and stewers are in the cooler

but naturally today and the rest of the week is rain rain rain
just warm enough to not get good draft
cold enough to need a light fire
did i mention it's raining? so the wood won't be dry if i take it in today
(i am struggling to light the fire)

bernie found one of my halloween mugs that had gone missing somehow, i saw it this morning.
it was my favorite with the witch on it
today, if i don't go out with jen ( i owe her, as we didn't do her errands yesterday) i have dishes to do
lots of them...
i just did them all .........so i don't know where they all came from
last night i did a roast, so that will be either sliced for tonight or cubed for stew
i have some other meats to do and then the stewers
oh and it looks like the woodstove finally took!

i been thinking after 5 years of woodstove, when i get too old to do the wood (like last week)
we had better put in a duel fuel stove that does biomass such as pellets, corn, etc.
it won't cook though
a good biomass stove that has a soapstone surround and can be cooked on would be good .....really good i think
so would passive solar....
so anyway back to chores
it seems like that's all i do anymore ......chores
or entertain family
or errands
i do love duck and chicken chores (not mucking but grazing them and stuff)
i like some of the gardening...... harvesting it wonderful most of the time

maybe right now i am a bit tired and a lot overwhelmed at what still needs doing?
i have to finish putting the garden to bed and still some garlic to plant
i have to clean the chickens and the basement
i need to tarp the back pen run
and i could really use some help finishing off the duck pen plus some inside pens for the ducks to be kept seperate
it would be more efficent to have a long bank of pens that are connected huh?
oye
i need a jack of all trades that works for cookies

speaking of cookies, my kitchen aide mixer is shot
so i need to find a new mixer
now kitchen aides are not good anymore
not the new ones
and a hobart (who initally made kitchenaide and is the gold standard) cost 2035$ for a 5 quart
so that's out of the picture ( and they do come in RED too .....shit)
i want something that can beat the cookie doughs and take the big batches,
i would like a tilt head if i can get it
and i would like bigger then 5 quart if i can get it
does anyone have any recommendation?

part of the issue with the cookies last winter was the mixer wasn't taking the doughs
i struggle a bit every year but since bernie broke my kitchen aide it's never been the same, even the repairs sucked on it
it sounds like it's about to fly apart even just creaming butter

anyway, i am sitting here drinking my coffee, watching the fire on and off
listening to the budgies chirpping morning songs to each other
it's about light enough in spite of the rain to take the birds out

prudence and amelia are so cute when i put them in the basement, they keep asking me to put them in with the boys, but i can't now.....the boys jump them
so i spend that short time talking to the girls and telling them they are good girls
this molt for them isn't as extreme as lilli and phoebe's molts are this year
so they will be coming around to tame faster..... they are starting pretty good now

ok i am going to finish this coffee and read my email
ttyl