KATHY CALCULATES

2012-02-15T05:48:00.000-05:00

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I think I'm going to try this Microwave Oatmeal Muffin this morning. I have blueberries in the freezer and some beautiful strawberries in the fridge. The recipe calls for a little less than a quarter cup of Quick Oats, 1 egg, and a small handful of blueberries. She says to add a little brown sugar or Stevia (or sweetener of choice), and if you want a moister texture to the muffin to add a tablespoon of soymilk or almond milk (or milk of choice) and to mix everything in a coffee mug and microwave for 1 minute or until firm at 30 second intervals. She also warns to keep an eye on it as it can boil over. Here is the website for the original.

I'm also going to make another crockpot full of that wonderful Cabbage Soup that I posted a while back. I love having soup in the fridge and freezer!

Hope you had a great Valentine's Day and didn't overindulge. We chose to stay in and eat a simple meal at home. I get to spend every day with the love of my life and I gave him one of his favorite meals...beans and cornbread...while I made a salad and a piece of pork loin for me. That kind of domestic scene is what I was hoping to find way back when I was pining away for true love and the romance of Valentines Day and I found it in him. How wonderful is a simple meal spent with the man of your dreams? I am blessed.

What I ate yesterday: Breakfast was instant peach oatmeal.
Lunch was a salad with vinegar and oil and the other half of that zucchini "lasagna" I had Monday night. (Even better the second time around!)
Dinner was about 4 ounces of lean pork loin with 1 tablespoon of flour, pan-fried in a non-stick pan with 2 teaspoons of oil. I had another salad with vinegar and oil with the meat. And after the kitchen was cleaned up, I sat down to a cup or blackberries and strawberries with 1/3 cup cottage cheese and a couple tablespoons of FiberOne.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012

2012-02-14T07:10:00.001-05:00

I was playing with Blogger this morning and found new things. You have to keep up with what's new so here is my updated format. Hope you like it! Be sure to click on today's post to view it in it's entirety.

I made myself a casserole last night using zucchini ribbons in place of the noodles in a version of lasagna that was totally as good, if not better than, the pasta version. Let me tell you how I went about it.

In an 8x8" pan, spread 2 Tbsp spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom.
Slice a small zucchini lengthwise into ribbons and make a layer of them to cover the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle zucchini with a little garlic powder and salt.
Add a layer of fresh spinach leaves about an inch thick.
Spoon about another 2 Tbsp spaghetti sauce over the spinach.
In small mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 Tbsp grated Romano cheese, 2 Tbsp grated cheddar cheese, one egg, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Spread this mixture evenly over the vegetables already in the pan.
Spoon another 2 Tbsp of the spaghetti sauce over the cheese mixture.
Slice a second small zucchini into thin strips and layer over the top and cover it with 4 Tbsp spaghetti sauce.
Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

What I ate Monday: Breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal with 1 Tbsp chunky peanut butter and 1/2 banana on top.
Lunch was a green salad with vinegar & oil dressing and a sandwich of 3 oz lean deli roast beef on a 90 calorie whole wheat high fiber bun with onion and Dijon mustard.
Supper was half the casserole...I'll have the rest tomorrow for lunch...and a cup and a half of mixed berries with 1/3 cup cottage cheese mixed in and a sprinkle of FiberOne.

HOPE EVERYONE GETS TO SPEND VALENTINES DAY WITH THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE!

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012

2012-02-13T08:03:00.000-05:00

Well, the sweet little save-the-whales movie...(PG rated)...had one of my granddaughters sobbing so loud that the entire theater could hear her when it (unknown beforehand to Grandma) had the baby whale, BamBam, die! I don't blame them for the melodrama since the movie was based on a true story and they couldn't very well save the baby when he actually died in real life but they were a smidge guilty of leading us...at least this Grandma...into thinking that there was hope that the baby was just staying under water a little longer than expected and would happily reappear just as everyone had given up hope and due to this way of thinking, said Grandma was encouraging the sobbing granddaughter in her arms to just keep watching thinking she would be rewarded with that happy ending! UGH!

We left the theater hand in hand and Mo tells me with a good amount of solemnity that she is NEVER going to watch THAT movie ever again! (I said the same thing when I watched Bambi for the first and last time!)

SUNDAY EATS: Breakfast was 2/3 spinach and feta omelet
I had half an apple while at the movie and 2 slices Veggie Lover Thin and Crispy Pizza
I was feeling a little hungry mid-afternoon since I had not eaten a salad or anything with volume for lunch so I had six strawberries to tide me over until dinner...a green salad with 1 Tablespoon Ranch dressing, half a baked sweet potato, and the remainder of yesterday's baked fish.

IDOLOGY WRAP-UP OF LAST WEEK'S AMERICAN IDOL in case you are interested!

SUNDAY, FEBRURARY 12, 2012

2012-02-12T08:21:00.000-05:00

BIG MIRACLE

We're going to treat the kids and grandkids to pizza and a movie today. Should be fun!
SATURDAY EATS: Breakfast was a vegetable omelet with spinach, onion, and tomato that Bob Evans is featuring for a healthy breakfast. It also has a bowl of fresh fruit and dry whole wheat toast which I gave to Harold.
Lunch was a few bites of vegetable soup (shared with Harold), salad with blue cheese dressing (I dip the tines of the fork in "real" salad dressings before each bite of the lettuce. I get to enjoy the full-fat dressing and I use so little that you can't even see the dent I make in it.), and grilled fish (I brought half the portion home so I can enjoy it for lunch later).
Dinner was another salad with 1 Tablespoon of Ranch dressing, ham and 2 eggs.

SATURDAY, FEBRURARY 11, 2012

2012-02-11T10:40:00.000-05:00

Don't we all feel that way? lol
BREAKFAST: Early for me...1 serving peach oatmeal
MID-MORNING: Radishes
LUNCH: Lettuce and cucumber salad with vinegar and oil and 1 Tbsp chow mein noodles, baked flounder (6 oz) from last night, squash chunks(also from last night) sprinkled with Splenda brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and chili powder and baked until the coating is crisp
DINNER: meatballs in sauce and 1 low-cal high-fiber whole wheat roll, big salad with 2 oz turkey, 1 babybel light cheese, vinegar and oil

FRIDAY, FEBRURARY 10, 2012

2012-02-10T06:42:00.000-05:00

"You can view certain things in your

day as work

or as pleasure.

Choosing pleasure makes the day more fun

and it goes faster." (Auntie Bliss)

BREAKFAST: PEACH OATMEAL
LUNCH: SALAD WITH 2 TABSP ORIENTAL DRESSING AND 1 TBSP PB2, LO-CAL, HIGH-FIBER WHOLE WHEAT BREAD WITH 4 THIN SLICES TURKEY, SPICY MUSTARD AND ONION
DINNER: BAKED FLOUNDER WITH PANKO CRUMBS AND GRATED ROMANO, GREENS WITH VINEGAR, 1/4 CUP BAKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, 1/4 CUP COTTAGE CHEESE WITH 1/2 CUP FRESH FRUIT
BEDTIME: 1 LOW-FAT STRING CHEESE

THURSDAY, FEBRURARY 9, 2012

2012-02-09T07:53:00.000-05:00

I love that each day is a new beginning. I look forward to each morning and all that lies ahead of me...my morning cup of coffee, looking outside to see what the weather is like, giving my dog his kibble and taking note of his pleasure at seeing something in his bowl again, and wondering at all I have been given.

And my greatest gift at this time is to face the morning without piercing pain! I can handle a dull reminder that still lingers on. I am able to make it through the grocery and was nearly able to lift my left leg into the car again on our last outing...a sign that the weakness in my left leg may be improving! Yahoo!

WEDNESDAY FOOD:
BREAKFAST: Instant peach oatmeal, one cup fresh fruit salad with two tablespoons cottage cheese and two tablespoons FiberOne on top
LUNCH: Pan-grilled salmon filet over green salad with onion, cucumber, avocado and vinegar and oil dressing
DINNER: Pork loin and sauerkraut, small green salad, cauliflower with cheese

WEDNESDAY, FEBRURARY 8, 2012

2012-02-08T07:29:00.000-05:00

Journaling helped me yesterday!

I finished dinner and had that crazy feeling come over me that I wanted "more" and thoughts of sweets started smacking me across the face. I can't go too crazy in that direction without going out and buying something...not gonna do that!...or getting out the mixer and making something...no way!

We do have some chocolate animal crackers and some graham crackers but they were safe from my "desires"! That's why I feel ok keeping them in the house. And we keep sugar-free Jello cups and sugar-free chocolate pudding cups so Harold has something to grab. Either of those would have been fine if I needed to eat more.

But the thing is, I didn't need to eat more. I had already had more than I had planned of the egg foo yung. And that was what was eating at me! I knew it. I had allowed myself two and when Harold didn't eat his second one, I wanted it and scarfed it down...and I felt guilty about it! And what better way to "punish" myself than to go "crazy" with food afterward? That is exactly what I would have done in the past.

And...side note... I have finally figured out that it is not the original extra few bites that are so detrimental to weight loss, but the hundreds that are taken in afterward as we tell ourselves that we have failed so we might as well eat everything...something else I did way too many times in the past.

But last night, I decided to wait it out and if I still felt like I needed something after I journaled my food for the day, then I would have a packet of instant peach oatmeal...not too many calories and it would be hot and filling and, hopefully, it would end my desire to eat!

And there I was, writing down what I had eaten all day and the thought of having to write down a list of craziness just turned all that ugliness in my head off and I found myself calm and peaceful again. The need to keep eating was gone.

Taking some time to let my body's being full from just having dinner register with my brain and knowing I would have to journal what I would be eating in any frenzy that was to follow made the whole thing go away.

WHAT I ATE TUESDAY:
BREAKFAST: 2 egg omelet with 2 Tbsp cottage cheese and 1 BabyBel Cheese, onion, red pepper, and tomato. 2 strawberries and 5 blackberries
LUNCH: 2 pork chops and salad with vinegar and oil
DINNER: 1/2 cup oriental soup, 3 pieces roast pork egg foo yung...no gravy...and 1/4 cup chow mein noodles, 1 cup strawberries

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2012

2012-02-07T06:35:00.000-05:00

Comfort in cold times...a cup of tea and some nice, warm socks! Or hot chocolate and a blanket warm from the dryer.

Harold used to do a lot of ice fishing in his younger days and would come in half-frozen seeking warmth. He told me I was like a warm cup of soup and I took that as high praise!

I wish the entire world could know a few moments of comfort each day... a mother's embrace, a kitten sitting on a lap, warm sunshine and a shady tree for a nap, the aroma of coffee and toast in the morning, or the rituals of the evening and a prayer offered up just before sleep.

Find your comfort today...even for just a few moments!

MONDAY'S EATS:
Breakfast was my favorite bowl of oatmeal with PB2 and a banana sliced on top.
Lunch was the final bowl of my cabbage soup...so sorry to see it gone!...and a little lean ham and turkey with spicy mustard and pepper slices, onion, and lettuce on one of those high-fiber, low calorie thin buns...so good!!!
Dinner was some lean ham, about 8 sweet potato oven fries, and a huge salad with vinegar and oil and an avocado on top. I ended the meal with a little cantaloupe and a few raspberries.

A good problem to have...I had to put all my slacks away because I was tripping over the extra length in the leg since my hips are not taking up as much room! And I have fewer "small" pants then I remembered put in the back of the closet! So it is time to buy a couple of pairs so I won't be caught naked!

CRISPY OVEN BAKED FRIES

2012-02-06T09:32:00.001-05:00

I had several russet potatoes in the house that needed to be used and remembered this recipe which uses cornstarch as a means to dry the potato wedges and produce a crisper end product after oven baking. I figured I would give it a trial run for lunch yesterday since my older daughter and her family were joining us.

They were a big hit. The interior of the wedges were soft and creamy and the exterior was crisp and brown.

Gonna give it a go with some of the sweet potato fries next.

Find the full recipe here.

MONDAY, FEBRURARY 6, 2012

2012-02-06T08:57:00.000-05:00

I was going to write about the ballgame but I changed my mind and I wanted to say how much better I'm feeling. I was able to prepare Sunday lunch for my daughter and her family and still feel like talking and laughing. My energy level is up and the pain level is down. I can't say how much better that makes me feel! Here's to more of this!

SUNDAY EATING:
BREAKFAST: Meat and vegetable omelet (1/2)
LUNCH:One grilled brat and a big green salad with vinegar and oil, and a few berries.
DINNER: 4 BBQ ribs, cauliflower with shredded cheese on top, strawberries with 1/2 cup cottage cheese and 1 tablespoon nuts
AFTER GAME: 1 string cheese

SUNDAY, FEBRURARY 5, 2012

2012-02-05T06:09:00.000-05:00

Big day! We do enjoy the Super Bowl but have never felt the need to turn it into an eating fest. We will eat our dinner and then close down the kitchen and watch the game. Entertainment enough!

EATING:
BREAKFAST: 3 strips bacon, 1 egg
LUNCH: Greek salad with onion, feta, and tomato and 2 tablespoons Greek dressing and grilled salmon steak
DINNER: 1 cup cabbage soup with 1 teaspoon grated Romano cheese, steamed cauliflower and three ounces roasted chicken. 1 cup strawberries, 1/4 cup cottage cheese and 1 tablespoon Heart Healthy nuts.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2012

2012-02-04T09:16:00.000-05:00

COUNTRY CABBAGE SOUP
1 pound ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2 ounces onion, chopped, 1 small
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 pound cabbage, chopped, 1/2 medium
3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
2 cups chicken or beef broth
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda

In a large soup pot, brown the ground beef, garlic and onion; drain. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Makes 6 servings
Can be frozen

Per Serving: 196 Calories; 9g Fat; 17g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 8g Net Carbs
This is the recipe for the amazing soup I made yesterday. I could call it MEATLOAF SOUP because I used three of my mini-meatloaves that I had in the freezer instead of the ground beef. They had been in there long enough and they made a great addition to the soup. I had made them with oats as the filler and the oats blended into the broth and thickened it a little. I used beef broth and beef bouillon.

What a difference a day makes and a little tweaking of my eating plan. The hunger and cravings are gone and I am once again at peace with food and am full and satisfied.

I decided it might be good to shake up breakfast as well as lunch, so I had a steak that had been thawed long enough along with a perfectly cooked egg for breakfast. There was a little more to the steak than I would have normally served myself but I cooked it anyway and gave myself permission to eat the entire thing...about six ounces...if I wanted it. I took my time and enjoyed each bite and waited for the cues that I was getting full to hit and they did long before the steak was gone. I probably left a third of it uneaten.

I had a cup of the soup from last night along with some raw veggies and a nice ham and turkey sandwich for lunch and it really hit the spot and I was still well within my range for calories. The afternoon passed free of food thoughts and I felt great.

The lesson: Listen to your body and be flexible. And never stop trying!

EATING:
BREAKFAST: Very lean, well-trimmed steak grilled in non-stick skillet with one egg.
LUNCH: 1 cup Country Cabbage soup, sandwich of 90 calorie high-fiber whole wheat bread with 2 slices ham and 2 slices turkey @4 slices for 45 calories, spicy mustard and thin slices of Vadalia onion and yellow pepper with a few radishes and cherry tomatoes on the side.
DINNER: Salad of lettuce, radish, tomato, onion, and avocado!!! with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Delicious! And a grilled pork chop. This meal was so good!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2012

2012-02-03T07:12:00.000-05:00

Well, there I was with another early afternoon of a strong desire to eat following my lunch. It had been a long time since my last problem with not being satisfied after a meal and having to go through that dizzying decision of whether to fight or try to figure out what was going on and not panic but kinda feeling a little panic rising. And once I gave into the unplanned eating, I had to deal with the momentary guilt and the shame of having to write down here, in front of everyone, what I had done!

But then good sense took over and I realized that I had eaten a total of less than 350 calories! Big whoop! And none of it had been horrible food. And I should not and would not beat myself up over it because then I would continue to eat badly for the rest of the afternoon, if not the rest of my life! (I know this all or nothing lifestyle all too well!)

So, I did some thinking. This has happened two afternoons after I've eaten a salad with the protein mixed in and I was left unsatisfied. It is time to shake up the lunch meal and do something different for a while at least. I love salads but maybe I need to consider doing the lettuce and vegetables on the side and have the protein on the high fiber, low calorie bread that I seemed to be desiring yesterday. I've been avoiding the bread so I might be able to lose a little faster and to eliminate the habit of having protein between two slices of something when I am not at home with the better choices that are not always available elsewhere, but it may be time to get those vitamins back in the rotation.

And I had soup in the crockpot. I love a cup of soup between meals or at the beginning of a meal. Grammy reminded me of the pleasures and filling effect of soup and Dinah Soar...I always feel giggly when I type that out even as I know your real name!...reminded me that to be too regimented about only having three meals a day may be detrimental to long-term weight loss plans. Dieting rules are meant to be bent and broken as we progress. This is real life here! And sometimes we need to be flexible and figure out what is best for the moment.

Amazingly, once I had figured out a plan of action after my little splurge yesterday, I realized that I was full, calm, and unafraid. It was a wonderful feeling! And I also realized I needed and wanted to tell you about this. None of us are perfect. All of us have signals within our body that urge us to eat more at times and we all have to figure out how to handle that with our own eating plans. Honesty is the only way we grow and try to crawl out of this desert alive!

You guys are such good Blogger friends and I can always count on your support and wisdom to carry me forward. This effort is way too important to me this time to wave it off and slip back into old habits. I keep remembering the words on the radiology report about the state of my spinal column and the words of the doctor telling me that I am removing 4 pounds of weight from that same back every time I lose 1 pound! That is worth fighting for!

