Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Birthday Week Bang!

 

Saturday:  John and Millie had their birthdays yesterday.   Today is mine.  Next week we have Amie and Isaac's.  Other February  birthdays were also held by my middle brother and Great Grandmother.   I have a cousin I haven't seen in years but I recall her birthday was exactly 2 days behind mine.   I'm sure there are many more, as this sort of thing does tend to run in a family.  I wonder why?

John was gone to a men's conference early this morning, but not before wishing me a happy birthday and giving me a funny sort of 'pretty' gift.  I've often said that of all our paper cash options the Ben Franklin  is the prettiest for design and color.  So that's what he gave me.  I've tucked it away and will keep it for months before I even think of spending it.  I'll give lots of thought to what I might get.

I requested, and then we bought, a new bird feeder.  We hung it yesterday and I noted proudly this morning that the birds had already discovered it.  John assures me it is far out of the reach of the UPS truck I feared might smack it where it was.  Now I'm planning where I shall put the next feeder I buy.  I am thoroughly enjoying watching the birds.

I've also ordered TWO new to me books.  I typically allow myself only one new book per month but this being my birthday month I felt I could splurge and get two.  Now to resist the other ten that are calling out to me to order.

This morning as I sat in the living room, I watched Cardinals squabble (just the males, the females were busy eating), Northern Flickers pecked about on the ground (they are woodpeckers but ground feeders), a plump Mockingbird observed all from the bird bath, a Blue Jay was pecking away at the suet block and finches lined up all at one time to eat seeds at the pecan tree feeder.   I'm glad they are enjoying their feast.

As I sat here watching the birds, the cat yowled at the door....I was not in the mood to go see why she might be yowling.  In my experience, that often proves to be something I most assuredly regret having done as she will turn loose mouse, chipmunk, skink, lizard or snake and let them go right at my feet inside the house.  No thank you!  The birthday thought was deeply appreciated, though.

I've enjoyed my time alone and the creative juice that refused to flow yesterday poured out this morning.  I've got up one post and finished another ready to publish at days' end.  I've been in the kitchen and though I hadn't planned meals I came up with a new pizza for our dinner today which I'm anxiously awaiting John to come home so I might put it into the oven.  It's a Buffalo Chicken pizza.  I rolled out my crust, put hot sauce and butter on as sauce, chopped some smoked turkey over top of that, and then topped with cream cheese dibs and blue cheese crumbles and finally with Mozzarella...Fingers crossed it turns out as well as I hope it does.

I've heard from all my family except the oldest son.  Katie called last night while John was out and we talked for 45 minutes.  She ended her call with "Happy Birthday"...she knew it wasn't my birthday yet but it is her goal each year to be the first of my children to wish me well for the coming year even if it means she is hours early, lol.  And yes, she was first to say it!

I shall spend the rest of my afternoon continuing to view pages related to Hazel Dell Brown...I'm so fascinated and plan on looking to see if any of her rooms are featured in the vintage magazines by my chair.  I think I shall also take up Tamar Adler's book An Everlasting Meal to look for more frugal ideas in the kitchen.   

Katie, Chad and Caleb are supposed to come by this afternoon.  Chad is bringing some of the border pieces from their yard for mine.   I haven't seen Caleb in two weeks and I miss that little boy!   Katie says he's now screeching...Josh did the same thing.   We just reminded him to use his inside voice.

later:  That little boy is not only walking more often than not right now, he is climbing as well...Goodness gracious he's just started walking and now he's climbing?!  He was busy the whole time he was here.  I like to just sit and watch him.  He's changed so in such a short time.  Barely past one year old and already he looks like a proper toddler boy.  

Katie and I sat on the back porch.   It was so cold!  And raining, which I'm not complaining over.  It rains every February and I accept that as fact.  In fact, I worry more if we're not getting rain.  But back to sitting on the back porch.   There was no sun today and no need for my being there except she'd stepped outdoors for a moment and I wanted to go out as well.  I put on John's jacket and boy am I glad I did.  I'd taken my hot cup of coffee out with me and sat cupping it in my hands and sipping it.   It was much appreciated at that moment.

