Unaware

​today I found out just how unaware I’ve been. Fibro fog and sleep deprivation is to blame. Well that’s what I’ll blame it on 

The criminally insane rooster, was dispatched a week or so ago. I hadn’t heard him crowing but I just put that down to sleeping in as most nights I’ve not slept until the early hours of the morning 

The second unknown to me was that daylight savings ended Saturday night 

As today is Monday it’s pretty obvious just how much I don’t care much about the time. 

I’ve been avoiding social media and the internet. Basically for my own mental health, so I missed any posts reminding us about the change. And I don’t watch the news 

I only noticed today because the clock in my room was different to my watch. I then checked my phone and yes. It was an hour earlier than I thought. 

Bonus hour sleep in 

Meanwhile I’ve just continued to do what I do everyday 

General housework 

And crafting 

The EPP as of this morning 

It’s a kind of a wonky rectangle. It’s got a name but I just can’t remember it. So if you know please enlighten me in the comments 

I have these two patterns. I’ve been wanting to make these for ages 

The red one has measurements up to age 15. So I’m going to make that one first for Melody 

I’ve got my plan of attack all written out. 

Which basically means its how I keep track of my rows 

Meanwhile hubby is outside cooking peppers on the BBQ. He kinda  blackens them and then takes off the skin. 

We freeze them in small plastic bags. The during winter. We just defrost bag and it’s like they were jusṯ cooked 

So now you’re up to date. 

Just like I am. Unless of course there is something else I’m oblivious too I guess 

Easter break

​we decided to stay home these holidays. 

We have heaps to do around the nest and four days having a helping hand was too good to pass up 

I bought this mesh cage at Aldi  oh how I wish they had more  it was the last one  at only $20 it was a bargain 

We’ve used it to cover the peppers  I’ll put a second layer of mesh on it and hopefully it will be enough to protect it from frosts  giving us a head start next spring. Fingers crossed. 

I’ve ordered bits and pieces from Amazon to make covers for all the wicking beds   Stay tuned 

As you can see  the shorter bed is ready to be planted out  I’ll do that when I get the things I need to cover it  

I’ll be planting brassicas in here and we still have those little white butterflies hanging around. And as you know I don’t use sprays 

Meanwhile I had to find space to store all the jars I made 

In the back of the plastic cupboard I had spare mugs. You know funny ones, souvenirs, and gift ones. 

I’ve been going to pack them up and take them to the tiny house on the farm 

As you can see I also have a small tea pot  perfect for two cups of tea  

I had all this bubble wrap left over from packing Christmas decorations away  

I obviously got more efficient at packing them away 

Here they are all packed and in the white plastic bag  next too more things for the farm  

We now have quite a haul including a double bed and two sofa beds 

We just need a strong pair of hands to help with taking them all of the truck and into the house  

I’m not much help with that 

I finished the little cardigan for baby Georgia. Mum picked the buttons. 

I sent pictures of all the buttons I have but took individual buttons I thought were appropriate. 

If you make the picture bigger you will see round wooden buttons with kitty cats on them 

I’ve also replenished my hexi supply so I can now keep going on making the quilt top bigger. 

Progress photos coming soon 

So today I’ll probably spend most of it sewing and either listening to an audiobook, currently its the book of Enoch. People have  been taking about it all over the socials so I thought I’d better find out what it’s all about  

Or watching movies. 

I’ll surprise myself lol 

Enjoy your Easter break and eat all the chocolate you want  Easter chocolate has  no calories it’s guilt free 

The end! finally

​

This bag of tomatoes and this bowl of home grown peppers was all I had to chop, cook and can today 

I had a couple of jars that didn’t pop so I re boiled them while I started cleaning and chopping 

I separated the tomatoes into three containers. Then I topped each one with the chopped peppers  this way all the portions were a good balance between the two ingredients 

These are the last of the processed bottles 

Plus the others that had already been processed 

Makes a nice amount of prepared sauce to be used in all sorts of dishes over winter  

This represents four days work  

In older times, when I was young and healthy, I would make this in only two days of just a few hours in the kitchen  I also had children to run around to all their extra curriculum activities  

But times and I have changed 

I’m pretty happy with this  haul  

I plan to just plod along doing what I can over the long weekend  

I’m not going to over tax myself,   I need to rest and recover 

  

