Daily Ooo's: January 3-4: Weekend Edition

[faerywings]

This is too funny, that Cait and I were chatting yesterday and we were talking about some upcoming things and about freaked out that in talking about next weekend it was already going to be January in double digits. But I shouldn't rush time ahead too much.
Time is really and truly relative to what you are doing and your mental state anyway. Gary and I typically watch some TV shows on DVR after dinner most nights for about 1 1/2 hours, 2 shows minus commercials (love that feature!). That never seems to go all that slowly. But hook me up to my IV, and sit me down for the same activity and holy cow, it drags!!!!
Maybe it is the point that I have no choice but to sit there. I mean, I could walk around the house, holding the bag over my head, but there doesn't seem much point in that, other than looking really silly. :tongue:

I woke Caitlyn up in the morning to go to work and she started throwing up again. I was bummed that she couldn't help me with the vacuuming but when I showed my arm to my client to explain why I might not get it all done, she put her hand to her faced and gasped. I can't see it all that well, but cait wanted to take a picture in the afternoon and I had her send it to me, it might be in a future scrap page. (Only a scrapper would get that!!). But iiiiicccckkkkk! It is still so nasty!
More importantly I am very concerned about Cait's stomach. I know that she has not been keeping up with her abx schedule. I think I have said before that her weakness with Lyme is her stomach, like Gary. I hope she is not relapsing. fingers/toes/legs/eyes crossed for that. I spoke to her again how it is important that she keeps taking the meds even when she feels good. But you know teenagers! argh!

And I made a really good soup- the chicken and wild rice. Scott went back three times! That makes it a keeper.:bounce:

Today I am going to try to get my paperwork done since I didn't get to it yesterday. You would think that it wouln't be all that hard to clean a tiny office (I think it is 8x8-- tiny!!) but for some reason I can't seem to get a handle on it.

How about you? Fun plans? If you haven't yet, are you going to take down Christmas stuff or do you wait until 12th Night?
I hope you all have a great weekend!

 

[faerywings]

http://www.emilybites.com/2013/12/creamy-chicken-wild-rice-soup.html

Darn it, I lost my post about all of my notes on how I adapted the soup. If any of you want to hear how I made it, let me know and I type it back up again. I ctrl-c's the link, but didn't get a chance to copy the rest of the post.

Still no phyllis?? :Cry:

Nancy- Benihana's sounds like a hoot! We have been to a couple of them around here. The Kdg classes always go as a field trip to one near us and that is one field trip I loved going on. Its fun to see the chefs flinging food LOL
Wow!! That is awesome that you kept a 5 year diary!! Just wow! Much luck as you go through diary-ing (can't think of the right words) the next 5 years!!!

Hi Fran! Happy New Year to you too!

Trudy- ya for good sleep!! It is a wonderful feeling, right? I slept pretty good last night too, until my body clock insists on waking me at 5 am even on non-school work days. I made myself stay in bed until 6 so at least there is that.
You should really try that soup recipe, I was pretty amazed at how good it was.
:whoo: on scrapping every challenge, I have done 3 (IIRC) and would love to do all of them!

Ohhh I forgot the QOTD! My favourite challenge is the Journal Challenge, I guess because I get to have verbal overflow and no one can tell me to shut up!! :becky:

ound: That is who I am here in the Ooo's!!!

Shar-- don't even call yourself fat!!!! Please, for me, if nothing else. I have suffered since I was 13 with eating disorder/body dismorphic disorder and have thought myself fat even at skeletal weights. I am finally getting to the point where I am not 100% ok with it, but I am accepting of that. Cait tells me that she is "fat" -- at 90lbs no less, and it *breaks my heart* to hear people say that.
Sorry- off the soapbox....
That said-- have you thought about water aerobics? I have heard that is supposed to be really good for your body.maybe there are senior classes near you where they would care how you look in a bathing suit at all.
Hope that I don't sound mean or condescending b/c I do not mean it that way-- not at all.Hugs to you!

Although I'm not sure you would know what to DO with a calm day! LOL

hahahah!!!!!! I don't think I would, either!!! ound:

Anna's art is really amazing to work with isn't it?

Excellent QOTD!! Since I didn't ask one today, this can be it!
Here's my info:

Live in: North Jersey, Bear Country which was a big change from where I grew up. I complain that everything is 45 minutes away (true) and I grew up in an area that within 5-10 minutes of just about everything, malls, highways, shopping of all sorts
DH:Gary, my soul mate. AKA Dave Grohl, cuz that is who he looks like (Its the hair and beard)
Children: 2 amazing kids that I brag about NON-STOP!!! Caitlyn is 16, a junior in HS, Scott is 18, a freshman at a community college and is in a 2+ year relationship with Leah whom I adore!!!
Me: I am a certified Elem Ed teacher in NJ and I have a degree in Psychology (I say that to remind myself that at one point in my life I was smart :nerd: LOL). I am also a certified aromatherapist and have a small, now almost non-existent business called Faery-Wings Apothecary. This is where my gifts baskets come from. Ilove creating aromatherapy products but it takes a lot of time and money which I have little to spare at this point. As y'all know-- all 4 of us have Late Stage Lyme Disease and that takes up most of my time/money/energy.
I am also 100% Italian and have the gift of gab. (who is shocked by that!?:rofl
I love fur-babies, the Shore, coffee and wine!

 

[SharLamb]

Yes, Chris, time is so relative. I can be lost on the computer for hours and it seems like minutes (much food has burned while I was just going to do one little thing on the computer while the onions were browning, etc.), but while waiting for a red light to change to green, 2 minutes can seem like a half hour!

Sorry to hear that Caitlyn is having stomach issues again. Nothing makes a mom so sad as seeing her munchkins suffer. :'( ...and that doesn't change (may even be worse) when your children are grown and gone.

Odd how a word can mean something so much different from one person to another. I used to use euphemisms about my size...plump, chubby, even fluffy. Then one day I saw my post-doctor visit report and saw that I was officially considered (according to standard charts) obese! =:O For some reason, right then and there I decided to stop avoiding "the word," and started admitting that I wasn't just plump. I was fat! No avoiding it. But I will refrain from even mentioning it here, because I certainly do not want to be the source of any extra distress in YOUR life!

Thanks for the mini bio. I had wondered about "Faery-Wings," and if the baskets you made were gifts you GAVE people, or sold.

As to weekends: When you are retired, all the weekend (or holiday) means is that the places we might want to go are more crowded. We try to do our Geezer Outings (errands) and entertainment (golf, movies, eating out) week DAYS so as to avoid crowds and give working people more space! Plus, prices are often better week days (esp. golf). To us weekends consist of around-the-house and yard (seasonal) tasks, watching sports (football or golf--again, seasonal), and church. During warm weather we take bike rides on less-traveled routes.

Nancy, I love your diary story. When I was a teenager I had one of those diaries, and wrote faithfully. Then I found out that my mother read it!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so angry she violated my privacy (although I have a different perspective on parents reading diaries now!!!), that I ripped it up and set it on fire, never to keep a diary again. Maybe that was long enough ago that I should give it another try!

Hope you all enjoy another Post-Holiday day. The pressure is OFF! WOOT!

 

[nancyr]

good morning - my Devils lost but they did not quit. It was 3-0 in the 3rd but the final was 4-2 (empty net goal was the 4th). If nothing else they did not quit and that made me real they might actually win some games. My DH and I decided to get out and do some birding and walking so we went to this cute little park by the Meadowlands DeKorte Park. We saw ruddy ducks which are one of my favorites. There were also buffleheads and hooded mergansers. But best was just being outside and walking. They had redone their boardwalk from the Sandy damage and it is awesome. It will be great to come back in the spring and see what is there. Then went to hockey game.

Chris so sorry about Cait and her stomach. It is no fun. Glad your soup turned out so well. Three helpings is awesome. Good luck with the paper work!

Fran Happy New Year to you too.

Trudy glad you got your sleep! Bummer about not being able to swim.

Shar I think most people are so worried about they look that that they often don't look at others. If you enjoyed swimming then go back and have fun. I try to remember that I am not 21 looking for romance I am 62 looking to live to 100 healthily so who cares what some one else might think.

QOTD - I am not good a challenges but I love the prompts and do look.

QOTD - I live in central NJ and should at some point make a quick trip up to see Chris.
I am retired from Merck the pharmaceutical company where I did basic research many projects looking for compounds that could help in anti obesity among other diseases. I loved being in research. But I also love being retired. My DH and I talked about how we are at an age where we should be traveling as we are not getting any younger. I have really bought into this and am loving my travels while my husband seems to be less into it luckily I have a sister who goes with me. I love sports and I am a New Jersey Devils season ticket holder with my oldest son. When he can't go then I take my youngest son or my husband.
DH - my husband still works - he is professor at Long Island University in Brooklyn where he is also the chairman of the biology department. We met at Arizona State in an invertebrate zoology class. We have been married for 40 years.
Family - we have two sons. One married and living close. No children. The other is living at home as he has just started a new job.

