Watcha doing today?

[Littlesister]

Gotta love autocorrect. They can't spell either. 

Jeepers, I do the same thing. Though on my generator that is on auto pilot. They come out once a year without me having to remember as they call me to say they will be out on such and such a day. Also, the same for the termite inspections.  But on other things like the air conditioner and boiler which I just had work done on its late winter when the pilot light went out and I couldn't get it to light again. It did need a new part so that is good to go for about a year. So most everything else for me is inside work. Making up a list of what to get done on each day of the week.  My DGD does that with meals. She keeps a calendar that she makes up the meals for each day and goes by that calendar. She said it also helps when she goes to the store for groceries as she can look at what the meals are for the week and just buy what she needs for that week if she doesn't already have it. 

 

Got the rug down but still trying to get all the folds out of it so I can make sure everything is right where it needs to be on all sides of it. Tomorrow I will start moving the furniture back into that room. I am looking at how I want to set it all up in there. with a 12 ft. window on one side and a full wall on the opposite side and then a wide-open door on both the dining room side and the foyer side.  Jeepers, I think the pictures of your dining room and living room was similar, but my dining room is on the opposite side of where your dining room is. And I don't think you had windows as big as mine. I am really thinking about that couch. But nope not at $4000. Still not on sale yet. Might start looking around again after I get a few more things done around here. Maybe find something similar but at half the price. 

[Becca_Anne]

Good luck with your home maintenance Jeepers and Littlesister! For inside and outside work I follow a cleaning plan that I have been a part of for over 20 yrs, we focus on a room per week, then the front porch and garage weeks are when I focus on the annual maintenance outside. It really helps me stay on track and at least the bare minimums get done but I try to do the deep clean as well. The plan also covers Holiday Prep starting in August and I love all of that as well. I never feel rushed at the end of the season to get gifts purchased and wrapped and its nice to have some meals pre-made which is part of the plan too.

 

Today I pretty much just rested after we went to 4H my body is telling me to lay low after all the medical appointments lately. Tomorrow I'm going to attempt to harvest my sweet potatoes they are probably all long ready to be dug up!

[Jeepers]

I scoured the internet for planner ideas. Especially Pinterest. I'd like to get one of those planners that look like a yearly calendar except that isn't year specific. I've never had a planner so I don't know what is out there. Or maybe one of those half binders you can buy? All i know is I want structure in my life. 

[Mt_Rider]

Hi all.  Having a good time with my friend....and her dogs and kitties!    One sleeps in the room I'm in so I have a fuzzy roommate.    DH is getting on well - LOL!  He doesn't have any medical appts to take me to.  Getting a long rest for his back.  Needs it!   

 

I'm just ....horrified by what H. Helene did to the east coast.  So many people missing - might never find some of them.     Elon Musk is setting up his Starlink so they can have comms.  If they didn't lose their cell and can get it charged.  Seee...there are always layers and layers of barriers when you have events like this.  WINTER COMING is a great big 'nasty' variable too, tho it's thankfully not a Colorado Mt type winter.  But without shelter, it can still be deadly.   

 

Then the hurricane season isn't over yet.....

 

AND like on Maui, some of the private assistance folks are having trouble getting/staying in the areas that NEED their assistance.  Glenn Beck's, Franklin Graham's, I think I heard of some HAMs that are trying to help.  Elon will be setting up his Star Links.  He did that for Lahaina.  Maybe those Louisiana guys....forgot what they call themselves but helped with Katrina, I think.  But.....the OFFICIAL GOVT folks are there and often GET IN THE WAY OF THOSE WHO HAVE REAL FOOD/CLOTHING/SHELTER/MEDS .....instead of govt paperwork.     If you're not providing real and immediate assistance, get out of the way for those that are prepared to DO THE THING!

 

MtRider    

[Littlesister]

I heard the death toll is now up to 227 and they still haven't found everyone. Don't know how many are still missing.  Another hurricane is out there now in I think gulf. West of Florida I believe. 

I am still trying to get what looks more like air pockets more so than wrinkles from being folded. Might try folding it the opposite way from what they did for shipping to see if that works. Been watching church on U-tube this morning. I like Jimmy Evens. I watch him all through the week also on U-Tube.  Time seems to be flying by fast. 

