I think we've all been waiting with bated breath for 2020 to come to an end and we're very nearly there now. I can't say that for us it's been a particularly horrible nor particularly good year. It's been different, a kind of different I don't necessarily want to repeat whatever the lessons were this year. Just before John's actual retirement date we started spending a lot of time at home, more than we ever had. Add to that his actual retirement, the 'big' event of the year, getting accustomed to being paid once a month and slightly less than when he worked, family in and family unable to visit and homeschooling and....Well, it was never a stable year, really and I'm glad it's coming to an end. Agreed?
I felt very much that I needed the time off this past week. Thanksgiving was tedious for part of the day and a pleasure for part of the day. Then on Friday, I felt emotionally wrung out with all the news Amie had to share. I'd thought I'd decorate for Christmas but all I had heart to do was to exchange last year's wreaths for this year's fall wreaths.
But ideas will surface even when tired if my mind isn't occupied with work. I began to make plans for 2021...Now there's optimism!
Work:
Zone 1: Kitchen, back entry and laundry No job in particular stands out. After all I spent a goodly portion of the previous month wiping out cabinets, courtesy of the ants. I think I'll just look for the obvious tasks and if none present themselves I'll do a good general cleaning and wiping down.
Christmas decorating. I don't have to finish it all this week. I just want to do something each day if only one thing.
Balance the check register, write out some bills due around the first of the month, and just generally get an idea of where we are after this month of spending.
Plan for a possible family Christmas day. Menu, gifts, etc.
Birthday cards and Christmas cards sent out.
Go pay our property tax.
Plan a grocery shop next week. Plan Christmas baking so I can add the necessary things to my shopping list. Plan the month's meals so I will have what I need on hand to prepare those, including family day, Christmas and New Year's Day meals. Yes. All that.
Plan my 2021 Budget.
Write out my goals for 2021.
All the usual day to day chores and routine work.
Kitchen:
I'm starting this week's menus off with what we had on Friday and over the weekend. Most everything on my menu is on hand except the chicken thighs I hope to purchase this next week. We'll see. Some of the menus are repeats from last week that I didn't use.
Sausage and Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash, Salad with Red Cabbage, Apple, celery and Lettuce, Green Peas
Pot Roast with Cherries, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Poultry Rice Soup, Homemade Apple Cobbler
Steak, Baked Potato, Salad, Rolls
Goulash, Green Salad, Crusty Bread, Applesauce
Black Beans, Yellow Rice, Orange, Olive and Onion Salad
Chicken Thighs, Sweet Potato Patties, Green Peas
Mac n Cheese, Salad, Steamed Broccoli
Leisure:
After taking time off, I feel rather shy about suggesting I'll need leisure time in the week but I know that I shall because I can't work all of the time.
I hope to finish Adler's book An Everlasting Feast. I've also begun reading Gladys Taber's Country Chronicle.
On December 1, I will begin an Advent reading. I have three to choose from immediately and may find another as I troll about online.
Plan for 2021. I like planning and making lists and it's fun to me to do them, so onto leisure list that goes as well as...
...Decorate a little each day for Christmas.
Do some family research. Amie gave me details on a relative of hers that I'd been trying to trace and I hope to find that information.
4 comments:
What books are you reading for advent? (I am looking)
Saryn
Hello! So good to catch up with how your family day went. I love your descriptions of all the events of the day and I am so glad it went well. We spent Thanksgiving with our daughter and her family. She had a baby girl on November 19th so we really enjoyed meeting our new granddaughter and spending time with our other grandkids. They live about 300+ miles away from where we live but fortunately the snow was minimal for our trip. Today is last day of November! I have lots of lists to get ready for Christmas starting with putting away my Autumn decor. Thank you for the banana and pineapple bread recipe. It sounds delicious. Blessings, Shirley
Saryn, I haven't chosen one yet, but I do have Irrational Season by Madeline L'Engle, as well as one called The Star offered by our church a few years ago.
Shirley, Congratulations on that grandbaby. I was wondering if she had come yet!
Terri, I love planning and making lists.
Can you talk a bit on how you plan your budget for the next year.
P.S. Loved hearing about your family Thanksgiving. As you looked out the window at the grand kids playing, your wish of providing a day of memories, just like your grandma gave to you, came true.
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