August Diary: Lemon Meringue Pie Days

Saturday:  So many times this past week I just wanted to toss up my hands and run away and hide.  Too many decisions to make, hard ones.  Too much negativity to deal with, as well.  It seemed I was being tossed a pile of lemons at every step.  But you know what to do with lemons don't you?  All sorts of good stuff!  Lemon curd, lemon marmalade, Lemonade, Lemon meringue pies!  Make those sour things sweet and enjoy the tart bite that sugar can't quite cover.  Take in all that good Vitamin C.  Discard the pith but save that good zest to add flavor to apple pies (have you tried lemon zest in an apple pie filling?  Do!) or a cake, or even a chicken dish.  Slice the lemons up into wedges and freeze for future needs (thank you, Lana for that awesome suggestion).  Whatever you do, when life is getting difficult, do your best to find what good you can harvest from it.



Am I being Pollyanna-ish?  Why yes, I am!  Gracious goodness there's only so much a soul can take and then it's time to roll up your sleeves and do your very best to bring the lovely back into your days.

So what are my lovely things?   Sam came by with Josh yesterday afternoon.  How good to see my boys.  It is my greatest joy to have time to spend with my family.   Josh sat on Grampa's lap and gave me long hugs.  I sent him home with lollipops, cookies and bananas, three things I know those boys enjoy and something it's Gramma's privilege to do.   We told Sam our news of a possible 8 months earlier than planned retirement.  He looked at us and said sincerely, "Well don't worry about meat.  If we can get a couple of deer this year I'll fill your freezer and you won't need to buy that."   What a lovely thing to say so sincerely.  And yes, it is a lovely thought that he wants to help us as we've helped them.

Later we had Shabat.  There's nothing lovelier to me than the flame of the Shabat candles.  Somehow, my eyes always fill with tears when we're saying our Shabat prayers.  "Baruch atah Adonai..."  "Blessed are you O God"... Blessed am I in You, O God.  Blessed am I!

Last night after Shabat, Amie called.  Amie said "It was so weird.  I was just talking about you to the customer in my chair when Ben came in and said 'Your mom sent you a letter.'   I tried to cover the basics of our lives in as few words as possible but I will say that Amie cannot interpret my handwriting and so I think I shall type a note next time.  It's easier on the eyes.  I tend to write with a lot of slants or curling letters.  And when you aren't accustomed to seeing someone's handwriting it's often hard to read.

I spoke with three of the four grandchildren.  Rosa is going to kindergarten this year , "But I don't know my numbers..." and is hoping to make a new friend because the one she'd been friends with "...doethn't love me anymore."   How sad that she's already met heartache in life and how sweet the lisping of a five year old!    Ross had decided this year that fishing is boring but was looking forward to fifth grade with math and art classes.   Lily, whom Amie assures me is very quiet, is also Miss Extracurricular and plans to join marching band, volleyball and basketball teams, school chorus  and two or three other things as well.  I did not get a chance to speak to Josie who was on the phone with a friend.  But it was lovely to talk with Amie and the children and to hear what they are enjoying at present.

We woke to a beautiful sunny morning this morning, with glistening dewy lawn, and blue skies that are a deeper shade than they were a week ago.   The sun has slightly altered it's position...We sat in the sunny kitchen sitting area, reading our Bibles together as light crept across the floor.  Contentment is a wonderful state to be in when reading your Bible.

I've been following the suggestion of a devotional in my Bible and am reading Psalm 91 for 30 days.  Each day something new leaps off the page at me.  This morning is was 91:3 'He protects me from the fowler's snare.'   Those hidden things we can't see that might entrap us...How happy I am that his eye is upon me!

We drank our hot coffee and ate homemade bagels for breakfast.  I sat on the porch with the pets and was amused that Rufus determined he must eat from Maddie's bowl this morning, the bowl which sits nearest me.  I looked at the new porch and the lovely new foundation of our home and decided that though there were many things I'd hoped to add to my wardrobe and home and porch and patio this year, these things were the best after all and the other smaller things will come in time.

Blessed am I, indeed!

Sunday:  What a lovely restful Shabat we had.  This morning we seemed to still be connected to that slower pace though we were going off to church.  It just felt leisurely and all got done in good time.

