Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: September 9 ~ 15, 2018

[ReneeT]

What's up on the prep front this week, folks?

Hubby just stomped out toward the side yard with firearm in hand - he has squirrel eradication in mind after yet another wire was chewed in half under the hood of his truck (coating made out of soybean something or the other?) My goal is to keep a low profile until he calms down a little.... I think they started in on the truck when I stopped filling the feeders earlier this year once natural feed sources became available - maybe I should start filling them again

As for me, I plan to sit down and work out where my stock up money will be spent this week - might take me a while as I haven't had time to go through the ads and coupon inserts as yet since I have a couple of short people underfoot!

Oops - sounds like I might need to go see if I should build a fire - seems like we might be grilling some squirrels for supper...

 

[SouthernBreeze]

If I hope to put a few more gallons of chopped pecans in the freezer this year, DH is gonna have to do like your hubby, lol. I've threatened to sit out on the back porch, and shoot them, myself. I think our pecan tree is attracting squirrels from all over the county!

Love these threads, Renee!

 

[moldy]

Work, work, work, school, homework.... like I said, September's gonna be a busy month. Was a rough day at work - just seems like more and more people can't handle every day life without completely losing it.

 

[Just a Nurse 2]

Dusted off the canner and added 15 pints of pickled beets and 9 pints of hotdog relish to the shelves.

 

[ivantherussian03]

Fall is here. The fall colors are coming on and I have needed gloves in the morning several times. I was thinking winter starts in 3 weeks basically.

Freezer was getting full. Moose meat is hanging now, so that is done. Weather has been cool and cloudy. We got the moose down last weekend. Before that we were on high side of 30 plus salmon. I am going smoke meat now, and be thoughtful about it. I want jerky and smoked salmon.

Wood supply is good. The thirty 30 cords I have stacked are close to year old, getting nice and seasoned. Sold some already.

My plan for selling birch bark baskets panned out. I sold everyone of them.

Started preparing house for winter, as well as family: winter coats, hats, etc.

Then I need to deal with vehicles. Do everything I can think of, power wash, change oil, winterize, and change out fuels on the seldom used items.

At some point we will clean house top to bottom in October.

We bbq today in really nice weather, useing wood chunks. We cooked all the old freezer meat and stuff, and invited people. It was fun, Kinda pot luck, and social. Reaffirming sense of community and relationships.

Most of these things will wait till the hunting season is over.


Except one, wife is chewing my ear off about squirrels making a nest in eave of the house.

 

[Journey]

ReneeT, tell Hubs he's in good company. Back in 2016 squirrels chewed through the wiring in my brand new car. Unfortunately it wasn't considered "warranty" work as it had been on my husband's F-250 several years prior. We had to pay out of pocket for the repair work. Hubs now gets in plenty of target practice sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch.

We are keeping a close eye on Hurricane Florence. While we aren't in a potential direct hit path we could still feel some inland residual effects and I'd rather be safe than sorry.

I've not looked at sales ads for this week yet as we've had our hands full caring for my husband's elderly father who had surgery last week. Home Health is coming this morning to evaluate his need for physical therapy which he argues he doesn't need.....we'll see who wins this battle...

 

[Marseydoats]

I messed up and ran completely out of paper plates, and it was my week to rotate water anyway, so I made a Walmart run. They were pretty much wiped out already. The grocery store had everything I needed, and plenty of water. I added 6 gallons to the stock. Will refill dh's prescription meds tomorrow, the man never tells me he needs anything until he's run completely out. Refill the propane tank. I'm waiting until the last minute to decide to do a feed run or not. If the roof comes off the barn again, the feed will be ruined, but I know we're going to flood and the livestock have to eat. I hate hurricanes.

 

[ReneeT]

Prayers for your safety, Marseydoats...

It is so interesting to read all you folk's posts - thanks for participating!

