Saturday: In an effort to 'do something different' today we hit the highway that runs westward through our town and rode and rode and rode and just before we reached the big city on the state's border, we turned around and rode and rode and rode all the way back. It was lovely. The highway runs through tiny little towns and loads of rural and forested lands. Traffic was not heavy, and frankly, it seldom is heavy. The day was sunny, bright and beautiful and we so enjoyed ourselves. A drive without a destination is a lovely thing.
Now I am the sort that loves to explore. John, not so much. He doesn't care for getting lost. I think getting lost is the loveliest of lovelies. Of course, I don't mean getting 'way lost' which is a whole different thing. I mean just taking a road that turns left here and one that takes a right there is the lovely sort of ride. 'Way lost' means just that, we've lost our way and don't know how to get out. We've been 'way lost' plenty John and I and we've gotten lost plenty, too. However, John doesn't consider it quite the adventure sort of thing that I do. So. Main highway. But still a very nice ride that I greatly enjoyed.
When we came back we drove straight through town and headed to a supermarket. The intention was to get a deli sandwich. I had a short list of things I meant to look for. It was an odd and expensive sort of list. These were mostly things we can't buy at Aldi usually. So John picked up his deli sandwich for our lunch that day and then we tried out best to follow the arrows through the store. Let me just tell you, do be kind to the directionally challenged souls trying to follow the arrows...I do mean myself. I think part of the problem was that the 'One Way' signs were the same color as the store logo which had previously graced the spots and so my mind just didn't let my eyes 'see' anything except the store logo until we were well down the aisle. Fortunately others seemed just as confused as we were and everyone was more than polite.
The money spent was a portion of the larger spending we do each month. I'll have to be on my toes to keep within budget this month after our bit of money spent today. We bought ice cream, baking potatoes, blue cheese dressing, cat treats, fat free frozen whipped topping, caramel sauce (that's to make fancy iced coffee at home), deli sliced turkey, our deli sandwich, and bbq chips. I also got lettuce, avocado, tomatoes and steaks. We don't mind the steaks at Aldi but just bought these for Sunday dinner. Steak is not something we typically do as a meal. I may buy sirloin to break down into stir fry type dinners to stretch it out but these steaks are meant to be a special meal for us. I found in defrosting the freezer yesterday that I had more meat on hand than I'd thought so I felt we could have a splurge this month.
I'd also figured up my grocery spending for last month and discovered that I was still on budget, just at the highest end of it. I give myself a $20 leeway amount and I fell right into that range. I was a bit surprised as I thought sure I was well over, but I wasn't! So I'm glad of that. I did not include the stocking up amount that John gave me from our stimulus check. That was never intended to be part of the grocery budget.
One thing John requested and we both forgot was a Pizza. He doesn't mind frozen pizzas but he'd wanted pizza especially for tonight's supper. I told him never mind, I could make a perfectly good pizza in no time. I made a mistake in mixing my dough and had enough for two pizzas. I went right ahead and froze the second pizza, ready to bake when we take it out. I used the pizza stone but rather than try to slide my dough onto the stone, I oiled a sheet of foil, laid the dough out on that, topped the pizza and then laid the foil sheet on the pizza stone. It worked just great. I am so impressed with that stone. I do want to try to make a slightly thinner pizza as we get a very thick crust from my doughs even though they look thin enough going onto the stone.
It was just a lovely day overall. As I shut the blinds this evening, I saw that all the daylily have put up bloom stalks and have buds. There's something to look forward to in the new week!
Sunday: I have a confession to make. I don't 'do' sleeping in. I try. I cover my head and when I start to feel claustrophobic, I put a pillow atop my head so that it covers my eyes. Then I get hot, because my head is apparently the seat of my body temperature and it always runs hot. So I kick off the covers and get chilled and by that point I've been so active that my blood is flowing nicely and any last vestiges of sleep have been fully chased away. So I get up.
In the spring months, the daylight begins to lighten my bedroom windows about 7:05. so that is when I wake. In the winter, it's nearer 8 or even 8:30 and so I wake then. It doesn't matter what time I might have gone off to sleep. I wake when it's light. Period. But sleeping in just doesn't happen for me. Sleeping until daylight shines is the way I sleep. As the summer goes on, I'll be up earlier and earlier. Last year I noted that I woke most summer mornings at 6:15. Makes me awfully glad I've never had to work nights (aside from the baby years). I'd be struck down had I need of sleeping during the day.
I was busy right off this morning. The heat has been coming on every morning because the nights are cool yet. It's fine to snuggle under a quilt still even if it is May. I'm always surprised that it remains cool enough for the heat to come on this time of year. And yet, I do not know why I'm surprised I've record enough here on this blog that May mornings are almost always cool ones. However, I know too that the afternoons can be warm and that our home will get downright stuffy and hot as the day goes on. So I try my best to do my heavy work in the mornings.
