COMING in 2024

 

Happy Winter Solstice

 

A Plan For 2024

 

The New Year is two weeks away, and I started thinking of my goals for next year. I am not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, and I think making a goal list is much better!

What is going to happen in 2024-

1. Get a car

2. Get back to the outdoors and fishing

3. Publish ten books and continue with Kindle Vella publishing

4. Pay down and off my debt

5. Continue to self-heal and learn to love myself again

6. Start the process of buying a house

7. Get back into shape

8. Continue to grow my blog and side hustles 

9. Maintain a comfortable work-life balance

10. Focus more on my spiritual journey

So what about you all? Do you have goals you would like to accomplish in 2024? Let me know!

Trailor Preview For The Farm

 Coming In 2024

Editing and Rewrites Happening Now!

A Holiday Update

With the holidays fast approaching, I just wanted to let everyone know updates may be slow for new content as we have a lot of things happening in our home. So keep an eye out, and there will be periodic updates. No matter what holiday you celebrate, I hope you have a great one!

Much Love and Blessings,

Angie

Pain and Loss

Some people say when you lose someone you love, your mind either block it out or you relive that moment year after year. In my case, I relive the two consecutive days every year. At first, I was unable to function during those two days. Now I cry and remember. Mentally, I know there was nothing I could do to change the past, but my grief still doesn't get any better. I have gotten better at hiding it.

October 10, 1995

I was an eighteen-year-old girl fresh out of high school, pregnant with twins. Baby A was the strong twin, and Baby B was the weaker baby. My Doctor had put me into a high-risk category due to my age and being pregnant with two babies. I lived with my daughter's father and his mother, as my parents did not want the embarrassment of having an unwed mother in their home. To everyone else, they acted like they couldn't wait to be Grandparents, but to me, I was a curse to them.

The day was like any other day. I had to stay on partial bed rest due to how my body had reacted to the pregnancy. At 3 p.m. that afternoon, I had a bright spot as I had a sonogram scheduled to check on my little ones. When I arrived, the receptionist told me that my appointment would be late due to a rush in the ER from emergency cases. My daughter's father said he would not stay and left, instructing me to page him when the appointment was over. Okay, I didn't mind being alone. I worked on a blanket I was making. The receptionist in the area came over with a hospital cup of water, telling me I needed to have plenty of fluid for the sonogram. I had already drank a lot of water but thanked her and sipped as I sewed.

After another hour of waiting, the receptionist called me up front for the sonogram. When I walked in, the sonogram tech asked if I was alone, and I said I was. The tech was so sweet and kind and set me up on the table, then started with the screen facing both of us and continued with the sonogram. The tech pointed out Baby B and said look, she is sucking her thumb. I laughed as she said that. Then she got to Baby A and said, "Oh, Baby A is hiding today. She told me to relax as everything would take a while. I lay there and closed my eyes as these sonograms always take close to an hour. I heard the tech get up and call someone on the phone. I asked if everything was okay, and she gave a forced laugh. She said, "Oh no worries, Baby A is being a stinker and will not let me get a clear picture of her or him."

I remember chuckling and saying, Yeah, I get that I hate being in the spotlight as well. The nurse patted my shoulder, and I closed my eyes. Her supervisor had me turn on my side a bit so they could try to get a better view of Ashley. They said they couldn't get a clear picture, then did more stuff with Baby B, my daughter A. I didn't know what they had discovered that Ashley's cord tied, and she was gone. 

After the sonogram, my tech said my Doctor would call me to discuss the results in the morning. What I didn't know was that my Doctor was in the building. However, he was performing a c-section when told what was happening. My Doctor stated his office would have me come in, and they would personally break the news to me in the morning since A was stable. I paged my ex, and he came and got me, and we went home for the night.

October 11, 1995

The following morning, the phone rang at 8 a.m., and my Doctor's office was calling me in to discuss my sonogram results. I was filled with dread and asked when they wanted me there. The nurse said to get to the office right away. My ex drove me to the Doctor's office, and when we got there, they led me to the Doctor's private office. We sat in the chairs, and he joined us a few minutes later. He started with baby B, who was stable, and all her measurements showed she was tiny but healthy. I stopped him and said, "What about baby A?"

He was quiet, and under his breath, he said this is the part of being a Doctor he hated. He came around to sit on the corner of his desk and said, "I am sorry. During the sonogram yesterday, the technician discovered baby A had passed."

I remember a loud ringing that started in my ears, and my vision got fuzzy around the edges. I remember saying, "I am going to be sick."

My Doctor placed a bucket in my lap as I got sick. The nurse who had joined him in the room pulled my hair back and rubbed my shoulder. My ex sat there and did not say a word. Once I had finished, I asked, "What did I do to cause this?"

The Doctor told me, "You did not do anything. Her cord had knotted and tightened. You could not have prevented this."

I remember putting my hand on my belly. I asked, "What about Baby B? Is she going to pass as well?"

My Doctor said, "Not if I have anything to say about it. You are going from here to the hospital. They have a room in maternity set up for you, and we will give you injections to increase baby B's lung growth. But you need to know, Baby B will be born premature, which means she will have to go to All Children's Hospital in St Petersburg."

I nodded, and the nurse handed me a bottle of water. She said, "The hospital is waiting for your arrival. Dad will have to get your things from your house for you."

When I got to the hospital, the staff in maternity handled me like I was a ticking time bomb. I felt like I was in a dream. After my ex dropped me off at the hospital, my ex did the one smart thing and went to my Grandmother's house and told her. I must have been at the hospital an hour when my Grandma came into the room and just held me. She held my hands while they gave me shots to help my daughter and then stroked my hair when they gave me a sedative to go to sleep. I stayed at the hospital for three days on monitors, my Doctor checking on me two to three times a day. On Friday, October 13th, I was sent home from the hospital. I had joked with the nurse I would see you later on, and she said, "Bed rest and nothing else."

