Hi, I'll add to the big numbers you're expecting today, Pam!
Last night, after work, I went outside to pick up the huge amount of leaves that were suddenly there. First, I got my two meal items started--brown rice in the oven and pinto beans in the pressure cooker. I worked HARD outside for 50 minutes getting a lot of the leaves picked up and cleaned up the yard. I then tended my dinner by taking the rice out of the oven and putting the chicken in for a quick warm-up. The beans were done and downright tasty! Then I plopped into the instant pot ingredients for minestrone soup for today's dinner. I have my volunteer night tonight so no time to cook. Hubby came home at 5:15 and then we cleaned the roof and gutters until 6 pm when it was pitch black out.
The plan was to get this done before the sloppy stuff which is happening right now. Rain, dreary, cold, and maybe some snow overnight. Glad to say this round is over but there are still plenty of leaves hanging yet so there will be another round.
I have this huge problem--I can't stay awake from 8 pm to 9 pm. I really can't go to bed at 8 pm as that will really be difficult to work the next day because I'll be up way too early. I have to introduce something at that hour that will keep me awake but not sure what.
Tomorrow I'm going to help my mom take care of my SIL again for the afternoon. I wish I could think of something for her to do but she is blind and she can't remember anything. The days are long and I wish she could do something with me. Last week I read cookbooks but she just slept in her chair. She can't get up by herself because she can't remember the layout of her house and has no idea what kinds of things there are in her own house. The TV is on all day long just for the noise. It's very difficult.
There's my chapter!
Alice