First - the link back to the prior thread -


Leg Three of Our 2017 Journey

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Mornin Chicklets....

HAPPY...thank you for setting up the new quarterly thread. You are a rock star!!

LAURA...did you learn anything at the conference? You know when mom gets the new stove she will find something else to complain about? Right? That is just what parent's do. Enjoy it and her while you can.

CEEG...hope your hip is better today.

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Got my hair cut last night then came home and Sam colored it. Looking much better. Stopped at the local pizza place and got 3 chef salads to go for under 11 bucks. That was dinner.

Had counseling this morning. It went really well. Did a mediation exercise that lets you build a container in your head that only you can open or close. When something is really bothering you, you unlock and open the box and place that thought in the box, close and lock. This is so you can think about the present and what you are supposed to be focused on. We shall see how it works for me and if I can do the exercise<----not a good word for me...exercise. bah. Seems like the day before my counseling session I start to struggle with things more than usual. We will see if this helps.

I am taking Thursday and Friday off. I have days to burn before the end of the year. Tomorrow will just be a whole lot of nothing day. May try to take a jaunt up to the north side of Indy to go to Whole Foods or Trader Joes. They carry some Keto stuff that regular groceries do not. Friday is zoo day with the boys. Looking forward to it.
Saturday is Pinnochio at Beef n Boards with the boys. Sunday is church then Waterman's fall halloween festival just down the road with the boys.

Busy few days. Hello to all.

Love and Hugs...prob won't be back till Monday.

Keto Sausage Balls Ingredients:
• 1 lb. Breakfast Sausage
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Cup Almond Flour
• 8 Oz Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan
• 1 Tbsp Butter (or Coconut Oil)
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Add eggs and spices to a bowl and beat until well combined
3. Add all other ingredients to egg mixture
4. Using a cookie scoop and your hands roll sausage mixture into 20-25 sausage balls (I made 23)
5. Place sausage balls on a cookie sheet
6. Bake for 16-20 minutes
Store in a sandwich bag or covered bowl in the fridge

So good morning friends,

Had a good day yesterday. We took a long drive up north to apple country. Was hoping to see some colors but surprisingly they are at about 25 percent - I guess being along the shoreline of Lake Superior kept them warmer. One of the orchard guys said they got their first freeze / frost yesterday so while the colors are a bit late, they are hardly at all out. Good to know as the (erroneous) maps they are showing on the news are not accurate and we weren't sure if the little bit of color was as good as it gets - it's not. So we will have to schedule another trip in a week or so.

We did hit up several of the orchards. I have a variety of apples I picked up. Probably about 8 different kinds - I want to make some freezer apple sauce, some apple juice and maybe a baked good or two. We sampled things at several of the stores - DH got a jar of spicy cranberry salsa - too hot for me, a jar of maple mustard that might go well with pork, and we picked up my favorite apple cider doughnuts as well as DH's favorite - apple pie sticks - basically apple pie filling rolled into a tube of pie crust, baked and rolled in cinnamon sugar. Even I like them - it's like having a half slice of pie - just enough for me. Of course DH cannot stop at just one himself. We stopped at a winery and I did a sample of 6 wines - DH thought I was going to be having 6 glasses and was wondering how he'd drag my drunken butt back to the car but i said no- that's 6 SIPs. Although I had only eaten one doughnut and after the equivalent of about a glass and a half of wine I was feeling it I did purchase several bottles - one that was a nice white with just a hint of sweetness from the apple base. I don't like very dry white wine - I figured I could cook with this too. They had one with strawberry rhubarb that was surprisingly tasty - got a bottle of that too. Also picked up a bottle of red as we are going to a dinner party tonight cooked by our favorite chef from the classes as his primary business is catering and intimate dinner parties. I am also bringing some apple pie sticks for dessert - not sure if he's making dessert as he is more savory in his cooking.

All in all it was a nice day. We stopped about 3pm for lunch/dinner at a Chinese restaurant in a town on the way home - they renovated and their food is not as good as it once was. Both of us said there was something off - not spoiled but like a different seasoning that we didn't like in each of our dishes and we had different things.

