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.
Dog is fine, don't think he has any parasites , but I will probably deworm him sometime soon. I just use fenbendazol ( got the correct dosage from the vet originally)

Pearl I am going to do laundry today too. Bed stuff needs to be washed and I am going to hang it inside so it won't smell like smoke . One annoying thing about doing laundry in winter here.

It is going to be really freezing again this weekend here too, but we have plenty of wood now.
I really want winter to be over

goal today beside laundry is work on the photo albums I want to make, so I will start putting photos on a USB
 
Good morning, H&CL! It's been a stressful week here so far. I drove down to Polo, Missouri for work on Tuesday but got bumped out of my job. There was another gang working up by Trenton and I knew they had an open position so I called their boss and asked if I could work it until it was filled. He said he would find out who got the position Wednesday afternoon but I could work the job on Wednesday. So I drive up there and worked. At 4pm he came over and said somebody else got the job and he couldn't hold me in that position after the end of the day, so I'm looking for a place to go again. It's getting old. I've only worked a couple days since Jan 23rd.

My GF and I are going to a concert in Kansas City on the 22nd. I think I will bump in somewhere on the 23rd or 24th. There is a position near Manhattan, Kansas that I am looking at. I don't really want it, but the pickings are slim this year...
 
Good morning, H&CL! It's been a stressful week here so far. I drove down to Polo, Missouri for work on Tuesday but got bumped out of my job. There was another gang working up by Trenton and I knew they had an open position so I called their boss and asked if I could work it until it was filled. He said he would find out who got the position Wednesday afternoon but I could work the job on Wednesday. So I drive up there and worked. At 4pm he came over and said somebody else got the job and he couldn't hold me in that position after the end of the day, so I'm looking for a place to go again. It's getting old. I've only worked a couple days since Jan 23rd.

My GF and I are going to a concert in Kansas City on the 22nd. I think I will bump in somewhere on the 23rd or 24th. There is a position near Manhattan, Kansas that I am looking at. I don't really want it, but the pickings are slim this year...
Hopefully there is a great position that comes along soon and is well worth the wait!
 
Trying to decide if I should hang around on this forum or not. I see so much content that has nothing to do with country living or homesteading. I have to remind myself that there are a lot of younger folks here that don't understand a world before the internet and instant technology.

Ones that have no idea how to take a good photo with a film camera and then develop it. They have little idea how to write an article for a monthly magazine and then wait for the Post office to deliver it. Any rebuttal to an article wouldn't be seen for at least a month. Rural folks had to deal with party lines and rotary phones.

What the hell is SHTF? One of my pet peeves is the laziness that the internet and social sites and forum have brought to socializing. Spell it out man, that is if you can and your spell check is working hahaha. I was proud of myself for just restraining my fingers from typing out some sarcastic reply to a couple of topics that present scenarios that will never exist.

All the houses, buildings and equipment on earth aren't just going to disappear. If it does, human, animal, and plant life will go first. I guess some enjoy all the fantasy post apocalyptic world scenarios, but for me the reality of how things are progressing worldwide, keeps me focused on today.

All that aside, my day is going good. It looks like another cool overcast day according to the weather channel, so it will be donning thermal leggings and top under my walking clothes for my rural walk.

Sometimes I get sad during my rural walk. One small ranch I pass, had two dogs that I became acquainted with and knew for 15 years. They always came out to greet me. I noticed them slowing down over the years and one was going blind and the other crippled up. One day they were gone.

The new dogs that replaced them a month later, were not as social and willing to be friends. They saw me as a threat. It occurred to me that this seems to parallel with human behavior and how it has changed over the years. The new generation of young adults sees many of us oldies as a threat to the way of life they desire.

Very few want to earn knowledge and experience, and what a sad day when they realize it is something they cannot steal. Maybe this is why they push AI so hard. Let the robot be the smart one.
 
Last edited:
I agree about the younger generations! I do know that there is SO much content on homesteading and country living, but I have to go through some of the older threads and topics. Sourdough certainly starts threads about homesteading and survival that are thought provoking and challenging. The daily threads that I watch are more about current events, humor and life. I choose both types! I do hope that you will hang around!

