How to be a Housewife

Hibernating in my sewing room

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:06:00 +0000

I seem to be on a sewing kick these days... it might be the cold weather that makes hibernating in my sewing room so inviting. I just finished a quilt which, unfortunately, I can't post a photo of because I'm sending it to someone as a surprise. I'll post a photo when it arrives and is acknowledged.

This weekend was spent on making a new purse for myself. It's been awhile since I made something for me, so it was time. I made the purse from some $1 a bolt upholstery fabric I bought a few months ago (the dark brown with large embroidered flowers), combined with a pair of jeans that Jeff recently discarded, and a pretty pink floral fabric from my stash.

In addition to the purse, you can see a wallet (far left), shopping list and coupon organizer and change purse -- all matching the purse, of course!

The best part of making something for yourself is you can make as many or as few pockets as you want. My new purse has pockets galore (8) on the inside, and just one large one on the outside. The wallet has 8 slots on the inside, for bank card, shopping cards, etc., plus two large slots for cash and checkbook. The coupon organizer has a shopping list pad, plus two long slots for coupons and receipts, and two smaller card pockets for shopping cards.

I'm surprised at how much I love the colors - dark brown, denim blue and pink. I started with the dark brown fabric and knew I wanted the blue in the floral design, but didn't have THE blue in my stash. I do, however, have a laundry basket full of discarded jeans, and the denim color was the exact shade of blue I needed. From there I found the vintage pink floral buttons, and I knew I had to bring in a pink floral fabric. Love the combination. Cheerful without being too summer-y, as this is a purse I will use this winter.

You can find the wallet tutorial/pattern here and the zippered change purse pattern here.

Now I'll move back to quilts again. My grandson just moved from a toddler bed to a twin, and needs a new quilt to go with it (has anyone seen any Lego fabric or quilt pattern??), and my granddaughter still does not have her first quilt from Umma!

Perfection on a plate

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:06:00 +0000

It's been years since I found a new recipe I knew instantly would be a permanent addition to my long list of "tried and true" recipes, but this recipe is definitely it. Flavor - oh my! It brings a new taste to chicken -- an Asian slant to it, but not your typical "Chinese food". I served it on steamed white rice and served steamed broccoli on the side.

The recipe comes from Allrecipes.com. I found it by doing a Google search for the two main ingredients I had on hand - chicken and canned unsweetened pineapple.

TANGY PINEAPPPLE CHICKEN

Ingredients

4 (4 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (20 ounce) can unsweetened sliced pineapple*
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp lite soy sauce**
1 green pepper, chopped into 1 inch chunks**
2 garlic cloves, minced
Hot cooked rice

Directions

Sprinkle chicken with thyme, salt and pepper. In a skillet, brown chicken in oil. Meanwhile, drain pineapple, reserving the juice. Cut pineapple rings in half and set aside. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons juice until smooth; set aside. Combine mustard, honey, garlic, soy sauce, and remaining pineapple juice; mix well. Add to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to pan; bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Return chicken to pan and also add green pepper and pineapple. Simmer for 3 or 4 minutes. Serve over rice.

*I used canned unsweetened pineapple chunks.
**The addition of the green pepper and lite soy sauce are mine. Omit if you want, but I do think the dish benefited from that little bit of bite of the green pepper and the saltiness of the soy sauce.

A little sewing

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 02:56:00 +0000

I just made this purse for my friend, Lynn. She makes me the sweetest gifts for birthdays and holidays, so I wanted to make something for her this year. I wish I'd taken a photo showing the interior -- a cute light purple floral with olive green accents. The purse has two interior pockets and a magnetic closure.

Do you love the Zipper flower? I saw it on the Sew It All TV show and knew I wanted to use it as an embellishment on a purse. It's a quick craft! You have to hand sew each individual zipper piece, but it was a good project to do while watching TV. When Lynn opened her gift, it just so happened that the button in the center of the flower matched the sweater she was wearing perfectly, so she unpinned it and wore it on her sweater! I guess that means she liked it.

The purse fabric was some I found this summer at a yard sale. I believe I got 2 yards of it for $1. I love the multi-colored embroidery thread embellishment on it. The zippers come from my enormous zipper stash. Most were purchased by my husband at yard sales and estate sales - by the box full! Who knew they'd come back in fashion and I'd be sitting on a gold mine.

Life is good -- especially when you have friends that appreciate homemade gifts!

Flotsam and Jetsam of the holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:10:00 +0000

Holiday decorations and gift wrapping aren't the only things that need to be cleaned up after the holidays. Just look at the inside of my refrigerator!

Leftovers, extra baking supplies, dips and appetizers all contribute to this disorganized mess in my refrigerator. Does anyone else have a "thing" for keeping your fridge organized?

I prefer to have "like with like" -- all fruits in one drawer, veggies in another; all breads/carbs (pie crusts, wraps, english muffins) together on one shelf, dairy on another.

See? Isn't that better? Top left shelf - breads, pie crusts, wraps, english muffins, etc. Top right shelf - Dairy, including eggs, butter, sour cream. Middle left are condiments and bottles that won't fit on the door. Middle right is leftovers (food that needs attention in the near future) and drinks. Bottom left is Mr. B's shelf -- these are foods he can (reach) help himself to whenever he wants. Small drawer is lunchmeat and cheese. Bottom left drawer is vegetables, bottom right is fruits. Voila! Organized!

When the refrigerator is an unorganized mess, food gets lost and eventually goes bad. With an organized refrigerator I can see at a glance what I need to use up, or what's available for dinner. Mr. B. doesn't have to stand with the door open trying to find what he wants for a snack - he can look at "his" shelf and get what he wants. (Although that makes me sound like I am hyper-organized, it actually came about because one day I caught him climbing UP the refrigerator to reach a yogurt!)

You hear about sorting like-with-like or creating "centers" in the kitchen all the time, but no one ever seems to include the contents of the refrigerator in such kitchen organizing. Try it! You will spend far less time hunting for things when you cook, and less food will go to waste because you see what needs to be used BEFORE it goes bad.

Happy Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:44:00 +0000

Well my goodness, I certainly did get sidetracked with all the holiday rigamarole. My To Do List was long and my gift list short (an effort to go for "quality" not "quantity" ), and my desire to have my house decorated "just right" was forefront. Mission accomplished. We had a wonderful and truly memorable Christmas.

