Quote of the Week

 

Getting out each morning this week has made such a difference in my life.  I definitely plan on continuing each day as I can!

Getting more exercise into my daily routine

 I did not realize how much I missed exercise until this week.  For the past year, I have mainly been sitting around like a slug as far as physical exercise goes.  I have been totally unmotivated to do anything.  And it shows.  Over the past year I have gained a good amount of weight.  That's not good for my heart, BP, cholesterol, etc. And my lower back started to hurt because of all the excess weight it's having to carry.  So, I have recently started making some good changes with my diet and with how I go about life. This week I started back with some daily exercise. I can already tell a difference.

I am just starting off small. I am walking every day.  While it is good exercise, it is also good just to get out of the house and into the outdoors.  I desperately need to work on my cardio, and I have to start somewhere so why not now.  Better late than never!  While I have lost a lot of weight this week, it's only been three days after all, I can definitely tell a difference in how my day goes. I have been walking in the mornings before work.  My workday goes by quicker now.  I am more productive at work, and my mood is definitely elevated.  I am really liking how that feels.  

Years ago, I used to train at a gym here in town.  I loved it and hated that I had to give it up for financial reasons.  But beginning in earnest to exercise again has reminded me how much I actually enjoyed it.  There was a rush of energy after my workouts, and I always felt better about things.  And I was in much better shape then than I am now. That is what I want to rediscover. That great feeling of accomplishment that comes with working out.  I am going to begin adding new workout routines to my daily regime on top of the walking every day.  I am quite looking forward to it.  The 15-year-old me would never imagine me being someone who enjoyed exercising but here we are!

Recipe of the Week - Butterscotch Blondies

 When I am grocery shopping, I will often stock up on things that are ridiculously on sale or on close out.  One day I came across a close out on butterscotch pudding.  Naturally, I got multiples of it.  I love the flavor of butterscotch, but I had not done much cooking with it.  I went on an online deep dive to find recipes that used butterscotch pudding.  I found this one and it is awesome.  I have only made it once, but I shared it with multiple people, and they all agreed it was good.  Try it and see what you think!

Butterscotch Blondies

3 cups all purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

2 sticks of butter, softened at room temperature

2.5 cups dark brown sugar

1 box instant butterscotch pudding

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9x13 baking dish well with cooking spray.  Whisk together flour, baking powder and cinnamon.  Use a stand mixer and combine butter, sugar and pudding mix.  Beat until fluffy then add eggs one at a time.  Slowly add dry ingredients until you have a soft sticky batter.  Use a spatula to fold in butterscotch chips.  Transfer to baking dish and smooth out evenly.  Bake 45-50 minutes.  Let cool for at least one hour and then cut.

Enjoy!

One Drawer at a Time Update

 

As much as I am enjoying this process, I am starting to feel like I need to bump it up some to get more done.  While technically it's one drawer at a time, maybe I need to do several areas each time I tackle this assignment.  Admittedly I do not get to this every day.  I wish I had the time to do that but there are other things that must be done.  And now that June is here, I am realizing that I am still working in the kitchen which is where I started in January.  That's really a snail's pace when I look at it in the grand scheme of things LOL  Still, it is better than nothing.

The kitchen is one of those rooms that keeps refilling and I could probably do this process only in the kitchen for the rest of the year and never be finished.  When I was getting a jar of sauce out of the cabinet the other day, I saw how full and disorganized the food cabinets are.  That's where I started the year out and it looked great then.  But things get shoved into the cabinet when I buy them at the grocery store and I do not put any thought into where it's going.  I just find a void and fill it. I have also been moving things around in the kitchen which has resulted in taking things off of the counter and finding new homes for them.  Hence, the utensil drawers are crazy full right now and will need another going through at some point.  

I still am happy with doing this process and, believe it or not, I have let go of quite a few items.  And I understand that this is an ongoing, never-ending process.  This is just where I am in the process and I am really ok with that. It's working whether or not it shows.  And I am happy with that.  Today I will try to tackle more than one drawer when I get around to doing this and I will see how that goes.  

