January 4, Saturday: Gosh but today was a lazy sort of day and a chilly one, too. I put a kettle of water on the stove to add much needed moisture and a slight additional warmth to the house. John and I both felt we were fairly frozen.
We keep the thermostat at 68F which seems reasonable but it's amazing how chilly we can get even at that. I think part of the problem is the location of the thermostat which is in a small hallway off the living room and is fully blocked from drafts. While we are in the living room with four large drafty windows and multiples of plugs on the outside walls. Not to mention that it's four living spaces open to one another: back entry, laundry, kitchen, dining and living room.
On Christmas Eve my brother said he kept his thermostat set at 64F. John and I both said we'd be cold at that. As it is we wear socks and sweats and jackets at 68F. Tony said that it did get a little chilly and then he'd go wild and run it up to 65F which made us all laugh out loud.
Just an easy relaxed day at home for us. Much appreciated
Meals all out of what we had on hand: Bagels and croissants
Salisbury Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Grilled Cheese and Leftover Veggie Soup
January 5, Sunday: Golly but we had a great sermon and moving service at church today. Then we socialized for quite a bit with various ones we know. Always nice to catch up with friends.
We headed over to Katie's to see the children, but we arrived quite late today and didn't get to spend any real time with the children. Henry was not pleased to wake and find Gramma looking at him, so he cried. Caleb was whiney. Bella was being stubborn. Everyone was outside playing except for herself. She was dressed to go out but wouldn't leave her stuffed dinosaur indoors and couldn't take the dinosaur outdoors. I said, "Well give me the dinosaur, I'll babysit her!" Bella did and as she put on her shoes she said "Thanks!" Some problems are so easily solved with four-year-olds if you just approach them right. Taylor is getting stand-offish, mostly due to her age, sigh. I won't say it wasn't a good visit; it was but being rushed and having everyone out of sorts took the shine off things. It didn't help that everyone was hungry including us.
We ran by McDonald's on our way out of town simply because we were that hungry.
At home, I had a few hours researching questions I'd jotted down about each family group. And I made a supper for us that was 'light' but so good.
Meals: John is fasting breakfast for the duration. I made toast for myself.
McDonald's.
Kielbasa, Cabbage, Pierogi.
January 6, Monday: It's Bess's birthday and I have my card signed and ready to give to her! Score one on one resolution for this year. Now to get cards for all the February birthdays coming up...
I had plans today, but Sam asked if I'd take the kids for a few hours. I agreed to do so after lunch. I thought John would be happier once he's had something to eat, lol. The kids came over in pajamas, so they played inside. Isaac kept asking to go out but Ipointed out that he could hardly go outdoors in 40F weather in just pajamas. The wind has been high and wild today.
I'm going to see if I can't do my Bible reading (behind on that already too), get outdoors for a few minutes' walk, and at least move stuff to the back of the kitchen so I can start heading it all outdoors where it needs to go. Then I'm going to grow a stack of books by my chair. I have wasted enough of 2025 doing nothing much. I want to work on my resolutions and my monthly goals. Having the kids here shouldn't prevent my doing something.
Meals: Toast for me
Nachos
Sheet Pan Pork Chops, Sweet Potato, and Brussels Sprouts. This was really good! I just salt and peppered it, put a little onion salt and paprika on the vegetables and then I drizzled it all with a nice thick balsamic vinegar. I was very surprised at John who told me, "I used some of that Balsamic on my Brussels Sprouts, it really elevated the flavor." Who is this?! I guess I'm rubbing off on him.
January 7, Tuesday: The kids stayed until right at suppertime, but Isaac told me that he was going to go home and have chili, so I felt safe in proceeding with my own meal plan for yesterday evening. It was really good and I'm glad that I attempted to make a sheet pan dinner. I often see those menu plans for summer with sheet pan dinners, but it gets far too hot in my kitchen to cook a sheet pan dinner in summer.
This morning, I made up my mind that it's time to start working on my goals for 2025 and stop procrastinating. So, I socked right into Bible study with coffee this morning. I got out this afternoon and got a small bit of exercise walking back and forth to the shed with all of Christmas and Fall decor. While I was out there in the shed, I also put a few items into a donate pile out there. I looked around to see what I'd like in the house for the winter months, but nothing grabbed my attention. What I did notice was all the things I haven't used in a few years, and I think it's time for a big purge of the shed once again.