Both of my children and their families were here, which was a first. I have to tell you, since my children were small I had visions of someday having them, their significant others, and grandchildren around the Christmas Eve dinner table. I can check that off my Bucket List now (though I'd certainly like a repeat performance as often as possible!).

What a lovely, lovely thing to hold both my grandchildren at the same time. Mr. B. was quite charmed by his new little cousin, and Miss Aimee couldn't take her eyes off of him. Sweetness to the Nth degree.

When Jeff and I finally got to bed on Christmas Eve, we discussed the day, and both agreed it was absolutely perfect and so meaningful. We've done our job. Our kids are grown and independent; both have good careers with very promising futures; are thoughtful, caring human beings; and have given us grandchildren that we hold so very dear. Life is good.

Now it's time for life to return to "normal" and start thinking about UN-decorating the house, probably later this week. It's going to look so plain without all it's "bling"!!

A few photos from the holiday.


My son, Jeff; his daughter, Aimee; my daughter, Mary; and her son, Mr. B.

Love my daughter-in-law, Lisa!


My husband and Miss Aimee


A dream come true - me with my two grandbabies in one place!

Our dining room was the Christmas focal point this year.


A stocking-gift bag for each family member.


My button-decorated little tree on top of my treadle machine.

Life is good -- and some days, it's even better than good!

How cute is this?

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:46:00 +0000

Everyone knows I love kitchen items from the late 1940's to mid-1950s. My husband just found this little mixer at a local aution. How cute is this? And you'd never guess, but it's actually a SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER! The white "beaters" of the mixer are the shakers! I have never seen one like this (though I do have a life-sized mixer that looks exactly like this). It stands about 3 1/2 inches tall. The salt and pepper "shakers" are only about one inch, so wouldn't actually hold enough to be practical, but heck... who cares? It's just so darn cute in my kitchen!

Thanksgiving Meal Planning (and To Do List)

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:44:00 +0000

Our Thanksgiving meal is so traditional it's almost embarrassing! I have ordered our 20# fresh turkey from the local butcher shop. I can't tell you what a difference a fresh turkey makes, despite it's higher cost ($2.99 lb. this year). For several years prior to our first fresh turkey, I got sick every Thanksgiving afternoon and I believe it's due to the high sodium and chemical content of frozen turkeys, especially those offered for a highly discounted price at the major grocery chains. If it's possible, do yourself and your family a favor and call around today to see if you can get a fresh turkey.

THANKSGIVING MENU

Oven-roasted turkey with sage/onion/celery stuffing

Mashed potatoes

Butternut squash (a new addition)

Homemade gravy

Cranberry sauce

Pearl onions in cream sauce

Brussel Sprouts cooked with onions, bacon and apples

Green Bean casserole (my daughter's contribution this year)

Canned corn (so my grandson will eat)

Homemade rolls, butter

Apple pie, mince pie

Coffee and tea

MY TO DO LIST FOR THE WEEK
Monday
Grocery Shopping
Run good dishes through dishwasher
Launder Thanksgiving tablecloth and napkins (iron!)

Tuesday
Write menu list and post on fridge (otherwise, I'll forget something!)
Get out all serving dishes and utensils to match list
Vac, dust and Windex dining room
Clean guest bathroom

Wednesday
Make apple pie (Mince pie is store-bought)
Make pearl onions/cream sauce
Make stuffing (don't put in turkey until tomorrow)
Set table
Clean up kitchen
Empty kitchen trash, clean sink
Run and empty dishwasher at end of day
Set out clean dishcloths and kitchen towels

Thursday Morning
Stuff turkey and put in oven
Make rolls (dough in bread machine then to oven)
Put cranberry sauce in serving dish and put in fridge
Take butter out to soften
1 hr. before turkey is done, peel and cook potatoes, squash
Take turkey out to rest, make gravy from pan drippings
Heat up canned corn (sigh)
Fill sink with hot, soapy water to put pans into immediately after food goes into serving bowl.

Dinner
Light candles
Serve all food to table or sideboard
Hold hands around the table and tell what we're thankful for.
Eat!

After Dinner
Line up all serving bowls on kitchen table. Using aluminum pie tins (10 to 12), serve up complete dinner in each one, cover with foil, freeze. These are our Turkey TV dinners we will eat for the next 1 - 2 months!

It is my husband's job to clean up the dishes and pots and pans, and put the first round in the dishwasher. We generally have to run the dishwasher at least twice.

Tablecloth and napkins to laundry room. Put normal centerpiece back on table, clean up room.

Serve pie and beverages about three hours after dinner.

Done, done and done!

Post your menus and recipe ideas here:

Busy, Busy.

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:24:00 +0000

Just back from Dallas to visit the newest grandbaby, and have a houseful of company arriving today. It's all wonderful, but a very busy time right now. Pictures of Miss Aimee coming, but for now, I'll just leave you with this:

Life is good!

Start a new Christmas Tradition - think America!

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:37:00 +0000

A friend posted this on FaceBook. I think it's worth sharing. Do you?

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year, let's be different!

This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is! It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamin's on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. My personal request every year, but to no avail.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theater.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?

Helpful hint - For that sticky, noisy sliding patio door

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:27:00 +0000

Two years ago we had our sliding patio door replaced. While the contractor was here, he told me this helpful hint. DON'T use oil on the track of the door when it starts to stick. Here's what to do instead.

It works on the heavier, interior glass door as well.

You're welcome!

Menu Planning Monday - 10/3 - 10/9/11

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:03:00 +0000

I am so delighted with the every-other-week organic fruits and veggie bins I'm getting from GreenBeanOhio! The lettuce greens, carrots and squash are still left from the bin two weeks ago, and even the lettuce greens are still fresh and crisp!! The difference in freshness of these fruits and veggies vs what I've been buying at my local grocery is remarkable. One bin every two weeks is just perfect for Jeff and I, with some of the fruit going for after school snacks for Mr. B.

