I was going to post in the weekly chat and couldn't find it!
Wondered where Bill was, then remembered he was going to Italy (right?). Hope he's having a blast!
Overall good weekend for me. Ellie is doing much better finally. We are still barely getting anything done but she is improving with her manners somewhat. Dh is grumpy that Wilbur (the cat) isn't afraid of her and is coming downstairs. Every time he comes down, Ellie chases him, plays with him, etc. and any calm we've gotten is quickly gone. Ellie is scheduled to have her ears cropped on Friday. I'm already worrying about her and missing her (she'll stay at the vet's office overnight).
It's funny to me that a puppy can bring neighbors together. We've lived in our house 9.5 years and barely spoken to our neighbors except a wave and a "hi". When we got Dewey 4 years ago (the dachshund), we spoke some to our next door neighbor as they had a dachshund too. I've been walking Ellie and Saturday the neighbor and I sat on her driveway for probably 45 minutes chatting. We have tons in common and I don't know why we took so long to finally chat! Another neighbor came by and chatted too. It was so nice. Poor dh couldn't figure out where I'd gone. He was in the shower and came out and I was gone. He could see my purse, my phone and my car so he figured I had gone out.....
Just had a little cry with a teacher friend. She came in and told me she had to put her chihuahua to sleep on Saturday. He was only 10.5. She is divorced and her only child (dd) is at college. I feel for her so much. Luckily her dd was in town for the weekend to offer support, but she is also heartbroken because he was her "brother". So sad to lose pets.
Dh and I had a nice weekend. Saturday we went to bikram yoga AND the gym! And sushi....
Yesterday, we went to bikram again, and had a foot reflexology massage. Heaven.....
Last edited by traveling michele; 05-18-2015 at 10:41 AM.
Thanks for the birthday wishes, and happy belated birthday to my fellow Taurean, Shannon!
Ear cropping ... ? Not touchin' it with a ten-foot pole. I'd rather talk about religion or politics, LOL! Michele, I'm sorry for your friend. I still puddle up when I think about our past furbabies, even the ones I would have thought I wasn't all that attached to. Fortunately they bring us far more happiness and love during their time with us!
Going to be another busy one. We do a big BBQ for the Indy 500 (Sunday) so there's a lot going on with clearing/cleaning this week. It sounds like it will be about 50 people.
Last edited by ICUwishing; 05-18-2015 at 11:47 AM.
Oh, wow! Memorial day is next Monday! Where has the time gone?
Saturday DH, my in-laws and I drove in to watch DD get her master's degree. She was so happy! She didn't "walk" when she graduated from college (she participated in the honor's graduation which I think was a whole lot more important) and she was debating whether or not to walk for her master's but someone said it brings closure to that part of school which would be important since she's going to spend another four years there to get her doctorate. Afterward there was a nice reception in her department and then we went out for a late lunch.
Yesterday we went to see the Mad Max movie. It was okay. I would have preferred to see Pitch Perfect 2 but DH wouldn't hear of it until after he'd seen Mad Max. And so PP2 out-scored MM at the box office! So there! Pffft.
This week I need to really buckle down and get some menus with healthier (less calorie) meals. I think I've been relying on too much cheese and bread. Tonight will be salmon and fresh steamed artichokes. Yum.
In a total turn around I really liked "Mad Max Fury Road" and DH didn't. I was expecting a loud kinda stupid cartoony movie and it delivered in spades. Found the guitarist that drove the skull guys army particularly hilarious.
We are having a quiet holiday Monday. Fish stew for dinner with salad and no carbs. DH is going to try the "Fit for Life" diet again. It worked for him many years ago. We'll see.
Belated Happy Birthdays to Shannon and Becky! May you both have a great year!
Glad to hear that Ellie is getting better. Whew!
My new avatar is Pepper, one of our cats. He is DH's favorite and is a big wus.
