What's New Friday!

Happy Fourth of July to my American Friends!

We had our First of July, Canada Day  and enjoyed all the fireworks and now I get to see YOURS too because I live so close to the Ontario/New York border.

We have had an incredible number of thunderstorms and even HAIL! Unfortunately, some of the sweet cherry crops have been damaged and the fresh strawberries. Ive been making strawberry jam.

JB has finished the new roofing, the new siding, the lighting on the new verandah...wow..he has been busy but he enjoys working away ...now if I can only get him to do the INSIDE renovations.

I had mother out all day Thursday...to the heart doctor, shopping for "bargoons"...she and IBOTH found some pretty summery things at a resale place..not too cheap but still a good deal..then to the Dutch import store where I got lots of Dutch meats and cheeses for my Dutchmen, then to Swiss Chalet for supper...then to the nursery to get mom some tomato plants for her balcony at the retirement community where she lives now. 

From there, we stopped at my place where I found some heavy clay pots for the plants and some stones to cover the holes at te bottom and some good soil...she handled the long day very well considering she is almost 89 but I was tired ...lol..I needed a nap but it was after 7 pm when I finally got home..all that getting her in and out of the car (I cant beleive how heavy suh a little old lady can be when youre trying to get her up and out of the car or a chair!) and all the transferring of the walker..fold..unfold, stash in the trunk, unfold..here we go again!

My new business is growing slowly but well..Im starting to get calls for referrals and I have my first advertisement in a local magazine!  With the heat I find it so hard to eat...I do get my water in though but I found that I can go all day w/o eating simply because I have no hunger! However, I CAN nibble all day too and have managed to add ten pounds so now Im struggling to get that off.  My knees hurt so much and my legs ache so its still hard to walk.  I feel so ashamed to have gained that weight when there was no need to ...just eating the wrong things....the EASY stuff.  And when I feel bad about that, I do tend to isolate. So Janet kicked my butt and told me to post...so here I am!

Im doing a series of illustrations for a client...and thats going very well and its fun to do too.

Id better get my buns to bed..I have to go and pick up my new support stockings and my new reading glasses Friday and buy more strawberries...hopefully I can find them cheaper..last time I paid $4.49 a quart so that $15.00 a flat of six quarts. I only buy them directly from the farmer so I know where they come from and how they are fertilized. I want to make SUGAR-FREE strawberry jam for me.

I read regulalry but I dont post often...after 2 1/2 years out, I dont seem to have much to post about anymore..all the BIG excitement is over...lol...but I do read about all of you and wish yoi all the best.

Nancy B

 

Hi Nancy good to see some of us oldsters still around. You are always so busy dont know how  you have time for anything ,  does your sugar free strawberry jam do well? i have tried it with Splenda and it seems to come out really thin . doesnt jell like it should. let me know what all you put in yours and how much , i know you do a lot of expermenting ok?    Im like you about the posting but i do read every day.

jan; i haven't tried doing any jams or jellies since wls- i have bought the sf pectin....do you use it? doe sit help at all? or is it simply because the splenda doesn't set right???i need to learn thru your efforts-and nancy's etc!

Hey Margo!...Ive found that splenda doesnt set well if its COOKED jams & jellies..I sure dont know why but I will be seeing how it works with the FREEZER jam.

Just bought the last flat of strawberries today...the strawberry season is so short here!

Jan, I don't find time to post often any more either. So busy living life. However, I do try to stop in an catch up as often as possible and I always enjoy seeing you.  You have no idea how many lives you touch with your wonderful stories of growing things and tilling the soil. I picture you happily in your greenhouse or weeding away or building ponds or smelling all of the wonderful fragrances in your gardens.  Even tho you sometimes don't get a physical reply you are having a positive effect on many people. There are many many who don't post at all. Those who are still suffering from the emotional and physical pain of Morbid Obesity. This is a place they can come to in silence if they wish until they are able to reach out and post.  As the song goes "You light up my life!"  Have a wonderful day.

hello, former roomie, now Mimi, house designer extraordinaire and doggie breeder specialist.   yes, Your life sure is full!   I was reading my new book this evening and smiled as I marked my place with your beautiful seashell bookmark *s*. OH! and I wore my seashell apron while making jam!  see? Youre always near me.

HI Jan!

Well,  last fall I made grape jelly and then I made red pepper jelly with splenda..whata  flop!  It was the kind that had to be COOKED. I recooked it and added sugar and it thickened..so splenda didnt work for THAT recipe...now I have several jars set aside for red pepper GLAZE for meat...lol.

I made strawberry  FREEZER jam last week using "Garden Fare" by Club House No Cook Freezer Jam pectin.     VERY EASY & FAST!   www.clubhouse-canada.com

It turned out well though.  The package says that you use 55 % LESS sugar doing it this way...it also suggests using SPLENDA instead of sugar so I will be trying that.

Nice to see you, Jan *s*

well Jan..I KNOW I replied to your message...where did it go???

Hi Nancy, I visited Niagra Falls one year the first week of July, and was veyr pleased to have the doulbe holiday feeling.  So many canadians were vacationing at the same time, for their holiday.. it was in interesting feeling. I too would love ot know about the sugar free jam.  Maybe your prices are up a bit because of the Hail loss to the farmers?  Please keep coming back. Some of us need all the encouragment we can get from people who have succeeded and now have more normal lives! It is nice to know that someday my focus will not always be on this surgery.

Hi Donna!  Pleased to meet you!

Im in "The Falls" at least once a week of not more..ive lived here most of my life and still love it here...we actually live just down the river in a small historic area called Niagara-on-the-Lake..seven acres here and so peaceful, green and clean!

Yes..the hail and continuous rains did do a number on the berries and today I bought the last flat left at the farm...but it still cost me $15.00 for a flat of six quarts of berries.  The sweet cherries had splits too so I didnt even buy any.  The berry seasons dont last long.

Id lost 150 pounds but not Im stuck..of course its almost 3 years for me..Jan 26, 2006...I still need to lsoe weight. But I have gotten complacent and that is what you need to be careful of...take advantage of the "quick losses" in the first year.