Good morning, all!

No more April Fool's Day jokes till next year, I promise!

Reposting my JDIs for today:


- Take DD to campus
- Grocery shop
- Call dental office
- Make appt.
- Pay bills
- Work on office document
- P/U DD
- Take out trash cans to curb
- Kitchen clean up

Just came back from dropping DD off on campus - 1st day of spring quarter! (By the way, her grades from last quarter were A-, A, and A+)

Called 1 dental office; they want me to call the specialist and schedule that appt. first - will do that later.

Off to do my grocery shopping.

Have a great day, everyone.

Got me fooled for sure, Bless!

Diana, making maple syrup is one thing the big multinational food companies can't hijack, as production is too labour intensive. So they just buy it from the big producers and bottle it.

We don't sell it, as that would involve all kinds of extra work regarding standards and labelling. However, our quality control borders on professional.

It takes roughly 40 litres of sap to make 1 litre of syrup. So we have to evaporate the water from the sap to bring the sugar level up to 66 brix. Years ago when our son was little, we tapped a few trees and produced 1 cup of syrup on the kitchen stove. I don't recommend this as the steam is sticky and prolific!

We have been updating the process ever since, going, over the years, from a preserving pan over an old acorn stove in the back yard, to a square pan over a stove made out of an oil drum on its side, to the present sophisticated 3 pan evaporator that DH built with firebrick and concrete, complete with his own design for easy addition of sap. We have friends and a neighbour involved and everyone gets a share of the finished product.

Those maple leaf bottles you see at the airports are particularly expensive because the bottles themselves cost a lot! We use mostly plainer bottles but like to have some fancy ones for gifts. As a GONer, I prefer the most basic bottles as they take up less space, and are easier to fit into the fridge when opened. A box of empties takes up less space too.

Today I got up rather late and didn't get a lot done, but I did strip the bed and remake it and laundered the sheets and hung them in the basement as when I remembered them in the washer, it was too late to put them on the line!
Put away yesterday's unused bottles and put helpers' bottles into boxes for them.
Went dog walking with a friend who has a mutual friend's dog as well as her own.

Busy place for the 2nd day of the month.

JDIs for Tuesday
Work 4 hours at FT job
Vote
chiro appt for heel spur- ouch
paint guest room

JDIs for Wednesday
Dementia Specialist Training 9-4
work 5-8 at PT job

Bushlady:
Thank you for the explanation and description of all that is involved in making of the syrup! Sounds like a ton of work!
Nice of you to share.

Frugal:
Good see you again. Looks like a busy week for you again.

Today:
Routines and ETEing
Laundry
Crafting
Sort thru moe items for GS
Go to store to get credit on items not received.

Must have forgotten a bag of groceries on the counter. When I got home missing 3 items. Called and need to go back to get the items or credit! Might do it Wed. when I plan on being out again.

Frugal, I hope your heel spur gets some help, it doesn't sound like fun.

Diana, isn't it frustrating when items get left behind? I think we've all done that at some time.

DH stayed up really late boiling sap yesterday. It was after midnight when we got to sleep.
Today:
Dailies
Make appointment for haircut
Visit our library and donate books and look for patterns for Barbie clothes.
Take back book and video to town library
Deliver 3 music books to friend
Pick up a few grocery items
Fetch up sheets from basement and fold
Possibly go dog walking with friend
Some of the day will probably centre around what DH is doing with maple syrup production, providing cups of tea for any helpers who show up

JDIs for today:

- Call and schedule car service (DONE)
- Call the office to schedule a day of vacation (DONE; but need to call again)
- Call re. dental appt.
- Pay bills
- Laundry
- Housework
- Relax!

Finished up the easter cards for aunts and uncles and put them in the mail. Started woking on Mother's day items to send.

I am working on my craft room. Seems like when I get creative it gets messy!

Put laundry away, and did some beading this morning; I love when I am at home all day and can get little things done.

Great going ladies. Love how you are tackling so much!

Today is monthly seewing group meeting. We have lunch before hand and sit around and gab! This is the group that made all sorts of christmas stockings for last christmas. I generally like to do things at home for this .

Today:
Routines and ETEing
Branch work
Sewing group
Desk Day
Dinner out
Gather trash/check frig also
Put out trash and recycling

Kind of a busy day, but have it down as to what to do and when.
Hope you all have a great day!

Yesterday's dog walk was an enjoyable 2 hours with my friend and the dogs had a good time too.
I got my errands done and did some laundry in the evening, then we watched a DVD and I crocheted round a few squares.

Today:
Mass and breakfast with friends - done
Dailies - done
Clean bathroom - shower and floor still to do
Babysteps on window cleaning indoors - some upstairs windows done, also picture glass, some.
Fold the sheets I brought upstairs, also yesterday evening's laundry
Ironing
Go to Jabez Blanket ministry meeting
Haircut
Hope to find time to start some Barbie clothing.

JDIs for today:

- Call the office - DONE
- Car service - DONE
- Bank - DONE
- Paperwork/bills - In progress
- Laundry - In progress
- Put gas to car - DONE
- Water front garden - DONE