The Week Was Cold and so Was I

The week came and went without any major goings on except for the serious cold temps.  I take it as a personal offense when one week is 80 and the next is 20. My cries of unfair seem to have little effect on the outside temperatures though. All I know is that I have been ice cold this past week.

1. Stuffed bell pepper soup, coleslaw, cornbread

2. Pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans, cooked carrots

3. Chicken divan, cucumber slices, dinner rolls

4. Veggie dinner TBD

5. Tacos or taco salad (weather dependent)

6. Soup TBD (depending on what I decide to make)

7. Out to eat (I am meeting several of my female cousins for dinner and gabbing)

Monday joy: As you all know by now, nothing makes me happier than being at Independence Place. In honor of President's Day, we talked about the tale of Washington chopping down the cherry tree. 

Since cherries are associated with the day, we made cherry blintzes about the easiest way possible. 

Flour tortillas were soaked in milk until they were soft,. The centers were  filled with canned cherry pie filling, then folded like an eggroll. They sat on a parchment paper for a few minutes, then were cooked on the stovetop in butter.  A dollop of whipped cream topped each blintz .
Each time we are finished I ask if the food was a thumbs up, down or sideways to see how they enjoyed it. Most of the time there is at least one thumbs down, because everybody does not like everything. This time there was a rousing thumbs up*

Monday dinner: I made a huge pot of soup earlier in the day, so dinner was decided.

Stuffed bell pepper soup

Tuesday joy: Finally I did some some cleaning and messing around in the decorations closet (which was mostly strewn about the room instead). Lucky for me it is in such a mess that I made the barest dent in organizing and I will have plenty to keep me busy for a long time.

Tuesday dinner: Some nights we want real food, but a simple meal.

Chicken, green beans, coleslaw, biscuit

Wednesday joy: It was too blooming cold here, but I went to my Wednesday class anyway. TheHub met a friend for lunch so I had most of the afternoon to myself and once he got home I recruited him to help me deliver Christmas presents to My Beloved Sister and BIL. We had planned to do it the week after he came home from the hospital the first time, but he was readmitted 4 days later. We took it over to them as soon as he felt like having visitors, even though we just stayed a few minutes. Afterward we ran by a couple of stores then back home to say in and get warm. 

Wednesday dinner: I had a ton of home cooked chicken broth and cooked chicken. This dinner was inevitable and certainly warmed us up.

Chicken noodle soup

Thursday joy: We booked a river cruise from Prague to Budapest for May of 2026.  We are tentatively looking at taking a train form Budapest to Zurich, visiting some folks we know there, then taking a train to Paris for a few days, possibly taking the chunnel and winding up in London. Of course we have a lot of time to make any changes as we think of them. Even if we wind up just cruising the river it is still something to look forward to.

That night we watched Alabama women's basketball. Tennessee won, oh well.

Thursday dinner: We wanted a "real" meal (meaning no soup)

Pork chops, cauliflower rice pilaf, cucumber slices

Friday joy:  The new loveseat was delivered and for a small tip extra the movers relocated to den couch and moved the existing loveseat to the basement den. We had to rearrange things and get rid of some things that no longer fit in the room.

I listed some old analog stereo speakers on our local buy nothing FB page. Someone wanted them immediately, and they were picked up by the afternoon. Yay! One thing I did not want nor need out of the house!

Friday dinner: TheHub wanted something hot, I wanted something raw.

Bowl of soup or salad plate

Saturday joy: The day was pretty much devoted to Alabama sports. We watched 2 games of softball and men's basketball.  

Saturday dinner: We had to have a quick meal to eat during the basketball game halftime.

Taco salad

Sunday joy: We went to our church's morning communion service, early church, and Sunday school. On our way home we stopped and picked up a bite for lunch, talked to Son3, then turned on Alabama softball.

I got home and found someone wanted the 4 foot marble slab I listed on Buy Nothing. Woo hoo! TheHub put it outside by the street for an easy (though heavy) pickup. Another thing that had served its purpose here was gone!

I am not a napper but there is something about a Sunday afternoon that just screams for a nap.

Sunday dinner: This night was not only about food but also about the company. My Beloved Sister and I met 7 of our female cousins for dinner at North Italia. The food was ok, but the fellowship was exceptional. So this was actually one of the days great joys rather than being about the meal. Bonus**

Italian farm salad

Possible meals for this week:

1. California roll cucumber salad

2. Steak, baked potato, salad

3. Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad

4. Smoked trout toasts, coleslaw

5. Veggie meal TBD

6. Out to eat

7. Thai chicken curry, rice

Books Read in February:

Confessions of a Christmasoholic

Long List

A Confederacy of Dunces (a re-read)

Anxious People

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

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

* The one person I know who does not like cherries was not there. She would have not only given me a thumbs down, but would have accompanied it with some serious stink eye.

** The meal was a females only which meant TheHub was on his own for dinner. He is not a cook and planned on grabbing something to bring back to the house to eat. He loves Captain D's as much as I don't. He was able to satisfy his need and I did not have to be a part of it.