About to lose my marbles!

 

The good:  I got rid of my "popcorn" ceiling which was half of the kitchen.

The bad:  Now I have to paint it.  Paint is already purchased.

The good:  Today, three new joists go in and sub floor.  Say a prayer this happens today.

The bad:  In the process of replacing the seal plates, the vibration knocked old insulation out and into a pile to clean up today.  Back when we bought the house, they had a trash compacter.  They knocked out a section of plaster wall to install the electrical line to run the compacter (we ripped the compacter out years ago when it stopped working - bags to use it were expensive anyway, and trash charged us more for pick up).  It's in that area that the insulation all came out.  Guess who has to now remove upper cabinets, remove paneling (from previous owner we painted), then knock plaster out and install insulation, then re-panel the walls or dry wall it?  

I'm about to lose my mind!  My stove is now in front of the dishwasher, so I can't use either, nor even my microwave, and have been left to use the air fryer.  My front porch is buried in old flooring preventing the use of the grill too.  I'm going nuts not being able to cook/bake.

I'm not sure what breakfast will be today either.  My husband joked he bought pop-tarts.  Yeah, no.  I want eggs, meat and whatever and it's clawing at my inner brain right now.  I am hoping the restaurant in our town is open. They have the next best biscuits and gravy to my homemade version.

I guess I'll be putting on muck boots and gloves and taking old flooring to the burn pile.  One garden cart at a time.

One person helping our hired help was to paint my ceiling, but not sure that person will be returning.  Ugh. Hence, it's now possibly my job.

The hired help was to be here at 9am yesterday, and didn't show up until 11am.  The frustrations just keep piling up and up.  

Kitchen Repair Progress

 

Floor is cut out and was covered for the night, but it begins again today.  More cutting.  I lose the use of my stove today, but hopefully, the work is finished tonight or by Sunday.  

Notice the paint?  That is where the counter top was for use of a desk.  Daughter S painted primer over the ugly peachy color, and only painted the yellow over the rest of the kitchen.  Now is the time to paint the entire wall.  I just have to wait for the floor to be done.

The kitchen in that area is almost 14 feet wide.  It looks small in the photo.  Oh my you should see what the did when they either built this part of the house or the last homeowner (shame on the bank when the sold us this house).

They used a random stack of rocks in the center of the kitchen.  The floor appears to be the existing original floor with no cut lines, so we believe it was when they built the house.  Hence, we have much more work to do today.

On top of all this, Daughter K is here with her dogs, to go to an event in the "big city" today.  I have dog duty (one at a time due to construction in the kitchen) today.

Anyway, floor will be done right, and yes we found the first joist snapped in half. Second one rotted.  The joys of owning an older home.  At least we'll be getting it the way it should be done, and upgrading the flooring.

Cookbook Question and other ramblings

 Before I make a purchase, does anyone have a used / good condition copy of this book they don't want anymore (or for sale)?

It's a Backwoods Home Cookbook.  Or if you do have one, any reviews before I buy it?  Brand new it's $19.95 plus shipping.   I checked Thrift books and they do not have it.

The weather is back to cooler temperatures.  I think we here are all tired of the nasty wind we got.

Guess what?  The floor project starts today.  Wish me luck, say a prayer, that I figure out how to move the computer and get all the cords in the right place for moving, ha ha!  If not, I have Daughter K here tomorrow to help me.

Let's hope I don't have to move the stove, so I can cook the beef, onions and bacon for chili, and whip up some buttermilk cornbread to go with it.

Processing the Process . . .

 

Who ever said this process of preparing for the floor project would be easy, was wrong.  Sigh.

I've been emptying out a set of floor cupboards for removal.  I'm finding this is a good time to purge what I have not been using, like the giant heart cookie pan.  I can't even recall using it.  Thankfully I found a home for it.

We also went shopping for flooring.  We got tips, ideas, color options, checked out options for a cupboard and sink for the bathroom that we need to gut as well, and returned home.

My husband made phone calls, and discussed flooring options.  1. sheet linoleum (downside, if you accidently drop something and tear it or put a hole in it, you replace the entire floor), 2. Plank vinyl (we can't decide until the floor is back and we can check to make sure the entire floor is even enough to use this), 3. Slap an area rug on it and worry about it later after the bathroom and living room is done.  We ruled out that peel and stick stuff.  It's so thin and I got bad reviews people were having issued with it popping up.  Everything depends on price as well.  Hence, the need to do more trips to other locations for prices and options.

I have finally figured out how to move my computer, so I can read your lovely blogs and stay connected.  We only have 3 places, including where the computer is now, for a cable hook-up.  To do this, I will need to move all my boxes of dishes (which started the need for this floor project, that need to go back in my hutch when the kitchen job is finished).  

Oh, and we talked to family, and the guy we hired to install kitchen flooring did one of their kitchens and messed it up.  Now the family has to rip it out, so we are not sure we'll use him.

....and then of course I need to feed the family and friends coming to help this weekend.  On the meal plan is a big 'ol pot of chili, cornbread, shredded chicken sandwiches, chips, and possible some side cold salads.  Oh, and a cold pineapple pie.  I only need to feed 2 on Saturday, and possible 3 on Sunday (maybe one more).  I think I have all of that covered, as long as they don't have to move my stove. If that is determined Friday, I will bake the cornbread and they can reheat in the air fryer or microwave as a back up.

