Time is on the run and I can't catch it

This summer is about to end soon and I just can't get everything done. At least I have been able to forage mushrooms. 'shrooms are what os eats. I had a target to get 20 bags of mushrooms to freezer, and I think I have done it already. 20 bags means mushrooms once every other week, more bags means I can feed him once a week with mushrooms. They are healthy (they have some fibre), nutricious (vitamins, mineral, protein)  and delicious.

During mushroom season I usually keep long nails. I cut stems of mushrooms with my nails, if I have lost/misplaced/forgot to take with me my foraging knife (happens every day at some point).This of course discolours my nails yellow/orange, so if I have to go to meet people, I have to use nail polish. Oh the vanity!

Mushroom season = magnificient nails.

I've cut about a dozen masks, but not been able to sew them yet. It takes about 15 min to sew one mask. I have all materials here. I tried to fill up my stash with more elastic, but in the fabric/cratf store I realized I have more elastics in my storage than that biggest craft chain has! I don't know if I'm ashamed or delighted.

I let kids choose their own fabrics (100% cottons) and made two masks each. Sys tried his on and told me he's not going to use any masks until it is compulsory - he looks like a communist. Ooookei, I didn't see that coming. But yes, we do have a long and winded conversations about world economics, democratic situations of different countries/continents, and factors that makes this country safe and some other countries less safe - why it is much safer to be a teenager or OAP in here than .. In Mexico, or Burkina Faso or Indonesia or North Korea. And what happens in US if dt gets re-elected or not.

I thought I might not get beans at all, they were so slow to grow. Luckily I have 1kg already in freezer and another 750grams needs to be frozen (I've blanched them already). And - most exciting thing ever - I HAVE PICKLING CUCUMBERS! I've got around ten in fridge waiting to be processed, I think I'd like to have mildly hot relish done. And of course dill pickles, if I get more cucumbers. Well, dill pickles they are not, we don't like dill, but something pickled, anyway.

Have you ever counted how much vegetables (incl. fruits and berries) you need to have in order to feed your family five a day portions? That's 500grams per person per day. Seven days a week. So it's 3,5kg per person per week. Doesn't sound bad, does it?

Thats 21 kilos per week for the whole family!

21 kilos, every week. 52 weeks per annum, that's about a ton of veggies. So if I want to feed my family the recommended amount of veggies, I'd seriously need a bigger freezer space...

If I give everyone 150g carrots every day (which is most likely, because they like carrots and we have them year round), thats over 6 kilos per week, and over 300 kilos or carrots every year!

50g cucumber - 100kg cucumbers.

100g tomatoes - 200kg tomatoes.

100g apples - 200kg apples

100g banana - 200kg bananas

 

My head hurts.

On more lighter news we are waiting for covid19 test results for ys and d. D got sick on friday a week ago. Ys got sick on monday a week ago, and they had tests on thu and fri. They both have been at home. No-one else is sick, they don't have fever (not at all), just mild throat ache and clogged nose.

They will be back to schools once they get their results. There's no Covid in our area, they are not really sick and there's bunch of beginning-of-the-school-flu cases at schools. But they have already lost more than a week of school.

Once they get their results, I'm off to Ikea. Ys's room is nearly done, I got floor done during the weekend. he needs a desk, a chair, few bookcases and a wardrobe. Unfortunately some of the furniture I'd like to get are not sold in net store, so I have to go there myself. I've tried to look around but haven't found anything that fits his room (there are some difficult corners) like those will.

Also d needs a wardrobe. Her room is a mess (teenager - do I need to say more?).

I don't think Ikea has any small bottles left. Pity, 'cos I like them, they're perfect size for Christmas hamper gift liquers.

Crafting, kind of

I'm very frugal, when it comes to buying clothes. I rarely buy anything second hand, because, really, if I don't use facebook, there's no place I can find anything. Clothing in flea markets/ salvation army shops/UFF what ever are hideous (in this area), most times. Maybe I'm just difficult.

And I don't use facbook (neither does my brother).

But in the other hand, it doesn't matter. I buy very few pieces of clothing (mainly jeans, bras, winter jackets and some tops), and I tend to use everything until it's completely useless. And I do patching and mending.

These are jeans I bought about 8-10 years ago.

There was a tear above back pocket. I keep my phone in that pocket, so it's no wonder it's worn.
But that's not too bad, isn't it?

But... Because all my jeans have elastan, ths is what happens, because I'm really not a skinny girl. This is third or fourth time I'v patcehd these jeans, and I still can wear them at home/forest/'Suma-walk. Nothing's showing...

I'm not the only one in our family to have hardships with jeans. I've patced these "black" jeans fo hb several times, this time it was crotch and a zipper. I've changed hundreds if not thousands of zippers ( I used to do mending in a working clothing laundry as my job; I was pretty good in it after three years).

