Friday, August 31, 2018

Friday, quiet here

     Hubs took Roscoe and left for southern Idaho.  He will stop and pick up his parents and then go on to our daughter's house.  He had to take the dog for our grandson.  One of our nieces is the Rodeo Queen in the Ketchum (Sun Valley) Idaho rodeo parade.  So Hubs, folks and daughter and her family will travel up on Saturday to watch the parade.

     I did not realize how much noise the dog made.  He is always being called from outside, or being told no or not to do something.  His toe nails and collar jingle around the house.  He chases the cats and drives them crazy.  He is a joy in action.  It is weird to hear the house so quiet, but it is also nice.  I love my puppy, I just didn't realize how much he affected my everyday life.

     My sisters and I will leave tomorrow for Missoula. We have changed the place we usually stay to another.  We will rent a car for the service so if brother shows he won't recognize or id our car.  We have cousin who will be there that has a license to carry concealed.  We will also ask for a police escort.  What a lot of momma drama.  But it will soon be over.

    I have decided to pay off all the debt except the car and house.  I will redo my budget and just doing this will free up over $750.00 dollars a month.  I thought that I would be able to add extra to the house payment this month, but with our trip at the end of September, I will need extra in the savings to cover expenses that we will incur. The idea is to now stay out of debt, except for a land purchase, which if done right we might be able to pay for with savings.  I just don't for see this happening soon.  We have the money to buy land if we find what we are looking for.

     My life is going to change in so many ways.  Well actually it already has.  I feel very content now that I have made this decision. It will be interesting to see how the next few months pan out and just how much I am able to pay extra toward the house payment. I still can't believe I am here.  I have to pinch myself.

     Well today I have to pay bills and then get a few things done in the shop.  Sissie and I are going to set up my machines differently.  I also have to make a few phone calls for September brides  and get my month set up.  I had another bride dress come in for the 15th of September.

     So who is ready to see me off on this journey to pay off my house?  On your mark get set go!

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim
    

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Thursday, Frozen, scared and blessed

     I completed my 15th chart and I am onto my 16th.  So I am pretty proud of that as I wanted to complete another before the end of the month.

     As the little were here yesterday I did not get much done in the shop.  I did do hand work last night for a while.

     I am going to clean up a few messes around here and maybe myself before I start sewing today.

     The dog chewed up an envelope with junk mail in it and it is all over .

     The family room needs love.

     I read on a post about clutter something I really love and is helping me with my clutter, messy, sloppy gene.  (It is a gene)

What is clutter?  "Anything that is not in its rightful place."  Isn't that a great way to look at this problem?  So the empty coke can, the 2 spools of thread (taken from dog), canister of sewing clips (taken from a little) the note pad, and the stake of mail and receipts, don't belong on the desk, those things are clutter.  This makes it much easier for my OCD brain to process and not get overwhelmed.

     Sissie made the best chicken pie I have ever eaten yesterday.  She is an incredible cook.  I can never get it as perfect as hers.

     Frozen:

1. I have enough money to pay off everything I owed except the new car which is at 0 % and the house which is at 3.33%.

2. I plan on paying off a debt of just under $9,000.00 and then leaving the last debt of about $5,000 to pay off slowly.

3.  I plan on paying extra to the house off at least $1000.00 a month starting in September.

4.  As the car is at 0% and we put down a large down payment it will always be above water.

5.  This will leave me $15,000.00 of my inheritance.

Scared:

1.  Part of me says just keep paying the two remaining debts and don't touch mom's money.  IT is the only legacy you will ever get.  Use this for something special like a down payment on a piece of land.

2.  If you use your inheritance  to pay everything off  then you can replace the money after you have the house and car paid off. Or you could put a significant amount back into the account every month.

3.  Then I become very scared as I have been so bad with money in the past, I think I will never get to the point of paying it back.  I will just become stupid me and spend money foolishly.

4.  But then I think to myself, "will you ever be able to spend money foolishly again?"  "Are you not over your stupidity?"  Does an alcoholic, never crave alcohol again?

5.  If I pay everything off I will have $10,000.00 in my inheritance account.

6.  I vacillate between frozen and scared and I don't know what to do.

Blessed:

1.  I realize how blessed I am for this moment in my life.

2.  I still have $5,500.00 coming from the studio sale

3.  I have renters for another month and the potential of always having at least one renter.

4.  I have a business that does very well

So here I sit Frozen much or the time, Scared most of the time, blessed all of the time.

What would you do?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Wednesday, More Good, Bad, Ugly

     Stress with brother has been high and when you are battling that kind of stress you, can forget the good things in life that are happening to you.  The fact that these problems with l my brother have been going on since childhood make them a a little harder to deal with as memories flood back, most of them not good.

    All my siblings have great sense of humor and we are all born comedians.  Even my bros can make us laugh so hard in the most trying times.  So having to deal with issues now is bittersweet and well just bitter.

But,,,,,,,

There is good:

     I asked  mom for help and she paid off my last studio CC because the interest was climbing and climbing, even though I was making large payment and had a perfect credit history.  I was paying her back every month with no interest although I offered to pay interest.  I still owed mom $9500.00. This debt was forgiven upon her death.  I am sure because of my care for her.  But my sisters could have been ugly about this and they were so loving and giving about it.  What a blessing.


     My very generous Twin sister bought me a shark vacuum.  She was sick of coming to see me with my crappy vacuum.  I am blessed.  I mean this think can suck like you can't believe.


     My Sissie is doing my ironing, and she is also making chicken and beef pies.


     The shop was very busy yesterday and will be busy today.

The bad:

     Slept poorly last night again!

     I completed a very hard bridal dress a month ago and bride is to be married this Saturday.  Bride has lost more weight and dress needs more alteration.  Crap I did not need this.

The ugly:

      DA bro again sent threatening text after he was called in by his parole officer and told that we were seeking a protection order and that he needed to quit harassing us.  He does not care if he is thrown back in jail.  He just gets more and more angry and threatening.   

     Sissie still weighs 20 pounds less than me and is rubbing it in my chubby face.  Bakery treat now!


The littles are here today, and I have sewing up the wahzoo.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim


Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Tuesday, The Good, The Bad, the ugly


I am going to start out with the good.  Mom's estate is settled.  It was small but hey I will take a poke in the nose with a sharp stick thank you very much. We are actually lucky to inherit anything, with the the way our mother was taken advantage of by my brothers.  It was very hard to keep mom from spending every penny she had on them.  I took mom in because I loved her and I wanted to care for her.  I would have done this regardless of her money situation.  However in doing so, it allowed all three of us girls to something when she died.

The Good:

1.  I inherited my mother's Wedding ring.  Here it is on my very arthritic right hand.  I am not a big jewelry person nor am I one to covet jewelry.  This is just the way the things were divided. My sister's thought I should have this.  I also inherited my mothers pearls

2.  We three girls have not disagreed on any of the divisions.  We just say what we want and why.  Some times we don't even say anything and one of us will say another should have the item.  We have just discussed and gotten along.  We have also been in good agreement on what we will take to our brother.

3. When the money was all gathered in and bills paid, mom had enough left to leave each of us almost $27,000.00.  I will take it.  If mom had not lived with me the last three years we would have had to step in and pay for her funeral.  I don't know if I would have been able to handle the strain without Lil sis moving here and my twin coming every couple of months the past year.  It really was a combined effort.

