Preparing for Hard Times: So Much To Do, So Little Time

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

So Much To Do, So Little Time

I grew a pineapple. I cut it at the height of it's ripeness, It smelled so very good I wanted to use it to make pineapple preserves. Oh, it's preserved alright. It totally dehydrated in the refrigerator.

www.21food.com

I had it on the counter for a week, then I sliced off a thin slice just to check it for freshness and flavor. It was divine! But, once it was sliced, it had to be refrigerated. I am not saying I never saw it again. I am telling you I saw it every time I opened the fridge door. I saw it and moved it a couple of times to put things in or take things out. I saw it slowly drying out and kicked myself a couple of times because it was drying out. It isn't rotted it's just dry. Dry, dry, dry!

Now, I don't recommend dehydrating food slowly in the refrigerator as I apparently have done, but better dry than rotted. I wish I could say I had dehydrated it on purpose, but, no! So, when you find yourself falling behind on your prep tasks, remember, everyone does. Other things need to be done. My mom is working on her second trip to the hospital inside seven days and as her medical surrogate, I have had to deal with that first. She is not the reason the pineapple dried out in the fridge. That happened when work got in the way and I took on some personal craft projects while juggling a busy schedule.

Award Winning Pineapple Preserves. Photo by Diana #2

http://www.food.com/recipe/
award-winning-pineapple-preserves-

The trick to surviving is getting back to the business of prepping. Whether you are prepping food, gear or savings, get back to it. Life happens. If you get stopped in your prepping plans, do what you have to do, then get back to it.

I am chopping up the dried pineapple to store in a large zippered freezer bag and adding the sugar I need to make preserves. Next week, when my schedule opens up, I will take the pineapple out of the freezer, add water and while the pineapple rehydrates I will run an errand. When I come back, I will cook the pineapple for twenty minutes and jar it for the winter preserves. Done! Pineapple preserved, time to grow and fuss over pineapple...salvaged from a busy schedule.

Life is What Happens To You While You’re Busy Making Other Plans