Coops Cleaned

Yesterday I did the dreaded cleaning of the chicken and turkey coops.  In the winter I use the deep litter method so there was a lot of crap in them.  I hauled the waste to the garden bed and will till it in when the ground thaws more.  Found a couple mouse families in both, the chickens ate a couple of the mice (ick).  Not much I can do to keep them out, I don't have food in the coops that is in the runs.  I guess living next to a field and woods doesn't help.  Now until winter it gets cleaned monthly or sooner.
Today my back and knees are hurting and my legs keep me from getting a good nights sleep.  I am pretty much unfortunately used to getting little sleep.

The Horrible Cluttered Storeroom

We live in a brick ranch and don't have a basement.  Storage has always been a problem since we moved here.  We have an attached 1 stall garage and it is full and gets messy all the time and the spare bedroom is my "storeroom".  This used to be just my office and then we put in a second refrigerator because we needed more space especially with the eggs.  Then I started selling on eBay and opened an Etsy store and needed someplace to store my inventory.  No matter how hard I try that room is always a disaster.
I couldn't take it any longer and took almost everything out and reorganized the shelves labeled the boxes straightened things out and got rid of some things that haven't sold.  Ron takes things like that to someone he works with who sells the stuff at flea markets.  It looks a lot better, still crowded but now I know what box has what it in without looking everywhere and it is finally organized again.
I store my vintage canning jars in the garage and Ron organized those last week so bring on the sales we are ready.

My Weekend Help

Brandon came to spend the weekend and helped me out with a lot of things.  First thing Saturday morning he   fried me eggs so I could have an egg and toast sandwich.  He helped me clean out the incubator several times, helped me remove the birds that died and then we went outside.  Since we had a lot of rain last week the yard was perfect for rolling so Brandon rolled the yard.  I used the weed whacker and worked on the neighbor's herb/flower garden then did our whole yard.  Ron took off the snow blade when Brandon was done rolling the yard and then put the deck back on and Brandon mowed the yard for me.  It looks so nice when it gets done.
Ron cleaned out the entire shed and rearranged everything and looks so nice.  Last week he started working on his work bench in the garage and has it almost done.  Our garage is a catch-all.  It seems like we clean that stupid thing out all the time.  We don't have a basement so our storage space is very limited.

A New Year and a Clean House

The last two weeks I would clean up things as they got dirty BUT not deep clean.  Yesterday I got up early, 4:30 to get started.  I started in the kitchen and worked my way through the house.  It took me 6 long hours and when I was done it looked so nice.  Crocheting rag items messes up the house so much.  The lint from the stuff gets EVERYWHERE.  Up again early today but not as early as yesterday and decided to sit and catch up reading some posts on some blogs I follow.  

New Years day Ron and I went to an auction and I got some stuff that I will be selling on ebay.  I started sorting through some vintage patterns yesterday and now have them in my clean living room working on them.  I go through every pattern to make sure it is complete before I list it.  I have gotten my money back in entertainment just going through them.  They are so neat and I wonder did we really wear stuff like that?  Most are from the 50's.  There are several that were sent for through the mail and are still in the envelope that they were mailed in.  The postage ranges on the envelopes are 1 cent, 1 1/2 cent and 2 cents.  The patterns were offered in newspapers and you mailed 15 cents in coin to get them.  That was in the day when you could put money in the mail without worry.  

Going to make me a toasted bagel and back to working on this stuff.  Take care everyone and may each and everyone have a blessed New Year.

Where does all this Dust Come From???

Giving the house a good cleaning before I have surgery and the dust is horrible.  I always try and keep the house clean and have no idea where all the dust has come from.  We have baseboard hot water heating so it's not from the furnace.  Could be from having the door and windows open and all the wind we have had.  I would rather clean toilets than to dust the furniture but don't have a choice and have to do both, lucky me!
As a young child I remember my mom telling us that we always had enough dust under our bed to make a person and I never wanted anyone living under my bed so I would dust under there.  I'm not sure the pictures on the wall can support the weight of a person so I dusted them.