I drove to Death Valley with a friend on Friday, then stayed Friday and Saturday nights at Wildrose Campground with some of my hiking buddies. Good thing I took my giant Ford diesel truck because all my friend's stuff would not have fit in a regular car! I think she brought eight large bags full of various things, plus a giant foam mattress. Wild burros walked by the campgrounds both nights and serenaded everyone. Saturday we went up to Wildrose Peak, then on Sunday we went to the top of Telescope Peak at just over 11,000 feet. I had a good time, but by the end of the weekend I was more than happy to drop my friend off at her house and get back to some peace and quiet. Probably I was just tired, but she was really getting on my nerves.
At home everything is fine except for a few "chicken issues". The mother hens keep occupying the dog houses. DH felt clever because he closed the door to one kennel run to keep the mother and babies out. Unfortunately they took up residence in the second dog's house. My idea was to set up a few more igloo dog houses which the hens could use, but DH had burned the old straw while I was gone, used up all the rest, and hadn't purchased more. The hens are not interested in bare dog houses, only comfy ones. I sorted that all out on Monday and finally got a couple of hens relocated.
Allison - congratulations! Glad she walked!
Michele - that's really sad for your co-worker. So painful.
I am in New York city for my DD's graduation. Today was Class Day - and that was really nice. Afterwards we ran 5 miles in Central Park! She's become a huge runner the past 6 months - and of course I have, over the last 10 months or so. Tomorrow is the commencement for the whole university and they light up the Empire State Bldg in the school colors at night! We stay here through Sat morning and then go to Long Island to visit relatives. Then DD comes home with us for a few weeks before she moves back up to the city. She has not found an apartment yet -so not sure where she will be living but she will figure it out. We are coming up the end of June to find something and buy her the stuff to set up the apartment. Feels like we will be rich once that is done!
Last edited by CalCounter1003; 05-19-2015 at 11:48 PM.
Saef, to answer your question on the previous week regarding birthday indulgences - yes! My girlfriend and her two teenage sons surprised me in the late afternoon on Sunday with a Guinness stout chocolate layer cake frosted with Bailey's buttercream. The two of us had moderately-sized slices, and the rest fell to the young vultures and my spouse. She employed the strategy we all talk about when we want something "over the top" - she made it, and shared it, and had no leftovers to tempt herself. Next week will be the Holly Hotel's 8-course celebration of the morel mushroom. That will be the birthday meal, since DH and I have only 6 days between our birthdays. Link here if you'd like just a bit more detail on the dinner: http://www.hollyhotel.com/events.html I am not sure if I would describe myself as a "discriminating palate" so much as "gustatorially curious", . I am fascinated by the whole realm of food - the science of taste, nutrigenomics, agriculture, new flavors, new combos of old ingredients, you name it. Even this site is about food - we all still have to eat and figure it in to our goals for our spirits and bodies.
It appears that I now have a start date for my new job - 3 weeks from Monday. Yesterday I was queried by a senior manager as to why I was leaving. He seemed legitimately curious and we ended up talking far longer than either one of us expected. I have a greater appreciation for the warped world they live in up there, and I think he walked away from it with some new views on how the decisions that were made appear from the "peon's perspective". It sounds like I will be requested to have the same discussion with our director. Will it change anything? Oh, heck no. But the company claims to embrace diverse views, and mine is now officially out on the table.
Allison, congrats on your DD's degree! She did look absolutely radiant in the picture. I can't believe how fast the time has gone! I also need to shake up my diet, for the same reasons you have (and wine/beer).
Dagmar, I'd like a quick overview of what's in your fish stew. Good luck with the Fit for Life; is it a way of eating that works for you too?
Alice, thank you! Pepper's very cute. I have a friend like yours - I love her to death but I'm coming to realize that more than 3 hours with her is simply exhausting. I wonder at times if maybe I "use" her to validate my own life choices (marriage, kid, not chasing money and thrills). I'm always up for chicken stories - pretty sure we'll have some as soon as DH retires.
Sharon, congrats on your DD's graduation as well! It sounds like a terrific weekend.
Becky I am not a cook during the week - going to state that up front. My fish stew is one yellow onion chopped and sautéed in butter until translucent, followed by adding one large can diced tomatoes with a teaspoon or so of red curry paste mixed in, bring to a simmer, add some pepper and salt and a package of thawed white fleshed fish and simmer until fish is done to your liking. When I'm not bound by DH's diet I also dice a couple of potatoes and add them in with the onion until they start to brown. Then I simmer them for a bit before adding in the fish. The whole business takes about 20 minutes start to finish and is done in one pot.
