Oh no, just 28 weeks till Christmas

After all the goings on during the last week the only thing even remotely Christmasy I did was walk into the room of horrors, look around and shut the door.

Packed my duds for the beach and left with no remorse.

Moving on

This was a week to get some things done preparing for a new normal 

What I thought we might eat last week:

Hamburger patty, broccoli salad, saffron rice

Big salad meal TBD

Veggie meal TBD

Thai chicken, jasmine rice. coleslaw

Tuna steaks, baked potato, tossed salad

Sandwiches, coleslaw, french fries

Out to eat or take out

Monday: Began the week with a lengthy phone call with My Beloved Sister. (know from here forward as MBS). She was going to have her SIL over so I stayed at home. I did not want to interfere with them. Her SIL did not make it to town until much later in the afternoon so she did not go to MBS's house. I would have gone over with some boxes she requested and helped her go through some of the non-personal items she does not want to keep anymore.

Monday dinner: It was planned and easy. I will opt for easy almost every meal.

Thai chicken, rice, asian coleslaw, dinner rolls

Tuesday: I went with MBS to pick up BIL's death certificate. I was no help whatsoever, but I was a buffer just to keep her from becoming upset when she actually saw it. 

I had gathered some moving boxes for her that we had did not use when we sold the lake place along with several Trader Joe's paper bags. There are some things she is getting rid of because they will never be used again, and she had many things BIL's nephew could use, so she wanted him to have them.

You don't always think that to get rid of things you need to have something to contain them. I could at least help getting those to her.

She also had many things that belonged to BIL's deceased brother that needed to go to their sister, instead of staying at MBS's house. 

Tuesday dinner: I had dressed for the day and rode with TheHub to go sign some checks for one of the contract projects he is still working on, and to have a quick meeting signing a few papers.  While we were in that part of town we went to a men's clothing store he loves, to pick up a couple of casual wear items he wanted. After he completed his shopping, we decided to run by a restaurant near by for dinner.

Veggie soup and greek salad or Greek sandwich.

Wednesday: I stayed at home planning the post funeral reception via phone calls with MBS and our good friend C, who agreed to help putting the reception table together after the service. My church's parlor is a large very pretty but fairly formal room. The service was to be held there with refreshments to be served afterward.

 C has a knack for making everything beautiful and when she asked what she could do for MBS, I told her using her talent was the best possible "gift".

After discussion, we agreed that we needed silver trays and candelabra, along with serving pieces, tiered tray, crystal pitchers, ice bucket and serving utensils. 
I have a lot of "things", most of which stay tucked in various cabinets and drawers. You know all that stuff you have in your house that you rarely use and then you pull them out and realize they need some serious attention? To quote Son2. "you had a little silver with your tarnish, Mom". Needless to say, there was a whole lot of polishing going on.

Wednesday dinner. I invited MBS over to eat with us, but also to let her have the final say about the all the serving pieces. I did not think she would care one way or another, but it was still her call.

Taco salad

Thursday: TheHub and I ran out to all of the various places we needed to go to to purchase all the foods we needed for after the service. My aim was to have every single thing on hand so I could wake Friday morning ready to roll. I managed to get everything going to only 4 different stored, got home and got everything unloaded  and stored, ready and waiting for early Friday morning when I could begin.

Thankfully friend C took purchasing the flowers off my plate, which was wonderful because she does so much better with arrangements than I do

Thursday dinner: I had most of this on hand and in the freezer.

Rosemary chicken, au gratin potatoes  leftover club salad*

Friday:  I woke very early and began working on the food. One of the things I planned to make was finger sandwiches. I had put the bread in the freezer so it would be partially frozen making it much easier to remove the crusts, and cut the sandwiches into 4ths. I knew things were going too well. When I took the first few pieces out of the loaves of bread, I realized all the loaves had huge air bubbles throughout them. That would not work at all, which meant I had to change into going out in public clothes to buy more bread. It put me a good bit of time behind schedule, but I got all those suckers made with just the tiniest bit of time to spare. 

