Is This The Final Show Down

For the month of January I took on Carla challenges

As I state I want to clean off my coffee table and two end tables. I know there easy but at the time the challenge started I need to pick some thing easy. Statement time..”Home care is just plain stress”

Last week I promise I would post a picture of the last end table I clean. The picnic basket I keep my jewelry in...Most of it just costume stuff but I like it.

 

Last week mini challenge for cleaning and organizing....Organize a food pantry. Well I wouldn't classify this a food pantry but it cabinet that I do keep food in. So it got a going though.

Actual they weren't that much in it. I had to toss out a few items. The items in the white plastic sack needs to be use up. The goal is to empty the stuff out of the white sack by the end of February.

One thing I notice that the stuff you line the bottom with needs replacing.

Editor Note...I thought I had a before picture.

The cleaning out the challenges of the week work in with a finical one. As I state just above that I want to go though the plastic sack. Sunday we had ½ of a fried chicken; out of the freezer, pick up some Kale the other day on sale at .98¢ a pound. The main thing is I got to sack and tried “orzo” like to find some recipes.

I didn't keep tally that strict on what I spend this week on food. I heard the amount they snap program (food stamps) figure one needs to eat isn't enough. “I don't agree.” For us it was plenty. I know they may be times that it may not be.

One would have to make a choice to eat healthy or not. I can see one would couldn't go wild with the snap program.

In all fairness I've read in some area “larger city in low income area they have no or very little chance to get fresh fruit or vegetables”

Totally enjoyed being part of Carla challenge for the month. Help me get some project finish. I'm leaving links of how I progressed though out the month.

But later on I sure hope a challenge like this will take place.

http://peppylady.blogspot.com/2013/01/i-can-see-were-making-head-way.html 

http://peppylady.blogspot.com/2013/01/do-i-ever_15.html 

http://peppylady.blogspot.com/2013/01/on-ward-to-week-two.html 

http://peppylady.blogspot.com/2013/01/one-third-of-project.html

  http://peppylady.blogspot.com/2012/12/three-hundred-and-sixty-seven.html

Coffee is on.

Weekend Photo Hunt (Architecture-knitted)

This is our local barbershop. I know it not an old building but I've always thought it had homie look to it. Adult hair cut is $12.00 I believe that's the price my son paid to get there hair cut.

 

My friend Qunella knitted me these sock. I'm pretty much clueless on how to knit. 

Next weekend photo hunt themes are daub and or looking out of your window

I quite my job with Ellie...It was coming apparent there was no pleasing her. I've stuck it out with some clients and end up being so stress that it actual effect your health.

Actual she was some what like my old client “Donna” but it took me three years to walk out..this time it took me only two months

Murphy made the remark...”When I work with Ellie I look like a sad sack and now I have smile on my face; bounce in my step”

We took a trip into town. Murphy got his hair cut at the barbers. Pick up some grocery. I made au-gratin potato. Finely we're starting to run low on potatoes.

I'm starting to mark seeds what I would like to order. Actual the catalog I would like to order out of is catalog The reason is they carry Stupice tomatoes and Jimmy Nardello peppers.

Course we would need to get other seeds simple because of the shipping cost. Usual we just order from one and or two catalogs...Not any more!

But it wouldn't hurt if we got anther grow light. Thinking about doing some price checking to see what kind of deal I could fine. I really don't want to spend over $20 on it.

I Can See We're Making Head Way

First of all I like to post the links of what I did for Carla Challenge, so one can see how thing progressed.

Do I Ever 

On Ward To Week Two 

One Third Of Project 

Three Hundred And Sixty Seven

I took on her weekly challenges; both cleaning and finance,

Now for the cleaning type of challenges....Choose a closet, any closet, and clean it out!!

Then for the weekly Financial challenges....Give. Find a way in your budget to "give" financially somehow.

 

We have five closet in our home, if I count it right. I decided to just tackle the shelf I keep my gardening, cookbook and other reference books. As you can see it a mess.

 

So I pulled out all the books and divide them into three piles; cookbook, gardening and other reference books. This a picture of my reference books. I decided to take 60% of them to one local thrift store.

Statement....If I have to say one thing that benefit me from doing home care...”I surely don't have any desire to be come a hoarder to any degree”. I seen so many client who live in what I call cracker box and surround with “broken belongings”

 

I organize the books left to right...gardening books, cooking and other reference like books. Hubby gave me a compliment on nice it looked. 

