Dee

Sometimes you really need to think things through! 

I hear you euphrasyne.  DH always did our home and farm maintenance inside and out.  I was in charge of taking care of the children, house and gardens and all that included.  Cooking, canning, freezing, cleaning, etc. etc.  So, that's why I think I now deserve a cleaning lady!   

I don't do the gardening, canning, etc. I used to do either but, at 76 next month, I've stopped working so hard and I'm enjoying things finally.  I have a great social life and it's a lot more fun, though not very productive.  I, of course, still prep but mostly with store bought things.  I'm a big Aldi fan and go late fall and stock up for the entire winter.  It's 35 miles to Ft. Dodge from where we live so a big stock up is perfect.  That, of course, is all added to the preps I already have.

I haven't figured out if I'm just lazy or old because I know I could still do way more than I do.  I just don't want to.

Jeepers, I know the do it yourself motto.  My husband grew up on a farm in the 50's.  Those people worked and knew how to do everything.  Now, I'm being cautious with hiring things instead of DH doing it.  He can't do it anymore and he hates it but it's our new reality.  Also, like you Jeepers, I want things to look nicer than they have through the years.  When we farmed, had livestock and DH worked full time we didn't have the time, even when very young, to do anything for looks.  Now, we have a new house and I want to keep it decent.  I don't need the best, but I need it cleaned and taken care of.  In a new house it's all my dirt and mess so I'm trying to keep it up.

snapshotmikki and Littlesister, I hope you can get once a month before long too Mikki.  It's amazing how much a cleaning lady can get done in 2 or 3 hours.  Mine comes every 2 weeks but I think once a month would be enough, yet, if she doesn't get here every 2 weeks it seems to get dingy. DH has never helped clean around the house Littlesister since he held a fulltime job, farmed and had livestock but now he doesn't do much of anything.  So, today I had him bring groceries in from the trunk of my car.  Yesterday I had him empty the dishwasher while I was gone.  I'm completely shocked as he just did it with no question.  I think I'll slowly add more things for him to do.  

Midnightmom, we used to have a thread on hiding things around the house.  Some of the ideas were ingenious.  Maybe we should start another OR if someone knows how to find old threads maybe they could bring it to the forefront.

Euphrasyne, I'm not saying my cleaning lady has never taken anything, but I don't know of anything she's taken.  I never quite know what to do with myself the 2 hours she's here.  Hence, the hating her coming. lol  I do know I now always fold laundry and put it away while she's here.  Gives me something to do and I wander around putting the stuff away.  She never knows when I'm going to show up in this room or that.  It's not that I don't trust her, but it feels good to me to let her know I'm around all the time and wandering here and there.  Hopefully, w/o being too obvious.

Would I leave while she's here?  I did for a while, but I simply didn't feel comfortable doing it.  I think you're asking for trouble if you do.  Even if she didn't take something but something showed up missing (maybe I misplaced it, DH moved, etc.) guess who I'm going to blame?  Then I'd have to ask her about it, fire her, be uncomfortable with her, etc.  Staying home is my answer and I love that I have her.

Don't let old prejudices of your parents, I have them too, stop you from having a cleaning lady, if you'd really like one.  Believe me, it's so very nice!

I wonder about the money we spent over the summer too Littlesister.  We spent a fortune adding an attached garage.  Was it necessary?  No, but like you I don't regret it.  I have 2 freezers in it, cars, of course, and I've got a lot of things stored that can freeze w/o being ruined.  We get at least a week of -20 every winter.  All the spots where the garage stuff used to be is now where more of my supplies are stored. We don't have a basement.

If you walked in my house, you wouldn't see any supplies anywhere.  Many things are in closets, stored under this or that.  Also, in cupboards that my cleaning lady has no need to be in.  Oh sure, I know she sees more than I'd like her to but I NEVER leave the house when she's here so she can't really do a lot of snooping.  I don't have her clean closets, etc.  Mostly the bathrooms, floors and the like.  

Something bad could happen tomorrow but maybe not for years.  I think we need to live for today as well as plan for the future.  You have your house fixed the way you want; I have my garage.  Both are done, with no going back, so let's enjoy them and keep on praying things don't fall apart.

