In My Home This Week: Glory Days of Summer

This week in my home....

...I am writing this a little early.  Typically I would take my time on Saturday as I relax and read to write a bit here and a bit there.  This weekend we are heading down to Sam and Bess' new home for a housewarming party, so I started this on Thursday evening.   There will be family members from both sides filling their new home.  There will be a cook out and gifts.  I am taking a group of potted plants culled from my own plants here, in pots that I painted earlier this week, as well as a vintage kitchen step stool. 

Already the front door of this house has been painted a lovely shade of green. 

Home is such a sweet thing in my mind.  Over the years it's been my privilege to make home in several places, in some for longer periods of times than others, in nicer houses and poorer ones but always a place of comfort.

I've enjoyed watching my children as they move into and create their own homes.  Katie took possession of her house right away this past Christmas, making it hers, a statement of who she is as a young wife and mom and I've watched over the last few months as she's found new ways to express herself as she's painted and sewn and built.  


Bess is determined to do the same.   She told me that the apartment where Josh was born, which she and Sam shared was more Sam's than hers.  When they moved to Florida it was to a house she didn't see or choose, but to which she moved after Samuel had purchased it.   This house, the one they live in now,  Bess found.  It wasn't on her top list when she returned here that evening, after a very long day of searching.  In fact, she never mentioned it at all, though she showed me several that she'd seen that day and cited the merits and demerits of each.  But something changed during the night of rest.  She came to me the next morning and said "Here.  I didn't show you this one last night but this is the house that will be our home.  I know it."    Katie told me the same  when she found her own home.  "This is the one...I can feel it."    I didn't scoff.  John and I saw this particular floor plan four years before we purchased our home.  We knew immediately it was the right floor plan for us.  We just had to find the right house built around this floor plan.  We saw three.  But this was the one. 

This week I've been re-inventing my home.  It's a new season in my life,  remember?  And a new season warrants a new beginning, a fresh start of sorts.  The kitchen is underway at present.    The counter tops have been cleared of extras.  The laundry too is in transition, with a removal of mismatched crates formerly used as extra storage.  I won't change every single thing in my home by any means but I will be going through systematically  rearranging, altering, refining several areas, refreshing things and expressing who I am in this new season of life.  Because ultimately our homes do just that: reflect and express who we are.


...I plan meals:

I could do with a lot of inspiration right at the moment...For the past two weeks I've barely cooked a thing.  Every single menu has netted so many leftovers that we've pretty much just been on reheat and eat mode.  However, inspiration or no, John is off for a few days which means meals and planning are going to have to be tended to. 

out of town

Turkey BLT, Macaroni Salad, Grapes

Inspired by a fast food commercial...We'll be stopping after church and will purchase a 1/2 pound of deli turkey to use in these sandwiches.***skipped the macaroni salad

Tuna Pasta Salad, Saltines, Strawberry Short Cake

John will be cutting grass one day...I will make his favorite cool salad meal.  I will make up biscuits and sprinkle two with turbinado sugar for a genuine shortcake.

Chili, Green Salad, Corn Bread

I know it's hot...I know it and I want chili just the same.   I usually do want a heartier meal starting mid-summer, and I wish I knew why.  No clue.  I think it's something to do with seeing yellow stars on the Sweet Gum tree and seeing golden rod standing tall at roadside getting ready to bloom.

Meat Loaf, Beans and potatoes, Coleslaw

running errands

Chicken Enchiladas, Yellow Rice, Pico de Gallo, Salad, Rocky Road ice cream

...I plan work:

Isn't it hard to believe that this is the last week of July?  I know John has planned a day to run errands, planned a day to cut the lawn.  I have to work around his whims and fancies this week, but that's okay. 

Clear out the booth.
This week is my last week at the flea market and there's a load of stuff to be brought out.  I'd like to go in on Thursday or Friday and sort as I pack it up for donation and keep.  I have to find some boxes to pack things up in.  Ideally we'll head straight to donate things.  We'll see...

Last week I took photos in the house and then sat down and listed all the work I want to do.  This week I mean to start working my way through that list.  I've begun in the kitchen and laundry and I will complete all I can in those two areas before I move on to the front entry way and then the living room. 

Move all the petunias to the shade...I know they are meant to be sunlovers but the sun is killing them, bleaching them out.  This means I'll need a new bit of plants or planting to go in several spots.  Not sure what I'll do with those areas just yet.

Sewing:  I have some alterations to make, an ottoman cover to finish, some mending to do.

Work on deep cleaning tasks in the kitchen area.

Continue with Frugal Boot Camp. 

Write a few blog posts and schedule them to go up...I appreciate those of you that commented how pleased you are that I'm posting more right now.  My mind is truly filled with inspiration at the moment and I mean to keep it up as long as I can hold out.  I know too well that sometimes inspiration runs dry. 

...I plan my leisure:

I've been working so hard that I find it quite easy to take leisure moments these days! My plans this week are to read, read and read.  I have two more in the Miss Buncle series to read.  I'll slip in a beauty hour one morning this week as well, simply because I find it so very refreshing and relaxing.  John has the whole of the week off...I hope that one day we can have just for ourselves and go do something special.  We'll see on that one.