Rain, rain go away !

My older brother use to sing to me "Rain made it rain and she thought it was a shame".  Funny uh.  Well, living here in Ca. I want it to stop raining because we want to be outside.  Believe me I know most of the country is in blizzard weather and for that I am so sorry.  I would not want to have to deal with snow.  I mean you can only make so many snowmen or have a snowball fight (although I must admit some of my best memories are growing up in Kansas making snowmen and having snowball fights. Ha!  Well,maybe it's the age,).  Now that I'm older I can't seem to get enough sun, especially in the morning with a cup of coffee in hand and sun warming my back as I sit outside in a lawn chair.  Heaven.

Tonight we are going to Tight Wad Tuesday at our local theatre.  Is not that a funny line.  We are going to see Valentines Day.  Yes, I know Valentines is over but that's how it is with Tight Wad Tuesday.  We might not get to see the first runs but we do get to see them at a discount price, it's a night out, and we don't have to think about the rain.  Sounds like a plan to me.

Right now I'm watching the Food Channel.  Don't you just love this channel.  I swear I can always turn it on and relax and enjoy.  They make cooking healthy, fun and easy.  I mean I have tried a lot of the recipe's and they are good and easy to make and to top it off healthy for you.  My favorite is Giada, Barefoot Contessa,  Sandra Lee, Rachel and of course Paula.  She reminds me of my Mom's cooking. 

I also love watching HGTV.  Especially house hunters when they go outside the US.  I don't get that, I mean some of the countries are fine but who wants to buy a condo with all the latest furnishings and half a mile down the road the local people are living in poverty.  I mean come on, people.  Being a little decadent aren't we.  I would rather find a warm ocean beach in the good ole USA and help the locals  if you can afford the area you can afford to put back.  That is just one girls opinion. 
I do like the show Color Splash.  Isn't he good.  Most of the time I do agree with him on color and style.  There use to be a decorating show on with a guy name Christopher  ? .  I don't remember his last name but he was the best.  No one has come close to his ideas and his how-to-shows.  He would take you through how to do all the decorating and even the best price stores.  I really wish he would come back  I remember he decorated a studio apartment.  Just one room and part of that room had kitchen cabinets, small stove and small frig.  Of course off of this was a small bathroom.  Anyway by the time the show was over he had divided it into kitchen, living room and bedroom.  It was amazing !  I was so impressed and it looked adorable.  Christopher where are you now????

Speaking of which my own place could use some cleaning up so will write more later.   Tootles

Oh, Those Diet Books

What can I say, I have every diet book that you can think of or so it seems.  One will tell you to eat all the meat you want along with some other things, I forgot.  Now let's think about this...all the meat you want.  Are you serious?  I rarely even eat meat.  So this was not something I was excited about.  It did not work.  Especially since I can't remember what else I could have.

Then I tried the grapefruit diet.  You were suppose to have a grapefruit in the morning the first thing and I think more throughout the day. YUK!  Have you tried grapefruit?  Well, I hadn't before I started the diet. OH MY GOD!  Once my face went back to normal (which was several minutes) and I somehow got over the bitter taste.  I decided this was not and I mean Not for me.

I have tried so many it's really funny and I am sorry to say, but not surprised none of them worked.  You know I was in line at the grocery store a few years ago and a woman customer was telling the checker about her new diet and how she was trying to lose weight.  There was an older gentleman who was next in line in front of me.  He listened to them talk and when there was a pause in the conversation he said, " Why don't you just close your mouth."  Enough said.

After all the diet books I will say I joined Weight Watchers.  Let's face it that is the most sensible diet out there.  It's really not a diet at all.  You just learn all over again how to eat properly and don't overdo.  Simple.
I have tried Nutra System.  I loved it.  Who wouldn't the food is very good.  It's delivered to your door every month and all in all not that much more than if you bought the food yourself and prepared it.  No cooking on your part, all you do is heat it up.  No dishes unless you want to put it on another plate (who would do that).
Plus you really feel like you have your very own cook inhouse.  It was super.  I just couldn't keep everyone else out of them so it did start to add up.  It would be great for single people.

