Littlesister

Jeepers you sound like me. it's been go, go, go, for weeks trying to get house back together. Been slowing down for past few days now. And I don't think this is the time to be slowing down. Left to go get GS a sub from Subway earlier and I just had an oil change. Oil is on driveway. Put kitty litter down to soak it up. Going back to Harris Tire in morning. Never had an issue with them. But I think someone was in a hurry and didn't tighten oil filter like they should have. But I don't need to be sitting there waiting for them to check it out. I have to many things to do and will be leaving town Thanksgiving week. Today is GS's 21st Birthday. He was up early so he got to open his gifts this afternoon before going to work. His parents had stuff mailed to him also. They will be here this weekend and we will be taken him out to dinner. He's going to be on a sugar high as one of the gifts his parents got him was a big box of candy like they had in 2001 when he was born. The place is called the Birthday Times, I think. It even has a letter of fun facts of things that happened in the news, US history, music and a lot of other news type stuff. It's a huge box of candy. Yes, that boy loves his sweets. I see cavities in his future. Went through a few more things today and added to the box for good will. They are going to get tired of seeing me. But stuff just has to go. I can't stand clutter and this house has been full of it. DH didn't like to get rid of a lot of things as he always said might need it someday and he has been so right so many times. But there are some things that as I go through them that I know I will never use. He retired from Columbia Gas, and I still have all his pipe fitting tools. I am going to keep all of that as though I can't use them, in a SHTF situation they will have a use. And I was told by one of our friends that put our new boiler in not to get rid of any of that stuff. So, it is all boxed up and in garden shed in a corner for now.

Mt. Rider I have those jar openers you posted on page 49. And I also have all of the above openers as well. With my knuckles like they are, I can't even make a fist. So very hard to get a grip on things. I have also just tapped the edge of jars and they came off easier as I have had a couple of them that wouldn't budge with any gripper I have. Sometimes that works. Will have to try the icepack trick next time one wants to be really stubborn. Cleaned kitchen this morning and then went up in attic. Boy was it cold up there. Got blankets down but haven't unboxed them yet. Not sure how many are in there yet. Condensation was around the bottom of glass on patio door, so I guess the contractors managed to break the seal between the glass banging stuff against it as they were going in and out. So won't be using that door this winter as I put bubble wrap up over the whole door. Will see if that helps this winter. GS can go in and out of garage door this winter. I have 2 quarts of collards that DH cooked Christmas of 2019. Going to call his cousin and take one of them to him. They are still good because I had 3 quarts in freezer and ate one of them. They are the best. He used to cook them for the Bennett's Creek market. Was doing it for 20 years. Glad I helped him do it because next winter I will be planting collards and I have his secret.

I have been meaning to get a yeast starter going again for a while. But will keep that on hold for now till the house is fully done and GS is out on his own after first of year. That boy is all boy along with his messes that I have to clean up first thing every morning. It's getting old now. I know his working nights and sleeping days is rough, but he sleeps, eats and works and no time to do anything else. But he could learn to clean up behind himself. No wonder I'm so tired. He eats dinner in middle of night and just leaves the dishes in sink for me the next morning. Not to mention his bathroom. He's only cleaned it twice since he's been here. So that job is on me. He best find a wife that will put up with all that mess. Though he says he is never getting married nor having kids. Never say never it might backfire.

MidnightMom your crop is looking really good.

I have several of those jar gripper pads. They do work but my hands have gotten to a point that I just can't grip things anymore. They said I will have to have knuckle replacement and I am trying hard to hold off on that. But now my left hand is starting to act up. So, surgery is coming at some point.

Joyfield you are doing great with learning all the new things you are doing. All that will pay off in the end. I really need to get back to learning new things, but the past 3 years has been such a nightmare that I have put so much off I wanted to do and learn. But a new year is dawning, and GS will be out on his own and I can get back to all that. Minus chickens, goats, cows and all the nice animals I would love to have if I had a place to have them. But so much other things to do and learn.