Jean thanks for the inspiration to go out birding.

Have a great day all!

 

[taxed4ever]

Morning ladies... late arriving here again! Hey where the heck is Phylis?? Are you ok dear friend??

DH is so demanding of my time on the weekends, why do they think whatever they have to do is so much more important??

sometimes he drives me crazy!! But really I love him to death!!

Chris - I sure hope that your bruising gets better soon!! You might have to go back to the Dr. to have him/her take a look at it!! Come on Chris, time to get that darn office of yours cleaned up and out of your hair!! Tackle it with gusto my friend, I know you can do it!! I just made a large batch of Turkey soup, so when that is done I will definitely take a look at your new soup recipe, let me know if you ever find all the changes that you did to adapt your recipe for it.

Shar - What the heck do those charts know?? According to the charts I am very overweight also, I know that I could stand to lose a few pounds, but more than 25lbs really?? I would be twiggy (remember her), so unrealistic for that kind of weight loss for menopausal or post menopausal women to reach!! Like Nancy says we are not out there to find a new man or win a bathing beauty contest, be happy if you are healthy and feel good! Swimming is my new found exercise, I am up to almost thirty laps a session now and I feel wonderful. Can't say that I have lost too much weight, but I know a couple of inches have dropped and I love the exercise!! I think I found my niche!! Who cares what others think of us, its none of our business!!

Nancy - Sorry your Devils did not win again, but at least you know that they are out there trying their best!! Yes you really should make a trip up to see our Faery Chris!! Wish I could, but it would be quite a long flight for me :becky: I am so jealous of the fact that your children live so close to you!! Don't ever forget how lucky you are!!

Ok hubby wants to leave to run errands in about 10 mins and I still have to get ready to go. Have a wonderful day everyone and hope to pop in here again later today!

QOTD - I live on Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada. I am a retired banker, and also worked part time for a while at the local Home Hardware Store. I am permenatley off the job circut now though. I am a mother to two beautiful grown children our son and his wife are both with the military and currently living in Cold Lake Alberta with the sweetest grandson and granddaughter ever. My daughter is a new mommy to a sweet little grandman
and she is currently living in Mitchell Ontario with her common-law husband. DH and I met in high school and dated for almost 8 years before he popped the question. LOL I guess he needed to get to know me first! DH is a retired RCMP officer and worked in the major crimes division. He recently retired after 35 years of service. Now he is working full time for the municipality of North Cowichan and loving his new found job. Not sure when I will ever convince him to retire for good, but thats ok he is happy and out of my hair!! :becky: :wave:

 

[SharLamb]

I am loving learning about you all! I know I won't remember it all, so I'm copy/pasting into One Note. I have a special section just for you!

Trudy, I hope you can talk DH into retiring ASAP. Of course, you must have The Talk with him before it happens. Let him know that he is responsible for his own entertainment on a daily basis, and not follow you around like a puppy dog. I told Captain Romance that I was worried about one thing regarding his retirement decision...and that was that he would expect me to stop what I was doing at mid day and make him lunch. He agreed that HE WOULD DO LUNCH if I would continue to do dinner. So every day I get a call from the family room that lunch is awaiting me. I LOVE IT! Actually, most days when I hear him out in the kitchen, I go out and pour beverages, and he helps me with extra stuff during dinner prep. He's been retired 10 years now, and we're still not over it.

Thanks from all of you for the encouragement re. swimming. I may wait until I get back from my next Utah trip to pursue it (that will be in 6 weeks), and by then the New Years Resolution crowd will be gone! LOL

 

[scrap-genie]

Shar, I have to skip over the word obese on my exam visit reports as it is such a powerful word. I have to say that if I only needed to lose 25 lbs. I would be very pleased. So the words, our health, and our perceptions are not the same things. In my case the weight does adversely impact my health, but I can't seem to come to terms with it this time around.

Sorry I missed commenting yesterday, but I did get two LOs in for challenges. As to the challenge QOTD, I simply love challenges but which ones appeal vary. Journaling and lyric can be hard for me. I tend to like recipe ones as they can make me try something very different. I always loved Ona's creative techniques, but they were an extra challenge as I use PSP.

