August & Back to School

 It's not quite mid- August. We are getting a later start at back-to-school than I had intended. I had hoped for the last week of July, but we will just press on from here.
I am already suffering curriculum set-backs. The "Good and Beautiful" History kit is still on back order- and when Tom cleared the history on the computer, my link to my paid downloads disappeared. The company auto-replied in email, they can't even get to my email to read for a number of days.

This year, Nickole is studying Astronomy, and Chemistry. (Today, we built a Robot from a kit, just for fun!)

 We are supposed to do US History, whenever our kit eventually gets here. For Math, I am trying "Life of Fred", and supplementing with Khan Academy. Khan Academy is also what we are doing for Language Arts, at the moment. We have Home Economics. I'm very disappointed in the course I bought, but can use it as a starting point. (It's Nutrition section uses things like bullion cubes... when I can teach her to make a stupid-easy bone broth that is FAR better for ones health!) We have Geography, and Geography through Art. I hope the two play nicely together! We are continuing our Atlas Adventures from last semester. We are continuing to read- Nickole is a voracious "listener"- she goes through audio books at a crazy pace. I do require actual READING, and we continue to go to the library. My friend Lori and I plan to do many field trips, though Lori isn't starting school until after Labor Day. Field trips and extracurricular classes are a challenge, due to Covid19 restrictions.

The garden is finally taking off. It was quite late in getting started, as the cool, wet weather hung on well into June. Last year, most of my canning was over with by the end of July. This year, I didn't get enough to even begin canning until this month (August).

I've been doing a few jars of green beans, and a few jars of tomatoes several times a week. A recent visit to my folks in Texas gave me a good start on pickles. I guess I should say 'traditional' pickles! I already have a cupboard full of Squickles. That's what I decided to call squash pickles!
The zucchini seems to be dying off at last. We have had squash relish, squash casserole, grilled squash, roasted squash, fried squash, sauteed squash, squash 'fries', Granny's Garden Veggie Saute (featuring squash), spiral zoodles, fried spiral zoodles, squash bread, squash as lasagna noodles ... I am sure I am leaving some uses out. The yellow squash has got a second wind.
We have done jellies and jams. Strawberry, blackberry, plum, mixed berry, peach... and I am only just getting enough peppers to consider jalapeno jelly.
The okra is finally giving us a few shy pods per day. The first batch of corn was the WORST corn I have ever tasted. Hopefully, this second batch will be better. We shall soon know!

The trip to my folks was fun. It had to be short, due to the garden needing care. I met Becky and her kids there. We made a couple hundred tamales with Grandma Rose!

That's all for today! Thanks for reading!

Another new normal... Life of Leisure, Day One

  Today was my first full day of unemployment in over a year. I went to work yesterday and tried to make casseroles. Actually, I DID make casseroles. Quite a few of them. (About 60?) in four varieties. By the time the second batch was completed, I knew I wasn't going to be able to do this until my arm is better. I guess as I worked, the determination on my face got more and more grim. The fourth batch wouldn't of happened at all, if  a customer had not already pre-ordered several. The bosses sent one of my very favorite people to come and assist me.
So, from what I have learned from researching what the Doc told me: My arm needs to rest from repetitive motion for six to twelve MONTHS. Once this initial pain is gone, there are some very specific sets of exercises I will begin to stretch and strengthen the tendons.
My "life of leisure" , Day one:
This began pretty much like any regular day off during the week. Mr. C woke before the alarm, tossing and turning and thrashing around. He gave up on sleep, and got up and turned on the closet light. Which shone right into my eyes. I flopped over. Mr C proceeded  into the Necessary Room, and turned on the light. Which shone right into my eyes. I pulled the pillow over my head and determined to go back to sleep. Finished in the Necessary Room, Mr C went out to make the coffee, turning on the kitchen light; which, as always, shone right beneath the air gap in the pillow and my face. Seeing I was awake but unwilling to arise, Mr C asked me whether he should awaken Sam, who didn't seem to be up yet, or let him arise on his own? Sam had a road trip today and needed to be at work by 5:30, and it was already 4:15. I got up just about the time Sam headed out the door.
  I had an Important Errand for my next "day off". Seeing as I am now facing a number of consecutive "days off", my plan was to go get Sam's new car registered in Oklahoma.
  "But First"... I finished my cup of coffee. I went out and let the chickens out of their coop, into the pen. I fed them and gathered some greenery (weeds) for them as a treat. Then I watered the garden. Watering the garden is its own But First series... But first, I had to drag the hoses from the well house out to the raised garden. (I think we have 2 one hundred foot hoses, and then a fifty foot hose.) The hoses reach, but barely. Then I have to disconnect our new sprinkler, find and attach the hand spray nozzle. Then go back and turn on the water. And try to get water sprayed against the wind to the far reaches of the raised bed garden, because the hose isn't long enough to go around and spray from upwind. Then the hoses get re-situated so that I can water the row of potatoes on the SW end of the ground garden. Next, I move the hoses again, and  water the little seedlings and pre-sprouted planted containers in the greenhouse. (It looks like my peonies will be blooming by the weekend!) (While I am gone to meet the new Grandbaby!)
Finished at last with the small amount of watering (We are expecting rain tomorrow, but these needed water TODAY!) I came back inside. Having done all the chores outside in my PJ's, I got dressed.
I stripped the bed, and got the mattress pad on to wash. Unloaded the dishwasher, then re-loaded it with yesterday's dishes. (When I got home yesterday afternoon, I could scarcely move my arm, and didn't clean the kitchen. Or fix a meal.) I spent a few minutes online, wrote a letter to a friend, wrote an email to another,  and made a couple of phone calls to people who don't mind being called so early. I got the washed mattress pad into the dryer, and the sheets on to wash.
THEN I headed to the Tag Agency (20 miles away) and got Sam's Subaru registered. I had a specific routine I was planning to follow when I got home: Do the laundry do-si-do (Clothes from dryer, clothes from washer on to dry, and more clothes put on to wash.) Clean the bathroom, sweep the kitchen, clean off the table, and then: cut out a dress for one of the grand daughter's birthday.
BUT First! I need to make sure I put Sam's registration paperwork and insurance verification back into his glove box. Except... I can't FIND the paperwork and verification. I didn't get out of the car between the Tag agency and home. I looked in the car. In my purse. In the car AGAIN. In my purse AGAIN. Finally called the Tag Agent. Yep... The paperwork was still there. So, another 40 mile round trip.
 So much for all my plans. I got the bed remade. And fixed supper. (Beef and barley stew from leftover roast beast.) I got the table cleared.
Tomorrow is another day in this Life of Leisure!