solar pump on the deep well, added a wood/coal heating/cook stove, graveled 400 ft of driveway, ran new field tile and added a windmill to the pond so it doesn't get yucky. Put in 1/4 acre garden in raised beds (my health issues) and pernnials for long term harvesting. We have fuel on site (that needs to be kept full) so if the electric goes out long term I can keep freezers going long enough to me to can all the meat in them since I have 2 propane cooks stoves and 1 wood cook stove. About a week of dailycanning according to M.  Grid goes down we will be okay. It will be rough and hard work but we would be okay.

So after the celebration of take out, (he hauled hay for E all afternoon so E paid for our supper) Hubby asked what our goals for the rest of the year was. I knew he would ask.

Increase savings and CD's to cover 3 months expenses. Right now we would have to pull more for retirment funds after the first month, might be able to go two with Social Security so we could still pay extra on mortgage.

Pay down mortgage so the amount that is going on principal is more than the amount going on interest. That would be 12 regular payments. I say small steps with him as he gets overwhelmed with big steps with his health issues. Where in my head I said pay extra for next 4 months and be to that spot.

Put together the metal garden beds and fill with dirt.(rainy day project of putting them together)

Plan fall garden and next year's gardens, moving to heirloom and open pollenated for majority of crops. 

Changing bottom of ramp to basement for short term root cellar. Use lumber and stuff we have in barn as we already have a tarp door on the ramp.

Find a good cleaning routine.... better storage (no closets in this house). 

Build cabinets in barn for storage. We have lumber and stuff we can use and not buy much if anything.

Then he added, 3 of his doctors and our primary want us to eat better... since Sept it's been horrible between heart attacks, my bp dropping to 50/75 for a solid week, Freaking covid then the freaking flu, Son2 having heart issues...Daughter 4 house burning down (she's doing good right now)... it's like putting meals on the table is what ever is the easiest. Neither of us has much of an appetite. 

I'm pulling more veggies from the pantry and freezers than the gardens. It's not a good year for it, first 8 inches of rain in 2 wks then nothing but high heat to kill the plants. Berries did okay, not as good as normal but okay. Asparagus the same. I have plenty of canned green beans and beets so it they don't do well it's okay. L's wife planted beets , said if she had extra she would let me know. 

Going to go sit on the kitchen porch with Charlotte... 3:48 AM. 

Have a great day and wonderful week

Prayers for peace and sanity

Blessed Be

Hubby starts the conversation

 as we were sittting on the kitchen porch enjoying our coffee with Charlotte who we have found is a creature of habit and wants to sit on the porch every morning and is not thrilled we sit on the porch after the news in the evening instead on in the front room where she curls up in Hubby's recliner. 

Hubby starts with... I remember we are suppose to be working at rebuilding the saving and paying the house off. Maybe some back for a replacement of the old truck... BUT 

I sighed, thinking his cognitive dysfunction was rolling but he laughed about it. At least at that point he was pretty much on spot with what we talked about.

He wanted to know how we were sitting for the grid going down. Got a couple odds and ends needing dealt with but pretty much could handle it if I had to can everything in the freezers. I already have started canning some of our meat when I buy it. Would need to make sure fuel on site is kept up so I can run generator for 2 wks to deal with it. We keep the solar pump for the well charged and he checks batteries every month. We keep the solar cube (looks like a cooler) charged also.

Then he brought up the gardens. We still have some wooden garden beds and they constantly have to be weeded as they are lower than the metal beds. He got one set half weeded in the time I weeded the rest of the gardens. I told him it was better since he added more weed barrier around the entire garden and the new push mower is a mulch mower. He wanted us to replace those beds with metal AND add enough to grow sweet potatoes and potatoes and more herbs and such. He watches the news nightly and said in the past week he saw over a dozen food recalls and know that is why I started changing what we eat and what I grow. 

I priced the two brands of metal beds that we have and then found a 3rd one that was having a sale. First brand was $350 a bed, (I did not pay that when I got mine) the second one was $180. Not bad and just a bit higher than it was when I bought that brand. I found a 3rd one at Amazon for less than $100 each.  He will get the soil in the fall when the stores are trying to clear that kind of stuff out. He will also put out to the Amish that he will be looking for potatoes and sweet potatoes (to grow starts from) this fall. E's Mom does white sweet potatoes so we might have 2 varieties of that.

He called around for prices for tires for the Silverado, got a set of four and got a discount for not using credit card (almost $20). He then took the truck to get oil change and engine flushed using a coupon that one of the Amish got in their mail and passed to him. He pit stopped at the hearing aid office as he's not been hearing me when I am right in front of him, they replaced the end pieces, cleaned them, changed his right hearing aid ear piece to a bigger size and turned it up. He has lost a little bit more hearing on the right side. ALL FREE.

THEN that evening, when we sat on the porch after the news he starts with, I want to at least 18 months total stock up for the home (I pretty much do close to that after kids took me down to 6 months during pandemic, they all stock up for at least a month if not two now). He took a breath and stated firmly" I want a savings of what it costs us for 3 months and I want the house paid off in 10 yrs."

I answered that I usually have about 18 months (some is 2 yrs like pasta) but not on everything and I would have to buy dehydrated potatoes to cover that as he doesn't care for canned. He was okay with it. I also pointed out that it would be by servings not he go eat what ever amount he wanted. He was iffy on that until he tried a couple pairs of jeans on and realized he had not lost what he thought he had but he is between sizes. I offered to take darts in the bigger size. He is thinking about it. But did ask me to start measuring his food or prep stuff that he doesn't have to try to remember what a serving size is.  I made a berry cobbler (used the odds and ends up from the garden) and when it was done I cut it so when he got some, he could see exactly what he amount he should take. He really liked that. 

Since I inventoried all food I know how much I can use a month. 

We get Social Security... did he want that amount also put back also? I also pointed out the we were pulling extra to pay extra on mortgage so we didn't need to put that part back, just regular payment that includes taxes and house ins.

He said since there is constant talk of only getting 70% down the road to put the other 30% in the amount with what we are pulling from retirement.... 

Okay, first we won't need to pull that much from retirement if the mortgage is paid off and second... 30% is MY social security which is where we have been heading for anyways since the widow neighbor ran into problems of paying her bills as her budget was needing both her and her late husband's.  I also pointed out I might be slow at getting the savings to that point since extra money is going on the mortgage. 

We refinanced in 2021 with 30 yr mortgage (pay off date 9/2051)

As of this month, I have the pay off date 2/2046

He wants it paid off 7/2034.... if I can hold to what I have budgeted it will be paid off 8/2029... When I told him that he looked surprised. He didn't realize that even though we were paying off the taxes, I still paid a bit extra (not the amount I had budgeted) on the mortgage. 

I got groceries.... milk and heavy cream, mixed berry pie filling (finishes out that need). I stopped at the Mennonite produce stand and got a small zucchini, 2 green tomatoes, 5 peaches, a loaf of bread (marked down) and a pan of cinnamon rolls (marked down due to being Saturday).Total spent $65.

I still need to stock peanut butter and miracle whip (Hubby hates mayo).

Going to be an interesting year.

July 1st 2024

 We set the budget. Set an extra amount to send every month to mortgage company. 

We refinanced in 2021 as we had paid 20% and could #1 get the PMI off and #2 cut the interest rate in half.

So mortgage of 8/2021 was for 30 yrs ending 8/2051 (we would be in our 90s)

With all the other bills we have had I have been able to pay an "extra" 2 yrs so we have 5 yrs paid to pay off mortgage 7/2046, we would be in our mid 80s.

