The Homemaker Plans Her Week: And Away We Go!

In my home this week, we begin another week.  One in which I will need to think about birthdays (I have a plethora of them coming up right away, two within the coming week) and Christmas (the 25th comes around rather quickly every month it seems), our 29th anniversary, and the start of my summer keeping kids.  Boom!  It all hits at once, doesn't it?

I have one more week to tackle my monthly goals.  I have hit a few of them and done plenty of nothing on the others, but I'm finding these days it's the balance of things.  If I get something done, it's better than getting nothing done.

Work:  

Zone 4 is porches and patio.  I've been puttering around them all month long in bits and pieces but there's more that can and should be done.  I've given up the idea of painting anything, since I know too well that's just temptation for small ones.  But basic cleaning is something I will really try to do this week.  I have Misu's former 'house' shelter on the front porch and Bean's on the back porch and now we've no cats at all, it's time to remove them.  

Now that I know I've two months until cabinets will be ready, I feel less pressure to disassemble the kitchen, but I'm going to work on a cabinet and try to declutter it simply for the ease of not having to work as hard later on.  

I must order at least one birthday gift and if I'm going to be smart about the month ahead, I really need to order two or three right away!   

Also order one Christmas gift.

I have sunflower seeds, onions and such that I'd love to get planted.  I need to go buy some mulch and soil for pots.  I still have two tomatoes to plant, a few white eggplants that Sam is holding for me, and I'd love to buy still more herbs.  This year I want to get plenty of oregano, basil, sage and chives.  I use all of those in decent quantities throughout the year and I'd like to grow them rather than continue to purchase them.

Kitchen:

I've promised myself this week will be my trial run of using mostly toaster, toaster oven, slow cooker and microwave.  I typically use the stove top and these appliances in the summer months, but I want to see how well I fare, what sorts of equipment I might need (microwavable bowls for instance), smaller baking pans that will best fit the toaster oven, etc.

I also want to make up a supply of things like French Toast, Waffles, Pancakes that I can freeze and then thaw for breakfasts.

Work out some menus for summer/renovation weeks.

Clean and sort out fridge and fridge freezer.  I seem to have a lot of stuff I can only barely contain.  There has to be a better arrangement that is less hazardous to those opening the door of the fridge freezer.

Personal/Leisure:

I really want to do more work on my genealogy blog.  I've let it be sorely neglected for too long.  I want to work on genealogy period but doing a new blog post would be best of both.

I need to set up outfits.  I kept all but one item from the last Stitch Fix.  Now it's time to see how well suited I am for summer.  I think I want a new straw bag.  I need a new pair of sandals to replace a very well-worn pair.  I've just ordered a new pair of white tennis shoes and two pairs of capris for wearing  here at home.

Routine Mani/Pedi.  

I've really been enjoying coloring once more.  I have several of those 'adult' type coloring books.  I've got a new set of felt tip pens. Overall, I find the coloring and choosing of colors rather soothing.

Continue reading. 

Get back to routine journaling.  I keep dropping this habit yet I find it so helpful if I can dump things out of my head and then I can focus better.

Continue my previously aborted study on the book of Isaiah.