Category: MENU PLAN MONDAY

I’m going with a shortened version today since it’s a holiday.  I hope you are all having a relaxing labor day weekend with your friends and family.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
A little gray and VERY humid with the chance of thunderstorms all day.  I just hope it gves us the grill time with no issues for dinner.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
Sausage and Gruyere Fritatta.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I’m very happy with what I was able get done on the deep clean last Saturday and there is just a few things to be finished and picked up.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

• eBay pictures and listings
• Caulking and trim painting
• some sorting and organizing

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR

• In all my Years by Ciara Knight

We signed up for NETFLIX this weekend and am going to binge watch a few shows we missed during the past year.

CRAFTS & PROJECTS
Nothing much this week, but hoping to get started on Christmas projects in the next couple weeks.  I have been sorting through some recipes and ideas for the homemade portions.

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

I can’t believe this is last week of August, but it really doesn’t make me sad.  I’m not sure about the rest of you but I am SOOOOOOO ready for fall! And while the actual cooler weather is still several weeks off, just the word September makes me start feeling closer to it.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
We had a couple BIG, but short storms over the weekend, but all in all it was cooler and pretty nice.  Hurricane season this close to the coast can be unpredictable and ever changing so you just roll with the changes.  It’s clear right nowas the sun begins to rise, but there are some seriously gray and threatening clouds around the perimeter so we’ll see as the day goes on.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
Apple Cinnamon oatmeal and coffee.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I see a little tidying up to do and a load of laundry, but all in all, not too bad.  I finished a painting project on Saturday and then went into deep cleaning mode.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

• I have lots of paperwork to do this week.
• Get some packages wrapped and shipped.
• Photos for ebay sales.
• Make appointments for getting the A/C fixed on the car and have it detailed.
• Make appointment for last big drywall project.
• Finish editing the photos for my post about the Painted Churches, Fredricksburg and the Pacific War Museum.

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR

• In All my years by Ciara Knight

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

SUCCESSFUL RECIPES and links FROM LAST WEEK

• NEW LIFE for an OLD KITCHEN AID
• PIMIENTO CHEESE
• CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN
• CINNAMON GRANOLA STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
• SHALLOT LIME CHICKEN with PEACH and STRAWBERRY SALAD

RECIPE FINDS TO TRY LATER
While we were away last week we went to lunch with my oldest, er maybe I should say longest friends.  We’ve known each other since we were 2 and 3 years old, LOL Lisa wasn’t even born yet.  Leslie and Lisa took us to a favorite restaurant of theirs, Jack Allen Kitchen, but it was new to us.  ALL 4 of us cleaned our plates.  The food was AMAZING!  I even bought the cookbook the next day.  I’ve successfully made an appetizer, Pimiento Cheese so far.  When I was a kid Pimiento cheese in a jar was a favorite with crackers on Thanksgiving, but it grossed me out.  I now know that was NOT real food LOL!  Anyway I have read the cookbook from cover to cover and made labels for the recipes to be tried soon:

• Fried Fish with Sweet & Spicy Avocado Sauce
• Crunchy Fried Shrimp with Blackberry Sauce
• Sweet Corn Soup
• Pickled Cucumbers
• Black Eyed Peas
• Sweet Dried Tomato Basil Vinaigrette
• Cucumber Relish
• Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Taco con Todo
• Turnips & Pot Roast
• Enchilada Tejana
• Chocolate Ice Box Cake
• Blackberry Cobbler
• Red Velvet Cake with Strawberries
• Manor Punch
• Skirt Steak
• Artichoke Gratin
• Mustard Caper Dressing (for hubby only)
• Carrot Soup
• Cilantro Pesto
• Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Goat Cheese Tart
• Mama’s Chicken
• Pumpkin Spice Butter
• Pear Ricotta and Pecan Tart
• JAK’s Slaw
• Pickled Beets
• Gingerbread Cookies
• Broccoli Casserole
• Potato Casserole
• Carmelized Onion Sauce
• Meatloaf
• Balsamic Syrup

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Last week I finally started the sealing of the brick on the atrium wall. Once it was done we realized that we weren’t going to be able to save the natural look because of all the repair spots so we would have to paint it.  Let me tell you what a pain that was.  The brick just soaked up the paint.  If only we’d known before we could have had the painters spray it way back when.  BUT, we LOVE the finished look even though it took me 2 days to get into ALL the crevices.

INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

I hope you all had great weeks and weekends. We took our getaway trip and had a great time albeit too short.  I took tons of pictures and will do a write up later this week. The air conditioning went out on the car on the way home, but at least had the decency to wait until we were home and I didn’t actually discover it until Saturday morning. So that is on the top of the list to get handled.  Running short on time this week so will make this short and sweet.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
It’s gray and ugly, but at least 15 degrees cooler than last week when it looked the same.  We are experiencing a few thunderstorms in and around the area so am not sure what it will be like in an hour and the humidity is still REALLY high because of it.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
A scrambled egg and toast with coffee.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I’m happy with how things are moving along. I found an overstuffed display chair for the living room that I need to find an ottoman for, but all in all I’m getting more excited about being done.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

• I spent last Saturday doing LOTS of laundry and cleaning, but still need to vacuum the living room and work on the donation inventory for the pile to be boxed up.  Today begins day 121 of the 30 day project, but it is still going strong so I’m going to stick with it for another 30 days at least.  We are now up over 6000 items and loving it.
• Grocery shopping
• Some mailing and shipping
• Studio sorting and organizing
• Get an estimate to fix the air conditioning on the car
• Get an estimate on the drywall repair in the living room
• Some ebay listings

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR
We’re finishing up the recordings from last week from when we were away. I really want to finish cleaning out the DVR before the fall season begins.

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

I hope everyone had a GREAT weekend. I have been so busy trying to get ALL the little projects done before we leave on our anniversary trip that the ENTIRE week got away from me before I had a chance to visit with everyone.  I will be better this week!

We are using a “dog sitter” for the first time instead of kenneling the kids.  She came highly recommended by many of the neighbors, but I still have a bit of trepidation in using her. One of the neighbors (who is a perfectly nice woman) BUT is also a “GLADYS KRAVITZ” (you know the extremely nosy, frequently peeking through her curtains type) and a good friend of the dog sitter. I really don’t want her in our home when we are not here and have expressed that in a diplomatic way to the sitter… Our own Gladys Kravitz has gone so far as to tell the sitter to tell us how a few things need to happen.  I’m pissed off and annoyed, but also NEED to get away for a few days so will just pray that the sitter respects our wishes and keeps her friend out by going there if they want to socialize.  I’m also not sure how the animals will react to too many strangers in the house when we’re not here.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
We had some wonderfully vibrant and loud thunder and lightning storms with quite a bit of rain over the weekend and are expecting more today and through the week, but for now it is just gray and ugly though a bit cooler so am thankful for that.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
Homemade waffles and Coffee – I made waffles yesterday and froze the extras for the toaster on weekday mornings.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I’m fairly pleased with all that we got done last week and that I was able to keep it picked up and cleaned as we went.  I do have another pile that will load the back of the SUV for donation later this morning.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

• Monday & Tuesday
  
• Wednesday & Thursday 
  
• Friday – Lazy day and Lunch with my oldest and dearest friend on our way home at Jack Allen’s Kitchen
• Saturday – Nascar
• Sunday – NFL

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR

• finishing – No More Wasted Time by Beverly Preston
• will start – Diabolical by Jana DeLeon

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK
I tried the planned new recipes last week from Count Me In The Houston Fire Department’s Hottest chefs share their sizzling secrets.  I haven’t had a chance to get the recipes up yet, but was quite happy with most of what I tried!  I will get them up next week.

SUCCESSFUL RECIPES and their links FROM LAST WEEK

• PAN SEARED CHICKEN with GREEN CHILE LIME GRAVY

THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY

• ANNIVERSARY trip this week.  First time we will get away for a LONG time! We are really looking forward to it.
• Daily completion of projects.  It’s the little finishing work projects that seem to take the longest!

