Monday 27 April 2009

Jam - Door Jam - Toe Jam & other Lovely Jam

I finally got my new jars today. Usually I make my preserves on Sunday, but this week I was prepared anticipating my new jars.

In my fridge I had:

  • Dark Plums
  • Figs
  • Strawberries
  • Sweet Plums
  • Cucumbers
  • Apples
All in anticipation of today. The parcel arrived at 8:40am. I tried very hard to put off opening the package, as I knew the moment I did that there would be no turning back. So I went downstairs and put on a wash, then I cliped my nails (as no one likes to find nail in their preserves). Then I opened the package. Joy's of joys, 12 beautiful quilted 'Jelly Jars' and 12 Wide mouthed 'Canning Jars'.

Of course I couldn't help myself out came the figs first, I peeled them deheaded them and added a little water and sugar an supervised till it melted down into a gell. put it in a jar and processed it.

I had barely put the fig jam into the water bath when I was hulling the strawberries. The quantity of useful strawberries I had was disappointing, but I managed to squeeze 2 jars of strawberry jam out of them.

Then I started on the plums. This was the first jam that required added pectin. I had about 1.5 kilo's of dark plums (minus the few that where eaten). I think I may have been a little impatient in the making of this jam, I think it is only lightly set, but it still tastes awesome. I made enough for 5 jars, plus with a little left over that I put in a dish in the fridge for instant consumption. Yummy Plum Jam. Toast with jam for the next few meals!

I was so chuffed by how easy it was that I thought I would tell you all about it, before I even go an rescue the clothes from the washing machine (3 hours later). An even before I have lunch, though I may have filled any cravings for food buy taste testing the jams.

I do have pictures to add, but I need to download them first. Will upload soon.

Saturday 25 April 2009

Banana round 2

Made more dried banana the other day. Still had loads of banana bread in the freezer, and was given at least 10 banana's from family whilst I was sick. These banana's were not as ripe as the others had been, so I cut them all up a and washed them in lemon juice an laid them out on the racks, filled 3 and a bit racks. One and a bit racks I covered in cinnamon and turned the dryer on to a medium heat.

I wasn't in a hurry this time, so I dried them for 16 hours. This time they didn't turn dark brown, and that made me super happy. I filled a whole jar full of the banana's when it was done.

We're keeping them on the table to hopefully dissuade us from eating potato chips and encourage us to eat healthy banana chips... SH* is hooked... I am taking a little more convincing. One day i should cook an mash up potato an make potat chips.... we'll see I don't think it will quite be the same

Wednesday 22 April 2009

Common Household Dieseases

There is a terribly dreadful disease in my home. One so terribly that people fear to utter it's name incase they become afflicted. My house has been so badly afflicted that I would scream it from the roof tops.

"Piles of Dirty Dishes!"

I must give SH* credit, whilst I have been ill, he has looked after me very well. And my sister-in-law visited whilst I was ill and vaccinated all the dirty dishes. But somehow that just wasn't enough.
I don't know how it happens, I am sure washed them only yesterday. Yesterday was Tuesday... Tuesday must of been a week ago.
Oh Well time to vaccinate again.

Big birds have little birds; Big fish have little fish; Why can't big sinks have little sinks, instead of Dirty Dishes?

Tuesday 21 April 2009

Wedding Day

Well I have finally got my act together, and posting some pictures of my wedding (it was only about 3 months 11 days ago...). Therefore, in order of appearance, I give you The Bridal Party.





The gentlemen actually came up from the front and walked us down the ailse (with the exception of the younger 3). In the little kids photo, there are actually 4 of them.
Not sure where the youngest absconded too, but he is around. Likely he is playing with the cars I put down the front to serve as a distraction.
As you can see, it was actually a rather large bridal party (apparently).
Some of the guests, well the ones who frequent my blog anyway. An lastly Some photo's that were kind fun.


Well that is about it. A little taste of this special day. If your wondering about the chicken, she made her first appearance at my hens night, and just kept turning up from there on. I didn't even know she was there as the mascot for our car. I suppose she makes a different mascot to pretty dolls, in dresses. I've still got her around here somewhere, just not to sure what to do with her.

Diary of a Devoted Wife - Entry Two

Outside my window... I can see lots of sunshine, and hear lots of birds twittering, it is beautiful.

I am thinking... About all the nice little presents I bought myself yesterday. Real bottling jars and a book on cheese making. Can't wait for them to arrive, please hurry Aus Post!

I am thankful for... That no one was badly hurt in the motorbike accident last night. Sheered his front wheel completely off, an only appeared to have got a grazed leg.


