Bag Lady

A kitchen implement that gets a lot of use here is the vacuum sealer, and it got a good workout yesterday.  For me, it's a tremendous money saver, allowing me to take advantage of sales (particularly meat), buying in quantity, and not have food go to waste.  The "bags" come in a roll and are cut to size, also minimizing waste.  One end is heat sealed, the bag is filled, and then by some ingenious means all the air is sucked out and that end sealed.  Food, either in the freezer or dry stuff on the shelf, will keep seemingly indefinitely without freezer burn or mold.  Yesterday I bagged seven mini-meatloaves and eight pork chops at close to half the price.  That's a lot of meals stored ahead of need.

Unlike his pushy sister, Ralph rarely asks for anything.  When he does, I usually give in.  Sometimes, especially on a cold morning, he likes to sit on my lap when I'm at the computer.  It matters not to him that it is very awkward for me at the keyboard, twisted sideways at the desk and trying to reach over him as I am right now.  Once in awhile if we are alone together in the kitchen, he will politely indicate he'd like a treat so I sneak him a few bits.  For a rough-and-tumble guy, he can be a real gentleman, and I'm a softie.

Bess and I took advantage of a relatively warm, sunny day to take a couple of walkabouts yesterday, knowing that snow down to about our level is due this afternoon and overnight.  There is an old cat bed in the shed that I might take down to the barn for Missy.  She doesn't have the body mass of the goats to keep warm in really cold weather.  (Did I say I'm a softie?)

It doesn't do to let a chill get a grip on the house, so Stove and I are going to have to work together today.  He doesn't need me, but I sure need him.