WHATCHA DOING TODAY?

[The WE2's]

Dried some laundry and paid some bills.  Then hubby worked at homestead and I did some wifey things around here.  Hey...the tags are on ALL the trailers!  Our travel trailer has permanent tags.  We'll get permanent tags on his two work trailers next year....when we have more funds.  

What a relief...florist called and wants us to deliver flowers again this Valentine's day.  We'll absolutely be happy with the $$$!

Just printed out the forms we need to file for our circuit breaker refund.  I'll do it during the day when my brain is working better!  Night time isn't a good time to work on tax stuff or bill pay stuff! 

Made my own tortilla's and we had beefy frito burrito's...with yellow rice, salsa, and black beans on the side.  I put some green chilies in my beans, just spices them up! I just crush the fritos and put them inside the tortilla. LOL

 

Edited January 9, 2020 by The WE2's
added content

[Annarchy]

Been busy, as usual.  
 

Pulled most of the weeds in the front lawn, mowed, edged & blew off the clippings. I was able to use the bags of rye cuttings to cover the bare areas in the back yard and was able to dump a bag in the mulch bin.  Pulled out all the dried tomatillo, butternut & cantaloupe plants, mulched.  Then, trimmed the desert willow, pine, and chaste trees.  I have a nice pile for the trash pickup, next 1st Wed.  Started pulling weeds in the back yard.  I’d like to find out if the prolific weed is an edible, but haven’t been able to find it on line.  I know its seeds are, I’ve eaten a lot through the years, they taste sort of like Lima beans.  Lol

 

DH is slowly recovering.  He’s still weak, but, getting better.  
 

Then, another hen passed in her sleep.  One before Thanksgiving and then this one. Curry was over 7 years old, wasn’t laying anymore.  The other one had to be separated, because all the others would beat up on her.  When she was a chick, one of the older hens bit her tongue!?  I have had to keep her separated ever since.  Now, we are down to 4.  I’m going to try to figure out who is laying, as soon as they start laying again, then, it’s chicken soup for the ones that have quit laying.

 

It was cloudy this morning and is now raining.  I had to go to the store this morning to get some more canning jars.  Ball jars were almost $9. doz., Kerr were $6, and an off brand were $5.  I got the Kerr because I don’t want to rely on something I have no experience with. The cheap ones were probably good, but I am relying on the food for long term storage.  
 

DH’s retirement was slashed, because they had been 1/2 matching his social security.  I had to push some bills ahead.  His social security came in, and I paid the rest, and had enough to get the jars and some chicken.  Amen!  
 

I’m preparing things for my trip to MIL’s next Wednesday.  I still need to clean the van from last years trips with the dog.  I’m designated driver for the CoC’s installation meeting on Thursday, and it NEEDS to be nice for the Ladies.  Black clothes + dog hair isn’t nice.  Lol

 

Speaking of dogs... it seems my trip home from TX will be with the rescue dog DH agreed to.  He’s a 2 year old German Shepherd, his name is Storm.  I’m not thrilled, I didn’t want another.  Gunny is barely beginning to warm up to me, and DH has been telling the rescue and everyone else, he’s going to be my dog...!!??  Sigh.

 

Time to get some sleep, it’s been a long day.  

[Littlesister]

Been trying to get things back in place from Christmas.  Nic Nacks back on fireplace and a couple of chairs I had to move for the tree to go up. Then got the table cloth back on dinning room table.  Dusting and vacumn and mopping floors. Now I am tired.  DH felt much better today though his feet are swollen, so he is sitting down with feet propped up.  He even cooked dinner tonight. Corn beef and cabbage. He hasn't done any cooking for about 5 months now. So that was a good sign. He usually fixes dinner when I am really busy. It does help me out a bit.  His only complant was that it was bland.  Sorry, but no salt shaker.  Don't want that fluid building around heart and lungs again. 

[The WE2's]

Not much going on around here except the same...hubby working at homestead and me taking care of things here at this place.  Supposed to have some winter weather coming in this weekend but we're okay.  Pantry has been taking good care of us ... this is the 3rd month.  Going to have to raid our gasoline stash though...just not enough $$ to put any in the truck...and wouldn't you know it...it's almost 20 cents cheaper in the city where the Roost is at? 

