Wednesday, Sunshine and sorrow

 Gammi bought Kelsa Kay Anne a tin tea set for her Birthday, and we had a mini party last night. She got to pour everyone a cup of tea and we cut a mini cake and served it on her mini plates. She absolutely loved it!  I can see many tea parties in our future.  Although much like the Mad Hatter she continues to pour if you are not watching.  Papa bought her large crayons, like maybe she won't break those.  It was a joyful celebration and then shattered by a phone call from Hub's mom.

Hub's younger sister Heidie, who is my age has been diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer.  It was an awful phone call. Lots of tears.  We are all so scared.  She has surgery next week, so they are not messing around. But I am telling you this kind of news really puts your BS factor at a 10.  Like really don't bother me with what is not important. Please I ask all of you that are willing, to pray for her.  I do believe in the power of prayer. Also pray for Hub's mom as she is really struggling with this as we all would.  I have cried so much in the last 24 hours, and I am not a crier. I just feel helpless, there is nothing I can do to fix this.  I am a fixer.

Just had a person call and she was whining.  She needed a jumpsuit hemmed by Friday, and I told her no.  Now could I have done it?  Sure, but it was the whining that did me in.  I just don't really care to take care of your problem that you put off.  Now I feel like this has caused me to be selfish.  I don't want to be selfish because I am scared and grieving. Kim's quandary.

Finished another chart yesterday.  So that is something to be happy about, but money means nothing right now.  Isn't it funny how having a tragedy in the making can just put these kinds of things in perspective?  I know life goes on, but what the hell....

I have Hubs back on a pretty strict Atkins diet as he has gained about 10 lbs. back from the 50 lbs., he lost two years ago.  I am really proud of how he has kept this weight off, but it has crept up a little bit.  I really have to be the one that plans what he eats, and I have to cook accordingly. If you look at a diagram of a man's anatomy (I know TMI) you will see where fat is stored in the pelvic region. Shrinking that even a little bit can help the surgeon get to the area that needs to be operated on with less mess to get through.  Does that make sense? 

I however do not need to lose weight, and this is hard for me as I have to not cook anything with carbs for me as it is too hard on him.  I just sneak things here and there.

So today I cooked up a package of link sausages while he was walking the dog and I made a large, tossed salad with tomatoes, and cukes from the garden. I also went out and picked a mess of green beans to fry up tonight along with a steak and salad for his dinner. I really just want to make up a batch of scones right now and eat them all myself.

Hubs is out cleaning the truck as we will take that to Twin falls.  We might be taking William with us so he can go and play with James and that will put me, the dog and William in the back seat and we need the room.  Mom and Hubs will be upfront from Nampa onto Twin.  I am glad we are picking up Mom as it will keep her distracted until the 7th when Heidie has her surgery.  Also, Hub's sister Lona and her husband are flying in on the 7th to stay with mom for 2 weeks and that will certainly help her get through the worst of this unknown part. I just don't want her alone with this, as I know how stressed I am, and I can't imagine what it would be like if it was one of my girls.

I get to see my youngest two quite often and I had a long talk last night with Braunwyn, who has been busy with the lab at the plant as the full-time lab technician is out with knee surgery. She has so much responsibility.  I also talked Jethelyn off the ledge yesterday and got to enjoy Signe' when she was here with Kelsa.  Just the thought that they could get sick makes me sick.  Okay I have to stop dwelling.

I am going to finish up the things I did not get done on the list yesterday as much as possible, as I would like a free day tomorrow to just clean the house and get ready to go.  I did get so much done yesterday and I have Levi thread on the machine so I can get to those three pairs of jeans right away.

1. hem a pair of jeans

2. hem two pairs of jeans

3. peg a pair of pants

4. fix a swimsuit (I had to go get black elastic)

5. do a pile of mending

6. do a pile of mending

7. complete another wedding dress is possible

8. call clients for pickup

9. clean up and keep shop organized.

10. alter 3 skirts ( 2 done)

I have a nail appointment at 4:30 and then Lil sis is going to color this hair of mine.  I wish I could be excited about these things, but all I see is time sitting doing nothing.  I am weird, right?

When we get to Jess's we are going to refinish the top of a Duncan Fife table that belonged to her mother-in-law.  It is a larger set than she had now, and I can't wait to see it. I guess a chair or two needs work also, but Hub's is good at that.  I think it is so neat that the kids get to reuse things that belonged to family.

Okay I need to get to work, I am going to set my timer and get busy.

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

Kim

Tuesday, Paperwork, Blah!

 Even though I have way too much work to do in the shop, I also have these little nagging paperwork thingies' I have to deal with, and I want to put off, but I really shouldn't.   They creep in while I am sewing and take my mojo away. So, while I was writing to (actually bitching to) Sissie this morning in our morning email, I made a list and actually made myself do it and it took less than 5 minutes.

Call and set appointment for car to be fixed, as insurance finally sent us the info. Call pharmacy for refills, one is ready the other ordered.  Call another pharmacy to order very expensive med, this is a pain in the butt. Call and set appointment for a medicare meeting with my insurance agent as I will have to go on full medicare next year and I need to know my options and get my budget set.  They say you need to do this 6 months in advance. I also need to use up 4 points at Albertsons or lose them, but I can go pick up prescription that is ready and get some free things or money off.  Hopefully it will be meat.  So that is slated for this evening. I hate niggy noo crap like this and how do you handle it?  Just little things that are always there bugging you.  Like a mosquito you can't seem to slap. Oh also call and make a nail appointment.

Anyway, I am feeling better although now I have to make the appointments I set and remember them and carry these things out.  Another bother.

Hubs did very well with the apple yesterday as I refused to help other than finding the strainer for him and bagging the sauce. It took him many hours to get all those apples peeled and ready.  He complained that his wrists were sore.  Yeah, I know that feeling.  We got three bags of pie slices and 8 quarts of homemade sauce. So that made enough for 16 meals of applesauce and three more pies.  Now I have enough pie filling except pumpkin for the year. We are actually talking of getting another upright freezer and getting rid of the small chest freezer we have, but that would mean rearranging the garage and there is not time for that right now.  But the chest freezer is very hard for me as stuff gets lost in the bottom and I find it aggravating to organize.

I was able to complete three wedding dresses yesterday and they will all be picked up today! Today is bridesmaid dresses and the piles.  Lots of hems and mending and little things that just need done and out of the way.  I did hand baste a couple of hard zippers into items last night, so I want to get those done also.  If I can get these things done, I will start on another wedding dress that is due out next week and I would like to get it done before I leave.  The rest of the wedding dresses are slated for Sept 24th or later.  I will start on those next week when I get back.

