Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread September 3, 2023 to September 8, 2023

[tech]

Just for fun. This Is a once in 1000 years event.
Add your age and your birth year. Everyone will be 2023.
If you haven't had a birthday yet this year, use the age coming up.

Hate to tell you this, but that works for whatever year it is LOL

Fall potatoes going in this weekend. Also adding a louvered fan for where the solar system lives...it was around 150 degrees in there this year. Part of the grape arbor got blown down, so fixing that is on the agenda...weather permitting.

Haven't been buying much additional food and such lately, just topping off what we used during the week.

 

[WanderLore]

That's funny though. It's just something my sis sent me

 

[SouthernBreeze]

We're in for some heavy thunderstorms throughout the day today, so nothing going on outside. I'll just be glad to get more rain. More fall like temps are in store for us, so maybe, the hot weather is over for the year.

Cary talked to the tree guy this morning, and he is supposed to come start on our tree tomorrow, unless rain is a factor. I want the tree gone but am nervous about them cutting it at the same time. Our house is right underneath it. The tree is about 80 ft. tall, and it would take 3-4 men to reach around the base of the trunk. Yeah, that big. Right at 100 yrs. old or more.

I've still got some dating and putting things up in my freezer from shopping, yesterday. I stocked up on more cake mixes of all kinds, and those will be bagged, dated, and put in the freezer, along with more egg noodles. Constantly using and replacing all things pantry wise. It's like a never-ending story, and I will hate to see the day we're cut off from being able to buy and replace.

I hear rolling thunder in the distance.

 

[nomifyle]

Good thing I don't really need anything at the grocery store. With my electric bill so high for August I'll have to use grocery money to pay for it and nothing again will be added to the cash stash. But there are blessings everywhere.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Good thing I don't really need anything at the grocery store. With my electric bill so high for August I'll have to use grocery money to pay for it and nothing again will be added to the cash stash. But there are blessings everywhere.

Our highest electric bill for the year was last month's bill. It was $140. It went down a bit for August. With Fall in the air, we can enjoy much lower bills, now. I'm looking forward to the $50-60 a month bills during the fall and winter.

By the end of the month, I won't be able to put any left-over budget money in our emergency stash, either. It's going to take it all this month.

 

[nomifyle]

Our highest electric bill for the year was last month's bill. It was $140. It went down a bit for August. With Fall in the air, we can enjoy much lower bills, now. I'm looking forward to the $50-60 a month bills during the fall and winter.

By the end of the month, I won't be able to put any left-over budget money in our emergency stash, either. It's going to take it all this month.

Our bill runs around 150 a month in the winter unless its really cold. The wood stove is in the front room and doesn't warm the rest of the house except some in the living room. When the bill goes down I'm stashing as much as I can. I don't have to go into my emergency money to pay that big electric bill.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Our bill runs around 150 a month in the winter unless its really cold. The wood stove is in the front room and doesn't warm the rest of the house except some in the living room. When the bill goes down I'm stashing as much as I can. I don't have to go into my emergency money to pay that big electric bill.

We use very little electricity during the fall and winter, which saves us a lot to put into our emergency fund. We heat, heat most of our hot water on the wood heater, and I do some of my cooking on the wood stove. We use lamps year around, except in the kitchen when I'm cooking. When living in a small house, a little light goes a long way.

We make up for the savings on electricity with my big household budget, though. There is no way we could have an electricity bill as high as yours.

 

[nomifyle]

We use very little electricity during the fall and winter, which saves us a lot to put into our emergency fund. We heat, heat most of our hot water on the wood heater, and I do some of my cooking on the wood stove. We use lamps year around, except in the kitchen when I'm cooking. When living in a small house, a little light goes a long way.

We make up for the savings on electricity with my big household budget, though. There is no way we could have an electricity bill as high as yours.

I've always been thrifty at the grocery store, so that helps. Good thing I'm not trying to stock up now.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I've always been thrifty at the grocery store, so that helps. Good thing I'm not trying to stock up now.