No further word about my brother.  Probably undergoing a lot of testing.  Same for cousin.  Friend is just about to finish up her last round of chemo.  Other friend is feeling much better since she started on the "Medicine Woman's" natural remedies.  LOL

[Mt_Rider]

OK....I will try to recap the past days.  Wondrous things and a whole lotta annoying things.

 

Tuesday:  DH came home from work feeling like he was coming down with something.  Understand, with the exception of riding planes in Feb last year, neither of us has actually gotten sick.  For maybe 6 years!!!   We successfully fight it off with a lot of herbal/nutritional products if something threatens.  So we weren't worried until he deteriorated quickly and spent a rough night.

 

Also that night, I wasn't able to call the village where my folks live.  Half hour away.  "All Circuits Are Busy, etc."  Annoying cuz I always call my mom in the later evening.  No way to let her know of phone trouble.

 

Wednesday:  DH did not get much sleep and it was beginning to look like this 'bug' was settling in.  Cough.  Congestion.  But this was the day to see the orthopedic surgeon about his rotator cuff and the cyst lump on shoulder.  So we went.  He got a bunch more x-rays and then upstairs to the doc.  [DH's temp was officially 99.1* ]

 

THIS WAS THE GOOD PART!    Because DH has no trouble moving or using the shoulder and no pain...  And because the cyst isn't anything more than a reaction to the shoulder being injured YEARS ago and now DH is using a lot for his serving job.....   Ortho Doc DOES NOT particularly recommend surgery.    We were stunned.  We were prepping for him to be in rehab 4-6 weeks - no driver to get him there...etc, etc.  Wait....REALLY?  Doc says if it begins to be a problem....more than the rehab, etc would be...then come back.  DH will see him again to check in 6 mos.    REALLY?   

 

Off we go to get gas.  After 10 min DH comes back to car and drives off.  Pumps are not working. 

 

Off we go to drop a puzzle off for my mom and tell them the phone is still not working for us to call them. 

 

That morning I'd had an EXTREMELY UNPRODUCTIVE phone conversation with an alleged tech or ....employee of the phone company.  I can call to our village [the library] but can't call into my folk's village [their # or that library].  He kept trying to say it was the 2nd village phone problem.  Noooooo, this is the 3rd time in all these years for this to happen.  I can call over to my friend in the city.  I can call  YOU, FOR INSTANCE!  He was not at the top of his class in digging ditches so we got him as our "gatekeeper to phone trouble".   

 

So without being assured that I'd have a phone at home, we had to stop by to let my folks know..     ...tho I knocked on doors and rang door bell and peered in the windows....    They never go anywhere in the late afternoon.  They're morning people.  So we're a bit worried.  Despite poor DH is beginning to show the strain of this day....getting fever/chills....we decide we must go looking for them.  BECAUSE OUR PHONE MIGHT NOT WORK TO CALL THEM! 

 

Looking for their noticeable vehicle....doctor's office - no.  OK...just go the their grocery across the street.  Yep!    Talked to my dad...then my mom as she came out with groceries.  Stayed far away tho -- DH is sick.     So she was to call me that evening, in case phone wasn't working.  And it wasn't but she could call into our area.  THIS MAKES NO SENSE!  Got gas at a different WINDY station on the way outta town.  DH was   by now.  

 

I got home and called the Idiot at telephone company again.  "You said 4 hours and I don't have any message on my phone"     This conversation was as unproductive as the last one.  Took dog for long walk to stomp around a bit.  Then called our uphill neighbor and had her test their phone.  Yes, she'd received a call earlier from my folks' town.  But no, she cannot call into that town either.  So she also called in a complaint.....

 

Thursday.....  she reported to me her saga: 

 

She called back 7 times.  More than once she got hung up on.  She's tenacious tho!    Long unbelievable story about company buy-out of our rural area and then giving those of us spread out, very POOR service.  Bigger towns get full service. 