4. I paid my Sissie back $2000.00 she loaned me a few years ago when I was trying to get out of debt and things were just too tight.  She is overly generous that way.

5. We have gotten through some of mom's things in Lil sis's basement.  I am happy to say that mom had gifted most of the larger things out and they had been taken before her death.

6. My daughter and her husband came yesterday and took a truck full of things including the Grandfather clock.  I never wanted it and it was a very expensive and beautiful piece, but D#2's Husband was so thrilled to have it.  I love to go to my daughter's places and see family things.

7. We have set up a service to put mom's ashes next to Far's in Missoula on September 4th.  I will also be taking several thing over to mom's only surviving sister, that are family items.  It is nice to get rid of things although beautiful antiques, that have been cluttering up my house for the last few years.

I am sure there is so much more good but these are the things that stick out right now.

The Bad:

1.  Mom's estate was to be divided 5 ways but was written in such a way that my drug addict brother owed the estate $20,000.00, my younger brother owed the estate $10,000.00 plus any child support mom had paid out for his kids the last three years.  So neither of them received any money inheritance. Mom has basically supported both of these boys all their lives.  One is 56 the other 51

2.  As mom did not pay my younger brother's child support in July, his ex wife is already after him. But he has to either get a job or figure out how to manage his finances in such a way that this money is paid.

3. When mom moved in we gave away our lovely older baby grand piano that we purchased 30 years ago.  We have mom's baby grand but it goes to our eldest daughter in mom's will.  So we will eventually be transporting that (via a company) and we will have to replace our piano.  Problem for another time.

4.  We three girls hauled much of mom's crap up and spread it out on Lil sis's carport and told the church that is next door to Lil sis's (Swedish Lutheran) that they could come and get what ever we put out.  We were able to get rid of many books, dolls, dolls, dolls, Curio cabinets, tables, junk, stuff. However Lil sis accidentally left a box of a huge Nortake china set out that belonged to her and some one grabbed it.  So she has all the serving pieces and no dishes.  We are hoping whoever in the church has these will be honest and return them.  It was just an over site.

5.     Our brother is out of jail, so the peace that we experienced during these last few months is now over.  Mom is gone and so is his bread line.  Now we must fill in like it or not.


The Ugly:

1.   Baby brother caving into Drug addict brother, spewed his frustration over the settlement of the will. He always knew this day would come and even though he is not violent, he is afraid of my drug addict brother.  He basically threw us under the bus as far as mom's estate goes and of course they joined forces on a good old bitch fest.  This is fine and baby bro knows that his problems are his, but giving facts and half truths to a delusional violent drug addict only fuels the delusion and violence.  I can some what understand baby bro's behavior as he lives in the town where Drug addict bro is paroled and has two small children ,a wife, and he needs protection.

2. Sis had just flown into Lewiston and I had dropped her off at Lil sis's about 3 in the afternoon.  I went to Joanns to get some zippers and I get a phone call from DAbro (drug Addict).  I told him I was sorry that he did not attend mom's funeral.  He said no one told me and he had to read it in the paper.  Which is so untrue.  I had my daughter who is an attorney call Missoula and give permission for him to attend.  But the judge told DAbro he could attend as long as he was in shackles and his orange jump suit with deputies on either side. He is a terrible flight risk.  So of course as he cannot be held responsible for anything he lies.   Now he wants money.  He is back on the streets.  Well I told him I was not in charge of the money, but I did know how much cash mom actually had left and that divided 5 ways and with him owing the estate he would not be receiving anything.  So of course *hit hit the fan and the f bomb, screaming and threats started.  He hung up on me.

3.  Li sis immediately calls baby bro, they hash it out and we realize we cannot go to Missoula and lay mom to rest without police protection.

4. Spent almost all day of yesterday with police and at court house getting a restraining order on our brother. Who is still at this very hour threatening us, even though his parole officer has told him not
to.  He wants to be set up in an apartment for a year and then we will never hear from him again.  Yeah like we have not heard that before.   Life is grand.

 Isn't life grand?

Have a great and productive day, I am going to practice my duck, roll and run skills.

Kim

Monday, August 27, 2018

Monday, Late post

     I don't know why my body betrays me, but it does.  Sometimes at the worst possible times.  I picked Sis up at the airport on Friday and she hung out with me in the shop most of the afternoon.   She was taking stock and cleaning up my messes.   Friday night I was so tired probably because I had slept really, really bad Thursday night.  I mean less that 3 hours of sleep.  So I went to bed about 10:30 which is quite early for me.

     My sisters woke me the next morning (Saturday) about 10:00, so I slept for almost 12 hours unheard of for me.  I got right up but was having a little vertigo and was very drugged and sleepy.  I take no sleep aids so I did not know where the drugged feeling was coming from.  I got myself ready and got in the car , but found myself closing my eyes.  I was very achy and sweating profusely.  We ran some errands and I was very quiet.  We are all non stop yackers when we get together so this was unusual for me.  I split a burger with Sissie at lunch and took some Aleve.  We got back to Lil sis's about 3 p.m. and I laid right down on her sofa and went to sleep.

     I slept for 5 straight hours and Hub's came and got me and took me home where I went right back to sleep on the sofa and slept solid until he came down stairs a got me about 5:30 in the morning.  Then I slept until 10:30.  So in 36 hours I was somewhat awake for less than 5 hours.  My right hand and shoulders were quite inflamed, but Sunday I got ready for church and I am fine now.  A little more achy in my joints.

     I felt like I blew the entire weekend. 

     But so much has happened here in the last few days which I will blog about over the next few days.  Nothing in our family is easy.  Some things are good, and others are very bad.  We are just trying to plug along and get along.

Monday money saving madness: August 19th-25 2018

1.  Made four loaves of bread with ww home ground flour
2. Cooked all meals except one at home with pantry and freezer supplies.
3. Found .55 cents in the change machine at Albertsons!
4. fed all food scraps to chickens.
5. ate tomatoes, squash out of garden
6.Remodeled two wedding dresses with scraps from other dresses. strapping, boning, lacing, sash.  I make money on this.
7. took a layer out of a wedding dress that was too heavy and used the entire layer to line a bridesmaid dress that was too sheer.  I did not even have to make the lining, just inserted it. I did not have to pay for lining or do any of the work!
8. collected more bread bags from church members
9. rec'd a $20.00 giftcard from a happy client
10.  Took both of my sissies to Rite aid and the used my card and I get the points!
11. Bought another china dozen egg holder on a close out for 2.99
12. Found out a pair of shoes I had ordered for a Birthday present for D#3 significant other, would not be arriving through Amazon,  My account was credited.  So I went to the local store and bought the same shoes for $7.00 more.  Then the shoes arrived.  So I called and Amazon said keep the shoes the retailer has an agreement to guarantee shipment. So a free gift for Christmas. Score!
13.  Daughter #2 paid off a parental load for dental school in our name.  Originally $22,000 dollars for her second year.  Our credit score will take a hike up.

     Stay tuned I have so much to tell you.  Drama........

Have a great and productive day staying positive while in the negative.

Kim

Friday, August 24, 2018

Friday, My Sissie is coming today!

