Day after day of dreary weather here in southern Indiana has me thinking back to the last sunny day we had. I’ll have to check my calendar, but I’m pretty sure I was still in grade school.
Poor ole’ Perry worked a day shift this morning, (at work by 6:00 AM for 10 hours) and then got a call from his overnight coverage that they couldn’t make it in. He turned around and went back to cover that too. I feel bad for him. I’m a night owl, but by 4:00 AM I probably couldn’t keep my eyes open. 🙁
At least he had his belly full.
Talk about a country meal — how about O’Brien potatoes fried with smoked sausage? My kid wouldn’t eat this on a bet, but Katie came and cleaned up the leftovers. Who is going to feed that girl in Tennessee? She has about two weeks before she heads south.
I am sure gonna’ miss her. 😫😔
Now you know: While shooting a TV series, 12-year-old Kurt Russell gave co-star Charles Bronson a birthday gift but the older actor walked away without responding. Bronson, who grew up very poor, later thanked Russell, explaining he had never been given a birthday gift before.
There was a time I was excited for change and technology advances. There was a time I would embrace learning new things and diving deep into algorithmics and online shifts. It’s time to replace the passion I had for these work-related things with passions set aside.
After practice retirement comes semi-retirement.
While I plan to continue working with my favorite brother on a limited basis, I’m done spending hours upon hours in a chair in front of a computer. It’s time to redefine my goals and pivot into a new and exciting chapter. February is a crazy busy month with events scheduled, but looking ahead to summer I’ll admit I’m excited to have more freedom.
I’m also looking forward to my current view — freezing rain and naked trees — changing to a view of green leaves and blue skies.
Yesterday was hard, but today is looking up!
After a day filled with challenges — my g/f Julie finding out her dog has cancer, to a event contact being fired and replaced (starting over with the planning)… and more issues too numerous to mention — today hasn’t been so bad so far. (It’s still early, but I’m optimistic.)
And while Katie is moving out of Indiana, my favorite brother is moving back. He and his wife have kept a home in Fort Wayne and will be living there instead of Las Vegas for the immediate future. With her aging parents and four grandkids here in Indiana, being closer to family is the right decision for them.
Having said that, Tammy is more excited about the move than Scott. 😉
Now you know: Since Rain Man (1989) over 1/3 of Academy Awards for Best Actor went to Actors portraying people with disabilities.
I took a photo of the same landscape on two separate days in a row. Crazy how much the weather can change in such a short time.
I know Indiana isn’t the only place where you can get all 4 seasons in one week, but this state can hold its own when it comes to fickle weather conditions. It’s one weather alert after another around here. Now we’re under a dense fog advisory — difficult travel due to visibility.
She’s not sad, I promise.
I grabbed a photo of Dharma as she was laying on the wet deck… in the rain. She looks so very sad. But she wasn’t sad at all! This is her “for crying out loud would you leave me the heck alone” face:
Dharma didn’t want to come inside the 73° house. She preferred to keep her heavy coat of hair outside where it was around 50° with drizzle. Merida was inside and the ole’ girl just wanted to be left alone out there where it was quiet and comfortable — comfortable to her anyway. 🙂
Now you know: In the 1950s and 60s, people could buy plastic screens to colorize their black & white TVs.
Talking to those pesky neighbors yesterday, they explained they purchased their groceries for the month. A month! I can barely go a week without NEEDING something. I have a delivery coming today from Wal-mart that was supposed to be just a few items since my freezers are full. I only spent $175 bucks. (ONLY?)
My grocery shopping is as willy nilly as Indiana weather. For example, the photo below is from yesterday — and today we have rain with a forecasted high in the 50’s.
Meal planning made simple?
Wal-mart has partnered with emeals — a subscription service that creates your shopping list after you plan your meals from recipes they provide. You can shop yourself, or your shopping list can be sent directly to your grocery store of choice. Plans start at $5 bucks/month and they claim you’ll save money.
While this might work for some, I’m not a planner when it comes to food. There are nights I don’t cook but opt for egg salad sandwiches or something similar (like last night) — and I doubt they have recipes for fried potatoes with smoked sausage thrown in (a quick and easy hot meal we like).
At least I stock up on some things!
I make sure I never run out of paper towels and toilet paper. I stock up on those items. I keep plenty of coffee, peanut butter, and dog food ahead too. My freezers are full and I have beans and rice in bulk. Other than that… it’s pay as you go.
What about you?
Do you plan meals for the week? Month? If so, do you save money that way?
Let’s face it, groceries are a chunk when it comes to regular household expenditures and that’s not likely to change any time soon. Whatever steps you implement to keep those costs lower is great — I just don’t know how that looks for me yet.
Now you know: Humans are the only animal that has a chin (some have a couple or more). As an aside — I googled this because I thought monkeys had chins — but nope — just us humans. 🙂
Perry isn’t really a country dude but he has adapted. Somewhat. 😉
Today is our last of below zero wind chill temps before rain rolls in with warmer temperatures for the week. Perry thinks he’ll be happy about that but hasn’t considered that he’ll be wading in water to get to the wood boiler.
I want to ask him if he wishes he would’ve stacked the wood.
Those of us that didn’t grow up in the city (Cincinnati for Perry), or experience apartment living for most of our lives suggested that he should stack the wood and cover it with a tarp. It didn’t get done. But not once has ole’ Perry complained of the extra work it requires now… and there’s no way I’m going to mention it.
With snow followed by bitter cold, the wood pile is like one big block of ice. He’s breaking off pieces with a rake…
Toasty inside 😎 – frigid outside. 🥶
Standing at the front door secretly taking a few photos with a telephoto lens, I’m toasty warm inside the barndo. And I’m not gonna lie, I do feel sorry for him. While the boiler is full for now, it has to be checked — and usually more wood added — a couple times a day when we’re experiencing sub-zero temperatures.
Perry would tell you — and anyone that would listen — that he HATES winter but LOVES rural living. I love snow but I’m over the frigid temps we’ve had lately… same as everyone else around here. It’s easier to love snow when you don’t have to drive in it — or put wood in an outside boiler. 😉
Now you know: The USA federal witness protection program has a 100% success rate for those who follow their guidelines.
