Challenge check in

Well, since it's November,  I am participating in 3 challenges.  We're in luck with the Freeze Yer Buns challenge since it has been warm the past few days.  It reached 70 today outside and with the sun shining and baking cookies this afternoon it is currently 76 in the house with no heat on.  It looks like the warm weather will last at least part of the week, with forecasts predicting highs near 70 for the next couple of days.  

I"m also doing Rob's Make do and Mend challenge.  Halloween is a great time for making do.  The children did a great job coming up with costumes that really didn't cost much.  The only expense was a pack of cheap mens' white t-shirts for J14.  And those are something that will be used again and again.  I already finished my market basket and repaired a pair of sweatpants for K8 and re-stuffed one of the dog's favorite toys.  He had chewed a hole in it and was happily unstuffing it.  

The final challenge starts tomorrow.  We're heading into Pioneer Week starting tomorrow.  Fortunately the weather is supposed to be nice and I hope to cook outside on the grill since I don't have a fireplace or woodstove at the moment.  Those are both on the list for the 'house of the future'.  I baked bread yesterday using the 7 grain flour I picked up last weekend when my MIL was here.  I think it doesn't have as much gluten in it as whole wheat because it wasn't quite the same.  Different even from when I've made bread with rye flour.  It seemed too sticky and I had to add extra white flour- more than I usually use for the same recipe.  But it tastes great. We started eating it last night and have already gone through half a loaf. K8 requested it  for his sandwich today for lunch- even though we had a bit of 'store bought' bread left.

Busy week ahead.  Especially since NO convenience foods this week.  And there is the election to worry about.

Locally, this election, we have the opportunity to vote on a $20 million bond proposal.  The money is to be used to acquire land for conservation and community use over an extended period of time.  I'm amazed that there are so many people opposed to it, citing the increase in taxes at a difficult economic time.  Considering that the tax burden is going to end up about $2.20 a month for someone owning a $200,000 home I think that's not too bad. If that amount is going to push someone over the edge financially, I think they would have had trouble anyway, even without the bond proposal.  I think the benefits outweigh the cost.  Having the chance to save wetlands (or any other lands) for future generations and for our own use is worth the price of a large coffee a month- not that I generally buy a large coffee a month.

Regardless of whether you have a local bond issue or not,  get out there and exercise your right and responsibility to vote.