The Busiest Weekend Ever

Our Friday night started with me doing laundry so that I would have half a chance of finishing our weekly 6 loads of 2 darks, 1 color, whites, towels, and sheets. I began fussing Friday night, knowing I was going to have to race and fight the clock to get things done.

All week long I’d imagined that we’d be leaving around 11 Saturday to start our shopping excursion and then would have some of the morning. At least that is what we have always done in the past. Friday I found out that George wanted to leave around 8 a.m. Conversation ensued. Heavy conversation. We compromised and left at 9. So Saturday morning I got up and redid my to do list (the reminder app on iPhone) and forwarded many things to next Saturday. We were also going to eat lunch out, shop, and end the day with dinner out and we had our restaurants picked.

We started out at Sam’s Club. Our membership was about to expire and we’ll be doing BJ’s soon. But it was our last hoo rah at Sam’s. We stocked up on our favorite items and found some gifts and really enjoyed ourselves.

We tried a new pace called Shake Shack in Franklin area of TN. We got burgers, split crinkle fries and got a beer.

While there, we went to the Bottle Shop. It’s been a nice little package store that we have frequented through the years. A few unique things have been found there in the past. We bought a couple of things. One was some dark rum, which I forgot we bought and bought it again a few hours later. <—-I told George my memory is not serving me at all these days. He thinks it is just “mental overload”. To his point, he was the one that picked it out earlier, but he did show it to me, and I acknowledged. Then I bought it again later at Total Wines, thinking hmmm, I think I’d like to have some dark rum and that one is my favorite. The fact that he already bought it didn’t register.

We stopped at Gabe’s which is a discount store and you can get some really good things in here at times. I bought a new pillow which in the last two nights has served me well. I’ve slept more comfortably.

Of course we went to Total Wines in Brentwood. Let me tell you, between Sam’s and Total Wines, we dropped some bucks. Shockingly so. But we bought Christmas and stocked up some things for the winter months ahead on canned goods, wine, liquor, and a few sales meats from Sam’s. George bought a big pork loin and cut and sealed it into several packs of 4 for the freezer.

We also stopped at Whole Foods to do our weekly grocery shopping. I needed ingredients for the Pork Stew I was fixing Sunday.

George had bought sushi to eat for dinner so we didn’t get to go out to eat. I figure that was my punishment for not leaving as early as he wanted, so he cut the day short. At that point, I didn’t care that I wasn’t getting to eat out. I was so tired. I did insist on getting a coffee at a nearby coffee shop, Cream.

The sushi and shrimp ceviche was good. I don’t eat raw fish, but this was crab and cucumber and avocado. Afterward I set in to working on the laundry and checking in with Mom. Oh and I failed to mention that unloading the car was a big deal. It’s been since we moved Mom since I’ve seen so much packed in one car.

The Impossible Sunday

I call it impossible because I was so tired getting up Sunday. I had not had a proper “off day” to do our normal weekend tasks and routines and resetting for the week and a bit of resting. But here we were getting up at 6 to start another very busy day.

I had to be at church at 8:30 or so for our Ministry Fair where we had booths set up to explain the various ministries of our church. There were refreshments and so forth.

I helped man the World Bible School booth. I took a pic of a few other booths to show you. The security booth was fun.

A member of our life group does this ministry.

I was very impressed with the way things were set up, and how organized it was. We did have a couple of people interesting in helping or at least learning more about our ministry with the World Bible School.

When I retire, I have a strong desire to work with Hearthside but I’m not sure how or in what way yet. The Lord planted it in my heart to be a prayer warrior for the women there. To come out once a month or so and pray with anyone that needed private prayer. But it’s only a thought that was planted in my mind. I don’t even know if it would be allowed or possible. But I am good one on one and can share the good news in pieces and certainly pray with those that want prayer.

Here is the M.A.G.I box ministry. Their booth was next to ours. I usually do a box. I enjoy putting it together.

Mom did not want to go yesterday as she was not interested in the ministries. Although, I spoked to someone that was 92 that doing this M.A.G.I box. I was so impressed. She did not look a day over 72.

We had a service with a visiting past member that grew up there doing the preaching. And we left to do Mom’s grocery shopping and we ate at Publix at their upstairs dining area which was really nice. This Publix has a hot meal (meat n 3) bar, deli, and many ready to go foods that can be purchased and taken on the elevator to the upstairs area. It was totally fascinating to watch the people shop.

My sandwich on Italian 5 grain bread was really good.

Big Day at Mom’s

So we got to Mom’s and brought in her groceries. I had also bagged a lot of canned and boxed items from Sam’s for her since we bought in batches. I gave her some of our oranges and onions too.

Mom had a tomato on her counter that had spoiled. The top side looked fine but the bottom had molded and opened up and spilled on her counter and stunk to high heaven. Her counters were filthy so I cleaned up what I could. I asked George to take her trash out. I don’t know if he did or not. But he aired up her tires. Mom has someone in mind to come clean her house but she has not totally confirmed with them yet. It’s someone she knows through a friend. So yesterday it was me. I didn’t have time to clean her whole house, and won’t but I cleaned the counters and washed days worth of stacked up dishes and it was pretty bad. Mom said she kept her house clean and I showed her what all I got off the counters.

So we had a lot of business to do also. I had to enroll her for her grant money for 2024 from the government to cover her shots in her eyes for her macular degeneration. I also had to deposit an investment interest check into her account. And George was given a check to cash for her running money. I ordered some supplies for her from Amazon. We got her mail, and looked through many papers and found her tax papers where we need to pay county and city taxes. I was given a paper to enroll her in a program where she will get some of her tax money back.

Back Home, Pork Stew, and Meltdowns

Back home, I rebooted laundry, ironed, prepped for the work week, cleaned the kitchen, paid Mom’s bills for the upcoming week, did my World Bible School duties for the day, and then set into cooking. I was going to make cornbread with the Pork Stew, but I ended up messing it up because I put in butter but forgot I had already put in oil instead <—–see, my short term memory is slipping. I thought I had only oiled the pan. But I had decided to switch to oil instead of butter in the batter. So I used oil but the butter was still out and I thought I’d forgotten to put the butter in. Then I realized that I had used oil instead. I actually wasn’t sure, to be honest but then I saw the oily measuring cup and new I had done that. I tossed the foiled batter in the trash as we did not have corn meal. Or at least I couldn’t find it. I also burned my hand forgetting that the skillet was hot that I had just heated up.

I cried. I was so tired. I should have never even made the pork stew as I had to chop a lot but the pork was thawed but I was trying to come through for us and contribute as George cooks most of the time. I wanted to give him a break. I had no idea the day would be so long but we didn’t get home from Mom’s until 4. And I had a lot to do before I could start cooking, eat, and end the day.

George came in the kitchen and saw me wipe my tears as I said “I can’t do anything right”. He hugged me and brought me a small glass of beer, splitting it with me, lol.

George and I both fell asleep after dinner watching a TV show. This morning I’m running behind. I have pushed and pushed and just short of blowing a fuse. I slept good but I am having to have some quiet time this morning so that I can function this week. It’s just necessary to have some down time. So likely I’ll have to work later or longer. This is a busy week though. It’s a 4 day week as I’m off Friday so we can go to a market place event in Nashville for more Christmas shopping. We are pretty much done but not quite for everyone. Thursday Mom has a doc appt and we are eating out and getting our nails done, and getting a grocery item or two that she forgot to tell us Sunday. ::sigh::

Meanwhile in Texas.

Katy is showing. I love this pic. Look at my little River man.

Ok over and out. How was your weekend?