I am wearing... My orangey/red and purple Moroccan dress.


I am Reading... Ball's Blue Book of Preserving.


I am Creating... Food glorious food! Don't care what it looks like!

One of my favourite things... My huge stock pot that I process my bottling in

For education this week...That when I think Centrelink is taking forever to get through the line of people, there are at least 20 people that arrived after I did.

A keeper at home skill I am using/learning Walking... pretty much got a handle on it though.
A spiritual lesson I’m learning
Patience.

A godly character trait I plan to work on Idleness (the opposite of)

For the rest of the weekMust catch up on house work :(

Monday 20 April 2009

Ba na na na na Na, Ba na na na Na...

On saturday night, I dehydrated some banana. Once I was back on my feet, it wasn't catching up on the 3-4 weeks house work that had me pottering around in the kitchen. It was finding a use for the aging banana's in the fridge. There wasn't enough banana for banana bread (Something SH* adores) an they were a little to ripe for it anyway. So I got out our dehydrator and sliced them semi finely, quickly soaked them in lemon juice and spread them out, finally I sprnkled them with cinamin and sugar (my cinamin comes with sugar mixed in).

I probably would have liked to dehydrate them for longer then I did (only did them for about 4 hours), but I was going to a wedding on Sunday, an knowing it was going to be an early start an not to sure when my SH* would get fed food, I packed them up and took them with us to tied him over (packed chips, crackers, baby apple pies and banna cake also (managed to forget to bring drink)).

It wasn't a long wait for food, but SH* did scoff down a few whilst he waited and took the rest for lunch today. He complained when he saw them dehydrating that there was cinamin on them, but didn't seem to mind so much when it actually came eating time.

It was a nice easy treat. I think I will try it again some time. Prehaps with not so ripe banana's and a little longer soak in lemon juice (as they got quite brown). Will take photo's next time.

Friday 17 April 2009

Better then Latest Update

Since my latest escapades are not the most appetising conversation, I will go through with the tagging I recieved, thanks Dell, Kris.

Not sure where to start...

I had my first ambulance ride ever 3 days ago. I actually had 2 rides. Sadly I was the patient. I am practically fully recovered an feel great.

I have absolutely no idea 'who I am' or 'What I want to be'. I wanna have my own style an my own flair, but currently just frumpy. Currently trying to design a wardrobe, interia house styling, and get a rent acceptable pet (Currently thinking seahorses)

I have two books that I consult regularily:

  • 'The Housewife's Handbook how to run the modern home' Rachel Simhon
  • 'The Penguin Book of Etiquette' Marion Von Adlerstein
Seem to have small obsession with getting it all 'completely right'. SH* hates them, I tell him he'll appreciate it someday.

I have a big mouth... I don't tell secret's, just tend to speak things I shouldn't, or continue to ramble constantly. From a loud family circle, so have tendancy to use my loud inside voice when saying these things. Constantly worried I am speaking but no one is actually listening.

My Husband is the most important person to me in the world. I am so glad I found him an that he wanted me too. We've had a bit of a bumpy start, but the kinks are working their way out an I am looking forward to 127 years of blissful marriage.

Domestic duties make me feel content. Unless it's cleaning. I can cook, sew, bottle, juice, scrapebook, decorate, paint for hours, but only seem to manage a half arsed job at cleaning; unless I have inspiration, then the disinfectant seems to maraculously get emptied.

I still manage to say "I am just a housewife at the moment..." dispite the fact I am incredably proud to be at home making sure my SH* has somewhere nice to come home too, with food ready for him, and a new toothbrush already purchased.

As the rules of the tag go, I now pick seven bloggers to share seven things themselves I don't actually know 7 bloggers, an 2 of them tagged me first so I will do my best.

Clare
Glen
Pete


Here's what you do:

Link to your original tagger and list these rules in your post.
Share seven facts about yourself in the post.
Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and links to their blogs.
Let them know they’ve been tagged.
Let your tagger know you've completed the meme.

Monday 13 April 2009

The End is in Sight

I finally managed my first meal in 9 days. After discovering totally buy accident that I was swallowing my own spit without my whole body bracing against the pain. I rushed too the kitchen and made a waffle (packet waffle) with icecream. I didn't have long till some of the pain meds would wear off.

It was the first time the pain meds had obviously been able to cover the muscle movement involved in swallowing. Like a happy delerious puppy I wolfed down the beautiful meal. As I came to the end I felt some of the pain coming back, but I pushed it aside so I could finish.

