I've Been Busy

My groceries were delivered this past Thursday.  I am concentrating on food storage, so there were bags of sugar and flour and rice.  There were some odds and ends of canned tomatoes and fruit to fill in some gaps on the shelves.

I ordered 4 lbs. of carrots thinking I would cube them and dehydrate.  I keep much of my dehydrated food in freezer Ziploc bags stored in cardboard banker's boxes.  When I checked the box of dry carrots, I found it was full to the brim, so I cut the carrots into chunks and canned 7 pints.

Next were 4 bunches of celery.  I have never been able to successfully rehydrate celery.  It doesn't seem to matter if I blanch it or not, I always wind up with rock hard bits.  So now I just slice it and dehydrate.  When dry, I run it through my small coffee grinder, turning those hard pieces into powder.  I get the taste of celery without the unwanted rock hard crunch.

Next was 4 lbs. of pinto beans.  I soaked them overnight, filled each pint jar about 2/3 full, added a teaspoon of onion flakes made from my home dried onions and a beef bouillon cube for flavor.  This was topped off with a scant 1/3 cup of shredded ham.  I added broth from cooking the ham and processed the jars for 75 minutes.  I had one jar that didn't seal, so I used that for a taste test.  I like it.

The first canner load held 16 pints of ham and beans.  I had three pints leftover, so I sorted and washed 2 lbs. of Great Northern beans, put 1/2 cup of the dry beans in each pint jar along with the rest of the shredded ham and seasonings.  I used water for the liquid and processed them as for the first load.

All totalled, I got 19 pints of pinto beans and ham and 14 pints of Great Northern beans and ham.  Not exactly gourmet fare, but it will certainly fill empty stomachs!

I still have 10 lbs. of potatoes to dehydrate, but that will keep for another day.

Many of us grow gardens that provide us with vegetables and fruit to preserve.  I love the pictures folks post and the articles they write about their gardening efforts.  Takes me back to a time when I could do the same.  But there are also many of us who are not in a place where we can garden.  That doesn't mean we can not build up a deep pantry.

Some who were raised in the country like I was, tend to scoff at those who do not garden, home can and preserve.  I'm pretty sure we would all prefer home grown, organic.  But I'm here to tell you that in the end, it doesn't matter.  If the only means available to store food is to buy extra cans of food at the grocery - do it.  If your only source for meat is the grocery - buy it and freeze it.

Take a good, hard look around.  See those meat processing plants shut down due to the virus?  See those truckers who refuse to go into those areas where they do not have police protection?  See those thugs who are burning and looting?  What makes you think you will not be affected?

I don't care what the reason is for preparing.  But prepare we must.  For if this assault on our country continues to escalate, what you have on your shelves may be all there is.

Pray and prepare. 

This Girl...

turned 16 years old yesterday.  I am a day late with this post, but I think she will probably forgive the error.

Miss Maddie Mae is a busy girl.  She excels in school.  She danced in competitions for several years before deciding to get into gymnastics.  She plays a mean game of tennis.

But those are not the reasons I love her so much.  She is kind and caring.  She already is planning a career of helping others.  She has a delicious sense of humor.  And she is determined to do her very best in whatever challenges come her way.  But most importantly, she never fails to hug her Grandma when given the opportunity.

Happy Sweet 16, Maddie Mae.  This one is just for you.

Love, Grandma

We Are Back...

sort of.  Bars and restaurants in my area are finally being allowed to open for indoor service.  Of course, there are still restrictions.  The restrictions have nothing to do with the virus and everything to do with control.  Nobody seemed too worried about 'social distancing' during the protests and riots.  But a restaurant owner had better make sure there are six feet between tables.

I knew the bar next door was open on Wednesday evening when I heard loud voices and the sounds of a scuffle outside my windows.  Looking out, I saw two young men rolling about in the middle of the street, doing their drunken best to smack each other upside their heads. 

A few feet off to one side stood a little bit of a young lady, hands on hips, watching the proceedings.  After a couple of minutes, she said in a voice louder and more commanding than I expected to hear from someone who likely didn't weigh much over 100 lbs., "If you two don't stop being stupid, I am going to quarantine you both."

The young men stopped trying to bash each other, got up, dusted themselves off and meekly followed the young lady back into the bar.