 

The hair on the back of my neck began to tingle:  This sounds like "Compressed Populations" scenario!  Only with phone service instead of cutting electricity sporadically.       {Don't say a word, Mother!}   

 

I am quite serious tho.  She said they can't even get any of the services like Call Waiting, etc.  We did but we were out here before this CHANGE occurred.  Anyway, she pressed and pressed.  Begged them not to give her back to The Idiot in charge of taking our phone repair tickets.  [he sent mine over to the other village instead of processing it HERE! ]  The company gets very little profit from sparse population areas....thus apparently we don't qualify for good service.    And they don't even act on anything unless at least 2 call it in....so she and I are partners now!  And we'll spread the word!

 

HOWEVER, she was able to get our phones working again by this morning.      

 

But by this afternoon, I had begun to have the fever/chills....the watery eyes.....and COUGH.  In my case, it's going into the bronchial tubes - my weak spot.  Shoot, we've both been taking all our stuff that works....has worked for years and years!   Not this time.      99.4*  So I remembered the elderberry product and began with that.  DH is eating soup with kim chee.  [to each his own!!]  I used the thumper vibration device that helps me keep my bronchial tubes clear.  Wow, that helped.  They were getting so tight I squeeeeked when I coughed.  Earlier headache is being held off my Tylenol.    Might be a long night.  Drinking a lot of water/juice.....good thing the bathroom is three steps from bedroom.  Thankful I have a hospital bed so I can sleep propped up tonite.  

 

Can you believe how we've had two [car repair free and no surgery] AMAZING BLESSINGS.....and a whole lotta "mosquito" things.    This too shall pass.  Prayers appreciated.

 

MtRider  ...oh, and it's snowing...  lightly, I hope!   

[Ambergris]

whoa

[Homesteader]

Retirement is supposed to bring long nights of sleep and lazy days around the homestead.  Trust me, retirement overrated.  

 

While DH and hired carpenter friend continue to tear into the staircase, I've been ordering and goffering for them.  Somewhere in the mix, the kitchen is still torn apart as they work on the stairs. DH did pick up the new kitchen cabinets and the guys will measure the walls today so I can order the countertop before Menard's 11% off expires, which will be during the snowstorm tomorrow.    Nighttime is generally running down to the board store for supplies for the next day. Since I'm the veteran, I have to be present to get the 10% off the supplies. I also run the vacuum cleaner regularly as the sawdust is getting deep around here.     Much of it is swept up with a broom and deposited in the garden to help with the incredible sandy soil.      Happy 2020 everyone. 

[Mt_Rider]

Oh Good Grief!  I'm sick.........really sick.   This is NOT fun.  Horrible night.  Got some sleep off and on from 5AM thru noon.  I just managed    to make jello.  I had one package.....didn't look at the date! 

 

So....we don't get sick, right?  Years and years.  Close to getting sick but we get it stopped.  Soooooo, guess who doesn't have all the standard things for BEING SICK........when you're toooooooo sick to get to a store???   

 

I like canned pears when I'm sick.  The can of pears had a date:  2005      DH made ramen.  Everything tastes like ashes.     Can't get enough into me to take Nuprin,etc. 

 

MtRider  .....gonna have to do some sorting by date, for petes sake!  This is miserable! Only snowed a dusting...whew!

[Ambergris]

Hot lemonade with a pinch of ginger.

[Mt_Rider]

57 minutes ago, Ambergris said:

Hot lemonade with a pinch of ginger.

 

Variations of that are in our standard arsenal.  However, having not eaten for most of the day, I mixed up the Fizzy-C drink with a blop of lemon concentrate and honey.  Started to drop that on my empty stomach.....  Noooooo.....   For hours I was in pain.  Finally, at 3AM, decided to go  ahead and "empty my stomach of that".  Definitely helped. 

 

So I'm trying to not do dairy [congestion] and acidic.....   Seems like all I eat falls into those two categories.  I really tried to force down some plain soda crackers but ....they just would barely go down.  It was a long and miserable night.  Today was less miserable but not by much. 

 

DH is in his 4th day.  Still sleeping most of the day/night.  But better.  Able to cook/do dishes for us.  Good cuz I'm   .  I've been grateful for sleeping a great deal of today.  My heating pad saved me.....so CHILLED when fever goes up. 

