Pioneer week- What???

OK.  Things are not going that well for pioneer week.  Oh, the food has been good- although I'm sure that Ma Ingalls didn't have homemade pizza.  I'll confess, I didn't make the cheese and I'm sure the bottle of Australian Shiraz isn't very authentic either.  V is playing Medal of Honor on the Xbox and J14 is upstairs online- most likely instant messaging her boyfriend.  Probably half the lights in the house are on.  I haven't done very well selling this challenge.  I'm the only one who bought into it.  We did pretty well for the beginning of the week but things have been sliding ever since.   

But let's take stock:

1.  Food.  Except for the cheese for the pizza and the wine for dinner (after surviving this week we deserved it!) everything has been homemade.  The boys survived without their eggo waffles for breakfast and feasted on apple cinnamon muffins and cranberry walnut bread instead. I'm looking forward to making pasta tomorrow afternoon.  We're having spaghetti tomorrow night and I hope to make noodles and homemade ricotta for lasagne for Sunday. 

2. Energy use.  Having much trouble getting everyone to turn off lights!  This is an ongoing problem, though. Later I'll light the oil lamps and candles and V and I will have a romantic candlelight snuggle after the kids have been settled in for the night.  ;0

3.  Conserve water.  Haven't done too bad here. This is an area where we usually don't have much of a problem. V and I are good at short showers and it's usually a struggle to get the boys in the tub at all (LOL- or not really...).  J14 tends to be longer but she's only been in the shower a few times this week.

4. Transportation.  This is an area where we do well most of the time.  I walked home in the mix of snow and rain that has been falling off and on today.  V drives to work and he stopped at the store to pick up more milk and some 'medicinal' rum on his way home (for that late night snuggle).  Generally our driving is kept to a minimum anyway.

5.  Rethink entertainment.  This has been the downfall.  I've been really drained from work this week and haven't had the energy to organize 'alternative' activities.  We really don't watch that much TV anyway and the children aren't allowed to play video games during the school week- only Friday pm, Saturday and Sunday- and then in moderation (aren't we mean parents!).

6.  Watch your wallet.  Not an issue.  I'll confess to buying a Coke the day after the election because I needed some caffeine to keep me going at work. But other than that, the only purchases have been milk, juice and rum- all essentials in this house (oh, and decaf coffee).

Tomorrow is my usual shopping day so I'll need to make my menus for the week and figure out what we need.

OOPS!!! K8 just brought out a 'green slip' from school.  I seems that he scratched another child  while they were goofing around and he missed recess this morning because he 'forgot' to mention that they had been playing.  He has been our trouble maker for several years.  At least we haven't had any emails from the principal this year... yet.

Not much to say

Pioneer week is progressing.  Having trouble weaning the family off the TV but haven't had much energy to fight it.  Normally I love my job, and I still do, but it has been a really tough week and a half.  We were short staffed all last week and it's been too busy this week to get caught up so I'm just barely keeping my head above water.  Today was a little better and I finally had the chance to finalize my documentation from last Friday.  I HATE being behind.  Then to top it off, I have a really difficult patient that I'm seeing right now that is taking lots of emotional energy and just leaves me drained by the end of the day.

In house of the future news (or not) I checked the real estate listings at Craig's list and there was a house and 40 acres advertised.  Now 40 acres is WAY more than we're looking for but I checked it out anyway.  I was shocked- they're asking for a million dollars for a 1-2 bedroom cabin, 2 outbuildings and the land.  I DON'T THINK SO.  I'm not sure what they're thinking- especially in today's economy.   So the search continues.

Pioneer week- day 3

I'm tired.  I was up way too late last night watching election returns (sorry pioneer week, but TV and laptop were both on).  That coupled with a horrendous day at work made me ripe for giving up on pioneering principles.  But I held true.  Well, mostly.  K8 is watching TV right now because I'm too brain dead to argue with him about doing something else.

Cooking from scratch was a challenge for me tonight.  In other circumstances I may have succumbed to ordering a pizza so I wouldn't have to cook.  But I didn't.  We had what was on the menu for tonight and I cooked the beans for chili tomorrow. I had set them soaking this morning before I left for work.  So tomorrow is chili and cornbread- with cornmeal ground from my parent's farm and local honey.

In other news I was reading at Casaubon's Book and Sharon has a new challenge of a sort.  She's calling it The Competence Project.  It's a challenge to get us to try those things/skills that we've never learned or have always been 'too hard'.  So whether it's learning to stop a leaky faucet or build a chicken coop, there are many skills to try.  V and I are both pretty handy when it comes to practical stuff.  Since Santa has promised me a pressure canner this year, that is one of the skills I want to learn.  Even though I grew up with helping my Mom can, doing it on my own has always terrified me.  But I'm ready to try.  I also want to learn to knit or crochet.  I can sew just fine and my Mom tried to teach me to crochet years ago but I quickly gave up.  J14 is better at it than I am since my Mom was teaching her.  I've got several friends and acquaintances who knit so maybe I'll have to ask for lessons.  Hmmm, something to learn in the winter when the snow is flying.  That's coming too soon, I think

Being a good citizen

Ok.  I'm going to toot my own horn for a minute here today.  I was a good citizen.

Yes, I voted (and got my free cup of coffee from the local Starbuck's- sorry pioneer week) but even before that I engaged in an unselfish act of being a good neighbor.

