Feather your Nest Friday, 30th August, 2024.
Well, it was a heck of a week. Monday started out like one of those days when you think it would have been better if you had stayed in bed. Hence by Monday lunch time it felt like Friday. haha.
Tuesday I was exhausted from Monday and had a semi breakdown and ended up sleeping. Deep afternoon sleeping, in an uncomfortable position because I was too tired to get comfortable. haha Has that ever happened to you where you want to move but it is just too hard do you stay as you are?
After all this I re grouped and thought I had better "man up" and get back on track! And I'm ashamed to say my worries seem very small now as I have several friends who are really ill. Everything is relative... I remember the week before Andy died I wrote a post about what a tough week it had been. It was because we had a lot of water to the house (and animal troughs) problems... and it was very hot. It seemed a really hard week. The next week Andy died. The previous "hard week" now looked very attractive. Like bring back that week before, I've changed my mind!
Ok.. so Wednesday I decided to re launch. I even began to think about Christmas with some planning... hence the Basics post was a step towards some drinks for the present cupboard.
Next on my brew list is Coffee Essence and Vanilla Extract. I have the bottles ready. As Vanilla beans were $7.50 EACH in the supermarket here (South Australia) I decided to order them online. By doing this I ordered a bulk lot and now the price was $1.75 each. They arrived today! They are over twice the size of the expensive ones and plump and soft. The supermarket ones were scrawny and dried up. Brittle. Not good! So I am set!
While I was waiting for the vanilla to arrive I looked into what else I could make. I noticed Vanilla Sugar in very small bags next to the Vanilla Beans. The Vanilla Sugar worked out to be $60 a kilo! That is around $30 a pound! I look dup how to make it and it's completely simple.
I found some nice squat jars that I thought would be suitable. I got the lids painted and added a sticker. In the background are two of the kitchen towels I edged this week.
I have six jars ready.
The Coffee Liqueur is "brewing."
When I have all my Vanilla concoctions going I will have so many full bottles and jars! 😊
With oranges and lemons to use I made two large orange cakes.
Annabel, You have shown that in diversity you shine. You have turned plan A into plan B and in the process blessed others.
ReplyDeleteYour gift pantry is going to be over flowing, how wonderful.
I have been cleaning, organizing, tossing, rearranging, you name it, in my craft/library room and hallway. Things had gotten out of hand and now I am trying to brig it back to order. I even have all my crocheting tools together now.
I crocheted more and dried flowers for arrangements. With disasters at home from flooding in part of the home to water lines cut to trees being cut, due to branches landing on neighbor's fence, we endured. Life brings the unexpected, we just need to stay level headed through it all. Doesn't mean we don't vent about it. We need outlets.
My plans for the next week is working in basement and hopefully baking some goodies.
Prayers for all our Bluebirds and their families.
Dear Rosanne, You have had a lot of home and yard work to keep up with. Great to get the craft areas organised. Have a lovely weekend ready for some baking next week! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteI'm beginning to think there is "something in the stars" this past week! I have been busy all week but don't seem to have accomplished anything on my actual "to do" list! And now I am down with a terrible cold - rib cage is killing me as I coughed all night long. So far Covid testing says negative so just resting, drinking lots of fluids and trying to get a few small jobs done here and there. This is the Labour Day long weekend in Canada and I was hoping to get out a bit but that won't be happening - oh well - if nothing else we have all learned "to pivot" as necessary these past couple of years.
ReplyDeleteThe last time I checked vanilla beans were $10 each here - and they are on my list to buy so will need to check that out again soon. I'd also like to make some as small Christmas gifts this year so need to get it started now!
Lemon cake sounds wonderful - love lemons - I hope to have enough energy by Sunday to bake a few muffins and a nice poppy seed cake that I can take into the office nest week.
But so grateful for preparing ahead - by the time I left the office around noon yesterday it was all I could do to get myself home - no energy at all to stop at the shops. But I have plenty of food and drink and tylenol and boxes of tissues etc. so didn't have to worry about it.
Yes, to being too tired to move some days. I knew I needed a nap yesterday but it was a real effort to get out of the armchair and through to my bed for a couple of hours - and there are days when the armchair just has to do the trick!
Hope next week is better and that everyone who is ill recovers quickly.
