Becca_Anne Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 Got lawn mowed today, and weeded the front flowerbed. Had a friend over for coffee. And laundry pretty much took the whole day. Hope everyone had a good day. I'm budgeting, and feeling but it will be ok just going to have to do better to spread out the expenses not buy it all at once. 5 Link to comment
dogmom4 Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 Happy Sunday everyone! Well...it’s official. I barely crawled over that line to make it to the end of the school year...and now I’m officially retired. I will fill out my exit survey then turn in my keys and computer tomorrow. Y’all don’t know how relieved I am... Today I’m going to the shelter to walk dogs then depending on my energy level I might run a couple more errands. Once I get home I’m going to spend some time in my garden. It’s much cooler today. We had a string of very hot days...Friday it was 105 and yesterday was 101. Today the high is only supposed to be 85. What’s everyone else up to today? 8 Link to comment
Mother Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 Congratulations DM4. Now let the fun begin! 4 Link to comment
Jeepers Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 Congrats on your retirement Dogmom! 5 Link to comment
Wychwood Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 Congratulations on your retirement Dogmom, so glad you made it over the line!. I'm a recent retiree too and it's bliss. I can't tell you how nice it is to get up and not have that sick feeling because you have to go to work. Enjoy! 6 Link to comment
Jeepers Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 I got a couple of things accomplished for the Indy house today. They are supposed to come install the garage door opener on July 1st. They weren't happy with the date. They said it was pretty far out in advance. But if they would have come when I asked them to, while I was there for over a week, this wouldn't have happened. I'm not making a special 1 day trip just for that $$$. Especially when I'll be over there on the 4th for G-sons birthday. I also got a delivery date for a freezer. Guess when? July 1st. So if all goes as planned I'll go over on June 29-30 and the next day the garage and freezer people will show up. Three days later a birthday party and a couple of days later, back home. In the mean time I'm thinking about calling a drywall dude to give an estimate. I also need an electrician soon. Not too sure about those yet. Money is being stretched. Thinly. And it's hard to schedule people from a state away. Especially if they come one day for an estimate and can't begin work until a week later. Maybe I'll wait a month and get a handyman to do the electrical and install two toilets? Electrical work is just changing out 5 lights, 1 socket and reinstalling 6 hard wired smoke/carbon detectors. Nothing major like Becca_Anne is having done. Just un-hook and re-hook. Probably. I hope. Hopefully I can get the rest of the yard around the house de-weeded. And maybe get some furniture ordered. And buy a taller ladder. In the mean time I got 1 big dresser, 1 desk and 1 small closet cleared out of sons old bedroom. One more closet and a toy/game box to go. But they are both stuffed full of my stuff. Stuffed full. I don't even want to think about the other 2 spare bedrooms here. 8 Link to comment
Littlesister Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 (edited) Got 12 jars of chicken canned this morning. So that got a little more out of the freezer. As soon as I find out when contractors are coming again, hopefully tomorrow, I can get the soups made up and canned. Dogmom, congratulations on your retirement. Speaking from experience, you are retired from a job, but the work never ends at home. You just trade in one job for another one. Just don't have to leave home to do it. and it keeps going. Jeepers you are getting things together really great now. I still need to finish weeding garden. Hard rain today so no weeding. Hopefully tomorrow I can finish it. Edited June 12, 2022 by Littlesister Hit something before ready to save. 5 Link to comment
out_of_the_ordinary Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 Congratulations, Dogmom! 2 Link to comment
kappydell Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 (edited) Our cucumber trellis is of saved fencing, so it is hardware cloth in one area, chicken wire in another, and 3x4 inch welded wire in yet a third area. The cucumbers do not seem to care. They are trying to bury us. I took 2 gallons to church today to give to my pastor, who distributes his fishing and hunting results (he is very good at both) to the needy. He knows who can use them. One man commented "they are early for around here" but was impressed by their size. This is the other side of the trellis down the center of the cucumber house....as you can see cabbages will be next, and tomatoes are in the back....making tomatoes. Those greenhouses we got on sale at Wayfair were worth every penny (and every bit of sweating and cursing as we put them up, LOL.) And you can see our pot collection in one, also....herbs, green peppers, etc. Eventually this will be another raised bed if the economy ever allows us to afford it. Today was a hot one here in north central GA. Sent to church and it was already