If It's Not One Thing......

it's another.  Last week was challenging, in a way.  My son-in-law was scheduled to be away for work so I was going to spend a couple of nights at my daughter's house -- more for my own convenience than her's but Mother Nature had other ideas. 

The week prior our weather had been miserable but we were certain it was over.  Just goes to show that you can never be "certain" when you speak of the weather, especially in Texas.  So, I went to my daughter's on Sunday night and Monday returned home as planned.  However, the weather reports were looking grim so I packed for the duration and I am glad I did.  I returned to her house on Monday evening so I would be there to babysit on Tuesday morning.  The day progressed as usual, we had a lovely evening watching even more weather reports.  The sleet/snow was supposed to come in on Wednesday afternoon.  My granddaughter got stuck at school the week prior when we had ice and they closed school early so my daughter was afraid the same would happen if I went home on Wednesday so granddaughter was kept home and there we stayed.

And the rain and snow came.  And came.  All night.  We had about 7 inches of accumulated yuck.  Of course, there was fun time playing in the mess and snowmen built and snowballs thrown but I find that sort of weather to be depressing so I wasn't particularly happy.  My daughter's school was cancelled so we just sort of "hung out" and played games and watched tv.  As the day progressed the conditions really improved and I was able to get myself home late Thursday afternoon.  Son-in-law dodged cancelled flights and all was well in our world.

However, I just crashed -- in bed by 9 p.m.  Woke up Friday still a bit drained but the day went smoothly -- no more bad weather.  Friday was again an early night but I felt like I was getting back to normal and then.....wait....here it comes....

Daylight Savings Time!

I really dislike the time change.  When I was a kid we didn't do this.  I know it was done during WW2 (before my time) but from 1950 until sometime in the 60's we just lived on normal, God's time.  When it was re-implemented (is that even a word?) in the 60's we teenagers thought it was wonderful.  Yes, we were tired but it was light really late and how cool was that.  Fast forward to now -- not so cool anymore.  What used to not bother me in my youth sort of drives me crazy now.  I think we should just leave it alone.  Pick one -- decide on one -- and leave it alone!

So, my tidying has been interrupted for a week which is fine.  I am in no hurry to get done.  I want to get all things tidied up but I want to do it thoughtfully -- I want to re-evaluate things in my home but I don't want to just throw things away willy-nilly -- I want to be in control of what I do. 

This morning, in anticipation of grocery shopping later, I decided to tackle the pantry.  I have a "before" photo which I will share when I have an "after " picture which should be in a little while.  I am completely appalled at the "stuff" in my pantry.  It is a standard sized pantry, nothing particularly large (or small) but I am a bit short and the upper shelves are a challenge.  If I put heavy things up there -- like bags of flour -- I have difficulty getting them down but the fact is, I can't place everything at eye level.   So, I am never sure what to do about this cabinet.  I bought a bunch of glass jars to store things in, like staples but they take up so much room and I don't think they were a very good choice.  I avoid plastic but these glass jars are heavy as well -- empty.  So, I am rethinking that whole thing.

I am also rethinking the concept of stocking up.  My sensibility tells me to stock up, stockpile, hoard, if you will, for almost any eventuality.  However, I don't have room for that and it seems like I throw way too much away because we don't use it quickly and it goes out of date.  I don't know if it is better to just shop week to week, or every two weeks as my mother did, or to buy up a lot and risk losing it. 

I am also having difficulty cooking for two people whose eating styles  are poles apart.  After cooking for my husband for almost 43 years it has come to my attention that he doesn't like my cooking.  I love veggies and grains, he is all meat, not a lot of potatoes and everything fried.  It has become the norm for us to eat out.  I know that is bad but it seems to be the only way for each of us to get what we would like.  It makes me very aggravated, though, to go to the store to buy groceries, bring them home, put them away and never cook.  It is so seldom that I cook that I almost can't remember how.  As I threw this stuff way today I am pondering whether it would be better to just buy breakfast/lunch things and just give up and go out for dinner.  I don't know what the solution is but I find the whole process to just be annoying.

So, spring break has begun and I am not at my daughter's this week so I hope to get more tidying done, more organizing done.  I need to get my photos in some order.  I really have a feeling that I will never get finishing tidying.

So, back to the pantry. More later. Rant over.