Jeepers

Congrats on your G-sons liver test! One step closer... Project Manager caller this morning wanting to do another walk through. No problem. The contractor came too. There are just a few minor details that need to be done. Mostly replacing light switch/socket covers that were cracked and affixing the sliding glass door curtain pull thingy to the wall and painting over a smudge on a cabinet. Also a bracket for the basement plug-ins. Really little things. He is repairing the garage floor drain today. So for all intents and purposes, it should be done by tomorrow or Monday. Can you believe it! I asked if they wouldn't inform the insurance company until the first. That way they can't kick me out of the hotel like tomorrow. I'm scheduled to be here until Dec. 31 and I don't want any surprises. They said no problem. They had me sign the paper and date it for January 2nd. They still have to schedule a final walk through with the electric and plumbing from the city. They replaced all of the bathroom and kitchen plug-ins with GFI switches too. So now everything will be up to code. Something that it wasn't before the big flood. Contractor told me to be sure to mention that to the new buyers. All new plumbing and electric. Something a new buyer won't even have to think about for 30 years. I'm going to have to get an agent who can really talk the house up. Sigh.

Way to go TMC! A brand new canner, even sight unseen, is fantastic. I didn't really think I'd use a second one until I had one. Great for big batch canning where you don't have to stretch the process out over two days. Plus they make excellent soup pots!

Interesting videos. I do have the patience to watch the instructional ones. I have heard good things about the ForJars lids. But I wonder how much is hype due to nearly every canning channel gets them for free and then gets to offer their viewers a discount code. Could be a conflict of interest but I don't really know. Just my suspicious mind probably. But I haven't really heard anything bad about them except they are a little more prone to buckle IF you screw the bands on a little too tightly. That is more of a user error though. I think I heard that from Leisa. Interesting about weighing them. Wonder how much a ForJars lid weighs? I have a ton of Ball lids and I still have 2 sleeves of lids from Lehman's so I'm not in the market any time soon. But I wouldn't hesitate buying the ForJars lids. Especially if I got a discount.

Midnightmom. Glad you dd so well. And thanks for the info. I wondered how they went about doing those.

Same here Littlesister. I keep my dehydrated foods put back for when I can't get fresh or canned food. Apocalypse . Since most everything got stored either last year or this year, they will probably out live me. That's a good thing. Did you blanch the celery first or just chop it and dehydrate it? It sounds good.

Midnightmom, I didn't even know ForJars made a pressure canner. It is about the same price as a Presto but you get two racks and an extra gasket. That is a big bonus. Plus the other items included. If I didn't already have three canners, I would really consider that one. Also with discount codes a lot of people are offering.

Midnightmom, how did your stress test go? Glad to see you made it through! The last I heard the ForJars were made in China. Has that changed? Mother, that's what I mean about buying an All American. How much longer would I really be using it. I love to can as long as my body holds out. But being realistic... Oops, I was talking about the lids. Not the canner.

I think everyone is really tired. And weary. We all have had our share of trials this year. I don't know if next year will be any better but I can't wait to see this one gone. The last 2-3 times the fed met they didn't raise interest rates and I heard they might even lower them next year to help curb inflation. I don't know how that works. Just what I heard from financial analysists. I hope they stay stable at least until I sell the house. Selfishly, I want people to afford to get a loan. Speaking of the house, the Project Manager called today and wants to try to schedule a final walk through either tomorrow or Friday. I'll be so glad to get out of this hotel but it's a little scary too. I've been here so long it's sort of like home. Familiar I guess you could say. And I have no furniture at the house except for a twin bed and a table and chairs. It's just another major adjustment to get used to. Kinda like graduating from high school. You've waited for it for so long and suddenly it's time to go. That kind of scary. But I'll have a lot to keep me busy there. Cleaning and clearing out more stuff. I need to get some sort of curtains up too. Still lots to do before it goes on the market. I have to get my stuff out of there regardless of when I sell. I'm hoping for Mar.- Apr. We can still get blizzards in March. Anyway, March and April are only 3-4 months away. It's going to take a couple of months to get the rest of my stuff packed up. Then there is the garage. I will probably rent a little U-Haul now that I have the hitch. I can get a lot of stuff in one of those and just be done with it. Pack up everything and store it in the garage until I get a load. Then son can take the rest in his truck/trailer. The biggest things I'll have are a table and four chairs, two leaves and the twin bed and mattresses. I realty don't even care about the bed. I'm starting to hate being by myself and doing all of the work alone again. I'm just getting cranky tonight.