starting to heat up. Picked up some pineapple juice and lemon juice to make zucchini pineapple, both chunks and shredded. It is a tasty [pineapple substitute, works well in baking, and is a good way to handle our glut of yellow squash. Tomorrow we will be running to doctor apointments (Marys & mine, both). But I checked the blackberries I picked and they are holding very well in the fridge. I will pick a bunch more, and as long as I am canning with the water bath I will can some berries up, too. I have to control myself though on the noshing....they are sooooo good. Peaches are here in the roadside stands, too. Expensive though, I bought a few for fresh, but I will buy canned peaches, they are still cheaper than doing them at home, and now they come packed in water, or juice, instead of just heavy syrup, so I am pleased to get them without all that sugar. If Wal mart can keep them in stock. I was there this morning, and some shelves looked pretty sparse. I did bring home a beef tongue as a treat for Mary...her mother used to cook them and she loves the meat in sandwiches. Other than that, no extras. I went in to get a new hasp for the freezer padlock, and that is what I bought. (all 3 freezers are padlocked. when I did it Mary thought I was nuts, but now she says "Hurry and replace the broken one". Sad when you have to lock up the food...). I checked the "kitty tunnels" among the boxes in my room this morning, and removed all the kittens (eleven of them) to check to make sure they did not need eye ointment and were healthy and growing properly. A couple did need eye ointment, so I treated them and put them back in the tunnels. Both mamas and little ones like it there...the tunnels are kitty cat sized, but protected with little rooms (spaces between boxes) where they can play and practice walking, feeling safe from cross traffic from people and doggies. It sure gets noisy there at dawn though when 3 mamas are in there feeding the littles and talking to them (and the littles are complaining because mama want to lick them with her rough tongue, LOL) Soon we can take the whole batch to the no kill shelter as we simply can NOT fit any more cats inside or outside here. Then we will have room for another expectant mama to come in and use the tunnels so she does not have them outside in triple digit heat. Obviously the mamas are slated for surgery, ASAP....enough cats! Today Mary found a black snake in the yard, so she washed it across the road with the water hose so the cats would not kill it. They are a protected species here, as they kill poisonous snakes as food. My kind of snake! Its our turn for triple digit heat the next 3 days. Happy Summer! Edited June 13, 2022 by kappydell 4 Link to comment
kappydell Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 On 6/11/2022 at 4:11 PM, out_of_the_ordinary said: Kappy, what are you doing about the squash vine borers? My DD loves squash, but we've never been successful with growing it due to those squash vine borers. We have a devil of a time with those too. We had some success with p0utting newspapers under the vines wherever they toucvhed soil, because the borers hatch from eggs in the soil and climb up onto vines. The theory is that if they cant find the vines 9blocked by njewspapers) they cant find vines & bore in. The problem wqas keepibng up with the rampant vine growth. But it helped somewhat. This year we tried diatomacious earth. It supposedly kills insects & invertebrates by microscopic cuts in their bodiws, and they dry up and die. The problem with that is all the rain (and watering) keeps washing away the DE so we are constantly replacing it. Again, it helps some, but we have lost a few plants. In places where it is dry it works just fine. It cured our ant problems. The only other solution I have read about (and might try to raise our success rate) is to plant the zucchini between hatches of vine borers. Apparently there are two hatches, and if you can space it right you can "miss" being on those little critters' menus. We will be starting zucchini seeds for a late crop as added insurance. But the struggle continues. We plant extra vines, harvest like mad as long as we can, hoping to get enough for Mary to make several batches of her famous zucchini bread. Next year I will try floating row covers IF I can find them in the "new" economy we seem to be burdened with. Oddly the yellow squash bore earlier and more prolifically, although they too get borers easily. 5 1 Link to comment
Annarchy Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Garden is struggling in our 110°+ heat. Not sure if I will get anything else from it. Slow watering every other day & sprinklers daily. Everything is heat rotting. Typical. I didn’t plant until the end of Feb. so, it’s kinda expected. Getting ready to prep the beet area. The birds have eaten all the greens & gleaned the few branches of seeds, I left on them. I’m praying to be able to plant in September…. Getting my frost covers prepared. Heading for TX this week. Apprehensive about the cost of gas. God willing, I will have enough to get there & back. Food budget is limited now, especially with the cost of food being doubled, in our area. Sigh. 2 6 Link to comment