You know what Becca?  Three years ago, I hired a lady to come every 2 weeks and clean my house.  Best decision I could have made.  Don't get me wrong, there's absolutely no reason I can't clean it.  I just don't want to.  When we first moved to this new house, I told DH if he'd vacuum, I'd do the rest.  He said, "Nope, I'm not going to."  No problem then, I told him I'll hire it done.  AND I did! AND I LOVE it!  If there's something you absolutely hate doing, like me cleaning house, find someone to do it for you.  Don't wait until you're over 70, like I did. Do it now and enjoy letting someone else take over that job.  I hate the days Tanya comes; I even jokingly tell her that.  It's only because someone in the house for 2 hours bugs me.  But I absolutely love it when she walks out the door and my house shines. She's a nice lady, does a great job, I love her dearly and for that I pay the price.  It's worth every penny!!!

Well, it's interesting to see this pop up.  I'm now almost 76.  My goodness, times does fly.  Things are still pretty good around here.  I'm older and I'm sure wiser.    DH isn't as healthy as he was back when I first wrote this, but he keeps on trying.  

I still did some canning from the garden this summer/fall.  Not tons like I used to but enough to make me feel useful.  Like Mother I prep and keep a FULL pantry of food and other necessities.  The way the world and economy are today I'm glad for all I've put a way through the years.

Keep up the good work ladies.  We're in interesting times!  

Thanks for your kind words Joyfilled.  Hope you can get something going in your small town.  It's well worth it! 

I think I'd have taken it out of the garbage and rinsed it off Momo.     But, then again, maybe not with a DIL.  Mine isn't real crazy about me to begin with.

You will have tons of turkey canned and ready to go Littlesister.  Great work!

LIttlesister, DH, DS and his friends used to spend the weekend snowmobiling.  I always had a pot of stew and a pan of hot chocolate on the woodstove for when they came in freezing cold.  I just added to it all weekend long.

DD and I didn't want to stay home, never knowing when they'd be in so, it worked out well for all of us.

Wow Littlesister, that's great.  Yes, that will all keep you busy but what joy!

Thanks, Jeepers.

You're right Littlesister.  NO ONE wanted those bones and meat but me.  Their loss!  

I didn't make turkey potpies.  My husband is not crazy about them, and I ended up with way too much broth to make just a very few.  Sooooo, I froze 8 quarts of broth.  There was enough turkey that I added it to 6 of the quarts.  The others are plain.  No matter how often I make bone broth I'm amazed at how good it is and how much it makes.  I probably could have made another quart, but I probably drank that much in the couple days of cooking and freezing.  

On Saturday I cooked ham and bean soup.  Yum!  I gave some to DH for dinner yesterday and froze the rest.  I ended up with 7 Grabit size bowls to put in the freezer.    

With the 8 quarts of turkey broth and 7 bowls of ham and bean soup, I have quite a few more meals in the freezer.  Of course, with just DH and I the broth will be made into more than one meal.  Love this! 

Who's next?  What have you all been working at???

52 minutes ago, Joyfilled said:

My Dad just turned 80 and he enjoys helping us with the wood....but that's just it, helping, not in charge of. There's a difference!! 😊

I guess I should have added he's crippled up with arthritis too BUT he wasn't that bad when he quit doing wood 30 years ago.  He was just tired of it.   

I've always wanted a wood cookstove.  We used to burn wood for heat that had a flat top so I could warm up and cook a few things but my that oven etc. is to die for.  DH says he cut and worked wood for 10 years and is NOT going to do it any longer.  I do understand as he's 78 years old, but I sure wish we still had some kind of woodstove for heating with IF needed.

Enjoy your stove and know I'm drooling!   

And you don't realize how much until they're gone.  I miss my folks too! 

Most of the time there's a can for free will offering sitting somewhere for those who want to contribute.  This Thanksgiving dinner there was enough money on hand to not put a can out.  We have 3 churches in town, Baptist, Lutheran and Methodist.  The ecumenical minister's group put it on this year and paid for the turkey and side dishes.  Turkey, potatoes, dressing, gravy and canned cranberry.

Of course, many of us work and contribute.  This year the Lutheran church did the cooking, serving and clean-up.  The Baptist brought salads and the Methodist did the bars.  It rotates yearly from church to church.  Our time and goodies are volunteered so no bills are handed in.  Our local grain elevator and the soybean plant in town donate the paper products.  Plates, napkins, plastic silverware, placemats, hot/cold cups.  Someone will print the words to Christmas carols on the placemats and we'll raise the rafters with our "beautiful" voices.  We aren't a choir, but we do make a loud noise!  

The men set up (and take down) the tables and chairs.  The women set the tables and really do most of the work BUT there are always men there to help us when needed.  Lifting heavy things, running after things we forgot, etc.  As is with most endeavors the same few do the work year after year but it's such a happy time that no one seems to mind.  

This year our Lutheran confirmand kids put on a skit.  It was kind of serious and yet fun and they had a good time doing it.  We adults loved it and laughed right along with them.

For our Christmas party some of us will gather early and make tons of ham and turkey sandwiches.  The meat is bought in the deli at a grocery store that will also bake the buns.  Some will bring a gallon of either chicken noodle, chili or Oyster soup.  Each kind will be added to a roaster.  Some will make bars and some with bring carrots sticks and celery. There again, it's all freely given and done.

Some of the free will offering will be spent by a group buying children's Christmas gifts and other supplies at after Christmas sales. Money is also saved until next year to buy hams, turkeys, etc. for the drawings.  

We've done it enough through the years it's become a well-oiled machine.  It's great fun, most of the community looks forward to it but, of course, there are always some old curmudgeons that don't.  We ignore them!

If you have questions Joyfilled, just ask!  I hope you can get something coordinated in your town because it's so rewarding.

Isn't it just fun to have something that tastes so very good that most people consider trash?  I just love it!

This evening was our, free to everyone, community Thanksgiving supper.  It was delicious and just downright fun catching up with everyone!

December 10th will be our community Christmas supper and Party. Santa comes on the fire engine with the siren blaring.  There's a gift for every child.  There are also drawings for this and that for the adults.  I love our little town!

Back to this evening.  As they were deboning the turkey, I found no one wanted the bones. I did! So, I have the bones to boil down into delicious turkey broth and a pan of turkey too. Tomorrow I'll make turkey pot pies for the freezer and good eating all winter. Yum!

How many of you cook down your turkey carcass to make broth?  Oh, it's so easy and soooooooooo good.

When my raspberries were ready last summer, I made 9 half pints of raspberry jelly.  Not jam, as I know some can't eat the seeds, and I wanted to give them as Christmas gifts.  Well, it didn't set up.  I put all 9 jars in the freezer and a couple days ago I decided it was time to thaw a jar and see what I could do with it.

Using Google, I found a recipe and made a raspberry jelly dessert for my bridge group.  It turned out delicious! 

So, even when your original project doesn't work, don't throw it out.  It just might work as well another way.  Next, I plan on thawing jar to use as syrup on waffles.  Sounds good, doesn't it?

How have you salvaged your mistakes?

I use a Betty Crocker cookbook recipe for my meringue.  The mother of an old boyfriend gave me the cookbook for Christmas in 1965 telling me, "If you're going to marry my son (yes, we were engaged at the time) you better learn to cook."  Thankfully, I never married her son, but my husband has appreciated recipes from it for 56 years.  

I've been asked for a coconut pie next Wednesday so we'll see if I can do better with the meringue on it.  My fingers are crossed!

I've never used new lids for freezing.  I save lids from the jars I've already canned and opened.  I use them for everything other than canning.

Thanks, euphrasyne.  My eggs weren't the freshest so that was probably it.  I'll know better next time!

I've had it weep and pull away too Jeepers, but this was ridiculous.  I wondered about the weather, but it was a beautiful fall day in the low 60's.  No rain, or extremes of any kind.

By the time I got the pies to the auction the meringue on both was close to flat. I didn't even take them in.  I gave them to the 2 friends who had asked that I make butterscotch and lemon because it was their favorite.  They were happy and donated to the sale.  Can't ask for better friends than that.

Never had such a thing happen.  Hope it doesn't happen again.  No idea what happened.

P.S. In church this morning they told me they were delicious......what else could they say?