*road trip coming up with bee stings in tow

I am likely to be told that I am spoiling the men folk of my household once you all read this, but, well it is just the way we do it around here. I cook the majority of the meals for the household and when I am planning to be gone for a weeks time I like to prepare meals, treats, etc for my menfolk that are left behind.  On a day like today when I have a million things I need to get done, my kitchen ends up looking like this...

I am a VERY messy cook.  But when I am done.. I clean it all up...

I start out tomorrow to drive over to Georgia for weeks stay. The trip itself is really long over due and truth be told, we should all be going, but with the farm it really isn't possible at this time. I had another trip planned in my mind for some time now that would take place in the month of August, but the opening for that trip closed so I am taking the time to go visit family, so it all worked out.

As I said before when I take a trip that will be 6 or so days long I like to do things to make my dear husbands' life comfy and easy while I am gone. I make sure we are stocked up in the pantry area, clothes are done, house is cleaned all the way around and food is cooked to carry him over half way through my trip. With that having been said today I made a ton of egg rolls, a large shepherds pie, spaghetti sauce and an apple pie.

I had a list as long as your arm with things I needed to complete before I start out tomorrow. I did it! I am thrilled, the list is complete! I will open up a suit case and toss some things in tomorrow morning before I head out for the long drive.  One of the things we needed to get done before I left town was the extracting of honey from one of our hives.  Just this week, for my dear husband's birthday (my birthday, and Christmas for both of us), my dear mil and fil sent us a  Maxant Honey Extractor.  It arrived yesterday, we opened it and admired it. We all walked past it throughout the day and occasionally stopping to give it a whirl.  Today we decided to use it for real.  We harvest 5 frames from one of our hives today. I would have gotten all ten frames but the bees were all home, as it was overcast - not a great day to be working a hive. Plus on top of that I had to break off some (a lot) of honey comb they had built in a very awkward place in the hive. Needless to say, the were under impressed with me and my presence.   I some how managed to get stung 4 times while being fully suited. I was stung on my arm, my leg, the back of my neck (it hurts) and on my chin. I now look like Jabba the Hut. My chin just goes and goes down to the middle of my neck. It is just lovely.  I am hopeful that the swelling will be gone by the time I hit the road tomorrow. We ended up with 11 sweet pounds of amber colored honey!   I suppose the stings was worth the 11 pounds of honey.