As you may remember, my 18yr. old son is in Florida for springbreak and we had a "discussion" before he left about how often he should text me, let me know everything's ok, he's having fun, yada..yada..yada. I felt he should check in at the very least every other day, he thought he shouldn't have to at all because he isn't 7 yrs. old. Next I reminded him that he couldn't swim.
...."yes I can"...
...."no you can't"...
...."yes I can"...
...."just because you can swim in a backyard pool doesn't mean you can swim"...
...."I can swim"...
...."the ocean is different, there are currents that can sweep you out to sea"...
...."I could swim to save my life"...
...."you can't swim"...
...."yes I can"...
And so it went, as I reminded him to put on his sunscreen, no drugs, no alcohol, don't leave you stuff laying around unattended, or your drink, watch your money and be respectful of the one set of parents that went along to chaperone.
They left Friday evening and stopped in Atlanta for the night and got there about 3pm on Saturday. He did let me know that they had made it ok. By Sunday evening I had not heard anything so at 11pm I texted him to make sure everything was going ok, he texted back "I'm fine".
But what I heard was "I'M.......you think I am a little kid, I can take care of myself, nothing can possibly happen to me, after all, I'm 18yrs. old and indestructible, nobody else has to check in, I can't help that I can't remember to text you.....FI--INE *sight* *eyerolld*.
When that car commercial comes on where the dad is handing the car keys to his daughter and she is about 5yrs. old and he is giving her all kinds of warnings and advice about driving and then it shows that she is really 16yrs. old, I made my son watch it. I told him that is how a parent still thinks of their child when they start doing things on their own. "Whatever" he replied. "When I have a kid I'm letting them do whatever they want". Sure, I thought to myself, I hope he has a daughter. Maybe I deserve that response because I remember when my Mom used to want me to check in when I was a teen, (and that was without the added ease of cell phones) my reply to her was always "don't worry, the police will notify you if something happens". That was soooo bad.
Of course, I haven't heard anything since the Sunday night text.."I'm fi-ine", so, guess what, before I go to bed tonight I will be texting him to make sure he hasn't drowned or starved to death. You see, he is a very picky eater....very..very..very picky eater, so I have visions of him no eating and wasting away. But on the bright side, maybe he will be forced to try some new foods out of necessity....that would be wonderful.
I also told him to take lots of picture to remember his trip by and I would like to see some of the stuff they did.
...."if I can remember"...
...."you have a phone that takes pictures, how hard can it be to remember"...
...."I don't know"...
...."try to remember"...
...."o---kay"...
Me..*sigh* *eyeroll*
RECIPE OF THE DAY UNBAKED COOKIES (me)
2 cups of sugar
1/2cup cocoa
1 stick of real butter
1/2cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 heaping tbls. crunchy peanut butter
3 cups of whole oats (old fashioned NOT quick)
Heat butter, milk, add sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Add peanut butter and let dissolve. Turn off heat and stir in oats. Use a small ice scoop and scoop cookies onto parchment paper, put in fridge to set. Sometimes I line a 9X13 pan with parchment paper and spread the cookies in that and when they are set I cut them into bars. These cookies freeze well.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Odds and Ends.....
The house seems awfully empty today. My son left for Florida yesterday to spend spring break. When he's home he is always running in and out, busy with his friends, so I am used to him being gone, but this feels different somehow. I did some chores around the house and actually spent a couple of hours sitting on the deck reading a book....yes, a book. It was very relaxing. Tomorrow I shovel the crud out of his room!!
The teenager down the street is into motorcross, and from what I understand he is pretty good at it. Riding in quite a few events. But for some reason, he feels the need to work on his bike in the front yard, which is no problem, except he revs up the engine over and over and over again while he is doing whatever he is doing to it. And he likes to ride them up and down the street over and over and over again. It doesn't make it very pleasant to sit on the front porch and listen to that and smell the fumes. Remember those old World War II movies when the Allies would string a really thin wire across the road and when the Nazis would ride through on their motorcycles......pppffffttttt.
I HATE yard work. I like my yard to look nice, but I don't want to do it. My son has helped in the past, but I wanted it done a certain way, so I would end up doing it all myself. Last year I hired someone to cut it for me. It was like Christmas when I would come home and it was all done! But, he really could have cut it shorter. I like it to be cut as short as possible, where you can almost see dirt. This year I have decided it will be my son's job to do the grass, and I am going let go of being in control of how every little aspect of it is done. He is more than capable of handling it. Maybe I can just have it all concreted over!!!
I have been reading "The Girl Who Played With Fire" by Stieg Larsson. It is about murder, mayhem, intrigue, set in Sweden. It is by the same author who wrote "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", which is now a movie. I've read that one also. I am a voracious reader. I have always got a book, sometimes, two that I am in the middle of reading along with assorted magazines. I have always loved reading, even as a child. As a teenager I read almost all of the Agatha Christie mysteries. I love mysteries and biographies the best. NO romance novels here. I tried to instill a love of reading in my son, I use to read to him everynight at bedtime, bought him books for Christmas and he saw me read quite often. But that whole theory didn't work out. He couldn't care less about reading. When he says he is bored I tell him to read a book. He answers that reading is for nerds. And when I tell him that I like to read, he says that's because I am a nerd.
