Sunday, June 23, 2024

Weekly Wrap Up 6/23

 Happy Sunday to all.  Hope this finds you all well and safe.
We had a very early morning storm come through.  Not a ton of rain - but enough to help the parched earth.  More to come in the next couple days.  It sure was nice to get.  It seems to have helped the feeling outdoors a bit.  Not so muggy feeling this morning. Nice breeze.

Well gang, I had a grand time at the 60's party.  It was fun - better than the reunion, as not quite so many people.  Talked and laughed a lot.  Lots of groovy outfits!  I ended up wearing the tie-dye.  The lace one looked good on, but not as festive.
My frugal week:
  • Did weeding, yard work, raking (yes raking) and watering early due to heat
  • Both rain barrels are full (110 gallons of free water)
  • Cleaned up around the trees - squirrels drop corn and outer shells of sunflower seeds - cleaned up any enticement to racoons!
  • Placed mothballs around the outer perimeter of back yard, garden and under the shed and deck to deter racoons and groundhogs.  So far so good, it seems to have helped.
  • NO grocery store at all this week
  • Left only to go to 60's party on Friday
  • Lots of laundry - used dehumidifier water in washer
  • Took a walk early one morning - around alley and front walks and picked up any trash dropped/blown along the way.
  • Put together new shampoo and dish soap bottles
  • Checked and refilled all fluids in my Blazer (did it myself)
  • Rehydrated mushrooms to use in recipe.  I have so many that I dehydrated a long while back (buy cheap and dehydrated)
  • All meals from home & using up leftovers
  • Just working inside and doing a bit of clothes decluttering
Meals this past week:
Chicken tenders wraps
Tuna patty on bun and salad
Homemade 'Alice Springs' chicken & fries (in air fryer)
Mexican pizzas
Mexican rice bowl (using leftovers)
Grilled ham & cheese and salad
Dirty rice w/chopped broc. & peppers added, jalapeno burger (no bun)

There you have it, a really quiet week here.  It has just been so dang hot and humid out, so not a lot going on.  I know some of you have had really cool and wet weather and others hot and humid.  I even read there was snow this week in one area!!  It truly is amazing how different areas can be on the same day.
How has your week been?  Did you get any deals or are you using what you have?  I still have little in the way of garden to pick - except lettuce.  Things are growing nicely though.  I hope some of you are now getting 'grow'ceries.
Give us a shout out and let us know you are OK.

Hope this finds everyone well, safe and healthy.
Blessings to you and yours from me and my kitties from our humble little home.
***********************

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27

Lord, thank You for your love and protections.  Let us each go out and try to live as You have taught, with love, peace, and caring for others.  Help us to know, no matter what trials we face, that You will always be there.  We have eternity with You.  Amen

                      

35 comments:

  1. Good morning Cheryl! Thank you for the update on the party and which shirt you wore ;). Even the thought of a party like that makes me smile. Here in Phoenix the weather is getting to summer levels of hot, and no rain yet, so we are all girding ourselves for the start of the heat. I decided that it was time for me to start looking for a dog, so I sent the word out to my friends in the rescue business.When my husband and I adopted our one and only dog about 14 years ago, it took months of kissing frogs before we met our princess ;). So to speak.

    Hope you have a good Sunday and some rain next week.

    Hilogene in Az.

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    1. It was one constant smile for sure. Just looking at the clothes and decorations was fun, not to mention all the people. Cool music too!!!
      We had some mid 90's this week, sure hope yours doesn't last too long. Yuck.
      I am sure the right baby for you will come. o happy you are thinking of adopting a fur baby. Best of luck with the search.
      Stay cool and have a great week.

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  2. Summer has finally arrived in NE Alberta. There have been a few red letter days this past week. All the bedding plants are transplanted, finally. The yard looks so nice & I enjoyed a few hours on the deck yesterday afternoon. The tractor mower is up & running thanks to my neighbor. I had missed replacing a small "key" that slides into a groove on the shaft. And here I was so proud of myself for getting the tire off & on by myself. Like the neighbor said, it's unlikely that you will forget that again. Live & learn. The veg garden has been weeded. All growing well except not one zucchini has germinated. Who can't grow zucchini?! I was able to visit the latest born great nephew, now 2 mos old. I was expecting my son & his family this w/e but they changed their plans. I'm reminded of how full their lives are. All the more reason for me to engage in my own life & allow them to live their own. I continue to spend time with my 91 yr our old mom at the LTC facility where she now lives. I never thought it would be me tending to my aged mom; our relationship was never that great. Now she's dependent & vulnerable & I can't leave her unattended. I want her to feel safe & comfortable in her final time on this earth. Hopefully I can contribute to that end. I'm not sure she even knows who I am. In the kitchen: carrot/raisin salad, roast trout with green beans, mediterranean noodle casserole, lasagna, banana loaf.

