Thankful For Soapmaking Skills During This Pandemic

public restrooms in Santa Monica, California

 
The other day I made a batch of soap.  I am so glad that I stocked up and ordered plenty of the oils and butters that I needed.   Like most of us, I never realized that this virus was coming.  It is now even more important  to wash our hands and face regularly.  It gives me comfort to know that I have plenty of soap stored in my cupboard, curing on the racks, and ready to use in the bathroom.

I had a little bit of trouble with my scale.   I think it needs a new battery.  It's so important to weigh all of your ingredients carefully,  and it's critical to be accurate.  It took several tries, but I finally got the scale to give me the exact reading that I needed. 

sinks on the island of Capri, Italy

For this batch I used: olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, lye and distilled water.  I added some Energy fragrance oil at trace.  It's been sitting in the molds on the kitchen table for a few days, under slabs of cardboard and a terry cloth towel.  I plan to put them into the freezer this afternoon and pop them out of the molds this evening.

After that, they will cure on the racks for several weeks.  It's so enjoyable to have mild, fragrant soaps that you have made yourself.  The bars moisturize your skin instead of drying it out or irritating it.  It took me a while to build up the nerve to start making it, but I am so glad that I did.       

Do you have enough soap at your house?  Do make your own, or do you buy it?

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Easy Lotion Bar Recipe

Some of you expressed interest in the lotion bars that I made the other day.  Here is the recipe that I use.  It's a simplified version of one that I found online.  It only uses three ingredients: coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax.

Smoky Beeswax Scented Lotion Bars
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup shea butter
2/3 cup grated beeswax or beeswax pastilles

Combine ingredients and heat over low heat in a heavy saucepan or double boiler.  Quickly pour into soap molds.  You can also use recycled margarine tubs or gelato containers.  Leave in molds four hours or overnight.  Freeze for a few hours to allow them to pop out of the molds easily.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!  I buy my beeswax at a local honey farm. 

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Made a Batch of Lotion Bars

Yesterday I made some lotion bars in my pink cottage's vintage kitchen.  I used coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax.  I melted them together on the stove, and then poured the mixture into a soap mold. 

The beeswax had to be grated into the pot.  Everything became liquid  very easily.  I used my small Le Creuset saucepan.  My mom gifted my brothers and I each a starter set twenty years ago, and mine are all still going strong.  I did have to replace a couple of the handles for the lids, but that was easy and inexpensive to do.

The lotion bars harden in about four hours.  I am still using one from the last batch that I made.  I don't add any fragrance oil to mine.  I love the smoky scent of the beeswax.  It gives them a slightly golden color, too.  They are a helpful substitute for hand lotion.  I like that there is no packaging involved.

Yesterday I picked up several pieces of jewelry that I had taken in to have repaired.  They look brand new now; I am so pleased!  My mom, grandma, and Aunt Mary would be happy that I am taking care of their gifts and wearing them in their memory. 

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100 Sales on Etsy

Today I mailed out a soap order that marked my 100th sale on Etsy.  I am very pleased about that; I never anticipated it.  I started my Etsy shop after having my hips replaced.  I had no idea if I would find any customers, and if it would continue.  At least it gave me a focus while I was healing.  I decided to add my hand knits and crocheted items, as well.  It's become a very enjoyable mail order business.  I adore my customers.  

The last three orders this week have been for cameo soaps.  I am busily making some more for my stash.  I whipped up a batch of Coconut Dream soap several days ago.  My neighbor requested it, because it lathers nicely in the hard water.  It has a 20% superfat, and only uses a few ingredients.   

I have been working through my paperwork and clutter.  As I get older, it is more of a challenge to stay organized.  If I'm not careful, I can become careless and messy.  With a small cottage, things look out of control very quickly if they are not put away in their place.  I am also writing daily lists in my datebook.  It helps me to remember what I'm doing and to not get distracted.  

My intuition nudged me yesterday to buy a couple of new things, instead of always focusing on used and older items.  I bought a bright red plaid pair of Ralph Lauren pajamas and a knee length, snug, taupe knit skirt.  It will be perfect to wear over leggings with my snow boots.  That way I won't feel so exposed.   Leggings are a bit tight and clingy to wear when you are 55.  January is a great time to buy clothing.  Things are always on sale after Christmas.

