11-25-12

9:35am

I actually slept in til 8:50am.

I haven't slept in, in awhile!

I'm up usually between 5:30 to 7:00am.

11:40am

I think I'm on my 4th or 5th load of laundry today.

Not sure why one week I can have 3-4 loads

and other weeks there can be as many as 6.

I went through our coats, shoes and some clothes

and weeded out the ones that we don't wear anymore.

I'll take those to a donation drop box to get rid of them.

Still working on Christmas decorations.

Put some blue bulbs on the tree.

I took the red beaded garland off the small window tree.

I was tired of fixing it because of cats.

2:30pm


I got the duct vents siliconed on the backside
of the solar air heater.  I forgot to do that when
making the box.

And I also got the fan installed in the window
and took part of the air condition weather seal
and put around it to seal out any drafts there may be.

The bottom fan pulls cooler air from the bottom
of the room into the solar air heater 
while the top fan blows the warmer air out
of the solar air heater.
And there is also another fan inside the heater itself
which can run off a solar panel or drill battery if needed. 
I took a piece of the panel insulation and cut

out a hole that would fit the bottom fan.

I'll use this during the evening and night

to plug the fan up so it doesn't have any

cool air blow in. 

Ok, now getting ready to go out and install
the dryer ducts to the window and to the solar heater.
The dryer ducts are made of aluminum and will
eventually need maybe some insulation or
need to be painted flat black to keep heat in them
and to possibly absorb more heat from the sun.
If I could find some bubble wrap somewhere
I would wrap them in that.  I have no more
wool to cover them like the last ones.

3:30pm


Got the solar heater all hooked up.
Right now it's all trial an error.
It's too late in the day to test the heater's output
because we start to lose the sun.
Our main sun on the heater is around
8/9:00am to 3:00pm with a short spell
in the morning with a tree trunk shadow
as the sun moves across the sky.
Hoping to have some sun tomorrow to see
how these 20ft dryer ducts are going to work.
If I would happen to shorten the distance
then the car would have to move or if
I put it near the house then we
would only have noon or later sun which
will shorten the time for any heat in the heater.

5:30pm


Christmas lights all lit up :0)
 Well almost, there's still some strands not working
on the white tree.  I'm not buying another prelit
tree anytime soon.  This is the second one we've
had that had lights go out within two years of use.

8:09pm


High ho, High ho, Out on call we go.
Gotta think of the overtime to get us through.
We ain't out of the woods just yet
and have to watch how much we spend
for another couple of months.


9:45pm

Back home.  Another stupid call but hey it's money.
A patio door wouldn't lock.  No one is home.
No one answers the phone numbers they left
on the answering machine.
The husband who called and left a message said he was out of town
and his wife would be home at 9pm. 
Got over to the apartment around 25 til 9.
Hubby went to the shop and made a charlie bar
for the patio door before even seeing it.
Went over to the apartment.  It's 9:05pm.
No one is home.
Called the number again and left a message to call back.
No one calls back.  Hubby went in to check the door.
Ok, even though the actual lock won't lock
they still had a charlie bar in the door along
with another lock on the door.  There would
have been no way anyone could of gotten
in that apartment with the lock not working
with those other safety precautions.
He still fixed the lock and was done within minutes.
About half way home the lady finally returns
our call.   He told her the lock was fixed but she
would have been ok with the other locks.
Her hubby was wrong as to what time she
was going to be home also.  She wasn't going
to be home til 10pm or later.  So it was a good
thing we didn't sit around and wait on her.






 

11-24-12

12:45pm

This morning we had to go to the title place to redo

the title on the truck we sold.  The guy somehow 

screwed up the notary part.  He did pay to have it redone

and even gave hubby a 30 pack of Nattty Light for his trouble.

From there we stopped by the thrift store.

Not sure why because it wasn't my idea.

But it was a good thing since I found a few things I needed.

I found a second electric fan to run on my solar heater.

It was $3.93.  So it cost about $8 for two electric

fans.  Compare that to just over $50 if I had gone

with 2 plug in duct fans from Menards.
I got my solar air heater covered all the way around
by running it off the solar panel, drill batteries or electric. 

