Jeepers

Miki, congrats on your newest family member!  

I'm taking it slow today. I'm tired from canning. Still have carrots to do this week. 

Yesterday the pharmacy texted me that one my meds was in. Press 1 if I want it refilled. I did. So when I went to get it, they said I had to press 1 if I want it refilled. I showed her on my phone that I did do that. She said it would be about 15 minutes to fill it. (Then why did you text me it was ready...I thought). I told her I'd wait. Ten minutes later she said my insurance won't cover it until tomorrow, which is now today. So I went over and got it today. My insurance won't cover anything even one day early. Anyway, I'm not going to go try to pick up anything until one day after a text from them from now on. 

I stopped in at the Dollar Tree. I needed some containers. I know they are cheap but I only need them for awhile. I got a couple of pitchers to keep extra canning jar rings in. They are bigger than a bowl and taller to hold more. I think they will work out better. 

Then I saw some seeds. I wasn't really tempted by Dollar Tree seeds but figured I'd get some cheap herbs or flowers or something. Well, the seeds were 4/$1.00. They had all kinds of veggie seeds that are all Heirloom. Only thing I couldn't find were beets. They were pretty picked over. Wish I had known about them sooner. I looked at my local nursery store seeds last week and they are up close to $3.00 a pack. I'm trying to save money since that awful tax bill. I might have made a mistake buying them but for 25c a pack I figured I'd chance it. I got 40. Hopefully they will keep for another year. 

Then I remembered about JoAnn fabrics having a Bolt Sale. Save 15% on a bolt of fabric. I plan to start quilting again next winter and I use a lot of black and cream colors. Especially black.

But there is a catch to the sale;

1. They don't have any new bolts in the stock room. Everything is out on display. I was hoping for a new plastic wrapped bolt of fabric.

2. They don't order new bolts for customers.

3. You have to find a bolt on the shelf that has to have atleast 8 yards on it. That is what they consider a bolt.

4. After the 8 yards, you have to take the rest of the material left on the bolt to get the 15% off.

I almost walked out. But I will need the black. And it's on sale...in a round about way. I found some cream with 9 yards left. Got it. They only had one rather large bolt of black. She measured it out. 15 yards. It's either all or nothing. I asked her how much per yard with the 15% discount. She said I'd get an extra discount by buying all of it. So, $4.35 a yard. Sold! I have enough black 100% black cotton material to make all the quilts I want plus make some curtains if I want with a whole lot left over. My favorite color is black so I'm good to go. Still a little miffed about the rules at Joann's. I felt like it was akin to false advertising. I put it on the charge card so I'll get 2% back. 

Sorry your knee and shoulder are still hurting you. But seriously, ask your GSIL to help you with your yard work for babysitting for them! Favors work both ways. Or even ask your GD. You can watch the baby while she does some yard work.    

Well...I "trot nicely".  Who knew!  LOL

I went to the post office today to mail off my tax checks. I go inside to mail important stuff. I also wanted them post marked.

A guy was coming out as I was getting ready to go in. Have you ever been in that situation where someone was holding the door for you but you were still too far away and you wish they would just let the door shut because it was going to take you a minute to get up to the door? That's what happened to me. So there he stood holding open the door and I wasn't close enough to go through. So, I hurried up and started running a little bit. He told me to not worry and don't hurry, it's fine. But I was already in second gear by then. I got next to him and he said, "You trot nicely." Well dang, that's a first! I said thank you and gave a little curtsy. 

I've been smiling the rest of the day. Little things like that can sure brighten a person's day. 

At least he didn't say gallop. 

Our nurseries deliver mulch by the truck loads too. Most people around here have it delivered in their driveway and use their wheelbarrow to take it where they want it. If they can't do it all in one day, they just cover it with a tarp for the couple of days it might take them. Being sure to check the weather report first. 

I was watching a YouTube channel about canning. I can't remember what it was but it was about canners being flat and stable.

The problem this person had was, she had cleaned her stove and didn't get the grates on her gas stove aligned perfectly. The one under her canner was tilted just a tad. Because her canner didn't set perfectly level over the fire, it messed up her canning process.

I wish I could remember what all she said went wrong. I THINK it was that it took forever for the canner to build up pressure and most of her jars failed. If I ever run across the video, I'll watch it again to see what all she said. 

But the crux of the story was to make sure your canner sets level and not slanted to one side. Her canner was perfect but her stove grate wasn't on straight. So your canner might not can correctly but would make a good soup pot. 

I think you are right, Mother, about it running dry at one point. I saw a woman with a wobbly canner and she said it had run dry at one time. 

Or was it Midnightmom who said that? Anyway the d*mn thing went dry. 

I was so excited that I just happened to have taken a picture of them. LOL. I got the price on the edge of the shelf in the picture.  I was going to post it but still can't. I just now looked at it. They are $14.63 a dozen in my store too. 

I wouldn't pay $24.99 for those little bitty jars either! Actually I never would have ordered them online because I didn't think I'd like them. But after I saw them in person I thought about salsa etc. I'm the only one that eats it at my house so a bigger jar would gum up in the fridge befor I could finish it. And one jar means I won't over eat. Theoretically. 

