Whew, March was a spendy month!

 Just went over my budget for the month and I knew it was going to be bad, and it is but...

Company is expensive and we take care of Auntie for the most part, as in clothes and necessities when she gets here for a couple of months. I always send her home with an extra-large suitcase.  Filling that suitcase it wicked this year.

Because Sissy has some major expenses this year, I agreed to take Auntie on and well let's just say that when I write that check for her hearing aids in April it is going to be ugly.  (Sissy will help with this also but just puts her behind on her goals) I also need a crown in May.  So even though I was able to bank all my sinking funds, my regular savings goals will have to be cut in half for the next five months and maybe six.  That is okay.  

It is imperative to Sissy and I that Auntie have good quality of life for as long as she has it, I am just shocked at the price of things for seniors.  Especially those living on a very limited budget.

I am taking Auntie and getting her out of Dodge for the day.  We will drive north to Moscow (about an hour away) where there is a little more shopping than Lewiston.  Auntie needs some new jeans and sweaters.  Hers are looking tired, and she has always been such a fashionista, and I want it to continue.  It brings her joy.

So, more money spent.

Auntie and Sissy came for dinner last night and I was trying out my new air fryer.  I am not that impressed, and my Fish sandwiches were good as well as the tots, but after following the recipes to the letter, I found that things were not as crisp as I would have liked, and it saved me very little time.  I could have done better with the oven and my deep fryer for flavor as far as I am concerned.

I will keep trying and my Husband loves the appliance. So, if any readers have any suggestions, I am all ears.

Strawberry shortcake for dessert and then we played a rousing game of Yahtzee as we all love to play games and with Auntie being so deaf, she can participate.

I also think my Apple watch is taking a dump as it would not charge this morning and it is five years old, well past its prime, but a new one will be $500.00.  Yikes!  I just put it back on the different charger and it seems to be charging.  We shall see.

Now the Husb is going to help Sissy in her yard while I take Auntie on a field trip.  Have no idea what is for dinner and will cross that bridge when I bring Auntie Home for a late afternoon nap!

Now everyone have a great day and thanks for listening to me whine!

Hugs.

Kay

Yard work like laundry is always with you!

If I allowed my Cat Bud outside this is where he would be!

I had a wonderful me day yesterday with a quick trip to Sissies to take her a 1/2 gallon of milk, bananas and apple juice as she had a sick Grandchild.

I got all my ironing done and the basement completely dusted and vacuumed.  Halleluiah!

Got to the grocery store for a few things and worked on my upstairs freezer.

I then did two more hours of hard weed and stone removal, and we had leftovers for dinner.

Fish Sandwiches and Tator tots for dinner tonight (we always practice the old Catholic ways during lent) as I am going to try my new air fryer my nieces bought me for my birthday.  I have wanted one for a long time and just could not make myself buy one.  It is big and I will have to do some rearranging in my lower cupboard where I pulled my dishwasher.

Storing large appliances is a pain and I have a ton of room in the basement, but I hate going down those wicked stairs.  I am truly a work in process and the storage will come to me as I live with the space.

Was up early this morning and as soon as the sun came out, I went and spent another 1.5 hours on the front stone removal, and it is done for the large stones.  All weeds are pulled and now I must move small rock from one side so I can have a large stump ground out and then move it back.

The weather is rainy and much colder today, but I persevered.  I am now a wicked muddy mess and must get downstairs and clean up so I can meet my sisters for sisters' lunch.  I also wore out a good set of gardening gloves.  A pair usually lasts me two days.  I have tried them all, so invest in relatively cheap ones.

Now off I go to get cleaned up and finish my morning routine.

Everyone have a lovely day!

Kay
 

Where have I been?

 Well, I have not been to London to visit the Queen!

Just super busy entertaining and cooking and cleaning and just being on!  Which it is the being on that is hard on me.  But I survived.

Sissy surprised me by filling the two pots on my front porch with Primroses and they are so beautiful, like eye candy!  Thanks Sissy.

WE got so much accomplished for Auntie while her daughter was here, which was the plan of attack.

We got all of her legal paperwork done, will, POA, etc. and all is notarized.  We also took her to an audiologist and ordered hearing aids and they are going to be expensive, but Sissy and I are going to take care of it and our cousin agreed to chip in, but we shall see.

Aunties Family dynamics are let's just say volatile, and we promised our father that we would look after her, and a promise is a promise.

Autie is 90 years old, and she had really started to slip the past year, and she is profoundly deaf so she cannot participate in any conversation and this cuts her off.  She lives on a very and I mean very limited income so hearing aides were completely out of her realm.

