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Post by questa on Dec 20, 2020 3:03:01 GMT
This time each year we have thousands of transient fruit pickers who pick our harvest while seeing the country. Thanks to pandemic no-one can enter the country, we have a glut now and by February the price will be astronomical. So I unearthed my Fowler's Vacola kit which is like the Kilner or Mason jars stuff. Been in storage so needed new lids, rubber rings and clips ( Not expensive)Local hardware didn't stock and acne-ied youth treated me like a fossil because he hadn't heard of the process. Drove 28km to get goods then home to wash equipment. Day 2 Found some magnificent juicy sweet peaches at half price. Carted them into kitchen, washed and removed any odd bits, placed the half peaches to form a circle in the jar, topped up syrup, adjusted rubber rings and lid, clipped jar and into the boiler...away we go!
I did 4 batches, watching them carefully.The first batch I had to use the floor of the shower recess as there as no access to water and electricity together. 2nd batch I used a plank to support the boiler and by batch 3 had a proper non-life-threatening rig set up.
I let the jars cool overnight. Looked lovely. the red and white colours had merged into a soft peachy colour and I was delighted. Then I tested to see how strong the vacuum was and as I went to touch the jars the lids just came off in my fingers. Used lots of naughty words and sat down to write this.Re-boiling makes the peaches slushy but has to be done. NOW!
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 20, 2020 4:57:49 GMT
Oh, I can imagine how you felt after thinking that you had done everything right. I used to watch my grandmother do canning (my grandfather never seemed to be around for chores like that), and I remember what an arduous and fastidious task it can be is.
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Post by fumobici on Dec 20, 2020 5:03:42 GMT
I've never done what we here call "canning"—even when it involves jars—but I do know how fussy and meticulous it's supposed to be. Maybe make some pies from the failed experiment as presents?
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 20, 2020 5:05:12 GMT
Hmmm. Do you think the rings were defective? I've only ever used the kind where the lid has the rubber attached to it. What a pain -- a real trauma!
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Post by tod2 on Dec 20, 2020 8:57:55 GMT
Oh Questa that is a low blow! After all your hard work it seems terrible that the beautiful fruit has to be turned into jam. Or something like it. The only thing would be to freeze it in portions to be used some other way. Please let us know the result.
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Post by spaceneedle on Dec 20, 2020 9:50:03 GMT
I've never done what we here call "canning"—even when it involves jars—but I do know how fussy and meticulous it's supposed to be. Maybe make some pies from the failed experiment as presents? I am a home canner (taught by mom) and it's frustrating when things go awry. Any that don't seal should stand up well in the fridge for a time. questa, Those that didnt seal, crush them and make jam instead on the second go around.
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Post by lugg on Dec 20, 2020 17:14:11 GMT
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Post by questa on Dec 21, 2020 8:50:17 GMT
Thank you for your commiserations, the effect was to set me off again. 9 jars were ok and 8 needed re sterilising. I re-built the shower recess system with a better model.The boiler sat firmly on a stool with the water supply from the shower hose, power cord away from the wet area and boiling water directly down the drain. Took 2 hours to re boil the lot after I had checked why they had failed. In all cases it was because I had not bedded the rings into the grooves properly. Anyway, I now have 17 large jars ready to store away. They turned out well.
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Post by tod2 on Dec 21, 2020 8:53:49 GMT
Oh yipee yiy yay! So glad for you.
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Post by mossie on Dec 21, 2020 10:30:32 GMT
What a relief after all that effort.
My mother was a great one for storing food in Kilner jars, which I guess were similar things. Horrible memories of runner beans preserved in them with lashings of salt! She was a great hoarder, another memory is when we cleared the house of finding bags of sugar stashed away in a cupboard in the hall which were rock hard, no doubt about 30 years old.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 21, 2020 18:20:18 GMT
Hey, thanks for this, Lugg! My mother learned how to make this when I was a kid, but the name she learned for it was "boozy fruit". Rumtopf sounds so much more continental and sophisticated. Also, I never had the recipe, so this is great. I now have 17 large jars ready to store away. They turned out well. Wonderful ~ all's well that ends well!
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Post by lugg on Dec 21, 2020 21:45:10 GMT
She was a great hoarder, another memory is when we cleared the house of finding bags of sugar stashed away in a cupboard in the hall which were rock hard, no doubt about 30 years old. I don't know if I am a hoarder or just extremely lazy re sorting out my cupboards - anyway yesterday I had a massive clear out ... flour/ sugar/ lentils/ pasta etc etc dating back to an expiry of 2012 now extracted .... it felt very good. Anyway, I now have 17 large jars ready to store away. They turned out well. Good news indeed . Rumtopf sounds so much more continental and sophisticated. Also, I never had the recipe, so this is great. ... oh glad you found this Bixa .
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Post by Kimby on Dec 28, 2020 23:31:29 GMT
I was looking forward to filling and heating up the hot tub for another winter of long starlit soaks, but apparently I jammed the hose into the filter compartment too aggressively and broke off the “thermowell” which contains the probes for the thermostat and the “high limit breaker” (it prevents overheating and burning up the components). It’s a Saturday, so not likely to get fixed for awhile, but I was able to talk to the spa technician on call who said that due to the age of the spa and the fact that the part I broke was only used for a few years in the late 80’s/early 90’s, he doesn’t know if he can get the part, but he’s looking for one. Grrr. I was looking forward to a soak tomorrow night. Now I’ll have to wait for a warm spell to even fill the spa. And, to prevent freezing, I had to sponge out all the water that I had run into the spa before noticing the broken part... I'm sure the spa guy will be willing to sell you a new hot tub cheap. Good news bad news. The spa guy found an old part (new in a dusty box) from our spa's era that MAY work. Bad news, it may not be possible to install it. And it may be weeks before the spa guy can get up to assess the situation, much less do the actual work. IF it's doable. The eminently handy Mr. Kimby gave it his best shot, and was defeated. We may indeed end up buying a new spa, due to my clumsy breaking of a $28 part.