RECIPE OF THE DAY EATON MESS (unknown)
4 cups of mixed berries
1/2cup sugar
1 Tbl lemon juice
1 1/2cup heavy cream
2 tsps vanilla
2cups crushed store-bought meringue cookes
Rinse berries and leave them whole if they are blackberries, raspberries and/or blueberries. If you add strawberries, rinse, hull and slice them.
Bring 2 cups of berries along with sugar and lemon juice to simmer in a saucepan. Turn into medium bowl and stir in remaining fresh berries. Refrigerate until chilled. When ready to serve, whip cream and vanilla to soft peaks. Assemble in the following order..Spoon a portion of half the cream, crushed cookies and berries into 4 large glasses, then repeat with remaining ingredients. Really good.
Kathy
The teenager down the street is into motorcross, and from what I understand he is pretty good at it. Riding in quite a few events. But for some reason, he feels the need to work on his bike in the front yard, which is no problem, except he revs up the engine over and over and over again while he is doing whatever he is doing to it. And he likes to ride them up and down the street over and over and over again. It doesn't make it very pleasant to sit on the front porch and listen to that and smell the fumes. Remember those old World War II movies when the Allies would string a really thin wire across the road and when the Nazis would ride through on their motorcycles......pppffffttttt.
I HATE yard work. I like my yard to look nice, but I don't want to do it. My son has helped in the past, but I wanted it done a certain way, so I would end up doing it all myself. Last year I hired someone to cut it for me. It was like Christmas when I would come home and it was all done! But, he really could have cut it shorter. I like it to be cut as short as possible, where you can almost see dirt. This year I have decided it will be my son's job to do the grass, and I am going let go of being in control of how every little aspect of it is done. He is more than capable of handling it. Maybe I can just have it all concreted over!!!
I have been reading "The Girl Who Played With Fire" by Stieg Larsson. It is about murder, mayhem, intrigue, set in Sweden. It is by the same author who wrote "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", which is now a movie. I've read that one also. I am a voracious reader. I have always got a book, sometimes, two that I am in the middle of reading along with assorted magazines. I have always loved reading, even as a child. As a teenager I read almost all of the Agatha Christie mysteries. I love mysteries and biographies the best. NO romance novels here. I tried to instill a love of reading in my son, I use to read to him everynight at bedtime, bought him books for Christmas and he saw me read quite often. But that whole theory didn't work out. He couldn't care less about reading. When he says he is bored I tell him to read a book. He answers that reading is for nerds. And when I tell him that I like to read, he says that's because I am a nerd.
RECIPE OF THE DAY EATON MESS (unknown)
4 cups of mixed berries
1/2cup sugar
1 Tbl lemon juice
1 1/2cup heavy cream
2 tsps vanilla
2cups crushed store-bought meringue cookes
Rinse berries and leave them whole if they are blackberries, raspberries and/or blueberries. If you add strawberries, rinse, hull and slice them.
Bring 2 cups of berries along with sugar and lemon juice to simmer in a saucepan. Turn into medium bowl and stir in remaining fresh berries. Refrigerate until chilled. When ready to serve, whip cream and vanilla to soft peaks. Assemble in the following order..Spoon a portion of half the cream, crushed cookies and berries into 4 large glasses, then repeat with remaining ingredients. Really good.
Kathy
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
5 Facts That I Have Learned
Life is a learning process, some lessons are big and important, some are small and seem inconsequential on the outside, but it is a lesson learned none the less.I have learned many lessons in my lifetime and then there are lessons that for some reasons never seem to stick and I keep repeating the same mistake over and over. I am here today to express some lessons I have learned and they have stuck!
1. It is not a particularly good idea to eat granola for breakfast and then have chili for lunch, on the same day. Especially if you eat both of them at work and you have to fill in for the receptionist when she is at lunch. Fiber overload is all I'm sayin'.
2. Under no circumstances take a popsicle directly out of the freezer and put it immediately in your mouth. Because if you do you could possibly pull the skin right off of your lips and your lips will still be on the popsicle. When I was a child I was at a church festival and I bought a popsicle and pulled my lips right off. It started bleeding and the only thing I had to wipe the blood off was my beanie (I went to Catholic School and a beanie was part of the uniform). I don't remember a whole lot more of what happened that day except that I got lost at the festival and pulled my lips off.
3. Before I enlighten you on this fact, first a disclaimer. Yes, I do feed my dog people food along with her dog food. I fix ground chicken or turkey and had mixed veggies and add a cup to her dry dog food. And she also likes cottage cheese and some........ahem.....snack foods. Don't judge me, she likes it and it is probably healthier than some dog food. BUT under no circumstances, ever, ever give your dog so much as a 1/2 cup of bean soup juice, no beans, just the juice, with her supper. It will become quite clear about 3AM why, I don't think I need to say more.
4. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean your SHOULD do something. My son's father had a severe drug addiction some years ago which ultimately ended our long term relationship. And I am pleased that he no longer has a drug addiction, other problems, yes, but not the drugs anymore. Well, at the time he would leave the house saying he was going to the store to get lottery tickets or cigarettes and be gone for 3 or four days. I would go searching because I usually had a general idea where the crack house was and I would park in front and honk my horn over and over and over again. I knew they wouldn't want all that attention and they would make him come out to see what I wanted. We would argue and I would demand the key to the house so no one else would get it if it was lost and I didn't want him coming back unless I was home. There were times when the dealer would come out and I would cuss them out for doing this to my family. All in all, my doing those things probably wasn't the safest thing to do. Luckily nothing ever happened to me, but I would not advise anyone to ever do that and I would never, ever do that again.
5. This fact is short and sweet......sometimes it is better to keep your opinion to yourself. A plain simple fact and I have learned that lesson the hard way. But occasionally I do forget that lesson, but believe me, I am soon reminded.
RECIPE OF THE DAY BEER BREAD (got out of the newspaper)
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
3 tbls of sugar
1 tbl. of baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. of salt
1 12oz beer
1 egg, beaten
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt in a large bowl. Add beer, stir with fork til combined. Turn out onto floured suface and knead quickly til it forms a ball. Place on baking sheet and slit an X on top, brush with egg.
Put oven rack on lower-middle position and heat oven to 375. Bake until golden brown, about 45 min. Cool on wire rack...
I have made this bread many times and it is very good.
Kathy
1. It is not a particularly good idea to eat granola for breakfast and then have chili for lunch, on the same day. Especially if you eat both of them at work and you have to fill in for the receptionist when she is at lunch. Fiber overload is all I'm sayin'.
2. Under no circumstances take a popsicle directly out of the freezer and put it immediately in your mouth. Because if you do you could possibly pull the skin right off of your lips and your lips will still be on the popsicle. When I was a child I was at a church festival and I bought a popsicle and pulled my lips right off. It started bleeding and the only thing I had to wipe the blood off was my beanie (I went to Catholic School and a beanie was part of the uniform). I don't remember a whole lot more of what happened that day except that I got lost at the festival and pulled my lips off.
3. Before I enlighten you on this fact, first a disclaimer. Yes, I do feed my dog people food along with her dog food. I fix ground chicken or turkey and had mixed veggies and add a cup to her dry dog food. And she also likes cottage cheese and some........ahem.....snack foods. Don't judge me, she likes it and it is probably healthier than some dog food. BUT under no circumstances, ever, ever give your dog so much as a 1/2 cup of bean soup juice, no beans, just the juice, with her supper. It will become quite clear about 3AM why, I don't think I need to say more.
4. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean your SHOULD do something. My son's father had a severe drug addiction some years ago which ultimately ended our long term relationship. And I am pleased that he no longer has a drug addiction, other problems, yes, but not the drugs anymore. Well, at the time he would leave the house saying he was going to the store to get lottery tickets or cigarettes and be gone for 3 or four days. I would go searching because I usually had a general idea where the crack house was and I would park in front and honk my horn over and over and over again. I knew they wouldn't want all that attention and they would make him come out to see what I wanted. We would argue and I would demand the key to the house so no one else would get it if it was lost and I didn't want him coming back unless I was home. There were times when the dealer would come out and I would cuss them out for doing this to my family. All in all, my doing those things probably wasn't the safest thing to do. Luckily nothing ever happened to me, but I would not advise anyone to ever do that and I would never, ever do that again.
5. This fact is short and sweet......sometimes it is better to keep your opinion to yourself. A plain simple fact and I have learned that lesson the hard way. But occasionally I do forget that lesson, but believe me, I am soon reminded.
RECIPE OF THE DAY BEER BREAD (got out of the newspaper)
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
3 tbls of sugar
1 tbl. of baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. of salt
1 12oz beer
1 egg, beaten
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt in a large bowl. Add beer, stir with fork til combined. Turn out onto floured suface and knead quickly til it forms a ball. Place on baking sheet and slit an X on top, brush with egg.
Put oven rack on lower-middle position and heat oven to 375. Bake until golden brown, about 45 min. Cool on wire rack...
I have made this bread many times and it is very good.
Kathy
Sunday, April 1, 2012
The Good Ol' Days....
People always talk about the "good ol' days", but realistically, they weren't always that good. However, they weren't always that bad either. I've been watching the Waltons in the afternoons, I know, weird, but I can't help myself. There is something nostalgic about living in a simpler time and a simpler life.
When I was growing up there were no cell phones, computers, ipads, ipods. In high school we thought it was a big deal to have a selectric typewriter. You could only watch cartoons on Saturday mornings til noon, and there were only 3 main channels to watch. There were only a few fast food joints to choose from, not the hundreds there are now. When my son is griping about not having something or he is bored, I tell him the above facts he just looks dumbfounded. "Well, how boring", he says.
