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Knowing that a move is in the offing and knowing that while Katie has packed some things (quite a lot if you consider her wardrobe which was quite large) and even knowing that she hasn't that much to pack as her possessions are few...I'm beginning to feel antsy about the packing side of things. Katie has a plan. She's moved all on her own without any help from me in the past. I'm trying to let things alone and just let her do what needs to be done until she actually asks for my help.
This idea of moving, as always, makes me want to declutter my own belongings. It happens every time anyone I know is moving. It's not that I long to move, though on some level I do find the idea of it exciting. I mean the ability to make a fresh space my own is very appealing to me. But anyone moving does drive home the fact that I am not a minimalist. My space is clean and neat and tidy, but I have a LOT of stuff and a lot of furniture.
Oh well. I might be biting my nails wondering how it's all going to get done, but then again, it's not mine to worry over. Let it go...
Work:
The decluttering of the kitchen last week didn't go well. I looked in the utensils drawer and realized that while there are pieces I don't care for (like plastic pancake flippers) those are the very pieces John reaches for repeatedly and will insist I buy if I remove them, even though he hasn't been in the kitchen to fry a single egg in nearly five months. Just facts.
I did get the kitchen/back entry mopped and I gave myself permission to let the bathrooms wait. I had to do an energy audit. My energy wasn't up to the whole house but there was enough to get the kitchen clean once more.
This week: Zone 2: Living Room, Dining Room/Front Entry and the tiny hallway. Katie has asked me to take Granny's set of China that was given to her and hold on to it. I have no place to store it at present, but I want to make a spot here in the house, not in the shed.
It is a reminder that I've got two sets of China that I rarely will pull out to use. I think I'm going to try to serve a Sabbath meal each Saturday on China. It's lovely, all of it, and such a shame not to use it. I could switch it up seasonally.
I have a drawer full of candles and scented wax. I don't do a lot of scented stuff in the house but the scents we have, I don't mind. I think I'll do two things: declutter those that I've had forever that I don't use and probably won't and look for a new wax burner that is more suitable to my personal tastes.
Mostly I just want to give the room a good overall cleaning. Dusting, vacuuming, spot cleaning carpet, etc. I won't bother the tabletop full of trucks and cars that Caleb sets up again every time he comes. That can stay until the end of the month, and then I will put them away. John's bit of clutter will also stay, though I may ask him to go through his several notebooks to determine which might be removed.
I shall go no further in work plans. There's always daily work and routine picking up to be done. I have a list made way back in May or June that I have been slowly working my way through, mostly cherry picking a job here or there to attend to. Slow progress is progress all the same.
Kitchen:
I have been trying hard to keep an eye on the contents of the fridge and freeze or use things in a timely manner. So far, so good. But there are a few items I really need to see to this week. First on my list is now a twice or thrice a week habit: organize the fridge and see what's in there. Plan to use it (or plan to lose it! Now there's a new adage for our kitchens!) this week. The freezer, as always, is packed tight and nothing more will fit, so it's use it time for anything in the fridge.
Baking. Each week I make bread, usually on Friday morning, so we have a fresh whole loaf for Friday Shabat. Never mind that in three weeks we've not been able to have Shabat in our home. When I leave on Friday afternoon to pick up Caleb, my table is set up and ready, right down to the fresh loaf of bread on my lovely Spode platter.
But I want to do a little more baking besides. We're out of bagels and I'll need those for next weekend. I'd just read that I could use my favorite pizza dough to make bagels. Why not? In the end, it's all the same process, all the same ingredients and in the same amounts. I can make pizza dough without thought. So that's on my list this week.
I like to have some sort of muffins on hand each week because if I've had a lie-in morning, or have had really poor sleep and can't think, it's always nice to have muffins for our meal. John and Caleb favor them for snacks as well.
And last, I shall make a couple of sweet items. Cookies, a cake. I'm thinking an applesauce cake this week. I don't typically give Caleb sweet items, but he thought it a real treat to have a chocolate chip cookie last Friday after supper. I thought I'd make Oatmeal cookies. Katie likes those once in the autumn months and I'd like to do that for her before she moves. She can take some to Steven.
Meals:
Chicken Parmesan, Salad, Garlic Toast (leftovers of the main dish)
Dijon and Maple Roasted Chicken Thighs, Acorn Squash, Green Peas
Meatloaf, Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad, Baked Potato
BBQ'd chicken legs, Roasted Cauliflower, Green Beans
Italian Pepper Steak, Rice, Kidney Beans
Meatloaf Sandwich, Potato Soup
Hot Dogs, Chips, Fruit (to be determined), Oatmeal Cookies
I confess all my plans this week are loose ones so this may be a good menu, or it may change. I was just thinking of what I had in the fridge or freezer.
