Yesterday, I made my way down to Harbor Freight and purchased a number of items. In particular for the fore casted hurricane I purchased a 5x7 heavy duty tarp to cover building supply items that are leaning against the house that need to be kept dry.
Amazing thing is that just last Friday when I was there they had at least a whole pallet of small gas generators and as of yesterday PM, they were all sold out. I had joked about purchasing one at least as an insurance policy to my neighbor.
I can only imagine that some people went in and maxed out the quantity of six (6) maximum purchase. I bet if I looked on the local craigslist.org some of those same generators would be listed for sale at a higher cost. Not sure how I feel about that. As when a storm is going to hit, some people in this area just loose respect for others and do crazy things like buy-up more items than they need at the store.
I have been somewhat lax in getting the inside of the house prepared. A tub is filled with water, as I have been informed in a storm a handful of years ago this subdivision lost water supply for a good period of time.
There is more than enough food in this house. So, no worries there.
Combination radio, flashlight, siren with a hand powered crank is sitting next to my bed. As, is a battery operated flash light.
I know where some candles are located. But, I should be pulling them to a central location in the event that they are needed.
Yesterday, I ran the dishwasher. Today, I washed what dishes were dirty by hand. I plan on running a load of laundry shortly and take a much needed shower, as my couple of hours outdoors in the steady rain resulted in me being wet from head to knees in spite of having a rain hat on and a rain coat.
The rain travelled the brim of the hat to my back and ran inside down my t'shirt!
Seeing how I was already totally soaked, I offered to take my neighbor's dog for a walk. Also known as my work out partner.
When we returned, I knocked on the door and told my neighbor to open the garage door, because you know who was soaked and was certainly going to wait until indoors prior to shaking the water off.
You have to laugh.... Exactly, what she did.
Time to extract myself from the chair and go get a few more things accomplished before it gets pitch dark and there are potentially no electric lights.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Freezing Produce and It's Ripe NOW!
I was reading my friend's blog the other day and she had written a brief blog regarding freezing some blueberries she had purchased at the store to use later in the year. Plus another FB friend had questioned how to freeze strawberries after taking her children berry picking earlier this summer.
Of course, I had to comment, as I too often freeze a variety of produce. Mostly due to seasonal availability coupled with economics.
As long as you have the space in freezer it is relatively simple process. I have a deep freezer, so I use a cookie sheet. But, you could use any other freezer safe container that will allow air to flow around the produce without it freezing together.
To ensure that softer items like bananas don't stick to the pan, first line with waxed paper.
Clean or pick your produce and chop if desired. Spread on pan and freeze for several hours or a day before removing. Then label and place in freezer safe containers or freezer safe zipper lock storage bags. Place back into freezer until needed for recipes and consumption.
This is a super way to not waste excess produce you have purchased or have in ripe abundance in your garden, i.e. I just froze a 1/2 dozen peeled bananas and what should be my last crop of figs (figs are extremely fragil and usually mold and rot within a couple of days in the open air).
Items such as sliced peaches and bananas are terrific straight from the freezer into the blender as a delicious addition to a fruit smoothie. Or quick access when the desire for banana bread or a fruit pie is weighing heavy on your mind.
When shopping, don't ignore the reduced produce. As I had commented on my friend's blog Berrymorin Bits and Tips, it is a super way to try produce you may not normally purchase or have never tried before. EX: I recently bought a mesh bag of tiny key limes and have been using them in my ice water for added flavor.
If you are able to deal with it and think economically, you can definitely make use of some of the ripe produce at excellent prices by preparing and freezing immediately. One of my favorites is yellow, red and green bell peppers. I wash, slice and freeze for use later in omelets and other recipes.
This past week, I used two (2) sealed containers of summer squash/zucchini in a huge batch of a vegetable beef soup that I made one night. I could have easily frozen the squash and used later, but decided to empty my produce drawer and freeze the soup instead.
Of course, I had to comment, as I too often freeze a variety of produce. Mostly due to seasonal availability coupled with economics.
As long as you have the space in freezer it is relatively simple process. I have a deep freezer, so I use a cookie sheet. But, you could use any other freezer safe container that will allow air to flow around the produce without it freezing together.
To ensure that softer items like bananas don't stick to the pan, first line with waxed paper.
Clean or pick your produce and chop if desired. Spread on pan and freeze for several hours or a day before removing. Then label and place in freezer safe containers or freezer safe zipper lock storage bags. Place back into freezer until needed for recipes and consumption.
This is a super way to not waste excess produce you have purchased or have in ripe abundance in your garden, i.e. I just froze a 1/2 dozen peeled bananas and what should be my last crop of figs (figs are extremely fragil and usually mold and rot within a couple of days in the open air).
Items such as sliced peaches and bananas are terrific straight from the freezer into the blender as a delicious addition to a fruit smoothie. Or quick access when the desire for banana bread or a fruit pie is weighing heavy on your mind.
