Pondering Next Steps

I am still "working" in the kitchen. It would be nice to finish as much as I can in one room before moving on to the next. I looked over the wall in the kitchen to see how I was going to proceed with the drywall mud under the window and a few patch up jobs around the room. The gap between the sill and the top of the drywall is too big to fill with caulking and it is an outside wall. I thought I had a full can of foam insulation, but when I went to check on it, the trigger was missing. I knew I would have to buy a new one. Also, after it cures (tomorrow) I need a very sharp utility cutter. I also knew I had several of those around the house and the shed, but the blades were rusty or broken. I did not want to buy a new cutter, so I looked a little harder and eventually found some brand new blades for a very good X-acto knife that I will be able to cut plaster board. I found an old leaky pair of rubber gloves, so I knew I wouldn't have to buy disposable gloves either.

So first thing this morning, I hung the laundry I washed last night, outside in the sunshine before I proceeded to wash the kitchen counters and different parts of the wall I didn't get to yesterday. They are in very rough shape and are crying out for a new coat of paint....eventually. We never put a backsplash in our kitchen, so I was considering how I might be able to install one and what materials I might use. I also tried to figure out the easiest way to fix my window framing.....both windows actually. So today, not a lot got accomplished because there are times I need to stand back and consider the next steps.

I walked to the post office to mail out the Easter cards I prepared yesterday, and then I continued to walk to our local hardware store. I picked up the foam insulation and another tube of white caulking, for a total of $10.50.  While there I also picked up some paint swatches to look at. I'd like to keep the kitchen walls a very pale creamy yellow. Once home I used the foam insulation in as many places as I could remember that needed it. Tomorrow I can cut the dried foam back even with the plasterboard and then I will be ready to apply the first coat of mud.

While at the post office I received my Spring Sample Box. Here are the goodies that I received.

Arm and Hammer laundry detergent with Oxiclean, Clover Leaf solid chunk tuna, 3 different Nescafe coffee pods for my Keurig, Kashi bar, Sensodyne rapid relief toothpaste, Polident denture wipes and 3 G.U.M soft picks. I also got some high value coupons for a lot of the samples. Then I realized that two other coupons for free product were off camera, so.....

I added this terribly out-of-focus photo to show that I can pick up a free full-size Oxi Clean pre-treat stain remover and a 450 g smooth cottage cheese with blueberry and acai. I hope there is no added sugar, because I would really like to try this latest product. I will give away my kashi bar. I am presently waiting to hear about a new baby in the family. My niece went into labour this afternoon. Hope you all had a great day.

Kitchen Tools

When I talk about kitchen tools, I am not referring to knives, whisks or spatulas. I am talking REAL tools, like hammer, nails, screwdrivers, caulking gun and paint brush.  I used all of them today. The day started out sunny, but still kind of chilly, so I decided to start in my kitchen by pulling out the stove to replace the baking element I bought yesterday. Before I could do that, I took down my very large hanging spider plant and hung it up in the living room window. Then I removed my two curtain rods and lace cafe curtains that hang in the large kitchen window. I will wash those tonight along with the sheets from my bed and some white and light laundry left over from the weekend. If tomorrow turns out to be another sunny day, I will hang them out on the line. Then I pulled out a free standing cupboard into the middle of the room so I had some space to maneuver my stove. All this time I have been thinking that the stove would be too difficult for me to pull out from the corner of the kitchen. I thought I would need help from another person (specifically my son). But I managed just fine. I pulled it out so that I could unplug it. Once the plug was pulled, I changed out the bottom element in the oven. There was a time I couldn't imagine ME doing this. Thank goodness for You Tube. I watched how it was done, and it looked simple enough, so armed with the correct screwdriver, I proceeded to remove the old one and attached the new one.

Once I finished that, I proceeded to wash both sides of the stove, the side of the cupboards, the back wall, the side wall and the floor underneath. It was disgusting. I was going to take a photo, but it was too embarrassing to show anyone the state I had allowed these walls to become. I used my homemade cleaner, hot, hot water, comet, a new scrubbie and a Mr. Clean eraser. Then I got a caulking gun and spread a bead of caulking in every crack I found. I live in a very old house (1840 old) and the walls and floor are very uneven. My husband had built a little platform under the stove so that it would be strong and level. He had planned to rebuild the whole kitchen floor the year he passed away, so it was never finished up properly. Once I caulked all the seams, I decided to put down a layer of primer so it will be easier to deal with in future.

No before photo...just the after picture.

And since I had to pull out a cupboard, I vacuumed and washed the floor underneath it. I also decided to fix the back of it before I pushed it back.

