BOB--We had a buffet breakfast every morning in our small B & B hotel: eggs, grits, bacon, sausaug, biscuits, gravy, coffee crumb cake, waffles, and cereal. What I had: 1 pc. sausage, about 1/4 C. grits with butter, 1/4 waffle with fresh fruit and a bowl of cereal. Not very good. The next mornings I had cereal with fruit.
The first dinner we ate at McCrady's, about 1/2 block from where we were staying. I had seared foie gras for starter and fish for entrée and something chocolate for dessert. The second night we ate at Carolina's where I had braised veal shank over some sort of cassolet. The starter was 4 grilled shrimp on a small bed of risotto. Dessert was vanilla ice cream in a praline basket with poached pear. All was delicious, both nights. I did not eat much of the praline because the ice cream and pear was sufficient. The third night was more of a late lunch: Tomato bisque with crab meat, home made potato chips, (mmmm!) and a small shrimp appetizer. No dessert. All the restaurants were within one block of where we were staying and so we walked. We were not as close to Hyman's, but NEXT TIME, we are there!!!
I just got in from lunch and school. We went to the noodle cafe for lunch and had bubble tea, and Pho with beef. I am sure Pho is not legal, as it is made with rice, and looks like its white rice at that. I did not eat all my soup, since we ordered the medium and the bowl was HUGE!
School was fine...we worked more on the turkeys and cornucopias. We left a mess, as I needed to leave when my neighbor was ready to go since I was riding with her. I will clean it up tomorrow morning since I will be over an hour early.
Not much else is going on here. I am still terribly tired, even after a nap from 10:30 until 11:30 this morning. That helped a lot, but I was still dragging when the phone woke me up at 11:30.
OK, I can finish what I started. I didn't want to leave the message just sitting on my computer unposted because I was afraid I might lose it with an unexpected power outage or something. A repair man came and I had to take care of that before I could finish my earlier post.
Monet--Wow, it sounds like your school is keeping you SOOOOO busy. I hope they appreciate all the work you do. For the art teacher, it is nice to be in a non-holiday time so you can actually teach some art, rather than decorate the school with cornucopias, etc. However, whatever time it is, I know that the kids must be learning something from you.
BTW, You can probably answer this question for me. When a cake is decorated with fresh flowers, how is the cake protected from the flowers and any pesticides that may be on them? My DD wants me to actually make her wedding cake. Since it will be a small wedding, it is probably something I can manage. It probably won't be as perfect and totally professional looking as one from the bakery, but she wants an Italian cream cake and I believe it will taste better than what we could buy. I think fresh flowers, maybe some roses, would look nice as decoration, but I know they are sprayed heavily with pesticides in the fields where they are growing. Any other suggestions you can pass on will be gratefully received. They want me to do a chocolate groom's cake too, and I have a wonderful, best-ever chocolate cake recipe that will be wonderful. It has chocolate icing, and I probably will decorate with chocolate icing and maybe "crystalized" fresh violets that I have growing in my yard--pesticide free, of course. For the wedding cake, I'm thinking of doing a small 3 tiered cake--no pillars or anything. I am assuming that I put each layer on a cardboard circle and set that whole thing on the underneath layer. Possibly using some wooden skewers or something in the cake under the cardboard to stabilize it. Am I out to lunch?
Fillise--How are you doing with SB? I have followed your ticker, but have not seen you on the board lately, so miss seeing your progress. Congratulations on your team's big W this past weekend. You sound so busy that I wonder if you even get to go to any game.
Talitha--WOW! A new baby next year! How wonderful. You'll have your hands full but we all know you can manage it. Take care of yourself. SB is such a healthy way of eating, and I would think that you could just continue eating whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies and lean protein and do just great. I know that there are a lot of things that women today avoid during pregnancy that women never even thought of 10 years ago. Here's hoping that the SB WOE sees you through this pregnancy with great results.
BTW---Has anyone heard from KENG? MONET, has Keng talked with you lately? I know she has about a 4 month old now.
Pancho would probably agree with the discussion on flu shots. She probably has done the same as my DH and I--taken the influaforce drops or some other homeopathic item that is specifically developed to help fight against getting the flu. I don't see why anyone can't get those. My holistic doctor actually takes orders in the early fall and people pick up their order when they come in. We started our drops in mid-OCtober and will take the last dose next week. Only 4 doses total and no worries about catching the flu from the drops. Like Tech's daughter, I got the flu once from a flu shot.
