Thursday Thoughts! Let's chat!

Happy Thursday, OFF family!

 

 

Yep, me again…..up all night but that is because I slept from 1pm  Wed until 9 pm Wed evening! JB was supposed to wake me up around 3 pm but decided to let me sleep and sleep I did!

 

 

Today, I have already stripped all the leaves off three huge bundles of celery from my garden. They need to be washed carefully and dried off, then very slowly dried in my oven, then the dehydrated leaves will be crumbled and saved in a mason jar for soups. The rest of the celery will be stewed in chicken broth for a while, then frozen as a soup base. I make soup all winter.

 

 

I still have three pumpkins from the garden so I must bake them and freeze part of them and make pumpkin bread or muffins this afternoon. And I have a half bushel of apples still…..I made apple sauce last week but perhaps a sugar-free apple crisp.  I have a bottle of agava for sweetening.

 

 

When JB gets up, I will make tea and 12 grain toast with eggs for him and I can have a bite or four then as well.  Better yet, JB will make brekkie *s*  Then I will sit and crochet on my lap blankets. There are now seven made, all colours.  I’ve decided to take them to “Bella”, the nursing home where my Mom lived her last two years…there are so many seniors who never get visitors and I want to gift them with these blankets so they know that someone cares about them.

 

 

So that’s my day so far….but then you know what happens if you plan too much *s*  I see that the vineyards across the road now have the nylon netting hooked up to capture and protect the grapes as they freeze for “ice wine”…they are hand-picked after being frozen solid for 24 hours and are squeezed immediately right in the vineyards. Harvest for Ice Wine is very labour-intense which is why a litre of ice wine costs about $85.00!

 

 

Wishing you all to be happy, healthy and at peace. *hugs and positive energy to all*

 

Nancy B

Good Morning Nancy, OFFr's,

Well while your sleep was not during the nighttime hours, I am thrilled to read that you got a solid "nights" rest and it sounds like from the reading of your post that you have done a lot already.  Being a City Girl, my knowledge of gardening and the fact that I work full time and spend almost 2 hours a day commuting, the knowledge of gardening that you seem to have escapes me.  I grew some simple, less work intensive things this past year, however, the squirrels really enjoyed a lot of what I so looked forward to, fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes.  In addition, I grew zucchini, red bell peppers, banana peppers and eggplant, my roommate planted two rows of green beans.  The zucchini did not produce quite the way I'd have like, or I'd have a freezer full, come next year I will put it in a different area of the yard.  It is nice to go out back and pick fresh from the vine food to eat and we are trying to figure a way to keep the bugger squirrels out of our garden next year, heck I don't mind sharing, but they truly took everything before it could ripen and so next year we will be building some sort of thing to keep them away.  I also would like to plant fig, apple and peach trees in my yard and since I have a big yard, it should not be too hard, I only want to plant like 2 of each, as they do require attention and my life is so busy all of the time. . .but the thought of it sounds good.  I, too, am cooking more and more soup these days, pea, butternut squash and Italian wedding soup, all good meals with high fiber and low caloric intake. . .  I have never used agava to bake with, mostly because I am not quite sure how much to use to substitute for "sugar".  Some time ago I looked for equivalents to use it and could not find them. . .

I am at work now, got to get to the project that I keep on working on and perhaps this evening I will meet with my good friend, Owen, for sushi, otherwise I will just be home with Roxie girl. . .

Hope everyone has a wonderful day and sending positive thoughts out to those with more challenging life situations!

Hugs, Laureen

Good morning,

Nancy - you astound me with your energy and positive attitude.

Laureen - a two hour commute sounds like an super long day.

This morning I meet with the Bariatric Coordinator to discuss support group ideas for the coming year. I hope she has a plan to get the  group a bigger room. We have had to search for chairs then squeeze in tight.