 

MtRider    ........are we done yet? 

 

 

[The WE2's]

So sorry you and hubby are fighting this flu battle Mt.R.  Stay with the Elderberry, at least a Tablespoon every 3 hours.  Also, if you have access to Oregano Essential oil it's wonderful for deep breathing.  It's a potent bacteria and viral fighter.  Use it only to breath in...don't let it touch your skin, it's a "hot" oil and will let you know it!  Keep us updated on your family's progress into health.

Edited January 11, 2020 by The WE2's

[The WE2's]

I did some laundry and just hung them here on the back porch and turned on the ceiling fan.  Wasn't a big load so had room on my "line"...LOL  Love those dandy little closet hangers that let you hang your clothes on them with hangers and then let them down.  I just don't let them down.  I use my hangers and let them just hang.

Hubby's a bit frustrated.  Really being challenged with those floor joists that he's trying to raise up high enough to get things even.  Thinks it's probably because one of our pantry shelving units is right above it...with LOTS of jars.  Tomorrow he'll be staying here.  Bad weather going on all around us...ice, rain, snow. 

This morning I pulled a half pint of the bacon I canned up in 2013...dumped it into my big skillet, browned it off a bit and then made gravy...to go over my yeast buns.  Tonight I fixed us a "Taco-Spaghetti Casserole" ... oh my...then had some homemade Mennonite blueberry gelatin with home made whipped topping...then a bit ago popped some popcorn.

 

[Guest Ana Pirs]

I will cook a really delicious recipe - Creamy mushrooms avocado pasta

Ingredients:
3.5 ounces Penne Pasta
5 ounces Mushrooms
½ Red Onion
AVOCADO SAUCE:
3 ounces Fresh Spinach
1 Avocado
½ Lime
3 minced cloves Garlic
1,5 oz Parsley
2 tbsp Almond Milk
4 tbsp Water
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ tsp Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper
Delicious!))

[Homesteader]

11 hours ago, The WE2's said:

I did some laundry and just hung them here on the back porch and turned on the ceiling fan.  Wasn't a big load so had room on my "line"...LOL  Love those dandy little closet hangers that let you hang your clothes on them with hangers and then let them down.  I just don't let them down.  I use my hangers and let them just hang.

Hubby's a bit frustrated.  Really being challenged with those floor joists that he's trying to raise up high enough to get things even.  Thinks it's probably because one of our pantry shelving units is right above it...with LOTS of jars.  Tomorrow he'll be staying here.  Bad weather going on all around us...ice, rain, snow. 

 

 

 

WE2's - I feel your pain. Currently we have drywall blocking the laundry room so no clean clothes this week.       We've taken out and moved three floor joists in order to stop knocking our heads against the joists in the floor above. It was major work and lots of my ceiling drywall (from a previous project) had to be cut out in order to access the floor joists. DH told the carpenter that I can fix just about anything with a splash of mud.  Between the torn up kitchen and the stairway, we're so thankful we don't sleep-walk at night. We're in this forced PT program at the moment, not to mention the vacuuming of the floors and furniture with a Shop-Vac.     As my dad used to say when we were overwhelmed with years of building out the cellular sites around the Midwest ... "This too shall pass."  

 

I need to sand a bit more this morning and slap two coats of paint on the kitchen walls so that DH and friend can install the kitchen cabinets this afternoon. We had a major slowdown when trying to take up the old Linoleum floor, yesterday, The former owner/builder must have owned stock in a floor glue factory. 

 

 

 

[Mt_Rider]

Poor Homesteaders.  Did you know you'd do all this when you bought the place? 

 

Altho I get sleep for a couple hours in the the night, then awake for a bit.  Then go back to sleep.....  Actually I've been doing that 'round the clock.  Yet today....I feel wretched.  A lot of the problem is that I'm getting so weak.....MS is definitely a factor.  The only time Ifeel good is when I'm sleeping.

 

But    I've begun to be able to eat...finally. 

 

MtRider   

[Littlesister]

Mt. Rider  going up for you and your DH to get well fast.  No fun in being sick. 