When I got to my ex's Mom's house, she had me lay on the couch, and I woke up later that evening, ate a little, and went to bed until the following morning. My ex informed me that after everything that happened, he needed to unwind, and he was going out with the boys. What I didn't know was that he was hooking up with a friend, and they went clubbing till the day my daughter was born. While he was out, I had made a hospital bag with everything I needed just in case labor became a reality much sooner than we expected. 

The following morning, at 545 a.m. I had to go to the bathroom so badly. I walked to the bathroom, and when I went to open the door, my water broke. I remember I went to my ex's mom's room, knocked on the door, and told her my water had broken. She was up fast, and she opened her door and said did you say a water pipe broke? I said, " No, my water broke." She ran in, and I heard her smack my ex awake, saying she needed to go to the hospital now the baby was coming. I had made it to the phone and called my Doctor's answering service, and the service said they were alerting my Doctor, but to get to the hospital as he was already there due to an emergency earlier."

I asked my ex's mom to call my Grandma as we left. She headed to the phone to do so, and when we got to the hospital, my Doctor was waiting with a nurse and a wheelchair. They bought me in and prepped me for an emergency c-section. My Autumn survived, but we had to deal with the death of her sister, Ashley. 

The day Autumn Rose was born was the first official day of Autumn in our county. Ashley, was taken to the morgue after she was delivered, and I never got to say goodbye due to complications during delivery. I had to be put to sleep when we went into delivery with the girls, but later, my Doctor said that Ashley was keeping Autumn in place, and they had tangled together during delivery. If I had not given birth when I did, I could have lost Autumn as well. 

When I was in the hospital, the staff asked me about funeral arrangements. I panicked and said, "I do not know because I never thought about it." 

That's when one of the nurses told me the owner of one of the local funeral homes, who works with a graveyard, had sponsored a funeral and plot for my daughter. The funeral home took care of everything from the coffin to the grave. When the head came to see me the next day, he handed me a paper with Ashley's footprints. My ex took the picture, which had been in a frame from me when we broke up.

Not a day goes by that I do not think about Ashley and the what-ifs. Not a day goes by that I don't thank whatever higher power there is for my oldest daughter, Autumn. Because I was close to losing her as well, I love my children more than anything in this world, and even though there were times I was a shit mom and made a lot of mistakes, they mean everything to me, and I would do anything in my power to fix everything that has happened between us. 

Ladies and gentlemen, your grief never goes away from the loss you had in your life. We have to find a way to adapt and move forward. Remember to talk to those who would listen and get help if needed. Much love and blessings to you all.

A Mid-Day Laugh

I have said it before. I live in a haunted home. There have also been posts when I have commented on weird things that go on while I am working. Well, here is the laugh. I had shut the door to my office and was in between customer calls when I heard the door to my room open. My partner is at work, and last I checked, his Dad was sleeping. I looked at the door, and I thought, what fresh hell is happening now? I thought I would see something, and nope, apparently, my cats have learned how to open the door to get in. So no ghosts, just kitties breaking into a closed door. How is your day going? 

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ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

 I found an article this past week with adult Christmas lists. The article I read said to name your top ten items you would like for Christmas, no matter how outrageous. However, you need to state why you want these items. So here it goes, my top 10 things I would like for Christmas.

1. A home in the country near a pond, lake, or river.

Why? Because, the way the world is going, it will be fend for yourself soon.

2. A Car

Why? So I can get to town and go on many adventures!

3. A greenhouse

Because I love to grow food and herbs, and with the state of the economy, you never know how bad things can get.

4. An Electric Pressure Canner

I love canning foods but sometimes feel like I would explode a canner on the stove.

5. A Freeze Dry Machine/ Second Dehydrator

I see all the results online with a Freeze Dry Machine and would love to get one. Freeze Dryers are expensive, so if I could not get a Freeze Dryer, I would love to get a second dehydrator.

6. A New Comforter For My Bed

I think it's about time to change it up

7. A Outdoor Oven

I love cooking and want an outdoor oven to do it outside.

8. A Small Boat

So we can go fishing on the river instead of in the river.

9. A Small Rechargeable Generator 

Because I live in Florida, and power goes out in storms.

10. A Unlimited Supply of Yarn/Crafting Supplies

Because I love to craft and make things.

What about you? What would you like on your Christmas list?

A Gift From The Dead

Christmas day of 2022, we lost our beloved black lab, Rodeo, after she lost her fight with cancer. Rodeo was an old girl who was stubborn in her ways. Rodeo loved her food, and she had her place in every room of the house and would not let anyone else in her spot. It broke my heart when Rodeo passed. From the day she came to live with us, Rodeo was my work buddy and would sit next to me every day during my work shifts and follow me through the house wherever I went, including the bathroom. I used to joke with my co-workers she knew just as much about our calls as we did.

Well, a little over three months after she passed away, we received our gift from Rodeo. After I had got off of work, I started to do some chores and went to take out the garbage. When I opened the door, I heard a meow, and one of our local strays we feed named Oreo was sitting at the bottom of the stairs next to a fluffy orange ball. It's not uncommon for Oreo to bring us gifts such as a mouse or a squirrel, but when I put the garbage down, I found the orange ball was a tiny kitten. She was no more than 4-6 weeks old. This little kitten had dried-up insulation and wood chips all over her. I picked her up, and she cuddled into me as she tried to meow.

I looked around, thinking she must have gotten lost from her mama, but Mom was nowhere to be seen. I tucked her into my sweatshirt, took the garbage to the dumpster, and then realized she was asleep in my arms. I returned home, sat on the patio, and tried to remove the insulation and wood chips from her fur. I asked her, "What to do with you?"