OMG! If I could cut our meat bill just in half it would save me a lot. Cary won't eat wild anything, except catfish. We are overrun by deer and wild hogs, but he will not eat it. Maybe, if he's starving. I can't get him to raise our own chickens, because he would make pets out of them and wouldn't butcher them. Eggs would be nice, since I go through about 4 dozen in a 2 week period. I'm on an egg and meat diet right now.

 

[John Deere Girl]

OMG! If I could cut our meat bill just in half it would save me a lot. Cary won't eat wild anything, except catfish. We are overrun by deer and wild hogs, but he will not eat it. Maybe, if he's starving. I can't get him to raise our own chickens, because he would make pets out of them and wouldn't butcher them. Eggs would be nice, since I go through about 4 dozen in a 2 week period. I'm on an egg and meat diet right now.

You can raise chickens just for eggs, bug control, fertilizer and entertainment.

We are raising meat chicks right now, and I sincerely doubt I'm going to feel terrible when we process them. They are obnoxious, and go after me anytime I feed them and change their water out. It's like fighting off tiny dinosaurs.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

You can raise chickens just for eggs, bug control, fertilizer and entertainment.

We are raising meat chicks right now, and I sincerely doubt I'm going to feel terrible when we process them. They are obnoxious, and go after me anytime I feed them and change their water out. It's like fighting off tiny dinosaurs.

I grew up around chickens running loose, so I know how they are and funny, too. I got attacked by a rooster when I was really young. From then on, I stayed clear of that dude. I loved going around to all the nests gathering eggs with my grandmother. Cary even milked her cow, once, after we were married. That was a sight to see with him being raised in the city all of his life. No one thought he could do it, LOL.

Our oldest son who lives but a couple of miles from us, is trying to get started raising his own chickens for eggs and meat. Cary is content with letting him have all the fun.

 

[spinner]

I am drying more herbs today. I just sealed up some mixed herbs and another jar of parsley. I have a tray of lovage that is nearly dry. I am going to put a couple trays of horehound in the dehydrator today. I want to dry some more nettles, but they aren't ready yet. I cut them down about a week ago and they have not regrown yet. I can use them for tea, but I like to throw them in soup or any place I would use parsley. I want to do some tea herbs, too. Mints, lemon verbena, lemon thyme and whatever else takes my fancy.

Does anyone dry summer squash, the yellow kind? I have more than I can use and would like to preserve some. I have frozen it, but I don't really like it frozen. I don't pressure can so that is not a solution. I don't want to make "chips", I would like to rehydrate it and cook it with onions the way I do it now. I guess I will just have to experiment unless someone has some advice.

DH and I are going to a garlic festival on Saturday. I will pick up my seed garlic so I don't have to use what I grew. I like to plant different varieties so I will have to see what I find.

 

[KMR58]

I am pretty much by the book (Ball Blue Book) on canning. However, I did join a canning group on Facebook that has quite a few members from Europe, and they can a lot different than we do. Not as much water when they water bath, and they water bath everything. I find it interesting, but I'm not willing to try it. The only thing I may try canning will be butter, , but that's pressure canned.

This is the method I use. It works very well.

View: https://youtu.be/uW-uvaegwUI?si=mFpDZtITz_hDW3aW

 

[John Deere Girl]

This is the method I use. It works very well.

View: https://youtu.be/uW-uvaegwUI?si=mFpDZtITz_hDW3aW

Thank you! I appreciate you sharing this!

 

[kyrsyan]

Well, it seems there was an explanation for why I have been feeling so yucky. Two different types of infections. And a kidney stone that appears to have passed during the night.

And then the migraine that tried to just pop up in the last 15 minutes or so on the way to the doctor's office.

If I didn't have to work today, I'd just go back to sleep for a while. For whatever reason, the prescriptions still haven't appeared at the pharmacy. I'm going to give it another hour and then call the doc's office back. Until then, off to work.

 

[nomifyle]

Our chickens are just for eggs, although the little boogers are not laying anything right now. I may have to buy eggs. I bought meat this last shop just to have some kind of variety. I baked some riblets yesterday with BBQ sauce on them and they were tasty. I got them on sale. We still have a good supply of venison and pork in the freezer, just wanted something a little different to cook for DH.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Our chickens are just for eggs, although the little boogers are not laying anything right now. I may have to buy eggs. I bought meat this last shop just to have some kind of variety. I baked some riblets yesterday with BBQ sauce on them and they were tasty. I got them on sale. We still have a good supply of venison and pork in the freezer, just wanted something a little different to cook for DH.