This morning, I stripped the bed and bath and put those things on to wash right away. I made breakfast right away, too. And then John and I do as we do most mornings: he went one way with breakfast plate in hand and I went the other. He usually sits in the living room and watches tv. I generally go back to my sunny kitchen sitting corner and do Bible Study and read through Instagram.
This morning, I got up shortly after breakfast and hung the clothes out to dry. I fed the pets and noted the plants needed to be watered that are on the porch. I came back indoors and watched the early service of our church with John, but not until I had opened all the windows in the house. I think sometimes the house just needs a good airing and I knew that the day was warming nicely already after being outdoors.
After our service was over, I cleared up the kitchen and then made our bed. I swept floors, watered plants both indoors and out, then 33cleaned our bath. Not a lot of work but enough. I glistened. I sat down to cool off and worked on getting Josh's papers in order for tomorrow morning. Then I went outdoors to pick up two piles of weeds and trimmed branches I'd left behind a couple of weeks ago. I picked up a few more sticks while I was in the yard anyway.
I have been following a number of home restorations on Instagram and one thing I have taken away from most is a common phrase of doing thirty minutes every day of restoration, because almost all of them have daily jobs in addition to their restoration work to attend to. It seems to me I can take 30 minutes a day to put into my gardening. Just 30 minutes and no more. Today that 30 minutes was loading up all those pruned branches and fallen limbs and weeds I'd pulled. It was enough. I felt satisfied to see those spaces where I'd piled them were clear. I watered the plants. I was done.
Then I went out to the car to look for my earring. I took off my mask yesterday, and heard the clink as the earring came off. I saw it slide between the seat and the console of the car. When we stopped at the gas station I got out and looked for it then, moving the seat back and forward and feeling all about under it.
I did the same again today and even got my fingers under the braces of the seat. When I came in, John told me he'd go look as well. We are firm believers in what one set of eyes can't see, sometimes a second pair can. He came in shaking his head. "I don't know where it is." There is obviously a small black hole space somewhere there under that seat and it is where all coins, earrings, pens and straws disappear. Shame some of the dirt that accumulates on the mats doesn't also fall into it.
We had plenty of pizza leftover last night so there was lunch. And that was pretty much the end of my housework day. All work from here on will be quiet work, such as writing this post and working on another.
I started up the grill for the first time this year. I must say that John's solution of buying fresh charcoal makes a world of difference in how quickly and well a fire may be lit. Our meal was delicious and John deemed my efforts a real success. I liked the easy clean up, too.
Meals: Cream Cheese and Chives Scrambled Eggs, Rye Toast
Pizza
Grilled Steak, Baked Potatoes, Tossed Salad
Monday: Up early this morning because I very much wanted to be well awake and ready for the morning schooling with Josh.
I made the bed, then made oatmeal for our breakfast. I had blueberries in the fridge that I'd been 'saving' which is always my downfall. Thankfully discovering I could put them in the glass jar and keep them a bit longer has been a big savings to me! Josh had eaten some of them for snack one day and I had just enough left to put in our oatmeal while cooking this morning. I love when I bite down on a blueberry and the warm juice sort of gushes into my mouth. I made our oatmeal extra hearty this morning, with hemp hearts and flax seed meal. It does make it thicker, which doesn't bother John at all. I just add a splash of milk or cream over mine to thin it a bit.
And does it sound weird that I always want to add a bit of granola chunks to the top of my oatmeal? I really need to make myself some more granola.
In Bible study this morning, I studied upon the last verse of Psalm 52. Though I have
Josh walked down the road which is a farther walk than across the field. Bess was with him. He was upset that she came with him and upset that she was going to see what he was doing and upset that she left as soon as she'd seen how we used the flash cards. I think he was just in the mood to be upset this morning. He stalled and balked and complained and sulked and I finally gave up after an hour or so of struggling with him. I felt a good deal of sympathy for the teacher in the classroom who might have more than one student in the same frame of mind on a school day. What he wanted to do when I finally let him have his way was to watch something called Alphablocks and in listening to it I realized he was getting a lot of the lessons in the most recent packet from his teacher and I called it good enough.
One fun thing we did do today was to watch a couple of videos about volcanoes and we made our own with the soda/vinegar trick which thrilled him no end.
John needed to go down to his workplace to pick up his check this afternoon. We went in his car because he wanted to get mower gas while we were out. I also gathered trash and we took that over to the dump while we were on our way out. It was very warm and we got warmer still as we had to sit in the drive thru at the bank for almost 40 minutes. The whole county gets paid on the same day and the lobby isn't open. We overheard a clerk tell one of the customers that they wouldn't open until June 1st.
John always gives me a nice ride on the way back home. This one today is nearer being the same length as the usual route but it's a lovely winding set of true country back roads. Years ago, when he was working nights and I was working days and our paths seldom crossed, we'd both take that set of back roads and if we did see each other, we could stop and have five minutes to talk because we wouldn't be holding up traffic. It was the most sane part of our day and it helped us to keep track of who was in trouble amongst the kids and who wasn't well and what was going on at jobs. So that bit of road always brings back those memories of long ago days when we were both straining to carry a household and jobs. It was after that year that we agreed I'd come home to stay. And here I am still.
