Saturday: John and I have both been guilty of this: we refer to his job as a 'marriage', often using the terms 'bad' or 'broken' to describe it. This past week, after prayer, he set a retirement date, not in stone but mentally, and he shared it with both me and his work partner. It feels right, this ending date. But when John told me later in the day that he felt like he was 'divorcing' the job and that it grieved him I was disturbed. Not jealous, but just a deep gut feeling that he was wrong...and that I too had been wrong in our assigning the term "marriage" to this job of his in the first place. Yes, it does take up roughly half our married life and has for 25 years, but still, something felt very off in his assessment of what the ending of this quarter century of life amounted to.
It is my habit on Saturday mornings to sit and color in the borders of the devotionals in my Bible. As I do so, I often turn to prayer, meditation on scripture, thinking over hard places and lovely ones from the week behind. This morning my thoughts turned to the 'marriage' statement we've both been guilty of using. Why did it bother me so? What was at the root of it? As I neared the end of one of the pages, I felt quite clearly why I was disturbed. A marriage is a relationship. It is a vital part of our life. A job isn't. So what term best suited a job? As I sat there pondering this, it came to me: it's a tool. This job was meant to carry us through raising our family, purchasing our home, becoming debt free, help in funding our retirement years. It's usefulness is done. It is time for a newer, better tool for the years ahead. It's time to put this old tool down. I could hardly wait for John to come in from the porch where he'd gone to meditate and play the guitar, so that I could share this with him.
Our Saturday thus far has been peaceful and relaxed. I slept nearly two hours later than I've slept in weeks. I must have needed that extra rest! When I did get up, I took my first coffee on the back porch. The dogs greeted me, the cat howled at me from the front porch where she was awaiting her breakfast, but then they all left me alone for a bit. It was a glorious morning. The sun has shifted so that in the early morning, the back porch is receiving almost full sun, but it was cool enough to enjoy that this morning. The birds were noisy but bird calls are so pleasant that I was soothed. I can think of only two bird calls that I find irritating after a bit: the cawing of crows and the screeching "thief, thief, thief" of Blue Jays when any of them see a snake or other danger. It was a lovely spot for morning coffee.
Yesterday afternoon, I raided the cupboard and discovered some tiny heirloom potatoes getting a little wrinkled. I put them to soak overnight in some water in the fridge. I also discovered asparagus bought 2 pay periods ago. Thankfully it was not spoiled, but the stems were quite woody. I had to break them deep into the stem to get beyond that. Then I set them in a cup of water to soak overnight as well. Both potatoes and asparagus seem to be happy with the treatment. The potatoes were a little firmer, the asparagus a bit more crisp. They will do well for our meal today.
I made a new to me recipe this weekend. It isn't hard. I am weary of cakes and pies of late and was looking for something different. I came across a recipe on Pinterest that is a variation on a recipe I've had for years. I halved this recipe for Coconut Cream Delight. Coconut Cream Pie is always a favorite of mine and I thought this sounded like a good recipe. Cooling desserts are most welcome now that the days are getting warmer. I think we'll get about six servings from my 8 inch square pan.
I made egg salad yesterday while I was preparing our midday meal. I knew John would enjoy this. It's always an inexpensive sandwich filling.
Sunday: I've been monitoring what I have in the fridge and I knew that I had some Spam that needed to be used up. We're also short on bread, but I noted on Friday that I had a bag of frozen French Toast, enough to serve two. That was all we needed for a workday breakfast.
Sent John off as usual: lunch bag and coffee in hand.
Stripped our bed and the towels from the baths and kitchen and set a full load to wash in hot water with bleach.
Hung the sheets on the line in a way that they wouldn't hang down to the porch floor...I knew full well that even doubled up and hung as they were, it would be plenty warm enough to dry them. And I wanted the floor clear for painting.
Unloaded the back porch, again. I put a second coat on the parts I did on Friday and then got about half the remaining floor painted a good solid first coat. I need to clean algae off the edges of the porch in some spots before I can finish the rest.
Went on around to the front porch and cut in all the edges and then painted a good heavy second coat on that porch. It looks so nice I can't wait to decorate it!
Came indoors and cleaned brush and rollers. Then I took a nice cool shower. It's very warm work to paint.
