Aprons at the Soccer Game

Last Saturday we went to oldest granddaughter's soccer game.  It was so fun watching all the little ones running around after the soccer ball and all trying to kick it at the same time.  The other team *won* the game and everyone had a great time.  I gave the girls their new aprons that were requested by oldest granddaughter.  She wanted a full apron.  The girls sent me lovely thank you notes.  I called the girls after receiving their notes.  It was their first phone calls where someone called specifically to talk to them.  So fun!

For The Record

I am NOT the 99%, nor am I a millionaire nor billionaire.  I am the 53%.  I work and I have earned my own way.  I worked to pay for my education.  And, I pay my taxes.  I am saving for my future.  I am not counting on social security being there for me.  I plan on working until I die or can't work any longer.  As far as I know, the Bible says nothing about retirement.

Personal responsibility people, it's the only way.

Canning Strawberry Jam

 

A few weeks ago I canned apricots and it took forever to get the water to boil.  DSH came to the rescue for canning strawberry jam.  He got out the two burner camping stove, hooked it up to a propane tank and fired it up.  Water was boiling in seven minutes instead of three hours.  Yay!                                                                                                       

 

The jars sure are pretty.  And the jam tastes great.  I've been eating it on home made bread.  I made quite a big mess though!

Happy canning!

Birthdays and Anniversary

Today is our 13th anniversary!  I must admit it has been a struggle to blend two families but it is much better than it used to be.  My husband and I get along famously (it's just a few family members that have been the "flies in the ointment") LOL!  I think that is normal for blended families.

Today is also our oldest granddaughter's 5th birthday.  Saturday was my 55th birthday and August 1st was my mother's 74th birthday.  Lots of things happening in August.  It is always a whirlwind.
This is what we do in August:

In July, my stepdaughter graduated from college and moved out.  She was a great house guest and our live in IT person.  (I say house guest because she didn't grow up in our home, she moved in after living on her own to make it easier to finish college).  But, I got my sewing room and office back!  I had a week and a half of vacation so I put the room back together and made a dress.

More pictures when I figure out how to down load now that my IT person has moved out!

Too Much Air??

I think there is too much air at the top of each jar.  I think all of these will be used to make cobbler so any bacteria growing in there will be killed!

OK, Maybe?

Now it is 4:12 pm and the canner is finally boiling.  The cots will now process for 30 minutes. I will probably have apricot sauce by the time I'm finished.  I'm thinking apricot cobbler for the next six months.  Ironically, I have a very fancy, expensive, new oven in the garage that is just sitting around waiting for the kitchen remodel that we can't afford to do.  Sigh.

Disaster!

Well, it hasn't gone well at all.  I would qualify it as a disaster.  I got up at 7:30am (early for me on a Saturday).  Picked three big Tupperware squares full of apricots.  Washed and cut up three big Tupperware squares full of apricots.  Threw away about 90 percent of the apricots because they were icky inside.  Went out and picked half ripe apricots.  Washed and cut up three more squares of cots.  Got  my jars and lids hot and put large canning pot on the stove to boil.  Ate lunch while waiting for water to boil.  Temp got to 180.  Filled five quarts with cots and syrup.  Lowered into pot.  Boiled water in smaller pot to add to canner to cover quarts.  Still waiting for canner to boil.  The stove has been on high for two hours.  I think it is a lost cause.  Hoping it will boil with lid on.  So upsetting. :(

Wait, I'll go check it again.

Thanks for waiting.  It is now at 190.  The lid is helping.  I'm afraid the cots will turn to mush before it gets to temp and can process for the correct amount of time.

Any suggestions?

Canning

Tomorrow is the big day.   I will be canning for the first time in my life!  We have an apricot tree that is full and dropping fruit.  I will pick all morning then wash, cut, and can.  If all goes well I will  move on to the nectarine tree then the neighbor's apple tree (with permission, of course).  They all ripen at different times so I won't be inundated.  I will take pictures and post them later.  I finally have a new computer and DSSD will show me how to download pictures.  I think she still needs to load all the old ones first. 

A new BBQ is being delivered tomorrow, too!  Lots of excitement around here.   Ours is ten years old and falling apart.  We BBQ a LOT!