 

Now for the giving. For Martian Luther King the local school here does a service project. They park a bus each one of our local grocery store; three of them and try to load up each of the bus with food which is donated to our local food bank.

So today I grab some one dollar bills and stuck it in the money jar.

Anther thing I did took dollar bill and tape it to an item in the store. So who every picks up the item will receive a dollar.

One could look at as a coupon for a discount.

I believe it was 2 years ago, every week I would put an ten dollar bill in an envelope and send to a random address; locally.

Now for brief update on living like someone who lives on snap program...I spend $61.15 on food. So for the rest of the month we have $184.29. Now the daily for allowance would be $18.42.

I finish cleaning and organizing the coffee table and the two end tables. Next week I'll post a picture of the last table.

Now if any one like to see what other did for January-Challenge

.Carla of “My-Half-Dozen-Daily” is the place to go.

Coffee is on

Weekend Photo Hunt (Haven-Yellow)

Late summer, early fall of last year a bull elk decided to come down and visit Qunella flowers any how I guess he found his nice cozy haven in the gardens.

 

If it wasn't for Gattina. I might of not choice yellow for a color, what color would I painted the clown suit?

 

Next weekend photo hunt will be knitted  and or architecture 

 

It seem like I get everyone business done except for my own. I stop over at my friend Alice the other day to see how her back was doing. She did the same thing as Ellie. I wonder how long it might take a back injury like that might take a person to get around to having some what a normal life, depend 1 to 2 months. Then I found out she more like crush up the vertebra and the doctor says 2 to 4 months. “which doesn't mean your complete incapacitate.

I rather to take a walk. I been walking at a good clip on the tread mill, but not much time at it.

I guess one can say I'm waiting for improvement in the weather. I actually want to get back to cleaning and de-cluttering out the shed/barn. I been sort of tackling things around the place.

I don't have much to say. I feel like I still want to vent about being a in home-care giver. I know you who reads my blog know how I feel about it; I shouldn't feel like this about anther human being...Coffee is on.

Do I Ever.

Last week Carla gave us two mini challenge to work on though out the week.

Let just take the first challenge...”Decluttering: Junk Drawer. We all have one, don't pretend you don't, cause I won't believe you. ;) lol! Declutter your junk drawer and post before & after photos!!...I skip this one anyhow I have plenty of junk drawers.

Actual I would like to get back to cleaning out the shed/barn. But it been real super cold out and the snow won't melt as it been down in the teens.

Now for the second challenge.... Finance: Can you bring some extra money into your household this week somehow? Here are a few ideas:

• Pick up extra hours at work
• Sell items around the house you no longer need or use
• Offer a service or talent
• Come in "under" budget and add that to your weekly savings
  A few ways I can bring in a little extra cash. I've been working at a crawl pace on some ceramic. I've start me self an etsy page. My shop is called Nice and Nifty and I also have a facebook fan page...”I'm still putting things together”
  
  
  
  
  This leprechaun will be for sale end of February or the First Part of March. I have clown that is ready to go up.
  
  At this time I'm getting in a little more time at work. Like I said “Ellie” fell and cracked her vertebra. So for a while she can't do any lifting so I'm building her fire in the stove. Then the other day my friend Alice slip on ice broke a finger and sprang her wrist. I can't recall; what she did to her back. But the doctor advice her to take it easy for a while. So I'm taking care of her client now but they our only allowed 2 hours a week
  Confession time...I get very little satisfaction doing in home care. Actual I feel my time is being wasted. But the extra income never hurt any one.
  
  
  Now for my January challenge “Mine is to clean and organize the coffee table and the two end tables” I worked on the coffee table this week. Confession time...I found this one a little bit more challenge. I hard time figuring out where I really want to put things. As you notice I haven't wipe it down. But when I can from work Murphy wipe it clean and below.
  
