This and That.

Our warm and toasty home just went to cold and not very comfortable.  Guess the heat will be back on until the wood stove door glass is replaced.  Yeah, my husband went to shut it and bam!  Glass broke for some reason.  I just had it replaced about 4-5 years ago.  Sigh.

I'm looking for a USA made pepper corer.  Not the ring type, but the metal gadget with handle.  I have found zero.  I wanted one for garden season next year for bell peppers.  Amazon is no help.  They put "USA" in titles of items, but when you go to the description it says "made in china."  I tried Lehman's as well. Nothing.  I saw it on a cooking channel and have emailed, but haven't gotten an answer back.

It looks something like this, but with a wooden handle and handmade in the USA.  If you know where to get one, please comment.

Breakfast Using Leftovers and other tidbits. . .

I ended up making a breakfast soufflé yesterday, using up leftover sausage patties diced, and leftover homemade bread.  While I was in the kitchen I tossed together a meatloaf for dinner.

I finally (finally) finished Daughter K's cardigan!!!!!!  She is so happy and so am I.  She said, "do you want a photo for your blog?"  Ha ha ha!  Of course!

The cardigan was the biggest project I have ever attempted.  I frogged several times, and learned a lot from doing this project.  I learned to crocheted "hidden" pockets and more.  It's very comfortable and warm, and perfect timing as we woke up to 20°F (feels like 11°F).

The wood stove is warming up the house nicely, but I have zero intentions of going outside, other than to tend the hens, and get the mail today.  I have a cough now.  Most likely from being out in the wind all weekend, but treating it with medicinal teas and what not.

The world has already gone mad, and now 3 men have been seen during the wee hours of the night in our town (we are on the outskirts) are trying to steal tires/rims off trucks.  Two occasions so far.  

I just realized I will need to suit up and fetch wood.  We need to restock the porch. I'm just thankful for the dead trees the boys fetched for us.  They are burning so nicely. 

Happy Homemaker Monday

I am starting to dread weekends.  I write out the to-do list, and my husband completely changes it.   I literally had to wait for 5 hours for him to return from helping cut pine for grave blankets.  He admitted his help wasn't needed, and he mostly did visiting.  I was not happy. 

Anyway, he did get a few small must do jobs done at the house, but the list remains and I'm starting to add to it.

Sunday morning there was no sleeping in for us.  At 7:30am a dump truck and back hoe pulled in to do repairs on the driveway.  While the boys were here they went out to the "back 40" and hauled some trees up to split (that had fallen down over the summer).

While he installed a new pull string on the splitter, I knocked nails out of old barn wood to cut for kindling.  Later in the day I went out for kindling and saw 3 hawks circling.  I had good timing with that and locked up the chickens.

We split enough wood for about a week, before we quit for the day.  We had to stop, as Daughter E came out and my husband did an oil change on her car for her, then put new rungs on the chicken ramp for me.  I was thrilled to cross off some of the honey-do list finally.

Mom is out of the hospital.  The recliner we ordered for her back in August is finally in transit, however may not arrive until as late as February.  Although she is back to getting meals on wheels, she is insisting one of us take her grocery shopping (again).  Covid is ramped in the area, so I suggested she just make a list.

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

I will join up after she posts this morning.

The weather . . .

48°/21°F,  Chance of a morning shower. Decreasing cloudiness and windy. Morning high of 48F with temps falling to near freezing. Winds W at 25 to 35 mph.

It rained late afternoon yesterday, and we got lots of it.

How I am feeling this morning . . .

 Well, the both of us are feeling hard work in our muscles, from the work we did on Sunday.  

On my mind . . .

Daughter K pulled all my cookie recipes last year and miss filed them.  I am missing one recipe. I will have to go thru the entire recipe box soon to find it.  Daughter E had a cookie baking party for her co-workers, and I was trying to help give her what she needed to make the cookies. She bought butter in a tub (yuck) to make cut-outs.  Ha ha!  I explained to her what she needed and loaded her up with supplies.

Something Christmas related I've done the past few days . . .

Get Christmas cards out and index cards to write and mail a recipe to a few people.

Christmas movie I watched . . .

The Prince, Single All the Way

What I am wearing today  . . .

Sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt.  I have zero plans to go anywhere today.  I do need to make a grocery list and make a quick trip this week.  We are low on fresh veggies and fruits.

On my reading pile  . . .

My Bible

On today's to-do list  . . .