When shopping, don't ignore the reduced produce. As I had commented on my friend's blog Berrymorin Bits and Tips, it is a super way to try produce you may not normally purchase or have never tried before. EX: I recently bought a mesh bag of tiny key limes and have been using them in my ice water for added flavor.
If you are able to deal with it and think economically, you can definitely make use of some of the ripe produce at excellent prices by preparing and freezing immediately. One of my favorites is yellow, red and green bell peppers. I wash, slice and freeze for use later in omelets and other recipes.
This past week, I used two (2) sealed containers of summer squash/zucchini in a huge batch of a vegetable beef soup that I made one night. I could have easily frozen the squash and used later, but decided to empty my produce drawer and freeze the soup instead.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Helping Friends - I Feel Good
Last weekend, I sent a message via Facebook to a handful of friends asking if anyone had advice on pneumatic tools and compressors. In response, one of my former co-workers from over a decade ago responded and told me to call him at noon the next day.
It was so nice of him to respond for one. It was also very comforting that even though we hadn't spoken to one another in over ten (10) years that the conversation just flowed and he was completely open and honest.
In brief, he thought he had a job offer last year for one of the intelligence agencies and months and months later it is still in process and he has not been working. Not a good situation for the breadwinner with a mortgage, stay-at-home wife and two (2) children.
He offered that in searching he had sent emails to a couple of individuals and was surprised that he never got a response.
My advice to that was, if you have their telephone number, next time call and don't give them the chance to forget or ignore. Plus, I can not personally understand why one would not attempt to help out a former co-worker and let him know that I would do what I could to help.
We talked further and I told him, I could locate a number of the email addresses and telephone numbers of some of the men we had worked with and would gladly forward them to him. Also talked about how three (3) of our former co-workers had started their own business and I'd get them the name of that company, as well.
Within about twenty minutes of our conversation I had forwarded via email the contact information.
Within less than an hour he had then taken the company information and pulled up the website of our former co-workers and given them a call.
By, that afternoon, the former co-worker and now president of his own company had called him back and stated, "I don't know what is stranger today. The earthquake or you calling me."
He was invited for a lunch interview yesterday, the following day!
I called him back personally rather than email and let him know how psyched I was and that this was it. He'd have a job by the end of this week.
This AM, he informed me that he starts working with them on Monday.
How wonderful is that?
Thank you God for putting us in touch when you did and allowing us to help one another. Amen.
It was so nice of him to respond for one. It was also very comforting that even though we hadn't spoken to one another in over ten (10) years that the conversation just flowed and he was completely open and honest.
In brief, he thought he had a job offer last year for one of the intelligence agencies and months and months later it is still in process and he has not been working. Not a good situation for the breadwinner with a mortgage, stay-at-home wife and two (2) children.
He offered that in searching he had sent emails to a couple of individuals and was surprised that he never got a response.
My advice to that was, if you have their telephone number, next time call and don't give them the chance to forget or ignore. Plus, I can not personally understand why one would not attempt to help out a former co-worker and let him know that I would do what I could to help.
We talked further and I told him, I could locate a number of the email addresses and telephone numbers of some of the men we had worked with and would gladly forward them to him. Also talked about how three (3) of our former co-workers had started their own business and I'd get them the name of that company, as well.
Within about twenty minutes of our conversation I had forwarded via email the contact information.
Within less than an hour he had then taken the company information and pulled up the website of our former co-workers and given them a call.
By, that afternoon, the former co-worker and now president of his own company had called him back and stated, "I don't know what is stranger today. The earthquake or you calling me."
He was invited for a lunch interview yesterday, the following day!
I called him back personally rather than email and let him know how psyched I was and that this was it. He'd have a job by the end of this week.
This AM, he informed me that he starts working with them on Monday.
How wonderful is that?
Thank you God for putting us in touch when you did and allowing us to help one another. Amen.
Keys - How To Keep Them Organized, etc.?
This is one of those post that I am not going to offer advice. Actually, I need assistance on a good, inexpensive method to keep track of the slew of keys that one collects over the years. Everything from luggage, padlock, house, auto keys, etc.
Yesterday, I had zero luck in my search for a key ring with my old truck keys on it. I have had it in a zippered section of my purse for months and very well might have taken them out to temporarily lighten the load before heading out one day. But, can not for the life of me recall, if so, where I put them.
Not a small key ring either, as it has a decorative Tony the Tiger or Exxon, Tiger in the tank head with a safari hat on.
The positive of the whole search is that I thought I had certainly lost my second set of house, truck and car keys months ago.
NO.... They were found and recovered in the Tiger Ring Search.
No joke.
Found them in a lower zipped pocket of my backpack; which I only use periodically.
Sweet, as on Monday PM, I went to Home Depot and had them make three (3) copies of my SUV key. The downside, I discovered is that the manufacturer's keys obviously have a microchip in them. Therefore, my duplicate keys are only functional for the door lock and to turn the electronics on via the ignition key hole.
Back to how to label and store. I need suggestions desperately and would prefer a method that doesn't take up too much space and yet has all keys visible. (Hmmm... Just thought if there was a method of solid pages in a three ring binder that might be a possible solution.)