I still have sweet potatoes growing but don't think they will do anything. Nothing but leaves and no blooms or anything yet. They have been out there now for 4 months and not really growing anymore. So, I think they are done. I bought a compost been and need to get GS to help me get it set up. have been wondering if the bagged soil has been some of my problem. Tomatoes did well. But the cherry tomatoes were in pots and did not fare well. Need to get the fencing to keep rabbits out of garden next year. I have a feeling there will be even more of them. Didn't use the bigger garden area this past summer and I had been thinking about not doing a garden next year and just taking a break and going to the farm markets instead. But with prices like they are, and I think will get much worse, I might need to rethink that idea. I really do need a break as the past 3 to 4 years have been nothing but a nightmare. Lack of sleep and DH getting so sick with trying to care for him and not being able to get him any help because of Covid. I am still just tired and have been forcing myself to get things done. So, my challenge is rather to bypass a garden next spring or to go the farm market route. It would give me more time to get the compost bin going good.

GS has lots of leftovers for dinner tonight. I'm not cooking anything tonight. Leftovers need to be used up. Just heat and eat. I cooked for past 3 days now. So today is a break. He's at work now and will be home around 3 or 3:30 in the morning. So, he can heat up what he wants for dinner or would you call that breakfast. I could never work like that. Today has been more of a rest day for me. Just tired today. Was going to Church this morning and I woke up; it was cold, and I don't remember rolling over and going back to sleep. This crazy up and down weather needs to stay one way or the other. It's playing on me right now. And the cold weather is killing my hands. I think I might have to do something about that sooner than later. Need to pull out my special gloves and start wearing them again. They are pressure gloves with no fingertips. So, I can wear them around house to work. And I have a pair I wear to church because when the guys want to shake your hand it hurts. Some of them have a hard grip. But when they see me with my glove on my right hand, they know the arthritis is acting up and are much lighter on the hand shaking. I have more ways to open jars than you could imanage. I have even gone to a neighbor's house and asked her to open a jar for me. That's getting bad. Tomorrow I will be back at getting more rooms cleaned up. Still lots to do and will be going back up into attic to look around at what is up there and getting those blankets down as well.

I have never made cheese before. And don't remember if my grandmother made it or not. But would love to give it a try. I will have to try mother's recipe as I don't have any way of getting raw milk around here.

Jeepers, I didn't think about Michaels. I have bought shirts there before and I like them. And yes, I always get a size up because they do shrink. So, I always get a Large. You can never have enough tee shirts.

Those turnups look great Miki. Jeepers they are having a Jeep show in VA Beach. First one ever I think they said. Hope you figure out your jeep issue soon and it's not an expensive fix. Taking it a bit easy today. Did go through a few things in bedroom this morning. Thinking about just totally emptying my closet and starting over. Momo, I know where you are coming from. It will be 2 years next Valentine's Day since I lost my DH. I didn't want to do anything or go anywhere. I stayed home for almost a year in 2021. Only going out when I had to. Then the beginning of 2022 and construction started in March of 2022. That may be what started to get me going again. It's been a hard struggle, but I am slowly getting back to normal, I think. Grandkids have been in and out so much that I don't have a moment alone anymore. I still have my moments but don't last as long as they used to. I have lost all my aunts and uncles now and 4 cousins. Family getting smaller and smaller. Time for great grandkids and they are taken their sweet time on that. We used to have about 30 family members here for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. As time went by, we lost brothers and sisters, my mother also. Then grandkids grew up and some off to college and then one moved to CA, one that is married, and her DH in Navy moved to Washington state, one in the Army and now the last GD married a year ago and now living in SC. Now that it is just me and GS still living here. We are starting a new tradition. Thanksgiving at DD house which is a 2-and-a-half-hour drive and Christmas at my house. So, GS and I will be gone the weekend of Thanksgiving. Though we will be coming back home on Sat. evening as GS has to work on Sunday after Thanksgiving. But it will all work out. I need to get back to that room but thanks to Jeepers free Amazon book list, I got the book 2029. Couldn't put it down. So, before I knew it, it was 3 am. That is a good book and so funny at times. but at same time it tells of how things could happen here and around the world as well. That is a great read.