True confession time.  I could have cared less about going to church this morning.  We had a guest speaker and I just didn't think I'd enjoy the sermon.  And you know I did!  Oh the fowler's snare almost got me!   I bit my tongue and didn't say a word to John and I'm glad I did not.   It seems he too was feeling a reluctance to go and decided he would bite his tongue and go anyway.

All this week long I've been remembering a silly song a friend of mine used to sing, Horace the Horse.   I used to just love to hear that song, especially when I was feeling a little down and out.  I don't know just why it's stuck with me all week long but it has and today the speaker drew his topic from Hebrews 12:1-2.  And he spoke of running in the New York City marathon a few years ago and how he came in ahead of 11,000 other runners.   He said there had been 14,000 ahead of him and it was so hard not to get discouraged as he ran that hard race.  As he spoke about 'running the spiritual race' today my eyes filled with tears.  I knew then exactly what the significance of that old childish song was to my life this week.  It was a reminder that I needed a change of perspective...Back to those lemons and that sweet pie!

You see, I've been following the ministry work of a former praise team member and dear friend.  She's become a force in her community and a fierce warrior.   She and her husband started a church.  I've compared my own ministry to hers too many times to count.  But here's the deal: I'm still running the race.  I haven't quit.

So glad I did go to church!

We stopped at the grocery after.  I've been watching for sales on a certain brand of cracker we enjoy and this week was the week.  We stocked up for our pantry.  The grocery store was having one of their organic food sampling days.  I love these because (a) I get to snack as I shop, (b) I get to try products I might not otherwise even think to purchase and (c) they give away some great gifts!  I've already gotten a BPA free water bottle and a bamboo cutting board this year.  Today's gift was a set of four bamboo coasters.  Now I love the little silver and ceramic coasters I bought in the spring at an antique store but they are not coffee mug friendly.   These bamboo coasters will be.

John's ready for a change once more in his lunches.  He insisted we buy two bags of mixed salad greens for his lunch for the coming week.  I will say he's pretty consistent about eating things for months on end but once he's ready to change, that's it. In the middle of a budget period?  Not grocery week?   Too bad.  Change he must!   I suspect his inspiration was the big Chef Salad we had the other day at home.  I'll have to see if he's interested in a couple of boiled eggs to add to his salads.  He added a bag of shredded cheese to the buggy today too.  And no, I shall not fuss.  He's not a wasteful sort and works hard to see that we save as we ought, so why fuss over such a small thing?

We came home to have our dinner.  I'd put some chicken tenders into the crockpot with Bbq sauce atop them.  Yum!  It was a matter of a minute or two to heat the sides and settle to eat our meal.  I love walking in my back door and smelling my dinner cooking.  Isn't it nice that we live in a day and age where we can still employ a servant even if we haven't the budget for one with a more personal touch?

My splurge item today was two bunches of the bargain flowers. I got a bunch of deep purple/maroon mums and a bunch of white Alstroemeria with a purple/pink center.  They look lovely!  And for $7, they are a lovely treat.  I needed that bit of fresh beauty, I did truly.  I've missed having fresh flowers throughout the summer.  All those plans I had to plant blooming flower seeds didn't happen because I worked too hard on reclaiming the areas I'd made in years prior.  My new bed sits empty and void.  By this time next spring, I hope to have added another new bed or four...We shall see.  And at least two will be filled with blooming things!

I am taking a second day off this weekend...Tomorrow morning I shall have to hop to work but for today I am going to indulge in a vacation sort of afternoon.  I'm pretty sure all the work I might accomplish today will still be there tomorrow.

Monday:  I've been pretty hard at it this morning and I've worked up more than one powerful heavy sweat.  Whew!   You'd think I'd been lifting heavy weights and pulling semi-trucks but no, it's just a bit of yard work followed by a bit of housework.  Ugh.  I've had my shower but am seriously considering a follow-up sponge bath at the moment.

Yes, all that work I left yesterday was there today!  I failed to recall that today's work would also be there and since I think I have an appointment to take Katie to the doctor (waiting to hear yay or nay on that), I felt compelled this morning to push on through and get it all done...and then I went outdoors and began picking up the yard and laying those few border blocks down and rearranging the ones I'd previously laid as they are still too steep a curve for the mower and watering plants....Yeah.

