This Week: A Pocketful of Posies

Saturday:  John and I had a quiet morning followed by a whirlwind visit from a little girl.  I skipped my planned meal in favor of one that was more child friendly.  Fortunately I was prepared having provided for just such a need while grocery shopping this week.



We three girls got pedicures.  Taylor and I opted for pink with sparkles on top.   Her Mama went for the eggplant colored polish on her toes.   Cost to do mani/pedis was nothing and a bit of girl time together was nice.

It was late when Katie and Taylor left.  I'd put quesadilla in the oven to bake for us all but she'd promised Taylor a Happy Meal.  John and I waited to eat until they'd gone.  The quesadilla were a little chewier than usual but warm and it had been easy.

Packed John's lunch.  I put the non-perishable items in his lunch bag and all the perishable ones into a basket in the fridge that is specifically for his lunch stuff.   This means that all I have to do in the early morning is reach in and take it out.  Easy for a sleepy woman to do.

Set up coffee so that it's ready to go.  The coffee pot has a timer I can set to go off in the morning.

Sunday:  Last night, I took breakfast burritos from the freezer to reheat this morning.  I don't think I'll make any more of these.  They are tasty but it's really not what we'd normally eat for breakfast.  I think I'd rather stock things we will eat, like the quesadilla we had last night.  They are simple enough to make but sometimes at the end of the day, even having to grate cheese to put on a tortilla seems like too much, you know?  Having them filled and ready to pop into a pan or the oven or microwave is a no brainer sort of quick meal.  Or maybe I should say a 'no brain' sort of meal.

John just slays me at times.  He's been very careful this week to ask ALL of the grandchildren if they enjoy pancakes and when they say "Yes" he quickly promises them that next time they visit we will have pancakes.  I guess I can take a hint.  The man is obviously suffering from pancake deprivation.  I'll make him some tomorrow morning.

I sent John off to work this morning with all the usual routine in tact.   Before he left, I started the first load of wash and had it in the dryer by 6:30am.  I have done three loads total this morning and have just hung the last half load on the line.  At this point the dryer has run almost 3 hours and I don't care if it does rain on the towels.  They'll survive it.  There may be just enough breeze out this morning to actually dry them before the rain comes in.

Yesterday we had a slight mishap on the guest bed when little girl was napping.  Not a problem,  but it made me very aware of the fact that mostly it's grandchildren who sleep in that bed, more than adults, and that Isaac will soon be in the bed himself when he's here at naptimes.  Naturally they will have accidents.  But there's a new mattress on that bed...I put my thinking cap on yesterday evening and told John we should put a waterproof cover on the mattress.  I personally loathe sleeping on one of these but we also have a 3 inch foam eggshell on top of the mattress and it does seem that a waterproof under that wouldn't be uncomfortable for anyone.    We discussed this further this morning and John suggested the sort of pads they use at hospitals.  Well that is a great idea but I haven't any and in making the bed this morning I wanted something right now.  I happened to think suddenly of the roll of thin plastic table covering I'd bought to use at the children's table back in June.  Perfect!  I cut a length to fit the bed, put the eggcrate back on top of that and then made up the bed.

An overripe banana, three oranges quickly withering, a kiwi, half a ripe avocado...What do these have in common?  They became smoothie packs for the freezer.  I do use these once or twice a week to make a quick, nutritious, better carb drink for myself, especially on these mornings when John is off to work super early and I am hungry around 9 am.  I just add the frozen fruit pieces and a little milk or yogurt and milk to the blender.

Not only had I done three loads of laundry by 9am, I'd remade both beds, put out fresh towels in both baths, loaded the dishwasher, gathered trash, vacuumed the whole house and all the upholstery and lampshades in the living area, and folded and put away the dried laundry.  I stripped the slipcover off my chair so that I can begin to rip it apart and piece it back together again as a fitted piece.   About 9:30 I was in a lather from working so hard about the house and decided that a bit of sit down/cool off period was in order.   So here I am.  Whew!

later:  I think, sincerely think, that I am done for the day except for three tasks: fold the towels I brought in off the line, rinse and neatly stack the dishes I've messed up since I wrote earlier and wrap and put away the pound cakes I made,  minus the one slice I allowed myself after my tossed together lunch.

Here's what I've done since my morning writing:  I took the towels out to the line to dry.  It did look like rain but it was breezy and warmer  and I thought I might have a window of opportunity to dry them before any storms moved in.

I folded the sheets I took from the dryer.  I just need to slip those into their proper place whenever I make my way to the bedroom once more.

I made two pound cakes.  Actually I made up one recipe, Granny's recipe for pound cake to be specific.  She always baked hers in a ten inch tube pan but I have found loaf pan sizes are easier to put into the freezer.   As I made the guest bed this morning I was suddenly overwhelmed with a real longing to see Granny and I just couldn't shake the feeling somehow despite the hard and heavy work I was doing.