Score: Fluffy tailed rats - 0; Hubby - 3. The last two fell in a patch of poison ivy; since I wasn't home to retrieve them, that is where they stayed. Some critter will get a free lunch today, I reckon

I did one grocery run today; the store in the town where we go to the pool has a 'Spend $25/Get $10 off' deal on certain items, one of which was Folger's Coffee - 20.6 to 30.5 oz for $6.99 each. I picked up three tubs - one each Classic Roast, Half-caff, and Decaf; the last two were for daughter, it's for sure they weren't for me I also snagged two 28 oz jars of Jif Peanut Butter @ 2/$7 to rotate into stock; I had a $1.25 off 2 coupon to help with the price a bit, so got out of the store for $18 and change. Then I picked up 12 cans of Hunt's spaghetti sauce for 78 cents each, and 12 cans of Healthy Choice soup for 99 cents each. Hubby carries soup in his lunch most days; there are jars of home canned soup in the pantry but he doesn't like to take the jars to work as he is afraid he will drop/break them - man acts like I'm territorial about canning jars or something!! I will probably do the coffee deal a few more times - as long as the ads with the $10 coupon hold out!

 

[Deena in GA]

We were gifted with a bag of pears, so tomorrow I'm going to make and can some pear preserves. The pears are really a blessing since those pesky squirrels that y'all are talking about made off with every single pear and apple that grew on our trees. We've never had that happen before, so we need to join the squirrel shooting society that seems to be starting here.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Expecting a lot of rain, possible flooding in the area with hurricane Florence, some wind where we are. Below is my today's to do list.

Working on hurricane preps appropriate for my family:
Walked around the outside of the home, picking up anything I can that might blow away or be damaged by a storm.
If time and energy allows I may trim some branches near the house.
Dishes on.
Wash on.
Potable water? Could use some more.
Paper plate and disposable cups and cutlery.
Comfort food? Dinner that can be tossed together hot and fast on a stove top?
Buckets of water for flushing toilets if the power goes out.
Water bottles in Freezer to buy us more time if the power goes out.
Picked the ripe stuff in the garden.
Double check to make sure there is enough food for the critters.
Matches and lamps? Next project. Need to wash chimneys, trim wicks and check fuel levels. Would not use with young kids or mentally incompetent in home.
It is getting a little nippy. Might not hurt to bring some fire wood up to the house.
Tidy up clutter.
Put phone on charger.

 

[ReneeT]

Prayers for all those in the path of, and who will be affected by Florence...

Sounds like a good to-do list, OGM

Stopped on the way home from the pool today and snagged 4 more tubs of Folger's coffee @ $6.99 each = $27.96; used the $10 off $25 coupon to bring the price down to $18.14 with tax. Two of them were the half-caff stuff daughter likes; the other two were for our pantry.

I was lazy yesterday after I got home from the pool - read a book, napped off and on, ran to town to have a late lunch with daughter, sat in the rocker on the porch and watched the hummingbirds.... That was the first day of my vacation since it started on the 4th that I haven't had something I needed to do. It was pretty nice to goof off I have been pretty much a slacker when it comes to cooking while I've been off work; gonna have to get myself back on track - next week (Boo!!)

I'll be heading to my work town in a bit; I'm waiting until a bit closer to lunch time as I have a email coupon from Arby's for a free small shake with sandwich purchase. Daughter sent me her grocery list for Aldi and I have added some items for myself, but I am still working on the list for other stores and I need to clip a few coupons yet. This is what I have so far:

Local Chain grocery:
Found the ad in the mail when I got home a bit ago; they have the same 'Buy $25/Get $10 off' deal going on except their price is a little better on the Folger's coffee @ $6.49, so I don't need to worry about wearing out my welcome at either store but can still put back a year's worth for daughter and myself.

I will also snag 3 jars of Ragu pasta sauce for $1.19 each with store coupon; hoping that the Alfredo and cheese sauces are included in this; if not, will get regular pasta sauce. I have coupons for 40 cents/2; will do deal twice, using the store coupon plus the 40 cent off 2 coupon.

