We didn't get up until 8 a.m. this morning. After a late breakfast, I did a treadmill and weights exercises session. We spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon cleaning house and doing other things related to getting ready for Thanksgiving. While we were doing that, I recorded our favorite football team's game on DVR.
Later, Hubbie and I watched as our team played to a victory...yay! After that, Hubbie watched another football game, while I went through more magazines, either reading or clipping articles of interest, and clipping puzzles.
Mother came over mid-morning to help with house cleaning, and then she sat down to catch up on reading this week's local daily newspapers, before going home to relax for an hour or so.
One of the cleaning chores this morning was the pantry, where we unearthed a box of gelatin dessert with a long-past expiration date. I decided to try it anyway. So far, the gelatin is sulling in the refrigerator, but not gelling. If it is not gelled by morning, I'll rinse the fruit in it and start over again with a fresh box of gelatin. I guess I should have discarded the one I used along with other goods that were out of date, or too high in fat and sodium. The pantry is nice and organized now. Wonder how long it'll stay that way?
Last Thursday, we sorted through the canned goods shelves in the storage room, boxing lots of stuff for family to take if they want it...things like soups, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, veggies, etc., all of which are too high sodium for me.
Supper tonight was leftover white beans, sauteed cabbage, Chinese beets, and freshly baked sweet potatoes. Afterward, Hubbie and I watched TV, of course. While we did this, I continued going through magazines until I got tired of reading.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 20
Mother and I had a lovely day today. I was up by 6 a.m. to get ready to drive four of us to another town for a craft extravaganza. Mother and I were delighted that the scrapbook club member who lost both her husband and son this year, decided to go along.
The weather was pleasant for the hour drive...sunny, but cool enough to wear sweaters. As a nod to the final days of fall, I wore a pumpkin colored sweater with a gold shell underneath. One of the other ladies wore a Christmas sweater, and another one wore a rust colored jacket over black top and slacks. Mother wore gray and black.
We arrived at the event venue around 8:30 and sat in the van and chatted until the doors to the church fellowship hall opened at 8:45. Other women...we assumed they were the event organizers and program presenters...arrived early, too. As we were watching the ladies enter the building, one of the four of us commented, "there sure are a lot of old women going in." The rest of us broke out laughing, because no one among us is under sixty-five. Two are in their late 70s to early 80s, and Mother is 87!
The event started with a continental breakfast of pastries, brownies, cookies, various sweet dips and crackers, bananas, and a choice of coffee, hot tea, and hot apple cider. Mother and I shared a small plate of goodies, from which we took only a few bites, since we'd both had breakfast before leaving home.
After that there was a program on proper food handling at Thanksgiving that included a demonstration by one of the Extension Homemakers, who portrayed a lady in her kitchen doing all the wrong things, like letting the turkey thaw on the counter overnight, cross contaminating food, improper hand washing, etc. This was followed by a slide show illustrating proper thawing, cooking, and hygiene methods.
Then another EH member demonstrated how to make a sewn tissue box cover. Mother and I do not sew, so we weren't interested in this craft.
After that, a younger woman led us in an aerobic dance routine that was so energetic that most of the ladies were unable to keep up with it. But I enjoyed it and was glad to do it, since I missed water aerobics this morning.
Following a break, we had craft breakout sessions. Our group attended a Christmas craft demonstration for making beaded tree ornaments. We bought several kits for these, but did not make them at the session. We thought the kits would be good for kids, since they are easy to do. The kits, which include materials for three ornaments, were only a dollar each.
After this, an EH member from our county demostrated how to make gift baskets, one using bath items from the everything's a dollar store, and one using a cookie sheet filled with kitchen items and a boxed cookie mix.
