I go away from the Net for THREE DAYS and I come back to find that y'all've had alllll kinds of luscious idiocy ripen and harvest in the meantime. Couldn't save any of the good bits for me, then? I guess not. *hmph*

---

In the meantime, however, I have been awesome. Truly.

I:
-didn't kill anyone this weekend who was both an idiot and ahead of me in line, though it was richly deserved
- put up 8 quarts of dill pickles,
- 4 quarts of bread and butter pickles
- 5 pints of sweet pickles
- 2 quarts of green beans
- 2 quarts of wax beans
- 9 half-pints of strawberry freezer jam
- a double batch of eggplant parmigiana (this time with much, much less salt)
- processed raw foods for all of this and more to come

And I did this on 18 hours' spotty sleep over the past several days because Rose has decided that it can't possibly be bedtime in *her* bed if it's after midnight, which is when B and I have been going to bed.

Tomorrow will be several pints or quarts of pink-eyed purple-hulled beans. And I'll be making three-bean salad with some of the wax beans and the green beans I kept back for that. Later this week, there will be the purchase of nectarines for making nectarine chutney and peaches for either a combination of spiced peaches for wintertime peach cobbler of awesome or spiced peaches and peach chutney. I also have some Roma tomatoes which require some processing, but I may simply remove their skins and seeds and process them for tomato puree.

Now, on top of all of this preserving have been trips to and from stores for supplies (see Item 1, not killing anyone). I swear, it took me as long for that as it did for the processing and canning.

The good folks at the Ball jar co. make Mason-style jars, as y'all likely know. They put out an inexpensive recipe book this year. Sweet!, sez I, and buys it.

Not so.

I think on purpose that they underestimate by half the requiring amount of brine for pickles. I weighed the cucumbers (they had no approximate numbers) and inevitably ended up with half as much brine as I need and meanwhile the cucmbers are sitting in hot jars while the freakin' jars start cooling and the jars with boiling brine and cukes in them sit and cool, too, as I wait for the new brine to finish up. I was Most Annoyed. Naturally, when I went to make the brine for the sweet pickles this morning, I said "Screw that for a lark!" and made a doubled pot of brine. God laughed heartily then, but you see, I couldn't hear Him over the girls. There was just enough cucumbers (though thinly sliced, not short spears) to fill exactly as much space as the recipe advertised. So, having some cucumbers left over, tomorrow I'll slice those and make more sweet pickles - or possible relish - to use up the rest of the brine. Maybe a couple of pints of mustard relish, hm.

Okay. I have now earned my reward of WoW for the entire rest of the night. Bwahahahah.

I am a tired babboo. Work was insane - and at first it was very, very slow. ( Read more...Collapse )

Tomorrow, we'll leave early and head to east TN in time to make the baby shower. ( The weekend, and next weekCollapse )

All right. I need to stop procrastinating on the getting up and doing useful stuff. Everyone have a good weekend.

Yeah, that's what today has been renamed. I could have spent all day in bed, and I'm not like that very often. I woke up, had a little yogurt, and demanded cuddles with the husband. He was more than willing, and I fell asleep. I woke up around eleven, and ravenously ate a big portion of vegetable lasagne, then there was showering and more cuddling, followed by getting ready for going to Harry's bday party. Meg had a blast and Bill and Pam kindly brought yummy veg, cheese, meat, and olive snacks for the grown ups. After that as we were on our way out Bill mentioned that they were having a party tonight, and we were invited if we wanted to come. We wanted.

Then El Tap. Where I was *convinced* that I was hungry to go, and ended up bringing away a prettty hefty take-home box. And fell asleep on the ride home. And then I got out of the car and everyone got in the house. And B promptly tucked me in bed again. I still feel logy and kinda crappy, so even thought we want to, we won't make B&P's party, unfortunately.

---

Wiggle Time is a pretty neat place, Meg enjoyed herself a lot, and might have picked up a play date sort of thing if we can manage the vehicle situation - they homeschool, too, and Meg struck it off well with the older daughter. The problem is the vehicle situation and the fact that the gas to get there would necessarily make it a rare occasion.

