The Week Behind: And Then It Was October

 

Saturday:  I slept in a little this morning, until 8:15.   I stumbled to the kitchen to have coffee and tried to awaken.  I opened the shades and found it very foggy outdoors.  I could tell the humidity was high because the AC was already kicking on and off at that early hour.   I wished for one of those cool mornings Katie and Sam bragged about having earlier in this week.   I peeked at the weather app and it's meant to return by this next weekend.

Katie specially requested Mama's Chicken Soup.  I told her last night I'd no idea how I'd manage as I've no onion or carrot, but it occurred to me about bed time that I do have dehydrated onion flakes and canned carrots.  No, not quite the same but a dandy substitute.  I made broth earlier this month and froze it in quart containers.  Chicken thighs, a variety of seasonings and herbs...I made her soup.  It tasted rather well, but I left out any noodles or rice, leaving it to her to decide if she'd add either one.  

That was started to simmer and then I made French toast for breakfast.  Yes, it was a bigger production breakfast for us than usual...but there are no bagels or biscuits or muffins on hand.  I had brioche loaf left from our trip and that made a lovely French toast.  I had a half loaf of same in the freezer from  earlier in the month, so I took some of that and used up the last of the custard mixture.  I  put six pieces of French Toast in the freezer after our meal.  

I puttered about most of the morning.  It felt as though the house was a disaster area after unpacking and it nagged at me until I got a bit more of our stuff put away.  I didn't do it all at once but a little bit at a time.  Still it's not been exactly a 'restful' rest day.  Never mind.   Now and then a Sabbath ends up being a sort of work day out of necessity.  

We went up to see Josh, Isaac and Millie.  Sweet visit.  Then a ride into town to get Mozzarella for pizza, drop off chicken soup on the front stoop for Katie, and home again to make Pizza.  After that I did stop working and settled to have my afternoon cup of coffee and read.

Katie had requested more cold meds and I happened to have on hand what she needed.   Likely not enough to last her through this illness but enough to buy me a little time in getting to a store.  However, it made me think that I now had nothing on hand for John and I. 

I had initially planned to order pre-packaged cold meds but when I put the items in my cart it said they were out of stock...Well the separate medications were all available. I looked at the packets of cold and flu medications and noted the dosages and medicines included and then ordered each component separately.   

I ordered acetaminophen,  a decongestant, an expectorant and a medication for mucus.  The total cost was about $38...but it's more than enough to keep both John and I in cold meds for the duration for several illnesses.  That's my bit of preparation for the days ahead.  Each medicine alone is worth having on hand for allergies, plain old common cold, etc.  There's nothing 'special' about it and since I have written down the dosage amounts and recommended use of the ready made cold or flu medications,  I know what we should use of each.   

By the way, a 24 pack of pre mixed capsules, which is enough for 3 days for 1 person is about $16.  Given that the average is 10-14 days of cold or flu then you'd probably need a minimal of 3 packets for the worst days of the illness.  With two adults in the house ill, double that $48 to $96. 

I also ordered Thieves Oil in a roller bottle.  I know I could blend this myself but until I can build an essential oils kit of my own, I wanted something I might use right away, as a preventative as well as a help in healing.  

My next stocking up for cold/flu season will be to get some shelf stable pineapple juice.  Pineapple Juice has bromelain which is helpful in soothing lungs.   As well, it's loaded with Vitamin C, has magnesium and potassium which are helpful in fighting off ailments.

Meals:  French Toast, Sausage

Pepperoni Pizza

Chicken Pot Pie, Cranberry Sauce

Sunday:  I've been thinking...

John always stops and listens when I start a sentence with those words.  It means something is about to change.  Well I have been thinking and here's one of my thoughts:

This Sunday morning stripping the bed business before church is hard.  Since we attend early service we're up at 6:15.  Feed the pets, make breakfast, shower, make up and dress and an hour and 15 minutes has passed and we'd better head out the door or be late.  Add in stripping the bed, possibly washing sheets and then hanging clothes to dry and we might leave within 10 minutes of our best time but I'm hot and out of breath from rushing about.  And then when I return home the bed is not made so I feel I ought to tackle that right away.

