2022 AUGUST - What Did You Do To Prep This Week/Month?

It seems the first of the month is a busy time for me - started the new thread a whole 5 days late!

Husband is still going to doctor's appointments to gather information and a baseline in case he ever needs dialysis or a kidney transplant. Another issue has cropped up, we are waiting on results. Not life-threatening, but still will need to be addressed.

The niece and her girls from Oklahoma came to visit. A whole lot of the family took off to sight-see nearby, and I got to stay home with the baby. We had a grand time.

We did the grocery shopping and garage sales today. I picked up a small pet carrier for the cats and a newer, more plastic Singer sewing machine. Both cost me $10. I don't need another machine, but as I told Husband, if someone else does, I can clean this one up and donate to any family member or friend who wants to try sewing (as I've done in the past).

The new dog is integrating well. She has some commands, but we need to work with her some new ones. She loved the baby and got quite concerned if the baby cried. At one point, grand-niece became anxious with all the people and retired to her room. My new dog went with her and sat in front of her...not necessarily guarding, but between her and other people who might come in. She was not aggressive in any way, just seemed to be a comforting presence. She also did very well with the niece's dogs - the Jack Russell and her played endlessly, and occasionally let our other dog play along. The dachshund is old, but my two respected his space, so I'm pleased about that. MY older dog also seems to have lost his fear of children...he willingly let my grand-niece pet him and hung out with her a few times (We all kept watch, though).

I still need to finish up with the commissioned quilt and I got another tasking from the neighbor - I'd set up a princess tent for the grand-niece and sewn a squishy pillow/mattress for it. Neighbor loved it and wants the same thing for her granddaughter. So I ordered the princess tent and bought the fabric today.

Same neighbor gave me a slew of cucumbers and tomatoes since our garden pretty much died due to lack of care while Husband was hospitalized, and then all the doctor's appointments. I canned 4 quarts of marinara sauce with some of the tomatoes and Husband made spaghetti with the rest, except a few we saved for sandwiches. I also canned 6 pints of strawberry jam. Niece brought more, so I'll probably can those, too.

My peaches got to large cherry size, and while still hard and green, something ate all of them in one night. The fruit didn't even mature or ripen! I really want to cage the tree and the garden, but it's a large task due to the size of the tree and the area. With all the medical issues, it's just not in our plans for now.

We're still walking to dogs as often as we can very early in the morning.

Beyond that, just taking care of ourselves and pursuing our hobbies through this heat wave!

The black berries are done for the season 41gal this year. Just finished canning 24 pints of Salsa. I will start canning Chicken in a couple of days.. There is always something to do

Moved mother-in-law into our home and getting everyone acclimated to the new setup. Better for her and more piece of mind for us.

Gotten a lot of delayed dental work taken care of in the past week or so for me, and the last two weeks for my wife. Will be finished with delayed work by next Monday, so much happier about that.

Been getting a lot of tomatoes from the garden, giving some away to a neighbor and eating lots of fresh tomatoes at meals. Much better than the store bought stuff. Even had a few of the onions from the garden and surprised at how big they got so quickly. And strangely enough, they taste like regular yellow onions.  

As for stocking up, we're in the finding out phase of what works best for mom, so once we've figured that out I can stock up on what she considers essentials to keep everyone happy during the next supply disruption. But mom did come with us on our last warehouse club stocking run, so she has an idea of what's available.

Went to a doctor's appointment in the big city and finished yet another test for Husband's baseline as far as his medical issues.

One of Husband's must-do's was to change his diet to the renal diet - we have found several good recipes online at the DaVita Dialysis website. I also tried a granola recipe from a renal diet cookbook. I altered it a little, but we are enjoying it and have even passed the recipe on to others.

Apple Cinnamon Maple Granola

3 cups puffed rice cereal
3 cups old fashioned oats
4 ounces baked apple chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preparation
Preheat oven to 275° F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients bowl. Mix very well to coat dry ingredients.
Divide mixture onto the 2 baking sheets.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, changing pan position (move pan on top rack to bottom rack) halfway through baking.
Helpful hints
Instant oats contain added salt. Old fashioned rolled oats are preferable as they are lower in sodium.
Packaged apple chips vary in size. Select the brand closest to 3.4 ounces.
Store granola in an airtight container.

As I mentioned before, we've resumed our morning 2 mile walks, but it has still been intermittent and averaging only 3-4 times a week. Still working to get it back to every day.

Our neighbor brought even more tomatoes and cucumbers over, and bell peppers! I gave the cukes to my sister, and I'll probably be canning salsa and marinara in the next day or so. Husband wants to make some spaghetti to can, too.

The latest Backwoods Home Magazine had a couple dog treat recipes in it, so I gave my sister, the baker, the ingredients and she made some. The dogs love them. I'll probably not be buying too much in the way of dog treats anymore - these are healthier and no preservatives, either. I keep them in the fridge.

We're expecting company in the coming week so my focus has shifted to housekeeping and getting some meals in the freezer so we can concentrate on the visitors.

My wife made Elderberry Jelly . It was our first time trying this and it came out great... Our garden is almost done except for a few tomato's and peppers.

