Spring Cleaning Brings Aches

 

As you all know I have been trying to get my spring cleaning done. Still have a few rooms to do, but if I manage one area a day I will be finished in about 4 days. That is if my back and legs do not give out. I am beginning to hate that small step ladder. 

I did the hall today. Washed walls, dusted what I could (one item will have to go out and get sprayed down) and the coat closet decluttered (over the last few days) and all I have left is the linen closet which I actually decluttered a couple of months ago. I will wipe out the shelves and tidy it up later tonight. 

Tomorrow I will work on our bedroom. That could take a bit longer as I really should go through a few places (top and floor of the closets especially). 

One great thing about all this cleaning is I fall into bed and sleep through the night. One bad thing is that my legs are sore from climbing up and down a ladder, and my arms are sore from scrubbing walls. The back, well that always bothers me. 

Between the manic episodes of cleaning, I have been working on projects. I have finished cutting my 4" squares into triangles. I think I have enough for what I have planned. Worked on the hand quilting as well. 

Picked up the pork ribs this morning from the Co-op. I got about 7 1/2 pounds for $18.00. These have now been packaged up and are completely freezing in the fridge freezer. I will take them down to the upright early tomorrow. 

Made the Broccoli Cheese soup for the freezer, and tomorrow I will use those asparagus ends to make asparagus soup. Waste not is happening around here a great deal more than usual. 

Harvey got the summer wine (Niagara Mist) racked over to the carboy from the primary today. I definitely feel like I am in a Winery right now, what with this wine and the Malbec he has going. There is still a white wine to be made as well. 

I have been asked to share my recipe for Japanese soup.... I really don't know what is in it as I purchase it ready made and frozen from an old friend. I do know she follows the recipe her family has used for years. She has done this for me for a number of years and I started purchasing it from her to help them out when her Hubby lost his job. Harvey loves it so I have continued and it gives "A" a bit of her own cash. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.                                       

God bless.

Thrifty and Frugal Thursdays

  Thrifty and Frugal  

It has been a relatively quiet week here on the old homestead. The weather has been so up and down that I have been able to work more inside than outside. We did get the outdoor furniture set up and now I wonder if that was a good thing since we have been getting snow today, with more to come as the evening progresses.

I have been decluttering, and really watching sales at the various stores here in the city. I usually only shop every second week, but there is a great sale on pork ribs at my Co-op so I will probably make a quick trip there to stock up for the summer. Saving almost $3.00 a pound it just makes sense to me. 

I altered a skirt this week, and darned another pair of Harvey's socks. 

Been using up some cleaning supplies as well, which considering how many I have is a very good thing. 

Shopping at home first as well.

I put my entire biweekly allowance in my savings envelope this week and added another $5.35 in change to the change jar. The change was mostly from Harvey, and found coins on my walks (that is getting harder to do, the found coins that is). 

Pulled some 4" heavier fabric squares from my stash to make another outside quilt for around the firepit. Just love how those things keep us toasty warm in the evenings.

Leftovers of leftovers were all used for lunches, and I am using up the bags of leftover roasts and such to make other meals. 

Lights are being turned off in the evenings, and I am making sure only a full dishwasher is being washed. 

Water saved in my kettle has been used to water plants and make an afternoon cup of tea or instant coffee. 

Planning a big soup making tomorrow to use up the broccoli in the crisper and the woody ends of asparagus. I will be making two kinds of soup and putting them in the freezer for meals another day.

Watching free shows on my television on PlutoTV, or other free streaming service. 

Looking forward to our free flowers and plants when we go up to Kris's place next week. I will be getting some eggplant, some calendula, and probably a few others.

Keeping an eye on the garage sale sites for more large pots for the yard as well. Those things are pretty darn expensive in the store. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Mid-Month Goal Update

 

I am a bit later in posting this, but some of my other list (spring cleaning) got in the way. 

1.  Copy 14 tried and true recipes and get them in the album. Done

2.  Work on cross stitch.

3.  Sew shorts. Done

4.  Sew top. Done

5.  Cut out a summer tank dress. Done

6.  Quilt the baby quilt. Working on this

7.  Start knit tank top. Actually almost completed

8.  Shred papers. Done

9.  Make an appointment with my prayer partner. Done

10. Go to the accountant. Done

11. Transfer fall/winter and spring/summer wardrobes. Done

Things are moving along nicely. I should be finished the quilt by Saturday or Sunday. The knit tank top should be done during the early part of next week if I am lucky. I think that I just might have to start adding to my goals list for this month, just so I have something to do with my hands in the evenings.

Cleared out all my drawers in the kitchen and did a spring clean in there. I am taking a break from cleaning tomorrow (well the spring cleaning at any rate) as my prayer partner will be dropping in. Things are being decluttered and put where I can reach them easily. I do need to do something about my cookbook collection. I have way too many. Any ideas???? Many a time I think that I should scan them and put them on a thumb drive. Having so many cookbooks to choose from is a daunting task when looking for a specific recipe. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Tuesday Tidbits

 

A cooler and drizzly day today. I have stuck close to home, finished spring cleaning the bathroom, decluttered and cleaned the kitchen drawers. Perhaps I am slowly gaining space and simplicity. I do have one drawer left in the kitchen and that should be cleaned, decluttered and tidy by tonight. I keep remembering what a poster on a forum said many years ago. Small bites of the elephant and things will be done in due time. 