Now no hearing aid will bring back what she has lost but they will help, and this is why we spent the money to take her to an audiologist, not Costco or some hearing aid store.  A real Doctor who could tell us if they would help.  The exam was very thorough and comprehensive, and the Dr. put my Auntie at ease.

But all of these things took time.  It took me hours to read her, the will and POA and help her to understand it.  Many times, I had to resort to writing things down and giving it to her in laymen's terms.

The funniest episode in the whole scenario is what does DNR stand for?  Auntie said the Department of Natural Resources!  We all died laughing and I then when on to explain that no and when she was gone there was no coming back! She readily agreed!

Our (Sissy and mine) birthday came and went in a blur and I received something (to me) very special.

I love flour sack dish towels and use them till they fall apart.  These are red and will look great in my tiny retro kitchen.

The weather has finally turned warmer and I so wanted to be in my yard but no I was cooking and cleaning.  Sissy did cook a couple of nights, thank goodness.

Her poor Dog has been so sick, and she has been worried sick, and this does not help when there is too much company.

My dear husband also wracked his knee working in Sissy's yard last week and is still gimping around but on the mend.

I have managed in bursts to start pulling the stones in the front boulevard and stacking them and will finish this project today.

We park on the street at present and we cannot open our car doors on the passenger side due to the high landscaping, so that is going first.

Stacking stones to be used elsewhere and when we are finished which may take all summer, I will put out a word on Facebook Marketplace and someone will snatch them up!  

(So, Sam squared remember this.  You can get a lot of landscaping material for free or next to nothing as long as you are willing to haul it!)

These stones are very heavy for me, and I must carry them up a set of stairs and place them.  Of course, they will not stay where I have placed them but will eventually be hauled to the backyard.  I look at this like...How do you eat and Elephant?  One bite at a time!

I am taking today off just for me, staying home and getting things done.  My house needs love.  It is 8:38 and I was up at five and have managed to get the last load of wash done (did some last night) and two beds changed.  I also cleaned my fridge and need to go to the grocery store for a few things.

I have a ton of ironing and want to clean my two freezers before I head to the store.

The one blessing of having so much Company is both Sissy and my Freezers have gone down significantly and although we cooked almost every meal, having things prepared ahead to reheat was such a help!

Now I need to get it together and get said chores done.  Will try and tune in tomorrow!

Hugs.

Kay

Running with Scissors!

 Oh my, I have so much to do today, and it is going to be a very busy weekend again.

I did manage to get Aunties other med filled yesterday so that is a blessing.

I am trying to put finishing touches on my guest bedroom and everything I order is really the wrong color.  No shopping here to speak of and Amazon hates me right now.  But I want what I want.

My list for today just gets longer and longer and I need to get going as in now!

Sissy and Husb worked in the yard yesterday and the long path is done.  Husb wracked his bad knee again and is in a brace and gimping around.  Damn!

I entertained Auntie and it is hard as She is profoundly deaf! Working on hearing aids and appointment with Audiologist Monday morning!

I was exhausted last night, and Sissy cooked dinner and it was wonderful.  Vicken breast fried with panko, mashed potatoes and corn, chicken gravy!  Yum!

 I did all the dishes and trust me; this is no easy task as Sissy is a messy cook and does not clean as she goes.  I am also a messy cook but have learned to clean as I go.  Oh well, it is just the way she is wired, and I love it when someone else cooks for me!

We planned the weekend as far as we could and made grocery lists for things we need.

List for today

• Finish setting up Guest bedroom as much as I can nope finishing tomorrow morning
• (Sissy did come down briefly and told me I was being way to particular and so I am rolling with what I have)
• Iron sheets and bed ruffle  Still have 20 pieces a regular ironing that will get done ...whenever?
• Make sugar free Jello for dessert
• Pull pork chops and filet mignons from freezer
• Get potatoes and green beans from downstairs pantry
• Clean downstairs bathroom nope tomorrow morning
• Make list for three grocery stores and get to them
• Iron all napkins
• Get flowers. avocados, baguettes, bananas and buffalo mozzarella at Costco This is grocery store # 1
• make up vase of fresh flowers
• Go to TJ Maxx and buy two new pillows for guest bedroom Too expensive and not what I wanted a wasted trip Sissy gave me two old pillows just for decorative shams!  Go Me!
• Pay Amex bill (this will be scary) It was but it is done!
• Dress and get ready for my day...still dragging
• Make fried pork steaks with potato pancakes for dinner, beats and French style green beans with butter and almonds (Sissy and Auntie coming for dinner)
• Set table and prep for dinner 

It is now 4:02 in the afternoon and I have done all of this and still have to make dinner after lugging in $200.00 worth of groceries for the next four days of entertaining.  Putting them away took a good 30 minutes!

