Today is one of my favorite days of the year: GAME DAY! And to make it even better, it's National Championship Game Day! And Alabama is playing in the game! I'll be at my usual spot tonight, watching the game, pacing the floor and yelling at the TV. I budgeted this particular night out into this month's budget because I knew there was no way I was sitting at home watching this game alone! (The Princess has plans to watch it with her friends elsewhere!) I'm pumped. I'm hyped. Now to just get through the work day!
Back in November, I lamented the fact that my beloved Alabama Crimson Tide had dashed its National Championship hopes with a shoot themselves in the foot performance agains LSU. The inability to convert on 3rd down and what seemed like a million missed field goals resulted in a 9-6 overtime lost. To many across the country that #1 vs. #2 "game of the century" was a snoozer. For those of us that love smash mouth defensive football, it was a great, albeit frustrating game. And it appeared that all was lost.
Somehow, however, the stars aligned, everything that happened needed to happen, and Bama is playing tonight for the the National Championship, in a rematch against LSU. Nationally, college football fans are up in arms demanding a playoff system since the SEC is now winning yet another National Championship even before kickoff. It is interesting to note that several years ago, the SEC actually pushed for a "Plus 1" game and the other conference commissioners roundly rejected the idea (including the commisioner of the conference that OSU calls home), the school that felt it should be in the game instead of Alabama.
But it is what it is, and tonight I'll settle in with friends and watch a game that means an awful lot to many in this state. After a year of unspeakable loss, tragedy, strength and resilience, we're looking for a bright spot and I'm hoping this is it. Roll Tide!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Freezer Cooking Finished!
I have finally finished my freezer cooking for the day! Or, almost.... I've still got chicken stock simmering. I started this morning and it didn't really take all day. I also did laundry, walked Thing 2, entered a ton of Powerade caps onto MyCokeRewards, took a nap and sliced my finger open with my really sharp Chef's knife!
I actually decided to do the chicken stock because of a post from the fabulous April at An Apple A Day Wisdom -- she manages to really get the extra mile from her veggies!
Anyway, this is what I made today:
4 meals worth Taco Seasoned Beef
8 meals worth Ground Beef
5 meals worth cooked chicken
Tuna salad for lunch this week
3 Cups Diced Onions
2 cups shredded zucchini
Chicken Stock (still in progress)
I had hoped to try out a recipe I found for some yeast rolls, but after slicing my finger open, kneading bread dough didn't sound like the wisest, most sanitary or most appetizing thing to do. So, the great yeast roll experiment will have to wait for another day!
Not QUITE According to Plan
Yesterday, when I left for the store, it was a bit rainy out, so I fully intended to get my freezer cooking done yesterday. Rainy days are perfect for being cooped up and therefore getting stuff done. When I got home from the store, I unloaded the groceries, took the picture for this blog (that post will come later), realized that it was now the 7th and I'd spent over half of the month's grocery budget. My plan there is other than milk and "super deals", to not buy anything else! Here's hoping!
By the time I had put up the groceries, straightened the kitchen to get busy cooking, the sun was shining brightly. I went outside and it was warm and bright outside and the yard was quickly drying up. Hmmm, warm and sunny in January? That can only mean one thing: yard work and air drying clothes! (Okay, that's 2 things!)
So, I put my sheets in to wash (I got totally addicted to air dried sheets during last summer's no dryer experiment), changed clothes into my yard grubbies and went outside to work. What a glorious day! I cut back perennials that had gone to seed. Harvested some seeds from my favorite (I'll try my hand at propagating). Moved some rocks my Dad had brought me in October to their permanent home. Removed a "scrub" bush with loppers and a pick axe. Filled two barrels with yard debris and carted them to the curb for pickup. All in all a VERY productive day. (The only drawback was that I ended up having to put my sheets in the dryer to finish up last night, just not enough sunlight for them to dry all the way outside.)