I thought about her as I sat here this morning trying to cool off.   I decided what I needed was a project because,  you know, work sometimes isn't quite enough to wear you slap out.  And thinking of the project I meant to tackle reminded me I'd set out eggs this morning to bake cakes with.   I thought perhaps I ought to start the cakes before I started the project.

I was looking through my recipes trying to determine what birthday cake I'd make, and which pound cakes I'd make when I came across Granny's handwritten recipe.  I say recipe but it's really just a list of ingredients and not in the order they are meant to go into the bowl, either.   I 've told you before Granny kept that recipe pretty near secret for all of my life and Mama's, too.   The recipe doesn't state a pan size nor what temperature to bake it, nor how long.  I only just happen to know pan size from watching her take it out of the oven.

This is what is written on the card:

6 eggs
1 1/2 cups Crisco shortening
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons table cream

I have no clue what table cream is...but I know what Granny called cream at her house and that was evaporated milk.  I used half and half.

After carefully studying my other two favorite pound cake recipes I determined the order of making the cake.  I made it once and it was good but not as nice as I thought it might be.   Today I read over my notes and then over my two favorite pound cake recipes and determined that Granny had left out baking powder and salt.  You don't need much of either, but it does make a difference.

As I sit here eating my slice of pound cake, I'm pretty sure I let it bake a little too long.  Granny always critiqued other's pound cakes.  It was the only way in which she was ever just a wee bit rude to anyone.  "It's a l'il bit dry," she would say as she delicately licked her fingertip and proceeded to pick up all the crumbs on the plate.  She'd not be rude to say so about this one.  And somehow knowing what she'd say and just how she'd say it, I can only chuckle a bit and feel I have had her near me a moment or two.  I'll make a note on my notecard to cut back on the baking time by a few minutes next time.

When I'd mixed the pound cake batter and gotten the cakes ready for the oven, I loaded the dishwasher and started a full load of dishes washing.  I haven't put those away yet...Job #4 waiting to be done.  Nor have I baked that birthday cake.  Oh my, Job #5.

Quick note about the dishwasher, I was reading Frugal Measures blog last night and came across a recipe for dry dishwasher detergent.  "Use 2 tablespoons" were her directions and I sat wondering just what the directions on my current lot of liquid dishwasher detergent was.  I looked on the bottle today and there are none.  I happened to be bending over the dishwasher door at that moment and noticed some embossed writing on the panel just above the soap dish.   I've had this machine since the day we moved in and never ever noticed that writing before.  "Fill full for hard water.  Use less for soft water."   Well...I've been overusing for years now!   Our water always tests as soft to even very soft.  I carefully measured out 2 tablespoons using one of the spoons already in the dishwasher and put it in the soap dish.  Then I closed it, shut the door and started the machine on a short cycle.  I've used short cycles on the washer and dishwasher and generally do choose that since we rinse dishes before loading and our clothes never have ground in dirt.

Put the pound cakes in the oven and then headed into the living room to start my project.  I took all the books from the bookcase on the outside wall of the room and then stripped off the back panel.  And then I cut my fabric to fit the panels.  I went on and did all my cutting one after the other rather than wait and do each one.  I had 1 1/2 inches of fabric left off the length...I guess I did a pretty good job of guessing how much I'd need, huh?   I have 6 yards of about 12 inch wide fabric left.  I'm thinking it's enough to recover the seats of the dining room chairs.

I thought I was worked into a lather this morning.  I was dripping all over by the time I got that bookcase unloaded and was ready to hang the panel back on it.  In fact, I had to go remove a few layers of clothing!  It was a little more work than I'd thought but only because there was no one here but me to do it.   It looks really nice and I'm very happy I decided on that fabric in the end.

While I rehung the panel on the bookcase, I cooked a ground beef patty and then topped it with vegetables left from last Sunday's stew.  While the vegetables heated, I reloaded the bookcase.  And culled two books from the shelves that I simply haven't read and likely won't.

Sitting down and eating lunch has made me more than aware that I have reached a limit for work today,  at least until I've rested for a good long bit.  I guess what isn't done today, will certainly get done tomorrow.  I've never had a job get up and leave in a snit because I didn't attend to it right away.  They all just seem to hang around and wait on me.

last update:  Made a birthday cake.  Just the cake.  No frosting yet.  I'm going for one birthday cake this year.  Chocolate with chocolate frosting.  I used a vintage recipe for the cake and  the batter looked like silk.   I'll let you know how it comes out.  Good chocolate cake recipes have eluded me so far.  Some people search for the perfect white cake.  For me it's been a chocolate cake.

