In My Home This Week: Planning for the Unknown

In my home this week:

The roses look much like this this year, but the lantana is already growing and the spider wort is no longer there.

I knew this time was coming, so it's not unexpected.  We are prepared for it as much as one can be and cautiously looking forward:  our home will bulge a little at the seams as my son and his family move in with us as they sell a home, buy a home, transfer job, etc.  He is already here with us and his family will be here next weekend to visit and then later in the month come to stay with us while they are in transition.

It is not my first time having a child return home.  Only my boys have come back thus far, both when leaving the service and getting established in their civilian life (or transition to another branch of service) and now.  It's never too hard, nor easy as you'd hope.  It is always a bit of a challenge and a bit of a fruit basket turn over but it works out.

One way I cope is to accept a small room and board fee.  Keeping our budget in line is foremost and if that sounds mercenary, I will say in my defense that it's a nominal fee that literally covers the extra cost of food.  My sons have always appreciated the fact of paying their way and at the same time of having home comforts.  I try to strike the balance between the two. 

Another way I plan to handle this is to make sure I get the much needed alone time I require.  While it's just Sam here it will be easy enough.  He's doing training and won't be home during days anyway.  When Bess and Josh move in it will be a little more difficult.  Not because I don't love them dearly but because Bess, like myself, is a stay at home wife.  Fortunately, I love this girl dearly and we get along wonderfully well. 

May promises to be a lovely, if unknown month and I am looking forward to it!

...I plan meals:

and I will too when I take time to do so...I'll skip this section this week simply because I must first go to the grocery for fresh produce and a few other needed items...and my son likes to cook and wants to cook a meal or two himself.  We'll work it out and I'll get back with you.  Right now he's talking about making a homemade pizza tomorrow.  I have a whole chicken I just took up from the crock pot that will turn into something. I also have chicken fillets thawed to turn into something in the next couple of days.  My ready made easy entrees are gone and must now be replaced...Lots of cooking and lots of planning needed this week for my peace of mind.

...I plan my work week:

As we were doing a necessary task this afternoon, I noted a lovely deep red snapdragon growing from under the back porch.  There is a lovely clump of them I can see through the lattice.  I'd like to get them up if I can and repot them.  I don't know why plants love growing so well under my back porch but they do.

Kitchen floor desperately needs to be mopped.  Baths could no doubt do with a mopping, as well.

Get check book totted up properly and pay any  bills of the ones just in that fall due before or very shortly after next pay period.

Plan meals.  I don't normally leave that task this late but I really want to go through another of my cookbooks and choose some recipes to try this coming month and look over Pinterest board etc.  It is most definitely time to look for cooler meals, plan to do my cooking in early morning hours or pull out crock pot and use more often. 

Pick up necessary groceries (mostly bread and produce).

I have a few unfinished projects and some very necessary new projects to tackle as well.  I need to start with a shopping list first and foremost...So I'll be making out a list of projects and a list of items needed to accomplish all that needs doing.  I'll try to pick up several items on Wednesday when I'm out with Mama.

One thing I know I can do this week is to paint the chairs I mean to turn into planters.  I'll use the paint I have on hand.  I think I have some black and I know I have green (same as the rocker on the back porch).

Clean the porch floors and start the washing down of the back porch railings and rafters so I can paint them fresh when I buy that paint.

I have a blouse that needs to be altered slightly.  It gapes under the arms.  I'll look out a stack of mending to do while I'm using the sewing machine so I don't have to keep going back into the guest room repeatedly.  I do want my son to feel it's his to use.  Maybe I'll move out the machine and use it at the dining table instead.  It's lightweight enough to move without a hassle.

I have at least two boxes of things in my shed that are meant for donation.  I mean to get those out and into the car and drop them off this week.

Manicure and pedicure and a bit of beauty time is necessary. I've let myself slip a bit over the past few weeks with the poison ivy and then vacation.  Time to get myself back into decent shape once more.

Get lab work done.

Start the next review book.

Work on blog.

...I plan fun:

One of the things I enjoyed most on vacation was a long time old favorite book I'd completely forgotten about: The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen McCullough.  Well I've another book I'm enjoying and I would like to take time for it this week.

It's heating up outside but we'll have a few cooler days sprinkled in here and there.  Nevertheless iced tea on the front porch  would be nice. or perhaps Bible study on the back porch with coffee.  Definitely spend a little time outdoors.  Between privet, honeysuckle and china berry all blooming at present the air is intoxicating to say the least.

Remember that beauty day I mentioned?  It's actually something I consider fun and will enjoy so I'm repeating that here.

Catch up with all my favorite blogs...I've gotten behind this weekend with all that has happened.