Freezer brag and upcoming days

 Yesterday I did it. Emptied the chest freezer, de-iced it my way. I never do that open the drain, catch the water thing. I just chip gently then finally lever huge sheets off using a spatula. It's very pleasing.

And the result is in fact a lot more room inside there.

This situation was helped by making several bags of stock material and reducing them to stock ready for soup

 Likewise the fridge freezer. I seem to have found a lot of outdated items. I did keep one container of dye, black walnut, because the nuts are much less plentiful at the moment.

I found one new situation, about making yogurt. The old fridge ran very warm on top, perfect for proofing bread and making yogurt. The new one works better, and the top is cool. Not good for yogurt 

The stove is electronic ignition, no pilot light. The stove light is led, doesn't emit heat. Oh. So I set the stove at its lowest temp 170°f, a bit high for leaving  all night, set the yogurt jar wrapped in its usual emergency blanket, turned off the stove after a couple of hours, left it shut all night. And this morning I got pretty good yogurt. 

All this is displacement activity because tomorrow is a doubly significant day. Handsome Son's birthday and Handsome Partner's twelfth anniversary.  

We celebrated HP on his birthday in June, so whenever Handsome Son is free, he'll let me know, we'll celebrate his birthday. I did a chocolate cherry cake for HP, so I won't repeat. I think a plum crumble is the plan.

 I'll bake it today and it will freeze till needed. 

A handmade card, a hand signed check (!) his usual birthday gift, and I think he'll be happy. He's getting to the age where you're less thrilled about each successive birthday, I notice.

This morning recalls to me the long ago final ob visit, where he declared at least a week to go, baby's head not engaged or even close. Yeah. Water broke that evening, sudden emergency situation, nemmind the details, but nobody got any sleep that night. 

We all survived to tell the tale, though I was too weak to hold my baby, couldn't lift my arms. The nurse held him to me instead. He was fine! So happy though, such a rush to meet this lovely little boy who'd been kicking my ribs mercilessly for months.  Starting as hyper as he went on! Fittest member of the family. 

Happy day, everyone, especially August birthday people, you Leos! Here's birthday flowers for you

Making good use of an expectedly quiet day

Happy Easter to people who celebrate it, and since Handsome Son is working, I decided I might as well make use of the day. Most cooking is already prepped in case we were dining today.

So I did a lot of work cutting and hanging and dyeing warping yarn, as seen at https://beautifulmetaphor.blogspot.com

Then, since the dyeing emptied a lot of materials from the freezer, I finally, after three years, defrosted it. In time for the farm market season.

Another day I'll organize the other freezer, and no doubt find all kinds of flavoring and makings for stock and herbs and things I've been tossing in for ages.

Another day, that is.