Littlesister

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.

Finished up in pantry and that was about it. No church tomorrow as DD is coming over from GD's house in the morning. They are going back tomorrow night. She wanted me to go to GD's house to see her, but I was just tired and wanted to catch up around here from last week. This week is not going to be much better. Babysitting Tuesday, Wed. and Thursday. Wed. I go to GD's house to keep the baby as they have eye doctor appts. over there and it would be easier for me to go there than for them to bring the baby to me and then go all the way back. So, I only have Friday and Saturday to get things. done next week. Will get things ready to can tomorrow and finish up on Monday.

Mother, not yet. But I have some now. When I bought the Dr. Brown baby bottle, it has the nipples for the different stages of baby's age. She will be 5 months old on the 9th. I bought the stage 3 for a 3-month-old and also the stage 1 which is newborn. I will have her again on Tuesday. So will see how those go. Both sizes are smaller round than the ones my GD has and softer. I hated that I had her from 10am till 3pm and could not get her to take that bottle in any way shape or form. When her dad picked her up, I told him, and he said she is very picky about a bottle verses mom. My GD called me that evening and said she gorged herself till she threw up. That just isn't good. So really hoping these will help. They mimic breast feeding so crossing my fingers. After taking my GS over to neighbor's house to get his papers for Coast Guard printed out, we came back home, and I did a little bit around here and then went to the store a little while ago. Got 4 huge chuck roast and 4lbs of 93% hamburger that was on sale also. So going to can up all of it. I was putting canning on the back burner for a bit till I finished up on a few things in pantry and such. But I keep having this nagging feeling to get the meat and can it as well as the 10lbs of potatoes and then start back on the freezers. What meat I have in freezers are going to make soups, spaghetti sauce, and a few other things. Don't know what it is but has been nagging at me for over a week. Think I will follow my gut feeling on this one. But at least I now have some shelving room for it.

That will work. Just shove them down the steps and let gravity do the rest. Midnightmom, Those in the picture are the very ones my GD is using. The baby just will not latch on to that bottle. I bought a Dr. Browns bottle that also mimics the breast. So, hoping when I have her on Tuesday, she will take to that one. The nipple is different and a bit smaller. So, hoping that will work. Got a late start this morning as I ended up sleeping in which I did not want to do. Rough night last night. Just could not get to sleep. I wanted to go to store early this morning but now with DD and SIL here I will wait till Monday. I have through Tuesday to get the roast. They are going to go check on SIL's parents who live in the neighborhood next to mine. So, without warning they will pop in over here. So, don't want to leave house not knowing when they will show up and then miss them. Yeah, I never get much warning. But at least this time DD told me they were coming in. They stay at my GD's house as DD said she needs baby time. Yep, that baby's schedule will be off all weekend. So, I am working on house in a few till they get here. After I finish my coffee. Never get in the way of me and my coffee. I'm not awake till I have had that one cup in the morning.

Annarchy that is a great haul. I like the way they did that brisket. It looked really good when it was done. And it looks really good also. Sounds like you have been really busy. Jeepers, I don't know what it is like to sleep in a bit late anymore. But once in a while is nice. I did that this morning as the house was a bit cold and good sleeping weather. But it was because the furnace had quit. But all fixed now and it is too hot in house now. Even for the thermostat being set at 67*. Might just nock that down a notch or two. Have the ceiling fan going which is helping right now but can't get back to sleep. Hope you don't end up getting your days and nights mixed up again. That is a mess to straighten out again. I keep putting off getting a new computer and printer, not to mention another TV for the den. Just not in shopping mode for that type of stuff right now. DD is at GD's house they got in at about 8:30 last night. They are coming over here sometime tomorrow for a while. They are going back home Sunday night.

