Whatcha doing today?

[snapshotmiki]

Yesterday, I spent most of the day in the garden. Went to Sunday School. No Church. Finished fencing in bigger garden, got rid of grass clods, Made rows and planted. This garden is about 30 X 50 feet. Not real big, but more than enough for this 64 year old! I did get help for the fencing and clod throwing. LOL
Did walk dogs yesterday.

 

Today, will walk this morning and visit City Hall since I haven't heard a peep out of them.
Already started laundry.
Will work on smaller second garden plot for potatoes and sweet potatoes. Then plant. Supposed to get 1-2" of rain tomorrow.

 

DH says it is too much for me. I told him that I don't know how much longer I will have the health to do this, so I do it now. Don't want to have regrets! And don't like watching TV much either. I will do that when I have no other option--or read.

[Dee]

DH has toggled up the internet so we can use it until an animal unhooks it.  We'll see how long it lasts. 

 

My biggest job today is going to the tax lady.  I'm afraid of what we'll have to pay but at least I'll get the fear of it all behind me for another year. 

 

I'll hit the 2 grocery stores while I'm in town and see what they have for sales. I always check since the closest store is 20 miles away. I know I need milk and refried beans!  I'll probably come out with $100 worth of stuff but I'm sure I need it. 

 

Have a great day everyone!

 

 

[dogmom4]

Today we’re going to visit dmil. She lives about a 30 minute drive away...she’s going to be 90 next month so we’re trying to visit as often as we can while we can. I’m getting some laundry started before we go and getting the dishwasher ready to run.

Have a great day!

[Littlesister]

No contractors today. They are still waiting on some materials to come in. So, I have a free day today. Not sure about tomorrow yet. Going to be getting a new guy to cut grass as the one I had for the past 4 years, I have not been able to get hold of them. I don't think they are doing it any longer. They are firefighters from another city, so might be staying closer to home for grass cutting. Can't say I blame them though.

Been trying to figure out plans for organizing this house if and when they ever get done around here with the construction. I have 2 new shelving units to put up in my small bedroom pantry when I can get it all cleaned out and ready after the construction is finished. Right now, it is piled up with boxes that I have had to pack up for the construction. Will be a while before I can do anything in that room. But working on plans when ready. Got one couch in den now and out of living room. So now I can get in there to work through some things. Was hoping the back splash for kitchen would be here and they could get that done so I can start canning again. But even that is on hold for now. What have I got myself into? Guess I am getting impatient now and want it all done yesterday. Tired of these days they don't show up and things start slowing down. Wondering if my anthric hands will let me paint the rest of the house to save money. I know I can do the walls, but it is the cutting in at the ceiling, etc. that I am worried about trying to do. Something to think about. 

Trying hard to stay out of the stores for a while. Can't get anything put away where it needs to go and can goods I have bought are sitting in small bedroom on floor for now as I can't get to the shelves to put things away right now. But I know it will get there and I need to have patients for it to get done later rather than now. 

 

Dee hopefully the animals won't mess with the toggle line and mess up your internet. 

[Jeepers]

Littlesister to save money, you could hire someone to just do the cutting in work. It would be cheaper than someone doing the entire job. Get an estimate for the whole job and one just for the 'fussy' work. Might help you to decide.  

[Homesteader]

On 3/17/2022 at 8:34 PM, Vic303 said:

Today was good pantry distribution day in town. DH, DS1 and I were volunteering.  This was supposed to be the final month of NQA COVID distribution, and there were a lot of folks who showed up.  You can tell inflation is bad, and the available goods to hand out are growing limited.

 

We are experiencing the same problems with our weekly food pantry. I started working it about a year ago in order to get out of the house and fellowship with many of the other volunteers from our church. Got hooked.    We are running out of more food as the months go by. We have increased the need for shares by almost a hundred each week. Meat is scarce. Some of the food is past distribution quality (wish I had some pigs and chickens to fatten up), and eggs/milk/bread usually run out before the cars in the driveway.   I can take any extras at the end of weekly distribution that are close to expiration date. I'm usually busy canning or dehydrating the following day as our refrig isn't very big.       Eventually, I'm going to run out of canning jars, even after scouring all the charity shops around the area. I wish I had enough time to hit those auctions of older folks. There's usually a treasure trove of jars to be had.    Thankfully, I only volunteer once or twice a month.    Food prep is a lot of work, especially as the garden begins to call my name. 

