For some reason, I simply could not go to sleep last night. I finally drifted off around 5:30 this morning, but it was a short stretch to 8 a.m., when I got up to join Hubbie at breakfast before he left to help the Master Gardeners in a project scheduled for 9 a.m.
Before he left, he went outdoors to feed the kittens, and discovered that our neighbors that live behind us were having a yard sale. He went over to see if there was anything that might interest us and said that there were a lot of children's clothes and toys for sale.
Mother and I decided to go take a look for ourselves. We weren't interested in the kid's clothes, since we don't know any of the great-grandkid's sizes, and there were no appropriate toys. But I did find a cute chambray shirt that ties at the waist, in my size, so I bought that. Mother found a wool black and red plaid poncho, and a couple of picture frames.
We spent the rest of the morning organizing for the trip next week. After a catch-as-catch-can lunch, Hubbie groomed Shih Tzu and bathed her, and Mother and I continued gathering things for the camper.
After supper, Hubbie and I turned on the radio to listen as our favorite college team played. Hubbie did most of the listening, since I kept nodding off...not because I was bored, but because I was making up for a sleepless night. Unfortunately, every time our team made a touchdown, I was off to La-La Land. I did manage to stay awake for the last few exciting minutes of play, when it seemed our team might have a chance of winning. Unfortunately, though, they lost by two points in the last seconds of the game.
A couple of nights ago, Hubbie and I watched a movie titled, "The Affair of the Necklace," starring Hilary Swank, among others. The movie, rated "R" for violence, brief nudity, and adult
content, is about an 18th century Frenchwoman, orphaned as a young girl, who sets out to restore her family's good name. She manages to very nearly successfully pull off a scam that culminates in the French Revolution, and the eventual beheading of Marie Antoinette.
Mother decided she wants to see the movie, even with it's "R" rating, so I taped it for her. In discussing the bawdiness of the royal court, and particularly the extravagance of Marie Antoinette during that era, I mentioned that the French people were outraged with the Queen's mindless spending on her wardrobe and jewelry. "Sort of reminds me of the criticism Sarah Palin is taking for her expensive clothing. Fortunately, though, folks don't want to guillotine her," I said. "No," Mother quipped, "all they want to do is run her through the wringer."
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Water Aerobics and Friendship Cakes
It was a sunny, calm, crisp autumn morning for traveling to the college pool. Parking was at a premium today, and I had to walk down a hill to the gym. I don't mind walking down the hill and back up again after water aerobics, though, since it gives my heart a little extra workout.
In the locker room this morning, I met a new water aerobics member, who, when I introduced myself, exclaimed, "I saw your picture in the newspaper Wednesday! I've seen you a lot around town, but didn't know your name!" Another member piped up, "I don't doubt you've seen her around town. She's everywhere." Wow. I didn't know I was that conspicuous. Maybe I should stay home more. But, wait...if these folks are seeing me everywhere, doesn't that mean that they are everywhere, too?
Following water aerobics today, Mother and I joined the "Water Babies" at a local Italian restaurant for lunch. This outing gave me a chance to wear my new pumpkin colored sweater over black pants and black turtleneck. It also gave me a chance to wear a beautiful necklace of multi-colored beads in autumn tones given to me by my two thoughtful stepdaughters for my birthday last January.
It's difficult for me to choose a menu item that I feel is healthy, but I settled for a hot smoked turkey sandwich with melted Swiss cheese, topped with lettuce and tomato, on a wheat roll, served with a side of roasted potatoes, all of which tasted pretty salty to me. I ate half of it and brought the other half home for Hubbie to have as part of his lunch tomorrow. I also sinned by eating garlic bread dipped in Marinara sauce. Mother had spinach quiche and fruit bowl.