I was surprised to see them east of the Mississippi. 

Oh, maybe can some cucumbers and onions in vinegar. I love those bombs. I eat them til my upper lip starts to sweat. A few other things that I thought of but can't remember now. I need a list. 

BtW, I bought some litmus paper to decide the acid content in food to determine waterbath safety. I haven't used any of it yet but I will on some tomato or vinegary foods.

I saw carrots at Meijers for 97c a pound baby carrots washed and pealed. I'll probably go pick up a few bags tomorrow. They are sold in 2 pound bags.

Congrats on your GD house! As much as you do for your GD, I'm sure they will be there to help you. Your GGD will be getting more active soon and needing more of your time. And then maybe another one. 

OMG. Guess what my Walmart had? I'm so excited, I just can't hide it.  

I'll tell ya. Kerr canning jars. They are the wide mouth half pints. I don't like the wide mouth half pints because they are really too short. I like their regular mouth jars because they are tall instead of short. 

But wait, there's more.

Those squatty little jars will be perfect for salsa and Bar-B-Q sauce etc. Just right for a one person dipper. I might even try recanning a little bit of sauerkraut in some. I'm a rebel. Don't judge. I didn't have any of those jars. I have 6 cases now. ALL KERR JARS. 

Yes I have a canning jar obsession. All the same kind of jars all full and lined up. Kerr emblem facing forward with the writing on the lids all centered facing the front...sigh.  OCD wurks fer me. 

Some days it don't take much.

Ya know. 

New Jersey is having them too. They had a 4.8 last week and a small one (after shock?) during the eclipse. 

I got my green beans canned. I ended up with 36 half pints. I canned them in chicken broth. They are looking good. All sealed. 

I bought 4 pound bags of frozen whole green beans from Gordon Food Service. The are really nice. I thawed them in warm water before canning. They are limp (not soft) and fit very nicely in the jars. I could mash them down in the jars to get a good fit. Sort of like blanched beans. Two 4 pound bags made 24 half pints. If I remember correctly. I bought 3 bags and got 36 half pints. I have about a half a bag left. I bought them a long time ago and I can't remember what I paid for them. But $7.75 a bag is ringing a bell.  Anyway, I can really recommend the GFS frozen whole green beans. Not one bad bean and only one little stem. 

Wish I could post pictures. I'm taking them and saving them in my phone.

Miki, my Jeep is old too. 2005 with well over a hundred miles and some rust and dings. I don't think son will want it personally, but when I die it will automatically be in his name so he will be able to trade it off without having to retitle it etc. Or chance probate. $$$

Littlesister, how will it work out if your grands buy a house and then he gets transfered?

I got my banking squared away and will write out the checks for my taxes. I owe sooo much so I'm waiting to send in the checks. I'm going to go to the post office so they won't chance getting lost. It has happened in this town. They even had to change the style of drop off boxes there. I don't want any issues with the government. But I'm also in no hurry for them to use my money for interest. 

I've got 24 half pints of green beans in the canner. Next on the list will be carrots. Then I'm taking a break. I'm very tired. I think the only other veggie I want in the half pints will be pickled beets. Ugh, they are a mess and time consuming. Not looking forward to those. I do want some veggies canned in pint jars though. Mainly french green beans. Also potatoes and carrots canned together. Not looking forward to pealing potatoes either...back issues. I'm half tempted to get some of those little white baby potatoes and skip the peeling. Probably wouldn't prudent though.  I need an assistant.  

My G'son is kind of wasteful with food too.  I sort of blame his mom though. I think she fills his plate too full. When I was a kid   I could put anything on my own plate but I had to eat it all. That taught me about portion control real fast. 

Becca-Anne, that was a very educational school day. Great way to teach. G-sons school had glasses for all the kids which was nice. Around here the kids were out of school. IMO they would have been safer in a classroom and not be tempted to look at the sun without the glasses.  Especially the little ones. And a missed teaching opportunity. 

Miki, doing a POD/TOD for my son has really eased my mind.  I have him on all of my banking accounts, houses and even the Jeep.

There was an article I read a week or so ago talking about food expiration dates. The FDA or some other agency, I can't remember which, was talking about changing the rules on how food is labeled. It seems there is no standard rules. Each company can lable however they choose. Some say expires by, or use by, or best by etc. They were saying as long as the food looks and smells good and the packaging hasn't been compromised, then the food is good. Said we are wasting millions of dollars a year throwing good food away. I agree. My cousin used to drive me crazy by throwing food away that was a day away from "expiring".  Like it was a law she couldn't eat it. And our food bank won't accept food that is one month past expiration date. BTDT.

Mt. Rider, my tinnitus comes and goes too. I think it's always there but sometimes I don't notice it anymore. Unless I think about it.

I saw where CO. Was getting heavy winds. Some poles were down causing power outages and fires. I was hoping it was missing you. 

Well, I was wrong.

The eclipse was pretty amazing after all. 

