WHATCHA DOING TODAY?

[Ambergris]

Yeah.  They pay for themselves with every lightning strike, and with the surge at the end of every big blackout.

[Jeepers]

It's definitely going to be a must have at the Indy house. Every time I go out there the clock on the stove and microwave are flashing. I know the power has been interrupted but I don't know for how long. I need to do the quarter in a cup in the freezer trick. Fridge and a couple of clocks are all that is running right now. Oh, and air conditioner and water softener. But that will change when I get all my doo-dad's plugged in and running. Definitely need surge protector then. Thanks for the heads up. 

[Mt_Rider]

.......  AND you even played out the Revolving Blackouts and I especially noted your mention of running to get things on surge protectors or unplugged.... Right? 

 

Cuz I had never experienced any surge problem when our power drops kinda regular but comes back on within seconds, not minutes.  Does that make a difference?

 

We have some whole-outlet surge protectors for anything plugged into that outlet.  But nada on big appliances ..none of which are ours since we rent ...except the basement fridge and the chest freezer and...oops!

 

The power strips have a weak surge protector....glancing at the item in question that my laptop is plugged into. 

 

MtRider  ....sheeeesh!  What caused the blackout?  Storm?

[Mt_Rider]

And what makes Kindle devices die....or refuse the turn on tho the power light is green?    Do I send back for repair?

 

It has been a trying day.  Empty Septic.  Odd complication which will require a backhoe and new exit pipe.  Can't FIND things.  SINUS HEADACHE X2.  Successful sorting and EMPTYING of The Basket That Collects STUFF!      ....tho didn't find what I was looking for in there....did find 4# bag of sugar which mice did NOT find ....and a forgotten bag of potatoes they did find.    Visit from family member impending....same that visited this spring.  That's good but ...wears me out!  

 

Need Bed Now

MtRider   

[snapshotmiki]

12 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

Empty Septic.  Odd complication which will require a backhoe and new exit pipe. 

 

So glad you don't own your place!  It may be a pain, but you aren't paying for it.  Are you?

 

Did exercise video this morning, fed dogs walked dogs. Have sweet potato treats in oven for dogs and first two pressure canners going with 14 quarts of dog food. Still have another 7 quarts to go when this is done. I'm sensing a theme here. LOL
Garden was tilled up yesterday, so if I have energy left, I might go out and work on it. But it is supposed to be 94 today, so maybe not.
Will par boil chicken leg quarters to grill later and cut corn off cob to make corn cob jelly tomorrow. Think I'll forget about the garden today!
Have a good weekend, everyone!

[TheCG]

12 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

And what makes Kindle devices die....or refuse the turn on tho the power light is green?    Do I send back for repair?

Try holding the power button down until it starts flashing.  Give it a few minutes and try turning it on again.  After that, it might be time to call Amazon.

[Littlesister]

Has anyone ever heard of rolling cable outages?  Ours has been in and out all day.  Both TV, internet and the house phones all on Spectrum cable. They really do have some issues. They better get their buts in gear and fix the problems or I will be moving on to something else if I can find it. 

 

Today I cleaned house as much as I could. Bathrooms, kitchen and den. From there I have been going through things that have been in the office for years I have not used in decades. Taking some things with me to daughter's house for her and granddaughter. they can go through it and see what they want. I have been working off and on with the office, going through things and getting it all organized. Just to much stuff. So a lot is going.  Though now I do have plenty of room. Taking that sewing machine and putting it back in the dining room under the window where I have lots of light works great. And gave me a lot of much needed space in office. Though i still have some of the material and other sewing things in office that I will keep in here. It is all put away in a small dresser. So not a problem. I will be looking to buy some bins for the vitamins soon. I hope they won't be expensive. I need to measure the closet shelves to make sure they won't be to tall. It is a walk in closet with 2 shelves going all the way around. So I will be working on that after I finish with the office. 

Got the windows in office cleaned and curtains and blinds washed and put back up on windows. That is one job I am glad is done. But still have the rest of windows to do. Yes, I am very tired but need to keep pushing on. I think things will be a lot better organized when I get done. The shelving for the food I can, worked out great. 

