In my home this week, I was just looking out of the guest room window and seeing all the weeds in the flower bed about the Sweet Gum tree. I felt really frustrated and sad for a moment and then I pulled myself up short. I can do it in small bites can't I? That will hold it through most of the summer, once I get it done and it's not so much. It's just my old familiar frustration that what I might have done in another season is no longer what I'm able to do now.
Saturday: Last night's Coffee House was absolutely wonderful. John presented his music well and what's more he was well received. We socialized amongst the group and enjoyed the interactions. I was so tired, not going to even pretend I wasn't, but I truly enjoyed myself and I mean that sincerely. Sometimes social gatherings, especially when I'm already weary, are just hard to push through.
Last night, when we came home, I just put myself to bed right away. I needed that half hour or so alone and in quiet to recoup. Then I slept fairly well. I still lay awake for over an hour after John came to bed, but I slept, blissfully well, once I went to sleep.
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I've looked and looked for a vintage ad of a woman shopping. I can find only one or a plump woman and a thin one in a dress shop. ALL the rest of the ads are either of a woman in the grocery, coming out of the grocery or sitting at home with the Avon lady...I wonder why?
I thought I'd compile a list of recent purchases. All of these were bought in the past four months or so. I have tested them, used them and highly recommend them.
Thursday: Did what meal prep I could earlier in the day. I took a whole roasting hen from the freezer to thaw on Monday. When I pulled it from the fridge this afternoon, it was still mostly frozen. I ended rinsing under cool running water and then patting the bird dry to try and thaw the ice in the cavity.
We took Caleb out to play with his water table. It involved more labor than it ought to have done. The attachment to the hose was broken over the winter. John attempted to replace it but the exact same type of part would not go on the thing. He finally fixed it and we filled the water table. It was a huge hit with Caleb who enjoyed getting wet.
Hello dears. Do have a glass of iced tea with me. I have peach, black pekoe, and that lovely violet colored pea flower tea. Which would you like?
I've been feeling the itch to get outdoors and putter about with plants and things. The problem being I want to cut right to the fun part (planting and making up pretty pots) but I hadn't done the hard part yet (cleaning pots and sifting soil). Turns out you can empty a pot, clean it and sift the soil then plant one pot at a time. It's not a short cut but it does allow you that instant cure to the gardening itch.
I am bored to tears with food at the moment. I want something different, not take-out, not expensive, but different than we've had of late. And when I went to look over menus from April's past, I found that I pretty much planned the same old things over and over again. Ugh.
Well, I am always on the lookout for new to me recipes but this week I'll pull tried and true, but seldom used ones. I plan to spend the week looking for something fresh and new to serve. Really, it's all the same foods just a new manner of preparing or combining that makes it seem new and fresh, isn't it?
In my home this week, I am still riding on the wave of getting so many things out of our bedroom this past week. Yes, I still have vacuum storage bags under my bed, but I have some empty spaces in my room. No, the bags won't fit. They are too heavy and too big for the space, but visually I see that we have room and that's all I needed to shut down some of my anxiety.
Saturday: Our car battery was dead this morning. Not the way we planned to start our day, for sure. I don't know just why it had to be tested three or four more times because the moment it clicked the first time, the man of the house said, "Oh...That's dead." But yeah, it had to be tested a few more times, just in case it was fooling.
I got out of the car and started weeding the herb planter. This is the three-tier planter box that John bought me a few years ago for our anniversary. I plan to move it around to the patio this spring and plant it out with fresh herbs. The chives are scant but holding, two tiny sprigs of oregano trying hard to grow, but the lemon thyme, lavender and anything else that was in there are absolutely done. That's not unusual when we have a truly cold winter as we did this year.
Thursday: I feel I did nothing much today, but I managed meals and that's always something isn't it?
I brought out leftover turkey from the fridge and made sandwiches, then I wrapped up the bit of meat that was left and put it back in the freezer for another day. There's enough for at least two and a half sandwiches. That's enough for the three of us.
