The Week Behind: The Courage to Make Real Changes

Saturday:  Katie out this morning to do her college homework.  She needs internet to log into her classes.  John and I got time with the littlest boy who now sports two bottom teeth which show  up just lovely when he smiles.

I made the Sausage Pizza and used the last of the remaining lettuce to make a salad just barely big enough for three.  I did come to the conclusion today that while the pizza stone is lovely, I really need to halve the dough and perhaps make it into TWO pizzas, as I do not like my crust as thick as it's coming up when done as one pizza on the pizza stone.   The same amount of dough rose far less when spread out on a similar size pan and I guess that's a good report for the pizza stone.

Impromptu nap followed lunch.  The baby took one first, and I took one as soon as he went home.

We sliced chicken to make sandwiches for our supper tonight.

Sunday:  Up early.  I thought perhaps John might want to go to early service at church.  He did.  One day we're going to figure the whole thing out and make it on time to that early service.  Consolation was pastor saying the same thing about himself!

We went to Aldi after church to do our month's grocery shopping.  I carried along my pantry list and I managed to pick up one of some of the items on it.  Not a speck of yeast in sight and none at Publix either.  I may just get some sour dough starter going just in case.   

We went to Publix after.  I bought a few more pantry items.  Still no yeast except packets called "Pizza dough yeast".  I'll wager it's yeast is yeast is yeast but left the one lone packet on the shelf for whomever might be desperate.  I'm just looking to restock.  I spent  my budgeted amount today on all the things I purchased.  I will need to buy eggs and turkey sausage to see us through the month but mostly I plan to be done with groceries for the month now that cat food and coffee has been ordered.  I think I have enough produce to go through the month but we'll likely need more fruit.  Not a hardship in peach season.  I may not buy as many this year but I'll certainly have some.

Wasn't particularly happy when we got home.  I'd noticed a bit of tomato juice on a bag at the store and mentioned it to John who said "I guess we squished one."  He didn't look as he lifted it up and I was pre-occupied getting my bags to the clerk.  Well when we got home it was just plain rotten and moldy, too.  Not slinging any stones John's way as I kept smelling onions and  one of our onions had been crushed on one side.  Argh!  Here we're paying for food that's spoiled or messed up in some way!  I managed to salvage half the onion and will be able to use it but the tomato was just a goner.

Something ate one of my green bean plants.  Happy to say the other two are absolutely thriving at present. We might get enough to eat off them once.  Not happy with my gardening efforts at all this time around but that is due to change I hope.  I've only been half hearted with it since I've been so busy but I'm about to slow down some of my activities.

We indulged in deli luncheon meats today when we couldn't buy any uncured beef hot dogs at either store.  We've grown to quite like the Aldi ball park type uncured beef hotdogs as well as a pricier Applegate uncured beef dog.  Neither are as highly seasoned as Nathan's and a little less expensive.  However, none to be had and so I made do by purchasing 1 pound total of deli luncheon meats.  We opted for beef bologna and Pastrami seasoned turkey breast.

I bought 'Gramma's chicken' to put in the freezer for Taylor's visit next weekend but John just had to get into that today.  Katie's going to pick me up some cold chicken on Thursday when she does her grocery shop.  I did put six pieces into the freezer of what we bought today.

Had an avocado go off.  I should have put it in the fridge on Friday.  Doggone it!

The fridge, and freezers are absolutely packed and I had one of those 'But there's nothing to eat..." moments.   I think sometimes we are so overwhelmed by the abundance of things we have that we just can't think what to fix.

Came to a hard decision this afternoon.  It will take real courage to go forward from here.  But courage must be had.  I could use prayers and I say that sincerely.  I loathe not being able to say outright what you're praying for and I wouldn't want anyone to fear they were asking for anything wrong on my behalf so I just ask that you pray for God's guidance and mercy and grace in this matter.  And I thank you.

Monday:  I thought I'd woke up early this morning despite trying to sleep through snoring last night until nearly 1am.  I finally went to the guest room.  I simply couldn't wake John to get him to turn over.  For his part, I didn't think he'd missed me at all, since he was still in bed when I got up (about 8am).  At least I know the guest bed is suitable for sleeping!   

Even so,  I'm currently rethinking that guest bedroom.  I love my old iron headboard and the full mattress is barely a year old itself, but I'm thinking it might be more practical to have twin beds in that room.  Usually the people who come to stay don't sleep together anyway and it would work far better.  Still, that means new mattresses, another set of  new foundation frames, new headboards, sheets, spreads, etc.  I'll likely do it eventually but until these items are found (piecemeal as I go) I'll keep my full sized bed in that room.

