Picking Up

Do you remember when May was SO busy we couldn't see straight? End of year parties, weddings, graduations, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, packing for camp, recitals, awards receptions... Aside from the weather, I used to almost dread May.

Last year, of course, we didn't have any of it. I mean, people still graduated, but it feels like everything else was just skipped, and that was fine by me. I noticed that I only have one post from last May, and it was on a day when I was furloughed and the kids basically slept in and then did their assignments on their own schedules. Kind-of weird to think about it now, really. My company's business has picked up pretty well since then, and of course the kids are now IN school, and winding down to their last 10 days or so.

With the vaccines and the new mask guidance (which, yikes... a little premature imho), everything's coming back. We're grateful, right? Yes, of course. It is right and good and thank Science. 

And it's also pretty overwhelming. 

I did get voted in to the Band Boosters Board, and have since had 1 Zoom meeting and 2 in-person obligations (Kickoff Weekend), and I LOVE IT, but wow: I'd forgotten. 

Having to wash my hair and finish my coffee to be somewhere at 9:00 am on a Saturday is new! 

It probably follows that work will gear back up, too, and I'll have to commit to going to the office more days per week again. I wonder how long it will be until I'm asked to travel? Ugh. Conferences, site visits, global meetings....? How will those factor in to my volunteer schedule, haha... oh dear...? 

I am having trouble scheduling Kate's first vaccine, because her June is so packed full of camp and other activities already, that scheduling the 3-weeks-later dose is hard! But we will get there. (At least one conflict is our beach vacation.)

It's going to be GREAT. I am going to do FINE on the board, they are going to be glad they have me and things will fall into place. This is what I keep telling myself. And even when St Joe's Drama Club comes back in full force and Mrs. M. starts sending me requests to be the Business Manager (I kind-of already am), I can do that, too. It will all work out. Positive Attitude will Make It So. You need something done? Ask a busy person. It is going to be FUN, after a year of NOT FUN (or, a year to enjoy the quiet, at-home bliss...). 

'21-22 is our year of having an 8th grader, who graduates, and a high school senior! Oh, the places they'll go! Will we have 2 graduation parties? I'm thinking yes, probably... and what about a wedding in the family next year (my sister)?! When and how?! Well, I can't get ahead of myself there. Just roll with it, and keep eyes open to try to ENJOY everything. Yes, that's the ticket. Happy, proud and thrilled. 

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And what have we been eating lately? I don't know how I got out of the habit of sharing that here -- I still love reading people's menus on other blogs -- but maybe mine just don't seem that interesting to me. (Of course not, duh.) I can't see NOT planning my menu and thus my grocery list, but gosh, am I tired of it. Even after creating a spreadsheet of all the meals I can remember, so I could literally just highlight 6 meals and the week would be decided. 

Anyway, I've been sick of it, but have PERSEVERED. This week, we are planning the following for dinners:

Sunday - Salisbury Steak with egg noodles, and steamed green beans. This recipe is so tried-and-true, and everyone in the family likes it. I made extra and we still didn't have any leftover. I highly recommend you double the sauce. It's good over mashed potatoes, too, but very rich.

Monday - Chicken Piccata. My kids have never tried this and I've never made it, but it does not look that difficult. And I love it, I order it at restaurants sometimes. I am also making a very fancy packet of Lipton/Knorr Parmesan noodles to go with it, and probably a salad. I seem to have lots of lettuce and cabbage at the moment.

Tuesday - Make Your Own Pizza (Flatbreads). 

Wednesday - My parents will be here! Their first visit in more than a year (SOB)! So I'm planning on Bulgogi Pork Tenderloin, Jasmine Rice, and broccoli. Hope I can get the timing right. (If not, we'll keep eating happy hour cheese and crackers, I'm sure. I have been somewhat resisting cheese, [except for the Rotel dip I made last week, oops] and so I'm pretty excited about this.)

Thursday - I slotted in a takeout night for ease of mind, but it's possible we'll think of something to cook. My Dad always suggests meatloaf, which I find funny. I don't get very excited about meatloaf.

Friday - BBQ Ribs. We've made them a few times this year and have found a good recipe, which I like so much I wrote down in my recipe book, and for which I then promptly lost the link. But they use a dry rub, cook in the oven for 2.5 hours at 250, and then you grill them for 5 minutes. They're perfect. I'm making corn, plus corn casserole, plus maybe baked beans to go with them.