You probably recognise this piece as one of those kits that come in a box and that you need to put together yourself. It is just very cheap melamine shelving with a cardboard back. Well the cardboard was only tacked together in a very few places and was coming away from the back. I took some finishing nails and a hammer and placed a fastener every couple of inches. I didn't have enough room across the top to nail it securely, so I found a piece of trim in the shed and cut it with a saw down to size and nailed the trim in place to hold the backing close to the top of the frame. It is much better looking now.

I was on a roll now, so I caulked all around the inside of the window frame. This is where I hope to finish off the window box itself, and eventually trim out the window, which was never done.

You can see from this photo the raw edge of the gyproc over the old wall. This is where there was a huge gap that I filled in with the caulking gun and smoothed out with a wet finger. I watched my husband do this many times. Then I washed the window inside and out, including the vinyl framing.

So this window is clean but before I rehang the washed curtains, I would like to plaster, sand and prime the gyproc under the sill where the two cats had scratched and destroyed the plaster board. I want to build out the window box so I can attach trim (or those pieces of pine board I primed) as a frame around the window. I finished up by cleaning the rest of the kitchen floor, after plugging the stove back in and pushing the oven back into place on its little platform. I reset the clock, held my breath and turned on the oven. It works, and it is now baking some chicken for my dinner. Yay!

Before I started this post, I wrote out the rest of the Easter cards for the kids in my life. If I don't send cards to my family members, at least the kids are looked after. It was too late to mail them out this afternoon, so that will be a priority tomorrow.

Out and About

It was another dismal wet rainy day, which always casts a shadow over any activities I may have planned  for the day. I struggle with my moods and I wasn't sure if I would go out or not, even though I had mentally prepared for going into LifeLabs for blood work. I would also stop at the post office to mail out 7 Easter cards, stop off at the appliance repair shop on the way in to order a new baking element, and pick up a few groceries I forgot the other day. If I decided not to drive into town, I have a stack of to-dos that would keep me occupied all day. In the end, I went on-line to find out where I would find the model number on my stove (I have been unable to find it in any of the places I guessed). Having the model # and the serial # in hand, and putting on my moisturiser, long-lasting lipstick AND mascara,  I felt I was ready to take the plunge. Also, and this was a very important consideration, I could take care of 4 of my weekly goals all at once. So, I left the house.

First of all, I mailed out some long-distance Easter cards that I had planned to mail yesterday, but ran out of time when I helped "Dee" prepare a written introduction for my dad for an upcoming meeting of the Ontario Retired Teachers Federation. She wrote an excellent paper, but just wanted someone to edit and refine some of it. Next, I stopped off at the appliance repair shop to order an element, but was able to buy one they already had in stock for $56, including tax. I didn't have much of a wait at the lab. I keep a crossword puzzle book in my purse for those waiting times. On the way home, I stopped at NoFrills to buy crushed tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and......I forgot my shopping list so couldn't remember the Stevia sweetener. Fortunately, I have enough to last the rest of the week or longer. Unfortunately, I filled my basket with lettuce, tomatoes, green onion, sweet peppers, cauliflower and rutabaga while waiting for my short term memory to check in.

What I went for.....

and what I also bought, for a total of  $16.35. I see some salads in my future.

I plan to have chili tonight with a salad, so I don't need to replace the element this afternoon. Since I shouldn't be lifting anything heavy because of the blood letting, I don't really want to wrestle with the stove today anyway. Besides, once I pull out the stove, I need to wash the walls and floor underneath, so it won't be a quick job. Tomorrow is soon enough. I do need to make some more Easter cards to get into the mail soon, so that is my planned activity this afternoon, after a couple of bowls of my chicken and vegetable soup. If I remember to call and make two medical appointments this afternoon, I will have crossed 6 items off my to-do list. Go Team!

Daybook: Monday, April 8/19

Outside my window.....it is a wet and rainy day in April. The temperature right now is 3* C (37*F), but will warm up later to 12*C ((53*F).  My lawn is starting to green.

I am thinking.....how quickly I moved into my regular routine after I returned home. I was very sad leaving my daughter's house and fought back some tears, but once I was on my way, I slipped into my comfort zone.

I am thankful for.....another Spring.

From the kitchen.....I made another chicken broth over the weekend, with which to make another pot of chicken soup. I saved the last loaf of keto bread from my oven, which needs me to replace my baking element sometime soon. I prepared all of the weekend meals on top of the stove.

I am wearing....blue denim jeans, a pink long sleeved button down shirt, and black socks.

I am creating.....die-cuts from the Animal Kingdom Cricut cartridge I borrowed from my daughter. I played most of the day yesterday, working through the cartridge methodically, making notes to determine the best size to print out the images for making cards. I have a set of Peachy Keen stamps that are cute animal faces. Some I can use on the outline cut of some of the animals. I am trying to determine the size I need in order to use some of those stamp, if possible.  I will then make several die-cuts of my  favourite images. It has been a lot of fun! I am easily amused.

