Recovery from surgery is going much, much better. I think I may be able to pull off a somewhat “normal” amount of activity this week. I’ve made the choice to stop taking Tylenol for my post-op pain because I think we’re getting close to the end and any amount of pain is a signal that I’m doing too much and that I should slow down rather than pop a pain reliever and keep going at the same pace. I know it’s a wise decision, but ugh. But hey…we are definitely getting to the end of this!
Cooking
This week’s meal plan:
- Monday: Tortellini in broth, Peasant rolls
- Tuesday: Creamy Pumpkin Soup, European Boule
- Wednesday: Roast Chicken with garlic, lemon & rosemary, Normandy vegetables, Rice pilaf
- Thursday: Chili in pumpkin bread bowls
- Friday: Taco Night
- Saturday: Leftovers
- Sunday: Pork & Tomatillo Stew
Renaissance also plans to make a Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie.
Clothing
I am doing laundry pretty regularly now, but I can’t lift the full baskets of clothes. It’s not much of an issue most days because there’s almost always someone else in the house with me.
Cleaning
Cleaning is still a little difficult for me, so I’m keeping an eagle eye on the kids’ chores and not letting them get away with doing half-hearted jobs. I don’t think I’m anyone’s favorite parent right now.
Caring
I’m just trying to get back in the swing of making all the meals regularly because hungry people are grumpy people. There’s also a lot of office work to catch up on, so I expect to spend a lot of time on that this week.
Creativity
I am going to try my hardest to get some actual sewing done this week. The fabric for the band fundraiser table runners is here and I’ve pre-washed it all and am in the middle of cutting it to size. I’m a little optimistic that I might get these done quickly.
I need to really, really get knitting on the secret Christmas knitting project(s). Eek!
Gardening
The tomatoes. Oh, the tomatoes. The green ones are ripening on the counter, so that’s good. We’ll be using a lot of the pureed pumpkin this week, which makes me pleased. I’m hoping we’ll get the garden cleaned out this upcoming weekend, too.
Celebrating
Happy Halloween Week! The kids have costumes, I bought candy, and there are pumpkins for carving, but I don’t know if they’ll get carved at all. There is ONE carved pumpkin, so everything’s ok in a minimalist fashion.
Community
- Pep Band potluck this week
- The work continues to get ready for the band fundraiser
- Ward Choir sheet music is arriving on schedule
- I still need to find a pianist(s) for our Christmas program
- I need to schedule the special musical performances for November and December
Top priorities this week:
- Halloween celebrating & traditions
- Band Fundraiser Table Runners
- Scheduling special musical performances for November
- Finding a pianist for the Christmas program
- Make some headway on the secret Christmas knitting
- Rest when I’m tired or hurting