As to my day, I've already walked.
I made such a large amount of Sweet Potato Split Pea Soup, that I will have to transfer it to a stock pot to get it cooked by dinner time. I like a lot more veggies than called for. LOL
Next will go pick up trash from parade last Saturday that went by Church.
Walk dogs.
Will re-package some shredded cheese I bought yesterday into smaller packs.
Bible study this evening!
 
Hi Faez,

Your post is timely; I have begun to wonder if I should stick around on this forum, myself. While I’m interested in aspects of homesteading, I recognize that a) I live in the ‘burbs, so homesteading for me is necessarily limited, b) my allergies will prevent me from ever doing a number of the “homesteader” things like keeping animals or heating with wood, and c) my interests have started to move elsewhere, although they still involve gardening, cooking, and working with my hands.

I enjoy the people here — great people of common sense and good hearts. And I enjoy putting in my 2¢ now and then, but am aware that I’m not really the “target audience”, either, and am not sure if I should stay.
 
@Faez @jishinsjourney At times I have felt the same. Downsized and now live in town, never had a lot of property. This is a homesteading and country living forum but there are a lot of other things we can learn by participating in this community, from food preservation, gardening, animal care, herbal medicine, cooking, sewing, and many other life skills and helpful information.
The long threads that are filled with information about which of us is going to die first are for those that like to engage in that line of thinking. I don't participate much there, have no reason to. SHTF = Sh*t Hits The Fan (disaster).
Please stay, I think you both have a lot to offer the community and I appreciate your comments and outlook.
 
The ones that do live the lifestyle of homesteading or prepping or both do know that not everyone on this forum lives that lifestyle, and it's ok.
Husband's infectious disease doc came in this morning to see him and decided he needed to leave because she was afraid he'd catch something. That had antibioticked him up as much as possible and are waiting for the blood cultures to come back, but have said probably his pneumonia/pseudomonas in his lungs again and probably sepsis (unknown infection yet) in his blood. So I got him packed up, ready to go, even got him in clean clothes, and the nurse came in and took out his IV, was talking to him, and blood going everywhere...soaking his pants, shirt, bed....he looked like a stabbing victim as I wheeled him out of there. He's clean, hydrated, happier, will be back on his no salt diet...and hopefully start reducing some of the swelling from the last few days. So life is better. Threw some peroxide on his bloody clothes, running laundry, disenfecting his bipap again. Went to pick up his prescriptions earlier and 400 lbs of feed that I still need to unload. I'll wait for help when little granddaughter gets home.
 
Well, this gets even better:(...
One of the accounts that is set up to 'autopay' with this card is my EarthLink email.
I have maintained this since the late 90's as witnessed by my: @Mindspring.com email address.
Since I think ahead, and know I will have change the billing CC number soon, I clicked on the 'my account' tab...
Blank page.:mad:
Tech support was NO HELP.gaah
"Locked out" be me.:(
This probably belongs on the 'rant' page but I wanted to tie into the previous post.
I got my new CC with the new number today!:woo hoo:
Went on Verizon, changed the number and paid my bill:thumbs:.
Then wasted an hour and a half of my life with EarthLink tech support.
The girl said she would send me a one-time secure email to change the CC number that would only be good for 15 minutes.
I checked my email continuously, nothing!
Finally got it an hour later, and guess what, EXPIRED!gaah
...Many innocent beer cans will die tonight.:mad:
 
Last edited:
This probably belongs on the 'rant' page but I wanted to tie into the previous post.
I got my new CC with the new number today!:woo hoo:
Went on Verizon, changed the number and paid my bill:thumbs:.
Then wasted an hour and a half of my life with EarthLink tech support.
The girl said she would send me a one-time secure email to change the CC number that would only be good for 15 minutes.
I checked my email continuously, nothing!
Finally got it an hour later, and guess what, EXPIRED!gaah
...Many beer cans will die tonight.:mad:
Eh, you're retired. If gives you something to do while you drink ;)

I can only harass you because I've had to go through this multiple times with our business. Last time it go hacked by someone in NYC - pottery barn kids, limo services, pta fee, etc. exciting stuff - maddening. I hate thieves.
 