After I did my Bible study, I thought about how shabby the entry doors looked...time for a fresh coat of paint there, too. I had just enough paint to do both doors. The mix tape on the top of the can was dated 2010. This is the third time the front door and the second time the back door has been painted. 1 quart of paint did all those jobs. I'll know how much paint to get next time I need paint.
Cleaned up behind that job and then settled to work on bills for the pay period.
Brought in laundry, then moved the dog house, the old gate I use as a decorative piece and the ironing board back onto the front porch which was nice and dry. Went around back and moved the things I'd had to leave on the back porch to another spot so the area that still needs paint is clear. Then I brought up the chairs and stuff I'd piled in front of the steps to keep the dogs off the porch. Well, to keep Maddie off. I'm afraid I hurt Rufus' feeling since he's a short doggy and could walk under a chair to come on up the porch anyway. His dignity as he walked away after I tapped him on the shoulder and shooed him was impressive. It is clear that he is no ordinary dog. I shall have to make it up to him, old thing.
Decided after a light lunch and a rest that I really wanted to paint at least two of the patio set chairs. I am anxious to start seeing my front porch come together! First I went out to the back porch and gathered up my orchids and birdhouses. I set up the ironing board and put the plants on it. I dumped the bird houses there too for the time being. I took the old chair cushions off the furniture and realize that the filler is as nice as ever, it's just the outsides look shabby. I put one down on the porch for Rufus to lie upon if he's a mind to do so. That's my best apology to him. Then it was paint time.
Can you tell I was excited to start this? I've been wanting to get this porch together ever since it was finished and I was so frustrated to have NO time to do any work on this project until Friday of last week. I got two chairs painted. I'm pleased that the paint coverage was better than I anticipated. I used 3 cans to do the 2 chairs. I'll check the chairs tomorrow for any missed spots, although I don't plan to paint under the seat. It seems sort of pointless to me to paint the underside of a chair though I do want to be sure to get full coverage on the legs and arms, etc. I planned 2 cans per chair, and I used every last drop of the 3 cans I opened today.
I gave myself a short list of tasks to complete about 6:30 this evening: refill my medication boxes and take my evening dosage of pills. Put the two newly painted chairs onto the front porch. Fold the sheets and towels I brought in off the line. My reward: one episode of Love Your Garden and two fig newtons. It took me about 30 minutes to complete everything but I was spurred on by the 'reward' I'd promised myself.
Monday: I am out of bread, aside from the odd pieces of mostly ends or too small slices in the freezer. I simply don't like mass produced loaf bread at all so I didn't bother to go into town yesterday to try and buy any. No hardship. I made biscuits for our breakfast.
John and I sat on the front porch for a little this morning. The new chair color looks awesome with the colors of the porch floor, siding, and cushions on the front porch. It was really nice and cool to sit out there this morning. I was spurred to hurry and get ready to work outdoors.
I went out and cleaned the algae and mildew off the edges of the back porch this morning. I won't paint until tomorrow or possibly Wednesday, but at least it's now clean so that I can.
I went on and painted the rest of the patio furniture this morning. Now the whole set is done and I have two cans of paint leftover.
Here is where I failed: I have a great mind for visualizing color and inspiration for doing things, but I am no.good.at.all when it comes to the ability to picture size and/or space. None. I bought two vintage straw bags this spring for summer. And both were child sized bags. I saw the picture, I read the measurements but what I saw in my mind and what I ended up with...well. The table is just too doggone big even if I take off every single thing on the porch, it's going to crowd us coming out the door or trying to get to the clothesline, etc. So all that paint and I have this pink patio set that won't work for my porch after all. . John kindly helped me get the table onto the porch.
I'd been eyeing that porch just this morning and tried and tried to 'see' the table with chairs on it and I couldn't...but I stubbornly pursued my painting. I have two choices. I can get rid of the table or I can put the table and a couple of chairs out on the patio and keep a couple of chairs on the porch and call it good enough. John suggested I move the café table round, but it's (a) looking pretty rough and needs work aka paint and (b) I had told Katie she could have it. I hate to paint it and press it into service when I've promised it to her. I don't think the bigger table will fit her sunroom any better than it fit my porch and it certainly won't work on her deck. Goodness.
