Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Charity Knitting and Reading.

I am joining Ginny at Small Things for  her weekly Yarn Along.


The book I am reading is an excellent book, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.  If you have anyone in your family who is a WW II buff it is an excellent book.  This book has to be done by Monday as I have already listed it on E-Bay.  Nothing like a little pressure.

The knitting I am doing is a premie hat.  There is a great group I belong to through Yahoo Groups, Knitting 4 children.  It is a great group of people, not that I partake is too much of the conversation, but it motivates me to knit for someone other than myself and hopefully be a blessing to whatever child can use any of the hats or blankets that are knit.  One day at lunch I was sitting knitting and a co-worker asked what I was doing, so I told her.  The next thing I knew in about 4 weeks she brought a bag with 3 blankets, then another two months passed and she had another blanket. She didn't even think about knitting or crocheting for charity before I mentioned something about the group.  She had a whole bunch of yarn at home, didn't know what to do with it, so now I have blankets to mail in.  The pattern for the hat is super simple it is a mock rib and eyelet preemie hat, looks like cables but is fake (the kind of cables I prefer).  It is a great road trip project if you are needing one in the future.




Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Book Club

Book club was a success.  We had a hashbrown breakfast bake, lemon coffee cake and fresh fruit in phyllo cups.  So good.  Finished the book Saving Max in time for the meeting.  I am so bad about waiting until the last minute to read. Not sure why as the books are usually very good.  Now I have to finish Unbroken since it is listed on e-bay and the book was from 2 or 3 months ago.  Is a great book, I am just getting mired down in one certain part.   Beautiful day here, in the low 80s.

Decided for supper to forego the greenbeans.  There are enough vegetables.  Even though I would love to get rid of them it doesn't pay to overcook and throw things out.  After supper it is back to work for another 3 hours of over-time.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Menu Monday

This week I'm prepared and it feels so good.  Previously I had done some freezing cooking and we just have not used up what I cooked up and we still have frozen/canned items to use before the canning season starts.  My menus will reflect using up all of these things.

Monday --
Boca Burgers (It is just S and I) We will punt on supper. We are cooking for book club tomorrow.

Tuesday -
Pre-baked chicken breasts (From freezer)
Roasted vegetables
Green beans from freezer

Wednesday -
Spaghetti - Pre-made meatballs from freezer, home canned sauce
Grilled bread and salad.

Thursday -
Pork Chops with Peaches (Peaches from freezer)
Flavored noodles.
Green bean casserole (trying to use up food from storage)

Friday -
Pulled pork sandwiches (crockpot all day long in one can of root beer, excellent) (found a roast at the bottom of the freezer when I did inventory)
Zucchini casserole (zucchini from last year, cut into chunks in freezer)
Baked beans

The coffee cake and breakfast bake is done for book club. I am so not a cook compared to some of the other people in the club.  I should have just had it catered but you know what it will be okay.  Everyone will rave and carry on just because they are nice like that, besides we really get together for the companionship. 

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Busy Day

What a wonderful, busy, productive day.  Shampooed all the carpets (husband and son), dusted everything (me), planted blueberry bush (son and me), planted two pots of flowers (me), finished Mockingjay (me), dug up area for herb garden (me), laundry (me), and misc other things.  I should have gone into work but am on burn-out with all the over-time lately and love being at home.  Only one thing on my list of things I really wanted to get done this week, that is pretty good.  The book Saving Max needs to get read by Monday night because book club is Tuesday and I have to cook on Monday as I am hosting book club.  The menu will be a frittata, coffee cake and fresh fruit, along with coffee and water. That is enough.  We always have way too much food.

With looking for dirt yesterday it we bought it at Wal-Mart it was going to be $100 for our raised bed garden.  I need to ask around work if anyone has dirt we can buy for the garden. I have a hard time paying that much when we are trying to grow things to save a few bucks.

Have 3 books listed on E-Bay.  I much prefer reading a book than reading on my I-Pad.  It is less expensive in the long run for me anyway after I resell my books.

D & J (our youngest daughter and her son) are moving back in with us in about a month.  She lived with us for about a year, went back to NC to be with her husband and they are just not making it there, so she and her son are moving back.  The job situation is night and day.  ND has 2% unemployment, grocery clerks make $13 an hour, $19 at McDonalds if you will work over the lunch hour.  It is crazy right now.  The oil activity has changed everything or we would be sucking wind like the rest of the country.  So obviously we are having to do a lot of shuffling to make room for them but they are very welcome, it will change her life.

S (my youngest son) is home from college and will be working at the hospital as soon as the criminal background check and drug testing is done.  He is very excited and has the opportunity to work many hours of over-time which is good because he is broke.  The boy does like to spend money.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Financial Friday

On Friday's I want to document what I have done during the week to improve my financial situation.

This week I have:
1. Opened an account for my son's college reimbursement.
2. Determined how much money was owed to my son.
3. Worked 8 hours (so far - will work tomorrow yet) of over-time.
4. Perused jobs that are in the area.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Throw It Thursday

For my Thursday post I want to keep track of what I am disposing of.  This can either be throwing it, selling it, donating, repurposing, etc.

This past week I dumped 9 home canned jars of Strawberry-Rhubarb jelly.  It looked funny and my husband said it tasted a little off, so out it went.

Everything does not have to be used or held onto forever.  I need to keep that as my mantra.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Yarn Along

Knitting and reading truly are two of my favorite hobbies.  I always have several items in process, something easy with no pattern for the car, a sock, a more involved project that will take time.

Currently I am finishing the third book in The Hunger Game Series, Mockingjay and am trying to finish the 2nd sock for a Christmas gift.  The pattern is Monkey Socks.


I am joining Ginny for the yarn along.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Menu Monday

Attempting to get more organized, use up what was grown last year, I am attempting to use a menu.

Sunday --  Went out to eat, we were traveling.

Monday -- Went out to eat, ended up working unexpected overtime.

Tuesday - Even though I want Tuesday to be Try-It Tuesday to try a new recipe an old standby will have to do this week.  Lasagna - grilled bread - fruit salad - maybe a lettuce salad.

Wednesday - Chicken enchiladas - lettuce salad.

Thursday - Chicken stir-fry.

Friday - Taco salad.

Saturday - Usually is a free-for-all, leftovers, traveling.

It was a spur of the moment decision to try using a menu so for this week is a little scattered.  Next week will be more organized.