In My Home This Week: A Change of Perspective

In my home this week, I...

...have taken a lot of time out for thought.  I do not know just how long this season is meant to be but I suspect it shall be as long as God means it to last...That said between the pull and tug of Mama's needs and attempts to make problems where none should be, children with woes and worries, grandchildren who have been ill all week,  John's job issues, our beloved pastor's sudden resignation and our home situation, I'm about worn down.  I'm suddenly reminded of a psychology teacher's words.  As we grown up students discussed various issues openly in class, he said "They tell me God never gives you more than you can handle but there are times I have had to say, 'Lord my cart is  over full.'"  lol  I can so identify!!



A brief return to quiet this week.  Bess and boys off to visit her parents and Sam out of state at training so it was just John and I for a bit over two days and it was lovely.  A sort of pre-vacation relaxation point which included all of the above worries but seemed less stressful than if the house had been burgeoning with needs waiting to be met as well.  I went out to deadhead iris one morning which was lovely and took longer than you'd think because this year the iris really have bloomed and bloomed and are still putting out new blooms.  Even though John was just off a 27 hour shift he tucked in and helped me do a sort of spring cleaning on the house the first day.  He looked at me that evening and said "I know I worked hard today but darn you WORKED today!"  I did, too.  I paid for it that night with a load of pain that kept me awake but my house was clean and it felt good to have it so.  There were a world of things that I didn't touch due to lack of time but I was happy that it looked like my home once more.

Thursday I had to run errands and then I went shopping.  It is finally starting to warm up to normal temperatures here and I had nothing to wear that was for really warm weather, having not purchased anything since last spring.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I also noted that evening that the shirt Mama had given me was doing me no favors.  It fits just beautifully but the colors make me look jaundiced.  As I stood before the mirror looking at my skin, I realized that I'm not taking care of me as I ought.  I've been pushing hard for so long with so many spells of company in the house or longer than usual hours that I have let skin care go.  It's showing.  And that suddenly made me aware that I must look about the same inside, too.  I've had little time for more than a five minute reading, strain to remember prayers in the sleepless portions of the night but spending real time in the Bible, real prayer time, taking time to journal...Well not so much.  Self care has got to be a priority or I'm not going to last through this season.

I've been mightily blessed over this past week with a lot of very sweet and loving comments from you readers, a gift from a friend that touched me deeply and it's all meant the world to me.  It was just the dose of care that I needed to help me continue on my path and I mean that sincerely.  When I am tired and burdened and overwhelmed I lose confidence in myself mighty quickly.  Your messages, comments, and tender care were the perfect medicine at a time of need.


worked:


If I say all the usual, you'll know just what I mean: dishes, laundry, meals, laundry, trash, laundry, meals, dishes, etc.  There was a slow down in those things.  I didn't do dishes at all beyond clearing up breakfast things on Thursday.  John had only a small load of clothes Friday morning but on Tuesday we did something like five or six loads...and that despite doing at least one load and sometimes two daily prior to that!

Kept the boys for Bess while she attended two doctor appointments.  She's awfully good about trying to combine these appointments into one day rather than taking several days at a time.   It is much appreciated by me though the boys always seem determined to be good as gold when I have them on my own, taking naps and eating what's put before them and being reasonable enough to make compromise when I won't give them exactly what they want.  I don't know what it is that makes them so recalcitrant occasionally  when all adults are present though.

Sam is off on a business conference.  Bess decided to take time to visit with her family.  When they left the house, John and I went to work and did a spring cleaning of sorts in a day's time.  It was a very busy day in our home, but blankets and cots were aired, linens washed, floors mopped, rugs washed, vacuuming was done under furnishings, the high chair was scrubbed clean.  The house smelled fresh and clean when we were all done and it was worth every bit of the hard work we put in on the job.

Kept chickens and household cats fed and watered and freshly littered while Bess was gone.

Shifted some things I needed from guest room while I could enter it freely.  Moved pantry items, sewing machine, items needing repairs and the sewing box.

Spent a full morning working up the bill box, getting them ready to mail next week when we're paid, totaling checkbook and balancing it.  I spent about two hours on this task but it is necessary to have quiet when I'm doing it and I had that in abundance.

Picked up sticks in the yard.  I don't know if John will try to mow before we leave for vacation but should he decide to, the sticks have been removed to make it easier for him.

saved:


John went into the supermarket after church to pick up a Sunday paper and that was it. I had leftover meat at home, planned a meal before we were well out of the church parking lot.  He did opt to buy ice cream and chocolate syrup.