We stopped to get gasoline when we got back to our town. John offered to buy anything I wanted for supper but I reminded him we had leftover steak as we could neither of us finish ours last night.
We discussed how to handle his pay check which was a little more than we'd thought we might have. We decided we'd pay our allowances for the month from that check.
I worked up our checkbook. I unloaded the dishwasher and put things away. John went off to mow the yard for Sam and Bess, since both of Sam's mowers are down at present.
I decided on my supper menu and it was delicious. Mind you we were good and hungry having had a very small lunch today.
How to make sour cream was featured on Southern Living today. It's a video and while I have linked it I'll tell you the way they wrote the recipe on the screen since it is not in print on the page:
In a jar:
1 cup of cream (they do not say whether you should use whipping or heavy, it just says cream)
1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
Mix and let sit for ten minutes. Then add
1/4 cup whole milk
Now cover with lid or cheesecloth and leave on the counter at room temperature for 24-48 hours until it's thick. Cover and put in fridge.
Their own hype said it was super delicious and that once you'd made your own you'd never go back and it certainly looked very thick. I'd tried to make sour cream long ago but my recipe didn't call for cream and the thin product didn't please anyone in my household. I don't know how cost effective this is either...but if you need to make your own, you'll at least have a method to try.
Meals: Oatmeal, Toast
1 Bean Burrito each (very small ones!)
Leftover Steak, French Fries, Salads
Tuesday: I slept a little bit later this morning, almost until 8am. I showered right away and lamented the length of my hair. I'm looking very shaggy. Katie is supposed to clip my hair on Saturday. I'm doing my best to leave it alone until then. It's a battle...
Made strawberry muffins. I did leave these berries just a tiny bit overlong but they tasted very well in the muffins. I carefully meted out the batter and made sure to get a dozen muffins from it. We'll eat muffins for a snack, Josh enjoys them, too and often asks to take one home to Isaac. We'll also eat leftovers for breakfast through the week.
After I cleared up the kitchen and did my bit of Bible Study this morning, I went out to deadhead roses and water plants. I refilled the bird bath and Maddie's bowl. She's stood next to it each time we've gone outdoors. Now this is the same dog that typically drinks from a puddle just after we drive through it. It isn't as though the water in that bowl was dirty but it was lower than she likes. So today I refilled it since she stood expectantly next to it while I was working about the yard. Of course, the moment it was filled with water she walked away...
I cut several branches of rosemary. I put them and some roses in a pewter stein on the dining room table. I really meant to put the rosemary to root but I do like mixing roses and rosemary in a bouquet...I'll see if I can root it later. And if not, I'll pass it on to Bess for her chickens. It's supposed to be good for them.
After I came back indoors, I started my dinner prep for the afternoon. I knew what we'd eat tonight and took that from the freezer. I made a salad, set out the box of rice mix and made a pan of brownies. Then I put on my makeup while the brownies baked and got dressed for my afternoon out.
I took Katie to her appointment. As expected she went in to do a check in and then was called to come back inside when a room was ready for her. The parking lot was filled with people sitting in cars. Babies and children crying and adults talking on phones. It was hardly a quiet place, lol. I carried along my book and read several chapters. I do believe this is a new to me Grace Livingston Hill. I've had it a number of years but seemingly I've never read it. The story isn't in the least familiar to me. It's called Mystery Flowers. Not a book for my favorites list. I dislike characters that are foolish and silly in the guise of so called innocence. I much prefer her 'can do' heroines who really do figure things out on their own. Not so much the helpless heroines GLH sometimes created. But for goodness sake, if you see the book don't bypass it on my recommendation! You might well like it just fine.
We went to pick up drive thru lunch after Katie's appointment and sat in the empty parking lot at the mall under a big shady oak tree which was very pleasant. We both had leftovers and there's more than ample food for John and I to eat another meal from it. Katie had suggested we 'splurge' but I guess it isn't much of a splurge when you get four servings from something that was meant to feed just two!
As we were leaving that mall lot, two things caught my attention. First was the F15 that flew over us. It startled us to hear it and had it not been for my side view mirror I'd never have seen it. Katie is still upset that she missed seeing it!
Second was when we stopped at a red light to turn and go to Aldi. There is a hamburger diner on one corner and the dining room was obviously not yet open. The place has a deep grassy verge all about two sides and well spaced lovely shade trees. The manager had put a proper picnic table under each tree! The tables were full of families eating ice cream or burgers and I thought it rather nice even if near a busy intersection.