EATING:
BREAKFAST: Oatmeal, 2 Tbsp Pb2, 1 banana, 1 Tbsp crushed peanuts
LUNCH: Green salad with onion, 2 slices bacon, 2 microwaved eggs, 1 Tbsp cashews, 2 Tbsp vinegar and oil dressing, 1/2 cup blackberries with 1/4 cup cottage cheese.
AFTERNOON:1 bag 100 calorie popcorn, 1 slice 35 calorie high fiber bread with 2 slices bacon, 1 slice 35 calorie bread with 1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter
DINNER: 1 cup homemade cabbage soup, 4 ounces roasted chicken, 1/2 baked sweet potato

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012

2012-02-02T07:52:00.000-05:00

I wondered out loud to Harold this evening if he thought the steroid injection I got yesterday could have made me feel hungrier than usual today. Who knows, but I do know that I was fine after my breakfast but when I had finished my salad for lunch...a salad which would have normally filled me up...or at least left me satisfied...I wanted...felt like I NEEDED more. I was craving protein...meat! So I opened up a small can of salmon and ate the whole thing. That did the trick.

But I knew when dinner rolled around that I would have to look for something that I could eat a lot of and I knew we were going to the Greek's so I chose an omelet that is packed with vegetables...onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and spinach and I asked them to add Feta to it. It was marvelous. And Wednesday's they have smoked sausage and sauerkraut. I really don't care for the sausage that it comes with, but I love, love, love the sauerkraut! I don't know what they do to it...I have even asked Nick and he has given me the recipe, but he's not telling me everything because it just was not the same when I tried to duplicate it at home. And why should I try when I am pleased to have a small bowl of theirs?

And I had the blackberries when I came home mainly because I didn't want them to spoil and not so much because I was still hungry, so I guess I have beat down the hungry cues with a protein stick! Some days are just like that!

EATING:
BREAKFAST: Oatmeal with 2 Tbsp PB2, and a sliced banana
LUNCH: Salad of mixed Spring greens, shredded lettuce, cherry tomatoes, celery, onion, 2 slices bacon, 1 ounce shredded cheese, 10 blackberries, 2 Tbsp vinegar and oil dressing. 6 ounces canned salmon.
DINNER: Vegetable omelet with feta cheese and small bowl sauerkraut. A dozen blackberries.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2012

2012-02-01T06:41:00.000-05:00

I'm tired of being my own worst enemy when it comes to my weight! I want to feel better every birthday that rolls around instead of feeling too old for my years. When mine rolls around six months from now, I want to say that I haven't been better in years!

I pledge today to not use food as a means to hurt myself, but to use it to help me heal what I have injured and to make my tomorrows ever brighter!

EATING:
BREAKFAST: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 Tbsp. peanut butter, one small banana
LUNCH: 1 small eggplant, peeled and sliced about 1/2" thick. I placed the eggplant on a rack and baked at 300 degrees for about 90 minutes to dry it out a bit. I then added about a teaspoon of spaghetti sauce and a sprinkle of shredded cheese over each slice and baked at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. REALLY good. I had a green salad with a tablespoon of vinegar and oil dressing with it.
DINNER: 1/2 cup chili, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 4 ounces grilled ground beef. Six large strawberries.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 3012

2012-01-31T07:11:00.000-05:00

Wrinkles! Can't avoid them...unless you have loads of money and a doctor with mad skills.

Me? I don't mind them. I see them as character lines. That smooth baby face that I was born with now has etchings from all the years of my exposure to life...all the horribly sad moments like the death of loved ones and the times I worried about those dear and those I hardly knew.

But there have to be happy lines in there among the others because I have known so many happy times that were filled with smiles and outright laughter! And the moments my face has beamed with pride at the accomplishments of my girls and their children.

I will accept these wrinkles and I hope I have the opportunity to add even more...especially the ones born of good times!

EATING:
BREAKFAST: 2 strips bacon, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup light Ruby Red Grapefruit juice
LUNCH: Beef/onion/bell pepper kabob, 1 ounce baked tilapia, one salmon patty, 2 chunks pineapple, 1 chunk cantaloupe
DINNER: Chef Salad with turkey, cheese, and 2 Tbsp oil and vinegar dressing; 1/2 cup cottage cheese and 1/2 cup raspberries

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2012

2012-01-30T05:51:00.002-05:00

With the Super Bowl coming here next Sunday, we have lots of celebrities coming to town. This one was spotted over the weekend. Do you know who it is?
Hint: Don't be fooled by the clothing!

SUNDAY FOOD:
BREAKFAST: 1/2 meat and vegetable omelet, 1 cup reduced calorie Ruby Red Grapefruit juice
LUNCH: Taco salad...no shell...shredded lettuce, 1/4 cup taco meat, 1 ounce shredded cheese, 1/4 cup guacamole, diced cucumber, onion, and salsa. 1/4 cup cottage cheese with a dozen raspberries.
DINNER:1 cup steamed cauliflower, 4 ounces lean grilled steak, 6 large strawberries

HELLO, Jimmy Fallon! Welcome to Indianapolis!

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

2012-01-29T08:57:00.000-05:00

Growing old together is so much fun!

Harold and I received several gift certificates for restaurant meals over the Holidays and decided to use one of them for lunch yesterday at Logan's Roadhouse. We had a delightful meal and when it was time to pay up we presented the gift card along with the extra cash we would need. Our sweet little waitress came back with a big smile on her face and told us the gift card would not work...It was for Longhorn's Steakhouse!

Harold was mortified and I just laughed! Another senior moment...and I still get to enjoy a meal at another steakhouse!

BREAKFAST: 1cup oatmeal, 2 strips bacon
LUNCH: 1/2 Anything and Everything salad (Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, crumbles of blue cheese, walnuts, boiled egg, bacon, and dried cranberries) with 1/2Tbsp Blue Cheese dressing and a cup of chili
DINNER: The other half of my salad and another 1/2 Tbsp of the Blue Cheese dressing, steamed cauliflower, and 2 ounces grilled steak
BEDTIME: Jello Black Cherry sugar-free and a dozen fresh raspberries.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2012

2012-01-28T07:09:00.000-05:00

Take what you have and make the best of it! Here are some of the "tricks" I use to make my meals satisfying while keeping the calories, fat, and carbohydrates low.

Who says you can't eat well and keep those calories down? My breakfast yesterday proves that you can!

The bananas were gone and I decided it was time for an eggs and bacon breakfast. I try my best to keep breakfast around 300 calories. Can I have eggs and bacon and still meet my goal? Yes! Here's how!

I want everything I eat to be as flavorful as possible and I love Maple Flavored bacon for that reason. It not only tastes good, but the smell is outrageous! And two slices come in at 90 calories. I cook them in a non-stick pan over medium heat until they are crisp and a lot of the fat has cooked out and then I drain them on paper towel while I am preparing the eggs.

Two eggs come in at 140 calories and I whip them up with a fork until they are light and have a little air in them. I'm seeking volume here and the whipping helps. I still have 70 calories to work with and I want some more volume and flavor so I dice 4 cherry tomatoes, a slice of onion, and a wedge of yellow bell pepper...about half a cup of vegetables!...I'm guessing 30 calories...and I saute them in the non-stick pan that I have drained of the bacon grease. The thin film left on the skillet is just enough to cook the vegetables and add just a touch of the bacon flavor. I sprinkle the vegetables with a little salt and pepper along with a bit of garlic powder for the tomatoes! I still have 40 calories and I decide to add a tablespoon of cottage cheese to the eggs at 14 calories! The cottage cheese adds a bit of flavor and volume but the main thing I taste is the creaminess. Some people use a little low-fat cream cheese for the same effect. I add the eggs over the vegetables and then fold it into an omelet shape and serve it with the bacon.

Delicious! And under the 300 mark even if we count in the bit of fat that remains on the surface of the pan when I poured off the bacon grease.

I'm full, happy, and satisfied because I have had a flavorful breakfast and have had enough volume to make me last until lunch.

And then on to lunch where I add even more volume to a meal that needs it.

We had Chinese take out last night and that can be pretty rough on the calories, fat, and carbs if you aren't careful! We have learned to begin this meal with soup rather than the fried appetizers that we enjoy adding swet and sour sauce to. One of our favorites is a house soup for two that begins with a clear chicken broth and then has slices of the bbq pork, chicken breast, shrimp, and fake crab meat along with pea pods, water chestnuts, carrots, those little corn cobs, and bok choy. I serve myself mostly broth, avoid the pork (simply because I don't care for it) and have mostly the vegetables. This is a nice warm start to the meal and helps me get over that first feeling of "I'm starving" and wanting to dive in! There is always soup left for the next day.

Then we get a small serving of shrimp and snow peas which are about 150 calories for a cup and a half...not bad...and we get a small box of steamed snow peas to add along with what is in the original dinner. I add about a third of the small box to about a half cup of the original shrimp and snow peas. I don't eat the rice but I do like a little crunch with the dinner so I add from 1 to 2 tablespoons of chow mein noodles and an ounce of nuts (I get a heart healthy mix of pistachios, almonds, and peanuts that Planters has put together) and sprinkle that on top! It is so good!

My lunch was the vegetables and a couple of shrimp left from the soup, a half cup of the shrimp (2 shrimp left) and snow peas, and the remaining steamed snow peas (about a cup) with an ounce of the nuts and 2 tablespoons of the chow mein noodles. I figure this at about 300 calories and it was enough to fill a soup/salad bowl and fill me up!

We ate at the Greek's place for supper and I had my favorite Orange Roughey. It is a fairly large portion...I'd guess 8 ounces, so I shared a little with Harold so I would have about 6 ounces at around 240 calories. I ask for cottage cheese instead of the potato that comes with it. It is about half a cup and I use half of it (about 60 calories) on top of the salad that comes with the meal. I estimate it at one cup of lettuce (10 calories) and I get blue cheese dressing on the side. Because I have the creamy cottage cheese on the lettuce, I can add half a tablespoon of blue cheese dressing (35 calories) and it makes the taste of the blue cheese just melt over the entire salad! I ask for lemon to squeeze over the fish rather than having the tartar sauce that they serve with it.

Supper was so good...and a total of around 350 calories! They hand out free desserts on Friday night but we turned them down and headed home full and satisfied.

Hope some of my "tricks" are helpful. Do you have any to share?

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012

2012-01-27T07:44:00.000-05:00

Even our poor dog is not being rewarded with food any longer. He was gaining weight right along with us and that weight was no more healthy for his older body than extra weight was for mine. So we got him a big bag of Lean and Fit , gave him his allotted amount each morning and evening, and stopped giving him anything else. He is less broad in the beam these days and he seems to have adjusted to the fact that he will no longer be eating leftover restaurant meals from a Styrofoam box!

Harold always says that fat people have fat dogs. I hope the reverse will be true and a lean and mean dog will have lean and mean owners!

Today, I pledge that I will be just as concerned with my body as I am with my pet's.

Breakfast: I had big plans to repeat yesterday's breakfast of oatmeal, peanut butter, and half a banana when I looked over at the fruit bowl and saw that the last two bananas had made their way into a certain someone's lunch box! (I considered putting one away last night and then told myself that he would not take both of them!!!) I was repeating "darn" for about the 5th time when I remembered putting the other half of yesterday's banana in the refrigerator! So...thanks to my food saving ways, I got to have my favorite breakfast again!
Lunch: Have you ever read about something and it sounds really good and you make it and it falls short, but it sounds so good, that you figure you just didn't do it quite right and you try it again...and again...and again! That's me with a recipe for baking a head...or in my case, a wedge...of cabbage wrapped in foil in the oven. The cabbage is covered and the leaves separated and stuffed with a little combination of minced garlic, salt, and a little olive oil before being wrapped in that foil. Now, in my mind, that cabbage should come out roasted and sweet and tender, the garlic should be soft and mellow, and maybe the outer leaves a little more cooked and a little brown! But the truth is, try as I might, it never comes out that way! I have blamed it on old cabbage, the wrong amount of cooking time, the temperature of the oven! But I think the truth is, the idea is much tastier than the real thing, and I swear that this is the final time that I will attempt it! I swear!
Anyway, I ate about half of that disappointing wedge of cabbage, and then went on to my salad with a baked chicken breast cut up on top along with a vinegar and oil dressing...2 Tablespoons. (My trick with any dressing that I buy which has an oil component to it is to put it in the refrigerator so the oil separates and floats to the top and then I pour whatever I can of that oil off! Enough stays mixed with the seasonings and vinegar to give it a good taste and coat the lettuce leaves with a little oil, but a lot of the calories are lost to the kitchen sink!)
Dinner: A cup of Chinese Vegetable Soup, 1/2 cup shrimp and snow peas with another 1/2 cup of pea pods stirred in and a tablespoon of nuts and one of chow mein noodles. And a little cup of Jell-o Sugar-free chocolate pudding.
Evening snack...We ate at 4pm today so I needed a little something about 8:30. I had 6 chunks of cantaloupe, a dozen blackberries, and a low-fat mini BabyBel cheese.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

2012-01-26T07:40:00.000-05:00

I got to see the Pain Management doctor this afternoon...finally! And she was so wonderful, and kind, and patient and answered all my questions! It just made me want to go to my Primary, grab him by the hand, and say, "Now, this is the way you're supposed to communicate with patients!"

I will have an Epidural Steroid Injection into my spine next Tuesday and, hopefully, begin to feel better.

I did explain to her that I have lost about 15 pounds since all this began and she was so positive about that! (The difference between men and women, I believe!) She explained to me that it is so important because every pound lost is like removing 4 pounds of pressure from your back! So that 15 pounds is equal to 60 pounds of relief on my spinal column.

Knowing that makes it easier to pass up extra food!

My Pledge for today is to eat sensibly for the sake of my poor damaged back!

EATING: Breakfast was another bowl of that fabulous Quaker Oats topped with a tablespoon of chunky peanut butter (yes, I do measure all those teaspoons of this and tablespoons of that!), and half a banana.
Lunch was at Cracker Barrel who have a full page of low-carb options to choose from! I had the bacon cheeseburger option which comes without a bun and had a small green salad with just a smidge of blue cheese dressing on it.
Dinner was a cup and a half of homemade beef vegetable soup with a tablespoon of grated cheddar on top.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012

2012-01-25T06:37:00.001-05:00

I have a real problem with this concept sometimes. I was raised to be quiet, not cause a stir, and accept with gratitude what was given me. I was also raised to not argue with authority figures and to not be a pest. My children are the ones who push me to get in there and demand what is rightfully mine whether it is getting what I ordered at a restaurant or being treated with respect by a doctor. It is something I work on daily.

And my pledge today is that I will demand of others no more than I demand of myself and that is to be courteous, fair, and truthful.
EATING: Breakfast was 1/2 cup cottage cheese, the remaining strawberries, blackberries, 1 tablespoon each nuts and Fiber-One.
Lunch was a "hot" salad of leftover meatloaf, zucchini slices, half a red bell pepper, and Chinese pea pods dusted with garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir-fried before being dumped atop a mixture of spring greens and shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and 2 Tablespoons Italian dressing.
Dinner was 4 ounces of lean pork loin hammered thin with stuffing rolled inside and baked in an individual casserole with a little chicken broth poured around it to keep it moist. I baked it at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. (The stuffing is one that I prepare to make a little Stove Top turn into a pleasurable amount. I mince mushrooms, celery, and onion and a cup of Stove Top for two people and place it in a non-stick skillet. I then add about a cup of chicken broth a little at a time until the vegetables are tender and the stuffing mix has absorbed the broth. I also add a little extra salt, pepper, and celery salt.). I also shredded 5 or 6 Brussels sprouts and a minced a slice of bacon, stirred them together with salt and pepper and roasted them along with the pork dish. They were done after about 30 minutes. And a few chunks of cantaloupe and maybe 10 blackberries finished the meal.

THANKS, MY FRIEND, FOR INTRODUCING ME TO THIS BLOG! IF ANY OF YOU HAVE TIME, PLEASE VISIT AND READ TODAY'S BLOG ENTRY ABOUT TRYING TO PLEASE EVERYONE!

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

2012-01-24T08:13:00.000-05:00

I love for the food I eat to be colorful and to taste good and if I choose to eat something that is not on my food plan at any time, I want it to be worth it. This is not as big a problem once we are through that pesky Holiday season, but there are always Birthday Parties, dinners out, baked goods in the office, food the kids have left on their plates, fast foods! Even the Super Bowl!

I think we all have something that we consider worthy of a cheat...but lets not let it be food that someone else has half-eaten and left cold on their plate!

Let's pledge on this Tuesday morning that we will preserve that precious bite for something truly worthy and that if and when we have eaten it and thoroughly enjoyed it, that we will dust off the crumbs and go right back to our oatmeal (with some pumpkin and spices stirred in?) and our salads (with bright, fresh vegetables) and snacks of the most beautiful fruits available!

EATING: Breakfast: I had half a cup of cottage cheese topped with fresh blackberries and sliced strawberries, a tablespoon of Fiber-One and another one of nuts...delicious!
Lunch: Spring salad greens, shredded lettuce, cherry tomatoes, celery, orange bell pepper, zucchini, onion with a combo of deli roast beef, turkey breast, and cheddar and topped with 2 tablespoons of Greek dressing. And then the last of the fresh cherries.
Dinner: A layer of the zucchini, onion, and orange bell pepper remaining from lunch topped with a filet of tilapia and a half cup of salsa and a tablespoon of shredded cheese baked in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. So good!

MONDAY JANUARY 23, 2012

2012-01-23T07:20:00.000-05:00

Every day is a new day and a chance to renew our pledge to eat better. Are you with me?
My pledge for Monday is to eat the freshest, most beautiful fruit and vegetables and the good quality protein that my body needs...and deserves! I must remember that, although the vanity part of eating better is fun, the real reason I need to do this is to relieve the bony structure of my body of the extra weight so I can move freely and live pain free. I picture each 15 pounds as one of those big bags of dog food that we struggle to carry into the house because it is so heavy!

