All in a day's work (or play?)

Yesterday afternoon while at the office I had the dawning realization that I was going to be at home the following day: this is my first week of going back to three long days a week in the office to make my 30 hours, rather than spreading it over four. This is also an attempt to get back to 30 hour weeks (rather than the 40, 50 or 60 that has become an unwelcome pattern of late.) Here was a day at home that I hadn't fully realized I was about to have and my datebook was blank. What would I do with myself all day??

I'm sure no one reading this will be surprised to know that I've been on my feet canning for the past 15 hours. The final canner load has started and I'm eager to call it a night!! I started in the morning making salsa and agree with my mom that this is not a task to do alone. I was pretty sick of chopping by the end of it but have 14 quarts of salsa to show for all that chopping! And I was very happy to do some experimenting which was deemed successful with our "best salsa in the world" recipe to make it possible to make with no catsup or canned tomato sauce. Jason noticed that I was proud of myself!!











It was early afternoon before I turned my attention to the apples that were accumulating in our back room - thanks to Jason heading up the hill to S & M's to pick Liberty apples. We only picked the most productive two of the six trees but it was still a bit ambitious for the amount of day left...Let's just say that when this final canner load in right now comes out we will have crested 60 quarts of applesauce. Jason joined in partway through and made things go much faster until he got overly excited about being almost done chopping and sliced his finger. He's been attempting to help since then with his one arm held above his head, but is now doing the most helpful thing possible - reading Ramona to Kali. It looks like she'll see in the new day as she is still chattering here at 2 minutes before midnight!

About an hour or so ago, Kali was ready for a "bed time snack." She chose chocolate chip cookies, of which we had none! But no time like the present. She had some leftover purple M&M's from her birthday and it was looking like we'd be up for quite some time anyway. So Kali made cookies, with just a little help from me. It is really fun to see her reading recipes on her own. She doesn't often let on but she is pretty much reading most words now. The cookies hit the spot and provided a bit of an energy boost that is now petering out! Better get those dishes done...