Down on the Homestead - Jan. 30th thru Feb. 5th

**QuilterMom** · 01-30-2005, 01:00 PM

Good afternoon!

Dh is up in the attic working on re-piping the entire house so I have been baking all morning trying to get that out of the way before he shuts the water off. I made 3 dozen banana muffins and have 3 batches of banana nut waffles cooking now (I'm running back and forth between the waffle iron and the computer - can you tell I had a lot of bananas to use up? LOL). I need to make cheese breadsticks for dinner tonight, but that will have to wait until later since my cheese is still thawing.

Dh is going to be busy, busy, busy today so ds and I might hit the beach in a bit if the weather holds. It's looking a bit like rain (which we were supposed to get yesterday and didn't).

Have a great day everyone!

**slowtypinwoman** · 01-30-2005, 02:02 PM

Good morning QM and all to follow!

It is looking like it will warm up nicely. We were going to go out and cut wood today, but it is a muddy mess so we will wait untill a colder day.
I have been doing the laundry today and hanging them on the line in the basement after 20 min. in the dryer.
Alex and I did the big grocery shop yesterday so I have been breaking up meat and freezing it this morning. We now have some lasagna in the oven as I type. Later Alex and I will go for our walk and take the dogs with us.

I would like to get some bread baked today as some thank you gifts for some people who have helped me on a project.

Also Alex has been asking for us to read "our" book Small Steps. It is about a girl in 1949 and her fight with polio. Very interesting and Alex is enjoying it very much.

Have a peaceful day homesteaders!
Marcia

**forestdale** · 01-30-2005, 02:26 PM

Good morning homesteaders.

It's a hot and humid Monday morning here. It's still dark outside but I'm guessing it will be another sunny, hot day, BLAH

I'll be fairly busy today. I want to make make biscuits (cookies) using the Nigella Lawson Feast cookbook I got for Christmas. I think I'll make the heart-shaped custard creams. They look delicious and I get to make those little holes in them for decoration. I'll do those after breakfast so they'll be ready for morning tea. I have a lady coming to visit that I met at our store. She's got an airedale and she wants him to meet other airedales. Airedales are funny dogs, they actually recognise other airedales. Clive won't know what's hit him when he prances in here and finds 4 airedale girls staring at him! LOL After they leave I have to do the banking for DH and while I'm out I'll visit Diane. Her last solo container arrived last week and I want to see what's in there to sell on ebay. When I come home I'll be doing some ironing with my fabulous new iron (a Tefal - it's brilliant) and I want to do some needle work.

I hope you're all enjoying your Sunday.

**DaisyLady** · 01-30-2005, 03:16 PM

Hi Debbie,

Hi Marcia,

and hi to everyone who posts later.

It is a gorgeous sunny day here and the temperature is about 0 C! I wanted so much to go for a walk today but I hurt my back (again) yesterday. I missed church this morning

After dosing up on pain killers, I did some crocheting, baked a cake for Andrea's birthday and then made some sandwiches for her and her friend. It is so hard to accept that my little girl is 15! She is so tall and so pretty and so independent and so much like me sometimes.

William will be next. His birthday is in two weeks and he will be 14. They just grow up so quickly.

The pain killers have mostly worn off so I am about to drive William to band. When I get back I plan to sit down and finalize my seed order. I know what I want to plant. I will post more about this later in the gardening thread.

Have a blessed Sunday.

**DaisyLady** · 01-30-2005, 03:18 PM

Hi Rhonda, we must have been posting at the same time. Happy baking and banking!

I'm thinking about having a cuppa out on the porch in my winter coat and mitts. I'll be thinking of you in your hot weather!

**forestdale** · 01-30-2005, 03:23 PM

Hi chriss. I hope your back improves quickly. Take it easy today. Have a lovely day with your daughter. Fifteen is a nice age for a girl. That cuppa sounds like a good idea.

I'll save you a custard cream.

