Tag: grocery shopping

Back to the Routine

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

It’s a normal pay weekend.  I’ve gotten up, paid bills, talked to one daughter, and am about to head out to run errands.

Once the errands are done, I’m going to be sitting at the computer to work on several projects.  I’m avoiding my phone which is telling me the two games I’ve been playing are ready for me to play again – my lives are full now.

It’s funny how I have to have a game tell me my life is full.  Yes – it is.  From my work, to my hobbies, to my family – I’m busy.  I have a lot going on and some days I’m lacking in energy and ambition.

Motivation is key today and tomorrow.  I have a lot I want to clear off my to do list in the hopes of feeling like I’m moving forward with these projects.

Went to the rheumatologist yesterday – Ken came with me which was nice.  She wants me on a drug so I get to try a new drug to see if I break out, have other nasty side effects, or if my body can tolerate it.  If I can take it, I get to wait weeks (up to three months) before we know if it’s helping.  I’m not optimistic but at the same time I know something has to change.

For the first time in over a month, I’m going to sort through coupons, make a grocery list, and send Ken off to the store with a detail list rather than “get what we need” comment.  We’ve only been picking up the bare necessities while we’ve been helping Vicki move.

Lots to do today so I better get off the computer and head out for the errands.  Hopefully they don’t take long and I can be home soon to work on publishing, couponing, and the other tasks I have on my todo list.

Normal Weekend Errands

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

Bills to pay, errands to run, and writing tasks to get done.  This is what I should be doing.  Yesterday I wandered off to Nasco for some craft shopping.  I picked up one thing for a project I want to try and canvasses so I can do some painting.

Today is going to be all about business – writing and personal.  I have spreadsheets to update, marketing to do, and bills to pay.  It doesn’t help that I’ve got a headache – again.  I think it is from the change in weather but it could be anything.

I’m sitting here knocking out one task after another and thinking I should be doing more.  I know I can’t but still.  I read through a proof this morning.  Format looks good.  I just have to approve it but since it is available for preorder electronically, it has to wait until next weekend.

Ken is off cutting up a tree for my sister.  We hope to get it out of her yard today.  It came partially down in a storm last weekend and she had people take it the rest of the way down.

Since it’s pay week, I have to make a grocery list, clip coupons.  Once Ken does the grocery shopping, I’ll have to do some food prep.  My list of other things to get done is long as well.

Hopefully the headache will ease off so I can get lots of things done while Ken is off cutting up wood.  It’s easier to do some of the tasks while he isn’t around.  He’s already been up and gotten laundry started.

Last night I watched Sense and Sensibility (the long version) and Emma (with Kate Beckensal).  The Emma was a version I’ve not seen before.  It was well done.  The S&S is one of my favorites but I found myself saying oh this is the spot in the other version where Emma Thompson does this or whatever.  It amuses me.  The ironic thing is even though I just watched this version – which I like very much – I now want to go watch the over version.  I spent a couple nights watching Pride and Prejudice and wouldn’t mind watching it again – the one with Colin firth which is six hours long.

I might have to do Shakespeare next though because Vicki and I were talking about Much Ado About Nothing.  I’ll have to see how things go.  If the writing is flowing, I’ll be too busy.

To Do … What Should I Do?

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing

It is errand weekend.  This means I have a list of things to get done that is somewhat extensive.  It also means I should not be staying up until 5:00 am writing.

Yesterday I was on track.  I came home, paid bills, took care of all the payroll stuff I needed to.  I was tired and cranky so I tried taking a nap.  It didn’t work.  Ken and I watched a movie – Erased – it was pretty good.  He went to bed and I started writing.

I wrote until 10:30, coming to the end of a scene.  I figured okay good place to stop.  I turned out the light and couldn’t sleep.  The next scene I wanted to write kept playing in my head to the point where after 45 minutes I gave up trying to sleep.