Now Husb took pity on me and is making dinner.  He makes the best potato pancakes, and I will be the sous- chef and clean up!

I am now going to pour myself a glass of wine and wait for Sissy and Auntie to get here and read a bit.  Of course, I will be on call for the Husb if he needs me.

Pray for us as it is going to be a rollicking weekend.  Will fill you in when the cousin leaves.

Hugs,

Kay

Busy. Busy weekend and I was almost dead!

Oh my, were we busy, and a lot was accomplished.

I will start with Friday afternoon in which it took me another three hours to get Aunties meds filled and only managed to get one of them, and I am still miffed, but it was the one she really needed.  The other I can pick up later this week.

Husb and Sissy worked for a good four hours to make a pathway in the area where the larger garden will be.  I entertained Auntie and cooked something...no wait Sissy cooked a lovely fried shrimp dinner, with asparagus and artichokes.  It was so good.  I cleaned up the mess.

Saturday. Sissy was at my House, and I had Auntie ensconced down my basement with TV tuner to watch her favorite programs, while Sissy and Husb worked on our side yard.  I cooked and got two desserts made for the St. Patrick's dinner and this took a good four hours. 

Pistachio baklava and a four-layer pistachio dessert.

 I do not know what we ate for dinner as all of us were just too tired.  Leftovers, I think.  I spent the night at Sissy's to get a head start on the setting of festivities. 

Sunday morning, I was up early and Husb came up with his mother's China and silver to set the table for eight.   I should have taken a picture of the table; it was Martha Stewart worthy.

When Sissy got up, she watched Conference on the computer, and she was very sore as was Husb from two days of grueling yard work.

She began to cook at noon when I ran to get burgers to go for all of us as thinking about making lunch was just too damn much and this is why I spend so much eating out.  Need to work on this.  The corned beef just did not smell right and after it came to a boil it was horrid.  So, we threw it out and ran down to hill to purchase more.  I said an arrow prayer and our prayers were answered.  When we entered the store the front meat case was empty, and it was terrifying...to the back meat counter we went and nothing, and then we spied three points in the butcher's case and that was the last he had!  And it got better as we forgot our cell phones and would have had to pay full price, but we were honest with him and told him we had bought them elsewhere (cheap) and he took pity and gave them to us for the sale price.  Disaster averted!

Sissy made a key lime pie and wonderful Irish soda bread.  The meal was a true success, and we had a very good time.  The Irish coffee was so good, and I wanted another but did not dare! Husb and I cleaned up as Sissy was exhausted.  I stayed the night again to finish put and take the next morning as husb was getting his hair cut and then coming up the hill to get his mother's dishes and I wanted Sissy's car to go to the dump.  She really did try to drop a house on me, but I miraculously survived.

I was really dragging and so was the Husb.  We did get to the dump, but not before I hit a large curb next to the house with Sissy's car and tore a piece of trim off her rear passenger door! (This is because Sissy tried to drop a House on me) I just took the turn wrong.  Now this will be a thousand dollars that I will pay for out of pocket, because what small body repair does not cost a thousand dollars!  If I reported it our insurance would just go way up as that is the way of the world now.

 WE then took Sissy's car back and retrieved ours and came home to unload dishes and silver and started on my laundry.  I did three loads and binged watched YOU TUBE!

Husb was not hungry, and neither was I, so we scrounged dinner, and I was in bed by 6:30 and slept well until 5:30 this morning.

I have a ton of ironing to do, and many household chores that I am behind on, so that is plan of attack for today.

May head up to Sissy's later but am just not sure.  We will have burgers and French fries for dinner tonight and I am going to make a big salad for the week.

Now I need to get dressed and get to work!

Hugs;

Kay

What a difference a day makes!

 So, I have calmed down a bit, but just a bit.  Sissy is right that I take things out to the worst possible conclusion and then I bring it back in and solve it.  Just the way I am wired, and I will work on this flaw the rest of my life. Perhaps it is not a flaw, because when Sh#$t hits the fan, I can remain calm and carry on and have proved this over and over.

My biggest stressor is Sissy gets too many irons in the fire and yes, she accomplishes a lot, but then crashes and burns and gets very, very sick!  I have seen this over and over the past 40 years, and now that she has RA it is worse.

She was so sick all last summer and the fallout around it was staggering for me.

I do not want this for her as every illness can lower her immune system.

So yesterday I went up to Sissy's and we planned menus and then I took Auntie to get scripts refilled (which still has not happened and this took up most of my day and I am still mad about it.)   How can two pharmacies not get it together?  More phone calls to make this morning.