A Very Sad Day

Today my favorite uncle died in his sleep.  He had leukemia.  He was married for over 50 years to my mother's twin.  My aunt and uncle had three boys and my parents had two girls.  The reason I am here is because my aunt got pregnant and my mom said to my dad, "If Mary is pregnant, I have to be too!"  And so it went.  My aunt got pregnant, my mom had to get pregnant.  My aunt got pregnant again with son #2 and my mom had to get pregnant with my sister.  My aunt got pregnant for a third time and my mom said, "I'm not that stupid!"

My aunt and uncle had a water ski boat for as long as I can remember.  My uncle taught me to water ski.

My uncle taught me all three verses of Nobody Loves Me Everybody Hates Me I Think I'll Eat Some Worms.  There are only three verses aren't there?

All nine of us went on family vacations together for years.  When the five of us kids would fight in the back seat he would say, "You all pick on each other like you're a bunch of scabs".

He was a good Christian man who loved the Lord.  He was a Gideon for years.  He will be greatly missed.

I love you Uncle Wayne.

Loving Bear to death

B

Bailey loves her bear. She is very proud of her surgical skills.   Mr Buck got in the act and checked out the newly removed arm.  We watch Bailey very carefully when she is loving her bear.  I don't want filling strewn everywhere and I don't want her to eat any of bear.  Bear isn't going to last long.

Have a Happy Mother's Day everyone.

Here I Am!

Today I had two, yes two, people ask my why I haven't been blogging.  I've been missed ;) 

Things to report: 
                             1)  it has rained A LOT here in California.  We are officially out of our drought.
 
                             2)  I was sick last week but I get tired of blogging about being sick.

                             3)  very little sewing has been done.  I made five button holes in my vest.

                             4)  next door neighbors put their house up on the market.  Very sad for us.

                             5)  a friend is divorcing her husband.  VERY shocking and sad.

                             6)  Dancing With  The Stars has started

Wild life photo to add interest to blog!

Placerville, California

Last month we went to Placerville, CA for the weekend.  We ate breakfast at this cute little restaurant.  Everything is made by scratch.  I will confess that I am a breakfast snob.  I don't like to eat breakfast "out" because I like my made-from-scratch waffles and pancakes better than any restaurant.  But, Sweetie Pies breakfast was a good as mine!  It was yuuuuummyy!  We are going back this weekend and we will eat there again.

Lots of cute old buildings in the old part of town.

See the gold miner in the upper right hand corner of the public restrooms building?

There was also a knitting store in town with lots of awesome yarn.  I didn't take a picture or buy yarn.  I don't want to buy yarn until I take my knitting class.

As you can see, I figured out (finally) how to put in more than one picture!  yay, me.

Baking!

I have only baked bread once before and it didn't turn out great.  This time I did a fair amount of reading about wheat types and bread making.  It turned out pretty well except for two things.  I didn't divide my dough equally.  The one on the left is a bit larger.  I also put melted butter on top of the loaves before putting them in the oven.  oooops, it was supposed to be done after they were baked, not before!  Imagine the smell of deliciously baking bread mixed with the smell of smoking butter that dripped onto the bottom of the oven.  Nice!  It tasted very good.  We had it for dinner tonight.  It will be great for sandwiches.  I was going to post more pictures but blogger won't let me post more than one.  Hmmm.

Last project of 2010

Brown full circle skirt made from a 50's pattern.  Step-daughter/photographer cut the top of my head off.  My boots and sweater were Christmas gifts from DSH purchased to match the skirt.  He likes to shop (I hate it) so I gave him a swatch of the fabric, drew a picture of the skirt, stapled it together and told him to go shopping.  The sweater is cashmere!  I would  NEVER buy such nice expensive things.  The towel in the picture is one of our many "paw-paw" towels used to clean the dogs feet before they come in the house after it has rained.  Bailey always drags the towels everywhere.   She gives them a good shake, too!  If only she would dust the house! 

Knitting

Thank you for all your nice comments!

My sister and I have decided to take a knitting class.  We are signing up at Joann's.  The class is two and a half hours for $35.00 but on the day we are taking the class it is half off!!  What a deal.  Of course, they will more than make up their loss when I go shopping for knitting supplies with my 30% discount that comes with the class.  I already have every size of knitting needle inherited from a friend's mother when she passed away but, I will need/want LOTS of yarn and patterns :D

My sister and her DSH just bought an RV so she HAS to learn to knit so she can knit on the road!

My DSH and I want an RV someday too and I plan on knitting when we are on the road since I won't be able to sew.