This Week: Oh The Quiet!

Saturday:  It was heavy and humid outdoors today.  John and I both complained of feeling hot, despite the temperature in the mid-60s range.  Before the day was over, we had a wind advisory, a thunderstorm watch, and a tornado watch.  Did I mention all that was followed by a freeze warning?  Welcome to Georgia, where weather is forever changeable.  We did have the wind and thunderstorm but no tornadic activity.  We got a load of rain off that thunderstorm, which pounded so hard on the metal roof we had to turn up the tv to hear it.



I roasted a whole chicken today for our main meal.  I put it in the oven on 325f and cooked it for 3 hours or so.  It smelled so awesome and John told me at least an hour before it was ready that he hoped it tasted at least half as good as it smelled.  I'd zested and used the juice of a lemon the other day but one half still had a bit of juiciness left inside.  I'd put it back in the jar with the other lemon and limes that I keep in the fridge.  I placed that lemon half in the cavity of my chicken.  It imparts a slight lemon flavor to the bird, but not as tart as lemon juice.  I'd almost say it has a floral sort of aroma but it sure suits chicken.

We did not turn on the ac today when we found ourselves complaining of it being hot today.  Instead we took off the sweater/jacket we're prone to wear indoors as well as our socks and as the day progressed pulled off layers or put  on lighter clothing.

Quiet day overall which we spent happily watching a movie, reading, and napping.

Sunday:  The freeze advisory certainly wasn't quite on the mark but it felt cold enough with the northwest wind blowing hard enough to shake the house.   We wrapped up well in coats and layered clothing to go to church this morning.

I didn't exactly have a meal plan today.  A good hot meal would have been most welcome to come home to.  However, there were plenty of leftovers in the fridge.  I cooked peppers and onions and mixed with leftover steak that I'd sliced to make fajitas.  It was a quick enough meal but I will certainly plan to have something hot and ready in the future simply for the comfort of it on one of these cold blustery Sundays.

John washed a full load of clothes and hung some to dry indoors.  It was too gray and cloudy to consider hanging outdoors.

When  I went out to feed the pets this morning, I thought to bring in the avocado tree that was still alive.

I fed the pets again this evening.  I feel they need the extra calories when it's so cold since they don't care for indoors.  I had a carpet scrap I put down on the front porch door mat for Rufus, as this is one of his accustomed places to sleep.

John said that the thing he'd miss most about cable was the old movies.  He found one today on Netflix and we watched it.  Not one I'd ever heard of and I'll bet it's a 'B' movie or the one that proceeded the feature film at a matinee, but we did enjoy it.

Monday:  Ugh...I'd saved half a can of cinnamon rolls but I'll know in future to go on and bake them and freeze.  I'd kept the can in the fridge but  there was no rising left in them and nothing could induce them to rise.  John said they were 'caught in a slump', a term he borrowed from Zig Ziglar. John happily ate them just the same, but I couldn't abide them.

Cleaned off front porch this morning while the sun shone upon it. Working in full sun is not such a bone chilling job even if the morning is cold.  It wasn't as big a task as I'd thought it might be to clean that porch.      Isn't that the way of it every single time?

Hung out the sheets and towels to dry.

I put a full load of dishes to wash in the dishwasher.  Went out to the shed and gathered a few boxes of things to donate.  I stacked them at the door so I can get to them easily in the morning.

Basic housework followed that task.  Eventually I turned to thinking about dinner.  I reheated roast chicken and rice, sliced the last of the tomatoes and a ripened avocado for salad.   John declined the avocado but I gave him extra tomatoes.

After dinner I took time to unload the dishwasher, then I made up two pans of  Chicken and Rice Enchiladas Verde.   I prepared one dozen turkey and swiss sliders.  All of this went into the freezer for future easy meals.

For entertainment this afternoon, we watched yet another documentary on the Roosevelts.   I don't know just how we've gotten so caught up in the Roosevelts but we seem to have done so.

I keep hearing something that seems to be centered in the bedroom/bath area.  I'll take a guess it's not a leak because the pump isn't coming on but something isn't quite right.  Since I can't put a name to it other than the feeling something isn't quite right, I haven't yet mentioned it to John but I'm keeping my ears open and watching carefully.

Fed the pups and kitty extra rations and made sure to set out a pan of water today since all the water buckets are frozen over.  Of course, the silly dogs want to drink the dirty water in the puddle anyway.

