Dehydrating Cranberries

Dehydrating cranberries is one process I have agonized over. I read several sites, watched videos. In the end, I dehydrated cranberries using the method I planned to use before I researched.

I did not put sugar and water on them, heating until berries popped. I don't want sugar and did not want sugary wetness in the dehydrator. If these don't work to eat raw, I will have successfully stored cranberries in a jar without using my freezer.

When I cook whole berries, I never use the amount of sugar suggested because the cranberry sauce is then too sweet. I never like it sugary.

Each cranberry was sliced in half and then put onto one dehydrating tray when I finished a whole 12 ounce bag of Ocean Spray cranberries. Let me tell you, all the slicing of tiny berries
 is a pain in the neck. And, I have five more bags to dehydrate.

When I sliced the cranberries in half, I was shocked to see the inside was white! The red outside must color the inside red when the cranberries are cooked. Well, I just had to taste one of the halves. It was the most disgusting taste ever, nothing remotely like cranberry, even unsweetened cranberry! I don't mean I did not like the taste, but it was horrendous.

Then, when they were mostly dehydrated, I tried another. Other than being rock-like, it tasted better, cranberryish. Then, when exbf came here on Sunday, I told him how putrid the just-cut cranberry was. He willingly took the dehydrated cranberry and said it was very hard, took him two minutes to get it moist in his mouth. He said it did taste like cranberry.

Men will eat anything!

These were priced $1.98 most places, but I got these on price-match for $0.98. I keep searching, but this is the cheapest price I find for Ocean Spray Cranberries, 12 ounces.

Send good thoughts my way as I personally must slice five more bags of cranberries. Oh, they do roll! So, many were on the floor and eventually were squashed by me. ugh!

The results--12 ounces of whole cranberries fill a half pint (8 oz.) canning jar. These can be used in any way the whole berries are used. I think that they might even be good in trail mix.

Tonight at midnight the giveaway closes. Go now if you want to enter one last time.

Your turn
Did you ever dehydrate cranberries? With or without sugar? What is the best price you have found?

Update: Dehydrating Sweet Potatoes--Final Chapter

To read the complete process:

Part one
Part two

Today, I rehydrated the 1/2 cup of sweet potatoes I had dehydrated into 3 Tbsp of powder. I used 1/2 cup of boiling water and mixed the powder and water together.  Since I was eager, I tasted too soon. The little crystals that did not grind into powder were like eating rocks. Thankfully, my teeth survived.

The powder was in a 4 ounce Ball jar. I put the lid on after I mixed the boiling water into the powder. Maybe ten minutes later, I tasted it again. It seemed like it had too much water. But, after a bit the texture was fine.

Since exbf had not had a Thanksgiving meal, I fixed what passed for Thanksgiving dinner--Chicken, Stove Top dressing, cranberry sauce, Brussels sprouts, and (for him only) rehydrated sweet potatoes. Dessert was apple pie. He gave the sweet potatoes a passing score!

I will be dehydrating more sweet potatoes. Of course, the only reason I dehydrated only a half cup was to determine the measures involved in dehydrating and rehydrating. I think the next experiment after I dehydrate more sweet potatoes will be to us 4 Tbsp of sweet potato powder to 4 ounces of water.

Your turn
Have you dehydrated sweet potatoes? What do you think of the process?

Iron Bowl

The streets are deserted. Stores are shuttered as though it were Christmas Day.

The Iron Bowl is today. Someone not from the South said it was one of the biggest rivalries in college football. "War Eagle! "

Some of you say "Roll Tide."

While I care nothing for football and think all the noise is annoying, some people love all the hullabaloo. Exbf graduated from Auburn, so I know where he stands. My son is a rabid Auburn fan, so that is where my loyalties lie.

I swore I was not leaving the yard today, but I had a hankering for a chocolate milkshake. So, off to Arby's I went for their Value chocolate shake for about $1.50. However, since it was between 2 and 5 pm, the small was $1. Yay chocolate!

All the locally owned stores are closed with signs in the doors "closed because of the game." No, that is all the explanation needed around here. "The game" describes the situation.

Even though I hate football, I will listen to anyone explain what is happening. I have attended Iron Bowl Parties for the company, good time, and food. But, I don't seek them.

Your turn
I know some of you are from Alabama. For whom do you cheer? Thoughts on college football? If you are not from AL, what is your favorite team?

Black Friday at Walmart

The parking lot was practically empty. For a Friday night the store was strangely quiet. And, I found an electric cart that was full of juice. Most of the carts were at the door. At 6 pm on a Friday night, I rarely find even one electric cart.

I went there to get a prescription refill and an inhaler since I have been wheezing for three days. No refills there and too soon for the antibiotic refill.

I cruised the sales. All the towels and printers were gone. But, I was going to get neither. I did get two $1.96 DVDs. I forgot what they are. I was wheezing and too feverish to look further.

That's it. No drama. No purchases except the two videos. No food. Nothing.

What did you buy? Or, did you just avoid it all?

The Day After Thanksgiving

First, the washing machine continuing saga. I mentioned to the two delivery guys that there was a scratch on the top edge. He blew it off saying, "Oh, that is not a scratch, just where the paint rubbed off."

Exbf scoffed when I told him. "That  is called a scratch!"

I was not sure if the delivery guy was saying paint from something else rubbed off on the washing machine or paint rubbed off the washing machine, revealing the under part of the paint job. At any rate, I was too ill to further discuss it.

So, at about 2 pm today, I called and talked to someone in charge, but not of delivery. He said they were covered up but someone would call me in thirty minutes. Also, the guys left the washer to rinse and spin out water, declaring it worked. When I got up twelve hours later just to look at the washer, there were pieces of cardboard all in the machine, wet and flung up on the sides. ???


Since there were two sheets in the washer that I rinsed to get the laundromat detergent smell off them, I decided to dry those just now. Well, when I pulled on the sheets, they were heavy with water. I put them on a different drain and spin cycle. Okay, I just checked. Another cycle will spin out water very well. So, why does the colored cycle not spin out all the water? I could squeeze out water!

All I need is a regular cycle and a gentle cycle. There is no need for knit and permanent press cycle in my world. A rinse cycle works for a prewash cycle in case of really dirty things.

I suppose the days of just buying a washer and using it are over. There have only been two in my life before this one--1967 and 1994, 27 and 21 year life cycles.