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    1. Glad you finally got weather to get out and do some things. It is always wonderful to look out and see the pretty yard. My zucchini is getting a nice size, but the yellow squash right next to it is hardly rowing - who know why things grow the way they do.
      Babies are so sweet and fun to be around. Glad you make your own life too.
      It is amazing how nurturing roles change in life. Maybe the fact that she 'may not' know helps you both a bit. You are both very different at this age in life. You are a good daughter. All things happen for a reason - maybe you both needed this time together.
      Have a lovely week.

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  3. Well, the heat has reached my area. I run the whole house fan early in the morning and close up everything by 10 AM for sure. Windows open at night.

    The ancient bean seeds I threw in the compost came up and bloomed! I can't think they'll do much with no rain at all for weeks, even the weeds are crispy now.

    Any grocery runs are very early in the morning to avoid the heat.

    Glad you had fun at the party, Cheryl. We sang in the solstice Thursday evening and watched the moon rise, so beautiful!

    MaryB

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    1. Nice that you can have windows open at night. I open windows a tiny bit each morning just for fresh air - then the house gets closed up for the day.
      How cool the seeds came up. They might surprise you - they must be pretty hardy to have sprouted!
      Stay cool. The singing sounds lovely.
      Have a great week.

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  4. Good morning, Cheryl! We, too, had the line of storms come thru overnight -- 1.5" in the rain gauge. But it's really hot and humid out this morning and very overcast, like it could rain at any minute. I can tolerate the heat, but the humidity does me in. Will be spending some time planning or the coming week, as well as prepping for the 4th of July celebration at the park across the street.

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    1. Wow, you got a lot more rain than I did. Ours was like 3/10's of an inch. It is cloudy here, but breezy. I hate humidity as well.
      Man, it is almost time for the 4th! Doesn't seem possible. Have fun preparing and planning.
      Have a good week.

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  5. Once again, a great devotional! We need to keep this in mind and not let our hearts be troubled or afraid.

    Glad your party was a blast! Groovy!

    On Friday night Erin went to the Madame Walker Theatre to see Boyz II Men and Mayor Hogsett was in line in front of her. Being the politician he is, he turned and spoke to her and smiled at her. She said the concert was good. She had started listening to them when she was a freshman. She and friends are going to see Barry Manilow next month.

    Glad to get the rain! We had a large branch from the sweet gum tree by the driveway come crashing down last week. No rain or wind, it just came down. We'll go out in a bit to cut it up and haul it to the backyard. The Farmer had been wanting that branch cut down as it hung way over the driveway and the birds would sit in it and poop on the car. I told him that the Father just saved him several hundred dollars. ha!

    Enjoy your day. Looks like a good one to stay in and read. Maybe later this afternoon. See you Tuesday.

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    1. Thanks. That sounds like a fun time. I bet it was a good concert. There are going to be a lot of good musicians in state this summer.
      The rain was sure appreciated here too. More to come they say this week. Funny about the limb, there is one hanging down next door. It happened late one afternoon when there was no wind or anything. It has green leaves, so not dead. Yep, God was pruning!
      Have a lovely week.

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  6. Oh, how neat that you have 110 gallons of free water, that is a lot of water! I had no idea rain barrels could contain that much water. I'm so glad to hear that you had a good time on Friday evening. A smaller crowd does make it easier. Speaking of mushrooms, I found a mushroom hamburger recipe today that I need to try out. I'm not a fan but the health benefits of mushrooms are so good that it makes me want to eat them. Sounds like a good week for you, Cheryl. I hope this week is a good one too.

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    1. Each of the rain barrels holds 55 gallons and I have 2 full now. It is a lot of water and it is God's water - so better than the hose/faucet.
      Yes, it was nice being able to see everyone and talk.
      I love mushrooms, but don't eat them nearly enough. I hope you enjoy your new recipe. I know several people who grind them up and put in ground beef, so as to extend it, yet not have big pieces.
      Have a wonderful week.

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  7. Happy Sunday Cheryl. I'm so happy to hear you had a great time at the 60's party! Smaller crowds usually are more fun. We had about an inch of rain overnight but could easily use more. I hope we have a few showers this week. It is HOT and HUMID here. Your meals all sound great. Stay cool and enjoy your week.

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    1. Thanks. Yes, smaller crowds are much better.
      You got a nice rain. So needed. I hope we all get a bit more this week. Try and stay cool.
      Have a fantastic week.