I got home and sat and watched a bit of tv for a while. Then got up and went and finished up packing the meat from the freezer fiasco. New freezer is running fine. It's nice to have the shelf space. I decided to take my chances and refreeze most of the meat I had. They said it might be a bit dry from loss of moisture but everything I froze again was vacuum sealed and I only froze the stuff I'd use with soup, sauces or gravies so that there were be added moisture in it. That's part one. I laid the stuff on the open shelves so it would freeze nicely and not stick to the other packages. Once frozen I put it in a plastic storage bin so that beef, pork, chicken is grouped together. Then I can just quickly pull the bin out and get what I need off to the side instead of keeping the door open and letting all the warm air in there. I am disappointed a bit that the new freezer configuration is a bit wider but less deep than the old one so I can't close the door with the bins I was using side by side - they are about an inch too long. I already broke off a plastic piece of something when I tried to close the door the first time.

Now I need to portion out all that shrimp I bought and package it and freeze it today once I can stack up the meat I put in last night. And I have about 6 bags of apples to peel and cook up, but that's a weekend project. I have my writing class in a couple of hours and just like book club, the week flies by and I realize I have not done my homework and wrote a page and a half each day like I was supposed to. Teacher will collect our writing so I will have to hustle and knock out a few pages after I post this.

I was hoping I had a doctor's appointment soon so I could discuss this painful foot of mine with her but I called today. I have a nurse's appt on Friday for my B12 shot - and I don't see the doctor until next month. I will talk to the nurse Friday and hopefully (but I doubt it) see if I can see her sooner. She has taken over a retired doc's practice and while it was hard to see her before, she is almost impossible to see quickly now.

Let's see if I can click over and catch up with personals.

Laura - ugh - I know the feeling of trying to fit into some tight clothes - especially seasonal ones. I hope you can find the motivation to get back on program again. We will just have to help each other along. The wine tasting sounded like fun - did you buy anything besides the sweets? You shouldn't have much of a problem finding a white stove. I just swapped out a white for a black mostly because the refrigerator I wanted only came in stainless and what they call a black stainless. I like the black stove but I do think it shows smudges more than the white and needs more frequent cleaning but not as much as regular silver stainless would. Ok so I guess I will have to figure out some sort of shrimp-a-thon feast for you guys to help us eat up this bounty of shrimp

Ceejay - good to hear that you are feeling well. Are you keeping yourself busy or just enjoying the surroundings? Isn't retired life WONDERFUL???

Shad - I want to see the new hair cut too - even if you just post on FB.

Annie - when you come up here you can drink lots of my tap water. We have an abundance of calcium and magnesium in it so you can get refreshed AND get your minerals DH is planning another trip next fall to go to Colorado for a week for picture taking. When he does one of these trips I should plan a girls week up here at the compound. The only thing is that DH is captain of the pontoon boat, driver of the UTV (although I could do that but I'd get lost and don't know where the trails are and we sort of need him for the recreational end of things. I can get us to the lake to fish off the dock. And we don't need him to sit on the deck and enjoy the wildlife and eat and drink and yak yak yak although the animals are more skittish around me. That might be fun. Nina is missing Meadow. She walks around her and is much more talkative than usual. Mostly she is looking for DH who she follows everywhere he goes and cries if he's not around. I keep telling him we need to get her a new baby sister fluff ball before all the kittens are gone but he says she doesn't want one and that's probably true. I want to hear about Keto sausage balls as I have 2 packages of ground pork to use up. My heart is with you missing Michael today I hope you have a nice dinner with Pia tonight. And more smiles than tears.

Susie - come up for air girl!!! Hope they are not wearing you out on the hamster wheel at work.

Anyone hear from Michelle - I am thinking of her as I watch the devastation of the fires in California. So many bad things going on...

Going to post this and get busy. Enjoy the day ladies.

Annie- thanks for the recipe - I will give that a try as I think I have all the ingredients. Thanks too for sharing the therapy exercise. I have a problem dragging things over and over and OVER in my head. I must have sticky fingers as I hate to let go of anything. But worth giving a try.

