Saturday Roundup

 

I had better make this post while I still have a bit of time. Supper prep will be taking place very soon and then there is always the clean up after. 

Having Kurt and Kris home is wonderful, but now I have to get used to cooking for 4 once again. Knowing me I will be cooking so much more than I need to as well. Lots of leftovers ahead I guess. 

Found out that Kurt's mortgage payments are $1.8K a month so hopefully he gets back to work very soon. 

Shopped at home today and made my own chili sauce and dry onion soup mix. Hopefully this tastes great on the brisket.

So what projects did I manage to complete this week. Well, mostly baking (some of which I did not get photos of). I made two pies, made my version of an apple strudel, made buns for each of the sons to take home, unbaked cookies as well as those flatbreads. 

I also made lots and lots of soup.

I also finished off the 10 pairs of mitts.

The mitten yarn is put away now and I am working on the binding of the last firepit quilt, and some knitted dishcloths, as well as the embroidery. I am finding it very difficult to get through the backing on this firepit quilt and because of that can only do a little each day. 

I hope to get as many projects done as possible since I want as little carry over as possible this month. After all there is Christmas baking to do as well as more gifts to make. 

Kris got Harvey's camera working on the drone and now there is another play thing in the house. That will keep Harvey occupied for awhile. Playing around.

Off to set the table, cut up the pickles and cheese. Hope to get to visit you all shortly.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Midweek Once Again

 

So today I will give you all the kind of good news I had from my doctor today.

I do have some very small (.3 mm) growths in my lungs, but the doctor says that at this point they can't tell if they are malignant or not. The person who read the CT scan said that I should have a repeat in 12 months, my doctor however feels that we should have one in 6 months and so is setting that up. 

I will have my Holter monitor on the 16th and will return that on the 17th. Not sure yet when the echocardiogram on my heart will happen. Still waiting for that call.

This doctor seems to be very good. I really hope she stays, but no doctor really stays too long here. I will keep my fingers crossed as I really do not want to search for another doctor or be without one for an extended period of time. 

The days are getting longer and I am enjoying the extended sunshine. It enables me to get more done in the house, but not those things I procrastinate on doing. That is something I seem to be finding happens more and more. I just seem to put things on my daily task lists that I really do not want to do. 

I have the feeling lately that I need to get more and more of my projects done and the stashes in the sewing/craft room used. Not sure why, but it has become an overwhelming urge the last month or so. I am going to go with that as well as the small projects around the house. Perhaps it is worry about my health, but I think it is more a want to downsize and move type of thing. 

Today I finished the stripe on the knitted blanket for Kurt's friend and have added in the next one. I also made hummingbird nectar, filled the feeder and got that out. Buns were made, and I will be making pies tomorrow (forgot to get out the frozen fruit and pumpkin). I did the first shopping trip as I split the shopping into two days (mainly because I was not sure when I would get the call from the doctor).

Lots to do tomorrow, but that is another day.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless. 

Sunday Ramblings

 

It has been a very damp, dark day here in Southeastern Saskatchewan. We had rain today for about an hour, didn't freeze, but snow should be arriving some time this evening. I hope that the roads are not too bad tomorrow when I head out to do a little bit of shopping. 

The Candle of Peace was lit on the Advent wreath today. Most of my day has been spent contemplating peace. In fact it has been a very peaceful day. At Mass we always give each other the sign of peace and wish peace to each of our fellow parishioners. This time of year it seems to just mean that much more. I wish peace would be as easily achieved as saying the words. Our friends and neighbours are not the only ones deserving of peace, the hungry, the homeless, war torn countries, and all people are so looking forward to peace. When I light my prayer candles tonight I will be praying that all find peace in whatever faith they have and in their fellow men.

I have done my baking now (or at least I hope), done a bit of decluttering, and of course knitting. It is too dark to actually work on any of the other projects I have lined up. This week I hope to start and finish my Christmas ornament give aways, and make that Cabbage bread. I am going to start with the ornaments tomorrow and the Cabbage bread will be made the next day.

Off to visit all of you and get a bit more of supper made.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Saturday Roundup

 

Just a quick roundup of what has been happening on the Phillips homestead.

Baking has continued and I will probably so some more later. Taking a break so as to get a few other projects done over the next week.

I did manage to get the two toques finished for the gift baskets that we will give Kurt and Kris.

I have now started the matching mitts. Still few things left to fill the baskets with, and those will get done this coming week after decorating the house. Not that I do that much, but I do need to make it a bit more festive around here.

I also finished the knitted blanket for one of Kurt's friends. I will post a picture of that later on.

I even found yarn to start the next one. Just shows how much yarn I have available for use in this house.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Weekly Roundup

 

This week most of my progress has been getting some Christmas baking done, though I did take one day off to work on the knitted blanket (almost done). 

So what did I manage to get done towards Christmas treats.

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars was the first item on the list. I even saved a few for Harvey and I do have for dessert.

I also made Chocolate Coconut drops.

Next up on the list was....

My pumpkin pies for Christmas dinner.

A day later I made Whipped Shortbread Cookies as well as....

This is what my Mom always called English Shortbread.

Today I made my first batch of Cinnamon Buns. I will make another batch tomorrow hopefully.

These make a lovely, if rather unhealthy breakfast when we are in a hurry over the holidays.