Two Sundays now I've not had to strip the bed, since we changed it on the Saturday before we left and slept only one night on those sheets.  So this week, we had only 2 nights on the sheets, again no need to change.  I realize that I am knocking myself out for nothing on Sunday mornings.   I don't want to add stripping beds to Monday's list of work.  But I am thinking that Friday might work.  It's not a 'traditional' laundry day so to speak, but I thought how nice it would be to come into Sabbath night knowing the sheets on my bed were fresh and crisp and how very much easier Sunday morning could be made if the sheets were already done. 

We stopped at the grocery this morning after church and bought the few items I deemed we'd want most this week...And John added in a 2 pound carton of strawberries.   I glanced over the sales sheet and added only two cartons of crackers that were on sale.  John has been on a cracker eating jag lately.   I had crackers on hand for months and he never touched them.  I could have bought more but  I remembered that I was not actually buying groceries, sale or not.

I picked up the things Katie required but admit to a slightly worrying thing which may or may not be something.  I was picking up formula  with her WIC coupons but could only fulfill one voucher.  There wasn't enough formula in stock to pick up the rest.   Now this was just one type and one size but it's the only WIC approved product.  That's what made me pause and wonder.  I'll go back later this week, when we're in the area doing our shopping and check another store.  

We dropped off things for Katie.  I had asked them to pack her groceries in a paper bag.   It seemed a good option.  I'm so over tired of  seeing loads of plastic bags on the roadside.   I know that she sometimes has a fire in the fire pit and thought it would be good starter for fires.  What amused me no end was her little video I got when I arrived home of Caleb happily playing with the bag.  John says he'll be easy to shop for come Christmas.

John washed clothes and hung most to dry.

It's been an easy afternoon at home.  I did some housework such as sweeping floors and putting away the things on my dresser which was the last place I stacked them  following our unpacking.    

Meals:  Oatmeal, with toast for John 

Chicken Noodle Soup, Cheese and Crackers  Funny story about the cheese.  It is a specialty cheese I picked up in Publix.  We read all about it once we got back to the condo the other day.  John said today, "You probably chose it for the green rind..."  "Nope.  I went solely with the name.  It sounded foreign, 'Bergenost'.   I just failed to notice it said New York artisan cheese right above that."    This cheese is really good by the way.  It's a semi soft, sharp cheese.   

Mississippi Pot Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Greens   I used a full chuck roast to make this dish today, where I typically use half a chuck roast.  I did half the seasonings on top as I find using full packets as the recipe calls for more than a bit too salty but I did not decrease the Pepperoncini Peppers.   This gave us plenty of leftovers for the week ahead. And I cut the butter in half, as well.   I have heard from multiple sources that the butter is key to the flavor and since this was my first time using it, I'll agree, but I noted that there was a fatty streak in one section of the roast and I deemed a full stick of butter as too much fat.

I realized as I made my roast earlier today that I didn't want to make Roast Beef Hash with the leftovers but would prefer to make Beef Sandwiches with it instead.  I have plenty of roast left to do this with.  

Monday:  Yesterday afternoon I took a nap of about an hour's duration and then last night as we watched TV, I fell asleep again for about an hour or so.  At 9pm I got up and went to bed and slept all night long until nearly 9am this morning.   I hadn't felt overly tired, nor was I aware of being weary but I certainly did not try to fight my body's obvious need of rest.

After supper last night I started a full load of dishes.  I unloaded this morning and put everything away.

I was very slow this morning.  John cooked breakfast since I was so late getting up.  I texted with Bess a bit, did my Bible study for the morning, looked through Instagram...I finally roused myself to get up and get busy.

I did the housework that was required and then stepped out on the back porch and started to clean.  Goodness, just wiping things down and brushing off the dirt was enough to make it all look rather tidy once more.  I contemplated the railings and rafters which do need cleaning and the peeling floor but decided that I'd done enough with the cleaning.  I went indoors to cool off.  We've not been bothered much with the gnats this year but they have come out with an attitude these last couple of days.

I made a lunch of reheated leftovers.

After lunch I did still more work on my bill box/ checkbook.  We've made quite a few purchases of late and I want to stay atop them, not let anything slide and be forgotten.  This is most important in a time when a few more than usual purchases are being made.

