Littlesister

Was up early this morning to go to neighbor's house to let the dog out. She is in Nags Head NC for the weekend. Her husband goes to work at 7 am and the dog refuses to get up in the mornings to go outside. Yep she is spoiled rotten and likes to sleep in. So I wait till about 9 am to make her get up and go outside. She just looks at me and slowly gets up and mopes to the door and goes outside still not ready to get up. That's not really spoiled that is just plain rotten. Came home and got ready to take GS to T-mobile to exchange his phone. He was having lots of issues with the old one and had Cricket for his service from Washington. So while there I switched my internet service to T-mobile also. Been thinking about that for 3 or 4 months as I have been fed up with spectrum internet. Gets really slow and then drops and they just keep going up on the price. So now that is all done and I just need to call spectrum and drop them like they drop my internet when I am in the middle of something. T-Mobile had a special where they dropped the connection fees. So both GS and I saved on that and I am saving about $54 a month on internet now. They will not go up on the price and no contracts. GS came home and got me set up on the computer for it. So for me both cell phone and the internet together is only $95 a month. I can't go wrong on that deal. So didn't get anything done with the closets but at least I got the internet straight. We then went to Walmart as GS wanted to buy some food for lunches at work. I bought him some summer clothes and summer work socks as most of his clothes are winter clothes. He really needed them. He can wear them to work so he will be a lot cooler than wearing those sweatpants to work. They are to thick for summer months and he has no air condition where he works as it is a warehouse type situation doing countertops. So now at least he will be cooler. Made a pizza for dinner and he scoffed that down like it was his last meal. Glad it turned out so well. Been a few years since I make home baked pizza.

We are having more of a problem with mosquitoes than usual this summer. But we also have neighbors that leave standing water all over their yard. That will draw them and they will not empty the mess in their yards. Plus my nextdoor neighbor has an above ground pool that she just finally got it cleaned out. Her husband can't help her with it anymore due to his health and she had to learn how to clean it up and put the chemicals in it.

It is hot here now. They say 88* but feels much hotter. GS just left for work. With the type of work he does, no air conditioner. I don't know how he does it. Guess it is what you are used to but now he carries a huge jug of water to work with him and staying hydrated much better now. He was so dehydrated that is what caused the kidney stone. Hoping he learned that lesson. We all need some good rains with this heat. If I don't get rain this evening I will be watering garden again. I need some rain barrels. Been looking into that. Still working on closets and going through things. Finding more stuff that I don't need. Got a lot put away in the one linen closet. Just going through sheets and things now. Then what I am keeping can be put away. Only need to totally empty the one closet in the front bedroom and move that stuff to another location. Then I can get that closet painted and put in wooden shelving instead of that wire shelving that's in there now.

Jeepers, it seems water follows you everywhere these days. Hope the weather holds out enough that you can get where you need to be when you need to be there without the downpours. Flooding house and hotel room is not fun. I think I would stay out of the pool as well. You have seen enough water for a while.

Started early on the closets. I have 3 going at one time as one in front bedroom I am totally emptying it. Going to remove the shelving and paint it. Then see about putting wood shelving in there. I hate those wire shelves. Want to have that ready to use after everything in that room is removed and painted. Then sewing machine, desk and craft things will be back in there and a shelving unit will also be put in for better organization. I have 2 hall linen closets and one long one has always been my pantry as I have no room in kitchen for much food. The other linen closet is still for only blankets a couple of extra pillows, sheets etc. All towels are in each bathroom now. So that really helped a lot. Two of the grandchildren will have a lot of things to go through. They can take what they want and the rest will go to Goodwill unless DD wants what's left. Taking a break now as I hot a bit to hot. It is hot and humid outside. Suppose to rain later but they said that yesterday and it didn't happen. So will see. Jeepers, I am so glad to see they are getting the plans together for your house. I know that has to be a load off of your shoulders. And now your son and DIL are moving as well. That is some news and a big surprise. When my DD and SIL was still living here they were in the next county over. It was a straight shot to their neighborhood and was so much easier to get to. So should work out for you also to just be a straight shot to where they will be moving. Speaking of rain that was some shower you had Mt. Rider. Becca Anne so sorry about your car but at least it was minor and nothing to bad. Annarchy, you guys drink lots of water and try to stay cool. that is some hot temps. Just hope we don't get that high here. But August has been known to be our hottest summer month.