     I will leave for the airport in about 20 minutes to get my Sissie!  I am so excited.  This is the first time she will be back without a mom crisis.  I can't wait to see her.  I could hardly sleep last night I was so excited.

 We will be going through all of mom's boxes stored in Lil sis's basement.  I am not sure how much crap she has down there but I am telling you it is a lot. I am not sure if it will make me laugh or get angry or what.  I am sure we will have some good laughs.

   I will post some of our finds.  It will be a mystery shop with every box.  Mom was somewhat of a hoarder.

Stay tuned!

Have a great and productive day staying positive while he was in the negative.

Kim

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Thursday,Types of hoarding

     Sissie flies in tomorrow and my house is a wreck.  The ironing is waiting for her.  She is the house Nazi and will spin me around and get things back to where they need to be.  I am in so much trouble.  I try but I just fail at the things she is really good at.  The shop needs her love really bad.  The rest of the house is doing pretty good, but the shop well.....

     I was thinking about debt and clutter.  My two biggest problems.  I think both feed on each other.  You buy things you don't need, then you don't use.  You feel guilty about not using them but you spent good money so you save them to use later.  These items can be in any category  of your life.

Cooking: We all need to cook right?  But those valentine pans that you inherited from your mother?  That valentine bundt pan that never comes clean?  This was just the first cupboard.  How about the 15 handles and all the rossette irons from three generations of cooks? For someone who just remodeled a kitchen you would think this is under control right?  Wrong!  This stuff takes up room, in my cupboards and my mind.  It leads to time waste and money waste.  What can I do about it?

Under the sink clutter?  Does every sink have to be a black hole of clutter? Cupboards that are full of things you might need or use?  So you see a good sale and buy more to add to the things you might need or use?

I often wonder if I was not allowed to buy anything for a year, just how much of this stuff I have would I eventually use?

Holiday stuff?  Now mom was a Christmas fanatic and she bought and bought at the sales after Christmas.  Actually after every holiday.  I have quit doing this but I still have her years of accumulated crap and mine.  When is enough, enough?  How many boxes in the garage are just for Christmas?

The linen closet.  Okay you who have been reading me for years, have seen me (with pictures) de clutter and take bags away from this disaster. But it is full again.  Holiday crap I really don't enjoy.  Pillowcases.Where do they come from?  Get rid of the stained ones, I mean really?  Why do we hold onto this stuff?

My shop is just full again, every surface and nook and cranny.  My Sissie comes and she beats me into organization and then...... and then.....  I try really hard not to buy things and I think I am making progress and then I look around and I just realize that I am a slob.

I think I have hoarding in my heart.

One of my blogging friends is having  trouble with vermin in her food pantry.  This can happen to anyone.  But getting to the bottom  of the problem maybe too much food stored. It is easy to see a good deal and pick it up.  Jello, and pudding mixes,  I have so many of those and I rarely use it.  Really if I need it for a recipe just go buy it.  DO I need to eat jelled sugar?  No! But I certainly stocked up when I saw the sale.....

I don't care how good a sale there is on pasta, I have 30 boxes now and if I buy more, I could lose it to weevil.  What is the lesser of two weevils?  Not having enough pasta at a good price or throwing it away when it is contaminated?

DO I need to can more jelly and syrup if I have jars from 2 years ago?  No use up what you have before adding to an already full pantry.  IF you don't it will lead to waste.  Waste of time and money.

Just random thoughts on my crazy life.  I had better get to work.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Wednesday, Mens suits!

     Yesterday all I worked on was men's suit coats.  I had to shorten the sleeves on 4 coats and take in the back seams on 6 coats.  This all involves a lot of hand work and  pressing.  Men's tailoring has never been my favorite, but it does pay.

     I still have 7 wedding dresses in my shop and I have to get at least three of them done by Friday. It seems that no matter how much I sew I am a little behind.

     The littles are here today so we are busy.  I hope to be able to get into the shop some while they nap.

     Right now it is trying to do laundry and running after kids.  The baby is fully mobile now and he is fast!

     The weather is so much cooler with low 90's.  Yes low 90's is cool for Lewiston and the smoke is still pretty bad.

     Well I am off to see if I can get something done with all this help I am getting:)

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Tuseday, Things I don't or rarely buy that save.

     I am constantly reading little snippets on Pinterest of things people don't or quit buying to save money.  Many of the things people do buy I just don't because of my habits.  But I am sure I buy things others don't because of their habits, good,bad, or otherwise.

1. coffee  Don't drink it
2. tea   same
3. tobacco
4. wine, beer, spirits  I am so boring
5. paper towels rarely
6. napkins
8. paper plates
9. convenience foods very rare
10. canned fruit
11. juice of any kind
12. potatoes only when we have used up all the free ones
13. onions same
14. eggs maybe 1 month out of the year as we are out and chickens quit laying
15. jelly or jam  I make my own
16. canned whole tomatoes
17. spaghetti sauce
18. squash  we usually have this until March and then wait until  June for new
19. store bought cookies, cakes
20. chicken broth
21. dressings, I make my own

Many of these items are in my large pantry or stores in breathable baskets and crates.

Things I buy only at rock bottom prices and then stock up

1. canned veggies
2. canned tomato sauces
3. cake mixes
4. butter
5. sugars
6. flour
7. crisco
8. canned soups
9. canned beans
10.mayo
11. meat when I can
13. seasonal foods, Thanksgiving, Christmas
14. seasoning packages
15. cheese
16. fresh fruit in season
17. fresh veggies in season
18. peanut butter


All of these items are kept in good quantity in my large pantry

Things I buy only at the dollar store

1. rice
2. dried beans of all varieties
3. cleaning products

About every 6 month I replace these items and rotate them forward

Things I buy at Rite-aid or Walgreens with coupons and points

1. make-up
2. laundry soap
3. dish soap
4. hair products
5. deodorant
6. toothpaste
7. razors

I have a very good stock of these things in the Sluggy cupboard and rarely have to buy any.  Only when something is almost free or free do I go.  I also use these things for stocking stuffers and gifts for my children.

Things I buy that are unnecessary and wasteful.

1. diet coke  I try to get in on sale and stock up
2. Soda for hubs diet root beer and orange


What do you buy that saves you money or what is your guilty pleasure?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Monday, August 20, 2018

Monday, so tired, and Money saving madness

     My oh my having fun is exhausting.  I am just so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open.  Stayed up way too late yakking with my girlfriends. We did foot soaks and pedicures last night and talked and talked, and laughed and laughed.  So much fun.  I am not used to that kind of fun.

     I came home from church and made two pans of chicken enchiladas for girls and one to freeze.  hubs had left overs from the day before and he was happy.

     Our air quality is now at the hazardous level, so I am not going outside.  Woke up with a frog in my throat due to smoke and you can smell the air and fires. Visibility is bad out on the prairie. One of the perks of living out west.

     Money saving madness August 12th-18th 2018

1. Ate all meals at home, except those with girlfriends, I should say Hub's ate all meals at home.
2. Used pantry and freezer supplies to make two meals for guests.
3. Went to rite aid and used points to get two products for less that the price of one.
4. Used wax wraps and bowl covers instead of saran wrap or tinfoil.
5. Used coupons at Joanns for supplies
6. Picked and ate squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes and corn out of the garden.
7. canned 5 more quarts of tomatoes.
8. Took all food scraps to the chickens.
9. Getting 4-5 pullet eggs a day from chickens.
10. ground wheat from storage and made 4 loaves of bread.  We tried to be better about over eating bread, but we love it for morning toast so I think I will do this again.  It really does save money.