Then I went for health books.  I mean I read everything I could get my hands on about what vitamin this food has.  Why your body should have it.  What is best for your gut.  Then I got into food combining.  Yes, that's right.  Now I'm consumed with being concerned about the foods I'm eating together.  Can you believe this?  Well, I'm sure with some people it's true and can have an effect on their digestion but all it did for me was give me a headache and a tummy ache.  Hey, I might have lost a few pounds.

What I have concluded is, stop, listen to your body and less is more.  Like the gentleman said, " Just close your mouth".        Tootles

FOOD ! Let's get real.

A little change of pace here.  I thought I would talk about our food of today and why are we having such a hard time with weight .  First of all I am not a nutritionist.  I'm just your average women trying to make sense of the health problems we have today.  Everything I write is my opinion from the many books I have on the subject.  Food that is, healthy eating, and medicine for your soul. 

I swear I knew more, not realizing it, when I was 11 and 12 then I do now.  I  made a lot of better choices and never questioned myself like I do now.  I was not over weight not by a long shot.  I filled my plate with  small portions and only the food I knew I liked.  I never took more then I knew I could eat.  Never did I eat until I was busting or so miserable I had to unbutton my pants.   I mean come on, why do we do that ?  I haven't actually unbuttoned my pants at the table but I have stated after a meal I wanted to change into something more comfortable.  Yea right, more comfortable for my tummy which is in great discomfort.  I knew then without realizing what I was doing that food is very important for your body just not so important that you throw common sense out the window.  I remember my Aunts commenting that I ate like a bird.  Well maybe that was the way to go.  Now let me make this clear...NEVER did I starve myself.  I did not then nor have ever had any kind of eating disorder other then indulging too much.

What I have read is just that, it's really better to eat less, a lot less. 
I do have my theory on why some of us do over eat, especially at night.  We are lonely and with the struggles of today and what we have had to give up and know we can never have, when that plate of yummy food is in front of us NO ONE is going to tell us we can't finish the whole thing.  Let's face it who is going to stop you ?
We feel as we are eating that food, we are getting away with something.  We have it here and we are not going to pass it up, that would be like denying yourself some pleasure that you know you deserve.  So we are going to talk about this and maybe together we can figure this whole food thing out.  Are you game ?

One thing I do want to touch on is my Mom was a wonderful cook.  In her opinion it wasn't a meal if you didn't have meat and the best meal was with something fried.  YUM! YUM!
She made fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy and corn (usually creamed).
Pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans (all our veg. were the can variety)
Hamburgers on buns w/mustard, ketchup, pickles, onion (if you want them).  Mom would put the bottom of the bun on top of the burger just before it was done and place the top of the bun on that then put a lid on it.  That way the bun was steamed and also some of the edge would get in the grease (yes, I said GREASE) and be crunchy and yummy.  With this meal some of the time she would make her own fries.  Oh My God, they were so good and sometime we would have chips.  This particular meal she would usually make on Saturday night as it was a quick meal for her.  Usually all of us had plans for the evening.  My brothers were on dates.  I usually met my friends at the show and my parents always had plans with family or friends, visiting and or playing cards.  Now on Sunday we always had a pot roast, if we stayed home.  Mom would add cut up potatoes, carrots (she always peeled them and sliced in half) and on top of  all this was a cabbage cut in fourths.  I can smell all of that cooking now.  We also had meatloaf and with that she would have baked potatoes always with lots of butter (never with sour cream) and usually green beans.  That's the two vegetables we mostly had and always out of a can.  I don't remember Mom ever having a garden she just was not an outdoor girl even though she was raised on a farm. 
We always had a meat and usually fried, chicken, pork chops, hamburger, liver and onions and sometimes fish.  Not from the store.  Our fish was from the city lake or one of my families ponds, usually cat fish and sometimes carp ( yes carp, I know they are full of bones but Mom had a way of frying them and  you just used your tongue a lot to feel for the bones). 
When Mom made us a sandwich she only used one slice of bread folded over.  That was a sandwich.  You were never encouraged to over eat or eat too much.  Yes she made homemade cookies.  In fact our cookies jar always had cookies in it.  If by chance it became empty believe me as fast as she could make a batch it was done.  We would never have more then two cookies at a time and usually only one.
It's so funny with all this cooking my Mom used lard.  She would go buy it from somewhere.  I don't really remember where I just remember her happy with pure white lard.  That is what she made her cookies from and of course frying.  I do remember crisco being on the shelf but that was only used when she was out of the pure white lard.  Never did she buy any of the cheap brands of shortening.  Not if you cared about your family.  I will say this, her one rule was the lard had to be at a certain temperature before you put the meat or what every you were cooking in it.  If not, she said that is when the grease soaks in your food and ruins it.  She was right of course because her food was good.
One thing we didn't do so much was snack.  You had your three meals a day and dessert.  Usually cake and pies and of course cookies.  If you were really hungry and dinner was an hour away you could have a cookie.  Only one as you might spoil your dinner.
I will have more to talk about.  Tootles