Oh, and that I'm working with Ron again. It's really just for an inventory-recording project, but there I am again, with all the wool.... darn it. ;) He's got in a very nice light pastel pink wool and sundry other popular colors like a near-French blue and a green I happen to love - it's been a while since he's been able to get any in in that color, too. He's also got a large selection of Russian linen whole remnants from 3-5 yards. It's pretty nice stuff, for all it's not Irish, Belgian, or even yet Czech. But there's been enough turnover in his inventory that his website needs updating, and it's a pretty big project. I should keep occupied for a little while, so that's good.

Heh - Donna was mentioning bringing a playpen for the baby (she knows ours has a bassinette insert).... I like them, I really do. Where the else in this region, I ask you, will people who're going to pay you to do *any* job not involving childcare bring up methods of bringing the baby with you to work? Before they've even mentioned things like pay or how long the project will take? And they really mean, it too, so it's not like it's a begrudging concession. It honestly just didn't occur to them that there was any other option - and it went totally without mention that Meg is included, too. Oh, God help me if I darken their doorstep without Meg or a darn good explanation. Ron positively clouds over.

Anyway, I don't know what my sleep pattern will be like tonight, but I'm predicting "completely insane." Last night was so shattered - for no particular reason, B and I would both wake up. The cats were... wow, they were just heinies, so that also woke us up. It was bad. Hopefully tonight we'll all get much better sleep, because I want a cleaned up living room before the weekend is done. I'm going positively batty trying to move through it, as it stands. Er, lies. All over the floor and underneath the little table we've put up in here for Puffy the dwarf hamster, and on the couch, and in front of both bookcases and next to the computer desk and ARGH.

All right. Later, folks.

Very nice, calm day today. A came over for a brief bit and we talked about some books that she had loaned me and the fact that I really . I also fixed a hemline for her. ::sigh:: I'm afraid that's not going to do a whole lot of good, but at least now it's not so jagged and she can simply turn it up evenly all 'round. I have directed her to Get Help when it comes to hemming or cutting a gem. Then I asked if we could go out for some things (, square-edged spade, four-tine garden fork, chicken feed - crap! I left that in her Jeep), and while we were out we went to a permanent fruit stand place for a glass bottled Dr. Pepper. Alas - none! Suck! So we went to Sonic for lunchy bits. I fell asleep waiting for the food. Yeah. And then I fell asleep on the way back to the house. I'm glad that we've been friends for so long that she doesn't care if I fall asleep in her car when we're out farting around.

So then I came in and ate my lunch. I expected to fall asleep for a good nap afterwards. Nope. OTOH, Sonic has a nice mango tea that's tasty.

Fortunately, Meg's schoolwork today has been easy - heh - "Sweet Dreams(Are Made of This)" just came on the Y!IM Launchcast and Meg is bopping around to Annie Lenox. Hee! On a related note, it's just great that we actually have a nice set of speakers for the computer now. It's enough that I'm really giving consideration to going ahead and paying for the paid subscription for better reception.

::sigh:: Y'know, part of this is procrastination. I have to compose some things I... really don't want to do. They're overdue. It's just that one of my predecessors really should have done it and didn't, either because it wasn't popular or because they hated the idea. ARGH. So I get to deal with it, and you're talking to a woman who cleaned the toilet at a gaming establishment (yes, consideration was definitely a factor I included - I just this year used up all the computer time I earned), so it's not like I'm someone who shies away from nasty work when it's just got to be done and no one else is going to do it. But I don't have to like it - or the reaction I know I'll get. I'm also procrastinating for some reason on the whole other bits of the French hood. Fabrics are all cut out. Just need to start sewing. Shame on me! I just feel so lazy and tired.

There might be a rant in that last paragraph. Chivalry also exists in cleaning up the messes that you're supposed to clean up on YOUR watch. We'll see.

---

So this morning I saw a tv advert for an 18th c. event in Goodlettsville. I can't remember the dates - but I'm crossing my fingers that it's not this weekend.

