Crazy week!

Yes, this is me!  It has been a busy week.

No Car, Sissy overbooked. (This has been resolved, for the moment) and I hauled 40 large landscape bricks to her yard this morning.  21 more to go and we shall see if we can build the Rasbery berm that she wants!

I have Lil Sis's car, and my car should be out of the shop late Monday.

They are claiming the fuel pump is the culprit and it is going to cost to 2K. Oh well cheaper than a car payment.  The car has been wiped with a diaper and has only 102,000 miles on her. We shall see.

I really do not know where the week has gone.

Tonight, we are doing to support a Neighbor, who has a band at seven, (which is way too late for me) But Husb insists.  Support our Neighbors has always been our motto.

Last night I spent the night at Sissy's to get her up at seven, as Men from the Church were coming to repair her snake fence.  (This is done, we hope) She actually got up (after a prodding of a cold diet coke) got dressed and was ready to go by eight.  Go Sissy! I then made the walk of shame in the same clothes I wore yesterday (I keep P.J.s and stuff at Kim's house) and made it home in her car to change and start on my brick moving.

Did two trips and hauled in two loads, and then we were stumbling and exhausted. Sissy's yard is large and full of hills!  You can only haul so many large landscape bricks in a smaller SUV as you can ruin the suspension.  So, I have one more load to go, but that will happen when it happens. But we were just done. Four hours of grueling work will set you up, for traction. Sissy then took me home!

I am home and Sissy I am sure is taking a nap.  My only plan for the day is to set next week's menu and stare into space and then clean-up for this evening's event.  Pray that I stay awake.

Oh, wait, what is for dinner?   I love my life!

Pray for me! I mean it!

Hugs,

Kay
 

Home at last!

I love going away, but I love coming home even more!

Sissy and I pulled into town about 3:00 in the afternoon yesterday after 7.5 long hours in the car!

The Grandkids came and we got pizza and then came home, and I drug all my luggage and things downstairs and crashed.

Up at five and have been moving ever since.

Unpacked, all laundry done, and morning chores done.

Now I must hit the grocery store for a few things and then will go up to Sissy's and take her the Car.

Our Car is on the fritz again and I will take it to the Dealer this week.  It is obvious that it must be hooked up to a Ford Computer.  Don't charge me and then tell me nothing is wrong? Hmmm?

We have taken such good care of this Car, and she just went over 100,000 miles which is nothing in my books. We shall see.

The weather is beautiful today and I am not working in the yard, but will be back in full swing tomorrow, after I do a boat load of ironing.  Today I am just going to take it easy.  I will plan my menu for the week.

I have so much to do this next week, and it is going to be difficult without an automobile, but the sisters are more than willing to help.

One of my goals is to swap my wardrobe and go through my closets and purge.  It is time, so many things I wore on the East Coast I will not wear here.  It has been over a year, so the time has come to wean many things.

The Husb has also decided that we are not going to do underground sprinklers so our plan of attack on the yard has changed.  This means that I have a ton more brick to move and pants and bulbs to move.

Will take pics as I go.  Now I must be off to the grocery store!

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Hugs;

Kay

 

Off for a week with Sissy!

 Sissy and I are heading out to Twin Falls this morning to take a Grandson back and then visit Sissies eldest.

Husb has charge of the animals, the chickens, and the garden here at home.

I am sure Sissy, and I will do some shopping and find several large projects to do as the House we are staying at is so large that I get lost and end up in the garage. This is a fact!

It will be a nice break from the yard which is coming along bit by bit.

Now I must go and do some last-minute packing and then I am gone!

Blessings to everyone for a wonderful week ahead!

Hugs,

Kay

River Rock is done!

all river rock is pulled

 I am exhausted and filthy dirty, but I have pulled the last of the river rock.

YEAH!

The stump is gone!

The stump guy came yesterday and removed it! So now we must dig dirt down below curb level and haul it is to backyard!  This will take days!

Stump Guy also cut down two small trees!

Now we have to cut the tree up and dispose of them, and this will take some time as I have already filled one yard waste container, and these two trees will take several containers.

The stumps will come out when we move the fence forward as there is another very large stump that is under the back fence.

I also planted more basil and two new hostas, as two of them were not doing well.

Now Husb and Kim just called, and they are back in town so I will head up the hill with my dirty self and help them unpack!

I am going to be so sore tomorrow!

But just so happy that I got the last of the rock!

Have a great Saturday!

Kay

Gone too long!

The last of the river rock

Well, I am back after a rollicking two weeks.  I just have not had the time to sit down and focus on the blog.

We have had so much company and have been entertaining like fools.

We are both exhausted. but it was a nice break from the yard work.

My Cousin and her significant other were here from Seattle for a week, and then all the nieces and nephew came in and last weekend was one party after another.

So good for us all to get together.

This week it has been back to the yard, and I have been working two hours every morning on the last patch of river rock.

We have come such a long way but have a long way to go.

The weather is starting to get quite warm, so we start no later than seven in the morning.

We had a gutter and spout put on the garage yesterday as it was dripping into the yard and Husb is working on the stoop into the garage.

I just keep pulling stone.

We are at impasse in the front, and it is very difficult to get things done here as everyone is backed up!

Still waiting for the Stump guy to come grind this out!

