Erik's Friends

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have the sponge starter for a loaf of whole wheat Italian herb bread resting in the bread machine, am gearing up to make sage (turkey) sausage biscuits and gravy and have planned a non traditional evening meal of pan seared sirloin, dry roasted fingerling potatoes cooked with a pile of bay leaves that I will finish in the steak pan drippings, with a side broccoli or sauteed Brussels sprouts I picked from the garden yesterday....a simple yet lively red wine will accompany the feast.

We plan on spending the day cranking tunes while weeding through the filing cabinet, and leisurely packing non essential interior items... then we most likely will shag our brains out and put this day to rest.

Hope all is joyful and well with all of you!

Blue Heron Thanksgiving ~ Thomas Swopes, 2006

Wherever you are - I wish all my Calorie Count friends a beautiful Thanksgiving, filled with love and joy. 

1566/236.2

Art of the Season:  American Primitive Folk Art

Getting in the Winter Wood ~ Queena Stovall

Getting through each day is the only thing I'm doing right now.  Tuesday the visiting nurse was here.  My lungs are clear and my feet are swollen.  Now I have to spend at least 1 hour out of every three with my feet elevated above the level of my heart.  It did seem to help.  She was pleased that I'm gradually losing all that water weight. 

Plan for today:  I have an important phone call before lunch, then at 2:30 must take all my paperwork to the office for rent re-evaluation.  That has to be done each year, but my lease isn't up until February so this is kind of a pain.  There is still only one person in the office.  The office manager who has been gone for over a month signed everything they sent me, so I assume she'll be back sooner or later.  Meanwhile, the tennants are short changed.

Menu for today:  Breakfast - oatmeal with raisins & milk.  Lunch - half a chicken sandwich and salad.  Supper - pork chop, apples, cabbage and potato.  Snacks - tangerines, yogurt and triscuits.

It's another dreary, rainy day, but not quite as cold.  Right now it's 50 F, 10 C.  I'll avoid going out.  The nurse drew my blood for my weekly test, so at least I didn't have to go out yesterday.  I do have to pick up some prescriptions, but it can wait. 

Today:  All I want to do is sleep like an old bear in a cave. 

My Pumpkin Chocolate Spiced Pie! I tried a little sliver (as you can see) and it's not award winning in my books so it's going to work. I've decided on a graham cracker crust pumpkin pie with a pecan strussel topping.

And YES! I'm going with the caramel for my chocolate pecan pie. I just can't not.

In my fridge I now have the dough for my pecan pie (which is SO beautiful. The butter was cold and broke up into perfect pieces. It's going to be so flaky and good, I can tell!), my graham cracker crust for the pumpkin, and the pecan strussel for my pumpkin. Oh and that beautiful bread. I've been havin fun today :)

You know food is an art to you when you make something and go "oh my god that's gorgeous!" like I did with my crust. Ha. Okay now off to watch Twilight with Ezra.

So I'm back at work.  I started yesterday but the temp was here to help transition, which is just really frustrating because I like to get my work done.

I think the annoying racist had a death in the family?  I heard there was something going on and now she keeps going to meet with lawyers and banks.  Maybe she'll inherit a windfall and retire early (she's 61). 

Last Friday was my 6 week check-up.  I got cleared for sex and working out and the cherry on top was that I started my period.  SERIOUSLY?  That's so unfair.  It's not as heavy.  The cramps are as painful as I remember them, but not as often... so hopefully it will be light.

I went to the gym twice last week and it felt great, but I can't seem to find time now.  I did an arm workout at home last night, but that's it.  I'm operating on 4 hours of sleep, so I'm not going tonight.  We're going to my mother's tomorrow and she has an elliptical, so I'm going to bring my hand weights.

I'm so effing tired.

Our local handyman came by Sunday and started a few projects we've wanted done. In the process I was occupied more with helping him than with working on healthy eating, my fault not his. As of today we only have some minor repairs left (a leaky faucet, a missing part on another faucet and something with one of the office chairs). It should take no more than half an hour after he finds the parts then we have to wait for enough money to do any more projects.

Atti is doing much better. She's now eating the dry kibble when she's hungry enough. The dr is tapering off the meds so it won't be long before she's free of my ministerings.

Tomorrow I'll be going to B'nei Brak for my weekly study. In the evening we should have the laughter yoga so I'll have a busy schedule. Thursday I'm cooking and baking. I think I'll try to set up some pre measured mixes for Channukah meals as well. By the end of the week I'm sure to be tired and hopefully prepared for the comming weeks and holiday.

Have a good week everyone.