Random Revisited
ByI often have random things to share with you but usually only get as far as “writing them in my head” while I wash the dishes. You have no idea what kinds of amazing random pieces of my life you have missed out on. Consider yourself blessed that more of these random thoughts never actually make it to the site.
Here’s what I managed to get written for you this week:
**Several weeks ago, one of my readers asked for my shoe size. She then lovingly hand made me some beautiful slippies for my poor frigid feet. How cute are these?
Thanks Susan!! My feet and I LOVE these! And no, I don’t normally walk around with my pant legs rolled up…I just needed to get a good picture of the feet.
**Going along with the whole “I need to be warm” theme, I broke down and bought myself some new warm jammies a couple of weeks ago. They are thick and they are fuzzy and they make me feel peaceful and cozy. I found it hard to decide which pair to get, but let’s just say I didn’t get the ones with Betty Boop all over the pants.
The reason I needed new jammies is because I only had two pairs and one of them I’ve had for years and they are completely falling apart. Pitiful.
When Malachi saw my new jammies he exclaimed with happiness then asked why I got new ones (cause it’s a big day when anyone gets something new around here). I told him it was because my old ones were falling apart.
He then suggested that perhaps we could have just tried to fix the old ones with duck tape. It was, after all, the material we had used to fix his sword that had been falling apart two days ago. According to my children….duck tape is the ultimate tool to fix all things that are falling apart. Now why didn’t I think of that?
**I normally order my wheat from Azure Standard, but their supply has been low, throwing me into a whole wheat bread and tortilla panic. I was very happy to discover that a friend of a friend was planning to order a truck load of wheat and other grains, then divvy it up among a bunch of people. Ooh! Count me in as one of the people! I ordered ten-50 pound bags of hard white wheat (for an amazing price)…enough to get me through one year. It occurred to me later that in just a few weeks, I will have a whopping 500 pounds of wheat in my house at one time. That, my friends, is a lot of wheat.
**Asa needed some of his clothes from the storage bins we keep in the attic. I had no idea I had been so traumatized by the bird flying into the face incident…but I really had a hard time opening the attic door and walking up the stairs this time. Do you think there is a support group for Freaked Out Moms With Attic Issues?
**There have been two stray cats wandering around our yard for the past couple of weeks. One night I was busy working at the computer only to be interrupted by psycho kitties fighting in the snow pile that is my garden. You know what fighting cats sound like right? I jumped straight up from my chair thinking that there were two tiny sick babies dying a horrible death right outside my window. Horrible I tell you. It was enough to bring all four of my wide eyed boys out of their beds and down the stairs to see WHAT in the world was going on outside. “Don’t worry,” I comforted my kids. “There are not dying babies in our yard, just a couple of silly cats duking it out in the garden. One of them will win eventually. Just throw out a couple of light sabers for them and go back to bed.”
Anyone have anything random they just can’t help but share?
Laura,
I am interested in where the wheat is coming from. I didn’t know Azure was running low. I just ordered some rye today. Hopefully they aren’t low on that.
Kris
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Laura Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 10:30 am
The wheat is Wheat Montana. Apparently you can order it by the truck full…I don’t know the details. Azure was low the last couple of months, but I noticed that I was able to order it again yesterday, so maybe they found another source? I HOPE so!! I bet their rye supply is fine. It’s the hard white wheat I know they had a smaller crop of last year.
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Kris Mays Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Aha. I hear wonderful things about their Prairie Gold. Please let us know how you like it.
Kris
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Andrea Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 1:05 am
My mother ADORES Prarie Gold and that is what I am starting to use with my bread making. It seems great so far!
wowza, that is ALOT of flour! I have one 50 lb bag and I thought that was alot. hehe!
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I am new to reading your blog but when I saw you post about the bird in the attic I had to tell you about our bat scare. I few months ago my three teens and I were sitting in the living room watching tv. It was about ten o’clock at night. Anyway all of a sudden a bat came flying around the corner from the kitchen. I have never been so scared in all my life. Two of the kids went in the kitchen and grabbed dish towels while the other one grabbed the broom. They managed to get the bat out the back door. So about 10 minutes later we are sitting back in the living room trying to calm down and out of nowhere another back come around the corner. We managed to get that one out of the house. After that we decided to call it a night and go to bed. Two days later I was in our bedroom and I was getting ready for bed and I keep here fluttering noises. Sure enough, another bat. This time while I ran out of the bedroom my husband opened th window and assured me that he got rid of it. Two o’clock in the morning the same bat woke us up from its hiding place under the bed. This time I nade sure it went out the window. Sorry this is long I just thought you enjoy the story.
