How the weeks go now

My weeks pretty much blur into each other with all of the days going about the same:

Saturday, Sunday - 12 hours shifts at the hospital.

Leave the house at 640ish, clock in at 7 am, clock out at 730pm. Rinse and repeat for Monday, but everything slides forward 1 hour.

The commute is nice, the parking is nice, I like my co-workers, the work load is doable. But on Monday night, I am spent. So, Tuesday is my day to do laundry, buy food, and relax with no big plans. That leaves Wednesday through Friday to do projects, creative things, cleaning, etc. Its a comfortable routine now, 3 years in to my new job.  This week:

*I'm meeting a friend for a beer

*have a telehealth appointment

*reviewing my budget

*selling some stuff back to Half Price Books

*doing some yardwork

*on-call Wednesday

*working on my family history

*seeing the dentist for a cleaning

On Friday, I will food prep for the weekend, do some light housework, take myself to lunch, and read. Bed by 9 pm.

Right now, the days and weeks look predictable and for that, I am mostly glad. Its a different place than I assumed I would be in 5 years ago.  I know it won't be this way forever, and I will have to adjust the days again in the future to add even more free time and pursuits. 

Not all change is bad, right?

Gina

The summer week I am not sad to see end

It was "one of those weeks", a mix of tying up some loose ends and working on future projects.

Reba's in Giddings

A trip to Brenham was made, with a stopover at a restaurant in Giddings that a friend and I used to meet at for lunch.  Sometimes Mom and I went here, too.  Their new location is BIG - a space where a furniture store used to be.  Mom and I bought her little loveseat here many years ago after she moved to Brenham.  She would have enjoyed this burger - we did love being Ladies Who Lunch.

the burger and fries were amazing

I got many things done this week, including:

*met with Mom's executor one last time

*bought groceries and did errands

*cleaned the front door area and transom window

*enjoyed martinis with The Girl

*set up the mower maintenance and tree-trimming

*got my CEU's loaded into a new system

*caught up on book club reading

*and barely cooked!

I tried not to think too hard about how final this last trip to Brenham felt.  Saw Mom's house - it looks nice and the new owner is happy there.  Next week will feel challenging too, as it makes 5 years since we lost Mark. July feels a little hard right now.  But like I told a friend, I know it won't feel this way forever.

Happy weekend!

Gina

What the week holds and a new wallet

I needed a new and more compact wallet, so I bought a sale one from this brand - known for their colorful designs. 

The inside is sparkly denim, the outside is blue suede with a copper metallic "splatter" design.  Lots of slots, which I appreciate. Very random color for me, but I love the strap over the card slots.

You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede wallet. Ha.

Also this week:

*afternoon book club on Tuesday, discussing Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy - have you read it? Not sure I would recommend it. 

*replacing my A/C air filters

*attending a luncheon at work

*meeting with therapist

*possibly getting a haircut - its getting so long!

*a bit of yardwork, a lot of walking

I'm also planning to cook far less than usual, read, nap, and maybe thrift a time or two. What does your week look like?

Gina 

What the week holds and wall art

It sounds silly to say, but I ran out of ooomph with the corner gallery project.  For one thing, I need more art to fill in the spaces, but I want to curate it slowly.  I stopped into Hob Lob on Friday and found this 16x20 canvas art piece for $12 and thought it would pass the vibe check.  But I have other things I need to be working on, so after hanging it, I am moving on.  For now.

This week I am:

*working the evening shift on Monday

*on call two evenings

*going to make more headway on that photo project

*going to shop for a rug for the front room

*scheduled for a Wednesday appointment

*as well as a Thursday appointment

*walking at least 4 of the mornings

*going to Bertram on Friday for a pedicure and winery visit

*working my normal weekend hours

I also have a new book to read, a bit of yardwork to do, and a plan to make some breakfast tacos for the freezer.  Hooray for June!

What does your week look like?

Gina

Breakfast tacos - I make these like I would be eating them right away, but instead I wrap them in those lightweight foil sheets and store them in a big ziploc in the freezer.  I usually do eggs with a protein, and some grated cheese on bakery tortillas from HEB.  I set one (in foil) in a low oven while I get ready for work, then place the warm taco in my tote bag and head out.  It stays warm about half an hour, then I eat it while I check my email.  (:

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

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

Scarborough it is...final answer

I was so on the fence about the color I had chosen for accent walls!

