4-28-14

7:30am

It felt good to get a little bit of sleep last night.

I did wake up a couple of times throughout the night

but that's probably because my brain didn't shut down lol.

Constant thoughts going through my head

and worrying that darn pager would go off.

Our last page out last night was from 7:30 to 9:30pm.

That's when we took the truck to hubby's work

to get the wingback chairs while out on call.

They are still in the truck.

We didn't get much done around the house

in the way of cleaning this weekend.

We did get the yard mowed and weed whipped.

I got some laundry done.  Enough to get us by

for the next couple of days.

So I'm thinking today is my day off, woo hoo.

That's what I call Mondays after spending the

weekend with family and doing chores

and all the running around we have to do.

Stay at home moms and housewives need

a day off too because we work 24-7-365.

Need time to rest up for the upcoming week.

Well that isn't quite working out for me this morning.

Mom just called and me and her are going to church

to make sandwiches and food for homeless people.

My step-dad couldn't go because he has a cold

and doesn't want to work around food so I got

called in to take his place.

No rest for the weary because I'm constantly trying

to do things for others.  I help when and where I can

no matter how tired I am.

11:00am


Went over to the church and once we had a system going
we were able to make about 400 sandwiches in about 
20 minutes.  That's 20 sandwiches a minute!
I was kickin' butt!  LOL.
Got plenty of experience from being a mom,
working in a daycare for 6 years and
a couple of years there I was the cook.
Then another job I had was making
vending machine sandwiches.

I tried to come back home and lay down and take a 
nap after this weekend.  That didn't happen.
I got as far as laying down and that must of triggered
a sensor somewhere for people to start calling me.
I don't think the phone has stopped ringing lol.
I just got back up and started supper
of bbq pork ribs in the crock.
Now I'm sitting here chilling.

4-27-14

8:15am

Yaaawwwnnn!

Hubby is on call this week at work.

The week days went pretty good but the weekend sucks.

Yesterday I figured we got 9-10 hours of overtime.

This morning so far another 2 hours.

It sucks because the residents will call you at any

and all hours of the day or night.

Yesterday the pages started at 5:30am for a

water tank flooding an apartment and the pages didn't

let up til around 11:00pm.

We just get to bed and pass out around midnight.

Then at 3:00am the pager goes off.  Ahhhh!

Some guy is complaining that there is loud noises

coming from the apartment above.

We say call the police for a disturbance don't call us!

Then 6:00am rolls around this morning and

the pager goes off again.  No electric in a couple of buildings.

Go out on the call and the power company is already

there addressing the problem thank goodness.

It's not been fun and I go out on every call on the weekend

or weekday evenings with hubby to help him out.

So let's get caught up since I haven't spent too much time on here

this past week.

Ok so let's back up to this week in general to hubby's finds

in apartments or what was thrown away.

I got a bunch of food out of a move outs refrigerator.

Now generally as a rule of thumb for us we only

take refrigerated or freezer items that have not been open

and check expiration dates.

Next on two different days this week

hubby found 2 laptops and a set of headphones.

One lap top came in a bag with all discs and wiring, etc

and is up and running.

The other one had the operating system removed from it.

So it needs windows.

Yesterday I found a bag of clothes someone threw out.

I have decided that possibly another way to make

some extra cash around here is to collect some

of these name brand clothes we find

and try and sell them to places like Plato's Closet.

I didn't pay anything for the clothes to begin with 

so if they give me anything for them it's

a bonus and extra cash for us.

Friday me and mom went to a couple yard sales

and a thrift store.

I have been on the hunt for some type of shelf

to put my collection of matchbox cars on,

mostly Firebirds and Trans Ams.

Well I found an old wooden cassette wall holder

and bought it to put my cars on.

I also found a second one at another thrift store.

I think it works out perfect to display cars on.

Here's one of them holding almost 50 Trans Ams.

A couple of Camaros are thrown in there but

was replaced today with 5 more Trans Ams

I got from the flea market.