 

WE2  You are a good cook from those photos.  Making me hungry and it's to early for dinner. We had a pot roast with onions, potatoes, carrots and some greenbeans.  We don't usually do bread with our meals. That is only once in awhile due to diabitics. The potatoes made up for the starch. 

 

This morning I went through and gathered all the tax papers together. Yes it's about that time again.

Then got all the canning things together and got that all put away. Took down all the appliances that I am going to get rid of. Thought the one granddaughter would want them but she has a small airfryer like mine and a toaster. She wasn't interested in the rotisrery.  The Large airfryer I bought takes the place of all of those and is larger than the airfryer I was given a few years ago. It never did chicken very well. 

Got DH outside today to walk a little bit as it is about 74* out today.  He got out of breath and had to hold on to me and stop to rest every few minutes but made it all the way around the house back to garage. He is very swollen today. And I think he got into the crackers left over from Christmas, so I am going to pass them to the kids. Need to get them out of house. So though he is not suppose to take fluid pills today, I gave him one to get that extra fluid off. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. 

Taking a much needed break right now and drinking a nice tall glass of ice water and thinking about what to fix for dinner as I want something with no salt at all for DH. Might be some homemade soup today but it's really to warm today for soup. Maybe just a nice big salad.  That sounds good and quick to put together. 

 

Homesteader and WE2 seems you both have your work cut out for you getting your homes redone.  Did that about 20 years ago but have some other things that need to be repaired.  After replacing driveway and front porch, it will have to wait a bit. Need to build back up my emergency money again. We always try to pay cash for what we do as we really don't want the bills. So far so good. 

[out_of_the_ordinary]

Mt Rider,    for healing for you and your DH.   

 

[The WE2's]

We dodged a bullet with all the bad weather.  Rained most of yesterday and yesterday afternoon, then a little bit of ice late in the evening for just a bit.  Then started snowing late this morning...got about 2 inches.  Tomorrow is supposed to be 40'ish with some sunshine, so a lot of it will probably melt off.  

We just hung around the house. 

I cut hubby's hair and we had left over taco spaghetti casserole left overs for supper.  Added a can of chili (no beans) to extend it and nuked it with some shredded Monterey Jack cheese.  Good 2nd time around! LOL

Watched a couple of movies.

Let Abby-girl play "dodge and run" in her little back yard...to get some of the spit and vinegar out of her!  I threaten to close the back door and she comes to the door.  When I open the door she takes off at a mad hatter's pace and runs like she's got something after her.  So funny.  But...it helps with the cabin fever! LOL

Got the paper work I need to file for the real estate refund...the new governor sure cut the amounts that seniors on low income get.  He's on his way out I hope! A rhino for sure!

 

[Homesteader]

20 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

Poor Homesteaders.  Did you know you'd do all this when you bought the place? 

 

 

We had plans to do some remodeling, so offered less than they wanted. Got it! We also gave them three months of free rent if they stayed in the house while we finished remodeling ours in Indiana and listed it on the market. They were happy for the offer. Since they built the place, we knew it was a win-win deal.     After making some electrical changes, we realized the former owner/builder wasn't up to code regs, even 45 years ago.      Alas, the 16" of rain came about a year ago, and some of it came into the lower level. Not much damage but was a good excuse to tear into walls and redo the kitchen/dining/family room. I think it was when I asked for three LARGE windows in the concrete block exposed foundation, and having the wall torn out between the kitchen/dining that started the whole snowball rolling downhill.     Our carpenter friend arrived before we needed him for kitchen cabinets, so DH put him to work on redesigning (structural subflooring changes) and reinstalling the staircase. It's been two weeks and almost done. The kitchen cabinets have arrived and stored in a covered trailer. Ss soon as I tape and paint the kitchen/dining rooms, they can begin installing the cabinets. The new stove arrived on Tuesday.   Deadlines keep us going.     As soon as this project is complete, it will be time to start hundreds of seedlings/cuttings for the gardens and orchard.  

[Jeepers]

I'm finally getting to this thread. Kindle got in my way. 

 

You've been very busy Annarchy. Sorry about your hen. Always sad when they pass. She sure lived a long life. I always buy Kerr jars. I prefer them. I like the shape better and writing on only one side. Actually, they are made by the same company. I can't find them here so I order them from Wal-Mart. 