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Laura Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Eew, Eew, EEW!!! Great (horrible) story!! :)
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Jen B Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:08 am
OH MY GOSH!!! I just got the willies from that. bluahhhh!!!! That is horrible.
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I totally do what you do. I write up blog entries in my head that never do make it to the computer :)
Random? That’s me all over.
My 5 yr old is sooo like me the way he thinks and talks and sometimes he will say something and totally throw my husband off. I am like,”oh yeah, I know what you mean”.
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I just read the above comment from myself. Geez, I sound like such a valley girl! Totally!
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Laura Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 10:31 am
Dude, I totally talk like that too. :)
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I love those slippers! Any chance of getting the pattern for them? At thr rate I knit or crochet I will have them in time for winter!
Julie in Australia
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Hi Laura! LOVE your slippers! I know that no question asked is dumb, but… what is beef cube steak? Is it just any kind of steak cut up into cubes? My son’s mouth fell open when he saw the picture and asked if we could have chicken fried steak strips, peas, and apples for dinner one night? I told him I thought those were potatoes, but he said apples would be better. So, we’ll just have it with potatoes AND apples (and peas, of course)! And gravy. And biscuits. YUM!
You can reply here or email me with the answer to my most profound question (ha)! Thanks so much!
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Laura Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 10:33 am
Cube steak is also called round steak or tenderized steak. (Does that help?) I’m not sure how else to describe it.
They are potato wedges, by the way. But yeah, I noticed that in the picture you can’t see how they were golden brown so they VERY MUCH look like apple slices!
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Kris Mays Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:32 am
When you see it at the store, it is the cut that looks like it is scored in both directions.
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Danielle Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:56 am
I thought they were sliced apples myself!!!
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Christine in Snowy This Morning Irving, Texas! Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Thank you so much, Laura, (and Kris Mays too!).
It’s on the menu plan for next Thursday! Apples (and potatoes) too!
Everyone have a great rest of the week.
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Laura, Those slippers are adorable! I hate for my feet to be cold, so I walk around with slippers on my feet all winter long! I bet those are comfy.
The main thing I have to share is my son had surgery this morning. He is home and safe now. He is sleeping.
And good luck with all that wheat! I am sure you’ll be posting lots of yummy recipes with it. Your site is my main site for recipes. I have to alter all of them, due to food allergies, but the ideas almost always come from you!
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Here is one more request for the slipper pattern. I love those. I always have one or more knitting patterns going. I’ve been having trouble with my wheat bread rising. I’m using Montana Prairie Gold Hard White Wheat but my loaves never rise like yours. Any suggestions? I just ordered Vital Glutten and Dough Enhancer from http://www.countrybaker.com run by Denise Fidler which is a great website for the baker.
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Laura Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
I’m not sure. I have used Montana Gold Hard White Wheat before and loved it. Everyone’s bread will rise differently depending on the climate. Maybe that’s the deal?
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That IS a lot of wheat. WOW!! I can’t even picture 500# of wheat looks like. Do share a photo with us when you get it please.
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Danielle Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Agreed!!! I MUST see that! and hey, if you want to unload any, I’ll buy some! (obviously I’d pay for shipping lol)
Laura, how are you going to store it? Will it be ok for a year?
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I’d love the pattern for those slippers also! :)
We have bats in our house about once or twice a year in the summer. Once we got one when my husband was gone on a business trip. I had to call the neighbor to come over and catch it. He and his wife came over in hunting hats. It was funny, but only because I didn’t have to be the one catching it!
Another question, I’m wondering why you get hard white instead of soft white? I hear that soft white is easier, or did I get that wrong? I’m planning on getting a grain mill soon and would love to learn from other people’s experiences rather than making so many failures on my part! :)
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Lois Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
I use the hard wheat to make bread, and the soft wheat for cookies,
cakes, tortillas. Bread loaves need “sturdier” wheat (I remember
“hard”) and the soft pastries need soft wheat. I just haven’t been
able to decided if there is much difference between red, or white,
spring or winter. I just go by hard and soft.