Simple supper tonight.   Again, no plans made for meals this week, just flying by the seat of my pants.

Meals:  Bagels, cream Cheese for John, Peanut butter and banana for me

Buffalo Chicken Pizza with Blue Cheese

Hamburger Gravy over Toast 

You can tell I don't really worry about balance on a Saturday.  Today I wanted to keep things as simple as I could.  I had frozen pizza dough in the freezer and the pizza was made and then waited on John to come in to bake.    Chad mentioned making Sausage Gravy for supper one night last week and I thought Hamburger Gravy would hit the spot today.  I used half the packet of ground venison I set out to thaw this morning.

Sunday:  I hate to be awakened mid-dream, especially when in the dream I am angry and the issue that caused my anger is unresolved.  No kidding, those sorts of dreams leave you with a residue that no coffee or hot shower or even church service can quite remove.  Fortunately for me, the sun shone upon us and the air warmed and that chased away the spell left upon me by the dream.   But I know it wasn't just sun and warm air.  It was all those things together which served to cure me.

We walked the long round out of church this week and I was weary by the time we got to the car.  John always parks almost at the very end of any parking lot we go into and church is no exception.  He offered to drive around and pick me up but honestly I feel like such a cotton wool wrapped baby when he does that.  Pride is a funny thing isn't it?  It pops out in all sorts of places.  I paid for mine with an aching hip and being fully out of breath and the fact that I made it didn't lessen my dismay at wondering if perhaps he wasn't half right.

We went by the grocery to get milk and eggs.  I was just winded enough (it's only across the road from the church) still to decline going in and requested he get nothing else but those two items.   If there's any good to come out of this, it's my inability to go into the grocery and find all sorts of lovely random things to run the budget right over the top and spill it down the sides on a Sunday.

Back home I found I wasn't feeling too well.  The usual mild nausea and malaise, I'm learning to recognize now  is a borderline case of dehydration which is brought on by the blood pressure medicine.  I drank a small glass of instant Gatorade and soon felt right side up again.  

The sun came out about noon and it was so beautiful outside.  John went out to cut limbs, a vast ongoing job that he's thankfully taking the small bites method to.   I went to the kitchen and made a Banana Pudding.  I used two egg whites to make my meringue.  I've known many folks who wouldn't touch meringue with a ten foot pole.  I like it quite well.   

One of my earlier memories is of visiting my Grandmother's sister's home.  Aunt Eula Mae made her banana pudding from scratch.   I still remember the lovely meringue on top and the homey old kitchen in her lovely old home.   I was so engrossed in watching her that I accidentally swallowed an ice cube which stuck in my throat.  My grandmother had presence of mine to give me warm water to drink which melted the ice immediately.  I haven't thought of Aunt Eula Mae in  years but I can see her as clearly as though she were near me at the moment.

I decided after making the pudding to prep supper.  I'd been looking at cookbooks all afternoon.  Two went into the giveaway pile.  One went to the bookshelf since it was a companion book to an author's works.  And one was filled with tabs of recipes to try soon or of favorite recipes I want to be sure I have in my recipe book.   

As I was looking for supper ideas, I went to my Pinterest board and one recipe I'd pinned was a reminder of a recipe I'd made years ago when I was a working mom.   I was queen of the slow cooker and the all in one pan meal back then, lol.  I could prep a supper, arrange in a pan, wrap it with foil and put in the fridge until I returned home from work.  Then I simply slid the pan into the oven and let it cook while I made a salad and a side and then rested.

This recipe was a similar meal and the idea of using that recipe was very refreshing to me.  I pulled a variety of items from the fridge to use.  

After getting supper ready to put in the oven, I headed outdoors with a cup of coffee in hand.  I pulled my chair down to the sunny end of the porch and turned my face into the sun and sighed deeply.   Honestly I think that moment each day is one I look forward to the most.  I indulge in coffee and if I'm hungry a snack of some sort, but more often than not just the coffee.  Usually it's a signal to my mind and body that I'm nearing the end of the day.   It generally happens about 3:30 but I'm not a stickler for being exactly on time.  Whenever I reach a natural stopping point, I make my cup of coffee and sit down to really enjoy it.

