Sunday, August 2, 2020

Weekly Wrap-Up 8/2

Happy first Sunday of August!!!!!  WOW!
It is another gloomy, gray and rainy day here.  The rain is much appreciated.  I think this makes 3 days this week for rain - and they say tomorrow as well.  Temperatures have dropped drastically in the last 24 hours.  90's are gone (for now) - highs in the 70's for a few days!!!!!  YAY!  That is my perfect weather.

It has been a wet week.  It has been a sad week.  It has been a blah week and it has been a disappointing week.  I have to add it has also been a blessed week!  I am alive and well as are my family and friends - so blessed for sure.

*My little dog friend (next door) that I dog sit for - crossed the rainbow bridge Friday.  He had many cancerous tumors and he was losing the use of his legs and wasn't eating or drinking.  I went over to say goodbye and just lost it.  Run free now - Bailey!  I will sure miss that little fellow.

*I learned a lot this week about the people you think you should have been able to trust to be truthful - aren't always.  Just so disappointing.

*I have poison ivy again on my arms!  ICK!   Summer fun - NOT!   It itches so bad.  Using my medicated soap, salt water and ICE is my friend.  That is what gives me the most relief.

*They gray days have really played on me this week.  I guess maybe I get depressed at times and just don't realize it (or want to admit it).
BUT today is a new day!


It has been pretty quiet this week.
My week:
  • Picked flowers for the house
  • Cut a bunch of chives and chopped and froze
  • Cut a bunch of mint.  I cooked down into mint water, added sweetener and cooked a while longer.  Made a mint simple syrup - froze in ice cube trays.  My goodness it is yummy tasting.  It will be great this winter in hot tea or even in ice tea (refreshing)
  • I did get myself some new tools.  I got a battery operated weed trimmer and a battery operated hedge trimmer.  Both the same brand and use the same battery.  I have always had to drag a 100' cord around before and this really makes it easy to use ANY time I choose without trouble.  I found a deal that I paid less for both than I would have for one at other places.  I will keep the others just in case I have some tougher jobs ahead.
  • Worked on weeding the garden really well - I swear the weeds grow much faster than the veggies
  • I have picked 1 zucchini  and several Roma tomatoes and about 8 lbs. of slicing tomatoes.  I also found 3 little cucumber 'balls'!  LOL - They aren't supposed to be balls - I will still use.
  • NO GROCERY SHOPPING AT ALL this week
  • Doing all the normal - changing bedding, laundry with dehumidifier water added, making Kool-Aid, picking produce, using what I have, opening windows for cool fresh air, eating from home, simple cleaning, etc.
  • Changed out my outer bedding - just for a different 'view'
  • I received several containers of Bio-Freeze for aching joints for FREE.  My neighbors son received tons at his job and I was gifted many.  Enough to last me the rest of my life!
                                                      Received cream, gel and spray

Meals this past week:

BLT's
Tuna salad on buns, sliced tomatoes
Breakfast - Turkey patty (from freezer), fried eggs, toast and sliced tomato
Ham and cheese sandwich and sliced tomatoes
Zucchini pizza bites
Leftover "bites", cheesy roasted mini bell peppers and sliced tomatoes
Tacos
Zucchini pizza bites - let slices drain on a towel - covered in oil and baked 5 minutes.  Added sauce, pepperoni slice, cheese, chives and a thin slice of Roma tomato.  Bake about 10 more minutes.  (400*)  These were so tasty.  You could put anything you want on top.  Would make a great meat free pizza bite!


So there you go.  The good, the bad, and the ugly!!!!  LOL  That was my week.
How did your week go?  Are any of you canning yet?  I am hoping to start this week maybe.
Did you get any deals?  Just give us a shout out - love hearing from everyone.

I keep each of you in my prayers for health and safety.  Please take care and stay frugal!
Blessings from my humble little home to yours.




25 comments:

  1. I'm sorry about your little doggy friend and your disappointing friend.

    My week was sad as well. A good friend was buried yesterday and due to Covid, couldn't go. It was online so I watched but it just isn't the same. His illness was terminal so I'm grateful he didn't linger for a long time.

    On a brighter note, our weather was a perfect 80° so we took a little jaunt to Amish country. We bought lunch at a local restaurant and ate it in under the town pavilion. While doing that, we lucked out and the Amish women started pulling in on tractors. There was a farmer's market! We bought corn, watermelon, sandplum jam, cookies, candy, bread and butter pickles, elderberry juice, and had such a nice time! We stopped at a Mennonite wood shop to look at a small gazebo. Gosh, that many had an incredible talent!! Since we can't build a screened in porch easily, we've talked about a small screened gazebo. I love being outside but the bugs e a t me alive! I'd love to have a bug free zone to enjoy.

    Still working on Christmas gifts. Lots of masks. I finally found some 1/4" elastic on Amazon as there wasn't a single yard of it within 75 miles of here! Now I can carry on!

    I envy your Biofreeze treasure!! That stuff has been my dear friend during my knee ailment. Still healing but I'm not expecting a complete heal until early 21.