I'm not a fan of Fit for Life but I'm willing to go with any diet DH will do as long as it's reasonably sensible and this one is. Basically we can eat protein and veggies in any quantity together, or carbs and veggies in any quantity. They also advocate lots of fruit for brekkie but DH isn't awake enough to do that so we only really follow it at dinner. Once his job finally ends - his notice was supposed to be up April 29th - DH can devote a lot more time to figuring out how we will eat and making the meals.
Howlin', isn't it you that tells me it's pretty hard to lose without feeling a little hungry? Well, I'm hoping you are wrong still, but my weight is right back up.
Becky, happy belated birthday. We had 3 morrels grow in our yard this year! Our local wild mushroom vendor told us it was the new wood chips they like, and not to expect them to come back again...But I hope they do! Your mushie celebration sounds awesome!
I, too, love food. I'd like to harness that love in a way that cares for my body, mind, and spirit, as you mention. That's why I'm here! That's the reason I left what had worked for me for a long time...I got tired of vilifying certain foods and feeling like I needed complete abstinence from certain ingredients in order to maintain my "sanity" with food. I might end up going back to that old way, but I'm not giving up the dream of finding a middle way yet!
Belated Happy Birthday, Becky! Enjoy your morel feast. I feel like you just had that recently, so I know the years are flying by!
Sharon-- congrats to your dd! Enjoy New York! I know what you mean about feeling rich when the kids are out of school. I feel like it's around the corner, but then it's not. Older dd (the teacher) is hoping to buy her first house this summer and I know we will likely help (or pay) the downpayment and more. Hopefully someday they'll really be off our payroll!
My weight is way up today and I'm grouchy about it but not going to let it get to me. So many reasons it could be up-- I'm very sore from body pump Monday, last night's dinner, I have horrible allergies and feel all puffed up, who knows.... Hopefully I will see a sizable drop tomorrow.
Today is my last day with all of my Kindergarten classes. It's always a wild a wooly day (2 classes come together so up to 52 kids at a time) so I'll be glad when it's behind me.
There is a saying that there are two kinds of people: Those who live to eat and those who eat to live.
I'm a live to eat kind of person.
And I not only like to eat, I love to cook! I spend a lot of time looking up new recipes to try. Of course I try my darndest to make them healthy and low fat and low calorie, but sometimes that isn't possible.
I recognize that lately (over the past couple of years) I am drawn more to a vegetable-based diet. Meat, if present at all, is a very small portion (most of the time). My DD bought me a spiralizer for my birthday and I love trying new vegetables spiralized.
That said, my FIL went to Home Depot yesterday. I asked for him to look for zucchini plants. He said one will be enough, but I kind of doubt that. My grocery list this week has a dozen zucchini on it for at least three dishes this week.
My tomato plant is doing great! I have two ripe ones harvested and at least two dozen more in various stages of ripeness. DH is going to have the gardener rip out more bushes (hopefully this weekend) so I can plant some more!
And we're having our grass torn out today in preparation for artificial turf to be put down (doing our part for the drought). Hopefully by Friday afternoon we'll have a pretty lawn again (we turned off the water two weeks ago so it's getting brown and crispy).
Allison, my DH also got only one zucch plant, and I also feel it is not enough. We have volunteer squashes coming up but they are sure to be a mix of things and perhaps not very good. Last summer I ate 1 to 2 pounds of zucchini a day. I think I'll buy a four-pack if I can find one. I love cooking delicious food, but if it is not healthy and low cal it makes me feel guilty for feeding it to my obese DH. I can afford to eat a measured amount of something high cal, but he will end up eating most of it and he does not measure portions.
Georgette, yes, I'm the one who says you have to be a little hungry to be losing. The only exception for me is if I have eaten too much the day before, which tends to blunt my appetite for a day. But that doesn't count, since it doesn't produce a net loss. Today I'm really tired from staying up too late last night, and I know my appetite will tell me to eat way more than I need. Being tired gives me a bad attitude also. I'll be doing my best to limit my intake but I need to be in bed early or too much eating definitely might happen. Good thing my DH finished up a chocolate bar and some m&m's that were in the cabinet. Hang in there! You don't have to be very hungry, just a little bit at night. Brush your teeth and go to bed.