I had all sorts of plans for this afternoon.  I started by decorating the mantel for autumn.  I have my first version up now and will need to go sit across the room so I can determine if it's okay.  I rearranged a few things on the bookshelves and put new florals in the vase atop one bookcase.  That looks fine to me at present.  I've decided to take it very slowly with my decorating and give myself time to figure out how I might use a few things.  I had just gone to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee when Chad called asking if I'd run into town to pick up some parts he needed at the auto parts store.  I agreed to do so.  John said he'd go with me since he needed mower gas.

An hour or so of time was spent in town running about doing errands and then we came home again and I thought "Now I can tackle my work..."   Well, no.  I hadn't even sorted out emails before John came in the back door.  The mower had a major problem and he'd walked back from Bess and Sam's.  He looked up various solutions, etc. online.  I thought I'd just start...Ha!

About the time I settled to work, he told me he was headed back over to the other house..."and you need to come with me."   I reluctantly left my work aside one more time and went.  

The bonus of this trip was seeing the children and spending time chatting with Bess.  Sam and John tackled the mower and managed a temporary fix for it.   In the meantime, Bess and I started a task together and I stayed until it was finished then came home.   John declared his work day was done, lol.   I couldn't say the same.  A glance at the clock showed that it was time to get my dinner started.  I'm glad I'd done some of the prep earlier in the afternoon between running from one house to another.

Chatted with Katie as supper cooked and later, after supper,  a drop by visit from Bess was pleasant.  She brought over a fundraiser packet from Josh's school and stayed to have a cup of coffee and some lovely salted caramel fudge I'd planned to share with them anyway.  I sent the rest home with her.  

So that's my Monday.  Not at all the day I'd planned but filled to the fullest with work and family.

Meals:  Eggs and Toast  

Chicken Pot Pie leftovers

  Black Beans, Yellow Rice, Pico de Gallo to top the beans, Pineapple Salad

Tuesday:  Now, at end of day, I gaze out on a golden autumn evening with the greenest grass imaginable.  It's lovely but not at all how the day started out.   

I woke about 2am last night aching all over.  No not the flu.  It was all bones and about 3am the rain finally came in, the pain eased and I drifted off to sleep.  It was still heavy and humid this morning when I went out to feed the pets but two and a half hours later, when we were leaving home, it was chilly and wet.  And the day got wetter and cooler as it went on.  We dropped about 15 degrees in the time  since I'd gotten up this morning.   The heat pump is now set to come on since the temperatures will drop to about 52F tonight.  It is time to pull out my autumn/winter bed spread so that we don't fight over covers at night.

John said last night that he had plans for today which involved leaving the house.  He was vague about where he meant to go but I made up my mind that if he went to the larger town where we usually shop for groceries, I was going to push to go ahead and do our grocery shopping.  He's very much a stickler for waiting until the check has arrived but I know we've plenty of sinking funds that can cover any expenditures until said check arrives and ultimately we save gas and time by not making a third trip in the same week.   Since yesterday was a wasteland of working with everybody's schedule but my own, and today was rapidly turning in that direction, I was determined I'd get something from my own list done.

While John was getting ready, I went through the bin in the guest room and pulled out more autumn decor items and managed to decorate both the dining table and buffet and hang wreaths on the entrance doors.   I'm not doing anything different than I've done in the past for wreaths.  I find I like these quite well still and am really pleased with them so shall continue to use them another year.   I was less happy with the lack of color for the vase I put on the buffet.

I'm pleased with what I managed these past two days with autumn decor.  Not by any means finished or sure of how much will stay as is at present besides the wreaths on the doors.

Well, finally,  off we went with the temperature considerably cooler than we'd started the day and raining,  as well.   I rued the sandals I'd slipped on as we left the house, but there you are.  It is time to put sandals away and bring out my shoes.  Truth told, I have a lot of shoes but I don't...I mean that none of them are comfortable enough to really walk in except two pair.  I made up my mind as we were out today that I will make getting comfortable attractive footwear a main goal this month.  None of this rash buying because it's a good sale or because it's cute.  I want to be able to walk properly and feel comfortable.

We went to the bigger town but not before stopping to pick up some things in our hometown that John needed to make a mower repair and stopping by Katie's to get some needed information about a part Chad needed,  before heading on.  

Oh gracious!  I must pause here to tell you that the sunset sky is amber, and blue, and the leaves of the pecan tree are thin enough now to be silhouetted against the evening sky.  It's very beautiful!