What really precipitated the yard work?   The dogs had a big old huge platter sized tortoise shell in the yard, just the upper plate.  I think it's a cool thing and wanted to rescue it from them before they chewed it up even though it is just the shell.  I've no idea what happened to the tortoise but he must have lived to a very ripe old age.     He may even have died a natural death for all I know because he was most certainly very large!   Anyway, I wanted to rescue that and a half set of antlers that River brought down and left behind and to go out to the shed to find a lamp harp so I could fit a lamp with a new to me shade.  Well you see it was already involved! I fought ants every time I picked up anything at all, including the rock I keep in the bird bath so the birds and butterflies may drink without drowning.

I started to pick up sticks and water plants and refill dog pails of water and decided to lay those border blocks I'd bought at end of July.   John had already 'borrowed' one and I wanted to rescue my block and swap out an old  broken brick, which would just as clearly mark the spot he'd wanted to mark and not give up my 'bought' block.  I found in laying the border block that the bed about that old persimmon and sweet gum tree was already showing signs of new privet and cedars so I took time to pull those up and watered some more plants and then I was very hot and ready for a cooling shower.

And all the while, I'd left the washing machine tub full of hot, soapy bleach water with white sheets soaking in it.  After my shower, I loaded in all the bathroom towels and cloths and the dishcloths and such and started that load to washing.  I was shocked at how very hot that water was still, despite my long hour or so of work outdoors.

I then started several tasks and would leave one area to do something else and half finish that task and move on to another.  Along about 9:30 a.m. I sat down and looked about me at the house and you'd never know I'd been working since 7a.m. when John left for his class.  I was mighty warm and sat in front of the fan trying to cool off and contemplated the total mess for a bit.   I was so hungry I could have bitten a bear!  I went to make myself a peach smoothie and sat down to journal a little as I drank it.   Finally, I decided it was time to get things in shape.  I thought I had an appointment to keep after all.

I did these tasks: Hung out the sheets and towels I'd washed.
Cleaned, swept and dusted our bathroom, then put out fresh towels and emptied the trash.
Dusted and vacuumed our room, put things away as I worked and then remade our bed with fresh linens.
Unloaded the dishwasher and reloaded it afresh.   Filled the sink with soapy suds and put in the things I meant to hand wash.
Cleaned the ceiling fan in the living room then dusted, straightened tables and cushions and emptied trash.
Cleaned the dining area ceiling fan.  Dusted the dining room and straightened the table and buffet.
Cleaned the ceiling and oscillating fan in the kitchen sitting and swept that end of the kitchen and back entry.
Straightened my desk.
Cleaned and wiped the counters and put out fresh linens.  Filled the many water bottles waiting to be returned to the fridge and under the sink.  Wiped off the stove and other appliances.  Put away everything that was out of place as I worked on those counters.  Washed my few dishes, then cleaned the sinks and dishpan.  Swept the second half of the kitchen and made myself a lunch because by noon I was hungrier than I'd been at 9:30.

I've just heard from Katie that I do not need to take her to the appointment, she already has a ride there and back.  I still haven't vacuumed the living areas but I do believe I'm going to leave that for tomorrow morning.   I think I'm going to go dig about in the freezer for something to make when John comes in this afternoon from class and sort out my fridge, a task that I deem important to do today.  And perhaps by the time those jobs are done, the clothes on the line will be dry.

Tomorrow I think I'm going to go thrift shopping for a few fall pieces for my wardrobe.  It's high time this girl had some fun!

Tuesday:  I worked so hard yesterday...and then I found myself today with just a little to do. I used the blower to blow off the grass and dust from the porches and patio. I vacuumed, made our bed and cleared up the kitchen, and folded the clothes I'd brought in off the line yesterday and  then I was free to go thrift shopping.  My goal was to find sweaters and long sleeved tops I might add to my wardrobe.  I spent about $30 today and got four or five tops and four sweaters, I think.  I'm too worn out to go count them at the moment.

