Joy and Vittles

Last week came first as January, then left as February. I guess this year is going to fly by just like the last year did. 

I continue with the sorting, placing things in a completely logical spot, and giving away anything that is not needed.

Those days are not particularly fun, but I have found a couple of podcasts or brainless movies to listen to as I work. And in spite of doing an excess of chores, joys still occur.

I am finding things I did not remember ever having and am keeping a list for the end of the month. I am certain I will find more items. I am not even through with the main floor, and have not touched the rooms upstairs or downstairs. Ugh! Back to the mines for me this week.

Monday: Spent another day in the laundry room sorting through more and more things. Not fun, but it has to be done.

I did have another small chore to take care of last week. I try to decorate the dining room table seasonally. (That does not mean crap does not get tossed on said table all the time. It seems to be the dropping off point every time we come in the house.)

Chinese New Year, Mardi Gras and Valentines are all in a 4 day period this year and I was in a quandary about how to manage all of the decorations in such a short time. Following the path of least resistance, I decided to do the dining room as the Valentine's room and just jazz up the kitchen table for the other two. 

I got Chinese New Year done, made tassels and hung Chinese lanterns. It is the year of the dragon so I cut out a cool looking one from red card stock. I did not realize when I was drawing it that there were so many small cuts. It took much longer than I thought it would. But it was done and on display.

Dinner: Chicken Divan

Tuesday: I was back in the laundry room, and I managed to almost finish. Then I remembered one cabinet in the dining room sideboard that I forgot to clean. So of course I left the laundry room to go clean it.  Good thing because I found some more things for a final sayonara . 

While I was in the dining room I decided to go ahead and decorate for Valentine's Day.  And since enough is never enough I also decorated the foyer. Sneaky Jorge (my monkey butler) seemed happy to have hearts on his serving tray. I think he really wanted a bowl of foil wrapped chocolates there too, but he understands my chocolate weakness.

Dinner: I was lucky to have most of dinner frozen so there was very little prep for the night.

Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad

 

Wednesday. I went to my Wednesday morning class, and afterward went shopping. 

I like to keep greeting cards on hand for any occasion and my supply was low.  I restocked them, picked up a couple of other items I had on my "needs' list before heading out to the grocery store.  

Once I got home and put the groceries away, I needed to do some everyday cleaning. I noticed my vacuum was not working properly and thought I might need to clean the filters. I was right!  It took forever to get the water to run clear. I must have been about a year overdue cleaning them. Now it is on my calendar to rinse them out in three months. How dull is your life if a calendar entry is about vacuum filter cleaning? 

Dinner: Alabama mens basketball team was playing Georgia and we planned to watch it, so a game meal was in order.

Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

Thursday: I woke, had coffee, then it was back to the grind. I was still touching, sorting, and all that other stuff that comes with seriously deep cleaning. It is not fun and is rather tedious, but I got a call from Sluggy. Laughing and cleaning is a lot easier than just cleaning. 

Dinner: I did not know Alabama women's basketball team was going to be televised and had planned a traditional dinner. TheHub really needs to let me know he has tv plans in advance if he wants a game night meal!

Ground chuck patty smothered in peppers and onions, brussels sprouts

Friday: Part of the morning was spent getting ready for DIL3 and Son3 who were coming for the night to go to an event with us. Meanwhile DIL2 and Son2 were on our side of town so they stopped by with their lunch, and while they ate, we visited. 

Once the 3's were here we sat and talked a bit before we all got ready for a fundraiser benefiting the American Baseball Foundation. 

The organization is a summer program for underserved kids that incorporates baseball and team building along with math and reading skills. They have charted the increase in test scores for those who have participated in the program and after just one summer both math and reading levels increased substantially.

We all met Son2 and DIL2 at The Club for dinner and the program featuring Brian Jordan, a former major league baseball/NFL player. Even though I had no clue who he was, he was a wonderful speaker and seems to be extremely generous in his philanthropy. 