When zipper is changed neatly, you can't notice it. So instead I'll show how I patch jeans - I use as a patching material some leftover pieces of hemmed legs. I always have to cut excess off our jeans, short legs or too long jeans? I put it underneath and pin it. My Pfaff can sew over 8 layers of denim if I have proper needle on. I use zig zag, and patch is always much bigger than the hole. This is because of elastan in denim, if those were proper non elastic jeans patch counld be much smaller.

So that's the bottom sorted out. I'd need some top part, too?

 

I have tons of leftover yarns. Small balls, bigger tangled messes. All same or nearly same weight. Crocheted this time. This is the first version, my sis wants one for herself. It'll be better because now I know all ways NOT to do this.

Other kinds of crafting I have been doing is plastering and painting in ys's room (have I told anyone I hate plastering?)  Walls are done, there's one corner I need to work on more. Only ceiling and floor missing...

And on the outside I have been trying to garden vegetables. This is few weeks old picture, but there's no sense to take photos if you can's see anything among weeds.

I ran out of containers and cold frames.

Storm is a brewing...

Or not. According to weather forecasts we might get some rain, but storms will pass by us through east. Everything needs water right now, so I'm on second day on the row waiting. Yesterday we didn't even have clouds, today it looks more promising, at least whole sky is now yellowish grey.

These hot days (officially +31C, unofficially from +32C to +34C have been really tiring. Old man was in dire need of hydration, but because he has had a weight loss surgery as a bonus, he can consume about 1dl of liquids/15min. So it's been really hard, and they don't have ac at home. And he's having handfull of pills three times a day, it's difficult for him to eat anything after popping those pills... In two weeks he should be off several of those pills, so it should get easier. And being a stubborn old man, he didn't take his painkillers (I don't eat those, I'll make it without) he was sick and tired. Now he takes painkillers nicely, thank you. (His older sister had cancer operation four years ago, and is no shy of giving orders to her little brother, thankfully).

Everything has been busy.

I think someone thinks too much of himself (herself, aren't all working ants female?)

It's been too hot to go for 'Suma walks in to the village, so we have been walking in the woods, no matter how many mosquitoes and other blood sucking critters.

Early in the evening last monday (about 10pm). We don't have darkness at all now. ('Suma is in the picture somewhere)

Ceps are coming along, Not yet edible (or it is, for maggots)

Number One had his 3rd birthday last weeks (oh how the time flies) and he wanted to have a ghost.

I couldn't find any ghost at the supermarket I do most of my shopping (or mega market, what ever) and didn't have time to online shopping. But did have time to sew.

I think this is all right, even thoug it looks like a barbapapa to me. Sorry about childhood traumas, Number One.

Because having a vacation means I have had more time. I've cooked even more, and managed to empty not one but both two laundry baskets!

We had an explosion in the kitchen. I was boiling eggs (like I do once a week for hb's lunches to take with him to work) and heard a loud bang. Because nothing had felled to the floor, I checked eggs. Yep! That's and inch wide hole in that egg! never had that happen before, I mean of course one or three eggs crack and leak almos every time, but this was a new one. Never a dull day in my life.

