HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY week 30 of 2026 with MENU & RECIPE LINKS ~ BLOG 365.208

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

GOOD MORNING last week of July!!! I never even had a chance to think about doing Christmas in July projects let alone watching any Hallmark Christmas in July movies!!! August is only a favorite month for me because of our anniversary, but it is also a stepping stone to AUTUMN, my favorite time of year!!!!

MONDAY~THURSDAY It was a tumultuous week with the Eagles ending with me FINALLY deciding to back away from most duties. It came down to the old adage you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make them drink…

After reaching out to EVERYONE on the volunteer list and NO ONE returning even a text I decided it was time to end this charade and spend my time more productively!! I’m submitting my last Friday night dinner suggestions to the secretary for tonight’s meeting. I was going to go in person, but she’s my friend and she knew I’d be more productive, as well as have more fun playing trivia tonight so she suggested I put it in writing and not show up to make a statement. I cannot begin to tell you what a relief this decision is to me.

FRIDAY~SUNDAY Friday was an errand and deal with the VA day before having dinner with a friend. One of my besties and I did the local Vintage Street Fair, Flea market, Bake Sale and Lunch for the 3rd year in a row on Saturday. It’s become our little tradition. We always find such fun stuff like this blueberry peach pie 🙂 Sunday was a lunch and drinks with a friend, an old movie and some cookbook reading.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

Fortunately our night time lows have returned to the low 50’s and the humidity has returned to a much lower percentage so the high 80’s during the day are really tolerable!! I see a lot of sandals and capris in my future for this week.

TO DO, APPOINTMENTS, DVR/TV & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS, TRAVEL, APPOINTMENTS, MENUS & DVR/TV

LAUNDRY & CLEANING The nice thing about summer is not wearing as many clothes which makes the laundry so much easier!!!
GROCERIES & ERRANDS I’m still working on using things from the pantry and freezer! I do have a pedicure on Tuesday and will do some shopping for my girlfriend’s business.
PROJECTS & TRAVELS Waiting to decide on our trip while we wait on some test results for my mom…
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY music in the park… play dates with besties… discovering favorite old movies…
PARTIES I’ve been having an online Pampered Chef party for a friend. The party will close at after the weekend. The link to order is: https://www.pamperedchef.com/party/tamybollar0611

READING TIME

I keep trying to read, but have been falling asleep REALLY FAST almost ever night! I just finished THE GERMAN GIRL by Eoin DEMPSEY and am starting STATE OF UNREST First Family series Book #11 by Marie Force.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

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

	7/27 MONDAY	7/28 TUESDAY	7/29 WEDNESDAY	7/30 THURSDAY	7/31 FRIDAY	8/1 SATURDAY	8/2 SUNDAY
DINNER	TRIVIA NIGHT CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS & WARM POTATO SALAD with RED ONION & BACON	CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own	WHITE WINE BRAISED CHICKEN with GNOCCHI in CIDER BUTTER SAUCE	CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN & GRAVY with HOMEMADE STUFFING	PORCINI CHICKEN & WILTED SPINACH with TOMATO FRITTERS	CHICKEN MADEIRA with MINI MAC & CHEESE BITES
DESSERT			APPLE WALNUT PIE

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I have some fun photos from this past week. I did collages to get them into a smaller space here on the blog. My Garden is literally growing like weeds!

My tomato plants are over 6 foot tall. The planter is 8 foot long and 3 feet wide, but the plants have expanded all the way to the fence making it actually 4 feet wide. I had to add some extra cage support between the bed and the fence.

My girlfriend and I went to the vintage fair in a neighboring town on Saturday and were pleased to see that the county FINALLY red tagged this old hotel. The locals have been wanting it restored, BUT it is beyond restoration! As you can see from the pictures the 2nd and 3rd floor are now in the basement and the windows are falling in. And there is a permanent “skylight” with the hole in the non-existent roof. So no matter what you paint or plant, you can’t fix “beyond broken”. The really weird part is that you can walk right up to the broken windows and take these pictures. And the dolls are just creepy!!

There are quite a few things happening in this old little town and some of the local business owners are taking their fight to the street as you can see from the “Kick OUT Keehley ~ New Mayor Wanted” sign!

There is a small little church on the edge of town that joins in every year. Along that same road is an old house and school. The school hosts a flea market and bake sale while in a small little “shed” like building next to the church where a little old lady (she’s in her 90’s) sells various things for money to go towards the upkeep of the church. They were fixing the bell tower when we were there on Saturday. Turns out the “shed” like building is where the brides gets ready for a wedding. The wedding dress and pictures as well as the cake topper and veil were hers from her 1949 wedding.

I found this 1932 cookbook and a few other little things to buy.Her prices were way too low so I just gave her a big donation towards the church up keep after hearing her story.

It turns out that the old woman is the great grand daughter of the man that homesteaded the 300 acres in 1858 pre-civil war. He built the church, the school and the original farmhouse as well as the house and barn where she still lives. It ALL stayed in the family until after her parents died. Her older sister sold off the farmhouse for money. She and her husband spent the next 2 years convincing the people that bought it to sell it back to the family. Her son eventually built his own home on the property and now manages the sheep herd and property for her.