Husb is going camping with Sissy and the boys and I am on animal watch and watering detail. I hate and I mean hate camping, dirty and too much work.  Now give me a five start Hotel and I am your Gal! 

Also, our Car acted up this morning which scares me to death, so I am going to borrow little Sister's car for the next two days as I have many. many errands to run.

I need to go back and forth from Sissy's property to mine, and nothing makes me feel more insecure than a lack of vehicle.

The mechanic cannot see us for two weeks, but I will have Sissy's Car when they return late Saturday.

The meat sales over the Memorial Day weekend were nonexistent and this is a first.  Normally this is when I stock up on meat for at least six months and I think that trend is over.  They raised everything four dollars a pound and then lowered it by a dollar and called it a sale? Is this happening where you are?  Inquiring minds want to know!

Now I am off to do some housework!  Oh joy!

Hugs;

Kay

 

One year later and here I am...

Yes, Sissy and I left the east one year ago today at 7:30 in the morning EST with two screaming cats!

Hard to believe?

I segue...(Sissy was so sick with vertigo when she came to me five days earlier that I was very concerned. She should have called and told me but came anyway! What a trooper! And she was absolutely no help in those five days! Well maybe not I do not really remember, so much to do.  But I had rented a hotel suite close to the house and took her and the Cats to the hotel and dumped her! She knew I need her for moral support and the drive across country)

And we made it! Five 10 hours days and four nights with screaming Cats (at least three hours every morning and a lot of laughs)!

The true miracle is we found our house less than a week later and it was purchased in less than 10 days!

Now it did take us another six weeks to truly move in.

It has been a real transition, not so much for me, but the Husb has had issues.  

My take and Sissy's also are he was too young to retire.  Husb is four years younger than we are and he just was not ready.

(Yes, I robbed the cradle, but we have been married over 40 years)!

He retired only two weeks before we left the east coast and was only able to do this as he has a Military retirement and our health insurance was in place!

Going from almost 3000 square feet to about 1600 was too much for him.  But He picked out the House, remember the Holy Medal in the basement?  Had to buy it!  I choose my battles lightly!

Fast forward to today.

We worked five hours in the yard and things are coming along.  Just little things that need to be done as we have to wait until late August to have sod placed.  But we are finishers and Husb is a perfectionist so the little details matter.

I am exhausted and I see a long soaking bath this afternoon and Pj's and then binge-watching Netflix and an early to bed.

I was going to make pork chops for dinner tonight, but they can wait another night.  I see a cup of noodles in my future.  I truly think they are a horrible food, but in a pinch they work.  As my grandmother used to say, "they fill a hole"! Husb is so on board with this!

I did make egg salad for lunch and ran some up to Sissy.  She has a busy day and evening, and I brought some Geraniums (very small) that she had planted from seed and put them in pots at the rear of the yard and we shall see.

Now I am going to sign off and go run a tub!

Hugs, Kay

 

Rainy and Cold!

Thea weather has turned, and it will be rainy and cold for the next nine days. Now we really need the rain, but it stops us with our outdoor projects and that is okay as we need a break.

We have managed to get all the river rock up in the areas it is needed for now, so that is good.

I worked so hard on Saturday to get this done and I was stumbling tired.  I really over did it!

I managed to get all my herbs planted and we really cleaned up our patio area as it was a disaster on Sunday and just took it easy.

I ordered an outdoor Alexa for the patio, and we are really enjoying it.  Sissy and I went to secondhand stores to find a small black piece of furniture for me to place it on and I found something immediately for only $10.00!  Score!

Sissy came for dinner last night and I made chicken wings and salad, and it was good. Tonight, we will have stuffed cabbage rolls and rice.

There is a local Restaurant chain (many different types of restaurants) owned by one Family.  Yes, they have a monopoly of sorts, but they do a lot for the Community and are very good to all of their employees, so I applaud them. Every second Tuesday of the month they have a free veteran's lunch for all vets and Husb and I take advantage of it.

So today we will go to one of them and have a free lunch for Husb, and I will order something light and tip very well!

We also need to make a trip to Home Depot, but I think I will have Husb take me up to Sissy's as I cannot stand spending hours in a hardware store while Husb looks at everything.  I tell him he has lookers' disease.

With all the rain we are getting maybe just maybe I will get the basement vacuumed.

Now I must get in the shower and clean up, as I am a mess.

Hope everyone has a lovely day!

Sissy Kay
 

More Rock!

Yep, this is a rock, and I have worked three hours every day moving it to the back driveway.  I think I still have at least six more hours to go to finish one patch.

It has been a busy week.

My list below shows I did get some things done, but again the yard is everything right now.

We have been back and forth to Sissy's this week as She had some things she needed help with, and the shop is really getting busy.

Husb cooked for us last night and he made great ham and cheese omeletes!  So good and Sissy and I vegged.

Sissy is heading to Moscow for the day after her piano lesson so we will have Roscoe, and I am determined to get my gardening work done and then make pizza sauce to freeze for pizza's.

We will have pizza tonight and if I am ambitious, I will try and make four more crusts to freeze. I have one left thawing in the fridge that Sissy made me.

I will also attempt to get some other things done on my list and report back.

Sissy is spending the day with me tomorrow as I have so much to do and paybacks are hell, I tell you.

I will make some chicken salad for tomorrows lunch with the white meat I froze for enchiladas.

