Weekly Wrap Up 5/24

 Hello to all - goodness here, we are with just a week left in the month!  Hope this finds everyone well and safe.  It is a cloudy morning here.  About 65* at the moment.  May get to 70* or so today.  May has been on the cooler side where April was very warm.  Strange weather.  May has been wet as well.  Today looks to be no exception.

It is 500 Mile Race Day here, and I almost bet it doesn't run the whole race without rain.  So many people here wanting to see it - goodness, I hope they get to.  Funny, the little town of Speedway becomes the second largest city in the state on this weekend because of all the tourists!!!!

It is also Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S.  It is the day week remember all those that gave the ultimate sacrifice over the years for our freedoms.  Thank you and prayers for all of the families as well.

                                                             Thankful for FREEDOM

My frugal week:

• Cut lots of peonies and roses this week.  I have the last 2 vases of peonies in the house.  Going to be so sad when I have to be done with them.  I just love that smell
• Finished up a gallon of milk on 5/18 that was dated 4/29.  Tasted just as fresh as the day it was opened.
• Mowed the front yard - still too wet to get to the back
• Used up the last of the homemade banana ice cream in a smoothie along with some grapes that needed used
• Did several walks when weather permitted
• My former neighbor (moved to KY) came by for a short visit while in town.
• Aired house a lot - no heat, no AC
• Baked a dozen cookies from dough I had in the freezer
• Scoured all the watering holes - cleaned and refilled hummingbird feeders
• Laundry and used dehumidifier water and hung to dry
• Working on gathering things to donate and ended up with a big bag to trash as well
• I did go out and filled the gas tank, and my gas can (good for the summer on mower) for 3.09 gal. using discount
• Stopped at Kroger and got a watermelon (pretty good), grd. beef on clearance for 3.37 lb. (got 3 lbs.). found 15 smaller cans of cat food for .24 ea. on clearance and 6 regular cans for .51 ea.  Got TP on sale - bought 2 - 12 packs.
• Paid everything I had on hand
• Harvested my celery plants I was growing.  The bottoms were getting nasty looking, so I just harvested all the little stalks and leaves

Meals this past week:

Taco mac bowl

Fried salmon bites and nice salad

Salmon patty sandwich, fries and side salad

Summer sausage, cheese and veggies & crackers plate

Cheesy broccoli, chicken rice skillet

L/O rice skillet and salad

Swiss/onion dbl. burger, baked beans, slaw

SNACKS:  various fruit, cookies, beef stick

There you have it - nothing too exciting.  Just a nice week.  Plan on doing more getting rid of things and hoping to get to mow out sometime soon!  It sure needs it.

How was your week?  Any good deals?  Have you all got those gardens planted yet?  I know weather has kept many from getting things in.  It will all work out - so have patience.

I hope you all have a lovely long weekend and take a moment to remember why!!!!  The celebration isn't really about the race or the picnics - but those who sacrificed everything so we can be free over the decades.

Have a super week ahead and stay safe and hope health finds you all.  Prayers of healing for those in need.  Blessings to you and yours from me at my humble little home.

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The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord life his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

Lord, we send up our thanks for all the precious gifts we receive each day, and for all our blessings.  Help us each one to see all the blessings, even when things look grim - there is always some sunshine behind those things.  Prayers for all our military past and present and their families.  Prayers that all folks that are out on the roads this weekend will be safe.  Please keep everyone in your loving and protective arms.  AMEN

Weekend Plans - Fun or Work?

 Hello to all.  Glad to be here this morning, and hope you are well.

It is a cool and cloudy morning here.  This may be our only day with no rain for the next many.  Goodness, we have had our fair share of rain around here.  At my house, it was non-stop all day yesterday until in the evening hours.  It was just a soft and gentle rain - but rain none the less.