More baking will take place next week. I need to make my Almond Bark, Peanut Brittle, Christmas Crack (that is also called Toffee Surprise), and I think some other candy like Caramels, and perhaps Chocolate Covered Mints. Cookies such as Ginger Crinkles, and Chocolate Chip will be made as well. 

I am hoping to be done all baking by the end of next week, or perhaps just a couple of days into December. 

I still have a few quick gifts to make for the baskets, and another knitted blanket to start. 

So that's my weekly projects done.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

It has started to snow finally so I will be stuck (which I really rather prefer in the winter) at home and can start things as soon as I finish the household tasks for the next few days.

Last Midweek of the Month

 

As many other bloggers have mentioned this month has gone by very quickly. 

Tomorrow I do up my monthly budget spend and keeping my fingers crossed that I managed to same some cash or at least come in under in some of the budget lines.

Over the last week I pulled some books from my frugal library to read over this month. Especially as I am contemplating purchasing a loom.

These are the two books I am going to peruse first. I want to go through the first steps to becoming self-sufficient and making my life a bit simpler. Both are really interesting, but in the first one I am just going to work on household things crafts and such. Man I read a bit about warping a loom and am really scared now. Warping a loom is slightly confusing.

I woke up feeling a bit under the weather (okay pretty sick feeling today) so I crawled back into bed and slept for a bit longer. I now feel not too bad. 

Once up I managed to get most of the household tasks completed and even baked a pumpkin cake.

Harvey wanted a brown sugar glaze, so that is what I made once supper was cleared up.
 

In my quest to use appliances to cook a bit more today I used the two air fryers I own to make supper. When I went to the second hand stores I saw many of the Actifryers sitting there waiting for someone to purchase them. So I decided I may as well keep mine until it totally breaks down. Why put something in a donation bin when there are 14 waiting to be purchased.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Midweek

 

It is hard to believe that this month is already 1/4 gone. Does this mean we are closer to spring?

If today is anything to go by spring is still a ways off. This morning I woke up to freezing rain and sleet, then the sleet turned to snow.

This is what the roads here in the city looked like when it got light enough to actually see them.

Now with snow on top, things are going to be miserable driving around the city.

I pulled something out this morning to be used this afternoon.

Yep, since the weather is going to be miserable the next little while, and I don't enjoy driving on icy streets. my afternoons and perhaps a few mornings will be spent sewing. I hope to have lots of pictures of finished projects to show all of you very soon. I did get my sundress sewn today and tomorrow I hope to do the skirt and perhaps an apron or two.

I would probably have gotten more done, but I did some kitchen things like....

Making bone broth out of some items in my freezer.

Baking some buns since Harvey can't have brown bread due to the seeds and such, I made some white bread buns. He will enjoy them. In fact we are going to have some with our potato soup tonight. 

I also made a lemon meringue pie, which still needs the meringue so no photo. Figured Harvey could use a bit of a treat for the rest of the week. 

Also the tidy/declutter of the sewing/craft room is ongoing. I have managed to clear off a few surfaces, but there is much more that needs doing. I have even put some of my projects into bags for this month and once my clothing sewing is completed I plan on bringing another project bag out. I am happy with how things are getting straightened out and will hopefully stick the course.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Midweek, Just One More This Month

 

The day started off with something we hadn't seen in awhile. Sunny and no wind. But by 2pm the sun had disappeared and the wind came back. Still I did manage about an hour or two of embroidery which was very nice. I know I won't get the block finished, but having got a bit more done makes me happy.

We have so many potatoes left from the garden that I decided to make potato soup today. I am doing it in the slow cooker.

Excuse the steamy picture. I added the cream just a bit ago and I think that instead of thickening it with flour I am going to use my immersion blender and give it some swishes to make it more of a cream type soup.

I also made a coffee cake.

That should hit the spot for dessert over the next while. 

Cough drops will be made tomorrow, and the yellow fabric washed and dried as well. The ironing on that can wait for a bit. As can the binding cutting and slashing cutting. 

Tonight I will sit and do some knitting. Since I am unable to embroider I pulled out more yarn from the stash and cast on for another easy pullover sweater. 

Soon I will be pulling the casserole out of the fridge and getting it ready to pop into the toaster oven. Really trying to use more appliances rather than the oven. It just needs warming up so it won't be long before it is ready once supper time comes around. 

I am looking forward to figuring out if I want to purchase a loom (something I have wanted for ages) or an Easy Press for my Cricut creations. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Saturday Roundup

 

It has been a bit chilly today so I stuck close to home once again. Did some extra cleaning, some more candy making (I added so am not done with Christmas candy/baking as of yet), talked to my brother, and did a bit of knitting. I will be continuing the knitting after supper.

So since I am pretty sure that neither Kurt or Kris read my blog, I thought I would show all the table runners, and mug rugs turned out. Actually the mug rugs could be used as hot pads as they turned out to be larger than I thought.

Mug rugs on top of the table runners. 

Then once the sewing was completed...Baking and candy making started.

Almond bark first.

Chocolate Coconut drops (I usually make these into balls and roll in icing sugar).

Butter Tart bars were baked next.

Peanut Brittle and Chocolate Covered Pretzels happened the next day.

Took a break from candy and pulled out all the chicken carcasses from the fridge freezer and made Chicken Bone Broth.

Then it was on to Caramel Slice and Nanaimo Bars.

Cinnamon buns were next, but I am going to have to make another batch as the dough I get from my machine, just makes a bit over a dozen.

More candy making and baking is still taking place. I hope to be finished by Monday at the latest.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.