Tag: family

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Auctions in the area

The village news is all filled with various farm auctions in this area, a long with the contents of barns, sheds and outbuildings. It’s sad to see some of the very old homesteads being sold. No doubt the houses will leveled and the land sold to make sub divisions. Some of the families are not able to, or just don’t want to contend with the cost or the hard work that it takes to run farms now, so a lot of these places are going to auction because of those factors.

The great thing about these auctions, is I’ve been finding all kinds of treasures, that I actually have had my eye out for. I make lists of items that is listed in the paper and then compare it with the list I have had been adding to in my journal, and it’s a good system so far, that saves me from spending a lot of money on things I don’t need, but just want.

There is an auction this Saturday that my whole family would like to go to. I should be able to round them all up early for this. Hopefully, they won’t overbid me, as this will be the kid’s first auction.

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Savings with home energy efficiency tips

When our heating and lighting meters were read by some man that went meter to to meter, we got our bill and knew it was way to high. I decided to find home energy efficiency tips to employ in order to save money. I knew that my family would not stick with these tips, but I wanted to at least try to make a good example by using the tips myself, so that perhaps the kids and my husband would learn by example, so to speak. I was wrong in thinking such a thing.

Months went by and there was only a slight change, and it was especially noticeable even during this winter, which was the most mild winter we have had in nearly 20 years. Global warming is getting pretty scary if you ask my opinion. Since I am concerned about how hot the summer may get and the fact that my family want air conditioning when it is hot, something because of the bills, I decided to talk to my husband about a home energy audit. I figure if someone who is a professional on this subject told him what was what, he’d indeed be more willing to use the tips I have been trying to use.

Also, since the weather has been so weird, and it’s hard telling what is going to happen in months or even a few years on down the line, I would like to check in to some home insulation contractors. We need more insulation in this house, and I’m sure it would help tremendously during both winter and summer.

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After Easter sales

Tomorrow my oldest daughter and I are going shopping for what ever we can find left over from Easter that is on sale. My daughter does volunteer work at the school for the younger kids in grades 1 and 2, and she wants to find things that she will be able to use for next years class room decorations.

She was bringing up memories today, about how I have Easter traditions, and how I used to go all out on decorations, baskets and egg hunts. I’ll admit, when the kids were young and up until about three years ago, I still did that. Now…no one believes in the the Easter Bunny, hadn’t for years, which I knew, but yet I still I did the Bunnie, “thing.”

Now, I just buy the candy they like and are their favorites, at sales after Easter, and give it to them. It’s kind of sad in a way, not to have anyone to decorate for, except me,  but as long as they don’t mind it, I’ll have to get used to it. At least I’ll be saving a great deal of money hitting the sales, and my daughter will find the decorations she wants for the little ones who still believe!! I love it when small children believe in the figures of holidays.

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To Moms for Easter

We’re all going to my Mom’s house for Easter. We’re going to get there early, so I can help my Mom with anything she needs to have done before everyone else starts to arrive. I’m hoping it doesn’t rain and isn’t cold on Sunday, but that is like hoping to win the lottery. It’s hard telling what it will be like. I actually stopped watching the weather reports because any more they are simply not accurate here.

Mom was telling me about what all she was cooking. Once again she’ll be in her pure element. My family and I love anything she cooks. I’m glad I didn’t buy a ham this week, as she bought a big one and told me that any left overs are going home with me. Okey Dokey Mama…I’ll take em all! 🙂

If it’s nice out, I’m going to try and get some of my family to start a horse shoe game. I loved to play before I lost the strength in my arm. Still, it’s fun to watch my family and friends that show up, play. They are really competitive, in a good way.

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Help with a thesis or dissertation

My niece called me last night and sounded so proud of herself, because she had finally looked into a custom dissertation writing service. This is something I have been telling her to do for months and months, but bless her heart…like most young adults and kids, “big” adults don’t have a clue as to what they are talking about. They think we were born old and never experienced things that they are going through. I went through this with my oldest daughter when she was in collage and I’m sure I am going to go through it three more times before all my children are grown and out of school.

I wanted to check out some of the links my niece had looked at about how to buy thesis online, and found it to be very interesting, indeed. A person can get a lot of help with the writing of all their needs. It cuts out having to spend hour and hour online and at the library. And I know from experience sometimes a person can’t find exactly what they are looking for at the library and I myself have had to have books I needed ordered from other branches, which took a long time.

My nice told me that when she could buy dissertation online, just hearing the relief in her voice, was enough for me not to tease her about the “I told you so,” part of months when she fretted about it all. A plus is, that she is saving money and also time by using this service.

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Shepard’s pie

Shepard’s pie comes in so many variations that I couldn’t be able to count them. My daughters boy friend who is a guest here until Saturday, wanted to contribute to one of our evening meals. I told him to go for it, and my husband took him and our daughter on their first “grocery trip” together. When they got home, they had gotten the ingredients Keg (we will call him) needed to make his take on the Shepard’s pie.

I have to admit that I tried not to hover, but I absolutely hate to have someone messing around in my kitchen. I even have a problem with my kids and husband cooking something in my kitchen. I mean, it was nice the young man wanted to contribute and show off his cooking abilities, but it still felt odd for me. Instead of hovering, I gave him a bag of potatoes, which I had told him I already had, then left the room. One other truth be known, I was sort of hoping my daughter would learn a few tips on preparing and cooking a new dish. She can bake like hell wouldn’t have it, but to say she is handy in the kitchen, would be a lie.