The list:

1. mend swimsuit, and toy

2. sew in zipper

3. sew in zipper and mend a swimsuit

4. hem 2 jeans

5. hem jeans and mend item

6. hem and take up shoulders of a bridesmaid dress

7. hem brides maid dress

8. hem two bridesmaids dresses

9. peg and pair of work pants

10.hem 2 shirts

11. hem a pair of pants

12. pile of mending

13. pile of mending

14. get to a wedding dress maybe.

Okay if I get through this list, it will be a Holy miracle.  Remember when you were little, and your mother would tell you that anything she could not explain was a Holy miracle?   Well, mine did anyway. All miracles were Holy. I just went back and capitalized Holy..... 

I am going to set my timer and get busy knocking things off this list.

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

Kim

Monday, No time to spare!

 We are back and Kim has no time to spare before she leaves again.  Does the world care?  NO!  The shop has been crazy all morning. I still have a few camping things to put away!!!!

Hubs has picked all the apple off the tree and is starting applesauce.  I have no time to help him.  He also picked all the corn and has thrown the stalks to the cattle over the fence. Not much of a corn crop this year.  But it was a new garden spot, and you never know what you are going to get on a new spot. We picked the 16 really small peaches off our peach tree, and they are so sweet.  It was the first year and the tree is barely a stick, so it looks like it will be a good producer. We will pick the pears sometime in September.

We got home earlier on Saturday as we did not go berry picking.  It may not happen this year.  Signe' and I took a long hike after the men got home from 4 wheeling. We had planned 5 miles but took a wrong turn and ended up having to walk much farther coming back.  We were not worried about being lost, just that we were going to have to walk much farther than expected.  We got back to camp in 2 hours, but we did 9.1 miles.  Both of us were bushed.  Then the next day Hubs and I went out and did the trail as Signe' and I should have.  Now I know what we did wrong, so it won't happen again. 

We got home about 3 p.m. Saturday, and it took us a couple of hours to unpack and get things organized.  I had three loads of wash and then all the camping dishes and food.  I made a big hamburger stew to use up all the leftovers. 

It was Kelsa's 2nd birthday yesterday and we could have driven to Spokane to celebrate but decided to just have a cupcake here with her.  We bought her a little tin tea set, and she will love having tea parties with Papa and gammie.

Camping is so much work the planning and packing and the unpacking and the cleanup, yikes! But the grandkids love it and I love being out in the woods. I love campfires, hiking, just getting out in nature.  I should have been a farmer's wife.

Anyway, home to the rat race I come and realize I have not a minute to spare this week.  I cannot waste any time.  Just too much to do!

I did get all the ironing done yesterday.  It was a load but is now a load off! 21 blouses, 8 cotton tops, 2 pairs of Hub's khakis, 3 dresses,3 skirts, 12 pillowcases, 12 napkins, 16 pairs of shorts, 1 pair of capris.  I am done.  I watched crap TV while I did this to pass the time. Kind of the only time I get to commandeer the family room TV.

I really have to pay attention to my timetable the next 4 days as I have not a moment to spare in getting things out of the shop.  I have several pairs of pants to hem, and I have to get at least 4 wedding dresses done. I can do this, but I must not dawdle.  I am a great dawdler.

So, I am off to get busy.  What do you do when you are under pressure to get things done?  How do you inspire yourself?

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

Kim 

Wednesday, Packing for camping!

 I was able to get most of the things done yesterday.  The babies little dress took longer than I thought it would, but it was still a good productive day. I would like to get that last dress done and those pants, but I really need to get packing and shopping for the few things that we need.

Also, I am only $56.00 dollars away from my $1600.00 tax bill!  So, I am thrilled about that.  Next, I have to send Sluggy $1056.00 for our excursions on the cruise.  I knew I would have another chunk, but I might as well pay it now rather than later.  If Kim pays in advance, she does not debt, which is good for me.

I have made lists and there are actually some decent buys at the store, even though they are limit one. Like a whole chicken for .77 a pound, or a ground beef pack 90/10 three-pound limit one but only $2.99 a pound. Buns and bagels for .99 limit 2.  Ice cream 2/5.00. So, I am going to make the rounds today and pick things up while I get a few snacks for camping.  We are having foil dinners and brats and hot dogs.   I will add fruits and cream cheese and bagels for breakfasts.  Then chips and sandwich fixings for lunches. We have lots of tomatoes and cukes for a salad I will make up to take. 

So, looking forward to getting out of dodge for a few days, but I really must pay attention when I get back as we will leave again the following weekend for Jessies.  SO, I must get things done and picked up.  But Lil sis has me organized through the 16th of Sept. and I will be fine.

Now I have to go check my lists and get to work, I need to stop at a couple of banks and go to my credit union, then the stores and home to pack.

It is also Nates birthday today, so we get to go out to dinner after Signe' gets off work so I don't have to cook tonight. Yeah! Kim is so spoiled.

Now if I can get the phone to stop ringing and get this last dress picked up.

I am so excited.

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

Kim

Tuesday, Git 'er done, or something akin to that

 I thought I would start today's post out with some cuteness.  Kelsa waiting for grandma to go get her blankie (the donut blankie Slug's made me) and wrap her up so she can have her 11:30 nap.  She has to have all the things she loves most, her, bink, her bottle, her blankie, her gammi.  She actually giggles when I wrap her up and put her on my lap as she knows she has everything she loves.  She goes to sleep, and I get into the shop. She is a sleepy little bunny. By the way those Tennies are for a 6-month baby that is how tiny she is.

I was able to get all the things I needed done yesterday for the shop and as those were the most important, I let the floors, and the fridge slip.  They are not going anywhere.

I will get them done today sometime.

I was supposed to go to Lil sis's tonight so we could do each other's hair, but we are putting that off as we are low on product and so many businesses that are normally open until 9 are now only open until 5 because they cannot get enough help.  I ran to Joanns last night and they had shortened their hours to 10 to 8 because of lack of staff.  When I got there it is now 10 to 7.  Aggravating because I often cannot get out during the day, and I go in the evening. So as Lil sis has a new hire today, we will have to make a run tomorrow for product. Then again, I should be packing for camping, and I am not sure how hubs will feel about that.  Oh well I will work it out. Maybe we will put it off for next week, like say Monday?

Dinner is a beef stir-fry as I have to use up garden things. Yummy and good for us. I have kind of decided on a menu for camping that will use up things we already have. 

