Category: Life

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Went away and came back to a mess

Being not sure what happened here while I was away for the weekend, and the guys not talking, to be honest I’m pretty miffed. Miffed is a word I use when I actually want to say something else that may not be acceptable here on my blogs. Not sure about that and will have to check…

I’m not sure if someone had a  party or if a strong wind came through and ruined a great deal of my lawn and porch furniture, but suffice to say, it is not going to improve my mood since I have to either buy new things or I need to find someone to fix what I originally had. If I have to fix this stuff, believe me, after heads roll, then it will be paid for out of blood, sweat and tears if need be…and not mine. Miffed…Pffft. Not even the word I want.

I got home to a mess. Go figure, leave the sons and grand son home with my husband who doesn’t pay an ounce of attention to what is going on in or around this house. Now I have to assess any damage and take it out in hides. I guess one would say that I am about to go on a rampage.

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Great garage sale finds

Because of this season, I love all of the yard sales, garage sales and the barn sales. Oh heck, I love all the roadside sales we veer right into while taking road cruises.

Today, since most garage sales start on Thursdays, I didn’t think I would find much, but one’s man junk is another man’s treasure. I’ve been wanting to find my daughter a ceder chest to uses as a “hope chest” since she will soon be leaving home and moving out of state. To be honest, this is sort of tearing me apart, but I did find a Lane cedar chest that she can be proud to have. I got the man down by bartering, from 100.00 to 45.00.

This chest does have some dings and a bit of scratches in it, but it is old. I’m pretty certain it is an antique, but will have to check with a friend who deals with these kind of things. I’m sure it isn’t worth more than what I paid for it, but I’m happy with it, and know my daughter will be, after I clean it up some and use some natural scratch cover on it. Now I can start stocking it!! 🙂

 

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Healthy Ducks for Sale

After me voicing that I wanted a pond in the back yard, my husband jokingly said to find some Ducks for sale while I was at it. I don’t think that is a bad idea at all. If all goes well with building the pond that I would like to have at the edge of the back yard, they would be an ideal addition to it. Plus, not many people I know like duck eggs, but I do! They have a nice rich flavor and are great for omelets, in my opinion.

If I can Buy Ducks along with the chickens, I’d be on way to becoming a back yard farmer of sorts. Plus I think these animals are so darn cute to watch. They would be a most welcome addition to my back yard. They might even turn out to be nice pets also!

I thought it would be so nice to find some nice laying  Chickens for Sale. I would love to go out to their coop and fetch my own eggs that came from my own chickens, and ducks without having to buy them in the store at a really high prices for brown chicken eggs. My whole family love fresh eggs, and brown ones are the best. I think they have a much better flavor when they are fresh and brown.

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The gift of a spice rack

My oldest daughter called me and asked what kind of spice rack she would need for her kitchen. I sat on the other end of the phone in puzzlement. My  kids have asked me a lot of various questions in their lifetime, some of which were quite strange questions, but never about a thing like this. I think maybe she was hinting that she would like to have one.

Spice racks to me are personal. I don’t really like to cook, but cook I do, and I’m good at it. One can be good at something and still not like to do it. When it comes to my spices, I’m very picky. The order they are in, and the type of spice group they are in is important to me. That is where good spice racks come in. They are awesome for organization of spices and also save space.

I think, judging how my daughter’s kitchen is set up, that she should look into a wall spice rack. She is learning now how to use various spices, and this way they would be right within her reach, organized, and would be a nice decor touch for her kitchen. I’ll be buying my daughter’s her first spice rack. I’ve seen some nice ones that she will be sure to like.

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Shopping with mom

Yesterday I went with my mom to “pick up a few things” at her favorite super store. I actually thought she would stick to her short list this time and not buy items that weren’t on this list. Wrong. We went down every single aisle in the food section of the store. Granted, both of us got some great deals, but it took nearly an hour and a half to go shopping for “a few things” that my mom didn’t even really need.