My bin this week (arriving Tuesday) includes:
2 apples, 2 oranges, 3 plums
1 Avacado
1 lb. of mixed variety beans (green bean variety)
1 head of brocolli
1 lb. brussel sprouts
1 head bibb lettuce
2 green peppers
1 lb. sweet potatoes
1 lb. heirloom tomatoes

With that in mind, my menu for this week is:

MONDAY

Steak with garlic butter

Moroccan-Spiced Carrots*
(recipe below) (also, see NOTE at end of post)

Steamed squash

TUESDAY

Italian Sausage Subs

with onions, green peppers, diced tomatoes, cheese

WEDNESDAY

Homemade Pizza

made from Tuesday leftovers

Green salad

THURSDAY

Roast Pork Loin

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Fresh steamed beans

FRIDAY

Tomato Soup, grilled cheese

SATURDAY

Out to eat!

We're headed out to a community event

to eat food from India

and enjoy a Bollywood Show!

SUNDAY

Leftover Pork Roast

Mashed sweet potatoes

Steamed Brocolli

*This is a new recipe I found when looking for something to do with the carrots I received in my vegetable bin last week. I love the flavors and spices of Indian food, so this is on my list to try this week.

MOROCCAN-SPICED CARROTS
1 lb. peeled carrots
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp curry powder

Cut carrots into "coins" and simmer in water until tender, drain and remove. In same pot, heat canola oil, add ginger, cumin and curry powder. Stir in carrots and season with salt and pepper to taste.

STEAMING VEGETABLES FOR TWO

I prefer steamed fresh vegetables over anything else (frozen, canned), so recently when Amazon asked me to review the Aladdin 32-Ounce Collapsible Steamer Set, I jumped at the chance. Although this little steamer is sold as being perfect to pack to steam veggies at work, I found it the perfect size for steaming veggies for two!

Using this little steamer couldn't be easier. You put 3 tbsp water in the bottom, add the little steamer tray, then your veggies and any spices/herbs you want, pop on the top, pop off the ventilation cover, and microwave your vegetables for 3 minutes. Presto! The veggies are done to perfection. The cooking time needs to be adjusted to the vegetables, of course.

What I also liked about this product is that it collapses down to about 1.5 inches tall - perfect for storage! It's dishwasher and (obviously) microwave proof.

A little pricey right now -- probably because it's a new product -- at $17 and some change on Amazon. But if you ever see one of these for sale, pick it up. It's also perfect for popping a few veggies in for your little ones at lunch time and, as the product is intended, for being able to take fresh vegetables to work for steaming in the microwave.

I post my weekly menus here:

Added later:

Well, I tried to Moroccan Carrots recipe and I must say -- don't bother. Ugh. I hate wasting those carrots! It may be that I'm just not a fan of the spice blend used in the recipe. I do love curry and cumin and ginger separately, so I was surprised how much I DISliked the blend. It seems to me there needs to be some kind of liquid added. After I tried the recipe as written and didn't like the gritty texture of the spices, I did add some orange juice and a tiny bit of lemon, just to brighten up the flavors. That helped to at least make the carrots edible. It's not a recipe I'll try again, unfortunately.

A little under the weather

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 14:59:00 +0000

Nothing serious going on, just feeling a titch under the weather these days with what I'm guessing is a sinus infection. Mr. B. has managed to contract another cold, and apparently it's latched on to me by attacking my sinuses. A complete lack of energy yet still trying to prepare the house for an appraisal on Tuesday. Just spiffing things up to make sure they look their best, though I know it won't make a difference to the appraiser. It makes a difference to me!

So probably no blogging until Wednesday at the earliest.

As Tim Gunn says, "Carry on..."

(almost) Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:10:00 +0000

Use orange yarn for pumpkins - black felt face cut outs...

Source: juicy-bits.typepad.com via Kylie on Pinterest

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Source: hgtv.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Weekly Menu 09/26 - 10/02/11

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 22:06:00 +0000

This is going to be an incredibly easy week, cooking-wise. I have so many leftovers from last week, and still have fresh vegetables from my bin to use up. I'm not sure why, but we did not eat the eggplant last week as planned, but I did make a big pot of tomato sauce and have 3 containers in the freezer. I also have two containers of beef stew in the freezer. It occurred to me today that I could use the beef stew with a refrigerator pie crust dough, and make a nice beef pot pie for dinner one night.

Here's the week's menu:

MONDAY

Fried Eggplant w/

leftover baked ziti noodles

Mixed green salad

TUESDAY

Beef Pot Pie
(leftover beef stew and refrigerator pie dough)

WEDNESDAY

Pizza with eggplant, green peppers, onions, sausage and tomato sauce

(homemade pizza dough - bread machine)

THURSDAY

Steaks on the Grill

Mixed green salad w/tomatoes

FRIDAY

Dinner out or take-out?

SATURDAY

Breakfast for dinner

Pancakes, sausage, fruit salad

SUNDAY

Pork Roast, gravy

Steamed Rice

Cooked Squash

Steamed Green Beans

You can find great menus (many with recipes) on OrgJunkie.com every Monday.

and also posted here:

Miscellaneous Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:47:00 +0000

Random thoughts this morning.

Does anyone else thinks our FDA might not being a good job at monitoring what goes into our foods? Example. Yesterday I cleaned out my bread drawer and found two hamburger rolls in original package that must have been in the drawer for at least three weeks. No mold. No rock hard bread. No smell. If anyone else in the house had gotten to them first they would have thought they were perfectly fine to eat. My question - just what kind of chemicals went into those things to make them keep that long? Yes, I threw them out.

I really have this strong urge lately to stand at a nearby busy intersection with a sign that says, "Stand with me for 5 minutes and let the gov't know we want our country back." 'Nuff said. I may just do it one of these days. Would you stand with me if you saw me on the street corner?

On the blog a few days ago I talked about doing some Halloween decorating. Confession - I never did go out and buy five pumpkins or great pots of mums for my front porch. L.A.Z.Y. much? I did, however, go "shopping" in my basement! (You never know what's down there!) And found this great piece of pottery that my husband must have picked up at an auction, plus a few other miscellaneous items. When I go grocery shopping this week I'll pick up a bouquet of sunflowers to put in the pottery piece.

Blurry, sorry. The table cloth is a great piece of cotton from India (flea market).

