WORKING THE DAY AWAY

I said that I would post a couple of pictures of my Salvation Army bargains, but decided to wait until I can get a new disk for the camera and start fresh.  The other disk has about 1,300 photos on it and I don't want to upload them into the computer.  I just "cleaned" out the memory trying to make more room on the hard drive.  The memory within is getting very low.

The sun was out and so was I.  I spent a lot of time trying to recover the yard from the Blue Grass of Kentucky.  I mowed the back and the front and it looks pretty good.  There is one small narrow stretch that I left because it is on an incline and wet and hard to mow even when it is dry.  I put the grass catcher on the mower and put all the clippings in/on the garden spot, esp. over the "wild potatoes" that are coming up.  Instead of hilling the potatoes I will put clippings on them and see what happens.  I am looking for Ronald Reagan's "trickle down" effect for the soil.  I am sure the garden spot is depleted of natural nutrients and chemicals as I have used the same area for years now.

I really put in a good day's labor and am tired.  I didn't feel like cooking so I made a trip to Wendy's and got the combo meal.  I know, money spent and gas used up...what can I say.

Two weeks without TV.  I got the bill that keeps it in "hibernation"...or an active account, but no TV or distractions.  It was less than $10.00.  That in itself, makes it worth the self deprivation-denial.  And I am getting more work done, too!

The guy next door who left his mower and trimmer out in the rain for the past few weeks...can't get his trimmer started...imagine that.
The people on the other side are moving and it looks like they are leaving quite a mess.  Maybe they will clean it up...who knows.

I need to go back to the library.  I read what I had in short order.  In the eve. when there is no TV and the radio won't play because of the weather and lightning, you need some good books.

I am happy that I got 99.9 % of the yard work done because we are supposed to have more rain tonight and tomorrow.  I hope that tarp holds and the roof doesn't leak too much.

I have more Sun Tea steeping on the patio table.  I think I will let it steep overnight as I got it out late.  There ain't nuttin' bedder den Sun Tea.  And here is where I end for now.

END

HAIL THE HALE

t



Even though I put these pictures up in order, they did not appear in proper sequence.  I used every thing I could find to soak up the rain water, including ads and old mail, buckets and whatever I could find. It just wasn't enough.  I have buckets and baskets and plastic bags and anything I can find, trying to stem the flow.  It was raining down the walls.  The insurance adjuster came back and took more picture of the inside where the walls and ceiling are buckling, and of the wet couch and chair.  Oh, happy days

.

Big "puddle" on the plastic  

Super Soaked here and behind.

More soaked carpet.

Buckets and plastic and old ads.

You can't see where the rain rain ran down the wall.

Hale turned the street white last night.

More hale.

Some more hale on the steps.

The insurance adjuster came back from Nashville and took pictures of the inside damage of buckling panels, ceiling, wet couch, chair, and of course soaked carpet.  It is getting black mold along the wall and the carpet stinks.  I have turned the floor furnace up, trying to dry things out a little.  He also put a tarp over the open area.  I already had a tarp.  He has it held down with bricks.  If we get more wind the tarp will be on the other side of the state.  It isn't his job to put up tarps, but the roofing co. has not shown up yet.

I went to the Salvation Army this afternoon and found a couple bargains.  I will post a couple of pictures of them tomorrow night.

END

THE RAIN MAKER PREVAILS

I did get my haircut yesterday.  All I can say is that it short, esp. on the sides where I don't want it to be.  However, it is done.

I drove to Rural King, the farm store, and got some wide mouth canning lids.  I have jars.  I looked at the jars and they are "pricey" to say the least.  I think I can get jars cheaper at China Town(Wal-Mart).  I just don't like t go the Wal-Mart, esp. when the checks come out.  It becomes wall to wall people.  I don't think you save much on groceries there, either.

I spent nearly $100.00 out of my itty bitty S. S. check already.  $45.00 for eye drops, money for gas-$20.00 doesn't get you very far away from a gas pump and it can only get worse.  Here is where Momma's Oboma could a put a cap on gas...but he won't.  And I spent a little at the farm store.

The local farm store is pretty high when it comes to buying food staples.  Coffee there, is about $9.00 a can and a 10 lb. of sugar is over $8.00.  So, I only buy what I want/need there for, plus 2 small flash lights.

I do most of my shopping at the DG(Dollar General) Store, Family Dollar Store and the Dollar Store.  I may buy some at the Sureway if they have a good sale going, but no one has any good sales on right now.  Even Wal-Mart has nothing of great sale value, and believe me, I watch all the sale ads carefully.  The Wal-Mart CEO says things are not looking so good.

Like Barbecuing , do you"  Charcoal is about $8 bucks now.  If you eat out you pay more, plus the tip, unless you go to Windy's or Mac-World.  My favorite place is the Golden Corral and the price of the buffet has gone up, there, as well.  It is downright scary to see large people load-overload, their plates and go back for more several times over.  I guess they want to get their money's worth.

