The number always varies

 After several days of 8, 9 and some a bit higher number of 'readers', I am surprised to see a 22 on yesterday's post.  Do people just scan words in google and see what comes up to read a blog and comment on it at times?  No comments today, but I found the number interesting.  I write more for my oldest son, than for anyone else, I think.  He knows more about me than anyone does,  How? Because he reads what I write and I ramble in here about everything. Well, most everything.

My oldest son did bring a smile to my face last night. I always love hearing from him.  But I was amused when he txt'd me that his best buddy, whom I have met, said he wanted some of my pickles and jam I made.  So of course I said sure!  Then a little later I noticed that he also wrote that several others were wanting some too. Everyone wants free stuff and everyone wants home made stuff, right?  I didn't respond.  Not that I didn't want to make it and give it away, but it does take a lot of time to do, and it does cost for the jars, and for the products that go in them.  Happy to do it for this friend though, and if my son asks specifically for someone, I will do it for him.  Why do I do it?  Cause I love my son, and because I love to cook and bake.  I love trying new recipes.  

So - yes, I did work on the pickles last night and I'm not too sure about them.  They really are too small to 'slice', and cutting lengthwise they look odd, but I do have a few jars of those.  I can use up more cucumbers by slicing them.  But last night I just cut in half the mini cukes and put in the jars - and then heated up the 'brine' and poured over them.  It's weird how they float to the top. I'd suggest shaking the jar before opening it and getting the turmeric I put in it mixed in with the rest of the liquid.  Did 4-5 jars that way, I think.  Three jars did not seal so they are sitting in the refrigerator.  May check with the neighbors and see if I can give the rest of the mini cukes away - I think I have nine packages that I haven't opened yet.

I made a beeline to Walmart yesterday after watching church online.  I didn't spend as much as I thought I did - which is a good thing - and I bought two more cases of jars.  The cases have really gone up over the years - Ball jars are $19.99 a case of 12 now most places.  I did grab Walmart's off brand and I think they were $15.99 - $4 is $4, right?  I give them away as part of the gift so breaking up the price it isn't much, but continuously buying jars and giving them away gets expensive.  Plus, I will be making some salsa for gifts too - which I can't make until the week before Christmas. Got to make sure I have jars for that.  I have another salsa recipe that is really good so I may make some of those as well - and let people choose which one they want.  Still have so much I want to make and bake!  But just not a lot of time to do it.  I definitely do want to make more jam.  The batch I made last night only make 2 1/2 pints - and it took 2 cups of cranberries and 2 cups of strawberries (cut up!).  I do want to try and make at least one more batch today.  I can put it on the stove as I'm working and just run back and forth and check on it.  

I meet up with my boss and my favorite doctor (who delivered two of my grandchildren) and a former CFO I worked with for breakfast next Saturday.  I'll take something to my boss, but she will get the most of her things in another month.  The other two I probably will not see again 'this year' so will take them bread and pickles, and maybe jam, if I have several jars made.  I love this doctor; his wife always emails me how much they love my bread and pickles.  The CFO?  When I gave pickles to her when we worked together - she would sit and eat the entire pint of pickles for lunch!  Always cracked me up.  She loves taking my cranberry pumpkin nut bread and slices it lengthwise and puts in the toaster oven - then either butters it or puts cream cheese on it.  Sounds good, doesn't it?  I haven't done that, but it sounds good.  In fact, I generally eat very little of the bread - I love to bake it and give it away.  I want to bake some 'regular' bread and give away this year too - but don't know if I will have the time.  It all takes work and time and money, but I love doing it.  

