Welcome to the porch! Let’s chat for a while!
*Post contains affiliate links. They are free for you to click on, however, I will be compensated if you make a purchase. This supports my family and I thank you for your support! To learn more, click here.
Hello, Saturday!
It’s so hard to believe August starts tomorrow. Another month, come and gone.
I’m not complaining because this summer has been so stinkin’ hot and humid here in Virginia! I’m looking forward to fall and less humidity.
Week 2 with Balto has been less stressful. He’s learning the house and the rules as well as the nighttime routine. Every night at around 11 pm we all take him outside and let him walk around the yard and “do his business.” Then he comes back in and gets right in his crate for bedtime all by himself. Of course, he’s probably doing this so well because he’s getting 2 bacon-flavored treats.
The cats have learned Balto’s bedtime routine, too. They know when he’s in his crate, so they walk around a little more confidently now, even going downstairs and checking things out.
……….
We won 2 expensive pieces of antique furniture from an auction this week for very cheap – a China cabinet and a dresser. The dresser was already painted and in really good condition. I put it upstairs in the little “nook” to store bedsheets in since there’s no linen closet upstairs.
The China cabinet is also in good condition, but I’m not loving the color. I need to clean it up and paint it one day soon. In all my spare time.
I have some good news! The contractors started work on the roof this week! This week they only repaired the huge hole in the family room and replaced the shingles. Next week (hopefully) they’re coming back to finish up what they can. The entire roof will have new shingles to match and new gutters will be put on, plus a few more repairs that need to be made. I’m so glad they were able to start work sooner than I expected.
The only downside is that it was sunny and 91 degrees, but the “feels like” temperature was 96! They must have been so hot up there! We had to turn our AC up because it was getting so hot inside the family room that it wouldn’t turn off!
This week’s dessert: Hershey’s Frozen Chocolate Chip Pie (This is so good for hot summer days! It was a huge hit with my whole family, too!)
With Subscribe & Save, you can get up to 15% off everyday essentials when you sign up for automatic deliveries. When you sign up to receive 5 or more products to the same address, you will save up to 15% off plus free shipping and no fees. Also, you can save 20% on subscriptions to diapers, baby food, and more as long as you’re a Prime member.
Subscribe & Save works for thousands of products on Amazon, including:
Setting up your subscription is free and you can skip or cancel any time. Amazon sends you an email reminder before your order ships so you can double-check you’re only buying what you need. It may take a little time to figure out a good delivery schedule for your household, but it’s worth it because you’re saving money in the long run.
Imagine never running out of toilet paper again!
I love this story of Benjamin and Mary who became close friends during the pandemic. Mary is 99 years old and was isolated during the pandemic, but Benjamin, who’s only 2 years old, quickly became her friend. How sweet that he was there to play with her when she needed a friend the most!
Mrs. Cat Litter keeps getting in the fireplace. We’ve tried to block it off, but no matter what she gets around it.
So now instead of being an orange cat, she is turning black and has little black feet.
Does anyone know how to keep a cat out of the fireplace? Any suggestions are very appreciated.
Target is having a great deal on back-to-school items right now! It’s a great time to stock up! You can expect to see these deals:
Also be sure to check out Walmart for their back-to-school supplies. They usually have the best prices on most items overall.
In case you missed it, this week on the blog I shared a few ways to get free furniture. Whether you’re moving to a new home, giving your current home a refresh, or flipping furniture for a profit, getting free furniture is always a bonus!
What has been going on in your life this week? Anything exciting you’d like to share? I’d love to hear about your week!
Do you have too much stuff taking over your living room space? Then you need…
Is your blanket addiction taking up too much space in your home? I get it!…
Learn how to organize a small bedroom when you're on a budget with this complete…
Are you trying to find a way to store all of your bathroom items? Learn…
Spend more time relaxing and less time cleaning with my favorite budget-friendly bathroom cleaning hacks!
A step-by-step guide on how to organize your bathroom to get a more functional space.
This website uses cookies.
View Comments
Glad to hear Balto is fitting in well and started the work on your roof. I think you had a busy week.
I'm happy they're working on the roof. But I'll be happiest when they're done and out of my house. Haha!
That is so funny about the cat in the fireplace! Maybe try putting aluminum foil on the bottom??
That's a good idea! Thank you! I'll try that.
Hallelujah the roof is starting to get fixed ! And thank goodness the pup is getting into a routine but your kitty in the fireplace… oh my!
And prayers for cooler weather for you.
Happy August!
I'm so glad they've started on the roof. Now I'll be happy when they're done and gone! ?
Your prayers worked! It's in the 70s today! Yay!
Wow. I am never organized enough to have my meals planned out for the week. If I cook something and we have leftovers then I usually have it covered for a couple of days. :-)
Having leftovers is so helpful! ?
Sorry I got here a bit late. Glad that Balto is settling down. I hope that the work on your house gets over soon. I know how draining it can be and intrusive as well!
You are so right. The first day was fine but now I'm ready for them to be out of here!
Yes!!!! So awesome your house repairs are getting started! Hope all goes smoothly.
Love that your pup is doing good!❤️
And your Mrs Cat Litter cracks me up, I have zero suggestions for that deal though!
You’ll have to show pics of your auction furniture sometime!❤️
Have a blessed week!
I'm so glad! They finished the roof up this week and now we're waiting for the gutter guy to come back. Hopefully they can start on the inside soon and be done soon because I don't like a bunch of strangers making loud noises in my house. ?
That's a good idea! Maybe I'll put them in Saturday's post. ?
Haha I don’t blame you!! I can’t wait to see the finished product!
Ya I’d love to see the furniture pieces.❤️
Yay for sweet finds at the auction! I need to start checking some of our local ones here too! Never know what you might find! Your menu sounds delish this week! That pie! Yum! Definitely need to check out the recipe! P.S. Your kitty is just about the sweetest EVER! LOL! I wish I had a solution for you on the fireplace but you know cats. They are SO nosy!
I think we might be slightly addicted to the auction. haha! But as long as I'm getting good furniture for cheap, I'm not complaining.
The pie was so good!! And easy, too!
First off, Mrs. Cat Litter melted my heart! ? She is ADORABLE!! She looks like a fun personality too. Have you figured out a solution for the fireplace? If not, I'll be thinking on that one. ? Maybe we can brainstorm something that keeps her little curious self out of there.
Congratulations are in order -- first, I'm grateful your roof is getting repaired! Whew, you must be so relieved! Second, it's awesome that you got such great furniture for cheap. I love that you're using the one to store linens. It's a great idea!
Benjamin and Mary...what can I say? They are just too darn sweet! That little boy has such a special heart. I'm glad those two have each other. ♥
Hugs & love, my friend. As always, I love reading your Saturdays on the Porch series.
Mrs. Cat Litter is really something! It's funny because she is Amber's mom and Amber is twice her size! She's super sweet, though. She would much rather be on her own instead of with the other 2 cats.
I cut open a cardboard box and taped it in front of the fireplace. So far that seems to be working. But we're on the lookout for some cheap fireplace screens. I doubt the box will work for long. And it looks weird with a box on my fireplace. haha!
Thank you! I'm so happy they've finally repaired the roof! I'll be so glad when it's all over because having all this noise and strange men coming and going is stressful! When it's your own renovation noise, that's one thing, but ugh!!
Benjamin and Mary are just the sweetest!!
Hugs and love! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
Hooray for the contractors finally arriving!! Progress at last! Aww, the kitty is too cute ❤️.
Yes! Today they're putting the gutters on and I'm hoping they can start on the inside soon. ?