Littlesister

I have 2 food sealers. One I can use to seal canning jars for dry foods. But both use the sealing bags. I use them all the time. Great product.

Dee, that is bad that you can't pressure can any longer because of the stove issue. I am thinking maybe a propane cooker for outside. Like the turkey cookers or something. That would be better than nothing and you wouldn't need to drag anything to library and back. You would need to check the BTUs on them, but it would work. Just something to think about. Will be canning tomato soup as well.

OOTO, I should have explained better. The e-mails I get are not from anyone person but from Mrs. S. I get a notification on some of the topics when someone post. The e-mail was not from you directly but from the forum. Hope that explains it better. I get post on some topics but not all. It helps me to keep up a little when I can't be on for days at a time. I can quickly read a post from time to time without having to log in when I know someone has posted. Other than the fireplace and a little bit of touchup paint, the house is now done. I am now able to get the deep cleaning done and finish getting the boxes unpacked and everything put away. The dressers will be here tomorrow afternoon. So hopefully in about a week my GS will have a bedroom. Lots of sawdust and just regular dust in there that I could not get to because of all the mess piled up in that bedroom. Have already started to empty that room, but need to get the curtains down and washed, clean windows and blinds also. Then get the floor mopped and everything ready for GS. Yes, I went after the owner and let him know this is a dire situation and my GS does not need to be sleeping in a living room on a couch. He works nights and sleeps during the day and needs a bedroom not a couch. And that he best stop playing around with pulling his guys off one job to do another job Before they can finish up what they are doing on the one job. That is not how construction works. And if he wanted to start getting paid again then he best be getting this job done. Now we will see how long it takes to get the fireplace done. That is the only thing left to do. But at least now I can get GS into a bedroom and out of the living room. Put on a pot roast in slow cooker this morning as GS is off and we can sit down together to have dinner. He is off on Friday and Saturday and is the only time we can sit down to a meal together. Might not be on here as often as I will be really busy putting this house back together. Got the curtain rods all up and curtains are hung. Master bedroom floor is now clean and just waiting for it to dry so I can get bed back into place and vacuum mattress and box springs really well and then make bed. Once dressers get here tomorrow, I will be putting my clothes away in the new dressers and have them out of boxes. Living from boxes has been a real challenge. My food pantry which is going to be the small bedroom will be the last room done as I have to get a dresser out of that room and a desk. Then I can get the other 2 shelving units put up and start sorting through the food and getting it all organized. But will try to get on when I can. Hoping that Mt. Rider is doing well, and all is good with her mother. I am sure she is still there helping her mother out as I think she said she is in her 90's. So, I am sure she is in much need of some help. Keeping her and her mother in prayer.

With all these ideas, I think I need another freezer for sure. I canned some meat from the big freezer and got a little room and GS took that over with foods he likes to eat. So now it is full again. Going to have to look into getting another smaller freezer or a stand up one instead of a chest type like I have now. GS could keep his stuff in the standup freezer, and I can have room to freeze breads. That would work for both of us. Though I still have to get the big chest freezer emptied as soon as I can get past the construction. I have meat in there now for making my vegetable beef and chicken soups to can. Hoping to have those done before cold weather this fall. I have a long list of things I want to get canned and right now I am going to be heading to market to buy a bushel of peaches to can. Might get a couple of bushels but not sure yet. Need to reinventory my jars.

I will check into this book. I am not a reader of romantic novels either but will read it if I can find it. Thanks for the input.

Mother I do agree, I think we have bigger fish to fry with all that is going on in this world. There will be bigger issues with new pandemics, famine, collapse of the stock market. Money not worth the paper it is printed on as the price of gas, groceries, health insurance, interest rates going up and so on. We need to just concentrate on the here and now on how we are to prepare for what is already happening. I think we are all tired and frustrated about how the world is spinning out of control and nothing we can do about it but try to prepare as best we can. Time to just try to relax and not get worked up over what hasn't hit us yet.

