Weekend Wrap Up

We've had some lovely weather, this weekend.  Sunny and warm (highs in the 90s).  But, my house tends to be on the cool side, so it's 68F inside, when I wake up, and I open the windows to let the warm air in to warm up the house.

On Saturday, I woke up feeling tired and achy.  I had felt achy on Friday, too, and eventually took a Tylenol to help.  It wasn't bad enough for Tylenol, on Saturday, but I didn't have the energy I needed to do all the things I had planned to do.  So...I decided to take it easy.  I did a load of laundry to help me feel like I did something, went for a short walk, took some pastries over to my cousin P, called cousin V, called another friend to remind her about the prayer gathering, read some blogs and commented on them, cleaned the litter box, cooked spicy "devilled" beef, exchanged emails with a friend, and video chatted with my daughter.

Dinner was some of the spicy beef with pita bread:

"Devilled" Beef and Pita

Later in the night, I decided to bake some cornbread.  Even though the daytime temperature is high, the evenings are cool and I have been doing a bit of baking to make up for a summer of not turning on the oven, if you haven't noticed. 

Cornbread

Breakfast on Sunday morning was a piece of cornbread:

Piece of Cornbread

Later in the morning, my neighbor T called for our weekly Sunday morning chat.  After that, I responded to an email one of my long-time friends had sent me.  We've been friends since 5th grade, I believe; the only friend from childhood with whom I've kept in touch on a regular basis.  

In the afternoon, I put away the dried laundry from yesterday and did the dishes.  I had been collecting them from Friday, in order to have enough to run the dish washer.  I still didn't have enough for a full load, but the dish washer needed to be run, because I haven't used it in about two weeks (I usually just wash each day's dishes by hand).

Then, I started to clean the kitchen: I cleared and wiped down the kitchen counters and the stove top; put all the empty jars I had washed and dried in a box to store in the garage until needed; cleaned the microwave; tidied up the cabinet where I store the Tupperware-type containers and wiped the shelf; refilled the bottle of dishwashing liquid; swept the kitchen; and took out the kitchen trash. Really need to tidy the rest of the kitchen cabinets, too, but that is not urgent.  I might do that after the prayer gathering is over. Need to mop the kitchen floor, too, but I didn't do it, today.

Later, I cleaned daughter's bathroom, which is also the visitor's bathroom.  It will need to be wiped down again, just before the prayer gathering, but it is cleaned. 

Finally, I watered the houseplants and changed the dust sheets on the family room sofas. 

Considering the fact that I wasn't feeling very motivated to clean, I think I did OK.  What happens is, I write a list of everything that needs to be done and then, it becomes overwhelming!  So much to do!  So little energy!  But then, when I tell myself, just do one baby step - just do the dishes, just wipe the small counter area, just the stove top, etc., I manage to get something done. 

Daughter's cell phone started to give her trouble, yesterday.  It wouldn't turn on at times.  When it did the same thing, this morning, too, I told her to go ahead and buy a new phone, I'll pay for it.   Her old phone is something she bought about 7 years go; she said the phone store offered her $5 for it for a trade-in! 

I wasn't hungry for any lunch, today.  So, I had a meal replacement drink.  But I had an appetite for dinner: rice, spicy beef, cabbage, and lentils.  I served the same for my lunch to take to the office, tomorrow.

Dinner

I am afraid I opened one of the passion fruit drinks I bought for the prayer gathering!  It's one of my favorite drinks and I knew I wouldn't be able to resist! 

Today, I am grateful for:
- A pleasant weekend
- Warm weather
- But cool enough to bake
- An email from my long-time friend
- A clean and tidy kitchen

I am going to post my do to lists, again, to help motivate me.

Monday To Do List:
- Put gas to the car
- Go to the office
- Put away washed dishes
- Do a load of laundry (sofa dust sheets)
- Tidy the spare bedroom
- Clear the dining table/put away sewing machine
- Empty the trash cans/waste baskets
- Take the big trash cans to the curb
- Water the garden

How was your weekend?  Did you accomplish most of what you wanted to do?  How do you motivate yourself to do cleaning and housework when you don't feel up to doing it?  What are your plans for Monday?