We went to Aldi, my plea to get the grocery shopping over and done while we were in the area seeming reasonable to John, so that was our first stop.  I did rather well this week.  I noted that there was pumpkin in stock on the shelves.   My Aldi is still limiting the number of canned items to 4 of each kind.  I decided today I'd add just 2 of some of those items to my pantry.  John remarked on the wealth of toilet paper today, and it was a sight to behold.  There was enough that toilet paper was on both sides of the paper aisle.  I forgot to check paper towels entirely, but it was good to see toilet paper so fully in stock.

My big stocking up this week was with meats.  Hot dogs, a chuck roast, stew beef, hamburger and whole chickens as well as chicken tenders , General Tso's Chicken and Corn dogs.  I couldn't beat the price on the hamburger at $2.99 a pound.  None of the meat was outrageously priced.  It looked like pricing was back to the level it had been pre-shutdown.  The whole chickens I buy are the Never Any brand and I was a bit taken aback by the price label on the edge of the counter which said they were $7.58 a pound.  However, glancing at the label on the actual birds, revealed that they were priced for $1.49 a pound, again the same price I was accustomed to paying prior to isolation days.   

One thing that is not limited is condensed canned soups.  I bought about 20 cans today of various types.

My total was far less than I'd thought it might be.  I do kind of blame John.  You see, he insists on keeping our shopping bags, including the insulated ones in the buggy, not on the shelf underneath.  This, as I add groceries to the basket, tends to make the buggy appear overly full and I begin to get worried and think, "I need to stop, our buggy is about to overflow..."   I suppose his little trick is as good as any for helping to cut costs, lol.

We went by the bread store to purchase the organic bread brand that I like.  Four loaves and 1 package of burger buns goes for about $13...In the grocery store,  those five items would be nearer $30, and even purchasing the Aldi brand would be about $20, so it's a good savings.

I really wanted to go into Walmart but John assured me he wasn't going anywhere near there.  As it happened, he was within 1/2 a block, but I extracted a promise to go by there on Sunday.  I hope to purchase 5 dozen eggs and larger bags of flour than I can buy at Aldi or elsewhere.  I noted in Kroger today, where I picked up the rest of Katie's WIC formula for the baby, that they had 20# bags of sugar but nothing larger than 10#s for flour.  And by the way, this store had just loads of the formula that is WIC approved.  I wonder why the other store had no stock at all...Another of those oddities that we are becoming more than accustomed to!

It was a long day out as it happened.  We got a sandwich on our way home...which turned out to be scoops of sandwich fillings.  Not sure where that miscommunication came in.  We clearly said we were ordering sandwiches.  Lucky us to have fresh bread as near as the back seat, so I made us a half sandwich each and we ate them on the way home.

How do you feel about eating while you are riding?  I don't like it at all.  In fact, I'd suggested that John pull over and allow me to eat today but he ignored me entirely.  I loathe trying to juggle three or four things and my food, too.  And nine times out of ten, I am expected to dole out his food to him in increments he can handle easily while driving.  I always feel I must rush through eating or wait until he's entirely done and I feel frustrated and tense if I do try to eat as I'm doling out his portions,  which doesn't lead to good digestion.   This doesn't seem to bother him in the least...I mean that he never minds eating while driving and isn't frustrated or prone to indigestion when he's done.  I wonder why?  So how do you feel about it?  

I have divided and put away the meat (15 packets of ground beef of 1/2# each, give or take a few ounces), 2 packets each of stew beef and chuck roast.   I feel we've more than enough meat to see us through the month of October and all of it will be October.  Many of the meals we make will serve us more than once.

I still haven't put away my canned goods but I have added the items going into my pantry to my inventory list.

Supper tonight was an easy meal, Leftovers Makeover type of thing.  

Meals:  Sausage Biscuits (time to make more biscuits for the freezer...Yes and bagels and English muffins and muffins, too);  

Chicken Salad with crackers and then bread.  This was a take away meal and a botched order.  We asked for sandwiches but got scoops of filling instead...I also had tomato soup and John got a grape salad that he saved for supper.  I ate the soup while he was in picking up bread at the day old bread store.  He opened a packet of bread, handed me a slice and said "Please make me a sandwich!" lol 

Pepper 'Steak' sandwiches (using Mississippi Pot roast leftovers), home fries, I had fresh strawberries and John had his grape salad.

Wednesday:  Perhaps it was the obviously cooler weather but  I was up at 6:25am this morning and John was up well before me.  We both agreed that we simply weren't sleepy any longer.