Before I headed outdoors this morning, I got my Brunswick Stew started so it can simmer. This will likely go into the fridge tonight because I find that like most slow simmered things, Brunswick Stew is better after it's had a sitting spell. the flavors come together better.
I took a fourth of a loaf of homemade bread and made a small breakfast casserole. I have been tossing the bread lately but, in a pantry-freezer challenge season, I think it's better to use what I have than to toss it. With that in mind, I pulled the container of pimento cheese sandwich spread I'd made last week and the rest of the jar of pimentos out of the fridge and tossed those into my breakfast casserole, too. Since I was using bread that was still fairly fresh, I didn't have to let it sit and soak up the egg and milk mixture.
It's time to go put my loaf of bread in the oven. While that is baking, I think I shall clean out the last two cabinets in the kitchen and then I want to work on the table in the kitchen sitting area. There are far too many plants crowded there. Some might come to the living room and perhaps some will go on top of the fridge...We'll see how that works. And if I still feel ambitious, I'll perhaps get busy and start cleaning out the fridge. It's past time to really clean the shelving and drawers.
Off I go!
Meals: Toast and coffee. This is part of the fast not part of the pantry freezer challenge though I can't help but think of MFK Fisher every morning when we have our toast!
Breakfast casserole, fruit salad. Ripe banana, half an apple, the only tangerine that didn't spoil (ACK!) and some leftover canned pear halves that I diced up made a good fruit salad.
LATER: The refrigerator was far worse than I supposed it might be. I do wipe up spills as I see them and I try to go over shelves with a damp cloth once a month, but I can't recall the last time I removed everything and every shelf and drawer and really cleaned it deeply. Well, it was past due that's for sure!
Now the whole thing smells marvelous (thank you, citrus vinegar) and looks sparkling clean.
I did the two cabinets that were left to clean in about ten minutes time but not the fridge...Goodness no, that took a good two hours. I sorted through all the baskets and drawers and salvaged what I could.
Lettuce bought at Sam's did not last the month without decaying at the tips. I salvaged enough lettuce to make a salad to go with tonight's supper. I found five wrinkly apples. John's off sweets at the moment so it seems a shame to make an apple pie which was my first inclination. I think I'll make a batch of applesauce instead. He can eat that since I don't sweeten mine unless the apples are super tart. I grated some cheese bought in late November (hard cheeses) and used part of those tonight on our supper and put the rest in the freezer.
Chicken Parmigiana, Pasta, Bread and Butter. I was too tired to make anything further. We had enough left to put a 2-person entree portion into the freezer.
I took note this morning that the birds have discovered my feeders at last. There were only a handful there, but experience has taught me that once the feeders are found by a few, masses of birds will come in to join the others. I'm so happy!
January 8, Wednesday: We've been up since 4:30 this morning. No reason why. We both work at the same time. I lay in bed after John got up and never did go back to sleep so I got up too about 5:15. I was wide awake enough to get the bills done before I left the bedroom! And yes, I did so without making an error. That just goes to show how wide awake I really was.
After coffee and breakfast (for me), we got busy making phone calls early on. We have a piece of carpet that has been humping in one area. We spoke to the man who installed our flooring and he'll be here tomorrow to re-stretch that section. I spoke with our doctor's office. We set up an appointment and got a temporary refill on one medication.
What I didn't know is that when my appointment was cancelled back in November, our doctor was in a catastrophic car accident and is still in the hospital. It was such a bad accident they are saying he will be out of practice for at least a year if not longer. God bless him! We'll be seeing the doctor who is filling his position at present. John and I have been discussing for the past two years the necessity of possibly finding a new doctor, since our doctor is older than we are...Now we'll be seeing someone new. I'll see how we like him before we make a final decision about staying with this practice.
Today I will mop the kitchen and once that is done the kitchen work is complete. I'll start in on the living room/dining room/front entry as my next leg of this project of deep cleaning the house. Tomorrow, we'll have to move the furniture from the dining area/front entry for the carpet work. It is my intention when that work is done, to rearrange the dining room. John's chair backs right up to the windows. I thought if we turned the table lengthwise across the dining space and we move the buffet to the entry wall he would have more room.
I will be looking for a larger area rug to go under the table and chairs and I plan to get two nice benches to go on the long sides of the table. We've found the former back entry bench to be the most practical seating option thus far. We can easily seat three on that bench and it fits more nicely than three chairs.
I have to go run errands this morning. Silly things like electric bill must be dropped off. I have three bills that haven't come in and am wondering if they will...These days I never know if they are coming or not!
