Diary of a Homemaker: How It Went

 

Saturday:  John and I were both awake in the wee hours of early morning.  While he got up and went to the living room, I rolled over, turned on a video I've been trying to watch for three days and went right back to sleep.  I dragged myself out of a dream and glanced at the clock.  9:30.  Wow!  Considering I'd awakened at 4:30 with him, I figured that was a pretty good sleep in.  I can honestly say I felt a heap better today than I'd felt the past three days, too.  Not yet well, but not sick compared to what I had been.

Today the weather was absolutely beautiful.  I've gotten a couple of different offers for my upcoming birthday.  Today we went to our favorite restaurant where I claimed my 'free dessert'.  I offered John all the options because he was obviously going to help me eat whatever was gotten.  He decided on a chocolate cake with ice cream combination.  I suggested a different but equally as chocolate-ly dessert that was a bit smaller in portion.  No, he wanted this one, it looked good to him.  He could barely eat 1/3 of his portion.  I ate about as much of mine.  It wasn't the sort of thing you bring home and save for later, either.  So that stayed at the restaurant.  I think it was a delicious dessert, but suitable for six rather than two.

We stopped for coffee on the way home.  Just plain old coffee and it was perfectly lovely after that rich dessert.  There are times when just plain coffee is the most suitable thing, agreed?

When we came home today, I spent the whole rest of the afternoon and evening reading through a genealogy book for the county.  I almost felt I should stop and do something else instead, but when I considered what I might do instead, I figured I was having the best time doing exactly what I was enjoying.  

Sunday:  I have been posting homes with snowy scenes in them because I'm aware that so many of you have such scenery day in and day out just now. Winter in Georgia seldom looks like one of those pictures. It's generally brown where tree bark, bare limbs, mud, dead grass and leaves are concerned and dark green where cedar and pines are concerned.  If we have a bit of a warming up spell and we get a small amount of rain, everything greens up.  And the rest of the time there are days like today when it's wet and blustery and the wind is rattling windows and now and then finds its way in around a door and makes the whole house sort of shudder inside and out with cold.  It's pretty doggone miserable.

Bless John, he is currently trying his best to get me to confess I like one of his guitars over another, and in order to prove his point, he keeps playing each.  They do sound different, but they aren't so different I'd choose one or the other.  I've tried to get him to admit he likes one or the other better himself, but no, it must be my opinion which sways things.  

So here we are.  Blustery wind.  The tv silently playing a Walk in Jerusalem on a drizzly day, rain pelting every window from every side of the house, guitar battles and the vent running as I cook steaks for our supper.  This is Sunday evening in my home.  

We were meant to go back to church tonight for a business meeting but honestly, we'd no desire to go out in this weather for a long drive to attend a meeting that will be short and then make the return drive home.  No desire at all.  

Not to mention that today of all days, whenever we have been outdoors, with the wind blowing and cold rain falling, John has wanted to 'stroll', has wanted me to slow down and stroll through the rain with him.  I think he's feeling romantic, which is fine with me.  I like when he's feeling romantic, but I wish he'd felt a bit more romantic yesterday when the sun was shining, and we weren't getting soaking wet.  He'd been remembering a day when he came home and wanted me to walk in the rain with him here.  It was early morning, the air was soft and warm, the rain was warm and we strolled arm in arm all around the front yard in the rain.  I reminded him that 80F and 45F have little in common though when it comes to romantic strolls in the rain.

Katie brought the kids over this afternoon for an unexpected lunch with me.  Fortunately, John and I were able to get some fried chicken, though John had to argue to get it.  The clerk told him he'd have to buy chicken from the deli hot stand. He told her there was none.  "Well, we haven't got any..."  He pointed to the counter behind her where pans of chicken were sitting. "What about right there?"  "That's for the serving counter and we don't have any more chicken put on to cook!"  "Then just go ahead and make me an 8-pc box from that while you all get more going."  She was totally disgusted with him, made plain by the way she loaded it up, but he got his chicken!

I don't know why this particular store branch is so anti-fried chicken on Sundays!  I'd suggested we visit another store about two or three miles away, but he wanted to go there to the nearest one despite their unwillingness to serve chicken on Sunday.

Caleb seemed very happy.  We were all rather amazed after lunch, when he'd taken his plate to the kitchen and washed his hands.  He told us, "It's quiet time!" and went off to bed!  

Taylor must have been inches taller than when we saw her at Christmas. Obviously, she is going to take after the tall lanky side of her daddy's family and not the short plump side that her mama hails from, lol.

