Wednesday Morning Kitchen Duty

This morning found me in the kitchen making my iced tea while putting the dishes away from the dishwasher. I'd already had my coffee and a fried egg and cheese sandwich for breakfast. I am already out of oatmeal and need to make another trip to the Bulk Barn. I am in the process of writing down my shopping list for the first of the month. My freezers are getting very full with my garden veggies, so I thought I would take some of those frozen whole tomatoes to make a pasta sauce. The cores are already removed, so I just dumped them into my largest bowl and poured boiling water over top. That way the skins slip right off them. I have run out of fresh onions , so I added dehydrated onion, chopped peppers from the freezer, granulated garlic and the usual Italian seasonings.

Frozen whole tomatoes and seasonings in the crock pot. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had cooked up 4 or 5 slices of bacon the other night to make the pizza. So I fried up the rest of the package and put cooked bacon back in the freezer for future meals.

 

The kitchen has been kind of smelly the last couple of days. I thought it was the garbage can,  but it turns out there were a couple of rotten potatoes in the  bag. That surprised me because potatoes generally don't last long enough in this house to go bad. I decided to peel and cut all the spuds that were still left in the bag. Some of them were kind of soft and others I had to cut away huge chunks from. After they were thoroughly washed, I left them to soak in very cold water.  I emptied the kitchen compost once again of all the peelings into the outside composter.  I noticed that it is a beautiful day outside today, but I had things to do inside. 

Potatoes left soaking in cold water

I took out one of my containers of turkey broth from the freezer and placed it in my soup pot with more dehydrated onion, salt, pepper and thyme. To it I added a few cherry tomatoes, burgundy beans, the rest of the carrots from the other night that I brought in from the garden, and some zucchini of mine that I froze earlier in the summer. I added corn that I removed from a batch of corn on the cob back in August, and some limp celery from the crisper. I sliced off the bottom of the celery and placed the stalks in a glass of water to firm up. Ten minutes before eating some for lunch, I added the chopped turkey meat from the freezer, a container of kidney beans that I previously cooked in the crock pot and then froze, and a handful of peperini pasta that I bought on clearance. (a 500 gm pkg. for 49 cents). It is very "stick to your ribs" good. 

Soup pot simmering on the stove

While the soup was still simmering, I boiled all the potatoes. I saved some to make potato salad for tonight's dinner, and the rest of them I mashed and put in a large freezer bag so it wouldn't take up too much room in the freezer.  I was able to save most of the potatoes and I have some prepared ahead for another meal. The soup will last several days for lunches. I have cooked crisped bacon to add to recipes or to make  toasted BLT sandwiches, and I will have marinara sauce for another meal, or two.

I am tired now from being on my feet, so I will relax a bit with some of that iced tea.

I intended to post again on my blog yesterday, but as soon as I finished my Daybook, my Sweetie offered to drive me to Napanee to shop at Giant Tiger. I had a few specials I wanted to pick up; but unfortunately, I  left it too late in the sale. The Country Kitchen Deli hams which were on for less than half price, were all sold out. I had intended to buy a case of Del Monte niblets corn and a case of peas. But upon arriving, found out there was a limit of 6 cans total. I bought 4 tins of corn and 2 tins of peas. Oh well. I could have gone back inside, dragging my hubby along with me, and try to purchase more, but I couldn't be bothered. I try to have a couple of tinned vegetables during the winter, but mostly I use frozen veggies. The mushrooms were only $1, the eggs were $1.98 a doz. (and before you think I paid too much for eggs, let me explain that that price is the cheapest for eggs in over a year), so I bought 3 dozen. My four 400 gm ground beef chubs were only $10 (a savings of $4) and the toilet paper which we were almost completely out of, was also on sale. I bought four frozen fruit beverages (not real juice) for my hubby to drink instead of just water.

Shopping at Giant Tiger only cost me $32.41

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I got home I quickly prepared a beef stew for the crock pot, made some lunch, and then headed outdoors again to check the garden. There was a lot to harvest. Even though my bean plants are losing their leaves and the stems are becoming brittle and breaking off when I pick, they are still going gangbusters. Some of  these beans were very big (like 6-8 inches long), so I will have to cut them into pieces for the freezer and use them in soups and stews. The tomatoes are still ripening on the vines and I brought in yet another cucumber. I put the pitchfork in the ground and brought out enough carrots to eat with our meal last night and had some left over. When I harvest the potatoes and the carrots, I will take a picture of those. NO MORE bean pictures until next year. After I washed and snapped the beans and froze some more cored tomatoes, I went back outside to cut the lawns. Next Monday's Daybook, I may report that the grass is long, but I won't be telling you that I didn't mow yet again.

Not as cute as kittens, but I'm proud of them

 So we went to Smith Falls to see the family on Saturday, and I told you that "Dee" had brought us her neighbour's 50 inch screen TV for us. Well you have to know by now that Dee is always bringing us stuff. She is so generous. I might have mentioned that "Dee" was bringing a new Blackberry charger to replace mine which has not been working well. In the box that contained the charger was this brand new upgraded Blackberry tablet.....that she bought for me. OMG! She also brought me a yoghurt maker that I have been wanting to try.

