Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Yes, We Did

Saturday:  We bought kitchen cabinets today.  And counters.  And a bathroom sink and vanity.  Now we have to have the contractor come back, view the measurements on the 3D photo of the arrangement and determine if the cabinet maker has all the correct measurements.  And then we can actually get the order processed.  So, it begins!

When we walked in there was a kitchen set-up with the exact cabinets and countertops, I'd determined I wanted.  I'm going with classic white Shaker cabinets and countertops that look like Carrara marble but are actually Formica.  The mock-up kitchen even had flooring the color of my own here.  I knew the moment I saw it that it was exactly what I'd been thinking I wanted. I had no qualms at all about the design from there.  

John asked me repeatedly if I was sure I had gotten all I wanted.  I didn't get drawers.  The cost was quite prohibitive.  I did walk around and look at the cabinets in the sizes I was ordering.  I noted the construction of them which was far superior to anything we'd seen.  These are solid wood cabinets.  No shoddy materials at all.  I looked in cupboards to see if the interiors would really suit me.  I don't see the waste of space that I have now.  I admired greatly the pantry cabinets.  We're having two of those installed.  The smaller will be converted into a cleaning/broom/trash closet and the other will be used as a proper pantry area for the kitchen.  It will not house all of my pantry items but enough to cut down on trips to the back.

We altered two things.  One was a combination of two smaller cabinets which the guy drawing up the plans felt could better be served with a single cabinet that measured the same.  He understood the arrangement of the stove and the need to have doors and drawers that do not interfere with the stove and vice versa.  One other cabinet we replaced with a four-drawer cabinet rather than a two-door one.  This one will sit next to the sink, the perfect spot to store my towels and cloths.

The process was made so easy for us.  I won't tell you of the rest of our day out...That is in a separate post for you to read about, lol.

This morning before we left home, Caleb came into the bathroom where I was putting the last touches on my dress.  I said, "You look mighty cute."  "Not cute!  AWESOME!" he told me.  I apologized for the use of the wrong adjective.

Taylor made me a lovely card and then showed me how to make a stretchy bracelet from these tiny little rubber bands.    She was rather proud that she'd taught me to make my own piece of jewelry and said, "Now that's a nice Mother's Day present!" I agreed wholeheartedly.  She'd brought Katie a beautiful rose for her Mother's Day gift and helped her make a bracelet as well.

Sunday:  We had an absolutely wonderful day at church today, starting with a lovely visit with people we like.  As always, we had a wonderful sermon.  Our pastor was running on coffee fumes this morning, as his daughter graduated college in Louisianna yesterday and they'd been out to see her graduate.  He was very emotional talking about his mom during the service.  

Happy Mother's Day greetings floated all about me.  I had a visit from the three children from across the field bearing homemade cards.  Sam texted.  Amie and JD both called.  I messaged my own mom.  It was a really lovely day.

I thought I'd visit Mama today, going over this afternoon when Taylor was gone, but I was dead tired after two very early mornings and our long day out yesterday.  I knew my two eldest would likely call and those conversations are never short.  Still, Mama would be mighty unhappy if I took those calls while visiting.  And I know that being tired means I'll be snappy.  I decided I'd be nicer to stay home and visit one day this next week instead, so I'd be less trigger happy if cross words came my way.  

I noted as we came back from church this morning that two of my gladiolas are about to bloom.  There are also buds on the gardenia and Hydrangea.  I am so glad to have so many blooms just now.  If only I could finally realize my dream of having blooms all summer and autumn long, too.

Monday:  Caleb asked for a 'mooie' again this morning.  He didn't finish drinking it, but I slipped it into the fridge.  He can always try it later. 

The Silk Greek Vanilla yogurt with the pea protein in it is not very good to me.  Caleb doesn't seem to mind it, but it feels like it's been thickened with too much xanthan gum and the pea protein has an unpleasant taste.  I'll keep experimenting.  I may well end up making my own with almond milk.  I'd very much like a product we both might eat just to cut expenses of buying something separate for each of us.  In the meantime, we've another whole container of it to use up.  