So today, I have to:

1. hem a pair of pants

2. alter and bridesmaid dress

3. alter a mother of the bride

4. alter a bridesmaid dress

5. alter a bridesmaid dress

6. call a bride to come in for a fitting 

7. make a newborn skirt

8. run to Joanns before it closes

9. Try and fit in hemming 4 pairs of jeans and a little mending

If I can get all this done, I will be somewhat caught up before I go camping.  I really don't like to leave town behind as I have trouble enjoying myself.  I want to read books, take hikes, ride the four-wheeler, kayak, pick huckleberries and just veg.

We have also decided to go to our eldest daughter's place over Labor Day.  We will pick up Hub's mom on the way down.  Daughter wants help refinishing a table and I want to see her.  Plus, Hub's sister is coming the following week and we can sneak in a short visit with her.  But this means I have to be super organized in the shop and get stuff out! 

Well, I am off to get things done as quickly as possible.  What are you guys trying to accomplish today?

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

Kim

Monday, Another chart! Busy weekend.

Finished another chart this morning, onto #24.  It is a crazy year; I am so busy. My next goal is to get the $1600.00 paid to our property taxes and I am getting closer.  Once I get that saved, I am home free on big bills for the year.  I know we will owe some for Hubs surgery and anything Murphy throws our way.

I have to get a couple items done for a client that has to fly out for a funeral and a mother of the bride just got her dress in for this weekend.  Then I was with a bride and Hubs answered my phone and told me that another bride was coming in in about 15 minutes. I thought she was on the schedule, and she was in the hall before I was finished with my current bride.  So, when I was done with her fitting, and I had cut the front of the dress as I would be putting a lace trim back and that is just easier to do it that way. I asked her to remind me of her date and she said Sept. 10!  So, she was not the bride on the schedule, she had just slipped in and waited until less than 3 weeks before the wedding.  Note to self: do not let Hubs answer the phone.

 I cleaned house all day on Saturday and all I had left to do was mop the floors, clean out the fridge and get the ironing done.  Still haven't done those things, but I have the kids and toys are all over, when they go home tonight, I will at least get the fridge cleaned and the mopping done.  The ironing might have to wait.

We went out to dinner Saturday night with our daughters and son in law for his birthday.  I can't believe my youngest daughter will be 30 this year.  Yikes I am getting old. We ate at a Thai place, and I did not like the food, but hubs did so took home lots of leftovers and that is what he ate yesterday.

I have no idea what it for dinner and had better decide soon, as I need to get meat out to thaw. I am going to do a bean salad out of tomatoes, garbanzos', cucumbers, green beans, olives and red onion.  I do have hamburger patties, so I think I will pull those out.  Okay dinner is done Yeah!

I got stung by a bee on Sunday when I was out picking cucumbers from the garden.  I throbbed for about an hour and then it will turn into an unbearable itch in a few days.  That is the worst part of a bee sting.

My bean salad is green beans, garbanzo beans, olives, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion with a garlic herb, dressing out of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and garlic crushed.  I have so many green beans and garbanzo beans that need to be eaten that I think I will make this weekly for a while.  Hubs also loves this salad. I can also chop up some yellow banana peppers to go in it for variety.  

Well, I had better get to work.

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

Kim

Friday, Lil sis to the rescue

 I was able to finally finish two wedding dresses and they are already picked up.  But what a day. I have to confess I bring this on myself. I just am not that organized, and I let things get out of control and I start to do dumb things.

Yes, can you believe that Kim does dumb things? It is not totally unusual that I forget to put a due date on a ticket. So, I have no idea when the bride or the bridesmaid needs the dress. But when I see that I have done that I just call, or text and I get the date.  But what if I have neither phone # nor date on a wedding dress? 

The shop was such a disorganized mess yesterday. We want to go camping next week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  I need to make sure that the work that needs to be done is done.  Hub's surgery is coming up and I have a girl's trip planned and even though those things are more than a month away, time travels fast. Wedding attire needs to be out in a timely manner, and I am pretty good about getting things out a month in advance if the work comes in on time.  You will always have the last-minute people, but most are timely.

I am surprisingly able to work in very chaotic environments.  Chalk that up to wrangling 120 dancers for years through many, many huge shows.  Chaos is my middle name and I managed to sell out year after year. But there comes a point where I melt down.  I am blaming it on my age, having a husband that needs me more, not feeling as good as I should. (Still coughing a little)

There just comes a time when environmental factors start to get me down mentally. Here is how Kim rolls or comes to a complete stand still. 

1.She feels behind (not that I am I just feel behind)

2. She gets a complicated wedding dress done and goes to call and finds out she has no date or # (so I put dress in done column and went on, they will call right?) (Monday)

3. Pull another 2 dresses and then realize it is take the neighbor to the pantry day and I get so much fruit that I have to process that nothing gets done.  (Tuesday)

4. start to work on two dresses and both are a nightmare although they should have been easy (Wednesday)

5. In the meantime work keeps coming in and the house gets dirtier, but I can ignore it.

6. Determined to get things done, I finish both dresses I have been working on and I start on another. (Thursday) I get three clients in at exactly 10 a.m. and they are lined up in hall.  (It is a small hall).  Two are wedding dresses, one is alterations.  Get alterations out the door first, and then fit one bride and send her off the second one was a perfect fit and I just had to bustle.  Well let's get that done now so I don't have to have another dress in the shop hanging and taking room.  Great that is done, and it is 11 a.m.

7. The shop is a disaster, dresses hanging everywhere, there are 5 that need to be picked up and they are taking up so much room. Luckily, I do have appointments set up for pick up, but the mess is over whelming.

8. Now I am looking for handwork so I can go into the family room and sew.  I don't want to be in the shop as it is too overwhelming. Avoidance mode is not good.

9. I get hand work done and call bride, and then I pull three bridesmaid dresses and see that I have no due date.  Was it next week? I think it was next week. So, I set those aside and start to look around and I have such a mess, I try and start to organize things. Kim melts down.

10. Put a txt into Lil sis that I am spiraling, and I could use some help in the shop for just an hour this evening.

11.  Lil sis shows up, about 3:30. She left work early as she knows I would not txt her unless it was bad.  I really don't want her to see the house, as her house is always spotless. She sits and talks to me about why I am feeling the way I am feeling.  I tell her I want to go empty the garage and wipe everything down and put it back.  I tell her I want to clean my fridge out; I don't want her to see the shop. We talk about my habit of making extra work for myself when I am feeling overwhelmed. (AKA cleaning the garage) I finally allow her to see the shop.  She says nothing but does take pictures.  Great now she can show her friends what a dork I am.  But I am willing to take this to get help.

