Requests and an update...

I just did another batch of green beans and carrots (and I WAS going to put up the purple cauliflour thingy too, but it turned out being wormy--no, really, with actual WORMS IN IT!!!... Guess that's the hazard of buying organic, eh? Had they just been worm holes, I would have cut around them, but actual WORMS?... that's enough to turn me into a vegetarian). So, as I was blanching, I realized that I've had a few requests (on and off the blog) for info on freezing yer veggies.

Since my ship shipment isn't here yet--and that means all my books on canning, freezing, bread-cheese-yogurt making and whatnot--I've been making do by searching on the internet. While I'm glad I bought those books as a reference and more in-depth look at what I'm doing, I got the short and practical version by just Googling. So, this is where I got all of my info on blanching: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/he187w.htm

I'm sure there are a billion other sites (I found like three or four that I liked, but this one is the one I look back to most often). If you're a library-phile, do a search for blanching, freezing, preserving vegetables. You can look up sustainable living and find good books on that, too. Probably even videos.

Okay, now the update.

So, Sam called and said that for today, as an exception, he would drop by and pick Ryan up. I could have reached through the phone and licked his ear for that. Lolo only slept that one hour and for some reason, the girls keep pooping--I've changed like six poops and the day's only half over. At this rate, I'm gonna hafta do another load of dipe laundry before tonight.

So, I threw together a quick lunch. We ate heartily and then played some.

Sam took Ryan back there and said that they don't even open the school doors until 1:30, so there's no reason for me to leave at 1 because I'll just stand there for twenty minutes waiting to get in. So, this afternoon, when I go pick him up, I'm gonna just leave at 4:15 and take my time getting there. Since they said that strollers are not allowed (WTF? Do they think that most parents only have ONE child?), I'm going to put Lolo in the AWESOME BUCKLE TAI FROM TWOMOMMASDESIGNS.COM as planned and put Lily in the umbrella stroller. I'll just fold it and carry it up the stairs to his classroom. (Don't even GET me started on how wrong I think all of that is.)

We had a discussion over lunch because the reason Ryan wasn't allowed to stay at school for lunch and afterschool recess is because families where both parents work get first dibs. The problem is, they don't consider staying at home with two other children "working." HOWEVER, if I had already HAD a job, but QUIT my job to stay HOME with my child, I would have been eligible for monetary aid!!! So, let me get this straight... If I stay home with my younger kids--meaning that none of them is in government-subsidised daycared--I get LESS of a priority than those families where both parents "work?" MmmmmHmmmm... Anyone else not see the logic of that? Maybe the income tax the gov't makes off of the working parent is MORE than the tax EXPENSE of the child going to daycare? That's my only theory.

We've filled out the paperwork and for the rest of this week (other than tomorrow since they don't go to school on Wednesday), he is allowed to eat lunch at school (but not stay afterwards). We'll have to see about next week. All I know is that I have a feeling I'm going to be packing sandwiches and a soccer ball and taking him to the park because he was a CRAZY MAN today at lunch and it rubbed off on the girls.


In other news...
Yesterday, I made one of the best loaves I've ever made. It was big and crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside and had this nutty/buttery flavor. I was even able to slice it thin and make Ryan a ham sandwich out of it today. I beamed as he chomped down every last crumb!!! woo HOOOOO!!!

HOWEVER, I tried the oven as an incubator for yogurt last night. It matured at 1 in the morning, so you should have seen me grogging around in my kitchen from having been awakened by my alarm to put the yogurt in the fridge. It looked so good and firm! I was SOOOOO happy. But this morning when I had Sam open one and try it.... SLIME!!!

I'm pissed off!!! Here are my theories as to why it didn't work:

1) Can't use skim.
2) Added too much powdered milk.
3) The milk wasn't warm enough when I added the starter (maybe I should leave my starter out to become room temp and all awake and stuff?).
4) The oven at 45C was TOO warm?
5) Bad starter. That's three batches that have gone slimy from that one kind of starter. But I chose it because it was fat-free and organic. I want a fully fat-free and organic product, but all I seem to be able to make is organic slime!!!

I'm going to buy some other kinds and try again. I'm going to get it right. In the end, I hope it's going to pay off for all the expense it's costing me to experiment, you know? My only consolation is that there won't be millions of little plastic yogurt containers in a landfill because of MY contribution. However, until I get this yogurt thing right, Sam is bitchy cuz he's jonesin' for yogurt.


BTW... and TMI... Update on the boulders:
Things are settling down. They hurt during the day but the holder seems to keep most of the rocks in and the boulders out of the way of most elbows. At night it's a little more difficult because as soon as the holder comes off, the boulders leak. Still, the pain seems to be weakening. I'm eating saurkraut and I bought some cabbage... However, while I appreciate all the emails about putting a cabbage leaf in my boulder holder, I'm not going around smuggling vegetables in my bosoms, thank you. Plus, cabbage is smelly and I don't think anyone will appreciate my new "perfume." *grin*

I think I'm going to ask Sam if he wants to TRY to go back to the 3 Brasseurs just one more time. Tonight is kids' night and I thought maybe it would be fun for Ryan to have a first day of school celebration. There are probably going to be HUNDREDS of kids there, though. We'll see.