WanderLore
Veteran Member
Today is rip up the couch day it is so nasty from the dogs. It's a sectional so it's large heavy and two pieces. I got the first half done and on the porch. I got my chainsaw and all my other tools so it's not too bad
Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: April 12-April 18, 2026
- Thread starter SouthernBreeze
- Start date
WanderLore
Veteran Member
After that then I'm going to steam clean the carpet cuz I can't afford to replace anything right now plus there's heavy furniture over some parts of it. Then I will paint the walls and put the pictures back up. I have a nice wood futon upstairs and a spare room I'm glad to use and I'll grab another one off of Facebook marketplace they're cheap
SouthernBreeze
TB Fanatic
One of my dining table chairs broke. One of the braces between the legs. Cary just finished working on it. Good as new, now. If It wasn't so much trouble to get someone to help, I would have Cary take my sofa outside to let it air out. Everything smells so smokey from the wood heater all winter. I've already washed all my curtains, but the sofa could stand a good airing out.
One of Mom's dear friends took all of her furniture outside in the Spring every year to let everything air out. We went to visit her one day, and everything was outside.
WanderLore
Veteran Member
I used to do that when my kids were little too
WanderLore
Veteran Member
But this couch is so nasty it's been in here for many years and it's just disgusting.
Taking a break for a minute I'm almost done
Taking a break for a minute I'm almost done
SouthernBreeze
TB Fanatic
I understand. I would love to have a new sofa and recliner, but it's more of a want than a need right now.
Just add up the price of all the purchased bags of veggies, then divide by 10. That will give you your cost for the individual serving size bags. Compare that to the purchased ones...
Summerthyme
SouthernBreeze
TB Fanatic
I'll have to remember to do that next time I buy some. I'll also check the price on the individual serving size, too.
If you got the stuff at WalMart, just go online and find the prices there... that is, unless you have better things to do with your time! But it will give you a good idea whether its worth the time and effort, beyond the convenience factor...
Summerthyme
SouthernBreeze
TB Fanatic
Great idea! Thanks.
SouthernBreeze
TB Fanatic
I did as Summerthyme suggested. I went to Walmart online shopping, and checked out the prices. Making up my own individual bags of stir fry veggies from the large bags is saving me $11.32! That's a huge savings to me.
Meemur
Voice on the Prairie
Yes, it saves money! When I can get free or nearly free berries and freeze them, It saves at least $8/bag, sometimes more with today's ever-increasing prices. That's why my focus will be on growing what I can this summer, plus there will be two meatless days each week, unless my blood panels demand otherwise. I'll see how it goes. I really like a few thin strips of beef tips in dinner salads. It makes them much more filling.
Anyway, it's a dry, sunny day in the 40s. I'd like to be mowing, but my mower needed a bit more work than I can do, so I took it to a local guy. Worth it! Otherwise, I'd have to mess with it all day and it still may not start. I don't care what the grass looks like, but the town is cracking down again on over-grown lawns, and I don't need the fight right now. That's another reason I need to be a bit farther out. I'm working on that . . .
Anyway, it's a dry, sunny day in the 40s. I'd like to be mowing, but my mower needed a bit more work than I can do, so I took it to a local guy. Worth it! Otherwise, I'd have to mess with it all day and it still may not start. I don't care what the grass looks like, but the town is cracking down again on over-grown lawns, and I don't need the fight right now. That's another reason I need to be a bit farther out. I'm working on that . . .
SouthernBreeze
TB Fanatic
I can almost make a meal for myself with one stir fry. I usually have some type of meat with it, like a baked chicken breast or a pork chop. As long as Cary has his potatoes with his meat, he's good. I'm having stir fry with a slice of baked ham I cooked, yesterday, for tonight's meal.
I agree with you.... DH has been a mechanic...small engine for 50 years...he has the ability to fix most anything..of late he has begun collecting the repair manuals for all vehicles we own..and studying them...he also got one of the engine code readers... and the adapter for our harleys..plus the case to keep it all together.....he is now busy looking into some of the specialized tools for cars...for some of the more common things..that often go wrong...
This AI is very worrisome (jobs)...the strange weather (food). the amount of the national debt (how much a $ will buy)
..I keep looking back to how did my family make it during the depression..and ration coupons...they always were careful...not to waste things ....it was a different mind set..I am reading that we will have shortages..and food shortages..
This world reminds me of the mess that Jimmy Carter made of things..and left for Reagan to fix...it was a mess.. inflation was horrible..DH and had not been married long...we had bought a house...a very modest house....about half of the mortgage amount we qualified for.... and prices started to go up like crazy.much worse than today..I do fear it is coming..
When I made a grocery list..the most important things on top...then. less important...I had only so many dollars..to spend..i added my total as I went..when I got to the amount I had to spend...I had to stop...because we had purchased an inexpensive house...we made it...but several of our friends were foreclosed...it was heart breaking
I really fear for people in our country today...I am very carefully going through everything..and adding things here and there..I have even gotten cotton and wool to be able to darn and mend things..socks..and sweaters..and been saving material for patches..if something is patched with cool embroidery it looks nice..almost like it was bought that way..
I have several different types of darning eggs...including DH's grandmother's...and a darning loom...and have been reading about visible mending...very cool stuff....making the mending of holes decorative..very neat ideas..also added all variety of needles..different types of heavy threads for other types of materials ...
I think we may be more repairs that replace..in the days to come..
