Resolutions

   So next year is going to be my year to get greener. I've been thinking of ways to practice the five R's better and I'm stumped.
   Last year Jeremy and I wanted to make 80% of our money stay local, and we were doing great until our finances turned for the worse and forced us on food stamps. If I could find a full time free babysitter (dare to dream, I know) I could work at the HUB full time and they would be able to accept my EBT card.
  This year my only ideas are to get rid of the washer and dryer. I'll see if I can come up with anything else.

Drama-rama

So, my dad started some drama yesterday, and I'm still not over it. After me asking him not to buy the girls toys for the holidays, he did anyway. Naturally, given our recent history (that is a story for another time), I told my sister I wasn't sure I wanted her to take the girls to Xmas Eve dinner at his house. When she told him he got angry and called me. AFTER I explained my reasons to him he hung up and I called my sister back. While I was talking to her he called again. What he said to me has me laughing out loud still. He said I was a hypocrite and he prays for my daughters and the baggage I'm dumping on them. Then he said "That's it, I'm done. Don't contact me. I don't care if you die and Jeremy starves. Merry Christmas, goodbye." Merry Christmas, indeed! I'm so relieved, I've been looking for a clean break from that abusive jerk for six months. There you have it, folks! If that's not a reason to avoid someone, then I don't know what is.

Z's

 Why am I awake at this ungodly hour on Christmas Eve? Is it possibly because of the phone call I got from Jeremy's manager trying to find out where he was? He was asleep, and only twenty minutes late to work.
I tried to go back to sleep, honest! The bed was so warm, and Zoë was so cuddly. Instead I started on the chores.
 The chickens were happy to be let out early. I love the sound of beaks on the pavement. I don't know what else to do today though, the dishes aren't out of control, the laundry is almost done. What I need is a sitter and a car so I can go help out at the HUB. I've made an arrangement with the owner (she's my friend, too) that if I work for her a few hours a week I get a gallon of Pure Eire milk. If you've never heard of Pure Eire, you're missing out. It's a dairy that is local to south-eastern Washington and it's heaven. At ten bucks a bottle, there's no way on earth I'd be able to get it for my family, so I really love the agreement. Amazing milk for my family, almost free labor for her.

Chaos

 Have you ever done something so perfectly the first time it seemed easy, but the second time you attempt it nothing goes right? Yeah, that's my cheese making today. Something isn't going well, and I can't figure it out. I set the milk out with the rennet four hours ago, and it is just now starting to congeal. I'm following the exact same recipe as last time, but it is taking forever. I want to get a second cheese loaf started for the food swap in February, but my milk is not cooperating.

 The yogurt I made has been getting better and better each time I make it, though. The first half-dozen times I tried it it was horrible (like a swamp-monster's babies). London has been begging me to make her some soy yogurt forever and it hasn't turned out until today. It set up rather quickly, and it's really thick. Lesson learned: don't use powdered soy milk to make yogurt. It will save you time and money to just buy the liquid milk and make it that way.

  I've finished my Xmas shopping (finally!). I won't post what I got Jeremy on the off chance he actually reads this post. We are trying to teach the girls to enjoy simple gifts, so I haven't gotten them much. London is getting ballet lessons for another year, dollhouse furniture, and an inflatable globe. Zoë is getting a doll, a Radio-Flyer Inchworm, some sandbox digging tools, and a rubber ball. I don't know what our other family members got them, but I hope they listened when I said no more toys. They have enough stuff. Taking them to a movie, or the park would be a big enough gift for them right now.

Elle a fait du fromage

In the true spirit of DIY, I made cheese today. It won't be ripe until about February, but the hard part is finished.

Fresh Milk

Ladling the Whey

 

Still Straining

Ready to Press

I've saved the whey in order to make ricotta tomorrow. I'm expecting one pound of cheese and about a cup of ricotta from one gallon of milk. Not bad!

Silver Lining

So the heater broke a couple days ago, and the whole house has been run on a space heater and body heat. Right now I'm finding any excuse to turn on the oven. Jeremy is going to try to fix the heater, but seeing how he's not an electrician, I don't know how well that is going to turn out. My uncle should be able to help, but that could take a while because he's always so busy.

On the bright side, the lack of heat has kept me moving much more. All this moving is keeping my house cleaner, and that is a win for everyone. I'm sure Jeremy feels better coming home to a neat space, and I feel better knowing people can drop by whenever they feel like it without having to smell my kitchen.

We haven't had a major snow storm yet, but without the heat on, it makes me nervous. Hell, even with a warm house the threat of snow makes me anxious. I really hate the cold, soggy winters up here. After September I pine for California. Why did I move here again? That's right, because it doesn't cost a million dollars a year to live.

Angels

Anyone who knows my family already knows we're poor, it's not a secret. Since Jeremy lost his job in June, his new grocery store job has been less than enough to pay the bills on time. As a result, we've been paying the mortgage at the very last minute for the past several months. It takes three entire paychecks to cover it, and the last one is used for everything else. This has not been easy, and we've had to turn to food stamps and family to help us through. The mortgage is due on the first, with a fifteen day grace period before there are late fees involved. So far we haven't paid it late, but this month it was looking like it would be the first time it would be past due.

Until a friend of mine sent me an email letting me know her family had decided to 'adopt' us for Christmas. She dropped off the gift of $200 to help out with paying our bills on time. I haven't cried so hard in months. Then about twenty minutes later I get another email from her. She wanted to drop off another $200 to 'make sure our mortgage isn't late next month, too." This has been an amazing act of kindness my family will never forget. I only hope I can pay it forward soon.

Production!

I feel like such a super homemaker today. With life being crazy as it is I managed to make crackers, yogurt, applesauce, and bread. All that on top of my regular stuff. Great!

Wheat Crackers:
  Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup homemade (or whatever you use) Italian dressing
• 1 cup water
• salt for sprinkling   

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Pour in the dressing and water; mix until just blended.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as thin as possible - no thicker than 1/8 inch. Place dough on an un-greased baking sheet, and mark squares out with a knife, but don't cut through. Prick each cracker with a fork a few times, and sprinkle with salt.
4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp and light brown. Baking time may be different depending on how thin your crackers are. When cool, remove from baking sheet, and separate into individual crackers.

Crunchy

I just want to take a minute to brag about my tribe. This has got to be the best network of 'Granola' people I've ever come across. They're doulas, farmers, doctors, scientists, grocers, seamstresses, moms, midwives, and everything in between. If I ever have a question or a need they are ready with help. What a community!

I've found it really hard being on the Eastern side because many of the people here don't follow my lifestyle (just ask the guy two doors down with the confederate flag in his window). But this group of, dare I say it, hippies, has really been the network of support I've needed to keep me together here. I even got my chickens from a tribe member.

All in all, I'm so very grateful to have a group of friends to share with and learn from that make me feel safe and judgement free.