We went by Aldi so Katie could pick up snacks for Taylor for her upcoming weekend visit. Then over to Publix, a Dollar General, Food Depot and Roses...why so many stores? We were searching for the elusive toilet paper. She hasn't any and didn't want to borrow from me if she could find some. We never did find any. Well I'll take her some tomorrow. She did find paper towels and I told her they were as difficult to find of late. We finally headed home but she remembered as we entered town that she needed baby Tylenol for Caleb who is teething...he has a white spot on his gum where the first tiny bit has emerged. Down to the local Dollar General so she could get Tylenol for him.
I was done in when we got back. Mind you all I'd spent most of my time sitting in the car and it was rather warm, about 90F this afternoon. I'd taken two water bottles with me and I drank it but still felt drained when I came in. I recalled that the heat had gotten to me yesterday as well and I'd fought leg cramps last night so I made sure to drink a little electrolyte drink.
I put supper on to cook when I came in. It was an easy meal since I had only to heat the frozen entree and cook rice.
I'm still trying to make a decent iced coffee. I need to find my ice trays and make some coffee ice cubes because the ice melting in my hot coffee is definitely watering it down too much. Still, it's refreshing to have something cold on these hot afternoons and since my nearest Starbucks is apparently closed for good, I'm going to keep trying to make a decent iced coffee at home.
I'm struggling with my subscription services on Amazon. This is what I've discovered from my personal experience. If you already have existing subscriptions and you opt in to order something else on a subscription basis, everything ships on the next date your previous subscriptions will come in. So when I needed decaf coffee before May 21 shipping, I had to go ahead and make a separate order.
A subscription is also based on availability. If they don't have it, you don't get it. I opted for subscribe and save on Vitamin C since I am supposed to take such a high and consistent dosage. Well they've not had the item the past two months. They do not make a substitution of a similar product. You get the one you subscribed for and only if it's available.
I don't know if anyone else if familiar with this or is also wondering what they might have done wrong on Amazon. I think Subscribe and Save is a great feature but wanted others who might be contemplating using it to be aware of how it works. Since I needed two items earlier than my subscription ship date this month, I've opted to skip them in this shipment and will not receive those items. For me it's all trial and error just now.
Wanted to share also that The Fresh Market sent out an email last night about the Tuesday specials which is ground beef and boneless skinless chicken breasts for $2.99/pound. The note from the store said that the ground beef is not being offered at this time as their supplies are so limited. Something to keep in mind when you all head to the stores. If there's a limit on ground beef or there's less than you're accustomed to seeing, be aware that it is another supply shortage and things will eventually sort themselves out.
I keep reading that there is plenty of toilet paper and paper towel but it's a distribution problem but I think it's actually a hoarding problem! The young man who spoke with Katie at Roses said that people come in and buy all they can carry. He thanked her for limiting herself to just one package of paper towels.
Meals: Eggs, Chicken Sausage, Strawberry Muffins
Katie and I ate take out, John had a sandwich at home
Chicken Enchiladas, Yellow Rice, Pico de Gallo, Green Salad, Coffee Cinnamon Brownies
Wednesday: 7am...That was what time the morning ritual began, lol. I gave up rather quickly though because we were planning to grocery shop today and I knew that if I sort of hurried into getting ready, so would John.
I did very light housework today and nothing in the yard. My focus really was to get out of the house at an earlier than usual hour. But not before John took time to fill in his mail in vote for the upcoming election date. I sent mine out yesterday.
I was prepared to go to Target. I'd gone online last night and the site kept telling me that toilet paper was in stock in my nearest store. However, we found toilet paper (and paper towel) at Aldi today. We picked up a less liked store brand there on the paper aisle, but then came across two pallets on the freezer case aisle, another of the less liked brand and one of the brand we, in our family, consider acceptable. I swapped the less like packet for the one that is better liked. This is not for my own purpose but because it does seem lately that I am always on the search for paper for someone else in the family. I'll have a bit extra now should that questing continue. I set two rolls of paper towels aside for Mama.
By the way, there was plenty of ground beef in the meat counter...And more canned vegetables on the shelf than in the last three months. I didn't see limits on anything except the canned vegetables. That still has signs limiting customers to four per each canned item.
All in all I left the store well satisfied today. I think this was my first experience of something nearer normal shopping in three months. We ended up well within budget. I came home and made out my list for Katie to purchase for me next week when she has her funds and then we'll do our best to get through the month without making further purchases unless there is a most excellent sale on something.
We stopped for a drive thru sandwich on our way out of town but brought it home to share. The weather was just beautiful and the day so pleasant that I wasn't in the least surprised when John ordered lemonade for us both. It was most definitely lemonade sipping weather!
After we got home and had lunch, I sorted out groceries. Somehow the afternoon sort of slipped away from me and I'd just settled to write when we heard a knock on the back door. We weren't expecting anyone. Before I could get to the door there came a second knock and it sounded suspiciously like a little boy. "Who is it?" John called and Josh answered "It's me and Isaac," and Isaac said "Shoshy and me, Isaac!"
