The Week Behind: Keeping House and Keeping Christmas

Saturday:  Our Sabbath keeping day was quieter.  John had someone cover half his shift and didn't go in until later.  Our dinner was simple enough, I heated a frozen homemade Shepherd's pie made up from leftovers of pot roast and potatoes I'd had left from another roast dinner (chicken that time) which I'd mashed to put on the pie.  It  was so delicious.  I made a green salad using the very last of our lettuce for this pay period.  Katie came out to pick up a portion of the Thanksgiving leftovers to reheat for their supper and had lunch with us.  She brought me a string of lights from the dollar store when she came out which saved me a trip to town.



The wind was picking up, blowing in the cold front that was headed our way, and every now and then it would sound like it was raining.  I realized soon enough that what sounded like rain was the patter of leaves blowing across the roof with each gust of wind.

Keeping Christmas: I put the lights on the tree and then I decorated it.  I haven't touched it once since I finished it either, a real accomplishment from a chronic re-decorator of Christmas tree!

I listened to Christmas music while John napped before leaving for his shift.

Sunday:  I made muffins for our breakfast, using a packet of mixed dried berries I'd had in the cupboard for a good while.  I just used a basic muffin recipe.  This made ten good sized muffins.  My muffin cups are a little larger than the average in this tin, but not the giant oversized ones either.

It was cold enough to warrant turning on the propane heater this morning.

The front porch and patio were covered with leaves...and the trees were bare branched.  I went out to blow off the patio and porch...and blew it off again twice more before the day was done.

I worked about the house.  I washed a load of sheets and towels and hung them on the line.  They snapped in the gusty wind, which softens the cloth but is also wearing on them.  I checked them frequently so I could bring them in as soon as they were dry rather than let them take a brutal beating all day long.

I gathered up all the leftovers and put them in a basket so that I'd be mindful of trying to use them up in the week ahead.

Before John came in this morning, I finished working on the bills and balanced the check register.

I can't for the life of me remember what we had for dinner this day.  Yes, I do.  I took chicken breasts from the freezer and made BBQ chicken breasts.  I sliced them thin since they were mostly frozen at dinner time and that netted me leftovers.  I heated a frozen Hash Brown casserole and steamed the last of the fresh cabbage which I'd but in wedges.

Katie texted to ask if I had room in my freezer for 2 gallons of milk she wanted to give me.  I said I did indeed and thanked her.  I will go by and pick it up on Tuesday when I'm running errands.

Keeping Christmas: John brought in some homemade peanut brittle.  I set it aside for our family day this next weekend.

John and I did some arm chair traveling.  We watched YouTube videos of Carmel by the Sea, including one that showed the town lit for Christmas. That reminded me of my own desire to see St. Augustine's Nights of Lights.  We checked dates online and alas we cannot see it this year before it's done, but John obligingly looked it up on YouTube and we followed along on a trolley ride while one of the visitors recorded the whole of it.  We were purely homesick for the city as we called out "Oh there's the Basilica!  Look the Plaza de la Constitucion!" sigh.  It was lovely and the next best thing to really being there.

I ordered Christmas wreaths for Katie and I.  I found I'd only one wreath and that was the ornament one I'd ordered two years ago.  I also ordered candy and candles for Hanukkah.  I enjoyed ordering those few things, inexpensive as they were.

Monday: Carried a lot of stuff outdoors to the shed and took time to put it all away properly.   This took a good portion of my morning.  I brought in a couple of pieces to use on the mantel and had an idea of how to put something on my bookshelves to make it feel Christmasy as well.

Made out a comprehensive grocery list.  We have a family party this coming weekend and I knew all I needed to make that menu, added in the few items I knew I needed to replenish.  I seldom think of a meal I need to buy several items for specifically.  Generally I cook pretty much from the pantry and freezer stock but I really want to make the Kale and Farro soup that we so enjoy...but I need either kale or spinach for that as well as Feta cheese.

