WHATCHA DOING TODAY?

[TheCG]

We got rain one day this past week.  Under 0.1".  You can see the splatter marks on the hood of my car.

[Mt_Rider]

   Yeah, I can relate to tenths of inch....or under....of rain!  But thankfully right now we've been raining gentle and regular for weeks.  Even if it is TENTHS of inches at a time.  Monsoon season.  Growing up lots of grasses, brush, weeds....so I hope we don't dry up and get fire danger later. 

 

Still mostly in bed but.....DH dragged my old wheelchair upstairs for me to abuse.  3 yrs ago, I rigged it up to be a DIY knee-scooter.  Kinda hard on it tho.  Didn't want to do it with my new one.   It folds/collapses as most wheelchairs do.  So I tie the arm rests part-way together so it won't spread out fully into a seat.  Secure it so I have *just* enough room for my knee to ride in the loop of the seat....as it's nearly folded up.  I'm propelling the chair with my other foot ....the chair being backwards, of course.  My hands lean rather heavy on the tied-together arm rests.  I'm also leaning heavy on the knee.....but ZERO weight on that foot!  Which is the whole purpose. 

 

  Well, MOBILITY....FREEEEEDOM is the purpose!!!      { I get kinda frustrated/cranky if I'm really stuck in bed!}

 

When I had to be non-weight-bearing on same L foot 3 yrs ago, I got rather good with this mobility device in our tiny cabin.  I can zip around pretty well.  TIGHT corners and door openings but with it hitched up like this, it even fits thru the narrow bathroom door.   

 

Yeah, and my foot feels a lot better than yesterday.  Ouch if I so much as bump it tho.  Non-weight-bearing, for sure.     This too shall pass. 

 

DH moved a very sturdy chair into the shower for me this aft.  It's from a school room  circa '60's era.  I sat in seats like this.  Plastic {some in that time were wood} and metal.  Anyway, this is how I took showers the last time this foot was a problem.  Shower stall is very small so it's a logistical issue of getting all parts turned and such.  Thankfully we have a shower head on a hose.  Still...hair and all and not pouring water into my ears.....  Got it done.  I just didn't want to stand on one foot like I did last week when it was first flared up.  Since then, I'd been putting light weight on it.  Not right now.      ADAPTION! 

 

MtRider   .....Koa is 8 yrs old today. 

[Littlesister]

Mt. Rider  going out for a fast recovery.  Take care of that foot. 

 

euphrasyne,  still praying for you and baby as well. I know it is getting closer to that birthdate. 

 

Also everyone that is in the path of the hurricane, please take care and be careful. Though I think for us it will be a tropical storm. Though still in a few days things can change.  There will be flooding in the low laying areas.  We are ready for it. Can't think of anything else we can do. Though my car will be in shop when it hits. The rain is suppose to start Monday afternoon.  Though we have been getting thunder storms past couple of days. The one I mentioned above earlier turned out to be 4 storms of heavy rain that moved out fast. Then one today with heavy rain. More on the way. Will be watching the 11 o'clock news tonight. 

 

Got things ready to make veggie soup tomorrow or Monday. Tomorrow i would be starting late as I watch our church service on facebook. Still can't leave DH for that long. Just hoping and praying when he gets into the heart rehab, it will make a big difference in his strength. I am still having to help him dress and other things as well. But he will get there. I have seen some improvements with him. Just going to take time. 

[Mt_Rider]

Hope your car will be inside "the shop"  ...since it won't be inside your garage if you get any damage in VA from H. Isaias.   

 

MtRider   

[Ambergris]

Moving all the potted things that were supposed to be my perennial garden onto the porch or into the barn so the new mower guy doesn't run over them tomorrow.  This is work. 

 

His next big job is breaking ground for that perennial garden and the fall vegetable garden and by the way the banana ring and while he's at it setting up the greenhouse and...

Ugh.  Like I can really afford all this.  Or afford not to.  The trick is prioritizing.

 

Sufficient unto the day.  Time to get back out there and move some more pots.

 

[out_of_the_ordinary]

Happy Birthday, Koa!

 

We are finally getting rain!   

[Jeepers]

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS KOA  

[snapshotmiki]

Happy Birthday, KOA!  

 

Video first this morning, then went to Church.

 

Set up DH's meds for two weeks and my vitamins for a month. Picked figs and okra. Put figs, okra and tomatoes in freezer. Have to go to town tomorrow for a short time and then will be canning and tearing down gardens (or parts) for the next week or so.

[Annarchy]

Happy Birthday Koa.

 

Rain is something we really need.

[Ambergris]

We moved a lot of pots.  The grass had not been cut since my crew quit on me last summer, and there were a lot of little pots with rooted cuttings (a surprising number of them still alive) out there in the grass along the walk and near the picket-fence gate where the sprinkler most often hits.  Heat index between 102 and 106, depending on who you ask.  I think it was actually cooler in my yard, as we are not as hot or as cold as wherever they measure, usually.  But still, I am wiped out.

