Diary of a Homemaker: Marking Things Off My Weekly Work List

 

Saturday:  When I made out my list of work for the week, I really didn't expect I'd tackle it right away.  Saturday is typically one of my days off.   However, this morning, I gave myself a lovely pedicure and manicure, took time this afternoon to set up several outfits for the week or two ahead, returned some borrowed items to Sam and Bess across the field, and loaded up donations from my bedroom closet and the shed.  I feel accomplished today!  That's three items on my list done and one extra task (returning the borrowed things).

I also got a lovely visit with Sam and the three kiddos across the field that I hadn't thought I'd have any time soon.  I'm hoping sometime this week to have Millie come play with Caleb.  I think they both will appreciate the play date. 

John and I left there to head northwest into the foothills.  It's a lovely drive and today was especially so with trees and grass softly green, blue skies, blazing sun and surprisingly clear air after the yellow haze of the week behind us.  There's still a world of pollen out there, mind you, but it's not hanging in the air the way it did this past week.

Along the way we admired blooming redbud, Wild Pear, oaks and more.  The gently rolling hills just added to the loveliness.  It's been quite a little while since we headed to that area, and it felt like a mini vacation just to break our norm and go somewhere fresh to us.  I forget that it's really not much further there than the next town over and not quite as far as our usual shopping areas.

We had a lovely lunch out and then the pretty drive home to look forward to.  We arrived home to find the family enjoying quiet time at home.  They'd had an outing too which included their favorite fast-food place and attached playground.  I think everyone felt it was a very good day indeed.

I am off to go wake John from his nap.  He's really struggling, and I admit I'm worried.  He reminded me he suffers each year during pollen season.  I know this is true, but I think there's something more going on.  That might well be just the later life worries we both keep bumping against.  Mortality is something we have become hyper aware of these past few years.  We don't feel old, but we both know people our own ages and younger who have already passed away.  We feel far less invincible than we did thirty years ago.  That's just another part of this season of life.  

I confess I'm selfish.  I'm fearful that even this much of our later years will be suddenly snatched from me, just as other phases of life have not turned out as I planned and hoped.  And there you have my true confessions for the day.

Sunday:  We have had a fairly quiet weekend overall and it's been restorative.  Caleb was happy yesterday afternoon and played well.  Taylor had her nose stuck to her tablet for the afternoon and even Katie was occupied on her computer.  I took time to read a few of the blogs I check in with weekly.  John napped.  It was just a relaxed and easy day.

Today we had the house to ourselves when we got up, until the end when we left home.  Caleb came out to the porch to wave and blow kisses at us.  We were on our way home when Sam texted that he'd made doughnuts and asked if we'd like some.  We offered to run by and pick some of them up on our way home.  

While John and I were discussing doing this, a rock was kicked up by another car and hit our windshield hard.  It chipped, but the windshield didn't crack.  Thank goodness for that!  

Once home, I got lunch started.  Katie is very adamant that the children stay out of the kitchen when I'm cooking.  Truth all the grandchildren like to hang around the kitchen, but just now they are prone to be either in the space I need to be in or right behind me. 

After lunch she and the children went off to their room to lie down for a bit.  It didn't sound very restful from this side of the wall, but I appreciated the quiet and took a brief nap despite the ruckus being made.  Not fifteen minutes after they left, she sent a photo of Caleb, sound asleep in his seat in the car.  I guess he just needed the restraints to hold him still long enough to doze off.  

John's asked for a pizza for supper.  That's such an easy job these days now that I know what I'm doing.  I'll roll out dough and get it ready for the oven when the family comes back home.

Monday:  This morning I was so tempted to sock myself into two additional projects.  I did add them to my list on the weekly planner here on the blog, but as of the moment I haven't worked on them yet.  And why not?  Because I disciplined myself and said, "NO extra jobs until you've done the ones you've already said you think are necessary this week!"  So, I dusted the living and dining room instead, as I ought to have done.  Then I pulled foods out of the freezer for today's meal, looked over my menu to see what else I might do to prep food ahead for the week.  

