Pears Canned

Hello,

I canned more pears today. As with those done before they do not look beautiful, but the taste is wonderful. Because there are not so many ripe at a time I have only done 5 or 4 quarts at a time. Now we have a total of 14. I suspect there will be two more batches with four or five quarts in each. I will do one tomorrow and one Monday if they appear to need more time to ripen. It was so nice to cut those today as they were much riper than the precious loads. I miss Leroy’s help, but I can manage by myself. I just get tired and have to keep convincing myself to carry on. We will appreciate these offerings this winter. Does that mean that summers work makes a lazy winter? I do not can nearly as much as my mother did. I remember much labor almost every day once the garden was ready for harvesting. Carolyn and I would help mom and Robert helped daddy. Seems to me we just knew that is what we had to do and there was not much arguing or complaining about it. Perhaps it was helpful that we were, in a sense, isolated on the farm without other children who wanted to play.

I am disgusted with myself because I did not watch one pan of pears close enough and it scorched. Also I guess it could be said that I did not put in enough water and it boiled dry. It just created more work to clean it up. The internet site had some excellent advice which I followed so the pan looks good once again.

Paula

Pears

Hello,

I finally got up the courage to ask a woman about pears or apples that, in the past, she has to given away because there has been more than she can use. She was pleased that I asked. Her daughter was even more pleased when she found out about our plan.

When I called to ask about picking pears yesterday, since I did not know exactly when they would be ripe, I asked, “Could we come and look at the pears today?”

The reply was, “You should do more than look! They are ready right now. I have canned some, but I do not need any more.”

Leroy and I gathered a number of buckets and went out to pick the bounty. Most of them were green, but some felt soft. Leroy wore out his arms using the “apple” picker. We got several buckets picked before Leroy decided that he could not reach any higher fruits. The ones at the top always look the best. After a nice visit with the owner of this tall old tree we came home, rested a while, but then started preparing the pears for canning pear sauce which is just like apple sauce, but pears instead. We picked out the very ripe or bruised fruit to use first. There were only four quarts, but we/I will do more another day. It is great to have all the summer bounty.

It almost gives me the feeling that I am helping out by taking them. I know that when I have an abundance of something it is nice to find a home for it. I do not like to throw something away if someone else can use it.

Paula

That Inner Voice

Hello,

I set off shopping this morning with my Fitbit zip in my pocket rather than clipped to my waist where I usually wear it. At the first stop I realized that I had put it in my favorite pocket for stashing my car keys. “This could fall out when I get out the keys,” I thought without moving the keys or the zip.

Well at the second to last store that I visited I realized that I no longer had that zip. Somehow it seemed like much too small an item to retrace my steps since I was not totally sure where I last remember having it. Why do I not listen to that wise inner voice more often than I do? When I do not regard it and in hindsight I know that I should have paid attention, I make fresh resolves to do better in the future. However I have done this for years without making marked improvement.

I am sad to no longer have that item. Now the question for me is do I replace it, or do I upgrade? One thing about upgrading is that many of the other devices have rechargeable batteries which I suspect would be a cost saving in the long run. Also maybe there would be a little less pollution for the earth.

One of my stops was to buy a book with birthday money. Leroy and I both feel it is a good choice even though we have not read it yet, but we read about it in the church magazine. It is called “I’m Still Here”. I will take it to the library and donate it before checking it out and reading it. Leroy does not read much nonfiction if he does not have to, but he sounds like he might read this one.

Paula

Getting Gas

Hello,

I knew the car was low on gas, but that I could get to work and come home one more time. On the way home, the low gas light came on reminding me that I could not go very far next time. I altered my route home a little so I would go past a gas station. No one else was at the pumps so I could pick my spot. Grateful for the roof over the pumps, I chose an interior one so the wind would not force rain on me. I grabbed my credit card, ran through the steps as I had done many times, but no fuel came out of the hose. I jiggled the release lever, jiggled the handle of the spout, tapped again the gas that I wanted to get, and groaned as there was no positive result. I put everything back and started over with the same result. Then I was asked if I wanted a receipt. I took it glad that it listed the sale was zero dollars.

At that point I decided I would move to the pump on the opposite side of this one. I got in the car started up and just listened to the fasten seat belt ding as I moved the car going backward and forward, parked the car got out, and realized I was too far from the pump. Again I was regaled with the seat belt ding warning as I maneuvered into a better position. The digital display on this pump was much better. It even worked as the gas poured into the tank. I responded that I would like a receipt; however even after waiting a while nothing happened. I like to keep tract of expenditures so I drove as close to the door of the small building as I could get. In spite of that I got a bit wet.