Weeks 3, 4 and 5, i think

I've been busy. It's the beginning of gardening season, even if we have had three weeks of snow, sleet and frosts. It's April.
I put up my polytunnel two weeks ago, and I have sown first seeds there already, salads, radishes and swiss chard (if I remember right). I hope I can get some harvest before I can plant tomatoes and peppers (and chillies) there.
I bought plant light few weeks ago (it was just before this shut down started) and now my peppers, aubergines, chillies and some other seed have sprouted, so I rigged it with a plank and windowsills to hold it on place. 'Suma is no longer a menace, so I can keep my seedlings in a plastic box on floor.
Second lot of seeds are sown and put up on a tall freezer, I hope I remember to check on them occasionally!
Mental breakdowns are fewer and fewer. Ys has one every now and then, but so far I have managed to get him over them with ease. He thinks he has too much to do (at home school). I don't think so, but my kids always blame me for being too demanding. Last breakdown was because he had to make a totem pole (out of kitchen towel cardboard tube...), he wanted to draw and it was supposed to be made with different papers... Oh dear. Ice cream, tissue to blow one's nose and pep talk later all was well and he spent two hours crafting a pretty totem pole.
Oh, there was Easter. We had roasted lamb leg (it's rarity here, but kids love lamb/mutton so I try to get some for easter), chocolate eggs and other easter stuff to eat. We don't celebrate it as such, it's more like a spring time feast for us.
Work might not have been as busy as it could have been if I was working in office (and I have few days off anyway before easter). Meetings via skype and teams.
Ys's room has been under construction, I've plastered outer wall (with window) and that moster block of concrete that lies in that room (it's in extension which is a half floor below the old house, and because we have non-solid gorund here, we had to make some weird stuctural solutions in order to keep old house solidly in place). One wall is waiting for planks (I'm treating them atm, first treatment is strong black tea for tannines, and next treatment is mixture of vinegar and iron (rebar bars I had lying around). I will not produce even colour, and that's the point - it might end up with very dark brown, or just light greyish. I'm aiming for lighter greysish tones as ys has asked for that, but... You never know, when playing with natural material and not so accurate measurements. We cut the planks and now we only have to wait for that first tea treatment to dry so that I can put that vinegar concotion on, but it will probably have to wait until tomorrow.
(we have mostly spruce as buiding material here, and it has no tannin unlike oak, so in order to get some colour out of iron-vinegar mix I have to treat the planks first eith tannin, I could buy it, or use crushed acorns (didn't harvested then last autunm) or even use red wine, but I opted for strong tea).
I've managed with one weekly shopping, occasionally I've run out of milk or spread a day early, but then we have had just cope without for a day. I've been (my own opinion) successfull so far, even if I don't have a set meny for the week ahead. I have some ideas (like hot dog casserole hb asked for) and then I'm just playing along.
Freezers are not actually emptying, because every time I go shopping I buy stuff I put into freezer: bread, meat, chicken, fish, chips, veggies etc. But I have used some odd items now and then, I hope that in summer I have enough room for berries.
I've sewn four masks so far, I think the last one is very usable, it fits nicely (not too tight). I think I should be doing several now, I'm using them when I'm shopping. Yes, people look me weirdly, but I don't care, I don't want to be the one who spreads covid-19 around. Self-made mask will not protect me 100%, but it will protect others, if I happen to have infection!
I'm really missing number two, I so long for holding a baby. My sister sends daily messages, pictures and videos, but I can't hold her or smell the wonderfull smell of a baby.... My kids are so bid they are not good substitutes on that - teenager boys don't smell like babies...
People are telling in social media how they are spending their extra time now in isolation. I mean what extra time? I haven't had time to write to my blog in three weeks!
My alarm goes off at 6am, then after brushing my teeth I'm off to 'Suma walk, back at 7am, waking kids, eating own breakfast and it's 8am, then logging in to work, doing that until just before noon, making lunch for school kids, back to work, then by 3is pm getting out for another 'Suma walk (into the forest so only max 30mins) if kids haven't done that, laundy, dishes, another cooking time, more work (need to get not only my hours but also my work done), some building/gardening/crafting stuff and then I'm finally sitting in front of telly, and its half past eight in the evening!

Forward

Sister gave birth to a lovely girl on Monday. I had to arrange my schedules to be able to visit them - a good thing they moved here December, I couldn't have had time to go for a five hour trio this week.
My time was limited, because I had to make a working trip late night on Tuesday (and no, I don't get paid overtime for doing these, it's not extra income, it's all included in my montly salary; but I do get back travel expenses).
I was able to sew rocking chair cover I promised, and I was left with a small patch of leftover fabric. I decided to sew a pillow (I nipped in Ikea while on that working trip, they have decent toilets... so bought a cheap pillow to use as filling). This morning I was sewint that pillow cover, and my sewing machine broke! Presser foots (feet?) don't hold on anymore, and I just can't figure out what's wrong. Luckily I know a very good sewing machine shop few blocks from office, so I'll be going there on Monday.
I have been very satisfied with that simple Pfaff, I've been using it for 17 years (I just counted, because to me is't the new sewing machine!). I (or my mother, but I used it) had Husqarna electric sewing machine in the 80's and 90's, I sew most clothing my sister wore as a child (overalls, winter clothing, swimming suits, undies, fantasy dresses, plain t-shirts etc), all dresses I wore at any occasion... We also purchased a second hand Bernette interlocker in the late 80's. Husqarna was a wonderful machine, I could do a lot embroidery with it, and I LOVED the memory function; no problem to make 25 identical buttonholes! but it struggled with heavy fabrics, like several layers of denim.
Last thing I ever used it for was to hem my os's black trousers for his brothers' funerals. Right after that it just turned off and it couldn't be repaired. A year after that I finally bought a new machine (right before d was born, I wanted to sew some things for her, too), but couldn't spent thousands. So I settled on very simple and practical sewing machine which was cabable of sowing several layers of denim (I've tested it's abilities with 8 layers).
So I hope my machine can be repaired, because I think I can't get as good new machine anymore. I just can'n think life without sewing machine.

I learnt to sew when I was about five. My mother had two sewing machines, one basic Singer and one ancient Singer treadle machine (from her grandmother). I learnt to use the treadle machine, it made straight stitch and zig zag. First thing I ever made was a doll dress, long gone and forgotten. Everyone I knew had sewing machines, and used them. My second real summer job was in a large clothing factory as a seamstress, and next three years I worked in a large laundry doing alterations and repairs to work clothing they rented. So for four years I earned my living sewing.
My aunt was a seamstress, she had to retire early because she got byssinosis .