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Post by casimira on Dec 29, 2020 0:21:27 GMT
At present, there is a huge backlog in the ordering of hotubs (in the NE) anyway. As soon as Covid hit and people with money hightailed it out of the cities, NYC in particular, the demand for hotubs was OTT. My brother who is in the pool/spa business had them back on order for many, many months. and he is one of the major dealers in that area having been in the business for 38 years. He offered us one many years ago and we turned him down. I nor T. were never that crazy about them.
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Post by lugg on Dec 30, 2020 18:28:34 GMT
My daughter treated herself to one for her new home (a hot tub) and last night I tried it out for the first time. Not an expensive all singing/ dancing one but one of the soft ones. It was lovely and really helped my knee,I think. I am tempted now to buy one for myself but there are other more important things I need to do/ sort for my house.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 30, 2020 18:33:58 GMT
My brother had a hot tub in the house where he lived with his second wife and absolutely loved it. That whole California imagery of relaxing under the stars at night with a glass of wine clearly enthralled him. But I don't think he has a hot tub in his current house (with third wife, finally the correct one). I don't know if they had a debate about this or if he just decided that it wasn't worth the expense to have one installed, not even thinking about the upkeep at age 71.
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Post by Kimby on Dec 31, 2020 4:33:00 GMT
Called the spa technician today to find out when he can fit us in for an inspection/evaluation since we hadn’t heard from him since the day after I broke the spa. He will try to come up tomorrow.
When I went in to the spa showroom to pick up the $28 part that may or may not fit our spa, the showroom had ONE spa in it, where it usually has around 10. The clerk said they had sold all the floor models and orders were filled for every truckload until July! I picked a bad time to break ours.
Though ours is 28 years old, we’ve taken good care if it and it was running great till I broke it. The new models have too many bells and whistles and too many jets. We use our spa as a soaking tub, enjoying the silence and hooting of owls. We only use the jets for mixing chemicals. They don’t seem to make simple spas anymore. Sure hope it’s fixable.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 1, 2021 2:32:06 GMT
Oh joy! The spa tech was able to pry out the old part and cement in the new one in around a half-hour. We won’t know what it cost us till we get the bill, but whatever it is it’s lots less than buying a new spa.
We’ll fill it tomorrow and see if it holds water. And I will be more careful with the hose from now on!
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Post by kerouac2 on Jan 1, 2021 4:32:41 GMT
A good start for the new year!
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 1, 2021 7:10:58 GMT
I was just shaken out of a sound sleep by an earth tremor.
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Post by tod2 on Jan 1, 2021 9:14:54 GMT
Oh dear Bixa! Hope it stops at that on this New Years day. Happy Happy to you!
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Post by Kimby on Jan 1, 2021 14:55:48 GMT
The past 12 months could almost make me believe “The End is Near!”
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jan 1, 2021 16:25:45 GMT
I'm looking forward to having a go at making a jar of Rumtopf This is just what I need. Positive things in my life.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jan 1, 2021 17:07:51 GMT
Ordered cactus seed from America yesterday so looking forward to spring sowing.
Nothing to do with Petty Personal Traumas at all. Sorry!
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 1, 2021 18:18:05 GMT
Thanks, dear Tod! There were in fact two small quakes (4.1 & 3.8) a few minutes apart at that time on the southwestern coast of Oaxaca. It's very odd that I felt it/them at all, as my house doesn't usually get tremors unless they're dramatic. It's a testament to how sensitive I am. Anyway, happy happy back at you. Tentatively feeling hope, even though what Kimby said is all too accurate.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jan 1, 2021 18:22:36 GMT
Our house shook last night but because of the powerful fireworks you can get these days.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 1, 2021 18:31:27 GMT
Drat! The spa repair didn't pass the leak test....
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Post by Kimby on Jan 3, 2021 15:18:48 GMT
Thanking my lucky stars for having a handy husband.
After not getting a holiday weekend response to my texted SOS, Mr. Kimby took apart the repair done by the professional with 29 years experience, re-seated some o-rings and wrapped the threads with teflon plumbers tape, and fingers crossed we refilled the spa and watched for leaks. So far so good.
When it gets light out, I will check to see if the spa is heating and still not leaking, then will add chemicals to condition the water for our first soak of the new year, hopefully tonite. 🤞
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Post by tod2 on Jan 4, 2021 7:07:37 GMT
Yes Kimby, those husband are few and far between. I've had one for 50 years now and I'm not letting him go anywhere! Big pat on the back from me Mr.Kimby. You're the bomb!
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Post by tod2 on Feb 6, 2021 14:26:09 GMT
Never rains but it pours.....There always seems some drama is brewing in the wings and today it was an urgent telephone call just as Mr.Tod was arriving home at 2,30pm. Your building has caught fire the voice said on the other end. So off he went to go and see what the damage was. It is our building but has had the same tenant for the last 20 years. All we know so far is that earlier there was a power cut. The Firemen think someone left the switch on and when the power came back after they had closed for the day, it caused the fire. We dont really know. Looking at the damage it seems to have taken place on the side of the building where the kitchenette is.
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