With the set amount we would be paid off 8/2029. 

This is how we set it up for now.

I already use my Social Security to pay all medical,life insurance, birthday and Christmas $ for 35 kids,grandkids, great grandkids, and Hubby's parents.

I will now use my IRA to pay the extra on the mortgage.

Hubby was using his Social Security to cover costs in business, now it will cover what his IRA does not cover of the house.

IF we had the mortgage paid off and bought no groceries we wouldn't need to pull either IRA. 

We decided the set amount we would pay and then he suggested any money left over to be divided between savings and the mortgage. 

He plans to finish cutting the wood that is on site and get it put up for winter. He doesn't ever want to be in the place like we were when he had his heart attack and not have the wood for the winter done. He is trying to get 2 yrs worth on site so it's not a you have to go cut or spend $$ to get it. 

We have 8 garden beds that should be replaced, that is a maybe. I need to go through seeds to make sure I have enough for next year (heirloom and open pollinated) I do harvest my own seeds from some. I need to do more.

I have 3 roses bushes that died completely due to winter weather, maybe 1 peony due to too much and then not enough water thanks to how the rain came in and a 3 fruit trees (we think moles got the fruit trees) PLUS we are battling moles.

Our purple martin house needs replaced.E fixed the top which the birds sit on and noticed it needed replaced so said something NOW. If Hubby wants, he could take this one down and use it for a pattern this winter to make one or he could get one of the Amish to make one as several do in this area during the winter.

Instead of our normal stocking of 2 hams, 2 turkeys, 20 lbs of bacon  and 1 prime rib roast for Christmas eve, we are doing 1 ham, 1 turkey, 1 prime rib roast and 10 lbs of bacon UNLESS I find it on sale. I also need strawberries to dehydrate as I am NOT paying that price to buy them and really wished I had checked on the dehydrated fruit BEFORE the fruit season. I also need blueberries for the freezer. Mine are not making enough and the birds definitely got to the ripe ones before I did.

I checked the FDA food plans for grocery budget, we fall between thrifty and moderate. Since I am stocked as best as I can be or will be when the gardens come in this fall.I am now working on what I will buy at the store when we go every 6 wks. Milk will be bought every two weeks at Save A Lot. 

Now I just need to put what I just finish stocking up in it's proper place

Hubby brought up

 some different things he was thinking about buying.... He had a car dealer send him a notice they would buy his truck for more than value so he thought to go get the same size truck newer and get a loan for it

We don't need a Ford 350 for personal use which we have since it was for the business, a truck yes as we have to tow the tractor to repair shop, a Ford 150 would be okay, a Ford 250 would be the biggest we need. 

I brought up that if we still was paying the mortgage and one of us dies, the other is going to struggle to live on what is coming in. (I won't because I can do the work around this place, he will as his brain disfunction will require him to have help which is why we are talking finances again , some more, what ever.) I then added we have a 2005 truck that is falling apart and can't be driven farther than 20  miles from home that needs replaced. I haven't found anything I am willing to pay for to replace it.

The house is going to need a new roof in 7 yrs. AND it will be metal not asphalt as they last 50 yrs instead of the 15-20 yrs of asphalt. That money needs to be put back now. 

We priced pavers ($2,000) for the area needed for walker with wheels or wheelchair needs at the end of the front porch ramp. E thinks he can put cement in it for less since he owns his mixer. He was going to come over but Amish had 2 funerals back to back so he was busy with that. His in laws are in (M's brother's wife was one that die of cancer) so he will be still busy the rest of this week playing catch up with his own work.

Hubby grumbled around some and then came back with... if we went back to like when we were in the bankruptcy, what would the time frame be for paying off the house and what changes would we have to make to do it. I can tell you right out,I got the 5 yr banruptcy paid off in 4 yrs ONLY because he worked with me... as a farmer growing up and early 20s he got used to living on loans, if the farm didn't make enough to pay it off, it just got rolled over to the next year's loan. Until the government came down on that practice.That's not how I was raised. My parents didn't buy anything on credit until they were in their 50s.They even paid cash for their first home and car.

I told him we could start in Aug paying off the mortgage as I wanted to get some money back into savings and pay for the pavers or cement so his parents can come here to visit. Order more heirloom seeds for next year AFTER the last payment for the taxs is paid.

I will set up a monthly savings for items like the roof,once a year house insurance, once a year propane,car maintenance and house maintenance  I already have Christmas and birthday money done that way.I will also set aside an amount to fill in with meat. I need some pork and poultry and both are on sale in the fall in this area. 

I have enough beef for the year. I just finished restocking the pasta. I have most of the veggies except winter squashes (if mine don't do well,I can get them from the Amish or Mennonite around the corner) I specified we had to eat healthy and eat our colors and I did NOT mean M&Ms. Eating healthy means less doctor bills and even though those costs are a lot less than what they were before Medicare and Medigap, I want to keep it that way.Medications are cheaper AND both of us has came off a couple meds with the change in diet.Hubby has been able to stay off Gout meds (which rip your system up and you live in the bathroom , he said he thought he had my Crohns) by drinking dandelion root tea once a week. He drinks it daily if he starts having a flare up which he hasn't for a couple years now.

Instead of rotating through, beef, pork, poultry, vegetarian, seafood for meals. I can do beef, pork,poultry, vegetarian (think green beans, potaoes or fried cabbage and fried potatoes), seafood (canned tuna, salmon and mackerel), Eggs/ cheese (grilled cheese sandwiches or cheese pizza), dried beans (I have 90 lbs of different beans and some of each canned) and pasta (1 onion 2 cups meat or beans and 3 cups veggies) and soups. Hubby is NOT a soup eater and is barely okay with pasta.He grew up eating steaks and pork chops and hams. I grew up with bean soup, boiled cabbage and fried potatoes (fried potatoes at every meal) with some cheap meat when Brother was playing football. Many time he got the meat and parents and I didn't. I had pasta only when I stayed with Nonna who came from Italy. Daddy didn't allow Mother to fix it. When he remarried, my stepmom told him to be thankful for what she put on the table and put spaghetti on it every week. He finally apoligized to Mother for being so picky. My stepdad got him to try Chinese food. Daddy loved it. 

I can bet that with a month or so I will be having the same conversation with him. He did suggest that he not go to stores by himself since he doesn't just buy what is on the list. I suggested he call me if he sees something that he realizes isn't on the list but we need or is at a great price. I know in time he won't be able to go by himself let alone drive. He made a comment to the one doctor about he had heart attack and was using it for the reason he has brain issues (which is due to head injuries and loss of hearing) , doctor pointed out I had a stroke and have CP and wasn't having the issues.  HUM... I told the doctor we call it glitching He does better with using that term when he struggles and if its a "bad" struggle I will tell him we are both glitching and need to take a bit to calm down and get on same page... so far that works to calm him down and get him refocused. I have to work in the world he is living in and it concerns me I might slide right in there with him. Mean time... it's pay off what is owed and keep explaining how we are doing it over and over.

Stay safe

prayers for peace and sanity

Blessed Be

Choices, another Amish death in area

 

Heat index is running around 100 ℉ Charlotte wanted to watch Hubby but didn't want to go out with him as he went to the barn to get somethings for the HAM radio field day he will be attending on Saturday. 