Thank you for your comments.  They add so much talent and energy to the blog.  Please comment in English.  I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published.  If you enjoy the posts here, please share them. Comments may take a few days to appear; they are moderated.   

Two Soap Orders Today

This morning I received two soap orders at my Etsy shop.  I was thrilled.  One was for my neighbor, so I hand delivered it to her.  The other I sent to a woman in Oklahoma.  She's a new customer. 

That gave me the impetus to make another batch of  Coconut Dream soap.  Since my dad died, I haven't felt the motivation to make any.  It's a relief to be inspired and excited about selling online again.  Grief has a strange effect.  It can make you sluggish and slow.  I had put my focus on keeping the house clean, staying up on the laundry, and doing yoga each night.  Those are still top priorities.  Riding my bike each morning with Lula is excellent cardio, too.

Last night I contacted a close friend and asked him if he would consider being my trustee.  He agreed.  I am so relieved.  He said that he just had the same conversation with his brother.  It is so important to choose someone who is detail oriented, responsible, good with money, and trustworthy.  This is a huge load off of my mind.  It had been bothering me.  It's so important to plan for the what ifs in life. 

Thank you for your comments.  They add so much talent and energy to the blog.  Please comment in English.  I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published.  If you enjoy the posts here, please share them.  Comments may take a few days to appear; they are moderated.

Back To Soapmaking

It's been ages since I made soap.  When my dad was going downhill, I just didn't have the energy or motivation.  My inspiration is back! Today I made a batch of Shea Butter Goat's Milk Soap with blueberry fragrance oil.  It's for an Etsy order that I received last week.

It was really enjoyable to melt the oils and shea butter, let them cool down for a couple of hours, and then add the lye, goat's milk soap ice cubes, and blueberry flavored scent.  It smells incredible ! I put the tray molds in the freezer for a half hour, and then transferred them into the fridge.  Once they have hardened, I will pop them out of the molds.

I've been on a cooking frenzy, too.  Since my dad died, I have started making and baking really delicious meals again.  Today I seasoned some chicken breasts and browned them in olive oil for tacos.  I whipped up some guacamole, and had a delicious lunch.  I love Mexican food.  It's so satisfying and flavorful.

What have you been having for meals lately?  Do you usually eat at home?

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Inexpensive Haircuts

view from my computer

I have been going to the same place to have my hair trimmed for the past twenty years. It's  a small shop with a sign in the window that reads, "Haircut $10.00." The owner is a little lady from Korea, and she has a steady stream of loyal customers.

I stopped by there today on my way home from the store. I had an Etsy order on my dashboard this morning, so I wrapped and packaged the soap at the kitchen table, and then drove to the library. After printing out the packing slip and shipping label, I dropped it off at the post office. I had them scan it for me and give me a receipt. Etsy sent the customer a shipping notice.

I love seeing the woodpeckers here this time of year

I found some great bargains at Food For Less. I bought four large round steaks for five dollars. Pineapples were on sale for $2.00, and they had marked down the berries. I bought a large carton of strawberries, and a couple of small boxes of raspberries. I splurged on a pint of whipping cream, too. It's so delicious sweetened with sugar and a splash of vanilla extract.

I like to combine my errands, so I stopped off at the hair salon and got my hair trimmed.  I think it's a pretty amazing price for a good haircut. The owner works alone. She's fast, but talented. I always get compliments on my hair after seeing her. I gave her $15.00, cash. She smiled and thanked me. I came home, tenderized the meat, dipped it in flour, and pan fried it in olive oil. It was delicious seasoned with salt and pepper, alongside a buttered baked potato. For dessert, I whipped up the cream and enjoyed it with the fresh, bright red strawberries. I was glad that I decided not to buy the tempting Easter candy that I saw at the store. I also found a pair of tennis shoes on sale for $20.00 at Ross. They fit me perfectly! I have needed a new pair of walking shoes, but didn't want to pay full price. It's such a rewarding feeling to find bargains on what you need. How are you doing?

Estimating Your Retirement Income

hot processed soap in the crockpot

This morning I searched Social Security's website and entered my personal information. I was curious to see how much money I will receive when I reach retirement age.