[Littlesister]

It has been a long day and I am so tired. DH is on couch asleep.  2:30 this morning DH got up to go to bathroom and blood was all over the sheets again. His bandage had come off his elbow that he skinned when he fell Friday morning. So I had to wash sheets again. Yes I just did that 2 days prior.  I just put a towel over the sheets for him to sleep on so he wouldn't get blood on him and then cleaned up the elbow and rebandaged it. But this time I put that gauze over the bandage that sticks to itself. That seemed to work. He rolls over and rubs that elbow. And the elbow is hard to bandage where it is at. 

Then got up this morning dizzy. I get like that sometimes and can't even walk a straight line but this time was the worse. It is coming from my blood pressure medicine and thinking I might have to have it changed.  With not feeling well and helping DH with his issues, I didn't get to watch our church service on Facebook this morning,  Grandson came over this evening a followed me to drop car off.  Of course being they were closed, I couldn't put it inside, but left it at the door for them. But I think it will be ok from the hurricane as I don't think it will hit us before they have it inside in the morning.  Don't like being without a car, but sometimes you have no choice. DH told me to rent a car but for one day I am not doing that. 

 

Got some things out of freezer for grandson to take home with him as they were things I bought for him to eat when he was coming over on weekends. Now that he is working third shift on job and with the corvid virus, he doesn't come over. Mom and Dad said that with the virus and DH's condition, none of them are coming over and take any chances. So only when I need help with something.  That food wasn't much but it did add to that dent in the freezer.  i would love to get another one half that size for yeast, flour, butter and things of that nature. Just use the big one for meat, fish and frozen veggies or whatever I am buying a little at a time till I have enough to can. Going to can veggie soup tomorrow.  Got things together to get that started in the morning. 

 

 

[The WE2's]

On 7/29/2020 at 2:18 PM, Midnightmom said:

How can you do that without it turning to mush?

 

Not an approved method for the squash and zucchini ... but ...I slice the squash in about 1/4 inch slices and raw pack.  The zucchini I cut in cubes about an inch or so, and again, raw pack.  I add water to them both, 1 inch head space.  My potatoes I chunk them, and some that are small I put in whole.  Works for me.

[The WE2's]

On 7/29/2020 at 9:25 PM, Littlesister said:

okra

 

Last time I pressure canned our Okra with diced tomatoes and sweet corn.  Processed as I would for corn.  It's delicious over pasta!

[The WE2's]

On 8/1/2020 at 8:27 PM, Mt_Rider said:

Koa is 8 yrs old today.

 

Happy birthday to your furbaby!

[The WE2's]

Yesterday was a long work day for both of us.  Cleared the homestead's kitchen area of the table (was only there temp. until the dining room is cleared!) so we can begin to arrange the appliances like we want them.  Cleared out the laundry/mud room to make space for the smallest of our chest freezers, and will move the one occupying space in the kitchen, to the space where the small one was. 

Hubby will be re-arranging the positions of the washer and dryer so they're both on the same wall, and then the chest freezers (3) will all fit.  

Then...we'll take the electric stove out and put in the gas one we bought 2 years ago as well as it's range hood.  So much work that still needs to be done...but making progress.

We're still waiting for the mechanic to call and say he has room for us to have the pickup towed there to get the replacement engine put in. 

All the green beans are in the big freezer so I'll rest a bit before I start pressure canning them.  Would like to be able to just wait and do them when the homestead's gas stove is in place.  The electric stove here is cantakerous so I have to keep finding a "sweet" spot to keep the weight where it's supposed to be.  Makes it tough when using Tattler's ... so have used mostly the metal ones.  But it doesn't make a big deal if one or two of the Tattler's don't seal.  I just put them in the frig and use them for another meal.

Had some really toad strangler rains a couple of days ago.  We did fine, but had friends have their basement flood and a couple of towns away from us had highways, streets and roads flooded over/impassable.

Hubby worked at the homestead on his wood racks.  Needs to get the plywood and sheetrock out of the homestead's dining room and into the garage. I baked bread and listened to christian music off and on most of the day.

 

[The WE2's]

Did stop at a yard sale yesterday and made a wonderful find!  A Paula Deen enameled, oval cast iron "roaster"? for 5$!  It's red, but very similar to this one...I think it's a 7 quart size.

[euphrasyne]

This weekend, we did a bit of shopping. Kroger had beef roast 3.29 lb so we got 2 more and some chicken.   The freezer is starting to get full.  We ran into Michael's which was next door and I spent the last of my birthday gift card on planner stuff to keep track of the kid's school stuff better.   Got a few more baby things and a lot of diapers in assorted sizes so we will be ready.  D-52 so any day now.  Apparently laundry baskets are hard to find now.  I did manage to get 2 at Target, but they are much lower quality than I usually buy.  

