So we got a new puppy this weekend. Boo has been begging for one since our Lady died last fall. And suddenly I find myself trying to potty train a three month old aussie mix pup and still get everything else done. I'm tired. And I need to let some things go. I have too many hobbies and not enough time right now. So I think I'm going to have to bail on the breadmaking that I love doing. I love long fermeting sourdough breads. I love complex flavors and holey open crumbs and crisp crackling crusts. But um, not happening right now. And thats ok. I'm ok with that. Because I'm doing some breadmaking, just quicker breads. No sourdoughs sadly, because I loooooovvvveee a good sourdough, but I'm doing biscuits for the beef stew I'm crockpotting today, and I did a wonderful foccacia last week that made enough to freeze half for this week. So I'm making realistic choices and enjoying the breadmaking I can do, instead of being pouty about the recipes I can't do. Also my inlaws are coming for Easter, and I'm totally pulling out some fun cool bread recipes for that. :D
I'm also having trouble getting started running again. Suki will be an awesome running partner. . . . in about a year. SHe's too young, and too silly on leash to be able to do that reliably with me now. And, well, lets be honest, by the time I've gotten two kids under the age of five and a dog through the day I am wiped. Last night I fell asleep on the couch at 830. And then woke up this morning at 500. Before the dog and kids. What's up with that? And yes, I could have gone running then, after feeding and pottying and playing with the dog. That was just too much to contemplate too early in the morning. I haven't figured out what I'm doing about this yet, I'm thinking that waiting till the sun is out a bit later and running between the kids bedtimes is my best bet. I know I'll have more energy once I start running, and its great for my heart and health, so I need to just suck it up and make the time. But its hard.
Last but not least, I haven't touched my bassoon since the last concert. Thats really sad to me. I love music, and I love making music. I really need to make time for this too. HOw and when I don't know but I need to. It's good for my heart and health too, in a completely different way. But just as important.
Lastly, reading and crocheting have not fallen completely by the wayside. I have two layette sets to make before september, and I just need to do the finishing buttons on a giftie for an online friend and mail it off. I've been reading short stories and trashy romance and young adult fiction but I love these things and they are great brain candy, so I'm happy. I have plans to start crocheting with wire and beads this summer to intersperse with the layette sets and give myself a challenge, so I'm good there. And there are tons of new releases this summer I'm eager to get my hands on, and I have a whole bunch of holds trickling in from the library.
So, it sounds like I just need to plan a little better for the bassoon and running. Once a week for each of them is better than nothing. I can do that. Ok. This is Tuesday, and I will run once and bassoon once before next week. I'll report back.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Persistance and Peace
Ok. Lets be honest. If anyone's still reading out there its probably my mom. Hi MOM! Yes I brushed my teeth this morning! Now that that's out of the way, lets delve into a few things that have been happening in my life, and a few things I'd like to write about here.
We've all been sick. Ranging from mild illnesses to more serious ones, over the past winter ever member of this household has been sick AT LEAST TWICE. Including B, who never gets sick, and never gets sick to the extent he was this winter. It's been challenging to keep up with that. Sick people explode outwards with laundry for a radius of five miles it seems. B does an amazing job helping out, even when sick, but man I feel like we've been fighting an uphill battle this winter. I will be glad to let the windows open, and the spring in the door. I hope we've seen our last of illnesses, at least for awhile.
Next, I've been cooking more at home. Sadly with the sickies, bread baking has taken a backseat, and sourdough? HA! My poor starter hasn't seen the light of day in months! But thank goodness for Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Using that method I still get to make bread occasionally, and I've been baking more quick breads and a spate of cakes and cupcakes for various birthdays. I still am getting my bake on, just in different ways. I want the kids to eat more healthy foods. I know that we eat pretty good really, considering, but I'd like to get the girls back to the point where I'm not fighting them to eat mixed up foods, casseroles, soups. I've started canning as a hobby. Jams and Jellies mostly. It has been an education. Some batches are wonderful, some are less so. But I am persisting.
