Naomi Shihab Nye Sunday

[helia]

Today: church at 10, hosting dinner for up to 11 people at 6. Dh invited RZ who is in town. He's having coffee with dh this afternoon. (He is our young Taiwanese friend who spends every Christmas with us - 2 weeks. It used to be 3 weeks, but dh eventually asked him to shorten his visits.) RZ has recently completed his PhD at Stanford and is likely wanting to get professional/ life advice from dh. I also need to go to WF - again. We are constantly running out of food items; it feels like we are regularly feeding the masses. LOL! I guess it was 5 people for dinner on Thursday - M has started joining us on Thursdays. 7 people last night. It will be 11 people tonight. Now, we are almost out of milk and eggs, thanks to the Dutch pancakes last night. Some payroll would be good, and maybe I'll channel Kitty and do some lists and thinking to set up my week better.

We had 7 people + 2 dogs here for dinner last night, so it was another social evening. There's a BBQ after church today, but I'm not sure we'll go. I need another big social meal like I need a bullet in my head. LOL! We learned about the BBQ last night, so it's not like we had a lot of time to plan around it.

Dh is out on his Sunday long run. He's still training for the annual Detroit half marathon in October.

Next:
- back exercises
- s2s and self care
- make the bed

Later:
- finish reclaiming the kitchen
- otd to church @ 9:50
- church
- lunch - or will we stay for the BBQ? (I'd prefer my quieter lower calorie lunch at home -- but we'll see what dh prefers.)
- payroll: start prep for D3
- payroll: update time sheet
- payroll: S7 collection bin
- try a longer walk - the bursitis is doing better
- WF -- I seem to be constantly running out of food items; it feels like we are regularly feeding the masses. I guess it was 5 people on Thursday - M has started joining us on Thursdays. 7 people last night. It will be 11 people tonight. Now, we are almost out of milk and eggs, thanks to the Dutch pancakes last night.
- help M heat up food for 11
- 6 dinner for 11 people: rotisserie chickens, bread, pizzas, Dutch cheese, fruit?
- after dinner clean up
- duolingo
- update WW
- update MFP
- lists in notebook for the week
- can I make a menu plan for the week?
- can I get to writing baby cards and wrapping baby gifts?

TaDas!
- up; weighed self
- coffee
- email deletions + weather website -- now, it looks very rainy next Saturday, the day we're going to spend up north with the girls

[FrenchFlybebe]

trissie you're allowed to do some autumn baking I'm not sure about the canners, a few year ago I looked for some and there were those ugly "granny-style" things with large flowers on them. Now I suppose with people being more interested in gardening, also families who want to "prepare" for any world-wide catastrophe and learn to be self-sufficient, well there must be a larger choice of appliances. I wonder about the electricity consumption too, because the jars have to stay at a high temperature for a specific time.

helia if the weather is nice you can have the shoes dry by tonight. Or if you have a hairdryer maybe, this can help. Good luck to your DH for his half-marathon training. Are Dutch pancakes what is sometimes called "Dutch baby" (like a pancake that is a bit puffy like a soufflé ?)

We decided to take both kids for a walk along our town, there is a path that goes all the way around, for 4 kms, we sometimes to a half-circle. I had prepared mashed sweet potatoes yesterday while baking the dinner quiches : after we walked / ran (DS8 and MrNG ran the second half) back I put frozen fish and a layer of the mash in the oven, and quickly cooked brocoli then put them to the oven with a bit of cream and breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Then DS10 asked about his projet-homework for the English class (making a nice first page for his notebook with symbols from the English-speaking countries), we printed the Statue of LIberty, a Canadian flag to colour, an English-style bus (he is right now coloring it in red) and the famous old photo of the Loch Ness monster, so he can finish his homework now by cutting and gluing it on his first page.
I said during lunch that I intended to have two hours undisturbed during the afternoon, and I am more or less enjoying some quiet, but DS10 is sometimes asking for advice about his collage and DS8 is listening to loud music, so it's not very quiet.

TADAs
lettuces didn't sprout, I will sow other seeds
bfast cleaned up
waterproof jacket cleaned, now drying, not sure it's perfectly clean
a walk together (a run for some)
prepared good food for lunch
cooked a few veggies ahead for lunchboxes
had lunch together
helped DS10 print UK and American symbols for his project
now trying to have some quiet

TODOs before tonight
update the weekly list
do things I want to do
do things from the list
prepare new list
find some quiet
shower, set things up for the week
vacuum both kids' bedrooms
prep dinner (hearts of palm in a salad with avocado, kiwi, tomatoes, and maybe tinned fish)
dinner, clean up
kids bedtime routine
my bedtime routine

[helia]

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
Sun 10 - church/ 6 - host dinner for up to 11 people

Mon 1:30 - 3:30 payroll: teach AIAS D3
Tue 9-12ish KS2J get together
Wed 1:30 - 3:30 payroll: teach AIAS D4
Thu 8 - WW/ 2-3 work out with AS/ PACK?
Fri 9:20 - 10:20 payroll: academic ci w/ AC/ 12-1 to go talk at CSS?/ 1:30 - 3:30 payroll: teach AIAS D5/ Travel up north
Sat go to the big dune (I probably can't hike up it)/ beach/ visit the charming town
Sun other sights/ Travel home/6 - host dinner for up to 10 people/ 8:15 family zoom

