Week of October 13 - 19

 Dear Cindy, 

Happy Thanksgiving. The brined turkey turned out well. 

We're still on strike for another week. 

Monday was spend cleaning up the yard in preparation for winter, and making turkey dinner. 

There was a minor hiccup. The bag I took out of the freezer - thinking was cranberries - was really cherries with pits. So ... I had to re-make cranberry sauce. 

I decorated the table, and surprised the family with a nice looking spread, and we all sat down and took the time to eat and enjoy.

Tuesday was virtual picket and I finished saving the tomato seeds. Gilles and I got a day together to plan the next steps of garlic planting. 

Wednesday is another day off for Gilles. So, more garlic planting with some walks in the woods looking for venison. 

Thursday Luc took a day off of school to plant all the garlic with Gilles. I had to virtual picket in the morning, and helped pop garlic and prepare food for the crew. 

Friday turned out to be a beautiful +10C day on the picket line. Before heading in to town, I made 28 mini-jars (125ml) of cowboy candy using the Pioneer Woman recipe. 

Cowboy Candy

Saturday we headed up to Quesnel for swim lessons. I bought lasagna making supplies for a future meal prep session. 

Sunday is an at home day. Catch up on homework. Practice the trombone for Patric. I have an ongoing LIST of things TO DO. Pretty soon, we'll have to rake the leaves in the front yard. 

I stewed down 8 gallons of tomatoes for canning. These were strained and put in to quart jars. Made some sourdough waffles (these were meh). And pumpkin waffles which is the go-to snack favourite.  

We had the last of the turkey soup for lunch. 

Scalloped potatoes is cooking in the instant pot - on slow cooker setting - and I'll make a ham for supper. 

Week of October 6 to 12

 Dear Cindy

Here's how the week shaped up. 

Monday - still on the picket line with no end in sight. There was a big march/rally on Vancouver Island and the southern part of the island is shut down of GEU and PEA workers. 

In the morning, I harvested the rest of our growing salad, froze the celery for future soups and cut all the pumpkins and squash off the stems so they can cure. The worst thing is a melting, uncured squash requiring cleanup by the back basement door. Gilles left some to melt while we were gone and there are now stains on the wooden shelf we use to store the squashes. 

I bought a used instant pot off FB Marketplace last week. It will come in handy to cook and freeze the pumpkins for long term storage. 

Tuesday - virtual picket day

Wednesday - self pampering appointment and picketing in town

Thursday - virtual picket day. Gilles also had the day off work. We worked hard cleaning out the garden and getting ready for garlic planting. 

Friday - I made a few pumpkin pies and put them in the freezer for future use. I also made some apple muffins for us and the picket line. 

Saturday - Patric is discovering the 'joys' of grade 7 homework. It takes a lot to keep him focused. So we worked on his assignments all day before driving him to a friend's house to sleep over. 

Sunday - This is the first time I'm brining a turkey. It's not often we get turkey as we normally have a lot of food. 

September 29 - October 5 Week

 Dear Cindy, 

I think we're finally finding a routine. Sort of. 

The strike escalated after the stat holiday. 

Luckily, we have a relatively low cost of living, and have savings, and know how to budget ourselves for the significant reduction of my income while on strike. I feel for the families where both partners work for the government and those just starting out, and those who live in a high rental/mortgage situations.... 

Monday is no school. So the boys plus one went swimming while I walked the picket line. 

I baked two loaves of sourdough and gave one away. 

I made some poached eggs and toast for breakfast. Minus hollandaise sauce. I've never been good at making that. 

I made up a batch of hamburger soup with venison from last night's taco dinner. 

I put a pork leg roast in the slowcooker so we have a supply of ready to eat meats for our egg sandwhiches lunches. 

Tuesday is a holiday so it's heavy garden chores with help. We need to: 

• harvest carrots, wash and put in buckets of soil for winter
• harvest potatoes, dry and bring in to cellar
• bring in the pepper plants
• bring in the cabbages
• remove the broccoli row
• take down the wall of green beans and harvest them for winter dried beans
• remove all the weeds from all the sections of garden
• pull out the cucumber plants
• eat all the salad that still remains

and I'm sure I'm missing some jobs.

Wednesday is picket and chess club and baseball

Thursday is virtual picket and garden chores

Friday is picket and tae kwon do and board game clube

Saturday is swim lessons, weight/strength coaching and the haunted corn maze

Sunday we got our killing frost. The boys are headed to a neighbour to help with pulling in their garden. 

Good week over all. Still lots to do before the ground freezes hard. Apples on the tree and beans to dry and store.