Without grossing you out, let's just say my productive cough is ramping up the colorful production. Plus, I cough non-stop. I do want to cough, but Vicks will come out for soles of my feet if this keeps up until bedtime.

The hens are fed, mail checked--my work is done. It is a balmy 70 degrees out. The sky is gray in places but not dark at all.

It's time for leftovers! The sun is completely out again. It is brilliant and balmy.

Your turn
How is the day after in your house?

Unusual Thanksgiving Day

Usually,  I cook or go to a friend's house. Neither were happening this time, so I went to a local church that was preparing Thanksgiving dinner for anyone who wanted to come. I did. So, I went.

The portions were huge and delicious. Usually, the meat portion is small. There was almost a half cup of meat, breast, on my plate, much more than a half cup of green beans, scalloped potatoes, smidgen of cranberry sauce, dressing and gravy.

I asked for breast only, so I was pleasantly surprised when I had no dark meat. The green beans were not over-salted, over-peppered, or overly-vinegared. I have had all in the last two months, always inedible for me. The scalloped potatoes where undercooked, but I can fix that. They were delicious! I could have eaten more dressing, but did not need much. A sliver of bought pound cake was dessert. If there had been more, I would have made a pig of myself.

The best part was that the giblet gravy had diced boiled eggs in it. YAY! That is the way I like it and have always had it except at friend's houses in Birmingham.

Then, about 4 pm, someone knocked on my door. It was my neighbor's nephew. That was a surprise. He brought me food, not really Thanksgiving food, but food I love--three huge chicken fingers, potato wedges, and great mashed potatoes. I tasted it all and refrigerated it. There was a little 4" pie, rolls, tiny bottle of catsup, and a quart of bought tea. The tea was sweetened, so I gave it back. Was that rude?

I had brought home a go-plate from the church, so I can eat for tomorrow and maybe the next on what was given me. So, it is sort of like the best part of Thanksgiving--leftovers. I have cranberry sauce in the can and can get my quota of eating too much.

Saturday night, I was given four hens. Two weighed over eight pound--almost nine, another weighed almost eight pounds, while the fourth weighed 6.5 pounds. I have never seen such large hens. They were pure as the driven snow--no hormones, no preservatives, no lots of stuff.

I left them in plastic bags, put them in canvas bags so I could carry them home. At home, I placed all four of them on the cold floor and wrapped them in two fleece jackets. Since there was no heat in the house, the two I finally put in two crockpots were frozen solid. Monday night, I asked my neighbor to come get one so I would not have to deal with it. He puts out my garbage each week.

Then, on Monday night I unwrapped the last two from the fleece coats. Amazingly, they were still rock hard! That was Monday night, or was it Tuesday? The last two are still in  the crock pot! Can a person leave a hen in a crock pot too long?

Saturday night as I sat on the bed getting cold in the below freezing weather, I felt a bone chill coming over me. Finally, there was a stab in my throat where my Eustachian tube is located.  If I had put on a tshirt under my sweat shirt or wrapped a blanket around my shoulders, I might have fared better! At any rate, Sunday I just felt crummy. By Monday morning the bit of temp grew to a fever. I got myself to the doctor, complaining of head and face and ear pain.

I saw a nurse practitioner so stayed in the exam room for an hour with her and the nurses coming in and out. No complaints. I refused a flu test or whatever you call it because they stick a prickly thing up in the nose between the eyebrows. I knew it was not strep throat even though she said my throat was very red. I did allow the strep culture.

When she said she would give me a Z-pack, I told her I had that one a month before and had not gotten over that sinus infection or earaches, so she gave me a refill. Maybe this time I will get fully well. Oh, she spent lots of time trying to remove ear wax. But, she gave up.

By Monday night, my chest was involved. I spent Tuesday in bed all day, sleeping most of the day. I had wild dreams. Wednesday, I was not much better, so I knew I needed to give up on the cooking. I was too ill to drive to Birmingham even if I had wanted to inflict myself on friends and have them hate me.

At any rate, Thanksgiving was different.

After the church dinner, I took me and the go plate to WM. For some reason I wanted vanilla ice cream. I checked out the Black Friday items and came home with ice cream. 

Tonight, I have a very, very productive cough. Hopefully, the chest congestion will be gone soon. Coughing so much and so hard is wearing me out.

It was not such a bad Thanksgiving. The worst part is to come--removing hens from crock pot and all that involves.

Your turn
Do you think three days in a crock pot is too long for a hen? Have you ever just lost a Thanksgiving due to health problems? Do you like diced boiled eggs in your giblet gravy? Was I rude to give back the sweetened tea? No one I see very often drinks sweetened tea.

Depression Entertainment

Just now, while I was watching a movie about a trial and saw the daughter wanting to see a trial, I was reminded of a woman who loved a good trial.

This was during the Depression. My friend John said his mother loved a good trial. I knew his mother, so this was of interest to me.

It seems she attended trials just for fun. A good murder trial would keep her entertained for several days of the trial. She could not be deterred. Fortunately, there were not many murders, but any juicy trial would do. Murders were her favorite, and she did not have to know the people involved! She could attend all day and be home in time to cook dinner.

John laughed, very amused at his mother, when he told this story.

She was the same woman who attended a party and drove away with the beer truck. It seems that the driver of the beer truck made an unscheduled stop and shared some of his employer's beer. John's mother sneaked away from the party and her husband to take half a dozen little boys on a joy ride in the truck. She had never driven a large truck and shifted it, so this was a real adventure for her.

Even though they stayed gone a while, John said they got back before anyone missed the truck or the little boys. His mother was on cloud nine for weeks.

She encouraged her husband to drive fast when they were on his motorcycle. Even when I knew her, she always wanted John and even me to drive faster.

This was the same woman who defied her husband and cut her waist-length of hair, getting a bob when it was all the rage. John said his father mourned the loss of her hair and resented her defiance until the day he died.

I did not mean to post this today, but it's done. Don't forget to read the pine cone post from this morning also. It is just below this post.

Decorating with Pinecones

For many years I have used pine cones from my yard to decorate. Most of the time when I go out to find cones to use, they are damp or cold and closed. I know the pine cones will open if given sufficient time in the warm and dry yard.

However, I want pine cones now, not in months. So, I just force them open.

Turn the oven to its lowest setting and put the closed and damp pine cones in a metal pan, any kind. I have never timed how long it takes for a pine cone to open. Just keep peeking until They are fully open. Sometimes, ones that are partly open could benefit from a little time in the oven.

