The Countdown Begins

This past week was filled with some comings and goings, a holiday, and lots of eating out. This one should be different. 

I am in panic mode because Thanksgiving will be here before I know what is happening and we are having the Portland crew for the week along with the Nashville ones for at least part of the week. I am excited they are coming, but need to get a lot done to the house before they arrive.

Because housework is not my superpower, this week should find me scurrying doing those one off chores that need to be done before they get here, as well as getting everything else neat and tidy.

What was planned for last week

out to eat (anniversary celebration)

out to eat (fundraiser dinner for The Parkinson's Association)

Hot dogs and baked beans (We eat this every Halloween ) 

Roast, baked potato, tossed salad, green beans

Soup TBD

Take out (have a minimum $ food purchase to use before the 31st)

Bulgogi chicken, rice, shishito peppers, asian slaw

vs

What actually happened:

Monday joy: I loved this day. When I was having coffee and looking out the bay window  where my kitchen table sits, I noticed the leaves of the redbud trees were almost completely lemon yellow. They are always the first trees in the yard to turn, and the morning sun makes them so much prettier.

A little before noon I was able to go to my happy place with My Beloved Sister. I know I have said repeatedly how much I love going to Independence Place, but I cannot say often enough how much joy I find interacting with the participants. They are some of my most favorite people to be around.

After I came home I had a couple of quick errands to do before getting ready to go out for our anniversary celebration.

Monday dinner: We had reservations for Blueprint on 3rd for our anniversary meal.  Prior to covid we had eaten at Highland's Bar and Grill every year. Since they never reopened, each year we have tried somewhere we have never been before. Blueprint has been open for quite a few years, but was never on our radar. 

My first impression was about the noise level, and I told TheHub unless it was delicious I did not have to ever return, We will definitely go back!

Cornbread, smoked stuffed quail (both of these were shared apps), scallops grits, greens, or trout cauliflower and brussels sprouts, peanut butter fudge pie ( shared dessert).

Tuesday joy: I was home all day, thankfully. Reading and laundry (lots of laundry) were my go to's of the day.

Looking out the bay window I noticed the beautiful redbud leaves had begun to fall.  

Tuesday dinner: We had a minimum* that had to be used for food by the 31st. Since we only had one night without plans, this was it,'

Chicken alfredo, cobb salad

Wednesday joy: The redbud trees have lost about half of their leaves, and when the wind was blowing it looked like lemon yellow leaf rain.

I decorated the outside of the house for Halloween. Earlier in October TheHub brought 2 giant pots of mums for the front porch. Even though they had the same amount of water and sun, one of the pots bloomed beautifully and the other withered and died. 

I always put plants on both sides of the porch to act as a barrier for the Trick or Treaters. They come in droves and because I have no railing on either side, the plants keep them from venturing too far to the edge and possibly falling off.  

The dead plant was a nice creepy touch.

That night we attended a Parkinson's Association fundraiser where we got to meet a table of folks we had never met before, including one PHD candidate who is researching proteins surrounding brain cells that might lead to the development of Parkinson's. We also shared the table with a physician who is researching the effects of long covid in relation to developing Parkinson's. My dense little punkin head learned a lot.

Wednesday dinner: Most of the time banquet food is pretty unremarkable. This was surprisingly good.

Steak, chicken buerre blanc, mashed potatoes, green beans, spinach salad and a trio of mini desserts.

Thursday joy: Happy Halloween.

The redbud tree only had about 1/4 of the leaves still on the tree, but they were still so pretty.

I finished the laundry then put the finishing decorative touches around the foyer. I always have some lights by the goodie bowl, the monkey butler decorated, and some sort of spooky arrangement on the foyer table.

I thought I would be home all day, but I was wrong. TheHub decided we needed to go out for a vegetable lunch. I went even though I did not really want to mainly because it meant putting on makeup again. The lunch really was good and we did talk a lot while we were there.

Once we were back home I decided I might need a little more candy so I hit the grocery store, then drove around the area looking for the giant skeletons. I have no idea why they gig me so much but they do. One house a couple of block over had everything I could imagine and more. 5 giant skeletons, a skeleton horse with a skeleton headless rider, giant wolfman, giant witch, and hundreds of tombstones and small skeletal animals.**

The night was perfect for the little neighborhood ghosts and gobblins. It was dry and temperate and the 'hood was overflowing with kids and their parents. I knew we had several new families with children move in so I had bought 90 full size Hershey bars. I was understocked. 

At 7:15 I was totally out of candy and quickly took all the decorations down and turned the outside lights, and all lights in the front of the house out.  Next year I guess I need to buy about 120.  I think I should start a Halloween candy bar savings fund!

Later in the night we had some much needed and wanted rain.

Thursday dinner: Each year since our oldest son was 2 we have eaten hot dogs and baked beans for dinner. Now years and years after they were grown, TheHub and I continue to have variations of the same meal.

Chili dogs, coleslaw, baked beans

Friday joy: Got to stay home!  The late night rain knocked almost all the leaves off the tree and left the pool surface covered with wet lemon yellow leaves. 

Almost immediately after the rain the muscadine vine leaves outside the fence began turning They form a privacy barrier and keep up isolated from all the neighbors on that side of the yard. In about a week they will be visible again and our house will be visible to them. I much prefer the privacy.

Friday dinner: I had remembered to take chicken out of the freezer to thaw, so I actually cooked a real dinner for the first time during the week (I don't count the hot dog dinner as cooking a real meal)

Bulgogi chicken, rice, green beans

Saturday joy: We had to be up and out of the house by 8:30 to make a short roadtrip for my aunt's funeral. She was the last of either parents siblings still living. My Beloved Sister went with us because, in her words, "Can't find my way out of a paper bag". 

After the service there was a brunch we needed to attend so we could talk a bit more with our cousins. I loved seeing them, just wish it had been under happier circumstances,.

We were home before 2 and started watching football games. One of us (me) might have fallen asleep on the couch.

Saturday dinner: Neither one of us were hungry (Could it have been because of the snacks eaten while watching the games?)

Tomato soup or bowl of coleslaw.

Sunday joy: I was preparing for my least favorite time of the year. I hate the shorter days, especially when it starts getting dark at, or before, 5. I will be unhappy until about the 20th of January when I can visually start seeing the increase in daylight. I am thankful we had up-lights installed in front of the house so it will not look quite as dark when I look out the  windows.

We went to church earlier than normal so we could be present for a small service in the columbarium. This was the church's celebration of all saints day and is a very joy filled occasion to honor everyone niched there. Both Mom and Dad had chosen it for themselves, and it is nice to go and remember them by saying their names out loud. 

Once home it was just a day to do a few things, read a bit, and (ugh) more laundry.

Sunday dinner: Even though darkness came ridiculously early it was still a nice night to fire up the grill.

Steak, baked potato, tossed salad

What might possibly be for dinner this week:

1. Spaghetti, tossed salad, garlic bread

2. Fried rice, shishito peppers

3. Soup TBD

4. Veggie meal TBD

5. Out to eat 

6. Crack chicken, brussels sprouts

7. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, tossed salad

Books read in November

What Have You Done?

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

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

*We bought one entree to split along with the salad, but still had not met the minimum, so we added a Mediterranean chicken bowl to the order. We wound up having enough food for two dinner meals and 4 lunches.

**Next year I will be sure to take a picture of that yard to share with you. I went back by the house Saturday and they had over half of it taken down and boxed for next year.