My DH and his dad raised beagles for rabbit hunting. They had about 20 of them. Those dogs were spoiled. DH's hunting days were over though by the time I met him. He got into fishing with his cousin after we got married. Lots of deep-sea fishing. Kept the freezer full of tuna and other fish back then. Those were the good old days. All just memories now. But good ones. Mt. Rider glad you are feeling better now. You have had a rough time of it past few months. Hope it's not your alternator going bad on your Jeep. I found out yesterday that I lost a classmate also. She was 80 years old. So will be having a funeral to go to but won't be until next week as she had a lot of out of state family that is still trying to get here. I have lost a lot of my Sunday school classmates and if it keeps up, we won't have a class anymore. It just gets smaller and smaller. DH's class had that happen and now there are only 3 left in his class. I think they are going to join our class as that is what they always did when the Sunday school teacher couldn't be there. Now that classes Teacher is home bound, so they don't even have a teacher any longer. Got a lot done today and even sewed the holes up in GS's old favorite blanket. And don't laugh, it's a crib blanket he has hung onto forever. He uses it like a throw when laying on couch to watch TV. That blanket is on its way to trash can. It is so worn out. But he loves it. Crazy kid. I got him a new one for Christmas. I have one on back of couch and he loves that one to. And NO, it's not a crib blanket. The owner of construction company came at around 3:30 and we went over the bill. I had some things that I had to add on as the job was progressing. But much better than I thought it would be. A few thousand less than I thought. Sigh of relief.

Was up really early this morning to get some cleaning done. Washed load of towels. Cleaned bathrooms and going through the last of some boxes of papers to sort and get rid of what I don't need to keep. Waiting on the owner of the construction company to come by as I said I wanted an itemized list of everything that was done in house. Was supposed to come at 1 pm but it got changed to 3 pm today. So, gives me a bit more time to get things done before they get here. I needed a break. Been at it all morning. I hate that it gets dark so much earlier now. Seems I get tired more in the early evenings and that is when I want to sit down and relax to read a book or watch a movie. But end up too tired to do either. Might just be that I am not used to this time change yet. The fall back gets me every time and takes longer for my body to adjust to it. Need to start thinking about Christmas presents. I have no idea what I am getting anyone for Christmas this year yet. So, need to sit down and figure that one out very soon as I need to have things delivered to out of state family. Seems this will be the first Christmas that it will only be me, GS and DD and SIL here for Christmas. The 2 on west coast will not be here though one said she is going to try to be here but weather will make that decision. Hoping that GD in Washington can make it here and back. Her DH is in military also so not sure how all that will work out yet. Work comes first. The other GD and her DH live in SC now and his grandfather is not doing well at all. So, they are going to spend Christmas with him this year. So, they will be in New Orleans this Christmas. Step GD that lives in CA still will not get on a plane because of covid restrictions and she is also working 3 jobs. One job she owns in cyber security. So, she stays very busy. Her DH works for Apple computer and is also working all the time. Maybe I will be able to go visit them when things calm down around here. She has been wanting me to come up to visit. Would be a long trip but would be fun.

DH taught GS how to fish when he was younger. He loves to fish. I still have the fishing rods that I will be giving to him when he gets a place where he can keep them. Till then he knows they are here and uses them when he can get a chance to go fishing. Though since he's been back here from Washington state, he hasn't had any time to fish.

Getting down to what do I do with it stuff. Have somethings that I am trying to decide rather to keep or get rid of. Yesterday got the living room finished. That 12 ft. window is no joke to clean. But it is off my list. Floors mopped as well. Went to Harris Teeter to pick up 5 prescriptions and all were free. Two of them the pharmacy keeps filling that I don't take any longer. But since they are for blood pressure, I just get them as we really don't know what will happen down the road with our medications. So those are my back up meds. I have never had all my meds free like that before, but I will take it. Money saved. I picked up one medication for diabetics the other day and it also was free. Free is good. Been looking around in attic for things and found several of my blankets packed up so bringing those down this weekend to use. Glad I found them as with GS here now I need more blankets. Speaking of GS, he is doing so much better. I just hope when he gets his apt. around the first of year, he will continue to do well. He just needed a chance to grow up more and learn how to handle his anger issues. He is doing so much better and learning how to manage money. Just can't get him to understand he can't spend a fortune on pricy foods. Needs to learn shop the sales and use coupons. This is a work in progress. But we will get there. He is at work now and should be home around 3:30 in the morning. Don't know how he can work like that. I know I can't do it. But he loves it.