Personal:
Moisturize skin. I've let this slip and it shows. I don't know why I can't seem to make and keep the habit of moisturizing daily.
I've neglected my nails over the last few weeks as well. I'm going to try to work out a good daily/weekly routine of care.
Read. I hope to pick up another book this weekend, but if I fail to do so I will make the time to sort through my 'To Be Read' stacks and find one.
Continue with my Bible Study on Acts.
And there's still that mending to be done.
7 comments:
1. I highly second using your fine China on a daily basis if you love it. Just keep a few plastic plates for visiting grandkids.
2. You might offer Sam and his wife a set of your family China. I realize she is incredibly busy and might not want one, but it couldn't hurt to offer.
3. If all else fails, just donate a set or two to charity. Your grandmothers are gone, they won't know.
My grandmother died at 99 and 11 months. She STILL had stuff she was waiting to use for fancy occasions. I left the funeral, threw out my daily plates and ever since have been using my so-called "good" dishes. If they chip or break, so what? I have enjoyed them in the meantime. I am through saving things for future use, I enjoy what I have now.
Family dishes can be a conundrum. In some families they are almost sacred. The Urban Farmer's mother gave us her mother's dishes which I don't think we ever used. When his cousin Linda visited from Alabama, we asked if she wanted them and she did. We don't have a ton of storage and it's best to cull out and keep only what we will use. I do have my mother's Fiesta Ware.
An energy audit is a good thing. I like that term and will use it freely! I actually accomplished some piddly things that needed to be done, making up more personal body wash, making up fruit and veg spray and tomorrow will be making glass cleaner. Have another jar of citrus peels marinating in vinegar to make a spray cleaner. I am helping the Urban Farmer make the screened porch ready for winter. We are making up as we go and it's actually working out pretty well.
Ah, the dreaded cracking fingers from cold weather. Time to break out the Aquaphor. It's good on dry, scaly legs too.
I'd love to know how you make your broccoli and cauliflower salad, if you have the time...
Anne, I really should start to use them. I happen to love them but never use them because they require handwashing. However, I think 'Plan to use it or plan to lose it' applies here, too.
Katie would like to keep Granny's china but since her current rental in SC is also meant to be temporary, has asked me to hold on to it. Sam and Bess opted out of china and instead took the pink depression pieces from family as well as the pink crystal glasses that went with the china, something Katie did not want.
The china I received for my first marriage I had given to Amie years ago and she returned it when they moved to North Dakota because she had no home of her own to take it to. In my mind, I still consider it hers, but I really ought to use that too.
The other set is just a grocery store incentive purchase that is rather pretty, a sort of a Royal Albert sort of look to it. I LOVE that set. It's really pretty to use for Christmas (red, white and green) and at Valentine's and all through the summer. The wedding set is a pale blue, cream and light brown floral pattern that is quite pretty too, but it lends itself best to Autumn and winter settings in my opinion.
Mabel, Really you are TOO right!! I should just use them and be happy I got use from them. Likely enough if they did break, I'd end replacing them with something equally pretty in the end, wouldn't I, having got in the habit of having a pretty setting on the table.
I've mentioned before that Mama had a lovely set of China she never used, and being herself, insisted would never be mine. I recall looking her in the eye saying, Honestly why would I miss it? You never set a table with it and even my wedding wasn't of import enough to bring it out to use, so do what you want with it. So she gave it to her hairdresser and apparently thought I'd rant but I didn't.
Donna, dishes truly are subject to personal tastes aren't they? How nice that the Farmer's cousin was happy to take the china.
Sue: I chop equal amount of cauliflower and broccoli and then mix it all with mayonnaise, a bit of dry ranch dressing mix and shredded cheddar cheese. I believe Mama also included bacon bits in hers which gave it a nice flavor but the turkey bacon we like is so expensive, I just don't use it as flavoring. Nor does it keep a nice texture in a salad. This is a simple salad but really good. Don't use too much ranch dressing mix because it makes the salad seem overly rich.
You know my philosophy on using the good dishes - just like you with your mom's set, no one will have memories tied to the dishes if you don't use them.
My MIL recently gave me a set of china given to her after an aunt passed away a few decades ago. She never even unpacked it, and I think I may have met the aunt once. Even so, it's pretty antique china (from the 1940s), and will be fun to use for Easter. Greg's mom will turn 85 in March, so I'm thinking of hosting a small tea party for her, and using the china. She'll get a kick out of that, and will make sure to point out to everyone that she gave me the dishes. Lol.
Tammy it was a set of dishes you thrifted that prompted my comment to Mabel to 'buy more' if the others do get broken, lol.
I think a tea party is something you could do with the kids too. I was surprised that Josh and Isaac actually enjoyed having a tea party with me not too long ago. I figured boys wouldn't care but they were so charmed by it all!
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