Monday Morning!

[snapshotmiki]

Good Morning everyone! I'm off to start my new job at the dairy--making cheeses! This should be a great learning experience! I will only be there half a day as needed or if.

 

Still have not heard more about the house but we are still hopeful, knowing these things take time. I finally made dough enhancer (actually had to order vital wheat gluten off the internet--none in this area).

 

Hope you all have a good Monday!!!!!!!!

[Dee]

Morning Mik

 

It's always exciting and nervewracking starting a new job. Hope you love it!

 

I used to be the bookkeeper at our local cheese factory. I didn't do any of the cheese making, etc. but I did get to eat fresh curds right out of the vat. Oh my, give me fresh curds and a Mountain Dew (don't drink it anymore) and I think I'd have given up my salary if they'd asked me to.

 

I'm hoping to make a batch of black raspberry jam today and also cook up 6 lbs. of sausage, scramble 5 dozen eggs and make pancakes to have breakfasts for DH to have in the freezer. I'll also make breakfast fajitas with some of the mixtures and add onion and green pepper. DS has a small refrigerator with a freezer in his truck so he takes them too.

 

Pretty much my day in a nutshell!

 

 

 

 

 

[out_of_the_ordinary]

Miki, I hope you have a great first day at your new job!

 

It's going to be over 90 today with high humidity. I did most of the things I had to do today early before it's too hot to move much.

 

With celiac disease, a bunch of food allergies and other foods that I just don't digest well, it's a big deal for me to test-try something new to my diet AND not get sick. My latest food to try was cantaloupe. No reaction! The one we bought Saturday is already gone.

 

2 of my zuchinni plants fell over yesterday. I didn't know that could happen. We pulled a few radishes that were planted around them a day or so before; maybe that disturbed the zuchinni roots.

 

The chipmunk ate the 2nd round of sunflower seeds we planted. DH is going to fill a bucket part way with water and sprinkle bird seed on top of the water. And then lean a board going up to the bucket. Has anyone here tried this?

[themartianchick]

I want to hear all about the cheesemaking, Miki! Have a wonderful 1st day!

[Jori]

Miki~ have a great first day!

 

We had a brief rain storm this morning. I don't think it was enough to do much but I don't think I'll need to water today. I have most of the garden weeded (playing catch up with the baby) but we need some hot weather for the tomatoes.

 

Going on a low stress diet as DS #3 is having belly issues the last couple of days. I'm hoping the change in my diet will help him.

 

Freezing corn today and hopefully rhubarb if DS will let me put him down and not cry. It's so much harder to do things with #3 here & the two helpers (aka DD & DS #1).

 

Have a good day everyone!

[snapshotmiki]

Jori--What the heck is a low stress diet?

 

Anyway, just got home. I'm only gonna work half days until we get in the house which is closer to them. I leave now with DH a little after noon. We made Queso Fresca today. It was quite a learning experience about the temps and the starters. Lot of heavy pans to carry also but I'm tough enough. We also made chocolate milk and then washed (and sterilized) lots of glass bottles! I brought home some of the whey for breadmaking but not sure what to do with the rest. I did not try any curds this morning, just did'nt feel like I should. We put the cheese in the press and that was about it for today. They will package it later with the vacuum sealer. I've been going to the farmers market on tues. but have a feeling they may need me more at the dairy. Boy my feet hurt! Haven't worked since March at the restaurant in AZ. I also watched the first few cows get milked this morning. I have only milked a goat myself and by hand--they have machines here at the dairy of course. All in all a great and interesting day!!!! Thanks for all the well wishes!!!!

 

I am a fashion statement when working in my floweredy tall rubber boots, jean capris, old shirt, ball cap and bandana! Yikes!

I just went outside and it is 104 degrees in the shade and only 2:00. Stay cool!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

[Jori]

Took 4 of us to remember most of it. LOL!! Low stress diet - steamed/boiled chicken, fish, rice, steamed veggies, fruit, small amt of salt and pepper. No caffeine; spicy; high fats, alcohol; etc. If that doesn't straighten him out then I'll cut red meat(not that I eat much of it) and dairy (not that I eat more than yogurt).

 

Jori--What the heck is a low stress diet?

 

Anyway, just got home. I'm only gonna work half days until we get in the house which is closer to them. I leave now with DH a little after noon. We made Queso Fresca today. It was quite a learning experience about the temps and the starters. Lot of heavy pans to carry also but I'm tough enough. We also made chocolate milk and then washed (and sterilized) lots of glass bottles! I brought home some of the whey for breadmaking but not sure what to do with the rest. I did not try any curds this morning, just did'nt feel like I should. We put the cheese in the press and that was about it for today. They will package it later with the vacuum sealer. I've been going to the farmers market on tues. but have a feeling they may need me more at the dairy. Boy my feet hurt! Haven't worked since March at the restaurant in AZ. I also watched the first few cows get milked this morning. I have only milked a goat myself and by hand--they have machines here at the dairy of course. All in all a great and interesting day!!!! Thanks for all the well wishes!!!!

 

I am a fashion statement when working in my floweredy tall rubber boots, jean capris, old shirt, ball cap and bandana! Yikes!

I just went outside and it is 104 degrees in the shade and only 2:00. Stay cool!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

[Christy]

WTG Miki, sounds like a fantastic job experience. Being able to make cheese is a great asset. Perhaps a bit further down the road you could write up a little about the process and ins and outs of your cheesery?

 

Jori, I did that diet to lose weight and it backfired big time. Just wrote a post about it in Are You Really Ready.

Good to hear it works for some people. As I take hardly any caffeine, it meant disaster here.

[Jori]

Christy~ I finished up your other post first & I'm so glad you figured out what was triggering the migraines. I'm not using it for weight loss but know it's going to be part of it as DS #2 is a strong nurser & can't always eat. I quit smoking and drinking caffeine together years ago. Needless to say, I wasn't pleasant and went back to the caffeine. Since DS was born, I can't stand the taste of coffee and only have a soda ever couple of days (not much for chocolate). The mental of not drinking coffee is killing me especially sitting at the computer in the mornings or when we have to be somewhere early (for the drive). The habits we have and don't realize.

[Christy]

Jori, sounds as if you have your hands full as well.

It's not so much my own problems that lack of certain foods bring. It's the hungry hordes that go mental without their creature comforts and become (more) unreliable than they already are in a shtf situation. That really shook me up.

I mean, we more or less mentally try to prepare and brace ourselves for hard time yes? Imagine folks that don't know what hits them AND being cut off habits that alter your body and mind.

Not a nice thought.