Fall Harvest

So, this week as a little busy. I canned 21 quarts of tomato juice and 21 quarts of fresh tomatoes. I wasn't sure I could do it on my new glass top stove. The suggestion is that the normal-type canner is not flat and it's too large for the burner--which runs the risk of cracking the stove top...so with help of the internet and pure genius on my part (tongue in cheek)... I remembered that my mom had a "steam canner" that I happen to "inherit". It's flat on the bottom and small enough to fit the burner. It worked beautifully but the most enjoyable part of the whole process was the time I was able to think of my mom and dad. I used to take you kids with me to their house for the day and can tomatoes with mom. Dad would help pick the tomatoes from his garden ,and I'm sure entertain you all while we went to work and canned all day. I think she held up better than I did but the exhaustion was worth the sight of all those bottles lined up on the counter. I have mom's juicer as well and although it is an older type, it did the job. I think my dad would be proud of me as well because I had to do a "Joe McGee" to get it put together and I dare say he couldn't have done a better job himself---it probably wouldn't have taken him as long but it worked! Let's not let home canning be a lost art!

Another thought for August--I've been applying for part-time jobs since February with not a lot of hope or results. I pretty much gave up when a friend told me about an opening in an alternative high school as a teacher assistance in the daycare--for young girls with babies and for the faulty/staff's children. It seems almost the perfect job (and I was actually qualified for it) but I was so wishy-washy! Some times I really wanted the job and other times I didn't want the job. I, of course, made it a matter of prayer and finally decided that it's not the right time for me to go back to work. I decided even before I went to the temple but felt at peace there about the decision. I knew that IF I was offered the job, that I could and would politely say no thank you. As it turned out, they offered the job to another person but I feel it was important for me to make that decision on my own. Some day the time will be right for me to work but in my heart of hearts I know that my place is here at home. I'm grateful that I have had the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom.