Sam Squared

       A random unorganized pantry shelf.      I'm on a roll blogging this week, pure avoidance of housework mode. I am caught up on laundry but thats the only thing I can claim I'm on top of. Cheryl posted a challenge the other day and as I'm a list maker anyway, it got my brain churning. I'm paraphrasing but it was how long could you go without need to go grocery shopping. I think I could easily go two weeks with nothing unique with basics on hand but beyond things will get interesting,  as you start seeing below. Carbohydrates wouldn't be an issue but fruit, veg, and dairy would be lacking pretty quick.      This is what I came up with as of Tuesday April 7th,  the day of her post. For simplicity I'm repeating after the other if I'd make more than once. This doesn't include leftover nights though leftovers are mostly need for lunches. I've also not added breakfast items like oatmeal cereal and muffins I could make. Turkey m...

      It was a wet, cold, dreary Easter weekend, but Sunday had some spots of warmth and sun before sprinkles and gray skies returned. I think the weather is breaking nice again by weeks end, but yesterday was biting cold despite the sunshine.  As I've never been a fan of Tuesday's, I've been using them to try and recap anything positive, joyful, or smile worthy to try and lighten up my Tuesday moods. First the big news I've been dropping hints about. Meet Little Mister, my son's new companion for Little Miss. He's a handsome young man of just over 5 months. She loves when my daughters cats are here, almost grieves when they go home. He felt she really needed a permanent partner in crime. Sigh! At some point all three will leave my house, but I get to love on him too in the meantime. It's been a bit of an adjustment for the older girl but he's very inquisitive and loving. I don't think pup has figured out there's two cats  here. We'll get him...

I should get some seeds started this month.      You'd think I didn't have four trips in the last year the way I'm coming across as obsessing about no travel in the forseeable future. I just can't leave pup longer than an evening and only when my daughter is available. (Long story short, son cannot do needles). Really though, I know that FOMO feeling is going to hit when my sisters, friends, mere aquaintences take to the roads, sky, and seas. That's how I ended up booking my trip to Greece last July in the middle of the night- and pups meds for the year will cost more than that trip. To combat this, I'm going to intentionally outline my calendar and if there are bare weeks, find local fun to fill the gaps. I'm doing this under the overarching topic, Embracing Homelife.      Here's how April looks right now. It's a bit light on weekends but that leaves room for flexibility or just downtime for home projects the last two weekends since the week between...

                                              For my Friday posts, I copy the previous week, delete the old and update as I go along the week. This helps me add as the week goes on. Here's my recap of Friday, March 27 to Thursday, April 2. I just sort of list things as they come up, then edit before publishing.  Use it Up/Avoid Waste  I had an obscene amount of cleaning supply containers under the sink discovered when prepping for the water filtration install. I organized on a shelf in the garage to use up as the small amount that I'll store under the sink get used up. I lost 2/3rds the storage space. It was darn right chilly on Wednesday and I wasn't feeling coffee or tea in the afternoon.  I scrounged the last packet in my miscellaneous hot beverage packet bowl (probably well beyond date on package) of a cinnamon hot chocolate.  I'm happy to say t...

      The weather has been true to Minnesota with 20°+ daytime high differentials, frost on cars and risk of sunburn in the afternoon on the same day. As I've never been a fan of Tuesday's,  I've been using them to try and recap anything positive, joyful, or smile worthy to try and lighten up my Tuesday moods. Pup is doing so well after last weeks scare. He's been very good about his meds including the twice daily shots. He hasn't had an accident since Friday.  March is done today and a fresh new month starts tomorrow.  It was definitely a month of highs and lows. I'm looking forward to April showers as that will mean the remains of the crappy winter can get washed away truly making way for growth. I'm not looking forward to the possibility of snow on Easter Sunday. I think long time blog readers know I'm a sports fan, basketball being a favorite as I both played and coached in younger years. I've thoroughly enjoyed the NCAA tournament, aka March Mad...

    Funny candle in my photos from a past day trip. I think I bought for one of my sisters.      I've been all systems go the last 30 months. I dove into major house projects like two bathrooms, the deck removal and patio pour, the fence, updating fireplace unit and now the water system. I've travelled as much, work trips aside, in this time period as I have in the five years preceding. Due to pups needs, the state of the world, the economy, and my own physical and mental bandwidth, I am on a much needed pause. I need to focus on day to day basics instead of the next big thing.       My daughter had a couple unexpected shoots on Saturday and needed help at her house with her dog. It gave me time to hang out, take him on walks and play, and do some thinking where I want to invest time, energy, and resources now and short-term future, now that it's been a full year retired. House spring clean: Purge, organize, and clean needs to be my full time...