But I don't remember being that bored, of course, if you don't know what you're missing, you can't miss it. We played outside all the time, even in the winter. During the summer we'd go outside right after breakfast, play til we were called in at dinner (lunch), then right back out to play til supper (dinner). After supper, during the summer, most of the neighbors would sit on their front porches because not very many people had air conditioning, while all the kids played til dark. We'd play hopscotch, frozen catchers, red rover red rover, my father owns a grocery store, ride bikes, skate, and lots more, everyday. We never had weight problems back then, and we could eat anything. Of course, we very rarely ate out or had fast food, most of our food was homecooked.
I sometimes feel bad for the little kids now days, usually both parents work out of neccessity, so the kids are at daycare. Of course, they get to play there, but it's not the same as playing in your neighborhood. It's funny how sometimes sounds and smells can take me right back to those good ol' days. If I hear the sound of a wooden screen door slam (and there aren't very many of those anymore) it takes me back to my mom's house and us kids flying in and out of the house and slamming that door, driving my mom crazy. We grew up in a camelback shotgun house and my grandma lived in the front of the house and we lived in the back. To this day when I smell someone making brown gravy, I think of her cooking in her kitchen and the smells wafting back to our house. Feeling a cool breeze coming in the window on a summer night reminds me of us sleeping with the windows open at night, it was safe to do so then. And to this day, I love the smell of sheets that have hung outside to dry, it smells so fresh.
I was lucky that growing up my son always loved to play outside. He would rather play outside then play his electronic games. I always loved sitting on my front porch while he played out front, it remined me of the good ol' days. Now don't get me wrong, I love my cell phone and my laptop. They have changed the world, for the best. Information is right at your fingertips, cell phones make sure that you can reach someone if there is an emergency, check on your child, your teen letting you know where they are (that's the best one). I wouldn't give them up.
Now I can live without an ipod, I don't want music blaring in my ears to where I can't hear what is going on around me, especially if I am out walking. I would rather turn the stereo up loud and sing with it. I am not interested in a Kindle, I love the feel of a book in my hands, turning the pages, even the smell of an old book. I guess a Kindle would come in handy at certain time, but really I'm not interested. There is something to be said for not always being plugged in and available. Sometimes simple can be better, just like the Waltons, who lived a simple life, ate their meals as a family, depended on each other and felt "rich" even though they were living through the depression. I know it was just a TV show, but it had some good messages.
So I guess I do miss some things about the good ol' days, but I also love some of the things about these days. There is nothing wrong with keeping some of the old ways alive while embracing new technologies. I've tried to keep some of the simpler ways alive for my son, especially when he was young. He's all into the electronics and that's great, he'll need that for his future, just as long as he remembers the lessons of the simple things.
Good Night John-Boy
RECIPE OF THE DAY NO BAKE PEANUT BUTTER-RICE KRISPIES TREATS
(Lucinda Scala Quinn)
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of peanut butter (I use crunchy)
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups of rice krispies
Line a 9X13 in pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Place the corn syrup and both sugars in a large saucepan over med. heat and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, remove from heat.
Stir in peanut butter and mix well to combine. Quickly stir in vanilla and rice krispies. Spread into the lined baking dish. Cool and slice into square.
Kathy
When I was growing up there were no cell phones, computers, ipads, ipods. In high school we thought it was a big deal to have a selectric typewriter. You could only watch cartoons on Saturday mornings til noon, and there were only 3 main channels to watch. There were only a few fast food joints to choose from, not the hundreds there are now. When my son is griping about not having something or he is bored, I tell him the above facts he just looks dumbfounded. "Well, how boring", he says.
But I don't remember being that bored, of course, if you don't know what you're missing, you can't miss it. We played outside all the time, even in the winter. During the summer we'd go outside right after breakfast, play til we were called in at dinner (lunch), then right back out to play til supper (dinner). After supper, during the summer, most of the neighbors would sit on their front porches because not very many people had air conditioning, while all the kids played til dark. We'd play hopscotch, frozen catchers, red rover red rover, my father owns a grocery store, ride bikes, skate, and lots more, everyday. We never had weight problems back then, and we could eat anything. Of course, we very rarely ate out or had fast food, most of our food was homecooked.
I sometimes feel bad for the little kids now days, usually both parents work out of neccessity, so the kids are at daycare. Of course, they get to play there, but it's not the same as playing in your neighborhood. It's funny how sometimes sounds and smells can take me right back to those good ol' days. If I hear the sound of a wooden screen door slam (and there aren't very many of those anymore) it takes me back to my mom's house and us kids flying in and out of the house and slamming that door, driving my mom crazy. We grew up in a camelback shotgun house and my grandma lived in the front of the house and we lived in the back. To this day when I smell someone making brown gravy, I think of her cooking in her kitchen and the smells wafting back to our house. Feeling a cool breeze coming in the window on a summer night reminds me of us sleeping with the windows open at night, it was safe to do so then. And to this day, I love the smell of sheets that have hung outside to dry, it smells so fresh.