I also found shorts and shirts for the little boy who will be coming to join our family in November. I roughly figured ahead on size needed and didn't go crazy buying things.  I will say though, Polo baby and Calvin Klein baby that look as though they were never worn and were but $2 a piece...Not bad!

Frustrations festered  upon  my return home, however...  Ants are all over the porches and going up the railings.  This afternoon they started setting off the fire alarm in the hallway, sigh.  This means that while I may not see them they are in the wall... I've put out a message to our pest control guy to get over here pronto and do his stuff to those pesky ants.  Honestly I've never seen them so active since we started being sprayed.

John and I decided it was time to book our vacation...but when I looked over the calendar, I discovered that it's a pay week.  We've discovered the hard way that the county will not deal with John's check if we don't pick it up.  I mean we've tried to have it mailed to the house but they just won't do it.  And they don't do direct deposit.  The only person John really trusts to deposit it for him is also going to be out of town during that time.  We can't just go and leave the check at the office for a week.  Not because we'll need the money (we kind of do! we do have bills to pay same as always) but because it could go missing.  So that threw off all our plans.  Then he called to tell me he'd added a couple of more days off the very next week...I don't mind that at all, but it changes up booking options again.  So I had to look at all the available options for both weeks to see what room we should rent.

I kept trying to book our vacation stay last night and that part of the website is down on the hotel page.   I'm kind of glad it was then, because as I said, things changed...but it's not up today either.   So frustrating...I am super picky about what room we have so I prefer to see what's available before I try to book.  No luck contacting the hotel, though they did reply quickly enough. They said they had no idea when the website would be repaired but I could call at any time and reserve a room.   But they will only randomly assign me a room.  I prefer to book directly online   but I may have to go through one of the many booking services that deal with private owners...Ugh!  There's always a  cleaning fee, no discount and in most instances you pay ahead and have to cancel at least two weeks before your stay if you want a refund.   The discount offered by the hotel's own website is substantial, a whole night free if you book so many nights.  I do hope the hotel website is fixed and running shortly!

Why am I so picky about our room?  Because we don't want to end up on the ground floor with no view at all, nor in one of the units that face the pool, where the noise is treble what it is at the other rooms and privacy is severely decreased.  I don't want the place to look like it's decorated in the leftovers from the owner's home castoffs,  either.  You know the odd patterned chair with the odder colored couch sort of thing and all mixed with the super low end hotel sort of furnishings.  I am picky about what the room's décor looks like because for what we pay, it should look NICE.

And no plastic chairs on the balcony!  I want to sit on something nice and solid that isn't going to break or bend under me when I go out to sit on the balcony.   Size of the room matters, too.  A studio isn't going to cut it at all, not when I'm spending most of a week there.  I loathe having only a bed as seating and who wants the aroma of cooked food all over their bedding?   It seems terribly wasteful as well to book a room that will sleep 8 when there are just the 2 of us.

And last of all is price.  We generally pay a medium price for a nicer room but there are rooms that are quite expensive, too.  I don't want to get locked into a price range I can't afford...So yeah... Miss Super Picky, that's me!  Come on back up website and do it soon so I can book my vacation!

I picked up an oscillating fan to move it and it fell apart hitting me square on the joint of my toe which is now bruised...I tried to talk to Katie but must have caught her at a bad time.  It was like pulling stubborn teeth, sigh...I went to empty the coffee grounds and most of them hit the kitchen rug which I just washed last week.  Oy!  I'm afraid my frustrations have just mounted and mounted this afternoon.  Shoo!  I want to just wave my hands now and make this part of the day over!

Wednesday:  I'm awfully glad this is August and not July because I am using my credit card a bit more liberally this month.  I ordered Barbie doll clothes last night from Amazon.  It seemed the least expensive way to go about it.  I purchased a baby bed mattress for Sam and Bess...and then this morning I noted the moisturizer I use was on sale online at a very good price.  Save $14?  Yep, you can bet I will happily order now and save that to use for when I run out.  I'd noted that my bottle was about half empty (I suppose I should say half full since I'm being more positive, lol).  I have yet to add any new books to my Kindle that weren't free, but I did order myself a new book.  I've been inspired by Sarah Clarke's posts to get a book by Evelyn Underhill.  Kindle wasn't an option on this one.  That's it for this month...I've been very careful to set money aside for most all purchased so far, but not quite all.  Well I am going to lay that credit card back to rest now.  Funny how those bills come due before you're quite ready to see them!