A.C. is at 80 ℉. Weather forecast just extended the heat index over 100 until Sunday. This is not normal for this area especially this time of year. Curtains are closed to keep the sun out. Hubby opened the north window curtain and moved his laptop there instead of turning a light on or even light an oil lamp*which gives off heat* our usual go to for light. That window gets some shade  

We had lunch meat in tortilla wraps, chef salad (75% from our gardens) and egg salad (free eggs from Amish neighbor). I made strawberry ice cream using strawberries from the gardens. We picked up some Gatorade to keep electrolytes up after mine dropped after working in the gardens even though it was mostly in the morning otherwise it's mostly water. We have pulled some leftovers from the freezers to keep from cooking. We got a pizza from the local small store that serves lunches also. They got a new owner and he was tired of driving 20 minutes to get a pizza so he put in a pizza oven and expanded the store. It was good, thin crust was not soft so it held up well to the 4 toppings we had. On the expensive side if you are already in  town, the one gas station has good pizza same size for $11 . This was $18 and had 2 more toppings than the gas station one.

Hubby checked out an auction around the corner from us. They had a knee hole desk, 2 wood boxes (for storing fire wood) and some windows. Windows were too small, desk was bigger than what Hubby has and the wood boxes were pretty old and repaired a lot. So he didn't stay for the auction.

E came stopped in late last night to tell us a 14 yr old Amish boy lost control of the horse and buggy he was driving at the railroad crossing while a train was going pass. The buggy side swiped the train after the horse broke the cross gate , tossing the boy out and then landed on his head. He hit the road face first.They think he die instantly.

Stay safe

Prayers for peace and sanity

Blessed be

Heat stress

 

90 degrees she's sunbathing.... Hubby timed her, she was out for 10 mins. then came in , drank water and went to her den in the basement for an hour. 

I on the other hand spent 2 1/2 hrs, 3 bottles of water drank, in the gardens and in by 11. Went back out at 11:30 to finish the 4 beds covers to protect the lettuces... should have waited until evening because my BP dropped low, pulse went up after I came back in... we had turned on the AC and set it at 80 degrees. Gatorade, and rest brought everything back to normal including the lecture from Daughter 2 (her boys did 2 a day foot ball practice in this type of weather) and Son 2 due to Iraq. We won't mention (oh yes I will) that Hubby retired EMT drew a blank and went over to E and M's asking what he should do for me...M came over to check but I was already doing what I should be doing.She told me to take an umbrella to the gardens the rest of this week even in morning. Doc told me in by 11 was good(he gardens also) but don't go back out into the heat (index was 105) until after 8 pm.and only if the index is below 85.

So I rewrote my to do list and in middle of night added this.

Next time I will turn on the light and put on my glasses as neither of us could figure out what I wrote... I figured it out later it was supposed to be mosquito (mosq) pellets 4(for) pond. 

Hubby dealt with it and we picked what few berries was ripe... before 8 am. this morning. Laundry is on the line, he is in barn checking on the generator he might have to take to HAM radio field day on Saturaday. The barn is 80 degrees.

We  had chef salad last night and egg salad today. Probably will finish the egg salad at supper.

I am resting as required by my body, let alone everyone else.

Stay safe

Prayers for peace and sanity (common good sense also 😜)

Blessed be

Finances.

 

Toad in the middle of the deck but decided it was not the best place for him.

As for finances, we decided ours wasn't the best place for us either.

I asked Hubby over lunch what our goal was now... 

He drew a blank...

I started it to finish paying off taxes on the loan.. That will be done Beginning of July, 8 months early. 

 I brought up he priced pavers vs pouring cement for the area at end of ramp. Pavers is cheaper, easier to replace, so he gave me that figure to save (forgot to add taxes so I did that).

Then it was pay off house.... 

I brought up that both of us are having problems with our cell phones, they are about 10 yrs old. So we researched those. THEN we asked the kids, grandkids and a couple friends for their thoughts. When those come in we will look at what is best for us. BUT that money needs to be saved.

I will need some fresh seed(heirloom/open pollinated as I am moving that way and harvesting my own seeds) for next year's gardens, we have 2 fruit trees that need replace also. That money needs to be saved.

He was still blank of what the goals is now.

I told him the goal should be to live only on his Social Security. He asked why.

If I die, he won't have mine. I pay the groceries and medical.

If he dies , I will get his but no longer get mine which pays for groceries and medical... on top of we can't make the mortgage or a car payment on that amount. 

We don't want to use all of our retirement funds either. So we need to focus on running the house just on his Social Security ( I wondered if his congitive disfunction was going to create an issue with what I was saying, it's like flare ups of mild dementia).

He thought about it for awhile and came back with a 5 yr. plan.

SO durig heat wave I will look strongly at his 5 yr. plan and see if it is doable. 

He finally agreed to set limits on his spending on his credit cards and save the money for the items first then charge it.

I will add our propane being $1.899 is 10¢ a gallon cheaper than last year. I am also lowering what we order by 100 gallons since we have more than enough wood and coal. That is a saving of $204.

He picked up 4 fans on sale while at Menards with E as he knows that running a fan is cheaper than AC. I don't like how cold he likes it and we have 4 rooms that use the AC (no way to shut vents) that we don't use on a daily bases. Will probably turn it on during the heat wave but not for normal usage. 

I figured up what it costs for me to make English muffins, bagels (including fruit), plus cost of propane to bake it etc. Really helped when I was at store and could  figure out if I was  spening money I could save. I wrote the cost of everything on my grocery list, went to cheaper store (Save a Lot) and compared those prices to Walmart and Krogers. Hubby also saved $18.75 in fuel at Krogers Gas. One pound sausage was cheaper at Krogers than the other two. I figured Save A Lot would be cheapest.

He was made at himself as he forgot his check book when he went to get truck tags and license and had to pay a charge for using credit card. I need to remember to remind him to take it with him since I know he doesn't carry it with him.

Stay safe

Prayers for peace and sanity 

Blessed be

Heat wave coming.

 The purple martins are having a reunion on our barn fence. We have two houses for them.

In late afternoon until around 8 pm, the sun comes in strong through French doors. I hate closing them because we usually get a nice breeze and that is right across from stove. Hubby went out to barn and got Son 2's old patio umbrella he gave us when he put a roof over his patio. Works until around 7 pm.  Charlotte decided to move her blanket so she could lay on it in door way. 

Son 2 Gold Wing trike as having issues. So he traded it in and got a Harley triglide.  He offered to let us both test drive it. As I thought of getting one so I could take Hubby for rides since he can't hold his balance any more and sold our two wheel bike. Guess I could look also for side car.

Hubby is mowing around the gardens this morning so I can harvest in a couple hours. I will be pulling the peas as we have 54 meals now in freezer not counting what ever I harvest today. If we want fresh peas this fall I will plant fall peas end of July, beginning of Aug.

I will be planting zucchini and yellow squash . I always wait until I no longer see the little white moths that turn into squash bugs. 

Hubby asked what we were going to do during heat wave... 

I told him he didn't need to be mowing. He has some boxes sitting by his boots (in the way) that he can go through. I figured we could do some decluttering. Barn stays cool usually so he could do some cleaning out there. Maybe early morning work on wood but stop before the heat rolls in. Barn usually stays cool. 

I will clean the basement... nice and cool. Will wash the bedding, throws etc since it's a good solid week of no rain. 

We will water the gardens in late evenings. 

We can go visit his parents. 

There is a Produce auction on Tuesday (inside) and a Household auction Thursday morning. I have umbrella we can use to keep sun off us. 

Stay safe.

prayers for peace and sanity 

Blessed Be

Busy day

 Our wood wagon (holds almost 3 cords) should be full of what is called blocks , end pieces of what Amish cut off while making pallets ...should ready for pick up today or tomorrow. Hubby thinks that he has enough when he finally gets the last 3 logs cut up for 2 yrs of heat. He will be a week unloading it and cutting it to fit our stove.