12.  She starts to organize, and she finds tickets, with no dates, no phone #'s.  She says I just don't understand how you can run a business like this.  I don't know either, but I do, and it is very successful.  I have always been successful. She makes me get on face book and try and pull up the bride's name where I have no # or date.  It is an unusual last name which pulls up relative in Lewiston.  I find a teacher I know well that knows people with the same last name and I Facebook her explaining the problem.  She gets me a #.  Then Lil sis has me txt or phone others for due dates. All this time I am working on paperwork, she is organizing things by due dates.

13. Many piles have no due dates as they are do when you can.  Like hunting pants that need to be out by hunting season.  So, all those things go in a separate place. Dresses (wedding dresses) that are ready for pick up are hung together in another spot. Now she gets a calendar (by the way the wall calendar I have hanging in the shop is from last year, I know, I know it is August or 2022, and I constantly get the wrong dates because of this) Go ahead judge me.  She takes said calendar down, rolls it up and doesn't even hit me with it, like a bad dog. She is loving that way.

14. Now she has things organized by what needs to be done before I leave next week. Not necessarily that it will get picked up but that it is done so I can leave and have a good time.  

15. Then she organizes the things that need to be done before Hub's surgery, so I can have a few days with his needs.

16. Then she organizes everything for October and my girl's trip.  I can now see where I am at.

17. She and I both know that more work will come in, but I know where to put it according to dates. Now I can see if I have too much to do, and I really don't.  I am a little overbooked for next week but remember this is date for getting it done not for when it is actually due out.

18.  Now was I capable of doing this myself?  Certainly, but not in melt down mode. 

Aren't sisters great!  They can rescue you when you are an unorganized idiot. They can judge and still love you.

Work organized by dates.  Lil sis wants dividers, and she is going to take care of this, because well she knows me.

The ironing, guess who is out of clothes?  Guess what I am going to be doing this weekend?

After I get my quota done for the day, and I do know what that is thanks to Lil sis, I am going to clean the house and I am going to iron.  I love to iron when I have the time.  Ironing relaxes me just like sewing relaxes me under the right circumstances.

Now go ahead and judge me. but remember my Sissie and Lil sis, and Slug might find where you live.

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

Kim

Thursday, Focus!!!, thrifty Thursday

 Yesterday was just a lesson in frustration. In fact, the whole week has been.  Some weeks I can get work out and others know matter how hard I try or how good my intentions are I can't get anything done.  I worked on two bride dresses yesterday ALL DAY.  Neither was hard but just complications set in. 

One was a simple dart in the bust, but the bust turned out to be done in small lace pieces and would not lay right and when I tried to get the seams lay correctly, I ended up releasing pieces of lace and then had to get it all back together with little, teeny tiny stitches. It was a very cheaply made dress and made for a very time-consuming alteration. It was like a dragon rearing its ugly head.  When you pick up a dress and say to yourself oh this will be easy, just shorten straps, put in darts and bustle and then hours later you are frantically trying to get it back together it is very discouraging.

Then I had to put cap sleeves into a sleeveless dress and as it had to be done by hand, I got them in in correctly.  I don't know what I was thinking.  Maybe I wasn't.  Anyway, I have not finished that dress either.  So, I was planning on getting to 5 dresses and I got to two one not even close to done.  All damn day.

I just have to really focus, as when I get frustrated by these kinds of things, I start to spiral out of control and my anxiety gets the better of me.  I then start doing things that don't need to be done, like, let's clean the fridge and empty the freezers.  Or I think I need to totally empty the garage and wipe everything down and put it back, even though it is 112 outside.  You know ridiculous things.  Of course, I stopped myself, What I really need to do is get about 8 dresses out of the shop and get it cleaned.  

I just can't explain how hard this is sometimes.

I am having porkchops, applesauce, baked potatoes, fresh tomato slices and green beans for dinner. SO that is thought out.

Deep breath Kim, you can do this.  What I really need is Sissie here and I can't have her.

1. saved all my spare change

2. saved all $5 bills. Total $980.00 so saved $90 this week makes up for last weeks $5.  Many people paid in 5's this week

3. saved a $1, $5, $10, $20 bill

4. downloaded receipts to fetch

5. used coupon at Joanns

6. ate all meals at home

7. used sip and save membership for diet coke everyday saving trip to McD's

8. hung many clothes on the line to not use dryer

9. cooked most meals stove top to not heat up house

10. Using peppers, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, squash, green beans from garden

11. took neighbor to food bank at end of day, came home with apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, two huge watermelons, (gave one away), potatoes, lettuce, green and red apples.  Way more fruit than we can eat.  They were forcing fruit on us.  I will have to peel and slice the apple for pies.  

12. made a huge fruit salad we will eat on for a few days

13. paid tithing up for the year so now I only have to save $1600.00 for taxes and the rest of the years savings is for cream (fun) and pay down the house loan. 

14. Always bought gas at least expensive place.

15. back on a no spend at the grocer challenge

I do have 4 food points I have to use next week or lose them, so I hope to find a good meat mark down and get several dollars off.  Also have a 70 cents off gad voucher that I will use for the truck fill up after we go camping next week.

So that is it, now I have to get to that ^%$#@* wedding dress that I did not finish yesterday.

Say a prayer for Kim's mood, she needs it badly.  Plus, Sissie and Slugs are having fun..... pouty face.

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

Kim

Wednesday, Not buying anything

 I think today's grocery adds were the worst we have had so far.  Absolutely nothing to buy or add to the pantry.  Also, gas has gone up here from $3.77 to $4.19. I was so hoping with the price of gas going down that groceries would go down.

Hopefully gas will start to creep down a gain as it did go down over a dollar within a few weeks. I will remain positive.  But in the meantime, I will just live on what we have in the freezer and pantry.

My eldest grandson just started middle school yesterday, I just can't believe he is that old. If the last 11 years went as fast as they did, what about the next 11? Yikes Kelsa will be 13 and probably won't think I am the greatest thing ever.

Kelsa will be 2 on the 28 of August. I think I need another baby; my babies are becoming toddlers.  They just grow up too fast for this grandma.

Lots of sewing to do today, just too many dresses in the shop for my liking.

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

Kim

Tuesday, another chart, just shake your head

 

Finished another chart yesterday, with the few small things that were picked up and a little money left from groceries. So, I am onto 23 and far ahead of last year.