 

I have too many projects going right now. So going to leave the rug to do its thing and settle down. But will fold it the opposite way for a few hours. Going to finish up in the kitchen and get the dehydrator going and wash clothes. That might be it for today. I need a rest and to read my Bible today. I usually do that early morning but couldn't wake up good this morning. Guess I am just a bit tired. 

[themartianchick]

I reached out to a friend  from another homesteading forum that I used to frequent to make sure that he is safe. He doesn't spend a lot of time on social media, but moved from South Carolina to North Carolina in recent years. He lives in a county that didn't see the level of devastation that we are seeing on the news. He said that everyone is working together to address the disaster and that there are a lot of conspiracy theorists and political types that are spreading disinformation on social media. He said that the people living in those areas don't care about any of that... They are just getting the work done. The devastation is so widespread. This isn't like a typical Florida/Louisiana hurricane where the damage is contained to one basic type of flat, coastal terrain. There are thousands of people who live in the mountains who have been cut off and the area is inaccessible, even by helicopter...and that is just Asheville, NC. Many of these mountain areas have inadequate cell phone service during the best of times.Whatever cell service existed is now gone. Until power is restored, cell towers cannot work and the electricity cannot be restored until entirely new service is installed. The storm has inflicted an estimated $160 billion dollars worth of damage to public infrastructure and personal property combined.

 

I saw a community on the news a few days ago. It was completely cut off and supplies could only be brought in via mule! They had one person leading a pack of mules loaded down with 150 lbs of supplies each. There were also private citizen pilots bringing goods to staging areas and flying supplies in, where feasible. For places that are underwater, you cannot bring goods in via helicopter. In some cases, you can't access flooded places with boats because you don't know what is below the surface of the water. Airboats can be helpful for that, but it can be difficult to get an airboat into the area when the roads are blocked or crumbled.

 

A snippet from this article: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/by-mule-helicopter-volunteers-deliver-aid-helene-victims-2024-10-04/

 

"I know how hard some of those areas are to get to when it's 60 degrees outside and totally dry. So as this thing started to unfold, I could really envision that there were a lot of places they were going to have trouble getting to," Miller said.

 

One thing that happened with this storm is that the assumption was that the storm would devastate parts of Florida. The Cajun Navy was predeployed to St. Petersburgh abd other cities that were expected to take the brunt of the storm. No one expected these other areas to be hit so hard and these communities did not have the storm-resistant infrastructure that coastal cities have.

 

 

 

 

[Littlesister]

N.C. really took a bad hit from Helene. From all the pictures I have seen, I don't see how they are going to ever fully recover.  I am rethinking my move to NC. though my DD where she is now was not affected but wants to move to Kerr Dam. I was looking at pictures and housing around Kerr Dam. Well, I hate to say it, but those dams could take a hit from a hurricane and the flooding begins. Most of the houses that were up for sale was on lakes. But those lakes from what I could tell also feed into the dams. So don't think I would want to move around that area and if my daughter would wake up and check things out, she might just stay put where she is at. Living on a lake is one thing but when dams like that are concerned, I would want to know what dangers could lay ahead. 

 

They took truckloads of supplies to N.C yesterday that were supplied by everyone around here that could contribute. They are coming back tomorrow. Not sure if they are going to collect supplies and make another trip again yet. 

 

I finished the kitchen cabinets other than the spice cabinet. Yeah, I opened that door and closed it again. Going to take a while to go through all those spices. GS has made a huge mess in there going through everything and not putting things back in its place. Going to just empty it all out and go through them. I am sure there could be some old no-good ones in there as that cabinet hasn't been gone through in a few years. Actually, none of the cabinets had been cleaned out on the upper level. I had to take out and clean out the bottom cabinets for the new sink and countertop. So those were done. a year ago. Got the one rug and pad down in the living room but can't get that dining room set to sell. Went on Marketplace last night just looking at prices and most are $2000 or less. I have already come down to $2000 about 2 weeks ago and nothing.  So going to drop it again to $1800 to see what happens. When I get down to $500 if it doesn't sell then I might as well give it away by that time. Will call Sanmartin's Purse first and if they won't take it then I will call 1-800 got junk. There is no way I can get it out of the house. That thing is very heavy.  Even the table is heavy. Bad thing is the original price was over $14,000. Yes, it is what DH wanted and he got it. I love it but it has to go. It is way too big for the dining room and I had to jack the floor up because of the hutch. It is over 30 years old and now considered an antique. But I do feel like I am giving it away. If I remember right, I think we got it on a good clearance sale for $8500 and it still looks like new. But furniture just isn't in the market to sell now. I guess the economy is just too bad and people are concerned about the banking situation, and I can't say I blame them. I might just keep the table and my old couch and love seat and not buy any new furniture if things get any worse. I could move the table into the other room and use that instead of buying a farmhouse table. Either way I am not doing anything till I see how this election is going to go.

