April 11: What's It All About?

Hello dears.  I didn't write yesterday because the day was a little off putting, odd, strange.  I don't really know how to explain it was all those things, but it was.  The whole darn week has been 'different' not in a bad way but in a way that has left us feeling we're not really sure just why we are where we are.  I'll explain in a bit.

Wednesday, after sleeping so late, I finally got my feet under me towards the end of the day.  I cleaned our bathroom really well, having missed out on that job Monday morning.  I picked up the house, doing general tidying.  I cooked cabbage, celery and carrots to make egg rolls, since I finally found my package of frozen eggroll (or wonton) wrappers.  I cooked a beef shoulder roast in a covered skillet on top of the stove which turned out absolutely awesome, then I made biscuits using the Greek yogurt/flour method/leavening method and those turned out well enough.  We had enough biscuits for supper and breakfast the next morning.  It was a pleasant day of puttering about the house, and I enjoyed it greatly.

Yesterday morning, I got up really early and had black coffee (not my favorite) since I was up so early.  Later I made breakfast and had a second cup of coffee made properly with milk.  We were just finishing off our coffee when John said, "Someone's about to come to the door."  I never heard anything, not even Rufus barking, but John hurried to the door and sure enough, we had company.  It was our former Rabbi...

We've seen him here and there out in public, but he's not been in our home since April of 2012.  That was just two days prior to our very last Shabat with that synagogue and opened us to a world of pain and hurt.  The funny thing is that we'd just been speaking of that time frame the day before and John said, "Well he's never asked me back yet...and that's okay."  

So, to have him come to our home and walk in as he did once upon a time when we were friends as well as brothers/sister in faith, felt surreal.  Not awkward nor hard.  The conversation went along well enough.  Towards the end of the visit, we shared with him what we've said to others many times that he alone of all the people we've been privileged to sit under taught us how Christ was always present throughout both the Old and New Testaments.  As he left, he invited us to attend Passover dinner with the synagogue on Saturday evening.

When he was gone, I turned to John and said, "Well there you are John.  You were invited to go back."  All day long, I could see that John was puzzled about the events of the day.  Well so was I.  Puzzled, not really surprised, but most definitely curious as to why.  It's been 13 years since we were invited to leave.  Why are we being invited to visit now?  I don't know.   I just looked at John later in the day and said, "This has been one strange week."  He agreed.  We've had company several times.  It's stormed and been perfectly sunny.  The whole week has been disjointed and unusual.  

John wanted to get groceries today, so we got busy on our usual Friday tasks, then went off to get groceries and then went to lunch at our favorite restaurant.  We haven't been in a few months, and it was nice to return there.  While we were waiting for our meal, I was trying to work out something for Easter Sunday with the kids.  

Speaking of grocery shopping this is something that has changed a good bit over the past few months.  I've noted that Kroger is no longer offering me "Best Customer" coupons.  And I'm going anywhere from 10 to 14 days between trips now and I'm saving roughly 1/5th of what I was spending.  This is largely due to a lack of sales.  This week hams have been on sale and butter and one store offered up sugar at a half decent price, but other than that, the 'seasonal' sales are pretty much non-existent.

Katie could come on Saturday but not on Sunday.  Sam's not sure what he's doing either day.  We can't do anything on Saturday because it's Homeless Outreach morning.  Then John reminded me that at present the weekend is the only time Travis can come to paint and given it took a weekend to complete the laundry area (and my kitchen is a HUGE room), we will likely have him here painting on Sunday, Easter or not. 

How could I have even forgotten that we're having the kitchen done?!  

So I'm letting go of Easter plans.  

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April 9: I know it's Today

 

Yesterday afternoon, after I had written the last post, I fell asleep here in my chair and I slept like I'd died for two hours very hard.  I woke myself nodding to 'yes' to a vlogger John was watching who was saying, "I won't be here next week, will you film for me?"  And that was my first bit of consciousness, lol.  I was sleep drunk when I woke, completely unable to fully come awake or speak, but eventually I was fully awake.  I spent the whole afternoon though yawning loudly and feeling tired.

We sat down last night to watch a pastor we enjoy that holds a Tuesday evening service, and my eyes closed again.  A bit after 8pm John insisted I got to bed.  'After all,' he said, 'you've only just finished your weekend!  You were up extra early on Saturday and Sunday, Monday and today.  Go to bed and sleep late in the morning.'   