At that moment, from inside the house, almost to answer my question, I heard a bark Rodeo's bark. I needed a cage and kitten food, so I went to a neighbor's house to borrow the items as she always had them on hand. I found my partner and said, "I think we have a new kitten."

I was already in love with this little orange ball of fluff who curled up in my arms and fell asleep. When he took her from my arms, he fell in love with her and made sure we had everything we needed for her. We brought her into the house, and the dogs and cats looked at us as if they knew we were adding another furry member to our family. We named her JJ after my partner's mom, and for the next month and a half, she was with me for everything. She slept next to us in a cage, and we had to arrange playtime so we could put up the dogs. She flourished and grew. We think her mom may have abandoned her size and being so tiny. But as JJ grew, I noticed something. While playing, she would stop, look up, and rub her head against something I couldn't see. I felt like Rodeo was there telling JJ, this is your chance and checking on her.

JJ has so many of Rodeo's mannerisms and quirks. She follows me around everywhere and has to be next to me. She loves her food and will meow at me when I am slow at getting her food, just like Rodeo used to bark. JJ will sit in my lap while I work or sit on a corner of my desk while I take calls. When she doesn't think I am around, I see her interacting with something I can't see, rubbing her face and standing on her legs to reach up to what would be Rodeo's height. 

Rodeo has physically been gone from us for over nine months now, and I still miss her so much. Rodeo came into my world for a small amount of time, but she stole my heart. I have seen her out of the corner of my eye while I work or cook. I believe Rodeo had a hand in bringing JJ into our lives to help us with the loss of her. So Rodeo, thank you for sending me my orange ball of chaos, and know that she will never replace you.

Getting A Pressure Canner

I have mentioned it before in my blog, but I prep for emergencies and to save on the cost of food. I am not shy about stating this, as many know. I water bath can, and I dehydrate food right now. I want a pressure canner, but I will be 100% honest with you. I have seen so many pressure canning explosion videos it makes me scared to get one. Do not get me wrong, I have had a pressure canner before, so I know how to use them. I know the dos and don'ts, but I am still scared by the thought of one exploding. Any feedback, anyone?

Dreams To Reality

In honor of the spooky season, I am adding some Paranormal articles leading up to All Hallows Eve!

I read once that the people we have seen in our dreams, we must have seen in our daily lives as well. Well, diving down that rabbit hole, where do the monsters we see in our dreams come from? I read an article once that the monsters we see in our dreams, we would have had to see or at least read about and see a picture of it to appear in our dreams. I tend to remember my dreams for a short period after I wake up. Some of these dreams have led to the start of a new book, short story, or audiobook. I am no expert. But I have asked, how could I dream of places I have never seen or read about? 

For example, a few nights ago, I dreamt about a home on a lake and river that I had never seen or been to before. The property sat where the river and lake met, surrounded by a vast forest. I slowly walked through the historic manor house, taking in its decor when I passed a mirror. My reflection showed I was wearing vintage clothing from the 1840s. The home's only light was by candles and the fire in the hearth.

Now, the dream would not have bothered me, but what did was the faces of the staff on the property. I may be horrible with names, but I do remember faces. These faces were of people I had never met. Almost as if I was seeing the past through one of my reincarnations.

During the dream, some staff members watched the woods, and I heard claims of monsters just out of sight. I wish I could give more information about this dream, but my alarm woke me up for the day. So, what are your thoughts about what we dream? What are your thoughts on what we see in them? What about the faces and creatures we see in them? Do our dreams come from reality, and could our past lives show us a glimpse into how we dream? I will leave that up to you to decide.

Big Brother Is Watching?

So today, we had a nationwide emergency alert test, and the conspiracy theorists did not disappoint. My other half and I went to bed watching a documentary about Big Brother watching us last night. So, if Big Brother is watching me, I have to ask, are you seeing my weird search history, which includes how to murder someone, research on aliens and paranormal creatures, animal memes, and a whole host of other crazy stuff for my books I write, Are you scared yet? I ask, big brother, Why watch us average people with weird searches because we are likely bored when you have criminals running our government? Inquiring minds would like to know. Hmm, maybe a new book topic. 

Anyway, you amazing people who have weird search histories, I salute you!

-Angie

Paranormal Real or Fake?

I receive a lot of ridicule due to my belief in the Paranormal. Honestly, I am okay with that. I have lived in haunted homes and towns all my life. I published a book with some of the stories from my personal experiences. After publishing my book, someone told me it was a cute book with stories, but the person stated they were stories, not experiences. Does one not have to tell the story of the experience? But the one question I ask in return regarding the Paranormal or unexplained experiences is, "Have you ever had an experience that you could not explain?"

I do not state everything is paranormal. However, once I tried to debunk things and figure out what was happening, I came up with a logical conclusion. Yes, that conclusion can be that what had happened could be paranormal. I have seen things that I cannot explain and have had experiences that have no logical explanation. People have said that I should block out what I see or experience. In a perfect world, that may work, but with me, when whatever is trying to make their presence known gets ignored, they may get upset and try to get my attention in a more in-your-face way. 

Sometimes, I question if people's reactions are because they are from the United States. Now, hear me out before you jump down my throat. If I have ever discussed the paranormal and ghosts with people from foreign countries, most of those people have high regard for the dead and are open to the thoughts of ghosts, aliens, and otherworldly entities. However, unless you live in more paranormal-prone areas, in the United States, people do not want to talk about the paranormal or believe in it.

Looking into the little research on the beliefs into the paranormal, I have discovered about half the world's population believes in some form of the Paranormal. Some people classify it as miracles, aliens, ghosts, or unexplained circumstances. Well, this girl believes in it all! So my question to you is, "What do you believe in?"

Leave a comment below and let me know how you feel about the Paranormal. Happy Spooky Season Everyone!

Angie

Simple Recipes To Get You Through The Week!