Yesterday also had this annoying noise going on.  It was a beeping noise, that persisted all day long.  You know the sound a truck makes when backing up?  It was that kind of beep - ALL DAY LONG!  I even took a walk in the rain to try and figure out where it was coming from - no luck - just somewhere down the alley.  I guess the homeowner must have been at work or something, because it finally stopped around 6PM.  It was just a noise that got under the skin!  LOL

Yesterday was also chilly.  I had on socks and a cardigan all day.

YEP!  This is kind of my life now.  Slow and steady and easy.  Much to be said about retirement.  Much to be said about not giving a rats patoot about impressing others.  

What kind of plans do you have for the weekend?  As I said yesterday, it is Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S.  It is also the 500-mile race on Sunday.  It is generally a big weekend.

There are graduations and grad parties happening all around.  Pools generally open, but I would think around here, it would be rather cool for that - but the braves ones won't care!

There are cookouts and family parties that happen all around.

If you live somewhere else - do you have any big plans for the upcoming weekend?

I have no plans at all.  Just hanging out here with the kitties!  Not sure what will be on the menu - it really is just another day for me.  I DO want a watermelon.  I am very much in the mood for munching on watermelon.  I may make a trip to the store for that.  I probably need to go and get gas while out as well.  I know I have a week to use my discount points, but I will probably stop while out.  I have no big plans for next week.

I plan to work in the basement some, I may go out today and paint a couple items in the yard decor.  I can't mow out back, as it is still way to wet!  Front has already been done.

I think maybe I will porch sit when I can and just watch all the goings on in the neighborhood!

Whatever I want to do.

Maybe even this!  Naps.  I love how laid back and calm Bitsy is most of the time.  He finds a spot and just sleeps and sleeps.  Lazy bug.  My kind of cat!!!!!

He loves cuddles with mom as well.  Sometimes he comes and sits on the footstool and yells at me to sit on the couch.  As I sit, he figures how to be as close as possible up against my leg.  I pet and look at computer and he loves it.

So give us a shout out on your weekend plans.  Cookouts?  Grad parties?  Pool parties?  Race parties? Garden planting?   Harvesting?  Look forward to how you plan to spend your days.

Whatever you do and wherever you are - make it a nice one.

Have a super weekend and love each moment and day that you are given!

 

Getting Back to it! Simplifying!

 Hello to all this midweek morning.  I surely hope all are well and safe today.

It is again wet this morning!  Yesterday we got a bucketload of rain in the afternoon and evening - and NOW I do have a lake out back.  Ugh!

They are predicting rain almost every day for the next week.  Including over the holiday weekend (Memorial Day) and even on the 500 Mile race day!  That is not good, as about 300,000 show up for that!

This year the race will be on TV live as it happens.  That happened last year too - but never did before.  It has to be a sold-out event to be aired live.  So, locals usually don't see it until it is over (unless you go).  I am not a huge race fan, but I do love all the pomp and circumstance leading up to it.  Of course I will be on my porch before the race, waiting to see the military flyover - that is my favorite thing!  They always manage to come over my house as they leave the area.

Everyone gets excited about a long weekend - I used to as well.  Now it is another day.  Every day is a holiday once you retire!

Now that the garden is in, the flowers planted, my big sewing project done, I am now getting back to the simpler and quiet way. 

Life has finally leveled out and there is no rush on anything.  I pretty much do what I want - when I feel like it.  The above seems appropriate for me.  I eat differently during the summer - a lot lighter and fresher.  I walk so much more.  I really don't need a thing, so not a lot of need to shop.  I always try to laugh, love and feel blessed.  Every morning when I go out to feed all the animals - I stop and take time in nature to say my morning prayers and to thank God for all things.

I porch sit a lot.  It is a great time for reflection.

My house never gets messy, as I put things up as I use them (upstairs).  The basement is a different story!!!  Now that it is rainy, and I can't get out to work as much, I am again going to tackle that area.  I really want it cleaned and straightened and I want stuff GONE!  It is time to get back to de-cluttering.  So much down there, that hasn't been used or touched in years.  WHY???????

