Diary of a Homemaker: Big Plans Big Results?

 Saturday:  I forgot to share Friday's meals so here they are, in order:

French Toast, Sausage (French Toast from Freezer)

Cheese Sandwiches, Grapes

Beef Pot Pie, Pineapple Salad (used leftover steak and leftover stew, a packet of brown gravy mix, and homemade pie crusts).

Another very windy day and much cooler than it's been in a week or so.  I was glad of the warm sunshine in the kitchen sitting area and the hot cup of Blueberry Coffee I had to enjoy this Saturday morning.  I sat there and read for quite a long while.  It was so pleasant and peaceful.

I spent some time entering genealogy notes into one of the family notebooks this afternoon and got some photocopies I'd made put with the person they referenced.  I really enjoyed that little two hours of my afternoon.   Then Katie called.  Taylor didn't come this weekend after all as she's not feeling well.  I expected Katie to come out to cut John's hair.  She asked if we'd be willing to keep Caleb tonight for a bit while she went out.  We said sure, just bring him early enough to have supper with us.  

We enjoyed our time with him.  He threw a couple of tantrums over who knows what.  I found that speaking quietly and telling him to stop acting in such a manner was more effective than anything at getting him to stop.

That child can put away some food.  A full sheet of graham crackers, half an apple, two hot dogs, half a hot dog bun, baked beans, 1 of my ginormous strawberries (they're the size of tomatoes!), chips, a cup full of juice and one and half cups of milk.  I'm telling him he's all but bottomless.

He came up to the stove while I was cooking and said, "That's hot hot hot!"   That's the only sentence he's spoken to me today. Mostly he just says one word.  But it's proof he can speak a sentence. 

Immediately after he passed the stove, he snatched his plate off the counter and sent food flying across the floor, sigh.  Gramma isn't as quick as she used to be and even when she thinks she's got things well out of reach, littlest boys grow more than you realize between visits!   He played cook and mixed various concoctions, we played with matchbox cars and then he found my wireless ear buds that no longer work and played for a good forty minutes with those before he began yawning widely.

He's not asleep, a fact that makes John very nervous.  In checking on him we've found he's piled all the pillows from the bed on his cot but beyond that he's staying on the cot and talking to himself, banging his sippy cup against the wall, etc.  All of this makes John incredibly nervous.  I've been around Caleb at night when he goes to bed, and he always spends time chatting and talking to himself and then he finally goes off to sleep.  He really doesn't get off his little bed and mess with anything.

Meals:  Bagels with cream cheese

Pizza

Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Fruit

Sunday:  Happy Mother's Day!  

I thought I'd sleep in this morning, but I didn't.  I got up about the usual time.  I seldom go to church on the 'big' holidays because it's usually crowded and heavy traffic in the parking lots, etc.  We planned ahead of time to watch here at home this morning and that's what we did.  

John helped me make the bed, I prepared breakfast and loaded the dishwasher and had a lunch plan though it ended being just the two of us.  I made a dessert I like for Spring.  I heard from all my girls and Amie's partner, but thus far nothing from my boys.  

I do not get hurt over lack of cards or communications on Mother's Day.  In my lifetime Mother's Day was always a big deal and it was lovely on the one hand when we could be with extended family, but on the other, there were things that made it unpleasant.  Those who are perpetually disappointed will rather spoil things for others and I'm sorry to say that's what happened to me.  

As an adult I made a fuss over Mother's Day for Granny and Mama, but we'll just refer back to that previous sentence and that will be enough said about that.  My children got a bad taste for Mother's Day due to that and it was just not something they wanted to be involved with.  

My children do many things for me throughout the year.  I don't just do for them.  I only share what I've done because that's my business to share.  What they do, big and little things, we keep to ourselves because that is their business and I have no right to publicly announce it.  But let me assure you that most especially the two who are nearby give plenty in return for what we might do for them.  

John found an old series on YouTube called "The Lieutenant" about a Marine, William T. Rice.  It's a really good series and we have enjoyed several episodes.  I highly recommend it to anyone else who likes a black and white vintage drama.

I finished reading Elizabeth Goudge's The Scent of Water this morning and as always, immediately upon finishing a book, I'm too caught up with it still to move right on to the next one.  I've a large stack of books I want to read, but I can't quite decide at the moment what's next...I'll keep you posted!

The rest of the day was spent catching up on vlogs I've skipped watching over the week.  I really enjoyed that quiet afternoon of doing nothing.