Don't leave these alone. I have never had a pine cone burst into flames, but who knows?

One year, I used fake wreaths, gold-sprayed pine cones, and berries from the yard. I added ribbon bought on sale the year before and had very nice wreaths for my door and for friend's door. I did give everyone a bunch of fake red berries for the next year with instructions to remove the real berries before storing the wreaths.

This is not a how-to for decorating the cones or with them. It is just a post about how to open all those closed pine cones in time to decorate.

When I was a child and teen, I liked my pine cones silver, but I dipped them into silver paint.

Your turn
Do have pine cones in your yard for free decorations? Do your spray your pine cones, put glitter on them, or use them as is?

Sunday, Sunday

It was cold and windy as I hung clothes on the line....brr. Since it very sunny out and the humidity is low, they will dry just fine and I can hang out clothes a second time, maybe a third time today is the breeze holds. My fingers will thaw eventually...lol.

It's much easier to hang clothes out when it is frigid when you have a choice in the matter. When my washer gets here, I will be able to wash instead of going to the laundromat. I know--first world problems. When it was below freezing and raw conditions, hanging out diapers caused pain. That was many years ago and not my idea!

Earlier, I went toBig Store to get a paper and Oxyclean. As I passed a customer and employee on the main grocery aisle, I heard the employee saying in a strident voice that WM did not carry it. The guy was saying something. I got the Oxyclean and headed right up the aisle, still in the same spot they were when I passed them, about six side aisles up the main aisle. She was so loud is the reason I even paid any attention to what was going on.

I stopped and asked the guy what he wanted. She interrupted and said they did not carry it, that she knew what they carried and this was not one of their items. As I maneuvered the electric cart to see his wife's note, she continued her strident talking, not shutting up for a second and telling him she knew better than I. Finally, I asked her to be quiet while I looked. She kept it up.

Why do people say the same thing like twelve times, especially when they are adding nothing to knowledge, always deniers? Why do they get loud, shrill/strident? Finally, I told the guy I had been through this before with some employees and usually, it took three or four employees in succession to finally find an item.

Oh, her main story--if I cannot find it and you cannot find it, we don't carry it.  That is just not true!

She whirled and ran off, saying, "Well, I am going to get a manager to take care of you." My reply, "Okay, this customer is not upset by me. I don't work for Big Store, so maybe the manager can find what you cannot and will not. I don't work for Big Store, so I don't have to do what he says." All the way to the back of the store, she kept repeating the same words she said to the guy and then to me.

I went to a manager in the front after the guy gave up and was going to check out. The manager told me exactly where the item was located. Well, on the centers of the aisles. So, I found it thirty seconds later.

The guy had just purchased what his wife did not ask for. I showed him the display and helped him find what his wife wanted. He laughed and thanked me. The employee kept telling him to take what she gave him, another brand, that she "could just use that."

ummm, no way. If a woman asks for Pepperidge Farm Stuffing, I doubt she will be happy with Stove Top.

After the guy had left with the right thing for his wife, I found her and told her that, yes, the item was in the store in abundance. She looked shocked and said for me to show her. Well, When we were 40 feet away, I showed her the huge sign in the center aisle with the price and told her the whole end cap was filled with the item. After her being such an ass, she was gracious enough to say she was wrong and thank me. That was not what I was after, just to let her know the Big Store did carry the item.

Many times, I have had multiple employees tell me the store did not carry the item or they were out. Only once had the store quit carrying what I searched for! I felt sorry for this guy is the only reason I stopped to help and was so determined he should get what his wife put on the list.

This morning, I left the house about 8 am and found my mailbox hanging open. There were two pieces of mail on the ground and a package in the mailbox. One of the letters on the ground was my bank statement! grrr The other was a recall on my Chevrolet. The box needed to be returned!

The winds are 12 mph and the temperature is 38, all according to the tv weather. Today, I finally put on socks!

On Monday, I will be getting a free turkey as will exbf, so I am making sure I have two turkey bags, two pans to cook them in and the freezer at least cleaned out enough to store on of the turkeys. I get the breast. He gets the rest. Hens get giblets, bones cooked soft, fat, and anything we won't or don't consume.  I really need a freezer of some sort.

And, it is not even noon.

Later, my neighbor, Tony, is going to help me move things so the guys can get the washer in here. I just cannot.

I may just go back to WM and get another head of celery for $0.48 to use in dressing instead of the celery I dehydrated. I will definitely go outdoors and dice the onion that makes me cry to use in dressing.

And, I need to get my gloves and scarves out.

The water was finally restored to almost normal on Thursday. Today, I washed the first load of dishes. Remember I thought the dishwasher was wearing out because things did not get clean? Today, the dishes are clean. It was lack of water pressure causing the dishwasher not to clean utensils, things on the top rack. Plus, lots of residue was tossed to other dishes.

Your turn
Has it ever driven you mad to have unhelpful employees act like they are helping? Do you hang out clothes when it is cold?

Free Sweet Potatoes and Scarf

I was all set to buy two 40-lb boxes of sweet potatoes for $10 each. Today, I was given a box of almost 50 lbs of sweet potatoes. I shared a few with two people. They are seconds, so I will have to do lots of trimming after washing and before baking. I will still buy firsts but only one box since I got these.

Last Friday, I was given a cranberry-colored scarf, hand knitted or crocheted. In this weather it is almost too warm, but the temperature will drop!

It is supposed to be below freezing here tonight. How low is the temperature going at your house tonight?

Your turn
How was your Saturday? Busy? Cold? Crazy?

I've Got Celery

Sprouts has celery for $.48/head. I purchased 10 heads of celery. Now, can you guess what I will do with it?

Yes, I will dehydrate it all tonight. Usually, I dice celery to dehydrate. This time, I will cut in long pieces to fit in a half pint jar, standing on end inside the jar. I will split the ribs lengthwise, sometimes in four pieces, depending on the size and part of the rib.

The reason for the sizes? I don't want to bit on a piece of celery, even cooked. If the pieces are really small, like no larger than 1/4x1/4 inches, I am fine. That is just too much chopping for tonight.

If I split the ribs and slice them about five inches long, when I add them to soup, I can pick the celery rib out. I know. It's silly. Even if I throw in a half a rib of celery, I avoid that huge piece in my plate or bowl.