We are dealing with horrible winds, and the sound kept me up most of the night.  It sounded terrible out there.  We got up to 72°F yesterday, but today it's a high of 62°F and a wind advisory.

What's Cookin'? ~ Mom's Recipes

I had a busy day Tuesday.  Once I had the chickens tended, I headed to town to do some paperwork with my younger brother.  I then ran some stuff to Daughter E, and went to a couple of stores, and completely forgot to pick up chicken feed.

Once I was back home, I had dishes to wash, dry and put away, only to start baking a breakfast and dinner for the day, and finish up more laundry.

It felt weird, but I made a small batch of blueberry pancakes and cooked some locally made blueberry maple sausages for breakfast for a few days.  I typically make a giant batch of pancakes, that's why I said "weird."  

I tried another new recipe.  Thanks to my dear friend for asking me to help her with freezer meal ideas, I came across this one - Taco Stew.  I've made taco soup before, but this was amazing.  I told my husband, that it was almost better than chili.  I changed a few things, like using home canned tomato (herbed) sauce, and added homemade taco seasoning to the meat, and it was so good.  It's a keeper recipe now. It's also a Taste of Home recipe online.  Oh another thing I did - added 2 small cans of chilies to the diced tomatoes (recipe called for 2 cans of diced tomatoes with chilies).  If you freeze your own tomatoes, just add organic chilies.  All ingredients were organic or home grown, and so good with a dollop of organic sour cream (or make homemade) on top.

Mom kept her recipe cards in this contraption.  I opened it thinking I'd find a divider that said "Desserts" on it.  Nope.  She has recipes filed alphabetically.  Sigh.  It's gonna be a bigger project for me, but once that is done, will pass these on to the next sibling.  Oh boy....

We never got an estimate from the professionals regarding the kitchen floor.  Last night we hired someone to come help, who knows what they are doing thankfully.  Today, I will be very busy and moving all of Daughter K's boxes, to the living room.  I need to get to the store for ingredients to feed our help, and to buy sliders to move furniture and counters/cupboards from the kitchen. 

On top of that, Daughter K is coming for the weekend, and bringing her dogs (ugh).  She may have to set up her dog kennels upstairs due to space.  We told her it's the last time we can watch her dogs, as we are repairing and remodeling and I'm not in the business of replacing stuff again.

 

Zucchini Pizza Casserole

I intended to take a photo of the casserole with cheese (fresh out of the oven), but it smelled so good we scooped and ate right away.

The only thing I did differently, was mix the pepper in with the onion (vs. sprinkle on top the cheese).  Well, that's not the only thing I did differently, I also used sage sausage vs. ground beef, and used home canned pizza sauce vs. tomato sauce.  

It was delicious.  I think it smelled divine, because it was home canned pizza sauce.  

I froze the other half of it, so we had an easy meal for another night.

Just google the name of the recipe, and Taste of Home.  Recipe is online.

Great way to use your zucchini this season (and for us avoiding pasta), and using up some home canned pizza sauce.

Happy Homemaker Monday

We didn't have to make breakfast Sunday.  Our niece and her husband invited us over.  

To top that off, she baked my husband's favorite cheesecake.  I'm sure we'll be sharing as he shouldn't be eating it, ha ha!  So good though.

We picked up another load of stuff at Mom's house.  There is much more to do there.  I just put all the gardening stuff in the barn and will go thru it all after we finish the kitchen floor project.

Sorry for my lateness this morning.  I am easily distracted with my multitasking today.

Joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  It is Monday right?! Ha ha!  Oh boy....

The weather . . .

34°F/21°F

As I look outside my window . . .

Nothing but gray skies right now.

Right now I am . . .

Doing too much multitasking and not enough of one job, ha ha!

Thinking and pondering . . .

Trying to figure out a plan for today.  I have to start moving Daughter K's stuff to an area not in my way, and out of my kitchen.  We took her donation items over the weekend, but she has a lot more upstairs yet.  I'm also trying to figure out a weekend vacation if we can pull it off.  Not sure, but looking into dates and locations.

Homemaking Tips . . .

As a new "empty nester" I am making recipes as usual, but freezing half for a future meal.

How I am feeling . . .

Tired.  I need to get stuff done, so I can start feeling accomplished.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Leftover French toast, sausage, coffee.

On my reading pile . . .

On my TV . . .

CSI

On the menu . . .

-Zucchini Pizza Casserole

-Taco Stew

-Moroccan Spiced Stew (all 3 new recipes)

-have no idea yet on the rest

From the camera . . .

Nothing right now.  Too busy cleaning.

Looking around the house . . .

Like I said earlier, I will need to move stuff around in the living room, so I can have access to my office, and still get the kitchen cleaned out.

The to-do list . . .

-move boxes from kitchen to living room

-dishes

-laundry 

-vacuum carpets

-re-organize living room boxed items

-move table out of kitchen into living room

-move hutch and other big items from kitchen

-fetch more firewood

Prayer list . . .

For the Hoffman family (lost their 22 year old daughter)