I slept very well last night, praise God.  I felt ready to tackle my day and so things have gone along very well.  I feel so accomplished to have the dusting done in my zone area!  Not to mention my weekly routine for the house.  

Funny/not funny thing this morning.  John raised his voice to Caleb this morning.  He wasn't wrong to do so, but it was Caleb's reaction that sent me from the room to hide my face.  He used his hands to mimic a gentle pushing down motion and said very quietly, "Grampa...Slow Breath.  Calm Down."   The look on John's face as he realized what Caleb was saying was funnier than Caleb's actions...and just for the record a little while later when Gramma got aggravated, she was told to do the same thing.  Oh my.

I forgot all about it being pay week for us.  That means I needed to add doing bills for the month to the list of things to do.  I just went on and did about half the job tonight.  I'll actually write checks tomorrow and then on Wednesday I can do totals and that job will be DONE.

All in all, a really good day in our home.  We started the day with a mini-M&M bonus and while we had no success the rest of the day, he was at least willing to go try.  Good enough.

Tuesday:  A long day.  It went well enough.   The afternoon was a bit more difficult.  BUT we had a potty success in the midst of that difficult time which is always a joy and this morning he made the attempt to go potty all on his own without help.  That's progress in my opinion.

We started the day today with his blocks.  We went through the alphabet and then turned them over to numbers and counted.  He quickly caught on that each letter corresponded to the pictures on the sides of the blocks too and so we had a good little 15-minute session of 'school' without calling it school.

I spent too long in the kitchen this morning.  I made several things at once and worked hard but I got overtired and wouldn't quit until I'd cleared the final mess.  It wasn't worth it.  No, it really wasn't.  Overtired woman does not play nice with others just when they too are starting to feel tired and weary. I should have postponed some of the tasks or even quit them once I realized I was feeling tired and overwhelmed.

This evening, once Caleb was gone off to bed, and dinner was officially over, John and I went out alone to ride to the dumpsters.  The air outdoors was clear and soft.  The sky turned shades of soft orange and purple.  That little ride of just over a mile was like a complete refreshing.  I realized I'd needed to be out of the house pretty badly.  

Tomorrow is another day, isn't it?  

Wednesday:  John off to the doctor this morning.  Good news: allergies were responsible for the symptoms I was worried over.  He's got his instructions and most of the items the doctor ordered (holistically speaking) are already on hand in our supplies.  He refilled and changed up a prescription or two.  John and I both can relax now and stop worrying each other with our worries, lol.  

Caleb and I stayed home.  We waved off Mama and then waved on Grampa shortly after.  He wanted to watch tv for a bit and I agreed.  It gave me a chance to unload the dishwasher and to start my project for the day, making apple pies for the freezer.  I made the crusts and peeled and cut five pounds of apples into pieces.  This netted me two pies, one an old-fashioned double crust and the other a Dutch apple Pie.

Caleb popped in and out of the kitchen.  He asked to help roll out pie crusts, so I let him 'help' and he acted as taste tester for apples, streusel and such.  He pronounced it all 'Dishus'.

I put the parings and cores on to simmer in water.  I hope to make some apple jelly with them.  It sure does smell good!

After a bit, Caleb and I turned off the tv and played with his blocks as we did yesterday.  We picked out colors, counted, did ABC's (where oh where is our 'D' block?) and then we made a track for the Hot Wheel cars to race down.  A good morning with him.  

We had a success again on the potty.  That's three days in a row.  He's not consistent and is resistant at times and when he says he's done he's truly done.  But I'm trying my best to be patient and accustom him to the idea of going in routinely and trying to go.  My method is not necessarily the method others' might choose but then again, it's far less stressful on both of us than some of the other methods I've read about.

John came back home, and we all ate lunch together.  Usually, we try to have that meal just to ourselves, but we all ate lightly this morning, and we just went ahead and shared this meal with him.  We waited until Caleb was down for his nap before we tried to discuss the doctor's visit overall.  We were well pleased with how things went and happy to find he agreed with where we were going with our own thoughts and attempts with supplements, etc.

