When the Grandkids Lunches Came by the Bus -Pandemic Memories 2026

 

I was cleaning the shelves full of  canning jars (I have two and half shelves full of vegetable garden blessings and a lot empty jars) when I came across a jar of Peach Jam.  Yep, a dusty jar of wonderful Peach Jam from 2020! Somehow this one jar escaped my previous cleanings.  Like how does that happen?   I really don't know but the memories came flooding back ...What a year to remember and one I'm sure we would all like to try to forget.  

I put it back after cleaning and started to remember what it was like then, just six years ago.  I was supervising homeschool for our two grandchildren and we were getting their lunches delivered.  It took me awhile to remember how we got them but then I remembered putting on my mask and walking out to meet the school bus that delivered school lunches every day or so.  Now the kids don't go to my district but I called them up and they said no problem you can still get school lunches delivered for them.  It was amazing how that all came to pass and what a blessing that was.

The kids wouldn't eat the little plastic cups of fruit so I made peach and mixed berry jam.   They had the jam with toast and peanut butter sandwiches and loved the flavor.  They had no idea where it came from.  It kind of cracked me up at the time.  It was good.

Don't worry we are not going to eat that jam in that last jar from 2020...it's getting dumped in the trash but the memories will remain.

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The Mini Ice Age, Book and Bread Sale, and Spring Cleaning!

 

So, one morning after feeding the chickens I started to come back into the house and noticed the handle on the screen door was frozen.  I went inside and grabbed my phone so I could show you guys what terrible cold we are dealing with (like most of the country).  As I came out, the door shut real good, and I couldn't break the ice off the handle.  I was stuck outside in my housecoat.  I had to walk around the house to the back door and my daughter let me in.  I really must start dressing properly before going to feed the chickens.

I bought three books at the library book sale this past week and the cookbook at Habitat for Humanity.  I paid a $1.00 each.  I'm loving the cookbook.  I wish I was at the library book sale the first day but I felt the roads were too bad.  I'm thankful for what I found but it would have been a better selection.

 

We went to the Aunt Millie's Bakery store yesterday and happened upon a buy 1/get 1 free sale on the low carb bread that we love.  So we stocked up on that plus we bought hamburger/hotdog buns, bagels, and cinnamon swirl bread for a good price.  

They were closing for a week to do some repairs and yesterday was their last day.  Someone put their car in drive instead of reverse and ran into part of the store.  I'm not sure why or how that happened but how scary.  Thank God no one was hurt.  That's my interesting news this week.

Really not much going on except I'm still Spring Cleaning.  I finished organizing the pantry and a closet.   This week I hope to get to another closet and wash down the kitchen cabinets.   I love to Spring Clean/organize right now because as soon as the mini ice age is over I'm going to be in my garden.  This weather mess will all be forgotten.

What's it like where you are?

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I Know What I Said but....

                                             

I know what I said, I don't feel like Spring Cleaning but I did.  First, I moved back the stove and cleaned under there, then I cleaned weird things like the teapot and the toaster till they sparkled, and I even cleaned the fridge.  Of course life happened but now I'm back to work on the pantry.

Smokie one early morning, sad that he can't go outside (his tail was in the oatmeal I had cooling for the chickens).

The weather has been cold and snowy (-11 actual temperature this morning) but we are promised a warm up next week.   I'm sad to hear about the people without power and I hope everything gets fixed soon.  I can't imagine and I don't want to imagine.

I'm growing sweet potato vines.  Only one has rooted the other three nothing yet.  I look at them multiple times a day but it doesn't help. Maybe soon. 

How is everything in your neck of the woods?

**Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden! As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here).  

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BRR....

I know so many of us in the United States are freezing right now and I hope and pray everyone is staying warm.  Right now in our part of Michigan it's 1 degrees with a wind chill of -11.  It will get worse they say. Record breaking cold.... Brr.

Some of the ways that we prepared last night for the cold were:  we dripped water in our bathtub last night to prevent frozen pipes. Prevention is key.

The puff is there so we won't hear it drip.   Also there is a small electric heater running in there as well.

We also kept the cabinet under the kitchen sink and dishwasher door open.  

What do you do when there is nothing to do but stare at the snow?  You crochet and sew or do other crafts (like reading).    I started crocheting these hats for charity using this tutorial on youtube.

I bought the snap button puffs she showed here.

I guess you could also start Spring Cleaning but I'm not in the mood right now...

If your in the path of this storm ...try to stay warm.  Some of my suggestions are have plenty of blankets, wear long johns (layer up), flannel nightgowns, keep your head warm with hats, wear gloves, and go to a warming shelter if you need to.

After what I seen on t.v. about the stores, good luck if you need milk and bread.  

**Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden! As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here).  

