Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Preparing for the Season

I hadn't planned on being gone all week.  It just turned out to be incredibly busy with the election, Veterans Day, pre-Thanksgiving shopping, and working on a rather large organization project in the kitchen.  I couldn't even finish the book which is a week late to be reviewed.

This is the time of year I clean out the antique yellow pantry in the kitchen.   The one with the original yellow chippy paint that my husband wants to refinish.  I believe "over my dead body" was discussed.   It holds a lot of my cooking and baking supplies so cleaning it out before Holiday cooking makes sense. 

I hadn't planned on organizing all of the kitchen cabinets at the same time but when I opened a cabinet and I nearly had an item fall on my head... it was time. Things have now been cleaned, shifted around, thrown away due to way-past-expiration dates (even pasta eventually is too old), and the cupcake decorating supplies returned to where they used to be because under the yellow pantry didn't work.

Most of the herbs that have been drying in the tiny bathroom, hanging on the shower rack on clothes hangers, have been now transferred to jelly jars.  Only lemon balm needs to be put in a jar for my husband to use for tea.  A lot of the softer herbs went buggy early due to the hot and humid summer but this was harvested in spring.  I think it is dry now.  ;)

I went to Aldi's to buy a turkey at 99 cents a pound but they only had one 21 lb. bird left.  I'm not feeding an Army so it was left in the freezer.  I roasted a turkey that big one year when we still lived in our larger house in town.  Never again.  I think my back was out for the next week.  That was one ridiculously heavy bird.

A woman standing next to me said that Kroger had their brand for 79 cents a pound and since I had planned to stop there next... I gave the cart to someone who didn't have one (where is that quarter when you need it?)... and headed to the van.  Kroger is just down the road but this was 5:00 traffic on the Bypass so I it took a few minutes, not to mention finding a parking place at that time of day.  On Friday.

But eventually I came home with the Thanksgiving turkey and a loaf of cheap white bread (the best kind to make my mom's dressing)... and a $5.00 pizza to pop in the oven for dinner.  It had been a very long day.

I really am thankful that almost everything I need for Thanksgiving dinner has been purchased.  Mrs. Christopher's family is coming again this year.  We love it when they are here, too.  Last year was when it was announced a baby was on the way!  This year Piper will be in the house, although she has told me she's not so sure about eating turkey quite, yet. 

Next week the pre-Thanksgiving cleaning continues.  I've started already since I do everything a little at a time.  This is the time of year I do my pre-winter cleaning, anyway.  I like having guests since it is only then my eyes open to just how many cobwebs there are in the house.

I want to thank those of you who do your Amazon Christmas shopping by clicking on the widget or a link (you don't have to buy that actual item).  It helps me have the credit to purchase gifts for my family and perhaps a book and tea for myself.  ;)

Thank you.

Image:  From Instagram.  I make a quick cup of tea by placing a teabag in the bottom of the mug and running water through the single serve Keurig.  That was my very last box of last year's Candy Cane Lane stash before a dear long time blog friend sent me two boxes (and stickers I'm using on some cards).