So...whats for dinner?

Nance, the Amish farms in WI have restaurants nearby too. Always worth the drive.

Chisandy, i want to ask too, are you a musician? And I'm not romances NY, but I love a great thin pizza. Hate deep dish. LOL

Lacy, since you mentioned the Moth, I've now heard the NEW version twice! LOL

Eruc, maybe the bread wasn't great but it looked beautiful. LOL.

My Tday went ok. Except for one minor thing. Remember I said I had a 10 lb fresh turkey? Uhuh.. we were planning to eat at 2. I put the thing in at 11:30. Figuring 90 minutes or 2 hours. Nope! I opened up the oven to check on it at 50 min. LOL. There it was. Drumsticks akimbo (I've always wanted to use that word-LOL) and pop up timer so far out it looked like the belly button of a 9 1/2 week preggo woman! LOL. Quite done. I hadn't even peeled the potatoes yet. I just set on the counter and rated the rest of the prep. Then I cut half of it up and popped it in the freezer. Cut up the rest to warm. After we ate, i put the carcass in the pot to cook. I still ate turkey for 2 day more than i should. LOL.

My Nephew's wedding reception was beautiful. Her family all came from Colorado. All 6 of them.

My DH sister' s memorial went well the next day. Spreading her ashes around the farm was hard but fitting as she lived it so. We didn't forget the ski hill either. She loved to ski. LOL Lots of tears but a relief it was done.

Tonite supper was just oatmeal. Went to a luncheon with my friends from my arthritis swim class and didn't feel like another big meal.

Much love to all, especially those i didn't mention.

For dinner Brussels Sprouts with grapes, walnuts and honey. You cook the Brussels in boiling water about 8 minutes, (1+1/2 lbs) then heat 2 tbs olive oil in skillet and sauté sprouts 3mnutes. Reduce heat and add 2 tbs honey and cook another 2minutes Toss with 1 cup halved seedless red grapes and 1/2cup chopped walnuts and serve.

This, from a magazine from Stop and Shop included in my "pick up order" , another great idea, unless you want to pick things out yourself. $2.95 for the service, no tipping, and when you get there, call them inside and they load them in the trunk in the pick up parking area.

I am indeed a musician: performing singer-songwriter, playing acoustic guitar, harmonica and mountain dulcimer (and in the studio, bass guitar). I have one solo CD (out of print, but can be downloaded on iTunes--“Ghosts & Angels," 2001), one with my former duo SASS! (“Album One," 2006) and three with my current duo Andina & Rich (“Because We Can," 2005; “Two Guitars, a Dulcimer and an Attitude," 2010; and “Merry Humbug," 2014). All these should be available on CDBaby.com. Releasing two this spring (once I can get back to the studio in southern IL): Andina & Rich (I'm Andina) “Chasing Lightning," and my solo “Candy Apple Red Herring." I play folk festivals, farmers' markets, coffeehouses, senior centers, small clubs and house concerts throughout the Midwest and mid-South (and soon Middle Atlantic)--will be ramping up the touring again this spring assuming the SEs of AIs are manageable. My singing partner Stephen Lee Rich has been doing the touring while I've been in treatment. I play more often in WI than I do in the Chicago area--venues here are tough to find for all but the more famous folkies (or those willing to play only for tips).

Dinner last night (went out) was grilled calamari, Caesar salad (no croutons), seared scallops, steamed spinach and brussels sprouts w/bacon, washed down with a bottle of San Pelligrino water. (Had 1/2 gl, of champagne before seeing “Beautiful"). Since resuming low-carb I've lost 3 lbs. The tough part is spurning the bread basket and resisting the late-night urge for a carby snack like gelato, toast or a bowl of cold cereal. Tonight after dropping my suitcase off for a rush repair, I will stop into Whole Paycheck or Dirk’s Fish for some good seafood and a loaf of low-carb bread (Today’s Temptations whole wheat, 2 gm. net carb per slice). Also discovered Alyssa’s Cookies online--not cheap, but the “Vegan Healthy Bites” are 1 gm. net, the Dark Chocolate 4 gm net--they both taste like chewy cookies and don’t have the consistency of Crayolas. No sugar-alcohols, either, so no unfortunate digestive effects akin to eating a potful of beans.