Oh, right - I'm going to Crown List, provided that calamity doesn't get in the way. B really wants to go, but he's starting to develop the cold that Meg and I had. I hope it's just allergies, because if it's not, he's planning on staying home. He can't not breathe AND fight rapier. ::crossing fingers:: He and I will both have meetings there. I'm bringing the business with, but I'm not sure how much time I'll spend there. I've got at least two meetings, and my time will also be required outside meetings, I do believe. Really, I wouldn't even bother with the day that full, but I've had requests and the business hasn't been to an event since February. Early February, and that's not acceptable. SOME income is necessary, and we're coming up on the slow season. I can't order more linen especially and the newly raised price until I've got more money in the bank account.

Anyway, yes, - ooh! "Me and Bobby McGee!" - um, yes, the 18th c. thingy. I'm going to check it out and see what the date is. At the very least, maybe I can get in contact with the organizers and get some TN pointers for 17th and 18th c. re-enactment possibilities.

Okay. Going to do something approximating actual work.

So, B got his bonus an unexpected three weeks early. We went to Goten's hibachi side for dinner.

( Why Heather should avoid hibachi grill dinners. 'Nice pants!' _Lady Death_ on DVD.Collapse )

I'm all caught up now, so I'll go watch those while I ponder costume-y bits. I may be able to pull off that costume yet. We'll see. Although, if there's not party, it won't matter. It's not like I'm going to be handing candy out to the kiddos in this costume. I'd have so many repeat pre-teens it wouldn't even be funny. I don't have that much candy.

But I do have fishnet hose and fishnet long gloves. ;) And soon I'll have kickass pointy-toed high boots. Because my husband loves me, and I like to wear kickass pointy-toed high boots, and he *likes* that I like to wear kickass pointy-toed high boots.

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=its_art&keyword=Eyes+of+the+Chosen&filter=all

But it seems promising, and I'm not a huge HP fan at all. GOOD fanfic.

[Edit: Just read chapter two. Perfect for the season, except for peppermintelf W, don't even click the link.]

Lining for the skirt is cut out, and the skirt and lining are entirely sewn together and up to hang out the hems for at least a day. I may pull it down to attach tomorrow after work. We'll see.

The lining for the bodice is also cut out. I had to piece for the front, which is fine by me, because when I pulled off the linen for the lining, I eyeballed it - and nailed the amount I needed. I'm not kidding - I was able to cut out the half-circle skirt lining entire (because the linen is wider than the wool), with maybe an inch and a half more fabric length than I needed, and the curves left enough for lining the bodice, with piecing. Go me. So, piecing for the bodice lining, which is just fine and very period. However, since I was able to cut out the linen all in one piece for the skirt, I don't need to cut it up and piece it with the same seam lines that the wool has. Well, I shouldn't. I can always fix that if it proves to be a PITA, instead.

Initial bodice sewing and cutting of sleeves and decorations after I get home from work, after I decide which ones I want and which ones I have enough fabric for. Then trying on the bodice, cussing, and taking it off to modify. 'Cause I know I will. I believe that dinner shall be leftovers. We have plenty. And I had the last of the pizza for breakfast, because we ran out of cereal and I didn't want granola.

I so need a mood icon for "caffeinated."

Well, off to work. It should be plenty, plenty warm today, so I'll definitely be getting into the water I keep in the trunk - I'll probably stick several in the fridge at work. They're predicting a record-breaking heat for Nashville today. And just think - in just a very few days, they're saying that Nashville will struggle to get to 68. Lurvely. All right. Leaving now.

It got warm at work. I sweat a good bit, and want a shower, but I'll want to shave my legs, and my razor blade won't RUB hair off right now. But I'm too lazy to go to someplace to get more blades (well, Food Lion had 'em - for EIGHT dollars; no, thanks). So I'm sitting and having a tiny slice of cheesecake brownie that my husband bought earlier last week. I need to get my allergy shot, too. Crap. Well, off my butt, then.