Empty Nest menu #157 and Thankful

Last week I was like the Energizer Bunny getting things done for Thanksgiving.  I thoroughly cleaned my freezer and fridge then restocked, cleaned the dining room up, hauled out some bits and bobs of decor for a simple table, found the serving dishes and linens, and did some food prep.  The house got dusted and cleaned, too, so by the time Friday night rolled around I was ready to start my work week.

Last year felt like a break from Thanksgiving, since I worked a half day, then put a Turkey and Biscuits meal into the oven.  We definitely enjoyed being together, but I was missing some of the pomp that comes with the beginning of the season. This year we are taking the day to enjoy a really special traditional meal together, maybe a photo or two, hopefully the firepit.

Monday - (freezer) Roast Pork, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans {off today}

Tuesday - Salad with (freezer) Lemon Chicken, romaine, purple onion, tomato, etc. {clean up back patio area, spatchcock and brine the turkey}

Wednesday - Pizza {cook turkey and slice, make gravy and dressing, afternoon telehealth appt., on call in p.m.}

Thursday - Roast Turkey, gravy, sausage cornbread dressing, Orange Cranberry Sauce, sides brought by my peeps (I will also make Crispix Mix and Autumn Sangria) {Turkey Trot in the a.m.}

Friday - Turkey Soup {decorate the house for Christmas}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen blessedly closed!

I am truly thankful for so many things, not the least of which is this space to journal, vent, share, and express myself.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Gina

5 thing Friday - Georgian wine, Reel Science, We Are Blood, Turkey Trot, pipes

{I'm a little late posting today!}

This week I attended another wine tasting at Total Wine - this one with wines from Georgia (the country, not the state!) 

These tastings are very affordable - usually around $20 - and often include some culture or history.

And always charcuterie!  I like that they are close to home, on weeknights, and very informal.

One of the winemakers led the discussion in his very beautiful accent and taught us that wine making originated in Georgia and has an 8,000 year history!  He said the Georgian people refer to wine as a gift of the Gods and it is part of their culture. Wine is still being produced there in quevri - underground clay vessels.  I tried several varietals I have never heard of.  The whole thing was fascinating!

On Thursday night I attended a movie at the Rollins Theater at The Long Center in downtown Austin.  Some of the information presented was really over my head, but the film was very good and included a live broadcast from the research vessel which is just off the coast of Uruguay.  It included a Q&A session with the scientists, but it was waaay past my bedtime so I called it a night at 9 something.

When my birthday dawned, the first thought that popped into my head today was I MADE IT TO 65.  Seems like a worthy milestone, frankly.  I have outlived a parent, two siblings, a husband, and his father.  I took myself to Rudy's for breakfast and journaled until time to do donate blood.

Why donate blood on my birthday?

*because I'm healthy

*because it can save a life

*because I can

A nice bonus is that I got a voucher for half a dozen Tiff's Treats, and you know that OF COURSE I picked the Dubai chocolate ones.  I ate two and made myself freeze the rest for my lunches!

I also traveled over to the Honda dealership to pick up my Turkey Trot packet. (the line looked insane but went fairly fast)  As tired as I have been lately and still with shoulder pain, I will be lucky to walk the actual 5 miles Thanksgiving morning, but I will give it my best shot.  I think this makes 6 or 7 times I have done the trot, not every year, and the second one I have done virtually.

These turkeys trotted together in 2020.

As a way to include Mark in Thanksgiving, we smoke his pipes at the firepit.  I ran over to the tobacco shop and grabbed three different varieties of pipe tobacco and a small new pipe for either me or The Girl to use.  I am looking forward to relaxing on the patio with my peeps and giving thanks for spending time together as a family.  Happy Weekend!

Gina 

Empty Nest menu #156

This room looks deceptively small, 

but painting it took three days total and involved much cleaning and furniture moving.  And then I was exhausted for two days. I used to be able to knock out projects like this while the kids were in school during the day, then have dinner on the table at night. Those days are gone.

However, I was organized and wrote out a plan on that small notebook you see. I did all of the prep the day before, moving as many things out of the room as I could, then taking my time putting it all back together, pacing myself. Its not that I can longer do these things, but they do take more time and I need to slowwww it down.

Monday - kitchen closed

Tuesday - (freezer) the rest of the Pulled Pork with some peppers and onions, corn, curly fries {overnight on-call}

Wednesday - Fruited Chicken Salad on a brioche bun {wine tasting at Total Wine}

Thursday - Out, or I'll make those crab cakes I keep delaying {grocery shopping, movie at the Rollins Theater}

Friday - Mini Meatloaf, green beans, mac and cheese {Happy 65th Birthday to me! Donating blood, picking up my Turkey Trot packet, taking myself out to lunch, afternoon visit from The Girl}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

Gina

5 thing Friday - painting, freezer clean out, tea, brass pot, biscuits

 I am ending the week on a very tired note.

I am not as spry as I once was.  I feel every bit of 65 today.

However I did, in fact, get my bedroom painted...and dusted, windex'd, and thoroughly vacuumed.

Along with moving furniture, washing curtains and linens, removing and replacing outlet and switch covers, cleaning ceiling fan and window, replacing decor after dusting. Literally everything got spiffed!

By Wednesday night, I was spent.  I was on call, and its a good thing I wasn't called in.  But I slept so poorly...  I will leave the room "as is" until after Thanksgiving, then I will decorate it for Christmas!  But man, do I love having everything clean and a fresh coat of paint on the walls!