Thinking back over my shopping yesterday, I will say that while I enjoyed it, I'll likely visit my usual retail stores rather than the thrift store for my next few purchases.   Not that I'm off thrift shopping because I am not.  I will venture to say that nearly all I bought yesterday was seldom or never worn, though I saw plenty that had been well worn.  No, it's more that shopping in that manner is very hit or miss and what I need, I NEED.  I don't have time to waste waiting for something to show up.  Fortunately I don't need much.  I'm not speaking in terms of great sums of money but I am talking of immediate needs vs. having the luxury of shopping ahead.

I will say though, that my perspective about shopping thrift stores for clothing has been forever changed...I admittedly shunned it in the past but I won't any longer.  I've seen some lovely things, truly lovely.  It would be an absolute haven for anyone who wore a small or medium.   Gracious at all the options one might have it your wore those sizes!   Still, there's plenty to be found if one uses patience and goes through racks with a purpose.  Yesterday I had a list of colors I especially was looking to add to my wardrobe: pumpkin, rust, berry red, eggplant, and I added in evergreen when I found a deep green top...I wanted traditional fall colors.  I looked hard for blazers and jackets and discovered that I was  just not going to find anything in the size I needed, which varies based on manufacturer.  Nor is my oh so common shoe size to be found, but if I wore a size 6...

So I am going to explore retail stores now for shoes and jackets/blazers and scarves, things I find too little of in thrift stores.  But I shall keep my eyes open when I go into thrift stores and will try to make it a point to go in at least once a month and have a good long look at things.  I can't beat the prices at the thrift stores.

My last batch of peaches are still firm and lovely but fast reaching the well ripened stage.  I am eating them as quickly as I can...I don't mind frozen but it's not quite the same as eating fresh out of hand, is it?  The kitchen smells lovely.  Each time I step through the entrance I smell the ripe peaches and sniff appreciatively.  Fleeting pleasure this is and I want to savor it.

Thinking of other ways to add my pleasure to my life, I've determined that less computer and media time is part of the answer.  Computer, Tv, YouTube, etc., all eat up a load of time.  I'm going to make a real conscious effort to pick up a book daily and get lost.  If I'm going to 'waste' time then that is how I want to waste it, not filling myself with dissatisfaction and comparisons that do no earthly good and don't serve as inspiration...I'd much rather spend time in a good book and gain something of value to me from words that do inspire me to want to do something more and to be a better person altogether and feel peace about getting 'lost' for a bit.

Thursday:  Golly so many good comments and suggestions on this week's Budget Beef post!  Be sure you take time to read as a suggestion might well apply to your part of the country as well.

I broke down Tuesday and called the pest control service to come back out.  Too many ants and I was spending all of my time spraying and treating and fighting with them.  Enough.  The man came out today and when we came home there were NO ants to be seen.  Gracious goodness I'm glad he stopped by!   I'd done all I knew to do to try and stop them and was making a daily battle plan.   Thankfully I've seen only the one or two scouts in the house but outdoors, they were taking over the porches and posts and running up into the roof line.  Hopefully they shall now stay away.

John and I waited all day yesterday for pest control but I knew it was a good possibility he'd not be able to come.  It's asking a lot to be fitted into the rounds he must make for quarterly customers who are serviced this month and any emergencies that might come up as well.  But John wanted to leave home today and 'do things'.  He was very unclear what it was he meant to do or where he wanted to go or even when he wanted to leave.   I tried to be relaxed about all this openness of plans, lol, but did have a mild anxiety issue that I fought hard (and won!) before we finally got where we were going.   I think John thought of several things he wanted to do and in the end narrowed it down to a couple of things.  It was nearly 11a.m. when we finally left home...

First we had a leisurely drive over to a small town and chatted on the way.  When we arrived there however, John turned and got on the interstate.  I was a little astonished as we tend to avoid the interstate.  We ended up getting hair cuts and we both really needed them.  John kept asking me where I'd like to eat and I really had no particular craving or food in mind except not really wanting a chicken sandwich.  So we drove back further into that larger town and went to our favorite pizzeria.  I was a little disappointed in my entrée, something I'd never tried before.  It was hot and fresh, but I shall not order that one again.   I did eat it however.  This is the first time I felt what I ordered wasn't delicious.  Good enough, though.

