Afternoon, everyone. I didn't really sleep in but the morning got away from me. I made the PB ricotta muffin recipe first thing this morning (they are delicious when still warm), then hit the grocery store, did a load of laundry and helped DH fill the inside wood rack. We are supposed to be below zero (Fahrenheit) for a couple of nights this week and that will mean lots of wood in the wood stove.
Jennifer, I concur with Karen: YUM! Tomorrow I will be doing something similar.
Debbie, there is a family story about the drain getting clogged one Christmas (it was the fat from a prime rib) and when we called the plumber he suggested diet coke. Can you believe it actually worked?!?
Cyndi, a while back you mentioned a pizza crust you were experimenting with. Can you post a link? I have one with flax meal and parm cheese, but am always looking for new ideas.
Thought I'd say hi before I head off to work. Yesterday was an extremely long day and I'm glad it's over. Just wish I had a day to recuperate. Oh well. I did sleep then woke up and new I had to go back to sleep at some point so I got up and did a few things and washed the dog. It's been needed for a while so he's restricted to inside today although he's already getting pretty dry.
Karen, I'm so excited for your trip! One of these days I look forward to a winter vacation.
Good morning everyone! OMG it was freezing here in Brooklyn yesterday, 15 degrees and very windy. Maybe it's because I'm getting older but I find I am really less tolerant of the cold. I so much prefer summer, even when very hot.
I bought this book called "The life changing magic of tidying up" written by a Japanese home organizer named Marie Kondo. Let me tell you I'm a clutterphobe sort of to begin with, but using her methods I literally discarded 8 full Trader Joe's paper bags full of clothes. Her motto is "keep whatever sparks joy and get rid of the rest". My closet and drawers are so spare now, and I can see everything...I love this and can't wait to move onto the rest of the house. She suggests organizing by category (clothes, books, papers) rather than by room and I think it really works.
Today I have church this morning, I'm serving and I also am going to bring new flowers for my two friends' columbariums which are in the church. Then I need to somehow figure out how I'm going to get all these clothes over to the thrift store (DH will have to drive me). This evening I'm meeting an old friend for a quick drink. That's about it...hope everyone has a great day!
Good morning Debbie, hope today is not too bad. May you get some rest tonight!
I enjoyed my visit with my colleague yesterday (and gratefully she didn't talk too much about work!). Today is just church, plan out the menu, and grocery shop if I'm up to it. Yesterday was honestly one of my weakest days, so if needed, I'll send DH out. He loves getting out of the house anyways!
I need to browse thru the recipe section for easy healthy meals. I haven't made Mexican crockpot in a while, which is the kids' favorite, so that's a definite. Hmmmm....
I'm going to be spending most of my morning in the kitchen. DH prefers to alternate Kalyn's egg muffins and SB muffins for breakfast so I make a batch of both. I also want to make some of the protein cheesecakes. Has anyone tried mixing in a few chocolate chips or some SF jam? I am thinking I will eat them for snacks and dessert more than breakfast.
We seem to finally have a break in the weather (an area just south of us got 54 inches between Friday and Saturday!!) so DS1 will be heading back to school today. A mother's worries are never over, they just change as the kids get older. I will be easy until I know he is back safely. (Speaking of which, Jennifer, can I ask how DS is doing?)
Tammy, I love Mexican crockpot! Hope you feel better soon.
Matilda, isn't it amazing the stuff we accumulate? I've been doing little purges but need to keep at it.
Good morning Freezing here again too. It went several degrees below zero last night which was a bit of a surprise. I got up in the middle of the night and started the faucet dripping and propped the pantry door just to be safe. It is January but I still don't like it!
Yesterday was less productive than hoped so today's list is daunting. I'll get to what I can.
Debbie - Hope you get a breather today.
Matilda - I love that advice! I've been working on decluttering for 2+ years. I have to admit Julie was quite a packrat so it's been a long process (not that I'm not but wow, she had a lot of stuff). I love the results so that keeps me at it. I'm going to try that with my clothes. I know I have more than I should.
Tammy - hope today is a better day.