When this session was done, we moved to the main room for a "pampered gifts" session. For this one, participants chose baskets, and then went down a table, filling the basket with jars of homemade hand cream, hand scrubs, and bottles of bath salts. The hand cream is made from ingredients that can be gotten at an everything's a dollar store (Vasaline, baby oil, vitamin E). The hand scrub is simply baby oil mixed with epsom salts. Various shapes of bottles were provided for the ladies to fill with layers of colored homemade bath salts. Instructions for these beauty products were gone by the time our group arrived, so we are to receive them later from our Extension agent.
For Mother and myself, I chose black wire baskets with heart-shaped handles, which I filled with squares of tissue paper in various colors, and then filled with the jars of creams and salts. When I got back to the table with our two baskets, the other two women decided they wanted to participate. They would have preferred the black wire baskets, but there were none left, so they settled for wicker ones. The cost of this craft was $3.75 per basket.
By this time, it was 11:30, and time to go to lunch. The four of us went to a favorite buffet restaurant. At 1 p.m., the event resumed with breakout sessions again. This time, we four started with a patriotic craft demonstration, where kits were sold for $2 each. This was a plastic canvas craft, where ribbon is weaved to make a red, white and blue angel. But none of the four of us was able to complete the craft without a plastic canvas needle, so we decided to finish the item at home.
Back in the main room, we participated in a bow-making session, with varying results...some of them laughable. I have my own method for making bows, and made a presentable one, but I brought instructions home to try the method shown by the demonstrator. In an earlier session, though, a presenter showed us how to make bows using a bow-making machine that can be purchased inexpensively at the WDCS.
The last thing on the agenda was the door prize drawing. There were several gifts, but the four of us came away empty-handed. After we left the event, one of the members requested that we stop by a consignment shop to look around. We spent about 30 minutes there, where I found a sleeveless, brown, rib-knit turtleneck shirt that will look good under my pumpkin sweater. I also found six clear dessert/salad plates with a fruit design that will work with my unmatched patterns of China. The other ladies found a few items they could use, too.
By now, it was 4 p.m., and time to head home. I called Hubbie to let him know we were ready to leave the other town. We were home by around 5 p.m., still daylight enough for the other ladies to feel comfortable about driving to their homes (they don't like to travel at night).
Hubbie had heated the potato soup for our supper, and after we ate, Mother went home, and I collapsed in front of TV.
Note: right after supper, someone dropped by to deliver our "repaired" remote control for the upstairs TV. It still doesn't work. Boo.
The weather was pleasant for the hour drive...sunny, but cool enough to wear sweaters. As a nod to the final days of fall, I wore a pumpkin colored sweater with a gold shell underneath. One of the other ladies wore a Christmas sweater, and another one wore a rust colored jacket over black top and slacks. Mother wore gray and black.
We arrived at the event venue around 8:30 and sat in the van and chatted until the doors to the church fellowship hall opened at 8:45. Other women...we assumed they were the event organizers and program presenters...arrived early, too. As we were watching the ladies enter the building, one of the four of us commented, "there sure are a lot of old women going in." The rest of us broke out laughing, because no one among us is under sixty-five. Two are in their late 70s to early 80s, and Mother is 87!
The event started with a continental breakfast of pastries, brownies, cookies, various sweet dips and crackers, bananas, and a choice of coffee, hot tea, and hot apple cider. Mother and I shared a small plate of goodies, from which we took only a few bites, since we'd both had breakfast before leaving home.
After that there was a program on proper food handling at Thanksgiving that included a demonstration by one of the Extension Homemakers, who portrayed a lady in her kitchen doing all the wrong things, like letting the turkey thaw on the counter overnight, cross contaminating food, improper hand washing, etc. This was followed by a slide show illustrating proper thawing, cooking, and hygiene methods.
Then another EH member demonstrated how to make a sewn tissue box cover. Mother and I do not sew, so we weren't interested in this craft.
After that, a younger woman led us in an aerobic dance routine that was so energetic that most of the ladies were unable to keep up with it. But I enjoyed it and was glad to do it, since I missed water aerobics this morning.