The house is still a shocking mess, and I don't care as I am going to finish my shop work before I worry about it. 

My chili yesterday was great and there is enough for dinner so no cooking.  I also made a large cucumber tomato salad with things from the garden. 

Sometimes I wonder about myself, well not even sometimes. let's say most of the time.

The one thing I did do as far as housework was concerned was get two loads of laundry washed and out on the line.  But I failed to bring them in last night and that was okay as there was no rain in the forecast. So, first thing this morning after making the bed I grabbed a laundry basket and headed out to get the dried clothes.

There was already a basket out there on the ground, and as I had two loads dried, I filled the first basket and grabbed the on dried, the ground and filled it with clothes.  Carried both in and emptied them onto the bed I had just made. 

Well, the basket that was on the ground had quite a bit of water in it from the sprinklers that went off this morning.  So, all the clothes at the bottom of the basket were soaked and the excess water was then dumped on the first basket of clothes and all over the quilt and coverlet on the bed.  And we are not talking about a little bit of water here. 

I had to strip off the coverlet and top quilt and haul them to line to dry and then sort through two baskets of clothes and see which were wet and which were not and then rehang them.  There were about ten pieces that had to be wrung out by hand they were so wet.  So much for Kim saving time.  When Hubs questioned me about the bed, I told him the story and he said the only good news about this is that I will probably never do it again.  He is right.  I hate it when he is right!!!

I ran to the post office and mailed off a pair of pants to a client.  It is cheaper to mail pants here from store, have me alter and mail to him than to try and get them done in the Boise area.  Where the wait times are over a month and the cost almost as much as my fee and postage. I also stopped at Joanns and bought bridal satin to put sleeves in a dress.

I am going to just work on wedding dresses today and see how many I can pump through.  I am hoping 4 or 5. I just want this shop a little less cluttered, it is getting claustrophobic. 

Schmills has lessons tonight so Hubs and I will have Kelsa and then Signe has to work tomorrow, and Nathan is up in Canada visiting his aged grandmother, so Signe' will spend the night with kids and then leave for the surgery in the morning. 

So, I am trying to decide besides dishes just how much housework I want to do with littles around tomorrow. 

Slug and Sissie are having fun, Sissie is taking Slug's to the commissary today and they have already stopped at Mcd's  and Slug's found change which she sent me a picture of to taunt me. Also, Sissie was up at 5 today getting paperwork done and then went to get Slug's a 1/2 cut tea this morning so she had one when she woke up.  (See that is the kind of care you get at Sissie's) THEN SHE PROCEEDED TO GET TWO PANS OF PISTACHIO BACKLAVA DONE BY 10 A.M. So now you know that I am not the only one!!!! Sissie always puts me to shame. I in the meantime was sorting already dry/wet laundry.

I am very, very jealous right now. I am also still a little damp.

Have you done anything stupid today?  Please share. Please!!!!!!

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

Kim.

Monday, Kim did nothing addition

 Kim did nothing Friday.  She slept, watched crap TV.  Went for a swim at sissies and then came home and went to bed to watch more crap TV.

Saturday, she slept until 10:37, got up and got ready to drive to daughters.  We spent the day shopping, ate out, went to the show and drove home.  I was home by midnight.  The house was a big mess, and I did not care.  Went to bed, woke at 10:30.

Got ready for church, went to church and came home and slept off and on for the whole day.  House still messy. Went to bed in messy house at 10:30 and got up with Kelsa at 7:30. House still messy.  I have a big pot of chili in the works and will make corn bread to go with it. Ignoring house.  Ignoring toys on floor of spare room. Do have a load in the wash that I will hang after this post and then start another.  But that is as far as I have gotten in cleaning.

Friday evening, I did run to Walmart and bought two large plastic containers to store costumes in but have yet to get them transferred. I really have been sloth like.  But I don't care.  Saturday was a big day of walking, over 12,000 steps and my legs were a little sore as I did not wear really good shoes.  I was tired so I just rested. You know the dirty house will not leave me; it will still be here after the kids leave.

Sluggy is with Sissie this week and I am very jealous.  They are going to have fun without me.  They have already called to rub it in and taunt me. I think Slug needed a break from the packing and downsizing of the house.  Lil sis's is a nice place to stay, she is the ultimate hostess.

I just so badly need to get my butt in gear.  I will have to convince myself to get busy.

So here is my list:

1. hem clint's pants and mail

2. alter three pairs of jeans at waist

3. put patches on military

4. hem shirt

5. hem two pairs of pants

6. alter shoulders of wedding dress and call

7. clean and organize shop

8. pull three more wedding dresses to get done this week

9. alter a pair of pants for a friend

Okay let's see what Kim can do when she puts her mind to something.

I also have a large pot of chili started and I will make corn bread.

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

What are you going to get done today?

You will notice there is no housework....

Kim who has done nothing:)

Friday, Fender Bender

 Well Hubs took off with his mom this morning and within 10 minutes I had a call from him, wondering what he forgot, and he told me he had been hit in the parking lot of the gas station. The police will not come when and accident happens on private property unless there is a bodily injury.

This is the third incidence of Hubs being hit in a parking lot and the other two times he did not get correct info or was lied to, and we ended up eating the bill.  So, as he was explaining to me that the girl who hit him had to go to work, I actually screamed, "STOP!"   I told him to grab two witnesses and keep her there until I arrived.

I made her call her insurance agent which happened to be the same company as ours and I sent hubs on his way in the truck. Both drivers' door and the passenger door are badly damaged, but the car is drivable. The only blessing out of this is that we had two small dings on the driver's door left by people who hit us in parking lots and now those will be fixed at no expense to us.  But I know hubs would have let her go and not gotten anywhere with info.  He does not have that capacity for confrontation. I felt bad for the girl as she was driving a big old Pontiac and it really wiped out our Subaru.

So, I have the whole house to myself, and I plan on doing a deep clean and a little sewing and then getting the ironing done tonight. No cooking, just eating leftovers.  Yeah, it is like a day off for me. I will miss mom; she was a joy to have this time. I called Hub's younger sister and told her I was worried about mom's breathing, and I thought maybe she should see her doctor. 

I want to get my shop cleaned today and some organization in there and then I will get a jacket done and work on one wedding dress.  The rest of the day will be doing what I want.  Mostly cleaning.  I have two boxes of costumes from the studio I used to own that the new owner dropped off.  I am going to try and sell them.  But I need to wash and dry them and then store them until they sell if they sell.  If not, I will donate.