I made a good sized breakfast for us.  I was hungry after a very light supper last night.  I realized that we've been through 2 dozen eggs in the past week.  Here's the deal.  John is an "If I can see it, I can eat it" sort of guy.  He's not piggish or greedy but if he sees that many eggs then he thinks "Oh we've got eggs!  I'll have eggs!"   He'll eat eggs every day.  It works that way with most things.  That's why I've tucked cheese back over the last two months.  If it's not in the cheese basket then he doesn't touch it.   I also tuck snacks away in the pantry when we buy a month's worth.   Now to figure out how I can disguise a flat of eggs to not be so prominent in his vision, lol.  Besides I find them awkward to store, taking up far too much space overall.  

I puttered around the house, cleaning baths, sorting out bed and bath linens and picking up and clearing up.  After a bit I walked outdoors to empty compost.  I'd had an idea of taking food over to the chickens since the can in the fridge was full.  I grabbed up the boys' clothes we'd washed after they stayed the night and walked on over.  

The grass was thick and damp and I soon rued my choice of flip flops.  I'd put lotion on my feet last night and you might think it was all absorbed overnight but no.  As my feet got wetter my soles kept slipping on the shoe soles.  I told John eventually I kicked up some dirt and let the grit get coated on the bottom of my feet so my soles had a surface to grip.  Messy and yucky but it worked.  Note to self: wear regular footwear next time I start across the field.

The chickens never squawk in alarm when they see me even though I am seldom the deliverer of goodies.  They just come rushing to the fence and happily peck at anything I dump over the fence.

Bess has done a LOT of clearing up outside of her house over the last couple of months and it has greatly improved the appearance of her home overall.  I complimented her on all the work she'd done. 

On my way back home, I picked enough blackberries to make a small cobbler.  If I'd had on proper shoes, I could have gathered more.  Never mind, the cobbler was lovely and delicious.

It was very peaceful walking about outdoors and I'm planning to incorporate this into more of my mornings and possibly evenings even if it is hot outdoors. Sam has enough of his property clear and since it's not deer season I feel relatively safe walking the property.

Since we'd had a big breakfast I opted to make a late midday meal  (served it about 2pm) and made it our larger meal for the day.  I'm not sure exactly how the schedule change will affect me coming back home this evening so I thought it best to plan on sandwiches for the evening meal.  I had the Stuffed Acorn Squash in the fridge ready to heat and eat and so that's what we had.  John was dubious.  He doesn't really like acorn squash which to me is bland like zucchini and prone to take on other flavors nicely.  He was cautious about tasting but he ate every bite of it and I guess that's something.  He even said "You could do that again...and I do like acorn squash."  I said "No, you don't.  You like butternut which is a deeper orange flesh and firmer and has a richer flavor...but if I have another acorn squash given to me, I'll likely cook it for us once again."    

I don't have a 'real' recipe just a conglomeration of a lot of recipes for a stuffed squash that I'd read through.  I browned 1/2 pound of ground turkey sausage and added in garlic and onion, Worcestershire and salt and pepper.  I mixed that with some cooked brown rice and piled it into the baked squash halves which I'd also sprinkled with salt and pepper.   All of this was topped with mozzarella cheese.  I served it a mayonnaise, lemon juice and garlic drizzle over the top.   This sauce was another component I'd read on someone's recipe and it sounded good.  All in all it's worth having again in the future.

Now it's time I got myself ready to go fetch that littlest boy.

Ha.  Back home far sooner than I'd thought.   No change in schedule today but tomorrow is another story.  We cleared leftovers from the fridge for a quick and easy supper tonight.

Tuesday:  Last night, John asked me if I'd like to go on a picnic.  I'd already checked out my Georgia almanac maps trying to find recreation and state parks near us with little luck.  Now if we'd wanted to go hunting...

However, I mentioned  three places we might go and he nixed all three.  To the internet and offered up three more which he also nixed.  At this point I was beginning to feel he really didn't want to go on a picnic at all.  However I gave it one more shot and offered up three more.  Nope.   Then he backed up and said "Well maybe we'll do Veteran's."

