Hey guys! How is everybody doing today?
Boy, we’ve missed the rain the last couple of days, and it has been pretty warm. BUT, it has been absolutely beautiful. It just feels good to be outside, working, sweatin, getting something done, and then looking back at the end of the day and going, “Yeah, man…it’s lookin pretty good.”
Honestly though, when you’re doing your job, working in the garden, or shelling and canning your vegetables, or just piddling around on a “do-it-yourself” project around the house, isn’t it rewarding to take a few minutes and appreciate your day’s labor. It does me.
Speaking of a “do-it-yourselfer,” our add-on to the food room is quickly winding down…and it’s turned out really, really well for our purpose. We like a couple days at the most, but the worst part was once we started laying shelving out, and then, starting to put all the goods in their new spots.
We could have been done, but for “Mr. Organizer.” I swear, I can be my own worst enemy at times, but I am a peculiar person in that I want things organized. With this being the case, I’ve spent most of the last couple of days, moving goods here, checking out how they look or if there’s enough room designated for them in each spot, then moving them somewhere else if need be.
BUT, for the last three years, we’ve been canning, using our food saver, and picking up a little extra each trip to the grocery store. This has worked out very well for us, but the problem was, say you had 5 rows of green beans, and you had three rows of sweet peas beside them, and something else beside them. Guess what?
Each time you go back to the store and pick up a few other items, come home, go to put your food up and…no shelf space.
Next thing you know, you’ve got green beans, 12 or so cans in about 5 or 6 different spots. PLUS the ones already on the shelf…but no room for more! Then you compound this very shortly, when you have the exact same problem with your corn, tomatoes, canned milk, fruits, stews, etc.
Well in our case now…NOT NO MORE! We is “uptown,” my friends. Every can of green beans or anything else in the room for that matter, are now right where they need to be. YES! Everything has its OWN spot!
Now, I know you’re thinking, “You know what? Ole Dub will have the same problem very shortly once again. As soon as he runs out of shelf space, it’ll all be scattered once more.”
But, you know what, it won’t. You know why? Cause I ain’t buying anymore! We’re done with store bought green beans and other veggies…we have plenty. Our gardens keep pumping the good stuff out anyway, and we have plenty of room for home-canned product.
I’ll share a few pictures of it today.
One thing I did that turned out nice was our medicine cabinet.
A buddy of mine built a hat rack for me cause I might have a hat or two. Dale and I unloaded it yesterday, and he was amazed at the number of caps that were in there. Once I got to bagging them I was amazed too! I collected them for 4-5 years. I got started because in our business, we’re construction oriented, people are always passing out caps. Most with their company logo, etc….
But anyway, we “tweaked it” just a little, and the dern thing made a great medicine chest. It’s a little better than 50 inches wide, and I believe about 39 inches tall, and it worked out well. The shelf dividers aren’t real pretty, but they do just what the name claims…they divide. Works for me! Carpenters we ain’t, but you cain’t tell us so! LOL!
Even Deb, once she saw it, goes,”Dern Dub, that was a good idea.” I liked to have fell down! I mean, c’mon guys, how often is it that your wives go, “That’s good honey?” You know what I mean? It’s breaks down simply, that if Mama is happy…everybody’s happy! Life is goooood…
The addition has turned out nice though, and honestly, I’m glad Deb suggested it, although I think the reasoning being two-fold. First we did need the space, and secondly, it got me out from under her! The womenfolk are sly, aren’t they? This is going to work out just fine for us!
When you take a gander at the pictures below, understand this was three years of picking up a little here, and a little there. BUT, most all was picked up on sale, and if it was a REALLY good sale, and we happened to be money ahead at the time, we loaded up.
The best time to shop sales for food are the major holidays…Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. You’ll do just about as good as you possibly can during these times, pricewise. You seem to get a much better “bang for your buck” during the holidays.