April 8: Things That Needed to Be Said

 

First, let me say that all potential jurors got dismissed this morning at about 11am.  All we did for the two half days we were there was sit in the hallway and talk.  I suppose, if nothing else, it was rather neighborly.  I met four other women and had good conversations with each.  I'm not a great conversationalist, partly because I don't hear well when there is a lot of noise.   The hallway in the courthouse is marble so you can imagine that a conversation of 100 or so folks can be rather overwhelming when you're trying to sort one quietly spoken voice out of all the others but yes, I did carry on conversations.  Not one person I spoke with lived near me.  Three lived on the western side of the county which is about 30 miles from us (we're on the far eastern side) and the third lady lived there in Butler.

April 7: Changing Scenery

Saturday morning, I was looking out the kitchen window as I waited on my coffee to brew.  The grass was green, the trees were green, and we'd been completely closed in once more, our blue house in a sea of green.

Yesterday as we drove over to church, I marveled at the way the views across the river swamp have changed.  From the road going across the swamps the hills rise, and I could see every shade of green imaginable on that hillside.  But it wasn't only the variety of greens I saw that stunned me.  It was the realization that just since Thursday that same view had been altered to a fully leafed forest!  No more peeking tender leaf buds, these were full leaves.  Still tender and beautifully green but full leaves. Talk about a change of scenery!

April 6: The Weekend Behind, The Week Ahead

 

I've become very aware of new patterns evolving over the past month or so.  It started with the intermittent fasting and it's been giving me reason to think harder than usual about my time in the kitchen and about how I eat.  I'm tossing more food than I have in years.  Why?  There are several reasons.

I'm not making the sort of food that freeze well as leftovers.  As I get more and more accustomed to what the app considers a 'good meal' and what it considers a 'low' meal, I'm cutting back on certain components that have seriously compromised flavor and texture.  Frankly if I feel a meal is 'Meh' when I'm done with it, I do not feel inclined to freeze the leftovers...and I'm totally going to avoid eating those leftovers!   The few recipes I've tried from the app have been super bland and not good.

April 4: Control What I Can

 

Hello all.  I'm sorry I missed posting yesterday.  I went to visit Mama and frankly it was not a happy visit.  I cut it as short as I reasonably could, but I lost my temper more than once and got unpleasantly snippy at the last point.  As you all know, my relationship with my mom has always been rocky at best.  I took the bait she offered and reacted in a way that I felt was less than I'd have liked.  It did not help in the least that she gave a sort of sly smile when I bit that dangled bait.  I knew she felt she'd 'won' something.  For the life of me I can't understand why she wants to be the way she is, nor why I'm not better at controlling my reaction to her actions.

April 2: Houseful

 

It's warm out there, 86F as I write.  And boy does it feel like spring sprang forward and grabbed a bit of summer to pull forward.  The bees are buzzing about, the roses are budded up and I think every tree has at the least tender leaflets if they haven't put out full leaves.  It is quickly getting into the season of doing things in the early part of the day and sheltering indoors for the latter part.

Today we thought perhaps the painter might be by, but we saw nor heard anything from him.  No worries.  We are a side job, not his main employer.  As it was, we had two of the children from The Manor here while Sam took Isaac to an appointment.  And about lunch time, Katie and Cody stopped in with Bella, Henry and Caleb.  They joined us for lunch.  Sam took his kids home because they were going to get haircuts and then had a planned afternoon at a sports center plus an evening out in addition to all that. 

April 1: Blooming

There are days I don't even know what hit me...

Last week, out of the blue, John started talking about getting the kitchen painted.  I was "Oh okay..." and pretty much paid him no mind.  On Friday, he called one of the contractors who worked on the house in 2023, and he stopped by on Saturday to give us a quote.  

TODAY, we bought paint and supplies, and I think the painting will begin tomorrow!  My head is awhirl!  John is, by his own estimation, a proficient master of procrastination but golly gee, when he makes up his mind, there will be no blade of grass safe in his path.  