I bought a box of those frozen 1/3 angus beef patties you mentioned, yesterday, at Walmart. I thought we would give them a try as for being something different, too. There is one meat Cary can't seem to get enough of, and that's beef.

 

[nomifyle]

I bought a box of those frozen 1/3 angus beef patties you mentioned, yesterday, at Walmart. I thought we would give them a try as for being something different, too. There is one meat Cary can't seem to get enough of, and that's beef.

The are delicious. I like beef myself but an content to eat ground venison and pork. The beef patties are good for a treat. DH loves hamburgers.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

The are delicious. I like beef myself but an content to eat ground venison and pork. The beef patties are good for a treat. DH loves hamburgers.

If Cary could live off of just one thing it would be a home cooked bacon cheeseburger and French fries. That's what I bought the frozen patties for. He'll be the taste tester, LOL. I forgot to get the hamburger buns, lettuce, and tomatoes, yesterday, so he'll have to wait.

 

[nomifyle]

I also got the one with the bacon, but DH will eat his burger with cheese and yellow mustard and probably without the cheese and bacon.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I also got the one with the bacon, but DH will eat his burger with cheese and yellow mustard and probably without the cheese and bacon.

Now that our temps are cooling down, we're not eating many salads and sandwiches as we were, so I didn't have buns, tomatoes, and lettuce on my shopping list for groceries. I hardly ever buy those during the cooler months, and we have our own tomatoes during the summer.

Cary's dream burger has to have cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, dill pickles, and onions, with mustard and ketchup.

 

[nomifyle]

Now that our temps are cooling down, we're not eating many salads and sandwiches as we were, so I didn't have buns, tomatoes, and lettuce on my shopping list for groceries. I hardly ever buy those during the cooler months, and we have our own tomatoes during the summer.

Cary's dream burger has to have cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, dill pickles, and onions, with mustard and ketchup.

DH would consider that a salad.

 

[connie]

Went to the grocery this morning. It was the monthly 10% senior discount day. Mostly got canned goods, cornmeal, dry beans. Some produce. Looked at meats because I'd like a few more roasts in the freezer. I could not believe the prices. Quality is good and thankfully I can afford it but need a little time to adjust to the prices.
I saw a large cherry pie in freezer case that was $18 ! I haven't been able to find canned tart cherries around here.

Didn't go through every aisle but it still feels like ' filler' items are out and that things have moved around.
Produce looked ok but not super plentiful.

Did buy fresh roasted green chile. So chile rellenos for supper tonight. Repackaged and froze the rest.

Beef is my favorite too.

Bananas were in bunches but price was 25 cents each. Thought that was very odd way to price them.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Went to the grocery this morning. It was the monthly 10% senior discount day. Mostly got canned goods, cornmeal, dry beans. Some produce. Looked at meats because I'd like a few more roasts in the freezer. I could not believe the prices. Quality is good and thankfully I can afford it but need a little time to adjust to the prices.
I saw a large cherry pie in freezer case that was $18 ! I haven't been able to find canned tart cherries around here.

Didn't go through every aisle but it still feels like ' filler' items are out and that things have moved around.
Produce looked ok but not super plentiful.

Did buy fresh roasted green chile. So chile rellenos for supper tonight. Repackaged and froze the rest.

Beef is my favorite too.

The cheapest roast I saw at Walmart was $23 and some change, yesterday. It was only large enough to make us one meal. I can't afford that along with all the other meat I stock my freezer with. I guess it's been 6 months or longer, since I bought a roast of any kind. I can't even afford the beef stew meat that I'd like to can.

 

[prudentwatcher]

I pick up a little here and there. Picked up a 24 pack of votive candles yesterday. Today I got 2 packs of toilet paper, 2 bottles of Dawn, and 2 clearance cans of Off. That cost me $10 and Walgreens gave me $5 in rewards plus a $1 coupon for my purchase. That's how I like to shop. Now I have $14 on my Walgreens account for my next purchase. I usually use it for toilet paper and distilled water.

