What the week holds and rainy days

This week I am off five days in a row, which always feels like such luxury to me!

the prickly pear is starting to bloom here

There's a chance of  rain for most of the week, and hail one of those days.  So I will need to practice parking Brigid in the empty side of the garage.  Why have I not done this yet?  The garage has been under control for some time now.

Also this week:

*I am determined to get further on the photo album project.  The photos are stacked in chrono order, waiting for their new home, and I am making slow progress.  I ordered two more empty albums from Hob Lob, and once all albums are complete, I will scan in the pages.  I knew this was going to be time consuming.  What I didn't realize is how hard it is to review the last 40 years or so, in photos.  I take breaks from it often.

*I need to replace the weather stripping on the attic opening in the hall and I have a new roll of that. Might as well do the front door, too, since I bought the supplies over a year ago.  Procrastinate much, Gina?

*I will pick up filler groceries from HEB Curbside.  The savings in gas is negated by the slightly increased cost of food from curbside ordering, but I need a break from both temptation and general grocery shopping.

*A book will be finished: Not All Bastards are From Vienna.

*I'm on call one evening

*I will take a walk all 5 days and log my food into the Vida app

*Perhaps I will take a day trip to Burnet 

Its gonna be a good week - what do you have planned?

Gina

5 thing Friday - crayons, surge protector, earrings, scrub tops, leisure

 This week for some reason (I mean, its not Back to School time), HEB had all of their crayons, markers, and such for 20% off, so you know I had to get some supplies for my little art cart.

As one of many children at home, I remember well the thrill of a big box of crayons all. for. me.  So I got a box I don't have to share now, either, ha ha.  Because apparently 65 is the new 5.  Therapy in a box.

I don't know what it is with me and batteries (and plumbing, and car tires).  Mark had many devices around the house that require them and sometimes figuring them out is challenging to me.  When I heard a mysterious beeping coming from the office, I discovered that this back-up/surge protector in fact has a battery.  I'm not sure when he purchased this - 2020?  As with a lot of these gadgets, he didn't really explain how they work or how to set them up.  I am assuming he bought it because he was working from home.  Its a nice one, and the battery is pricey.  Of course it is.

Did I rely on Google lens to identify it?  Yes.  I also watched a short You Tube video on how to replace the battery.  Which I then ordered from Amazon.  And now my printer, computer, router, and sharpener are back in business.  And I will take the old battery to Home Depot to recycle it.

A couple of fun purchases.  The first one are these pretty Mother of Pearl earrings from an Etsy shop.  Kinda small, but appropriate for work and light and easy to wear.  Me like.

Also two new scrub tops because some of mine are getting tighter...

I have made some changes in how I care for me, and if someday they are too large, that's OK.  I also managed to buy myself some protein powder, a blender bottle, and a thrift store novel.  And a hotel for a beachy vacay in June.

In keeping with my plan to relax the To Do list and do things for leisure one day a week, I took myself to a movie yesterday, seeing The Drama.  What an interesting, quirky film and very thought provoking!  I wouldn't call the ending "happy" but it took the story back to the start, full circle.  I liked it.

Have a great weekend,

Gina

What I cooked for Easter weekend

 Since I worked yesterday, I made no plans for Easter, but that didn't stop me from playing E. Bunny to Firstborn and taking him some home-cooked food.  Life is pricey right now and I know that he is not cooking for himself.  

So I put years of practice into play and made a big meal I could portion out in containers for his freezer.  Calamity Anne's Meatloaf, Arkansas Green Beans, and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes.  I also threw a pork butt into the crockpot overnight, and I baked up the rest of the freezer cookies.

Then I had a pulled pork sammie with him when he got off work!  We might be scattered around, and work opposite schedules, but I can carve out time to feed my peeps a meal now and again. Years of taking care of a home full of people has been good training, I guess.  Here are the recipes:

Calamity Anne's Meatloaf: 2 lbs ground chuck, 2 eggs, 2 c. Italian breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup milk, 1T. creamed horseradish, 1/4 c. ketchup, a generous squirt of Worchestershire, S&P, and garlic powder. 1 hours at 350, drain the excess grease, top loaf with 1/2 c. ketchup mixed with some brown sugar and let it bake another 10 minutes.

