So...whats for dinner?

carolehalston

I've been thinking about both of you, Minus and Luv, and hoping that you're surviving the TX storms.  The systems always move east toward LA and we've been getting rain, rain, rain accompanied by some thunder and lightning.  Poor dh looks out and can see the grass growing!  It's tricky for him to find a time when it's dry enough to mow the lawn.

Bedo, it was Lacey whose dh used one of her aprons with pockets when he was on crutches.  I didn't need an apron when I was non-weight-bearing on my surgery foot because I had a walker with a seat and underneath the seat was a storage compartment.  To transport a cup of coffee, though, I had to use a travel cup. 

Eric, what a lovely picture.  I think it's a keeper.  Your mom is so small and trim. 

Last night's spaghetti and marinara with Italian sausage was delicious.  I found a Sal & Judy's (local brand) garlic marinara in the pantry and used it.  The fresh-grated cheese was asiago.  I'm thinking of making a spaghetti pie with the leftovers.  There's a restaurant in Holland, MI, whose featured dish is spaghetti pie and it's delicious.  I'm thinking you mix the leftovers with grated cheese and press it into a baking dish.

I make a delicious blue cheese vinaigrette.  Crumble blue cheese into a bowl with the olive oil and let it sit at room temperature.  Before dressing the salad, finish the vinaigrette with the vinegar and any other ingredients you include in your vinaigrette.  This technique was a Rachel Ray tip. 

Consumer Reports has a survey on supermarkets that rates two of my supermarkets at the bottom:  Winn Dixie and Walmart's Superstore.  Fresh Market is rated high.  Its prices match the ratings!  We don't have any of the high-rated supermarkets like Publix.  The ratings came from consumer questionnaires.

MinusTwo

Thanks for everyone's good wishes. The sun's out today - at least for awhile. A neighbor has a full size commercial tractor & he was able to grab the limb w/o driving on the lawn and pull it away to the vacant lot across the street. Luckily this week is 'heavy trash' pick up for yard waste.

bedo

hoping everything goes well special and glad things are well so far in Texas

SpecialK

Wow on the weather for the Texas folks!  Stay safe!

Thanks for all the well wishes - just got home fro my pre-op.  Feeling OK but not as prepared around the house as I usually am due to the distraction of DD moving back home.  Glad she's here but things are a bit chaotic.  I need to convince myself that everything doesn't have to be done.

lacey - funny you should mention the handsome PS - the one I was with for the previous 10 surgeries was the same - the nurses at the hospital thanked me for having him as my PS because they liked looking at him, lol!  I have now switched to a no nonsense, young, cute and tiny female PS - I am hoping that this surgery goes well and she has good words for me on the future ones.  Otherwise I will have to make a decision on having her remove the right side and go flat, or try a flap surgery.  Neither are appealing to me, so I am crossing my fingers.

eric - love the pic, so sweet.

 

carolehalston

DH brought green beans and yellow squash home from the supermarket this morning, so I changed the dinner menu.  We're having the green beans with boiled potatoes and oven-fried chicken breasts.  The woodworkers' guild is having their monthly meeting here in dh's shop so we'll be eating early about 5:30.

Disturbing health news about my mother.  My youngest sister took her to a cardiologist today as a followup to an Echo.  The main valve of her heart is not opening properly.  The malfunction has worsened since the last Echo in 2013.  There is no medicine for this, only surgical procedures and my mother is 92.  

auntienance

Carole, I'm sorry about your mom. Does her condition cause get discomfort? I hope they can do something for her.

I make pizza di spaghetti (spaghetti pie) from time to time. The recipe I use has eggs in it.

I like Publix very much. Unfortunately, I only get to frequent them when we're on the gulf coast.

All this talk about blue cheese dressing means I'm going to have to make a salad!

MinusTwo

Carole - so sorry to hear about your Mother. Will this restrict her activities? I've been thinking about you today anyway since I assume our weather went your way. Hope all is OK.

