In My Home This Week: Autumn Beckoning

This week in my home...


...The sprucing up continues.  I painted the back door last week and touched up the front door.  Then I sorted out a cabinet that was a jumble, got our bedroom closet cleaned up, laid six bags of mulch in a new landscape area about the house, shopped with John for a few necessary tools to do some home reno work...And in between times I've scrolled through loads of photos on Pinterest looking for Fall decorating inspiration, scanned vintage magazines for inspiration in kitchen and savings...I feel I should be simply writing, "And the work goes on."   We're just hitting the tip of the iceberg.  Really.  I've dining room chairs to sand and paint,  paint for a table in the living room, the back porch to clean and paint...Oh no...I'm never at a loss for things to do!

Officially, this weekend will be the last weekend in August.  Not the last weekend of summer, but certainly we can hear the beginning strains of the grand finale music.   We don't make plans for Labor day weekend.   No need to since John has worked every Labor Day I can recall.  Most Labor Days are spent laboring!  I worked myself hard last year as did most every one I know.  I think everyone I know starts to get anxious to finish up the summer tasks come that  Labor day weekend.  So we might say that this weekend is the last summer weekend for many of us. 


It is fitting to have had a cookout this weekend and to have spent it with family.  I was blissfully happy and had a truly lovely day.  I spent lots of time with Katie, which I needed and maybe she did, too.  I held Taylor a lot, too, which she is very amendable to, and I watched her toddle about quite the little girl these days and listened to her newest talent, 'fake crying' when no one is paying attention to her, lol.  We drove along lovely country back roads that wound here and there and I spied trees vaguely tinted with color, golden rod peeping with yellow blooms, a reminder that yes indeed the final act of summer is nearly here.  Katie and I happily talked over Fall decorating and plantings.  The sun shone brilliantly in the blue skies and the weather was hot but there was that intangible something...


...I plan meals:


away from home

leftovers:  Fried Chicken, Macaroni Salad, Salad, Potato Salad, sliced tomatoes, bread, oatmeal cookies

Beef Pot Pie, Pear Salad with cranberry/walnut cream cheese, Green Peas
(We didn't have this meal last week)

Hobo Packets, Coleslaw
Hamburger Steaks, Potatoes and Green Beans in foil packets.

Chicken Tortellini Salad, Crusty French Bread, Grape Tomatoes

Out with Mama

Spaghetti Meatballs, Green Salad, Garlic Toast

...I plan my work week:

For the first part of this week I have Bess and Josh coming in.  It's pay week and I've already attended to bill box.  Bess and I will be doing grocery shopping, at least I think we will...I really need to know her plans before I make my own.  I'd love to go to The Fresh Market and get some ground beef and chicken breasts at least.

Grocery shopping, banking, paying bills.

Sand and paint the dining room chairs...really.  I've put it off long enough and I need to get that task finished.  It is my goal to finish this one project for August.  Plant asters.  Clean back porch . Sit down and work out a menu for the month of September.  I will plan breakfasts as well as main meals and suppers.  (Is this starting to look like last week's list yet?  Yep, it's one and the same.  Last week I made aprons and went out with John far too many times.)

Katie introduced me to some printable budget sheets, showed me a planner she's using and more.  I want to spend some time looking at the pages she's using and perhaps find a few more that I might use to revamp my Home Keeping Notebook.  It's only half working for me and I'm sure I can do more with it to make it work hard for me.

Work on blog posts.  I don't have a back log this week to put up a post every day.  I'd like to have time to work ahead on a few posts for September.

Make up several lists: thrift store, clothing needs, pantry restock, home projects needs, etc.  I need these lists to help me stay focused when I'm out shopping.

...I plan my leisure:


I've really enjoyed reading of late and I'd meant last week to pull a stack of books for September.  I didn't get around to that so I'd like to do it this week.

Beauty day.  John will work Thursday and I haven't had a proper beauty morning in a few weeks.  I need it. 

It's going to be a busy week.  I really want to accomplish a lot of things but I know that if I don't rest I'll accomplish a lot less.  While John is gone this week I'll take time to watch one of my movies.

4 comments:

Lana said...

Our plans are to head for Florida to see my parents on Friday morning but we have to keep an eye on that tropical depression and see if it will be safe to go. If we go I will think of you when we stop at The Oasis in south Georgia for gas and Starbucks! Whether we travel or not it may be a washout rainy weekend over Labor Day. We need to put a coat of sealer on the deck but that requires somewhat dry weather. If we don't go we may just have a Staycation!

Our garage refrigerator is either dead or just needed to thaw out. My Dad, who was an appliance repairman when I was little, said it should be fine after being off for 24 hours. We had to move everything out of there to the deep freeze and inside fridge yesterday. This turned up freezer meals that needed to be eaten this week. So, very little cooking for me. It is turned back on tonight so we will see.

On Thursday nights the library on the most northern part of our county will be having a free concert series on the lawn on Thursday evenings all the month of September. It is a lovely ride up there with the mountains in view and the music is always a treat. I reminded hubby that by the end of the month it is always chilly sitting out there for the music.

I put the moving boxes on a Facebook group and they were picked up today so we are settling down here for the fall and winter. It is a relief!

I'm glad you got to see your Katie and granddaughter. I bet the drive is wonderful!

Anonymous said...


I continue to declutter...is there an end??? No. but a lot has gone and more going. Although our seasons here are not so pronounced we do feel them. I raked the first trash can of leaves from our main tree. Now to get them in the compost pile. I am sure another raking will be needed soon again.

We got peaches from two places this week. I wonder if these are the last of ours here?

The summer garden is dwindling down It did not do too good this year. I will be clearing out more of it this week and spreading compost and such getting ready for a fall garden.

I stopped several magazine subscriptions this year. I love the magazines but tend to not want to get rid of any. That is not good! :-) Until I have the clutter under control I will not get any nee ones. I was using the treat of perhaps buying some vintage ones then as an incentive to keep working! lol

So soon it will be time to roast the Thanksgiving turkey then get the decorations up for Christmas. For now just knowing the schools have started their football season is enough. The games are wonderful. Sarah

Lana said...

In my email from Ann Voskamp today. A wonderful description of Shabbat in Jerusalem. http://www.aholyexperience.com/2016/08/how-to-celebrate-gods-faithful-presence-throughout-the-moments-days-years/?utm_source=email+marketing+Mailigen&utm_campaign=daily-newsletter&utm_medium=email

Anne said...

Thank you for inspiring me to spruce up my front porch! After reading the posts about spiffing up your porch, I spent some time today cleaning mine. Brushing it down, scrubbing off flower petals that had stuck to the wood, and removing those ever present spider webs! I had purchased a new front door mat at the Goodwill a few weeks ago, and it has cheered up that space. I washed and rotated the older mat to the back patio door, the strong sun and dog paws will probably finish it off before the end of the Fall season. Will have to keep my eyes open for a replacement for next Spring! Have a great week!