John finished his work and came to sit with me for a few minutes.   Then he went off to do another job and I headed back indoors to finish work.   I do feel refreshed after my break time in the afternoons.

Meals:  Pancakes, Chicken Sausages

Chicken Noodle Soup (from Expired Bin doctored up with onion and garlic and a bit of tomato chicken broth...John raved over this simple meal.)

Southwestern Chicken and Rice  This was loaded with fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and brown rice in addition to the chicken.

Monday:  I stripped the bed this morning and started that load of laundry and then I made us breakfast and fed the pets.   I'd just hung the laundry out to dry when John called out that he was ready to leave.  He'd been called for jury duty this week and went off to do his duty.  I waved him off and returned inside.  I stood there a moment and wondered at the fact that for weeks and weeks now I've not been on my own at all, but here I'd alone time three times in four days.   A girl could go right back to being used to this!

Why does a day alone seem so much more full of possibilities than one spent in constant company with someone?  The truth told, I do exactly what I'd do if John were here all the time, as he is now.  I have learned that what we do in our household follows a routine so familiar it's almost ritualistic in nature.    I quickly enumerated a half dozen jobs I needed to do today and then I sat down at the computer and had a nice little Coffee Chat.  Isn't that just our way?  Confronted with full freedom to do what we might, we'll choose to settle in and read a chapter of a book or work a puzzle and then tackle the work later in a frenzy of haste because we allowed ourselves freedom to do something else for just a bit.

As I typed away, the motion of the sheets on the line finally caught my eye and I realized that they had gotten fully dry.  The breeze was rather stiff today and I didn't want to leave the sheets and towels to be yanked and jerked about by the wind.  I brought the laundry indoors and then headed into the bedroom to remake the bed with my other set of sheets.  I found the bottom sheet I was about to use had blown elastic all the way about it.   Honestly if sheets don't tear, they are prone to this malady next.  Having just put a new fitted sheet in my Target shopping cart last week (I must remember to get it ordered!), I wasn't inclined to put another in with it.  

I took this one right to the sewing room and put new elastic in at the corners only. This method works well enough. Once upon a time fitted sheets only had elastic at the corner edges.  Before that, they were merely sewn at the ends and you slipped it over the mattress like a slipcover for the top of the mattress, similar to my ottoman cover.   As I worked I contemplated that I might have turned up the side and made a casing to slip new elastic into as well.  I prefer the corners only method only because it uses less elastic overall.  This hold the corners of the mattress snugly enough that I was satisfied when I put it on the bed.   At least I've extended the life of that sheet for a little longer.

The whole while I was making the bed, Rufus was barking his head off in a panic.  He tends to do this when John is gone from home.  The burden he feels in watching over the house is portrayed in his tendency to lay his head back and bark frantically at any leaf that moves or the slightest sound traffic on the highway across the fields might make.  I'm not saying he never barks when John is home but he tends to be less hasty in his need to raise the hackles on the back of his neck.  He did it Friday night and Saturday morning and he's done it all this morning as well.  I think the only reason he's quiet here at noon is that he's exhausted himself and needed to nap if off.

When he didn't bark this morning...Well that was exactly when someone came to make a delivery and it was the sound of the package being set heavily down on the back porch that alerted me that anyone was in the yard.   I'm not sure I truly feel safe with his guardianship,  but he is in earnest and loyal.

I puttered about the house and then made myself settle before the fridge to clean and sort it out.   I discovered a few fragments to add to my long list of expired items.  Tomato sauce (two containers, why?), the end amount in a ketchup bottle, a pickle jar with five pickle slices in it and another full that had been opened.  I combined those two...There were two bell peppers which I apparently had also cut open, even though I used two others that I'd found cut yesterday.   A single serving of salad which I set aside for my lunch today and 1/4 head of cabbage that I know I really ought to use.  Three more bell peppers which made me determine I really ought to cut them all up and freeze them for future use.  A bottle of cane syrup that has turned into sugar.  The dregs of a bottle of juice that looked unappetizing and quickly got tossed. 1 1/2 bananas and a half cup or so of applesauce.  It's amazing that I can go through my fridge twice a week and still find these sorts of things that were somehow missed in the last pass.