I was a little put out. Typically if the boys come over, I get a message asking if they might come but I'd had no message today that they were on the way. Josh said "We wanted to go on an adventure..." Hmmm...I let it rest a bit and then asked Josh again and he said his mom told them to come on. Hard day at home perhaps? I could identify with that and Bess has NEVER taken advantage of me in the past...
Isaac wanted to play outside. It was so blustery and the wind so fierce that I kept grabbing up things that were trying to take flight. We drew with chalk on the front patio. I drew a kite and Isaac kept trying to pick up the tail...Then he jumped up with his hand in the air and made swooshing motions. I asked him if he was flying my kite and he shouted "Yes!"...I love playing with children and seeing their imaginations at work. I stood the wind as long as I could then urged Isaac indoors. I found Josh watching television and obviously content to have had some quiet time to himself.
Isaac said "I hungy", so I made the boys berries with yogurt and a muffin. Josh cleaned his plate. Isaac just nibbled at his even though he chose everything on it. So much for his being hungry. Maybe he has sympathy pangs for Josh?
I sent the boys home about 5:30. They'd been here for an hour and half and enjoyed themselves. I figured whatever was going on at home, everyone had had a break and they'd no doubt reunite happily.
Here's where our dreams sometimes bump us into reality. I was ready to write...I had an inspiration for a post and wanted to get it out of my head and onto the screen. Well I couldn't tell you what that inspiration was now, because I have flat forgotten it. And as I listened to Isaac chatter away I realized that this was a dream of mine, too, to have these boys come across that field to my house. I had already sent Bess a little snarky message but I apologized later and sincerely. Because no one ever said that when dreams come true they're going to be convenient to your life moment do they? I had to get my head squared away. Was I so caught up in my plans for the post and the weeks as a whole that I would bypass this moment? Did I have to plan this time out, too? A dream come true or a lost post...Which was going to give me greater memories? We all know that answer! So my apology to Bess was sincere as could be.
And that apology did what apologies so often do: opened the door for a discussion that allowed her to let off some steam and me to have a better idea of what had been going on at home. They all needed some space. It had become too much for everyone. Again, it is not at all typical of Bess to send the boys over here unannounced but I suspect it was one of those moments when it was the lesser of things one might do.
Supper tonight wasn't a planned meal. I pulled one of the frozen entrees from the freezer and put it in the oven to heat.
Meals: Breakfast Sandwiches
Pimento Cheese Sandwich, Grape Salad. John gets the dill pickle and I get the sugar cookie!
Turkey Poppy Seed Casserole, Green Beans, Buttered Bread
Thursday: Up even earlier than usual this morning. I had plenty of time to do my Bible reading and drink my coffee before breakfast and housework began. Then I sorted through papers to see what had been sent home for Josh to work upon and waited on him.
I found him reluctant to work at the stuff sent home and so I set him the task of writing 1-50 and we talked about syllables and counted syllables in several words. We counted by tens and then we counted by 100's up to 1000. Then I gave him a sheet to cut and paste the proper count with the right number. When it came time to work on equations I hit upon the idea of using bubble gum to count the bubble gum bubble equations which pleased him no end. His reward was of course, getting to chew some bubble gum! Our reading and sentence repair today was all done with flash cards. I foresee future schooling is going to be drawn from the teacher's worksheets but done with my own tools.
Some of the simpler repeat work sheets I thought to set aside for Isaac. I asked Josh if he'd like to play school with Isaac and 'teach' him how to count and color and recognize simple sight words. He was excited about the idea of getting to be the teacher.
Our lunch today won't be on the menu. It was a hodgepodge of leftovers and things that needed to be used up.
It is quite cool today. All that heavy wind yesterday evening blew in a cooler front. This should stay with us for the rest of the week and through the weekend and then we'll warm back up once more to warmer weather once more. With each one of these cooler spells I ask "Is this the last one this year?" It's hard to say. I have awakened to cold fronts with mornings in the 40's in July here in my section of Georgia, though not in many years.
Yesterday I very much wanted to join in reading with the @elizabethgoudgebookclub and yesterday I went to my bookshelf to find the book. I am deficient. I do not have that book nor the other one in that trilogy. I remedied by ordering off eBay and the one other I didn't have. Yes. I do consider this 'essential' shopping, probably the most essential of all!
Starting reading Nourished by Lia Huber instead. My second attempt at this book. I really am enjoying this time around, proof I think, that many books are not necessarily bad ones as that their time in your life has not yet come.
I took a nap today. A long nap of a couple hours duration. John smiled at me when I came out of the room. He told me I'd snored long and loud as I slept. I certainly felt like I slept deeply.
I divided up the beef I bought yesterday. And since I'd planned poorly, choosing to nurse coffee this morning, and nap this afternoon rather than prep supper as I might have done, I took a portion of the beef and made supper. It was a thrown together affair of leftover Pico de Gallo, my forgotten avocado meant to go with our Cinco de Mayo dinner. It was pretty good over all. I'm very fortunate that my husband doesn't care if I cook or don't so if I take the occasional night off it's all right by him.