Enjoy your days off and long weekend. Make sure it's all fun!

HAPPY...I saw on FB thread that I belong to as Chelle does. She mentioned how severely depressed she was and hated herself due to gaining all the weight back from losing through gastric bypass surgery. Very downtrodden. She does not reach out to me anymore, well, nor do I her. Guess I shall do that. Prayers to Chelle.

Don't know where the time goes.
Haven't been doing a lot since I've been in Branson this week. Been cleaning a bit for sis while I'm here.
It turned cold last night.
I'm mostly healthy, happy, grateful and blessed.

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Annie
Good for you in taking a couple of days off from work. Every one deserves that. Sounds like you have some good things planned. Thanks for the therapy exercise tip. I'm going to try that.
Question is coconut flour good for keto?

Happy
Thanks for setting up the new thread. That's a good idea on freezing the food separately before stacking.

Laura
Are you still having those conferences? I really need to buckle down on the food. Haven't done to bad this week though since I don't have a care ready available. and start back to the gym next week.

Susie and Shad where are you?

Afternoon all. I had the annual CPR training class this afternoon. Same instructor as last year, and she’s really good. Good to have the annual class as a refresher.

Happy – Thanks for starting our new thread!

Annie – Yeh, I did learn a couple things at the conference. I wasn’t sure which sessions within a given time slot to choose, but I’m glad that this time I went with the ones that piqued my interest personally even though they might not be directly job-related. == Next on the list for m’s condo renovations will be the bathroom. She wants one of those walk-in bathtubs… Once the kitchen stuff is done, I’m sure I’ll have to listen to complaints about how unsatisfactory the bathroom is that's done. I have learned diversionary tactics though. == I’m glad your session this morning helped, and I hope you find the meditation EXERCISE helpful too. == Thanks for posting the Keto sausage recipe. I’d have to get some almond flour – don’t have that in house. == Enjoy your time off! I have some time I need to use too.

Happy – Your outing to apple country sounded nice – and tasty. == LOL re the wine tasting and your dh's comment. I showed bf the map of the tasting spots for the one I did on Saturday and we counted and said, “You drank 14 glasses of wine?!” LOL. It was a smallish stemless tasting glass we were given (lucky it got home safely after carrying it around all afternoon) and most of the stops filled it with about 1-2 oz. A few filled it way up if you didn't stop them! If we liked it, we drank it all, if not, we dumped it out after a sip or two, enroute to the next stop. One place it was filled twice because we were waiting for the heavy rain to let up! Strangely enough, the wine we both liked best was the one from the very first stop we went to. I looked it up online and a liquor chain with a location close to home has it, so I have to get over there and buy a couple bottles. Anyway, neither of us drank 14 glasses of wine - not full-size ones anyway, lol. == No, didn’t buy any art. Some of the stops were more like art fair type displays and some were more on the crafty side. Nothing I absolutely had to have. == Sounds like your freezer is all set up. I bet the refrozen meat will be just fine. Bummer that the freezer isn’t the same configuration. Along the same lines – our new microwave is fine, but it doesn’t have the feature where you can just hit the “1” button to have the microwave go 1 minute (on high). I think it was like that with all the number buttons up to maybe 6? Anyway, it was handy, but it’s not a feature on our current microwave. We’ll get over it.

Ceejay – You’re a good sister to loan her the car AND clean house for her. == My conference was about half of Monday and most of yesterday. Over now. I did the evaluation/survey this morning. == You can do exercise without any equipment you know…sit ups, planks, wall pushups…just sayin’.

Hellos to Shad, Susie & Dee.
==
I had to ride my bike home in the rain yesterday – bf was at his mom’s house. I didn’t do any exercise after getting home – I was kind of whooped after that conference, and after coming home and pulling off all my wet clothes and drying off, etc. Plus I was feeling lazy. I’m not too keen on working out tonight either. Sigh. Need to hoist myself back on the exercise track.

Okay, gonna get this posted and get out of here. G’night all.

