I am not looking back and reflecting on my successes or failures for 2018. It is in the past and everything I accomplished or did not accomplish is over and done. The year had some memorable events that I will cherish forever. I have not one, but 2 new DIL's, and I love them both dearly. We had 2 week long visits with Son1 and family, so we had some nice extended Pip time, and of course Facetime now allows us to be a part of her life on a regular basis. Thank you Steve Jobs! Plus life was not unbearable, even though there were some unpleasant moments that were just that__moments.
So today, I am only looking forward and for today I am not looking forward to grandiose plans for the year. I actually spent the morning (OK, early afternoon ) going through the freezer and pantry to see what is there. Can you say tons! I don't think the 90/52 decluttering challenge is truly about cleaning out the food storage, but I spent much longer than 90 minutes wearing ski gloves and a cap while digging through the freezer. After surveying and rearranging the freezer it looks like we are going to be eating a lot of pork for the next month. Though I have chicken and beef frozen, I have 6 pounds of smoked sausage, 4 pork tenderloins, Italian sausage, Polish sausage, Andouille sausage, 5 packages of bacon, and ham in individual serving packs coming out the wahzoo. (This year was the corporate gift Year of the Pig. TheHub received 2 huge hams plus sausage and cheese assortments. It's kind of funny how the gifts trend from year to year. Last year was the Year of the Cookie and Candy, and the year before was the Year of the Nut and Wine.)
After freezer diving I went on a pantry tour. I have a small pantry just about the width of a small coat closet but just 6 inches deeper than a large cereal box, yet somehow I have managed to fill it to overflowing. I am starting back on keto tomorrow but it looks like TheHub will be enjoying a lot of couscous since I found 4 boxes of it. Note to self: Do Not Buy Anymore Cousous! And oyster crackers! How does one pantry wind up with 3 boxes of oyster crackers? It is not like we eat chili and soup every meal.
And now begins the prep for our traditional New Year's day meal of ham, black-eyed peas, cornbread and collards. It is supposedly a lucky meal and since I am still above ground, I am going to assume that it works. (Bonus: we really like the way it tastes and I found a Key lime pie in the freezer to put the final touch on the meal. Since we have no traditional dessert I don't feel like I am pushing the bounds of a lucky meal serving it.)
I wish each of you a wonderful, prosperous and joy filled New Year !
So today, I am only looking forward and for today I am not looking forward to grandiose plans for the year. I actually spent the morning (OK, early afternoon ) going through the freezer and pantry to see what is there. Can you say tons! I don't think the 90/52 decluttering challenge is truly about cleaning out the food storage, but I spent much longer than 90 minutes wearing ski gloves and a cap while digging through the freezer. After surveying and rearranging the freezer it looks like we are going to be eating a lot of pork for the next month. Though I have chicken and beef frozen, I have 6 pounds of smoked sausage, 4 pork tenderloins, Italian sausage, Polish sausage, Andouille sausage, 5 packages of bacon, and ham in individual serving packs coming out the wahzoo. (This year was the corporate gift Year of the Pig. TheHub received 2 huge hams plus sausage and cheese assortments. It's kind of funny how the gifts trend from year to year. Last year was the Year of the Cookie and Candy, and the year before was the Year of the Nut and Wine.)
After freezer diving I went on a pantry tour. I have a small pantry just about the width of a small coat closet but just 6 inches deeper than a large cereal box, yet somehow I have managed to fill it to overflowing. I am starting back on keto tomorrow but it looks like TheHub will be enjoying a lot of couscous since I found 4 boxes of it. Note to self: Do Not Buy Anymore Cousous! And oyster crackers! How does one pantry wind up with 3 boxes of oyster crackers? It is not like we eat chili and soup every meal.
And now begins the prep for our traditional New Year's day meal of ham, black-eyed peas, cornbread and collards. It is supposedly a lucky meal and since I am still above ground, I am going to assume that it works. (Bonus: we really like the way it tastes and I found a Key lime pie in the freezer to put the final touch on the meal. Since we have no traditional dessert I don't feel like I am pushing the bounds of a lucky meal serving it.)
I wish each of you a wonderful, prosperous and joy filled New Year !
Hooray for looking forward.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hope that your New Year is everything you wished for us and more.