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
It is sunny but already in the 80’s at this early hour and supposed to top out in the mid 90’s with 75% humidity so in otherwise, MISERABLE by noon time.  Fortunately I have been able to make all our appointments and do all the running around first thing in the mornings so I’m in the rest of the day after.  My health just can’t take it and is eagerly awaiting FALL and winter!

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
Maple cinnamon oatmeal and grapes with at least 2 cups of coffee.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I need to do some serious straightening up.  Our room and bath are perfect though as I took the time to deep clean them after we were done painting.

A few years back we were caring for my aunt I was working A LOT caring for my uncle, his home, my aunt and her care facility as well as volunteering for christian re-sale store! At some point hubby instituted a “Sunday Rule”.  Sunday was my day to do ONLY what I wanted to do and my uncle was on his own for meals. For the past 9 months we kind of ignored that rule, but yesterday I re-instated it!  I spent the day watching the Olympics, Nascar and football was the plan, but they cancelled the football game and we ended up watching more Olympics all the while sorting through the bookcases and now I have stacks of books everywhere to be listed on the donation list and packed up for transportation.

Long story short, I need to straighten up around here!

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

• Vet follow up for dog. 
• Grocery shopping.
• Finish caulking and touch up paint from last week’s front door installation.
• Last coat of paint for spare bathroom.
• Work on kitchen ceiling repair.

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR
I haven’t started anything new – just too tired at the end of the day right now.

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK
While I was going through the bookshelves I found a copy of Count Me In The Houston Fire Department’s Hottest chefs share their sizzling secrets.  While I was skimming through it I found several recipes that sounded interesting so am going to cook from this book this whole week.  I’ll post them soon if they are good.

THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY

• Our anniversary trip is coming up in a couple weeks and I’m really looking forward to that.
• The master bathroom with all the  HORRIBLE angles and out of square corners is FINALLY done!  It had to be gutted and re-plumbed with ALL new fixtures, walls and floors. The shower itself is large and was salvageable, but with a ton of work. LOVE the wainscotting paneling, but HATED having to paint all those grooves! Here are the horrible before pictures from the bathroom.

Here are the working and after pictures and I am so happy with the outcome considering ALL the issues we had in this room.

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My poor old guy (going on 15) keeps rallying and even seems like a pup again some days.  The humidity here is so bad on his ears and he shakes his head a lot.  Large dogs are prone to hematomas in their ears.  He had one several years ago in the left ear when we were in the desert working on my mom’s house when he was attacked by a lose dog and it left home with a cauliflower ear (similar to a boxer’s ear that has been punched too much).  The good news is that the cauliflower ear reduces the chances of it happening again.

Last weekend he ended up shaking his head and bapping the ear against the sharp edge of the desk leg and we woke up Monday morning to a swelling ear.  I iced it every hour for a couple days, but in the end we were forced into the vet.  We tried a new vet (we REALLY didn’t like the first one we found here) and were so happy to meet Dr. Plummer.  What an absolutely fantastic animal doctor! SHE CAME IN AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED HER ATTENTION TO HIS NEEDS!  It was like she spoke dog.  Now, Gunner is NOT thrilled with her bandaging, but I am!  5 days later and the bandaging is a bit dirtier, but still in place! I’m taking him in later this morning for a check up.  Hopefully all the bandaging will go away!

INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

I’m up early preparing for the front door and master bedroom window installations today. YAY!!!! I’m so excited!  We had a very busy week and got quite a bit accomplished on this house.  We also had a Saturday that was super productive too and a super lazy Sunday, but I did get a lot of my library gone through deciding on hat to keep and what to donate. Kept waiting for the Nascar race to start, but it was eventually rained out and will run today.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
It is sunny but already in the 80’s at this early hour and supposed to top out in the mid 90’s with 75% humidity so in otherwise, MISERABLE by noon time. Great day to be installing doors and windows!

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
Banana and oatmeal with coffee.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
It’s a little messy, but I held off cleaning knowing they would be making a HUGE mess tomorrow installing the door and window.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

• Monday – Installers will be here for the front door and master bedroom window.  I will be putting the next layer of texture on the ceiling drywall repair.  They wanted $300 to do this so I decided to do it myself. Hubby cut the new piece and I started working with it on the table so I wasn’t working upside down and giving myself a crick in my neck.  The we installed it and I started repairing the edges to feather the texture into the existing ceiling.  Once it gets another layer of texture and a couple coats of paint, you won’t be able to tell the difference.I’m using a sea sponge to create the texture areas.
  