Just no eating out this week and so far, we have been good.

There is still enough for in the upstairs freezer for another two weeks' worth of meals.  I am really working this.  I got really off track the last month that Auntie was here.

I am also so hoping that they have good beef and pork sales over the Memorial Day weekend.  This is normally when I spend a ton and have enough for six months.

The list!

 Get all ironing done - it's taking over.  I can get Sissy's done, but not my own?  Okay that took thirty minutes from start to finish and it is now 8:30 and my morning chores are done, and I am in my yard working clothes!

Clean downstairs freezer - got upstairs done yesterday morning.

Update last month's spreadsheet and report and it will be ugly thus I am avoiding it! Also enter all receipts for May as there is a huge pile in my inbox

Go to the nursery and buy a Mr. Lincoln Rose, as the tea rose, we transplanted is not going to make it.

Continue to do two to three hours in the yard every morning.

Eat all meals at home except for dinner out after Little Sisters nuptials.

Get up to Sissy's at least two afternoons and get some personal sewing done.  I need new aprons so badly and I have them cut out, just need to do it.  Also hem two pillowcases for Husband's pillows.

Vacuum entire basement - yes this has been nagging me for two weeks!

Get Sissy's car early one morning and take all yard cloth to the dump.

Clean out gardening bench - it is a disaster and has been this way since we left the east coast.  I just had the movers lift it and put it on the truck and I dig through it with disgust!

I am seeing rock in my sleep!

Have a great day!

Kay

Things I want to accomplish this week?

 I have so many things I need or want to get done, but the yard is all swallowing of time. After two or three hours I am just spent. It is early Tuesday morning and our Nuptials dinner for Little Sis was wonderful!  Pricey but wonderful and as they need nothing Sissy and I paid for dinner and that was our gift.  We also have leftovers for tonight!  I call that a win.

Now I will go and attack something...

So here is my list:

Get all ironing done - it's taking over.  I can get Sissy's done, but not my own?  Okay that took thirty minutes from start to finish and it is now 8:30 and my morning chores are done, and I am in my yard working clothes!

Clean downstairs freezer - got upstairs done yesterday morning.

Update last month's spreadsheet and report and it will be ugly thus I am avoiding it! Also enter all receipts for May as there is a huge pile in my inbox

Go to the nursery and buy a Mr. Lincoln Rose, as the tea rose, we transplanted is not going to make it.

Continue to do two to three hours in the yard every morning.

Eat all meals at home except for dinner out after Little Sisters nuptials.

Get up to Sissy's at least two afternoons and get some personal sewing done.  I need new aprons so badly and I have them cut out, just need to do it.  Also hem two pillowcases for Husband's pillows.

Vacuum entire basement - yes this has been nagging me for two weeks!

Get Sissy's car early one morning and take all yard cloth to the dump.

Clean out gardening bench - it is a disaster and has been this way since we left the east coast.  I just had the movers lift it and put it on the truck and I dig through it with disgust!

Now let's see if I can get this done this week.

I always find if I make a list, I am more able to tackle things in a timely manner.  I also know that I must do at least and hours' worth of other work before I head out to the yard as this work just exhausts me.

Now I am off like a prom dress, as Sissy likes to say!

Hugs,

Kay

I cannot believe Auntie has been gone a week? Where does time go!

Not a good picture of Auntie as she was staring into the sun, but the short nails look great, and I promised you all a picture.

Now these will be done once a month and all is set!

We have done nothing but work in the yard and Husb also spent some time up at Sissy's and her garden has come together.  It looks so good, and it was a lot of work.

We got an estimate to put underground sprinklers in the back yard and also for sod.  The downside is they cannot get to us until late August, early September, but we are willing to wait and have a lot more prep work to do before this can happen. However, we will be living in a sea of dirt for four months!

We have decided that the driveway will happen next year and must save funds for that project. I have funds set aside for the sod and undergrounds.

There are days when I think we are getting nowhere, and then I see how far we have come and relax.

This is a picture of about where we started.

This is how it looks now, and we still have to lift each edger and power wash and place back straight.

I painted the old Cedar above ground beds and will plant my Herbs in one and flowers in the others.

Just have to decide what.

I did get all my hanging baskets done and my pots and they look so good, pictures later.

At present Husb is power washing landscaping stones and I am picking more river rock.

I see river rock in my sleep!

This is river rock that we have picked and cleaned, and it will go to my little Sisters house eventually.

This is the area I spent 2.5 hours on this morning, and it will take me all week long several hours a day to get all this river rock up.  There are also three ugly large roots that need to come out, but the Husb will do that.

Now I must get into the shower and clean up as Little Sister is getting married at the Court House this afternoon and we will meet them for Mexican Food to celebrate.  After all it is Cinco de Mayo!

Sissy and I wanted to be flower girls and Husb wanted to be the ring bearer, and our plan was vetoed?

Now really, Sis and I thought it was a great plan.

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures from the trenches.

Hugs,

Kay

Thursday and no yard work today!

Husb and I have been on a dead run in the backyard all week long and we are very tired.  So, we are taking a break today! It looks like a bomb went off in the back, but it will get done!  I guess no yard work on Saturday either as we will watch the Popes Funeral on YouTube in the morning.

It has been a busy week and so much has happened.

