winter weather forecast

 

FREAKING COLD  according to Wooly worm LOL.

For the last 4 days I've been battling my health... it's not been a good year with my health.Since I start our budget, changes of diet etc in the fall, I decided to change my meds which is over counter. 

My kid, the one that refuses to take any meds called  and told me she was taking masadena cold extract 3600 mg montmorency tart cherry from Traverse Michigan and her inflammation and BP was down.  HUMMM side note here... She works in the medical field and knows that prescription meds to lower your inflammation can actually hurt your heart.  She is the only one that eats pretty healthy, no soda or chips, no booze or fast food etc. Eats lots of veggies etc.Said she hadn't had any issues to speak of with her cerbral palsy... which I have also. I asked her to repeat what she said. Went back to Amazon and ordered what she said to order masadena, cold extract, 3600 mg..certificate of analasy *bad spell*. Told me to order enough for 3 months, if it isn't making a difference in 2 months she would pay me for the costs and take the 3rd bottle. Also told me to not wait for shipping to get points (she knows me, to have it shipped NOW) It should be here by Saturday.

Going into winter with high inflammation already is depressing, Hubby asked what I had changed.... Going back and looking... I didn't order the sour cherries from Michigan that I get through the Amish store this year. I don't add sugar to them when I can them, I add honey when I use them usually.  AND THOUGHT why didn't I order them... because I got sweet cherries from another store  SIGH. 

Blessed BE 

Up dates

 Son 2 found his dizziness and falling is NOT from his heart but from a medication issues. Cardo doctor caught it as his wife has the same issue. Ran testing that had decent results. Needs to cut the sodium back more. He is only retaining water in his FEET.

Had to put his cat to sleep, pretty sure she had cancer and was starting to not walk. Hard but necessary.He lost his other cat last year *cancer, both cats were over 20 yrs old. 

Freaking cold at night... mid 50s to low 60s so cleaed the wood stove. Wood on porch .Low got down to 39 last night.

We got coal $390/ ton, Elder Amish asked if we could pick up his for him also since he no longer trust the other person to go get it. Paid us upfront. Coal is going up to $450 plus a ton. Now both households have 6 tons and for the lower price.

Monday we took the wagon to get more blocks.We already paid that so that's take care of.

We will order fuel, gas and diesel next week as the company thinks it will go down some more. We could wait until Nov as we are not out.

We got mineral spirits for our oil lamps. Hubby mentioned they seemed to burn a bit brighter.

Peas have developed pods and they are starting to fill out. SO Fingers crossed they make before a freeze.

I have one more shelving unit to declutter in freezer room  when I get over this flu and then I can start in the bucket room which is really putting buckets back, putting drawers back in Daddy's dresser and moving mixes back in the cabinet (after I write down what is there so I don't buy more). The pantry room won't be bad as I didn't move any of it but the buckets are sitting in there so I am crawling over buckets to get to fruit and veggies jars LOL.

We have stocked up on stuff as it came on sale, coffee, tea OTC meds, rice,etc... will need to stock up on the sugar... 

Leather gloves for the wood for both of us as the wood found the holes in the finger tips. 😉

We have the money invested to pay the meat bill. Pork is coming in Nov/Dec Beef is coming in Dec/Jan. He tries to give a 2 wk break between them.

Now we have to decide of paying extra on the mortgage, saving money that we spent on basement and having the savings back up or split the money between the mortgage and the saving.... SIGH.

Prayers for all 

Blessed be

AND HERE WE GO... Mortgage

 We signed a 30 yr loan on 3/10/21. SOOOO payoff was set for 2051.

I have it paid down to 15 years left.

Goal is to pay it off before Social Security is forecasted to be cut. I can not afford truck payment, medigap coverage and the house payment on WHEN we get that cut in income. THEN we will pay off the truck.It's due to get paid off in 2031 anyways.

Side benefit of NOT going to the store as often it that $ can go to the mortgage. Electric bill dropped $1... I put it on the mortgage.

Saved $17 on groceries... went on mortgage. Truck ins went down as we don't put the miles on it like we used to, it went on the mortgage. Found change went in a jar, once a month I deposited it and sent it to the mortgage.

 We will be restocking the coal (last winter right before a storm our 94 yr old Amish guy came and asked to buy some of our coal. His English driver got sick and couldn't go get his coal, Hubby took a ton to him and told him to just replace it as we still had 4 tons, we got it back 2 weeks later), night time wood (Hubby was just given another tree truck so he thinks we will have enough and all cured for over a year, for this year) He wants another wagon of day wood blocks just incase.

We need creosote remover for the wood stove.

We need softener salt for water softener.We buy it twice a year.