So I sat down and planned meals for the next three days.   I made a bowl of coleslaw for supper tonight and mixed up homemade barbecue sauce to make Barbecue cups for the same meal.   I brought out the peppers to chop and freeze and the bananas and applesauce to bake into banana bread.

Which reminds me of a tip I'd heard and tried and wanted to share with you all.   I'd read that once bananas are at the just right ripeness to put them in the fridge.  The vlogger said the peels may turn black (mine didn't but they did brown) but the ripening process is slowed and you'll get a longer life from your bananas.  I used three yesterday in banana pudding and only had these two left.  I bought them Sunday was a week ago and they are still quite firm and only just have gone ripe to the point.

And for a quick second tip, when Katie wants banana nut bread and the bananas are still green...She pops them in the microwave and softens them right up.  Her recipe always turns out very well and she seldom has truly ripe bananas to put into hers.

The same vlogger also said that when Avocados are low in price (Aldi had them for 39c each this week) she buys them in bulk and then puts them all right in her fridge.  As she gets ready to use them she removes just what she'll want to use in a day or two's time and allows them then to ripen at room temperature.  She says they hold up well...I'm curious to try this myself, since we seldom buy many avocados because I couldn't use them all at once.  But on the other hand, if you have a bunch of ripe avocados you can freeze them in the freezer.  Bess has been doing this for years and serves them mashed as baby food.  They work well in smoothies and guacamole  as well.

I've just heard from John who was chosen for duty.  He was about to grab a bite to eat in town and asked what I was having.  "Chicken strips on a salad..."  "You always choose something so good when you're alone!"   I laughed and told him, "Leftover salad from Saturday night and the last bits in the bag of frozen chicken tenders we bought last month.   Mostly breading really...You aren't missing anything."  He sounded a lot more cheerful when he told me he was going to go get a hamburger.

As for me, I'm going to head back into the kitchen and finish getting supper prepped.  I expect John's going to be hungry when he comes in tonight and I'd like to have it all ready to just slide into the oven and not take any additional time to prepare.

And then...oh the possibilities that await me!

Meals: Baked Egg Cups, Hash Browns, Toast (Have you ever had a baked egg?   It's not something I make often but I'd rather have a good baked egg than a fried one any day.  I break an egg into a buttered ramekin, put in a bit of cheese, Smoked Gouda this morning, and then top with a little half and half and bake at 400F for about 12 minutes.  It's so good!)

Chicken Strip bits, Leftover Salad

BBQ Muffin Cups, Coleslaw, Home Fries

Tuesday:  I didn't want to get out of bed this morning at all, but I'm pushing myself to be nearer 7:30 and less near 8:30 rising.  Truth told, I sleep far better when I rise earlier and go to bed at the same time each night.  It doesn't always work that way but I am trying hard to follow this routine.   I could hear the rain before I got up this morning though, and really you must ask what is there to rise for if it's pouring rain?  Especially in February.

I got up and puttered about the kitchen.  I'd made breakfast preparations yesterday when I was preparing our supper.   John was on his way home about the time I slipped things into the oven and I was right in guessing he'd be hungry when he arrived.  So breakfast was prepped and all I had to do was slide it into the oven and sip my coffee.  That works very well for me!

Before breakfast was on the table, Bess texted to ask if she and the two littles could come spend the day with us.  I had made no hard and fast plans anyway and I certainly did not mind having company.   I had time to do a bit of work before they arrived and started something for lunch.   

We had a nice long chatty visit today.   Millie eventually took a nap but she wasn't particularly happy about being here nor about napping in a strange place.  We are semi-strangers to her because the boys come here and she stays home with Daddy or Mommy.   Millie has the most worried look on her face when Bess comes here because she's convinced her mama is going to disappear.  Heaven help us if Bess goes to the rest room!   But she finally got accustomed to the house enough that she happily crawled from kitchen to the toys in the living room and back again.  