Meals:  Kielbasa and Potato Hash with Steamed Eggs, English Muffins

Fried Chicken, Stuffing, leftover potato salad, Green Peas, Strawberry Cobbler

Leftovers of above

Monday:  Perhaps it was the exhaustion from several nights running of not sleeping well, or brought on by the pain we've both been in the past couple of days.  Maybe it was the cooler air in the night.  Or perhaps the heating pad on achy joints but we slept in this morning and I do mean slept in.  I haven't slept so late in quite a long time.  

John had asked last night for a special breakfast.  I assured him that was already on my list for the week and that's one thing I got done.  I doubled the recipe and put all the extras into the freezer.

The morning seemed to fly by after that and before I could even think what else I might get done, it was time to get ready and leave the house.  Even though we left a bit early, we were a little later than I'd hoped to be and that meant not stopping off for the stroller. 

Well never mind that.  His nursery school experience has made him quite capable of walking along (or just ahead like any male) of me and he led me out of the labyrinth of halls to the door that took us back outside.

At the doctor's office, he quickly discovered that I had 'cookies' (grahams) in my bag and we had a major tantrum over my refusal to let him have one right away.  I wasn't sure what was entailed in his exam and didn't want him eating in the exam room anyway.  I made good on my promise and gave him a cookie as soon as we were back at the car.

We'd missed lunch entirely today with our late breakfast and hasty leave-taking and such so John stopped to get us a sandwich.  We pulled over into our church parking lot and ate. I sat in the back seat and Caleb ate easily half my plate of grape salad, pickle and pimento cheese sandwich.  That little boy can eat!  I am always surprised.  I don't know why, because I do recall that Isaac was the same.

Once home, he ate two of those huge strawberries, another graham called "Mamama, eat!" the moment he realized I was getting supper together, lol.  He and Katie had dinner with us and then headed home.  Little boy blew me a kiss and I don't mind telling you, I melted into warm puddles over that. 

I got the dishes done after supper and quit for the day.  It was a lovely day, but it's felt inexplicably long.  Tomorrow is a free day though, and hopefully much will get done then.

Meals:  Pancakes, Sausage

Pimento Cheese Sandwich, Grape Salad, Pickle (shared with Caleb)

Leftover Beef Pot Pie, Chicken/Broccoli/Rice Casserole, steamed broccoli    Truthfully supper fell flat. I knew Katie and Caleb would be staying to supper and thought there wasn't enough of either thing to make a meal for four (might as well go on and count Caleb as an adult, that boy can eat!) so we all had a bit of what I had to offer.  It filled us but we were roaming about later looking for snacks.

Tuesday:  I haven't gotten to work yet on the living room but I keep finding plenty to do all the same.  I suppose it's the cooler mornings making us sleep in much later than usual because we slept late again this morning.  I made a quick breakfast and then got busy.

My first task was just to clean surfaces, putting things away.  I worked my way through the rooms doing that and then went to make the bed.  That's when I discovered the fitted sheet had two tiny tears.  I decided to use scraps of white sheeting and mending tape to repair those.  I know that it's time to replace it, thought as much when I put it on the bed this past Friday.  I didn't take it off the bed, simply slipped the scrap of fabric with a bit of the hemming tape trapped between the sheet and scrap and laid the warm iron right on it.

I cleared my desk of mail and then fixed the printer.  I had to purchase the regular ink cartridges.  The refilled ones were not the same, though the labeling underneath said they were.  There was a difference in how the ends looked, not where the microchips are inserted but the other end.  The printer is happy once more...The difference in costs is big, and I won't feel nearly so free to use the printer because of costs, but so be it.   I tried something new and it was a fail.  Small loss.

After puttering around indoors, I went out and blew off the front porch and patio.  Then I fed the cat and walked around back to cut out the tree I'd spied growing in the midst of the big rose bush.  Glad I did that because now there were six trees of various sizes hidden in the growth.  I also trimmed out the roseless canes, cut back the overhanging branches now the roses are pretty much done blooming and cut back the lantana canes from last year.  I was pleased to find another of the Asian lilies coming up near the lantana that I'll try to rescue later.  Also loads and loads of tiny baby gladiolus corms have come up again near the base of the house.  I'm going to try to move those and replant them.  

John came out to watch me work and then decided that we needed to trim some overhanging branches on the pecan tree so that the Gingko would get a bit more sun.  Those limbs got piled up and then I gathered up all the limbs and trees and such I'd cut this morning and walked around to trim the rose bush I planted in front of the back porch.  One branch hung way out into the yard and I just knew it was going to end scratching someone badly.  I had told John when the roses were done blooming I'd cut that branch back entirely so I did that.  I didn't pick up those branches. Instead I told John I was done and I came indoors.  

