This Week In My Home: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Saturday:  Sam stopped by this evening to show us the deer he'd gotten.  I reminded him I wanted some shanks for stews.  I am so proud he was able to get a second deer.  He insisted that the dogs had to have a biscuit each as they had flushed five deer out of the weeds where they'd been hiding themselves.  I've told John before that the dogs are actually barking at something, not just nothing as he insists.  I expect they smell the deer and know when they are nearby.  Proud for my son to have more meat for his family.



Overall a very easy going sort of day.  We mostly ate our meals and watched TV though the day was also eventful (Fed Ex drivers got stuck in the yard and John helped them out) and Sam's latest hunting success.

I'd planned to have chicken sandwiches for supper but John pulled out hot dogs to heat so I let him go ahead.

One of the things about Shabat this time of year is that it begins just after 5 and ends just after 6.  That leaves a portion of the Saturday to get a few things done.  Unloaded dishwasher and reloaded it and then John opened the Walmart foam mattress.  We lay down on the bed and it's okay.  Not as nice as ours, not as thick, but more comfortable than the previous mattress.  I have a 2 inch foam mattress that I'd planned to put back on the new mattress and between the two it's comfortable enough.  I'm not terribly concerned since we don't typically have regular guests, although the past year belies my words.

Sunday:

Yesterday, I made a simple gravy of pan drippings to put over dog and cat food today.  I don't serve them wet food often but they seem to enjoy the occasional bit of gravy with their dry food.

Put meat sauce to reheat in crockpot while we were out to church.

Planned stop at grocery today was a little more expensive than first though but we truly had only one real splurge item and that was a single slice of cake for far too much money.  It was a four layer section and we shared it, two layers each and that was just right.  It might be more pricey but requires far less self control than having a whole cake on hand!    Most of what we purchased was bread items from the bakery, half and half, lettuce (romaine is back on the shelves and I am so glad), etc.  I also snapped up a new grocery bag.  We bought a bunch of new ones back in the summer, but they have mysteriously gone astray and several of our older ones have been trashed because they have torn in such a way that mending was not at all possible.  I've been watching for plain bags for sometime and today was the first time I've seen them in ages.  All the rest have been printed with cartoon characters etc.  Not my style.  Why doesn't anyone ever do roses or Tiffany blue or something like that?

Happy to come home to a hot meal.  I cooked pasta and made a quick salad.  It took about 15 minutes to get dinner on the table.  I spooned the leftover meat sauce over the frozen lasagna I made.  I felt it might be a little dry and that the added sauce would do it no harm at all, even if it is initially on top.

John washed and dried a load of clothes.  He hung several pieces to dry on line or hangers.

I shopped after we got home today, too, in my pantry.  I gathered an armload of items from the pantry to carry into the kitchen.  John was pleased to see some of the things I brought out: graham crackers, crackers, pasta, sweetened condensed  milk, and one or two other items.

Monday:


Saw John off this morning and then I went back to bed.  I am in a non-sleep cycle and my body is off because of it.  I only dozed for the two and half hours I was in bed but it was enough to make me feel better overall and restore some natural rhythm to my body over all.

I'd glanced around at the house as I went back to bed and felt a bit guilty over leaving it in such a state when I might well stay up and get busy, but do you know that every task I saw was accomplished with ease when I did arise.  The house looked very nice within an hour of my rising.  It looked so good I contemplated going to shop but I was out of allowance ($1 does not a big spender make) and I felt 'nagged' at to just stay home.  So I stayed home and I puttered gently about and got more things done than I'd anticipated I might today and am considering tackling a few more minor things.

I tossed roughly half a pound of salad greens.  These were the 'weeds' John complained over twice last week and frankly, when I was rushed for a meal and didn't stem the greens, I too felt they were rather weedy.   Well a pound of lettuce is obviously just too much for us two even though we do like our salads and so the greens began to wilt and spoil.  I picked over enough to get myself a sizeable salad for my supper tonight.

Went through the fridge and determined what I had to get me started on our party foods and what needed to be used and in what manner.  I have enough chicken and leftover vegetables to make a meal for us tomorrow.  I put the carcass in the freezer.  I discovered rather quickly that I've NO room at all in my freezers and must juggle and jiggle things to make anything else fit in them.  I daresay they too can be sorted out a bit this week but not today.