Now, if you didn't before, you know why I "stock up" and prepare for hyperinflation.  Call me paranoid, but I will have food in the pantry and food in the freezer.  My advice to anyone who may read this is to stock up.  I have coffee, beans and rice and a few other food staples.  Harry(brother)tried to stock up, but his wife found his "treasure stash" and gave it all away to charity.  Charity is good and noble, but "Charity begins at Home."  If you can't take care of yourself first, then how can you take care of others?

I stopped blogging for a while so I could eat my supper.  I cooked a large potato and a round steak in cheese sauce, in the pressure cooker.  Either it was very good or I was very hungry. 

As I was enjoying my meal the thunder started rolling.  We are about to get our daily dose of rain.  I knew we couldn't get away without some of that stuff.  We have had about 18 inches of rain so far for the month of April and the month isn' quite over yet.  I carry a small flash light in my pocket, one in my pocket book, one in the bathroom and one for the bedroom.  Now you know why I bought two more today.

I emptied out one bucket and need to empty out another and be ready for the next storm.  The containers are so full and heavy that I can't lift them.  I have to slide them along the floor to the b.r. and then hoist them over the rim of the tub to empty them.  Life is full of little challenges!

I need to mow that hay field of a yard that surrounds the house.  The rain is good for the grass. too good.  I bought gas for the van, but not for the mower.

It is getting colder.  I am stopping here to put on my warmies and make some hot tea.

End

and the sirens are going off, now.
P.S.7 PM

Hale, we are getting tons of it. 
Will post pictures tomorrow.
The streets are snow-white.

ANTS

Ants...They are everywhere.  There must be a billion of them...aunts, grandmas and grandpas, cousins, brothers and sisters...the whole dang family and a few besides.  They must be like my family...they are everywhere.  These ants must have fallowed the yellow brick road, looking for dry land.  They must have a GPS or a Tom-Tom  to point out the way to my house.  Darn those pesky electronic maps, anyway.

The real truth is that the ground is super-saturated and driving all the outdoor insects...indoors.  The flooding also drives the deer up out of the flatter-lowlands, up on to the highways seeking dry land.  Its is a time for deer-car collisions and accidents as the deer try to get to Audubon State Park and Wolf Hills.  Now, Wolf Hills is all built up, but the wild life doesn't care.  It is dry land and they need to get up higher to survive.

In good weather the deer thrive because of the thousand of acres or corn and soybean that are under cultivation here.  Thus far, the farmers have not been able to get into the fields to plant.  You will see your grocery bills get higher and higher, accordingly.  As the Ohio empties into the Mississippi River, they same problems are occurring there as well.  The levies or under a huge strain and the Army Core of Engineers want to make a man-made break in the levies and flood humongous acreage of land.  The Governor does not want that at all as this area is a track of farm land the size of Rhode Island.  Hope that the rain stops and the water goes down, as this is a part of the Bread Basket of the Americas.  It is pretty gruesome everywhere in the country right now.  You and I may not eat or have bread, your government will.  And if you have bread the ants will help you eat it.  The analogy is...Ants and the Government are...everywhere.

The insurance adjuster is to come back on Friday to check the interior damage of the living room.  What the Company says they are sending will not hardly cover having the carpet cleaned and deodorized or de-fungalizid.  The insulation must be a soggy mess and the ceiling continues to drip long after the downpours.  Sigh...I don't think $300.00 dollars will go very far.  That's the trouble with insurance.  The should be re-named...de-surance 'cause they never want to cover your claims.  Pardon me for inventing a few new words.

END

P.S..I sprayed the ants but Raid doen't seem to bother government pests and insects.

"MORE-(RAIN)-PLEASE"

I woke up early so I got up early.  I got a lot done.  I washed dark cloths, one smaller quilt,one large quilt, and a set of sheets.  All are dry except the sheets.  I got tired and took a nap. 

The sirens started whining around 5 PM this afternoon.  I turned on the radio and there was a tornado warning up.  We didn't get it; it went south and east of here, but close enough.  Owensboro seems to be right in the eye of the bad weather.  So far we are close, but it misses us and hits elsewhere.

The Ohio is flooding the farm and flat lands.  The Judge Executive has decreed Henderson County in a "State of Emergency."  So far around 90 miles of Federal and State Roads are impassable and are the highways and byways for little fishes.  I am glad my house is high and "not" dry.  At least I don't have backup water running through the front door.

I am thinking that tomorrow I may go to the beauty shop and have my gray hair mutilated.  I am overdue for a chop job.  That what the beautician does...chop, chop, mutilate.  At least she is a cheap destroyer of curly locks...$10.00 bucks and tip.

RAILROAD BRIDGE

"Honor never grows old."-William Bennett.

END

IT..JUST..NEVER..STOPS

The rain never stops.  It lets up for a few minutes, and then starts all over again.  Not a little rain, but heavy, heavy rain.  And of course, it pours through the roof,  I can no longer use my living room.  I don't dare turn on the light because heavy rain is coming in through the light fixture.   The carpets are starting to smell and the pails and buckets are full to the tops...So far I have heard nothing from my insurance co.

I went to a local roofing co. and they are supposed to put a tarp over the roof to help keep out the rain.  This something that should have happened over a month ago, but I have been waiting...and waiting for word from the insurance Co.  I am not at all happy with this Company.

