First day of School

Well, the monsters have all been dropped off at the proper location. I was suppose to go to the gym today, but I just don’t feel it. As much as I love the thought of getting my days back, I hate school. I miss my monsters terribly. Grim is on a permanent job for the next 3 weeks, which means he has a set schedule. It makes going back to school easier when everyone is on a schedule. Today is a half day. After I pick them up I need to take Teenage monster looking for a Home coming dress. I really hope we can find one quick. Neither one of us enjoys shopping. So as soon as she finds the dress there will be no having to keep looking just in case. Yeah!

Now all the tomatoes are done. It is time to move on to other foods. I have a large stock pot full of pears that I really need to put into the juicer. But I think that is going to have to wait until the monsters are in school all day tomorrow. Just so I have time to get it all done. After I juice them I will run the mess through the pureer. With what is left I will make pear butter. Oh, I can’t wait. I only got a few pears last year, but I decided that pear butter was nectar from the gods… LOL! So I really need to make more of it this year. I still might make it out to get raspberries. I don’t know… the weather has turned cold. I know it would be the perfect time to pick.  Just being lazy, I probably will get down there tomorrow. I think a magic fairy is going to bring me a bushel or two of apples. I have to pay for them but I don’t have to go and get them. LOL! Plus, they are cheaper then the ones around here. If that is the case then I will be making apple sauce later in the week. The monsters just love it. So why not have it on hand.

I have a couple of tomatoes that I was able to salvage from the garden. Mr. stripy, purple Cherokee, and a couple of the Italian paste. Now that they are ripe, I need to gut them and get the seeds ready to save. So then next year I will have my own seeds and hopefully, won’t have to buy any starts.

Oh, I almost for got I have some links to share.

How to make Yo-Yo napkin rings

Homemade corn syrup

Homemade girl scout cookies

Pastitsio

Free E-course for Cooking Traditional Foods

I signed up for this, this morning. I looks like it will be full of great information. And as I learn new things I will pass on some of the knowledge. Or at least the links…

I am still waiting on some things to get here in the mail. The first is the vintage remedies beginners kit. I got that one first to see if doing herbal things suits me. I would like to think that it would fit very well into the sustainable lifestyle. But I don’t know if I have what it takes. The next  package is my wool csa. I am so looking forward to finishing the project that I started with the first skein. I’m not sure if it is a scarf or a runner. I guess once I get more wool, plus this is my first pattern. I came up with it all on my own….

Yart

I survived

(image from photobucket)

All of the corn is done for this year. I got a total of 41 quarts done. I know I said that the next big venture would be the carrots and potatoes, maybe beans. But I lied! There I said it I lied. More people should be honest like me... LOL! Instead of these staples that really are needed I went and got 2, let me say that again two bushels of McIntosh apples. They were only $15.50 for seconds per bushel. See why I couldn't pass them by. Oh, the wonderful goodies that I will make with these slightly imperfect gems! Ah, almost sets my heart to swoon! While I was at the orchard I also picked up a bottle of homemade Blackberry Vinegar. It sure sounds yummy, I just don't know what to do with it.

I will be going later this week to get the above mentioned items. That way maybe I can be done canning produce before the end of September. I really need to do that, as I still have to clean out the freezers. I went to start to do that today. But like the best laid plans, something else came up. We as a family cleaned out and up the entire basement. It only took a couple hours but really needed to be done before winter sets in for the long haul. See I have terrible allergies with dust and mold. Both of which are very present in the basement. I even had a mini asthma attack. It took awhile for the coughing and wheezing to stop. All better now and I can breath in the basement now... Yeah!

We took the monsters to the zoo on Sunday. We got a membership a couple of months ago but this is the first time this year we have had a chance to take the girls. They had a ton of fun. There is a whole new kids exibit that they get to do hands on things and a huge play area. Plus, the zoo is also implementing a lot of eco-inovations. The 2 press flush, the air driers in the bathrooms, LED lighting, solar and wind power. It was fasinating for the kids to see these things first hand. And of course there were several baby animals that they abosolutely loved. I had a great time in the garden section seeing how they had planted and what was growing. Of course I forgot my camera. Isn't it always the way, though.

The monsters are all having night before school starts jitters. The older two are both going to new schools and the little one doesn't want to leave me. I guess she just had to much fun at home with me this summer. All the clothes are laid out and showers were taken. Bangs were cut and backpacks packed. New school year here they come for better or worse only 9 months / 40 weeks, the countdown begins! And after the littlest one is safe and sound in class I will cry all the way home. I hate school!

Band monster hits me up today with I really want to go to homecoming. So she is going to ask her best guy friend if he wants to go with her as a friend. I think he will say yes. That means that we need to get our butts moving and get out and get her a dress and shoes. There are several places around here to look, hopefully, we can find something. My sewing skills are not that good and she is almost 6 foot tall so I can't just go to the thrift store to find the dress. That's ok, she is my baby and we will do what we have to.

Here I go again just rattleing about everything and nothing.

Gotta Run,

Yart

Taking a Break

Today I slept in..... I could have slept longer but I knew I would never sleep tonight. And I guess I slept to long as it was. I didn't can anything today. I still have half a stockpot with tomatoe puree waiting to be made in to spaghetti sauce. I will get to it tomorrow.

Grim and I went looking to price carpet for the living room. We found a nice eco friendly product from Mohawk. It is called Everstrand. It is made out of plastic water bottles. They are recycling tons of plastic to make this product. And it was cheaper then some of the traditional carpets. So when the time comes we will be heading back to Lowe's to get it.

I even made dinner tonight. I bought cube steaks and fried them with onion and mushrooms. Then I took a can of cream of mushroom soup and a half a can of milk, added it to the pan. Then put everything over pasta! Yummm! Grim and the littlest monters had sloppy joes! Yep, we tend to be very diverse in our eating habits.

Tonight I started on chainmail. I am making it for a friend, it's part of his costume for the upcoming ren fest! He is going to be a Knightly Jestor!?! Grim and the little monster are the only ones not going to be dressed up. I will be wearing my period authentic wenching outfit and the oldest monster will be wearing my Irish serving wench outfit. Picky monster going to be wearing a halloween outfit to make herself look like a fling of sorts. This will be the first time in years that we have been able to go. Usually we just don't have the time. But with Grim still off work. We might as well go and do while we have the opprotunity.

Then I think on Sunday we will take a ride to the country and get corn on the cob and possibly a bushel of peaches..... Did you hear that? It was the house groaning.... LOL! Since this has been the year of new things, why not try canning corn and peach pie filling. I have had the clear jel just been waiting to use it. I might as well get this stuff done as school starts on September 7th. Blech.....I hate, hate, hate school. But it does get them out of the house for a few hours. I just like having my free time with the monsters. Actually, I feel the same way about school now as I did when I was a kid..... LOL! I guess somethings never change.

Plus, bingo starts back up again soon. I know as much as I complain about it. It really does come in handy as what I make goes into her band account to help pay for expenses. I paid for band camp this year by working the bingo. Next week will be my last meeting as President of our Auxiliary for the Legion. Hopefully, we will get enough people to show up to hold an election. If not I will have to turn in our Charter. I hate to have to do it but participation has been nill.

Gotta Run,

Yart