So the table is on the patio, the chairs are on the porch and I wasted a morning, 7 cans of paint and got a sunburn. I think I'll just end this day brainstorming what I might do next. Inspiration, where art thou?! I'm going to let this rest for the night and see what my brain determines tomorrow.
The annual lag has begun. It's not been too terribly hot, just in the low 90's the past couple of days but it's warm enough that the AC has started running non-stop, getting steadily warmer indoors as it runs. A sure sign it needs that Freon charge. After looking at forecast for this weekend and early part of next week (100F) I told John we'd better go on and call the repair people. It's a given if the unit is struggling at 90 it's going to stagger at 100. So I called the guys. I know my unit. I have been setting aside a monthly amount to cover this annual recharge and while I'm not quite there, it can't be helped. We'll find the money in another sub account.
John decided that today was the day to order a ladder. He found one that had free shipping, always a bonus for us, since we don't have a truck to haul anything making free delivery to store options useless. I've already planned his first Honey Do project: taking the shutters off the house so I can clean and paint them afresh. I've already got a color in mind...Naturally.
We went down to John's work place and picked up his check. We ran errands and picked up a pizza for supper. On our way home John stopped in the local store to pick up bagged salad (ugh, lol) and a loaf of bread (ugh ugh). Seriously I don't care for bagged salad but I realized it was likely the best offering locally. As for the bread, well that was more for John anyway. And it turned out not to be an 'ugh' moment at all. He surprised me. He'd bought Dave's Killer Bread. "I just thought maybe you could eat that..." Well I admit it's something I've thought I'd like to try since so many of the health food people I watch have mentioned it as a really good bread. I was impressed just reading off the ingredients list. One of my peeves about eating whole wheat breads is that too often sugar is among the first two ingredients on any loaf. I never felt eating whole wheat benefited me in the least with all the added sugar they dumped into it. Sugar is in this bread, too but it's way down near the end of the list of ingredients. John said he wasn't keen on the price ($4.99) but figured if I could tolerate it, it was worthwhile.
Tuesday: We had toast with the Dave's Killer Bread this morning. I had no digestive issues with it at all, even while working about the house this morning. I'm impressed!
John decided last night to participate in a class at work today. He earned CEUs which will apply to his next licensing renewal period. I stayed home waiting on the AC repair guy and finished painting all the trim of the porches. That job is now done and I am so glad. I had exactly enough paint to finish the task. Exactly.
I played with the front porch this morning and tried different arrangements. I think I'm going to move two chairs back to the patio and put a café table on the porch as John suggested. I like the open space and want to keep the porch feeling roomy. I'm going to keep my eyes open for a new café table and chairs. Even if Katie delays picking up the one on the back porch, it's color works best there and when she wants to get it, she can.
After I showered, I went around inside the house and picked up. The only job I didn't do was sweep the kitchen, since I figured the AC repair guys would be in and out.
John called about 12:45 and said he was on his way home. I had no plan for a meal and nothing thawed and didn't want to heat the house up with the oven. I wasn't sure exactly how long his class would run, whether the AC man would come earlier rather than later, etc. Well they hadn't come yet and I was hungry. I figured John was hungrier since we'd eaten the same thing for breakfast. So I thought about what I did have: a big bag of onions, half a head of cabbage, three potatoes. I also had Kielbasas in the freezer. I realized I had all the makings of a meal in those few ingredients and all could cook in one pot on the stove top. Dinner done!
After John came in and we'd eaten I called the repair men to see if I could get an estimate on time of arrival. I apologized and told him we wanted to run an errand out of town. He told me he could be here within 15 minutes and he was. After looking at our unit he told John he had a remedy for the slow leak we've been experiencing these past ten years. And no, he hasn't been servicing our unit the past ten years. He's only been on the job about three years. He was done in about 20 minutes time and we were able to leave the house to get groceries. I'm telling you these in between work days we cram in what we can where we can.
At Aldi, John spied a store brand of Dave's Killer Bread and we bought two loaves. He might have fussed yesterday about $4.99, but I think their $4.29 is only slightly better. However, we're going to try Aldi's version of it and see how it goes.
