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time off
November 27th, 2017, 6:59 P.M.
I took last week off, mostly--technically only two full days and one partial. After I left work Monday morning, I got my nails done, picked up something for lunch, and went home and did not much of anything all afternoon. I actually kind of miss the days when I could sleep an afternoon away. I did do a couple of things, though--some cleaning, and some fruitcake prepping (cut the paper pan liners out, chopped nuts, dyed some pineapple green, got all my ingredients together.) Made some Spouse comfort food--fish sticks and crispy crowns--for dinner, with a salad.
Tuesday was fruitcake day--and the day the guys delivered the replacement bed frame. Didn't have lunch till almost three--frozen popcorn shrimp. Since it was a hectic day, Spouse just made himself a tuna sandwich when he got home from work. Oh, wait. That was the plan, and that was what he ate, but guess who made it?
Wednesday, I got my hair cut (gave up on growing it out) and made the Pies for Thanksgiving dinner. We really didn't need two pies, but he only likes chocolate pie and I'm damned if I will do without pumpkin at Thanksgiving. Did more housecleaning, some laundry, and we went out for dinner after he got home from work. Just the local diner. I had fish for the third day in a row--a fish sandwich and fries. Then we ran to the store for a couple things we needed for Thursday, and to do the donation to the food pantry, since we could drop it off in the store.
After we got home, he pretty much went straight to bed, and I watched some videos and re-painted my nails, since I had totally trashed the manicure doing housework and baking. Went to bed about 10, I guess.
Thanksgiving, I slept in, and we got rolling kind of slow, with coffee and a tube of cinnamon rolls. Then Spouse hit the showers and dressed before heading in to the kitchen. I set up the turkey roaster and did a few other supportive prep things, then took my shower and jumped into jeans and a tee shirt. Called my dad to wish him a happy Thanksgiving, and we had a nice chat. Spouse called my cousin and did the same.
I was extremely laid back for Thanksgiving--got pleasantly squiffy on Sea Breezes and white wine, and while I did help out by doing dishes, prepping the vegetables, and finishing the gravy, really the whole meal was at the hands of Spouse. We ate about 3:00 pm, and it was phenomenal. Roasted turkey breast, stuffing, rich, buttery mashed potatoes and homemade gravy, baked sweet potatoes, roasted carrots with a honey-herb glaze, and (for me) cranberry sauce. Pie for dessert, see above. Every single thing came out letter-perfect.
On Friday, we did housework and ran a few errands at non-insane stores, and since it was a gorgeously warm and sunny day, we finally finished getting the pool pump disconnected and put away, and wrapping up the filter in its winter coat (a/k/a a hot water heater blanket). Had turkey sandwiches and pie for lunch, and reheated turkey, stuffing, and gravy for dinner, with the rest of the sweet potatoes and carrots.
Chilled out through the afternoon; actually that was pretty much the case all four days Spouse was off, because he took advantage of the holiday to catch up on rest. He is still a long way from healthy, and needs the rest pretty bad, so I'm trying to shrug off the feelings of resentment.
We don't get much more than the bare minimum done, and when he's trying to nap, I feel like I can't do anything that would make noise, so I don't get anything done except sit around and try to be quiet so he can sleep. Even the dog is starting to get fed up. It would have been the perfect day to run over and help a friend with winterizing her motorbike, like he already promised to do. Wouldn't have taken more than half an hour, tops. But even when I feel like I'm really trying to be mellow and understanding, he is so whiney and sensitive he seems to think ANYthing I say is an outright criticism--we have been squabbling a lot, because of that.
Saturday, we had a plan. Go pick up a wreath at our favorite tree lot, then drive out to the Grove, have a nice breakfast at this one little cafe we've always wanted to try, and then go put the wreath up at my F-I-L's grave.
Well, we got started a little too early, and the tree lot wasn't open, so we ran to Menards for a few items we needed. It was busy, but nothing like it was on the previous day. We got back to the tree lot just as they opened, puchased a lovely little wreath, and headed out of town. Breakfast was exceptionally good--I had a lovely, puffy omelet with mushrooms, bacon, and spinach, served with a scoop of hash brown casserole and an English muffin. Spouse had a nice stack of pancakes and a side of sausage.
After we got Papa all decorated for the holidays, we drove back to town, made a quick stop to gas and wash the car, then stopped at Costco and Meijer before heading home.
It wasn't noon yet, and he was already completely used up. So I stripped and made up the beds nice and fresh, and did some laundry while trying to be qiet as again, he napped the afternoon away. We had leftovers again, and let me tell you--while I really liked not having to give much consideration to meals this weekend...
I'm thoroughly sick of turkey and pumpkin pie at this point. And we still had one more day to go!
Sunday, he got up early to get my oil changed as soon as the place opened, and I stayed home and relaxed, reading and puttering around. Once he was all done servicing the cars, I made a breakfast casserole with potatoes, sausage, carmelized onions, and a little cheddar, mixed into scrambled eggs seasoned with herbs. It's sort of a crustless quiche, because Spouse "doesn't go for quiche". It was very tasty. With juice, toast and coffee, it made a nice brunch. And used up several lefovers.
After we ate, I did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, then he retired once more to his bed and I made 100 peanut clusters and two pounds of fudge for the Christmas boxes. And cleaned everything up once more time, in time for supper.
Which was a turkey sandwich--positively the last of the turkey, thank goodness. And pie--but we each have one more piece of that, if it is still any good.
His schedule is different yet again, this week he works Mon-Thu, 6 to 4, which means we both try to get ready for work at the same time. And that B has a VERY long day in his crate. AND he's around on my Friday afternoons. So I hate this one. So he'll probably be on it for a while. Ugh.
Reading: "The Health Master" (1913), by Samuel Hopkins Adams. This book is a battle between his novelist and muckraker sides, and the result is an extended public health diatribe tacked into the framework of a novel. Being SHA, it was still a pretty interesting read, but it is really more of a curiosity than a good yarn. Basic outline--a crusader-type doctor, down on his luck, takes a job as the household physician in a wealthy industrialist's family, with the rather novel object of keeping them all well, rather than healing them when they get sick.
Listening: The Head and the Heart, Kings of Leon, Talking Heads, The Cure
Inked Up: No changes: Bexley 10th Anniversary with
custom italic nib, Iroshizuku Kon Peki, Conklin Duragraph fine nib, Pelikan
4001 Brilliant Brown, and Monteverde Artista crystal inked with Iroshizuku
Yama-Budo.
BUT. Pens are the one chink in my armor when it comes to the barrage of markdowns and "deals" that hits with the Thanksgiving weekend. I turned a blind eye and a flinty heart to a lot of stuff, but I couldn't resist the Sheaffer Intensity (white barrel w/engraved chrome spiral cap - medium nib) that Goldspot had marked down from $100.00 to $19.95. 80% off is Kryptonite!
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