Dollar General:
Tide Simply laundry pods 13 ct - $2.95; I have 4 - $2 coupons but they are limit 1, so will hit the 4 Dollar General stores that are on my route and pick up a bag at each one for 95 cents plus tax out of pocket.

CVS:
Vitamins are on sale either Buy 1/Get 1 Free, or Buy 1/Get 1 50% off, plus I have scanner coupons for either $2/$8 or $3/$15 purchase so I will pick up a couple of boxes of the type Hubby and I use (old folks vitamins lol!)

There is a Spend $20/Get $5 deal (deal completes at $19.20) I will have to do 4 trips due to coupon limits (no biggie, I'll be going past 3 different stores, doesn't take but a minute to pop in and out)
4 - Gain Flings (daughter uses) - $4.94/bag = $19.76
Use: 4 - $2 coupons = $8
Total out of pocket $11.76 plus tax; get back $5

They also have a Spend $30/Get $10 deal; I'm undecided about this one, but will probably do at least the following:
1 - Oxi-clean detergent @ $3.99 - I have a $2 coupon
4 - Right Guard Extreme at buy one get one free - not sure on total cost on this one, but I have 2 - $1/1 coupons
I can finish out this deal with paper towels if I decide to do so

Walgreens:
W brand paper plates - 99 cents w/store coupon
2 - Purex laundry detergent at $1.99 each - I have 2 - 50 cent/1 coupons
Progresso soup at 3/$4 - amount depends on selection
Planter's Peanuts - 2/$5 - I have 2 - $2/2 coupons so will probably get 4. I'll use some in Chex mix this fall and put the rest back for use in Christmas candy.

I will be picking up the grandsons at their church based after school program at 5pm and taking them out for supper; they've been begging to go to the Chinese buffet. We'll get a to-go meal for daughter and meet her at their house when she is done with work; this is her late night.

Tomorrow, I plan to go to the pool again; once home, I need to pick up walnuts in the side yard, then mow the yard. If I'm not ready for a nap after that, I'll work on cleaning the porch or doing more garden clean up. Friday's to-do list so far has going to the pool, being an honorary grandparent at the Kindergarden Grandparent's Day program, cleaning house, and going to the football game on it.

Saturday, I will run over to the foo-foo bakery and pick up my birthday pie for Sunday - I've chosen pie over cake since I was 5 years old If I'm feeling kindly, I might even share a bit of it with Hubby, daughter and the grandkids!

Reckon I'd better get on the road if I'm going to get all that running done; take care all; stay safe out there!

 

[anna43]

Renee T, your list made so tired just reading it I need a nap!!!!

My property tax bill has gone up nearly $200 and my supplemental insurance also jumped $15 so my only preps this month will have to be extremely cheap or free. So far, I'm working at emptying, rinsing and refilling water jugs stored in the basement, harvesting the few meager items left in the garden (bummer year) and taking my D-I-L and myself for free food distribution later today. After I see what free items we receive, I'll fill in what's needed to make meals at Aldi.

Its been extremely wet here all summer so I'm really enjoying five days without rain this week. I hope to dig my sweet potatoes before it starts raining again Saturday. Once I have them dug and spread out to cure, I'll clear the basement storage area of last years sweet potatoes and process them. I usually puree them and freeze 2 cups per bag to use in various recipes although I might pressure can instead this year.

 

[Marseydoats]

I made a feed and hay run today, dropped books off at the library, went back to the grocery store because we ate all the comfort food I had bought to last thru the week! Got some more nails while I was out. Started deep bedding the chicken coop, but that is a job for in the fall when it's much cooler, so I had to quit. came in and gave up and took a nap. Having t bones for dinner. I have about worried myself sick over this hurricane.
Tomorrow I'm going to the dump after work and will run a few very last minute errands. With my luck, the storm will hit while I'm at work and I will be stuck with a bunch of clueless millennials who think the whole thing is a joke.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Filled the vehicles with fuel. One nice thing about living in the boondocks with a storm approaching: no lines at the gas pumps. Spent part of the day cooking so there would be easy meals that just need to be warmed up.

