Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Currently: August Edition

Happy Wednesday! I'm enjoying this quieter week and trying to take it as easy as I can so I can get back to full health. Here's what's currently happening in my world.

Reading: Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. I chose this book for the book club I'll be hosting next Tuesday. I originally heard about it when I read The End of Your Life Book Club. It started off a tad bit slow/confusing but now I am really liking it.

Loving: all the fresh produce I've been eating! Between the green beans, beets, red peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes my garden is producing and the zucchini my coworker has been giving me, I'm eating really well for free! I'm thinking that I'm past break even on what I spent to plant my garden considering I've yielded over 50 pounds of tomatoes plus lots of other stuff! Ahem, that's if you don't consider all the money I've spent this week on supplies for canning!



Thinking: about how I can get better at not over-planning my schedule. I have lots of fun things to look forward to, but it's all felt like a bit too much lately. I'm debating between setting aside a plan free week each month or setting a limit of only making plans 1 night a week in addition to my 1 night of volunteering. It doesn't work for me to say I am going to 'plan less' - I think I need a strict rule to adhere to. I also need to work on not feeling bad about saying no to things... 


Feeling: like I'm never going to stop coughing! I went back to the doctor on Monday and got some steroids and a day and nighttime cough syrup and while they are helping, I'm still coughing so much. I'm approaching the 3 week mark of being sick so it's gotten beyond old! I left a message with my doctor this morning, though, to see what she suggests as I feel like I'm regressing again. Le sigh.

Anticipating: attending a wedding at a lake resort in Minnesota over Labor Day weekend. We will know several other couples so it should be a really fun! It boggles my mind that Labor Day is just a matter of weeks away, though! 


Watching: Season 2 of Veep on Amazon Prime now that it's available for free. We can't wait for more seasons to be available!


Working: on putting together grocery lists and task lists in preparation for the canning I am going to do this weekend. I'm planning to can spaghetti sauce and salsa and I will also make some marinara to freeze. 

Grateful: to live where I do. I appreciate living here every day, but when I host visitors, I especially appreciate it. There's something about seeing the city through others' eyes that gives me a whole new sense of appreciation. 


Listening:  to a new podcast called Science Vs. The host picks a topic and reviews the scientific research around the topic. My favorite episode thus far was the one on Attachment Parenting. I obviously don't have kids but it will still interesting to listen to. The host is from Australia and I just love her accent and personality!

Wishing: that I could teleport my mom here for the weekend so she could help me can! She has done so much canning so is a total pro. I helped her can when I was young so I have vague memories of how it works and have done some research on google, but there's nothing like having an expert at the helm to help out! I'm sure I'll be calling her LOTS.


What are you reading, anticipating, and loving these days? 

13 comments:

Nora said...

I just started S1, Episode 1 of VEEP last night. Definitely excited to dive into the show more. It is right up my alley.

I hope your doc can help you out with some other options/more steroids. Being sick for a lingering amount of time is the absolute pits.

And yes, as we have discussed, how is Labor Day so soon? This year (and summer) is FLYING by.

Charbelle said...

You're so brave to can! My mom used to can every summer. My Grandaddy's garden was amazing!!! It sounds like your garden has done fantastically well, which is super exciting and admittedly I'm a little jealous :) I wish I knew how and what to do, there's a spot at the lake house where Grandaddy used to have one of his gardens.

I have my moments but overall I'm good about keeping certain times open. I'll have a week or 2 where I get WAY overbooked though. I look at a week, and think about who or what is needing a spot, and then determine from there. For my friends, my close friends, I will completely rearrange if necessary. Sometimes when I've become overbooked it's because there's been something going on and I've agreed to a dinner or lunch so I can be an ear.

Kelly (She Wears a Red Sox Cap) said...

It's awesome how great your garden is doing on year 1! I'm sure you'll save even more over the years of doing it.
Having Max has definitely improved my ability to say no/not overbook myself but it's still a constant struggle I'll be honest ha ha.

Amber said...

My sister in law, aunt, cousins wife and grandma are all super into canning!! While I don't have a garden this year I have been bearing the fruits of some of my family members gardens and that has been nice. I'm going to help my aunt harvest her garden in exchange for squash and zucchini soon. Anyways, good luck with canning this weekend - I'm sure it will go great!!

Jolene - EverydayFoodie said...

I can't believe you still have your cough :-( That sucks girl! I hope it goes away soon. The over-planning thing is something I have to be very conscious of, because I used to take on waaaaaay too much, and over the years have started to cut back a lot. What seems to work for me, is that Christopher and I will look at the calendar, when we're going to Saskatoon, what we have booked in the month or two ahead, and then we'll actually write into the calendar on a free weekend "Doing Nothing"/ "Backyard Weekend" or something along those lines. If something comes up for one of those weekends, we say we can't make it, or we have plans, or whatever (unless it's something really big/important). On those weekends we only snack, visit, and hang out - no chores. We always look forward to our weekends when we have absolutely nothing going on.

Reading - The Handmaid's Tale.

Anticipating - Back-to-School time ... it's my "New Year".

Loving - That the next few days are supposed to be gorgeous. It's raining today, but I'm looking forward to getting outside a lot before I go back to work.

Marlys said...

It would be fun to help you can and teach you what I know! Growing up on a farm with 10 in the family, and always extra plates at the table, we spent our summers putting up so much food! I remember the mornings that Dad would bring a pickup load of sweet corn for us to can and freeze, and as soon as we had it husked and in the house, he would bring another load in! Le sigh! And pickles, green beans, and sauerkraut by the 100's of jars. WE also canned fruit so we had a canning room in the basement with shelves of produce and never went hungry! I so miss gardening!
Take it easy until you fully recover - rest is so important! I think that trip to CA probably wasn't in your best interest!

Stephany said...

Oof, plans. Yes, this is something my roommate struggles with and I've been trying to help her make sure she has at least ONE night a week where she's not going somewhere or doing something, but doesn't like saying no either! (Me, on the other hand, have to learn to say yes more often, haha.) Maybe it's even a matter of saying, "On Mondays and Wednesdays, I am not going to make any plans." Just block those nights off as "Lisa nights". :)

I am currently reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, anticipating my move, and loving the Olympics.

Carolina John said...

50 lbs of tomatoes! wow. from only 2 plants, that's quite a large yield.

katielookingforward said...

I'm re-reading gone with the wind right now, and i completely feel you on the feeling drained, i can't imagine living with three weeks of sickness, hopefully your doctor has a good suggestion!

San said...

Oh man, if you figure out that teleporting thing, let me know, because I do need to teleport some people here immediately.

I am so impressed with your garden haul... I am sure it has to do with gardening on a plot instead of pots (like I do).

Linda said...

Canning? Woman, you're a domestic goddess that also has a career. Amazing.

Hope your cough goes away soon.

Gracie said...

Crossing to safety is one of my favorite books - perhaps my all-time favorite. I need to reread it.

Jeanie said...

Reading, anticipating and loving -- I'm reading "Still Life," the first in Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series set in Quebec province. Anticipating going to Canada later this week to see my friend Suzanne and get Rick off on his bike trip. And loving this summer -- too short, flying by, and so wonderful in every way.

Hope you are better every single day. And four star on the canning! I'm impressed!