Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: Jan 4-10

[SouthernBreeze]

And, no, I'm not turning into a Karen, but there's bird poo outside and misc staining inside. It's time for a full window clean, especially since I didn't get the house washed (just washed, not pressure washed) last summer.

Come Spring, our house is due for a good pressure washing, too. Outside window cleaning as well. I try to keep the inside of the windows cleaned each time I take down curtains to wash. That saves me having to do all of them at once.

Today is laundry day. Trying to get everything done in case we lose power later on or tomorrow. I need to refill all of my oil lamps, lay out flashlights, and emergency candles, put new batteries in the NOAA weather radio, etc.

I'm taking a break right now and drinking my last cup of coffee for the day.

 

[hd5574]

Lots of things I buy at the grocery store come in glass jars but don't use a canning jar type lid....as many here I prefer gas jars...
I found that Avid Amour..they make vaccuum sealers and bags...now have a set of canisters that will seal jars...the ones with the rubber type seal..saw a video about this....not that expensive so I ordered a set..if this really works will be able to reseal...those type glass jars..pickle jars and such...the canisters are universal fit for all of the major brands of sealers and work with those that have an accessory hose...ball type jars...are getting expensive...like everything else so it will be nice to be able to reuse jars from the store..and not add more ball jars..

 

[summerthyme]

I did the opposite when we moved...I tossed or gave away every "non standard" jar! The only exceptions were the many 1 gallon glass jars I use for dry storage and for milk when our cow is lactating.

I got tired of trying to find a matching lid when I needed to use a jar! This way, every jar uses either a standard or wide mouth canning jar lid. I bought several boxes of plastic lids in both sizes (rather than reusing a canning flat and ring) from Temu (about 1/5th the price each compared to Walmart)

It works very well for leftovers and for storing purchased foods that come in a box or bag...

Summerthyme

 

[SouthernBreeze]

I don't save jars from the grocery store, either. I use only mason jars with fitting seals and rings. I barely have room for all of those when empty.

Mom always saved her jelly and pickle jars from the grocery store to reuse with her homemade jellies. The rubber in the lids always resealed when heated.

 

[Meemur]

I save the full size Bonne Maman jam jars and refill those with wrapped candies or other little treats for holiday or hostess gifts. Otherwise, I recycle store jars, except one or two, kept under the sink for capturing bugs that have gotten in.

I have more plastic pints and square and salad sized Tupperware (or similar). Freezer jam goes into the pints and the Tupperware goes on the road for lunches or dinners. I eat a lot of dinner leftovers for lunch.

 

[hd5574]

I have some really nice small jars with seals ...the heavy ones from Stonewall Kitchen...with the pretty green lids...l just wash them in the dishwasher and store them when dry with the lids on them..I have tons of canning jars but some of small spice jars will work well for herbs and such and, sealing keeps things fresher ..
I have tons of the glass gallon jars..had friend who was a cook at the old soldiers home up by Arlington...lots of things came in gallon glass jars and he saved me a bunch..got new lids for them at one of the mennonite stores in Intercourse, PA...some of their stores carry lots of different size new lids.
For me sometimes..canning jars are not always the best shape or size for every thing I store..for example I have some smaller jars with a long neck for pouring..
Transfer honey to them...out of plastic...but being able to reseal will we nice
My Amish friend sells his honey in gallon jars...it's a real pain to deal with

 

[anna43]

Steady rain and 33º, low forecast to be 25º and snow so nervous about ice in-between. I decided not to put out my trash for early Friday pick up again this week. It's a big container with wheels so it can wait for next week or even the week after. Can't do that in the summer or it would stink but at winter temps it's not a problem.

I have a milk crate that I save grocery store jars in and when its full things get recycled. Actually, I've decided to go ahead and recycle them because I have dozens and dozens of empty canning jars to use so no longer need them. I have the white plastic lids for canning jars, but I save the used flats to put under the lids for a tight seal. The brown lids give a tight seal, but the white ones do not. My kitchen is on the north with poor lighting, so dark brown doesn't work for me. My favorite storage for fridge is Rubbermaid glass dishes with sturdy plastic lids. I had five from an auction box or garage sale and recently bought 3-quart size and four 2-cup size and they are constantly in use. The first five has lids missing from two.

My winter coat needs a button sewn back on plus two more need tightened. I was going to do that today, but after everything else I've done my hand is hurting too much to hold a needle. I've got another coat so no worries, I'll get this one done soon.

One more day successfully doing my Bible reading and physical exercise. Praying my self-discipline holds.

