Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: February 11 - 17, 2024

briches

Veteran Member
Rain here today as well. All day.

Five meals planned for the week utilizing ingredients we have on hand. They are mainly “throw together“ / pull from the freezer meals (Soup, pot roast stew). This helps so much with our budget.

My intention is to get more walks in this week. I have GOT to get back to it. There. I said it. It is GOING to happen. Lol

May you all have a blessed week ahead -
 

Toosh

Veteran Member
I'm preparing for the garden season this week. The weather is wet but it's warm, nothing rubber boots and a hat can't handle.

I'd like to hit the ground running for a change. Winter always seems to linger and linker then BAM! one day it's hot and muggy, Somehow spring catches me by surprise and then I feel behind in the garden. They're little projects:
  • Make 3 new trellis's as I plan to grow more pie pumpkins this year and want them up, off the ground. (allotting 2 hours)
  • Repair the blueberry cage, which is chicken wire and pvc pipe. (4 hours)
  • Repair a tomato trellis - I string em up and over a pvc pipe, overhead but last year it warped under the load of beefsteaks. Moving up from 1" to 1.5"pvc and adding support in the center. (30 minutes)
  • Construct an additional strawberry cage - now I have a full 10' long raised bed of strawberries (yum!) 4 hours.
  • Prune 2 peach trees. I don't like them more than 7' tall because I hate harvesting from a ladder. (1 hour)
  • Prepare JADAM recipes for the season. (3 hours)
  • Add a security camera to my system so I can keep an eye on the garden. I sometimes wonder if I'm loosing produce to 4 legged varmints or the 2 legged kind. (1 hour)
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
No rain, partly cloudy, and 40 degrees.

SB, I answered your post on last week's thread.

This morning, my back was much better! I started the laundry, went for my walk, and did a little cleaning. I've got a whole chicken roasting (for cutting up) and beef stew in the slow cooker (most of which will be frozen).

This afternoon, I'm going for "Sunday drive," (going to look around the area at some things I'm watching, including some new builds), and then maybe a nap. My energy is better, but I'm still not 100%. I had some blood work done, which showed low iron. I'm addressing that, but I'm told it can take several months before I really see results. In the meantime, I need to follow up on why it was so low, since I'm in my 60s and not losing blood monthly. That part is taking awhile. I may have to see a doctor in Iowa City.

Wishing everyone a productive and fun week!
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I'm preparing for the garden season this week. The weather is wet but it's warm, nothing rubber boots and a hat can't handle.

I'd like to hit the ground running for a change. Winter always seems to linger and linker then BAM! one day it's hot and muggy, Somehow spring catches me by surprise and then I feel behind in the garden. They're little projects:
  • Make 3 new trellis's as I plan to grow more pie pumpkins this year and want them up, off the ground. (allotting 2 hours)
  • Repair the blueberry cage, which is chicken wire and pvc pipe. (4 hours)
  • Repair a tomato trellis - I string em up and over a pvc pipe, overhead but last year it warped under the load of beefsteaks. Moving up from 1" to 1.5"pvc and adding support in the center. (30 minutes)
  • Construct an additional strawberry cage - now I have a full 10' long raised bed of strawberries (yum!) 4 hours.
  • Prune 2 peach trees. I don't like them more than 7' tall because I hate harvesting from a ladder. (1 hour)
  • Prepare JADAM recipes for the season. (3 hours)
  • Add a security camera to my system so I can keep an eye on the garden. I sometimes wonder if I'm loosing produce to 4 legged varmints or the 2 legged kind. (1 hour)

Toosh, I can totally relate to spring coming in with hot temperatures. That happened here last year. That's why I've been taking advantage of the weather and helping to haul mulch around. The more we can get done now . . .
 

moldy

Veteran Member
it's stopped snowing, but there's still quite a bit on the ground. The sun has come out, so I imagine it will all be gone by late tomorrow.