I am off to start my day of housework.
Meals: Toast and Bacon
Takeaway from the local place
Brunswick Stew and Cornbread. This is why I never worry about doing a pantry and freezer challenge. This made a huge amount of stew. We ate big generous bowls and there is nearly a whole Dutch oven of it left. I'll have plenty to put into the freezer today.
January 9, Thursday: This week has been a good, busy week, despite losing out on Monday's lot of work. I'm so glad. I've gotten things done and I feel I am progressing well with my goals.
I've done loads of thinking lately. That's what I do when I've gotten my teeth into my work, my head starts to talk to me about the things I really want. I saw a Meme the other day that said, "This year, I want to cook like Ina Garten, entertain like Martha Stewart, and decorate my home like Nancy Meyers."
Now here's the truth of it. Ina Garten, in my humble opinion, has made a very good living making the sort of recipes that were good way back in the 1950s and '60s. She's chosen classic good recipes, and they are indeed good. But I like cooking my way. Martha Stewart has a real knack for entertaining. I don't care to do it on the level that she does, but I admire her talent. And I think Nancy Meyers decorates just lovely sets, truly, but not for me.
However, I drew my inspiration from the meme. I want to do things well. (Remember I said in 2025, I wanted to do 'better' level work? Or did I share that with you all?) I do have a budget and limitations to work with, it's true, but I can tell you sincerely that there is always a level of 'better' to reach for, and I want to do that this year in all the ways.
With that in mind just now, I am trying to make the most of what I have, my wardrobe, my home, my car, my cookery. Today I was focused namely on my wardrobe and person. I have to share that I took care to dress well. I felt I did all right. Not perfect mind you, but all right. Yet tonight when I went to take off my makeup, I looked in the mirror and realized I'd walked around all day long today looking a bit like a painted baby doll...The blusher I used is hyper pigmented and needs only the lightest touch. I try. I'll keep trying.
So, a quick recap of today: up early, as John called back the flooring guy and asked them to come see about the hump in the entry way area carpet. It comes up when it's warmer than now and today we were told to call back in the summer when it's reached its usual level of hump-ness. Then they shall re-stretch the carpet to work that back out once again. That's fine.
Since we'd planned to take all of the furniture from the front entry and dining room anyway today (thinking we'd be getting the carpet done) I told John, "Don't even sit down. I have things to do!" as soon as the man walked out of the door. I doubt he was down the driveway when I started pushing furniture around. We moved everything out of the way and deep cleaned the area. Then we pushed furniture around once again. We have completely rearranged the dining area and entry.
We've turned the table so that it now sits so the two windows are on the longer side of it. I like that very well. Twice today I was out of the house and when I returned, I didn't find this change jarring, nor did it feel wrong. I only feel it's wrong when I see the height of that blue cabinet on the entry wall. I think that means that the arrangement is just fine.
Funny thing is that for at least 20 odd years now, ever since we moved the dining table into the space it was always meant to go, I have fought the fact that the windows are not centered to the room. I kept trying to get the furniture to all fit in a set space that just never really worked. Today I let go of that and just arranged the furniture the way I thought I wanted it
I don't know just what we shall do about that cabinet. We shall have to wait it out and see. We can easily seat six chairs at the table the way it is just now. I would really like two benches, one either side of the length of the table and two matching chairs for either end. For now, John's got a rather nicely made office chair, but it does need recovering. Since he generally keeps his computer at his end of the table, it will likely stay there since he's not much in tune with my decor theories, lol.
I made hamburger buns and turned two bananas and leftover cooked oatmeal into muffins. And then, because I couldn't for the life of me remember what else I had on my menu this week and didn't stop to look, I made a crockpot dish that I've been thinking of for weeks now. By the time I'd unloaded the dishwasher, gathered up the trash, and gotten the bed made the morning was well and truly gone.
It was at this point that I decided if we were going to have rain and sleet and freezing temperatures tomorrow, I most definitely needed to go pick up my prescription and get a few grocery items like fresh fruit since the tangerines all spoiled that we'd bought last week. I figured I'd get a few items that were on sale while I was there. I spent about $102. For that I came out with four bags actually full of groceries and it was all good real food. My splurge was a sale item: Walker Shortbread cookies. John's not fond of shortbread. I really do like it. I found affordable flowers today as well, which are now in a vase on the buffet which is now in the entryway.
