Daily Notes- August 12th

Pickle Making.  The big canning kettle full of hot boiling water and the jars (sterilizing) and the second pan full of rinsed salted vegetables and the vinegar/sugar/spices.  I keep a clean and neat work station.  Across from the stove was where I cleaned the top edges of the jars and added lids and screw tops.  then back into the canner for the allotted number of processing minutes.  And then out. and then waiting to see if all the lids "popped" thereby sealing.  One did not so I had to re-boil it and then take it out and wait to see if it would seal.  It did.

And that's it.  Until the fig crop is ripe.  Then I'll make fig preserves for G and hang up the canning apron fro the season.  Good thing as I am out of the wide mouth pint jars.  Plenty of the narrow neck ones.  But G doesn't like them.  Shaking my head.  He's very specific in what he likes and dislikes. Rather like the dog.  Who is sitting next to me. Being specific.

We were having a good day with the dog yesterday and then he went off the rails again.  I've learned to spray the pheromones that calm him down on the towel covering his dog bed.  Then we just have to wait for him to put his head down.  If he does--then he sleeps.  If he doesn't then I just start talking to him in a steady monotone voice.  I tell him things-stories of his early life here.  It takes a long time to get him to calm down.  Losing your mind is a very scary thing.  We also watch Law and Order.  He has always liked the sound of it.  I tried hand sewing but he didn't like me doing that. Reading is fine.  And sitting at the computer is also fine.  But Law and Order is best.  So I didn't post yesterday.

I am getting away from home today.  Going to a movie.  With a friend.  Only one of us can leave.  So I usually stay home.  Now that Riley refuses to get in the car-we can't go places together.  No Dairy Queen trips.  It's been a long summer.  I can leave to go grocery shopping etc. but when G leaves it's not good here.  The dog doesn't like for G to be gone but he goes anyway.  Because G likes to go.

Well, enough of that.  As I said, I tried to do some hand sewing but the light wasn't good so I stopped. I haven't been working on my components or anything.  I haven't gone to Goodwill in two weeks.

Riley looks so sweet and normal when he is asleep on his dog bed.  I love him so much.