Wednesday, December 19, 2007

This and That

I always use very hot water to wash and rinse the dishes I do in the sink. After I'm done I always dry my hands and put on lotion and I never have a problem until winter. Two weeks ago my hands became dry and red and cracked. Yuck. Every year that happens, so I took out my rubber gloves and have begun wearing them to wash and rinse the dishes. I can use much hotter water, which is nice, but I hate that I can't feel the dirt as well. Nor can I always find the silverware that hides in the bottom under the plastic liner. I never realize until I use these gloves each winter how much I wash dishes by feel. My sister in law, who has to wear gloves always due to very sensitive skin, must be use to it, but I don't know how she does it, or how the dental hygienist, or nurse gets use to it either.

Christmas shopping is all done except for Grandpa and Grandma's gift. Now it is time to get everything wrapped. David usually does a lot of that at night after the kids go to bed. He spoils me so!

Today I'll get all the groceries while Hannah and Ellie are at piano lessons. I'm hoping I'll find a candy thermometer. I've looked in about 5 stores and none have had any. It is looking like I'll skip trying to make various candy this year.

Yesterday I made the buns for Christmas dinner. We keep our house about 68 degrees and I find it hard to get my bread or buns to rise the second time during the winter. Those of you who make bread, after the first rise, and shaping to go into the pans, what do you do? My pans are cold to the touch - do you warm yours somehow prior to putting in the dough? Any tricks I should know?

The kids are working on perfecting their parts for the Christmas program. I'm trying to help them pronounce it clearly and loudly, so far they're not doing to bad.

I'm hoping to take a picture tonight after service when everyone is dressed nice for our Christmas card. My goal is to have the cards in the mail during the Christmas season, but if it falls into Epiphany, that works for me as well.

6 comments:

Kim said...

I purchased my candy thermometer at the hardware store. I thought it was an odd place to find one but I'm not complaining since it works well :)

Susan said...

About the bread rising -- Sometimes I just let it sit for a very very long time and rise. Sometimes I turn on the oven VERY LOW for a couple of minutes while I'm greasing the bread pans, and then let the last rise-time be in the oven. We don't have a pilot light, but that would be about the right temp, somewhere around 95-115.

Genuine Lustre said...

I thought you only did dishes once a week, Glenda! : P

I don't like to wear gloves either, which is why my hands and nails look such a mess.

Glenda said...

Kim I found one at Walmart (I'd tried two others already) yesterday and since I already buy scrip I got it there, otherwise I was going to take your suggestion and head to the hardware store.

Okay Susan, I'll just have to be more patient huh. Do you warm your pans before putting the dough in? Mine are significantly cooler than the dough, does that matter at all?

Oh Polly, stop reminding me of my old (ha! I wish) ways! ;-) When I'm baking I have to do the dishes right away, it has been programmed in me by my mother. Maybe that's the ticket - I'll blame mom. She never washed the supper dishes until the next morning. Of course, I don't like mornings and don't get up like she did.

Susan said...

>>Do you warm your pans

Nah. Too much trouble...

Rebekah said...

Our kitchen is cold too. I put my bowl or pan on a rack and put the rack over the heat register in a warmer room. Then I build a barricade so the operation isn't demolished by the murthering hordes. We've only had one near catastrophe by this method (it helps that things are usually rising during naptime for those most likely to forget to be careful), and plenty of good rolls.