Work boots

The kids and I joke that my house shoes are like work boots.  In essence, they are!  I'm on my feet for most of the day and since I have flat feet, going without supportive footwear isn't an option (not if I want to be able to walk by evening!).   For the last few years, I've been thrilled with these house shoes/slippers from Haflinger.  They have a moulded cork foot base with great arch support (like a Birkenstock) and 100% wool uppers.  I adore them for their comfort and support and wear them all day long while at home.  My feet never get tired or too hot as wool breathes so nicely...  Without these shoes, I'd probably not be able to accomplish half what I do in a day.

With the huge amount of work we had to do around the house over the last few months (getting ready to list our home for sale and an interprovincial move), I had intentionally let a few kitchen tasks slide due to lack of time (bread making and fermenting for example).   What followed was higher grocery bills and a feeling of flagging health...  

Now that we have finished the last niggling jobs and have seriously decluttered the house, I feel like I can get back into the groove of my kitchen routines again.  The kids are well established in school lessons and I can finally breathe a little easier.   Keeping the house up is easy now that we have so much less "stuff" which translates into having time to return to the kitchen with my apron and "work boots" on.

Sourdough starter

soaking grains and bread dough,

stocking up on sandwich bread

Making good food takes time.  It's much faster and easier to buy these items instead of making them, but the quality is nothing like homemade.  It's so challenging (impossible?) to find ready to purchase food that isn't full of preservatives and processed ingredients.  When I do find a suitable option the cost is through the roof!  

Cooking for a family is NOT a task to be taken lightly. Fuelling the growing bodies of children who are learning and adults who are out working to support the family is an important job.  None of them can do their best on cheap fuel (cheap food).   To keep up with the food preparation (which is nearly a full time job from procurement to table) means lots of time in the kitchen.  This time is not remunerated in a pay cheque per se - the pay is indirect (in better health and less money spent).  This savings must be counted as pay, as it is indeed work!

Yesterday, we spent a good number of hours in the kitchen between lessons and we pumped out a decent array of home baked goodness.   The aromas of an apple pie, whole wheat sandwich bread,  whole wheat applesauce muffins and (healthy) Halloween cookies filled the kitchen all day.  Cooking can be a chore, but when the quality of food is so superior, it feels very good to be capable of making it for my family.  After a few months of only basic meals being made in my kitchen, it feels wonderful to get back to work making all sorts of delicious and healthy foods for my family.  

I'm looking forward to establishing new cooking routines after we move and I can't wait to put local seafood on our plates on a very regular basis.  Hubby is so excited to get back out on the ocean to fish...  After 17 years away from the coast, we are more than eager to be eating the bounty of the sea (in all its long chain, omega-3, fatty acid goodness!).