Keeping Warm ~ Weekend Updates

There's nothing exciting going on at our homestead right now.  I've been puttering around with the basics - laundry, house cleaning, organizing, putting away forgotten Christmas stuff, paying bills, etc. etc.

Oh, I have a list of things that need made, but my mojo is at a bottom low.  I blame it on the cold, cold temps we have.  It sort of sucks the energy out of you like a very humid hot day would.  

Friday I spent more time on the slow side of chores. However, our 19 year-old had a complete melt down and Mom and Dad had to go to the "rescue."  First, she's already seeing how hard it is to live on her own as an adult, and they are now approaching possible new living arrangements (living with her brother), which is throwing a lot of stress at her.  On her way out, her fuel line broke, and she had the dogs with her (her two).  She called crying and wanting her Mom and Dad. She has just put her last $25 into a tank of gas and that was the kicker for her melt down.  Of course we told her we'd refill it for her, after it was repaired.

She borrowed a car and made it out.  I listened.  I fed her good food (she lives way to close to fast food in town), gave her the "it's gonna be okay" speech, Dad called her while she was here and reassured her we'd be over to fix the car, and she calmed down.  She said, "when things go wrong I just want my Mom and Dad (ha ha!)."  Meanwhile I crocheted and listened until she was okay.

I slipped into PJ's early, poured myself a glass of wine, and watched Judge Judy while I crocheted more (my favorite slowdown routine when it's quiet in the house and there are leftovers).

Saturday we were naturally up at 5am.  Hubby cooked breakfast and we of course had to wait for our 19 year-old to get out of bed to head to her place.  By 9am, it was still only 26°F outside, and cloudy.

We drove up to fix Daughter's car, picked up groceries and came back home with about 2-3 hours to spare.  Hubby arranged a night out with a poker game, Youngest went to visit her boyfriend, and I stayed home and crocheted.  

The snow rolled in and boy it was cold and the road not that great.  Didn't see or hear a snow plow until wee hours in the morning.

This morning?  Or today?  I have no idea.  All depends on anything that pops up to interrupt our plans.  Since we spent most of the day fixing Daughter's (19 year-old) car, we didn't get wood split prior to the snow arriving.  Hubby and daughter had my car all night, and never got home until almost 2am.  I was furious.  The roads were terrible, and I received a message they were on the way at 8:30pm.  By 11:40pm I was calling.  Here it took Youngest to drive 1 1/2 hours to pick Hubby up, when it should have taken about 30 minutes or so.   So here I am, up at 5am stoking the fire, while those two are sound asleep.  I'm tempted to bang a lot of pots and pans right now.

Normalcy

We've hit the 20's here lately, and dipping into the teens at night.  The cold can really get to you, but I'm taking advantage of it with indoor jobs etc.

Now that the house is getting back to normal, I can get back to the kitchen.

Garlic powder and granulated garlic was made.  Just one more way to preserve my garlic without a root cellar (basement or proper storage area).  I then use these to make homemade spice/herb mixes, including homemade seasoned salt.

Strained another tincture.  

Found a quick fix for the coop door that leads out to the outside ramp.  It'll go on the inside, so both sides are secured.  I'm without "wheels" again (Big Red just needs replaced in my opinion), so it was work with what I had.  There has been no animal sightings whatsoever.  Hubby feels that the idiots in the woods (most likely illegal hunters) were the cause, but we still don't know.

I still had one daughter's dog (Mia) yesterday.   She is getting homemade food.  Her Mom didn't leave me enough of her dry dog food, so her belly is happy.  She was picked up last night.

I've been trying to squeeze in crochet time to work on the 11 "f" bombs.  I have 7 more to make.  In the midst, I'm getting some plans in motion for Christmas gifts for next Christmas.  Thank goodness for my notebook.