I was very pleased when I read the  results. If I start collecting it at age 62, the amount will be $662.00 a month.  If I wait until I'm 67, it goes up to $941.00 per month. If I stay disciplined, and collect it at age 70, it jumps up to $1,167.00 a month. Wow! I plan to wait until I am 70, (if I make it,) and collect the maximum amount.

I will also be eligible for Medicare, which will help my budget. Health insurance is my biggest expense. It will continue to get more expensive as I age.  When I hit age 65, I will probably buy a gap policy; I need to research them. I have always been in excellent health, and I hope to stay that way. At that time I will be able to take the bus for free, and will qualify for a  free gym membership through Silver Sneakers. I find that very exciting!  It pays to have a long work history.

I plan to continue to work, making my soaps, selling my hand knits, and writing for magazines. I will have investment income, as well. So, the future  looks bright and fulfilling. I called up Equity to inquire about my pension, and it turns out that I am two weeks short of the amount of work that I need to qualify.  I thought that the AGVA shows I did as a Rockette and with Juliet Prowse count as working weeks, but they don't. Oh well. Maybe I can drum up something. I will look into it.

It's a relief to see the totals and to plan for the future. I filed some more paperwork today. I do a little bit each day now, instead of letting it pile up into an intimidating mountain. (which is what I used to do.) I am so glad that I bought a small, modest home, and paid it off like Suze Orman teaches.  Onward.

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Cutting the Confetti Soap

This morning I took the soap out of its mold. I let it sit for a few hours before cutting it. I wasn't able to get as clean of a cut as I would have liked, but I think the soaps are still lovely.  I was nervous about how they would come out; I can trim off the raggedy bits.  It's a relief when a new technique works.

I've been doing a lot of housework today. I needed to clean and straighten. I've really got to go through my kitchen cupboards and get rid of the things that I don't need. They are taking up too much space. I will put together a donation bag for the Salvation Army.

I plan to spend some time knitting my sweater today. For some reason, I haven't been knitting. I think it's because this is a new technique that I'm doing.  I have to concentrate and study the directions.

Thank you for your comments. They add so much talent and energy to the blog. Please comment in English. I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published. 

Making Natural Soaps With Colored Shavings

Yesterday I made a batch of soap using Crisco, olive oil, coconut oil, coconut milk, sodium hydroxide, and blueberry fragrance oil. I grated up a bar of pink hot processed soap that I had made last Christmas, and stirred it into the batter.  I am dying to cut the bars. I need to leave the loaf in the freezer for one more night. I also have to make sure that the soap defrosts  before cutting. If I don't, the bars will crack. Ask me how I know...(I learned these things the hard way.)

I experimented with putting some green shavings of soap into my last batch of Coconut Dream soap.  I was initially disappointed with the way they looked, but after using them, the green color appears. I think they would be fun for children.  The look and texture of these makes me feel happy.I love the pale pastels of milk soaps.

I also baked a blueberry lemon tea bread the other day. My neighbor had given me a huge bag of  fresh Meyer Lemons from her tree. I squeezed them with my Braun electric juicer, and poured the juice  into ice cube trays. I don't want the lemons to go bad. This way I will have enough lemon juice for the rest of the year. Lemons are very expensive in the stores. My own tree hasn't given me any fruit in the past few years. This morning I noticed several blossoms ready to bloom, so I am hopeful.

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Creamy Coconut Oil Soap Recipe

24 ounces coconut oil
3.5 ounces lye
9 ounces distilled water or rainwater

Melt coconut oil over low heat or in microwave. Add lye to water, mixing carefully and thoroughly. Be sure to follow all safety precautions for when working with lye. Let the oil and water cool for twenty minutes.

Stick blend the oil and lye water together. Once it reaches trace, pour into molds. Cover and let set. This soap hardens very quickly. It is ready to unmold in a matter of hours.

Let bars cure for six to eight weeks before using.  They will be very hard and long lasting. They work well with detailed molds.

If adding fragrance, use .8 ounce. For coloring, I used 1/2 tsp. of  rose Brazilian clay.  


This recipe has 20% superfat.  It's an excellent bar for hard water. 

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Unmolded Two More Batches of Soap

butter soap

This morning I unmolded the shampoo bars and the butter soap. I made them on Friday. I filled three soap orders last week, so I am replenishing my supply. I went to a few different stores searching for macadamia nut oil, and couldn't find it anywhere. I ended up ordering it online, from Amazon.