DInner was modified Salsa Chicken. I had rotisserie chicken that I'd frozen so used some of that (a breast & a thigh) w/3/4 cup of salsa and one can of black beans. Yummy - but it will still be be 2 more meals. And now I have both 1/2 a jar of Rao's sauce and 3/4 of a jar of green chili salsa in the fridge. Wonder how green chili stew would freeze?

lacey - I agree about big lunches. I've been trying to eat my "main" meal before 3pm. I sure sleep better.

susan_02143

Pretty standard dinner here in the 02143 household. We grilled some lamb chops and some local asparagus, made some fingerling potatoes with garlic and butter, and a salad with local lettuce, carrots and tomatoes, with just a light sprinkling of feta cheese on top. Excellent meal!

Carole, I am so sorry to hear about your mother. 92 does seem older than ideal for such a serious surgery. What is the doctor suggesting for her?

Lacey, was your weekend a blast at the NH house?

The MRI tech beat me up today, blowing out my good vein. She then became miffed when I asked for someone else to try for the THIRD time. She was so darn faux cheerful, I considered smacking her across the face, but then remembered that she would be controlling the machine. :-) Results on Thursday.

*susan*

MinusTwo

Susan - I HATE techs that can't find the vein. That's one of the main reasons I've stubbornly kept my port. Crossed fingers for the MRI results.

carolehalston

Susan, the "standard" meal in your house sounds delicious.  A "blown" vein sounds awful.  Sure wish your mets would have decided to disappear on its own. 

My mother made it clear to the cardiologist that she is not open to undergoing surgery at her age.  She is presently enjoying her life and will let nature take its course insofar as the heart valve is concerned.  All six of her children want her to live forever with quality of life but that's not in the books for any of us.  Her father lived to the age of 95.  Thanks for the expressions of concern. 

My oven-fried chicken was cooked a few minutes too long and was dry, but the fresh green beans with potatoes were quite good.  DH ate two large servings and finished them up.  I think I have more success with lightly breading and pan frying chicken breasts.  I'll have to devise a simple sauce, maybe yogurt and mustard.  Or just buy chicken thighs. 

auntienance

When I had my colonoscopy the nurse stuck me three times without finding a good vein. The anesthesiologist finally got it in. I think she felt sorry for both of us. Those suckers feel like nails going in under the best of circumstances. I had a lovely bruise.

Best wishes and fingers crossed here too for your MRI Susan.

Redheaded1

Thankful the Texas ladies are safe, albeit with some damage to tree's etc.  We got an inch this morning in about an hour and more off and on all day.  

 it is predicted daily thru Sat.

Fixed Shake and Bake Spicy chicken breasts, baby white turnips and baby yellow potatoes, carrots along with sliced tomatoes for Memorial Day.  The turnips was from our Farmer's Market and they were really good.   Had the first watermelon of the season.  My dear old dad said "everything looks nice, everything tastes nice, but the watermelon tastes as close to perfect as possible".  It was a good one......

He took home leftovers and I thought he'd eat them tonight but when I stopped by at 1:00 pm he was eating them for his lunch...  We have a raccoon in our neighborhood that is the size of a beagle, I kid you not.  He is gorgeous but I don't want him in my garden..... Not very afraid of people either.....

Carole, I am with your MOM.  My 88 year old aunt made the same decision a year ago.  Scares me that she lives alone and 5 hours away, but she didn't want the hassle of recovery and restrictions.  Her cardiologist told her afterwards that he was relieved with her decision.

HUGS to all having procedures and waiting for results. 

Stay safe everyone.

Lacey12

Oh Carole, I'm sorry to learn about that diagnosis for your mother. I do hope that you can meet with your siblings soon to determine how you will all proceed for her best quality of life. Your mom is fortnate to have so many children nearby, and to have a good support system as she faces this. Would you consider seeking a second opinion to be sure that there are not other options for her? I don't know your mother's heath status, but surgery at 92 sounds pretty risky. Hugs to you and your family....

Keeping all the folks experiencing those awful floods in my thoughts, and hoping that the sun comes out and stays around for a long time. Crazy weather patterns be damned!

We are home...just when the weather has really turned summery.