I did very well at Aldi this afternoon.I was so pleased today to come in under budget again. I was telling John that I've saved $25 this month on my grocery budget. He remarked that I really shouldn't count the new insulated bag we bought with our food budget and he's right. I'm $40 under my new low budget for the month. I see it as a cushion and will keep it in an envelope for any needs that might arise before next pay period. I can only think of one thing we might possibly buy (perhaps two) and neither should cut too deep into our 'cushion'. I've decided I'm going to put this money aside and keep it for stocking up on a really good sale.
Did I tell you we'd firmly decided we wouldn't go away for our anniversary? I tried hard to find a place but Monday I was so over the inflated prices of the places that were available. It was ridiculous. It wasn't that we couldn't afford it. It was that the places that cost three times as much as what we'd normally rent weren't any nicer! I told John if we were getting something extra, something more luxurious or with a spectacular view I could see paying the difference, but the biggest difference seemed to be a plate of cookies left for the renter and they weren't homemade or fancy cookies! So after a long discussion, we decided we'd go to our favorite restaurant and we'd have a splurge meal. I'm okay with that even though we'd planned something different. I'm just not going to force it. I have a feeling something lovely will come along for us to make this year a memorable one anyway.
I have a pretty painful wrist. It's swollen and hurts like the dickens. I've strained it this week with all the lifting and repetitive motion work I've done. I wrapped it with an ace bandage last night and I've been careful not to do any lifting with it (that's how I initially injured it last year). I'm hoping it sorts itself out in a day or two.
John and I ate fresh fruit and had coffee as soon as we came in from grocery shopping this afternoon. It was about 4:45...So I was kind of surprised when he looked at me at 5:05 and asked what my plans were for supper. He is so funny. He has this thing about eating at certain times. Breakfast at 8, light snack at 10, lunch at 12, snack at 4, supper at 5. That's pretty much his routine. I tend to want to eat when I'm hungry which might be the 'right' time and might not.
Noted this afternoon when we returned from shopping that the house felt cooler. The AC is still running pretty much all the time but at least it's staying cool. I can deal with that. I also noted that our bathroom was bright and sunny. The double hung sheers are not blocking enough sunlight, so tomorrow I'm running into the local dollar store to see if they have any 64 inch black out curtains that will work in our bathroom. I'll need a new curtain rod, too.
Washed a full load of dishes in the dishwasher today.
Wednesday: I did not want to crawl out of bed this morning. Drat John who can't sleep until the alarm goes off and Drat the alarm!
I eventually hauled myself out of bed and discovered I'd set the coffee pot to come on but hadn't filled the reservoir or coffee basket, sigh. Maybe I was already asleep last night when I started that task, lol. John made coffee. I made toast and packed his lunch.
Sent John off as usual. Made sure he picked up his wallet which was in a different place than he normally leaves it. Told him I'd no idea what to do with myself since I hadn't planned to do anything with paint today. I could...I just don't want to drag out the paints again.
I took one look at the kitchen this morning when he left and could have cried. It showed the hurry up and slap dash manner of the last few days of painting and outdoor work. I decided that was my first task today and do you know it took nearly 2 hours and that didn't include mopping or wiping cabinet fronts. That was just clearing counters and putting things away properly and emptying the dishwasher and loading it again. It is rare I have that big a mess to contend with and I don't mean to let it happen again anytime soon.
Puttered around fluffing the rest of the house and then got ready to go out to run my few errands. I needed to buy Taylor and Josh birthday presents. Found something for Taylor. Came up empty for Josh. I had a list for CVS. Arrived to discover that my list was at home. I remembered this much of it: eyeliner pencil, makeup, primer, aspirin and clip on shades for John's glasses. I got aspirin and clip on shades. Everything else I required was not in stock. In fact. the store's whole cosmetic section was very poorly stocked. I noted too that they'd removed all the designer and name brand perfumes. Overall, I was a bit shocked by the state of that store.
Decided I would just order makeup online. At least I can get what I want instead of going from store to store. No doubt I can get it cheaper than I could have at CVS.
A bit frustrated as it seems, now the work has been done on the house, we're constantly bumping up against a need or repair or outage of some sort. I know full well that's just the way it works but it does mean it's a stretch to put any money back towards repaying ourselves. I'm determined to put something aside though. In the meantime, I am trying to postpone what I can and figuring out how to cover the needs I can't put off.
