The Homemaker Plans Her Week: Do It Again

Last week, I accomplished only minor things aside from the basic meals, housework and childcare.  Granted those three things I listed were enough.

What I did get done last week: visited Mama, planted three of the six plants I brought home, cleaned and deadheaded about half the flower and gardening pots, sorted out the refrigerator freezer icemaker, cleaned off the top of the fridge, removed all the excess medications from the kitchen now that colds have passed, cleaned up the last few boxes, ran vinegar through the coffee maker, refilled my canisters, cleaned the drains.  My family got busy and sorted out the crowded back entry and boxes as they'd promised they would do.    Gee, it looks like a lot more got done than I'd thought!

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Let's Just Enjoy it All!

 

Saturday:  Yesterday was a lovely rainy cooler interlude in a long string of hot days.  I listened to the weather report yesterday and they said "Oh this holiday weekend will be HOT!  Hang on everyone!" and they showed a great swatch of deep maroon colors all across the South.  

Well, what a pleasant surprise to discover that HOT per the weather channel is apparently 83F...It was LOVELY!  No complaints from us.

We went out to our favorite restaurant, Longhorns.  I was much amused as I scanned the menu.  For years we've longed to go out and order just what we wanted and for the most part we now do.  Only here I am trying to watch what I eat...and calories count, so now I'm limited once more on what I might eat.  Sigh, lol.

Thrifty Thursday: Reset

 

Friday:  I had a lovely morning in the kitchen.  Nothing is more frugal than baking your own bread.  I got started on a loaf of our usual bread right away.  It was cool enough this morning to allow me to use the oven and I took full advantage!

I thought I was going to make a pizza for supper, then realized the recipe I had in mind was for sloppy joes not a pizza.  Oops.  I'd already started pizza dough...Well pizza dough is no different than any other recipe for bread.  They are all pretty much the same.  Flour, water, salt, yeast, oil.  I decided to just let the pizza dough rise once it was well kneaded, then I knocked it down, kneaded it lightly and let it rise again.  After the second rise, I formed it into 8 balls and made my buns.  Then I let those rise again before baking.  These were wonderfully tender and so very good with our supper tonight.

Savoring September

 

Now that the last summer holiday is passed, let's savor September. 

I have been thinking long and hard about my dissatisfaction these last few weeks.  Now I am not terribly dissatisfied, nor disappointed in life, etc.  I am not despondent.  Not at all!  I am too busy these days for the most part to be too focused on any such emotions, but I've noticed a creeping feeling of being less than satisfied with how I spend a lot of my downtime.

As well, now that I'm seeing something of a light at the end of a still quite long tunnel, I want to do a few more things with Caleb.  He's older, more able to absorb things like his natural surroundings and seasonal tastes and I'd really like to share those things with him.

The Homemaker Plans the Week Ahead: Hello, September!

 

Say what you like, September is just a month when I find myself being lifted by joy.  This year, we come right into a holiday weekend.  Labor Day in the United States is considered the 'end' of summer.  Mentally and emotionally, I am in full agreement.  Our calendar denies this fact, of course, and while I long for true autumn weather the moment September arrives, it never does.  However, we were blessed with a cooler rainy day for our 1st day of the month and today (Saturday) has been unusually pleasant with temperatures in the low 80's.  We have four whole days of these lovely temperatures and then we soar right back to stinking hot.  

Yesterday I spent a goodly portion of my morning baking bread, buns, cobbler, a casserole I was prepping ahead.  It was just lovely!  I've missed being able to bake!  I look forward to what I call the slow season of cooking, these cooler months ahead.  

Diary of a Homemaker's Week: Cool Down!

 

Before I begin this week's diary, I want to say thank you to two of you.  

Conni, I received your card and gift the day we were leaving for vacation.  Then I came home to find my email emptied of previously sent mails, so I don't have your last name.  I want to thank you for your generosity and tell you that we had a meal out courtesy of you.  It was lovely to know that a caring soul had provided that pleasure.  Thank you!  I am sorry I have been so remiss in thanking you.  I've gone to do it a dozen and a half times and then I'd forget or get distracted before I settled to do it.  Forgive me for that lapse.

September Goals: A Fresh Start

 

I really enjoyed my time off in August! I'm most assuredly less tired than I was.  I knew the last week of vacation that the time off had been beneficial when I found myself not only noticing tasks that needed to be done, but I started feeling excited to begin working on them.  I restrained myself because I knew a fresh new month was just ahead.  

Now I am ready to begin!