I can eat small dices of celery in tuna or chicken salad. I know it's weird how I like and dislike. My hot chicken salad recipe is half chicken and half celery, diced. Somehow, I can eat all that crunchy celery. Maybe it is the abundance of cheese in this dish...I don't know.

Do not eat the leaves since that is where any toxins reside. My mother told me that and it appears it is true. Maybe you can read this for more information. Maybe I am allergic to celery.

The taste that cooked celery imparts to any dish is a memory of my mother's cooking.

Your turn
Do you regularly cook with celery? Do you add the dices to cold salads? Do you have strong feelings, good or bad, about celery?

Experiment Part Two (sweet potatoes)

Go HERE  to view the first part of dehydrating sweet potatoes.

Although it was totally unnecessary, I left the half cup of sweet potatoes to dehydrate until about 8 pm tonight.  So, that was 24 hours the sweet potatoes stayed in the dehydrator. I think 12 hours would have been sufficient. But, that does not matter since the humidity and heat will vary the next time.

Amazingly, the sweet potato dehydrated to a potato chip thin film. I tried it, but the sweet potato chip was sort of hard to eat, but melted in my mouth just fine.

I used my coffee bean grinder and mostly whirred them to an orange powder. I always forget and open the top too soon. An orange cloud greeted me when I impatiently removed the top. When will I ever learn?

After dehydrating and grinding to smithereens, I have about 3 Tbsp of sweet potato powder. I wonder if it has the same nutrition. It is in a 4 ounce Ball Canning or Freezing jar. There are 16 Tbsp in an 8-ounce jar. So, approximately three servings will fit in the jar. When I dehydrate more sweet potatoes, I will use a larger jar.

I will post when I rehydrate.

Water

For the first time since Oct. 28, 2014, I have water. For a long time it was no water, then it was inadequate water.  Despite spending $2000 dollars for plumbing, the plumbers left me with a line but not enough water coming through it.  They put in a faulty regulator and declared it good. No, they would not respond to my calls. Details later. This lasted from 7 am until 12:45 pm. So, a nap is in order after I awoke with only four hours sleep and a nightmare.

An Experiment

Even though I don't have my sweet potatoes yet, I do have the rest of the huge one from Monday. So, tonight I finally started dehydrating it.

I need to know how much dehydrated sweet potato makes a 1/2 cup serving when rehydrated. After measuring out 1/2 cup of the sweet potato, I put it on the Excalibur fruit rollup tray and spread it out. It went into the dehydrator at 7:30 pm. By noting this here, I won't have to remember or make a note on the time...lol. Clever, huh? It's rather humid, so the time it takes to dehydrate will be just a good guess the next time I do this.

When the sweet potato is dehydrated, it will be a hard sheet of sweet potato. I will break it up and place it in my coffee bean grinder. I can measure the results to determine how much to use to rehydrate for a 1/2 cup serving.

More fruit rollup sheets for my Excalibur will be on my list for Santa. Really, I have been good!

By conducting this experiment now , I won't have to experiment with a whole jar of sweet potato powder. Don't I lead an exciting life?

The other eight trays are empty right now. However, apples can go in with the sweet potatoes.

There is a little less than 1/2 cup left of the sweet potato, so that is on the menu for tomorrow. I will consider the rehydrated sweet potato as a head start for Thanksgiving dinner.

Part two
Although it was totally unnecessary, I left the half cup of sweet potatoes to dehydrate until about 8 pm tonight.  So, that was 24 hours the sweet potatoes stayed in the dehydrator. I think 12 hours would have been sufficient. But, that does not matter since the humidity and heat will vary the next time.

I used my coffee bean grinder and mostly whirred them to an orange powder. I always forget and open the top too soon. An orange cloud greeted me when I impatiently removed the top. When will I ever learn?

After dehydrating and grinding to smithereens, I have about 3 Tbsp of sweet potato powder. I wonder if it has the same nutrition. It is in a 4 ounce Ball Canning or Freezing jar. There are 16 Tbsp in an 8-ounce jar. So, approximately three servings will fit in the jar. When I dehydrate more sweet potatoes, I will use a larger jar.

Your turn
Have you ever dehydrated sweet potatoes?

New Washer, Buying Sweet Potatoes, and a Surprise

Yesterday, after exbf lent me the money to buy a new washer, I surprised him by asking him to take me to get sweet potatoes in the country. He thinks I should not get two boxes after I wasted too many last year. Last winter was fraught with extraordinary circumstances. Besides, I had the 80 pounds of sweet potatoes here before the water was not working.

I did find a used washer for $150. I am very nervous about used appliances since the wrong investment will cost me more if I have to get another soon. Lowe's was having their Black Friday Sale starting sometime this weekend. They started early. Saturday or Sunday, the only non-HE was marked from $379 to $299. I do believe it was marked to $299 earlier this month.

Then, when exbf was going to go with me to purchase the washer, I told him the two choices and the prices. He preferred I buy the new one. Then, I told him about the other deal--get a new Lowe's card and get a discount for using the card. I think it was 10%. There are only two carts in Lowe's. Only one was available. He insisted I use it while he hung onto a push cart.

Lowes does not have enough carts for the size of the store! I complained to the salesman about this, not because he did not get one of the two electric carts, but because two is inadequate. When I talked to the store manager, I told him they had inadequate electric carts, that my friend was buying a washer AND there were not enough carts, so what kind of monetary compensation on the washer could my friend get. Yes, I repeated that he needed two hip replacements and two knee replacements. So, we got another 10% off the $299. The washer ended up costing $253+ tax. Exbf was pleased with the whole deal I made.

Then, we were off to buy sweet potatoes. I was going to get two boxes, 80 pounds. This year, I will do mass baking then dehydrate them. That will give me sweet potato powder to rehydrate one serving at a time with no baking. This will be a saving on electricity because I will put many in the oven at once, more than my usual dozen. Plus, the sweet potatoes will be easy to prepare for a tasty, healthful, and quick meal.

Things did not work out the way I planned. First, I was talking and missed telling him the correct road. Then, we went another ten miles because even though I knew I missed the road, I was sure it was just up ahead.

Finally, I saw some workers in yellow vests and told exbf to stop there. The guy got out a map with every rabbit trail marked in several counties. We got it figured out. I was admiring the map, sawing how I could find any road if I had a map like his.