  
  
  
  The financial challenge “is to live like someone who is receiving snap benefits” This one is going well this week. For the entire month we have $367 of so called snap benefits. At this time pretty much half way though the month we have $245.19 to hold us over for the rest of the month. We spend a total of $41.56 on food. As I said “I'm living like someone who is getting snap benefits” So I went to local food bank and used there salvage program. Once a week a person can go into our local food bank and they have different food that the store donates and most of them our getting close to the expiration date or has already expire.
  But there a limit to what one can get. I figure I got about $7.33 worth of free grub. So all in all I spend $34.23 which I have surplus of $50.59 of make believe snap benefits.
  Here is the links to my past posting for the challenge.
  
  
  http://peppylady.blogspot.com/2013/01/on-ward-to-week-two.html 
  
  
  http://peppylady.blogspot.com/2013/01/one-third-of-project.html 
  
  http://peppylady.blogspot.com/2012/12/three-hundred-and-sixty-seven.html
  
  
  
  Our .community action partnership. which our local food bank operates from. Well our local community action center just move up on the south hill. I got mix feeling and opinion of it's move. But let get one thing straight I have no knowledge why they moved out of there old building.
  The new building is located with plenty of parking. But anyone driving by can see who is going in there. This could to taken two ways. One is “ that more people may see our local community has a need for a food bank” the second one is a concern “It must be hard and even embarrassing for people to walk in and get a hand out” yes I know it's a “hand up”
  There old building was down by the fairground which didn't have parking room. Plus being hidden one might not realize how many in our local community actual needs this service. I was listening to a local radio program and the people from Sandpoint food bank. For there number fact Sandpoint has a population of 7,365 and she said about 5,000 people in month time will use the food bank. Sandpoint is part of Bonner County population “ and I don't know if the outlaying towns have food banks or not.
  I don't know if our local food bank has the same percentage of people using our food bank or not. The population of the county is about 9,871 then the city of Bonners Ferry has about 2,543 people. I did find this article saying that our county has one of the highest food insecurity “Q: What are some of the high and low Idaho counties for food insecurity, cost per
  meal and food budget shortfall?
  A: Boundary County were the highest at 22%; Teton was the lowest at 13.2%. Ada’s
  food insecurity rate was 15.1%.
  The cost per meal was highest in Blaine County at $3.76 and lowest in Bear
  Lake County at $2.07.
  The weekly food budget shortfall was highest in Blaine County at $21.34 and
  lowest in Bear Lake County at $11.75.
  By way of contrast, Canyon County has the highest rate of food stamp use at
  23%, while Blaine County has the lowest at 5.2%.”
  
  
  I couldn't fine and facts on how many people our local food bank service. But food banks serve about 12.5 million people monthly, united states I believe.
  
  
  
  
  Coffee is on.
  

Your Sightless and Deafness

Last Sunday I drove down to attend the North Idaho Utilarian Universal which is the close one to me. I've always felt comfort in there teaching if you can call it that.

 

Confession time...Not every time I see my self or hear my self....I'll bitch and moan about something and I will be doing the same thing...in some form or anther.

So the sermon was called “Colorblindness and the new Jim Crow” I know I would of called it “your personal colorblindness and deafness”

My clients bitch and moan how unfair there life is...but they don't hear what there even saying....One time Murphette called me and said she was short on the rent for her storage unit of $60.00. Wonder she could barrow the money. I didn't have any trouble helping her out.

But what tip the scale a bit is when she said “I'll be fine but if I pay for my storage unit I won't be able to get my pepsi or tobacco”

I don't except anyone to live a saintly life but if she said something to this effect “Hey I”m having trouble making my rent can you help me out” and said nothing about the pop and smoke. It would go gone over better.

Opinion time...I don't even think it dawn on her what she was even saying.

Murphy and I live a simple life. Not many bills, our monthly bills are under $200 a month. Then of course we have those other bills like insurance and property taxes to take care of.

Like the rest of the human species we need to feed our body.

Because we don't drink or smoke heavy that doesn't mean we don't want to have a few pleasures in our life.

I notice today Ellie makes a statement about someone being a “drunk” well lot of the time, I head up to the three mile store and pick up plenty of beer.

“Crap” every time I go in to pick up her beer I'm asked “where the party”

Then she talks ill about her daughter in laws. Don't she realize she is talking shit about her son “wives” and her grandchildren “mother”.

One thing you learn is being a caregiver is something about human nature. I figure there two reason why Ellie drinks like a fish is, out of angry and or self pity.

She is upset that her husband left her for anther woman and he shortly died after he left her. Then she pissed off that he never really had much interested in making a living for the family.

I believe she gets $300 from his social security as being his widow.

I know we all come to lot of conclusion from all sorts of smell, sights, and sounds. For me personal some may even say I don't have the best work ethics.