And journaling my food intake here keeps me cognizant of every bite. How embarrassing is it to write down something off-plan and posting it for all my friends to see? The thought of having to do that has helped me stay true to my eating plan more than once!

I promise to just take the future a meal at a time and doing the best I can at any given time. Having done that, I will feel confident and, hopefully, slimmer!

EATING: Breakfast was one egg and two strips of bacon. Lunch was a taco salad...no shell and no rice, I ate about 2/3 of it and 10 fresh cherries. Dinner was raw vegetables and a tablespoon of low-fat Asian Dressing (very flavorful!), meatloaf baked in muffin cups (great way to assure portion control...and the remaining ones went into the freezer for future meals), and half of a baked sweet potato (they are so big that Harold and I share one), and 6 fresh cherries. I was up later than usual and added a sugar-free Jello cup at 10 calories during the second game.

JANUARY 22, 2012

2012-01-22T10:05:00.000-05:00

Is it cold where you are? We are supposed to hit the 40's today, according to the Husband who sits outside a lot and takes note of such things.

I don't kick him out...he just loves being outside and has constructed himself a little shelter from the wind and cold on the deck where he keeps his radio tuned to NPR. He has a comfy chair, a table with a lamp on it, and room for a book, an ashtray for his cigar, and his reading glasses.There is even a little rug for the dog to lie on!

I took a picture of him in it and sent it to the kids describing him as a poor homeless man who has taken up residence on the deck! The younger one thought he looked like "Occupy Indy"! (I will not share the picture here because I want to preserve at least a little touch of dignity for our family!)

Looking forward to the football games today. We don't watch during the regular season but we do enjoy the playoffs. And since the Superbowl is being played in our city, we are interested to see who the contenders will be! We have begun seeing signs around town and people are wearing Superbowl t-shirts. The excitement is building!

And in the weight department...I reached even further back into the closet and found an outfit that I had not worn and was pleased at how I looked in it! I even got a compliment from The Husband! Feels good!

EATING: Breakfast was a bowl of instant oatmeal and two eggs scrambled plus my cup of grapefruit juice.
Lunch was a small bowl of lettuce with a tablespoon of blue cheese dressing, a few spoons of vegetable soup, and grilled pork ribs without sauce.
Dinner was a clean out the fridge meal of a cup of chili, the remaining salmon patties, and two thin slices of cantaloupe.

SATURDAY

2012-01-21T09:20:00.000-05:00

Problem: I buy salmon for salmon patties in the large can which makes more than a normal serving for us.
Problem: I LOVE salmon patties! They are crisp on the outside, a bit salty, and delicious! I want to eat them all!
Problem: I don't want to give up a favorite food.
Solution: Buy the small can which will make just the right amount for the two of us!

Problem: I am not hearing back on my MRI!
Solution: (Suggested by younger daughter!) Be a pest and call often. It worked! Report had been sent to my doctor by fax to the wrong number. When this was cleared up, I had my report within half an hour. I do have a "bulging disc" and will probably be referred to a neurosurgeon for further evaluation next week. (My daughter has gotten pretty far in life by being "persistent" in seeking what she wants! I'm glad I listened to her rather than going by my own instinct to brood and insist that I don't even care anymore!)

EATING: Breakfast was 2 slices bacon, 2 eggs scrambled with mushrooms, green pepper, and onion.
Lunch was 1 1/2 cups chili and a green salad with chicken breast and Asian Dressing.
Dinner was Salmon Patties (Used my trick of putting extras in the fridge for another meal so I wouldn't have to stare at them and act like a fool!), 1/2 cup mixed greens, and a dozen strawberries.

FRIDAY

2012-01-20T05:23:00.000-05:00

Recipe for Banana Cocoa "Ice Cream"

I have this frozen banana "ice cream" on my list of foods to try. It is all over the internet. Have any of you given it a trial run?
American Idol Season 11 has begun. I've noticed...I've only watched the first night from the DVR so far...that there were fewer auditions aired featuring the horrible or demented singers. I hope that trend continues. A couple sprinkled in doesn't bother me, but I don't care for them as much as the talented kids.
Speaking of AI, Adam Lambert has a new single out from his second album which will be released in March. The album is named Trespassing and he has been on Leno and Ellen this week singing the very beautiful "Better Than I Know Myself". He is lean and less glammed up this time around.
Still no word on the MRI! I just don't understand this new doctor and his office at all. It is frustrating as all get out. When I am in the office everyone is so nice and although the staff looks like they are doing their jobs, they don't seem overworked and I never see that many patients stacked up. But they don't seem to communicate well once you are out of the office. I am constantly put on hold when I call, passed on to someone else, and finally left with leaving a message with the "triage" team who will return my call as soon as they can, but then they don't. Insurance insists that you stay with a doctor for six months to give them a try, and although he is Harold's doctor and he is satisfied with his care, we are both thinking I might need to look further when the trial period is over. UGH!
EATING: Breakfast was the oatmeal with half a banana sliced on top and a teaspoon of chunky peanut butter. It satisfied my longing for the peanut butter and was pretty good. Lunch was two lean ground beef patties with an ounce of cheddar and half an onion grilled. I had a desire for meat and satisfied it quite nicely. Dinner was a cup of chili and then half a cup of cottage cheese with a little cantaloupe and a few strawberries.

I hope we have a quiet weekend indoors and out of the cold. I seem to really feel it this winter! I guess that's why there are so many "snowbirds" in the warm areas of the country!

THURSDAY

2012-01-19T07:12:00.000-05:00

I thought for a while before I had breakfast yesterday. I considered a couple of slices of bacon cooked crisp and drained well along with a poached egg. Then I thought about a big steaming bowl of oatmeal with a few slices of banana and a teaspoon of peanut butter melting on top. But when I opened the refrigerator door, there were those beautiful strawberries that smelled so good and were so red and perfect that I knew I was in for another bowl of my cottage cheese with sliced strawberries and a sprinkle of Fiber-One!

And when Dinner just didn't satisfy me, I ended up eating the same thing to cap the day off. I get into these modes where I want the same thing over and over. Do you? I guess there is no harm if I am doing it willingly and am not forced into it and find the food boring.

I love my lunchtime salads and look forward to a variety of lettuce leaves mixed with the vegetables of the day like carrots, celery, colored bell peppers, radishes, a variety of tomatoes, turnips, pea pods, and sweet or green onions. A topping of meat leftover from previous meals like chicken or beef is great, but I'm okay with cottage cheese or a can of tuna packed in water (we buy it by the case!) or even rinsed and drained canned kidney beans.

My lunch yesterday was a big salad with chicken left over from a roast chicken the evening before. I love Asian dressing with chicken so I had a tablespoon of that over the top and about a cup of cantaloupe.

I had the carcass of the roast chicken and decided to put it in the crockpot with a couple of cans of chicken broth and three chicken bouillon cubes and let that simmer most of the day. I then strained it and returned the broth to the pot and added a little black pepper and garlic powder, about a dozen large shrimp, a few chunks of the chicken, and some pea pods.

A cup of that soup was a great beginning to Dinner, but then it kind of fizzled for me. I had fixed Harold a small steak and some mushrooms to go with his soup and he was thrilled but I just wasn't in the mood for steak so I thought I would have my second salad of the day with a few kidney beans thrown in and some more shrimp with cocktail sauce but after a couple of bites of the salad, I knew I was not interested in it and put it aside. I had two of the shrimp before I decided it was not a shrimp night either and packed the remainder up for Harold's lunch today.

That was when I decided that the strawberries and cottage cheese were going to make a curtain call on Wednesday and I had my second bowl with the greatest satisfaction!

Some days are like that!

WEDNESDAY

2012-01-18T07:45:00.000-05:00

Yes...I am losing weight. I only weigh at the doctor's office even though we have a doctor's scale here at the house. I have a love-hate relationship with scales. I am never happy with the number whether I am gaining or losing and it is best that, at this point, that I just weigh infrequently and make eating better my goal rather than the numbers.

The insistence on weekly weigh-ins was always my big problem with WW! I could eat perfectly and show no loss for three weeks in a row and then the next week my weight would drop by 8 pounds. That played havoc with my spirits and the advice to drink more water by the person weighing me in was a subtle dig that I wasn't doing everything I could to lose those pounds!

My clothes are hanging on me and I find myself reaching further back into the closet where my tighter clothes are lined up to find something to wear out. I can reach my feet again! And the mirror is my friend each morning! I am still developing wrinkles and sags and lines on my face and my hair is still silver, but that face is leaner, the eyes sparkle a little, and the hair doesn't seem as limp! It is a good day.

Still waiting on results of the MRI. Probably Thursday, I would guess.

EATING: Breakfast was 1/2 cup cottage cheese. a cup of strawberries that was delightfully flavorful and sweet, and a tablespoon of Fiber-One for crunch. And my cup of grapefruit juice that I sip on all morning as I knit on a sweater that my daughter just lost patience with!
LUNCH: A green salad with the remainder of the bacon wrapped chicken from the other night sliced on top and a tablespoon of Asian dressing. And a HoneyBell orange that we treated ourselves to!
DINNER: 1/2 sweet potato (I know I am in a rut but I love them!), a small salad with a tablespoon of Greek dressing, and about 3 ounces of roast chicken.

GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO CHANGE

2012-01-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

Short-term change can be easy, but when your desire is for lifetime change, the degree of difficulty rises. That's why it is so important to remember every day just what your real goal is and to live that change just one meal at a time.

No one can change what has already happened and all the plans in the world can not will us to meet our future goals, but each of us is capable of eating well for JUST THIS MEAL!

BREAKFAST: Egg and Canadian bacon from an Egg McMuffin and 1/2 bowl oatmeal
LUNCH: Chef Salad with ham, turkey, bacon, boiled egg, cheese and 2 Tbsp Ranch dressing
DINNER: 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 baked plain sweet potato, grilled chicken breast w/2 tsp terriyaki sauce

MONDAY

2012-01-16T15:31:00.000-05:00

Busy with Harold today so not much time for writing. Good beginning to the week.

BREAKFAST: 1/2 omelet with meat and vegetable filling
LUNCH: Green salad with roast chicken breast and 1 Tbsp Greek dressing, 1 ounce cheese
DINNER: Denny's Lite omelet with spinach, onion, and pico de gallo, and shredded cheese, 2 strips turkey bacon, and a cup of strawberries (eaten later)

SUNDAY

2012-01-15T09:04:00.000-05:00

Splurge: A little gift to myself that is not on my eating plan most days but an item that also doesn't set off any alarm bells or guilt feelings!

BREAKFAST: Oatmeal with a teaspoon of peanut butter
LUNCH: One cup spicy chicken soup, Cobb Salad with grilled shrimp with Vinegar and Oil dressing
DINNER: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, fried catfish (bit of a splurge!)

SATURDAY

2012-01-14T06:59:00.000-05:00

I just had to share this cause it is so cute!

Going for my MRI today. I finally worked up the courage to do the open-sided one after the traumatic freak-out I suffered after attempting the old tube style! Wish me luck...or courage!

BREAKFAST: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup strawberries, 1 Tbsp Fiber-One, one cup grapefruit juice
LUNCH: Tuna salad on salad greens
DINNER: 1 cup vegetable soup, green salad with vinegar and oil, chicken breast wrapped with bacon and a teaspoon brown sugar. 1/2 cup sugar-free Jell-o

2012-01-13T08:52:00.000-05:00

Guilt! It is a killer! I have gone through years of feeling guilty about being overweight...especially when I am seeking medical attention. I could chop off a finger and somehow find a way to blame it on my weight!

And I have gone through years of feeling that I don't deserve good health because of the extra weight. Why should any doctor waste his time on someone who refuses to get thin?

I'm not the only one who feels this way! But that prevents people like me from seeking help when we need it. We put going to the doctor off and try to pretend that illnesses will go away on their own...and sometimes they do. But there are times when we put off medical help that we sorely need!

I promise myself that I will no longer avoid going to the doctor and I will do my part in achieving a more healthy body!

BREAKFAST: 1/2 cup cottage cheese, a sprinkle of cinnamon, chopped fresh pear, and a tablespoon of FiberOne on top. YUM!
LUNCH: Clean out the fridge lunch! 1/2 cup beef vegetable soup that I made from about a cup of lean pot roast, leftover frozen mixed vegetables, 1/2 a boiled potato, a can of diced tomatoes, a can of chicken broth, garlic powder, and 2 Tbsp beef base. Harold left about a third of his Shrimp with Pea Pods from last night's dinner and I didn't want to waste it or eat the sauce that was on it, so I rinsed it under cold water and combined it with half an onion, half a green bell pepper, and a handful of pea pods that were left from this week's vegetables and stir fried everything in a nonstick skillet sprayed with Pam, sprinkled on some garlic powder, a few drops of sesame oil, and some soy sauce. Since I only had a couple of very small shreds of beef in the soup and three little shrimp in the stir-fry, I upped the protein content of my lunch with a Babybel Light cheese round.
DINNER: Salad with one tablespoon Asian dressing, half an acorn squash with cinnamon, four ounce salmon filet baked.

THURSDAY

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

In the past, I have eaten six small meals throughout the day and felt that was the way to go for me but in an effort to lose some weight a little faster and get the extra strain of added weight off my back, I decided I would stick to three meals at this time. I worried that I would have blood sugar dips or starve in between but I have actually felt great. The balance of protein and the complex carbs has kept my blood sugar at an even keel and I have not experienced feelings of hunger at all.

We were out last evening and had dinner from three to four hours later than usual and I have to admit that I was more than ready to sit down in front of that meal, but it was a pleasant sense of hunger that made the food all that much more enjoyable.

I do stress, though, that this is working for me at this time and I am in no way suggesting that anyone else adopt this strategy or feel that I am saying that their plan is wrong. The path to losing weight and keeping it off is a very individual journey and we all have to search for what works for us.

BREAKFAST: My favorite breakfast...a bowl of old-fashioned Quaker oatmeal and an eight ounce glass of grapefruit juice.
LUNCH: A big green salad with the leftover pork loin from dinner chopped in it and vinegar and oil dressing.
DINNER: A bowl of hot and sour soup. I also had Egg Foo Yung but it was not to my liking and I picked the shrimp and vegetables out and left the rest. (Don't be afraid of being picky! It works! That's why there are so many skinny little boys out there!)

MORE LIFE LESSONS FROM POOH

2012-01-11T08:45:00.000-05:00

"It all comes", said Rabbit sternly, "of eating too much."

If you want to lose, you have to know when to lay the fork down and walk away! Even when I am eating the right things, I tend, at times, to want more than I need. When the food tastes good, I want to prolong the enjoyment for just a little longer.

I've learned from many hard lessons to not put the extra food on the table but to place my portion on my plate and put the remaining food directly into containers and straight into the refrigerator. If I don't follow the rules and eat less, then I will be like Pooh and begin wondering about the size of the doors!

BREAKFAST: Homemade old-fashioned oats! Wonderful! And a cup of grapefruit juice.
LUNCH: Big green salad with a leftover chicken patty cut up in it and 2 tbsp Asian dressing.
DINNER: 1/2 cup tomato juice, 3 oz grilled pork tenderloin, 1/2 boiled carrot and small wedge of boiled cabbage, 1/2 baked sweet potato.

FEET ON THE FLOOR

2012-01-10T06:01:00.000-05:00

When I was working as a nurse, one of the best things I could do for a patient was to help them out of bed and get them moving. A patient who looked sickly, worn, and uncomfortable lying in bed would instantly get color back in his cheeks and take on a more positive attitude. Experience has taught the medical profession that bed rest needs to be limited to the least time possible.

I feel so much better when I am up moving and can't wait until I can remain on my feet for lengthy amounts of time. I am good for about ten minutes of being on my feet before my chair calls me but I can do a lot in ten minutes if I spread them out at frequent intervals throughout the day. I pride myself in preparing meals and taking care of the house. My trip to the grocery store Saturday thrilled me to no end!

One day at a time...one step at a time! And it all begins with putting my feet on the floor in the morning!

Breakfast: I tried a ready-made oatmeal that I found at the grocery this morning. It was Copper Mountain Hot2Go Steel Cut Oats, ready to eat, and a 7oz bowl came in at 150 calories.It was awful! A gelatinous mess that did not loosen up even when it was warmed. I will continue to cook my own old-fashioned Quaker from now on. I also had a cup of grapefruit juice.
Lunch: A big salad of Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, celery, onion and leftover steak from last night with vinegar and olive oil.
Dinner: Trader Joe Chili Lime Chicken Patty and grilled onion, red pepper, and pea pods; about 1/2 cup green beans; and Sugar-free Jello.

MONDAY

2012-01-09T09:56:00.000-05:00

The weekend was beautiful here...especially for January! And the sunshine brightened my spirits. The medication my doctor has me on is one of those that gives the warning to watch for depression and I have warned my entire family to do that. I believe the "patient" is the last to know!

It caused me to be weepy at first. Harold teases me that I would break into tears just asking him what he wanted for dinner and it's probably true. I'm past that now...I think...but I still feel a sense of melancholy falling over me when the sun goes down. Just recognizing why I am feeling that way helps me deal with it but it is still annoying! I want to be happy and optimistic and resent feeling down!

I have a feeling that all those symptoms will recede the longer I take the medication and in the mean time it seems to have decreased the pain and that alone is a relief.

I am feeling very positive about my eating. I have settled into a routine that serves me well and am enjoying the variety of vegetables we are eating. I love the roasted ones, especially.
Eating: Breakfast was 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal and one egg. Lunch was a green salad with a small slice of roast beef and non-fat Italian dressing. Supper was a grilled steak, roasted sweet potato and turnip, and 1/2 cup fresh strawberries and raspberries with 1/4 cup cottage cheese mixed with a little vanilla on top.