For one reason and another the only thing I didn't do while I out was to fill the car with gas. I thought I'd stop in town and get it and the station in town is being changed over to another company and so they had the pumps shut off while they refurbish things. So, after a late lunch, John and I loaded up trash and went out to the next town to fill the gas tank there.
It has been a busy day. I've done things. I've enjoyed myself. I even got in two walks today (GO ME!) and yes, I do count a walk around the grocery store and across the parking lot as a walk, doesn't everyone? I also walked about the yard a bit. I never said I was going to do a marathon, just that I was going to walk a bit every day.
Meals: Oatmeal and Toast
Salami Sandwiches, Chips
Pineapple Sweet Chili Chicken Rice Bowls, Cara Cara Oranges.
I put 10 Banana Oatmeal muffins and 6 hamburger buns into the freezer today. I also finished the last bag of flour I'd bought in October. I spent about $22 on 50 pounds of flour then. During that time, I bought five loaves of bread and made all the rest of our bread. Each time I bought bread it cost me nearly $4 a loaf. I made 1 loaf of bread every week except one since October 15. That's 12 loaves of bread. That's $48 I saved. From that flour, I also made cookies, biscuits, bagels, muffins, cakes, pie crusts, cobbler, pot pies, and pizza crusts.
January 10, Friday: I was so so hopeful we might get a sprinkling of snow off this winter storm. Just 45 minutes north of us there was snow but alas, not a single flake has fallen here. I confess, I'm disappointed. We don't see snow often, but since we've ot place to go...like the song says, "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow..." Only it hasn't.
I got up early and got involved in housework rather quickly today. A Friday home blessing sort of cleaning and then I tackled my dresser drawers which have been a tangled and tumbled mess for weeks now. I got rid of every single thing in the house clothes drawer that I haven't been wearing. I have struck a sort of formula of around the house outfits that has made me feel pulled together and neat so if someone comes to the house unexpectedly, I am not embarrassed. I tossed all the stained and worn looking things weeks ago. Today I just removed the rest of the things that I'm not using.
My 'formula' for around the house wear in this season is a pair of leggings (charcoal grey, black or slate gray) and a sweater or sweatshirt that coordinates nicely and then I match a pair of my "Nordic" socks as Katie calls them. I look put together and I feel put together. That's the most important thing, how dressing makes me feel. I've even run into town dressed as I've described, though I don't make it a habit go into town in at home clothes as a rule.
My chief goal today was truly to just neaten the drawers but the decluttering of things I dislike or no longer use was a byproduct of the straightening up process. I also sorted through my jewelry collection and made an inventory of what I need for underthings. I have decided I want matched sets. I won't be buying anything fancy, just taking care to buy things that go together.
I wanted to play in the closet, too. I actually had planned to spend the morning putting together outfits, trying on things I'm not wearing and trying to determine if I could make them work or if I need to release them so I can buy things that will work for me.
I've been watching a load of fashion shorts and going through Pinterest boards and have been thinking about my wardrobe. I know I haven't been working very well with what I own lately. I tend to repeat outfit combinations until I grow tired of them. Yet I know I have things that really would be lovely together if I'd just take time to take things out of the closet and start trying combinations.
I've puttered around all morning long in the kitchen, the bedroom, tidying the living room and dining room, cleaning the bathroom and making lunch. I've set out foods to thaw for the weekend ahead with only the loosest idea of what we might eat. I really need to plan what I think we'll have for supper tonight. Lunch was good but a mess and because of the sort of mess it turned into, we ate more than we might have. I'll explain below.
Meals; Fried Eggs and Toast
Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes, Oven Fries. I wrapped the sandwiches in pairs to bake. I didn't think I needed to spray the foil, but I ought to have done so because the bottom of the buns stuck. At best I could have scooped less than half a sandwich onto our plates...so we ended up eating both packets and tossing over half the sandwich due to its being stuck so hard to the foil. Phooey!
Supper: No idea just yet. I'm tempted to just reheat some soup which suits this cold and dreary day, but I'll lay odds if I do, John will want another sandwich and honestly, I'm good having one as a meal.
Thats my week...How did yours go? Was it productive? Are you working towards your monthly and annual goals or are you wintering in? I think since it's stopped drizzling that I'll go walk around the outside of the house and empty the compost bowl. Then maybe I will go play in the closet for a little while and see what I can put together, at least enough to wear this weekend. I'm going out with the children tomorrow and church on Sunday so will definitely need a couple of outfits set up to cut down on time.
Hope you all have a great weekend! Stay cozy and warm.
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