Meals: Sausage Patties, Muffins
A mess of leftovers
Soft Tacos with Fixin's
Friday: No real plans for today which made me happy. I had time to give myself a Shabat clean, something I love to get done before the weekend comes in. From Saturday through Thursday or Friday of next week I have 'something extra' every single day. I know that come this time next week I will be worn down so I'm especially glad to give the house a good cleaning up today.
I thawed two big cuts of meat. I do not typically do that for a weekend meal but again, I feel it is worthwhile to have two bigger cuts and then plan leftovers from each for the week ahead.
Now that I've come to the afternoon portion of my day, I need only plan our meal for tonight, which I think I will pull off my own menu for the week. I am going to enjoy an early Shabat afternoon.
Thanks to Carolyn for reminding me to do what I'd been meaning to do for the past three weeks which was to insure that the links in my posts truly did contrast with the usual type. I wanted them to stand out for those of you that have trouble distinguishing links within a sentence if the word colors closely match the usual type. I hope this makes for easier reading and also helps you all to find the links I put in my posts.
Now do please come share what all you've done this past week. I so enjoy hearing about your week as well!
Meals: Grits, Toast
Pizza
Sausage and Rice, Coleslaw
11 comments:
I’ve had a ho-hum week, nothing of particular interest. My family is starting to get bored with meals now. Having a hard time coming up with new ideas that everyone will eat. Tried to go to Costco today, and the line to get in wrapped around the building! Feeling frustrated over this whole thing. I hate wearing a mask. I hate that people are leery of each other. I hate not being able to take the kids to the park. I guess I’m just feeling stuck. And I feel selfish for that. I usually start each day with 5 things I’m thankful for. It puts ones attitude in the proper perspective. But mental fatigue is real, and I think that’s the problem.
I can relate to most all of the above except the desire to go to the park. We have acres here and in that we are truly blessed but to all the rest: YES John asked if I wanted anything this afternoon while we were in town....I wanted to tell him my long list of things I want and end up with and 'then go out to dinner', which is crazy because we rarely to Never go out to eat in the evening! I want to go to Florida and while away hours on the balcony with an aperitif each evening and drive up and down the coast and listen to the ocean. That's what I really want. However, reality isn't covid based, it's fact based: I'm too busy and too obligated to pick up and go! Ugh! lol Hugs Liz...May you find new recipes this weekend that will please all. Or think of an old family favorite and make that and everyone rave.
I had a better, happier week because I have avoided the news and anything about the virus like the plague! It makes a huge difference for me. On Monday restaurants are opening back up for inside dining so YAY things are getting back to more normal here.
We are finding that a new to us food can transform the diet and make things better and more enjoyable. This week it was a bag of soft pita breads from Sam's. We have had the most delicious pita sandwiches like we used to get from a little downtown coffee shop here.
Still not much TP here and the price is up on what we see. We were able to really stock the freezer with more meat at the discount grocery. They had the most awesome selection of high quality restaurant food in stock. I wish we had more freezer space because they had tons of gorgeous pies and cakes for less than I could even buy ingredients. We did get a key lime pie for Mother's Day. Ground pork was .75 a pound, Angus ground beef patties were 2.50#, beef smoked sausage was 3#/4.49. Beautiful chicken breasts trimmed to all the same thickness and ready for the grill or whatever were $2#, 2# bags of avocado slices for 3.99 and 2.5 pounds of roasted red pepper strips for $2.99 and so much more I wish I had room for in my freezer. They had wonderful frozen vegetables like big bags of asparagus spears for $2.99. It was crazy. We will go back in two weeks or so when more room opens up.
I try to make the coffee for iced coffee a half hour before I want it and let it cool. Sometimes I make several cups and put it in the fridge for use over several days.
Liz, I agree with everything you said. A little old lady patted me on the arm at the store last week and then jumped back because she was probably afraid I wold yell at her. I turned and smiled and she smiled back. It kind of made my day. We found a long line at Sam's this week so we went and ran another errand and came back and the line was gone so we will try doing it that way from now on.
Have as good a weekend as you can everyone!
This past week was the last for the boys to have school. They turn in their packets and iPads this coming week. Brad's teacher emailed after their Zoom meeting this morning to check on him. She said he was "emotional" during their meeting and she felt so bad that she couldn't give him a hug.
So, we're officially on Summer break now. School lunches will continue for another couple of weeks. It's mostly terrible food, but they eat at least a bit of it each day, and I supplement with sides if necessary. I've promised to make them lunches next year at least a couple times a week.
Greg had some medical appointments, one a telehealth call. I liked that since I got to hear what the doc had to say. He's doing well, but still more tests and follow-ups to come.