I was surprised at all I found in the fridge that might well do for appetizers this weekend.  I have hummus that has never been open and is nowhere near expiration.  I mixed up the super easy but tasty salsa and cream cheese dip.  I had on had all I needed to make the sausage balls Katie requested.  They will be formed and baked tonight if the sausage will only thaw.  I have enough vegetables to almost manage a crudité platter.

Started my Christmas cookie baking and got two batches of cookies done today.  Now I need to find storage for them so they can be out of sight until Saturday arrives.  I've sampled both batches and they are as good as ever, but gracious my taste buds insist they must have another sample.  I think not!

Bess and the boys came over with a load of stuff to go into the skip.  She had about filled the back bed of the truck and I think now that the skip is well and truly filled.   While here I asked her to break down the pack n play for me.  I can set it up just fine but I can never get the order of taking it down right and get stuck every time.  Bess decided now was as good a time as any to get the dresser from the guest room, too.  After they all left, I went to the guest room and started shifting furniture into place.  My sewing table needs a lot of work and there's a couple of items on the bed that have to have a home but it's looking more guest room and less mess now.  I think I shall end focusing on my sewing area and bringing it up to snuff.  I will make a table cover for it, and get a more appropriate storage piece to house all the odds and ends of craft items I have.

Tuesday:

I had my day planned this morning when John came in.  When he said he'd been up since 4am I was pretty certain the day would go my way...  Nope.  I'd forgotten all about John's need to go pick up the item he won in a raffle at his credit union:  a men's bike!   So we rode over to pick that up and I culled my list to bank and post office and tacos.

I have wanted tacos for several weeks and I keep forgetting to put corn tortilla or taco shells on my list. This is not an expensive take out meal.  We've enough over to see us through supper if we choose.

When we got home I got busy baking sugar cookies.  I discovered I am out of red sugar and I got less than a dozen of the green sugar cookies.  I will remedy this tomorrow as my sugar on hand is superfine.  Has anyone else noticed how very fine sugar is these days? Mixing it with a liquid food coloring, all I have on hand at present, would just make a liquid mess of the sugar.  I can't go without making red sugar cookies.  Red is Josh's favorite color.

Wednesday:

Up this morning ready to make a trip to the grocery.  I had a short list and a clear idea of what all should be on it.  I haven't checked my pantry inventory list nor the freezer in the past couple of weeks.  We've barely eaten any of the meals I've planned.  This state of things will not last obviously but it has been ongoing the past few weeks, since about Thanksgiving.  I'll be glad to return to something resembling 'normal' but it will likely be after our family day before we do.

At the grocery I skipped pantry and freezer items in favor of what we'd need for our family party, planned for this weekend.  I was asked to do finger foods this year, instead of a meal, so we purchased chips and crackers, cheeses and yes, the red sugar to make Josh red cookies.   I'd say the bulk of my shopping was spent on things for the party and we were well within budget when the shopping was finished.

We went out to lunch while out.  I hadn't planned on this, having a ready to prepare leftover meal here but it was something John wanted to do and so there we were.  I took advantage of our proximity to another grocery to pick up the heavy duty paper plates John requested I get.  I wish I'd checked my list of Free Friday downloads, but no, I didn't.  I did pick up a pretty pink Christmas cactus for Mama as a Christmas gift.  I think it will be pretty on the table near her back door where it's fairly sunny.

On our way home we stopped for coffee and a doughnut.  This is unusual for us, but it was a nice departure from our usual ways.  Golly but it was good!

We were home about five minutes when the skip/dumpster truck driver showed up to pick up the skip from our yard.  I brought in what I could of the groceries, but left the heaviest bags for John.  I'd felt a strain in my back earlier and I felt no particular desire to test it and risk pain.  John brought in the last of the groceries when the skip driver was gone.

I unloaded the groceries I bought in then looked about my wreck of a kitchen.  John went out to repair the damage done to the lawns and Sam came in to pick up a package.  After things settled down a bit, and John and I had a bit of talk between us, I cleared my desk, straightened the kitchen, made another batch of cookies.  I am debating whether I will make Josh's red cookies.  Sam assured me they are making cookies at home so I might not.  I have a real desire to make a cookie we used to have when I was growing up.  I really enjoyed them then and have all the ingredients required to make them.  I seldom make something just for me and I think this year I shall do so.

While cookies baked, I managed to sweep the kitchen and clear the counters.  While another batch baked, I got the guest room set to rights.  My goal this week is to get all I can done between now and evening tomorrow.  Friday I will take as a sort of early Sabbath since I'm sure I'll not get much rest come Saturday.

