More Repairs ~ Public School

Remember my van?  It's been in parking mode since last February, getting many repairs including new head gaskets (second time).  Well, it's still sitting in the driveway.  It needs a computer now.

Hubby says it needs this other part before I can drive it.

Today, my son's car needs the repair job.  Thankfully, he can drive the ol' farm truck to work.  Part of the hardware that holds up the gas tank basically disintegrated on his car.  Yikes!  

The trouble with self repairs, is finding the time to get the job done.  However, I'd rather buy a part (and wait patiently) than spend $800.00 of my husband's (and mine) hard earned income to pay for repairs.  I'd rather take another getaway instead.  Sounds selfish, but really it's not selfish.  We both deserve it.

Frustration with Public School

For the second year in a row, the 8th grade class is sending kids off on a Washington, D.C. trip.  The cost?  $600.00 per kid.  However, the cost doesn't stop there.  This year they are required to have a special dress outfit, with dress shoes that can be walked a lot in - more costs. They state all meals are included, but I am sure there will be more hidden costs they will drop on us later.  

Then there is the payment system for this trip. You can pay on-line with the school, but the school charges you for every transaction you make.  We already pay enough taxes for our school's so why should I give them anymore.   Public school is not free anymore.  It's down right unaffordable.  

We already just paid $225.00 in school fees, and even more than that on school clothes and shoes.  Not to mention the cost of required school supplies also. We skipped out on school photos, since they did them the day prior to school starting, and right after fees were paid.  If they had photos taken, that would be another $90.00 to hand over.  This year?  I'm taking their photos myself, and I won't have extras laying around in a box.

My daughter said to me that the teacher told her she could hand him the $200.00 cash and he'd take care of the payment.  Send cash with your kid?  He must not have teenagers.

Last year, I could pay the tour company directly, free of transaction charges.  This year?  We are not allowed.  We must pay the school directly.  They really know how to make things difficult don't they.  

Don't get me wrong.  I do think the kids will find the trip educational and fun, but is it necessary for schools to take these trips with the economy in a rut?  It just doesn't seem prudent to me.

And it doesn't stop there.  The teachers are encouraging students to take "electronics" with them on the school trip.  What happened to good ol' fashioned deck of playing cards?  Or a book?  As a parent who strives to keep her kids from getting sucked into time wasting electronics, this is very frustrating.  My daughter should know better than to ask me to go out and buy her a $60.00 electronic, just so she can take it on this school trip.

Public school also raises my medical costs.  It wasn't long before one of my kids are already sick.  School just started, and she coughing, blowing her nose, and has a sore throat.  Thankfully, I have the knowledge of natural remedies.  However, with the continuous amount of daily germs she is around, it becomes more difficult to treat.  She lacks rest from her daily schedule also.

Then there is the amount of homework I see my high schooler doing - 2-4 hours a night.  Ridiculous.  Ugh.

I think I may have just talked myself into homeschooling again....

Interesting Books

It's a Long Road to a Tomato, by Keith Stewart

This book is full of essays, about a man who quit his job to become a farmer.  Very interesting to read.  He even kept track of the types of birds he found on his farm (and listed them in this book).

Tomatoland by Barry Estabrook

According to author Barry Estrabrook, many of our out-of- season tomatoes come from Florida.  I found this book extremely interesting.  The author points out that tomatoes are "picked green" and "artificially gassed with ethylene in warehouses until they acquire the rosy-red skin tones of a ripe tomato."  

This author writes a very important book regarding how are foods are not the same as they were back in the 1960's.  For example, he states that our commercial, store purchased tomatoes contain "fourteen times as much sodium" today as they did back in the 60's.  

If you are getting tired of those tomatoes in your garden, be sure to read this book.  You won't complain about growing them, nor stocking up on them anymore.  If you are not growing your own organic tomatoes (or any other food/meat), you will want to, after reading this book.


