day 5 - wednesday




5am

Two days in a row with a 5 in front of my wake up time!  That goes on my permanent record.  Put on the French Press, open windows and check weather.

6:30am

I want to get walking early and my watering done bc I have plans to turn the oven on this morning before it gets too hot.

8am

Walk and water done.  Eating breakfast and then will start a bit of baking and a good tidy.

8:30am

Organized refrigerator and gave it a good clean.  I cut up 4 peaches and a handful of fresh blueberries and mixed them with a tablespoon of sugar and cornstarch.  I have a pie crust in the freezer left from mothers day so roll it out and put the fruit in the center and just pull the corners up and around the fruit like a crostata.  Sprinkled a little sugar on the crust for fanciness.  Bake it at 375 for about 45 minutes.  So easy, I don't know why I bother with making traditional pies.

9am

Strip bed and start a large load of whites.  It's shocking how little laundry I do now.  I manage to get it all in one load and out drying on the line.

A friend told me a story of how her mother managed laundry when she was a child.  One of the things she did was instead of stripping the beds each week, she rotated the sheets.  When I heard this I thought that's genius bc I only sleep on one side of my bed.  I can literally just rotate my mattress!  lol.  What a wonderful way to save natural resources and money.  So now in between the big washing machine loads I hand wash anything that needs done and hang it out to dry.  I feel like I'm living in the 1930s on laundry day.




I also dust, vacuum, clean bathrooms and wash floors.  It all goes pretty fast bc the place is small and I'm not very messy.  If my sinks and refrigerator are sparkling then I feel like my whole house is clean!

11am

I decide to go to noon yoga so I wrap up housework and eat lunch which is just a big salad with white beans and chopped onion, kale, jalapenos, cilantro, cherry tomatoes.  It takes everything I have not to have a slice of that crostata!

12pm

Restorative yoga, my absolute fave yoga class.

1:30pm

Work on blog and pull myself together bc a friend is dropping by to visit.

3pm

My girlfriend arrives (she brings figs from her tree) and I serve iced tea and the crostata.  It's good to visit and interrupt my routine.

5pm

Din - I make tacos with the bean mix and more of the crostata 😋.


6pm

Bath routine and I realize I'm not super tired, I'm just super relaxed, that's why I love restorative yoga .

7pm

Starting the final season of Veep tonight.  I will have to pace myself.  Don't you hate it when you binge on a show and then it runs out?!  How dare they!

9pm

Ok, nighty night...

Daily Total - $0



31 comments

  1. I'm really enjoying this series. Thank you for sharing your days with us. Xx

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  2. Enjoying this series, Janet!

    I have peaches, strawberries, and a pie crust in the fridge....going to try making your crostata and will invite some girlfriends for tea tomorrow.

    Thank you for the inspiration!

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  3. Your daily routine sounds peaceful and lovely...don't you just love yoga? I go to a gentle class on Wednesday mornings and I always feel SO good when I leave. It's just not the same doing it at home. Your crostata looks and sounds delicious. If you want to make something similar as a main meal, try a fresh tomato galette. See Mary's recipe here:

    https://abreathoffreshair-mary.blogspot.com/2019/09/tomato-galette-so-good.html

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  4. Your comment on changing your sheets caused me to recall how my own mother learned the way it was done when she attended nursing school in the mid-30's. The sheets were reversed so that the "other side" of the sheets would touch the body and also from head to foot. Give it some thought and it will make sense: however, there is no way this would be acceptable in hospitals today. Also, only flat sheets at that time. Love your blog.

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  5. My dream is to have a freestanding porcelain bath that I can really soak in. Everywhere I have lived in the UK (owning and renting) has had a soulless plastic bath with a shower unit overhead (over the bath taps) and is narrow and shallow and, well, you get the grim picture. I'm going to put 'Bath' at the top of my next moving wishlist. I love these posts - the beautiful California sunshine and heat just emanates from them somehow.

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  6. Janet, you have spunk like no other. Clad in fetching denim, a dash of bright lipstick, clutching a mop as if a dance partner, pastry in the oven, wash churning . . . we all know where your heart presently is - still you put the "happy" into the everyday.

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  7. The French call this kind of tart a galette (though that can mean a crêpe in Bretagne, and sometimes it's called a tarte...kind of rustic). Crust + stuff (sweet or savory) = good. WHY NOT.
    Re sheets: there are few things as delicious as slipping into fresh sheets, especially those hung outside to dry, and I probably wash mine more than needed just for that reason. I have discovered the joys of antique sheets, with their quaint embroidery done by some long-ago bride-to-be. They can be found for a song around here, because if you don't know the trick they need to be ironed and young people have no patience for that. (Nor do I--I iron the ones for our AirBnBs but not at home. Life is too short.) The trick (from my French neighbor) is: set the spin on your machine to the lowest level and hang them outside to dry when they are dripping wet. If you hang them nice and straight, they will be nearly wrinkle-free. I remember all my neighbors in Africa hung their clothes sopping wet and I thought it was weird, but why not--everything dried in 10 minutes no matter what. Now I understand! With no electricity, they used old-fashioned irons with coals inside, which could melt polyester. The less they needed to iron, the better. And that is true for almost everything.