Solly--Here's hoping the beotch found other things to do, off this board, if you get my drift. I had a stress fracture in one of the metatarsuls in my right foot. Painful. I also had a stress fracture in my heel, left foot. I just have bad feet, and I am sympathetic with anyone else who does. Hope you heal quickly. I was in a non-removable cast with my heel fracture--7 weeks. Ugh. Itchy. Hard to take a shower. By the time I finally went to the doctor for my metatarsul fracture, it had pretty much healed.
Congratulations to the losers this week.
FROG--I'm going tomorrow to buy some shoes. What is the brand you said was so comfortable? Hope you are doing OK. Are you having any success with your exercise and WOE?
I want to look back to be able to reply to some of you others, but I'm afraid I'll lose my post. Anyway
I am staying around 120-121#'s; so that's good. I don't have to worry about Turkey dinner since we will be at Disneyland. I will be making a turkey dinner for Christmas.
I've been so busy, but wanted to check in and read the posts.
CONGRATULATIONS to Toni, brandi, thin, teensy and anyone else who had a loss this week!!
AND a big CONGRATS TO TALITHA!! What a surprise, eh? You'll do great this time.
Monet: So sorry to hear about your car; that stinks!! We are so accustomed to having our vehicles there for us; it is hard to have to rely on others to get us around. Sorry Tom is feeling under the weather...tis the season. I hope you don't get it.
Thin: I've used a similar crust to what you described, but used Agave syrup in it. I use it when I make cheesecake.
Gator: Welcome home. I am glad you enjoyed yourself!
Bob: I sure hope you feel better soon! What a drag to miss so much work.
Tech: I am with everyone else on the flu vaccine. The pediatrician tried to talk me into getting one for Britt, due to her asthma, but I told her we'd take our chances. Too many people end up getting the flu (or something similar) due to the vaccine. I am trying to keep everyone's immunity up here with liquid garlic extract, vitamin C, and their multi vitamin with whole food concentrates. I am also having them eat lots of oranges and drink hot tea. They rarely even get the vaccine right. A few years ago, we vaccinated both girls because they threatened that the flu that year was going to be the worse we've seen in years. The vaccine wasn't even the right strain for the flu. I swore I'd never do it again, and I won't. I don't know if you can get the little clementine oranges (Cuties) where you are, but my kids eat them like candy, and they are so powerful as an antioxidant.
I took the kids out for the day on Friday, and we had the Rainbow Play systems company come out and install a playground for them. We pulled off the surprise and they were so excited. I haven't been able to get them off it. It has a little clubhouse with a telescope and steering wheel in it, a slide, 3 swings, monkey bars, hanging rings....and they are having a ball.
Well, I'm off to get the lasagne in the oven, and get ready for my Country Music Awards night...that's my thing. I am going to see Keith Urban with my sister on December 11th; I can't wait.
I hope you all have a great week; I'll try to check in again!!
Take care,
Nat
I found this in a magazine, and wanted to share:
"It doesn't matter how awareness arrives. What matters is that it comes. My heart began to overflow with gratefulness. I started giving thanks for everything: daisies in a jelly jar on my kitchen windowsill, the sweet fragrance of my daughter's hair, the first sip of tea in the morning, pork roast with apples and cranberries for Sunday supper, hearing the words "I love you" before I went to sleep. Each day began to offer me authentic moments of pleasure and contentment. but hadn't they before? Teh difference was that I was now noticing and appreciating each day's gifts. The power of gratefulness caught me by surprise.
All I ask you to do today is to open "the eyes of your eyes" and give your life another glance. Are your basic needs met? Do you have a home? Food on the table? Clothes to wear? Is there a regular paycheck coming in? Do you have dreams? Do you have your health? Can you walk, talk, see the beauty that surrounds you, listen to music that stirs your soul or makes you feel like you want to boogie? Do you have family and friends whom you love and who love you? Then pause for a moment and give thanks. Let your heart awaken to the transforming power of gratefulness."
PANCHO: Good to see you! Thanks for checking in. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Give your girls a hug from Auntie Monet.. Have a great trip to Mickey land.
GATOR: Many roses are actually grown in hot houses, but I imagine they still use sprays...not just pesticides, but fungicides as well. As with fruits and vegetables, if they are harvested three days after they are treated, the amount of chemicals is negligible. When I use fresh flowers, I make sure the stems are wrapped totally in floral tape. As a barrier between the cake and the flowers, I use tulle, made into small puffs, and arranged on the outside of the arrangement so it is between the cake and the flowers. If you wait until the icing is dry to lay flowers on the cake as well, you won't get much contamination. To make sure your stacked cake is supported properly, you will want to use at least two cardboard circles, with the grain going at a 90 degree angle for strength. Wrap it in foil, after taping together, then put your cakes on it. Dowel rods cut to the exact same size work well as supports, but places that carry cake decorating supplies will have these white hollow tubes you can cut with a serrated knife, and they are even better... put at least four in each layer. I would suggest more though...like as many as 8 in a 12 to 14 inch cake. The last thing you want is a leaning tower of wedding cake... Something fun, easy and very nice for the groom's cake is marzipan fruit. You can make them now, and keep them for months. They are tasty too! If you are interested, I can PM you the recipe and directions and tips. (I taught a marzipan class..I think I can find my notes, but I make it all the time, so it won't be hard)
Thanks, Monet. You da bomb!
