In My Home This Week: Summer Daze

This week in my home...

 ...It was a quieter week than we've had in the week's just past.  The big news this week was getting the kitty out from under the back porch where she'd hidden herself for four days.  We got water and food bowls set up for her until we could concentrate on removing her to the pet crate.  This is one of Bess' cats that managed to escape last week when she picked them up from kennel.  Violet is now at home with the rest of the kitties.  They moved her there yesterday. 

Bittersweet.  That's what this past week has been and I expect this week will be also...It's the last week with the family here.

I'm torn, truly I am.  On Saturday the kids went down to spend time at the new home, albeit the empty home.  John and I whisked around and moved furniture and vacuumed deeply and cleared up toys and the house looked neat and pretty.  I realized I've missed the orderliness of my home, though it's hardly been a mess.  I suspect I shall also miss the clutter and the cars on the kitchen counter (Josh can just reach them now and is constantly pushing cars up on them).  I shall relish the peace and quiet and miss the mayhem and noise.  I'll enjoy being alone and miss having ready company. 

It's always so isn't it?  Can't have this without losing that, can't have that without losing this...One more week...

...we plan meals:             

Iced Tea Chat: The Eyes of the Beholder

 So come on in, but please be very quiet...It seems every one but myself is taking a nap.  And that's just fine by me because it means I have a few moments to be myself and not 'Gah' or "Mama" or homemaker, housekeeper, cook and chief bottle washer.  I think, really, I've almost forgotten who 'Terri' is these past few weeks. 

Just ignore the state of the house.  Despite all the tags I wear I don't keep up so very well these days and my back is giving me a little trouble at the moment so I'm further behind than usual.  I've gotten very philosophical about housework in the past seven weeks, lol.  A two year old is good for that sort of thing!

No sweets, dear, but mint or lime for tea...Doesn't that sound refreshing on this hot afternoon?  We had a brief break in the heat over the weekend and the week started out with cooler weather.  Tuesday morning after I saw John off to work and felt the sweet cool morning air, I came indoors and opened the windows all over the house and let the house breathe in fresh air.  I was able to keep them open until Josh got up.  Then I worried he'd bump one of those wobbly windows and have it come crashing down on his little hands.  I couldn't bear the thought of that so I closed them right up again, but gracious!  I just wish I could have bottled some of that clear, cool air and recorded the sweet, peaceful sounds of bird calls that trilled all about the house.  The birds certainly did relish that cool air as much as I did.   For all that it was mid 60's Tuesday morning, it was soon mid 90's and not in the least refreshing that afternoon!  And so it's been very warm ever since.

I mentioned in 'This Week In My Home' that I've suffered a little home envy this past week.  Truth is that it's the shiny new finishes I'm envious of, not the size of a home, etc.  It just seems to me that after twenty years of living in our home it's no longer fresh...and frankly the money to refresh is just not there.  I try hard to make the best of what I have but you know, now and then it's just not hitting anywhere near the mark of my own ideal...and so I find myself wishing I could do a lot more rather than a little here and there. Then I walk into a lovely little home that's been thoroughly refreshed and there I am with a hard dose of envy trying to wiggle it's bitter way down my throat. 

Frugal Friday: Proceed With Caution

Saturday:  I was certain I didn't have anything to make a big breakfast for John as he came in from work today but I went to the freezer and looked anyway.  Sure enough I found some sausage I'd forgotten about purchasing two weeks ago.  I had just enough eggs to fry and made toast.  Good enough!

I planned a steak dinner for today, using the last of the steak from the freezer.  I also used lettuce, previously sliced tomatoes, red cabbage, a carrot to make a salad to go along with the meal.

I had to go into town.  I knew I'd need eggs, was out of milk, wanted to treat John to a russet Baked Potato, something I haven't made in over a year. I also wanted to provide birthday pie for my two youngest who have birthdays just six days apart.   Katie was visiting today and I won't likely get a chance to see her again until her birthday is long past.  I spent about $30 today.  I realized I've spent about $80 the past week on groceries and still I need things.  I've cautioned myself to be mindful and very careful in the coming two week period.

Washed a full load of dishes. 

