Yesterday just flew by. I slept in ’til almost 7 (I tend to sleep in later on the weekends – Saturdays, I get up around 6:20, Sundays around 6:30 – I imagine that if Fred took a week off work and I didn’t have to get up to let the chickens out a little before 7, I’d sleep in ’til 8 every morning. Oh, wouldn’t Fred act like I was sleeping ’til noon if I did THAT. He gets up ridiculously early even when he’s not working, so he thinks everyone should do the same.), then I got up and made a couple of Bacon, Egg & Toast cups (the awesome thing about that recipe is that you can make as few or as many of them as you’d like). I made a batch of Chunky Caramel-Apple Jam (some of which is available for sale), and a batch of Scorchin’ Strawberry-Habanero Jam.
I was sitting in the guest bedroom snuggling with all four of the Wonkas when Fred asked me to come out and look at Sookie’s eyes. They seemed a little goopy and swollen, so I put ointment in her eyes, and we started her on a regimen of antibiotics. For a few hours she acted quiet and sat hunched-up as though she didn’t feel well, but by the end of the day she was playing with her brothers, and snuggling with my boots, which she dearly loves to do because she’s a weirdo. We’ll keep her on the antibiotics, and I’ll be vigilant about putting ointment in her eyes, but I don’t think there’s going to be a problem.
I went back into the guest bedroom and hung out with the Wonkas, and they were bouncing-off-the-walls wild, biting each other and clawing at my feet (what the hell is it about kittens and my feet??), so I left them to it. As I walked out of the room, Fred came down the hallway on his way to find me and ask me to come look at “this.”
“This” was the damn refrigerator. For the last few days, it’s been putting out weird (yet kinda neat) hollow ice cubes. Fred had been getting a drink when he noticed that there was water leaking out from under the refrigerator. We pulled it out (okay, HE pulled it out. I supervised.) and found that the tray underneath the fridge was full of water and had started to (slowly) overflow. I cleaned up the water on the floor, and then cleaned the ten pounds of accumulated dust and cat hair from the floor and walls.
(Actually, considering that it’s been almost exactly two years since we got that fridge, it’s kind of surprising conditions back there weren’t worse.)
We ended up having to empty out the refrigerator and put everything from the kitchen fridge into the laundry room fridge.
“This would be the perfect time to clean out the refrigerator,” Fred said, all perky-like.
“Except that I did that JUST LAST WEEK,” I growled.
We did end up getting rid of a lot of stuff, mostly expired salad dressings and 17 – YES I SAID SEVENTEEN – jelly jars with various and sundry dabs of habanero jams in them. No wonder we never have room for anything in that fridge.
Due to advice from an expert, we left the fridge unplugged overnight, and started it up again this morning.
“What the hell do people who only have one fridge do in this instance?” I asked.
“Well,” Fred said. “If it was [Douchebag we know], he’d call L0we’s and tell them to come get it and bring him a new one, because he always buys the extended warranty. And then he’d sue them for the cost of any food that spoiled.”
I laughed.
“You think I’m kidding!” he said.
“No, I know you’re not!”
Ah, douchebags. What fun would life be if they weren’t there for us to mock?
As a result of emptying out the fridge and freezer in the kitchen, I found some stuff wayyyy back in the freezer that I didn’t know we had. I actually found a pack of three boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I haven’t bought chicken from the store in close to a year, so I’m going to guess that chicken’s pretty old. It still looks good, though, so maybe I’ll make some Crockpot Swiss Chicken. We haven’t had that in a long, long time. Our chickens are really good, but they don’t have large enough breasts so that Fred can debone them and leave me with enough meat to make a meal from.
(That whole last sentence sounds kind of dirty, doesn’t it? Or maybe it’s just me.)
I also found a big back of chicken backs and bones, from which I have been intending to make chicken stock. I’ve never really made chicken stock before, so if someone has a super-simple recipe that they swear by, I’d love to hear it!
For dinner last night we had a pork roast (just rubbed with spices and roasted for 35 minutes per pound at 350ºF), fried green tomatoes, and baked squash. It was truly a Crooked Acres-grown meal, and the best part is that we have enough for at least one more meal, and probably two.
Today, I’m taking a break from making jam, but I plan to use up the rest of the Granny Smith apples we bought on Sunday by making many batches of Caramel-Apple Jam before the weekend gets here.
(I’ll probably save some apples for Apple Crisp. I haven’t made that in at least two years, if not longer.)
Would it be too much to ask for a few days of sunshine? We’re forecast to get rain all week, though we’re expected to have a sunny weekend. I’ll believe that when I see it – those damn weathermen LOVE to promise us sunny days that are juuuuust out of reach.
Have you ever seen a happier cat?
I love it when they snuggle up to sleep – and they ALWAYS snuggle up to sleep!
“I HAZ A COMPLAINT.”
“A COMPLAINT, DO YOU HEAR ME?!” (In the foreground, Bill’s all “Yeah, what’s NEW?”)
Tommy snuggles up with Lafayette and Hoyt.
webbthistle mentioned in yesterday’s comments that the Wonkas’ eyes are changing. They are, indeed. They’re no longer that deep, dark, almost purple, blue. They’ve changed to a really pretty greenish blue, on the way (I’m sure) to shades of green.
I had a long discussion with Veruca last night, and she finally agreed that she’s a big girl now and doesn’t need the bottle. Then she “convinced” the rest of the gang that they don’t need it, either. They’re a little nervous about this no-bottle thing, but I’ll give them formula in bowls in the morning and evening for a few more days, and there’s always crunchy food available in a small dish, so they shouldn’t starve.
I’ve noticed that Gus and Mike are more interested in the crunchy food, and the girls prefer the canned stuff, though Violet will occasionally eat some crunchy stuff, too. Judging by the amount of crunchy food that ends up scattered across the floor, they also enjoy a good swim through the crunchy food.
There doesn’t appear to be any danger of these babies starving to death, in any case.
“How’m I gonna tell Mom that I failed Gym? She’s gonna KILL me!”
Count Verucula.
I love me some Mike.
Not only is Miz Poo willingly sleeping next to Elwood – please note that her arm is UNDER him. As if she’s SNUGGLING.
Previously
2008: Like I was having a temper tantrum, so I grabbed his list and took off so he couldn’t check it twice.
2007: No entry.
2006: I sure do wish I was going to see Callie Torres and not some old guy.
2005: Does this mean I’m getting old?
2004: No entry.
2003: Bringing home Mister Boogers.
2002: No entry.
2001: No entry.
2000: All about the cats.
1999: I certainly am bitching a lot today, aren’t I?