Almost done

​

Today I started early  I was continuously chopping up tomatoes 

While I had two pots cooking them down  it was  much better way of cooking them  

I had two nonstick pans going at the same time.  cooking time was reduced and I was able to get the sauce into the jars quickly 

They don’t look big  but they actual held a lot of the chopped tomatoes 

Once I had finished chopping as many tomatoes as I could I started the water baths   I was beginning to get very sore legs and ankles standing all that time 

The tall pot for the tall jars and the short pot for the rest 

The top bench has the jars I made from the first box  I didn’t quite finish that box  I added what was left into the one box and threw out the empty one  

All jars on the red tea towel were made today 

This is all the tomatoes that are left 

Tomorrow I’ll get hubby to pick all our peppers from the garden. I’ll chop those up and add them to the tomatoes. 

That sauce will be excellent for spaghetti sauce 

Baby girl and family arrived bringing pizzas for dinner 

It was nice to just sit and enjoy talking with her and son in law. 

The girls, as usual, amused themselves 

They were very excited as the school term was over and they now get a few weeks holiday 

I can’t believe the first term is over. It felt like they started the new year just a few weeks ago 

They left for home loaded with bags of odd and ends. I like buying them clothes when I see something on special. Baby girl scored the best. A couple of cardigans, a coat, and two pairs of boots. We have the same size feet 

I bought those boots for me but they’re lighter colours and I didn’t feel comfortable in them. 

Like mutton dressed as lamb

So I’ve kept the black and dark brown ones. And she’s scored the light brown and off white ones 

And of course eggs, some tomatoes and chocolate Easter eggs 

I hope they enjoy all their spoils 

Feeling poorly

​

This little princess was not feeling well at all. She mainly didn’t the day sleeping in grandma’s arms 

I did try to get her to have a play. 

She only lasted five minutes and acted out 

After feeding and changing her nappy grandma needed to eat. We had left over roast chicken pieces. So while I ate that I gave Georgia some tusks 

She was using her two bottom teeth to grind them 

By the time I had finished, it’s amazing how quickly you can eat, she had almost devoured them. 

When the pieces got too small to hold I gave them to trixie. She was waiting patiently next to me 

When daddy arrived to pick her up I was one tired grandma. 

I don’t know why really, I spent most of the day sitting with her in my arms. 

Hopefully her fever breaks and she is able to go back to daycare. 

If not, I’m still plan B. If they need me 

One box down

​today I finished processing the second half of the box of tomatoes 

Instead of putting it all into the big stock pot I divided it between two pots 

They boiled down quickly and I actually got these a better consistency. Much less liquid. 

I did use the stock pot to boil the tall bottles. 

Another large pot was used for the shorter jars 

Here they are. Cooling down. 

Hopefully by tomorrow they will be sealed 

This evening I’m working on the cardigan for Georgia. 

Once the sleeves are done all I have left to do is add buttons. 

That will be the fun part.  Choosing the buttons that will compliment the pretty yarn 

Mummy has messaged that poor little Georgia has an ear infection and had a fever. 

She can’t go to daycare with a fever so a bonus day with grandma 

It will be nice to have a special one on one day. Hopefully grandma cuddles will make her feel better. 

Canning time

​well it’s more jar-ing than canning. But I’m sure you know what I mean 

I found someone selling boxes or organic tomatoes for $25 a box. 

I sent hubby along to get two boxes 

About half of the box ended up in the big pot. 

Once the sauce got to the, it looks like watery tomatoes, I poured it into a nonstick pot. It’s about half the size of the stock pot 

After boiling it for a few hours I put it into washed and sterilised jars 

They’re currently back in the cleaned stock pot being boiled again 

They will stay in the water bath boiling for about half an hour  I’ll then turn it off and they can stay there until the water cools enough that I can put my hands in 

They will finish cooling on the bench. 

I love hearing the pop of the lids as they seal 

I also made five bags of beef stock. 

Those bags and the chicken ones are now safely in the freezer 

This is the sauce or similar to this that I buy. Usually it’s whatever is on sale 

So my five jars are worth around four dollars each. 

That’s $20 approximately 

Since the box cost $25 I’ve pretty much covered the initial cost. Now all the rest of the sauce from this box is free 

There is still a good half of the box left 

I’m pretty happy about that 

Got to love a bargain