[JayEll]

Spiny, it may be that there is a specific spice used in Indian cooking that just doesn't agree with you? Now, I myself don't do well with lentils unless they are thoroughly cooked... and I mean, thoroughly. It is sad what happens...

Does anyone here like hot, spicy foods?

Jay

[Spinymouse]

I like hot and spicy! I was raised on bland and boring. (Spices to my mom were salt and pepper.) It was terrible! First time I went to someone's house where there was a spice rack I amused byself by smelling spices for an hour or so! I don't think there is a spice that disagrees with me (I can just imagine it now -- saying to me, "You're wrong!") but maybe I just haven't narrowed it down yet!

[meowee]

Well . . . maybe it's just me . . . but to break one of our rules and complain a tiny bit about my aging process . . . the older I get the less my stomach (well actually my lower intenstinal tract) cares for hot and spicy. Unfortunate because the tongue and the mind still like it a lot.

My point -- and I do have one (to quote Ellen ) -- as we age, our internal processes do tend to change -- sometimes we even develop new (and nasty) little allergic reactions to stuff that never bothered us before.

Anyway SPINY, hope you soon feel like your old (and unstuffed) self.

[CountingDown]

I LOVE hot and spicy foods! I grew up on lots of processed bland foods. Spices were not even present in our kitchen. Living in a small town, we don't have many ethnic restaurants, so we adore trying exotic new places when we travel. We are cooking with a lot more spices now too. Finding wonderful sauces and recipes is a passion! Every time we visit the kids is Oakland, we spend a lot of time hunting for great condiments to take back home. One suitcase is devoted to food and wine - LOL

[Craftyone]

Hey Counting!! I like you - I decorate for every season, every event - well except for Halloween. We don't really celebrate that. My tree and decorations will go up this weekend for sure!! I just love putting out all the things I've made over the years and all the special ornaments on the tree - each stocking hung precisely and every bow in place!! It is the most wonderful time of the year, and I'm like a kid in a toy store!! It's just such a marvelous, holy time of celebration!!

[JayEll]

Good morning!

Craftyone and CountingDown, I think if I celebrated Xmas I would really like the spiritual side of the holiday, but the commercial side is what gets me down.

Being Buddhist, I don't celebrate anything in particular at this time of year--although there are some commemoration days. I do send small gifts to my family members just because they are family, though.

I love hot food! Thai is my current favorite, although I've found that here in Florida, the restaurants have dialed down the heat considerably. If I order the food "medium," it is usually what I'm used to as "mild." I used to live in San Francisco, and Thai food would bring tears to your eyes...

I think if I can just hang on to my plan today, I could be down another pound by tomorrow... but who knows for sure... it would be nice to begin T-Day at a lower weight, since we're eating out.

I also bought some "roast chicken with cornbread stuffing" Lean Cuisines, which may fill the need for "leftovers" on Friday. (Spinymouse, I'm thinking that would not be a solution for you--but I'm pretty lazy when it comes to cooking. )

Jay

[meowee]

Good Morning . . .

[Spinymouse]

Good Morning everyone!
Jay, I'm with you about the commercial side of Christmas. It really bothers me, but I do appreciate the spiritual side of it.
It bothers me especially to hear about how the kids get indoctrinated with the materialism of it, seeing how much they got, comparing that to what other kids got, really learning to be quite greedy. Or at least that is how it appears to me.
Oh, and I'm glad I don't see TV much. Those Kay Jewelers commercials bug me too. Making it sound so sweet and angelic to covet diamonds.
tinkly bells,

-scroogemouse

[CountingDown]

LOL - I love the "scroogemouse" moniker spineymouse. Although I immerse myself in the holiday spirit, all my decorations are truly "Christmas" decorations. No santas or reindeer here. We have always done Advent readings with the kids. We never had "Santa" bring presents either. While I do spend quite a bit on the kids for Christmas, it has always been something they needed or was educational. A new computer for instance. When the kids were home, we always did hand-made gifts for them as well. Old-fashioned toys, hand-knit mittens, etc. We helped them make gifts for their grandparents. They still carry on the tradition as adults. They make gifts for us now. It is really wonderful to see them carrying on the tradition.

Jay - I agree with you about SF Thai! We had never eaten Thai food until we went to SF 3 years ago. How wonderful! Now it is a favorite. But it is hard to find Thai restaurants that match those in the bay area. Lots of Thai food is on the agenda for our visit to the kids next month! I am salivating just thinking about it

Debbie - same here! We have always made/bought ornaments every year for the kids for the tree. We have so many memories tied to those ornaments. When DS got married and I packed up his "collection" I cried for two days. I still get teary thinking about it. Since we are visiting the kids over Christmas, I doubt we will put up a tree this year. I am excited about the notion of seeing those ornaments again on their tree.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope you have a blessed and enjoyable day!

[JayEll]

Good morning!

Today I hit my lowest weight "in modern history." I'm not down a pound, though--only half. Won't go on the ticker yet.

So that's not a bad way to start T-day, considering that yesterday I was blindsided by a roast beef sandwich for lunch at Panera (it was my first time there and I didn't have the calorie counts--let this be a warning!). That sandwich turns out to have as many calories as a double quarter pounder with cheese... But, I must say it was pretty filling, and I didn't eat dinner as a result--just had some snacks.

Enjoy the day!

Jay

[meowee]

Great going Jay . . .

HAPPY DAY to all my US buddies who will be celebrating with too much food today . . .

. . . and a great big HI for everybody else, too.

This is the normal shopping day for my buddy and me; and I know she wants to get lots of stuff yet. Sooooo . . . I'd better get a move on. Even if you can't feel bushy-tailed . . . hope you are all really bright-eyed all day . . . extra should help. Back later.

[meowee]

Happy LEFTOVERS DAY to the Yanks . . . Happy ?????? DAY to the rest of us.

Guess it will be fairly quiet around 3FC again today since so many will be out doing the major "shop 'til you drop" routine. Nothing exciting for this Canuk . . . maybe I'll start the gift wrapping process. Definitely need to stay out of the kitchen -- I get an almost overpowering urge to bake, bake, bake at this time of year -- that would be okay, except for the other almost overpowering urge to eat, eat, eat, that always seems to goes along with it.

Anyway . . . Try to keep things moving and shaking, today, gang.

[JayEll]

Good morning!

Dinner out yesterday was delicious. I ate what I wanted to eat, and not more than I wanted to eat. I have some leftovers for today's lunch, if I want them. Our Thanksgiving was about being with a couple of friends, and not about food!

You would not get me near a shopping center or downtown today! I cannot understand this lemming-like compulsion that overtakes the culture. Why on earth would anyone get up early to mob the stores...

We might get more rain today, so I hope to get my walk done early.

Cheers!
Jay

[Spinymouse]

Good morning!
I would rather be bludgeoned with a crowbar than go shopping today.
Wouldn't people rather be on an empty freeway than a crowded one; a flight with a lot of empty seats than a packed plane, etc. ? So why do they want to be in a packed shopping center? You couldn't get me to go if everything was free. I guess that would be like crowded looting? I'd prefer un-crowded looting.
scroogemouse

[JayEll]

Hey Spinymouse,

I'm with you. I don't get it, either!

Not only that, but I've heard that fights break out... Now isn't that just the height of the Xmas spirit?

Jay