I had one of those days where I could see 19 things that really needed my attention and I started all 19 at some point without finishing even one, just going in circles from one task back to another and then starting a new one.  I wore myself out!

Here's what I ended up getting done:  I brought in some of the houseplants that have summered outdoors.   I also tended to the orchids, trimming dead root ends and repotting the baby plant which is living but struggling to stay alive. I watered and pruned plants where necessary, etc.  Just general care and upkeep.

I cleaned off the front porch.  This included more plant work, this time corralling all the plants that I will be shifting indoors when nights are cold and taking back out again on nicer days.  I swept the porch and wiped things off.  I just remembered I never got my front storm door cleaned!  I'll try to remember to do that tomorrow morning.

I laid out my new tops and photographed them with pants and accessories for a fall wardrobe blog post and got the post mostly written out.  I need to do some more work on this but I should have it up next week with any luck.

I cleaned the kitchen, my desk, the countertops and back entry bench.  This sounds simple enough but took well over an hour and a half to attend to. 

I finished decorating the living room for the first pass, only because I've run out of things to use.  I have an issue with my mantle.  I've been trying to fix it with various things in the house but so far, no good.  I'll have to go back to the shed to see what else I might have I could use.  I would love to add some touches to the bedroom, bath, and kitchen but again, the issue is lack of items to work with. But I've made a hard start at it and it's all getting tweaked regularly.

I changed out our bed cover for our cool weather covering.  I washed and hung out the summer coverlet to dry.   And then I changed out the living room cushions to the needlepoint and tapestry that I put away in the summer.  It looks so nice and cozy to have it back in the living room once more.  I put out the throws, as well.  John and other family  often use these to wrap up in when it's cool.

I  cleared out the Fall florals bin from the shed and threw away what was just trash.  I packed it full again with things going back out to the shed for easy transport but it's all summer things that must be put in a different bin.

I made lunch and supper, put together some leftovers that I have an idea about how I'll use  them for a weekend meal, and washed a full load of dishes in the dishwasher and did a few by hand.  

I worked on writing out checks due here in the next week or so.  I totted up the checkbook.  

And so it went on and on all day long.  My feet ached, my legs ached, my hips ached, lol.  I told John at lunch that I was going to sit down and do nothing more but then told him six jobs off the top of my head I hadn't done: put away canned things in the pantry, bring in clothes from the line, prep supper, and other things I can't recall.  He went out to mow Sam's yard and I did all six of those tasks  and some more, too, even though I was aching all over.  It amazes me that I walked blocks and blocks in St. Augustine without any noticeable soreness of ankles or knees at all but here I've only been on my feet in my own home and I can barely tolerate standing on them!

I wished mightily I had something easy and ready made for supper tonight but I didn't.  I compromised and used frozen chicken tenders to make our dinner tonight.  As it happens John told me he much prefers when I made this particular meal with the ready made tenders.  Well all righty then!  That worked out very nicely, didn't it?

Meals:  John made Fried Egg Sandwiches, and gave me both a Mandarin and a glass of Orange juice.  It was delicious, but I was curious why all that much Vitamin C.   

I had black beans and rice leftovers and John had a sandwich left from last night.

Chicken Parmigiana, Spaghetti, Green Salad, Garlic Toast   This was a little gathering of fragments here: I used up some leftover tomato sauce that I'd opened to make Pizza with on Saturday and I pulled some Asiago from the freezer to grate over the dish since I had no Parmesan on hand.

Thursday:  I slept pretty well last night considering that I hurt so much despite liberal use of topical and internal pain relievers.  Shame on me for continuing to work long after aching feet had warned me that I'd already overdone it, yesterday.   No need of complaining to anyone about it either, as no one but myself was to blame. 

I was just done with coffee and about to eat my breakfast  this morning when Bess texted that Millie wanted to know what time to come over.  We had planned this day all week long.   I had only a small handful of chores to attend to and then I sat on the back porch and waited for Isaac to arrive.  He was allowed to walk all by himself to our house.  Well, he ran...I think he was a little scared on his own because at one point, though there's a wide clear path big enough for two vehicles to go down side by side, it's out of sight of both their home and mine and I would think it's a little daunting for a 3 year old who is accustomed to having a big brother holding his hand as they come here together.