SUNDAY

2012-01-08T09:35:00.000-05:00

I shopped for groceries for the first time since the first week of December yesterday! I had missed picking over the selection of fruits and vegetables myself. Harold did a bang up job in the interim but I loved choosing which pear to buy and what size I wanted my sweet potatoes to be. (Harold veers toward the replica of a football!). Check this out!

I made it around the fresh fruits and vegetables and the meat aisle before I made a sharp left for a box of Old Fashioned Oats and headed straight for the checkout. Not my usual leisurely perusal of each aisle but a much healthier path.

Once home, we sat and prepared all the produce for easy use this week. It's so much easier to prepare a salad when all the components are cleaned, peeled, and in one drawer.

Eating: Breakfast was one egg and two thin slices of bacon. Lunch was one cup green salad with fat-free Italian dressing and 1/2 cup cottage cheese with a few strawberries and fresh raspberries. Supper was 1/4 cup beef broth, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, chopped sirloin, and 1 piece fried perch. Evening: 1/4 cup white wine.

BE IN THE MOMENT

2012-01-07T09:48:00.000-05:00

I have medication that I have to take every eight hours and I had the bottle sitting next to my chair in the living room so it was handy. Time came to take it and I was busy with the television in the background and the computer open in front of me and I remember thinking that I should take it and then a few minutes later, I turned to Harold and asked him if I had actually taken the capsules. I couldn't remember, he hadn't noticed, and I searched my mind for some memory of having picked up the bottle, measured out the dose, and having swallowed them.

After that, the daily dosage went into a separate pill container and I could easily count the medication that remained and know absolutely rather or not I had taken them.

I could blame old age and short term memory loss but the real culprit was multi-tasking and not taking the time to "be in the moment" and pay attention to what I was doing. I'm a retired nurse! I know better than to not be extra aware of what I am doing when it comes to taking medication!

And when it comes to eating, I am also aware of how important it is to rid myself of all the "noise" and concentrate on the food that is in front of me. When I am limiting what I eat, I want to be conscious of the appearance of the colorful red and yellow peppers, the crispness of the lettuce and snow peas, and the sweetness of the apple or carrots. The last thing I want is to look at an empty plate and have no memory of the meal I have just consumed!

Eating yesterday: Brunch: (I was so tired from not sleeping well the night before that I fell asleep in my chair for three hours and missed my breakfast!) two eggs scrambled with a one ounce slice of cheddar cheese, an apple, and a glass of tomato juice. I have not been eating between meals but the length of time between the brunch and supper was too long and I needed something so I had another ounce of the cheese and a cup of tea. Supper was a pan grilled chicken breast and a medley of roasted vegetables...slices of cabbage topped with minced garlic and a drizzle of olive oil and sliced carrots with the oil and a little salt. The carrots were so sweet and satisfying and the cabbage was interesting but a little dry around the edges. I think I will wrap the slices in foil packets next time to prevent them drying out and enhancing their sweet flavor, as well.

IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT

2012-01-06T05:55:00.000-05:00

Pain is intensified at night. During the day there are distractions and the mind doesn't dwell on it as much. But when the lights are out and the house goes silent, there is little to distract from the constant ache and the occasional sharp, burning pain. Those are the hours when I begin to understand addicts and alcoholics...when any escape sounds reasonable. I watched Oprah's interview with Steven Tyler last week and he was talking about the pain he has suffered with his legs and feet. He has even had nerves cut to relieve the pain. He discussed his return to drugs after years of being off them while he was dealing with the condition and I totally understood that desire to escape.

I am good for a couple of hours after I go to bed and find great comfort in lying among my soft quilts. It feels good to rest my back and legs after a long day and I fall asleep easily. But about one in the morning, the discomfort creeps back and the remainder of the night is spent with me tossing and turning, trying to find a position that will return me to that initial feeling of relief I felt at being in bed.

I refuse to take the narcotic any longer. Even after this short time my doctor warned about dependence and I take that seriously. I have never been a pill taker and I resent the pain for making me take them for even a couple of weeks. The truth is, they never really took the pain away even when I was taking them regularly, but they did allow me to float above it and achieve a little rest.

Thank goodness, I am better during the day and able to move about much better than I was even a week ago and I am so grateful for that. I have an appointment with a pain management doctor next Thursday. I don't know if she will be able to do anything for me or not but there is talk of an injection so we'll see.

I'm near the end of talking about all this. I want to move on to happier topics but I feel the need to vent...it is a stress reliever! Really! lol

Looking forward to the weekend when I will have Harold home for company and I will see family. They are the best medicine.

Eating: Breakfast was one egg scrambled with about an ounce of Swiss cheese melted on top. I don't usually buy Swiss but Harold is doing the shopping and I found it in the fridge. It was a nice change with its nutty flavor and a slightly chewy texture. I would love to have had tomato juice with it but my supply is in the garage and I can't do the two steps out there to get it without Harold here so I settled for my usual grapefruit juice. PAH! Lunch was a salad of lettuce, celery, a few snow peas and another slice of the Swiss cheese along with a slice of deli roast beef and a little Asian dressing. Supper was my favorite meal from the Greek restaurant we frequent. They call it the Key West and it is a Greek salad with lettuce, onion, feta, tomato, and black olives with a nice grilled salmon filet on top. Wonderful! I leave most of the feta, the tomatoes are worthless in Indiana this time of year, and I always give the olives to Harold so I am left with a nice lettuce salad with a few crumbles of feta, a light touch of their vinegar and oil Greek dressing and the salmon which is among the best I have ever eaten.

2012-01-05T08:08:00.001-05:00

I have always tried to be the optimist and see the bright side of life. I learned that from my Mom who was the epitome of the English phrase, "Keep Calm and Carry On!". She faced dark times with a smile and a skillet and I try my best to carry her banner and encourage others by wondering out loud, "What's the worst that could happen?".

I see this setback as an opportunity to reevaluate how I live my life. I have a new appreciation for good health! A relationship with pain can force you to accept truths that feeling well every day does not. I can no longer take this marvelous body that has been placed in my care for granted. I must care for it every minute of every day. I must accept the role of caregiver for my own muscles, bones, nerves, organs, and skin. And I look forward every morning to doing that now that I realize how important that job is.

I see myself not only feeding myself better but also putting lotion on my skin to protect it from dry air, making sure that I brush my teeth thoroughly, and making sure that I remember to care for my dry eyes by never skipping the morning and evening care that they require.

This experience has also awakened a need to reach out to others and experience the healing comfort of kind words, a smile, a touch. (Is there anything more comforting than the touch of hand? It was an integral part of my care as a nurse and I had forgotten the power that it carries.) I need others in a way that I never have before. I have tended to isolate myself at times and that leads to a loneliness that I can't afford right now. I need others to feel whole.

Eating: Breakfast was oatmeal and a cup of grapefruit juice which I dilute with an equal amount of water and add a couple of packets of Equal and sip over ice during the morning. Lunch was a Trader Joe's Chili Lime Chicken Burger with some vegetables stirred around in the same skillet (shredded cabbage, a few pea pods, green onion and celery) with a splash of soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil. And supper was the other half of the baked sweet potato from the night before, 4 or 5 shrimp with cocktail sauce, and a cup of strawberries topped with 1/3 cup cottage cheese with a little vanilla stirred in.

LOVING OURSELVES

2012-01-04T07:26:00.000-05:00

Accepting yourself as you are can sometimes be so difficult. There are all those voices in your head telling you that you should have done better and stuck to your healthy ideals last year and the years past and maybe you wouldn't be where you are today. But to move forward, you have to come to terms with where you are in order to make a plan that is reasonable and actionable.

Without accepting my past history of eating for comfort or to entertain myself, I will never be able to get past those urges and learn new ways to comfort and relieve boredom. And I can't hate the wounded person I am and still love myself enough to do what is necessary for healing to take place.

In order to change, I must study the mistakes that have brought me to where I am today. I love myself enough to do that.

Eating: Breakfast yesterday was oatmeal with fresh strawberries and a sprinkling of Formula One. Lunch was tuna salad on top of a green salad with green onion and celery mixed in. And dinner was baked flounder and a half a sweet potato baked with a splash of olive oil and seasoned salt.

2012-01-03T10:08:00.000-05:00

How did I injure my back? Did I fall? Did I lift something heavy?

I took a nap!

I lay down feeling fine but decided to nap on a bed in our house that is very firm and with two firm pillows under my head. I don't even know why I chose to do that rather than sleeping on my own bed which is a soft top and my own neck cuddling pillow. When I woke up, I couldn't move! The pain was horrible and I really thought it would go away as I got up and moved around but it didn't.

But this whole experience has been eye-opening for me. It made me so aware of the fact that I must eat differently for a lifetime. I must do this not for me, but for all those who are close to me and will be affected by my poor decisions. If I can't remain active, I can't perform my duties and someone else has to do them for me. If I can't move around on my own, then someone has to assist me.

It's bad enough that my family have to be concerned about me. Even worse is if my family has to alter their lives to help me. I feel a responsibility to do whatever it takes to stay active as long as possible. And that requires extra attention to what I eat and move.

So, I am kinda grateful for this episode because it forced me to consider my health in a serious way.

Eating...Yesterday Harold was still home from work and I took advantage of feeling better to get out of the house and eat breakfast out with him. He loves his breakfast, loves eating out, and wants me by his side! I had one egg and a sausage link. I had a big salad for lunch with a few strawberries on top along with 1/2 cup of my vegetable soup. For supper, I had a cup of the soup, half an acorn squash, and shrimp that I baked with some lemon juice, garlic, a little olive oil, and some red pepper flakes. And a little cup of Sugar Free Jello.

I can't do much moving around right now but I am doing stretching exercises while I lay in bed. They are basically the ones the doctor gave Harold to do after his knee surgery and they really do seem to help.

We must do what we can as well as we can. That's the only way to move forward.

2012-01-02T11:33:00.000-05:00

Such a good day yesterday! No need for narcotics the entire day. I am so far from my normal ability to get around but doing what I could yesterday with pain that was manageable made me feel so hopeful.

The pinched nerve has left me with a problem lifting my left leg and my left knee is unreliable for going up and down steps so leaving the house even for doctor's visits has been stressful. Harold has to be there to have me lean on him as I go down the two short steps into the garage and to lift my left leg into the car.

I still haven't figured out a way to shower but we have a seat ordered which we will pick up tomorrow and we are going to conquer that too!

I'm so happy that we planned ahead when we made our move back in 2002 and decided to have a one level house! I only wish we had demanded walk in showers! Hate the idea of a remodel but it may come to that one day.

Back to weight loss...

I'm not following any specific plan. I'm probably closest to the old Weight Watcher Core than anything else. I have at least temporarily given up bread and am trying to stay low-carb.

Breakfast has been a rotation of a bowl of oatmeal, cottage cheese with a little fresh fruit, or an egg with a small portion of a lean breakfast meat like Canadian bacon.

Lunch has settled into either a big salad with a variety of vegetables and chicken, tuna, or boiled egg for a protein boost. I sometimes use cottage cheese as both my protein and the salad dressing. Some days I have had a cup or two of homemade vegetable soup made with diced tomatoes, a can of chicken or beef broth, whatever vegetables I have in the house and a seasoning to lean toward Mexican, Italian, or just plain American.

And supper has been fish, a lean steak, rotisserie chicken from the deli with the skin removed, and lean pork tenderloin. We both enjoy grilled meat so it is easy to keep the added calories for preparation low. And on the side, baked squash, baked sweet potato, steamed vegetables such as cauliflower or broccoli, or pea pods. I'm usually tired of salad if I have had one for lunch but if I haven't, I sometimes put the grilled meat on top of a small salad and have that.

I can't believe how much better I feel when I have removed the sugars and simple starches from my meals and limit eating to three meals a day. The swelling is gone from my feet and I am no longer running to pee continually! I have had no problem with indigestion either.

Have a good second day of the year, my friends! And stay healthy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2012-01-01T08:12:00.000-05:00

A new year and a new beginning. My hope for the new year is that I will be brave enough to do my part in healing my body. It is the only thing I have control over and I promise to do my very best.

I have had a good night and have not required a pain pill in the last 15 hours! Wonderful!

Breakfast is cottage cheese and some gorgeous strawberries and a handful of blueberries...so good.

My second promise is to stay in touch with my extended family. We allow way too much time to pass between visits, phone calls, or even Facebook messages! I always feel so much better after I have done so and I know they do too.

My husband asked me this morning if I thought we would make it through another year and I responded, "Absolutely!". And we will be healthier...I promise!

KATHY CALCULATES WEIGHT LOSS

2011-12-31T10:56:00.000-05:00

I began this blog several years ago as a way to journal my progress while following Weight Watchers. Since that time, my blog has slowly moved toward other aspects of my life and weight loss was seldom mentioned.

During my recent absence from my blog, I have suffered some sort of injury...still working on a diagnosis!...to my back which has left me with severe sciatica in my left hip. At my age, I have had bouts of pain in my back, knees, and feet and have been able to get through the initial pain with over the counter remedies and the assurance that the pain was temporary and I would be back to "normal".

At no time did I ever feel that the situation was out of my control.

This time is different!

The pain has left a woman who never took narcotics to one who has to rely on them (for the time being) to be able to get through the day...and night...without severe pain.

The injury that I still describe to myself as acute and temporary was deemed "permanent" by my doctor as he filled in a BMV form for a Handicap Placard for our car! (When I saw that, I was shocked!)

And shocked again when he referred me to a group of Neurosurgeons who specialize in pain relief rather than repair of the injury.

I see a theme here and my hopes for me to rise out of bed one morning with the pain suddenly gone are diminishing and my having to adjust to life with a condition that will require medical intervention to help me live comfortably a new reality.

I am known among my family and friends as being stubborn and wanting to be in charge. I'd rather do it myself! I want to make the decisions! I want to be in control! I am not happy at all having to rely on others!

I'm spouting all this, not for sympathy, but to explain my renewed interest in weight loss. It is one area of my life that I can still control. And my hopes are still high that losing weight and eating in a healthy manner can relieve some of the pressure on my precious skeleton and contribute to making me more comfortable and eliminate the need for so much medicine!

It is me waving a sword above my head and declaring that I am still in charge of this thing!!!

I have lost 6 pounds since all this began and am pushing very hard to lose 30 in the next few months. That is the equivalent of two giant bags of dog food and would have to make a difference! Right???

EATING WITH THE SENIORS

2011-11-13T07:24:00.000-05:00

My husband and I enjoy heading out on sunny Saturdays to see if we can come across a few yard sales and then catch a late afternoon...let's face it...early supper as we Seniors are known to do.

Yesterday was gorgeous and we ran into one sale that looked bad from the street but was actually good stuff with little care taken in the arrangement. Our favorite saying when approaching yard sales is "You never know!" Sometimes the best stuff is poorly presented.

There were a lot of people stopping but we were able to catch an empty spot near the driveway and braved people passing in spite of the fact Harold was trying to exit the car on the street side of where we stopped. I found a pair of prints of Old Williamsburg that I found charming and want to reframe to display in my bedroom. They were originally done back in 1973 according to the information on the back. We were able to get them both for $5 and I left happy with my new purchase.

We drove on and found another sign for a moving sale and headed down the shady street in an older but very nice neighborhood. All was well until we came over the hill and found ourselves faced with loads of cars on either side of the fairly narrow street and people walking along the sides and middle to get to the driveway where some pretty amazing furniture and nicely displayed smaller items were being sold.

I have to say here that Harold and I are both old enough to admit that we don't like crowds. We will pass up free money to avoid a traffic jam but for some unexplained reason, my hubby decided to move forward rather than take an opportunity to turn around.

We ventured forward and the spot he was moving toward was suddenly taken and we were forced to move on and turn around to leave the neighborhood. As we were returning to the crowded area of the street, we drove past a man exiting his car and heard a scream from him directed at us. We were afraid that we had accidentally run over his foot or a little dog or something that would merit that outcry. Harold stopped and the man ran up into the lawn we were passing and shouted that Harold was not to park on his grass!

What???

There was no way to move through the congested area of the street without inching toward the edge of a lawn or two but we were in no way approaching his grass as if to park in it. Harold explained this to him through the open window on my side of the car and I was waiting for a rake or shovel to come through said window to put me in my place! This guy was angry! But I quickly realized that his anger came from the frustration he felt at having to endure a full day of people acting like idiots to get to the bargains across the street from him. He had obviously put a lot of time and care in his lawn and wanted to protect that investment all the way to street's edge.

I think he realized we were harmless and eased up, even apologizing for yelling at us.

We had a bad taste in our mouths for yard sales at that point and moved on without stopping. There are some things that are better left unexplored!

We still wanted that afternoon meal and headed to one of the few cafeterias still operating in Indianapolis. It is near a neighborhood we used to live in and we miss their entrees, vegetables, and my favorite...cups of custard!

The "real" food that they serve...the stuff we would have found at Grandma's...attracts the older set. The average age in cafeterias is probably 70! We always feel like young Whippersnappers as we try to decide between the Almond Crusted Trout and the Fried Chicken and the Carved Roast Beef. And there are vegetables! You seldom see vegetables in restaurants any more.

Like I say, we feel young in this place. We don't need the help those old people need...like having our trays carried to our table. At least, we never have! But I have to say that I seriously considered it yesterday,

You see, there was that incident Friday night in my own kitchen, when I was carrying one of my heavy pans of the nicest Creole Shrimp that I was going to serve over rice for supper when, for some unexplained reason, the pan suddenly leapt from my hands and landed in the floor where it struck in a manner that the contents of the pot...all that tomato covered shrimp...splashed out at an angle that was perfect for covering every surface in the west end of the kitchen with my lost supper!

I was shocked at having no warning that I was going to deposit the pan in the floor. I was grateful for not getting burned. And I wanted to move without packing to avoid having to clean that mess up!

Our Border Collie ran in to assist by trying to grab every shrimp he could before we ran him out. Such a help! But his feet were covered in red tomato sauce and we have light beige Berber in every room that surrounds the kitchen!

