ANewMe

I have had the worst couple of days. Work has been insanely hectic and on top of that I’m in the process of moving offices. I had looked forward to coming in, Getting in my PJs and visiting around Mrs S but I can hardly put one foot in front of the other or focus my eyes. I have a list of things to get done at home this weekend that I’m determined to make progress on. One thing I want to do is try my hand at making homemade biscuits and I’ve started making some freezer meals so I was super excited to see a thread on this.

LittleSis I LOVE that sink and your floor!

Yes! I listen to it at work. Listening to books helps me focus more. Her book The Nightingale was also phenomenal.

Good to see you Turtlemama! It’s been a while!

It’s so good to see you! Kind of like a big reunion….love it!

I’m working on getting more dry goods like flour and meal and was just wondering how to store it since I don’t have a vacuum sealer. My friend told me to put it in a zip loc bag in its original package with a bay leaf or two. I haven’t tried it but I may do what you said and add the bay leaf too. I have some large pickle jars that I have saved. If I put it in the freezer for a few days could I then stoe it in those jars? Will it “sweat” or have any condensation after coming out of freezer?

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Happy Happy Birthday!

Nice to meet you!

Edensong….I know exactly the exhaustion you feel! After moving down here in 2012 my Dad had a stroke and it changed everything. He has numerous health issues but very independent. I try to take care of him as best as possible from 4 hours away since he and my Mama are divorced. Sometimes it’s a lot! Keikokat…hats off to you for homeschooling. DD did virtual at the beginning of pandemic and it was a nightmare! She’s in high school. I think it was the program they implemented but as much as she would like to go back to some form of homeschool I don’t think I could do it again. looking forward to getting to know you both

So nice to meet you both!!

I’m reading The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah and There are no words to describe how much I love this book! It takes place during the Depression and the Dust Bowl. WOW! I don’t ever recall really learning about the Dust Bowl…it was brutal! Made me want to drink more water!! It’s all about how the family survives and it is so very good. Side note…I had Audible, Kindle unlimited and scribed but learned that I could use my library card and check books and audiobooks out on my kindle. I just cancelled KU and Audible!

After Darlene’s email this morning I just can not pass up the opportunity to say Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has made this place available. I was literally in tears as I sat at my desk reading the email. I backed into this site back in 2008. I don’t remember how but I do know with every bit of my heart it was God thing. It was during that time that we started going through some really tough and dark times. Times when I really didn’t have many that I could count on or depend on…but I had this place. I made friends here and there were several ladies that I really looked up to and valued their wisdom and guidance. It was during this time that I planted my first garden, bought my first canner, and baked my first loaf of bread. Not only did I learn frugal living tips and how to do all of the above but I was nourished spiritually by the examples of many here. We soon got things together and moved, which was a life changer for us. We bought a house…mended our family and I truly found the Lord in a real way. Life happened…And I kind of drifted away from here, prepping and sometimes my Faith. I popped in here and there but recently I found myself really missing what was here. Last week I dropped in just to see if anyone was still here and I found myself wanting to go back and read everything even if it was old. I just missed the connection. I had made up my mind that regardless if there were only 3 people or 100….it didn’t matter. This was home I was staying. Just like going home to a grandparent….the memories are so sweet. I remember everyone planned a gathering at Darlenes to meet and share skills and fellowship. I remember all of the exchanges of Christmas cards or ornaments. The Bible studies…the laughs…the tears. That’s just something that you don’t find very easily…at least not the genuine kind online. So thank you Darlene for your email. Thank you to the mods and everyone who has put in the work to keep this place available so that we can all come home. Love to you all.

Love your house!!

Yes ma,am. They throw cabbage, carrots, potato’s, onions, bananas, pineapples, oranges, lemons and other food like ramen noodles and candy and whatever else the rider thinks of. They also throw beads and toys. It’s nothing to come home with garbage bags of food. It’s so much fun but it’s a long day if your riding. We have to be at the float at 9 to leave and get in line and it’s going to be in the 20’s….parade doesn’t start until 1. It’s a huge party. I need to post a picture of all the food loaded on the float. It’s insane!

Praying for safe travels Mt Rider! cant wait to see this pics Little Sister and Becca I’m jealous….I would so love to do a garden. We just got back from getting the float together. I needed a break from all the doom going on in the news. Other than shooting myself with the staple gun it was fun and now I’m glad to be doing it now…I really was not looking forward to doing it since my friend backed out. I have never seen so much produce in my life! Tons of pallets that we had to sort, load and organize onto the float. We then went and bought more stuff to throw. We decided against throwing trinkets and toys and to instead buy extra Ramen Noodles and other food items to throw. Maybe I’m being to practical but trinkets and toys just seem a waste. DH is going so he can catch stuff to bring home. Hope all of you are having a great weekend!

