How to get things done.

Joe and I are heading to Seattle for the weekend for a mix of the two best things, family and the Red Sox. It is our first time away from Portland together since Thanksgiving. (I actually left for a night once with Eric while he was visiting) It feels like we are going on vacation. Joe's work friend is going to check in on Alice. Joe doesn't have to work til Wednesday and I am taking till Tuesday afternoon off. I am so excited. That makes my Friday very busy. We use the weekend usually to do errands. I grocery shop, do the laundry, clean (sometimes). So I have to smush it all into Friday instead of spread out over three days. Luckily I only work til 1pm on Fridays so I have a good portion of the day to work with. I have to make a list of things I need to do or they never get done. A list is very important. For the past week or two my dresser has been broken. The top drawer became separated. I can open it but everything stays put. I can't complain because we got the dresser from the side of the road. It is on my list now. So tonight I will take out the duck tape and fix that puppy up so I can actually see what socks I will be wearing instead of just getting what I get. I made our weekly dinner list last night. On Thursday I sit and looks though cook books and figure out what food we are going to eat for the next week. I make a list of possible dinners (I try to pick out 8 meals so I don't have to stick to the list exactly) The list also includes a rundown of ingredients so I can make my grocery list based on it. It sounds complicated but it works. This week we are going to have Bouangerie Beans and Potatoes. (hmm totally the best meal that is so easy and inexpensive). Tempeh Chili with black beans, Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad, Corn Pancakes Thai Style, and Pasta with a sauce cooked in my new slow cooker. ( I know that is only 5 but we will be away this week) Bonnie and Holly got the slow cooker for me. I have made Tuscan Rosemary Beans (which kind of turned into a soup but was still delicious.)and today I am slow cooking beets all day. I can't wait.Joe has really turned me on to beets. It is going to be awesome to get home and have the whole house smell so earthy! I wish I could leave work now so I could get all this stuff done. I really want to get to the best part of the evening which will be a couple glasses of Absinthe and a Red Sox game that starts at 7pm instead of 4!