Glimpses of the future

We have been very busy this year so far.  I’m feeling very accomplished in the 7 days of 2019 , I wonder how long that will last?

I have gone for a walk every day, even when I didn’t feel like it.  Having 3 days in a row of sunshine did put a smile on my face and make those walks a little more fun.  Apparently I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.  As I rounded a corner in the back of my neighborhood on a walk last week I heard a man singing pretty loudly.  He was a young construction worker, had a few 2x4s slung over his shoulder and was singing at the top of his lungs as he walked across the build site. A couple of other guys on the crew shook their heads when they saw me and said “sorry about that”.  I said “don’t be” and grinned.  It makes me proud to be a Michigander when all it takes is a couple of days of sunshine and 40 degree weather to make everything better!

I’ve made a grocery list and made proper dinners 4-5 nights a week for the last couple of weeks now.  It feels so good to be back in control of the kitchen.  When the kids were younger we ALWAYS ate at our dining room table.  No tv, no phones.  We went around the table and did our “best and worst” thing that day.  We never ran out of things to talk about.  And anyone who has eaten here with us has taken part.  I remember the girls doing it for Jack when he was too young to participate and we used to imagine what he would have to say.  Sometime within the last couple of years we started slipping into the bad habit of eating in the living room.  With 3 of us working full time and Jack having a busy high school schedule we started making our own plates and Jack would open his computer and watch something while he ate at the table, Katie would watch the kitchen tv and Chad and I would be in the living room.  Not all the time.  But often enough that it bothered me.  And we weren’t eating well either.  We fell into making the same 7 or so meals because they were quick and easy.  And sometimes we would get carry out or stop for something on the way home.  We also ate out way too often for convenience.  But that is what happens when everyone is working.  Who wants to spend the time cooking and cleaning when you’ve been up since 5am and working 9 hour days?  But now that I am home again and not working, I am excited about cooking and trying new recipes.  I don’t mind making the grocery list.  Most nights I even kick Chad out the kitchen after dinner and clean up myself and send him off to relax after his long day at work.  Between the walks and the better eating habits I’ve lost 6 pounds so far.  Hopefully I can keep that going too!

We have all of the Christmas stuff put away and redistributed.  This year was tricky because we had to figure out what to do with everything, our new place is half the size of this one.  Jack has one tub plus his ornament boxes, Cassie wanted a couple of things but has her own place for a couple of years now and didn’t need much.  Katie ended up taking the bulk of it.  Which worked out well since she just secured a new rental home to move into this spring and will have more room than any of us for awhile.  I was dreading that chore since we put all of the Christmas stuff up and I am so glad that is done now.

I know this is getting long, but I have to tell you about the pantry.  The Pantry!  We have a decent size, kind of walk in pantry. The top shelf is hard to reach and Katie and I have been using it for storage.  She has her baking supplies there and I have candles on my shelf.  As we are downsizing, organizing and packing to move, I decided to start the new year off with a cleaned out and organized pantry.  I wanted to be able to see exactly what I had to work with when I am menu planning.  This turned into a 3 hour project!  Katie ended up with 2 TUBS of stuff.  I have NO IDEA how it all fit up there.  And as I was going through my candles, I found stuff I still had from Home Interiors!?!? Yes- the home party company from the 1990’s!  I also found a bowl back in the corner that was filled with things from the previous Christmas (2017).  For a whole year this bowl was sitting there behind some plastic bags.  I would have used those travel sized booze bottles Chad got from his white elephant gift exchange if I had remembered they existed!  It was like a time machine in there.  But now it is clean and organized.  I don’t cringe when I open the door.

So far 2019 has led to better eating habits, more organization, daily walks.  I am catching glimpses of what my future looks like and I am loving it.  I just have to survive the next 5 months.