So...whats for dinner?

Lovely pix of Spain, Susan. Hope you are feeling better, regaining some energy. You have been burning the traveler's candle afterall...and 6-8 miles a day?! Yikes! I just hope for you that you can feel a "good" kind of tired after your next busy days of touring....otherwise maybe cut back a bit to accomodate your energy level? Your welcome!

Eric, so nice to have the visual of your "mighty girl" in action!

So Bedo, one more (perhaps off the wall) suggestion for dealing with your MIL. If she "starts up" why not bring her right over to meet the Main Line guests, suggest to both parties that they may have much in common, leave them, and see how that works for her! I would also be tempted to "google" 'how to avoid conversations with difficult MILs!'

Tonight DH and I took our trainer out for dinner to celebrate her new position as wellness director for a local ins. company. It is a wonderful opportunity for her, and we are thrilled that she landed it. She is actually still at our hospital fitness center for a while until she expands her work in the new position to full time, which I fear will happen by Fall. That will be hard, although we could always hire her privately if we wanted to...and in any case will stay connected. She is a lovely young woman...sort of like our faux daughter, helping her old faux parents stay fit!

We had a LOT for dinner... At Sweet Basil....shared a huge Greek salad, then shared an appetizer of pea and parsnip gnocchi with a cream sauce with pea tendrils (the gnocchi were way to heavy...not like the ones my mother and aunts used to make). I had shrimp scampi over linguini which was swimming in way too much butter. (Such a complainer) Most of it is now in my fridge, and if I eat it tomorrow night, I'll drain off all that butter. DH had their signature dish which was a rosemary chicken....in a cream sauce over short pasta of some sort. He said it was heavy. But maybe by tomorrow evening he will be hungry enough to try it again....hee hee. DT (trainer) had a special of chorizo sausage risotto and said it was really good....but way too much. So she also took a large container home. That restaurant does not serve dessert....not surprising why! So we had some Talenti gelato and pizzelles at home....we are stuffed! Back to the gym tomorrow!

By the way, love all of your bird stories, ladies! No more hummer sightings here....:(

Just learned from DDIL that they would like to come here for Mother's Day. It will be great to see the grands. Now I have to get moving this week to clear out some of our standard clutter to accommodate four overnight "guests" and those curious little hands. Then of course there is some food shopping to do which I have been grossly avoiding of late , (tho we will go out for brunch on Sunday), and getting some activities out to have at the ready for these active little buggers. Hopefully it will not rain and we can spend time outdoors. They are REALLY active kids! I'm excited that they are coming, especially since DS2 and DGF are flying to her parents for the weekend. Despite this happy anticipation, I am always aware of what a loaded "holiday" this one is for so many.

Minus, speaking of your DS and his DGF, I do wonder what my DS2 and his DGF will do. And believe me, there is very little offered on this topic by them. I figure it is theirs to work out. My DH figures that our DDIL will be the one to get any available scoop when she spends time with DGF (which will not happen this weekend), but as good as DDIL is at extracting info from people, (like DS2's former girlfriends!) I think DGF is reserved enough that no beans will be spilled to her either. I do wonder what her parents think of this relationship, since their daughter is a few years older than DS2, and gave up her life in Chicago to be with him. Who knows......what will be will be. They seem happy together. It is interesting that many couples these days seem less concerned about tying the marital knot. Tho in our DS2's very large social circle almost all of his friends are now married. Hmmmmm....

Carole, I think you are right about the volume of food we encountered last evening....making it a better idea to just order apps. And the fact that it was mostly carbs made it even more filling. Between the three of us we never even finished the app. We almost always order out their braised lamb shank, with roasted veggies and polenta, which provides us both dinner with leftovers at home along with their salad. But yesterday was such a warm pretty day I could not bear to order what I think of as the perfect winter dish. This gal is going light for the rest of the week!

We are also having such beautiful weather here....finally! And the trees are starting to pop! Thus I won't be heading outdoors much. My allergies have been somewhat tolerable so far, which I think has been due to our delayed Spring....and I guess the serum injections I give myself. I will be changing that to a sublingual serum regimen (as soon as the current allergy testing is completed) which builds up immunity over time....we'll see.

Plan to get some sewing done today to clear up that cluttered space! Carole, howcare your placemats coming along

I am still 10 pages behind but am thrilled to find that Susan is still on vacation. I can't imagine walking 2 miles at a stroll much less 8 or 9 on a sightseeing mission. Geesh Susan. You put me to shame lol.

I am living vicariously thru your food posting tonight. Tomorrow is my repeat colonoscopy. GI doc can't rule out some problems but I really believe it's due to my lovely (not) hemorrhoids (TMI I'm sure). I did just have a yummy lime popsicle. Really not much cooking anyways around here. Made some chicken noodle soup with breasts and Mrs. Miller's noodles. It was good the 1st night but even better the 2nd. Still have some left which will sound very good tomorrow. Seems every magazine I have in this house is food related.

Bedo - I have to read back about the wedding. Gather that it is not this weekend since you're making favors. Like everyone's suggestions for difficult ex-MIL. Hopefully she will not have time to corner you on political questions. At least for that you could beg off with "I don't talk about politics. Doesn't --- (Insert DD's name) look beautiful in that dress, skirt, flip flops." All your clothing choices sound great.

luvmygoats - funny about the magazines with nothing but food - hope all goes well with your procedure tomorrow - colonoscopies are never enjoyable, but for me the prep was worse.  All during chemo I noticed two things about TV - lots of great looking food commercials that showed stuff I could not begin to think about eating, and a zillion shampoo and hair product commercials that involved yards of beautiful slow-motion hair, lol!