So last night when I was having trouble drifting off to sleep, I planned our menu.  I tossed around several ideas but I recalled we have the roast chicken in the fridge  from our weekend meal plan.  I had just bought grapes and John really likes a grape 'salad' from a sandwich shop.   I'd actually found the recipe yesterday.  That would be a good accompaniment.  And then I thought of tomato and cucumber sandwiches...and chocolate chip cookies. I had chocolate chip cookie dough in the freezer.  Having planned that out I was able to slip off to sleep.

I confess I woke with a start this morning because I recalled that the previous week when I'd ordered checks, I'd clicked on a popup that said I'd qualified for free shipping on my order.  What that popup didn't say was if I clicked on it I'd automatically enroll in a rewards program which would then charge me $15/month after the first 30 days!  Well I'd tried immediately to cancel but my order wasn't showing in the system yet so I was instructed to call back.  Then there was Friday night drama, the weekend and Monday night drama and I never thought of the need to cancel that 'membership'.  Well I thought of it this morning and while I had to wait until afternoon to call due to our plans, I got it all cancelled.  Said the young man to whom I spoke, "Yeah...it's best to just never click on any popup on our site."  No kidding!

This morning we got up a little bit early.  No fear.  John never manages to leave the house prior to10:30 or 11am.  Up early only means I had plenty of time to do all the things before we left house.  I put together our lunch and rued, as I knew I would, not purchasing the cute melamine plates and bowls I saw at the dollar store...I may have to go back.  I cleaned and put things away and showered and dressed and made up and finally John got ready to start getting ready.  That's usually the way things work. 

 I made the grape salad and took the chocolate chip cookie dough from the freezer to scoop out portions and I baked in the toaster oven.  I made just one tomato sandwich.  To keep the bread from getting soggy, I didn't salt the tomatoes and I spread butter on the bread first then mayo so the juices from the tomato didn't make the bread soggy.   I made one cucumber sandwich and I cut both sandwiches in half.

And I also made lemonade.  I carried my larger yeti thermos filled with ice.

I'd checked the weather app to see if rain was coming in and it said 2pm.  I figured by then we'd be ready to head back.  Ha.  We started hitting little rain showers about half way through the trip and once we got to the picnic area the wind picked up and thunder rumbled.  Since it was a week day we were able to go to the picnic shelter which is usually reserved for groups.   I'm glad we had it because the clouds sent down rain and the breeze blew misty spray over us.  It was 85F when we left home and I think the temperature dropped to 70F.  I thought about our cold chicken and cold grape salad and cold lemonade.  June 9 and here I am wishing for hot soup and coffee!

Later this afternoon, I  thought of my big old fashioned wicker picnic basket that is sitting in the shed.  I mentioned it to John while on the way home from the picnic that I ought to pull my basket out and have it ready to go with table covering and such.  John immediately said "Yes you should!"   So now that we're back in picnic mode and it's such a fun cheap way to get away, I'm going to make it a point to get it out of the shed and clean it up.  And yep, I'm going to try and stock with nice melamine plates and such.   

We had a lovely picnic.  I saw my first Eagles. I thought they weren't bald eagles but after research I discovered that adult bald eagles have brown wings...These certainly look like what we saw!

Nothing to really say about the rest of the day.  It was routine and nothing to it, but our date was definitely a nice one.

Wednesday:   Last Friday I'd noted that there was a flat grassy patch in the corner flower bed.  I hadn't paid much attention to it other than noting that I really needed to weed it.  This morning I went out before coffee...BEFORE coffee y'all!...to tend to that weedy patch.  Well with the rain and humidity that whole flower bed in front of the back porch was growing weeds and they had grown feet high, as in more than 12 inches!  I pulled and pulled and pulled weeds this morning.

It wasn't horribly humid at that time, about 8am, and overcast enough to be fairly cool, as well.  I listened to the Quail calling, Bob-Bob-Bob-White! and hearing the return call from across the field of another Quail.  Maddie wandered slowly down the flower bed with me, keeping me company.  Misty rain began to fall.   Maddie with her heavy fur coat couldn't possibly have felt that rain but she headed to the back porch anyway.   It was quiet and lovely and not a bad way to start a day.   I guess I was outside about 30 minutes this morning and while it wasn't as pleasant as walking the open areas, it does feel good to accomplish a task that obviously needs doing and that most certainly needed doing!

