The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Back to Routine

 

I'll be honest with you all.  If I'd known how last week was going to run, I'd have taken time to go over and visit Mama.  As it was, I was working on the idea that Katie and Caleb would return any day and the days stretched out to the full week.

This week, we should be back to regular routines.  I'm just hopeful that we all settle right in without any adjustment issues.  I think Caleb is in a much better place than he was this time last year and unlikely to be as emotionally undone by his week away.  Or so I pray.

Let me gather my thoughts and get to work planning my week.

Work:  

Zone 3 is Beds and Baths.  I just cleared up Katie and Caleb's room as best I could on Friday, so nothing much is required there.  I'd like to dust our bedroom this week, and once again clear my dresser of unnecessary clutter.  I can move the accumulation of seeds and seed packets to the basket in the laundry area where I store those items. 

Routine cleaning is all I need do to both bathrooms, but I do want to tackle my bathroom cabinets.  All are cluttered and crowded and there's excess in them that really is beginning to bug me no end.  I'm done with it.  I think I can rearrange the top cabinet which we use as medicine storage in a better way.   The towels need to be sorted and folded neatly and stored away.  The bottom cupboard of that three-tiered cabinet is filled paint cans, paint brushes, painting stuff.  I need to get rid of the almost empty cans and the shot paintbrushes, etc.  It just needs to be done.

And if I have time aside from my other household duties this week, I want to see if I can arrange the kitchen island cabinets in a better way.  It's simply not working for me.  I find myself frustrated too often.  I suspect I can declutter a few more items that will net me enough room for all I want to have out at present.

I don't think we have any appointments or other plans this week.  Just all the routine things which is enough.

Kitchen:

I never baked a thing last week.  I have the same list I had last week: either apple pies or carrot cake.  I'll add bagels this week since John will likely have polished them off this weekend (typing this out on Friday afternoon).

And since I don't know if I'll get to the grocery (no plans at present), I'll likely make up some fancy muffins for my weekend breakfast.   By fancy, I mean with streusel topping and all that sort of thing. I think some apple muffins would be nice.  Or perhaps that lovely Mennonite Cinnamon Quick Bread that I keep promising myself...Oh plans!

Meals:

I made out a whole list of foods I was craving in August, just waiting for cooler weather.  I think I've made every one of them.  I would like to make another 'wish list' of entrees I would like to make now the weather is cooler.

???To each their own???

Gramma's Fried Chicken, Mac n Cheese, Cauliflower and Broccoli Casserole

Meatloaf, Italian Peasant Vegetables, Biscuits.  I have a listing on Pinterest of six of seven meatloaf recipes.  I'm going to choose one of those to try, not sure just yet which one.  

Chicken Cobbler, Peach Salad.   Tiktok Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit dough tops this cobbler.  I kept thinking I needed to cook chicken for this meal, but I'm pretty sure I have a packet of chicken pot pie filling in the freezer I can use, which will cut down on the pre-prep cooking.

I feel like I need to add to this menu...just not sure what I'd add.  Perhaps some type of extra vegetable, perhaps Butter Beans? I'll see what I have in the freezer.

Chili, Rice, Salad, Cornbread

Ham with Pineapple, Au Gratin Potatoes, English Peas, Rolls.  We have the ham and pineapple already in the freezer, saved from a previous meal.  I've got boxed au Gratin potatoes.  All of this with an eye towards keeping the meal as simple as I can since I should have Millie at least a good part of the day.  The rolls I'll make up fresh.

We go out for a meeting.  Katie and Caleb will likely go visit her friend, so something leftover or something snacky.

Personal/Leisure:

I've recently added dry brushing to my shower routine.  I'd done it in the past, but my brush broke, and I never picked up another until very recently.  So, I'm back at it.  It's supposed to be very beneficial to skin and the lymphatic system both.  I like that this is a natural system stimulant that doesn't require more pills/minerals, etc.

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This week I want to take time to go out and BUY the ingredients to make the homemade heavy duty moisturizing lotion for my skin.  With cooler weather coming in, the heater running here and there, I know that my skin will be dry.  I noticed this last year and this year I mean to be proactive with it.

I'm also going to look into Intermittent Fasting.  Do you know my greatest problem with it thus far has not been the process but the way the people who employ it have become nearly fanatical about it.  I don't want to be fanatical. I do want to lose weight and from all I understand this is a healthy approach, one that my doctor has mentioned to me in the past as something worth trying as well as being a good way to help control blood sugar overall.   John's admonished me to make sure I don't 'crap out' as it refers to my blood sugar drops, and I agree.  I want to work with this slowly and determine how this will work for me.

What I like about this method of eating is that it doesn't rely on cutting out food groups, nor in limiting oneself in a stringent manner.  Most of the people who do intermittent fasting still eat dessert, have bread and butter, put cream in their coffee, etc.  They just have chosen to eat during a constricted time frame, not assume a constricted diet.

Just so you know, it's not just for losing weight either.  If you are one of those people who are very thin, who tend to lose weight to dangerous levels from even slight illness, intermittent fasting and higher protein/higher calorie eating (GOOD fats and nutrition not junk) can be employed with the intermittent fasting to increase weight healthily. 

 Honestly, I need to step up self-care in so many areas.  I'd like to do light makeup most days and get back into that habit.  I want to be more consistent with my mani- and pedicures.  I have terribly dry cuticles, especially my fingers and they look ragged and torn half the time.  It takes moments to moisturize properly, but I rarely take time.   Ditto for all my skin care needs.  

Push myself to be more consistent with reading the Bible.  Work harder at getting those three 'Morning Pages' written each morning.  

I'm thinking perhaps I should be rising just a little earlier than what I do.  My excuse has always been that I don't sleep well so many nights that I 'deserve' the extra sleep.  However, I have noted that I do tend to fall asleep more easily when I rise earlier.  It would also give me a window of time to read the Bible, work on those Morning Pages and get ready for my day.  No rule says I have to exit my room earlier, just get up a little earlier.

Wardrobe...Why I keep putting this off I've no idea.  I need to just do it! After typing this out, I took into consideration my calendar for the next two weeks.  I need 7 outfits.  I then went off to the closet and set up 7 outfits, some of which have layers that can be easily removed and still have a cohesive looking outfit if it happens to be warmer than I'm anticipating. Mark this one DONE!