Picked up fish from the fish place for my lunch and drove over to the old cemetery to eat with my old graveyard friends. I haven't been by there in ages, haven't had lunch out alone in ages. It was nice to sit there and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Came home and hung the new curtain. I may well end replacing it as I'm not too happy with it after all. In the meantime, I have left it at the window because by 12pm it was already 95 in the shade and that bathroom was getting mighty warm yesterday with the sun pouring into that window. I pulled all the curtains on the sunny side of the house. I think I'm going to turn the AC up a couple of degrees as well to see if it won't cut off now and then. It's still keeping the house at the set temperature but it's not cutting on and off.
Pulled out my Yeti from the cupboard to hold my ice water. I've been giving the icemaker a run for it's money these last few days. It melts pretty quickly in a regular glass but I can keep ice all afternoon in my Yeti. That means the icemaker can run less.
Thursday: Made waffles for our breakfast this morning. I had enough for John and I to eat generously and leftovers for the freezer as well. I put waxed paper between them and then pop into a zippered bag to freeze. That way I can take out one or two and put in the toaster if I choose.
Finally repotted those houseplants. I put the Staghorn fern, the ivy and the Christmas cactus in larger pots. I puttered about the yard watering pots and noted that the rose bush I planted in front of the back porch has a new set of leaves on it. And the hydrangea that the dogs covered with dirt has doubled in size. Sort of hurts my feelings that the dogs have a better green thumb than I do...
I haven't done much of anything else today. I've been working with my notebooks, transferring genealogy notes to family pages and getting info added to them. I sat down this morning after coming in from outdoors and when I looked up at the clock it was after 12pm. The morning just flew by!
Simple lunch made using the microwave as heat source. I baked potatoes in the microwave first, then reheated the roast chicken leg quarters and made a big bowl of salad. It was a good lunch but very filling. I don't expect we'll want much for supper tonight.
John went out to get clothes in off the line and asked me to come look at something....A big long snake was stretched out on the ground in the shade. I'd almost have thought it was dead it was so still. John killed it and hauled it out of the yard. The last thing we need is for Maddie to get after it. She's a little nutso and won't be deterred once she's determined to go at something, be it a bee or a bird, or a rabbit, etc. I'd rather the snake was killed and out of the yard and there be no danger to my pets.
When we came indoors I told John that in my childhood, I remembered my parents and grandparents and great grandmother always cut off the snake's head and put it on the fencepost then they'd drape the snake's body over the fence wire. I was told it had to stay there until sunset but not why. Reading up about it online it seems my family were superstitious sorts. Draping a dead snake belly up on the fence line was a call for rain.
I have been thinking about our groceries. I'm happy to have done so well with my budget this month, but I think I can do better. For one thing, I can go back to Macon and buy cheaper ground beef that is as good or better than what I'm getting at Aldi. I'd average a $2 a pound savings for the most part. I reckon when this lot of ground beef is used up, if I don't find another excellent sale, I'll do just that. I won't buy chicken at that specialty market because I can't read the labels to insure I'm getting a carrageenan free product. It's fine and well for the staff to assure me it's all natural and antibiotic free, but then carrageenan is an all natural product that just happens to be an allergen for me, as is Stevia. So far, no one has been able to find a label to read, so I just won't risk it.
I've gotten adamant about serving sizes on the higher priced items like mixed nuts. At about $6.50 a pound, I'm not keen on John helping himself to handfuls at a time. In fact, we quarreled about it the other night and it might seem silly but as I pointed out to him it's the budget I have to work with and I don't see the point of eating all of an item up just because we have it. He'll portion out cookies that cost but a $1 a packet so why not portion out something as pricey as these mixed nuts? We compromised eventually. I doled out a larger than usual serving of them to him but told him I'd be portioning out the rest into proper serving sizes which I put in a basket in the snack cupboard. At least if he chooses to eat more he'll be aware that he's eating more than one serving. And I find that just the idea that he's eating more by taking up two packets will usually stop him. I wonder why he doesn't open that bag of pretzels? At $1 a bag for those I don't care if he does over do it on those. Though on second thought, portioning out chips and pretzels mightn't be a bad idea either!
