Sunday, August 1, 2021

Weekly Wrap-Up 8/1

 Good golly it is August!!!  I am just shaking my head - it is so hard to believe that this summer has flown by so fast.

We have finally cooled down a little.  I have gotten to have the air off for most of a couple of days.  Such a lovely breeze outside.  The first part of the week was HOT!  Still dry - which is amazing after all the rain we had just a few weeks ago.
Some schools started back this past Monday and most of the rest start this week.  Sure not like the good old days - no school until after Labor Day!!
Daylight hours are definitely getting shorter.  I think they have said we lost a good 40 minutes a day this month from the beginning to the end of the month. 

One of my "surprises" this week.  Surprise lilies, naked ladies - whatever you call them - they are a lovely surprise to go out and see.  They so remind me of my folks!  These came from their home.

My week:
  • Patched 2 pair of 'work' jeans
  • Finally had to get the hose out to the garden.  Using rain barrels for all pots - but the garden is a bit much to do that way
  • Worked on harvesting something just about every day!  Love home grown.
My first tomatoes!!!!  Yep they were tasty.  I have since picked a handful or so.  Still no big ones yet - I am patiently waiting!!!
  • I did do some yard work.  I worked in mornings on those days when it was hot and thne most of the days when it cooled.  I weed whacked a lot of areas.  I worked on weeding 2 flower beds and the garden.  Cleaned a section of fence (wild morning glories) and dead headed a ton of flowers.  I borrowed the neighbors leaf blower and cleared the backyard (yep) and put all the leaves in area behind shed (super weed blocker).
  • A new Dollar Tree opened super close by - so I went and checked it out.  So clean and neat - what a change!  There have been 2 to open within a short distance this week and both in former CVS stores!  Hmmmm..  I added to stock of non-edible items like dish soap, shampoo, deodorant, etc.  I did get 3 pair of knee socks for winter.  I love whimsy and they were cute and actually pretty heavy for $1 each.
  • Doing all the normal stuff.  Cooking from home, using what I have.  Laundry in cold.  Working on cleaning and decluttering more.  Porch sitting and enjoying nature.

Meals this past week:
Potato/zucchini/bacon Au Gratin & salad
Leftover day (odds and ends)
Pizza slices from freezer
2 bean and cheese burritos
Zucchini/chicken/cheese fritters
Leftover fritters and chopped steak w/pizza sauce & cheese topping
2 chicken legs, steak fries and steamed zucchini

SNACKS:  fruit, toast w/jelly, Coke float, cheese slices and crackers

It was pretty quiet here this week.  The house 2 doors down (those wild kids from last summer) became 'empty' this week.  They had to move (I guess non-payment).  Empty is an under statement - what a mess!  They have taken 2 dump truck loads of trash and stuff out of there.  One was basically trash!!!!  It is a 2 bdrm. house - no basement!  I guess the bugs and mice were horrific.  Everyone close by is spraying the outsides of foundations!  It is amazing how nasty some people live.  3 kids were in there and no one knew about the trash.  Had we known, child protection would have been called.  So sad.

How was your week?  Did you get any deals?  Harvesting goodies from the gardens?
Give us a shout out and tell us about your week.

Prayers that you are all safe and healthy in the coming week.  Hoping you are staying cool and those with drought get rain soon.  Stay healthy my friends!
Blessings from my humble little home to yours.



But you, take courage!  Do not let your hands hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.
2 Chronicles 15:7

Lord, keep us vigilant and prepared - yet keep us looking upon thy positive light.  You have us in Your hands and You have control.  Thank you for all our many blessings, big and small.  May we be thankful for everything, every day.  Amen


24 comments:

  1. Good morning! Yes it's amazing it's August already! We have been picking a few tomatoes, making tomato sandwiches. I need to get to the store to get more bread. It's been so hot here 100's and will be for another few days. I can't wait for cooler weather. Only doing stuff in the mornings around here too. Drinking lots of water. I was gifted a lot of sewing material and notions. It was fun going through it all to see what I got. A few new apron patterns to use. So I have plenty to do this winter! I love your scripture verse, it just seemed to fit today!. Have a blessed day!