Dear Margie, Wow $10 each is even worse than here! Online is the way to go! I hope you are resting and feeling better. I am so glad you could just come home and had everything you needed. These are the times we are glad we got ahead when we could! I will have lots of projects coming up that we can get started now for Christmas... Tomorrow being September already! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteSome weeks are like that, especially in the first few years of widowhood. It's all good, and allows us to release the tension we carry. Thankful you took the time to re-set. I've thought about trying to make vanilla, but my sister's friend has family in South Texas and whenever she goes home for a visit, they make a trip across the boarder and bring back a quart of vanilla for me. It will take a lifetime for me to go through that much vanilla! But your orange and lemon cakes look divine! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteDear Lori, With that much vanilla I would save little bottles and make it up as Christmas gifts, saving plenty for yourself of course! How fantastic! It is such a good gift for any cook! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel and Bluebirds, wishing everybody and Scarlett, good health and easy recovery. And prayers for Laine. Right now we are in the midle of paiting the rooms, my husband and son are paiting inside as I write in the backyard and then we will deep clean - so many stuff got its way into the house! I predict I will be "dog tired" at the end. Speaking of, usually when I feel tired sleepy or poorly I put my boots on, take Charlie (my dog/best friend) and go for a walk or jogging. When we come home I feel energized and fresh. My husband, though, gets better after a good sleep. Differences.... PS . I am sorry you feel tired and down some days, but with everything happening around you it is normal. I am thinking of you everyday and pray. PPS. I love the coloured eggs, the bibs, the cakes, the stories - your world is beautiful🌹
ReplyDeleteYour world is beautiful, too. You, Annabel and so many other Bluebirds seem to have the knack for it!
DeleteDear Laura, Painting is a big job but also with moving everything, wiping things down and painting it is like Spring cleaning! It will look so nice!
DeleteI agree with Maxine your world is beautiful too. We see the good and we make the most of everything! Animals help!
Thank you so much, I am so happy I had some things to report! With much love Annabel.xxx
Thank you. I am thinking of you often. Sending love and hugs from far away.
DeleteI’m sorry your start to the week was hard Annabel, good on you for sleeping when you needed to. You still managed so much! I imagine anyone who receives a food hamper from you must be so thrilled. I find people are always so appreciative of homemade biscuits and cakes so your hampers must blow people’s minds!
ReplyDeleteAt the start of August I had made very little progress on my crochet blanket (you were about to finish your second!) so I decided I had to do some every day until the end of August and that I wouldn’t count rows until the end of the month. I haven’t counted yet but I can tell I’m over halfway. And I’m really enjoying it now
So I think I’ll keep going into September while it’s still cool enough to do it. I don’t think you always know when you’re being inspiring but your blanket production certainly got me moving!!
We are away for the weekend to watch my son in a sports tournament. I made dinner to eat for the two nights and baked some cookies. This is another idea I learnt from you and it’s a game changer. We arrived last night, I quickly heated the chilli and we had nachos within 10 minutes of getting here. Tonight is Macaroni cheese. That will honestly save us about $200 over eating out. It’s a bit of work beforehand but so worth it.
I hope Scarlett feels better soon!
Enjoy your weekend
Jen (NZ)
Good luck to your son with his tournament and well done on getting ahead with the meals. Nothing beats homemade either. Love, Bridget
DeleteDear Jen, I am so glad you. found momentum on the blanket. Yes I think September is still cool and you will get it done. You making dinner to take with you... I remember one time we were going to someone about 4 hours away. I took a lasagne out of the freezer and sat it in the back of the car to thaw as we drove. When we got there it went into the oven. I also packed lunch and a thermos for the drive. Those were beautiful days! It amazes me that if we can plan and get ahead these times we can save so much and still really enjoy ourselves. I hope your son does very well in the tournament! With love, Annabel.xxx
DeleteLast week was quite stressful as I had a work crew in the house (actually in the attic) for two full days…..the entire heating and air conditioning ductwork had failed in my 45 year old home had failed. In addition to the disruption this cost me $7800 USD so it took a huge chunk of my savings. However, I was forced to seriously tidy up my garage (used mostly as a storage area) to allow access to the pull down attic stairs. This inspired me to go through loads of boxes and sort and toss all kinds of miscellaneous junk that had been there for years. Now I go out to the garage to do laundry (my washing machine is located there) and just smile at how tidy and organized it all is. My work and expense, both given somewhat begrudgingly, have resulted in my delight at the resulting tidiness. I hope all who are ill recover soon. I am a firm believer in everyone needing to sit down with a cup of tea from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for the big hit to your savings! It is always like a domino effect when one area needs work... all the things that need to be moved and re arranged... it is really good that you got so much done due to the attic. It is stressful having workers in the house I always find. Oh yes sitting down and having a cup of tea is the best thing ever! xxx
DeleteHi Annabel
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry your week started badly but it's good that after some sleep you were able to reset and go on. You're bound to have up and down days after Andy's death.
