I Did It! - May 17, 2024 @goldenoakfarm

Kitchen floor - before crop May 2024.jpg

On Friday morning I was up at 4:45AM and got my post up. Then I prepped for cleaning the kitchen floor. I planned to wax it also and had to keep Larry contained until the floor was dried.

So I moved all his conveniences into the office and built a barricade across the doorway, as it doesn’t have a door. I swung the door to the cellar across but that left an 8” gap. I filled it with the little chest of drawers with a white board laid on top, rolled up towels, and an old VCR player to keep the cat door shut.

Then I set to work on my hands and knees to scour off the years of paint, glue, and dirt. This floor had not gotten the fallout from construction removed since the construction finished. It was a job I had wanted to do for years. I started about 6AM and it was done by 11:30AM.

Kitchen floor - after crop May 2024.jpg

I had sat down to rest while it was drying, which meant moving the barricade and re-installing it from the wrong side. But Larry never got out, though he tried mightily.

Once the kitchen floor was done, I finished the dusting and polishing in the living room and ran the vacuum around. Then I mopped the dining room and living room floors.

I finished about 1:30PM. I had gotten as much cleaning done as I wanted. I got things picked up and put away, rested a while then got up to make the salads.

Making salads1 crop May 2024.jpg

The one in this bowl would have feta cheese and pesto chicken in it.

Making salads2 crop May 2024.jpg

This one was for the vegans/vegetarians, both identical except the meat and cheese. They both await their greens and chive flowers.

These were the ingredients:

3 types of greens
3 colors of bell peppers
Dried cranberries
Chives from the garden
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumbers
Broccoli florets
Grated carrots
Broccoli sprouts
Basil from the seedlings
Chicken breast, 1 lb., baked with pesto
Feta cheese crumbles
Chive flowers

Once I had everything except the greens done, I got a shower and started getting out the dishes. Everyone arrived around 5PM.

East Shed - pink wood hyacinth crop May 2024.jpg

East Shed garden – pink wood hyacinths

The reason for this Mom’s Night Out was a mom who had moved away years ago was going to be back in the area on this day. Everyone was so excited to see her, they stood around talking in the driveway, as they had all arrived at once.

I called them in out of the mosquitoes and we got the food laid out and the greens in the salads and tossed. Then we sat down to trade stories about all that had happened since the last Moms Night Out over a year ago.

Stream in swamp crop May 2024.jpg

Stream flowing in the swamp

We eventually filled our plates. Someone brought a fruit platter, a vegetable platter, and a broccoli quiche. Another brought a black bean dish, and there was a macaroni and cheese casserole. For dessert there were vegan brownies.

So we ate and leisurely worked around the table, seven of us telling stories of children, grandchildren, and spouses. Between us all there were nearly 2 dozen grandchildren. One of the moms had 6 kids, the visiting mom had 7. With the child age range from early 20’s to into their 40’s, lots of grandchildren.

There were 3 divorces amongst us moms, 2 spouse deaths, and nearly everyone had had covid at least once. We were 7, including a homeschooling friend who was traveling with the out of state mom.

As usual, we broke up around 8:30PM. The out of state mom and friend would be camping here on the farm for the night, up behind the barn. They had all amenities with them.

I was mighty tired, but it was so nice to sit and listen to the stories.

On Saturday my brother is taking me to a Farmers Market north of us so I can get the plants I don’t start. It was supposed to rain all day, but the rain has been much abbreviated, and the trip north might be rain free until we get home. The only thing I plan to do is clean up the kitchen and rest.

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Hope your knees didn't ache as a result of the scouring? A lot of work is being done in the house nowadays.

I can’t stay in one position long, so I didn’t spend a lot of time on my knees. And this is most likely all that will be done on the house for a long while.

Will you buy the plants at the farmers market north or you’re buying the seeds?

The are plants that I can’t/don’t start.

Hope the seeds will be of the quality type and quite durable

I'm glad the potluck was a huge success with you moms doing a lot of catching up. 😊

Great job with the kitchen.
I love such gatherings, it makes for good memories.

No doubt you enjoyed the mom's night out and l like how you all were telling stories

You really did a great job with all the work. The kitchen is spick and span plus the potluck was a success.
I hope there's still something left?

There was a lot of the salad left. My brother and I got 5 meals out of it.