I might have meant a speed shower and getting ready in record time, but we made it and were at the church a few minutes before our agreed arrival time. Whew! 

The service was very personal and MBS had the most wonderful eulogy, which included both tender and funny memories. And like all services, once the final prayer was said there was some closure and people began moving around the room, nibbling on the goodies, talking to each other, and sharing stories and memories .

Friday dinner: TheHub and I had a long day and neither of us wanted to cook. I am very grateful we live in the south where delicious BBQ is available all around us.

BBQ sandwich, baked beans, potato salad

Saturday: We woke and dressed to run a few errands. We began going to Argo (a community about 35 minutes from our house) to give some of the excess food from the reception to one of my cousins. They have 6 grandchildren who come to their house often, so things will be eaten. We had already split some between MBS, BiIl's family and us, and there was still so much left. (Never ask me to do food for an uncertain crowd number for I will always fall in the rather have  "too much"rather than "too little" category).

Since we were already in the general direction, we called Son2 and DIL2 to have them meet us for lunch at  a Thai restaurant near their home.  It is always wonderful being around them, even if we had just been with them at the funeral the day before.

After eating we had one more stop before heading home. TheHub had ordered and received some shirts from Untuckit. They sent 2 of one shirt but there was no charge for it, so he decided to just stop at the store to return the unordered one. 

The store personnel were most appreciative and really could not believe he would return it.

We try very hard to always live an honest life and have even taken a rogue lemon that hid in the grocery cart after paying, back into the store. The right thing to do is always the right thing to do.

 Saturday dinner: We still had reception leftovers.

Finger sandwiches, coleslaw

Sunday: We woke early to go to the communion service followed by church at 8:30, then Sunday school. I like to start my week doing that. Once home we started doing a few things to get ready for our upcoming beach trip and both took a little recliner snooze while watching the NCAA world series.

Sunday dinner: Leftovers was the name of the game again, but this time they were different ones.

Thai chicken pineapple fried rice (The servings at Thai Basil are huge)

What's up fpr this week?

Who knows? We are headed to the beach Tuesday and whatever happens happens!

Books read in June:

We Could Be Rats (This book has a hard subject matter)

My Italian Bulldozer

The Dutch House

The Friday Afternoon Club

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

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

*TheHub had a luncheon meeting that afternoon and he always brings any leftovers home.

Oh no just 29 weeks till Christmas

 My heart and mind were not thinking about Christmas in any way shape or form this past week, and I am only posting this because my intent from the beginning was to report each week, even if I did nothing. 

A Week

This was a difficult week, and the days were not listed as joys, instead I was just recounting what happened.

What I thought we might possibly eat last week:

Sloppy Joes, french fries, coleslaw

French toast, bacon, sliced fruit 

Big salad meal TBD

Leftover spaghetti and meat sauce, tossed salad

Sandwiches TBD

Crack chicken, coleslaw

Grilled pork chops, broccoli, toast

What happened and what we ate:

Monday: The news Monday morning was not good. My Beloved Sister*called the first thing to let me know their situation had drastically worsened. Fortunately her SIL was with her at the hospital and they were able to be there for her hub's peaceful transition. 

After leaving the hospital, they both went to his elderly mother's house to break the news to her. My heart broke for all, but his mother, who outlived 2 sons was devastated.

While she was at her MIL's, I contacted everyone she wanted me to and ran by her house to do a couple of quick chores. 

I did leave before she got home to give her the alone time she requested.

I think we talked on the phone 4 different times, and she knew I could be there in 5 minutes if she wanted/needed me.

Monday dinner: I was very thankful I had leftovers. I asked MBS if I could take dinner to her or if she wanted to come here, but she said no to both. She was worn out and just wanted to be at her house with her dogs (and some brownies) for the night.

Spaghetti with meat sauce and previously frozen meatballs* (added to stretch the sauce) salad greens (compliments of our neighbors garden)

BIL loved The Avett Brothers. This is their best song to honor him

Tuesday: My Beloved Sister asked me to go to her house Tuesday morning to start the sorting process of all the things she is going to need to do, both in the immediate future and also later on. 