**guest2** · 01-30-2005, 04:53 PM

Ladies!

Last night a friend of ours (single mom with 8 kids) invited our whole family up for dinner. She made the most delicious cauliflower and cheese soup along with a tomato based chicken soup and 3 kinds of breads. We had a wonderful time of fellowship and our boys ended up spending the night there. Jeff, the cats and I had the whole house to ourselves and I ended up sleeping in until 10 a.m. this morning!

Jeff and I did our taxes onlione this morning and e-filed them so we should be getting our refund in about 2 weeks.

We have been busy making a list of what we need to earmark the money for starting with savings and going on from there. We will finally be able to get the 3 youngest female cats here fixed!!!! Praise God!!!!

We also need to pay our property taxes for the year and get the power steering hose on the Escort replaced.

The boys are still with their friends this afternoon and Jeff is working on installing a new stereo system in the Escort. He got the system for the clearance price of $25 marked down from $149.00. I'll tell you, both he and Jaysn were getting a bit jiggy about the wonderful deal he got on it. He has been wanting to replace our old radio which rarely works in there for years now. He used his "mad money" that he has been saving to buy it so it did not come out of the family budget. Jaysn will get to enjoy it more than Jeff since he is the main driver of that rig.

Still on the agenda for me today is repackaging the hamburger buns into smaller packages and freezing them along with some rolls and baking 4 loaves of bread (will freeze 3 loaves). I may also get some soup going in the crockpot to have handy this week for quick lunches.

Have a blessed and wonderful day!!!!!

**homesteadmamma** · 01-30-2005, 11:25 PM

I've been doing so much travelling I've hardly been able to post to this thread. It seems like I'm on the go everyday since our guest arrived and this is going to continue happening over the next days. I'm tired and all I want to do is stay in my home and quilt!!!!

I've got a load of clothes in the wash right now because I'll be gone for most of tomorrow until late night. Then Tues. were off to see the specialists in Winnipeg so thats going to be another full day on the road.

I haven't had a chance to get any bread baked or cookies made for the kids so I'm going to see if I can whip up a batch tomorrow morning.

I also was over at the post office this morning cleaning, scrubbing and waxing so that took up most of the morning.

Life isn't simple right now thats for sure.

Debbie, glad you are getting a nice refund back.
Chriss, hope your back is getting better.
Rhonda, hope your day didn't get too hot.
Marcia, hope that woodpile is growing.
Kim, did you get to the beach as planned.

**forestdale** · 01-30-2005, 11:47 PM

CJ, I hope your guest is helping you around the house. It sounds like you're running around with your tail on fire. I hope you get some rest and make sure you let the others in your family know that you need some help occasionally.

Sleep well.

**dmvezina** · 01-31-2005, 09:09 AM

Good morning all!!
I hope everyone had a good weekend!! Mine was ok. It was boring but relaxing!! lol I couldn't wait for today. I love Monday's. Everyone goes back to work & school. I love my family but I also love my days alone!! lol

Today I have a lot to do:
dust
vacuum/mop floors
windex tv's, mirrors
empty trashcans
change sheets
x clean coffeemaker
scoop cat box
bleach toilets
tidy desk
declutter magazines/newspapers
clip coupons
mail coupons
clean livingroom:
polish furniture
x clean windows
dust tv's & lamps
wipe fingerprints from lightswitches/walls
clean wall decor & pictures
clean ceiling fan
clear cobwebs
clean out chiminea
straighten books & magazines
wash knick knacks & shelves
clean end tables
x wash curtains
2 loads of laundry
Bring dd-13 to dentist appt

Breakfast was oatmeal, english muffins & oranges & strawberries
Dinner will be chipped beef with gravy over mashed potatoes, green beans and dinner rolls.

I must get going on my work! The fact that I have to go out later will hinder my getting all my work done, so I need to try & do it quickly!! ugh! lol

I hope you all have a great day!

