Friday, June 3, 2011

Dehydrating Mushrooms and ....

I know my posts have been few and far between here lately. I really don't have much of an excuse other than  I've been trying to get "settled in" to this new life. Not that I am not enjoying every minute of it, because I am loving it!   I'm just not used to being able to do whatever I need to when I want to.  Its funny, that even though I haven't been able to work in way over a year , it's just now sinking in that I won't  be able to go back.  I guess in a way this is what it must feel like to retire. Not having to be anywhere at any given time, making up your own schedule...  
What was I sayin'?  Oh... yeah... I need a schedule.  I haven't made my own schedule in... well...  hmmm.... Oh yeah, that's right, someone else always did my schedules for me.  It seems I've always  lived around my work schedule. It dictated when I ate, slept, spent time with family, all that stuff.  I guess that's how lots of other people live their lives too.   Now that I don't have someone making my schedule for me  I really need to look into making one custom -made just for me!


It's starting to get hot here. Of course these folks idea of hot and mine are nowhere near the same.  It has started to sneak in the ninety's around here this past week.  I listen to a local talk show from Austin over the internet everyday and listening to them talking about being in the 90's for the past month.  The weather here is much more enjoyable.  I am totally loving having four seasons.


I went to Little Big Town yesterday to run a couple of errands.  One day I'll have to take ya'll on a tour of the place.... There are quite a few small businesses but the place is big enough to have a Wally World, Tractor Supply and McDonald's.  I'm not a big fan of any of them and try to shop locally when I can. I stopped into the local grocery to see what they might have on sale.  I've been lucky a couple of times and caught a good deal there.  Yesterday I found sliced mushrooms marked down to $0.89 and snapped up all five packages.  And out came the dehydrator!  


How To Dry Mushrooms

I spread the mushrooms out evenly on the trays and set it to 135 degrees.  I know it is humid around here but it seemed to be taking them forever to dry.  They had been on for 15 hours and  just getting brittle.  It was my first time to dry mushrooms though so I really have no idea how long it "should" take. These took 16 hours.  I cooled off the mushrooms and put them in canning jars.  Use the trusty vacuum sealer and these babies are good to go for ages.  I ended up with a quart and a pint of dried mushrooms from five 8 ounce packages.

We finally got the trailer moved!  It hasn't rained in over a week and so this morning Mars decided it was dry enough to move.  I am pleased to say it went off without a hitch. He has the electricity hardwired in and now will need to do the same for the water and septic.  Things are moving right along.  I really like the trailer where it is sitting now.  It's on a good concrete pad and a bit higher up on the hill.  Who knows, maybe we will even get better internet reception!  Hey... a girl can hope!

A lot of people know that I don't watch much t.v.  We pretty much gave it up a few years ago.  So since moving out here we haven't given much thought to hooking it up.  We finally found the converter box and the antenna that have been stowed away for over a year now.  The other day the internet went down and so Mars tried hooking up the t.v. Yep! Just as expected.... no channels.  Not a single one!  I suppose if we really want to watch it we will have to get a taller antenna.  Until then I guess we will just be "uninformed".
         ~~~~  Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ...  ~~~~

4 comments:

  1. Oh, Why can't you go back to work. Sorry to hear that.

    I know all about schedules when you don't have a structure to your day. But trust you will find one. Goodness knows you will be busy. :) So much to do.

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  2. It's ironic that you mentioned a schedule. Friday at the 'breakfast club' we were just saying that we got more done at home when we were working than now, when most of us are not working. Yes, one does need a schedule. I must get on one to get the house cleaned instead of waiting for the dust devils to get the size of one of my cats. Or, waiting until I run out of underwear before I do the wash.

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  3. How dare you say you're loving not having a schedule, SciFi! Why, that's just... just... blasphemy to the working class! You're worse than a person with no job. And for god sake, DON'T go setting up some kind'a schedule- that'll just ruin all the time you have to spend on yourself- like sleeping late, staying up late,eating when you're hungry, walking on the dog's schedule... gosh, you're gonna ruin my idea of being retired if you keep that up.
    Shy III

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  4. To do lists work better for me rather than a schedules since becoming disabled. That was a tough one for me as I'm former Army and schedules are everything.
    Got several folks turned on to your dehydrating especially the eggs. So hopefully you'll see a bit more traffic on your site. You are now considered a resource for dehydrating on the GTA forum.
    Glad the trailer is moved, that should cut down on some of the dirt tracked in, and make you feel like you are home instead of just visiting.

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