We had a lovely day with baby Millie, Isaac and Bess.   I rocked Millie to sleep at one point and Bess said that was the first time she'd ever allowed anyone to rock her to sleep.  She much prefers to be put down in the bed or swing and left alone to drift off.  I guess if you don't know that's the preference then you might get a Gramma pass for soothing her with rocking, huh?

Isaac is such a joy.  We don't get to see how much of a joy he truly is,  as his personality is a little bit eclipsed by Josh's very exuberant and outgoing nature.  But left alone, Isaac's humor and overall sweetness gets to shine and it's so fun to see his personality.  That little boy ate something from the moment he walked through my back door until after lunch when his Mama assured him he'd had quite enough and could wait until afternoon snack when Josh got home.  And when Josh thanked him for coming today, Isaac replied, "No problem!" lol

Millie too is now at a stage where personality is coming through.  She talked constantly today, fussed at Bess for fussing at Isaac, chatted at Grampa, etc.   It was fun to watch her play on her own.  She's at the roll all over the floor stage but determination gets her places she might not otherwise and she is determined!

The nicest thing is that Bess and I got to spend time together talking.  It's something I've missed and I really enjoyed getting that one on one time with her.   I'm glad that she has the time to make time for me.  We grasshopper from one subject to another and each triggers still another subject but at the end of the day it's just a nice neighborly sort of visit with the bonus of grandbabies to hug and love.

After they went home this afternoon, I finished my bits of housework and put things away.  I'm pleased that Bess always helps put away toys that Isaac has gotten out.  Isaac isn't quite as good at clearing things away as Josh, but Josh has always preferred a neater room.  

I started supper.  It was not on the menu exactly...but it's similar to what I'd planned to have one day this week.  I had just put supper in the oven and sat down when John came in from mowing.  Supper finished up while he showered off the dust from the yard.  We've had several showers of rain in the past two weeks, and heavy dews each morning but he really was coated in dust.

Meals:  Cereal, Peanut Butter toast, Banana

Hot Dog, Chips, Soda, Strawberries

Tamale Pie, Pineapple Banana Salad

The Tamale Pie was made as written in the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (c. 1976, I think) only I halved the recipe except I made a cornbread batter to go on top rather than cornmeal mush, which I've noted is typically used.  It is a great recipe, not too spicy nor too bland, so perfect for a slightly later supper.  I noted that the recipe says it is for a 9 inch pan and I don't know how they managed that because halved it filled a 9 inch pan!  We will have this for a second meal over the weekend.

Finally, just before we ate tonight, Katie sent a photo that was both sweet and funny.

Little boy is wearing out his pajamas these days.   That toe peeking through the foot of his pajama makes my heart swell.

He's feeling pretty good, by the way...

And if you look closely at the 'toys' inside his play area, some were given to him by the cat who feels it is his duty to make sure the tiny hooman is entertained.  Katie has to monitor and assess every item in there several times a day as the cat drops things in all throughout the day.

Friday:  If there is a theme to this week it is that nothing, no day, will go to plan.   Last night as we lay in bed, about to say our prayers, I complained once more about my aching back/knee/ankles and told John, "Tomorrow, at least I don't have a lot to do.  I mean to make bread, sweep the kitchen,  and strip and wash the beds and that should be about all that is necessary at home.  Then I'm going out to run errands and mail off bills and make a deposit."  John said, "I'm going to do that load of clothes in the basket and then go outside and work on the mower deck."  Ha. Ha ha.  John didn't make it out the backdoor today until 3:30.   I only remembered the mail and deposit just after the bank closed today and honestly am too weary to go into town to even drop mail into the outgoing mail box.  It can wait until Sunday.  And the deposit too can wait.  I'm tired!

So the day started out well enough.   I sat and had my coffee, then made a rather messy batch of apple pancakes.  No clue why they were so messy but they were.  And when I went to open the can of Spam, the top ring popped off and I had to struggle to open it with a rotary can opener.  I was disappointed in my pancakes, though they were tender, but they crumbled a lot.  

After stacking dishes in the sink, I had a shower, then removed nail polish from my toes and then had John help me turn our mattress head to foot.  We've been sleeping on it in the same position now for a couple of years or so and I felt it needed to be switched around.  John has a bad habit of sitting on his side of the bed for long periods of time and I am trying to discourage him from that but may have to move to outright nagging, as well as hoping he will sleep better if the mattress is turned.  We'll see.  I had already stripped the bed and so I took time to make it up fresh right then. 