Bess washed two full loads of clothes, one of which contained some of our laundry.

Don't have to water plants courtesy the cooler weather and end of week rain we've had.

Pulled coffee from the pantry.  Bess had an extra gallon of whole milk for Josh's nightly bottle that she brought out of the freezer.

I dug about in the fridge and realized we had plenty of stuff for sandwiches tonight.  We used the last of a bag of Cheese Puffs from Josh's birthday party last Sunday.

In My Home This Week: Sweeter and Sweeter

In my home this week: 

 Another week behind, another week ahead.  On Friday this past week, I went down with Bess and Sam to see the new house.  It's a lovely place.  I admit to a wee small bit of home envy, which has taken root in me of late anyway courtesy the foolishness of having spent an entire afternoon viewing a bloggers' summer tour of homes that contained lovely things I have no way of possessing myself at the moment.  Not deep rooted envy, just a little moment and  I did quickly uproot it and put it aside. My family is so happy to have their home in their possession.  There's a bit of reno work to be done first, nothing too earth shattering and only delaying them about ten days before they can move in for good.

 I needed this weekend to remind me how very blessed I am.  I had a lovely day for the second time this month:  I had grandbabies in the house as well as my great nieces.   My niece is just a couple of years younger than Katie and Sam, Ashley and Katie all have children near in age.  There were just four here but at one point the house felt a bit like it was rollicking as aunts and cousins loved on children not theirs and children ran about screaming and laughing and playing.    Funny how four very little children can fill a house right up with noise.

It might not have been the most peaceful Shabat, nor the most restful one on record, but this sweet season keeps getting sweeter and sweeter!

 ...I plan meals:

Seriously?

  Confused by posts that have appeared and then disappeared today?  Wondering what on earth is going on?

It's me.  I've been doing some much needed work on another blog with blogger, a recipe blog.  I'm trying to make a companion blog to this one.  Between computer glitches, a two year old running about, breaks and such, I've gotten confused.  So posts have mysteriously been posted to this blog that ought to have gone elsewhere and some posts were posted well ahead of time here that are meant for later in the week. 

Pardon me while both sites are under light construction, won't you?  And please accept my apologies for any frustrations it might have caused you.

Frugal Friday: Freezing In the Heat

Saturday:  Nearly 100f today.  We pulled curtains closed on the sunny side of the house, ran fans to help circulate the air.

John washed a full load of clothes. He hung the bulk to dry.  I washed a full load of dishes.  This is not usual for us but it was necessary.

Samuel replaced the ceiling fan in John's music room.  That's a nice bit of home improvement done over these two weekends that should help keep the house a little cooler.

I cooked dinner entrée in the crock pot.  I made mashed potatoes from scratch but I think in future if it's this hot I'll use the instant potatoes.  I can boil water in the microwave and keep that heat down.  I decided to make cornbread, which used up the yolks from yesterday's birthday cake recipe.  I put a coffee cake in the oven to bake alongside.  I won't be using the oven again when it's this hot though.  It's just too hot and makes the AC work that much harder.

I mixed up frosting for Josh's birthday cupcakes.  Bess wanted blue and green.  I made a half batch, divided it in half and colored each to suit.

Bess and I went out to pick up supper as the guys vetoed any idea of baking anything in the oven this evening.  John paid from his allowance for take out for us all.  Bess and I carried off trash on our way into town.

Spring Projects: Indoor Projects/Retirement Remedies Decor

I worked hard and steadily in the yard this spring, but that wasn't all my work.  I did a few things in the house as well.  During a visit, Bess sort of inadvertently started things indoors when she had cuddled under the quilt one evening and folded it to put it back.  I'd always had it turned  to the cream backing fabric.  I was smitten with the colors of the quilt against the slipcover.  And since I'd purchased that bright old fashioned floral picture for the living room walls, the quilt was a nice balance on the other side of the room.  I'd bought inexpensive pillows from an online source in the winter, but the quality was lacking and I wasn't happy.  I found these brighter pillow covers for less than the two pillows cost, but they are so much nicer quality.  (see opening photo and the one just below).

               

The old fashioned floral picture that started the color wave in the living room