Following a break, we had craft breakout sessions. Our group attended a Christmas craft demonstration for making beaded tree ornaments. We bought several kits for these, but did not make them at the session. We thought the kits would be good for kids, since they are easy to do. The kits, which include materials for three ornaments, were only a dollar each.
After this, an EH member from our county demostrated how to make gift baskets, one using bath items from the everything's a dollar store, and one using a cookie sheet filled with kitchen items and a boxed cookie mix.
When this session was done, we moved to the main room for a "pampered gifts" session. For this one, participants chose baskets, and then went down a table, filling the basket with jars of homemade hand cream, hand scrubs, and bottles of bath salts. The hand cream is made from ingredients that can be gotten at an everything's a dollar store (Vasaline, baby oil, vitamin E). The hand scrub is simply baby oil mixed with epsom salts. Various shapes of bottles were provided for the ladies to fill with layers of colored homemade bath salts. Instructions for these beauty products were gone by the time our group arrived, so we are to receive them later from our Extension agent.
For Mother and myself, I chose black wire baskets with heart-shaped handles, which I filled with squares of tissue paper in various colors, and then filled with the jars of creams and salts. When I got back to the table with our two baskets, the other two women decided they wanted to participate. They would have preferred the black wire baskets, but there were none left, so they settled for wicker ones. The cost of this craft was $3.75 per basket.
By this time, it was 11:30, and time to go to lunch. The four of us went to a favorite buffet restaurant. At 1 p.m., the event resumed with breakout sessions again. This time, we four started with a patriotic craft demonstration, where kits were sold for $2 each. This was a plastic canvas craft, where ribbon is weaved to make a red, white and blue angel. But none of the four of us was able to complete the craft without a plastic canvas needle, so we decided to finish the item at home.
Back in the main room, we participated in a bow-making session, with varying results...some of them laughable. I have my own method for making bows, and made a presentable one, but I brought instructions home to try the method shown by the demonstrator. In an earlier session, though, a presenter showed us how to make bows using a bow-making machine that can be purchased inexpensively at the WDCS.
The last thing on the agenda was the door prize drawing. There were several gifts, but the four of us came away empty-handed. After we left the event, one of the members requested that we stop by a consignment shop to look around. We spent about 30 minutes there, where I found a sleeveless, brown, rib-knit turtleneck shirt that will look good under my pumpkin sweater. I also found six clear dessert/salad plates with a fruit design that will work with my unmatched patterns of China. The other ladies found a few items they could use, too.
By now, it was 4 p.m., and time to head home. I called Hubbie to let him know we were ready to leave the other town. We were home by around 5 p.m., still daylight enough for the other ladies to feel comfortable about driving to their homes (they don't like to travel at night).
Hubbie had heated the potato soup for our supper, and after we ate, Mother went home, and I collapsed in front of TV.
Note: right after supper, someone dropped by to deliver our "repaired" remote control for the upstairs TV. It still doesn't work. Boo.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, November 19
Again, I had trouble falling asleep last night, but we were up by 7:30 a.m. just the same (Hubbie has no problem falling asleep, so he pops up before 8 a.m. every day; and when he gets up, I feel I should, too, so we can have breakfast at the same time).
I did a treadmill session and resistance exercises this morning, and then after getting ready for the day, I called a scrapbook club member, to make sure we are still on for going to a craft extravaganza event in another town tomorrow. She said, yes, she still wants to go. Our other steady club member, though, will be out of town for the next few days, so unless our member who comes to meetings only once in a while goes, it will be only the three of us for the outing.
The lady who will definitely go will meet Mother and me at my house at 7:30 in the morning, so we can get to the other town by around 9 a.m. So since I need to be ready by 7:30, I fervently hope I sleep well tonight, because I need to be alert as the driver.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands....to the grocery store pharmacy to pick up prescriptions, and get a ham for Thanksgiving; to a dollar store to get grab bag items for young children; and to the WDCS for a few items, including a low-sodium Thanksgiving ham for me.