Does anyone else ever feel like there is no time in the day? I always feel like there is no time in the day. I work full time, write, and freelance, not including spending time with my family and craft for resale. So, I have put together a few simple recipes that can help save time for the busy person on the go.

Roasted Chicken Crock Pot Dinner

So this recipe is simple enough, even if you forget to thaw your chicken.

I will usually thaw the chicken the night or the day before. But if you forget, throw it in frozen as long as it doesn't have the bag of giblets inside it.

Spray your crock pot.

Place cleaned whole potatoes in the bottom of your crock pot with seasonings and butter.

Please note I have a larger crock pot, and everything fits. If you have to cut your potatoes, that is okay because you're stacking everything.

Top the potatoes with canned or fresh green beans or carrots and 1/2 of a sliced onion.

On a plate, season all sides of your whole chicken.

Place in the crock pot, breast side down.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken has cooked thoroughly.

With minimal prep work, you get an easy dinner.

***

Chili Mac

This recipe is super simple, and what I call it is a one-pot wonder. 

2- boxes of cheap Mac and cheese

1- can chili of your choosing

Milk

 3- tablespoons Butter

Shredded cheese

In a pot, empty your Mac and Cheese pasta and powder mix to the pot

Add 1 cup milk add enough water to cover the remaining pasta

Add any other spices you like

Add butter

Cook on medium-low until pasta is slightly aldente

Add a can of chili to the mixture (Whichever chili you like.)

Cook the mixture on low until it thickens

Add cheese and mix

Top with sour cream, extra cheese, or whatever your heart tells you 

***

Easy Chicken Quesadillas

1- Bag Shredded Cheese

1- bag 8-inch soft tortillas

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup salsa

1- drained can of shredded chicken or 1 cup shredded chicken

2- teaspoons taco or fajita seasoning

(You can add anything to the mix that you would like, such as cooked onions or peppers, beans, etc. Just remember to add extra cheese.)

Spices of your choice

In a bowl, mix the following items: cheese, chicken, salsa, and spices, and mix well.

You can add extra cheese or beans if you wish.

Preheat a skillet on medium heat. 

Add mixture to half the tortilla shell and fold over.

Place in skillet and cook till golden on both sides.

Serve with the condiments of your choice!

***

Easy French Onion Soup

4 Cups Beef Broth

4 Tablespoons Butter

6 Cups Of Sliced Onion

2 Cubes Beef Boullion

2 Tablespoons Corn Starch

4 Cloves of Garlic minced

Croutons

Mozzarella or Provolone Cheese

Salt and Pepper

Get the crock pot again because you are cooking this all day low and slow.

Mix your onions, minced garlic, cornstarch, and spices.

Let the cornstarch coat all of the onions.

Add the mixture to the crock pot.

Add Beef Broth and Bouillon

DO NOT MIX

Add Butter 

Throw the lid on and cook low and slow.

Let it cook for 4-6 hours.

When the onions are soft and cooked, add the soup to an oven-safe soup bowl.

Add soup top with croutons and cheese

Put under a broiler till the cheese is melted and has formed a crust.

Serve with a sandwich or have the soup by itself.

** Traditionally, this recipe is served with a big piece of crusty bread sitting in it to soak up the broth and topped with cheese, but who has time to worry about cutting the bread and toasting it? Croutons work as well, and people usually have them in their homes.**

**

Stuffed Sandwiches

This dinner is where you will want the leftovers!

My kids loved this recipe, and it is also great to make for potlucks or get-togethers.

2 Loaves French or 1 Loaf Cuban Bread (Need 4 feet of bread)

1 Bottle of Creamy Italian Dressing

2- 1 Poundpackages- Cheese of your choice, Cut slices in half 

1 -1 Pound Package of Salami

1-1 Pound Package Ham

1-1 Pound Package Turkey

1 Package of Baby Spinach

1/2 Sliced Onion Thin

1/2 to 1 whole Pepper Sliced Thin Or 1- jar of sweet sliced peppers

1-2 tomatoes cut into bite-size pieces (Or one can of flavored or diced tomatoes drained)

Foil

*you should have leftover meat and cheese for later.*

Preheat your oven to 325-350 degrees

On two baking sheets, Cut foil big enough to wrap your sandwiches

Cut bread to open in a v shape (if it breaks, no worries, you're going to wrap it in foil anyway)

On both sides of the bread, liberally spread the creamy Italian Dressing- You want this to be slightly damp with the dressing.

On the bottom of the bread, place one row of each cheese 

Layer your lunch meat

Add Another Layer of Cheese

Add tomatoes, peppers, and spinach in layers

Top with onions

Add another layer of cheese.

Now, you close the sandwich the best you can and wrap it tight with foil.

Once wrapped, put your pans in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes. You want them to melt the cheese and be hot throughout the sandwich.

Take out of the oven and sit for 5 minutes

Cut into 1-2 inch slices

Can store leftovers if there are any in the fridge

Serve with chips, Salad, French Fries, Or Fruit!

These reheat so well the following day.

***

Ultimate Breakfast for Dinner Casserole

1- can bake and eat biscuits (Or homemade)

1- dozen eggs

1- package sausage (need 1 cup ground up)

1- package ham cut into cubes (1 cup)

1-package bacon cooked and crushed

1- bag hashbrown potatoes

1- onion chopped chopped 

1- bell pepper chopped

1- bag of shredded cheese

2- packages of gravy mix

Milk

Salt, Pepper and Powdered Garlic

Butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Take 1- 9 by 13-inch pan and 1- 8 by 8-inch pan and butter both pans 

Layer of the hashbrowns in the pans, and you should not go above halfway up the pans

Mix the meat, vegetables, and half the cheese. Reserving some of the sausage to add to the gravy if you have more than a cup

Spread the meat and vegetable mix in both pans

In the same bowl, you had the meat and veggies in scramble all 12 eggs

add a little milk and seasonings (You can add seasoning of your choice)

pour mixture over meat and potatoes

DO NOT MIX

Make Gravy mix per the instructions

Take Biscuits cut up into fours and spread over the top of the pans

Take gravy and pour over the biscuits

Take both bans and cook in the oven until the egg mixture is baked and not wiggly in the middle. 

