Saturday, how I love you so

I think that Saturday just might now be my favourite day of the week.  Most recently, it's become the day when I can get the ever infamous "big grocery trip" done and satisfy my need to have a full fridge, freezer, and stocked cupboards.  There's just something satisfying about planning out my menu for two weeks, checking the inventory, and making a list to fulfill the needs of the menu.  It's even more satisfying to be able to accomplish this and still have some money left over.  I have a tight budget and shop for my food with only cash.  It's not always easy.  This time, though, I was able to get my two week menu full, and feed ten people tomorrow night, all in that tight budget.  Awesome.

I started out the morning making up my menu and shopping list while the kids played and bickered and tried to mess up the living room.  We were on the road at 9AM sharp.  A little later than I'd have liked, but, I needed the time to finish my planning.  By 11AM, we had finished at two stores, doing the bulk of the shopping.  One thing the kids love to do is stop to see the lobsters when we are at Meijer, and our two hour trip included 10 minutes watching and talking to the lobsters.  The kids have no idea why there are live lobsters in the grocery store, and  I don't have the heart to break it to them.  I'm just glad that neither of them can read the sign that says, "We'll steam your lobster or shrimp for you while you shop....for FREE!".  Fred had a ball waving at the lobsters and talking to them through the glass.  Ethel, on the other hand, was quizzing me the whole time.  "Why do they have claws?  Why do they have rubber bands on their claws?  Why are the rubber bands all pink?  Why are the lobsters red?  Do they swim?  Do they fly?  Why?"  Then one lobster would climb over another one and Fred would squeal with excitement, "Whoa!  That one's crawling around, Mommy!!".  Shoppers pass us by, admiring the two little blondes, many of them smiling at me as they breeze along to get their groceries.  Their faces tell everything.  Some of the smiles say, "Oh, what darling children".  Some say, "I remember looking at the lobsters at the store when I was a kid".  And others, "Ya, she hasn't told them that those lobsters are for eating yet, that's so cute".  Still, others just show their abhorrence for the act of shopping for food, and they quick offer a smirk as they pass by because, let's be honest, who would be able to hold back a smile after seeing two little kids talking to the lobsters in the tank? 

I was about to complain about the cold spring weather.  Then I looked out my window.  You know what?  This ain't half bad.  It's not snowing (hope Mother Nature didn't hear that), the sun is out, it's not raining (today), and the bulbs are all peeking out and reaching for freedom above ground.  Soon the tulips and daffodils will be sprinkled about and the landscape around us will start to perk up with the colors of life.  The sun is already hanging out in the sky much longer than even a month ago.  Honestly, this is what I've been dreaming of since December.  No, late November.  And now it's on the horizon.  Aaaahhhh.....

Tonight we're going out to dinner with some new friends.  Our kids are all in the day care together, and this time we're getting together sans the baggage.  We're heading out to a local tapas restaurant.  I am really looking forward to some sangria!  On top of that, it will be nice to get to know the G's better by having time to actually talk, rather than talk over the kids or around their questions or their mischief.  Should be a fun night.

Tomorrow is the big day.  We welcome some of Daddy's family, whom we haven't seen in 7 1/2 years.  Recently reconnected by some unusual circumstances, Daddy is really excited to see his cousin, her three kids, and his uncle.  As an only child, Daddy doesn't have much family around, and I know that he is really excited to be reconnecting with this side of the family.  I don't know why, but I'm in competitive mode, hoping to impress them with my clean house, great food, good wine, and awesome kids.  Is that wrong?  I mean, I don't know why I'm so focused on this one night, this one dinner, this one experience.  I could have just added more fish to our normal Sunday night dinner of salmon, tuna steaks, or whatever fish I have found on sale.  Instead, I had to plan a meal, a meat and potatoes meal with substance and heart.  We're going to eat on Grandma's china, the grandma who was the glue of Daddy's family, and whose china we salvaged from a box destined for eBay.  Her loss is what created the divide in the family, as there was no longer the one place for everyone to gather, there was no longer that one woman who wanted her whole family together.  So they drifted.  They drifted in their own directions.  Tomorrow they will come together for the first time since Grandma's funeral.  It will be emotional, I'm sure, whether it is the elephant in the room or fills  tissues with tears.  I hope that whatever happens, everyone will leave our house tomorrow with bellies filled with food, and hearts filled with family.  That's one thing that Daddy has been missing, family.  I hope everyone stops drifting now, and drops their anchors near each other.  Even if the anchors are in the world of Facebook, e-mail, or phone calls, I hope that they remain close to each other.

I will leave this post on the subject of family, because I just received a call from family, about family.  My life has been my own for quite a long time, and it seems that a former loved one wants to come back and enter my world, or at least learn more about it.  I'm a little apprehensive about it, so that's all I'll say right now on that subject.  Suffice it to say, the theme of the weekend is quickly becoming "family".