Persistence and Patience are a theme for me right now. I am trying to be patience with Maus. She's definitely getting her use out of two already. And she's a more stubborn child than Boo was, so it takes more repetitions for her to learn that no, actually, throwing a fit, or food, or a toy, or a book, will not get you what you want. In fact, it generally earns you a time out, or a quick trip back out to the car to cool off. And she needs that. She needs my persistence. I will continue to expect age appropriate behavior and correct those behaviors that are unacceptable. I refuse to raise brats. This is meaning a lot of work right now. I need to remember this, and remember that it was this way with Boo too, and be more patient with myself while in this challenging stage. But with Persistence and Patience we will make it.
In the coming weeks I hope to blog a little more regularly. It helps me to get things out in the cloud. I think I'm going to aim for once a week. It fits nicely with my goal, which is to in some manner preserve food for future use once a week. It can be as simple as freezing some extra from dinner, or a complex as making and par baking pizza crusts or canning some jam or pickles. Once a week. I can do that. This week was the epic orange jelly that set every which way but that which I intended for it. I had a complete range of sets from orange syrup (yummy martini though!) to orange - well, it was as hard as a rock. I managed four pints of usable jelly after re boiling it, and one jar of syrup, and one jar of, well, I guess I might melt it and make orange chicken, or orange beef. We'll see.
Is it spring yet? I can't wait to get out in my garden. I want to plant veggies. The girls want to play. I'm so ready for Spring. Here's where the Patience part comes in I guess.
We've all been sick. Ranging from mild illnesses to more serious ones, over the past winter ever member of this household has been sick AT LEAST TWICE. Including B, who never gets sick, and never gets sick to the extent he was this winter. It's been challenging to keep up with that. Sick people explode outwards with laundry for a radius of five miles it seems. B does an amazing job helping out, even when sick, but man I feel like we've been fighting an uphill battle this winter. I will be glad to let the windows open, and the spring in the door. I hope we've seen our last of illnesses, at least for awhile.
Next, I've been cooking more at home. Sadly with the sickies, bread baking has taken a backseat, and sourdough? HA! My poor starter hasn't seen the light of day in months! But thank goodness for Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Using that method I still get to make bread occasionally, and I've been baking more quick breads and a spate of cakes and cupcakes for various birthdays. I still am getting my bake on, just in different ways. I want the kids to eat more healthy foods. I know that we eat pretty good really, considering, but I'd like to get the girls back to the point where I'm not fighting them to eat mixed up foods, casseroles, soups. I've started canning as a hobby. Jams and Jellies mostly. It has been an education. Some batches are wonderful, some are less so. But I am persisting.
Persistence and Patience are a theme for me right now. I am trying to be patience with Maus. She's definitely getting her use out of two already. And she's a more stubborn child than Boo was, so it takes more repetitions for her to learn that no, actually, throwing a fit, or food, or a toy, or a book, will not get you what you want. In fact, it generally earns you a time out, or a quick trip back out to the car to cool off. And she needs that. She needs my persistence. I will continue to expect age appropriate behavior and correct those behaviors that are unacceptable. I refuse to raise brats. This is meaning a lot of work right now. I need to remember this, and remember that it was this way with Boo too, and be more patient with myself while in this challenging stage. But with Persistence and Patience we will make it.
In the coming weeks I hope to blog a little more regularly. It helps me to get things out in the cloud. I think I'm going to aim for once a week. It fits nicely with my goal, which is to in some manner preserve food for future use once a week. It can be as simple as freezing some extra from dinner, or a complex as making and par baking pizza crusts or canning some jam or pickles. Once a week. I can do that. This week was the epic orange jelly that set every which way but that which I intended for it. I had a complete range of sets from orange syrup (yummy martini though!) to orange - well, it was as hard as a rock. I managed four pints of usable jelly after re boiling it, and one jar of syrup, and one jar of, well, I guess I might melt it and make orange chicken, or orange beef. We'll see.
Is it spring yet? I can't wait to get out in my garden. I want to plant veggies. The girls want to play. I'm so ready for Spring. Here's where the Patience part comes in I guess.
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