Leftover grilled chicken from NH for dinner with a big Greek salad, and some french bread I found in the fridge (glad I left it there or it would be green!). DH was pleasantly surprised that we had an actual meal since he knew how empty the fridge was. Ha! Now tomorrow will be a different story unless I get to the store...or send him. ;

susan_02143

Hint Lacey: Wilson Farms has their own lettuce and asparagus. Maybe Mr. Lacey is interested in a trip up 128?

Lacey12

Cross posts again...Carole, your mom sounds so sensible to me!

Susan, I empathize with your "missed stick" experience. I seem to recall a number of MRI techs being unable to get my veins over the years. Glad you asked to have a new "sticker"! Some years ago, I needed to have blood gas sticks which are really painful and tricky to target correctly (with my veins, anyway). I dreaded the visits....and once when a tech with nicotine stained fingers took his turn, I thought I might faint until I learned that he was the most competent of all. First try Harry! Yay for him!
Hoping your MRI results are "favorable". Wanna work out a lunch one of these weeks if you can swing it? I can come there.....

Our time in NH was not really a "blast", but the area is so beautiful, and it was good to connect with many folks we do not see throughout the winter. We have lovely neighbors there....lots of forty something families who keep the neighborhood beach going in a good way. We used to be those people....now we're the old timers! We spent a lot of time figuring out what work it made sense to do for opening up the house and what to defer, since the super pollen storms have yet to happen there, and we would be cleaning and setting up the outside living areas twice....not fun! We've done that in the past...learned our lesson.

DS2 just emailed us to confirm that we would all be there on August 21-23rd to celebrate DH's (his actual birthday weekend) and my 70th. So it will be great to have the whole family celebrate together for a few days in that relaxed setting. Now that will be a blast!

Home for two days before heading to Stockbridge with DH on Friday AM for weekend meetings (him) and luncheons and dinners. Finally I will use some of my new dresses that have been awaiting a wearing!

Hope everyone is staying safe tonight.....physically and emotionally!

Lacey12

Ah Ha! Susan! He will be in Waltham....maybe I shall make that suggestion!

Tempy

Not sure what's for dinner tonight, first appointment with the PS in an hour and excited/nervous .. yes! Probably grab something while we're out as I worked last night and then had to get up early (after 4 hours of sleep) to work on a test for work that they let me take home. I usually don't have any problems with these things but perhaps the lack of sleep/caffeine has rattled my brain.

carolehalston

Tempy, hope the appointment with the PS went well. 

Today is two weeks since my foot surgery.  I'm grateful that the recovery has gone so well.  I am walking without pain.  I have to remind myself not to limp!  Funny how quickly the body can fall into a pattern of movement.  I could possibly start wearing athletic shoes but I will wait until my checkup next Tues.  The nurse told me to bring a pair of shoes when I came for the appointment. 

We had another deluge today about noon.  The water table is being replenished for sure. 

Dinner will be leftover spaghetti with marinara and Italian sausage and a romaine salad with add-ins.  I borrowed that description from Lacey! 

auntienance

Carole great news that your foot is healing so well!

DH requested pizza for dinner. I don't have all the necessary ingredients on hand so it will be carryout. I'm not entirely enthusiastic about his dinner choice but I'm sure I'll eat my share.

I must say, I'm intrigued and in awe of you who send your dhs out to do food shopping. I shudder to think what my dh would come home with. He might bring back a pineapple but probably no fresh vegetables that's for sure.

eric95us

I hope everyone remains safe and the property remains undamaged by all the storms in Texas. "Y'all get some wild weather".

My veins seem to be works of art as far as getting into them. I've never had an issue with anyone missing and for 9 mon ths I was getting weekly liver function tests to make sure the Isoniazid (I had a positive TB test) wasn't killing my liver too badly.

Carole, such sad news. My mom would react the same as your mom. She is a retired NP/midwife and she has always felt that "we did all we could" was often really, "we sure made their lives hell". And that's good news on your foot.

Tempy I hope the PS appointment went well. Sharon's (my wife) PS appointments were never a big deal, other than always having to convince him that "fill ups of the tissue expanders were unwanted".

