Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Summer Pleasures Week III

August 13:  Summer Pleasure: Sleeping in really late...Yes, I did.  I woke at 10am this morning, an unheard-of late hour for me.  And I have been just longing to return to bed all day long.  It reminds me that one of the pleasures of summer long ago was just that, sleeping in and lazing around, something I've not taken the time or leisure to do for 30 odd years.  It felt purely luxurious! 

Quiet day at home.  Truth, despite the sleep and the longing to go back to bed, part of me is longing just as much to start a heavy-duty work list and start hitting it tomorrow after church!  Not that the past two weeks have been all leisure and no work. I've just not been working quite as hard, lol.  

This month will be more than half done when I publish this next Friday and that is astounding to me.  It really is.  Somehow at the start of this summer pleasures month I thought the days would drag on a little longer.  Alas, it's not proven so, at all.  It does seem that time dragged in summer when I was young.  Now it's like all the other months it just zips right by me.  

I've made up my mind, I'm going to try to remember to do this once a season.  There are autumn pleasures and winter pleasures and spring pleasures to be enjoyed as well.  It's just unlikely I'll take a whole month 'off' to record them.

August 14:  It was cooler yesterday evening and this morning than it's been.  Mind you all, aside from those few weeks in July when the temperature ran to 100F or more, it's not been a terribly hot summer.  This week we're slated to be in the middle 80's most all week long.  That's downright pleasant weather for August.  Hot to work in if you're outdoors, but nice, too, especially for morning work in the yards here.  Naturally I mean myself...John wouldn't go out to work in the morning because it's too wet for anything he needs to do.

Speaking of work...The grass has slowed down a bit.  And in anticipation of John's free time ahead, I've started an autumn Honey-Do list for John to tackle here at home.  He's thrilled to know it, lol.

We were up early and went off to church, as always on a Sunday morning.  Then over to Kroger. Yes, I had planned to stay out of the grocery, but two things occurred.  Number one, there was a sale on cheese and butter, both of which are staples in our home.  And a lower price on anything that is a staple warrants a stock up even if it's a small stock up.  Number two, John thought it would be nice to go over to Katie's today and he decided we'd take lunch with us.  So, we picked up things to make lunch. 

I checked the aisle where we'd seen the cases of diced tomatoes and they still had about five or six of them.  John loaded two into the buggy.  I was pretty happy to get those for my pantry.

Summer Pleasure:  Even though I didn't do the grilling, we had a very yummy grilled hamburger today.  I had grilling on my list of 31 things to do in summer.     

Caleb was happy to see us.  He soon had stripped me of my necklaces and accidentally got hold of John's cap, which he put on.  Talk about cute, lol.  He looked like he could start rap singing any second.  

Home again to put away our things.  

The pantry is getting a rethink.  It's gotten full enough that I want a little more room for foodstuffs.  At present that closet also contains paper goods, canning jars, a hot water bath canner, the coffeemaker we take on vacation, and all the excess plasticware.  It takes up considerable space.  I've reminded John of his plans to make a cabinet above the bathroom door.  There is a sort of foyer that the door opens into and then the room widens out from there.  John decided a year ago that it would be a good space to build an overhead cabinet.  I'll store the toilet paper there, eventually.  But all the rest of the items I mentioned, I'm thinking can be moved to the shelf in the laundry.  As well, I've wanted for years to add a second shelf to the laundry area.  There's plenty of room to do that and the cost would be minimal.   In the meantime, I'll move what I can to the upper shelf.

I brainstormed all this after reading Annabel's post mid-week last week (The Bluebirds are Nesting on the Farm blog) about making room for storage.  She suggests under beds, which is not a bad idea either, but you see, we've already utilized under bed space for things like folding chairs, luggage, extra leaves for the dining table, etc.  But in thinking about what space I had, I recalled that these two areas were already planned some time ago.  We just haven't moved on making them happen.  Hopefully we will now.

August 15:  After breakfast this morning, I was puttering about the house when John announced his intention of loading up trash from the house and his shed and heading into town.  He asked if I'd go with him.  I told him I would.  I said, "It's for a perfectly silly reason, too.  I want to go by the dollar store and buy another bag of chips. I need $6 to get a bonus on that rewards program and I hate to let this expire when I'm that near!"   How I wish I'd done this yesterday at Kroger, when I might have gotten four more bags for $1.99 each.  Never mind.  I got my bag of chips and received my rewards points.  But yes, I could have spent $8 and gotten four bags of chips.  

I wandered around the dollar store.  I found two pillows and a coffee cup that I put back.  I looked for various items that were needed here at home, but the two pillows and the coffee cup went back on the shelf.   This afternoon, I'm kicking myself for putting the two pillows back.  Truth is they would have been perfect accents for the chairs in the kitchen sitting area.  Oh well.  Money saved, right?

