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My brain feels overstuffed these days – so much going on in the world and so much to do here at home. My days are full from dawn to dusk, homestead and homemaking tasks tucked into the pockets of time before and after schooling with the kids. My lengthy to-do list simultaneously excites and overwhelms me; for every task I check off the list, I seem to add four more in its place. I scan the news headlines and worry about what the future may look like, how we’ll make it all work as the vise gets tighter and tighter. It all seems so darn hard (I mean can’t we get a break?!), but I remind myself that I’m living the full width of this life. The good, the bad and the ugly, just like my grandmothers and great-grandmothers did before me. I hope to bear it with as much grace as they did.
The weather outside is //
As I look outside my window // The forecast above cracks me up as we just had a snow storm come through on Saturday! Nothing to see here, we return to your normal mid-March weather…
As I look around the house // My husband surprised the kids with a few new games, including Connect Four and Risk. The games have quickly found a permanent spot on our dining room table. Did you know that Connect Four is a strategic game on the level of 4D chess? Did you know that world domination brings out the best and worst in a person? We may be just a little competitive around here.
On this week’s to-do list //
– plant peas, beets and spinach
– prep potato bed
– keep working on chicken tractors
– start my very first batch of kombucha
– figure out a Plan B for getting rid of the old oven
– start planning what the rest of the school year will look like and what needs to be accomplished before summer break
– try to finish one more blog post
Currently reading //
- Fiction: Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger
- Nonfiction: Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture by Gabe Brown and We Have Been Harmonized: Life in China’s Surveillance State by Kai Strittmatter
- Religious: The End of the Present World and the Mysteries of the Future Life by Fr. Charles Arminjon and A Memory for Wonders by Mother Veronica Namoyo Le Goulard, PCC
- Read Aloud: Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
On the menu this week //
Monday: slow cooker beef stew
Tuesday: chicken fried rice
Wednesday: breakfast for dinner! bacon, potato and egg casserole with fruit
Thursday: shepherd’s pie
Friday: tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
It’s definitely somewhat anxiety producing to see how costs are just rising and rising for so many things. My husband and I have been talking about that a lot recently, especially energy costs. This is our first winter in our house and we’re on Canada and our heating bills have been insane. Think $600+ for a 1600 sq ft house. We’re going to be doing some things this spring/summer to try to reduce that especially since it looks like heating costs will only be going up.
Anyway, Connect 4 is a favourite game in my extended family. One of my little cousins is a champion at it and almost impossible to beat.
We are having similar conversations here too. I’d love to know what frugal ideas you come up with!
Living the full width of this life is something that has been on my heart lately. Unfortunately, I haven’t achieved to not get caught up in the daily grind and arrive to the end of the day feeling like I didn’t enjoy or appreciate a single thing
It’s so hard, isn’t it? I have a little gratitude journal and write in it sporadically, usually when times get tough. It really helps me think of at least three good things before I go to bed at night. I may need to pull it out again soon. 🙂