What did you do to save money this week?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Sunday, Fun with friends

     I was able to get 5 more quarts of tomatoes jarred up yesterday and hub's canned them for me.  Then my Lil sis called and the girls wanted to go to our Penneys as they were looking for certain shirts that the Penneys in Missoula was out of and sure enough they were fully stocked here.We went out to lunch at Taco Time. Then we went to a few other stores and I picked up a few giftys for my gift drawer.  We pooped around most of the afternoon and then when we thought about dinner I just did not want to go out again, so with 7 chicken breasts thawed I said just come over to my place for dinner later.  Lil sis dropped me off.

     I was able to relax for a couple of hours as I knew dinner wold be late.  Here is how to put on a feed for very little time and money, if you have a pantry.
Grab a yellow cake mix, one can cherry pie filling and one can pineapple rings, one cube butter
sprinkle 1/2 cake mix on a greased 9/12 pan then add pineapple juice and all and arrange rings, now top with cherries, add the other 1/2 of cake mix and slice butter thinly over all , bake 350 until golden

Cost: Mix .69  cherries .99  pineapple .69  butter .50 
While cake is baking take

Chicken breasts (purchased 1/2 price frozen)  $3.78 for package

Use 4 breasts cut in strips and lay under towel to dry  2.00
then
 peel 8 potatoes and put to boil   .25
open 2 cans corn and put in a sauce pan.  .50  or 1.00 for two

When you have all this started mix up biscuit dough
2 cups flour   .6
4 tsp baking powder.2
2 tsp sugar ? 
1/2 tsp salt ?
1/2 tsp cream of tartar.3
1/2 cup of crisco  .15
Cut all together to resemble crumbs   .30 for biscuits.
2/3 cup milk DO not add until ready to bake

When potatoes are getting close to done, start rolling cut up chicken strips in seasoned bread crumbs and fry them in oil and butter.  as they are frying knead up your dough and cut biscuits put in a 450. oven.  Take out your cake first:) crumbs. .15  butter, .25  oil .10

As you are frying up chicken it only takes few minutes per side, drain your potatoes and mash with butter and milk.   milk .5 butter .25

Make gravy from dripping of chicken frying with 3 tbls flour and 2 cups milk .20

This meal took me an hour to prepare and served 5 adults with leftovers for dinner today so a total of $8.22 to feed 5 adults and enough to feed 3 adults once more plus enough left over dessert for 8 more servings.  Just what I need.   Under 1.00 a serving if you stock a rock bottom prices and cook from scratch in some ways.

Have a peaceful and restful Sabbath.

Kim


Saturday, August 18, 2018

Saturday,Fun, fun, fun

     I did get my butt into the shop yesterday and did about 1/2 of what I should have and then I went and got my nails done, went to the bank and then went to my Lil sis's and the girls were there.  We went out to dinner and tonight we are doing a girls night sleep over.

     Today I have to get more tomatoes canned, Hubs will do the canning part if I get the jars ready.  I am up with that. I just hemmed a pair of shorts for a man last minute.  He was lucky to catch me on a Saturday.  I could have said no but it is over 100 again and I felt sorry for any one who did not have shorts to wear.

     I have to drop off alterations to a client that does not drive any more.  I will also have to come in and visit for a while as they will be lonely for news.  I have news it is HOT!  Oh and it is also SMOKEY!

     Our electric toothbrushes are having a hard time holding a charge and mine finally died.  I ordered a double stand brush from Amazon and I will have to unpack it now.  It will only have the one base and one cord which will be nice as we have the two now and it drives me crazy.  First world problem I know.  But when you grow up with a clutter bug having stuff all over the counters drives me nuts.

     I really should do a little more sewing today as I lazed out yesterday but I just don't know if I can talk myself into it. Sissie will be here in 6 days and she will whip this laziness out of me, I think.

     I have my girlfriends and Lil sis coming for dinner after church tomorrow, I am not sure what I will serve besides well, tomatoes of course.  I think I will make a cobbler for dessert as we have ice cream.  I had better go check, Hub's might have been into the ice cream.  He is sneaky like that.  Oh I have chicken I need to cook up so something with chicken.  Hmmm. Better put on my thinking cap.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

    

Friday, August 17, 2018

Friday, Chew your air and discipline....

     The air quality here is so bad from fires, I swear you have to chew it.  So inside we stay unless forced to go out.  As you can see I completed another chart.  #14 has bit the dust and I am onto #15 by $1.  If I am diligent I might be able to get #15 done by the end of the month.  Right now I am too blah to even think of trying.  I need me a little pep talk.  I also need to go get my nails done.  So I might do that later this afternoon.

     There is plenty of sewing to do in the shop, and I am going to have to talk myself into doing anything in there today.  Okay, okay I will at least get in there and complete some kind of quota.  Lazy me.

     But it is Friday!  I should be more excited.  I do have girl friends coming from Montana.   They will stay at my lil sis's house so we will have many laughs this weekend.  That is something to look forward to.


     Right now it is clean the kitchen, clean family room, sew, laundry, ironing and SISSIE will be here in a week.  Hurrah!

     I have told myself I have 7 hems and a pillow to do complete and there are at least 10 mens jackets that need to be altered before next week end.  I guess I can get my butt in there, but (no pun intended) it is dragging.  When you are self employed you also have to be self disciplined and I am not very good at self discipline.  If I was do you think I would be in the kind of debt I have been in?  NO.

     If you want to get out of debt, you need to say no to spending money, you don't have.  Like credit cards, new contracts, borrowing to pay for items.  Once you get that under control, you must say no to spending money on things you do not need.  You can still blow a great deal of cash on crap and unnecessary spending even if you are not charging.  It has taken me so long to get to this point.  I struggle everyday not to let old habits creep back in.

     When I finally conquered or at least kept the above two bad habits at bay (credit cards, shopping) I went to necessity shopping.  Food, toiletries, things I will use.  Now I have even stopped that as much as possible. Use what I have, wear what I have, be happy with what I have, and I have way to much!

     I also have way too much work to do, so I will get my little(big) undisciplined rear into the shop.  Crap!  Splat!  Blah!

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Thursday, I can talk on the phone and thoughts!

My cell service was restored about 5:45 last night.  I was so shocked when I was at the bank window and my phone rang.  I guess our small company patched us through a company in Portland for now, as they continue to work on the problem. Now I no longer have any excuses not to work.  Darn it!

     Yesterday was a fog day.  I think I took a nap with the little ones and then I went to sleep during the news and didn't wake up until 9 p.m.  So I will call it a nap day.  I must have been really over tired as I slept well all night. I feel pretty darn good today.  I am raring to get something done. Actually I have to get something done. Who am I kidding?



     I have four bridesmaid dresses to steam and another that must be done today. I have a small tweak on a Wedding dress that should be picked up tomorrow.  Also there is another pile.  Oh the pile. What can I say?  Between the pile and ironing it never ends.