@Toosh
Prepare JADAM recipes for the season. (3 hours)
... explain please. I can enough for an army usually (the last 3 or 4 years being the exception). Today for lunch we are having kielbasa canned with potatoes and green beans and seasonings. It's a tad spicy, but not bad. It was an inspiration last year when the potatoes and late green beans came in at the same time.

I've managed to clean the house and do a couple loads of laundry. Bread is making as I type, and I need to do some computer stuff. It's turning into quite a nice day!
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
It's still raining here. Thunderstorms possible later this afternoon. Everything here is soggy muddy. It rained all day and all night, so I didn't get to go for my walk, yesterday. I might not be able to get it in this afternoon, either. We'll see what the weather does.

DIL's mother is moving to another town. Everyone works, so she ask Cary and I to take her to her new apartment to sign the lease and pay her deposit tomorrow morning. All of the other paperwork has already been signed. She plans to move next weekend. This will take up most of our day tomorrow. It's a good drive to go pick her up and take her all the way there, and another good drive to get her back to where she lives now.

I'm planning to skip my middle of the month grocery shopping this time. I haven't got a single thing on my list. We're going to spend the day with Mom, instead. That will be Thursday.

Those are the only plans we have for this week as of right now.

Home fellowship was great, today. All of the gang was here.
 

philkar

Veteran Member
Rainy day here today but warm. Working on getting seeds in containers in the greenhouse this week. We will haul chicken litter and continue to haul composted sawdust. Strawberries look great so far! Hope to harrow as soon as ground is dry enough. And hope to get February's dormant oil applied as soon as weather allows it. It seems like the weeds never died all the way this winter so I am trying to get them out in the future squash patch and other areas. Like many of you I am trying to get more of a rhythm in the kitchen. I usually bake bread on Tuesday and Saturday but once the garden stuff starts I kind of run around like a chicken with my head chopped off! I do batch cook on Friday and Saturday which for me is sometimes just chopping, slicing, and getting everything together for the meals. For years I did monthly cooking but not any more as there are just the 3 of us! That is my reward for getting them all raised! Plus I hate to put a lot in Freezer thinking that privilege could disappear. But that is just my personal thing. I do freeze my batch cooking for the week.
Still praying for those of you that have expressed needs and may you all have a productive peaceful week!
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
It rained all day, yesterday. Rained all night, and it's still raining this morning. We had some training thunderboomers that kept going over us last evening, too. Nothing severe.

We had to get up really early this morning to get our day started. We have to pick up DIL's mom at 9:15 am, so that causes us to have to leave our house around 8:45 am. I hope it doesn't take her long to get her business taken care of. She also wants to show us around her new apartment. I just hope she's happy with this move. She's moved 4 times in 4 years. Can't seem to be happy no matter where she lives. In 4 years, I believe the only place she would be happy is to move in the house with DS and DDIL. She can't seem to detach herself from DDIL. DS has put his foot down on that, though. This new move takes her even farther away from her, and she's already complaining about that.

Nothing else planned for today, because I don't have a clue what time we'll get home. I need to do laundry, but it can wait until tomorrow if it has to.
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
When I woke up the sun was shinning but it didn't last long, its dreary overcast and cold at a damp 44. We won't see much sun this week except for tomorrow. I'll appreciate it all day. Not sure what I will do today, laundry, maybe. Although I generally don't wait for a full load anymore like I have all my adult life.

We don't have anywhere we have to go this week except church.

Yesterday at church there was a pot luck for valentine's day, pastor grilled chicken leg quarters. Some with bbq sauce and some plain. I prefer the plain because bbq sauce is so messy. Although leg quarters are our least favorite. We don't eat chicken very often.

We may be getting two or three eggs a day what with the additional chickens.
 

feralferret

Veteran Member
Still recovering from being ill and driving back home. Took three naps yesterday evening and another one this afternoon. I could use another one right now. Other than tired and sleepy, I am doing much better.