Jayceef, Mt. Rider is so right. We will win them over one by one. GS is now on board. He has a friend in CO that preps. He's an EMT. He has us all beat with what he has. I was like Wow when GS told me about his medical kit. Hoping you and your DH are feeling much better now.

Those muffins look really good. Jeepers, glad things are coming along on the house now. That has been a long time coming. Annarchy, stay safe on that road trip and back. Miki, I do that sometimes, up early morning around 4 or 4:30. To early to work outside as it is still dark and grandson asleep on couch in den, so just get busy working on closets in bedrooms. Didn't realize how much junk I have. But going through it and ditching a lot. Glad to have those closets almost empty. Just maybe I will be able to find things when it is all said and done. Garden for squash is about done. But okra, eggplant, tomatoes are all still going strong. Mt. Rider hope you and your DH was able to get the air conditioner in without to much effort.

Just hoping this doesn't spread to other states and that Florida can control it. My father's family was from florida. It is where he was born. We used to make a lot of trips to Florida during the summer months when I was young. Last time I went was to visit my younger sister and the mosquitos would carry you away. They show no mercy.

Agreed Mt. Rider we all need to be fully prepared for situations like this. Jayfeef, glad your DH is feeling a bit better now and that he listened to you about the medicine.

Miki I do hope your DH can do the zoom thing like Mt. Rider said. With his health being as such that he can't travel he could spend time hopefully using the zoom app or even the Alexa app to talk and see family members. Becca Anne glad all is going well at work for you. You really do put in a lot of time and effort into it. Hopefully they will get you some help with that and give you a break on some of it. Mt. Rider, glad to know the treatments for the cognitive therapy is going really good. And you are making good progress in all other areas as well. Annarchy, stay safe. Keeping you in prayer for a safe journey. We had a bad thunderstorm today. I think it is just about stopped. Hard rain and a tornado touched down somewhere in NC. Not sure where yet. Still going through the long term food and moving things around in the front bedroom closet. Need to get that emptied as I need to remove that wire shelving and replace it with wood shelving units after I get it painted. Might move some of the long term cans to my bedroom closet. It is a much bigger closet and I have other ideas for the front bedroom closet. Just taking it a day at a time and trying to figure out what will work best for my needs. I am getting rather tired now though and feel like I need a nap. But to late in day for that.

These are some of the things my GS pulls on the spam callers. I must say some of these had me rolling. Hello and Thank you for calling the Mental Health Institute hotline. Hello and Thank you for calling the Mental Health institute hotline. That's how your call to the mental health hotline is answered. what's next? If you are stressing, you know, extremely agitated and anxious, you want to talk to someone immediately. That's why you called the "hotline" right? What's up here? Hello, and welcome to the Mental Health Hotline. If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeatedly. If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2 for you. If you have multiple personalities, press 3, 4, 5, and 6. If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want. Stay on the line so we can trace your call. If you are delusional, press 7 and your call will be transferred to the mothership. If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a small voice will tell you which number to press. If you are a manic-depressive, it doesn't matter which number you press: no one will answer. If you are dyslexic, press 9696969696969696 (tel:969696969699696) If you have a nervous disorder, please fidget with the hash key until a representative comes on the line. Hello. Welcome back to the Mental Health Hotline! "It's okay, we know it's you!" If you have amnesia, press 8 and state your name, address, phone number, date of birth, social security number, and your mother's maiden name. If you have post-traumatic stress disorder, slowly and carefully press 000. If you have bi-polar disorder, please leave a message after the beep, or before the beep. or after the beep. Please wait for the beep. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short term memory loss, press 9, if you have short term memory loss press 9. If you have low self esteem, please hang up. All our operators are too busy to talk to you. And if this is Dr. Alvin Kruputnick, we've been looking for you. Have you been mischievous again? Please come back to the institute right away, your patients are waiting. Yes my GS does use these on all spam calls and he really gets some funny replies. Some he has to hang up on. But he will carry on a conversation with them that isn't good for the spammer.