I do quite a bit of the food shopping...like tonight....

Today's food experiment is red potatoes pushed through a 1950s vintage french fry cutter onto a cookie sheet, sprayed with Pam and dusted with garlic powder. It's in the oven at 375F degrees and I'm checking it every few minutes as I have no idea how long it will take to finish.

Susan....that's a "standard" dinner? Wow!!!!!!

Lacey12

Haha, Eric, I do not think you fall in the category of incompetent food shoppers! And in that vein, I did pay a small price for setting DH out to explore Wilson Farm's offerings. He started out great...got the wonderful asparagus, and some nice red leaf lettuce.

He then called me (very sweet) to check in about other items we might need, in addition to his favorite plums and nectarines, and some corn the staff guy was highly recommending. I suggested large portobellos to grill, and he brought home three of the oldest, most tired looking ones I have ever seen. He also bought a huge bag of "fresh picked" baby spinach which was great in theory. When I opened it I spent a half hour sorting the little rotting pod-like things, and the many many yellowed, starting to go bad leaves. What I salvaged was wonderful tho. Suffice it to say, he tried...and if he were a bit more visual in orientation, he would have done a better job. Also, I am pretty picky about my greens. I did show him what NOT to look for in mushrooms.

So, in the end, we did have a nice veggie meal...marinated grilled portobellos (sp?), corn from Georgia that was excellent, grilled lemon-pepper asparagus, and baby spinach salad with apple, walnuts, red onion and balsamic dressing. It was all good in the end. I skipped any bread, and the meal was pretty satisfying. And I still have another lb of that spinach to sort through... Since he bought an almost two lb bag. Ha! But I did appreciate not having to go to the store.

So I will stop complaining now...there are some staple items that DH has gotten better at buying. And he actually seems to enjoy shopping....any opportunity to be around food!

Happy for your good healing Carole! Hope the rain moves on and without any damage/flooding.

susan_02143

Dinner last night was some Merguez sausage from the freezer, bulghar with onions, and a Moroccan tomato-onion salad that was surprisingly good. My Greek oregano has grown so much since we left for Europe that I used some of this as the herb component. The kid is responsible for snacks for this seminar she takes, and she was totally overwhelmed, so I also made some hummus and cut up some veggies for her. She had already bought some tabouli which I "freshened" with lemon juice.

For the first time, I am really crushed by anxiety about my MRI results. I generally can rather go with the flow, but this is not one of those times. Appointment is not until 3:30, so a full day of waiting is ahead of me. Lacey, yes. Always have to be careful about those bags of spinach. They used to pull the older bags, but have gotten a bit lazy. The extra leaves however, are a given. The good news is, the price reflects that you have to do some clean up. As to lunch, that would be lovely, but it will have to be before I start chemo. Sounds like the first few rounds can be pretty rough especially on the digestive system.

Eric, you and my husband are stellar shoppers. It really isn't a boy thing. I can't believe the vegetables that other people, both male and female, choose at the store. I always think that cooking shows that spend time on "how to pick _____ " are wasting time until I see how little some people know about the subject. Can you image spending hard earned money on "healthy" food that is rotten or doesn't taste good? Defeating, and I suspect sends them right back to lean cuisine.

Carole, your recovery has been amazing! I bet you can not wait to get a shoe on that foot once again.

I feel that I have missed some folks, but my brain is doing a little bit of racing today.

*susan*

eric95us

Good wishes for good MRI results....

auntienance

Good looking meal Lacey! Didn't mean to imply that shopping shortcomings were a male thing. In my case it's because dh doesn't cook. I assumed Eric is a good shopper!

The baby orioles have hatched and we've been watching the parents leaning in the top of the nest feeding them. I think the wrens have hatched too because there's been lots of going in and out of the house. I'll have to get dh to take the fern down to check that nest. I've gone through 15 pounds of sugar already and need a bag. Summer is in full swing!

Susan I'm sorry for your scanxiety. Hoping for the very best and your new chemo is kind to you. Regardless, we're here for you.

carolehalston

Lacey, what a pretty dinner plate of food!  It fits the "healthy bill" of being 3/4 veggies. 

DH is a good supermarket shopper but he does not pay any attention to price.  He has certain foods that he keeps on hand like sandwich makings and Cape Cod potato chips.  When he gets low, he takes it upon himself to go to the nearby Winn Dixie.  Or if I'm planning to buy groceries, I will add those items to the list.   Occasionally we will have the same meal for breakfast or lunch but most often we do not.  He's on his own for those meals, and we have dinner together.  I usually take responsibility for the menu and the cooking. 

We have a note pad on the refrigerator door and each of us writes down items for the next grocery shopping trip.  Sometimes reading his writing is tricky.

The veggie for dinner will be yellow squash.  That's as far as I've gotten on dinner menu.  The meat will probably be pork.

Susan, I'm hoping your anxiety is all for naught. 

SpecialK

Back from surgery - all went well - thanks for being in my pocket!  I have a post-op on Monday and I am sure I will get the word at that time as to what the future holds.  The new PS seemed positive when she spoke to DH and DD afterward.  I ended up with a drain, I knew there was a chance, but I figure I have it because she was aggressive in scraping all the allograft out.  I never produce much and I anticipate she will pull it on Monday morning.  Have not needed any pain meds so far, but I am considering taking one this afternoon prior to a nap!

susan - fingers crossed for a good MRI report and gentle handling - I had three MRIs in March, they are not fun - I just pictured my happy place (low chair/surf's edge/umbrella drink/Bermuda/5pm.  You saw so many beautiful things on your trip just close your eyes and review them in your mind, and know we are all here pulling for you.

carolehalston

SpecialK, glad the surgery is over for now.  Rest and heal.

Just back from lunch with dh, my youngest sister and my mother.  Had a heavy meal of fried shrimp and mac and cheese.  One dinner order that the three of us women shared.  DH had an oyster poboy and onion rings that the others helped him eat.  The company was especially good. 

So dinner will not be a full meal but on the lighter side. 

Tempy

Carole I'm so jealous - DH and I discussing the food we had when we were down in NOLA a couple of months ago and still wishing we could get it when we want it. NOLA Po'boys down on Bourbon was one of our favorites. When I get the itch, I'll make BBQ shrimp or shrimp and grits as DH's favorite food is shrimp. We were there for six days and all meals except 3 had shrimp LOL.

susan_02143

Well, the MRI results are in. All things considered, the news could not be much better!

The shadows seen by the PET on my liver are not mets. And after considering my case more closely, I am not starting chemo! Instead, I will start taking femara tomorrow and will add Palbociclib, a recently approved targeted therapy, as soon as it is approved and received. Palbociclib with femara was fast track approved by the FDA just recently for first line metastatic patients. Of course, this would be my second [maybe third] line of treatment. However, my oncologist believes that my health insurance will approve after she goes to bat for this treatment protocol. They have had a great luck with approvals and she sees no reason that I will not be approved as well.

There are, of course, potential side effects for Palbociclib, primarily low blood counts. And there are well documented side effects for Femara. I suspect that many of you have been on that drug and remember it well.

However, when compared to Xeloda, this sounds like I can maintain a decent quality of life, potentially for a long, long time.

Unfortunately, the MRI also found two new mets at the L3 and L5 vertebrae of the spine, so, I now have four metastatic areas.

To celebrate we went to dinner at Zoe's, our favorite Chinese restaurant. We arrived before all the happy Harvard graduates and families arrived. Oh they were all dressed in such finery and were mighty proud of their daughters.

Heard that bullet go past my ear and just miss! I am so relieved.

*susan*

auntienance

Susan, so happy for your news! Hope the new regimen is kind to you. I take femara and it is challenging but tolerable. Breathe in and let out that big sigh of relief!

SK, glad things went well and hope that they work out to your satisfaction.

Tonight was a grilled pork burger, corn on the cob and a wilted lettuce salad. Got the biggest head of leaf lettuce that I've ever seen from my truck farmer friend. Also some ginormous radishes that are excellent. A nice summer type meal.