Here's another fun one I found at the library - 

Cooking Up a Storm,

Edited by Ken and Janice Tate

This book even has a section for Biblical baking recipes.  If you are looking for old-time recipes and fun reading, you'll really enjoy this book.

And one more to share:

I have found that Mary T. Bell's books are great for recipes and information on using my dehydrator.  This book even has pet treat recipes.  Pet treats, if you buy natural ones, are very expensive.  Guess what I'll be making soon?  Yep.  Why not, it's on the journey to self-sufficiency. 

P.S. If you are wondering when I found time to read, I read in between water bathing jars.  Tomato sauce takes 40 minutes to boil seal.  I have to steal free time where I can these days.

Letters from. . .

In the process of slowly cleaning clutter, in between gardening and stocking up, I created a way to preserve the letters my 10 year-old daughter writes to me. 

Over the years, she has written me many letters.  I tend to put a note in the kid's lunches when I can, and add a small piece of candy.  In the process of that, she started to write me letters and put them all over the house. 

In the past she'd pop popcorn, and put a "treat" down inside the bowl.  We'd enjoy the popcorn, and she would pretend to be surprised when we got to the "treat" at the bottom.

Each of my kids have a unique personality, and I just could not throw these notes away.

I purchased an inexpensive photo album with the pages that peel back.  I inserted the letters so I can re-read them like a book.

For the cover, I mixed 50/50 of white glue and decoupage, and covered the front with a piece of scrapbooking paper.  I don't scrap book very much, but do journaling and create fun journals.   

Here, I will write "Letters from ...." and will add pocket pages on the inside.  Those pockets will hold the very long letters she has written me, and pictures she has drawn me.

Life...

Escape the Ordinary

The grass is still wet from the rains we got yesterday, but I picked a lot of tomatoes.  I canned peach salsa, but actually had to buy jalapeno peppers from a produce stand.

I won't be updating the canning stats today, as my computer virus protections is blocking a Trogan when I click on "layout" on blogger.  I hope they fix that soon.

I picked enough broccoli to blanch and freeze another quart bag. 

Our buckling is not selling, so he's at the vet today.  He'll be a wether and trained with a harness, and hopefully still sell.

Today, I am yearning for "island time" - no worries, no hurries.

Hubby and I continue to enjoy the photos we took, and hope to get another "escape" in, before winter arrives.

Island Getaway ~ Camping Trailer Night Light

Saturday, my husband took me away for a one night Island get-a-way.  Look what I found!  This very cute trailer night light.  This one will remind of the most absolute, best ever, getaway we've taken so far.

More photos are posted on my Flickr Photostream for you to view.  I'll be loading a few more later today.

Stocking Up

Well, if you have been wondering where I've been.....

I canned a second new recipe for salsa.  I canned 4 pints of Fiesta Salsa.  This is delicious too.  I found the recipe on-line.  In place of the chili pepper, I used green pepper, and used 1/2 cup combined jalapeno and cayenne peppers.  Yum!  There are many recipes on that site if you are seeking for recipes for canning or for other tomato recipes.

I canned another 3 1/2 quarts of seasoned tomato sauce.  This is tedious work - chopping 23 pounds of tomatoes.  Thanks to my sauce maker, I don't have to peel, remove seeds, etc. prior to heating it all up first.

I dehydrated another quart jar of potatoes, some kale and Parmesan cheese.

I canned 4 half pints of homemade ketchup.  This took another 10 lbs. of tomatoes.

I canned another 4 half pints of Pepper Jelly (a mix of green peppers jalapeno and cayenne peppers).

I finally dug up some of the sweet potatoes, but still have another row of red potatoes to dig up. 

I canned a third type of salsa - Home Canned Salsa.  I'd like to can peach salsa, but I need to see if I can still find peaches at the produce stands.  Our tree is not mature enough yet.

Oh....it continues.  I froze more tomatoes and green peppers too. 

Note:  I found this neat site that gives 30 tips on what to use leftover salsa for:  http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/03/serious-heat-what-to-do-with-leftover-salsa-30-uses.html