The Week Ahead: Spring In the Air?

Here's our kitchen this week.  The floor pattern is probably a familiar one to you all by now.  It came in different color waves but sometimes, the same pattern was used over again with a different accent color pulled from it.

First input on this design is that the floor looks mighty scuffed up.  That's just my opinion, of course, but it reminds me that when we were having our home built and were looking at vinyl floor options one that was offered to me had tiny little gray marks on each tile square.  I remember telling the young woman at the time "Good grief, no!  I'll spend all my days trying to get those marks up off the floor thinking we'd scuffed it with our shoes!"    

Well, I'll take it back.  It doesn't look scuffed it looks as though it's terribly worn and it's not a look I much admire.  I think the black border only helps promote that but will admit it's a nice contrast to that pale soft green used about the room.

Note the wall to the left and the wall space above that black backsplash at the sink: also tile.  And so is the counter top and back splash tile.   The stripe border about the top of the wall and between the patterned floor and the black border is a nice bright touch.  It appears to be a red orange, yellow, green  and deep blue.  It's a nice compliment to the pale green, too.    Look really closely...the ceiling is done in a pale blue.   There's a touch of the unexpected!

What intrigued me about this kitchen?  I certainly didn't pick it so I'd have something to criticize.  No indeed!  I like that snug little dining area tucked into what might be a 36" space.  I'm amazed over and over again how much use these designers got from a smallish space.  

The chairs look nice and substantial, not in the least skimpy.  And of course, being the flowery sort of person I am, I really appreciate that window sill filled with geraniums which happen to complement the Roman shade at the window.

The shallow cabinets behind the table on the sink wall appear to have plenty of storage space for dishware.   One more critique though...That stand mixer there on the right of the cabinet...Wouldn't that be heavy to move?   Granted the mixers then were not as heavy as my KitchenAid is today but still unless there is a plug there it doesn't look to be very convenient, does it?  Even with a plug in right behind it, can you imagine squeezing into that spot trying to mix a cake?  Me, either!

Let's flip back around and note that rolling cart that holds the toaster and coffee cups and such.  Nice and convenient that is for the breakfast area and even nicer that you can roll it back out of the way once you're all served.  Only...where do you plug in the toaster?  If it's there on that wall, it's not such a bad spot for it and certainly is nice to have so close by.  One could also plug in an electric coffee pot there, as well, handy for refills.

Note that clock on the wall above the table.  Right where you can keep an eye on time on a hurried morning...I like that!

I like the pale green cabinetry.  Those big round knobs likely gave it a very modern flair at the time, but I'm not a fan.  I'm afraid when it comes to knobs I'm a conservative sort.  

It appears that the kitchen counter runs beyond the stove...In fact it looks like the stove is freestanding on a separate wall with space to get between it and the sink so you can get full use of that counter space.

Next to the stove is another rolling cart, obviously a popular item for these snug kitchens.  We've seen it before.  You'll note that this one holds a chafing dish and some other entertaining piece on the bottom shelf, while the coffee maker is there on the top.

I suspect, too these rolling carts were a stand-in for the old fashioned maid who might have helped serve table once upon a time.  I can just see both these carts being rolled out to the dining room, one filled with coffee and the other with food to be served.  I think that might be handy.

We've no idea where the fridge is located.  I'll wager it's meant to be on the wall where the camera is looking into this room.  If so, then the sink/stove/refrigerator form a neat little triangle which is the hallmark of an efficient kitchen.

No, I can't claim that this is one of my most favorite designs but I can see it has merits.

One more week of February and frankly, I'm already about over it.  Aren't you all?   Our pastor announced in today's service that a rare phenomenon had occurred this week:  We had two sunny days in a row!   We've been blessed to have had only rain to deal with though.   I didn't say last week and was remiss in not doing so, butt I am praying daily for all of you in the areas hit by snowstorms and such, especially in areas such as Texas where you never get snow at all  I know how devastating it can be to us here in Georgia and I've heard first and second hand accounts of the trials so many have suffered this past two weeks.  Once the snow melts a lot of folks are going to have to wait a long while to get water restored due to burst pipes and damaged ceilings and floors, etc.   So my prayers won't stop any time soon.