John brought in a bevy of small gifts this morning from an air flight visit their unit had yesterday: key fobs, a pizza cutter, pens, scissors (I love medic shears they cut every thing!), individual packets of chips, a bag filled with bubble gum and crackers and mini candy bars...It was a pretty nice haul and all courtesy of the unit that also served them a grilled supper.
We cleared the fridge of leftover sandwich fillings this evening. Now I can start fresh for the weekend.
Friday: Photo finish for this week...
That wraps up my week. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend!
21 comments:
Oh yes, porches are a whole other room to be decorated. Thanks for the pictures, keep them coming. I took a needlepoint project into Michael's to be framed and the salesperson was helping me pick out which frame I wanted. She asked me what my house was like. I told her 1942 English Country Cottage. "You know, with World War II raging outside.?" I do believe she thought I was around the bend.
Where do you find "Love Your Garden"? Is it on cable TV, Netflix...?????
Thanks,
Love the pictures. My kitchen and house get really bad when I work outside for any length of time.
I think to men their job is like a marriage. My husband still talks about work like he is still there even after two and a half years of being home. Sometimes it irks me but I am sure I really don't understand.
We are more likely to eat pretzels if I put them in a jar for easier access. Have you tried the huge round loaf of sliced Italian bread at Aldi? It has drier texture like a baguette but it is so good. I put it in the freezer after the first day and is it bit by bit. It is a treat for us since I can make 4 loaves on the bread machine for the price of the store bought.
Anne, Yes the Love My Garden Program is on Netflix! It's only 1 season but Alan Titchmarsh is one of my favorite gardeners to watch.
Out My Window, funny isn't it? I think it self explodes when I'm not paying attention to the indoors!
Lana, Good idea on putting pretzels in a jar. That way the bag is obviously opened already, which sometimes holds John back from eating something (except cookies and nuts). I like the Turano loaves of Italian bread but John doesn't care for them. I'd be inclined however to buy them for a family meal day as one slice cut in half makes a whole sandwich. In fact, I may just buy one and keep in the freezer.
And I think you are right that men tend to see their work as a big part of their lives, like their marriage, where we women have so many jobs on our plate (working outside or just at home) that we tend to put a little less stress on identifying with our work and more with our relationship.
My husband is 65 and one day when I was grousing about him eating nuts (another nut addict, obviously), he looked at me and said, "I am closer to death than birth. When do I get old enough to enjoy the small treats I seem to have worked for but been deprived of my entire life?" Since then I have found other ways to economize and the husband gets as many nuts as he wants. I know you work so hard to keep your grocery budget under control so maybe this is not possible for you...I can remember as my grandfather was dying, asking him what he wished he had done differently. "I wish I had eaten more lobster. I sure hope they have lobster in heaven, all you can eat." I'm just glad it is nuts my husband wants, and not lobster!
Mable, I'd have been brought up short by that remark and economized elsewhere as well. John seldom withdraws money from our savings accounts but when he does, he almost always gets a little extra to go into his pocket...I overlook it and say nothing. I figure he worked hard for the money we socked into savings and he's entitled. Compromise: when I've replaced the money we'd set aside for foundation work on our home that he considers as having used savings, I'll stop being so stringent on economizing with the nuts. But a girl has to cut back somewhere if her husband wants money replaced, lol.
Hubby worked 38 years at the same job. It took up a good bit of his life back then. So yes he would think and want to share about it forever. Every where you go people what to know 'that did you do? W hat job did you do? I think if they had co workers they liked it would be even harder to retire. Unless they saw each other socially too and could continue that. I never thought of it like marriage but it certainly was a part of the fabric of what they were. How often were we asked when going up...what do you want to be? Well this is what they did since growing up. :-))) Once they retire you still have your usual home duties and life. They have....? They have chores and hobbies but still time on their hands, How many loads of wash or guitar or mowing or fixing things can John do? He will want more possibly after he rests up after finally retiring. Like any thing new it takes time to sort it all out. That is one reason I think hubbies like to go go go. Something to do. And things to go and see and do they could not when they had to work also. Mean time our chores back up. :(( It is all compromise you work out with time. Just be open and calmly talk about it.
Oh I so love the mantel arrangement..and the print and plates!! Oh my!! I can sure see the English cottage taking perfect shape now!! Plant in the birdcage and the needlepoint cushion on the covered chair with the rich wood on the chest... . Genius! Spot On!!
