Tag Archives: Trees

Simple Sunday

Posted in California, cooking, home improvement, home stuff, ikea by

Another beautiful October day. The clouds are rolling in and we expect rain. As a matter of fact, it looks like the storm door is definitely going to open by Wednesday. We are covering things and finishing up some outside work.

We went down to Ikea to pick up some heavy curtains for the bedroom as the windows do let in some cold even though they are double paned. That was supposed to be a project this year of replacing them but we ended up replacing one sunroom window and then the laundry room got a makeover. Maybe next year.

I plan to write out some goals and projects for next year and prioritize them. We know we need one more tree down that is nearest the driveway and is making taking the RV out challenging since it leans in toward the driveway. This is another 100 ft Ponderosa so probably $3000. Then we are planning to switch the wood stove to propane as we feel that B probably isn’t going to want to keep cutting firewood. Those 2 projects are probably the big ones.

Simplifying the woodstove will make a big difference. We love wood fires but it is a lot of work and we need to look to the future when getting wood, bringing it in the house, stacking, etc will be another chore we’d rather not do.

I’m tired from going to Ikea so I think dinner will be a simple tofu scramble with some Kirkland tomato bisque soup. That’s about all I can do.

This is looking out at the driveway. The second tree in is the one we need down. the first one is a leaner but it’s leaning away from the driveway so if it goes it will go in that direction. The last one is a crooked tree that the original owner cut the top to put an antenna on top thus the split. If that goes it will just fall in the woods. Trees are beautiful until they are a threat. 😦 The golden bamboo is the bamboo I went and dig up at a fellow Waldorf school parent’s house back in 1997.

Simple Sunday

Posted in California, Flylady, Uncategorized by

Another beautiful day here in Northern California. It’s still so dry but the nights are cool so maybe that little bit of humidity is helping.

We had the first of the 2 trees down yesterday. For some reason, it took them all day which I thought was a little odd. They did cut it into 16 “rounds so that may have taken more time and they chipped the small branches. I guess they’ll be back to do the other(the more important tree that is leaning in toward the house) next week.

It’s fall behind today and I still got up sorta the regular time. I tried to hold off till 4:45 which would be 5:45. Mornings aren’t the problem, it’ll be 5 pm when I’ll be ready practically for bed. I wish they’d just pass the law to end daylight savings. Yes, the mornings are a little darker for a while but that changes fairly quickly by Dec 21.

Today is a gym day.

We’re also in the Kitchen zone for Flylady. I’d say put the timer on and do a 15 minute declutter. Then start wiping cabinets and the fronts of cabinets. Wipe fridge and clear counters. Put stuff away that doesn’t belong in the kitchen. Then clean the stove and mop the floor.   I also do the windows. Try and do 20-minute zone cleanings. It may take a few days to do the whole kitchen. I do mine all at once and it does take sometimes up to an hour.

I have some pictures I’ll post once they upload.

Our very old neighbor fell again and this time he was behind his house. His son had tried calling me but I didn’t answer as I was just leaving.  so now I have guilt.940A5325-66CB-480E-8912-195D367F1E73_1_105_c.jpeg929E9B71-8281-4759-9181-1F47DC7D8A35_1_105_c.jpegC7DA536D-FD06-485D-BB5E-DDF0D750C700_1_105_c.jpeg

Thursday budget and other stuff.

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Heres a few pictures of the trees.image image imageThe front of the house looks so different. Its amazing what money can do..(ha Ha)! But it was worth every penny. I’m hoping to start next years tree fund and do 3 more trees next october, unless we win the lottery, and can do it sooner.

I’m cleaning around the house and doing a few extra things to get ready for my sister coming in from connecticut.  She won’t  be here till evening but still i want to have most things organized. I’ve got at least 3 meals planned. Taco bar, roast chicken/tofu, and a potato bar night with salad.

I’ve been working with YNAB pretty consistently on the budget and it’s helped look at the month a head. This month, though ,we’ve got our annual house insurance, then next month, property taxes. So, they’ll have to be squeezed in. So that mean no savings but hopefully nothing out of EF. This month was the first higher mortgage payment and it does make a difference. Once, the last medical payment is done, I can use that to boost the dollars for the extra mortgage. I’m going to call and check on the credit were suppose to recieve as a result of the modification.  I don’t think we can do another modification though.

Costco was a bit expensive(400), but this included some Christmas stuff and extras for when my sister is here.