And here's both of them stacked on one another.

The second one is holding Camaros, Nascars

and misc cars.

Friday I think I only bought one thing from a yard sale

in Westerville.   A yuppy neighborhood is good to find

expensive things for cheap sometimes.

I bought a Playstation 3 for $5.00.

It has problems but I know people who know

how to work on them.

I think I can have this up and running

for anywhere between $40 to $70.

When these things go for $200 - $400+ new

I don't think five bucks is a bad price at all to pay

for the unit and little extra to have it fixed.

I'm not too game system savvy but I think this 

has WiFi in it, plays dvd,cd and blue ray discs,

and has free online multi player gaming.

Which would be nice rather than having to buy

a membership for a year at $60 per child

like the Xbox 360.   Plus you can use the system

if you want to get Netflix.

1:40pm

Now I'm working on a menu for the week.

1.   BBQ pulled pork over mashed potatoes.

2.  Ham & potato soup.

3.  Creamed chipped corned beef over biscuits.

4.  Mexican pizza

5.  Chicken salsa burritos.

6.  Bacon, eggs, pancakes & toast.

7.  

5:00pm

My butt is dragging!  I'm so tired!

It would be nice if the emergency pager

kept quiet the rest of the night.

I'd be happy with that.

I think hubby got 13 or 14 hours overtime since yesterday.

We just got back from a main water drain backup

in an apartment building then 

there was a hot water heater that went out.

I did a little DDn while hubby was working.

I found a Dell Pocket PC with USB and wall charger

and a can of V05 hairspray and

a pair of wing back chairs.

I put them in the garage at hubby's work

because we had the car with us and

no way to get them home then.

2-25-14

8:05am

Well this day isn't starting off so great.

Last night we called the guy with the truck and got no answer.

He didn't come back.  This is getting annoying.

He's been here twice but fails to come back

to complete the deal when hubby is home.

Truck's in hubby's name so I can't do it.

I think the guy gets out doing things and doesn't watch time.

He's made it known he is bipolar and gets forgetful a lot.

And he talks a lot and really fast!

Ugghhh!

Today is supposed to be yard sale day for me and mom.

Well guess what?  It's raining of course.

I had my route all planned out.

Another Ugghhh!

So I gets to thinking that I can take mom

out to some thrift stores to get her out of the house.

I want to start packing my purse to make

sure I take a few things with me.

No purse!  I left it in hubby's trunk last night

when we went for a walk.

Triple Ugghhh!

Hey at least the pain in my neck is starting to go away

little by little.  It's only taken a week to do so.

No more cracking the window open on 

a chilly night!

4-24-14

12:00pm

Still have this freaking stiff neck.

It's a real pain to drive and try and turn your head.

I sleep at night and take a long nap

each day and still feel really tired.

The guy with the Silverado truck was a no show/call yesterday.
I didn't care either way

because I didn't have the energy to deal with him anyways.

2:15pm

Well I just entered my second Eggo contest entry.

We had it last night for supper and everyone gave it

a thumbs up and thought it was delicious!

4:00pm

The guy that wants to trade trucks just showed up

unexpectedly.  He's coming back when hubby gets off work.

We were thinking this deal wouldn't go through

but I guess the guy's phone don't work that well at times.

So we'll see this evening.

I want hubby to test drive his truck first to see if

it drives ok.  I know the motor and exhaust sound

really good, so good you can't hear it running lol.

I know it's not perfect.

To think we took $750 and bought the 1996 F150

in hopes of selling it and doubling our money

(or to trade for a truck hubby can drive)

and getting a 2002 Silverado,

a 6 year newer truck,

that's worth about quadruple the money we started with.

It's a good day if it all works out.

I feel like I'm on one of those tv shows

where they barter and dicker items LOL.

My newest shows I've been watching is called

something like Down South Dickering

and Barter Kings  LOL.

As I'm sitting here typing I see on the security camera

monitor that someone else just pulled up, got out

and took down information off the for sale

sign on the truck. 