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Keep Moving Forward: Progress is Slow Sometimes

 

On Monday I started putting up my Christmas decorations and making fabric Christmas bags for next year.  This momentum didn't last as long as I would have liked ...Christmas is stored away but I didn't finish the bags yet.  They are waiting for me by the sewing machine.

We went to the Michigan State Spartans game last night (Thursday) ...this was a birthday present to my husband.  First of all I climbed up all these steps...then I decided I wouldn't throw up...then I went down those steps after the game was almost over (we determined they would win)....then I walked back 1/2 mile to the parking garage.   I could have never done this a couple of years ago.  Progress for me is slow but I keep moving forward as best as I can.

By the way:  I love these kind of presents the best..destination presents are fun!  

Today after I determine that I can move again ..I'm cleaning out the chicken coop ..what a better way to spend a 55 degree day LOL.  Hopefully I can report more to you next week. 

How's it going at your home?

**Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden! As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here).  

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How I'm Going to Make My Life Easier (It will take work)!

 

                        

I'm going to do it different this year ...yep 2026  will be different.  I'm going to be more ahead of the game so I can smile more, love God more, and just be more joyful than ever before.  None of this is means I'm going to sit around and do nothing.  It actually takes work to be restful but for years to come I know I'm going to thank myself.

Things I'm going to do to make that happen:

Sewing:

January is for sewing and I making cloth reusable Christmas bags. The material is all cut up and I'm ready to get sewing.

You know, I'm getting too old to wrap up all these presents.  Don't worry I have lots of wrapping paper I bought at estate sales for those big presents, but for all the smaller ones, in a reusable cloth bag it goes. Easy peasy, no wrapping paper needed.

                                                    a elephant baby bib I made this last week

I want to also make more baby shower gifts ahead of time in the off months of gardening.  I've done this some in years past but I need to step up my game and have those presents ready.  A gift closet for babies.

At the same time I want to make hats and gloves for giving to the needy.  All this making will make winter go by fast and I'll feel accomplished...I hope.

The Garage:

Organize the garage more...it's too cold to start now but I have ideas.  This will be more for me so I can find my chicken stuff, my picnic stuff, and my canning jars.  No basement here but that side of the garage is mine.  

I got a taste of just how great garage organizing can be after this past Thanksgiving.  You see last summer I put my Christmas stuff by the door so it would be within easy reach in the cold and believe me it was cold this past November.  It was so easy to just grab and go.  I was happy, he was happy.... everybody was happy.

Garden:

Come Spring, we need to fill the raised beds with soil to get them ready for the planting season.  The lower half of the garden is in raised beds now and we are excited to cut down on bending down to weed and as a added benefit we will not worry as much about the flooding back there.    Over the years I know we will thank ourselves for the extra work we are going to put in this Spring to make this happen.

I would also like to plant concord grapes behind the chicken coop run. This of course will happen in the Spring too but I will need to get ahead start and research how to trellis them this winter (youtube).  When I told husband what I wanted to do he rolled his eyes and said there was no room until I mentioned that very spot in the yard.  He became quiet and he knew there was nothing he could say.  The lawnmower doesn't even fit there.  Ha ha.

You know, I felt something years ago when I started requesting fruit trees for every Mother's Day .. something told me to start planting what we now call our little orchard.   The grocery store is so handy but I realize now we must learn to depend on ourselves as much as we can. 

What are your goals this year?

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Miss Eisenhower's Million Dollar Fudge Recipe

 

Today I'm making Miss Eisenhower's million dollar fudge.  There are so many different ways to make this recipe but to me this is the best one.   It's easy and you can just make half if you want.  Since I only have 5 bars, I think I'll do that today!  

Miss Eisenhower's Fudge

1 tbsp plus 1/2 cup of butter divided

3 Hershey bars (2 -7oz bars plus one reg. 1.55 oz) or approximately 10 reg. sized  1.55 oz. bars

4 cups of semi-sweet choc. chips

1 jar of marshmallow creme

1 can of evaporated milk

4 1/2 cups of sugar

2 cups of chopped walnuts or pecans

1.  Prepare a 13 by 9 inch pan with foil and then spread the 1 tbsp. of butter on the foil.

2.  In a large bowl combine the bars, chips, and marshmallow cream.

3. Over medium heat stirl in the milk, sugar, and remaining butter in a large saucepan.  Boil for 4 1/2 minutes.  Pour over chocolate mixture in bowl and stir until everything is melted.   Lastly stir in nuts and then pour into the pan lined with foil.  Cover and refrigeratate until firm.

4.  When firm get the fudge out of the pan using the foil and slice into pieces.

Delicious!  

**Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden! As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here).  

Be sure to follow me on Facebook,and Bloglovin where I share my frugal list, gardening, recipes, and more!  You can also sign up for my email list on the top right hand side of the blog.