     It will be super hot again today, but will start to wave, hot, normal,hot,normal for the next two weeks.  I think I can live with that.  I just don't know if I can handle the tomatoes it will produce:)

Thoughts:

     I have really changed my mind set this year, on shopping and accruing.  I know the real shift came when I went to visit my Husband's brother and his wife.  They have an incredibly gorgeous home in Florida.  It is large and full and beautifully decorated.  I love my sister in law to death, but there was just to much stuff for me.  Every inch was a picture of loveliness. I just could not handle that many belongings.  Maybe being forced to deal with mom and her over accumulation of stuff also set me up.  As for clothes shopping, because I love clothes, let me tell you.  My sister in law had a huge walk in closet, and it was full to the ceiling with a maze of dressers .  You could hardly move in that room.  Also the other bedroom closets were full of her clothes.
  She is very stylish and beautiful.  There are more lotions and potions in her bed/bath than a drug store.  She spends a lot of time looking beautiful.  It takes her a while to get ready to go anywhere and she is never happy about how she looks.  (well are any of us)  But I realized that she really can only wear so many clothes.  So why have them?  Why have all that stuff if you just have to clean it? Why work that hard just to maintain it?  Why work just to get more?
     I am working to get out of debt and have less stuff.  Do I love stuff?  Sure I do, but not enough to have it control my life anymore. I just wish I had come to this realization about 20 years ago.

Have a great and productive day, staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim
  
     

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Wednesday, well we can text but....

     We finally have partial service, but it is hit and miss.  We are still not receiving calls, but we can text.  The calls we do make have several problems like going to mute, or not connecting or connecting to a bust signal.  It is a weird happening let me tell you, plus aggravating.

     I worked myself to death yesterday.  It was great to have it be cooler and no phone calls. I was able to really deep clean the upstairs.  We had a nice meal and also I made 4 loaves of bread which is something I have not done for a long time. I forgot how easy it was as the mixer does all the work.  As much as I love homemade bread, I will not do this weekly.   We just eat way too much of it and that causes other problems.

     I picked the last of the corn from the garden so now we will have to buy it.  But we will be able to get corn within a week for 10/1.00 from local farmers. I roasted small yellow crookneck squash last night and it was eaten to the last drop.  So yummy.

     I stayed up late trying to get the hand work done on some dresses, I still have two more to do and will try and get to them during nap time as the little are here today.

     We have had two days of low 90's and it will be in the triple digits tomorrow again.  Hot, hot, hot.  I hope to have full cell service by late this afternoon.

     The grocery adds came out for the week and they were crap which in a way is good as it will keep me out of the stores.  I am still trying to eat down the freezers as they are so full and it is hard to keep things from falling every time you open them.

     We have so many leftovers from last night I don't have to cook tonight.  Yippee!

     I could really use a nap.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Tuesday, still no phone service.

     This is turning into a night mare.  Or maybe it is nice.  It sure is a lot quieter around here without a phone.  But the shop is suffering and that will hurt my bottom line.  Still I had a bride pick up yesterday and I also ripped 4 bridesmaid dresses yesterday which I will do the sewing on today.  I also really cleaned up my shop, which desperately needed it.  I am anxiously waiting for my sister to come and reorganize me a little.

     As I had not slept at all the night before (slept great last night), I took a nap yesterday afternoon and it was wonderful as it is cooler now.  The heat will be back full  tomorrow.

     Hubs took advantage of the cooler air to do a lot of yard and garage work. Oh, by the way the hip is much better today.  I am still limping a little but no where near what is was yesterday. I am telling you RA is such a strange disease.

   I made room for my new canning in the storage and every time I come downstairs I bring a few jars with me.

     We are having one of our renters parents over for dinner this evening.  They are visiting from Michigan.  So I pulled T-bones and shrimp out of the freezer.  By the way 4 t-bones marked from $41.56 to 23.12 then 1/2 off that so about $3.00 a piece.  I will also have corn from the garden, sliced tomatoes, sweet potatoes, new  potatoes, and small yellow squash roasted.  I still have a lemon pie left for dessert and I might bake up a batch of bread.   It is so nice to live off the bounty of the garden and go to my freezer and present a lovely meal for so little.

     My goals for today, if my hip allows it, are to clean the upstairs, make bread and get those 4 dresses done plus a pile of other things.  It is very smokey here and the air quality sucks right now because of Forest fires.  So with my asthma I am not spending very much time outside.

     Well I have my work cut out for me today, How about you guys?  Are you going to get anything done today?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim
 

Monday, August 13, 2018

Monday, Money saving madness

     We have had no cell service since Friday about 11 a.m. due to a forest fire.  You cannot call out and people can't call in.  This is not helping my business at all and I am anxious to get it up and running.

    Some how I inflamed my left hip and it is BAD.  I took along walk yesterday,  nothing out of the ordinary and I did not sleep a wink last night.  No matter what position I tried it throbbed painfully.  It is hard to walk.  I am hoping that it will abate as the day goes along.

     It will be a limping and hopping day.  I just took 2 ALEVE so I am hoping after this post for a miracle.

Money Saving Madness   August 5th-11th 2018

1. Picked and ate squash, tomatoes, peppers, corn, herbs, lettuce from garden.
2. canned 7 quarts of tomatoes
3. canned 7 quarts of spaghetti sauce
4. Ate out out freezer for meat and main courses
5. Fed all food scraps to chickens
6.  Made pies that would use up pullet eggs
7. continued to work on my bread bag rug
8. Bought limit on shrimp for a killer price
9. Stayed out of stores and went to two second hand stores bought nothing.
10. found a quarter! add to pig bank


     I am telling you there is nothing more satisfying, than going to ones freezer and pulling out meat that you purchased for a rock bottom price, adding side dishes from your garden, potatoes (that are free or pennies on the dollar).  Making a great meal and not having to spend, because it is there.

     I love going to my storage and pulling out what ever pasta I bought for .69 a pound.  Making a great pasta salad for pennies. I love refilling my large flour and sugar containers with staples purchased at the lowest prices of the season.  Running down stairs  for a box of cornstarch and seeing that there are 2 more boxes, along with other baking supplies.

     Okay here is to getting up and getting something done with as little pain as possible.  Yikes!

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Sunday,please, I am trying to be lazy

     I was stung by a yellow jacket while I was digging out canning jars on Thursday.  The sting did not hurt too long, but the itch will drive me crazy.  I have had hubs out there every day spraying and respraying as they come back.  Then yesterday while I was trying to be lazy, I burned the crap out of three of the fingers on my left hand.

     I swear I had those fingers in ice water for over three hours before I could stand to live with them.  It was my own fault as I took two piecrusts out of the freezer to make pies(not lazy) and then when I pulled the crusts out of the 425  degree oven I somehow let my three fingers drop below the hot pad.  Well that was the end of my cooking for the day.  So I guess it did help me be lazy. The crusts are still sitting on the stove waiting for me to do something with them.

     I finally nailed down dates for our annual fall trip.  Hubs and I will fly out to meet Sluggy and her husband on the 27th of Sept.  We are going to tour up the coast of Maine and other fun places.  I can't believe they agreed to go with us as we tried to kill them in Idaho last year.   I think they have think skins. 

     Well it is almost 10:30 here, so I think I will go upstairs and scare up a filling for those two piecrusts.  Maybe I will take a long walk before church.  We will see.


Have a peaceful and restful Sabbath.

Kim 

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Saturday, Hubs cannot stand.....