4-23-14

8:00am

I haven't felt the greatest for about 10 days now.

It started with 10 days of diarrhea so far

and just this past weekend came the body aches, tiredness.

and I have a stiff neck

I'm hoping things will settle down

and get back to normal.

Between the stress with the loss of a friend

and that time of the month on top of things

I'm hoping it will pass but ya just never know with

Crohn's.  You can be totally fine one day

and be down and out the next.

4:15pm

I am making Baked Spaghetti tonight for supper.

I made this one other time and everyone loved it.

4-22-14

10:30pm

So this guy came over tonight to look at our truck for sale.

By tonight I mean he's been here for the past hour or

so and just left!

This guy could talk and talk and talk

and did I mention talk your ear off!!!

To the point my eyes were crossing!  Oh my gosh!

I've seen some real talkers in my life

and he's got them all beat!

We just can't wrap our heads around the deal he

wants to make with us.  He loves our truck to pieces!

I know, crazy.  He wants to trade his

2002 Chevy Silverado for our 1996 Ford F150.
Ya got your Chevy lovers and your Ford lovers

and he hates his Chevy with a passion!

Ask me how I know LOL.

He went on and on and on and on about it.

Don't know why because it seems like a decent truck

and runs really good.  Motor checked out good and was clean.

Nothing leaking that I could see.

Hubby even asked him why he would want to trade

his truck for a crappy truck like ours lol.

We actually feel guilty for wanting to do the trade tomorrow.

But he seems insistent on wanting to swap vehicles.

Am I missing something?!

I just don't get it.

I snapped a couple pics when he was out

test driving our truck.

---

4-18-14

9:00am

Yesterday I was racking my brain trying

to figure out what kind of food I could make

to take to our friend's memorial since there

is a pot luck after it.

Isn't it funny that when we go to bed at night

and lay there with our thoughts running

through our heads is when the ideas come to us.

Earlier yesterday my friend had called and asked

if I wanted a bunch of peppers and onions.

She brought them down for me and I got

all the bell peppers washed and cut up

and was going to put them in the freezer.

I just left them out overnight to dry.

Well I got the idea to make a large 

stuffed pepper casserole with them.

The answer to my question had been sitting

right under my nose the whole time lol.

Make use of what you've got and have on hand.

6:35pm

I feel like I have been going non stop today since I got up.

Got up and wasn't up very long when I had to take mom

to Honda to pick up my step-dad who dropped his car off.

Got back home and we went to

Chestnut Ridge Park which is in Carrol, Ohio

and hiked up a hill which was very strenuous on our legs

and bodies.  Much steeper hills than what is out

at Hoover!  On our return trip we had to stop by Kroger

to get some things for my potluck casserole.

Once back home I got the casserole started

when mom called.  I had to take them back

to Westerville to pick their truck up.

While I was doing that hubby had a guy come

over and buy the torque converter we listed on Craigslist.  

He just took some pics of a honda racing hood

and will be posting that soon on there as well.

Returned back home and are now still working

on making that darn casserole or maybe I should

say casseroles because I am making a lot.

A couple for the potluck (or one really large one for a crowd)

and one for us.

Here is my recipe I threw together.

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

3 green bell peppers cut up (free)

2 red bell peppers cut up (free)

1 large onion cut up (free)

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (free)

a couple cloves garlic grated (.20 cents)

2 pounds bob evans maple sausage ($5.00)

4 boxes spanish rice-a-roni ($4.00)

1 carton beef broth ($1.67)

seasonings:  oregano, garlic powder, basil, salt, pepper (free)

1 can spaghetti sauce ($1.00)

1/2 block of queso cheese (free)

2 packages of shredded cheese ($3.98)

little bit of worcestershire sauce, steak sauce & hot sauce.

Taco seasoning to taste (free)

put peppers, onions, tomatoes, sausage,

seasonings, sauces in

crock and cook til done.