March 31: April Showers

 

It's just rained.  All the predictions said we were in for storms, but all we've had is a bit of rumbly thunder and brief, not heavy, showers.  The sky has finally lightened up, not as though it's clearing, but as though the sullen part of the day might be over.  The rain is appreciated as it will dampen the pollen and prevent it floating quite as freely through the air.

March 30: April's Coming!

 

I got a few things done last week and officially I won't be worried any further about what was on March's goals list or weekly to do lists.  Either it was done or left undone, and I can't be bothered to turn and look back.  I did my best.  I was so grateful to finally get my feet back under me and lose that malaise and fatigue that hit me after that bout of flu.  I'll take my wins and forget the losses.

And now it's time to begin a whole new month.  Someone on some short reel on Instagram was saying, "The year's one quarter gone!  Now's the time to get busy..."  Phooey.  There's still three quarters of the year remaining and unless you have a target date for a deadline, let's just plod on and do what we can.  I don't know if I've share it before, it's likely I have, but we have a family motto that is in plain site in our living room.  "It's better to do something and fail, than to do nothing and succeed."  

March 28: Spring Break

 

Spring Break officially begins next week for our children, but Caleb had an added day on this week and so his Mama brought him and Henry over to play at Gramma's house.  Henry fights to get down on the floor these days and spends most of his time either grabbing his feet or rolling over onto his stomach and trying to get his knees under him.  He'll be seven months old here in a little over 10 days.  

I watched as he and Caleb tumbled together on the floor on a blanket.  Later I asked Caleb if Henry had finished his botte and Caleb said, "I think so."  He tried to take him from Henry, who wrapped both hands tightly around it and wouldn't let go!  Henry is a strong little fellow.

March 27: Grocery Day

 

It's incredible to me that we're nearly done with this month...I'd love to ask where it went but I recall too well that for at least two weeks, I struggled with fatigue (residue from that flu) and then for two weeks I have struggled to catch up with all the things I wanted to get done this month.

Today, I headed to the grocery store.  I went alone which was rather nice.  I just went to Aldi and concentrated on produce and eggs, but I did pick up a ham (shank end to divide and bake in whole portions and a boneless sliced ham for sandwiches).  I also got some chicken tenders and a package of breaded veal patties.  But everything else was indeed produce as I'd intended.  We are now stocked and should be good for another two weeks or so.  And I am down only another $130 which means I've spent around $250 this month and that's something to sing about. (Alter that to add in the $67 I spent on Amazon Sub and Save.  Still, I have about $180 left which is nothing to sneeze at either.)

As I said, I was on my own today, John saying he didn't much feel like leaving home.  I don't mind when I get to go out alone, but I find more and more, now that we're in the habit of just being at home so much, that I am prone to say, "Oh I don't need that..." or "Why would I buy this?" and putting things back.  Not just food.  Other things, too.  I'm just not that interested in shopping.  I am, honestly, more interested in getting things that will have a more lasting value in our home, like those curtains I hung yesterday in the guest room.

John shocked me into complete silence yesterday.  He actually contacted one of the workmen who helped renovate our home and asked if he'd paint our kitchen...Wow!  When he hung up the phone he said, "We'll just take the money from the bank and be done with it."  Double Wow!  I wasn't expecting that to be on his radar any time soon.  I'll be so pleased to get the kitchen squared away at last.  

John is off mowing again, this time over at the Manor House as he calls it.  We were much amused on Saturday when Josh said to John, "I think it's time for you to start mowing over our way.  The grass on the secret path is getting pretty high."   John laughed about it later, but it did light a fire under his feet to start his mowing season.  I can't recall starting it this late in years and honestly the grass here in our yard didn't look bad.  In fact, we haven't heard any neighbors mowing their lawns just yet, either.

Today, while I was driving along the roads, I noted that Dogwoods are blooming and Wisteria (which grows wild and free here, taking over like Kudzu).  Wisteria always reminds me of my friend Shirley, who died in 2020.  We were driving along country roads and noted how pretty the Wisteria was along the way in different shades of white and purple.  She said, "Why it's a variable jungle!".  She meant to say it was a veritable jungle, but her slip-up was far more apropos and every Spring when I see the Wisteria I think of that moment with her and laugh all over again.  

I also noted that Tansy was blooming in various places.  Spring flowers, like autumn ones come mostly in purples and golds.  Speaking of purple, when I went out to get in the car this morning, I noted that the purple iris has started to bloom.  I am tempted to go cut another bouquet, but the previous one didn't last too well in the house.  I think it was just too warm in here for them.