I love vanilla sugar, its such a good present. I hope the family get better soon and will enjoy your baking then.
The garden is providing a good range of veg and we gave a daughter and SIL celery, cucumbers, tomatoes and potatoes and I made chocolate crunch bars to help with their lunchboxes. Our daughter is expecting her first baby and there was some alarm this week needing a hospital visit so we are helping out with their dog too. { Everything is fine now}.
Our car mechanic did a small job on my car and refused payment, asking for veg from our garden instead. Our kind of barter!
One of my husband's gardening clients goes away for long periods and tells my husband to bring produce home and not let it go to waste. This week he brought home lots of tomatoes and apples. I have sliced and frozen containers of apples for the winter.
This week my stock up was coffee, a type my husband likes at a reduced price so I bought extra for the larder.
I am slowly buying bits to keep here for when the baby is with us, this week I found a lovely fleecy baby blanket in a charity shop. Our daughter and SIL are keen that we all buy as much second hand as possible/ accept hand me downs, both to save money and do our bit for the planet. A friend has given me four baby hooded towels she found free on Facebook Marketplace.
I found Emma Bridgewater mugs half price at TK Maxx so bought several for Christmas presents.
I came across two ladies who were on holiday, trudging along in the rain wearing flip flops. They came from the Bahamas and didn't realise it can rain any day in the UK.I gave them a lift to the vineyard they wanted to visit and gave them my number to ring me when they had taken the tour and had lunch. I drove them into town then to catch their train. They very kindly gave me a lovely scented candle which I look forward to lighting in the winter evenings.
Hope you and all Bluebirds have a good week ahead.
Dear Penny, I absolutely love that the cleaning client lets your husband bring home the produce! What a bonus! I am so glad your daughter and baby are ok! I am sure the produce and your lovely cooking were appreciated.
DeleteThe barter with the mechanic was fantastic! Wow! Your garden is really helping you in so many ways! It was very nice of you to help out those ladies! What a good week! With love Annabel.xxx
Sorry, that comment was from Penny in the UK.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that you've had an off few days, but you bounced back really well! That's a wonderful example on recovering from a few bad days.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am thinking of Christmas this year. I'm working on a hand quilted table mat for my sister, and my husband and I found a book at the secondhand bookstore that his father will love. His mother may like a bottle of vanilla extract. I might put her a mending kit together, as well. I added a few cans of chicken to my pantry this week and will likely buy a few of those per Aldi trip until there's a good supply. Husband and I are still painting away on the trim of each room. It's so fresh and lovely! I also mended a fitted sheet with a large tear. It was my first time mending such a large spot, and it turned out well. I used a big hoop to put the sheet into, then wove a new base of fabric for it in soft, matching thread. It should hold! It will certainly keep me from needing to buy a hundred dollar set of sheets to replace them.
Thank you for taking the time to mentor us and encourage us! I'm praying for a quick recovery for you and your family members.
Stacy in Virginia
Dear Stacy, It is so good to plan Christmas early. We can make and hunt around if we have that time up our sleeve. A mending kit is a lovely idea! So good to hear the painting is looking so nice and well done to your husband!
DeleteSheets are expensive so it is great you could do a repair. The skills to mend are also very good to have! Thank you for your kind words! With love Annabel.xxx
Thankyou Annabel for continuing to encourage and spread joy especially in challenging times. These ideas and recipes you share are wonderful yet thankfully manageable. Praying our Heavenly Father strengthens and protects all, drawing them near to Him during these days.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! xxx
DeleteHello Annabel,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you have had a hard week, but in true form you pulled up your socks and got on with things. That is a very admirable character trait!
I have been harvesting a few potatoes that I grew from sprouted shop potatoes. I’m bringing in tomatoes to ripen on the window sill, I have to pick them when they are just starting to blush red to save them from the birds!! They are delicious to eat. I am lucky we can grow tomatoes in Winter where I live. The mulberries are just starting to ripen, so I will start picking those very soon.
It is hot here! Like 30-33 degrees! And it is technically still Winter!! I planted some rhubarb and a cherry tomato but I am still babying my other seedlings due to the heat. My hope is this hot spell will pass and I will plant more seedlings when it cools off a bit.
I’ve baked all our bread needs this week, and I made a double batch of banana bread. One for now and one for the freezer.