While we were waiting for scripts, I took Auntie to TJ Max, and she found several things that looked adorable on her and I did get my makeup at Alta so that was accomplished.  It was now lunch time and Auntie must be fed, so I took her to lunch and checked on scripts.... nothing...Auntie now needs a nap so back to Sissy's I went after the Pharmacy here assured me that I could pick up the scripts when they were ready.  Pulling into Sissy's I see the chicken cage is fully wrapped with a light shining through and I knew we had chicks; stress level went down a bit.  

They are so cute.  Auntie went to nap, and Sissy told me, she had called the Friend where the large over commitment happened (that Sissy forgot about...how unusual) and the wonderful Friend took the task on herself.  Thank you, Lord!  It is still going to be a very busy weekend, but this is one less thing to worry about.

I then made phone calls to the pharmacy in Minnesota, and they claimed they sent the fax/email and then I called the pharmacy here and they said they had not received it.  Also was told their power had gone out and now the Pharmacy in Minnesota is closed.  So that is on my agenda for this morning.  

We also must take the Cats to the Vet for rabies boosters and then I have to do a bit of grocery shopping for tonight and I want to work on my yard.  I know that Husb needs to go to Home Depot for things to help Sissy.

Sissy is cooking tonight! Yeah!

WE had a very good time at dinner last night and I am so glad we did it even though I complained about it.  I love that feeling when you commit and then pull back in your mind, follow through and get that happy feeling.

I have so many lists for this weekend and next weekend, so at least I have a plan and I am going to take it one day at a time.

Now it is time to put the Cat carriers together and get rolling.

I thank everyone who commented yesterday, it does help!  Anne I several glasses of wine!

Tune in tomorrow to see how the saga plays out!

Hugs,

Kay

We have bitten off more than we can chew!

Someone, anyone, find my mind!  This is how both Sissy and I feel like right now.

WE have overbooked, triple booked and are just plain stupid. But we shall persevere, and it will take a lot of planning which will be done today.  I will make it happen, and one of us (Sissy or I may fall in the process)!

So, today we will, or I will plan.  It is windy and cold and I hate it as I have errands to run and must take Auntie to get drugs refilled.  I need to get up to Sissy's and get the corned beef out of the freezer and then see what is in there to come up with for meals for the masses.  I am so hoping the large Lasagna Sissy made is still in the freezer.

I did make it to Costco yesterday and took product up to Sissy's with the plan to pick up my Auntie and take her to get her meds filled when Sissy dropped the bomb that blew me out of the water.

I cannot go into detail as too many people read her blog, but let's just say, Sissy made a promise to someone we care about very much and the promise was made a long time ago and Sissy forgot about it, ( how unusual) and it will take a great deal of work on a weekend when we are booked solid with Company.  

I think when Sis told me the bottom dropped out and I shut down.  I am just really tired.  So, I did not take Auntie to get her meds, Sissy is stressed about not being able to get the chicks, blah. blah. blah!

I did not get to Alta for my makeup (I am very vain) I did however get fried rice and egg drop soup made (no egg foo young). Score one for the team.

Tonight, I am taking Auntie and Sissy's Neighbor to dinner for the neighbors 70th birthday.  Now why did I agree to do that?  Because She has no one and is very lonely and 70 is a milestone and I wanted to do something kind.  I should just have gotten her flowers! I do not need another social obligation right now!

I do not drive after dark, and it will be dark on the way home so my Husband will have to come with us, and He does not really want to...blah, blah, blah! Men!

Also, Sissy cannot come as she has an obligation to her Grandchildren she forgot about (how unusual) so it is up to me to keep the promise.

I am just whining and Sissy put it into perspective for me.  I have not had enough alone time, and I need it.  Both Husb and I are seriously quiet people for most of the day and always have been, except for about two hours of up time.  We have been up and on for 16 hours a day for months or so it seems.

Complain, complain, complain.  It is 8:10 and I must get dressed and do my morning chores and get up to Sissy's and get stuff done.

I will fill you in tomorrow if our day was successful and I so hope Sissy got chicks this morning.  It is so hard when you make a promise to small children and then you cannot fulfill it.  Say prayers for us!

When I get stressed like this, I just keep reminding myself. that I have food to eat, a roof over my head. friends and family that love me and this puts me ahead of the game, promises or no promises. None of this is a third world problem!

Hugs,

Kay

 

Busy, Busy, Busy

 Yes, this is me and I have been very busy.  On a dead run since Auntie got here.