Sitting here thinking of all the years I have been making salsa and pickles and giving away - and some have even bought them!  I think I used to sell them for about $5 a jar - and I remember one Christmas that extra money helped a lot.  Never did sell a lot, though.  Most don't like the 'sweet' taste in the salsa. I remember one year a girl asked for a jar and said her husband was allergic to garlic so could I make it without the garlic.  Well, I did, but don't recall hearing how it went over.  Another guy I used to work with wanted pickled cauliflower - and I did make it.  And he loved it.  You can pickle just about anything, I think.  But I think I'll stick to the pickles.  Just not sure how these mini-cukes ae going to go over.  I didn't add onions to them - so if one has a fork, they just pull out a chuck of pickle at a time and eat as a snack, I'm guessing, or drain the jar and set them out on a tray.  

I did not get any wrapping done yesterday, but after doing some canning all afternoon, sat down and watched a couple NCIS episodes on ION and then watched a Christmas movie on Up Faith and Family. All the while I was sitting and crocheting.  Oh, I was not real happy at Walmart yesterday.  They have basically done away with their sewing section and their yarn section. I walked all over the store looking for that area - and when I 'accidentally' found it - the lace that I was wanting to finish the quilt with - they had none.  What lace they had was not what I was wanting.  I'm hoping I can 'run away' for lunch today and head to JoAnn's late morning and get the lace that I need.  So disappointed for that is about what I'm down to and I'm finished with this blanket.  Thank goodness I don't have any more crochet gifts to make, but can focus on the quilts while watching movies with hubby.  When I'm not baking and canning, that is.  I have two more baby quilts to make after this one; they don't have to be done by Christmas, but would like for one to be so that I can give it to a granddaughter at Christmas. I've bought a couple things for our new baby and can't wait for her to arrive. 

John 17:17 (NKJV):  Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth.

The verb 'sanctify' means to set apart for a sacred purpose. Can also refer to making something or someone holy.  We generally say it means 'to set apart'.  And that's what God's Word does.  When we take His Word, the Bible, and apply it to our lives, we know that it is TRUTH.  God never lies and His word is Truth.  The Bible teaches us how to live and when we follow His Word, and obey and live by His Word, we are 'set apart' for His purposes.  Does that make sense?  It's more than just reading His Word, it is obeying and doing with God's Word says.    I'm not always perfect with that, and I'm guessing you aren't either.  I always have some area to work on.

Hubby was fussing at me yesterday.  I guess while I was out, he was trying to 'locate' me on Life 360, and couldn't.  At some time I must have marked being viewed as 'when using app' rather than 'always'.  To make him happy, I changed it to always so that he could track me. But I did tell him that I will block him if he tries to 'track' me every time I leave the house like he used to.  I told him that I would tell Pastor Paul if he does!  A few years ago we had it on our phones and all he did was track me every single time I left the house. I was working several miles away at that time, and he would text me if he saw I went some place for lunch and ask where I went.  Uh - too much tracking. I commented on it to Pastor Paul one time and he couldn't believe it - and got all over hubby about it.  Hubby deleted the app. And that's been great. It's not like I'm going somewhere I shouldn't. I usually tell him where I'm going.  But he lives glued to his phone anyway - and it's just another app to see where I am.  So why did I put it back on the phones?  Because hubby gets confused sometimes when he's out and I feel I need to track him when he isn't back when he should be.  He goes on numerous doctor appointments, some breakfasts and lunches anymore and I usually forget to even look at Life 360, forget I have it.  He should be back within a reasonable amount of time.  I'm hoping if something happens and he doesn't come back right away, I can track where he is and see if he is ok.  Always concerned about an accident happening.  After his comments yesterday about not being able to track me, I fixed the app where he could see me, but I also reminded him that if he starts tracking my every movement as he did in the past, I will delete myself from the app and he won't be able to see where I am.  Actually, what I told him was that I'd tell Pastor Paul he was 'doing it again' and let Pastor Paul get on his case. LOL

And with that, I need to get off here and sign in to the work computer.  It's Monday and I have lots to get accomplished today.  I don't know why I'm struggling so with getting things completed - probably because I don't want to do it?  Could be!  Hope that you have a productive day!

Blessings!