Daily Challenge for May

 Now that the semester is over, I can go back to focusing on some things to work on around here.  As I have talked about before, I am wanting to incorporate some different things into my everyday life.  I have been moderately successful at this so far but I know that I can do better.  So, it's time to set myself another challenge for May.

This one is based on a phrase I have talked about before: don't put it down, put it away.  I am notorious, as I believe we all are, in just setting something down and thinking that I'll get to it later. Guess what?  It really doesn't work that way LOL  I end up with piles of stuff all over the house.  Then I get overwhelmed when I try to do something about it because it's just too much. Nothing gets accomplished that way. 

I need to take a moment before I just set something down on a random surface.  I need to think about where it actually needs to go. If I do it now, that will save time later.  I won't feel so stuck in piles everywhere. I've already started this in the kitchen with dirty dishes and I can tell a difference. It's so nice to wake up and go to make my coffee in a kitchen that is relatively clean because I took the time to put things away.  I want that feeling all over the house!

I can do this!  Now, time to go find something and put it away.  That is all. 

I did learn stuff after all

 In the end, I did learn something from my "Health and Aging" class.  Yes, it was very frustrating.  I will go several years now before I watch Up again any time soon.  But the actual learning materials of the class were very good.  I just hated the format.  It grew tiresome and I was honestly writing the same paper every week.  Oh well. When we did our strategic plan for Carl, our group project, you know that was frustrating as well.  Sometimes group projects can be like that, but we did work through it and got an A on it, so I will let that go. The good part about the project, even though I had never done an assessment or strategic plan before, is that I knew what I was talking about.  The material we had been covering was there in my brain and I was able to call on it and use when I needed to.  There's something to be said for that. Here's the graphic I created for our plan:

Now, it's time to relax for a while and look to the future, both my future classes and my actual future.  I can do that! 

Desserts I want to make

The other day at work while I was on my lunch break, I watched a Youtube video on vintage desserts that you rarely see anymore.  Several of them really caught my interest and I started a list.  Go figure, another list LOL But that got me to thinking about desserts that are on my cooking bucket list. Some of these are very basic desserts that are still popular today, I just have never made them.  Some are inspired by recipes in cookbooks I have.  Of course, there are many more out there but here are 10 of them:

 1. Chiffon Cake

Chiffon cake is a light cake that is made with vegetable oil instead of traditional butter or other heavy fats

2. Harvey Wallbanger Cake

A delightful yellow cake flavored with oranges and Galliano Liquer

3. Grasshopper Pie

A creamy no-bake pie mixing chocolate, mint and whipping cream

4. German Chocolate Cake

A layered chocolate cake filled and topped with coconut-pecan frosting

5. Lady Baltimore Cake

A white layer cake with fluffy frosting and fruit and nut filling

6. Apple Pie

A double crusted pie filled with apples, often served with whipped cream or ice cream

7. Pecan Pie

A pie filled with pecans, eggs, sugar and butter.  What could be better?

8. Tiramisu

A layered Italian dessert of lady fingers dipped in coffee and a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar and mascarpone and dusted with cocoa

9. Lemon Meringue Pie

A pie filled with lemon curd filling and topped with meringue

10. Black Forest Cake

A chocolate and cream cake with a rich cherry filling

We shall see how many of these I can check off of my bucket list this year.  Of course, I can only make them when I have people to share them with!  Any takers?

A weekend with no expectations

 It feels so different having a weekend with no expectations.  It definitely feels good, just different.  This is the first time in a long time that I don't have homework.  Specifically, that I don't have a paper to write. Maybe I should just pick a topic and write a paper for old time's sake?  LOL  NO, that's not going to happen. I am going to thoroughly enjoy this respite and freedom from the old college try!

While I do have things I need to get done, I am in no rush to get them done.  It's not that I am unmotivated, it's simply that I do not have a required time frame in which to get them done this weekend for the first time. That is so glorious.  And, knowing myself, I will probably get more done than I expected simply because of that. When there's no pressure, there's more productivity.  At least in my world.

I will make some time for fun things this weekend.  Of course, fun to me may not be what others consider fun but that is fine because this isn't about other people.  It's about me.  And that's not selfish, that's self-care. Hopefully I will see a few people.  Might even venture out of the house for a non-errand excursion. Who knows.  The possibilities are endless.  It's a nice place to be in for the first time in months.  I'm very proud of the hard work I put into class and my efforts with school.  But now it is time to get back to me for a while and I am totally fine with that.  

Now I am going to finish up my coffee and get started on my weekend list.  Not because I have to but because I want to.  There's a major difference and I am relishing that!  See you on the other side!

That is all. 

It's time to mop the kitchen!

 I really need to mop my kitchen floor this weekend. And the odd thing is that I am looking forward to it.  It's been way too long.  And by way too long I mean long enough that I'm not going to tell you.  While I do keep it swept as best as I can, I just have not had the motivation to get the old mop bucket out and clean the floor.  Between work and school, the last thing I wanted to do was move everything out of the kitchen, wait a few hours for the floor to dry then move everything back.  I know, it's an excuse.  Not a good one but there you go.

I bought a new mop set last year.  I really do like it.  You know when you're an adult when buying a new mop is a highlight in life. When Michael lived here we had a Swiffer but we felt that would serve him better in his new space.  So, I went for the more traditional, old fashioned kind of mop.  I guess it's that vintage guy in me that likes that style.  It may be a little more work than the new steam kinds you see today, but I have much more of a sense of accomplishment once I'm done.

So, my plan is sometime this weekend to block a few hours off and mop my kitchen.  Maybe I can relax with a movie in between dismantling and resetting the kitchen. Or maybe find something to do in the front of the house or even outside.  Who knows.  Welcome to the fun of adulthood!

Time to start Christmas shopping

 Now that Christmas is less than 8 months away, not that I'm counting down the days, it's time for me to start looking at my Christmas list.  And not the list for me but for other people.  As you know I love giving gifts. I love to find the perfect gift for someone else.  And by the perfect gift, I simply mean one that has had some thought put into it.  I am always filing little details away when people mention things that they like, or they share memories of things that meant something to them.  It gives me a good idea of where to start. That often leads to other ideas and so forth. 

Starting this early gives me plenty of time to find fun gifts.  I didn't buy many gifts last year because my life had changed so much.  My friends that get together each Christmas decided to forego it last year and just get together and have a good time, which we did.  And other than family, I didn't really buy much for anyone.  And that is ok.  It is where I was last year.  But this year I'm ready for more.  I am going to edit my list and see who needs to be added. The thing about gifts, at least for me, is that they don't have to be extravagant or ridiculously expensive. It truly is the thought.  Whenever I'm given a gift or a card, it makes me feel good because someone was thinking of me.  Someone took the time to make sure I was remembered and that's important.  That is the true gift.

Sometime over the next week I will organize my list and start my shopping.  By the way, spreading out your shopping is much easier on the budget!  And I will rediscover the joy of gift giving at Christmas.  It's as much about the joy it brings me as it is about the joy it hopefully brings others.

That is all. 

The Lusty Month of May

 I thought I would start the month with a song about May.  I turned to one of my favorite theater scores of all time, Camelot, and the amazing original cast performance by the legendary Julie Andrews.  I know that the show suffered from book problems, but what a cast.  Sadly, I have never seen it live on stage.  I've seen the movie, which is beautifully filmed but I find it boring LOL  If I could go back in time and see any original cast, this would be right up there on the list.  Enjoy!