I have thought about a storage shed but it is just another bill to store junk I might not ever use again. What I need for in house is already covered. As for garden tools the only thing I need to replace is the hole diggers. Everything else has been replaced that needed to be. I do need some garden hand tools though also. Mine are wearing out. Also, some more tarps Seems lately I have been going through those for one thing or the other. Good on canning jars but can never have enough lids. I really don't think I need anything else that I can think of. It's just a matter of replacing things around the house that need replacing. The well is done and soon the gutters will be done. Next the outside lights and I will be getting the ones that come on when something or someone is roaming around. I am also going to get some sort of security system but not sure on what yet. Still researching those. Don't want a monthly fee for one. I think I am just to the point now of just securing the house for if it hits the fan as much as I can. And replacing some things like the outside lights and flood lights as well. I want to add flood lights to the bedroom side of the house also. That is the darkest part of the yard at night. Still thinking about running electric to the one shed since that is really the one for storing things like you would if you rented a storage shed each month. But I don't want it to store stuff I will never use. So, working on that again when the weather turns a bit warmer. Need to buy some more garden hoses also. I think that about covers what I need or need to get done. After that is all done, I am going to take a vacation. Just not sure where yet. By the time I get things finished GS will be out on his own.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMO!

Today has been a crazy day. Nothing I needed to do got done. Furnace went out during the night. So had to call the plumber for that. It needed a new coupling so not bad. All fixed and I now have heat. Then the guy for the gutters came out. Yes, I was tired of nails coming out of them and the cracks are getting worse so needed to just bite the bullet and get it done. So, they will be doing that on the 18th. They are also going to put in a couple of rain barrels for me. They are also going to replace the fissure boards as well. So that will be a two for one deal. I need to replace the siding fissure boards and other places as well, so when I need to get that done the price won't be much as they don't replace siding, but they do replace the fissure boards which is most of my siding anyway. I have a brick house. So that takes care of that. So little by little I am getting things done that need to be fixed or replaced around here but need to get back to cleaning and going through things. And what else happens that I am thinking hard about? Food Lion has roast on sale $3.99 a pound. That is $3 off a pound. So might run to store in the morning and pick up enough to can at least 8 to 16 jars of beef while I can still get it at a cheaper price. So now I will be canning both potatoes and beef tomorrow. Or I should say I hope I get the canning done tomorrow. As my DD is now on her way here.

Jeepers, I was a child of depression era parents and grandparents as well. We did make out ok. I think my DH had it a bit worse as they couldn't even afford a car. They relied on buses to get to work and such. Right now, I am looking at how should I prepare if the grid goes down. What will happen if our water supply is down or contaminated. What happens when the stores no longer have food to sell or even cleaning supplies. So, all this stuff in this house, garage, sheds and attic. I look at it all with how I can use this if all the above happens. If I can't use it, trade it for bartering then I don't need it. Thanks to my DD and grandkids, I am good on cleaning supplies but need to go through them and weed out what I can't use. What I am doing now is getting rid of what I cannot use and eliminating stuff I haven't used in over a year. If I can't use it for the above things that can happen it's out of here. I am focusing on what I really need for the above issues. I have all my canning supplies. Ways to cook off grid and things like that. I think I am really just over the having to prepare for the mess this country is in and having all this mess that I need to get rid of as well. It's becoming a give and take situation. Or a dump and add to preps situation. I think I am sat as long as I stay here. It's just getting it all together to see what I have and what I really need. Just about the only thing I really need now is a solar generator for back up to the natural gas generator. And working on DIY stuff.

My husband believed that you don't throw things away as even though you might not use it for a year or so, you might need it later. Well that never happened and one thing after the other was piling up. He would get rid of some things but not much. So, it all either went in sheds, attic or garage. I think it was the way he grew up. Depression era. He learned from his parents early on not to throw away anything. So here I am dealing with it. If I haven't used it or worn it in over a year it goes to Good Will or the trash. I need to make another Lowes shopping trip before GS gets called into bootcamp. He is my muscles for the heavy loads. He hates shopping but he will help with that. Will need to start getting what he needs for bootcamp together for him within the next couple of weeks or so. that he does well on the test. He goes to the base for that on the 5th and 6th. Then home to wait for the time he has to leave for boot camp. That will be 8 weeks and then home for 2 weeks and then off to CA for 3 or 4 months of school and then his orders for where he will be stationed. Just hope it will not be here. If in NC he can hopefully either live on base or with his parents. I am hoping on base no matter where he goes.

I don't remember her on here but then I came to this post much later than most of you. Just glad we have all that info on here to keep her knowledge with us will also keep her with us through that knowledge.