What's everybody doing today?

Homesteading & Country Living Forum

Help Support Homesteading & Country Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Going to head into town a little later to pay my property taxes and home insurance, don't want to forget with so many things going on. Will do a quick inventory before I leave and grab a few extra items while in town. Don't need anything but want to have a few extras that just make life a bit more pleasant, like coffee creamer. 🙂 Might hit a thrift store or two for more winter reading material.
The rest of the day will likely be spent doing some organizing and working on some fence repair.
 
Happy Birthday, Grimm.
Sorry about your grandmother, LadyLocust.

Today I got up around 6am to go with my brother to Lafayette where my brother volunteers for the VITA program to help teach English to foreign students. It's part of practicum for a degree he's getting. He's been working with a Haitian student. The staff there are very friendly & nice. They were encouraging him to continue tutoring even when he's completed his hours bc he's making good progress with the student. They assessed her at being beginner level in English. He did some testing & came back after an hour of tutoring & said she's actually intermediate but she has difficulty conjugating her verbs. He said her comprehension level and reading are good & he thinks the classes she's taking (in addition to the tutoring) is really helping.

Then we stopped by a place that advertised some Formica sheets on Facebook. Turns out it's a production warehouse for commercial stuff. They make cabinets & such for hospitals, schools, & other commercial buildings. They had a section where they were cutting up the wood, a section where they were assembling cabinets, and another section where they were putting laminate on wood for cabinet surfaces. The laminate they were selling had been part of previous jobs or something & was leftovers that didn't get used so they needed to get rid of it. They had a variety of colors. They even had some metal sheets but those were $80.

The facility was HUGE. Doors must have been 20ft high. The guy who showed us the formica sheets gave us some history of the place & said it used to be separate buildings but they created structure to link them all together & said they keep finding new stuff about the place & that it has an interesting history. They used to do school tours there to show how to make stuff- which is something I fully support. I was looking at a shiny white sheet but the corner was torn. Guy said it was "color all the way through" that was advertised as "the best" but that it was garbage bc it chipped. I picked a couple of sheets, paid the guy, and he rolled them up (very carefully) for me, tied them off with string to keep them secured, & put cardboard at the edges of the sheets so they wouldn't get damaged. I could probably spend hours looking around that facility bc it was so cool. The guy said it was a great place to work & that there was a lot of neat stuff in there-- higher quality than you can find in big box stores. The stuff I got was $15/sheet. Same stuff I saw for $90 at big box stores.

Visited my best friend very briefly. He's taken in another stray person. This time it's an 18-yr old pregnant girl who already has a 1-yr-old child. She'd been living at her boss's house for some reason. My friend was at the store when the boss announced that she was firing the girl & that the girl had to get all of her belongings and move out of her house by the end of the day. I don't even think that's legal, but cops won't do anything about it. So the girl & her 1yr old are over at my friend's house. She's apparently been cleaning & helping out. Friend's fiance is doing better now that she's taking all of her meds regularly.

Popped in to get some groceries, fed mom, and am about to take a nap.
 
Cut down a tree that was dying and would fall across the driveway. Started to fall in the right direction until top of the tree hung up in another tree on the other side of the driveway. Now the driveway is blocked. After carefully cutting two pieces off the bottom for the tree it's still standing but on the other side of driveway. Enough lean to the cut tree that when the other tree decides to let the cut tree go it will fall safety.

Started another fire in a stump that I've been try to burn flush with the ground. Pulling fallen branches out of the woods to feed the fire. Checked on the stump when I walked to the mailbox. Looks like this time I'll be successful!

Wondering if I should fix my own supper? Wife's 1 1/2 hours late coming home and she has an commitment in town at 8.
 
that's mighty busy, @The Lazy L
My neighbor needs to take down his tree, it is cracked bad and when that piece falls off it is likely to hit the other tree. Will the other tree hit his house? I don't know. I brought it to his attention, so far nothing done. One of my trees had to be taken down and wow, I'm glad I noticed when I did.
Note to selves: Check the trees on your property. Might be time for some to come down.
 
The Lazy L said:
Cut down a tree that was dying and would fall across the driveway. Started to fall in the right direction until top of the tree hung up in another tree on the other side of the driveway. Now the driveway is blocked. After carefully cutting two pieces off the bottom for the tree it's still standing but on the other side of driveway. Enough lean to the cut tree that when the other tree decides to let the cut tree go it will fall safety.

Started another fire in a stump that I've been try to burn flush with the ground. Pulling fallen branches out of the woods to feed the fire. Checked on the stump when I walked to the mailbox. Looks like this time I'll be successful!

Wondering if I should fix my own supper? Wife's 1 1/2 hours late coming home and she has an commitment in town at 8.
Click to expand...

Oh boy thats not good, we had some bad experinces fallling trees roo. One almost landed on the house. Sorry Lazyl.
 
