food & chit chat.

in an attempt to remain sheltered at home I put together a quick list of main meals to be consumed the next 20 days. our outside freezer, inside fridge and pantry, some creativity, and making food stretch went far to making this initial list. we eat two meals a day and maybe a very light snack in the evening. it's working well for us, is saving pennies, and we feel better at bedtime laying down without full stomachs. we do have a few restaurants open for curbside pickup. but we prefer making our own food in this time of uncertainty. once the shelter in place is lifted we venture out more. 

our tiny community is largely made up of retired folks calling this place home year round. by summer it buzzes with the vacation home crowd. but for now? a tiny population in a tiny community. our tiny market remains open and offers great choices though at a higher price than if we were to drive 30 minutes north for a "regular" market. depending on the day/week and what we need, we make the decision as to where to shop. we will be heading to the store tomorrow for necessary items, topping off (as Brenda calls it), and needed Rx at the pharmacy. other than that, we're home. plenty here to keep us busy. inside and out. speaking of Brenda, she's an excellent source for learning to deepen one's pantry. I encourage you to visit her pantry posts soon!

that said, here's my menu for the next 20 days..
mind you it's a start as I have more in the freezer.
thankful to have been of the mind to stock up a bit,
the list is compiled using foods I already have on hand.
I make my own bread and tortillas which is a $ saver for sure!

* 1 * pork chops & apples, green beans, sweet potato mash

* 2 * creamy ranch chicken & rice casserole, green beans

* 2 * tuna sandwiches with greens a'plenty

* 2 * spaghetti with meat sauce, broccoli, garlic toast

* 2 * quiche {veg & bacon}, leafy greens salad

* 5 * macaroni & cheese, broccoli

* 2 * Swedish meatballs, whipped potatoes, broccoli

* 2 * pizza & salad

* 1 * tacos and clementines

* 1 * burgers and salad


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my sewing machine is on the dining table..

* a couple days ago and I sewed closet curtains for the first guest room.
* today I upcycled a cashmere pullover sweater to a cardigan style.
just need to choose a button from my stash for the top of the sweater.
* I've hemmed and altered a few pair of pants.
* I stitched a lettuce bag. the tutorial on pinterest claims
that when using this bag the lettuce will remain crisp for well
past a week. so i'm trying it out and will report back.

we're still walking … when the weather agrees. it snowed again the past couple days but nothing like the storm that dumped 5 feet of white stuff a few weeks back. this afternoon into evening we're expecting heavy hail and thunder so we'll stick close to home. like.. inside. with the shutters open to watch the show. great entertainment. … golly - hoping my dear deer find a safe place to shelter!

a few embroidery projects are in the works:

* napkins with the words haven haus stitched on the corner portion.
* a curtain for the guest bath window .. nearly done with this one!
* upcycling two shirts - nearly completed with both.

the dear deer:

* I named one in the group (that increased in size from 7 to 8 recently).
he's teen age i'm thinking with training wheels on his beginner horns.
his name is Tommy. returning home from a walk he watched the hub
and I from the yard. he looks so sweet but we don't dare come too close
or attempt petting him or any others in his group. we keep a safe distance.

* yesterday the group was foraging in our yard while lo and behold
Tommy was looking in our window! he's a cheeky sort of guy i'm thinking!
I sure love these babies - don't think i'll ever tire of their "company."

* the group has a baby with the sweetest face. so darling.

* there's other wildlife here.. from very big teddy bears who cause great
destruction to trash cans when folks don't tend the cans properly, to very big
kitties who hunt for my babies. and the hubs reminded me there are
little black and white 'kitties' whose toots really stink! and skads of squirrels
and a ginormous murder of crows using our property as a meeting place.

* i'm downsizing a bit again. before we moved I went through every bit of the house
with the intent on only bringing a fraction of what we owned. well, that fraction is
being reduced further. this is the kind of math I love! while we won't have a "utilitarian"
style home .. it'll be even simpler in overall style. it's so easy to accumulate thinking
you "might need this someday" when you realize you haven't needed it in 7 years
so why continue holding on to it?! golly.

* it helps also that I watched a season of Hoarders::Buried Alive.
gracious sakes! I felt emotions of both empathy for their sad situations
with a parallel of horror for the same situation. i'm no hoarder but I sure
don't want to leave an unorganized mess for our trustee to sift through
when the time comes. so. reduce and organize! keep it simple sweetie.

* have you seen the movie Sanditon? Don't Bother!! an unfinished book
by Jane Austen was ruined in a vile way - on screen. absolutely horrid
in every sense of the word. I should have researched further rather than
assuming it'd be a lovely film series. ugh.

* we're on to watching the Foyle's War series for possibly the 5th or 6th time.

* who has seen the remake of Little Women? i'll research the reviews in hopes
it'll be a safe bet, unlike Sanditon. and i'd love your thoughts if you've seen the film.

* Amazon Prime and Netflix and our own dvd library round out our choices,
usually with good results. we play board games (sequence & dominos are favorites),
and read. lots. of. reading. lots. naps now and then too. and projects.

* working on the 55 boles aero trailer continues. when it warms up a bit I can
further spend time on treating the wood for an interior wall and cabinets. the hubs
installed the lower part of the kitchen and the wall separating the kitchen from
the potty room. it took seventy-two individual measurements to ensure the right
fit. he's a wiz at math and does some mighty fine woodworking. love that man!

* here's a practical tip in case you run out of the great commodity called TP:
clean out a condiment bottle and fill it with warm water
to use as a makeshift bidet. don't be cringing at the thought because it could
happen! best to make plans now than be caught without a TP roll. pity sake.
adding to this tip is an addition bit of wisdom from my friend Nancy who says, 
"I found that flannel sheet in 8"x10" squares works
best (this, after a few t-shirt and size trials). Folded flannel leaves your hands dry, 
and larger sheets do not pose the risk of getting caught in the washing machine 
mechanism. t-shirts tend to roll up in the dryer."

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practical thoughts from a gal on facebook I thought you might appreciate as well, 

or thoughtfully consider if the concept is new to you or seemingly foreign

for your personal character comfort. for myself? i'm finding this whole

sheltering in place an easy process... actually enriching on a deeper level. 

you may not find it so. you may be of the mind/personality/preference 

whereby having other people mingling about and doing things as a group

speaks deep and brings a sense of completeness to your soul. or somewhere

in the middle may be where you find the perfect balance. regardless of the

way you enjoy preferred contact with other humans, read on & think on ...

"It’s weird to me, this modern world. Everyone is complaining about not going out, social distancing, etc. We’ve forgotten the peace solitude brings. The joys of silence. I think everyone should know how to be alone so you learn who you really are. We aren’t made to be constantly stimulated. Take this time to sit in silence, evaluate, reflect and reminisce. Stop trying to be constantly distracted and entertained."

{skye clark}

until next time..

with love,

.sherry.