Goodness, it's 4:30...I need to plan supper and get it going.  I don't think we'll have a big meal tonight since we ate another very late lunch.  I've put it off too late to get anything cooked in time to eat, so I shall have to go peruse the fridge and see what I might make.

Then I'm going to sit down with the genealogy notebook and work on another section.  My goal is to get all my notes on the proper pages and to make them legible.  It's a long and arduous, but very fascinating, task.

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March 26: It Was Time

Yesterday afternoon, I worked on the patio a bit.  Moved a few pots around, contemplated what I'd like to plant in the empty ones, blew off the porch and patio again...And then John came along and mowed and blew loads of stuff onto the porches and patio.  I loathe doing a task and then finding it was all for naught and it definitely all went to naught yesterday afternoon.  Phooey.

March 25: Purposeful

 

A few weeks ago, I received an email from Chabad.org about an 18-week course called Project Purpose, based on the book "On Purpose" by Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson.   I signed up right away.  Why?  Why am I seeking Life Purpose at this stage of life?  Because it is a new stage of life that's why.  I pretty much could figure things out as I went through the other seasons.  My purpose was to be a good wife, raise good people, make my work meaningful, be a better person, a better Christian.  Here at 66, I can say honestly that I still want my work to be meaningful, to be a better wife, a better mother and grandmother, a better Christian...but what else?  What have I missed?  What will lead to a full and fulfilling senior season?

March 24: The Fridge Doesn't Lie

 

Hello loves.  

We had a rather nice, if unplanned sort of weekend.  Friday night I'd announced my intentions to spend all day Saturday working in the current genealogy notebook.  John laughed because I made plans

Turns out John was right.  I had a text from Sam of some troubles in his household and he asked if the kids could come here.  I said "Sure, I'll send them home after lunch."  But when lunch arrived, they asked if they could have quiet time here with us and then it was snack time.

Done, To Do, Meals, Links, etc.

 

I thought I'd keep this first post of each week which goes out on Sunday afternoon, so you all can see what my intentions are for the week ahead, what meals I've planned, where I could share links I found interesting during blog reading, etc.  It just seems a nice way to start the week.  I'll also briefly catch you up on my weekend.  But officially, this is not a Journal entry.  It's sort of a getting my head together for the week sort of post.

March 21: Why I Never Wear Red.

 

I am sitting here tapping out a post as I wait for our time to leave to arrive.  John has finally agreed to go on a date.  It's not really the sort of date I had in mind, but I made no special request, so he planned what we'd do.  We are going out to eat and he's already chosen the restaurant which sounded good to me.  

A date...For whatever reason I was remembering my first 'date' yesterday.  Ready for a bit of life twist sort of tale?

March 20: Frost Warning

I woke this morning to pounding rain.  It was dark enough out the window that I simply rolled over and went right back to sleep.  When I rose at 8:30, it was windy and sunny.  Through the kitchen window, I saw brilliant blue skies.  I wondered if I'd dreamed the rain, so I asked John, "Did I hear rain this morning?"  "You sure did! And it was no light shower either."  

March 19: Spring Sprang Sprung

 

I know it's not yet Spring, but there was another sign of the changing season today.  I was working with the potted plants on the patio when the propane gas truck rumbled up the drive.  I spoke to Rusty for a few moments and then he went off to check the tank.  He came back and said, "Y'all are fine for now.  See you in September!"   Officially, winter is over, when we no longer need to keep putting propane in our tank.  I always look forward to this moment each year, just as I look forward to the last week of September when Rusty rumbles his truck up the hill once more.  

Journal for March 18: Time to Change

                    This is a photo of Isaac at about 2 running across the back yard to the blue house...

I've been thinking for quite some time that I am terribly bored (and quite possibly boring) with my current mode of posting. I'm tired of scheduled posts and I don't know how on earth you all manage to read that too long end of week post about my days.  Some of you deserve medals, for sure!

I think I'd like to live up to my blog name "Journal" and write a daily entry, at least five days a week.  I'll include meals I made, homey doings, thoughts I've had, goals I make, and all the usual things one might include, or at least I do, in a daily journal entry. 