A subject of conversation at our table was the weather, of course. We agreed today is beautiful, especially since there is no wind. One lady, commenting that she's from Chicago, said, "I miss the wind." Another lady asked her how long she's been away from The Windy City. "Forty years," she said. That's a long time to miss wind! I don't mind summer breezes, but I think I'd miss winter winds like I'd miss an abscessed tooth.
Back home, I jumped into jeans and a knit shirt, so I could begin baking friendship cakes. For several weeks, I've periodically added fruit to starter, stirring it each day until it was ready to be added to cake mixes. There's enough fruit to make three cakes, one of which will become part of Younger Son's birthday in February. He always looks forward to getting one of these cakes, which his family is eager to share.
Usually, I have friendship cake starter liquid in the freezer, but I found that after several years of fermenting fruit and saving the starter, it had finally become exhausted, and I had to make starter from scratch this year, using yeast as a beginner. So it was 44 days from the day I first made the starter until today, when the fruited mixture was finally ready to be used in cakes.
As usual, Mother is helping with this project by insisting on taking the ingredients for two of the cakes home with her to bake this afternoon and tonight.
All three cakes will be in the freezer before the day is out. We wanted to be sure and have them done before the hectic holiday season begins...which for us begins next week, when we go to Branson. After that, it's time to plan the Thanksgiving feast, which this year means taking into account the various diet restrictions of several family members.
Between cakes, Hubbie and I ran errands, including to a grocery store to pick up mineral oil to put in Shih Tzu's food. She's been terrible about licking her feet lately and then coughing and coughing. A vet suggested the mineral oil could help her get rid of hair she might be swallowing.
Then we went to a filling station to top the truck tank with diesel. Too bad we didn't need more, because today was customer appreciation day at the station, and fuel was being sold at a 20-cents-a-gallon discount. Folks were at each of the pumps handing out prize registration tickets, too. A lot of nice prizes, including free gasoline, are being given away. We hope we win one.
We wondered what was going on at the station when we arrived and found a policeman directing traffic. There were long lines at each of the pumps, of course, requiring several guys in orange vests to keep the cars and trucks moving in an orderly manner.
In the locker room this morning, I met a new water aerobics member, who, when I introduced myself, exclaimed, "I saw your picture in the newspaper Wednesday! I've seen you a lot around town, but didn't know your name!" Another member piped up, "I don't doubt you've seen her around town. She's everywhere." Wow. I didn't know I was that conspicuous. Maybe I should stay home more. But, wait...if these folks are seeing me everywhere, doesn't that mean that they are everywhere, too?
Following water aerobics today, Mother and I joined the "Water Babies" at a local Italian restaurant for lunch. This outing gave me a chance to wear my new pumpkin colored sweater over black pants and black turtleneck. It also gave me a chance to wear a beautiful necklace of multi-colored beads in autumn tones given to me by my two thoughtful stepdaughters for my birthday last January.
It's difficult for me to choose a menu item that I feel is healthy, but I settled for a hot smoked turkey sandwich with melted Swiss cheese, topped with lettuce and tomato, on a wheat roll, served with a side of roasted potatoes, all of which tasted pretty salty to me. I ate half of it and brought the other half home for Hubbie to have as part of his lunch tomorrow. I also sinned by eating garlic bread dipped in Marinara sauce. Mother had spinach quiche and fruit bowl.
A subject of conversation at our table was the weather, of course. We agreed today is beautiful, especially since there is no wind. One lady, commenting that she's from Chicago, said, "I miss the wind." Another lady asked her how long she's been away from The Windy City. "Forty years," she said. That's a long time to miss wind! I don't mind summer breezes, but I think I'd miss winter winds like I'd miss an abscessed tooth.
Back home, I jumped into jeans and a knit shirt, so I could begin baking friendship cakes. For several weeks, I've periodically added fruit to starter, stirring it each day until it was ready to be added to cake mixes. There's enough fruit to make three cakes, one of which will become part of Younger Son's birthday in February. He always looks forward to getting one of these cakes, which his family is eager to share.
