This is my last week at the public library! While I am very sad to be leaving, I am so happy for the extra time I will be getting back. I had an amazingly productive Sunday and I am looking forward to that being the norm.

We had a lot of fruit that was needed to be used up. First, I made a loaf of banana bread (secret ingredient-almond extract). Then, I made a fruit crisp-apples, pears and strawberries with a topping of crushed walnuts, almonds, pecans and brown sugar.

I still had pounds of apples left. I already had enough apple butter so I didn't want to make anymore yet. I did a google search of how to use up apples but none of the recipes would work with only what I had on hand. UNTIL I decided to search for a drink that I had every day that I lived in Tajikistan- Kompot. It's a Russian flavored water (not quite juice). So I boiled more apples, pears and strawberries for about a half hour, took out the big pieces and strained the rest in cheesecloth, and have a delicious drink for the week! Then I used the remaining fruit to make a fruitsauce (like apple sauce, but with more than just apples). Delicious! Here's the recipe for the kompot-http://natashaskitchen.com/2012/07/17/homemade-juice-kompot/

Then I made a delicious sausage pasta bake that exceeded my expectations. I made too much so I froze the remainder for another night.

I finally bought our tickets for California. Originally I was going to buy us on Allegiant air because it was almost half the price as any other airline. But I read all sorts of bad reviews and I didn't want to deal with those sorts of things. So I bought them on Southwest. One perk is that by next summer we should have enough points for another free trip out there.

Right before this my partner told me he still hadn't paid his credit card off from our trip last summer and doesn't have a whole lot spend while we're there. That was a disappointment. We don't share finances and he is an adult so I don't know all the details of his finances and don't get on him because it's up to him and it doesn't (usually) effect me. I had considered canceling the trip because the airfare was already going to be more expensive than I planned and then add to that I will have to pick up more of the bills while we're there. But I just can't do that to my aunt. She is so looking forward to us visiting and I know if I said we couldn't come because of finances that she would offer to pay and I can't let her do that when it's because my partner doesn't take good care of his. Plus, we are going to scatter Nanny and Papa's ashes.

So we're going. But next summer if he doesn't get his shit together I've decided we'll just spend a week at his dad's and then I will visit my family alone for a long weekend. The week at dad's isn't expensive-just the gas to drive there and back and a meal each way, because FIL pays for everything. Plus he has a boat and lives near mountains so there is lots of free things to do.

While we're in CA I am planning on mystery shopping our meals and hopefully get some grocery mystery shops too so that we can bring lunches to the beach. There's one shop for something in Palm Springs that I am dying to do but was going to put off this trip because of the expense. If we can get the shop then we'll do it. Other than that and a baseball game (can't visit my favorite team's city without going to the stadium) we are planning low key, free things. Like, hanging out at the beach every day and taking a cooler.