I wish you could see the HUGE blooms on my poor hydrangea. Oh well you can!  Here's a photo:

 I say 'poor' because Maddie keeps breaking bits off it.  Despite her abuses the plant is growing and the most recent blooms are indeed gorgeous and so blue it makes my eyes well with tears.  In the same bed, I have another blue flower which Granny called a Swamp Iris though I can find no image that resembles mine.  The name may be a colloquial one.  I'll share a photo of it.  It is truly a wildflower,  quite pretty and a true blue flower.  As with most wildflowers it has a habit of taking over and spreading profusely.  I like it well enough I dropped several bits down in the holes of my cement blocks meant to keep Maddie from digging up the house foundation (argh!  that dog!!) and they are growing well.  However just loads of them are coming up in the flower bed as well.

After my weeding session, I came in and went straight to the front porch to feed Maddie and Misu.  I haven't seen Rufus at all today.  He's sort of a community dog.  He spends time with Bess and most especially River and then he comes here to spend time with Misu and then other days he's off in the neighborhood consorting with someone else's pet.   So this morning I just fed Misu and Maddie.

After breakfast and Bible study,  I went to work on the bill box and writing out tithes, etc.  It took a little while.  I had to adjust our budget.  I had to order checks this month.  That's a goodly sum even through a discounted carrier.  And then I discovered that I had spent every penny of my grocery budget.  And here I haven't bought eggs at all nor turkey sausage and a few other things we'd normally buy.  I'd also ordered cat food, yeast and coffee online.  That had to be accounted for as well.  I got it all sorted out eventually but it took some fidgety work.

I decided that rain or not, it was high time to mop that kitchen and when I do the kitchen I do all the other hard floors in the house as well.  I couldn't believe how much sandy dirt I got up off the floors just in sweeping.   John loves to ask "Did the boys track all that in?"  Well no, they haven't even visited this week.    I'm afraid that we are the culprits and even though I sweep the floors daily (didn't yesterday though), when we have rain and walk across the yard even in taking our shoes off at the door, we bring it in. 

John went out to work in the yard when I started picking up rugs and moving furniture.  He doesn't care to be around when I'm in one of my working moods, lol.  I always start my floor work in the same way.   I make a tall glass of iced water and set it on the dining table, then I start clearing the floors and sweeping.  Why start with the iced water?  Because by the time I'm done mopping I am hot and thirsty!  And there is nothing more frustrating than realizing that the kitchen floor is wet and the glasses are all in the kitchen.   Today I vacuumed under the fridge and stove and dishwasher, as well.   I don't even want to tell you how dirty that mop water was when I was done but the floors got cleaned and the house smelled good.  And that glass of iced water tasted mighty good, too.

I sat down long enough to cool off and read through email then got up to start putting rugs and chairs back in place.  I went to dump the mop water and found John on the back porch looking wiped out.  He'd done a load of cutting of limbs along the upper part of the back yard and gotten overheated.  I fetched him a Gatorade and sat with him while he drank it.  It was plenty warm and heavily humid by that time, about 12 noon.   Once he was able to put away his tools and come inside I started on lunch prep.

This was a new recipe and I had to alter it slightly because I needed it to make less but also because I didn't have all the ingredients on hand but I knew that what I did have would work well.   I was going to share the link and I will, but in reading the recipe through I realize I basically made up my own...I completely left out several ingredients which I did have on hand!  So click on that recipe to see it but I'll just tell you how I made it this time, since it was pretty good.  So here's the salad I made.  As I said I cut down on amounts so I wouldn't have a huge amount of leftovers.  

I took an 8.8 ounce packet of shelf stable dried cheese tortellini (Priano from Aldi.  It's really good) and boiled it.  Then rinsed with cold water to cool it off and left it to drain.  I cut up cucumber, tomato, onion and bologna, which I typically don't have on hand but we'd bought a half pound and I knew we'd never eat it all before it went bad.  I sprinkled  some Parmesan cheese over the tortellini and then added the above ingredients and then dressed it with Italian dressing.   It was pretty good, if not the salad I'd meant to make.  I guess that's what I get for not looking up the recipe and trying to make it!  I think you could substitute chicken or ham for the bologna.  I don't typically have luncheon meat in the house.  Our deli bologna this week was our treat item

Left a bit early this afternoon  so I could run to the next town and do banking before I picked up Caleb.  I also dropped off outgoing mail.    Just before I left home, John asked, "What's for supper?"  You know there are days I almost hate those words.   I know full well we have to eat and I do have plans but then I fail to remember that I have plans and do the early work (thawing, prepping, etc.).   Well we'd bought the frozen beef patties from Aldi and I said "We'll have burgers."  I took out two and set on a plate to thaw and covered with another plate.  They were just beginning to be thawed when I got back.