I went to the Dollar Tree to get some Ibuprofen and on the way back passed a bad looking accident.  There was an elderly man there trying to direct traffic.  I was thinking that I had passed a police car on my way in and wondered why the police were not there yet.  So...as I passed by that same location...there set the police car...doing nothing...or as far as I could tell...doing nothing other setting there near the red light. 

Yesterday my Easter meal was a really good rib eye steak, medium rare, cooked in garlic butter.  It was all I wanted and all I could eat: It was a good sized rib eye.  I couldn't have eaten more if I had wanted to because that steak was filling.  It was yummy darn good.

I think that I will forego scriptures and items of Biblical interest for a while.  I may also stop putting my blog up on Face Book.  No one much has shown much interest.  I guess people only go to God when they want something.

END

EASTER SUNDAY

"HE IS RISEN"

+

GOOD FRIDAY

NO WORDS NECESSARY.  NO WORDS NEEDED.

This has been a busy day for me.  I didn't get everything done that I had in mind to do, but I am tired anyway.

I got the backyard mowed late this afternoon and it looks fairly spiffy.  I discovered some "wild potatoes" growing in the garden spot and decided to let them grow and see what they become.  They are from the potatoes that I didn't get dug up last fall when the ground was so hard, due to the long drought of the summer.  I hope I can get the front done tomorrow, but it may rain tonight and most of tomorrow.  I haven't heard from the Insurance Co. yet, so I may soon be growing weeds in the living room...and yes, I am feeling desperate.  I may have to "mow" the carpet..yuk..yuk.

I did some minor shopping and got my Nestles' Creamer.  And I bought an Apple Pie.  I didn't think Alice would send me one, either... so I got a "store bought" one.  Generally, I don't buy ready made pies, but today I splurged.  It isn't half bad.  No, I don't bake pies just for myself and I.

The man who sells me frozen meat from his truck stopped by.  I got 5 cases of various frozen steaks for $100.00 bucks-marked down from $259.00.  I get good deals as I am pretty much on his route at the end of the day.  This may seem extravagant, but they are always nice, thick juicy steaks.  I will not need to get more meat for sometime.  He hauls them in, and packs them into the freezer for me.  I don't have to spend the time, gas or effort.  My right arm doesn't like working too hard, so it is a good that it is all done for me.  That is also why I a rolly cart so I don't have to carry in groceries.

After mowing...my everything hurts, esp. my right arm.  Considering that the surgeon said I would never mow grass again, I guess I can deal with a little discomfort.  I have Lortab for pain, but don't like the stuff.  I do just as well with Tylenol and without the weird feelings...here again I say..yuk..yuk.

It never even got up to 65 degrees today.  I am wearing a fleece sweat shirt and the temps. are going down for the evening.  I wonder if people will ever get their gardens in here in the KY. state.  If not, they may get a little hungry.

****

"A picture is worth a thousand words"

Easter is this Sunday

****

END

AEOLUS, GREEK GOD OF WIND

Aeolus, the Greek God of Wind, of Homer's Oddessy, took a little trip into the Ohio Valley, leaving behind some damage as he blew through.  Yes, he showed everyone just what He was capable of.

Something woke me at 4 AM and seemed to slam into the side of my bedroom wall.  Of course, it got me up and out of bed.  At 4 AM I was outside with a flashlight trying to figure out what hit the house so hard.  I couldn't see or find anything so I went back to bed.  I didn't sleep well, thereafter.  At 8:30 I went out again.  My neighbor's new metal shed had been picked up, moved, and slammed into my fence.  It wasn't anchored and is a little worse for wear...a few dents here and there, and off kilter and askew.  Good thing the fence caught it and stopped it from flying away with Aeolus.

As soon as I went out this morning I noticed the big temperature change.  It was down in the 40's and never did get real warm.  It eventually got back up into the 50's.  I came in and turned the heat on and it has been running off and on most of the day.  There seems to be no happy medium-normalcy, about this spring.  Your either hot or cold.  I like the general weather of upstate NY in the spring; a gentle warming trend into summer.  Even that is changing.  Life as we knew it...isn't as we now know it.

I cut the grass less than a week ago.  It doesn't look like it now. It needs to be cut again, but the monsoons never quit long enough for the grass to dry out.  The last time I mowed it was late afternoon, the grass was still wet and I just made it before the next storm.

Friday is supposed to be another Thunder-Bumper day, with severe winds and lightning in the mode of the kicker of last night.  My roof is so not fixed yet and and the rain poured in.  It is getting "worser and worser" as my youngest brother used to say.  This time it came in on my really nice chair and stained the fabric.  Like Darn it anyway, Aeolus, take your windy ways and rain elsewhere!  In Homer's Oddessy, Aeolus was stuck in a cave somewhere, and I wish he never got out.

I am deep into a very thick book THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES by Jean M. Auel.  She is the author of the original series that started with THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR.  This is the sixth and probably her last in the series, as that is what her contract was signed for.  Plus, she is getting older and writing this last book must have been a heavy burden to finish.  There were those that thought she would never meet her contract, but she did.  This is the last edition of her books, and just came out.