Closet Done

The closet project (installing closet organizer shelves) went very smoothly.  It only took a couple of hours from the time I took everything out to the last item being put back in.  After I was finished doing the closet I straightened up the rest of the house and then went out back to enjoy the beautiful weather.  I love not having to run the AC and to be able to sit out.  Since it has cooled off a bit we see the deer a lot more right behind the chicken coop.  Haven't seen any bucks yet but have seen a lot of does with their fawns.  The yard needs to be cut the first of the week.  The cool weather and the rain we got has perked it up nicely.  Monday I need to take the oldest granddaughter to the eye doctor because her mom has to work.  If I get back home earlier enough I will do the yard work on Monday, if not it will have to wait until Wednesday.
Later, take care.

Amish Saturday, Derek's Birthday Party, New Plants in the Garden

Baked goods and homemade sweets at the Amish Bulk Food Store.  For local readers the address for this is 18383 N Turner Road, Cuba, IL 61427.  Open 8 - 5, closed Sunday and Wednesday, fresh baked goods on Friday and Saturday April 1st to Thanksgiving.  You can also order baked goods all year.  Fresh donuts first Saturday of every month.  Please note that I asked before I took the pictures at the store and dairy, I would not have taken them without their permission.

Section with bulk items, you can get 50 lbs of flour, sugar, oatmeal or you can purchase those items and lots of others that they have bagged up.  They have lots of spices and they are very reasonable.  I get almost all of my spices there and this is where I get most of my items to make soap.  In the first isle (where the gentleman is) they have all sorts of jams, dried food items baking items.  I just love this store and the people are so nice and friendly.

Some of the cows at the dairy farm.

Beautiful cow.

Derek's birthday party.

Derek at his party.

This morning we went down to the Amish store, dairy farm and the nursery.  They were out of lye and 50 lb bags of flour and will have some more in 2 weeks.  I picked up a few items I needed and will go back in 2 weeks to get the flour and lye.  One of the boys from the dairy was at the store when we were there and he rode back to the dairy with us.  We got 10 gallons of milk and we will separate it tomorrow morning and will make some butter and will make some cheddar cheese on Monday.   We then stopped at the nursery and I got 4 egg plants and 4 acorn squash plants.  We got back home and picked up Ian and went to Tony and Renee's for Derek's birthday party that was at noon.  Came back home and Brandon came to spend the night.  Dug up the spot to put out the plants then cleaned out the chicken coop and put fresh straw in the coop.  I put the straw from the coop around the new plants and also around all the other plants and around the pine trees, nice free mulch/fertilizer. 
Later, take care.

Bits and Pieces

Last night we went to see Brandon (grandson) graduated from 8th grade, nice night and short ceremony.

This morning I went to see about putting some soap and rag rugs in a shop and when I was there I sold a rug.  I will take my stuff next Thursday.  Renee (daughter) went with me and she is going to take several items that she makes and sell them there also.  Very nice, clean and organized place.  I will have to start on some more rugs and plan on making a couple batches of soap in the morning after my walk and then a couple more on Thursday.  There goes my plan for getting my last room cleaned.  I have sorted through things and have organized some but it could use a little more work.  Oh well it will be there waiting for me when I get the time to do it.

Mowed the grass and trimmed the trees today.  Getting the trees done means I can cross that chore off of my list.  My list is getting shorter but I still have plenty to do.

Brandon and Derek

The Bedroom is Done

After my walk this morning I came home and cleaned the bedroom.  Now the only room I need to do is the dreaded office.  I want to get it done by this weekend so I will probably start it Wednesday.  It feels so good to have the house clean from top to bottom.
I need to so some yard work and will probably cut the grass tomorrow afternoon.  I also need to do some tree trimming and want to get that done before we have everyone over for a cookout next Monday.
Tomorrow morning I have an appointment at a little shop to see about putting my soap and rag rugs there and still need to make some tags and put on a couple finishing touches on the samples I am taking.
Later, take care.

