Good morning and TGIF - although I woke way too early. Anyhow, I have a load of laundry done and the dishwasher is just finishing up. My timely reminder just popped up to tell me to thaw the turkey that I am serving Sunday night. It also tells me it's payroll day which I had forgotten.

Yesterday, Natalie, my assistant curator, had a small stroke which shocked us all! She is only 27 and in great physical shape. Follow-up is happening but, in the meantime, I'll be at the Mill office finishing up a grant application which is due October 31! Some of my baking plans for today are down the tube but I do have enough in the freezer.

I had moules mariniere and some toast for dinner last night. What a lovely meal, low calorie and easy to prepare. It's been a home cooking week as I've been digging out old recipes (1960-69), beachifying them and giving them another try. I did an oven beef stew this week which I'll post when I have adjusted the seasonings a bit.

Off to tackle a hectic day but I do have fun, fun, fun Book Club tonight! How does your TGIF look?

Good Morning

Thanks for getting us started, Ruth. Sorry to hear about Natalie. There comes an age are concerned about certain health matters, but 27 and in such great shape must make for a very difficult time. Prayers are lifted up her direction. Your recipe revival sounds fun. I've been gradually working on it. I had to look up Moules Marinière (Moules = Mussels and Marinière being any shellfish cooked in white wine with onions and herbs). It sounds delightful and OP. Take care today! Your advance planning sure set you up for not having to do any all out baking.

I've been busy getting the house in order before I head to Denver with mom this morning. My new "job" went well. 10 hours straight without one sit down. It definitely counts as exercise...and I got paid, too! I don't know when I'll go in again but I certainly got my foot in the door.

Food was OP and I actually missed lunch without any problem at all. We just had an early dinner. I'm amazed at how stable my BS is these days. I wasn't even hungry.

Ok, back to chores. I'll check back in a little later. I've boxed up some clothes for Okie(BellaLucia). I've been cleaning out the closets again.

Good morning Ruthie and Deb. I slept in until 6:15 this morning, and the aroma of coffee finally lured me out of my warm nest.

Ruth, that's a shame about Natalie, and I'm sending up prayers for her. Have I met her? It is a good thing that you have a stash of baked goods in the freezer so you can fill in today, and I hope you have good news on your friend.

Debbie, what did you do at the diner? Cook or waitressing? It sounded like an enjoyable day for you and a fun way to make a few $$$. I know when I'm around food all day, with all the aromas and looking at the food, I'm hardly ever hungry.

Mother Nature is being kind to us today with a day full of sunshine, although windy and cold. I do believe it's Fall in my neck of the woods. My plans for the day are to give the house a thorough cleaning this morning, then I'm hoping to pull all the plants except for the chard out of the garden and start turning over the soil if it's not too wet and muddy out there. A friend gave me a bag of Roma tomatoes that I want to roast to make soup and pesto with, too, this afternoon.

I'm going to enjoy a nice bowl of oatmeal before I do anything. I was just about to tuck into it yesterday when Maggie called. She wanted me to take her and Audrey to "Breakfast with A Buddy" at school, and forgot to tell me about it the night before. So I off I went, with two very happy and excited little girls.

Good morning I'm working out the kinks of using a laptop connected to my monitor. My lovely old desktop is definitely dead. DW is going to try to recover data for me I keep thinking of things I need that are stuck on the old hard drive.

Ruth - Wow, 27 is so young. Hope they figure out what's going on and it's easy to address.
Your recipe project sounds like fun. I've got so many old recipes I'd like to play with. Maybe I'll work on some of them over the winter. thanks for the idea!

Debbie - Add me to the people who want to hear more about your job Happy and safe travels, any worries about s**w this time?

Cottage - Happy sunny day off! Are you going to plant any garlic while you are out there? My garden is reduced to kale trees

Yesterday was a lost day with computer stuff all day. Today I'm moving on. I have 16 days to get all the conference details set for work and to get the house in tip top shape before Julie's surgery.

Happy Friday

Hi Linda! It sounds like you have your day all mapped out! TGIF! It's waitressing, which I'm very good at, but was incapable of doing at my HW. I had a moment of nervousness before going in, but it was so exciting to see what great shape I'm in these days. It was sooo busy and I held up better than the lead who does this every single day. Enjoy your fall-like day!

Cyndi, no s**w. Have you decided on your new equipment yet? How frustrating when it "just happens". Best wishes as you continue to prep for both your conference and Julie's surgery.

Debbie ~ Isn't it amazing what you can accomplish by getting back in shape?

Cyndi ~ did you get a new laptop, or just rig up your old one? I never replaced my desktop when it died. I have 2 laptops now (I use the older one as an emergency backup), and I don't think I'll ever go back to a desktop model. about the chard "trees". That's exactly what those thick roots resemble. I've lost a few of mine, too, but still have enough to keep me happily supplied.

Good morning!

Except for the number staring up at me today from my scale. I have not eaten well this week. I think I need to give myself a few days of PH1 to gear up for my next big challenge - my trip to LA next weekend.

First, to get through today. After an unusually early workout with my mom, we head to her lake house with DH to start things rolling for the sale next month. Today we meet with a mover and mark EVERY item in the house (some stay, some move, some go to auction). So, meals and snacks on the road today. Which is why I'm waiting until tomorrow. Honestly, I think the stress leading up to today is what got me eating. But who knows.

The roofers should finish up today. I hope it doesn't matter that we won't be here. We didn't expect it to take them so long. I'll be glad for the noise to be over.

Off to try to eat this early, before I work out.

Have a great Friday, everyone.

No new computer yet. I have a work laptop that I'm using for everything right now. That was part of my contract, I wanted to continue using it because it has all my campaign related stuff on it. Thank goodness or I'd be on my really old, slow birding laptop. That would have sent me out to the store yesterday. I'm trying to avoid an impulse computer purchase and figure out what I really need and can afford. Right now I've got the laptop hooked to the monitor and trackball. I really do like working at a desk and my back insists on it.

Debbie - I tried waitressing once and just didn't have the patience for it. Wish I did.

Cottage - my kale has these crazy, thick stems that almost have bark on them. I will still be able to pick as long as the leaves are above anything that might fall to the ground around them (I am not using that word!).

It's a slow starting day around here. DW is working from home and just got up. Guess it's time for me to look at the list and get moving. I'm making multiple day lists now, they feel more manageable than cramming everything in one day

morning all. Quickly driving through to try to get some work stuff done for this conference next week. I leave on Tuesday.

I plan to do Ph1 until I leave.

I am up a lot of weight right now. I know it's coming off TOM and just not getting enough veggies in. I need to make time to food shop and stop with all this ordering of food. Such a waste and I can kick myself for it. Stressful time right now with DW coming off her anxiety and depression meds (TTC) during the height of her SAD. Can't let her depression get the best of us both!

Oye, sorry to unload....