Friday: We had an unexpected day off. Katie didn't know until she was leaving work on Thursday that she had the day off on Friday. I thought we'd all be home together that day but John said immediately when he heard, "What are we going to do tomorrow?" Knowing that it was supposed to rain tomorrow, I suggested we could go get haircuts. My own had held fairly well, since it was cut so very short this last time, but he looked a bit beyond fuzzy duck stage with his hair. "But I thought you were going to see your mom this week?" "Yes, I had planned to do so...I guess we could part ways and you go get a haircut while I go see Mama..." No, that wouldn't do. In the end, as late as this morning, he suddenly determined that we could both visit Mama and then we could both get a haircut.
I believe that a pantry and a filled freezer are as necessary an emergency fund as a savings account. I've always believed this and that's partly due to personal experience.
During my first marriage there were two pivotal incidents that really rooted me in having a food supply on hand. Mind you all, this was something I'd seen all of my elder family members do. Mama, Granny, Grandmother, my aunts, both my great grandmothers, my great great aunt and all of my grandmothers' sisters harvested and preserved foodstuffs and had a pantry that fed their families year round.
Thursday: Just back from grocery shopping. It's challenging with Caleb along and no John to help (he had an appointment) but we managed it rather well today. It does keep me on my toes. I'm sure here in a bit I'll discover what I failed to buy, and it will be the very thing I needed most, but we'll just hold on tight and go without.
I found ground turkey on clearance for $1.92/pound. I bought four pounds. I could have put more in the freezer, but four pounds will be in addition to the four pounds already in the freezer. Frozen turkey breasts were still on sale for $1.79/pound (Honeysuckle White) this week, so I got one to hold for later in the summer. I did not buy any other meat today. I felt this was plenty and since I did not have meats on my list, I didn't get them. I was shopping at Kroger today and the only thing I didn't get was my free Hillshire Farm sausage (Best Customer coupon) because I didn't see that coupon on my app when I was checking it.
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I hadn't read anything in nearly a week and on a whim, picked up a book from my 'read soon' stack on the bookshelf. I had picked up Grace Livingston Hill's Happiness Hill. Almost immediately there was a meal description, written to Jane's little sister. Jane was staying at a mountain resort and the breakfast sounded delicious to me!
Mountain resort menu: Coffee, honeydew melon, toast, freshly baked hot rolls, Pan-fried brook trout.
This brings back a happy memory. My first husband liked to spend the night in the snakiest places fishing. He always had good luck and would bring home catfish. He'd fry them for our breakfast, and I always thought they made an excellent breakfast.
I read a lot of this book in the evening while I was lying in bed, so I simply jotted down menus and didn't bother to put down chapters where they might be found in the book.
Jane cuts her trip short and returns home. A heat wave has hit the hometown. The dinner menu that first night: Steak, Baked Potatoes, Tomato Surprise, Snow Pudding
I was very curious about what the last two items might be. I played amateur detective to try to figure out the first recipe. I looked up Tomato surprise and since the book was published in 1932, the chapter dealt with a heat wave, etc., I found a recipe that I felt might be the nearest to what they might have served here. Down in the comments on that post, the author adds more direction.
Snow pudding was also a new to me recipe but there are loads of recipes online for that. The ones I think most likely resemble what Mrs. Hill mentions contain gelatin, egg whites, sugar. It appears that most are served with a custard sauce, usually lemon flavored, so you'd utilize the egg yolks as well.
I'd be curious to try both these recipes at least once.
Lunch out with a co-worker: Soup, Rolls, Baked Apples
Unexpected Company invited to a family dinner: thin slices of ham, Baked Potatoes, Yellow Corn on the Cob, Bread and Butter, Cold Applesauce, and cold Milk.
A picnic on the way to the shore: Sandwiches made with ground meat, grated onion, bits of pickles, and sweet pepper; also, sandwiches made with dates, cheese and nuts; Stuffed Eggs wrapped in lettuce leaves; Iced tea and cold milk in thermoses; Cherry tarts and tiny frosted sponge cakes; grapes and peaches.
Upon arrival at the shore, it's noted that the refrigerator is filled with these items: stew, applesauce, tomato jelly, cold roast chicken. The bread box contained cake, rolls and bread. The postmaster apparently was in charge of general merchandise as well and sent over butter, eggs, and milk.
