Say what you like, September is just a month when I find myself being lifted by joy. This year, we come right into a holiday weekend. Labor Day in the United States is considered the 'end' of summer. Mentally and emotionally, I am in full agreement. Our calendar denies this fact, of course, and while I long for true autumn weather the moment September arrives, it never does. However, we were blessed with a cooler rainy day for our 1st day of the month and today (Saturday) has been unusually pleasant with temperatures in the low 80's. We have four whole days of these lovely temperatures and then we soar right back to stinking hot.
Yesterday I spent a goodly portion of my morning baking bread, buns, cobbler, a casserole I was prepping ahead. It was just lovely! I've missed being able to bake! I look forward to what I call the slow season of cooking, these cooler months ahead.
I've pulled up all the vintage autumn music playlists on YouTube and started listening to them routinely. September is the right time to begin the mood music, the playlist for life in the coming months ahead. I'm thinking more and more again of romanticizing my life. Inspiration sits heavy with me in the fall...
Well, I've got to get my mind wrapped around meals for the week ahead. And work...Best get busy planning!
Work:
We're going to head right back into focused zones. This week will be Zone 1 and while I did give the kitchen a deeper than usual top cleaning last Monday, I plan to go even deeper this week. I want to sort out a few boxes and reload the kitchen a little heavier. I need a casserole, a baking sheet, a lid or two. I won't fully restock but I do want a wee bit more. Some things I've not missed at all.
But it's cleaning I really want to tackle. Windows, blinds, floors, appliances, cabinet doors. I may be going to get the cabinets replaced but I want it clean for as long as I must work with it all!
Generally, here I also include the back entry. There are stacks and stacks of boxes there. Books that are absolutely meant to be donated, computer equipment awaiting a return address record, boxes of flooring for our bath. I want it OUT. Gone. I want to stop feeling claustrophobic and crowded when I open the back door to come in.
And I want everything pretty, as much as I can make it so. I need a new rug at the back door. Mine has crumbling rubber on the back. I dare not wash it one more time.
I could put something pretty out in the kitchen, somehow switch things up a wee bit. my towels and dishcloths are pretty awful. The summer has taken a hard toll on them. I need to toss the lot, having used them to the point they aren't even suitable for paint rags. I have a nice little supply stashed in the cedar trunk that I can use. I was saving them for the new kitchen, but I think it's high time to call those old things useless and toss them. Who know if the new kitchen will really come along in October? I can't keep limping along with those old things any longer.
Perhaps now is the time to phase out the baking center and set it up elsewhere? We'll see how far those thoughts go. Clean and declutter and replenish the kitchen linens first.
And last, I want to touch on some area of my current month goals every single day. It's not work to take Caleb outdoors every day, but its time eaten up that is in my prime energy portion of the day. I'm going to see if I can be productive in my little potted garden or on the porches just to try and be a good steward of that time especially in the early part of this week while the temperatures are cooler. I'd like to get some planting done, do some deadheading, get some things planted.
Kitchen:
Oh goodness...are we here already?!
As of this writing, it's been one week since I walked into the grocery store. Personally speaking, I needed to give our budget that break. This month sees the start of a hard trimming back season, trying to wrest into the balance the terribly overladen food budget. I'll focus once more on using what we have, restocking those things that we truly do need or find at the most excellent price for the year and researching prices thoroughly to be sure I'm getting the best quality I can while sticking to the lowered budget.
Each year, I can't resist baking Spice Cakes. There's something about the warming spices this time of year. Perhaps it's my way of building up our autoimmune systems since so many spices are autoimmune boosters.At any rate, I'd like to make a spice cake. Carrot cake comes first to mind because I have loads of fresh carrots at present and with toasted pecans this is just a good autumn cake to make. I'll do the baking the first half of this week though. If I wait it will be entirely too hot!
The hamburger buns I made for Friday night's supper were so lovely. I used my usual pizza dough recipe but let it rise three times. It made such beautiful light rolls. I'd like to make some hot dog buns for the premium hot dogs I splurged on for John last week.
Gathered Fragments:
about 2 cups of the Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joe meat.
1/2 Turkey Meatloaf
1/2 cup each of mashed potatoes and grits
1/2 pink grapefruit
lots of apples, baby mandarins and carrots that have been ignored.
Broccoli I'd forgotten
Most of a loaf of homemade bread (Plan to make French Toast with this)
1/2 of two lunch entrees from eating out
2-3 pieces of chicken from Gramma's Fried Chicken dinner
cooked chicken wings
That's quite a few leftovers to deal with! Some of this will be used in weekend suppers and lunches for this week for sure. Katie can take some of the wings with a salad, some sloppy joe mix and chips for another day.
Saturday: meals out for everyone
Sunday: Gramma's Fried Chicken, Squash casserole, Box mac n cheese for children, Green peas
Monday: Turkey Meatloaf, Broccoli with Cheese, we ate Squash Casserole, Sliced Tomatoes, and Potatoes with Green Beans with this meal
Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie, Green Beans, Pear Salad Broccoli, Waldorf Salad
Wednesday: Hot Dogs with Sauerkraut, Baked Beans, Potatoes and Onions
Thursday: Frozen entree from freezer, no clue which one, so sides will be determined when I've made up my mind.