I have been tending to needs of the garden. Seasonal work. Finished cutting back the elderberry.

20240209_140209_HDR.jpg


Left was done and the bush to the right got the same treatment.

I pruned one English Walnut and took a zillion cuttings to clone. I realize a walnut will not fertilize its clone. I have an English walnut grow below the fruit orchard that needs a mate. If I get one or more clone to take I will take it.

The seedless grape vine got a good cut-back. The trimmings are now in pots to get more grape vine clones.

Continuing the clone theme...
A kindly contributor sent me 10 blackberry cutting some with roots.

Adding to those most of the 72 blackberry seeds I planted have sprouted! The Princess approved an idea to create a hedge along the south edge of our field out back.

One hurdle did trip me up. Pulled the Achilles tendon again.

Ben
 
I have been tending to needs of the garden. Seasonal work. Finished cutting back the elderberry.

View attachment 124589

Left was done and the bush to the right got the same treatment.

I pruned one English Walnut and took a zillion cuttings to clone. I realize a walnut will not fertilize its clone. I have an English walnut grow below the fruit orchard that needs a mate. If I get one or more clone to take I will take it.

The seedless grape vine got a good cut-back. The trimmings are now in pots to get more grape vine clones.

Continuing the clone theme...
A kindly contributor sent me 10 blackberry cutting some with roots.

Adding to those most of the 72 blackberry seeds I planted have sprouted! The Princess approved an idea to create a hedge along the south edge of our field out back.

One hurdle did trip me up. Pulled the Achilles tendon again.

Ben
All good until that last bit. Take it easy 😊
 
Amish, I'm sending you virtual hugs. Please give your husband a hug from me. It sounds like he could use a hug with all he's going through. As a caregiver I know how hard it is to watch a loved one going through things and its not fun.

Ben, I hope your achilles tendon heals quickly.

Sorry I'm not remembering more replies. Memory sucks. Been sick and tired. Feeling rundown a bit and trying to get over this sinus infection and dealing with bs. I posted about that in the rant thread.

I had to go to Walmart 2x today. First in the morning when I went in to get mail and had to get oranges for Mom. Brother came along and helped with bagging the groceries and bringing them in. Yesterday every time I got into a good sleep I got woken up so I was tired today. After a few hours and having cooked for Mom I went back into town because Mom insisted I had to go buy her some deodorant. $13 for a 2.4oz stick of the kind she wanted. Yeesh. Some of the stuff that came in the mail was for my friend's fiance. Some of the jewelry I ordered to go with her wedding dress. She loved it. Talked to her for a little bit and talked to my friend then headed back home. Dealt with Fedex and AT&T over social media. Cooked for Mom again and am going to try to get some sleep.
 
Hi Faez,

Your post is timely; I have begun to wonder if I should stick around on this forum, myself. While I’m interested in aspects of homesteading, I recognize that a) I live in the ‘burbs, so homesteading for me is necessarily limited, b) my allergies will prevent me from ever doing a number of the “homesteader” things like keeping animals or heating with wood, and c) my interests have started to move elsewhere, although they still involve gardening, cooking, and working with my hands.

I enjoy the people here — great people of common sense and good hearts. And I enjoy putting in my 2¢ now and then, but am aware that I’m not really the “target audience”, either, and am not sure if I should stay.
Come on friends, it's winter time and a lot of us here are just trying to stay warm and dry, not the best time for working on outdoor projects, I do well to stay warm enough sitting down with my back against the wood stove or in a chair with a heating pad on my back Thank God I have dear friends that do a lot of stuff for me, like making sure our chickens have food and water, our garbage is taken away and our fire wood rack out on the deck is filled regularly, thankfully my wife and I have been prepping pretty much since we got married in 1974 and we're still learning and prepping as well as trying to teach others what they need to do, that is not as easy as you would think due to some people have heard us warning for so many years, people tend to get the Peter and the Wolf syndrome, i.e. "You guys have been saying this for many years and it's still not come about.". Just because it hasn't came about doesn't mean it's not going to happen. By the way, at 81 and DW at 76, we're very old tech. The first TV I saw was one a neighbor got in about 1953-54, music was on 45, 33 1/3 and 78 rpm phonographs or old tube radios, records are coming back and I miss old tube radios and amplifiers that were hobbies for me in my teenage years.
 