I learned that the sun doesn't appear that big in the special glasses. Actually I had to hunt around to find it the first time. It looks a whole lot bigger with the naked eye.  Second was with just a little sliver of the sun showing it was still very light outside. I mean a tiny sliver. It looked like an overcast rainy day. When it was totally eclipsed, it got dark. But it was the kind of dark you get from when it is storming really badly. Not totally dark like the night. My outside light didn't even come on. 

So even with a total eclipse, there is still some lightness involved. 

Watching it was pretty awesome. I can understand how panic and superstitions would happen in the old old days. I've feel that way about people seeing the northern lights and not knowing what they are. 

I chanced taking a couple of pictures. Not much to see through the camera. Mostly a big white blur. One picture I took has a bunch of chemtrails in front of the sun. 

I found out what all the hub-bub was about in downtown Cleveland. Today is also the opening day for our baseball team. Sheesh. I'll bet it was/is a madhouse down there. 

Glad I got to see it but glad the talk of it is over. 

I see 10 right off the bat. But I'm handicapped without my laptop. I keep having to scroll up and down on this phone.  

True. Always check your seals. After you run warm water over the jar. The band screws right off without any resistance at all. 

Personally, I'm pretty vigorous with my jars the day after canning. I see where some people wipe the jars with a damp dish rag. Not me. I squirt dish washing liquid on a dish rag and hold each jar under the kitchen faucet and clean each jar well with warm soapy water. If I have a loose seal, I want it to pop off right away. Not one time has a seal ever come loose in my hand while washing a jar this way. I want them as clean as I can safely get them. I'm mostly cleaning where the screw band rests. Lots of little crannies around there and around the embossed areas too.   

I'm mostly thinking of not attracting any creepy crawlies to my pantry. 

Hope you start feeling better too Littlesister! I cut my med back and I'm doing much better. 

I took the day off today. I cleaned off the kitchen countertop but that's about it. 

I forgot all about gassing up the Jeep this weekend for the big show tomorrow. So now I have to get dressed and go do that. They are warning us of a major influx of people from all over the world. I'm not going out but I want to be able to get out of Dodge if I want to. One tank of gas can get me to the other house if I drive slowly, AKA speed limit.   

.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!   

Hope you are having a wonderful day. 

I was watching a YouTuber who had a band stuck on one of her jars after it had cooled down from the canner. She cranked and twisted with all her might. It finally came off taking the lid with it. That was one time she didn't want to hear that PING. 

I've had that happen a lot to me too. Especially when liquid siphons out of a jar and it cools down leaving the band stuck to the jar. 

All you have to do is run warm water over the jar a few minutes and it usually screws right off. It's the dried liquid holding it on. It only takes a minute or two.

I have had an occasional very stubborn band. I stuck a screw driver or bottle opener all around the edge of the band and loosened it enough that it came off. You ruin the band but it's better than popping a lid of canned food. 

Most if you probably already know this. But if that person didn't know to run warm water over the jar to loosen a band, then I figured someone else here might not know. 

Yikes Midnightmom. I've heard of ugly chicken but ugly strawberry jam... 

I plan to can some strawberry pie filling this summer and I did think about it fading. But I didn't think about it changing color like that. I wonder if that is another reason most people put a dash of red food coloring in their strawberry and cherry pie filling? I hadn't planned on adding the coloring to mine. But yeah, that's pretty unappetizing. 

I finished 24 half pints of mixed veggies. All sealed. 

I'm done for a couple of days, I think. It is good to get back in the swing of canning again but I'm really tired. I need to strike while the iron is hot. Canning when you aren't feeling great isn't a lot of fun. But I sure love those full jars. It's nice to get my veggie pantry built back up. I eat those and soups the most. 

I might have to break down and buy another kitchen stool. I hate to spend the money for a short term use since I already have one at the other house. But my back can't hardly handle standing at the kitchen sink for hours. 

LOL Necie. That just reminded me of Boones Farm Strawberry Wine from way back in the day in the 1960's. It was a thing. 

What's going on? I thought today was Friday too. I had an important call to make (banking) and they were closed due to it being a weekend. Now I have to wait until Monday. 

Mt. Rider. If your BP and arteries are fine, then it sounds like you might have tinnitus. I have that sometimes too. Very annoying. I can usually get around it by having other noise drown it out like an audio book or a fan. I usually sleep with a fan on all year around just for the noise. Mine sounds like White Noise hissing.  Lately I've been listening to free books from Youtube at night on my phone. I've been trying to listen to "The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls Wilder but I keep falling asleep.

I really like the taste of canned asparagus but be aware that it is soft and not at all firm. It's very soft. If texture matters then you probably wouldn't like it. It's all about the taste. A store bought jar would be like what I have. My store had a 12 oz jar of it for $3.99! I paid $1.00 a pound. I'm sitting on an asparagus gold mine over here.  

If you don't want to use the strawberry jam, dump it and use the jars for something else you do like. No sense not being able to use those jars plus the space they are taking up. It hurts. I know. I've had to do it too! Now I can't even rember what it was I dumped but I know I have. 

In times to come, you'll be glad you dumped the jam for something you really will enjoy. 

BTW, all the 99c stores are closing. You might pick up some sales. We don't have them around here.