I did an easy sewing project and made a cushion cover in fabric I had on hand to match our bedroom decor.
Can I ask who you ordered your vanilla beans through? I am inspired to make vanilla extract too!
Prayers for those who are unwell. Prayers for a better week for you.
Love Cheryl 🪺
Hi Cheryl, i bought mine last time from https://www.naturalvanilla.com.au/shop/vanilla-pods-grade-b-tahitian-variety/ i generally buy b grade with them working well for me. Missy.
DeleteThank you Missy 🙏
DeleteThank you Missy 🙏
DeleteDear Cheryl, It was Nuts About Life, Australia. Thank you also Missy for sharing where you got yours. This is good to know. The difference in price just amazes me.
DeleteWow that was really warm for winter! The Banana bread sounds great and so does the cushion cover! A good week! With love Annabel.xxx
Yes, it is in the perspective. So many are sick and grieving and we pray for them daily. I hope your weekend is better then the week!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lana, I declared a day off and quiet weekend! And we had shocking storms! Today I have to survey the damage! xxx
DeleteI too have had a brutal couple of weeks. This week was just one thing after another, and no time to finish it before the next crisis. Ive also had a lot of very demanding people at work making very unreasonable demands. With hubby away for a few days, by the time farm chores were taken care of before and after work i worked out i was doing 14 hour work days before i started cooking dinner. I could barely face heading to town yesterday which had been booked for several weeks to attend an appointment…. The silver lining? Well, i too felt led to sort Christmas so a couple of weeks ago i pulled out the list of baking i planned and listed all the shelf stable ingredients. Yesterday i found many of them on 40% off so they are purchased and set aside. We were gifted fruitcake, but dont really eat it…. But it is the main ingredient in my rum balls at christmas. So it was portioned into recipe sizes and placed in the freezer. By the way, seems the christmas things are out at woolies already. A pack of 8 small rum balls was $5. My eyes just about popped out of my head? Are they kidding???!! A double batch of my recipe only uses 4 ingredients and would probably be about $10 ish if bought on special. It would also make at least 10 times as many rum balls! Anyway, we’re gearing up to do another beef run so i’m clearing out the freezer. That has been tempered with some bonuses that are now filling the freezer. Also blessed with a cow that was producing too much milk for her calf…. So frozen colostrum is in the freezer. And fetta draining on the bench. Feeling absolutely shattered, but so encouraged by Annabel and reading Mimi’s old blog that i’m having a cup of tea and will do the next thing. And then another. Thank you Annabel. Your wisdom and example is such a blessing to me. Missy
ReplyDeleteDear Missy, I am sorry it's hitting you. They say things come in threes. Farm chores after work hours that is a lot. I feel for you. It was great getting baking items ahead and also that cake! Good thinking.. the rum balls! Yes rum balls are worth a fortune especially as homemade ones are usually bigger and better than bought ones. I havent seen the Christmas stuff out I guess I will when I go to town Friday!
DeleteColostrum in the freezer is FANTASTIC. Missy if I need a boost... which I often do... on you tube Frugal Money Saver and also Frugal Queen in France... they have a good effect on me. I think I will start adding suggestions to my posts as what we need is positivity and also good tips we can do! With love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteIt must be in the cards right now...the same day as you I was having a huge "day", as you might call it, too...I hope the sleep was just what you needed, and it sounds like you were able, by God's grace, to refocus to help get through the rest of the week. I can't imagine how hard it must be...I am in awe of your strength and resilience. You are a wonderful example to so many of us. It sure makes my "problems" seem inconsequential! Your Kahlua "knock off" sure sounds delicious. After I had my little "freak out" day, I managed to get back at it, and froze beans and blackberries, canned applesauce, tomatoes, and bread and butter pickles, and picked all sorts of goodies from the garden. I also got bread, zucchini cobbler (a seasonal sweet treat that sounds strange but tastes delicious), blackberry squares, etc., made, and hubby has worked hard all week on his "holiday" to reshingle a significant portion of our roof. Praise God it has been sunny weather all week! Keeping you in my prayers every single day, dear friend!!!
xx Jen in NS
Dear Jen, I am sorry you obviously also had a freak out day and boy are the exhausting. BUT your blackberries, applesauce... pickles... and baking all sounds wonderful. Really well done to your husband for all the roof work! A big job. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement you give me.