Leaf and Pumpkin cookie molds

Wonderful old witch with tissue paper cauldron.

I think I bought this pottery life-size skull at Big Lots for $1 about 20 years ago. He looks great with a candle inside.

I do love shopping in my basement.

I added a new recipe over on my "Teaching My Daughter to Cook" blog. I needed to use up a bunch of overripe fruit, and made a really fast and easy "tart". We had it warm last night with a bit of vanilla yogurt on the side. Yum and yum. The pears were actually a bit bland, so I was happy I'd added the raspberries and tart apple.

My husband and I just refinanced our house to take advantage of the unbelievable low interest rates available, and got a 10 year mortgage at 3.5%!! We rolled in a tiny second mortgage and a car payment. Now if we continue to pay the exact same amount on the mortgage that we paid on all three loans, our mortgage will be paid off in FOUR AND A HALF YEARS!! Be still my heart. I can't imagine life with no mortgage! I am very proud to say we have NO other bills to pay off. No credit cards, no other loans, na da.

No one in my family (except maybe my daughter-in-law - Hi Lisa!) reads this blog. Does your family read yours? You'd think they'd at least be curious if I'm talking about them, wouldn't you?

It's 9:15 and I should have been off the computer 15 minutes ago, according to my schedule. See? I can be flexible!

Since he doesn't read my blog, I guess I can talk about my husband now. Jeff is a big time collector. I used say he wants to collect one of everything, but he has toned it down quite a bit in the last year or so, though he still can't not bid on anything to do with World War II memorabilia (which gives me full license to not be able to pass up good deals on fabric!). He used to go to auctions, but now does local online auctions. When he did live auctions, he'd bid on ten boxes of stuff just to get one item out of it, and the rest would go in our basement. When I realized our basement was FULL (as in, walk through corridors only), I called an auction company and they came with a BIG truck and took it all away and we made thousands of dollars. *beam* Two years ago I noticed the basement filling up again, so I started a booth at a local Antique Mall and we made some decent money there as well. NOW we've moved everything out of the Mall and are hauling it down to a local dealer who does online non-Ebay auctions and guess what? More money! And we don't have to pack and ship it as in my old Ebay days. There are definitely ways to make money on the side besides Ebay! My goal - by the time that mortgage is paid off in four and a half years, our house will be back down to things we need or love only!

I just found this list of "Top 24 Home Management Blogs" that you might like to look over. I voted for OrgJunkie.com, of course. Love that blog. But check out I Heart Organizing blog and go to her right hand column and do a House tour. Seriously? People live like that? You have to wonder if her house looks that perfect ALL the time. And to be honest, my first thought - how the bleep does she afford all that Pottery Barn decorator furniture?! And do her kids' rooms actually look like that right now at this very second?! I'm just sayin'....

On the other hand, I'd love to hire her to come decorate MY house. I may be able to keep a house clean, but decorating is just not my forte. Maybe some day I'll do a "House Tour" and you can see for yourself.

Keep on keepin' on... and enjoy your day!

Do you do these three things?

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:01:00 +0000

I have a new favorite web site, Planner Perfect. As someone who loves to plan her day, the title of the web site alone was enough to attract my attention. Today Planner Perfect's author, Jenny, listed three habits she believes every woman must keep. I have to say, these three things are also very important to how my day goes, so I thought I'd share them here. Do go to Planner Perfect to get more of her ideas on organizing, scheduling, and even to purchase her Planner Perfect Planner.

Jenny says these three items are "must do's" and should be repeated to become a habit. Since these are already my established habits (starting back in the 1970's when I read my first copy of Sidetracked Home Executives- THE best organizational book EVER written!), I can't agree more.

1. Get up before your children (in my case, husband). I am up, showered, dressed, and downstairs before my husband's alarm clock goes off - every morning, even weekends. I try to have 30 minutes to myself before the day around me starts. This is usually the time I sit and make my To Do List and have my quiet (second) cup of coffee, normally, weather permitting, out on my deck. I did the same when my kids were at home. For me, there is no worse way to start your day than a loud child tugging you out of sleep, begging for breakfast or snitching on a sibling for (insert wide variety of reasons here). Much better that I am awake and mentally prepared.

2. Plan a morning routine and stick to it. Yes yes and yes! I'm delighted to see someone else does this! I am a creature of habit, and my strongest habits are my morning and night routines. These routines give me a mental sense of peace, whether it's writing my To Do List for the day or making the bed every morning. If nothing else gets done during the day, at least my routine has gotten me through the basics of cleaning up my kitchen, making my bed, getting myself dressed and presentable for the day. You can go to bed at night knowing in advance what you need to do the next morning, and you get out of bed and do it almost without thinking.

3. Plan a time of day for your interests. This is one that you see me working on with my new schedule of housework. For me, and I recognize this won't work for everyone, if I schedule my housework, my time is freed up for things I enjoy doing. (And don't let this blog fool you - I do NOT truly enjoy doing housework!) If I stick to my schedule, I can have what I need done by noon, and that frees up my afternoons for what I truly like to do, whether it be sewing, reading, coffee with friends, etc. So my #3 might not be worded exactly the same as Planner Perfect's.

My #3 would read "3. Plan your day so you can free up time for your own interests." If my house is dirty or cluttered, I find I am not mentally able to move on to other things and enjoy them. Work first so you can play later.

I will also add in my own number 4.

4. Never walk by something you can pick up and throw away or put away. Whether it's a piece of paper that's fallen to the floor, a cup now emptied of coffee, or a book you just finished and placed on the counter that needs to go back to the library, don't walk by it. Grab it, put it where it belongs - whether it's the trash can, the dishwasher, or a hanging tote bag for library returns. Don't pretend you don't see it. Don't walk by it as if it's not there. Pick it up, put it where it belongs. This makes a HUGE difference in the amount of clutter in your home!

Gretchin Rubin from "The Happiness Project" calls this "The One Minute Rule". When you see something that can be done in one minute or less, go ahead and do it. Here's her take on it. Enjoy!

Friday's child is loving and giving...