Usually, I have friendship cake starter liquid in the freezer, but I found that after several years of fermenting fruit and saving the starter, it had finally become exhausted, and I had to make starter from scratch this year, using yeast as a beginner. So it was 44 days from the day I first made the starter until today, when the fruited mixture was finally ready to be used in cakes.
As usual, Mother is helping with this project by insisting on taking the ingredients for two of the cakes home with her to bake this afternoon and tonight.
All three cakes will be in the freezer before the day is out. We wanted to be sure and have them done before the hectic holiday season begins...which for us begins next week, when we go to Branson. After that, it's time to plan the Thanksgiving feast, which this year means taking into account the various diet restrictions of several family members.
Between cakes, Hubbie and I ran errands, including to a grocery store to pick up mineral oil to put in Shih Tzu's food. She's been terrible about licking her feet lately and then coughing and coughing. A vet suggested the mineral oil could help her get rid of hair she might be swallowing.
Then we went to a filling station to top the truck tank with diesel. Too bad we didn't need more, because today was customer appreciation day at the station, and fuel was being sold at a 20-cents-a-gallon discount. Folks were at each of the pumps handing out prize registration tickets, too. A lot of nice prizes, including free gasoline, are being given away. We hope we win one.
We wondered what was going on at the station when we arrived and found a policeman directing traffic. There were long lines at each of the pumps, of course, requiring several guys in orange vests to keep the cars and trucks moving in an orderly manner.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Greeting Cards
The photo above shows four greeting cards that Mother and I made. Actually, Mother made three of them...the happy face one, the dark blue one with block letters, and the "Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday" one. I made the other dark blue one using a strip of polka dot paper left over from Mother's project...I punched out the dots to make a different look. The sticker lettering is hard to see in the photo, but is fine seen close up.As predicted, we did get rain last night, though if it stormed we slept through it. Our rain gauge shows two inches fell during the night. As today wore on the temperature dropped into the 50s.
We got up late this morning, and after breakfast I headed to the treadmill. We spent the rest of the morning in various household tasks. Because Mother and I were scheduled to get on the scale for our monthly weigh-in at Weight Watchers this evening, I settled for just a bowl of fresh fruit for lunch.
After lunch Hubbie and I ran errands. Since I had a 1 p.m. haircut appointment, Hubbie dropped me by the beauty shop while he went to the post office to mail birthday cards to Daughter-in-Law, and then to the pharmacy to pick up one of my medications.
Following my appointment, we stopped by the bank that sponsored a calendar photo contest to pick up my photos, one of which they scanned to use on their 2009 calendar. There was no information on the manila envelope to indicate which photo will be featured, though. I'd even forgotten what the theme for this year's calendar is until I picked up the photos...it's "Yard and Garden." I sent five close-up snapshots of Hubbie's flowers, and out of 600 entries one of mine was selected, though I guess it'll be sometime in November or early December before the calendars will be available so I can see which photo is featured.
From the bank, we went shopping at a competing discount store before going to the WDCS. There, besides getting grocery items, I also picked up snapshots at the one-hour service of a two-year-old child I photographed while at Octoberfest. His grandmother ordered prints from me, and I'll put them into the mail to her tomorrow. Lately, when I go to events to shoot for possible publication in our state newspaper, I also offer prints of kids to folks that I notice are attending without a camera in hand. People seem more than willing to pay a few bucks for these.
At 5 p.m., Mother and I faced the dreaded scale at Weight Watchers. I feared I'd gained a couple of pounds, but I actually stayed the same as last month. Mother did gain a pound and a half, but she had already weighed on her home scale and knew she was up. My home scale is broken. I need to purchase another one, because my weight has a tendency to creep slowly up if I don't diligently keep track of it.