We no sooner got back home than I discovered I didn't have tortillas to make fajitas for supper, so off we went to the grocery store again. I searched all their packages of tortillas, without finding a whole wheat, low-sodium variety. So we went back to the WDCS. I still didn't find whole wheat tortillas, but I did find whole wheat (9 grams of fiber) flat bread.
Flat bread is really intended for sandwich wraps, so the filling sort of soaked into the bread. But the fajitas were still very tasty. Still, I'll continue looking for whole wheat tortillas, and use the rest of the flat bread for sandwiches.
After supper, we did the usual...watched TV. For the last few evenings, instead of mindlessly vegging in front of the TV, though, I've been going through stacks of accumulated magazines, reading what interests me, and clipping puzzles for future use.
Tonight's movie, recorded on DVR, was "Lions for Lambs," starring Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise, and Robert Redford. This is a movie of three stories told during the same hour: a professor (Redford) trying to re-engage a disenchanted student, a journalist (Streep) interviewing a senator who hopes to be president (Cruise); and two soldiers who bailed out of a burning helicopter into Afghan territory and await rescue. The three scenarios are connected by academic theory, political ambition, and war's reality, in each of which, crucial decisions must be made.The movie is rated "R" for violence and language.
I did a treadmill session and resistance exercises this morning, and then after getting ready for the day, I called a scrapbook club member, to make sure we are still on for going to a craft extravaganza event in another town tomorrow. She said, yes, she still wants to go. Our other steady club member, though, will be out of town for the next few days, so unless our member who comes to meetings only once in a while goes, it will be only the three of us for the outing.
The lady who will definitely go will meet Mother and me at my house at 7:30 in the morning, so we can get to the other town by around 9 a.m. So since I need to be ready by 7:30, I fervently hope I sleep well tonight, because I need to be alert as the driver.
After lunch, Hubbie and I ran errands....to the grocery store pharmacy to pick up prescriptions, and get a ham for Thanksgiving; to a dollar store to get grab bag items for young children; and to the WDCS for a few items, including a low-sodium Thanksgiving ham for me.
We no sooner got back home than I discovered I didn't have tortillas to make fajitas for supper, so off we went to the grocery store again. I searched all their packages of tortillas, without finding a whole wheat, low-sodium variety. So we went back to the WDCS. I still didn't find whole wheat tortillas, but I did find whole wheat (9 grams of fiber) flat bread.
Flat bread is really intended for sandwich wraps, so the filling sort of soaked into the bread. But the fajitas were still very tasty. Still, I'll continue looking for whole wheat tortillas, and use the rest of the flat bread for sandwiches.
After supper, we did the usual...watched TV. For the last few evenings, instead of mindlessly vegging in front of the TV, though, I've been going through stacks of accumulated magazines, reading what interests me, and clipping puzzles for future use.
Tonight's movie, recorded on DVR, was "Lions for Lambs," starring Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise, and Robert Redford. This is a movie of three stories told during the same hour: a professor (Redford) trying to re-engage a disenchanted student, a journalist (Streep) interviewing a senator who hopes to be president (Cruise); and two soldiers who bailed out of a burning helicopter into Afghan territory and await rescue. The three scenarios are connected by academic theory, political ambition, and war's reality, in each of which, crucial decisions must be made.The movie is rated "R" for violence and language.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wednesday, November 18
It was difficult for me to force myself out of my warm bed this chilly day to go to water aerobics. I donned a coat and gloves and went on, though. It wasn't helpful that the water in the pool was chilly, too, though once I was used to the water temp, I enjoyed my swim and aerobics session, as always. Socializing with the ladies is a plus, too. Twenty of us showed up this morning.
