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

Yeah, once again, late. Sorry.

Lots of doctor's appointments this past few weeks to create a baseline for Husband's chronic kidney issues. He is currently stable, and all is well. He did have to get some new meds and they do appear to be working. He's just very tired most of the time. That's an issue they'll address i the future.

To raise money for her doctor bills, my sister and I did a local swap meet. I sewed small things (bowl cozies, towel/potholder sets, ice cream cozies, potholders, and candle mats). She made an assortment of breads - banana, apple, and pumpkin. Also made some snack mix and cross-stitch ornaments. We sold enough to pay the next quarter year of bills. Also picked up a commission from a friend to make more goods!

While she held down the table at the swap meet, I ran off to a yard sale where there was fabric. I bought 2 garbage bags stuffed with fabric...for $4. There's over 100 yards of fabric!!!! I also got an electronic keyboard for $15. Picked up 4 Hallmark ornaments for $1 each.

Husband has been canning on the days he feels good - more chili and spaghetti with plans to do some different soups.

Autumn is approaching, leaves are falling, and it's getting colder on the morning dog walks. We're stocked with plenty of wood for the stove, and all the amenities we need if the power goes out.

Ya'll stay safe.

Cinnamon wrote:Yeah, once again, late. Sorry.

Autumn is approaching, leaves are falling, and it's getting colder on the morning dog walks. We're stocked with plenty of wood for the stove, and all the amenities we need if the power goes out.

Ya'll stay safe.

As I have mentioned, before, you may be late, but I move so slowly that this tends to be a twice or thrice per year, update.

I pray that your husband remains in better health than the doctors expect, and that he keeps you company for years to come.

I have a portion of my stores audited, but tend to pull, randomly from the portion that isn't, so I did a partial audit on those. Of course, they were a disaster, so last month and this month, I am building them back up.

I bought some K-1 Kerosene. The K-1 I bought three years ago was $8 a gallon, in a metal can. The K-1 I bought last week was $16 a gallon. That works out to 26% inflation, for each of three years. Or 40% annual inflation, since Biden got into office. Kerosene is my third line of defense, if electricity and gas are both out.

I also bought a small generator, and have some fuel, but should get more, next week.

I cut some wood, last year, for the neighbor (I have wood that needs cut, and she has a wood stove). I should cut some more, once the temperature drops sufficiently to put the bugs (especially the tics) to sleep.

The wood I will be cutting is an ash tree that fell, but got caught halfway down, two years ago. Hopefully, the wood is pretty dry, already.

K-1 kerosene at walmart is only $10.87/gallon

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crown-1-K-Kerosene-Clean-Burning-Fuel-1-Gallon/51741742

rick1 wrote:K-1 kerosene at walmart is only $10.87/gallon
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crown-1-K-Kerosene-Clean-Burning-Fuel-1-Gallon/51741742

Not much demand for it here, so WalMart doesn't carry it.
Nearest WalMart to carry it is St. Louis.

Lowes does, and charges extra, since they don't sell much.
Maybe 30 gal all winter.
I just bought one gallon, so I am not out much money.

I have 5 gal in a metal can I will keep, and this gallon.
I plan to burn the gallon I got in a plastic jug last fall.

Ran the generators and topped them off with ethanol free gasoline, that's $5.59/gallon.

Finished cleaning the garlic to plant, planted 100 at camp and 200 here at home, gave the x-tra to the neighbor to plant in his garden.

Cleaned the wood burner and flue in the garage, don't have a fire there yet but have had one in the house for about 3 weeks steady.

Fired up the mower and pulled the leaf raker around the yard to clean up the leaves, all the maple trees are now bare, but the oak trees are still loaded.  

Calling for chance of snow flurries on tuesday and wednesday, it's that time of the year, we had snow flurries last year on October 17th of 2021.

Brought down some more firewood from the woods, I'm ready for winter, bring it on.

Finally got a new snowblower as the old one was a decade old and starting to show its age.

Have been keeping things stocked up as best as we can, but had to search around for sugar. No bags of white or brown sugar at our wholesale club, and not a lot of selection at the local markets. I still have plenty in LTS, but wanted to get enough new to make it through the holiday baking season. Couldn't find molasses at either the wholesale club or at the usual market, will be trying the other specialty markets this coming weekend.

Was able to vacuum pack 8 pounds of ground beef in one pound portions, so we'll have plenty of taco meat and/or hamburgers for the next month or two. And added some frozen stuffed shells to try out with mom since she's never had them here.

Just trying to keep the pantry and the freezer stocked to the tippy top since things haven't really been calming down (the midterm election rhetoric has been heating up, the Ukraine War is rapidly heading for a final showdown, and China is all but openly calling for a military invasion of Taiwan...gee, how could anything go wrong.)

dmwalsh568 wrote:Finally got a new snowblower as the old one was a decade old and starting to show its age.

Have been keeping things stocked up as best as we can, but had to search around for sugar. No bags of white or brown sugar at our wholesale club, and not a lot of selection at the local markets. I still have plenty in LTS, but wanted to get enough new to make it through the holiday baking season. Couldn't find molasses at either the wholesale club or at the usual market, will be trying the other specialty markets this coming weekend.

Was able to vacuum pack 8 pounds of ground beef in one pound portions, so we'll have plenty of taco meat and/or hamburgers for the next month or two. And added some frozen stuffed shells to try out with mom since she's never had them here.

Just trying to keep the pantry and the freezer stocked to the tippy top since things haven't really been calming down (the midterm election rhetoric has been heating up, the Ukraine War is rapidly heading for a final showdown, and China is all but openly calling for a military invasion of Taiwan...gee, how could anything go wrong.)

We buy 3gal (5 gal is getting to heavy ) buckets and lids from the local bakery and store our sugar/ flour in them. They will hold 25lbs of each.. We finally had to order sugar from Wal-mart on line. Our local Wal-Mart has been out for over a month.. If you have Amish around you.. Check out their bulk store they might have what you need or will order it for you...

We had a hard frost last night and a possible snow flurries tonight.. So the garden is done..

I went and bought a lawn sweeper today going to start putting leaves and lawn clippings on the garden..

Its going to be a rough winter better stack stuff to the ceiling

Dave58 wrote:We had a hard frost last night and a possible snow flurries tonight.. So the garden is done..

That reminds me, I also got a bale of straw for winterizing the strawberry patch. Hoping to give them a leg up for a spring crop...

Thanks, T-Rex for the prayers for Husband's health. Your prayers and all the other prayers are working. He is stable, but very tired due to some of the drugs he has to take. They have adjusted some so we shall see what transpires.

Husband has been using the mower to mulch the dead leaves back into the soil between freezing rains.

I have been sewing, mostly commissioned stuff right now. I have already used about 10 yards of the fabric I scored for various projects.

Our local no-kill animal shelter, where we got our new dog, has asked for bedding for the animals they're having to shelter outside. I have enough batting, fleece, and a product called Insul-brite to make at least 2-3 self-warming bed mats to the size they require. So I will be sewing some of them, too.

Beyond that, we're simply restocking what we use, doing regular winter maintenance of the homestead, and staying abreast of current events.

The times are troubling.