Miki, so sorry to hear about your DH's father. going out for your family. Hoping all went well at Dr's office. Cleaning out linen closet in hall. Giving GS and GD some pillows, blankets and bedspreads. Other things are going as I go through them. I am really downsizing this house heavy. Just don't need all the stuff I have with it just being me. Was talking with my nextdoor neighbor and she said her DH won't let her throw out or give away anything. She has a Huge TV that went bad and has been sitting in her living room for almost a year. It doesn't work but he won't get rid of it. At least my DH wasn't that bad. She is going to get her GS to get rid of it after her DH goes to sleep tonight. Don't think he will miss it. GS is going to help me this weekend with the heavier things. Mt. Rider I know how it is to not have help with heavy stuff. Can be hard to find people to help sometimes. Hope you can get that air conditioner in soon.

Miki I know what you mean about not trusting doctors. Seems some of the ones I used to go to has either retired, moved to another state for more money or just went with the flow and no longer caring for patients like they used to. a friend of mine ended up in hospital again and it wasn't any better. Said they won't help you with anything. Not even bathing. They used to make sure you had plenty of water and they just let the little pitcher of ice water go and forget it after bringing it to you in the early morning. She was not a happy camper. Praying everything goes well for you tomorrow and that you don't have the pain like my GS had. He was doubled over and crying he hurt so bad. Just glad he finally passed it Sat. night. I saw it so he definitely passed it.

I did notice they didn't pay attention to head space in all the videos I watched. I was looking for a recipe for beanie weenies with no luck. Think you Midnightmom for that recipe. I might try some that way and just leave the rest frozen. On one of the videos they did say it was not a recommended item to can from the canning extension office it was not recommended. This one guy that was doing it with no water said they came out tasting like they were grilled. I do question that one.

Mother I have one of those mesh bags for that. I bought it a couple of months ago but haven't had a chance to try it out yet. We have been having daily rain again so thinking during the next dry spell I will give that a try. I have some mint that I want to try in it as well as some chives.

Jeepers, I had another big storm here this afternoon. Hard rain and and within an hour it was over. I have a very tight rope on GS. I really don't believe he will stop vaping nor stop with the pot but I am letting him do his thing on that. Not giving him a bedroom and all his dirty clothes must go in hamper in garage. He is so far keeping bathroom clean and the kitchen clean. But then he only worked half a day last week and is back at work this week. So will see what I wake up to in the morning. I have to wake him up to take his antibiotic every morning and he finishes that tomorrow. I do see some changes for the good in him but like you said, he might just be working his way back into my house. He has 6 weeks before moving into his apartment. So will see what happens then. Miki keeping you in for this stone to pass quickly. From seeing GS I know they can be extremely painful. I think his was from dehydration. So he is still pushing that water. He took 2 bottles of water with him to work tonight. He can refill them as needed. I still just don't have any energy today. Don't know what is going on but hoping I'm not coming down with anything. Had to put a sweater on as I was getting cold also. It did get cooler outside after all the rain. It was stifling outside today. Very humid and hot.

I think it would be hard for me to say which way to go on that. We remodeled our kitchen 30 years ago and had the kitchen cabinets and everything custom made. Can you take a picture of said kitchen and post it here to give a better idea of what they have in the showroom?

That looks really good Dee. I did can the pork roast I had in freezer yesterday and was watching some U-Tube channels on canning hot dogs. Might try that tomorrow. I have 10 or 12 packs I got on a great sell on 2 different sells. will keep a couple in freezer and can the rest. Looked really easy to do. The person on one of the u-tube instructions said he doesn't add water and they taste like they were grilled. Another one, a lady said she has done them without water but that they are juicier if you add about a quarter of the way up the jar with hot water as that makes them more tender and juicy. Might try them half and half. Then I can see which way I like them best. She did say they are not in ball blue book though so it is not an approved method. But then I do a lot of things that are no longer approved with no issues. figure I and family are still living so it's all good.