Haven't had my haircut. Probably should take the mop down to the hairdresser but there isn't enough to cut yet. I took a photo earlier but don't seem to be able to post it. Will have to try to sort it out. Back soon. Thunder and lightning over here.

Morning ladies
Still in Branson. Ate at Subway last night. I'll have lasagna for lunch from Olive Garden that sis brought home from work. Yum
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Laura
I've done a couple of video's. They don't register on the fitbit. And I could go outside and walk. Guess I'm just lazy this week.

Happy
Saw the picture of the llama on FB. I thought they were white. Did you buy apple's? I bought some apple cider last night.

Annie
Enjoy your day's off.

Shad
Can't wait to see the picture of your hair.

Hey Susie come up for air.

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I'm happy, 95% healthy(hip pain is almost gone) grateful and blessed.

Hi ladies,

Well I certainly have blown away the morning and I didn't really need to. Backtrack to last night. We attended the dinner party at the home of our friends - very lovely dinner that Chef cooked for us. My only issue was that it was far too much food - 5 courses. We started with a fish cake (appetizer), proceeded to a sweet potato soup topped with pork cheek bits (very tasty pork and the soup was fantastic too), then we had a baked fish entree with habenero sauce (which I avoided) with a bean cake. 4th course was flank steak with mashed roasted sweet potatoes, shaved brussel sprouts and ick roasted beets. Dessert was vanilla creme brulee topped with fresh berry compote. We all brought a bottle of wine so there was lots to eat and drink. By course 3 I started eating only a portion of the meal as I knew I was getting pretty full by that time. As we were eating dinner my friend reminded me that I had agreed to attend another of chef's classes (scheduled for tonight). I said oh that conflicts with bingo but the glass is being held in another town and she like me is not keen on night driving so was really hoping I was going to go. So I have to let someone down... turned out to be bingo. So I had to go and sign up for the class which got me to looking at other classes. So I signed up for the cooking class tonight, an online marketing class, a drawing sky lines on note cards class, a beginning crochet class, a Coping with Arthritis class, a beginning Sushi class, a Joy of Pie (baking) class and the next session of Yoga that sort of conflicts with my current Write Your Life Story class. Guess I'll be busy! But at least it's spending more me time and not being aggravated with volunteer time. It took a long time to check out the classes and make sure there were no calender conflicts. Then I got an email for Penzey's spices and I needed a few things so I ordered from there.

Now I have to hustle as I have 90 minutes to get my shrimp into containers and into the freezer and figure out something for DH to make himself for dinner tonight. I have a 3pm training session on the shelter software online and I am getting picked up at 5:15 for my class tonight. Somewhere I Have to figure out how to get 3 loads of wash done as well as get myself cleaned up. Tomorrow is a B12 shot and talk to the nurse about my foot (which is slightly getting better) and then we are going to dinner and the comedy club tomorrow evening. Good news is I have Saturday to myself although we might take a drive and look at colors.

Ceejay - DH posted another picture - there was one white llama and one dark brown one. Yes, I bought a bunch of apples - about 8 varieties. I think I bought 3 bags of regular kinds and then a few of some different varieties to try when I make apple sauce as they recommend using more than one kind for the best flavors. That's wonderful that your hip pain is easing up. Did you do anything special to treat it? Get outside and enjoy the autumn before it's gone. How long are you staying in Branson?

Shad - I hope there is some rain to go with that thunder and lightening. But not TOO much rain.

Laura - glad you got something out of the conference. As for the wine tasting, this was my first one and she arranged the wines from most dry to most sweet. I think I liked that better - going around the tasting as you did, I'm wondering if I'd get a mix of flavors and could I remember what it was that I liked or do you have a sheet to mark up? The last time I used a microwave with buttons like 1 for one minute was back in the office. At home I have had the same Whirlpool model of microwave since the 90's when we remodelled the kitchen in AH. We liked the one we had so when we had to replace the one in Memphis - we got the same one since it was the best rated on the websites and then again when we had to replace the one here that died, got the same model again I guess you can't beat what works I hope you get a little more oomph to get home and do some sort of workout - as the days get shorter and the weather cooler, it does tend to make us a bit more sluggish.