I never left the house today and had no desire to do so.  I do need to get out and get some odds 'n ends of grocery items.  I need Nestle's Creamer for my coffee!!  All gone!  I have milk, but I do like the creamer.  Also, there is very little on sale.  I really don't like to go shopping 'though you might not think so, as I try to hit the good sales.  The "good sales" are becoming scarce, unless you want to stock up on un-necessary goods and item.  I don't.

****

THE LORD IS MY LIGHT

AND MY SALVATION-

WHOM SHALL I FEAR?

****

Psalm 27:1

****

END

Well, my bank account is back up and none of those viruses...hackers, Trojans...seem to have got into it.  Not that they would have gotten rich from what I had in my account.  No, they would have been just as poor as I am.

I went to the library and got some books to read while in my self imposed TV exile.  I do have the radio on in case the weather warnings are aired.  I actually need a new radio.  There is a short in the off-on switch and the radio goes off and on.  It is OK if you don't move it or breath on it.  I think I will go to the Good Will store and see if I can find one.

We didn't get rain yet, but we have several days before us that are supposed to be rainy and stormy.  I have my buckets ready.

I made...or nature made...my first pitcher of Sun Tea for the season.  Sun Tea seems so good and mellow, without the caffeine taste.

****

CORN BREAD CASSEROLE

+

1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

1/2 cup of melted butter or margarine

1 can (8 oz.) of whole corn-drained

1 can (8 oz.) of creamed corn

1 cup of sour cream

2 eggs

+

Preheat oven to 375 degrees  Grease a 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish. Pour margarine or butter into a prepared dish.Blend in sour cream.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs into casserole along with muffin mix.  Blend thoroughly and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until done in the center.

This a simple dish and you can add ham chunks or chicken to the dish for protein.  And you can do it in a mixer as long as you keep the butter or margarine melted.  You can jazz up your casserole with added shredded cheese on top or by adding some of your favorite vegetables into the casserole.

****
CARRY EACH OTHER'S BURDENS,
AND IN THIS WAY
YOU WILL FULFILL
THE LAWS OF CHRIST.
****
Galatians 6:2



END

LIFE WITHOUT TV

RHUBARB flower head in the back yard by porch/patio.

Life without television is:
Quiet:
Serene:
Peaceful:
Productive:

I watched TV last night until about 2 AM just to get it out of my system.  Off on April 17 and on again Sept. 17.  Do you think I can outlast myself?

The insurance adjuster came yesterday, as he said he would.  He climbed up on the roof and took pictures of the wind damage.  The shingles and felt are gone right down to the bare wood.  I knew it was leaking like an open faucet, but I didn't know it was that bad...only that my head was getting wet, and that what I could see made me unhappy.  Since we have had several wind storms I think it must have been a cumulative effect.  However, a wind storm is a wind storm.  I just hope it gets fixed...and soon.  He said he was going to get the papers and photos in today(Monday) because more rain is coming.

The sky is getting darker and more overcast and a wind is coming up.  I went to Lowe's while it was still pretty out and got some snap together storage shelves.  I have needed to do this for quite a while and finally  got myself going on my little task.  I need better storage for my pantry goods and to neaten things up a little.  I got smaller units because it is easier for me to handle and work with.

My computer had 5 viruses and a Trojan.  My security program just shuts everything down before any real damage is done.  But still, it  takes time to restore and get back up to speed.  I am not sure where theses problems are coming from, but suspect a couple may be from FaceBook...don't really know.  My bank account was locked out, too.  Now I have to call the bank and get everything reset.  If anyone gets into my bank account...they won't get much.

The house is very quite.  It seems strange.  No constant background noise.  Years ago, due to high B/P, I could hear the blood pumping in my carotid arteries.  Can't hear that anymore, and that is good.

Palm Sunday is now another Sunday past on the calender and Easter Sunday is is gaining in time in the historical scheme of worldly turnings.  History and events rise and ebb, with or without us.  In no time, it will be no time.

****

*****

FEAR NOT,

DAUGHTER OF SION;

BEHOLD, THEY KING COMES,

SITTING UPON THE COLT

OF AN ASS.

****

JOHN 12: 15

****

END

Crashed again

My computer crashed again.  It has taken about three hours to get it up and running again.  I don't know why it keeps acting up.  It is getting old for a laptop.  I will get a new keyboard for the Dell just in case this Acer finally bites the dust.  It has served well, but it is getting ornery.

Cold again and the heat is one.  I even turned it up higher this afternoon.  It doesn't feel like climate warming to me.

Not much to say, so I won't.  Spending too much time fixing this laptop when I could have...should have been doing something else.

****

GOD SAID,

"LET THERE BE LIGHT,"

AND THERE WAS LIGHT.

GOD SAW THAT THE

LIGHT WAS GOOD.

******

Genesis 1: 3

END

Storms that won't go away

The insurance adjuster could not make it due to the extreme weather.  He has to come from Nashville and the weather has been very bad to the south.  At the moment we are having another storm for the day with thunder and lightning.  Yes, the roof is leaking and the buckets are out.  Rain is coming in through a light fixture and a couple other places.  A drought,...we are not having.

