Canning Continues and other ramblings

I got 5 more pints of tomato soup canned.  It takes most of my day, but that is 5 more meals for two, and so good.

                                           

In between watching and stirring the pot, I have been catching up with laundry, restocking camper ornaments (making the pieces, just have to put them together later), and creating more hair clips.  I'm also creating more embellished paper clips.  I have not booked a fall craft show just yet.  I keep seeing them for October, but I cannot commit with the canning still going on.  I do better in Nov. and Dec.

Rosemary made it out of the dehydrator.  I need to check my pantry to see what else I need dried.

I'm now writing out a winter prep to-do list, but I have to get cracking on the living room.  I have boxes now, so I am ready as soon as the tomatoes are all put up.

What's on the list?  Splitting wood, ordering propane (this time I will make sure it's delivered before the cut off date), pulling the garden,  drying herbs before the weather gets too cold, and a few other to-do's.

It's another foggy morning here, and the last few days we are hearing fox and coyote.  We also saw an eagle fly over the house.  

Disturbing news in our state - the death of 3 million chickens at another egg producing farm died due to bird flu.  I guess I better get that new coop built, so we can focus on a meat bird coop as well.  

Just lots of work in a day . . .

 I was out of the garden by 8am.  It's mostly tilled, but today I need to weed and till.  Grass is up around some plants, but other than that, I'm keeping up with it.  I had to run to "the big" city" again.  I needed a new rack for my canner pot.  I searched for hours online, and only found them on ebay for $20.00.  I ended up going to Wal-mart and getting the pot and rack for $24.00.   

I moseyed over to the meat to pick up something to grill, and wasn't shocked to see there was nearly nothing in the way of chicken.  Two packages literally (should have taken a photo), and thankfully all organic was available.  Same with the ground beef as well.

I went to the hardware store and picked up paint for the living room and bathroom door and bathroom cabinet.

Not the greatest photo, but I finally painted the beam in the kitchen ceiling.  It was truly a balancing act on the ladder, to avoid using a ton of paint tape.  My husband is tall enough to do it without a ladder, but he is overly, completely, and utterly exhausted from work.  He was thankful I did it, but I did have our handy-man working in the bathroom, so using a ladder was okay.

I still have half of the ceiling to paint, and the trim around the bathroom door, but once the bathroom is done, we can (gulp) take a look-see at the damage of the living room floor.

As for the bathroom, the entire floor was removed yesterday.  I'm frustrated, as the people who put the last floor and drywall in, just left debris under the house.  It's been a lot of work, but our handy-man is still at it.

Again, sorry for the bad photo, but I realized yesterday, that the paint on the beam matches the praying hands from Mom.  I'm still cleaning the cubbies and adding new items to them.

I thought I had bought seeds to plant tarragon, and could not find them.  I had searched the stores for a plant or even seeds and found zero.  Frustrated, I came back home and went thru my seeds again, and found them.  Those got planted, although late.

Errand Day ~ Bathroom Project Starts!

 

This was my fitbit at 7pm  last night.  It was errand day, and not by choice.  I had to go to the "big city" for an estimate on the truck.  We may be getting a second estimate, because the first will not fix paint chips on the hood from the deer encounter.  

Anyway, I took all my lists with me and landed at 5 stores!  I loaded online digital coupons before leaving the house.  Meijer had 20% off all ball canning supplies (you can check, but not sure how many days it's good for).  I picked up more canning lids for a great price, as things are not going well in this country, and wanted to be prepared.  Also, our Wal-mart had higher prices on canning lids than Meijer.  The 20% off was a great deal considering the times we are dealing with.

At Home Depot (my last stop), I had to wait forever at the paint counter due to lack of employees.  It was a very long day.

Meanwhile, our handy-man was gutting the entire smaller bathroom.  We ran into many unhappy surprises.  First, after the shower was removed on the other side in this photo, we discovered there was a leak in the back of the shower that disintegrated about 2 feet of drywall.  AND!  They did not use the proper drywall for behind a shower. 

The toilet was removed, only to discover that the metal fixture under the seal had completely rotted, and the flooring around the toilet was rotted.  So.....half the floor was removed, only to discover we'll need to replace the entire bathroom floor.  Oh joy for us. 

However, while the floor is out, we are having our handy-man (adding more costly dollars, but worth it), add heat tape to all the pipes under there.

This and That

In conversation with a professional in the financial business, I was told we are already in a recession regardless of what the news is saying or not saying.  I'll be honest, I am wondering if people will even have money to spend on craft shows this coming Christmas time.  

Last night I made this sheet pan dinner, and it was very good.  The only thing I would add is a dressing for the chicken once it comes out of the oven. I'm thinking cherry-bourbon BBQ sauce or something.  Other than that the bacon grease made this dish very tasty.  A good recipe for bad times as well.  You can raise your meat birds, grow your own sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts, and raise the pig to render the lard for the cooking process.  I do have cast iron pans in case of a black out, and can cook over a campfire.

I'm ready to start gutting the smaller bathroom, but our handyman told us, "I don't do weekends."  I guess if it works out, I'll get doing that on my own.  I've been watching Youtube videos of how to take a corner shower out.  The problem is I am not allowed to operate a saw by myself.