A Boy's Bedroom Redo: Extremely Dusty Edition

Zach wanted to rearrange his room last week. His one request was to move his desk to the big window so he could look out while on the computer(wonder who he got that from?)


Before:

Sleeping and gaming area.

Sitting and playing area.

Office area.

 After:

New office area with a view!

Gaming area.

Sleeping area.

Now on the video games!

Trash to Treasure

Let me tell you about my dishes.....

While helping my father move two weeks ago, we were placing belongings to be stored out in his barn.  After numerous trips over, around, and running into a box out in the aisle, I stopped to see what was in it.  At first glance all I could see was shredded paper -handy work from a mouse.  Upon further inspection I could see dishes covered in dirt and mud.  I ,being on the hunt lately for extra bowls, asked Daddy about the dishes that obviously had been in the barn for sometime now.  He said take them on he didn't want them.  So I tossed them in the truck and took them home. 

When I found time to do something with them it was too cold to wash them off outside under the hydrant but they were way too dirty to wash in the sink.  I decided to clean them in the bathtub.  Armed with a tub scrub brush and rubber gloves and shampoo I took to cleaning and what emerged was this beautiful gold-rimmed plate with pink dogwood blossoms.  After admiring the pattern I flipped it over and went to scrubbing the backside and the words Homer Laughlin became visible.  I froze, I couldn't believe my eyes!  Homer Laughlin has been around since the early 1900's.  Homer and his brother actually started making dinnerware in the late 1800's but his brother sold his share and it became the Homer Laughlin company in the early 1900's.  This is the company that produced the famous Fiesta line from the thirties until the sixties.  Plus thousands more before and after the fact. 

I found two different stamps on the whole lot.  F 49 N 6 and B 49 N 6.  Once I Googled how to read the stamp, I learned the F and B at the beginning was the month they were manufactured.  So B was February and F was June.  And the year?  1949!  Thus the next number in sequence 49.  N 6 was the plant in which they were produced.  

I was so excited to behold this treasure and after questioning Daddy as to where he got them, he replied," In an old trailer I traded for and then later resold.  That was just part of the junk I had to clean out of it!" 

One person's junk is another person's treasure.

Lovely!

Update

Hope everyone had a great Christmas weekend.
　

Last week leading up to Christmas was a bit hectic. The week started off with a power failure. The power was off for about an hour and a half. Seems there was trouble with a transformer in the area. Due to that most of the digital projects I had in mind to accomplish got tabled instead. It was just as well though, for I stayed behind all day. I just couldn’t seem to catch up no matter how hard I worked. I stayed busy and the day passed faster than I would have liked.

Monday evening we brought out the grinder and ground most of the deer he got over the weekend.

Tuesday was spent making fudge and pecan logs for Charlie to take to work.

I got up at three on Wednesday morning to make cinnamon rolls and sausage balls for Charlie to take to the guys at work. Fifteen minutes in and elbow deep in rolling sausage balls the power goes off. We lit the coal oil lamps and two eyes on the stove and I went ahead with making the dough. The sausage balls went into the frig to wait until the power came back on. I can use the eyes on the gas range if I light them with a match but the oven works strictly off of power.

The power finally came back on at 5:30 just in time to pop the rolls in the oven. I was thirty minutes later than I had planned but the rolls made it and everyone seemed to enjoy them.

If we had a wood cook stove complete with an oven I wouldn’t have been late at all. Just goes to show how dependant we are. There’sa something to be said for those living off grid.

After we dropped the food off at hubby’s work, Zach and I went for a mother-son breakfast and had a great time. We then went shopping for a few odds and ends. I enjoy his company so much. I know I’m partial but he IS a great kid. We get along more like friends most of the time whether that’s good or bad is yet to be seen. But the lady that waited on us at breakfast did remark on how well mannered and polite he was. Made me proud. I preened like an old mother hen!

Thursday was a miserable rainy day but also a perfect opportunity to finish up a few things around the house before the holiday dinners and guests.