Monday:  Last week, in the height of the Spiritual Emphasis Week, John took me to the altar and asked one of the pastors to pray over me regarding the sleep issues I've had lifelong.  Ya'll...No kidding, I haven't missed much sleep in the past week.  Most nights, not only do I fall right to sleep, I sleep pretty much all night long, can get up just about dawn to go to the restroom and sleep another 3 or so hours after that.  I am enjoying this sleep!

John has surprised me in two ways over the past 24 hours.  We were talking the other day about liking things and discovering how expensive our tastes are when it comes to various things.  I laughingly told him of finding a set of lampshades I LOVED but being horrified at finding they were more than $70 each.  Last night he told me to order the lampshades next week.  I had mentioned I was going to try and recover the ones we have.  No, he said, just order the new ones.  We could use them.  He even urged me to buy new lamps to go with them, but I explained that I really like my living room lamps.  I just wanted new shades.

Then this morning when I got up he called me over to his computer to see if I approved of two lights, he'd chosen to replace overhead lights in the little hallway and over the kitchen sink.  They were gorgeous!  I approved.  Thankfully his choices were reasonably priced, unlike the lampshades I'm going to be getting.  

Apparently, he too is bent on a bit more home improvements.  He's just been talking to our oldest son and told him that he wanted especially to replace the overhead lights because what was put in this house were the same sort he'd had in his childhood home, and he was sick of looking at them.

When I got up this morning, John went to make a cup of coffee for himself and was looking out the kitchen window.  "Baby!  Do you know the playhouse blew out in the yard last night?!"  We went out to inspect the outdoors and found the playhouse was the only thing out of place, but how and why it blew out into the yard is beyond us.  I know the wind was pretty gusty yesterday evening.   All the feeders were empty of seeds, apparently having been tossed this way and that so they were emptied.  I took time to empty out the remaining wet seeds and refilled with dry food.  I'll need to buy them more food before this week is over.   

Tonight, we're having Sam and kids and Katie and Cody and kids over to celebrate "Millie's" birthday.  Yes, it's John's birthday but we're forbidden to celebrate his, lol, so Millie will come over here and enjoy a second birthday party.  If we happen to sing Happy Birthday the kids might well slip up and say "Grampa", but he'll let them slide.

later:  What a lovely time we had!  I didn't have to wonder if Millie liked her present.  As she opened the box and got a glimpse, she let out a long high pitched squeal which made me smile.  My black forest cake was a huge hit with everyone...except me!  Truth it didn't taste the way I wanted it to taste but it was still good and it's mostly gone, as are the cupcakes. John and I will be eating off his cake for the days to come.

We greatly enjoyed the time as a family and we're doing it all over again next Tuesday for Isaac's birthday.  Isaac has requested strawberry cupcakes.

Tuesday:  We planned to be out today and the sunshine planned with us.  I do not think the sun could have shone any brighter nor the sky been any bluer.  It was just gorgeous, a perfect day for a drive.

We went to the mountain.  We had a semi-picnic.  We brought coffee and cupcakes from home, but picked up McDonalds in Manchester before arriving at the mountain top where we ate and enjoyed scenery and good conversation.  The place was not as busy as usual just at first, until two female hikers showed up.  One was the sort that had no volume control and spoke to her companion about needing to go pee and where she planned to go to do her business.  I found that off-putting.  John just shook his head.  Despite her, we continued our conversation best with could.  It did not lessen our pleasure.

This time there was no crying and weeping and pleading and prayers.  Somehow, we just wanted the peace of being there.  It was enough to say, "Lord we've been coming here for 12 years now, in troubles of all sorts and you know our current lot...We just want to say thank you and we still are trusting in you and your good plan."  And that was more than enough.  I suppose we sat there a good hour or more before we headed home.  

I treated myself to a childhood memory supper last night.  I had frozen Chicken Pot Pies in the freezer, nicer ones than the ones I ate as a child (what were they 5/$1 back then?), served up with French Fries and a nice salad with French dressing.  It was good and comforting and I enjoyed it.

Wednesday:  Eye exams for us, so we were out of the house extra early this morning.  We arrived on time for the appointment.  There was a mistake with our payment transaction and we're waiting to see how that plays out.  I hate when folks mess up my money...But I have to wait until it's all cleared the bank before we can really see how it worked out, sigh.  

It took quite a long time to get through out appointments.  They worked us up together and put us in the same exam room which was all fine by us.  The young lady waiting on us was personable and we all chatted like old friends as she worked.