When cutting a cake with the dowels, is there a trick to doing this deftly and gracefully, without "attacking" the dowels. Also, since I've never cut a wedding cake (My mom didn't get me one. ) do you start with the bottom layer or middle layer? You can tell I have a lot to learn.
Menu today:
B. Grapenuts with sk. milk. I was in a rush.
L. BIG salad with tomatoes, lettuces, 2.5 oz. ham, non-fat cottage cheese, orange segments, 1/4 avocado, walnuts and onions, and lo cal dressing.
D. WW spaghetti with meat sauce and green beans with slivered almonds.
I thought I could get some responses to all your posts but we are having a horrible thunderstorm so Im heading off. Tomorrow is my d & C ..keep your fingers crossed that the tests they do come back fine. Maybe I can get caught up here over the next few days !
Cindy: Hope your 'dusting and cleaning' goes well. That's what my mother always calls it...doesn't sound quite as...well, you know... Hugs and prayers... I'll be thinking about you...
Dinner turned out pretty good. I fixed a boxed spice preparation for Keemu curry, which is made with minced meat (read that ground beef!) I also fixed sauteed spinach, and brown rice. Unfortunately, my bag of spinach went bad since I bought it on Friday with Talitha, so we only had a tiny bit of spinach that was edible. My son is on his way to the grocery store to get me more to fix to put in lunches. It turned out pretty awesome, according to him. I just used ghee, and sauteed it with garlic. So simple but oh so good!
I feel stuffed now! Tom is working on my car, and I am taking a breather.
CINDY: I will be thinking of you tomorrow and praying all goes well!
Cindy- We'll all bethinking of you tomorrow! good luck!
I'm starting to work on my grocery list for next week. dh gets a free ham from work so I'll cook it and take half to MIL and keep half here for "leftovers". I also make mashed potatoes to take every year by request from MIL to help out, and I will be keeping that tradition this year. I plan to eat a small portion of everything I want, the key is keeping it a "SMALL" portion. Sean and Rachel want me to make my cookies that I make "every year, mom" One is a mint cookie with andes mint pieces and the other is a swedish pepperkakor (gingersnap). I bought some splenda blend white and brown sugar to try. I was afraid straight splenda may leave them with a funky taste. I also think I may use whole wheat or a combo of ww and regular flour for the gingersnaps. I don't know how it would work with the mint? I'll try to make them at least a little healthier! Maybe I can keep them put up and only enjoy a few at a time, I don't want us to feel totally deprived. I guess everything in moderation is appropriate at this time of year!
GATOR: Generally, you try to keep the cake looking intact as long as possible. If you do three layers, traditionally, the top layer is to keep for the first anniversary. Take it off and put it aside. Then, you cut the middle layer. Depending on the size, you cut in a pattern to give you the wedding size pieces that are traditional. For instance, on a 10 inch cake, I would cut all around in a circle about 2-3 inches from the outside edge. Then, I would cut one inch thick pieces all around that outside circle and wedges in the center piece. The key here is to have 2 inch, by 1 inch by 3 inch deep pieces when you are done. Larger cakes, you just cut more circles, smaller cakes, you have to change the pattern a bit, but it is the same sized piece. The dowels, or plastic tubes (I highly recommend them...they don't slip, and are as cheap as the dowels! Michaels has them, or JoAnns. they come four to a package and are about 12 inches long, so you get about three supports from each one. One package ought to do you. Since you have never done a tiered cake before, you will be better off with the tubes.) It seems like it would be difficult to cut a cake with the supports in, but its not. Just pull them out and put them aside, then cut on. Once you cut the whole middle layer, remove the cardboard, and proceed to cut the bottom layer. Oh, and when you stack the cakes, sprinkle powdered sugar on the top of the cakes, under the cardboard of the layer on top. This keeps the cardboard from pulling off all the icing when you go to move it. Some people use a sprinkle of coconut as well. It depends on whether it 'goes' with the flavor of the cake..but I rarely find it necessary. Once you stack those cakes, don't try to move it much. Its best to move it as little as possible to keep from having the tiers shift, or anything.
