Memorial Day weekend

I had a great Memorial Day weekend! Of course, my holiday was on Thursday rather than this Monday, but it was a 3-day weekend and I enjoyed myself.

Thursday, I mostly did chores and got a lot of cleaning and cooking done.

Friday, I helped my SIL harvest chickens

And Saturday, I went fishing with my bf in the morning and had breakfast, enjoyed some "play" time and then I went home and relaxed and slept the rest of the day.

Here I am, Sunday, I will be working alone, taking care of the restrooms and pools today. I'm gonna have to try to just make sure the bathrooms are acceptable, and move on so I have time to check the pool chemicals and clean the deck, and do trash because there may be visitors in the pool tomorrow. I'd have to look at the schedule.

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I looked at the schedule. Yes, there are visitors coming tomorrow morning. Just one group, and they'll be done by 7am, so that's great. I should have my coworker coming back to work off his holiday so I won't get too worried about it.

I'm just hoping these bathrooms aren't too tore up today. It is possible because yesterday was Saturday, but people are on vacation too, so I guess we'll just have to see.

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The bathrooms haven't been so bad, so I'm getting them done quickly.

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It's about 10:30am, and I'm done with the restrooms, just have to go through the park and get the trash, throw it away, and then check the pool, then I'm done.

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I ordered some canning jars for my water bath canner. I'm hoping to make some tomato sauce for future, and pickled eggs, and other foods I can can in a water bath canner. I've got to get familiar with it again. I had a water bath canner years ago, but I was unable to get too far into the hobby given circumstances with my ex. Yes, I blame him because if I would've canned foods, he would've never been accepting to use the product, just like he was not accepting when I made homemade broth. So I gave my canners away to my SIL and never picked it back up until now. I am starting with a water bath canner and then will eventually move to a pressure canner.

When I get home, I will take a look at my water bath canner, and do some research and learn about it. The only thing I had ever canned was homemade jam, all those years ago. Nowadays, I wouldn't use white sugar. It was delicious, but not healthy. I'd look for a different sugar to sweeten the fruit, or just use the natural sugars in the fruit itself.

----- May 25th Update

I unboxed my water bath canner yesterday and I'm excited! I've got my jars on the way. I can only can high-acidic foods like pickles and jams and such. I guess if I add lemon juice to homemade tomato sauce, it'll be acidic enough to water bath can. I'd like to make more homemade tomato sauce, and get rid of my canned stuff. Maybe make homemade jams.

I just looked up canning with honey rather than white sugar. It is possible and actually safer to water bath can with, given it is more acidic than regular white sugar. I will use honey to make any jams.

I know where there are fruit stands. I need to check them out before the end of the season. I'd love to start with strawberry jam because it's so easy to make, and I could make little jars of them for family and friends. I'd use honey of course..

For years, I've been interested in the self-sufficient prepper lifestyle. If I ever could, I'd love to go off-grid, but it actually takes money to get all that started and it seems very unrealistic for me, given my heart condition. I would need a hospital around. The best I could maybe do is buy a small home with some property(in a rural area) and raise chickens, rabbits and start a garden. I'd still have to be close to town, or my job in order to pay for it all.

Anyway, today, I think I'm going to stop by the road-sidehoney box and see if they have that blackberry blossom honey in stock yet. If not, I'll get a jar of honey for my dad either way and he can come pick it up when he gets his dog(after I bring him to my apartment to visit Wiley for a day).

I am still eating as biblically as possible and have a grocery list ready for Friday. I'd like to work more on buying more organic, or just farm fresh foods. I might not be able to get to the farmer's market this weekend(because I have to dogsit), but hopefully the next Saturday after I can. In the meantime, I'll be mindful of the foods I buy. Winco is usually pretty good, but I might have to opt for another store if I want more organic, or fresh. Like I said, I might have to take a look at those fruit stands on the side of the road before they close for the season. I might have to ask how long they are usually open. Like, are they only open during the Spring and maybe Summer, or do they offer foods during Autumn too? If the road-side fruits and vegetables are a decent price, I may just buy from them. I am trying to avoid the grocery stores as much as I can; at least for things I could buy from a family-operated farm.

Alright, well, I've wasted plenty of time sitting and writing this when I need to get back to work.

Hope everyone has a great day!

❤️ Kidelfox