 Sidewalk salt (pet safe) for this winter. 

Diesel, gas and mineral spirits (AKA lamp oil) are needed

We will have lawmover maintainence done this fall when the dealership has their discount. Gives them work during the slow winter months and everyone starts the mowing season with mowers ready. In the early summer we do it with the garden clippers and chainsaws.

I have enough fertilizer for the gardens.

Have a great week.

Blessed Be

AS I put the basement back together

I am inventoring what we have in the pantry.

We bounced figures around, asked some homesteaders/Amish etc. and found there was areas we forgot often causing runs to the store. We want a very small list for what is needed for the store run.

First changes.... going back to baking our own bread, pies, cakes, cookies, brownies, bagels, English muffins, cupcakes, muffins etc FROM SCRATCH. I always did it when we had the 6 (usually 12 as they all had friends in) kids. Fudge at Christmas.

Adding soup and casseroles to the meal rotation more often. One suggest to use the left over casserole as the base of the soup. Hubby's first thought was scalloped potatoes and ham to potato soup, then I added a 3rd round of adding corn to turn it to corn chowder. Little House on the Praire actually talked of them eating "drinking" the bean broth as round one and then making Boston bake beans for the next round. It was in the book about the long hard winter I think.

I need to restock my butter, yes I use the real thing. I will get 30 lbs in the freezer. I probably have 15  but I need to restock the frig 1st. I go through at least 60 lbs a year between baking and regular eating.

 I'm low on oats that is the Amish bulk store.

I need 1825 pints of veggies and fruits for ONE year. YES we eat 5 a day. Yes I have that right now between canned, frozen and dehydrated. BUT I will need to refill that from the gardens. I know peas and corn will be almost out or out completely in the spring.

So I need to make sure I plant successionly to cover that.

I need to buy 90 lbs of sugar. I am down to 30 lbs. I have honey, maple syrup, molasses, boiled apple cider and ,sorghum.

I might have to get some of the dried fruit as Hubby likes it in granola, cooked oats,cookies, muffins and vanilla bean Greek yogurt that he wants weekly.

I will focus on what the staples are and then figure out the extras.

We need about 1500 to 3000 sq ft for a garden for that amount of food. Succession gardening will be a NEED.  SO I NEED to check my seeds this fall to make sure I have enough to plant. I have the area, do need to start new strawberry patch. 

Meat wise, beef and pork (except smoked sausage links) are already ordered and will almost carry us 18 months.

Chicken and Turkey will be as they come on sale. I would love a deal like Krogers had last year before Thanksgiving of turkeys at 59 cents per pound. I bought 6, cooked 1 for Tday, shoved one in deep freezer for this year and canned the rest.

While growing up, we ran out of food in Feb. I never could understand why my parents didn't just dig up more of the back yard. No one in are area was doing succession gardening. Later as an adult they said they wanted the yard because they only had gardens and no yard to play in as a child.Mom always stretched the tax refund and Daddy's Christmas bonus to cover us until March when she could pick wild greens etc. Beans were on the table every day.

Grandpa raised potatoes for a cash crop, Daddy paid full price of $5 for 100 lbs. No discount for the family. Now I am paying $8 for 10 lbs if I am lucky.

Blessed Be

 

LORD GIVE ME STRENGTH.

Storms rolling through daily, sometimes all night and all day. Means Charlette is a walking basket case and I am a zombie from exhaustion. 

Both of us worn out. She did sleep decent today... as the storm that was to come in DID NOT. Supposed to get the next T storms at midnight SO, Vet said to give her 2 of what we have at 9/ 9:30 so it is already working. He is putting her on meds 3 times a day until these storms quit rolling through day after day. His own dog is on the same meds.

Good news BASEMENT has remained DRY.  I have 2 large shelfing units to declutter in freezer room, one has paper products and vaccum seal supplies.... those will be moved out of that area and I will put canning items there as I lost space due to sump pump. I can put a roll cart in from of the escape window.I haven't figured out the bucket room or pantry room. Pasta/ dehydrated foods is being debated on going to loft or staying in basement but WILL be put over into BUCKETS.

Got all the new buckets and gamma lids washed and dried.

Waiting for the peas to make, they bloomed.

Cleared gardens  except for the wax beans to dry for soup beans and the KY wonder beans and purple beans to finish drying on the vine for next year's seeds.

Hubby said he was leaving the beds that had the wild flowers and tulips until next spring for the small animals. I am leaving the berry vines for same reason. I will prune in Feb.

Will have to start new strawberry beds. 

I ordered some new clothes as the ones I am wearing are so big on me that I am safety pinning them or should be moved to paint clothes. I haven't bought much clothers in 10 yrs.