Happy flour grinding adventures! Oh, I also mix other grains in my
wheat (like pinto beans) for extra nutrition. I may use a little
spelt, kamut, rice or whatever I have on hand.
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Laura Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
I use hard white for EVERYTHING just because it’s easier…but lately since I haven’t had a good supply of hard white, I’ve been getting soft white and using it for all of my grain products except yeast breads. Soft white doesn’t work for yeast breads, only cookies, muffins, quick breads, pancakes, tortillas…things like that.
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Dawn Norman Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Ah-ha! Maybe that’s why my attempts at a whole wheat yeast bread are so heavy and dense! I’ve been using soft white (pre-ground). They haven’t tasted horrible, just heavy and dense. I’ll get some new flour and try again. :)
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I thought of 2 stories about my mother while reading your post today. First, my mom LOVES duct tape. She uses it for so many things. Whenever she mails something to any of her kids, she puts duct tape on the package. My sis lives in northern NH and one day was at the post office. She was walking out the door and the clerk yelled for her to wait because the truck just pulled in and they could see some duct tape on a package..sure enough, it was from my mom!
second, the whole ‘bird in the attic’ thing: my mom, brother and I were in the garage attic looking for something one day and she picked up what she thought was a squirrel tail hat and said “who’s was this”…she then realized that it was a dead squirrel. My brother and I had to practically carry her down the stairs. She never went up there again!
BTW: Love your blog!
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melanie Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
l.o.v.e. those stories about your mom! She must be a real gem =)
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Laura Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Okay, the squirrel tail hat is KILLING me. I’d never go up there again either!
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I just have to share the most magical thing that is happening here in North Texas. We have almost 4 inches of snow!!
I know that to you Kansas and Nebraska people -that is NOT very much and NOT something to get excited about,BUT….. having it here means school closings, warm fires, hot chocolate, snowmen, snow angels, and lots of baking! WOO HOO! Best valentine’s present!!! It is just beautiful!!!
God creates magical, beautiful scenery! (among other wonderful blessings!) <3
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Michele M. Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Shelly, I agree with you. We got about 3 inches here in Southern Illinois earlier this week. I walked across our yard at 5:30 a.m. The moonlight on the snow made it sparkle. Beautiful! God is so good to give us so much beauty. I love having my children at home when school closes. It’s kind of a rare treat here, too, but I’m sure it happens more often for use than it does for you!
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Wow, Laura. I only have room for 350# of wheat berries, and I much prefer 200# on hand. You must have an awesome space for bulk food storage! My source is only ~40 miles away for Wheat Montana, so a couple trips each year isn’t a problem.
Duct taped pajamas – that would be a hoot! Maybe it would work on flannel sheets as well then? :o
RaNdOmlY yours,
somewhere east of you in the Great Plains snow drift
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Thought your sons might get a kick out of seeing that you CAN make clothes out of duct tape. http://www.duckbrand.com/Promotions/stuck-at-prom.aspx My little sister went through a duct tape phase, she made wallets and purses and slippers, and lots of other things too.
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My(almost) 5 year old is just like yours! He actually brought another boys toy home from school because it was broken. He told the boy “my daddy can fix it.” When my son told his dad the story he asked, “Where’s the duct tape? I need you to fix Justin’s bike.” I was laughing so hard!
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Tee hee, I had to laugh at the idea of tape covered pjs! Funnily enough, a church near us has a sign saying “some people use duct tape to fix everything…God used the cross” – I had been wondering who these duct tape fixers were and now I know!
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I think I need the same support group for the bird thing! I’ve always had a problem with birds. They’re okay as long as they stay on the ground, but when they start flying above my head, I can’t handle it!!!
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I just have to say that you are really funny. You sound like a fun, creative mom (just read your apple pie for breakfast post!) Go Laura!
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I just came over from your frugal-not-poor post and had to laugh because I DID buy the jammies with Betty Boop on the pants (and shirt too)–and they make me so happy! I hope your new (Boop-free) jammies make you just as happy. :-)
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