Sometimes it is necessary to for me to concentrate on whatever humor can be found.  I keep track of what is going on around me, but if I concentrate only on the total insanity that is sweeping our nation, I will find myself in a pit of depression and I just do not have time for that. 

So as I relax in my recliner with my Kindle, I hear voices from the street below.  Two or three young men discussing the attributes of their motorcycles.  A couple of sweet young things discussing the attributes of the boys with the motorcycles.  And the voice of a young man, using his very best pick-up lines on a young lady who obviously is going nowhere with him.

Yep...things seem to be getting back to some sort of normal.

Graduation Under Lockdown

Several years ago, this little darlin' graduated from Kindergarten.  Her parents, my son and his lovely bride, were so proud.

This week, that same girl graduated from High School.  And her parents are still proud of her.  So is her Grandma.

Circumstances surrounding the two graduation ceremonies are vastly different.  At the time of Boston's Kindergarten graduation, life was good.  The only restrictions were those placed on children by their parents.  "Look both ways when crossing the street."  "Play nice with your sister."  "Eat your broccoli."

Things have changed.  A virus swept in.  People were confined to their homes.  Boston spent the last few weeks of her school year taking her classes online.  There was no Senior Prom.  Her graduation party had to be postponed until later this summer.  The traditional graduation ceremony was cancelled.

Boston's school, however, did a great thing.  They found a way to have a memorable graduation for the kids in spite of the virus and all the restrictions still in place.

My son drove his family to the school.  Lining the driveway were signs about the size of the political signs we see in yards - 380 of them - one for each graduate, with their photo and the word "Congratulations."  On a tall fence hung a huge banner honoring the school sports teams who could not compete this season.  Further on a stage had been erected.
 
When it was her turn, Boston got out of the car and walked across the stage to the strains of "Pomp and Circumstance" to receive her diploma.  Further down the stage, pictures were taken to commemorate the event.  Her family remained in the car but were able to watch their daughter receive her diploma.

The teachers who were taking part in the ceremony remained on the stage from 9 AM until the last diploma was given at 8 PM.  Those school officials have my utmost respect for doing everything they could under the circumstances, to give the Class of 2020 a graduation ceremony to remember.

But most of all I am so proud of this girl.

She kept up her grades while holding down one and sometimes two part time jobs.  And come fall, she is off to the University.  We feared that the U of M would hold classes online only, but I just heard today that the decision has been made to open the doors for regular classes for the fall semester.

Boston, this one is for you.  You make me proud.  Congratulations!
Love, Grandma  

Just For The Record

Minnesota has taken a hit in the media for over a week.  Here are a few facts about my home state.

First and foremost, any Minnesotan with an ounce of human kindness in their soul finds the death of Mr. Floyd horrifying and completely unacceptable.  We agree that those responsible need to be held accountable.

Yes, we have a governor who would rather sit on his hands and watch our cities burn than to take action to stop the rioting, looting, arson and general mayhem.  It was obvious that on the first night, those who were peacefully protesting were hijacked by thugs and criminals.  And yet it took days of dithering by our governor before any decisive action was taken.  And while he was deciding if calling up the National Guard was in his best interest poitically, those he should be protecting were forced to watch the businesses they worked hard to create and maintain, burn to the ground.  If he had even a shred of common decency, he would be too ashamed to show his face in public.

As far as the Mayor of Minneapolis goes, I would be amazed if he could find his own backside with both hands and a flashlight.  Why a mayor would give a 'stand down' order to his police force while his city is on fire and stores are being looted, is beyond comprehension.  I believe the position of dog catcher is probably more suited to his capabilities, but even that is doubtful.

There are bad people in every walk of life.  One bad cop does not a bad police force make.  Yes, there needs to be accountability for those who make their own rules and hurt those they are sworn to protect.  But most are honorable and do the right thing in any situation.

The cities are filled with those of the liberal persuasion.  Many seek to tear down the lifestyle we know and love, only to replace it with nothing short of Communism.  But once you leave the shadow of the cities, you will find those who are God loving, hard working and independent thinking.  We don't believe the hogwash from main stream media.  We do believe in the Rule of Law.  We believe in the Constitution. 

