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).

Trim is getting a new look!

 

My current project.  Painting all the trim in the kitchen white.  The trim at the ceiling will also be painted white.  It will be nice and bright in there.  The dark wood color needed to go.  I wasn't even thinking of doing it, until I painted my desk drawers/cabinets in that corner.  I'll have an update on that later after the paint dries.  The trim painting was my husband's idea.  I do think it looks much better, but man that edging stuff is for the birds.

I had to take those photos on my cell phone.  It's been so dark and dreary outside, and thunderstorms tomorrow.  When the sun is shining I will take better photos.

I picked more asparagus yesterday, and hope to get more after today's rain.

Question.  Does anyone have a Meyer Lemon tree they can save me a seed from?  I priced the trees at the green house and wow!  I would rather grow my own.

I somehow killed my aloe plant, but have a family member willing to donate me a start from hers.  I am just waiting for a safe place to put it, considering I feel the entire house is under construction, and Mom's plants are on the floor of my bedroom (where they, for now, get the best sunlight).

I love my husband, but now he's hinting that he and his crew want breakfast this weekend.  Sigh.  I will have to think on that for now.

My new dishwasher magnet.  The men we hired to do the flooring put a scratch on it, so now this covers it.  I ordered it off of Etsy.

Happy Homemaker Monday

Sunday was my husband's only day off during last week, and I had a "honey-do" list for him (but not a long one).  I had things I needed help with to move forward on the kitchen.

We had plans for the day, and waiting until noon for a family member (his side) to pick up the free futon Daughter K left behind.  He was a no-show.  So frustrating with these young kids thinking they have all the time in the world, when we specifically said free and "must be picked up by noon."

We still got our motorcycle ride in, but the futon remains in my living room.  Anyway, painting resumes today.  I keep finding more things I need to do. 

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather . . .

63°/51°  A good day to wash bed quilts and dry them outside

As I look outside my window . . .

Our mower guy mowed, so it is looking nice.  I have more to clean off the front porch however. I just may do that and put the futon there (or by the road for free).

Right now I am . . .

Up at 5:34am.  I was up earlier, but not up early enough to kiss my husband before he left for work.

Thinking and pondering . . .

Well, we contacted the antique store in the "big city" and one of the owners is in the hospital, so the furniture is still not sold.  I have an entire kitchen floor filled with more boxes, and the plan was to offer it to the antique dealer.  Now, it's on hold until I find a suitable home.

How I am feeling . . . 

...a mix of feelings ha ha!  Tired, as I am trying to get on my husband's schedule, very happy for the progress we are making with the kitchen, and frustrated with the sale of furniture, sale of my antiques, and frustrated with getting rid of the futon.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Leftover French toast, sausage and scrambled eggs.  Oh, and organic coffee of course.

On the reading pile . . .

Still haven't finished my current book.

On my TV this week . . .

Anything interesting.

On the menu . . .

-leftovers tonight

-have no idea until I check the freezer.

Looking around the house . . .

I have a lot to do to get the living room ready to tear out carpet.

Homemaking tip . . .

I have the weirdest kitchen cabinet set up.  The people who owned a home selling business, put in a random used set of cabinets.  In the beginning the upper and lower were two different colors.  My larger cabinet I keep baking sheets, cooling racks, cutting board in, has no shelf.  I have been great at organizing it vs. put in a pull out shelf due to the amount of bowls and strainers I use during garden harvest months.  I purchased a corner shelf to hold extra strainers.

To make a sturdy shelf, I cut a dollar tree placemat to fit.  Now the bottom legs of the strainers won't get caught in the wire shelf itself.

The to-do list . . .

-finish painting the kitchen desk cabinets

-touch up paint on the front door

-paint onion/garlic bin

-start painting the floor trim so we can finally get it back where it belongs (the floor guys never put it back)

-clean master bath

-purge master bath cabinets

-slow purge the garage (when I go out there for something, I pick something we don't use anymore and find a new home for it)

From the camera . . .

I have nothing today.

Prayers . . .

No special requests right now.

Breakfast for the work crew and ramblings on the kitchen

 

My husband requested I make all of this.  Not my favorite for a breakfast (not the pie), but the crew at his work loves it - chorizo and egg burritos.  I also sent refried beans for anyone not wanting the meat.  I made the pineapple pie per his request, as his new boss (his new position) has never had a pineapple pie.  Yes, I cheated and bought the crust, but I'm limited to time.

