Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Wednesday, Problem solving with a blog, COVID News


 Slug and Hubby on the Train at Icy Point.  We had so much fun. Wish we were still there. Vacations are just never long enough.

I got some great suggestions and reminders in my comments on my last post which really helped to make me feel a little less on edge about jumping right back into the fire.  First of all I was reminded that coming back from a vacation the first week is always rough.  And you know it is.  Why should I think I am any different?  It is this way for everyone and I am not special, I can do what everyone else does and just suck it up.

Also, I can say NO!  Thank you Cheryl, I had a lady come in today with a bag of alterations and she wanted me to alter some swim suits. I did not really know how and it made me nervous.  I told her so and did not do them.  I can do so many other things well, why stress myself over a $10.00 job?  I don't need to, so I won't.

Jackie, at Land of the living skies, reminded me that her garden is coming on hard.  Now our garden was almost a total wash this year, but in years past I would be picking a bushel full of produce every other day and having to process it.  Now I am complaining about getting apple sauce made and grape jelly.  This is the time of year  that for the next 6 weeks to two months we harvest and it is a lot of work.  I have been spared that in so many ways. I need to remind myself and be thankful!

Hubs cut and cored almost all of the apples and we made applesauce until midnight.  I helped with the final batch and I was tired so we left it until this morning to finish.  We also got all of the grapes ready to juice and cook down.  We made 20 quarts of applesauce and froze it.  It is so good. I put the grapes that were ready on the stove and they are simmering and Hubs is out picking the last of them because I told him I was not going to do this again. The kitchen is a land of milk and honey mess and I want it done!  By the way Hubs is a huge help with this and he had to be, or it will not get done.

I now have 6 wedding dresses and many bridesmaid dresses among other things in the shop all due out before the end  of the month. Again I did not get as much done yesterday as I wanted to.  It was frustrating.  Last night we had (HAD) to go pick up pet supplies, and prescriptions and a few fresh things for the fridge.  I would have loved to have deep cleaned the fridge but I just could not with all the applesauce and grape mess.   I have a hard time ignoring things and getting distracted.  Stay on task and get the most important things done, don't veer off and create work.

So I need some advice. My eldest daughter called and she could tell by my voice I was  tired and not myself.  I told her the shop was just so busy and I was having trouble getting back on track.  She asked me what I was doing as she could hear the cranking of the apple sieve. I told her making applesauce and dad had picked the grapes and they needed to be done.  She was upset that I was even making applesauce.  "Mom you can buy that from the store and it is not extensive, why are you wasting your precious time when you are so busy? You can buy grape jelly, it is the cheapest of the jellies?  Why do you do this to yourself?"   I had no answer for her.  Other than it is what I always have done.

We always had a big garden,I always canned, I always cooked from scratch unless we were deep in the middle of  a performance .  Even then when the other parents were bringing in fast food, I was bringing in something homemade.  Not always, but it was a way to save money. SO my question is as busy as I am, am I foolish to try and save money doing these things any more?  I do not can green beans as they are too much work and I can get them for .30 a can once a year.  So I quit doing that it did not pay. It was not worth my time.  I don't know?  I have just always done these things and my food is so much better than what I can buy. I had a smart a$$ comment I wanted to give back to her, "I haven't always lived a married life on 6 figures, I raised you and educated all of you on less than $40,000 a year and you turned out pretty good."

This is how we survived, I made due.  I told hubs what she had said and his response was , "That is not the point."  So my question is what is the point? Help needed here....

I am also sure that the majority of my business is weddings and this is wedding season, plus it is a COVID wedding season, and I need to make hay while the sun shines.  It will not always be this busy.  At least I hope not.

Last night, I ran to the garden and picked 3 large lemon cucumbers and all the ripe tomatoes and made a large salad, and then cooked up a spaghetti squash ( one of the few we were able to harvest) and I grabbed some homemade frozen sauce and sliced up that leftover steak into the sauce. It was delicious. But again would it be easier to just buy spag sauce instead of making it in large batches usually with my homegrown produce?  I had to laugh as we picked up prescriptions last night for both of us for the month and it was $94.18.  Then we got pet supplies, cat food, dog food, dog treats, chicken food, and freezer bags in several sizes, which came to $98.69.  This was more than a months supply of some things.  Then onto Winco for groceries which came to $50.45 and that will hold us for a couple weeks.  DO you see why I do what I do?

Now Albertsons has cheese, and ice cream and brats on special and I will go buy those they all have limits.  But that is how I shop. it saves me money.  Does it take more time to live out of a pantry and  a freezer and shop only the loss leaders?  It certainly saves money, but does it really save on precious time?  I don't know?  I don't know if I would or could change?