Even in the cities you will find those who are out sweeping glass from the sidewalks, scrubbing the vile graffiti from storefronts, checking on their neighbors, donating food to those who no longer have a grocery store nearby because some thug set it ablaze. 

These are the true Minnesotans.  The ones who help clean up after the animals have destroyed everything in their paths.  The ones who make sure their elderly neighbor has food.  The ones who take their kids to Sunday School and Church.  The ones who teach their kids to be hard working, responsible, good human beings. 

That's who the real Minnesotans are. 

Go With the Flow

Someone - I don't know who - once said, "We make plans.  God just laughs at us."  This is very true.

I had planned on discontinuing canning for a while to concentrate on other areas of preparation.  But my youngest son asked me to email him my wish list for Sam's Club.  He said he will pick up part of it for me soon and the rest when he and his brother go shopping in June.  Makes sense.  Less for him to have to haul up the stairs to my apartment at one time.

Much of my list is stuff for the freezer.  My chest freezer was nearly full, so something had to change in order to find room for the Sam's haul.

My kitchen table is now covered with 4 venison roasts, 2 pork roasts, 5 boneless pork chops, 18 lbs. of hamburger, 2 large turkey breasts and 2 grocery bags full of quart freezer bags of slaw/relish.  I had to stop there because my table is the only space available to let some of this start to thaw.  I'm kind of scared to find out what is lurking at the bottom of the freezer.

I believe my weekend is now taken up with the canning I wasn't going to do.  But there are times when we just have to go with the flow.  I need the freezer space.  Haven't a clue where I will store the jars of canned meat and slaw, but I am not about to let any of it go to waste.

In these uncertain times, it doesn't matter that there were other things I wanted to do this weekend.  What matters is that I need to do whatever is necessary to feed my family.  And if you think things will be just fine, you really need to take a look at the two videos posted over at "Thoughts from Frank and Fern."  If they don't wake us up to what is in store for us, I doubt anything will.

Pray and prep, my friends.  We need a whole lot of both.

Ode to a Ramble

There has been very little going on here in my little slice of heaven.  It is quiet - way too quiet - in my neighborhood.  The sound of another voice has me scurrying to a window to get a glimpse of another human being.  I am told there are a couple of small shops in town that are finally open.  The bicycle shop beneath my apartment is open a few days per week now.  Our governor is dragging his feet on opening Minnesota up for business.  There is an effort afoot to have him recalled.  Minnesotans want to work.

Those of us who prepare usually have a plan.  We know what we would like to have on hand for a given period of time and we work toward that goal.  Sometimes we find the need to be flexible.

I have 12 lbs. of hamburger in the freezer.  I have another 12 lbs. in the fridge.  The plan was to brown all of it and can it.  Until I noticed that I could maybe get half a dozen jars on my shelves.  They are that full.  So - change of plans.  Tomorrow I will be making meatloaves, meatballs and taco meat.  Once cooked and cooled down, they will be vacuum sealed and stashed in the freezer.  The only thing I will be canning for a while is some venison that has been frozen.  Duane and I have had a couple of meals of venison, but we both like it canned, so canned it shall be.  There isn't a lot of it so I think I can find room for a few jars on the shelf.  Maybe.

My youngest son orders beef every year from a farmer he knows.  The price is reasonable, even with the processing at a local butchers.  So I have ordered a quarter beef for this fall.  I like the idea of supporting local buinesses.  The plan is to fill in with pork and chicken as it goes on sale at the grocery where my delivery service shops.

My boys are planning an excursion to Sam's Cub in the not too distant future.  They won't let me go.  When I was exposed to the virus, Duane was checking up on me often and David was calling every day wanting to know what my temperature was.  No way will they take me to a big box store full of people.  Just as well, I suppose.  But it grates on me to have to admit that I am in the 'elderly and vulnerable' catagory.  Sigh.

However, I am going through Sam's website and making a list.  The plan is to break down the large containers of frozen food and vacuum seal individual portions. And I trust them both to make good choices as to what I would like to have.  Bless all four of my kids.  They always come through when I need something done.

That's about all I know today.  I truly hope you all are able to be out and about enjoying some sort of normalcy.  We so badly need to just get on with our lives.