Results of my scan are not good. From what Nurse Michelle said, my bone mets are making babies, at least quadrupling the number and creating a wider net. Some of the locations have her concerned since they are thin "wings" of the pelvis and spine. Dana Farber has finally been in touch, but Dr. Christina can't see me until the 15th. So, I will continue to design a house, pick tile, finalize cabinet choices, and otherwise, put one foot in front of the other.

We are off to Sarma for dinner to celebrate my husband's birthday. Not much of a celebration I am afraid. Tomorrow morning we are headed to visit our good friends on the Cape. They have just bought a condo in Florida and will be off for the winter. This is our last chance to see them until late Spring.

Here is the kitchen plan. Not a bad size for a house that is only 1500 sq ft.

*susan*

I agree with Bedo Susan. Meanwhile---your attitude of business as usual is on spot. Lifting you in my prayers. Hugs.

Damn damn damn Susan. Not the news we wanted to hear. But, your plan is a good one -- for the house and for truckin' on. (((Susan)))

MinusTwo, copy away!

Susan, so sorry to hear about your scans. You deserve the kitchen of your dreams (but then, you always did)!

Tonight was kinda simple: branzino I pan-seared in olive oil with salt, pepper, herbes de Provence and lemon; and collard & mustard greens from the hot bar at Whole Foods. The fish guy did the dirty work, filleting the branzino pretty well and leaving only a few pin bones easily removed once cooked. Noshing on half a plum tomato with lemon-till tuna salad. May do some berries before I go to bed. No wine tonight, just seltzer and a decaf low-carb (FairLife) cappuccino. Brunch was a Western omelette (2 eggs plus the white left over from yesterday’s French herb-gruyere omelette) made with poblanos, yellow bell pepper, tomato, red onion and Swiss cheese. As long as I draw boundaries (‘just a taste” of bread or pastry never stays “just a taste”) I can keep it low-carb till I go on vacation--and exercise some discipline as well as walk, walk, walk.

Oh Susan. She is your daughter, she is already set up for success.

Susan with you as the designer she can't help but to succeed! And designing for someone else is almost as much fun as for yourself!

But, I am so very sorry that the scans came back so d*mn ugly. Sometimes kitchen table discussions take a serious turn. I was hoping for better news for you as i know you were as well. Putting one foot in front of the other and keep moving on is the only way to go. F*CK cancer. Im keeping my fingers crossed that pain stays way for a long time.

Chisandy let me know what venues you play in WI. You can PM me if you don't want it public. I'll look you up on ITunes as soon as my computer issues are solved.

Carrie o good to hear from you. Sorry you've been in a dark place. Those places sneak up on you. Hugs.

Much ove to all.

Carrie - there are a couple of people who follow Laurie on Facebook so we get occasional updates. But yes, I too miss her posts.

susan - I echo everyone's sentiments on your test results, glad you have the distraction of the construction project.  Hoping some new ideas at DF will be helpful.  The kitchen looks awesome on the plan - I would imagine it will be satisfying and challenging to bring the whole project to fruition.

carberry - yay!  Hello!  Good to "see" you but wish you had been gone because you were having too much fun!  Yay for the engagement!

lacey - so sorry to hear about your friend - so nice of you to make others aware for her, I am sure it is a relief for her not to have to do that.  I had a good friend who ended up with uterine CA after breast cancer treatment.  There is an arsenal of things to try, hoping something works to stabilize her.

carole - the squash sounds yum!  It is funny - I like the same things on my squash and my oatmeal - what's up with that?

Made some patty melts with homemade 1000 island and grilled onions last night, along with oven baked sweet potato fries and sriracha mayo dipping sauce.  Very naughty!  I am eating fun things since next week I have surgery on Thursday - a new tissue expander.  I tend to have issues with appetite after anesthesia so I am having a good time in advance.  I need to do a bit of cook ahead stuff that can be frozen for DH/DD.