We've four more weeks until Spring arrives but as a token of hope, I heard the geese winging their way northward this afternoon as I hung our sheets and towels on the line to take advantage of the 'rare' sunshine and slightly warmer southern breeze outdoors.  

We're due a rainy day tomorrow and then the rest of the week is meant to be slightly warmer and sunny again.  I'm ready to start seeing daffodils or grape hyacinths or something blooming but the trees in the swamp have only just begun to bud into their first layer of winter blooms so I expect we've a few weeks to go, first.

Work:

Erhm....We'll just skip any discussion of what I was meant to do last week, ok?   Fact is when it's cold and gray and pouring down rain and I'm not feeling in top form, then the order of the day seems to be coffee in the morning and light housework and lunch and an afternoon of reading and nap and supper and then bed.   I tracked down not feeling well to a new supplement the doctor recommended.  It does cut back on the anxiety as he said it might but the side effect I've experienced isn't pleasant.  For right now, I've cut it out entirely.  I may try adding in again later in more limited supply.

Anyway, sunshine has made me happy, as has finding I do feel better with out the supplement.   And I want to be outdoors doing stuff.   I may trek over to Katie's this week and start loading up the border pieces.  No, I haven't done a blessed thing towards clearing out flower beds but I'm just ready to get out and do anything that might make it feel as though there's a hope of spring.  And I guess neatening up a flower bed or dumping dismal looking pots of soil that might be reused would be a good place to start.  As will cleaning and clearing porches of winter debris that tends to collect.

There are things I shall have to break down and replace/purchase this year.  The galvanized buckets have rusted through the bottoms.   The dogs have ruined the chair cushions.  I never got around to making the existing flower beds pretty last year and this year I'm determined to make them cute once more.  That means seeking out some pieces to use as junk art, gathering seeds and contemplating plants (those must wait however...it is still cold!).   Mulch too must be gotten and used liberally.  And the best time to start is now before pollen season begins.

Obviously I won't get all of this done this week but you can see, I'm ready for spring!   It so happens that this week is Zone 4 which is porches and patio, so I'll just pour myself out onto those areas and make notes of what I must get and then figure out how to accomplish it all on my budget.

It's time to think of March and what my goals might be for the month.

And that's about all the plans I mean to make this week.  There's plenty of routine housekeeping to be done so I'm sure I can fill up my time in between sessions outdoors.

   

Kitchen:

True confession time?  Venison as the only red meat is beginning to pall just a bit.  When I found a half pound packet of ground beef while doing the freezer inventory this past week I snatched it up to cook right away.  After all, it's for sure been in the freezer since at least October and I figured it was time to use it up.  Gracious but it tasted good though!

Mind you, we've 31 pounds of ground venison in the freezer so I'll not be rushing out to buy ground beef, but we might just pick some up next month and mix it up a bit with what we've got of venison.  I'm so grateful for those two deer and glad we had them in the freezer.  For my money, next year, I'll do sausage and ground.  I might do cubed steaks and I don't mind tenderloins and backstraps but I could care less about the roasts.   

It's my intention to go through my fridge tomorrow morning, but I do know there are kidney beans, venison sausage (last pack for sure),  2 boneless skinless chicken thighs and a cooked chicken breast in the fridge at the moment.   There are apples on the kitchen counter that John's ignoring because one has a slight bruised spot and one is slightly wrinkled and so he ignores them all.  I've a box of expired foods in the kitchen to use up including an Angel food cake mix (just one month out so no worries).   I have powdered milk to use up.  I thought I'd mix and pop in the fridge to use for baking and oatmeal and such this week.   I have a box of expired orange gelatin that I think would be yummy with sliced peaches (also expired) tossed in.   And then there are a few remaining items in the back pantry: another box of powdered milk, a pound of spaghetti (not terribly worried about that item), some cannellini beans.   Obviously this week is all about using expired things.   Let's see what we can do with what's on hand.

I'm leading out with Saturday's meal and what we had for lunch today but from Monday through Friday, it's my hopes we use up some of these other items I've mentioned.