Yesterday I checked on my Etsy orders to see if they had arrived. They were all marked "delivered." Phew! I am always relieved when the soaps are safely at their destination. One of my friends sent me a message that said, "The soaps arrived. They smell delicious!" That made me smile. This is her first time trying them.  We danced together twenty-five years ago at MGM.

socks with a short row heel

Today I am baking a loaf of No Knead Bread. It's on the second rise right now. I had forgotten that I had it in the oven overnight. At lunch time I smelled something odd, and then remembered it was there. It's such a treat to have homemade bread. I had stopped eating baked goods for a while, because I suspected they were making my legs ache. Since adding back the bread, my body is fine. It's such a treat to enjoy a chewy slice of buttered bread with my nightly salads.

I finished the blue striped socks that I was knitting. I will send them to my friend Eileen as a Mother's Day gift. I think she'll  love them.  We wear the same size shoe.  I gave her a homemade heart soap last time she came to LA to visit. She was so appreciative.

one of my walks with Lula in Ojai

I took a bike ride with Lula and my little neighbor this morning. She's such a sweet little girl. She's always in such high spirits, and tells me all about her daily activities. How is your weekend going?   

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90 Sales On Etsy

Ojai clouds and mountains

On Sunday I hit my goal of ninety sales in my Etsy shop, pinkcottagesoaps.etsy.com. It was very rewarding. Now I will shoot for a hundred. It's hard to believe that my little home based business has grown and developed so quickly.  I started it after having my hips replaced. I had always wanted a mail order business, especially after closing my dance and yoga studio.  I find it so much easier to work from home. You don't have to worry about paying business rent and all of those other expenses.  I just listed a couple of new batches of soap. The Shea Butter Goat's Milk and Coconut Dream soaps have finished curing.  I need to pick up some macadamia nut oil and coconut milk at Sprouts so that I can make more Shampoo Bars. I am sold out of them. I bought the avocado oil for that recipe at Costco yesterday. I paid for it separately, with my business debit card.  

Short rows on Stockholm Sweater

I am completing the pair of blue ribbed  hand knit socks today. Tomorrow I will  focus on the Stockholm Sweater. This is what I have so far...isn't the yarn  gorgeous?  All of the ladies in class were knitting it in different colors. The shades were just divine! I want to make one in purple. It's so lovely. I am happy with my choice of color, though. For some reason, knitting with other women seems to trigger yarn envy.  I mean it  in a positive way, though. It's more like admiration. We were oohing and aahing at each others' work.

Huge orange trees near the highway

I'm cooking a rack of lamb and  baked potatoes for dinner. I made a spinach salad earlier for lunch. I will season the lamb with fresh rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. It should be  delicious; I love lamb.  I spent a huge amount of money at Costco yesterday, but stayed in my monthly budget. I will need to buy very little for the rest of March. I like to have a full fridge and pantry. It gives me a feeling of security.

Ojai Spanish casita

  Thank you for your comments. They add so much talent and energy to the blog. Please comment in English. I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published. If you enjoy the posts here, please share them. 

Got My Taxes Done

Yesterday I had my taxes done at our local senior center. VITA provides volunteer tax accountants who will do your return free of charge. To qualify, you need to  make under a certain amount of money. I had a wonderful woman who was very helpful. She carefully went through all of my expenses with me, and gave me some excellent advice. She reminded me of  a teacher. I so appreciated her kindness and caring. She was so detailed and exact.

From there I drove over to Mail America and faxed my proof of income to Covered California. They had sent me a letter saying that they needed a copy of my tax return in order for me to keep my health insurance. It felt so satisfying to get those things done. I will be receiving almost $4,800. back from my health insurance payments. That money will go directly into savings and retirement. It's such a relief to have a financial cushion.

I had an Etsy order yesterday for some heart soaps, so I sent those off at the post office. I made another batch today. I took my time, and enjoyed stirring the soap batter. I scented it with Cranberry Chutney fragrance from Brambleberry. It smells heavenly!

I've got to do my physical therapy exercises and yoga now. I haven't done my push ups in ages, and I meant to be doing them every day. My dad is 88, and he does thirty push ups each day! I hope I'll be able to do them at that age, if I live that long. How are you?