It's been some up an down time in the 9 days. Some excrutiating pain times, some expected an some rather bizare. There have been medications of all sorts cosying up to me under the coveres. There were displays sleeping skills not seen since my bout of glandular fever. The culmination of rain and bed rest brought out episodes of inspector Pirot and snuggling on the couch with my super special SH*.

Easter passed me by with the inability to eat easter eggs and hotcrossed buns. SH* did give me easter eggs for easter, but I have not yet had a hot crossed bunny, an now the last are going stale in the supermarket, and missed out. I will have to make up for it next year.

Tonsil's your rule over my life has almost completely diminished!! YAY!!!

Monday 6 April 2009

The invalid

Well I just got home from a 24 hour visit to hospital. I am snuggled up in bed, with a big bowl of pasta, peas an cheese, typing away on SH*'s computer, whilst he is down washing clothes.

My journy to hospita was to full fill a long held desire to have my tonsils removed. This was done at 9:45 am yesterday. It is the weirdest feeling to be at hospital waiting for surgery feeling totally fine. Was so greatful when they said I could wear my own underpants. An they gave me a nice big fluffy robe to wear over their nightie. An when i was finally in the pre op the gave me a toasty blanket too, wich they got out of the toasting cupboard. They wheeled me into surgery in a wheel chair an aske me to climb on to the table. it was a warm table, they had had a heater on it till I was ready to get up on it. I helped the anethatist find the only vein in my body suitable for a canular, then I went into a deep deep sleep.

I woke up in post op with nurse next to me... I was still realy sleepy, but the nurse never left the side of my bed an I felt I was supposed to wake up an be sociable. So I tried... She gave me two big white pills (which I could swallow without breaking up at last) Then moved me up to my ward. I did lots of sleeping after that, waking up to show SH* I was fine an sending him off to work, which he hadn't done whilst I was in surgery like the intial plan. I was kinda woken hourly by nurses comeing an cheaking my blood presure an oxygen levels, an changing my IV bag. The lady in the bed next to me would have been amusing had I not wantted to sleep so much... She had a 2 hour tirade where she told her daughters off for not being there an how she was going to die just to spite them. The daughters wheren't there, an the nurse assured her that she wasn't going to drown.

Once I really began to recover from drug induced sleepyness, all the fluid they were putting into me wantted to come out. 3 bags full of fluids an the water I was drinking orally, for tablets and because it was nice an cool were taking the fast route out. Luckily nurses where happy enough to let me get up an use the loo once they wached me walk over once to make sure I didn't get dizzy or naseous. I had cooked vegies an apple pie for dinner, could have had savoury, but one was full of tarrogon the other cajun, an I didnt think that was going to agree with the cuts in the sides of my throat. Doctor visted me not long before SH* came for his evening visit. When the doctor told me that the insides where filled with green bacteria that looked a lot like toothpaste I wasvery gladI had finally pested enough to get them out.

I mostly slept soundly through the night waking for more blood pressure and oxygen tests an another IV change. It was hard to get a long sleep, as they wanted me not laying flat so that if there was blood it would just go down the back of my throat, anthe lady next to me kept crying because people wouldn't give her water (they couldn't hear her). Also needed to pee alot still. But I wasn't tired when I semi officialy woke at 5.

I had porriage fruit an yoghurt for breakfast, didn't eat it all, was semi tiring to eat it all. I got visited by the doctor just after 7 and issued with enough prescriptions to empty a chemist. The nurse un hooked me from the drip about 8 so I could have a shower, still had the canular in my arm though. I got dressed into my clothes. Nurse gave me medications to take with me, could start my own pharmacy already and SH* picked me up about 9:30

Now I home, under the careful supervision of DR SH*. Oh well should give the lap top back, feeling a little sleepy anyway.

Thursday 2 April 2009

Well that lasted 2 weeks

Just in time for me to start getting used to running a house and working, the job fell through, 2 weeks short of planned. Was ok, I hated the job anyway.

This has given me the final push to attempt once again something I tried several years ago. Prehaps with a little more maturity behind me, a SH* who is willing to kick me in the butt when I am just sitting on it and maybe at last a goal. I will complete 4 years of uni an get myself a eal piece of paper that might allow me to get a real job that dosn't bore me to tears and send my frustrate and stress levels through the roof.

Therefore I have put in my application for a Bacholar of Information Technology. This course is just to get me through the door of uni in July. Come January, I plan to expand upon that and plan to come out of the uni with a Bachelor of Creative Industries (Communication Design)/Bachelor of Information Technology.

Of course I would go for a double... don't wanna make it easy retrying this study thing.

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