1st supper at the shore: Beef Stew and rolls.
Another supper at the shore: Clam Chowder, Cake, Sliced Peaches with cream and sugar
Scalloped Oysters, Roasted Potatoes, Stuffed Tomatoes, Chocolate bread pudding with real whipped cream to top it.
I made every entree on my menu plan last week and most of the side dishes too. In the end, it proved easiest and most convenient to stick to the menu sheet rather than think up something fresh.
I don't know if that will work out this week or not but we'll see.
Saturday was rainy and quite cold. I had no real meal until Friday night. Sunday's meal was already planned.
Now to figure out Monday-Friday...
Saturday: Croissants/Bagels
Bbq Wings, Home Fries, Carrot and Celery sticks
Chili. John opted to have pasta with his. I pulled leftover Mexican rice from the freezer to thaw and tone down the spiciness of this particular brand of chili powder for the rest of us. I felt Caleb would eat it better if it wasn't quite so peppy.
Sunday: We'll all likely have peanut butter toast since I know John and I will be up super early (8am service)
Brunch: Orange Danish, Sausage Balls, Sliced Ham, Deviled Eggs, Fresh Fruit, Cupcakes
Sandwiches, Chips, Leftover Cupcakes
From this point forward it's planning but not for a specific day. Temperatures will obviously come into play for some of these meals and one of the easier ones will be for Friday.
Tuna Pasta Salad, Tomato Soup, Saltines
Lazy Day Stew, Salad, Corn Muffins. I'll be using leftover roast beef for the stew meat in this dish. Otherwise, I'll follow the usual recipe for the dish.
Ham and Potatoes au Gratin, Asparagus, Tiny Biscuits
Company Chicken, Wild Rice, Green Beans with Mushrooms
Hamburgers or Hotdogs, Chips, Coleslaw. I'll make the buns whichever I decide to do.
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In my home this week, we are sad. We said goodbye to our sweet cat Misu. She was Katie's cat and though, Katie tried to acclimatize her to living indoors, Misu refused to come in. She was upset by just sitting inside with the door open between her and outdoors. This was just before Katie married and was moving into a city. In the end, it was determined that I'd keep Misu and Katie would move without her.
Misu didn't take to the 'new ownership' very well. She didn't have any real affection for me at all for five or more years. And then suddenly one year it all changed. She was about 8 at that point and she started lavishing me with affection. She brought me gifts (ick ones, but in cat terms the finest of gifts). When she was upset, it was I who heard her complain the longest and loudest.
Over the last few months, she'd stopped grooming herself. I went out and patiently brushed her fur and wiped down her dirty feet. Then she had a sore develop on her forehead. I suspect she'd been bitten by something, perhaps a non-venomous snake or a rat. It looked pretty bad because she would not allow me to put any medication on it but we kept a careful watch over her, and it finally scabbed over.
I noted yesterday morning that her legs were a mess, that they appeared to have some sort of rash and planned when we returned from our day to clean her up. Sam stopped by to get something. He flipped her over and noted that there was more damage than appeared to the eye. Never mind that she'd eaten breakfast same as always, there was damage and while she seemed to be in no pain, it was serious enough that we knew this was the end. We don't want any animal to suffer needlessly. We made plans to put her down.
We all spent time loving on her and telling her how much we appreciated her sharing our lives, how exemplary a cat she'd always been. Katie opted to be the one to carry out the procedure and buried her in a grave that John had carefully dug. At some point we all cried, as well we might. She was our cat for at least 15 years.
There was a family upset. Easter weekend isn't going to happen as planned.
Easter weekend could be better on so many scores. And we haven't even got to Easter day just yet. We do the best we can all around, but I admit I am drained emotionally and mentally just at the moment.
Taylor had Spring holidays last week. The boys across the field will be out this coming week. I hope I get to see the three from across the field soon, at least one day while they are out of school, and not just on Easter but we'll wait and see how that goes. Too many raw feelings all over the place and too many under the surface things going on.
