1. I’m so glad it isn’t raining again today. It still may be cold and incredibly windy, but I just couldn’t take another day of incessant rain. Supposedly it will be nice this weekend, which means maybe a nice long walk with the kids and a healthy, much-needed dose of sunny Vitamin D for all of us.
2. My family is coming down for Thanksgiving from Syracuse, and I’m really excited. I always like to channel my inner Martha and go all out this time of year.
I recently found the Better Homes and Gardens dinnerware on clearance at Wal-Mart for 1.00 apiece. I bought eight green leaf plates, four pumpkin shaped plates and some napkin rings to match. I can’t wait to bust it all out on Thanksgiving with my fall chargers and placemats. It really is the little (and cheap!) things that make me happy these days.
(When did I become so domestic? And further, when did I start liking it so much??)
3. The annual Wake County Library book surplus sale is this weekend. I think I might want to go for a little while. My friend Brooklyn and I might run out there to see what we can find. Mikey says, “You have enough books.” Me? I don’t think there’s such a thing. :P
4. A rock hit my windshield this week on the way to work, as if this week wasn’t hard enough. I have a tiny starburst in the upper righthand corner of my windshield, and every time I get in the car I will it to staaaaaay, staaaaaaay right where you are, little crack, and don’t spread until I can get someone to fix it.
So far, so good. somebody knock on wood.
5. Over the past month, Mikey brought home a total of 45 small-to-medium sized pumpkins home from his parents’ garden. We carved a couple at Halloween, and I hijacked the seeds out of a few and toasted them.
This past Tuesday night, I decided that I couldn’t let those good pumpkins go to waste.
I embarked on Phase 1 of Project Heathie’s Pumpkin Fest 2009.
I brought in about ten pumpkins in batches of threes and fours. I washed them, scooped out all the seeds and cleaned and toasted them in various flavors. Then I cut the pumpkins into halves, roasted them, scooped out the cooked pumpkin flesh, pureed it and froze it in individual containers for use in recipes.
And that’s not all!
I turned the smallest, cutest pumpkin of the bunch into a potpourri. I hollowed it out and carved little shapes into its sides. Then I rubbed the inside of the top with cinnamon and allspice and nutmeg. Lit a tea light in that bad boy and, bam! Instant pumpkin pie-scented luminary.
Anyway, it was very Rachael Ray of me, and I’m proud of myself. I’m excited to start Phase 2 this weekend.
Anyone have any other good around-the-house pumpkin ideas?
That’s it for this week! Feel free to discuss.
