Busy as a bee.

I'm getting closer and closer to making soap.

Yesterday I spent about 2 hours on the phone calling up wholesale food places in Eau Claire trying to find bulk pumice olive oil, coconut oil and palm oil. After a frustrating time on the phone, all I got was a big fat NO, we don't carry that. One guy did give me a number for a place over in the Twin Cities that might carry that stuff. I played phone tag with them. This morning I was able to talk to a guy and the answer was YES! We carry all of that in bulk, no problem. Well , one small problem, they have to make a special order for the palm oil and that takes a week to get. On Wednesday May 20 I will drive to the cities and get 50lbs of Coconut and Palm oil and 35lbs of the Olive Oil.

Today I went into town and got my tools. Stainless steel bowls and measuring cups. A scale, stick blender, stock pot and a scale. You know, stuff. Being that you use lye to make soap you don't want to use your cooking stuff for soap making. Need to keep them separate. I remember my high school chem class.

Later on today I will go online and order some essential oils and other add ins. Add ins like dried lavender flowers and stuff. Boy oh boy, there sure is a lot of "stuff" in soap making.

My last big problem will to find and buy lye in bulk. I have e-mailed a person that in the past said that she would be willing to sell me some. So far she has not gotten back to me. I will call her in a few days if I don't hear from her soon.

Speaking of bees. When I first moved here I had a mailbox problem. Problem was that it sat empty for awhile and some bees turned it into a home.

Just a little helpful hint from Aunt Krissy. If you're gonna whack-a whack bees in a mailbox use a longer and sturdier stick that I did! Something like a yardstick would be better then that flimsy stick I used. Also just a note, when you whack bees they tend to get mad.

Good thing I live on a back road so nobody saw me running away with my frog belly white legs.