I also found a package of weather seal for an air conditioner

for .90 cents.  I plan to cut this and use around the doors

where any more drafts are being felt and also

in the small hole in the outside wall where

we ran wires through for the security cameras to

keep the cold air out.

From the thrift store we stopped in Menards.

I got a couple dryer duct connectors,

and a couple more clamps.

Oh yeah and we splurged and got a couple

20 foot long dryer hoses.

I also bought a heavy duty 24 hour appliance timer.

That was $5.49.  This I will use on our deep freezer

to help save a little money on the electric bill.

I plan to run the freezer for 12 hours on then 12 hours off each day.

MAIL CALL

I got a couple freebies in the mail today and yesterday.

The pumpkin pie spice in the above photo

along with 2 free Pittsburgh Steelers hand towels!

Those are being put up for hubby for Christmas.

2:00pm


I hooked up the train ornament I got at the
thrift store in a baggie with a bunch of other stuff
in it for .90 cents.  You unplug a light bulb
and insert this bulb in it's place.
I thought Christopher would enjoy it
since he loves trains.

Breakfast today was for each person-

2 hash brown patties fried in a little Italian dressing.
Top one patty with 1/2 slice cheese,
then add a fried egg and maple sausage
and another 1/2 slice of cheese.
Top with another hash brown.
Drizzle ketchup over top. 


Supper-

I didn't bring home much leftover turkey from
Thanksgiving, maybe 4 pieces.
I cut and shredded those pieces up and 
fried in a skillet with some mayo and dry Italian dressing.
Remove from skillet.
In skillet add slice of buttered bread face down in pan.
Top with 1/2 slice cheese, turkey and 1/2 slice cheese.
Add the other piece of buttered bread on top.
Sprinkle a little garlic powder on the tops of
the butter bread when frying.
Fry like a grilled cheese. 
They all applauded my new sandwich creation, literally!
:0)


7:50pm


Hubby told me about an empty apartment
where he works that the people moved out and left
the refrigerator and freezer items.
I told him that if he got called out on
an emergency call that we would stop by
and get the stuff to bring home.
Well we just got home from going out on call.
The first one of the day and it was a simple one.
A resident moved out today and called
to say that he had turned the heat off in his apartment.
Well they are not supposed to shut off any heat
with temperatures dipping to freezing temps due
to water line freeze ups.  So that's why he
called to tell us to turn the heat back on.
 Anyways here's what we brought home
from the other move out apartment.
Most things were labeled organic.
Even the pouch of cat treats was organic!
You know organic stuff isn't cheap.
And as for the one package of 1 pound ground beef,
well that sucker had a price sticker of $6.55 a pound!! 
I love when I am able to grocery shop
from vacated apartments for FREE!

That's about all for now.
We've been cleaning house today and watching
the OSU - Michigan football game.
Plus I've been working on laundry this evening
and got about 3 loads done.
Hoping to work on getting the solar air heater
hooked up tomorrow.
Right now I'm wearing down and just popped
a couple more acetaminophins to help the pain.

11-23-12

9:00am

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree,

Why is it you don't like me?

I plug you in and I fluff you out,

why are all your bulbs burnt out?

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree,

you are driving me so crazy!!


 Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree,
why is it you attract kitties,
I know darn well, that's not your stump,
it's a cat, I'm gonna thump.
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree,
you are driving me so crazy!

12:05pm


2/3rds of the Christmas tree lights are working.
That was by accident because we moved
the tree and some started working.
I added the string of white lights with plastic colored bulbs
around the tree and plan to put some white
tulle bows on it.
I also got a small tree in the window
with lights, red beaded garland and snowflake ornaments.
I'd say that tree is about 18" tall.
I'd like to put my foot tall Santa dolls
in the windows on each side of the little tree. 

Will probably hang stockings off
the electric fireplace and move that
by the front window, add some village houses with lights
and that will be about the extent of 
decorating inside.

 (see that cat under the tree, GRRR!)

