I made the choice to stay away from long writing projects over the Memorial Day weekend so I could focus on time with my hubby and doing things around here that needed to be done. We spent the weekend thinking about the veterans who gave their all for us, so that we could be free. That’s so important and I pray we never forget and allow their sacrifices to have been for nothing.
We spent one afternoon and evening at the home of some friends, one home doing a combination of relaxing and doing projects, and one finding a new motor home! Well, it’s new to us. I am really opposed to the idea of a brand-new vehicle of any kind – except the sporty one Hubby got 5 years ago. That one is worth it because it is so much fun. I’ve seen the new motor homes and they are cheaply made for a big price tag, plus you wouldn’t want to make customized changes to a new one, so a used one is the best option for us. When we started out a few years ago with our first RV, it was a 1983 Class C (that’s the one with a bed over the cab). It was so gross inside, but I have a very talented husband who pretty much rebuilt it on the inside and turned into a wonderful space for us to travel in, including near 6 feet of counter space! Seriously, I loved that one. After I injured my knee last May, it wasn’t easy for me to climb up into the bed, so with my comfort in mind, my guy started searching for a Class A (Flat front, bed on the floor) and found one that was move-in ready – literally. I wiped out the cupboards with cleaner, and the bathroom of course, but it smelled new, though it was early 1990s. We’ve enjoyed it for the last year, but though the bed is on the floor, it’s in a corner, which makes putting the bedding onto it very awkward, and with me sleeping against the wall, I have to wake him up to get him to get out of bed so I can get to the bathroom in the night. It also isn’t laid out in a way that would allow him to give me more counter space in the kitchen, which I very important to me. We discussed it and decided that trading up to a slightly longer one, with a bed we can walk around, would be our best option. Sure enough, he found one – he’s really good at finding what he is searching for – and we really liked it a lot. It has the storage space we really needed, a walk around bed, nightstands – which you don’t realize that you miss until you don’t have them – and a pantry! I’m pretty excited about that. The part that thrills me more than anything is that he will be able to custom remodel the kitchen to give me my beloved counter space, making food prep much easier. We pick it up tonight and have just about 1-1/2 weeks to get it ready for our first camping trip in it!
Verse of the Day
May 29, 2019
Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breast piece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD.
Thoughts on the Verse of the Day
In a symbolic way, the Priest had all the people of Israel “on his heart when he entered the Holy place.” Jesus, our ultimate Priest, had our sins on his back and our forgiveness on his heart when he went to the Cross for us!
Learn About Composting Day – I’ve learned over the years that I am pathetic at composting. I start out with great intentions . . . and like my attempts at gardening, they seem to fall by the wayside. Today is a wonderful chance to learn about composting, and all of the benefits there are to your family and to the environment by composting. Maybe if I read about if often enough, the details of how to do it will eventually sink in! What surprised me was how much can be composted. Most people know that garden and yard waste can be thrown into the compost bin, but you can also do kitchen vegetable scraps, cardboard, paper towel and toilet paper holders, eggshells, etc. When everything is all broken down you can use the compost around your plants. It feeds them and keeps the weeds down, and helps the soil retain moisture. There is a lot to learn about composting, but spend time today learning how to compost, and get started. I admit I’ve tried several times and given up . . . maybe I should give it another shot.
National Senior Health & Fitness Day – This is such an important one! As I get older, even fighting it as hard as I can, I can feel the difference in how my body responds to exercise and healthy eating when compared to how I felt even 10 years ago. Keeping fit, healthy and on the move is so crucial to maintaining mobility and a sharp mind as we age. Today, as over 100,000 older adults participate in local health and wellness events at more than 1000 locations across the country their health is the primary focus. There are “Senior Day” events being held at senior centers, retirement communities, Y’s, health clubs, health plans, hospitals/health systems, parks and recreations districts, and other local organizations. At these events seniors can get exercise demonstrations, health screenings, tips on nutrition, various demonstrations and much more! This isn’t information that only seniors need – it is information all of us need!
Put A Pillow on Your Fridge Day – I admit it. Every year I look at this one and I laugh. This one is celebrated both in Europe and in the United States and it supposedly brings good luck and wealth to the household. It’s not clear where the tradition originated, but it is known that before the 1930’s, cloth was put in larders to bring prosperity and good luck to the household. The first refrigerator to see widespread use was the General Electric “Monitor-Top” refrigerator which was introduced in 1927. Since then fridges have replaced larders worldwide, but the tradition didn’t die with the larder. Since then it is now celebrated by putting a pillow on, or inside the refrigerator. If this national holiday is something you celebrate every year, or if you’ve only just found out about it, why not join in – if you believe in luck that is – and see if it helps! I can honestly say, for myself, my fridge is far too stuffed to put a pillow inside, and I have too much stored on top too, so I will skip this one. Let me know if you decide to celebrate though! I’d be interested to hear if anything good comes from it!
Food Celebration of the Day
National Coq au Vin Day – I didn’t grow up eating what would typically be considered “fancy” or exotic food, and anything French would have landed in that category. Since I’m fairly certain French Toast and French Fries don’t count as exotic or fancy, we will discount them from this discussion. With that in mind, I did have to look up with Coq au vin is, and honestly, it sounds delicious. It does NOT sound like something to have once hot weather hits, but it does sound delicious. The name means rooster/cock with wine. Basically, the rooster is a tough bird and needs to be braised to be tender enough to eat. By braising it with wine, fatty bacon, mushrooms and garlic, as lovely stew like dish is created to eat over rice or noodles. There are legends that trace this dish back to ancient Gaul and Julius Caesar, but it wasn’t really documented until early in the 20th century and has been accepted to have been a rustic dish long before that time. Julia Child put a recipe for Coq au vin in her 1961 cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooing, and she prepared it twice on the PBS show The French Chef. This show brought the dish to the eye of the U.S. public and is thought of as one of Ms. Child’s signature dishes. It’s mostly a low carb dish all on its own merit, but it takes a LONG time to get the chicken as tender as one would want, but here’s an easy, low-carb recipe I found from a blogger who has had quite a few recipes I have really enjoyed. Click here for the recipe for Easy Coq Au Vin by Sugar Free Mom. I think I’ll put this one in reserve for a cooler day than we are having today. This sounds like a fall or winter dish to me.
I’m feeling pretty awesome that it is already Wednesday, even though I have to work on Friday to make up for Monday’s holiday, and excited to get started on preparing our “new” home for the road for our camping trips. Having something awesome to look forward to tonight will either make the day whip by, or make it crawl. I doubt if there is going to be much in between.
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Celebration list sources:
www.verseoftheday.com www.brownielocks.com www.holidayinsights.com www.thenibble.com www.foodimentary.com