With any luck, Mom will be moved into the rehab today after less than a week!  She’s doing that well.  That’s 2 weeks ahead of schedule.  So we’re hoping that it won’t take the full 6 weeks to get her home again.  The problem is that the Brothers are going to have to fast track some home renovations to get the place wheelchair accessible.  Over the years, when Tina and I did minor renovations, we did think ahead and add grab bars and a wider bedroom door for Mom.  But, this one is going to be bigger.  We’re hoping that some community organizations will offer up some supplies.  We’ve got the labor (fortunately, the Brothers and Dad used to run a small time construction company that did home renovations for the elderly and handicapped…so they know what the legalities are).  We’ve just got to work with what we have for now.  If it’s not good enough for the home health folks, they will just have to live with it!

Tomorrow, we take Brian to the VA in Pineville and we are going to be able to see Mom again.  Tina’s been pulling the heavy load this time, but if nothing comes up, I’m going to try to sneak over next week and do an overnight stay with Mom.  Tina stayed the last 2 nights, but at least the room they have her in is big enough to be comfortable.  It’s got the sofa and sleeper chair of death.  Man, those are a pain in the butt (literally!) to sleep in.  Torture devices, pure and simple!  At least the pain management skills of the nurses is up to par instead of the way it was last year when I spent a week with Mom in the same type of situation.  I think it also helps that she’s in traction.  Yeah, she can still complain and wants to be moved around just as much.  But there are only 2 decent positions to get into this time.  That takes away some of the guess work.

I’m sorry I didn’t get around to the internet yesterday.  Scratch that.  I’m not sorry.  I slept like I was dead and it felt oh so good.  I got up later than I have in over a year.  I felt so good all day and without a drop of caffeine!  It was awesome! 

Then we went out to pick up dinner and it was a little less awesome.  We tried the mexican place around the corner again.  The last time we tried it, it was barely ok.  Then it shut down within days.  Obviously, it was a health department thing.  When we went back to the “new” place, it was the exact same people with a new septic system, a slightly different menu, slightly higher prices, and just as “ok” an outcome.  You’re actual Mexicans!  Aren’t you ashamed when you see this food go out?  I can do better and I know a real Mexican or 2 that can back me up on that!  Stop trying to Americanize it.  Do what your mama would do!  I guarantee the gringos will come!  It truly saddens me.  The other Mexican place is way better and it’s run by a Korean lady.  That is just wrong.

Oh and the zucchini…it’s back.  I had no sooner canned that last batch than I had gathered about that much more.  I figure I’m about two thirds through the entire zucchini season.  Seriously, I want those recipes!    Paladin was talking last night about wanting a zucchini bread recipe.  I’m obviously really bad for his low carb diet.

I’m off to catch up on ya’ll now. 

I’m drowning!  In zucchini, that is.  It’s a good thing that I love zucchini or I’d be tempted to start pulling the plants up!  Instead, I’m just pulling my hair out.

This was the first weekend of zucchini (after giving away several to the neighbors and before making 2 days of zucchini filled dinners):

Uh huh.  Now you see why I’m feeling a tad insane.  I canned all night and ended up with this:

Yep.  That’s more zucchini waiting to be canned behind those 14 jars. 

But I have found a wonderful NEW recipe!  Those lemony yellow jars in the center are Lemon Zucchini Cream.  OMG!  It is so freakin’ good!  Supposedly, it tastes like lemon curd but with a different texture.  Unfortunately, I’ve never gotten around to trying lemon curd, and I can’t tell you whether it does or not.  All I can say is it tastes delicious!  I think I’m going to have to make a lemon cake and use this as the frosting.  Mmmm…or lemon bars.  It’s pretty easy to make too and although the recipe is for canning, you could just make about half of the recipe and keep it in the fridge. 

For some reason, the English knock-off recipes appeal to me when it comes to zucchini.  Those 3 jars on the left are my version of Branston pickle which is apparently a relish that they put on sandwiches in Brittain.  All I know is my bastardized version (I don’t put the spices in and I only use 3 veggies) is amazingly awesome on sandwiches.  I just use equal parts brown sugar and apple cider vinegar with a dollop of lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons per cup of brown sugar) and a dash of salt as a brine to cook zucchini, bell pepper, and onions.  It smells up the whole house, but if you love pickles or sauerkraut, make some!  I kept almost a quart of it out of the canning process and just popped it in the fridge.  It’s better everyday it sits in there!

The kids even took some zucchini home, but I’ve still got tons to can.  Blondie was eating it raw and she helped me make a savory pie for dinner using some of it. 

We made a sweet pie out of the last of the berries too, and she and Savvy made pie crust animals and hearts that they sprinkled with sugar to snack on.  Blondie wasn’t sold on the savory pie for dinner, but then again, what does she know?  She dresses like this:

I would laugh but that’s MY HAT she’s wearing.  You can’t tell from the look on her face, but she put that ensemble together all on her own despite me telling her she looked like a gypsy that’s escaped from the Arctic Circle.  You just gotta love kids.