[The WE2's]

18 hours ago, Mt_Rider said:

refuse the turn on

 

The first time one of ours did that we took it to Staples.  The tech opened it up, pressed the "on" button and held it for quite some time...and it re-set itself.  Might work for yours?

[The WE2's]

Yesterday we went Mennonite shopping to re-stock the extended pantry.  Today we went to another one and picked up two more 25# bags of pinto beans, a bag of long grain white rice and  4 more cases of pint jars and he was selling lids...but only 5 dozen to a customer...even though we've shopped (and spent a lot of money!) and told us that the Mennonites always use their lids 4 or 5 times. 

I've always saved my lids to use for dehydrating etc, so I have lots.  

When we asked about how he got his lids finally, he told us (we don't think he'd tell a fib) that Ball and Kerr etc., are all one company and they're made in...you got it...China!  Said that's why it's been almost impossible to get in more.  

My Tattler's are becoming more an more valuable to me.  Harvest Guard is basically the same thing, but perhaps cheaper?  Need to check them out when (and if) I decide to buy some in bulk. 

Stopped by another "sort of" dutch store that's going out of business and was able to pick up 4 large canning funnels for 10 cents each and a dozen one gallon square buckets with gasket seal lids for 50 cents each.  They'll be wonderful to put beans and rice (??) and put in my kitchen pantry with a scoop inside so when I want beans or rice I'll just pop the lids, help myself and put the lid back on. A few springs of sage in the bottom of each should work well too.

Got home to a wet kitchen floor this afternoon!  I ran a sink full of hot soapy water and put our breakfast dishes in it.  Seems the basket decided to leak!  Sure was happy that all my supplies that are under the sink are in small totes, so it mostly only filled one and then over-flowed.  Also VERY glad that hubby put tiles and caulked under the sink so it was a pretty EZ clean up.  

 Dried things up then went to Menards and picked out the paint and flooring for the homestead's bathroom.  When the salesman pulled out what we needed, there was a 2x12 piece left.  He said "If you'll buy this extra I'll give you a big discount.  All the paperwork it takes to inventory a small piece and then try to sell it is impossible."  So we said yes.  Then when it got rolled out, there was a bit of damage to one end about 4 foot long...so he didn't charge us at all for that extra 2x12!  

The paint is a very light gray with a slight blue tint, and the vinyl has the same colors plus some extra's in small tile square patterns.  Gonna look spiffy with the white shower, sink and toilet.  

Told hubby I really felt the Lord nudging me with "get your flooring".  Glad we did, because we  obviously bought the last of that role.  There were lots of empty rolls and very little samples, so they're probably having trouble getting stock back in.  It might be awhile before our world comes back to some semblance of order.  If there ever was a TEOTWAWKI this looks a lot like it...just saying.

Stopped yesterday at an open air flea market and picked up several nice Anchor Hocking jars with designer lids..pint an a half size...and regular canning lids and rings will fit.  I won't can in them but they'll make beautiful storage jars.  Each one has different designs and shapes, and the lids are red and orange with little handles on the top.  Love 'em!

Tomorrow I'll be busy cleaning up my kitchen and a lot of vacuum sealing, dehydrating and pressure canning will be in my future the next couple of weeks!

 

[Mt_Rider]

7 hours ago, TheCG said:

Try holding the power button down until it starts flashing.  Give it a few minutes and try turning it on again.  After that, it might be time to call Amazon.

 

I think it's a battery problem.  When it first began, I was fiddling with the ON button.  Held it and at first it's green then later yellow.  I charged it and fiddled with it again.  Don't remember it getting to flashing.   

 

Just now after it sat 24 hrs unplugged....no light yellow or green will show up.   

 

1 hour ago, The WE2's said:

The first time one of ours did that we took it to Staples.  The tech opened it up, pressed the "on" button and held it for quite some time...and it re-set itself.  Might work for yours?

 

How did the tech open it up?  This is a waterproof model and there is the slot for plugging in for power.  The tiny light button.  And the on/off/etc button.  All else is sealed.  ???  Anything I'm missing?  A SECRET KNOCK ON THE SCREEN?  {I wish!} 

 

I assume it's time to call Amazon.  I do NOT want a new one....it's TORTURE to load all these books into my Collections!!! 