I was lucky that growing up my son always loved to play outside. He would rather play outside then play his electronic games. I always loved sitting on my front porch while he played out front, it remined me of the good ol' days. Now don't get me wrong, I love my cell phone and my laptop. They have changed the world, for the best. Information is right at your fingertips, cell phones make sure that you can reach someone if there is an emergency, check on your child, your teen letting you know where they are (that's the best one). I wouldn't give them up.
Now I can live without an ipod, I don't want music blaring in my ears to where I can't hear what is going on around me, especially if I am out walking. I would rather turn the stereo up loud and sing with it. I am not interested in a Kindle, I love the feel of a book in my hands, turning the pages, even the smell of an old book. I guess a Kindle would come in handy at certain time, but really I'm not interested. There is something to be said for not always being plugged in and available. Sometimes simple can be better, just like the Waltons, who lived a simple life, ate their meals as a family, depended on each other and felt "rich" even though they were living through the depression. I know it was just a TV show, but it had some good messages.
So I guess I do miss some things about the good ol' days, but I also love some of the things about these days. There is nothing wrong with keeping some of the old ways alive while embracing new technologies. I've tried to keep some of the simpler ways alive for my son, especially when he was young. He's all into the electronics and that's great, he'll need that for his future, just as long as he remembers the lessons of the simple things.
Good Night John-Boy
RECIPE OF THE DAY NO BAKE PEANUT BUTTER-RICE KRISPIES TREATS
(Lucinda Scala Quinn)
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of peanut butter (I use crunchy)
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups of rice krispies
Line a 9X13 in pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Place the corn syrup and both sugars in a large saucepan over med. heat and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, remove from heat.
Stir in peanut butter and mix well to combine. Quickly stir in vanilla and rice krispies. Spread into the lined baking dish. Cool and slice into square.
Kathy
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
"Fabulosity"
Fabulosity....I stole that word from a reality show that was on a few year back. I know....reality shows...I can't help myself, I may need therapy. Anyway, I love the word fabulous. I think I really became aware of that word from watching Sex In The City, I loved that show and they said it a lot. I miss that show.
I like to say fabulous.... wish people a fabulous birthday, that's fabulous, you're fabulous, he's fabulous, have a fabulous day!!! It's a lot better than good, a little higher than fantastic, but not quite as high as exceptional.
But what makes a fabulous day, fabulous, or a fabulous person, fabulous. Is it because it's a special day, a meaningful event, a wonderful person? Maybe all of these or maybe none, depends on how you look at it.
For me, "fabulosity" (the act of being fabulous... I just made that up) is more of something on the inside of a person. Sometimes I feel fabulous but it usually doesn't have anything to do with an external event like a birthday or a new outfit or hairstyle.. A lot of the time I feel fabulous when I am doing the unexpected, marching to the beat of a different drummer, daring to be different (that is a lot of cliche's in one sentence).When I was in grade school I practiced for a long time to write left handed because I thought it would be so cool to be different than so many other people and that was in the days when the nuns would smack your hand if you were left handed, but I could never get the hang of it. Dang it.
I think my passion for animals makes me fabulous. My interest in organics and the local food movement, in environmental issues makes me feel fabulous. I am developing an interest in nature photography and I feel fabulous learning about that.
So to me, fabulous is an inner feeling, not so much an outward appearance or material things. I like to be a little out of the norm, a bit different. Who wants to be ordinary, I want to be fabulous!!
Although, if I had Carrie's (Sex In The City) shoes I would find that fabulous too!!
RECIPE OF THE DAY:
This is a simple recipe. It is one of my favorite, refreshing drinks.
1/4cup of Pomegranite Juice
2tsps of fresh lime juice
12oz of sparkling water
Mix together and stir. You'll love it.
Kathy
I like to say fabulous.... wish people a fabulous birthday, that's fabulous, you're fabulous, he's fabulous, have a fabulous day!!! It's a lot better than good, a little higher than fantastic, but not quite as high as exceptional.
But what makes a fabulous day, fabulous, or a fabulous person, fabulous. Is it because it's a special day, a meaningful event, a wonderful person? Maybe all of these or maybe none, depends on how you look at it.
For me, "fabulosity" (the act of being fabulous... I just made that up) is more of something on the inside of a person. Sometimes I feel fabulous but it usually doesn't have anything to do with an external event like a birthday or a new outfit or hairstyle.. A lot of the time I feel fabulous when I am doing the unexpected, marching to the beat of a different drummer, daring to be different (that is a lot of cliche's in one sentence).When I was in grade school I practiced for a long time to write left handed because I thought it would be so cool to be different than so many other people and that was in the days when the nuns would smack your hand if you were left handed, but I could never get the hang of it. Dang it.
I think my passion for animals makes me fabulous. My interest in organics and the local food movement, in environmental issues makes me feel fabulous. I am developing an interest in nature photography and I feel fabulous learning about that.
So to me, fabulous is an inner feeling, not so much an outward appearance or material things. I like to be a little out of the norm, a bit different. Who wants to be ordinary, I want to be fabulous!!
Although, if I had Carrie's (Sex In The City) shoes I would find that fabulous too!!
