The Homemaker Plans Her Week: May!

 

In my home this week, I am ready to tackle a new month.  Are you?  Even while I was busy puttering around my home on Friday, I couldn't help but feel a little excitement at the prospect of a new month ahead and started planning what I hope to accomplish in it.  The list is lengthy.  Some of it will be difficult, if not downright hard.  All of it might not be accomplished but I'll do the progress is progress method, meaning anything I can do towards a goal is something done towards the goal rather than ignoring it completely.

The roses are blooming and so lovely I could cry.  Two of the three Amaryllis are blooming.  I should put the other one in the ground and see if it will bloom next year, too.  Pineapple sage returned from last year.  I was so pleased to see it.  I even have a marigold that self-seeded last autumn coming up.  And the seeds I scatted from the touch me nots that went to seed popped up a few stalks already.

The air is fragrant with privet, tea olive, and honeysuckle.  The skies are the bluest of blues and the trees fully leafed.  That sound of rushing water is in every breeze now.  The grass is green, the bees buzzing...I'm really not sure autumn is my absolute favorite.  Spring is mighty enticing when she's in a sunny mood!

Work:

I know there's housework to be done, but this time of year, I'm afraid my focus lingers long and hard upon the outdoors.  I know too well that these pleasant working days will soon drift into days that are hot and miserable and I want to do all I can outdoors before I retreat indoors and refuse to go outside.  

Regardless of that, Zone 1 work is what I intend to focus hard upon.  In the kitchen, I know I want to mop for sure.  We just won't discuss how long it's been since I did it last.  The plastics under the kitchen sink are plaguing me. I've culled them hard, but they are not orderly, and I keep losing pieces. I need a way to corral them better.  Perhaps even a different spot to put them in.  

I really must tackle the walls now that John's got all the cabinets down.  I could go on, but I won't.  That seems enough to start the tasks ahead and certainly between housework and yard work it will feel like more than enough.

Outdoors: Mulch and trim the flower beds at the front of the back porch and the corner bed.

I MUST purchase mulch for the town house, mulch for here and soil for pots.  The tomatoes will need to be transplanted before I can turn around good.  Older pots need to be topped up with fresh soil or even emptied, contents divided and repotted.  I won't get it all done in a month's time much less a week.  But I must buy the soil and the mulch.  I'm ready to just bite the bullet and do it, even if it means multiple trips.

At the town house, I can collect some bricks and landscape blocks.  That will be a longer project as I can only do so much lifting.  There are flowerpots not being used over there that I can also get.  Anything I don't have to purchase will be a huge savings and can go towards the mulch and soil.

Kitchen:  

This week I won't plan more work for this room, since it's the zone work area.  But there are tasks I can do with pen and paper.  For one thing, I want to create a list of warmer weather entrees that we typically have this time of year.  I want to check that list against freezer and pantry contents to insure we have the ingredients on hand or that they are on the shopping list so I can watch for sales.

Make bagels, bread, English muffins...I keep putting English muffins on the list but if I'm working in the kitchen anyway, I can certainly spare a few moments between tasks to cook these items.

Meals: 

 

Taco Pizza.  The dough for this was pulled from the freezer.  This is a meal that I've had on my menu several times in the past month or two and have never made.  

Steak Kebabs, Zucchini au gratin, Green Salad

Chicken and Rice Bake, Green Peas, Peach Salad  I've made this chicken before.  It uses basic pantry items.  Normally it cooks in the oven for a good long while.  If it is fairly warm this day I may try to do it in the slow cooker instead.  

It's along about this time of month that I wish for more variety in green vegetables.  I did try to buy frozen broccoli florets last pay period but Aldi was out.  What I wouldn't give for a head of broccoli or a bunch of asparagus right about now!

Red Beans with Yellow Rice, Coleslaw, Corn Muffins

Hunter's Stew, Fresh Bread  I'm trying to use up some meats that have been in the freezer a bit long...like stew meat.  I will make this dish in the slow cooker. It's a tomato based stew with green beans, potatoes and carrots.  I'll likely slice apples and serve alongside as well.  We have plenty of apples and oranges just now.

Cheese Tortellini Beef Bake, Green Beans, Salad.  I've made this recipe so many times in the past but have recently had trouble finding the pasta, dried, frozen or fresh.  I bought a packet of fresh at Aldi and froze it a few weeks ago.  I've always made this recipe with just 1/2-pound ground beef. I have always found the cheese inside the pasta and the cheese in the casserole is plenty of protein.  I might sneak in a little bit of frozen spinach this time for an added vitamin boost.

Cottage Pie, Fruit Salad

Personal:

Reading is a habit with me once more.  I wanted to start the Miss Read Fairacre series of books but discovered that I didn't have but three.  Never mind.  I've plenty of books to choose from and enough series of books that are complete to get lost in.

I'm really wanting to dig down into some genealogy things and I guess this week is as good a time as any.  

Mini spa day.  I think I'll do a sugar scrub and give myself a fresh pedicure.

Get a haircut.  It's been a bit over a month.  The last girl cut it shorter than the previous stylists have so it's lasted very well.