Of course the next scene needed prep, this meant of course additional scenes.  I worked on it until almost 5:00 am this morning.  I came to the end of the scene and knew EXACTLY what the next couple of scenes were going to be.  I did not write them, they are still bouncing around in my head.  The problem is I couldn’t sleep.  I’d been up almost 24 hours and still my brain would not shut down.

I forced myself to sleep through sheer willpower I think.  It took a while but I eventually got to sleep.  I slept for an hour or two and woke up.  I took one look at the clock and made myself go back to sleep.  I dozed for an hour before I fell asleep again.

I’m freaking ridiculous.  I got up a little after 10 this morning and I’m trying to get a pile of tasks done including getting the coupons organized.  I have a novel ready for production including cover.  I still have to settle on a title which is driving me crazy.  I have ideas but none of them click really for me.  It is going to be a series and ironically I already know the title for the second book (it’s the one I worked on all night).

I’m setting aside my urge to write in order to get a few of the business type things done.  Coupons, grocery list, and errand list all need to be made up.  Ken is being amazing and running the errands this weekend so I can work on production.  When I get all of those practical things done I’ll see what I work on.  Being tired, my brain will have to dictate what I’m capable of doing.  There are three strong contenders with a fourth possibility.  I could clear the table (it is clearer than it has been in months) in my office and finish organizing.  I could work on production of two novels I have ready for production.  I could write.

As tired as I am all three sound appealing because they all accomplish different things I’ve been working on.  I have the feeling it is going to be a weekend of little sleep and lots of stuff done.  At least I hope so.

Anniversary and Other Things This Weekend

by eileentroemel, posted in Life
Friday was Ken and my thirty third anniversary.  We don’t have a great track record when it comes to anniversaries.  Generally a lot of them have been bad – from our first where we fought to our eleventh where I broke my ankle and spent a lot of time in the hospital. 
Fortunately this one was much better than normal.  Ken had the day off and worked around the house.  I worked for part of the day.  The day started with a nice conversation.  I know that sounds little but it was pleasant to have that connection in the morning and the time to just say good morning and get ready for the day. 
We hung out together in the afternoon and then went out to supper.  We were going to try a new place.  This always makes me anxious because I don’t know how easy it will be for me to get into the place and so on.  However, I was determined not to let that stop up.  We thought we knew how to get there but when we went out the way I thought we should, we couldn’t find the place.  We turned around and came back to go to Olive Garden instead where we had a pleasant meal.
Yesterday we did all the errands – grocery store, pharmacy, post office, Hobby Lobby.  I have nine rows of Vicki’s afghan left and ran out of her yarn so I had to get more yarn.  I’m hoping to finish her afghan today or this week.  It depends.  Nine rows doesn’t sound like a lot but this is a round afghan so the rows get bigger each time.  I worked on it yesterday and only managed to get four rows done. 
Today is father’s day.  The girls took care of Ken’s gifts.  I find myself missing my father and wishing I could call him.  I know he is with me every day but there are times that I want him physically here not just spiritually. 
In our shopping yesterday we bought things that we need to process today.  We have to make fruit salad, turkey burgers, cut up onions, and repackage some chicken.  I’m hoping that won’t eat up too much of the day so I can work on Vicki’s afghan.  I’d like to be done with it. 
It has been a busy weekend which was not unexpected.  I was hoping to get some writing projects in but it doesn’t look like I will.  I’m still working on one more edit for my fantasy novel and the second of my poetry books.  