With the help of my two men, I cleaned it up...I know I will be finding spots of tomato sauce for years...and Harold went to get us a sandwich.

All was well but I will fear carrying one of those heavy pots for the rest of my life.

That's what old age does to you. It is a gradual thing where you begin avoiding crowds, you understand the crabby old man, you eat dinner early where they serve vegetables, and you quit carrying anything heavy.

DON'T ASK!

2011-11-09T06:13:00.000-05:00

Forty-two years and you'd think that I would have learned by now.

I am a planner. I begin my day at five in the morning by cooking breakfast for the breadwinner in the family. I couldn't get myself together so quickly in the morning if I didn't begin the evening before with laying out what I will need at that early hour. I ready the coffeepot, preset the table, and decide what I will be serving for his morning meal before I go to bed because I am, frankly, a little fuzzy when I first get up and move a little slowly until the joints and muscles have a chance to warm up.

I prepare his lunch the evening before and have it ready to pitch in his lunch box as he is eating his French toast and finishing his coffee.

So, I would love to begin planning dinner first thing in the morning so I have everything out of the freezer and some of the preparation completed early in the day. Especially the CrockPot meals!

All of that is well and fine! But what I forget is to never ask The Husband what he might want for dinner as he is finishing his breakfast!

It sends him into a state of complete confusion followed closely by one of frustration!

"I have no idea what I will want tonight! I just finished breakfast!"

I guess men can get away with that. It's a good thing that women are able to put their brain into CrockPot mode before the sun even rises!

SET THAT CLOCK BACK

2011-11-06T05:44:00.000-05:00

SAYS THE WOMAN WHO THOUGHT SHE WAS UP AT 6 AND DISCOVERED IT WAS ONLY 5!!!

NOVEMBER...BIRTHDAYS AND A TRADITIONAL DINNER

2011-11-05T06:11:00.001-04:00

Can you believe it is almost Thanksgiving? That we've already had blizzards? That we are just a year away from another national election?

Time! The commodity that we never have enough of!

The triplet grandchildren have their tenth birthday this month! It is always tricky buying their birthday gifts because it falls so close to Christmas. I don't want to sleight them but I also have to be aware that they are getting a boatload of presents in just another month!

Their step-brother's birthday is in July and he is always forgotten because he is with his Mom during that time. I either have to give him a gift really early or late so this year we negotiated a clever compromise. He is with the triplets during their birthday so we decided we would celebrate Jack's "half" birthday with theirs and then everyone would get gifts at the same time! He was happy with our solution and it leaves me with a fourth gift to consider.

With the help of my daughter and son-in-law, we settled on DS games the boys have been drooling over...easy as pie thanks to Amazon! Check off gifts one and two!

A little talk with Morrigan last time she was here brought out the fact that she would love to have a canopy bed! I can't make that happen, but I was able to find a beautiful pink netting Princess canopy that will hang above her bed and give her the girly effect she desires. Check the third gift!

Teagan wants to be a vet when she grows up. She loves animals of all kinds and has a heart as big as the Grand Canyon. She told me she would love to have a Pug! Well, I can't make that happen either! (Although I love her so much, I kinda wish I was one of those Grandmothers who would just drop a puppy on the family and walk away without regret!) They already have a gorgeous English bulldog! So I went the route of a stuffed toy Pug the same size and identical to the real thing and a throw for her bed that has a cute little Pug on it. Check the last birthday gift and begin sweating over what to buy for Christmas!

As far as Thanksgiving is concerned, we have decided to keep it totally traditional and serve the dishes our family has become accustomed to calling "our" Thanksgiving dinner! There is such comfort in knowing that the stuffing will be the same, that the sweet potatoes will be our favorites, and that the pie will be pumpkin from the Libby recipe! Christmas dinner is open for experimentation, but Thanksgiving should not be messed with!

Agree?

FAMILY REUNIONS

2011-07-27T06:36:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid, over 50 years ago, summer meant family reunions. We attended three in different Indiana parks and hosted one at our house a couple of times when distant relatives were visiting. I remember one on the farm back in 1957. It was special in that it was the only time that all ten of Mom and Dad's kids were together! Our oldest brother had gone off to the Marines before my younger twin brothers were born. There is a precious picture from that day with Grandmothers, Grandfathers, parents, Aunts and Uncles, cousins, and kids of all sizes!

The annual Aldridge reunion was always held at the park in Shelbyville, Indiana just a couple of blocks from my Grandmother and Grandfather's home. There was a large brick pavilion there so we were fine if it rained and it provided shade for the oldsters! My Dad was the oldest child in that family so he presided over the reunion. That meant booking for the next year, opening everything up with the key to the shelter, and collecting a donation for the next year to buy soda, (a rare thing back then), and the favorite of all the kids attending...ice cream for after dinner! Mom kept the books which required her to keep track of the donation, expenditures, and the names of all attending. I have the books from one of the reunions we attended and they are a wonderful resource for the amateur genealogist that I once was! They contain annual records of all the births and deaths, marriages, and the like.

There was another reunion that was held in Richmond, Indiana that had the shelter located near a railroad track that ran through town. Family legend is that two very pleasant men came and ate with the family one year and then left. Once they were gone, conversation turned to exactly which branch of the family with whom the men had arrived and it seems no one claimed them. Each attendee had assumed they were with someone else and it became clear after a while that they had probably arrived by train and left the same way!

I remember seeing all the same people year after year. They didn't excite me much back then but it was reassuring to see that they were still around. It was more fun to gather in the park with my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and an array of cousins that I only saw once a year. They were older city kids and fascinating in my eyes!

But, aside from all the people, there were long tables covered with food brought in by all those families! Everyone had their specialties and you could pretty much count on similar dishes each year but what dishes they were! No one stopped and purchased a pie on the way to the park! In those days, the food was home cooked and delicious!

My own mother fried up chicken, baked pies, and prepared a couple of side dishes each year. Others had their special meatloaf or ham, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and slaw. It was all good and memorable.

The family reunions died off as the oldsters did. The younger people didn't seem to find time for all that fuss. Our immediate family did the same thing once our own father was gone and we moved to the city from the farm. One sister tried to keep up the gatherings, but fewer and fewer people came each year and she finally fell to ill health and all pretense of reunions finally died out.

I was thinking of all those gatherings as I made plans for a small "reunion" we are having in a couple of weeks when one of my brothers and his family return to Indiana for a visit. He has lived in New Jersey for the past 40 plus years and we seldom get the chance to see him. There will be about 20 of us with his family, mine, and his twin brother and partner and I wanted the gathering to resemble the family reunion pitch-ins of old. My brother's wife will call me once in awhile and ask me for an old family recipe. The conversation always begins with, "Your brother wants to know how your mom made such and such...!". So I know he misses the food we knew as kids.

This is the menu plan that I prepared for our own little family reunion...a table of food that should remind my long absent brother of those reunion tables of our childhood!

Baked Ham
Fried Chicken
Meatloaf
Macaroni and Cheese
Potato Salad
Slaw
Green Beans
Corn on the Cob
5 Cup Salad
Red Jello with Fruit Cocktail
Relish Plate
Deviled Eggs
Biscuits
Cornbread
Banana Pudding
Apple Pie and Vanilla Ice Cream
Angel Food Cake and Strawberries
Iced Tea and Coffee
Soda

I hope he will enjoy it and that the youngsters attending will leave with memories of a family reunion from their youth!

SHOW ME SOME LOVE!!!

2011-07-25T05:54:00.001-04:00

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!

This is a picture of me and older daughter, Lara back in the day! Lara just turned 40 on the 22nd. Thanks to my younger daughter, Sarah, for digging this up and posting it!

SUMMER IN THE CITY!!!

2011-07-23T07:20:00.000-04:00

It's not pretty around here. The high heat and humidity have us wearing less and less. The old guy is down to a pair of knit pants that I cut the legs off to the knees...he doesn't want a waistband and belt right now. And I have been going sleeveless...I haven't uncovered my upper arms except to shower in years!!!

I hope this weather is just a cyclic thing that happens occasionally and not a sign of permanent change that my kids and grandkids will have to deal with for the rest of their lives. Who thought global warming would occur so quickly! Wasn't it supposed to take hundreds of years?

At least, we are blessed with an air-conditioned house (when the ants don't decide to plant their Queen in the middle of an electrical breaker and shut the entire thing down!)...so many caught in this heat wave have never needed it and have homes without units. I feel for their suffering...I really do. I mutter under my breath, "There is a God!" every time our unit comes on for the first time each summer!

Harold has already gone on his annual Canadian fishing trip. He usually goes during the week of July 4th. I think this will be his last trip to Ontario though. It is a very primitive camp meant for younger, stronger, more resilient people. Age has crept up on the old guy and as much as he loves the people who run the place and the adventure, a week with no running water and outdoor privies is getting to be less charming each year. And being without the woman who prepares his meals, makes sure he has his medicine, and warns him about all sorts of things that might be harmful to his health is, in my opinion, something he can't afford!

He has returned the past three years and gone immediately to the local emergency room! Three years ago, it was his back. After getting in and out of boats, loading and unloading a week's worth of necessary...and some not so necessary...supplies, and sleeping in some pretty sorry beds and then riding in a car for 20 hours, he couldn't move!

Last year, he had begun to have knee problems and had a cortisone injection before he left and was feeling so good that he had offered to give away his cane that he had been forced to use. But the Canadian trip put an end to that and he returned in extreme pain and was off work for 7 months! The surgery finally fixed him up and he was looking good going this July but I found myself feeling scared and worried seeing him and his equally frail friend heading out the door. His buddy has had open-heart surgery, back surgery, and just weeks ago some serious abdominal surgery! But, I think these guys would rather gasp their last breath enjoying catching a Walleye than taking care of themselves.

A week later, they pull up tired and scuzzy looking after a week in the wild and I noticed Harold was limping a little so when I had a chance to ask him why, I was shocked into tears when I looked down and saw the top of his right foot! This is a man who is diabetic and for whom we take extra special care of his feet and he is boasting an open wound that is about 2x4 inches across the top of it! My first thought was amputation and the next was emergency room!

He had been wearing sandals in the boat but was afraid of sunburn so he had removed the sandals and put his bare feet into vinyl boots. He didn't realize that when the sun hit the boot, it would heat up and burn the top of his foot leaving a huge blister. Which he immediately popped! And then left uncleaned and uncovered with the strap of his sandals sitting on it for another three days!

The emergency room doctor put him on double doses of two antibiotics to cover whatever was in there and we began wet to dry dressing changes several times a day. It is healing nicely and three weeks of antibiotics seem to have the cellulitis under control but it is a chance we are not going to take again! Mama decided he is NOT GOING BACK TO CAMP PRIMITIVE!

We now have reservations and paid deposit for a very lovely cabin in Minnesota for the week of the 4th next year and he will be accompanied by two nurses...our daughter and myself...our fishing son-in-law to help with boats and carrying supplies...and three of the grandkids who can also lift and carry...and give their Grandpa the gift of fishing with him! And there will be indoor plumbing and cooked meals and someone to warn him of all possible danger! Not to mention an emergency room fairly close by.

It is tough for guys who have always been strong and healthy to face a chapter in their lives when they can no longer do what has come so easily for them in the past. Asking Harold to slow down and sit for a while has been one of the hardest challenges I have met in our 42 years together. He is not a rocking chair kind of man! But we will get through this too.

I wonder if he would enjoy whittling wood?

TRY THIS!

2011-06-08T09:46:00.000-04:00

Go visit The College Culinarian where I found this great looking, simple, and inexpensive recipe that a college student shares. It is a fun recipe for people who could afford the nuts, but will approve the use of toasted ramen noodles just for fun.

I love this blog!

Toasted Ramen and Strawberry Salad Serves: 1
Handful of mixed greens
2 large strawberries, sliced
2 T. crumbled goat cheese
1/6th of a package (maybe 1/4 cup?) Ramen noodles, broken into small pieces
1 t. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
1.) Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add noodles and toast, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove from heat when golden brown. Set aside.
2.) In a bowl, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper together. Add in the mixed salad greens, strawberries, and toasted Ramen. Toss to coat. Place in serving dish and top with goat cheese.

FUNNY BUSINESS!

2011-06-06T13:52:00.001-04:00

It may say Spring on the calendar but Summer has arrived in Indianapolis...high humidity and 90 degree days. So what better weather to have the air-conditioner decide to take a nap. We were fine all day yesterday, but come about 6 in the evening and Harold mentioned that the TV room seemed kinda warm and my first inclination was that the evening sun had warmed the dining room up and we were feeling the effects of that. But then I started to squirm a little because I had this inkling that the room was a little TOO warm for that explanation and I went to check vents where nothing was coming out and turned the thermostat down lower and nothing happened. And the final knot in the bow...nothing was moving inside the unit. DEAD STILL. We did all the things we knew to do and then put ourselves at the mercy of the repairman.

Have you ever noticed that the plumbing never backs up unless you have house guests or it is a Holiday weekend? Or the furnace or air don't go out on pleasantly cold or hot days? It is always when the weather is at an extreme and everyone else in the Kingdom also wants repair? And it is also a weekend or Holiday?

We had little hope of getting anything done last night but I wanted to get on the waiting list so we called even though it was a Sunday night. At first, we were promised a thirty minute window for the repairman to call back and that was immediately pulled and a call this morning was offered. Fine. The temp dropped into the high 60's over night and we did fine.

My return call came about 8 this morning and I was offered a choice of $169 for a promise of a one hour window when the repairman would arrive or the visit was free. Or for $129, I could have a promise of a two hour window, or for $89, I would be put on "the list" and a repairman would call me whenever he could work me in!

There is a little pause where I'm getting it through my head that I am being asked if I want to pay to get to the head of the line! So, I ask..."Are you telling me that if I pay extra that I will have an improved chance of seeing someone sooner?" Well...

Without actually coming out and saying those words, she let me know that I was pretty much right so I decided that I wouldn't be a complete victim of the system and settled in on the $129 deal and had a promised window of between 12:00 and 2:00! I had to wonder if they would have been sitting in the driveway ready to come to the door if I had agreed to the higher amount!

The repairman arrived about 2 minutes to 12:00, was sweet as could be, had it repaired and running in under an hour, and I certainly could not complain about that! But...I have to say that there is something kind of wrong about how the system operates. I couldn't help but think of the Cold War Days when I heard about people paying to get to the head of the lines for the Russian meat markets and grocery stores! Has the Russian Mob taken over the Heating and Cooling businesses?

TV WATCHING...

2011-05-31T14:43:00.001-04:00

SCOTTY ON REGIS AND KELLY THIS MORNING

TWEET ME OR BE MY FRIEND ON FACEBOOK!

2011-05-30T19:24:00.000-04:00

It seems I have not had a lot to post here recently and summer is probably not going to change that much. I will continue to post when something comes up that I want to share but in between visits, you can always catch me on Twitter where I am listed as kathycalculates and also on Facebook where I am Kathy Aldridge Smith. I post little things on both frequently.

I hope everyone has a great summer planned and I am looking forward to catching up with you on your blogs and all these other Social Media sites! Love you all!

LAUREN ON JAY LENO...CUTE INTERVIEW

2011-05-27T11:23:00.002-04:00

lauren-tonight by mjsbigblog

A Few Idol Moments

2011-05-26T09:59:00.001-04:00

Scotty wins!

James Durbin happy as a clam performing with Judas Priest

One of my favorite performances was Casey Abrams with Jack Black doing Queen's "Fat Bottom Girls"!

Steven Tyler did "Dream On"

SORRY IF THESE ARE SCREWY!!! AI GIVES YOU THE CODE AND EVERYTHING IS FINE IN THE PREVIEW AND THEN THEY SWITCH TO OTHER VIDEOS WHEN YOU POST! GRRR!!!
Haley and Tony Bennett with "Steppin Out With My Baby"

Scotty and Tim McGraw "Live Like You Were Dyin'"

Lauren and Carrie Underwood do "Before He Cheats"

One of my favorite scenes in the finale was of Casey Abrams and James Durbin arguing who had the most shocking elimination of the season with Casey saying he had actually been eliminated twice and James arguing that his elimination was more shocking because Randy had promised him that he was going all the way and that he was in it to win it. They both sit speechless as Pia comes out to ask them what they are talking about wearing a pink tiara and a sash with Most Shocking on it. They reply sheepishly, "Nothing!" and she says, "That's what I thought!"

I do wish they had at least introduced last year's winner! Lee DeWyze sat on the aisle practically brushing sleeves with Ryan and no mention was made of him at all! I hope Scotty is treated better a year from now. They said he had already performed earlier in the season but Beyonce got two numbers last night! Bad form, Nigel!

SCOTTY IS THE SEASON 10 AMERICAN IDOL!!!

2011-05-25T22:26:00.000-04:00

The American Idol finale was expected to be dull and I was almost convinced that it would be two hours of tedium that I would have to sit through in order to get to the announcement of who had won the title. But I was surprised from the beginning numbers. The performances were good, quick paced, and done with tongue in cheek good humor. I wish the entire season had been as much fun as the finale.

We were experiencing weather alerts the entire evening and I had one eye on the show and one on the warnings!

I will try to get some video by tomorrow and post what I can find.

FINAL PERFORMANCES

2011-05-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

Scotty sings first and does a repeat performance of "Gone" as his favorite song from the competition. He seems to mature a little each week and I think this second version of the song is an improvement over the first.

Laauren is singing in spite of a leaked scare just minutes before the show that her vocal cords are strained and Haley is rehearsing in case she has to take Lauren's place in the show. This is a common occurrence and other finalists have been treated with cortisone injections so they can perform, but much is made of it. Ryan even calls out a doctor in scrubs to explain that Lauren has a vocal cord that has "blown out"!!! Cue sympathy votes! Lauren reprises "Flat on the Floor" and does just fine.

