A Weekend at Home

I didn't make too many plans for the weekend hoping to get a few things done that I wanted to get done. Of course somehow any time I have off from work, whether or not I have busy plans ends up full and exhausting anyway. So here is how it went:

I could no longer take the no critter to tend to life and I knew D & S would have no issues with a few little fishes. And so now I have Sugar & Spice the tiny comet goldfish and Mr. and Mrs. Finley the bettas. I got them all on Friday and they are doing great. It's only a 3 gallon tank so I know Sugar and Spice when they get to be an inch or so long will need their own accommodations since goldfish really need about 2 gallons per inch of goldfish and a much better filter as they are messy fish and in the winter the bettas will need a submersible heater while the goldfish do not. I already have some used aquariums waiting in the wings, and maybe I can figure out some aquaponics set up for the little goldfish eventually for some experimenting. 

Saturday ended up being busier then expected. Because Ex was playing games and being a jerk, I never got some of my mail during my transition between my escape from him and my new life here. And I seriously want to smack the postal service for telling Ex my new address so he could lob threats at me.

Anyway, I did not get a notice that my license plate was expiring and that I needed a smog check. Well he told me, in an attempt to lure me to him alone that I had important BMV mail. He would not forward it or give it to my neighbor who could get it to me. So I never got it as I refused to get it from him. But it clued me in, and I went to the BMV and figured it out myself and just in the nick of time too, the plates expired today.

So after running around from the BMV to the smog check, I spent more of my time then planned but was relieved to get it over with.

I went home to grab my market bag and S to go to the farmer's market in Chesterton. I'd never been so was excited to check it out.

S was not feeling up to it so I loaded directions into my phone (how did I live without this thing before?!!!) and hit the road. It seemed to take forever to get there with all the road construction on 94 but I made it.

I must say when I think of a farmers market I expect farmers. Lots of farmers with lots of fruits, veggies, honey, mushrooms and meats. Out of 50 or so booths, only about 3 had fruits and veggies (and not all were local produce like the tropical fruits, obviously) a couple honey booths, a mushroom seller, and the rest were crafts or junk sellers and mobile eateries. I wasn't the only one displeased.. I over heard others complaining about it in the crowd. And the few real veggie sellers were swamped with business and the lines took forever to pay for the produce. I did end up bringing home a big organic brandy wine tomato, an organic head of lettuce, a couple organic cucumbers, some honey roasted cashew butter, some yummy plums an a seascape strawberry plant (which was a $1).

I finally got home and was going to start some baking but S was up then and needed to run some errands. So we ran around to do that and at lunch out at Culver's. It was tasty, but not healthy. We went to visit her mom next who had been transferred to a close by nursing home and we spent way too much time there, hours. By this time I was worn out. We went home and I took a nap before D got home then we all got ready to go out to eat.

By the time we were home again I really was tired. I starred at the baking ingredients I had set out to bake with and decided to do it in the morning instead. 

I felt icky Sunday morning but I had promised myself I would get certain things done so I forced myself up. I grabbed a new book of mine, shown here, and turned to the first recipe. Chocolate chip cookies!! What a good cookie to try out the new oven with:)

As you can see, they baked perfectly. I was almost tempted to add some chocolate mint leaves to the batter to see if that would give it a minty flavor to them.

I did leave the pecans out as the members of the house informed me they do not like pecans. I love them but since the majority don't, I left them out. About a dozen of these were later taken over to the nursing home to give to momma S.

But before we went to visit again, I finally got the peach tree planted in the 95% humidity and heat.

And I painted the #10 cans. Sweet pea pink. It matches the room in the attack! 

My poor house plants finally got transplanted into their mostly recycled new homes (the paint of course was not recycled). I still need one more for the aloe vera and an even larger pot for my fish hook barrel cactus that's outside right now for the summer. I'm still using boxes as furniture... I'll have to find some shelves soon.  But first I want a desk.

I did set the little tray of emerging sprouts outside in a sheltered spot as the bok choi was already reaching for more light.

I read and rested the rest of the hot and humid afternoon and for super we all just ordered pizza and relaxed and watched TV and stuff.

This morning, not in a mood much to even go outside as it was pouring rain ( a good soaker rain to water things well) so I just stayed in my room and organized and decorated a bit more. I hate bare walls, and decided to decorate one wall with my postcard collection. I love postcards and even found a couple that really touched me with good memories, sent to me by my grandmother years ago while still in college. They are treasures now that she is gone and they are the only two I did not put up as I want to protect them. I think I may start a new blog just to showcase my postcards for fun.