E asked if we could make room in our freezer for them to make 2 blocks of ice (using square kitty litter bucket that was cleaned) through the summer to make ice cream. Perfect timing and I made sure we could fit the bucket just incase M ran out of ice this summer. We put the first one in last night, Hubby is checking to make sure it's completely froze before starting the second one.

Hubby built new steps to the south end of the kitchen porch. We have been using 2 rail road ties and 2 cement blocks since we bought the home in 2018. Original punch list of what we wanted done for this home when we bought it is now complete. We have added a couple things like extending the cement pad at the bottom of the front porch ramp and changing out windows (will have Amish do it) but those will be done as money is tight this year do to the tax crap.

Charlotte loves it as she can lay on the top step and be in the sun and watch E and H when they work their fields, or when H's buggy horses his son trains plays in the back field.

I am tired of picking strawberries and preserving them. About a month after they stop I will be wanting them again.

Peas have started about 3 wks late. I got 3/4ths of a cup for the first picking.

Sent pic to Daughter 2 and told her I missed her... she was my "sheller" as she always thought shelling peas was relaxing. She sometimes is weird LOL. I got a I love you Momma back.

Charlotte is ready to sit out on the kitchen porch and watch the sun rise.

Stay safe

Prayers for peace and sanity

Blessed be

This week

 Hubby needed equipment to run drain tile correctly. He usually borrows from Amish. It was in use with a waiting list. I had him research what he could get and then check Amazon. He found it but told me to wait a week, in a week a friend of his that does constuction told him to change it to another brand that was just as good but cheaper. It was half price. 

We ordered security cameras. Besides security, one will be to show weather coming this way. Three times we have been hit with bad weather without warning. There are 3 radars from 3 locations, we are too far away and on down side of highest point in Ohio ( have micro climate) . This way we can see what the sky is looking like, Hubby can turn on Ham radio (he is VP of local Ham radio group) and check in with another group (that he used to belong to) west of us. I did tell him to set one so he can see the hummingbirds. UPDATE, we caught weak tornado forming on the camera that we had not been even alerted to tornado watch. We let our sheriff dept know it plus put it across the Ham radio.

Hubby loves Heinz 57 steak sauce. It's hard to find and we were told they were going to stop making it. Since he saved half the $$ on the equipment I found a case of it reasonable priced.That should last him at least 6 months. Mean time I found a recipe that is supposed to be close but I have to make raisin juice/puree. We grow grapes so I might let them go to raisins. I will be doing some testing to see if I can match it for him.

Hubby prefers Jiff peanut butter. He was down to the next to last jar. He priced it at local stores and they wanted over $5 for 12 oz. I found Jiff  natural for less than $4 for 16 oz. on Amazon.  I ordered 12, that will last him 6 months.

I froze snow peas, I froze more garlic scapes.

I froze large strawberries (strawberry grower down by kids lost half their crop due to rains "melting" the strawberries) and very small strawberries. We have had about 1/3rd "melt" due to rains and then hot weather. 

I canned 9 pints of strawberry jam. I pureed the strawberries and we decided we liked it better than just smashed or pieces. I have another pint of the "foam" and the extra to put with icecream and pancakes,waffles and French toast.  

I dehydrated more white rose petals and red rose petals for tea.

We went to chiro, dropped off donations, and then took Charlotte to vet (around the corner from chiro) for nail trim (takes 3 to cut her nails) and to get her meds for anixiety. She's had really bad anixiety even with just rain since the tornadoes hit Indian Lake. I also ordered her a Thundershirt as Vet is not thrilled with her on meds if the shirt will take care of the stress.We tried the meds Tuesday with the storm that went through. She still paced like crazy but wasn't drooling and panting. She calmed down faster also. Her "dog dad" wore a thundershirt, her "dog mom" had to take the meds. We got the thundershirt the morning before a storm. She did good (still some tremors) without the meds. She also woke me up in the middle of the night wanting it off... storm had passed and I think since she wasn't in the basement she was getting too warm.

Our Dairy Queen opened, it closed last year due to a car missing the curve and going through it. I got my "it's now summer" footlong coney

 

Hubby got a black raspberry blizzard. His "it's now summer". 

I finished harvesting the garlic scapes and the snow peas. Pulled the snow pea vines. I harvested more strawberries. 

Finished all 5 deep freezers of defrosting, inventoring and organizing. I found I was out completely some things and more than needed in others. I wrote out how many times they need to be on the table to bring that amount down.

I started cleaning, inventoring and organizing the 3 refrigerator freezers. RULE is now no leftovers put in without what it is and the date. SIGH. Hubby said he was sorry but he really couldn't remember what it was or when he put it in. Not a lot to toss but I did toss it. I also suggested he just put the leftovers in the frig and I would deal with them going to the freezers since I have a spot for leftovers to freezer so we use them up.

I updated the budget, still waiting on the propane costs for this coming winter. 

Stay safe

Prayers for peace and sanity

Blessed be

How we saved money. Kids update

 I am still working on defrosting, inventoring and organizing the deep freezers.Couple meals this week was leftovers that had been shoved in deep freezers. I also pulled the last of the zucchini bread pancakes. 

I used leftovers to make second meals. M sent over 5 dozen eggs as they were going to visit her family for a couple days. I was shocked when she got home that she sent another 2 dozen. The ones taking care of the home while they were gone and animals said the chickens went nuts laying. I will freeze some and make noodles as I don't have either.

I finished putting the meatloaf patties in deep freezer (vacuum bagged, 20 meals).

I made sourdough bread, put half in deep freezer.

I made strawberry sweet  rolls using sourdough. I wrote on the recipe things I would change that would do better for us.

We combined medical appts with errands. 

I bought clearance spring perennels for my heart garden.

I stocked up on some generic OTC meds from Amazon that was on sale 

We changed dentist due to our dentist closing the local office and not wanting to drive an hour to their other office when we have no other doctor in that area. The new dentist is about half the cost of the old one, was even less than the old one WITH xrays.  I submitted the paid receipt to our RRA for rembursement. Got the money back in 3 days.

We have had turnips, radishes,lettuces, and strawberries from the gardens.

I dehydrated strawberries and dried rose petals for tea.

Due to change in what and how I am putting meals on the table I found I could use 2 more bowls (one metal and one glass) for my kitchenaid mixer. I found them at Amazon and ended up saving$56.16... basically the one bowl was free. I keep one metal bowl in the frig to make blizzards. The other glass bowl will hold a sourdough yeast starter that I use every other week for bread to give us a change in what bread we are eating. 

I bought a milkshake blender on sale.

I have figured out if I make milkshakes at home I will have saved enough in 2 months to pay off the milkshake blender. I make the blizzards in my kitchenaid metal bowl.I just need to get in habit of making ice cream every few days as my machine only makes about 3 qrts.

I set the furnace to run if the temperature goes below 65. It's been in the low 60s at night last week and this coming week. So far we have been able to get the house up to 80 with the heat of the day, then shut it up so it stays warm. Furnace only kicked on once so far.

I need to make a grocery list...SIGH.

Daughter 4 changed jobs and is back to working where she was laid off from 3 years ago. Working 6 days a week on 1st shift and happy about it. 

Son 2 was promoted and changed positions on base. He starts that job in June after his vacation. He also handed over the commander position in the VFW, which we called his second job ( or 3rd job when he was in reserves). That leaves him with his regular job and the secretary job with the combat vets bike club.

Stay safe

Prayers for peace and sanity.

