Yes - minus 12 C . Sorry, keep forgetting we now measure with a different scale than you. Too cold for November - on any measurement! And it's snowing again today.

I had a cold snack yesterday afternoon and it was no longer satisfying at all. I'll have to buy a big box of teeny frozen samosas from the specialty grocery and start nuking 3 of those for the afternoon winter hot snack. I find food temperature really does add/subtract to its appeal for me in the different seasons. I never eat enough salad in the cold months. Just doesn not appeal to me at all to make or eat it.

Dagmar

Soups... stews... crock pot... that's the thing!

That's right! I'm planning on baking some honey whole wheat rolls too and freezing and reheating as wanted. Hearty food for heavy weather!

I have been invited to a sushi restaurant for a birthday on Saturday and don't quite know what I'm going to eat. I have had sushi 3 times in my life and liked it but I think I'm going to ask for something hot and cooked. Cold raw fish doesn't appeal to me in winter somehow.

Dagmar

I had something called Unagi Don, which was sushi rice topped with eel. Really tasty! And a regular Coke, which I never drink. My hands started shaking about 2 hours later from all the sugar/caffeine.

Dagmar

Gosh, you had a big reaction to that coke, Dagmar! I drink so much coffee that I doubt caffeine would do that to me. But I won't drink regular soda - I just don't like the taste. I'll do diet root beer or diet cream soda every once in a while. Sushi has never appealed to me either, no matter what the temps outside. I'm a brave eater of strange veggies, but not of raw proteins.

We may actually get rain by mid-week. Not holding my breath.

I drink a lot of caffeine too. It was the sugar in the Coke that set me off. Usually when I have a soda it's a diet one but the restaurant didn't have anything that was sugar free. I'm too cheap to pay $6 for a bottle of sparkly water, which was the other choice.

Dagmar

Howlin', not all sushi is raw. Unagi (eel), for example, is always cooked. So is ebi (shrimp). And salmon, I think. But you can always ask at a sushi place.

I'm having to stand up at a condo board meeting and introduce myself. This always brings up the issue of what to wear. I have some good clothes, but it's always difficult.

Yeah the stuff I had was cooked. I think tempura is also all cooked?

Good clothes - I have heard of those . . .

Dagmar

The seaon's first rain has finally arrived. Towns farther south are getting more, but we are getting a little. Kind of misty/drippy. I'll have to walk in the house for exercise.

DH's family was supposed to come over for dinner last night. They didn't make it so we now have meals for tonite and probably tomorrow as well. Cool! I'm starting to get into that being outside all day in the cold (and rain today) and then being exhausted in the evening cycle that I go through every winter. Nice to have dinner just a reheat away.

Dagmar

Did the brave thing and went to the store this morning. Not for U.S. Thanksgiving stuff, but just some items to tide us over. We are going out for dinner that day and taking a friend along. We have no family here, and many of our friends are doing the whole "family thing," but we don't mind being on our own. Going out has the drawback of no leftovers (or is that a drawback? ) but the advantage of no cooking and cleanup.

I've always wanted to go out for Christmas Day. Our big do is Christmas eve and I host every 3rd year. So no leftovers the other 2 years. I'd like to have a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. My family doesn't do that and I always enjoyed it when we had Christmas Day with DH's family. I think I'd really enjoy just going out, eating the dinner at a nice restaurant, and then going home.

Dagmar

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate!

• Choose the foods you love and enjoy every bite. Skip the foods you don't love.
• Don't talk about weight, gaining weight, losing weight, dieting, your thighs, etc. If someone else starts with this, change the subject.
• Take the time to talk with your friends and/or relatives about things that matter.
• Remember that the food is secondary. This day is about gratitude.

Thanks for the great reminders, JayEll! And Happy Thanksgiving!

DH and I have taken to having a little toot after dinner on Saturday and then listening to music. Much better (for me at least) than having alcohol. No residual effects but I do get the munchies. A splurge once a week is fine.

Dagmar