[out_of_the_ordinary]

MtRider, I'm glad you are having a nice time! 

I was watching some Glenn Beck/Mercury One videos.   It is so awful.  First the hurricane... then those who are trying to stop the people who are actually helping.  

 

BeccaAnne, I'm glad Ben came through the surgery well.  Praying things settle down for you and your family.

 

Jeepers, so is everything set up then for the sale to be able to go through?

 

LittleSister, don't push yourself too hard trying to get your house back in order!

 

 

[Jeepers]

@Mt_Rider. Glad you are having a good time! I think the ones you are thinking about from Louisiana are called the Cajun Navy. Great organization. They are a group of civilian volunteers not associated with the US Navy. There are so many volunteers that we never hear about. There are a bunch of guys in a volunteer club who fly planes to volunteer. They are flying tons of supplies in to different areas. I only know about them because they are sort of local to me. From Wadsworth, Ohio. I'm sure there are many many more people like that too that we don't hear about except locally. 

 

Elon Musk is helping with his Star Link, Glenn Beck with his Mercury One, Ryan Hall with his Y'all Squad, Southern Baptist Relief, Graham's Samaritan's Purse, Grindstone Ministries. And so many more private citizens. Dolly Parton has donated 1,000,000. Wal-Mart has committed to 10,000,000. Those are just the ones off the top of my head.

 

@Littlesister  i wouldn't discount N.C. I think this was a freak storm that could happen anywhere. But I would sure stay away from the water. Especially a dam. Maybe you can donate the hutch and get a little tax right off? You are right about people scaling back on their buying right now. And a lot of younger people are going for that minimal look. If you call 1-800-got-junk, they will just pitch it and charge you big time for doing it.

 

@out_of_the_ordinary. I think I'm all ready to sell. Nearly all of the house is cleared out. Basically just the stuff I'm using and a little bit of food. Very little. All of the closets and cabinets are cleared out. I have one more run to the dumpster. Everything will fit in the Jeep. Someone is coming on the 9th to the house to notarized some papers and then the final closing on the 10th. I'm not sure what all will take place on the 10th. Maybe a final walk through to make sure I didn't trash the place. Then I have to pay the realtor and closing costs and the mortgage on this house. Maybe transfer the utilities to them. I'm really not sure what all will take place. But hopefully I'll be seeing Ohio in my rear view mirror for the last time on Thursday. I never thought this day would come! 

[Littlesister]

Wow, Jeepers, you are so close.  Just 2 more days and you are on your way. 

 

I have been washing clothes and working on the living room. Trying to decide how I want to arrange things in there that works best for me since that is now my den and not a formal living room. I am finally going to get the use of both the dining room and the living room instead of 2 rooms just sitting there that I never go into other than to dust furniture and go over the floor. 

What I am doing makes so much more sense due to the way this house is set up.  

Tomorrow I will be heading to 2 banks to take care of things there and then back home again to work on house. I need to make a stop to Goodwill to empty the car. 

[Jeepers]

That's the way this house is too. In 35 years I never used the livingroom and only a couple of times did I use the dinning room. They were a total waste for me. Like you said, I still had to clean them and heat and cool them. But that's the way they made houses back then. This house is 45 years old. 

 

I have a bunch of errands to run today and phone calls to make. Better get a move on. 

[Littlesister]

Back many years ago when we had family here for Thanksgiving and Christmas, we did use the dining room a lot. But as family passed on and that 30+ people here for both holidays shrunk down and some family members moved away. It hasn't been used but once. Since then.  And even then, no one ever sat in the living room as the kitchen and den were the gathering places all the time.  The only time the living room was ever used was when DH and I got married. Yep, we were married in this house. This house holds lots and lots of great memories but now the house needs to be set up to be easier for me to use. My biggest hold up right now is the dining room suit. I am going to be talking with my GD as she put it on Market place, and I didn't get to talk to her about it yet. So might just go ahead and call Samaritans house to see if they will take it. If not, then I might have no choice but to call 1800 got junk. No one wants those huge hutches anymore. So very hard to sell. 

