And It Is Back

Week 2 of January has come and gone. I am still unsure how that is possible. I also will admit there is a certain joy posting meals and joys together. I am not as likely to forget about either one if they are together. Of course it is only the 2nd week of the year, so the jury is still out!

Monday: This was not a big day around here, but I did have a wonderfully long phone conversation with My Beloved Sister. We were both doing chores and used speaker phone options to provide each other diversions while cleaning. (Neither of us is hip enough to use a blue tooth option) There is joy when laughing while cleaning cabinets.  

There is also a huge joy having my daily coffee in my new mug

Thanks to DIL2 and Son2 who "get" me

Monday night we watched the NCAA football championship.

Dinner: Because the game was going to be played when we would normally eat, we decided to have a quick game day meal.

Grilled cheese sandwich, veggies and dip

Tuesday: I attacked some more places in the common areas of the main level of the house and found several things I no longer wanted or needed. What a joy to have a local Buy Nothing facebook group. I was able to give 5 very nice household items to people who wanted them. 3 of the things had never even been used, so I felt great. Each thing I posted had at least 10 people who wanted it. Whenever my home phone rang I would ask the caller (either TheHub, Sons, Cousin S or My Beloved Sister) to pick a number 1- however many people wanted that item, and that was the person I gave it to.  

Dinner: We met BIL C and SIL P at Evangeline's in Tuscaloosa. We have been trying to get together since before Christmas and it is always wonderful to see them.

Steak, asparagus (me) pecan crusted redfish, asparagus, blackberry cobbler with caramel ice cream (TheHub)

Wednesday:  I went to class, did a little non-grocery shopping, then drove to Independence Place to celebrate T's birthday. Every year each participant has a birthday party, and this year I plan on being at as many as I can make. For the ones I can't get to, I will have a card with a little surprise in it at the party. 

Slightly sad news was the Alabama football coach retired. Nothing lasts forever and I am so very glad the school had him for 17 years. He did a lot for the school and the community in general.

Dinner: Neither of us were very hungry, so___

Veggie beef soup (TheHub) turkey mushroom soup (me)

Thursday: The day was gorgeous, windy but gorgeous. I probably should have gone to the store, but really needed nothing worth getting ready to go out. Instead I had a glorious day doing laundry and reading. 

Dinner: TheHub went to a baseball fundraiser for our local high school team, and I did not feel like cooking just for me.

Cauliflower florets, ginger dressing

Friday: I had planned on being home and organizing/getting rid of stuff. As luck would have it, in the middle of getting rid of things, UPS came with a huge box of dishes. I hate to even admit that, but at least it was not a new set. It was just some additional pieces I added to existing sets. After I unpacked them, I was left with  17x16x14 inch box filled with degradable packing peanuts and that brown waffle type paper used to wrap around breakables. On a lark I listed it on the Buy Nothing site and within. few minutes I got a message from a woman who will be moving soon and wanted it. Whoo hoo! Passing it on is much easier better than recycling

Dinner: Instead of going out like we do most Friday nights, we stayed in, ate a simple dinner and coordinated our calendars for the next 3 months. Afterward we watched an episode from the final season of Better Call Saul

Roasted chicken, tossed salad

Saturday: TheHub needed to go into work for a bit. Some Saturdays he works for about 4 hours because the office is empty and his phone does not ring constantly. Our weather is supposed to turn much colder, so while he was working I was busy making soups, chili and various broths. A little food prep never hurt anyone, and the new week should be a lot easier. (Major joy having part of the week's meals ready)

After he got home we watched Alabama's new coach have his first press conference following  the very quick hire. I have no idea how you convince someone to uproot their family and move across the country in just 49 hours. I know nothing about him but his first impression was good.

We set out to run a few errands before eating lunch. By the time we finally got things done it was after 3 pm.

Dinner: Because we ate lunch so late we did not eat dinner, or maybe we ate dinner at 3, your call. Either way our meal was late afternoon.

Pita sandwiches, tabbouleh, grilled mushrooms 

Sunday: After church we ran a couple of quick errands and gassed up my car for the week. If we are together when I am getting gas, TheHub pumps it. (Joy)  Don't get me wrong I pump my own most of the time, but if he is driving my car and we stop I never fight him to let me do it.

We came home, had a simple lunch, then each of us went our separate ways to do a few things we each needed to get done for an easier week.

We ate before watching another episode of "Better Call Saul". I have enjoyed watching it but we are just a few episodes away from the finale and I am ready for it to end.

Dinner: Our meal came together in two separate ways. I have said before TheHub cannot cook worth a flip, but he is excellent at procuring food. Saturday, while we were running around, he decided he wanted some seafood, so he went to our local fishmonger and bought a pound of steamed shrimp. Meanwhile, after I was reorganizing the laundry room fridge I found a forgotten bag of TJ's cruciferous vegetable shreds (it was just about beyond using), and a huge ham bone. Though I would normally never serve the two things at the same time, it actually worked fairly well.

"Cabbage" and ham soup*, steamed shrimp

Meal plans

It is going to be much colder for us than we are used to. We are kind of cold weather sissies, and I did some serious prep to keep from having to move about too much this week. Life is much warmer sitting under a blanket on the couch and reading while dinner just needs to be heated. Cold weather meals are the name of the game here this week.

1. Turkey vegetable soup (already made)

2. Chili, coleslaw, cornbread (already made)

3. Broccoli cheese soup (prepped just needs to be thrown together)

4. Faux bean and sausage soup (broth is already cooked)

5. Meatloaf, greens, mashed potatoes

6 Out to eat

7. Leftover soup, sandwich , salad

 Have  a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all

January Books Read

Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver

Paper Names - Susie Luo

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

p.s. Who says people in Alabama aren't smart???

* The soup was probably a little better than it might normally have been because that ham bone

swam in simmering water for about 6 hours.  The broth was some of the best I have ever made, andI have enough to make another batch of soup later. Win!