Me time, week 9

The week started with a glimmer of spring.  Really it did.  You wouldn't know it today, though.  I sit here in my spot at Panera, overlooking snow covered grass, trees, and bushes.  What happened to warm temperatures, bright blue skies, and the sound of children finally escaping the confinement of winter?  Sadly, it's taken a break.

Last weekend we began our spring cleaning.  I made a list of things to do and we got one room mostly done.  We filed away the stacks of papers, sorted through over a year's worth of art projects from both kids, and purged lots of unnecessary paperwork.  I made folders for things in the file cabinets, and the desktop is now free from clutter and piles.  Part of what is going to help me with ADD is being free from clutter and distraction.  Making a place for everything from bills to art projects makes me feel so much better.  I don't feel as anxious when I enter the guest room where the computer is.  The room feels more functional and peaceful.  Our next step in that room is to minimize the desk and install shelving to house the computer, printer, and fun trinkets that we like to keep on display in there.  After a trip to the Container Store last weekend, I became inspired, and made a plan for the room.  Can't wait to get it going.

Today we'll tackle our bedroom.  They say your bedroom is your sanctuary and should be a place to find calm, quiet, and relaxation.  Right now, you can find dust, laundry, and more dust.  Today we will deconstruct the room and clean it from top to bottom.  I cannot wait to crawl into bed tonight in my clean, hopefully organized room.  I've toyed with posting pictures on HGTV.com Rate my Space but haven't done so yet. 

One thing that's bugging the bejeezus out of me right now is that our camera, our Canon Power Shot A590 IS won't keep a charge, or so it appears.  After replacing the coin battery and both AA's, it still won't power up, or it takes two pictures and tells me to change the batteries.  I JUST DID!!!!  Honestly, it's become my mission to fix this darn thing.  I know of a couple camera shops in the area, but, am determined to figure out the problem myself.  I did read online somewhere that there was a problem with the battery contacts which is prevalent with the A590 IS, but, only saw that once on a Q&A page.  Will be researching more today.

As everyone knows, it's March Madness.  Yes, our house is generally consumed this time of year with brackets, squares, and lots of quality time with CBS and CBSSports.com.  This year, Daddy and I didn't buy into any squares, but, we're crazy with our brackets.  My alma mater didn't make it to the Big Dance this year, unfortunately, so I was left to struggle with actually putting together a bracket based on season records and injury reports.  My current feeling on the tournament - who really cared about the Midwest region anyway, right?  Ya, Kansas and Georgetown stung me in one bracket.  That's alright, I have one bracket still alive and I hope the rest of round two today goes better for me than yesterday.  My saving grace is that I'm not alone.  Well, it doesn't make it all better, but, at least some of the experts went down with me. 

I'm feeling pretty good about things today.  I have some positive energy, I feel somewhat rested, and am looking forward to all things spring and summer.  I'm relaxed here in my spot at Panera, and am looking forward to tuna steaks for dinner.   Yum. 

I need to plan my menu for the next two weeks, to include dinner next Sunday for Daddy's family.  He has recently reconnected, after 7 years apart, with one of his cousins from his father's side.  It's been a long time since we've seen or talked with anyone from this side of Daddy's family, and he is very much looking forward to it.  Cousin #1 will be coming with her three children and her father, Daddy's uncle.  My plan is to clean my house top to bottom and wow their pants off.  I love to entertain, so I'm going to try to plan a meal that will bring the house down.  Need to think about appetizers and wine, and of course a yummy dessert.  Gonna take some thinkin', I think!

I guess Mother Nature has a plan for us.  I guess I should take the cold and snow as my clue to get working inside so I can sooner enjoy the outside.  When I think about it, that's just what I'm doing for ME.  I'm working on the inside of me so that I can enjoy all of what is around me.  My husband, my kids, my home, my friends, my world.  Funny how things all seem to work together.

Musings of the morning

I couldn't help but take note of a couple things this morning.

Fred has been waking at 5AM for the past couple of months.  The time change looked like it might be a glimmer of  hope, allowing us to see 6 on the clock instead of 5.  It was.  For three days.  Sigh.  Today, he gave me until 6:10AM!  He still accepted my instructions to turn on his light and play with his cars and trains in his room.  It's nice that he'll do this, although with his room next to ours, and with him being three, "quiet" is a relative term.  Still, it's so much fun to listen to him use different voices for his cars as they vroom, go over bridges, and race against each other as they have different adventures in his room.  It is kind of fun, at the right hour.

This morning I decided to get up about 6:30 and quietly get my coffee so I could have some Mommy time before the morning's madness begins.  The weather this week has been balmy, even by Chicago standards, with temperatures between the mid 50's and upper 60's.  We've played outside, gotten out the kids' bikes, and drawn with chalk on the driveway.  The kids have loved seeing the birds and hearing their chirps and calls.  It's nice to wake up and hear their familiar melodies and know that their appearance is a true sign that spring is near.