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    1. Howdy! Oh I can't wait for a tomato sandwich!!!! YUM
      That is hot - never been quite that bad here. Hope you are finding plenty of ways to stay cool.
      How neat on all the sewing notions. That will be nice for winter.
      I kind of thought the scripture fit as well. We just need to keep our eye on the ball - but not get pre-occupied with worry.
      Have a great week!

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  2. It has cooled down a bit here so the week has been very pleasant - although we are still getting more rain than normal. I try to get out for walks and errands on days when the weather is good and stay in and do extra office work on the days it rains. I am trying to get ahead on things before going back into the office a bit more.
    Like you, I picked up a lot of non-food items this week - with most items on sale. Shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, soaps and toothpaste etc. are all topped up for at least the next six months. The only cleaning items I need are dish liquid, furniture polish and bleach and the next six months will be covered. I'll probably top up a bit more around November so that I'll be covered through the entire Winter and into the Spring. I don't drive so can't manage bulky or extra heavy things during the Winter when I can't use my bundle buggy.

    The next items on my food list are canned fruits - I'm getting rather low and like to have a good supply on hand, I only have the small freezer above my fridge so only so much room for frozen. I still see this item on at a good price (for here) so will do my best to restock over the next couple of weeks.

    I cooked a batch of chicken this past week so had two hot dinners plus one serving with a salad. Another two nights of salads had tuna one night and sole another night as the protein. It was cool enough yesterday morning that I did a batch of short ribs - had one serving yesterday and there is enough for 2 more meals.

    I certainly hope you get better neighbours in the future! How can people live like that - especially with children! Just unbelievable!

    I have spent the morning watching the Olympics, I've paid all the monthly bills online and I am about to go on Zoom for our weekly Coffee Hour after online church. I haven't seen any of them for a couple of weeks so I am going to make a cup of tea and enjoy the chat. Have a lovely week.

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    1. Smart of you to stock up as you can. Having no car makes it a bit more of a challenge. I hope you have one of those rolling carts or something to use. Just keep plugging along and get what you can before the snow flies!
      Your meals sound. good.

      I hope for better neighbors too. I just don't understand it either. You have to know that others don't live that way. Those kids had to see their friends houses. They were all big enough to help - but Mom should have known better.

      Have a lovely week. Hope your rain stops for a spell. Enjoy all your walks and the cooler air.

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  3. Your new socks are sure cute! I have been buying socks at Dollar Tree for quite awhile. They seem to wear quite well. I, too, like a bit of color and whimsy on my feet.
    Here in southern IN, we have also finally had a bit of break from the heat and humidity. Yay! County fair this past week was so hot. But also really enjoyed looking at all the animals, garden produce, handmade articles and visiting with friends.
    Our garden is doing pretty well. The hubby is the gardener and canner. I mostly do the freezing and jam making. We are happy with that division of labor. So far we've put up fruit, kraut, corn and pickles. I am washing jars now for potatoes and pasta sauce. But, those rabbits just won't give up munching on everything. Wouldn't mind so much if they didn't just go from plant to plant and nibble a little everywhere. Ugh!
    This past week has seen us eating lots from the garden..zucchini, corn, tomatoes, peppers.
    I often cook once and we eat twice. This week has been turkey pieces in the slow cooker, venison, burgers and a veggie pasta casserole. Made a peach cobbler with our own peaches...now that hit the spot!
    So look forward to each post, Cheryl...thank you! Sure hope you get good new neighbors....anyone would be lucky to be your neighbor!

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    1. It is kind of sun to look down and snicker at your feet in the winter. Something to brighten those dull days!

      It is now state fair time here - our county fair was a couple weeks ago. I haven't been to the fair in years and years. Always enjoyed seeing the stuff you mentioned.

