I wish I had fabulous pictures for you today, but out where we live, there’s been a string of dreary days with very little sun and torrential rains, and my camera…? Does not like flash. Turns a perfectly lovely picture into a washed-out, overexposed bit of digital celluloid. So rather than scare you with flash-ridden ghouliness, I decided to forego the photo-ing until later today, when we’re supposed to see a bit of blue sky. I, for one, can’t wait. And to say thank you for reading ginormous blocks of text, I’ve got a recipe for you, below.

This whole week has been about trying to find a routine that works for ME. One that can give me some stability and is healthier than the stay-up-until-dawn type of a routine I had before. I realized I can’t take care of my family and my house when I have no energy as a result of the poor habits I’ve cultivated, and the artificial caffeine-laden energy peters out so quickly that I was spending much of my life in a haze.

And I’m fully proud to say that I believe I might have done it. I’m in bed no later than 11 most nights. (Last night was an anomaly, but my husband had a performance and didn’t get home until 1:30. But it was the exception rather than the rule.) I’m up no later than 6:30. The first few days, I was a little bleary-eyed in the morning (and found myself cursing that giant yellow hurty-orb in the sky for being so bright), but by Friday, I was bounding out of bed like the morning person I used to be.

As a result of all the new energy (and the amazing new vacuum, which I’m still loving, by the way), my house is cleaner than it’s been in the last year. Seriously. There’s a long way to go with it, but my carpets are the colors that the factories intended, instead of being grey-brown with dirt and dog-hair, and I can’t tell you how many dishes I’ve done. There’s less clutter because I’m throwing things out, and our bills got paid on time because I knew where they were.

It was made a little more complicated, however, by two things:

First, we woke up on a very rainy Saturday to find a new dog by our door. She’s small and adorable and well-trained, which, to me, says she’s somebody’s pet. We put up signs, checked her to see if she’s microchipped, and called to notify all the area pet shelters. Nobody has claimed her, though, and after ten days, she becomes ours if we want her. Because, you know, what I really need is more dog hair. But she loves us, and the other dogs are starting to love her, playing with her and nuzzling her, and while we don’t NEED another dog, this one sort of found us, so I think we might be stuck with her. And by “stuck”, I really mean, “OMG SO CUTE! MINEMINEMINE!”. Unless her real owners show up. I’d rather see her happy.

Oh, wait!  I have the picture of her we used on the Found Dog posters…lemme find it….

Aha!

Second, our oven broke. It was bad timing — right as I was getting into a routine of making our dinners instead of buying the pre-packaged crap, and baking more than buying a lot of high-fructose-corn-syruppy stuff. I ended up getting intimately acquainted with my crock-pot. Like, to the point where I may never go back to a regular oven. (I will, once it’s fixed, but I’m hyperbolic in my love for this week’s crock recipes.) There’s something fabulous about being able to throw in five or six ingredients and some baking potatoes, and walking away to do whatever you need to for the next seven hours while your kitchen slowly fills with the smell of dinner cooking without you involved.

And with that, a little recipe for you.

Easiest Meatloaf Ever
(makes enough for 4, easily)

2 lbs ground beef
1 packet of onion soup mix
1 packet of ranch dressing mix, your favorite
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 c. ketchup

Mix everything together in a gallon-sized baggie or a bowl. (If it’s in a freezer baggie, you can totally freeze it for a later date.) Really knead it around so it’s all combined well. Form it into a loaf shape, put in the crock pot with several baking potatoes and carrots arranged around the meat loaf. Cook on low for 7 hours, or until no longer pink.

See what I mean? EASY. And it’s moist — much more moist than any baked meatloaf I’ve had. I love that.

This next week, I’m going to be finishing up the basic cleaning of the rat-trap we’ve been existing in and doing some decorating while my husband’s away on business for most of the week.  (I’m going to be alone for the first time, really, since before we got married.  He went away once, for one night.  This time, it’s *five*.  I may have a meltdown, or I may end up getting a lot done.  We’ll see.)  If I do, there will be pictures.   Hopefully, he’ll approve.