• Tuesday – Grocery shopping and Errands. 
• Wednesday & Thursday – I am finally going to spend some serious time in the studio straightening up and filing patterns and papers…
• Friday – Cleaning, laundry and vacuuming.
• Saturday – PAINT! PAINT! PAINT!
• Sunday – ??

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR

• Fatal Identity by Marie Force

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

YUMMY BBQ and SALAD

INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

Another Monday is upon us believe it or not. I’ve been so busy that some days I can’t even remember which day it is.  We are trying so hard to get the majority of ALL the little projects done on this nightmare of a house before we set out on our anniversary trip the middle of next month.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
I’d love to tell you that there was a cool breeze and pretty sky, but no such luck.  Unfortunately today is a carbon copy of the past few weeks in the high 90 degree heat and 70% humidity that hits me like a frying pan in the face”!! The air is so thick you can slice it. Plus it is supposed to rain the next several days which will only make it worse.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
Oatmeal and sliced orange.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
It is pretty straight except for the totes I’m still sorting and the pieces for the upcoming door installation next Monday.

We did get the water closet completed short of a piece of molding and the paint for the door and inside.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

• MONDAY – ERRANDS – Grocery and Home Depot/Lowes for parts
• TUESDAY – finish painting kitchen and start caulking and sealing master bath to prep for final paint. 
• WEDNESDAY – finish sealing spare bath for for final painting.
• THURSDAY –  matinee movie and lunch
• FRIDAY – MORE sorting
• SATURDAY – laundry & cleaning
• SUNDAY – ????

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR
I finished my last book and have yet to start anything new.

CRAFTS & PROJECTS
I haven’t started anything new yet. Right now I’m concentrating on finishing the “little” projects on the house and finish the 30 day minimization project that is now on day 94 as I have extended it to a 120 day project.  As of yesterday we re at 5206 items.  I am about to start on actual closets and cupboards for a final go through.

KITCHEN WISHES
I am about to start the minimization on kitchen gadgets and will then reevaluate what goes into this category.

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

SUCCESSFUL RECIPES and their links FROM LAST WEEK

• TBY’s Monster Cookies

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS
It took me years to learn this trick, but with long fine hair it is a VERY important trick that works like a charm.  Before you use your cream rinse be sure to remove the excess water from your hair and to really leave the conditioner on for 2 FULL minutes – don’t hurry.  Since I started doing this I have had 90% less split ends and my hair just seems to lay “right” increasing my good hair days a lot.

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP
COOKING TIP 
I have been binge watching DINERS, DRIVE-INS & DIVES lately and learned a tip about baking that I tried yesterday and it REALLY works!  On the episode that featured FOREIGN & DOMESTIC in Austin, Texas while preparing Gruyere & Black Pepper popovers the chef used a pre-warmed pan (put it in the oven while it is preheating and then spray it with non-stick spray before adding the batter).  As for the batter it should be warm.  The popover recipe the chef was making had no leavening agent and she was depending on the hot pan and warm batter to create a steam process to make the popovers actually rise and boy did the rise and pop over!  The other trick is to fill them to the top instead of 2/3.  Hers looked amazing and the diners were singing serious HIGH praise. I tried this with some biscuits and it worked quite well.

HOMEMAKING TIP
I use mineral oil for my butcher block and my wooden kitchen tools to keep them hydrated.  I also find it is an inexpensive and wonderful way to oil my hardwoods too.  This is my ALL time favorite dining room table.  It’s been in storage for the better part of 7 years so was considerable dry.  It soaked up ALL that oil and is looking pretty good now.  I’m so happy to have our table together again.

Hubby took apart my cousin’s old table and moved it to the garage until my uncle decides its fate.  The one we took apart matches that chair in the background with the gingham check seat but is not my style, color or another project I want to take on as it is in HORRIBLE shape and needs COMPLETELY refinished.