 

Basement done

 Did have to get a 4 ft step ladder to go out through the window, but the egress it's self has built in steps Now to figure out how to set it up. Freezer room  is now 5-10 degrees warmer since that window lets in the southern sunlight. 

Labor day... Update on Son 2

 Yes we are working the farm LOL. We do take Sundays as the day of rest.

Hubby is harvesting the apples. Some for frig for desserts this week, some for cider and the rest goes to E's pigs.

I found another cookbook, Super Easy Dry Mix Pantry Cookbook... I have most of the dry ingredients so after we get the basement back together I will put it together to see if that lowers the take out orders.

Son 2 is tired of medical personal coming daily (he's a loner). They have figured out his O2 drops down into the 30s (should be around 100) but comes back up on its own within a few minutes. Causes dizzy spells and sometimes falls. Happened when one of the medical personal was there and he had his O2 meter in his pocket. Has 4 nurses doing house therapy and there are 3 of us calling him a different times to do check has several appts in the next 30 days. Hubby is driving him to them. Since we are now at only 1 truck, means I can't go somewhere when Hubby is taking him. Charlotte got upset she wasn't getting a ride... so Hubby takes us around the block(abut 4 miles) when he come home from those appts. 😅

Life Changes

 March 10th 2018 we bought this farm for a half of million..Thirty year loan. Not what I wanted but Hubby missed farming. I insisted NO farm animals. Looking at being 60, I didn't want to be dealing with 4:30 am( I am up and down all night with Charlotte that is giving our youngest a run for the money of getting me up more than the now 42 yr old) and evening duties. He was okay with that. We planned to raise most of our veggies, a couple years later we added berries. 

IN 2021, interest dropped to half so I talked Hubby into refinancing. BUT still a 30 yr loan.  BUT I had the debt down to $350 K. So between the first loan and second we were looking at 34 yrs of loan total.

Hubby wants it paid off by March 2031.I already have it paid down to Oct. 2041.I figured it up and kept my mouth shut on how tight the budget would be until he told me WHY.

Social Security is forecasted to run out in 2032, the year the truck is paid off. I don't want to use MY $$ from my late dad to pay off the house, but to cover emergency expenses that Hubby never thought of...like a pto hose on tractor that just broke or the $17000 on the basement repair or the blowed drain to the county drain that runs across 2 acres from the barn to the county pipe.

So where to cut???

Buy 2 tons coal we  had not been firm on and add it to the wood especially at night or when we go away, to make the wood stove heat last longer. We should have enough coal to go 3 years.That will stretch the wood supply AND make it easier for Hubby. The heat this summer has been too high for him to be cutting wood.  He's commented daily he is behind on that...like looking out by the fence between us and E and seeing 2 large tree trunks that still need cut up for winter wood wouldn't clue me in on that.

Get wood scraps (sometimes free) and blocks from Amish sawmill. Less than $1000 for a years worth of heat. I use the wood scraps to take the chill off the house. Some call it the shoulder months. That would be there early fall and late spring.

Get mineral spirits for oil lamps to keep electric down. Open curtains for light.

I got the propane already for the other cook stove, instant hot water heater, pump house heater and the furnace.Saved $1/gallon($500 total) by ordering and prepaying early and got the grill tank filled for free. What ever we don't use will be transferred to the following year. Got the amount down from 2200 gallons first year we lived here to 225 gallons this past winter.

Called our insurance agent for house and trucks. Got rid of 1 truck, not easy to adjust to that. But it dropped ins some about $200/month , didn't change coverage on farm.

Saved $$ for meat we will have come in this late fall. I put it in Ally CDs so getting some interest also.KEEPS hands off it also instead of the mental thought "I can save it up again".

Reread some cookbooks for frugal basic dishes that have disappeared through the years. A lot of Amish do one in the oven, one on stove top and one from the shelf (pickles, fruit etc) for their lunch and suppers. One told me she makes a casserole one day, left over casserole is made into soup for the lunch the next day. Oatmeal, potatoes and eggs with bread is most mornings unless they do a bfast casserole.M has 14 in the family, she does scrambled eggs with a little meat if any is left over from the night before serves it with oatmeal and bread most mornings. Bfast is at 5:30 after chores. Their day starts at 4:30 A.M. and ends around 9-no later than 10 at night. She averages $200 a month for groceries that they can't raise theirself like sugar 

Found a recipe book called One skillet that has several recipes we already have to stuff for. Made note of that to focus on using what we have. 

Decided to can most of the meat we have coming in late fall/early winter. So checked if I needed lids or jars. Don't need either. Should have enough to can it. 

FYI,  I use about 10,000 canning jars a year.I did a order through ULine during the pandemic, ordered a semi load, shared the order with some of the Amish. BEST thing I did and the jars were half of what store costs was if you could even find them.