Tuesday:  The noise I heard yesterday was louder this morning, but I didn't hear it until John was off to work.  I called Sam and he did the same sort of checkup I'd done: walked around the outside of the house listening for running water, checking the pump wasn't running, etc.  He suggested it might have something to do with the water heater working extra hard.  Well maybe so, but my gut reaction is something isn't right somewhere.  I waited until this afternoon when it was warmer to see if the sound diminished.

I confess that I this point I was so anxious I had to take a small dose of medication.  I hate to even think of calling John to say something is off with the house when he's at work.  He can't leave and come home.  And he too gets anxious.  Then I get more anxious because I seem to also feed off his anxiety.  Knowing that I also needed to remain calm for whatever Mama might toss my way, I felt medication was the best defense.  It didn't stop me worrying about what might be wrong but it did take away the shaking hands and obsessive thinking.

Gathered up all the things I needed to take out the door with me this morning: Directv equipment, trash, donation bag of clothes.  Went out to the shed and loaded that lot of stuff into the car.  I had the trunk full and had to move the trash to the back seat.

Asked Mama to ride in my car today since I had to run my errands.  We did that and then went to lunch.  We ordered appetizer samplers and the reality was much larger than the photo made it look!  We both brought home half of our platters.

Mama wanted a long ride so we drove past John's work place so that she could see the Ems' new residence, then back up the roads towards her house.  I mentioned I needed bread and she said she did, too so we stopped on the way back to her house and I bought bread for both of us.

Mama gave me the weather report this morning when I was at her house.  "It's going to rain later this afternoon or evening and then get cold."   She and I were riding home some four hours later and  she said "I'm just puzzled why there's so many clouds!  It was sunny when we left my house."  "But Mama, you told me it was meant to rain this afternoon."  "Yes, but that means the weatherman was right!"   lol     I guess I can't blame her for being puzzled at that.

After I dropped Mama off, I went by Starbucks and treated myself to a good cup of decaf café latte.  Gracious but that coffee was a treat and so very good.  I decided I'd run one last errand before heading home, so I drove the ten or so miles to the pharmacy and picked up John's prescription.

When I came in this afternoon the noise was just as loud as it was periodically this morning.  I called a plumber and am awaiting his return call.  I haven't spoken to John about this but I did talk with Sam a little more this afternoon after Josh called me and we both agreed that it's better to have it checked.  If it's nothing then I'm just out a service call.  If it's something then there's an expert on hand to handle it.  Either way, I'm saving John the angst and agony of having to worry over it or do a repair on something after working 24 hours.  And honestly having taken some sort of action has me feeling a little less anxious over it.   I've already cleared the closet because I'm sure it's either the hot water heater or at least in the vicinity of it.

The electric bill arrived today.  It was almost $100 less than last month's bill.  I'm not satisfied at this level either but I will continue to use propane heat to save running the heater over much and cut off lights whenever we can easily do without them and use sunlight instead.   Everything I can think to do  after that I'm limited in doing if I want to maintain peace in my home.  I am a lot more stringent when it's just me at home, but John is quick to balk if he feels I'm being too stringent.  I think it makes him feel we mustn't be doing too well financially if I seem overly concerned, so I do things he's not likely to notice but which combined make a difference.

Josh and Isaac are coming to supper tomorrow night.  John was lobbying for pancakes but decided he'd ask Josh what he'd like to have.  'Scrabbled' eggs and toast it seems is his choice.  Josh and Isaac called to tell me their decision .  Isaac chattered away and  was less plain than Josh's but then Isaac usually eats whatever is put in front of him.  

John called shortly after I spoke with the boys...Poor man was mighty disappointed in not having pancakes for supper tomorrow night, lol, but has reconciled himself with the thought that Josh does change his mind.  John bought two dozen more eggs from the girl he works with that keeps chickens.  Josh told me he'd bring eggs tomorrow, too.  I think I have three dozen in the fridge now.  I do believe I'll get busy and mix up a strata and some quiche for the freezer in the next couple of days.  It might also be a grand time to mix up a pound cake.  John really enjoys egg salad.  I think I'll manage to use up a few with those things in mind.

Wednesday:  Up extra early this morning, fully awake before 7am.  Called the plumber again who, lo and behold, also was awake...or at least awakened by my call.  He informed me what I already know: if there is no wetness anywhere and the pump isn't running it likely isn't a leak.  I managed to extract a promise of his coming out tomorrow to determine the source of trouble.  I continue to hear a constant running something in that wall.

