In my home this week, I...
...am appreciating the new season. And I don't just mean the new season in the natural world...Do you ever have the feeling you've crossed over a milestone somehow? Not a birthday, nor an anniversary, nor a move or anything like that has occurred, yet something feels brand new and different. It's a funny sort of feeling when you can't see the change, or count it off, but I can still tell that something is definitely different than it was before. It will be interesting to see what manifests in this new season in life.
I have been watching in awe as God answers prayers of many. Kathy reports that her husband found a new job which is great news. I sat down earlier this week and noted ten items of prayer had been answered in the past two weeks, which is mighty awesome. I guess God means for me to keep right on praying as he added two to my list last week. It's very reassuring to see that this small ministry of prayer is something He will pay attention to.
In the meantime, the natural season has been predictably all over the place. Last week we had frost...twice! It made me awfully glad I hadn't planted anything and that much more impatient to do so. Especially with three and four time weekly bulletins from Katie who spies something new growing in her yard with each passing day.
I think I'm just gonna start each day with "Oh What a Beautiful Morning!" and end each one with "Oh What A Beautiful Day!". It's all so lovely, every single thing.
...plan meals:
John is off all week long and won't return to work until next Sunday. There's only one day I am currently aware of that we'll be out of house at meal time and that is grocery day. I suspect, knowing my husband there will be a trip to 'do something' at least one day. I'm thinking of suggesting a picnic but will definitely check weather forecasts before I pack a chilled lunch for what may well prove to be a cold day. One of those frozen picnics is more than enough!!
Katie's Brunswick Stew, Rice, Green Salad, Cornbread, Lemon Pudding
The Brunswick Stew has a really nice background heat but I thought John might find it a bit too spicy, so I served over rice to decrease that.
Turkey Strata, Steamed Broccoli, Fruit Salad
I really want to make a carrot cake but we're having our traditional Orange Rolls for breakfast which is plenty enough sweet and can use leftovers as 'dessert' if we choose.
out on grocery day
Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs, Coconut Pilaf Brown Rice, Lemon Green Beans
Macaroni and Cheese, Tomatoes, Spinach Salad
Grilled Steak, Grilled Asparagus, Potato Packets
Warm Roast Beef Sliders, Chips, Pickles, Fresh fruit, Gingersnaps
This is a proposed picnic menu just in case and if not it will do as well for at home. I will be sure to thaw and cook and thin slice a roast. I need to purchase Horseradish Cheddar to go on these but that isn't costly when just 1/4 pound is required, and should I find it terribly expensive, I'll use chedar and caramelized onions instead.
...plan my work week:
I know this looks like a lot but honestly it can mostly be done in increments of a few minutes to an hour tops and should all fit easily into a normal week. I'm pretty sure John is going to tackle mowing the yard at least one day and since he typically waits until afternoon when the lawn is dry that will give me a rather large window of 3 hours at least to work indoors unhindered. I mean to take advantage of every one of those hours...
If weather allows, I'll be spray painting something, whether it's dining room chairs or the guest room bed, something. will. get. painted! NOT on John's mowing day though.
Move the few extras from guest room to shed. I got caught out with the guest room looking a bit unkempt last week and no remedy time for it. From here on it will be as near company ready as I can keep it.
All of the following items from last week's list:
Booth. A new month is nearly here and I really need to go in and attend to my booth with general upkeep and rearranging for a fresh look. Print new tags and place at least 5-10 new items.
Transplant things in the back flower bed pots to the front patio pots. Pot up the petunias. Plant basil and parsley seeds as well as move one of the rosemary plants to the back pots. If at all possible I mean to pick up some healthy herb plants in town and plant, too.* Plant the dahlias and other bulbs I bought on grocery day at Aldi...
Spread the one bag of mulch I was able to get last week.
Finish the review book and get that review posted here and on Blogging for Books.
Piece together outfits for Spring.*Cleared the drawers and closets. One big bag to go to donation, one small pile for scraps, about 6 pieces put in the storage drawer. If I lose 5 pounds they will fit. Now to plan outfits...