It truly did.  Now I have to admit, most wasn't much money - being a yard sale, thrift store aficionado in years past.  I hardly bring anything home now.  I just don't go to those places hardly ever.  I need nothing, so why go.  As someone stated the other day - I will be blessing someone else with things.

I need nothing, so why not!

I love the lazy, hazy days of summer.  Sure there is garden work (I love), yardwork (I like), and heat (meh) - but it a time of growth, abundance and thriving.  Everything is gorgeous out and God shows us all the beauty of nature is so many ways.  I will have things to do - but I also will JUST ENJOY.

We need to do that more.  Take in all the special moments.

So, I am ready to get back to getting rid of my overabundance of stuff and I plan to eat well, and I plan to stay healthy.

This weekend is the 'un'official start to summer around here.  Graduations are happening, pools will be opening, lots of outdoor events will be happening, many summer celebrations starting, and just lots of outdoor activities.  

What do you plan for your summer (gosh, winter for some)?  

Take time and get rid of stuff you no longer need or use and enjoy each and every day to the fullest.

Have a great day - help the light shine!!!

What we do When we Grow Up!

 Hello and happy Tuesday to all.  Hope this finds you all well today.

It is a lovely morning here - after a rainy and stormy day! Yesterday afternoon it started to rain, then storm and it came down hard and for quite a while.  The neighbor to the west had a backyard lake - one a couple to the east did as well - I didn't!  Not sure why this time, but it is just soggy and no lake.  YAY! 

More rain coming back in later today and tonight (and storms).

Haven't had to water a thing I planted yet!

Remember as a youngster saying, "when I grow up I want to be...."?  

Well, somedays I still wonder what I want to be when 'I grow up'.   How about you? 

As a child, I said I was going to be a teacher.  Then in high school, I took my college prep classes and did a semester 'student teaching' at my old grade school.  I worked with 3rd graders and with 4th graders.  That was fun.

In college, I got more interested into wanting to teach special education or work in social services helping kiddos.  Got to do a hands-on service with a social agency for children then, and it just broke my heart.  I would come home and cry and cry.

Then life happened, and college became part time, as I needed to work to help pay mortgage and bills, and then I just stopped in my junior year.

I got into accounting and did that in some form for the remainder of my working years (funny, as I hated math in school).

Became a 'sort of' care giver and stayed home with hubs when he became disabled.  I have been home since.  Learning, doing and caring.

Now I stop and think - am I doing what I am supposed to be doing?  Am I making a difference?  Is there a big plan for me?

Do you ever wonder things like that?

I know I am not done growing up - so I wonder what I will be when I do grow up!!!

I guess in a way, I teach in a form, by having the blog.  I help give the opportunity to myself and others to pass on useful information that others can use to maybe make their lives better.

I try to be a good family member and help those in need.  I try to be a good neighbor and friend.

I try to just be a good servant of God.

I hope that is enough.

I see pictures taken of earth from outer space and it is beautiful, but it is so small compared to the unending vastness out there.  We are a part of that little ball.  Once you are on this planet, we are but a grain of sand.  There is so much out there in the unending space and so many on this earth.  I am presuming we all have a purpose (?).  Somedays watching the news, I have to wonder what that purpose may be for some, surely evil and meanness can't be a purpose.  OR maybe it is there to help us realize what NOT to do.  I don't know.  I doubt anyone knows.

I do know that we all have a bright light go out at some point in our lives, a light that gets extinguished.  It may be from death or from illness or from losses of all sorts - but we have found a way to get back to a light and see some brightness again.  We go on, and hopefully the time of darkness helps us grow, and maybe we can help others to see a light again.

So have you figured out what you want to be when you grow up?  Have you always followed your dreams or ideals?  Did things change drastically at some point?  I would love to hear.

I guess I will stick with teacher!

I just know that when my days are done - I "hope" someone can say "she did good".  

That would be a good legacy.

Have a beautiful and special day.

Make it a good one.

Weekly Wrap Up 5/17

 Hello and happy Sunday to all wherever you may be.  I am hoping this finds you well and safe.