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  8. It's been hot HOT here since May....nothing unusual really. But the rain continued past the rainy season this year and we've gotten double the amount that is usual. Surprisingly not muggy today, living in a swamp state. lolz But that will change on a whim. Trying to clean inside and get fabrics ready to list online and Hubs has a fire going in the burn pit to get rid of some wood we have from a few trees we had taken down last month. Just a quiet Sunday here.
    You have a good one!

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    1. Well, I imagine it is usually hot and humid there a lot! I just hate humidity - heat is ok, but the humidity is UGH.
      Sounds like you have a nice relaxing kind of day going on. Those are nice.
      Have a great week.

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  9. We're finally getting some warm/hot weather. It was cool'ish this morning, but I've just spent a couple hours outside sweeping the front deck, the back patio, and weeding in the back. I'm sweating buckets and we haven't reached our high temp of 28C (82F) yet. Glad I went out earlier in the day!
    Your retro night sounds like a lot of fun. I prefer smaller groups too, as it is much easier to visit.

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    1. Glad you are getting some warmer weather and some dry time. It had to feel good to get outside and do some work. 82 would be a perfect temp for me!
      It was fun - still had about 75 schoolmates there, but that was better than over 300 at the reunion.
      Enjoy your week.

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  10. Hiya Cheryl, I bought all the different things needed for miracle grow. Does it really work and how often do I use it. Thank you. We have had some nice days this week but still a breeze. My son and his wife are on holiday and I do miss them but so funny because they don’t live in Ireland at all but across the Irish Sea to Scotland. I hear more from him when he is on holiday.
    Tomorrow I start off with a new to me car. I had to part ways with my little red car.
    All from me. Sylvia

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    1. Hello Sylvia. Yes, it really works for me, and I apply a good does every 5-6 weeks or so. Remember it is a concentrate so dilute. I hope you like it. I just love it is natural.
      Funny how children are - maybe he is just wanting to share experiences with you while he is on vacation! I hope they have a glorious time.
      Yay to you on the 'new' car! Best of luck with it.
      Have a lovely week.

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  11. Cheryl, I was thinking of you when I had my first cataract surgery this past week. I'm amazed at how vivid colors are now! I'd been hoping I'd be able to drive with that eye so I could go ahead and get the other eye done soon, but I'm going to have to postpone the second surgery until the first eye completely stabilizes and I can get a new lens for my glasses.

    You had a couple of good posts lately: the one on June 11 with good meal ideas and on June 19 about using things up and recycling. My meals have gotten into a rut, and I welcome the new ideas. My next door neighbor gives me items her family won't eat from her food pantry boxes, keeping good food out of the landfill and expanding my options a bit (not to mention lowering my grocery bill). I've been clearing out things here at home and have donated medical equipment and supplies, almost brand new men's shoes and clothing, and lots of canned food I will never eat. Many carloads of things to the thrift store. Eventually I want to have a donation truck come and take no longer needed furniture. It always bothers me to see perfectly usable things at the curb on trash day. I found a veteran-owned junk hauling company that claims to recycle anything that can be recycled, so I plan to contact them to get rid of unusable items when I'm ready.

    My garden this year consists of five tomato plants, which is just as well since we've been sweltering in mid-90sF temps and high humidity with little rain. Temps are to moderate somewhat this week, with scattered storms today.

    MONA: You are doing the right thing in taking care of your mother even if she no longer knows who you are. Keeping our loved ones safe and as comfortable as possible is the best we can do for them as they near the end of their life. You are absolutely right about how relationships change when someone becomes elderly and dependent. My relationship with my husband has gone from equal marriage partner to caregiver/dependent, and now almost to parent/child as he declines. I drive in nearly every day to hand feed him breakfast and noontime dinner and to advocate for him with the facility staff when necessary. He doesn't know who I am, either, but usually knows I'm his wife, though he believes I'm his late wife (died 25 years ago) to whom he was married for nearly 45 years. It doesn't matter to me; what matters is that I am there for him.

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    1. Frances so glad to have you stop by. You are always on my mind and in my prayers.
      Cataract surgery is the best! Yes, the colors are glorious. They inserted a new lens in my eye for distance. They did both of mine within 2 days and I was cleared to drive by the third day. Probably just different problems and doctors. So happy it is so clear for you. It sure makes a difference. Wait till you have them both fixed - it is amazing the dust one sees!!! LOL

      5 tomato plants sounds just right. The weather has been hot - sure hope everyone gets a break soon.
      I remember having a lot of medical equipment to get rid of - I had a hard time finding places that would take it. Nice that you are blessing others.