Arkansas Green Beans: I used 4 cans green beans, drained.  Melt half a stick of butter with 5 T. of soy sauce, 2/3 c. brown sugar, and 1 1/2 t. garlic powder.  Toss it all with the beans. Pour into a baking dish. Top with 8-10 slices cooked and chopped bacon, and cook with the meatloaf for about 40 minutes. Stir every so often while cooking.

Mashed potatoes - I boil peeled russet potatoes 'til tender, then mash with butter, salt and pepper, a splash of milk, and some sour cream until I get the consistency I want.  Sometimes I add cheese, green onions, garlic salt - you name it.

Pork Butt - I made a rub with brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, red pepper, and S&P.  I plopped it into the crockpot, squeezed a lime over it all, and set it to low while I went to bed.  I think it cooked a total of 10 hours.  Then I poured the fat off the drippings, shredded the meat, and reduced the pot drippings in a small saucepot 'til they were reduced by about half to pour over the meat.

Cookies - right here

Typing all this out made me hungry!

Gina

Mid-size project: repairing and painting the hall attic opening

 Long ago - maybe 20 years or so - Mark bought a new water heater for the house, but didn't realize it wouldn't fit in the opening to the attic.  On delivery and set-up day, he made a rushed decision to split the frame opening to allow installation. (I don't know why he didn't alter the attic opening in the garage instead - it didn't matter to me if that one was pretty or not) To say I was dismayed over seeing my attic frame split open, then not even reassembled neatly is putting it mildly. He said he would fix it.  And the rest is history.

The whole thing has looked terrible all this time.  Also of note: random rusted nail spots, a bit of insulation trim stuff bulging out, and a filthy pull string.  And from this perspective you can see how the white walls and trim make the ceiling look dirty, but that's a separate issue.

Looks like he gave up trying to get it nailed into the framed section of ceiling and just screwed it in.  Please note how the ends of the trim do not abut.  I have been horrified about this for YEARS.  I nagged, I asked nicely, then I just gave up and tried not to look up when I was in the hall.  I knew it needed to be fixed, and I figure I could probably just even out the jagged edges and paint it, so I added it to my list of home fix-its.

I'm not going to wash the filthy pull string, though.  So I rooted around in my trims box and found some cord (I only had green cord, oh. well.)  and a pretty ceramic knob that can function as a pull.  A knot and a little dab of E6000 glue at either end will help it stay together snugly.

I trimmed the bulging foam insulation, patched and sanded as much as I dared, and used a magic eraser to clean it up.  Then I paused for the weekend, as I had started this project late in the week.  But already, it looks like the ends of trim match up a little better, right?  We're gonna say yes.

I taped off the lights and detectors.  Caulked around the frame, then painted it, then tackled a fresh coat of paint on the ceiling - by far the hardest part.

But before I tackled the ceiling, I replaced the grimy pull cord.  I used a metal ruler to help hold the insulation up off the hole, then melted the string a bit, and pushed it through, knotting the end a few times.

You know I had to test it out!  Side note: I am not a fan of the attic with its creepy stale hot air and psycho-hiding-waiting-to-kill-you vibes.  I'm working on it, though. 

From my desk, I look over to a clean and neat attic opening.

I even replaced the switchplate cover with something pretty that coordinates with the ceramic pull knob.  I ordered a matching one for right across from the laundry nook.  Might as well have little touches here and there that make me smile.

You cannot tell it was repaired, and if you do, you get a cookie.  (:

The light fixtures were cleaned and replaced, too.  It was a bigger job overall than I assumed it would be, which often happens.  But now, I am crossing this off the list.  Oooh - imagine how it will look with new carpet!

Happy Good Friday!

Gina

What the week holds and fish tacos

 I am on a serious soft taco kick that has lasted for months.  HEB has really delicious bakery tortillas in plain, butter, southwestern, and whole wheat.  I eat them with whatever filling items I happen to have. Its not particularly healthy, but it is so easy to cook.  And bonus: this week I made my own refried beans from a pound of dry pintos, some bacon fat, and chopped onion.  

So. freaking. good. I eat these once a week.

