5 thing Friday - spearmint, pink sandals, Chinese cuisine, hot cocoa, moving things

The Girl has become quite the green thumb, growing all sorts of things on her patio.  She's got me growing an avocado tree like hers, too.

She rooted this cutting of her spearmint plant which is so pretty!  Hers trails over the sides of the pot and smell amazing.  Hopefully, mine will, too.

You wouldn't remember these sandals.  I bought them TEN years ago and I loved them so.  They disintegrated right out from under me last Saturday as I was shopping!  At first I thought, oh I can glue them, then I thought, no I'll just take them to the shoe repair guy.

what tha??!

It just got worse as I walked the aisles and when I got to the car I could see a cavern with missing bits of styro and glue.  So into the dumpster they went.  Now I need a new pair of hot pink sandals I guess.

Trying my hand at crab rangoon!  Mine look like little envelopes but were so delish served with leftover chili marmalade and some Orange Chicken with baby broccoli over rice.

Little by little I am going through what I own and deciding if I really love it anymore and I do not love or want this chair.  Mark had it before we were even dating, in his college apartment.  Then The Girl had it in her room at her desk.  I was moving it all over the house because he wouldn't let me get rid of it.  And I had switched out it's canvas a couple of times. But The Girl came and claimed it so now its new home is her apartment.  Buh, Bye.

Treat for my reading space:  sugar free cocoa and a few Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips.  Guilt free and so delicious while I read.  I make mine with evaporated milk and water.  Its so rich and creamy that it cures the dessert cravings.

Enjoy this absolute mess of a sewing room.  It looks dark, but that's because I hadn't yet changed out the lamp bulbs and it was overcast outside.  Plus, its a craptastic photo but what is new.

All clean!  I moved this floor lamp in from the bedroom since I wasn't really using it there and I need more light in here.  Zero dollars spent.

I have always wanted a chaise.  But there's no way I can spend money on that right now.  What if I  push these two bedroom chairs together...voila! Instant chaise.  A place to watch Netflix and chill.  Love it.  I did spend $24 on two new lampshades for this room.  And I am very happy with them as they are a creamy white instead of the oatmeal colored ones that were in here.  So it looks lighter, even without the floor lamp.

You move one lamp, you move another...

This one, previously at my desk,  got an updated shade with burlap, and now its my new reading lamp.  I think it compliments the style of the den.  Again, zero dollars for a "new" lampshade.  I replaced all of the "smart bulbs" around the house with regular bulbs that I already had.

It's the little things...

Gina

Re-designing Fridays

The Girl and I have spent more time together in the past 9 months than maybe we did in the five years previous.  She came to the hospital the minute I called for her to, and she literally did not leave my side for the first two days, then stayed at my house for 4 months.  It was only at my urging that she returned to her life at her apartment.  But we have been meeting for dinner twice a week since just before Thanksgiving.  It is time for a change.
 

On Sundays we lounge around after dinner...

We are going from Sunday Dinner at Mom's and Wine Wednesday at her place to 

Happy Hour Fridays.  Yes, dinner will be involved.

I'm not sure if it will always be at my house - maybe we will take turns.  But its designed to take the sting out of Fridays for both of us.  Something to replace some of the bad juju Friday got stuck with.  Something fun to to anticipate.   Another step forward.

I think Mark would be proud of us.

Wish us luck - Fridays have been hard.

Gina

Empty Nest menu #116

Easter weekend came and went, and I never even blogged about it.

In fact, I did not take any photos. Not even one. 

I know that with time, my family and me will settle in to the new holiday normal and I intend to be the one who directs it.  I don't want my family to lose holidays, including their meaning.  It will be a long term goal for me...

Meanwhile, I think we are all doing as well as expected.

Monday - Chicken Alfredo Pasta, peas

Tuesday - Polenta with sausage marinara, green beans

Wednesday - Salmon, risotto, asparagus {eye appointment in the afternoon for a weird eye issue that's happening}

Thursday - Biscuits and Sausage Gravy with eggs

Friday - Happy Hour with The Girl

Saturday - Freezer meal {wine club pick-up with Firstborn and The Girl}

Sunday - TBD at home {on call in the afternoon, hopefully a day to read and relax}

Gina

5 thing Friday - enchiladas, spring, owl, paloma martini, curbside eats

Homemade enchiladas: 

I use a carrot-based recipe for the sauce and this batch had shredded chicken and obviously lots of cheese.  Three leftover meals that future me will enjoy.

I'm so glad we are past winter.

Everything is green and growing!

{Incidentally, this owl is absolutely useless against squirrels.  They know he is plastic.  They are not afraid.  They frolic in my landscape with abandon and dig small holes near him.  Meanwhile, no owl has set up residence in my owl box, sadly.}  As soon as the oak trees stop losing their minds (and all of their pollen buds and old leaves) I will mulch the front beds.

Took me two days to get the yards mowed and edged - I was not about to push it.  And I have so much more to do.  All in time.

And my reward was a Paloma Martini - white wine, a shot of Deep Eddy lime vodka, Italian grapefruit soda, and a couple of olives with about a teaspoon of brine.  Served over ice with a smile.