DeleteI am cooking now.. while pies are backing I do things with the timer on. Well when you list all the preserving and baking about I also visualise all the cleaning up that goes on with it because that is how my kitchen looks right now! But it is very satisfying to get things onto the shelves, into the freezer! With much love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel, I’m sorry that you have had such a week. Never feel like it’s less hard, or not as difficult, because you have been through so much. Also, sometimes it can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back which makes you open up and get teary. I hope all of your worries resolve. One counsellor once said to me that sometimes when people go through huge things, they don’t have the same size bucket as others to handle the smaller things. You’ve already had a lot to fill those buckets. So anything can tip it over. And what a reset! Look at that beautiful baking! I love the look of the coffee liqueur and the vanilla essence. Lovely gifts. I’ve been feeling quite worn out lately. So have been napping when I need to. I have nearly bought all books of a series for DS secondhand. And sourced recent needed costumes secondhand. I’m crocheting, composting and cooking. It’s a lovely day here. Lots of love, Bridget
ReplyDeleteDear Bridge, Well what you said about the counsellor about the bucket.. I never heard that before and that really is correct! I dont feel I have the same sized bucket! I can work and be busy but things that are worrying/stress/upsetting it is those things that I can take less of. And sometimes we cant have any control about how many things come at us at once but some ways I can say schedule less appointments, make more peaceful space, go to bed earlier.. things I can do.
DeleteIt sounds like you are really tired. Taking a nap is a good idea when you can. Costumes always will be handy as there is always book week and things coming up! And the books are great too! I hope this week has gone along well as already its Thursday! With love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel
ReplyDeleteThat’s been quite the week for you.
I think you deserve to splash out and have a get a good massage and spa day for ironing out all the tension that you are no doubt carrying. Yes it’s a tidy sum but you have been through the worst of times these last months. Treat yourself, we would all sing in chorus that you’ve earned it.
Your lemon cooking has inspired me so I’ve got three loaf tins of Bill Grainger’s lemon drizzle cake baking as I write.
My next crochet project of QS bed cover is cruising at a fast rate.
I guess you’re enduring this foul gale over the last few days, it’s definitely indoors weather for that alone. The lack of rain is now getting very serious and you must be quite worried for your region.
Take care and be gentle on yourself. If you need to rest , listen to your body and give yourself a day or a week off.
No one will judge you.
Much love
Kate
Dear Kate, I think I better look up this Lemon Drizzle cake. That sounds really good! Three loaves is a good effort! We had rain overnight and most of this morning (Thursday) and its really good. After what? Ten days of wind or so which never ended and was so drying. If we get the follow up the forecast shows it will help a lot. Just the sound of rain now is so wonderful!
DeleteYou are probably right about the massage. I do soak nightly in the bath and add some epsom salts. I really find a soak does me a lot of good. Also hot packs... oh I love them. I still have lemons too... this weekend I hope to use the last of them and then I will just have a few nice fresh ones here and there as needed from my little tree! With much love, Annabel.xxx
I understand 'reset' days when I just have to put on my big girl panties and get on with things! And yes, sleep does sometimes need to be had in order to clear the decks and get all those good sleep benefits working in our body so we CAN reset.
ReplyDeleteThis week I've continued working on decluttering and sorting out the things I decluttered into keep, donate and sale (a few vintage items that I think might have some value to someone...we shall see). We took a trunk load of things to donate so much more went out than was kept.
I am making a few postpartum meals for my daughter who is winding down her pregnancy. We'll have a baby in a week or two!
We've been hit with so many increased bills that we have had a long month of prayer about what to do for our future. We love to give but aside from our tithe we have to cut back somewhere....so giving will be decreased in the year ahead, both to missions/charity and to family. With thirteen grandchildren, three great grandchildren, four children with 3 partners and one grandchild with a partner...There has just come to be too many to gift with our limited budget. Like you I LOVE to give. We had a long talk today and came to terms with all the hard facts and made decisions about how to handle this starting now.
For Christmas we will return to giving a flat sum to each family/household and allowing them to determine what they will do with it. We have never made suggestions as to how they handle any financial gift and make it clear that it is to be used as they see fit. With two unemployed at present, paying a bill might bring far more peace than a trunk full of presents they neither needed or wanted. For US, we plan to have two big family gathering days each year. Not all of my family lives close enough to come but those who do can if they choose.
I've been shocked by grocery prices again. I lowered our budget for the last two months and cannot manage with that sum at all. My husband pointed out that we're buying less and less and I'm making more and more and we still aren't keeping up...so there's more hard thinking ahead.
