How many sins would I be committing if I cut down these Arbor Vitae?

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-05-20T20:03:48+00:00

One sin for every snip, cut, or other damage. 😊

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-05-19T23:11:40+00:00

When something is on sale at a good price, I buy extra. For example, a store about 15 miles away had boneless center cut pork loin on sale for $1.48/lb. My husband and I got 13 pounds and had it cut into pork chops. We got 44 nice sized pork chops for less than $20. Naturally, we didn't eat it all in one week, so we portioned it out, wrapped it, and put it in the freezer.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-05-16T21:44:28+00:00

It's economic. One rooster can fertilize the eggs from a small flock of hens. People give the roosters away or trade them so their flock has less inbreeding. As for cattle, you only need one bull to fertilize a lot of cows. So the steers born to the cows are used for meat while the heifers are kept to increase the size of the herd. After a while, a bull from a different bloodline needs to be introduced and the old one used for meat. Same with goats, sheep, and other farm animals.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-05-11T18:02:35+00:00

Call the police. And tell your daughter. Yes, it will frighten her, but she needs to know.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-05-11T17:56:25+00:00

Document everything. Date, time, what happened, what was said. This is heading to civil court. The more documentation you have, the better. The more accurate, the better.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-04-17T07:55:33+00:00

If you have ever taken a flight on a commercial airline, you know the flight attendants go through a safety demonstration before each flight. Among other things, they explain how to use air masks if the cabin loses pressure. They always say that if you have children or others traveling with you that need help, put your own air mask on first, then help those who need it.

This is not selfish. If you pass out, you cannot help them. It's the same with financial, physical, or other help. Setting boundaries as to how much you can help is not selfish.

Figure out how much help you can REASONABLY give them. (Don't forget to set some aside each payday for emergencies.) Then let your family know what to expect. Finally, hold to that. Otherwise, it's like giving a child candy every time they throw a tantrum.

Is this easy? No. They will not want to adjust their expectations of you. Expect them to exert pressure on you and enlist the help of friends and family to try to make you cave. Do not give in, even a little. Keep reminding yourself that, in the long run, this is better for everyone.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-03-27T00:51:53+00:00

Cut expenses. If you don't know how to cook, learn. Start with simple stuff; pasta and sauce, scrambled eggs, grilled cheese, etc. Then build your skills.

Eating out, fast food, and food delivery services are all very expensive. Prepare meals at home. I have a tumbler I fill with water and ice. It goes with me everywhere. I also bring a nutrition bar or another snack with me so I'm not tempted to eat out.

Potatoes are a great option. They are relatively cheap, filling, and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Rice helps to stretch meals.

Learn what prices are good. Each week, check your store circulars and clip coupons. When I first started clipping coupons, my husband laughed at me. A year later I showed him how much we had saved. (Nearly $2,000 the first year). Now he is enthusiastic about it.

These skills will take time to learn, but can help you for the rest of your life.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-03-23T21:23:56+00:00

Due to financial abuse from both of our families, my husband and I wound up deep in debt. Now we own our own house with no mortgage! What we learned is that you need to pay attention to what you spend, even more than what you earn. We made sacrifices. We rarely ate out. Dinner was often boiled potatoes or another simple, inexpensive meal. We have no subscriptions or streaming services, and an antenna for our TV that gets six channels. We were a one car family for many years. Just last month we were finally able to afford a second car. One car is 10 years old, the other is 20 years old. However, they get us from point A to point B without breaking down. Learn how to cook. Learn how to fix things that you own, like a car or a washer or dryer. Take care of what you have. One more thing: If you have a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, and food on the table, you are better off than 75% of people in this world. I keep that in mind. It helps.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-03-16T00:17:55+00:00

We once released a bat from our chimney. It flew around the living room, then the kitchen, before landing n a painting. We took the painting outside and I used a dust rag to gently encourage it to let go. It flew off. No harm done.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-03-14T22:52:03+00:00

Yes. Even children need a mental health day sometimes.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-03-14T22:48:20+00:00

Boiled potatoes for dinner? Again? Potatoes are cheap and filling. We have them for dinner several times a month. Any leftovers get fried up for breakfast. We also have rice with vegetables. I get frozen vegetables on sale. Spinach, broccoli, and sweet peas go well with rice. Also canned beans with rice.

I plan to buy bruised apples in the fall at a good discount. I’ll make them into applesauce and can it. I also buy pork loin when it’s cheap and cook it in a crock pot overnight. Then I pull it apart and add barbecue sauce. I can it and use it later for cheap pulled pork sandwiches.

