No farmers market for us today, hope to escape for awhile this afternoon.

I ended up with 10 jars of pulled barbecued pork yesterday, one didn't seal so will have to be used.  They look super.  I can't wait to can a bunch of anything.  I find that just the act of using my pressure canner is so addictive I set myself up with more to can.  I can't wait until I have stuff to can so I don't have to make up something to can.  Today, or this morning, I am going to can some three bean salad and maybe some baked beans, I say I had to make it up because I use dried beans to make them.  I can't wait until the garden gives me offering to can.  I will be able to cut my grocery bill down so much.  I have a pig in the freezer that I am going to process this week.  We harvested it several weeks ago and put it in the freeze right away to cool it and I didn't have time to process it so this week is the week.  Hope to get some stock and some canned meat as well as the frozen packages. 

I still didn't get the cheese done so it will be first thing this morning.  I have woken up with the worst headache the last two mornings.  I thought I had slept wrong on my pillows the first night but I made sure I was more even last night on my pillows but have the same result this morning.  My neck is really killing me where my head attaches to it.  Causes the whole head to really hurt.  Iburporfin doesn't really help.  We are not going to the farmers market today, week was too long and hard and we needed a break. I think it will make the girls more balanced with their lives and they will be ready to go for it next week.  Plus mom wasn't up to it. 

I haven't been out of the house for two days so will get out and see if I can enjoy the outside today.  I hope it helps my headache.  Poppie is getting his 6 volt battery this morning so will be able to start his 1957 case industrial backhoe, we checked the serial number for the actual year.  He is so excited to have it up and running.  I think I would like to be outside to see that.  I am not sure I will get out any farther until I can get rid of the headache.  I won't have any kids today, well except for the ones that sneak away from Son, he has to watch them today. 

I am so looking forward to the rest of the summer now that the 4th is past, no obligations and we can do whatever we want to do.  I can't wait to go firewooding, maybe some fishing and some swimming.  We probably won't get to go camping, well except in the backyard but that may be more than enough for Poppie.  The overnight camping really is almost too much for him. 

I showed Poppie a wool picker last night and he thinks he can make me one up pretty easily.  I can't wait if he can it will save me 150 dollars and I can start cleaning all my fleeces up while there is sunshine to dry it and I will have it all ready to spin this fall.  Well coffee to drink, cheese to make and if I can't get my headache to leave maybe a dark quiet room for the afternoon too see if I can't force it to go away..... tomorrow.

Campers braved it, still tired, exhaustion was a surprise. Today we get to be at ease...

I woke up yesterday around 5 after getting to bed around 1 so I don't know if it was the complete lack of sleep or just true exhaustion that set in.  I didn't have a drop on energy all day long and spent a great deal of the day in a daze on the couch.  Bubbles was dropped in my bed around 7, with not bottle, so it took about half hour to get Son to wake up open the door, he requires it be locked, so the girls could get the bottle.  Mokie was in trouble from one and all, she in never allowed to leave her with out the bottle again, she can take her with or get the bottle but no leaving Bubble without the bottle.  Once she had a nice long nap she was pretty good the rest of the day.  The kids ate all the left over corn, well except for the ones Poppie has to cook, some of the watermelon, lots of people brought it so we have a nice supply of it.  I managed to chop the pork up and mix it with barbecue sauce but as I had no energy to put it in jars I had Poppie put it in a the freeze to stay cold until today, no frig room and the pan fit it the deep freeze.  I was a slug and laid and dozed on the couch most of the day. 

Mokie came home from the dentist in the after noon.  Booboo's best friend come over and the girls actually played well together and planned a camp out in the camper.  I had my doubts about the outcome, as I am sure Booboo's friend mom did as well, she has only manage to actually spend the night once in about 10 tries,  not luck this time either Mom got called to retrieve her around 8.  I was happy that the three girls manage to play together very well, maybe having to understand that three is a hard number and they should make an effort helped.  I have just the grands today so that will be nice.

I have probably got about 14 jars, maybe less maybe more, to process today.  I do have to actually make cheese today as well.  I am still tired, funny how you never seem to catch up once you get to a certain point of tiredness.  I really want to go in the woods tomorrow, but will probably have to go get hay, but it will at least be away. 

The Ladies had their camp over, we noticed they braved it with out the lights on so they did well.  I am told that Yogie fixed her bunk up just right, but haven't seen it yet.  The kids were in the pool most of the after noon yesterday and I am sure today will be not different.  The lazy days of summer are upon us, sometimes it is just nice to go with the flow and re energize...... tomorrow.

Today is a work day for most but today I rest....

We ended up with a nice showing of friends and family.  There were about 45 total, so in some ways more than usual and in some way less.  It is always fun to see the mix we will end up with. This year we had some that had never come before and missed some who are usually a part of the fun. Poppie did fairly well for his first time cooking a whole pig.  We is already planning the changes to make it better for next year.  The brisket was good but not his best, he probably wasn't as diligent this year having a new meat to conquer. We had fireworks until midnight so all were tired and dreading that they had to get up and go to work in the morning.  Wednesday is surely the worst day of the week for the 4th.  We all had a blessed time, friends to visit, family to visit, good food to eat and share, and the knowledge that we live in the best country on earth.  We enjoy freedoms that others only dream of having, we have to remember that we have these freedoms at great cost and should never take them for granted or we may not having them in the future.

I have milk to make into cheese this morning, and pork to make into barbecued pork and can.  Yay, something to do with my pressure canner.  I am actually looking forward to do this so it will be fun.  This pork is precooked so that will be a different process than when I do raw so it will be a learning experience.  I have cheese to make as well, I made a nice batch of dill feta the last time.  I let Little Sister and Lady try my chipolte feta and I think they liked it as much as Drama did.  It is a bit hot so is not to every ones taste but a success none the less.

We are not doing the farmer's market this week, we have decided that we are in need of a break.  It seems the whole year has been one thing to the next and we haven't had a minute to catch our breaths.  It seems funny that for people that actually never have to be anywhere at anytime we never have a moment to do anything spontaneous.  We are going to do something just for us for the next few days.  I told the girls that if we can't go camping we are going to go camping in the yard.  We can roast s'mores and maybe weinees.  We will make an adventure in our own yard if we must.  I don't know we may jump into a chalk painting or ride a carousel horse in the darby, who knows the possibilities are endless... enjoy your day and cherish the freedoms you have to do what ever you want.... tomorrow.