I went to bed after 2 AM last evening or morning, as it were.  I had to get up and be ready for the roof inspector, even 'though I believed he wouldn't-couldn't make it.  However, you never know what lurks in the mind of man.  So, I did  get myself going and up by 8AM.  Now, I am sleepy.

I went out and took a picture of the Rhubarb blossom heads.  They are not quite ready to flower, but when the flower heads open I will take another picture and post them both at the same time.

There isn't much going on other than I need to go to the library.  I read 4 books in a week and now have nothing to read.

The temps. for Saturday are supposed to be only in the 50's.  I turned the heat on this morning because of the damp chill in the air.  I  keep an electric heater in the bathroom so I can have a shower in comfort.

Thus, another day passes, but for some in the south, it was their last day.  This is Tornado Alley.  RIP for the latest victims of this Tornado outbreak

****

"HEAVEN AND EARTH

MAY PASS AWAY,

BUT MY WORDS

WILL NEVER PASS AWAY."

****

Luke 21:33

****

END

Rhubarb and Gremlins

I have had a lot of computer problems this evening and had to run the built-in restore program.  That seems to have done the trick.

I didn't get all my yard work done today.  I did get the front yard mowed, but didn't trim because my little nose ran away from me and then I started hacking away...cough...cough.  The air is full of pollen as the green grass grows and the trees continue to leaf out.

I went and set in the back yard for a while, and then tried to mow along the fence again.  There is something about the mower that drives that DOG next door crazy.  That DOG tried to jump the fence to get at the mower.  I think I will have to fill a spray bottle with ammonia and carry it with me.  I hate to do it, but it may be an option.  If DOG gets over the fence...and almost did...I don't know if DOG would be content to just go after the mower.  After all, I am attached to the mower.

I wanted to get everything done outside because we are supposed to get rain in the morning and heavy rain in the afternoon.  Time to get the buckets out again.  The insurance adjuster is supposed to come, too, and I wanted everything to look nice and tidy.

I have a nice Rhubarb plant near the back patio.  It is just about to blossom out.  I will can some of it and freeze some.  Rhubarb Pie..Yum!  I will take a picture of the blossoms.  I did last year, too, because they are very large and pretty.

This is a short post because I spent too much time messing with this laptop.  I went to use the big Dell and the keyboard wouldn't work.   I'll tell you what is working very well, thank you...gremlins are busy with my computers.

****

BUT HE SAID,

"AMEN I SAY TO YOU,

NOT PROPHET

IS ACCEPTABLE

IN HIS OWN

COUNTRY."

***

Luke, 11: 24

***

END

HIBERNATION

I sent my Dish Network into hibernation or "pause" for the summer.  I will have it in sleep mode starting on Sunday at midnight.  No, I don't have a bill that needs to be paid.  I can keep the TV off until mid-September.  I will have a nominal fee of $12. 00 per. month to keep my account active.  Do you think I can make through the whole summer without a TV fix?  I can get my news from the Internet and from the radio, and I read a lot.  Plus, there are things that I want to get done and to do during the warmer months...other than watch junk shows and re-runs.

I think I want to get back to some serious writing, something other than this poor blog.  I have stories I started and have not finished.

This laptop is not really great for any serious endeavors.  It has been freezing up and doing weired and strange things.  I am lucky that I have a big old Dell that I bought a few years ago from the tech. guy.  It is big and clunky, but it will do the job.

I just took the trash out for pick-up in the morning.  It is a little nippy out and this morning I had to turn the heat on for a while to warm the house up a bit.  It got down into the lower 40's after the rain swept through.

 A lot of people have tried to get their gardens out too early and are starting over.  Tomatoes will not set until the night time temps are in the upper 50's.  It is OK to put potatoes out now and some of the lettuces and "cold plants," but don't get in too much of a hurry.  I have seen ice storms in late April that came out of nowhere...or across the plains and prairies.

I opened up a can of Ravioli and heated it up for supper.  The stuff taste like dog food, whatever that tastes like.  And to think that when I was younger I liked the stuff.  Yuk.  The meat filling has the flavoring of sawdust. Yuk..Yuk..Yuk.  I suppose that I should be grateful that I have food to eat, but I won't be buying any more.

***

I AM THE LIGHT

OF THE WORLD.

HE WHO FOLLOW ME

DOES NOT WALK

IN DARKNESS,

BUT WILL HAVE

THE LIGHT OF LIFE.

****

John 8: 12

Enlarge by clicking on picture to read poem.

****

END



RAW PACKED CHICKEN

I hesitate to post this picture of the raw packed, canned chicken that I canned...because it didn't turn out as "pretty" as the canned chicken that you see in pictures.  It did turn out OK though, and the jars sealed well, and that is the most important aspect of home canning.
These canned jars of raw packed Chicken are the results of 10 lbs. of chicken.  I have 30 more lbs. of chicken in the freezer.

I have not used the pressure cooker for a while and soon discovered that it was not sealing well and losing steam.  It needs a new sealing gasket.  However, it did get up to the 10 lbs. of pressure that was needed and held for the time of 1 hour and 15 minutes necessary for the quart jars.  I need to get an new sealing ring, though.