Jeepers, it's a long story with my DD. She loves babies but once they get to be teenagers she is done. She had 2 girls and youngest is a boy. Both the oldest girl and Son are ADHD and DD didn't want to deal with that. She has a Favorite child. The middle one. She was not ADHD and is more like her mom. She was born with double ear infections and by the time she was nine months old had to have tubes in ears. That happened about 3 or 4 times by the time she turned 6. Then had a growth on her tonsils and had to have them removed. So, she was attached to mom's hips and both the oldest child and GS were pretty much on their own. With GS my DD just didn't want another child. He was an accident and not planned like the first two. He came 5 and a half years later. We found out after he was born that she had rocky mountain fever and Lymes disease. So could have a little to do with the way she acted with him. TV and computer games was her babysitter. He was playing really bad games like call of duty and others that were worse, so he grew up doing nothing but playing games on computer and is still like that today. DD pushed all of the kids out of the nest when they turned 18 as fast as she could. GS was bullied in middle school and parents did nothing about it. DD left SIL to deal with him and he was clueless. So, he pretty much was on his own and fell through the cracks at school as well. Before DD and SIL had to move for his job. GS had a good job at age 17, I think. But he had to quit to move to NC with them. I didn't think anything of it as I was dealing with taking care of DH at the time. GS started smoking pot and giving DD a hard time after the move and he was also turning 18. So, like the girls she was trying to push him out, but he was not able to move nor find a good paying job where he could get out on his own. They moved to the country where there wasn't much around but fast-food places. Can't live on that. So, she tried to get him to go into military. He did sign up but the oldest sister whose DH is in Navy. She talked him out of it. So, mom packed him up and shipped him to Washington State to live with her. She started charging him rent after he found a part time job and he still didn't make enough to live on. She told him it would include his food, but she wouldn't buy groceries. She and her DH eat out most of the time. So, he was starving because he didn't make enough to buy food after paying rent. After almost a year of living with her, she kicked him out on the street, and he was living in his car for 2 weeks before I had enough and paid for his plane ticket to come here to live. And paid to have his car shipped here as well. That put a stain on me with construction to pay for, but I wasn't going to have him living on the street like that. It is too dangerous these days to live on the street not knowing what to do. I got him to apply for food stamps and try to get housing, but he could only get food stamps. Seems in Washington you have to be living on the streets a year before you can be concerted for housing and then there was a long wait. So, he developed anger issues. He said something happened when he was much younger that caused him to be depressed and that was why he later started smoking pot. He has since stopped doing it. But does smoke cig. I won't allow him smoking in house, so he takes it outside. 2 weeks after he got here, he found a really good night job that he really likes and is making really good money now. He is trying to save as much as he can, but he had a lot of medical bills to pay off and the IRS. He got all his medical bills paid off and is working on paying off car now. He is now paying me rent and that goes back to him when he gets apt. My problem is that he likes food that cost a lot like the PJ Ching honey chicken that is almost $9.00 for a small bag and things like that. He refuses to eat veggies and he will eat some things I fix for dinner like spaghetti and baked chicken, fried chicken and things like that but only with rice or mashed potatoes. And lots of junk foods. So going to the store is really putting a hurting on my purse strings. His special foods have raised my small grocery bill by over $200 every couple of weeks. or less. His parents do not chip in to help with his food or anything else but are going to help him when he gets his apt. She still has his bedroom suit which his dad will bring down when he gets the apt. and with some dishes and things but that will be it. I have pots and pans in shed and some other things he can have as well as a kitchen table and chairs. I also have 2 end tables and coffee table he can have as well as lamps. But there are a lot of other things he will need, and I am going to tell his mother she needs to buy him sheets, blankets and other things he will need. I can only do so much on a fixed income. But over all his mentality is much better, he is not throwing those fits he was having when he first got here. He is talking more and seems to have learned to control his anger. So much improvement but he is one expensive child. This is a bad time for any child of his age to try to get on his or her feet and get out on their own. But he is trying hard. He hopes to have an apt. by the 1st of year, and I figured it would be another year before he would be able to do that. So, he is saving his money and working hard toward a goal. I just hope and pray it works out for him. And he knows I am here if he needs me for anything. If you could have seen him when he first got here, it was bad. You could see his ribs he was so skinny and starved. Can't see his rib cage now. He is gaining weight and I am sure part of that is the junk food he keeps eating. But he is building back muscles again as well. His job is hard with the heavy lifting but that is what he loves to do. When he first got here, I could fill him up. He was eating nonstop. His sister really didn't help his situation any. Just made it worse. But it also was wrong of his mother to throw him off on her like she did. DD is also like that with her animals. She loves them when they are young but once they get older and start having problems, she dumps them on the girls. So, the ferrets ended up going to the middle girl to take care of till they got so sick they had to be put down. Mom didn't want to deal with that. She was like that with the dog as well.