I even managed to get Harvey to go through the hall coat closet and remove those coats he no longer wears or needs. I have quite the bag of donations ready to go. 

Now, I am enjoying mugs of tea, and if I just had a cookie or two to go along with things would be pretty much perfect. I suppose I need to do some baking this week as I have lots of tea to get through as part of my using items up from the pantry. 

The tulips are starting to burst through the soil, so nice to see some green appearing. Nothing really starting in the perennial bed as of yet but since that needs a good clean up, I am not too worried. Also bought some new perennial bulbs to plant in there as well. 

Mending, ironing and working on the hand quilting for part of the afternoon. Managed to get a couple of appointments set up as well for the end of next week. 

Plans for tomorrow are getting set in place, at least spring cleaning wise. I plan on washing the range exhaust hood and soaking the filter as well as washing the walls in the kitchen and a few other small spring cleaning tasks in that room as well. 

One great thing about rainy, cloudy days is that things get accomplished inside. 

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Menu Monday

 

It started off nice and sunny, with very little wind today. Now however it is cloudy, and the wind has steadily picked up throughout the day. Not at all a nice day.

My menus this week are more clearing items out that have been either in the upright meat freezer or the fridge freezer. Since it is getting a bit colder once again the meals are continuing to be on the hearty side.

Monday

Japanese Soup, Egg Salad buns and perhaps a slice of pumpkin cake for dessert.

Tuesday

Leftover roast pork made into a stir fry. Served with rice. Pumpkin cake for dessert.

Wednesday

The last container of chili from the chest freezer. Probably served with toast. Pumpkin cake for dessert. I think there will be enough pumpkin cake for the week.

Thursday

Leftover stir fry from Tuesday along with the leftover rice. 

Friday

Fish fillets, fried potatoes, and peas.

Saturday

Hamburgers, all the fixings and a bit salad. Trying to decide on a marinated salad or potato salad. 

Sunday

Our roast meal of the week. This week it will be roast beef, roast potatoes, and roast carrots. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

 

Another sunny and warm day here on the old Homestead. A few plants are starting to poke their way through the warming ground. Still I think there will be some replacements happening this year. Too many of my perennials just are not growing as well as they used to. 

I picked up all the twigs in the front yard, as well as more stones. Harvey cut and dethatched it and hopefully tomorrow it will be raked and the bare spots re-seeded. This doing or should I say re-doing of the front lawn is a yearly project for him. One of these days, perhaps, we will make the front yard mostly gravel with some pots or a small drought resistant group of plantings. Things are just getting much too hot and dry here in the summer, and if the rains or snow pack does not come pretty sure we will become a desert or arid area. 

I decided to take a look in my so-called "junk" drawer today. It does not really contain junk as I have cookie cutters, meat thermometers, canning jar lids and rings, a tea ball, cake lifter, and tiny metal tart shells in there. Oh, yeah there is also a screwdriver. All things that I use, but use less often than other items. Still I am pretty sure that next week I will do a bit of a declutter in some of the kitchen drawers. Pretty sure there are a few items that can be donated hidden in the far reaches of some of those drawers. My cupboards at one end could use a clear out as well. Spice jars need refilling, and some of my herbs will need to be refilled as well. 

Times are changing and as we age things need to be pared down and either used or sold/donated. I want to get a bit more self-sufficient and by doing so hopefully find life a bit simpler. I want to do more batch cooking, clearing up time to do those things we enjoy. I want to make our back yard (those across the pond would call the area a garden) a peaceful refuge and an oasis from the complex world we seem to be living in. 

Off to get the potatoes and carrots peeled and in the roaster.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Simpler Living

 

So I finished the chapter on simplifying your kitchen. I really enjoyed this chapter and am happy to say I actually do most of what is recommended. However my kitchen counter space is pretty cluttered as well as some of my drawers. I think I need to work on getting those areas cleared. I really am surprised by the thought that one does not need a junk drawer... Definitely something new to me. 

Here are some of the ideas they figure are the best to simplify your kitchen. 

1.  Store those ingredients and cookware that are used most so that they are close at hand.

2.  Buy the best cookware you can. It will last longer and save you money as well as cook more evenly.

3.  Since lids and pots are hard to stack, store all the lids together in another spot. Close to the pots if possible.

4.  Be selfish. If you spend the most time in the kitchen than anyone else, arrange everything the way you would like it.

5.  Arrange appliances in a triangle for the utmost efficiency when making meals. 

6.  Throw out leftovers after 7 days.

The next chapter is Living Rooms and Dining Rooms, Make these Living Areas Worry-Free, Relaxing Refuges. Should be very interesting.

There are a few other hints I already follow and those are store foils, plastic wrap, sandwich bags, and other such items in a drawer. I also store my tablecloths and such in the linen closets as the book recommends. The author also says to clear off as much of the counter top as possible. The last is something I really need to work on. I usually say that is a work in progress. I also need to rethink my junk drawer (which really isn't a true junk drawer).

Hubby and I started to set up the deck today. I love having an outdoor living space and am trying to figure out ways to use that space even more this summer. While out there we were graced to see 5 Vultures flying over the area. Pictures to come tomorrow. I am always amazed at how wide their wing span is.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.