Miki I hope all goes well at the clinic. Hoping that kidney stone isn't giving you a lot of issues. GS is sleeping on couch. Don't know yet if he will go back to friends house or staying put but he never asked me if he could come back. Will see what happens. He is still taking his antibiotics and will finish those tomorrow. Got clothes washed and the canning put away. Might start canning again tomorrow from freezer. Need to check the big one to see what all is in there. Will have to bring in all the coolers so I can pull stuff out to get to the bottom of it. Tired and dragging today for some reason. Can't get myself moving to get a lot done right now. But need to finish packing up things for kids so when GD comes in on the 1st of Aug. She can get all her things and take them to her new house. On the 5th. They are moving in on the 1st but will be getting the bedroom suit and other things on the first as it will be a Sat. and everyone is working during the week and can't help them move furniture and stuff till the weekend. Then I can get all of GS's stuff together in one place and get him moved totally out on Aug. 25th. This moving in and out of my house and storing their stuff here has got to come to a halt. I am to old to be picking up and moving their things every time I need to clean house. Maybe I should sell this house and buy a tiny house where they can't find me. Saying NO doesn't seem to work for them.

I have a lot of mint in pots but never thought to dry them in the oven. I am going to try that. Might work out better for me than as I didn't have any luck tying them in small batches and hanging them to dry. Maybe I wasn't doing that right but not sure. I drink a lot of hot tea more so in the winter months. I did have some chocolate mint someone gave me but it didn't make it. Next year I want to try so other types of mint and get more of the chocolate mint. I did like that one. Mother I need to find some pineapple mint. I haven't seen that one and I love pineapple. Think I need to take another trip to the feed and seed store.

Miki, I hope that stone doesn't give you a lot of issues and you can pass it fast. Mt. Rider, Stay cool. It's been getting hot here. Glad your DH is recovering nicely. Had a lot of rain yesterday and the day before. Squash is about done. I'm wondering if I can plant more or if it will be to late in the season now. Tomatoes are just starting to ripen. Jeepers I hope you get the permits soon and they can get started on that house. It's been a long ride on that. GS definitely passed the stone last night. He is feeling much better now. Though I think he has moved back in on me but not sure. He never asked if he could move back. I was only having him stay with me to keep an eye on him and make sure he took his antibiotics and was drinking lots of water. He will go back to work tonight. He bought all his clothes and things he had at his friends house back to my house. He got mad because this friend has 2 dogs and he was starving them. They were not potty trained and had no training at all. He thinks also he was mistreating them but not around GS. One dog died, had foam around mouth from what his friend said. His friend just took him to back yard and threw him in the woods. The other dog is not looking to go and GS told him to take him back to his parents house if he wasn't going to take proper care of it. I think GS has parted company with him over the dogs. He doesn't take to well over someone mistreating an animal of any kind. I do have to say that in that short time he was living with his friend and being in a hotel for a week he seems to have thought about a lot of things. He is no longer depressed like he was when I first bought him back from Washington state. He talks more and more respectful than before. He is keeping his stinking clothes in the garage as I won't' let him keep any dirty clothes in the house now. They smelled bad of pot, cigarettes and vaping and I never felt good from that. The PA at the ER scared the daylights out of him with the pot issue. He hasn't touched it since the day before his pain started. I hope it stays that way. He is now trying to stop vaping. Having a bit of an issue on that but he has slowed it down a lot. Hoping and praying he will get off that stuff. Wanted to weed in garden this morning but way too wet to get in there. Maybe later in day if it's not to hot and it drys out some. Washing clothes and getting the pork loin I canned yesterday put away. Neighbor gifted me some corn on the cob last night. So need to get that put up as well. Had one can of pork that didn't seal out of 23 pints so not bad. Will have that for dinner tonight and some corn. GS discovered he likes squash. Yes, when you try new things you might just find out you like it.

