Processing the Process . . .

 

Who ever said this process of preparing for the floor project would be easy, was wrong.  Sigh.

I've been emptying out a set of floor cupboards for removal.  I'm finding this is a good time to purge what I have not been using, like the giant heart cookie pan.  I can't even recall using it.  Thankfully I found a home for it.

We also went shopping for flooring.  We got tips, ideas, color options, checked out options for a cupboard and sink for the bathroom that we need to gut as well, and returned home.

My husband made phone calls, and discussed flooring options.  1. sheet linoleum (downside, if you accidently drop something and tear it or put a hole in it, you replace the entire floor), 2. Plank vinyl (we can't decide until the floor is back and we can check to make sure the entire floor is even enough to use this), 3. Slap an area rug on it and worry about it later after the bathroom and living room is done.  We ruled out that peel and stick stuff.  It's so thin and I got bad reviews people were having issued with it popping up.  Everything depends on price as well.  Hence, the need to do more trips to other locations for prices and options.

I have finally figured out how to move my computer, so I can read your lovely blogs and stay connected.  We only have 3 places, including where the computer is now, for a cable hook-up.  To do this, I will need to move all my boxes of dishes (which started the need for this floor project, that need to go back in my hutch when the kitchen job is finished).  

Oh, and we talked to family, and the guy we hired to install kitchen flooring did one of their kitchens and messed it up.  Now the family has to rip it out, so we are not sure we'll use him.

....and then of course I need to feed the family and friends coming to help this weekend.  On the meal plan is a big 'ol pot of chili, cornbread, shredded chicken sandwiches, chips, and possible some side cold salads.  Oh, and a cold pineapple pie.  I only need to feed 2 on Saturday, and possible 3 on Sunday (maybe one more).  I think I have all of that covered, as long as they don't have to move my stove. If that is determined Friday, I will bake the cornbread and they can reheat in the air fryer or microwave as a back up.

We are dealing with horrible winds, and the sound kept me up most of the night.  It sounded terrible out there.  We got up to 72°F yesterday, but today it's a high of 62°F and a wind advisory.

What's Cookin'? ~ Mom's Recipes

I had a busy day Tuesday.  Once I had the chickens tended, I headed to town to do some paperwork with my younger brother.  I then ran some stuff to Daughter E, and went to a couple of stores, and completely forgot to pick up chicken feed.

Once I was back home, I had dishes to wash, dry and put away, only to start baking a breakfast and dinner for the day, and finish up more laundry.

It felt weird, but I made a small batch of blueberry pancakes and cooked some locally made blueberry maple sausages for breakfast for a few days.  I typically make a giant batch of pancakes, that's why I said "weird."  

I tried another new recipe.  Thanks to my dear friend for asking me to help her with freezer meal ideas, I came across this one - Taco Stew.  I've made taco soup before, but this was amazing.  I told my husband, that it was almost better than chili.  I changed a few things, like using home canned tomato (herbed) sauce, and added homemade taco seasoning to the meat, and it was so good.  It's a keeper recipe now. It's also a Taste of Home recipe online.  Oh another thing I did - added 2 small cans of chilies to the diced tomatoes (recipe called for 2 cans of diced tomatoes with chilies).  If you freeze your own tomatoes, just add organic chilies.  All ingredients were organic or home grown, and so good with a dollop of organic sour cream (or make homemade) on top.

Mom kept her recipe cards in this contraption.  I opened it thinking I'd find a divider that said "Desserts" on it.  Nope.  She has recipes filed alphabetically.  Sigh.  It's gonna be a bigger project for me, but once that is done, will pass these on to the next sibling.  Oh boy....

We never got an estimate from the professionals regarding the kitchen floor.  Last night we hired someone to come help, who knows what they are doing thankfully.  Today, I will be very busy and moving all of Daughter K's boxes, to the living room.  I need to get to the store for ingredients to feed our help, and to buy sliders to move furniture and counters/cupboards from the kitchen. 

On top of that, Daughter K is coming for the weekend, and bringing her dogs (ugh).  She may have to set up her dog kennels upstairs due to space.  We told her it's the last time we can watch her dogs, as we are repairing and remodeling and I'm not in the business of replacing stuff again.

 

Zucchini Pizza Casserole

I intended to take a photo of the casserole with cheese (fresh out of the oven), but it smelled so good we scooped and ate right away.

The only thing I did differently, was mix the pepper in with the onion (vs. sprinkle on top the cheese).  Well, that's not the only thing I did differently, I also used sage sausage vs. ground beef, and used home canned pizza sauce vs. tomato sauce.  

It was delicious.  I think it smelled divine, because it was home canned pizza sauce.  

I froze the other half of it, so we had an easy meal for another night.

Just google the name of the recipe, and Taste of Home.  Recipe is online.

Great way to use your zucchini this season (and for us avoiding pasta), and using up some home canned pizza sauce.

Happy Homemaker Monday

We didn't have to make breakfast Sunday.  Our niece and her husband invited us over.  

To top that off, she baked my husband's favorite cheesecake.  I'm sure we'll be sharing as he shouldn't be eating it, ha ha!  So good though.