Before we went to Weight Watchers, I made a batch of tapioca pudding, using skim milk, egg substitute and sugar substitute. Mother took a serving of it home with her after we got back from WW since she didn't plan to join us for a "week in review" supper. I baked a pan of low-calorie tube biscuits to go with leftover lasagna, beans, and California mix. The biscuits were very good with low-fat margarine and locally produced honey drizzled over them.
We'll have servings of tapioca for a snack later this evening.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
To Catch a Kitten
As I traveled to the pool this morning, translucent fog lay low over the fields, and a misty sun peeked out from beneath clouds. Rain, perhaps turning to storms, is predicted for later tonight and tomorrow. A couple of days ago, a TV weatherman predicted we'd have rainy weather when he saw long vapor trails in the sky. Fair weather vapor trails are short, he said. He explained why this is so, but I don't remember what the explanation was.
Yowie! The water at the pool felt bracing today at 82 degrees. When the pool guy came to check it, he said the maintenance guys had shut the boiler off to clean the filters, and he guessed they had forgotten to turn it back on again. I wait until I get home to shower after swimming, but I'll bet the golden-age ladies who showered in the locker room today found the water shivery.
When I got home from the pool, Mother came over and put color in my hair. I'll be getting a haircut tomorrow, but Mother opted out, since the appointment is a week earlier in the month than usual. My hair grows very fast, and I need a trim so I won't look shaggy while we're at Branson next week. Mother said her hair hasn't grown much this month, so she wants to wait until next month's appointment.
This afternoon, Hubbie decided to bring the black kitten and the silver kitten indoors for a visit. But when the screen door slammed shut behind him, the black kitten got startled and clawed Hubbie's arm, drawing blood, as it leaped to the floor (black cat...Halloween?).
The chase was on after that, as we tried to catch the little critter. Like a bullet, the kitten shot under the couch, streaking away as soon as Hubbie reached for it, and then ran back and forth under the dining room table as Hubbie and I tried to grab it. Finally, it backed into a corner under the serving cart. As stealthily as a cat, I snuck up to the cart on hands and knees, slowly reached out and snatched the kitten by the scruff of it's neck. It instantly became calm as it settled into my arms. Moral? If you want to catch a cat, you have to become a cat.
While Hubbie was reading the local newspaper this afternoon, he called out, "My wife's picture is in the paper today!" It is the snapshot taken at the art gallery the other night, when I was prevailed upon to be in the picture before I could sneak out the door after the meeting. Two others, who also protested being photographed, are in the picture, too. I'm not particularly photogenic, but this picture is, thankfully, not awful. The three of us should remember that the photo is not about us, anyway, but about selling the pretty Christmas ornaments we're promoting.
Got a call from one of the community theater board members asking me if I would be free Friday afternoon to make a short welcome statement at a local college, prior to a children's play for kindergarten to third graders, performed by our state's arts council tell-a-tale troupe. I can't do it, since Mother and I will be attending the water aerobics luncheon on Friday at 11 a.m., and I would need to be at the theater by 11:30 a.m. to welcome the troupe, and then introduce them to the audience at 1 p.m., the time of the play. Later he called back to say he'd found another member who agreed to do it.
I'm glad this other member can take on the task. She and her mentally challenged son have participated in local community theater projects for years. She has starred in lots of our plays, and the son has been cast in the chorus of several shows. He has also served as theater usher many times. Even though he is about 20 years old now, he is still at the level of about eight years old, so he thoroughly enjoys staged children's productions. He'll be excited to see Friday's performance of "Rumplestiltskin."
Yowie! The water at the pool felt bracing today at 82 degrees. When the pool guy came to check it, he said the maintenance guys had shut the boiler off to clean the filters, and he guessed they had forgotten to turn it back on again. I wait until I get home to shower after swimming, but I'll bet the golden-age ladies who showered in the locker room today found the water shivery.
When I got home from the pool, Mother came over and put color in my hair. I'll be getting a haircut tomorrow, but Mother opted out, since the appointment is a week earlier in the month than usual. My hair grows very fast, and I need a trim so I won't look shaggy while we're at Branson next week. Mother said her hair hasn't grown much this month, so she wants to wait until next month's appointment.