A couple of things that I learned:  Next time I can chicken I will have a good pair of clean pliers on hand to help pull the skin and fat off the chicken. As you can see in the picture I didn't get all the fat pulled off, but that is OK, too.  Also, I will have a clean, dry cloth handy to help me hold the chicken as I pull the skin and fat off.  My hands got pretty greasy and slippery. I will use wide mouth jars on the next batch of chicken because it will be easier to pack the jars tightly with the chicken.  I have the jars, but don't have the wide mouth lids at the moment.  I have saved all the fat and skin from the chicken and put it all in a bag and then into the freezer.  Later, I will make chicken stock or broth, and can that, too.

If I can another 10 lbs of chicken I should have about 8 to 10 jars of chicken to eat that doesn't need to be cooked or to rely on the freezer.  When the power goes down, so goes the freezer.

The insurance adjuster is supposed to be here on Friday around 2 PM.  It is supposed to rain on Friday, too.  Will he want to climb up on the roof in the rain?  It may be a good day for him to look because I am sure that I will have buckets out to catch the rain.

Today I mowed the back yard and the DOG next door tried to eat my mower again as I mowed along the fence.  While the back yard looks fair...I still need to hit the front yard and get the trimmer out.  I was hoping that I could get by with mowing every two weeks, but with all the rain that we have been having, the grass and weeds grow very fast and high.  With gas nearly $4.00 per gallon, a lot of people will probably let the grass grow.

The two seedless grape vines that I planted last year are starting to leaf out.  They are small vines and I hope they produce some grapes this year.  The Plum tree and the Pear tree are totally leafed out.

****

YOU HAVE DONE GOOD

TO YOUR SERVANT,

O LORD,

ACCORDING TO YOUR

WORD.

***

Psalm 118: 65

END

RAIN...DUH

Did someone say we were to supposed to get rain?  That they did, and it has/is coming down at a good steady, drenching, downpour for several hours now.  When I looked out the kitchen window I saw that the people next door left their new mower, new trimmer, new shovel and new post hole digger out in the rain.  They have a very large block storage building for storage.  How dumb is that...Duh and Duh.

Not only is the rain from Spain hitting my window pane, it is really humid.  The temperature is falling and getting cooler, though.  There is a forecast of possible snow on Palm Sunday of this week.  One more week of lent.

One Lent I decided not to give up anything, but to read the Bible aloud from cover to cover...and I did it.  Fasting is all well and good, but I believe that doing something better or acquiring new traits, or improving one's self is even better.  I curbed my vocabulary a long, long time ago and do not swear or curse.  If I were to say "s**t" people would look at me in horror and say "did you say that?''  To be honest I slip on an extremely rare occasion and it has to be something extreme or unusual to make me slip.  But...being a Biccum, I do under stress or untoward events, let out an "Oh, S***T."  I even shock myself!  No kidding!

I still have two fans blowing because of the high humidity.  At 67 degrees I am perspiring quite a lot.  Down where Harry lives in Dallas, it gets even hotter and more humid than here along the Ohio.
If my nephew moves to Iowa or the Dakotas, he will find that the weather a lot different than on the east coast.

Iowa and the Dakotas are subject to extreme weather sweeping across the plains or out of the mountains.  These states are mostly made up of "cow towns" and huge farm areas.  And snakes...ssss.  I guess it is a good place to live, though...if you can find work or housing.  It is helpful to know someone...I think he does...but...mind your manners and your tongue.  He is a sprout of the Biccum tree a the "4 letter words" drop as easily as the leaves in autumn.  I am sure I will hear about my comments, but to move to the Bible Belt form the East does require some vocal alterations.  LO L's.

I often write this blog in increments; a little here, a little there.  It has been raining for hours.  It let up some around 5 PM and then started up again.  Anyone up for building an Ark?

****

****



MAN'S DAYS ARE LIKE

THOSE OF GRASS;

LIKE A FLOWER

OF THE FIELD,

HE BLOSSOMS;

THE WIND SWEEPS

OVER HIM,

AND HE IS GONE,

AND HIS PLACE

KNOWS HIM NO MORE.

****

Psalms 103: 15, 16

****
END

warm around the edges

Right now I have two fans running.  Yesterday it got up to 85 and today it was about the same.  Tomorrow, Sunday, it is supposed to be near 90 F. and then cool off a little.  We went from a funny spring to a funny summer...sort of. I hate to turn on the A/C this early in the season.

I received my really big check from the money market fund.  I made the whole of 3 pennies of interest on it.  That tells you that it was not so "really, really big."  Three cents?  Darn!

I started an new book; a western.  TV is just poor and re-runs.  I am thinking of putting DISH network into hibernation for the summer months.  It only cost $10.00 per. month to keep  it there and you can have it re-activated at any time.  I always did this when I was still working, but after I retired I kept it on all summer.  Such a waste of time for junk summer shows.  So, maybe I will call on Monday and have it put into sleeper mode.

I am lazy tonight and don't feel like writing all that much.  No one reads it, anyway.

