The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Getting My Head Back in the Game

 

In my home this week, I'm going to work on my focus and be mindful of my overall purpose.  The truth is, I've been all over the place. I know what needs to be done but do anything else but those things that really ought to be priority.  I'm supposed to be working in this or that zone, but I focus everywhere else.  I know what my financial goals are but I'm off track.  I know what I want with my family life and my date life with John but where am I?  Nowhere near where I want to be! It is time to get my head back in the game!  

On another note, John came in from men's meeting last night bearing a dozen tomato plants. I think they are all ready for the next planting stage and I must get them planted to larger pots.  I have my fingers crossed that this year we shall actually grow tomatoes and not just a tomato plant!

Work: 

Zone three this week are beds/baths.  I haven't finished the painting in my bathroom. I have a short list of things to be done in the guest bath, like cleaning that strip between the wall and the floor, or painting the mirror frame fresh, perhaps even cleaning and painting that bathroom door.   I've yet to get the guest room decluttered enough to look really nice and I want to correct that this coming week.  I want to change the spread to a lighter summer color and just make the room look lived in, not like a catchall place. Those are my goals for zone work.

We must get over to Katie's and get that back yard strimmed.

I have an eye appointment.  John wants to look for some new black t-shirts.  I'm going to keep a tight rein on the purse strings.  We had a couple of extra things we'd hoped to do and we can't if we overspend.

There's a flower bed (that pesky corner bed that is overrun with weeds, that I want to get weeded and then I'll lay down weed mat even if I don't have mulch.  I moved the big blue pot with the rose bush from the patio into that bed last year and the thing is absolutely thriving there in its pot.  It will hold down a big section of weed mat and I've plenty of rocks that will hold down the rest.  

I want to get the back porch cleared of all the excess things that are there...Except the five-gallon bucket John put the hose in last winter.  Apparently, the sedge wren who loves our back porch has her nest in the bucket this year, which is sitting atop the doghouse.  We'll see how that aspiration of hers goes this year.  

And then there's all the usual household stuff to be done. And blogging.  That certainly should be enough to keep me busy.

Kitchen:

Another area where I've been more than usually unfocused is the kitchen.  No, I'm not talking about not making the English Muffins again, although I did skip out on that.  I'm referring to the purpose of having 1-2 meat free meals per week, being more aware of serving sizes and creating more sides to round out a meal plan if I know the meat serving is going to look small.  

I want, if not to do 2 meatless meals to do one and one dish where meat is an ingredient and not the main star, like stir fry or Chicken Fried Rice, or Spaghetti a la Diable.  The meat is used almost as a seasoning in the second and third dish I mentioned and is balanced by the vegetables in the first dish I mentioned, so that it's one fourth meat and one fourth onion, one fourth peppers, one fourth broccoli or beans or zucchini.  Do you see what I mean?

Another thing I've been meaning to do: do trial runs of some of the super thrify meals from my long ago past and see if they are still good for us today. 

And last, I will mention again the I looked back over the past quarter and this month (first month of the second quarter) and I am chronically over my grocery budget every month.  Mind you in March I came in nearer the mark, near enough that I would look at anyone and say, "That's fine..."  But this month, which has just barely begun considering we got paid this week?  Over, already.  Like, we better not buy anything that isn't a screaming deal sort of over.  As in, "Hey!  Time for pantry challenge next month!" over.  Time to become vigilant and stop drifting along, unaware of what I've spent and continuing to spend.  

Never mind telling me to just use cash.  That never goes well.  I can hold on to my allowance but put grocery cash in my hand and the next thing you know it's gone to this and that and not spent on groceries at all.  Besides, when John sees me using a cash only purchase method he starts getting very anxious about our funds and will start suggesting I cut out savings or I borrow from savings.  

Honestly, I can't blame John but I do a little bit, because when I begin to say things like "Oh I'm going to be over my budget," he'll say "Never mind you aren't splurging."  And it's true, I'm NOT splurging on junk foods.  Its my fault I am going over and not his.  Time to get my head back into the grocery game!

Meals:  

I'll start with Friday night's meal:

Brats with Peppers and Onions, mini Pierogi and Rye bread.

Leftover Western Chicken Casserole, Green Salad, Mexican Cornbread

Whole Roasted Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes, Layered Salad, Biscuits

Mongolian Beef, Rice, Garlic Green Beans

Chicken Pot Pie, Pear Salad, Green Peas with Mushrooms.  John asked twice last week as he watched me handle leftover chicken if I was making a Chicken Pot Pie?  It was on my meal plan but never made it to the menu.  I'll make him a pot pie this week.

Chinese Beef Wraps, Sesame Slaw, Ambrosia.  Leftovers of the Mongolian Beef with green onions and red peppers wrapped in tortillas with some of the sauce.  

Macaroni and Cheese, Zucchini, Sliced Tomatoes

Creamed Deviled Eggs, Asparagus, Baked Potatoes.  It's been many years since I made the Creamed Deviled eggs.  Right now, I've got loads of eggs that I bought at the last sale. I'd like to try this recipe once again.  I have two different recipes I'm looking at.  One has mushrooms and mushroom soup in the recipe and the other is a white sauce based dish.

Personal/Leisure:

Genealogy is on my mind.  I can't deny it, I feel the siren call to delve deep for a day or so.  This week, I may well continue to read, but I'm going to play with family lines, too.

I've noted of late that my facial skin is not looking as well as it has in the past.  My body skin is looking dry.  My fingers are sore from hangnails and the nails are splitting and peeling.  I'll remedy the face part by switching up moisturizers.  I may even switch up the soap I'm using, though it's meant to be mild and for sensitive skin.  And I'll get back in the habit of moisturizing arms and legs, rubbing oil into nail and cuticle beds.  

One of the outfits I set up for April pleased me no end.  I had never combined those pieces in that way before and I really felt good wearing it from top to bottom from accessories to clothing.  It's inspired me to get back in my closet and put together a few more outfits.  I'll want to wear clothes in May as well, now won't I? lol