John and I opted for cereal for our supper.  I had granola and yogurt.  John had boxed cereal and milk.  We watched a wonderful Andy Williams Christmas special while we had our supper.  I can't think of a more pleasant way to spend an hour or so.

Discussion earlier this morning has my brain working away...There are some changes ongoing at John's work and it might well mean changes here at home, too.    We talked about different scenarios and what we'd do and how we'd feel about these changes if they occurred.   This afternoon yet another idea occurred.  Lots of thinking for the New Year just ahead...I'll share more about these thoughts later in another post.

Biggest news is that John decided this week that come January 2019 we will have Directv removed from our home.  This is largely due to my insistence we buy a Smart Tv.  We are literally down to watching only one or two programs on Directv any longer and John has discovered that he can download the apps and watch on his computer, kindle, phone or our tv.  It's been a long and patient siege on my part to free us from what is just an ever increasing cost vs. ever decreasing channels.  I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with Directv but once AT&T took over the company a loyal customer really gets no consideration.  I'm not in the least sorry to let it go.

Thursday:

 It started raining about 1:30 last night and has not let up.  The yard is a mass of water and the ruts John so carefully back filled after Fed Ex and skip driver were in the yard have sunken down.  It's looking pretty fierce out there.  At John's request when he left for work, I have stayed home today and cancelled my visit to Mama.  I will be seeing her on Saturday, so that is okay with her.

I sent him off as per usual: coffee, breakfast, meals.

I'd cleaned house yesterday afternoon anticipating being gone today.  As a result I have some free time to bake one last batch of cookies, wrap gifts, prep vegetables and fruits for the platters, make up dips and a cheese log.  This insures me of nothing but rest tomorrow just as I'd hoped.

I had a small meatloaf in the freezer, just big enough for two, so I popped that in the oven.  Any leftovers will be put away for a sandwich over the weekend.

John felt he must remind me that I'd need to 'feed the kids', as he refers to Jd and children, over the weekend.  I had already formulated a plan and feel sure that everyone will be fed without any issues.  The children are not picky, nor is their dad.  We'll have plentiful foods to choose from most all day on Saturday and that really just leaves the weekend breakfasts.  It would be much easier to plan for sure if I knew what the plans were, but I do not.  I dare say we will manage all the same.

I mixed up a cheese ball.  It's simple enough really but I'll confess that I'm not terribly fond of the recipe I used.  It is new to me.  It makes a huge amount, two cheese balls worth, and the flavor of ranch dressing is just overpowering.  As well, I found the recipe was quite moist.  Too moist to firm up as it was suggested it would.  The recipe I used was from Trish Yearwood's Kitchen on FoodNetwork.  Nope not a fan.  I realize flavor profiles change over the years and Ranch dressing flavoring just about anything save sweets is quite popular (as is bacon).  I'll keep trolling around and experiment with other recipes.   John and I enjoy a cheese ball with crackers of an afternoon and I'd like to find one that tastes good.

Washed a full load of dishes this evening after I finished trying to shape that cheese ball.

Friday:

Off to the local DG this morning.  I picked up a little something for myself, for after Christmas home décor.  I shouldn't walk about in DG but you really do find some rather pretty things if you look and they are quality pieces.  I once bought a set of canisters, a clear green glass for about $5 each.  Walked into JCPenney and there were my glass canisters for an average of $40 each.  I don't know if mine were seconds or an overage but I was well pleased that I'd found something quality for my home for a good bit less.  I saw some bowls and coffee cups today I'd really like to have in my kitchen but I cut myself off before I did much damage.  I'll go back after our Christmas and check these things out a little more closely.

I picked up Christmas gift bags, crayons and a gift card, and an item for each of the big boys.  I can't give Isaac crayons and coloring book so he got a matchbox car and a matchbox car board book in his bags.  These are just small little gifts from us.  The bigger gifts given went out weeks ago to all families.  The small packages were all under $5 for the grown up kids and under $2 for the littles.   John claims I am overspending but for under $40 I have presents under my tree.

We had leftovers for our dinner today.  I was thankful for the space in my fridge.

I have inventoried what I've made and have it put together in an easy to get to spot in the fridge.  Now that dishes have been done for the dinner meal I've only to put them away when they dry.  Everything else may be done tomorrow.

Please share with us how you saved money this week, if you have time.  I'll be taking a short blog break over the next week, so I'll see you all around New Year.  Hugs to all of you and