Work:
Yesterday the weather was at nearly 90F. Today, as I work on this post, it is 50F, rainy and cold. Tomorrow, Easter Sunday is meant to be a little warmer and while not sunny, it's not meant to rain. My family won't be joining us as planned, but I've gotten permission for the children to come for an egg hunt. I plan to keep this day as simple as possible. A Brunch meal and fresh fruit us all planned and prepped. Tomorrow, Katie will devil eggs, I'll warm the meats and we'll bake Orange Danish.
Monday through Thursday is meant to be fairly pleasant outside. I'm going to do my level best to get outdoors and attend to those flowerpots of mine. I've done about all the weeding I can do and I haven't yet bought mulch so it's flowerpots and nothing but flowerpots.
Zone 2 Living Room and Dining Room. I want to wash the sheers and the pillow covers. It's time, despite the present daytime temperatures, to wash the throw blankets and put them away. I said I'd like to put a few things out that look like Spring. I don't go over the top, but I have a few pretty pieces that have spring flowers on them, and I'd like to put them out.
Put away most of the Easter things, few as those are.
Declutter. Donate or move to the shed. I have at least three two cabinets to go through (Just went through one). I know I can let go of some things.
Katie spent the day rearranging her room and now I can easily get to the few things I need to still move from that room.
Katie sorted out her heavy winter things from her spring/summer clothing. I want to go through the small bin and see if I have shorts or t-shirts for Caleb. I have a feeling he's going to be in a growth spurt. It's time to move some of his heavier things out as well.
I've got to do the same in my closet. I need to find a spot to store sweaters. I have a huge Ziplock packing bag (it has breathing vents) full of antique quilts that must be put somewhere safe. And a handful of others that are not put away that must go somewhere...Honestly just right now, my brain boggles at finding places to put all the things...
I can't think of any work that doesn't involve putting things away somewhere else and frankly it's a bit overwhelming to me at the moment as I struggle to assess and rearrange storage space that is already in a limited supply. Mainly I want my home to not look like it's a storage facility at least on the surface!
For the record, it's not about there being MORE in the house. There isn't. It's just that what was tolerable as a more temporary problem isn't tolerable when you're looking at a longer time period. If I can clear some of the excess of my own things out, then I'll feel more comfortable overall.
Call the doctor to verify an order that is confusing.
I have a rosebush that is a knockout variety single yellow blossoming rose. I've had it for years and years. It stubbornly has grown from its former spot where it was originally planted next to the old back steps and is now underneath the newer back porch steps and grows through a section of the back porch and then up and out through the rosemary bush. It's stubborn and has continued to grow there though repeatedly pruned and cut back, doused with killer (by John), etc. The rose is pretty and has bloomed like nobody's business through all the efforts to kill it. I admire its tenacity and quite like the bloom. I'd like to try to root a couple of pieces and see if I might not get new rose bushes from it. John has been talking of putting concrete steps at the end of the back porch and I know that when he does the yellow rose will most likely be finished.
Kitchen:
Honestly, if you all could look at what I say I want to accomplish each week on these posts and then compare it to what I didn't accomplish, you'd wonder if I'm even capable of doing a single thing! I did NOT get a freezer inventory done last week. I really need to do one. I don't much know what I have in there aside from perhaps what's on one shelf and what I most recently purchased to go in (1 turkey breast, four pounds of ground turkey).
Second thing on my list this week is prompted by Mandy in the Making. A viewer question this week mentioned her own "new" instant pot that she'd now had for over two years and never had used. She asked Mandy her suggestions for getting more comfortable with the appliance. I immediately paid attention because I've had mine since before Christmas and haven't touched it yet except to move it out of sight. My own instant pot is also an electric pressure canner as well as a pressure cooker and a slow cooker. Mandy suggested you begin by simply putting water in the thing and follow the instructions in your manual. I'm not really sure where my manual is now but the appliance also has a website with videos. Anyway, this week I want to get to know this appliance and stop letting fear rule.
It's even more silly when you consider that I had and used pressure cookers from age 10 onwards and why I should find this more intimidating than the old-fashioned sort is truly just anxiety. And yes, I blew the old-fashioned sort up a time or three. I used a pressure canner successfully without any sort of accident at all.
That my appliance is also a slow cooker is a bonus that means this will be a triply useful tool if I'll just get over my fear.
