Snippets of the weekend 3.20.2023

Friday I ran out to get flowers and made roasted corned beef & sauteed cabbage while MFD took care of the boiled veg. We did mostly nothing all night. Saturday we were out early for Pop's funeral. I cannot describe the minister who officiated - you truly had to be there, and she was perfect for our family. We were laughing like loons, there was snorting and almost peeing and guffawing. There were some tears too but laughter is surely preferred. After that and the burial and luncheon, I painted my nails, we watched The Breakfast Club, and I fell asleep for a bit. We went to a 50th birthday on Rich's side for a few hours and I fell out on the couch again at home. Sunday I read and picked up a few groceries for one million dollars, purged some clothes, listed some stuff on Poshmark, made soup from a hambone I had in the freezer and some dying veggies, cleaned up the main floor, did laundry, read, etc. 

weekending reels on Instagram 

Cancelled all of my original birthday weekend reservations and plans, but life is a series of adjustments, is it not? Some in your favor and some not LOL 

The things I keep

As you know if you are a regular reader, I'm big on purging and organizing, I often walk around the house giving possessions the side eye. Do we need you? Do we use you? Do we love you?

The other night as I was dusting the dining room, my eyes fell to a set of dishes in the china cabinet. I'm so used to them being there I don't give them a second thought. My Grandmom bought them for me a ways back in her retirement community's shop. She told me she thought of me when she saw them. I don't need them, use them, or love them. But I've kept them without once thinking about getting rid of them.

Why? I'm certainly not trying to summon her back from the dead and being ever the practical person, she would absolutely tell me to get rid of them. They weren't even hers, so they don't hold sentimental value for me. But I don't get rid of them. Just like I don't get rid of the afghans I don't use that my Mom Mom crocheted that sit in the basement in a picnic basket.

I often tell other people to get rid of things that don't serve them but I rarely mention that I keep some things that serve no purpose and that I don't love. I have an under the bed box that holds paper memories in the spare room and we have these things around the house that remind us of people who are no longer with us. I consider the sentimental stuff we own manageable. Everything has a spot and most of it is on display. It's not overtaking our home, stealing our air, or making us hoarders. I'm good with it. I just want to put it out there that I have this stuff too. Not everything has fallen victim to purging!

Might I someday get rid of this stuff? Sure. But that day is not today. 

What do you keep?

p.s. Every day is Earth Day, friends! Some things we do at our house to be more eco-minded: http://www.lifeaccordingtosteph.com/2012/04/green-machine.html 

 Linking up with Shanna for Random Wednesday

TWTW - the one with the Easter Bunny

Friday my office closed at 12:30. It was a joyous occasion. I celebrated by going to the hell that is Produce Junction on Good Friday and the gym. I made a quick dinner of baked salmon and salad, then hit Target. I couldn't resist the Buddha of course, but the reason I went was for this Bose wireless speaker. It's awesome.

Saturday Gus got me up at an unacceptable hour. I pissed the morning away shopping online and obsessively building my Spotify library. I just started using it Saturday and love it. The dogs also got gifts from Chewy.com - more to come on that.

Saturday afternoon I went to Fritz's Bakery and the fake Dollar Store (Family Dollar) before having Easter lunch with my grandparents and parents.

I didn't feel like cooking so we went to Sakura for hibachi after I subjected everyone to a family photo.

Saturday night we both did some work and I made some food for Easter. This photo of the dogs has nothing to do with either.

Sunday morning we slept in and ate a shit ton of sugar.

MFD went off to Mass and I laid my clothes out for the week and cleaned my makeup brushes.

I did no food prep this weekend aside from power breakfast muffins to freeze. If I'm hosting dinner and my fridge is full for that, I will typically use something from the freezer or do food prep on Monday night. This week's breakfasts are breakfast burritos from the freezer. Lunch is provided for me Monday and tonight I'll make my lunches for the rest of the week - baked chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, and steamed broccoli. Dinner is Easter leftovers and zucchini noodles with ground turkey and red sauce.

We took a long family walk and enjoyed the beautiful Easter weather.

Sunday afternoon Stephen, Aubrey, and Debbie joined us for dinner. On the menu: ham, double cheese scalloped potatoes (recipe coming soon), mashed sweet potatoes, steamed green beans, corn, steamed asparagus, deviled eggs, pickles, rolls.  Dessert was a trifle made by my Mom, cheesecake, and brownies from Fritz's. After dinner and dessert, MFD was the first to fall prey to the food coma. Stephen was close behind. The women remained at the table chit chatting. We made Peters wear her cataract glasses in our ladies shot. It was a good day! Lots of stuff coming up to be excited about.

Other weekend things:

-I finished my 40/40! I worked out for 40 minutes a day 45 out of 46 days. I feel good, I'm down about a size and a half, and I'm happy so I'm going to continue five days a week.
-Eva the Diva turned one on Sunday! I can't believe it's been a year since she exploded on the scene. I can't wait to celebrate her on Saturday at her Wonder Woman party!

Work has been really busy and I slowed my shit right down this weekend. It felt good.

What about you?

ATTENTION SHOW US YOUR BOOKS PEOPLE! I made a mistake a few weeks ago and announced tomorrow, April 7, as the link up day. The link up is actually Tuesday, April 14. It's always the second Tuesday of the month. Sorry! I hope to see a lot of you linking up next Tuesday.

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending

TWTW - last one in January

Friday night was gym, tanning, laundry - minus the tanning, of course. I also did some blogging. I eased into Saturday with magazines, nail painting, and quiet. I love how Mae presses her face right into Gus to sleep. Also, that candle holder? MFD hung it up a week ago. I've had it for over two years. No shit.

Saturday I ventured out into the frigid tundra to hit Pier One (I got my favorite ginger peach candles on clearance) and Target before my February spending freeze began. I also stopped to visit Gamma and Pop.

Saturday night we went to Lucy's surprise 60th at Cafe Michelangelo. Really good food and good times with Dad & Carol's framily as always.

Organizing: The top left is the before and the top right is the after of the big middle compartment of my dresser. I also organized my loose photos using organizers from The Container Store and my trusty label maker.

Weekly food prep: savory oatmeal for breakfasts, cucumbers/peppers/bananas/hard boiled eggs for snacks, stuffed pepper soup from the freezer for lunch, and oven baked fajitas and cucumber and tomato salad for a few nights of dinner. Other dinners will be turkey/spinach/cheese burgers and roasted sweet potatoes.

Sunday I lounged around, did some weights, change sheets, read a book, caught up on the DVR (CSI and How to Get Away With Murder) and made some food to snack on while watching commercials...I mean the Super Bowl: roasted red pepper hummus (served with cucumbers and peppers), oven baked chicken wings that I burnt to shit but were still edible, and pigs in a blanket, some with cheese.

I also took a page from Dawn at Life in the Sack's book and laid my clothes out for the week in one of the the spare bedrooms. Boom.

Fin.

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending