These Past Few Weeks....

August 1 - raining outside - I got to play with Evan this AM.  He's been ill although he is a lot better. and Lynne and Nathan are doing great too!  I've been babysitting off and on this summer - and probably will continue which is great!  Equally fun is seeing how much Evan is learning (he knows "Twinkle, twinkle little star" - sang it in his sleep for his mom at 4 AM this morning!"  He also knows how to count to 10 - IN ORDER! and can say MOST of his ABCs - and is hilarious when it comes to sounding the letters!)  He is also a little chatterbox and definitely knows his own mind!  Not bad for an almost 2 year old!!!

I also talk to Wendy almost every day - and she and I still quilt together on Skype!  She is still having problems with her Chronic Fatigue syndrome - but I think she is a LOT better than she was!  At least she is able to move around more and do more before the waves of fatigue swamp her and she almost keels over!  This is something I definitely understand - and just wish there was something I could do. Vince is doing great - and working at Wal-Mart this year in the automotive department - which is NOT easy, trust me on that!  I still want to find a way to go up there for a visit!

I had PLANNED to work in the garden for about an  hour and harvest lots of veggies!  Yup - that's what I planned to do!  Can't do it now!  Not only because I might dissolve (yeah - right!), but because wet and super humid weather can cause transmission of plant diseases from one plant to another when a person (or animal - but then I can't stop animals!), but I CAN stop me from making matters worse - a LOT worse!  And trust me, nothing like seeing a beautiful squash plant go bad overnight!  Or watch the beans which have barely come in, develop bean rust, or peppers turn to mush!  Ugh!  So I stay OUT of the garden when it is raining or wet!

Garden - this year instead of doing this at MY house (TOO much shade, lousy soil, too much shade, not enough stretching out room, lousy soil - and, oh yes - too much shade!) where my harvest dwindled to "oh really, did I indeed plant ANYTHING" to my son Nathan's yard where, with the STRONG  HELP of alpaca poop (takes care of the lousy soil problem hereabouts!), it is now - OMG the beans, peppers, eggplant, lettuce are throwing a party and we're all invited!  I have a  8 - 10' bed for green beans.  This past weekend I froze, dehydrated well over 1.5 bushel of green beans.  Lettuce - good thing I found a recipe for braised lettuce (Romaine is best for this!) - and dehydrated (after eating salad until it was coming out of my ears, trying out the braised lettuce which isn't my favorite - BUT it is still all good) almost a halfbushel of this.  This from 3 4 foot rows of seed (planted too thickly, I admit) of lettuce.  Turnips have been great!  As have cucumbers (half bushel so far - 1 plant!!!)  And the 1 Zucchini plant and 1 yellow straightneck plant - have outdone themselves.  I'm STILL dehydrating zucchini - this week - I think I will grate for future cakes.  I already have LOTS of dehydrated slabs for rollups, zucchini lasagne, etc. and will want more of the "Zoodles- (Zucchini sliced lengthwise and then like french fries - for noodles, although I KNOW they also make great zucchini french fries like that as well!  I haven't even gotten to the zucc. pickles yet - which I will probably make from some more of the slabs - sort of like I did with the cucumbers!

This coming week hopefully will also see my early potatoes come out (vines are dead/dying - it's time!), more eggplant (yum! already looking up recipes and think I will dehydrate for trying with Indian foods as well!), harvesting 1 or more of the pepper plants instead of waiting until they are all red - or gold - whichever!

LOL - on the other side of the coin - my peas finally came in - so far I've harvested ONE pea pod!  lol And I'm not sure whether they will do anything this late in the year.  Whatever critter (deer?) munched on them - I hope they gave him/her a bellyache!  Melons are still hanging in there - and just not doing a lot of much - YET!  tomatoes - ummm - a whole other story!  NEXT year - garden will be extended 1 - 2 beds more - and 1 will be ONLY tomatoes.  This year - I believed the advice that I could plant 2 plants 18" apart.  Well - that could have been true - BUT I definitely need better support than those blasted cages (which make great support for green peas, btw!)  I had 2 plants 18-24 inches apart all the way through.  Foliage was unbelievable.  Tomatoes WOULD have been unbelievable!  and then all the wire supports collapsed on each other - and I had to bite the bullet and go in and Prune the tomatoes so that I would get ANYTHING!  As it is - except for probably fresh eating, I'm going to buy in what I need - and hope I learned my lesson.  WOOD supports - 3 FEET apart with one plant per support.  No more of this 18 inch jazz!

