So I got the skirting boards painted - a really bodgy job - and my sister painted the walls while I did the cutting in. Ant bought the wrong colour wall paint so now I have a darker colour in my sewing room than I would have liked but it actually looks quite nice. So I had to go to Bunnings to buy new paint, but because it was Anzac day, it wasn't open until 1pm so we finished later than I thought we would, anyway it's all done ready for the carpet tomorrow. I really hope that once the carpet is down and the furniture is back in place, that I wont notice how bad the skirting boards are. I also had to move the dishwasher so the vinyl could be laid underneath. By the time I finished painting then cleaning up then cleaning the chicken coop and having my shower and picking the girls up from Mum's, I was too tired to cook anything other than opening a jar of chicken that I canned 2 weeks ago.

I used my pressure canner for the first time 2 weekends ago! I have had the canner for over a year now and have been too scared to use it, so I finally bit the bullet and canned some meat. I don't know why I waited so long. Firstly, I now have really quick meals and secondly, it was just so easy. I opened my first jar of meat last night for dinner and the meat was tooo tender - I wonder if I over-processed it. I heated it up with some vegies and I have to say that after stirring, the meat turned to mush and looked revolting but tasted delish and i was too tired to care. I am hoping to do some more canning this weekend but have decided that I will try canning the meat with vegies and stock and that will be a complete meal and that it might eliminate some of the stirring when reheating, which is what broke up the meat last night. This will help me eat properly and be much easier for me when Ant is away.

Anyway, that's my ramblings for today.

Thanks for listening
T

This is my first blog post ever!

On Saturday, the carpet layers will be coming to install new carpet and vinyl throughout the house. I am seriously hoping that this will keep the house a lot warmer in Winter, I don't think I could stand it if we spend all this money and it doesn't make a difference. In the mean time I still have to paint all the skirting boards as well as the lounge room, dining and sewing room walls, before the carpet is laid. Thankfully my sister is coming over to help on Thursday. I don't like the house being out of sorts - the fridge and washing machine are on the back verandah (very inconvenient), the sewing room is packed up and in the shed, cos I didn't want the workmen to be touching my sewing stuff, the bookcase is packed up and there are no rugs on the floors so I can paint the skirting boards, which makes the floor really cold.

I planted garlic last weekend. I didn't expect it to star growing yet, but it has poked through the thick layer of mulch - I really hope it survives Winter and that I get a good crop. I planted about 10 bulbs last year and got nothing. I think it was because I planted them in the same bed as peas. This year I have planted them in big pots so fingers are crossed.

Thanks for listening.
T