My thing is I can think I know the perfect color when looking for paint but I am wayyyyy off. Hubby can always match way better than I can. I THINK it looks like the color we want but it never is even close to the shade needed. :)
They say to eat a handful of nuts a day. Everyone's hands are different i think they say eat so many too but what is that amount? * or more?? We love nuts of any kind and keep a small jar out all the time. Nuts Are expensive that is for sure. Waluts here had a good year and the prices went down so I got extra and froze some. That is why we give them for presents. They are almost a gourmet item when you think of the price!! We are so happy when we are gifted any ourselves. I understand. I have a nephew who comes over and when he has cereal he actually empties half the box and uses a gallon of milk just for himself a day! And puts a whole banana or more on that cereal! I asked his mother how she can keep food in the house the way he eats and she says she puts lock on the pantry door !!!!!!!!!!! Can you imagine !!! ??
Our rain has stopped till Sunday. It is odd to have to wear a sweater on May 22 but we did. We are used to it being hot and dry by now in S. Calif. I enjoy the cool and rain thought and the yards love it too!!
I am envious of you not having one porch but 2 !! I am glad you finally have the porches you have wanted for so long. I always wanted a gray porch floor for some reason. Maybe because ours at home was always battle ship gray. ?? ;) Bye, Sarah
I can see how hard it is for men to leave their jobs. So much of their self worth stems from that. Especially if they love the job they have. My husband's last job was more like a mission to him than a job and when he was terminated (new boss brought in her own people), I've never seen him look so dejected. It's been more than two years and I still don't think he's over it. Jobs were simply jobs to me. Take 'em or leave 'em. I left skid marks at my last job- couldn't wait to get outta there.
I had to laugh about your nut conversation. I could've been reading something I'd written. We have the same thing here. There are certain things in this house that disappear in mere hours. The harder to make or the more expensive, the faster they go! I made these delicious protein bars to freeze. I wanted something that we could grab in a hurry to avoid stopping for a snack. Well, 2 days after I made them, I went to get one because I had errands to run after my quilting group and I knew I'd get hungry. Gone. I called him to ask if he moved them. Nope, he ate them. 8 of them. He treated them like cookies and ate them as an addition instead of a replacement. I don't want to nag or complain, but GAH!
I confess that I've done something several times to enjoy something.... We were at the market one day and our market has a fancy cheese section. They were handing out samples and gave us a cracker topped with Applewood Cheddar. It was SO good. I wanted some but it was nearly $6 for this tiny little wedge. Well, a week later, my hubs was out of town on business. I mosied over to the cheese section and bought myself the smallest wedge of it I could find. And some good crackers. That tiny wedge of cheese lasted me all 3 days and I savored it. I put the leftover not-cheap crackers in the pantry. He came home and immediately polished off those crackers in one sitting. I'm not sure he even tasted them! While I'm confessing, I've also hidden pistachios lol.
The nut conversation here is hilarious! I have to admit that I am glad Hubby likes the less expensive dry roasted peanuts best and he doesn't care which brand.
My Mom used to hide her own little treats in the produce drawer on the fridge. Who goes looks mg for Butterfinger under the lettuce?
Hiding treats reminds me of a hilarious story from decades ago. My friend had fancy, expensive, chocolate covered cookies that she hid in her closet for her and spouse. Kids had other kinds, in the kitchen, that they went through like carnivores through meat.
One day she went to her closet to get a few and discovered they had been eaten and yet replaced by plain Oreos. Apparently, whichever kid it was, figured old mom was so dumb she wouldn't notice her fancy cookies had become Oreos.
Hilarious!
Once upon a time when I bought margarine, I always had one box of a different brand in the freezer (for my convenience in finding it). It contained four candy bars which were roughly the size of a stick of margarine. That was my secret stash. The kids never caught on... And fyi, there is a Reese's cup hidden behind the boxes of butter in the freezer just now. I have my emergency stash still after all these years. The kids always inform me they don't eat sweets or drink Cokes, yet they always seem to gravitate to both the moment they come in the door. I know if I want something to stash a little aside.