The good news for the night is that Tom fixed my car!!! I am back to having wheels again woo hoo!
B- SMoothie- 1 Scoop protein, 8 oz skim milk, 1/2 a banana 7 grapes
S- 4 triscuits, an orange
L- Lentil soup, spinach salad
s- Laughing cow cheese, 5 triscuits
D- Bratwurst, field green salad, steamed green beans, a little bit of mashed potatoes (it's Monet's fault!! She gave me some and they looked good!!)
S- Tapioka pudding
I know, I ate allot. I'm tryint to just stick to OK stuff. I obviously shouldn't be actively trying to lose weight, but I'm deffintely going to try to control what I'm eating. I have exercised yesterday and today. I'm actually feeling really good right now
Cindy- We'll be praying for you!!
Monet- My spinach went bad, too. Last time I was able to keep it a whole week. It was bad by monday!!! Stinks
Gator- You'll have so much fun doing the cake!!! You can order organic roses and flowers through the internet, too.... It would be interesting to compare the stuff that we are told today about having a good pregnancy, to what it would have been years ago. I don't really follow all of it anyway. I jsut try to stay healthy. I gained 14 lbs with selah and 15 with Jake. I have a feeling this one will be much different.
I will be off to school in just a minute. I need to go pack lunches, and find something for breakfast. Just wanted to say hi! Have a great day! to you all!
Is it Wednesday already?? Iam back after my normally busy Tuesday. No time to post yesterday!! So I'm having my coffee and catching up!!
Breakfast today was a smoothie made with plain lowfat yogurt, strawberries, milk and splenda. Snack will be a protein bar. I think I will finish up my tuna from yesterday as a sandwich and have some green beans with it for lunch. Thats as far as I got for planning today. I need to go to the store and pick up some fruits and veggies. I am getting down to the last of it!!!
Ok- we were supposed to come up with a recipe for Turkey Day. I "normally" make lots of pies. But I am only picking one kind this year and making it- pumpkin. I don't like pumpkin very much, so I can pass on it no problem. BUT>>>> for a legal dessert, I was gonna do a layered trifle thing with angel food cake cut up, sugar free pudding, strawberries, and my own homemade whipped cream made with splenda. We'll see how it turns out. My mom is doing SB with me and is diabetic, so she can have it too! I am just gonna make my normal stuffing (celery, onions, poultry seasoning, sage and butter) with ww bread instead of white. I'll make some mashed yams, and even my mom is making her cheese sauce for the broccoli with ww flour instead of white!! I'll make ww dinner rolls instead of having the usual cheapo white ones. I also make this crab dip with the imitation crabmeat- anyone know if that stuff has added sugar? I haven't gotten to the store to check. I normally serve it on triscuits, so that's all set. My problem will be controlling my PORTIONS (as usual. ) So, thats about it.
PONCHO: I wanted to say hi and to thank you for those beautiful "words of wisdom" at the end of your post. That was exactly what I needed to read. We have been really struggling with finances lately and I have been feeling sorry for myself. That really made me take a look at my heart!!
CINDY- Thinking of you today while at your appointment!! Let us know how it goes if you are feeling up to posting!!!
THIN- My family LOVES anything with mint! Those Andes candies are my kids favorites! I may have to try those cookies for Christmas!! (For the kids, for the kids..... )
MONET- carrot dance for the fixed car!! Yippee!!!
BOB- Hope you feel better!!! This stomach thing seems to hang on forever-
TALITHA- glad your feeling better. I was soooo morning (and evening and afternoon) sick with both my girls. I bet your eating better will have a great effect on your being sick!!! I wish I had known about this when I was pregnant!!!
Alright, I know I missed some replies, but I am not gonna hit my back button and lose everything again!!! I have backbuttonphobia now. Have great day everyone.
The next mornings I had cereal with fruit.
Hope your 'dusting and cleaning' goes well. That's what my mother always calls it...doesn't sound quite as...well, you know... Hugs and prayers... 
I'll be thinking about you...
Sean and Rachel want me to make my cookies that I make "every year, mom" 
One is a mint cookie with andes mint pieces and the other is a swedish pepperkakor (gingersnap). I bought some splenda blend white and brown sugar to try. I was afraid straight splenda may leave them with a funky taste. I also think I may use whole wheat or a combo of ww and regular flour for the gingersnaps. I don't know how it would work with the mint? 
I'll try to make them at least a little healthier! 
Maybe I can keep them put up and only enjoy a few at a time, 
I don't want us to feel totally deprived. I guess everything in moderation is appropriate at this time of year! 