Check your biscuits to make sure they have cooked through as well,

Cooking time will take 25-30 minutes.

Top the pans with the remaining cheese and cook until melted.

Serve and Enjoy

Depending on the size of your family, you may have leftovers that will hold for 2-3 days in the fridge.

You can switch out the meat and veg to your preference, but remember some vegetables may release moisture during the cooking process, so make sure you account for that in cooking or pre-cook them. 

***

Pork and Peaches

Get That Crock Pot Out!

1 Pork Loin or 6 Pork Chops

2 cans peaches in syrup(You need the syrup do not drain)

1/2 onion sliced thin

1-3 Apples Cut up (I always add three because of the flavor contrast)

Cinnamon

4 Table Spoons Brown Sugar

Garlic Powder

Salt Pepper

Beef Or Vegetable instant gravy pack

Serve over Mashed Potatoes, Noodles or Rice

In a crock pot, add peaches, apples, onion, gravy pack, spices 

Mix to combine

Add pork

Coat the pork in the mixture

Cook Low and Slow for 4-6 hours

Be prepared for the pork to fall apart or be very tender.

I hope this helps with a few quick night dinners!

-Angie

 

This Happened This Morning

Everyone who knows me is aware I firmly believe in the paranormal. I have lived in many haunted houses and had a lot of ghostly experiences. As we fast approach All Hallows Eve, the veil is beginning to thin, and this happened.

This post is in real-time. I work from home doing customer service. I had a call come in for work, and I had turned my chair, so I was facing my large monitor as I was exhausted this morning and was helping a customer. You must understand we live in a smaller mobile home, so I hear everything even while working. I hear my partner get out of bed and go into his dresser that we share. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the drawer open and hear the squeak it makes when it opens. I see clothing moved in the drawer and the drawer shut. As I am still helping my customer, I did not turn around, and I am thankful I did not. I hear what I thought was my partner leaving the room as the door squeaks as it opens and closes. I hear my partner walk through the house and the front door open and close. After the call ended, I went to make the bed so the dogs could lay on it, and when I turned towards the bed, my partner was still sound asleep. 

Was it his doppelganger? Was it a ghost? I told him about what happened when he woke up thirty minutes later, and he said, 'The house was locked up' until he went outside a few minutes ago to take a phone call. I even checked our security camera, and there was nothing but the stray cats outside the entire time. Any thoughts? Let me know in the comment section below.

👻👻👻👻

Working On My Writing

I have a few passions, but one of the biggest is writing. As many know, I published my first book, Ghost Stories for the Chicken at Heart- Extended Edition, on Amazon last month. I am currently working on editing The Farm. But I am also working on many more books on my writer's page. Please feel free to read along, as there are books in the rough draft process, and I would love to know what you think. These stories are updated every week to every two weeks. Let me know what you think.

Holidays Are Coming

Are you feeling the pinch with the upcoming holiday season? Well, never fear there is a way to get a few extra dollars from the comfort of your own home. Check out my page here to see the sites i have tested and use! Post any questions below, and I would be glad to help you.

Happy Earning,

Angie

Looking Into Buying A Home...

So, I am currently looking to buy land or a home. The problem with this is the cost of homes has skyrocketed. I am seriously considering buying just land and putting an RV on it as I am looking for a home in the country. That way, I can build my own tiny place to live or cabin myself. Any thoughts?

Winter Is Coming

We just got over a hurricane and are still not done with hurricane season. But as I was reading news articles about being prepared for the storm, I noticed several news articles that the Farmer's Almanac was predicting a rather nasty winter. So, what does that mean for the southern half of the USA? Rain and unseasonably low temperatures. Honestly, I am right with this as I love to have the windows open and have fresh air in the house. Remember, like in any weather situation, be it a heat wave or cold weather, you need to remember the key is to ensure your home is ready for anything that may happen. So start that home maintenance now and keep extra supplies on hand just in case the weatherman gets it right this time!

Are you all excited about the possible cold weather down south? Let me know below!

Money Saving Tips From A By Gone Era, Which Hold True Today

With the state of the economy, times are hard for everyone. Money does not hold the same value as it used to. More and more families are struggling to make ends meet. The cost of everyday living has increased, and workers pay has remained the same. The only people who have benefitted from this are big business. So let us take a step back and think about what the generations before us did to save some money. Maybe some of these suggestions may save you money. Let's see what people before us did to save money. These are the top suggestions I found.

DOUBLE-CHECK THOSE UTILITIES AND KEEP UP ON HOME REPAIRS

One way to save could be as easy as saving on electricity by shutting off the lights and unplugging small appliances not used at that time. I make it a habit now to shut lights off in empty rooms anytime I walk past. I also make sure that I keep anything not in use unplugged in the kitchen. Make it a point to check your faucets to prevent drips so your water bill stays down. Also, insulate around your windows and doors to prevent drafts and losing air conditioning or heating. Preventative home maintenance is the key to lowering your costs for the long term. When I was a first-time home buyer, money was tight, and this was also the time I learned that YouTube is your friend, and if you cannot afford to have someone come in and it's a simple fix, learn how to do it yourself.

REUSING ITEMS

Have you ever gone for a drive the night before garbage day and seen people put their trash outside? All that garbage makes you think, How many of those items could have been given away or donated to charity? When I started as a new homeowner, I would go around before garbage day or big item garbage day and see if I could find furniture to bring back to life or repurpose. Here are a few things that I feel would help you save some money and maybe save the world.