Euphresyne, that is not a bad price for rotisserie chicken. When we would buy them, I would make chicken and dumplings with the leftovers and would also manage to get a couple of chicken sandwiches out of it. We would get about 3 meals off of one chicken. Had half of a Boston butt in freezer, pulled that out yesterday and put in slow cooker. So today I will fix up something for dinner tonight with it in hopes I can get GS to eat dinner before work. Otherwise, he can heat it up when he gets home. He's pickier now than when he was little. It was so much easier to feed him then. Just fix fish and fries and he was good to go. Now he won't eat fish though he still likes it. Guess he got tired of it.

Euphresyne, hoping your DH is doing much better now. Went to pick up RX this morning. Wanted to beat the traffic. Did good going to store but coming back there must have been something that happened heading toward interstate way. Traffic was backed all the way down road from James River. Don't know what happened but nothing coming from Harborview way. I was at light coming out of Harris Teeter parking lot and had to worm my way around cars trying to get under the light. They were blocking the traffic coming out of parking lot. should have waited till later. It was still a bit cloudy, and I was going to wash the living room window. got the shears off window and here comes the sun full force on windows, so now I will just wait till this afternoon when sun goes around side of house. Don't want the windows to streak when I wash them, and the sun will do that every time. So now trying to decide what I want to get into while waiting for sun to go down around that window. Harris Teeter did have quite a few turkeys starting at 99 cents up. Didn't see any turkey breast. Did some shopping for GS. Working on a box of foods for him to take with him when he gets his apt. Anything in freezer that he eats I will be filling his freezer up a bit as well. Also working on a box of personal items as well for him. That way he can hold on to his money for getting utilities turned on as he will have to pay a deposit. Getting out on your own can get pricey these days so want to help him as much as possible to get started. Don't want him moving back in with me after he is moved out. I love him but it's time to move out on his own. I'm the grandmother not the mother and father who should be trying to help him. Being on a fixed income has put a strain on my purse strings trying to help him with the foods he eats and such. I will get him going and then I am back to only what I normally buy. Not the specials he likes. He will learn on his own that sales are the way to go and use coupons when you can get them. Learn to eat food like normal people will help. He has a beer wallet and Champaine taste in high priced foods.

Prices in all stores are getting worse by the week. I was thinking about not doing a garden next spring as I really need a break from all of it. The yard, house garden. I just need a good long rest. But with prices like they are I may be doing a garden again next year anyway. I hate going to Wal Mart but from what everyone is saying I better make a trip there. Maybe I can fill in holes cheap. And pick up a few things for GS. Started back on dining room and got that finished this afternoon. Then this evening I decided to haul all my appliances in from garage and put them in their new place. I have a cabinet on den side of kitchen that is a good size. So, after washing up and cleaning all the appliances, they went into that cabinet. That cabinet would be the dead space in corner where dishwasher is normally at the end of the bar and when we remodeled the kitchen 30 years ago, we had that section set up to open from den side. Much better that way. So, no more appliances in the garage. Packed up some things from that side of cabinet that GS will be able to use when he gets his apt. He's starting to become my Good Will place. Ran up to the Food Lion for a couple of things earlier and they have lots of Turkeys for half price. Only a few turkey breast but didn't look at the prices. Only looked at a couple of the whole turkeys and they had like 25.00 for 12.00. I don't need one so just checking things out. Need to head to Harris Teeter to pick up RX. But going to hold out till Thursday for senior discount. Every little bit helps. Trying to hold out a BJ's trip. I can get in trouble there. But do need to go before long.