Life just rolling on

 Here is the pond in January 

Here it is now,in fact E's youngest brother took his kids fishing and caught 45 fish, on the small side but big enough for his young family

We have two grass carps.

E said they were between 25- 30  lbs. He's lost a line or two trying to catch one of them

We had a turtle (didn't know we had one) that laid eggs.

Hubby put some posts around it and then ran a rope so we wouldn't step on where the turtle laid them.

We have had some storms (not tornadoes) run through. Twice ended up with water in basement. Hubby started looking at all the drainage tile and found 2 plugged and one running the wrong angle that he corrected. We have 2 other tiles he will have to check also. Lucky we actually had kept some "field" tile so didn't have to buy anything just spend the time digging it up (used tractor back hoe) and then putting the dirt/gravel back in after dealing with the issue. We got hail this last storm.

Hubby was mowing around the asparagus and found lettuce... we did NOT plant lettuce any where close to asparagus LOL.

My perennal heart garden did not do well with this past winter. I only had 1 plant survive. I found several perennial plants on clearance at Lowes so replanted.

stay safe, prayers for peace and sanity

Blessed Be

Half of May gone.

 E dragged up some logs he is not going to use. Also Hubby removed some huge (like 5 ft across) chunks from E's sawmill that he can't cut on his saw and they were in his way. Asked Hubby to help him move them out of the road. Hubby took his chainsaw and cut them up and hauled them to our barn to split for fire wood. Most Amish in this area don't split their wood. They cut down trees that are 6-10 inches around and cut them to length. 

I have the veg/fruit deep freezer done. I have the beef deep freezer done. I am working on inventorying and organizing the pork deep freezer. Still have the old veg.fruit deep freezer that will be the poultry/nut freezer and the small deep freezer in barn that is poultry deep freezer now. Then I will start on the 3 refrigerator freezers.  Why am I doing this? Because things get lost in the freezers, I buy what I already have and don't buy what I really need like we have zero meatloaf. I make  3 lbs of meatloaf, spread it on cookie sheet, score it in squares and freeze it. Next day I break the squares apart and vaccum bag them in "meal" size. I got my hamburger from the butcher shop (tired of recalls) and got a $1 off a pound by getting bulk rate. I wanted 18 lbs (makes 18 meals) he told me 20 lbs was bulk and I would get a $1 off a pound. I bought 20. I thought I was out of dinner sausage patties, I have enough for 6 months.  

I have wrote out what and how much. I will put it on excel sheet on computer and keep better track of it.

I have the heart flower garden replanted as all but one plant died off. I added bee balm to the pollinator gardens.

I planted all the " veggie plants" in the gardens. I still have seeds to plant, turnips, parsnips, rutabages,pumpkin, red kuri squash, baby butternut squash, onions, beans, beets, carrots, radishes, more lettuce etc. 

I have 624 spears of asparagus in the freezer, that is one package of 12 for a meal once a week. Snow peas are blooming, garden peas are starting to bloom. Strawberries are pink, blueberries are turning blue, blackberries and red raspberries are blooming. Rhubarb is growing some more. We have had lettuce and radishes from the gardens.

M sent over eggs twice in one week so she must be getting ran over herself.Since the kids are home as their school is out (they don't have parent teacher days or spring or Christmas breaks or bad weather days off though that one got changed because it's not good for the horses to be on icey roads). She's baking 6 loaves of bread a day plus pies, cakes and cookies. Not surprising as she is feeding 13 and I used 4 long sandwich loaves  per day myself for our family when the kids were home not counting the extra mouths at the table which was more often 12 of us at the table.

Two of our doctors have okayed OTC meds from Amazon. Just need to make sure the same ingredients and same amount of those ingredients are in the OTC. I saved close to $40 between us . 

Blessed Be

Stay safe

Prayers for peace and sanity

HEAVENS

 Daughter 4 bought this candle for me a couple years ago. 

We have had at least 2 medical appts a week for last 8 weeks. We have two this week and next then it should drop down to ever other week for chiro with a few 3 month or 6 month appts. We each had a doctor tells us we didn't need to schedule, if we need to come back in later to just call and make appt. The fuel costs for all the appts has been a budget buster for sure.

We have had bad storms every other week. So far we haven't had any bad damage other than 2 basement casement windows leaking and pump house drain was not draining like it should and a drain that runs to pond back flowing due to how much rain it's getting off barn and house. Hubby will be digging it up this coming week using the back hoe.It connects to the pump house also. 

I have 2 of the chest freezers defrosted. Veggies, fruit and beef have been inventoried. Tomorrow I will defrost and inventory the pork chest freezer.  I need meatloaf patties in the beef freezer. I ordered the ground beef from local butcher (who butchers for local farmers and buys their meat) and got $1 off a pound and I don't have to worry about recalls. That will leave the poultry freezer left to do and the small chest freezer in the barn to do.

I put over 600 spears of asparagus in the freezer plus a daily meal for 2 wks Asparagus is pretty much done. M came over and picked for 2 solid weeks for a meal daily for the 13 of them.

We got our first radishes. I broke down and bought a head of iceberg lettuce when I got milk for salads with the radishes. 

The blueberries, blackberries and strawberries are blooming. I should have different lettuces ready in a couple weeks if the weather stays decent and we don't get any frosts.I have most of the plants in the gardens, still need to plant seeds and finish planting flowers in pollenator gardens that had flowers die. 

We got the back taxes for 2012 paid off. 

We got a refund of school taxes, that will go over to savings to go to IRS.

I paid the first installment 3 wks early for the loan we took to pay the IRS for the taxes from the business closing. I noticed our credit score went up. I plan to not take the 12 months to pay this off but I want to make sure I have the propane paid for and enough in savings for emergencies before I pay it off. Mean time the extra money for it goes into saving at Ally. I think if I can pay it off late Sept early Oct would be great as Hubby's birthday is Oct .

I have the money in CDs for the propane. They mature in June. I hope Propane company (farmer's co op)runs the same deal they did last year, pay early in June, get a free fill of gas grill tank and discount of the amount you prepay for the propane. Depending on the price is what I will base how much we order. We have enough wood cut and stored for this coming winter. 

I watched the virtual annual meeting for electric co (another co op) and got $20 off bill for doing it, also got capital credit (share of profit) off the bill. So electric bill is $87 this month instead of $123. That difference will go over to installment loan savings. 

Hubby is still cutting wood for the winter. We were driving by one of the Amish he used to haul for and saw he had scrap blocks of wood in a pile. He stopped and they agreed to load our dump wagon full for $60. Our wagon hold just over 2 cords.That price is 1/4th of regular firewood. They don't make a mess since the bark is already off it.

He wants to replace roof on the wood shed next month. Materials are on site. He was going to do it this month but needs to fix a drain the runs from the barn and house to the pond that is causing the basement to get water through the casement windows. E and his boys will be helping and Hubby is getting a lift instead of using ladders.

I finally went to the grocery store, saved $51 and change, without COUPONS. ADD that I used to spend $200 every 2 wks (total of $800 for 8 wks)and still buy milk and bread between. I spent $300. to go 8 wks. That's $500 to go on loan.

I am still buying cereal. I've made some granola but it's too sweet for both of us. M is going to ask her mom as the granola she makes is not real sweet as she is diabetic. 

I plan to wait at least 8 wks before going for more than milk. 

Hubby likes the crunch wrap from Taco Bells and I like the Mexican pizza so instead of spending $20 for take out one time, I spent $20 to buy what I didn't have to make it at home. I can make 5 times for the same amount.

