Oh my gosh I haven't blogged in days!

So I spent the day yesterday pulling up the carpeting from my bedroom. OMG! WHAT a pain. And I mean that literally! I was so sore and tired by 7pm last night I was totally wiped out.
You can see in the 2nd photo that for some unexplained reason, the floor is half hardwood and half plywood. Strange. BUT, never mind! At least the stinky dirty white carpet is gone forever! And I would have to have taken it out sooner or later anyway.

Since the room was in pieces anyway, have taken the opportunity to rearrange things. The Right side of the room is mostly back together, though there are stacks of books and papers to go through yet. The left side.....welllllll....it's coming along. It's just that, I took my desk out and that basket in the 2nd photo is all the stuff that was in on or near my desk. I have to find someplace to put it all (Joe said he would put up some shelves in my closet. That would be great!)

I am also trying out a new workspace...It's actually the kitchen table from the farm...in my bedroom. I think it could workout but I have to pull it together and Joe has to not hate it. It would give me loads more work surface to use on projects. No pictures til it's put together more.

Found a new crock pot at the thrift store for $8. I have so missed my crock pot! It's so nice to get supper out of the way right after breakfast, you know? I am trying this recipe: Pork chops and potatoes





Ingredients:
4 to 6 thick (3/4- to 1-inch), boneless pork chops, country ribs or steaks
1/4 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons dry sherry wine or white wine, optional
1 jar Alfredo sauce (16 oz)
3 large baking potatoes, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cut green beans
salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation:Coat chops with flour mixture. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until tender. Add pork chops; brown on both sides. Remove chops and onions to a plate; set aside. With hot skillet off the heat, add sherry and loosen browned bits with a spatula. Most of the wine will cook off quickly.
Butter sides and bottom of a 3 1/2-quart or larger slow cooker/Crock Pot. Place potatoes in, lightly sprinkling with salt and pepper. Place green beans on top of potatoes. Transfer browned chops and onions to the slow cooker/Crock Pot and pour skillet drippings over the chops. Pour Alfredo sauce over all. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pork Chop recipe serves 4 to 6.



Matthew found these framed water colors out at the curb while visiting friends and brought them home to me. His father calls it trash picking. I call it recycling!!! (This, by the way, is Joe's version of "Kilroy was here". LOL!)



It's been a rainy and grey week so I got out my notebook.


It's basically a binder filled with pictures pulled from magazines. I guess it's a grown up girl's version of paper dolls. I have rooms I love. Photos of favorite animals. Clothes I think are gorgeous. Recipes. How to instructions.....Lots of things. I recommend that everyone should create their own notebook. You know, they say visualization it a great aid achieving one's goals. I most certainly believe that!



We watched P.S. I Love You the other evening. It was definitely "A chick flick" and Joe thought it was too long. I suppose it was, but can love stories ever REALLY be too long? I liked it. The husband was Irish....with an accent....sigh.....



http://whipup.net/ This site is kinda neat. I found it this morning when I signed into my Yahoo account. You can now put it right on your Yahoo! home page. Or, I guess, you could just save the link if you'd like.

It's been a week of herbal experimentation as well. I am drinking raspberry leaf tea ( http://www.jcrows.com/remarkableraspberry.html ) because I think I may be starting menopause. I know it helped me while I was expecting Gillian. Maybe it will help out my poor adrenal glands now (evidently as one's ovaries' function slows the adrenal glands pick up the slack. My poor glands are exhausted!)

Also, I'm trying tea tree oil on blemishes on my skin ( http://aztec.asu.edu/makingscents/articles/Tea_Tree_Article/tea_tree_article.html ) Never too old to learn, right? I'll let you know if I see a difference (I know it works well in shampoo for those with dry itchy scalp and I think it smell kind of nice too!)

Next I need to find something that helps my brain function better. I'm cranky and disorganized more then usual lately. NOT a happy feeling. It's hard to preach to the kids to get their acts together when your own is falling apart!

Maybe I nap would help.....hmm.
I'll check that out and get back to you.