"The Garage" on Facebook

 I am going through my garage one box at a time.  There are so many fun things in these boxes that I am rediscovering, and I am really enjoying it. I often post pictures on Facebook of the treasures that I have "found" out in the garage.  What I have decided to do with these things is really look and see if I can find a home inside my house for whatever it is.  If I don't have a space for it, then it is time to let it go.  Now there are certain things that will not find a permanent home inside just for space issues.  My holiday decorations will stay packed away in totes in the garage.  My punch bowl set will stay out there as well.  But a lot of the excess will be fine for me to let go of.  Never thought you'd hear me say that did you!  ha-ha!  I am also applying this to treasures I found outside of the garage at antiques shops and estate sales.  When something comes in, something needs to go out.  It will help me to keep things balanced.

Anyway, I have started a photo album on Facebook called "The Garage".  I am posting pictures of things I am wanting to get rid of.  It does not mean that I do not love these pieces.  I simply do not have enough space for it, that is all.  I am offering things up to friends and family first through this album.  After items sit there for a while, I will put them on Marketplace or eBay. I have only posted a few items on there so far but I am hoping to post more tonight. I would love for people I know to find some treasures that they will use in their home.  That would make me so happy.  And as I say there, everything is negotiable as far as prices go.  I'm very flexible because this first venture is not about making money.  It is about rehoming wonderful things.  So, if you see something on there that interests you by all means, let me know!

Why a household inventory is important to me

 

I haven't worked on my inventory in a while, and I need to catch up on that.  Oddly enough, it is something that I enjoy doing as I have stated before. And while it is good that I enjoy it, I also think it is a very important document to have.  Obviously, it is important to keep a current inventory of your household belongings for insurance purposes.  Heaven forbid that something happens to the house.  If it does, you need to have a list of what is in there in case of things needing to be replaced.  While one can always try and remember things that you own, it is easier in the long run if you have it all documented. 

Another reason I like to have an inventory is for shopping purposes.  You all know that I love to go to thrift shops and estate sales.  I also love to go to used book and record stores.  Those are just as dangerous to me and luckily the one I frequented several times a month has relocated to another town.  I feel a day trip coming up soon LOL  Anyway, having that inventory I can look to see if I already have something before I buy it again.  I probably have close to 1000 record albums, both Christmas and non, and as much as I try, it is impossible to remember all of the titles.  Having that inventory available to me through my phone (one time I feel internet on my phone is beneficial) comes in handy in cases like that.  Or when I'm perusing sites like eBay, I can check as well.  

My favorite reason for the inventory is the history.  I love knowing the history of the things that I own.  Where they came from, who owned them before me, who made it, the pattern name, etc.  For me, it makes using these things more special.  For those of you who have come to a meal at my house, I can guarantee you that you have been surrounded by my family during those meals.  I keep the inventory so that history does not stop with me.  One day, hopefully for my family, they will use these things and enjoy knowing the history behind it.  That may be a pipe dream but it keeps me motivated. 

If you don't have a household inventory, I highly suggest you start making one.  Even if it's only pictures, it may come in very handy one day. 

Recipe of the Week - Nantucket cranberry pie

 This is one of the new recipes that I tried on Sunday.  I have a lot of cranberries in my freezer, so I am trying to find some new recipes to try with them.  I needed a dessert for my Sunday lunch, so this was one of the recipes I had printed off earlier in the week and I decided to try it.  It's not really a pie but you can make it in a pie pan or a cake pan.  It's not a cake either.  It's just a baked dessert. I liked it.  It was pretty easy and I hope you enjoy it as well.

Nantucket Cranberry Pie

2 heaping cups of cranberries

3/4 cups chopped pecans

1 2/3 cups sugar, divided

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp pure almond extract

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter or spray your pan and add the cranberries to the pan.  Sprinkle with the chopped pecans then top with 2/3 cups of sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, 1 cup sugar, melted butter, eggs, almond extract and salt.  Stir to combine.  Pour batter over cranberry mixture and spread evenly to cover the entire surface. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.