So - this has been the major focus for a while - and will probably continue to be so for a bit!  Meanwhile - during the heat of the day and after my shower, I have been piecing and quilting up a storm.  STILL haven't gotten pix taken although I did find my camera!  Need to work on that!

Also have been trying to study in whatever non-spare moments I have - this is a great way for those of us who like to procrastinate from cleaning house! Although I AM trying to keep the apartment at least almost reasonably decent.  Almost.

Monday's child - 06-27-16

GO AND DO
Post office
GARDEN - M, T, W, R, F
Visit and babysit with Evan - Thursday - 2 hours

ROUTINES

Home:

• Make Your Bed (Do this as soon as you get up.)
• Get Dressed Down to Your Shoes
• Swish and Swipe
• Start Your Laundry
• Decide on Dinner
• Check Your Calendar
• Start the Day off with a Shiny Sink. Don’t leave the breakfast dishes sitting.

School:

• Keep track of time!!!
• Check into some summer activities and make a plan to do some of them.

 Afternoon Routine:

• Eat Lunch
• Clear off One Hot Spot
• Reboot the Laundry
• Declutter for 15 Minutes (Be sure to have your children declutter, too.)
• Drink Your Water

Before Bed: (This starts right after dinner.)

• Check the Calendar for Tomorrow
• Lay out Your Clothes for Tomorrow (Have your children lay their clothes out, too.)
• Put things at your launch pad
• Shine Your Sink
• Clean Off a Hot Spot
• Go to Bed at Decent Hour

HOUSE

• Zone 5: 
• Living Room
• Super Fling Boogie - Missions 27-30
• Zone
• WHB
• Study
• Super Fling Boogie - Missions 27-30
• Zone
• WHB
• Paperwork - 
• M, 

GARDEN - M,

• Plant
• Sweet corn (1/2)
• Roots like turnips, beets, kohlrabi
• Coles (probably have to buy in seed)
• Weed garden
• Water garden
• Harvest - daily - at least 1-2 lettuce
• garden tools - clean and mend

MENU

MONDAY
B:Cracked wheat, brown sugar, yogurt, coffee,  milk
L:Super salad, milk, apple
D:Mexican stuffed pita with turkey and salsa, salad, coffee

S:Fruit, milk

KITCHEN

• Spark People
• Keep track online.
• 1500 calorie/day max
• Start again with Realistic Challenges and New Member challenge
• Breads
• whole wheat bread - Monday
• Pita - Monday (and freeze)
• Soups - make for Tuesday
• Green Bean soup
• Salad in a jar
• tossed salad, super salad
• Refrig clean out

EDUCATION

• EXERCISE
• Yoga - routines 3 (alternate over 3 days)
• Strength - core (alternate and paired up with yoga routine)
• Cardiovascular - housework, gardening
• RUSSIAN - M - Review; 27, 
• MATH
• Algebra - M, - to L 5
• MUSIC
• Rachmaninoff - M,  - Section 1 - timing
• RELIGION
• Hebrew - M
• EARTH
• Pre- Camb - M (EH)
• HANDWRITING - M.(14)
• CREATIVE WRITING - M,(3-13 to Day 9)
• ART - M, W, F (L4)

QUILT

• TAKE PICTURES and post them!!!!
• STASH REPORT (Sunday)  catch up year's amount
• DESIGN WALL (Monday) Take pix of all projects since beginning of year

• BINDING - 
• Baby quilt

• Orange Crush - 
•  Currently ready for the pieced border!!!! It is a quilt along with Wendy! 
• Four Patch Re-Visited - LE until end of June

Goals for WB 06-26-16 - Sunday

GO AND DO
Post office
GARDEN - M, T, W, R, F
Visit and babysit with Evan - Thursday - 2 hours

ROUTINES

Home:

• Make Your Bed (Do this as soon as you get up.)
• Get Dressed Down to Your Shoes
• Swish and Swipe
• Start Your Laundry
• Decide on Dinner
• Check Your Calendar
• Start the Day off with a Shiny Sink. Don’t leave the breakfast dishes sitting.