9.7 - 9.13 Dinner Menus
M - bbq at the girls; bring grilled zucchini
T - tamales, rice, leftover zucchini, leftover potatoes try new pasta with lentils recipe, steamed or roasted squash
W - new pasta recipe with lentils and kale, roasted or steamed broccoli
Th - K and SP cook: spaghetti with tomato sauce, green salad
F - OUT with S and K
Sat - Dutch pancakes, salad
Sun - host Sunday dinner for 10? rotisserie chicken, bread, cheese, pizzas

August Brain Dumps
This Week - House
- spend some time decluttering in MBR - need to do more

This Week - Deskwork
- Writing progress - wip
- figure out another knitting project - after our trip
- order baby gifts: dniece's 3rd baby + BD gift - baby I
- message for coffee dates: SS, JK,
- write baby cards: CM and M

This Week - Errands
- put baby gifts in the mail: CM and M
- oil change

General Brain Dump
- progress decluttering clothes - wip
- transfer info from old to new laptop (will require a trip to a specialist)
- new running shoes[/color]

[Harriet]

Hello everyone.

Working on getting the site back up.

One of our "guests" this morning was on the phone with me at the time. I said, "welcome" when he was checking around, lol.

Hopefully we will get some additional help in solving problems and be back to normal soon.

We are, of course, being backed up every day so we're not going to lose anything.

[Kittykatt]

Hello everyone! The system has finally let me on after telling me several times my password was incorrect (it wasn't!)

FFB, DS10's collage for his English homework sounds lovely -I particularly liked the red London Bus!

Helia, over here we traditionally used to stuff wet shoes with scrunched up newspaper to encourage them to dry more quickly .

Cheering you on with the Christmas cleaning, Trissie!

Harriet, thank you for all your efforts and perseverance to get this site up and working properly again. And for the reassurance the everything does get backed up.

Today's lunch menu was roast leg of lamb, roast potatoes, gravy, green beans and tenderstem broccoli, roasted carrots and courgettes,. followed by chocolate crème and cream. Freddie has had his walk, and I've folded and PA the clean towels and bed linen. I've also finally done the delicate wash, and that is hanging to dry. I would like to pot up some of the pansies, but it's looking rather overcast. I think I'll sit and digest lunch for a while amd then see.

[Kittykatt]

To do:
Cuddles and snack for Matilda, Jude and Freddie
QT
Update latest Waitrose order
Cup of tea
Get up!
Scrub out litter trays (DH)
Change sheets on bed
Shower/wash hair/moisturiser and sunblock/ clean and floss teeth
S/S bathroom
Physio exercises
Get dressed in smarter outfit
Give everyone fresh water
Cat breakfast and meds /supplements
Breakfast and meds /vitamins for me
Hang up sheets to dry
Quick kitchen clean up
Load DW
Quick PUPA downstairs
Quick dust and Hoover downstairs
OTD to church
Back home again, change back into casual clothes
Meat in oven
Put potatoes to roast
Put up my vitamins and supplements for the week
Weigh out Jude's and Matilda's dry food for the week
Quick PUPA upstairs
Fold laundry and PA
15 minutes in tiny front garden
15 minutes in back garden
Dish up lunch
Walk Freddie
Lap time with Freddie, Jude and Matilda
Head rubs with Freddie, Jude and Matilda
Play with Freddie, Jude, Matilda
Run DW when full
Unload DW
Post list with my plans for the week
Clothes laid out for tomorrow

Extras:
Delicate wash
Polish my bag
Can I plant some pansies?
[/quote]

[trissie]

I delved into the master bedroom closet while the teens were busy doing whatever it is they do behind closed doors of their bedroom, and DBD was crafting, helia, but I like the progress I made!
Harriet, we just have to be patient... and maybe spend the time by doing instead of posting about doing!
Frenchie, I looked at French amazon and either I used the wrong key words, or electric water bath canners are really not a thing in France! I did find some nice steel stovetop ones, though!
https://www.amazon.fr/inoxydable-l%C3%A ... 9GDC/?th=1
did you get a fresh lamb, kittykatt, or was it from frozen? I would imagine it's a bit late in season for fresh lamb meat?

TaDas
- 45 in master bedroom
- clean out downstairs storage and put away canner
- afternoon routine
- load of silk scarves running

ToDos
- dinner
- homework and backpacks
- 15 downstairs

Braindump
routines
- evening routine
food
- bake something sweet
- bake bread
- process grapes
organization
- DBD's speech therapy
- pay library fee renewal
- arrange for drop-off of old mattresses at the dump
- order new vacuum cleaner and cooker hood
- make apt - obgyn
- 15 on filing
- plan for September
- print materials for H&H plan
cleaning
- clean office
- spiff up twins' room (oversee it done)
- spiff up DS15's room (oversee it done)
- spiff up kitchen
- spiff up living room
- spiff up downstairs bathroom and hallways
- clean out / reorganize attic
- H&H plan - deep cleaning in office
- H&H plan - deep cleaning in master bedroom
- H&H plan - deep cleaning in master bathroom
laundry
- ironing
- folding
- mending
- laundry put away
garden and outside
- weeding in veggie garden
- weeding in front garden
- deadhead climbing roses
- pick up - front garden / porch
- pick up - backyard
- spiff up carpool
- spiff up garage
- reseed in veggie garden
me time
- 15 of exercise
- Bible study
- reading
- sewing?
[/quote]

[Kittykatt]

Trissie, the lamb was a fresh, boneless leg joint ( to be strictly accurate, it was part of a leg, not the whole thing.) It was in the "yellow label" reduced section in M& S Foodhall, so I snapped it up. It was quite a.small piece, so the two of us finished it all ( with a really tiny helping for Freddie! )

[helia]

The website now consistently says that my password is incorrect when I try to sign in via my personal google account. Once again, I'm using my work google account, and it's happier with the password. Strange.

Thank you for your help, Harriet.
I love lamb, Kitty! What an awesome menu! It's like a holiday menu to me - but maybe that's the point, making Sunday a day to celebrate! I'm very intrigued by your Sunday lunch tradition. SP stuffed her shoes with paper towels. Maybe a similar tactic?
WTG working in the MBR closet, trissie! It would take a good bit of courage for me to attempt that here.
Those are nice symbols for DS' collage, FFB. Is this DS10's first year studying English? Is it a subject all students in France study? Hoping you get some quiet time.

Home from church and working on lunch.

Dh invited RZ for dinner tonight. This morning, RZ texted dh to ask if he can invite a friend for dinner tonight. Ergh. This is not uncommon with him. . . That makes our dinner crew tonight 12 people. Because M takes the lead in heating up food (heat up - we have a tradition of no/ minimal cooking on Sunday, though sometimes M does cook. . .), we checked with her, and she said it was OK. 12 isn't that much different from 11. Dd30 might not join us anyway bc she's sick, potentially making the number 11. Either way, it looks like tonight is shaping up to be a busy social night. Not what I had wanted; hopefully, people won't stay too late.

[helia]

The website now consistently says that my password is incorrect when I try to sign in via my personal google account. Once again, I'm using my work google account, and it's happier with the password. Strange.

Lots and lots of 503 and Resource limit reached messages.

Thank you for your help, Harriet.
I love lamb, Kitty! What an awesome menu! It's like a holiday menu to me - but maybe that's the point, making Sunday a day to celebrate! I'm very intrigued by your Sunday lunch tradition. SP stuffed her shoes with paper towels. Maybe a similar tactic?
WTG working in the MBR closet, trissie! It would take a good bit of courage for me to attempt that here.
Those are nice symbols for DS' collage, FFB. Is this DS10's first year studying English? Is it a subject all students in France study? Hoping you get some quiet time. Oh, Dutch pancakes. No, they're not the puffy pancakes, though there are teeny tiny puffy pancakes called poffertjes. Dutch pancakes, pannekoeken, are large and very eggy, thinner than American pancakes but not as thin as a crepe. They are cooked stove top. They have various mix-ins, some of them savory, which the consumer gets to choose. Last night we got to choose between: ham, bacon, cheese, and apples. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pannenkoek

Home from church and working on lunch.

Dh invited RZ for dinner tonight. This morning, RZ texted dh to ask if he can invite a friend for dinner tonight. Ergh. This is not uncommon with him. . . That makes our dinner crew tonight 12 people. Because M takes the lead in heating up food (heat up - we have a tradition of no/ minimal cooking on Sunday, though sometimes M does cook. . .), we checked with her, and she said it was OK. 12 isn't that much different from 11. Dd30 might not join us anyway bc she's sick, potentially making the number 11. Either way, it looks like tonight is shaping up to be a busy social night. Not what I had wanted; hopefully, people won't stay too late.

Next:
- afater lunch clean up; run dw (we need all the dishes to host 12 people tonight)
- back exercises
- make the bed
- WF run

Later:
- payroll: start prep for D3
- payroll: update time sheet
- payroll: S7 collection bin
- try a longer walk - the bursitis is doing better
- WF -- I seem to be constantly running out of food items; it feels like we are regularly feeding the masses. I guess it was 5 people on Thursday - M has started joining us on Thursdays. 7 people last night. It will be 11-12 people tonight. Now, we are almost out of milk and eggs, thanks to the Dutch pancakes last night.
- help M heat up food for 11-12 people
- 6 dinner for 11-12 people: rotisserie chickens, bread, pizzas, Dutch cheese, fruit, rice, broccoli
- after dinner clean up
- duolingo
- update WW
- update MFP
- lists in notebook for the week
- can I make a menu plan for the week?
- can I get to writing baby cards and wrapping baby gifts?

TaDas!
- up; weighed self
- coffee
- email deletions + weather website -- now, it looks very rainy next Saturday, the day we're going to spend up north with the girls
- reclaimed kitchen
- s2s and self care
- church
- conversation with MM; she returned the cooler she borrowed from us; we decided not to attend the BBQ
- lunch