I cleaned the back bathroom deeply.  It feels good to see it so shiny and fresh once more.  I still need to sweep that room and wouldn't mind mopping, but I made a really good start on the zone work today.

I emptied the water jugs from both the master bathroom and kitchen cabinets.  I'm going to start slowly packing away things I don't think we'll need and moving them outdoors to the shed, including all my water jugs.  These are very handy in stormy weather if we lose electricity, but right now I need to feel I'm progressing on getting things started for the great clearing out process that must also be done.

When Caleb asked to go outside this morning, I took the blower with me and really cleaned off the patio and front porch very well.  Both had gotten lots of dirt and debris over the last week or so with all the high winds and storms.

Then I rearranged the patio plants.  As I'd suspicioned the pink planter was casting dirt all over the siding and underpinning since it was under the eave of the roof.  I moved pots all around and feel the arrangement should provide all the plants with the sun they will need.  They are near enough a water source I can easily water them, and they can get rain without being washed out of their beds.  

All of the plants are doing very well.  I was so pleased at how healthy they all looked.  I'm sure all that rain was more than beneficial.  I trimmed up my fern that got such a beating with the windy days we'd had and now it looks a bit better.  

I cut a gardenia bloom to bring indoors for the pleasure of smelling it.  The plant is well covered with buds so it should smell pretty awesome by end of the week.

Tuesday:  I overdid it yesterday.  Even after I'd written I continued to work and get things accomplished.  I have taken my first load of things destined for storage out to the shed this morning.  I had made up my mind to go a little easier on myself today.  So naturally I've done all the housework and a considerable number of things in the yard as well.

It was cool and cloudy again this morning, and that's mainly why we were outdoors.  Caleb was with me and wandering around here and there.  All of sudden he came screaming "Snake! Snake!  Snake!"  I told John I felt rather proud of him for being so on the ball and paying attention to where he was going.  I also know now that when we talked about snakes in the yard a couple of weeks ago, he HAD paid attention to me when I said if he saw one to leave it alone and let one of us grown-ups know.  I was shocked that one was out this morning.   At any rate, I went to check and sure enough there the snake was.  He was acting rather odd and I asked Caleb, "What happened to him?  Did you step on him?"  "Yes?"  "Did he bite you?" "No."  I told him how proud I was of him for paying attention and running away.  "I scared," he told me.  I said, "I'm scared of them, too.  We leave them alone and they leave us alone."

It didn't stop Caleb from wandering, but he didn't wander any more in that general direction and was very reluctant to even go up on the patio as he felt that was too close to the place where he'd seen the snake.  

I was pleased this morning, as we emptied compost, to find the shed flower bed had a very small grouping of wildflowers.  There is a coreopsis type flower with a red center that stands tall like cosmos.  In fact, I'd thought they were volunteer cosmos initially.   There is a lovely purple flower blooming that I'd never seen before and a few tiny white flowers.  

I bumped one of the compost cans and two Eastern Fence Lizards scuttled around inside.  After I'd emptied compost into the other can, I picked Caleb up and said, "Kick the trash can."  The lizards went running around inside once more.  He thought they were cool.  I'm trying to overcome my natural skittishness over lizards, toads, bugs and such so that Caleb can get a view of them.  The things I'll do for a grandchild!

I was sweating hard by the time I'd planted Iris rhizomes, zinnia, impatien, Balsam, Rudbeckia and marigold seeds.  I weeded two flower beds first and then Caleb and I trekked from one side of the yard to the other getting seeds put out.  Now here's hoping some of the things will come to something this year.  I was also happy to find my Star of India seeds, but I need a pot of soil to put them in.

I have a supper plan for tonight.  We've had lunch and breakfast.  I swear it feels at times that I spend 2/3 of my day just thinking out, rustling up and clearing up behind, meals.  I like eating but I honestly have to say that at times I wish I didn't have to think about what we'll eat.

Wednesday:  Added back in Bible study time to my morning routine.  I have skipped this for month's now but no time has proven to be a best time other than the first of the morning.  I did this even before I had coffee.

