In My Home This Week: Pressing Towards Summer

In my home this week...

...I have been thinking long and hard about the summer days just ahead.  Not rushing from one season to the next, no not at all.  It's already hitting 90f routinely outdoors.  Fortunately, low humidity means that it's fairly nice outdoors if you can stand the gnats and flies long enough to be outside.  



I cannot abide the smell of Skin So Soft so no using that to keep the gnats away for me.  It gives me the fiercest sort of headache.  Any other helps for keeping gnats at bay?  I'd sure love to hear them!  I'm going to get a spray bottle to put some Pinesol and water in.  My boys both assure me this is the way to keep flies off porches.  I assume they have some experience with this.  You mix up the two and then spray about the floors and rails.  I like the smell of Pinesol so it's not a hardship to me to smell it outdoors.  I also have a good supply on hand but cannot use it on my new tile floors which require a non-oily cleanser.

I appear to have put myself in line for a new project.  I mentioned last week that as we drove up to the house, I looked at the bare front area and then noted how neat and nice the back sides look with the mulched beds and big pots of plants.  I told John, "I want the front to look as nice as the back does."  We agreed I'd forgo the panned work on the  long bed around the tree stump at the driveway side yard and would instead begin to work on the front and south end of the house, all of which are visible as you drive up to the place.  It will take time and money and sweat and more large pots and such but I'm going to do it as I do all things: a little at a time and using what I have. 

I am looking forward to having that to work on to be honest.  I think, after all, I am ready to do some bigger projects again.  I just get tired after finishing off multiple projects and like the downtime to rest.  Resting leads to thinking, thinking leads to Pinterest, Pinterest leads to plans and plans mean work, lol.

John is off the two weeks just ahead so I'm not planning to get a whole lot done, much as I'd like to be all gung ho.   He always takes a holiday attitude when he's off and he kind of expects me to have one, too.  Good thing this new housekeeping routine keeps the house in good shape and can be done quickly enough to allow us most of the days for any fun he might plan.

....I plan work:



No big plans this week.  We have Harvest Day, so bills, errands, etc. 

Going to do my best to keep groceries to a minimal this week.  I bought extra milk and lettuce and eggs.  We'll likely pick up bread and some fresh fruit.  Mostly we'll eat from our pantry these two weeks, which is a deviation from our usual holiday at home mode.   I think we've got plenty of good stuff on hand and any savings we have can be used to eat out if we'd like.

Routine housework.

...I plan meals:



Meals this week will be quick and easy things.  I have a nice supply of stuff on hand to help keep it so.  Three bean salad and that lovely fruit cocktail we enjoy are already chilling in the fridge.  I've also made jello cups for quick desserts.  Just need to get some whipped cream for those.  I thought I'd mix up a breakfast casserole and make some sausage and egg muffins and dice potatoes for hash browns.  That will ease breakfast preparation and give us some good things to eat for that meal as well.   Suppers will be our usual sandwiches but if John really wants something special we'll stop in the deli and get something out of the ordinary.

Grilled burgers and hot dogs, chips, Coleslaw, Baked Beans
We grill about once a summer.  Seriously.  I'm going to learn to grill on my own and try for once a week or so.

Corn Dog Casserole, potato salad, 3Bean salad
Leftover hotdogs (and crumbled burger too if any is left) are mixed with leftover baked beans and topped with cornbread muffin mix.

Chicken Cutlets with Artichokes and dried Tomatoes in Alfredo sauce, Pasta, Green Salad, Crusty Bread

Panfried Steaks, Potatoes cooked with Onions, Tossed Salad, Rolls
I might just toss steaks on the grill while it's lit...Or if it rains we might end up indoors panfrying everything!  I mean to be flexible.

Cold Cuts Platter, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cheese and Pickles, variety of bread and condiments, Chips

dinner out

Chicken Cutlet with Lemon Sauce, Broccoli, Brown Rice

...I plan leisure:


This week my leisure will look like doing whatever John wants to do.  I don't mean to spend too much time on meals nor on the house.  If he wants to watch old movies, take a long slow drive nowhere in particular, visit a museum or work on the yard, I'll be right there with him.  In view of the schedule change coming up in five weeks, I mean to enjoy the time we do have together.  I'm not sure he has many more days he can take off after this.

When he doesn't need my company, I'll spend my time on eBay.  Who knows...maybe I'll score a few new June magazines.