I bought some dehydrated celery one time and I wasn't too pleased with it. I THINK it was Augason Farms but I could be mistaken. It was a long time ago. It seemed it was too dark in spots. Like it wasn't treated with lemon juice before dehydrating or something. Just not appetizing. Maybe it's supposed to be that way but I ended up picking through it and picking off the dark areas. What I'd like is a freeze dryer for celery. Wouldn't that be nice.

Keep us posted on how it does! I want to do celery in the future too. I'm going to try canning it too. I've heard it doesn't turn out very well. But if you blanch it first it is supposed to do better. I'd just like a few half pints to have on hand to put in casseroles. It might be too mushy though. We used to love fried celery. Or probably more like boiled. Or maybe steamed. I don't know. I'm not a good cook. But I used water and chicken Bull-Yon (can't spell it) and cooked it up in a frying pan until it wilted down and the broth evaporated. It was one of D-ex's favorites. Don't salt it. BTDT

My Presto gaskets work in my Mirro canner. My Mirro is from the 1970s and it makes a great soup pot if nothing else. My issue is finding the correct size for my Presto. My instruction book doesn't list the number. It says to look on the canner. Canner is in Indiana. Lehman's have all kinds of sizes. They have all of the parts too. Even the little screws for the handles. They just aren't listed in their catalog nor online. I guess you have to call them? I came close to buying an All American the last time I bought another canner. But I weighed all of my pros and cons. I'm short and reaching over a hot canner to screw and unscrew those toggles would be an issue for me. And they are so heavy. No way could I lift one. I would will it to my DIL but she has arthritis pretty bad and I know she wouldn't use it. The price is pretty prohibitive too. I'm not saying never, but I don't see one in my immediate future. I think the medium size is over $400.00 now and I don't think I have that many more canning years in me to justify the cost. I think about it but I always seem to talk myself out of it. I rarely use my Mirro anymore. I like the Presto because it has a gauge on it. I go by the jiggler but I also like to keep an eye on the gauge to make sure the jiggler is doing what it is supposed to do. My gaskets last for many years. I still like backups though. I just wet the gasket under running water and swish water all around the lip of the canner top and put the gasket back in. So far that has worked too. It seems like just taking the lid off and putting it back on is what helps.

I was looking for this too.

Midnightmom, I hate when that happens. I've had it happen to me before too. Usually if I take the lid off and let it cool down enough to handle, I remove the gasket and run it, and the inside of the canner lid lip, under water and get them both wet and replace the gasket and then it holds pressure. Something about both the gasket and inside the lid being wet seems to work for me. It's aggravating and a big time waster. I usually replace the gasket after that. I need a couple more extra to have on hand too. I try to get as many years out of a gasket as I can. But the water trick has worked well for me a few times. Good luck on your test today!

Yeah, I know where those flying monkeys are headed. I've had a front row seat in one of those hand baskets all blasted year.

Thank You Midnightmom. Now if I can just find my books...

Thank You Phoenix. That's good to know! I'm still deciding what to do with that monstrosity I bought. Now that I have a new floor in, I'm half afraid it will get damaged if the fridge is removed. And It really is too big for a garage fridge. I'm leaning toward leaving it and letting someone else decide if they want to keep it or not. Plus right now we have 6 inches of snow on the ground and I don't want anyone running in and out of the house right now. Sigh. I was thinking all package appliances were standard size. Note to self...they aren't. And BTW... WELCOME. WELCOME, WELCOME to Mrs. Survival!

Necie, just give your DH a knowing look and pat him on the head and tell him you understand. Old peoples taste buds change when they get to be that 'certain age' and you will try to be more mindful of his special needs. Or maybe not...

I'm pretty set on gasoline. Especially since I don't use it in the riding mower and trimmers etc. in the winter. I read where another merchant ship was attacked in the Red Sea today and BP announced today that they are suspending their ships from going through the Red Sea. So that could effect gas prices. I had a doctor appointment today. He raised my BP medicine again. But only by half a pill. I thought I was going a lot better but the nurse said the wrist monitors read much lower than the arm ones so I guess I wasn't doing as well as I thought. Sigh. As long as I don't pass out like before, I'll try it. It is snowing here today. Supposed to get 3 inches tonight and 3 inches tomorrow. Then warm up to 40 Wednesday. I really miss my garage in the winter. Haven't heard any more about a walk through. I stopped at the house and it still looks like it did the last time I was there. I think that was last Wednesday. It didn't look like there was that much to do then. But the garage is still full.

