Littlesister

Mommato3boys, we are all just glad you are ok where the wildfires are concerned. I know all to well about having to go back to work and getting up so early and then with everything that needs to be done at home. It will take some time to get into the swing of things, but you will get there.

We must have been typing at the same time Annarchy. You have been really busy but sounds like you are getting it all together. The sour dough starter looks good.

I agree. I wouldn't have turned that job down either in this day and age. Momma3boys, glad it was nothing about the fires and you having to evacuate. Jeepers, 4 of the 5 waivers didn't even apply to him. So, his recruiter has to sort it out. But it means it could be a year before he gets called in for boot camp. Plus, he has to retake the test because he doesn't listen to me and study the book. He said he had been studying online but I know how he is. He never studied for it. And since he has been back. Yep, he has torn up the bathroom. Shoes and socks all over the den floor, messed up the kitchen and it goes on and on. Yep, he's back. He took off somewhere a bit ago. He has to work tomorrow also.

GS made it home safe. He will have to take the test over again because he missed the points he needed by 2 points. On the physical they want him to take 5 wavers. One being because of the kidney stone he had last July. So, he is talking to his recruiter about that. The others didn't even pertain to him which is why he wants to know why he has to agree to 5 wavers. He pasted that kidney stone a long time ago and has not had any more issues. But it is what it is. So, another trip for the test at some point and then will find out about the wavers. This mess is taking too long. I was really hoping this would be it and he was out of house and off to boot camp. So, a bit of disappointment there.

Seems like every time we turn around there is a recall on something. Need to find workarounds for cheese and other products at this rate. Glad I am just an old country cook. I don't use a lot of cheese other than in tacos, or grilled cheese.

I love watching that. I think it said it took 2 weeks to set that all up. But a lot of fun.

Baby went home a while ago. I am babysitting again tomorrow. So not getting potatoes done before Saturday. I am so over having to put things off but who can say no to such a cute baby. GS is getting ready to leave the Coast Guard base. Will find out how it went when he gets home. So, all I got done today was to clean out the fridge and clean kitchen. Babies take up so much time when all they want is you to play with them, walk them and go for a stroll. She's not spoiled at all. I will be working hard on Saturday to get caught up as much as possible. I should go ahead and cut up the potatoes, but I am tired now. Baby didn't take a nap today.

Jeepers, I they get your DS straight with the low blood pressure. And that all the tests come back good. Necie, you will get it all together. You have been through a lot. Give yourself time to heal. Becca Anne, you also will get it together. You have a lot going on right now. GD will be bringing the baby to me between 11am and 12noon. Got all the trash out to the street, cleaned out the fridge and put away all he meat I canned the other day. Now I am just sitting here reading and drinking coffee while listening to preaching. I have been enjoying not having my GS here yesterday and so far, today. Didn't have to clean up behind him this morning. That was nice. Got up to a clean kitchen and no mess all over the floor to clean up. I just hope they call him into boot camp soon. My GD said it could be months before they call him in. But hoping since the worst of the bad weather is over, they will just call him in within the next month or two. After the baby goes home, I will start back again on packing up things to go to Good Will. I have 2 piles now. One to get put where it belongs and one to go. Miki, thank you for that info about dry canning. I will try that. And put the seasonings in as well.

Just hope she and her family are doing ok.

Jeepers, I they get your DS straight with the low blood pressure. And that all the tests come back good. Necie, you will get it all together. You have been through a lot. Give yourself time to heal. Becca Anne, you also will get it together. You have a lot going on right now. GD will be bringing the baby to me between 11am and 12noon. Got all the trash out to the street, cleaned out the fridge and put away all he meat I canned the other day. Now I am just sitting here reading and drinking coffee while listening to preaching. I have been enjoying not having my GS here yesterday and so far, today. Didn't have to clean up behind him this morning. That was nice. Got up to a clean kitchen and no mess all over the floor to clean up. I just hope they call him into boot camp soon. My GD said it could be months before they call him in. But hoping since the worst of the bad weather is over, they will just call him in within the next month or two. After the baby goes home, I will start back again on packing up things to go to Good Will. I have 2 piles now. One to get put where it belongs and one to go.

Midnightmom, I do agree with that about coating the potatoes. I am just wondering if you really have to coat them. But I am only doing 2 or 3 jars like that but will use those up within 3 months' time. I am looking into it more. Before I start canning on Friday. Jeepers, I hope your son is doing much better and was able to come home.

I to have been wondering about her. Hope she is ok from those fires. Mommato3boys, If you are able to check in here for just a minute to let us know you and family are ok, it would be a huge relieve for us all. those fires haven't come close to you.