Meal Plan for the Third Week of March

 

Seriously...The THIRD week of March.   This month is going quickly.    For that matter, this day has skipped right on by, too.  Anyone else still adjusting to the daylight savings time change?  I used to be up most mornings between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. but these days it's more like 9am.  I'll be glad when my body catches on to the switch in times.

In the meantime, I am late with this week's meal plan post.  I didn't get it hammered out until about 10pm last night.  I wrote it down on my planner pages before going to bed.   Just before I wrote down the menus for the week, I noticed a package on my dresser and realized with a sinking feeling that I'd been blind to it for a week. It was supposed to go back on Sunday of last week.  Ugh.

This morning when I got up, I focused on getting out of the door to take the package to mail off.  And while I was at it, I might as well run into Dollar General to pick up a needed over the counter item...which turned into wandering the store aimlessly, saying "Oh that's cute!" and plopping it in my buggy.  I spent some money.

Anyway, here are this week's meal plans. 

Breakfasts:

Sourdough Pancakes, Bacon, Sausage.  I thought this was going to be some protein pancakes I'd made.  I call them protein because I add oatmeal, flax seed meal and hemp hearts to my flour.  Next time I make those, I will grind the oatmeal and try using all oat flour.  Eventually I may buy some almond flour to use in the mixture as well.  I'm trying to find a less carb-y option for making pancakes.

In the meantime, I thawed these overnight in the fridge and put them in the oven this morning.  I realized they were sourdough the moment I tasted them. Oh well.  Oddly enough my meal tracker says sourdough has protein, so it worked out.  I served mine with sliced banana, a drizzle of maple syrup and 1/3 cup plain yogurt.

Mushroom Omelet, English Muffins

Cranberry Muffins, Boiled Eggs, Cheese Cube

Oatmeal x 3

Lunches:

Haluska:  A new to me recipe, Pennsylvania Dutch the vlogger said.  It wasn't bad.  Again, surprise on the food tracker.  They say the no yolk noodles have a protein count.

Tuna Salad

Chicken Sandwiches

Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

Leftovers

Supper/Dinner:

Mongolian Beef Roast, Broccoli, Rice.  This is the roast that I've had too long in the freezer (the second one).  I knew it was smaller than the other but was convinced I would get two meals off it.   I had planned to divide the meat in half and season it separately, making one more Hispanic flavored for tacos, but this is a good bit smaller, and bonier. 

The Mongolian Beef is excellent over rice.  I'm debating on that part.  On the other hand, I could skip the broccoli and rice, and we could fill tortillas (I have low carb ones) with the seasoned meat, pickled onion and radishes and I could serve it with cucumber.  All depends on how hungry and ambitious I feel come time for dinner.  

Southwestern Beef Soup, Pineapple Salads

Roasted Chicken, Spring Salad (Lettuce, green onion, radishes, carrots, green peas), lemon vinaigrette, Greek yogurt Muffins.  I am so hopeful that this chicken will be better than the last one.  Oh, that was one tough bird and just didn't taste good.  This is a HUGE chicken, just like the last one but I plan to cook it a lot longer than I did last time.  Fingers crossed.  

BBQed Chicken legs and wings, Cauliflower au gratin, Green Beans

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole, Broccoli, Sliced Tomatoes, Leftover yogurt Muffins.

Bonus Meal: Chicken and Dumplings with mixed vegetables.  I figured I'd have the thighs left at this point and the chicken frame.  It's a bonus soup meal for me this week which I don't mind at all.  John won't complain either if dumplings are involved.  I'm curious to try making dumplings with the Greek Yogurt dough and see how they come out...I'll let you know.

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To Do List: Ambition Begins to Lift Its Head

 

Hello all.  I am finally beginning to feel like life is worth planning once more, lol.  I will say that whatever flu I had, that one knocked me for a loop.  Do any of y'all say that? That something has knocked you for a loop?  It means you were completely put off your game.

I felt well enough on Friday that when I noticed the front door was a bit of a dirty horror (from the doorknob down where all the shorter people handle the door) that I went right on and cleaned it from top to bottom.  

Journal of Another Week: Second week in March

 

Saturday:  John is 'testing' me...I explained to him we'd be changing our eating somewhat and he's convinced that all of a sudden, I'll turn into some health guru feeding him things like spirulina and hemp hearts (which he's already been eating for years by the way) and chia seeds.  Does the man even know me at all?