It was a nice long visit.  We had a pleasant day and they went home about an hour after Josh got in from school.   Bess wanted him to have time to visit with us, too.   

Once Josh was here, Isaac suddenly needed me to go into the bathroom with him.  He pointed to the spot where he wanted me to stand and said "Stay!"  I explained to him that I was busy doing something for Josh.  "But....But Mama can do it!  She knows how to make stuff!"   That tickled me no end.  As it happened Mama was doing a manicure at my desk and had wet nails, lol.  Poor Isaac.  He had to go to the bathroom all alone.

I sent them home again in between rain showers and wondered what on earth to do for our supper tonight.  I have no menu and have made few plans this week.   I settled on something easy and simple.

Now it's raining all over again.  But you know what?  I didn't notice that rain all day long today.  I was too busy visiting with Bess and the children and that's not a bad way to spend a rainy February day.

Meals:  Biscuits with Sausage The cane syrup turned back into syrup sitting at room temperature.  I haven't had a biscuit with cane syrup in the longest time and it sure brought back memories of Granny's.  Cane patch Cane syrup was the ONLY syrup that ever came to her table.  She used to buy big tins with the inset lids that you could lift off and put back on.  She kept a glass syrup pitcher and it stayed on the table, ready to serve that lovely rich syrup.

Soft Tacos with all the fixings I've been making my own Ranch dressing here of late and I really like it quite well.   I don't use a recipe.  Just toss in anything green and a bit of onion and garlic powder, mayonnaise, sour cream and milk.  It doesn't keep as long as commercial but the taste is so good there's little danger it will have a chance to spoil before we've eaten it all.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Chips

Wednesday:   The alarm went off this morning and I snuggled in closer to John.  We stayed there about 15 minutes.  Honestly, it's not often I invite his warmth.  I stay plenty warm enough on my own and it's a rare thing to be cool enough to want to snuggle and find it comforting.   He knows this and simply snuggled with me.  

I got up and jumped in the shower and he made the bed.   I came into the kitchen and found my coffee set up and the kettle on for tea...Honestly this man is so keen to show his love through service and aren't I lucky that it's just the love language that speaks most deeply to my soul?    He came in later, while I was having coffee and made us a simple breakfast.  I directed him to the leftovers to use and he happily incorporated them into our meal.

Payday for us.  I started working on bills and this month's budget immediately after breakfast.  I knew Sam was coming to do his zoom classes, but I was surprised when he came in with Millie in his arms.  Apparently last night was a very rough night in the household across the field.  Isaac had complained of a tummy ache yesterday afternoon and he was sick in the night.  Millie spent hours crying.   Bess starts a new job today and was already stressed before the painfully long night.  So Millie came to Gramma's with Daddy this morning.  Had we had plans it wouldn't have been a problem.  Sam is a very hands on parent and would have worked in the living room.   Millie plays well with the toys we have set out for infants and there's nothing she cares to venture into on her own.  She wants to be in sight of someone.

This morning, she started out sitting in the doorway of the guest room where Sam works when he comes over.  She gradually moved into the living room, within hearing distance of her daddy's classes and played with a box of toys we set out for her there near Grampa.   Eventually she decided to come into the kitchen and played in the basket of plasticware I keep in the little freestanding cabinet.   I worked on my bills the whole while and she played happily, content with just the occasional remark from me.   She's a good work companion.

Bess came over to get her after a couple of hours and took her home. I missed her soft little smile and quiet presence.  Now she's a year old she's not as dependent upon nursing, so I hope I can have her visit more often.

I made up my grocery list, then went through the ads to see if any of the needed items were on sale or there were other good sales.  And then, it was time to think about our lunch.

I've had in mind that I'd make chicken Parmesan for the last two weeks but it's yet to happen.  I didn't have mozzarella and then I didn't have Parmesan.  I made a variation on that today.  A poor variation but it was filling.

