Rambliness, or something...

[dreamflower]

It's been a while since I've posted anything personal--between the Challenge community, the MEFAs and so forth, I've been pretty much caught up in only posting fandom stuff.

But I have some great news to share! The DH has a new job! He started today--he will be in charge of getting a new hospice off the ground. It's affiliated with a nursing home the next town over--only a 20 minute drive as opposed to a nearly 2 hour one for the OKC job. There are some drawbacks--the health insurance is really sucky, a very poor policy. And his salary technically speaking is a tad less than he was making. But he wasn't earning what he was supposed to've at the other job anyway, and we finally figured out that we were *LOSING* $187 a month due to his commute and driving around to see patients. So while I'm more than a little worried about the insurance issue, I think financially we will actually be much better off. And *HE* will be a lot better off, because he won't be putting in 12 hour days with the driving.

I'm keeping busy this week with helping out at church with VBS. Last year I worked with the pre-schoolers, which was fun but a lot of work. This year my group is older, plus I have several helpers from the Youth Group, so it's actually a lot easier.

And I've had some really nice veggies out of the garden. I took some pictures of some of my harvest, and as soon as I can figure out how download pics on this laptop, I'll try to post some.

As soon as I get some laundry put away, I'm going to try to see if my voice-post thing will work. *crosses fingers* And then I'm going to make a batch of bread-and-butter pickles with some of my cucumbers...

((((((hugs to all my flist)))))

Comments

[shirebound]

That's TERRIFIC news!!!! I'm so happy for you both.

You make your own pickles? Do they take a long time to... um, pickle?

[dreamflower]

Well, sometimes I do. These are very easy to make. They are a "refrigerator" type, and are good to eat after only 24 hours. I used to make a full batch, but now it's only the two of us, so I cut it in half.

6 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 and a half cups of sugar
1 and a half cups of white vinegar
one half teaspoon each of salt, mustard seed, celery seed and ground turmeric.

In a medium non-reactive saucepan (in other words--not aluminum) bring the sugar, vinegar and spices to a boil and stir until the sugar's dissolved. Then let cool slightly.

In a glass, crockery or plastic bowl, layer the cukes and onions. Pour the pickling mixture over them. Cover and put in fridge for at least 24 hours before eating them. They'll keep up to a month in the fridge.

I also have made regular sweet pickles (for me) and dills for the DH. Those take a lot more time. I use a lime pickle recipe for the sweets, that take a couple of days to make, and have to be processed and put up in canning jars.

For dill pickles, I buy the mix made by Ball's for Kosher dills. You can usually find it at Walmart during "canning season"--late summer. Those also have to be processed.

[shirebound]

Oooh, yummy. I adore pickles. My dad used to make 'Kosher dills' in a crock in the garage. They had to 'pickle' for a long time.

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

Oh a hospice! That is so awesome and such gratifying (but hard) work. Less driving means no high costs for gas prices too! Just awesome!

[dreamflower]

Right! He was putting in nearly 1700 miles every *TWO WEEKS*!! It was killing us! And they were never reimbursing him properly--he always had to argue over every little mile.

[tracey-claybon.livejournal.com]

Congratulations to the DH on the new job!

Ooo - homemade pickles... *whines a bit* I'm not usually much for sweet pickles (except in tuna, egg or chicken salad) but you reminded me of my granndmother's icebox pickle recipe... *nostalgia drool...* man - that reminder is making me miss her cooking again...

*reminds self (again) to go have a big glass of cold water and remembers 100 lb weight loss ...!* :)

[dreamflower]

The ones I made this afternoon are an icebox type that my DH just loves, and I haven't made in about 3 years. I got just enough cukes from my three plants to make one batch.

[lbilover.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad for your husband. It sounded like such a grind for him with all that driving and then the cost of gas on top of it.

Good luck with your voice post!! I can't wait to hear it :))

[dreamflower]

Yes, indeed it was! He thinks he's going to really like this one, too! A much smaller firm, and local.

It was easier than I thought it would be! Thanks again for including me!

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

Whee! I'm soooo happy for you!!!! *Twirls with you* That must be such a relief after all that stress!

How do you make pickles? (I'm not interested in the sweet pickles but just basic dill pickles)

[dreamflower]

For dills, your best bet is to pick up the dill pickle mix made by Ball's and follow the directions on the package. It's usually available at Walmart in the summertime, next to the canning jars. Just add cukes and vinegar. They aren't hard--though they take a little time. And they don't have to be pressure canned. Just a boiling water bath will do it.

I love canning stuff, but my kitchen here is too small to make it convenient. You do need a good bit of counter space to do canning.

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever done canning! (I fail at domestic stuff in general which is why this all fascinates me!)

[surgicalsteel.livejournal.com]

Fantastic news!

I think you might've missed it, but I posted fic Sunday evening. :)

[dreamflower]

I did miss it! I don't know how I'm missing those lately! Are you still posting links?

[surgicalsteel.livejournal.com]

I haven't been, because most of y'all have the fic-LJ friended, too. ;)

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Congratulations to hubby! I'm so glad for you all. A 20 minute commute is a lot better than a 2 hour one.

Yum, I love bread and butter pickles. Wish I was there to help you make them and have a little taste.

[topaztook.livejournal.com]

Congratulations to the DH on the new job! I hope that will make his, and your, life so much easier. Have fun with the VBS, and it's great that your veggies are doing so well. I always love these slice of life posts.

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

Congrats to your DH on his new job! I hope it goes well.

mmmmmmm, veggies!

[addie71.livejournal.com]

That's great news about hubby's job. I hope it works out well for him.

[ansostuff.livejournal.com]

Oh, that is great news with the DH and with the veggies as well. I wish I had room for a vegetable garden, well a garden at all, but I only have a small balcony. Homegrown veggies are always the best, lol.

Good luck with the church stuff. I used to do some of that a good while ago and it was mostly lots of fun. :)

[gamgeefest.livejournal.com]

Congrats, dear! That's wonderful news and huge relief off your shoulders. (((HUGS))) *does happy dance*

[lilybaggins.livejournal.com]

Congrats to you and the DH!