Beca Anne, When DH and I were still working, there were times we just stayed home and relaxed. DH was doing a garden at that time, but it didn't get large until he had to retire. We just did things together and enjoyed each other's company and did small things around house. Mostly outside yard work that we didn't have time to do otherwise. Watched movies at home and went to the movies if something was playing, we wanted to see. Just have to turn away from house cleaning other than what has to be done during that time and read books and watch movies. Lots of rest. OOTO, thank you about the stamps going up. I didn't hear about that so went to post office this afternoon and bought 2 rolls of stamps. Your message came through on my e-mail and I saw it. 2 rolls will last me a long time. The construction guys came yesterday and finished up the shoe molding, so the only thing left are the 2 ceiling fans and hooking up exhaust fans in both bathrooms. No one came today and I went off on the owner. So, he claims they will be here at 7 am tomorrow morning. They have never gotten here before 8:30 to 9:30 and I don't expect them to be here before that time. But someone had better be here to finish up the job. The fireplace still has not been started yet and he contracted that out to a chimney company. He didn't like that I knew what I was talking about on the pipe going up into the chimney. But I am paying for it, and I want it done right. I win. This guy tries to cut corners and use cheaper material. He thinks he will make more money off his clients that way. But he wasn't getting away with it here. NO cutting corners and NO using cheap materials. I checked out everything before it could be installed. If not right, it went back. That is why the ceiling fans aren't in yet. One has been here, and they could have put that one in but the other one was not what I had him order and it had to go back to be reordered. So, he wouldn't let them come back till the other fan came in. But when they did come, they still didn't get fans up as it took all day to get the shoe molding down. Lots of doors and heat registers to cut around. But at least that part is done. We are now going into 7 months of this construction job. It should have been finished by now. Garden is starting to come in now but not enough of anything to can. I have 5 zucchini to shred tomorrow morning and get into freezer. Only 2 squash and a hand full of green beans. Those I will cook up tomorrow for dinner. Might have a couple of more squash that might be ready tomorrow. Will check the green beans again also. Watching one cucumber and some more green peppers that might need picking tomorrow as well. I have some now I will be getting ready for freezer as well. The Roma tomatoes are loaded but none have ripened yet. That looks like they will be ripening almost all at one time which is what I am hoping for. Then I can get soups made to can, canned tomatoes and spaghetti sauce made up to can. Might make salsa to can if I have enough tomatoes for it. Today I unpacked more boxes and got what I could get put away up. Dressers will be here on Sat. finally. It has only been 14 months waiting on them. Then I can really start into cleaning up and getting the sawdust out of the front bedroom and moving things back where they need to go. Then I can work on small bedroom as I am turning that into a large pantry. Have 2 more shelving units that I will get GS to help me put together once I am ready to do that. Then I can organize the food better. But don't think that will all get done before the canning from garden begins.

At my age, walking is about all I can do. I walk my neighborhood which if I do the whole neighborhood is one mile. Used to do that twice a day but been so busy I am doing good to do it each morning. But trying to get back to walking again. And yes, we must stay mentally strong at all times. Need to stay on top of things and be quick to react to things at any given time.

Could make some hotdog chili to freeze or can. Cheeseburger macaroni 1lb of ground beef 1 cup chopped onion 1 can 14 1/2 oz stewed tomatoes (original recipe) 1 cup elbow macaroni 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. Brown meat and onions in large skillet, drain add undrained tomatoes and 1 cup water, bring to boil. Stir in uncooked macaroni, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in cheese. You can add 1 tbsp. of bottled hot sauce or 1 tsp. dried red prepper flakes.

Happy Birthday Miki.  Hope you had a wonderful day and was spoiled rotten.

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July. Kappy, hope you feel better soon and glad you can get some of those free chickens. That is a plus. Grandson had to work on the 4th, so we celebrated on Sat. DD and her DH came in and GS cooked ribs on the grill. We had a great time. Then on Sunday after Church service we had a church gathering with a cookout of hotdogs and hamburgers after the service. Had a great time there as well. The 4th was quiet as GS had to work but watched the fireworks from a neighbor across from me doing some powerful fireworks in her back yard. I had to pull all the hoses and turn water on to be ready. The embers were blowing all over my roof and car. What a mess. And to make matters worse, my neighbor's dog managed to get out of house running from fireworks as she doesn't like the sound and got scared. Unfortunately, she got up on highway and got killed. So, when people do fireworks that close to the neighbors houses it does have consequences. That neighbor that lost his dog lives right next door to her. She had some powerful fireworks. Very loud and more like what they use at the parades. I had to wash car this morning to get all the ash off the windshield and stuff. It is all over the roof of house as well. Still trying to get things back together. No contractors again today. He says he is still waiting on the fan to come in. He is just putting me off as he ordered both fans at same time. They are the same fan just one with light and one without. He has contractors working on the other 3 houses he just took on a week or so ago and using the fan to hold me off till they get those houses going before he starts doing to them what he is doing with the other 6 houses. A little at this house then off to do a little at another house, etc. Nothing gets finished in a timely minor.

Kappy, I heard about that years ago. Couldn't remember what vaccine it was or if there was more than one. But yes, I do remember Africa kicking him out. Also, it seems that Africa was the one country that these newer vaccines were used on for a trial run. Wonder if I could still find the article about that. Will have to see if I can find it. That has been a long while ago.