Auntie has another hearing aid out for repair, and it is supposed to arrive this morning about 10:30.  The problem is she is due to fly home at noon, so this was not going to work.  Just cutting it too close, so I spent hours yesterday changing her ticket and she will fly out Monday.  Thank heavens that Delta Airlines understood my dilemma, as we just could not send her back with one aid and then mail it to her as it had to be properly fitted.  They usually charge between $100.00 and $300.00 to change a ticket, and they did not!  For this I am forever grateful!

We knew that the aids were going to be a big learning curve, and she is doing great, but her long pointy fingernails are doing damage. She damages the cord when taking them out.

My Husband put his foot down yesterday and said we have got to talk to her about those nails.  So, we took her to dinner (Chinese, her favorite, although Husb and I think every Chinese restaurant in the Vally is horrible) and kindly told her that the nails have to go.  She cried a bit but agreed.  Husb said Auntie we have gone to great expense to make the quality of your life better, and your vanity is getting in the way.  You have to make a choice, or this is going to keep happening and we will not be there to help you.

At the end of dinner while we were taking her back to Kim's, she quietly said, I have said, a Prayer and God wanted me to hear so the nails are going to be my sacrifice!  I just love this woman!

So even if the aid arrives this morning, and I will take her, the nails will be taken off today and we will have a nice manicure and that will be it.  It will take getting used to, as I know it did for me.  I wore my nails long and had them done once a month, and when I decided I was done, I had lost the feeling at the tips of my fingers, and it took months for it to come back.  It also took a year for my real nails to heal, but I persevered.  Vanity can get one into trouble! My biggest fear is her nail beds are so damaged by years of abuse, I just don't know.

Husb wants steak tonight and Auntie cannot eat steak so I will make her chicken cordon blue, and she will love that.  I need to go to the bank and the grocery store for a few things today also.

Because we have spent so many hours in the yard this week the house needs love.  So Husb took the upstairs and I will take the basement.  The house is so small it does not take long.

Okay took an hour break and did my morning chores and part of the basement.  Will finish tomorrow as today I just have too many other things to do.

Now I am on hold with the hearing aid place, and they are still expecting the aid by 11:15 with tracking numbers, so changing her ticket was the right thing to do.

Sissy has a nail appointment at noon, and she is giving up her appointment so we can get Aunties done! Sissy also says that the nail beds are too damaged, and we must put a short gel nail on them. I trust her judgement on this!

We scheduled the aid for tomorrow at 11:50 and all is well!

Now because our aunt lives on a very limited income, my Husband and I have decided that we will take on the expense of having her nails done once a month and I called her daughter who is willing to take her.  I also called a recommended Salon and told them the situation, and I will pay them directly with a CC for each appointment and they agreed to put a tip on the card, which most salons will not take!  Problem solved.

I have stressed so much about getting that aid back and now we have the solution.  Sissy says I have no faith!  I have faith, but.... when dealing with any delivery well, NO!

Short rounded pretty nails in hot pink! Will take a picture and send tomorrow!

Now I am heading out to do my errands and Husb has decided to work in the yard so good for Him!

Will have a relaxing day and just breath!

Hugs.

Kay

 

Monday and back to the yard!

Well Folks it is actually Tuesday as I got sidetracked.

This is a project I have worked on for three days, pulling large rock and moving small rock so Husb can take down this dead tree and dig out three old stumps of some sort.

I worked very hard yesterday and am sore today, but my goal is to get stronger, and it is happening.

Sissy's garden sitting area is coming along beautifully and I will go today to get the finishing touches and Husb will hang some things on the fence later this afternoon.

The mornings are still so cold here and the rumor is among gardening enthusiasts that there will be a very hard frost the first or second of May.  So, no planting of any sorts is going to happen anytime soon. Both Sissy and I have learned this one the hard way.

Back east we were told not to Plant until after Mother's Day and I think that is going to be the golden rule this year in our section of Idaho.

It is almost eight o'clock and I will head out to the back shortly to start my two or three hours. My morning routines in the House are done.  Dinner is planned.  

HUsb is going to the shooting range today with our soon to be BIL and I will run some errands before heading up to Sissy's.

I am giving a shout out to Sam, and I know Her yard is going to be spectacular it just takes time and energy.  At least She does not have a ton of rock to move.  I wish we lived closer as I have so much hardscape that must be given away.

This project is all encompassing in our world at present and it seems we can't finish anything completely as so much has to be moved from one area to another.

The Elephant rules!

Have a great and productive day.

Hugs K

P.S.  So sad to lose our Pope, but he is in paradise.

 

Thursday and a crazy busy yesterday!

We had a fabulous time at dinner Tuesday night, and it was so good.  I had a mushroom pasta (to die for and I am going to try and duplicate it) Husb had a sirloin with roasted potatoes and asparagus.  We had Cesar salads and a baked brie appetizer to start!  Then dessert was a heavenly heavy chocolate torte and homemade Huckelberry ice cream.  I have never had ice cream this good.

Wednesday up early and got my morning routine done and worked only one hour on the yard and managed to get the large hydrangea fertilized and this meant pulling tons of rock from the drip line, placing said fertilizer and then fresh dirt and pushing back the stone.  This will have to be done every two months during the warm season for me to get the dark blue color I want.  We shall see.  My next plan was to help Husb on the side lay some pavers and we discovered that we were 5 pavers short of what we needed, but they work perfectly in this particular spot!

