More Stocking Up and Random Chit-Chat

 

Stocked up more on broccoli, asparagus and bell peppers.

Stocked up on a few more of these disposable pans.  They have come in handy for delivered dishes.

Random Tidbits

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 slammed with late fees for not getting my mail in time.

I finally got an email from my Aunt M.  She said it took 2 weeks to get my letter I wrote her.  We live an hour apart.

Something probably boring to you, but I signed onto our insurance points program the other day.  In order to keep our insurance at the current price, my husband and myself are required to earn 1,000 points.  The programs range from boring online classes (health related, financial related etc) to tracking steps with a fitbit.  

Well, my fitbit disconnected and I could not re-connect it to the program.  My device is so old they don't even make it anymore.  I sent a request via live chat (which takes more than a day) to get a new one.  I am still working on that, but it took much of my precious time.

Update on my last grocery shopping.  I could not find most of what I had on the list, but froze some fresh spinach, and froze some squash.  I have more produce to freeze today.  I can tell you the section in the store that had anything tomato canned, was almost bare.  Same with the canned beans (like garbanzo, great northern).  I'll be stocking up with dry beans from now on.  The bread section was fully stocked, although that was not on my list.  I typically bake that myself.  I could not find cauliflower, and bacon was almost $7.00 (I have another resource to check for that later).

The dairy section was fully stocked, but cream cheese was very limited.

Sadly, another bad news text I received yesterday.  The stepdad to one of our niece's passed away from covid.  He was only 49 years old.  I was asked to make a dessert for the celebration of life.

Just found out this morning a good friend of ours lost his brother as well.  Lord, help us all!

Putting Up Peppers

Froze the last of the green bell peppers.

Jalapenos and green bell pepper went into this breakfast, topped with freshly cut chives.

Froze the last of the mad hatters and some more hot banana peppers.

Made hot sauce with some of the habaneros.  New recipe.  I'll let you know if it's good or not.

Filled the dehydrator with a mess of peppers for more fire powder.

Dinner last night.  Something I haven't made in a long, long time - pumpkin/ricotta stuffed shells (recipe is still online with Country Living) with basil and sage.  I sliced home grown carrots and put them in the crockpot with honey, butter and thyme.

Sadly, another extended family member on my husband's side of the family, had passed away from covid.  

Random Tidbits

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 and now alcohol.  Who knows what to believe, other than what I see in the stores right now.

While at the store, we picked up a loaf of organic/non-gmo bread.  There were two loaves on the shelf.  When we got to the check out, the clerk noticed a mouse chewed a hole into the bag.  The carry out/bagger went back and got us the very last loaf.  I just haven't had time to get homemade bread made, but we don't eat it that often either. She said that the store was having issues with mice.  Great.  Just what we needed to hear.

Daughter K told us that at the business she works for, less and less are being delivered to sell.  I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but their store is not even able to order furniture for customers.  The manufacturers said no.  They can only sell what is in their stores.  America has been ruined.  Keep praying and looking out for one another.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Just 2 days after finding out we could set up meals on wheels for my Mom, the newspaper printed an article about food shortages and "problems" getting meals to seniors.  I sighed.  Just when we found a solution, the darn covid issues stomped them.  The article mentioned bulk food prices for them went 4 times higher than in 2019. They are making adjustments.

Our local schools are experiencing the same food shortages, and now they lack enough bus drivers due to covid and sick drivers.  They had an emergency meeting.  They may have to go back to in-home schooling again.  Currently, they are asking parents to share rides.  Some parents are not able to do this.  We gave family and friends with kids in that school system.

My husband worked all weekend.  We were up early drinking coffee and I realized I need to get the garden hoses off the house and put into storage.  It also meant I needed to pull the beets and carrots (need the hose to wash the dirt off as we have a septic and cannot run dirt down our sink).

I got that done, and realized there was more to do outside than I thought.  Beets did not do well this year.

We got a good chuckle with Daughter E last night.  Ha ha! She called and said she didn't know how to turn the heat on in her apartment.  We had her send photos and she didn't know what a furnace was.  So funny.  Her heat is on though.

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

I will link up later when she posts.  I'm an early bird.

The weather . . .

62°F/45° Rain all day

How I am feeling this morning . . .

Tired.  We both didn't get to sleep in over the weekend.  

On my mind . . .

The kitchen floor project.  I hope our crew is all healthy when we finally set the date.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Sausage, potato, eggs, swiss chard, bell pepper, and jalapeno breakfast burrito, organic coffee

Right now I am . . .

Posting this, then jumping in the shower to get my "power shower" and get this day started.

On my reading pile . . .

Honestly, I haven't been reading anything lately.  I need to get back with a good book.

On today's to-do list . . .
-freeze bell peppers and more hot peppers

-make more fire powder
-laundry, and get it on the drying racks

-sweep and mop

-pull bedding from the camper and start winterizing it

-take more totes upstairs

-change light bulbs

-dishes, dry and put them away

On the TV. . .

You Bet Your Life (Jay Leno) Love this new show.  The show makes me laugh and I have fun guessing the answers.  Cooking shows when they are on.

On the menu this week . . .
-Grilled chicken kabobs, baked smashed brussel sprouts

-pumpkin/ricotta stuffed shells, crock pot carrots

-Cheese sandwiches, home canned tomato/basil soup

-Turkey, carrots

From the camera . . .

I picked a lot more hot peppers than I thought. 

Looking around the house . . .

Looks like I need to buy a few storage totes.  I washed up the towels from the camper, and some hot pads.  I will store that, and the linens in the house this year.

New recipe I tried last week . . .

I tried a baked donut recipe.  It was good.   We are going to try a new grilled chicken kabob recipe this week.  I also have a new crock pot recipe with chicken to try.

To relax this week, I will . . .

Crochet

Something I want to share . . .

Fun fact I learned:  you can eat the tops (pesto, sauces etc) and they have more vitamin C than the root itself.

On my prayer list . . .

Mom (heart health issues), Mike's family (passed away from a car/semi accident), the world, the USA

Grilling ~ Fall Photo and Handiwork

 

We grilled out the other night.  I did not have red bell pepper and used mad hatter pepper.  Delicious!  They have hardly any heat, but add flavor and color.  I call it Christmas in a pan.  So good.  The foil packets contained turkey sausage, red potatoes, and green beans (with olive oil and butter).

Fall photo from our last camping trip.

I crocheted a set of "pretty in pink" pot holders.

Crocheted 4 more jar openers.  I'm still waiting on the General store to call or email me back.  I've called and left messages 2 times now.

We woke up to a brisk 37°F this morning.  More rain is moving in and will be hanging out for a few days.

Garden Work ~ Rain Barrels and other Tidbits

 

I pulled all of my hot pepper plants and brought in 2 strainers full of hot peppers. I brought in some swiss chard and one small bell pepper, which went into breakfast.   Our weather is changing and evenings are getting pretty cold.  We will be picking up some free ash that is already split too, as we'll need to fire up the wood stove soon.

I drained the rain barrels and have them flipped over for winter storage.  One has the spigot completely ripped off.  Our mower guy must have gotten too close.  It's fixable though.

Daughter K went back to work.  She's feeling better thankfully.