What I have done is up our vegetables, try to decrease our fats and monitor the carb counts a little more closely.  Does he want ice cream?  Have it I say.  It's in the freezer.  When it's gone it will be gone, and we'll buy better smaller portioned ice cream when we do want it again.

The First Grocery Shopping of March: Aldi and Amazon

Although I shopped on March 5th, it really wasn't a 'shopping trip' but just a fill in for milk, eggs, and bread.  We didn't pick up impulse items nor snacks that day.  We stuck hard to the original list.  I spent $42 total that day

Today we went to Aldi.   My focus was produce.  We didn't need much dairy and didn't really want meat except Corned Beef.  It felt good to walk past the aisles and say, "We don't need that, we've plenty at home...

Meal Plan for Second Week of March

 

I will need to go buy some produce this week for sure.  I'm down to some frozen peas and canned green beans for the bulk of my vegetables at present.  However, that will have to suffice.

This week I'll share my plan for breakfasts and lunches.  

Breakfasts:

Oatmeal x 3.  With apples and pecans, with blueberries and walnuts, with strawberries.  I have fresh apples, frozen berries.

Sourdough English Muffin breakfast sandwich.

To Don't: Second Week of March

 

I'm slowly finding my way back to something resembling energy.  I spent the last two days of the past week in the kitchen making meals, cooking ahead, etc.  I managed to get a bit of minor housework done but for the most part, I rested and rested and rested.

I'm finally starting to feel slightly better.  There's a lot of congestion still in my head and chest but it's slowly breaking up.  Eventually it will clear.

Journal of a Slow Week: Stopping Point

 

Friday:  Reset.  

I wrote a long whiny bit to fit this day and after letting it sit for 36 hours, I have erased it all and we shall begin again.  

I was sick.  Nothing earth shattering there and nothing remarkable.  When I sort of 'came to' so to speak the state of my kitchen distressed me horribly.  I whined and wept a little and pushed through and got it cleaned up but my gosh...

Spring Goals for March...And Beyond.

 

Hello you all.  I'm not really ready to tackle March just yet, because my ambition at present is heavier than my strength to do.  However, my mind is active as can be as I move about my house trying to reclaim it from the last week of February failures.   I thought I'd just list all my ambitions down, which I am sure will be far too much to do in March alone.  However, if that is so then I shall repost the things I didn't do for April.  How's that?

I'm going to set this up a little differently than usual.  I'm going to go space by space in my home and tell you what I hope to accomplish in each and why.  Some of the things listed will be purchases I want to make so that definitely won't all get done at once.  Some are repairs that will require a bit more effort.  That's why I don't expect everything on this list to get done this month.

To Do List for the First Week of March: Pollen Season

 

I know this is late and all of my first of the month posts likely shall be.  That's just the way it goes at times.  I'm not going to let it bother me.  Don't let it bother you either, okay?  My chief goal since last week has been to get well and fully recovered.  

I was not horribly sick, beyond the two- or three-day blur of sleeping countless hours but I do find that illness takes a heavy toll on me, my sleep patterns, etc. these days.  Katie texted us on Friday that Caleb woke with fever.  She ended up taking him the pediatrician since he was already whooping with his annual allergies, and this stuff has been a chesty sort of illness.  

Journal of My Days: Sick Bed

 

Saturday:  We had another night of freezing temperatures.  I will say that these super cold mornings make that cup of hot coffee so enjoyable each morning.  I've always had coffee in the mornings, even as a child, but I swear that the older I get the more I enjoy it.  Sometimes, even when I want to 'lie in' as my British friend says, I will go ahead and get up early because there is coffee.  

What I Learned in the Pantry/Freezer Challenge 2025

 

I'm already thinking about Pantry Freezer Challenge 2026...  Seriously, I know I'm (almost) done with this year's pantry freezer challenge, but I'm already looking ahead to next year.  There are a few things I want to change about how I managed this year so that I can do better next year.  