I was happy to get in one of the books I ordered this month, The Bird In The Tree by Elizabeth Goudge.  This is the first in the Elliott Family series and the one book I didn't have on my shelf.  I'd bought it in Kindle form but I find that reading for long lengths of time on the Kindle gives me double vision.  Anyone else have that trouble?   I do use a nighttime setting which browns the screen down and I have the blue light glaze on my glasses.  Neither of these factors make the least difference.    I do not have this issue on the computer nor when watching videos or playing games.  Only on the Kindle when reading.

John and I just discussed the plans for the rest of the week.   He has a men's meeting tomorrow night and said he thought we'd skip going to church tonight.  We'll watch that service online.  I told him it's for the best because we do need to go to the grocery tomorrow unless he wants to wait until next week.  So there are two trips to Warner Robins tomorrow...and then on Friday he's going out to lunch with his former work partner who just retired last month.  

I think I'll take advantage of the time he's gone to get meal prep done for the weekend.  We've a birthday party for the two youngest in the house across the field on Saturday and Gramma's fried chicken is wanted for Sunday dinner, so I'll make those sides.  Since it's also Valentine's day I'd like to make a dessert.  I was thinking of a Black Forest Cake, which is something I really love...But then I saw a recipe for truffles that I think would make a good cake.  I have in mind a Chocolate Raspberry cake.  Who doesn't love a cake that is pretty in pink and deep rich chocolate inside?   Yum!  I think that may be the direction I'm going in this time, much as I love Black Forest Cake.

Meals:  Fried Eggs, Toasted Biscuits, 1 pc of leftover Chicken Sausage (I let John eat that)

Cheese Ravioli with a Pesto Tomato sauce, Chicken Nuggets  Had it been just myself for this meal, I'd happily have eaten the ravioli dish. This was such a quick and simple meal to make and one I'll definitely make in the future. I bought the big bags of cheese ravioli on sale as a buy one get one sale in December.   I cooked 2 servings of the  frozen cheese ravioli which was done in 5 minutes.   I  used 1/2 can of leftover tomato sauce, a sprinkle of garlic and onion powders and one frozen basil pesto cube and heated that in the pan with the drained ravioli.  This was quite easy to make, incorporated a bit of my Gathered Fragments, and in my opinion was economical.   I could have bought a can of Cheese Ravioli in sauce for $1 at the Dollar Store, but it wouldn't have been half as good as this and frankly, I think mine still comes in cheaper than theirs!

Smothered Cubed Steak in Onion Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Tomato Slices, Green Beans Dumped the stock from the beans, the leftover gravy and mashed potatoes all into a big jar...Leftover soup will be on the menu for lunch one day with probably a few more additions.

Thursday:  We've had foggy mornings two mornings running and while the sun did peek at us yesterday there's no such thing in the sky shining down upon us today.  It's been a miserable drizzly humid day and doubly frustrating to get just damp enough to feel unpleasant already and need the AC to dry the humid air just a little and then we got chilled.

Fog is bad enough but I had one of those bone sucking nights last night in which bad dreams were the rule rather than the exception and I was cold all night long to boot.  I kept scooting over next to John who kept scooting over away from me.  In between being miserable and waking from a run of nightmares,  I was not a happy girl when I woke this morning.  In fact, since I was alone, John having arisen much earlier,  first thing this morning I sat up on the side of the bed and cried from weariness and stress of the bad dreams.   

Nights like that do leave a residue of misery that is hard to shake.   Top that off with a text from Mama this morning wishing me a Happy Valentine's Day.  I replied that Valentine's Day was Sunday and that got me a super snarky text in return.   I cringe even yet thinking of her reply but wisdom said, "Leave it at that and say nothing more," so I did just that.    

John, too, was not in the best of moods.  I'd offered to go shopping next week, but no he wanted to go today.  However his mood darkened as we were out and he was easily frustrated and just as easily irritated.  

I was in a careful mode today where groceries were concerned.  I wanted to buy a good deal more than I did.  As it was, I've spent my grocery budget and that's that and the things on my list left behind will be managed without quite well.  I'm determined to make no future visits for anything except bread which we didn't buy today and probably lettuce later in the month.   In fact, nothing but the half and half  and the cheese we bought today is meant for use right away, anyway.   All else was stocking up items.