Those pies look great. I used to make a meringue pie every Thanksgiving and Christmas It was a tradition around here. But as family got smaller due to family deaths and then the kids growing up and moving away, I stopped making them as there were some diabetics in family with no will power. Might make one this Christmas though as DD and SIL will be coming here for Christmas. We are all trying to figure out new traditions now with all the kids grown and living in other states and with DH no longer with us. Sad times indeed. But new traditions and memories to work on and treasure.

Never seen glow in the dark yarn before either. Interesting. Food Lion did get some turkeys in when I went to store last week but it wasn't many and were $2.89 a lb. I think. Haven't checked the ads for this week yet. Got dining room finished but will have to do another light cleaning on chandelier. It streaked from all the dirt and dust that was on it from construction. So will just clean it again and let it drip. GS cleaned main bathroom and washed his clothes when he got up this afternoon. And has been going through his clothes. He's trying to get them organized as to work clothes, and other clothes. At least he is trying to organize a bit now. He has some things heading to Good Will that he can't wear anymore. So good to get those out of the way. Jeepers, enjoy those moments with your grandson, you will treasure those times. My grandson is the youngest of 5 and will be 21 on the 15th. I still think about all those times with all my grandchildren when they were all young. Lots of fond memories. Then the weddings, and out on their own. Now they have all moved to other states but the youngest one that is living with me for now. But he plans on moving out by 1st of year. So, he will be on his own. Guess I will have to just wait for great grands to have that fun with the babies and toddlers that I had when grandkids were little. Youngest GS said he's never getting married and not having any kids. He's still young and just not ready yet. He will know one day when the right girl comes along and will then be the last wedding as then all G. children will have been married off. Church tomorrow and then home to work on chandelier again. Not sure what else I will do tomorrow afternoon. Might just relax and watch some TV. GS will be sleeping as he has to work tomorrow night.

Annarchy, I forgot to mention those jars of pumpkin look great. I have never canned pumpkin, but this year I never bought any pumpkins this year.

I like those little ice tray things. That's a great idea. Easy to stack that way. I need another freezer but this time an upright freezer so I can put those premade meals in there so I can find things. A chest freezer is nice and holds a lot but it's a lot of digging to find what you need no matter how organized you try to keep it. It's huge Kenmore freezer.

Gotta watch that binge watching on TV. I do that and don't get anything done. So, try not to turn on TV during the day anymore GS's birthday is coming up, so I decided to get out of house and go shopping. Got birthday out of way, and then went to the new home goods store. It just opened not long ago. Nothing like the big one in Newport News. Mostly Christmas decorations. Maybe after the first of year it will start getting better. Started a little Christmas shopping but not a lot. Mostly just walked around the stores looking around at what they had and the prices. Lots of good sales though. I got me some much-needed PJs, and socks. I haven't bought PJs for me in years and mine look it to. Need to head to JoAnn fabric for some flannel. Still haven't gotten there yet. I wanted some blankets, but they didn't have anything that I wanted, so still looking. Made DH a flannel one as he wanted another one like the one that caved to the rag bag. Still have that one. So, might just make some more of those. But wanted some thicker ones for really cold weather. Got no housework done today. But then I really needed that break. Curtains will still be there tomorrow.

Dee, that looks great. I don't have any room in my freezer to do the premade meals right now. But hoping to get back to canning from freezer after the holidays. I have about 10lbs of Italian sausage in freezer now. So, when I can get the canning out of way and make room. I am so stealing your idea.