Later, once I was ready for the day, Hubbie and I shopped at a couple of grocery stores...for on-sale celery and cottage cheese at one, and a bottle of balsamic vinegar at the other. I needed the vinegar to make a recipe of Italian tomato soup for lunch. So we came straight home after getting those items, and I put the soup together. The recipe calls for no-salt canned tomatoes, canned white beans (rinsed), low sodium chicken broth, onions, bell peppers, and garlic, plus Italian seasonings and olive oil. The ingredients are blended to soup consistency and simmered for 20 minutes. It's a tasty and healthy alternative to high sodium canned tomato soup.
Following lunch, Hubbie and I headed out again...to the bank, to the WDCS, and to the gas station. We shopped for both ourselves and for Mother.
At home, Mother made a pot of potato soup for supper. This was a two-soup kind of day, and both were warming and comforting. Mother made a batch of banana muffins to have with the potato soup.
Before supper, we relaxed and watched a couple of TV shows....an episode of "Dr. Oz," and an episode of "NCIS Los Angeles." We haven't decided if we want to continue following this new NCIS series. We prefer the old one.
Same old routine after supper.
Later, once I was ready for the day, Hubbie and I shopped at a couple of grocery stores...for on-sale celery and cottage cheese at one, and a bottle of balsamic vinegar at the other. I needed the vinegar to make a recipe of Italian tomato soup for lunch. So we came straight home after getting those items, and I put the soup together. The recipe calls for no-salt canned tomatoes, canned white beans (rinsed), low sodium chicken broth, onions, bell peppers, and garlic, plus Italian seasonings and olive oil. The ingredients are blended to soup consistency and simmered for 20 minutes. It's a tasty and healthy alternative to high sodium canned tomato soup.
Following lunch, Hubbie and I headed out again...to the bank, to the WDCS, and to the gas station. We shopped for both ourselves and for Mother.
At home, Mother made a pot of potato soup for supper. This was a two-soup kind of day, and both were warming and comforting. Mother made a batch of banana muffins to have with the potato soup.
Before supper, we relaxed and watched a couple of TV shows....an episode of "Dr. Oz," and an episode of "NCIS Los Angeles." We haven't decided if we want to continue following this new NCIS series. We prefer the old one.
Same old routine after supper.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tuesday, November 17
Had trouble getting to sleep last night. I think it was because I drank a cup of hot chocolate with my lunch yesterday. Caffeine really stimulates my brain, apparently. I dragged myself out of bed at 7:30 a.m. on this chilly morning, just the same, and after breakfast did a treadmill session and weights exercises.
After I was ready for the day, I ironed table clothes for Thanksgiving and did other household chores. Mother came over mid-morning, and she and Hubbie cut up lettuce and other veggies and fruit for a chef's salad lunch, as well as prepared veggies for supper. While they were doing that, I ran copies of instructions for making graham cracker cookie Christmas houses, and did other things related to the workshop.
After lunch, Hubbie took the van in for an oil change, while Mother relaxed, and I finished the job of taking winter clothes out of storage and then storing away summer togs. I set aside a stack of items that are no longer my size for family members to look at. Whatever is not claimed, I will donate to the "Second Time Around" shop.
Later, for supper, we had sauteed cabbage, white beans, baked sweet potatoes, and Chinese pickled beets.
Mother went home after that, and Hubbie and I watched our favorite college basketball team play to a (boo) loss. After that, we watched tonight's episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
After I was ready for the day, I ironed table clothes for Thanksgiving and did other household chores. Mother came over mid-morning, and she and Hubbie cut up lettuce and other veggies and fruit for a chef's salad lunch, as well as prepared veggies for supper. While they were doing that, I ran copies of instructions for making graham cracker cookie Christmas houses, and did other things related to the workshop.
After lunch, Hubbie took the van in for an oil change, while Mother relaxed, and I finished the job of taking winter clothes out of storage and then storing away summer togs. I set aside a stack of items that are no longer my size for family members to look at. Whatever is not claimed, I will donate to the "Second Time Around" shop.