QOTD 2: live in suburban Cleveland, Ohio
DH: Dick, both of us took early retirement from the U.S. government (Navy) in data processing where we met in 1967, married in 1968. No kids.
I went to art school in an education program, but thankfully got to be a computer programmer instead of a teacher. DH and I became avid birders together.
Since retirement I've become immersed in genealogy. Oh, also a Cleveland Indians fan (equipment truck will be off to Arizona late this month!) and DH into football, greatly looking forward to Ohio State in the championship.

Trudy, are you sure you want DH to fully retire? I think it sounds nice that he found another job he can enjoy (and stay out of your hair!)

Shar, I hope you will go for it with the swimming. I'm very much into ignoring what anyone thinks about looks and the suggestion about senior activities is good in that way.

Nancy, hope you get to see some birds. Miss your feeder photos from back when. I identify various of you to DH by some hook. You're the Carolina Wren person.

Chris, so sorry your arm is so bad. Sounds like you really shocked your client. Sure hope Cait can get it together on the meds and feel better. Your kids do sound super. Love the image of Gary as Dave Grohl who I think looks great. Loved it recently when he and the Foo Fighters were on Letterman for a week.

Raining and in the 40s here but tomorrow we turn cold as I guess most of the U.S. will. Hope it's a good weekend everyone.

 

[faerywings]

Hello and Happy Sunday my lOvelies!
I am actually feeling mentally pretty OK. I slept very good last night. Each time I woke up, I was able to get right back asleep *and* I slept until 6.45! Unheard of!! :whoo:

My arm is still hurting a lot. Gary is going to do a dressing change to look carefully at the insertion site. It doesn't feel like it is infected- no fever, no red streaks or swelling, but it is always good to be cautious. I am pretty sure that it has more to do with the bruising and the fact that it is my right arm and I didn't rest it, keep heat on it as I should have. That is my goal for today. Just a few small things to do around the house, and then rest.

Yesterday i sorted through 3 of the 4 filing cabinet drawers. Shredded lots of old papers, and boxed up stuff that I probably don't need to keep but feel more comfortable storing in the attic.The last drawer is all of the old manuals and paperwork on appliances, stuff we did for the addition on the house, etc. Every once in a while I go in there and grab a couple of things on stuff we don't own any more to toss, but for the most part, I throw stuff in there and hold it shut.


Dinner was nice too- all 4 of us were home. We talked about new puppies. As part of my Christmas gift *snorts* Gary said that whenever I wanted a new puppy, that would be my present. Of course I want a puppy, but who has the time for that now? I can barely keep up with the people and animals I have right now LOL
He and Cait go on Petfinder and find these sweet dogs and then leave the window open on my computer. It is really hard not to melt and I know that Ray needs a companion. Maybe in the spring, we can look for an older puppy that is all vaccinated, spayed, and housebroken Ray was 6 months when we got her and she was good to go, had 1-2 accidents in the house, and we never had a problem with her since (knocks wood!!!).
At dinner, we discussed the pros and cons and responsibilities of it all.

Scott still holds it against me that I held off taking Mer to the vet as soon as he started to shows signs of being sick. The reason I didn't rush him in is that he had been to the vet a few months ago, knew that he had stomach/bowel issues and was an old cat. Nothing that they could do would make him better. But as soon as it became apparent that he was in pain I took him in immediately and did all that I could to make him comfortable in his last days. Scott doesn't feel that we should get a dog unless we are willing to take her to the vet immediately, which I would and have done with our pets since forever, if the appt/treatment is effective. I am not getting the words out properly but YKWIM? I hope?

I have gobs of b-day and Christmas money saved up that when people give it to me they put the condition on it that it can't go towards bills, but maybe it can go for a puppy and it's care?
We'll see.

Catzilla is in full force today so i will post this now before she walks all over my keyboard again.

xoxoxoxo!!

 

[faerywings]

Shar- too finny about burning stuff while being on the computer for "just a second", I have done that too!
Thank you for explaining the reason why you use the word "fat." I "heard" it as being insulting to yourself and I hate when people do that. It really makes me sad, and I guess it still triggers a lot of emotion in me. But as long as I know how you mean it, it won't bother me at all to see you type it. But thank you so much to want to keep distress away for me, you are too sweet!!
The gift baskets are both given as gifts and sold. Scott's GF's mom loves coffee as much as I do and I made up a recipe of a body exfoliant using coffee bean butter. That was tucked into a basket with a coffee mug and some vanilla almond soap scrubs and stuff like that. When I did teacher gifts I would make little sets of hand lotions and soaps. I love being able to create something personal for my family and friends and everyone has always said how mucg they like getting stuff that I have made.

I am with you, I try to avoid all stores on weekends, too many people!