I did pick up a Devil's food cake mix to make the Raspberry cake  for Valentine's Day.  I've got some raspberry jam on hand that I'll use to fill the cake and flavor the butter cream frosting I'll make.    

I've tried making all sorts of recipes for chocolate cake but none have turned out well and for 85c, these generally do so I shall let that be my go to chocolate cake in the future.  I love homemade cakes and I will always make my own yellow cakes but I give up on the chocolate cake front.  They just don't come out well.  I suspect if I used a better quality chocolate they might but I usually have only cocoa on hand anyway and though I do substitute it rightly for the  melted squares called for in most cakes the cakes themselves always have a rather alkaline taste to them that I find palls in a day or so after baking.

We shopped at two grocery stores today.  I wanted to get paper plates.  I confess they are a luxury as far as I'm concerned but it's nice to know I can make a meal now and then and not wash up after.  Everything we bought were items that were on my Aldi list and not available in that store.  

Then I offered to buy lunch if John wanted to pick anything up.  I knew when we were headed to the sandwich shop that he wasn't feeling well.  He'd already said he had a headache, but when he began to complain over the lack of stock on shelves I became a little concerned.  John just doesn't complain over things like I might and to hear him fretting over something that to me was barely noticeable...It said a lot about his general outlook today.

Yes, there were outages of things, it's true but nothing major really was missing and it's nothing at all like the empty shelves we experienced last Spring.   We looked for turkey Spam at Publix and there was none but we're not seeing it anywhere except online and there it is super pricey even before shipping costs are added in.  We're finding it difficult also to find turkey pepperonis.  We had to hunt hard at Publix today and bought the last two packets on the shelf.  Not even the pricier Boars Head Pepperoni was available.

 I did note there was a lot of empty space at Publix on the paper products aisle.  And there were no paper plates at Aldi...Oh yes, we saw the cutest, and I do mean cute!, toilet paper rolls that were about the size of a 15 ounce can in width and in height!   I believe it was the Willow brand at Aldi.  John and I remarked wondering if that is the wave of the toilet paper future.   It's quite a contrast to rolls from the past by the way, those they keep assuring us are TRIPLE sized rolls that look about as big as the ones we used to buy and were already an inch shorter.

But when he started to complain I realized that we'd had words at least three times and while I can and will be an instigator at times, my biggest offense seemed to be agreeing with him, I began to wonder if he was all right...He admitted he had a horrible night as well and that he felt overtired.  Not even eating his lunch helped....Because you see he'd messed up his order.  He'd told me what he wanted and then he ordered two of the same item that he thought I'd like and I really didn't want to ask if he had changed his mind...I'd already upset him over far less!   He was so disappointed when we stopped at the graveyard to eat and offered me half his sandwich and I told, "But you ordered us both the same thing."  Oh dear.  He said he'd so been looking forward to a Pimento Cheese and I hated I'd not spoken up at the time he was ordering, but I truly thought he'd changed his mind.

I'd hoped he would take a nap this afternoon while watching tv but he did not take one.  Perhaps the Men's Group at church tonight will make him feel better.   I'm pretty sure the weather has him aching, too.  I woke with my knees aching in the wee hours last night and my right knee is twinging right now. 

I've just added my shopping figures to the checkbook today and between today's shopping and what came in via online shopping (things like 50 pound bags of dog food and coffee k-cups are much, much cheaper online), I'm not $50 over my monthly budget.   There will be no buying deer sausage this week even if the processor had any.  I will cross my fingers and see if perhaps next month we can buy turkey sausage at the grocer in the next town over.  I'm not holding my breath....I'm not saying there is a turkey shortage but I'm not seeing a lot of turkey products in my area.

One thing that was an absolute splurge today: strawberries  I looked at them at Aldi where they were well priced but they were more green than ripe.  Strawberries do not get any riper once they are picked.  They are what they are until they spoil.    I really wanted to buy strawberries but I won't buy them if they aren't good.  