Later, for supper, we had sauteed cabbage, white beans, baked sweet potatoes, and Chinese pickled beets.
Mother went home after that, and Hubbie and I watched our favorite college basketball team play to a (boo) loss. After that, we watched tonight's episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday, November 16
Br-r-r, the pool was chilly this morning, thanks to the maintenance guy adding water to it over the weekend. But even though I was expecting the weather to be cool, it was mild and comfortable, if drizzly, for walking from the car to the gym. Predictions are that it'll get cooler as the week progresses, though.
Back home, after I was ready for the day, Hubbie and I went to the WDCS for several grocery items. We'll no doubt be doing this every day until Thanksgiving.
This afternoon, after a PB&J sandwich lunch, Mother and I bagged and wrapped birthday gifts for several family members who will be coming for Thanksgiving. Then we did other stuff related to Thanksgiving, before sitting down to watch a few one-hour shows that I'd recorded on DVR.
Supper tonight was whole wheat pancakes (cooked a few weeks ago and then frozen), along with over-easy eggs. Afterward, I went through a stack of magazines, clipping puzzles, recipes, and craft ideas, and reading articles I was interested in, before discarding them. I did the same thing last night. This is part of my resolve to "every day, throw something away," in an effort to decrease clutter.
While I was doing this, we watched tonight's episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
Back home, after I was ready for the day, Hubbie and I went to the WDCS for several grocery items. We'll no doubt be doing this every day until Thanksgiving.
This afternoon, after a PB&J sandwich lunch, Mother and I bagged and wrapped birthday gifts for several family members who will be coming for Thanksgiving. Then we did other stuff related to Thanksgiving, before sitting down to watch a few one-hour shows that I'd recorded on DVR.
Supper tonight was whole wheat pancakes (cooked a few weeks ago and then frozen), along with over-easy eggs. Afterward, I went through a stack of magazines, clipping puzzles, recipes, and craft ideas, and reading articles I was interested in, before discarding them. I did the same thing last night. This is part of my resolve to "every day, throw something away," in an effort to decrease clutter.
While I was doing this, we watched tonight's episode of "Dancing with the Stars."
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Sunday, November 15
Since I missed a day or two of exercises last week, I made up for it with a treadmill session and resistance exercises this morning. After that, it was the usual Sunday routine...programming the DVR, reading the Sunday newspaper, washing clothes.
Lunch today was beef strips with bell peppers and onions, with baked potatoes, and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Afterward, Mother and I made a couple of screen door birthday cards, while Hubbie worked in the yard. He felt he needed to get the leaves cleared away today, while it was warm, because rain and much cooler weather is predicted for the upcoming week.
Mother went home after we finished the cards, and when Hubbie came back in, we settled in to watch a couple of movies on TV. One was called "Prey," rated for mature audiences, because of violence. A family of a stepmother, a teen girl, and a young boy get stranded in a game reserve after their guide is killed by lions. The lions then plague the family, terrifying them as they hole up in the tour vehicle. No one knows where they are, so they go though all sorts of scary, bloody stuff before they are found. Along the way, the teen girl, angry that her father has recently remarried, learns to appreciate her new stepmother.
Lunch today was beef strips with bell peppers and onions, with baked potatoes, and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Afterward, Mother and I made a couple of screen door birthday cards, while Hubbie worked in the yard. He felt he needed to get the leaves cleared away today, while it was warm, because rain and much cooler weather is predicted for the upcoming week.
Mother went home after we finished the cards, and when Hubbie came back in, we settled in to watch a couple of movies on TV. One was called "Prey," rated for mature audiences, because of violence. A family of a stepmother, a teen girl, and a young boy get stranded in a game reserve after their guide is killed by lions. The lions then plague the family, terrifying them as they hole up in the tour vehicle. No one knows where they are, so they go though all sorts of scary, bloody stuff before they are found. Along the way, the teen girl, angry that her father has recently remarried, learns to appreciate her new stepmother.
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