He has written motivational books aimed at elementary school age children, and had a silent auction for the books with the stipulation that he personally would go to a school of choice and read them to the student body. There were 2 tables bidding and the bids got quite high. He finally suggested if each would pay the winning bid amount he would go to both of their schools and read to each one. Sold!

 It is probably a good thing he lives in Atlanta, because it is only a two hour drive from Birmingham so it is doable.

Dinner: We were at the fundraiser so it was basic banquet fare

Chicken, side salad, broccoli, potatoes, dinner rolls, their signature orange rolls, and cheesecake

Saturday: We woke, had a leisurely coffee and breakfast with Son3 and DIL3 before they left to get back to Nashville.  After doing a few house chores we got ready for our planned outing. We drove to Persell Farms for a meal, a show and an overnight stay in the inn. 

Let me fill you in on the back story.  TheHub saw this offering online and asked me if I would like to go. I said yes but it sounded like a waste of a Saturday. 

My intention was to go, then on the way home Sunday morning I could either ride smugly, knowing I was right or I could say "I told you so" all the way home.* 

We were driving through serious Alabama back country, passing such things as Clear Waters Cowboy Church, and a worm farm when we turned left off a two lane road to nowhere into a true oasis. 

The grounds including a golf course and clay shooting range, were gorgeous. The farm had several houses (no way you could ever call these cabins), the inn, a separate spa, entertainment venue, an Orvis store, outdoor game installations, pool. This thing was not a farm . . . it was a full scale resort.

The inn, which I imagined would be very rustic was anything but. Our room (not a suite) was beautifully appointed with a 4 poster bed, brocade chairs, a couch, small table for in room dining, desk (with brocade upholstered desk chair) a hall tree and a bench in addition to a beautiful dresser. TO say I was shocked would be an understatement.

Once we checked in we explored the common areas. Every little bit of space served some purpose. The stair landings all had small game or conversation areas. At the end of each hallway to rooms were a couple of couches to mix and mingle with other guests. There were three restaurants and a bar, a few scattered fireplaces, art and framed historical photos were everywhere. We even saw one stone carving from the 15th century.

When we finished browsing and after TheHub had a short nap it was time to go to the venue for dinner and a show ,"Tied Up in Knotts", a one woman show featuring Karen Knotts (Barney Fife's daughter)

Dinner:  The dinner tables were for seatings of ten, and we met and dined with 4 new to us couples. I am not particularly shy and enjoyed talking with them and discovering their stories. As it turned out the woman sitting next to me was covering the event for a weekly newspaper and once we began talking it turned out we had seen her perform a some fundraisers we go to yearly.

The meal itself was buffet style, reminiscent of something Aunt Bea from Mayberry would serve for dinner.

Chicken, fried catfish, mac and cheese, collards, pinto beans, fried green tomatoes, hushpuppies, cornbread and a pound cake trifle.

Sunday: We drove home from the farm after we woke and were dressed for the day. We planned to stop for breakfast on the way home but it was raining so we just went through a drive through. It suited me fine since all I ever have for breakfast is coffee.

We got back to the house just as the rain slacked off, opened the front door, then the bottom fell out. Perfect timing!

We both did our own thing during the rest of the day, but I did not do any deep cleaning.

Dinner: TheHub went to get a massage even though it was wet and cold. I stayed home and made soup.

Tom Kha Gai**

Possibilities for meals this week: 

I am meeting a friend for dinner and TheHub and I will do take out one night

1. Baked Greek chicken, roasted cauliflower, green beans, tossed salad

2. Steak, asparagus, tossed salad, baked potato

3. Soup TBD later in the week

4. Taco salad

5. Either a takeout Chinese meal, or  Chinese hot pot

6. Grilled tuna steaks, fries, tossed salad, broccoli

7 Out to eat

Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan or with non plan at all.

Books read the first week of February:

None - I was busy cleaning and clearing crap

And remember to look for your joys. They are always out there even if they are small ones.

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

* Damn! Now it is TheHub who can say "Told you so"

** How to's and thoughts coming later this week