 

...Y'know?  I still have paper books and THEY STILL WORK!   

 

MtRider  ...thanks y'all tho!   

[Mt_Rider]

yes, Miki.  The great benefit of renting.  These old places...ya never know WHAT NEXT?      But tho we aren't paying for it, we have to make accommodations for the repairs...esp. IN this tiny cabin.

 

MtRider 

[Jeepers]

Mt. Rider, I've had to hold the unbutton down a few seconds until it asks me what I want to do. I always choose 'restart' and so far it has. That's when it freezes up though. Don't stop holding the button until it flashes. Let it go to a black screen and then asks what you want to do.  Kinda sounds like a malfunctioning Kindle.  

 

We2, Sutton's Daze did a video about the Harvest Guard lids and so far she likes them. Although now that I think about it, I think I've only seen her can with regular lids. I love square buckets. Especially 1 or 2 ga!lon sizes. You got a fantastic deal. Leaky sinks is exactly why I put plastic shelf liner down at the Indy house last week and also set everything under the sink on a Dollar Store plastic tray. Leaks happen! Good deal on the flooring. Sometimes Joann Fabric will do that too if there is just a little left on the bolt. Funny you mentioned your paint colors. Yesterday I told my cousin-in-law I was going to paint a lot of the house in grays and beige and probably do a blue gray color in the dinning room. You have great taste in paint color.  

 

I've had a headache most of this week. Thankfully the week is about over. 

 

I watched a video of g'son picking his first cucumber today. He was pretty excited about that. He really enjoys 'gardening' and they plan to have more than one cucumber plant and one cherry tomato plant next year. That makes me happy!

 

[euphrasyne]

Littlesister, we use Verizon for phone, internet (and cable when we had that.)  The only time we've ever had an issue in 8 years is when the power was out and we have multiple people streaming and gaming at the same time.  They are really cheap too.  I highly recommend them.

 

Mt. Rider--My DH said to do a hard reset of your kindle.  Hold down the power button until it did something --a 'few seconds' means a whole minute in this instance.  The light should do something at 8 seconds then start timing a minute.  

 

It seems like electronic problems are paramount this week.  DH took DD12's tablet apart yesterday to remove a headphone port with a stuck headphone jack.  He ordered a new port to install since the jack was broken off too badly to remove.  

 

I cannot even begin to describe the mess that is school for my kids this year.  It starts on Tuesday and they have no clue what their schedules will be from a 'what class meets when' perspective.  I had to create an excel spreadsheet with 3 separate pivot charts to cross reference each other to figure out when my 7th grader's class *might* meet.  They told us bell 1a, bell2b, bell3c, etc through bell 7.  Then they said math, science, core, elective meets MWF and History, english, health, core meets TuTh.  You had to figure out which bell  met on which day for what time.  I *think* I figured it out, but I have no confidence.  The new platform they will be using, Schoology, will let them create an account, but NO CLASSES will be added to it until Tuesday...when school starts.  That sounds like it will have no issues at all.  No one knows what is going on at all.  It is completely insane and I'm seriously tempted to homeschool.  The only issue is that I tried HS before with DD17 and her issues do NOT lend well to homeschooling.  She really needs the services that are (usually) offered through the district.  

 

DH's work says bandanas are no longer allowed as masks and neck gaitors are only allowed if they are doubled.  We usually wear the neck gaiter.  There are about 50K people at his location alone that are affected by the new mandate.  There is a lot of complaining. 

 

D-day is hopefully 25 days away.  My back is killing me and I sleep on the couch these days.  The only time it doesn't hurt is when I am in the pool.  I have been swimming a lot lately, so yea mosquito bites.  Everyone around me is treating me like I am the most hormonal bomb on the planet.  They may be right.  

[TheCG]

Euphrasyne, the "teething" issues with the schools figuring out what the crap they're doing is why we signed the kids up for a school that had been doing virtual schooling for a while earlier this summer.  They're still considered to be in public school, but it's virtual public school (and the older kiddo can still do concurrent classes).