What I really wanted was something more green than blue.  So when I was in Home Depot I grabbed up a colorway swatch that I thought would work better, had the same color density, and just went for it.

This is the first wall to be painted, located in the hallway to the bedrooms. I had always felt like the pasty green didn't look great.  Maybe it was the sheen I disliked so.  Anything would have been an improvement, but I thought why not start with this smallish wall?  If I hate it, it will be easy enough to do over.

Ooooh.

I don't hate it!  And it took maybe 30 minutes of actual painting time. Which is great because I was supposed to be hitting the pause button on painting...

It looks just great with the white walls and trim and it coordinates with the colors in the Pena print nicely.  I feel more confident in proceeding with the other walls that will have this accent color: the wall behind the sofa, the wall over the fireplace, and the stand-alone bookcase nook just outside of the kitchen.  So.  That will be what I am working on this week!

Also I will: *take a gift to a friend

 *go to a chiropractic appointment for my janky shoulder

 *attend a work meeting via Zoom

*participate in a support group via Zoom

*pick up groceries

I'm trying hard not to stretch myself too thin, though.  What are your plans for the week?

Do tell!

Gina 

What the week holds and hitting the pause button

Last week I finished up as much of the bonus room/guest room as I could before the workweek began.  It is an underwhelming makeover, just from the one lone photo.  But it represents a big investment in my time and energy.  I estimate that I've spent $215, which includes bed, mattress, linens, curtain rod, mini blinds, outlet covers, and paint.  I hung an un-used art canvas, brought in a brass floor lamp I spray painted years ago, and added an empty straw basket for under-the-bed storage.  The plant stand is courtesy of The Girl and I'm not sure it will stay in here.  Same with the reading pillow. I think I will arrange pillows for more of a daybed look.  But this is where I am leaving it for now so that I have time to just rest and enjoy my days off.

I love the late afternoon light

Next up on the list of things to do is paint the accent walls in and adjacent to the den where the new couch is going, but that will wait until next week when I have a full 5 days off.  The mind is ready and willing but the body says "Whoa, Nelly".  Meanwhile, it is beginning to turn to Fall here with cooler mornings.  I really want to focus on my daily walks this week so I can increase my strength and energy.

Happy Monday - let's start the week off slowwwwwly...

Gina

What the week holds and prepping myself

This week has all the potential to be a booger and I am going to resist the negative bias of my brain and instead, look for ways to move through it gracefully with more positivity.  On the schedule are:

*mowing, edging, trimming of shrubs, cleaning up the patio area

*a dental appointment 

*Two physical therapy appointments

*on-call hours

*a somber anniversary

*a mammogram

*a Drop-In concert

*extra hours at work, followed by

*a full weekend shift

Somewhere in there I also want to add a mani/pedi, reading and puzzle time, and walking - full on self-care.  And of course I will feed myself well, hydrate, and get good sleep. I've got my planner filled out and I'm ready to go!

How do you tackle those full weeks without feeling the burn?

Gina

What the week holds and planning my days off

I'm one of those people who sit down with my planner on Sundays and look at the week ahead, penciling in projects, chores, down time, and reminders.  I try not to overload my schedule, and truthfully, not all of what I plan actually gets done.  Sometimes I think it looks positive and fun and all, but trust me when I say that is not always the case.  Now that my focus is not on what every. other. person. in my house is doing, and I don't have the distraction of Highlands, I am left with big blocks of time to fill.  So I went back to my habit of leaving no blanks in my planner.

This week, the activities involve working/taking call at the hospital, a telehealth appointment, visiting a new-to-me coffee shop, working on my yards, and volunteering at a wine judging.  All things designed to get my body moving, get some things accomplished, socialize a bit.  I think it all sounds easier than it will be, but that's usually true.  

How do you plan your week and time off?  Inquiring minds want to know!

Gina 

5 thing Friday - party, wine sipping, snacks, roses, Uuni

Last Friday I helped organize a pop-up going away party for a co-worker who was leaving.

Seventeen years of loyalty and hard work, and the boss wasn't going to acknowledge it.  There's something wrong with that.  I made her a chocolate cherry cake, bought some pretty napkins and flowers, and took a tablecloth in.  The supervisor took up a small collection and reimbursed me - but I would have done it anyway.  I hate losing friends at work.

Hubby and I visited two places last weekend that we hadn't been to in a while.  Fist was The Grove in Cedar Park. Isn't this wine bottle filled structure COOL?  We enjoyed a plate of crispy brussels sprouts with our tempranillo tasting. 