Apparently I must have looked a bit disgruntled because the woman in there told me it was just a little water. I then smiled and told her that I needed a receipt. As she was getting that I told her that I had been unable to get gas at the other pump. “No one has said that all day today,” she told me.

“I guess I am just talented,” I said.

At that we could both laugh. I left feeling grateful that at least the second pump worked, I could get a receipt, and I did have money to pay for the gas. I was dry most of the time and there was plenty of light so I could see what I was doing.

Paula

Walking and Picking Up

Hello,

Last night while Leroy was working, I took a short walk and picked up trash. Two plastic grocery bags seemed like plenty. Leroy and I had just recently picked up our block so I went one block over. At first there was not much to be had, but when I turned the corner it was a different story. The first bag was rather quickly topped off with the second trying hard to catch up. On the home ward trip I was happy to see another bag floating around. I snagged it and finished filling the second before starting on that third bag. It was great to have found it as I filled it as well. Perhaps more would have fit if the fillings were pushed down, but I did not do that. As Leroy said the last time we did this, it is a good feeling to have gotten this worthwhile job done. The last time we did it a walker and a driver both paused to thank us for doing such a job.

Last night I did find a toy that belonged to a boy who was out front playing. I suspect he had forgotten where he had put it. His mom did tell me that they had picked up everything they saw that belonged to them, but somehow had missed that.

Yeah, for a cleaner neighborhood! In September there will be a cleanup that involves neighbors as well as the students from both of the close colleges. That way a very large amount of space can be covered with so many more people involved. When picking up I try to gather up all the cigarette butts, but when alone I do not get such a thorough job done as I want to get the big stuff for sure. Even though one of the college students talked to me at length about the damage to the earth that those small butts do, it is so time consuming to pick them up that I start slacking off. The city has some bags that they hand out for a clean city. My bag is now full and I must get another. I like that sense of accomplishment as well. I also wear gloves that were provided by the city. They are trying to make if easy.

Paula

The Perfect Car

Hello,

Leroy and I did some more car shopping to no avail. We want a car that gets great gas mileage, is great for safety, drives well on snow, and is comfortable for Leroy’s back. One car we test drove got great gas mileage, but did not have some of the safety measures unless we would add a lot more money. The other car that we test drove had all the safety features, but Leroy said his back did not feel quite right in it. Since we only drove it a few miles a long trip would not be good we both figured. The second car also had great gas mileage.

We thought we were all ready to get a car, but now we are back to the thinking and considering stage. Leroy wonders if we should wait until next year’s models are out with more safety features on the lower end models.

It seems to us that the car companies should just get together and make the car that we want with things from several different brands.

At least we are not pushed to get a new car now since both of our cars work. One is getting a bit old. It is 14 years old and has about 140,000 on it. However it does not seem ready to quit, but we think it might be time to move before it does quit. Right now Leroy is driving it around town rather than on longer trips. I am taking the newer car to work as I have the longer drive.

I read all these articles on cars for seniors or older drivers. Most of them assume that we cannot get in and out of a low car. That is not the issue here, but we like to put them in the garage and some of the larger cars might not easily fit in the garage, plus the gas mileage would not be so good. Decisions, decisions! Just what is most important?

Paula

On the Road

Hello,

Earlier this week I saw a car turn in front of me the wrong way on a one way street. Usually I do not know where the horn is because I never use it. However, I found it and blew to no avail. She had her phone in hand. I wonder if she were texting. When relating this to a coworker, she brought up the idea of road rage if you honk at someone. This woman seemed to pay no attention.

Today I was riding my bike to work for a team meeting. This time an extended van type vehicle that might give rides to others was coming towards me on the one way street that I was preparing to turn onto. This time there was no horn to warn them of danger so I just watched them go.

I got a little over three miles from home when I met a couple on the bike trail who told me that the trail was closed. “How will I get to Ely?” I wondered out loud.

The woman told me, “They let us walk through.”

After consideration, I decided that I had enough time to ride back home and switch to the car for my trip to the library. I did not know what they were doing to the trail and I would have to cross that spot again on the way home. I had seen the trail closed signs but ignored them because I have seen the signs before and it meant nothing.

Maybe another day I can ride that far. At least I got in a good six mile ride.

Paula