Brief Sum-Up

First of all, thank you Ginger for your recent comment for one of my archive posts on Cranberry Hibiscus/False Roselle and your mom's recipe of making it into a pie similar to rhubarb...we'll be trying that!

On the Moringa front, we did harvest some already and have more to go. We're not sure of the process of drying them outdoors, as we've had such wet weather we don't want to have a mold problem. So with the first harvest, we picked the leaves, washed them well several times and let them dry somewhat and then packed them into freezer bags, pressing the air gently out of the bags. It's easy to open one at a time and use the moringa in smoothies that way...so far, has worked well. We still want to find a way to dry them, though, so we can powder the dried leaves for filling gelcaps (ourselves) or crumbling the dried leaves and storing for use as a tea.

We're propagating more gynura (procumbens) and I'm making an indoor space to keep some of those plants going in our few cooler months down the road.

Papayas are still sprouting from all the seed we scatter after devouring the fresh ones from the store...looks like the glut of papayas in the stores is winding down, but at present we have about a dozen 3-footers or above (plants from the seeds) and dozens of smaller ones still coming up from where we seeded the waste areas on the lot next to us that was bulldozed by the "authorities." Don't get me started...

I'm making wonderful progress, if slowwww progress is in the category entitled Wonderful, on the indoor household clean-out/throw-out/organizing push. It's the kind of thing that does my head in...boxes that have followed us over the course of several moves, full of unrelated assorted items we've lived quite well without in the meantime (usually my prompt to be merciless and get rid of)...but since there's everything from legal papers to photos to books to cords/tools/wire, blah blah blah...well, to NOT sort through it all would be a big waste. So that infernal mess is finding its way to where it belongs. Piece by everlovin' piece.

Since I'm not a hoarder, I'm doing a lot of militant throwing away and giving to Goodwill. But it goessssss slowwwwwwlyyyyyy. But I can say that all those projects that merely inched along since the beginning of the year ARE adding up and it's beginning to show and to allow things to run more smoothly around here. YAY. :)

Poor Kaleb. He's got the haircut of the century. He won't let me near him with the electric clippers so it's a scissors job. He's a lot cooler temperature-wise. But his coat looks fleabitten compared to his former lush coat, thanks to my "skills" with scissors and a wiggly dog as recipient. Well, hair grows...in the meantime, he thinks it's way cool (literally)to be rid of all that hair.

I'm still on a book-reading streak, mostly before bed these days. I finally finished Atlas Shrugged, and while the story caught me in the ol' lure of Find Out What Happens Next, it was not your relaxing stroll in the park. I benefitted from knowing more of Rand's philosophy and seeing what of it I agree and disagree with. After reading this one back to back with Spandau by Albert Speer, it was an interesting juxtaposition historically from two authors involved personally in regimes powerfully affected by ideologies. I appreciate the authentic voice of people who've lived through seminal points of history, whether I agree with them or not. I liked many of Rand's warnings about collectivism and centralization of government and the emphasis on the individual not turning his/her mind off...of valuing the importance of the individual and of individual thought, and entrepreneurism. As I'm not an atheist, her perspective on what she calls the "motive factor" of the individual, and her sweeping generalizations of "faith" fell short for me. But in many cases, point taken...some of her phrases will likely stick with me for the long haul, such as stating that in collective/centralized government societies (socialism etc), morality is defined ONLY as what is best for everyone as a whole. Meaning that the majority decides what the definition of morality is for everyone...or the government uses the majority as the excuse to declare that what is best for the majority has to be what's best for everyone. Etc etc.

Can I say how much I enjoy being at home? I've been cooking up a storm for my hubby and have taken over the chores we used to share 50/50 here around the house...it feels good, too. I'm waiting for the state to send me my test date for the CNA state test. I anticipate that being down the road a few weeks. I'm trying to keep in practice with what I learned in the class a few weeks ago till then. Without a second car, I'm trying to keep my circuit close to home to conserve gas while we're still one-income.

I haven't been here blogging because it feels like we're doing the same laps around the track again and again, so not much new to tell even though the weeks tick by quickly...I can't believe it's halfway through August. It's still hot hot hot outside.

Our lots are still up for sale. Still sending out letters weekly to see if we get any bites.

We do our tasks, economize, keep the momentum steady, and keep digging out of debt. Some weeks slower and some faster.

Boring. Necessary. It's the tedious part of getting our dreams to the next step.

And now it's time to have breakfast ready for my man when he gets home. Hope you're all having a great day!