    Enjoy the cool down! We opened the windows 3 or 4 mornings in a row. It was glorious!!

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    1. I am so sorry for your loss. My MIL passed in June and it was the same way. On-line viewing.
      Glad he is at peace now.

      Oh how wonderful on the impromptu farm market. What great finds. The wood work that they do is just amazing. Such hard workers and perfectionists.

      I have never used that stuff - but there are days I wished I had something. It will come in handy.
      Have a great one!

      Delete
  2. It was 70 degrees here yesterday for the high and it was wonderful! This week is supposed to be much of the same and I welcome the break from the heat. I'm sure it will return, but I can enjoy it while it is here.
    Sorry to hear about your furry friend. It is so sad to loose them. Have a wonderful week.

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    1. Thanks.
      Yes indeed - enjoy every moment because the heat is bound to be back.
      Have a good one.

      Delete
  3. Oh, your weather in the 70s sounds so good. Lucky you! Even if it does come with rain, I know it is welcome. I'm sorry your neighbor's dog Bailey passed away. One of my cat's went missing last Saturday and didn't come home until Tuesday. I was so worried about him and called all my neighbors to see if they had seen him. I was so happy when he came back home.

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    1. Yes it is wonderful - sun is out now.

      I know, poor little guy. He was so sweet.

      Oh my how scared you had to be. I know I panic - if a kitty is missing any time. My neighbor across the street has a cat - and I didn't see it for a few days and just worried myself sick.
      We love our babies.

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  4. Sorry to hear about Bailey. Furry friends are often better than human ones. I am an honest person and have dropped so-called friends who lied to me.

    Many thanks to those who prayed for me and Husband. My injuries from falling are almost healed. I have been staying off the bruised foot but took a short walk around the block this morning without any problems. I'll have to work up to walking down the hill to the mailbox. I have been staying away from Husband as much as possible, and so far, neither of us are showing any virus symptoms. I'm hoping I didn't pick up any germs at the urgent care facility while I was there after the fall. It will be two weeks this coming Thursday before I will consider us safe to be together.

    Our hot steamy weather has finally broken. We had over an inch of rain in two days. Today is quite windy and in the 70s. Windows are all open to enjoy the fresh air.

    The garden is doing well, except for one cherry tomato plant that looks like it is dying. I will be picking the first grape tomatoes for dinner today. These are from those tiny little plants I grew from seed. Never thought they'd survive, much less produce. We are eating tomatoes, green peppers, carrots, scallions and cucumbers. I'm going to plant peas and spinach this week for a possible fall crop.

    After looking for a living room chair for myself for two years, I finally found a bargain on Craigslist: a recliner in nearly-new condition for $75! It is full-sized, so is really too big for me, but it is so much more comfortable than my old chair, which was hurting my back. The old chair, a St. Vinny's find for $16 over 15 years ago, went to the dump on Friday. I purchased a chair cover that arrived today (we eat in our chairs), so I'm all set.

    I'm hoping for a quiet week. Tomorrow, we are celebrating Husband's 30th anniversary of retiring from his job. Homemade pizza for dinner and a beer for him.

    Hope everyone has a safe and frugal week!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. so happy you are feeling better and that there have been no signs of virus. Continue prayers.
      Got to love having windows open. So wonderful.
      Glad you garden is doing good. sounds like you have a green thumb.
      YAY - on the new chair. How nice. I think you got your money's worth out of the other one. Enjoy it.

      Congrats to you hubby. Enjoy your pizza and beer (him).
      Have a great one

      Delete
  5. The hot & humid weather has finally broken here as well! It rained all night and is to continue off and on through Monday. I took out the garbage and recycling this morning and the cool air was such a relief! It will stay in the low 70's overnight but up to about 80F most days - which is a lot better than the 100F + that it has been for weeks!
    I got some deals on men's soaps & deodorants this week - they are a donation for the "boutique" that we run at the church for the homeless. One drugstore has toothpaste & toothbrushes on sale this week so I'll pick those up on Tuesday as they are also on the list for items needed. Found mouthwash and bleach on sale for my own use.

    At the grocery store I found boxes of Stuffing Mix on sale for 25 cents per box - these can cost as much as $2.50 here! While not on sale, I finally found bread flour! There was only 1 bag left so grabbed it! First I've seen since lockdown. The final flour still on my list is Cake & Pastry.

    I ate a lot of roast beef & cheese sandwiches plus crackers, cheese & apple plates this week as it was just too hot to make much. Luckily, I don't mind eating the same thing for a few days in a row. With the weather a bit cooler I poached a couple of chicken breasts today, along with some bacon and some sausages. I've chopped up the chicken and the sausages and added 2 ziplock of mixed meat to the freezer - I'll add this to pasta at a future date. The rest of the chicken will become chicken salad tomorrow. I've also browned a kilo of ground beef and I will make a big pot of chilli tomorrow. About 2/3 of this will go into the freezer.