A new Blackberry and a yoghurt maker

New stainless steel bathroom shelves with built in towel racks

 

 

She asked if I wanted these bathroom shelves, and I said yes because I can replace some I already have. She also brought a bag filled with men's shirts and a sweater for my Sweetie Pie. The mason jar contains some pickle relish. Really and truly, it is like Christmas morning after a visit with her and my Dad.

So yesterday, I did not go into my Craft Room. I did not do any domestic Monday. Shopping and harvesting and mowing the lawns was all I could do. This morning started differently.
 By 11 AM, I......
 emptied the dishwasher, did two more loads of dishes, and washed off the cooktop.
 emptied the kitchen compost
 sorted all the recycling for this week.
 cleaned the downstairs litter box and washed the dog's two bowls.
put a huge load of dark wash into the machine to hang out this morning.

This afternoon I am going to Napanee Hospital to visit a friend. Hope you all are having a perfect day.  

Daybook: Monday Sept. 26/16

Outside my window.....It is mostly cloudy, but the sun does peek through occasionally. There is a slight breeze. I closed up all the windows this past weekend because Fall arrived Saturday morning. I didn't cut the grass last week, so the front lawn is desperately in need of mowing. A black squirrel just ran across the road in front of the house.

I am thinking....that this week, I will be able to start making cards, crafting gifts,  and wrapping Advent Calendar gifts in my cleaned Craft Room.

I am thankful for.....Fall weather of cooler temperatures and sunny days that allow me to work either indoors or out comfortably.

From the kitchen.....yesterday I baked a batch of dog biscuits, and I made two homemade pizzas. One I baked up right away for dinner last night. The other is carefully wrapped in the freezer for later. I sauteed onions, peppers from the freezer, some crisped bacon and pieces of leftover pork roast. I shredded the mozzarella that I bought last week. Yummy. I love homemade pizza.

I am wearing....denim jeans and a printed T-shirt, socks and slippers. I guess it is time to put away my summer wardrobe. That will be part of my October goals, I guess, when I deep clean the master bedroom.

I am creating.......lots of stuff hopefully this week; but, I will describe what I created for my brother's 65th birthday. I gave him a card from my stash of cards that I made earlier in the summer. I also made him a Senior Citizen's Survival Kit by placing the following items (with an explanation) in a tiny gift bag. Feel free to use or adapt this. That is what I do by gathering ideas from Pinterest. So not entirely original, but no one person gets credit, because it is a compilation of ideas.

Balloon.....to get this party started with a bang.
Whistle.....to call for help if you fall over and can't get up.
Magnifying glass.....to help with your reading now you are ageing.
A penny.....to contribute to your Retirement fund.
Toothpicks.....to help keep your eyes open past 8 PM.
Marbles.....to replace the ones you've lost already
Notebook.....to write things down before you forget them
Pencil......to remind you to write things down before you forget them
Tootsie Pop.....because getting old "sucks"

I am going.....to Giant Tiger sometime this morning to pick up the weekly specials before the end of tomorrow, when the new sale starts.

I am hoping....that the family doctor will give my hubby some iron shots like he is hoping, to give him a little more energy. His iron is very low, and iron pills have not been helping him very much the past year. Two other medical specialists of his have advised him to get the shots, and he has an appointment with her on Wednesday.

I am hearing.....the TV on. My Sweetie is watching a newscast. The dog is lapping up water from his bowl, and the dishwasher is on.

Around the house......I will have the Craft Room done to my satisfaction before the month is out, but as far as my other goals have gone, the windows on the second floor will not get done.

One of my favourite things.....is now a cup of hot tea, now that the weather allows it.

A few plans for the rest of the week.....include picking up new prescriptions for the both of us on Wednesday, and a major grocery shop on Friday.

Here is a picture I am sharing......a new-to-us 50 inch flat screen television to replace our 32 inch TV. My dad and "Dee" brought it down to us this past weekend, because their neighbour bought herself a new bigger screen and wanted me to have this one. Notice it is almost as big as the fireplace, and I assure you it is twice as big as our old one. When I walk into that room, I am still doing a double take. My Sweetie is in heaven right now. Once he has hooked up Netflix to it, he will be as happy as a pig in muck. Ha.

Happy First Day of Autumn

Washing windows means washing with a scrub brush, a toothbrush, a sponge with a bristle side and a soft miracle cloth, followed by Windex and paper towel.  It always surprises me when I see how much light comes through clean and sparkly windows.

Working on my September goals

This morning I washed three more windows, but just the inside glass, frames and sills. These are the windows at the back of the house in the Craft Room overlooking the back yard. After I finish the other two windows and the patio sliding glass doors tomorrow, I will go outside and wash the outside of the windows. We did not get the double hung windows for this room.  Rather they are windows that need to be cranked open, with the screens inside.