We had our usual "family chat" on Thursday afternoon with my siblings and aunt. This week we played a game where my aunt showed us a word she'd printed out, then held her Amazon Dot up to her laptop and we had to ask Alexa questions until she said the word Aunt Jan had showed us. It was fun, and the kids enjoyed it as much as the adults. Layla didn't quite understand what we were doing, and kept asking Alexa how to make a teddy bear, and how to make a camera. Lol.
We're making a Sam's club run on Sunday for curbside pickup, and then to a home improvement store for more pickup. I ordered play sand for the new sandbox for the kids, and food grade buckets. I was able to get some flour at Sam's, and got extra because I thought Jess needed some, but after I ordered I found out she doesn't, so now I'll need to store it. I may take a page from your book and turn the guest room closet into a pantry area - for awhile, anyway.
I understand your frustration with the boys coming over unannounced, but also your realization that in the end, that was the scenario you had hoped for when they moved onto the property. Miss Layla ran away from home on Wednesday evening. She packed a suitcase with toys and two purses, and walked the few blocks to Greg's parents' house. She was on her way here, but stopped at Nanny's for a rest break (and a cookie, I assume). She was adamant that she was staying here for 6 nights. Jess picked her up and took her home. She didn't get in trouble, but for sure didn't get to stay the night here. I do remember packing all of my 100% cotton school dresses in a brown paper grocery sack when I was five and planning to run away from home. Mom foiled my plan just as I finished packing, and had to iron all of my dresses after I'd "folded" them as a 5 year-old does, and crammed them all in the bag. I keep saying Layla is ME when I was a kid. I totally understand her.
Hi Terri,
I do a cold brew process for iced coffee. You can search online for instructions/amounts. Generally, you put the grounds in cold water and let it steep overnight or up to 24 hours. Then you decant the coffee and strain the grounds. When you do the cold brew method like this, you simply make the coffee twice as strong. When you put the ice in along with milk/cream and it melts, the coffee is the right strength. I’ve also just brewed it twice as strong and chilled it. I keep the coffee in a mason jar in the fridge. Coffee ice cubes will definitely work as well. I do try to make a simple syrup for my iced coffee as it’s hard to dissolve sugar in a cold drink. I never put sugar in my hot coffee, but I got to have it in iced coffee. LOL
I’m glad you were able to give Bess some relief. It’s really a gift that she trusted you to send them over under the circumstances.
Stay safe and healthy,
Chris
Chris, I had wondered about doing cold press to make iced coffee. I have some coffee we aren't using since we got the k-cups in the house which John prefers for his own reasons...So cold press would see me use some of that leftover bulk coffee up.
Tammy, Josh is officially done with school next Tuesday but I'm supposed to keep on teaching him so that he doesn't lose any ground before he goes back. I did say I'd cut back to just one day a week come June. I really feel they will have them back in school come July just to try to get all those days in they can.
Your family phone call sounds like a load of fun! Makes me wish my family would do such, lol.
Lana, What great prices on meats! I really need to branch out a bit to see if I can't find a different market for meat. I know there are some good stores in Warner Robins area that have quality meats at decent prices or they used to have. I'd like to visit them and see if I can save over Aldi's meat prices which are very near Publix prices.
Terri, these discount stores are usually found by word of mouth so you probably just have to start asking around or even ask other shoppers in Aldi if they know of any. Ours are tucked away in places where we never go and even if we drove past them we would not know what they were. Our bigger and best one is Wise Buys. They seem to be a small chain in the SE so one way would be to search for them on Facebook. Our store is very clean and well organized but it is not in a area of town where we ever go except to shop there and I would not go after dark. Some items in the freezer case are out of date but we have talked to them about that and they get frozen food in frozen and it goes right in their freezers so things like sausage rolls are frozen and have never been thawed. Realistically, things go out of date in my own freezer so this is not an issue for us. I often see turkey sausage since that is probably the lesser choice at the big grocery stores. I have to say that we eat way better since finding those stores and save a ton of money.
Terri,
I heard a quote from an elderly lady when asked how she had such beautiful gardens, she said, “I make sure to pick 6-7 weeds every day.” I have remembered that and try to pick as many every morning after my coffee on the porch (which is yet to happen in this weather!). I think that 30 min a day is a good goal. I need to wear a watch or something because every time I say I am going to work outside for an hour, it ends up being several. When our family visited Amish country in Ohio a few years ago, I noticed that all the homes had such well kept gardens, yet I never really saw anyone working in them! Well, I finally realized that the women go out early in the morning and get their garden work done so they are not out there in the heat of the day.
I stopped using Amazon subscribe and save a while ago. I got frustrated with the constantly changing prices. I have been trying to buy more local or to buy directly from the manufacturer.