Now I' can see a lovely glow through the window blinds and I think I'm about to slip out on the back porch and watch the sun go down.  Goodnight friends!

Thursday:  We were very upset with ourselves last night as it was 8pm and we realized we'd missed our Wednesday evening church service.  We usually watch it live stream.  This week they began airing at 6:30.   Fortunately we were able to go back to YouTube and watch it after the fact.  There are things to love about today's technology!   

One thing the pastor mentioned caught my attention hard, because it's a change I've been conscious I need to make.    I'll be doubly aware now and making a harder effort than ever.  It's one thing to have your own conscience convicting you of something and another to have a reminder from God through a pastor's mouth that it would be a worthy change to make.

I had a tough night with a lot of anxiety.  I do know what's causing it and I can tell you as well that obsessively focusing on this source has created a huge turmoil within me to the point of tummy aches, upset tummy, general weepiness and an almost continual ongoing mental argument with the person responsible.   My coffee chat focus this week was my own efforts to remove what I could of the extraneous anxiety factors so that I might hopefully calm the one concern that is ever ongoing.  Well last night I found myself so angry I shook and the very pit of my stomach was on fire with my anger.  I have been trying to fight this thing on my own and it isn't working.  Prayer honestly seems to heighten the fight instead of calming it as one would think.  I am at a loss.  And so again, I ask for your prayers.

I stumbled from bed rather late and John took one look at me and left me alone to my coffee.  I picked up my Bible first thing this morning, after I got my coffee.  There are days when you're just longing for a word but none comes to you.  I read steadily through the chapters I've laid out for myself but I didn't come away with any answers, although I did feel a little more peaceful.  I made breakfast, put it in the oven and went back to my chair with a hot cup of tea and that's when John came in to chat this morning and I told him all my thoughts, internal arguments, a horrid memory that reminds me of the current situation and more.  Twenty minutes of my going on and on.  

I'd planned to go out today.  Well, I knew I was in no fit state to go anywhere today so I made the bed, dressed to work about the house and then cleared up the kitchen, living room and dining area and fed the pets.  Then I stood in the kitchen and contemplated the day.  I thought about picking blackberries again even though I know the season is almost past.  I came very close to NOT going out to do that but God spoke to me then..."The blackberries are seasonal..."  Well that's truth!  I know that this is the end of the season and at best I'm going to get mere handfuls each time I go outdoors but once they are gone there won't even be handfuls.

So I grabbed up my bucket and off I went.

Now I know you might say "Really?  God said that to you?"   I believe he did.  And what's more he set my brain in motion.  There are any number of things we can stay busy doing.  And there are all sorts of things we can miss because we're caught up so hard in things that seem to be of more importance than  say going out to pick the tail end of the  blackberries.  But I think we all need to ask ourselves at times,  "Is this seasonal?  Am I passing up a  short term opportunity for something that is going to go on and on?"   I mean, let's face it.  I need to clean porch railings but those darn railings are not going to get up and go anywhere!  Nor are the dishes and round of meals and laundry and cleaning ever going to stop.  But some things are temporary and they ought to be enjoyed right now while the season is here.     Let the same be said of grandchildren.  There are days I put off having the boys here because I'm caught up in my 'I need to do..." tasks that are never going to end.  But those boys won't always want to spend time with us.  This is a season that is ripe for the taking right now.  

And there are other seasons that I know will come to an end.  Right now the problem that is eating me up is just a season and maybe it is full of angst and anger and hurt but it's a season.  It too will end.  It's just one of those long lasting seasons that drags on and on.  But they all end.

Maddie went with me to pick berries.  She nosed in around rabbit trails and I must say as a blackberry hunter she is quite good.  She has a knack of getting into spots where there are heavy black beauties hanging from those thorny vines.  She encouraged me to push through some rabbit trails to reach some big lovely berries.  I still only got just about a cup overall but I reckon I can pick again on Saturday morning and possibly Monday morning and get a few more to add to my little stash.

When I got through picking, I saw John coming outdoors so I gathered all the branches he'd cut into one big pile for easy pickup and then I weeded several more spots about trees and in flower beds, etc.  I guess I spent a good two hours outdoors, but it was nice.  I got sweaty and hot but I didn't feel drained and just when I'd think I'd had enough a cool breeze would blow and cool me down a bit.  I did realize I was getting carried away when I started under the big sweet gum at the back corner of the house and I made myself walk away.  That is a more than one morning sort of job and here it was about noon.