Nancy- I guess that is a good thing that Devils had a little come back- it is good to look on the bright side, eh?
I have no idea of what those birds are-- their names sound like something out of Harry Potter
How fun it you could come up my way! I bet there are cool birds somewhere up here.
40 years married, that is awesome! Gary and I are half way there

Trudy- I am worried about Phyllis too. I hope that she and her hubby are out and about having a great time.

 

[nancyr]

good morning - my DH is up making Philadelphia sticky buns for breakfast. How cool is that! They are the best but they require so much effort and time. I am happy he likes to do it. My Devils won last night and they won decisively 5-2 vs a real rival the Philly Flyers. Jaromir Jagr scored a hat trick and he became the oldest player in NHL history to score a hat trick. He was happy to score but laughed at now being the oldest to do this. The Flyers came out wanting to get physical and starting fights but that seemed to help my team more than the Flyers. I got in an early morning walk yesterday before the rain and snow started. Went from sunny to complete clouds while I was walking. Somewhere I read about this new gizmo that allows you to use your phone as a remote control for your dSRL. I read about it and decided to buy and finally got it out to see if I could get it to work. OMgosh is it awesome. I had to reread my Sony camera manual to see how to put my camera on remote and then set up the app and low and behold it works like a charm. My DH and son were quite impressed that I could get this to work. I was impressed too. I have been wanting a way to be able to get all in the photo and not have to worry about whether I have to run to get in photo before the shutter releases. It is called a maxstone. Don't know how it works but I am thrilled. It also supposed allows you to set up you camera to do time lapse photography. Any way a new toy to play with.

Chris hope you got your paper work done or at least a good deal of it. With the weather being so rainy a good day to be inside.

Shar I totally agree that most of my activities are done during the weekdays when most people are working. Seems fairer to me since I remember trying to get everything done on the weekends when working.

Jean I love genealogy too. But I am lucky as on my maternal side when I was a teenager one of our relatives did all the research and put together this huge book on all the Fry ancestors starting with Col. Joshua Fry. I love that the Frys owned the plantation next to Thomas Jefferson's. Much harder to know the past on my paternal side but I do know his relatives were in the Oklahoma land rush. And yes I am the Carolina Wren photographer. One of my favorite things in visiting my sister in the spring is going to the spring training games. You get to be so close and the tickets are reasonably priced. Also fun to see the prospects.

Trudy hope you got your errands done quickly. I have to say thanks to your family for all their service. How amazing to have a RCMP husband and a son in the military. I know when my oldest was an active Marine it was stressful! You did it for what 35 years! I am impressed!

Phylis saying hi!

Have a great day all!

 

[faerywings]

The soup recipe changes:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 4 cups (32 oz) less sodium fat free chicken broth
• 1 lb raw boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 (6 oz) box of Long Grain & Wild Rice (I used Uncle Ben’s) – not the quick cooking kind, do not prepare
• 1 cup sliced or diced carrots
• 1 cup sliced celery
• ½ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) light butter
• 2 cups fat free half and half

I used 3 cans of chicken broth (non-fat low sodium if that matters) and I cooked 4 decent sized chicken chicken thighs for 25 mins. I strained that out so make sure there were no little bones. Then I dumped the carrots and the rice packet (I used Carolina wild rice pack- which was bigger and cheaper than Uncle bens) nand cooked that for another 25 mins. I used 1 cup milk and 1 cup half and half for the roux and I added celery seed since I didn't have any celery inthe house. Cooked that for another 10 minutes and it was good to go!

 

[faerywings]

Hi Nancy!
Did you get any snow yesterday? We got about 2-3 inches but now its just misty. I would love someone to make me cinnamon rolls too.
That gizmo sounds really awesome!

I feel like Gary is retired since he is disabled and home most of the time, but we have our good routines, for the most part.

Jean- those 2 are the hardest for me as well, lyric and journaling. This month's journaling was a breeze though
Tee hee about Gary and Dave Grohl! I was never a Foo Fighter's fan until we saw them live, opening up for the Red Hot Chili Peppers many (many!) years ago. Scott got to see him in Nirvana as the 121212 Concert with Paul McCartney on vocals and he is still amazed by that.

I better get going to do those small things around the house before I rest. I had Gary do the dressing change on my arm and thankfully, the site is nice and clean. She put it at a weird angle and I think that is adding to the discomfort. I said to him that Iwill do this IV until after I am healed from the surgery but that is IT! (I think I said that last year too, and then poof! 7 months later it finally came out.

Hugs and love to all!