Dear Diary 1/19/23

This week I've been super busy trying to rein in our spending on food.  It's been difficult.  I love protein bars.  They are expensive!  

So, I've been making the expensive granola, homemade breads, precooked beans, rice.   Mostly I've frozen a lot of it.  Dinners have been made from these items this week.  The biggest hit I believe was the giant pretzels.  Those were awesome.  The real trick is dunking them in boiling hot baking soda water before baking.  

Tonight, will be precooked wild rice with some vegetables of some sort.   I kind of got to where I hated cooking for a while, especially since the pandemic panic has went down.  

I like old cookbooks, they are fun to look at. Especially with some of the things said about women.  

This one, had a section about the drudgery of cooking over open fire.  It’s from 1935.  Another challenge is finding an appetizing recipe in some of these books!

I did try a chocolate chip cookie recipe from a Better Homes & Gardens Cookie Cookbook circa 1975.  They turned out yummy!  They look very ugly, but they will eat, the 8 year old test subject approved.  Only honest pictures here.  

Homeschool Isn’t for Kids!

Dear Diary,

Today was a typical homeschooling day. Have some nonsensical arguments with my sweet 8 year old, say “why are you up?” 15 times, getting asked for snacks twice as much.

And then you will get the reward, when you see lightbulb go off in their head.  And don’t forget, they get bored with any curriculum quick (at least mine does). They will hate things, then months later, like it.

I’m not trying to scare anyone off homeschool, but this has challenged me more than any job, exercise routine, whatever.  

But, you get the joy of being there for every day.  I know what she’s eating.  I can get all the hugs I want. I know exactly where she’s lagging behind. 

Thank God for lunchtime, I can squeeze in a workout.  Check out Melissa Bender sometime.

After lunch we made homemade granola, tortillas, and frozen chocolate bananas.  Cooking teaches ELA, math, and science. I love real world subjects that teach a lot of subjects in one.  I get some things done at the same time.

Dinner is always a searching mission. We are vegetarian (besides some cheese and eggs).  And reinventing the wheel on a good vegan cheese recipe.  Sometimes it’s just a sandwich.  We don’t eat out much anymore, most places don’t taste that good anymore.  

I am really trying to make an effort to reduce grocery spending.  Like everyone else.   Good thing we have laying chickens.  I love eggs.  We also have a Kune Kune pig named Heavy D (D for Duty).  He thinks he’s a dog.  And he’s part bulldozer. 

It’s time to try to relax and think of something I can crochet.  The stuff is addictive, especially if you can’t stay still.   And TV just doesn’t cut it most days.  

Tomorrow is Saturday. Hopefully I can get to the flea market this weekend.