Plans For the Future

We had a pleasant Christmas day.  There were no children so presents weren't opened until 2pm after we picked up Dad from the nursing home.  He enjoyed opening his gifts.  I got him a fuzzy blanket with a trout on it.  He seemed to like it.

I used pillowcases to wrap some of my large or awkwardly shaped items.  I thought it worked well although my sister gave me a hard time about it and tried to keep the pillowcase.  

On Friday, I stayed home and cleaned my house.  I always need one day to get everything back in order.  On Saturday, I went shopping with my mother and sister.  We returned a few things and replaced them with what we really wanted.  I pointed out a shoe rack for my sister to buy me.  I put it together today and I love having my shoes off the floor.  My closet is so much neater now.

We have had nights in the 20's for the last couple of days.  I threw sheets over my tomatoes to keep them from freezing but they look terrible anyway.  Maybe it's time to give up on them and wait until spring.  It is looking more and more like my nephew will be living with me again in July so gardening will be put on hold for the summer as well as dog fostering, or at least minimized.  Maybe one dog at a time?  My current foster dog needs $900 knee surgery so we set up a fundraiser site through a rescue group.  Fundraiser for Sassy.

That's Sassy hopping on my sweet potato leaves.  It's ok, the frost killed them anyway.  Unfortunately, most people are broke right now.  We should have started this fundraiser a month ago but I didn't have her then.  After we raise the money and she gets the surgery, I think her recovery time is 8 weeks so I'm going to have her for awhile.  Good thing she gets along with my dogs.

I am getting ready to kick off Extreme Makeover:  Mobile Home Edition.  First step, a consultation regarding erosion control and rainwater collection.  I'm hoping the Watershed Management company can help me fix my driveway and help me set up my water tanks for maximum efficiency.  Once the driveway is fixed, I will be able to drive my low car up to the mobile home without having to use the neighbor's road and I will be able to get dirt delivered to help with my snake-deterrent fence.  In order to do all of this, I will need to take my $10,000 out of the mutual fund I had stashed it in.  I was hoping that I wouldn't need it for at least 5 years but things change and life happens.  This phase of my plan was supposed to happen in 3 years but now it has moved up.  I hope I will be able to make all the improvements to my property within my $10k budget while still putting some extra money towards the mortgage.  If I am very careful, I think I can.