We finished another puzzle, and this one was really fun, but incredibly hard.  All Nancy Drew novels. (Sorry cannot get the damn picture to turn- I am challenged) Sissy and I had everyone, but alas they were lost in a house fire two weeks after we graduated from Highschool.

I feel like I have done nothing but cook and clean since Auntie got here, but the freezers are really going down and that makes me very happy.

Yesterday Husb and I took Auntie to Veterans lunch and introduced her to Creme Brule.  She loved it and now I know what to make ahead as I have all the fixings.

Tonight, we will be having Chinese, fried rice egg foo young and eggrolls.  This will clean several more things out of the freezer.

I will be able to start cooking in bulk again soon and have many plans, the first being chicken and beef enchiladas.  Have everything for this and the chicken and beef are done and frozen.  I will also make several chicken pot pies.  I still have five pie crusts, and also, I will make a banana cream pie.  Auntie loves banana cream pie.  She loves sweets, and so did my mother.  At 90 years of age, I think she can eat what she wants!

I finally finished her scarf, and it turned out wonderfully and it is wrapped and ready for her little surprise second birthday party which we are planning for Sunday afternoon the 23rd of March.  Everything will be pink.  Her favorite color.  Simple menu as it is going to be a very busy weekend.

This coming weekend we are doing a St Patty's dinner at Sissy's house for eight people, and I will make a pistachio dessert and a pistachio baklava. (Sluggy I will be thinking of you while eating baklava!) Sissy is making the Irish soda bread, the corned beef, cabbage and potatoes.  Also, a Key Lime pie!  WE will have Irish coffee with dessert for those who imbibe.  I am one of them!

Yesterday after my shower I got a wild hair and cut six inches off my hair.  I wear it up all the time and Husb says I look older with it in a bun.  My Little sister will undercut the back for me tonight as I really messed that up.

But I love it, and it is so much lighter and free.

Kim's middle daughter came over the other night and helped me get the TV on the wall in the guest bedroom and the Roku hooked up, for Auntie.

I ordered new linens for the guest bedroom finally, and they should be in tomorrow.  I will then consider the bedroom done with the exception of the large egress window which needs to be replaced this year and then I can paint!  It needs it but it is clean so that will have to do.

The weekend of the 21st my Auntie's eldest daughter comes in and Sissy will also be having Company, so Auntie is moving to my House, and her daughter will be at little sisters.  I need to plan a menu and will cook here the 21, and 22.

It is going to be crazy.

Today I must get to Costco for Sissy, and I want to go to ALTA for some makeup if I can find something.  We shall see.

I need a vacation!

Take care and everyone have a productive day!

Hugs.

Kay

I have been very busy or maybe not?

I know you are all waiting with bated breath for the outcome of my Orange Cranberry Poundcake and here she is.  Total fail and I filled the house with smoke.  Very greasy and all Cranberries fell to bottom.  Forgot to flour them before putting in batter.

Now did it taste good after I cut off all the nasty looking parts.

Well yes it did, and we ate it, but I certainly could not gift this or serve it at a dinner or luncheon.

I feel like I wasted precious eggs and butter only to try and use up Cranberries and that is just stupid.  So, I think Anne in the Kitchen is right, I create work! I need to be better about this.

I also spent several days mulling in my mind how I was going to take care of the venting (or lack of it in my kitchen).  By the time I got my twisted brain around this conundrum, I had spent over twelve thousand dollars to alleviate the problem.  No, I did not really, and this was totally preventable had I put a large pan on the lower rack.  So, I have talked myself off a ledge and save a whole lot of money!

 

As you can see, a little greasy?  But the orange flavor with the Cranberries was wonderful.  I will definitely try again, but not anytime soon.  I will also try and use my small bread pans as I have had some success with these.  I will keep you posted.

Sissy is a much better baker than I.  Now ask me to make a chocolate mousse, a baklava, a tiramisu, I am your gal, but to bake not so much.

I finished the month of February in the black and was able to fund all of my various accounts, but still way overspent on eating or going out.  I way underspent on groceries which was good.  So, I am giving myself a B for the month.

We have made great progress eating down the freezers but still have a very long way to go.  I think another couple of months.

I did go yesterday and got groceries for the next two weeks at least and spent 90.00 but our aunt is coming, and I had to get some special things for her.

Auntie will be here tomorrow at noon, and I got her checked in and her luggage and wheelchair arrangements done this morning.

My Husband has been horribly ill with a bad cold and the cough is horrendous and he has been a bear to live with.  Hopefully he will be on the mend soon.

I now need to get up to Sissies and get some things done.  I still have at least two more hours of knitting before I can call my scarf finished, but I will get it done.

Now as Sissy says...I am off like a prom dress.

Hugs.

Kay