 

[WanderLore]

Pouring rain. Got up to 54! Warmer tomorrow too.
Regular stuff. Laundry, bags of salt to basement.
Trash up from basement and burnt. Wired panel to chicken coop where my big dog has to stay sometimes. He ripped the screen off. After chasing him around property and out to road, he had to go in for a bit.
Fixed horse gate and fence again. Retarped the boat. Tended stove. We didn't need it but it's easier to keep it going. Also sprayed that great stuff on hole outside kitchen window to basement. Covered packed straw and many boards. Have to do for now.
Made 2 dozen yeast rolls. Son helped but I ended sending him back to bed. He isn't 100% and has to work a 36 tomorrow.
I don't know what else. Bunch of this and that.
I'm going to bed. Night yall

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Mom saved every jelly and pickle jar she bought and kept every plastic bowl that margarine and cool whip came in. She was almost like a pack rat when it came to that kind of stuff. I don't have room for all of that. She has gotten rid of most of that now. I bought a 6 pc set of Rubbermaid stackable storage bowls with lids that seal. I also bought glass storage canisters to use as well. They also have sealing lids. I can store those in my kitchen cabinets when not in use. I have a mini barn with several hundred canning jars to use if I need storage jars. I save all the mayonnaise jar lids to use on those just for storage items. They screw on and fit tightly. I don't have room for more jars, but I refuse to get rid of any of my canning jars. I've never had a need for anything else.

 

[feralferret]

Had a high of 68 degrees today with almost a half inch of rain. Forecast high for next two days is around 48.

Saw my primary care doctor today. She had been out for the last month and a half due to heart issues. She had to have a pacemaker put in. Glad she is recovering and back to work. I have my electrocardiologist appointment next Tuesday. He will likely schedule the ablation procedure for my ventricular tachycardia (VTac).

Otherwise same old same old.

 

[philkar]

Funny that some of you were talking about jars. Purged non canning jars in summer kitchen today. Yes the purge continues. Didn’t have a lot but enough to take up too much space. It is so freeing to thin everything out! Expect rain tomorrow so will be on porch or inside. Back to the ballgame. Hope everyone has a great night. School Marm it is good to hear from you!

 

[Wildwood]

I have a love/hate relationship with extra non-canning jars. I tend to save them and then get overwhelmed and throw them out. I do buy honey at WM when I can't get to Sam's and it's in a really nice glass jar, tall and straight and the label comes off very easily. I keep a few of those on hand and a few small jars that cherries, etc. come in. Sometimes I spray paint the lid black or red and put small vintage items in them to sell in my booth...buttons and marbles come to mind.

Other than that, I've cut back on my canning a little and have a ton of extra canning jars building up. DDIL and I will run through those come gardening season but we always have enough for other types of storage too.

I've started a strict new rule to quit wasting food so I am no longer storing more than we can cycle through before it gets too old to consume. I got tired of eating old out of date food all the time just to keep it rotated. My pantry is so much easier to keep rotated.

 

[connie]

I have to purge jars occasionally also.
I used to use a lot of gallon jars for pantry storage but age and arthritis made that difficult so donated most of those.
I am trying to not have too much storage food (and cleaners) too. Seems we eat less and mostly fresh.
Simple and less is my mantra these days.

 

[WanderLore]

Feral, I advise to get that ablation as soon as you can. The results are usually very good!

 

[WanderLore]

I splurged the other day and got some pastrami. We've had some wonderful sandwiches with it.
This weather is weird but so welcome. But snow comes Sunday but not much.
I had the fan on last night lol, but it is much easier to keep the stove going with a little coal, instead of having to relight it.
Dog goes in next Friday for 2nd arthritis shot.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Well, we had some thunder boomers move through in the wee hours this morning. Nothing severe, but we've been getting flooding downpours ever since. According to our local weather, the really bad stuff is going through south of us. There have already been tornadoes spotted earlier this morning, there. Another round is supposed to come through this afternoon, but I think the severe stuff will remain south of us, too. We're only in a 1 out of 5 risk. We need the rain.

Cooking and doing a bit of cleaning, today. Tomorrow is a big cleaning day, since we do have home fellowship this Sunday.

 

[Meemur]

At the moment, it's a lovely, sunny day in the upper 30s, warmer right in the sun, which is important because another set of windshield wipers has bitten the dust, and I've got to wrestle on a new pair. I've moved my car into the sun so it warms up. I'm really annoyed because I put a new pair on in October, although even I admit they looked crappy out of the box: very thin rubber!

This new set is from Goodyear. They are thicker, at least.

Added: Success! It took awhile to get the old ones off, but the new ones slide right on and fit better. Maybe these will last longer.

(And, yes, I know some tricks for extending their life, but if the rubber is crappy in the first place, there's not much that can be done.)

 

[anna43]

So glad the forecast for today is wrong. Sunny, sunny and no rain/snow although it was icy this morning due to rain last night. It's now 34º/feels like 39º and ice is gone. It looks like maybe they've taken the rain/snow out of the forecast for the weekend ... fingers crossed.

I have my Bible reading done and half my therapy. Last load of laundry is in the washer and first load folded and put away. Sheets are washed, dried and ready to be put back on the bed.

I keep putting off vacuuming because of my back. I need to contact the lady I've hired to vacuum in the past and see if she is available Saturday. It feels so wrong not to keep up with vacuuming after having the carpets professionally cleaned in November.

When I need wiper blades, I go to one of the auto stores who put them on for you. My hands just cannot manage the process. One of many things I know how to do that I can no longer do. Since my vehicle spends most of its time in the garage my wiper blades last much longer. I think sitting out in the sun speeds their failure. I actually drove less than 1000 miles last year. Being blessed with no doctor visits and shopping only once a month to six weeks saved a lot of trips.