     Are men just big babies or is it just mine?  I have been having some problems with my arthritis since mom passed.  I am sure it is grief and stress.  But I can handle it and I just keep plugging along. Yesterday was still very hot 113 at our house.  I did some sewing that had to go out and in the afternoon I napped.  The shop was slow because of the heat and I was over tired as my sleep has been really disrupted by painful joints.

     I made BLT's for dinner along with a yummy salad that Hub's made.  Then it was just laying on the couch like a slug.  Finally at 10:00 I told hubs I was going to bed.  This is unusual for me, as I am such a night owl.  When Hub's came up he was worried that I was sick.  But I was just really tired.  I slept fitfully with night sweats and painful elbows and shoulders.  So hard to sleep when those joints flare.  No position is comfy.  I was up at 7:30 to let the puppy out.  Then I crawled back in bed.  Hub's came in about 9:30 and I was running a fever. 

     Now he goes into Hub's overdrive.  He gets me a soda and something to drive down the fever.  I take the pills swallow a couple of gulps and tell him to leave me alone for a while.  I am telling you he can't stand it when I am down.  He hovers and it drives me nuts.  I finally got up as he was sitting on the end of the bed messing with his phone and asking me to look at pictures of things I could care less about.

     Now he is going around the house doing all these weird jobs and hovering between them.  I may have to hurt him.  When I would be bedridden with my arthritis and the kids were mostly in college or late high school, they would all gather in my room and study. Hubs would call them and they would show up from different areas to hover.  One would be beside the bed and the other two on the bed reading or doing some kind of homework.  It was like a vigil. You know I am going to come out of this?  This family cannot see me down. Now that the kids are all grown Hubs hovers.  Can I just be down for a few days?  I mean really.

Have a great and productive day, I am not going to do a darn thing:)

Kim

Friday, August 10, 2018

Friday, Hot and hotter

    I wanted to throttle Hub's yesterday as he was nagging me about tomatoes.  Yes I know I left one half of the the sink full of tomatoes on Wednesday.  My hand was bad, I had the babies, it was hot, I had someplace to be in the late afternoon, the shop was none stop busy.  Give me a break!  So Thursday he goes to read the paper to the veterans home and when he gets home he starts harping about the tomatoes in the sink and the ones in the garden.  If I had not been holding a baby I would have thrown a tomato at him.

     I sometimes think, he thinks I just sit around and read romance novels.  Anyway I handed him the baby and went outside and picked another sink full of tomatoes.  So while we wrangled little ones all day, I put up 9 quarts of tomatoes and 7 quarts of spaghetti sauce.  I had the tomatoes in the jars with salt and boiling water and realized that I was short seals.  I usually buy these on sale at the end of the season, but have not purchased any in years. So I covered the jars with a towel and let the spag sauce cook down all afternoon.

     I sent Hub's to store to get seals, while I stayed with the babies. Finally after babies left about 4:30 I told hubs he had to can everything outside.  I was not going to do it.  The kitchen was a complete wreck.  Hubs ate left over Chinese for dinner and I had cheese and crackers.  Hub agreed and did a water bath for tomatoes and the  large  pressure canner for the sauce.   

     The shtick  was it was 111 at the airport and 116 at our house.  Yikes the canning is done on the back porch in the full hot sun.  (He, he)   (You nag at me I send you straight to hell) I have my ways.  I continued to clean the kitchen until about 6:30 and then went down stairs to rest and work on a wedding dress.  I did not finish the kitchen until after midnight when it had cooled down and this picture was taken after midnight.  Now I have to arrange the food storage to accommodate all this food.

     I have several things to get done in the shop that people want for the weekend so I had better get busy.  Why is it I feel like I am forgetting something important ?  Or that I had this hole or feeling of anxiety that I am not doing enough.  It is so weird and I don't like it.  Is this grief?  Trying to control pain? I am flummoxed.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Thursday, What a difference 24 hours makes

     I am feeling much better today.  My hand is still tender but nothing like yesterday which was just plain scary.  I learned a few things yesterday which by the way was 111 outside.

1. Don't wear white shorts and a white and lime green blouse when you take care of babies. (thought I would save time when I had to get ready to go to graduation)  Because you will be filthy and have to change.
2. Know matter how carefully you plan, something will change the plan.  (okay I knew this one but it always bites me)
3.111 is very hot, so making cookies is stupid.

     I was very busy with clients yesterday.  It was mostly picking up.  I did get a wedding dress ready for pick up tomorrow.  I have a few things that do have to be done today, but I also have the littles again.  Their grandma got sick last night and I got   a text asking if  I could take them .It was fine as I have to do something about the tomato situation, or fruit flies will take over. Between Hub's and I we can get canning done and heard a couple of kids.

     The air conditioner has kept the house about 80 so we  are surviving the heat.  We turn it off at night and only run it from noon to about 8 o'clock. Then we open doors and add fans.

     Hub's took me out to dinner last night as we very seldom go out any more. I really tried to quell when we are trying to get out of debt.  We went to Red Bento as I had about $7.00 left on a gift card there.  We ordered 2 California rolls, which were on special for 2.95 and one dish to split.  Even splitting we had enough left over for another lunch.  Portions are just too large.  I saw many couples there with these huge portions in front of them and I realize why America has a weight problem.  Okay,okay mine is from bakery treats, every one has their weakness. Restaurants just serve too much food.

     I was able to attend a Nurse pinning ceremony last night at the community college.  It was very special.  Many of the students were foreign and it is such a big step for their families.  Over 1/2 of them will now attend the 4 year college and get their RN. But LPN's are also very important in the food chain of nursing.  I was touched by the sacrifice these young men and women had to make to get through a very rigorous program.  It is not easy to get into the nursing program here.

     Hub's and I also did a grocery shop last night.  Things we needed on sale except shrimp.  Shrimp was on sale here and when I got to the store, they were out so I was able to get a bigger better quality they were subbing.  Score!.  Also cereal was $1.25 a box limit 4 but it spit out a man-Q for 2.00 off so I will go back and get 4 more that will be .75 a box.  Great stock up price for the grand kids and to take into families.

     I have two sinks now full of tomatoes so I will have to get busy and make more spag sauce.  I will can this lot as the freezer is full. Then I will sew what needs to be done for tomorrow this evening.

     I also paid bills yesterday and I am glad I did not make any plans for this month, as I had that electricians bill and I was over budget for last month with all the funeral travel and expense.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim


Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Wednesday, So what causes this?

     Yesterday, I was able to finish the pile and also get a small bridal alteration done and another bridal dress almost done.  I just have to add bustling hooks and buttons which I can easily do with the littles here.  I played a game with myself where every time I finished a clients things I would iron 5 items of clothing.  It worked well and I was able to finish 25 pieces of ironing,  Yeah!  Still have about 6 pieces left but I think that with our  summer (100% cotton)wardrobe that is and on going deal. 

    We turned the air conditioner on today because of the triple digit heat, I think it might help a little. 

     Anyway I had a really bad night with arthritis pain in my elbows and shoulders and my right hand is almost useless this morning.  Every finger is really swollen but the ring finger.  This is making it hard to get anything done.  I am trying to loosen it up but it is a slow process.  Now I am beginning to wonder if ironing had anything to do with the flare, because it is really bad.  I know repetitive motion can really do me in which is why I don't paint rooms and do big projects like that any more.  (I was a horrible painter anyway ,no loss).  I really dislike being limited in this way.  I just don't know.  It might be the hot weather coming on or the cold front that is supposed to come in on Saturday.  What causes these flares?  I know stress can do it as in after mom died.  But I don't feel stress right now I don't think.

