Thursday, September 18, 2008

Grasshopper Season...Or Is It Ant, Instead?

Kelly at Almost Frugal had an interesting post yesterday on 'aha' moments...read the comments too:

http://almostfrugal.com/2008/09/17/what-do-you-do/

My own 'What Do You Do' is more prosaic. What do you do when there are several different things to do...but you don't know which to start first? I don't mind saying that if I REALLY don't want to do any of them -- like cleaning the toilet, putting away stuff, vacuuming -- I'll force myself to do one job, but for only 15 minutes. Then I give myself permission to do something more enjoyable for 30 min.-- like ironing, watching Judge Judy (what a feisty thing!), putting the bead boxes back in order, stacking fat quarters, that sort of thing. Then back to the Yucky Job. Do this two or three times -- and the Yuck is done!

I spent some happy moments down in the storage room, putting the shelves back in order and making space for the folks' special gift: dozens of quart jars of home-canned tomatoes. There's nothing like popping open one of these on a snowy day, for chili or soup...it's almost as if the summertime air drifts out with the aroma of tomato. Seeing the jars neatly stacked, along with cans of veggies, soup, stew, I felt like a millionaire. Or maybe an ant -- let the local grasshoppers beware!

A bushel of peaches went into the freezer -- wash 'em and pack into plastic bags, store flat in the freezer. That's it! If you only let them defrost for a few minutes, then run under warm water, the peach skins will slip right off. Then the still-frozen fruit is perfect for slicing into smoothies, peach crisp or onto ice cream. (Warning: do NOT let them defrost completely...all you'll have is mush.)

We're set. Now if we can get the roof done, too...

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Don't forget to take advantage of our latest giveaway... One lucky person posting on the blog this week is going to get a Happy Birthday gift pack that includes charms, buttons and other embellishments, plus enough fabric to make the Easy Ways pieced top in my new book CRAZY QUILTS. All you have to do is enter a comment from Sept. 15 - Sept. 21. (More than one on more than one days, and you're entered more than once!) We'll randomly draw an entry on the 22nd...and send you your prize.

2 comments:

LouAnne said...

Cindy: I knew we had a lot in common, but didn't know how much. My dh adopted my 5 yr old daughter when we married. It was his idea and she was already calling him "Daddy". She turned 46 on Wednesday of this week and there's never been a difference in the way he treated her over the 2 daughters we had together after we married, even though she tried hard to try our patience many a time in her own unique way!

I envy you your larder. Peaches - oh num. Come this winter those are going to be SO nummy on your Cheerios! hugs,LouAnne

Kelly said...

Thanks for the mention. I try to 'reward' myself with pleasurable activities too... although that still doesn't help me sit down and do my budget!

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