French toast for breakfast for John using up some of those odd pieces of bread and a few eggs.

Talked with Bess and when she brings the boys she's also bringing us a half dozen eggs.  Josh is going to sell eggs in the future on Friday and Saturdays.  He's asking $3 a dozen and 'tips are appreciated', lol.   I set aside $1.75 this afternoon to give to him.  Being 4,  he's happiest with the quarters which he's allowed to put in his bubble gum machine and get a piece of gum.

I did little today, anxiety having eaten away sleep time and  any real energy I had for work.  I  took time to put tabs on my Bible's pages so I can more easily find the books (thank you Carolyn for posting yours on Instagram.  You inspired me.)   I ran the vacuum.  That was pretty much it for the morning hours.

I used the leftovers of my restaurant meal yesterday, along with some chicken nuggets from the freezer and made a quick lunch for us.  It was an ample and delicious meal.

While waiting on the boys this afternoon, I took an hour before their arrival and made two Stratas, one for us and one for the boys for Saturday morning.   I also made yogurt.  I was a little leery.  The starter I used was frozen and I'd thawed it.  Happy to say that this evening when I took it from the warm water bath, it was nice and thick.

We had a grand time with the boys today.  Josh requested 'scrabbled eggs' for supper and I allowed him to put the bread in the toaster.  Each time it popped up he said "Grab it, Gramma!"  I had to stop him at 7 pieces of toast.  He was ready to toast the whole loaf.  He did eat three pieces though.

I have always been a 'we drink water at meals' sort of Mama.  Gramma is no different, but Josh asked for juice and Grampa said "Give him juice."  Now Gramma follows old Mama habits and waters down juice.  Josh was very adamant that he wanted 'no water...' but I filled his little red tumbler about half full of water as I did Isaac's sippy cup.   You could clearly see the island from Josh's chair so I was especially careful to perform Mama sleight of hand and set Josh's tumbler so that it was hidden by Isaac's sippy cup and filled both with juice.  "Gramma...Did you make mine half water like you did Isaac's?"  Gramma was caught dead to rights, lol, but I evaded by simply asking "Did you see any water in your cup?"  Well I knew good and well he couldn't and he drank every bit of his juice.  John did tell me though that I couldn't keep fooling him because he'd broken my code, lol.

After dinner was music time.  Josh wanted to play the piano and sang "God's not dead he's surely alive..." in an adorable four year old way that made the song fifteen times more powerful.   I left the room to clear up after supper and a little altercation ensued.  Josh let his temper get out of hand and in turn, Grampa let his temper go a bit.   Josh came running to me sobbing and Isaac was right behind him jabbering away with a concerned look upon his face.  No I didn't coddle Josh.  He was in the wrong and I knew it and so did he.  I told him, "I'm sorry you're upset but you've upset Grampa.  I think you owe him an apology for abusing the instrument, don't you?"  He immediately wiped his eyes and went to apologize and all was smooth as icing once more.

I have this theory that I used with my children and use with my grandchildren still.  If I'm wrong, I apologize immediately.  Adults get tired and weary and anxious and they do let tempers go now and then.  But children, too, display temper and it is important to teach them to apologize when they clearly understand they are wrong, as Josh did tonight.  Other times we may have to patiently explain several times over why behavior was wrong so that they learn what is and isn't acceptable.  I never fussed at my children for being angry.  We all get angry for various reasons.  Anger isn't wrong but purposely hurting something or someone because of that anger is NEVER okay.

When we took the boys home this evening, I went into the house to get an Apple Tart Bess made for us.  Isaac loves the window on their oven door.  He bent down to look at her Apple Tart which was a lovely thing, and he immediately went to his chair at the table and started yelling, "Up, Mama!  Up!" Silly boy, I do believe he thought he was getting apple pie right away.

 I came back out to the car to find Rufus in my seat.  Shocking enough, but John was in the car and let him stay!  He rode home on my lap and he snuggled in and ventured a quick lick to my face.  Silly dog.  It was only because he is a solid black little dog and the roads were fully dark that John allowed him to ride home with us in the car, but yes we are fond of that funny little dog.