Today, however, I have realized that my yard muscles are sorely out of shape! When I woke up, I just groaned. Everything aches. However, I still have that freezer cooking to do and a house to clean and laundry to finish up. So aching muscles aside, today should be very productive too! Here's hoping!
By the time I had put up the groceries, straightened the kitchen to get busy cooking, the sun was shining brightly. I went outside and it was warm and bright outside and the yard was quickly drying up. Hmmm, warm and sunny in January? That can only mean one thing: yard work and air drying clothes! (Okay, that's 2 things!)
So, I put my sheets in to wash (I got totally addicted to air dried sheets during last summer's no dryer experiment), changed clothes into my yard grubbies and went outside to work. What a glorious day! I cut back perennials that had gone to seed. Harvested some seeds from my favorite (I'll try my hand at propagating). Moved some rocks my Dad had brought me in October to their permanent home. Removed a "scrub" bush with loppers and a pick axe. Filled two barrels with yard debris and carted them to the curb for pickup. All in all a VERY productive day. (The only drawback was that I ended up having to put my sheets in the dryer to finish up last night, just not enough sunlight for them to dry all the way outside.)
Today, however, I have realized that my yard muscles are sorely out of shape! When I woke up, I just groaned. Everything aches. However, I still have that freezer cooking to do and a house to clean and laundry to finish up. So aching muscles aside, today should be very productive too! Here's hoping!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Freezer Cooking Preparation
One of the things that got pushed to the side during the frantic chaos leading up to the holidays was freezer cooking. I'm not the type that does 30 meals in a day. I'm just not good enough at planning it all out. What I actually do though is prepare a ton of ground chuck, some taco seasoned and some not for use throughout the month. I also like to cook up a a whole chicken or two, shred it up and freeze it.
Sometimes, I'll also do a few baked goods, but since my waistline is feeling the effects of a baking frenzy over the holidays, I'll pass on that this time around!
What I really need is some good lunch ideas for the freezer. I come home for lunch most days (my office is really close by) and I often eat leftovers or whatever is handy. But I'd like to have some better ideas to provide a bit more variety. Something I can just thaw, heat and eat. I need to do more online research because so far I haven't come up with anything that seems really appealing. Y'all let me know if you have any good ideas!!!!
For today though, I'm heading to two stores to pick up what I need for cooking: ground chuck, chicken, onions, zucchini, plus a few things Publix was out of stock on when I went on Wednesday. I'll get the cooking done either today or tomorrow. Trying to decide which! So that's my "grand plan" -- plus trying to find lunch ideas.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Grocery Prices = YIKES
During the insanity of the holiday season, I really let my grocery budget get completely out of hand. I was buying things for special meals that I don't normally buy. I wasn't paying much attention to prices because I needed what I needed when I needed it. So after work last night I went to the store with a few coupons in hand. I hadn't clipped or printed many lately because I just hadn't had the time. Really paying attention to the prices I was paying this time around was a HUGE eye opener. I kind of freaked a little bit at the prices. They have really gone up when I wasn't looking. And being out of several things that I normally have stocked up and that weren't on sale this time around didn't help! So,this is what I got:
2 Bags Tyson Chicken
1 Glad Trash Bags
2 8 O'Clock Coffees (got a rain check since they were out of my favorite flavor, but got these to get me through)
6 Powerades
2 Ramen Noodles
1 Bag Salad Mix
1 Angel Soft 9 Pack Double Roll
1 Publix Dog Treats
4 Crystal Lights
1 30 lb. Pedigree Dog Food (Not Pictured)
Spent: $63.57
Saved: $38.64 or 38%
I've got to do better --- because I just spend over 25% of the month's grocery budget and I really didn't buy much in the way of actual FOOD. Yikes.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
I Wish I May, I Wish I Might
Yesterday, a good friend told me about a meteor shower that would be visible in the wee hours of this morning. Normally, I'd be kind of like "meh" about it. Its January, it was the coldest night we've had so far this winter, I like to sleep, etc. However, I read the link that my friend sent me and I was intrigued. Often its hard to see these meteor showers in January because of clouds and bad weather. However, the night was forecast to be clear.