I ordered food grade buckets with Gamma lids to change pasta and dried fruit to buckets and free up qrt jars. Debated on that one but Hubby has tremors and had dropped a couple glass jars when getting dried fruit. 

Goals for Sept.

Get the basement pantry back together. Should be finished Tuesday and then have to let cement cure before moving shelving units back in.

Make list of what is needed, looking at changing from 18 month supplies to at least 2 yrs./2 1/2 yrs.

Soup at least once a week. Take eating out or ordering down to once a month.

Update vaccines

Add more wood/coal to supply

Order bulk softener salt delivery. 

Get more mineral spirits for oil lamps

Clear the gardens and finish dehydrating...cabbages, kale, onions, celery, carrots. ETC.

Separate shelfstable foods from rest, have in another area or at least shelving unit.

Straighten and update medical supplies.

Start the deep cleaning.

Find a place to store what we want to get rid of during township sping clean up day.

Back in to routine of dropping off donations *not sitting at the front door for WEEKS.

Go through the garden supplies and seeds. Make list before the catalogs start coming in. 

That might go through October. My fibromyagia is playing with my cerebral palsy and it's not a nice time.

Stay safe, 

LORD GIVE ME STRENGTH.

 Hubby's HAM radio computer went bad, my computers (both finance and social media) are struggling. Son2 and I both need new phones which means Hubby's phone is right behind us. We use Straightalk. This is NOT the time to replace anything incase we need extra $$ to fix basement. They weren't sure how much it would be to tie the drain/sump pump to the existing drain.But gave a ball park price for the estimate. IF hubby uses our tractor to dig up where the drain is, we get money off for that.

Had a drain pipe from barn blow in middle of side yard. Had to fix that. It drains to the county .

I didn't pick wax beans were still a bit on green side, decided to let them go to seed and use them as soup beans as they are NOT heirloom

Hubby thinks the purple beans have went to seed, they are heirloom. Not sure if I can even get to them with how the garden is flooded. KY wonder pole beans, Heirloom I planted for next seeds for next year,.

Melons cracked open and rotted. We had 4 friends say they lost entire gardens. Amish have said their tomatoes were mushy and potatoes and onions,one lost 300 onion, several lost sweet corn during wind storm. E our Amish neighbor said his corn Dented on some of the late corn he planted. Glad I got from the 1st and 2nd planted.

I finished corn yesterday. Normally I would say 2 gallons(aka 2 months) short but we decided if we got corn to eat for the next couple weeks we would be fine. I have corn on cob for for this week already. 

Hubby has gained too much weight, I've lost too much...Doc breathing fire over Hubby but told me to not worry.Meantime my clothes hang on me LOL

We are changing the meal plans to go back to "eating our colors" . 

Hubby wants to change somethings to save more $$ to pay off house. SIGH.

 

6 inches of rain in past week.Getting some almost daily even after they forecasted we would have a drought this summer... that sure has not happened here.

Charlotte has anxiety with storms so almost nightly I am up with her. Med will only work if taken 2 hrs BEFORE the storm... Like I am up watching to see if it will storm in our area??? or even when it doesn't forecast it we get it??? She does better if we are sleeping on floor in bathroom so I made a pallet like my Daddy did when he was a kid and the only boy.Last night she started in her chair in the bedroom, then nosed me to go to the bathroom with her, then went outside (gentle rain by then) and then to the laundry room to curl up on the pallet I use to stand on to get clothes off the bottom of the washer (yes I am short). She woke me up at 4 and I told her to LAY DOWN. Hubby was making coffee and went outside to laugh as he knew that would trigger her into pushing for me to get up. 

Roma beans canned and pulled, Cucumbers canned at relish, next batch will be pickles, ,tomatoes never did well so Hubby is pulling them this week. I have wax beans and purple beans (turn green when cooked/canned) to finish canning and pulling. KY wonder beans to can and the rest of them can dry for sowing next year. Have watermelon, honeydew melon and cantaloupe to harvest and freeze. Cabbages to harvest.

I haven't been out today to check on the new patch of peas. I know they are up. 

E stopped this morning to tell me the next 5 dozen ears of corn will be in on Friday morning around 8. Said water is still standing in our garden along with his about to his calf of his leg. So I might not get much more from the gardens. The pantry shelves are full,most of the freezers are full. I need to get them down by late fall when the meat comes in.

My cell phone will no longer run about half of my apps. Debating on wheither to buy a new phone or just delete the apps and use computer only.

