Chicken and Blueberry Swap

I have a dilemma,  a too-much-food dilemma. I know--first world problem. But, the problem is a casualty of the weather,  inadvertently exacerbated by my plans.

For last week when exbf was coming, I baked ten pounds of leg-thigh quarters. Then, the weather on his day off was forecast. The day was not to be. With a forecast of high temp of 27 degrees F, I told him not to come up. Sooo, I could only get a portion of the cooked  meat in the freezer. He will have part of that meat for his dinner this week if the weather is agreeable.

Now, I have about six pounds of ground beef and chili meat thawed. It would not fit in the freezer, either. I still have not cooked it all in the cast iron skillet, mincing it and cooking onions in it. It still will not go in the freezer!

My plan is finally formulated. He will get all the chicken I cooked if he comes. If not, I figured out how to get the cooked chicken and cooked hamburger meat in the freezer over the refrigerator.

There is at least one gallon of blueberries in the freezer. When I remove the blueberries, I can cook them and put in quart jars in the refrigerator. Blueberries will wait for a few days until I can eat them or make a cobbler. THEN, I can put pint jars of cooked hamburger in the freezer. I have fretted for five days over the possibility of meat spoiling.

I suppose I can remove my only ice cube tray, too, especially if there is only one gallon of blueberries. There may be other things in the freezer that can be removed, like bottles of frozen water to be used in a little cooler.

At least there is a viable plan in my head that will save the meat.

Wednesday, snow is forecast here, at least six inches. I tried to buy rubber boots at WM, but the only ones I found were too tight over my arch. I did not want to shop anymore, so I will just use rubber bags over my feet and shoes. I have plenty of bags, tape, and rubber bands.

The only reason I need to go out of the house is to feed the chickens and collect eggs. Only Thelma has seen snow. So, I doubt any of them even want to go out. Their water heater works when the temp is in single digits to keep their water thawed. Their water is sitting right out in the weather, not in any shelter.

Tomorrow, I will feed the hens four times, so wish me well in rubber WM bags. I have forty pounds of sand in a five-gallon bucket right outside the door. I can scoop out a cottage cheese dishful of sand and sprinkle as I go down the steps and onto concrete.  I will be safe; I have to stay safe since there is no one else to help.

Right now, I am worried about exbf. He refuses to put any water, snack, blanket, or extra jacket in the car for his commute to and from work tomorrow. He works in Irondale and lives in Hueytown. Some people were spending the night in cars last year as they were stranded, not able to drive in the snow and ice. He is diabetic, has cold limbs ALL the time, does not drink much water. I have had to call the police for a welfare check twice because he was out like a light (for 30 hours) because he did not eat. I gave him a car charger and he screamed at me and threw it back, saying he always charges his cell at home.

Two things--he says I am trying to change him (by being prepared?) and I feel he thinks it emasculating to ever take a precaution against anything. He refuses to carry jumper cables!

On Tuesday night, I bought milk, water, cottage cheese, and cookies. I forgot to buy bananas. If ice or snow brings down electric lines, I will be mighty cold, but have food to eat cold and a grill outdoors.

Two eggs today!

Your turn
Do you have anyone in your life that refuses to take even a minor precaution against driving in snow and ice? Have you ever had to shuffle food to get things in the freezer? Is it snowing at your house, or do you expect snow?