Keg’s mean tuned out wonderful. Yes, I was surprised. My two son’s and grandson loved it, V loved it, and I liked it. V did learn how to mash potatoes, somewhat. And bless Keg’s heart…he doesn’t measure, and cooks similar to the way I do. I don’t measure and it’s all basically taste test. I’m going to send the recipe to my blogging buddy Lindsay. She is starting to collect recipes for her blog. Her blog  is comprised of a little of everything. She knows my family, as she has kids the same age as I do, which is why we hit it off so well, so it’s going to be a sort of  ” Family and extended Family Cookbook ,”  which will fit right into her blog, since she has many hobbies and life stuff happening… but that is all I’m going to tell you about her surprises. 😉

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Wanting a wood stove and mantle

My passion for fire places and beautiful wood burning stoves,  stems from my great grandma, my Nana and my Mom. My kids are the same way in which they love the warmth and ambiance of the fire. Each has been taught to know their wood and how each kind burns. To chop and stack, then take care of the wood they cut and to also know the value of each kind of wood. While I was “Look Shopping” for a mantle, I came cross some really great links one of which is:  fireplace inserts bay area. Even though I wasn’t from that state, I checked them out. That is when the “look shopping ” turned into  looking in earnest for a stove.

Growing up around wood stoves and fireplaces all of my life means of course, I have my favorite styles and I don’t really believe in electric stoves that don’t have logs that burn. Much to fancy for me, but I know a lot of people who really like them a great a lot. A person doesn’t have to deal with chopping, hauling and then stacking wood. I did see some awesome fireplace mantles that I am taking into consideration.

When looking for wood stoves for sale, I have to figure out how much I want to utilize it into a room. I’m looking forward to some remodeling, decorating and making a homey cozy room.

 

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From bed skirt to satin pillowcases

It’s ironic that I no more was talking about satin bedding to use in the RV, I got online and found beloved Satin Pillowcases. I love then if I’m going to be unable to wash and style my hair for a day or so. Satin doesn’t muss one’s hair up, and I read somewhere that it’s actually good to make hair shinier and well behaved. I just like them because my hair is super long and yet it’s layered a lot, and sometimes I wake up looking like Medusa. Satin in my book is great for the hair. My Nana and Aunt, not to mention my mother, taught me how to use satin pillowcases when I wanted my hair to “behave.”

While shopping or at least looking for new bedding in my RV, I also decide to get the family another set, since the link I found, has everything they would want, and the prices are really good on the pocketbook. I even found the right colors of Bed Skirts, that everyone would approve of and like. Then I turned myself in to decorator and started concentrating on the RV, and what I wanted to do with it.

I looked at the Mattress Covers, and found exactly what I would need for the individual sleeping spaces. I don’t sleep on satin sheets in the RV or at home. I use the satin pillow trick,  usually when I go away in the RV to do family stuff. But I’m here to say that all of the items I have found now, in just one place, shopping right here at home, plus being able to write, makes me happy. And the satin lovers in my family, are going to be happy campers also, now.

 

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Plugged up sinks

My kitchen sink is totally plugged up. It could be from the kids not putting the little strainer thing in the drain, so it catches the icky stuff that they like to just wash down the sink. Usually I can unplug it all, but today, I gave up trying and have decided I need to borrow my friend’s “snake” and weave it down in to my drains, then hopefully it will free what ever is stuck or built up in there. At times like this, I wish this old house had a garbage disposal.

There are a lot of small, “must do,” things on my list for this weekend. We’re supposed to have some awesome warm weather coming in, so it would be a perfect time to get to these little jobs that need done. My husband has to work, and since he works nights, he’ll sleep during the day, but my boys and daughter told me that they would help me with the chores on my list. I’m kind of wondering if they really will when they have a change to get outside in the great weather, if we have what the forecasters are saying we will.

I do plan on the little home improvement things getting done…chores that just in case I need to, can be done by myself alone with out any help from others. I also want to get out in the yard, if it isn’t too muddy from the storms that we have been getting the last few days. Even if it is muddy, it’ll be great to sink my bare toes and feet into the earth again. The yard needs a major clean up and some branches and wood to be hauled away that can’t be used as kindling. Hopefully all goes according to a somewhat plan of what I want to do. That saying, “Even the best laid plans can go by the wayside, ” keeps running through the back of my mind.

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Getting away from it all

My daughter and I are at other place that we both love, and have left the guys to fend for themselves over the weekend. It’s good to go a bit South for awhile, to get away as there has been a bit of turmoil going on over stupid stuff that I just didn’t feel like dealing with this weekend. My daughter and I just needed to get away. My daughter Iris, is a sensitive young lady and she is the kind that likes and wants to keep the peace, but I could tell she needed the break as much as I Having my two sons stay with their dad for a time might be a wake up call for them, and it might be a good one…I don’t know. He lets them get away with basically anything, and I’m kind of tired of being the bad guy all the time. Of course, they will indeed take full advantage of the fact that their father when home, tends to get lost into the sofa and television and doesn’t have a clue what is happening around him. Yes, I am a bit worried, but I’m leaving that worry to fate. What happens if anything, will.

In the mean time, once we got here it was like we breathed a deep one and then relaxed. It’s so peaceful here.  I am however a Mom first and foremost, and indeed want to call to see if everything is going alright. BUT, I have to have Faith it is and then let it go.

Tomorrow I think Ris and I are going to go shopping. I need to try and find some film for my old camera and also want to get more acrylics to finish a painting I’ve been working on here. I’ll also take Ris out to lunch and to any shops or stores she would like to go to also. We’ll go to mass on Sunday and it’ll give me a chance to get updated on what is happening in the community and the congregation. It’s Lent and I’m anxious to catch up on what is happening and if there is any volunteer work that needed to be done, that Ris and I usually sign up for if we know for sure we can get down here. Other than that, we have plans to do things around the house and in general…relax a bit.