We got the new pillows yesterday, which are memory foam.  They are firmer than I thought they might be.  We slept really well on them though, so that's what counts.  They are especially for back and slide sleepers.  Our feather/foam pillows aren't for either sleep position, I'll wash the feather and foam core pillows we've been using once the pollen is done so that we can hang them outdoors to dry.  

Thursday:  It's been a long day.  We had planned to pick up John's prescriptions and run by Tractor Supply and do a bit of grocery shopping.  John dawdled.  We left home late.  I wasn't happy.  I was thinking of Caleb's schedule.  John was thinking of his schedule which never takes into account lunch time and certainly not naps.  

Well, the day went.  And it went well.  Caleb handled sitting in the car with Grampa very well.  I did all the legwork, and we finally were headed to get something to eat (about 2pm) when John ran into an acquaintance that has had health issues.  He stopped to talk to him and honestly...Never tell me men don't talk!  I finally flagged John a warning that Caleb was starting to get antsy.  He was hungry, tired of being in the car seat, and soaked his clothing...

But what a trooper.  He came home, climbed on the potty and soaked everything in sight.  He helped us unload and put away groceries.  He was so super helpful, something I'm finding he really does want to be.  

I bought corned beef on sale today.  I'd like to have gotten more but it was a limit of two at Aldi.  Still that's two in the freezer for future meals.  I'm officially DONE with the grocery budget this month.  We'll manage on what we've got until the end of the month.  Honestly, it won't be difficult.  The freezer is nearly full.  The pantry is holding up well even though I've yet to take those funds I'd planned to use to build it up.

Long day, and I am tired.  I think I'm finally over my book hangover and ready to choose a new read.  I definitely feel in the mood for something light.  The last two books were heavy reading.

Friday:  Today I declare to be list day.  At least that is my main plan for the quieter moments of the day.  I've promised Caleb we will make cookies this morning.  I have the butter and egg sitting on the counter now and a packet of mix.  I don't normally buy mixes, but this is one I found on clearance at Kroger about a month ago.

I've been ruminating over what to have for supper.  It's cool and raining.  We've had a light thunderstorm go through once today already.  I'm thinking deeply comforting food.  I have thought of several different things that sounded good and comfort food reliable.  I finally set out something to thaw.  I'm already anticipating the meal, so I think I chose well.

John and I got a new vacuum late last week and we've now used it multiples of times.  I ran it this morning. It is not a pricey vacuum, a Bissell Pet Smart vacuum that was right at $60.  It's super light compared to our old one and it has suction like you wouldn't believe.  We are pulling fine sand from the carpets like crazy which makes me think the old vacuum was less competent than we'd thought it might be.  

Caleb is watching.  It's such a miserable day outdoors that we all seem to want to just snuggle into the blankets and throws and try to stay warm.  I don't normally let him have tv all day long or even for long hours at a time...but I do allow it to babysit and give me a few minutes respite.  I'll be calling him to the kitchen shortly to start making cookies.  

After we get cookies in the oven, I'll start to work on our lunch.  We're having scramble burgers for lunch, another comfort sort of meal in my opinion.  

John has done three loads of laundry this morning, including our sheets and towels and the bathroom rug that was a potty-training victim yesterday and an odd assortment of things to piece out that last load.  He's started his new medications and seems to be breathing easier for the most part.  I'm still keeping a very watchful eye on him, poor man.  My anxiety has come out in being super snippy at him.  I've apologized but admittedly it's not prevented my snapping at him still more.

I'm grateful for the rain and the thunder and bit of lightning.  The pollen will die down, things will continue to green up with all those good nutrients coming to them.  There's a new season before us and I for one am ready to see what this one will bring.

How did your week go?  Do you have plans for the weekend?  I think we're going to try and go out for breakfast and I'll beg a 'date' in the new antique mall that is open in town.  I feel like a good nose around in a shop that isn't full of new things.  

See you again next week!

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