I enjoy spending time with my mom, there is no doubt about that. When she asks me if I want to go to her favorite store though, I have to remember that the list grows and to know that we are going to be in that store for quite awhile!

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Weekend mini vacation

The kids and I are planning on going to Devils lake this weekend. Contrary to the name, the lake doesn’t have grass around much of the lake, and it’s probably the only lake I will actually go swimming in. I have an aversion to seaweed and mucky bottoms, so since this lake has (as far as I’ve noticed) a hard packed sandy bottom.

I think my kids are looking forward to this little mini vacation. It’s going to be nice to get away for a little while, go swimming and just kick back. Usually we rent a small speed boat or a pontoon boat for a day, to go out and meander around the lake, then visit a favorite restaurant that is on the point, which we actually have to dock up to.

So far there has been a unanimous vote that we are leaving early on Friday morning, but I’m thinking that the kids won’t be ready until early afternoon. This generally is always the case. I don’t care, I just want to park myself on the beach and enjoy my time relaxing.

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In need of a computer desk and hutch

For me to find just the right computer desk and hutch or my daughters room has taken some time since the space in her room is limited, and her need of organization is growing. She really needs a place for her computer, school papers and also her music. She has a printer that she doesn’t use at the moment because she has no place to put it. With collage starting in the fall, she’ll need a study space.

With a little bit of rearranging and clearing out some childhood items she doesn’t need in her room, I found a great Contemporary Corner Workstation with Maximum Storage that would fit perfectly and give her all kinds of storage space and room to put everything she has as far as school and general computer work.

 

I like the looks of this corner desk and so does my daughter. It’s totally functional and would be a great way to have her room more organized. It really maximizes space and doesn’t take up a whole lot of room, so it would be perfect for her. I’ve even been thinking about getting myself one. Everyone in this house could use a bit more organization, and a room saving way to hold what they need.

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A break in the heat

Being outside today was a treat compared to how unbearable the the weather has been for nearly two weeks. 104 degree temperatures is just too dangerous and even the pool feels like bath water.

Yesterday we finally got some respite from the heat. It felt like it to us, though it was still 88 degrees. There was a nice breeze blowing and it did cool us off a bit.

My front yard looks brown and I can forget about even watering my flowers. They scorched from the sun and died. It’s sad to me, but I could have watered for hours and it would not have made much of a difference. The lawn is brown as is everyone’s around here and in town unless they had a good watering system, which is pricey. Next year I’ll do my gardens over and hope for the best.

 

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Keeping cool and dirty pool water

We’ve been having record breaking high temperatures the last week and this coming week it’s supposed to be even hotter. Of course most of the US is like this, so it’s no big surprise. We all have been trying to find ways to keep cool.

For me, it was a matter of keeping the pool clean. The pool and pool accessory place that I go t to has been running out of chemicals I need. One would think that being in that kind of business, these people would be up on the weather situation and the need for stocking more supplies.

Because4 of the heat, covering the pool at night, just is making algae form very fast on the walls and bottom of the pool. Tonight, I’m not going to cover it and just run the filter and pump all night. I’ll see how that works. A good skimming a few times a day will help also. So stay cool, my friends.

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Home repair grants

Having written about home repair grants in the past, I am a firm believer that more people should take advantage of this service. I’m in the process of looking for a contractor to help with venting and also repairing the old pipes in the bathroom, and believe me when I say it can get very expensive. With the economy the way it is, any help with money situations is a big deal and it’s worth checking out to see if you are eligible. It only takes a bit of one’s time and it can make all the difference in the world.

A friend of mine moved back to where she had been renting out the home she owns. When she got there and was settled, she decided to check out assistance with home repairs as the old tenants had trashed her house, then skipped out on the rent and repair bills. My friend was in dire need of assistance to help with the repairs since she couldn’t afford it on her own.

I was told an insulation assistance in NJ was just the thing she needed, as my friend’s previous tenants had even run up a heating bill in the winter that was outrageous. The utilities had been included in the rent so she went into debt with that also. I’m glad she is using her head and checking out various grants and professionals to help with and do the work she needs to have done.