But the best thing I've done in the past two weeks is to start keeping a gratitude journal and reminding myself every day of the things that I am grateful for. Yes, money is tight but the blessings we have abound all the same. It makes me feel we can do better than we anticipate we might.
Dear Terri, Maybe you already have a baby by now! How exciting for you! I LOVE that you have a gratitude journal. LIke my list of ten things to be grateful for last thing at night. It sure helps.
DeleteTerri I feel your pain. I love to give but I do not have the family numbers you are talking about! And I do not currently know one person who is not having to cut back and that covers many countries between us! One idea maybe is to give each family a gift. It could be some home cooking and treats and be very handy for them and enjoyable but still a great deal less money wise overall. Also the grocery prices... we are also getting less and less for the $$$ and some things have become much smaller but remained the same price... and to the extent that Ive thought what the heck is this a joke? I saw cooked chickens who looked more like fat pigeons. Things like this. Finally I will say... re giving... missions, church, the needy and other... donations of goods is giving. Help is giving. Prayer is also as all mission work needs prayer support. Other things I have thought of are words of encouragement and letters... but if economic times mean we have to give less dollars then there are many ways we can still give. And I know you do and a lot. So be encouraged and I hope to hear good baby news soon! With much love Annabel.xxx
Your posts are just so inspiring Annabelle, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your transparency, Annabel. I'm glad you rested and showed yourself some grace. So amazed by your weekly accomplishments!
ReplyDeleteI have been busy printing off Laine's Letters during the day. Then reading a couple in bed before I turn out the lights. 😄
I made applesauce in the pressure cooker and it was a game changer! If I release the pressure manually, my applesauce comes out a perfect texture. Of course, I canned a bunch of quarts.
Also I bought some plastic bins from Dollar Tree to organize my children's goodies in the fridge. So nice to rummage in the fridge and not be in danger of spilling their food. I am proud that their personal stashes consist mostly of fruit. Just not fruit I can always afford for the entire family. 😋
I'm trying to pray more and think less. I hope everyone knows what I mean. I'm thankful for the garden. It continues to give us tomatoes and herbs.
Blessings to all,
Leslie in Ohio
Dear Leslie,
DeleteLaines Letters are a perfect way to end the day! Thank you for telling me how you made the apple sauce. I have a multi cooker... but I have never used the pressure cooker function! Well done on your canning and organising. I sure do know what you mean about praying more and thinking less. Oh yes I get it. Well I will say this... when my mind if going fast and or Im past tired/upset/stressed I find it hard to pray. Like what to say. So these times having prayers I know by heart comes in. When words fail I can pray the Our Father over and over. Praying this way I can quell some of the thinking!
I am glad your garden is providing you so much and also that you have so much fruit for the kids! With much love Annabel.xxx
Im so sorry you had a rough beginning of your week. I love your posts! I',m praying for Laine and the family and wondered if you have any updates ? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi! Yes I have now heard from Laine this morning in a short email. (Thursday) I am just about to reply. I was very happy she was well enough to write! xxx
DeleteAnnabel
ReplyDeleteYou had a lovely week despite the minor setbacks. Its rough to need sleep and I've also been so tired I slept right where I was at. Everything you've made is beautiful. And you traded for a new fridge! I must say I'm so proud of your trading and bartering. Right now since it's still canning season for me I've been trading for jars. I just traded a few heads of cabbage for 30 quart jars. And the lady kept them so clean which is a bonus.
I canned 17 more quarts of hot rice bringing my total to 75 quarts so I think I'm done with hot rice and canned a dozen pints of tomato soup.
I used store rewards for doing a few surveys for them and used them to add more toilet paper to my stash. We haven't bought any for a long time.
I took potatoes and watermelon and some spices and other things to my son and a little gift for his neighbor who is so sweet.
I got lunch meat at a really good price so I bought a little extra to freeze and with the turkey slices I made a turkey and stuffing casserole for the freezer for a quick dinner one evening and some of the ham was added to potatoes from the garden along with milk that was close to the expiration date for scalloped potatoes.
I juiced lemons for lemonade and I added a few more crocheted face scrubbies to my gift stash.
I have a few sachets of vanilla sugar and I love to use it when making meringues.
I hope everyone has a beautiful week.
XOXO
Vicky
Dear Vicky, With my trading and bartering I learned from the best! :)
DeleteYou have done a lot of work with all the canning and the rice looked amazing. Having grown watermelons and being able to share them I think if fantastic! Meringues! Ok I will add this as a use for the vanilla sugar! You did so much, well done! With much love Annabel.xxx