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Good Morning friends. I hope this second week of 2024 finds you healthy and happy. We’re doing well, but there has been a major resurgence of COVID here in our little rural town and MANY people we know are down with it so as a precaution we have not strayed far from home this past week nor will we this week. I read that there is a new strain that is rearing it’s ugly head all over the country, so please be careful.

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our hostess, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

It is still really cold here (highs in the low 40’s and lows in the 20’s), breezy and REALLY wet here with snow the last 2 nights that didn’t stick here on the valley floor, but did on the local hills so we can see it all around us. It is predicted to be in FULL swing later this week as we are on winter storm watch now. The weatherman can’t make up his mind as to when the snow will actually hit though – it keeps changing hourly so I guess we’ll have to wait and see as the storm actually hits. Honestly I’d prefer the snow to the rain most days.

I did get a new really warm and cozy hoodie that I’ve just about been living in along with comfy Levi’s and UGGs.

I have a bit of my normal winter sinus issues due to the atmospheric pressures being all over the place with these storms, but doing well otherwise. I’m thinking about how to adjust all my schedules due to COVID closures and such and still meet commitments. The only real appointment I have this week is for a haircut tomorrow and to pick up a few groceries on the way home.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING I’ve still been de-decorating from Christmas and packing things away. Will do a deep clean later this week since I’ll be home. GROCERIES & ERRANDS Haircut tomorrow and groceries. PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS Hoping to finish a few things up this week and start with a clean work area. RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m supposed to cook at the Eagles several times in the near future, but right now I’m taking it a day at a time since things are so up in the air with closures.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

YAY! New shows for the season are slowly coming back. I’m enjoying the KID’S BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP and catching up on some old movies. We watched A League of Their Own last week and STRANGE WEATHER, a Holly Hunter movie which was pretty strange itself.

I finished Marie Force’s State of Bliss last weekend and finally started Canary Girls by Jennifer Chiaverini. I also got caught up on all the stray magazines I had around, but there are a couple cookbooks to finish up.

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

	MONDAY 1/8	TUESDAY 1/9	WEDNESDAY 1/10	THURSDAY 1/11	FRIDAY 1/12	SATURDAY 1/13	SUNDAY 1/14
DINNER	CASHEW CHICKEN and CHEESY LEEK GRATIN	CHICKEN CHILES RELLENOS STRATA recipe will post 1/25	CHICKEN CORDON BLEU	JACKFRUIT TACOS with GREEN APPLE SALSA	BBQ CHICKEN	GRILLED PIMIENTO CHEESE SANDWICHES with TOMATO BISQUE	MISO BUTTER ROASTED CHICKEN
DESSERT		CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE	CHEESE APPLE CRISP

In order to take favorite photos, one must first leave the house. That hasn’t happened this week, so here’s a favorite from New Year’s Eve of my winning charcuterie board. And of my white Christmas Cactus that’s blooming up a storm.

• VANILLA BEAN CHEESECAKE

• PIGEON RIVER CHICKEN
• CRUNCHY FRUIT CRISP
• GREEK GAZPACHO SALAD