Barbecue ? Really ?

Do we really have to get out the grill ?  I mean, come on.  It is not easier.  It's a lot of trouble and what do you end up with ?.......A dried up hamb. or hot dog.  Oh my Goodness,  if I never see another piece of charcoal I should be so happy.  Isn't charcoal lighter the secret ingredient ?  My family raves about barbecuing.  I certainly don't know why.  Most of the time they are in such a hurry to get the barbecuing done, the rest of the meal is barely started.  That is what would happen every time.  I would be making a veg. salad, a fruit salad and maybe some salsa with chips.  I'd just be getting started and the call for...Food is ready !  What  ?!  So I started forgetting about the barbecue part and told who every is doing it they had to do all the clean up and I would do the clean up for the food in the kitchen.  Surprise !  No more barbecuing.  To be honest I just don't care for barbecued meat.  Never any beef.  So for this year it's going to be a salsa recipe I got from Giada that has pineapple and avocado, yummy.  Then how about some salads with what ever veggie you like, have a few dressings to choose from and maybe frozen yogurt for dessert ?  Sounds like an easy care free day to me.  So sit back put your feet up enjoy a glass of ice tea with lemon and were set. 

Pineapple Avocado Salsa

1 14oz can sliced pineapple (reserve juice)

1 T. lime juice

1 T. honey

1 T. olive oil

1 small jalapeno (remove seeds, chop small)

1/4 red onion  chopped

1 med. avocado cubed

2 T. cilantro chopped

Mix pineapple juice, lime, honey,oil, jalapeno and salt & pepper.

Add pineapple & onion.

Then gentle fold in avocado and cilantro 

Enjoy !

Tootles

Dear Mama

"Happy Mother's Day",  Thank you for being you.  Thank you for being my Mama.  I stopped calling you Mama when a friend of mine made fun of me.  She said, "You should call her Mom".  I was in 5th grade. I shouldn't have listened.  Mom sounded so cold and I didn't feel as close to you anymore.  I let other people influence me when I should have been listening to you.  You were the wise one, you knew what was best for me.  I am so sorry Mama if I disappointed you.  How easy we are influenced.  I want you to know, I know, you were the greatest.  How I miss you.  How lucky I was to have you.  You know one of your sayings comes to mind........... Too Soon Old and Too Late Smart.  Much Love to you on this "Mother's Day",  I Honor you.  Love, Tootles

" Ada Belle " Happy Mother's Day !

What's in a name, you say ?  It makes a beautiful statement.  The moment you hear it you imagine in your mind what you are about to see.  Oh, what you see is something quite extraordinary.  The beautiful smile, the contentment and calm with a sparkle of excitement in those eyes.  The soft curl of shiny, silk tresses showing the slim and beautiful neck.  Oh how revealing is her joy of life, love and pursuit of happiness.  She caresses you with the love from her eyes and the soft expression as she gazes at you.  Her vision for the future is loyalty, love and commitment.  She is a woman who knows what she wants and has a strong determination and will to access it.  She will fight for her own with a mother lions strength and wrap you in her loving arms to show her gentle side.  Oh, how I miss this Lady.  How I miss her company.  Her soft touch, her excitement at showing me something she has just discovered.  Her joy of seeing me come through her door and wrapping me in those loving arms.  I can close my eyes and feel her around me.  Somehow telling me in her own way...It's ok.  How I wish........So many things.  Why do we become so wise in our older years?  She was so many things...A beautiful lady with a warm heart, a wife, Mother and so much more.  On this " Mother's Day ", I honor her.

Good Morning to you on this May 4th, 2010

Yes, the sun is shinning bright and I do love it..........But the wind is blowing that breeze and let me tell you it is freezing.  I really don't mean to complain and I have been outside sitting in the sun reading but I'm sorry that breeze is just too cold.  I'm sure it will warm up as the day moves along.

I have been reading another FREE book.  "Scents", by Clint L. Kelly.  It's pretty good.  There are some parts where your a little confused how fast he goes from one situation to another but overall it's a good read.  I only have a few pages left then I think I am going to start reading, "Breach of Trust," by DiAnn Mills.  Will let you know how that goes.  I just downloaded a number of free ones, I mean are we lucky or what.  I swear I don't think I will ever get use to this anyway I hope I never do.  There is nothing like getting books and to have them free and coming regularly it's just to wonderful for words.  I never want to lose the thrill and excitement.  I've been looking up pagan celebrations.  I did find some and am going to get into them later today.  It's very interesting how they coincide with some religious holidays. Ummm?  Well, anyway want to check them out.

Hey, just a quick question...Do you save all your receipts ?  Well I do.  I might miss a gas one if by chance they are out of paper but for the most part I do.  I just put them in a little envelope and mark the month and year on the front.  It's really kind of interesting to see where you have been during the month and now with the receipts letting you know just what you bought you could tell a story about someone or maybe just see where your money goes at a certain time of the month.  I think Jim thinks I'm weird doing it but I have to tell you we have taken back certain items which did not work any longer and receiver our money back.  Now who is weird ?  Tootles

May Baskets ?