Last edited:
It's cold front day, boooo! No worries, will be in the 80's next week!!! Have two cleaning jobs today. I have some carpet cleaning jobs I have to get scheduled in next week, so I'll be trying to figure that out. Got the pool topped off yesterday and ran the pump. So far so good, I always worry about my equipment as it gets older! So I will super shock it this weekend, get my water straightened out, hopefully test run the float next week!!
 
Cold front today, too here. In the low 30's, so I'll get the fireplace going again. Little granddaughter has a band competition at another school, and she is excited to go. They get to get lunch from a snackbar, so that is exciting, too.
Just taking care of husband today, and going to Aldi after lunch to fill a cart.
 
Amish, I'm sending you virtual hugs. Please give your husband a hug from me.
Same here Amish.
Congrats Supervisor! lots of 'baby homesteaders' arriving this weather!
Today I'm taking a little bit of savings to do a supplies top up on items I see are getting harder to find elsewhere. Lots of talk of empty shelves where tea usually is, and sugar in the UK. As the old saying goes, 'when Britain sneezes, Ireland catches a cold.' I purchased two freezer bags I mentioned on another thread and plan on reorganising the freezer later, after I take a son to a meeting about a college project.
 
@Faez and @jishinsjourney I understand where you're coming from. Like Jishinsjourney, I'm suburban. Heck I'm right outside of New Yaawwk City (New York City for everyone not from here). I can't have animals other than dog and cat because of space and zoning. I do enjoy reading about everyone who's caring for livestock and I certainly love to look at the photos. There is a wealth of information here on gardening, food preservation, cooking, crafts. Yes there are hardcore prepper/survivalists here. Even though that is not my trajectory, there is some things I can glean from those discussions to help some future catastrophe that may befall me.

I would like to add that as a person from that city area, I have never felt unwelcome or been discouraged from participating.

I do hope that the two of you decide to stay and participate in discussions that interest you because I for one would miss the camaraderie and different views that are brought to the discussion. Variety is the spice of life.
 
So the bad dog Otto has learned another trick...he now can get out of his crate. Son came asked me a few nights ago if I had forgotten to put him in or intentional. I told him I thought I had put him up. So last night I made sure he was in his crate and both latched pushed in. This morning he was out LOL bad doggie....thankfully there was no stuff in the trash he wanted to eat and nothing that I am aware of laying around on the floor either. I wonder if he slept on the couch ( dogs are not allowed on the furniture)

Animals are all going out, but it is supposed to get really cold again tomorrow .
My project today is trying to set up my old desktop computer to see if I can get any more old photos off it for the photo albums I am going to make. I called walgreens yesterday and yes they still print photos for you 30 cdnts a piece. I was surprised it wasn't $2 or something
I had fun looking at our photos from some of the trips we did yesterday but think I lost a USB or it broke because some years are missing. Also couldn't get my previous laptop started that had some on it, but husband has those on his too.
 
Hard to believe it is Friday already. Light snow yesterday sure put a damper on my enthusiasm for outside pre-spring preparations. Two days ago the robins were hopping around pulling out some lengthy earthworms. Yesterday, nary a robin in sight.

I haven't checked the weather forecast for today and decided just to take it as it unfolds. I finally received my USA made insoles for high arches yesterday and donning them in my work boots sure put the sass back in my step. No foot pain or cramps last night.

I decided to hang around on this forum and try to just pass on topics that might lead into ugly disagreements. I think it is great that folks of all ages, living in cities, rural, and remote, have joined here and enjoy reading and posting. Since I was born and grew up on a remote mountain ranch and have lived rural all my life, 15 years of it, as an adult, in the mountains and off grid for much of it, I tend to take for granted that others understand my point of view and post from knowledge and experience rather than internet knowledge. The internet is a great resource, but not everything one reads is factual info. Sometimes lack of personal experience and knowledge, makes it difficult to differentiate.

I think I can be summed up, as one comedian said to a police officer while being read his rights, "Yes, officer I know I have the right to remain silent, but I lack the ability." :D
 

Latest posts

Back
Top