Friday, February 26, 2021

Looking Forward to Weekending!

 Hello and Good Morning,

It's a little later than I normally post...the morning kind of got away from me.  But it is Friday and that's a very nice thing.  And my 8:30 a.m. conference call was cancelled.  I still have one at 10 and another at 11, but the sun is out and temps are on the rise again.

It has ended up being a busy week!  I have very limited cabinet space in the kitchen and no pantry at all.  Which is a shame.  Years ago Fletch built shelves for me in the basement and we store canned goods (soups, beans, tomatoes, etc.) down there.  I will also put bags of flour, sugar, corn meal, etc. down there - all secure in tough zip lock bags.  This winter, for the first time ever, mice have gotten into flour and corn meal.  So gross.  Yesterday we took everything off the shelves and Fletch used a shop vac to clean them up, then did some more cleaning.  I bought some plastic bins to store things in, so hopefully everything is mouse-proof now and will stay fresh.  I also discovered a number of canned goods we will never use (things I will say that Fletch bought at the beginning of the pandemic when he feared we might never get to a store again).  I now have two large Trader Joe's bags ready to donate to a food pantry.  That will hopefully happen later this afternoon.  It feels good to have gotten all that stuff organized.  Recently things had just been put on any shelf with no rhyme or reason to placement (I'm not going to name names, but if I had put things away that would not have happened - LOL).

Tyg ended up on the patio roof again the other morning!  I refused to open the window for him - I don't want him getting used to climbing up there and then jumping in a window.  I ended up getting up and going downstairs, putting the coffee on and then opening the patio door and calling for him.  Very soon he had climbed back down and was coming inside.  He had a quick bite to eat and then wanted to go back out!  In and out and in and out.  Enough to make you crazy!

I'm now working the smocking stitch on my Heart Warmer cowl and it is such a fun stitch!  Pictures next week.  And, last night I did cast on using the Northern Lights yarn from Knitpicks for a new pair of socks.


Not much, but a start.  Five rows of 2x2 ribbing are complete.  I usually do 15 rows on the cuff.  I hope to work more on these this weekend and start the pattern I've chosen.

Tomorrow we are heading to Colin & Mailing's for dinner.  They have gone Vegan for Lent, so no meat or dairy in the meal.  I think Colin said he was going to make French Lentil Soup and bake a loaf of bread.  I'm sure it will be yummy.  He also suggested that we come over a little earlier than usual so we can all take a walk in the afternoon, and he told Fletch he may try to shovel a path out to the fire pit in their back yard.  That would be fun.  I had planned to walk yesterday with our warming temps, but the wind was still too much for me.  Even with an earband or hat on I tend to get ear aches when it is windy.

I've started reading Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley and am finding it so charming.  Thanks for the recommendation Kym!!

Well, that's a wrap for me.  I need to get another cup of coffee and get ready for my conference call at 10.  Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!  Enjoy!!

17 comments:

  1. I have the same "pantry in a bin on a basement shelf" arrangement in MD. It's not ideal, but since the washing machine is down there also, I at least get some exercise going up and down the basement steps multiple times each day. Enjoy your dinner with C & M and happy weekending!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mice are a nuisance. I dealt with them all the time on the farm. Thankfully, I’ve only seen one here (in the garage) and he was quickly trapped. I reorganized my pantry a few months ago as well. Now I know exactly what I have on hand.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think I'll have plenty of storage space for food in the house but I have more counter space in the RV than I'll have in the house! That will be an adjustment. Sorry about the mice. There is no knowing how or when they will attack. People at the lake often had mice inside their trailers when they returned in the spring.
    The time planned with Colin and Mailing sounds very nice. You are one of the very lucky ones who gets to spend time with loved ones. The firepit in the snow souns fun! We're getting more snow this morning on top of the 5 inches yesterday. I hope this is it. Winters last hurrah and that spring will be on it's way.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am sorry to hear about the mice -- tell Tyg he's not doing his job as a cat! My parents have a bunch of OXO containers with a button you press on top to create a seal that they swear by for their pantry in Florida (where they have to deal with keeping the moisture as well as the pests out).

    ReplyDelete
  5. I went through a mouse raid a few years back after our former indoor kitties went over rainbow bridge. I had mice everywhere. We couldn't even use our cabinets. Everything had to be sealed in bins. It was terrible. Although I am not a cat person because of allergies I welcomed our new additions with open arms. I'd rather have allergies than mice any day. They destroyed everything precious I had stored in my attic and ate the wires out of my new Mini Cooper. Ugh.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I don't have a pantry either and I would kill for one! And a closet to store brooms/mops!!! I am so looking forward to house hunting this spring! I'm ready for a new place.

    Tyg cracks me up. I'm sure if Relic could get on the roof here, he would. Whenever Dave leaves the garage open, Relic goes in, and sits on the roof of his car.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, ugh to the mice. Every once in a while, we deal with them up north. Such a mess. Love your socks! Enjoy your time with C&M. And I am so glad you're enjoying Perestroika in Paris. It's just a delightful book. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ugh ..........mice! Glad you were able to get it cleaned up.

    I'm sure the pantry will really appreciate your donation. They are having an awful hard time keeping up with the demand.

    Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mice! Not fun at all, well I bet eh mice had fun but not you two. Enjoy your dinner tomorrow, stay safe.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It's a good time to go through cupboards. We started a notebook to list basement food inventory. And freezer. The non dairy menu stumps me, I need butter on my veggies and cream in my coffee.

    The "boys" have been traveling to the "ladies". It's feline mating season, even though they are neutered!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh dear on the mouse finding your stores, but glad you did some organizing and have made things more secure. We should get some bins to store our flour in, too.. as we got extra for the same reason. Have a relaxing weekend. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hello,
    Mice are not fun, I think you have stored the items securely now. TYG must be seeing something outside to hold his interest. We still have lots of snow in our yard and along the driveway. Enjoy your dinner. Take care, have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have a basement pantry, too, but store canned goods and cleaning items there. Once in a while, boxes of pasta. I haven't had a mouse issue there, but we have had the occasional mouse in the house, despite cats! It's horrid. Have a lovely weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nothing like a good cleaning job! I have been enjoying clearing up corners around here--it's so easy to pile things up!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh You know I love when you get to see your son! Im debating whether to brave the windy 44 degrees, which probably feels like 20 , or go onto the treadmill. I despise the treadmill. I am knitting today.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I've been vegan and maybe lasted a week or so. There are lots of good recipes though!! Glad you got to see your son and daughter in law. Looks like we are in for some windy weather unless they change their minds.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Mice are such a nuisance! Ugh! We had them the winter before last and I was like a fiend ridding them from the house! (and new weather stripping has assured they have not returned!)

    Nice sock start! I like that yarn!

    ReplyDelete