Off to Sam's tomorrow, hoping to find a few things.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

We're sitting around here waiting for the tree cutters to show up. Cary thought they would be here by now, since it's going to be a huge job, but the man hasn't called, yet to tell us he's on his way. He said he would call first, so we would have time to open our gate and have our dog in the house. We have nothing planned for today, so I hope it's not a "no show". I absolutely hate being "stood up". If they do come, I won't be in the house for a while. I'm scared to stay in the house while they are cutting on the tree. If they make a mistake, a limb can come crashing through the roof.

So, we wait......

 

[nomifyle]

Church last night, got the Sunday bulletin done. The most time consuming part of doing the bulletin is folding them. It doesn't take much to plug in the current information and since I've been doing them for a couple of months I've get it down pat.

I do think I need hearing aids, its getting hard to hear on Wednesday night and sitting closer doesn't work because DH doesn't want to change places. Although I think I should comment less because I disagree with some things because I have not been indoctronated in the mindset of some the older Christians.

 

[prudentwatcher]

Sam's club had a lot of stuff, but it was expensive. Pork steaks were $3.48 a lb, so I passed on those and got two chickens instead. Chuck roast was $5.49 a lb and I got a pack with the 2 smallest in them. Was still $20. Will use one from the freezer for dinner tomorrow and will vac seal these.

Also picked up some Gatorade and some butter, and a few snack kind of things. Not a bad shopping trip.

 

[moldy]

Could use some prayers this afternoon. Can't say much, but I would appreciate it.

 

[kyrsyan]

@moldy , prayers up. I hope it all goes well.

I ordered a new doorbell and two more security cameras. When they come in, I'll need to see if I need a wifi booster to reach the garage. The doorbell will replace the current one when we get the transformer installed.

And finally getting a grip on work again. Or at least getting my required items current. Can't say much on the surprise research projects except that they keep coming in.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

The tree cutter guys were a "No Show", today. Not even a phone call to explain why.

 

[connie]

That is so aggravating SB. If they dont want to do It, just say so.
I'm sure you're worried they will do part of job and disappear then come back weeks later to finish. I would be.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

That is so aggravating SB. If they dont want to do It, just say so.
I'm sure you're worried they will do part of job and disappear then come back weeks later to finish. I would be.

We've already been waiting 3 weeks on them. He told Cary last night that they would be here today, early. Now, nothing. We got up at 5am just so we could get everything moved out of their way and mark where our septic tank and field line were located. Cary's patience is wearing thin with the man and is already thinking of getting another company to do it.

He won't get paid a dime, until the work is completely finished. That includes stump removal and yard cleanup afterwards. I guess it will depend on how bad and how soon he wants to get paid.

 

[kyrsyan]

I hate no-shows. At least do the courtesy of a phone call and tell me that you had another job go over. Or something. Not just dead air. Because dead air is motivation for me to immediately find a replacement unless I am somehow locked into using a specific source.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I hate no-shows. At least do the courtesy of a phone call and tell me that you had another job go over. Or something. Not just dead air. Because dead air is motivation for me to immediately find a replacement unless I am somehow locked into using a specific source.

If the man doesn't call or come tomorrow, Cary will be calling him. If he gets put off again, he'll find someone else to do the job. If the man isn't trustworthy, I don't trust him or his guys not to do major damage to our house bringing the tree down. The tree looks so bad that I'm afraid it's going to fall on the house every time a hard wind blows through. We had 4 severe thunderstorm warnings here last night, and I was more scared of the tree than I was the lightning in the storm.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

It's a cool 61 degrees this morning. Clear skies. It actually felt refreshing when I opened the back door this morning. We went almost all day, yesterday, without even running the floor fan.

A huge limb fell out of the "tree" last night. Cary had to get his chainsaw out to cut it up, so he can move it out of the yard this morning. It's so big he might actually get some firewood out of it. It fell out into the yard instead of on the house of which I'm very thankful. It must have been weakened by the storms we had the other day. It's getting dangerous just to be underneath the tree. No call from the man this morning, and I doubt the crew works on weekends. If we don't hear from him, today, Cary is calling a different company, Monday.