**QuilterMom** · 01-31-2005, 12:12 PM

No, CJ, no beach for us yesterday. The water temp is around 63*, the wind picked up, and the sun decided to stay behind the clouds so it was a bit too chilly. I went in search of a birthday present for ds instead, but didn't find anything.

I've been tidying up the house and will continue doing that, decluttering, etc. for the rest of the day. Ds and I need to return some things to the library in a bit. I've already been out and worked in the garden this morning. Not an overly exciting day here. LOL

Have a great day everyone!

**guest2** · 01-31-2005, 12:57 PM

Goodmorning all!

CJ~Take some time to sit, have a cup of tea and relax a bit so you don't get run down.
Kim~I'm sorry you were not able to get to the beach. I used to love to just go and sift through shells, beachcomb and just look out over the water.
Dawn~You are one busy lady!!!!

Today is another busy one for us. We are home this morning but then I got to work this afternoon and evening. We already have the laundry going and 1 load hung out on the line (praying the rain holds off), the trash all gathered up and taken out for the garbage dudes, the kitchen has been cleaned and the floor done in there and my old copier/printer/scanner is back up and working again after we replaced the power cord

. The boys are working on schoolwork and I have a batch of yogurt to make and some lesson plans to write. I also want to get some more straightening out on our room done.

Have blessed day!

**forestdale** · 01-31-2005, 02:42 PM

Good morning homesteaders.

I am really happy.

Good things keep happening and I'm really excited about what the coming months will bring. Things aren't perfect mind you, I still have to do all the mundane jobs I always do but the future is full of bright possibilities and I when I look around me and see my wonderful family I feel fabulous.

I'll be concentrating on my drawing today and will hopefully get some needlework done this afternoon. I also have to bake bread, make some more custard creams (they were a big hit), change the bed linen and wash it and do two loads of laundry.

The forecast is for hot and humid days until the end of the week so I'll probably have the air con on later. Not frugal, I know, but necessary.

Enjoy today, ladies.

**QuilterMom** · 01-31-2005, 03:38 PM

Dh just called with bad news. The tile we selected for the bathroom is on backorder for 6 to 8 weeks.

We feel like we just can't win.

The second tile we picked out won't work because of its size and the dimensions of the area in our bathroom (the tile guy told us it won't work and showed us to prove it). Ugh! Dh was going to call the place back and tell them go ahead, but to put a note or something that we need it asap. The thought of being without a second bathroom for another 3 months probably is not a happy thought.

**PrairieRose** · 01-31-2005, 04:11 PM

Here I am, yet once again.....saying I'm gonna post to this thread.....~ I really am gonna try

Kim, I'm sorry to hear about that tile being on back order...how terribly frustrating for you. We had our bathrooms torn up for a good while during their re-do's and it's the pits when you're used to more than one bathroom....I hope that tile comes in sooner rather than later.

Rhonda, you made me smile again with your post....

I'm thrilled that future looks so bright.

Cj, I hope you can rest up sometimes, in between all of your running and gunning. Sounds like you really have your hands full right now.

Dawn, I need a nap after reading your post. I'm all worn out!

Well I got up early today and threw my sheets in the wash and tore into my bedroom and gave it a good clean. I went on with the bathroom and got it good too. Have done another load of wash and have the sheets now happily back on the clean bed along with laundered mattress pad. I can barely wait to climb in between those flannel sheets on another cold nite!

Dh came home for lunch and then we had a guest that brought by a prospectus for a business that we're looking at. I think I've decided that it's not for me, as I rather like my life at the moment and should we take this business on that would change in a big way. Dh is on the fence about it as well and he surely likes me being here-keeping the home fires burning and at his beck and call these days.

It's cold outside and we still have bout 3 inches of snow on the ground, with cloudy skies. I don't think we're supposed to get anymore snow until later in the week.

I need to figure out supper and work on my frugal notebook. I hope everyone has a wonderful day on their homesteads.