[Darlene]

3 hours ago, Homesteader said:

Food prep is a lot of work, especially as the garden begins to call my name. 

 

That's an understatement. While I have the gardening bug and have visions of a variety of beautiful vegetables growing in my garden, the thought of preserving it all makes me groan lol.

 

I've already alerted my youngest daughter that THIS year we will be doing even more than we usually do, with a reminder of how nice it has been for her to come grocery shop at mom's house throughout the year. That usually helps them to remember that there really is a good reason to put all that work in.

[themartianchick]

I spent today in my own home, as I had the day off from work. Hubby and I went to 2 stores this morning when they weren't very busy. We bit the bullet and purchased a lot of meat at a locally owned grocery store. Mostly beef for hubby and then I added a few large packs of chicken thighs @ $1.19/lb. The beef ribs were $3.99/lb but they had to be cut apart before freezing. Hubby also picked out a couple of packs of beef bacon at the astronomical price of $7.99/lb. We paid a total of $80 and it all fit into a single reusable grocery bag!   I repackaged everything and reorganized the freezer to ensure that I could make it all fit. I forgot to mention that I have been doing a no-spend month for March. Groceries are exempt from that. I will continue to get the households stocked up for whatever may come.

 

This afternoon, hubby and I went birdwatching in a nearby nature preserve that we had never visited before. Then we picked up some lunch using a gift card. Restaurants are against the rules for a no-spend month.

Edited March 22, 2022 by themartianchick

[Becca_Anne]

Had to replant my seeds, I forgot to sterilize the seed start mix properly and grew me a nice crop of mold. Oh well at least I had some peat pots to start again. Will bake the rest of the soil to sterilize it properly before trying again. I'm out of practice! My new rototiller is put together so I just need to call the number to get my property marked for the underground utilities so I don't put my garden in the wrong place. Will do that tomorrow and then by the weekend hopefully have a new garden bed ready to go. Want to set up my compost pile too, and finish raking off the leaves from the grass. They come vacuum them up until the first week of April and since it was midwinter when we moved in and none of the fall leaves had been raked it's a lot. Will use some in the compost pile too. I am excited to get green things growing again 

[snapshotmiki]

Off to the doc's soon, then Walmart.
Stopping at thrift store and Dollar Tree, then local hardware for key cut.
Supposed to be big storms this afternoon so hopefully I will be home before they start.

[dogmom4]

Today is going to be organizing and some garden work.

[Jeepers]

Miki, hope your doc appointment goes well and that the storms skirt around you! 

 

Dogmom4, organizing...does it ever end. I'm still trying to categorize my books. Trouble is they look interesting and I keep stopping to thumb through them for a closer look. Half of the ones I have I had forgotten about and they look interesting all over again. 

[themartianchick]

I am at the hospital with mom this morning, instead of at work. She is basically fine and probably just in need of an antibiotic. I hope that they send her home today. I had an interesting conversation with the EMTs from the ambulance crew. They told me not to believe that the COVID numbers are going down. I questioned the heck out of them because they couldn't take mom to her preferred hospital. (She used to work in administration at a NY State University hospital and she is quite particular about the quality of care ratings!) The local hospitals are still diverting patients to whatever one has availability. We have 4 hospitals and three are diverting patients to facility #4. Based upon what I saw in the emergency room...they are correct. I am double-masked because I refused to remove my high-quality one to put on a cheap blue, pleated one. 

 

There will be no homesteading activities for me today. 

[Jeepers]

First of all prayers being sent up for you dear mother Themartianchick!  

 

Thank you for the C-19 update. I've been reading all about the quarantines going on in China. But then again you never know about their motives. On the other hand they did just host the Olympics of over 150,00 people. In two years it will Paris' turn.  I think we need to stay vigilant and take care of ourselves and use our common sense. Last month I re-ordered some more N-95 masks. Right now they are affordable and plentiful. Next month? A friend of mine is on her way to taking her DH to the emergency room too. He has flu like symptoms and a fever that won't break. 

[Dee]

Martian Chick, I hope it's nothing serious with your mother and that she'll be home soon!