Becca_Anne Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Happy Retirement Dogmom!!I hope you really enjoy it It's SO hot and muggy here and will be for the next few days. We are under a heat advisory. We did get the air conditioner units all in the right windows (had to move some around due to BTU's for the area being cooled) and it seems to be working. Really thankful for all the doors which lets us cool just the spaces we are in and not the whole entry/stairs/attic area. Each bedroom wing has its own a/c and then the main living areas and each "zone" has a closed door. I am hoping that helps keep the cost reasonable. Going to switch to budget billing at the end of the summer as at that point we will have been through enough heat/cool months for me to be sure the budget is based on our use not the previous occupants. Well off to work now and hope everyone has a lovely day! 5 Link to comment
Jeepers Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Kappy, your links didn't work. I always enjoy your and Mary's garden pictures. I have central air but I'm thinking about summer time with the high price of energy and the threat of brown/blackouts. I'm thinking about cooling one room that I could sleep in away from the rest of the house. I'm thinking about one really small window AC for the pantry/bedroom. It seems breezy out there but I need to experience an Aug-July out there first. The house is small but most if it is an open floor plan with a 16 foot tall ceiling and two skylights in the middle of it. Not easy to cool on a budget. Or I could have a door installed on one side of the house to cool the bedrooms. It would look out of place but would probably work for an emergency situation. Does anyone know anything about those arctic air coolers? Gimmick? 2 Link to comment
Littlesister Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Jeepers I have 4 of them. Haven't tried them yet. Got them on a deal and plan to use in shed while I am in there going through things. Hoping they work great. I can't put window units in my windows as I have casement windows. So can't go that way. 2 Link to comment
Littlesister Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Kappy, the pictures didn't work. Would love to see how your garden is doing now. Went to Food Lion to pick up a couple of things and then came home to go through a few more things to put away. It has gotten to where I can't go any further till they get back here to finish the work on house. Called owner again this morning also. He ordered the shower door Thur. a week ago and said when he checked last week the door would be in either Friday or today. When I asked about it, he said the place where he ordered it was shut down for a week because they had no electricity. I really don't believe him as Wed. last week when I talked with him, He that's when he said he called them, and they told him it would be ready Fri. or today. I am betting he took on another house and has all his contractors over there getting that job started before he pulls his crap on them. I am going to have to do something soon if he doesn't have this job done by end of this month. 6 months is way too long and now just dragging his feet. So, I still am not going to pay him until he finishes up. That hopefully will get him moving when he realizes I haven't paid him anything now in 2 months. Need to get the last curtain rod up in my bedroom but just don't have any more energy today. So will either do it this evening or tomorrow morning. Wanted to get back out to finish weeding garden but rained hard yesterday and still too wet this morning and now has rained hard again a bit ago so will see how things are this evening. At least I won't have to water garden this evening. 1 3 Link to comment
snapshotmiki Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Congratulations, Dogmom! Bet you are happy! Good job with getting the chicken canned! Hope you get your house finished soon! Be careful Anarchy! And Jeepers, are you going to Indiana for my Birthday? Lol Didn't feel good, yesterday. Fine today. Walked first this morning, the Church to help at Vacation Bible School. Picked blackberries on the walk home and made a sauce. Made stuffed round zucchini squash Did 2 loads of laundry. Still need to harvest in garden and water. 7 Link to comment
Jeepers Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Woah Snapshotmiki, Those look sooo good. And cute too! 17 minutes ago, snapshotmiki said: And Jeepers, are you going to Indiana for my Birthday? Lol Why yes Hon I am. That's the plan. Be ready for a parade, a cookout and FIREWORKS. Hope you like the gifts I have picked out just for you. I'll go ahead and spill the beans. Some sidewalk chalk, some Nintendo gift cards, a kick ball and a hippity-hop. Probably some surprises thrown in there too. I mentioned about using gift cards in another forum. I got free cards from the bank, that I'm taking to Wal-Mart, and buying gift cards for Nintendo games. I should have enough left for the chalk, a ball and maybe the hippity-hop too. Grandma is going cheap this year! When I pay off the freezer I'll start on Christmas with some Amazon gift cards. I'm on a roll this year. 3 1 Link to comment
