Hi everyone - I'd planned on joining y'all again in Aug to stay on track with projects but Summer Covid had other ideas:(
Mr. R. brought it home from work and we both ended up sick, UGH!
FINANCES
1. GOAL: $150K by June 2024
2. $80K now - Save $2K ea mo -
DONE(another ~ $79K in limbo which may go to zero - so I can't count on it. The plan is to sell most of it in 2024/25 no matter what.)
3. Find a 5.5% CD for my next $10K CD
GARDEN
Too hot to tackle any projects but
1.
THE GOAL is to spend one to two hours each morning working in the garden.
It is tough but I'm determined not to let it slip too far so that we can enjoy the garden in cooler months.
Also, I want to be ready for early spring gardening and a couple of projects in late Nov-early Dec.
2. So far so good, but I will also engage help on two days this month - to help me stay on track and do stuff that is hard for me to do in this heat.
DONE!
3. Attending a garden workshop this month. Looking forward to that.
4. Renew my membership in the Botanical Garden and I plan to take a couple of trips there this month.
5. Joining the local Rare Plant Society - I'd like to be more active and interact with other gardeners.
6. Visit both the Tropical Garden Center nearby and the Bamboo and Tropical Garden Center for some ideas on changes I'd like to make next season.
CREATIVE
1. Working on a garden re-design.
2. Looking into hiring a garden designer... one I've followed on youtube for years.
3. Tackle the new "gallery walls" in the study. (Dark Academia Style)
One side wall is already planned and ready to be hung, just need to drill the holes - do it this week!
One wall panel needs to be finalized - choosing from my various picture and decor ideas revolving around my trip to Paris. The challenge lies in the layout.
Should be fun to finally finish.
One more sidewall and one slim panel wall are just waiting to be hung with art and decorated with mementos already owned.
4. Harvest - Display - Storage
I found a black wrought iron panel for $2 at the thrift store that I want to use to hang herbs in the kitchen/dining area.
I plan to harvest and dry a sweet Chinese basil with citrus flavor, a peppery spicy African basil and the last of my Italian Genovese basil, Lemon Verbena, Orange mint tea, Indian Holy Basil, Rosemary and Oregano. The flowers from the African basil in particular make a wonderful seasoning once they are dried well.
I've already dried herbs and teas for the winter months re-using glass spice jars or containers, this will be my last batch. I prefer to use fresh from the garden but it is good to have some on hand for gifts, or when the weather is disagreeable or a plant doesn't make it through our brutal summers.
On a side note, the black swallowtail butterfly caterpillars 25-30 ate all of my parsley down to the ground. Imagine my surprise when I came out to water and here are all these fat caterpillars munching down on bare leaved stems:). The parsley took it in stride and has since recovered.
I planted some fennel for them so hopefully the next batch of butterflies will feast on the fennel (they have in the past).
5. Bedroom curtains and gazebo panels -
DONEI took a chance and ordered sheer green curtain panels with a cascading leaf design on Temu for $3.50 a panel for our gazebo.
When they arrived I discovered that the leaves are beautifully made in a 3D effect and edged with a hint of sparkly gold - just wow.
They turned out to be the perfect fit for our two bedroom windows and the perfect addition to my new bedding.
I just ordered four more panels to use with the four remaining panels for the gazebo at Christmas time. Looks so pretty and airy.
BATHROOM - in progress
I had help with fixing the rotted baseboards and difficult hinge repair/replacement for the huge mirror/medicine cabinet, replaced door hinges, replaced rusty old lights, and both the curtain rod and the rusty shower curtain rod. -
DONE!
So the good thing is all the nasty, hard part is done. Now I'm down to:
Paint the interior door white (actually only one last coat), paint one wall deep turquoise, add gold accents to the mirror frame, door hook, and shelf trim, and try a gold star stencil on the floor tiles.
Along the way hang a fern, look for new art/decor, a new shower curtain, and a new rug and perhaps new towels.
USE UP MY PANTRY STORES AND FRIDGE/FREEZER
Bake a cake this week or next
Fix the huge beef brisket in the freezer and the smoked pork chops and sausage in the fridge - working on it!
@Raenia - that is a lot of messy house stuff to work on - are you doing a fixer-upper or did you just move?
Good luck with your projects everyone!
