Daybook: Monday, Sept. 17/18

Outside my window.....it is another lovely warm, sunny day. It is just after 1 o'clock in the afternoon, so there are high school kids walking past during their lunch hour break. The lawn is cut, but I am noticing the rose bush that is not pruned back yet and the weeds coming back in my driveway.

I am thinking.....about the few ideas I found on the weekend for gift making and giving at Christmas.

I am thankful for.....the gorgeous autumn weather we have been having. I haven't noticed any trees starting to turn colour yet. Everything is still summer green. We are still in our shorts and tanks.

From the kitchen.....I have 3 huge chicken breasts in the crock pot. My son and his new wife are coming in about an hour to do up their laundry and stay for supper.   I did a deep clean of the kitchen counters and stove top this morning, which means removing everything and disinfecting every surface. I took the kitchen compost out to the garden composter and removed the kitchen garbage.  I made 2 more gallons of my home-made weed killer and unloaded the dishwasher. I  vacuumed the kitchen floor.  I was busy in the kitchen this morning.

I am wearing.....a pair of gray capris and a gray striped top to match. I'm in bare feet again.

I am creating.....Christmas lists....lots and lots of Christmas lists.

I am going.....nowhere today. I invited  company.  I also told my BIL that I would stay home today in case he decided to pop by.

I am hoping.....September's weather remains sunny and dry, but it could cool down a bit.

I am hearing.....both the fan going beside me and the portable A/C unit running in the dining room.

Around the house.....I vacuumed all the downstairs floors this morning. I still need to clear off the dining room table because it is heaped with my card making supplies yet.

One of my favourite things.....I don't know if it is a favourite thing, but since breaking my bow rake, I realize how much I use it and how much I miss having one. I haven't been outside much since then.

A few plans for the rest of the week.....include a doctor's appointment with my shrink on Wednesday.  I am expecting two Amazon deliveries this week with supplies I will need for different projects.  I will have to replace my bow rake at some point. I will probably buy one from Canadian Tire and offset the cost with my remaining $10 worth of points.

Here's the picture I am sharing.....

My usual "recipe" for Shepherd's Pie is to mix cooked ground meat with ketchup and add cooked veggies like peas, corn and diced carrots topped with mashed potatoes. My NEW casserole that I made last night is cooked ground meat with some of that creamy white sauce I make with cream cheese and added sliced green beans and topped with mashed cauliflower. OMG. It was so delicious. As you can see, the topping browned beautifully. I only added enough sauce to hold the mixture of meat and green beans together, so I suppose I could have added some shredded cheddar on top, but there was no need. It tasted so good. I have to wonder though that if I had made this concoction two years ago, would it still be as delicious? Have my taste buds altered so dramatically?