Hello dears. I thought I'd pop in again today since it is the last day of July and a new month is imminent.
I went right to sleep last night, just quick as that, but woke in the wee hours and lay awake for a bit. I slept again and was awakened early by a text message coming in from Katie. Caleb had asked her what a certain bug was as they were going to the car, and she told him it was a dragonfly. "Oh, Gramma LOVES dragonflies," he told her. And I do. Sweet boy to remember that!
We tried the local place first. Josh had his heart set on a Peach and Strawberry twist, which is just a mixture of the two flavors. He insisted the Strawberry Patch in town had that and perhaps they do. But as usual they were closed and from the looks of things, they'd closed for the season long ago.
I've been thinking about several things over the past month or so and each is related to generating some change in my life. Nothing big or drastic but change just the same.
One of the things I've been thinking about is my wardrobe. I don't like my current wardrobe. It doesn't feel like me. That sounds like something that will be expensive to change, doesn't it? Not exactly. I've a few things that fit the style I'm going to move to quite well. Some won't but that's okay. I have time to replace them. It's not something I need to do all at once.
We had a very quiet and restful weekend...well we had a very quiet and restful Saturday. We didn't do much of anything at all. John did bribe me with a Diet Dr. Pepper to ride into town with him. He wanted to get gas for his mower. That was just about the sole thing we did all day long.
I took coffee on the front porch again this morning. Rufus came around to sit with me. He was very companionable and quiet. The two of us just sat there gazing out at the dewy grass, admiring all the green and appreciating the bird song. When I finished my coffee I told him, "Rufus, you are a good companion to sit with in the morning." He bowed at my feet. He does this at least once a day if I go outside and it always makes me feel the role of "Queen Mother" is a true one and not one Caleb made up for me! I petted the dog's graying old head and then went out to the other porch to feed him and the cat.
Although I will utilize things from the pantry and freezers, here just at first, I wanted to make sure I used things that were fading fast in the fridge. Much of what I have will keep for a good bit yet, but a few things need to be used up. So, I tried to begin by utilizing those things rather than let them spoil.
I'll share what we made for lunches and suppers for the most part.
I have had quite a struggle over the past 16 or so hours. It began last night as I listened to a young man preaching. The previous week they'd had a young female evangelist, and this was a young man as well as it's a special series for their youths. Anyway, I kept listening and learned a thing or two, but one part of my mind was struggling with the ideal of 'being holy' and leading an ordinary every day responsible life. I do understand that one might lead a good and godly life even while doing ordinary things, but I often feel we're not really being taught how to do both but made to feel that we must choose the one or the other. Anyone else have that struggle?
I worked my bottom off yesterday... I didn't even tell you all what I did, and I didn't do so on purpose. I don't think anyone would believe me about how much I got done.! At the end of the early afternoon, I sat down with an iced coffee and a deep happy sigh. I told John, "It's so nice to work hard in my own home, taking care of my own things!"
And it was just lovely. John asked later, as I went to work on something else, "Why are you working so hard?" "Because I guess my mind says someone is going to call and need me and I want to get all I can done before they do." No one called.
The Summer '25 Pantry and Freezer Challenge has begun!
I have tried to mostly follow the pantry/freezer challenge in the past week or so but not entirely. However today I was quite serious about getting it underway. I lay awake last night, as usual, and was thinking, "What do I do first? Deep freezer inventory? Fridge freezer? Pantries?" I decided the place to start was the fridge itself. Discovering what I had in the fridge and planning how quickly I needed to use, store or toss what was in the fridge already.
Remember when I made all those plans for the last week of July? Was it really just last week? Yes, it was and then it all went kaplooy. Well, there's reason why I might/maybe/just possibly could work on that list this week. I posted it here.
My seed packets have begun arriving and I am indeed planning to get them in the ground this week.
But just to show you how things go. I was so weary by end of last week that I literally went to bed at 7:30pm on Friday night and yes, I went to sleep. I basically napped off and on until 10pm and then we went to sleep for the evening. I won't tell you I had a great night's rest.
I thoroughly enjoyed Tuesday and was more than ready to tackle my July list come Wednesday morning....and then I got a phone call, lol. Seriously, Cody was called to go back to work, and I agreed to come in to pick up where he left off in childcare. We spoke yesterday evening on the phone and he explained the situation at work that necessitated his going in Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I agreed to keep the kids through the end of the week, but Cody has told his boss he absolutely cannot return to work until school starts July 30.
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First things first. I want to plan my last few days of July and finish off strong for this month. Mind you all it's HOT, like truly hot, so that is going to mean a great deal of what I do is going to be guided by how early I can get up, especially for the outdoors work. Indoors, it's also mandatory that I work in the cooler parts of the house during the right times of day. In the morning, that space is not likely to be our kitchen, unless it's 7am. Kitchen work is more suited to after 6 or even 7pm at night. That's why this time of year I typically buy bread and cookies or pies and seldom do any long baking. I utilize the toaster oven and slow cooker more often and I'm careful to choose lighter meals overall.
Morning work in the house can be done in bathroom, bedrooms and our main living area without great strain upon my perspiration system.
Monday, July 14: I'm a little frustrated at the moment because it is currently 7:45pm and I do not know if I am to be keeping the boys tomorrow or not...Let's just say that Cody's vacation request is being ignored and he's not pushing the need for the time off. I don't know if that's strictly true, but it is what I've gathered from limited information (and therefore could be erroneous).
Nevertheless, I am very tired just now and feeling peevish about having to set my alarm for 6am without knowing if I actually shall have to be up at that hour or not. I had a rather rough night last night as John was so restless and never fully got over last week's tired before coming into this week. Not having a clear yes or no answer is not sitting well with me.
Monday, July 7: The morning went very well with the kiddos, and I am grateful for that because I had a sorry night of rest for the second night in a row. But when I got up this morning, inwardly groaning, I made it a point to pray what I've found to be a very helpful prayer. "I didn't sleep well, Lord. I'm trusting in you that what rest I did get will be sufficient for what I'm called to do today." And it was!
Saturday, July 5: Thursday, despite my assurance that I'd take the day off, I went out to tackle that flower bed about the Sweet Gum. I got a load of work done in about an hour and a half. It was one of those nagging sorts of jobs. Every time I'd see it in the state it was in, I'd get upset about lack of time, feel overwhelmed, and saddened, because the few flower beds I have took a lot of work to establish and have been a lot of work to maintain. I don't want to lose a single one because of neglect.
Monday, June 30: The following quotation is something I read in Fiona Ferris' latest post on her blog. It struck me hard, and I wanted to share it with you all in case it resonates with you as well.
...you don't get confidence so you can do the thing, you do the thing and get more confident as a result.