10:50pm


Temp is 31 and feels like 22 degrees out.
BRRRRR!
Earlier this evening we had some snowflakes falling.
BRRRRR!
 

 

11-22-12

7:55am

Getting ready to head out soon to the lake.

Boy I sure hope everything I made makes

it in one piece sitting in the back of the truck.

Here's my cupcakes and cake on a platter.

6:45pm


Got home about 6:20pm.
Got up there about 9:00am.
We all got our bellies full and will sleep well tonight :o)
We all had a good time with family up at the lake
and it turned out to be a very nice day.
Loved being able to sit around the fire one
last time this year.  The lake seemed so bare
this time of year without all the tourists.

You'll have to disregard the date on my photos.
My camera toggle is to the point it doesn't want 
to work anymore.  I have asked Santa for another
camera for Christmas.

Table setting.

Father-in-law smoked a turkey while
mother-in-law baked one.
Not sure why father-in-law has a gun in his hand.
Just in case that turkey decides to get up and run away?  lol

 Brother-in-law wants to trade hubby his bike
for our blue Trans Am.  Don't know about them two, lol.
Can't leave them alone for two minutes!

Everyone gathering around the fire while
waiting for the food to cook.

Took the golf cart down to the lake.
Looks cold!

Christopher drove the golf cart back.

On our way home.
Was getting dark and the sun was starting to set.

Got a picture of the moon during the drive home.
Not too bad for in a moving vehicle, lol.

Well I am beat and are ready to retire to bed
anytime now, lol.  
I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

11-21-12

2:30pm

This morning I made about 3 dozen

Caramel Apple Butter Pecan cupcakes.

1/3rd was done as mini cupcakes (taste testers)

and the other 2/3rds are regular sized cupcakes

which still need frosted and will be done

with a homemade cream cheese frosting

with a sprinkling of cinnamon for Thanksgiving.

I filled the muffin tins about 1/2 full with cake batter.

Next I dumped a can of apple pie filling into

a small bowl and chopped up the apples into small pieces.

I then spooned about a heaping 1/2 tablespoon apple

pie filling into the center of the cake batter

then topped it with a half a teaspoon of homemade

caramel made from a can of sweetened condensed milk.

I had some extra cake batter and and apple

pie filling leftover so I made a mini bunt cake for home.

I also got a pumpkin spice cake done.

It will be glazed with an orange colored

maple vanilla frosting.

Right now I am boiling up some turkey broth

for my homemade noodles.

Once those are cooked they will be mixed

with a turkey gravy and be put into a crockpot 

to transport them to the in-laws tomorrow. 

I still have homemade rolls to make.

Might do those later on as I need a break right now. 


5:00pm


Working on supper of tuna and noodles
served with bread and butter.

I got the pumpkin spice bundt cake with maple frosting 
frosted and topped with walnuts and
a white chocolate drizzle.

And I got the homemade noodles with gravy
in the crock pot ready for tomorrow.
I cooked them til about 3/4ths the way done
because I knew they would suck up
some of the gravy and I didn't want them soggy.

5:50pm


Sitting down to eat.
I finally got the cupcake frosted with
a homemade cream cheese frosting
sprinkled with apple pie spice.

I have run out of counter space with making
meals for us today and for Thanksgiving tomorrow
that I had to resort to grabbing the patio table
from outdoors and used it in my kitchen.

It's always something around here!
This evening hubby hobbled home on this-

When you hobble you bust sidewalls out!
But at least he made it home.
He had a spare to put on for now.
Might have another tire to fit it in our shed.
If so it costs about $10 to have one of
these used tire places put it on the rim.


8:15pm


Still going at it.  Don't know how but I am.
Right now I am waiting on my second batch of rolls to rise.
Got the first batch rolled and they are on their 
second rise.  While waiting, here in a few, I plan
to start giving the kids hair cuts.  This ought to be fun
as we have been putting it off for so long
because it's not exactly their favorite thing to have done.


11:35pm


 Went out on an emergency maintenance call
with my hubby to his work.  Just got back home.
Got my rolls finished right before leaving
and got both kids hair cut.
Thank goodness.
I feel as though I've been going nonstop all day!