I need to look over the grocery ads and make my list for getting groceries Wednesday when my social security is deposited. We didn't get any groceries last week due to being at our daughter's house and are out of a few things. I'll place the order online tomorrow evening.
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I've kind of been avoiding posting much. My body hit a pause in recovery and I've been feeling absolutely crappy. I ended up calling the doctor's office yesterday to see if I could soak. Not shower. Not a quick bath. I had bone chills and needed a long, hot soak.

I don't think the nurse understood from the response. But I decided to risk it while making sure the incision sites were out of the water. Oh my God, I finally felt warm. I felt completely warm until bedtime. And at that point I turned on the heated blanket. I have a feeling I'll be doing that a few more times this week.

The recovery pause has had me feeling nauseous. I didn't eat until lunch yesterday, and almost didn't eat then. I'm just not really hungry at the moment. I know that is wrong and that my body needs the fuel to heal but it's just how it is.

I worked yesterday. That was interesting. I just had to do things slowly and calmly. And I almost worked a full 8 hours. My brain is kind of scattered so I'm writing things down. Writing everything down. And following my checklist.

The surgery somehow ticked off an old back injury. So random numbness and back issues. Fortunately the curcumin arrived and I'm using that for the inflammation. The biggest issue is realizing that I can't sit straight through for work. I have to get up and move regularly so that my legs don't go numb. Been a long time since that's been an issue.

Otherwise, it's been good. The easy prep meals have made life saner. So has using disposable items. But, oh lord, the trash levels.

Son is responding well to the return in routine. He did try to have a bit of stress tantrum yesterday. Until I pulled out the "mom voice" and reminded him that sick or not, I would not put up with it. That resulted in hugs. Most of it is his stress levels right now but he rarely misses an opportunity to test boundaries. Like he needs to know that I'll enforce the boundaries.

I have not started seeds. And with the health stuff, I think I'll end up buying seedlings again.

During the ice storm, someone slid off the road and hit one of my garden beds. The wood fram is destroyed. I've been bouncing ideas for replacing it. I promised myself that replacements are going to be higher so that my spine won't get quite so pissed at me. But the materials have gotten pricey.

Then I remembered that I have siding tin to make a bed with. After some digging, I think I have it figured out. I need some time in the hardware store to confirm things. If I'm correct then the replacement beds will be made from that. I can replace whole beds for a decent price. Put them at a spine friendly height. And they will look "pretty" without a lot of extra maintenance and/or effort. I just need to check a few things for the corners and cut edges.

Anyways, need to get a quick nap in before I'm up for the day. My body woke up at 2 and that's not quite enough sleep.
 

ioujc

MARANTHA!! Even so, come LORD JESUS!!!
Hello everyone.
Very tired the majority of the time these days. Move to my niece 's house has not turned out as I thought it would. Not only did they force me to leave behind about 1/3rd of my preps, but are actively opposing me replacing these. Feel very isolated and alone in terms of having kindred spirits here. I am also struggling to forgive them for controlling what I was "allowed" to bring. My niece "rolls her eyes" whenever I bring up anything about food shortages, prepping or "end times." They totally deny any need to prep for anything.

If you are so inclined, would you please pray that my depression would be lessened. That, and pain are making life unpleasant. VERY unpleasant.
 
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SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Hello everyone.
Very tired the majority of the time these days. Move to my niece 's house is not turned out as I thought it would. Not only did they force me to leave behind about 1/3rd of my preps, but are actively opposing me replacing these. Feel very isolated and alone in terms of having kindred spirits here. I am also struggling to forgive them for controlling what I was "allowed" to bring. My niece "rolls her eyes" whenever I bring up anything about food shortages, prepping or "end times." They totally deny any need to prep for anything.

If you are so inclined, would you please pray that my depression would be lessened. That, and pain are making life unpleasant. VERY unpleasant.

I've added you to my daily prayer list, ioujc.
 

