What's Been Going On: Monday, 6 June - Wednesday, 8 June, 2022

Good morning, friends!

It’s been a busy week around here as usual, and it’s not getting any less busy (also as usual!). Even today, we’re on the go. Remember when I was volunteered to take my daughter to go visit her cousin? Yeah, we might have gotten COVID-exposed from that. *sigh* My mother-in-law, bless her, and partner tested positive and they were with my sister-in-law and her son on Saturday, and we were with my sister-in-law and her son on Sunday. Granted, my sister-in-law and her son were outside the entire time with my mother-in-law, and we were both outside the entire time and masked, but still. Better to be safe than sorry; we’re all getting PCR tests this morning, especially since we’re supposed to visit my mother this weekend. We won’t be going to visit until our test results are in.

ANYWAY, we’re all still feeling fine (*knocks on wood*) and being our usual productive selves. I’m very much enjoying this break from schoolwork and am tackling projects here and there. It’s lovely. : )

Here’s what I’ve been up to so far this week!

 

Monday, 6 June, 2022

After coffee, I posted my Monday post, then edited and posted my review for A Beginner’s Guide to Paradise by Alex Sheshunoff over on my book blog. I did thirty minutes of volunteer work, then got a batch of chickpeas in the Instant Pot.

I got dressed, and then it was off to my very loud MRI! They did the first part, which was like 15 minutes, then pulled me out and started an IV for contrast (which I just learned this week is in short supply, ugh), and then it was back in for five or six minutes. Not a fun time, but I’m grateful I was able to receive this necessary scan. (Results: Small 9 mm nonenhancing focus of hyperintense T2/FLAIR signal in the left anterolateral basal ganglia/corona radiata. This is currently nonspecific and may represent small focus of old ischaemia/infarct or post infectious/inflammatory process. Demyelinating plaque is felt to be less likely but should at least be considered as it may appear similarly. Neurologist says this is often seen in people who have frequent migraines and isn’t anything to be concerned about. Everything else was normal!)

My son and daughter had come with me and waited in the car, so we got bagels from Panera afterwards and went home to eat them. I emptied and refilled the dishwasher, then prepared the parsley salad in order to make THIS for dinner. Then I prepared the falafels and got them into the air fryer, cooking them in batches. I took out two loads of compost and took out the garbage, then ran the dishwasher and scooped the litterbox. Then it was back to the computer for thirty more minutes of volunteer work.

When my husband got home, we dropped my car off to get some work done, and I made a batch of tahini dressing when we got home. I read outside for a bit, and then my son and I walked for three miles. We had our delicious falafel bowls for dinner, I did my Duolingo, and I read outside some more. I showered, put my daughter to bed, read my book, and my husband and I watched an episode of Under the Banner of Heaven before bed.

 

Tuesday, 7 June, 2022

After coffee, I stripped the bedding and tossed it in the wash. I published the review for The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan over on my book blog, then went out to the garage for a bag of frozen roasted butternut squash. I then made what we call orange soup (squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes, along with garlic and onions, and broth, all cooked up and blended, with a can of coconut milk stirred in at the end) in the Instant Pot. I also made several trips out to the compost.

I started a loaf of French bread, switched the laundry, and started a new load.  I did an hour of volunteer work, then folded and put away a load of laundry. After restarting the dryer, it was time for lunch!

After we ate, the two kids and I went on a 4.37 mile walk, stopping by my daughter’s former school to pick up a few things she had left there (stuff from the office, and her gym shoes). Hard to tell from this terrible photo, but we spotted a crayfish in the pond!

At home, I spread the middle of the bread dough with a jar of pesto I’d found in the pantry, then rolled it up to rise. I switched the laundry and put the bed back together with the new, lighter comforter my mom had given us (better for hot weather! 90s next week!), and then it was time to read outside.

I baked the bread, and when that was done, the car place called: the car was done! We went to pick it up; holy cow, the brakes are SO much better (they had been down to 20%, yikes!). After dinner, I did my Duolingo and read outside a little more, then showered and read and chatted online with my sister-in-law. My husband and I watched an episode of Unusual Suspects before bed.

 

Wednesday, 8 June, 2022

After coffee, I made out my grocery list (oof, these grocery prices!). I emptied and refilled the dishwasher, then took out the compost and recycling. I tidied and swept the kitchen and living room, got dressed, and the kids and I made a quick trip over to Five Below so my son could pick up a cable of sorts.

At home, we had a quick lunch, then I filled and ran the dishwasher. I organized my open-air pantry shelves, and then I took the two boxes that had arrived for my husband from Amazon this week and used them to collect all the stuff that had been collecting on the kitchen table since December. One box for my husband’s stuff; one box for my daughter’s stuff. Both boxes were full, sigh, but the table is clear now! I also vacuumed the carpet under the table and tidied the shoe shelf across from the kitchen, getting rid of six or seven pairs of shoes in the process. Success! The kitchen looks slightly less chaotic, which makes me happy.

I read my book for a bit, then my son and I went for groceries when my husband got home. Three stores; our big steals were a tray of marked-down kiwis and tangerines, and ketchup for $1 per bottle. At home, I put the groceries away and emptied and refilled the dishwasher while the pizza cooked. I had dinner, did my Duolingo, and my daughter and I made a double batch of double chocolate banana applesauce muffins (which is what I had for breakfast this morning! Super good).

I cleaned the kitchen, took out the compost, then sat down to work on this post. I took a quick shower, then put my daughter to bed (we finished reading Blubber by Judy Blume), and read more of my book. My husband and I watched one episode of Unusual Suspects before bed.

 

And that’s it! COVID test in just a little bit, then a bunch of kitchen stuff. I’m going to serve some sort of veggie burgers on homemade buns to go with the leftover soup tonight, so I’ll have to get all that going in a few.

Wishing you all a lovely, healthy, productive weekend!