Then on Sunday we went to Bell Springs.  No wine club thing going on, no tour bus, no "bride tribe" - and perfect weather.

 We always enjoyed their wines and its such a nice place to kick back. Plus, they had live music way up there on the deck.

 We brought along some healthy snacks so we wouldn't be tempted by the food truck.  

I hope you enjoyed your five minutes of winter in Central Texas.  All the things think it is spring. Time to get started making my plans for various gardening activities, both at Camp Rustown and at Highlands.  Isn't this giant wall of roses pretty?  I had no idea rose bushes could get this big - it was towering over our heads. 

Hubby's new play toy is a portable pizza oven.  We plan to use it at Highlands this weekend.  Whole wheat crust, please!  Hold the pepperoni. And there is also a pick-up party at Torr Na Lochs - fun!  Can you believe February is almost over?  The Girl will be here to pick up Teddy next weekend!

Gina

What the week holds, and the eyes have it

Last week, Hubby and I braved stormy weather to get him to his eye surgery for cataract removal. The eye doc thinks this eye got a cataract as a result of an injury - Hubby remembers being poked in the eye with a stick on a scout campout.

He was actually cool and calm for his procedure.  No dripping sweat.  No loud joking.  And he tolerated the entire thing really well.

 And afterwards he got his choice of lunch - a beefy cheesey Schlotzsky and iced tea.

And all is well on this Monday after Easter - his vision is clear and healing is still happening.

This week we file and pay the taxes (BOO), Hubby has a follow up with the eye doc, I see the dentist for three chipped teeth (BOO AGAIN), I have two meetings to attend at work on my off days (MORE BOO), and I get off work early on Saturday to help Bubbie with prom logistics. So maybe we'll get a date night, too!  Time is zooming right along!

What does your week look like?

Gina

What the week holds and flowers in my kitchen

On my Friday post I showed a pic of these clean and pretty canning jars all lined up and ready for some blooms. 

 Well, I moseyed over to Trader Joe's and bought daffodils and irises, and HEB to get button mums.

A day or two later the daffodils just straight up died.  I can't think of a reason that would have happened - I had great success with them in the past.  They never even opened.

However, the irises got busy...here is what they looked like just a couple of days after I put them in the window:

Irises remind me of my childhood home in Lubbock.  We had them growing in our flower beds both in front and back yards.  I love them so much that they were also in my wedding bouquet.  This exact color!

 And you can't beat button mums for staying power.  As of Sunday night, they are still going strong!  Maybe when I go grocery shopping tomorrow, I will grab another $4 bunch of something from HEB.

This week is a booger - I am on call Monday and Tuesday, Hubby has his eye surgery on Tuesday morning and a follow up appointment that I get him to on Wednesday.  Thursday I have a lunch meeting from 12-1:30, then Hubby and I are headed out to Highlands for some R&R.  We plan on stopping to eat dinner, then enjoying wine and a campfire, listening to the coyotes!  Whooooo....and hopefully I will get to see our hill covered in bluebonnets before they are all gone!  The Girl comes in on Friday and we will likely have a family dinner at home, hanging out and relaxing.  Then I work all weekend so Easter duties will fall on my peeps and we will all eat at 8 p.m. on Sunday.  I have a list of To Do's to work on, too.  It's gonna go by in a blur!  

What does your week look like?

Gina

What the week holds, and hanging with Scout

If I were going to pick one of the boys to hang out with at a beautiful place on a day off, it might well be any of them.  But I love it that with Scout, the feeling is almost always mutual. So that seals the deal.

He's not much of a wine drinker, so he tags along with us on these pick-up parties for the heck of it.  

This week, I have two more nights of call, then no more of that for another two weeks.  Yay!  I have one doc appointment this week, then I'm planning on visiting my mother in Brenham on Friday.  I would love to get the front door painted, so I might do that on Thursday.  Otherwise, I am catching up on some book reading and making plans for planting the backyard as I lay on my couch!

What does your week look like?

Gina

What the week holds, and picking a door color

One the simplest projects at the top of my list involves painting the front door.  Years ago I gave it a new coat of varnish, but I did a sloppy job.  Then Hubby changed out the hardware and the previous footprint was noticeable.  Then, I spray painted the hardware and that was a flop.

I like our front door but I have done a shabby job of trying to pretty it up!  Time to get motivated, pick a color and get this one crossed off my list!