Next, Scotty performs a song chosen for him by his Idol, country music's George Strait. George chooses his own song, "Check Yes or No" for Scotty.

Lauren does Carrie Underwood's choice of Pam Tillis' "Maybe It Was Memphis".

Scotty's Winner's Song is "Love You This Big"

Lauren's Winner's Song is an ode to her mother, "Like My Mother Does". It is a great choice for Lauren.

Four hours for voting following the show should ensure a pretty good number for American Idol to brag about during the Finale tonight. I voted online and gave Scotty my maximum of 50 votes. I hope everyone who loves him and his music did the same!

TOP THREE AND BEYONCE

2011-05-19T08:49:00.000-04:00

The Top 3 perform three songs each: Their own choice, one Jimmy Iovine chooses, and one from the Judges. Beyonce is there to give advice for their own choices and then to present her new single. I'm sure Beyonce is a sweet girl but the single is horrible!

Scotty sings his choice: "Amazed" by Lonestar

Lauren's choice was "Wild One" by Faith Hill

Haley chooses Led Zepplin's "What Is and What Should Never Be" with her dad accompanying her on guitar

Scotty McCreery sings Jimmy Iovine's choice for him: "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" by Thompson Square. I had never heard this song before but loved it and would like for Scotty to do a cover. I would definitely buy it.

Lauren does Jimmy's choice of "If I Die Young" by the Band Perry

Jimmy chooses Fleetwood Mac's "Rhianna" for Haley and I was really looking forward to Haley doing the Stevie Nicks song. I think she has some of Stevie's qualities to her voice and performance but I was a little disappointed in the last half of the song.

Then we come to portion of the show where the judges choose for the kids. They assign Scotty the task of singing Kenny Roger's "She Believes in Me" which I think is totally wrong for a barely 17 year old boy, but what the hey!!!

Lauren gets Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance"

Haley gets the horrible Alanis Morrissette song, "You Oughta Know". Are you kidding me? Jimmy did such a great job of picking songs that these Judges' songs sound even worse by comparison. No wonder the kids could not please them with their song choices this year!

I will be honest and say that I am heavily in favor of Scotty and it is hard for me to be impartial when listening to everyone's performances. So I am just voting and voting for Scotty and wishing the girls my best in their careers after he wins it all!

SCOTTY MCCREERY HOMECOMING VIDEO

2011-05-14T19:12:00.002-04:00

I know several of you are Scotty fans and I found this video of his hometown arrival and concert today.

If anyone thinks this young man is not ready for a career in music, they are so wrong. He is such a grounded and impressive man and gifted entertainer.

I FOUND A SHORT VERSION!!!

ONE STEP CLOSER TO RECOVERY

2011-05-14T07:55:00.000-04:00

Looks like Blogger recovered faster than I have. I was beginning to think that Blogger was terminal. I just have a cold and have to wait it out. I have to say, though, that I do love me some Puffs with Vicks!

Is there something you go for when you don't feel well? There is a local carryout Chinese restaurant near us that makes the best Hot and Sour soup I've ever had. It is my "go to" food when I have a cold. The fella who runs it always asks Harold to give me his best when he comes in to order it. He knows I'm sick if Harold carries home a pint of Hot and Sour!

The heat from the hot soup and the pepper in the chicken stock is every bit as good as Jewish penicillin...homemade chicken soup.

My mother used to make a concoction of onions and brown sugar that she cooked on the back of the wood stove. It was magical in its ability to make us kids feel better when we had a cold. She also mixed powdered ginger and sugar in a spoon and gave it to us to control coughing when we had those tickley throats that come with colds.

I had to laugh when I saw the following Mike and Molly segment because Harold has always believed in covering himself with Vicks, donning a hooded sweatshirt, and pulling blankets up to his ears so he could "sweat" it out. When he was young, it seemed to work. Now...it just leaves him smelly and the bedroom in need of a good airing out!

Watch Mike's Mom deal with her baby's illness.

2011-05-12T14:49:00.000-04:00

Sorry I'm not doing an Idol recap today since I have another cold and am occupied with Kleenex grabbing and coughing and just don't care enough to do it. lol I enjoyed all the performances last night and think it will probably be Haley going home tonight. My prediction is for Lauren, James, and Scotty to go to the Top Three and the guys for the Top Two. I think Scotty will be the winner but James is coming on strong.

Gayle will have to fill us in on Scotty's home visit next week!

Love to everyone and stay well!

MOTHER'S DAY

2011-05-08T17:14:00.000-04:00

We celebrated Mother's Day yesterday as we were all gathered to celebrate our younger daughter's graduation with her doctorate. It was also for her birthday which is Monday and her Mother's Day, our older daughter's Mother's Day, her son's birthday, and my Mother's Day! How many reasons do we need to get together over food???

It was one of the best days we have ever spent and I am blissfully happy to be surrounded by all these wonderful people...husband (who waited 42 years to say one of the nicest things about me that has ever come out of his mouth!), daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, brother and his partner...all so special.

I know I am blessed. I know it every day. But there are some days when you are just bathed in blessings. I have known so many in the past and I add yesterday to that collection.

The only thing that could have made it better is if I could have shared it with my own mother...but I have a feeling she shared it with us and felt that where she now dwells is just as marvelous a place as she had always hoped it would be.

AMERICAN IDOL TOP FIVE

2011-05-05T08:28:00.000-04:00

Tell me who you like...hate!

James singing CLOSER TO THE EDGE

Jacob singing NO AIR

Lauren with FLAT ON THE FLOOR

Scotty with GONE

Haley sings YOU AND I

James sang WITHOUT YOU but the video has been blocked.

Jacob with LOVE HURTS

Lauren with UNCHAINED MELODY

Scotty ALWAYS ON MY MIND

Haley with HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN

Loved most of the performances and continue to be baffled by the judges' opinions, but we'll see who leaves tonight.

TORNADO HELP

2011-05-03T06:37:00.000-04:00

My older daughter lived through a tornado touchdown a few years ago and I can't begin to tell you how traumatic it was for her. First of all, just surviving is a blessing when it is over and you are left in the hallway of an apartment that is pretty much destroyed. And then to look around and see your belongings that you have lovingly acquired over years strewn around mixed with broken glass, leaves from trees, and rain water is heartbreaking. Add to that the fact that you are a college student and your computer is destroyed along with many of your books and papers.

Thank goodness, she had us near so she had a place to stay and food to eat. But she wasn't allowed back into the area for several days to even evaluate what she might be able to save. Her clothes and toiletries were all left behind in the wreckage.

She received assistance from The Red Cross that was so beneficial at the time and then donations of clothes, furniture, an apartment in another complex without rent for the first month or any deposits being necessary. And then the college she was attending donated another computer, books, and I believe, even some cash.

People were so generous. I've been wondering how I could help the victims of the tornadoes in the South last week and I came across this while reading through blogs this morning and wanted to share it with you.

We all are familiar with local groups who go out of their way to help others and this particular group seems to be one of those.

Tornadoes – Your Help Is Needed | Southern Plate

Please pass this link on and give if you are able!

AW, CASEY...

2011-04-29T07:06:00.000-04:00

You put a spell on so many of us and you will be missed! And what a fun sing-out!

Now go and get that career started!

DO YOU VOTE?

2011-04-28T09:34:00.000-04:00

American Idol was enjoyable again as the contestants sang from the Carole King songbook. The kids weren't familiar with her work for the most part but were able to pick songs out that pleased them as suggestions were offered by people in the business who did know her music.
Jacob Lusk chose OH, NO, NOT MY BABY, which I was not familiar with. He was able to do all his musical tricks with the upbeat number and seemed to enjoy performing it.

Lauren Alaina sang WHERE YOU LEAD, I WILL FOLLOW which she had heard on Gilmore Girls.

Since there were 90 minutes to fill and only six contestants, they decided to have the kids do three duets as well as the solos. Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart teamed up again to sing UP ON THE ROOF. They are so cute together.

Scotty McCreery had been on my mind all week as I wondered what song he would choose. He has steered toward pure country up until this week. In my opinion he chose well and delivered a very sweet version of YOU"VE GOT A FRIEND. Scotty said he chose the song because his mother was very fond of James Taylor and he had heard it while growing up. I would buy an album with this type of songs on it in a heartbeat!

James Durbin returns to his quieter side with WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW. When James is on he is terrific and I loved his voice on this one. It went straight to my heart and, again, I would enjoy owning this vocal which I would play over and over.

The second duet of the evening was Lauren and Scotty who teamed up for the third time to do UP ON THE ROOF. Ryan tried to tie the two together as more than singing partners but Scotty was quick to inform him that they were more like brother and sister!(and he seemed a little miffed that Ryan was trying to make something more of their friendship than was there! Don't mess with Scotty's love life, Ryan!!!)

Casey Abrams does Blood Sweat & Tear"s HI DE HO in a bluesy, jazzy way. I love Casey so I am in no position to really judge his performance except to say, I loved it!

Haley Reinhart sang BEAUTIFUL. Haley is talented and is growing as a performer each week but she will never catch a break this season. It's just not in the cards and it is really too bad. The judges are ready to pounce every time she sings and seem set on getting her eliminated before Lauren.I think she should have chosen something less upbeat and more familiar.

The last duet falls to Jacob and James who even kid around that it is going to be difficult to pair their styles but they do I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD and it is kinda fun until they pick on JLo who really needs to have a clause in her contract that the performers are not to touch her! They twirl her chair around to sing to her and she looked like she might fall out of it and was quickly scurrying to cover her legs and anything else that might be hidden behind the judge's table! Even Steven Tyler kinda scolded them after the song.

I have no idea who will be eliminated tonight. Jacob is low on my totem pole and we are getting to the point that someone I have been rooting for is going to be in the bottom three and eliminated so it will be harder and harder from now on. Just hope there are no surprises!

Prayers to all those affected by the horrific weather in the South.

MAKE MORELS MY MUSHROOM OF CHOICE!

2011-04-25T20:53:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had the pleasure of eating Morel Mushrooms? It is a rare pleasure and one that you never forget. I remember, as a kid, eating a few when my older brother was lucky enough to find some one spring. I never forgot how wonderful they were.

We would be blessed with a few here and there over the years as a generous friend might share a few after they had eaten all they cared for. Again...they were few in number and we treasured the rare treat.

So when I Facebooked the other day that I was fixing some country fried steak for supper that night, imagine how surprised and pleased I was to get a response from the wife of the guy who mows the grass down by the lake for us asking me if we would like some Morels to go along with our supper! My immediate response was to ask, "REALLY???", and arrange to collect them.

I never accept something without offering something in return, so I collected a meatloaf I had prepared and put in the freezer and a little jar of jam from an Ohio orchard and placed them in a bag and traded them for a small cottage cheese container of cleaned and ready to cook Morels. The trade having been made, I cooked those mushrooms and we ate them like the little pigs that we were!

I sent off a profuse thanks and felt so fortunate that we had such great friends who just happened to be sitting on property that was loaded with Morels!

Imagine my surprise when the same kind fella knocked on our door last night with a plastic grocery store bag full of mushrooms that they had just collected! He left after accepting loads of thank you's and you shouldn't haves and I immediately set out to make them a pan of apple dumplings which we dropped off hot from the oven!

I cleaned my newest bounty and soaked them in salt water before rinsing them again. We had them for dinner tonight. I had a salad and dove into the main event and cooked Harold a little steak to go along with his.

It's important to recognize when you have been blessed! Believe me...we recognize this blessing and are still wiping the remains from our lips.

Mushrooms are said to be difficult to cultivate and I won't even try, but I am definitely going to cultivate this friendship!!!

THIS IS WHY THERE ARE ONLY THREE JUDGES THIS YEAR

2011-04-23T10:17:00.000-04:00

CHRISTOPH WALTZ AMERICAN IDOL PARODY ON JIMMY KIMMEL

NO SURPRISE...

2011-04-22T09:45:00.000-04:00

Stefano Langone was eliminated on last night's American Idol and I was so impressed with his attitude! This is the way every contestant should leave the show. This is Stefano performing Stevie Wonder's "Lately".

TOP SEVEN

2011-04-21T10:29:00.000-04:00

I quite enjoyed last night's American Idol and am finding myself growing to love all the remaining contestants. It gets harder and harder to see them eliminated. And, speaking of eliminations, the show begins with a performance by the six contestants who have already been eliminated and it becomes clearer why they were the first to go. The five girls come out first and pan for the cameras, shout the lyrics, and roam all around the stage. Pia even looks sad when surrounded by these girls. Naima threw a jacket over a camera lens and flew around kicking and jumping like she was auditioning for a Ninja movie. Poor Paul came out alone and almost apologetic looking as if to say, "I really didn't want to be here!". I don't know if she was nervous and needed a companion on stage or her shoes were too high and she feared falling, but Pia kept grabbing for Paul and holding on to him. It was all poorly done and I was happy for the relief of a commercial break!

With 90 minutes to spend and only seven contestants to perform, there was a lot of filler. In addition to their mentoring sessions with Jimmy Iovine, the seven also were asked to tease their fellow contestants about character traits. It was silly but did tend to humanize these kids and demonstrate that they are all pretty young and playful.

Scotty begins with John Anderson's "Swingin'" from 1983, but since they were performing songs from the new millenium, it was billed as a Leanne Rimes song.

In spite of the fact that the judges have had nothing but praise for Scotty all these weeks and the fact that this is probably one of his best performances, it was written somewhere that all three of them were to jump his hide last night. They are so transparent in this effort that I am talking back to the television as my husband sits staring and laughing at me! Scotty is young and definitely could use some direction but this was such a farce that no one took it seriously. Lauren consoles him after the criticism by the judges by telling him that he is safe because 15 million little girls are "pointing their fingers at Randy right now!"

Next is James Durbin who will be doing Muse with "Uprising". My husband is not liking it at all but I try to keep the open mind thing going and give him props for entertaining me. Reminded me of Fleetwood Mac with the drummers! I read one critic's opinion that he was dressed like a Circus Ringleader from Hell!

Hailey Reinhart covers Aele's "Rolling in the Deep" which I enjoy. I wish it had been slowed down just a mite but I am liking Hailey for the first time!

Judges continue to hold back and give Hailey subdued praise. Is she supposed to be in the bottom three again this week? Do we have to stay on script? I don't know.

Jacob decides to go with Luther Vandross who he has been compared to often. He sings "Dance with my Father" and gives an awkward dedication to other people who have lost their fathers, miss them, wish they had one....it kinda just fades off. And when Jacob misses a note at the beginning of the song, everyone assumes he is emotional because he is thinking of his own father, but he quickly assures the judges and Ryan that it was because he was hearing drums in his earpiece!

Casey sings Maroon 5 "Harder to Breathe". I'm not familiar with this song but I enjoy it. Not crazy about his approach to JLo and the kiss, but he has his own drum to march to.

Stefano does NeLo's "Closer".

Lauren does "Born to Fly" from country's Sara Evans.

I have no idea who will be eliminated tonight. Any thoughts?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEETIE!

2011-04-20T14:59:00.000-04:00

My "Birthday Boy" is enjoying his 62nd birthday today. He loves his birthdays and takes advantage of the honor in any way he can! I just step back and let him have a good time!

Lee DeWyze performing his latest on Lopez Tonight

WILL YOU BE WATCHING THE ROYAL WEDDING?

2011-04-18T10:04:00.000-04:00

I'M IN THE KITCHEN!

2011-04-17T10:48:00.001-04:00

I was watching Rachel Ray's show the other day and Ashley Judd was on there making biscuits and talking about being in the kitchen with her grandmother, Polly Rideout. (I think the Judds are a hoot and all their introspection and cutesy words to live by should be dropped at the curb and they should all get in the kitchen and have a hair-pulling, flour-throwing, Crisco smearing girl fight and then get over it!!! ) Anyway, Ms. Rideout used to cook two weeks at a time on a Mississippi River barge and knows her way around a kitchen and has been an inspiration to Ashley. She also mentioned having read SHUCK BEANS, STACK CAKES, AND HONEST FRIED CHICKEN by Ronni Lundy from cover to cover to learn the basics of Kentucky home cooking.

It took me all of two minutes to go to Amazon and read up on the book and two days to have it in my hands! It is food cooked as my mom and grandmother would have cooked it and a fun read for someone like me who grew up with REAL food. (I have always enjoyed reading cookbooks as much as I have actually cooking from them.)

I'm doing some recipes from the book this week with some thought given to reducing the fat where I can and definitely remembering portion control.

