Busy Day

We are slightly warmer here this morning, 35°.

Yesterday was filled with some necessary errands.  These are not my favorite days...

We delayed starting until after lunch.  I made a squash soup trying to use up my canned Long Island Cheese Squash.  It was very tasty.  I just sauteed some onion, yellow and green bell pepper in butter and olive oil.  Tossed in a pinch of red pepper flakes, added the quart of pumpkin, a pinch of tumeric, salt and pepper and a couple of cups of chicken stock.  At the last I added some heavy cream and heated it all up.  DH didn't rave about it, but he did eat a bowl.  I may sneak leftovers into a meal too.

I had a return to make way out to the mall; DH needed houseslippers and we wanted to stop by his Mom's to visit a little.  We also took her a dozen eggs.  We got the slippers on sale at Penneys about half what I had paid for his last pair online....it pays to shop a little which is not my area of expertise.  The return went smoothly and I also found a pair of dressy trousers for me for out trip to St. Louis.  I will attend a play with the two granddaughters for a night out with mother event and felt my jeans might not be appropriate!  Funny how everything is now  a discount store!  Why don't they just call them that and not show the prices as big sale items.....oh well, the bottom line is what counts for me.

MIL is doing quite well and says she does not mind being alone and told us it is the first time she has been alone on her own since she was about 17  and she is now 93!  Secretly I think she is liking having the immaculate house and not having to worry about meals for anyone.  Her refrigerator has maybe 4 items in it!
She is living on heating up prepared foods and instant things.  No muss, no fuss and very little clean-up.

We had to rehang a mirror for her that had dropped down on a shelf.  It was so heavy I can't believe it didn't break. 

We were supposed to stop by the local store, but DH was tired and said he would shop when he goes in to exercise this morning......just his banana fix.  I may have him pick up a couple of whole fryers that were on sale.  Have you noticed everyone has chicken on sale now....wonder how they determine to do that?

I am happy to report I went out this afternoon and planted my bulb order!  The soil was so nice and moist the digging was very easy.  I filled a whiskey barrel with blue hyacinths and white tulips.  Next spring we will move it down to the house with the lift on the tractor.  I want it where we can enjoy it sitting on the porch.  The rest were alliums, Tete a Tete and Kokopelli jonquils and some white muscari.  Should have lots of fragrance around the back porch area with them.    It will be fun to see something new next spring.

Lunch doesn't photograph well but we thought it was very tasty.  I had turkey broth from the carcass that I hadn't frozen yet so I boiled it down  by about half and made egg noodles.  I tossed in another vacuum sealed packed of turkey with some sauteed onions and had peas and my favorite winter salad of iceberg lettuce with Miracle Whip (yes, I am a redneck!)  Mom always had that and I have rediscovered it lately.