The Weekend that Was

Alas, kindred spirits, another Monday is upon us. I am in a good mood for a Monday, even though I was woken up at 6 a.m. by MFD reciting lines from National Lampoon's European Vacation in his sleep, forgot my breakfast, all the trash did not get out, two women were applying full face makeup on the train this morning, I have hives on my feet and my nails look like a homeless person's.

Perhaps someone slipped me an upper with me knowing? That would certainly account for this uncharacteristic good Monday mood.

Have some coffee and enjoy my weekend misadventures:

1. Major Project #1: Plant Bulbs.  I ordered my summer bulbs from Michigan Bulb, and on Friday I tracked them and they were on the truck for delivery, so I slated this chore for Saturday. They did not arrive Friday or Saturday. Incidentally my neighbor's new iPhone did not arrive, nor did my US Magazine. In any case, the bulbs did not get planted. Balls.

Where the F are my bulbs?

2. I took the dogs for a walk on Saturday and locked myself out of the house for an hour and a half with no phone. No neighbors were home for me to use their phone. Then MFD got home from work...he used my car on Saturday and took my spare keys...which have no house key. He did have a phone though, so we were able to get in when his sister brought the keys. Balls.

3. Major Project #2: Make Halloween costume. This did not happen for a few reasons. My name is not Laura and I am not crafty. Lack of time on Saturday due to time suck mentioned in #2 above. And Sunday I took a three hour nap instead. 

4. Every once in a while we come home to Keurig KCups with teeth marks in them on the floor near the closet where they are stored in plastic bags in a fashionable and awesome bin with no top. Sunday I left my house with Debbie only to turn around a block away because I forgot my phones. I caught Gus in the act of furiously ripping into the Donut Shop KCups. Foiled, Fatty. Mama's storing that shit in an impenetrable fortress of a bin from here on out. Add ugly bin with lid to this week's shopping list.

5. Pumpkin bars are the devil. The very very good devil with a large and fat behind from all the butter in them. I baked some Saturday morning, and between me, our nephew Drew and MFD, they're pretty much gone. Thanks to Shelby (see her blog here) for the recipe, which is super easy and listed after sign off below.  

6. Closet doors are my nemesis. I couldn't open them in the spare room so I ripped them off like Hulk Hogan rips through his shirt and will put curtains up on a tension rod like I did on my closet and the coat closet. HGTV would not be pleased, but it works for me. Closet door installation is a project to add to the Before We Sell list.

On a related note, I am full of glee over my newly purged and organized closet. I do not thrive in disorganized and chaotic home environments. Here's a tip for you people looking to organize shoes. I never knew what to do with mine. This is how I've stored them for the past three years. It's the best system I've ever used. Boxes like this are on the top of my closet and the spare closet. They can be found at Target for $2 a pop, and I buy the labels there too. Easy peasy.:

Other weekend highlights: another meal made with mushrooms, time with my nephews, sitting around a bonfire at Shady Brook on Sunday night with friends and family, more quality time with Investigation Discovery Channel, slept snug as a bug in a rug after putting the down comforter on on Saturday.

That's all, friends. Have a stellar week.

Humming on a Monday,

SMD

Shelby’s Pumpkin Bars

1 box yellow cake

3 large eggs

2TBS milk

1/4C sugar

3 TBS flour

1TSP cinnamon

1/2C melted butter

1 13.5 oz jar Muirhead 0r other pumpkin butter

1/4C cold butter

Preheat oven to 350. Reserve 1C of cake mix. Combine remaining cake mix, 1/2C melted butter and 1 egg. Stir well until mixed and press onto bottom of 9x13 pan.

Whisk together pumpkin butter, 2 eggs and milk. Pour over cake mixture in pan. Using pastry blender or fork, Combine cake mix, flour, cold butter, sugar and cinnamon. Crumble over top of cake. Bake 35-40 min or until golden.