Hamburger and Pepperoni Pizza  We were having supper out last night (Turkish food and it was soooo delicious!) so I just added my vegetables to the pizza (tomato, onion, mushroom) and cooked it all together.

Chicken Tenders, Mac n Cheese, Sliced Tomatoes Tenders were from last weekends GFC dinner.   We didn't need them so I left them in the freezer.   John was eyeing fried chicken today and I promised him tenders once we got home.  He immediately grabbed up a container of deli mac n cheese 'to go with it' he said.  Truth told he was buying something he wanted because he'd already picked up strawberries for me...

And by the way, our budget was blown today by this last grocery store visit.  On the way home today, I made up my mind that I'll not only do all in my power to avoid another visit, but we'll eat every blessed thing that is expired or about to expire before I set foot back in the store and I might just make myself do a pantry challenge next month and try to recoup these past two months of budget overages in the grocery department!

3 Bean Stew, Cornbread,  Pineapple Salad  The kidney beans (from the freezer), black beans, and cannellini beans will simmer with some smoked turkey wings I froze from our smoked turkey breast.  I think that will make a delicious stew with canned tomatoes, onion and seasonings.   The can of Pineapple is also expired...

Chicken Korma, Brown Rice, Orange Gelatin with Peaches, Naan  I'll use the thighs in the bottled Korma sauce, along with onions, part of that giant zucchini in the fridge and some frozen bell peppers.  I might even toss in a can of chick peas which will probably net us two meals off this one dish.   The brown rice is also an expired item.

Shepherd's Pie, Fruit Salad, Minute Rolls aka Mayonnaise Muffins  Fruit salad meet apples that have fallen out of favor...I might try a Waldorf Salad if they are firm enough to stand up to a salad on their own.  Otherwise, I'll add in some canned peach slices, diced strawberries and bananas.

Spaghetti a la Diable, Steamed Broccoli, Garlic Bread  Angel food cake with lemon curd and whipped cream  This will nicely use up the chicken breast, the last mushrooms, the last zucchini and half a box of the expired spaghetti.  Lemon curd is also expired.

Corned Beef, Cabbage, Carrots and Potatoes, Soda Bread  I'm pretty sure I have a can of expired corned beef in the cabinet in my box of expired goods.  

If I can make it through this week as planned, I'll consider it a good make up week for a portion of my excess spending...I shouldn't need milk. I have both the powdered to use up and the shelf stable which I can pop into the fridge and if needed, I'll make bread or give John a portion of my allowance to buy his Killer Dave bread at the outlet store.  I can do this!

Leisure:

I've read far less than I'd planned this month.  I have four books by my chair that I've not touched at all and a fifth that I've read only chapter 1.   And then there are my vintage magazines.  So far, I've read one.  One!

  

I love to read.  I get a load of enjoyment from it.  So why do I put it off in favor of doing something stupid like spending hours on a computer game?   I'm going to sincerely try to limit my online time after I've read mail and done my blog work for the day.  I'll set a limit on the time I spend watching vlogs in the evenings, too.  

I've not missed much being off Facebook.  I go on Facebook only on Sunday morning to check in at church because it's tied to charitable giving, but otherwise, I've stayed away...and I don't miss it!   But yes, to reading MORE and being on computer LESS.

I'm longing to work on the genealogy notebooks once more.  I've done myself an injustice.  I stashed all the notebooks away out of sight and that means I hesitate to pull them out to work with, so I'm going to try to make room on the bottom shelf of the bookshelf and see if I don't find it more 'convenient' to pull them out to work at each week.

How many times have I mentioned 'hand sewing' or embroidery?  Too doggone many and not touched a bit of it!  I did find my yo yo bag the other day, the one that has my circles ready cut and waiting to be sewn into yo yos.   So I'll try to work on that for at least a half hour each day.  I think it would be very soothing to just sit and hand sew for a few minutes each day.

And good music...That's something else I really need to hear daily.  I find myself too often listening in on John's tv programs.  Time to give myself mood music when I'm doing Bible Study or working at a task indoors or out.