Wed. Night, Thursday, Fri. Morning

[helwen]

Wednesday Night:

Folded, cut and stuffed a bunch of cards (restocking my card inventory). Put all the cards from different boxes and re-sorted so that I have one box of inventory for sale and a smaller pile of cards that will go to person use (old contact info on back of cards, not good sellers, etc.).

Thursday:

***
Attached hanger in bathroom and hung a candle lantern off it. Nice to have choices in lighting for the bathroom, and no worries about ventilation because there's a vent on the chimney that abuts one corner of the room.

***
Cooked pumpkin chunks that L had cut up for me. Ran around the house doing various chores while they steamed -- Can now reach my art pads again! Lot of pumpkin so steamed in two batches (L had kindly set up the first batch in the pot with the steamer-thing already in place). Got in some time on the PC too.

***
Walked over to Sidehill Farm and got vanilla and maple yogurts and a quart of raw milk. Excellent walk -- I started out by crossing the hay field, which while shorter in distance than going up to the corner and then turning to go down the road, was still challenging because the grass is quite tall in places. Didn't see much trash -- L and I did some trash cleaning a few weeks ago, so that isn't too much of a surprise. A cool but sunny day.

***
Made a basic pumpkin soup (pumpkin, onions, soup broth, nutmeg, pepper, cream at the end). I used beef bouillon instead of chicken because that's what I had, and milk instead of cream because cream is ridiculously expensive. Besides, since it was a fresh quart of milk and I didn't shake it, it was at least partly cream that I put in. Filled four plastic containers to freeze and ate the leftover bit. Pretty tasty; I think it will be perfect with a sandwich, cheese and crackers, or maybe a slice of meat on the side. I expect we'll do a roast at some point this winter.

I found the recipe just doing an internet search and there was a page of them at www.mom-mom.com. There are a few others that look like they might be fun to tinker with, like the pumpkin and apple soup.

***
Discovered when I was consolidating the cards Wednesday night that I'd missed some cards, so I printed out more cards, which are all now folded/cut/packed.

***
Had a couple of short conversations with L yesterday -- they're keeping him pretty busy. Trip was long but interesting, and only one major delay -- they had to stop for an hour while a fire under one of the wheels was investigated. Nothing serious, just something got caught under it I guess, and apparently this isn't a terribly unusual thing. He and some fellow passengers had part of their dinner by cyalume stick as the power had to be shut off while the fire was investigated.

Train seats have more leg room than plane seats do, and the over-priced food isn't as high as on planes either. Pepsi has the soda contract, but at least he was able to get Mug root beer :D

And he got to talk quite a bit with a lawyer fellow from London, who'd sailed over on the QEII.

***
Started work on personalizing the lovely grey hat I bought at Ultra Gal in Noho. I've forgotten how to upload pictures from the camera to the PC, so I'll take pictures when L gets back and put them up then. It came with a mini-boa resting on the brim (the soft delicate feathery type, not the big feathers type) and a net bow on the back. I removed the boa, loosely pleated the slightly darker grey taffeta I'd bought and attached that as a hat band, then re-attached the boa. So now the boa stands out better with the darker grey behind it, plus the difference in textures adds some depth as well. Then I started work on a silver/grey tulle bow & train, making a pouff and then attaching a white silk rose to it. I'm going to make it detachable but basically it will nest into the middle of the existing netted bow on the back of the hat.

Friday:

Woke up earlier than Thursday but with a headache. Roz woke me up with howling. I had to turn on the overhead light because I couldn't find the switch for the table light -- I know where it is now. Seems to be some sort of old-cat-thing -- she wakes up in bed and doesn't remember where she is or something, and she can't hear very well anymore (not completely deaf though), so one has to turn on the light so she can see me or L.

Read email from L telling me the details of the train trip (see above).

Still have some plain pumpkin left -- have to decide if I'm going to freeze it as is or make it into something.... will probably just freeze it because today I have to deal with the apples. Silly me, got apples to make sauce while L was away, forgetting that he usually does the peeling and coring as I'm terribly slow. Well, some will get peeled and some not -- I read somewhere that a lot of the nutrients are right under the peel. Regardless, we've done it before and pinkish applesauce is quite tasty.

Got email update on grass-fed beef pickup -- mid- or late-November.

If I have time today I'll poke through a box of silks down in the barn and see if the black flowers turn up -- haven't seen any in the stores and I thought it would be a nice addition to the black spiderweb/bat tulle.

Headache is receding somewhat, so I should probably get a move on. It's another sunny but cold day!

Comments

[dreda.livejournal.com]

Do you have a food mill, or access to one? It has made my life with applesauce so much better. Just quarter the apples and throw them in the pot with a little water or cider - once they're soft, the mill removes peels, seed, cores, and everything! (Works for tomatoes, seed-y jam, all kinds of stuff.)

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Maybe? We have stuff around here that I've never used (we get given things by people who say -- it's a kitchen thing and it's manual!)

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Yes! I have one. I had to look it up and see a picture. I bought one for pureeing the tomatoes last year, but forgot it was called a food mill. I call it the food puree-er. Um, yeah. I'm not good with pronouns...

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Okay, in my excitement at less work I'm not doing a great job of completing my thoughts.

Thanks for the great idea!

[dreda.livejournal.com]

You are quite welcome! I love my food mill and would not part with it for the world. ;)

[oakmouse]

WORD! Food mills are wonderful. We've got two in different sizes.

[flidaisairmid.livejournal.com]

Something we have started doing with pumpkin is making pumpkin oats. For two people i start with 2 cups of water and then add a cup of pumpkin ,a little bit of brown sugar or molassess and a good sprinkling of cinnamon. When it has come to a rolling boil I add in a cup of rolled oats, and stir to cook until thick. It is wonderful all on its own, but you can add things like chopped apples, dried fruit, a tablespoon of sliced almonds, flax seed meal, cottage cheese, a spoon of peanut butter- the sky is the limit. Oats and pumpkin go very well together.

This also works with leftover yellow orange veggie soups, such as carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato and squash. Very healthy and hearty !

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Hm, that sounds good too. Thanks!

[oakmouse]

Old-cat wailing can be distressing for all parties. Our Ignatz used to do it. She began by wailing until we called her name; then as she got older and more non-compos, she would wail until one of us got up and took her around to our bed, her food bowl, and her kitty box to see which one she wanted. It only happened at night, oddly enough.

Since the vet couldn't do anything to help her, we ended up treating her by crumbling up a single tablet of Hylands brand Kali Phos 6X and sprinkling it on her tongue. She would stop in mid-wail, look at us blankly, and start purring. Kali Phos is a nerve tonic, and Hylands brand uses a lactose base so the tablet is easy to crumble and cats like the taste. It didn't prevent the episodes, but it eased her distress during them and enabled her to go peacefully back to sleep once the physical need that had waked her was taken care of.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

I think the supplement we give Roz at meals is something similar. One thing we usually do is have a serious Roz-petting session just before bed and that usually does the trick. But that depends on one of us being awake enough to remember... I also throw in a little reiki if it seems like the petting isn't sufficient.

Right now I think she's missing L being here, although she only peeped a little last night. I might give her a little more yogurt tonight too.

[harpnfiddle.livejournal.com]

I never would have been able to make pumpkin or apple sauce without my Victorio Stainer (not with the 3 boys non-helping).

[helwen.livejournal.com]

*chuckle*