Laundry Room Painted

Ron and I painted the laundry room today; if I had been doing it myself I would have quit in the middle of it.  Good thing is that the painters union will not let me join.  I usually don't mind painting but there was so much paint brush work instead of roller work.  Monday my plan is to do my bedroom, Ian is doing his own room and that will leave the office/storage room for last.  I'm not sure what day I will do it, there is so much stuff in there because we have very little storage space in the rest of the house.
I also watered the trees and garden today, we need some rain really bad.  Can't afford to loose all the trees and raspberries bushes that we put out last fall and this spring.  Last summer was pretty dry and I sure hope that we don't have a repeat of it. 
Later, take care.

The Kitchen is Done

Started my day with the 1 1/2 mile walk and then came home to deep clean the kitchen.  Everything is finally done and even though it wasn't that bad it just looks so nice and fresh.  Tomorrow I might get a start on my bedroom and do the closet and dressers and then maybe I'll just wait until Monday to do it.   I have accomplished a lot of stuff this first week of retirement.  By this time next week I hope to be done with the entire house.  I have a lot of things on my to-do-list but eventually I will get them done.   I really need to get some "convenience food" made and froze for the days I don't feel like cooking.  Before I can do that I need to do an inventory of the freezer and organize it again.   I usually have Ron help me with the freezer so it will have to be done on Saturday or Sunday. 
Later, take care.

Living Room Clean, Another Thing to Cross off the List

I started my day out with the 1 1/2 mile walk, got an earlier start and there wasn't as much traffic on the road that early.  When I was heading towards home a deer crossed the road about a block in front of me.  I take my little camera with me in case I see something but it was to far away to get a good picture.  Went to see about selling my soap at the little shop but it wasn't open today; called and left a voice mail and am waiting to hear back.
Changed my plan and cleaned the living room today instead of the kitchen.  It looks so nice and everything is so nice and clean.  I forgot that I want to make and freeze some noodles so will do that tomorrow and then clean the kitchen on Thursday.  When I make noodles I get flour everywhere and if I cleaned it first I wouldn't want to make the noodles.  I told my husband and grandson that if they get one thing out of place in the bathroom I would beat them.  I feel the same about the living room; I don't want to sit in there because I don't want to get it dirty.  After the kitchen that is all I am planning for this week.  I will start on the bedrooms and office next week.  Really tired and sore after working so hard the last 2 days but when it is finished everything will be all cleaned and organized.  Things had gotten a little cluttered in spots the last couple of months and I HATE clutter.  I have to have things clean and organized to be happy.

Day 1 of Retirement

I started my day off with a 1 1/2 mile walk and then feed and watered the chickens.  I have a goal for the next 2 weeks and that is to clean every room from top to bottom, clean all closets, dressers, cabinets, curtains and wash the walls.  When I get done with all the rooms I am going to paint the laundry room which is way over due.  My plan for painting is to do it this weekend when my husband is home and he can help with it.  I don't mind doing the painting it just moving the heavy stuff in there. Today I can cross off the bathroom, hall coat closet and the linen closet.  Tomorrow morning Renee (daughter) and I are going to a little shop to see about selling some of my soap and rag rugs there.  I won't get a whole lot of work done at home so I plan on starting in the kitchen and then finishing it on Wednesday.  Then on Thursday I will do the living room; that leaves the laundry room, 2 bedrooms and the very messy, cluttered 3rd bedroom that is used as an office/storage/soap drying room.  That room will be the last room I am doing and will need a day to recoup after getting it done.

Well I have used the time I allowed myself to sit down and need to go out and check on the chickens and then start the pizza dough so it has plenty of time to rise.  I make little goals for myself and find that it helps motivate me.  This is the first time I was on the computer today and I wouldn't touch it until I had certain things done.  Sorta like you do with the kids, I make myself earn time to do the fun things when I have a lot of work to do.  Whatever works.
Later, take care.

No Cost Face Lift

No not for me but for my kitchen.  Menards had kitchen hardware on sale a week ago for $2.49 and when you sent in the rebate you got your money back.  Just changing out the cabinet knobs has made a huge difference and for free.  Watch the Menard's add because every week they have several items that after the rebate they are free.  I have gotten all sorts of outdoor cleaning products free by doing this.  I used some last year to wash my shed, I use some regularily to clean the garage and have some that I am going to use when it gets warmer to clean the brick on the house.  I can clean for free.  Later, take care.