What, you may ask, is even better than voting??? A very good question.  So let me tell you:  As I was on my way  to vote, coffee, work (in that order) this morning about 700 I was just a few feet from the house walking down the sidewalk toward the stop sign on the corner, I spied out of the corner of my eye several quarters in the gutter.  Now, I have people laugh at me because I pick up change off the sidewalk- but in a good week I can collect enough to buy that coffee from Starbucks- not that I do....  Anyway,  as I was going to pick up the quarters I notice that there is a lot of change in the gutter, and a bit down the street is a wallet, and a bit further along is a credit card just lying there.  'NOW THIS ISN'T RIGHT' I thought to myself, so I collected the change, wallet and credit cards and took them  back home.  I checked the ID in the wallet and V looked up the number and called the girl to come get her things, credit cards, ID and money intact.  Boy, was she thankful.  J14 really made me feel good when she commented that it was a good thing that I had found the wallet instead of someone who may not have been as conscientious as I am.  

For me it's about building community, doing the right thing because it's right, all for someone who I will probably never see again.  Here's hoping she passes it on....

Pre-election pioneers

Spiced Fried Potatoes

It's day one of pioneer week.  Besides complaints from the boys that they couldn't have Eggo waffles for breakfast (Yes, we sometimes have those in the freezer. I know- shame on me) things have gone well.  

1. Food- all made from scratch.  We grilled a piece of beef and had the potatoes pictured above.  Fried potatoes and onions with salt, black pepper and cayenne to taste. Add corn (from my Mom), homemade bread and some of the last fresh tomatoes and it was a great dinner.  I just took a batch of apple cinnamon oatmeal muffins out of the oven for breakfast.  

2. Energy use- the heat isn't a problem- I actually wish it was a bit cooler.  It was in the 70s today and with baking more than usual I wish the house could use the heat of the oven.  I generally try to not bake much when the weather is warm.  Trying to get the boys to remember to turn off lights is an ongoing battle.

3. Conserve water- I took a short shower this morning and was quite careful when cooking and washing up some dishes.

4. Transportation- this generally isn't an issue either.  I always walk to  work and the children all walk to school.  I did make a short trip this evening to take J14 to orchestra rehearsal.  I picked up the boys from their after school program on the way back.  V does drive to work but at least it isn't too far.

5. Rethink entertainment-  I was amazed. When the boys got home they finished up their homework and then went upstairs to their room to play- no asking about TV (at least not until after 730).

6. Watch your wallet.  Not a problem- I didn't buy anything today.  V did stop at the grocery store  on his way home and picked up some apple cider (we were out and he needed a current receipt to get the 10 cent discount at the gas station since he was low on fuel).  We really only have to fill the car every 3 weeks, even with V's commute.

Work has been really tough lately. Very emotionally draining, and coupled with the tension over the economy and the election I've been a bit cranky lately.  Hopefully things will settle down soon.

In other news, We were looking through the real estate ads and found several acreages that could be promising.  Unfortunately all but one are out of our current school district.  That one doesn't look too bad but the house is REALLY ugly.  It was formerly used as a vets office and has that look about it.  It's a ranch (not either of our favorite home style) with 3 bedrooms but only the main floor is finished.  The basement isn't finished at all so there is lots of potential there.  Maybe we'll do a drive by to see how ugly it is in person- but that would mess up our pioneer week transportation.  Also, I hate to get too involved in the land search before V is certain that he will be hired permanently at his job.

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.

Getting ready

Pioneer week is nearly upon us and I've been thinking about it.  We really won't have that many major changes in how we live our lives.  Trying to wean the boys off TV will be the most difficult but hopefully we can plan some family activities to keep them busy.

Over the years we have been  been through periods of being more or less connected with where our food comes from.  I have always had a garden and have always canned (especially tomatoes).   A chest freezer was one of our first major purchases when we moved back to the midwest from the east coast.  But for a few years we became more and more disconnected- relying more on convenience foods.  

We went through a period of very frugal living right after we were married- the poverty years of grad school- that taught us very valuable lessons. (Ah- the days of finding out that we had $5 left at the end of the month and could go out to have a few drinks!) I really perfected my cooking skills during that time and we had almost nothing that was pre-packaged- we simply couldn't afford it.  We learned the lessons of buying in bulk and storing food.  We learned to Make-do.  

That carried on for a while, neither one of us are in jobs that are incredibly lucrative and while the children were small, V was a stay at home dad because it made more economic sense.  I make more money than he does and his salary at the time would have ALMOST covered child care expenses.  But once the children were all in school he went back to work.  That's where the trouble began.  With both of us working full time, time became more valuable and money became more plentiful (not ever over-abundant), and we began the slow slide into convenience....

We didn't plan or worry about where the next meal was coming from and a year and a half ago I realized that one or the other of us was going to the grocery store at least 4 times a week.  That was when I realized that things had to change.   Thank goodness we have never been fast food addicts (about the only time we eat fast food is when we are traveling for over 8 hours). I have always cooked and we have always had family meals together but I was feeling disjointed and disconnected.  So we have been making the change, trying to grow and store more of our own food, trying to rely less on convenience foods. (I will confess to Zatarain's jambalaya mix to use bits of leftover meat).  I have been trying to eat more locally as well, buying a portion of our meat from the farmer's market this year.

I got onto this ramble talking about Pioneer week.  One of the things that I have done in the past year, to help me organize my head, reduce the grocery store trips and help with time management is that every week on Saturday I make out the menu for the week.  It is posted on a dry-erase board on the refrigerator.  This way I can make one shopping trip to get everything I may need for the week, it allows me to make better use of our stores of food and I can prep things in advance if I need to (soak beans the day before you want them, for example, instead of relying on canned ones).  It was kind of funny, this morning I was working on the menu, remembering that I need to cook everything from scratch for Pioneer week.  I finished and showed it to V who commented: "Hm, it doesn't look any different from usual".  That felt like a victory of a sort.

Here's to a productive weekend and a fun week ahead.  I've gotta go bake bread.

J