Feather your Nest Friday, 24 July, 2020.

Not an average week!   I headed down to help with the new baby, loaded up with home cooked meals and eggs.  I knew I would be going through a checkpoint where there are police and army personnel as Lucy lives a stones throw over the border.   When I grocery shop this town too is not far from the border however still in South Australia.

When I stopped to talk to the officers I was able to point to Lucy's house and say it is six paddocks "that way."   And they let me go on my way.  

 I had a lovely couple of days with the girls and the baby.  It was go, go, go but very good and so sweet!  I made dinner the nights I was there.   I took cup cakes filled with last weeks Lemon Butter.

On Monday it was time to head home.  This time I was heading into South Australia from Victoria which has a shocking virus outbreak.  So from the border I am now in quarantine for 14 days and need to have corona virus testing.   I did the first test on the way home.  So now I have a taste of what some people are going through.   I do not care at all about isolating except not seeing Lucy, the girls and the baby for over two weeks.    (And the prospect of it only being fortnightly and a life of quarantine each time I come back in.)  

At home I had a mountain of catching up to do and unpacking.    It had all been worth it and so I set about figuring out a new plan.  Sometimes you have to digest things a bit. 

 I decided to use my fourteen days to catch up here at home,  bake and put up as many meals as I can in the freezer and get into the sewing room.   I have continued to re arrange cupboards and make a lot more room for pantry extensions.    I am going to use this fortnight for all the good I can.

I began cutting out, using a purchased bandana bib as my template.   My first project is to make a series of these for Sidney. 

I have farm themed fabrics and I love them!     When these are done I will make a series of larger bibs  as well for early feeding days.  

So some of the ways I feathered my nest were:

I lined a whole drawer with lovely soaps.  Mel S told a story of how her Great Grandmother did this on the advice of her new Mother in Law at the end of WW1.  Well, her soaps helped the family through the Great Depression.  She had also stored fabrics and sugar.    I have already seen a time this year when NO SOAP of any kind was a available.   Suddenly, just like a hundred years ago, soap was so sought after. 

Next I made up a big batch of laundry liquid.   I love how it smells, I add a tiny amount of soap making colour to it, just for the joy. 

You can find the recipe here on How to beat rising prices in the laundry like Nana did.  Jane uses this recipe and that is how I got started.

While the soap making pot was out I made up two batches of soap in new moulds I have.   I got these on Ebay... also the same as Jane!!  Also I have found a few moulds in the op shops.   I have a bit of a collection now.  But I was so happy to try these new flower ones.   It was so much fun.  

The recipes I used were... the darker soap is Wendy's recipe and the lighter one is Nana Chel's recipe.  

Oops... my photo is only showing the lighter one.   Lots of photos will be up on Tuesday in The Tuesday Afternoon Club.

Both are excellent and simple recipes.   Soap making is easy and not intimidating at all.  Just follow the instructions!!    I have 23 of these pretty soaps drying.  I love them!! 

These will go into another drawer and be available for gifting or trading in the future.

I had several blessings... Mum gave me some beautiful pure wool yarn and some Arnica cream. 

I am attempting to strike basil cuttings in the window sill. 

Hay and manure have been added to the raised garden beds.  One bed is full to the top... the other two are getting there.

Each day the news seems to have been worse as our neighbouring state isn't doing well and the Prime Minister and Finance Minister announced budget figures and unemployment figures etc.   The Treasures said such things as "two world wars and a depression didn't bring Australia to it's knees and COVID won't either."   But the comparison is there... over and over the Great Depression is mentioned and compared to.   

And now this afternoon more news.   I will not be able to go see the girls even if I do quarantine for two weeks afterwards.  That is going to be out too.  As things get worse the rules change.  I don't think this will be improving for a long time.   The army guys and the police both seemed to expect to be at the border for a long time... like months.  One said to me it could be six months, they don't know.  

So as things unfold reality begins to hit.   I am thinking that I do have a way to send cooking in to the girls and the mail is also still running... time to get creative.  I am not complaining.  I know many are having a much, much harder time than this.  

How are things where you are located?  I hope you found ways to build up your home, pantry and garden.   I feel we need to think about spreading our eggs amongst many baskets.  And working to be self reliant in what we can and producing things too.    Where possible anticipate what is coming next in your area.  Not always easy though!   A year ago we would never have imagined any of this! 

Several times already this year I have found myself thinking "that escalated quickly."   I have been talking about preparedness for years now.   At this point I am pretty much reviewing everything but I am determined to use my time at home to do all I can. xxx