Specialk, keeping my fingers crossed for your healing this time. In case I forget to check in later this week, Have a good surgery. And Fast healing!

Much love to all

Special & Moon - chuckling about the world records because I've followed some of your sagas. I'll add my wishes for fast healing in advance to Special. What fun to eat whatever you want for a week. Will you have a scop patch for this surgery? That's the main thing that finally stopped my post-anesthesia vomiting. Interesting word question. My Mother only used the word "up-chuck". Did she think the "V" word was not to be used in polite company?

Some friends brought me a cup of New England clam chowder yesterday from the only restaurant in town where I think it's worth eating. Heavy cream, lots of butter.... Yum.

And what to my surprise, I pop on this page and notice that the post I wrote before going off to dreamland last night never arrived here. Getting annoyed at the problem with my ipad and this site! Too many misses!


Without going into my whole lost post....saw Spotlight last night, then went to a tapas restaurant. The lamb meatballs in a truffle cream sauce and the sauteed variety of mushroms were my favorites.


Special, good luck next week....and in the meantime, enjoy your free pass eating! Yay!
I am also hoping that my friend is able to access some good options in the treatment arsenal. From what I understand from my DDIL, Hers is a very serious cancer, which women rarely survive. If there was someone who could it would be this friend...and she did, so far. Hoping for more "luck" in that direction....

Carrie, so good to hear from you, and to learn of your happy news about DS's engagement. Have fun on your boat parade in NC! My DS2 will be in NC visiting his DGF's family for a few days after Christmas. I hope he doesn't have too much fun in the warmer weather....we do not need any temptation for him to relocate there! And this is a tempting time as we move into Boston winter. Ha!

Today, however it was gorgeous out, (50ish and sunny) and I feel so happily spoiled on my walks in such weather.

Carole, I am with you on the weight management frustration. I had dreams of getting down another three lbs. about six months ago when I was at my lowest weight point....but summer slacking left me with five lbs in another direction which
I keep trying trying to lose. Despite a recent doc telling me that I need not worry because older women need to carry some weight (I believe she was talking about bone health concerns), I would at least like to return to my six months ago weight. I am not a happy wearer of tight fitting clothes, and it seems that the weight gained has settled on my hips. Oh well....first world problem! I know if I go back to my former exercise a lot at the gym everyday mode, that would take care of it....but I think I am a bit more in balance with my schedule now. Maybe when you finish your AI, you will find it easier to lose any extra lbs. I don't have that excuse with my renegade avoidance of meds now.
I hope the Sweet Sixteen luncheon was fun!

Spoke with DDIL today and planned for a trip to see them in NJ the weekend before Xmas. They leave for a Colorado ski trip on Xmas Day, so this will be a trip to celebrate DGS's mid-December birthday and Xmas... even tho their family is Bah'ai and they do not celebrate Xmas for themselves. On that trip, we will also stop in CT to see my stepmother, who sadly doesn't feel up to making the trip to NJ with us. She is so mentally sharp that it is hard to see her feeling physically less able. But at least we will enjoy a visit with her in her home, and maybe a dinner out close by.

SK, so will the TE placement result in additional surgery? I truly hope you heal fast from this one. And no ill effects from anesthesia! General anesthesia makes me so so sick, I now tell every surgical staff person who talks to me beforehand and they give me something ahead of time and in the iv. Pepcid maybe? Whatever it is, it's worked the last three surgeries, for which I'm very grateful.

Today I ground pork for breakfast sausage and lamb for merguez. Tomorrow I'll make the pork sausage into pattys and stuff the merguez. The additional fat I added and a few seasoning tweaks have given this batch a much better consistency and flavor.

Tonight is spaghetti and meatballs, having thawed the sauce and meatballs a couple of days ago. What I really want is a salad, but I'm too tired to make it so perhaps that will be tomorrow nights dinner. All your meals sound better than mine.