I stumbled on two different types of seeds, both impatiens and zinnias.  I had really good luck with these particular seeds last year when I planted them and that's why I snatched them up today.  I came home and planted them right away, too.  We don't get frost until mid-November, so there's plenty of time to get those plants going and enjoy them, too.  Happily, rain came long this evening and watered them in nicely.

John went off to mow the Manor house lawn.  We'd slowed down enough to gaze at it when we were taking off trash and it was tall.  I reminded him that he'd not cut in over a week and a half.  That put a fire under him to get that job done.  

While he was gone, I went out to clean off the back porch.  I removed the table I'd moved out.  Not only had it turned a dismal grey, but it just took up too much space.  John has an outlet under the carport where he plugs in a grinder to sharpen mower blades.  I thought the table would be handy for him there.  I guess he thought so, too because when he came back, he came indoors to tell me how much he appreciated it.  He knew right away I'd placed it there as a help to him.

I took my pile of cardboard boxes off of the back porch.  I'd meant to get the doghouse off the porch too but had no idea where it would be out of John's way.   I left that for the time being.  Then I rearranged chairs, blew off the debris and gathered some items for the trash.  It's all looking a good deal nicer for the main entry into our home.  

I'd just started reading Simple Secrets to a Beautiful Home by Emilie Barnes and the first chapter is about what your home says when you walk in the door.  I knew indoors is usually neat and nice but immediately felt a pang thinking of coming up on that back or front porch and seeing the mess I've got in both areas!  That was my inspiration to get the back porch done today.

It got warmish outdoors, so I came indoors to get a glass of water and cool off.  Somehow, I never quite completed many jobs today.  I had the idea I'd move all the paper items to the laundry area.  Nope.  They don't fit.  So back to the pantry closet where I rearranged things best I could and did manage to free up a little more shelf space.  

I cleaned out the broom closet and got the extra boxes of trash bags in there.  Then I cleaned out from under our bathroom sink and got toilet paper stored under there.  My last job was to tackle the slipcover again.  Last night I worked on adjusting the seat cover.  Today, I repaired the tear and then extended the portion that was too short.  I picked out a whole section of hemming to get to that point.  I'd finally gotten it ready to hem, went to set the chair back up and cracked the back leg.  I could have cried.  All the time I've put into making this slipcover only to have the chair break!  I decided that the leg will be okay if we're very careful with it...Yes, I just plain refuse to give up at this point!

Does it sound like I am back at work?  I most certainly was today!  I don't know that I'll work like this every day this week, but I am trying to get myself back in the workday habits.

Summer Pleasure:  Salad Supper.  A main dish salad in winter months is not going to satisfy the appetite well at all, but it works great for summer meals.

August 16:  It was a lovely morning when I arose early this morning.  Sunshining to beat the band, dewy green grass, lovely green trees that have had enough rain to not look weary, blue skies.  We had a heavy rain yesterday evening, much to our surprise.  John kept saying how very glad he was he'd gone ahead and cut the Manor house yard.

I've had a putt-putt sort of day.  Not having done quite enough of anything to call it a putter-y day but I kept getting started in fits and starts and then I'd rest a bit.  I watered the front porch plants and rearranged them so the Mandeville could get a bit more sun.  They're lovely and green but not one bloom this year so far.  I figure they weren't getting nearly enough sun.  I moved the tomato plants to a different spot in the hopes that they will be stressed enough to do something.  I straightened things up outside and found three toads and one tiny skink.  Ew!

Back indoors, I took time to cool off.  After Bible study, I went to the kitchen and mixed up that Brownie mix I've kept saying I was going to make.  Yes, I finally got that done and for good measure I went ahead and mixed up a pan of brownies, too. I also mixed banana nut bread using two ripe bananas and baked that in the muffin tins.  They both cooked at the same temperature, so it seemed wise to put them both in and save heating up the house.

And honestly?  From there I did nothing much else!  I cleaned up the kitchen, planned supper for tomorrow night, since I'd planned to go see Mama, and then wrangled my mind into determining what tonight's dinner might be.  I finished reading my latest book by Grace Livingston Hill, Silver Wings and fought hard to keep from taking a nap.

About 3pm I got a call that Caleb was sick with a fever.  Katie got off about an hour early and brought him home saving me the trip over, but I had to cancel my visit to Mama tomorrow and will go keep Caleb.  I suppose he's picked up another virus as he has no symptoms other than his fever.

Simple Summer Pleasure:  A field full of huge round bales of hay.   That sight is just as heart thumping to me as a flag flying.  

August 17:  Noted on my way into town today that golden rod was blooming at roadside down by the creek.  Not even pretending anymore to be about to peek out, it's a fact.  Goldenrod, for me, is one of the first harbingers of a new season.

Simple Summer Pleasure are my sunflower bouquets.  Lacking in flowers this month (and last) I decided I'd budget for them instead.  Aren't they lovely?