Today after work I decided to clear off one of the raised beds and pull up some plants. I pulled 4 tomato plants and harvested 4 gallons of yellow/green tomatoes. Then I pulled up all the dead & dying flowers in the front beds and decided to try to save (transplant) 3 pepper plants. I had used #10 cans as weed control in the spring and I was pleased when I dug up the plants and the root ball slid right out of the can, I had 7 plants, but I only had enough containers for the 3 that still had peppers and blooms.

I have about 6 more tomato plants that need pulling, I wish I could preserve them a little longer, but I think after this weekend it will be all over.

Next steps will be to amend the soil in the flower bed and plant bulbs, I think I will lay down a layer of deer neting over them to keep the critters out for a while.
 
Finally got the ducks moved into their nice large clean pen. I felt so bad for them living in a portable puppy pen but they were too little to be allowed the run of the yard.

Now that they are big enough not to fit through the slats in the fence they can have more room.

Also they're on the opposite side of the house to the dead beats next door so I don't have to worry about coping abuse when I go out to feed and water them after midday.
 
Went out to find an authentic mexican breakfast burrito with husband this morning, and we did find one, even though it was a little texmex. The sign said aunthentic mexican food (ha ha) and the place used to be an old gas station. Pretty decent, though. Went to the bulk store to look for calcium carbonate, rennat, and cheese wax, but they only carried the rennat. Had a DMV appt this afternoon for KS driver licenses. Husband got his. Not for me. My name on my old license didn't match the name on my birth certificate. Duh. I've been married 37 years. I have a different last name. So we have to get a form notorized and then mailed in to CA to request a certified marriage certificate. The one I have is not certified. Next appt available is January 13th. Oh well. Cousin called and asked if I'd stop at Aldi after that to get two turkeys. Butterballs on sale. So I did. Then brought them to her, and then, of course there was pie.
 
We've had our first real frost Monday night so all our food is done now for this year, well other than the parsnips.
Pulled the battery from our camper and made up a harness to make a quick and easy hook up for a solar panel. I don't keep it plugged in so the panel will help keep the battery hot. While I was at it I made a similar harness for my Duetz tractor. I don't use it a lot thru the winter, but I like to keep the battery up on it so it's ready when I need it. I've got one panel, now just need to find a second one.
After that I mowed part of the yard and blew up some leaves and clippings in a row. Make it easy to get on a big tarp and drag them to the garden to scatter and rot out over the winter. Also aired up the tires on the Duetz and bush hogged part of the field.
Got an appointment with eye Dr tomorrow (yearly exam) so plan to have a headache all day after that. Won't be doing anything other than sitting in the dark.
 
Lazy L, trees can be tricky but I'm glad the tree didn't fall on anyone, a house, or a vehicle. I've had a lot of damage at my place from fallen (but still healthy-looking) trees. Barn got totaled by a dead tree outside of our property though-- belonged to a timber company. They failed to remove it after being sent written notice but property changed hands so we had to figure out who the new owners were. State Farm was supposed to followup but they have some of the laziest most incompetent employees so nothing ever happened.

Sorry about the headache, Backpacker. Hope it goes away soon.

I took a nap after getting home & just woke up but I'm still sleepy.
 
zannej said:
Lazy L, trees can be tricky but I'm glad the tree didn't fall on anyone, a house, or a vehicle. I've had a lot of damage at my place from fallen (but still healthy-looking) trees. Barn got totaled by a dead tree outside of our property though-- belonged to a timber company. They failed to remove it after being sent written notice but property changed hands so we had to figure out who the new owners were. State Farm was supposed to followup but they have some of the laziest most incompetent employees so nothing ever happened.

Sorry about the headache, Backpacker. Hope it goes away soon.

I took a nap after getting home & just woke up but I'm still sleepy.
Click to expand...

It's coming tomorrow. I will have my eyes dialated in the morning. I always get headaches afterward. Thank you
 
Bacpacker said:
It's coming tomorrow. I will have my eyes dialated in the morning. I always get headaches afterward. Thank you
Click to expand...
It makes me feel awful to have that done so I hardly ever have it done. I don't see the need for it once a year like they try to get you to. I end up going to bed for the rest of the day and night and keeping my eyes closed. Some people even drive themselves home. Not me! Hope you recover quickly tomorrow, Bacpacker.
The Lazy L, glad to hear wife came home even if she was in a tizzy.
Amish, it is ridiculous all the forms of ID you have to have to get a driver's license in a new to you state. They treat us like we're felons.
Tank, I guess you'll eventually eat your ducks?
I wish I could respond to everyone about all your goings on...gardening, home improvement, property taxes, birthdays....
 
UrbanHunter said:
Today after work I decided to clear off one of the raised beds and pull up some plants. I pulled 4 tomato plants and harvested 4 gallons of yellow/green tomatoes. Then I pulled up all the dead & dying flowers in the front beds and decided to try to save (transplant) 3 pepper plants. I had used #10 cans as weed control in the spring and I was pleased when I dug up the plants and the root ball slid right out of the can, I had 7 plants, but I only had enough containers for the 3 that still had peppers and blooms.

I have about 6 more tomato plants that need pulling, I wish I could preserve them a little longer, but I think after this weekend it will be all over.