Friday: Meatball Heroes, Chips (never made this meal last week and may not this week. It depends upon how many leftovers we have)
Everything planned into these meals is already on hand or can be easily made from what I have on hand at present. No purchases necessary. Now to remind myself of that...Yes, we do need a few things but if I can manage just one more week without a purchase it will be a help in swinging that budget balance back nearer the goal.
And while I'm working about this week in making meals and going into and out of the pantry, I want to take note of items I need to be using because they are expired or near their prime use dates.
Personal:
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I've had the best time trolling around on Pinterest getting wardrobe ideas for the coming season. I feel like I have a whole fresh new wardrobe! I want to continue this 'play' each day because I have so many things I haven't even planned into outfits just yet. I'm making myself a comprehensive listing of 'looks' so I can scan my list for whatever base piece I'm putting on (always jeans or pants) and see what I've found looks really well together.
I also want to sort out the sweaters and heavier shirts I packed away this past spring and pull out all the shoes and purses and see where I stand. I'm pretty sure I have at least one pair of shoes that I've worn about twice over five years that I need to determine once and for all if I'm really going to wear them or just plan to...Decluttering mode in the wardrobe will definitely be going on.
I found a winter coat I'd like to order. I'm going to hold off until we have a fresh allowance month. I have also recently ordered black jeans to add to the wardrobe. Now I'm in search of shoes of some sort and a few new to me scarves, purses and jewelry pieces.
I'm terribly dissatisfied at the moment. Not with any one thing. I feel dull as ditch water. Uninspired. I'm going to try to refresh myself with an autumn playlist for my life (Jake Westbrook is always a good place to start if you want vintage music), freshening my wardrobe just by combining things differently (started), and plan to generally overhaul my mind, home, garden and spirit. Sometimes, we just need to take up the rugs (literally and figuratively) and give them a good hard shaking to freshen them up.
I've been longing to go back to some of the old hobbies I had before Caleb moved in. He goes to bed early enough most evenings that I could easily do some research, crafting, etc. without his distracting me. I'm not as exhausted as I was there for a bit, and this time of year does bring its own surge of energy.
And since we do have a day free from childcare on Monday, and we can't do any of the errands we need to do because everyone is closed, I want to take advantage of it and try to drag John from home for a picnic. We'll see if he's willing to do that. He might not be up for it, but the weather is meant to be really nice, and we won't have a free day again for a good little while.
4 comments:
Based on our squirrels behavior, we have a long way to go before truly cooler weather. Last year they stripped the hickory trees at the very end of July and this year they have not even touched them. They have never left them this late. It will be upper 90's here all this week. I am hoping it is the last of that!
The only grocery needs this week will be tomatoes and cucumbers. We have two homegrown cukes but they are round! I just need to cut one and see what in the world is inside them! The grape tomatoes are just starting to ripen so we will see if we really need to shop.
I have peaches to can and ground round to make into meatloaves and hamburger steaks for the freezer. Our farthest away son and family will be here for a very quick trip this weekend for a Clemson game. Here's hoping for a win! They always seem to come on a losing game weekend and go home bummed.
September is a new beginning of sorts. When I started first grade in 1953 we didn't start school until after Labor Day. Living in a farming community many of the young men helped with harvesting. For the most part, the heat and humidity was gone. It was generally cool while waiting on the bus but would warm up during the day, shedding jackets and sweaters. The very best thing of all was new pencils and pads of yellow Goldenrod paper.
September also bring you closer to having your kitchen done. We all expect pictures!
Miss Lana's squirrels may be better weather forecasters than the fellows on television.
I have been feeling the same dissatisfaction lately. Despite doing some good rounds of decluttering, there is still entirely too much stuff in our house. I'm bored at work with very little to do and just keep having to remind myself that I'm getting paid to sit here so I need to be grateful. But some days it's difficult because I feel like I'm not using my brain as much I'm used to and feel I should. I read a lot at work. A LOT. But even that gets old after doing it for so much of the time. And husband has been in a depression of sorts so never wants to go anywhere or do anything. That's been difficult. I'm content staying home but sometimes I'd like to go out for a meal. But it's just the phase we are in right now.
I had an idea for your mandarins, apples and carrots. Would your family eat them if you made them into a sort of altered version of waldorf salad? I think those 3 items would be great together, especially with some poppy seeds and a fresh tangy-sweet dressing? Just an idea.
I'm just about ready for spice cake too! I've finally accomplished a thriving sourdough starter (his name is Fernandough, because there was something in the air that night). And I've been enjoying baking with that the past few weekends. I think I'm going to attempt sourdough cinnamon rolls for this coming weekend and maybe some english muffins to make breakfast sandwiches with.
Donna, ANYONE could be a better forecaster than the so-called professional ones, lol.
We haven't always had to start school here in early August. When I was kid it was after Labor Day weekend, too.
Karlan, I've seen your awesome sour dough loaves. They look fantastic.
Lana, I wish your squirrels would hurry up and announce that it's getting cool. Actually saw some trees that had changed color in teh River Swamp. This tells me that the ground temperature/water is cooler than it's been.
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