I think its safe to say that the pandemic did not hurt grocery stores as much as it did everyone else.  The three HEB stores within 5 miles of me have all expanded their physical and curbside space.  Curbside looks like its going to stay my go to method of buying groceries. Its just too convenient.

Despite my meal plans, sometimes I end up at the Short Stop near my house if I'm running really late getting home or want a burger for lunch on a Saturday.  It reminds me of Mark - it was one of "our" places.  The food is good, they are always friendly, and it takes the burden of cooking off for that one meal.  Worth it.

Gina

I Found a Quilted Heart

I happened upon this craft while reading comments on another blog, and thought it sounded like fun! 

After you make a quilted heart of about 3.5 inches, you print mini tags that you attach to them and you place them in a public spot to be found by a random person.  The tags says "I need a home, www.ifaqh.com".  Found hearts are reported on the website - some, not all.  But the hearts I leave around will be found and hopefully enjoyed.  

I put a small piece of quilt batting in mine and used fabrics from my stash, including the flour sack fabrics I used for kitchen curtains in the barn at Highlands.  I frayed the edges - they definitely aren't fancy for a first batch.  I attached the tags using safety pins and will hang them somewhere plain to see with baker's twine.

Gives me a creative outlet AND a way to connect with others.

Fun!

Gina

Empty Nest menu #115

 Spring is one of my favorite seasons, especially at Highlands.

Monday - Pan Fried Tilapia, the rest of tabbouleh, asparagus {sew today}

Tuesday - Crockpot BBQ boneless pork chop, with potatoes and green beans

Wednesday - Wine Wednesday with The Girl

Thursday - Mole Chicken, grilled okra, rice {re-check the sprinklers}

Friday - Salmon with sweet chili marmalade sauce, baked potato, salad {payday}

Saturday - TBD {start refinishing kitchen cabinets}

Sunday - Grill for The Girl {rest and relax}

Gina

Two me's can exist at Easter, too

 Just as two of anyone else can also exist.

After all, everyone had moods, feelings, and a psyche!

I have blogged this topic before...

funerals are for the Living...

You can blog about your meals and projects and home and crafts and sound like you are the old you.  The next day you might have nothing to say as depression seems to consume you and push you back at least one of the steps that you painstakingly took forward.

It doesn't mean you don't still have a right to both you's.

No one is gonna get that unless they've lived it themselves, and most people will keep telling you they are "trying" to be understanding but they truly don't what to say or do and etc blah blah they still love you.  Great as that is, it changes nothing.  Two you's are still there and maybe will be for a nice loooong while.

  Friendships are hard.  Holidays are hard.  Work is hard.

Sometimes even days off are hard.  And that's where I am, but not where I will be forever.  Spring is the season of hope.  So very truly from me:  Happy Easter to all of you, and to all of my family as well..

Gina

*5 thing Friday will be back next week

Somewhere to read

I've been having trouble getting quality sleep lately.  I either wake up multiple times, or I have weird dreams, or I can't fall asleep easily, and I struggle to get up when the Google Lady says its time.  So I did a little research and came up with a plan to help that situation.  And along the way, created another small project for myself...

my new place to read

So, here is what I'm doing to help remedy the sleep situation:

*set up my aromatherapy vaporizer

*removed the battery operated candle and the nightlite in the bedroom (making it darker)

*aim for dinner by 7 p.m.

*set a reminder with Google Lady for 9 p.m. - time to start gearing down

*meditate and read before bed

*lights out at 10 p.m.

*eat lunch either outside or near a window to increase sunlight time during the day

*no more than one beer or glass of wine or drink per day, any day

******

The article I read specifically mentioned not reading IN bed.  If you're having trouble sleeping, leave bed for sleep, not reading.  I can see why this will make getting in bed a trigger for sleep.  But I really had no other great place to read that wasn't actually in the bedroom, so I created a reading spot for myself on the den couch.  I never sit on the den couch, even to watch TV...so it is the perfect place.  I set a lamp on top of the wine fridge, pulled the ottoman up to the couch, and readied my books.  I also am updating my library account so I can reserve books I actually want to read, instead of just going with whatever I find when I visit.  Aaand, I have books and magazines scattered around the house.  So there's no end of things here already.  Wish me luck!  Good sleep is highly underrated.

Gina

Empty Nest menu #114

Leftovers are a beautiful thing. 

Monday - Chicken Enchiladas, green salad with avocado

Tuesday - BBQ beans and Sausage, creamy corn, salad

Wednesday - Wine Wednesday with The Girl

Thursday - Greek Pork chop, tabbouleh, green beans

Friday - Sloppy Joes with hidden veggies*, sweet potato fries

Saturday - out {might visit my mother, we'll see}

Sunday - Easter Potluck at Camp Rustown

*I will add finely minced bell pepper, onion, and carrot

Gina

5 thing Friday - patio grill, avocado tree, one pot meals, kitchen cabinets, art

I brought home this little gem from Highlands: 

It is essentially a pot-bellied cast iron grill.  It has been sitting out in the open at Highlands for years, originally bought for scouts.  And now it will live on my patio and be my little grilling friend.  I don't think the outside rust makes one bit of difference and the inside is in good shape!

