The Week Ahead: Last Dance with October

 

Well here we are my dears...The last week of October.    It's been a very lovely month here on my hill and I've no complaints.   I've thoroughly enjoyed it.  The flowers have outdone themselves, the lawn is beautifully green courtesy of morning dews and not knee high thanks to low rain and change of season.   

For all that I've been busy-ish this month, it's been well paced and not hectic.  That's meant there's been enough time for family visits and for John and I to just be alone with one another, too.  So a well balanced month of accomplishments and free time, quiet moments and errands, new experiences and savoring the season.  

Balanced is definitely the way to go!  I've felt so relaxed and easy and anything new that popped up was greeted without panic or anxiety.  I think part of this is because I allowed myself to rest.  If I slept late of a morning, then it was fine.  I just made it a point to get up and accomplishment what I could.  I took time out to do things I wanted to do and I really guarded against my OCD habit of thinking that all the things must get done right now or I'd failed.   There's a girl by the name of Kimmy, who has a vlog called She's In Her Apron and one thing I've noted is her motto, "Progress Over Perfection".  I don't have to do it all and do it perfectly.  I just need to make some progress.  Result:  I've probably accomplished more this month than I've done in many months past now.  

I could dance my way through the rest of this month, I feel so light...and isn't that a lovely way to end a month?  Here's a lovely video and bit of music to listen to as we wish this month a very gentle farewell.

Work:  

Zone 4:  Porches, Patio, Shed

I said I'd start scraping the back porch this month but I've done no such thing thus far.  Perhaps I'll start it this week...I've certainly no other zone work that must be attended to other than putting a few things into the shed.  I'll have to talk to John about buying paint next pay period.  But first, scraping.  One must always start at the beginning.

I was trying to think if we had any engagements or upcoming events for the week ahead and I think we are free all week long.  The month doesn't end until Saturday, but I'll probably work on our checkbook and bill box this week and make sure that we are in sync.

Bagel, bagel, bagel.  I'd really like to get bagels made this week.  I never pushed back at last week and forced the time to get this task done.  I'll also try to do a batch of biscuits for the freezer and maybe even start some early holiday prep with things already on hand?  We shall see.

The freezer needs to be defrosted and better organized overall.   It's a good time also to clean the fridge, since we won't be shopping for more groceries for at least another week and possibly longer.

I want to return to doing a Gathering Fragments post.  There are a few items in the pantry, a few in the freezers, a few in the fridge, a few in the cupboards...So there's opportunity to get those posts running once more and I'd really like to go back to doing them.

I've jelly making fruits that I could cook up to make juice for jelly.  It occurred to me this past week that I might freeze fruit juice in the same way that I do broth.   It's not any less bulky than the fruit but I don't expect it's going to make that much juice anyway.  I've got sugar and Sure jell but I'd like to get paraffin to top the jelly before I make it.  If I can manage that this week, I may go ahead and make jelly.  We'll see.  

I won't use the newly purchased glass jars for jelly, but will use repurposed baby food jars, etc.  I realized last week that if there's paraffin atop the jars, I won't need to use sealing lids on them but just a lid that will protect them overall and therefore many of my repurposed jars that don't use standard Ball jar lids will work just great.  

And finally, I must really get busy and do all that planning I'd meant to do this October !  I haven't done a thing even though John's asked twice about holidays and family visits and I've put him off both times.  So I really must get busy if even John is thinking of holidays!  Done, at least the preliminary lists.  I still need to discuss some of them with John and others in the family but for the most part this task is done.

For quiet work, there's the Pre-Algebra book to be finished up...I've been very slow to take that back up again and I don't really know why because I was doing so well with my exercises.  

And the recipe notebook hasn't been touched at all.  Yet again this week I had to dig through books to find a recipe, even though the most often used are bookmarked, it's still trial and error in choosing the right book.  Having it in my notebook would be a big help.

Meals:  

BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Pizza (lunch) and a Variety of Leftovers (supper)

Gramma's Fried Chicken, Potato Logs, Coleslaw and maybe mac n cheese for the littlest boy

Chicken Enchiladas Verde, Refried Beans, Mexican Rice, Pico De Gallo 

Grilled Steaks, Baked Potatoes and Salad

Mac and Cheese, Garlicy Green Beans,  Sliced Tomatoes

Tuna Cakes, Oven Fries, Salad with Thousand Island Dressing

Sirloin Patties with Pan Braised Mushrooms and Onions, Wild Rice, Salad

Leisure:

Work on Genealogy again.  Small bites.

Pull out November vintage magazines.

Start a new book.  I think I'll start The Ghost and Mrs. Muir next and possibly begin reading Adler's An Everlasting Meal.

If the gnats will let me be, I'll spend some time on the porch each day...which might also incentivize me to get scraping...  Our days are meant to be fairly warm so I may try coffee in the mornings...But first I'll have to feed the dogs and cat or the cat will complain until I give up, lol.

And maybe I'll take a few minutes to go into town and poke about the flea market.  I have an idea about a piece of furniture and if it's still there I might try negotiating for it.  We'll see...On the one hand I can't really afford it just at the moment but on the other hand it would kill two birds and fulfill two needs at once so there's always that to consider.