Jeepers Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 That stinks about your contractor Littlesister. I definitely wouldn't give him any more money. I'd tell him I'd pay him in full when he finishes the house in full! After he is finally finished, I'd tell him you are firing him from the fireplace job. Whether you do or not is another story. But maybe the threat of it will light a fire under his butt. I'd also be reminding him of that little paper he signed...CONTRACT. I hate worse than anything to be lied to. If you can't deliver something soon...just tell me. I can deal with that. I can make plans to wait. But not a lie. 3 1 Link to comment
Becca_Anne Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 So frustrating Littlesister! I just don't understand why these places don't want to finish with one and then start another job. You'd think they'd want to be paid! The Electricians were back today and made good progress on the areas they were working today. 2nd floor lights are mostly done. They were able to wire the main original fixture in the foyer, they have the wire in just have to get it hooked up and back on the ceiling. That just leaves the first floor lighting. I was able to go pick up my Rec Center pass today after work and went for a walk in the air conditioned walking track. Both hubby and I need to get into a regular routine and get back into shape. I walked a mile today easy. That was my big accomplishment for the day. DH went grocery shopping yesterday and a weeks worth of groceries is running us about $260. Yikes. So will have to look at my menu plan and swap out some meals for less expensive and look at stretching the meat. Now that I have a real freezer I can do some bulk cooking and do better there for the weekdays. 6 Link to comment
Wychwood Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Today is 'Laydees wot lunch' day today. We're a loose gang of friends and hangers-on who meet now and then to chat and do something crafty and share some food. It's been a while since we last got together and now we have all retired, we are planning on making it more frequent. 9 Link to comment
Midnightmom Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 12 hours ago, Littlesister said: Jeepers I have 4 of them. Haven't tried them yet. Got them on a deal and plan to use in shed while I am in there going through things. Hoping they work great. I can't put window units in my windows as I have casement windows. So can't go that way. I wouldn't be able to use window air conditioners either. Besides the fact that the apt management won't allow them, my windows slide open side to side so there wouldn't be a way to block off the open part of the window for maximum efficiency. 3 2 Link to comment
Midnightmom Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 On 6/8/2022 at 1:07 PM, Jeepers said: I did get a lot of the weeds pulled in the front of the house though. I still need to do the side of the house and the back. A TON of thistles! The pump in the front is a fake. I want it removed but it's bolted down. Will have to hire that done. I forgot about taking pictures until I was already well into the project. Night & day difference! But, that looked like a LOT of work!!! I hope you didn't overdo it and weren't too sore the next day. 2 1 Link to comment
Jeepers Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 3 minutes ago, Midnightmom said: Night & day difference! But, that looked like a LOT of work!!! I hope you didn't overdo it and weren't too sore the next day. Thank you Midnightmom! It was a lot of work but I took plenty of breaks in a rocking chair I have in the garage. The weather cooperated most of the day by being breezy in the mid 70's. As soon as I was finished I soaked in a tub of Epsom Salts to help with the sore muscle and took some Advil. I was sore that night but fine the next day. Kinda surprised me too. It was strange about those thistles. They were huge but they pulled out of the ground pretty easily and gave very little resistance. I had some garden gloves with rubberized palms that I picked up at Menards. They were a big help. Another thing that I thought was odd was there were no bugs and no worms in the dirt anywhere. There was plenty of dirt from pulling out the thistle roots but no creepy crawlies. 3 1 Link to comment
Jeepers Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 That sounds like a lot of fun Wychwood. Nice to stay in touch with old friends from time to time. Midnightmom, I could use a small window AC. The windows out there are the double hung ones but I'd want to be sure to not go over 110 watts. I'm not interested in putting in a 220 plug in one little room. I think I got those numbers right. I really need to change out the window screens this year. At least some of them. I noticed all of them have some tears or holes in them. I want to keep out as many mosquitoes as I can. I've done it before so I'm pretty sure I can do it myself. I just need to measure...again, and order some screen wire/plastic. And probably some new spline. 4 Link to comment
snapshotmiki Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 Already walked. Heading for VBS in a few minutes. Will weedeat around the edges of the garden this afternoon and then water. Fairly light day, but it will be hot so I have to break it up this afternoon. 3 hours ago, Jeepers said: I had some garden gloves with rubberized palms That's what I use to pick blackberries. So much easier, faster and no more pain! 4 Link to comment
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