July 4, 2011

  • Welcome To Tomato Hell


    TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

    I was sick when I woke up this morning.  I didn't realize it until the Beast started frying up some bacon for our breakfast.  I was able to actually cook up a couple eggs for us both but, when I tried to eat, I almost barfed on my plate.  I told the Beast to give it to the dog (who was slobbering at my side anyway) and barely made it to my recliner.  I have no idea why I was so nauseous.  I even broke out in a cold sweat and had to cover up to get warm.  My hair around the whole head was soaking wet within a minute or so.  I had slept well so I was at a loss.  There went my original plans for my day!

    I slept for a while and, thank goodness, when I woke up, the nausea and other symptoms seem to have passed.  I still felt kind of shaky so I told the Beast I was going to wait a bit before I proceeded to do anything.  In the meantime, the Beast goes out in the garden and drags in....more tomatoes, zucchini and crook neck squash.  He also told me that there were probably a dozen or more tomatoes that just needed another day and they would be ready!  I looked around and thought...oh crap!  I had him get down some more mason jars for me, took a deep breath and set the jars out to put into the dishwasher.

    I cut up some of the zucchini and put it in some water to keep since I didn't have jars ready.  Then I went to tackle the tomatoes and decided to just make more salsa since I hadn't put any of it in jars yet.  I tasted it and decided it needed a little more cumin and a touch more of the hot pepper that I can never remember the name of but it starts with an *A*.  Hey, this isn't a cookbook after all.  I like my salsa with a bit of *snap*.  It actually doesn't need *cooking* but it doesn't take all that long in a hot water bath to preserve for future use.  It only takes about 20 minutes, which is about the least amount of time for preserving anything.  The zucchini and other veggies take longer since they need to cook in the jars.

    So, I am cutting up more tomatoes and I realize that these tomatoes seem to be a bit more acidic than the ones I cut up the other day.  I pulled out the container I had my prepared salso, put it into a bigger container and the Beast says to me, *Do you think that's going to be big enough?*  I told him if he was right about it only being a dozen or so tomatoes still on the plants, it should be.  If not, I had one other container that was slightly bigger.  I just have to wait and see.  I will need more celery and onion to add but the Beast had already figured that out and had checked to make sure there was enough.  Sometimes, he really can be helpful.

    I ate a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich when my appetite reared it's ugly head and had no problems, thankfully.  I had never suffered from any kind of morning sickness or nausea when I was having my kids except for just one time.  I was pregnant with my son, Mustachio, and one of my husband's aunts was at the house frying up some bacon for breakfast for us.  She often dropped by and was a real sweetheart.  She felt right at home with us and I was comfortable with her.  This particular morning, however, the smell of bacon sent me running to the bathroom for the first (and only) time during any pregnancy.  Needless-to-say, I didn't touch the bacon but I ate some soft boiled eggs and toast that day.  The being nauseous about the smell of bacon today just made me remember that day.

    So, tomorrow is more cutting and then I have some serious canning to do once more.  The Beast is enjoying this (of course he is....he isn't doing anything except collecting veggies!).  All the real labor is ME cutting, chopping, stuffing, etc.  **Sigh**  I seriously need a slave. 

    Time to get this posted.  Sorry it's so late but my hands were actually too sore to type for any length of time.  Plus I kept making typos.  I had washed my hands several times and then applied lotion once I was done for the day.  I'm still putting lotion on my hands so I don't have any peeling or anything like that happen.  I should have some surgical gloves or something like it to protect my skin but whoda thunk it?    Love you all and have a great 4th of July!!