Hard Water

So one of the downers of living in an old house is old pipes. As a result water that is hard normally ends up being like sandpaper. My skin is bearing the brunt. Also being on bore / well water means you miss out on the additives that I have been used to since a kid. My fingernails are in disrepair and my hair feels like straw.

Apart from that cleaning is tougher. The permanent splotches visible on crockery and glassware, the crusty feeling on all the wet surfaces the sinks and in the bathroom.
Which takes special care to fix. And lots of elbow grease.

But all in all I love it. I love being here. I have my own boiler suit which doesn't really sound as exciting as it is. It means I can go cut wood with John. And I don't freeze to death. We are going to buy a new chainsaw. Not specifically for me but it is my size. And it will match John's monster.

So yesterday I baked pork chops which came from one of our pigs. Its weird what I consider normal and what John considers normal food combinations.

I've never really considered baked beans as a side dish. I have always been more into baked beans as the meal itself. Maybe on a baked potato or toast with cheese on top. But not so much as a companion to a meal. But I like to make John happy, so it was on his plate but not mine.

Hardest thing about cooking on a Friday and even on a Saturday is knowing whether or not we are going out. So I need to be prepared with something that can keep. Oh well I'll figure it out.

Michigan musings

Okay so I have now been in the US for three weeks tomorrow. John is great and everything I could have hoped for. So many people thought we were nuts. We never met or even knew what we looked liked before we agreed to marry. Now we are sitting down to start the paperwork so we can get married and I can stay or rather come back. K3 here I come. Well in about 7 months.

Having said that since I have arrived there have been 3 blizzards and there is another coming. There has also been freezing rain. I have fallen down in the snow straight on my butt because of inappropriate shoes. It was completely reminiscent of my college experience all over again

The flight from Cape Town was OK if it had of a) left on time b) made up some time once we were in the air and c) actually got our luggage through. Then having missed my connecting flight from London I then had to get registered onto a new flight and check in again.

Still put that all aside. I am having a blast. I am coming out the other side of tonsillitis, flu and an ear ache. Also looking forward to cutting wood again. Me and a chainsaw, aren't you all afraid. But it is really fun. Especially after you get into the rhythm of it.

I am loving the fresh produce eggs and meat. Could use the milk, but I have never been a fan of fresh milk. Ironically neither is John. Still I am looking forward to making fresh milk cheese.

At the moment I have a lot of cleaning and organising to keep me busy. That and an excuse to cook. I love life.