What Day Is It Now?

It seems that I am a day late once again. I guess my Monday post is actually becoming a Tuesday event.

What was planned:

1. Chicken and dumplings, vegetables of some sort

2. Baked potatoes with leftover chili and shredded cheese, tossed salad or coleslaw

3. Grilled tuna steaks, mashed potatoes, coleslaw or tossed salad, bbq bread

4. Out to eat

5. Big salad meal TBD

6. Veggie dinner TBD

7. Something with baked chicken, no idea what though 

What we ate and what was joyful*:

Monday: 80 days till Christmas

My Beloved Sister went with me to Independence Place. As anyone who reads me regularly knows. it is my happy place. I hardly get inside the door and am greeted with hugs, smiles, and happiness from all the participants. They have my heart! 

My volunteering there always has some recipe, usually a very simple one that any of them would be able to make with little assistance.  I figured Monday's recipe might be a little dicey since we were making a vegetarian version of "tuna" salad. It is a chickpea version of the traditional dish. To my surprise they not only ate it, but most of them asked for more. 

We have a system of grading the recipes; thumbs up if they like it, thumbs sideways if it's meh, and thumbs down if they don't like it at all. This time it was totally thumbs up, which usually only happens with candies, cookies or other sweet recipes. 

We got back to our side of town just as school let out. Something as simple as that alters my route. I live in an incorporated suburban town with its own school system, which has no school buses. That means each kid in the system has to be picked up by a driver (single car  pick-up or car pool) and that in turn means an insane amount of cars on the road between 3 and 3:45.  I have lived here long enough to accept it for what it is, and just make my life easier by adjusting where I drive during that time. If it means driving a little out of my way to get to the house, so be it.

Monday dinner: I had not taken anything out of the freezer for dinner so we ran out to a local meat and three to grab dinner.

Pork chop, greens, squash casserole, cornbread 

Tuesday: 79 Days till Christmas

 I began having coffee on the screened porch, listening to the birds. The mornings are cooler now and it is the greatest way to start my day. The rocking chair only adds to the enjoyment. Next up for the day was doing laundry. 

I do not understand how just two people create so much of it, but we do. After a few loads, and a few cups of coffee, I was about to go upstairs to tackle the Room of Horrors, but I was saved by the bell. Son2 called and wanted to talk a bit while he was driving out of town. After he called I decided I needed/wanted to talk with the other 2 sons so I called both of them. I guess I will use any and every excuse to ignore that blooming room. By the time I hung up with both of them, something sparkly caught my attention and I was off in another direction. 

Tuesday dinner: Earlier in the day TheHub had mentioned that Tuesday was National Taco Day. Being a good citizen we had to almost obey the law.

Taco salad

Wednesday: 78 days till Christmas

 My normal Wednesday class was cancelled so I hung out around the house doing whatever I could think of to avoid finishing up the room of horrors. I am a wonderful avoider!

Wednesday dinner: TheHub suggested we run up to a local meat and three for dinner. I am never going to say no to going out to eat somewhere really casual. We were just about finished eating when 2 long time friends walked in. They sat at our table and we were enjoying catching up with them. "B" asked me about a couple of mutual friends, and I had just told her I run into them at the grocery store every now and then, when who walked in? Yep the very same couple we were just talking about. The night turned into a reunion of sorts and we sat and talked until the place was about to close.

Mac and cheese, turnip greens, okra

Thursday: 77 Days till Christmas

TheHub and I had a run around day. We started at the produce stand I frequent, the headed to Duluth Trading, Aldi, The Pig, and a quick drugstore stop. We made a stop back by the house to put the groceries away, and have a quick lunch, before running out for TheHub to do a little business chore. After that we ran to our church to drop off a couple of bags of groceries for the food pantry.  

Through donations our church maintains a rather large food pantry, and every other week hosts a drive through pantry pickup for anywhere from 250-300 families who need food assistance. We have 3 drop boxes in the church building for shelf stable items, and I try to add something every week. I am very thankful for Publix's bogo!

Thursday dinner: I had a meal with planned overs

Baked potato covered with leftover chili, coleslaw

Friday: 76 Days till Christmas  

This was just a beautiful day, and a good day!

Friday: Neither of us were particularly hungry.

Toasted cheese, tomato, and onion sandwiches

Saturday: 75 days till Christmas

Game Day! Alabama had the early ball game, vs. Missouri. TheHub and I begin the morning watching ESPN's Game Day, and The SEC Network morning sports show, clicking back and forth between them as we walked through the den. (We mainly listen to the tv shows)'

But then, at 11 we were both glued to our respective seats in the den to watch Alabama and Missouri square off. It was a close game, then we watched/napped/ listened to whoever played next ( I have already forgotten)

The night game was Auburn/Georgia. I was hoping Auburn would win, but no dice.

Saturday dinner: Since we here not heavily invested in the Auburn game and the night was beautiful we decided to fire up the grill right before the game started. We just listened to it until we finished eating.

Grilled steak, mashed potatoes, tomato cucumber and onion salad

Sunday: 74 Days till Christmas 

We began our Sunday in the usual way, with the communion service, followed by our traditional worship, then Sunday School. It is a great way for us to start our week. It leaves me in a good headspace ( at least for a while. By the next Sunday I am always in need of a re-set)

We had no plans so we headed home, changed into casual clothes, (still wearing shorts, tee shirts and padding around in flip flops here) and did a few things before coordinating our calendars for the week.

Sunday is for rest and we did just that!

Sunday dinner: I would say I cooked but I didn't. TheHub had to run an errand and he picked up dinner from Guthrie's

Chicken tenders coleslaw

Planned for this week, maybe.

1. Spaghetti with meat balls, tossed salad, garlic toast

2. Out to eat (birthday celebration)

3. Pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes (leftover), broccoli

4. Big salad meal TBD (must require lots of tomatoes though)

5. Veggie meal TBD

6. White bbq chicken, collards, cornbread

7. Sloppy Joes, tossed salad

Books read in October:

The Backyard Bird Chronicles

107 Days

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

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

* I am not putting this on each day's list, but our tomatoes are producing to the point of overproducing. I am making either tomato sauce or tomato paste every single day, and we are giving cherry tomatoes to any neighbor who will take some.  Right this minute it is not joyful, but it will be this winter when I have the base for soups, spaghetti, or chili