1.  Meat.  I had more than enough meat on hand, except hamburger meat.  Truly we rely heavily on ground beef and chicken to help keep our budget under control and I had not realized that I had so little on hand.  Thankfully we had several roasts on hand that I'd 'saved' since I knew them to be the more expensive cuts.  But I want to be more mindful about my supply of ground beef and that means I need to buy at least nine pounds a month.  How do I figure that?  

Final Week of the Pantry/Freezer Challenge

 

I didn't think I could do it.  I didn't think there was any way I could possibly manage 8 weeks of the Pantry and Freezer Challenge, but here we are.  Only the last meal will use meat that was purchased in the past 6 weeks.  Everything else is from the pantry or freezer.

So, while I was ruminating about what to make with all the older freezer items in weeks past, I more or less just ignored the pantry.  Oh, I'd think to grab a few things here and there that I knew were expiring like cranberry sauce, pineapple, tomato soup, black beans, but I completely ignored the wealth of canned meats on the shelves and the variety of other things that might be used to nourish us as well.  

To Do List: Last Week of February

 

I know February is the shortest month of the year, but anyone else feel like it was about as long as could be?  Mind you, we had a lovely mix of weather: cold and warm, wet and dry, cloudy and sunny.  Variety was there, but the weeks just lingered and lingered...Or so it seemed.

And may I confess that the older I get the harder I find it to take the cold?  On Thursday when I was out with Mama, I stopped to refill her car with gasoline and despite having on several layers of clothing, I was chilled to the bone by the time I hopped back in the car.  That wind was cuttingly cold.  Brrr!  I still shiver just remembering how cold it was.  

Journal of My Week: Winter Again

 

Saturday:  We went to the Homeless Outreach this morning.  It's funny...Two years ago, John asked me to go along with him and I was in such a poor mental/emotional state at that time that I literally felt pain looking at the unfortunate people who came to be served.  A year into John's role as worship leader for the pastor who oversees this ministry, I realized as I looked around the room how many faces had become familiar to me.  I noted which children had grown.  I watched various folks and noted who looked better than they'd looked a few months ago and who was looking the worse for wear.  

What We Really Ate This Week: Seventh Week of the Pantry and Freezer Challenge

 

Saturday:  Breakfast Sandwiches.  I used canned Spam slices as my breakfast meat.  I still haven't restocked breakfast meats.  I only have one more can of Spam, too.  I always make a sort of well in one bread slice, then crack the egg into it and then I layer cheese on another bread slice and I lay Spam flat on the pan with the toasts and bake it all at once.  It's really quite a hearty breakfast which is what we needed today.

Coffee Chat: Dandelions and Daffodils

One morning a couple of weeks ago we were headed out to an appointment.  We had to leave early that morning and I was hurrying across the yard.  I was stopped in my tracks by a strange little flower in my path. It was perfectly round and white.   I leaned to look closely at it and realized it wasn't a flower at all, but a Dandelion gone to seed.  The fluffy seed ball had captured moisture from the fog that morning and looked much more substantial than the seed heads do in their dry state.  It had been completely transformed by that coating of fog and was unrecognizable as a dandelion.  

Last Grocery Shop for February

 

John and I went to Sam's Club today.  I will confess I spent a little more than I'd planned but there was nothing frivolous about the shopping.  I looked for a whole lot more that I never found at all.  We have yet to make it through the whole store.  We always end up too tired!

Meal Plan for the Seventh Week of Pantry/Freezer Challenge

 

I was absolutely convinced last week would be my very last week doing this challenge.  And then...I was plundering in the freezer for an item and came across a few packages of meat that I know too well have been there quite some time.  I decided to try to do one more week of this challenge and realize now that I could quite possibly go two more weeks.  We shall see.  I'll plan for this week first.

To Do Third Week of February

I've just reviewed last week's to do list and found I missed only a portion of one item.  The front porch got cleaned off but not the patio or back porch.    Then I went to review February's plans as a whole and realized that I am okay on that list.  I haven't by any means completed all the jobs and things I set myself, I completely missed out on half of the family getting even a card for Valentine's Day, but I've two weeks to go in this month and should be able to manage to hit hard at that remaining list.  

What We Really Ate: Sixth Week of the Pantry/Freezer Challenge

Saturday:  Protein Pancakes, Spam.  I had a very upsetting blood sugar reading this month.  While it might appear the rest of the day I cast worries to the wind, I did not.  I was very careful under the circumstances and drank loads of water in addition to practicing precautions.

