This Week In My Home: Time to Get Back On Track

I've enjoyed doing the 'Worth Sharing This Week' posts a great deal and likely will continue to send those at the end of each week, but for the beginning of this week I'm ready to get back into routines.  I've felt the urging all the last week as I've noted the neglect of  the past months has caught up with the house and yard and shed.



After returning home on Thursday afternoon, I knew that no matter how worn I was from the long day I had to get my closet and desk in order.  It was all a huge mess.  I sorted out all the shoes that don't fit and started a donation spot.  I cleared my desk and filed paperwork I'd let stack up.It looks much better now but there are areas that still need a little extra work.  On Friday I walked out to the shed and realized it had been badly neglected.  I'll have to work to get to the Christmas things.  I cleared out the drawer of clothes I wear about the house and got it all straightened up.  I was so distracted by the work that was needed that I almost forgot to make bread for Shabat!

The house is not a horror  but it's not up to par.  But there's more than that...I generally go into a New Year with the same need to declutter and organize that most people do.  Only this year it seems I want to do this in November, not January.  I want to go into the New Year with my house at it's best.  I've said before that it's been a tough set of years and we seem at last to be on the backside of the latest lot of worries.  I'd like to make the next year a fresh start in every sense of the word.

The holiday season this year will be a busy one for me, but in a different way than usual.    I'll be cleaning and clearing and organizing as though the New Year had already come.

Work this Week:  Cleaning the Shed.  I have put this top of my list simply because I want very much to decorate my tree either Thursday night or Friday morning and I can't get to the tree until I get through the mess I've piled in front of the Christmas bins. I got this done this morning...

Sweeping the porches and removing that wicker chair from the front porch...River loves sitting in that chair but it's so brittle that every time she does there's a huge mess of faux wicker all over the porch.  The mess is getting to me.  John and I had discussed getting a wicker set for the front porch and while I'd love it I think I'm going to pass.  I know that a new set wouldn't be as brittle as this old roadside find of mine but I'm not sure I want wicker being used as a 90 pound dog's bed.

Prepping for Thanksgiving dinner.

Get the brakes done on my car...John has put this off for months now.  I'm ready to just get it done, so I plan to take the car over myself and have the work attended to.

Get the Christmas tree up and begin Christmas decorating.

Meals This Week:

Meals have been unplanned and haphazard.  We've eaten well enough but boy have I flown by the seat of my pants for weeks now.  I've managed cost wise because the meals I like best this time of year are inexpensive enough, but I could do better.  I always lead out with the meal we ate on Shabat.

Beef Braised with Cherries, Mashed Potatoes, Green Salad, Rolls, French Apple Cake
I have leftover beef

on my own x 2

Spaghetti Diable, Green Beans, Garlic Bread

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole, Green Peas, Green Salad
I believe I shall move this to next week.  We've plenty of poultry for this week.  I'll use the leftover roast to make a small Shepherd's Pie which would be a good way to use up the roast beef.

Stuffed Turkey, Dressing, Gravy, Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Casserole, Pineapple Casserole, Cranberry Salad, Homemade Cranberry sauce, Pies  (Some dishes will be brought by others).

Leftovers