When we got to Publix, John walked over to a display with a dozen strawberries in a plastic heart shaped box and chose one and put it in the buggy.  I forbade myself to look at the price of them.  They were ripe and lovely and smelled sooooo good.   I knew it was something he wanted me to have.  I was so adamant about not looking at the price that I shredded the register tape as soon as I'd entered the total into my checkbook this evening.   I know full well he never looked at the price either.  I'll admit I'm curious but I won't die of my curiosity, lol.

The only thing I didn't buy today was fresh flowers, which I'd planned to get for myself.  I just didn't see any I particularly liked the looks of that were affordable.  I think perhaps tomorrow, I might run into town and see what Dollar General has.  Katie texted me this evening that they had nice bouquets in store this week, part of their new fresh product line.  If I buy them, they'll come out of pocket. 

Speaking of flowers, I was online looking at options to send Mama for Valentine's Day.  I admittedly haven't ordered flowers in a long while but gracious!! The prices are staggering.   I won't be able to do that for her as I'd hoped to do so on to plan B.

Meals:  Cheese Toast, Deer Sausage  I typically would do just toast but that doesn't last long enough for me to go shopping on.   The additional protein did the trick.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches, I had Artichoke Chicken Soup and John opted for the Grape Salad

Eggplant Parm for my supper from the freezer and glad to get it out and use it up.   There was just enough for one.  Topped it off with strawberries and chocolate.

Friday:  I've had a lovely productive day in my home and I've thoroughly enjoyed myself.   Mind you a lot of what got done today wasn't even on the goals list for the week...In fact, the living room remains largely untouched save straightening daily and vacuuming but it looks well enough that I shall let it stand as is until next month unless I feel compelled to tackle it in the next two weeks.

When I got up this morning, John had planned for cereal for breakfast.  I was pretty sure that was what he'd want.  We have fresh milk on hand and also bought a new box of cereal.   Plus the weather was warmer, all important if one is going to eat cold cereal for breakfast.    I washed a pan of dishes and then started dough rising in the bread machine.  Gave the house a general cleaning and then went back to the kitchen to putter about. 

I went outside briefly to fill the bird feeder (John forbade me to go up the steps at the pecan tree to reach the other, so I had to wait until he was home again this afternoon) and emptied the compost.   

I made the Chocolate Raspberry cake I'd had the idea of making.  The frosting is so yummy.  I filled between the layers with raspberry jam.  About the time the cake was baked the dough was ready to shape and form.  I made a slightly larger loaf than I've been making and had just enough dough left to make four cinnamon rolls.

I menu planned while the bread was baking then made myself lunch.  I ate in my chair in the kitchen sitting area and I was very happy with my simple meal.   

After lunch, I did more dishes, put away the ones I'd washed earlier and then cleaned and cleared the kitchen counters.   The bread was left to cool on a rack.   

I realized today that I hadn't written down my go to butter frosting in my recipe notebook.   I jotted that down and then decided to flip through the Betty Crocker cookbook and see what other recipes I have made and might have missed.  A dozen or so as it happens and I found more that I'd really like to try.  I tagged those with a stick tab so I'll know there's a recipe I'm interested in testing.   I'm not likely to rid myself of this book but I for sure  like to have my favorites in the notebook where I can access them easily.   That notebook is nice and fat and ALL of the recipes in it are tried and true, repeat use recipes.  No more flipping through a half dozen cookbooks looking for that one recipe that had been a proven winner and getting it confused with another that sounds like it but wasn't as good.   

I was working on that project again, when John came in from his lunch out.   We carried off trash and filled the feeder at the pecan tree and put all the grocery bags back into my car trunk so they'll be handy for next shopping (plus I don't have to look at them in the house!).    This morning we noted a red cockaded woodpecker eating suet.  I checked when I filled the feeder and that suet is very nearly gone.  I'll get more while we're out on Sunday.

John and I have just had coffee and cinnamon rolls for our afternoon break.  I'm going to call this post a finished project.   Tell us how your week went!