And now January is whizzing by

This was not a week that a lot happened, at least nothing particularly noteworthy. I am still adjusting to having TheHub around most of the time, and look forward to warmer days when he can play golf___even a few holes would be great!

Planned meals that mostly didn't happen:

1. Chili, coleslaw, cornbread

2. Soup of some kind

3. Lamb chops, baked potato, broccoli

4,  Undetermined pasta dish

5. Veggie dinner TBD

6. Tacos with all the fixings

7. Eggroll in a bowl

What did happen:

Monday joy: My Beloved Sister's husband was back in the hospital on Thursday of last week, but was doing much better by Monday. He was in a different hospital than the one he was in before, and she feels much more comfortable leaving him. Before she was with him from 8-4, would go home for a few hours than head back from 8-10. I am happy that she feels fine now to go between 9 and 10 then leave by 4 for the day.

I also had a phone call from Sluggy, and, for probably the first time, I had my phone ringer turned on so I could actually answer the call when it came in. 

I am not married to my phone at all, and if I go somewhere that requires I turn my ringer off, it might be 3 or 4 days before I realize I have not turned it back on.

Monday dinner: I had planned on having a bowl of chili on a cold night. I thawed 2 pounds of ground chuck to make a huge pot of the stuff, browned it, sautéed onions to go in it and started to add the seasonings. 

My brain obviously shut down and I seasoned it with herbs and spices that were nowhere near anything I would use for chili. Plans went out the window!

Spaghetti with meat sauce*, tossed salad

Tuesday joy: I woke to a brilliantly sunny but cold day. Usually I would have my coffee and watch birds  hopping all over the back yard. Nope! Not a single bird! I guess this morning saw them hunkered down with their feathers puffed for warmth.

As the day progressed and warmed a bit (36 degrees) I did see a few birds in the yard. If any of you read Practical Parsimony she mentioned seeing robins return. I live just a few miles south of her (literally just a few) but we have robins in our yard all winter. I grew up a few blocks from here and we always had them overwinter.  

I saw a few robins, a titmouse, and a couple of finches. Cold weather was predicted for the remainder of the week, and I figured no birds would be the morning norm, but I do miss seeing them while I am drinking coffee.

I went to ThePig and was able to score their free item___spaghetti. With all the accidental sauce I made Monday, the extra pasta will come in handy. Lucky for me, The Pig had their ground chuck at my stock up price and I was able to buy it (lots of it) and begin cooking a new jumbo pot of chili. I was also able to use some of the ground chuck to make dog food for My Beloved Sister's terribly spoiled dogs.

One additional joy was discovering Trader Joe's will soon be opening a store just a couple of miles from my house. Since it will be on the path I drive often, it will no longer be a destination trip, but somewhere I can stop by anytime I am out and about. I am happy but not sure my checkbook **will be.

Tuesday dinner: What we had to eat did not sound good to me after eating spaghetti Monday night, but it was cooked, so why not?

Chili, coleslaw (did not make cornbread and life went on)

Wednesday joy: There were still no birds for me to watch while I had my caffeine fix, but the morning sky was gorgeous even if it was cold.

One of my biggest joys for the day might be something all of you knew all along. Evidently there are things I am slow to learn. 

Sunday while I was freezing in church I was sitting next to one of my friends who is very cold natured. I asked her how she was tolerating the cold sanctuary when she told me she had on her thermal undies. 

I had a eureka moment seeing that they were not restricted to a base layer when doing outdoor things. Wednesday after my morning shower I put on my cuddle duds under my sweater. What a difference. Between that and actually wearing socks I was quite comfortable without having to turn the heat up. 

Because the day was cold, I chose to stay in until I needed to run to My Beloved Sister's house to drop off the food for her dogs. I hope her life will settle down soon, but it does not look like it will right away.

Wednesday dinner: TheHub and I ate lunch later than normal, but had a light one so we still wanted a little something for dinner. I had mentioned previously that I am trying to use what we have in storage rather than shopping more than is absolutely necessary. A pack of chopped cooked chicken was the genesis of the nights meal.

Chicken corn chowder

Thursday joy: This was the coldest morning of the year so far and once again I had my coffee without birds to watch. Still it was a beautiful morning and instead of birds I got to look at my  hibiscus. I moved it back in the house before the temperatures plunged and it was just happy as a clam blooming away facing the kitchen window. Bright big coral colored blossoms were a nice treat on a cold January morning. Not to be outdone, the lime tree was also flowering. 

I would like a greenhouse so I did not have to move plants back and forth, but our winters are so mild I would only truly need one one a few days each month. 

