Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Monday, August 29, 2016

Malfunction Junction

We've had a very busy week and weekend.  First Hubby arranged a 1st birthday party for our grand-daughter (mid week of all days).  Then we had a ton of tomatoes to deal with, and then a family gathering on my side of the family, which required me to cook.

Hence the tomatoes sat still, the garden was still worked, on, but I gotta share this ditty.  It only happens in my family.

I was so busy I forgot to pay a few bills and poo, one is late.  I'm never late.  People just need to leave me be in August anymore.  I don't even have time to think right.  My brain is not functioning properly during this ever so, full speed ahead gardening season.


So, back to the story.  Hubby was called into work at 6:30am on Sunday.  The day of the family get together.  It was to start at 1pm.  My Dad turned 85 this year and we were trying to get him out of his apartment to meet up with his older brother, my Uncle and Aunt. 



I made a crock pot of 6 pounds of organic beef, homemade sloppy joes, sweet potato salad, black-eyed pea salad, and one daughter made cherry delight dessert. We also took iced tea, buns and organic potato chips.

       (Homegrown never looks like the food sold in stores) 

After I got all the food done, I had peppers to slice and freeze from the garden (half which was left for me to do today).
 
Back to the story....I sent all the food with the kids and waited to see if Hubby would arrive home in time.  He arrived somewhat on time, but needed to shower etc. 

We rode the motorcycle up, just to get some "us" time squeezed into the day.  On the way home, we stopped to get ice.  I had a sink full of freshly cut broccoli to blanch and freeze when I arrived home.  Only a gardener would understand.  You just don't want to waste any little bit of hard work and good food....

I told Hubby early on the ride, we absolutely need coffee.  I would be a grumpy gal Monday morning.  More like a lethal weapon if I didn't have my java.

We got home, and realized we forgot to buy coffee.  I call my kids and they just passed the store and refused to turn around to get it.  Yeah, you can imagine my thoughts.  They drink it more than us.

Hubby gets dressed and drives my car to another store, and I text him to check the gas, as I knew it was low (he drove it last).  The kids got home, I scolded them, I put leftover food away and saw my phone had 9 text messages.  I went into panic-mode.  We live in the boonies.  We are not a hop-skip and jump to any store.

Hubby not only forgot his wallet, but could not drive home to get it, because he was out of gas.  I had to round up my son and send him in his car to rescue his dad.  Oh what a night.

It's gonna be another long week.  It rained  a few times, and I have not picked tomatoes due to the cooking and gathering.  Once I get yesterday's dishes all washed (no time to get it done yesterday), I'll be canning, picking, and freezing.  Kids are all in school today, older kids are at work or college, and it's back to me and the animals.  

On a good note - I don't have to cook.  We brought more than half of the sloppy joes home, along with almost all of the black-eyed pea salad and some sweet potato salad.  I'll be freezing most of the sloppy joes...only 3 meat eaters here.

Thank goodness school had a 2 hour delay today too. I needed a tiny bit of extra sleep, but now it's back to full throttle.  Oh, I need another cup of that energy packed java....I have tinctures to drain, an extract to drain, herbs to pick....oye!  I'm with Susan on having to start at o'5:30am to get even half my list done. 

12 comments:

Kim said...

Breath my dear! August is always a blur, and all this heat and humidity only makes our brains more foggy I think. But what a blessing all that produce is.

Susan said...

Hey! I wonder if we're related - that sounds like my kind of weekend. I know that, if I'm stressed and have too much to do, all kinds of things go wrong. I got so tired of looking at a counter full of vegetables, that I gritted my teeth and cut up at least half of them and roasted them. Not fun when it's 90 degrees and humid, but you have to do what you have to do. Heaven forbid it's wasted! Sounds as if you will at least have less interruptions during the day with school started.

Mama Pea said...

Lucky for me (in more ways than one!), we've got a rainy day today. My "inside" list is a foot long so I can put the hours inside to good use. I probably still won't get to "clean house" because of the canning/preserving that must be done. But you can relate, right?

Michelle said...

I use to wish for more time and my canning to be done. Now that we are living in a 5th wheel till we can find land and build our house. I am wishing for those times back. I miss my garden and animals so much.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Kim, you are right about August, ha ha!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Susan, so far the pups are being somewhat good. They miss the kids and about one hour before the bus arrives they'll be sitting at the gate by the door. I pushed myself to can ketchup again today. I just know it'll be worth it this winter.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, I had to laugh! I have enough on my table to can tomatoes for 3-4 days or more, ha ha!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Michelle, hopefully you'll be back to gardening soon.

Sam I Am...... said...

Bless you sweetie and your family! I miss those days of counters full to the brim with produce..when it "comes in" it ALL comes in and keeps going until you pray for a frost! LOL! It is so true that when there is too much to do that there are things that fall through the cracks. It's happened to all of us. I make a list every day even though I live alone because there is still that chance! LOL! Get your rest above all!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thank you Sam I Am.

RB said...

Don't ya just love days like that? Not!!!
LOL
Prayers everyone's having a great holiday.
God bless.
RB
<><

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thanks RB