Friday, August 17, 2012

Back to school IDC

The boys started back to school yesterday.  My MIL arrived safely last evening and I thoroughly enjoyed my day of solitude.
I woke yesterday to a roaring thunderstorm that provided us with a lovely 1.1 inch of precious rain.  Fortunately it had dissipated to only a mist by the time the boys had to go wait for their buses.  The rain made it too wet to do any weeding in the garden so I busied myself with tidying up the house- especially the downstairs bath, guest room and the kitchen.  I brought in the table from the deck and stashed it in the back of the library and hauled up my sewing machine and some other quilting supplies so I can work without bothering my MIL in the spare bedroom in the basement which is where I usually work.  The table isn't as strong as I would like and it gets kind of bouncy if I run the machine at a fast speed but it definitely works.  And the lighting is great back there. Maybe when the walls are finished (drywall isn't completely mudded yet and it's unpainted) I'll permanently move my sewing machine up there.  Of course, V wants to use that room for his study- hmm, best 2 out of 3 falls???  I did get the borders cut and on for Justine's Steampunk Airship quilt- now I just have to sandwich and quilt it.  Hopefully I can get it done soonish to send in her first care package at college.
But it's Friday, time for my Independence Days Challenge update.  Not that I feel I've got much to report- and this is from the last 2 weeks (although one doesn't really count since I was out of state).
Plant something- not a thing.  Sadly, not all of my little fall seedlings survived- but then, did I really need 10 heads of cabbage? I tell myself not....
Harvest something- tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, a honeydew, basil, oregano, eggs
Preserve something- 7 quarts of tomato sauce.  The tomatoes seem to be in a lull- I think this is the result of the super-hot temps we had that kept them from setting on.  I hopefully should be getting more ripening in the next week or so.  I certainly hope so- I still don't have as much canned as I'd like.  I've also been using my dehydrator this week.  On Tuesday I made some 'Cream of this and that' soup (you know- that catch-all veggie soup) with broccoli, zucchini, onion and peppers.  Justine just loves it (as do I) and we got started talking that all the ingredients (except the half and half) could be dehydrated and pulverized before cooking.  So, I've been dehydrating zucchini, broccoli, carrots, peppers and a couple of tomatoes to make 'soup powder'.  I do need to dry some onions as well but I think I'll wait until the MIL is gone... they can be a bit overwhelming, LOL.  I'll experiment with the mix and then send some to Justine for a quick meal option.   I'm wondering if dry milk would work to add some creaminess, a little bouillon and viola!  Just add hot water!
Waste not- the usual: composted, recycled and scraps to chickens
Want not- not much this week, although I did get a few pounds of Colorado peaches that are destined to become jam this afternoon (I'll have my MIL help).  There is also a sale on sugar at the local grocery that I want to get to, as well as a '2-day sale' starting today with a few other specials - like cheap toilet paper!
Eat the food- Cream of This and That soup (LOVE my immersion blender!) and I made a killer tomato sauce for over pasta last night.  Everything but the salt and pepper came from my garden.  LOVE IT!
Build community- got a great local melon- that's about it.  Oh, and while not exactly local to me now, last week when we were in MN, my MIL, one SIL and I stopped at Homestead Mill- a local grain mill in Cook.  What a fascinating place- I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to have someplace like that near here.  I did get a bunch of pancake/muffin mixes as gifts for co-workers (they're the absolute best for allowing me to have 2 weeks off in a row!!) including mixes for wild-rice pancakes. They sell the mixes in these lovely muslin bags that were actually made on site at the mill (we met the lady sewing the bags- they also screen print them all as well!) I made muffins (blueberry and cranberry/maple/pecan) for our last breakfast on the lake since everyone needed to bug out quickly- and they were fantastic!
Skill up- hmm, not much- although I did disassemble the vacuum to try to figure out why it is squealing when it gets hot... no luck- it still squeals- I wonder if a bearing is going in the motor or something....  sigh- I don't want to have to worry about getting a new vacuum!

With Justine off in college, finances will be getting much more interesting.  We had to spring for a new laptop for her and we're trying to get by this semester without her having to take out any loans.  But it will be touch and go for us.  Good thing we've got lots of food in the freezer and I know how to cook.  But I do think this means that our alcohol and entertainment budget will be slashed.  Oh, what will I do without my weekend wine with dinner.....  Not that we are lushes by any means but we do love the occasional bottle of wine.  hmm...  I wonder if the birds have left any elderberries.......

13 comments:

  1. Ya know how I justify the expense of buying wine for home consumption? We don't go out to eat very often but if we did and I had a glass of wine (which I don't 'cause it's so expensive!), that one glass would cost about half of what I could buy a bottle of wine for. So, I'm really saving a LOT of money by purchasing a bottle of wine to enjoy at home, right? (Do I sound delusional??) Best case scenario? We all need to learn how to make our own alcohol! I'll drink to that.

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    1. I like your logic!! Excellent points! And the harder stuff?? Same thing- If I went out for a mixed drink I'd spend a small fortune. But I can get a bottle of excellent, locally produced rum or bourbon for the cost of a night out- and it lasts a LOT longer!!
      We have made our own wine in the past. But I would like to get back into it and maybe try beer brewing as well. So many projects, so little time....

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    2. I was going to say I justify my alcohol purchases by buying locally and classifying them under 'Buy Locally Made Products'! Of course, I live in Bourbon country (KY) and many of the old tobacco farms have been recreated to be wineries. Indiana also has inexpensive and wonderful local wines! But I really like the logic of the above!

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    3. Oh, I forgot to add: I heard not too long ago on NPR that women who drink a glass or two of alcohol daily (or nearly so) are less likely to suffer from dementia and related problems in their senior years!

      I quickly found this related link, so I hope it's a good one!
      http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/HealthIssues/20071025202420.html

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    4. I had heard about that study. More reasons to drink wine. After all, red wine is supposed to be good for you, right??

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  2. Wasn't it a lovely rainy morning to putter indoors? (We had similar weather yesterday). As for the sewing room, perhaps if you just keep occupying it you will gain some advantage in ownership, ha!

    I'm with mama pea on the costs savings of drinking wine at home! :)

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    1. I am think that possession is 9/10th of the law... right??

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  3. Restaurant? What is a restaurant? But I do need my glass of wine (or two) on the weekends. It is a good thing that you are so self-sufficient - it can save you bundles. And two weeks off in a row!? I wouldn't dare. I would never go back to work -- it's hard enough with a two day weekend. How lovely you finally got rain. I hope this is the start of a milder, wetter stretch of weather. Would love to see pics of that quilt...

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    1. LOL! I barely know what a restaurant is either- although my MIL took me out to lunch yesterday. And I'm definitely going to have difficulty going back to work next week. I'm 'on call' on Monday but report back for sure on Tuesday. I'll have to see if I remember what I do for a living!
      I've got pics of the center applique panel of the quilt on my other blog but I'll post some pics here when I get some of the quilting done since it needs the quilting lines to really make the quilt.

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  4. You sound about ready for winter and then some.Is your daughter going very far for collage.my grandson,Richard, will be living here and attending a community college,but same think with a lap top but I got some expert advise from a elder gentleman ( and I do mean gentleman) 1st ,don't buy a laptop with a ADM processor... I'm not going to bore you with all of his good tips but he teaches seniors how to use a computer too at senior community sites.I think I need one!Its nice you get along with your MIL.I found out very late and no one bothered to tell me that my MIL was bi-polar.It would have explained so so much.

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    1. Our daughter is half the country away. She moved into her dorm this morning. My husband is a computer geek and Justine is also quite computer savvy. She did have very specific requirements from the school as to what she needed.

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  5. Sounds good, moving your machine. Sometimes we have to adapt with reatives visiting. A family member is getting married to a real jerk. I'm meeting his parents tomorrow and supposed to answer that's he's wonderful, ugh. The in-laws are strange people...

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    1. I do love my MIL and would never dream of NOT letting her stay here- she is really stuck! But it does put a crimp in plans- there are many things that she wants to help with that I really don't want want/need her assistance but I have to keep her busy so she doesn't find projects for herself. Oh well, it's only a few more days.

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