So, I hopped in the Car and ran up to Home Depot to get them, and of course they did not have what we needed, so called my husband and we will postpone this area until either we find what we need or resort to something else.

On my way out of the store I noticed that the bags of mulch that I like were 5 for $10.00 and the sale ended yesterday, and I knew we needed 40 bags of mulch to finish some of our projects.  I went to the will call desk and paid for the mulch and a Friend with a truck is going to help me pick it up today.

He wants a homemade mac and cheese with smoked salmon as payment!  I will do this gladly and he is providing the salmon from Alaska!  I told him you can freeze mac cheese if you do it right!  He was thrilled as being a bachelor he does not cook a lot!

Heading Home I got a phone call from Sissy, and she asked if I had read the Albertsons grocery app, and I had not.  Well, they had pounds of butter and Philadelphia cream cheese for 1.99 a pound.  I have not seen butter below 3.50 a pound since we moved here, and the Cream cheese especially for Philadelphia under 4.25.  So, what did Kay do....She bought 80 pounds of butter and 20 cream cheese!

This should last Sissy and I well into Christmas next year, at least, I hope.  Butter freezes beautifully for a long time!  Now cream cheese can be frozen, but I like to use it within four months, and you must let it come to room temperature completely or it clumps on you.  Took me years to learn this.  I see plenty of cheesecakes in the future!

So, yesterday's savings was $364.64 with tax between the mulch and the groceries! Ching, ching! 

Now this is how we save consistently, only loss leaders, cook from scratch, don't waste, eat what is in season. A chest freezer is your best friend.  

I then took said butter and split it between Sissy's freezer and mine.  By the time I got done with all the put and take it was 2:00 in the afternoon and I was tired.  

I went back up to Sissy's and pulled a pan of chicken enchiladas from the freezer and a made some Spanish rice for dinner and we will have this again tonight.

Today I plan on sifting rock from the front and moving dirt below curb level and this is going to take me days to do, and then I can have the stump ground out hopefully next week.

So, I am off to sift rock!  Oh, joy is mine!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Hugs,

K

 

Tuesday and I am going to be very sore! (Picture heavy)

Today I worked 2.5 hours on the yard and did nothing but move stone and rock and my body feels it.

I cleaned up this mess!  I get overwhelmed when things get messy, and even though the whole thing is a mess in the back, some order has been restored.

These 12 x12 pavers will be for the path going down the side of the yard.  I think we will need at least 60, so I gathered from other areas, 30 at the front and thirty at the rear.  If we need more there are still 52 left!

Pavers pulled and hauled to front!

Thirty at front and I also have 30 at the rear.

Placed 12 hostas but now need to move dirt from the very front, once I get the rest of the small stone removed.

Got mulch down along the back fence and it looks so good.

Moved a ton of large stone and am not quite sure what we are going to do with it, but it will go somewhere eventually!

I then had to meet Sissy at the dentist with Auntie.  We were going to try and have here dentures re-lined, but it cannot be done as her ridge is too far gone, but at least now we know.  The Dentist said at her age it would just make it worse, and the dentures themselves are in very good shape. 

Got home and made Husb a sandwich and he is now headed up to Sissy's to do some work and I am going to have an afternoon of beauty.  I am filthy and I am going to soak in my wonderful large cast iron tub and remove my winter coat (as in shave my legs).  Will give myself a manicure and a facial. I also desperately need a pedicure and will book an appointment for next week.

Tonight, Husb and I are going to what we think is the finest Restaurant in Lewiston for dinner to celebrate his birthday, as they are not open on Mondays.  It is pricey, but so worth it to two foodies like us!

I have my game plan for yard work tomorrow and I really must get up to Sissy's and get the shop cleaned up.  We shall see.  If she and Husb get the chickens moved down to the large coop today, I will do some work in her garage as it is getting bad again.

Now the tub is calling me!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Hugs,

Kay

 

Monday and a crazy wonderful day!

 Well, the weekend was eventful! Sissy and Husb worked hard in her garden area all day Saturday and I got a lot done with the help of a Neighbor boy! (pictures soon).

Sunday was Passover and Palm Sunday and the Husb and I just relaxed and took a break and listened to Mass and just vegged!  We did go to Home Depot and get 12 hostas and they will be perfect in the area we want to plant them in.

We then went to Lil Sis's for dinner. I must admit loudly that it was wonderful!

I actually liked the lamb!  No mint jelly please, it was wonderful!  (Now I know why my grandmother used to say, "mutton dressed up as lamb") Everything was so good, and Lil Sis texted me about 3:00 and told me not to make the green beans as they had asparagus that needed to be cooked so I was entirely off the hook.   I do not like to show up empty handed, so brought a bag of ice for the freezer.

Sissy made her famous coconut cake, and it was delicious. I could tell by the end of dinner that Sissy was absolutely exhausted, and she and Auntie left early, and I was afraid to let her drive the five minutes (if that) home.  She made it.

Fast forward to today, and the weather is beautiful, although quite cold this morning.  I managed to work in the yard for three hours and then had to take Auntie to an emergency hearing aid repair at 1:00.  Sissy met me there and one of them must be sent away and hopefully it will be back before she leaves.  I know we will handle it.  We also knew this was coming as these aids were very expensive due to her age, and we will make it work! They are sensitive.

