In My Home This Week: The Best I Can

 

Another living room that dates to the 1920's.  The room is so calm looking and so well balanced that I just had to share it.

I really like the green on the walls, the warm brick on the fireplace picked up b the brick color in the rugs.  It appears that this room is lit by windows on both sides and that the main doorway leads to the dining room perhaps or an entry hall.  I don't think it's actually a living room though I've called it such.  It might well be a sort of den or a 'morning room' or even a 'keeping room' since it does have that fireplace.   While it is beautifully lit by the windows, I see that there are candles, sconces and lamps for ambient lighting in the evening. The rugs and curtains and the upholstered furniture lend color and laers of warmth and coziness.

Note how the door next to the fireplace has been blocked by the folding screen.  It's obvious from the positioning that the door is not commonly used.  Adding the screen allowed a chair and table with lamp to be place there in the vicinity of the fireplace.  It's balance on the opposite side of the fireplace by the mirror.  

I like the room rather well.  The lack of excess ornaments, the lovely but minimal furnishings bespeak calm to me.  Add in that green color and I feel this room is just a center of peace for the household, a wonderful place to take morning coffee or afternoon tea.

In my home this week:  

We had a lovely Saturday.  Not exactly all to ourselves because it involved family at various points throughout the day but it was not a baby sitting day by any means and we got out of the house and spent all of our entertainment fund.   We went to lunch, stopped in at the grocery and bought a well priced and most beautiful steak for our supper, and then we took ourselves off to the movies and watched the latest Bond film at the theatre.  I consider every cent spent well worth the setting aside and saving for just this day.  

I won't spoil the movie for anyone but if you're a Bond fan, then by all means plan to see this one!  It's worth it.  I consider it noteworthy yet again that nudity is not an issue, nor is language and it's got all the impact a Bond film typically has.  

It was a lovely day 'off' for us and we both enjoyed it most thoroughly.  We came home and saw our grands in costume and had our steak supper and it was excellent from late rising to lazy evening at home.

Work in my home:  

I have two posts scheduled to go out as I write this one up...I'll do a daily diary post this week but won't try to put out more this week.

Get house company ready for a birthday party here on Saturday.  It's not the cleaning...I want to get the children's table set up on Friday day rather than wait until Saturday morning and get additional chairs sorted out for other guests who are meant to come.

I need to get birthday cards for three grandchildren this month.  The first one needed by Saturday...

Work up a wardrobe for the month.

Prep a dish ahead for another event we're attending.

Work my Monday routine and Shabbat cleaning routine on Friday.  And since it's start of the month I want to reinstate Zones.  I need that focus upon one room (or set of rooms)...Since we're having the birthday party and spills inevitably occur I'm not going to start with the kitchen.  This week my focus will be on porches and patio.

The porches are a constant struggle just now as the leaves blow up on them daily.  I'm going to try to keep them and the patio clear this week since we'll have family next weekend and I want them clear to avoid tracking indoors.

I need to winterize plants and determine what's coming indoors and what's going to be sacrificed to the elements.   And where I shall put them for that sacrifice...Hence my focus on porches.  I want to make the porches look clean and neat and welcoming. 

Bag up ice to use for the party on Saturday.  I recently ditched my ice bucket from the freezer because it's so poorly designed.  At present I have a smaller bin in it's place but it doesn't hold nearly enough for a party's worth of ice, even as small a party as we're having.  Besides, we'll be needing extra ice for Thanksgiving as well...

In my kitchen:

I don't have big plans here.  My big freezer needs to be defrosted and while I am reluctant to tackle that with Caleb here I can't deny that it's getting more and more necessary.  I'll try to get that done one day during his nap.  That generally lasts about two hours and it's more than enough time to do the task.  Or I wait until he's gone one evening and tackle it then.  Either way,  it will be a great time to do a freezer inventory and insure I'm using those things that I've 'saved', usually a motley assortment of bits and pieces of things.  

I've put off making cookies for John long enough.  It's almost been a month since he asked me to make chocolate chip cookies for him.  I'm going to make them this week.

And I'm leaving it at that...

Menus:  I have been planning lunches and breakfasts each week but not sharing them here.  Making a plan and knowing what Caleb will eat daily (usually what we eat but sometimes not) has been a huge help.  I will tend to that duty today before the week begins...

Steak, Baked Potato, Salad

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Brunswick Stew This meal is in the freezer.  I am reserving this for one of those days when I need an easy meal.

Red Beans and Rice, Coleslaw, Cornbread

Cauliflower au Gratin, Green Beans, Sliced Tomatoes, Garlic Toast  Yes, two meat free meals this week.  I'm thinking of how to maximize savings this week.   I'll be sure to separate the two meatless meals by a few with meat.

Hamburger Gravy on Toast, Green Peas, Peach Salad

Chicken Tetrazzini, Three Bean Salad   I have most of a jar of Alfredo sauce left after making our pizza this past Friday night.  I'll use it as a sauce base for my Tetrazzini casserole.  If I get a chance to leave the house, I'll try to find some broccoli to add to this meal.

Pizza  I'm finding this makes an easy Friday night supper.   I can prep vegetables early in the day and the dough comes together quickly.  

Personal and Leisure:  

Amazon Affiliate link in the following paragraph.  Any commission I earn from Amazon is not reflected in added costs to you.  You can use the link to make any purchases you choose on Amazon, but you will be sent to a new page if you click on the link.

Currently reading Towers In The Mist by Elizabeth Goudge.  

Take one afternoon to do a little genealogy work.

Try to be vigilant in my personal self care (i.e. light makeup, moisturizing, sunshine, better snacks) and feed my soul with good music and beautiful things.

Place an order for the book required for the next Women's Bible Study.