Several years ago, for the convenience of 911 responders all county roads were changed from names to numbers. I still refer to some of the roads by their old names, like Basch Rd. It seems the numbers took away the old names and the character of the land. I think we could have kept the names and numbers.

At any rate I slowly handed the map back to him. He stuck it back through the window, saying he would get another. Yippee! It is dirty and dog-eared, but it will work for me.

We found the right road, marked just as I knew it would be. We did not need the map. However, we got there in the middle of the afternoon. Usually, I go at noon and find Hispanic workers and one will always speak English. Yesterday, we drove all over the place, found fields of turnips, a second crop I suppose. There were goats who came to look at us looking at them. A large area was covered in white chicken feathers, but the one chicken house was not secure, well not the windows, anyway.

When we drove back to the sweet potato storage house, there was a man getting into his car. He seemed in a hurry. I had exbf hurry so we got to him and I motioned for him to roll down his window. He asked what we wanted like he owned the place. He proceeded to tell me I got there at the wrong time, that I should come before noon. He repeated this five more times before the conversation ended.

The guy said the owner said he could get sweet potatoes for his horse. He had come to buy some but just took a few. ??? Then, he went to his car and brought me two of the largest sweet potatoes I have ever seen. Maybe I was receiving stolen property? If he knew when to come, why did he come when he said he knew no one would be there?

I had to rest when we came home and he changed the chicken water and their pine straw. First, I put the sweet potatoes in the oven before I rested. We each ate 1/3 of a sweet potato and had plenty! Chicken breast I cooked the day before and store-canned green beans completed the meal. Grapes were the fruit/dessert.

He took home 9 chicken-thigh quarters I cooked in a turkey bag, the rest of his sweet potato, and the rest of the grapes. I think he was happy with the food. The sweet potato was enough for two more generous servings. He has plenty of green beans and other vegetables.

The washing machine is due to be delivered Friday, but I am going to delay delivery until exbf is here because the guys are rough with my furniture. It may be shitty furniture, but it is the best I have and should not be abused by them! Besides, I won't wash clothes in it until the city flushes their lines.

Your turn
Would you have asked for an extra discount because the store did not have enough carts?

Sweet Giveaway Right Here

This is sweet and fruit, nice combinations. I have tried it and give it a two thumbs up, a quality product.

I received a free box from Graze.com and they sent me an even larger box to give to one of my readers. You can go there to see the choices. The giveaway box is here, so there are no choices at this point, just eight trays of snacks. I tried to post a link, but the only link I can get is to my page and sign-in. Sooo

Now is your chance to win a box of eight treats, healthy snacks. Actually, some of the snacks are savory as well as sweet. Just enter in this post.

You MUST be a follower of my blog. I gave a prize to someone who was not--my mistake. If you are on my blog list of followers, you must tell me which icon is yours unless you are here all the time. Some people have icon names that I do not connect to any blog or verifiable person. Everyone gets one entry each day on this post. If I am on your blog roll, let me know for another entry or put me on your blog roll for the entry. If you post this giveaway, that is another entry when you send the link with the entry. The contest ends November 30th, two weeks from now. This contest is only for followers in the lower 48 states. Sorry.

Okay, enter each day for an entry each day. Blog about the contest. Or, put me on your blog roll. That is 17 entries for your chance to win eight snacks.

Your turn
Have you heard of this fantastic company? Gotten snacks from Graze? Ready to snack

Grocery Trips

These bargains were found this month. Mostly, I price-matched all this at WM. The trips will not be in order nor will I give the percentage saved.

Trip #1
*bananas $0.32/lb.
*2 x 3 lb. bags yellow onions $0.99/3 lbs
*red delicious apples $0.79/lb
*green grapes $0.99/lb
*bell pepper 9@$0.48 each

Trip #2
*Honey Crisp, Gala, and Fuji apples $.088/lb
I bought only about 7 lbs. to dehydrate

Trip #3
There was a deal on Kraft where a person had to purchase 8 Kraft items in one shopping trip to get $1 off each Kraft item purchased.

*Lipton Tea $2.99. This is the eight-ounce instant tea I love.
*Grated Parmesan and *Three Cheese blend, one of each @ $.2.99.
*3 ounce Basil and cheese for spaghetti @$1.49. It's new and I wanted to try it.
*Kraft String Cheese $2.79 for a pack of 10. I use this to keep from buying food on trips to doctors out of town.
*Miracle Whip $2.99. I try to keep 2 on the shelf, but I only needed one. These expire too soon, so I cannot fill a shelf.
*Philadelphia Cream Cheese $1.49. I made a mistake buying this because it will be less than $1 in a week or two. Or, maybe I did not get the sale price. So, I will check it out. Until now, I had not looked at the receipt since I bought this yesterday. It looks like I only purchased 7 items....ooops.

When I get the Kraft coupons together, the prices will be much lower.

Your turn
What bargains have you found? Are these prices in line with what you pay?

Christmas 1973

My children were five (boy) and three (girl). Of course, I was buying toys for them. I got wind of a toy sale at Sears. They were selling toys dirt cheap, toys used in photographs for the Sears Roebuck Catalog and displayed at trade shows or other venues.

I had a plan. I convinced my husband to go along with the plan. He would stand guard over my pile of toys I selected while I was off to fight for more. He was not into this at all. He practically had to be dragged there. But, finally he agreed.

When we arrived, early of course, there were other husbands pressed into the same service. Some pairs looked to be a mother-daughter team. But, mostly there were husbands and wives.

At some point he became very upset because I was choosing so many things, more than our children needed to receive and more than we wanted to spend.  I explained the plan. He would guard the toys until I finished at which point we would look it all over and relinquish some of the toys to eager parents who came late or came with no plan.

Plus, while I was shopping, I helped others. I was tall enough to tip toys off the very top shelves so the other parent could catch them. At one point, I even used a toy to tip others off the top shelf. We took our time choosing and discussing the toys we would keep from our pile my husband had guarded. Then, when we had chosen what we would purchase, we handed off the toys we did not want to people standing in front of us waiting.

Some people were rude, castigating us for having so many toys. Others were polite, asking if we would please give them a certain toy if we did not want it. Guess to whom we handed toys! It was not my fault these people did not get toys. They looked and shopped like the toys would be there when they made a decision. Or, they came late. I grabbed a toy when I saw it to stack up for a decision later. That is how couples were working--grab now, guard it, choose what to keep after the shopping.