This afternoon, Hubbie decided to bring the black kitten and the silver kitten indoors for a visit. But when the screen door slammed shut behind him, the black kitten got startled and clawed Hubbie's arm, drawing blood, as it leaped to the floor (black cat...Halloween?).
The chase was on after that, as we tried to catch the little critter. Like a bullet, the kitten shot under the couch, streaking away as soon as Hubbie reached for it, and then ran back and forth under the dining room table as Hubbie and I tried to grab it. Finally, it backed into a corner under the serving cart. As stealthily as a cat, I snuck up to the cart on hands and knees, slowly reached out and snatched the kitten by the scruff of it's neck. It instantly became calm as it settled into my arms. Moral? If you want to catch a cat, you have to become a cat.
While Hubbie was reading the local newspaper this afternoon, he called out, "My wife's picture is in the paper today!" It is the snapshot taken at the art gallery the other night, when I was prevailed upon to be in the picture before I could sneak out the door after the meeting. Two others, who also protested being photographed, are in the picture, too. I'm not particularly photogenic, but this picture is, thankfully, not awful. The three of us should remember that the photo is not about us, anyway, but about selling the pretty Christmas ornaments we're promoting.
Got a call from one of the community theater board members asking me if I would be free Friday afternoon to make a short welcome statement at a local college, prior to a children's play for kindergarten to third graders, performed by our state's arts council tell-a-tale troupe. I can't do it, since Mother and I will be attending the water aerobics luncheon on Friday at 11 a.m., and I would need to be at the theater by 11:30 a.m. to welcome the troupe, and then introduce them to the audience at 1 p.m., the time of the play. Later he called back to say he'd found another member who agreed to do it.
I'm glad this other member can take on the task. She and her mentally challenged son have participated in local community theater projects for years. She has starred in lots of our plays, and the son has been cast in the chorus of several shows. He has also served as theater usher many times. Even though he is about 20 years old now, he is still at the level of about eight years old, so he thoroughly enjoys staged children's productions. He'll be excited to see Friday's performance of "Rumplestiltskin."
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Tuesday...an Ordinary Day
Since I didn't have to go to Cardiac Rehab this morning, we slept late and then I did 35 minutes of walking on the treadmill, followed by five minutes of stretching and using an elastic band for resistance exercises.
Well, the mama cat and all six of her juvenile kittens are back. They've been here for several days now. We haven't a clue where they went when they left, or why they decided to come back. Hubbie has been able to pet all of them now, whereas before they were too skittish to get near.
They're definitely ready to go to new homes, but we don't know anyone who wants one at the moment. We'll have to start polling our acquaintances to see who might be in the market for a pet. I think Hubbie has fallen in love with one of the two Siamese mix ones, a very friendly buff colored kitten with beautiful blue eyes and dark points on her face, ears, paws and tail. We really hate getting attached to the kittens, since as they grow older, they could be destined (as so many of our cats have) to meet their end on the highway in front of our house.
I had trouble deciding what to have for lunch today, but finally settled on a baked potato, with a fresh orange for dessert. Hubbie opted for a PB&J sandwich and potato chips. After lunch, we ran errands again. The main reason for getting out today was that we wanted sweet potatoes to bake as an accompaniment to pork chops and California mix veggies for supper. As long as we had to be out anyway, we stopped by the post office and the bank, as well as at a dollar store, where I picked up several lint rollers and some boxes of low-salt/low-fat crackers for the trip.
Otherwise, it was an ordinary day. Mother and I strolled the garden later in the afternoon and noticed that the lettuce she planted recently in the raised garden has broken the ground. The butternut squash, growing out of the compost heap, is doing nicely. Mums, zinnias, and clematis are blooming, even as the leaves are falling off the sweet gum trees. Yellow Cloudless Sulphur butterflies are still flitting among the flowers, and as recently as a couple of days ago, I saw a hummingbird feeding at a zinnia blossom.