 

Getting ready to move the couches back into the living room. I just hope I can do that by myself. I know I can move the loveseat by myself but not sure about the couch. But as always where there is a will there is a way. I have to flip both of them to get them through the den door. Other things are already set but not written in stone that that is where they will be. I think the couches will make that decision for me.  But I think I have it like I am thinking. But as they say, you have that idea in your head but when you go to pull it all together it might not be like you thought it would be. 

[Littlesister]

I am going to be sore tomorrow morning. I did get the love seat into the living room and both of the end tables.  As for the couch it won and still in the den. That thing is very heavy and to long for me to handle. Going to call DGSIL tomorrow. He gets home from work at 1 pm. So should give him plenty of time to help me. Just don't want DGD coming in to take my place helping out.  She is about 20 weeks now and doesn't need to be moving heavy furniture.  At least the rugs went down easy considering I also bought a pad to go under it. Still have the dining room one to do but it will have to wait a while. 

 

Hope everyone that is traveling is having a great time and praying for a safe return home for everyone.  Though in Mt. Rider's case her friend might be missing a kitty, and she will need to hide it very well on the plane. 

[Jeepers]

Boy, this move sort of crept up on me. I knew it was coming but I couldn't do a lot until I found out it they got the loan or not. Now I'm scrambling. 

 

The thing is, I know where everything is over here. So I went and got my Jeeps oil changed and lubed. This evening I thought about a hair cut. If I remember, I'll do that tomorrow. 

 

Then I thought about all the change of addresses I need to do. I made a list. 15 places! I got 7 of them done today. The most important ones I got done were banking. I don't want my statements coming here for other people to see. 

 

I'll go to the post office tomorrow and get a permanent change of address form. 

 

I still have more to change plus my social security and insurances. I'm not sure how to do that because I don't have online accounts with any of them. I don't have the statements for my supplemental insurance so I don't know any numbers. I have all of that stuff in a computer someplace. I really thought I was smart getting ahead and making my list. Now I can't find it. 

 

I also need to call and cancel snow removal and lawn care services. Will cancel all my pending doctor appointments and give my doctor my new address. I got a list of all the out-of-pocket meds from my pharmacy today. I use that for taxes. The only place I've had any trouble with is that Indiana bank. I really dislike that bank. They want me to come in and sign papers. We finally agreed I'd do an e-sign. They still haven't emailed it yet. Whatever. I'll be there in a few days. 

 

So much to do. I'm never moving again. 

[Littlesister]

I'm stuck in limbo on moving to N.C. If DD plans to move again then there is no need of my moving till I know what she is going to do.  I don't want to move and then she moves 4 hours away to Kerr Dam like she is talking.  She is very unpredictable about that, and she never lives in one place more that 5 years. I thought she had finally settled down in one place while the kids were in school but within a year after DGS graduated, her DH got transferred. He didn't have to take it, but DD said he was, and they were going to move there. Now it seems every 5 years is back on again. I am too old to play that game. So will stay put till I see just what her plans are and for the 5-year future.  Thought about moving closer to DGD but with her DH in Coast Guard they may be moving every 3 to 4 years depending on what he plans to do while in Coast Guard. 

[Becca_Anne]

So excited for you Jeepers it will all get sorted. With SS you can always just go to an in person appointment and do it that way might be easier for you.

[Mt_Rider]

  for Jeepers' house sale!!!  for no delays/no glitches.  And yeah, lots of change-of-address things.  

 

K and I went to "Amish country"  Missouri version today.  Several stores.  She's stocking up with heavy bags of beans, popcorn (that's what will work in grinders for cornmeal), etc.  She's got lots but expects to feed people if/when the hooey hits fan.   It was a beautiful day - just the right temperature.  My right leg kept going "walkies" without me for the first half.  Just NOT coordinating with the rest of me.  Had to drag it along like a squalling 2 yr old.... so to speak.  But finally was working better.  We made a stop at her chiro again.  I was in better shape this time esp after he'd done my neck last time. 

 

So...here I am...laying on the bed with the laptop up on my knee, craning my neck to see to type....     ...and it's 1:30am here.  Midnight-thirty mountain time. 

 

MtRider     ....kitty is curled up next to me; already sleeping of course. 