     This kind of pain is exhausting and frustrating.  I know it will get better through out the day.  Even now typing I can feel the joints getting more fluid. Enough complaining. 

     I just want to be able to get into the shop and get a few small things done if possible.  I also have a sink full of produce I need to deal with and I would, like to maybe make some cookies. 

     Our second daughter has a friend who will be pinned at the nursing school today, so I am going to go to that ceremony this evening. Hubs has to work at the school so maybe blt's for dinner, I think I can dig up a tomato somewhere if I look:)

     I also need to pay bills and get the month done so I can relax and figure out what I can pay on my debt.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim


Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Tuesday, Grindstone day

This was me yesterday.  I really did make myself get into the shop and take on the pile of sewing.  It was mostly little stuff, or little piles that made the BIG pile.  There are still so many Wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses to do, but there is also the PILE.  The PILE gets pretty large.  So I have to really stick to it to lower it.  I will be working on the bottom of the pile today and hopefully get to a couple of Wedding dresses that just need bustling and minor work so I can get them out of the shop. This morning I will call people to come and pick up and then hope they do it.  At least with a wedding dress you know you have a date they must have it.  This helps in planning cash flow.

     The missionaries stopped me on Sunday and asked if I could do their laundry, as they had no facilities in their apartment.  So they dropped off and will pick up this morning.  It was just one load of white and one of dark, it was the 6 white shirts and the 4 pairs of pants I had to press that almost killed me:)  As my ironing pile sits there glaring at me.

     I also forgot I was supposed to take a meal into a family that had a very sick mother.  So about 5 o'clock, I ran to store to get the cheap chicken deal, and some ice cream bars and a bag of mini carrots.  See how not paying attention costs money?  I was cursing myself the whole time until I saw the 11 year old daughter open her door and say ,"Oh some one brought us food!" She was surrounded by her younger brothers and sisters and all were excited.  I think there has been a lot of peanut butter and jelly there recently.We had meat loaf (previously frozen) mashed potatoes, corn, cucumbers, and tomatoes out of the garden.  So our meal was great and well free.

     It is going to be very hot here the next 4 days like 108-110.  I need to can tomatoes but I think I will just put them all in the fridge and can next week.  Even though I do it outside it is still just too hot for that and I love the heat. 

     My puppy is doing his spaz thing of running back and forth down stairs as fast as he can.  Corgis love to run fast sprints, you can just see joy in their eyes when they do this.  It is play time as he naps all afternoon.  I want to be a Corgi in my next life.

     I am going to finish the pile today, do some ironing, finish my laundry, and pick all the garden produce.  Then I am going to go put a bandage on my nose.

What are you guys going to do?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

    

Monday, August 6, 2018

Monday, It is the little things, so pay attention.

     I love reading blogs about how people are getting out of debt or how they are saving money.  I find them inspiring and helpful in this long drawn out push to become debt free.  Many of the things we all do to save money are simple small things.  I used to think that these small bits of advice were silly.  I needed over $3000.00 a month to just pay my bills and survive, how could not using paper towels help with that? I was behind and depressed and desperate.  I needed a miracle.

     So I kept to my old ways, and continued to survive, barely.  Many years passed while I tried to master getting out of debt.  The advise and books all said the same things in different ways. I would pick up a few tips here and there and add them to my financial chaos.  Over time and trial and (getting kids through college) things got better.  I got better. My number one piece of advice I could give someone that is desperately in debt is you need to pay attention.

     There are large things that contribute to debt, that are completely out of our control.  Natural disasters, deaths, medical bills, injuries, accidents.  I have had every one of these things happen to me that cost me money and financial peace. Some of them took years to dig out from under.  Many things that contribute to our debt are not our fault. Is there a magic fairy that is going to come and pat us on the back and tell us it is okay and they will take care of our problem?  Let me see ........ NO!

     You will get some help in a disaster.  You might get food, water and shelter, you may get help from a church or family and friends.  If you are a decent person you will get sympathy and kindnesses, but eventually you will be the one who pays the past due light bill.  And let me tell you it is the little things that count in eventually getting out of debt.

   1.It is the little things that count, and  2.you need to pay attention.  So when you read these posts about my money saving strategies, that sound so small and stupid (in and of themselves they are ) Let me let you in on a little secret, I am finally getting out of debt.  Do I continue to make dumb mistakes with money?  Yes, but I make fewer and fewer of them.  Do I continue to have bills? Yes, that is life (grow up) but those bills are smaller and fewer.  Do I continue to want?  Sure, learning to be content and grateful for what you have is a life long  process. When you start to look for the little things, and you pay attention progress is made.  So do it for a day, do it for a week, a month, a year, then do it for a life time and you will become debt free.

     There is no big secret, there is no one tip or piece of advice.  It is all the little things that you can do that add up to big changes.  It is opening your eyes to every stupid thing you do with your hard earned money that counts. You work hard for what you get, so why not pay attention to what you do with it?  Go ahead and bury your head in the sand and don't pay attention.  That NSF charge you just got for not keeping track of your bank account isn't going to hurt you.  But when you are at the end of the pay period and your Credit cards are maxed, that $35.00 could put the gas in your car that you need to go to work.  All it took was for you to log onto your bank balance and see that buying those new shoes that were one sale and you just couldn't pass up lowered you balance by .15 and threw you into the negative.  Yes, .15 cents was all it took to get you a NSF charge, and another charge later for the returned check to the store, but as you call your colleague and make up some excuse to get a ride to work, you look great in those shoes.

     Money saving madness July 29-August 5th

1.Ate all but one meal at home
2. Used food from the stock up pantry and freezers for meals.
3. picked blackberries for pies.
4. harvested, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, squash, greens out  of garden
5. put up 12 meals of spag sauce.
6. used leftover plastic cottage cheese and sour cream tubs to take food out to people
7. picked up  .26 in coins off ground to add to bank.
8. lowered the water bill, by paying attention to consumption.
9. stayed with relatives while traveling rather than getting a hotel, was it as nice and private?  No but it saved us over $200.00 in meals and lodging.
10. fed all food scrapes to chickens
11. Stayed out of stores, did not go shopping in the big city
12. Had to buy makeup so used two coupons printed off the internet and points accumulated to get $59.00 for $23.15.


     What did you do to save money this week?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim









Sunday, August 5, 2018

Sunday, Still looking...

    Hubs and I spent several hours yesterday driving around the middle of the pan handle of Idaho, looking at property.  We saw a few places and many crazy characters.  I asked Hubs if we would ever fit in here, just don't think we are quite that uhm.......  Dueling banjos any one?

     We had to be home before 6 so Hubs could open the High School theater, which he then locks up at 10.p.m.  I ran to the store to get a few things missing from the salad I was making for church today.

I was able to use up a box of Acini De  pepi, a can of fruit cocktail, a can of pineapple, and a container of cool whip from the freezer.  I am trying to take down the stock in the house so all meals cooked for others or extra things are made from what I can find on hand. 

I put together the large salad this morning and now I better go clean up so I can be ready for choir practice.