Well, the mama cat and all six of her juvenile kittens are back. They've been here for several days now. We haven't a clue where they went when they left, or why they decided to come back. Hubbie has been able to pet all of them now, whereas before they were too skittish to get near.
They're definitely ready to go to new homes, but we don't know anyone who wants one at the moment. We'll have to start polling our acquaintances to see who might be in the market for a pet. I think Hubbie has fallen in love with one of the two Siamese mix ones, a very friendly buff colored kitten with beautiful blue eyes and dark points on her face, ears, paws and tail. We really hate getting attached to the kittens, since as they grow older, they could be destined (as so many of our cats have) to meet their end on the highway in front of our house.
I had trouble deciding what to have for lunch today, but finally settled on a baked potato, with a fresh orange for dessert. Hubbie opted for a PB&J sandwich and potato chips. After lunch, we ran errands again. The main reason for getting out today was that we wanted sweet potatoes to bake as an accompaniment to pork chops and California mix veggies for supper. As long as we had to be out anyway, we stopped by the post office and the bank, as well as at a dollar store, where I picked up several lint rollers and some boxes of low-salt/low-fat crackers for the trip.
Otherwise, it was an ordinary day. Mother and I strolled the garden later in the afternoon and noticed that the lettuce she planted recently in the raised garden has broken the ground. The butternut squash, growing out of the compost heap, is doing nicely. Mums, zinnias, and clematis are blooming, even as the leaves are falling off the sweet gum trees. Yellow Cloudless Sulphur butterflies are still flitting among the flowers, and as recently as a couple of days ago, I saw a hummingbird feeding at a zinnia blossom.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Monday, October 20
For the first time since early last spring, I could see my breath in the chilly air when I left for water aerobics this morning.
I was glad to see our regular aerobics leader back today. Her doctors still don't know what the cause of her anemia is, but she was told she could resume normal activities, if she felt like it. Today, she handed out announcements for a group get-together at the local Italian restaurant on Friday. We usually gather for a Dutch treat lunch three times a year, in the spring, in the fall, and at Christmas time.
When I got home, Hubbie and I ran errands. First we stopped at the store that has a sale every weekend, where I shopped for long-sleeved knit shirts. I found two, a brown one and a periwinkle blue one, that I got for under $5 when I used a $10 coupon I received in the mail last week. While I was doing that, Hubbie went to the nearby pharmacy to pick up prescriptions. From there, we went to the vet clinic, where Hubbie bought special vitamins and shampoo for our elderly Shih Tzu. Then we stopped at the bank, before going on to the WDCS for several items.
By the time we got back home, it was lunchtime, so we heated the leftover chili, and followed that with a bowl of mixed fresh fruits for dessert.
Mother came over after lunch and chopped veggies, which I used to make another big pot of chili to take with us to Branson next week to have as our traditional Halloween day meal. Along with that, we'll also have a fat-free pumpkin custard for dessert.
Once the chili (see recipe below) had simmered for a couple of hours, and then cooled for a while, we put it into two gallon size freezer bags and stored them, flat, in the freezer. Now when we put them into the small refrigerator freezer in the camper, they won't take up much room. Most of our meals for camping trips are prepared ahead and put in freezer bags to save storage space in the refrigerator.
This time, we've made low-salt chicken broth (the one thing we had to freeze in regular containers), which we'll thaw at camp and add noodles to for a lunch or supper meal. We'll also prepare a pork roast to slice for hot pork roast sandwiches (we'll take along cans of low-salt beef broth to make the gravy), and a large low-fat/ low-salt meatloaf to use in sandwiches for lunch, or with vegetables for supper. Any leftover meatloaf will be added to bottled spaghetti sauce for a quick meal. Microwavable potatoes, salt-free canned vegetables, and salads complete meals.