I did make a pretty good haul at the bulk food store over there but it was really too expensive. I could have bought more stock up things. I'm going to make a list before I leave this area and do one last run over here before I move. Should probably do the same for Lehman's too. Although I pretty much have what I can afford from there. Would love a clothes wringer. I saw Butterball turkeys last week at Wal-Mart for .50 a pound. They were the whole ones though. I only buy the breasts for me too. I don't care for any dark meat. It's too strong tasting for me. Although, I would get a whole bird to make stock. I have lots of canning I want to do too. I need soups and stews mostly. I live on that especially in the winter. I was concerned about the chunky tomato sauce I canned in Indiana last October. I had trouble with two lids not sealing. I still have 11, I think, quarts left and I checked the seals on them and they are still fine. I did some Great Northern beans and some corn and peas and the lids are all sealed on them. So far...so good. My pantry room is in total chaos. It has even spilled out into another bedroom and the hallway. I still have to put shelves together. But no time. But I do have food, medicine and crafts in that room. I really need to sort through things and get some of the craft things out to the garage, if only temporarily. Also some blackout curtains on both windows. There are already blinds in that room but I want it dark for the food. Prayers for your neighbor. Poor guy.

I told the boy to go sit in front of the Christmas tree in his cub scout uniform so I could get a nice picture of him to send to his grandpa. I was thinking Norman Rockwell. He was thinking...well, I don't know what. Stephen King perhaps. No, he wasn't crying. Just acting goofy. Normal. I'm using this as blackmail for when he is older. Bwaa-ha-ha. Teach him to mess with this grandma. - Fortunately I looked in my camera before he took off. Boys. Gotta love em. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

I had a good time in Indy but the trip was way too short. I really just went over to get G-sons presents under the tree while the weather is still good. I had to get home for doctor appointments this week and a final walk through at the house is coming up soon (I hope) and I want to be available for that. And also the weather. Going over I got sort of drowsy and decided to pull in a rest area. There were only about 5 cars in the entire lot. I pulled in backwards to have an easy out. Pulled in not backed in. I was at the end of the row with only one spot to the left of me. I must have dozed off because when I looked over a camper type van had pulled right beside me facing the same way. With all of those empty spaces he pulled in beside me at the end of the lot. Creepy. I got gas and left. Thursday I helped son and DIL take care of some final documents for their house and Friday evening we went to G-sons favorite store. Barnes and Noble. Saturday I was sick as a dog. Stomach and intestinal issues. Fortunately it was just the 24 hour kind. I wanted to come home Saturday but I knew I wouldn't make it. Or I'd be miserable trying. But I felt so much better that night that I was able to go back to their house for a good visit. It was mostly a duty trip and too short to get anything done at the house except to get one floor lamp put together...sort of. It came with a lampshade you had assemble and it did not cooperate. I pitched it and bought a better one at Wal-Mart. Probably could have done better but I didn't have a lot of time and I didn't want to spend a lot of money for it. I did stop at Shipshewana on the way over. I went to the bulk food store. I think it's called E and S. I got a cart full and noticed, after I was at the register, that they only take cash or check. Yikes. Luckily I had my checkbook along with me. Very lucky! I got some big glass bottles of Torani French Vanilla and Caramel flavoring, some Watkins Almond and Lemon extract, Amish Church Spread (fluffer nutter) 10 pounds of Indiana Honey, 16 pounds of Powdered Sugar and 15 pounds of Cocoa Powder. I over bought on the sugar. I thought I was only getting 12 pounds. I misread. I also picked up a couple packets of Mrs. Wages Pizza sauce and Pasta sauce. Also some premixed Chicken/Corn /Noodle soup. I want to use the cocoa and powdered sugar to make a hot cocoa mix and store it in a jar. I just need to find my recipe now. I could have done better at the bulk food stores in Ohio though. I'm really going to miss them. I expect my furniture to arrive any time now. I'm hoping after New Year so I don't have to go back over so soon. I'm replacing my table and chairs with something smaller. That table is way too big for my small dinning room. But it will fit in son's house nicely so my loss is their gain.

Thank You Mother

Midnightmom, That turkey broth looks delicious! Good to know about the smooth sided canning jars. I think they started making them with crafters in mind. The last time I was at Hobby Lobby had single wide mouth quart Ball canning jars for around $3.50 PER jar. I wasn't in the market but they were by something else I was looking for. Sheeesh.

I made a mistake. The Ohio toll road is only three lanes half way to Indiana. They didn't seem to notice I haven't paid the toll the last time I went through. Either they don't care or else it hasn't been long enough between the times I went over. You have a month to pay and I'm not sure how long it's been since I went over. Suppose I'll find out next month.

Going to Indiana today to deliver presents. I have too much going on over here with doctors and the house etc. to be gone during Christmas. Weather is starting to concern me too. So I've decided to stay home this year and not stress about it. Family understands. I'll be back Sunday.