a peek inside the fishbowl

The title of this post does not refer to the guys who frequent our construction site, but to the wall studs. Wall studs carry the vertical load of the house. So when you hear someone say the house is “down to the studs” it means that the drywall has been stripped away and the “sticks” are showing. They’re called sticks because this kind of construction is also called “stick and frame” (I AM SO IN THE KNOW) and in case you’re wondering, their purpose is to keep the walls parallel and from bulging all over the place.

So that’s where we are right now, down to the studs. It’s so neat to see changes finally happening. (Compare to this short video for full effect!)

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Last night we had our first sweltering sleep with no AC. We prefaced it with an extended picnic dinner in the park and left lots of time to play in the shade afterwards – dog included. There was no rush to get back to the apartment because it was stinking hot in here.

The whole experience was reminiscent of the many years I lived without air conditioning, in student apartments and the like. The difference is that my tolerance isn’t the same as it used to me. It is a slow, uncomfortable, sweaty death march. How did I survive those days? Thank goodness the heatwave was such a short one.

We have an old tabletop fan, but I think the girls will need a standup fan in their bedroom sooner than later. Perhaps I’ll make a run out to Canadian Tire today. Speaking of fans, have you seen the new bladeless ones by Dyson? They look pretty cool. (No pun intended. Haha!)

I have always been a terrible meal planner. This will appear doubly ironic to people who know me from my involvement with Recipes.ca. I truly wish I was the kind of person who sat down every Sunday morning with the weekly grocery store flyer and the laptop and planned the week’s meals, but I’m not. I also wish I was the kind of person who was disciplined enough to set aside time every week to make a couple lasagnas and stews to freeze for emergency dinners. But I don’t. But I am trying to be better!

As part of Operation Trim I am going to sit down TODAY and plan a menu for my family this week.

Meal planning is smart. It saves time in the long run; time spent wondering what you’re going to make for dinner, and time at the grocery store. For me, this is time I would much rather be spending elsewhere. Meal planning also saves money because you’re able to take advantage of weekly sales and use up food that’s in your fridge (e.g. a double flank steak recipe made for dinner one night will make great steak fajitas the next.) And meal planning is healthy too. It prevents me from doing things like throwing my hands up in the air (and the apron on the floor) and saying things like “I give up” and “let’s have pancakes for dinner again” or “let’s order pizza.” Not that I have ever said ANY of these things. NO SIREE.

But don’t take it from me. I put the message out on Twitter to see what real meal-planning tweeps have to say about this, and this is what they told me:

• @run21mom: “As a working mom with three under four I need to to keep my sanity…and it limits meal time tears – theirs not mine :)”
• @GiuliaDoyle: “I’m a meal planner so I can grocery shop more efficiently and plan meals that generate lunches early in the week.”
• @Vanityproject_J made a good point about special diets: “Ugh! Used to be a meal planner, then life got hectic & I got lazy in that dept. new food allergy with DD means I have to go back.”
• @paulajroy: “I find meal planning makes for more varied & balanced meals. Easier to plan several meatless meals per week too.”
• @alannabanks: “If I didn’t we would be eating scrambled eggs or salad every night for dinner.”
• @racheljonat: “Saves time, money and sanity. Nothing worse than 4pm and no plans, or groceries, for an evening meal.”
• @ailiesomerville: “If I don’t my week is a mess. I plan meals and write a list based on the supermarket aisles. Tonight – homemade BBQ pizza.”

This is why I’m going to spend a few minutes right now and figure out what I’m going to make this week.

Monday (tonight) get-out-of-the-apartment-and-have-a-PICNIC-dinner: cold sandwiches, cucumber slices, carrot sticks, fruit
Tuesday: chicken finger wraps, tossed green salad, tomato/basil salad
Wednesday: homemade breaded fish sticks, green bean/hazelnut salad, brown rice
Thursday: Asian noodle salad with shrimp
Friday: Homemade bacon and pineapple pizza, cut up veggies and dip

THERE. That wasn’t so hard.

Edited to add: I realized I need to plan my lunches as well! That’s next.

I would love to see your meal plans too! Care to share? If this inspires you to write out a meal plan on your blog please leave me a link. You can also leave your actual meal plan in the comments below.  And I do urge you to join me over at Recipes.ca and upload your favourite family recipes. Help make our collective meal plans a little better! Thank you!

We made mini-chalkboards this week! It’s a very inexpensive craft and a neat way to practice ABCs or make grand statements to yourself or to loved ones:

Get the whole scoop over here.