The Roma tomatoes are loaded, but not ripe yet. So, kitchen was a must to get it back together. Becca Anne, sounds like you are going through some of what I have been going through. Ordering the wrong thing or something didn't come in when it was supposed to and of course taking contractors off my job to go work on another job and then pulling them from that job to go work on a third job and so on till no one is getting their jobs done in a timely manner. I put my foot down on the owner and that got the ball rolling again, but only for a couple of days. He is waiting on the fan that he did the wrong order on, and they won't be back to finish up till that comes in. Doesn't seem to matter to him that they still have to finish putting down the shoe molding, hook up the exhaust fans in both bathrooms and other small things that could be done while waiting on that one fan. The fan for the den is here sitting in garage. But no, they have to wait till the bedroom fan comes in to finish and again he said it can all be done in a day. Where have I heard that story before. They get here around 8:30 am, work for a while, then go to lunch for an hour and then by 2pm they are packing up to leave. So, no way will the rest of this get done in a day. This is what I have been dealing with for a few months. And the fireplace hasn't been started yet. But he says he's working on the plans. So, when am I going to know about these plans is anyone's guess? He will keep me guessing to stall for time to work on the other houses and he has now taken on 3 more houses before he has finished the work on what he already has for 5 or 6 other jobs. None are getting done according to contractors that come out. They are getting frustrated with the owner because they can't even get tile work finished in one house before he sends them to another house to do a little bit before sending them again to a 3ed house and so it goes. I think a lot of homeowners are on his case and he doesn't know what to do. I think it is called stop micromanaging your workers and let them get the work done like it should be.

Dee, I do remember back then, and I got that polio vaccine. But they are going to introduce a new vaccine for this, and I am not sure how that will play out. They say the old vaccine will not protect you from this type of polio that is coming from monkeypox supposedly. Right now, I am trying to find research on it. But is still hard to find out about this new vaccine. Has it been tested, I don't know? But to take another vaccine that is experimental is something I won't do. Yes, we all have to make these decisions, but I would prefer to know how safe it is. As things stand now with the corvid vaccine a lot of bad stuff is coming out now. And it is not good. So as time goes by on these experimental vaccines, we will find out more and more about them. If they are going to give the old polio vaccine from the 50's I would more than likely get that again, but not one that has yet to be tested.

That is what I need to be doing. I have some boxes of waffle mix that I need to make up and freeze for fast breakfast. I have a little room in freezer now so I might next week if things go well start doing that. I would rather make the waffles and freeze them than to just package it all up for long term use.

There is nothing to fear but fear itself. I will not be led into panic for this either. I will take any precautions that I might need to but that is as far as I go. I am over our gov. looking for ways to put fear and panic in everyone just so they can take away our rights little by little. And another vac. so the pharmaceuticals can get rich off our dime.

For everyone that is traveling, be safe and have fun. Been working on kitchen today. Getting things back in order now. And set up before the canning starts. Garden is just starting to produce. So, it won't be long now. If all the Roma tomatoes ripen at once, it will be lots of canned tomatoes, salsa and spaghetti sauce to get canned. Not to mention soups. Might make more ketchup depending on how far the tomatoes go. Taking a much-needed break right now. Getting ready to work on front bedroom again soon. Trying to get everything out of that bedroom and rearrange the furniture to fit better in that room. Daughter and her DH are coming into town tomorrow, so going to plan a cookout while they are here. then Sunday it's Church and a cookout after service as well. Need to bake brownies tomorrow for that also. Better make extras for family also. SIL loves brownies. GS is still asleep as he didn't get home till after 4am from work and went to bed just after 7am this morning. He is off today and tomorrow and should be getting up soon. Going to cook him a fish dinner tonight. He loves fish and could eat it every day. Once a week is enough for me, I'm not a huge fish eater. And yes, the grocery stores are outrageous on prices. Went to store for just a few things this morning and prices just keep going up. Produce is really bad. Frozen foods were not much better than last week. Don't know what is going on with that. They did have the 15oz. cans of pineapple on sale 5 for $5.00. So, I bought 5 cans. Beats paying $1.69 a can. Pineapple upside down cake sounds pretty good.

Jeepers you sure know how to lift a person up. I am having to work out a schedule with grandson sleeping during the day and still on couch in living room, construction still going on. And so much more. Seems that since DH passed, it has been one struggle after the other. Granddaughter and her DH moved in for 4 months and now grandson. GD and her DH are now in SC, and she has reapplied for PA school for this fall. They are holding off on buying a house now that the market has gone crazy and interest rates are rising. I feel like I really haven't had the time to myself since DH passed to even think of things I want to do and get done other than the remodel that DH and I had talked about before he took sick. And yes, I am doing more remodeling than DH and I had talked about, but it really needed to be done. Glad I decided to do it all at once though there are still other things, I need to have done but won't be as bad as this has been. After GS gets his own apt. hopefully within the next couple of years, I can settle down with the struggles I am going through. I love my grandkids but don't think I will be letting any of them move in with me again. Too much work on me with them here. And the fact that with this area growing up like it is, I have not totally given up on moving. Where I want to move in Montana may be a pipe dream, but something keeps nagging me about that move. At my age, I doubt that will happen.

welcome back, Kimba. Hope to see you posting.