School:

• Keep track of time!!!
• Check into some summer activities and make a plan to do some of them.

 Afternoon Routine:

• Eat Lunch
• Clear off One Hot Spot
• Reboot the Laundry
• Declutter for 15 Minutes (Be sure to have your children declutter, too.)
• Drink Your Water

Before Bed: (This starts right after dinner.)

• Check the Calendar for Tomorrow
• Lay out Your Clothes for Tomorrow (Have your children lay their clothes out, too.)
• Put things at your launch pad
• Shine Your Sink
• Clean Off a Hot Spot
• Go to Bed at Decent Hour

HOUSE

• Zone 1 - (Monday)
• Zone
• WHB
• Zone 2 - (Tuesday)
• Kitchen
• WHB
• Zone 3 - 
• Bath - (Wednesday)
• WHB
• Laundry Room - (Wednesday)
• WHB
• Sewing room - (Thursday)
• WHB
• Zone 4 - My room - (Friday)
• WHB
• Zone 5: 
• Living Room
• Super Fling Boogie - Missions 27-30
• Zone
• WHB
• Study
• Super Fling Boogie - Missions 27-30
• Zone
• WHB
• Paperwork - 
• M, W, F

GARDEN - M, W, F

• Plant
• Sweet corn (1/2)
• Roots like turnips, beets, kohlrabi
• Coles (probably have to buy in seed)
• Weed garden
• Water garden
• Harvest - daily - at least 1-2 lettuce
• garden tools - clean and mend

DEHYDRATE

• FOOD PREP - 
• Buy in any needed food in season and pref on sale
• W, F
• PREP - T, R

KITCHEN

• Spark People
• Keep track online.
• 1500 calorie/day max
• Start again with Realistic Challenges and New Member challenge
• Breads
• whole wheat bread - Monday
• Pita - Monday (and freeze)
• Challah - Friday
• Soups
• Green Bean soup
• Salad in a jar
• tossed salad, super salad
• Refrig clean out

EDUCATION

• EXERCISE
• Yoga - routines 1, 2, 3 (alternate over 3 days)
• Strength - arms, legs, core (alternate and paired up with yoga routine)
• Cardiovascular - dancing, walking, marching, housework, gardening
• RUSSIAN - M, T, W, R, F - 22-26 Review; 27, 28
• MATH
• Algebra - M, T, W, R, F - to L 5
• MUSIC
• Rachmaninoff - S, M, T, W, R, F - Section 1 - timing
• RELIGION
• Torah - S, W - 
• Hebrew - M, R
• Holiday - T, F
• EARTH
• Pre- Camb - M, W, F (EH), (TOL), (LOE)
• HANDWRITING - M. T. W. R. F (14-18)
• CREATIVE WRITING - M, T, W, R, F (3-13 to Day 9)
• SCIENCE (doing review of some of work)
• Botany - S, T, R (R 4; College text)
• LEARNING TO LEARN MODULE
       
  • S, T, R  (R 1-4, 5 + tips)
• ART - M, W, F (L4)

QUILT

• TAKE PICTURES and post them!!!!
• STASH REPORT (Sunday)  catch up year's amount
• DESIGN WALL (Monday) Take pix of all projects since beginning of year
• FINISHINGS - Bindings + movies, spiced tea, hot cider or hot chocolate (Friday at Open Sew)

• BINDING - 
• Baby quilt
• Baby quilt - #2 
• Valentine - Lace trim
• QUILTING 
• Baby quilt - #2 - walking foot AND free motion quilting
• Valentine - FMQ or embroider Valentine sayings.  
• Other Projects:
• Awful Ugly Slippers - piecing, quilting, binding
• (VERY tempted to quilt up a storm - FMQ AND Walking foot!)

• PIECING
• Eons old swap - finish ASAP and post  Deadline - 3 weeks - then turn remaining blocks into flimsy for charity
• Awful ugly slippers
• Orange Crush - a quilt along with Wendy! 
•  Currently ready for the pieced border!!!! 
• Jamestown Landing - outer border  (5 gazillion blue strings in border marching around the center!)
• Inside border 
• Blue string border
• Four Patch Re-Visited - LE until end of June

Friday's Goals - 06-24-16

GO AND DO
Post office
GARDEN - F
Visit and babysit with Evan

FRIDAY
B:Pancakes, coffee, milk
L:lo lunch  menu, fruit, coffee
D:turkey, mashed potatoes, veggies, challah, fruit

ROUTINES

Home:

• Make Your Bed (Do this as soon as you get up.)
• Get Dressed Down to Your Shoes
• Swish and Swipe
• Start Your Laundry
• Decide on Dinner
• Check Your Calendar
• Start the Day off with a Shiny Sink. Don’t leave the breakfast dishes sitting.

School:

• Keep track of time!!!
• Check into some summer activities and make a plan to do some of them.

 Afternoon Routine:

• Eat Lunch
• Clear off One Hot Spot
• Reboot the Laundry
• Declutter for 15 Minutes (Be sure to have your children declutter, too.)
• Drink Your Water

Before Bed: (This starts right after dinner.)

• Check the Calendar for Tomorrow
• Lay out Your Clothes for Tomorrow (Have your children lay their clothes out, too.)
• Put things at your launch pad
• Shine Your Sink
• Clean Off a Hot Spot
• Go to Bed at Decent Hour

HOUSE

• Zone 1 - (Monday)
• WHB
• Zone 2 - (Tuesday)
• Kitchen
• WHB
• Zone 3 - 
• Bath - (Wednesday)
• Super Fling Boogie Mission 12
• • tackle the clutter around your bathtub. Old razors, empty bottles of shampoo, body washes that smell horrible... time to declutter them. 
  • Laundry Room. Spend 15 minutes and get that laundry room decluttered. Put away the clean clothes, recycle the old containers, and get rid of broken hangers
• Superfling Boogie 13
• tackling the clutter under the Bathroom Sink.
• head into your office and let's get rid of the clutter taking over our desks. Office products, piles of old bills, etc. 15 minutes to toss as much as we can. 
• Zone 3: Mission #1: Monday - Spend 15 minutes decluttering health and beauty aids!  
• Your mission in the other room today is another hot spot fire drill
• Zone 3 Mission #1 Monday Let's get a decluttering session going in there for just 15 minutes. 
• For the other room today I want you to find two hotspots, and put them out!
• Superfling Boogie 14
• Bath - Donation time for holy towels, etc.
• Extra Bedroom - 15 minutes and decolutter
• Zone 3 Mission #2 Tuesday
• Time to wipe down the walls of your shower. 
• Bedroom - How long has it been since you changed the sheets or washed them? 
• Zone 3: Mission #2: Tuesdayshine those counter tops and shine our bathroom sinks!  
• Your mission in the other room of your choice is to sweep or vacuum the floors.
• Zone
• WHB
• Laundry Room - (Wednesday)
• Super Fling Boogie - Missions 12 - 19
• Zone
• WHB
• Sewing room - (Thursday)
• Super Fling Boogie - Missions 12 - 19
• Zone
• Finish Zone and rearranging
• WHB
• Zone 4 - My room - (Friday)
• Mission 23 - Super Fling Boogie - 
• Master Bedroom: Today we are going through the bottom two dresser drawers. I have swimsuits in one drawer and pictures and books in the other. Whatever is in yours, set your timer for 15 minutes and get to flingin'!
• Bathroom: Nail polishes and foot care items. Old lotions, foot scrubs, nail files, etc. If it's old, it's time to let it go.
• Closet: Time to take a look at our winter clothes. Go through your sweaters and jackets. Toss what is ripped, torn, or stained and donate what is usable. 
• Zone - Declutter the Right side of the bed
• Bedroom - Nightstand - hot spot alert
• Zone 5: 
• Living Room
• WHB
• Study
• WHB
• Paperwork - 
• F

GARDEN - F

• Plant
• Sweet corn (1/2)
• Roots like turnips, beets, kohlrabi
• Coles (probably have to buy in seed)
• Weed garden
• Water garden
• Harvest - daily - at least 1-2 lettuce
• garden tools - clean and mend

DEHYDRATE

• FOOD PREP - F

KITCHEN

• Spark People
• Keep track online.
• 1500 calorie/day max
• Keep up with Realistic Challenges and New Member challenge
• Breads
• whole wheat bread - Monday
• Pita - Monday (and freeze)
• Challah
• Breakfast - doughnuts
• Soups
• Turkey vegetable and freeze most of it
• Salad in a jar
• tossed salad, super salad
• Crockpot - turnip greens and meat (turkey) 