Need a Weekend to Recover from My Weekend

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing
Yesterday was exceedingly productive.  Ken got up early to collect firewood from his brother’s house.  On the way home he stopped at Sorg’s to pick up our order.  I made sure I was up, dressed and organized by the time he got home. 
We went to Schnuck’s grocery store as they were having a 10 for 10 get the 11th free sale.  We bought only sale items and saved about $94 dollars between sales and coupons. 
Back home, Ken had fixed my chair sort of so I worked on Moon Affirmations – the paper edition.  It is in the review process and I’m obsessively checking every hour or so to see if it has finally made it through review.  I also wrapped three of the graduation gifts I had finished crocheting. 
In the evening we wandered out again to go to Walmart.  Ken found the last graduation gift I wanted so he picked that up.  Then we went to Target for Stephanie who wanted Brewer’s sunglasses.  Sadly they didn’t have any.  Finally we stopped at Woodman’s to do the last of our shopping.  We only got about three or four things that we didn’t have a coupon for and we saved $21.25 in coupons. 
By the time we got home Ken was done.  I came back to the computer and did a few things on the next project.  I’m organizing my poems.  This means I have the electronic file, paper copy, and it listed on my spreadsheet.  I got through A’s and B’s last night.  I also obsessively checked on Moon Affirmations.  Moon Affirmations made it onto Barnes and Noble this week as well.  
I played on the computer for a bit before I settled into the living room to read a book.  I’m reading Lean In.  It is a very good book.  It is about how women struggle for acceptance and equality even in today’s supposed enlightened era.  I recommend it for all people.
Unfortunately I slept poorly again.  This is about three weeks of sleep being elusive to me.  It would be nice to go to sleep easily and actually stay asleep for four to six hours. At this stage I’m lucky to get four solid.
Today is process food, obsessively check on Moon Affirmations, and relax at some point.  I want to get food prepped for me to easily grab it during the week for breakfast and lunch.  If you’ve read my blog for any length of time you know I’m not a morning person so it has to be exceedingly simple or I won’t remember in the morning.  I’ve got dip, turkey burgers, and coleslaw to make.  I have to prep cucumbers, peppers, and other items to go in the freezer.  If I have time, I want to work on the poetry project as well.  You would think with all we did yesterday we could sit back and relax today but that won’t be the case.
Moon Affirmations is now available at:
Available for sale at:
Available on Amazon:
Available on Barnes and Nobles:
Secret Past is available at:
Available on Barnes and Nobles:
Available for sale at:
Available on Amazon:

Progress

by eileentroemel, posted in Life, Writing
Yesterday was exceedingly productive.  Secret Past is now available in e-book, large print paperback, and paperback.  I’m very proud of it and am thrilled that I’ve sold to people other than my family. 
In addition to getting the final version of Secret Past out into the world yesterday, I worked on budget and paid bills, clipped coupons, crocheted on a graduation gift, and read another fun book.  It was a full and busy day.  I got home from work early and was able to organize a bunch of stuff.  I do have a sloppy pile of paperwork that needs to be filed.  I hate filing but I will try to get that done today. 
Today I’ll be working on a grocery list and putting coupons together.  Ken is going to do the shopping this week.  I will be working on production of my next book.  This one is more complicated because it has amazing drawings to be included by TJ Jahns.  The drawings are simple but beautiful, reminiscent of Shel Silverstein. 
Unfortunately I woke up aching so I’m probably not going to be able to sit on the computer for long today.  I’ll be making the most of my time here.  Then it will be back to crocheting.  Last night while I crocheted, I watched Mansfield Park and Elementary.  Both were good and different.  I’ll probably do something like that today. 
One of the things I did yesterday was to put all my guides for self-publishing into a binder so today while I work I’ll be able to easily pull out the binder and follow each step.  It’s nice to have a handy reference right there.  I know what needs to be done for most of it but I can do a quick read just to make sure.  I’ve also got my project spreadsheet which helps me keep track of where I’m at with each project. 
It is the weekend and I’m supposed to be relaxing. In a lot of ways this is me relaxing.  Those who know me can stop laughing, I like to be busy and I like to make progress.  I don’t have to have a perfect house or fancy clothes or stuff like that.  I do have to write and crochet.  It seems along with the writing I also have to keep moving forward with projects which means production of books.  I think I’d lose my mind if I didn’t have these two things.  Crocheting keeps my hands busy and writing keeps my mind busy – or maybe it focuses my busy mind.  Either way, I’m a better person – happier, more content, and easier to live with – if I’m busy with these projects.
Secret Past Available in e-book and paperback: