Suzanne Jabs

I love puzzles, too. One summer when my son was really into Legos, he and his buddy would be busy with Legos all day, so I took over the spare room and built a 5000-pc puzzle on the wood floor. Possibly my best summer as an adult! I tried it again 2 years ago, but sitting on the floor all day now was too much for my old bones.

My table only fits 1000 piecers, usually. Someone in my neighborhood recently started a Little Free Puzzle Library. It's a perfect mile or so walk there, grab a new puzzle, leave an old one. I love it!

Glad to hear from so many puzzle enthusiasts!

Wow I love the sewing machine cover with the pockets. I don't think I'd mind the open ends. Of course, I currently use an old pillow case as a sewing machine dust cover, so anything would be an improvement.

I like the thoughtful discussion about where to hang it, how to secure the pockets, etc. Think I've got a new project to work on!

Cécile Stelzer Johnson wrote:

Same thing here: I know that when there is a full moon, I will have trouble sleeping. It never fails. One thing I don't see so much in the US but I saw many times in France is shutters. I don't understand it: In the south of France, I used to have shutters on the outside of my house. [Real ones, not the undersized 'decorative' ones]. They could lock  weather tight and burglar tight, from the inside.

I feel ya! I miss my German rolladen! When I worked midnight shift, I could totally black out the room to sleep during the day. And during the heat of summer, I could lower them enough to make it dark, but the spaces in between the louvers were still open for air flow. Because of course no one had a/c. I loved it!

When I was canning this year, my water bath canner overflowed onto my glass cooktop. The boiling water took care of all the guck on the stovetop. Unexpected but I have used boiling water ever since to clean up any really tough stuff.

Thanks for sharing this info, I am intrigued.

I am also wondering at the tankless electric heaters available in the US. I used to live in Germany, and everyone had a few electric tankless water heaters in their home, one in the kitchen, one in each bathroom. Why can we not get the same quality appliances in the US?

I am frustrated because it seems so wasteful to have that tank of hot water in my basement, constantly heating. I don't need hot water 24/7. I wanted to install a tankless, but apparently my electrical panel won't handle it, I'd have to get an upgrade. Something seems off about this situation.

The Marey is now out of stock. They must have had a rush of permies purchasing all they had!

Excepting the last piece of pecan pie I just ate (shhh!), I never cared for cereal, pastries, or other sweet breakfast foods, but not until I went on a strict GAPS diet did I realize you can eat anything for breakfast, doesn't have to be traditional breakfast foods.

Nowadays, during cold weather months, I always have a pot of stew going. About 10am, I have a bowl for my first meal. So good! During warm weather, whatever is ready in the garden, sometimes as a salad, sometimes a stir-fry. Quick, easy, and nutritious. And no sugar, which wreaks havoc on my health.

I went for several years without a car in different cities:

Atlanta, 1 year--horrible experience trying to bike on those roads. People yell and throw things at you.

Southern Germany for 3 years and then later in NW Germany for 6 years, mostly with no car, until I got pregnant with my 2nd, caved and bought a car.

Portland, OR--13 years with no car until I got priced out of the inner city and had to move further out where the buses are not as frequent, the car-share company is non-existent, and everything is further away. I do not enjoy being car dependent now, and I still try to bike when I can. Luckily I work from home most days, so no commute.

If I had my druthers, I would still bike/walk/bus to everything and rent a car when I want to travel, if needed. I used to think an electric car or bike was the answer until I learned about the horrible environmental impact, so pedal biking is still my preferred way to go.

There is a wonderful resource for 100% rye sourdough baking. Check out Shannon Stronger's homestead blog and ebooks Nourishing Days. Very reasonably priced. It takes practice, but I used to get amazing results with her methods.

Judith Pi wrote:
Weck jars are quite versatile. I use them for fermenting (lid of next mouth size down will fit into a jar as dunker, though they may tilt as being on the thin side) and storing dehydrated goods with a vacuum.

I second the Weck jars. I used to live in Germany, and I still order Weck if I need more jars for canning. I keep Ball jars for storage, but nothing beats Weck for canning. I found that the rubber rings have lasted me through 5 years or so for the most part.  

It says they are specially made carts, welded together just for the purpose of moving the logs.