Closed for Remodeling

I did this last year. Took a break from blogging for a while. Of course back then, it was easier. I didn't know so many wonderful bloggers. I didn't belong to this great "community." Nevertheless, it's time for a little break.

It's kind of a Lent thing. Our church doesn't really practice Lent so to speak, but in recent years the idea of fasting, giving up something good to experience something better, has really hit home with me, not to mention been a great blessing the few times I've purposefully abstained from something. I plan to tackle some house projects, keep some promises to a few friends, and attend to some matters of the heart.

I'll be back, hopefully around the third week in March. In the meantime, hold down the blogging fort and keep my seat warm! And if you really miss me, you probably know my email addy; I'd love to hear from you.

WFMW: Tear-free Onion Cutting

Gram was never without the big red bag of onions in her pantry but I quickly found that, not having a cool place to keep them, that big red bag of onions turned into a bag of rotting onions. So I've resorted to buying 1-2 large Spanish or Vidalia onions every week, and keeping them in my fridge (I use a lot of onions!). I didn't realize it, but I haven't shed a single tear over cutting onions in years now and apparently this is why. At colder temps, whatever it is in onions that make us cry is lessened considerably. So before you cut up all those onions for French onion soup or whatever else you're making, toss them in the fridge for a day! No more tears!

There's lots more great tips over at Shannon's place today.

Homemaking Meme

Compliments of Kim, who got it from Barb, I give you this Homemaking Meme!

Aprons - Y/N? I have my old Pampered Chef apron from when I was a consultant. I could use a new one! It would help my clothing budget!

Baking - Favorite thing to bake? Oh gosh, I love to bake. Right now I'm into cookies. Perfect cookies. I mean experimenting with the same thing until I get it just right. Last week I baked no less than 3 batches of oatmeal raisin cookies in just 3 days. But I also am fascinated with baking bread, and not just with the bread machine either.

Clothesline - Y/N? Nope! It sounds quaint and environmentally friendly, but I really can't imagine doing without my dryer!

Donuts - Ever made them? Goodness, not in years! We used to make and fry them in our electric skillet when we were kids!

Everyday - One homemaking thing you do everyday? Ha. You got me there. I don't even do the dishes every day. Okay - I make my bed every day!

Freezer - Do you have a separate deep freezer? Yes and I couldn't do without it! Right now it's full of vegetable soup, homemade spaghetti sauce, chili, Granny's pizza kits, frozen veggies and a host of other yummy handy things!

Garbage Disposal - Y/N? Nope. I don't even have a dishwasher; how 'bout that!!

Handbook - Y/N? A what? Yeah, right!

Ironing - Love it or hate it? Don't believe in it. Seriously, if it needs ironed, I probably won't buy it. I try to get our pants and shirts out of the dryer before they have time to wrinkle. Occasionally I'll press something off on my bed. Can't remember the last time I used an ironing board. When I get Mike's clothes out for the next season, I usually have to do a bit of ironing. But that's it - once or twice a year!

Junk Drawer - Where is it? It? As in one? Just kidding. Well, not really. There's one in my livingroom in the nightstand that serves as an end table. My nightstand drawer serves as a junk drawer of sorts. And then every drawer in my husband's desk is a junk drawer!

Kitchen - Design and decorating? We call it "beach house" - the walls are green; the cabinets and woodwork are white and the floor is Pergo laminate.

Love - What is your favorite part of homemaking? Cooking? Or those rare occasions when we're having company and I know for sure 99% of my house is clean to the bare bones.

Mop - Y/N? Right. When I have to.

Nylons - Wash them by hand or in the washer? How about "throw them away?"

Oven - Do you use the window or open it to check? I open it.

Pizza - What do you put on yours? Mostly vegetables. Mushrooms. Olives. Hot peppers. Onions. Green peppers. But not too many things on one pizza.

Quiet - What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? Read. Read blogs. Write something.

Recipe card box - Y/N? Yep! But what I really love is my online recipe box at Allrecipes.com

Style of house – matchbox (!)

Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N? Placemats. I'm a placemat junky. I can always justify a new set of placemats. Paper napkins will do just fine though!

Under the kitchen sink – A lot. You'd be surprised how much you can fit when you use those shelves made for this purpose. Let's see - there's my skillets. My saucepans. Cleaning supplies. 2 pitchers. Box of trash bags.

Vacuum - How many times a week? At least once, whether it needs it or not! Come on, I work full time - gimme a break!!

Wash - How many loads do you do a week? Enough to keep us in clean undies! No really, there's just two of us so 2-3 a week, unless I'm washing rugs or blankets.

X'es - Do you keep a list of things to do and cross them off? On weekends I usually make a short list to keep me on task with my priorities. Sometimes on a day off, I will make a list "after the fact" and leave it in a prominent place so someone doesn't think I sat around and ate bon-bons all day!

Yard - Who does what? I plant the flowers and dream up projects! He mows the grass, weedwacks, and tries to talk me out of my projects!!

ZZZ's - What is your last homemaking task for the day? Hope Mike cleans out the sink before we go to bed. Oh sorry - MY last task. How 'bout rinse out the bathtub and sink. Cuz I just got done using it, you know!

I'd love to hear about your homemaking activities. Let me know if you do this meme on your blog, 'kay?