Just got back a few minutes ago from getting X-Rays. Will be two weeks before I get results. GS made it to the base safely. I just hope he does well on that test. He should pass the physical with no issues. He will be back sometime tomorrow evening and then the waiting game for boot camp is on. He found out the reason for all the delays was that the recruiting officer kept putting in the wrong info and forgot to put in his driver's license. Go figure. He could have already been in boot camp by now. Just trying to relax a bit and then get to work on things. Baby sitting tomorrow. So, Friday is canning day. Then I will put canning on back burner till I get more stuff gone through and off to Godwill. Need to put car in shop also but not sure how I will work that out yet. Just routine Maintenace.

I have canned carrots many times. I use cinnamon in some of mine and some I can just plain for soups and such.

Wow! Jeepers, you have had a rough night. Glad all turned out ok for your DS. I was at doctor's office all morning. Thought I would give my primary doctor a second chance. Nope Natta, he's got to go. Told him about my knee and shoulder again. This time he checked it out and said he wasn't sure what was going on with the knee but thinks I have tendinitis in the shoulder. I sat there waiting for the x-rays for 2 hours as the tec had not gotten there yet and was late. When she did call me back, she said she had no orders for the x-rays. So, I came home. Just got a call to turn around and go all the way back to the office for those x-rays. I am so mad right now that my perfect blood pressure this morning just might be at the boiling point. And now that gas just went up from 3.09 to 3.29, I am really ticked off about this situation. New family doctor is now in order. No more chances. Babysitting tomorrow so hoping maybe later today I can get something done in this house. It's getting crazy. GS left for the Coast Guard base this morning and it was pouring down rain. I hope he gets to the other side of Petersburg safe. people out there drive like crazy people right down to a drunk school bus driver that flipped a bus full of kids. And a bomb threat at a school. So, when I get home you know where I will be. It's safer behind the blue couch. Eui, I need to dust back here.

Yukon Gold potatoes is what I am using to do the dry canning. I have canned potatoes many times with no issues but never dry canning them. So just doing 2 or 3 jars to see how they will turn out. The rest will be done the way the ball blue book says. Just hope it works out.

I remember something about covering the jars with a towel. I used to do that as well until I read something about not doing it. So, I stopped. But can't remember now what it was they said about it. But I haven't had any issues either way. I have done some rebel canning, just not on the potatoes and never dry canning. But it looks good, and I want to give it a try. If it doesn't work out, it won't be much of a loss as the potatoes were free. Annarchy, sounds like you are going to be very busy for a while. Never a dull moment trying to get things ready for guest. Just remember to rest up also. I should be in bed asleep. Got to get up early and here I am wide awake. I'll give myself about half an hour and try to go to sleep.

Midnightmom, I have been following Sutton Daze for a long time so could not remember for sure where I saw the potatoes. It was Canning Diva. I had to go back and find it again. She is one I have not seen much of what she does, but this sounds good. I just hope it works well. Not going to do many jars of them. Just enough to see how they turn out. For the potatoes dice up the potatoes like you want and then use 4 oz. of ghee or melted butter to 35 medium size potatoes. You cover the potatoes with water and cover let sit for one hour. Then drain the potatoes and pat dry. Place potatoes in bowl and cover with ghee or butter salt to taste and toss to thoroughly coat the potatoes. Pack the jars and put in canner. using 10lb weight for pints which I am using the time is 35minutes. Baby woke up from nap in a better mood. Got fed, changed and played a bit and then got fussy again. So took her outside and we swung in the swing, and she went back to sleep. By then mom was done with her meeting and fed her again and got her ready to go home but baby was ready to play instead of a car ride. She is spoiled rotten.

Miki, yes, dry can and pressure can I think is what the instructions said. Need to go back and reread it again. Baby is finally down for a nap. She's still not feeling well so had to coach her to sleep. GS is getting things together to leave for the Coast Guard base in the morning. He is on phone with them now. I thought he said 5th and 6th but it's the 6th and 7th he will be gone. I am just relaxing right now and keeping things quiet so baby will sleep. She's not nursing well either. Had a temp. yesterday but not today. But is congested a little bit. She's just not a happy camper. Hope this cold goes away soon. GD's DH came down with it Sunday. Still not feeling well either. GD had it last week and is over it. Doctor said it is just a virus and to give Motrin for fever. So, no covid, flu or anything. Euophryine, I heard there were 5 car crashes in different areas with one having to have the helicopter come in and took 3 people to Norfolk General. It was crazy. I love those power banks; I use them on my phone and kindle. I gave GS one and he keeps in on dashboard to charge it by solar and it is working great.