All the toys for sale were new, most in the box, not shopworn at all. That was a very inexpensive year for Christmas. I asked around to see how often this happens. As it turned out, a different store was chosen each year. I now wonder if this practice still continues.

This was a very Merry Christmas. I could get everything I wanted to give them
 and still not stress over how to afford it. I must admit, I did get a few more toys than usual, but nothing excessive compared to most people.

Your turn
Did you ever live where the Sears had this kind of sale? Have you ever had a year when you found Christmas toys spectacularly marked down?

Me: Old, Forgetful, Incompetent? NOT!

NO! Not at all! But, using my computer was beyond me some days. Then, I got the new computer and finally got my free copy of Windows 10. Suddenly, I can do things I knew were possible but had never done. Some things I could do had become impossible.

Discombobulated, I just figured I must have forgotten how to accomplish what I wanted.

When Charlie refreshed my memory, I still could not do what I wanted. Let me give you an example. I rarely delete emails, thinking I will just do it later. "Later" never comes. So, I have ended up with 100K emails and warnings about my email load.

When I would go down the list and check junk emails to delete, sometimes I would check an email I really wanted to read. I thought I could just uncheck, but no, that option was not impossible. At this point, I was using Win 10, so I thought things had changed from Win 7.

Friday, I really wanted to delete masses of emails from one site to which I subscribe. I open about one of every 50 emails since different computer problems are not things I want to read from this computer help site. I searched for the site on my email site and came up with 16,000 emails from this one site. I checked the box at the top and a check showed up beside each email. Then, I clicked "delete" and spent five minutes waiting for the operation to finish. Easy Peasey.

Do you realize how long it would take for 16,000 emails to be deleted at ten at a time?  For a bit, okay months, I thought I was losing my touch. Many things about computers and operations are intuitive. For some reason, this was not working when I had been using a computer regularly since 1991.

A massive Win 10 update may have been the cure. I don't have to know why because I know it was not me! You do know that Win 10 is a work in progress, don't you? Win 7 was great. I only had about a month of Win 8.1 but was fed up with 8.1 when my free Win 10 finally showed up.

So, it is not me! I am not so old I am forgetful or incompetent. SO THERE!

Your turn
Have you ever felt like you were losing your touch, your edge, when it was not you but whatever you were working with?

Two; Two; Two

This is nothing like "Double your pleasure, Double your fun." It's better.

There are two giveaways. Slugmama has a wonderful giveaway that you can find HERE. The second giveaway has eluded me. If you are having  a giveaway, I will post it here. Just let me know. I am too tired to think. Okay, Carol help me. The other giveaway is HERE. I am not sure if that takes you to the November 10th post, but this is for a vest with many pockets. ScottVest.

I crossed the Tennessee River two times today--going north up the interstate and going south through the woods on the way home. The Tennessee River loops south down from Tennessee and then goes north again to Tennessee. The river goes around Huntsville. Somehow, I always think it is neat to cross it twice in one day and at different place So, I am easily amused. I could travel the same route coming and going. Some days I do.

Once I saw the specialist today, he referred me to two more specialists in different fields. This is wearing me out, but these specialists are not to be found here in this town. There is an upside to living in a larger city. At least I don't live further away.

Your turn
Do you have a giveaway? I signed up for one and forgot where it is. Do you ever marvel at crossing a river twice in one day at different places? Or, does your travel bring you a little thrill over a mundane spot?  Have you gone to a specialist and health problems just keep cascading and the doctors visits take your breath away?

No Dinner For Me Tonight

I went to the church dinner tonight. A printed menu was on the table.

Meat loaf
carrots and peas
mashed potatoes
roll
banana pudding

So, I am allergic to beef and peas. The carrots touched the peas, so I cannot have those. I don't need the carbs in the white roll and boxed potatoes since I am diabetic. Last time, there were only two slices of banana in the pudding. I pulled them out, but pudding was attached.

I am certainly not complaining because all menus are not amenable to my allergies and health. I don't expect them to cater to me! I just left, came home and probably won't eat dinner.  Before I left tonight to go to the church, I snacked some so I would not be famished if there were beef.

The onions and celery are almost finished dehydrating. I may not put anything else in tonight. Tomorrow, I have to go to Huntsville for the third time this week--one day for tests and two days for doctor appointments. I need sleep.

What I have left to dehydrate:
four or five varieties of baking/cooking apples
onions
potatoes

Night night. Now, let's hope I can sleep! If I am blogcruising, you will know I cannot sleep.

Your turn
Do you have allergies that impact social occasions? No, I am not going to carry food with me. It's five minutes from the house, and I won't die by not eating for a bit.

Crying All Night

Sadness, depression, catastrophe? NO! Illness, despair? No! Onions? YES!

I had about 12 pounds of onions to dehydrate, and may not make it. I have cut, sliced, and roughly diced, and put six pounds in the dehydrator. But, the last six pounds may just kill me. This is two 3-lb bags, a different type onion. The first six pounds were a different variety

My nose is running. Tears are flowing. My ears hurt less. I think I heard about onion reducing ear congestion, something about putting a piece of onion in the ear or onion oil. I can see where this might work.

When I dehydrated Vidalia onions, it was a pleasant experience. This is painful. Never mind all the remedies to stop the crying that involve water. I must sit at the little table with a chair.

However, I may just take these six pounds outdoors tomorrow to sit and dice. It's after 3 am and I am done dicing indoors.

There is no outdoor porch to run the dehydrator, so my whole house may smell strongly of onion. Oh well! My sinuses are draining, so maybe inhaling onion odor for another twelve hours will prove healthful.

I may just start on my celery instead of suffering more. There are two heads--a free one and one I paid $0.69. It won't hurt to have them both in the dehydrator with onion since I will most likely use both in the same dish. Plus, the celery juice will erase the onion smell from my hands.

This batch of onions better last until I can get Vidalias next spring. This spring/summer I did not feel well enough to get enough dehydrated to last very long.

Tonight, I did manage to almost slice off a very long thumbnail. Since it is painted pink, there was never a chance I could lose it amongst white onions and dehydrate it.

Your turn
I know you are dying to tell me all the ways you avoid crying while cutting onions. Go ahead. I am all ears and teary eyes and stinky fingers. However, I won't be using any method unless it involves eating chocolate. I won't be slicing under running water or holding a match in my mouth!