Tomorrow, Signe' and I are driving to Spokane for some school shopping for Schmills, and she has theater tickets to a Broadway show at the colosseum.  SO, it will be a girl's day and night out, and I am badly in need of one of those.

I need to strip beds and get some laundry done.  I need to run to Walmart and get a couple of good storage boxes that mice cannot get in as these costumes were returned in boxes without lids.  I want to mop floors, and do a thorough vacuum, and clean out the fridge.

So, I have much to do and then I tell myself to go take a nap.

You guys doing anything fun this weekend?

Hmmm.... What will Kim do?

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

Kim

 

Thursday, Thrifty died... When Kim does not work

 When Kim does not work, Kim does not save.  I was in shock when I went to see what I had done to save this week. Oh well I can't always be putting excess money away.  But I did not think it was this bad.

Yesterday was so busy, I had 5 wedding dresses come in, it was constant doorbell and cars lined up in the driveway.

I did have a wedding dress go out and I did get the three bridesmaids done that I needed to have done and then last night after a nap I hemmed 8 pairs of pants.  That is all I had the energy for.  Those three dresses will go out today.

I want to get a couple if not three wedding dresses done today.  I need to get a few more out of the shop.  It is getting tight in there.

I just thought the season would wind down.  Now I know that October is the second biggest wedding month here, so I have to be prepared and get all those dresses done so I can go on my girl's trip and feel relaxed.  I can do this, if it will just slow down a bit.

Made spag sauce last night with my garden medley I boiled down Sunday night.  I used two cups in my sauce and froze the rest to make more sauce.  It was delicious. Hubs brings in handfuls of cherry tomatoes every day and we eat them like candy.

So, note the changes for the week when Kim is down and not out and about.

1. saved all my spare change (only contributed once to the bank)

2. saved ONE $5 bill this week.  Only one.  So total is $890.00 Kim needs to be out spending money to save 5's

3. saved a $1, $5, $10, $20 bill

4. ate all meals at home from mostly freezers and storage.

5. used corn, beans, tomatoes, onions, squash, peppers, cabbage from the garden for many meal sides.

6. Made enough boiled down tomato/pepper/onion stock for three good batches of spag sauce.  Froze two.

7. Cut and dried many herbs

8. Made two large loaves of french bread.  Cost .50 compared to $2.59 a loaf at store. Will use leftovers for french toast

9. used coupon at Joanns

10. downloaded a couple of receipts to fetch.

As I have been really down, I have not saved as much or in as many ways as usual, but that is okay.

Mom and Hubs are returning to Nampa tomorrow and he will stay over and come home Saturday.  He would like me to go, but the thought of 11 hours in the car when I have so much to do here is overwhelming.  Plus, I just need to rest and having him gone will allow me more of that. 

Mom is considerably weaker than she was at Christmas.  This is good in some ways as she is not trying to come into the shop and help me (not). She is not nagging me to eat and following me around with food.  But this has a downside as we realize she is just slowly leaving us in some ways.  Where is the mom that could walk a mile?  Now she gets to the end of the driveway and turns around.  She has to lay down and rest after she makes up a bed.  She is just so very tired. I am really worried. If we go to the store, she often stops and finds a place to sit and rest. 

She still insists on living alone and we want her to be able to do what she wants as long as she can.  It would be lovely if she could pass in her own home, but the longevity in her family will probably prevent that. Aging parents are so hard.  But I also know it is very hard on them.

Well, I am off to get some work done.

Have you done anything to save money this week?  Are any of you eating from the garden?  If so what?

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

Kim

Wednesday, Another chart!

 I should have completed this last week but I was too sick to get a bride in for a pick up.

I have had 4 bride dresses come in today, one went out yesterday and one will go out today.

No pants got hemmed yesterday when I realized I had another bride dress due out soon.  But I did get two brides done so I am proud of that.

Today is three bridesmaids and press a bride dress.  I also have to get at least 6 pairs of pants done.

I officially have too much to do.

Sorry for the short post but I must get to work.

Crappy add for groceries.  But gas is 3.82 here and cheese can be bought for $2.50 a pound which is what it was before the prices started to rise.  We may be seeing progress.

I am going to sew hopefully I can report on accomplishing something tomorrow.

Yikes!!!!!!

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

Kim

Tuesday, Is it August?

 Yes, it is August, I guess I knew that, but it really hasn't registered, and we are 1/3 the way through. I just went and looked at my July goals and realized I failed on many.  One of them was to go visit a dear friend who was put in a care center.  I would always bring her a Diet coke and we would solve the problems of the world, or just have a nice bitch session. Well, I didn't get there, and she passed a few days ago.  I feel terrible. If only I could see her one more time. I don't even fell like I can go to her service, with this cough.  I don't know when it will rear its ugly head.

I started this cold July 27th, and even though I have tried to keep up, I really haven't.  As I became sicker and sicker, time just went by. We have only been out once on the Kayaks, and summer is passing.  I can't even think of going out right now as I am too weak.  I have made no goals for August, as I am just hoping to make it through at this point.  

I think goals are important.  Right now, my goal is to get through the day.  I had a really bad coughing attack last night at 3 a.m. Woke the whole house, even the deaf husband.  I had to take codeine to get it to quit. I had not had a bad attack all yesterday, so I was surprised that I was woke up by one.

I did get that bride dress and grooms suit done yesterday, but I also took a nap. I did get the eggrolls made.  They are not hard, just so much grating and chopping.  When I make them, I always make 20 and I think how can we eat 20 eggrolls? I will freeze some, but then Lil sis asks for some, and I took her 6 and Signe' dropped over and took some to her and Nate and after we ate, we were left with 3. SO, mom and Hubs just had those for lunch.

I have that left over pork roast shredded and I will make a batch of coleslaw to go with it.  Oh yippee, more shredding and grating.  Is everything about cooking shredding and chopping and grating?  I swear it is.  I know when I was teaching Irish dance, I always told my students, "If you don't like hopping constantly, don't take Irish dance."  So, I guess if you don't like chopping, grating, and shredding, don't cook? Something like that?

Today I have 13 pairs of pants to hem, and a bridesmaid dress and another wedding dress and I hope to get to another wedding dress and a set of bridesmaid dresses.  I am behind for the month on wedding dresses. But I will do what I can a nap again if I get too tired. Realize that I can hem a pair of pants (if it is just a rolled hem) in less than 5 minutes, so it is really an easy job. I just have to stay at it!

Okay I am off, to slowly work on something.  So excited.... I think.

Oh by the way gas is down to $3.92 here!!!!!!! Thankful, so $1.32 a gallon less than a month ago.

