Week 3 - 2020

So, week three in 2020 is over.  It’s been an "okay" week.  It was very nice having a three-day work week, down one from my usual four.  The previous week was stressful for me, but things seem to be settling and I can see my way through to a brighter tomorrow.

MHN has a meeting at Smilow tomorrow; please send a prayer for him.  No more bad news, please!

I used to make pizza every week but haven’t in quite some time, until yesterday.  I don’t make my own dough but buy the basil infused dough from Big Y.  I let it rest for several hours in an olive oil drizzled bowl and punch it down once.  There is enough olive oil in the bowl that I do not have to add more when I stretch the dough in the pan.  I have done many combinations of vegetables and yesterday's was garlic, slightly sizzled, and then added a package of chopped spinach, about a half cup of riced cauliflower and about a half cup of leftover mushrooms, chopped up, and sautéed together.  When the mushrooms started to shrink down and the mixture was fragrant, I removed it from the burner.  Stretched the dough onto a baking pan (I have a stone but prefer a large cooking sheet.) and I flipped it over to be sure the pan was greased.  Then, I thinly sliced tomatoes, covered them with the veggie mixture; sprinkled half with shredded mozzarella and left half “plain” for MHN.  Drizzled the leftover olive oil from the bowl on top of the pizza and then baked at 375 degrees until crust and mozzarella was brown.  In my oven that’s about 20-25 minutes.  It such a forgiving and embracing recipe…there is no wrong way to do this.

SJT is back from Mexico. She was touched by the natural beauty, but she did get sick, even though she avoided drinking the water.  I guess the fruits & vegetables are washed in same, so it’s difficult to avoid.  Glad she is back in the US.  Wonder where her next adventure will take her! 

I am so GRATEFUL that she is not like me.  I have said this so many times.  I did travel with her father back in the day but after a bad flight coming back from Orlando, I vowed to never get on a plane again.  Truth be told (as always), I am a fearful person.  Not just a fear of flying, but doing things solo like driving to a new destination any time, driving at night, being too far from home, etc. are a few of my fears.  I think fear was ingrained in me from my first generation parents.  This of course was based on their upbringing, so it’s not a blaming thing.  It was what it was. 

So, I don’t have much else to share at this point, so we’ll get right to it -

Status of  Resolutions, Week 3:

Lose 15 pounds…. Status quo.

 Start doing some form of the e-word.  Does stretching count?

Sell this home and find a new one.  And then, decorate new place with some new furnishings and be in love with it.  Prayers

Continue packing up the house.  Yes!

Have big tag sale in the Spring.  Yes!

Read a minimum of 100 books, about two per week. (Not going to count cookbooks.)

1. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert… 3* predictable but enjoyable

2. Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman… 3* easy reading but junior high-ish; read   for on-line book club.

3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison… 4* found this to be very sad

4. Too Many Men by Lily Brett * Still in process

5. Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal.    4* (Those Punjabi Widows sure love erotic!) This was a Reese book club choice; Never knew she had a club.

6.  Eat Joy - Stories & Comfort Food edited by Natalie Garrett  Essays by literary writers with their story and comfort foods, each with a recipe.  5* Recipes didn’t interest me much, but the essays did.

- Now and Again by Julia Turshen Cookbook with menus, recipes and then ideas of what to do with the leftovers.  3* Garnered a couple of recipes from here.

- Smitten Kitchen Every Day:  triumphant & Unfussy new Favorites by Deb Perelman 3* Copied a few recipes from this one, too.

Try 50 new recipes.  (i.e. pickled eggplant, jams, jellies, challah, pasta)

 1.  Stir fry with stuff on hand...voila!

 2. Vanilla Bean Scones

 3. Eggplant Risotto

4.  Strawberry muffins

Weed out my recipe stash.  Cleaned out recipe box & small accordion folder.  More to go...

  

Blog once a week, even if I have nothing to say.  Wednesdays!  I will change this to Sundays

Participate in one holiday craft fair, probably November 2020.  Thinking about it…

Go through each craft and art magazine (There are lots!!) and save the projects that I want to try.    Went through 4 magazines (out of around #100); Ripped the pages out clipped them for a new folder! 

In line with the previous goal, go through my craft stash and list each project I have started that has fallen by the wayside and finish them:

To date:  Sew angel felt ornaments; Sew up ugly sweater & cactus ornaments; Finish rose needlepoint; Crochet market tote; color in coloring books; tons of yarn – finish block afghan and come up with other ideas.  Maybe learn to knit cozy socks? Have lots of fabric – skirts & jumpers, curtains, what else can I think of??  Candlewick pillow kit; Do something with wool roving; more resin projects; I have tons of scrapbook papers – do something!  Finish braided basket; Bought special needle to make braided rugs; Bought paint pens for use on rocks & shells; bought a pin vise to use on shells; Scrapbook for Sarah; finish making beach themed ornaments; Have tons of beads & old jewelry – what to do with them?  Yada, yada     

Make Christmas cards for 2020.  Decided on idea and working on them.

Have 50 mini dates with MHN – nope  ☹

Take a long weekend getaway with my daughter.  Thinking about this...

Until next week, my friends, sending peace, love & rock 'n roll. xo