-write out a grocery list

-Bake a breakfast

-plan dinner

-do dishes

-vacuum

-finish up any laundry

-master bath

On my TV . . .

Shooter, Step-Mom (netflix, which is available for free until the end of December)

What I am listening to  . . .

The radio, Christmas Rock 

On the menu this week . . .

-have no idea, will work on it this morning.

From the camera . . .

Looking around the house . . .

I started cleaning out a shelf in my kitchen (that's behind a curtain vs. a door), to make room for my dutch oven.  I found a box way in the back with a digital camera in it.  Later I pulled open some drawers and found 3 more (one of ours that was broken, sent out for repair twice), and lots of cords.  I extreme cleaned all of that up, and gave one working camera to a daughter.  I had to laugh.  One camera took actual film.  I'm unable to donate it, so it'll find a new home soon.

In preparation for the Holidays . . .

Nothing really.  Just checking the freezer and pantry for supplies for a nice meal for us here at the house. 

On my prayer list . . .

Our nephew R.  He has covid.  So far his wife and kids have not gotten it.  There are more and more close to us that are getting sick (again, and had already gotten it).  Mom.

 

Random Tidbits

It's confirmed that one family member will raise the meat birds in the spring for extended family.  We will all chip in for how many we want.  We are thankful for that.

I finally finished the sleeves on the cardigan.  I am now finishing up the back panel and have one shoulder panel to do, then I can sew it up.

I'm tickled pink that my husband bought me this as an early Christmas present.  I can keep a few projects organized and not sitting all over in different project bags.

Question for those who buy faux fir balls for hats:  where is the best place, for the best price, for the best quality to buy online?  Neutral colors?  I don't want 4 inch ones either.  I am looking for the ones that are a bit smaller and less awkward looking.

I finally got around to getting some more homemade seasoned salt made.  It's great for a lot of recipes.

Attempt to get in the spirit of Christmas....

 

It's been a few rough weeks, and after my surprise roses, candy and card from my husband, I made an attempt to draw in the spirit of Christmas.  Master bath tree, shower curtain is up, and one door had decor.  I'm not sure I'll be putting every single decoration, or tree up this year.  I'm just dragging mentally, but at least trying.

I got my first Christmas card, and love it!  So cute.  I'll have to look for cards like this.

The weather was great for getting outside last minute stuff put away, although I made a second trip back out to retrieve the sprinklers.

I had to chuckle when Daughter K told me that a co-worker wants to exchange a Christmas card with a hand written recipe.  Daughter said she is pretty excited, ha ha!  Now, hm....which recipe do I pick?  I guess I'll do some digging and see what would be good to share.

Daughter K applied for a much higher paying job.  It would be full-time if she is hired.  Praying she gets the job.  She'll be able to save up faster for a newer car, not to mention get a place with her boyfriend.

Sunrise ~ Lamancha Goats ~ Wonderful Surprise and other Tidbits

 

Beautiful sunrise.

Good memories.  Our first Lamancha doeling.  We have had a few discussions about raising them again (along with other meat sources).

My husband brought me home a surprise!  Man I love him so much.  It's been a rough couple of weeks for sure.

The weather will be up in the 50's today, so I am heading outside for anything that needs done, aside from splitting wood.  I can't do that without my husband.

Update on Mom:  she finally got her own room and will possibly be discharged today.  However, we are adding another doctor appt. to her schedule.  The doctor that did the surgery, is the only doctor to handle her wound on that leg.

This and That ~ 5 Acres & A Dream Giveaway

I asked my husband if he'd stop and pick up some navy beans.  He came home with organic Great Northern.  They were sold out of navy.  All navy beans.

Update:  I used this recipe online found HERE, but after baking it felt it did need more chips added on the top at the end of cooking, or a powdered sugar glaze, or the whipped cream.  It was good though!

Dinner was bean and ham soup, butterscotch cake (new recipe tried), and skillet bread.

We are trying to set up a new vet.  Our vet retired and closed the business.  We called 4 now, and some are not taking new clients, and one never answered their phone.  Daughter K has 4 pets and Daughter E has one.  

Update on Mom:

She was admitted to the ER and is staying there until she gets a room.  The only family member that can see her while in the ER room is the person who admitted her.  Not sure what the rules are if she gets an actual room.  Her kidney function is decreasing.

Go to HERE to view and enter a book giveaway by 5 Acres & A Dream!  With everything going on in the world this is a great book giveaway.