Awful quiet around here lately......

The rest of the week at work went about the same as normal. Nothing worth reporting home about, really.

I got to "build" a stable this week. DD had a project due Friday for class. The object was to build a model of something mentioned in a book they're reading in class: _Riding Freedom_ by Pat Munoz Ryan. DD wanted to build a whole ranch out of toothpicks, or something. We wound up going with a 2-horse stable built out of cardboard. *grin* It was actually kinda funny as Wednesday night after work, DH was sitting at the table helping DD with her math & spelling (cerebral work) and I was on the floor drafting plans for a stable & cutting the pieces out with a razor. Just felt kinda funny to be doing the more "handy-man" type thing while the hubby (who's not really a cerebral type person at all) was doing the brain work.

Thursday DD and DH and I put the stable together & added the polishing bits (bits of straw glued to the floor in the stalls, a yarn "rope" hanging looped on the wall, a "bucket" with glued-on oats hanging on the wall, a cot with blanket for the main-character in the tack-room of the stable, some decorations outside the door). We did it so that you could look down into the stable through a lid that lifted partly up, and yet looked somewhat solid.

Dropped off the stable at school with the kiddo on Friday morning. My volunteer time was par for the course: busy as hell. DD came home Friday with news that her stable hadn't even survived the day. *grin* The teacher took a good enough look at it to start grading DD, closed the roof, and the whole thing fell apart. ROFLMBO It was only card-board & elmers glue, so I'm not suprised, but it's still kinda funny. I'm just glad the teacher did look it over before things fell apart. I'd hate for the kiddo to get a poor grade because of my shoddy workmanship. *wink*

Today, we had hockey practice in town at 11:45 to 12:45. Dad came in to watch. Which I'm very glad for because he's been acting rather distraught over my baby sister's move out of state (she left on..... Wednesday morning I think it was). He was saying that he felt about as upset as when his parents died. *rolling eyes* We invited him over for supper tonight, as I was making lasagna. It got him out of the house for a bit.

DH and DD and DD's best friend, and a new boy in the neighbourhood were all in & out & around & noisy as hell, and finally the hubby & all 3 of the kids went to tonight's Ice Dog's game. The new neighbour boy is a hoot. This kid's loud as hell (just VERY loud talking voice), but nice. His mouth moves about a mile a minute, and he seems to jump from one subject to the next with no breaths between, sometimes jumping back & forth between subjects. Makes it somewhat comical to try to follow along.

Anyway, with all the activity, we didn't sit down to eat till 6:40 (dinner was supposed to be by 6:15 to give DH & DD plenty of time to get to the game), before they all headed out. And Dad finally just headed home about 15 minutes ago now.

Tomorrow it's back to work, then I work through Wednesday. Have Thursday off for Alaska day, Friday will be my usual volunteer hours at the school, and Saturday again before my week ends.

LOL I said it was quiet, but typing it all out like this, it doesn't seem like it. I guess it has been a busy week, but it doesn't seem like it until I put it into words.

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I've been sleeping better, now that I've got the ear-plugs. DH got woken at 8:06 by a phone-call this morning from a debt-consolidation place wanting to know if we needed help consolidating. He told them (and I quote) "It's 8:06 and I was asleep. You woke me up!! Don't call here again!" (He promptly hung up, didn't wait for any replies from the other person.) Just the way he said it, so deadly serious, was hilarous. Like he was darned well going to reach through the phone & throttle somebody if they call again. *grin*

Anyway, I am waking up to my alarm clock on my own, though. I'm glad for that. I was kinda worried that I would sleep right through it, as quiet as my alarm clock is. (It's a little travel-alarm clock that I've had since HS and it's got only a tiny little beep, which is usually all I need.)

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Let's see, my menu for the coming week is:

Sunday: Fish & Chips (not making my own fish or chips, just using Gorton's & Safeway brand fries)
Monday: Steak & Potatoes
Tuesday: Biscuits & Gravy
Wednesday: French Dip Sandwiches
Thursday: Szechuan noodles w/ Spicy Beef Sauce (new recipe, I'll let ya know how it goes)
Friday: Spaghetti
Saturday: Clam Chowder

Oh, and here's the recipe for the meatloaf I made this past week....

Bacon & Swiss Meatloaf

1 egg
1/4 c milk (recipe calls for evap. milk, I used regular)
6 oz shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1 c crumbled cooked bacon, divided
1/2 c soft breadcrumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1-1/2 lb ground beef

In a larg bowl, combine the egg, milk, 1 c swiss cheese, 3/4 c bacon, bread crumbs, garlic powder, and onion powder. Crumble beef over mixture & mix well. Shap into a loaf in a greased 11"x7"x2" baking dish. (I used a regular ol' loaf pan.) Bake, uncovered, at 350 deg. F. for 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink & a meat thermometer reads 160 deg. F. (Drain off excess grease at this point.) Sprinkle with remaining cheese & bacon. Bake 3 to 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

I served this with a buttermilk Colcannon. (Ie: boil potatoes & cabbage together, drain & mash together, stir in butter as usual, but use buttermilk instead of the normal milk or cream.) YUM!!!!

DH loved this meatloaf. DD and I thought it was ok (though actually she didn't like the combo of swiss & bacon) but certainly not our favorite meatloaf recipe. She prefers my usual. DH said he liked not having the ketchup on top. LOL Ironically, meatloaf is the ONLY time I actually like ketchup.

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Well, I think that about covers it for now.

Have a Blessed Day!