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How Long Does My Soap Need To Cure?

hot processed olive oil soap

I have received some questions about cure time in soapmaking, so I decided to write a post on it today. When making cold processed soap, we normally wait four to six weeks to use the soap. It's raw, and the lye will damage your skin. Soap needs that time to mellow and age. If you have ever used a soap that gives  you a stinging, prickly sensation that is from the soapmaker using too short of a cure time. You can't rush the process. It takes patience. The longer the soap cures, the milder it becomes. Three months or longer is ideal. 

When making soap, we  wear shoes, gloves, goggles, and long pants,  and long sleeves so that the lye water does not splatter on  our skin. You don't want to risk a chemical burn from the lye water mixture spilling accidentally. I mix mine in the kitchen sink, with the windows and front door open, and have the ceiling fans running.

With hot processed soap, the batter is safe to handle once it has gone completely through all of the stages. You can see it turning from a creamy mixture like cold processed soap to something completely different. Here are some photos to show you the transformation.

early stages

 

 At this point, I had added half of the six ounces of coconut milk that I was using to make the batter more fluid. You can see how the oil is separating from the rest of the ingredients. It needs more cooking and stirring.

vaseline stage

 Now it's starting to shift.  At this point, I added 1 T sugar dissolved in 1 T hot water. It's important to have your measuring cups and ingredients warm, not cold. Temperature is critical in soapmaking.

applesauce stage

 Things move very quickly once the soap starts to thicken and come together. This is how it looks at applesauce stage. You are cooking off the lye. It's important not to breathe in the toxic fumes and to keep the room well ventilated.

Just before mashed potatoes stage

 Once the soap finishes cooking, it starts to stick together and pull off the sides of the crockpot. At this point you can turn the machine off, and add your extra ingredients. If you are scenting your soap and coloring it, now is the time. You want to heat the water and cup that you are using for your clay. I used 3 T yogurt at room temperature, and the second half of my warm coconut milk. I also added 1 T of fine seal salt dissolved in 1 T of hot water.

Using all of these additives felt counter-intuitive to me the first time. It seemed like so much extra liquid to add, as I am used to making cold processed soap. I was afraid that it would throw off the thickness and ruin the batch. Fluid hot processed is an entirely different technique. It's very effective, though. It helps to watch Youtube videos and to study the method. You can also make it without the additives, but it will be thick and gloppy.  You will have to plop it into the mold, and work very quickly. It hardens like candle wax when it hits the cold air.

You can sample a bar of this soap right away because it is no longer caustic. That is one of the reasons hot processed  appeals to so many soap makers. I let my hot processed bars cure for a couple of weeks, four weeks if I am going to sell them. It's fun to try out your latest soap immediately, and to enjoy the scent and the rich, creamy, bubbly lather. The fragrances don't fade and the bars really feel different, because they are cooked. I also enjoy the clean up, because you just have the crockpot, and you are not worried about touching raw soap with lye. For me, it makes me feel more relaxed. I still clean all of my utensils with boiling water. That's what they do in the labs. It's also a good idea to towel off your faucet handles and clean your counters with vinegar water.

When making cold processed milk soaps, (like goat's milk,) the bars need to cure for eight weeks. They require more time than a non milk soap. You can also make hot processed goat's milk soap, and it is safe to use right away. It's a bit trickier, though, because it separates during the cook time.   I hope that this answers some of your questions. Let me know if you try it. It's fabulous soap!  It is a lot of work, though. 

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Rebatched Soap In The Crockpot

Last night I decided to make a batch of hot processed soap. It had been quite a while since I had made soap this way. I lost my confidence after having a loaf go crumbly the last time I tried it. The sea salt and sugar that I added didn't dissolve. It was a 100% coconut oil soap recipe. I think that may have been part of the problem, too high a percentage of hard oils.  I decided to use a recipe using olive oil, so I did a simple one with coconut oil, olive oil, distilled water, sodium hydroxide, and cranberry fragrance oil.

Things started out pretty well. I had purchased a used crockpot at The Church of Hope Thrift Shop down the street. It was marked at $5.00, and I got it at 50% off. This was my first time trying hot processed soap in a crockpot. I plan to use it  for  soapmaking only.