[snapshotmiki]

First did video and then went to Walmart this morning at 7:45 for more lettuce and tomatoes for huge salads.

Fed dogs and went to Church. Made lunch and all that is left is to make the corn cob jelly. Cut the corn off yesterday. I got 21 quarts of dog food yesterday!  I'm tired.

[Littlesister]

Didn't get to watch Church service on Face Book this morning as i had to leave to go the the Bridal shop with granddaughter.  Son in Law came over to be with DH. He made me carry my gun because of being in Newport news. Not the best place to be right now as there were suppose to be planned riots. But we were ok. Didn't see anything going on.  May have been to early in day for them. Granddaughter could only try on 5 dresses and she liked one but undecided still on it. Has to make another appt. to try on any more. It was nice getting away for awhile and being with daughter and granddaughter for a bit. DH had a great time with son in law as they sat and talked about all kinds of stuff. I think it was good for them as well. 

Going to watch Church service hopefully later tonight when internet isn't acting up as bad. Seems Spectrum is having a bit of issues. I think they are upgrading things. We don't have a lot of choices out here. None of which are very good.

 

euphrasyne,  We used to have Verizon for our cell phones and the hidden taxes was crazy.  We don't have Verizon Fios here yet. So that is out. Might check into the internet though if that is not attached to Fios. 

 

Jeepers, glad your grandson had a great time picking his first cucumber. I can still remember my grandson when he got to pick all the carrots.  I canned them in a honey and cinnamon syrup and he loved them. He is almost 19 years old now and still eats the carrots canned like that.   Hope your headache goes away soon. 

 

For all those with children in school. I really hope all works out and the kids don't end up falling behind because of this mess.  This has been one heck of a year.

[Homesteader]

On 8/29/2020 at 8:11 PM, Littlesister said:

I am working on getting caught up with all the dusting, mopping of the hardwood floors, and just getting things put away.

 

Famous last words of a caregiver.  Thankfully, my SIL has been like a sister to me for 45 years and is an angel. She has started coming one day a week to care for mom while I try to make a spot on my desk.  Right now, mom is paging through catalogs to find clothes that fit. She's lost about 100 pounds over the years and hasn't changed her wardrobe in a long time. She's upset that clothing styles have changed from old granny days.  Thankfully, she's more patient about stuff that isn't 'just right' for her. I finally put my foot down and stopped sending everything back because she didn't like the color, style, or softness. She was quite the shopper in her day and didn't think twice about dropping everything and heading back to the mall to change out what she had just purchased.

 

In my spare time, I'm in the kitchen canning and freezing the veggies from the garden. Something tells me that election year is going to be a tough road to travel. Even though we have a statewide mask mandate, almost no one outside of the two big cities wears them. The numbers back them up, so they just continue to breathe and go to work.

[Homesteader]

We've been building a deck for my mom to get her out of the second story section of our home. Trying to find treated lumber has been a nightmare. The last load came from a lumber yard out of the cities and about 25% more expensive. (Menards, Home Dept and Lowes are wiped out throughout our state). DH bought the boards right off the flatbed semi. The lumber yard owner said that he can't keep inventory for more than several days. He said its because the mills have been shut down for so many months. It's crazy because all the work is outside, including the cutting and hauling of raw trees. Our carpenter said that if the treating facilities for the lumber have been shut down, we may not see much inventory until next year. It takes months to retool and get the inventory out of those processing plants.  That doesn't even address the issue of whether or not the plants even have the chemicals in stock to pressure treat the wood. 

 

I talked to our real estate friend from the city yesterday. Most new construction homes are now $100,000 MORE than the original signed contracts. If you don't like it, you have to walk away from your $10,000 ++ deposit. Contractors can't find lumber (months behind on construction), appliances, roofing, plumbing and electrical supplies, and anything else that it takes to build a home. Current homes on the market (except in the cities) have price wars between bidders. (My nephew just sold his home, and had 8 bidders who refused to stop upping the original MLS price. His real estate agent finally said to stop the insanity and choose the best offer. Otherwise, nephew wouldn't get his money and close on his newer home in the country. 