I'd noted over the past week while making Thanksgiving pies that my baking center was crowded and the cabinets above were poorly organized.  So today I took time to remove all items from the cupboard above and moved and organized them.  I cleared the counter and made proper room for the bread machine.  I store the pastry cloths I use in a basket on top of the fridge which is right next to the baking counter.  It looks so much better and is bound to function much better as well.

I worked so long in the shed this morning that I pulled another dish from the freezer to reheat, this time a casserole of Spaghetti a la Diable.  Typically I'd serve with a salad and I had just enough left from Saturday's lunch to make two small side salads for our meal.

Keeping Christmas:  Decorated the mantel...Still not satisfied with it but I had an idea of what I wanted and so I brought in my Christmas cactus, a small fern and the live greenery brought the things to life.  I used John's mother's candy dish along with items from his childhood.  I think Christmas is a time to be sentimental and to show it, don't you?

Tuesday:  Sent John off to work for his last shift for this week.  I had a hard time scaring up anything to go into his lunch bag.  I am out of store loaf bread which holds up best packed in his bag and luncheon meat and hot dogs and such.  I scrambled around the fridge and packed him a jar of peaches and cottage cheese which is always a welcome protein/carb combination...stay tuned on this!

After John left I finished making out all the bills and getting them ready to mail.  I put them in my purse along with the checkbook so I might make out tithe checks the moment John texted me the figures.  I packed up my grocery list, an article I had torn from a magazine to share with Katie's partner and headed out to begin my long solo grocery shopping day.

John called to tell me he had two extra days off and asked me to see if we could still go on the senior trip to the botanical garden.  I filled in the form requesting a spot as soon as I got home today.

I started at the grocery where I get such a bargain on the Odom's Tennessee Pride turkey sausage patties.  I pay $4.07 per 18pc package and always buy at least two packages when I visit the store which is generally every four to six weeks.  I also got six cans of Turkey Spam which we like to slice thin and fry.  We prefer it over turkey bacon.

At Aldi, I carefully checked my list multiples of times to be sure I didn't miss a key item.  I tried to keep in mind that I'm having company all weekend who will also need to be fed meals besides the party meal.  I made substitutions for some things, I avoided impulse purchase which was so hard with all the Christmas treats in store.  This year there was a full aisle of German specialty sweets as well as a whole row of candy.  I came out at about what I'd normally spend and felt I'd done well.  I figure that about half of it will be for the weekend. I did indulge in a new Christmas cactus to add to the mantel, getting a white one this year.

My last stop was at Publix where I meant to pick up a few items that were on sale.  I decided to check on our refills at the pharmacy even though I'd not been texted they were ready.  Sure enough they were ready to be picked up and I saved a special trip over just to get prescriptions.

Went by Katie's to get milk and drop off a couple of specials I knew she would want.  I arrived just as the baby woke for his feeding.  He's now taking 3 ounces and eating every 3 hours.  He feels heavier and has chubby cheeks.  John texted that the check was in the bank while I was there, so I finished making out checks and headed to the post office and bank.

It was a long day away from home. I was so glad I'd picked up a frozen entree to cook in the microwave for my supper.

Keeping Christmas:   I treated myself to a special coffee at Starbucks.  I usually have a Gingerbread Latte but they do not have that this year.  I opted for a Peppermint Mocha which tasted like Christmas to me.

I came home to a stack of packages on the back porch.  I had the wreath I'd ordered for Katie and three of the one I'd ordered.  I checked online and sure enough I'd ordered only one.  I went on live text with Target to see how to go about rectifying their mistake.  Turns out they don't want to rectify it.  No indeed they want me to keep all three and consider the two extra as a gift!  I asked Mama and Bess if they'd like a wreath and both said "Yes!"  There's nothing like spreading a bit of cheer to make you feel even more like Christmas.

Wednesday:  Another cold morning...I turned on the propane heater for a little.  I've been plugging in the pumphouse light each night to keep the waterlines from freezing.

Waiting on John to come in from work, I got a good portion of housework done.