We picked up another load of stuff at Mom's house.  There is much more to do there.  I just put all the gardening stuff in the barn and will go thru it all after we finish the kitchen floor project.

Sorry for my lateness this morning.  I am easily distracted with my multitasking today.

Joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  It is Monday right?! Ha ha!  Oh boy....

The weather . . .

34°F/21°F

As I look outside my window . . .

Nothing but gray skies right now.

Right now I am . . .

Doing too much multitasking and not enough of one job, ha ha!

Thinking and pondering . . .

Trying to figure out a plan for today.  I have to start moving Daughter K's stuff to an area not in my way, and out of my kitchen.  We took her donation items over the weekend, but she has a lot more upstairs yet.  I'm also trying to figure out a weekend vacation if we can pull it off.  Not sure, but looking into dates and locations.

Homemaking Tips . . .

As a new "empty nester" I am making recipes as usual, but freezing half for a future meal.

How I am feeling . . .

Tired.  I need to get stuff done, so I can start feeling accomplished.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Leftover French toast, sausage, coffee.

On my reading pile . . .

On my TV . . .

CSI

On the menu . . .

-Zucchini Pizza Casserole

-Taco Stew

-Moroccan Spiced Stew (all 3 new recipes)

-have no idea yet on the rest

From the camera . . .

Nothing right now.  Too busy cleaning.

Looking around the house . . .

Like I said earlier, I will need to move stuff around in the living room, so I can have access to my office, and still get the kitchen cleaned out.

The to-do list . . .

-move boxes from kitchen to living room

-dishes

-laundry 

-vacuum carpets

-re-organize living room boxed items

-move table out of kitchen into living room

-move hutch and other big items from kitchen

-fetch more firewood

Prayer list . . .

For the Hoffman family (lost their 22 year old daughter)

Funeral Visitation ~ Snow

The funeral home is the last place I wanted to be last night, but we went to visitation, regarding the young 22 year old that went missing.  The mother works where my husband works.  I'm still a little rough around the edges, and emotions were a bit sparked by being there, but glad we went.  She was so happy to see us.  She came to my surprise birthday party years ago.

It's tough to see this happen, as we have a 22 year old as well.  It's not said how she passed, other than she went missing, they went out searching and found her too late.  It's just so heart breaking for the family.

Woke up to snow.  Not much, but UGH!  We went from several dreary, windy days to this.  I hope it's gone by tomorrow. Sheesh.  My daffodils are already coming up.

New Cake Carrier and tidbits . . .

 

Check out my new round cake carrier!  I just love it.  I have had a Tupperware one for maybe 30 years and this replaced it.   It can be used for all sorts of make and take foods as well.  

I wiped down the wooden towel stand that was in the smaller bathroom, and it will go to the road for free this weekend weather permitting.  The bathroom has no linen closet, so I have a wall unit that now holds the towels and washcloths.  Daughter K is coming for a weekend in April, and after that we'll be ripping stuff out of there soon.

I'm still debating on replacing the sink, mirror and wall light.  I could paint it, but then there is the garden too.  It's a small bathroom, so the sink is pretty small compared to a normal bathroom.  Not sure if we would even be able to find one that size.  Time will tell, so will the pocket book.

We have not gotten the estimate on the kitchen floor main work, but have been making plans ourselves in the meantime.  I am hoping that Daughter K is here this weekend for another load, so I have more room in the living room to move stuff from the kitchen.

If the weather is good today (it rained yesterday again), I will trim my lavender plants.  I'm hoping for a good harvest this year.

My siblings and I are pulling funds together to purchase a memorial flag for Dad. It will have his picture on it and will be displayed on a main street flag pole along, with other flags, at his hometown.  He now also has a Korean war veteran flag holder at his head stone at the cemetery.

Kitchen-ness and other ramblings

 

I spent the good half of the day yesterday in the kitchen.  I felt bad my husband had nothing to take to work for breakfast.

I made a sweet potato (organic hannah), bacon with greens hash, topped with eggs.  It was so good too.

I also made a pecan sour cream coffee cake with Georgia pecans.  Oh my goodness!  So good.  New recipe I tired.

Dinner was homemade meatballs with a sauce made from home canned barbeque sauce, garlic from the garden and a bit of honey, on a bed of wild rice.  I wanted broccoli in it, but that didn't happen.

Cleaning also resumed, after a mountain of dishes were done, and dishwasher ran two times.  It was a beautiful 60°F day, but too windy to enjoy the front porch.

The local professionals stopped in last night to take a look at our first project - kitchen floor/new joist/new sub floor.  They took measurements and asked questions.  The estimate will be emailed soon.  My husband is 99% sure we'll be doing it ourselves.  He is guessing they will come back with an estimate of $5,000.00 or more.

Today, to prepare for it, I need to box up everything that Daughter K left on one table, and box up what I pulled from the cupboard that will be donated.  I need to take the inserts out of the table that make it longer.  That will help make moving it to the living room easier.  Then I need to box up what's in the bottom of the hutch and move that out, then we will start on the counter and cupboards, then floor.

In the meantime, I've gotten a few suggested outlet locations for possible flooring, but Hubby is not too excited about running from place to place for prices and supply.  We are dealing with his work schedule with all of this too.