I wrapped the pound cakes and put them in the freezer for future need.  I have rinsed and stacked dishes, folded and put away the last bit of laundry and picked up and put away the remnant of fabric and a dozen odds and ends.  I want to tackle those other two bookcases but it can wait.  So can the dishes that haven't been unloaded and the ones that should be washed.  My ankles hurt, my knee and legs hurt from pushing furniture about.  I have done enough this day.

Monday:  I stirred up pancake batter this morning.  Naturally John was late coming in. I'm glad pancakes reheat well in the microwave.

I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher this morning.

Waiting on John, I made the chocolate frosting for the cake.  This is the first time I've made a cake or frosting with melted chocolate instead of cocoa.

After lunch today, we cut the cake.  I'll be gone tomorrow and John will be working on Wednesday.  It was nice to have  a slice with him today.   I'm pretty pleased about this cake.  It tastes really good.   I don't know just what year this cake recipe is from but it's definitely from the early 1940's.  It calls for sugar but also gives the option of using corn syrup for saving a portion of the sugar.  I'm not including that on my recipe.  However, it's pretty certain to have been during rationing for WWII.

Vintage Chocolate Cake
All ingredients (except the warm chocolate paste) should be at room temperature.

I nearly missed this part because it is written in the description above rather than in the instructions/ ingredients list.

Prepare 2 8inch cake pans.  Grease and flour.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Melt 3 ounces chocolate.   Stir in 1/3 cup boiling water until slightly thick.

To all appearances this is the place where the recipe starts:

Sift dry ingredients together into mixing bowl:
1 3/4 cups Gold Medal flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda

Add:
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup milk

Mix with electric mixer (unless you're just dying to do it by hand as the recipe suggests then vigorously for 2 minutes or about 150 strokes), for 2 minutes.  Scrape sides of bowl frequently.

Add:
1/3 to 1/2 cup unbeaten eggs (2 medium)

Beat 1 minute.

Add:
the warm chocolate paste

Beat 1 minute.

Bake 350F 30-35 minutes

I've been wanting to experiment with vintage recipes.  Funny it never occurred to me that likely Granny's Pound cake was also a vintage one.   I think this Chocolate Cake will be my go to recipe from now on.  No, I didn't use Gold Medal flour but it was a Gold Medal advertisement that the recipe came from.

Finished the bookcases this morning.  They look really nice and I'm pleased.  The last two went a bit quicker than the first one did.  It helped having John at home to hold the panel in place for me while I nailed it back on.

Tuesday:  A long, long day today for me.  I went with Katie to a doctor's appointment.   It was at my request that she not find a new doctor at this time but stick with her current one who is very familiar with her needs.  It does however mean a long drive.  That part of the day went smoothly enough.  They called in her prescription to the usual pharmacy and we went off to have lunch because it takes time to fill a prescription, right?  A bit over an hour and half later, we were told it would be at least two hours before they got to it...and two hours later we were told there would be a three hour wait and that was moments before they announced that her insurance didn't cover that pharmacy.  I am not fussing about the pharmacy.  I know that flu and all sorts of virus are rampant at this time of year and pharmacies get all backed up.

What I am fussing about is that it is insurance companies who determine who shall and shall not provide services.  It's never really to our convenience is it?  My own doctor was not covered by even one of the last three government insurance policies I've had.  I stuck with that doctor because I knew my deductible was so doggone high that the likelihood I'd ever meet it was slim to none and I figured I might as well use the doctor I preferred at that rate since it was all money out anyway.  But really...What I really miss is insurance as I used to know it.  You chose your doctor, chose your pharmacy and they paid.   And if that meant the convenience of your own small town doctor and small town pharmacy and didn't mean driving 50 or more miles to the one they chose so much the better.   Some things just have not changed for the better!  Rant over.

I washed a full load of dishes this morning before leaving home.  John spent his day here alone and aside from a load of laundry there was nothing else to be done.  I thought I'd get to spend some portion of it with him but twelve hours later I accepted that this was one birthday he was apparently just meant to spend alone.   I hate it but he seems to have survived it just fine.

While Katie and I ate lunch out today, we both went supplied with something to drink and I carried along snacks.   Just as well I did because I needed those snacks to keep me going on an even keel.  We did however, wait to have supper until we got back here.  Again, had I not had snacks I wouldn't have been able to wait that long to eat my evening meal.

Wednesday:  Sent John off to work with the usual amenities.  Did minor light housework here at home and then got ready for the day out.  Katie was going along with me today.

Much easier time of getting Katie's prescriptions filled even with having to transfer them to a pharmacy here.  She was shocked at how much less they cost being filled at the grocery store pharmacy.   I think I've got another convert.  I  convinced Mama to switchover to the same grocery pharmacy about a year ago and she was astonished and amazed at the savings.  I just shrug modestly and say, "I told you so!"

