Today, because of the heat, PH opted to take a break in the afternoon and pick up the siding to complete two walls of my pantry. This will allow me to start getting organized. I am so excited, I will finally be able to SEE what I have, and what else I will need. It will be a busy week getting things moved from the cabin-tainer into the house. I will take a picture of the "before" and "after" of the pantry and post later.
We sold our final buckling to a 12 year old boy who is in FFA and will be showing him. I am so happy for both of them. The young man was very excited to get Ares (his mother is Hera).
I asked PH to rest tomorrow, since it is Sunday, but he is anxious to get the windows put into the kid's rooms. It is supposed to be hot tomorrow too (85) and he is working on the south side of the house. He plans to work on the siding in the early morning, then inside on the windows. It is truly amazing how much cooler it is in the house with the doors and windows open, then the container. It's a HUGE difference, even without AC!
PS#1 and his grandfather have finished the chicken coop for my MIL. I will be providing 3 hens and a rooster for her, and we will be ordering more to raise. I also am finalizing my turkey order, plus another order for the Freedom Rangers (meat birds).
We have provided several meals at the community center this week. Many in our community take hot meals in the evenings for the storm victims, volunteers and relief workers. This week I used a venison roast I was given and cooked it along with onion soup mix in the crock pot all night. Man! it smelled so good! I added potatoes in large chunks and a pint of carrots I had canned recently. I also added several teaspoons of my Watkins Beef Soup/Gravy Mix, salt, pepper. I had rave reviews from the workers, they really enjoyed it. I am so glad.
We also had a casserole night where our home school co op provided the meal. I made homemade mac n cheese (my mom walked me through it), and roasted one of my Freedom Ranger chickens. I brushed it with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and rosemary. I stuffed the cavity with apples and onions, and cooked potatoes and carrots around it. It was beautiful. I wanted to take a picture of it, it looked that good. Don't now how it tasted though ;-).
Yesterday, I cooked a 20 lb turkey in the roaster all day (6 hours). It smelled wonderful in the cabin-tainer! Though it was way too hot to roast a turkey. I spent most of the day in the house to keep cool. PD#1 and I took the turkey and a big pot of corn. Today, I simmered the turkey carcass all day. This evening I poured the broth in a big pot and set in the fridge to hopefully can asap. I picked through all the bits and pieces of meat left, discarding bones and yucky bits. I had a pot full of meat left! I think I will make turkey pot pie and take it up to the community center on Monday, IF they still need hot meals.
I feel like I am not doing much to help. I can't physically do much and I need to care for the kids, so cooking is my way. Though PH said there is a limit, and I need to step back and lets others do their share. So after the pot pie, that will be all that I can provide.
Well, not stocking up this week for me, money is going towards the house, and I am getting the pantry in order. Have a good week!