Anyway the apples are done, and  I am deep into grape juice.  Hubs is still on the back porch taking grapes off the stems. I AM GOING TO GET SOME SEWING DONE!!!!!!

By the way our Governor has called out the National gaurd in the Pan handle of Idaho, because of COVID.  We have only 4 ICU beds left in this part of the country.  We have cases and deaths outnumbering the other two waves put together and they are mostly the unvaccinated and much younger people.   National gaurd are trained nurses, and doctors, and personel to keep hospital laundries and cafeterias open and the hospitals running as all are short staffed and eshausted.  What a mess.

My spell check is not working forgive me:)

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.


Kim


40 comments:

  1. If you want to make the applesauce and grape jelly make it. If it is something you are comfortable buying then buy it. You can always create more money but you can never create more time. Only you can decide if saving time or saving money is more valuable to you.
    Meanwhile I spoke with Sluggy today and it sounds like the trip was a blast!

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    1. I GUESS I have to decide if it is worth it to me. We did have fun, so much fun!

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  2. So many issues.

    1. I make ratatouille which we use as spaghetti sauce and chili base. I would make applesauce if I had "free" apples. I would make the jelly if I had "free" grapes. I can afford to buy it all and at organic prices. BUT: it won't taste as good, be as wholesome, and contain zero added chemicals/sugars etc. HOMEMADE is just best! Also, I did all of this when I was working 60+ hours a week for the very reason that it all simply tastes better. We have a big blackberry patch and make it all into blackberry jam. I use 1/2c sugar for 6 half pints. That is 1/6 the sugar in most store bought jams. Mine tastes like fresh fruit! Not sugar.

    2. Totally agree and support not taking the swimwear job. Not worth the time when you're swamped.

    Your daughter's point is $ vs time. She says buy all you can afford to salvage the time for work or relaxation. I understand what she's saying but regardless of my comfortable income, I prefer the homemade. Wonder if she would ever comment, if you never shared homemade anything again?????? (since I KNOW you do :-)

    I think your husband's point of "that's not the point" is that you 2 essentially enjoy doing the homemade thing and absolutely LOVE eating the homemade foods.

    My reply to your daughter "You do you, and I'll do me".

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    1. YOu know Elle you are right. I just have to figure out what I really want and do it.

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  3. Kim,
    If you can can and get your money work done and really want to do so, by all means do it. A younger woman did all this before, remember? But, good for you wanting to do it still. And, good for you for being able to do so. Maybe some day when you retire from sewing, you can can with less stress. You are actually doing two jobs because canning and freezing are actually really hard. I know how sewing is, so good job there.

    I am not suggesting you do so, but I learned to be satisfied with small batch canning. It is lots easier.

    Not to be mean, but maybe you won't have to share your bounty with that daughter.

    My mother canned so we could eat in the lean winter time with Daddy's job. I know she canned lots of things, but I remember only canned tomatoes, green beans, and peaches. She could do lots with those and some potatoes and meat. We ate more than that, but at time, not much more.

    Your husband is right, "that is not the point."

    I think what you do is commendable. Go ahead--can and freeze and grow things until you decide not to do so. What you grow and put up is healthier than food in cans in the store.

    Two things--I have not heard anything about picking up potatoes along the road, and green beans are my favorite vegetable.

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    1. I meant to say that Covid is bad here, too, but not to that extent. Swimsuits are easy to sew since they are stretchy. However, it is worth more than $10.

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    2. We will go get free spuds and onions on our way down to mom and dads, I already have the boxes in the back of the car!

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  4. Hi, Kim!

    So glad you had a wonderful holiday! You did the same thing I always did: neglect to schedule at least one full personal day when you returned! Strongly recommend at least one day, preferably two, following future holidays! :-)

    I've been a lurker on your blog (and Sluggy's) since late 2018. While I enjoy reading blogs, I really do not want to maintain one myself!

    Which brings us to what you and your DH want to do with your garden and preserving yields in the future. The two of you seem to work incredibly well together in some areas and can annoy one another to no end in others. Sounds like a normal relationship to me! ;-)

    1. The two of you seem to enjoy making applesauce (a good thing--the trees are a long-term commitment!) and grape jelly and really appreciate and enjoy the final products more than what you can purchase--at any price!

    2. Decide between the two of you what else you really enjoy from the garden, when they typically are harvested, and scale down the planting to a more manageable level. No guarantees, Mother Nature follows her own calendar and timetable!

    3. As when preparing for your vacation, set business and babysitting limitations for those periods. No matter how much you love your children and grandchildren, or want to achieve a financial goal or accommodate a client, a burned out Kim won't be useful to anyone!

