Rundgrenfan

I’ve been getting a lot of seeds on Etsy!

Hi all. I’ve been praying to find a way to use any talent I have to help people in some way, especially the like-minded. So an idea popped into my head today to offer free online math tutoring, and it’s nagging me so much it can’t have come from me! I’ve been tutoring a friend’s daughter this year via FaceTime and it’s working great. Plus I don’t have to worry about bringing home unnecessary germs to my immune compromised husband. If you are homeschooling and your child needs help, or you need help to teach it, I’d be glad to try to work something out. I’m a 1989 secondary mathematics education graduate of Penn State. I taught on and off in public and Catholic schools until caring for my in-laws and small kids became too much in the mid 2000s. Since then I’ve just tutored as favors to friends. I’m comfortable up until pre-calculus, maybe some other levels if I could see the pages and problems ahead enough to prepare. I’m definitely a bit rusty on college level stuff! If anyone is interested please reply here and we can work on a way to communicate.

Euphrasyne, you post is something I might print out to really think about. Thank you for the invaluable information even while you are feeling so bad. I organized my pantry and some cabinets yesterday. It always seems to be the best way to start deep cleaning the kitchen, but I also wanted a better sense of what all I have. My husband has been working at home since March 2020. His setup is half in the family room and half in the kitchen. It’s really annoying. It made sense when my daughters were also home and we had to find three offices out of earshot of each other. But I’d really like to have a friend over for coffee, or run my food processor without carrying it into the guest room, or watch tv in my comfy chair, again. He keeps talking about moving upstairs but it never happens. However, he had to go in yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Only until 2 or so, but I have my music blasting and I might get wild and do some daytime vacuuming!

Littlesister, I can somewhat relate to your construction frustration! We started plans for a stone patio to replace our deck last May. We couldn’t even get on the schedule until July. Then the type of stone we wanted wasn’t available, so it actually started in September. Between labor and material shortages, it wasn’t done until literally Christmas Eve morning. It was outside, so it wasn’t nearly as problematic , but not being able to use the yard at all, or let the dogs out back (one of whom will not walk on a leash), it was annoying. I am happy with the result! But I think it will be a while before we take on another big project.

I don’t know anyone yet but I will definitely be remembering those who need it in my prayers. This is the first morning since I started consistently working out in January that it’s warm enough that I can enjoy post-workout coffee outside on the patio. Catching a bit of vitamin D before I clean up and get on with the day

Martianchick, I understand some of the stress you are under. My in laws moved in with us when my kids were 4 and 6. They were already quite old (she was 81, he was 87). She died within six months and then we realized she had been covering for my FIL mentally, and his dementia advanced. We were able to keep him at home for five years but it basically consumed our lives. We’re just now doing some home repairs and projects we should have done a decade ago.

Last year I couldn’t plant anything because we had our deck replaced with a stone patio edged in planting beds. The yard was torn up all summer and fall (it took several extra months due to labor and material shortages). So I’m extra excited to garden this year! I have peas, onions, and greens in so far, and put in garlic last fall.

I know this topic has lain dormant a while, but it’s so interesting to me. A few years ago I started picking flowers and seed heads wherever I found them nearby, and planting them or saving the seeds for my yard. I have loved using this to ID things: https://www.wildflowersearch.org Some favorite freebies are asiatic day lily, chicory(both edible!) and yellow tick seed (just plain pretty)! I also enjoy the “salad weeds” (lambs quarter, plantain, etc).

One of my friends on MyFitnessPal turned me on to The Mennonite Farmhouse YouTube channel and I really like her! Do you all have any other channels to recommend? I love cooking and enjoy gardening on my little 1/4 acre. Thanks! -jenn

I’m a bean lover but we recently figured out they have been causing my husband’s GI issues (we did a whole FODMAP elimination routine when he was told he has diverticulosis). ☹️ It’s not too much trouble to make my own beans and add or enjoy them separately. But I am disappointed because they are such an easy protein source to store!

Thank you! I started getting serious in 2020 when I finally had time to organize my basement and create food storage down there. This year I have (probably overly) ambitious garden plans!

I’m really happy to still be on this mailing list and to have received today’s email message. Last week I met with friends. We used to get together weekly but since covid we are just working our way up to monthly. I made a few comments that raised eyebrows but the most pushback I got was when I said that I hoped everyone was stocking up their pantry, like seriously! One said her pantry is always full and she’s not changing a thing. Another said I need to get my news from somewhere else and chill out. It wasn’t unfriendly, and we all laughed off the comments. But I did feel sad that I really have nobody to talk to about this kind of stuff. And then a week later I got the email, reminding me that there is such a place. Thank you! -jenn

ArmyofFive4God, I think yours was the tutorial I used last year to make all of my friends jars of vanilla for Valentine's Day (I started it too late for Christmas!)! Everyone loved it and said it was one of the best gifts they had ever gotten. Thanks!

Oh yes, I have searched for, found, and tried, many versions. My grandmother's had chocolate pudding sauce, not vanilla like most of the online versions. I just can't get the taste quite right. Thank you for the link!

Isn't she lovely. I'm so glad her family thought to put her wonderful cooking and stories on video for those of us who miss our grandmas! It got me thinking about something my grandmother used to make called cottage pudding. It was a yellow cake with a chocolate pudding topping, but I can't quite replicate it. Even the Fannie Farmer recipe is not quite right. Is there a thread on this website for "lost" recipes? Thanks!

Total scraper. When we are eating ribs or chicken (at home!!), I usually don't serve myself any, I just take my husband's after he's done because he leaves so much meat on the bone!!

I love the pillowcase idea!! I can only sew straight lines so this might be doable! I think my brothers liked the gift. We aren't especially close so I thought it was a good way to start showing them I care.

Thank you! I will. I am feeling better about making a plan just reading through the forum. It's a treasure trove of information!

Hi everyone, I'm new and hope you don't mind me jumping in! I'm getting excited about beginning Christmas presents! I just started friend and teacher gifts -- I need several dozen -- and decided to knit dish scrubbies this year, out of leftover yarn mixed with the netting from potato and onion bags. Last year I made dry mixes and had friends saving jars for me; this year they have to save their netting for me! When my mom was little, my Grandpa made a cardboard Christmas village, about 8 little houses, and over the years they fell apart. Last year I copied one of the houses and made one for each of my brothers, my mom, and me. Each year I'm going to try to make each of us a new house from his originals. It was a lot of work so I really need to start!

Discovered this site yesterday, spent a lot of time reading, and am so glad to have found Mrs Survival! Thanks for all who work to make it informative and to keep it civil!