RECIPE OF THE DAY:
This is a simple recipe. It is one of my favorite, refreshing drinks.
1/4cup of Pomegranite Juice
2tsps of fresh lime juice
12oz of sparkling water
Mix together and stir. You'll love it.
Kathy
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Spring Break
Lordy, spring break is coming up in a couple of weeks, and my son is going to Florida with 3 of his friends. I wasn't too sure about this trip when he first told me about it, four 18yrs. old, alone in Florida, the others have been out of town before, my son hasn't. Spring break conjures up all kinds of images....binge drinking, drugs, dangerous behavior, random sex....scary images.
Well, apparently, one of his friends' parents had some concerns about them driving down there by themselves, so they decided that they needed a vacation and would go and stay in another hotel, just to be close by in case of anything going wrong. That made me feel better, a lot better. But still, things can go wrong, car accidents, getting drunk, passing out and getting sick and then drowning in your own vomit, getting abducted and sold into slavery, etc., and how fast can the parents get there from across town. Sooo many things to worry about.
Ahh, but plans have changed. The parents decided to rent a 3 bedroom condo, so now the boys and the parents will all be staying together. BIG SIGH OF RELIEF!!! Now I am pretty cool with the idea of him going. The parents will be driving their own car and all the boys will drive together in another car. The boy whose parents are going is the boy who will be driving also, and he is a good kid who my son has known since 6th grade. I think there will be a lot less chance of trouble with everyone staying in the same condo, and if something does happen, (real) adults will be right there. Plus their condo is not right in the epicenter of spring break madness like Daytona or Panama City, they will still be close, but not right in the middle of the madness.
I am proud of my son, he has saved and saved to pay for his own trip. He paid for his share of the condo, he has money put back to pay on the gas for the trip, and they will all pitch in on food to have there at the condo, he has money for that. And he has a good amount set back to pay for whatever they do down there and to eat out, etc. He still has to buy some essentials to take with him. I keep telling him he definitly needs to get plenty of sunscreen, because it is a lot easier to get burned badly down there. I want him to take lots of pictures, but I'm sure he won't. I don't think boys care about stuff like that.
My son has never been out of town before, let alone out of state and for a whole week. He's never spent more than a couple of nights away from home. He's starting to get excited about this trip, and I am so glad he gets to go and have this experience and I trust him to do the right thing. I just worry about peer pressure, but he tells me he isn't stupid enough to do those things that I warn him about. My fingers are crossed.
I have reminded him several times that he CANNOT swim. He thinks he can swim because he could swim in my brother's pool and in his friend's pool. I tell him that those pools are only 5ft. deep. It is a lot different in a really deep pool or the ocean when you can't just stand up if you get into trouble. Again, he tells me he's not stupid and won't drown. Just remember that you CANNOT swim, please. Maybe I should call the parents and let them know? Hmmmm, is it too late for swumming lessons?
I was pretty UNcomfortable about this trip at first, but I'm feeling a lot more relaxed about it, but I will still be on pins and needles the whole time he's gone.
RECIPE OF THE DAY:
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (EASY, EASY EASY)
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1 cup of peanut butter ( I use crunchy)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients together, stirring well. Shape cookie dough into balls (I get about 18 balls out of it)
Place on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Press cookies down with a fork, first one way and then the other way.(so it looks like a tic tac toe pattern)
Bake at 325 for about 10 to 15min. I like mine a little chewy so just test them until they are like you want.
Yummy!
Kathy
Well, apparently, one of his friends' parents had some concerns about them driving down there by themselves, so they decided that they needed a vacation and would go and stay in another hotel, just to be close by in case of anything going wrong. That made me feel better, a lot better. But still, things can go wrong, car accidents, getting drunk, passing out and getting sick and then drowning in your own vomit, getting abducted and sold into slavery, etc., and how fast can the parents get there from across town. Sooo many things to worry about.
Ahh, but plans have changed. The parents decided to rent a 3 bedroom condo, so now the boys and the parents will all be staying together. BIG SIGH OF RELIEF!!! Now I am pretty cool with the idea of him going. The parents will be driving their own car and all the boys will drive together in another car. The boy whose parents are going is the boy who will be driving also, and he is a good kid who my son has known since 6th grade. I think there will be a lot less chance of trouble with everyone staying in the same condo, and if something does happen, (real) adults will be right there. Plus their condo is not right in the epicenter of spring break madness like Daytona or Panama City, they will still be close, but not right in the middle of the madness.
I am proud of my son, he has saved and saved to pay for his own trip. He paid for his share of the condo, he has money put back to pay on the gas for the trip, and they will all pitch in on food to have there at the condo, he has money for that. And he has a good amount set back to pay for whatever they do down there and to eat out, etc. He still has to buy some essentials to take with him. I keep telling him he definitly needs to get plenty of sunscreen, because it is a lot easier to get burned badly down there. I want him to take lots of pictures, but I'm sure he won't. I don't think boys care about stuff like that.