 

DH painted the changing table/dresser for the nursery and it is drying in the garage.   I managed to rearrange the kid's office for school next month and started decluttering their giant pile of 'stuff' they left from last year.  I even managed to make room for the sewing machine and art supplies  (why the ever loving heck do we have enough art supplies to supply a small country?)

 

I made Kabobs and he grilled 14 for the 2 of us so I have plenty of leftovers to use throughout the week.    I usually use metal skewers, but I had some wooden ones that came from somewhere (please don't ask for how long because a decade might be the answer) and I'm trying to 'use up' misc things.  I soaked them first and they did well.  

[Homesteader]

12 hours ago, Littlesister said:

ISo I had to wash sheets again. Yes I just did that 2 days prior. 

 

 

 

I don't have the medical struggles with my mom like you do with your hubby. I do find that I'm washing sheets, clothes, and the toilet seat cover much more often. She goes into fits of diarrhea for no apparent reason and her panty pad doesn't hold everything inside.    She is always so embarrassed as I clean her and everything else up. I just remind her that she cared for me as a baby and I can take care of her in old age. I wish I was 25 y.o. like she was when she cared for me.  

[out_of_the_ordinary]

Would  baby changing pads work for putting underneath your DH, Littlesister?   We had a nice absorbant ones for under DD, but they also worked very well under ME when she was a newborn and my milk seemed to be leaking everywhere...especially when I slept.      Saved on changing sheets many times.

Edited August 3, 2020 by out_of_the_ordinary

[Littlesister]

7 minutes ago, out_of_the_ordinary said:

Would  baby changing pads work for putting underneath your DH, Littlesister?   We had a nice absorbant ones for under DD, but they also worked very well under ME when she was a newborn and my milk seemed to be leaking everywhere...especially when I slept.      Saved on changing sheets many times.

I am using the chucks now. But when he rolls over they move out of place. I just wonder if the baby changing pads would stay in place better when he rolls over in bed. That would be a good option if they would stay put when he moves around. 

[euphrasyne]

Adult diapers are reasonably affordable and work well.  I used them with my aunt and grandfather for bowel issues and one of my teens who wet past the usual age.  They were lifesavers. Equate Assurance seem to stay in place well and are only about .50 each.

[Littlesister]

16 minutes ago, euphrasyne said:

Adult diapers are reasonably affordable and work well.  I used them with my aunt and grandfather for bowel issues and one of my teens who wet past the usual age.  They were lifesavers. Equate Assurance seem to stay in place well and are only about .50 each.

Thank you for that input. But this is an issue of his very thin skin and he scrapes it on the sheets turning over in bed. The blood gets all over the sheets.  This time the bandage came off during the night as it is his elbow and hard to bandage. I am looking for something that will not move with him in bed as he turns over. The chucks pads don't work as they won't stay put when he moves around. Thinking about a very large baby pad.

[out_of_the_ordinary]

1 hour ago, Littlesister said:

Thank you for that input. But this is an issue of his very thin skin and he scrapes it on the sheets turning over in bed. The blood gets all over the sheets.  This time the bandage came off during the night as it is his elbow and hard to bandage. I am looking for something that will not move with him in bed as he turns over. The chucks pads don't work as they won't stay put when he moves around. Thinking about a very large baby pad.

Don't get one with the PUL backing...those slide.   We have a flat crib mattress pad cover (supposed to go under the fitted crib sheet) that worked well.  That company has since made them much thinner and the newer ones slide around.  

 

I can't find the site now, but there's a company that makes washable chux-type pads.  They are heavy and looked quilted.   Some hospitals use them under mothers in the days after childbirth. Think as wide as a twin bed, but not as long.  I had it bookmarked on my old computer, but I can't find it now.   They were made in the USA.

 

Something similar to these  https://www.northshorecare.com/incontinence-products/incontinence-bed-pads/washable-bed-pads

Edited August 3, 2020 by out_of_the_ordinary

[Littlesister]

11 minutes ago, out_of_the_ordinary said:

Don't get one with the PUL backing...those slide.   We have a flat crib mattress pad cover (supposed to go under the fitted crib sheet) that worked well.  That company has since made them much thinner and the newer ones slide around.  

 

I can't find the site now, but there's a company that makes washable chux-type pads.  They are heavy and looked quilted.   Some hospitals use them under mothers in the days after childbirth. Think as wide as a twin bed, but not as long.  I had it bookmarked on my old computer, but I can't find it now.   They were made in the USA.

 

Something similar to these  https://www.northshorecare.com/incontinence-products/incontinence-bed-pads/washable-bed-pads

I will see if I can find them. Thank you. anything that will keep me from washing sheets several times a week.

[out_of_the_ordinary]

You're welcome, Littlesister. I hope that helps.  Homesteader, something like that might help with your mom, too.  

Edited August 3, 2020 by out_of_the_ordinary