Meanwhile, I am eating down the contents of my freezer.  {pictured are the ingredients for a quick gyoza stir fry} Will I do another big shop after that?  Maybe.  I need to buy the stuff for what I am "bringing" to Thanksgiving - turkey, stuff for cornbread dressing, gravy, cranberry fixings, wine, chex mix. The peeps are all bringing a dish to share - no idea yet what. You get what you get and you don't throw a fit.

I have been enjoying a decaf cuppa each night before bed as I read.  I slept better on an empty tummy, I have discovered. Sometimes I add a splash of flavored syrups.  Always I park myself on the new couch and slowly I am able to read for longer and longer times.

On my way home from a walk, I spied this in a pile of junk on my neighbor's curb.  A brass planter!

I couldn't find my Brasso, but did you know that ketchup will do the same trick? I'm thinking this could be a good container for some Christmas greenery.  {oh, and guess what I found the next day under the kitchen sink.  Yep, Brasso.}

I am emptying out my pantry somewhat, too.  I made the last of the baking mix into drop biscuits and they were buttery rich and delish.  This morning I have plans for leftover biscuits with sausage gravy, and will even have enough leftovers for the weekend breakfasts.

 Life is GOOD.

Gina

Empty Nest menu #155 and freezer clean-out

I made fajita tacos using up a package of pre-cooked fajita meat, the rest of the grated cheese, and bakery tortillas which I always have in the fridge.  It was easy to make Mexican rice with a couple spoonfuls of salsa, and a can of black beans smashed with seasonings in a skillet became refrieds.  I have to say, it was very delicious.  And I had enough beans, rice, fajita meat, and cheese to make two containers for my work lunches.

Slowly I am cleaning out my freezer! 

Monday - Salad with chicken breast (romaine, purple onion, tomato, pickles, cheese), garlic roll {off today - prep to paint my bedroom*}

Tuesday - Smash Taco "Burgers" with onions and peppers {noon Tranquility luncheon at work, book club in p.m.}

Wednesday - (freezer) Pulled Pork on baked sweet potato, peas {on call}

Thursday - Beef Stir Fry with pot stickers and mixed veggies {appt. in the afternoon}

Friday - Linguini with chicken meatballs and marinara, green  beans {payday!}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

*I know my goal was to put off any room not painted by October, but I'm going to squeeze this one in!

5 thing Friday - Tech Week, beer and Deb, butternut squash soup, photo gift, Pena print

 

Radiologic Technology Week is coming to a close.

My current boss believes in feeding us and gifting us!

She set up a table near her office and it was loaded with treats.  And she made plans all week to feed us bagels, BBQ, ice cream, pizza, Tiff's Treats, Taco Cabana tacos, and a ton of candy. Plus, she had games out and awards prizes if you play.  Everyone also got a tote bag with socks, a phone charger, stickers...we were all like little gleeful kids.

I met up with my college roomie this week to enjoy the beautiful weather and beer.

She has a lot going on, but never fails to make time to meet up.  We talk about anything and everything and the hours always go by in a flash. Its been one of my favorite things to look forward to.

No matter how small a butternut squash I buy, it always seems too big.  So I got the idea to toss half of it in the crockpot with onions, apples, chicken stock from the freezer, a bit of butter, and some seasonings.  I cooked it on high for about 6 hours.

I used my immersion blender to make it creamy and it was delish with a grilled cheese and ham sammie on a night I did not feel like eating what I had on the menu.  Some days are like that.

I am putting together a sentimental gift for the peeps - a Shutterfly calendar with rarely seen photos before the digital age.  I say rarely seen because my kids never look through all these old albums.  But man, were we all cutie patooties!  I shed a happy tear or two.  I hope they love them - Firstborn was just telling me he needs a paper calendar to keep up with everyone's birthday, ha ha.

Since that Pena print is hanging in the hallway at eye level I could see how dirty it was - on the inside!  I don't know how that happened, but I was determined to clean it up.

I carefully removed it from the frame - it had been mounted on foam core board.

I think I may have spent more on the frame job than the actual print itself!

I love it so much in here - I admire it daily.  Mark and I bought it at the Pecan Street Festival in Austin in 1988 and had Mr. Pena sign it right then and there.  It will always remind me of when we were young, in love, and building our future together.

Gina

Empty Nest menu #154 and sewing

I hauled out the fabric and cut enough hearts to make 12 more quilted hearts to leave around town:

I think I have the sewing room all broken in...I should find some different things to sew.  I sewed a lot in college - making myself dresses, skirts, even a bikini!  Twice I have sewn dresses for bridesmaids, and I decorated all 4 of my babies' nurseries.  Its a pastime I want to pick up again.  The old Gina liked it a lot.

Monday - kitchen closed {Happy Radiologic Technology Week!}

Tuesday - (freezer) Beef Fajitas, refrieds, rice {11 a.m. appt., new book club in p.m.}

Wednesday - (skillet) Chicken Thighs and butternut squash, peas {oil change for Brigid, on-line CEU class, beer with a friend in the afternoon}

Thursday - Tilapia, bowtie pasta with pesto, green beans {Hospice Austin grief zoom at noon} 

Friday - KFC-ish Bowl (chicken meatballs, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn) {prep to paint?}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

Gina