We were just finished with breakfast this morning when the contractor called to say he was on his way to confirm measurements.  We had to alter one section as the measurements were off.  Then more phone calls to correct the original order with the cabinet maker and then again with the contractor and then again with the cabinet maker.  Quite a lot of back and forth.  As of this moment, everyone is quite all right with everything.  Time frame at present is a start date of perhaps two months out.  So there we are.  I have a gracious plenty of time to figure out to fine detail my kitchen arrangements for that time frame, to pack things up and get through the bulk of summer with keeping the kids who will be going back to school about the same time we are ready to start.

I'm not impatient about this nor upset.  I just see it all as proof that God's hand has been on this project from the beginning.  His timing is far better than mine.  

We had rain last night after we returned from our ride to get mower gas.  The warm day had turned a lot cooler.  I kept thinking of the seeds I'd scattered about yesterday, hoping that they were getting just what was needed and not enough to wash them away.

Today has been more a matter of hurrying to do things than of getting very much done.  I confess I'm feeling a bit fuzzy headed from lack of sleep and the constant interruptions when I do try to start anything.  I decided to just skip the need to achieve today and just do what must be done.  Some days go in just such a way.  I've found there is little use in bucking at the traces when they have been set just so.

later:  This afternoon I was feeling increasingly nervous and anxious.  Sure enough, though we were not meant to have rain later tonight and none today, we soon had a great gully washing rain with some thunder.  I poked my head out the back door to look at the heavy gray skies and lightning struck suddenly on something not far from me.  It was far enough away I couldn't see it but close enough the hairs on my arm lifted.  I popped my head right back inside and started closing blinds and curtains.  That was far too close to suit me.  

In years past we have had all kinds of awful lightning in storms, and it's been a good long while since we've had to deal with it.  Caleb is nervous during any sort of thunder, and he wants to be near me or John.  John is very, very patient with him over this because John doesn't care for storms, either.  Today I was dismayed to find them both following me about for a bit there.  I was nervous as a cat myself and the last thing I wanted was to be tailed by two nervous guys.  

Well we made it through but only by the skin of our respective sets of teeth.  No damage to a thing except a few sharp words spoken.  And now the sun is shining on the horizon, just in time to set.

Thursday:  Today I just took it easy.  I made a loaf of bread but that was all I did, all day long.  John made the bed.  I threw together the simplest of meals.  Microwaved frozen leftover pancakes and fried thin slices of Spam for breakfast, made Pizzadillas for lunch and put frozen spaghetti sauce on to thaw for supper.  

Why such an easy day?

I have had the most awful time sleeping this week.  No need to go into details.  It's just one of those things that comes on me at times and so I've counted sheep, blessings, prayed and finally resorted to taking up my phone to watch a few vlogs or shorts.  Last night was more miserable than any night just past.  I know it will all swing back around sooner rather than later.  But it did lead me to be particularly kind to myself today.  

I know that tomorrow is going to be a little fast paced. There will be the usual lot of Friday chores, a meet-up with Caleb's other grandmother who is taking him for an overnight visit, grocery shopping, haircut, Lowe's visit, small group meeting and somewhere in there more chores and meals to be made.    It would be ideal if John would agree to get haircut and groceries in the same spot were we're doing meet-up.  

Friday:  No Lowe's today but we did everything else that was on the agenda.  Essentially not going to Lowe's means I still don't have mulch, soil or anymore new plants.  I'm not happy about it, lol, but we'll get by there again soon I'm sure and I'll do my best to make it count when I do.

Caleb was so excited that he was going to get to see Ninny.  When she picked him up she kept giggling.  "He's giving great belly chuckles..." she said.  He was smiling from ear to ear.  He hasn't seen his other grandmother since right before Christmas.  

He looked so darned cute this morning in his jeans, t-shirt and ball cap.  I miss him something fierce already but it's nice he's getting to see his Ninny whom he has asked for or mentioned in pretend play several times.  

Groceries, haircuts, lunch.  Now we're home finishing up the chores we started earlier and then off we go to the last meeting of our small group until Fall.  

It's been a busy productive week, full of good things and we've enjoyed it!  How did your week go?