I wasn't really done.  I just put in lunch to reheat and settled in my chair after lunch for a couple of hours.   Then I decided to work on organizing the records and Cd's.  Let me tell you, I had no idea that was going to be such a big job!  As I was putting things in order, alphabetical by first names on most which will work for us very well, I decided I'd best check the CD cases.  Well, glad I did!  Because I must have two dozen or more that hadn't a thing in them.  Three hours later...Yes, really, it all took me about three hours.  Then it was time to start supper and who was it that completely and totally forget she'd been reminding herself to get meat out to thaw?  Yep.

I think I am done for the day now.  I plan to be away from home tomorrow for a portion of the day and likely will do little beyond the things required to accomplish those errands from start to finish tomorrow.  

I had big plans this week, but will I see big results?  I just don't know.

Meals:  Cheese Grits, Toast

Pizza

Kielbasa, Cabbage, Potatoes, Carrots, Rye Bread

Wednesday:   Another beautiful day.  The sun is shining and the trees in full leaf offer up some shade.  

It's very dry outdoors.  There's no chance of rain in the forecast and some hot days ahead.  John won't mow grass because it's so very dry already.   I think I'm going to have to resort to the water saving ways and use dishwater and shower warm up water to keep plants alive.   I'm feeling very uncertain of whether I should plant seeds or not.  Perhaps I should just tuck the tomato plants into my usual flower bed.  That would save the purchase of soil, too.   Decisions must be made.

I picked up the house this morning after breakfast, going from room to room.  It doesn't require much upkeep these days, true, but it's always a little surprising how much accumulates on surfaces after I finish 'work' for the day.  Even though we clear the dishes from the living room (usually just a glass or cup), I put them on the kitchen counter.  So why does the house look a big mussed in the morning?  Seriously, are there fairies who come in and make things look less than nice?

After I'd picked up the house and tidied things, I sat down with my checkbook and brought it up to date.  I worked out our budget for the month.  I wrote out checks and have them ready to go into the mail.

After I worked on that task, I went back to the kitchen.   I went in with the idea of making something for lunch.  Opening the refrigerator, I realized I needed to start my supper prep and while I was gathering ingredients for lunch and supper, I noted that I really should go ahead and make egg rolls while the ingredients I'd purchased are still fresh.

One thing leads to another doesn't it?   Lunch prep, egg roll filling prep, supper prep and then I thought, while the oven is on, why don't I also make up a batch of muffins?  It's always handy to have those to heat quickly for a breakfast or for a snack.  I was grating carrot for supper, as well as for lunch.  Why not grate a bit more for muffins?   It only took a couple of minutes more work.

That little bit of work in the kitchen carried me right up to lunch time.  After lunch I finished each item off and then everything went into the oven at the same temperature.  I had to put the eggrolls on the bottom shelf and that meant turning them about 10 minutes into baking but it also means I got a nice crispy shell on them.  

End result is that the main dish for supper is finished already.  I need only make sides to go with it.  I also have 1 dozen carrot muffins and 14 egg rolls.   I have more egg roll wrappers but I have used all my onions now so I can't make more right now, but I will because I like to really have a good supply of these in the freezer.

I said last month I'd purchased egg rolls for $2.99 at Aldi.  There are four in a package so about 50c each.  In a conventional grocery they are a bit nearer $1 each.  I bought a finely shredded cabbage on sale for $2.50 and egg roll wrappers for $2.50 a package.  I used one carrot, a bit of celery and onion and a bit of shredded broccoli stem.  I opened and used packets of take away soy sauce that has been in the fridge.  I keep a bag of those packets of things in the fridge and usually take it on vacation with us.  It's surprising how often I want just those things only in a very small amount.

All told, I spent $5.50 tops for 14 eggrolls at about 39c each.  I have shredded my own cabbage to use in them in the past, but the angel hair cut is a lot nicer in my opinion.  I plan to price another bag of that at Aldi when we shop there, just so I can make another batch of eggrolls.

I had planned initially to go grocery shopping today, but I think I'm going to put it off.  I'd like to get whole chickens at Publix this weekend when we go over for church.   Their price per pound is cheaper than the last sale at the discount grocery in the next town.  I can buy some onions then, too.  At present we've plenty of milk, flour, cheese and eggs.  I have 2/3 of a big head of iceberg lettuce, 1/2 head of cabbage and two more broccoli stalks to use as salad ingredients and we have plenty of potatoes, carrots and celery.  I figure if I put off going to Aldi another week or two, I can manage just fine.  This may be just what I need to get myself turned back around with the budget.