Calling Son2 three times a day to remind him to take meds.He has to eat when he takes them. He still is not able to stand to cook. VA is starting a home help of 9 hrs a week in Sept. on top of medical checking in with him every other day.Kind of pushes him as he has always been a hermit when at home. 

Hope every one is doing good, healthy and find something that makes them happy daily. 

LIKE A NAP  LOL 

CRABBY BUTT ALERT

 Son 2 is now home from hospital with heart issues. 

Hubby is hauling him to doctor appts as he can't get into truck on his own and I can't lift twice my weight. He doesn't live where VA will pick him up and transport him. Ten years ago they did, now they don't even though he is within 20 miles of a base. WHAT EVER. Not even 44 and has had a heart attack that was missed because it's not common at that age even though family history shows heart failures before 30.

Got another round of peas that just came up. Hope they make more than 4 cups like the last 16 ft of peas did.

Got sweet corn from neighbor. Will get another round of it probably next week. I have enough right now to have corn every other week if I don't get more. 

Tomatoes are not doing good even if they come on. Might just pull them and get some from the Amish.

Requested blood work to figure out why I am so tired, not counting Charlotte getting me up through the night... I am anemic. SIGH.

We have the $$$ to pay for the basement foundation wall to be fixed. OUCH, but glad we didn't need to take a loan out. 

We have the $$ pay for the meat coming in this late fall.

We have the $ to pay taxes if we end up owing.

I am now figuring out how to save more to pay extra as we want the house paid off before Social Security takes a cut.

I hate my house being disorganized because half of the pantry is now in my front room so not in way of work that will be done in basement. 

I hate doing the budget shuffle.

CRAB CRAB CRAB 😕

a moment

 The "trimmers" as Hubby calls the bunnies along with the surprise lilies that are down the entire side of the house mixed in wild thisles.

one day at a time.

 This is Bailey, Son2's cat.  She's 20 yrs old. She is so freaking small.

Both Hubby and I are trying to deal with all that is going on (kid sick, kid laid off, kid hours cut, kid rent went up etc.  and then this morning E was over to tell us his one son might be going in to lock jaw as he had a nail go through his boot and he didn't say anything about it going into his foot. He's taking him to Urgent care and wanted us to know. We will check on him later. At least oats and hay are done. Other sons and older daughters can keep working their pallet business. Wife is going with him with injuried son.

Son2 is better, had a change of meds, getting PT. change in diet etc... crab crab crab ... that is normal for him. 

We fixed low pressure on the tote for watering the garden. Bought a pump at Amazon. I need to harvest the last of the spring peas and plant fall peas.Might have the last cauliflower ready for harvest. Might plant more for fall but waiting to see what else is hitting. Green beans are blooming, battle to keep melons watered. E said corn should be ready in 7-10 days.

Amish that sells us scrap blocks for our stove let us know to bring our wagon in as he's in a slow period for working and can fit our wagon in as we don't need our wagon for field work.

I need to rework the budget today.... 

I think a cup of tea and some porch sitting time with Charlotte is due as she's standing her whining at me. LOL

LORD

 Help us.

Son2, Iraq Vet.... admitted to hospital, Hubby's with him because he was just suppose to get a chest xray and they put him in instead due to legs swelling, 32 lbs worth.Looking at allergic reaction to meds he was put on 2 wks ago for bronchitis (didn't bother to xray to see if he had pneumonia),  what the crap is going on. I knew it was bad when Hubby said he had to get a wheelchair to take him from the truck.

 We have always figured kidney or liver problems might pop up as he was a heavy drinker when he first came home after the 2nd tour. He sat a lot before retiring and more after he retired. Could be what President Trump has ...CVI  or deep vein thrombosis

WAITING for several test results.  Hubby says he is doing better with him instead of me as he knows better than to start arguing or yelling with him. We will have to get back and forth on that 2 hr drive one way,he has a 20 yr old cat that has mild health issues so we will wrap checking on her (she's used to him being gone some due to Annual training and drill weekend etc before he retired last year) and one of us being in and out when seeing him. His car has a check engine light on. We will probably see if it is something simple but it's what his buddy thinks it is, it's a take it to the junk yard.

TO keep busy I started clearing the bucket room. The rest of the basement is ready for work to be done in Sept.

I had mentioned to Son2 that I was behind on deep cleaning the house, he told me I wasn't, I just started in the basement instead of the bedrooms upstairs. 

Money for basement is invested. 

Extra payment on mortgage paid.

We are having eggs for supper because I have no idea when Hubby will come home. He might spend the night if they release Son2. I had to promise SON2 to not let the family know he was in until he had results. He's not a good patient at all and 2 of his sisters worked at home health care for years. 

Stay safe... Be careful. Take care of yourselves.

Bless be

OKAY here we go....