    Easy for me to say, right? Don't worry, I've made just about every mistake in the book--and added a few more! ;-) As we become successful (particularly entrepreneurs), it takes practice to take time for ourselves. We worry that everything we have achieved will disappear without constantly accommodating clients (there is a certain validity to that thought) or that familial relationships will suffer if we are not available at all times. They might--very briefly--but the younger generation will learn what really qualifies as an emergency needing grandparents as opposed to convenience of a babysitter for personal time. Everyone will appreciate you and your DH more if you maintain some boundaries, but you will need to train them! :-)

    Sorry to sound so preachy, but watching others repeat my mistakes (remember--a lot of them!), is a bit disheartening. Don't worry, I'll still read your blog. And be thankful that someone who cares so much about others is in this world! :-)


    ...Taja
    (Hoping you occasionally take a deep breath and take care of yourself.)

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    1. Thanks so much for the advice. You are right that we do enjoy what we do. As for my kids it is a learning curve here.

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  5. Can any of it be frozen to be processed later when you are not so busy? I get berries at the height of the season, when it is too hot to can jam. I freeze it crushed in the proper quantity and make the jam when it cools down.

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    1. I have done that Christy. For instance if Hubs goes out huckleberry picking they will be frozen and I will do jam later.

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  6. Hi Kim,
    My two cents worth on your advice request. From my long distance view, you actively seek a life where the incoming projects greatly exceed a normal work week (both personal and sewing), so you are hugely challenged to fit everything in. Creates a lot of stress but also creates a huge mental and physical challenge. Could it be that you are addicted to Adrenalin (spelling…whatever the hormone is that stress releases). It is almost like the old Ed sullivan show act where the guy had spinning plates on rods and he ran from one end to the other to keep the plates spinning. If you want a slower and less frantic life, you will have to wean yourself away from the Adrenalin rush ;). I just know how my life works and what I can do to myself ;). I also have two girlfriends that are mirror images of you, when their lives slow down they add more more work and stress. It is a choice you make every day.

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    1. Ah, when I reread my comments I realized I forgot to say …the real issue isn’t whether you should make applesauce ;).

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    2. You know I have thought of this. DO I CRAVE THE TENSION. I have to honestly say i don't. I am rather shocked by how busy the shop is, and it worries me, because i just will not be able to keep up this pace. So after this COVID thing if the shop does not do its usual slow down I may have to do something.... what I don't know? But you are so right in the fact that I take on way more than can possible done.

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  7. The train was Skagway, not Icy Point Strait. The Diet Pepsi on the ship went to your head...lol
    Next garden season only grow what is expensive in the stores. Like J said, applesauce is cheap and a lot of work to make so slice them apples for pies and freeze 'em. We use to grow cauliflower here when Ex-CB was home as he loved it and it was one the most expen$ive veggies in the stores even in season. I am not a fan so we no longer grow it but other things.
    I know you and I and others take a lot of satisfaction from gardening and canning but maybe it's time to reduce the workload a bit on the veggies is the sewing is more profitable? Just MNSHO.....

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    1. Oh you are right, but when I have I listened to you.... HUH? Love you

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  8. I have gotten the same comments from the boys and my answer to them is that overall it is cheaper to can, freeze or dehydrate my own produce (or what I manage to get given). It tastes better and I know what is in it.

    I doubt if I could change even if I wanted to.

    I also think that if we have shortages in something I will be well covered and will be able to share with the boys. One never knows what could happen.

    You do what makes you happy, that is all that can be expected of you.

    God bless.

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    1. Thanks Jackie, glad I am not the only mother who has children who talk amount themselves about the things the stupid things their mother does.

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  9. Covid is so bad in OK too.
    Good for you saying no on the swimsuits, I’ve done a lot of sewing in my 63 years and I don’t think I’ve ever even thought about sewing on a swimsuit. They are weird fabric, all lined- no thank you!

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    1. Well they are hard to alter, and you really need to know what you are doing.

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  10. Your daughter cares about you and loves you. She sees how tired you are and wants you to slow down. My oldest sister also overworks herself, and whatever I suggested was met with resistance, I learned to keep my own counsel. Ultimately it is up to you, do what you feel is right for you. Celie

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    1. You are so right and right now I am thinking..... what was I thinking? Grape juice is in fridge and jam on the weekend sorry that is the way it is.

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  11. Applesauce and grape jelly may be cheap in the store, but they don't taste anywhere near as good as the homemade stuff.

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    1. I know and I think of the sugar content. I did 6 full quarts of applesauce with less than one cup of sugar. No preservatives. SO yummy. This grape juice is to die for and had no sugar added at all.