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INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

WOW! IT’S MONDAY AGAIN. WHERE DID THE WEEK GO? We actually got quite a bit done, but it’s never enough for me lately.  I am soooooo ready to be done with this place! It’s now been 9 LONG months of majorly long days and non-stop work!

We have decided to take a trip for our anniversary next month so have been researching and planning.  We found a cute little B&B and are now searching for cool and unusual things to do and places to eat. We are looking forward to not only a change of scenery with NO projects, but also a change in temperature.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
Remember last week and the week before when I said, “It looks so pretty with big fluffy clouds and sunny skies.  You would think it was spring.  Then I opened the door and the high 90 degree heat and 70% humidity hit me like a frying pan in the face”?  Well, DITTO again this week!

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
A scrambled egg and coffee.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I’m pleased to see most things are orderly, but I spent ALL of Saturday and most of Sunday doing a deep clean!

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS
We met with the contractor for the jobs (re-texture the kitchen ceiling, hang the new front door and jamb on the “OLD” house, master bedroom window installation and living room wall crack) we decided to have done because we are just plain getting tired and are waiting for their bids so are doing a bunch of small “finish” projects while we wait.  So for this week:

• Finish building the actual water closet.  The door is installed, the plumbing has been reworked and the new gas line is in proper place.We just need to build the side wall for e enclosure, but ran out of parts.
• MORE caulking on the molding.  It really sucks doing the whole house at once.  Seems like that the projects are NEVER done, especially when you need multiple coats to do in each room and need drying time between each coat.
• Install new pantry floor.

We hired out the plumbing/water heater move and regretted it as we have had to rework a good deal of it.  This picture was a before/midway shot.

We laid the remaining floor and started installing the walls.

LOVE the new connector box and updated plumbing!  GREAT water pressure now that the galvanized piping is NO more.

This is one of the things we had to rework.  They ran the gas connector way TOO tight AND right through the middle of the broom closet to be. It just burns when you pay to have a job done by a professional and it gets done wrong.  Originally they had the emergency drain running right through the broom closet portion too.  Thank goodness I walked into the room BEFORE they refilled the water heater.  The estimator is a good guy, but the installers were NOT following his design or using common sense and logic! They also did NOT have ALL the correct parts with them!

We changed the gas line to the longer length for proper and safe installation so it hugs the wall and adjusted for the broom closet portion.

We got the walls installed, molding installed and hung the cabinet so we could get the washer and dryer hooked back up.  We still need to finish the actual water closet and wall.

The pantry was built 40 years ago and in my opinion was only supposed to house boxed and canned foods, not fresh so it was holding TOO much heat. I decided to perform surgery and get creative to solve that problem.  I cut a hole ALL the way through the door and repainted it adding 2 new layers of chalkboard paint.  Then I added a decorative shutter to the front and a decorative tin sheet to the back for venting.

CURRENTLY READING

• Marie Force’s Desire After Dark #15 Gansett Island Series 

TELEVISION / DVR
Haven’t been watching too much of anything specific.  We have actually been “catching” up on OLD reruns!

CRAFTS & PROJECTS
I am STILL hoping to start a few projects, but I have my doubts LOL. The time just seems to go too fast these days.  A lot will depend on whether we hire the contractor for the other projects.

KITCHEN WISHES
I’m still organizing, but think I’m finally feeling pretty good overall about the condition of the kitchen. I did recently purchase a Chef Tony bacon pan and am really glad I did.  I’m now calling it the baconator. Bacon always takes so long to cook and is so messy cooking in the grease and then draining on paper towels. This pan eliminates ALL of this while also giving you 20 minutes to prepare the rest of breakfast while it is in the oven.  I LOVE it!

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK
I’m trying another entire week of experiments.

SUCCESSFUL RECIPES and their links FROM LAST WEEK

• MEATBALLS MARINARA
• TROPICAL PORK KEBABS
• GAZPACHO

ON MY MIND/PRAYER LIST
I’m so upset by what is going on in this country and the world.  I CANNOT even begin to understand what is going on in people’s minds that they can believe it is okay to take another life or create so much violence and upheaval in their own communities. ALL LIVES MATTER. As a woman of faith I know this will get worse before it gets better, but can’t help praying that people will change their ways instead.

THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY
Despite my frustration at things taking too long to get completed around here, I am still happy with ALL the little projects that are getting done lately. I worked ALL weekend on of potential ebay sales items and going through Christmas ornaments.  I have decided that most things just aren’t worth the time and effort so will be donating tons more items and probably extending the minimizing project yet another month. We are at over 4936 items in the last  84 days! AND still counting.

I’m also putting together some boxes of items for nieces and nephews of especially Christmas ornaments I think they will like.

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Finally found a quilt to match my favorite pillows that my SIL Amy made last Christmas.
INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

I hope everyone has plans for a restful time with family and friends today and that you had a great weekend. Ours was productive, but quiet as by afternoon the heat and humidity have gotten the best of me and I’m forced to take some down time.  I did try and do mainly indoor activities like sorting pictures and negatives, staining cabinets, baking cookies, marinating the carne asada for today, etc… We will be staying home, barbecuing, watching a couple movies and the fireworks.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
It looks so pretty with big fluffy clouds and sunny skies.  You would think it was spring.  Then I opened the door and the 90 degree heat and 70% humidity hit me like a frying pan in the face.  I think I will be staying inside again except for grilling the meat later.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE
Honey Nut cheerios with a sliced banana and green tea.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE
I’m glad I got all the cleaning done yesterday so I can just relax and read all day or do what I want.

TO DO FOR THE WEEK/HOUSE PROJECTS
The plumbers were supposed to be here last Friday and we were planning on having the laundry area almost finished by today, but they ran into problems on their previous job and asked if they could reschedule.  They are so good at what they do we agreed and adjusted our sails to other projects for the weekend.

CURRENTLY READING
I have not been very focused lately on reading and only manage to get a few pages read before my eyes are just to tired so I’m still reading:

• Easy Kisses (#4 Boudreaux Series) by Kristen Proby

TELEVISION / DVR
We’ve been trying that new series, BRAIN DEAD, but still aren’t sure about it yet. We’re also trying the new AMERICAN GOTHIC, but I think they are trying to hard to be “unpredictable”.  ZOO started again and we really enjoy that along with AMERICAS GOT TALENT and HOME FREE.

CRAFTS & PROJECTS
Nothing new this week, but seriously getting closer to being able to spend some time working on quilts and Christmas projects.

KITCHEN WISHES
Even here in the kitchen I have been paring down and cleaning cabinets, but there are a few things I would like to replace some items tat have reached the end of their life. I’m thinking of replacing my 20 year old pots and pans with these copper ones.  Does anyone have these and have any reviews?

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

SUCCESSFUL RECIPES and their links FROM LAST WEEK

• Chili Chicken
• Smothered Pork Chops

ON MY MIND
What is going on with people?  Hubs and I were at Walmart (not my favorite store, but it is what it is some days) and waiting in line 3rd back.  The woman in front was making the cashier price match EVERYTHING! (honestly she should have just gone to the other store she had the ad from) and it was taking FOREVER!

A new cashier  opened next to her and said next in line.  The woman in front of us (2nd back) already had all of her things on the conveyor belt so told us to go ahead, but before we could get there the person from the end of the line (about 7th back) was there and then the mouthy rude witch behind us had grabbed one thing from her basket and run over to put it onto the conveyor belt and was motioning for her friend to get there.  Now mind you we are already there and she is physically moving our basket and preventing us from putting anything on the belt all the while telling us we should have “moved our asses) faster. I truly believe if we had insisted she would have begun a brawl.

Her friend was mortified (good for her) and we just said go ahead we’ll just stay in the other line and trade you. Then the guy behind them accuses us of cutting in front of him all because he was on his phone and not paying ANY attention at all.  While we were still waiting to pay, the mouthy rude witch then flips us off as she walks by!!

Just one more example of why we will NOT be staying here! Ironically, I heard on the news yesterday that Miami, Florida won the title of MOST RUDE in the U.S. which I find really ard to believe there is any place worse than here!

THINGS THAT ARE MAKING ME HAPPY

Whiskey hanging out with me while I cook.

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

My violets LOVE this window.

INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.