Have a peaceful and restful Sabbath.

Kim

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Saturday, Head versus clove

     I stand corrected I use a head of garlic in my sauce not a clove.  Sorry.......  Still great sauce.  Thanks for the correction Sluggy.

     The shop is too busy.  I cannot catch up.  What a blessing.  Remind me next January when I have no business.

     As I spent most of my Thursday in the kitchen, I spent all day in the shop yesterday and it was so busy.  I did get 8 bridesmaid dresses out, but another Wedding dress and three more bridesmaids came in, plus many suit alterations.  Ugh!  But I loves the money.

     One of my customers brought me a large bag full of bread bags so I think I will be able to finish my rug.  Well when I have time.  Ha!

     Here is a no fail pie crust recipe that I have used for 40 years, it has never failed!

4 cups flour
1T salt
Stir together
cut in 1 and 3/4 cut crisco until course crumbs

stir together
1 well beaten
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2cup very cold water

Make well in flour mixture and mix together until crust dough forms.

Make 4 large pie crusts.  Roll out on floured board.

The best!

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Friday, August 3, 2018

Friday, I just over plan, do you?

     What is wrong with me?  I must think I am super woman or something.  As in I was going to clean the whole house, do the ironing, get the sewing done that needed to go out today, pick all the garden produce, make spag sauce to freeze, and make blackberry pies and extra pie crusts.  Easy right?


     Here is where you either quit reading or you start to laugh, shake your head or just refuse to look at this blog any more.  Maybe I forgot that I run a business and I would have interruptions.  Or I forgot how much time it takes to do any of the above items on my list.  Or maybe I could morph time and make it longer.  Maybe I forgot that eventually my feet would give out and I would have to sit down and rest.  Okay smacking myself right now....

     Such well laid plans.  Here is what did happen.  I did get the laundry sorted and the ironing dumped on top of the already full basket.  I did get the travel bags unpacked and put away.  I did get two loads of laundry put away.  I did deep clean the family room.  I did spray and hose down three area rugs for cleaning to hang on the deck to dry.  I did water all the flowers and discover that our outdoor back hose will not turn off all the way.  (plumber bill in future) Put hose in garden so it can leak where it is needed.  Oh it also ruined a very expensive hose which now looks like a fat boa constrictor. I picked 1/2 a bushel of tomatoes of all varieties.  All the while being interrupted by customers.

     Now it is noon and I start to wash and cut tomatoes.  I pull 4- 1.5 pound bags of frozen burger out of freezer to thaw. The garden produce took forever.  I ended up with a huge canning kettle full of chopped tomatoes.  I also pulled out all three kinds of cherry maters for a cucumber/tomatoe salad.

Here is my requested large batch tomato/meat spag sauce using fresh tomatoes.

Roughly 5lbs burger or mixture burger /sausage cooked, drained set aside

Fry three large onions and one whole clove of garlic in olive oil until translucent, add to burger

4 cans of tomato paste browned in pan used to cook burger and onions, (this adds flavor) add water as you are browning.  I add about 2 cups of water for every can of paste.  But just add enough in pan to keep paste from burning.  Add to meat mixture.

Now take at least  4 quarts of diced garden tomatoes, (I mix mine and I keep the skins on, this adds roughage)  and all the extra water from paste.

Put all this in a large, large pot on stove and stir.

Now add 2 T sugar
               2 T salt (you can add more as you go)  remember your Tomatoes were not salted
               1 T fennel
               1 T pepper
               2 T oregano  (I use fresh spics from garden)
               2 T parsley  or fresh chopped 1/4 cup
               1 T Basil   or fresh chopped
               4T corn starch
Mix all this together and then add
                1 can of chicken broth  make a slurry  with as few lumps as possible and add to sauce

This will help thicken as it cooks down.  Those little packages of spag sauce mix are mostly corn starch.

Now I take 4 or 5 fresh green peppers and put them whole in the sauce.  I just let them cook along with sauce as it simmers for a couple of hours and cooks down, then I remove whole pepper and throw out.  Peppers give flavor but can over power and bitter a sauce.

Enjoy!  This enough to feed a large crowd or freeze  6 large meals of sauce.  Which is 12 meals for us.

     I also chopped up all the squash and fried it with the onions to add to my sauce.  Vegetable meat sauce.  Delish

So there you have it,

In the mean time while sauce cooks down I froze 8 more quarts of raw tomato.  Then I cleaned the disaster kitchen, so I could get out mixer and mix up 8 pie crusts.  I had picked one gallon of blackberries at Hub's mom and I made two large blackberry pies and froze the other 4 crusts.

I now had a blackberry mess and while the pies cooked I threw, 7.5 cups of flour 1 T salt into the mixer, bloomed 4.5 t of yeast with 2t sugar and 4 T of shortening in hot water.  Add to mixer and beat for 10 minutes on low.  Raise, punch down make two large loaves of french bread, let rise again bake 35-40 minutes at 375.  Clean kitchen again.

So pies are cooking, bread is raising, kitchen is clean and I am soaking wet and exhausted.  No sewing is done.  I ate watched some TV to rest and then I made straps and attached them to 8 bridesmaid dresses and steamed all of them.  I also cut and got a hem ready on a wedding dress that was 13 yards around with 8, yes 8  * *&^% layers.  (I counted them)  I went to bed. 

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Thursday, August, Wow!

     I can't believe it is August already.  We arrived home last night and this morning I got on line and paid the two credit cards we still have.   It was weird only have to make one phone call and one on line payment.  The list of payments is so small now.  It will be really weird when there are no payments but housing expenses.  Will I really get there?


  Uncle Art's funeral was lovely.  He was the kind of man that made you feel that you were his favorite person in the whole world.  He will be missed.  The music was great.  Hub's played with his younger sister and his cousins sang.  They are an amazingly talented family.

      Hub's mom has had a bad case of pneumonia and is quite weak. I see another trip down there soon.  It is a worry because she is 90 and has total care of dad who has dementia. It is hard to get to this point of our lives with so much responsibility for our older ones.  We would have brought mom and dad here but we have no bedroom to put them in.  So we have decided that we will not rent out a room again after these girls leave until we find out what needs to be done with Hub's folks.

     People with dementia do better in their own surroundings.  Mom is great and loves to go and visit, but dad wants to be home.  So some tough decisions will have to be made soon if mom's health fails.  I know hub's is not wanting to do anything so soon after my mom.  But we will see.  Prayers are needed for this situation.  Eeh gads life is complicated.

     I have to, have to,have to, clean house, catch up on laundry, ironing, gardening.  Zipping out of town every few days is not working here.  Plus I have a wedding dress and several other things to finish before Saturday.

     Right now I have no real goals for August as I am waiting for things to settle around here. I do have a Bill to pay things that I bought for mom's room when I re did it.  I also have a 523.00 electricians bill to pay back the savings for. We have money to pay our bills.  We have some savings for emergency.  I will continue to live frugally.  I would love to attack one of the two last CC's but am not sure which one and will think about this over the next two days. I can't really wrap my head around anything right now, as life has been so much flux.  I will get to a good spot soon.

     So I am off to go through the laundry, pick tomatoes, start spaghetti sauce and pie crusts. I hope to post some progress on this mess of a life tomorrow!  Stay tuned....

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim