Meal Plan Monday

 Click any image to enlarge

 

Spent 

$214.62

Saved 239.71

That includes three $15 knives 50-60 pounds of beef for the fall.

Today will be a grind 

Meat grinding that is...

old post here

Spent

$116.6

Saved $84.02

That includes 40 pound chicken legs , thighs and quarters. Sardines, lunch meat and 

100 %cranberry juice. Also they had nail care for 50% off so 4 manicures plus.

''

 This was a sweet morning. Dash and I walked our lab around the block after Daddy man was off to work lunch in tow. The kids wake now independently. YA!!!

This gives us plenty of time to get ready and then be together.

WE aggravated each other before they were off to the bus stop.har har

To be finished after school. 

I'm listening to some sweet JOHN DENVER music.

''

 Monday is laundry day

Finally got a good process going now week after week.

It is so wonderful to have my strength back.

 ''

 I'll need it for the kitchen saw little attention with the full weekend.

Dishes were neglected.

 '

 Dove won a water bottle with a candy bar in it for helping so much with the bus evacuation drill on Friday. I am so proud of her. This girl is so thoughtful of other kids. A real kind heart of a kid. Makes me feel real good about my example.

 '

 Laundry is being hung out and the morning is agreeable. Not too hat this morning. Fall is teasing us. We get a good hour of cool (all things relative) in the morning.

 Our lawn has come back and thriving pretty well. Soon I'll feed it and in a month or so toss the winter rye. So good to see the summer lawn thrive. Beloved mowed while I cleaned the coop when we got home yesterday. We were so hot and sweaty we figured we would push ourselves a little more.

'

 We got together and moved the compost of chicken and straw one compost barrel and started a pile as to be better able to turn it. It will be right there in the garden too.

 Lots of work to do out here this week.

Soil needs to be turned so the seeds can get in.

 

 Speaking of work...

This all needs to get gone.

Craig's list get this all cleaned up!

 '

 Try something new...

boiled water with Anis, use some cheese cloth the strain it. 

If you like licorice you'll love it!

Well my cup is empty and the dishes have soaked some.

Better get up my 45 minute break is over.

 Speaking of breaks some things here have broken free and I feel awesome!

Clean hands pure heart!

Great Nephew turning one

Little Boy Blue had a full day. Gratefully it was a bit overcast. Look who is walking. Sweet baby walked with my niece (from an elder brother) and I. Grandma (my sister) really out did herself! Goodness what a fiesta. My BIL in the black left in photo is a great guy. Wonderful to be with.

These are my kids second cousins. The girl on the left is half sister by on mother and center child is half sister by a different mother. My great nephew of 7 year old is there half brother.  Gets muddy but a year before the father of my 1 year old and the 7 year old is same he passed away last year. Just days after baby blue was conceived.

Oh all please cover the girl in center please please. This child needs all the covering she can get. Many hope to make effort to gain guardianship for the mom is drugging and the moms third mate was just sent to prison again. She was mother to my 7 year old nephew, at Although a horrible end to a mans future a God send to this little girl. She is the sister to my 7 year old Great nephew. The two of them live a hell daily. It is so terrible. Pray for their mother also. If this young woman's life could turn if would be the greatest thing.

Dash loves babies. So does the whole of the young women. This is a different half brother to my nephew that is 7. We will call him d. . D is a great little kid who has suffered so much. All of these kids are.. It is a tragedy to behold I'll tell you.
This my sister when asked how many grand kids she has she said three and three extras as a bonus. Her daughter also has a one year old.
My goodness my knee was really swollen in the heat. YES heat! 101 today in a semi shaded park. Letting the mister spray me helped but my Beloved suffered the heat. He is not able to be in the sun and has to cover up including a brimmed hat. He was so toasted. This poor baby was too. Dousing him with cool water I tried to cool him. It was just too hot!

Kids had a ball! They love seeing the cousins. These are the only relatives they really ever have contact. And though to me they are all Great nephews and nieces it makes no matter. That is the effects of late life adoption, or child birth for that matter.

We came home to hot kids to shower, imagine the sand in my tubs. Steve mowed the lawn and I cleaned the chicken coop. We got together and did a bit of compost relocating. The garden will be seeded very soon.
Dove is getting so tall. Dash as well. The cousins have a terribly devoid life. Absent of security, abuse of mind spirit and body. It is a real killer I'll tell you my sister is shattered and goes far and above to keep the siblings in contact. The social set of folk many have relation or interaction with convicts of one form or another. Needless to say our attendance was for my sister, great nephew and the other children. A few of the other attendees were there likewise in support of my sister.

over here at  Homesteaders Heart

A patient came into see the doctor. The doctor asks the man what he thinks is wrong.

"doctor I think I am a moth."

Doctor replies, "Well you think your a moth? I don't think what you need is a doctor . I think what you need is a therapist"

To this the patient replies...

"ya, I know replies the patient. I was on my way to a therapist but  I came in here when I saw that your light was on."

A tribute to our military - "I Fought For You"

Thankful Thursday

Fall is kissing the skin this morning
Giving off hopes of outdoor activities
Time to emerge out of this air conditioned cocoon

Gets my creativity flowing
Ohio farm girl, she is getting my heart into thinking life, seasons beauty
I hear a song bird behind me where I sit a window is open, the sounds of life sneaking in. As the school bus is heard through the security screen as the front door stands open.
Life after the long summer here in the desert awakes the human heart into day as spring does to the winter worlds of snow. It is time to think of seeds and seeds sown. Memories of lush rows begging to be reborn.
Suppose this is a day of open windows.

After only two hours of sleep I wonder what of this day is to be done. When my body once again longs begs for sleep throughout the night. The mask on my CPAP is faulty, it farts and sequels like a hungry kitten. Now we all love kitten but when they pester every night its time for a cage...not for them mind you but for me. I feel like I am going crazy with frustration. Every 5 minutes it wakes me. Giving me just enough time to doze and then my hand once again fuss to fix it. Over and over and over well by 2 a.m. of doing so I am just giving up! If sleep come by me without that silly mask snoring leaves one angry headache and restless rest as well. So crazy crazy early morns drag my sleepy self off a sofa to tend to the kids.

There is a sparrow on the feeder outside my window begging a meal. Makes me long for a bag of seed to feed him. So much promise to life on a cool autumn morn. Best get after it before it is gone and the scorching hours come upon us.

A kiss of cool upon my skin refreshed in the simplicity of life.

Prayer request if I could so impose...

• My golden retriever Rena is getting set on going home. She has masses all over and is now 12 years of days. I find my sleepless nights holding a bit of a vigil over her. Now I don't say anything to the kids. Seems Dash does know and understands. He asked me how long it will be. Answers come hard to give a child.
• The last infusion came by way of a different nurse that so wounded my arms that it is yet they hurt some 7 days later. Got me to sorta dreading the next one. Though my strength is returning.
• Seems Dove resents that I have need of the infusions. She is mad if she thinks that I have to go through them. So afterward she expects them to fix everything. Oh the sweet mind of a child.
• I don't blame her a bit. I would be mad if my mom had to go through it too. So remember her heart in the matter if ya would.
• thanks...meant in so many ways.
• my mind is a mucky muddy mess and needs a good washing via the word. Just to remember who I am and who I am loved by.

A moment in time

floods lies into mind

comes despair

hours awake wondering how?

sorrows sad spectacle

purpose blind no merit in time

Truth be told

lies are bold

to the core

cutting deep 

creating those weep

Truth be told

truth is bold

like love it prevails

no fear nor dread

nor for self alone

humble

truth be told

love is bold

pleasure in gifts

perspective of others

hearts of gold

vision toward what is to unfold

Children and husbands

family friends

Yes bold be the lie

bolder be truth

yet bolder yet be love

I am loved

That is truth

sorrow bring joy

time in a promise

vision destiny calls

Sewing Room part one

 

My Sewing Room/Studio is on the East/South-East of the bogua

The Fortune section of the grid. Colors are suggested as Purple Blue green accent yellow and white.

Using some ideas off the study the realization that having my work station facing the wall has really bothered me for good reasons. The air conditioning unit is on the outside of this wall.

It vibrates. The counter was resonating the sounds and facing it was a real irritating hum of items on the wall.

The clutter was a real issue even though I tried to subdue it.

5-2009

After my first attempts failed me using the fabrics on shelf this was the next effort.

Even though I love the color it was still wrong. I found it too boring and unpleasant. Sewing still was not attractive. The space just did not do it for me. Now this is an awesome room and the efforts were not to stop until success was accomplished.

The print on the wall is called 'solo flight' it is a sad image to me.

Removing all and any thing that gives unpleasant memory is an effort. The image of the 'young girl reading' has always been one of my favorite art master pieces.

 

Color was just not right. Too sedate, the color palate is off.

10-2009

The study bent me into making the effort to turn this room into a comfortable place to work!

This week end we stripped it down and turned it around.

My sweet husband put a lot of effort into it. 

Now this is just for the sewing section so far.

(note the hole in the ironing board cover)

Glue guns must be unplugged! :)

Note the beading on the light fixture.

The unit is securely bolted to the counter top. This is an reused cabinet set. Often they can be found on Craigs list for free. This is the unit we purchased as a desk years ago when monitors were huge. It was for his office. We have moved it around the house a few times.

The wire  of the cabinetry makes it able to be plugged into the wall and then the outlets are placed around the unit. This was basic electrical work.
A new ironing board cover added at $9. so far the only added expense.

Stay tuned for the next installment.

Turning two old ovens into one new one.

Time stopped!
Oh yes it did. 

While redecorating the kitchen wall time dropped from the sky and hit the stove top dead on to corner of the wall clock. It shattered the control panel. After much searching the panel is not only $250+ but is not even made any more. Feeling so sheepish that I would hammer a nail in leaving the clock on the other nail so as not to have to climb up and down a ladder any more than necessary the clock fell off of the nail. Now I knew the clock had broken hands. How that thing did not break the glass I do not know. I did not even realize the stove top shattered until lunch time and the face of it looked strange. Then after looking closer at it oh I realized quite clearly what had happened. I just felt sick about it.

Knowing me as many of you do you understand how beloved this convection oven is to me.

Shattered the integrated control was spent. No way to just remove the glass.

Funny thing is that we really sorta disliked this interface from day one.

Steve searched and searched and then found the same make, year model with the back splash knobs and a touch control without the integrated glass.

I was so sick to think of the loss of my beloved stove.

When we purchased the stove the kids were little and the idea of the burners set back was ideal.

The face however when leaned against would beep or turn on.

Many a time Steve would express disdain over the design.

The other day I wished that the left front burner might be smaller. For the small burner was all the way in the back. Note the new one. The double burner was to the back right on the old one.

Old One

New One

The new one has a double burner on the left front. Perfect!

It has a center warmer, and a simmer control to make precise the temp of the right front.

The old oven had this lower element for the self cleaning feature. We never use self cleaning for household safety reasons. It is just too hot of a technique to use. The lower element was also what made the oven hard to clean. The oven racks are exactly the same! Now I have 5 of them!

The new to me oven had a badly dented handle and the door was damaged.

We simply swapped the doors!

Our old one the exact as the new to me one!  

Look at that new gasket!

It is very apparent that this oven was not used.

 The old door on the new to me oven will need cleaning but it is a real sturdy door. Steve said that the other door broke when he took it out to the garage.

Note how used my old one is the gasket is in pretty bad shape. The oven is pretty dirty too...lol

 

All of the things I did not like about my old one was on the new to me one. 

Amazing thing is that it was only $229. no tax!

So the other funny thing is that the clock on the new oven does NOT work!

The timer does for the kids however.

Now is that just the strangest thing?

All in all the time I spent tormented over the dumb mistake I made...well it turned out to really be a good thing . The old oven was very well used. The new to me one was rarely even turned on I think. 

All the parts were interchangeable and between the old and new to me one well it is all fixed up.

Here I was belittling myself for being such a princess when it looked like I was about to down grade my favorite stove/oven.

I love how well cared for this princess of the living loving king of kings is tendered.

Who knows maybe
time did stand still 
long enough for the desires of our hearts to come into place.

The heart of the home is the oven.

At least this home.

Thankful Thursday

Well today is infusion day here. In two hours or so the nurse will be here. It has been a real trying week of errors. Mine and others. Gotta tell you this one though. My soul is beside itself over a ticket I earned the day I left the neurologist. I had a hunch that it was in error. I saw the flash of the camera. Indeed my error. Sickened by the error and the financial hit I was in a way. The VERY next envelope I opened...
Was an unexpected refund from the orthodontist for a few more dollars that the cost of the ticket. I still have to attend the class for it. There may additionally be a cost to that. When I saw that check though I began to just cry. As my shoulders let down and the impressed presence of provision hit me. It was as being held so I could just let go and not even give it another thought. Shame yes over error. Yet Mercy in the very next instant gave me pause to embrace my humanity.
The errors of others that influenced my week were lightly received. The mercy I felt opening the check and matching the recovery of funds over the ticket flowed to others who made error. Many errors. I am human as are they. Flawed.

surly mercy and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life. I shall live in the house of the Lord for ever and ever and ever...

Fear closed minds

Hello My Dear Friends.
Lately my soul is pulled back within me trying to regroup around the house. See the things here are yet getting caught up after a year or two of illness setting me back. The master bedroom and bathroom have received a detailed decor rearrangement. The Feng Shui study of decor design has fascinated me for some time. I needed a study to burn off some mental energy and this hit the spot giving me some direction. The peaceful applications have made a HUGE difference here. With a mind that thirst for knowledge I have devoured the basic understanding. It is a blast!

This house sits almost perfect on the directional chart. Knowing of course that this may be an offense to some I have hushed it. I find that an open mind is a hard thing to find in church circles. The fear of the very elect being deceived is a blinding force that short changes us in this life time. I know of whom I belong. I love the passage about being ready in and out of season to give answer to what you believe in. Being ready removes the fear of the snake in the grass. So if the soil is sound and the grass nurtured just know that you will see if there is anything amiss. God would not allow it to slip our recognition.

That being said, truly Anglo Saxon Christianity is limited as well in this. We are told of man and tradition of what to think and speak to one another in such a way one might simply become silent to the joy's of life. This is not the act of God but of the thief of love. I have thought a lot of the indigenous peoples way of life being stripped in the name of Christianity. It must just make the prophets of old just roll over in their tombs. It just must make Abba curl up in sorrow to weep. The sweet name of Jesus being one again, as in the times of Israel, becoming a mockery to the masses who only see the limited view of the few. All the folk that might be willing to come into the fold if they just were not forced to sheer all of who and what they have known. If God is the creator of ALL then where can anyone of us get off rejecting without even understanding that a good soul might just be in that water we toss out.

All this to just be able to share the JOY of direction in reassembling this home after the attempted move of last year or so. Now It is so calm and serene. The rooms are much less cluttered. More color coordinated. The elements of earth wind fire metal balanced. Could it be that in the name of my sweet Christ Jesus that I would be so arrogant to walk into China or Tibet and tell them that the wisdom of old they have used to govern humility and character in their lives was all wrong just because our understanding be limited.  I remember dear Leslie who fed my hungry belly the avocado before she set that Bible in my lap. Suppose she would of made me eat something hard to swallow would I not of gagged on the word?

As an undiscovered Native American until my early 30's it was startling that over night literally, I was treated totally differently. One day a white woman embraced the next treated as a second class. It was a terrific gift to have discovered this. Since then my heart has kept in check to never refuse another culture and assume it evil just because it was strange or new to me. Suppose it is interesting to me that those experience of white woman turned second class and looked upon as a slide slipping downward slope. To understand now that to be raised up one must lower them self. That slide was a gift. Noses sloped are now a grief to me and not humiliation. It is such a pity when eye to eye we miss the wonder and the beauty of each culture. Each soul with all of the experiences and knowledge that is a vital part of understanding how to love.

