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