 

[ReneeT]

Anna, OUCH on the tax increase, ditto the insurance one. My sweet potatoes did zip this year, so I will have to pick some up at the store when they go on sale. The only item that did really well - and didn't get stomped down by deer or eaten by raccoons/squirrels/groundhogs/chupacabras/Big Foot/space aliens (I'm thinking we might have had 'em all this year) - was the bell peppers. I'm not that fond of the things, but have put some in the freezer anyway for stuffed peppers/spaghetti sauce. Wonder how groundhog stuffed with bell peppers would taste...

Marseydoats; here's hoping you don't get stuck at work with the clueless; and hope you have an area where you can get away from them! I could easily sustain myself at work for a week or more with just the stock in my locker, but would have to be able to fend off the rest of the staff; wonder how many I'd have to pepper spray to get the point across Maybe I should just consider locking it....

OGM; stay safe during the storm! Daughter used to live on Atlantic Beach, NC; also New Bern, Beaufort, and Morehead City - some of the storm videos I'm seeing are making me anxious even though she's back living here now!

CVS was a washout - didn't have enough of any of the sale items to make the deals work; and they were out of the vitamins we prefer. I used some of the Gain coupons at Dollar General instead; it wasn't quite as good of a deal, but was cheap enough to trip the 'Buy' switch. I skipped Walgreen's due to time constraints, but found Southern Grove brand peanuts at Aldi for $1.89 so picked up a can for Hubby to try; if they suit, I'll stock up on my next run there. I plan to check for the vitamins at a different CVS when the neighbor lady and I go to the pool today; and will hit the Dollar General there for one last Tide/Gain buy to finish out my coupons.

I'm glad that the chain grocery is doing that same 'Spend $25/Get $10 off' Folger's coffee deal as the store in the pool town as one deal ends Saturday but the other continues through next Tuesday; I'll stop there again today in between Grandparent's Day and the football game to do that deal and Ragu deal again, and likely again on Monday, and possibly once more on Tuesday; hopefully that will net me a year's worth - I'd much rather pay $4-$4.50/tub than $9-10!! The best by date on the coffee ranges from July - November of 2019, so I'll need to be careful as to how I stock it in the pantry and freezer. Daughter will be moving again next month, so the half-caff coffee will be going to her house to be stored there as soon as the move-in is complete.

Speaking of Daughter moving, I am going to need to start digging for some information on security systems; preferably ones that can't be hacked from outside; Daughter's ex - as of Tuesday - husband is an IT specialist. The only problem besides the possibility of hacking is that she will have her business in her home again, and since it is considered a medical type office, she has to work within HIPAA/medical office privacy guidelines.

When I got home from the pool yesterday, I walked in the house, drank some juice, and then was suddenly brain fogged and just totally exhausted for some reason. Checked my blood pressure, it was fine; so trudged over to the couch and flopped down to rest for a bit - I caught about four naps of 3-5 minutes each in between a bunch of phone calls/text messages, so finally gave up/got up and went downstairs to the treadmill and walked until I felt more awake; then headed outside. I did manage to get the walnuts that were down in the side yard picked up - only one small trailer load so far; but there are plenty more on the trees. I was able to get all the yard area around the house mowed as well in spite of friends, daughter & grandkids dropping by, multiple phone calls, etc... Now if I can find time on Saturday to work on getting the gardens cleared out...

Well, Hubby's staring at me from his recliner; I'm thinking that means he wants to use the computer before he heads to work, so I reckon I'd better let him do so. You folks all stay safe out there; take care...

 

[Old Gray Mare]

OGM; stay safe during the storm! Daughter used to live on Atlantic Beach, NC; also New Bern, Beaufort, and Morehead City - some of the storm videos I'm seeing are making me anxious even though she's back living here now!

Thanks Reneet. You to! We're nowhere close to the land fall and we're just expecting rain, rain and more rain. fter Gordon that's not necessarily something to look forward to. The ground is pretty well saturated. Picked up some ice and more fuel.