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Hello everyone.
Very tired the majority of the time these days. Move to my niece 's house is not turned out as I thought it would. Not only did they force me to leave behind about 1/3rd of my preps, but are actively opposing me replacing these. Feel very isolated and alone in terms of having kindred spirits here. I am also struggling to forgive them for controlling what I was "allowed" to bring. My niece "rolls her eyes" whenever I bring up anything about food shortages, prepping or "end times." They totally deny any need to prep for anything.

If you are so inclined, would you please pray that my depression would be lessened. That, and pain are making life unpleasant. VERY unpleasant.
Hugs. Definitely sending prayers.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Yesterday went well. It took longer than we had expected to get all of the paperwork done and the lease signed. Then, we went to look at her apartment. She's really got a nice place. There is a community garden for those in the apartment complex. All kinds of community activities to get involved in. She plans to move Sunday. I don't know if she will need our help, or not. She hasn't asked us.

I've got a lot to do today. Laundry, bake a cake, make up my meatloaf for tonight's supper, clean up the kitchen, and sweep. Rain has stopped, so I might get some mopping done, too.

Have a nice day, Everyone.
 

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
Praying for you, IOUJC!

Remember, you are exactly where GOD placed you! It's awfully easy to concentrate on what you've lost, but the way things were going in your old place, it was a matter of time before you lost all your preps to arson, or worse, someone found your body! Your nemesis was NOT going to stop, and it was clear law enforcement wasn't going to help.

Ask God to help you bloom where He planted you! Try to give thanks every day for blessings, and ask for help with forgiving your niece. Concentrate on the good things, and remember, God works *everything* for good in people who love Him!

And if necessary, see a doctor and ask for an antidepressant... even taking one for a few months while you adjust to the huge changes and losses can really help. And it can also help with pain...BTDT.

Apparently, God has a plan for your life yet...

Summerthyme
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
praying for ya'll that are suffering.

The sun is shinning and the rain has stopped for now anyway. More expected later in the week.

I dreamed I was going through my pantry and rearranging it, dating all the cans that don't have dates.

IOUJC have you considered Ginko Biloba (sp) for your depression. It helped me a long time ago when I felt helpless and hopeless.
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
Prayers said for everyone!

Off to HyVee for one paczki! [Pouch - KEY] (Mardi Gras today). Yes, it's a Polish pastry for Fat Tuesday.
I was introduced to these when I lived in Michigan. They are like a super-sized jelly donut,
only with a lot more filling. Just one! We won't discuss the calories.

I look forward to eating one all year. Mmmmmm!

1707842869070.jpeg
 

ioujc

MARANTHA!! Even so, come LORD JESUS!!!
THANK YOU ALL for prayers!!!!

I am very grateful to have friends here, who understand and are of a similar mindset!!!! I haven't been here as much lately, but I am STILL ADDICTED to this place!!!

Have been watching a lot of videos by "Two Watchers Live" lately, and am learning a VERY GREAT DEAL about the Bible and the end times, but there is not the same type of friendships and sharing as there is here. I find I just really still NEED my family here too!!!

GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!!
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
I wanted a king cake when all the hype started and finally got something similiar and it reminded me that I don't really like the traditional king cake, but the ones slathered in cream cheese are delish. But once I had that cake I got over my excitement for Mardi Gras. I lived it for many years and am glad to be away from the madening crowd.

My first mardi gras I of course drank a lot, and I remember sitting on a street corner in the quarter with my bottle of Boones Farm and looking up to see some people I knew from OKC, I was embarassed but I laughed it off. No more sitting on a street corner for me after that but it did take me some years to stop the drinking round the clock. Now I don't drink at all, just have not taste for it.
 

Toosh

Veteran Member
... explain please.
JADAM is a natural farming/gardening method where the fertilizers and insecticides are mixed by you, according to the recipes developed. It saves a lot of money. With the cost of fertilizers going up and getting more difficult to locate I've started using this method. Last year was my first year and although I can't say it was strictly because of this, I will say that my harvest increased by more than 30%. It was my best year ever! I'm going to do exactly the same thing and hope I get the same results this year. Search JADAM on YouTube but if you like what you see I highly recommend buying the book. It's on Amazon.
 

prudentwatcher

Veteran Member
Sigh, the decluttering has begun. The house is beginning to look like a hoarder's house. All useful stuff, I have just run out of places to put it. Time to go through everything and decide what needs to stay and what needs to go. Did a bunch of clothes today. Still a ton more to go on those. Should never have to buy clothes again for the rest of my life!