Friday I went to visit Mama and take her presents to her. The throws turned out better than I thought they would. Now to see how well they hold up to being laundered in industrial washers and dryers. Doesn’t matter though, they were a joy to make.

When Charlie got home on Friday he worked on the wood shed. 

First he took off the back tin. 

Then used it make a lean-to roof.  Then we stacked the wood from the side under the new lean- to.

The neighbor's horse came over to see what we were doing and beg for a nose scratch. 



I had to work on cheese logs for the dinner at his mom’s on Saturday and then sat back and waited on Christmas to arrive after that.

Christmas was very good to us this year. I received insulated bibs and jacket for working outside this winter. Zach got a set too. The guys got me a night gown (I needed that) and dishtowels ( needed those too), and for my birthday, a coffee percolator to use on the wood stove. ( now I can have coffee even if the power goes off this winter - love that!)

Me in my new bibs moving wood from one pile to another.  Love this pic because Buddy is climbing on the wood pile.

Zach got lots of goodies. An air soft gun and target, he’d been eyeing them for a while, a new style nerf gun, a new radio charger for his iPhone and a new cover for his iPhone. Plus a new XBOX game. One that he can play with his dad.

Zach opening a present with Buddy opening one at his feet

For Charlie we got a book by his favorite author and a 54 disc set of a favorite tv show of his.

Plus he picked up new gloves and new pants last week all that counts for Christmas. And we put lots of chocolate in his stocking.

The cat got treats, the big dog, Bowie, got bones and a toy, and Buddy got a toy and chew bones and thought every other present was his too. For the rest of the day when you rattled paper he came running to see what he got this time.

It was a very nice Christmas. A beautiful day with the sun shinning.

This week is going to be busy. Chuck took the week off and we are wanting to knock out a lot of things that need doing around here.

Tuesday is my birthday but we will celebrate it on Wednesday since I have a doctors appt then. They’ll take me out to eat afterwards.

Daddy is giving us his wood stove. So we have to go pick it up this week. And possibly get it installed into the shop.

There is a shed to extend and more wood to chop and a wall to finish in the mudroom. Plus having to trim out the door into the stove room. I’m sure Charlie will want to work on tanning that deer hide and hewing out his boards in there some where.

I'll try to post when I can this week. 

Hope everyone has a great week and a safe New Year. 

Until next time.......Kristi.

Things Off the List

I spent last week working on things I’d been putting off. It wasn’t the most pleasant week ever but I got a lot of things completed that had been bugging me.

Price list updated
Contact list updated
Pictures sorted
Plastic bags made into plarn ( don’t worry I’ll explain later)
A few new recipes completed
Craft patterns printed out and filed
Christmas food grocery list completed and purchased
Autumn decorations put back in storage
Leaves put in compost
Outdoor rug started
Food storage list inventoried and updated

Charlie completed things off his list as well

Made kindling box
Moved last stack of firewood to side of shed and tarped
Top shelf in mud room installed
Rain barrel top cut off
Brought home more meat for the freezer
Got started on tanning a hide
Started hewing boards for misc. projects

Hope to have pics up later this week.

Counting down the days until Christmas!

Have a great day…Kristi.

Recent Projects Completed

I finally got Mama's flannel lap throw finished, all snipped, and edges frayed. One side is yellow and the other is pink.

The guys got the new handles on the wheel barrow. One of the old ones broke.  They replaced both to be safe.

The doggie door is in place.  Who knew the most difficult part of the whole project would be getting the dog to actually use it.  (He's doing better now)

Charlie installing a block and tackle like he fixed for the woods.  This one will be handy for afternoon hunting.  If it's getting dark in the woods, he can bring it home and process in the shop.  Just spread some plastic on the floor and you're ready to go.  They actually got to try it out over the weekend.  A friend gifted Charlie's dad a deer and Charlie helped his dad process in our shop. 

One other project I completed was that I got my Christmas gifts wrapped.  I didn't do in my traditional manner with the Christmas movie playing in the background.  I did however do it in the bedroom floor behind a locked door and a nervous disposition.  But they are wrapped that's the important thing.  Now about that movie....................