    I also got fairly good deals on frozen fish & seafood his week - cod, trout, shrimp and salmon - plus I collected a lot of loyalty points on these purchases. I'm trying to eat less red meat as I move forward so hope to add more seafood as I go along.

    Sorry for the sadness you had this week - the little French bulldog that lives across the hall is also terminal. Her owner was telling me this week that the cancer is spreading but they will just carry on as long as she is able and so far so good. The whole building is very sad as she is very popular. I have also learned who my true friends are during this pandemic and yes, there have been some disappointments. But - there isn't anything that I can do about it so I am trying to concentrate on those who have been true friends.

    Hope you have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Glad you are getting a break in weather as well.
      Thank you so much for donating for the homeless. That is wonderful. More people need to do that.

      I am not picky about eating myself - can do leftovers a lot.
      Sounds like you got some good deals at the store.
      Sorry about your neighbor doggie. Poor babies - it so hard to watch them hurt.

      Sadly I learned this about someone who was basically family.
      Oh well - live and learn.
      Have a good one.

      Delete
  6. Sorry about Bailey. My daughter had to have her last dog put to sleep on Friday. We knew it was coming but it is still hard. Your tools sound good and I'm envious of your biofreeze as I'm sitting with a wheat bag on my painful neck. I hope you have a better week ahead.

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    1. Sorry about your grand dog. They are such sweethearts.
      I just used some of the spray on my poison ivy - feeling desperate. It seemed to work on the itchiness!
      Thanks you have a good week as well.

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  7. So sorry to hear about Bailey. These little animals have a way of working their way into our hearts and it is hard to say goodbye.

    Your tomatoes added to the meals sound so good. My cherry tomatoes are just starting to ripen. I'm looking to fresh ones off the vine in the next week.

    Take care and stay well!

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    1. That little guy had my number too. Every time I watched him - we would go back in the house after potty - and he would run to the frig and look at it and then me. He knew I always got him a piece of cheese!

      Nothing like a fresh tomato! Hope you get some soon.
      Have a good one.

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  8. Oh, it is always hard to lose a furry friend, they bring so much joy into our lives in their funny little artless ways.

    I had a lovely week. Our weather has been a little windy but otherwise quite perfect. It had its small challenges of course which will bring on a character 'growth spurt."

    Cheryl there are a lot of people feeling down, depressed, anxious and/or sad. These feelings are a natural response to what is happening around us. No one was expecting such a year. Last century they had the 'Roaring 20's' I wonder what this decade will be called?

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    1. So glad you had a good week. Yep, those little buggers worm their selves right into our hearts!

      I think you are right about so many people feeling down. That has never been me - but considering the last year and a half - to be expected.
      Have a good one.

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  9. We had a couple of gray days too. It certainly is hard to get used to after so much sunshine. You make me feel normal about be sad those days.
    I'm so sorry about your dog friend. Oh we can get so attached to them.
    I have such a hard time starting weed whackers a battery operated one would be perfect. Glad you got such a good deal.
    After the rain we received last night I went and pulled a lot of weeds. There are still so many out there.

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    1. Gray days sure aren't mood lifters!
      Weeds seem to thrive - too bad gardens don't grow as quickly.
      Thanks so much. Have a good one.

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  10. Sounds like a rough week. I'm sorry. My husband says that sometimes the best thing that you can say about a week, is that you survived. I hope that this week will be better. Sending hugs your way.

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    1. Yep - surviving them is half the battle! It will be better.
      Thank you

      Delete
  11. You had a not-so-good week! I can relate to that, as I'm sure all of us can during normal times and especially during these not so normal days. Sometimes I have to dig deep to find something good in a day. It's tough to lose a furbaby. My boys will be nine years old in October but they say Chihuahuas have a long lifespan. I sure am glad to have some cooler temps for a few days. Hung clothes on the line this morning but they should be dry before the rain comes through this afternoon. That is, if the weather man is correct. My daughter has battery powered garden tools and she loves them. Going to take a load of things to the Salvation Army on Meridian Street one day this week. Still sorting through things and wondering why I thought I needed them in the first place.

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    1. Some weeks are better than others.
      Glad your babies have long lives. It is tough - they are family.
      Gonna love cooler temps for a while. I sat out on the porch for a hour or so this morning - it was great.

      I have so much stuff that needs to be taken in for drop off. I need to motivate and do that soon.
      Have a good one - hoping for a few showers and cool down too!

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  12. Glad your weather is cooling down. I am sorry that your dog friend has passed away. It's easy to get attached to your neighbors pets. They have their own personalities. If you have jewel weed or what we call touch me nots, it is great to break the stem and rub over the poison ivy blisters. It stops the
    itching and dries it up. I hope you have a good week. I enjoy your posts.

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    1. Yes, even though animals aren't ours - we get attached.
      Thanks for the tip - I don't think I have any - I am doing better today.
      Thanks for following along and have a wonderful week.

      Delete
  13. The zucchine pizza bites sounds delicious. I thought I had commented on this. I am thinking BLT for supper. I wish we liked tuna, but neither of us do. Biofreeze is good stuff.

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