Pioneer Woman at Heart

  My newest project - baby pacifier leash.  I have a grand-niece about to give birth, and will hopefully get a few more made in different colors.  Sadly, I do not have a finished baby blanket/booties to gift her right now. I am working on the un-finished baby blanket that I found in my closet.  It's hit or miss, depending on how I feel.  We sipped hot peppermint leaf tea yesterday, and it opened up our nasal passages better than nasal spray. On a good note, the nursing home has not called again with any more cases, but more friends of ours have it now. If anything gets done today, it'll be hitting the "sanitize" button on the washing machine and the "self-clean" button on the oven.  It's a good (wind chill 4°F) cold day to do it. My ankle feels normal again. Finally.  Not sure if the immune boost pills we are taking helped heal it up, but it is nice to have my regular walk/movement back. Daughter K goes back to work today.  I know she is still fee...

The southern area of our state is being slammed with snow, however, we woke up to no snow here.  It continues to remain cold. My husband is home today (holiday), and has wood split for the week (took great energy to do). Talked to my Mom yesterday, and she is doing okay.  I plan to find some brain game books for her today online.   There is another staff member at the nursing home that tested positive with covid. Daughter K remains down and out.  She literally has been on the sofa for days now.  My husband is taking the dogs out, but he is now feeling fatigue.  We'll find out today if he has covid or not.  I myself, have not been sick for 5 years.  I feel horrible.  The fatigue is keeping me down as well.  We are pulling out all my tricks of the herbal trades, and taking immune boost pills. I am thankful for crochet quarantine projects, but have no energy to read a book right now.  I am back to working on the baby blanket and w...

I finished Daughter E's halter top.  I hope it fits.  If not, there is one size larger available to crochet.  It was the first time for me to create a "twisted cord" for a crochet project.  Very interesting. Daughter K tested positive for covid, and she is very sick.  I am up early to make homemade ginger-ale, and start a diffuser in my own bedroom.  Unfortunately, I am congested and feel off.  We only have one home test left, and holding onto it for my husband if needed (he goes to work Monday, and if no symptoms has to work).  We need the last kit for if he gets symptoms.  We are having a terrible time find more home test kits (so they can test negative to return to work if needed).  Every place is completely out of home covid test kits, including the libraries. I am back to working on the baby blanket and have another scrap lap afghan I can finish.  I may have to order some baby yarn today.  Thank goodness for Amazon.  ...

Daughter K is very sick.  She actually got into an urgent care, but the man was so rude, he left the room after her covid test and said to pay her bill up front.  He wouldn't even listen to her symptoms, and now her lungs hurt very bad.  The guy wouldn't even give her time to get a slip for work.  I understand they are overwhelmed, but the sick-sick can sometimes need breathing treatments at home, antibiotics, or other medications. I'm making a steam (eucalyptus) for her this morning, but if she is not better, she'll have to go to the ER today for help.  I made her a hot tea last night with freshly grated ginger and thyme.  She said it felt so good on her throat.  She has a horrible cough as well.  We are worried she has pneumonia or something else.   Now the nursing home where my Mom is at, has 3 staff and 2 residents with positive covid.  I get calls when they update due to me being an emergency person for Mom.  They said the...

  A friend shared this photo of our Meijer store the other day.  It is just like 2020 now.  Not sure if people are hoarding or if supplies are slow coming in. Photo from another friend (Meijer also, but another state) We woke up refreshed with the time change giving us an extra hour of sleep.  I however, hope the state stops doing this.  It's frustrating with the quicker darker evenings, and less work time. I went to Aldi's to stock up on quinoa.  It used to be $1.95 and it's now $2.75 (still cheaper than at the other stores).  I was shocked at the new organic items they are carrying.  I haven't been there in a while. A niece and her best friend are opening their own business - bakery/cafe.  I wish them well.  It's a tough time to be opening a business, with supplies high in price and the supply chains slow right now. Well, my husband had to work today (again).  We were both up early, so I could pack his breakfast, coffee etc. ...

I went to our closest grocery store yesterday, but was disappointed with the organic vegetable section.   Sigh.  I will need to make the longer drive in the opposite direction from now on.   I've been cutting netting the last few days to make dish scrubbies for the upcoming craft show.  The are a big seller at the shows.  I added another new color - orange. I'm focusing on buying USA made, and just ordered a board game for my niece and nephew for Christmas.  I don't think I'll be making homemade gifts this year, as with Mom's health and the way the world is, we most likely won't get together (sadly).  I could be wrong.  It is fun coming up with new gift ideas though.  I already have one idea just in case. Speaking of Mom, she had another fall last night.  Her legs are being treated by a wound clinic now thankfully.  One leg was infected and the other has a growth, that they took a biopsy from. She also had blood come from ...