Stir in queso cheese til melted.

In a skillet make up rice-a-roni

(I did each box one at a time rather than 

trying to make them all at once.)

Each box called for 2 cups of water.

I replaced one cup of water with beef broth.

Do not add tomatoes that the box calls for

because you already have some in the crock.

Once everything is done mix sausage & peppers

and rice together.  Spoon into a greased casserole dish.

Top with shredded cheese and bake 350 degrees til warmed through

and cheese is bubbly or golden brown on top.

Then in between making the casseroles I had

to make a quick supper of bbq rib sandwiches with chips.

Other than the ride in the truck today I haven't been

able to sit down and chill til just now!

I still want to run to the thrift store

to look for a nice dress.  I didn't find one the other day.

Then tomorrow morning we're getting up

early and heading to the thrift store and Walmart.

Then come back home, get the casseroles

baked and off to the memorial in the afternoon.

Calgone take me away!!!

10:00pm

Went to the thrift store earlier tonight.

I did not find a dress I liked.

I'm just gonna have to go through what I have

and find something else nice to wear tomorrow.

No dress though, just pants and a sweater

and some high heeled shoes.

Now often do I wear high heeled shoes,

uh like never.

My legs are killing me from our hike today

so I can only imagine what they and my feet

will feel like tomorrow.

At the moment I am waiting for my pepper casseroles

to cool down some before putting in the fridge.

I sauted up some more onions and green bell peppers

to put on the top before I sprinkle the shredded cheese on it.  

I didn't feel as though it had enough peppers.

While making some foods you have to keep tasting

it to make sure it has enough seasonings or whatever.

That's what I've been doing and that's not good

right before bed, especially pepper casserole.

I now have heartburn!   Ahhhh!

4-16-14

11:00am

You can check out my recipe submission

for the Eggo contest HERE.

It's called Huevos Rancheggos

(Huevos Rancheros).

---

4-15-14

8:45am

Woke up to it snowing outside this morning.

What crazy weather we are having.

I sure wish it would make up it's mind!

I got chili going in the crock pot.

I added a package of turkey links cut up,

a jar of salsa, a can of tomato paste

and a can of no beans chili.

I'll let this cook throughout the day.

Once done I'll scoop out a bowl for my

son who doesn't care for beans.

Then I'll add in a can of baked beans and continue

cooking it for the rest of us.

Not to sound gross just after talking about food

but my BMs haven't been good these past 3 days.

This morning alone I've been to the potty 3 times.

My stomach has been throbbing as well.

Stress can flare up Crohn's and it has not been

an easy past couple of days.

We have a memorial to go to for our friend

on Saturday.  He had no insurance of any kind

and the family had him cremated.

And if that alone is not stressful enough for me

the thought that hubby's ex will be at the memorial

is making my stomach turn.

Then in another two months we'll both get to 

see my ex at a wedding.

Fun, Fun, Fun.

So my nerves are shot.

I haven't taken my prescription medicine for about

4 months now.  Wondering if I should start taking

them again if my BM doesn't get back on track from the stress

because you never know when it could spiral

out of control and I could end up back in the hospital.

For now I'm just doing my probiotics and yogurt

to see if it will pass first.

11:15am

Well I have made my first submission into the Eggo contest.

Fingers crossed!

I'm not posting what I made til it gets posted 

in their submissions.  It needs to get reviewed first.

$10,000 is the grand prize!

Sitting here eating it now and it's perty good lol.


4:00pm


I've been going through everyone's clothes and
weeding them out.  
Then I started trying on
dresses for Saturday.  I do not own but
2 maybe 3 dresses and so far are not liking them on me.
Hmmm, might ask hubby if he'd like to go
to the thrift store tonight with me to see if I can find one
that I like.  One that looks a little bit more flattering
and has more coverage of all my flaws.

4-13-14

10:50am

It's been a rough evening last night and this morning.

We found out last night that we lost our friend,

my husband's best friend since childhood, yesterday.

