2019 - SEPTEMBER Prepping Updates

Started the new thread (rather late, but I was on vacation).

Grocery shopping and yard sales yesterday.

Grocery shopping was sparse as we just came back from 9 days on vacation. I just bought the basics - bread, milk, eggs and a few other small things.

Yard sales were great this week!

2 double box weekly pill containers (Husband broke his while on vacation) - $2
Fleece sleeping bag liner (looks like it was never used) - $2
Turtleneck shirt and fleece vest for me - 25 cents
Wire mesh box with 3 drawers for office supplies (I use them in the bathroom for disposable razors, makeup, and tools such as nail clippers, fingernail files, and little scissors ) - 25 cents
New Columbia rain jacket AND fleece shirt with zippered sleeve pocket - 25 cents (for both!)

My bell pepper plant produced 2 little bell peppers while I was gone. I had severely cut back the basil and the mint due to them looking scraggly and peaked. They have both generated new, healthier looking growth. YAY!

The battle bandages for the big first aid kit came in while we were gone.

Went to the Mother Earth fair over the weekend, learned a few things, the place was packed.

Rotated 25 gallons of gasoline and 10 gallons of diesel fuel. Split firewood and stacked it on the back porch, enough for about a month, (on the porch).

Cleaned the flu, with the help of the son in law, got a lot of soot out of it this year.

The peach tree cutting I tried to start about a month ago didn't take, so I'm going to try by planting them in moist sterile soil, instead of a water glass.

The garden is done, all plants are pulled and ready to plant the garlic next month. The small garden at camp is still producing. It's sad, I have a hard time giving away what I have down at camp.

Today was grocery shopping and yard sale day.

Grocery shopping:
Restocked what we used
55 gallon trash bags (stocking up for winter)
Kitchen trash bags (stocking up for winter)

For the LTS:

2 jars of ready-made gravy
2 cans corned beef

Yard sales:
A Tom-Tom GPS - $5 (now I have one in each vehicle)

Now that autumn is here (tomorrow, I think), I will start stocking up on several items such as bags of salt for the water softener and filters for our heating/cooling unit. Having to deal with bulky items in an icy parking lot can be treacherous, so I prefer to have all on hand to last us through the winter.

I did buy some small storage containers for more of the kids' keepsake stuff. I also bought a small 6 can cooler to keep meds in for when we travel. Husband and I did a vacation a few weeks ago, and I put the meds in a plastic shoebox. It was not satisfactory as the lid kept popping off, even though it was secured. I figured a small, zippered cooler would work better.

Today, we also finished a task that has been on the to-do list for a couple years.

A few years ago, we had the electric company come out and install a transformer box and kill switch so we could cut power to the electric line and divert it to a generator. I wanted no possibility of back feed electricity on the line, because it can kill unsuspecting linemen who work on the lines. The power company also ran part of the line for us, but said an electrician would have to do the rest according to where we wanted to put the gennie.

We finally bought the gennie a few years ago, but due to circumstances, couldn't get it set in place and hooked up. We wanted to make it as easy as possible to turn the generator on if the power went out. Husband dug the trench from the pole, and he and an electrician friend put wire in conduit in the ground, ran it into the garage, and installed all the components to power/vent the gennie from inside the garage. I'm not exactly sure of the terminology, but a switch on the electrical panel can be turned on from inside the garage to power our water well, and with judicious use, the electrical panel inside the house can have fuses turned off and on to power stuff inside the house, too. They tested the whole thing, and everything we need is as it should be. Now, we just pull the kill switch at the pole, plug the gennie into the specialized wall socket in the garage, and turn it on. Husband can easily service it, too (it's on wheels). This was a huge leap forward in our preps and it's a relief that we've finally been able to complete it.

Husband also got some more gas cans used for racing and some nozzle components to make it easier to transfer gas to vehicles, the lawn tractor, and the generator. We can now store 50 gallons.

I'm still working on de-cluttering, getting rid of stuff we no longer need and using the space for more preps.

Been busy took out the pantry shelves and added more
It is always a work in progress lol

Way to go Dave

That looks awesome, Dave!

Thanks folks.. I really enjoy canning it really gives me piece of mind and if the shtf my kids and grandkids can come here and eat . They may get tired of veggies but they will eat .....

We have a long way to go on the pantry I am going to try my hand at making doors next so I can keep the light out the shelves ...

Dave58 wrote:Thanks folks..  I really enjoy canning it really gives me piece of mind and if the shtf my kids and grandkids can come here and eat . They may get tired of veggies but they will eat .....

We have a long way to go on the pantry I am going to try my hand at making doors next so I can keep the light out the shelves ...

Dave, maybe you could consider drapes for a temporary fix until you get your doors. You can maybe get them at a goodwill store pretty cheap. Or maybe buy new ones from walmart, they aren't that expensive, just a thought:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sun-Zero-2-pack-Arlo-Textured-Thermal-Insulated-Grommet-Curtain-Panel-Pair/309243181

rick1 wrote:

Dave58 wrote:Thanks folks..  I really enjoy canning it really gives me piece of mind and if the shtf my kids and grandkids can come here and eat . They may get tired of veggies but they will eat .....