Here's what didn't happen during this eye exam: I was not berated about diabetes, over not having an up to the minute glucose test, nor scrutinized over my weight, diet and lifestyle overall.  It was worlds apart from the last eye exam that I found a little traumatic.  Well more than a little as I had repercussions for weeks after.  It was an eye exam and the P.A. who did the exam merely quietly asked questions about health concerns as he did the eye exam.  He noted that John had blood pressure issues and he told me he saw absolutely no sign of glaucoma in my eyes.  We both have small cataracts but nothing that requires surgery at this time nor likely anytime in the next four or five years.  

And when we asked for pupillary measurements so we could purchase glasses online, no one berated us for that either, but simply said, "Of course.  Here you go."   Just like that.

On the way home, we dropped off donations at Good Will, went by the bank to see if the transaction was showing yet (No) and then to Publix to give them my new insurance information.  John suggested we pick up a sandwich and go to Katie's but as it was after 12, I pointed out that the two children would be going down for a nap and Caleb would only cry because Katie would send him to his room regardless of our visiting.  She is as adamant on a set schedule and doesn't deviate. As they are in the middle of a move, too, it seemed like a poor time to visit.  

Truthfully, my eyes were bothering me, too.  I had a fuzzy halo effect from being dilated and a slight headache.  I just wanted to come home.   John has a meeting this evening with one of the pastors, so we'll be headed back to Warner Robins this evening.  I think we get to be home all day tomorrow and I am looking forward to that!  I've enjoyed our busy birthday week but I'm ready to settle down at home.

Thursday:  I love a happy busy day at home.  I'd planned to do planned tasks today, but John looked at me and suggested we do our Friday chores.  Yes, he knows it's Thursday but for some reason he wanted to get ahead.  I don't think we have plans until tomorrow evening.  However, I agreed to work with him, so I stripped the bed and remade it and he stripped the bath.  He's hung sheets and towels outdoors to dry.  

This put me in a putter-y sort of mood.  I started bread and hamburger buns for next Tuesday night's birthday supper for Isaac.  Those will freeze and thaw nicely.  I learned my lesson last week when the 'simple' meal I'd planned took hours to prepare...That's the way it is with from scratch cooking.  

While bread was rising, I retrieved some items from the back pantry, planning ahead for lunches and dinners.  I brought out my 15-bean soup mix, a boxed pasta salad that Katie donated to me some time back and a couple of items for the birthday cake I'll be making sometime in the next couple of days.

Then I picked up our bedroom and got it squared away.  I straightened out my drawers which were a mess and the closet, which was also a mess.   I put beans to soak and started meat for tonight's supper.  I shaped my breads, left them to rise while I did a few more household tasks and then went out to feed birds and pets.  

Friday:  I woke at 4AM this morning and I've not been back to sleep since.  I expect, fully expect, to take a nap this afternoon because we've a special program to attend tonight and tomorrow morning.  On Sunday after church, we are going to go see Katie in her new home.  They've been slowly moving for the past week.  It will be a busy-ish weekend. This weekend will just be a test run for a much busier and more hectic paced weekend next week.  

I had Millie this morning for a bit.  She didn't stay long but she was very happy playing here today and very happy to see her Dad when he came back to pick her up.  She never fussed or cried.  Poor girl had to have her four-year shots yesterday and he knew she'd start feeling them as her medication wore off today.  Caleb was fairly miserable after his shots too.   However, this is necessary if they are to attend school and so have them, they must.

I have a bit of food made for the weekend ahead.  It seemed prudent to try and get a few things done so that we aren't scrambling for things to eat.   As well, John has had a sudden attack of watching what we're spending and has discouraged even minor spendings.  No need to think I'll get a dinner out before payday this weekend.  I've reminded John we've plenty of funds in our entertainment account yet but as they are part of the balance in checking which he doesn't want to touch...well we aren't doing that.

I had also hoped to get Isaac's birthday cupcakes made and frozen but no such luck there...At this point, despite the no spend mandate, I'm thinking a boxed mix will do just fine.  I have about enough pocket money left to that.  It will make things super easy, simply because he's requested strawberry cupcakes.  

I picked up a 'newer' Emilie Loring book to read this week.  I've had the hardest time getting into it.  I've got it figured out of course, but I believe that this book is one of the first to be ghost written, based on notes and outlines that Loring made but after her death.  I definitely can tell the difference because I'd been heavily concentrated on reading her earlier works and the style she eventually developed after about 10 years of writing was the style she held on to for all the rest of her books.  After her death, with her family's permission, the work continued, but you can almost literally pick out the exact words that Loring wrote compared to what was written to flesh out the story.

I shall end this week here.  I really do want to see if I mightn't get in a short nap before we leave this evening.  I hope that you have had a lovely week and that your weekend is going to be a fun one!

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