My daughter said for mother's day she bought some nice strawberries, dipped them in chocolate when noone was home and snuck them all for herself. Got a laugh from that. When I put cookies out of sight we seldom eat them but if I put them in a clear jar in view they go so fast. Got some wonderful chocolate covered peanut butter filled ones at Aldi, some knock off samoas and thin mint cookies. All were delicious! Gramma D
And here I thought I was going to get shamed for sneaking that fancy cheese!! I knew that my husband would eat it so fast that a chunk of cheddar would've been just as tasty to him.
I think his pouncing comes from being #8 of 9 kids. He said you had to be fast or miss out lol. I'm always telling him, "Slow down, the food isn't going to run off!" He said the only time he didn't eat fast was when there was brussel sprouts or peas.
I'm enjoying these stories....ha ha.
I do the same thing with chocolate. We have one greedy family member, who will remain nameless, that thinks all, and I do mean, all chocolate belongs to him. If it is in plain sight, don't lay it down for a minute. It will be gone when you come back. I hide it, so we can bring it out at a time when we can all enjoy it. And then he says,"Why didn't you tell me we had this?" Guess!!
Shell
Hope you and John have had a wonderful anniversary day. The years do go by fast. Was just talking to my daughter and her 8 year old was complaining about chores. I told her mommys make you do chores so that when you get married you know how to take care of your home and how my mommy didn't teach me and it was really hard to learn. She listened quietly and after I got done, boring story, Gramma, boring story. Guess it wasn't really a lesson. LOL. Gramma D
Oh I love your porches! So pretty!
What paint did you use? I bought some valspar gray porch paint at lowes last year, and I am so disappointed in it. Within a few weeks, it had started scratching and chipping. I think I am going back to home depot's brand this year.
Glad the little wren survived, and I hope she is able to hatch her babies this time.
I love your mantel, and the birdhouse with fern is lovely.
Love the nuts, cheese and candy stories. :D When the kids were younger, they would get the hershey and cheaper chocolate bunnies for Easter, but dh would get the dark chocolate Dove candy. Now that they are teens, they want the Dove chocolates too.
How exciting about setting a retirement date. Sometimes having something to look forward to, makes all the hardships to get there a little easier. I hope that you are able to do all the things that you want to do. Any travel plans to celebrate? Saint Augustine? Travel west to see your daughter and grandkids?
Sarah, nuts are a wonderful diabetic snack because they have carb/fiber/protein almost equal amounts and they do help keep the balance going. And you are so right about 'how big is the hand?' Or as Granny used to say "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach!" lol I've been trying to stick to serving sizes pretty hard. I'm finding it's easier and easier to eat just 11 potato chips if that's the serving. I think John sees my measureing things out as being cheap but I see it as trying to insure I don't over eat and getting the most for my money as well.
Shell, Debby and Gramma D I think women are just naturally selfless, but we learn to be a little selfish and find it's done us no harm. Long live those of us who save back a bit of chocolate, strawberries, cheese, etc.!
Gramma D, love that 'boring story'...lol
Kathy I am not a fan of Valspar paints. I too find that they are more prone to lift and peel, to scratch etc. I used an Olympia paint that Lowe's no longer carries. We bought it last year for the sheds and had a gallon and half left. It was tinted to Misting Fog or something like that. John picked it out and it was pretty for the sheds, but I took the full gallon back to Lowe's and had her add black to it and when that wasn't quite as dark as I wanted I asked for another shot. That overfilled the can by a little but it's a wonderful color isn't it? No clue what we'd call it, but it's darker than battleship. I think it's closer to a true Slate color.
I don't know what we'll do to celebrate the retirement or if we even will. John would like to remain with the EMS and work part time which is fine by me. He's not got any hobbies to pursue and he can only think of one or two things he might like to do. John's not as self-motivated as I am to just go to work but he might be if he ever got rested enough! But he's got that "I've a family to support" aka wife, and while I can manage our lives just fine on retirement he'd feel better earning something.
Hubby went to counseling because he always acted like his job in the factory was the "farm"... which farming was his way of life and lost it due to a bad decision his dad made and the farms being connected. He got to the point he started calling work his mistress.... definitely time to put the wife and home first... Worked for him.
Juls, it seems to be a common thing for me to think of work as marriage or mistress...An emotional relationship they must maintain. Funny to me. More of that Venus vs. Mars thinking, lol.
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