Rudi is away and the weather is crummy and I’m PMSing, so I need to come up with a game plan for getting through this weekend — a mix of fun and accomplishment and self-care. Here’s what I’m thinking:

• Bake. I picked up buttermilk to give the aebelskiver pan my folks gave me for Christmas a try. And, as you can see, I have some Hubbard squash to play with. This was a medium-small one, coming in at less than 8 pounds and giving around 8 cups of baked squash to do something with. (The internet suggested I was going to have a problem getting into the squash, but I put it in the sink to give me the height leverage I needed and used Rudi’s big chef’s knife. I’m almost disappointed I didn’t have to resort to the tip I saw on more than one site, which was to throw it, with some force, on the kitchen floor to crack it. (I was going to put it in a bag first so as not to cover my entire kitchen with pumpkin.) I did use an ice cream scoop to empty out the cooked shells, an easy tip, which I pass along to any of you who have brought home gigantic squash.) I didn’t season it at all, so I’m free to use it for sweet or savory recipes, but it is naturally quite sweet, so I’m leaning toward the former.
• Paint my nails. I’m thinking Mardi Gras colors.
• Do laundry — sheets and underwear, not together.
• Partake of the member sale at the bookstore.
• Take myself out for pizza. Well, courtesy of Mum and Dad.
• Get outside tomorrow, when there’s hope for some sun, or, at least, a lack of precipitation.
• Pull together my tax documents so I can do a preliminary evaluation this coming week. My severance package was already going to make things interesting, but I’m even more nervous after hearing friends’ bill amounts this year. I’m hopeful that since the government deems nothing I own to be of value, it won’t be thousands more than last year, like some people I know.
• Mop (swiffer) the bathroom and kitchen floors.
• Play music loudly. My usual songs weren’t doing it for me earlier this week, but I’m thinking it’s because my phone wasn’t turned up enough. Note to self: Charge the speakers before going to bed.
• Block my shawl. (Kat asked what the yarn was earlier this week. It’s Crazy Zauberball in 1564 Frische Fische. So far, my query for leftovers on Ravelry has come up empty, although someone came close earlier tonight.) It’s modular garter stitch, so I don’t want to block it too vigorously, or it’ll lose all its nice squish, but I’m hopeful it could get a little deeper without affecting its texture.
• Get to the farmers market early enough for milk.
• Start my Sock Madness sock (once the pattern becomes available.
• Read.

How about you? What’s your weekend looking like?