I'm not going to learn how to make my own tortillas and why would I?

This week I am:

*working 12 hours on Monday

*spiffing the attic opening and hall ceiling

*having a check-in with my therapist

*maybe doing some yard work

*seeing Firstborn for dinner one night

*walking each day

*and planning a nice Easter lunch to take to work

Its going to be a pretty springy last week of March, full of pollen and possibility.  What does your week look like?

Gina

5 thing Friday - trim repairs, cobblers, reading, spiffing, cooking

Back when the dishwasher flooded the kitchen, I thought that there was no lasting damage done to the floors or baseboards, but I was sadly mistaken.

The corners of the bookcase in the den were a casualty.

I know nothing of woodworking or building and I was not about to pry off the trim on the bookcase and rebuild it. (will I learn this some day? time will tell)  Instead I went with a quick fix of patching it up and painting over it.

This is the trusty trim paint I use in many places in the house.  Its not cheap, but it works so well.  I also bought a little flexible paintbrush with a shorter handle to make it an easier job.

I patched, then sanded, then taped it off.

Afterwards, it is less noticeable that there was a boo-boo here.

Its not perfect - but my eye is not drawn to it every time I walk into the kitchen from the den.

I have been on a cobbler kick.  This is peach cobbler with pralines and cream ice cream from Southside Market BBQ.  Their BBQ is merely "ok", in my opinion, and I am not a BBQ snob. But the warm cobbler and friendly lady scooping it up was wonderful.

I was inspired to make a skillet cobbler with blackberries and blueberries.  Ice cream of choice was Dulce de Leche.  And now I have had enough cobbler for awhile!

I really like the book club I found at a local library.  It is 99% women, we read such good books, and the discussion is very thorough.  It has been a blessing to me to rediscover reading for pleasure, which is something I have loved since I was in elementary school.  I walked home from school with my head in a book, kid's magazine subscriptions were eagerly awaited each month, and I always had several books checked off the Scholastic flyer sent home from school. As a working mom of four, my reading time was severely curtailed over the years.  But adding it back in has given me such a peaceful way to spend downtime.

The next patch and paint job is the attic opening in the hallway.  One day I may replace the trim edging along the opening, but right now I just want it not to be an eyesore.  I will replace the pull string with the above pretty and give the entire ceiling a coat of fresh white paint.

fish tacos from another day

I've had 5 days off this week, and I am pretty over cooking and food prepping.  I have successfully emptied what I had in the freezer, and restocked it.  I made a corned beef brisket to portion for easy sandwiches, divided up a big package of chicken drums, and bought some freezer veggies for easy sides.  Tonight I will end on a fish taco note to use up the rest of the fish, tortillas, and cilantro ranch dressing.  Its one of my favorite meals, even when I am in "I Hate Cooking" mode.  And now its time to get ready for the work weekend!

Happy Friday!

Gina

Spring bucket list

I got this idea of making a spring bucket list form Joanne at Slices of Life.  I haven't come up with a bucket list in a while.  I'm going to create a hybrid list with tasks, plans, and new experiences.

the jury is still out on whether this crepe myrtle will thrive...

Starting with the official start of Spring - file my taxes, treat crepe myrtle,  paint hall ceiling and attic opening, look into swim lessons?, clean and reposition landscape lights, order a swimsuit, go admire some bluebonnets.

April - spiff up the front door area, clean the A/C coils, touch up outside paint,  clean the gutters, plan a summer trip, finish the photo album project, watch the bats emerge at sunset at the Congress St. bridge.

May - get the mower maintenance done, mulch landscape beds, powerwash the back patio and front steps, take a calligraphy class, go to the symphony, visit Barton Springs, go to the farmer's market.

Also:

*Big ticket items to begin researching: Carpeting for house, toaster oven, tub insert for guest bath, fridge.

*See a friend for coffee/beer at least twice

*Meet with a book club at least twice

*Try a new thing - Qigong meditation

*Cook a new dish for myself

*Take one Saturday off and visit a farmer's market or similar

*See each of my peeps for a lunch

*Start getting semi-regular pedicures

*Meet with therapist twice, minimum

*Catch some live music

This makes me excited for Spring!

Gina