I can't believe I almost forgot, May Baskets, for May 1.  Here we go again telling what I use to do in the old days. Ha!  Well, let me tell you it was a blast.  My friends and I would get together at one of our houses and make May Baskets.  What, you say ?  You can use construction paper usually in bright colors and staples or glue. We would make our own glue with just flour and water and precede to make a basket.  Usually they were cone shape with a handle but sometimes you made a basket with strips of paper you have cut out and weaved yourself and of course with a handle.  Then we would fill them with a flower or two and a small piece of candy. You can put them on friends door knobs, Grandma's, maybe someone who has been sick, a boy or girl you like.  In other words anyone for any reason.  It was great fun and so exciting to make.  Then you went out and placed them on the door handle, knock on the door and run.  You did not want them to see you, I do know that was important but I could not remember why.  From what I have read on google if they saw you they could kiss you.  I'll be honest I just don't remember that one but sounds good uh ?  I just know how much fun the whole procedure was.  Somehow I just can't see my Grandkids getting excited about doing all that.  Ha!  One thing I did find out from Google was, it's a pagan celebration.  Interesting.  Tootles

I Think We Made It !

To sun shinny days, warm breezes and swimming on your mind.  Oh Mama, how I love this weather, where you can spend all day outside.  Right now the birds, and I mean a number of them are singing their songs.  Beautiful.  Who could ask for anything more.  I have even washed our sheets and have them outside drying.  Talk about back in the day but hey, I love the smell of them and  the crispness as you crawl in.  Now that is something you do not get in a bottle.

Our gym and my Jim are doing fine.  Everyday I do a little more on the machines.  I swear it is such a good feeling to keep pushing yourself and just knowing your improving and getting healthy.  We have talked to several of our group that is if you are able to while doing your routine. What fun and interesting people.  I think they have potlucks once a month but haven't heard anything yet so we'll see. I am so glad we are going.  I feel like we are getting in on something that was a secret and we have discovered it.  Oh, guess what ?  They have opened the cafe.  How cool is that.  We went in and had a light lunch.  I had a salad and they had a smoothie.  It was really delicious but next time I want to order a breakfast burrito or something along that line.  They said they are going to be open from 7to 1 for breakfast.  I know Jim and I will work that into our schedule. How smart of them to have a cafe already there especially after you go swimming.  I still have not lost any weight but I can tell you my clothes fit better and my upper arms are looking a lot better.  There is still room for improvement but I can really see my arms are getting firmer.  Hey, have you checked out what's in your town ?  I don't care what your shape, size or how old your are, it just doesn't matter, GO, sign up bring a husband, wife, friend or neighbor, just do it.  I know you will not regret it and oh, how much better you will feel.  I will tell you we are spoiled in Chico, CA.  In Motion Fitness is the best all around.  The equipment, so many machines. The options.....exercise, yogi, dance, pilates, weights, basketball court, one on one trainer, 5 pools that are large with different temps, and 2 hot tubs.  Plus there is more, I just don't know about all of them.  What more could you ask for.  It's Heaven on Earth and I love it.  But I have to say the number one thing that sets it apart from all the rest is............The People !  Stephanie and Bree are Senior Wellness Trainers.  Top Drawer, Top Notch, Number 1.  Very professional on top of being warm and friendly.  They make you feel glad you came.  Everyone else I have come in contact with there, are friendly, always welcoming and you know they want you to come again.  Anyway that is the feeling I get.  So, if you don't live close enough to Chico then find one in your area.  Check all of them out before you decide but pick one I can tell you it will make the rest of your life happy, pain free and with lots of energy to do the things you want.  Isn't that better then meeting your long time friends at the waiting room in the Dr. office, or being room mates at the Rest Home or God forbid meeting at a mutual friends funeral.  I'm here to tell you, Change Now.  Do not pass go, go directly to the health club and start your New life. Tootles

At the Top !

Ok, we are going to talk about not only what is at the top but also what is not or at least not so much.  I'm talking about our hair.  I mean, what is up with thinning hair.  You know I excepted it, when my hair started turning white.  By the time I was in my 30's my hair was mostly white.  I mean, come on.  Then, I did have a choice of putting a dye or a rinse on it. I did for a while then let it be white, got a perm which was the style in early 90's and let it grow long.  Loved it.  Then I got the bright idea to surprise my husband.  Now keep in mind my hair was past my shoulders.  I had it cut just below my ears and dyed light brown.  Believe me I was sorry.  You know when you do something like that and you can't take it back and you see the look on peoples faces that it doesn't really look good but they don't know what to say.  So to save yourself you have to act like you love it.  That's what I did.  Think about it, what else are you going to do ?  Well, I finally got over that but have always had a problem that when ever my hair looks pretty good I sabotage it by either cutting it on a whim or put a color on it.  I really wish I could figure that one out, why do I do that ?  Anyway, now I'm dealing with  thinning hair.  Just on top.  How ugly is that.  It goes through my mind about the guy who does the comb over but now it's not so funny. Ha,so stop laughing.  I have wore a hat but alas I one of those people who do not look good in a hat.  I have, however, wore a baseball hat and it wasn't too bad.  My favorites are the little visors.  Not the ones with a rim, just the ones that go straight back in your hair.  There is not much to them but it's getting so you can see the sides of it through my hair really good and they don't stay in place as well as they use to.  I do blow dry my hair to make it look fuller.  Of course, then you hear that is hard on your hair so you shouldn't.  I know the only alternative is a wig.  I am thinking about it but then that leads to a whole new direction.  Do you wear it all the time ?  What color do you get ?  I just don't know if I want to commit to that just yet.  I know some of them are very expensive but some are pretty reasonable.  I just need to go check them out and see how easy or difficult they would be to use.  For now, you see a lot of pink scalp and some white hairs flowing over it.  I guess in the scheme of things this is not a life or death decision.  It's just another part of dealing with getting older and wanting to handle it with grace.   Tootles