Then we went over to the car wash and got my car cleaned up.  What a mess it was, inside and out!  It felt good to have it all freshened up and looking spiffy once more.  And that pleasure in having a clean car made us discuss an eyesore problem we've been looking at for a few months now and come to some decisions about it.    I like when one thing leads naturally to another.

I have big plans for tomorrow.  John is working a half day.  I need to make bread and banana bread.  I want to do a good bit of prep work towards our weekend meals so we have those easily prepared.   I want to get the house Shabat clean and I hope to get around to both a manicure and a pedicure as well.  I'll be picking up Taylor on Saturday and taking her back on Sunday, so will need to free up as much of my time as I can and that meal prep is really necessary for this weekend.  Goodness!  I need to go get meat from the freezer so it can thaw!  Be right back!

I have just enough peaches left to make  a small bag of cobbler peaches for the freezer.  I need to attend to those tomorrow.  There are also some plums that have gotten ripe and are softening up.  I should try to do something with those as well. I'm thinking I'll pop those in the freezer to save for use later in the fall.  That will leave us with two apples for fresh fruit this weekend.   We've just loads of canned fruit however.  I think I'll really make a lemon meringue pie as well.  It's such a rich dessert that we can have really small slices of it and make a single pie go quite far.

So those are my plans for tomorrow.  I guess I'll go on and send this out as I don't think I'll have time to finish up this post and send it out tomorrow, not with all my plans!   I hope you all have a great weekend!


Frugal Things:  I turned the AC down two degrees Friday night.  It was just a bit stuffy and we needed that lowering.  However, I turned it up again in the morning.  I do hope the promised cooling down period comes early this next week.  It was meant to occur mid-week last week and then for the weekend, but so far the weathermen have been utterly wrong.

Made up a turkey pot pie as John requested.  I used the leftovers to make a small single serve pie for the freezer and topped it with the trimmings of the puff pastry I used for the bigger pie.  The puff pastry was in the freezer and an item I wanted to use up.  We made both a dinner and supper meal off this dish.

Found a peach with a bad spot on it.  I set it aside so that I could trim the bad place away and ate it for my breakfast.   Had John gotten his hands on it, he'd have tossed it right out the back door or into the trash.   This is one minor irritation with me...Granny taught me to cut away the  bad spots or the places where a bird might have pecked a piece of fruit and to use the mushy apples to make applesauce or in some other manner.   Unless food is moldy I seldom will toss it just because it's not perfect.  It's all part and parcel of my Lemon Meringue pie days.

Started an entrée in the crockpot before we left for church.

Bought two bunches of the bargain basic flowers to combine into my own unique bouquet.  $6 for about the same size bouquet that might have cost $24, all because the flowers are common mums and Alstroemeria.   Well never mind.  I like my bouquet just fine and the colors of it suit me perfectly well.

I wanted to buy mac and cheese at the deli.  The best buy was in the refrigerated case.  Why buy when I could make at home?   I wanted dinner to be on the table in as short a time as possible.  I knew our breakfast would be long forgotten and the longer it took to get dinner on the table the greater the likelihood my husband would snack.  As it was, he ate a plum before dinner...but no complaints!  Those plums are getting quite ripe.  Much better to have him eat them than left to spoil.

Not that I'd give them a chance to spoil.  I've already made up my mind that perhaps I might make a plum crisp.  I  read not once but twice yesterday that adding 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to an especially tart fruit would result in needing less sugar to make it sweet.  I haven't forgotten my terribly tart plum crumbles of the past!   Option two would be to pop them into the freezer and use as part of my jelly making fruit this fall.