Finish front porch.
Clean under stove hood.
...and plan my fun:
I am going to make it my goal to do some art work each week. I've struggled with writing lately and I know from past experience that taking some creative time out to play in the craft/art forum always sparks creativity in other areas of my life. I could use some new cards for my stash and really need to sort out old ones and determine which I should just pass on.
Write a letter to one of the children and a pen pal.
Picnic??
We have a Crosley record player and a box full of records and drawers of CDs. High time to take a few moments out of each day and reacquaint myself with my music, I think. It seems very relaxing to think of taking a half hour or forty minutes to sit quietly and really listen. A good time to take our afternoon coffee break, I think. I find it does me well to have a snack mid-afternoon and I'm thinking coffee, an appetizer of some sort and music would make a nice break in the day.
Plan for April and for the second quarter. I like planning and do consider it fun.
Do a fun manicure since I never got round to it this past week.
6 comments:
Starting out my week tired and foggy but I know it will clear. We have a day with a vehicle in the shop this week, cooking for the homeless shelter and trying to get all our ducks in a row in prep for hubby being out of the country for 15 days. We were invited to our son-in-law's family for Easter. I think there were 34 of us there and they made us very welcome.
You mentioned in your last post about wanting 12 white plates. I collected a white Pfaltzgraff (sp) pattern over several years from thrift stores and I ended up with around 15 place settings on the cheap. A friend who worked at Belks for years saw them at my house and asked how I afforded those dishes since they retail for $50 a place setting. I doubt I paid that much for all of them! I did put the word out to family members and that helped with my collection as others found pieces, too. Last fall I did invest in 12 place settings of white Corelle when I saw a deal on them and I love them. I am on the lookout always for white Corelle at thrift stores and hope to expand it over time.
This has been one of those weeks where nothing has been done. Had surgery on my hand which left it in a cast with instructions to not use it. It has been a very challenging 10 days. i'm hoping to get the cast off this afternoon.
my hubby, bless him, has been cooking, cleaning,ect. I'm looking forward to the next week. Like you, i've a feeling that this is a new season and Im so ready for it!
I know just what you mean about a fresh start, new season, etc. We are in a bit of a new season ourselves but I am finding it odd though nice. Since it's kind of a limbo time - one daughter moved out and the other daughter moving back in in a few weeks - we are enjoying a brief empty nest.
I had Friday off for Good Friday so I spent the day doing some working around our house, taking our oldest daughter out to lunch and then just chilling.
Your to-do list looks quite balanced and nicely put together this week. The art and manicure sound like nice treats!
It's funny that you mentioned your record player. We are redoing our office room slightly (used to be one of the girls' bedrooms) and I have a record player in there. I was just thinking this afternoon that I'll bring that record player and my growing record collection into the living room to enjoy while I'm here by myself before and after work. What a nice treat that will be!
Thanks for the inspiration. Also, if you don't mind adding my family to your prayer list this week, I'd appreciate it. Our oldest daughter, Sarah (22) is having heart ablation surgery this Friday (April 1). I'd appreciate anyone who is willing to join us in prayer for doctor wisdom, peace for us, and healing.
Thank you so much for your prayers! It really means a lot to me. Sometimes, I think that people say that they will pray for you, but I wonder if they give it another thought. I believe that you do what you say, and "the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." May the Lord richly bless you and your ministry.
Karla, I will be praying for your daughter.
Terri,
I just found your blog via The Prudent Homemaker, and I really do like it! I was wondering if you'd like to share your Pinterest profile - I noticed you mentioned your Pinterest boards several times as I read previous posts, and I got interested :-) I really loved what you shared about your Grandma and your childhood. I could 'see' everything (I even smelled the strawberries!) so I think you are really gifted with words.
I, too, feel very strongly in spring - it is like really surviving the winter, living to tell it all.
And Karla, you and your family are in my prayers.
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