Jump to content
MrsSurvival Discussion Forums

How I Spent My Summer Vacation


Recommended Posts

Hope everyone had a nice 4th. For the first time in 25 years I had a great one. I decided to go away to Amish country for the day to escape my next door neighbors. It is party central with fireworks (illegal) included and I really couldn’t deal with it this year. So, I spent the day and half of the night away. Duh, it only took me 25 years to figure that one out!

On the way down I stopped off at a Barnes and Nobel and found a couple of books on sale. One was a cookbook A Taste of Home Comfort Foods that my library doesn’t carry. It was almost half price so I got it. Off to a good start. I really miss Borders bookstore.

I knew all of the Amish type stores always close between 5-6 so I went there first. First stop was Lehman’s. Among other things I got a couple of those strainers that screw onto a canning jar for sprouts. Then I got some sprouting seeds. I got organic alfalfa and something called a sandwich mix. I found a dozen bags of non-GMO popcorn that is grown in Indiana. I’m going to vacuum seal them and store them away. I found the new Ball Blue Book. I also picked up another 3-piece canning weight so now I have a spare. I got a few other small items that I can’t remember right off hand. Then I went to a couple of fabric and quilt shops. I didn’t buy anything but boy was I tempted at some of the fabric. The quilts were so beautifu$.

As soon as I got out of the Jeep at Lehman’s my camera fell out on the cement parking lot and broke. That’s why I can’t buy nice things. I keep having to replace them. Same thing happens to me with clothes. First time I wear something nice, I spill something on it.

Lehman’s have a room set up to the right as you walk in. They have benches set up so you can rest and sometimes they have a movie playing about the Amish on a projector type thing. They have three women employee’s that do karaoke style singing. They were preforming on stage when I got there. Boy were they good! They were great at harmonizing. They did the oldies from the 50’s. I can’t remember the name of their group. Some of the people there were dancing. I’ll admit to toe tapping. It was fun.

There were a lot of Amish out and about doing their shopping. I saw some in Lehman’s looking at a tripod that you set over a campfire and some looking at kerosene buggy lanterns and others walking around. The fields were either being harvested or already in the shocks all in neat rows. On the way down there I had the radio on and they said that over 2-3 thousands of acres of corn will not be planted in Ohio this year because of all the rain we had. Another 4-5 thousand acres of soybeans won’t be planted due to rain too. That is just in Ohio. I drove by a huge chicken plant (Gerber’s) and wondered how they were doing with all of the bird flu happening. It can’t be good times for them, that’s for sure.

I stopped in at an Amish health food store and got some Amish burn cream. They were getting ready to close so I didn’t have time to look around. After Lehman’s I only stopped at one bulk food store. I found 2 bricks of cheese wax. Now I have to Google around which cheese will hold up the best. I Youtubed and found out how to do it. I’m not a big cheese eater but it would be nice to store some. I think.

I drove around taking in all of the peaceful sights, sounds and smells. When I’d pass a buggy I’d roll the window down so I could hear the horse going clippity-clop. One snorted as I drove by. Good times. I love it down there! I left Amish country around 6:30.

Then I drove toward home and stopped in Menards. I really like that store but we don’t have one close to me. Probably a good thing. I’d much rather spend day in a big box hardware store than any mall. Anyway, I found both John Deere yellow and green paint. This week I’m going to touch up the yellow mowing deck that was scratched so it doesn’t rust. I also got a few more screws, nails, washers, nuts and bolts to add to my repair box. I saw something new to me there. Porch post sleeves. They are used to cover existing front porch posts instead of replacing them. Hummm. Mine got torn up badly from woodpeckers of all things.

About a mile up the road is Lowes and Wal-Mart. I stopped in Lowes for a look around. They had their plants at 20% off so I got a nice dwarf burning bush for the front yard. I only need one more plant out there then I’ll mulch it and call it done for this year. I needed some root killer but couldn’t find any. Will probably have to go to the local nursery for that. I’ve been looking for one of those short Rubbermaid or Sterilite cabinets that lock for my basement. I want it to store all the booze I got to barter with and antibiotics that need a cool, dry, dark place. I haven’t been able to find one anywhere. Then I noticed there is a little hole on both doors… for a padlock! Sigh. So in a month or two I’ll go to Wal-Mart for one. I closed the store down at 8:00.

I stopped and got something to eat and rested in the Wal-Mart parking lot for a while. I should have brought my Kindle. The parking lot was well lit, especially under those big lights and my Kindle cover has a built in light. I picked up a few things there. Got a new cooling pad for the computer and a few groceries I needed. I probably got the last of the Bing cherries I’ll get for the season. Also picked up another camera. Grrr.