 Work begins on basement Sept 2nd. We made a 30% down payment. Final payment due when they start work. We have to move everything 10 ft away from the walls they will be working on. Wouldn't you know that's the  one deep freezer, Daddy's dresser and the largerest cabinet (solid wood) ??? !!!!  Basement was already a mess from moving stuff so it wouldn't get wet. I got the pantry section straightened up and part of the buckets moved to there. Back is killing me. Broke it down to do by week. Hate thinking of when I have to move it all back.

I played move the money around from what I was going to use to make a lump sum payment on house.  I then realized I had some CDs' that was going to mature in late July so moved that over to money for basement.Played with it a little more and did a shuffle. WROTE DOWN where the money would be coming from so I wouldn't forget and use it on something else.  Hate thinking about not being able to pay house as soon but no fondation means no house to begin with . 

I used Dave Ramsey mortgage calulator and figured out a couple options based on what I think I can pay monthly and worse option if it's less. Found I can invest some of the money to make monthly payments and put the interest on the house also. We will see if that is do able. UPDATE. with some finance people we figured out how much we had to pay extra to pay house off when we want. Doable if we stay on budget AND not have to replace roof before we get it paid off. It's only about 8 yrs.

I still am debating of planting crops for fall. I need corn (neighbor is selling me that), peas and peaches, getting that from the store. UPDATE I decided to  plant peas and Jan King cabbage that stores well though the winter.... Saw on Alaska the last frontier that more than one cut the cabbage out of the garden after it froze and cooked it. Mom's cousing said they did it also when they lived up there. Might do lettuce etc also

We ordered summer fill propane. Was 300 gallons. Prepaid 500 gallons winter fill as we almost ran out because we ran out of winter wood which is heavier that regular wood. We will be also picking up a total of 14 to 16 cubic feet of regular wood (aka Day wood). UPDATE Hubby decided to get 20 cubic feet of the regular wood(blocks)as Amish provider said some of the day wood is on heavy side.

Hubby running Son 2 to Doctor's appts since he can't drive while hacking his head off and legs swollen. He's in worse shape than the two of us put together. On medical retirement from Army. VA medical so far behind of seeing that he couldn't get his meds or treatments so has to start over. He now states when he calls that his elderly Dad is driving him and lives 2 hrs from him. Appts no longer being cancelled by VA.

Electric was normal even with the start of over 100 degrees at end of June. I've been turning the AC off at 9 pm, open windows and then reclose at 10 am. We also put blankets on clothes line that is on kitchen porch to keep sunlight out of house. Put an umbrella on deck to keep it out of kitchen. Cooking on grill, microwave and air fryer. Couple times of take out.

Way behind on  deep cleaning and weeding garden.. 16 ft of peas gave us 1 cup for the freezer. Really hope I get more but am doing another round of planting them. First batch got froze, then frosted(or maybe the other way around) and then the heat went up so cooked.LORD. E is trying to keep the coons out of the sweet corn, He already has 3-5 families wanting to buy from him. He has 4 plots of sweet corn to stagger the harvest time. 

We had a ground hog almost as big as Charlotte that thought our mint would be a good bed. I smacked it to keep it off Charlotte when she nosed it to get out of the mint. Hubby chased it out of the yard and replaced the board it moved on the back barn gate to get it the yard. E's younger son put traps at the burrow it had under our wood shed.Said he caught 3 coons the night before and saw 4 more burrows for ground hogs.

Got to go spend some time with Charlotte that is NOT storm related of us sleeping in bathroom. LOL

SIGH MOAN GROAN

 Freezer room wall at corners of window

Bucket room wall..looked like a joint but actually in middle of slab.

Hubby just fixed the sump pump so at least that is done. Good news we caught it , bad news is the freaking cost. Including it has to be tied into a tile, which is within 10 ft (that was good news) BUT they will have to dig under the wall of the ramp which means more repairs to that.

Had first estimate yesterday. Get second one tomorrow. Because it's poured cement it's going to cost more to fix. Also the windows are not casement windows and can't be opened so we are having them replaced at the same time. 

All said and done, could end up being around $30,000 and 3-5 days of work.

Our insurance guy said to take before and after pictures so he can document the repair.

Money that was going to go on mortgage to pay house off early, is now going on repair. Our finance guy moved some things around in our funds  to come up with some of it. I have enough in CD's that will mature in early July to pay the rest. MOAN. GROAN. SIGH.

I whined to the kids... one asked if we were going to sell the house over it... I was kind of that would be stupid especially with houses NOT selling due to cost of loans. Three thought better us than them. One came back with ,cut the rest of the budget and make up the amount in next 2 years. Divide it out and keep on budget. THEN sighed and stated I just came out of her mouth when she was talking of buying a house. LOL.