While the chili simmered, we sat down to watch a couple of episodes of a scrapbooking show, and then a 1948 black and white film version of Shakespeare's "Macbeth," starring Orson Welles. The film, shot in 21 days on a small budget, was a critical failure in its day, according to Wikipedia. The background looked like a stage setting...very dark and eerie. This was not my favorite version of the play.
Here is the recipe for the chili. I found this recipe online, but have tweaked it quite a bit.
Low Sodium Chili
1 16-oz. can kidney beans
1 16-oz. can black beans
1 16-oz can white beans
1 lb. 96% fat free ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell peppers, chopped
4 medium banana peppers, chopped
2 14.5-oz. no salt added diced tomatoes
4 8-oz. cans no salt added tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon vinegar
Thoroughly rinse the canned beans to remove some of the sodium. Spray a large pan (Dutch oven) with non-stick cooking spray. Brown ground beef with the bell peppers, banana peppers, and onions. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and vinegar. Simmer for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally, until the chili is desired consistency. Note: vinegar is a sodium replacement for enhancing food.
I was glad to see our regular aerobics leader back today. Her doctors still don't know what the cause of her anemia is, but she was told she could resume normal activities, if she felt like it. Today, she handed out announcements for a group get-together at the local Italian restaurant on Friday. We usually gather for a Dutch treat lunch three times a year, in the spring, in the fall, and at Christmas time.
When I got home, Hubbie and I ran errands. First we stopped at the store that has a sale every weekend, where I shopped for long-sleeved knit shirts. I found two, a brown one and a periwinkle blue one, that I got for under $5 when I used a $10 coupon I received in the mail last week. While I was doing that, Hubbie went to the nearby pharmacy to pick up prescriptions. From there, we went to the vet clinic, where Hubbie bought special vitamins and shampoo for our elderly Shih Tzu. Then we stopped at the bank, before going on to the WDCS for several items.
By the time we got back home, it was lunchtime, so we heated the leftover chili, and followed that with a bowl of mixed fresh fruits for dessert.
Mother came over after lunch and chopped veggies, which I used to make another big pot of chili to take with us to Branson next week to have as our traditional Halloween day meal. Along with that, we'll also have a fat-free pumpkin custard for dessert.
Once the chili (see recipe below) had simmered for a couple of hours, and then cooled for a while, we put it into two gallon size freezer bags and stored them, flat, in the freezer. Now when we put them into the small refrigerator freezer in the camper, they won't take up much room. Most of our meals for camping trips are prepared ahead and put in freezer bags to save storage space in the refrigerator.
This time, we've made low-salt chicken broth (the one thing we had to freeze in regular containers), which we'll thaw at camp and add noodles to for a lunch or supper meal. We'll also prepare a pork roast to slice for hot pork roast sandwiches (we'll take along cans of low-salt beef broth to make the gravy), and a large low-fat/ low-salt meatloaf to use in sandwiches for lunch, or with vegetables for supper. Any leftover meatloaf will be added to bottled spaghetti sauce for a quick meal. Microwavable potatoes, salt-free canned vegetables, and salads complete meals.
While the chili simmered, we sat down to watch a couple of episodes of a scrapbooking show, and then a 1948 black and white film version of Shakespeare's "Macbeth," starring Orson Welles. The film, shot in 21 days on a small budget, was a critical failure in its day, according to Wikipedia. The background looked like a stage setting...very dark and eerie. This was not my favorite version of the play.
Here is the recipe for the chili. I found this recipe online, but have tweaked it quite a bit.