Tuesday February 16, 2010

Wow  !    What a sunny happy day.  Spending time outside is one of the greatest ways to use your time.  Shut off the TV, computer, and anything else that is keeping you inside and run do not walk out side and soak up the sun.  I can sit outside, watch and listen to the birds.  Watch my three cats, Eleanor, Elviria, and Edgar and the three dogs, Tasha, Bella and Olivia.  The cats stretch out then they look for the birds that are flying in the bird bath.  It is so cool to watch them take a bath.  They really do take a bath.  It's a scream to watch, water is spraying every where and they even spray under there wings.  Of course the cats are watching all this and salivating wanting to get that bird.  I do not want them to ever get the bird and if they should I will try and free the bird.  I know it's natural but I don't want it in my yard.
Now the dogs are busy racing around the yard after each other and just generally enjoying the warm weather and being able to use some of the pent up energy.
What am I doing ?  I get in my lawn chair with a cup of coffee and just sit.  I think about everything.  I think about the birds, the dogs, the cats, the sky, the trees and what flowers I want to plant.  How I want my yard to be by the middle of summer.  Oh, it is going to be so much fun.  How I love the out doors.  I try to fix up the outside like another room.  The days are getting longer and warmer.  Beautiful.  Tootles

Happy Monday to You !

What a glorious day it is.  This is really magic land as I have been outside raking leaves, washing off the picnic table and generally enjoying the sun.  It's has reached almost 70' if not more and I love it.  Oh, the plans you come up with to plant flowers and especially herbs.  I do spend a lot of time outside who wouldn't when it is this lovely.
I'm reading the book "Regression" on my Kindle.  It's one of the free books they offer.  Enjoying it very much. The author is Kathy Bell.  I was about a quarter of the way in to the book and decided to start over as at night when I read I'm forever going to sleep, wake up and start reading.  Well, I think I'm missing some things so I decided to just start over.  I'm enjoying the book as it makes you open your mind about the possibilities of what could be happening.  Hey, if nothing else it gets you thinking about other ideas.  The last thing we want to do is not have an open mind.
I'm still thinking about what I want to plant.  First I want to make a list.......tomatoes, green pepper, squash- all kinds, basil, sage, and rosemary.  I'm sure I will think of more.  I tell you the air smell so fresh.
Lovely thoughts and happy dreams.  Tootles

Full Steam Ahead

Yes, that is right.  We are on our way now.  I've seen the sun again at least for a few days so I know it is still out there.  What is better then looking forward to spring weather, flowers, mowing the grass, well maybe not me mowing the grass but I do love the smell of mowed grass.  Oh, how the heart sings for spring.  Did that rhyme ? No, I am not writing a poem.  Wish I had the talent but alas it is just not there.  Of course at one time I thought I would be making poems. Let's just say, Have you ever heard of me ?  Exactly !  Enough said.  I do enjoy my blog and I want to thank all of you out there for joining me.  What a small world it really is.

