Thursday, February 16, 2012

Lazy Idle Bum.

when it comes to decluttering but I did get another good, actually great job done and that was cleaning out both freezers and doing an inventory of what was in them.


This is the after photo of my upstairs freezer:
006
Now I have to admit there doesn't look like a lot in there, but as per the list there is a lot in there:
007
I tend to store all my bread downstairs.  Also a basket in the freezer of wedding cake, which consists of three quarters of the second tier of the cake and the whole of the top tier.  I am taking a piece of the second tier to her when I see her next as it does nneed to be eaten up.

I also buy the 10kg bags of flour and store it in the freezer as it lasts a lot longer.  Just put the bag in a garbage bag to keep it dry.   Seeing what I have in the freezer is a big help with my menu planning and on Wednesday I pulled out a ham bone and boiled it to make a stock for ham and bean soup.  I need to make up some meals for when I have my hand operated on.

As I have 12 bananas in the freezer I can see some Pineapple Banana bread in the near future!!!

I also read a book this week called "Stand The Storm," by Breena Clarke
Even though Sewing Annie Coats and her son, Gabriel, have managed to buy their freedom, their lives are still marked by constant struggle and sacrifice. Washington's Georgetown neighborhood, where the Coatses operate a tailor's shop and laundry, is supposed to be a "promised land" for former slaves but is effectively a frontier town, gritty and dangerous, with no laws protecting black people.



The remarkable emotional energy with which the Coatses wage their daily battles-as they negotiate with their former owner, as they assist escaped slaves en route to freedom, as they prepare for the encroaching war, and as they strive to love each other enough-is what propels STAND THE STORM and makes the novel's tragic denouement so devastating.


If you like the books from Oprah's Book Club, you'll love this one.  I personally found it a little confusing at times, but overall the basic story kept you wanting to know what was going to happen next.  I found the dreadful treatment of slaves back in the mid 1800's just plain horrible, they were treat just like animals.  You had to admire how strong they were.   Will say there is a twist in the book that I didn't anticipate.  It is well worth the read though.
 
A reminder I will be drawing the name for the blog giveaway, later today, so you do still have a chance to enter if you haven't already.

13 comments:

DaxingCujo said...

Well Gill I have to say I think you have done a great job keeping the de-cluttering going. Nice work! I wish I was as energetic!

Dani said...

Now that's a good idea - 'scuse me, I'm off to sort out my freezer...

Cindy@NorthofWiarton said...

Personally Gill, I consider cleaning and organizing the freezer(s), decluttering. Feather in your cap I would say !

Unknown said...

WOW you can fit alot into your upstairs freezer. Thanks for info on the book. Last summer I read The Book of Negroes, and I've been looking to finding another one about slavery.

Debby said...

Your feezer looks nice and tidy. Wow your list is great I should so do that but I'm to lazy. Good luck on your to do today!

Christine said...

Great job!

Do you keep your inventory on a spreadsheet and update it or paste it "somewhere" (i.e. freezer door) and up-date it as you go along?

As another British woman (also living in Ontario) I find that now we are retired and income is so limited, I go back more an more to the economical food that we grew up with.

Thanks for all the work you put into your blog,

Karine said...

Your freezer looks amazing, especially with the amount of stuff you have in there! Job well done :o)

Unknown said...

You are so organised now! Great freezer inventory.

Thanks for the book review!

Sft x

Maggie said...

Nice idea to keep a list of what's in the freezer, i think i will use that idea :-)

I didn't know that you could freeze bananas!! Do you just put them in whole? skin and all? (sorry if that sounds like a daft question!)

megan blogs said...

Maggie, that's how i freeze bananas. The skin turns black, and when it's time for me to use them (typically in smoothies), i peel the skin and place the banana in the blender. Easy peasy.

Gill, what a nice list you have! When i loaded the beef in my freezer space yesterday, i handwrote a list so i'd know what was there. The trick for me is to keep the list updated.

megan

Meri said...

Lol...thought Lazy Idle Bum was the name of a new TV show. I could sign up!

Freezer is on my list for this week. Basement one was done a while back but the fridge one....oh, so scarey.

EG CameraGirl said...

I cleaned my freezer this week too... and I feel so proud. :)) Thanks for the inspiration!

Rose said...

I made ham and beans earlier this week...so yummy. And last week I made potato soup twice...normally my husband will eat one bowl and be tired of it but not last week. I suppose it is his cold making him crave soups.

Sunday Song

From 1977 - Thelma Houston; Don't You Leave Me This Way I remember dancing to this......... However I prefer this version and remember d...