Monday Food and Tuesday Treasures!

Monday's Food!

 Dean and Sherry sent us home with a dozen fresh eggs from the country!

There is a difference!

These country eggs seem so much sturdier!

From cracking the shells to the large firm yolks - they seem more 'substantial' than the store bought eggs.

My meal for Monday was breakfast - served at lunch.

Thick cut bacon and toast with apricot fruit spread and coffee completed the menu.

Louis Dean worked outside most of the day cleaning the back pond.

I should have taken a before and after pic!

The pond liner was coated with green stuff but Louis Dean drained, cleaned, and filled it up with water that was sparkling clean!

That's not all he did on Monday!

He's been talking about making his goulash for weeks now.

Monday was THE day!

While he forgets some things - making his favorite recipe was NOT one of them!

We were out of some of the important ingredients - like green bell pepper and celery.

Not to worry!

Our sweet neighbor, Stephanie , emptied the veggie bin on her fridge and Louis Dean's eyes lit up!

He had such a good time cooking.

I need to remember how much he loves spending time in the kitchen.

My only contribution to the meal was a salad and garlic bread.

He made a HUGE pot of what I would call 'Hamburger Stew.'

To me, goulash should have pasta in it.

My sister, Deanie, and I were talking earlier this evening and she reminded me that this dish was called Slumgullion back when Mother made it...except it was totally different.

Mother cooked hamburger, onion, bell pepper (if she had it) and added macaroni and tomato sauce.

That and peach cobbler, pinto beans, meatloaf and cheesy potatoes make up the foods that Mother cooked for us when we were young.

Louis Dean's recipe was delicious AND he cleaned up the kitchen! (Pretty much, anyway!)

He still gets credit!

While he was in the kitchen, I redid the dining room table for spring.

I love pairing vintage pieces with my plates and the whimsical napkin rings and napkins I have had for years and years.

After I took pictures of the table - I pushed everything to one end and pulled the tablecloth - which is actually a bedspread - over it and set up my art table on the other end.

While I did not put my brush into paint Monday night - I DID lay everything out and set it all up to do a mountain scene from the cabin in New Mexico where son Jesse took us last August.

I am hoping to go back there again this year if possible.

The scene I will be painting is in the fall - just as the aspens are turning.

Perhaps next year we can visit there for that season.

I will be painting the scene on a wraparound 12 inch square canvas.

Now that the art table is ready and waiting - it won't be long before I can start painting!

Preparation is the key! All that follows is easy!

Tuesday Treasures!

My normal thrifting partner, Brenda, retires on Friday so this is her last week of work and she didn't get off early on Tuesday as was her normal schedule.

Louis Dean has been wanting a new coffee pot - as in a regular sized one as opposed to the four cupper he has now. He's talked about this a LOT lately so today was the day to shop for one.

First we hit up Irving Thrift.

Right off the bat - he found one!!!

Plus a couple of good quality whiskers!

The bouquet was my find!

More faux florals, a brand new insulated picnic bag, two beautiful new cylinder lamps which replaced the two vintage ones in the guest room, and a brand new cushion for Louis Dean's chair in the gazebo.

 I found a nice green tablecloth for the baby grand in the den and a curtain that I will repurpose as a table cloth for the den table. As I stood in the check out lane - I spied my sweet Easter Lady! $2.98 less 30 %!

I added the lamps again accidentally. 

New pillowcases in the perfect shade of green for our bedroom.

The blessing sign is now hanging on the wall in my sewing room as I write.

That cool wine bucket was perfect for one of the floral bouquets I got today.

It was a wonderful day of 'Goodwill Hunting!!'

Our first stop was at Irving Thrift and then we went on down the street to Goodwill.

Louis Dean is 6 feet tall so I felt sure we could each take a buggy and meet back up.

Except we didn't.

I finished shopping and looked around for him - he's head and shoulders above all the racks - but I couldn't FIND him!  I got in line and was still looking for him, checked out and asked everyone in line after me if they had seen an older guy in brown overalls - NO ONE had!

I went out to the car thinking he MUST be there - but he wasn't.

BACK in I went and the PA system there was not working so they couldn't make an announcement.

The bathrooms are locked so my friend at the checkout assured me he wasn't in there.

I walked up and down every isle and FOUND him in the book corner!

The book cases are higher there and that's why I couldn't see him!

Be still, my heart!!!

I had freaked out for no reason and had to calm myself down.

Our imaginations can take control of us and throw us for a loop!

It was a blessing that our next stop was at Hollywood Nails for a His and Hers pedicure.

I was in dire need of a relaxing hour......

A pedicure for me is a luxury.

For Louis Dean it is as necessary as a medical check up.

His diabetes - as mild as it is - has affected his feet and these pedicures have made a huge difference.

As opposed to his previous podiatrist appointments which cost three times or more as much as a pedicure and was not nearly as beneficial. 

It was a good day for us and we came home ready to get a few things done.

Louis Dean went out to the gazebo and finished getting all the lights down.

Our replacement parts have come in so we will be working to get out gazebo back in shape!

I'm all excited about new ideas to decorate it!

While Louis Dean worked outside - I was baking inside!

I did a couple of cookie sheets of fruitcake cookies and a batch of rum cakes with a rum/sugar/butter glaze.

Louis Dean and I are doing a Fort Worth Day tomorrow and will be visiting family and friends and taking some baked goodies to share with them,

I walked over to our sweet neighbors to leave them a few rum cakes on their front porch....

Tamara is a gardener extraordinaire!

These beautiful bluebonnets are by her front door and I had to take a pic of them!