Today is my Husbands 63 birthday and we celebrated a little last night, thanks to Lil Sis!

I was up early this morning and went to a very expensive plant store for another Geranium and have finished what I am going to do for now on the left side of the front of the actual house. Moved a ton of rock (how unusual) and then after Aunties appointment (where I sat way too long) I am back at the house exhausted and must make dinner.  I am blogging and then will set table and start dinner. 

Husb wants chicken wings, Tator tots and a salad with blue cheese dressing.  So,

I am on it!

See the beautiful leaf pavers I found in the yard!

A geranium I bought this morning.

I call this done for the most part.

One bite at a time.

Now I must go and get dinner ready, Auntie and Sissy are joining us!

Will post more pictures tomorrow.

As Sissy says, God is good!

It is Holy week, let us celebrate and remember.

Blessings to all!

Kay

So much work, but it will get done! (Picture heavy)

Pavers on the street all the way around and I could not open my car doors on the passenger side. (We also cannot park the car in the tiny garage at the rear?)

 I started to move them ten at a time and am reusing them as I can. 

Some pavers removed!  Took me three days to get them all!

Right side of yard that Sissy and Dan cleared two weeks ago that was entirely overgrown.

Pavers reused and ready to set a path with edging. Dirt from front will fill bed and we will plant hostas and then mulch the path area. Lots of shade, and it will be clean and neat!

All pavers removed and starting to move rock!

 

All red rock moved to other side and will concentrate on digging all dirt below street level and then new heavy ground cloth will go down (after stump is ground out next week) red rock will then be set below curb level and I can open car door! Yeah!

Right side almost completed, and it was completely overgrown.  Tons of rock to move! But beautiful long stem rose bushes!

Large window well that we have ordered Plexi glass for (hoping to make a small green house I can access from the purple bedroom)

However large window to basement bedroom must be replaced.

Rear side yard on alley and still needs mulch and lots of work at the rear.  I did get the rose bushes fertilized which is no easy chore!

This is essentially what the whole dam yard looked like with way too much rock and no care.  Crazy, but we bought it!

So now you have seen part of the Elephant, and I am tired and sore.

I did work at least two hours every day this week and today I worked five.  Husb is up at Sissy's helping her and I hired a young Man across the street to help me and He was thrilled with the cash.

I was up early today and went to Costco for Sissy and made a dozen hard boiled eggs for deviled eggs tomorrow.

We will be having Passover/ Palm Sunday dinner at little Sis's, and because we have a heavy Jewish background in our Family, we celebrate high holy days of both Christen and Judaism.  I have to admit I am not a fan of Lamb no matter how or who cooks it, but I will eat it!  

Sissy is making her famous coconut cake and I will be doing green beans almondine with sautéed mushrooms!

It is now almost 4:00 in the afternoon and I must get up to Sissy's and deliver said goods from Costco and retrieve my Husband.  I am filthy, but have washed my hands and face, and have no idea what is for dinner.  I am sick of chicken salad, and I may grab a couple of eggs and make some egg salad with cottage cheese and peaches, sounds like a plan.  Another cold supper.

Off to the landmines....

Have a great Sabbath!

Hugs,

Kay

Do you ever feel like....?

 There are not enough hours in my day!  This is how I feel my day is going and that is okay!

I wanted to garden for at least two hours this morning, but Husb insisted on going to Home Depot at 8:30 and then we spent two hours there!

Not in my plan. I knew I wanted to get some food delivered to a Friend, and I knew I had to go to Costco today for my Auntie and this all takes time.

I also had household chores to do, and I need to get up to Sissy's and, and, and...

I say my prayers say night and then I plan my day for the next morning, and this truly does help me sleep, which for years sleep evaded me.

So last night I planned my day and Husb got in my way.  But it made Him happy, so it is done.

It is now 2:13 and I only managed 30 minutes in the side yard, but the mulch is laid with the husb's help and it looks great. Will take pictures eventually.  The Neighbors are noticing and complimenting!

I was able to find two large pots I wanted at Costco for 1/2 of what other retailers wanted and the Husb likes them, so that is a plus.

I was able to get Auntie restocked on wants and needs, another plus! I will just have to make up some gardening time tomorrow as I am already very tired.  I still have to put my Costco haul away, as I stocked up on coffee, and TP etc. and my panty is a bit of a mess.  This is because I spend too much time at Sissy's and just grab and go to get up to her place.  With Auntie here and staying there it is understandable, so I just need to go with the flow, but it irks my over organized brain.  Thus, I am Bossy even to myself!

Dinner last night was a success, and my gluten free popovers looked gorgeous when they came out of the oven and then they deflated but tasted wonderful.  This has happened to me before with regular flour, so I am not concerned.  They still tasted great, and I will make these again and adjust the cooking time.  We just call them pop unders!

I cannot imagine people being gluten intolerant, as I love bread and pastry of any kind.  I am determined to try more gluten free recipes.

I have mashed bananas in the fridge that I need to use so I am going to try a gluten free banana bread tomorrow along with a regular before my bananas turn into alcohol.  Don't worry it will cook out!