How do you tag your keys, so that you aren't totally stumped when you go to open the shed door and don't know which Master Lock key goes to that particular lock?
How many spares or back-ups is enough?
Yesterday, I had zero luck in my search for a key ring with my old truck keys on it. I have had it in a zippered section of my purse for months and very well might have taken them out to temporarily lighten the load before heading out one day. But, can not for the life of me recall, if so, where I put them.
Not a small key ring either, as it has a decorative Tony the Tiger or Exxon, Tiger in the tank head with a safari hat on.
The positive of the whole search is that I thought I had certainly lost my second set of house, truck and car keys months ago.
NO.... They were found and recovered in the Tiger Ring Search.
No joke.
Found them in a lower zipped pocket of my backpack; which I only use periodically.
Sweet, as on Monday PM, I went to Home Depot and had them make three (3) copies of my SUV key. The downside, I discovered is that the manufacturer's keys obviously have a microchip in them. Therefore, my duplicate keys are only functional for the door lock and to turn the electronics on via the ignition key hole.
Back to how to label and store. I need suggestions desperately and would prefer a method that doesn't take up too much space and yet has all keys visible. (Hmmm... Just thought if there was a method of solid pages in a three ring binder that might be a possible solution.)
How do you tag your keys, so that you aren't totally stumped when you go to open the shed door and don't know which Master Lock key goes to that particular lock?
How many spares or back-ups is enough?
Sunday, August 14, 2011
House Remodel/Repair Receipt and Invoice Tracking
As I sit here at my desk, I see out of my peripheral invoices and stacks of receipts for home remodel/repair. I have been going through them, like work expense report receipts and making note of the category, total amount and circling total amount spent and dates for future entry into a spread sheet. Though, I am curious to learn more as to how long I should keep all of this paper and what impact it might have in the future when it comes time to sell a house.
Uncle Sam and the IRS that is and if there is any capital gain or God forbid I have to prove a loss in value and expenditures to back up either one.
If any readers know what the rules are governing this topic, please post.
If in the future, I locate articles on the topic, I will post URL's, if available.
Uncle Sam and the IRS that is and if there is any capital gain or God forbid I have to prove a loss in value and expenditures to back up either one.
If any readers know what the rules are governing this topic, please post.
If in the future, I locate articles on the topic, I will post URL's, if available.
Consuming Books
This past week I consumed two books. One which I think replaces my favorite spot. Formerly held by "The Charm School", by Nelson DeMille.
"The Help: A Novel"
"Girls in Trucks"
"The Help" is currently out as a movie and like the person who let me borrow the book, I have reservations about going to see it. Actually, I am 95% certain I would be disappointed by the screen play and potentially an attempt to make the story politically correct (PC) for 2011 and giving it an ability to draw more viewers in.
The author does a fantastic job of keeping the reader riveted to the book by telling three women's stories in the first voice. It would include a chapter by each character in rotation sequence and I couldn't wait to read what else had to be said by that particular character when I came to the end of their section.
It isn't an easy read in terms of being able to speed through it within a handful of hours. I meant to go to sleep the night I was lent the book. But, turned the light back on, opened the book and was awake until almost 6 AM reading.
Three hours of sleep and I had to wait until later that day to wrap myself in the world of that book and read it to closer.
"Girls in Trucks", had the Charleston South, Carolina 1960's or 1970's draw of young children having to go to Cotillion and learn proper manners and dancing. Then it twist and turns through teenage years up until present day when the main character is in her 30's.
That book was a quick read and not what I expected at all. Actually, it had a hint of not ending in a positive note. More real to life that the world is not perfect and therefore there is no perfect ending, as life moves on and we deal with what cards are dealt to us.
"The Help: A Novel"
"Girls in Trucks"
"The Help" is currently out as a movie and like the person who let me borrow the book, I have reservations about going to see it. Actually, I am 95% certain I would be disappointed by the screen play and potentially an attempt to make the story politically correct (PC) for 2011 and giving it an ability to draw more viewers in.
The author does a fantastic job of keeping the reader riveted to the book by telling three women's stories in the first voice. It would include a chapter by each character in rotation sequence and I couldn't wait to read what else had to be said by that particular character when I came to the end of their section.
It isn't an easy read in terms of being able to speed through it within a handful of hours. I meant to go to sleep the night I was lent the book. But, turned the light back on, opened the book and was awake until almost 6 AM reading.
Three hours of sleep and I had to wait until later that day to wrap myself in the world of that book and read it to closer.
"Girls in Trucks", had the Charleston South, Carolina 1960's or 1970's draw of young children having to go to Cotillion and learn proper manners and dancing. Then it twist and turns through teenage years up until present day when the main character is in her 30's.
That book was a quick read and not what I expected at all. Actually, it had a hint of not ending in a positive note. More real to life that the world is not perfect and therefore there is no perfect ending, as life moves on and we deal with what cards are dealt to us.
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