... AND THIS...
... is NOT what I expected on the first day of spring. It snowed for five hours yesterday - a wet, slushy, yucky, annoying, snow. Most of it has melted since but there's still some on the grass. Luckily...
... you can purchase spring in a bouquet, arrange it in a vase, and pretend or...
... receive it as a gift. My friend Lori Jane brought this violet over on Friday as a cheer you up present for a particularly tough week. How wonderful to have friends like that. Isn't the pot pretty?
The grocery shopping is done. Kyle came with me to Costco, pushed the cart, and did most of the loading and unloading, which makes it so much easier. I remember when the kids were little and Howard travelled for work. He'd be gone weeks and months. Back then, I rarely took the kids grocery shopping. It was so much easier - and a break - to hire a sitter. Now that they're older, it's great to have them help. Time and changes - a part of life.
Speaking of changes, we've been having some rather serious discussions at our house about things that need to change and what's possible and what will happen if they don't change. After hoping for a better distribution of the work load and after numerous discussions with no results, I hired a cleaning service. They'll start at once a week and if that's too much go to every other week. As I said to the men, this is less expensive than me moving out. It'll mean spending less in other areas and that's okay. I'd gotten extremely unhappy as the unpaid maid. Four adults and one person doing all the work, wasn't working for me.
AND... I'm hoping to hire someone to cook for us several times a week as a learning opportunity. She's the friend of a friend and out of town right now so I have to wait until next week to ask her. She already cooks once a week for my friend who says the meals are excellent and big enough for left overs and - bonus - she's used to dealing with allergies because her son has quite a few. I'm hoping that the food accompanied by the recipe will teach me how to put things together. I'll know what it tastes like and can work from there.
As strange as this sounds, if she cooks for us at the price she cooks for my friend, it'll be cheaper than the number of times we go out each week which is way too often especially as I have to eat the same food with no flavour at a ridiculous price. This seemed like a way to get back to cooking and for dealing with my allergies. I'm excited. I hope it works out.
A cook and a housekeeper might sound expensive. Even so, it's something we need to do right now because if you continue to do what you've always done, you'll continue to get what you've always got. Increasing tension wasn't something we wanted more of, nor a big blow up. The price is worth it although it'll end up being much less than most car loans and since we don't have one of those, excellent.
I think getting help is a relief to Howard as well and will take the pressure off of him to do work around here after long hours at his job. Right now, he's working seven days, three weeks in a row. He asked me to hire someone to wash the windows inside and out and we're thinking of getting someone in to clear the garden although - LOL - he said quite firmly they are NOT to touch his grass. He's a golf course green grass fanatic and finds it relaxing to mow the lawn. Okay. Whatever works - VBG.
I didn't need to tell you about this and I didn't do it to brag. I did it to say that if you're overwhelmed and the thought of a two bedroom apartment all your own is starting to look increasingly good, you're not alone and there are other solutions.
SO... sewing... I didn't do any. The studio is clean. I'm ready for the next project and have no idea what it is. I'm working this afternoon, knitting tonight, working tomorrow afternoon, have Thursday off, and am working all day Friday as well as all day Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Friday next week due to the move. That sounds like no time to sew but hopefully, I can pick a project tonight and work at it bit by bit.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - solutions to tough questions
It's always good when problems are solved. Sounds like you've hit on a great solution.
ReplyDeleteI'd cook with you - if we lived closer. :)
I heard that Kamloops had snow yesterday. One word was blizzard!! We had rain but the snow level was very low on the hills. But better than the north that seems to have had so much snow schools were closed and transit was shut down.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the cleaning front.
I hired a cleaning person to do our house once a week when the children were home and we both worked. Best thing we ever did. As I enjoy cooking, I never gave that away though I wish I could when my medication is not working correctly. Mostly that has to do with my memory (forgetting). We do what we need to do to survive and that is okay. There are many others who do the same thing.
Enjoy your time off as it seems you are going to be busy with the old store closing down and the new one opening up.
Housecleaners are a great idea! We have them come every other week and it works out well. I rush around picking up the day before as I don't want them to spend their time putting things away. Things don't always get done exactly the way you want them to, but at least they're done!
ReplyDeleteWe've talked about this as well recently. I think it is great that you and your family can come together to recognize this need and accommodate for it. I, too wish I was close enough to cook for you! My mom and sister have celiac disease and I've really enjoyed learning to cook for them. The methods are different.
ReplyDeleteEvery time you mention food allergies, I keep thinking you should check out the GAPS diet, I have kept my mouth shut until now. Here is a link for a cooking class http://realfoodmedia.com/foodallergies/ I have no affiliation with this site. Check it out and do with it what you choose. You could also search out othe sites on this topic. Best Wishes.
ReplyDeleteMyrna
ReplyDeleteAt least the snow melts quickly now instead of hanging around for weeks. Living in the far north (Alaska) has its rewards.
Glad you & family decided on using a cleaning service. I haven't gotten to that point yet but have had a plowing service for a number of years. My back and shoulders thank me all winter. I also hire day laborers to help with other chores like major garden clean-up.
Hope the cooking thing works out. I know that learning how to cook for diabetes requires a lot of thought and many times the recipe failed to taste or stand up to my family's expectations.
AnnetteAK
Please don't think of it as bragging, more like offering some helpful advice to friends. I too have used a cleaning service from time to time!
ReplyDelete