Even with things in order, there is so much to do and so many different people/companies/services to contact. Once she gets the death certificate she can begin the process.

Because I was not available, TheHub ran to Benny's produce stand and grabbed the tomatoes and cucumbers I asked him to get.  I was so thankful for I was completely out of tomatoes and cucumbers. Then TheHub dropped lunch for all of us and stayed while we all brainstormed about the obituary and memorial service.  

BIL was a high school art teacher before having to take a medical retirement and one of his students had done a charcoal portrait of him that captured not only his physical features, but also his personality. MBS plans to have it on an easel during the service.

Now she has an idea of what she wants there is one less thing she needs to think about. Meanwhile I was and am available to do whatever she needs, even if it is just a shoulder to cry one.

Tuesday dinner: TheHub and I were both at MBS's house until late afternoon for him and early evening for me. Dinner needed to be quick and use some of the excess bread we had in the house.

French toast, bacon*, apple slices, orange slices

Wednesday: I picked MBS up at her house and we ran an errand, then had lunch prior to meeting the minister to go over the service details. She and BIL had no home church though both were/are deeply spiritual.  I was so happy my church will accommodate her wants and needs.

MBS was hoping to have the service early next week, to allow time for his nieces and nephew to arrange their schedules and get to town. Unfortunately, Vacation Bible Camp will be Monday-Thursday and will tax the facilities and the facility maintenance, so Friday the 13th was the earliest it could be held.  We have laughed about that, and think BIL would find it funny.

There is just so much other stuff that has to be done now, and the Alabama Bureau of Vital Statistics is not helping anything. They now evidently move at a snails pace getting all the necessary paperwork she will need to begin contact with various entities and are claiming a 7 day to 3 week time span before a Death Certificate is filed and can be claimed.  What!?!

Wednesday dinner: Since I was out most of the day with MBS dinner needed to be something quick. It was also a game night to watch softball so the meal had to be game worthy.

B*LT salad

Thursday: I woke way too early and thought about trying to go back to sleep since I had not gotten into bed until 2 a.m. I finally decided I might as well go ahead and get started with my day. 

MBS did not need me as she was stuck waiting on paperwork before she could proceed to whatever is next.

I stayed at home and got some work here done, not knowing what if anything she would need me for later.

Thursday dinner: We were going to watch the 2nd game of the NCAA softball World Series which meant another ballgame meal

Sloppy Joes*, fries or green beans,* coleslaw

Friday: MBS is directionally impaired, and almost knows how to get places. Operative word is almost. She had an appointment to pick up his remains at the crematorium which is in a very remote location. I knew she would never be able to find it, so I offered to drive. I am glad I did because if she tried to find it herself she would have wound up in a totally different part of the state.

Once home, TheHub and I ate a quick lunch and ran a few errands. We did get caught in an interesting downpour. The skies opened and we could barely see in front of us ___for about 2 blocks. When we were through that short expanse of roadway, the rains were little more than a drizzle for about 1/4 mile and then nothing. Can't beat weather in the south.

Friday dinner: Neither of us cared what we were going to have for dinner, so I chose to take the path of least resistance.

Beef tips* w/ mushrooms, mashed potatoes, tossed salad

Saturday: I think the emotions of the week caught up with me, and I wanted to do little more than languish doing nothing. When I talked several times with MBS she was on the same path, but had started going through some of BIL's drawers in their office and was finding different things she had never seen before. She said some made her laugh and some made her cry, but she wanted to go through them just the same.

We did run to our local produce guy, who obviously had paid attention to the weather report and decided not to set up Saturday. I still had 3 tomatoes and a few cucumbers so it was not critical, but I will be there early Tuesday morning when they return. Since they were not available, and we were already out and about, we ran to cherry pick Publix.

TheHub and I watched the Auburn/ Coastal Carolina game and both dozed off in our respective seats. 

After dinner we watched "A Complete Unknown". I enjoyed it and was so glad I was seeing it at home where I could stretch out and stop it when nature called. It was too lengthly for me to watch in a theater.