I am going.....to the post office later today to mail out some cards.

I am hoping.....for sunny, drier days this week.

I am hearing.....traffic on wet pavement outside my window.

Around the house.....my dining table is heaped again with papers, glue and other embellishments from the weekend's activity. My living room needs decluttering and dusting. My kitchen is screaming for attention. I have lots to do to keep me out of trouble.

One of my favourite things.....is to be able to stroll through my gardens again to discover what is growing.

Goals for the week......

• a trip to the lab to have blood work done
• call my GP to make a follow-up appointment
• call the Breast Screening clinic for my mammogram appointment
• a shopping trip for tinned tomato sauce, cheddar cheese and Stevia sweetener
• order a baking element for my oven at the appliance repair shop
• make at least 10 cards this week
• mail out the long distance Easter cards immediately
• set a timer and do at least two  15 minute declutter jobs this week in the Craft room
• wash big kitchen window, inside and out.
• if outdoors, pick up branches from the yard and put on the compost pile. Gather garbage from the yard in a green garbage bag for pickup
• start every morning with SPF moisturiser and long wearing lipstick
• moisturise every night

Photo I am sharing.....

 The first thing I noticed driving up to the house, were these Snow Drops coming up between the rose canes.

Then I found some crocuses blooming. The leaves of daffodils   (top of photo) and allium (in the foreground) are just now trying to push up through the mulch.

My Mile Long To-Do List For April

I have a feeling that my time will be split between working outdoors during the warmer drier days and still quite a bit of time indoors. It will be too early to do any planting, but there is some tidying up to do with fallen branches and garbage that has blown into the yard from the winter storms.  I will be able to clear away the dead vegetation  and prune back more shrubs that I didn't get to in the Fall. I will be hanging my laundry out on the line at every opportunity. Inside, I am hoping to get a good start on my Spring cleaning, and using some spare time to continue with my crafting.

Environment:
House- Spring cleaning chores will be the priority. In April, I need to wash both the inside and outside of my living-room and kitchen windows, which I did not finish in the autumn. I will purge my dressers and closets, while swapping out my colder weather clothing for my summer clothes.  I want to attach the primed pieces of trim to areas around my windows that I will make more energy efficient with foam insulation and caulking. I want to wash the walls in my kitchen, and then PAINT.

Garden- Clean the yard of fallen twigs and branches. Start early with my homemade weed killer on my back patio, brick walkway, and the driveway. Clear the garden beds of dead vegetation and prune back the woody stems of my perennials. Make an appointment to have my winter tires on my van changed sometime after Easter. Have the oil changed at the same time. Watch for sales for bags of garden soil and compost.

Finances
Spending- Print out a new budget for  April. Keep record of all spending on my envelope in which I keep all my receipts. Cash only spending for household and gas expenditures.

Saving- Transfer money into savings and emergency fund. (This is a tiny amount, but doable)  Transfer GST into savings for my gift budget. IF there is money left over at the end of the month, make an extra payment towards cc.

Family and Friends 
I lost a family member to that dreaded cancer last week. I had been sending her cards every other week for the past year. I will continue to send at least three cards out every week, but I will include birthdays, "Thinking of You",seasonal cards and cards that I mail out to my grand kids. I will be attending Easter dinner with my brother and his family in Smith Falls and I need to plan another trip to Elliot Lake to visit with family members. It will be at the end of April or beginning of May.

Health
Go for lab work this week and make an appointment with my GP. Continue with my low carb diet. Start wearing moisturiser with SPF every morning, as well as night time moisturising. Get my hair trimmed and my eyebrows waxed.

Crafts and Leisure

I will continue my resolve to put in at least 6 hours of crafting a week. I will make another 25 cards this month. I will finish the second satin pillow case.

Home This Weekend

I arrived home yesterday. My son-in-law drove me and my belongings all the way from Bradford, turned around and drove straight back. That was a very long drive in Friday afternoon traffic. But it was still early enough for me to drive into Kingston to pick up a few grocery items. I also had 2 weeks of mail to pick up from the post office, and I made a trip to the bank to take out my $360 for April (household expenses and gas money). I called the IT department before I left the house to have my email account reinstated and I checked all my phone messages. My husband's cousin who I have been sending greeting cards to, passed away just this past week. I sent a text message out to people on my list to inform them of my return and I talked to others by phone. I watered the downstairs plants. (After reading that Bless was down to two house plants, I decided to count mine. I have 30, not counting the geraniums upstairs that I am overwintering )  Before I knew it, it was time to make dinner for myself. I had forgotten to eat lunch because I was so busy.

