Down on the homestead - Feb. 5 - 11th

**homesteadmamma** · 02-05-2006, 09:59 AM

Good morning homesteaders. I've decided this week isn't going to be has hectic has last week was. It was crazy!! With festival coming up in April, we are going to get much busier so I want to relax for a few days before we start with recitals, etc.

So today I'm going to quilt the day away and doing some reading tonight.

We are having leftovers for supper which means homemade soup. I'll put everything in the crockpot around lunch time.

Hope everyone has a great Sunday.

**Nada.Leona** · 02-05-2006, 10:07 AM

I won't be doing any homesteading today. I help my boyfriend move into his new apartment this morning and then we have a great date planned for later tonight.

But I really need to take stock of my pantry and bake some bread this week, so I will keep you posted.

**QuilterMom** · 02-05-2006, 10:22 AM

Good morning!

Dh is about to run some errands for us and then he's going to make up some stew this afternoon while I get out of the house for a bit.

Today is laundry day for me once I get some laundry powder made up. Dh and I also need to sit down and discuss some financial issues - mainly the electric bill. We just had a rate increase by our provider. The fuel charge rate for the first 1000 KWH used went up by nearly 46% and the fuel charge rate for over 1000 KWH went up 70%! We've got to brainstorm on how to keep our bill down (and at the same time I've got to figure out how in the world to get dh to keep his end of the bargain - he is soooooooooo bad about having lights on unnecessarily, etc. in the mornings before I am up).

I worked on our master bedroom closet yesterday and got it 3/4 of the way finished (one of my GG Club goals this month). I'd like to finish that today and start on another task on my list if possible. We also had a cold front move in so I'd like to do a bit of baking tonight to warm up the house a bit before we go to bed. I made 8 dozen oat muffins and 4 dozen oatmeal chocolate chip cookies yesterday so I'll see what sounds good to everyone today.

Have a great day!

**Valerie in WA** · 02-05-2006, 11:53 AM

I'm working today, but it's very quiet, so I've brought along a gardening book and my graph paper plans for the garden.

Tomorrow dh is off work (no work available

), so we will probably cut sod for the garden expansion. We also need to make some repairs to the duck pen. Part of the frame collapsed in this big wind storm we had yesterday. The tarp subsequently got shredded on the exposed metal and will need to be replaced. Fortunately the ducks were unharmed. They're not pets, but I think I would feel really bad if one were severely injured or killed. I feel responsible for them, KWIM?

**Mamaw** · 02-05-2006, 12:03 PM

Hello there everybody! I have not been posting recently as I have started a new job which is taking alot of time for the training phase. It involves me commuting to the office for training which adds between 3 to 4 hours a day. Cuts into internet time alot!
Today is the super bowl so DH and I will be watching that tonight. This afternoon I hope to do a bit of cooking to make the upcoming week a bit easier. I will put spegetti sauce and meatballs in the oven, along with a meatloaf and some baked chicken. That way we will have the startings for hm dinners this week. Dinner tonight is chicken wings in the oven and oven baked french fries along with hot sausage, kraut and perogees. There will be enough for lunch and dinner another day too!
I also have to clean the house, mop the floors and do the laundry and some ironing. So it is sure not a restful day around here! LOL

I have become quite interested in the Left Behind book series. I am currently reading the third book and just cant put it down. Very good reading!
Well I am off to complete a few work errands then back to the household chores. Hope everyone has a great Sunday

**Strawberry** · 02-05-2006, 11:40 PM

Hello homesteaders

It has been a stressful week so today I did NOTHING!!!!!

I read a whole book today. I read Sisterchicks in Sombrereos by Robin Jones Gunn; it was a great relaxing read.

This week we will have to face more stressful issues but I feel so much better after taking a day off for myself.

Now I'm going to have a nice long bath and start another book.

Good night

**homesteadmamma** · 02-05-2006, 11:55 PM

Tina,

and prayers.

**dwallyfam** · 02-06-2006, 07:07 AM

Well our Superbowl party that we were to go to got cancelled due to the hosts being sick. So we stayed around here and watched. I did get two batchs of muffins made and some laundry done.

Kellie

**QuilterMom** · 02-06-2006, 12:52 PM

typing one handed...

I need to finish laundry today and don't know if much more than that and homeschool will get done. We did finish going thru the master closet yesterday.