He also requested Baconator cheeseburgers (I can do that LOL) but with mozerella cheese sticks and jalapena poppers instead of fries. I picked up breaded mushrooms also.  I have over over 20 hamburger patties in the freezer so I won't need to buy that. 

I am going to prebake some pizza dough (using sour dough starter) and make sure I have precooked sausage, diced pepperoni and precooked bacon to replace the gas station pizza.  We both agreed we will do the once a month pizza from pizza shop as it's the pizza that we both grew up with. We usually do it on a Friday night or Saturday at lunch time as it will make 4 meals if not 5 as we add salad to the meal or raw veggies and dip.

I have been using sourdough starter for my bread, using hops flowers to help lighten it instead of yeast. I found I can make 2 loaves, take one after it's cooled and wrap in press and seal plastic wrap then foil and freeze it and it's fine two weeks later.We don't eat much bread and we don't like to eat the same bread all the time. Making bread for 2 can be a pain when neither of us are much of bread eaters but have doctors wanting us to get it in our diet healthy bread that is not white glue bread which I love. 

We are still having to use the furnace at night or when the days don't get above 65.Hubby has finally understood why I leave the west windows curtains open until the sun goes down behind the barn. Keeps the house warmer into the night. 

Blessed be

prayers for peace and sanity 

Stay safe

where is the money going?

I priced generic OTC meds that we were low on. Cheapest place was Amazon and got 6% back on my card for taking the later date of delivery besides saving at least 10% on each. I have been checking all the stores around us and Amazon to get the best price.

I bartared asparagus with neighbor for red rhubarb that I made into pie. 

I cut our green rhubarb for the freezer.

I have enough asparagus to have it once a week through the off season in the freezer. 

We put on long sleeves since it's turned cold again, actually have a freeze watch with is NOT normal for this area this time of year. A frost yes... a freeze no.I set the furnace to be 65 during the late morning/afternoon as I don't want to relight the wood stove.

Hubby found another Amish sawmill that was having issues getting rid of the leftover blocks. He is taking the wagon down this afternoon. It's a mix of hard wood and soft wood for half the price of other sawmill was charging for wood.

Peas that had sprouted took a hit with the cold spell last week. I doubt if they make but I won't replant them until late summer. Anything I can grow in spring I can grow in fall. If I planted them next week they would not make until after the heat hit and still won't be good.

Hubby has at least 2 medical appts each week for 5 more weeks.It's rough on the budget fuel costs. We do have the back state taxes paid in full. Now just have to pay off the IRS. THEN we can get back to paying extra on the mortgage.

I made sourdough starter 3 times before I got it to work. Felt bad until M told me she had the same issues. Finally got one loaf, not much rise but good. Added hops flower powder that another Mennonite suggested and got better rise. Shared the hops flower powder with M. 

Asked my aunt for her pie crust recipe as Daddy always said she had the best. Her husband laughed so hard he cried. She uses Pillsbury store bought crust and has for years. So much for that recipe being handed down.

I put money back for the propane, I checked to see what Ohio is running and it's about 70 cents more than last year per gallon. 

I've been fixing meals that we have leftovers for at least one more meal if not two. Gets warm (without freeze crap) I will start using the grill more.

We have been only going to grocery store for milk (1 loaf of bread when starter failed) and did a pick up of some odds and ends at Menards using rebate to pay for it. Hubby is allowed 1 chocolate candy bar with peanut butter on it.Better if I have him use our peanut butter with no added sugar than a certain candy bar where he eats four of the "cups"  Looking at you Reese's.

Hope everyone is fine and healthy.

Blessed be

prayers for peace and sanity

 

What a week!!!

 We helped with eclipse... that was low key for around here.

We helped Amish with funeral of young wife (thrown from car in car accident on way to a funeral out of state) No kids, her husband banged up pretty good. Driver now has reckless op, going way to fast around a curve and rolled car) and charges for the death. Husband is dealing with what to do about her greenhouses and how to run the home on his own.

WHILE setting up for the funeral (at their home and had almost 700 show up for the funeral) our Amish neighbor let us know her 19 yr old nephew cut his arm off using a notch machine (cuts notches in pallets so forklifts can lift pallet from any side). The notcher was jammed and instead of using the stick like he had been told repeatedly. He stuck his arm in it and it took his arm up to the elbow. Could not reattach. SIGH.

Dealt with the state taxes. No longer owe anything there. Got school taxes paid for the quarter. Will make first month payment on loan we got to pay off IRS for taxes from selling business equipment at profit. Have a year to pay it off but want to do it quicker BUT need to put propane money back first as it will come due before the final payment of the taxes will. Hubby is going to get more fire wood also.

E asked Hubby to move some large pieces of wood that his sawmill can't cut and he doesn't want for his fire wood. Hubby is going to cut it up for us since I use that type for when it's cool but still need the wood stove. He also reminded Hubby that he was going to fix the purple martin house and him and the boys to do the roof on the shed. He did not want to see either of us up on ladders

April bills and May's mortgage is paid so nothing is due until the 7th of May.

Bought new deep freezer. Small one is almost 15 yrs old and with our luck figured it would go out. We found this one for half the price of an 18 cubic. It's 21 cubic plus 2 doors. We brought it home on our trailer so no delivery charge.

I already have 52 meals of asparagus in it.  It will be fruit and veggies freezer which will let me move the poultry into the house freezer.

Yes, asparagus is in. I let M know the kids can start picking for them as they only do fresh eating of it. E doesn't like pickled asparagus.

My rhubarb is trying to flower (I take them off so the rest will still grow). M gave me a bunch so I can make pie.

Peas and snow peas have broke ground with radishes and turnips.

I inventoried the pantry, wrote out what I have, how much and what I need.

Will do the same with the freezers as I defrost them and move fruits and veggies to new freezer and poultry to the house.

Spent some time with M talking of the struggles of making ends meet, sourdough starter not making and just the daily trying of do things more frugal and dealing with the death and accident.

We had almost 5 inches of rain 2 weeks ago and almost 3 inches this past week. Hubby mowed as he put "made hay" as rain is in forecast and the grass is over 5 inches tall. Raked up the front yard and tossed it into E's pasture. Horses love him.😀. 

We talked about winter squash. I lost about half last year due to temps bouncing and they got too warm. I want to turn basement ramp into a root cellar also can  freeze some with the new freezer. We decided to leave so "weeds" in some of the old potato beds as the bees were loving the flowers. The rest of the beds I will either plant squash in or he will get rid of.

We talked about potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic and onions... all that I bought from the one that died. I usually get my flowers from her also. Her 2 workers are going to run the green house this spring so I will still get my flowers but most likely will shut it down after that as she was doing more of produce in the summer and fall and had told her husband she wasn't doing that this year any more.   He is not sure what he is going to do right now as they had talked about building a smaller home on the farm and letting one of the nephews take over it since they have no kids and looking at age 41 and what to do if one died before the other. Everyone told him to just wait on making choices. His family and hers are close by plus his sisters married her brothers. We checked on him yesterday, he was helping his brother in law with tearing down the old barn and planned today to rebuild it. Said he will have gotten 4 meals, 2 loaves of bread, a pie and cookies. Really needs everyone to stop trying to feed him unless it's breakfast. He's already found he hates cooking breakfast and doesn't care for oatmeal. Hubby told him boiled eggs and what ever pie would be decent. All the guys laughed. M said she would boil him 2 dozen and take him rhubarb pie when we told her. 

I watched our electric co annual meeting (they only do virtual) and earned a $20 credit on the next bill.