      Rascally rabbits! Doing the taste test. Shame on them. Glad you are getting so much. Glen used to say we split the garden chores - I grew it, tended it, and canned it - he ate it!!!! LOL
      My brother does all the canning and gardening at his house too.

      I like cooking once and eating twice. I often freeze for another day - but most always eat twice.
      Thank you so much for your kind words.
      I am praying for good neighbors - just never know in todays world!

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  4. Our heat will break tomorrow and then we will have some gorgeous days in the 70's this week. After that only 80's which I will take for August! We have picked 5 grape tomatoes and the squirrels have eaten the rest which was a lot. The plants were starting to look so tired that we cat them back yesterday. Hopefully they will come back strong and by then the squirrels will have forgotten about them!

    Close friends of ours are foster parents and we don't have to know the kids stories to know that they have had a hard time. One four year old boy was so excited to have a bed that he had to show it to us every time we visited them. Another tucked and covered his head with his arms at any loud noise or sudden movement. Two baby girls only fed sugar water for their entire lives and so sick and months to get their little bodies able to eat and take formula. You just never know what is going on inside the homes around you but I am thankful for those who take the children into their homes.

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    1. You got it - 80's in August is great. Same here later in the week. Looking forward to regular tomatoes and grapes (they are loaded).

      Poor babies. I am so thankful that there are kind people in this world to reach out and soften life for those babies. I had a gr. niece that drifted with her mother (niece) and saw waaaaayyyy more than most of us could imagine seeing in a lifetime by the age of 9. Finally her aunt got custody of her and adopted her and raised her and that sweet child is a nurse and married and has a wonderful family of her own. Love and patience is all it takes. It is so sad that children have to go through the evils of some parents.
      Thankful for your friends. Good people.

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  5. We have been busy this past week. I cleaned out and reorganized my fabric, donating a number of bags of fabrics I was never going to use. I'm now down to less than one bin of 'personal' fabric (not Project Linus). I also cleaned out and donated items from small areas around the house. Shredded old paperwork. Husband went through his old magazines, saved the articles he wanted and pitched the rest. We're thinking with an eye toward the future and are being choosier about what we keep.
    This was yard sale weekend here in the trailer park. I got some very good deals. Two one-gallon ziploc bags of thread for $1. Six bags of incontinence pads for $6 (retail $90!). And a barely used solid front door for $200 (retail over $600). They left the door handle and deadbolt on it and gave me the keys, an additional savings of over $50. I plan to install the door in the mud porch where there is only a warped storm door to the outside. It's on the front of the house and will look very nice. Doors for old trailers are hard to come by, and this one will require only a little framing to fit just right. I had been pricing new storm doors online and just couldn't justify over $200 for the quality I was seeing. So I asked God that if I was to get a new door to provide one I could afford. He sure did! And maybe that's why I 'found' my forgotten $200 in my old purse last weekend.
    Went to Aldi and Walmart last week. Both were out of a number of things on my list. Fortunately I am still well stocked on most things. We seem to be quickly headed for lockdowns and more restrictions around here, so I want to be sure to have everything I need for the next six months or more. I live near a big university city and know that cases will spike when school starts.
    After walking around to all the yard sales yesterday morning, I scrubbed the siding and lattice around the front porch yesterday afternoon. It is on the north side of the house and had that scummy green stuff all over it. We're supposed to power wash our house every two years, but I don't have a power washer, so it's scrubbing by hand. I did only the parts that seemed to need it. The rest of the house will pass the drive-by test and doesn't look too dirty.
    I've picked 5 zukes, 3 cukes, and 46 cherry tomatoes as of yesterday. Watering from the rain barrels and hoping for more rain later today. Making chocolate zucchini bread tomorrow.
    The goldfinches have been 'harvesting' the sunflowers. I cut off what was left of a couple of heads and attached them to the shepherd's hook in my feeding station so we can watch them enjoy the seeds. Many of the birds are molting now and are comical to look at. The female cardinal who has been bald since last November is finally getting new head feathers. Apparently cardinals can have a abnormal molt for some unknown reason.
    Frugalities: besides the yard sale deals, I checked out library books, walked to the mail station each day, and kept the A/C to a minimum during the latter (cooler) part of the week.

