Saturday, January 19, 2013

In Case You Were Wondering . . .

The lamb is still alive and kicking.  I did bring it inside yesterday morning to give her (yes, definitely a girl) some milk replacement by the fire.  I figured it couldn't hurt her to make sure she had some food and got warmed up a little.  I saw her nursing later in the day, so she should be okay.  No more lambs have been born yet on my solo watch, for which I am EXTREMELY grateful.

And continuing with some more things you most probably don't care about, but since you're here you will read what I write (AND LIKE IT) . . .

I just canned seven quarts of pickled beets.  A local farm is still pulling beets and turnips from their gardens, and the MiL bought a bushel.  Each.  That is a shitload of root vegetables.  They're delicious--thanks to the very cold temperatures we've had that have made them very sweet--but goddamn are those things filthy.  They are literally caked in mud.  Washing them takes almost as long as prepping the cooked beets for the canner.  But I do love pickled beets, so I did it anyway.

Canning in January is WAY better than canning in July.  For obvious reasons of kitchen temperatures and boiling pots.

I bought Cubby his own backpack from L.L. Bean for his upcoming third birthday, and while I was on the website, I checked their 2-a-day daily markdown.  It's this thing they do, uh, twice a day, where there's just one item they sell for way cheap.  When I happened to check it, the item was a big flannel-lined corduroy shirt for twenty dollars.  I have a big corduroy shirt that I have owned for more than a decade now.  I've worn it a lot, and it's past time that it be laid to rest.  So I bought the one from L.L. Bean as a replacement.  It just arrived.  I tried it on and it fits.  I have worn it for less than five minutes so far, but I can already tell I'm going to live in this shirt.  It ain't gonna win me any fashion awards, but holy hell is it comfortable.

In preparation for a seriously frigid stretch of weather coming our way, I cleaned the ashes out of the woodstove today.  Then I had to re-start the fire.  Man, do I ever suck at starting a fire.  It took me a few days' worth of newspapers and probably six matches before I finally got it going well.  I would never survive in the wilderness.

Both of my children have colds.  It's gross.  Snot everywhere.  I have not yet been struck down myself, though I pessimistically anticipate the pestilence will be visited upon me anytime now.

So maybe on that note, I should go to bed.  You know, get a good night's sleep to boost my immune system.

HAHAHAHAHA.  A good night's sleep.  Oh, I kill myself*.

* But only if Charlie doesn't kill me first.  The sleep battle rages on.

4 comments:

flask said...

oh, i am so sorry for your discomforts, but not sorry enough that i do not laugh
when you write of them.

i have had some real suckage in my life these past months.

i really need the laughs i get reading you.

thanks.

if i could send you an hour or two of sound sleep i would.

Anonymous said...

Pine cones make really good fire starters. Hunting for them will keep Cubby busy maybe 10 seconds.

I hope you avoid the cold bug.
Don't mommies have special powers to avoid those things? :)

I am off ot peruse the L.L. Bean bargain site...go Kristin...good deal on the shirt (like a nice warm hug).Beth

Sherry said...

How is is possible that Cubby's third birthday is almost here? It seems only yesterday we were reading about your first pregnancy and his birth!!! Glad to hear the lamb is going to be okay.

jive turkey said...

A BABY LAMB! I have been absent around here for way too long, but my visit has been rewarded with baby lamb tales. I hope she continues to thrive. I hope you continue to thrive, too (I am afraid of this sleep battle you mention...).