EDUCATION

• EXERCISE
• Yoga - routines 3 
• Strength - core
• Cardiovascular -  housework
• RUSSIAN - F - 22-26 Review
• MATH
• Algebra - F - L 5
• MUSIC
• Rachmaninoff - F - Section 1 - timing
• RELIGION
• Holiday - F
• EARTH
• Pre- Camb -  F  (TOL)
• HANDWRITING - F (18)
• CREATIVE WRITING - F (3-13 to Day 6)
• ART - F (L4 - p 9)

QUILT

• FINISHINGS - Bindings + movies, spiced tea, hot cider or hot chocolate (Friday at Open Sew)

• BINDING - 
• Baby quilt
• Baby quilt - #2 
• Valentine - Lace trim
• QUILTING 
• Baby quilt - sampler 1  free motion quilting.
• Baby quilt - #2 - walking foot AND free motion quilting
• Valentine - FMQ or embroider Valentine sayings.  
• Other Projects:
• Awful Ugly Slippers - piecing, quilting, binding
• (VERY tempted to quilt up a storm - FMQ AND Walking foot!)

• Orange Crush - 
• It is a quilt along with Wendy!  Currently ready for Step 5!!!!
• Four Patch Re-Visited - LE until end of June

Thursday's goals - 06-23-16

GO AND DO
Post office
GARDEN - W
Visit Evan and Lynn
they cancelled Cardiologist

THURSDAY
B:Cracked wheat, butter, brown sugar, coffee, milk
L:hot sandwich, fruit, coffee
D:stir fry
S:

ROUTINES

Home:

• Make Your Bed (Do this as soon as you get up.)
• Get Dressed Down to Your Shoes
• Swish and Swipe
• Start Your Laundry
• Decide on Dinner
• Check Your Calendar
• Start the Day off with a Shiny Sink. Don’t leave the breakfast dishes sitting.

School:

• Keep track of time!!!

 Afternoon Routine:

• Eat Lunch
• Clear off One Hot Spot
• Reboot the Laundry
• Declutter for 15 Minutes (Be sure to have your children declutter, too.)
• Drink Your Water

Before Bed: (This starts right after dinner.)

• Check the Calendar for Tomorrow
• Lay out Your Clothes for Tomorrow (Have your children lay their clothes out, too.)
• Put things at your launch pad
• Shine Your Sink
• Clean Off a Hot Spot
• Go to Bed at Decent Hour

HOUSE

• Zone 1 - pupa
• Zone 2 - (Wednesday and Thursday)
• Kitchen
• Mission 5 - 
• Super Fling Boogie - Your goal here is to clear off the front and side of your refrigerator. 
• Zone - Take 15 minutes and scrub your stove top!  Soak the knobs and drip pans in hot soapy water while you clean the stove top.
• Mission 6
• Super Fling Boogie - head under our kitchen sinks. Set your timer for 15 minutes and get rid of the clutter hidden in there
• Zone -  spend 5 minutes and check on the cleaning supplies and things under your sink?  Are there things that you don't use?  Are there items you have run out of and need to put on your list?  Now, what is up with your dish rags and sponges? If you need new ones, put them on the list too.
• Mission 7
• Super Fling Boogie - declutter the pots and pans. That cookie sheet that's leaning to one side? The pan with the non stick coating scratched off and peeling? How about the 10 lids with no matching pot? 
• Zone - Your Mission for today is to declutter your plastic wraps and foil drawers, cabinets or shelves. 
• Mission 8
• Super Fling Boogie - The Pantry! Go through one shelf at a time and get rid of any old/expired food, dented cans, stale foods, etc. Go through as much as you can in 15 minutes.
• Zone  - the silverware holder had become!  Also, the area around the holder was filled with little bits of nothing..elastics, paperclips, ketchup packets!
• Mission 9
• Super Fling Boogie - The junk drawer. You know the one I'm talking about! If you have more than one, just pick one and work on it today. Set your timer for 15 minutes and toss all the clutter you can.
• Zone -  gadgets and small appliances that you use on a regular basis - Wipe them down and make them shine. 
• Mission 10
• Super Fling Boogie - What's sitting out on your counter tops? Today's mission is to clear out and put away anything you don't use. From junk mail to appliances, you know what's clutter.
• Zone - Scrub down your counter tops,
• Zone - Grab those brushes and some general purpose cleaner and scrub those faucets on your kitchen sink.
• Zone - the cabinets. Take a few minutes to check them out, I bet you will see that they need a little sprucing up. Just wipe down the outside surfaces.
• Mission 11
• Super Fling Boogie -  time to tackle the fridge! Bet you didn't see that coming after yesterday's pantry mission lol. You know the drill- expired food, old take out boxes, spoiled milk, etc. Get to tossing!
• Zone - Today we are going to declutter our leftover, food storage, plastic, Rubbermaid, Tupperware,and Glad-Ware containers!
• Zone - Sweep and thoroughly scrub floor
• Zone 3 - pupa
• Zone 4 - My room - (Friday)
• Zone 4 - My room - (IF POSSIBLE!)
• Mission 19 - 
• Super Fling Boogie - Declutter the top of the nightstand. If you still have a few minutes left on your timer, get a drawer done too! 
  Bathroom- Toss the clutter that's in your shower/tub. 
  Closet- Declutter old, broken, and missing shoes. 
• Mission 20 - 
• Super Fling Boogie - Master Bedroom:Set your timer for 15 minutes and get rid of the clutter and dust bunnies under the bed. You'll sleep better tonight without clutter under your head.
  
