Birthday ~ Cactus and other ramblings

I decided to bake my husband's most favorite peanut butter cookies for his birthday.  There was just no way to get to my cake decorating tools or cupcake carrier.  

Mom's cactus I inherited is blooming a gorgeous bright pink.  Pink was her favorite color.  It's beautiful!  It's blooming right around Mother's Day too!

Daughter E surprised me with a visit yesterday.  She rode with me to another town to donate my truck full of boxes.  They went to an antique/re-sale store that is owned by my husband's friend (used to work with her many years ago). 

We saw that a pizza shop was open across the street, so we moseyed over there and picked up a pizza for dinner.

Back at the homestead, she wanted to help paint, but I had just washed all my paint brushes for the day prior to her stopping in.  I told her she is welcome to help any day she has off.  I'm working on the upper cabinets, and have 2 more windows to paint.

The drawer knobs have been ordered.  The price finally went to 1/2 off, and yes I paid shipping, but driving all the way to that big city would cost me a lot in gas too.  Gas is going back up over $4/gallon again.  Anyway, that is checked off the to-do list.

I broke one of the hardware pieces on my cupboard door while painting it on the saw horses.  I have ordered replacements for that too.  The ugly bee (stained glass from door) has been donated as well, and the owner actually thought it was beautiful, so hopefully she sells it and all the stuff we donated.

My younger brother told me I had one last "small" pile of stuff to retrieve at Mom's house.  I picked that up this week, but man that was a dirty trick.  It included photos in frames, a photo album and two huge folders.  One folder contained every article I ever wrote (bless her heart), the other was filled with stuff from her grandkids.

Daughter E took a photo and a flash light (she is going camping soon and needed one), and we read thru some of the stuff and got a few laughs.  I'll keep it to have Daughter K go thru it as well.  Now, however I need another box for that, ha ha!

 

Run errands day . . .

Tuesday was my run errands day.  It, unfortunately, leaves me little time at home to get things done.  When I cleaned out my one drawer of food containers, I realized I was missing several of my mini dressing containers and lids.  While in town, I bought new ones, but the lids are a stiff plastic and do NOT come off the container.  Now I have to make another trip to return them or hopefully exchange them.

The truck was also packed full of items to donate to our friends thrift store.  It did not happen.   It was pouring down rain, and the truck is still loaded for another day.

Last night we had a tornado warning.  There was damage elsewhere, but from what I heard it did not touch down.

Until I get my mini containers replaced, my husband's fruit is packed into disposable containers.  I spent what little time I had making a breakfast as well.  I cooked eggs on a sheet pan again, and this time they came off the baking sheet much easier.

I spread a layer of olive oil on the baking sheet, pre-heated the oven at 425°F and then added the eggs (already cracked and ready to go), and baked them until the yolks were cooked.  It worked perfectly.

The chickens continue to supply us, so it looks like I may boil more eggs for a back up dinner of egg salad or just for snacking.  I am thankful for that.

I had plans to bake a birthday cake today for my husband's upcoming birthday, but my frosting gear is temporarily buried in my utility room on a shelf.  I had plans to make cupcakes as well, but it may not happen.  

We are still working on locating a reliable person to help with the living room floor (and smaller bathroom).  Praying it is not much of the subfloor to cut into for both repairs.

While paint dries, I am back in my master bath emptying drawers, cleaning them and washing dividers (and purging anything expired).