****

SEEK YE THE LORD,

WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND;

CALL UPON HIM

WHILE HE IS NEAR.

***

Isaiah 55: 6
Jesus praying in the garden

1869 wood engraving

END

Good Books

 I just finished a really good book entitled TAKING 1960 by  Rosa Sophia.  It has all the elements of a well written book; drama, mystery, paranormal intrigue, romance, science fiction, philosophy, theology, murder-you name it.  Get the book-you will not put it down.  I didn't.

I went to the BIG SALE this afternoon.  I didn't really buy a lot.  I did get three half gallon jugs of milk for $5.00.  That figures out to about 84 cents a qt.  You can't do much better than that on milk.  I put one jug in the freezer, one in the refrigerator and the buttermilk I opened up as soon as I got home.  I love buttermilk.  My mother used to make the very best home made buttermilk which can not be found in any dairy case.

I also got Kraft Mayonnaise for two jars for $4.00, bread for 99 cents, hot dogs for 78 cents, corn meal flour for 99 cents  and Pork & Beans  two for a buck.  I didn't really go overboard.  I spent just over $25.00.  No more sales for a while.

***

AND LOOKING UPON THEM,

JESUS SAID

"WITH MEN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE,

BUT NOT WITH GOD;

FOR ALL THINGS

ARE POSSIBLE

WITH GOD."

***

Mark 17: 27

***

END

No Sales Today

I just stayed at home this day.  I am tired of going to sales.  I can still go tomorrow.  Sometimes trying to save a dime is not worth getting worn out for and you need to stop, and just kick back, and pick up a good book or simply have a lazy day.  That is just what I did; I had a lazy day.

The temperature for tomorrow to be in the 80's with some light rain off and on. Time to get the buckets  out again.

I did call my home owner's insurance co. to ask about filing a claim for wind damage on my roof.  They are supposed to call back within 24 hours.  I don't expect much in results as they are a kind of a rinky dink co. and will probably say, "it was an act of God."  I have heard it before.

So...that is pretty much the tale of the day.  No tales to tell.

WHO HAS SEEN THE WIND?
***
Who has seen the wind?

Neither I nor you,

But when the leaves

hang trembling,

the wind is passing

through.

****

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I,

But when the trees

bow down their heads

the wind is passing by.

****

by Christina Rossetti,

Victorian poet.

**

THE INTENTION

IN THE HUMAN HEART

IS LIKE WATER

FAR BELOW

THE SURFACE,

BUT THE MAN

OF INTELLIGENCE

DRAWS IT FORTH.

**

Proverbs 20:5
***
END 

More shopping

I went to a smaller sale today and got a few canned goods that were on sale.  At first I thought about getting a some flats of what I wanted and then decided not to and watch my nickles and dimes instead.  Tomorrow is the big sale and I want to get stuff from the big store that has more variety of items that I would like to stock up on.  The one item that I wanted to buy today was cream corn, but it was sold out.  I wanted to make a corn casserole which is pretty good and calls for one can of cream corn and other ingredients.  Maybe they will restock it before the sale is over.  Tomorrow will be my last sale for a while because when the money is gone...it's gone.  I may have to raid my penny jar...!

I always figured that if I had a jar full of pennies that I would never be broke, so I just keep adding to the jar.  Sometime, I need to sit down and roll all those pennies.  Do you know that if you keep a # 8 playing card in your wallet you will never be broke and may come into money?  Normally, I do not believe in this stuff and am not superstitious, but it seems to hold true.  Hmm, maybe I should slip a couple more #8 cards into my wallet...couldn't hurt...LOL's!!



*

LET BROTHERLY

LOVE ABIDE IN YOU,

AND DO NOT FORGET

TO ENTERTAIN

STRANGERS

THEREBY SOME HAVE

ENTERTAINED

ANGLES UNAWARES.

*

Hebrews 13: 1-2

*

A small tip:  If you store your Brillo Pads in a jar of soapy water it will not rust or fall apart unless you wear it out from use.  

*

END 

Leaky Roof Syndrome

 I went to Hillard's and Lyons this afternoon and closed  out my Money Market fund.  I never had a lot in it and sent most of it to my sister more than a year ago.  I hope that what is left will be enough to get the roof patched.  It is not a really old roof and I think that a couple of those wind storms we had...has pulled up some of the shingles.  I hope that is all it amounts to as Money Markets are hardly productive unless you have a lot of money in them for the long term.  I hope a patch job is all it needs, as rich I am not, and there are a couple of other repair jobs that need to be done.  Owning a house is more than just having it paid for.

.

That looks like me, above...running about the living room with buckets and baskets, trying to catch the rain.  It is a little unsettling to be watching TV and to suddenly have a faucet open up over your head...LOL's!

After the storms went off into the east, and north east, it became cold really quickly.  Even 'though I had turned the heat way back, it came on in spite of my efforts to conserve.  It isn't real warm today, either.