So, I woke up at 4:15 --- let the pups out, fed them, made coffee and bundled up in many layers to go out on deck and watch. City lights and nearby security street lights meant I didn't see many. But I did see enough that I was able to squeeze in several wishes as the "shooting stars" streaked across the early morning sky. What were my wishes? I'm not telling! But rest assured, I didn't waste a single one of them!
My pups thought I was crazy, but it was kind of nice, out there on the deck, bundled up, coffee cup in hand, blanket over my lap just staring at the sky. And bonus time!!!! My house is in excellent order for me to come home tonight, the extra time allowing me to get a couple of things done that I normally don't. Will I make 4:15 a habit? Probably not, but the next time I get a chance to watch for shooting stars --- I'm going to take it!
So, I woke up at 4:15 --- let the pups out, fed them, made coffee and bundled up in many layers to go out on deck and watch. City lights and nearby security street lights meant I didn't see many. But I did see enough that I was able to squeeze in several wishes as the "shooting stars" streaked across the early morning sky. What were my wishes? I'm not telling! But rest assured, I didn't waste a single one of them!
My pups thought I was crazy, but it was kind of nice, out there on the deck, bundled up, coffee cup in hand, blanket over my lap just staring at the sky. And bonus time!!!! My house is in excellent order for me to come home tonight, the extra time allowing me to get a couple of things done that I normally don't. Will I make 4:15 a habit? Probably not, but the next time I get a chance to watch for shooting stars --- I'm going to take it!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Thank Goodness That Wasn't Murphy!
Happy New Year to one and all!!!!!! I hope this year brings each of you the blessings and promises of your hearts desires! And I hope that Murphy packs his bags and takes and extended leave of absence from your homes!
I was afraid that was not the case this morning. Despite being up until almost 1, I still managed to wake at 6 a.m. I staggered to the back door and let Thing 1 and Thing 2 out, then when they'd finished doing their stuff, I went into the kitchen to give them breakfast and to make coffee. It was there that I saw a long trail of water going from under the stove across the kitchen. Crap. This is NOT good.
So, I started looking for the source of the water. I checked under sink, moving all of the crap that lives under there. No water. I checked all of the other the cabinets (the refrigerator water line runs through them). No water. I checked around the fridge. No water. I MOVED THE STOVE. There, I found a puddle of water, but couldn't determine its source. I sat down on the kitchen floor almost in tears.
It was from that vantage point that I looked over at the pups' water bowl. Hanging over the side of the bowl was a dishtowel that had apparently been dropped unknowingly into the bowl last night. It was wicking the water from the bowl onto the floor. Mystery solved. Mess cleaned up. And now the coffee has been made.
Here's hoping all of life's little inconveniences in 2012 are so easily and cheaply resolved! Cheers!
I was afraid that was not the case this morning. Despite being up until almost 1, I still managed to wake at 6 a.m. I staggered to the back door and let Thing 1 and Thing 2 out, then when they'd finished doing their stuff, I went into the kitchen to give them breakfast and to make coffee. It was there that I saw a long trail of water going from under the stove across the kitchen. Crap. This is NOT good.
So, I started looking for the source of the water. I checked under sink, moving all of the crap that lives under there. No water. I checked all of the other the cabinets (the refrigerator water line runs through them). No water. I checked around the fridge. No water. I MOVED THE STOVE. There, I found a puddle of water, but couldn't determine its source. I sat down on the kitchen floor almost in tears.
It was from that vantage point that I looked over at the pups' water bowl. Hanging over the side of the bowl was a dishtowel that had apparently been dropped unknowingly into the bowl last night. It was wicking the water from the bowl onto the floor. Mystery solved. Mess cleaned up. And now the coffee has been made.
Here's hoping all of life's little inconveniences in 2012 are so easily and cheaply resolved! Cheers!
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