By then it was 10:00 and I knew if I left then I’d get home around 11:30 and the mayhem next door would be over for another 4th. While I was in the WM parking lot I saw some fireworks in the distance. They were pretty for about 10 min. I got bored and decided to head home. There was a lot of traffic, probably drunk, so I drove home slow at a leisurely pace. I stopped in at a rest area that is about 10 miles from my house. I didn’t have to ‘go’ but wanted to kill some more time. There was only one semi there. Even if I did have to go I wouldn’t have gone in there because it was too quiet. Zero activity. While I was just sitting there a car pulled up with a young woman and two little kids. I’d guess the girl was about 5 yrs. and the boy about 10 yrs. I know the woman didn’t have much of a choice but to take the kids in. She took her little girl in with her and the little boy had to go in the men’s room alone. Too old for the woman’s room…too young to go to the men’s room alone. I was uncomfortable for them. Anyway, I stayed there to watch. Maybe that’s why I was drawn to the rest stop to begin with. I don’t know. All ended well for them. Since there was no one except for me and a parked semi, I would have probably taken the boy in with me. Of course, hindsight is 20/20.

I got home around midnight and all was quiet on the home front. It was a fun day with no frayed nerves and now I sort of feel more energized. I won’t have any more money to spend for a while. Well, mostly the rest of the summer but that’s okay too. I have plenty to do around here to keep me busy. All of that and the Jeep still used less than a half tank of gas. That was a pleasant surprise! Probably from the slow driving.

 

Link to comment

It sounds like such a wonderful "day trip" for you! I know we enjoy our day trips. They always seem to cost us money but that's the joy of it. And...we space them accordingly! LOL We went dancing at the Moose Lodge Saturday night and didn't miss any firework displays in the least :-) Abby-girl was safely in the house and didn't seem to be a bit skittish when we got home about 10:30pm.

Link to comment

Sounds like an awesome trip. I definitely miss the fact there is no big bookstore anywhere within 50 miles here now.

The sterilite cupboards are sold by Amazon. I want to get some for my kitchen in fact after I discovered there was only one cupboard that is too high to do me much good as short as I am. I am not that steady on my step ladder either, and it was a small cupboard. Once deposits are paid here , that is the first organization stuff I get for the new place.

The cupboards were quite deep and tall enough and can be stacked. I can stack two and use another to the side of where I will put the stacked set.

Link to comment

MrWE2 will be building me a new counter/cabinetry system at the Homestead. That will give me plenty of counter and cabinetry. I also have one of those rolling iland/cabinets with a stainless steel top that I use more than I ever thought I'd use it. I'll just sit it beside my stove at the Homestead and have plenty of canning room :-) Those sterilite's look mighty good thouh for storing linens etc., even though the Homestead has a cedar-lined bay window seat and I also have a cedar lined chest, the drawers would make it very easy to put in the extended pantry area for long term...with mothballs?

Link to comment

The ones with drawers could be used for lots of things both in the house and in the basement and garage. I'd like to have one of those too. You could probably store a lot of craft items in them. And they would probably be really good as a medical prep supply unit. They are pretty big.

 

I like the ones that have doors on them for my garage to help keep the dirt out. My garage is very dusty. It doesn't help that now I have to drive the mower in before I turn it off. It creates quite a stir. I wouldn't mind so much but I keep other storage prep things out there beside tools and car stuff. A storage shed to park the mower in would be nice but that isn't going to happen any time soon here. If I have to buy storage units I might as well get ones with doors on them. I am going to get the one I posted up above, for the basement, and get a padlock for it now that I know it's doable. At Wal-Mart online you can get a 2pk. and it is a little cheaper. You order them and pay and they ship it to your store and you pick them up there. That way shipping is free. I do need to check out how much weight each shelf holds though. I have some heavy tools. They also have the tall cabinets for taller items.

Link to comment

Jeeps....we have a Rubbermaid shed (6x8?) with a floor at the Homestead also, and it's been a wonder to behold! It's never leaked a drop or gotten anything inside it. When the tree trimmers were removing some of the trees there 2 years ago, they dropped a huge limb on the roof so we had to dismantle it and re-assemble it. Got the tree job free :-) and our shed still in tact! I'm sure if it had been just any type of shed it would have been seriously damaged and repairs would have been costly...but not the Rubbermaid! It took the licking and keeps on ticking! LOL

Link to comment

I like Rubbermaid too. My mail box is Rubbermaid and has looked like new for 25 years. Except the post is a little turned because "someone" hit it a few years ago with a riding lawnmower.

 

They have so many rules and regulations in this darn town I live in. I think any outside storage sheds have to have a cement floor. I suppose one could be placed on top of a cement pad and bolted to it. I don't know. I do know we have to have a permit before we can have one. I did notice everyone who has a storage shed here have big wooden sheds. The thing is, all of our properties on my street back up to our own wooded area. That is where most sheds set...right at the beginning of the woods. It isn't like they are sitting in front of the house. You can barely see them from the street. You'd think I live in a home association neighborhood. But I don't. This is a small town who wants to be big. Napoleon Complex.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.