Another big plus, is simply the cost difference of what we paid then…versus what we would pay now! Things are without a doubt more expensive today than ever, and once more, I really believe that food today is an investment and everyone should put at least some up…even if only a two to three week supply. You just never know what tomorrow brings, and this was how Deb and I looked at it when we started trying to put some food up for a rainy day…
First, for those that don’t know, we’re in the construction business and we all know how much this type of business was affected during the initial housing market bust! We’ve been very fortunate and have stayed halfway busy workwise the last year and a half or so.
It ain’t nothing to write home about, BUT, we keep all the bills paid, and at the moment, we’re “weatherin the storm,” thank the good Lord! After the housing bubble burst we went TWO years without a job.
We saw the economic downturn just starting to happen, and we went back to gardening, canning, putting up all types of different stock just in case it gets really bad. We even installed two pitcher pumps to insure an adequate water supply…power or not.
You see, Deb and I both, like most Americans, don’t want our governments help, and we knew…no work, no eat! Our problems are not your problems, and if Deb and I decide, well, we just aren’t going to work any longer…how, or better yet, WHY, is that your problem? Let me make this very clear…IT AIN’T!
That’s another story though, and a road I don’t need to travel and get fired off on this morning. Let’s only say that I do not condone welfare, or social justice. Believe it or not, people will help each other through charitable acts. Family helps family, friend helps friend, neighbor helps neighbor…humans, most anyway, don’t mind extending a helping hand, and do so willingly. It is human nature.
I don’t mind one bit helping someone out, and do so, BUT, it is entirely wrong to take from one to give to another. It creates dependence and good Lord we have way, way too many on some type of social program, and they’ve become…entitled???
What’s yours my friend…is part theirs. Plus, they’ve gotten to the point they don’t appreciate it…but, DEMAND IT!
Social justice my rear-end! If you don’t appreciate or abide by the morals, standards, and freedoms laid out for us by our Founding Fathers…DELTA’s READY WHEN YOU ARE!! How simple is that??
Well, I had to have my say, didn’t I? Sorry, but that social justice BS really torques me up!
Our food stock…everything stays rotated fairly easily. We date the top of our canned goods, store bought or home canned, and just keep usin up the oldest first. Once we start running a little low in the pantry inside our home, we go out to our room, grab a case or two, and restock our home pantry.
In closing this morning, I’d like to say for about the hundredth time…pick up just a few extras. It may come in VERY handy one day, but in the same breath, you won’t buy it later for what you paid for it today.
You don’t have to put up as much stock as we have, and the main reason we did so was to keep our family, and our employees and their families with food on the table if our work stopped. At least until our business picked up, or they found another job. Deb and I both feel obligated in this sense.
This isn’t social justice by any means. It’s only that we appreciate all they do for us on a daily basis, by keeping our jobs going well, and looking out for us and our company. From that standpoint alone, we are obligated to them also, and we’d not let them do without if it came down to it, and at all possible for us to do!
Anyway, here’s some pics…
Part of the original storage room. Finally…enough space to get all products in their own spot!
Another photo of the original room. Still messy, as we’re still finishing up the new addition.
Looking through the walkway from the original into the addition. See the mess still scattered about?
My old hat rack…now it’s our new medicine storage. We’ll be building shelving around it.
A view with the “security doors” swung open…LOL!
Some shelving setup
More shelving and canned foods
Another view. I counted 499 jars. We’ve another 50 or so in the house pantry.
Our security guard, Cheyenne. She checks ID and frisks anyone coming or going. She’s putting in asking me about one of the airport security machines. You know, the “see-through” kind. I don’t know if it’s as much about “security,” as it is in maybe getting the little yellow male cur dog across the street, over to get a couple snap shots?? Get my drift? LOL!
Now…what’s my next project? Thinkin along the lines of a small greenhouse…20’x40’, maybe? Any ideas or suggestions I can run by “the boss-lady” would be appreciated!
You guys all have a great day, okay? Thanks for stopping back in to visit, and God Bless each and every one of you! Deb says, “Keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!”
Dub and Deb