 I still want to hang a wreath here.  I want to clean up the hardware and make it sparkle, too.

See the wooden bird in the wreath?  It was a find at Highlands.  I don't know what is was supposed to be originally, but I painted a pearly eye on it and onto the front door wreath it went.  Decor by happenstance.  This week I am pulling a lot of call, in addition to ending my 11 day streak at work.  Whew!  There is much to catch up on around the house.  On Wednesday there's a Pre-UIL concert to attend, then a wine club pick-up at Bell Springs that I hope to be able to attend. I know I sound like a broken record, but where do the weeks seem to go?!

What does your week look like?

Gina

What the week holds, and monkeying around

Late posting as often happens on Monday. Last week, The Girl's busy season at work ended on Monday, and she told us she would come into town on Wednesday afternoon for a long weekend.  That was fine by me, even though I had to miss work due to illness on Tuesday.

So after laying around in bed all day Tuesday,  I cleaned up the house and shopped on Wednesday - Hubby's first day at his new job.  The rest of the week passed in a blur, and on Friday, The Girl and I picked up the quarterly shipment at Infinite Monkey and enjoyed a glass of Malbec out on their "patio".  As wineries go, this is one of the most low key ones we are members of.  But we were pleased to read on the bottle that a portion of the profits goes directly to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.  Great wine and a great cause.

The shipment this go-round was tempranillo, and we enjoyed a bottle of that with our Chinese stir fry at home.  I'm not sure about that particular wine pairing, but the wine was delightful.  And all too soon the week was over and a new workweek had begun.  This week Bubbie has a doc appointment at lunchtime on Wednesday so he and I get to enjoy a lunch on the run together, I have a birthday gift for a friend to finish up, and I will probably visit Brenham to take my mother her birthday gifts.  

What does your week look like?

Gina

What the week holds, and more time at Highlands

Last pics of Highlands for a little bit...

I drove up there on Saturday for a day of fun.  Hubby had been up there doing some odd jobs and enjoying some time off as well.  Still a lot of work to do, projects here and there.  More junk to be cleared.

 This is our future front door view

 

 

There are lots of these giant piles of old cedar around the property.  I don't know that we will ever clear it all.

 But there are also big swaths of grass, which Hubby mowed.

One of my fav parts of the property are the cliffs of ancient seabed that border it.  Ferns and moss grow here in the cool shade.  It will be a couple of weeks at least before we go out again - maybe longer.  This week I am on call (boo!), my mother turns 87, Hubby starts a new adventure on Wednesday, and The Girl will visit the second half of the week since busy season at her job will be officially over.  It was great to start with Sunday off...I got so much done to prepare for the week.  

What does your week look like?

Gina

What the week holds, and pie crust

Last week I was determined to make some pie crust in bulk. While I love the store bought pie crusts, I knew I could make my own.  It's one of those recipes/skills not passed down to me, so I found a method to make my own.

I used a 5 lb. bag of flour (with 2 cups of it removed), a 3 lb. can of shortening, four eggs, 2 cups water, a tablespoon of vinegar, 1 1/3 T salt, and 3 T sugar.  The largest container I have to mix all that up in is a stockpot.

And instead of a pastry cutter or large fork, I used a potato masher - proving you can improvise with what you have.  I cut the shortening into the flour, salt, and sugar.  Then I mixed the eggs and water well and added them in.  It took a lot of muscle power to get everything combined.  Then I set the pot in the fridge to rest for 15 min while I cleaned up.

 I sprinkled flour over my work surface and patted the dough out so I could divide it into 20 portions.  Each one will be a separate pie crust.  For this I just used a big knife, but I may have to get myself a scraper for making it easier in the future.

I rolled each crust into a bit of flour so they wouldn't be as sticky going into ziploc bags.  Then I put all of them into a container in the freezer. 

After I use a few of them I should be able to put the lid on for better long-term storage.

That night I tested one of them in a cherry pie turnover for four - drizzled with confectioner's sugar glaze and it was delightful.  I am proud of myself for learning pie crust - only time will tell how they hold up in the freezer and translate into various dinners and dessert.  This week Hubby will be home, getting ready to transition to a new job in March.  Bubbie has a band night lock-in, then on Saturday and Sunday, Hubby and I will spend some down time in Burnet.  Spring is going to be here fast, and I have so many projects I want to start!  What does your week look like?

Gina

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Domestically Speaking
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Confessions of a Plate Addict