Have you ever cut so many onions and suffered?

Hard Day and New Gadget

Today started hard and ended with a bonus. When it is time to go out of town for a doctor visit, I can never go right to sleep. Melatonin did not work. My feet were cold! Finally, when the sun was lighting the sky a bit, I went to sleep. Then, I awoke before the alarm went off and decided to just stay up. Sure, two hours is enough. NOT!

I was going to drive my car and let exbf ride. After a light came on the dash of my car, I decided I would drive his car. After no sleep, I told him he needed to drive. sigh...We went the back way to Huntsville, familiar to me but not to him. So, I asked him to drive slowly. We arrived at the office without incidence and he ate the McD sandwich that was his lunch. I was so relieved he had not had an accident and followed my directions that I was now in pain because of no food.

Instructions were not to eat for eight hours before the test. Another person said not to eat after midnight. Since my appointment was for 12:30 pm and it takes them 30 to prep me, att 2 am I had oatmeal and milk.

Nurses have a difficult time finding a vein. My veins are elusive and roll away. If I have been limited in fluid intake, it is doubly hard. Today was no different. Actually, we could both see a vein but the nurse decided to wrap my arm in a towel soaked in hot water and wrap it in a blanket. That works.

She mentioned they have a light to see veins. I had heard of this and asked to see what it did. She obliged and shone it on my arm. WOW! Lots of little veins and capillaries...guess that is what they were. I had heard about this instrument but had never seen it in use. Have you?

After not eating for over 11 hours and lying flat of my back and not moving, I was famished and stiff. Orange juice and graham crackers, I felt better. Have you ever seen a in a wheelchair sucking down juice and stuffing graham crackers in her mouth, oblivious to all, just stuffing her face? Well, that was me.

I hope my gall bladder needs to come out. Keep your fingers crossed for me. It has been over 35 years since I was first tested following what was termed a "gall bladder attack." Over the years, I have been tested many times, but I have a fine, fully functioning gall bladder....when it is tested. Otherwise, there is pain, nausea, and throwing up.

Then, we got stuff from Charlie--extra produce, juice and stuff. So, now I have a half dozen bananas, 6 Granny Smith apples, a pomegranate, 4 oranges, celery, two bunches of spinach, volume-wise about two quarts of red grapes. There were half-gallons of juice and pastries to choose from. I got a loaf of 100% Wheat bread and yogurt. There may have been more, but I am not getting up to look.

The six bell peppers I put in the dehydrator are done. The humidity here will determine that. The celery bought for $0.69 and the free one today need to go into the dehydrator. I can put those in with the peppers since the fragrance of one won't really affect the other.

Tomorrow, I need to freeze 20 lbs of chicken or bake it or put it in the crockpot...ugh. Right now, I need to make sure there is a freshly washed and dried pint jar for the dehydrated bell peppers.

Since I have lots of frozen chicken, I can taste chicken salad with lots of celery in it. The celery won't be good in a salad once rehydrated. So, it's now or never!

Yesterday. I bought tomatoes and eggs from the farmer's market. Good week!

Your turn
Have you ever had your gall bladder give you problems for years? Did you have it out? Did you suffer for years before it ever was bad enough to not have it removed?

REAL Black Friday Deals

Last Black Friday, I really needed milk or something. However, I waited until about 6:30 pm to venture out t0 Walmart. Maybe it was later. At any rate, I found a handicap parking space and a charged electric cart. Of course, I strolled/rolled about seeing what was reduced for that day.

One clerk told me there were people fighting over the cheap towels. A real fight broke out. I was watching the Macy's Christmas Parade when all this occurred. Oh, yeah that was T Day, but we still had sales early.

Now, I did remember that the year before on the Saturday after Black Friday I found dvds for $1.99. I was able to find the whole Little House on the Prairie set, one at a time with the help of others. I forgot what series I found this last year. I did find a cd with John

I managed to go when there was no struggle for resources I needed. I would suggest that. Plus, on Monday, I think, the whole display was gone. Don't delay.

One year, the display was set up in the main aisle near toys. Last year, the display was smack dab in the middle of the produce section. So, you may have to search or ask for the over 15 feet long display.

Your turn
Do you go out on Black Friday? Do you like cds? Series on cd? Might you be tempted to get out to Walmart for this one deal

Mug Cake Recipes...so many!

I have made mug cakes before. While I avoid the ones with ten ingredients, some are much simpler. Look HERE to find many recipes made using cake mixes!

While I make mine without measuring, these are measured. I never get the same thing twice, so I hesitate to suggest the ones I make.

Mug cakes are perfect because they are quick, easy cleanup, cheap, and there are never tempting leftovers.

Your turn
Have you discovered the magic of mug cakes?

A New Workspace

Since it hurts my back to stand long enough to prepare even one Bell pepper for dehydrating, I was in sore need of another solution. Sitting at the kitchen table forced me to raise my arms just enough that the torn rotator cuffs hurt for days.

I have a small table (about 16X30 inches) that I used in craft shows behind the display table for my cash register. I could put down a drink,  pen and paper, whatever I did not want to duck under a table to retrieve.

This small table is about five inches shorter than the kitchen table, just right for working without raising my arms too much. I do raise my arms doing things, but the time I have to spend prepping dehydrating products was too long and too intense.

When I slice food items for dehydrating, there is always something damp or sticky. The top of the table is sort of bubbly, so I am afraid further abuse will ruin the table. I needed plastic over it. Just the right thing and reduced appeared!

The dark blue buffalo check plastic picnic tablecloth is perfect. I considered cutting it in half. Then, I decided in fourth would work. Finally, I cut the $1 tablecloth into six pieces. They just barely cover the table, so I hope they are not too skimpy. Then, I realized there are four clips to secure a tablecloth in the wind. They ought to keep the six tablecloths in place nicely with no slipping.

I am going to fold the other five pieces and store them in a drawer under the drying towels. Maybe I will secure them with a rubber band and store in a top cabinet.

At any rate, waiting and thinking for a bit caused me to have 17 cent plastic pieces to cover my work space and protect it. I even have spares so that I can discard any piece I happen to cut. I don't suppose plastic comes any cheaper, especially plastic that is fairly sturdy.

My parsimony paid off. A frugal day is a good day.

Your turn
Do you mull things over with cost in mind, shopping until the really cheap priced item appears?