Hubby had just talked to him Wednesday and

2.5 days later gone.   Things happen so fast

and without warning.

This was the person that was going to put new seals

in our TA's transmission.  We had pulled the transmission,

loaded it in our truck to take to him,

but he ended up in the hospital the next day.

He was admitted for almost a week due to

bleeding ulcers and lost pints of blood needing

a transfusion along with possible other things.

We was just released from the hospital last Saturday.

He told hubby he was going to his family farm 

in Southern Ohio this weekend with his girlfriend.  He loved

going down there on the weekends and spending

time in the country four wheeling whether it was

with a truck or a quad.  Well from what I am gathering

he had an accident on the quad.  

He was not wearing any safety gear.

5:00pm

Had to get out of the house for a few hours

and went walking to take our minds off things.

It's still hard because we return home to

see the bad news all over Facebook.

4-14-14

12:30pm

What a yucky, rainy day.

Yesterday got to 80 and tomorrow for a low

 we're heading into the 30's with snow!

I've been cleaning this morning.  More like Spring cleaning.

Working on the kids rooms first and will go from there

cleaning and weeding out crap.

4-12-14

4:20pm

Got up around 7am this morning

and we headed to the flea market around 8:30am.

They were pretty busy today compared to last weekend.

I got some camaro and trans am matchbox cars

to add to my collection.  .25 to .50 cents each.

I'm looking for a wall shelf to display them all on.

The shelves I have now are becoming too small lol.

And I got a foldable crate cart for $1.00.

I like this one because it's taller and holds more than my other one

and has 4 rubber wheels unlike the red one which

only has two and they are plastic which makes lots

of noise when pulling across gravel and sidewalks.

These are great to have in your vehicle for things when needed because they fold down flat to store.

I take them to flea markets and church sales.

No more sore arms trying to carry things!!

Once back home we got all of our pompass grass cut

down and bagged up.  Then we finally took down

all the Christmas lights that were still up on the front

of the house and in the bushes.

I use a cord wrap to put lights on so they don't 

become a tangled mess.  I'm not sure

how many strands are on there but it's

all the lights off of 5 bushes.

Still looking for more of these cord wraps that are cheap

to put the back yard fence lights on.

This one here probably cost a buck or two.

4-11-14

3:00pm

Me and mom went to a church sale, yard sale

and two thrift stores today and just got

home in time to pick the boys up from the bus stop.

They got out today a half hour early and start

their Spring break.  They go back to school 4-22.

Matching set of bath towels $2.00 (church)

Matching set of washcloths $1.00 (church)

I plan to make a towel cake from these

for a wedding.

Wire and glass tea light candle holder .75 cents (church)

Putting back for a gift.

Ohio photo book $1.00 (yard sale)

inside cover says it was $40 new!

I collect books about the history and places of Ohio.

19 plastic OSU cups all for .25 cents (church)

4 plastic OSU buckets all for .25 cents (church)

OSU beaded foam pillow $1.00 (church)

I plan to use the buckets to put cookies in as gifts.

The cups I'll put candy/popcorn/treats in and also give as gifts.

OSU purse $1.00 (church)

2 proactive toners $1.00 each (yard sale)

1 partial proactive toner .10 cents (yard sale)

Foot powder .10 cents (yard sale)

2 Natural glow lotions .50 cents each (thrift)

100% aloe vera gel .10 cents (yard sale)

Cheddar popcorn flavoring .10 cents (yard sale)

Fels naptha .10 cents (yard sale)

Cleveland browns coffee cup .25 cents (yard sale)

Putting back for a gift.

OSU pom pom .25 cents (yard sale)

Using in an OSU gift basket as filler.

Father & son matching referee shirts $1.00 each (church)

And lastly 6 boxes of 

chocolate teddy bear graham crackers .59 cents each. (thrift)

I am so tired.  I did not get a nap in today.

I have not been sleeping well this past week.

Constantly waking up throughout the night.