My Week-Beginning of Chapter 56

It was another week of beautiful Spring weather.  Lows in the 40's, highs in the 70's and very little humidity.  Just perfect weather.  This week I see highs in the 80's and even 90 so summer weather is coming.  All of my perennials have come back twice as big as last year and the herbs and veggies are starting to grow which always makes me happy.  I stopped at the Farmers Market and picked up honey, strawberries, cucumbers and a gorgeous head of red leaf lettuce.  It was nice to see the farmer that I hadn't seen since late last Fall.  He reminded me it's close to cherry picking season so I will be sure and get there for them.  

Thursday I celebrated my Birthday at my favorite place with my favorite person.  Lunch was amazing as always and I could look at that view for hours.  I received so many texts and phone calls from friends.  My best friend of 30+ years called and we talked for hours.  There is something so special about a lifelong friend who knows you sometimes better than you know yourself.  

The big guy baked my favorite cake and it turned out so pretty and delicious.  Gotta love a guy that doesn't cook much surprising you with a birthday cake.

We eat Oui yogurt from time to time and I always save the glass jars.  They are perfect for holding small items in drawers.  I was super excited to find out someone had come up with the wonderful idea of making lids for them.

I used some for my spice overflow.

I'm excited I still have two days left of my mini vacation.  I plan on relaxing, reading a bit outside and cooking up some good food before I'm back in reality on Tuesday morning.

Binx just gets cuter by the day.  June 4th is his gotcha day and I can't believe it's been a year already.

I hope everyone enjoys their Sunday and have a lovely Memorial Day!

My Week

We had perfect weather last week and it is forecast to be the same this week and I couldn't be happier.  It had gotten pretty warm and humid before a cool front came in.  I love the cooler nights and sunny days with little humidity.  It was 42 degrees this morning when I got up which is probably why I slept SO good.

In February we ordered a new garage door that was supposed to take 4-6 weeks to be delivered.  Well with all of the shipping issues that took quite a bit longer.  It finally arrived this week and they came out to install it.  The old door was working and looked good but was installed in 1992 so we knew we should replace it before something went wrong. The two young guys that came out did a wonderful job and they were so polite and professional.  They checked our track and told us it was in really good condition and asked if we wanted it replaced or just keep it.  The quality of the 1992 metal track is actually better quality than what they make now.  We decided to keep it which saved us 500.00 on the price we had been told.  That was a nice surprise. 

This week I watched the new season of Queer Eye and loved every single episode.  Every episode brought happy tears.  It may be a reality show but seeing the persons face light up when they realize life can be better is priceless.  I think a little kindness and beauty in our lives always makes things a little better.

What we ate:

Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and salad

Bacon, egg and cheese English muffins and grits

Pasta, salad and garlic bread knots

Beef and pinto bean quesadillas with rice

BIG salad x2

It is grilling season so today we're having wings, steak, and potatoes cooked on the grill with deviled eggs and slaw to go with it.  

The big guy bought us a new patio table for our Anniversary in April.  It is a dark gray metal that can go from 6 foot long to 10 foot long.  I love it.  We don't have any plans for a large get together but it's still nice to know we have the outside space if we decide to. We love eating outside this time of year so it's already been used quite a bit.

Last Summer I started reading Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies and for some reason I read about half and put it down.  I started over this week and am enjoying it.  "So begins an unlikely friendship between two lonely and stubborn souls-one at the end of her life, one stuck in the middle-who discover one big life lesson: never be ashamed to ask for more."

I'm excited to only be working Monday-Wednesday making a much needed 5-day weekend for myself.  

I am looking forward to a day trip with the big guy, finishing a few projects around the house, reading and of course a bit of gardening.  I'm sad to say the 6-year-old rosemary bush that we planted outside two years ago didn't make it since we had an unusually cold winter.  So I need to pick up a new rosemary plant and something to plant where the rosemary was.  Our trees and bushes are looking so good this year.  Three years ago we started using Dr. JimZ fertilizer and I highly recommend it.  

Things that make me smile:

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday and a peaceful week ahead.  I'm trying a new recipe for Afghan Mantoo this week and I'll let you know how it turns out.

My Weekly W's

What's top of my mind:  

As usual, we have had a very short period of time of Spring like weather and we jumped straight to Summer.  It has been in the 80's and SO humid.  A storm is supposed to pass through later this afternoon which is predicted to cool it off a bit for a couple of days.  Luckily, last Monday the AC guy did come out and all we needed was the braker switch on the electrical panel replaced.  Even though it was technically our AC not working, the guy changed it and didn't even charge us.

What I'm watching:

We finished Spring Baking Championship and caught up on Chao House.  Other than that, I really didn't watch any movies or TV shows.

What I'm reading:

Again, I did not pick up a book all week.  I think I'm in a bit of a reading rut.  

What I'm listening to:

There is a podcast, Table Manners that I listed to a bit this week.  It is hosted by a Mother, Daughter duo and is an interesting program. 

What I'm eating:

                                                

Lamb burgers with oven fries. I made another batch of buns for these and they turned out amazing.

BIG Salad

Pasta, salad and garlic toast

Chicken Tikka Masala, rice and Naan.  This week I need to make another batch of Naan for the freezer.  It really does freeze well.

Roasted veggie and rice bowls.

Pizza and salad

Who needs a good slap:

The US government for the situation at the borders that has been a problem for decades with no solid laws and policy.  It was sometime in the early 90's while living in Florida that I met various people that came here from other countries.  One woman was a doctor in Venezuela who left everything behind and came here to start a better life.  She didn't qualify as a doctor here so had to find various jobs while learning English and going through the paperwork and creating a new life with no one here that she knew.  I realized then just how bad it must be in some Countries that you are willing to leave everything and everyone behind and go to a country where you had nothing but hope.  I don't know what the solution is and I know we can't take care of our own citizens let alone millions of others.  I have no idea how to fix this, I just know we need to do better.  

What I'm planning:

This week and coming weekend I will be spending a lot of time outside working on the gardens.  I had a pot of mint growing on a steppingstone close to one of the flower beds and somehow it found its way in.  I have about 4x4 feet of mint growing.  I pulled a lot yesterday and dehydrated it and am giving it away.  There is so much mint.  I guess I should also give myself a few slaps for letting this happen.

What's making me smile:

Last week was hospital week and one of the events was they had various cards you could pick up to send to coworkers that said things like You're a Joy to work with and had an almond joy bar attached They were all delivered Friday. It was fun to send them out to all of the people that help make my job easier and to receive them from others but the best thing I found was getting an email from someone that I sent one too telling me it made her feel so good to get that as it had been a brutal work week.  That was the best smile of the week for me.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday and a great week ahead.  

My Weekly W's

What's top of my mind: 

It really wasn't what I would consider a BAD week, but I had the blahs and absolutely zero motivation until Friday.  I had taken Friday off because I had a dentist appointment and wanted to get my personal errands out of the way. I had everything accomplished by 11 am and the big guy offered to take me out to lunch.  No argument with that.  Then I did something I never do...I came home and took a two-hour nap. Saturday was a bit better, and I did a lot around the house but then I woke up hot in the middle of the night and realized that our not even 1 year old air conditioner isn't working.  So I'll have to call them in the morning.  Good thing is it's under a 10-year warrantee.

Where I've been:

Other than work and the dentist, I filled up the Jeep, picked up groceries and went to out to lunch.  I also stopped by sister A.'s house to give her a donation for a fellow coworker that lost her house and car in the tornado that hit just north of us a couple of weeks ago.  That really put things in perspective for me.  There are so many with much larger problems than me having the blahs for a week.

Where I'm going:

No plans so far other than work and the library.

What I'm watching:

We watched A Man Named Otto today and I loved it.  It's the type of movie that tugs at your emotions.  I also caught up on this season of RHWONJ.  It's crazy and over dramatic but I just have to see what's going on.  

What I'm reading:

I don't think I picked up a book all week.

What I'm eating:

Chicken and waffles 

BIG salad

Club sandwich and oven fries

Chicken Tika Masala, rice and Naan

Tacos for Cinco De Mio

Big Salad again because of the chili incident.

Tonight, cheeseburgers and oven fries because I have a craving.  

Who needs a good slap:

I usually do not label the jars of soup, stew or pasta that I put in the freezer because I am really good about using them up for dinners or lunches quickly.  I took what I thought was a container of chili out for dinner.  I heated it up and made a side plate of diced onion, shredded up some cheese and sour cream and served it with oyster crackers.  We were a full two or three bites in when the big guy asked why there was sausage in there.  I immediately started looking at the chili and realized there were no beans or ground beef.  We were eating pasta sauce.  Two slaps to myself, and yes, I will be labeling from now on.  Lesson learned.  

What is making me smile:

Every day that I wake up I smile.

I hope everyone is doing well and has a healthy, safe week.  Happy May!!