Sam mentioned rain was coming in and was herding all his cats indoors.  I thought about Mama's rain report that hadn't come to fruition on Tuesday after all.   No kidding, we hadn't been home a half hour when I heard the first pings of rain on the roof and it poured and pounded for hours after that.

later note:  Funnily enough, John looked at his weather app and informed me that the rain would last 120 minutes.  That was just after 7pm.  When we went to bed after 11pm it had been going on for about four hours.  I mused out loud, "Well that part of the forecast was wrong..."  And it wrong most thoroughly wrong.  I woke about 1am and the rain was pounding just as hard as it had been since it started.

Thursday:  Awake extra early again this morning, awaiting the plumber to show up.  I've no clue what time he'll arrive but the closet has been cleared since Tuesday morning and the sound I hear hasn't decreased.  John got through yesterday but confessed to me this morning that he'd laid awake in the early hours worrying over what it is and how much it will cost, etc.  I have no reassurance to offer except to tell him this:  "I'm in this house day in and day out.  I seldom turn on the television when I'm alone.  I know all the noises this house makes.  I hear something that is out of place and my intuition tells me something isn't right.  All I can do now is wait for a more expert opinion."   What I did not tell him was how badly my own anxiety was this morning, enough to make me rise early.

I am so glad I decided to clean that back porch yesterday morning when the wind was out of the south and balmy.   This morning the wind is out of the northwest once more and is frigid and both porches are quite wet from the heavy rainfall.

Cold days are kitchen days for me.   On my kitchen list this morning: chili and meatloaf. I split a bit over one pound of ground meat between the two.  I added chopped onions and  mushrooms in both and shredded carrot into both, too.

I had some potatoes with long eyes.  I pared them and cooked them all though there were too many for one meal for us.   I mashed a portion and put up 3 cups for hash brown casserole that I'll make tomorrow and bake over the weekend.

I put all the chicken bones from the freezer into the crockpot with onion peel, ends and tops, celery offcuts and carrots bits and let that cook all afternoon.  I ended up turning this down to warm and keeping in the crockpot overnight because there was no room to put it all in the fridge.

Made up a box of instant pudding.  I always go right on and divide into 4 servings.  One will go into John's lunch tomorrow and I'll have the fourth for my dessert after my dinner tomorrow.

All of my attempts to distract myself and dwell on other things came to naught.  For the second time this week I resorted to an anti-anxiety dose.  Praise God I am able to take these small doses and get relief and that I do not need to take it twice or thrice daily as I did last summer, but how I do hate having anxiety overall!

Katie called to ask if she could borrow some lettuce.  I told her I did indeed and went on into the kitchen to open the package of romaine hearts and wash the heads.  I cut off the ends and put them in water on the shelf at the kitchen window.  I hadn't thought to do this in quite a while but one year I planted these butt ends and we harvested fresh leaves off them for quite a long while.   I'll have to see about doing that again when the weather is a little warmer.

When Katie arrived she announced she was staying to dinner.  Hmmm...she's not a sandwich eater as a rule and that's what we usually have supper.  I had found a small packet of cooked chicken meat this morning in the freezer while I was digging out the chicken carcasses and I knew there were two legs quarters in those bags that I'd put in the crockpot.  It never stopped being cold today and frankly  soup seemed a great supper to me.  I pulled a quart of broth from the freezer and fished out the meat while I was in there.   I also stirred the broth/bones I had simmering in the crockpot and found those leg quarters and harvested a little broth from the crockpot as well.  I added a bit more water to top it up after.  If it's going to be on all night there will be no harm done.  I chopped onions, celery and shredded carrot and at Katie's request made Chicken and Rice.  It made a LOT.  I'll likely have a big bowl tomorrow night  and there will still be leftovers for the weekend ahead, too.
                                           
Katie came for lettuce.  She went home with the packet of venison (I believe it's at least 2 pounds) Sam gifted her at Christmas, as well as a 2 pound chuck roast, a few cans of tomatoes, paste, spaghetti sauce, and some carrots and jalapenos.  She ticked off what all she could make from those items combined with what she had at home and said that she could skip going by the grocery store this week.   I expect it means she can get her nails done without wondering what she'll have to nudge and juggle to make it happen and that's fine by me.  Haven't I just given Sam and Bess food from here and hadn't Katie and Bess both just given us pies?   We're getting mighty neighborly amongst ourselves and I like it!

About 6pm I looked at John and announced, "I do believe the plumber has not kept his promise."   John who is a great optimist when it comes to people's word of promise, reluctantly agreed.    I felt my stubborn factor kick in hard.  I resisted the urge to call the plumber this evening, but he shall receive another call early tomorrow morning.  Squeaky wheels will get attention eventually.