So sorry…will keep all of you in my prayers.

My DD and I are supposed to ride in the St Patty parade this weekend so last weekend I took off on Friday and focused all of my energy on shopping and organizing. I’m thankful DH just goes with it and he was offshore so he really didn’t know the extent of my plan LOL. I inventoried…made my list and jumped to it. Y’all…I’m sure I turned some heads but I didn’t care. I was on a mission. I bought cases and cases of canned goods, boxed goods….everything non-perishable, paper or dog food. The little girl at the register probably thought I had lost my mind. I made the comment it was so difficult to shop for 2 households at once…LOL I then inventoried the freezer and went back to a different place. I had not bought meat in a while and holy smokes was I in for a surprise!! Either way…I know it will only go higher so I loaded the freezer. The next day I bought organizers and organized all of our meds in different bins by categories as well as toiletries and cleaning products. While everyone was out doing Mardi Gras I was having my own party at home and I felt so accomplished and grateful. I now have a better idea of what holes to fill. DH came home to cases of food stacked in garage and bags piled up bc I just have not had the energy to put it away. I was waiting on him to think I’d lost my mind but he said he was glad I did it and he’s working on storage in our extra room. Our son and his GF lives a mile away and the security in knowing that we can take care of all of us is priceless. We may not have everything we need but we can make it and we have been adding to it every day….he even went out today on his own! Sunday he is goin to go to the parade while we ride to catch all the produce to bring home. In the past we have brought 2-3 garbage bags of produce home I just need to figure out how to preserve it.

I have been away a long time. Stopped in briefly at beginning of COVID but just for a short time. I’ve pretty much quit Facebook and found my way back here again. So much going on in the world and just wanted and needed to be with some like-minded ladies. I sure have missed this place!

Lots of info at this link and well worth the read. https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/coronavirus-live-updates-us-army-sending-medical-task/story?id=71728975 Houston is at 105% Hospital Capacity. US Army sending medical task force to HoustonUrban Area Medical Task Force from the U.S. Department of Defense that will arrive on Monday and a Disaster Medical Assistance Team from U.S. Health and Human Services that has just been deployed. Our Governor here in Louisiana came out today and closed all bars and masks are now mandatory 10000 new cases in FL

Y’all this is disturbing https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20200707/lsquothings-are-not-getting-better--they-are-getting-worsersquo-fire-chief-says Palm Beach County children are showing long-term lung damage from COVID-19, two firefighters are in intensive care and hospital admissions, along with cases, are spiking, two top county officials said Tuesday, painting a grim picture of the continuing toll of pandemic. “Certainly, all indications are things are not getting better, they are not getting steady, they are getting worse,” Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Chief Reginald Duren told county commissioners, adding that 109 firefighters are in quarantine. “It’s not just because we’re testing more people,” she said. The rate shows the extent to which the virus is present in communities across the state, she said. “When we take X-rays of kids, even if they don’t have symptoms, there are changes in the lungs,” Alonso said. “We have no idea what the long-term damage will look like.” Further, one 2-year-old boy in the county has been diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a potentially fatal disease. Two 17-year-olds and a child under the age of 14 have died elsewhere in the state, health officials reported. Data shows that the virus is continuing to attack children. An eye-popping 29 percent of the 1,083 children under the age of 18 who have been tested in the county learned they have the disease, the health department reported. While the number of kids who have been tested is low, the increasing number of positive tests is cause for concern, Alonso said. “That’s a significant number of children who will have consquences down the pike,” she said.

https://www.statesman.com/news/20200707/austin-convention-center-being-prepped-as-field-hospital-for-coronavirus-patients As coronavirus cases spike across Central Texas and the rest of the state, local officials said they are preparing the Austin Convention Center as a field hospital for 1,500 coronavirus patients. The site will be ready to be opened on July 20, said former Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt, now a special assistant to Judge Sam Biscoe on the county’s COVID-19 response. “We will not open it on the 20th if we don’t need it,” Eckhardt said. “We want to have it ready by July 20 but whether or not we open is going to depend on whether the hospitals can continue to absorb all the patients, which is far preferable.”

I have seen numerous stories of people getting it twice. I will see if I can find some info. Things seemed to be settling down here some but now the numbers are going up a good bit. Of course I’m sure it has nothing to do with having 5000+ people packed into Jackson Square a couple weeks ago