I have no desire to put in a 40 hour week.

We live thrifty and have no toy payments. So we can get buy on lot less then most.

I know some even may see me as a gossiper. Confession time...Yes it true I can gossip. Caught my self in midstream today.

Shortly before last Christmas I said something at Quincy place about her mom doing both Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

After Quincy thought her mom actual enjoy fixing and entertaining guest. Plus I was total out of bounds when I said that.

We come up with all sort of ways to see our little world.

Coffee is on.

Weekend Photo Hunt (Celebrated-Home Town)

I'm ready for break from celebrating. Truth be known one can celebrate anything they like. I thought my cactus here had bit the sand. One can see it has one flower I guess that a reason to celebrate

 

Some time in my post I talk about Naples and the other time it's Bonners Ferry. Well I live in between the two towns.

Naples is south of my home.

  Bonners Ferry is north of my home.

 

Next weekend photo hunt will be haven and or yellow

 

I found out one of my coffee pals Kris who own the blog confessions of a pagan soccer mom is having a give away

Actual a choker is given away by a shop called Ivaldis Dream Trove  but one should head over to link for the “give away” to see how to enter in the contest.

Now let talk about “milking for all it worth” One lady I take care of is Ellie. Fell and cracked her disk in her back. She called me and wonder what she needed to. I suggest she call her doctor and of course the front desk tells her to come on in but there going to be a four hour or more wait.

We decided to skip the doctor office and use the emergency room. Knowing this greedy doctor we would sat in the office for who knows how long and still been send to the hospital for an x-ray. So this way I skip what the doctor would of charge medicare and her insurance company.

It wasn't the only issue I have with some doctors, their attitude; the world revolves around them. I had anther job to head out to that day. See that day I also had to drive Faith around

Confession time...It bothers me about there attitude they think them self as “some kind of special that the world revolves around them”...more then the greed.

A little bit I'm some what wonder how this back injury may play out. I know crack vertebra can be painful. Her son Earl said it could it take up to 6 months to heal. That might be all true but it doesn't mean your complete hindered either.

On Ward To Week Two

Last week Carla wonder about these two thing as we do her challenge...

Financial Goal Week One: Instead of buying something you need this week, find a way to "make do". Do you grab a coffee each day on the way to work? can you brew at home & use a travel mug? Run out of an ingredient for a recipe? Can you find a substitution? There are many ways to "make do" each & every day... track how much you would have spent.....This one is pretty easy for us we made some bean soup and it called for red pepper was going to pick one up and it was $1.96 for one and we said “ouch” and substitute tomatillos and celery was close to a dollar a pound so I use some fennel out of the freezer.....now here is recipe.
WHITE BEAN & BARLEY SOUP

1 ½ Cups of dried northern beans

1 large onion..chopped

2 garlic clove minced

1 T of olive oil

4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth

4 cups of water

3 medium carrots slice

2 medium red peppers slice

2 stalk celery

½ cup of pearl barley

2 bay leaves

½ t dry thyme

½ t pepper

½ cup of minced fresh parsley

1 28 oz can of tomatoes

Place beans in dutch oven or soup kettle. Add enough water to the beans cover the beans by 2 inches. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover let it stand for 1 hour. Drain and raising beans, discarding liquid. In a dutch oven saute onion and garlic in oil. Add the beans and remaining ingredients except for ¼ cup of parsley and the can of tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender. Add tomatoes and heat though. Discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Editor Note...I would soak the beans over night.

Decluttering Goal Week One: What "thing" clutters up your home the most? Is it clothes? Toys? Books/magazines? Kitchen Stuff? Knick-Knacks? Find a way to get rid of some of these items! Be sure to snap a pic of your declutter!...paper....confession time....if I put my paper away right away and didn't have the attitude of “oh I'll do it later” it would be as cluttered.

Now let get to what I've done and so forth on this January 2013 challenge.

 

I got one of my end table done. One thing I can decided on is what to do with the round box. At this time there nothing in it. I have a few ideal what I can store in. Before I use to keep some of my candles in it, now there in the picnic basket below.

 

Then I've been cleaning under the coffee table. Properly putting things where they need to be. Sure there more to go. I didn't get a picture of the under part of my coffee table before.

As I listed in this blog post I was going to live what they would give two people receiving food stamp or now called “snap” which is $367 a month.