I'm doing what the book refers to as CLAY-POT CHICKEN minus the clay pot. This is a baked chicken seasoned with rosemary, salt and pepper, and surrounded with halved potatoes, peeled whole carrots, and topped with a couple of green onions which have been sliced thinly. I will be baking mine in a baking bag which I think will resemble the way the clay pot allows the chicken to be seasoned with its own juices while allowing some of the steam to escape. Sounds like Sunday Dinner, huh? And some leftovers for lunches.
I grew up with Country-Fried Steak that began life as a slice of round steak that had been cut into pieces and hammered before being salt and peppered and dredged in a little flour and fried. This would be served with mashed potatoes and milk gravy and green beans. I don't make this often but when I do, I'm afraid that I have fallen into the habit of using cube steak from the supermarket. That is easier and the smaller portion of two pieces is handier for us, but it is NOT the same. This week, I am going back to the original and just may close my eyes and have some of that gravy!
I have a favorite meatloaf recipe, but I am going to try the one that Ashley's grandmother made that seems to be a smoother, more compact loaf that can be sliced for sandwiches later. It is made with lean beef, lean ground pork, and uses crackers as the binder. It is topped with Ketchup and I will still make it up into individual servings via the cupcake tins.
Harold and I both enjoy beans and cornbread and even though I make my own cornbread, I have settled into buying pinto or great northern beans already prepared in jars that hold just enough for us to have for dinner and then a little for Harold to take for lunch the next day. Well, this week, I am going to do home cooked pinto beans from scratch. Can't wait since I remember how good Mom's were as they were seasoned with a little ham and turned creamy after a day on the back of the stove. This was always a Monday treat at our house since Mom did laundry...wringer washer and the clothes hung outside on a line) and the beans didn't demand a lot of attention.
Have you ever had Fried Apples? They used to fry them in butter or grease left from whatever meat had been cooked recently...bacon or porkchops...and topped with a little brown sugar as the apples softened. We don't do the grease thing anymore but I have some Jonathon apples that will get sliced and "fried" in a stick free skillet with a little brown sugar, cinnamon, and a sprinkle of lemon juice!
There are three recipes for vegetable soup in the cookbook: a Summer version which features summer squash, zucchini, and other summer vegetables; a Winter version with root vegetables; and a standard version that begins with cubed beef, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, celery and seasonings. I'm going Kathy's version which takes what I have left in the fridge and adds some chicken or beef broth and whatever seasonings I am in the mood for that day. I have mushrooms, a red pepper, a little onion. two ears of corn on the cob and a half jar of salsa that I need to use up. (I always seem to have half the salsa left when we lose interest in it no matter what size I buy!)
I will also be making a cucumber and tomato salad as well as as a wilted lettuce salad with red onion and bacon...they call it Killed Salad in the book!

If this is just too much, you can go here and see Heidi Swanson's vegetarian recipes!
What foods remind you of HOME and growing up?

AND NOW THERE ARE SEVEN!

2011-04-15T09:17:00.000-04:00

A little Paul McDonald love this morning after he was eliminated last night in 8th place. This is Kendra Chantelle and Paul doing Blackbird in the Las Vegas week performances.

Best performance of the evening was Casey Abrams and Hailey Rinehart jazzin' it up with Moanin. Fabulous!

Next week's theme is Songs from the 21st Century.
See you there!

THERE IS LIFE AFTER PIA!

2011-04-14T09:07:00.000-04:00

I predicted that the judges would be handing out heavy criticism tonight due to the fact that they had taken it on the chin pretty hard for "not doing their jobs" after Pia leaving last week. And JLo (The Most Beautiful Girl in the World according to People Magazine!) admitted that they were to be a little harder on the contestants after Haley's performance. But she followed that by saying even though this was not Haley's best performance, she didn't want to say anything bad because she didn't want the last two remaining girls to be eliminated. Well, that was helpful!

It turned out to be mentor and producer, Jimmy Iovine, who seemed to be "voted off" by the contestants who turned a deaf ear to his advice and went their own ways. We won't know until the elimination show whether or not they were wise to do so, but Casey and James both received standing ovations after doing so and Scotty got high praise from the judges and the audience for his choice of George Strait over Harry Neelson.

Jacob Lusk took a real dressing down from Iovine for his "preaching to America" last week and was also accused of choosing a "corny" song. Jacob looked a little subdued after the verbal beating and went with Iovine's suggestion of Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Will.i.am must have lots of time on his hands because he is still hanging around the studio and sitting in on the mentor's sessions. I long for the celebrity mentoring! Smokey Robinson, Adam Lambert, and Harry Connick, Jr. come to mind as stand out weeks!

On another note, I have found that listening to the studio recording is a totally different experience than watching the television performances. The contestants are far better on them...especially Paul who shines!

Paul McDonald Old Time Rock'n'Roll in a new suit! And minus Iovine's advice to slide onto the stage or wearing underwear ala Tom Cruise! But with some hot saxophone accompaniment.

Lauren Alaina The Climb ...Iovine tries to engage Lauren in berating Miley Cyrus's singing to no avail and then encourages her to "steal" Pia's voters! Lauren seemed much more age appropriate.

Stefano Logano End of the Road...Stefano dressed casually and performing Boyz ii Men was a good start but he couldn't resist going for the big note and hanging on to it. Improved but not there yet.

Scotty McCreery Cross My Heart...I think he is making an effort to subdue some of the little quirks!...mic holding, leaning.

Casey Abrams Nature Boy...Nat King Cole over Phil Collins! Iovine vs Casey! But Casey stood up for what he wants to be as a musician and stay true to himself. I admire that. But Iovine has thrown down the gauntlet and says he hopes Casey didn't make the wrong decision by not going with his advice! Who wins this argument?

Haley Reinhart Call Me...Haley insists performing as a vamp. Just cool it with the sexy flirtation and concentrate on the vocals, Haley!

Jacob Lusk Bridge Over Troubled Water...Subdued Jacob???

James Durbin Heavy Metal...Another Iovine challenge. He totally disagreed with this choice but James is praised by Steven Tyler for giving Jimmy some "lip"!

Ready for tonight? Who will leave?

IT'S A SCREAM!

2011-04-12T12:36:00.000-04:00

Adam Lambert collaboration with Nikka Costa (you have to watch to the end!)

IF YOU LIVE LONG ENOUGH...

2011-04-12T07:22:00.000-04:00

Lord, let me live until August! That's when I will receive my first Social Security check!

I just want to see my Government money sitting in my checking account one time before I go to greener pastures!

When I received my first retirement check from the hospital I worked for for twenty years, it was like I had hit the lottery. All those meetings I had attended about retirement back when I was in my thirties suddenly made sense. How fast that time went from when I started investing in my future and decided to stay put with one employer so I would receive a retirement check one day until I was in a position to retire and start drawing on that fund that I had helped create!

I got to sit at home and collect money...not a huge amount but enough to make my retirement a little more comfortable. I still smile every time I get the notice from the Sisters of St. Francis that my money has been deposited to my account.

And, soon, Social Security!

I hate paper work! And frankly, I had not looked forward to filing for my SS. I figured I would have to pack up a big envelope full of birth certificates, marriage licenses, Social Security card (I lost mine years ago!) and such and have to sit in a big room with dozens of other people wanting to get their due from the Government. But it is not like that in this day of the Miracle that is the internet! I went to a website, filled in the blanks, double checked everything, and hit Send! It was easier than filing taxes.

When I was young and working, I hated paying all that money to the Government and even though I appreciated how much Social Security had meant to my parents, I kinda resented that I had to pay into the system. And when the Stock Market was heady and stocks were climbing, I was one of those who thought it would be nice if America could invest that money in ways that would make them more than the Government had ever done with the SS money we gave them every paycheck. We all saw what happened to those investments a few years ago!

So, I am glad there will be SS checks coming soon and between that and my hospital retirement, I should be able to keep buying yarn! Gotta keep these old hands busy!

I HEAR THE BIRDS SINGING!

2011-04-10T06:04:00.000-04:00

I don't think any of the Idol kids need to be worried about being eliminated from the show. Look what I just saw this morning!

From US Magazine:
Less than 24 hours after her shocking early American Idol exit, season 10 finalist Pia Toscano has scored a record deal, UsMagazine.com has exclusively confirmed.
The 22-year-old New Yorker — booted from the Fox series Thursday — will record her debut album under the Interscope Records imprint, which is chaired by Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine.
“Pia is being signed to a deal with Interscope Records who are rushing her into the studio to record an album ASAP,” a source familiar with the contract talks tells Us. “Starting [Thursday] night after the show, Interscope told her they wanted her and first thing [Friday] morning Interscope brass started calling every top songwriter and producer in town to get an album together and rush release it.”

That didn't take long!
One of the fun things about being a grandma is watching them in action. This is the latest from the Bloomington Trio. They are performing a host of the latest Internet Memes. How many do you recognize?

Now you have been Rickrolled by my grandkids!
Have a great Spring Sunday!

SHOCKER!

2011-04-08T07:34:00.000-04:00

No secret by now that Pia Toscano was the idol contestant eliminated last night in what was considered a shocker. The judges were left open-mouthed, angry, and crying even though they had heaped equal praise on all nine contestants just the night before.

There was a lot of anger on the internet from fans of the show overnight with many blaming the judges for not doing their job in giving honest critiques of the contestant's performances. A lot of people were angry that she had been "voted off" but that is not the way Idol voting works. No one is ever "voted off" except, perhaps, in the final vote of the season. Fans simply choose their favorites and vote for that person or persons. If you don't garner enough votes and are left at the bottom in vote counts, you are gone. Simple as that. And the truth is that Pia was beautiful and sang well, but she was not entertaining.

Shows like American Idol are not just about singing ability. A number of highly successful acts are composed of singers who may not have the greatest vocals but who do entertain their audiences and leave them happy. That's the way I feel about several of the vocalists this year. I can forgive them being less than stellar at being in pitch or whatever fans of real music recognize as artistry if I am smiling or crying or both after they have performed. I like what I like and I actually vote and support the careers of those people by promoting them to my friends and buying their albums. And as lovely as she was, Pia never inspired my support...plain and simple.

I have been a fan of Idol since the second season and certainly remember Constantine Maroulis and his eyes and lips to the camera every time he performed during his season. I found him amusing and his singing was pleasant enough. I have seen clips of his Broadway performances since and heard that he was nominated for a Tony last season so I was happy to see him return to the stage last night for a performance on the elimination show. I tried to find a video of the performance but the best I could come up with was this audio of Constantine Maroulis performing Unchained Melody.

Perhaps Pia will go on to achieve the same type of success that Constantine has found post-Idol. Sure hope so. And if all those people who claim to love her so much since last night go out and actually buy her music, she should be fine.

ROCK AND ROLL!

2011-04-07T06:56:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I haven't posted since last Friday! I tried uploading pictures a couple of times to accompany a post and when Blogger gave me trouble, I just gave up and closed it down! I just didn't feel like fighting Blogger and my cold at the same time.

So, here I am with an Idol update again. I have a friend in the next state over who has discovered that I Tweet about Idol while it is on and she has been sending me messages during the show. We have become "Idol buddies" and talk more now than in the entire 40 years we have known each other! And my girls watch and Tweet or Facebook with me as the show progresses. It has become a fun event. Right, Grammy?

This was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame week and the songs and performances were all good. We are already down to the top nine so the kids who are left have their fan bases pretty much intact and eliminations are going to be harder and harder but the Wednesday night shows are becoming better and better.

First up was Jacob Lusk. He had chosen (or more likely, had been encouraged) to do a sultry Marvin Gaye song, but was uncomfortable with the sexy lyrics and chose Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" instead. I think it was the better choice for him and was his best performance to date, in my opinion. But he kinda spoiled it all afterwards by declaring in his interview package that if he was voted off this week, it would not be due to his performance but to the fact that the voters had not looked at the man in their mirror! No way to make friends, Jacob!

Haley Reinhart has been compared to Janis Joplin several times by the judges and chose to do "Take a Little Piece of My Heart". Unfortunately, Haley chose to rely on the huskiness of her voice and her hair to represent Janis and shouted the words to the song without emulating the emotion that was in the original. Not connecting with the song seems to be a common theme among these otherwise talented kids. They smile through songs that were painful anthems for the original artists and for those of us who were around for more than three minute clips of their work, it is hard to watch.

Casey did an about face with his choice of songs and settled in on Credence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen Rain". His voice has a little John Fogarty in it and it was a strong "Casey" performance complete with his bass again. After watching several of his numbers, it is apparent that he favors his growls and facial expressions and while at first they seemed unique and endearing, they are now becoming a little tired. I love the jazzy music he does which takes me back to Peggy Lee and Louis Armstrong, but I want him to tone down some of the antics and appear a little more serious about the performance. Having said that, this was one of my favorite Casey moments.

Lauren Alaina chose Aretha Franklin's "Natural Woman". I think this song suffers in the hands of someone so young and especially one who has every trick known to man done to her hair...braids, teasing, coloring, and heavy doses of spray...and makeup done a little too heavy. Gwen Stefani dressed the girls from her new line of clothing and she did Lauren no favors. She has a beautiful face and smile but she suffers from a heavier bottom half like a lot of us. We all know not to put light colored, gathered at the thigh shorts on those bodies! Her top half looked wonderful but the bottom half just screamed for a dark pant of some sort. I was so distracted by what they had done to her that it was hard to concentrate on the vocals. She is young and so pretty. Let her look a little more like a "Natural (young) Woman"!

James Durbin sat down to tearfully sing George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". He explains that the lyrics are personal to him and that they remind him of his family who he has been away from for all these weeks. I have loved Jame's versions of two of Paul McCartney's songs and think he actually sounds a lot like Paul, but he didn't do as well with this ballad. I was hoping his vocals would come across stronger and display the control of his voice that he has shown sometimes in the past, but he never quite got there. He is constantly compared to Adam Lambert but any true fan knows that Adam has TOTAL control of his voice. I want James to do well. I feel for what he has had to overcome and I hope he has a future in the music business which he appears to love so much.

Pia Toscano promised last week that she would be doing an uptempo "River Deep Mountain High" this week and she did just that. Taking on a Tina Turner song can be big shoes to step into and the comparison does not help Pia. She delivered this song in exactly the same way she does the ballads. She is beautiful and has a wonderful voice but there is NO connection! No heart! No soul! I would love to see her in jeans and flats with her hair in a ponytail just singing a song that she LOVES! Pia also suffered at the hands of Gwen Stefani's styling. Gwen needs to keep her day job!

Scotty McCreery did Elvis' "That's All Right Mama" and I couldn't help smiling and enjoying it although he hammed his way through it. He is so talented and so young that I know this is just a learning experience for him and he will grow into a great performer. He needs someone in Nashville to teach him how to handle the stage, hold a microphone, and look into a camera. Will.i.am doesn't have a clue how to improve Scotty's performances! That was just laughable! But there is no doubt that Scotty is already a winner even with all his quirks!

Stefano Langone chose "When a Man Loves a Woman" which Will.i.am tried to tell him needed to be delivered in a slowed down more thoughtful way but none of these kids took advice from him. (Can't blame them for being confused by what he was trying to say because the man can not articulate what he is trying to get across at all!) Stefano seems to want to rush through the beginning of every song so he can deliver those eyes closed and fist in the air big notes at the end. I'm not a fan of his delivery at all.

Paul McDonald got the pimp spot last night and did Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues". I love Paul. You either get him or you don't but he has a solid fan base who love his personality and his Rod Stewart voice along with his smile and hard work ethic. I actually thought Scotty might choose this song! But I can't picture either of them "shooting a man in Reno just to watch him die"! Paul's version was well-received by the audience and may get him enough votes to save him for one more week. Again, Paul already has his fans, has experience under his belt, and is just soaking up everything he can from this experience. In the meantime, I find him fun to watch and look forward every week to seeing what he is going to do.

What did you think? Who do you love?

ELIMINATION NIGHT

2011-03-31T21:50:00.002-04:00

I really loved the new format for the elimination show tonight. The group sing is such a waste of time but having four different groups of Idols perform allowed them to shine in a way that they never do in the "all for one and one for all" and "everyone keep moving" lip-syncs that have become Thursday nights.

I have not been a fan of Lauren Alaina but when she sang "I Told You So" with Scotty McCreery tonight, I appreciated her talent for the first time. The performance was not perfect, but it was fun to watch.

Not so much fun was the pairing of Naima Adedapo and Jacob Lusk for "Solid as a Rock". They never quite got it together and the performance came off as rather clumsy and unrehearsed.

Pia Toscano finally had a chance to move and step away from the ballad when she joined Haley Reinhart and Thia Megia to do "Teenage Dream". She benefited from dressing more casually and "letting her hair down". It turned out to be another fun grouping which was enjoyable to watch and listen to.

And James Durbin's "Band" which has been practicing during free times gave us a glimpse of how Paul McDonald, Casey Abrams, and Stefano Langone can step up and enjoy their music when they sing in a group and are not being judged. I saw Paul as he must be with his own pre-Idol band and actually enjoyed Stefano at the keyboards. The "Band" did "Band on the Run" and I was reminded of how much James sounds like Paul McCartney when he isn't doing the rocker shouting.

Fantasia performed a new song, "Collard Greens and Cornbread" in a red dress that was slit so high that it made me very nervous anytime she moved. I just breathed a sigh of relief when it was over and she escaped the stage without an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction occurring.You will notice that she has gained a considerable amount of weight as she is portraying the great Mahailia Jackson in an upcoming movie.

I was grateful to be watching on DVR and 30 minutes into the show so I could fast forward through Jamie Foxx and Will.i.am's song from Rio. Just not into the Jamie Foxx!

50 million votes came in and according to Ryan, a great number of them were for Casey!

The bottom three were Thia, Naima, and Paul with Paul being sent to safety.

2011-03-31T12:14:00.001-04:00

Well, what did you think of the performances last night? If you didn't catch the show, you can see them here.

The performance I was honed in on and most concerned about was Casey Abram's after last weeks elimination and save. I wondered if it would affect the song he chose and how he would deliver it. Would he go his own way and be quirky or would he go conservative and play it safe? He chose "Your Song" and I think he did a good job. I liked his use of the camera to connect with the home audience and telling us "This song's for you!". I think he will be safe this week.

Scotty McCreery is safe as long as the country vote is solid. He managed to find an Elton John song that had the word "country" in the title, had references to trucks and home in it. and even a shout out to Grandmas...his own Grandma was in the audience and it was obvious that he adores her and she, him! Warm fuzzies. And he got to play his guitar, "Scarlet", which led to his not holding the microphone awkwardly and leaning. He left me smiling.

The performance which left me without a smile and begging for it to end was Haley Reinhart's "Bennie and the Jets". I wanted to like it and thought I might in the beginning but by the time she had dropped herself clumsily from the top of the piano, repeated "B-b-b-bennie" a few times and exaggerated the "s" at the end of "Jets" to the point that I thought I knew where the Bronx zoo cobra had slithered off to, I was just over it and wanted it to end! But the judges loved it and heaped all kinds of praise on her! Do they hear things that much differently in the studio or are they really giving in to the producer's marching orders? I am puzzled. And it wasn't just me. Every friend I know who watched it agreed with me.