Oh dear!  The propane company came back to spray a fresh coat of paint over the tank.  Rufus ran out in front of the truck and his little paw got pinched.  The service driver was the same young man who turned off our gas last time he was here and forgot to turn it back on.  Poor young man was in tears over Rufus who is fine.  He's holding his paw up, but when we checked it there was no yelping or crying.  I think he's more miffed that he actually got caught by the truck.  This has been a constant battle here and generally when someone strange comes up in a vehicle, we offer the dogs a biscuit when the stranger starts to leave.  That distracts them from chasing and acting protective.  I've given him a baby aspirin and hopefully that will help his hurt paw, whether or not it helps his hurt feelings I can't say.

Meals:  Cheese Omelet, Toast

Buffalo turkey Meatballs and salad    Bess brought these to us early this week after she'd made them and boy were they delicious.  I've just gotten the recipe from her so I can make more of those.  I noted in the picture she sent me, she'd gotten 2 dozen from her batch.  

Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Corn, Muffins

Thursday:  The consensus between the two houses here on this place is that we won't mow grass until we get some rain.  It is too dry to cut it and the blades of grass are twisting.  There's been little growth in the past ten days or so.  So that is off the agenda for the moment.  Does it mean John is done with yardwork entirely?  Nope.  We will try to get over to Katie's and weed eat about her fence and mailbox sometime in the next few days.  And John will do mower maintenance, sharpening blades and such to ensure that the next time he cuts he's ready to go.

I was up much earlier this morning than I have been all week long.  I knew Millie was coming to spend the morning with me and I wanted to be fully awake and full of coffee when she arrived.  Overall, she's easier to keep than Caleb.  Her ability to communicate is slightly greater than his and that is in her favor.  Admittedly with Caleb, as with Isaac, I seem to have an instinct for what is wanted.  Millie has already made up her mind what she wants and having her able to communicate that makes it somewhat easier to keep her.  Of course, she's just as adamantly sure of what she does NOT want and often that's whatever she's just specifically asked for, lol.

I did note that she seemed to be running a low fever.  The boys were both sick earlier this week and I suspect that Wee Miss has succumbed to whatever they had.  She spent most of the afternoon either sitting on my lap or lying draped across me in some way.  She wasn't whiny nor fussy nor lethargic, just a little more than warm.

John was gone from home today having lunch with his EMS partner.  Dear man sent John home with a big, lovely cabbage and a handful of fresh onions, yellow and red.  I know John thought I smiled rather foolishly over the onions but it's always amazing to me that these little things I need are somehow just given to me.  I explained to John that I'd just used the last of the onions and needed to buy more, the only thing I really need for groceries this week.  

Not a busy day and not a productive one.  Any desire to do much of anything had long flown.  I finished reading my latest Mitford book, A New Song.  I'd meant to read Karon's books in order of publication but have no desire to read the next book, A Common Life as it is not sequential.  Instead I'm skipping ahead to the one published after that, In This Mountain.

Since I knew I'd be home all day today, I took time to bake bread for Shabat.  It's one thing I won't have to do tomorrow.  John has set his plans for the day tomorrow.  I'll do my usual Shabat cleaning and then I'm going to run to the bank and tend to a blog errand.

Friday:  I'm very late getting this finished up this week.  I let myself get distracted by another blog post.  Last night John mentioned his plans for the day.  He didn't do one of those things at all.  I mentioned mine.

Did I attend to mine?  I did...I did everything I'd had on my list and then I got ready to leave the house.  Somehow though, I was reluctant to do it.  What I wanted to happen was for John to want to go somewhere with me.  He didn't.  He'd just had a whole day out yesterday and he was satisfied with that.  We talked briefly of going to Macon to see about getting something else done and that fell through.  John was back to his decision to stay home.  I was back to running errands on my own.  He said, "You look disappointed," and I told him "I am but I don't know why.  I've done everything I planned to do today and I was fine with my plans last night and I was fine with them this morning.  But somehow I feel let down."  

I went on to run the errands and then returned home, bringing a late lunch with me.  John had asked me to stop and pick it up and I obliged him.  

That's it.  That was my week aside from the work I was doing on the blog post this afternoon.

How did your week go?

Amazon Affiliate Link  If you order through this link I earn a small commission.