TheHub and I had planned on having a little day trip, but had some unexpected business that we had to take care of. Instead, we drove to Brierfield. (Maybe a town or maybe just a  small unincorporated community in the middle of nowhere)

A friend had told me about Boondocks several months ago and we had it on our radar to try.

It looked just like you would think any joint in rural Alabama would look.  (Can you say dive joint).

We started with their signature starter (which most folks call an appetier, but we were in Brierfield, Alabama so we will just go with whatever they call it). We were served spiraled fried green tomatoes. I was skeptical but those suckers were delicious. Imagine paper thin spirals of green tomato in the thinnest batter possible, flash fried. Chef's kiss.

Then, because we had never heard of it before, we both had the Hot Half Hamburger plate, which was a grilled patty on half of a bun smothered in grilled onions and brown gravy, served with a side (I chose coleslaw and TheHub chose baked beans). Again I was surprised at how good it was. 

Samantha, our waitress, told us we need to come back any Friday which is catfish day and her personal favorite. 

If you are looking for an eating adventure just mosey to Bibb county and have a little treat, unless you have no GPS. If you don't, understand you will never find the place!

And because it was on, we watched the Notre Dame/ Penn State game. We have watched college football all season. Might as well see it to the end!

Thursday dinner: We ate that big lunch and just wanted something simple.

Tomato soup

Friday joy: Woo hoo! If you are from the south, nothing beats waking to a snow covered world. It is especially wonderful when the temps were not going to stay below freeing and a very slight melt begans by mid day. 

Neither of us had to be anywhere so we could sit and sip coffee or tea while we looked out the window and enjoyed how incredibly beautiful it was.

I dressed in warm yet extremely comfortable clothes and prepared for a slow day, and trust me it was. 

 As some point in the afternoon, I decided I needed to bake so the house would smell as lovely as outside looked. Because I idid not want to make more then the two of us could eat, I googled small batch desserts and settled on blondies.*** It did not take long for the house to smell delicious.

And to end the day we watched the last semi final NCAA football game. 

Friday dinner: It was cold and we had leftovers, so dinner planned itself.

Leftover chicken corn chowder

Saturday joy: The morning was very cold but the day warmed pretty quickly and most of the snow started to melt rapidly. Except for our front yard and front steps. Our house is north facing and other than the early morning sun, we just don't get much, at least not enough to thaw the snow that had melted slightly then frozen. Icy steps are not a friend of mine.

We had some errands to run so TheHub had to break the ice before we could safely navigate the stairs. (I think it is time to get rid of the batting cage in the basement so we can use our basement garage)

We made a trip to Duluth Trading, a little stop for lunch at our favorite pita place, followed by a trip to Walmart. I have not been in one since they reorganized the store. Whoever was in charge of the design obviously does not want me as a customer. I have never been a Walmart fan, but now I am done. I will  continue to go to the stand alone Walmart grocery store near me, but I never have to go in their Supercenter again.

Saturday dinner: Once we got home from running around, I put a big pot of soup on the stove to cook. It is still cold so I figured I might as well go ahead and make a huge pot full. It was also a good way to use bit and pieces of leftover veggies.

Veggie dense beef and vegetable soup.

Sunday joy: We woke early to go to the communion service before early church. This is something we would like to make our habit. After church we went to Sunday School, then to Dollar Tree. 

TheHub is reading a lot more and having trouble doing so with his progressive lenses. We stopped by to let him try on different strengths of reading glasses. He had already tried with my 150s and they did not work for him. 

He wound up getting none while I traipsed through the store and found a couple of things I needed.

Once we were home we did not go out again and both spent most of the day reading.

Sunday dinner: Don't judge, but I spent so much time reading I forgot to take anything out of the freezer to thaw.  I had cooked and gussied up some navy beans earlier in the week and had a pack of hot dogs in the fridge.

Beanie Weenies, coleslaw

What might be happening here this week: (the weather is supposed to be much warmer)

1. Greek lamb chops, rice and some green vegetable side (TBD)

2. Grilled steak, baked potato, tossed salad

3. Eggroll in a bowl

4. Soup

5. Veggie meal TBD

6. Take out

7. Chicken bulgogi, broccoli, rice

What I read in January:

The God of the Woods

Half Mammals of Dixie

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

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

* Instead of having lots of chili to freeze, I had 3 quart bags of spaghetti sauce. I will enjoy having it made later, but I really counted on freezing excess chili.

** No, I do not really write checks for groceries.

*** Small batch blondies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (I think it is 175 c. but not positive)

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/8 cut chopped nuts (optional)

Combine the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Mix the flour baking powder and salt then add to the wet ingredients. Stir until well blended . Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts until incorporated.

Spread into a greased 5x5 pan and bake about 20 minutes. Then enjoy!