We have a long way to go on the pantry I am going to try my hand at making doors next so I can keep the light out the shelves ...

Dave, maybe you could consider drapes for a temporary fix until you get your doors. You can maybe get them at a goodwill store pretty cheap. Or maybe buy new ones from walmart, they aren't that expensive, just a thought:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sun-Zero-2-pack-Arlo-Textured-Thermal-Insulated-Grommet-Curtain-Panel-Pair/309243181

That's a good idea. Our pantry is in a small room that is black, when lights are off, door closed, but I still have rigged up 'curtains' w/ rods & sheets to cover the shelves, to make it neater. (And to close if we have our heaters & hot water heater serviced.

Since Husband's stroke, I don't want him cutting, chopping, and splitting wood. He takes blood thinners and even a small cut bleeds for hours.

This means we have to buy wood for our wood stove. The stove is our backup heat in case of power outages, but also, we just like the ambiance and warmth better than electric heat.

So yesterday, I bought our first cord of seasoned wood. The seller is planning to bring us more, but he cuts as a side job, so he will space it out over the next month as he has time.

I "made" my first lip balm yesterday. I had several lip balms with stuff in the bottom, but no longer usable. I also had a tin of solid argan oil moisturizer, half used. I used a makeup spoon to get the remnants out, melted it all together in the microwave for 30 seconds, and poured it into 4 lip balm holders.

Got the last (3rd) cutting of hay done, a 3rd cutting is not as good as the first two cuttings, nutrition wise, so I give it to the nearby farmers if they run low over the winter.

Rotated out 10 gallon of gas, ran the generators for the month and topped them off with gas.

Took the grandkids to the local grange fair, three of them had entries in different areas:

Grandson (12 y.o) 1st place garlic, 2nd place potato.
Granddaughter (9 y.o.) 2nd place garlic, hers was bigger than her brothers but not as perfect.
Same granddaughter, 1st place fall sketches for her age group.
Granddaughter (16 y.o.) 1st place on her cookies and 2nd place on her bell pepper and 3rd place on her apple pie.

They did good and are happy.

Today was grocery shopping day. Yard sales, too, but found nothing I needed this week.

Grocery shopping:

Restocked what we used
2 terra cotta trays for 2 plants (cat fight broke them)

LTS:
Assorted canned soups
4 lbs. pinto beans
2 packages tea lights (on sale)

A family member asked if we had some photos from specific time frames of their family. Husband and I were able to quickly go through the photos we've been archiving this past year and within 15 minutes, had copies on a jump drive for them.

Grocery shopping and yard sales, today.

Grocery shopping:
Restocked what we used

LTS:
6 cans of mushrooms
2 gallons of vinegar (need to learn to make my own!)
2 quarts/2 pints local honey

Yard sales:
Nice bag/purse - $1
PYREX casserole dish with basket - $2
Nice pill box - $1

Went through my closet and got rid of about 1/2 the clothes in there. I still had a lot of clothes from when I worked, plus high heels and accessories I've not worn in 10 years. It was time to clean it all out. The closet looks so much better, and we actually have empty shelves (for preps, yeah!).

Husband cleaned out some T-shirts and button downs he'd not worn in a while.

Family is in town so we've been having a good time with them, too.

DW scored on 20lb of kidney beans and some black beans. I finally got done with canning chilli beans.. I will try and start baked beans next week..

Trying to get the outside work taking care of before the snow flies. The house is sealed up but I still need to build the lean-to on the chicken house ..

It never seems to end ( sigh)

Went to some yard sales the other day.
got 4 wooden spoons for cooking
1 metal oil lamp.needs a wick.which i have.
1 tupperware food storage container.

The adjuster came out and took a look at the roof leak - a screw came loose in the wind and caused the caulk to crack in that one spot, which is why after hours of rain, there was only a cupful of water on the floor. The attic is fine, the sheetrock on the attic side was dry. The ceiling in the room will have to be re-taped where the water did leak and loosened it. Then,since it's all one room (great room/kitchen/dining area), it ALL has to be repainted. The original roofer came out and caulked the joint that leaked, and re-caulked all the other vents, just to be sure. We'll repair the rest when we get to it. Insurance paid for some it, after our deductible, thank heavens. We had a massive downpour two nights ago - no leaks.

Today was grocery shopping and yard sales.

Grocery shopping:
Restocked what we used
Bulk canned cocoa (for winter drinks)
Vitamin D3 gummies for winter days without sun

LTS:
Canned tomato products
Canned cat food

Bought a large drop cloth for the cabin so we can bring the tropical plants indoors for the winter. We are supposed to have frost tomorrow which is quite early for around here!

Yard sales:
1 pair of Justin boots for the grand-niece - $4
1 pair of snow boots for the grand-niece - $3
5 Santa hat chair covers - $5 (I love Christmas!)

I found boneless chicken breast on sale and picked up 40lb its going to be a long week end canning

Dave58 wrote:I found boneless chicken breast on sale and picked up 40lb its going to be a long week end canning

Good for you Dave.

 NOTE: WE'RE IN OCTOBER, 18 DAYS NOW