So as I rose from my bed, I noticed the roof on the next door neighbor's house appeared white.  Hm, the forecast did say rain, sleet, and possible snow by tomorrow, but I did not expect to wake up to a winter wonderland today!!   

As I type, there is wind howling, snow falling, and it looks more like December outside than March, let alone the first day of spring!

So, welcome spring time.  Happy first day of spring.  Today I'm listening to the sounds of my son and his cars and trains rather than the birds in the trees.  I hear the sound of snow and sleet pelting the windows, rather than people outside enjoying a morning walk or tending their gardens and catching up on the weeks' happenings.  I guess it's not so bad, though.  March Madness is here, and we have games to watch and teams to cheer for.  We have closets to clean, rooms to organize, and spring cleaning to do.

I guess being inside this weekend won't be so bad after all.  Perhaps this is Mother Nature's warning to us to finish our business inside so that we can enjoy her magic outside when the time finally comes.

Welcome, spring.

Spring fever!!

Seems everyone is in the spirit with spring looming large. The snow is finally melted, the tulips are reaching for the sun, and the birds are singing. The weather is on and off, but, the kids are thrilled to have more than a few short minutes to spend outside a few times during the week. The neighbors have all reappeared and it feels so good to reconnect. You don't realize just how much you hibernate until spring arrives. Winter seems so long, dreary, and isolating. Spring, then, feels so freeing, so liberating, and so beautiful.

The kids and I decided last week that it was time to start planting some seeds which would eventually be transplanted outside. Ethel got a very cool set for Christmas, and has been chomping at the bit to open it up. Containing basil, zinnia, and sunflower seeds, I couldn't wait, either! Two weeks ago we followed the directions carefully, and Ethel has reminded me daily to check our seeds. The kids were soooo excited when they finally saw sprouts!

Here are our seedlings today:

Left to right: zinnia, sunflowers, basil

Today we decided to plant some other seeds, some of which we also planted last year. To assist our seeds, I went to the back yard and opened up the composter. Yes, I compost. Year 'round. Last year I got a healthy bit of black gold, but this year I've hit the mother lode! I have an Earth Machine, and this will mark my second spring with it. I started my composting in the summer of 2008, rather unsure of how I'd do with it. I had the same fears that many have; will it smell; will it attract unsavories; will it work? The answers - no - no - YES!

Earth Machine

I add all my kitchen scraps to this thing, from tea bags, coffee grounds, egg shells and banana peels. I keep a plastic coffee 'can' on my kitchen counter next to the sink, and when it's full I take it to the Machine and dump it in (as long as I can get to it, and it's not blocked or covered by snow). On weekends when I can maintain it, I add grass clippings, leaves, newspaper, and other brown matter as needed. In the spring and fall I add soil from the very back of the lot, as it's wet soil that is rich in nutrients itself, and very helpful to the compost. I try to remember to turn it several times throughout the warmer seasons (basically the summer). This really just entails a shovel and garden pick, and moving it around inside the Machine.

When I opened the trap door (which you can see at the bottom of the Machine) this morning, I found nice, healthy, black compost. I looks like dirt, is moist like mud, and is filled with good sized worms. Yes, my worms are alive and well in the Machine! I'm so thrilled. Seriously. Ethel was equally excited that we have so many worms, as she's a big worm lover. Eew. OK, I digress.

So I opted this morning to add my compost to our seed starter potting soil for our yellow and red tomato, green pepper, clover, and some seeds which Ethel got in a Valentine this year. I don't know what kind of seeds this small wonder contained, but it was very cool. I haven't been able to find anything like it on the web, and didn't get a pic before we planted it. Basically, it's a small piece of biodegradable paper with seeds pressed into it, which you soak in water, then plant directly in soil. It's so cool! I think it's a wild flower mix, but, will reserve further comment until we see some sprouts.

We took an old egg carton (luckily I'd used all the eggs just last night) and two cups from the House of Evil (Chuck E Cheese). The cups have two nice holes in the bottom for optimal drainage. I'm quite miffed with my camera at the moment, as it seems to be having issues keeping the batteries charged, so I had to settle with only getting pictures of the planted seeds, rather than documenting the whole process as I'd hoped to. The kids looked so cute in their pint-sized garden gloves. Again, I digress.

When all was said and done, we planted our seeds in our desired containers, and the kids have checked on them three times today already. We set them on a large table where I have my African Violets, as it gets full Eastern exposure, and is in our living room which is bright and sunny all day (windows on the East, South, and West in this room).

Here is our little garden-to-be:

I'm really excited that we got to plant our seeds. We have some plans for where to put our plantings when they're strong enough, and the weather is good enough, for us to plant them outside. Our sunflowers last year were taller than Daddy, and the blooms almost as big as Ethel's head! I know Fred and Ethel, my two young gardeners, will remind me often enough to water them and nurture them to maturity.

Yeah for spring!