I spent a total of  $51.45 on 6 bags of winter veggies, 2 bags of Oriental mixed veggies, frozen spinach, 2 kg bag of  blueberries, 4 small zucchini, English cucumber, 1 lb of butter and carton of table cream. Also purchased, but not shown, was a package of 4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts and 2 dozen eggs. It wasn't a complete shopping trip because I did not sit down and write out a shopping list, but I knew that I was completely out of vegetables, butter and eggs and I wasn't sure if the milk I left behind was going to be any good. It was, so I made a batch of yoghurt this morning.  I know already that I need tinned tomato sauce and hard cheese.

When I left for Bradford two weeks ago, I took a lot of food with me. I was determined to follow my diet, but I didn't want to be a financial stress on my daughter. I bought a few items while there like milk, eggs, butter, cabbage and cream but stretched it out nicely so that there was very little I had to bring back, which was basically frozen meat that wasn't all consumed. I am sure I have enough to last a couple of weeks now that I bought the chicken breasts yesterday. They cost $3.77/lb, but that is a good sale here for boneless skinless chicken.

This morning, besides making a batch of yoghurt, I also used 6 eggs and the last of my almond flour to make a keto loaf before discovering that the baking element on my oven had shorted out. Drat! Since the oven had already preheated, I turned off the oven and placed the bread inside anyways, and left it there. After an hour, I finished cooking the loaf for 5 minutes in the microwave. It is very pale looking, but I believe it is cooked through. The texture and height seem the same. I warmed up some leftovers for my lunch and grilled two slices of the bread. It was very good. So I am relieved I did not have to waste those ingredients. I will have to wait until Monday before I can pick up a baking element to replace in the oven. I may also have to wait for my son to come help me pull out the stove so I can unplug the appliance, but I have already been waiting on him so that I can clean the sides, back and floor underneath.

It is a lovely spring day outside, so I did up a small load of dark laundry and hung it up outside. Little things like this give me a great deal of joy. I still have ice on my back patio, but the clothesline is out on the lawn where it catches the sun rays and the breeze. I will take a stroll later to see if any plants are making their way up through the soil. I saw my first robin two weeks ago  (the day I  left), but that is one full month later than usual. I hope the rest of you are enjoying a lovely sunny day and that you have a wonderful weekend.

March Goals Update

Looking back at my mile-long to-do list for the month of March, I didn't expect to be very successful. I surprised myself. The momentum of those first few days helped me to get some things accomplished. I even vacuumed and washed the downstairs floors, which was not on this month's goals, but hooray for me. The end of the month was not a total wipe-out because I decided to come here to my daughter's house to help her out. It is where I wanted to be all along, so I guess we both benefited. She has been able to rest and recuperate and have more energy to get things done, while I try to help out with some housework and entertaining the grands.

House:

• Use my Home Depot gift card to buy some cheap pine lumber to trim out walls, doors or windows.     Done
• Paint those pieces of trim with white primer     Done
• Buy more caulking or wood filler as needed. Use gyproc compound where needed. 
• If I can get into the shed by the end of the month, look for mitre box and saw.
• Purge 30 items. That is only one a day.     Didn't even begin

Garden:

• Buy potting soil     Done
• Repot my aloe plants     Done
• Try starting  plants from seed     No

Spending:

• Print out and follow my budget sheet for March     Done
• I have removed $360 cash from the bank for household expenses and gas.  Keep track of all expenditures in my daily journal.     Done
• Get my taxes done.      No

Savings:

• Put money into savings account and gift accounts     Done
• I won $28 in scratch tickets for my birthday, which I have put into my piggy bank of "found money".     Done
•  I was asked to make feminine birthday cards for my niece for which she is paying me.     Done 

Family and Friends:

• Continue to send out at least 3 "Thinking of You" cards a week to friends or family members 
• Send out birthday cards in a timely fashion     I didn't quite keep up. One birthday card was mailed out late. However, I did send out lots of kid's cards. 

Health:

• Keep the appointment with my psychiatrist this week     Done
• Get blood work done at the end of this month and then make appointment with my GP early in April     Haven't done this yet but will when I return.
• Spend one hour each week on self care and moisturise every night    No
• Lipstick every day and makeup before leaving the house    No   A dismal failure.

Crafts and Leisure:

• Make at least 25 cards this month   Yes, yes, yes.
• Make a baby card and birthday cards for my niece     Not yet.
• Work on the scrapbook....at least another 14 pages     No..a big fat zero
• Work on the embroidered pillow cases     Finished one and still working on second
• Work on Easter or Springtime cards for the middle of next month     Done
• Start a macrame project for an upcoming gift     No