Back from ATL

Trip to Atlanta was fantastic.

Photos and more soon.

Stuff I gotta do

This weekend was busy, busy, busy.  Bike rides, reading, laundry.  I also went to Costco and did some cooking ahead. (Mexican Rice, Pulled Beef for Mexican meals, Raspberry Crumble, Chocolate Covered Strawberries).

Today I was tapped to go to Atlanta with the girl.  More on that later.

Unfortunately I seem to have come down with an ear infection.  If I'm not 100% better tomorrow morning I'll be heading to clinic.

I'm glad I did all that cooking ahead, as now my two men won't need to shop or cook while I'm out of town. I'm not nearly as caught up on housework as I want to be.  I really don't have time to be ill.

My to do list:
Laundry, including all school uniforms.
Cooking ahead until the weekend.
Write list of instructions for care and feeding of boy, pets and house for Hubby
Shop for pet food.
Clean guinea pig cages.
Pack.
Prepare lunches for bus trip.
Banking.
Pay bills.
Shake this ear infection!

I guess it will be left overs for dinner.

I got this hip thing going on.

It's not the fun meaning of hip.  When I gave birth to the girl I dislocated my hip.  Because I had an epidural the damage to the hip wasn't apparent until a few weeks later.  X-ray and MRI show the cartilage is damaged, thankfully not badly so.  The muscles and nerves in the region keep giving me no end of trouble.  Exercise and weight loss are the treatment however the more I exercise the more it hurts.  A careful balance between exercise and drugs are what works best for me.

Today drugs were required.

I had planned on going grocery shopping today but the idea of sitting in the car for even a few minutes wasn't something I could deal with.  Maybe I'll fix left-overs.  Maybe a pizza will be ordered.  The girl suggested pancakes for dinner, but I'm going to veto that idea, we had pancakes for breakfast yesterday.

I made fried eggs and toast for breakfast today.  I ended up making a pb&j for the girl, she couldn't stomach an egg and there had to be something in her tummy, quickly, so she wouldn't become ill from her medication.

Ramen for lunch today, I ate the kids' leftovers, additionally I had a handful of dried apricots.  Dried apricots are amazing.  They keep things moving, so to speak (necessary when you're taking pain-killers) and they have lots of iron.

Ah, the votes are in for dinner.  Pizza it is.

Goals!

I'd forgotten that one of today's goals was to publish my goals.

I'm starting small today, this list will be expanded upon.

1. Clear out the paperwork in the binder of hotness.  This includes doing stuff like moving the kids' bank accounts, closing out the safety deposit box in DC, and so forth.
2. File all the paperwork in the office.  Remember, even if done incorrectly it is still better than sitting in a pile.
3. Have the files and office supplies moved to the office unit.  Also have couch moved to office.
4. Purchase and install drapes in bedroom.
5. Purchase and install drapes in living room and dining room.
6. Replace furniture in living room.
7. Purchase and install curtains for porch.
8. Have entire house repainted.
9. Have porches stained.
10. Expansion on house (expand porch, install French doors upstairs and down, create sleep porch upstairs, install more faucets and electrical outlets outside, connect stairs from kitchen with open porch to covered porch).
11. Plan summer trips.
12. Connect with local home school groups.
13. Sign the boy up for local home school swim team.
14. Take one cooking class a month
15. Plan weekly menus
16. Find a way to make money while homeschooling boy and hauling girl to and from school 30+ minutes away.  In short, find a way to earn money while working my own hours at home.  Or on island.

That's it for now.

That's enough!!

I'm about read for spring break to be over

Past ready.

The girl had surgery a week ago.  She's on the mend but both she and Hubby have been ill and the boy has been Mr. Cranky-pants because I've not been able to give him my full attention.  Additionally it has been dark and dreary for the last ten days.

I won't complain, no way.  I know once we get back to school we have a six week schlog until summer break.  The boy has just about given up on school (his present situation is unhappy and we are already starting to home school).  Hubby is itching to get back to full health and back to daily work outs and lots of outdoor activities.  The girl goes with her class to Atlanta the day after she goes back to school and we are all concerned for her (will she be able to keep up with her classmate?  If not, what is to be done for her?)

I'm very ready to be done caring for invalids.  Yes, it's selfish of me, but I want to go out for dinner without having to ask for everything to be packed up to go because one of our family is too ill to sit though dinner.  I want to see a movie without having to race home in the middle because someone is too sick to sit though the show.

And so forth.

So, food today;

I made pancakes and boiled eggs for breakfast.
Ham and cheese for the boy for lunch.  Just cheese for the girl.  Just butter and toast for me.
I made chicken-apple sausages with hash-browns for dinner.
Ice cream for dessert.

You may have noticed that there has been a complete lack of fruit and veggies of late.  The girl can't swallow much and the boy won't eat most fruit or veggies, so I've backed off this week while I have two ill people at home.  Starting tomorrow we go back to 5 servings a day.

State of the Household

The Girl = very ill, indeed.  Fever, ear infection, reaction to medication, recovering from surgery.  She is bouncing back.
The Boy = slightly under the weather.  He's mostly wanting some of the attention I must direct to his sister.
Hubby = mostly ok.  After the major illness of last fall, any little thing lays him low.  He's feeling much better today than yesterday.
Mrs. SD2R = just a tad ill.  I seem to have gotten a minor fever, most likely from popping in and out of doctor's offices and pharmacies all week long.

Baking a potato, boiling an egg.

Seriously, how difficult can baking a potato or boiling an egg be?

Well, if you were raised by a critical, perfectionist parent, either item could be challenging.

I had a dear friend bust up laughing at me when I told her how much I love my egg boiler.  Yeah, I have an egg boiler.  This beauty has made my life so much easier.  Mornings are rushed here, I'm up at 530am, my kids are up at 610am and we are out the door by 705am.  My rice cooker (which makes great oatmeal), my egg poacher, my toaster and my quesadilla maker stand along side my egg boiler as part of my go-to of tools for breakfast.  I've used the egg boiler for so long now that I've forgotten how to properly boil an egg.  I just prick the eggs, add water, flip the switch and let the machine do the work while I shower or do yoga or walk the dog.  When the eggs are done it keeps them hot and ready for the kids when they come to table.

Baking potatoes.  I use the plain, old-fashioned oven for that.  I forget what temperature to set the oven each and every time.   *shrugs*  I'll set the oven to 350F, wash, prick and oil the 'taters and pop 'em in the oven, then run over to the computer to look up the correct temperature and cooking time.

My mother would laugh at me, were she alive today.

But then, she never had to juggle so much as I do.