1. Old food containers- Seriously, the price of plastic containers at the store is insane. What if you have someone over for dinner and want to send them home with leftovers? Most of the time, you will never get that container back. My solution is to save my old food containers and lids instead of buying new ones. 

The same goes for old Gatorade and sturdier drink bottles. My partner tends to lose or forget them. To keep me from nagging him, I decided to keep older Gatorade and drink bottles that are sturdy and clean them. That way, he doesn't have to worry about me complaining that I have to buy more, and I keep a few bottles out of the landfill.

When you think about these suggestions, we all have seen it. Grandma asks you to get the butter tub out of the refrigerator, and you go through 4 tubs before you find the actual butter. I do the same thing, and it saves on buying containers that will get lost or never returned.

2. Old jars- The same goes for old glass jars. Glass jars save cabinet space and are great for food storage. These jars are also great for crafting new items. I have seen YouTube videos with people who even can new food items with old glass jars and lids. Please watch a tutorial or two on how to do that as I have not used old jars yet to water bath can. Doing this is a canner-beware situation. Better safe than sorry.

However, I will use old jars I thoroughly cleaned to store grains, sugar, flour, and anything I might dehydrate. Storing in jars saves on your food getting bugs or humidity turning the product.

3. Old furniture- Have an old tall dresser missing drawers but no closet space? Create a hanging closet with a few cheap items and remove the drawer shelf. It is possible to transform many older pieces into something new by refurbishing them. You will only limited by your imagination. 

GARDENING AND CANNING (DEHYDRATING)

1. If you have the space, start a garden. Having fresh produce is an economical way to stretch the food budget, and with rising food costs, a garden is a great way to offset the prices. If you do not have the space for a garden, some areas have community garden plots you can rent. I had my other half build gardening boxes for our tiny space, and we will add a few things to our pantry.

2. Can you find amazing deals on produce? Why not buy extra and can it for future use? I love to do this and have started experimenting with jams and jellies. I only do water bath canning as I am too scared to pressure can. Pressure canning is something I am slowly working on to increase what I can save for the future.

3. Dehydrating food is another way to give fruits, vegetables, and meats a longer shelf life. Dehydrators have become more reasonably priced now and are worth the investment. I picked my dehydrator up at a thrift store for a fraction of the cost, and I use it weekly if the produce stand has good deals going. I love making dried fruit and vegetables. If stored properly, the food can last years on your shelves or in your pantries.

COOKING AND BAKING AT HOME

1. Don't get me wrong, I love a good take-out meal just as much as the next person. However, prices have risen a lot in the restaurant industry lately, and the foods I usually purchase have increased 10-20 percent in price, and the larger the family, the higher the costs of getting a take-out meal. I have tried creating cost-saving meals that can stretch the food budget. Now, I will admit I have purchased some additional spices and glazes to become more creative, and I did get some of these at Dollar Tree and Walmart's $.98 bin. But with a few simple ingredients, you can make restaurant-inspired meals at home. 

2. Try a cookbook challenge. I collect old cookbooks and will modify a recipe to use what I have on hand if needed. You never know what meals or desserts you may be able to create. Also, Don't be afraid to have a miss here or there. Making mistakes is part of the process of cooking and baking. If you make a mistake, don't worry about it. Learn from what you did wrong and try again.

3. Give baking a try and save money on what you would spend in-store. Are you nervous about terms in baking? You can watch some YouTube cooking videos that explain what the cooking terms mean and what you need to know. I have been trying to do more baking and learning to do more complicated items. I can make cookies from scratch, and I am good at that, But I am now branching off to learn how to make homemade cakes and bread. I am trying to create a great biscuit now. It's all trial and error, and learning new things keeps our brains active.

BARTERING WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS

Do you have a unique skill that can be useful? Offer to use that skill to help a neighbor in exchange for the help you need. 

1. For example, does your neighbor know how to fix a washing machine in exchange for you fixing a computer issue they have? Why hire a professional for more money when you could save some money? 

2. Or has your neighbor declared she cannot even make a cake from a box and needs cupcakes for her child's birthday, and she has a ton of produce in her garden? You could offer to make cupcakes from scratch in exchange for her extra produce.

REUSING LEFTOVERS

I know many people who hate leftovers, but leftovers can be a time-saving tool that helps stretch your budget further. 

1. For example, You make a whole roasted chicken dinner. Meal one would be your dinner. The next day you can have chicken sandwiches. Then, if you have anything left after making sandwiches, you can use what meat is left and make a chicken soup. Not to waste anything, you can also take the chicken caraccas and boil it out to make chicken stock to either can or keep in the refrigerator. 

2. If you make a lot of plain rice to go with a meal. You can use the leftovers the following day to make fried rice. I usually load mine up with extra vegetables and fried eggs. Another quick meal completed with what you already had.

3. Another leftover is saving your vegetable scraps to make a vegetable stock. I will keep my vegetable scraps in a large zip lock bag in the freezer until I fill the bag, then will boil the vegetable scraps and add herbs to make a broth to can or freeze.

Reusing leftovers is only limited by your imagination. One meal can become three, with leftovers for lunch the following day, a great time and money saver.

SEWING AND REPAIRING CLOTHES, HAND ME DOWNS

Clothing is a necessity and a very expensive one. I have seen people throw out good shirts and pants due to a popped button. I could not believe how many pieces of clothing end up in a dumpster pile because people will not take the time to repair a button or rip. There are many tutorials on how to take care of your clothing and make creative and beautiful repairs.

What happens when you have clothes you want to get rid of? Well, you can either sell them or gift them as hand-me-downs. Have kids that sprouted over the summer? Pass them on to family members who have younger children. As a woman, did you get some new things? Maybe consider donating the clothes you're not keeping to a battered woman's shelter. If you have a husband who wants to get rid of clothes, why not donate them to your local Veterans Affairs Office or men's shelter? Help out the less fortunate.