 

It's a crazy housing market, my friend said. Cost of construction in Wisconsin is about 35% higher than last year. The average around the country is 80%.  She said that the younger couples can't afford to purchase much anymore. A fixer-upper that can't even be lived in yet is going for $250,000 in the greater Madison, WI area. Since that liberal county is mostly shut down, bankruptcy of the middle-class is skyrocketing.  DH told me to keep remodeling our home. It's secure, remote, defendable, and far enough away from the cities to be under the radar. He also told me to keep canning. 

[Annarchy]

It’s been an adventure around here, the last couple of days. Saturday, DH’s “heart adopted” son came, with his son, just under a year old.  He said his 2 girls were shipped to babysitters by mom, so we didn’t get to see them.  (AZ doesn’t allow adoptions, beyond 25 years old, and he’s 40 now.  We’ve known him all his life, so... we have him in our will instead.).  Anyway, barbecued ribs, salad, ranch beans & smashed potatoes for dinner.  While ‘son’ & DH went to take care of one of his friends animals, the little guy munched on a whole bunch of potatoes, a few bites of ranch beans and some shredded pieces of meat.  He was like a little bird...  feed me, feed me....  LOL. But, he weights a lot for such a little guy.  He got to see chickens and was so well behaved with Grandma.    They spent the night, he woke up at 2 & 4 am for a bottle & change, then, went right back to sleep.  I was quite sore Sunday morning from carrying him around.  Lol.

 

DH went yesterday late afternoon to take care of the animals, as he was leaving he hollered at me to come out.  Under the Mulberry tree was a white duck. !!?!!  He left, while I gave it some bird seed & water.  It sucked down the water & ate some of the seeds.  Then, it decided to jump up on DH’s almost new truck bed, eyeing it to bed down.  I caught it & put it in our coop, with a big water dish.  The hens had already roosted but began letting me know that they weren’t pleased with the intruder.

 

This morning, I found it sitting on the roosting rafters with my 3 hens.  They promptly flew down, & it did a bit later.  “It” might be a female.  It’s been up in one of the nesting boxes scratching a nest, then, back to the water dish.  I got on-line and searched for duck breeds.  I believe it’s a Muscovy.

Here’s the net picture, then, a pic I took of it.

 

 

 

At first, when I saw the red, I was afraid it was sick. 
 

Hopefully, we can find the owner.  

[Annarchy]

Oh, I forgot to mention, when DH got home, he said he had to wash their dog off.  He tore up a container with blue stuff, and was covered in blue. Yikes, I really hope it wasn’t toxic.  

[Annarchy]

Homesteader, DH has also told me to keep canning & dehydrating.  Do they know something we are missing?  Glad you got the wood.  I was hoping to cull the 3 hens, because they quit laying, and turn their coop into a tool shed, but, with the duck, for now, that’ll have to wait.  

 

Miki, you are doing great, I admire your initiative to keep pushing yourself.  Mine is a daily battle.  DH loves the way I cook, and, I love to taste as I’m cooking.  
 

I can’t imagine how frustrating it is to do on-line schooling, especially since it is unstructured.   
 

Hang in there euphrasyne, you will be fine, with all of our prayers.

 

Praying for your headaches to ease up Jeepers.  I don’t miss mine, in the least!  
 

I laughed, Mt_Rider,   “....Y'know?  I still have paper books and THEY STILL WORK!  ”. Yes indeed!  I enjoy the options to read on-line, but, nothing compares to a paper book in the hand.  ....a bird in the hand....    Wish I could help with your Kindle, don’t have one.  My Kindle is on my iPad, iPhone & Win10.  It updates each device whenever I get more books....  

 

We2’s, I admire all you guys are doing.  We don’t have Amish in our area, at all, so we don’t have that resource.  DH does do a little on-line shopping, but, they are not on line as much as face to face sales go.  