I am having a hard time eating. My sense of taste is going bonkers lately and changes daily. Food stinks too.  It is a struggle to find anything that tastes good. My tummy doesn't get hungry and never has since surgery. Too long without food makes me all dizzy so I try to eat something nourishing. A couple of bites and it makes me gag. Mental or physical - I don't know. Good thing I see my therapist today.

Kisses

Annette

Annette,

When I worked in NYC, it used to be 5 hours a day (2.5 each way) . . 1 hour or a little less each way isn't too bad, especially since I don't have to ride a bus or rail, and therefore am able to get myself out of traffic should I find myself encountering any. . . don't like the part I'm reading about you gagging when it comes time to eat. . . 

Hugs, Lil Sis

Good Morning Nancy and my OFF Family,

Nancy, I wish I were able to do all you do in a day.  I think my anemia is flaring up.  Plus, I have an awful sinus infection which has me in a lot of pain.  Sorry to complain.  

Today, I have to go to the pharmacy to pick up the rest of my prescription, as they only had a few pills.  So, I'm going to call them to find out when the rest of the prescription is available.

Later on today, I am taking my nephew to Special Olympics bowling.  My family here, Mom, sister, sis-in-law, and nephew are flying to Florida tomorrow to Disney World.  That is my nephew's 30th birthday present.  I couldn't afford to go with them.  I would rather go to Florida next month when my Munchkins to right before Christmas.  Unfortunately, I can't afford that either.

Well, I hope everyone has a blessed day.

Hugs and prayer,

Trish

Hello OFF family!

Everyone is so busy! My tomatoes did so bad this year! But luckily we live in a farming area and farmer stands are every where.

My scale reads 200.0 lbs for the last 4 days!!! ARG!! I've wanted to be under 200 for years and this is torture. Nothing taste good but I'm constantly hungry. The only thing that taste good is Baked Ruffles or Whole Wheat Pita Chips. Not a good thing. The doctor put me on Prevacid it helps but I'm so gassy, I burp all the time. I sound like a dragon spitting fire!! LOL!

Thoughts and prayers for all,

Debbie

Afternoon OFF family...well I am still bleeding some but not enough to call the dr...have appointment tomorrow at 1045 am so it can wait.

Lots going on here at the complex and I am miserable not being able to do anything!! GRRRR I CAN do the paperwork!!! Yuck...LOL need to get supplies for the Thanksgiving dinner wednesday...got the turkeys last night...Rick picked them up not me!!! So they are now thawing out...what else we need? List is someplace...sighs........nothing left that is heavy for me so I can do it. Rick will be cooking the birds also. I just gett he club house ready is all...yeah more work for me that you think...lol

Well Bandit wants to take his afternoon potty walk so best get him out there. Yes I am taking it easy...:-)

Thoughts and Prayers for ALL that need them!!!

HUGS

Hi Nancy and my OFF family:

I went back to work last night. The first three hours seemed to go all right but then I hit the wall. But I still had to work five more and those five dragged on. When I got home, my legs were extremely swollen. I did elevate my legs last night ... and iced the left knee a few times. But it hurt a lot by the end of the night.

The other sports guy's wife had her baby Tuesday night ... she was a couple weeks late, but otherwise it was good timing because she waited just in time for me to come back. Unfortunately, that means Jon is on paternity leave for two weeks and I get to do sports for two weeks. Oh well ... it's a job. Saturday will be the worst day.

Anyway, I'm going to look at an apartment on the way into work so I should get off the phone. Have a good day.

I know I haven't been posting much but I just have to tell you all that the stress of selling, packing, and moving is getting to me! I am eating and eating. It's scaring the **** out of me. I even broke down and ate chocolate last night. Oh crap. I have got to regain control.

Vickie I must have missed the post where you sold the house.  The last I saw you waiting to see if they would meet your rock bottom.  I can't even imagine what you are going thru.  I would go nut if I had to try and pack up to move.  Over 30 years of stuff and being a farm.  My heart is going out to you.