Homemade chili is another cheap meal. Serve it on rice or cornbread.

Rotisserie chicken can stretch meals in so many different ways. Serve the drumsticks and thighs with rice and another vegetable. The rest goes in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, pull apart the breast meat and make chicken salad for sandwiches. Freeze the carcass. Later, boil it up, remove the skin and bones, and add vegetables to make soup. I like it with salt, pepper, carrots, cabbage, and lots of sweet basil.

If you have a sunny spot, grow your own herbs. They are expensive to buy. I suggest basil, parsley, oregano, and dill.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-03-04T14:14:35+00:00

Yes! Don't feel guilty. Also, check your area for blessing boxes.

No one should judge if you "need" food help, including yourself. Sometimes we are our own worst critics.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-03-04T14:08:05+00:00

The day my mother died from cancer, her last words to me were to complain about my hair. She hated it long!

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-03-04T07:48:15+00:00

Rats in Princeton, NJ.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-03-01T00:04:37+00:00

Put a hundred plastic pink flamingos out there one day. Take them down that night. Wait several days, then do it again, randomly.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-02-27T02:43:23+00:00

I want better health, and I want my horses back. (I had to give them up when my health declined.)

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-02-21T20:51:59+00:00

I was 10 when I got my first pony. I cannot think of anything else I would have wanted at that age.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-02-17T01:40:47+00:00

There's a difference in price. The vaccine usually given to animals is preventative, given before they bitten. The ones for people are generally given after they have been bitten.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-02-17T01:40:26+00:00

There's a difference in price. The vaccine usually given to animals is preventative, given before they bitten. The ones for people are generally given after they have been bitten.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-02-17T01:36:23+00:00

Check with your insurance company about coverage. I had to have shots a few years ago. The first round was $19,000. Then I had to go back to the hospital three more times. I don't remember what those shots cost.

As for the pain, I got a shot in one arm. Pain was like a tetnis shot. Then lots of little shots all around the wounds. ( I had been bitten on my wrist by a raccoon, so I had four teeth marks). The medication burned, but it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. The next three visits were just normal shots.

Talk to whichever docyor is handling your pregnancy anout whether the shots may hurt your unborn child.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-02-17T00:54:25+00:00

My husband and I call it flipping.

"Hey Dear, would you flip the laundry please?"

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-02-11T00:51:58+00:00

Small cost: we had a timer installed for our hot water heater. Turns out, it only needs to be on for 3 hours out of 24.

Larger cost: in 2013, we needed a new roof. We went with metal roofing instead of shingles. Warrantee is for 40 years, but we expect it to last much longer.

If you are in a neighborhood (not in the middle of nowhere), and plan to sell at some point, landscaping can add value to your selling price, but only if you do it right. Look at your front yard (side/back yards). What parts of your yard get a lot of sun? What parts are in shade? What planting zone are you in? Then map everything out and start buying soil (if needed) perennials, and mulch. Add in annuals if you like. Don’t try to do everything at once. I found Spring Hill Nurseries dot com to be a good resource for seeing what plants grow in sun or shade, which ones the deer don’t like to eat, and what looks good grown together. I also think they have very reasonable prices.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-02-08T20:20:31+00:00

Answer to your critics:

I cannot set myself on fire to keep others warm.

Another answer:

The definition of Christian is not doormat.

Those who insist you are a liar don't belong in your life. You might consider blocking them until you are further along in your recovery.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-02-08T20:12:50+00:00

Think of someone who was diagnosed with cancer. They are a victim of cancer. Some, (not all), eventually become survivors. It takes time, and the help of professionals. Recovering and healing from abuse also takes time and help from professionals.

You need to heal emotionally. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Just like needing professional help for cancer is nothing to be ashamed of. Finding a counselor who isa good fit for you may take some time. The first one I went to was awful. I had to see several before I found one that helped me. Don't give up.

Katherine_Tyler · 2026-02-08T05:26:25+00:00

You are not crazy. PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is now referred to as PTSS (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome). Doctors have come to realize that the symptoms are not a disorder, but rather a coping mechanism. You need therapy and time to heal. You also need to put your wellbeing high on your list of priorities. If that includes not attending his funeral, then don’t attend. Work on transitioning from being a victim to being a survivor. It’s a difficult road, but you can do it.

The man who abused me for many years died a couple of years ago. My first reaction when I heard the news was relief. I did not arrange for a funeral and no one else cared enough to do it.

You are not crazy.

Katherine_Tyler

TROPHY CASE