Annie - thank you for the update on Michelle. That's unfortunate that she had issues but as we all know, maintaining is the hardest thing of all. I hope she can get over her depression. I hope you are enjoying your days off and doing something for yourself as well as whatever tasks you had planned.

Hello to Susie

I need to get off the computer and get going RIGHT NOW. Talk to you tomorrow.

Afternoon all.

Shad – I bet you’re looking forward to having enough hair to get a haircut!

Ceejay – I’m glad the hip pain is easing up.

Happy – That’s quite the list of classes you’ll be taking! You’ll have to enlighten me on the drawing sky lines on note cards class…

Hellos to Annie, Susie & Dee.

==
I did, in fact, drag myself down to the basement after work last night to do one Body Electric workout. I also walked home from the train since I didn’t have my bike, and bf wasn’t available to pick me up.

My foot is feeling quite a bit better - as far as the stress fracture goes. However, I was wearing a pair of old flats with no support for the two days I was at the conference, and my bunion (same foot) started giving me pain. Next the plantar fasciitis will flare up…

A couple of days this week, our company has had a professional photographer on site to take photos of us, on a voluntary basis. I had my photo taken this afternoon – ugh. I feel bad for the photographer since I couldn’t get too excited over any of them. I know I’m not alone in not liking how I look in photos, so I guess this is something to which professional photographers must become accustomed. Oh well. We’ll receive all the photos taken of us to use for our own purposes. We’ll also choose one to go on the company intranet. I didn’t do anything special to my hair or makeup, but now I wish I did. I might have to do some photoshopping of my photo – blur it a little bit, lol.

That’s about it for me, so I’ll get this posted.

Good morning Worldlies,

Went last night to the cooking class. The high school is newish and they have a really nice Home Economics classroom. The front of the class has a teaching cooking station with an overhead mirror so that you can see what the person is preparing. We sat in the back row initially and chef made us sit up front at the very end seats. So I didn't get a good view of the mirror but I was able to watch him cook directly. We did various pizzas - none of which had red sauce. The pizza dough he made was really good. The pizzas were "different". One had sauted kale, sliced fresh apple, Queso fresco cheese and he put a pesto sauce on the base and once the pizza came out of the oven he finished it with a healthy squirt of lemon juice. That was my favorite one - the lemon juice didn't taste very lemony - I understand now what they mean when they say acid "pops" the food. It just boosted the flavor. He said you can use acids - tomatoes, vinegars (balsamic and flavored ones), citrus - as a substitute for salt when you are trying to cut the salt in your diet. Acids work like salt to enhance flavors. We also had a fig and onion jam one, one with pheasant and Mangalitsa Pork cheeks (the only meat one) and a couple of others that had too many hot chilies or sauces for me to taste. He made a small pizza for 10 of us in class so I only got about a 1 x 1 inch square and I had not eaten all day except for morning coffee so when I got home I was really hungry. I had packed up the shrimp earlier that morning - bought some plastic quart sized containers - the kind that you get take out Chinese soup in. Was going to use them to freeze soups but they turned out to be perfect for storing 24 shrimp in water in the freezer. The problem with shrimp is you freeze them with shell on and you have to double freezer bag them because sometimes the shell pokes through the plastic and makes a mess. These quart containers (freezer safe) were perfect and they double stacked on top of each other on the highest shelf in the freezer. This is also the shelf you want to keep sort of open to let the air circulate so that worked out good. I kept some of the shrimp back and DH made a batch of shrimp scampi for himself for dinner and I also asked him to boil up about 2 dozen to keep cold. I'm so glad he did because I ate about 8 of them for my "supper" last night. I got home close to 9pm - my friend was glad I went with her because she is as bad as me when it comes to night blindness and she wasn't sure of where she should be driving so we needed 4 eyes to get home. DH needs to be the Uber driver for both of us! I watched the Cubs baseball game - they pulled ahead just as I sat down and then the game went wobbly back and forth. I went to bed in the 9th inning because I had to get up at 6am but I did hear that they won the game and moved on in the playoffs to the next series of games.