Also, do you have a creative streak? Try repurposing those old clothes. There are many tutorials on how to repurpose a piece of clothing. You're limited only by your imagination.

THRIFT STORES

Another great way to stretch your budget is to visit your local thrift stores. I love the deals you can get at thrift stores. I have purchased many kitchen items for a fraction of the cost. Of course, test any electronics and kitchen items before you leave the store. For example, I purchased a food dehydrator at a local charity thrift store, and if new, this item was $80.00, and I purchased this item slightly used for $15.00. I use the dehydrator constantly and have never had any problems with it. I also get books and clothes in good condition for a fraction of the cost. The only thing I will advise if shopping at a thrift store is don't be afraid to go through bins or take your time browsing as items can buried. It is almost like your own personal treasure hunt.

LOYALTY PROGRAMS

Back in the early years, stores had stamp redemption programs. These programs would earn you books of stamps that you could redeem for household items. Now, most stores have loyalty programs that you can earn points and keep track of on your phone or the web to use towards discounts or free items. I signed up for many of these rewards programs because even a few dollars saved or the coupons are worth putting in your phone number or providing an email address. Many people will say I do not want to give my personal information or I get too many emails. I have a dummy email account just for sites or rewards programs that I rarely look at except to delete once a week or grab any online receipts. Besides, as someone who used to work retail, employers hound employees to get people to sign up. Be the hero and save the employee the headache.

TAKING CARE OF WHAT YOU HAVE

Upkeep and maintenance on items you own will keep them from being replaced often. Let this be a good reminder if you own or rent your house. Keeping up means doing what you can to ensure your appliances are cleaned, oiled, and properly running. Make sure you have your vehicle maintained as well to try to avoid future problems. If you use an item actively, ensure you're what you are using, or it will have to be replaced sooner outside of normal wear and tear.

Do you have any other suggestions on how to save money in the long run? The world is becoming a crazy place, and with the cost of living rising and pay staying the same, we all need to find a way to save extra money. Please post any further suggestions in the comment section below.

GHOST STORIES FOR THE CHICKEN AT HEART EXTENDED VERSION!

 

For readers of the blog Ghost Stories will be free to read here until 8/25 then it will be removed.

After the 25th it will be removed from the Blog!

To purchase the book or kindle download follow the link here!

The Plan For Now...

 I am updating everyone on the path the blog is going right now. I normally will update all stories 2-3 times a month. However, I wanted to let everyone know that the stories are all progressing slower than usual because I am currently in the editing phase for two books. I added the links for  Ghost Stories for the Chicken At Heart- Extended Version and The Farm. Both of these stories are changing and growing during edit before publication. I will update everyone as soon as these stories are published because they will be free on my website for the first week to read, then will be removed from the website and only available through Amazon.

Self Care Check In!

 As someone who constantly needs to be reminded to take care of herself and relax. I am shouting to all of you amazing people to say, "REMEMBER TO TAKE CARE OF YOU." Do something that you enjoy or something that inspires you and makes you happy. For example, self-care for me outside of taking better care of myself is getting a drink and a snack, sitting at my computer, and working on my writing. I know some people will curl up with a good book or craft. Whatever makes you happy and relaxed works. The most important thing is NEVER let someone give you grief for taking care of yourself. You cannot take care of others if you are not taken care of. Let this be your gentle reminder and self-care tip of the day.

Blessings to you all,

Angie

Living In a Haunted House

 I live in a haunted house. The activity in my home and the homes surrounding me has escalated lately. Some paranormal activity consists of footsteps, sounds from a bygone era, shadow people, and doors opening and closing. Now here is the thing, I already live in a haunted town, and the book I am working on consists of stories about the local area and stuff that I have experienced to me personally. However, after speaking with other people in our neighborhood, we have discovered paranormal activity has ramped up. I live in a mobile home community that is in a historic area. In the last six months, they have removed many old mobile homes and paved the road in our neighborhood/community. The consensus is that was when the activity had started up. Now the question is, what do we do to start pushing back the entities that are making their presence known?

Why am I so worried about this? Personally, for me I really am not concerned. I have lived in haunted homes all my life. I even questioned if I had an attachment and have been told by psychics I do. But she is more of a guardian and is an ancestor. This attachment has been with me since birth, and never had an issue. This new activity is weird as I have lived in my home for almost four years, and only recently has things become odd. All this activity started a few months ago when the community removed eight mobiles. 

But here is a list of the activity that has been happening-

1. The sound of foot steps in our home, the sound of boots on the floor. When my partner first stayed over, he was concerned that someone was in the house. Later found out that the older gentleman who lived in the home before me had moved to a sister joining property and then passed away. A neighbor did say that the man, who used to live in my home, paced the house at night.

2. We inherited a clock from a neighbor who had passed away due to covid. Nancy was a kind woman who took care of the neighborhood strays. After receiving the clock, we discovered that this clock did not chime even after we changed out the batteries to it. One day I was cleaning our bathroom when I heard the chiming sound from the clock hanging on the wall. Checking my phone, I noticed the time was 3:15pm. Now I thought that the motors messed up and continue to clean. Well, 15 minutes later, it starts chiming again. I took the clock down and stopped it, removing the battery. I figured I would have my partner look at it when he got home. I did put the clock back on the wall to keep it safe. An hour later, the clock starts to chime again. It was making noise with no batteries in it. It still randomly chimes during the day.