Its time to start doing other things

Man Dave, I've not had elderberry jam since I was a kid, when grandma would make it. We used to pick elderberries, 50 cents a bushel for the old timers to make wine.

Well, finally the hot spell here at home is over, 5 days straight of hot, humid weather, although, it never got to 90 degrees here, it was just to darn humid for me. Last night it got down to 48 degrees, just the way I like it.

Finished cutting the hay for the year, got more then enough, have lots to sell or give away. Garden is still producing. Cleaned and froze a lot of tomatoes, green beans and peppers.

The sweet corn is now ready, the grandkids pick it and sell it down the road. Sweet corn is going for $8.00 a dozen. I told the grandkids to sell it for $6.00 a dozen. I let them keep the money from selling it, they're a real help to me, so this is just one of their benefits I give them. Last year they made over a $600.00.

My butcher is coming this week to take 2 heifers to be butchered, money in the bank. Going to have 2 more butchered in the fall. With beef prices soaring, I'm going to have a couple more bred this year.

Well, my weekend didn't start as intended. Yesterday we hit a couple garage sales before the weekly grocery shopping. Husband found a pizza stone with metal handle/carriers for $3. I picked up a really pretty potholder (free) and a glass Nativity for my collection ($3).

This morning my sister texted. Her 20 year old dog couldn't walk and was falling over. Disoriented, not doing well. So I called around and we took her on her last car ride to the vet. Husband dug a hole while we were gone and we buried her beside her pack mates who passed earlier this year.

I processed the tomatoes the neighbor gave us before she texted, and when Husband finished the hole, he came in and made his homemade spaghetti sauce with all the tomatoes 13 quarts!

The dogs are getting 2 walks, one long one in the morning and a short one in the evening. Still not consistent, but we're managing 3-4 times a week.

rick1 wrote:Man Dave, I've not had elderberry jam since I was a kid, when grandma would make it. We used to pick elderberries, 50 cents a bushel for the old timers to make wine.

Well, finally the hot spell here at home is over, 5 days straight of hot, humid weather, although, it never got to 90 degrees here, it was just to darn humid for me. Last night it got down to 48 degrees, just the way I like it.

Finished cutting the hay for the year, got more then enough, have lots to sell or give away. Garden is still producing. Cleaned and froze a lot of tomatoes, green beans and peppers.

The sweet corn is now ready, the grandkids pick it and sell it down the road. Sweet corn is going for $8.00 a dozen. I told the grandkids to sell it for $6.00 a dozen. I let them keep the money from selling it, they're a real help to me, so this is just one of their benefits I give them. Last year they made over a $600.00.

My butcher is coming this week to take 2 heifers to be butchered, money in the bank. Going to have 2 more butchered in the fall. With beef prices soaring, I'm going to have a couple more bred this year.

We planted some elderberry and will probably plant some more this fall.. It will be great for preventing sickness this winter. The wife got $10 per gallon for her blackberries. Sweet corn around here is $15 a bushel..

I planted an elderberry bush, too. It is thriving in it's pot, but is too small to bear fruit yet. Hoping to transplant to ground later.

Went to the big city today for more consults for Husband. Things are still looking good, and stable.

I made more granola and even some oatmeal cookies for our next guest, one of our kids. Arriving sometime tomorrow.

The gardens are finished with summer fruit and veggie bearing. I still need to harvest potatoes, but beyond that, we got nuthin'. With all the health issues, we'll be letting it go for now.

Husband canned 7 quarts of chili today.

Neighbor delivered more tomatoes, so we'll be making spaghetti and marinara to can.

Picked up our car, which we put in for A/C repairs and new brakes, got it back this afternoon.

Tomorrow is another doctor's consultation for Husband and we're off to do our weekly grocery shopping and yard sales.

The visit with the kid went well. Brought lots of almost expired food from the LTS pantry they maintain. Can't eat it all before expiration, so decided to share with us.

Husband canned another 18 quarts of chili with the neighbor's tomatoes. We were running low on our LTS stock as we keep giving it away.

I'm working on the commissioned quilt. Hope to get it done in the next 2 weeks when the recipient is moving into her new house.

The new dog is settling in well. She seemed to know some commands, although she doesn't always do them. I'm teaching her to fetch as she loves playing with the tennis balls.

We're having cool mornings and there is a hint that some leaves are starting to change color...Autumn is coming.

Grocery shopping and garage sales day.

Restocked and also bought some packaged food for our travels. We'll be going back and forth to the big city and I decided to have some snacks with us for the trips.

Garage sale finds:

2 decorative Christmas pillows
A bag of sewing patterns
An unopened bag of cheesecloth
A MagLite flashlight

I am now to the next stage of the commissioned quilt - it's all pieced, now for the quilting.

Got the 2 heifers butchered and my money, 2 more to get done in the fall.

Cleaned out the barn, lots of manure to spread this fall.

Ran the generators, cleaned the plugs too.

Garden is about done, froze the peppers, tomatoes, corn, onions and some squash. Hauled down some more firewood for next winter or two.

Changed all the filters on the 2 diesel tractors and changed oil. I only have about 100 gallons of diesel left, I hate to have to pay over $500.00 to fill up my tank, but it'll be higher next year.

All I got left to do before winter is cut and chop up the left over corn for the cows winter feed, along with the hay.