Jacob Lusk did "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" in his typical fashion, Lauren Alaina did "Candle in the Wind" in a fairly subtle and nice way, and Stefano Langoni sang "Tiny Dancer" with his eyes propped open and finishing it in front of the judges and grabbing Jennifer's hand after first having to fight off Randy's efforts to have him grab his hand instead.

Thia Megia sang "Daniel" to her brother, Pia Toscano sang "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" just as she has done with all of her other ballads, and Paul McDonald, cute as he is, whispered his way through "Rocket Man".

Naima Adedapo (with some better looking teeth, I believe) decided to do a reggae version of "I'm Still Standing" with a faux Jamaican accent and James Durbin provided a moment of levity after his rocker version, complete with a piano on fire and his hair full of spray, of "Saturday Night's Alright" and then telling Ryan that he was a little concerned about having a Pepsi moment while near the pyrotechnics! (ala MJ). Ryan did a fast reference to Coke who sponsors AI and they went right into a Coke commercial.

Speaking of Ryan, he came out with a new hairdo and a double-breasted (another Burberry?) jacket! I guess everyone had makeovers this week.

Two will be going home tonight, but I have to admit that once the Top Ten is set...or Top Eleven this year...some of the anxiety is removed from the process. By this point they have all been exposed to the music business, have singles ready for download, and have been introduced to the public. They are all well on their way to having a career in the entertainment business and I don't feel as badly for them if they are eliminated. But having said that, there are still a handful that I am actively cheering on!

Big Rumor: Is their a romance between Casey and Haley? Some are saying it is true!

I LOOK FORWARD TO WEDNESDAYS! IT'S IDOL DAY!

2011-03-30T06:05:00.000-04:00

Thanks for all the congrats for Dr. Sarah! It is so hard to imagine that my girls have come so far. We also have Nurse Lara. After all, I am the mom who helped them with multiplication flash cards! And writing legibly!

We are experiencing our first colds of the year and this one is a doozy. It seems like we have been fighting this one for a couple of weeks already with few signs of improvement and the meds we usually rely on don't seem to be helping much. It sounds like a TB ward around here in the morning but it gets better after the coffee. Don't stand too close to the screen. I don't want to pass it on.

It's Wednesday and you know what that means! It is Elton John night on American Idol so we are in for a treat, hopefully. He has done so many types of songs from Benny and the Jets to sweet ballads that there should be something for everybody. I haven't heard if he is going to make an appearance on the elimination show. They seem to be keeping those things tight to the vest this year to make it more exciting. I think they would have a hard time beating last Thursday for surprises though.

This is also a double elimination week so good performances and voting are crucial. I have only voted a few times during my Idol watching days. I would be one of those people who helped put through Clay Aiken, Taylor Hicks, and Adam Lambert. A lot of America probably hates me for that! But I did take the time to vote several times for each of them during the final weeks of their contests.

In case you have not watched, the guys below are James Durbin and Scotty McCreery, the rocker and the country guy.

James was diagnosed with Tourettes Syndrome when he was a child and has overcome a lot of hardships including losing his father to a drug overdose when he was only nine years old. His illness has left him with facial tics that expose him to a lot of negative feelings from those who are unaware of his problem. This is his audition tape:

And for the Scotty fans, this video is of Scotty singing at the 2010 Harvest Festival at which he had won the singing competition the previous year. He is one of the three the show refers to as the "minors" in the contest who are still in high school and have to miss some of the fun in order to attend classes.

On another note, Harold and I have redoubled our efforts to eat lots of fruits and vegetables in hopes that it will help us over this virus. We are beginning to see asparagus in the market which always makes me happy. I love it steamed with lemon juice squirted over it just before I eat it and have fallen in love with it roasted in a 450 degree oven with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. When it warms a little, we will also have it on the grill.

Are you eating anything that is coming into season in your area?

PROUD MOM!

2011-03-28T09:06:00.002-04:00

Our daughter, Sarah, is defending her dissertation today. By this afternoon, she may be Dr. Sarah! Good Luck, Sweetheart!

SHE DID IT!!!

AM I IN FOR ONE MORE "IT WAS MEANT TO BE" IN MY LIFE?

2011-03-26T15:39:00.000-04:00

I've lived my whole life with a feeling that certain things were just meant to be. I was born a poor kid with no hopes of ever attending college. I had plans at the end of my Junior year of high school to drop the college prep courses I had planned to take in my Senior year and substitute some practical bookkeeping and business classes. I had to be practical and be ready to join the work force after I graduated.

But our school guidance counselor was having none of that. He pointed out that my grades would qualify me for scholarships, that there was a new two-year Registered Nurse program at a college only an hour away, and that he would not allow me to not take advantage of it.

The next thing I knew, I was heading to college! And it was there that I met Harold and prepared for a career that would last for the next 30 years.

Harold still had two more years to go for his degree when I graduated and became an R.N. so we rented an apartment near campus.

When it came time to buy our first home, we looked and looked and while we were looking we kept driving by this cute little white house on the corner of the college campus. We finally decided that we just had to stop and take a look and we were smitten. It was cozy, full of real wooden trim, and a nice yard with old trees. It also had a garden plot and a garage with a separate "shop" built on the back which appealed mightily to Harold. We wanted it but we weren't sure if we could come up with the down payment.

Just then, a man Harold knew took an interest in an old Mercedes that Harold had fixed up and offered just enough for us to make that down!

We lived in that little starter home for 33 years!

And when we decided it was time for us to move on to something newer before we retired, the college offered to buy the house from us and offered exactly what we needed to buy the one we have now! (Which we found while we were driving down the Interstate to find another house! Harold pointed to the side of the road and said he thought there was a little lake there. We pulled off at the next exit and drove to where he thought it was and there sat our house...on the lake... with a For Sale sign in front!)

I've had enough of these encounters to believe that some things are just meant to be! So listen to this set of coincidences and see if you think I'm about to become rich!

I had a dream this past week that our older daughter won the lottery! She was holding a pound cake with streusel topping and my mother and I were watching in disbelief as we realized she had REALLY won!

I told my husband the next morning and sent Lara an e-mail with all the details of the dream...just in case! Harold spoke with her that evening and she laughed as she told him that she had just bought the ingredients that she needed to bake a Streusel cake!

We had Chinese that night and my fortune cookie said that my "dearest wish was going to come true"! (I'm not sure that getting money is my dearest wish, but it would be right up there in the Top Three!). So I sent the numbers from the Fortune Cookie to her and asked her to play my mother's birth date as the Powerball!

And last night, I noticed on Facebook that Lara's Horoscope for the day said that she was going to come into money!

So...Do you think that Lara's winning the lottery is "meant to be"?

I DON'T NEED NO DOCTOR!

2011-03-25T05:42:00.002-04:00

But after the shocking ending to last night's show...which was jam packed full of surprises, I think that poor, sweet boy probably did need to see a doctor.

And this is where I am going to direct you to a blogger who could not fill my needs more than she does! Kathleen Taylor is an author, a supreme knitter, AND she enjoys American Idol and covers it in her blog. I read her blog with anticipation because she always seems to see the show and the contestants in a similar light with which I view it, but unlike me, she has the ability to write about it in a very succinct and sometimes acerbic...my favorite!...way!

So...go to Kathleen's blog and read a well-written account of last night's American Idol!

MOTOWN RECAP

2011-03-24T08:41:00.000-04:00

I think American Idol should make every week a Motown theme. Last night's show was so much more energetic and entertaining than last weeks. I enjoyed the entire show even though I preferred some performances to others.

This week's elimination will be important to the contestants because it will determine the top ten who will make the American Idol summer tour. The person eliminated tonight will be left at home!

I grabbed these videos so you could sample last night's performances. As I copied them, I was forced to listen to the songs without the visuals and I have to say that some of the performances...like Scotty's...was far better that way. His voice is awesome but he is young and definitely needs to work on his delivery.

Casey Abrams "I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE"
Casey was my favorite going into the season and I still enjoy his performances, but I prefer the jazzy, bluesy approach he was taking earlier.

Haley Reinhart "YOU REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME"
I'm torn when I view Haley's offerings. I enjoy her voice but the "siren" approach to every number is too much. I feel she needs to tone that angle down a few degrees.

Jacob Lusk "YOU'RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY"
I appreciate Jacob's talent, but I don't need every song to be a power number. Bring it down. Use your pipes to deliver a softer version and I would probably love it a lot more.

Lauren Alaina "YOU KEEP ME HANGING ON"
I think Lauren has a lot of talent but she is very young and will be much improved in a few years.

James Durbin "LIVING FOR THE CITY"
James was my least favorite of the male singers in the beginning. I labeled him as an Adam "wannabe" and wished him gone! But he is growing on me by the week and I think I would place his performance at the top of my favorites for last night.

Naima Adedapo "DANCING IN THE STREET"
Not my favorite but it was an entertaining performance.

Paul McDonald "TRACKS OF MY TEARS"
I am a fan of Paul...you either get him or you don't...McDonald. I love husky, raspy voices and have listened to some of the music he and his band have made prior to Idol and found it very pleasing. He is one of the few that I would put money down to buy his music.

Pia Toscano "ALL IN LOVE IS FAIR"
This girl is drop dead gorgeous and can definitely sing, but so far she had delivered nothing but ballads as she stands in one spot behind the microphone. Even Celine moves around the stage...as the judges pointed out to Pia last night. I'm anxious to see what she does in the coming weeks.

Scotty McCreery "FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE"
I love Scotty's voice but it is hard to watch him sing. Some one needs to work with him because he definitely has a career ahead of him and he will need to be ready for those videos!

Stefano Langone "HELLO"
Every time I watch Stefano sing I think of a cartoon mouse closing his eyes and reaching for the notes! Talented but not my cup of tea!

Thia Megia "HEAT WAVE"
Thia seems like one of the sweetest girls alive and is ready for something on the Disney Channel but I find her to boring, boring, boring! She would be my pick to go home tonight if I could make the decision.

"GO TO" MEALS

2011-03-23T07:55:00.000-04:00

Like me, I'll bet you have a handful of meals that are the ones you go to when you are in need of an idea for something to eat. Any time I ask my husband what I should fix for dinner, he has one of two responses: if we are home, he will always respond Tuna Casserole and if we are in the supermarket, he heads straight for a steak to grill.

Sunday evening calls for a light meal because we usually eat a larger midday meal or have been snacking a lot and our favorite go to for that time is either a grilled cheese sandwich or a sandwich made from toast and scrambled egg.
Short of money and wanting to stick to a budget? Back to the Tuna Casserole which is inexpensive and the leftovers easy to warm up for lunch the next day. And the second choice for cheap eats is a pot of soup which can easily use up the vegetables which remain in the fridge from the last shopping trip or vegetable delivery. One of the great things about vegetable soup is that you can vary the seasonings and turn basic ingredients into an Italian, Mexican, Asian, or just plain American meal.
Need to feed a crowd? I cook a big pot of spaghetti and then do two different sauces. The kids seem to enjoy a rather plain tomato sauce so I do one minus any additions. Then I do a second one which begins with strips of red, green, yellow, or orange sweet peppers and then some sliced sweet onion, zucchini, and any other suitable fresh vegetable I may have in the drawer. I toss them around in a non-stick skillet with some olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. When the vegetables are crisp tender, I add diced fresh tomatoes and a few red pepper flakes. Throw some garlic bread or garlic sticks in the oven and everyone is happy.
Harold's been fishing and brings home some Crappie? Mix a little flour, corn meal and salt and dip the fillets in it before frying. Then it is like a shore lunch! The family expects canned, sliced potatoes drained and sauteed, a can of kidney beans, drained and warmed, and a jar of applesauce. Tradition!

What are your "Go To" meals?

UNINSPIRED TITLE!

2011-03-22T08:32:00.000-04:00

I have Spring Fever...what can I say!
We've had some wonderful, if unseasonable, weather the past few days. It has been well into the 70's and just dares you to go outside and enjoy! I grabbed a rake and cleared some flower beds of their winter debris so the little green shoots of spring flowers are exposed. And we spent some time on the deck just sitting and listening to the birds and wind chimes and breathing in the fresh Spring air.

The warm weather called for some grilled food and I marinated some chicken tenders in a cup of Margarita base before grilling them up to have with a big salad last night. YUM!

I fix Harold's breakfast every morning at 5a.m. so I want to fix food that is easy and fast. Breakfast is his biggest meal of the day and I try to get him something from each food group. Most mornings find him eating a little lean ham, a poached egg, and either toast or an English muffin. He also has orange juice and a cup of skim milk along with a big glass of water and a cup of coffee.

From that basic breakfast, I may substitute oatmeal, a pancake, or a frozen waffle for the bread and another fruit for the OJ. This morning the substitution was one of the new Eggo Thick&Fluffy waffles. They are indeed thick and the aroma coming from the toaster was wonderful...like homemade waffles with maybe some vanilla. And they taste as good as they smell! Each big waffle comes in at 160 calories and 7 grams of fat so they may not be something you'd want to eat every day, but they are certainly fast, easy, and tasty for an occasional breakfast treat. I would eat mine with a cup of strawberries on top!

I thought I would include a picture of the American Idol contestants so you can keep track of who I am referring to when I mention them.

Bottom row: (l to r)Haley Reinhart, Karen Rodriguez who was eliminated last week, Stefano Langone, Naima Adedapo, and Thia Megia. Top row: Casey Abrams puppet head since he was hospitalized when this picture was taken, Pia Toscano, James Durbin, Paul McDonald, Jacob Lusk, Scotty McCreery, and Lauren Alaina.
Inset: Ryan Seacrest, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez, and Randy Jackson.

Paul McDonald and Stefano Langone catching some ZZZZZZ's last weekend.

The American Idol contestants will be performing Motown hits this week. This is Adam Lambert's take on Smokey Robinson's Tracks of My Tears that demonstrated that he could take a ballad and make it soar.

I would love to see one of this year's contestants do something similar. Wonder what Scotty will do with his deep country voice?

ELIMINATION SHOW WRAP-UP

2011-03-18T12:02:00.001-04:00

Karen Rodriguez was the second person eliminated from American Idol. There are now eleven contestants left...six boys and five girls. None of the boys have been in the bottom three. Karen was joined in the bottom this week by Haley Reinhart and Naima Adedapo.

Lee DeWyze sings his latest single, "Beautiful Like You".

It reminds me of what I liked so much about Lee and why he was so panned by the critics! lol
The Black Eyed Peas also performed...with the judges absent their chairs...but I'll spare you that video. I enjoy some of their songs but was not "feeling" their newest...Just Can't Get Enough!
According to industry insiders, Casey, Pia, and Scotty are still the leaders.

ROCK WITH ME!

2011-03-17T10:08:00.001-04:00

Not blown away by any performances on Idol last night so I will give you Steven Tyler at the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors with his tribute to Sir Paul McCartney!

HOT! SPICY! AND HEALTHY!

2011-03-16T10:54:00.000-04:00

I was reading yesterday about the discovery of a substance found in mustard, horseradish, and wasabi (AITC) that may have anti-cancer properties. When researchers gave rats mustard powder, it reduced the growth of bladder cancer by one-third and prevented metastasis completely. No one knows if that is true in humans but why not add a little of these foods to your diet, just in case!

I love all three and don't mind challenging myself to using them more often.

I use horseradish, like everyone else, when I make cocktail sauce and love it mixed with mayonnaise as a dip for oven-baked french fries or as a spread on a hamburger or roast beef sandwich. The article suggests adding horseradish to your favorite coleslaw or to mashed potatoes.

I fell in love with wasabi the first time I tried sushi. The traditional way to use it is to add it to soy sauce and dip the rice or fish in it before popping it into your mouth. I loved the flavor so much that I bought some of the powder and added it to mayonnaise for sandwiches or salads. And I found the Wasabi Peas in the grocery...so crispy and just hot enough to be pleasurable. I mix them in with Chex Mix or throw them on salads. The article suggests adding the powder to cream sauces for pasta or to sprinkle it over popcorn! Love that idea! And I'm sitting here wondering how it would taste mixed with a little honey and pouring it over citrus fruits!

And mustard powder is a fav of mine in BBQ sauces and in potato salad. They suggest using mustard for pickling vegetables and to make your own mustard sauce for dipping pretzels.

Any ideas?

DON'T HATE ME!

2011-03-15T12:47:00.000-04:00

There it sits...what could be the perfect cherry pie!

Once in a while, I just have to have a piece of homemade pie! And can I find it anywhere but home?

NO!!

No one makes a flaky crust, sour cherry, subtle amount of sugar, and thickened with tapioca pie like I expect when I say "homemade".

Not Mrs. Calendar, not Sara Lee, not Bob Evans, not even the local pie shop.

It's a good thing I watched my dear mother bake all those pies! But, then again, if I hadn't, I could settle for less because I would have no idea that a cherry pie could rise to such heights!

(I just hope it tastes as good as it looks!)

SO MUCH FUN!

2011-03-14T07:08:00.001-04:00

This recipe is from They Draw and Cook web site!(Click on the drawing to enlarge it.) It features recipes that have been submitted in the form of drawings. There is an accompanying site with recipes submitted by kids. Go and look around this very creative site.

Do you ever get a food in mind and just have to make it? I've had the picture of macaroni, ground beef, and diced tomatoes swirling around in my head for several days so I am giving in to this simple pleasure and preparing it for supper tonight. Simple but so good!

Just like the chicken recipe featured in the drawing. My mother used to call her version of the lemon chicken Greek chicken and it was wonderful. She always served it up with oven roasted potatoes with olive oil and oregano. They weren't into stuffing chicken butts back then so she squeezed the lemon juice over the outside of the chicken and then tossed the squeezed out lemon halves in the pan so the oils from the lemon rind would combine with the pan juices.

What are you having for dinner?