Even though I had a grocery list for Kroger and even though we were right next door, I didn't go in.  For one thing, I am seriously over budget already.  For another we have a few of these items on hand and while the prices are good, I'm really over budget.  It can wait.  There will be other sales.  I almost stopped again at Publix when I was out on Thursday but I didn't.  I reminded myself we could manage just fine.

Made two loaves of bread for Shabat. I was very disappointed in my last three loaves and how flat they seemed. I determined I'd go back to the previous brand of yeast.  Well in measuring I realized that I was using two packets but not getting the full amount of yeast required.  It is much cheaper to buy yeast by the jar however, so I am glad I purchased that jar.

Used leftover mashed potatoes to make potato cakes for breakfast one morning.

labor...John offered to scrub some rugs from the kitchen by hand.  I assured him they'd been purchased with an eye towards putting in washer and they would do just as well there.  And they did. I hung on line to dry and air.

We hung several items out to just air.  They weren't dirty but they were musty smelling from use or improper putting away because they weren't wanted.  Sunshine and air do worlds towards making things smell better.

John repaired a chair leg.  This was a swivel rocker which broke, sheering off at the main bolt quite unexpectedly.  Sam bought new chair legs to put on the chair which made it quite usable all over again but one of the legs hole was stripped.  John repaired it with some wood glue (screw to wood) then put it back in chair when it had dried.

With the family gone laundry, trash, meals, and dishes were drastically reduced.  We didn't even do  need to run dishes for nearly three days.  It was a nice break for the well water and the electric bill.

Bess gave me some rent money which was applied to the overage of expenses and was much appreciated.

We brought leftovers home from our dinner out.  I put them in John's work lunch.

Made supper two nights from odds and ends leftover.  One night sandwiches, and another night a sort of clear the fridge nacho.  Very good in flavor and in avoiding waste of foods.

Put last of the blueberries and fruit cocktail in our morning oatmeal.

Made boiled eggs and toast for an easy supper for one.

I was shopping for clothes Thursday.  I bought only a pair of pants and one top a few weeks ago but nothing else since winter.  I checked the clearance racks as well as the newer things.  Scored two lovely necklaces for under $5 total.  I always buy pieces that I love right away, as I know I shall get good value for my money wearing them over and over again.

Did NOT buy the yellow purse I saw and wanted.  $149...Yeah that stayed in my pocket.  Ditto on the lovely coral bag I really wanted at another store, $39 stayed in pocket.

Plan to return one pair of sandals that simply aren't what I want.  I bought them early in the day but didn't want to backtrack to that store when I found some I liked a lot better...I opted for two pair of Clark sandals that were extremely well priced at Ross, both of which allow me to adjust toe straps and instep straps for a better fit and are leather. I expect both of these pairs will be wonderful for walking in St. Augustine next week.

Although technically I didn't go into Ross for clothes I looked anyway. I felt I'd purchased enough tops and I didn't buy another there, but I took time to look over the pants.  I found a pair of jeans that were full length and not Capri, an almost impossible thing this time of year to find. I swear in the South, Capri pants are all you can get from March until September, unless you want shorts. 

I also found two pairs of yoga/athletic pants in Ross, which are Capri length, something I like to wear about the house in summer.  I'd been planning to order some but these were less per pair and I didn't have to pay shipping.  Glad I went in.

Called John to see if I could combine an errand I knew was upcoming in the next few days with my shopping.  He told me to go ahead and save us the time.  That's one last thing we have to do before leaving on vacation.

made meals:



BBQ plates from the town festival

Leftover Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans and a little boy's meltdown

Tacos with all the fixings.  No meltdowns when a soft tortilla was offered as replacement for a crisp taco shell.

Leftover Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Casserole, Salad

Out to eat, using pocket money x 2.  John took me out on Wednesday.  I was running errands and shopping on Thursday and stopped to eat before heading home.  No leftovers here nor easy to make entrees.

???? I don't have an idea what I might make tonight.  I'm considering having a salad night since I know that Bess and boys have eaten out all week long.  The boys love salad night because they like eggs and cheese and croutons and such though they scoff at eating lettuce.


had my leisure:


Took a half hour to straighten bookshelves and pulled a half dozen volumes to put at bedside to read.  We've had the bookcases blocked off because Isaac loves nothing better than a book to rip apart and in blocking them off,  I couldn't get to them either.  I took advantage of moving furniture to clean to gather a few and sat down to sample a few passages from each.  A few new, a few old friends I've not read in a long while and one or two dearest ones to read once again.

Spent a whole afternoon planning our route and places we hoped to see and added an extra night's stay away from home too to visit with the grandchildren who live in Florida.

Went shopping.  Real shopping.  I wandered from store to store and just enjoyed looking at all the pretty things and not having to rush at it.