Procrastinator extraordinaire.......

 

Now that I have graduated from college ~ 2 whole years ago! ~ I don't pro-crastinate as much as I used to.  And some things simply don't allow you to do things in advance.  For instance, this next Sunday I am providing lunch to a whole bunch of people.  I don't have a head count.  So, in order to prevent breaking the bank, there are a lot of things on the menu.  

My main dish is split into two items.  Pasta salad (regular and gluten free* more on that later) and slider sandwiches.  Of course, the items I need I can't really buy too far in advance.  There's lots of fresh vegetables.  A cake that will dry out if I make it too soon.  My biggest problem is finding the slider buns.  Everywhere I went, they are all sold out.  Who knew slider buns would be so freaking popular?  This morning I went out to make one last desperate run.  But to no avail.  NO one had any.  I only went two places, but I realized that the Monday after a weekend probably isn't the best time to look for these elusive small sandwich buns.  So what to do?  These dratted sandwiches are one of the main items.  I really didn't want to go back and think of something else to do......because this meal has to be vegan, and I am not a vegan cook.   I've been a fan of Morning Star Farms sausage patties for a couple of years.  But they are small in size, so using a hamburger bun is just not in the cards.   Except they are, as I've decided to buy those cheap hamburger buns and using my largest biscuit cutter to wack those buns down to size.  

But really, what's with the slider buns?  I've never bought any, have you?  Is it that they're popular or do they just not order very many?  Was this past weekend the weekend of sliders and I missed it?  Lol.

 

I'm sure many of you have purchased gluten free pasta, but this was my first foray.  One pound of regular pasta was 1.99.  12 ounces of gluten free was over 3 bucks.  This was when I decided that the gluten free pasta salad will not be as big as the other one.  There will be peanut butter and jelly roll ups for kids, watermelon and cantaloupe slices, and chocolate cake.  Yep.  I found a vegan chocolate cake recipe and tried it this past Saturday, and to my surprise, it turned out great.  I was so surprised.   If you've ever wanted to try vegan cooking, I suggest you try this dessert first.  And it was incredibly easy!

My upcoming Friday and Saturday are going to be really busy.  If you want to come on over and help, I promise to let you try a vegan sausage slider. :D

Love, 365

The opening of the Olympic Games.....

 

As I sit to sip my coffee and plan my day, I happened to turn on the tv and see part of the opening ceremonies of the 2021 Olympic games.  It was so cool!  I'm sure you'll see videos online shortly.  The drone show was super cool.  

I love watching the Olympics.  Although it is made up of the best of many different countries, as we watch the efforts of these athletes, how can you not be inspired, and experience the joy of a winner no matter where they call home?  It is the height of achievement just to be chosen to compete.  I have always dreamed of going to the Olympics.  If I play my cards right, maybe I can go to the Paris games in 2024.

The weekend is upon us, and I think of what I need to accomplish....although if I don't get it all done, the beauty of it is that I can do it the next weekend :D  20 years ago I would have pushed myself to get everything done, no matter how exhausting.  I don't waste time, but I strive to embrace all of what comes my way and find a way to enjoy even the smallest of things ~ a beautiful flower in my garden, or getting that spot out of one of my favorite shirts, haha.

Yesterday I took the afternoon off to help the "baking committee" to make koulourakis, a Greek cookie.  I believe my friend (who is the kitchen queen, lol) said we made around 900 of them.  Boy, it was hot in that kitchen!  The baking will go on for weeks.  Once baked and packaged, it will be frozen until the Greek festival in Oct. The baking is scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday, so I won't be able to participate often, but it's fun to do.

***Sioux update: After a particularly bad day on Wednesday, she had a much better day yesterday.  Romeo is going above and beyond.  I think the end is in sight, but Romeo doesn't think so.  Yesterday evening I told him I would support whatever he wants to do.....what I didn't have the courage to say was that it is killing me to watch it.  

Better shower and get going....enjoy your weekend!

Love, 365

Busy Saturday....well, until it isn't :-)...

 

This weekend is the Lavender in the Village event.  It's a beautiful place, with different historical buildings on the property.  They have a hotel, a really nice restaurant, a cafe, farm shop (fun shopping there).  The restaurant and cafe serve food that is harvested from local farms if they don't grow it themselves.  And lots and lots of lavender.  My favorite is the lavender honey, which is very subtle in it's flavor.  I've never eaten in the restaurant, but we have in the cafe, and it was very good. Instead of having the full blown event they sent emails and description of what is in a tote bag for advance ordering.  I picked it up today, and was very pleased with it all ~ a selection of scones from their bakery, a pretty poster, lavender hand wash, and hand cream, sachet, spice blend for cooking.....I should have taken a little time to go to the farm store, but it is so hot and humid today, I just didn't feel like it.  

It has been great to get rain, we always need it.  Not so excited about the humidity that goes along with it.  

