This Week In My Home: Light Ahead

In my home this week...

...there is light up ahead of us.  I feel it more than I can see it.  That same sense of something changing that comes just before I see the actual break of light on the horizon in the wee hours of the morning is surrounding me just now.  In the meantime...we push on  knowing that change is ahead of us.  How do I sense this?  For one thing, the sale is complete on the land which freed Sam to push ahead with home improvements now that he officially owns the house they have been renovating.  Mama is moved.  Katie is settling in.  John is managing the extra hours.  I have adjusted my attitude...for the most part.  There's a certain peace about other situations that we've been involved in as well.  The storm isn't over.  We got hit last week with a new lot of things but there's a slight clearing of the sky that just says, this too shall soon pass.  Something's changing...and thank you Lord!



...I worked:

You know: laundry, dishes, meals...

Cleaned home a little more deeply Sunday morning while the family went off to church.  John worked the night before (extra shift) and I stayed home with him.  I did all the work prior to church service and we watched online.  It's one of the last sermons we'll hear from our pastor.  He announced his resignation a few weeks ago.

Wrote extra blog posts this week.

Worked on a party and then ran it one evening.

Spent one full day with Mama packing up things at my brother's and moving them to her new apartment and unpacking and putting away.  The emotional struggle of getting her to acknowledge the need to let go of things she can't use or wear is very taxing for us both, as well as the stress of moving and having too much to do.

John and I ran necessary errands this week and managed to eat breakfast out as well...That last part is not work, it just tucked neatly into our day and was a pleasure.

Bought groceries.  I was alone so this was a bigger deal to me than to you all perhaps, lol, because John has totally spoiled me with his help.


...I saved:

Finances were mighty tight here last month.  The kids were hit by three very large and unexpected expenses.  Paying rent and helping with groceries was the first thing stricken from their list of must pays, with our permission. We felt it far more important to pay their tithes which they pledged to do this year.  However, circumstances always change.  This past week Bess helped with groceries and over the weekend Sam paid all rent owing and a little ahead.  Since John had worked lots of overtime lately we managed but  lost a little ground.  I'll repay our account for the extra expenses we incurred.

We had a leftover meals day.  I pulled out every single thing left in the fridge after one week of meals and we ate our choice of foods.

Made potato pancakes from leftover mashed potatoes.

I stretched four chicken breast halves to 8 servings by splitting their width.

All week long I've tried to be hyper vigilant about our foodstuffs and use up what some might toss.  Poor Bess mentioned that my potatoes had had it and they should go in the trash.  Yes, they had 'fingers' rather than eyes and they were at the stage of getting a little wrinkly, but I assured her they were edible and they would be eaten just the same.

...I made meals:

Chinese takeout as a celebratory meal.

Leftovers of all sorts.

A big bag of take out Tacos.  I've never had such a meal before and it was delicious and much appreciated.   Yes two meals as take out this week and that is highly unusual.  As said, the circumstances have changed for the kids and they bought both meals.  We have had a week of appointments, engagements and errands on all sides and no time on this particular day to cook.  The littlest boy is the hungriest among us and he gets downright nasty when he's hungry, lol.  Seriously...we cater to that one when it comes to meals.  His sunny personality can take just about anything except feeling hungry and since we weren't to be home until a bit past supper we all felt it was well worth the purchase price.

Brenda's Casserole (Polska Kielbasa on au gratin potatoes) Green Peas, Bread and butter

Trash Chicken (not my name for it), steamed asparagus, salad and brown rice for the boys who dislike lettuce and asparagus.
Trash chicken: thin chicken breasts coated in ranch dressing, dipped into crushed goldfish and parmesan cheese and baked until crisp.  Super yummy.

EMS dinner cookout  for me  Pizza for family

Crockpot Lasagna, Broccoli, Garlic Bread

...I had my leisure:

I finished one book, then went to work finishing two that I'd started some time ago.

Wrote a couple of extra posts.  I consider writing as work but what luxury to have inspiration and time fall into my lap all at once!

Breakfast out with John.  We had to run errands.  He came home from work and we went right back out the door together.  It was a lovely meal and thoroughly enjoyed and gave us both the stamina to do a long day's worth of errands.

Lunch out with a former classmate.  How nice to see a face I grew up with!  This led to a link to a closed facebook group for our graduating class and more familiar faces who reached out when I posted my maiden name.  I don't know just why it's important to me after all these years to reconnect with that class but it IS.   Sad to see the Memorial board of those who've died, too.