I have been looking through the sale ads that came in the mail today.  I found that the Dollar General Store has canned vegetables for 40 cents a can.  I will go to the big grocery store sale on Thursday or Friday, and I picked up some paper goods that were on sale today.  There is a continuing motive to my madness: inflation is here, and who knows what the government is going to do on Friday. Plan ahead, if you can, and being prepared is even better.  I am fortunate that I have the time to look at all the sales and then can act upon the sales that can be applied to my needs(or money).

*

HAVE WE NOT

A RIGHT

TO EAT AND DRINK?

*

1 Cor, 9:4

*
"
"TALK LOW
TALK SLOW
AND DON'T
TALK TOO
MUCH"
-
John Wayne

END

Kentucky Rain

Yes, it rained pitchforks and hammerheads.  Lots and lots of rain.  So, the local radio station started playing "Kentucky Rain" by Elvis Presley.  There were tornadoes to the south with damage and injuries.  Where I live...we lucked out again, even if my roof did leak.

 Finally got hold of BIG BROTHER HARRY this afternoon.  He says where he lives in Dallas...they need rain.  We reminisced about the Clove Road and the Cole farm and how there are no farms left in Montague, NJ; how the water table has been affected and the drying up of Red Brook where he and Pete caught so many trout.  Yes, we are all getting older and our memories perhaps dimmer, but we remember what Montague used to look like; a pretty little valley in between the state park and the ridge on the other side.

I went to cook my supper of steak and onions, green beans and potatoes and  I found a funny potato in the bag and took a picture of it, then peeled it and then cooked it and...ate it.  It looks like a big heart, doesn't it?  It was all good and I have some left over.

Potatoes are really very good for you.  I cup of raw potato contains B6 mg., 21me. of Cal., 47 mg. of mag., 130 mg. of Phosphorus, and 969 mg. of Potassium, all crucial for heart and brain health.

   

There is a big grocery sale coming up on Thursday and Friday, a two day only event.  I already have my list written out. 

*

AND I WILL SHOW

WONDERS IN HEAVEN;

AND IN EARTH,

BLOOD AND FIRE,

AND VAPORS OF SMOKE.

*

Joel 12:  Part 11, vs. 30

*

END

COOL DAY-HARD WORK-HARDLY WORKING

The weather man says it got up to 68 F. today, but it felt a little cool to me.  It was windy, too.  Tomorrow, Sunday, is supposed to be as warm as 80 F.  Bad weather is to follow later or in the night.

I got a gallon of gas and mowed the back yard.  The Pit Bull next door went nuts as I mowed along the fence.  He was trying to attack the wheels on the mower through the fence.  Dog paid no attention to me, but the mower  put the dog in a frenzy.  Crazy mutt-dog.  If dog tries that when I trim...dog will get his nose nipped.  If it stays nice enough tomorrow afternoon I will try to get the front yard mowed, too.  I did have to stop today because hauling that big mower around made my arm "talk" to me.  I am out of shape, too.  Can't do every thing in one day and will have to piecemeal it out and be happy about it.

Not much to mention today or evening and Sunday is my "day off."

*

COME AND SEE

THE WORKS OF GOD,

HIS TREMENDOUS

DEEDS AMONG MEN.

*

Psalm 65: 5

END

WE HAVE...CHICKEN

Chicken; we have chicken...lots of chicken...40 pounds of chicken...all for $15.60.  It pays to be persistent.  Even 'though I got to the store reasonably early, the chicken was going fast and people were buying it by the cart load.  I don't blame any one for trying to save a little in these days of inflation.  Save where you can and when you can.  I saw one lady with a whole case of green peas, buying while the cans were/are $.49 cents per can.  I should have, too, but I had all I could handle with 40 pounds of chicken.  It is a good thing I have a little rolly cart because I can't carry much.  That little rolly cart has served me so well in the past couple of years.

I plan to raw pack at least 10 pounds of the chicken.  One bag I will use on my smoker- the rest I haven't decided what to do with yet.  Meat, properly canned will outlast me and be usable for years.  And if the power goes out or the freezer quits, there is still meat in the pantry-larder and it is already cooked, ready to eat.  An interesting fact: Radiation will pass harmlessly through glass and glass canning jars.

Today, April 1, the guy across the street, mowed his yard. He has a big lawn tractor he likes to fool with.  I must admit, his yard looks like a well cared for park and he has a double lot to care for.

Last night my computer locked up and I couldn't turn it off.  This morning I ran the System Mechanic disk without results.  Finally, I called the cable co. and got a tech. on the phone.  The Internet connection was disconnected for some unknown reason or changes by me.  After going back into the wi-fi connection process,  the computer finally kicked back in.  I still don't know what happened or why, but it is working again.  I was thinking I had got hit with an April Fool joke-virus-and maybe I did.  Computers, like the weather, are fickle.

***

*

IT IS EASIER

FOR A CAMEL

TO PASS THROUGH

THE EYE OF

A NEEDLE

THAN FOR A RICH

MAN TO ENTER

THE KINGDOM

OF HEAVEN.

*

Mark 10: 25

Supossedly, this is a bad translation according to many scholars and biblical writers.  They say that it is a "rope" that is made of camel hair that can not pass through the eye of a needle.  It makes sense, but  really...it does not matter as it is a message and the message is clear.

*

END