Is it bedtime yet?

I am tired and I am still busy working in the kitchen.  Yes, I'm barefoot (except for the socks) but I'm not pregnant.

I have the last of the bread in the oven, leftover pork and bean soup canned, chicken soup started, and my 16QT dutch oven on the stove filled with pork.  I am making that into BBQ pork to can.  Thursday, I am going to raw pack some pork to can for different soups and stews. 

In the middle of all of this today, I had to leave for the monthly La Leche League meeting.  If people show, I have a meeting.  If no one shows, I use the opportunity to work out our next month's budget and shopping list.

Among the many things that are going to be happening Thursday (or hopefully Wednesday) is going to be another batch of soaps.  The last batch is almost ready to be wrapped and we haven't had time to do more.  Then we started running low on gasoline for the generator.  Yes, we need to use the genny for the mixing.  We were hoping to not have to and eventually we won't.  We just need more batteries.  Or someone who feels like mixing for 20 hours straight.  Otherwise it is an electric drill with a mixer set to run for 90 minutes.  It's the only part of the process that uses machinery and that is because I am lazy.

I love cooking with wood.  I really, really, really do.  However, it is annoying having to remember to feed the fire to keep the temperature up.  I know it will eventually become second nature but until that happens I keep losing heat during vital times like baking bread.

Tomorrow is errand running day and I am thinking I am going to nap while I'm driving.  I am tired.  Allergies is what is dragging me down.  Apparently I am allergic to cedar pollen this year and it feels like bronchitis.  My sinuses get filled and is gets down into my upper lungs.  I end up coughing hard and it hurts.  I went to the doctor for this last month so I know what is going on now, but it doesn't feel any better.

Oh, I almost forgot!  Our water tank fell over early this morning.  What is ironic is it fell over about the same time as a couple of earthquakes 100 miles from us.  (For those that have been wondering, the earthquakes in the Greenbriar, AR area is about 100 miles as the crow flies.  There are multiple quakes each day in the 2.5 range with the occasional 4.0.)  We joked about it being the earthquake that did it. 

Anyway, with the knocked over tank, we decided that it's a sign to redo the water tank system as we've discussed.  So, that is going to get set up.  We lost about 150 gallons of water, so while annoying in the loss, it wasn't a total loss.  We still have another 200 gallons or more.

Burning is not happening tonight.  Every time we think it's ok to light the area we set up, gusts of wind pick up.  So, there will be no burning.  Although it is neat seeing trees that are standing, dead, and hollowed out flame up inside and have torches of flame shooting out the top and sides.  When that happens, the first thing we do is look around for when it collapses and make sure it's safe if it falls outside the zone.  Then we stand back and enjoy the show.  I have got to get some pictures uploaded.