It sounds like Josh has a ton of worksheets to do and I can certainly see why he would balk at that after a while. I think your idea of doing things in a more interesting way is perfect! It doesn’t matter how they learn something, just that they learn and it’s so wonderful when their curiosity is sparked or they have a bit of fun doing it. I used to do math with M&Ms and then let them eat a couple when they were done when they were little. We didn’t have candy in the house but rarely so it was a special treat. We also read ALOT! The boys loved to be read to and I was so proud that they all grew up loving to read.
I had a productive week getting things going in the garden. We had to run around covering everything last night with temps getting down to 25 and then a windchill to boot. There were snowflakes fluttering down yesterday morning. When May behaves this way, it really makes me want to move back to California. I’m tired of being cold!
I put away my sewing for masks as I had gotten enough done for ourselves and immediate family. When there is a rainy day here or there this summer, I will take it back out and sew a few more. I made turkish flatbread this week and it was such a hit that I decided to make pita chips with the extras. They were wonderful and we happened to have hummus on hand. I will definitely make more of these!
I made two batches of soap on Wednesday (my new soap making day) and decided on lavender and cinnamon oats & honey. It reminds me that I need to cut the loaves yet! I made some oatmeal cookies with chocolate chunks, Reese’s Pieces and a few M&ms. I need to make sure i get my walks in with treats around though! Part of me just doesn’t want to walk outside when it’s cold anymore. I really want to walk in the sunshine and warm breezes! My husband had put the winter coats away last week, but I had to run to the basement to get mine the day after he did that. I told him we apparently have to wait a while yet.
Oh, I wanted to thank you for the idea to read Psalms. I am in Genesis again and think it will be refreshing to read one or two Psalms and then meditate on them. Hope your Shabat has been lovely! Hugs to you!
I don't think it is odd at all about you wanting to add the granola. I used to eat Grape Nuts in my yogurt because I liked the crunch.I think food textures are what seems so appealing about some foods.
Shell
Please tell us how you used the caramel in your iced coffee. Sounds delicious! This week our Aldi was as stocked as we had seen it for months. Not just one T.P. brand but 2. Which brand did you like the best ? We usually get ours at Costco so are new to Aldi. We are on septic system so we try to stay away from those that are extra fluffy/bulky. Our canned goods here in S. Calif. are only 4 to customer too. Meats were 2 packs only per customer but this week 4 of any kind of meat only , so better. Sadly we had no room in the freezer for many. . ... :) Usually if they have eggs they are 2 per customer any more but this week no limit I take it. I saw a couple in front of us check out with 5 dozen. Our eggs are $1.59 a dozen there and at Target $1.69. Both are cheap prices compared to the grocery stores at approx. $2.99 a dozen. Seeing a store so well stocked for the most part, sure made us smile.
Yes your comparison to whether a lost post or a surprise visit from 2 little boys was the best was so right. It made good memories for you AND them ! ;) You sound like a born teacher. With no plan you come up with such ingenious ideas. !! I am amazed with your on- the-spot ideas. I wonder if Josh will be bored later without such different approaches to his lessons. :) It would be fun to see him teach Isaac. I taught preschool Sunday school for years. People used to think all we did was play play. No they learned a lesson each week. When I started the lesson the next week I asked if any of them {there were around a dozen kids} remembered the last lesson. They would and described it. I used puppets and dolls and anything to help them understand and remember. I had one deaf child and I knew only two signs at all. She was just starting to learn American sign I found out. I tried to teach myself from a used book to help her but was terrible at remembering any of it when I needed to use it. I learned to get through to her somehow through help from God. One day she rushed in and signed God loved her. What Joy !!!!!! Everyone danced around. :) Her parents later told me they too were excited when she told them ! I was Very Amazed at how much the little ones understood as much as their minds could the Bible lessons. One thing happened fairly often though ... At least one child would come in complaining they were hungry and had not eaten. Well I found out many times from the parents that they had just had a Big breakfast ! LOL I thought about this when you mentioned Isaac saying I hungry, then not eating much. . :) Have a good week Terri. My sister lives in another state and she woke up with 2" of snow in her vegetable garden this morning.! I heard Michigan too was expecting a possible freeze and or snow today. I hope it didn't snow for Karen.
Remember you were not going over due working this week. I tend to not be able to finish a sandwich or burrito or such I make. I try to make mine small but still my husband finishes his and part of mine goes into the fridge. So for lunch to day ..again...He had so-to-speak- new food and I had those bits that were left. They tasted great and are now gone. Yea !
Yes the different color of the highlighted things makes a huge difference to me. I can easily see them now to click on. Thanks! Sarah
Trying to catch up with reading all your lovely posts.... afraid I’m a little behind..... one thing though and I hope you don’t find me too forward.... I note that you use Instagram.... I had a quick look but I can’t find you and would soo love to follow you 🙏 ..... my insta ac is mrs_h_67 and is private but obviously I would accept your request. I’ve only got a tiny ac as that way I can post and chat..... sorry if that sounds strange and I would completely understand if you would prefer not .... but I’ve ’read you’ since PennyAnne Poundwise days x
Karen x
Post a Comment