**Nada.Leona** · 02-06-2006, 02:11 PM

I won't be doing any homesteading ladies. My roommates and I had a very unpleasant arguement, and I have decided to pack up and move out of there ASAP. I'm moving in with my mom over the course of the week. I am dying to get into my own place, but unfortuneately I will not be able to be moved in til the first of March, which means a loooooooong month ahead of me.

But I will survive. I always do.

**Mom23boys** · 02-06-2006, 05:53 PM

Tina!

Naderbug, I hope you can have your own place soon.

Today was a work day. We only have 2 work days this week! I am so excited to be able to stay home for 5 days before returning to work again! The boys are excited too, except for Richard who will still be going in the mornings because he attends a separate high school for vocational classes during the morning hours and they are still in session. Chris will still have baseball practice every day we are out, but he will be able to sleep in because it isn't until late in the day.

I have class tonight. I have more homework to turn in. I can't wait until I have it all ready to turn in. He gave us a syllabus at the beginning of class on what homework was due and when. I am ahead of schedule which makes me happy.

Chris has his first high school baseball game tonight and I am going to miss it.

DH and DS#3 will be there to cheer him on for me.

**PennyPincher** · 02-07-2006, 11:23 AM

Not a very busy week for me as well. Tomorrow I am driving to Michigan to pick up some rabbits and thats about my excitment for the week. We will be doing a little bit of school, we are so far ahead we should be done for the year next month. Not sure weather I want everyone to go to the next grade or take a really long summer break ( March-end of August) I might just go to the next grade but go slowly.

Have to think about getting the barn cleaned out a little bit, we keep bales of hay and straw mainly for the rabbits and the chickens like to get into it and spread it all over the floor and make a huge mess...its such a pain, I cant wait until we get the yard fenced behind the barn for them.

**homesteadmamma** · 02-07-2006, 11:40 AM

Good morning everyone.

Tinathinking of you often.

Kim -

I've got the laundry started, the cat litter box cleaned out and a few clothes folded. Once the first load of laundry is done I'll hang it to dry, then start another one.

Music lessons are this afternoon. Once we get back from those, I want to get some quilting done.

Tonight it's over to the post office to clean and then home to read. I'm working on getting the last bookclub book done.

Have a great one!!

**Valerie in WA** · 02-07-2006, 12:15 PM

Mamaw, those books are excellent! I really enjoyed them. A couple in the middle got to be sort of same story all over again, but then it picks up again for the last few books. I really felt spiritually uplifted and excited after reading those books.

Tina, I'm so glad that you know how to recharge by taking time for yourself.

Nada, I'm glad you decided to move - life is to short to waste time hanging around with negative people.

PennyPincher, I don't think I've yet 'met' you on the boards. Hello.

I spent almost all day yesterday outdoors (see my garden thread). Then I showered and took the girls to gymnastics. I hit the library during their class. I went to bed at 9pm - I was so tired. I slept until 7 this morning - when dd woke me. Heaven knows how long I would've slept!

Today, I need to clean the house a bit, bake zucchini bread, bake yeast bread and do laundry. But first, I might cut a little more sod (maybe just a half-hours worth of work). In between the laundry and baking, I'd like to work on Becca's quilt.

**Mom23boys** · 02-08-2006, 10:58 AM

Good morning friends!

We are out of school for the rest of the week! YEA!!! DS#1 still had to get up and go though. I know he didn't want too. He gets out at 10:30 so he doesn't have to stay very long. It is a fun class anyway. It is an auto body/auto tech class.

DS#2 has baseball practice at 11. He doesn't want to go either. I don't think he likes the way the coach is coaching them. He plans on finishing out the season, but may not play next year. This makes me sad because this is something he has loved to do all his life. He had big plans with his baseball "career".

I have plans to start major decluttering while sitting at home. DS#1 will be graduating in May and we have family coming in from Georgia, Louisiana, and maybe Alambama and Mississippi. I know that is a ways off, but there is no time like the present to begin getting things in order. Then all I will have to do is keep them that way.

Chris and Dakota's room needs some major decluttering in itself. I plan on getting rid of the air hockey/fosball table that takes up half the room. They have had it for 2 years and never play it. It has become a catch-all. My MIL bought it for them for Christmas. I will see if my nieces want it or someone else in the family. If not, then I will take it Salvation Army or Goodwill.

I have class tonight. I did lots of writing last night. Tonight is Environmental Science class, which means hand cramp! Your tests are based on your notes, so I take lots and lots of notes, so many that my hand cramps up!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!