GGD is doing better this morning. They will be here around 10 am. I am watching the baby while GD works from dining room. Not going to try to push a bottle as she will not take it anyway. Haven't tried the new one yet so will wait till baby is doing much better. GD said the baby nursed and slept a lot yesterday but did sleep through the night. So that is a good sign. I hope her fever is gone for good. OOTO it is true about breast feeding. It has all the antibiotics that a baby needs to fight off a cold and such. That is definitely a gift from God. Less drugs that way. And that is a good thing. I won't get much done today. But after GGD and GD goes home I will get started on things again. Got the meatballs washed up and labeled. Just need to transfer them to the pantry and put them away. This was my first-time doing meatballs. They turned out really well. Had one jar that I didn't have enough to fill so that went into spaghetti for dinner. GS tore that up. 3 helpings of spaghetti. And I only got one meatball to try. He finished them off. I am so far free on Friday and Sat. so will get the potatoes canned. Going to follow a recipe from I think it was. Sutton Daze or one of the other ones. It's dry canning potatoes. Not going to do the whole 10# that way but will do about 3 or 4 jars to see how they do.

Momo, you will get there. Once you get that wheelchair things should start to turn around. Don't worry about what you can't get done. Tomorrow is another day. Just enjoy the moments and catch up on some reading, a good movie or some other DIY project that you enjoy doing. Granddaughter called me. Baby has a virus. her fever shot up to 101.9 and she took her to doctor. Doctor said to just give her Motrin for the fever, but GD doesn't want to give it to her and let it come down naturally. It did go down to 99.3 but is back up again. New mom with that natural instinct doesn't get baby's fever down. Told her again give her that Motrin. I hope she did this time. If not, she will have a rough night. Problem is I am supposed to babysit tomorrow. So, will see what happens. All the meatballs and canned water sealed. So just need to let sit and in morning wipe down the jars, date and put away. The potatoes will wait till Friday. Grandson goes tomorrow for his test and physical. Praying that he will do well and get there safely. I am ready for him to head to bootcamp. It has been raining here all day. So, no outside work. Thinking I might not get to work outside before the weekend. And that will depend on the weather.

Miki, I always thought you were the busy one. Just much more organized than me. I have so much to get done in this house and a zillian interuptions. I have been pushing myself a lot lately. Got 10 pints of meatballs in canner and 5 quarts of water. I always can water when I don't have enough for a full canner load. GD just texted me. Baby is very cranky and fussy. She caught GD's cold. Not bad but enough to make a baby fussy all day. So, off the hook for that. So will start cleaning up the mess I made in the kitchen soon. I am babysitting tomorrow though. But not canning. Will be making spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight. Not quite enough meatballs left over to fill a jar. So that will be tonight's dinner.

Got all the clothes washed and put away. The beef is ready to go to the pantry. And I found out about 8 pm tonight that GD needs me to babysit the baby. She has a meeting at 2pm. I'm glad it's in the afternoon as I should be done with the canning hopefully by then. I have everything I need out, washed and ready to go early tomorrow. Seems now I can't get a break. But I love having the baby over here. Hard to believe she's almost 5 months old already. I will be babysitting 4 days this week. GS will be gone Tuesday and Thursday for the test and physical for Coast Guard. I really hope and pray he does well on that test.

I am wanting to put in some areas that are more controlled for those things that spread. My daughter said they planted a fig tree. It hasn't produced yet but after I made those fig preserves from some figs that was given to her. She is wanting to make fig preserves. They were really good. Got the 4 roasts canned all sealed. So just sitting on counter now to cool down. 16 pints of beef. DD and SIL came over for a while. I was just getting the last of the jars in the canner when they got here. My SIL wants to learn to can really bad. He was all over watching that being done. My daughter said she will make jellies and jams, but she doesn't want to can anything else. She said she is going to fill up her freezer. She best be able to keep that freezer going if the lights go out. No backup generator. Will be canning 8#'s of hamburger tomorrow morning. But some will be meatballs, some spaghetti sauce, taco hamburger and plain hamburger. So, an all-day canning session tomorrow. Will wash clothes in a bit as I won't have time to do that in the morning. Starting right in on the hamburger first thing in the morning. Then Tuesday back to babysitting and then Wednesday off to the doctor appt. and then to Newport News to babysit so DGD can go to the eye doctor. Then babysitting on Thursday. Plus, on Tuesday I have to go vote. No free days until Friday and Saturday. Hope my energy levels stay up.

Annarchy, At the prices for what you got at Sam's was really good. I need to go there to renew my membership. Don't know if I would get those prices on meat here. But I need to go find out. Waiting on DD to get here. She didn't give me a time. So, I am waiting. Got everything together to start canning the roast I got yesterday. Just a matter of getting the meat in the jars and into the canner. So will be making today a canning day. Before I start on another project around here.