After lunch, I went back into that room and moved furniture and boxes and purged some more items for the donation box. I dusted down the walls and did some more vacuuming. I made two distinct areas for working...the long table overlooking the garden is for me, and the smaller square table  in the  corner by the patio door, is for my son and his GF. This way we are able to walk away and leave our work to finish up later. Their table is already filled up with boxes of their things they still have to deal with from the move. They have to be tossed or stored elsewhere. Every work surface of mine is covered with my crap. It will take tomorrow and possibly one more day to get it all sorted and put away. I am at the point where I can see an ending. Yippee ki-yay!

That is it. That is all I did today. I am feeling very tired. My hubby went to Radiology this morning, by himself, to have another  ultra sound done on his shoulder. He is still waiting for an appointment for a cat scan done for the surgeon. He has gone to the after hours clinic now to pick up a requisition for blood work that he wants done before his appointment with the Family Physician next Tuesday. I never thought about dinner, so this will give me a chance to come up with something before he comes back.

We started watching "Mad Men" on Netflix on Monday night. We watched three episodes but neither one of us could get into it. That's okay. Last night the new TV lineup started, so we watched NCIS, Bull and NCIS New Orleans. I hope you have a great evening. 

After the Procedure

 My Blackberry playbook is still not charging but appears to be still working. "Dee" is bringing me a spare charger when I see her and my dad this weekend. So I will have my Blackberry back. Yay! In the meantime, you will get these clipart pictures to illustrate and break up the monotony of my reports.

The surgeon removed six polyps yesterday and reported that none of them looked cancerous, although one was very large at 3/4 inch. We will get an official report from the lab. When I got home, I crashed on the couch. I felt so relieved and exhausted.

Today I was back to my daily routine. I went out to the garden to check on the progress of things. You will remember that on Sunday I remarked that the garden was coming to an end. Well, scrap that notion. I brought in even more than I had on Friday. I have two more medium sized freezer bags of my burgundy beans. I will still be picking in December at this rate.  

Maybe because I hadn't picked in 4 days, I had another bumper crop. I also have tomatoes still ripening on the vine, and a second batch of peppers are coming. I will let them stay outside as long as possible to get bigger but they may still be green when I harvest them.   

This afternoon a friend (abdominal surgery) picked me up to go back to Napanee to visit another friend of ours who is doing rehab  after having a hip replacement. I had stopped in to see her yesterday while my husband was having his procedure done, but the door was closed and I did not want to interrupt in case she was sleeping. 

Today we found her outside in the courtyard. She is really coming along well.    

On the way home, we stopped at Walmart for me to buy some plastic cheese slices ($2.99) and 500 gms. of mozarella cheese for $3.87  Tonight we will have pulled pork sandwiches for dinner with some leftover pork from the freezer, some homemade BBQ sauce and some of my homemade hamburger buns from the weekend's baking blitz.                                                                          

Daybook: Monday Sept. 19/18

My Blackberry is not working very well. Firstly, I need a new charger for it;  and secondly, this morning the dog walked into the cord while I was trying to charge it and slammed it down from the desk onto the tile floor. The glass has now shattered, so I don't know if it is working at all. My photo today will be one I took this summer of Babcock Mill. This is our claim to fame in Odessa. The water wheel is no longer attached to the mill to prevent it from being vandalized I guess. My daughter chose this location to have her wedding photos taken. It is still very picturesque.


Outside my window.....the sun is trying to come out. It rained a bit overnight and the clouds are still in the area. We will be back into warm sunny days all this week. My front lawn needs to be mowed again.

I am thinking.....of my Sweetie's colonoscopy today in Napanee, and not much else.

I thankful for......everyone's concern and prayers for my husband.

From the kitchen.....I have had my two cups of coffee and porridge, but I did not empty the dishwasher or anything else for that matter. On the weekend I baked peanut butter cookies, pumpkin and raisin muffins and hamburger buns. I froze a medium size freezer bag of tomatoes and half a bag of burgundy beans over the weekend. My garden is definitely winding done now.

I am wearing.....denim capris with the rolled up cuffs and a denim coloured tank top.

I am creating......nothing yet.

I am going.....to Napanee Hospital for 11:30 this morning.

I am hoping.....everything goes as planned, despite the fact that he still has a nasty cough.

I am hearing.....only one cricket this morning. Where have they all gone?

Around the house.....things are piled all over. There is a pickup tomorrow morning for Value Village by the good people from Cerebral Palsy.  Maybe I can get rid of all my donation boxes from the house to clear up some more room. I did not wash any more windows, nor have I worked on my Craft Room. I didn't feel like doing anything over the weekend, but baking.

One of my favourite things.....is making cards. I need to get back to my Crafting room, pronto.

A few plans for the rest of the week..... does not include any scheduled doctor's appointments, unless I can get in to see my Family Physician about getting a Shingles vaccine. Apparently, four days ago the Ontario government announced that anyone aged 65-70 years of age can get a free vaccine between now and December. I am jumping all over that. It is a savings of almost $200 and weeks or months of excruciating pain and illness that I would not wish on anyone.

Also this coming Saturday, we will be going to Smith Falls to see my brother and SIL, as well as my dad and "Dee", who are coming down from Northern Ontario to celebrate my brother's 65th birthday.

Other than that, I will be working on my September goals.

Here is a picture I am sharing.....of Mill Creek and Babcock Mill.