Next steps will be to amend the soil in the flower bed and plant bulbs, I think I will lay down a layer of deer neting over them to keep the critters out for a while.
Click to expand...
If you have a place in the garage, you can pull the whole plant and hang them upside down. The fruit on the plant will ripen slowly. I’ve done this a few times. This year had so many finally just pulled the plants.
 
Amish Heart said:
Went out to find an authentic mexican breakfast burrito with husband this morning, and we did find one, even though it was a little texmex. The sign said aunthentic mexican food (ha ha) and the place used to be an old gas station. Pretty decent, though. Went to the bulk store to look for calcium carbonate, rennat, and cheese wax, but they only carried the rennat. Had a DMV appt this afternoon for KS driver licenses. Husband got his. Not for me. My name on my old license didn't match the name on my birth certificate. Duh. I've been married 37 years. I have a different last name. So we have to get a form notorized and then mailed in to CA to request a certified marriage certificate. The one I have is not certified. Next appt available is January 13th. Oh well. Cousin called and asked if I'd stop at Aldi after that to get two turkeys. Butterballs on sale. So I did. Then brought them to her, and then, of course there was pie.
Click to expand...

Go online to the website for the county you got married in in California. You may be able to get the certificate without a notarized document. I was able to get birth certificates for Juju and K (born in San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties) online using VitalChek. They add a fee but it is worth not going to the damn notary. Roo's birth certificate is in Orange County and they want an arm, a leg and my first born for a certified copy. Kansas is the same way. They want a bunch of BS so I can get a certified copy of my own birth certificate.

VitalChek is great. I was able to get our marriage certificate through them from Clark County, Nevada.
 
Last edited:
@LadyLocust Sorry to hear about your granny, lost mine earlier this year just before her 100th birthday… sad to lose them.

I called the power equipment shop in town this afternoon. Monday I picked up my chainsaw and bought a weedeater. Something was off about my receipt… My grtnephew works at that shop now. When I walked in he told me the weedeaters had an end of season mark down of 10%.

When I got home I noticed it was full price on my receipt. Anyway, turns out he goofed twice. Not only did he not give me the 10% mark down… the mark down was actually 20%. Got all that taken care of on the phone today. $60 refunded to my card, no biggy. It was a complicated sale, several new items then repairs and parts for the chainsaw. I’m not going to fuss at the kid, heck he’s still in high school and this is his first real job. He did apply the 10% discount but not to the weedeater. He applied it to a couple accessories I bought for the weedeater. I’m sure he heard from his boss, no point in me adding to it.

I gave the weedeater a good work out late today, ran great… has a little more power than the old one. I could tell the difference.

I got several cartons of eggs washed and packaged Tomorrow I’ll take them to donate to the food pantry down the road. Lots of people going back to work but there are still folks struggling out here in the country, especially young couples with kids, sometimes both were out of work for months.
 
Last edited:
I am finally back on my "normal" schedule after the time change.... I woke up 15 minutes before the alarm :)

On Monday evening I worked on my hydroponics, the floating baskets were a flop, the baskets hung too deep in the water and I lost 3 plants, no worries I had 12 waiting. I doubled the thickness of the Styrofoam and now the baskets just touch the water. The new hydroponic plants are very happy and growing surprisingly fast.... compared with their brother/sister plants that weren’t moved to the hydroponic system.

I am thinking about making a grow light wall (I have 6 old 4 tube fixtures) for my transplanted peppers, I may try to save a cherry tomato plant, and a bell pepper plant, it all depends on space, containers, and how much I can get done between 4PM and Dark….

Well, my morning break is over, so time to get back to work.
 
UrbanHunter said:
I woke up 15 minutes before the alarm :)
Click to expand...

I'm still waking up an hour early.gaah

@Bacpacker, how is your dog doing on the seizure meds?

I have to see my health insurance agent this morning, then pick up a live trap from animal shelter to relocate the last cat that is hanging around. (I have friends about 15 miles away that want the cat). Then stop at Dollar Tree and then thrift shops.
Will do a video in a few minutes for my exercise.
This afternoon, I will cook a pizza in the air fryer/ toaster oven. My new range is supposed to come tomorrow. We will see.
 
Clean up and close up the chicken coop for the winter in preparation of next spring's flock.

Add starting terminals to the generator to eliminate the need for a start battery.

Remove water filter and water pump from RV. Lines were blown out with air several weeks ago and drain traps antifreezed.

Pull fountain pump from front yard "decorative" garden pond.
 
LadyLocust said:
I think I've mentioned before that the time change and me, well we have our discrepancies a couple times a year. So far they t'aint gittin' the better of me. I'm showin' them I tell ya. I been wakin' up at 3-3:30AM since they tried to get me. 😂
Click to expand...
I have absolutely no idea what time it is.
Every clock in the house(stove, microwave,phone, atomic clock,laptop) are different.
Doesn't really matter to me.
I'm retired.
I get up about 0530, maybe.
Eat when I'm hungry.
Got to bed when I'm tired.
But it upsets some people.
I really dislike daylight savings time.
Oh well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top