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  8. I am enjoying popping into your blog each day to read what you have been up to and give you a fist pump with total amount not spent. SMILE.

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  9. I adore the pic of you with your mop in your gorgeous home. I must try the simple crostata...I have leftover fruit in my fridge from this past weekend & want to use it instead of putting it in the compost.

    Love the tip on the sheets, but also agree with the comment about fresh sheets...just love the feel. Then I realized another thing I love about your blog is that I learn things from others who comment...very wet clothing hanging on the line does make sense...I must try it because I loathe ironing.

    I hate to see this week end!

    Anita ~ the cabin on the creek
    ...all is grace!

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    1. In my experience though, sopping wet items on the line tend to dry stiff.

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  10. Mmmm, that crostata looks absolutely delicious.
    The gentle rhythm of your dailies is entrancing and I've really enjoyed this series.

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  11. Just love your blog, style and how simply you live...it inspires me! Also, I LOVE your curtains...wondering where you got them. Thanks, Treva

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  12. You are so resourceful. And your pie looks wonderful.

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  13. Janet - you are a rock star! Many years ago, I was having financial difficulties post-divorce and couldn't replace my washer/dryer. My daughters and I would hand wash everything and hang it to dry. My youngest once commented; "it's like Little House on the Prairie here!" I made so many changes since that time and I am now debt-free and living well. I credit you for teaching me to be resourceful, use what I got- and make it kind of pretty too! Thanks so much for that lesson.

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  14. Yum that crostata looks delicious!
    Restorative Yoga is very relaxing...I actually fell asleep in a class!
    It’s fun to read about what domestic jobs are a priority and make us feel content.
    For me it’s laundry and ironed linens and a tidy kitchen. What will you do with those gigs?

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  15. I loved your day. Yesterday, a friend visited me too. We had tea, pie, and wine.

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  16. oh AJJ!
    I don't want this to be a series and to end!!!
    I think you should make it your new blog! it's like the best most beautiful and inspiring diary in the world! LOL! it is.
    you're just a little living inspiration you are. xo

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  17. We shower before bed so some weeks i only wash our pillowcases if I'm
    extra busy. I do think we over wash everything. Line dried sheets are the best! i need to put up a clothesline.
    Love these posts and your healthy lifestyle. You inspire me. 💕

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  18. Loving this series. So fun to get a glimpse into your life. Your days have a simple, quiet rhythm which I crave right now - but will enjoy another time. A little of it washes over me when I read about yours, and I really like that.

    Your crostini looks delicious. I don't eat flour or sugar, but could make a fruit cobbler which would suit me just fine. I will do that this weekend. Your salad sounds perfect for a summer day.

    Wonder what you will do tomorrow?

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  19. I enjoy your blog ad admire the strength you show as you build a new life for yourself. Thanks for letting us follow along.

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  20. I,too,am enjoying your days recorded here. After my husband left, I was sleeping alone, so I sleep on one side of the bed one week and the next week I sleep on the other side. Less laundry; I hate changing sheets although I love climbing into clean, fresh ones.

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  21. The crostata sounds so good! Glad you are getting a lot of social time in...I think it is so great that you have this blog as well! I need to get back to yoga. It's just been too hot, the a/c at the studio not so great.

    Linda
    xo

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  22. Love this series so much, it has me checking your blog before I even go to the NYT in the morning. Thank you Janet for sharing with us and showing us how you're dealing so gracefully with this time in your life. It's so inspiring. xox

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  23. Just started Veep last night per your recommendation and I found myself laughing out loud during some scenes. On a side note, years ago you help inspired me to eat more plant based...have not had meat in 7 years.

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  24. Love these daily posts. Have a great weekend.

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  25. Thank you for sharing your wonderful routine!

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  26. Loving this series too.. Would love to see food shops as well..

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  27. Hi Janet,
    Thanks so much for taking the time to share your day. It's inspired some self-reflection on where the day goes now that I've relaxed into retirement. As you keep it simple and notice the goodness in your life, you are setting a great example for us all. Oh, and if you are still looking for something interesting and entertaining to watch, give Grand Designs a try. It's on Netflix. All the best to you.

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  28. I am enjoying these journals of your day. That dessert looks FABULOUS!!!!
    Joyce

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kindness is never out of style.

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