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:02:00 +0000

I'm not sure why my titles to posts have slipped into the "...day's child is..." but that's what is so great about blogging. I did it because it feels right :)

Friday's To Do List is different from all others, simply because it is my one day with Mr. B. He arrives around 7:30 am, I take him to school (afternoon Kindergarten) at 1pm, pick him up at 4pm, and he's here with me until 5-5:30pm. And we all know I think Mr. B. is far more important than doing housework.

That said, I also think it's good for him to be required to stick to and see MY daily routine. Five year olds thrive on routine - knowing what is going to come next is important to them and provides a sense of security. So Mr. B. is well aware that before we play, we work. He sees (and frequently helps) me make my bed, put dishes away, wipe down the counters, sweep the kitchen floor, etc. I often throw in a load or two of laundry while he's here, and he has learned how to fold clothes with me. His weekly job, by the way, is to bring the (rolling) trash cans in from the curb and put them away in the garage. Nine times out of ten he does so willingly. The other times he tries to convince me he's too little to have a "job", but then we have a discussion on what it means to be part of a family, and how it's important we help each other. It's a grandmother's job to use every opportunity to teach life skills!

So today, other than my daily chores, my To Do List is small and is totally dependent on how much time Mr. B. occupies himself (playing Legos, drawing, watching TV). I will do as much laundry as I can shuffle in and out of the washer and dryer, and, if time allows, I will clean out my purse and get any trash out of my car. That's pretty much it (except for keeping up with the natural messes a 5 yr old makes!).

I don't always get to blog on Friday, but here is what Mr. B. is doing as I type:

Now I'm off to switch loads of laundry, try to convince Mr. B. he needs to put on a sweatshirt (I'm freezing), and then we'll do something exciting - Playdoh or paint, I think. It's a rainy day outside, so it's all indoor activities for us today.

Life is good!

Thursday's child has far to go....

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:22:00 +0000

I sat down to make up my To Do List this morning, and my head is swimming. I shouldn't read blogs about decorating before I write my list for the day! Over at Nana Diana Takes a Break, she busted out (did I just say that?) her Fall decorating binder (sigh... decorating binders... you have to love that kind of organization) and filled my head right up with decorating ideas for my front porch. Stop over there and check them out (so you can get side-tracked too!). Then I stopped by Krystal's Kitsch and saw some of her (frugal yet possible) Fall decorating ideas. I'm particularly taken with this one for my dining room table:

Although for my dining room, I think natural pumpkins would look better than the white. Maybe with some leaves sprinkled between the pumpkins and candles.

Me thinks I need to get my housework done and make a trip to the Thrift store and see if I can find any goodies to help with some Fall decorating. Stay tuned!

But first, let's get 'er done. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Thursday and Wednesday got switched this week out of necessity. I did get my menu made up, grocery shopping done, beef stew cooked (yum, I might add), and two extra beef stew meals have gone into the freezer. Done done and done.

Today I'm going to do two items from my "Master List" first - declutter two problem areas I have. I have yet to resolve my issue of having no desk (AKA paper landing zone) in my kitchen, so a pile has accumulated on top of my sewing machine. A second pile of miscellaneous weird stuff has accumulated in a laundry basket on top of my freezer. But honestly - that's not bad. Two piles of homeless stuff?

Books, magazines, flotsam and jetsam from staining, misc. junk with no home!

The dreaded laundry basket that I have to move every time I want to get in my freezer.

Both must go - TODAY! The laundry basket has the weirdest stuff in it. Area rugs that need to be thrown out or washed, miscellaneous curtains that have been replaced, pants that need to be Freecycled, and who knows what else! The paper pile on top of the sewing machine is mostly magazines, books to review, bills that need to be filed, and a workbook that Mr. B. completed and needs to be tossed. On the floor is a box of miscellaneous tools used to stain the deck that need to be put away in the basement (where we keep all our painting supplies). Now that cool weather is here, the fan needs to be stored in the basement as well. Just silly stuff that won't take a few minutes to get put where it belongs but doesn't get there for one reason or another.

So those two piles will be my Major List tasks for the day.

In addition to my Daily Chores, I need to clean all three bathrooms. Sigh. It's a gorgeous day outside and it's calling to me. Deep cleaning three bathrooms is going to take me a good three to four hours - time which I now want to be decorating for Fall.... so....

Compromise! I will do a "quick clean" of the bathrooms. Clean the toilets and sinks, replenish supplies, put in clean towels and Windex the mirrors - and that's it! No washing down the surround tiles, no washing the floors (which have already gotten vac'd this week) or windows. From an hour each down to 15 minutes each. Perfect! See? I can be flexible even on a schedule!

Also on my list for today (which is Wednesday's List, remember) is empty all trash cans upstairs and down and clean out any old food in the fridge. But (*beam*), I did that yesterday because last night was the night we take our trash cans to the curb. So that lightens up today's list significantly!

So in about two hours time (Daily Chores and quick cleaning of the bathrooms) I am outta here and off on a hunt for some Fall decorations!

By the way, I am proud of myself. I actually got my deck stained! Here's a before and after for you:

Before (duh)

After! Not perfect - but D.O.N.E.!

Now go out and enjoy YOUR day because

LIFE IS GOOD!

If this is Wednesday it must be.... Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:56:00 +0000

Ah well, life happens. Schedules must always be flexible. Normally my schedule on Wednesday is fairly simple - clean out the refrigerator, empty all trash cans and put in new liners, clean three bathrooms, and declutter one closet or drawer. But today I need to swap Wednesday's scheduled household chores for Thursday, which is Errand Day.

I've been without a car for a few days because my daughter's car was in the shop. I honestly don't mind being without a car (and if we were making payments on it, I'd probably volunteer to go without), but I am behind on my grocery shopping, which my grandson is happy to point out to me when he arrives after school, looking for a snack! So today I need to go grocery shopping.

Yesterday I received my first basket of fruits and veggies from GreanB.E.A.N. Delivery service. These fruits and veggies are organically and locally grown, and I have signed up for a $35 basket every two weeks. That's a little less than I currently pay for fruits and veggies, so if these last me two weeks, I'll be happy. Remember, for the most part, I am cooking only for two.