Sioux is still hanging in, but it's not going well.  I wasn't sure she could become thinner, but she has.  Despite the prednisone, she isn't eating well.  She only eats a little bit of food, and then done.  I put in a call to our vet, who is on vacation.  She will be back on Tuesday.  In the meantime, our lives revolve around how long we can be away from the house.  I plan to ask the vet what we can expect, given the situation we have now.  Is it weeks?  Another month?  Less?  She does not seem to be in any pain, although she is now not so excited about walks except for a short one early in the morning.  I'm sure she doesn't have much energy.  It breaks my heart.  Romeo is doing his best to keep it together, but I see the pain in his eyes.  

I honestly don't think it will be much longer.  I want to thank all of you for your kindness these past few months.  It means a lot to me!             *****************************************

Update on the intermittent fasting: Well, isn't this fun!  Waiting until noon to eat, is not too horribly bad until about 10-10:30.  I find myself looking at the clock, sort of a countdown.  By noon, I grab whatever I have and devour it.  I am weighing-in only once per week ~ I did lose 2 1/2 pounds after the first week.  I'll have to wait a couple days to find out if the weight loss continues.  It already seems like a month instead of two weeks, haha.  I sure hope Monday will reveal the loss of another pound or two.

Enjoy your weekend!  It's summer, and the livin' is easy, right?

Love, 365

Advice is so easy to give, much harder to take......

 

One of my blogger friends has their townhouse for sale ~ a stressful situation, right?  And all I can think of to say is "don't worry, worry doesn't solve anything".  Ugh, I hate platitudes, but I guess I'm dishing them out without taking them :D  

We had another bomb handed to us at work.  Our office manager has a problem.  She doesn't manage much of anything.  Over the last 7 months she has dropped the ball so many times that none of us know what's going on.  But when we do find out, it's at the last minute.  Stress, anyone?

Not sure if I mentioned this before about how difficult it is to lose weight at my age.  I gained some weight during covid ~ what's up with these people that lost weight?  How did they do that?  I'm shoveling it down to stave off the boredom ~ that's a classic.  But do other people quit eating when they're bored?  I wish that would have been me, lol.  I tried counting calories ~ always a last ditch move.  I have restarted my gym membership, and I do see improvement there.  But the weight?  It is stubbornly hanging on.  So, I'm trying one last thing you might have heard of ~ intermittent fasting.  

The way it works ~ in 24 hours, you find one 8 hour stretch for eating.  That alone takes some calculation.  I know that I'm an "evening eater".  Plus Romeo and I like to have at least one meal together.  So, noon to 8 pm is my food window.  All I have to do is wait until noon to have anything.  Which is tough, but doable.  I do feel a bit cranky around 10 am though. The idea is that you burn through all of the sugars we normally get our energy from, and then begin burning fat.  I do know a few people that used this method successfully, but who knows if it will work for me. I'm giving it two weeks.  If nothing happens, then that plan is going out the window, and I'll just have to buy new clothes...

Oh, my :-)

Love, 365

Happy 4th of July!...

 

If you have kids, or are a kid at heart, enjoy those fireworks!  

If you are a dog owner, so sorry for all of us who try our best to keep our 4 legged family from spending hours (and sometimes days) turning themselves inside out trying to make the noise stop.  I do wish that no loud fireworks would be sold to the average family, and that you could go to a display if you want that.  But, we still deal with it.  

We also need to be sensitive to our veterans that cannot handle those sounds.  It makes me really sad that there is no consideration for those service members that have suffered the horrors of armed conflicts.  ***********

A few of you have asked me about Sioux, and how she is doing.  If she stops taking the prednisone she stops eating.  So, she will stay on it, probably until the end of her life.  Which could either be due to IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) or the toxicity of being on prednisone long term.  She is desperately thin.  It's a struggle to encourage her to eat every day.  Romeo is dedicated to helping her have the best quality of life possible.  And of course I do my part with small treats, but mostly with ear scratches, body rubs, that sort of thing.  I know where all her favorite spots are.  Sometimes I feel overwhelmed.  When I see her backbone sticking out, and notice even how thin her face is, I want to cry. Most of the time I can hold it in until the feeling passes, but there are times......**********************************************

I baked something new, called a apple pie/cake.  It's a Romanian recipe.  I tried it twice this weekend because I wasn't sure the first try was the best one, then took it to a luncheon today ~ where it was more popular than I thought considering the other dessert was strawberry shortcake!  

It tasted great, but I will continue to think it looks like a hamburger until you cut it up into small pieces.  I'm not sure I will make it again, but it is good to try new things!  You never know when you might discover your new favorite meal or dessert.   In a few short weeks I will be making pastiticio for a group lunch.  I already know I don't like it, but the group I'm baking it for does!  Maybe I'll like it if I make it myself?  

Happy 4th!

Love, 365