SouthernBreeze
TB Fanatic
Cary and I, both, are still looking for ways to save money and add more to our preps. Not just food, either. Every time we go shopping, Cary has his list of things to add. I don't think we'll ever be finished with prepping for hard times. I also enjoy reading about the way folks lived back in the years past. Sometimes, the old ways are the best ways.
feralferret
Veteran Member
High of 83 degrees yesterday. Forecast high of 59 today. 1,88" of rain yesterday, Water leaked in through basement wall into wife's closet again late last night.
Glad the next several days are forecasted to be calm weather. Weather radio was going off constantly again last night.
Looking forward to Sabbath service at 4 PM.
Glad the next several days are forecasted to be calm weather. Weather radio was going off constantly again last night.
Looking forward to Sabbath service at 4 PM.
Meemur
Voice on the Prairie
I agree: I think it's a good idea to pick up supplies for projects/repairs and keep increasing one's skills. Acquiring more knowledge (and a few more tools) so I can do more repairs on my own mower has been added to my list, although I am in farm country, and if I have the parts and a tasty homemade pie or some cookies to offer, I can get help.
I don't object to learning these things: I'm just not good at mechanics! I've been known to take my laptop to the garage and follow along with a youtube. That's how I learned to work on garden wagons. Mowers are more complicated.
I don't object to learning these things: I'm just not good at mechanics! I've been known to take my laptop to the garage and follow along with a youtube. That's how I learned to work on garden wagons. Mowers are more complicated.
This probably is already known to most of you, but I'll share it for anyone who doesn't. When you have old jeans to discard, cut the good parts and save to use as patches. I don't but my grandmother did, save the zippers from old garments including pants. Also, if you are discarding a garment with buttons, belts, or fancy trim, save them.
In the past I purchased like new shirts from thrift shops obviously donated because they were missing a button. I save buttons and could replace all the buttons on the shirt if I couldn't match the missing one, but the easier solution is to take the bottom button and use it to replace the "seen" button and then put a generic button on the bottom. When I remove buttons from a garment, I string them together with sewing thread before adding them to my button collection. I hate searching through a whole jar or box of buttons trying to find enough to match.
If you are making a shirt for small to medium woman or a child, a large men's shirt will provide enough fabric and buttons for the new garment. If you are clever with layout, you can re-use the buttonhole and button plackets for the new garment. If the buttons are too far apart and will gap, sew a snap between the buttons.
Watch thrift shops for patterns, fabric and sewing supplies. I'm seeing less and less these days, but it's worth a look.
In the past I purchased like new shirts from thrift shops obviously donated because they were missing a button. I save buttons and could replace all the buttons on the shirt if I couldn't match the missing one, but the easier solution is to take the bottom button and use it to replace the "seen" button and then put a generic button on the bottom. When I remove buttons from a garment, I string them together with sewing thread before adding them to my button collection. I hate searching through a whole jar or box of buttons trying to find enough to match.
If you are making a shirt for small to medium woman or a child, a large men's shirt will provide enough fabric and buttons for the new garment. If you are clever with layout, you can re-use the buttonhole and button plackets for the new garment. If the buttons are too far apart and will gap, sew a snap between the buttons.
Watch thrift shops for patterns, fabric and sewing supplies. I'm seeing less and less these days, but it's worth a look.
Meemur
Voice on the Prairie
All good tips! I wish that I could find clothing in the area thrift shops worth repairing. Right now, it's a lot of "club wear" (the peek-a-boo blouses and shirts) from the 1990s and thin, ill-fitting clothes from the early 20-teens, the stuff I had to re-hem, put darts in, and add modesty panels, plus it's no longer inexpensive. I saw an unlined, pull-on linen skirt the other day that was $35! Scary.
One of the women's clubs has been having these pop-up "name brand" clothing sales, but it's the same problem: the clothing needs extensive repairs and is north of $45. I understand that some new jeans are $80+ but the quality isn't there, either. Buyers agree: they're not selling much at those prices, new or used.
One of the women's clubs has been having these pop-up "name brand" clothing sales, but it's the same problem: the clothing needs extensive repairs and is north of $45. I understand that some new jeans are $80+ but the quality isn't there, either. Buyers agree: they're not selling much at those prices, new or used.
SouthernBreeze
TB Fanatic
I just saved a lot of money buying new jeans. I went through all of mine the other day and discarded 2 pair that I will take for everyday/work pairs. I was planning to buy 2 new pair to replace them. I got a hunch that I should get out all of the jeans I had put away that were too small. I have lost so much weight, I got them out and tried them on. Yipee! I can wear them. About 10 pair! No need to buy anymore. They look like new. I can wear both sizes, but the larger ones fit a bit looser. I'm loaded up on good jeans!
Forgot to add. We are getting a downpour right now. Thunder, too. I hope it rains for a long time. A hard, steady, soaking rain.
Forgot to add. We are getting a downpour right now. Thunder, too. I hope it rains for a long time. A hard, steady, soaking rain.
223shootersc
Veteran Member
Prepared my raised beds for planting. Put in another layer of cow compost and added new bark mulch to the beds and applied water. I also got my plants from the church youth sale and will plant on Monday.
You are right...it's not nearly as good. I figure our main well was dug in the mid fifties and this one here by our house was dug in the 20's to 30's when the store was here.
In our yard, where the two creeks meet, there are small springs all along those banks. When you are in the water, you can feel the cool water coming into the creek from the springs. There's a big spring right past the bridge on our side...it's the small creek that runs into the big creek. Daddy remembers it being a community water source when he was a little boy and we've had several other older people stop and tell us memories about it when we were younger...they are all dead now. DH goes down to the creek every few years and digs it out just so we know exactly where it is if things go south. I sure wish we could hit that vein of water for the house. The very old well on that side of our house may tap into it...never thought about that before. Our well water has a touch of iron taste.