6am came quickly - it's getting light now so I can head out to the shelter and help clean the cat rooms and give poor Podah the sickly cat the softest blanket and some good head scratching. It's off to the nurse at 11 to get my B12 shot - probably should get my flu shot too but I am feeling the sniffles so on the fence about that. I also want to see if she can get me in sooner to see the doctor. My kitchen is filled with apples but I think that's a weekend project. And tonight we are going to the comedy club if I get to sneak a nap in before hand

It's very cloudy and dark out there - not sure if it's going to rain.

Laura - here's the write up on the Skyline class. Imagine designing your own set of notecards with skylines in different mediums, colors and light. You will receive ideas and instructions that will inspire a full day of guided skyline drawing. Bring 6 blank notecards w/envelopes, colored pencils, charcoal, an eraser, and a sack lunch. (A set of art markers is optional). I was sort of inspired as one of my favorite "pictures" is riding the train as we head into winter as the sun sets and the sky is fading with just a bit of blue and some pinks of sunset. Silhouetted against the sky is the dark outline of the leafless trees. I always noticed this as we passed the woods in DesPlaines and I love that look. I also have a picture that DH took for me when he came up here to check things out on a house hunting trip and took an October picture for me with the perfect sunset. I hope that this class will allow us to do something like that. In any event the teacher is a very eclectic, very encouraging fun artist - we always have a great time with him even if none of us have any talent whatsoever

Good for you for getting a workout in. I'm glad your foot is starting to feel better BUT as you found out - you have to baby it longer than you think because it easily flares up and you are back to square one. Bummer that you didn't like any of the pictures - some people are very photogenic (I have a friend like that) and they always look good in pictures. ALWAYS. I am not one of those people and I'm always disappointed. So I just chalk it up to "you either got it or you don't" and stopped expecting that one day I will look as good as Linda in a candid photo Better to just see you in person

Gotta comb my hair and slap some jeans on. Good thing about cleaning the shelter - you don't have to get dressed up or fuss too much as the kitties reach through the upper cages and pull on your hair anyway!

Have a good weekend everyone!!!!

Happy
Let me know what you learn in the Coping with Arthritis class. I used to make my own pizza's but they are cheaper to go buy them. But I might start making them again. What will you do with all those apples? I realize they will keep a long time.

Laura
I truly understand about the foot problems. You may not want to do this but I've been using my lumbar massager on my feet. At first they were really sore and very sensitive but now it just feels good. Believe it or not it's reduced the size of my bunion! And the plantar fasciitis has calmed down. Not sure how it would do on the stress fracture though. I really don't know what I would have done with out that massager. I got my sis one also.

Annie
Did you take off today?

Hi Susie, Dee and Shad.

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I could have gone home this morning but I do not know how to drive in Branson that well especially in the round about. Sis will get her car back this afternoon. I may have my BIL take me to get my car. I may go home later this afternoon.
This is about it for me.
I'm happy, grateful, blessed and 98% healthy. No pain this morning in my hip but I'm still taking Aleve. Just not as much.
Have a great day.

Feeling awful today. I had muscle soreness yesterday from doing the BE workout the night before, but otherwise felt alright most of the day. But on the train home, my throat felt funny. I got home and planted myself on the sofa watching tv. I turned down the thermostat because I felt warm. Then I got the chills and got under a throw blanket, and turned up the thermostat a couple times. Then I got up to make myself something to eat and I realized how achey I was, and that my throat was sore and then I knew I was coming down with something.

Still feeling crummy today, but I did go to work. On top of the aches and sore throat, I also have a hormonal PMS headache that's worse than usual. Glad I did go to work though because I had a meeting first thing, and someone stopped by my desk about something important. I'm going to lay low and just try to hang in there the rest of the day. Glad I don't have anything else on the calendar for today, except for a compliance session (online), which is a good "lay low" activity for today.

Okay, gonna post. I'll probably be laying low over the weekend, so I'll be back with personals then. Have a good weekend everyone.