At this point the $367 seem to be plenty to feed a family of two on. Haven't bought any house items with this amount. But here where we stand. Food for the week cost us $72.85. I figure the daily allowance is $12.12 so I'm pretty much on target. Over by 2¢

Living like someone who use snap program to purchase there food with. I'm starting to see it in whole different light. As I said before...”I've always thought people who use food stamp should be limited to the junk food they purchase....confession time...my purchasing of junk food been under $5.00....I still somewhat have this same opinion about buying “junk food”....but I notice since I use cash to purchase food with I had the attitude that I'm so better then those who don't use cash....It was wake up call on my part.

So to visit other who taking part in this challenge please stop in at our hostess Carla

Weekend Photo Hunt (add-you)

No Need to add more clutter and that includes my mind.

  I thought this week Gatina want us to post a self portrait. But she thought some would be uncomfortable...so she changed it you. This is latest picture of me.

 

Next weekend photo hunt will be celebration and or A picture of the city where you live.

I been doing a small goal for the month of January...But I would like attack more in shed/barn. For 2012 I said I was going to clean an organize the shed/barn...I didn't get it all done but I once went though half of shelving. Though out the crap...took 10% or more to thrift store...never bought anything to add to the barn/shed.

I would like to get back on this one...

Now I know I had some type of goal to get in shape and shed a few pounds but to the life of me. I don't even recall what the goal was.

My oldest Son is planning to get married in July...I would like to be down 1 or 2 sizes...3 would be real nice but I know reality even if I don't agree with it.

Oh I did say my son. Well I never said which one, Sawyer will be wedded to Betty. There planning a wedding this July. 

 

fter the first of the year we wonder about our taxes...even with my pity wages we have to pay in. Not sure what going on this tax year (2012)

What actual saved us was Bart going to school. See the company I work for I'm consider self contractor and have to handle my own tax...well now they hold our bonus and tell we prove we paid in.

We ruffly we made 7,500 this last year...We paid about $1,200 on property taxes...and since they don't take out social security and the company I work for send every one a Schedule k-1 forn 1065
 with out any fancy accounting I'll be paying in $535.00

Some where between Christmas and New Year I stop in at my Aunt Eve for a short visit. My cousin Melvania and her recent husband Milo was visiting.

As I was over there she ask for Murphy social security number so she can deducted the wages from there tax and we completely thought it was under the table job.

It was $8.00 and hour and if we claim this it would end up being $6.78 an hour and what every other taxes. I don't want to make to much noise at this point.

Then they furnished a crappy hoe and it broke then the worker to replace it out of there own pocket.

They had anther worker and they want Murphy to go and pick him up on his time. Because the guy didn't have a driver liaison, lost because he did pay his child support.

Then she wonder why people don't want to work...it things like this makes having a job the pits.

There was a sign at Auschwitz concentration camp that read...”work will set you free”....look what happen there.

Murphy and I got the yule tree down.

Coffee is on.

One Third Of A Project

I can't believe how many of our flat top surface has magnets on them....they seem to pull on every type of junk known to us beings.

Here picture I took of my coffee table...I didn't get a picture what beneath the coffee table...plus there two end tables...The three picture where taken before I started anything.

Actual now there been some work done on the decluttering project....What goes into the trash already went....What goes into the recycle bin already went...Then I took in a small bag of items to the thrift store.

Organize in to binders are my recipes from T.O.P.S Anther binder for my notes for T.O.P.S but still I need to figure how I want to the exchange cards for my weight lost.

One more binder for my writing group. Still thinking there a better way of organizing my stuff for the writers group...something will come but for now the papers aren't being thrown about.

Then of course I put some odds and ends away....not just moved them to out-sight out minded.

 

Confession time...I'm a long ways of being done with my uncluttered project

Now for my no/low spend on food...As I state I'm going to purchase our food as we were given full benefit of the snap program.

Over at $376 would explain my no/low spend challenge.

 Plus at the end of $376 posting there is some links explain the snap program.

Actual to me for a $376 a month for food does sound like a lot for two people. But if you break it down by the day it doesn't sound like much...There 31 days in January...so that looks like we get to eat on $12.12 a day...which doesn't sound like much.

To see other challenge stop over at our hostess half dozen daily from her post one can go and see what others are up to.

Coffee is on.