Low Sodium Chili
1 16-oz. can kidney beans
1 16-oz. can black beans
1 16-oz can white beans
1 lb. 96% fat free ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell peppers, chopped
4 medium banana peppers, chopped
2 14.5-oz. no salt added diced tomatoes
4 8-oz. cans no salt added tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon vinegar
Thoroughly rinse the canned beans to remove some of the sodium. Spray a large pan (Dutch oven) with non-stick cooking spray. Brown ground beef with the bell peppers, banana peppers, and onions. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and vinegar. Simmer for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally, until the chili is desired consistency. Note: vinegar is a sodium replacement for enhancing food.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Sunday, October 19
The house was chilly this morning, making it difficult to crawl out of bed. Since the central heat and air conditioning system was inspected and declared safe a couple of days ago, Hubbie, for the first time this season, turned on the heat long enough to knock the chill off the house.
After a hot breakfast of 8-grain cereal for me and cream of wheat for Hubbie, I donned shorts and a t-shirt and headed for the treadmill for a 40-minute workout. Mother came over while I was exercising and put together a meatless lasagna for lunch. It was very good at noon, served with salad, French style green beans, and cottage cheese. Even at 86 years old, Mother, who enjoys cooking, hasn't lost her touch in the kitchen.
We chose Jazz for our Sunday music today: "Canadian Brass Basin Street," "The Great Jazz Soloists, Finest Performances," and "Small Town Stories," from a group called Unified Jazz Ensemble.
This afternoon, we went downtown for an hour-long program sponsored by the local historical society, which was held at the old Pioneer cemetery. An emeritus professor/historical interpreter, in period costume, portrayed the first 1800s sheriff of the county, and a local museum educator, also in costume, played the wife of a 19th century doctor.
It was a beautiful, blue-sky, mild autumn day for strolling with the interpreters, as they moved among the old, weather-beaten headstones, relating stories about the lives and times of the Pioneers they portrayed. Competing events in town kept the crowd small today, but still about fifty of us gathered for this history tour.
The woman playing the doctor's wife was obviously suffering from a head cold. We were amused when she remarked, completely in character, "If I wasn't already dead, this cold might kill me."
Her statement made me grateful for modern medical science, because if I'd been born in Pioneer days, I'd have had several chances to perish. Over my lifetime, I've experienced appendicitis, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, mumps, influenza, and heart disease, all of which are serious diseases today, but which were more deadly in the 1800s. Many women also died in childbirth, while I've been privileged to safely deliver three, in a modern hospital, under doctor supervision.
After a hot breakfast of 8-grain cereal for me and cream of wheat for Hubbie, I donned shorts and a t-shirt and headed for the treadmill for a 40-minute workout. Mother came over while I was exercising and put together a meatless lasagna for lunch. It was very good at noon, served with salad, French style green beans, and cottage cheese. Even at 86 years old, Mother, who enjoys cooking, hasn't lost her touch in the kitchen.
We chose Jazz for our Sunday music today: "Canadian Brass Basin Street," "The Great Jazz Soloists, Finest Performances," and "Small Town Stories," from a group called Unified Jazz Ensemble.
This afternoon, we went downtown for an hour-long program sponsored by the local historical society, which was held at the old Pioneer cemetery. An emeritus professor/historical interpreter, in period costume, portrayed the first 1800s sheriff of the county, and a local museum educator, also in costume, played the wife of a 19th century doctor.
It was a beautiful, blue-sky, mild autumn day for strolling with the interpreters, as they moved among the old, weather-beaten headstones, relating stories about the lives and times of the Pioneers they portrayed. Competing events in town kept the crowd small today, but still about fifty of us gathered for this history tour.
The woman playing the doctor's wife was obviously suffering from a head cold. We were amused when she remarked, completely in character, "If I wasn't already dead, this cold might kill me."
Her statement made me grateful for modern medical science, because if I'd been born in Pioneer days, I'd have had several chances to perish. Over my lifetime, I've experienced appendicitis, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, mumps, influenza, and heart disease, all of which are serious diseases today, but which were more deadly in the 1800s. Many women also died in childbirth, while I've been privileged to safely deliver three, in a modern hospital, under doctor supervision.
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