[Jeepers]

@Mt_Rider. Sounds like you are having a great time. Any day in Amish country is a good day. . I bought some popcorn for corn meal too. Plus double duty for popping. I have never been able to find any regular corn to grind locally. I bought a bucket of corn meal but I wonder if it's still good. I'd like to check it for bugs but I don't want to break the seal. Decisions decisions. 

 

Poor K might be minus one kitty when you leave. Tell the airline it's your support cat. 😇 🐈‍⬛

[Littlesister]

There you go, a support cat is much needed on planes. Don't forget to grab a cat carrier. 

 

I woke up early this morning.  Now I can't go back to sleep. Had a weird dream and I don't usually dream.  I don't remember dreams if I am dreaming but do remember bits and pieces of this one. Guess I will be getting a very early start on the house. 

Need to run to banks when they open and to Walmart for some bubble wrap. Might look around while I am in there. I want to price the canning jars. The prices for wide mouth pint jars are now $21.99 at Food Lion and a bit cheaper at other stores but not by much. Those jars at Food Lion jumped from 15.99 to that price. I started going to Taylor's hardware as they are $14.99 there. I have some dehydrating to get done today also. Will get started on that in an hour or so. By the time I get those things done, DGSIL should be home from work. Will call then to see if he will be able to help me out. Might call DGD later this morning as well. 

[Littlesister]

Went to both banks and then to Walmart for bubble wrap. Now I can finish getting those Knick knacks out of the China hutch. 

DGSIL is going to help me get the couch into the living room. Just not sure of what day yet. But I am going with what works best for him. I have other things I can get done in the meantime.  And yes, I hate Walmart. It looks like they are going to do away with the material again. They have a big sale going on right now. A lot of it is in a huge bin in the middle of the store. Might go back and check on that later. But then again maybe not. 

[Jeepers]

Glad you asked GSIL for help! 

 

Things have sort of changed with the house sale. Not really changed but better explained to me. For the good, i think. A woman is coming to the house to get my signature tomorrow and have it notarized. That's it. The paperwork will be filed downtown the next day. No one meets up and I don't have to go anywhere. The title company will automatically pay, with my money, my realtor, closing costs, my mortgage, any outstanding property tax and wire the rest of my money to my bank account. It could not be easier. The utilities will be changed over at that time. I will need to call for a final bill though. 

 

However, I would have liked to have seen it all done in front of me to make sure. Someone can be a tad bit of a control freak. 

 

I have to be out of the house by 5:00 Thursday. Can do. I THINK I'm going to get up early and head over to PA where I've been wanting to go. Up in the mountains to Mifflin County, and spend a couple of days for the last time. Not sure about that yet. 

 

I feel like I have one foot out the door.

Wednesday =  🦶 

Thursday =  🦶🦶

Friday = 

 

[Midnightmom]

1 hour ago, Littlesister said:

and then to Walmart for bubble wrap. Now I can finish getting those Knick knacks out of the China hutch. 

I'm too cheap to buy bubble wrap. When I go to the grocery store I "help" the produce section by removing the "styrofoam" type cushioning between the layers of fruit, etc (but only if most of the fruit is gone from the layer). 

[Jeepers]

I'm cheap too. I use wads of paper towels around small stuff. It's especially good around necks and stems. 

[Mt_Rider]

Good Heavens - H. Milton is coming in HARD AND FAST ....mostly central Florida.  But that's only their statistical guess.  Anyone anywhere in the main leg of Florida, especially a BIG hunk of the middle section from Western shore to the Eastern Atlantic ....GET OUT QUICK!

 

MtRider    

 

 

[Littlesister]

If you could see what is in my China hutch you would be thinking bubble wrap. They are a lot of Japanese figurines, and some are birds. I might keep a couple of the birds but not sure yet. I want to take them all in one piece to the pawn shop and see what I can get for them. Might not be much but better than nothing. Some are from the Bradford exchange and some from another place similar to them. I know what I paid for them, but I also know I won't get much for them either in a yard sale or the pawn shop. 

GSIL is coming with a friend to move furniture for me. He doesn't want me lifting heavy stuff with my knee.  And I won't let DGD help with her being pregnant. 

I am also giving him some firewood for his firepit as well. The baby's birthday party is this Saturday. Though her first birthday is tomorrow. But everyone is working and DD and SIL can't come down till early Saturday morning.