Can you believe we are half-way through May?  Seems kind of crazy to me.

We are starting to warm up more, and we have had rain.  The past 2 days we had rain (nice rain here), and it sure makes things look different.  Yesterday was pretty much an entire rain day.  It was a lazy day!

It sure felt chilly due to the rain.  This morning it is already close to 70* and partly cloudy.

My frugal week:

• Helped the neighbor fix a couple of spots of broken slats in their wooden fence.  Goodness, they had no idea what to do, even though there was a pile of wood sitting there to use!
• Pulled and cut a lot of weeds and poison ivy
• Got the garden all tilled up
• Spent one day planting and decorating the front flower garden
• Mowed everything
• Picked and picked peonies - constantly changing out flowers inside - gosh, I love the smell so much
• Used flowers with dropping petals for a big bowl of potpourri - just because they drop petals doesn't mean they don't smell.  Cut off the stems and place in bowl 
• Made a bowl of bean salad for munching on
• Made foil packet meal - made 2 meals
• All meals from home and using what I have
• Got the garden all planted!  I swear it looks like the plants have almost doubled in size with all the rain
• Laundry - used dehumidifier water in laundry and line dried
• I did a run to the store for more cat food - boy they eat a lot.  I also got 5lbs. of Pink Lady apples for $5 (sure are good, never had those before).  Found a bunch of Big Wheel cars in packages on clearance for .33 each!  Got stocking stuffers!
• I did manage a couple porch sits and a few walks and picking up trash (most days tired from yard work)
• Just doing all he regular things

Meals this past week:

Piece of chicken, fries and steamed broccoli

Tuna patty, corn on cob, salad

Cheddar, bacon, ranch baked potato

Packet meal - meatballs, potato, carrots, corn

l/o packet meal

Creamy rice & beans soup (freezer) and crackers

Hard shell tacos

SNACKS:  fruit, bean salad, cheese slices, toast

Things sure do wear me out faster as I get older.  Seems like many things take a day now, that took just a couple hours before!  LOL - Just glad I can still do things.

I do feel happy to have the garden in.  It isn't huge by any means but will provide a lot of good eats for me and probably some neighbors.

How was your week?  What has everyone been up to?  I always like hearing what everyone is doing.

Give us a shout-out!!!

I hope you all have a super week ahead, and that you get to accomplish all that you desire.  Hope you all stay safe and healthy.

Blessings to you and yours form me at my humble little home.

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And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Jesus Christ.  To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever.  Amen

Lord we humbly come to You in thankfulness in all the blessings and gifts that we received this week.  We know that all we have and need can be supplied by You, we just need to put all faith and ourselves in Your hands.  I pray each one reading this finds God in their lives.  May we each spread Your word and offer the love that You give us.  AMEN

Using the Pantry in New Ways (for me) - Tasty Bites

 Hello all.  What a pretty morning it is here.  Hope you are enjoying a nice day in your area, and I hope you are all well.

Yesterday cooled as the day went on due to the wind!  It got quite breezy and boy, that chilled the air.  I was out working a lot and didn't get overheated yesterday.

This morning, after I had my morning drink, I walked into the kitchen and heard birds carrying on.  I looked over at the kitchen window and there were 2 blue jays sitting on the outside rail - staring at me and talking like crazy!  I'm hearing "where's the food?"  LOL.  I am thinking, dang, they know where I stay!!

I have had squirrels do that before, but the first time for the jays.  Needless to say, I got dressed and fed everyone.

If you are like me, sometimes you just want something different to eat.  I do a good variety of foods, but sometimes I think I need to get outside my comfort level - but I don't want it to be a lot of work!

Yesterday I got a little creative in the kitchen.  

Did you ever go camping and have the foil packet meals?  They were either cooked over the fire or on a grill most times.  For some reason that came into my mind, and I wanted one!!!

Soooo, I got out some meatballs, cut up potato, had carrots, and corn on the cob.  Seasoned and added butter - and wrapped up - and threw it in the air fryer!