3. We received this rocking chair from a neighbor who was giving it away. It is a comfortable rocking chair. The chair sits in our living room, and all that I keep on the chair is a blanket I made my boyfriend. This chair will rock on its own. I have done everything I could to debunk this. Yes, we have cats and dogs, and at first, I attributed the rocking to the animals. However, one day, I was folding laundry, and all my dogs were in the bedroom, and the cats, had been put in the front bedroom as I was in and out the front door as I did not want them to sneak out. I was folding laundry at the kitchen table when the chair started rocking. The blanket over the back of chair had flipped forward as it rocked. Walking over, I put my hand on the rocking chair and stopped it. As I walked back to the laundry, the chair started rocking again. I told it to stop, and it did. I have seen the chair rocking on and off, but it stops rocking now when I come in the room. I know the neighbor who gave us the chair got it second hand, so I have no clue who it could be.

4. Shadow people in the home as well as the whole community. Since I moved in four years ago, I have seen quite a few shadow people. The ones inside my house like to watch us when they don't think we can see them. At night we can see then peering wound the corner, and I always tell them I can see them. They don't cause issues and seem to observe us.

5. The front bedroom's AC does not work well, so we keep that door shut and use it for storage. However I have had times where the door opens all the time. I even tied a ribbon to the door and then to a nail next to the door, and I have found the ribbon on the door knob and the door open.

6. We can hear the sound of a 1920's era phone in the house. Neither of our phones have that ring tone. It always seems to emanate from next to the fridge. If we walk to the area while it ringing with your hand on the wall, you can actually feel the vibration of the ringing on the wall.

7. The amount of knocking around the trailer. So you understand, I work from home weekdays on a set schedule currently. So I  have a sign on my front door that states, please do not knock between these hours as it sets off my dogs. My neighbors are great and respect the no knocking request, and they know if they need me will text me instead if they need something. However in the last month I have had cases where there has been loud knocks at the front door. I check the security video feed, and nothing and no one. Our trailer is a few feet off the ground, and I will hear knocking on walls and from the floor and ceiling. I even was able to do shave and a hair cut with the noise.

8. Things are being moved when we go to look for them. My boyfriend bought me a knife for protection and when we go fishing. I keep this knife on me when we are out and in a spot at home so I do not lose it. It disappeared a few days ago, and I found it in my baking cabinet two days later. But I have had this happen with other things in and around the house.

9. We have the spirit of a deceased resident who passed a few months ago in a tragic accident. I won't provide details, but people believe someone caused his death. This spirit has been seen and heard by a few people, not only in his death state but also as he had been before he passed. Although he is angry, he only directs it at the people he feels are responsible who no longer live in the community. We are trying to get him to cross over, but I think he is remaining, until the truth comes out about what really caused his death.

We have also see more ghosts that seem to be on a time loop. The spirit of a old time nurse on a path the corresponds with an old foot path. We have seen another resident who had passed away, returning home on his motorcycle. I have seen people dressed in 1820's clothing as well walking the property 

So these are the more common things happening around us for now. I will not share where we are because we do not need people coming in where we are. But any ideas or suggestions would be great. I know someone will ask the question none of this activity is threatening. However, it has piqued our interest as to why. Place any comments or suggestions below!

When Life Gets Crazy

When life gives you a lemon...LOL, you take that lemon and grind it, juice it, add sugar, and sip that lemonade while you think about your life changes.  I struggled this week with the fact that we had a lot of family changes in the last two weeks. After a lot of contemplation, I had to have a coming to Jesus' moment on Sunday night to think about how I was really feeling. After the contemplation, I realized I was more scared of the change than how it would be an opportunity for our family. It took a lot for me to move past how I was feeling and realize this change will be good for our family.

Being perfectly honest I do not handle extreme change very well, I guess I do not handle any change well, thanks to my anxiety.  Due to the changes still happening, I will not be giving details just yet, but it is a positive thing, and I can't wait to see what type of adventures this will bring to our family.

I hope for all the changes and adventures happening in all of your life you take them peacefully and gratefully. Or if you're like me you have an amazing support team. Here is a toast to the changes coming in the future and may we all be blessed.

Till next time...

Taking a New Path!

Have you ever felt like you are trapped in a box and realized that you want to do more than what you are currently doing? Now, do not get me wrong, I absolutely love what I do as a career! However, I feel like I am being pulled in a new direction. When my kids were younger, I would make additional money writing and running my original blog. Then life happened and I had to start over with everything. My life is different now, and I do want to proceed with this path to succeed. 

I am doing everything I can to get out there to have more people reading my books, stories, and social media. Currently, I am doing everything in my power to get views and have my writing, pictures and, videos more relevant.

Am I the only one who feels like they are being pulled in a direction you would never think of or is it just me? Just food for thought there.

Take care and blessings for you!

 

World Works In Mysterious Ways

The world does work in mysterious ways! On Christmas day our beloved black lab Rodeo crossed the rainbow bridge. Rodeo was full of spunk and sass, with a personality that you do not see very often in any animal. She kept me on my toes and was my work buddy. She would wake me up in the morning wanting her breakfast, and if you moved slow, she would tell you what she thought about that.

The day after Thanksgiving we noticed a growth in her mouth and took her to the emergency vet. We were given the news no pet parent wants. There was nothing they could do, and we should make arrangements. I was not prepared for the end with her. Till the end, she continued to sleep next to me while I was working. Then at the end she lost her ability to walk and started having seizures.  Christmas was very sad this past year.

Now almost three months later I went to take out the garbage and there was the tiny orange and white kitten sitting next to a local stray we help take care of named Oreo. I picked her up and walked with her looking for her Mama. Her Mama is a local feral cat who we knew just had kittens. I couldn't find her, so I found my boyfriend and joked and said look what Oreo gave me.  Well as you all may have guessed we kept her. Did it add to the chaos we have already? Sure did. Would I change it? Never!

This little golden girl is named JJ and she is the kitten version of Rodeo. She likes her meals on time and has all of Rodeo's spunk and sass. I believe Rodeo knew how much we loved her and missed her, so she sent JJ to keep us on our toes.

Give your furry kids an extra pat, cuddle and kiss. But most of all blessings and love to you all!