What are you doing today?  I need to live vicariously through others.

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

Kim

Monday, I think I am going to make it!

 This is how I feel today.  I have a lot to do.  Don't know how much will get done.  But I am going to try, I think.

I did nothing Friday or Saturday.  I did feel good enough Saturday to go out and do a little shopping and then came home and made up two quiches, but then I was down.  I had so much coughing Saturday evening that I thought I would go back to the doctor on Sunday.  I felt like I was going backwards.

Sunday was a little better, but again slept late napped most of the day.  Woke up about 5 and felt pretty good.  Made a couple of pumpkin pies as that is what Schmills wanted.  Also took all the tomatoes, and peppers, onions, and boiled everything down as there was not enough for a canner full.  This is in the fridge, and I will freeze it for adding to spag sauce.

I think I will finally get to the egg rolls tonight as I have not felt well enough to do them.

Mom is better but is suffering from some vertigo. I told her to be very careful not to tip her head backward when she is walking.  But her cold symptoms are better.

Thanks for all the well wishes.  I am still weak, but on the mend.

I want to finish a set of wedding alterations today, and I need to shorten William's gee. He is taking karate.  Kelsa wants a gee also and has to put on a white sweater and have a ribbon tied around her it is so funny.

My cousin from Montana stopped by with his wife yesterday.  We had not seen him since the baby's funeral.  We had a nice visit; he is also interested in taking grandpa's grandfather clock.  It is a beautiful expensive piece, but I really had no intention of having it end up back here. So happy it can go to him and maybe later one of his nephews. It will free up a corner of the living room.

I am still just really tired, mostly just exhaustion that I am fighting now.

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

Kim

Friday, make up post all things Thrifty and not!

 

Boy did hubs get into it yesterday.  I was really too sick to be driving but I didn't dare leave my MIL home alone.  Hubs of course did the clueless man thing.  I really think they just don't think. 

I swear I could be laying in a pile on the floor unresponsive and he would step over me and ask my corpse what is for dinner. It must be an on the spectrum thing because he just doesn't handle any kind of disruption well, plus he won't wear his hearing aids and was forcing his mom and I to holler and neither of us has a loud voice right now. 

I got to the doctor and was much sicker than I thought I was.  Doctor was upset.  She said it was a rebound infection (yeah like I have never had that before) but this also crept into my lungs.  I needed to go home and stay down for at least 16-24 hours to get anti biotic into my system.

Well mom is sick, and I did not want her getting up and walking to the bathroom by herself.  Do you think I could get Hubs to pay attention and stay on task?  Nope not a clue. I had to keep getting up to take care of her.  Finally, I txt Signe' and she showed up on her lunch break just as her dad was asking about what he could have for lunch and oh what about dinner? By the time she got done with him he was pretty mortified. I was to be left alone.  I was not to be talked to or asked any questions.  He was only allowed to speak to me if the house was on fire.  He was to take care of his mom.  She also returned after work and chewed on him some more.  Poor darling, I am trying to feel bad for him, but I just can't.

Feeling much better this morning.  My head is not exploding, and my aches and pains are diminishing. Still coughing but everything is loosening up. My breathing sounds like crinkling tin foil it is so weird.

It is Winnie (Braunwyn) and Dan's anniversary today.  Hard to believe this was three years ago.  But Oliver just turned two so that is about right. Dan is up in Spokane having his 3rd MRI this afternoon to just check on his seizures.  But we are all at peace with that now.

I did turn my phone off yesterday, something I rarely do, but still had clients show up that needed to pick things up. That was hard.

 Anyway, on with life.

I am going to take it easy today, may do a little work, but I doubt it.  I wanted to get another wedding dress out today as I had one go out yesterday, but it can wait until next week.

Here is my frugal Friday list, usually it is Thrifty Thursday

1. saved all my spare change.

2. saved all my $5 bills. $885.00 total so $55.00 this week in 5's

3. saved a $1, $5, $10, $20 bill

4. add $73.  something to my penny can for my penny savings.

5. Bought a large amount of meat on a great sale and brought it home and rewrapped it for the freezer.

6. had a neighbor bring me zucchini

7. cooked all meals from home with items we had here

8. took a mess of green beans to Oliver's party for fried green beans

9. eating, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, green beans, squash, peppers out of the garden.

10. Used coupon at Joanns

11. bought gas at least expensive station gas is now $4.19 here and dropping.  So grateful.

12. downloaded receipts to fetch

13. Found a sip n save program at a local gas station, where you pay $7.99 for the month, and you can get a free giant soda every day.  Much less expensive than even the $1 sodas at Mc d's.  Bonus for Kim

14.  Part of Oliver's birthday was clothing I had paid $1. $2. $3. for on great baby sales.  But also bought him a bubble machine.  I don't want to be the clothes grandma.

15. used my clothesline instead of dryer

Things I did this week that were not frugal

1. bought Mom a gallon of orange juice to get her calories up, and help with her cold

2. made a candy bouquet out of reeses candies for a friend's birthday

Rather a boring week for money savings, just the same old same old, but remember it all adds up.

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

Kim is going to lie down.

Kim

 

Thursday, Infection post

      Mom fell in the bathroom this morning.  She says she just passed out.  She has a bump on her head.  But she also has the beginnings of the cold Hubs and I have had.  Not the way I wanted to start the day.

I have her on the sofa and she is not allowed to get up by herself without help.

Hub's surgery is set for the 26 of Sept.  So that is finally scheduled.

I was up all-night coughing as I have a rebound sinus infection (of course).  So, at the doctor first thing this morning, pneumonia both lungs and sinus infection.  Fell horrible.  Waiting for anti-biotic.

terrible headache, chills, fever. love my lie. worried about mom.  say prayers please.

going to bed.

Kim  Don't worry this is my quarterly infection just went into my lungs also.

Wednesday, I stand corrected!

 Okay Kim stands corrected.   My comment or rant about the woman spending $277 on groceries for her family of 6 was not correctly thought out. As I have never shopped for a month.

Many people pointed out that she might have been shopping for the month for her family, and this may have been an average shop if you consider the number of people who are eating.  If hubs and I stick to $70 a week, multiply that by 6 and you would get $210 a week. So, $277.00 is not far off.