Saturday dinner: At Publix I picked up 2 BOGO seasoned pork tenderloins. I had planned on having pork chops anyway, but deferred to the purchase.

Pork tenderloin, broccoli, toast

Sunday: I could not get to sleep until 4:30 am, then had to get up at 6:45 to be dressed and ready in time to make it to the 7:55 communion service. For a plugged nickel, I would have pulled the sheet over my head and gone back to sleep, but I didn't. 

After the first service we went to traditional 8:30 church, followed by Sunday School. On the way home, TheHub declared he did not want a sandwich for lunch, which was fine but I was not about to cook lunch. 

Sunday dinner: We went to Fried Green tomatoes ( a local meat and three place) for lunch. If we have a big lunch it counts as our meal for the day and at night we have some small bite of something like a salad or some such.

Pork chop, cabbage and green beans or Catfish, okra and peas

What we might eat this week:

1. Hamburger patty, broccoli salad, saffron rice

2. Big salad meal TBD

3. Veggie meal TBD

4. Thai chicken, jasmine rice. coleslaw

5. Tuna steaks, baked potato, tossed salad

6. Sandwiches, coleslaw, french fries

7. Out to eat or take out

Books read in June:

We Could Be Rats (This book has a hard subject matter)

My Italian Bulldozer

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

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

*Used from the freezer

Oh no just 30 weeks until Christmas

This below was all written before the week headed south. For now Christmas planning is shelved for a while, which means the room of horrors will just be a closed door when Son1 and family come here. Other things are much more important at the moment.

I did go upstairs the morning after posting just 31 weeks and worked in the room of horrors. Though I did not get it anywhere near finished I did make some headway, including finding a few things to put on our local buy nothing FB page. I had several toys for Pip when she was little that were just taking up space.

In addition to getting rid of those I managed to get the Halloween decor sorted, culled, and packed away. As soon as I post this some random Halloween bit is bound to surface in the room, that was hidden under some also random piece of Christmas decor.

I really need to measure the closet and post the size so you can imagine the amount of holiday decor I own. (Not including the 5 trees which live in the basement). Right now the contents of said closet are emptied out into the room and it is truly overwhelming. Excessive? Yes, and not in the best way.*

* In the not too distant past, the Christmas tree in the den had over 600 ornaments on it. How do I know? One year I counted every single ornament as I took them off the tree. I did decide I could get by with 300 or so and the tree still looked very full, but did I get rid of the overage or just pack it away?

I Wish This Had Played Out Differently

Last week started with an enjoyable holiday and ended with sadness. 

This piece of music is one of my favorite pieces, and I think it is perfectly beautiful. To me, it is the musical reflection of sadness, and I thought it would be very appropriate today.

What I had planned for the week:

1. Ribs, potato salad, baked beans

2. Spaghetti w/meat sauce, tossed salad, dinner roll

3. Salmon patties, broccoli, french fries

4. Enchiladas, coleslaw

5. Out of town

6. Ball game meal TBD

7. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans

What did and what didn't happen:

Monday joy:  Memorial day started with TheHub working in the yard and me working in the house. Son2 and DIL 2 came over to have a late lunch with us and stayed and visited until the early evening. We love them and love having them around.

Monday dinner: Because it was a holiday, our big meal of the day was a late lunch.

Ribs, potato salad, baked beans, tossed salad, Eskimo pie ice cream bar.

Tuesday joy: I stayed at the house most of the day but did run to ThePig to grab some ground chuck at the sale price on the ad's last day. I figured a large pack would also meet the price requirement to score the free bottle of Hunt's ketchup. Much to my surprise all the packs of the chuck were reduced an additional dollar per pound. I bought about 12 pounds saving 12 bucks, but crowding and already overcrowded freezer. Oh well. 

Tuesday dinner: Since I had bought all of the ground chuck and had to process it anyway, I figured we should have something with it for dinner.

Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans

Wednesday joy:  We woke and hit the road right after rush hour traffic headed to Nashville. We had a couple of things to take to Son3 and DIL3 before they left for their visit to Sweden. On the way there, our car exited at the 3rd Cullman exit, turned left and before we knew what was happening, we were at The Dutch Oven Bakery. Once the car was in the parking lot there was nothing we could do except go in and buy a few things. By a few things I mean 3 loaves of sourdough bread, a chocolate pound cake, chess bars, 2 cheesecakes (they were small) chocolate covered peanuts, and chocolate covered pecans. We did leave most of it in Nashville.

After we dropped off the things they needed and visited a little while, we headed back home.

Wednesday dinner: We stopped at Cracker Barrel** on the way home for dinner.

Chicken and dumplings, coleslaw, or old timers breakfast 2 eggs, sausage, biscuits, fried apples

Thursday joy:  We both stayed home though I did run to a friends house to deliver one of the loaves of sourdough bread to her. Bread is her  kryptonite and I knew nothing could make her happier than a loaf of deliciousness. 

I am so glad we are good friends and I could go to deliver it sans makeup, hair pulled back and wearing grungy house clothes. 

Thursday dinner: I was only using what we had on hand for the meal (except for the gigantic ground chuck splurge everything we have eaten was here at the start of the week)

 Salmon croquettes*, mashed potatoes, tomato slices, sliced cucumbers

Friday joy: I did stay home all day and actually made progress in the guest room and also the room of horrors. It rained again but cleared off in the afternoon in time for the grass to be cut and the pool guys to come. Finally! The water is ready for swimming and I am ready to start doing laps. 

Friday dinner: When I was processing the ground chuck for the freezer I browned about 3/4 of a pound for a meal later in the week.

Spaghetti* with spiffed up Rao's marinara*, greens and artichoke heart* salad, garlic bread

Saturday joy: After a 1:30 am call, 3 hours of wakefulness and a follow up call at 6:15, I had little sleep and could not fall back to sleep. So there was nothing to do but get ready for the day. TheHub and I ran some early morning errands, and I did something I never do. I actually had my phone in my pocket all day (with the ringer on, which I rarely have on) to stay in touch with My Beloved Sister as needed.

I talked and/or texted with her all day. 

Other than that I just hung around the house doing whatever mindless task I could do.

Saturday dinner: Nothing to say, it just was what it was,

Roasted chicken, collard greens, tomato onion and cucumber salad

Sunday: After another mostly sleepless night, we decided to forgo the early services at church and only went to Sunday School. 

We had just gotten home when I got a text from My Beloved Sister asking me to come sit with her. TheHub dropped me off at the hospital and I stayed there until about 5, when she was ready to leave for the day. The good thing about being so close is knowing when the other needs company in difficult circumstances, and knowing how to make the other laugh instead of crying. She gave me a lift home, and we talked some more before she left for her house. 

Sunday dinner: I did not feel like cooking, which meant a very simple dinner happened.

Cheese toast, apple slices, orange wedges

Possible meals for the week:***

1. Sloppy Joes, french fries, coleslaw

2. French toast, bacon, sliced fruit

3. Big salad meal TBD

4. Leftover spaghetti and meat sauce, tossed salad

5. Sandwiches TBD

6. Crack chicken, coleslaw

7. Grilled pork chops, broccoli, toast

Books read in May

A Homemade Life

The Light of Days

The Making of Home

Wintering

The Things We Cannot Say

The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket

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

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

* used from freezer or pantry

** If you are not from the south you might not know that just about every town of any size with an exit on the interstate has a Cracker Barrel. Alabama alone has 31. The food is not exceptional, but it is tasty and very consistent at all locations. It is not fast food and you can get breakfast anytime they are open (if you happen to be the type of person who likes to eat that foul stuff)

And just in case you feel like shopping while waiting on your food to get to your table they have a country store attached with all kinds of sparkly and shiny bric a brac, clothes, toys, and old fashioned candy. 

*** I have no idea which way the wind will blow this week, so I have cleared my calendar to be available for my sister. I may cook enough for the week in one day, or maybe not.  No matter what, this is going to be a week of very basic no frills meals.

Because It's June