Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Bee, that's interesting about your aunt, and sorry for your loss.

I do believe that if we listen to our body it will tell us what we need. (Mine usually 'needs' chocolate.) My friend who is undergoing chemo says that there are times when her body just craves the kefir and she feels absolutely compelled to slurp it down! Even though DH and I are newcomers to the world of kefir I can't imagine being without it now.

DH is diabetic and interestingly enough, milk raises his blood glucose levels - kefir does not. He can drink it without any problems whatsoever.

One thing I haven't tried yet is a second fermenting of the kefir. Supposedly after the regular fermenting time you strain your grains out and start a new batch, BUT, you take the fresh batch of kefir and add some lemon peel or orange peels and let it ferment for a second time and you get a creamier and supposedly tastier product. I may try to whip up a batch next week when I'm on vacation (woo hoo for vacations!!!).

 

[Denim Deb]

Glad my body isn't the only one that needs chocolate! (Am I bad for hiding it from hubby? )

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to actually "hide" my chocolate, but it's not my fault if DH never looks in the back of the pantry behind the sauerkraut!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Got the evening chores finished.

DH covered the round bales while I milked. Then he offered to feed goats for me while I was straining milk. Somehow he got the instructions mixed up when I told him that he needed one bucket of feed for alllllll the goats. I didn't think that sounded like a complicated assignment, but somehow he interpreted it as one bucket of feed for every pen of goats - argh! When I found out he gave a full 5 gallon bucket full of fed to three goats - I nearly had a heart attack! I high-tailed it out to the pen and was in an absolute shoving match with two stubborn Nubians and one stinky Pygmy buck so I could scoop the rest of the feed out of there. I shudder to think what those chow hounds would be feeling (if anything) by morning if they'd consumed all of that feed..... sigh. He does try - bless his heart! He felt horrible and said he wouldn't blame me if I fired him - but nope - he's not getting off that easy - he's gotta keep doing it until he gets it right. Better he carry that heavy bucket than me!

Chillaxin a little bit now, contemplating having a glass of wine...

 

[Wannabefree]

sounds like my hubster wanting to get fired

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yep - he definitely was waaaayyy toooo eager when he asked if he was gonna get a pink slip. He's a big ol' goof ball. He's asleep in the recliner with his mouth wide open... I should take a picture and use it as a bargaining tool. I swear I try not to be evil like that- but it's so haaard!

 

[so lucky]

You know, I try not to make sexist statements on this forum, because I really appreciate the guys we have on here, and know they are certainly not lazy--or they wouldn't even be on this forum. However, it seems to be a male trait to pretend to be really bad at something so they can get out of doing it. My own dear hubs "can't" load the dishwasher efficiently. I guess it could be much worse. And yes, we gals have our devious ways too. I just can't think of anything I do like that......

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I only pick on hubs because I love him so much and he's such a good sport. Actually, he's a much better teacher than I am.

I definitely have an achilles heel (electronics) and it's easier to bat my eyelashes and act helpless, instead of learning it myself...

 

[Denim Deb]

My son fed the goats while I was away once. I'll never have him do it again. For 2 goats, he dumped in I don't know how much feed (they didn't eat it all) and half a bale of hay. They just pooped and peed all over the hay they didn't eat.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

TGIF!!!! Happy Friday everybody!

Whew...I really didn't want to get out of bed this morning. It's the last work day before I start vacation!! A few months back, before I started milking Red, it was so easy to hit snooze a couple times before finally rolling out. Not anymore. That darn goat is better than any alarm clock. Some mornings her hollering wakes me up before the alarm....geeze.

Heard a distressed squeaking this morning and found a mouse swimming around in a water bucket. I was contemplating how to deal with it when Sadie (the female Westie) took care of the problem. She literally went 'bobbing for mouse' and after a few times of dunking her head under water, she snagged and dispatched the thing. Ewwww!

I put a quart of milk that was a couple days old in the freezer this morning. It's so easy to freeze it in a quart sized ziploc - it's perfect to thaw out when I need a quart for Kefir. I also freeze it in half-gallon amounts for cheesemaking. I'm still a total novice when it comes to cheese, but I've made some pretty tasty chevre a couple of times. I roasted garlic and mixed in with one batch and finely chopped rosemary to blend in for another batch. We grilled pork chops one evening and put some of the rosemary chevre on top right before we pulled them off the grill..and OMG...delish (!) is an understatement.

Deb, I feel your pain, lol. Isn't it amazing that, for goats, hay becomes bedding as soon as it gets anywhere near the ground? Many years ago we raised a calf. He would stay out in the pasture all day, but in the evenings he would come up to the barnyard area and do clean-up after the goats. We practically raised that calf on the alfalfa that the goats wasted.

I'm on a mission at work today. I WILL get through all the stacks of 'stuff' on my desk before I leave this afternoon. It's mostly filing that stacked up during our busy time, but today I WILL get through it all. (notice how I'm trying to convince myself?) I think I can, I think I can....