Sissy is cooking tonight, and we are having spaghetti (with sauce I froze in December from a big batch cook) and I will make garlic bread and take up leftover salad from last night.

Still using our freezers to full advantage.

I purchased a one dozen large croissants at Costco for 5.99 (I can make them but too much time and not for that price at this time).  I did process four large chicken breasts several weeks ago and cut it in chunks and froze it and will thaw for chicken salad which we all love, and this is a quick go to dinner or lunch. Sissy makes great chicken salad!

The weather is cool but gorgeous and we have so much yardwork to do so quick and easy is the way with meals right now.

It is now 2:30 and I am going down the basement to do some organizing and cleaning and then will make my way up to Sissy's for dinner.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Hugs,

Kay

Eating the Elephant!

So, this morning the Husb and I were in the yard early and worked for two hours on the elephant.  So hence forth our yard will be called the elephant!

Husb got the stone border in on the left side of the House and is leveling the dirt for mulch. (Still need to buy mulch).  I managed to pick a lot more rock (oh Joy) and get two more rose bushes fertilized.  Also moved one rose bush from the right side of the house and I hope it makes it.  We shall see.

To fertilize I had to dig a trench 18" from each bush 10" deep and this was a chore. Each of these trenches were just full of small rock.  Remember this house is 100 years old and I think rock was the old mulch.

I then mixed organic rose tone in fresh dirt from a back garden bed, and it was full of worms!  Good dirt!

Auntie and Sissy were over for dinner last night and we had prime rib sandwiches and a large salad. Sissy and Dan then went to Home Depot to get a new rototiller, and Auntie helped me with dishes. It was so nice to be in the kitchen with her and we just laughed and talked and solved the problems of the world.  She is so thankful to be able to hear.  Her whole life is opening up again!

Tonight, it will be prime rib stew and gluten free popovers.  I put the three bones, covered with meat along with homemade bone broth, and beef broth in the crock pot and it is cooking away.  Will sauté mushrooms, onion and carrot when I get home this afternoon and then do the potatoes.

I learned long ago that to make a good soup or stew it is the layering of flavors that starts with a rich broth that you then thicken.  I will use gluten free flour to make the rue as a Friend is coming to dinner who is gluten free.

WE will be very tired of prime rib, but I just did not want to freeze it as I think is loses the great flavor.

Husb and I did not get to Home Depot yesterday as the weather was terrible and just worked around the house.

We will definitely go today once we get cleaned up.  I also need to stop by Winco for eggs, xanthan gum and some berries.

I think I will make Creme Brule for dessert.

We are getting stronger every day and this is good.  My thighs and knees are no longer so sore.

Sissy is with a Friend today, and they drove to a Temple to do genealogy work and will be back later this evening.  I will have dinner for them.  Auntie is at Kim's, and I will pick her up after we get our errands run today.

Now it is 10:09 and I must clean up and do my morning chores.  I must also get our gardening clothes into the wash as they can stand up by themselves.

 Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Hugs,

Kay

 

I am so sore!

Yes, I have discovered muscles I did not know I had. Husb is also very sore, and Sissy is used to this kind of work, so she is just tired.

I left off Friday when we were going to Sister's lunch.  Auntie did very well, and no adjustments were needed.  However, we were in a secluded tall booth so this might have helped.

Her next venture out we will aim for a more open dining experience.

The weather was glorious this weekend and Sissy and Husb worked in our yard all day Saturday and I cooked and cleaned and entertained Auntie.  I was so sore I could barely move from Friday's garden workout.

I had pulled a prime rib from Sissy's freezer and cooked that yesterday with baked potatoes and asparagus hollandaise.  Sissy made her homemade rolls.  It was delicious!  We had her Neighbor and Friend from Church and there is still a ton of leftover rib, but I have plans.  Sent everyone home with leftovers. I also whipped up a pistachio dessert (Auntie loves this) and made the bottom layer with gluten free flour as one of the Guests is gluten intolerant to the max.  I wanted her to enjoy also.  There was absolutely no difference in taste!

I am trying to establish a new habit and that is to work in the yard every morning I am home for at least two hours, weather permitting.  I was able to get 1.5 hours in before I got rained out!  I am also less sore.  It will take time for these old muscles to adjust!  If I do not put this time in it will take two years if not longer.  So much hardscape to move.

This morning, I was able to get two of the four rose bushes fertilized, so two more to go and then I can move in more soil from the front, and Husb has to set a hardscape border for me, but I have all the stones I need placed, so he does not have to get down on his knees so much.

I now need to clean up and do my morning chores.  We are then going to go to Home Depot for the edging we need for the front and the side path.  We may go to a Nursery in Clarkston and look at Hosta's.  I know the price at Home Depot, and we need ten of them, but I trust a real Nursery more, so we are going to compare prices. A little more expense will not bother me as I feel that the plants are healthier.

Need to call Sissy and see if She and Auntie want to come for dinner.  I will make prime rib sandwiches and a big salad.

Now I must get to work!

Everyone have a wonderful day!

Kay

 

Friday and a beautiful day!

Up early this morning and got my morning routine done.  Put on my gardening clothes and spent three hours outside eating the elephant.  So much work to do, but eventually it will get done.