My son has never been out of town before, let alone out of state and for a whole week. He's never spent more than a couple of nights away from home. He's starting to get excited about this trip, and I am so glad he gets to go and have this experience and I trust him to do the right thing. I just worry about peer pressure, but he tells me he isn't stupid enough to do those things that I warn him about. My fingers are crossed.
I have reminded him several times that he CANNOT swim. He thinks he can swim because he could swim in my brother's pool and in his friend's pool. I tell him that those pools are only 5ft. deep. It is a lot different in a really deep pool or the ocean when you can't just stand up if you get into trouble. Again, he tells me he's not stupid and won't drown. Just remember that you CANNOT swim, please. Maybe I should call the parents and let them know? Hmmmm, is it too late for swumming lessons?
I was pretty UNcomfortable about this trip at first, but I'm feeling a lot more relaxed about it, but I will still be on pins and needles the whole time he's gone.
RECIPE OF THE DAY:
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (EASY, EASY EASY)
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1 cup of peanut butter ( I use crunchy)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients together, stirring well. Shape cookie dough into balls (I get about 18 balls out of it)
Place on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Press cookies down with a fork, first one way and then the other way.(so it looks like a tic tac toe pattern)
Bake at 325 for about 10 to 15min. I like mine a little chewy so just test them until they are like you want.
Yummy!
Kathy
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
To Salt or Not To Salt....That Is The Question
Oh my lord, I love my salt. As a matter of fact, for some years, my sodium levels were low, so eating salt was not big deal for me. But I guess as we get older...ahem....things can change. As I have mentioned previously, when I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago my blood pressure was somewhat elevated and I was given a prescription. I was told if I loose some weight I would be able to get off the medication.
So I am currently watching what I eat and having my blood pressure taken everyday, I haven't started on the meds yet. Well, for the last week my b/p flucuated from 143/98, 160/90, 150/89 and so and so on and I was determined to find an additional solution along with loosing weight.
People are always getting on me about the amount of salt that I eat on my food, so much so that it really gets on my nerves. I always had my b/p taken everytime I went in for a checkup and it was always just fine so I didn't even think about it. I don't put much salt in food when I am cooking it because I know most people don't like the amount of salt that I do. I don't eat processed meat (lunchmeat or hotdogs) except maybe a ham sandwich on rare occassions. I do eat bacon about once a week. I don't very often eat frozen dinners which are loaded with sodium, I eat store bought cookies and cakes very seldom, I usually make mine homemade. I very rarely eat "boxed foods" (mac and cheese, flavored rice or potatoes). All these foods are loaded with sodium and I make a lot of my food homemade. So how could it be sodium that is raising my b/p?
Well.......I am a "chip-a-holic". I love me some plain, Lays potato chips. Oh and pretzels, good, salty pretzels. I even look for the bag with the most salt on them. Oh, and maybe it could be that when I eat I salt my food like most folks, but then I always have the salt shaker at hand and I pretty much salt every bite that I put in my mouth again...and...again. But surely that can't be it. It's never been a problem before......sigh.
So last Friday I decided I would watch my salt intake, not so much with the foods that I was eating, but the amount of salt that I would normally add to anything that I ate. So all weekend I ate extra fruit, extra veggies and when I had my food on my plate, I "gently" salted it like a normal person would and then I put the salt shaker away, out of reach and didn't add anymore salt during the meal. Jeez, it was hard. To me the food had no flavor, it was less enticing and almost inedible. I even bought different flavors of Mrs. Dash to add spice and flavor, but it didn't help. This may be my ticket to loosing weight, nothing tastes good so I won't eat it.....aha!! I didn't even eat a single chip or pretzel all weekend in order to test my theory. What a boring weekend, food wise.
So I got my b/p taken again today. I was already feeling nervous and defeated and had already made up my mind that it was going to be high. I figured I would just take the medicine and then just eat whatever I wanted. Surprise...Surprise....my b/p was down to 130/80. I couldn't believe it. And I still had not started on the meds. Was it just coincidence, maybe, or could it be that I watched my "extra" intake of salt when I am eating. Or could it be that I didn't eat any salty chips all weekend? Hmmm.....or is it a combination of all these? I felt energized, I felt like maybe the sacrifice was worth it, and believe me, it was a sacrifice for me. It made me feel like I could keep on trying to eat less salt. I will continue checking my pressure and hopefully it will keep staying low and maybe go lower.
I know there is sodium in lots of food, and I will watch that, but I am concentrating more on not adding all the extra salt that I have always done. Will I never eat chips again, of course not, but it will be an occasional treat and a small portion. Will I sometimes eat more salt than I should, probably, but hopefully it will be less and less often and as a treat not a habit. So I am holding off on the meds for now and see how it goes. Today I only added a slight bit of salt to my meals and they tasted a little....little better.
This whole salt thing is really making my UNcomfortable!!!!
RECIPE OF THE DAY BASIC PIZZA DOUGH (Lucinda Scala Quinn)
Makes 6 individual 6"pizzas
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of milk
1 pkg. dry yeast
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour (plus more for kneading)
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tsps of coarse salt
Heat water and milk in a pan over low heat until lukewarm. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over liquid and stir. Let sit until yeast is dissolved up to 5 min.