Mama treated me to lunch today though it was my turn to pay.  It was a nice meal and very generous.  I brought home a portion for my dinner on Saturday when I shall be alone once more.

As we had to be out later than usual this afternoon and I was starting to flag hard, I suggested I treat us all to a coffee.  Boy did that hit the spot.  Katie and I were worn out by yesterday's very long day and Mama had physical therapy this morning before we came to get her, so all three of us felt we needed that added energy.

Katie blessed me with a shirt, a new blush and a beauty sponge today, all from her closet or stash.  We often swap out tops or makeup.

Thursday:  Flat exhausted last night to the point I forgot supper until after 8pm.  I settled for milk, peanut butter crackers.   I woke at 3:30 this morning with my stomach growling loudly.  I got a piece of cheese which held me until I was out of bed at 7:30a.m.

John had to work late.  I did not make a big breakfast this morning. I made a simple one as I knew he'd be eating later still.

I prepared an easy oven meal for our dinner today.  I have been at odds with my menu entirely this week from start to finish, sigh.    Today's meal: Roasted vegetables with Chicken Italian Sausage.  I served with sliced tomatoes. It was tasty and required little effort on my part.

I had a small sewing job.  I say job because it was a bit of effort, being a new to me task, and job because I was paid a small fee to attend to it.  I appreciated both the financial side of it and the opportunity to push my skill level in sewing a bit further.  My job?  To remove a pesky collar from a flannel pajama top.  I had to reface and finish the neckline.  I also fashioned a loop and button closure at the top of the neckline as a fix for the lapels which wouldn't stay in place.  I am well pleased with my work and hope that it is suitable to the top's owner.

John did a load of clothes and hung most all of them to dry.

It was foggy again this morning, but cleared quickly.  I opened windows and we kept them open until right at lunch time when the AC came on.  As the afternoon went on I pushed the AC temperature up just a little bit.

Took time this morning to work on bills for next Monday when we are paid again.  I knew I'd be short of time getting to that task if I didn't do it now.  I managed that job before John came home from work.

Took a small rump roast and a package of chicken breasts from the freezer to begin thawing in the fridge.  Not sure when we'll eat these, but it's a start to next menu planning time.  John and I are going out tomorrow and he is working on Saturday.  I'll have leftovers that day.  Having meat thawed for the coming week is not something I typically do but it's a good start.

I didn't do a whole lot today which is what John asked me to do.  He knows the week behind me has been hard on me and he felt I should rest a little.  I'm happy the house is well kept enough I can do just that.  It's been lovely to sew a little, read a little, cook a little, play a little.

Best fun yet this week:  two little boys who came by to eat birthday cake and sang the sweetest duet you've ever in your life heard of "Happy Birthday" not once, but twice, one for each of us.  I was torn between laughing for sheer joy and sobbing.  I ended up with a goofy grin and tears running down my face and Grampa sniffled a wee bit himself.

Friday:  Today was meant to be a play day, the first date we've had in about 5 or 6 weeks.  Never mind play date, I washed a full small load of dishes last night and loaded up all the trash to go out this morning with us.  Made a simple breakfast, washed up, made the bed and the house was left looking fairly decent once again.

We went to Warm Springs today and had lunch at the Bulloch House.  After lunch we walked across the street and I visited an antiques store, which makes my third one this week.  Katie and I killed time on Tuesday in antique stores.  I came out empty handed then but not so today.  I bought a picture I want to use in our bedroom, a blue and white china cat that is about 12 inches tall,  Limoges porcelain jewelry box (very inexpensive) and a glass water bottle that is from the 1930's.  I suspect someone kept iced tea in that bottle but I am thrilled to have it for my summer kitchen.  We drink lots of iced water in summer and it is a nice tall flat shaped ribbed glass bottle that fits well in the hand.

We took a longer route home.  It was a lovely ride, up hills and down, lovely little towns, lots of woodlands.

We bypassed our town and drove straight through to get haircuts.  I asked to go into Kroger.  I haven't been in a grocery since I shopped at Aldi.  My reason for going in today: flowers and soda.  John doesn't drink a soda a day anymore but he does like some now and then.  As for flowers...Yes I NEED flowers, I do truly and I've decided that they shall be a part of my budget for as long as I can afford to do so.

How did we save, despite our dinner out, my little antique store jaunt, and the grocery shopping?  When John offered to pick up something for supper I told him I'd make pizza when we got in.  There was enough for a small pizza for the freezer and lunch for John tomorrow.   Small savings for sure but it was a savings.  And a delicious one at that.

That was my week.  It was hard in spots, and tiring and sweet and lovely.  How was yours?