Make bread and bagels and determine what sweet snack item I can make for the household. Right now, John has some of his cheap, tastes like nothing but sweet, duplex cookies that he loves but I've noted that he eats less of something with real flavor and more if it's just merely sweet.
As with last week, I'll post a separate Menu item, but I've just gone through the fridge this morning though it is Saturday and I pretty much know what I have.
Personal/Leisure:
I don't know if I really even know what 'leisure' is anymore. With a three-year-old in the house, leisure is pretty much what I get when he's in bed for the night or I leave home.
When I was in the closet digging for the lost manual that I hadn't lost, lol, I found my big bin full of genealogical notebooks and books and told John, "I really miss doing this. Do you think I'll ever again have an opportunity to sit down with it and research more?" I'd love to pick up something and work on it. I really would. Don't know if that will happen, but perhaps I can sit down one evening and just flip through pages?
I'm on a kick. I have Enchanted April as my reading at the moment. I have the movie of the same name (and a very close rendition of the book) as well, which I mean to watch. Then I remembered that I have a Grace Livingston Hill book, April Gold. So, I've pulled that one to read. There's apparently a Rosemunde Pilcher book called April Snow, and I'll wager it's in one of the boxes of packed books that I haven't anywhere to put, but that would be fun to add if I do come across it, provided I actually get through the boxes to find it. I don't often do a themed reading in a month's time, but I thought this was a fun thing for this month.
Then I looked up April and found that there were multiple 'national' days. For instance, April 12, is National Grilled Cheese Day and April 17 is National Go Fly a Kite Day...Sort of puts you in mind of "Mary Poppins", doesn't it? There are all sorts of days for all sorts of things from food to pets to things to do, like April 23 which is National Picnic Day.
Then I found there were April songs. Like Louis Armstong's rendition of "April in Paris" and a Simon and Garfunkel song, "April Come She Will". That made me realize that often I go in search of vintage music for Christmas, winter, Fall but I've never yet done that for Spring or Summer, and why not? I could have a playlist that lasts me all Spring long!
t occurs to me that I can just plan have fun with the whole month of April if I've a mind to do so.
Anway, I plan to just play around and see what all I can find to do extra this month that applies to April, including my reading.
I think I really need a spa day. Or a series of spa moments.
And I need desperately to journal. This weekend has brought that home hard. I must get back to routinely journaling.
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Sunday: We'll go all the way back to Friday evening. John and I so appreciate the time change now as we're back to taking trash to the dump in the daylight hours. It's become a small respite for us two or three times a week when we've been home for a few days.
Thursday: Another week of budgeting is begun. Last week I was pretty pleased that I not only saved money, I produced something from my kitchen to add to my pantry and food stores. You do realize producing can mean you put an extra casserole in the freezer when you're already making one or you buy and freeze extra produce for a future use? It all counts.
Technically, when I shopped today it might look like March spending. It isn't. Everything purchased today was bought on sale for April. It won't be used here in March at all although it was all purchased today. I needed nothing for my March meals to be complete. I was looking at sales and looking ahead when I made out my shopping list.
I've just gone back to review the March goals and the number of things I didn't get done...Well, it's that sort of season of life. I stayed busy enough. I did things. They just didn't happen to all be on the list of things I meant to do.
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I love vintage images that show a lovely full pantry of shining jars of jewel toned fruits and vegetables. I also love these vintage refrigerator ads which touted the breathtaking capacity of the fridge to hold a LOAD of food. Just look at her freezer! How do you even begin to unpack it?
Which reminds me of Mama saying that Gramma Crowley froze all her vegetable garden produce except what they ate fresh. I know that this is true. She packed the food into plastic baggies, tied them with a twist tie and then packed that into the neatest little white cardboard boxes.
In my home this week, it's looking like spring has decided to stay. The weather is meant to be nice all week long. I noted that the purple iris have started to bloom. I should see the golden yellow ones to be coming along anytime now.
I'm longing to get out and do things outdoors and I have been out for minutes at a time to do small tasks. It's surprising how much you can do in just 15 or 30 minutes if you're consistent in working.