 

It's a rainy dreary day here but in a few days, it should make our pasture and lawn a lush green.  We are all so ready after a long winter.  

 

I will be going to lunch and cards today.  Last week I had the best cards ever.  Today will not be so good but I love playing, win or lose.

 

Have a good day everyone.

[dogmom4]

Martianchick, I hope it nothing serious with your mom. I’m kinda skeptical about numbers myself. I was in the ER three weeks ago...in a lot of abdominal pain. Hubby and I got there at noon...we didn’t get seen until 4 and didn’t leave until 7....and I never made it into a room...I had a hallway bed. And there were permanent labels on the wall with so many other beds down the hallway. I’ve had Kaiser for over 35 years...and this was a large, relatively new hospital...I’ve never seen this before.

Edited March 22, 2022 by dogmom4

[Mother]

MTC,  I am sorry about your mom AND the fact you have to be in the ER for any reason.   

[snapshotmiki]

Praying for your  mom, themartianchick!

[Littlesister]

Themartinchick, Hope all is well with your mom. Prayers going out for her.

Dogmom4, glad you are doing better. 

Been a long day. No contractors again and I am tired of waiting for them to finish up so I can do things around here. So today I got busy doing what I could. Got the rest of bottom kitchen cabinets cleaned out. More dusting where I could which right now is a joke. Figured out the curtains. Going to cut the bedroom ones down to 63 inches and make kitchen curtains from the bottom of those as soon as I can get to my sewing machine. Went through the freezer to see what all I had to start canning meat. Going to take me a few days to can all that meat. Chicken, lots of beef, ham, pork, hamburger also. Will do hamburger last as it takes the longest to do. I also have 4 turkeys in freezer to can. One or two days to thaw in fridge and then cut up to can. I have 3 freezers that are slam full. Can't buy anymore meat till I do something with what I have. I a lot of frozen fruit and veggies to dehydrate as well. Glad I have a much bigger counter top as I am going to need every inch of it. 

My arm is killing me today. I am almost sure I have bursitis in it. Hurts all the way up through the shoulder. But this to will pass as I don't have time for pain right now. Too much to do. 

Cooked dinner and used up the last of the green beans that I had not enough to can. So, I had blanched them and froze them. At least that is now out of freezer. Fried up some squash and onions as well. So, leftovers tomorrow. 

Trying to catch up on some reading about EMP's. Need to post what I have read in the other book soon.  I feel we need to really start working on that subject also. Cyber-attacks could happen anytime as Putin keeps roaring his ugly head. So much I want to do and can't with the construction workers in and out. They really do need to hurry up and get the job done. 

[euphrasyne]

Slipped and fell this morning.  Broke my right wrist badly.  Spent all day at ER.  I will need surgery as it is a bad break.

[snapshotmiki]

I'm so sorry,  Euphrasyne!  You've  had a rough  year. I will  put you on my prayer list. 

[Cricket]

31 minutes ago, euphrasyne said:

Slipped and fell this morning.  Broke my right wrist badly.  Spent all day at ER.  I will need surgery as it is a bad break.

Oh no! Prayers going up fast! 

Please try to let us know when your surgery is scheduled. We'll have you covered in prayer then, too. 

[dogmom4]

Oh no euphraysne! I’m so sorry. Praying you heal quickly.

[themartianchick]

1 hour ago, euphrasyne said:

Slipped and fell this morning.  Broke my right wrist badly.  Spent all day at ER.  I will need surgery as it is a bad break.

Oh, noooo! I hope that you feel better soon and heal quickly, Euphrasyne.

[themartianchick]

Thank you all for the kind thoughts and prayers! Mom is doing well and she is at home. As predicted, an antibiotic was required. The hospital diversion was irritating, but they treated her well and I stayed with her all day. We keep a bag packed for occasions like this and always have a change of clothes, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, spare masks, a sweater, several snacks, a bottle of water, 2 juice boxes, straws, and plastic utensils. I did manage to forget my cell phone charger and something for me to eat. Due to COVID, The hospital won't let anyone leave to get food and then return in the same day. Fortunately, hubby brought me a sandwich and I was allowed to meet him at the door.

 

This evening, I am working on laundry. The plan is for me to go to work tomorrow. Of course, that had been the plan for today, too! It reminds me of a saying:

 

Man plans...God laughs!