I watched the soap batter transform through the clear lid. It went through the different stages: bubbling up, looking like vaseline,  and moving into the applesauce stage. I tried working at a higher temperature this time. I melted the oils in the crockpot, and added the lye water right away, rather than letting it cool. I mixed in a tsp. of sugar that I had combined with a T of distilled water. It caused some clumps in the lye water, which made me nervous. I strained the lye water as I poured it into the crockpot.

After about 45 minutes, I added cranberry chutney fragrance oil and a tsp. of red Brazilian clay mixed into a T of distilled water. I heated the water before combining them. To my dismay, the soap started to separate. When I put it in the mold, the loaf looked like it was sitting in oil. I got a familiar feeling of dread and failure.

I placed it in the freezer, and took a hot bath. I removed it afterward, sliced  the oily soaps and cut them up into quarters. I put them back into the crockpot, and did a rebatch. The soap started to come together, and it looked much better. I mixed it together and pressed it into my silicone loaf mold.

This morning I removed it and sliced it into pieces. They smell divine, and I really am happy with the peachy shade of pink from the natural clay. I used a bar this morning in the shower, and fell in love. I had forgotten that rebatched soap is my absolute favorite to use. It's so mild. The lather is wonderful and bubbly. I have been finding several reasons to happily wash my hands.

These will make really nice Christmas gifts for  my friends, knitting ladies, and neighbors.  They are more simple and country looking than the molded cold processed soaps that I usually make. I like how old fashioned they seem and  feel.  They remind me of farmhouse soaps that women my grandmother's age made in  the fifties.  

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Sending Out Soaps For Christmas

Yesterday I received an order in my Etsy shop. It was from a dancer  friend who now lives in Pennsylvania. She wanted ten soaps; she plans to give them as Christmas gifts. This morning I wrapped each of them  in bubble wrap. taped it carefully, and then stuffed them inside small muslin drawstring bags. I wrote out the vintage Santa labels by hand , and wrapped and secured them around the soaps. After that, I printed out the packing slip and shipping label. I really enjoy getting holiday packages ready to ship.

Knowing which size to use for sending boxes can be tricky. In this case, the medium size flat rate box was the best deal. Sometimes I also use the Regional Box A size.  Small business owners in America can order special Priority Mail boxes in different sizes online through the US Postal Service. They are free of charge, and can be delivered to your business or home. I keep a stash with my packing supplies. I also recycle bubble wrap, newspaper, and popcorn, as long as it's clean.

After sending off that order, I had another waiting for me when I got home. This one is for six bars of soap. The customer is  a lady who plays bridge with my father. She gives them as gifts to her friends at the bridge club.  She's a very kind and friendly person. It's fun to connect with people annually and be part of their traditions. Each December, I always wish that I had made more soap. I plan to whip up a few batches this week to store for the future.

At this time of year, the hard work that I've done over the summer starts to pay off handsomely. There are oranges to pick, pumpkins and squash to harvest, and soaps to mail to customers, family,  and friends. It inspires me to continue to sow seeds for the future.  Do you plan to mail many packages this year?

Thank you for your comments. They add so much talent and energy to the blog. Please comment in English. I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published. If you enjoy the posts here, please share them.  

Christmas Crafts

 
I finished a couple sets of the Christmas pot holders. They still need to be blocked and listed on Etsy. They are so easy to crochet. I plan to use the leftover yarn to make a few simple drawstring soap bags that double as washcloths. I like having something easy to work on when I'm in a group.  The bag below is a yarn holder for a center pull ball of yarn. The pattern is called Handy Dandy Sock Yarn Bags. It's listed under with her free patterns, under Crochet. 

I have been busy filling Etsy orders. I need to print up some more Christmas labels for my soaps.

The mauve lace curtains arrived! I am very pleased with them. They look so old fashioned, and fit in beautifully with the vintage furniture and antiques. My mom would approve. They let the sunlight stream in, yet provide privacy during the day.  I will need to find something to put over them in the evenings. For now, I'm using the old balloon shades. They are a bit tattered, but I mended them. My German Shepherd, Carlie, had ripped through them during an anxiety attack. She used to be so frightened of storms. She would literally climb the walls. (and try to jump out of windows.) She finally settled on crouching in the bathtub. I miss her.