Whole house project will probably take several months, but it has started. I can only do a little bit per day.
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Sigh, the decluttering has begun. The house is beginning to look like a hoarder's house. All useful stuff, I have just run out of places to put it. Time to go through everything and decide what needs to stay and what needs to go. Did a bunch of clothes today. Still a ton more to go on those. Should never have to buy clothes again for the rest of my life!

Whole house project will probably take several months, but it has started. I can only do a little bit per day.
I've slowly been working on my house too, right now I'm working on the area where my recumbent bike is in the living room, I've been trying to clean out that corner for the longest time. I need to get on that bike every day.
 

anna43

Veteran Member
Last week I decided to clean and reorganize some of my storage shelves in the basement. I got rid of some stuff (yeah) and moved other stuff to clear space to move all the boxes of quart jars. I wanted the space where the jars were for my prep supplies for laundry, dish soap, etc. Well, I got the shelves cleared off and instead of moving the jars there I moved the other stuff there. Senior moments seem to happen more often and last much longer!!! Anyway, today I did the switch and now have things where I originally planned for them. I also have several empty shelves, so more reorganization is in my future. The shelves where I moved the jars to allows me to stack them three deep instead of two so that saved a lot of room.

The chicken (5 5# bags) is still thawing but I intend to start processing it tomorrow frozen or not. I will cook it in the oven, then debone/remove skin, dice and then start filling jars.

Today I took my recycling to the bins since it was sunny and nearly 40 degrees. Then went through the car wash with my vehicle -- haven't washed it in three years. Came home and wiped everything dry then vacuumed the inside. I'd vacuumed it a couple time in three years so that wasn't so bad. While the car was sitting in the sun drying, I swept out the garage and vacuumed the corners and step into the house. The step is covered with outdoor carpet and large enough for stepping onto it with a walker, so it takes a bit of effort. I needed two extension cords and an adaptor which took a while to find. I left the adaptor on the vacuum and found a longer cord and hung it in the basement stairway so hopefully next time I will have those at-hand. If I believed in hauntings, I'd be worried about my late dh coming back to let me know how badly I've failed by not washing the car!! In my favor, I only drove 1002 miles last year and only slightly more the year before. Most of the time my vehicle is parked in the garage.
 

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
Some people celebrate Lent by donating / tossing 49 items or 49 bags of stuff . . . Or whatever!

And, yes, easy does it! And I'd add this suggestion: one room or closet at a time, or even one drawer at a time. It can get overwhelming quickly, especially if you haven't been feeling well.

I try not to start anything that I can't finish within the limits of my energy, be it 15 minutes or 1 hour. If I were doing a room, I'd divide it into sections that I could work on 20 minutes at a time.
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Getting the area where my bike is in the living room cleared out makes me want to get to my treadmill. That way I can use both of them daily, I'll have to start easy and work my way up.

I got on the bike for a few minutes and the pulling I was feeling in my right thigh has deminished and that from just a few minutes.

Now if I could just get back on my inversion table to help my back, its out in the cabin, but there is room to use it out there.
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
So I was watching a ytube video about prepping. He is upping his preps to cover 7 years. Because that's what they did in the Bible before the grain shortage. Correct me if I wrong but I think he said it was Joseph that did that, I need to look that up.
 

moldy

Veteran Member
Yes it was Joseph. Reread those chapters, especially Genesis chapter 47 - they are very eye-opening. Especially how Joseph essentially enslaves the Egyptians by selling them back what they grew for the seven good years, then moving them all into cities where they were easier to control. There really is nothing new under the sun.
 
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