So for the sake of dignity and self appreciation I declare! I love the wonder of Feng Shui. Now I am not fond of a into the mystic aspects but the color is awesome.
I am having a ball! My home is looking so awesome. My mind is thinking strongly. Ideas flowing, solutions resolved by and through relaxed reflection.

Open your mind. Simply know what you believe. Filter it with that, not rejecting out of fear. Fear is a torment. As is loneliness the greatest torture the human kind can ever know.  If you pull away from main stream Christianity it does not in any way make you less of a believer, a Christian. It is the fear reacted too, that makes Christianity so negative to those who so need to be drawn in.  Scriptures misused in such a way to exclude those who might think and respond to life differently than we do are being used to divide.

The enemy just loves to divide to concur.

Never let that happen.

Putting up corn to freeze

Yesterday was well spent putting up corn

 Set up is the best method for success and a smooth operation.

See the awesome new antique enameled pan. I love it!

It has NO rust. Must be a good 40 years old.

So after cleaning by husk and silk removal.

An ice bath and boiling pot set to go. 

4 minuted submerged with a heavy pan to hold them down.

 Iced cooled and dried in a cycle the whole job was done in less than a half an hour.

 Cooked dried was lifted to the cutting stage.

Cut half way deep then scrapped to hard ear.

The scrap produced cream corn with the hearts of the kernel

 By using the back of the knife scrape the cob hard in a down ward motion

 all off cob

 Into freezer bags

creamed corn ready for next menu

  Got the laundry soap done for the next few months.

By adding Tea Tree oil to it (just a few drops per bottle)

Monday I finished Doves new top

I am not to pleased.

she is

Monday was also a day of tag trying to work out a new schedule and getting over my nerve about having a new nurse doing the infusion. It was set for today but has to be moved.

Thursday will be the third infusion. Is was to be today but it was postpone. The pharmacy had not called to confirm. So I called and the woman I work with is on holiday. Good thing too. Although the MD ok'ed the 3 week interval this month, the insurance had not given pre authorization. I would of got hit for the $4000! God is looking after me. It has been a challenging week and it's only Tuesday. The new nurse called this evening after I called the agency back and they finally confirmed in time for the infusion to get overnight-ed for Thursday. The pharmacist was a temp and felt bad of the mix up. She even stayed after work to mix it set the kit and mail it off over night.

Monday the temporary buss driver threatened the kids, all of them. He had an error on his form and could not let the kids off. 12 kids were stuck walking way too far in this heat. I called the school after Dash running home in a panic called me to run to the bus for the man was threatening the children. Dash was particularly concerned about a little guy walking home so far. The buss driver would not hear of listen to the kids. Instead he threatened them and bad mouthed the regular driver (who we all adore) then threatened her job. It all came down to the man could of easily listened to the kids and then called in to confirm..I called the school to let them know that there would be many calls for the kids would get home late. Then I got transferred to the transportation supervisor.  I told him that my kids are not the kind of children who provoke a threat. That they are not accustomed to such behavior.

The Man was fired today.

I am sure I was not the only parent to call. However the supper was on the phone with the driver before I got back to the house. Telling the supper that he would be getting a call and trying to cover his actions. I stood ground on the phone and overheard the supper being told that there was an error on the form. If the driver would of just heard the kids. Instead he threatens them.

Tackle it Tuesday *something old into new*

remember that

and that

behold this

and this

The work is almost done. 

Free trunk and free left over paint.

There is still a bit of work to do. This paint was left over from Dove's room. Dash wanted green and was fine with it. I will have to use a blue in the front for the green is all most gone. Just about enough to get the outer parts and the inner lid done. A prime coat on the inside. It is pink and as the outside will take a good three coats. 

In addition to this project I am redecorating the whole house using some feng shi ideas and concepts.

I'll show you later on in the week.