 

 

[snapshotmiki]

Walked first, fed dogs,walked dogs, raked garden area, pulled some weeds, made rows, put fence back up and then planted and watered. Big job for one 63 year old lady! 92 degrees also! Glad it's done, though. Planted collard starts, everything else from seeds. Daigon radishes, bok choy, tunips, mustard greens. Par boiling some chicken to finish on grill tomorrow. Day late. LOL

[Jeepers]

Littlesister, glad you had a good day with your daughter and grand daughter. I never thought about it, but I'll bet your husband enjoyed his change of being with another guy too. 

 

Homesteader, my grandma was like that with the clothing too. It was the 60's and styles changed. Oh boy did they. So her daughter bought a loose fitting 'shift dress' pattern at the local five and dime store and altered it to fit granny and went to town on her sewing machine. And they both lived happily ever after. If you return too many items the store can ban you from shopping there. Unfortunately, that happened to a cousin of mine. Wal-Mart. Sigh. She was buying a lot of stuff and returning it all the next day. Repeatedly. As it turned out she has Alzheimer's and wasn't aware what she was doing while shopping. She is in a nursing home now. Sad situation all around. 

 

I believe you about the wood supply, Homesteader. a few weeks ago I wrote in a thread someplace about the situation. I was in Home Depot, Lowe's and Menards looking for peg board (finally found half a sheet after a month) and was stunned by all of the empty areas where the wood should have been. It was scary looking at all of those long empty shelving areas. I'm considering the 'fake wood' for a deck. It's guaranteed for many many years, won't crack, peel, splinter and bug (termite) free. It's also a lot less slippery. Suppose to look like real wood. I haven't seen it in person yet but am interested in it whenever I replace my deck. 

 

Annarchy, glad you had a good visit with your 'son and grand baby'. The signed paperwork would be nice, but who cares. They are in your heart and that's what really matters. Aren't babies fun! Exhausting but fun. Hope you get to spend more time with them.  

 

Sweet duck! Thanks for taking such good care of it. It sure has big feetz. Lol. Thanks for the headache prayers. They are working. Headache is nearly gone. But...I think this is just the start of them for awhile. I think they are seasonal now. Colder weather is starting to set in. Autumn and winter causes the arthritis to flare up in my neck and that can trigger migraines. I probably need something stronger than Advil but I'm not ready to start down that road yet. It's coming though. 

 

Miki, you are an inspiration to us all. Keep moving girl.

[Mt_Rider]

Not nice weather.  Battening down today for the ARCTIC EXPRESS....(jet stream)  We have a small electric heater in the greenhouse.....cuz we do want at least ONE RIPE TOMATO!  Lots of green ones.  CO...at least in this mountain valley, does not get enough sun. 

 

We were at 80* all day.  Now in the lower 40s.  That's not unusual.  Tomorrows low....that will be unusual.  And that Arctic Express is packing snow. It's pounding Wyoming today.  If it clears the air of DUST and soot/ash....bring it on! 

 

DH finished up all the PRE-REALLY GETTIN' COLD projects.   Dumped out the 3 potato containers....got some fingerlings.  Got one BIG potato in a Rubbermaid trash can.  lol  Well, no expense but labor.  However, DH seems to think the cost of our labor has increased drastically in the past few years .... 

 

Got to get to bed.  Foot is coming along.  No crutches in 2 days. 

 

MtRider  ...who would actually benefit from riding a horse now and then! 

[euphrasyne]

9th month pregnancy hormones have turned me into 'that woman.'     Swimming helps with my back pain but it is starting to get too cold to swim.  We have a giant family sized tub (seriously whoever put it in before we bought the house was not worried about water bills ) but it doesn't help like the pool does.   I cannot sleep at all and this is the 2nd day in a row I'm waking up at 1am without being able to get back to sleep.  

 

Virtual school starts today, so fingers crossed.  The biggest hurdle is DD17s hearing.  All virtual is bad for her because none of it is closed captioned and she has trouble reading lips over video.  The voice overs while they display visual aids are a big problem.   Our backup plan is that I'm going to run google translate speech to text and see if that works at all.  

 

This evening, we have to deal with a home appraisal because we are refinancing due to low interest rates.  We are in a very favorable area for it.  We are hoping that it appraises high so we can add in enough to fix the roof.  DH and I talked and we have no intention of moving until he retires, but we would like to do a few repairs in the next year or two.