 

Mt.Rider, it is great news about your DH not having surgery. I'm so sorry you guys have been so sick though. This has been an unusually sick year for so many people. I think everyone I know has been sick in December or this January. And it seems like everyone I've talked to has different symptoms. I get it about emptying your stomach. Happened with me a couple of times too. Even a little bit in my stomach hurt worse than being hungry. When I had it, I was grateful my pantry was full. That's what I prep for. I did find a can of soup dated 2011. I might have opened it for a look-see but it was tomato so I pitched it. The rest of the soups are 'only' a year past due. 

 

Looks yummy We2. Hope Mr. We2 gets a handle on those joinsts. So aggravating. I use those hangers too. I put my sleeveless blouses on them and take one end down to store them. I don't often wear sleeveless. Chubby arm issues.  LOL. 

 

Homesteader, looks like hubby is 'laying down on the job' up there. 

[Littlesister]

I wasn't going to say that earlier, but yes it does look like he is laying down on the job. That would be something my DH would have done. We took out our old kitchen floor 20 years ago. It was no picinic. Hard work. 

 

Ann, so sorry to hear about loosing your hen.  Just wish I could figure out how we could raise chickens without all the wild animals we are now having issues with due to their homes being ripped out for cement. I haven't seen any here yet but some neighborhoods are seeing bobcats in their yards as the woods are getting cut down around them.  Also bears. We have always had the deer even coming into our neighborhood, but bears and bobcats that's another story. We did have a bear crossing down the road from us. Think goodness it just went across to the other side. 

 

All that remodeling going on.  I know you all will be happy when it is all finished. Then you get to relax and enjoy it. 

[Mt_Rider]

Still alive.  Still miserable.  Was having a nice sleep after finally GETTING to sleep last nite.....when I woke COUGHING COUGHING COUGHING. So hard I could barely breathe.   I had to take 3 Halls cough drops....one after the other....before it stopped.    All wore out and it was only 5AM.      We're so dry with furnace and pellet stove.  Running humidifier constantly.   Been down to zero every night lately.   

 

DH called off work for today/tomorrow.  He needs more rest and ....I'm too sick for him to be gone that long.  I'm not miserable full time.  Not having fever as much.  But getting weaker.  That will take longer to recover.  

 

MtRider  ....definitely remembering why we should NOT get sick   

[Jeepers]

Mt.Rider ---------->      Hope you start feeling better soon! It really hangs on. 

 

Kappy, take extra care if you have to be out and about. You can't afford to be sick this close to your upcoming surgery. 

[The WE2's]

Played lazy today...a sweat suit day for me!  Hubby waited until after lunch then ventured out to make a run for his tortilla chips and go the homestead and retrieve me a couple bags of flour from the upright freezer and some cookie mixes that were given to me and I've had stored in freezer. Shredded a bag of smoke white cheddar/bacon cheese and got it bagged in the frig.  We bought is quite some time ago at the Mennonite store and it had been in the freezer.  Thawed it and shredded it.  Makes good cheese shred, two pound brick for  6.47$.  Then made another loaf of bread and baked a cake out of a cookie mix...LOL  Orangesickle ...was delish!  For supper I pulled a bag of breaded chicken tenders, steamed a couple of potatoes and fixed us some green beans.  Then had a piece of my "cake"...for dessert.  He took Abby-girl with him so she could "ride" and get out of the house.  She just had her sweet potato wedges for her nightly treat and is snuggled up in her bed.  What a life!  Love my dog! 

Edited January 13, 2020 by The WE2's

[snapshotmiki]

Hope you are feeling a bit better today, Mt. Rider!  Sounds rough but I am glad you aren't out taking care of horses, etc.

 

Electric out from 1:45 am Saturday morning until 6:30 pm Saturday evening. Restful day!

Yesterday, Church and then to local grocery for chicken sale. Need to grind some more into burger. I do go through that, quickly! Back to Church for eve service and watched some tv. Mixed up more ground ginger and honey as that seems to be working well for DH and I both for arthritis!