Friday Reading

I planned to post about the makeover I did to the small pantry in my kitchen today, but 11 days into the new year and I am still in a post holiday energy slump.

My week was only semi-productive. It always takes me a little time after the holiday break to get into my groove again. I think the weather and just what is known as the “January Blues” is to blame for my lethargic state. :-) .

It did warm up here in SC enough that I got out for a bike ride yesterday in an attempt to try to break the cabin fever spell I have been under.  This morning it was so warm that I didn’t need any type of jacket and went to my aerobics class in a short sleeve t-shirt.

Best part, I could drive with the windows down. Woo Hoo!  The fresh air felt great and it helped my energy level enormously!

I know it is going to get cold again, but at least the warm spell has me feeling energized once again. For today, since my week was only semi-productive, I thought I would share some things that I found inspiring online this week.

DESIGN

• No more red brick house… Love this Before and After Exterior Makeover

• Cube shelving never looked so good!

• Need some decluttering motivation?  I love everything Courtney writes. I am going to meet her next week.

• A fabric tweak for a traditional decorating detail.

• Do you like to paint stuff? Like to repurpose?  Check out what Sadie did with drawers from an old dresser.

LIFE

• Junk email. Kid’s stuff. Too many clothes to wash, fold, and store. Facebook. Stuff. Junk catalogs selling us stuff. Obligations that we don’t need to take on. Random papers to manage. Toxic people. Debt. Stuff. Stuff. Stuff. – Time to weed out these...Life Weeds

• An informative read if you use a smartphone.

EAT

I am trying to eat healthier in 2018 and am organizing my own healthy recipe binder which I hope will become my go-to cookbook. I have been trying out new recipes. If we like them, they go in the binder, if not I toss the recipe. Here are two recipes I have tried that I will be making again and one that I plan to make next week.

• There are a lot of mashed cauliflower recipes on the internet and in cookbooks.  I eat as dairy-free as I can and this recipe is a winner and soooo easy to make with an immersion blender. Mine cracked this week so I need to get a new one.

• I made these… so good when you want a sweet treat. Instead of adding crispy rice cereal that the recipe suggests, I used Old-Fashioned Oatmeal instead.

• I hope this tastes as good as it looks. The prettiest, not so boring winter salad. 

WATCH

I know The Crown is popular on Netflix now. I watched the first season, but haven’t started the second yet as I have been  totally enamored with Grand Hotel. Have you watched it?

It is addicting and I can’t stop watching.  It is a series from Spain with subtitles that I don’t mind having to read on the screen at all. Since I have been binge watching, I have found that my brain is speaking to me in Spanish. Crazy, right? 

It is like my brain has been reawakened after hearing hours of Spanish from all the episodes I have watching. Everything that I learned in Spanish class in school that was buried in my brain has resurfaced.  Just this morning as I was leaving my aerobics class,  the words hasta manana came out of my mouth. :-)

That’s it for this week.

Te veo el lunes! ¡Que tengas un buen fin de semana! b. disfruta el fin de semana … :-)