As I was walking out the back door the other day I found a brand new, still in the wrapper pleated off white lamp shade.  I've been in need of a new lampshade for my living room lamp (the aqua glass one) for quite awhile now.  I asked Katie if she was planning to use that shade.  She said no, she'd found it while cleaning out the closet and had been going to put it in her shed.  I said I'd be happy to have it and so it came home with me.     I ended up swapping the shade I'd had on the silver lamp to the Aqua glass lamp.  It's a better size for that lamp.  The pleated shade is perfectly sized to the bigger silver lamp.  Now I have two newly shaded lamps, both shades fit the respective lamps properly and I am out no money just yet...I do need to go buy a finial to go on top of the silver lamp.  I keep a supply of shades and harps in the shed but no finials.  I expect I can buy one for $3 at Lowe's in their lighting department.

Laid the border block I'd purchased.  The curve I'd created at the southwest end of the house was too steep for John's mower to get into.   So I rearranged those blocks to a far more subtle curve (which may be too deep still...I really should get him to just pull the mower in and let me mark it off), but it netted me five more border blocks to put on the other side of the bed about the two trees.  I'm not at all upset about that!

After all the work I did Monday morning, despite being worn out, I went on to the kitchen and sorted out my fridge.  I found two zucchini over the weekend and it was use it or lose it time.  I made a Zucchini au gratin which we had for our evening meal with pan fried cubed (not floured or battered) steaks.

I used up the last of the English cucumber which admittedly was most of it, in making a fresh batch of refrigerator pickles.

I found a jar of black olives and thought since John was on a salad kit he might appreciate some sliced olives to go on his salad. I boiled eggs and then peeled them for his salad as well. I also put in a 1/2 cup mason jar filled with cottage cheese.  I think he'll find his salad very satisfying now...and if I think of it again between now and morning, I'll put  some oyster crackers in a small container, too.

When I drained the eggs, I poured the water into my little watering can.  I find that whenever I have boiled eggs, my plants appreciate the little extra boost of nutrient when I water them.

I moved two packages of hot dogs to the freezer where they will keep far longer, though they were nowhere near the expiration date.

With the fridge all tidied up, I reassured myself that nothing was in any danger of going to waste.

When I made up the pickles, I first poured off the remaining syrup from the last batch.  I put the leftover pickles into a smaller jar and covered them with some of the syrup and then poured the cup or so left into a small saucepan.  Then I added a 1/2 cup of vinegar, 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 cup sugar and brought all of it to a boil.  In the meanwhile I washed my jar well and began slicing cucumbers and onion.   After the syrup had boiled about three or four minutes, I poured it into the measuring cup and then from there into the jar which I'd filled with cucumber and onion rings packed as tightly as I could get them.   I had about 1/4 cup syrup leftover but poured it out.  It takes us most of six weeks to eat a single quart jar of pickled cucumbers and I don't anticipate wanting to make these over winter.   After I'd poured it out I realized it might have been used to marinate a roast beef or chicken breasts.  Duly noted for future needs.

I never use quite a whole onion when making pickles so I put the remainder  in a jar in the fridge to use later this week as onion is called for in a recipe.

I cooked a full package of cubed steak.  I find that as with any packaged cubed steak some pieces are quite large and some are smaller.  I saved the smaller pieces to make Steak Biscuits for breakfast one morning this week...Or steak sandwiches one night!

I've looked in vain for Barbie clothes so that Taylor might play with those two dolls we got after Christmas at Aldi.  I finally ordered some from Amazon which had the best variety and prices I'd seen.  I'd hoped I might stumble on some at a yard sale, estate sale or in Goodwill but no such luck.  One set should arrive this week so Taylor can enjoy the dolls this weekend while she's here.   The other will take a little longer but that's fine.  It will be a nice surprise the next time she comes.

I'm eating at least a fresh peach daily just now.  I made peach pancakes and a peach crisp on Wednesday.   I had leftover topping from the peach crisp.  I'm going to add it to a banana bread I plan to make on Friday morning.  I have two very ripe bananas to use up.

Cut up a leftover portion of chicken to pick in John's lunch.  He can sprinkle it over his salad on Friday.

Meals:
Turkey Pot Pie, Green Salad, Lingonberry sauce (frozen and thawed and now finished)

Bbq chicken tenders, Mac and cheese, Green Beans, Sliced bread

on my own x 2 this week

Panfried cubed steaks, Zucchini au gratin

Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts, Potato Salad, Mixed Green Salad, Peach Crisp

out with John, our only time this pay period