My basket contained:
1.5 lbs of fingerling potatoes. I've never tried these and look forward to using them!
1 Cantelope
1 (very small) Delicata Squash (again, never tried it before)
1 lb of green beans
1 (quite large) bunch of carrots
1 Candy Onion
2 Eggplant - yum! my favorite vegetable!
2 Granny Smith apples
2 Black Plums (itty bitty)
1 lb fresh Roma Tomatoes
1 large bag of Spring Mix greens
1/2 pt Red Rasperberries

Now, I need to compose my menu for the week around these veggies. Carrots, onions, green beans - that says Beef Stew to me, so I'll pick up 1.5 lbs of stew meat, and make an extra large pot of stew with two or three extra for the freezer, and one small portion for a lunch for Jeff.

Eggplant - Love love love. I think we'll have a meatless meal of Eggplant Parmesan served with a side salad of the mixed greens and some homemade garlic bread. Again, this will be two meals for us.

With the apples and a few of the Raspberries, I'll make an Apple Tart. I already have pie crust in the fridge, so won't need to buy anything for this. That will make a good dessert for three nights. With the rest of the Raspberries I'll make a jar of Raspberry Jam.

That leads me to thinking that one night we can have breakfast for Dinner (Jeff's favorite). We'll have sausage or bacon, cheese omelets, toast with raspberry jam, and sliced cantalope. Yum! We'll use the rest of the cantalope for snacking, along with the plums.

I'd like to try a recipe I found called Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic. I have chicken in the freezer, so we'll have these with roast chicken and steamed green beans.

I picked up some fresh tomatoes at the Flea Market last weekend, so I'll combine those with these new Roma Tomatoes and the Onion, and make a pot of tomato sauce. I may have to add in canned tomatoes, but I have plenty of these in the pantry. I should be able to get at least three meals from this, one for this week, two for the freezer. This week we'll have Baked Ziti served with a side salad of mixed greens and homemade bread. I'll make a small batch with just enough leftover for one lunch for Jeff's packed lunch. I'll need to buy some mozarella cheese for this, but that's it. My pantry is well stocked with all kinds of pasta.

Lastly, I think I'll make an Eggplant Pizza - using the sauce already made, some sliced eggplant, and maybe some pepperoni or cooked sausage, on top of homemade pizza dough. I'll use mozzarella cheese used in the Baked Ziti.

At the end of the week I'll have carrots, the squash and half of the green beans left. The carrots and squash should keep just fine to use next week, and I will freeze the green beans. We will, however, come out short on fruit and salad greens.

So to my basket of goodies (which, by the way, cost just $17.50 this time because of an introductory offer they had last week), I will only need to buy 1.5 lbs. of stew meat and some mozarella cheese, combined with items I already have in my pantry and freezer - and I will get 12 meals (including those going in the freezer), plus three packed lunches of leftovers for Jeff.

And all those snacks Mr. B. needs for after school, of course!

ADDED AFTER GROCERY SHOPPING: Just to add a "save money" helpful hint here. Stew meat at my local grocer's was $4.99 a pound (!), but chuck stead was on sale for $3.19. I bought the chuck steak (about 3/4 inch thick) and will cut it into chunks myself - a savings of $1.80 a pound for 5 minutes worth of work!

Also, we eat a lot of salads here and I was worried that the bag of mixed greens I got would not last us for the two weeks. When I saw Iceberg Lettuce on sale today for .99, I bought one. I will break it up and mix it in with the Spring Greens from the veggie box, just to extend them. And here's another frugal tip for you. Get a gallon sized Ziploc bag and put a double layer of paper towel in the bottom. Put your lettuce/greens in and seal as air tight as you can get. The paper towel absorbs the moisture, which is why your lettuce turns brown and mushy! I have found lettuce lasts four to five times as long when I store it this way.

Tuesday's Schedule...

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:48:00 +0000

Again, I'm writing down my housework schedule for the week simply because it's working so well for me. See my previous post for detail info.

Tuesday is Clean the Downstairs Day - composed of the kitchen, family room, dining room, den, laundry room, and hallway.

First, of course, I need to do my Daily Chores (These get done every day of the week, before starting the Weekly Chores)
Make Jeff's breakfast
Pack Jeff's lunch
Make the bed
Straighten all bathrooms - wipe down sinks, provide fresh towels, straighten
Good general downstairs pickup (put things back where they belong)
Run dishwasher and/or put dishes away
Wipe kitchen counters and stove top
Put out fresh kitchen linens (dish cloth, towel)

Then comes the Housework for Tuesday:
Vac/dust downstairs rooms
Windex 15 minutes*
Sweep front porch
Sweep deck/patio/hot tub area
One item from "Master List"

Today's Master List Item is a big one. I have been trying to find the right temperature/weather for staining our back deck. Although it's overcast and rainy this morning, the weather is predicted to be cool and sunny this afternoon. I powerwashed the deck last week, and all the furniture, grill, etc. have been removed. So if I can just get an hour of sun to dry it all out, I should be able to stain this afternoon. Mr. B. arrives from school at 4:15pm, so I need to be done by then. 5 yr olds and stain do not mix!

*Windex for 15 minutes: Does your home need to get it's sparkle back? This is one of my favorite housework tricks. Grab a bottle of Windex and 3 paper towels, set a timer for 15 minutes, and start Windex'ing. There are SO many things you can clean with Windex including, of course, windows! Kitchen appliances, sinks, glass on picture frames, storm doors, fingerprints on painted woodwork, TV screens, and so much more. Don't get distracted and don't stop until that timer goes off. Put your iPod on with your favorite music or an audio book, and this chore goes by in no time! Repeat at least once a week, and you'll definitely bring back the sparkle to your house.

It looks like there will be no Free Time today, but I really want to get this deck done and behind me so I can stop having it hang over me like a giant TO DO item on my list that I can't check off.

Yesterday in my afternoon free time I got a chance to read for several hours. I'm reviewing the new Alice Hoffman book, The Dovekeepers for Amazon. It's definitely headed for the best-seller list! If your library allows you to put books on reserve, do so now! If the author sounds familiar, she wrote Here on Earth, which was an Oprah Book Club selection.