Beth - I am still experimenting with cauliflower crusts. They all taste good but most need to be eaten with a fork. IMO Kalyn's recipe and Detoxinista's are the best I've found so far. I'll go find those links in my Pinterest and post them. (I am a Pinterest fiend. So many recipes, so little time! We rarely eat the same meal twice other than the handful of required favorites)
Okay, a little more reading and looking for just the right recipe for dinner and then I need to get to it!
Beth - I've melted chocolate and added it to those cheesecakes. WARNING!!! OMG - they're a little *too* good!!!
Cyndi - I keep thinking I should go on pinterest during my break. I don't need another addiction, but I did get rid of facebook!! BTW - I won't be able to do the garden in the spring (too much upper body; off limits for 6 months), but DD said she'd help. Whaddayathink!? Not sure if I believe her....
Wow! I woke at 4 and convinced my brain to shut up. Just woke 20 minutes ago - just time to potty the dogs, feed them and grab a coffee. grab. Had a bad moment until I realized it was Sunday, not Monday, and I didn't need to be anywhere for 9!
No snow in the forecast until tomorrow so I just may go to Brockville and look for "sensible" shoes. While I'm there I'll check out cell phones too - I've had it with not being able to read the print on my darned Blackberry Bold. I can't use the keyboard either since it's so tiny. Sucks to get old!
Sounds like everyone is in January mode with tidying and purging. Anyone who is free can come up here and help me pack up my two china cabinets, buffet, two huge bookcases and a large dresser as I try to get organized for the Great Downstairs Floor Replacement in a month. I'm seriously thinking of professional movers to pack and unpack but know the girlfriends will want to do it. Joanne and Heather are already arguing about who will be in charge. Gotta love control freaks!
OK - finish coffee, get my desk stuff into manageable piles and make a list for shopping in town. Somebody got out the last roll of TP this morning!
Tammy - What about some container gardening, something you could sit in a chair and just lightly fuss over? If your DH and DD do the heavy work of planting at least you could have some of the things you like.
I adore Pinterest but I don't really use it in a way that sucks a lot of time. I know I could do more with it but it's just a great recipe and idea organizer for me.
Woke up early and decided to get up since I went to bed early because I did not feel well at all. Hoping I get over this cold soon.
Yesterday the grocery store was crazy but we got it done. We were going to go bowling but leagues were going and then the restaurant we went to was full so we just came back home. I ended up just having a veggie smoothie for dinner it was yum.
We are supposed to get ice later on today haven't listen to the updated forecast yet.
Matilda - I wonder if that book would inspire my husband! We are polar opposites on the clutter spectrum.
Cyndi - I never made a cauliflower crust that worked. I've seen calzone and other versions too but never tried them.
Ruth - I can't read the screen on the new phone we got for our trip! On mine, I know how to enlarge everything for my aging eyes.
Pinterest is one site I haven't gotten into. Or Instagram. Or so many others. Facebook - yes. Twitter - rarely, although I did a lot on there when I was blogging.
I'm going to Title 9 today to try on the few bikini tops they have in already. The rash shirt that arrived yesterday will work well but I'm still trying to find something better to wear under it than a sports bra or tankini top. I work this evening after the store closes. We got in a big Spring shipment so several of us will be putting things out. Which will quite interfere with my typical red carpet watching! But I'll record the Golden Globes themselves and watch tomorrow. I don't care if I already hear who won.
Quickie fly by for me! We just got back from taking Carley home, and picked up groceries on the way back. The way the parking lot looked, you'd have thought people were going to be stranded at home the rest of the week! We're expecting a wintry mix in the morning, but it's supposed to turn to rain and then be outta here later, and the rest of the week doesn't look bad, so I don't know why the big rush today.
Karen, how about trying a tank top under your rash shirt? You may like that better than a bikini top, and you'd get a bit more coverage.
Beth, I really like Detoxinista's recipe for cauliflower crust, and I bake it a little longer than prescribed for a sturdier crust. It will get soggy the longer it sits, though.
Freezing here again too. It went several degrees below zero last night which was a bit of a surprise. I got up in the middle of the night and started the faucet dripping and propped the pantry door just to be safe. It is January but I still don't like it!