  Bathroom: Hair products, tools, and stylers. 
  
  Closet: Declutter your dresses. If they don't fit anymore, your local women's shelter would love to have them!  
• Zone - Declutter under the bed for 15
• Mission 21 - 
• Super Fling Boogie - Master Bedroom: Time to go through our bras, panties, and socks. Set your timer for 15 minutes and get rid of anything with holes, rips, and tears.
  
  
  Bathroom: Declutter your makeup. Makeup does actually have a shelf life! Mascara should only be kept around 3 months. If you aren't sure if it's time to toss, a quick google search will give you some guidelines.
  
  Closet: Let's go through old belts and scarves. If you were out shopping right now, would you buy that belt? If the answer is no, it's time to let it bless someone else! 
• Zone - Clear/clean the top of the bed for 15
• Mission 22 - 
• Super Fling Boogie - Master Bedroom:Master Bedroom: Time to go through our bras, panties, and socks. Set your timer for 15 minutes and get rid of anything with holes, rips, and tears.
• Bathroom: Declutter your makeup. 
• Closet: Let's go through old belts and scarves. 
• Zone - whatever you have on the left side of you bed you are to fling and put away.  If you have been using your night stand or floor as temporary storage for thigs that do not belong there, your mission for today is to clear this off and put it away!
• Zone 5: 
• Living Room
• pupa
• Study
• WHB
• Paperwork - 
• R keep current

GARDEN - R

• Plant
• Sweet corn (1/2)
• Roots like turnips, beets, kohlrabi
• Coles (probably have to buy in seed)
• Weed garden
• Harvest - daily - at least 1-2 lettuce

DEHYDRATE

• FOOD PREP - R

KITCHEN

• Spark People
• Keep track online.
• 1500 calorie/day max
• Keep up with Realistic Challenges and New Member challenge

EDUCATION

• EXERCISE
• Yoga - routines 2
• Strength - legs
• Cardiovascular - gardening, housework
• RUSSIAN - W - 22-26 Review
• MATH
• Algebra - T, - to L 4
• MUSIC
• Rachmaninoff - Section 1 - timing
• RELIGION
• Hebrew - Ot L Baot - hw 5B
• HANDWRITING -  W. (17)
• CREATIVE WRITING - W, (3-13 to Day 5
• SCIENCE (doing review of some of work)
• Botany - Lab 4.2
• LEARNING TO LEARN MODULE
        
  • R , 4
• ART - W, (L4 p. 8)

QUILT

• QUILTING 
• Baby quilt - sampler 2  free motion quilting.
• Orange Crush - 

• It is a quilt along with Wendy!  Currently ready for Step 5, part B!!!!
• Four Patch Re-Visited - LE until end of June