Before lollygagging in a comfy chair with my coffee and book, I put the ingredients for a loaf of bread in my bread machine. I wanted a truly savory bread to go with tonight's spaghetti and meatballs, so in addition to the standard flour, salt, sugar, yeast, olive oil and water I use for my basic loaf, I added about 1/4 cup Ranch dressing, 1 tbsp oregano, and 2 minced cloves of garlic. I have to say, one of my better loaves of bread! It would also make a great pizza dough.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, a VERY short video of Mr. B's first day without training wheels!

See? I said it was short. LOL

Off now to "get 'er done" and stick to my schedule! Enjoy your day!

Monday is...

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:54:00 +0000

For two weeks now I've been sticking to a good cleaning schedule. It not only keeps me "on task" (ie, everything gets done for a change), but it also has proven to free up a lot of my time for other things - sewing, reading, lollygagging on the back deck, etc.

Monday is Clean the Upstairs Day, plus one item from my "Master List" -- a list of things that aren't pressing but need to get done on a regular basis. So here is my To Do List for today, Monday, September 19.

Daily Chores (These get done every day of the week, before starting the Weekly Chores)
Make Jeff's breakfast
Pack Jeff's lunch
Make the bed*
Straighten all bathrooms - wipe down sinks, provide fresh towels, straighten
Good general downstairs pickup (put things back where they belong)
Run dishwasher and/or put dishes away
Wipe kitchen counters and stove top
Put out fresh kitchen linens (dish cloth, towel)

Monday Chores
Vac and dust upstairs (4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, hallway)
Create menu and grocery list for the week (post on Orgjunkie.com)
One "Master List" chore - today will be to clean out the under sink cabinet in my bathroom - empty everything, wipe it down, declutter, organize

My overall schedule looks like this (Monday through Thursday)
6:30 - 7:15 - Up, have coffee, shower, get dressed
7:15 - 8:00 - Make breakfast, pack lunch, feed cat, go over To Do List
8:00 - 9:00 - Computer - blog, email, whatever
9:00 - 12:00 - Daily and Weekly chores (see above)
12:00 - 1:00 - Lunch, computer or TV
1:00 - 3:30 - Free time - sew, read, craft, Internet, activities with friends - or do nothing! Whatever I feel like for the day.
3:45 - 4:15 - Pick Mr. B. up at school
4:15 - 5:15 - Babysitting, start dinner
5:15 - 7:00 - Cooking, supper, clean up

We had a delightful weekend. The Fall weather has arrived, and I am so much more willing to get out and do things now than when it's 90 degrees and humid. Saturday Jeff and I got up early and went to an Antique Show and Flea Market in Springfield, OH (about an hour away). It was perfect weather for walking through this enormous outdoor market and seeing all the goodies up for sale.

These mason jars sparkling in the sun were just beautiful!

A sure sign of Fall

Had the manual and accessories, but no place to plug it in to make sure it worked. I passed. Price $85

Scrap monsters!


I may have to try this. I have a crate!

This week I will post my schedule every day, so you can see how I've worked it out to have more free time. Does anyone else use an hour-by-hour schedule like this? Would love to hear from you!

Life is good!

Menus and To Do List for the Week of 09/12

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:05:00 +0000

It's a fairly easy week for me both To Do List-wise and Cooking-wise because I need to set aside several hours each day for reading. I review books and products for Amazon, and have fallen a bit behind, plus have two great hot-off-the-press quilting books to review for my Quilting on a Budget blog. (I'll be doing a GiveAway for one of the books, so do stop by later this week!) If I don't schedule the time to read, it won't get done. So picture me with a nice glass of iced coffee, sitting on my deck enjoying our gorgeous Fall Ohio weather... It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it!

MENU FOR THE WEEK OF 09/12 - 09/18

MONDAY

Hot dogs

Baked beans

Mac and cheese

Cole Slaw

TUESDAY

Pork Roast rubbed with garlic and sage

Browned Potatoes

(cooked in pan with roast)

Steamed green beans

WEDNESDAY

Homemade Cheese pizza

Mixed green salad

THURSDAY

Leftover pork roast slices, fried

Scrambled Eggs

Toast

FRIDAY

Steak on the Grill

Corn on the Cob

Sliced Tomatoes with mozzarella and basil

SATURDAY

Steak Fajitas (leftover from Friday)

with onions, peppers, tomatoes, flour tortillas

Tomato Orzo soup

SUNDAY

Baked chicken breasts

Rice, gravy

Green peas

THIS WEEK'S TO DO LIST

Monday
Vac and Dust upstairs
Straighten linen closet

Tuesday
Vac and Dust downstairs
Sweep front porch, back deck, patio, hot tub area

Wednesday
Collect all trash, upstairs and down
Thoroughly clean bathrooms (x 3)
Clean out fridge
Clean/organize coat closet in front hall (seriously needs to be decluttered!)
Wash kitchen, laundry room and hallway floors

Thursday - Errand Day
Glasses to Sears for repair
Books to Library
Thrift store
Post Office
Grocery shopping if needed

Friday - Babysitting Day
Change masterbedroom sheets
Clean out car
Clean out purse

AS TIME ALLOWS - Stain back deck, fence, and shed. This all depends on the weather. This is a project I will do for an hour or two at a time, so I hope to do it on and off all week. If it's not completed by the weekend, Jeff will help me finish.


You can find more menus at orgjunkie.com

I normally add my To Do List link to a web site called "Domestically Obsessed", but I just went there and found out she has taken a break from blogging. Although I'm disappointed (I *love* reading other people's To Do Lists! I know - creepy, right?), I certainly can understand that LIFE HAPPENS!

If you have a To Do List of items you want to accomplish this week, please share it right here in the comments section! Seriously. Other people's To Do Lists either remind me of what I need to do or make me feel good about what I've already done -- or (usually) both.

LIFE IS GOOD!

Life Happens

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:29:00 +0000

If you combine a house discombobulated to accommodate painters; a husband leaving on a 12 day business trip and having to move the trip up to get in to Boston ahead of Hurricane Irene; a new baby granddaughter half way across the country; a daughter-in-law with some medical complications after delivery; a son trying to handle a newborn baby, a wife in the hospital, work and school; a call to yours truly asking me to fly out and help for a few days; a grandson starting school and subsequently coming down with a nasty cold and needing some extra babysitting - what do you get? Me. Me and my neglected blog and my dirty, disorganized house.