I Found It: Unsweetened Coconut

This ends a ten-year search! Every year for the last ten years, I have called companies, grocery stores, and distributors to no avail. No one had unsweetened coconut. Even Bakers, the brand I have bought for forty-years no longer carried it.

Tuesday night, I found unsweetened coconut on the shelf in Walmart. Wild Oats Marketplace is the brand. The coconut is even organic if that means anything, and is a product of the Philippines.

Wild Oats Unsweetened Coconut has no sodium compared to Baker's which has 40 mg in each 2Tbsp serving. The Wild Oats brand has only one ingredient--coconut. It has no sodium based whitener. It's a better deal health-wise.  It cost $1.98 for 7 ounces.

Since I only use coconut at Easter and Christmas, this may not be a big deal to anyone. I just wanted my unsweetened coconut like my mother used. Of course, she broke open a coconut and grated the coconut meat. I, too, have a coconut on the counter as I opened my own coconut for many years. When I saw Mama used the Baker's unsweetened coconut, I eventually changed over, too.

Mama allowed us to eat chunks of coconut! When I have had my own coconut, I ate chunks, too. That was like candy in a shell.

Right now, I have a bag of frozen, sweetened coconut I got on sale earlier this year, stored in the freezer, the bag of Wild Oats unsweetened coconut, and a free coconut on the counter. I'm set.

Your turn
Do you ever use coconut in baking? Do you use sweetened or unsweetened. Do you ever crack open a coconut and grate the meat? What do you make with coconut?

Forced Molt: Starvation for Increased Egg Production

When I read about this horrific practice, it made me ill. Thankfully, I know what happens to my hens in the backyard. Nothing cruel or inhumane happens here.

Egg producers withhold food from hens from 5-38 days in order to force hens to molt. During this time, hens lose their feathers and the hen ceases to lay eggs. Once the period of starvation is over, the hens lay more and larger eggs. All this boils down to greater profit for egg producers. The length of starvation varies.

The other way a molt is forced is to feed hens foods with little nutritional value. The hens don't starve; they are just malnourished. Malnutrition can lead to pecking, feather eating and further diminish the welfare of the flock.

Yes, chickens do die during this starvation. Chickens die every day in commercial chicken houses, but the starvation period multiplies the number of hens that die.

As for the period of starvation or malnutrition, depending on the method used, the time varies. I am quite sure that no hen is starved for 38 days, so this might be the period of diminished nutrition.

Since I have not yet found the way to copy and paste in 10, I cannot give you a link. The best was about.com. I did read Wikipedia, too, for information.

I need to go hug my hens.

Your turn
Have you ever heard of "forced molt?" Does it make you ill to think of starving an animal to increase profit?

Dehydrating Zucchini and Bell Peppers and Bargains

There are no pictures, even for later. Last evening and into the night, I filled the dehydrator.

There were ten lovely, and quite large Bell peppers. I sliced them into even larger pieces than last time. The pieces shrunk to the size of a pea. Hopefully, these will dry well. They have a larger area but are not necessarily thicker.

Next, I sliced ten zucchini and put them in the dehydrator but on separate trays. I don't think the taste of one will permeate the other vegetable. The combination makes the house smell funky, but that is okay. It smells as good as some of the smudges, even better.

That makes seven of the nine trays filled to overflowing. Since it is very humid here, 100%, and still drizzling, I doubt they will be done anytime soon.

The bell peppers were $0.78 each at WM. price-matched from Sprouts for $0.48. The zucchini were free. I received free bananas for the chickens, too.

Since Bell Peppers are still $0.48. I will probably get another ten this week. I still have seven onions to dehydrate, about 7 apples.

Today, I will cut the $.99 cantaloupe since exbf  like cantaloupe and I don't. I will cut the $0.99 pineapple and share with him and practice dehydrating pineapple.

Your turn
Bargains of food or otherwise? Dehydrating now or in the past? Tell us a story or experience, if you will.

Store Mistake aka My Good Fortune

After I got home from WM yesterday afternoon, I realized I had not gotten milk. So, I was back today after I drank the last cupful since I needed the Sunday paper.

Yesterday, as I perused the shelves, I noticed that 1/2 pint canning jars seemed really cheap. These are the squat 8 ounce canning jars that are usually about $6 or $7 for four, sort of expensive. However, they are good for storage. I can eat right from the little short jar if I wish. Yesterday, each pack of four had a sticker for $2.21. I got two.

Formerly, when I think something is really a good deal, the CMS tells me it just got put in the wrong place by an employee, that is not the right price, or a customer put it back in the wrong place. I have been infuriated because there may be a dozen of the item neatly stacked on the shelf. At any rate, I feel cheated. Even when there is a markdown sticker, I am told it is wrong if it rings up at another price!

A store former store employee told me that they are supposed to allow me to buy only two at the wrong price. Sooo, when the two boxes of jars rang up for more, I informed the checker I knew I was allowed to buy two at the wrong price and explained it again for the person who came to her aid. I had taken a picture of the shelf with two boxes left. An employee examined the picture, enlarged the price, and she concluded that was indeed the price on the shelf.

Today, I went for and milk and the paper. Feeling a little bold, I went back and the same two boxes of jars were on the shelf! I took those two to the checkout and told the person over the cashiers what happened yesterday, and the price was still $2.21, so I wanted these two for that price. No one blinked an eye. Knowing the rules helps lots. I have had as many as three CSMs and manager types come to bully me into accepting their word that things marked wrong, or on the wrong shelves cannot be sold for the wrong price. AHA!

I am not sure why I cannot open the internet when I have Blogger open. I was going to cut and paste the jars from Amazon). I am sure you have seen them--squat. 2 inches high, wide-mouthed, holds one cup.

My jars have increased by 16 half-pint jars for $8.84. That is still cheaper than the regular jelly jars that hold the same capacity. The price would have been more than $24, at least.

Did I really need these? Who passes up on canning jars marked so cheaply? Plus, I was air-drying Tupperware cereal bowls that I use mostly for storage, drying them on a cookie sheet in the cold oven and later turned on the oven. My storage bowls are severely depleted. But, like I said, these can be easily eaten from, unlike the taller jelly jars.

Your turn
Are you ever so lucky to find items marked wrong that should not be? Does WM or another store give you a hassle? What is your latest or best acquisition of item or items marked wrong.

Do you ever melt plastic on the stove or in the oven?