This week the heater decided to break. It’s currently 67 degrees outside, so I’m choosing to not think about it. If “winter” keeps going like this, maybe I won’t need to have it fixed til next fall? Also, not sure where the heater falls as a priority amongst the broken dishwasher, the squirrels in the wall, and the leak in the family room ceiling. To me, they all are less important than getting the back fence put in so that I can keep critters out of my garden, but some may disagree.

On this lovely day I walked the length of downtown, stopping in some stores — I’m always on the hunt for artwork, I hate my bare walls — but buying nothing. At the Nesting House, I dropped off a few shirts and bought a dress for next fall for Gemma with accumulated credit ($6). Then I went to Wendy’s, because I’ve been so good about eating lunch at home lately and I was tired of being good. Chick Fil A was my first thought, but they are back on my boycott list. I read an article that seemed to indicate they were back to giving money to groups that are somewhat less than gay-friendly. Ehh, you know my conflicted feelings on boycotts. For the moment, I’m avoiding CFA, as well as Macy’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Yuengling products, and Amazon. But only CFA has delicious golden yellow sauce that tastes so good on fries, and ergo that is the hardest one. (On that note, parts of this article cracked me up.)

Last week was not the greatest for cooking. Hmmm, seems like I’m saying that a lot lately 😦 It was a busy week for me, to be fair. Monday, I dished up some baked tilapia topped with garlic butter and breadcrumbs, broccoli and mashed potatoes. Kids would not eat the fish, though. Tuesday was Ellio’s Pizza with some extra cheese added, and leftovers. Wednesday: “pasta ‘n’ soup” — chicken broth with pasta (small shells) and grated cheese. Thursday, I had a meeting so the rest of them ordered pizza. Friday night, we all went to Red Robin, where the kids all selected “healthy” sides, at least. Saturday: chicken nuggets and apple slices for them, and I also made chicken nachos, with chicken that I spiced and cooked in salsa. Sunday: something bad that you really probably shouldn’t give kids. I can’t even write it.

Yesterday, I made gravy, and, for possibly the first time ever (?), made my own meatballs. Crazy, right? What a bad Italian. The meatballs came out very tasty (although undercooked, resulting in a last-minute nuke).The gravy tasted kind of flat to me, not sure why. Here is the meatball recipe. I used dried herbs instead of fresh, and I used the “meatball mix” of beef, pork and something else (veal? I forget) from Acme instead of all ground beef.

Everybody liked the meatballs. So that’s something.

For lunch yesterday, inspired by my brother-in-law and some pizzas he cooked on the grill at a family party, I did white pizza with pesto on corn tortillas, cooked in my cast-iron pan. Wow! So good. I followed the structure of this recipe.

Yeesh. I am embarrassed. Healthy dinner tonight for sure.

One good thing is that I’ve been a hawk on food waste lately. Really trying to make the most of everything in the fridge or pantry. Taking large amounts of things, portioning them up and freezing them — been doing lots of that. I also make sure that I eat the things that no one else will eat, and leave more popular items for them.

Over the weekend I made some garden progress. I dug out the spot where my next raised bed is going; gathered up all the dead tomato plants that I pulled the other day and helpfully placed them on the side of the house, so they can sit there until Rapture; and took some dirt from other random containers and added it to that former tomato bed. I also went to Lowe’s (killing time during a birthday party in same shopping center) and bought some bags of dirt (still in my car). Today I looked around for my seed-starting supplies, but could not find anything from last year. Not sure if I tossed it or if hubs has hid it from me in one of his garage reorganizations. It was a nice weekend – kids were outside on the trampoline and playing football both days and lots of friends came over. Oh how nice it is that they can run in and out at will and all I have to do is look out the window every so often. The days when I would have to go out with them and make sure they didn’t wander away are gone (sniff).

I’ve continued to sell stuff. Last week I mailed off two items I sold on eBay, and I sold one shirt on Facebook. I have several things on eBay now: lots of kid clothes, women’s shoes. Hoping they sell. More in the pipeline.

This week I’ve had one meeting so far, and Aidan starts soccer practice Thursday night. I need to post more clothes, get caught up on PTA stuff, get caught up on my budgeting, and clean clean clean. And start seeds!