Bonus: I have enough charcoal to last a good long while.

Free(ish) to me avocado tree, courtesy of one of these little avocado seed holders I bought for stocking stuffers.  (This one belongs to The Girl)  I was inspired by her having one on her patio that is going great and already making a tree!  Mine is now planted and out in the sun.

Two one pot wonders.  The one above is a cubed cilantro lime seasoned chicken breast, a head of broccoli florets, some garlic, and a 1/2 cup of raw rice.  Once the chicken was nicely browned, I threw the rest of the items in, added a cup of chicken stock, and simmered it while I showered after work.  Yes, it was delish.

This one is two boneless BBQ seasoned pork chops in my small crock pot with 1/2 a bag of frozen baby potatoes and about 3/4 cup frozen green beans and two pats of butter.  It cooked all day on low and I even had enough pork to do 2 soft tacos for lunch the next day.

The sad state of my kitchen cabinets.  But believe it or not, I don't want to paint them.  Someday I will have the wallpaper taken down in here and have textured white walls, and I love the look of wood against that.  Instead, I am going to refinish them.

Wish me luck.  It will be a project spread out over a couple of weeks, I'm sure.

The above photo was taken in 1986, when Hubby and I had been married all of one year.  Its a great pic, and has been hanging in the front room for years, but was time to let it go into the cedar chest for my peeps to have one day. (there are pics of Mark and I all over the place - a few too many, really)

I took it down on Sunday and hung this pretty.  I love the colors and the accents of gold on it and it makes me feel peaceful to see it as I leave the house in the morning and return in the evening. 

Peacefulness is something I could use more of.

Gina

Big project: sprinkler system

Well, as per what was the usual, I let what I knew to be outvoted by what someone told me.

  Isn't my shaded dirt pretty?

That is, that I was obsessing over the landscaping and "dormant" grass.  Now, I'm not writing this to complain about Mark and his shift in priorities.  I mean he wasn't wrong, I talked about it often.  But I am here to say that my shift to taking care of Camp Rustown is in full swing.  And I am starting with the outside.

There's just no reason not to take care of a place where I enjoy living.  Now that the trees are trimmed back, the grass and landscaping can thrive.  And to that end I had the sprinkler repair guy come out and replace a lot of the sprinkler heads, cap some off,  and re-route a pipe in the front yard.

Did it create a giant mess? Yes, there is a big mess to clean up now.

And some replanting to do...

But I can envision having grass and healthy landscaping once again and I think the curb appeal of my house is about to be greatly improved.

Please note that a lot of raking and mulching and such cannot even be done until after the oaks have finished dropping their pollen buds!  But just after one year of hand watering it and spreading grass seed and getting the trees trimmed up, I have some grass and I feel hopeful!

Even the backyard will bounce back.

So I sit in my chair and lay my plans...and cross one more big project off the list.

Gina 

Empty Nest menu #114

Signs of spring are all around!  My little olive tree started leafing out almost the minute I placed it outside of the kitchen bay window.  It is now occupying a spot where an oak once stood - I guess it likes its new home.

In the background is the row of bricks that separates the bottom of the fence from the red rocks...that took me a couple of hours last Sunday to straighten up!

Monday - Grilled Cilantro Chicken, spring salad with blueberries and pomegranate vinaigrette

Tuesday - Out {I'm on call and I don't want to have to cook!}

Wednesday - Crockpot Pork Chop with mesquite smoked potatoes and green beans {counseling at 6 p.m.}

Thursday - Out {seminar from 6:30p - 8:30p}

Friday - Pepper Steak, brown rice

Saturday - Dinner and sunset at Highlands - maybe shredded chicken over chopped salad

Sunday - Grilled Chicken Thighs, grilled okra {using my new to me cookstove!}

Gina

5 thing Friday - orchid, purse, bouquet, downtime, a new Cannary

 I bought a tiny orchid for the kitchen table and all of its buds have bloomed.

Its just cute!

I found this sweet woven tote with leather handles at Goodwill for $5.49.  Its a "perfect size-perfect color-just my style" purse for summer.

One of The Girl's friends sent this bouquet and a kind note the day before the memorial.  Very sweet, made me cry...we got very few flowers or sympathy cards overall when Mark died.  Do people not do that anymore?  That's sad and strange.  I cannot imagine not acknowledging someone losing their husband and father. 

The evening of the memorial, I came home, cut Firstborn's hair, putseyed around the house a bit, took a nice long fizzy bath, did a face masque, and laid in bed with my wine, intending to watch a movie.  I ended up crashing at 9 p.m. and sleeping 10 hours.  That never happens!

A coffee date with these two - sharing that they got MARRIED.

The time was right, they were tired of waiting, and good for them, jumping head first into the future together.  No one was surprised that they did it, just surprised it took so long.

Congratulations, Scout and Dutch!  We love you both!

Gina