We went to chiro, then to Hubby's ENT appt. He only needs to go back if he starts losing his voice or speaking constantly low. He had to finish his voice therapy as they found he does not speak using his diaphragm like you are suppose to.  She told him speaking using his throat only will cause him to damage it and lose his voice completely.  Our primary already said he would renew the nasal spray for his allergies so we don't even have to go back for that. We then shopped at Menards, 11% rebate plus what we needed was on sale on top of the rebate. We ate out using a gift card that we almost forgot about and came home. Said several trips by combining them even though it wears us both out.

I did not go to grocery store. Will have to pick up milk this week.

Hubby had voice therapy, a Ham Radio meeting and a drop off of Ham Radio trailer they used during eclipse. He made it so he did it all on the way to his voice therapy so he wasn't over lapping, using more fuel. 

We have turned off the furnace during the day and only turn it on low at night. Still to cool in house without it completely. But we haven't even used 1% for this month by doing it that way.

Hope everyone is safe.

Prayers for peace 

Blessed be

 

Preparing for the Eclipse.

 Our local news showed you could use a pasta strainer (not mesh). I had a flat grater and Hubby decided to see if it would work. You just hold it (or strainer) out (do not look at sun) and see the " sun" pass over the holes, when the eclipse occurs, the spots where the sun shows through will become dark instead of light. 

Hubby is working Ham Radio at the sherrif dept 3rd shift. I will probably have to say something to him about taking a nap. He is installing his Ham Radio that usually is in house in his truck and has his hand held for back up depending on if he is responding to a problem.  A lot of people don't realize that the area could run out of fuel, water, ER and Urgent care over ran and trash dumped, people using yards for potty, no place to stay and traffic jams are in the forecast. Think of a major sports event or concert and instead of a city being jammed it's the whole freaking state. National guard is on stand by. 

Hubby came home this morning, dealt with humidifer and put some wood in stove and went to bed. When he worked 3rd shift at factory he didn't go to bed until noon and was up at 4 then napped at 6:30 to time to go to work.  I told him I would wake him at 4 pm if he wasn't awake.

He said people were coming in that had reservations at motels and was topping off their cars (motels actually posted it on their doors and at check it to make sure they top off before Monday, to have snacks and water with them. Hubby is topping off his truck daily.

Update of 2024 goals

 

Hubby sold the motorcycle.( Money going for tax payment) With his neuropathy, he struggles to hold the bike up. It's too big for me. I told him after we get taxes paid off, and rebuilding savings. Have money back for replacing Silverado. We would look at a trike. I can handle a trike (son2 has one) and if he couldn't handle it for what ever reason, I could still take us out on the bike. He calmed down. It's hard for him to lose things he enjoyed and I understand that with my cerebral palsy in day to day issues. Like today I couldn't use the stairs on the front porch as my leg didn't want to lift and hold me, I had to use the ramp... which is why we have a ramp. I've dealt with it all my life, he is just now facing limits.  I immediately cancelled the insurance on it. Our agent let me know it was cancelled. 

Pay extra on Mortgage... not happening like we planned but we have made 10 EXTRA payments in 4 months. That might be all we can do until taxes and rebuild savings is done.

3 months emergency savings, We had it, now we are down to less than 1 again. Still moving things around to pay monthly on taxes.

Hubby called State tax as they have an assessement on us from 2012... we were in Ch 13 bankruptcy (slow pay). They sent it to the Attorney General office as the bankruptcy court should have filed a dismiss and didn't. Still waiting to see if we owe it and what amount. Hubby called back today, spoke to same lady and she was going to push for an answer. He told her he would call back next week on Tuesday. 

My mending day is floating. Everytime Hubby has 4 clothes to be mended I will do mending.

Eat healthier. Even the few times we have ate out, we chose places that we will eat heathier. 

I am inventorying the pantry (not freezers) to know what I need to put up this year to go a good solid 12 months if not 18 months. Readjusting what I am growing and what I will buy.

Instead of a small green house, I got a vegepod. I have to bend over which can be an issue but it's on the deck so Hubby can go harvest if needed.

In growcart I started tomatoes, herbs, and cabbages. I did not do brussels sprouts or bell peppers. Amish grower said said she should have some to sell me as she grows them for herself.

I replaced elderberry bushes and 3 peonies *if this crappy weather doesn't kill them*. I have not found roses I want to plant to replace the 2 that died. I have strawberries to plant .

I moved the tiger lilies to the north flower garden. I have not moved the daylilies.

I have sunflower seeds to plant , daffoilds showed up in veggie garden, I will moved them later but didn't get any tulips.

We haven't framed the puzzle we finished or worked on any more. Hubby is focused on next year's wood.

Project list is low man on totem pole though I did ask for the basement ramp tarp door to be installed before Aug so I can set that area up for a "cellar" like I had growing up. Would help with root veggies and squashes.

Major grocery shopping has went from once a month to once every other month. I am buying milk and this week added 10 lbs of potatoes from cash on hand. I was only going to get 5 lbs of potatoes as I have a few left but it was $5.99 for 5 lb. and $6.99 for 10 lbs. Just means we need to eat more potatoes.

Sweet potato did not produce slips. SIGH.  We decided against planting regular potatoes as we only ate about half of what we grew and lost the rest. I will have budget for buying them.

 Last fill for propane on prebuy acct is April 30th. We don't need a refill so the company moved our credit from propane to the gasoline and diesel fuel we had delivered. No cash out of pocket but I will have to save up more for the propane. I told Hubby that I was moving the fuel money we had saved to savings (not for tax payment) so I wrote it on paper to remind myself of that. I can pay in June and get a discount or pay normal time of August. It's going to depend on where the savings is.

Hubby is working the eclipse. He is a HAM radion operator and retired EMT. He has worked with Home Land Security for decades. He will be working 12 hr. Night shifts. He was trying to figure out how to do that until I just told him he went back to the factory.  He stopped and looked at me then laughed. Yeah, that is exactly how it was as he worked 3rd shift and was gone for 12 hrs with drive time. No pay but he feels good about being helpful for community, that's enough.He decided to cut more wood today. Would like to have all the wood on site dealt with before end of May to make sure he has enough. Since E just dragged this up to add to the 8  cords we already have...

I would guess we might have close to enough for next fall/winter.

Got to work on finance budget and inventory pantry

Stay safe 

Prayers for peace and sanity

Blessed be

taxes...

 Daughter 4 has been hit with owing federal taxes from 2022...  I told her to call IRS immediately and talk to them about it. She's okay with doing that. My thought was she can't seem to get a break and hold on to it.

The credit card we put the federal taxes allowed me to change the due date to after our Social Security comes in. Which is nice as I won't have to transfer from savings to checking and back. 

We got an assessment from State for taxes 2012. Yes you read the date correctly. I sent message to state asking why since we were in chapter 13 bankruptcy... they come back for us to contact Ohio Attorny General bankruptcy dept. Hubby did that and found out the court didn't file the dismissal of taxes which is normal when in Ch 13 and the court gives you an allowence to live on (normal 5 yrs, we had it paid off in 3 1/2 yrs) SO one of the lawyers in the Attorney General's office is looking to see what can be done NOW. We are to call back middle of next week to get the answer. 

Just to make sure we don't owe school taxes like we did this year. I increased the estimation our tax preparer had for us for quarterly payments. I also sent by registered mail with signature required to pay off 2023 school taxes.

We have 2 projects that need a bit of stuff to finish so we are SAVING those amounts. Hubby spent yesterday researching the costs. We think we can have it saved by summer. I think this money will come from grocery budget.