I did 375* - but should have been hotter probably.  It took a while to cook and maybe a higher heat would have helped.  

I made enough for 2 meals!  Talk about tasty!  I enjoyed it and will eat the rest today - so no cooking for me today - just reheating.  Sure, I could have used the oven, but I really do feel I used less power with the air fryer, and I had nothing but time!

I also got to thinking about a different kind of salad or snack treat.

So, I used the pantry and used green beans, red beans and corn - then frig items.

I made a fun and tasty bean salad - easy too.

Green beans, red beans, corn (all drained & rinsed), carrots, radish and onion (all for crunch) and Italian style dressing.  This will be a great side salad or a great late afternoon snack.  It will last for a few days for sure.  (I tasted last evening and yum!)

You could use whatever you have on hand and like.  There is no real recipe for either of these dishes.

Just use it up and change up that menu a little.

Being creative, doesn't mean a lot of work.  Just a little thinking outside the box.  There is no limit to what we can make from our pantry and freezers and frig.

Maybe this will give someone a new idea.

Have a glorious day.  Make the most of it.

Staying on Track in a Weird World

 Good morning to you all wherever you may be in this big old world.  I hope this finds you all well.

I want to say WELCOME to all those who are new here.  We have been having some new folks post and find our little coffee klatch here.  Glad to have you and look forward to learning from you.

It is a lovely morning but looks to get pretty breezy and the temps aren't going up a lot today.  It is currently 60*F.  These cooler days are the days to get things outside done.

Yesterday was beautiful, but I almost over did it.  While working on plowing the garden, I got to feeling icky and had to stop and sit down for a while.  The garden is in full sun and of course I picked the wrong time of day to be out there.  All good now.  Pacing myself - got to remember that!!!!

Today is just a bit of thought about getting through this weird old world we are living in.  It is NOT political in any way, and I appreciate that you NOT make political statements as well.   It is strictly about using common sense and doing what we can to tend to ourselves and our families. I have been seeing and reading a lot about people who have no idea how to survive, nor do they have a plan or think ahead.  Our ancestors went through times that were truly tough and here we are.  It wasn't always easy, but they made it.

Groceries are up in price, shoot, most things are up.  Skills seem to have disappeared.  Many think that being sufficient is 'old fashioned'.   It isn't.  It is FREEDOM!  No matter where you live.

We need to garden and prep foods.  We need to repair and reuse in all ways and things that we can.  We need to learn to cook from scratch and use ingredients.  We need to have a lot of simple foods and ingredients on hand. We need to live closer to the land.  We need to teach younger folks our skills.  We need to learn new skills.  We need to know how to adapt!

Saying this, I can say I have NO fear about things.  I am confident and feel I can survive.  I know I can take care of myself, and I can help take care of family, friends and neighbors.  I can adapt to most everything.  Fear helps nothing.  Spreading fear is soooooo wrong, and it does nothing to help anyone.  It serves no purpose.  Now that being said, it is just plain smart to be prepared for any type of situation - as prepared as can be.  We do not know the future - but we can prepare.

I am resilient - you are resilient!  Be the best you can be and the most prepared you can be to help yourself, your family and your community, and your independence!

Slow down in life.  Reconnect with people (not electronics) and do what you can to help yourself.

Turn off the TV more and get outside and enjoy the beauty of the world.  Make life with real people a priority.  Spread joy and laughter.

BELIEVE - never stop believing.  We do so many things that shows we truly do believe in the future every day and just don't think about it.

We plan dinners and outings and occasions.

We take an umbrella when rain is forecast.

We plant a garden and flowers and trees.

We save for the children's education fund.

We keep an emergency fund.

We maintain our vehicles and homes so they will last for a long time.

We buy sales and prep to have goods for another day.

We plan leftovers.

I could go on and on............................

So, get out and plants some GOOD seeds in this world.  You can be the positive that influences someone else.  

ENJOY YOUR LIFE