2022 - MAY - What Did You Do To Prepare This Week/Month?

It has been chaotic here. Husband ended up in the hospital due to dehydration and a UTI (he's diabetic). They shipped him from the local hospital to a big-city hospital. He's doing well now, however there is some concern over his kidney function. He's home and has been gardening and mowing the lawn, but taking it slow and easy.

The neighbors' well-pump went out and they ended up living with me for three days until we got it all straightened out and they got water back - just a relay gone bad, thank heavens.

A different neighbor's dog ran into to the public road we were walking on and attacked my dog that was on a leash. I've told them about it, but now I'm carrying pepper spray when we walk that way. Both dogs are fine, I yanked my dog back as she went in to bite him, and then I punched her on the head to get her to stop being aggressive. She ran away. She's always been friendly in the past, so no idea what got into her to do that.

The garden is growing very well. We planted tomatoes, potatoes green beans, onions, squash, and cucumbers. My sister planted asparagus, radishes, tomatoes, chives, and onions.

The tropical plants I ordered are doing fantastic. Avocado tree, banana tree, olive tree, vanilla vine, and blueberry, elderberry, and strawberry bushes. The peach tree has hundreds of little peaches. Told Husband when they start to ripen, I will be sitting out there on night duty with noise makers to keep the raccoons from getting them this year. LOL

We're one of the families on the hunt for formula - new baby in the family. We managed to find enough to get her through 3 months. By then, supposedly, the factory will be up and running. We also have the recipe for old-fashioned formula, although we'll probably substitute goat's milk for cow's milk as the baby has a sensitive stomach. Due to other issues, Mama can't breast feed, and there's no one living close enough to do it for her (wet-nurse).

With Spring all the spring chores are happening so we've been busy cleaning up garden beds, raking old leaves, mowing as needed, and getting the house freshened and cleaned. Winter coats and clothes have been washed and put away. Blankets are washed, too. Hearth and stove have been cleaned out for the year, and all the tools put away. We still have three cords of wood left!

While I've always sporadically used local food sources, we are now going full-bore on that. The shopping trips are still happening but we are buying a lot less.

I've been stocking up on supplements, too. Not just vitamins, but berberine, black seed oil, B-12, calcium, melatonin, and a variety of other things we use, and that might come in handy in the future. I'm also collecting oils and vodka for tinctures and salves.

Keeping busy!

Finally got the rest of the garden planted. Wife had planted her sugar snap peas a while back, but I finally got around to planting my yellow onions, basil and new this year is Brussel sprouts. Will be interesting to see how they do...

Also got a bunch of indeterminate cherry tomato plants and a larger bush tomato plant. Will finally be around all summer to care for the garden so have planted more than usual. Hopefully the critters don't mess things up since I suspect grocery prices aren't coming down anytime soon (if ever.)

All our plants are doing real good, too early for us to plant, they're calling for a possible frost tonight and the apply trees are in full bloom. I'll wait until after memorial day to plant everything.

Our seeds were planted today, beans, lettuce, beets, etc., the sweet corn and field corn was planted too, acres of it.

The wife and grandkids are planning a BIG shindig for two of the granddaughters (sisters), one is graduating from high school and will be going to nursing school and the other is graduating from nursing school. Conemaugh Hospital (Johnstown) has their own nursing school and they pay for everything if you give them 3 years of nursing at their hospital. The program is a Associate degree for RN's.

Did maintenance on the ATV, UTV and 2 tractors, man, it costs an arm and a leg to change the oil and gear oil and gas is now $4.69/gallon and diesel is now $6.69/gallon.

Our garden is almost all in. I still have around 50 tomato plants to set out.. Potato's are doing well and the beans are starting to sprout...

I planted a lot bigger garden this year I hope things go well..

My sister and I started walking the dog on the two mile hike again. Both of us need to be in better shape. Baby snakes are out - we've seen one just about every day on the walks. Mostly garden/water snakes, and one of those bright green ones, too.

We also started walking my Mom with her walker. She's been getting weaker, and not wanting to exercise, but she wants to walk with us...so, we do a little walk to the end of the driveway. Next week, end of the road, week after, to the mailbox. Slowly build up her strength.

Husband is in recovery mode, but still not out of the woods as far as the kidney issue. We've changed our diet completely to the renal diet. Mostly vegetables, some fruits, and lean meats. They're still testing so we'll see a doc this week, I think.

I have been plowing through the sewing pile and getting stuff out of the way. Hoping to get through it all this summer.

Beyond that, just day to day maintenance and cleaning.