Happy belated birthday euphrasyne, I seem to have missed it. Hope you had a wonderful day.

No contractors today, so I have started unpacking stuff and getting it all put away. Owner said they won't be back till the bedroom fan comes in and then they will be here to finish up everything in one day. Gee, where have I heard that before. Contractors need to get in attic for past 3 months and kept saying owner needs to get someone out that can move the wood stove as it is sitting in garage under the opening to the attic. I am so tired of the excuses. The stove is on a pallet. So, I went out this morning and slid it out of the way. Seems it just takes a woman to get things done these days. Those men could have done that, but they said they couldn't do it as it weighs 350lbs and they just won't be able to do it. I am in my 70's and I could move it with no help. Slides really easy on a pallet. Got the linen closet that is outside of main bathroom all cleaned out and that now only has pillows, sheets and blankets mostly in it. All towels and washcloths are now split up into both bathroom linen closets. So much better now. Put a huge dent in the front bedroom that I am trying to get setup for grandson. Hopefully it will be ready for him in a week or so. My dressers are on a few days delay so hoping next week they will be here for sure. Then I can empty the other dressers for grandson to use and get all my clothes back into my room. Hoping after that I can start on the small bedroom and get that set up. I really feel like I am moving with all the packing up I had to do for construction and now having to get it all unpacked. Once I get grandson out of the living room and into his bedroom, I can start working on getting the living room set up for a more useable room. Will need to get the couch into the den and sell the end tables that are in there. I am going to maybe be having a huge yard sale this fall or next spring, depending on if I can get everything together, I want to get rid of. Thinking about waiting to go through the sheds and getting all that sorted out. I will need a break once I get the house back together.

Joyfield the garden looks great. Just went out a while ago and checked my garden. Green beans are now starting to fill out as well as butterbeans. There are some tiny squashes on plants now. So far, I have only gotten zucchini, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. The Roma tomato plants are loaded but not ripe yet. Hoping they will mostly ripen at one time so I can get them all canned at one time and to make spaghetti sauce to can as well.

Contractors were here today. Hoping they will be back tomorrow to finish up. Both bathrooms are now done. Still putting down the shoe molding. Almost finished kitchen and then the den, hall and foyer and one closet to get done. Hoping all will be done tomorrow if they show. Then the fans in bedroom and den to go up. Owner messed up on one fan and had to reorder. So, waiting for that one to come in. Then it is touch up paint and the fireplace to get started on and I hope that will be soon. He said it should take about one or two days, but he didn't order the mat that goes under the stove a month ago like he was supposed to, so that won't be here till end of July. This is how it has been going. He waits till last minute to order and then the contractors can't get things done because they don't have what they need when it is needed. it has been a long 6 months of this. Though on the bright side I am able to start getting things put away now. Still a long way to go and trying to figure out where to put things. Organizing is a hassle. And I am sure that down the road if something that I put in one place doesn't work out, I will be moving things around till I can get it organized like I need. Becca Anne. enjoy your vacation. I am sure it is well needed. Jeepers have a safe trip and hope you get things moved in and ready to go soon. Euphrosyne, I am so glad you didn't break anything when you fell. I am thinking we are all going to have to save our bubble wrap for you and come wrap you up in it before you go out of door. You are accident prone for sure. Be careful. You have had enough setbacks.

Ambergris, have a safe and fun trip. TheCG, you don't get corvid and that your family is getting much better. Taking a break for now. Been unpacking boxes and trying to get what I can put away. Still a long way to go. But at least with construction that is done I can start moving things and putting it away. Trying to organize it is another story. Will more than likely reorganize somethings if it doesn't work where I put it. Having a linen closet inside of both bathrooms now is great. And the cabinets they put over both toilets are huge. So, lots of storage. Sill have the hall linen closet just outside of main bathroom that will be used for sheets, blankets, pillows and such. But all towels, washcloths, etc. are now situated in each bathroom. The long closet that I have always used as my pantry now has all my pasta, dried beans, and some long-term foods on top shelf in there. Once I get the small bedroom cleaned out and the desk, dresser and another file cabinet out of that room and more shelving units up, I might move that food from that closet into the small bedroom and set that closet up for first aid and OTC's and RX's. Then I can see at a glance what I have. Trying to get things organized and put away is a hassle. And with grandson sleeping during the day because of working at night, I am trying to do this quietly and by myself. Maybe once he gets his schedule Straight, and his sleeping pattern better established, he will be able to help me more. He does go and check the garden before going into work every day. He comes and tells me that something might need to be picked as he won't pick anything because he is not sure if it is ready or not. So at least I know what to look for after he tells me.

Happy Birthday.