Miki, GS was having the dizziness, sinus type issues and a hard time breathing. Just could not get a deep breath and was like it was taking his breath away. And very tired. He could barely walk across the floor. He's tired today but doing a bit better. Jeepers, hope all goes well with the shingles vac. and you don't have any issues from it. And glad they are now starting on your house. Checked garden this morning but only a few cherry tomatoes were ready to pick. I think the squash is about done. But might get a few more out of it. Just don't think it will be enough to can. I cooked straight from the garden last night. Squash and okra. GS who said he doesn't like squash decided to try it. Yep he likes squash. I might get this kid to eat veggies yet. He likes fried okra so I air fried that. Been cleaning up in house and now GD will be getting the bedroom suit on Aug. 5th. I am getting a bit tired of them changing the dates for things. I feel like Jeepers with her house. Nothing is going to get done till the Grandkids get all their things out of my house. Then I can load up more stuff for Goodwill. Then call the painters to paint bedroom, hall and foyer. Then I will move my office, sewing and craft things into that bedroom and get it ready for the painters to paint living and dining rooms. After that I am hopefully home free for a while and can finish getting house back together.

Watered garden again this morning but not as deep as last night. Been muggy and hot all day. Was suppose to get rain but went around us. So glad I watered again. GS didn't go to work tonight. Was having dizzy spells and reaction to the flowmax. So had to stop taking it. Need to get him to where he can get back to work again Monday. He thinks he might have passed the stone. No pain or pressure, just some discomfort now. Still working on getting over the UTI. Once the Flomax is out of his system he should be doing ok. Speaking of freezers, I have an old fridge in garage with freezer on bottom. It's a self defrost one. Well it is leaking water and ice keeps forming in the bottom. But everything is still frozen. Been doing that for a while. I'm going to can what is in there and then move the rest to the big freezer. Need to figure out what is going on with it.

Miki, so sorry about your FIL. for your DH, you and family. GS made it to work last night but only made it for 6 hours. Pain started to come back but he left before it got so bad he needed the stronger pain med. Stayed with me again instead of going home. He's sleeping comfortable now. He is going to go into work again tonight in hopes he can work his full job. Been working on GD's baby shower gift. Bought a moses basket that can be used for a bassinet till the baby is about 3 months old. Great for if she goes to visit family. I am putting a dowel up on each side of it with a rope for a clothesline to hang some of the baby clothes on and then put all the other things inside the basket. I just hope it turns out right like I am hoping. DD gave me that idea. I'm not buying big items like highchairs, strollers and things but clothing of all sizes from newborn up through next fall or winter. She plans to use disposable diapers but I bought some reusable ones also. You never know if you might get into a situation where you can't buy the disposable ones and need a back up. Some toys, teething rings and bibs and lots of other things she will need also. Watered garden last night and again this morning. Seems garden is not liking 90 plus degree weather and no rain for a few days now. Just hot and muggy. Hoping to get at least another 10 quarts of squash out of the plants before they are done. Okra is just starting to pick up and the watermelon I think got bigger overnight. Will go out this evening to see what needs picking.

Jeepers, That is a lot of outside work but will be well worth it once it is finished. My house is all brick with just the top board being siding. GS is going to power wash the house when he feels better as well as the patio. He doesn't know it but I am going to pay him for doing it. He missed 3 days of work so far that he didn't need to miss right now with moving into his own place in just under 2 months. Might be a bit of encouragement for him helping others. Though he does help me when I ask for help. Need to replace all the outside light fixtures and paint the front and side doors plus get new storm doors. That is about all of the outside work I think I need to do at this point. Kappy, all goes well with your back and hand from the therapy. Sounds like your garden has really done well. And lots of chickens and eggs. Mt. Rider, I am so glad you are doing much better. I need to get my medical lined up soon if I don't keep getting distracted from the kids. I have put it off till the end of August when everything should calm down. GS went to work today. Took him to get his car so he could drive to work. Don't know if he will stay at his friend's house or come back to my house. He kept his clothes here and took a backpack with a set of clothes and his meds and things, along with some other things. Though he really looked washed out when he got up. Said his lower back was hurting. But right now mainly only tightness but not the severe pain he was having though he still has not passed the stone yet. So I am on call just in case the pain starts up again bad and he has to take the oxycodone. He won't drive if he has to take that. Praying all goes well tonight. Been looking for other things GS can use for his apartment and found the material in the shed but can't get to it yet. It was too hot today to pull things out to get to the plastic container. Hoping tomorrow will be a bit cooler and I can move things around out there. Been a hot one past 3 days. Need to water garden again tonight.