Not much going on today, either. Doing a bit of regular house cleaning is all. With the weather being so cool, today, I think I'm going to cook a big meal tonight, instead of a quick pantry meal. I have boneless chicken breasts thawing in the fridge. I'm making Summerthyme's garlic cheddar chicken recipe. It's one of our favorites. I don't know, yet, what I'll make to go with it. It's not carb friendly, but my egg diet is blown anyway, so what the heck. I'm already burned out on eggs.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Cary couldn't use the limb for firewood. The outer edges inside were still hard, but the inside middle was spongy. It still had green leaves on it, too. Cary thinks the whole tree is spongy on the inside and is dangerous enough that he is calling 2 other companies to come out and give us their estimates and time they can do it. Whichever company gets here first to actually do the work gets the job. We're both very frustrated and nervous about the whole situation.

 

[aviax2]

@prudentwatcher The chickens are so delicious and a really good value.

@moldy Prayers up.

@SouthernBreeze Ugh, I hate when people do that! And we’ve had to deal with several “no shows and no phone calls” this summer. I hope you find someone soon that has a better work ethic and treats y’all as a customer should be treated.

I just poked my head out the door and the temperature seems really nice for a change. It wasn’t too bad yesterday either thank goodness as the concrete finally got poured for the little covered patio aka DH’s kitchen, and it made it so easier on the DH and friend finishing the concrete.

My decluttering/cleaning continues on. My closet looks great, all that’s left to do in there is when I get the vacuum storage space saver bags I ordered that should here today for some blankets/quilts to fit on the overhead shelf. DH took a big load of things to Salvation Army this week, clothes that were still in good shape but that I didn’t wear for one reason or another, purses, etc. Plus things like a foot spa (that had never been used), Home Interior items, just so much stuff. Many things also went to the trash. I also put aside some things for the school my DD’s work at, new socks and shoes for the school closet and a huge bag of beautiful fake autumn leaves I bought for a project and never got around to, they always have a fall festival each year so this should help them. I went through my jewelry box (which isn’t saying much) and tossed a few things, set some aside things for my daughter’s and granddaughter to see if they want and granddaughter is getting the jewelry box to play with if she wants it (I already ok’d with mommy). I only kept a few things out of it and I’m so glad to have that job behind me.

Although I’ve gotten some decluttering/cleaning done in the bedroom, I decided the hall closet (which was about as bad as my closet) needed to be done and it would be easier to put all that stuff coming out into the bedroom instead of the hall, since it’s across from the bedroom and I wouldn’t be adding dust to a clean room. Everything got pulled out, sorted, decisions made, some things went into donation bags (even some light bulbs that we can’t use), some items tossed and only things we needed/wanted went back in there. It’s finished and organized to the point I can now put the upright vac in there instead of the laundry room! My last pet(s) died several years ago but I still had leashes, food and treat canisters, food and water bowls in there. As I don‘t believe I’m up to the task of training, vet and grooming visits, I don’t believe I’ll have any more so the leashes were added to one of the donation bags and the bowls and canisters will be going to my daughters house for granddaughters new kitten.

I‘ve got a few lists going of things I need to shop for, most of it being personal things for myself but not too much. For the house I need a set of rugs for the bedroom and an outside rug for the back porch entry as that one is coming apart but it has been out there since 2010 so I guess it’s time! I seem to be good on cleaning items, laundry products, personal products thank goodness. I want to get finished with the bedroom and laundry room in the next few days which neither are all that bad, so I can move on to the pantry and see what I need to resupply.

Well I’ve rested while writing this book so back to work!

 

[nomifyle]

Apparently the reason we are not getting eggs is because DH only sees 5 hens, we had upwards to 30+. He has seen a cayote out there. Looks like we will be buying eggs. Can someone recommend a brand of eggs, I haven't bought any in years.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Apparently the reason we are not getting eggs is because DH only sees 5 hens, we had upwards to 30+. He has seen a cayote out there. Looks like we will be buying eggs. Can someone recommend a brand of eggs, I haven't bought any in years.

I just buy the large white grade A in the blue carton at Walmart. They might not be the best, but they are cheap and serve our purpose.