Journal of My Week: Sweet Week

 

Saturday:  I woke from an awful dream that upset me mightily.  Then I checked my blood sugar which had spiked at a number that I personally found shocking.  

We went across the field today to celebrate a late birthday and an early birthday.  Millie and Isaac have birthdays just 8 days apart and each year they do one party for them.  They each get their own cake and presents, and they seem perfectly happy to share their party at this stage.

First February Grocery Haul

 

At the end of January, I made two grocery shopping trips.  Those counted towards February and consisted mainly of meats to help restock the freezer and a bit of produce to see us through these past two weeks.  I have not shopped since then.

Tuesday, I went out grocery shopping with Katie.  I'd looked over sales and found nothing much to consider buying but I knew I had some outages that I wanted to fill.  I also wanted to restock our produce.  We were down to a single head of lettuce, carrots, celery and two mandarins.

Opinionated Again!

 

I got well and truly ticked off the other day at a statement made by someone online.  Ticked off enough that I quickly wrote out a response before reading anyone else's comments.  I found the majority of people were in agreement with me but still, the offhand comment made really riled me.

Meals for the Week Ahead: Last Week of Pantry Freezer Challenge

 

I think we'll mostly be at home this week.  I know I'd like to go out for groceries but I'm not planning on eating out this week.  I would like to finish this week strong in my pantry/freezer challenge.  As I near the end of the week I'll determine if I'm going to try and continue through the end of February.  There's a chance.

To Do list for this week

 

I always dread going back to look at last week's goals and plans when I get ready to write the post for the new week.  Something in me is just certain that I planned a whole lot that didn't get done.  I must have been using my right-thinking brain last week because I could happily check off every single item on the week except having guests and that was because poor Bryan got terribly sick, and they decided to pass on bringing it to us.

Journal of My Week: It Was Lovely

 

Saturday:  I spent all day long working on my genealogy, notebook one.  My purpose going through this time is to organize information that I have and get it printed on the same pages for each relative rather than having random notes all over the place.  I thoroughly enjoyed that time.

What We Really Ate: Week Five of the Pantry/Freezer Challenge.

 

True confession: It is 1:30 a.m. as I start this post.  Why so late?  My mind would not shut off. John was just up checking to see if I'm all right and I assured him I am just fine.  The headache I had when I initially went to bed is gone.  But as I told him, in my mind, I have cleaned and organized and straightened everything we own and then I began to replan the meal plan I'd already written up and thought of umpteen dishes I might make with what we already have on hand.  And for your benefit I'll add that none of that planning included the meats I bought in the past week, only the foods already on hand when January began. 

Change Your Mind

 

Here of late, I've been realizing more and more that there are things I've 'always' done or thought and that by simply changing my mind I can save us a bit more money.   It started when I was watching "Old World Home" vlog.  Hilary makes bread for her family every week and she always uses packets of yeast. Someone asked her 'Why don't you buy yeast in bulk?"  Sheepishly, she admitted that it had never occurred to her to buy it in bulk...

Winter Coffee Chat: No Regrets

 

Hello dears,

Here we are in a new month and six weeks or so of winter remaining.   Fortunately, for us in the South, our winters are not generally terribly cold, or terribly grey.  Nor do we do with a lot of snow and ice.  Admittedly those things make life a good bit easier.  We might hit a spate of rainy miserable days (or weekends while weeks are sunny and bright) and want to shelter at home but for the most part our winters are tolerable.

What's In Season This Month: February 2025

I know it's just February, but in my area, it will soon be Florida strawberry season.    I can't wait!  I love strawberries.

In the meantime, let's see what we can expect to use that is in season this month.  I've mixed citrus and fruits in with vegetables this month.  I'm more than a little surprised at how much we can expect to find seasonally speaking.

Pantry Freezer Challenge: Week Five of 2025

 

Just as I am getting deep into the swing of cold weather cooking, we warm up.  It was in the 70's last Thursday.  There are more of those days ahead for this week.  Lovely weather.  Kind of makes you not want the heartier foods though.

Never mind.  I've got plenty of food in the freezer and cabinets and I'm certain I can make some good meals whatever weather we have.  You'll see some things that will look like repeats, but they are meals I planned but we didn't eat.