Stir in the olive oil, flour and salt. Once the dough is combined, knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic. 10 to 15 minutes.
Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough and lightly brush the top with olive oil. Cover and let stand in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 3 hours. Or place in the refrigerator overnight to rise slowly.
Punch the dough down and divide into the appropriate number of portions. Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet and cover until ready to roll out.
I separated my dough into 5 or six pieces, wrapped in plastic wrap, and put in a freezer bag. I just pull one or two out and put in fridge that morning to use that evening. After I stretch out my dough and add my sauce and toppings, I put it in a 500degree oven for 10 minutes or so. Just keep a watch on it, it cooks fast. You can tell it is ready when the edges start getting browned and crispy.
It is really good.
Kathy
So I am currently watching what I eat and having my blood pressure taken everyday, I haven't started on the meds yet. Well, for the last week my b/p flucuated from 143/98, 160/90, 150/89 and so and so on and I was determined to find an additional solution along with loosing weight.
People are always getting on me about the amount of salt that I eat on my food, so much so that it really gets on my nerves. I always had my b/p taken everytime I went in for a checkup and it was always just fine so I didn't even think about it. I don't put much salt in food when I am cooking it because I know most people don't like the amount of salt that I do. I don't eat processed meat (lunchmeat or hotdogs) except maybe a ham sandwich on rare occassions. I do eat bacon about once a week. I don't very often eat frozen dinners which are loaded with sodium, I eat store bought cookies and cakes very seldom, I usually make mine homemade. I very rarely eat "boxed foods" (mac and cheese, flavored rice or potatoes). All these foods are loaded with sodium and I make a lot of my food homemade. So how could it be sodium that is raising my b/p?
Well.......I am a "chip-a-holic". I love me some plain, Lays potato chips. Oh and pretzels, good, salty pretzels. I even look for the bag with the most salt on them. Oh, and maybe it could be that when I eat I salt my food like most folks, but then I always have the salt shaker at hand and I pretty much salt every bite that I put in my mouth again...and...again. But surely that can't be it. It's never been a problem before......sigh.
So last Friday I decided I would watch my salt intake, not so much with the foods that I was eating, but the amount of salt that I would normally add to anything that I ate. So all weekend I ate extra fruit, extra veggies and when I had my food on my plate, I "gently" salted it like a normal person would and then I put the salt shaker away, out of reach and didn't add anymore salt during the meal. Jeez, it was hard. To me the food had no flavor, it was less enticing and almost inedible. I even bought different flavors of Mrs. Dash to add spice and flavor, but it didn't help. This may be my ticket to loosing weight, nothing tastes good so I won't eat it.....aha!! I didn't even eat a single chip or pretzel all weekend in order to test my theory. What a boring weekend, food wise.
So I got my b/p taken again today. I was already feeling nervous and defeated and had already made up my mind that it was going to be high. I figured I would just take the medicine and then just eat whatever I wanted. Surprise...Surprise....my b/p was down to 130/80. I couldn't believe it. And I still had not started on the meds. Was it just coincidence, maybe, or could it be that I watched my "extra" intake of salt when I am eating. Or could it be that I didn't eat any salty chips all weekend? Hmmm.....or is it a combination of all these? I felt energized, I felt like maybe the sacrifice was worth it, and believe me, it was a sacrifice for me. It made me feel like I could keep on trying to eat less salt. I will continue checking my pressure and hopefully it will keep staying low and maybe go lower.
I know there is sodium in lots of food, and I will watch that, but I am concentrating more on not adding all the extra salt that I have always done. Will I never eat chips again, of course not, but it will be an occasional treat and a small portion. Will I sometimes eat more salt than I should, probably, but hopefully it will be less and less often and as a treat not a habit. So I am holding off on the meds for now and see how it goes. Today I only added a slight bit of salt to my meals and they tasted a little....little better.
This whole salt thing is really making my UNcomfortable!!!!
RECIPE OF THE DAY BASIC PIZZA DOUGH (Lucinda Scala Quinn)
Makes 6 individual 6"pizzas
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of milk
1 pkg. dry yeast
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour (plus more for kneading)
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tsps of coarse salt
Heat water and milk in a pan over low heat until lukewarm. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over liquid and stir. Let sit until yeast is dissolved up to 5 min.
Stir in the olive oil, flour and salt. Once the dough is combined, knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic. 10 to 15 minutes.
Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough and lightly brush the top with olive oil. Cover and let stand in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 3 hours. Or place in the refrigerator overnight to rise slowly.
Punch the dough down and divide into the appropriate number of portions. Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet and cover until ready to roll out.
I separated my dough into 5 or six pieces, wrapped in plastic wrap, and put in a freezer bag. I just pull one or two out and put in fridge that morning to use that evening. After I stretch out my dough and add my sauce and toppings, I put it in a 500degree oven for 10 minutes or so. Just keep a watch on it, it cooks fast. You can tell it is ready when the edges start getting browned and crispy.
It is really good.
Kathy
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