Until next time....Kristi.

Mud Room

Lots of things going on around here lately and the blog has suffered. It was one of the first things to be put on the back burner and I apologize. Hopefully things will settle down once we get this mud room finished. 

Here are some pics of the progress.

(Not only will this be a mud room but it also houses the wood stove.)

I'll post pics of the inside after we get the shelves  up and things in their proper places. 

Have a great day!!

Sustainable Laundry Thoughts

I have been contemplating alternatives to the washing machine lately.  We've been kidding about getting a wringer washer.  Only kidding because finding one that is in decent shape is next to impossible.  I noticed an article on a bicycle powered washing machine and that piqued my interest more than a little bit.  Exercising while getting your clothes clean?  I mean that is multitasking at it's greatest!

We had a front loading washer and it used very little water but used more electricity.  We then went back to the top loader and immediately the change was noted on the water bill.  They do take less time and electricity to run but waste more water. 

I thought maybe if I had a rain barrel I could use buckets of it to start the wash cycle then it would fill up to rinse off the meter as normal.  That would at least cut my city water usage in half. 

Just tossing ideas around right now but I happened upon the article below that I thought was interesting.  I had heard of using the plunger method before but never had anyone give the results of such a process.  It will be nice to see how well this works and what problems they come up against and the solutions they find to solve them. 

To read the article click below:
Going Sustainable With Laundry

Again just thinking of ways to be more self sustaining in the event I have to be.  Don't get me wrong I love convenience but I don't want to get to the point that I rely on it and panic without it.

 Oh well, there is always the stump and laundry paddle to fall back on.  One man stated that there wasn't a stain anywhere that could stand up to his grandma and her paddle! 

Until next time......Kristi.

Good Morning, Freedom!

We've tried our hand at different ventures over the years. We have called ourselves many things. Tightwads, frugalists, former spend thrifts but one thing we have never uttered....self sufficient.


Enter Mr King.

Our first small, yet major, step toward self suffiency.

Isn't Mr. King stunning?

He certainly feels freeing.

Good Morning, Freedom!

Full Circle

A lot happened last week and over last weekend. We sold Mama's trailer and got it moved out. Now the spot looks empty, like it's waiting on something to take it's place. I'll be glad when we can get the dirt work done on it and make it mowable in the places where it isn't and make it more mower friendly in the places that need it. Below are pics of the whole moving process.

Front and back of trailer before we started getting it ready for travel.

First, the back porch and ramp had to be taken off.

The deck minus the roof being moved.

Part of the ramp waiting at the side of the driveway.

Underpenning off and axles and wheels put on. 

Starting to move.

Headed up the slope and onto the road.

Waiting on the highway.  You can see the empty spot in this picture.

Starting down the road to it's new home.  We wish them well.

Thanks to all that helped to get it on it's way.  My father-in-law, for the use of his equipment and expertise.  My mother-in-law, for the company.  B and B Movers, for the great job they did getting it out without a scratch.  And to the new owner, Brandi, and her dad, Mr. Jones, for the hours they spent over here as well. 

To new beginnings.........Kristi.

November Update Part 1

Lots of things in updates this week so I divided it into two parts. So not to bore you to tears in double time this time! :) First up I made two loaves of bread this week. It was so good! I have always chickened out on making bread. It used to be that I was intimidated by using yeast. But through the years I started making things that took yeast, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, and pizza crust, and had success on them. But white bread was still my Mt. Everest. I couldn't have asked for a better first batch. I'm not bragging, don't mistake what I'm saying. I'm saying it with excitement, disbelief and a little awe. This week I'm thinking that I'll only make one loaf and make rolls out of the rest. I'll let you know if it works.

Zach's birthday was Thursday.  I made him a cake, a sheet cake, I know I'm a terrible mother, it isn't even fancy or decorated and he had to put the candles on the cake himself.  But it's what he asked for.  He wanted white on white so he could share with the dog since we would be celebrating his birthday also. 