I hope I don’t need to go the store too much.

our weather is suppose to be great. Very fall like, warms in the day, cool at night.

Thursday stuff

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Well, I’m kinda slow on the uptake. I think my foot problem is peripheral neuropathy. It seems to make sense since the bunion thing doesn’t really add up. But, I haven’t had any neuropathy so I’m not too sure if this is what it feels like. But it’s all started after I stopped dex, which I’m guessing was keeping this in check? Maybe,? I don’t know. But I’ll see my regular GP, who isn’t really all with the program of MM. But hopefully at least I can rule out something. Anyway, one day it’s ok, the next it’s really hurting and numbish( is that a word)?

today I’m off to do a little training at the library on the iPad. Kinda silly since that’s all I use. But, hey I’ll get paid. Then off to pick up some prescriptions and a few things from the store.

I might go to target but not sure yet.

We have almost decided to not get the oak down, because of the cost factor, and we are still losing some pines down the hill. We are not sure how many more are going to get bark beetle. So I think we’d better wait.

its cloudy today and rain is expected this weekend.

Just keeping on!

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It’s Tuesday. So it’s my work day. Tuesday is usually our busy day. We’ll see. It rained last night and it’s nice this morning. It’s a very pretty fall. We’ve lost at least one more tree to bark beetles, so I think that’s 5. Not sure what we will do. I just hope that’s it, but it looks like I see the top of one more starting. We still have the date for November for the big oak and one pine. It’s a lot of money to do but I think it’ll be worth it. These down the hill will just have to wait.

I started some crock pot pintos for dinner and I’ll make chicken enchiladas after the tortillas thaw out later. I’ll make enough to freeze at least one dinners worth. Last week I did 20 stuffed potatoes and 12 bean burritos. It makes sense to make what we eat and not stuff that’s just extra. When I started batch cooking, I made all sorts of recipes from the freezer cookbook. But some weren’t really to our liking. So, live and learn.

So far still feeling pretty good except my ball of my foot, which I’m guessing is a bunion or arthritis ? I’m going to get a referral to a podiatrist but that may take time. Tonight’s my last revlimid for this cycle and then it’s wait for blood test and doctor appt.

Other than that nothing too much going on. That’s nice really.

Applegate fire and budget woes!

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So, from my blog most of you know I work at a little branch library. It’s Applegate. So yesterday a fire started in 7 different areas on I-80. It closed the freeway and by afternoon evening there were mandatory evacuations. Pretty scary. I don’t work Thursdays so I’m ok, but will the library open. If she can get there probably. Hopefully it’s all better by this afternoon but it’s smokey here. Scary to think about evacuating. Grab your pets and go. So I’m worried about some of our older patrons who I know we’re evacuated. I hope their safe.

So on to budget stuff. We had our mortgage modified under one of the first Obama programs. It was great.and easy. But now the interest rate has changed per the modification and our payment has gone up $150. That’s quite a bit for us, but what’s really scaring me is it will change again next year too. I didn’t know that or chose to forget. But another $200 increase will kill us. We will have to sell. Any number crunching I’ve done for retirement is based on the old payment amount. So, it is difficult to think about. I’m not a mover and with my health always in question it will not be easy. But there is no

way with the new numbers could we do it. I’m going to call the mortgage company and see what they say but probably there’s nothing they can do as this was part of the loan agreement. Its very depressing to me and I hate to think about the stress if it all. I am also a planner and I guess I’d better start planning our options. Rent? Whatever.? I don’t know… It’s just hard to deal with this at our age.

otherwise, I’ve done well with not buying lots of groceries. Today I need to get 1/2 and 1/2 and some other things.

We also still do not have the car back from the repair shop. This is now 6 weeks and that is so messed up I can hardly deal with it.

Plus, since I’m off dex, everything is hurting more as dex is of course a steroid that is anti inflammatory. So that completely sucks. Yeah great to be off dex, boooo, I’m hurting.

gee what other bad news, oh the trees. We have now another one dying. The tree guy said it’s way complicated to get these down. It’s probably okay to leave them as they are down the hill. So we looked at the oak near the house and one pine. $1700 is the quote. We said ok, but now I’m really thinking we can’t afford it. They are not a threat yet so should we wait. I’m really insure. We really have so little savings and this would be a big hit. Plus we have property taxes due in December. Ugh…. We just can’t cut a break …

Well, on that dismal note, I’m off for the day.