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    1. YAY on decluttering!! That is an on going process here - almost 35 years of stuff!
      Yes mam, you found that $200 for a reason and God showed you what it was. How wonderful! That will also make you feel so much more secure. What a deal.
      The green moss on the north of buildings can sure come on fast and furious. I had to do that this year as well. It does make everything look so pretty when done. I bet the trailer looks great.
      Good on your harvests - it all adds up. Smart thinking on getting stocked up.
      Sounds like a very industrious week!!!

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    2. I haven't commented in awhile but always enjoy your and Cheryl's posts! Frances, do you have a blog? If not, I would be a reader!! I enjoy your comments and look forward to reading about your frugal lifestyle!

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    3. Frances always as good posts doesn't she? I enjoy reading her as well.
      So happy to see you here.

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  6. I like your dollar tree stores. We have poundland but not everything is £1 anymore and lots of the £1 items have reduced in size. Still good though. Our brief hot spell disappeared and there has been heavy rain. The drains couldn't coped and lots of people flooded for the first time ever. I was ok but been helping somebody who was affected. Now its down to the insurance flood team. The schools only broke up 2 weeks ago and they go back in September.

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    1. Can't beat the price at the dollar stores.
      so sorry about the rain and flooding. That is awful. I sure hope people get compensated by insurance. Thanks for helping.
      Just 2 weeks ago? WOW. I remember we used to get really nice summer breaks.
      Stay safe!!!!

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  7. Your socks are cute and will brighten your cold winter days! Dollar Tree is lots of fun, just to look around and know that you won't have sticker shock. ha!

    Boy it was hot the first part of the week. I liked getting up and see that it was in the upper 60's. Supposed to get warmer again. We had a very brief rain shower this afternoon. Not sure it even settled the dust. Going to pick green beans in the morning. They have been slow this season but the tomatoes are going good.

    Found a great markdown on almond milk yogurt at Meijer and someone had left their onion coupon on the onion display so I thanked Yehovah for the bonus and used it when I bought a bag of onions.

    Those poor children. Makes you wonder what the so-called parents had as examples growing up. My youngest daughter has a friend who fostered then adopted two abused boys. One had been left in a closet most of the time. They both have graduated from high school and the oldest is out on his own and is an electrician's apprentice. The other boy has more serious problems but he is working and even has a girlfriend.

    The Indiana State Fair is going on but these old folks will skip it. It wouldn't be too bad in the mornings but it is still a lot of walking.

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    1. It sure was hot at the first of week. These chilly mornings are bliss.
      Had that same 'rain' here - if you can call it that!

      I don't understand how kids can be mistreated. Adults can be so bad. Just evil.
      No fair for me either - it has been years.

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  8. The socks are definitely cute. My tomatoes are starting to ripen but it will be a few days yet before I'm eating them off the vine. Send some cooler weather here...we're still cooking!

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    1. Thanks. Yay, on your tomatoes. I wish I could send some your way. Try and stay cool.

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  9. I really miss my naked ladies from my old house. They were my pride and joy.

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    1. They are so pretty. Just last for such a short time - but beautiful.

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  10. School starts here on Friday. The summer definitely went by too fast. That s so sad about the home two doors down from you. I would be spraying my foundation outside too! Your tomatoes look yummy anf your dinners sound good too. I hope you have another good week, Cheryl.

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    1. I feel so sorry for those kids - they don't have much of a chance. At least they had a couple of us neighbors to treat them civil & try to teach them right from wrong - now they have no one.
      Thanks - you have a great one too.

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