While fixing the batter, I decided to make the dog his own cake instead of giving him a slice of Zach's.  So I saved out a little batter and put in my smallest cast iron skillet.(  about 6 inches in diameter.)  Then we put icing on it and for candles we cut a Pup a Roni dog treat in half and stuck in the top. 

Yes, I know, the dog's cake looks fancier than my sons.  Like I said I'm a terrible mother, but I make up for it by being a good dog owner.  (smile)

One of his gifts.  A nerf water blaster.  He also bought a new scooter with some of his bday money.  Plus we took him out to eat at his restaurant of choice....O'Charley's.  He came away with a new video game as well.  We had a lot of fun shopping in town together.

Zach trying his hand at splitting wood. 

We had toyed with the idea of heating with wood.  It was going to mean adding on to the house and purchasing a stove. So the idea got scrapped until his father started talking about adding on to their house and making a wood stove.  That set Charlie to thinking and now it appears we are going to start our addition pretty soon.  We have decided to go ahead with the room because it will serve as a mud room (something I have always wanted).  Then we can add the stove later as we find a used one or Charlie can find the time to build us one.  In the meantime, we came across free wood and took advantage of it.  A tree had fallen across his uncle's field road and we offered to help him move it, so he gave us the wood.  Yay!  Remember the rule:  cheap is good, free is better. 

This isn't all of it, but this is what we had at the end of the first day.  One whole row and almost half of a second. 
This kind of stuff is exciting to me.  It reminds me of my childhood, going to the woods with mama and daddy to chop wood for home.  Good thing I married a man that enjoys it too!  ( since he had to split it all)

Hope you have a nice week...........Kristi.


Tomorrow, update number two-moving the trailer.

Words

She opened the third door. A squeal of excitement came out of her mouth and startled the listening house. There before her eyes was a little store. All up the walls of that small room were shelves, and on the shelves were dishes, and pans and pots, and boxes, and cans. All around under the shelves stood barrels and boxes.

The first barrel was nearly full of flour. The second held corn meal. The third had a tight lid, and it was full of pieces of fat, white pork held down in brown brine. Laura had never seen so much salt pork at one time. There was a wooden box full of square soda crackers, and a box full of big slabs of salted fish. There was a large box of dried apples, and two sacks full of potatoes, and another big sack nearly full of beans.

By the Shores of Silver Lake- Laura Ingalls Wilder

A Piece of History

My Mother-in-law's new play pretty.

The ironic part is that leading up to her bringing this home, we, that is chuck and myself, had been toying with the idea of closing in a part of our back porch off the kitchen and getting a wood stove to suppliment our gas heat and also give us an alternative cooking source in a power outage.  Now I never hope to acquire such a gem as the one pictured above, but was thinking along the lines of what my father has;  a little flat top stove.  One where I could set my cast iron dutch oven and cook stew, soup, chili, or a pot a beans all day.   An oven for making biscuits would be a wonderful bonus but I'm not holding my breath.  Plus, like I said we were just toying with the idea because it would take a lot of work and a lot of material to do that but it doesn't hurt to dream! 

 Anyway hope you enjoy the pics and I hope she enjoys her treasure; her own little piece of history.  I wish it could talk and tell us all the stories it must of heard while chicks and children, puppies and hearts were warmed while standing around that little stove. 

Clothesline Edition: News That Leaves You Hanging

Saturday the guys put up a new clothesline across the deck.  This will keep me from wading mud and wet grass during the coming months of less than premium hanging weather. 

He used galvanized conduit so they wouldn't rust.  And the post holders he made out of aluminum and turned those out in the shop himself. 

The clothes line can be taken down and put back up in a matter of minutes.  So it won't be in the way come next summer when the pool is in use once again.  The poles can also be taken down since he fixed them to sit down over the aluminum holders.

You can see the clotheslines in the background are full so I had to use my new one right away! 

Until next time.......Kristi.