Around this time last year, I was on a 4 day adventure in El Salvador.
Almost 100 hours of being disconnected from work. Rejuvenating. I've been plotting all year for my next escape. Adjanie and Cristian offered themselves up as human sacrifices a couple months ago, assuring me that they would take over the farm AND stay with my dogs. Seeing as I only used up 2 of my vacation days in 2020, this was going to epic.
Hiking in Patagonia or running in Wales. Airfare, camping and incidentals, all under $800. Solitude and a tent for 10 days. Sign me up. Then covid happened. Chance of a lifetime to leave my dogs with two people I trust... vaporized.
Plan B: staycation. I have lists out the ying yang of all the projects I want to cram into 10 days. Recipes all over the place.
I will be filling the freezer again with homemade entrees for all my meals for the next semester.
Friday, Dec 18th was my last day at work. Getting the barn ready, tasks ready, wrapping up accounts... took me until a little past midnight. Then, it was ON!
Too excited to sleep, I made my favorite tea cakes: Madame Benoit's rose geranium cakes. Already sliced and vacuum packed.
Not much to look at now, but I worked on the filling for my French Canadian Christmas tourtieres.
Those meat pies are my kryptonite. I'll spike my cholesterol level for a couple weeks, then return to better behavior. I made 3 gallons of chick pea stew too.
Then I crashed.
First official day of vacation: Saturday Dec 19th... I'm cleaning out the freezer.
Taking stock of all my ingredients. I still have a 1/4 of my dairy cow left.
She's spoiled me so much, I'll not be able to go back to plain grocery store meat ever again. My fridge is full of the necessary ingredients for the first phase (4 planned) of cooking.
Thanks to 27'F nights, the hood of my truck serves as backup cooler for the 30 lbs of carrots, onions, Brussel sprouts and turnips. I do not jest. You should've seen the look on the cashier's face.
The dogs think I'm on drugs, I've been serenading them and reciting poetry to them all morning. I've been working on the 10 gallons of beef stock that I'll need for Phases 1 thru 4. It will take 8 hours, but so worth it. My marrow bones are roasting in the oven right now.
While I babysit the stocks, I will try my hand at soap making.
I'm attempting goat milk, beef tallow, coconut and olive oil recipes. That should keep me busy for a while.
Rainy day projects include mountains of sewing projects.
Tonight, I will be tanning two more beaver hides.
Peter suggests we should partakes in naps.
Maybe later, dude. What else can I cram in today??? A run of course!
On Monday, I plan to hit hard on my 1954 camper restoration. I need uninterrupted solid days to pull the interior walls off, insulate, run new wire and slap on the new roof. Unfortunately, I tweaked my back this week, so I'm giving myself the next two days to work inside, then, by George, ready or not, my back is slated for a full week of camper restoration.
BRING IT!!!