Friday:  John got up a bit earlier than usual.  He was showered and dressed and my alarm had yet to sound off.  I gave up trying to catch an extra minute or two of sleep and got up.  Breakfast, coffee, packed lunch, goodbye kisses.  The usual work day morning round.

I bathed, dressed, made the bed, and cleared the kitchen.  The rest of the house looks quite nice, save the stuff from my closet in our bedroom.  I'd done Bible study and prayer time before John left this morning.  I looked at the clock and even I am not squeaky a wheel enough to call someone before 6:30a.m.   I decided since Monday is payday to get busy working on our checkbook and writing out bills, etc.

At 7am, I called and left a message for the plumber.

Just about the time I finished the bills, I had a return call from the plumber.  He really sounded a little grumpy but at least he said he was on his way.

I moved the warm chicken bones and vegetables to a colander to drain over a pan and poured up the warm broth into two  32 ounce cottage cheese containers.  This was a very strong condensed broth.  I put those in the freezer.   Instead of washing the crock pot, I went right to the freezer, grabbed the two turkey breast carcasses and popped those in the crock pot with water and odds and ends of frozen onion root and top ends, carrots and a bits of celery.  I set them to simmering on HIGH setting.

The plumber and his helper arrived.  You know how a car can make a noise when you're driving it but you're the only one who can hear it?  John never could hear the noise I mentioned, nor did Sam,  but thank goodness these two guys heard it immediately.  I swear I felt like all the worry of the past four days was suddenly lifted and my feet left the floor a bit I was so lightened by the fact that indeed something was amiss and it was about to be put right.  It turned out to be a minor hot water pipe leak under the house.  I was more than amused when the plumber came back in the house and said, "Now Miss Terri, take those good ears to the back and tell me if you hear anything else."   "It's the best quiet I've heard all week long..." I told him.   The repair must have been very minor because I paid about the hourly rate and nothing more but the relief was worth at least five times that amount.

While the plumber and his helped worked, I stripped chicken meat from the bones and harvested about 4 cups of meat from it all.  These are mostly tiny little bits which I like best to use to make chicken salad, a sandwich filling that John likes a great deal.

When plumbers were gone and chicken meat put away and the counters cleaned once more, I put my closet back together.  It went rather quickly.  I brewed myself a cup of coffee and promised myself a quiet cup of coffee.

I didn't stay seated long.  I have had a picture sitting on my mantel for a week or so that I wanted to hang.  I stripped two plates from the guest room wall and brought them into the living room.

I hung that arrangement on the wall then hung another piece on another wall which necessitated rearranging the items there and then when I was almost done, I bumped one which went flying to the floor and came apart.  It was the frame with the door lock plate and old fashioned keys on it and the threads all snapped so everything had to be sewn back on once more.  

As I worked on that bit of handiwork, I determined what I needed to do to make my bookshelves look more presentable.  I'm not quite done yet, but nearer than I was.  Yesterday in a moment of busy work to try and still my shaking hands, I'd taken time to pick the old fabric that had stubbornly clung to the antique seat cushion needlepoint I'd made into a pillow.  Still not happy with the color of the velvet I used to back it, I was happier with the pillow overall once the old fabric was completely removed.

I worked on the bookcases a bit after I finished the lock plate and keys.    I've made a good start at getting an English country look to my living room.  It is still very much a work in progress.  I am looking for a pretty paper to back the shelves.  One has been water damaged and is already covered in a sort of atomic age print.  I want to remove it and cover the inside back of all three bookcases.  I've been tooling around the web looking at fabric, wallpaper and wrapping paper (what I used on that one).  Eventually I shall find what I want and can afford.  It's getting that cost/love alignment that I'm having trouble with.  Do you know that some fabric and wallpaper can run into hundreds of dollars?  I'm a little put off by those wrapping papers that cost in the $40-$60 range, too.  I do have expensive tastes...

I've just put turkey broth in the freezer.  I got three 32 ounce containers off those turkey breasts and picked about 3cups of meat chunks from the bones.  I think I'm going to use the turkey to make a turkey pot pie since the meat is chunkier than the chicken meat.  Both meats are in the fridge at present and will keep until Sunday when I will deal with them.  I am tired from my early start to the day and think I shall call the week done.

What did you do this week to save?  Tell us all about it!