I noted as I'd pulled out my clothes that the house clothes drawer was a big mess.  I had to remove everything to even find a pair of pants to wear this morning.  I dumped all the clothes from the drawer onto the freshly made bed.  I had to stop to form my dough into loaves and decided to make a batch of cinnamon rolls from a third of it while I was at it.  I set that to rise and went off to finish sorting the drawer.

I was just putting the sheets and towels on  to wash when John mentioned "Oh!  You've already cut off the dryer." "No....it wasn't running."  I checked the clothes which felt partially dry but were definitely still damp.  I turned it on again and then sat down to do Bible study in the kitchen sitting area.  John came in and said "Oh it's off again..." about the dryer and he turned it on and about 3 minutes later it went off once more.  Our dryer is only 24 years old (!) and aside from the timer going out on it, it's been a super good one.   I personally contemplated telling John to just skip pulling it out and we'd look for a new one this weekend, but silly me, because you know he's pretty sure it can be fixed. 

Looking up the reasons why a dryer might quit, led us to pull it out from the cramped laundry closet opening.  The closet itself is plenty big enough for our washer and dryer but the opening truly needs to be about 10 inches wider.     Moving the dryer out meant removing the accumulated mess of shopping bags and shoes at the back entry wall, and shifting the bench into the kitchen and in general just creating chaos.

John got the dryer out and while he was off gathering tools, I got took the vacuum out and vacuumed well, making sure to use the hose to get into any openings, etc., then going on to do the laundry closet floor itself and last, going out to the back porch and removing the covering where the vent pipe runs and vacuuming that, as well.  The washer had run through it's full cycle so I took the wet clothes from there and put them on the freezer.

John came back into the kitchen, and took the back off the dryer.  We vacuumed and dusted every single area we could even remotely begin to see.  I fetched tools, flashlights, etc. at his command.   Satisfied that all was clean, he put the back plate back on, slid the dryer partially back into place, shortened the dryer vent hose which was far too long and then plugged in the dryer.  He turned it on once again.  It ran about three minutes and quit.

Now all this business took upwards of 2 hours...and when we were done, there were clothes to hang on the line including what was in the dryer, and the disaster that was previously a fairly neat kitchen save the dishes in the sink was pretty epic.   I spent the next hour working pretty darned hard.  By this point I'd been on my feet for the better part of four hours so I forced myself to lie down on the guest room bed (no way was I about to mess up my own freshly made bed!) which is a bit more firm than our own with my feet propped on pillows.  When you know you've got a big mess to deal with, even if your feet and back are already protesting lying down and resting is really hard to do!  I made myself stay there for five minutes and while it likely wasn't nearly long enough, it was enough to ease the aches and pains and let me continue on.   About 1:15, John asked what was for lunch and I told him what I had left to do as well as what I thought we'd have.  He pitched in and helped me finish up housework and I made lunch and started tonight's dinner which needed to cook slow.

After lunch, I folded a big load of clothes, brought in more dry clothes and folded those and thanked John nicely for hanging out a third load (a quilt that Millie might have wet yesterday while lying down).   He also vacuumed the living room and dining area.  

I puttered a little more with decorating...Still haven't got the mantle right, am not terribly happy now with the table across the room and am seriously rethinking the vase on the buffet...Put away the clothes, did the dishes (loading into dishwasher and handwashing) and finally settled into my chair to proof this post.  That was an hour and a half ago!  

This whole week has been full of unexpected things that took us out of our own plans, some good and some not so great.   John did get the mower up and running again and mowed two lawns this week.  The dryer may need a fuse or a thermostat and John finally remembered that it is 24 years old and is thinking we might get a new one, but then again, we agree, we could live without it now that it's just the two of us.  Truly we do use the clothesline most often.  Still when you've had rain for weeks on end, a dryer is pretty nice to have...So who knows?  It's not a life or death decision just something we can take time determining.   

Meals:  Apple Pancakes, Pan Fried Turkey Spam

Hot Dog, Nacho Chips, Cinnamon Roll

Corned Beef with potatoes, Carrots, and a wee bit of Cabbage.  I might make cornbread muffins.  Maybe.

So that's our week...How was yours?