My husband is making a goat house. Yes, that is what I said.  It's a house for the goats, Esme and Rosalie.  The poor girls have been putting up with rain and mud for just too long.  We have decided to move there home up on dryer land. You notice I said dryer not dry land.  He's, Jim that is, is putting fresh hay inside their new home so at least it will be dryer for awhile.  I just hope our rains are about over.  I know we need the rain fall but I would think we have it by now.

This Sunday not only is it Valentines Day but it is the New MoonThe Twilight Saga: New Moon (Two-Disc Special Edition).  So all of you who want to start something new, go for it.  I for one am looking forward to the day.  My daughter picked this date to be married on.  She has really made it a special day and one her husband will not forget.  Ha!   It is such a sweet holiday and one I have beautiful memories of.  My Dad always brought my Mom a box of chocolates along with me.  Was not that sweet.  That is why it is such a sweet holiday.  He made me feel very special.

Tomorrow we are going to Ikea with family.  What an interesting store. It's from Sweden.  Some of there items are quite unique. I do enjoy browsing through all the different rooms they have set up.  I'm a hands on person so being able to actually see the items set up is a plus.  There colors and designs are very bold and bright.  One area  I do enjoy along with the rest of my family is the cafeteria.  You can get breakfast (they even have a breakfast for .99)  lunch and dinner and the quality of the food is very good.  I usually get the pasta with organic sauce.  Really good.  You do end up eating one meal if not two as it takes you awhile to get through the store.  Don't get me started on the dessert.  Get this, on your way out they have like an American like snack bar and their specialty is cinnamon rolls.  Now just imagine checking out and that's all you smell are warm homemade cinnamon rolls.  It's a killer let me tell you.  Yes, to answer your question we usually buy some.  It is 6 for 4.oo.  Not bad.

Must tell you about a Deli Shop we just discovered in a town near by in Chico,CA that is.  The Deli is called Spiteri's.  It's one of those out of the way places that only locals know about.  Believe it or not I saw it on the local news show last year when we were having flash flooding around the area.  The guy they were interviewing was telling his loyal customers they would be back and up and running in a few days.  I thought to myself, Hey, that is the place to go.  Yes, it's been almost a year,(I don't get out much) but every time we went to Chico I would forget and then of course would remember when we arrived home. (Such is life).  Well finally last week I remembered and we found it.  It is off the main road and kinda tucked back behind and round the corner.  Let me tell you it was fabulous.  I ordered garlic rosemary turkey on dutch crunch bread with the works (pickles, lettuce, tomato, mustard) and on the side peppercini's.  Oh My God, it was very yummy.  We found it last week and  have been back 3 times already.  So if you are every in this area look it up you won't be disappointed.

Spiteri's Deli, Chico, CA  or
Sunflower Health food,Grocery and Deli, Yuba City, CA  or
Jakes Burgers and more, Oroville, CA

Just three of the best places to go in our area.  We love them !  Tootles

Where have I been ?

Where have I been ?  Where have I not been is the better question.  I've been here and I've been there but I have not been everywhere.  I have been inside, outside, downside and on the upside.  I've been over, under, around and through. I've looked high and low, behind me and ahead and still don't know where I'm going.  I feel like I'm almost there but I can't see clearly enough to take a chance to forge ahead into uncharted visions.  The answer is out there within reach.  I feel it in my soul.  I just need to be brave or is it that I need more information? A lot of changes have been happening.  Let's just say I have discovered something and I want to find out more.  I know the answers will come I just need to be patience.

Signs !  Do you believe in signs ?  They really are everywhere.  I have always know this but have had long periods of time when  I find myself not paying attention.  That happens when you are wrapped up in petty, silly, happenings in your life that you thought were important when in fact those happenings were keeping you from realizing just what was going on in your life.  In other words your mind was on trivial incidence which mean nothing when you should have been paying attention to the signs that were all around you telling you what to do next and where to go.  I am aware now and will plan accordingly.  Tootles !