Hurrying July and In The Kitchen

I've been struggling with July all month long.  It seems to me that it's past time for this month to end!  And no, it's not been a particularly bad month, but it does seem to be just dragging by us for some reason.  In my mind, you see, we are already in the last week and just days away from August.  August is not a month of which I am particularly fond but somehow it does seem it ought to be here by now.  Maybe, subconsciously, I am wishing for autumn and August is the 'almost there' month...Sounds good as any other theory I might have, lol.

No matter how I might wish to hurry it along the truth it is here for as long as it is here, right?  So I am gathering my thoughts and realizing that it is not Zone 4 work week but Zone 3 work week, which means I shouldn't be planning to spend all day tomorrow in the kitchen, but I want to and so I shall.  Oh I'm just a real rebel, I am!  I expect I'll get plenty done in the bed and bathrooms on Friday to make up for my lack on Thursday.


Next week, when the calendar rolls around to those last 3 days of the month, I plan to make up a Zone 5 area: my shed.  It seems that would be a good time to plan to tackle some of the mess in that shed of mine, haul a few more things out to it and piddle about to find some summer decor items (yes, even at this late date) etc.   I have things hiding in several rooms I've meant to take out there for the longest time now and keep putting off.  I guess I should empty all the rain water from my poor garden wagon and let it dry out in anticipation of hauling loads to and fro, don't  you?

Rushing July I may well be, but I am restless restless and RESTLESS which also accounts for the hurry.  If I had a bucket of money I'd spend every drop on the yard right now.  We're getting enough rain to make it feasible to think of moving plants and putting in a few and mulching and building a new bed or two or starting that vegetable garden project I'm dying to tackle.  And that's just the yard work we won't even discuss the buckets of paint I'd buy to do various projects I have in mind....Sigh.  A little at a time, a little at a time...

Kitchen day plans include not only mopping the floor, which needs a good thorough cleaning, but planning ahead for the weekend and prepping lunch and dinner items so this hungry woman can come home on Saturday and eat instead of tempting herself with sundry take out options.  It also means having plenty of ready foods to pack a lunch without putting a lot of work into a day reserved for rest.

If I get all done that I'd like to do tomorrow I will:

Make a batch of easy strawberry freezer jelly

Start a batch of yogurt

Make Nectarine Streusel Muffins

Bake a batch of Rhonda's Grandpa's bread and buns

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Prep the watermelon that's sitting on the kitchen counter

Make a Rump Roast in the crockpot and prep that as sandwich meat once it's cooked and cooled

Clear the refrigerator

Prep weekend work lunch and dinner items (includes artful reuse of leftovers)

And maybe, just possibly, mix up a batch of peanut butter cookies for the cookie jar.

No fear that I'll be doing too much.  I have a comfy chair, a stack of cookbooks and my computer all handy so I can sit in the kitchen while a few things are under way and take a break now and then.  I think it's going to be a lovely day...