      You are such a loving and caring wife. Glad you are there with him daily. He may not know your name, but he knows the love. Life gives us lemons sometimes, and we just make lemonade the best we can. You also know you are doing what you are doing for love. That is all that matters.
      Huge hugs. So glad to have you stop by. Please drop by whenever you get a chance.
      Have a blessed week.

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    2. Frances! :) Long time nothing, so good to hear an update. That's a hard road, dealing with loved ones who no longer know us. What a neat find, that veteran-owned place that will recycle - I'd love to find something like that. Best of luck with the sorting and purging. What a huge job.

      MaryB

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    3. MaryB, the junk hauling place is called G.I. Haul, and they are a franchise with a few locations. Another one is JDog Junk Removal, and they have more locations, though they are no longer in my area. I haven't actually used either one, so can't vouch for them.

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  12. Good afternoon. You had a lovely week and got lots done. Today it is hot and humid and for the first time we needed to start up the AC, just could not take the yarn sticking to my fingers while knitting.

    Been doing some foraging and will continue with that this week. Hopefully before too long I have enough clover and lavender to make infused oil. It will take a while to get enough plantain as it needs to be sun dried and that takes a bit of time.

    God bless.

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    1. Glad you have finally gotten some heat. Sorry about the humidity though.
      I love that you are foraging - that is just so neat. It sure saves money on things. Natural is the best.
      have a wonderful week.

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  13. Wonderful devotional Cheryl. I needed to read that.
    We also got some rain last night, it was needed.
    Gardens are growing, nothing to harvest yet but soon. Our zucchini isn't doing well either. What is up with that?? We used to get so many that we had to chop them up for the chickens.
    One of my favorite meals is zucchini, onion, corn and smoked sausage all cooked together in a skillet.

    Haven't had to mow for more than 2 weeks because of the heat/ no rain but will have to mow this week.

    JC

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    1. Glad to help!
      Rain is sure nice when it has been so parched. Funny about the zucchini. I wonder if this is the year - LOL - of little zucchini. My niece in southern IN is getting tons already. Pretty amazing.
      I love zucchini skillet meals.
      Have a lovely week.

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  14. As I was washing up supper dishes I looked out the window and there was a deer in my garden, a young buck. No wonder I have garden issues. He was just chomping down on everything. :( I kinda scared him off before he got to the veggies, but you know he'll be back. I can't be out there 24/7.

    MaryB

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    1. Oh no. You are having a time of it. Maybe some shiny pans or pull tab lids on string that moves. Bummer.
      Hope you can come up with something.
      Have a good week.

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  15. We had a very brief rain shower earlier, but we need much more. It's been so miserable hot, it was 94 yesterday with a heat index of over 100. My garden is just not doing anything this year, but my fruit trees are overloaded. Too much so (I really know nothing about them and be to learn more), that a large limb on the peach tree snapped off.

    And I almost stepped on a snake. Ugh.

    I did find an amazing deal on diapers at Kroger's. Got $80 worth for only $30. Found a bunch of children's books today, some games, and even a bag of Legos at a little free library. I was super excited.

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    1. Hi Jess. yes, the heat is miserable. I hate the 90 degree weather stuff too. So sorry your garden isn't going well. I think the weather has so much to do with it. It stayed very cool for so long, then got so hot quickly. Hoping it pulls out.
      Nice on the fruit trees. Do some reading and checking on computer or library - freeze or can that fruit for later.
      Oh no on the snake!
      What a deal on the diapers. That is great. Free is fantastic!
      Good going.
      Have a great week.

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  16. Nice devotional once again! You know i'm always carrying on that you should compile a recipes/hints book. Well, i'll just go ahead and demand another book (or section) -- collection of your devotionals! 🙂 i can think up lots of work for you, can't I??
    Anyway, thanks for everything.

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    1. You are so kind. I sure appreciate that you are so fond of the site.
      I really have been thinking of trying to do something and maybe it could just all be compiled into one book! Another thing to ponder.
      Have a wonderful week.

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  17. Hi Cheryl and fellow frugal friends,
    Longtime reader here, very rare commentor, as Google accts locks me out sometimes and I forget my password. 😆
    I learn so much from your posts, Cheryl, and everyone 's comments. Thank you!
    Francis, when my Mom passed away, we were able to donate, canes, folding transport wheelchair, crutches and a week old, clean, extra high toilet seat, to a free medical " closet " that is run by a county Senior service center. This was in picky New York State. My sister and I were so pleased that these items would be passed on to bless someone else. Ask around at the "home" your husband's at. Perhaps nurses or social workers know where these items can be donated.
    God bless and strengthen you as care and protect your husband during this season.
    Ellie in Arkansas

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