John came in and we ate breakfast and shared our days.  He mentioned his lunch and said how he'd enjoyed the peaches...Peaches?  But what about the cottage cheese.  Just peaches.  Looked in the fridge and I'd mixed up the two jars when I went to put it in his lunch bag...And that is why I seldom pack his lunch at 5:30 am.  I checked the fridge and there was the cottage cheese and peaches, sigh.

John counted up his days off this month.  They total 20...I told him it's a practice run for retirement.

I blew off the porch and patio again.  And discovered a pile of leaves on the patio later when I went out.

I bought fried chicken yesterday and made potato salad to go with it.

Keeping Christmas:  I cut ribbon to hang my new wreath on the front  door.  Then I went about the living room decorating the blue and white china cat and the pheasants with ribbons about their necks and wove ribbon through the garland in front of the pheasants.

I added the second cactus to the mantel and deemed it 'Perfect'.

I sat down and wrote out Christmas cards today.

I opened a lovely card from my dear friend in Australia.  The Christmas tree on the front is decorated with buttons and makes me smile each time I look at it.

Thursday:  We planned to go out to breakfast today and so we left early.  We went to Waffle House which is not somewhere we've ever gone. I wanted to complain but there was nothing to complain over!  The food was simple, hot and fresh.  They don't offer a turkey substitute for the pork breakfast meats but that is a minor thing really.  We just say "Hold the bacon".   It was reasonably priced too and we decided it might be a good option for retirement budget days.

John asked if I wanted to do any shopping.  I needed a birthday card and more Christmas cards but the dollar store was fine for purchasing those.  So we avoided the high priced stores and went back to the dollar store.

We stopped in Ft. Valley.  There is a new Dollar Tree next door to an auto parts store and a brand new grocery.  I convinced John we needed to check out the new grocery just to see what they had.   We ran into an old acquaintance and talked.  The new management of our local grocery came up and the woman repeated some really negative remarks made by 'someone'.  I was quick to refute those impressions she'd received. I told John later I was afraid I'd been hasty but I felt I owed that local store it's kudos.  I have been critical of the place in the past but the new management has done a good job of adding new product and improving the produce department (which is a major improvement).

In the dollar store I stuck to my task and bought only cards and nothing else.

John took advantage of being near an auto store to pick up antifreeze for his car.  And then we headed home.

Because we had a good sized breakfast I kept our lunch simple. I made tuna salad and we had sandwiches and apples and chips.

Keeping Christmas:  Tonight we ate soup in a darkened room lit only by candles and Christmas lights.  It was lovely and John commented on how nice it was.  Sometimes it's the simplest things that make an ordinary day feel special.

After supper, John pulled up the ballet "The Nutcracker" to watch.  It was lovely to see that and listen to the music which is festive in itself, isn't it?

Friday:  Remember that basket of leftovers I'd set up so I'd use everything?  Emptied it this morning and no, not to throw a single thing away but to use it NOW.  I've made a poultry salad for supper sandwiches tonight (mix of chicken and turkey) and used up the last two slices of that lamb roast Sam cooked on Thanksgiving to make Pasties for lunch.   Not on my menu this week but sometimes it's best to scrap the menu and use the leftovers instead.

I've also been busy ticking off the items on my Christmas party list.  I've two more things to do, three if you count in shredding and seasoning the chicken for taco meat and I suppose I should...well four because I also want to set up the table for the children last thing this evening, lol...Oh dear...I keep adding to my list!

Once all that is done it's down to the bits of housework I must attend to: clean bathrooms, move the crib mattress I am holding onto for Bess and Sam into my pantry closet because there is nowhere else it might go, clear up the kitchen by running a second load of dishes and getting all the dishes put awy and the floors swept and deciding what today's Keeping Christmas  might be. The plan is to be Shabat ready and rest as much as possible tonight before the big day tomorrow which will herald in a busy weekend.

I shall send this off now, as my brief rest spell is over and I must go put the Pasties into the oven to bake for our dinner.