Tuesday, September 17, 2019

More stashing, crashing, and dashing

Most of my haul, including some hot peppers

Weekend before last I did some minimal chores for friends while they were out of town. I noticed they have a LOT of tomatoes in their lovely garden, so I asked if they sell them. The wife offered to barter some for eggs, so last Friday morning I went over and picked four small buckets and started processing. I canned seven quarts of tomatoes and a batch of condensed tomato soup (four quarts and two pints), and set the rest aside for Sunday.

Sunday morning we picked up another load of firewood. One of Rick's clients is moving and offered us a good deal on ~3 cords of dry, seasoned wood they had stored inside; couldn't pass that up, even though the woodshed is full! Then while Brian started stacking it, I made another batch of soup (got four quarts and three pints that time) and canned another six pints of tomatoes, using both the fresh ones from our friends and a couple gallon bags I had stashed in the freezer from our garden a couple or more years ago; I also filled a few dehydrator trays with small halves. Sometime in there I 'stashed' some more yarn, finishing this pretty 2-ply spun for yet another Ravelry challenge:


Rick took over stacking wood Sunday evening when Brian left to go to a friend's for a couple hours. When Brian called just a few minutes after he left, I wondered what was up. Well, that would be the passenger side of the Ranger he was driving:

By morning's light. Drivable, but mashed.
Sigh. Yes, this is the second time in one year he's wrecked a vehicle. No, he didn't get hurt (again). The jury is still out on whether or not he's learned anything (yet), if he'll be driving again before the end of his senior year, and if all of us will survive until he GROWS UP. 🙄

Still, life goes on; he had another soccer game last night so of course we went to cheer on him and his team . . . and drive him home.



That's it for now from . . .


9 comments:

Florida Farm Girl said...

Gracious! Sure glad he wasn't hurt. Your tomatoes look wonderful in all their forms. Hang in there.

Michelle said...

Thanks, FFG; we are!

Tim B. Inman said...

From the surviving Dad of 2 red-hot teenage boys: No injury - most important. You'll laugh about this in a decade or two; and embarrass him all the more - but then, not now. You'll get the last laugh. For now, let him buy himself a new 'junker' for school and don't give in too quickly. I survived, you will, too.

Susan said...

Oh, my gosh! That boy is lucky! (In some ways...) I'm glad he was okay but this has got to be hard on your nerves. Those tomatoes look wonderful. What recipe do you use for your tomato soup?

Mama Pea said...

What a wonderful haul of tomatoes! And the great food you put up with them. Don't know how you got ALL that canning done in the time you did.

I know it's no help to say so, but I think I would have "canned" Brian after this second car crash. (No wonder insurance rates are so high for a teen-aged male.)

Fat Dormouse said...


Thank goodness Brian is OK...but I can imagine how you might be pulling your hair out!

Debbie said...

My goodness....you've been so busy with canning, well done!
Beautiful spinning as always!

And Brian....so glad he is ok. The last photo that you posted quite amazing....young man growing up .....stormy clouds overhead and yet a rainbow on the horizon. Things will get better and all of you will get through.

take care

Retired Knitter said...

Dear God!! Another accident! Setting aside the obvious relief that he wasn't hurt ... it must be darn frustrating. If he is not careful, his auto insurer will stop covering him - then no driving for awhile - a natural consequence of accidents.

My daughter had several small run ins with her car when she was a new driver. Our agent (someone we had been with for tons of years) actually called her and gently let her know the consequence of another accident. ... No insurance. She would be dropped. She was shocked that he called her and she was shocked that she might lose her insurance. She never had another auto accident. I was most grateful the agent called her. We didn't know that he did until she told us about the call! Hope Brian is informed of the consequences before he experiences them.

thecrazysheeplady said...

Oh Brian...Brian, Brian, Brian... Glad he's okay.