I wasn't trying to be critical as much as I was amazed that anyone could afford that.  Hubs retired 6 years ago and even when our three daughters were home our grocery budget was no more than $40.00 every week back then.  But I supplemented with a large garden for 5 months of the year. I canned and froze food. I gleaned where I could, as in free potatoes, onions and fruit. Hubs hunted, and we always had venison (although I did not like it). I had a huge storage, and only bought loss leaders.  I just taught myself to pinch pennies.  SO now when I see people doing a regular shop for a family, I just can't understand it.  That would be a grocery budget of over $1000 a month.  When Hubs brought home, $907 on one paycheck and $889 on another and that was it for the month and that was only 6 years ago you can see how I would panic.

Hubs has his appointment with the oncology surgeon today in Pullman. We will get a date for his surgery hopefully today.

I was very happy with what I got done in the shop yesterday, I even have those two remaining bridesmaid dresses that I wanted to get hemmed, cut and ready to go, but I had to get thread to match one of them and I was also out of bustling buttons. SO, first thing on the agenda for this morning is to get those dresses hemmed before we leave for the doctor.

Tonight, we are having, tomato, cucumber, onion salad, form the garden.  Then I will do a stir fry with green beans, cabbage, yellow squash and zucchini, and onions all from the garden. I love this time of year when the garden starts to produce, and you just plan your meals around what is out there. Anne in the Kitchen reminded me of the 6 egg whites I have in the fridge when she posted about a quiche/frittata recipe.  I have to make a couple of quiches and use those up, but that will be easy with all the produce I have right now especially peppers. Kim is going to pull a lb. of Italian sausage from the freezer.

Our eldest daughter Jethelyn just called from a kitchen gadget store in Denver asking me if I needed anything.  I love me a kitchen gadget.  I was telling her about this post, and she reminded me of her childhood and how the other parents would bring in fast food or junk food from a gas station for their kid during late play practices.  I would be bringing in two or three plates of food covered in tin foil.  Like a pork chop, homemade applesauce, a baked potato, green beans, and some kind of homemade dessert.  I had to feed Jethelyn, Hubby who was usually in the pit, and I would feed the show director. If I brought food in after school it was always a batch of cookies, or a sheet cake, or a couple of loaves of fresh bread or rolls, with butter and peanut butter because many kids had parents who did not bring them food and they were hungry. Kids always commented to her, but not in a bad way.  It is not that I never brought in fast food, it was just not a norm.

Good memories, bad memories.

Well, I am off to get something done, oh by the way Rhitter started a new blog, now let's get off her case as we all knew this was going to be a cluster when she moved close to her daughter and ex-husband.  It's called a do over folks, and we all need one from time to time.  Support is important not criticism.

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

Kim

Tuesday, Frustrated, Kim will get something done!!!!

 I am determined to get something done today. The shop was very busy yesterday, with lots of people in and out, and many phone calls, but not much work getting done.

I did not get any bills paid and I am determined to do that right after this blog post. 

I did get my soup over to Lil sis's, and mom and I went and picked up a few groceries we needed.  Again, I was shocked by prices going up even higher, although gas is down under 4.30 a gallon here so that is good.

There is enough soup left for today's meals and we had leftover pancakes for breakfast. I ran to the store earlier to get a book of stamps, and if you hit Albertson's early in the day Tuesday before the sale papers go out on Wednesday you can usually find very good meat sales. I hit pay dirt and found $86.00 worth of beef.  The fact that I spent less than $100 last month with my grocery challenge, allowed me to not feel the least bit guilty buying steaks, roasts, short ribs at rock bottom prices.  These are all wrapped and in the freezer. 

I observed a woman buying $277.00 worth of groceries and I was shocked.  She did have 4 children.  But I have never had that kind of money. I just don't understand where people get the money they have.  Am I just delusional? Or did I miss something?  Are you ever shocked by how much some people spend on groceries? Trying not to be judgmental but I just feel sorry for people.

Okay, Kim has got to get it together and today is the day!

1. pay all bills

2. take bills to mail that need mailed

3. get red shirt done

4. get burgundy pants done

5. hem two pairs of jeans

6. hem a pair of dress pants

7. hem a pair of dress pants

8.hem a pair of jeans

9. hem dress blues

10.hem 3 pair of police pants, one dress pair, two utility

11. hem bridesmaid dress

12. hem bridesmaid dress

13. pull wedding dresses by date

We are having left overs for dinner so no cooking here, I have no excuse not to get this work done.

Now to do it!

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

Kim

Monday, Another chart, on the mend!

 Finished another chart on Friday.  I only got out of bed to greet two clients picking up dresses Friday afternoon. Spent most of the weekend in bed. Hubs went and picked up his mom on Saturday and I rallied to do a little housework but stayed down most of the day.  My cough was loose but really bad. I went to bed early Saturday night and slept until 2 Sunday afternoon.  Felt much better when I woke.  

We had Oliver's party last night at Signe's.  He turned two. He can say." I two!"  Which of course we find amazing. I took up a slew of green beans and fried them for a side dish.

Right now, I have chicken hind quarters in the crockpot, I cooked them all night.  I am making a large pot of homemade chicken soup with homemade noodles.  Even though it is in the triple digits here, we all need the soup to clear up our colds.  Lil sis's husband now has covid and is quite sick with it.  They are covid central so I will be dropping soup off on the porch later today.

Here is Schmills, getting ready to eat his strawberry pancakes at grandma's this morning. He just loves pancakes and so does grandpa.  Kelsa likes the whip cream.  She ate all of hers and then helped grandpa with his. 

I have much to do today.  A couple loads of wash to hang, and need to get to the store, for, milk and juice and bananas.  Need to get my soup ready.  Need to pay bills, need to check savings challenge and figure how much goes into my penny can this month. Need to stop at staples for printer paper.  I need to get three bridesmaid dresses done and a couple of piles, then I have three wedding dresses due out this week. 

Covid and a bad cold/flu are rampant around here.  Everyone I know is down sick or has been or is getting.  Then we have the triple digit heat which does not really help you feel better. So glad I am on the outward cycle of this crap.

So, we are officially in a recession.  But do not fear.  We have all the skills to manage this, without letting it greatly affect us.  Take frozen chicken hindquarters from freezer, that you paid .49 a lb for.  Add, carrots, onion (free) celery, make your own broth.  Add herbs (grown by you) now make homemade noodles with flour, salt eggs and water. Huge pot o' soup for pennies a serving.  Now add a homemade biscuit shortcake with strawberries you picked from your garden.  What could be better. Remember root veggies as a basis for many meals will save money.  Even if it is just potato salad with a few slices of bacon for flavor.  Just a little meat and a lot of veggies.

We will all figure this out and help each other get through with our awesome money saving savvy, or maybe just pure grit.

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

Kim