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  12. I too believe that homemade and home canned is better than store bought. And it certainly can be cheaper. When things are so crazy like during high volume work times we have just done what needed to be done. One day or a few hours once a week make up all the food I could for the week or start doubling or tripling recipes and freezing two dinners for crazy nights. Prep all the veggies and fruit I could. Make the lovely snacks or even cookie dough balls and freeze. Any thing to make dinner prep easier. Maybe even have a quick menu of items that take very little effort or ingredients to get in and out of the kitchen fast on busier days. We have always had to do all the work we could when we had the work. Because there would be down times in the winter especially with very little work. When I started having more health challenges I quit canning everything but the the things I loved the most and couldn't get cheap enough. Like dilly beans, pickled asparagus and grandma's homemade chili sauce. These things make me happy and taste so much better than store bought plus a lot cheaper! Who knows what the future will bring and having the ability and knowledge to can and grow a garden could be life saving one day. Do what makes you happy and sometimes you'll need to cut down. Just try to keep the things going that you love and would miss. Also, just because we have more money than past years I still am very frugal at the store. I don't want to waste my money. Occasionally there is a splurge but not every time I shop. Take care and yes the word no is a complete sentence and it's okay to not do something that causes you extreme stress like altering a bathing suit. Life is too short.

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    1. I am trying, but I am just so bad at cutting back. I have cut back a lot but need to do more.

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  13. Not that our opinions really matter, but I side with your daughter on this. Will you and your husband go hungry if you don't can your own food? It doesn't sound like it. If canning means a lot to you, perhaps you should cut back on your alterations business. It sounds like you desperately need some more enjoyment in your life and less work.

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    1. I do and I don't it is a conflict in me. I am taking all advice and mulling it over, thanks for you input I really appreciate it.

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  14. Love the picture! So glad you all had fun!
    My husband loved that train ride in Skagway.
    I love homemade applesauce, but I don't have as much energy as I used to, so I have had to scale back some things. Only you can decide how much energy and time that you want to put into preserving food.


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  15. About a month ago for the first time ever, I took the short cut and bought a can of frosting for a cake. Luckily I tasted it before I put it on the cake. It was disgusting with a chemical like taste so it went in the trash. So I understand you wanting to make things from scratch. When you're used to homemade, the taste is different. You do whatever makes you happy. I think you're just struggling through this first week back from vacation. Next week will be easier.

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    1. I know and I appreciate your input and reminding me that I am going through the first week home blues.

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  16. There's no one size fits all answer to your question, but I'll give it a try. I do think you have too much work on your plate. That can be solved in a variety of ways. 1) you could cut back on work, either saying no more often or raising your rates & letting it happen naturally. 2) you could cut back on work around the house, and pay more for a few things, but have more time to either do nothing, or take on paid work. 3) you could help out less with the family & have more of a set schedule. 4) you could carve out times of the year when you are "unavailable" due to your desire to process things from the garden.

    I'd have a long think of which of these are your top priority. & how you want to manage your time. Then sit down with your husband, discuss & align on priorities.

    Also, I hate coming back from vacation. Everything is 10x harder, because you have to catch up vs just doing your normal work load. So, give yourself a little grace for the next week or so as things settle back into place.

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    1. I SO APPRECIATE YOUR REMINDING ME THAT COMING BACK FROM VACATION MAKES EVERYTHING TEN TIMES HARDER BECAUSE IT DOES!!!! In the mean time all advice is good and appreciated. I especially respect yours as I admire how you solve your problems and think you are brilliant.

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  17. Do what makes you happy! It must just seem to her as if you're overworking yourself when you don't need to be. She was not saying anything about your ability to raise your family, but maybe wants you to see that now, you can maybe let go of some of the things you did to ensure everyone was a-ok!

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    1. I know she is right in some ways, but you need to meet these kids of mine, so sassy! How did that happen.....?

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  18. I don't think your daughter was trying to disrespect you. I think she just sees that you burn the candle on both ends most of the time and wants you to slow down and not be so tired. I guess it all boils down to you have to ask yourself is doing everything and not saying no to something worth the trade off of wearing yourself out.

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    1. She loves me, and also thinks I am a total lost cause, but she still loves me!

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  19. I throw my figs and mulberries into the freezer and then make small batches of refrigerator fig preserves and mulberries as needed all year. My grandma did a lot of canning. I agree that home canned tastes so much better. The mulberries and figs always seem to come in on a jury trial week so this is my solution. I pick them just for a couple of minutes at end of day, so it is not so burdensome. I also don't can, so my solution is refrigerator preserves and jelly. I also live alone, so popcorn for dinner is ok. You have different circumstances. I also tend to eat like I am in first grade for lunch, a cheese sandwich, chocolate, and an apple. I would not take diet tips from me...lol. Cindy in the South

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    1. Just talked to daughter, she makes me laugh. She said she got on the phone with both her sister's last night and they made fun of me. I hope they enjoyed them selves.

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