Always forward!
DeleteYour dinner sounds yummy! Have a happy 2019 Anne!
ReplyDeleteIt was great. Mom ate with us and kept asking who made the pie even though I told her about 1,000 times I bought it in the freezer section at Publix (Edwards Key Lime is delicious btw). I guess the upside of having cognitive issues it you get to be surprised and excited over and over that frozen products exist.
DeleteI am with you - only look forward, don't look back and every day above ground is a good day! Cheers! I did ok on reducing freezer items in December, just have to keep at it. I see us eating lots of fish and perogies in January lol
ReplyDeleteI can only look forward. I am hard enough on myself looking forward. If I looked backward I would be toast! I used the 2nd ham for our NY Day dinner and now I have 5 more packages of ham in the freezer. Drats!
DeleteYou have already started organizing and cleaning. That's great! I have used up a lot in the freezer and now I have to go through the pantry. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and your family, Anne!
Thanks, Nil Happy New Year to you also.
DeleteI started and cleaned until my hands were freezing. 2 more freezer shelves and it will be done!
The ghost of my mother will be thrilled since I ate SEVEN WHOLE Black Eyed Peas today. lolz
ReplyDeleteHere's to an amazing 2019 for us all!
7, 70 or 700 the luck of the pea is with you!
DeleteI should just chuck the past but I feel like I should learn from it.
ReplyDeleteI think learning from it and beating myself up with my failures are 2 different things, and I am tired of my yearly self flagellation. I keep a pretty concise list of what did and did not work, (For example, don't wait until a month out to start heavy cleaning for massive amounts of houseguests, because you WILL be tired and will not enjoy things as much as you should have) but I am not going to look backward with regret.
DeleteHappy New Year to you, Anna. I hope all the best for you in 2019!
ReplyDeleteThanks Belinda. I sincerely hope we all have stellar years!
DeleteI am trying to empty my freezers a little too but every time I make a space I tend to make soup and fill the freezer back up. A concerted effort is needed I feel. But I have brought up from the basement 6 duvet covers (left behind by my ex) and have them ready to go to Goodwill (all clean and in decent condition I might add). I'm thinking of maybe trying the keto diet too - can you remind of the site you use (I know you mentioned it once but I can't find it). Cheers, and hears to looking forward! Anna
ReplyDelete6 duvet covers gone! It is a great decluttering start.
DeleteI began the keto diet using the keto drinks you buy from a friend who is involved in a MLM setup. She had a great weight loss and I was convinced it was because of the product, but there was no support for the actual keto diet, just more flavors of crap. Then I accidentally found Dr. Ken Berry on youtube and it was a game changer (Plus a huge money saver. The koolaid type junk I bought was about 200 bucks and I could /would not pay that for a protracted period) The first words I heard on his video were "Don't pay anyone, anywhere for something your body will do naturally on its own" Then with a little more research I found this guy's no nonsense approach (he has since become a money grabber but this part is still free) https://www.drberg.com/blog-article/ketogenic-diet-plan and I joined the FB group Adapting to Keto. I took about 2 weeks off keto and today I am back on it. I figure I will be on it without stopping at least until Valentine's day and even then I will only get off of it if we go out for dinner.
Thanks for the keto address Anne. I held back from signing up for a "keto site" because I have signed up for so many and then never use them. I will check your chappie out. Anna
DeleteYep, it's time to look at the freezer and pantry and do some stock rotation and plans for using. We'll see if I start that before you finish your effort. Right now it's not on top of the list--leaking roofs and basements are.
ReplyDeleteI guess the extreme rain hit you too. We had 6 inches the other day and now I have an appointment with BeDry to look at Mom's basement this afternoon. I am sorry for your water issues. They are no fun and not cheap to fix,
DeleteI will declutter with you, as I plan on getting rid of 500 items this month and then progress downward throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteThat is some ambitious decluttering you are going to do! I have already been contacted by a local charitable organization and arranged for a pick up next Wednesday. I am getting as much stuff together for donation by then as I possibly can.
DeleteI like your looking forward approach! That's what I would like to do, too. What is past is in the past! Hope your year is filled with joy, Anne. All the best in 2019.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bless, likewise to you and your daughter!
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