We tried a staycation this year. Instead of running off to parts unknown, I decided to spend my annual leave at home working on projects.
Novel idea for me.
I almost lost my mind.
I finally caught up on sleep, but what an emotional roller coaster. Going from 100 mph to detente, left me restless and very cranky.
Adjanie took over the farm and did a spectacular job... she even put up with me hanging around the barn wanting to be useful for about 5 days.
I can now respect how new retirees feel overwhelmingly useless all of a sudden. In spite of the gazillions projects I had lined up, they didn't delight me as they should have. The dogs loved it, me not so much.
Definitely a learning curve. I was just irritable from beginning to end. Could've been in part due to the fact I didn't have any internet for most of my 9 day vacation. I love peace and quiet, but I had wanted to watch a movie and catch up on some Youtube history shows. Nope. I cooked in silence for over a week.
Once again, I prepared all the meals I would need to sustain myself through another school semester.
Why? Because living off peanut butter and boiled chicken during a past semester sucked. I study from the time I get home from work until I go to sleep. No time for leisure, projects or cooking.
And I like, no love, good food. I don't know exactly when I started this torrid love affair with food, but I remember going grocery shopping for myself at health food store when I was 13. My dad gave me a monthly stipend and I took the city bus with my cotton canvas bags to get there.
I have a deep seated need to know where my food is sourced if I don't raise or harvest it myself. I can't be part of agricultural system that rapes the land and disrespects animals. I love Nutella, but I don't eat it anymore because it contains palm kernel oil from plantations that have pushed orangutans out of their natural habitat. That's how militant I am.
Starting with a clean slate in my chest freezer. 5 months of breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees to make. And go!
The entire first day was spent making the beef stock I would need for many of the recipes. First, I roasted my old dairy cow's bones, then simmered the gallons of stock for 8 hours.
Over half of the recipes come from my friend Helene. For years, she snipped recipes for me and mailed me care packages. She may be gone now, but she was with me in spirit.
Wearing her Christmas apron.
We've all eaten plentifully during the holidays. Peter and I probably put on 5 lbs each.
The 6 tourtieres (French Canadian meat pies) that I made could be partially to blame.
Or the many samples muffins of the 72 muffins I made.
Maybe it was the vats of soup...
Constant daily production...
Until the early hours in the morning.
Get 'er done was my attitude.
And now my freezer is full to the brim. I open it every day if only to admire the work.
The dogs and I ran almost every day.
No matter how many miles we logged, Miss Piggy here packed on the pounds.
As there must always be mud and adventures every day:
Micah tangled with a raccoon. He was choking on his own foaming blood. Always happens far from the house. We spent some quality time together with me using my sleeve as a spatula to draw the foam out of his mouth. I think he'll steer clear of raccoons from now on.
I credit the dogs for keeping me halfway sane. Pippins only has one good eye after cataract surgery. I try to protect it from the Sun. No, I haven't turned into the crazy lady who dresses her cats. Well, maybe...
This I have no excuse for, except it's adorable. Handmade pajamas she sleeps in at night. I turn the heat off at night, rarely gets above 64'F during the daytime . I like my fresh air.
I knocked out some other projects too. I had a bunch of beaver pelts to start tanning.
Tried my hand at making soap. Not as easy as one would think. I ruined a batch of olive oil soap. It's very moisturizing with the globs of unturned oil in it! The beef tallow soap is functional, but smells of wet horse. The best was the goat milk soap.
Tinkered with my Ramcharger only briefly. Did I mention I was irritable? Not good to be crawling on gravel, busting one's knuckles when already pissed off.
Decided an easy crafty project would soothe me. I cursed for hours trying to make light bulb vases.
My staycation couldn't have been possible without the great help I had at the barn, especially during the coldest nights of the year requiring blanketing every horse and complicated water shutdown protocols. Tip of the hat to Adjanie and her crew.
I appreciated my time off, but you've never seen anyone so happy to get back to work.
A Sunday working the trails with Cristian. I didn't think of soap making, cookery or projects all day. Bliss.
