In My Home This Week: Determined

I think this is an American Steel advert from the 1940s.  I had one of those steel sink cabinets with the porcelain enamel sink in a house that I lived in long ago.  And Grandmother had one that moved from house to house with her.  Hers was pristine, naturally, mine not so much.  But sturdy and durable was one thing these steel cabinets had in common.  Even today, I shouldn't fuss if I had steel cabinets in my own kitchen, especially one of those sink cabinets!

If I love a yellow kitchen, I also love a red, white and blue one where the red is the more subdued accent color.  This one is particularly charming with the big picture window and built in wall cupboards at the end of the room where the dining table is situated.

The kitchen itself is set up almost as a galley kitchen.  I shall hazard a guess that there is a wall behind the stove and cabinets here to the right of the kitchen view.  It's a neat little kitchen and appears perfectly functional.  And there's a lot of storage in a small work space.

Two things I've discovered over these months of sharing  vintage kitchens is that what I admire most of all is the clean counter tops and the combination of a space for eating as well as kitchen work space.  I've considered more than once getting a small table and chair set for the breakfast area of my own kitchen.  I've not done it because John insists he'd only take over the table and he prefers limited space to make into his drop zone.  Since he's taken over the bench meant for putting on shoes at the back entry  and the top of the little cabinet next to the freezer, I'm sure he knows just what he's talking about, so I'll bow to him on that score.

But I can see that there are things I might incorporate in my own kitchen that would make me happier.  Namely trying to reduce the counter clutter.   

I've been thinking a lot about our planned work in the kitchen.  I can't yet buy the hutch I want but it's a fact that I've got to figure out where to reduce items so that what's in those upper cabinets can fit into the thing.  And that means I need to cull hard really think about what we're keeping in them and why.  Some items can move to the pantry. Oh yes, I am thinking!  If I can't start where I want to I can most assuredly start at the beginning.  

In my home this week:

I am determined that this week shall be more productive than last.

That this week, my attitude will be well and truly adjusted.

That I shall do my utmost to avoid waste and make good use of what is at hand.

That I shall not lower anyone else's spirits because I don't control my own when they want to spiral downward.

To enjoy my home and family.

And that's my declaration for this week!!

Work:

Start to clean porch railings.  I keep putting this on my list and then ignoring it if it's hot outdoors or rainy.  Both weathers are fine for this task and I know that the pay off is the porch rails will look so much nicer without any further effort put forth.

Trim back the other roses.  These are all the antique ones that I have and while there's only four bushes it feels like a lot more because two of them grow a LOT in summer.  I can't imagine how they'd take over if I didn't trim them back two or three times a year.  I'd like to try and root some cuttings off the New Dawn and the yellow knock out that is growing out from under the step, underneath the porch and out behind the rosemary bush.

Be semi-prepared to keep Caleb at least for a few hours while Katie has therapy and runs errands.  I'm thinking this might happen twice this week as I fully expect her job will be ready for her to come pick up materials to start working.

Go pick up a bag of mulch or three for MY house. I  might toss in a few bags of the black mulch that I'm using at the house in town.  If I can get the mulch meant for me spread in the two flower beds here at the house, I shouldn't have to weed again this year.  It's lack of mulch that is the real issue with both those beds and have necessitated far more work than usual this week.

Start prepping my bathroom walls for paint.  Katie had a gallon of paint leftover and it was tinted differently than the other gallon (same store, two different branches mixed it).  I like the color which is a pale blue-green and think it will do well in one of my bathrooms for a fresh look.  I'm going to paint a sample board and hang up to see how I like the color in both rooms.  One gets a lot of natural light and the other has no windows at all so it will be interesting to see how it looks in both.  I'm not committing myself to starting to paint this week.  Either bathroom will need clean walls and prepping before I can get to that stage.

Kitchen:

I ended last Thursday with just a few leftovers for suppers and lunch over Friday and the weekend.  However, as usual, a weekend brings more leftovers with it even if I prepared minimal food.   

I'm finding it pays off well for me to organize my fridge at least twice weekly.  I'm trying to do this either Sunday or first thing Monday and then again on Thursday or at the latest Friday morning.  It's helped me to remember to use things that look like they are nearing time to use and also keeps the fridge orderly.  Also, I can immediately wipe up any spills that might have occurred.

I have peanut butter that needs to be used up in the pantry.  I think this week I'll make some peanut butter cookie dough which I can put in the freezer.  I might also make a peanut butter pie while I have all the necessary ingredients on hand.  I think that will freeze well.  We've plenty of warmer days ahead to eat a cold pie.

Meal plan.  I haven't done this in three weeks and I think it's time to get back to it.  

Personal and Leisure:

I did start work on genealogy last week and oh how I enjoyed that time digging and looking and searching and adding to my research.  I'll try and continue to work on that project this week.   I don't know just why I will play a silly computer game for hours and hours on end in the evenings when I could be doing something that brings me so much more pleasure.  Mind you, I do enjoy the game, but after awhile it's boring.  I don't have to stick with it.  I can do other things.  I just need to remind myself of that.

I finished another of the Bridgerton books, this time reading sequentially.  I've the whole set of books but I find that I can get bored with these if doing a marathon of them.  I think I'm ready to pick up other authors and read say some Emilie Loring or even Goudge or D. E. Thompson for a change.  Never mind the books by my chair or the fact that I am still making my way slowly through Supper of the Lamb by Capon, and the Jane Austen's Town and Country Style books.  

Manicure and skin care.   Truthfully I take this in spells and then I neglect both.  I really need to pay more attention to both.  I am prone to weak nails and hang nails.  My nail beds are terribly dry.  It takes just moments to put on lotion or rub in a little coconut or olive oil.  Also skin care overall.  It's getting towards the end of summer and my legs and arms are showing signs of the drier skin seasons ahead already.  I've noted that in the past year or two that my facial skin gets more dry as the seasonal change occurs.   So I want to take time to moisturize daily (overall skin care) and my face twice daily.   My skin has been very good for many years and it wouldn't pay to neglect it now at this stage of life.

A date with John.  If we can't carve out a full day we'll take a couple of hours and go for a ride or get an ice cream.