There was absolutely no point in cleaning porch rails since John was planning to mow and so much dust and grass comes up on the porches when he does.  I came right on indoors and looked at my to do list which included sorting out the fridge.  It needed it.  I sat there a few minutes more and remembered I was going to get my picnic basket from the shed.  

I found the basket easily.  I was a good bit surprised to find how heavy it was when I started to lift it down.  Inside I found I had enameled plates and bowls and cups, wicker paper plate holders, some plastic plates that look like white paper plates.   I also have a nice set of cutlery in the basket and a vintage table cloth and cute gingham napkins!  Gracious all I need for a complete picnic set is a couple of glasses and I'd be fine with acrylic ones at that.  It doesn't bother me to bring home dishes to wash after a picnic by the way.  I find a real plate is bound to stay on the table when the wind blows.

 Next I started on the fridge.   I found peaches, squash, a cut lime, a portion of a grapefruit, celery and carrot sticks that John had given up eating.   There was one throwaway item, a jar of blue cheese dressing that was store bought.  Since I'd made my own at the end of May, I've no idea how old that jar was.  There was only about 1/4 inch remaining in the bottom of it so not a great waste.   I pared the peaches and put those, the celery and carrots, the lime in the freezer, peeled the grapefruit and ate it, and cut up the squash to cook.  

I also made pimento cheese with a partial jar of pimento and the last bits of the garlic mayo I'd made up for our Stuffed Acorn Squash for supper the other night.

Then I made sandwiches for lunch and put John's in the fridge and made a tuna casserole for our supper tonight.  No tuna casserole wasn't on the menu but there were multiple partial bags of chips in the cabinet and I'd saved them saying we'd have tuna casserole but never got round to it.   Now I've gotten round to it.

After all that I showered and refreshed myself, and took John a cold drink and then watered plants outdoors and blew off porches and patio and honestly I think that is quite enough for one day, don't you?  Me, too!  My supper is ready to go into the toaster oven and all I need do is pick up Caleb from nursery.

I don't recall if I ever showed off my front porch or not.  I'd meant to show photos in a coffee chat that never got published.  This is just one side of the porch.  The other has two more pink chairs set at angles with little navy blue stools next to them for a cup of tea or coffee or a small child to perch upon.

Friday:  So here we are nearly done with Friday.  I have been busy today yet again.   I had meant to start weeding under the Sweet Gum tree but my knee hurt and felt stiff and I know well enough going out to weed would mean a week of limping about no matter how much I rested it over the weekend.

The bananas we'd bought the other day were quite ripe.  The ones in the bag didn't have sugar spots yet, but I could tell they'd softened up, so I set three aside and we used one for our breakfast.  I kept it simple this morning, just making peanut butter toast from my homemade bread.

The bread was a week old today and I knew it would only get drier and drier.  I took the grater and grated it into crumbs.  I spread them on a cookie sheet and set them on the top of the stove to let them dry.

After breakfast I unloaded the big load of dishes I'd washed yesterday and put those away.  I reloaded with last night's few dishes and then put all the dishes from the picnic basket into the dishwasher as well.  With the dishes I added as the morning went on, I pretty much refilled that dishwasher.

I made banana chocolate chips muffins.  This is a favorite of ours of late.  I told John later I realized I'd completely forgotten to add an egg to the batter.  It doesn't seem to have affected the batter much.  

I started a loaf of bread in the bread machine.  Then I mixed up a chocolate cake mix (expired in April, bought on sale in January) and while the layers rose a wee bit less than usual the cake turned out very tender and nice.   I frosted it with a chocolate butter cream frosting.

I'd planned to have leftover tuna casserole for dinner today, since I have to be out late this evening but John was less than enthusiastic.  I offered to make the fancy overpriced hot dogs that he wanted to buy at Publix.  I'm not keen on a sandwich for lunch and a sandwich for supper but some days it isn't worth the struggle to stick to my plan. 

I washed a load of placemats, dishcloths, tablecloths, napkins this morning and hung all to dry on the line.  

Well it's nearly time to go pick up Caleb so I'll end this week's post here.   Remember I'm taking a couple of weeks off.  It will be a busy weekend for us here.  I'll keep Caleb while Katie goes to get Taylor and then we'll go to Josh's birthday party.  On Sunday we'll go to church and keep Caleb while Katie takes Taylor back and then stops off to pick up a few groceries.  I have a feeling Monday will feel like a rest break.

Share what you've done this week to save or highlights of your week.