I pulled 3 drawers from the desk area in the kitchen.  They are now painted, but I still have to paint the other cabinet.  I hope to get you updated photos soon.  The hutch is in my way in getting the other cabinet painted, so it may be a Sunday job, when I have help to move it. My husband didn't know I was going to do that (paint was purchased for the inside of the front door). He was very happy with it when he saw it.  The darker wood just felt so drably in the kitchen.  I also plan to paint the small wooden stand that holds my onions and garlic.

Daughter K left a futon behind.  A family member is taking it tomorrow.  One more thing purged.  I still need to create a free space upstairs for the treadmill.  It folds up and we can take the handles off to get it upstairs.  I'm anxious to get the living room started.  Garden season is coming very quickly.

I have only had time to clean the cubbies in one kitchen cabinet.  I'm trying to concentrate on the desk area, so I can get the computer back where it needs to be.  Once the living room project starts, I won't be able to get into, what I call, my writing room.

Most days are like this.  Literally, and that is not even putting clothes on the line, because today will be the first day to be able to do that.

The purge is the word. . .

The purge continues.  I took an entire truck load to a place that is a thrift store, where their sales help area businesses.  However, my kitchen has another full (maybe more) load to go.  I'm not sure they'll take another load.

I also have a futon that Daughter K left that is going on social media today for free.

I picked up paint swatches and got the okay from my husband.  Living room painting is on hold for now, but getting ideas.  

Three pieces of furniture were put on facebook marketplace, and what a pain it is to deal with.  There are so many scams right now it's not even funny.  

After 4 days of my husband attempting to set the brew time on the coffee pot, I figured it out yesterday.  It now brews for him at 4:20am.  We are both still not liking the new schedule.

If the pie safe does not sell, we have plans to rip the screen out and put in something else to keep the dust out.  I am getting the most interest with that piece however.

I joined an online area garage sale page on social media.  The furniture has been shared there as well, but nothing so far.  No one has the money to buy right now, and we can't afford to just give it away either.  It's all just frustrating, but I do not lack work to do in the house, and I'm getting worried about the time I'll need for the garden this year.

On top of that, my husband is asking me to cook up 2 dozen eggs and meat for him to take to work tomorrow for his crew.  Ugh.  He says he's doing it himself, but I'm pretty sure he knows that I know he does not have time for that.  I guess we'll see if it happens.

Progress

I am still cleaning and purging.  I got all the painting done on one side of the kitchen, and trim is next.  I cleaned the window wood work and put the curtains back up.

I felt like once I was done, I wasn't done.  I always seem to find more that has to be done.  We are so pleased with the progress however.

My daughter K left an entire set of baking dishes of my Mom's.  She said she had zero room in her apartment.  So....I've inherited those and have a place to put them, but that also means purging my old ones.  Mom's are prettier anyway.

My new salt and pepper shakers. 

We decided that if the three pieces of furniture do not sell, we have other plans for them.  We'll see.  The used furniture store is unable to buy them right now (her partner in the business passed away).  My husband used to work with her, and we knew she would be fair, but that didn't happen.  Selling on marketplace is so frustrating.  So many scams to deal with, and people wanting to pay with phone apps.  If anything, I located a consignment shop, but they want 50% of what it sells for.  I can't believe that amount!  Times have changed for sure.

Speaking of "times" our favorite local place to get a good burger stopped selling all food at their bar.  Due to lack of employees they had to go that route.  It's so sad, and yet that same town is trying to build a Culvers there.  I can't see that happening right now.

The weather is warming up again, so I am hoping for new shoots of asparagus, and beautiful, fragrant lilac blooms.  It won't be long now, for my clothesline to be in full swing.  I have a bed quilt I want to wash and dry outside.

Daughter E reminded me to take time out of the day for myself.  I realized I haven't made time to crochet/read/write or anything for "me" time.  Sticky notes are very much needed right now in all this craziness.

On a good note, we have wood cut and ready to split, to get ahead on next year.  It is too dangerous to clean our own chimney, so that's on the list, and I've already received a discount from our current resource.  I'm just nervous to find out yet what the price is this year.  Everything, and mean everything has gone way up.