Thanks for the good thought for tomorrow. I did read a good thing for getting rid of nasty prep taste. Actually several things. Mine is Suprep, mix with water to make 16 oz. Plastic wrap the top of your cup and poke a straw thru the plastic wrap. Eliminates a lot of the smell. Put straw as far back as you can without gagging. Suck on a lemondrop between drinks. I only could find Lemonheads here but that did a good job. I looked like an idiot rolling that around my mouth. Reg. lemondrops would prob. be better since I think they're bigger. I just cannot drink that much water but have an easier time with apple juice/apple cider. Last one I had it was December. No way was I drinking cold water.

Hope the procedure goes well today, Luv, and that your prep is tolerable, Nance, and that yours goes well too. Can't help but notice how my sentence construction on this thread just gets worse and worse....so much for free association writing!!

It's fascinating to me that there are so many varied (but mostly disgusting tasting) drinks for the colonoscopy prep process. I guess it must just be due to different manufacturers. I do have to say that for my last one, the prep, which was in single bottles, was not bad at all (and I am a super sensitive sensory gal, who can get disgusted quickly with tastes and textures). We actually, dare I say, almost "enjoyed" the taste. So there must be prep drinks that are improving.

Heading into Cambridge a bit later for the "Business of Food" panel, and light dinner beforehand. I'd better stick to "light" since I am definitely noticing an uptick in the poundage!! I think I can get a grip on this if I go back to avoiding pasta...and after dinner sweets, which seem to have crept into my meal plan the past couple of months. Sugar is my downfall!

Another warm day here...we are such appreciators of warm weather and greenery after living in grey and white for so many months! That must sound weird to all of you in the South and West! Need to change to warm weather wardrobe now.

Luv, it's good to have you check in.  Good luck to you and Nance with the colonoscopies.

I have an apptment tomorrow with my PCP's NP for a checkup prior to foot surgery next Wed.  My foot didn't bother me at all today during 18 holes of golf, riding in a cart, as usual. 

Lacey, I started back to WW by attending a meeting late yesterday afternoon.  Apologies if this is repetitious. 

Carole -- I grew up with mashed potato salad. That's the way my mom always made it. Mine is pretty chunky but I like it both ways.

I'm doing this colonoscopy with a different gastro doc than the last time. This guy still uses the miralax/ducolax combo, the miralax mixed in 64 oz. of gatorade. I won't drink that nasty stuff, so I'll mix it in tea. Seems like the last time I had to drink a gallon of liquid but this time "only" two quarts, which seems more doable. My previous gastro doc told me that most docs were going with the Supraprep now, but apparently my guy didn't get the memo. Frankly, I want what Lacey had. Interestingly, this guy wants me to eat a low fiber diet for 3 days prior to the procedure. They suggest white bread, white rice, well cooked veggies, etc. -- none of which I have or do. Of course, I could take that to mean ice cream and cake . . . ;-)

Happy Cinco de Mayo -- it's taco Tuesday! We're having tacos with all the fixin's, "refried beans" (actually just red beans that I cooked and mashed) and guacamole, which only I will eat. Ole!

We're a bit excited here -- a pair of orioles have built a nest right in our front yard completely visible from the front porch where we sit and drink our coffee in the mornings. All those jars of grape jelly paid off! I'll try to get a picture of it.

Would love to see pics of the orioles.

Minus, your prime rib dinner made me envious.  I will share the shrimp mold recipe, which is written on a slip of paper a friend gave me at least 30 yrs. ago.  It's the typical recipe everybody makes.  Very easy.  She also gave me a recipe for crab mold but I have never made it. 

Luv, glad your test caused no worries. 

We do not have to get up early tomorrow morning. 

My dinner was 2 slices of pizza and a Sprite and last of the rhubarb-pineapple pie. I  Still have leftovers for the burritos for tomorrow. and maybe thurs.

Tomorrow I have my P.T. re-eval and Friday I see the ortho doc.....

When I had my only colonoscopy at 51 (7 years ago) they had me use Miralax which I diluted with apple juice (64 oz) and I didn't have any taste issues at all.  Apparently I wasn't as full of you know what as everyone expected either......LOL.  I remember telling the nurse the next a.m. that I was afraid I hadn't gone enough and she said, Oh don't worry, if anything happens we have a suction device....and I thought well  add that the list of jobs you don't want to have......

Have been trying to remember the name of someone who joined us not too long ago and then disappeared.  She was the planner who worked out menus for weeks in advance.  I hope she's doing ok and has recuperated from surgery. 

Now and then the gathering around the kitchen table gets small. 

Carole - thanks for the shrimp recipe. Sounds like you're well checked out for the surgery. Next Wednesday, right? Is it outpatient or over night?

I had a meeting across town and my exDH offered to buy lunch. We went to The Raven Grill, one of my favorites. I had rainbow trout, de-boned but w/the skin. Grilled with a honey-Dijon glaze. Served over French green lentils with bacon & warm spinach salad with spiced pecans. Ended up bringing 1/2 home since all meals come with homemade bread - sourdough, cranberry-walnut & rosemary. Nothing for me tonight!!

Joyce - good to hear from you. Sorry about all the winter/ice damage. And wow - double duty at work too! Hang in there.

Welcome back, Joyce.  Glad the damage wasn't worse.  Enjoy that wonderful spring weather. 

Off to the gym this morning.

Dinner menu to be decided.