Mean time I am going to start a fall garden.  I need to harvest tonight as the rain will be coming in for the next day or two. 

May all of you be safe and well

Blessed Be

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 It's raining AGAIN, still and some more.  Cistern over flowed into basement. Caught it before it got really bad but STILL!!!! So cleaning it, finding replacement boxes for the ones that was ruined and a getting rid of somethings we don't every use. BUT glad the cistern is FULL instead of gone dry like last year.

Hubby is draining the totes we hooked to down spouts every other day into the pond. Pond is now full which is very good.

Can't get in garden , water above my ankles. But glad we have raised garden beds when several others including Amish said they would have to replant. I am not dealing with that but do have 24 veggies I need to get planted HOPEFULLY only ONCE. Several Amish said they lost sweet corn and are not sure they will be able to get back in the fields to replace it in time.

Hubby mowed during a light rain before the 24 hr. rain hit so the yard is not as bad. 

 HEAVENS!!!!

Lightening bug  FIRST SEEN 6.18.26

6/19 update. Got in gardens, got radishes, turnips, all sorts of "salad" stuff. Some strawberries for a week or so. Got blueberries, red raspberries and black raspberries right now. Blackberries are in starting to make.  I do not need berries for the freezer.  Had to replant peas again. Had a HOT spell that killed about half of our plants. Just steamed them to death. Hubby finally caught up the lawn. Said it brought back memories of cutting hay as a kid when they farmed.

We have dead fruit trees and dead roses we need to deal with. 

I am writing up a "restock" list to cover us through this winter to spring. Peaches is first on the list.Pasta sauce, bbq sauce  and catsup is also on that list.

We picked up 3rd wagon load of wood blocks, so now have 9 cords of that. We will get one more before fall. Hubby is sorting through them as some will need cut to 15 inches which fits our stove. He will toss the "extra" in a barrel that we got when the tree nursery closed down. I burn the "extra" I call scrap crap when it's chilly like early fall or late spring. We went through 24 scrap buckets this past spring when propane hit 30%. The sawmill gave us  for free 2 full scrap buckets they had tossed aside . Saves them from having to burn it in the field. His wife said she planted the field for the 1st time in 20 years and was very thankful for us taking the scrap instead. Now uses it herself for heating laundry water.

I will order my summer fill of propane (already paid for) after July 4th.Maybe closer to the end of July. Then will go in and reserve my winter propane after that fill. Lets me know what my balance is sitting at the CO OP  so I only come up with the difference and makes the summer fill last longer as we hit the 30% mark in propane a month before I thought we would. Since it's the most expensive of our fuel (pump house use 5 % during the winter), hot water, cook stove and house heat) I try to make sure we use the wood/coal for most of the house heat and at least half of the cooking. The 1st yr we lived here, We spent $2200 for propane. Amish neighbor gave us 2 tree trunks that are 6 ft long and 4 ft wide in exchange of Hubby helping cut down some trees that he needed removed from his maple farm.That should take care of the 16 cords of night wood we will need, if not Hubby will be looking for night wood.

Hubby finally called the Ohio Basement Doctor to come give estimate for basement issues. They come next week. Since I know I will have to move several shelving units for them to repair the walls, I decided to do that this week instead of starting my fall cleaning. Might as well declutter those areas also.  Hubby got the sump pump to work and cleaned to discharge pipe so that won't need replaced saving $1600. I really REALLY hope the old windows have to go away so I can have basement windows like the one Amish just got for their basement...opens nicer and easier to clean 😁. Might talk Hubby into going to get the windows this weekend.

We spent a couple hours with our Finance guy. Was shocked we were doing so well with our $$. Got emergency fund (say $800 truck tire ) in money market,and 1 month fund ( yep in savings) 3 month fund (in CD earning over 3 % ) Focus is now paying off the house and the truck. Changed a couple things around and that is now the focus completely after basemen repair. 

Went to grocery store... Spent $343.75, saved $76.26. Got enough to go to Aug, close to Labor day, except for dairy.  That's around 10 wks. IT is  a little bit more than I set the budget at $150 a month, prices went up so I am focused on eating healthy and figuring out where to cut.

Blessed be, Charlotte is whining at me, so it must be walk around the perimeter time or she wants to snuggle a nap in LOL

I am alive but overwhelmed LOL

 Charlotte now has her bed in the bathtub and I sleep on the floor. Keeps her calm  and I get some sleep without following her around stopping her from knocking stuff over. 

We had appt after appt after appt for the last 3 weeks. Hubby is now current with all his stuff and I had the final check after having skin cancer on face taken care of including ordering different sun protection cream and a umbrella for the garden for shade.

She was pouting that she didn't get to go into the appt with me. Hubby thought it was funny. 

Next month is finances,cutting the dead roses and the dead trees ,starting seeds for fall planting and deep cleaning the house.

We have had rain almost every other day to the point I now leave the old towels at the bottom of windows in the basement.  Gardens are soaked or full of water. Had 3 days in low 60s then bounced to 80s and mold grew everywhere. Hubby had to deal with it by himself as I am allergic to mold. Amish neighbor came over and helped. Said he lost the back garden so will replant it later for fall crops. 

English farmer sprayed his field across road from us... both of us ended up in the urgent care with reaction. Our primary doctor suggest masks, he wears one when mowing as he is allegic to his GRASS. I ordered them. Will look like Dark Vadder LOL.

We are getting some lettuce, radishes, turnips and a few green onions. Got 4 strawberries today. 

HEAVENS

 Had 2 good weeks, got half the plants in, storm rolls through *don't mind the rain* BUT washed out some of the plants, got them back in and now dealing with morning temps in 30s. Got plants covered . Some neighbors are worried about the potatoes they just planted rotting due to the amount of rain. In GOD's hands.

Now dealing with frost ...yes MAY and there was a frost and possibly will be again next week. Comment was that in the 1940s-1960's May was always cool. SO I text Brother... when did Daddy plant his tomatoes when you were growing up? Can you tell he is a lot older than me?? HA HA

June 1st... He always planted tomatoes June 1st SIGH.

Our two water totes of 250 gallons each has over flowed. Hubby runs out and turns the hoses on to run to the drain for the pond. It's is a lot better but still needs a lot more rain in it.Totes are full again.

We are tracking our water usage from deep well through the softener. Looking to lower what we are using, save water plus softener salt. Cut 150 gallons a week off. Means we will save $45 in softener salt and MAYBE keep more water in the well.

Wood stove is BACK ON. Not using coal at this time, too hot.We have 4 more weeks before we will refill with summer fill of propane. It's low and I don't want to order before the summer discount starts. I will order that fill on June 1st. Saves$$.  We are using the FREE scrap wood in feed totes. I am tracking how many we use a week so we can make sure we have enough in the fall when we get the cooler weather instead of using our regular wood for fires. Hubby thought 1 a day, just using during the day. HUM I think it's more of 3 a day. I think we will end up ordering 4 loads of blocks instead of 2, bigger and will have to deal with extra heat unless Hubby cuts them down, possible.

We will be getting another ton of nugget coal and a ton of lump coal. 

I am using the grill for meat, the wood stove instead of microwave for the rest of the meals to reduce electric bill. Electric bill comes on the 10th. 

I started restocking the back up supply on nonfood. My credit card called to confirm it was really me... Made me happy to know they were checking.

Gas is over $5  and diesel is almost $7. Really changed how we were doing errands.Cut Charlotte rides when we are doing errands instead of just around the block to check the neighborhood out with her.

Take care ... Be safe

Blessed be 

weather and more

 

Charlotte clearing off shelves during the last storm which actually had a tornado in town 5 miles west of us, destroyed our fairgrounds. SIGH.... Taking her to vet to see if there is anything other we can give her as the meds he gave her don't help much. Her thunder shirt over heats her. Her mommy Athena and her daddy King had the same issues. UPDATE... can't give her anything else so training her to climb in tub with me during storms 

We now have 2 of these 270 gallon totes and a 50 gallon drum full of water for during the drought coming this summer... All are full so Hubby ran 200 gallons from each of the totes into the pond since rain is in the forecast all week. Pallets at edge of pond that has been bare for over 2 years, almost 3 years is now covered mostly.

It's about 2 more weeks before transplanting what is in the grow cart. I'll be starting the next round in the grow cart this week. I have those seeds sorted out.

I have the seeds sorted to plant in the vego pod. Hubby will put the top back on it this afternoon. UPDATE planted and growing but have to cover this weekend due to below freezing weather SIGH.

I planted vining peas in hanging baskets.

Got fuel on site, took tractor in for  it's annual change oil and go over, got our dump wagon scheduled for end of month to get a load of wood blocks for this coming winter, might do a total of 3 rounds.

Got estimate of what propane will run to do summer fill and a hold on winter fill. 

Got estimate to update our wills and burial stuff. Basic, I die , he gets it. He dies I get it . We die together it goes to auction.ALL OF IT. Already gave the kids what they wanted. weird to pay that kind of money to have a lawyer do that but it is what it is.

Will go on Monday to get onion sets and some plants to put in gardens.

Went through part of the barn for things we need to get rid of but can't donate due to restrictions. Got a load ready to go in the morning.

Blessed be