After hearing the news of my friend Kate's death, I felt like I was moving through mud.  I've been making an effort to cook quick, healthy meals. Last night that was pan fried filet mignon, (bought on sale,) brussells sprouts, and baked potatoes. Because of the grief,  the smallest tasks seemed to take so much effort. Today is much easier.  I have been writing about her, and that is helping. I even sat and watched a few psychic and medium shows on Youtube. It sounds funny, but it was comforting. I hope you are doing well. 

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A Hot Lunch

Today I made a batch of Mexican rice and cooked it in my Le Creuset pot, in the oven. My mom gave each of her four kids a starter set of the Le Creuset pots and pans for Christmas one year. It was the best gift that I have ever received!

I heated up part of a chicken breast from a pack of four that I had boiled the other day. Chicken breasts are so useful! You can have them in salads, on a tortilla with cheese, marinated with vegetables, or on pizza. I used a bit of leftover broth to heat up my rice for lunch. Something about a hot, homemade  lunch is so satisfying.  I figured that using the broth was healthier than heating it up in butter. I do love butter, though. It makes everything taste so delicious.

I finished crocheting another pot holder. These make great hot pads, too. You can also chain forty-five stitches and make coasters. I like the double thickness. They are heat proof and practical. It's kind of a relief to be doing a mindless and simple project again. I still need to get back to my Carbeth sweater and finish it. It's sitting in my knitting bag, waiting patiently. It makes me feel guilty just thinking about it. I don't want to become one of those "startitis knitters" with eight different projects on their needles. No offense to anyone, it just stresses me out  not to complete things. 

Shea butter, olive oil, and coconut oil for today's batch of soap

The weather is getting colder at night. I wear my plaid Lanz flannel nightgown, which I love. I may invest in a pair of flannel sheets, as well. I've been using the alpaca and wool throw that  I knit several years ago. It's perfect to put on my lap while enjoying an early morning cup of coffee and crocheting.  

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Deep Cleaning In The Home

Today I did some intense cleaning in my kitchen. I pulled out the drain pans on my vintage stove and scoured them with baking soda. (bicarb) Some of the grease was baked on, so I heated up some white vinegar on the stove, poured it into the pans,  and used a knife to scrape off the stickiness. Phew! It's a satisfying feeling to take care of what you own.

The sides of my appliances were also splattered with grease, so I scrubbed those clean with a rag dipped in baking soda and hot water. I also cleaned off the top of the refrigerator. It was caked with a layer of  dust. I really should do these chores more often, and then it wouldn't feel like such a big job. I tend to avoid them. It's always easier than I think it will be, once I tackle the task. Oh well, it's done, and I feel very relieved.

Yesterday I bought a new set of sheets for the bed. My old fitted bottom sheet had started to rip. My foot was sliding into it. The threads  had worn from daily use. The new ones are 100% cotton. I had to check the labels carefully, because so many of the sheets at T.J. Maxx were 100% polyester. I prefer natural fibers. I was trying to remember if the sheets my mom bought us when we were growing up were cotton and polyester, or all cotton. I think they were a blend. I did a load of laundry today, and hung everything out on the the clothesline to dry. We have sunshine here year round, so I enjoy taking advantage of it to dry my towels, clothing, and bedding. I also washed a few of my sun dresses by hand, wrung out the excess water in my Nina Spin Dryer, and hung those out on the clothesline to dry, as well.

The soaps came out just as I had hoped. I unmolded (unmoulded) them this morning. I'm very pleased with the shade of green that I got from using just a half teaspoon of the green mica powder from Brambleberry. When mixed into  the milk soap batter, it makes such a muted, soft pastel shade. Goat's milk soap can be tricky, because of temperature. It turns brown and tan, depending on how hot your oils and lye/milk mixture are. I let my oils cools for a couple of hours before  mixing the lye with the frozen goat's milk ice cubes.

There were some excellent bargains at the grocery stores the other day. I found Jazz apples and a late variety of peaches for .50 a pound. I bought  this large watermelon at Sprouts for $3.99. I shared it with my neighbor. It's huge! I set it out in the sun for a couple of days, for maximum sweetness.  That's a trick I learned from another one of my neighbors. This is the old fashioned type watermelon, with black seeds. It's my favorite.  What's happening in your home?

Thank you for your comments. They add so much talent and energy to the blog. Please comment in English. I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published. If you enjoy the posts here, please share them.