It's been a busy few days for sure.  I took advantage of the weather and washed bedding and quilts and dried them outside on the line (smelled so good after bringing it in). I pulled the bedding from the camper and got that on the line too.  My wonderful husband dismantled the dishwasher (cleaned it too) and fixed it. Our trash pick up left me a "nasty gram" on the handle the other day.  Literally our mail system is a total mess right now.  I typically remember to pay regardless of a bill, but I did not get one this month.  At all.  They left me a nasty note with a late fee stating they will not dump our trash until it's paid.  Keep in mind the bill with the late fee was $24.00.  It was not like I didn't get a bill for two months. I called and explained.  They are taking the late fee off, but I'm switching any bills I can to paperless for now.  I'm also using my planner religiously, marking due dates for utilities etc. so I don't get sla...

I took this sunrise photo about 3-4 days ago.  The weather has changed.  It's colder, rainy, windy and dreary outside.  The kind of weather that makes you stay in PJ's all day or sweatpants and putter around getting whatever you need done. We are also dealing with flooding. My kitchen has been busy for sure.  While I am trying to put up what was pulled from the garden, Daughter K keeps piling up Halloween treat stuff all over.  Ugh. We decided we are doing Christmas different this year.  I will not be buying new PJ's for our traditional Christmas Eve.  We all have enough, and I don't want to spend the money.  I'd rather stock up more on food. It's getting worse and worse.  I went to the store to pick up one item, and saw 3 bags of potatoes in the produce section.  Ham is difficult to find as well.  Organic anyway.  Canned milk?  Good luck with that.  Now the radio is stating there are more shortages of paper products ...

My husband surprised me by getting off work early.  We took the hot rod out and visited Mom and took her dinner. My younger brother was there too.  Mom is doing better, and walking more.  It'll be a while before she is completely back to herself. We visited Patty too.  We went around her house and waved in the window.  I guess we are allowed to go in with a mask, but we did not want to with her having covid.  She was happy to see us, especially her brother.  We didn't stay long.  The excitement of seeing us gave her a coughing fit.  She is doing okay though, so thank you all for your prayers.  I believe my husband said she is 74 years old. Oh, and Michael?  He is doing very well now.  He had to get those antibody injections, but is recovering very well, so thank you for all of your prayers.  Their baby is doing well too.  Unfortunately, he was not paid while home sick.  So sad to hear this when they are a newly m...

I did one more picking of the hot peppers.  Some went with my husband to his work to share with co-workers.  Three trays of the rest went into the freezer. I spent most of the day doing housework and laundry.  There was so much to catch up on. There are two upcoming large outdoor fall festivals (prior to the one I signed up for selling crafts).  If more people become sick from attending these, I plan on pulling out of my commitment (craft show), for the safety of my mother.   Once again, Mom's 14 free frozen meals arrived rotten and thawed out.  They are once again shipping another 14 meals.  I however, would personally tell them to not attempt it anymore.  We can pick up groceries, and although the free meals would have helped, delivery is just not going to happen with today's situation. It's just that more and more people we know are getting sick from attending large event.  Too close to home for us. It's 58°F this morning, with wind and ra...

  Breakfast that I baked yesterday - onions, sweet potato, green bell pepper (forgot to add some hot peppers), sausage, garlic, eggs and chives. I planted the flowers I bought over the weekend.  I love the new red ones.  The pictures were downloaded from my phone, so they are not great, but the dragon's breath is a bright and beautiful color. The "Big City" held a large outdoor art event recently, and more and more people have gotten sick.  I may be making a decision on the October craft show.  I really, really want to do it, but I also have to think about Mom and being around her.

  Conversation with my husband.... "Hey, Mom gave me her set of red glass dishes to put in the glass door hutch.  In order to do that we have to jack up the floor first." Well, that was followed by an entire day of trying to access under the kitchen with two accesses we already have.  Didn't happen.  We created a 3rd.  Got in a few feet, and dug out some dirt to get to the beam.   Jacked up the floor only after an entire day of work, to find we have dry rot. Guess who is ripping out their kitchen floor?  Yep.  We can't do sister joists from the access.  No room for anyone to get in.  Seriously old house problems.  Guess I'm gonna get new kitchen flooring out of this now.  Just what we don't need.  I may live with a wood floor until next year, and put new flooring in the kitchen. On the same day, after all that bad news, we went to town to pick up a new recliner we bought for Mom.  We picked it up, delivered it, a...

During my last trip to the store (2nd attempt at another store), I bought the very last bottle of classic pectin.  However, I am still unable to find a vegetable brush for the camper (3 attempts).   As far as produce?  I have not found what I need other than I found a half dozen ears of corn to grill.   Although I have no photos to share today, I have a funny story to share. We went out with friends to our first cruise in.  It is where the town has all older cars drive up and down main street.  People park along the roads and sit and watch.  Well, we decided to eat out before that.   It's sort of funny, yet frustrating.  First we asked for silverware while we were ordering drinks.  Didn't get them.  I got my crowne royal served without the "rocks" so I fished them out of my ice water and added them.  We ordered 2 appetizers.  One arrived cold.  The other never arrived at all. We asked for silverware aga...