- What I've Been Loving -
While we were sick, we took advantage of convenience and did lots of food delivery for our meals. I was ever grateful to have something tasty and hot and the fact that cleanup was just basically sacking up the containers we had jut emptied and tossing into the trash can. When we honed in on the weather predictions as we began to feel better, we knew that food delivery would probably not be a good idea. So, our grocery order included more ingredients to prepare or cook from scratch and some fast heat and eat options. We both have been loving the home-cooked and almost-home-cooked meals for the past couple of weeks.
Even though we stuck to Taco Tuesday both weeks during the frozen event, we also tried out some other options as well. We tried some frozen beef and bean burritos and some queso dip. That meant we had some left-over taco meat. The first week I just froze it because I knew that we had a fridge full of options and probably wouldn't eat leftovers. I browsed the interweb for different ideas and ways to incorporate taco-flavored ground beef into casseroles and soups. We tried one of the casseroles this week and I really liked it. Basically, it is just an addition of elbow macaroni and cream cheese to traditional taco ingredients. It was pretty tasty, though! Since the temperatures are supposed to drop this weekend, I might thaw the other leftover meat and try out a soup recipe I found. Stay tuned.
- What I've Been Reading -
I read three Mary Kay Andrews books in a row during the snow event we just melted out from under. Savannah Blues introduced me to a couple of southern gals and their acquaintances. My cousin, Faye, and I were both reading it at the same time and chuckling at how we could envision certain scenes described by the author. I downloaded Savannah Breeze immediately upon finishing it and found the second book to be really just a continuation of Weezie's and Bebe's story. One book's primary focus is on one of the characters and the other focuses on her friend's experiences. They are intertwined and it makes one wish for a close female friend with such loyalty and understanding. I hesitated on the next one because it was marketed as a Christmas tale but it wasn't so season focused that it wasn't a good read. Reading Blue Christmas did make me pause and think about our own family gatherings and how they probably seem to outsiders or how they might be viewed differently through the different eyes of each family member. I will probably go back and read Christmas Bliss but I just couldn't read two Christmas titles in a row right now.
I decided to take a break from fiction and picked up a friend's recommendation for reading a Jimmy Buffet Memoir, A Pirate Looks at Fifty. One of the most important things this book is doing as I'm reading it is that it is making me wish that I had written a brief memoir at the end of each decade of my adulthood. I'd love to have captured my thoughts through the years like that and look back to see the ideas and actions that brought me to the place I am today.
I also learned that in addition to his music, I appreciate him for his dedication to reading and literature. Many chapters open with song lyrics shared as poetry. I found myself searching for the song and listening to it almost every time. We don't always think of songs as poetry or as telling stories, but that truly does encapsulate what Buffet did with his music - he is an interesting and inspiring storyteller and I will probably read some of his other work. Who knew I would become a Parrot Head?
- What We've Been Working On -
We spent a little time in the downstairs kitchen this week. The Mister uses that space a lot more than I do. So, I spent a little time watching him as he was puttering round and it helped me to see how he uses his equipment and the space so I can better organize it. He mentioned that he needed somewhere to store his meat slicer and wanted to better organize the tubs he uses for storing sausage batches while he is seasoning and sacking it. Then, he took a little break to go putter outside and I got busy.
I dragged a 2' x4' bookcase out of the storage room and scrubbed it down. The bookcase had one shelf attached with screws and had a couple of loose shelves setting on the bottom. After giving it a good clean, I put the bookcase on the east wall near a cupboard where the Mister's meat packaging materials are stored. There was just enough space between it and the cupboard to provide access to a plug. So, I slid a cute little crock in the space and it looked like I'd planned it that way. I slid the slicer onto the shelf that was attached in the bookcase. It was a perfect fit - like the bookcase was tailor-made for that purpose!
There were clips affixed below that shelf. So, I slid one of the loose shelves onto the clips and began looking round for items that might fit the space. There were some shallow plastic tubs with lids that fit perfectly there with a little space beside them for something small like the plastic gloves worn while handling the meat. The Mister had two clear tubs holding parts and utensils used with his sausage sacker stored within them. I eyeballed them and crossed my fingers. They slid into the space side-by-side and fit like a glove! I could not have been more tickled.
I moved the dresser back over to the east wall of the kitchen below where all the old-time family photos hang. All the drawers in that dresser are useful for stashing things out of sight that don't need to be handy or used quickly. This is where silverware lives and a few sundries like that. (It still has some empty space but I'm not telling anybody.) I'd like to just leave the top empty to be used for counter space or maybe add a basket or two for catching odd things but I don't want it to become a cluttered surface. That 'counter' space is too handy and I don't want it to get cluttered and junky looking since it is the first thing encountered upon entering the kitchen.
The thrift store console table slid across the room to the space vacated by the dresser. It is a good height for storing some of the Mister's equipment that is a bit on the heavy side but not used daily and stuff that is somewhat awkward in size. So, the tall sausage stacker found it's place there. There is a shelf below that is a perfect spot for a big clear tub that holds smaller equipment, pieces, and part sand works well for the sausage grinder. Plus, there is room to stack some tubs that are used for storing sausage batches.
While I was finishing shuffling and organizing, the Mister weighed and packaged up some bacon. He had something slow-cooking on the stove. I slipped down the hallway to do some bookkeeping. About an hour later, I heard him wrapping up his work. So, when I reached a stopping place for the day, I cruised through 'his' kitchen to see if I noticed any changes or adjustments he made. He had washed up everything he had been using and left some things drying in the sink and added a couple of tubs to the storage space.
On the other side of the room, he had cleared off the table and tidied up that space as well. The scale was set back atop the bookcase and he even mentioned that he liked having a 'home' for it when it wasn't in use. Of course, he also left a subtle hint that he obviously needs a coat rack somewhere down there!
I know this space is a work-in-progress but just the short time spent there in one day really made a difference in how it looks and how it seems to function. It is not designed and organized like I truly would like for it to be but since I'm not the primary user, there are other needs taken into consideration. I know that we both will get busy and things will not stay tidy and as organized as they were when we walked away after that work session but I have a better feeling about how it is growing more functional and serving the needs of us.
Things on the to-do list for this space:
- hang a knife magnet
- clean and organize the cabinets
- find new homes for various glassware
- find new homes for books that are just outside the camera's lens
- hang a bit of artwork to camouflage the thermostats
- add a coat rack
Some of these little projects like the organizing and re-vamping the kitchen space is starting to inspire me or just kindle the desire, at least, to tackle some more of my To-Do List projects and cleanouts. First, though, I've got to dig into filing our taxes. Fun times up in here next week! Happy weekend.
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