We are eating from the pantry/freezers.  I brought up a carton of shelf stable milk from pantry. I need to use this regularly so it doesn't go bad. I am trying to only buy milk every other Tuesday when we are doing errands. I use dry milk for cocoa mix in the winter. Had a friend that had shelf stable milk for 5 yrs, he kicked his butt for not using it, said the house smelled for a week because he opened it... It's only good 6-12 months in a cool dry place. I might push 18 months but never 5 yrs.

I made sourdough bread that was way to heavy for us. I am trying a different sourdough bread to see if it's better... I can always go back to the one we have used from the Bread Bible. It's kind of a sourdough yeast mix.

I usually use the grocery budget to buy plants during this time of year. I already used some from last year to order replacement strawberries and mortgage lifter tomato plants. I want (might not happen) to have 4 to 6 flower hanging baskets that are favored by hummingbirds. My hummingbird feeders are out as I saw male today. 

 Hubby needs to lose 25 lbs in 5 months. I pulled out from basement the plates we used when he was 300 lbs (thanks to eating out nightly in Alabama while working on the Honda plant) and went down to 225. lbs. He wasn't happy when I pointed out he has to quit snacking at 7-8 pm and going straight to bed even though the snack is less than 500 calories AND some what healthy (okayed by 3 of his doctors), not a bowl of potato chips. I saw the look on his face. I told him to have that snack either mid morning or mid afternoon when he is still moving and he is okay with that. I will make a point of making sure he does do that and to make sure we have a balanced meal at supper and not just a sandwich which is common this time of year. Actually we had to track his calories. Doctor said he has actually put himself into starvation mode and needs to increase his calories by 1000 calories as the work he does burns closer to 3290 calories. I wasn't shocked but he was. You just can't do the work we do and eat what little amount he does as I out eat him most days but I have went to grazing with my Crohn's  which is now in full remission !!!.

Got to take Charlotte for her evening walk and play time. Hubby has stove duty LOL

Prayers for safety and sanity 

Blessed Be

how we save money every month.

 When we moved here, the first year it cost us $14000 a month. Six years later with mortgage the same payment it's half that. With the tax hit we just got, I will have to cut it even more

Scrap wood...I can use about half to a whole one in one day if weather is on cool side like around 40.

Day wood, burns about 3 hrs. 

We call these chunkies. They will extend an fire about 2 hrs long more than usual time frame.

This is night wood. Average burn is 3-4 hrs. Sometimes 5 hrs depending on the wood and curing.

This is how we save money. Yes it's a lot of work, hard work. BUT we saved about $5,000 on propane keeping the home WARMER than propane. We only buy about 1/3rd of the propane now for the kitchen stove, water heater and pump house heater for winter.

I do use the wood stove in winter for cooking and baking. I use the grill ( get free refill when I order and pay early for propane for the year), air fryer and microwave during the rest of the time. I fry my eggs on the propane stove... I am picky.

We have a septic tank and leach bed. I use ridx once a month to keep it "healthy" I have to have it pumped every 4 yrs instead of 3 and according to our pump guy he says it due to using ridx. I buy it in bulk to get the lowest price. We do not pay for water as we have a cistern and deep well. Deep well is on electric but does run about 1 wk. a month on solar panels. There is a $3 difference between on solar and on electric. We thought it would be more than that. We do have a water softener. $33/month. They deliver the salt and put it in the tank which is why we got them because I couldn't lift the bags at that time now I really don't want Hubby carrying 12 bags of 40 lbs of salt from the front of the house to the basement.

We pay for trash... $53/ every 3 months. 6 kitchen trash bags is allowed a week. I have used the 25 lbs dog food bags for trash bags and taped them shut. Hubby has used the 2 cubic garden soil bags for trash bags in barn. Our township takes recycling once a month for free... except of the fuel to drive there. It's 2 miles way so not far. I use a separte trash can for that. Anything that is paper or cardboard is burned in burn barrel which is then dumped in compost pile in the fall.

All lights are LED but still we only use task lighting or oil lamps (Hubby takes Amish to go get barrels of mineral oil for lamps).  We spend $5 a month for it. I have found when we don't use the oil lamps the electric will go up at least $20 a month.I do have over head lights in kitchen. BUT try to do all meal prep when I have sun light. Same when canning or dehydrating food. I will use Christmas candles with LED for night lights. I unscrew about half of the bulbs.

We have internet and land line (our cell numbers would route the 911 call to another area we no longer live it) It's the most reliable in this area and mid range on price. The home behind us does hot spot... their bill runs close to $300 every month. Ours is $108.

We have straightalk unlimited for our phones. It's the only service I found that worked going through mountains in traveling to Georgia and Hocking hills. I've had service when 3 of my kids with BRAND names services couldn't talk to each other on phone was only 5 miles apart from each other. 

We just rechecked our farm, motorcycle and car ins. It's good price and service as we have had them since 2006. Farm insurance is always more expensive than house insurance.

We rechecked everything to make sure we had the best price and good quality. 

I woke up hearing crackling sound

 thought something was on fire (and not the stove). It was freaking grapple (frozen snow pellets) hitting the windows.

Now I am wide awake. 

We are attending a classmate reunion this evening, about 4 times a year whom ever can gets together at a local restaurant. We have had about 30 % of our classmates die in 47 yrs. Health issues is main cause of most. 

We are burning what we call crap wood... bits and pieces that most just toss in bonfire by handfulls. Hubby put all of it in pots as he was cutting and cleaning up the area the timber was laying. I call them nursery pots since trees were in them, Hubby calls them stock pots as the farmers use them to have water in pastures for animals. We have about 10 of them that he has filled as he cut and split wood. I can burn it during the day when I am in house, as it will burn about an hour and need more but it saves the split wood for next winter and cleans the wood cutting area he has. I can use a whole pot in one day if  it's on the cold side like today, other wise it might go a day and half.

I wrote out recipes of making self rising flour, self rising cornmeal, 2 ingredient biscuits and White Lily biscuits on scrap paper and taped it to the inside of my Hoosier cabinet door.  I also wrote out how to making baking powder without cream of tartar. 

I started sourdough starter. We don't really like a strong sourdough but I thought I would try smaller amount.I also got recipes to use it from M and a website called iamahomesteader.com. She had soft pretzel recipe( that's imabaker.com I think) and Hubby really likes that type of pretzel. I had to sit the starter in the front room on the desk as the kitchen is too cool for it. It needs at least 70℉. Did first feeding today (Saturday)

Had my check up for being in hospital this week. It was noted that my heart meds increase sugar levels (isn't that nice) and now doc understands why my sugar (Prediabetes)  is always up knowing I don't eat that much sugar or carbs that would turn to sugar. He is talking to a cardologist to decide wheither to take me off completely (he had talked about it a couple times) as my BP is staying decent or change what I am on.. My EKG came back good.Liver count will be on next blood work because they gave me meds in hospital that could increase that. I already had  hepatitis as a child and I have heart disfunction (failure depending on what doctor I am seeing). Told me to increase my cruciferous veggies, I already do that as that is broccoli, cabbage etc.

We adjusted our OTC meds after our blood work while talking to our doctor. Hubby is now on Co Q-10 and green tea extract as he won't drink the green tea besides vitamin. I am on Co Q-10, resveratrol (looking to raise that up to get rid of statin and it has green tea extract) biotin (temporary due to covid hair loss) and my vitamins. Results will lower OTC costs by $24/ year.   Hubby's ENT has him using OTC stuff for his throat. I found it on sale for half price so go a year's supply.