The Week Ahead: Cookie Drop

 

Friday evening we were sitting here thinking about our stash of leftovers and the possibilities for supper when someone knocked on the door.   I went to the door to find Bess with a container of yogurt whey which was lovely.  I had bread in the bread machine and thought after I got it all mixed up that I ought to have used the last of the whey in the fridge but then it occurred to me that might be pretty old at this point...And having Bess drop off whey was a sure reminder that I ought to rid myself of the last batch.  Like myself, Bess makes yogurt about once a month and it had surely been a month since she last made it!

But even nicer than the whey was the baggie of Halloween Oreos with orange colored stuff in the middle.  Just enough for two to share.  Not enough to cause a deep sense of regret.  Perfect!  Now tell me anything lovelier than having a cookie drop at your very door.  And terrific timing.  It prompted us to go ahead and eat our supper so we could have dessert after.

Work:  

Not a bit of October planning got done last week.  No nor the week before either.   Here's hoping this coming week I can at least make a start at it all.  October is half over...It's now or never!

I did work in my Zone 2 and dusted deeply but no to clearing the two cabinets I'd thought I'd also touch.  

Now on to the week ahead.  It is Zone 3 and for me that is the bedrooms and baths.  Guess who's guest room is looking a bit messy?  Er hmmm...I've been culling the shirts from my at home drawer which will be great for rags but must be cut up or I'll only keep wearing them.  I have all that new material to recover the chair and ottoman piled on the sewing table.  The pack n play is up and blocking one whole side of the room.  There's a bookcase in that room that could use a good deep dusting, but thankfully a good deal smaller than those in the living room.

As for our room, we have nearly all wooden pieces of furniture, all old pieces and it's time to polish those.   My part of the closet is a bit messy as well.   

This would also be a good week to move all the excess things in my closet and the guest room to the shed and put them away properly

And in the bathrooms, well a good hard cleaning from top to bottom won't do a bit of harm if there's time to be had to do that task.  

As for other work to be done, I need to plan how I'm going to deal with  plants that are outdoors that I want to keep over winter.  I haven't room for all of them in the house. 

 I also need to research how to go about making the Poinsettias turn color once more.  They are so lovely and healthy.  I was worried I wouldn't be able to tell the red ones from the golden ones but I've discovered the stems of the leaves are red and gold accordingly.

Kitchen and Meals:

I really would like to make bagels this week and sort out the freezer to see if I might fit biscuits in anywhere if I make up a double batch.  And there's bread for Shabbat, and for eating.  I'm going to push the homemade bread a little bit harder this week to stretch out the store bought stuff.  

It's also time to start making dessert at home and stop buying packaged goods.  I find that when we have a good homemade dessert, in which I control the sugar and the other ingredients, we often eat far less and are more deeply satisfied.

I'd like to make up a batch or two of cookie dough for the freezer.  It's always nice to have cookie dough ready to bake

Beef and Broccoli, Rice, Mandarins

Italian Chicken Sausage Tray Bake

Mac and Cheese, Green Beans, Sliced Tomatoes

Alpine Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Peas

Cottage Pie, Pear Salad

Brunswick Stew, Cornbread

Hamburgers, Oven Fries

Leisure: 

 

Finished reading Little House in the Big Woods this morning.  Next up is a book that got buried in my magazine basket next to my chair, E. M. Delafield's Diary of a Provincial Lady.

I have a stack of October magazines by my chair as well.  I'm going to try to read one each day.  I don't read every article.  I do read some stories and articles if they appeal to me at I go through the magazines each month.

I worked on my Genealogy notes and timelines at the same time today.  It occurred to me that I could, as I entered notes on each relative's page, also do a timeline for them as well.  I worked for about two hours this morning, but I assure you it doesn't feel like work.  It's like slipping through a time portal and visiting on the other side, every bit as soothing as reading.

And I listened to this playlist and plan to continue to listen to it this week.   Nice vintage autumn music, very relaxing.

Porch sitting, reading, music, immersing myself in autumn.  Lovely way to spend my leisure time.