I am working on the right side of the House where we have two very large beautiful rose bushes, and we are getting rid of the rock and placing mulch.  Getting that rock out of the dirt is a lot of work. We also have two small tea rose bushes to move from the left side of the house to the right and hopefully we can get that done this afternoon.  We will then get the water turned on and I will fertilize the large bushes.  Then ground cloth will go down and new red mulch.

Husb is working on taking the dead from the large rose bushes at the rear of the yard.  This project is going to take so much put and take and I am very sore.

I am inside now to clean up so I can get to Sisters Lunch.  We will take Auntie for her first visit out to a Restaurant with her new hearing aids. Restaurants can be tough so we will work on how to adjust the aids if necessary.  This is one of our assignments for the week from the Audiologist.

After lunch I must take Auntie to get a prescription filled and then to TJ Maxx to do a return.

I will then come home and don my gardening clothes again and work for a couple more hours.

Sissy and Auntie came for dinner last night and we had such a good time as Auntie could truly participate. She said it is whole new world. We had a lot of laughs over the new sounds she is experiencing.

Sissy and I have decided we are ordering pizza tonight as we will be too tired to cook!  I did pull a prime rib from Sissy's freezer on Wednesday to thaw and we will have that Sunday and invite some People over to share.

I see prime rib sandwiches next week and prime rib soup in the future.

Now I must go get cleaned up, I am a mess.

Have a wonderful and blessed day!

Hugs,

Kay

Pure Joy!

 Yesterday was simply pure joy!  No other way to describe it!

Auntie can hear and when the aids were fitted the Dr. went and stood behind Auntie and said very softly; Anne can you hear me?  She said yes and the tears came flowing without bidding.  My mascara was in my armpits, and I did not even care.  A rebirth of sorts.

It has been so long since She could hear anything.  She was afraid of her own voice, but this will pass.

The appointment was long and very thorough.  There is a huge learning curve, but she will be with us for almost another month, and we have time to get the bugs worked out.

We will extend her stay if we think it will take more time.

The Dr.'s office is very soundproof, and the outside world is now opened up.  Traffic, the blinker on a Car. the flushing of a toilet...all the little white noises we ignore have come rushing back to greet her.

Going deaf is such a gradual thing for most people, that the random sounds of life are forgotten.  It will take time for her brain to relearn all the sounds and then to ignore them.

But suffice it to say, when I wrote that check I did not even blink, so worth it in every way!  I would do it again and again!

Now I have to get to work!

Hugs,

Kay

Busy last several days!

 Okay I left you all on Saturday when I was taking Auntie to Moscow to do some shopping.

Well sort of a bust!  Still crappy fast fashion clothing and nothing I would buy or wear that I needed.

We were able to find Auntie two new pair of jeans and a pair of high-quality bell-bottom jogging trousers and that was it.

To buy anything of quality one must either go five hours south to Boise, four and a half hours west to Missoula Montana, or two hours north to Spokane Washington.  I refuse to buy clothes online as they are usually poor quality and do not fit!  But Auntie and I had a nice time.

Auntie at 90 is really frail and she tires easily, so any journeys longer than an hour will require and overnight stay so she can nap.  We shall, see?

On Saturday while Auntie and I were out and about, Sissy and Husb worked very, very hard on her garden project and it is coming along, but so much more work to do.  Sissy cooked Saturday night, but I do not remember what?

Sunday morning, I made eight dozen chocolate chip walnut cookies to empty the freezer a bit more. Took half of them to the neighbor kids across the street.  Some went to Kim's for the Grands and some for the Husb this week.

We then went up to Sissy's and she was going downhill fast.  So, I spent the night to keep things on an even keel.

Worked on her Freezer on Monday morning and cooked all day long.  I was able to use up four large heads of cabbage that were turning and made six large pans of stuffed cabbage rolls and two pans of porcupine meatballs in tomato sauce.  I have pulled a prime rib for this coming Sunday.

I also spent Monday night with Sissy and let her lounge all day Monday (except for two bride visits) as she was not feeling well and exhausted.

Home on Tuesday to try and get things caught up. thank goodness my Husband was at home and on top of things.  I had several loads of laundry to do which I got done and was able to do more organizing of both freezers.  It is apparent to both Sissy and I that we can go at least another month with very little grocery shopping.

WE got a phone call yesterday that Aunties hearing aids were in and will take her this afternoon for her first fitting and we are very excited.  I will not be excited when I write the check!

It was just so crazy this weekend and on Monday Auntie said to me, someone left you a Birthday gift and I opened it to find a beautiful quilt wall hanging which will be going in my guest bedroom (purple room) and will be perfect.  I have been searching for the right thing for above the bed and this will be it!  Will do a reveal when I get it hung.

Today I ran to Albertsons for some loss leaders and then worked for about two hours in the yard.  I also planned meals for the next three days.  

I also set my budget for this month and last month was horrible, but I was able to fund my sinking accounts and a little to savings.  It will get easier when Auntie goes home.  Eating out was a disaster!

I now need to go into the kitchen and process two large bags of walnuts (as in toast and grind) for future baking as I used the last in the cookies.  I also need to shred a three-pound block of cheddar cheese and flash freeze it and then get it in small bags for future use. The shredded cheese that can be purchased in grocery stores is just yuck! But I have been known to use it in a pinch!

When I get that done, I will clean up and head to Sissy's to get Auntie and get to her appointment.  I live a crazy life!

Hugs.

K