 I spent a very long day with Caleb.  He didn't feel well.  Nothing to show for why he shouldn't except that he had that pesky fever and until 2pm this afternoon he had no desire to eat anything except strawberries baby (that's what he kept calling them) and mandarins.  He lay around all morning long without any real desire to play.  He didn't pull out but one toy and that was a dog he typically sleeps with.  He had it sit on the couch next to where he was lying down.

I may well be with him tomorrow as well.  Another long day ahead of me.  I need to dig about in the freezer and bring out a frozen entree to thaw for supper tomorrow, not to mention carrying something for my lunch.  Yes, Katie typically provides but she hasn't had a chance to get to the grocery yet.

This afternoon, I finally broke down and gave him medicine for the fever which had really risen.  As soon as the medication took hold he started eating.  I swear that child has a hollow leg.   Once he'd finally satisfied his great hunger, he played a bit.  He kept a low fever but not quite as high as he'd had earlier.

I was temporarily tempted to toss my meal plan for this week, but I'd actually anticipated not wanting to prepare a meal tonight anyway since I thought I was going to be visiting with Mama.  

August 18:  Simple Summer Pleasure:  When August slips us a week of surprise low to mid-80's all week long and the humidity drops, too.  I worked outdoors for a few minutes mid-afternoon and never broke a sweat...

Another day with Caleb.  He had no fever this morning, which was a blessing.  He wasn't yet his usual busy self either and he had dark circles under his eyes, but he was fever free.  

I got a call mid-morning from John who was in a state of panic because he had 'flooded the kitchen', his words.  About a week ago, my kitchen faucet developed a pinhole leak right in the bend of the faucet.  I told John who waited a few days and then finally placed an order for a faucet.  It arrived yesterday and not a minute too soon because said pinhole was now joined by three or four more and water would squirt out of the thing every time, I used the faucet which typically is frequent.  I'd say the kitchen faucet gets the most work out of any faucet in the house.

The new faucet arrived yesterday, and John said to me last night, while supper was heating that he'd put the faucet in when I was home today.  I pointed out that I wouldn't be home before 6pm, thinking he'd change his mind and do the faucet work on Friday if I were home.

Apparently, he decided to do the task today while I was gone.  I dread any plumbing related repair work as it never seems to go off well in this house, be it indoor or outdoor plumbing work.  For one thing, the cut off valves are apparently there for appearances only because not one water pipe cutoff valve works.  Water has to be cut off at the pump and the pipes bled before you dare do any work.  John forgot all of this. 

So, he calls me in a dead panic, shouting that the kitchen is flooded and he can't get the water to stop.  At this exact same time, Caleb, who is a sponge for any excess tension in anyone's voice begins screaming at the top of his lungs, reaching for the phone, etc. and has a diaper explosion.  And there I was caught in the midst of it all, chasing down a messy little boy who was yelling at Grampa on the phone and trying to think what I might say to John to soothe him down.

Nothing I could do...I settled for grabbing Caleb by the scruff of his shorts and dragging him back to the room where I could change his messy bottom and let him shout back at John who hadn't even taken time to catch a breath.  Eventually, all the crises passed...John called me back calmer and more rational and had everything under control.  Caleb settled to eating lunch.  I took a deep breath and was glad everyone was calm.

Caleb volunteered himself for a nap after lunch and I put him to bed.  He whimpered for a few minutes but finally dozed off.  I had to wake him this afternoon.  I felt like a three-hour nap was quite enough for a young man who needed to go to bed this evening.   

John informed me that the same virus is at the Manor house, too...

When I came in this evening the kitchen looked spotless.  The house had been vacuumed and swept.  I had an easy supper planned again tonight, also from my menu for the week.  I was most grateful for the cup of coffee John had ready for me when I came in.

On the way home this evening, I passed a field and realized that it was bordered by blooming golden rod...I glanced at the temperature reading on my dash: 76F...I am feeling a strong sense of wanting to get ready for fall...13 more days August...Give me 13 more days to enjoy summer...

August 19:  John did such a nice job of cleaning up yesterday that we had only a morning's work to bring us up to mark.   The kitchen dishes and counters were what required the most time and effort this morning.

I've made a loaf of bread for Shabat, have a hot dinner in the oven at present, the bed made up with fresh linens, the fridge sorted out, a semi plan for meals for the weekend, and have brought the checkbook up to date for the week.  This week is more or less done as far as I'm concerned.  I could put the last touches on that slipcover but truly, I am not in the mood to sew today.

The weather is cloudy and cool and a bit drizzly now and then.  The yard has a look of being 'done', too, as though its mind has been made up to change right here and now into the next season.

Summer Pleasure: The sunflowers I purchased the other day were terribly sad looking this morning.  So I wrenched off their heads and popped them onto the window shelf in the kitchen to dry.  Sounds horrible but it's so lovely!   My window shelf is always a changing vista, probably the most rearranged and refreshed item in the house, especially in summer.  If I can ever get the stupid computer and phone to sync up, I'll get the picture transferred over here.  

There's thunder rumbling so I'll end here for this week.  I hope you are taking time to appreciate summer days!