Life happens. Everyone is well now; everyone is home safely. The New England family survived the hurricane; the Texas family survived medical problems. That's what's important.

I've been struggling a bit to get a handle on my house. I left for Texas with drapes cleaned but not re-hung, furniture askew, and all art work and decorations off the walls. And funny thing... no little fairies came to my assistance while I was away, and it was all waiting for me when I got back.

Today I spent several hours doing jobs that really need to be done at least twice a year. First, it was taking down all the "inflow" furnace registers and washing the grime off them. While they were down, my husband took the vacuum out and vac'd out the dust from the vents.

I also cleaned out and re-organized all my kitchen cabinets (except the dish cabinets -- I'd done those just a few months ago). I divided my spices into two categories -- "sweet" and "savory" with each type put on it's own shelf to make it easier to find them when I need them. I swear, if I had the space, I'd put them in alphabetical order. But I don't so I didn't! I re-organized the food cabinets, sorting like with like. All pastas and grains on one shelf, coffee and beverages together, canned fruits and veggies together, etc. It is so much easier to plan menus when my food cabinets are organized and easy to visually inventory.

Next I cleaned out the ~~black hole~~ area under the kitchen sink. I just don't know how so many weird cleaning products accumulate under there, since I really don't buy weird cleaning products! I did find polish for my kitchen counters (which I hope to do this week), cleaner for the ceramic stove top (which I hate - am I the only one? That darn thing NEVER comes clean!) and another for the stainless appliances. I threw out old sponges, dried hand lotion, crumpled paper napkins and paper bags, and more. I washed out the two plastic containers I have under there -- and sorted. One container is now for all items to do with dishes (brushes, dish soap, scrubbers, etc.) and one container for cleaning products (Windex, Pledge, etc.) and air fresheners. To the side of the baskets are my extra large cutting boards and Mr. B's plastic lunch tray.

I hung drapes but now they need to be steamed. I hung art work back on the walls. I cleaned kitchen appliances (outside) and got rid of a lot of clutter (too many salt and pepper shakers, spices I have never used, a stack of magazines, receipts that needed to be filed...) and oh my my... it feels good.

This week is the first week of my new almost-no-babysitting schedule! Mr. B. is now in Kindergarten five half days a week! I pick him up every day at 4pm, and have him again on Friday morning. I have absolutely loved having him with me anywhere from 2 to 5 days a week since he was 3 weeks old, but it's been 5 years of feeling like I never have enough time to do things I used to do. Either I was babysitting, recovering from babysitting, or trying to squeeze in daily housework and life between babysitting. I feel like my whole schedule has opened up again. I guess I need to make a list of projects!

Yesterday was Grandparents' Day, and Jeff and I received this wonderful gem from Mr. B:

It says:

Dear Umma and Umpa,

U R the best grandparents. I heart u, Umma and Umpa.

From, Brayden

Life is good.

Let me introduce you to ...

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:07:00 +0000

Miss Aimee Pamela Johnson

Born 08/22/2011


Grandbaby #2 - And my first granddaughter

Born three weeks early, mother and baby are doing just fine. And doesn't she look like her Mom!! Still no word on height or weight, but she's healthy, and that's what counts.

Welcome, sweet Aimee. I look forward to being your "Umma".

Huge hugs to my son, Jeff, and my wonderful daughter-in-law, Lisa.

And just like that, Mr. B. has a cousin.

Life is good!!


Look at all that hair!

Negotiate much? You bet!

noreply@blogger.com (Joan J) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:50:00 +0000

You can read about my quest to get the lowest possible price to have someone come in and paint my kitchen, family room, downstairs hallway, and dining room here.

I have now met with three paint company rep's for estimates.

The first rep was 20 minutes late for our appointment. A snippy unfriendly guy who snarkily (is that a word?) told me that NO the economy was NOT affecting him at all - he had seven crews working and they were busy busy busy. His estimate was broken down by room and was bizarre. For example, my family room is only 17 x 21, one wall is 3/4 fireplace, a second wall is a large double window and a sliding glass door, and the third wall is two extra wide doorways. There is no trim and I do not need the ceiling painted in that room. The price $525!! Oh, and they don't move furniture?! This guy sat out in his truck for 30 minutes, apparently with a computer, quote software and a printer, and handed me a fancy-schmancy folder with a photo of my house printed onto a fancy-schmancy detailed quote. The quote? $1900!! No wonder the quote was so high - they spend way too much money on portable computers and fancy-schmancy folders! I did not like this guy's attitude and I certainly didn't like his quote of $1900. I didn't even bother to negotiate with this one. Buh bye now.

The second rep was much nicer. A middle-eastern man who was a bit difficult to understand, but we managed to muddle through. However, his cell phone rang literally every 15-20 seconds -- and he either answered it or texted in return, without so much as an apology. Hello?? I was OK with the first call, but after that I was quite put off by his lack of attention to the task at hand - ME! His quote came in at $1200 (and they don't move furniture either!) and he negotiated with me down to $960. Better, not great. However, he was in too much of a hurry to give me a written estimate (huh?) AND I have not received one in email as he promised. Oh, and he told me to call the office if I didn't get the estimate. Sorry, not my job. Buh bye.

Last came this great guy by the name of Dave. A nice smile and a willingness to listen goes a long way when you're trying to sell your services, believe me. No snippy attitude. No cell phone ringing or beeping every 20 seconds. We walked through the downstairs, he asked intelligent questions and gave intelligent answers in response to my questions. He stood at my kitchen counter and wrote everything down (after putting on his cute little fold-up reading glasses - I need a pair of those!), and said he'd email me the quote. WHICH HE DID. I have since counter-offered a price and he responded and accepted. He gave me a firm date of next Tuesday for beginning the work, and says it will take just one day to do the painting. In the quote a statement that they MOVE AND REPLACE ALL FURNITURE. Yay!

The final price? Right on target - $750. I'm a happy girl. If Dave and his crew do a good job, I will come back and edit this post and tell you his company's name. If they do a bad job, I will come back and tell you the company name in FULL CAPS with photos and my letter to the BBB - after I've ranted a bit, of course!

The moral of the story? You can negotiate price by at least 25%. And if the company you're dealing with doesn't want to negotiate? move on... there's someone out there who will.