Michele, glad you will be done with all the classes today. That will certainly feel good! My weight is up too, but all we can do is take it one day at a time, eat according to plan and see what the scale does over the next few days.
Becky, good to hear you are moving quickly through all the administrative bs of changing jobs. I'm sure I'll have more chicken stories as I try to get a big coop built and catch the extra roosters. Right now they are free range chickens.
Sharon, very nice that you got to run in Central Park! I grew up in NYC and have fond memories. Congrats on DD's graduation!
Dagmar, your recipe reminded me that I have to get some red curry paste, or else find some in the deep recesses of the cabinets.
Yesterday was our 25th anniversary. We went out to a Mexican restaurant where I had shrimp and steak fajitas. I had the waitress bring a box with the meal, and I immediately scooped all the beans, rice and tortillas into the box. (DH will surely enjoy them today). I ate all the shrimp, steak and veggies, as well as chips and salsa. I think I still came in under my 2100 cal limit for the day, but my weight is up to 128. After dinner we saw Bonnie Raitt and her band at the local Fox Theater. She was terrific!! We didn't get home until 11:30, which is why I'm short on sleep today. I need a nap.
Happy Anniversary, Alice! We are coming up on our 28th anniversary. I truly can't believe I've been married that long.
I'm not done with classes yet. Just kindergarten. Though I will be done Friday.... and no school on Monday-- hooray!
Now I want some zucchini plants!
I'm so tired too. Stayed up till 11:00 to watch the Voice finale (then still had my 3:00 wakeup with the puppy and my 5:00 wakeup for work). Hopefully I'll get to bed closer to 10 tonight-- we are making sure we give Ellie a "last out" at 10 pm so she can "hold it" longer.
Michele, your puppy travails remind me so much of potty-training toddler travails that it's strange. Do you also have to "puppy-proof" the house?
Georgette, have you given up on adding a large soup/salad before lunch and dinner to add volume without calories? And have you considered alternating lower-calorie sweet treats with your beloved ice cream sundaes? What about a 100-calorie dessert (e.g., a frozen-yogurt bar, or mini-bag of kettle corn) 5 days a week? Or saying that you'll have either cheese OR sugar, but not both in one day?
Dagmar, what don't you like about Fit for Life? I've never heard of it, and to me, "carbs+veggies in any quantity" is a dangerous game, since I can binge 500 calories on cereal alone, but maybe you mean unprocessed carbs. OTOH, fish stew sounds delish, and makes me think about my Hungarian heritage, and how my mom used to make "Fisherman's Stew" when I was a kid and I thought it was just awful, but now I love it.
Andrea DH has to learn to eat reasonable portions of food. "Fit for Life" encourages (in his mind at least) unlimited amounts of carbs - "eat until you are past full" - and this is NOT a good eating plan for DH, who is a carb junkie. Since he will now take over most of the cooking, due to his impending unemployment, I will also be offered carbs, carbs, and more carbs, and chastised for not stuffing myself and feeling hungry later. Carbs do not fill me up - protein, meat and egg protein, does. If I add a protein to my dinner DH freaks out. We went through this years ago.
I am so glad I'm going off on a 18 day long dog sit next week. Give him time and space to compose himself a bit and generate some sort of workable plan for food and exercise.
Maintainers Weekly Chat May 18-24
I'd rather talk about religion or politics, LOL! Michele, I'm sorry for your friend. I still puddle up when I think about our past furbabies, even the ones I would have thought I wasn't all that attached to. Fortunately they bring us far more happiness and love during their time with us!
. I am fascinated by the whole realm of food - the science of taste, nutrigenomics, agriculture, new flavors, new combos of old ingredients, you name it. Even this site is about food - we all still have to eat and figure it in to our goals for our spirits and bodies. 
Good luck with the Fit for Life; is it a way of eating that works for you too?
not my circus