 

[Meemur]

Good job keeping up with your goals, Anna!

Yes, I could've gone to one of the auto stores, but their wipers are more expensive. I still have hand strength for now, but later, I'll probably have to do that.

 

[nomifyle]

my new frother came today, nice to have to stir up the coconut cream powder that I've started putting in my coffee again and I've also started putting Iodine in my coffee again, now that I'm drinking a couple cups again.

Cloudy and potential storms later tonight. I already kinda sleep in my clothes already, since I sleep in my lift chair, loose yoga pants are comfortable and keep my legs warm when I kick off my covers.

 

[nomifyle]

The bad weather has pretty much past us over night. Colder today.

 

[ginnie6]

It's supposed to rain here today. Don't think it is yet though. The roosters are crowing away this morning though. Dgd is coming over in a bit as Mom and Dad have an open house today. Since both of them will be there dgs can go with them. I would've liked to sleep a little later but my hip is hurting so time to get up. It ONLY hurts when I sleep. Once I'm up its fine. If I loose a few pounds it doesn't but right now I'm having a hard time doing that....something about liking food too much.
Dh is home for the weekend.
We'll be upgrading my vehicle in the next week or two. He has a company truck they replace every 5 years and its time for that to happen. He got the call this week. He gets the option to buy his current truck. Its a good price and he's the only one who has ever driven it so he knows it and the service its gotten. His plan was to get me something a little newer this summer anyway. So it looks like I go back to driving a truck. It will be more room for the car seats for the grands and he will be more comfortable on trips as my vehicle is what we take them in. I don't mind a truck either as that way I can haul whatever I want lol.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

The storms have all passed us, and it's turning cold later on this afternoon. It will feel like winter for a few days.

House cleaning, today. I tried a new recipe last night, and it turned out awful. First time in a while that has happened, but oh well......The mix of ingredients sounded like something we would like, but it was too spicy hot.

 

[etdeb]

The storms have all passed us, and it's turning cold later on this afternoon. It will feel like winter for a few days.

House cleaning, today. I tried a new recipe last night, and it turned out awful. First time in a while that has happened, but oh well......The mix of ingredients sounded like something we would like, but it was too spicy hot.

That happened to me a recipe also.
It was Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas. All the videos show the tortillas " holding up" in the mixture, but mine turned to mush.
Taste really good just a mush.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

That happened to me a recipe also.
It was Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas. All the videos show the tortillas " holding up" in the mixture, but mine turned to mush.
Taste really good just a mush.

Mine was also a crockpot meal. A Polish kielbasa and potato recipe, using Cajun spices. It was too spicy hot to eat. Cary ate it, but told me that he didn't like it. I tasted it, and I didn't like it, either. I had a salad, but I did sample taste it. Yep. Too hot.

 

[Meemur]

It might not have been your fault, SB. A lot of recipes aren't proofread carefully (or even tested!) so the results can be questionable. Case in point: one internet recipe for Chinese ginger and garlic soup called for 34 minced garlic cloves. I suspect it should have been 3 - 4 minced garlic cloves.

The weather here is 30 degrees, overcast with snow flurries. There's already a dusting of snow on the ground but not enough to shovel.

I worked on sorting photos for awhile and shredded another quarter of them. I still have too many but I can only work through them a little at a time -- so many memories! But at least there are far fewer of them than when I first moved in and had almost 5 copy boxes. I'm down to 2, which is slowly becoming more manageable. And, yes, I'm scanning some of them, but I really need to move more on. The new goal is several scrapbooks, arranged by topic, like trips I took.

I also did more book sorting and will recycle another 24 or so (entire shelf). There's roughly 350 books or so, not counting the copy box full of fiction for when I'm sick. I'd like to get that back to a little over 150 or so and the copy box (which I never count in the totals). I had over 2,000 before I moved to Iowa, so again, I'm not beating myself up, but my space is somewhat limited. Anything I'm keeping needs to pull its weight: it's a valuable reference book or a classic that I re-read periodically. That's also a hard task because it seems like as soon as I get rid of a book, I'll need it. (LOL!)

Of all of the books I've moved out, I've only had to re-purchase 3 of them, so that's not bad, and I needed new copies of 2 of the reference books that got recycled: they were quite worn.

That's my day so far. I'd rather be working outside, but these tasks are necessary, too.

 

[patriotgal]

Made a run to West Plains to go to Aldi's. Stopped in at Jimmy's for their lunch combo. I had walleye x 2 and shrimp. DH had walleye x 3. Comes with baked potato, coleslaw, and pinto beans. $10 a combo and there's food left over for supper.

Plenty of good produce at Aldis. Doing modified keto. Read a lot of labels. Had to pop in wally world for b12 until Amazon order can arrive. Splurged on a razzleberry pie. The only non keto item we came home with.

We both put on a few lbs during 3 weeks in kc. With good old home cooking we are starting to lose it. Upping DH'S turmeric. His hands have been bothering him.

Riding with DD to Little Rock Monday then taking DH in for annual wellness Wed so gonna be a busy week.