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Friday, January 31, 2014

Getting back up to speed.

Albeit a slower speed, but I had a flash a day ago, where I was standing in the kitchen humming away - and it dawned on me that I felt...normal!  What a relief!  I have quite a lot on my agenda for this weekend, but I feel up to it and am looking forward to making some headway.  There is nothing more frustrating than watching the days click along, while your list sits idly by.

On the agenda for the weekend:  bake brown rice bread; GF oat bagels (using the term loosely at best); dog biscuits; skirt one fleece; clean the house; laundry; car shopping; llama bean clean up - buckets full to be spread over my rhubarb bed; light chicken coop clean up - hopefully, the deep freeze will lift long enough for me to chip off surfaces.  I'm having a friend over for breakfast on Sunday for her birthday.  I hope she likes her lap duvet.  I will have to take a picture of it.

I also finished the dreaded hand towel - I do like how it turned out (sorry, it's a little dark) - and I do like the fact that it is securely attached to the oven door handle so that the Boyz don't bat it across the kitchen floor.  I might just knit up another, but it won't be that pattern.  Erk.



I also need to do my weekend cook-off for the week, although I have no idea at this point what it will be.  Since I am working my way through my packed freezer and over-stocked pantry shelves, I am sure I can come up with something!  My goal this year is to not enter the grocery store at. all.  It's going to be tough to go without salad until spring, but I can do it.  I have plenty of vegetables, both frozen and canned, to keep my quota up.  It will be an interesting challenge.

29 comments:

jaz@octoberfarm said...

that will be an interesting challenge! i am about to tackle my pantry too and see what all i can make from what is on my shelves. i have way too much food i need to use up.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Wow you do have a list:) Love the towel that is a great idea with the buttons:)
A birthday will be fun. I rarely went near a store this month like you I have been living on what i had it could be just that I just don't want to go into a store or I am wiser and more prepared than I thought. It is nice though. I stop at the gas station to get milk I know weird but it is always fresh:) Hug B

Candy C. said...

The towel is cute! Wow, a whole year without a grocery store? Where are you gonna buy your toilet paper? I know you are feeling better but don't overdo it and have a relapse!

LindaCO said...

I love feeling like I'm making headway on things. It always makes me feel better than giving myself a break, it seems. The towel is lovely, and I like the pattern. Good luck getting stuff done!

Mama Pea said...

Welcome back to the world of the totally (almost) functioning! Even your writing shows how much better you feel.

That's quite a list you have considering it includes shopping for a replacement vehicle! Hope the search is quick, profitable and painless.

I think you deserve a big Gold Star for staying out of the grocery store this winter. I can do that easily BUT do need to pick up a thing or two now and then from our organic co-op store. I am whittling away at our put by supplies, and glad to have them. Some days I look at the bounty and think I may have been planning for a family of six (or twelve). Not a bad spot to be in though. If the cost of food skyrockets (think L.P. gas!!), we fall-freezer-stuffers will be in good shape!

Sending you best wishes for a wonderful weekend, friend!

Tami said...

I picked up a bag of salad greens at the store last week. Thought about all the nasties that are included in that bag and put it back.

I can wait.

Good luck to you. As we speak, SM and I are getting our Big Box lists together for a grocery run.

Carolyn said...

I REALLY need to do like you & avoid the grocery store.....we've got PLENTY to eat in the larder, but sometimes I just cave and go in for "one" thing and end up with five bags of veggies & fruits. Can't help it :(

Penny said...

Oh, I like the towel and the pattern. I gotta make me one. Thanks for the idea.

Susan said...

Jaz - Every summer I get the canning bug - I must be channeling a prairie housewife. I finally came to my senses this past summer when I realized I had 22 quarts of canned corn, and countless canned beans, beets and tomatoes. I am good to go for quite a while.

Susan said...

Buttons - I thought you would like the buttons~! I don't even like going into the store now. And the more I stay away, the more shocked I am at the prices! My milk comes from my cow, down the road at the dairy farm. Fresh as can be!

Susan said...

Candy - I buy a huge package about every year and a half from one of the member stores. That reminds me...I better check my supply!

Susan said...

Linda - I always suffer from guilt if I give myself a break. Besides, one break usually leads to another and nothing gets done.

Susan said...

Mama Pea - We must be canning for the same family...:) I swear I could feed a family of six for a year on what I have on my canning shelves. Since I "need" to can every year, I had better make some headway (and room)! Hope you're staying warm up there on the tundra.. xoxox

Susan said...

Tami - Knowledge is power, right? I'll see how long I can hold out on the salad fixings. I do have a cold frame, so I will be throwing seed in it as soon as I possibly can.

Susan said...

Carolyn - Blame the 'artists' that so skillfully stack all the foreign produce - it lures you right in...

Susan said...

Penny - You're welcome - it's pretty simple - CO 60 stitches, garter stitch 4 rows then knit whatever pattern for 14", measure your handle, garter stitch that length, then do tight button holes (I think it was K4, K2 tog, YO, K4 - repeat).

Janice Grinyer said...

so like, are gas stations gonna be your go to place? or will it be home depot? ;)

I applaud your noble effort - and always check the date on the stuff in pantry before opening...

Florida Farm Girl said...

Oh, I admire you goal of feeding yourself from the pantry this year. Good luck with it.

Deb said...

Love your knitted towel. I just might make one, buttons and all. That's an interesting challenge you have given yourself. I could do it but my husband loves to shop for food so he would go into withdrawals. haha! Just dropped over from Hilary's blog. Nice to meetcha, Susan. Deb (Ontario, Canada)

Unknown said...

Cute towel! Maybe you could sell some of your produce to your co-workers if you have a glut? Less canning and make some $$$$ :) I will be canning a lot more this summer. With my foot surgery last summer I was too house bound...

Fiona said...

Salad in winter...All you need is a south facing window and a bigger pot. Our window here is SW facing not so good but I had the last fresh off vine home grown cherry tomato last week. Black seeded Simpson lettuce seems to like the idea of being a house plant. And after shopping for groceries and restocking the pantry yesterday I hope not to have to go back for a month! The Powers That Be say inflation is low..have they bought groceries of late?

WordsPoeticallyWorth said...

Good luck with your 'list to do'.

Thank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.

Susan said...

GWFG - Well, you know that I refer to Home Depot as HomeAwayfromHome Depot...and I walk down the road for my milk - doesn't get fresher!

Susan said...

FFG - I figure it should be smooth sailing until about the end of March. Then the menu should be "interesting".

Susan said...

Deb - Nice to meetcha, too! Thank you for stopping by! I have a great towel pattern that is easier to make - it's metered and has a buttoned tab. I will put that up on the blog at some point this winter. It's not hard for me because I HATE to food shop! I just keep thinking - I can grow that...I can make that... :)

Susan said...

LHB - That's a great idea - I might put a little produce stand at the end of the driveway and hope for the best - I have trust issues with the people on my road...

Susan said...

Fiona - You had a home grown cherry tomato last week!?! I vaguely remember those... That is a good idea, if I can find a window sill that is cat proof. I don't think that the Powers That Be worry about details like food prices. They have plenty of dough and are so far removed from the rest of us that it only comes into focus when they are up for reelection.

Susan said...

Andrew - Thank you - almost all checked off!

Fiona said...

Do you know how to macrame? If so it is a nice knot process to make plant hangers from...hang in your window cat proof plants! I found this site to be quite useful.

http://www.free-macrame-patterns.com/basic-plant-hanger.html