Healthy Choices 07/17/08

Good morning everyone glad to see that Marti and Joe are back home prayers still going out for both of you good to hear that Joe is feeling better.

 

Not much going on here weather is getting really hot in the mid afternoon and the humidity is terrible. I walked 2.5 miles early in the morning and it was nice but did another 2 miles around 6 in the evening and it was horrible was soaking wet when I got back home.

 

Looked into getting rain gutter covers put on the house that stuff is not cheep Rain Cap is $20 a foot and Leaf guard is $5 a foot waiting for an estimate from the seamless gutter place but definitely think the Rain Cap is out.

 

Was a little upset with my cantaloupe plants we put in 3 of them one for each of the girls and yesterday they were large enough to see that all 3 of them are acorn squash. What made me mad was that I put the little white name tag with the plant when I got them and it says they are cantaloupe so the nursery were I got them had labeled then wrong. Well like I told the girls I love acorn squash also so not a complete lose.

 

Vern when I go into full retirement I’m hoping I can put in a bigger garden much like the one you described and yes it will have horseradish in it wish I had it in this year as I make my own to eat it is much better then the store bought stuff. Need to plant more beets so I can make pickled beets for this winter DS and I both love them so we use a lot plus I can then blanch and freeze some for winter also.

 

Mojazz thank you for the report on Shirley’s progress so glad she is doing better and getting good doctor reports help prayers going out for her also.

 

Have a nice day and God bless everyone.

 

Viny 

 

Good morning, Viny and all to come by today.

 

We're having hot weather here too, Viny.  I don't know how you did the walking at 6 PM, that seems to be the hottest part of the day.  It's supposed to be 91 today and another day of high humidity.  Yesterday's humidity was extremely high.  Too bad about the cantalope.  Wht a surprise that must have been, but as you said, acorn squash is sooooo good too.  I usually bake them and drizzle a little maple syrup on them.  Makes me think of fall comning.

 

Verna, Tom had been having bad luck with his cucumbers in the garden for the last two years. This year he planted white radishes in there and so far the cucumbers are fine, so there's another example of radishes helping out the garden.  My DH likes horseradish, but we buy it at the store.  His Mom and Dad used to make their own and it was potent! 

 

Maureen, thanks for letting us know how well Shirley is doing. How wonderful that she's already outside doing some of her flower gardening. 

 

Today was supposed to be my Thursday off, because Mom doesn't want to go out in this heat and doesn't need us to shop for her.  It didn't turn out that way , though.  I have an early morning doctor apmt, then have to pick up my Market Day order and am considering going to WW tonight to start with them on a monthly pass.  DH wants to go out for breakfasst before the doctor apmt,so I should get moving so we can make it there early enoughl. 

 

Be back later.God bless. Jo Ann

Good morning all. Yes it sure is hot. Last night at 10pm it was 72 and 90% humidity! But it is so cold in the lunch room at work that I can’t sit there and outside is too hot, so I don’t know where to go. I don’t want to drive home with the cost of gas; I paid $4.41 last time for regular. Glad to hear Joe is back home and feeling better. Well, DH made an offer one property but it so low I’m sure they will refuse and that will be the end of it. We had a talk over pizza last night (plus wine and beer) and I told him we could go to a nice B & B once a month for way less and have no maintenance to do. He agreed, but maybe it was the beer (but he only had 1). It has been so hectic this week at work, turnoff week plus the other girl was sick and yesterday had to take her DH to the ER, he caught his fingers in a shredder. Dad is feeling back to normal now, thank goodness. So things are settling down here. We are going to DD’s tomorrow night to help write the addresses on the wedding invitations; she is bribing us with Chinese food! LOL I have to go hang some laundry and water the flowers before work. Have a good one, Sue

Good morning everyone.  Hope all are well this fine bright day.  We are under an air pollution alert as we have been the last two days.  High heat, high humidity and no wind.  The air is stagnant.  There were some gloriously beautiful clouds last night, some distant thunder but not a drop of rain.  The full moon was gorgeous right after the sun went down in a crimson blaze of glory.  How I wished it was cool enough to be outside!

 

Viny, how do you prepare your horseradish?  Doesn't it nearly sear your eyeballs to mess with it?  What all do you eat it with?  I especially like it with beef.  Have you ever used a bit in potato salad?  I understand that's really good.  I can almost smell it by thinking about it.  Weird about the cantaloupe/squash....they are definitely related with very similar leaves.

 

Good morning Sue...already getting clothes on the line!  You must be very organized!  Do you ever worry about someone stealing them or that it might rain on them?  When is the wedding?  I was thinking October...am I wrong?

 

Jo Ann...you have a busy day.  Enjoy your breakfast out.

 

There's a cardianl couple right outside my window here...male and female.  They look a little small..maybe this year's crop of babies.  The male is so red! and doesn't seemto have much of a topknot yet.  He's poking around in the ground cover looking for brunch!  He really stands out against the green!

 

Hope we hear from Jo Lynn today.  I know she enjoyed time with the baby.  And our Barb is busy socializing!  Hope Marti and Joe are getting rested up.  Maureen, thanks for reporting on Shirley.  Glad to know she's up and about...sounds like she may becoming a gardner!

 

Waiting today for the appliance repair man...I'll call soon to get the approximate time.  I will be soooo glad to have ice cubes again!

 

vammie

Well, social Barb is on the way out the door but wanted to stop here and say Hi first.

Dsis just called and wants me to come for coffee to start our day.  I suppose that means I'll stop at the bakery on the way over there since I have to go right by it.....well, I don't HAVE to go by it.  There is another road that doesn't go that way.

 

It's cooler here and supposed  to be better for the next week. 

 

Late yesterday afternoon there was a big fire about 15mi. east of us that closed the Freeway for hours.  All the traffic had to be re routed across the bridges over to the Wa. side of the gorge. 

After they got it opened again, there was a fatal crash involving 2 trucks.

 

No time to chat with everyone but I will try to come back later. 

 

Barb

P.S.  I saw that moon last night Verna....and it wasn't too hot to sit on my porch swing and watch it.  Wish you had been here. 

Good morning... I’m home. I had a great time with the kids, but, especially with dgs. He is at such a fun age. He talks so much and says the funniest things. It was hard to leave him. After I got home yesterday - I felt a little down - even though it was good to be home. Oh how I wished they lived closer. Those of you that live close to your grandchildren are so, so lucky. It was very good to sleep in my own bed, in our nice cool bedroom! The kids’ guest room is upstairs on the west side of the house. They have central air, but, for some reason it doesn’t cool off the upstairs as well as the main floor. Well, enough about me.

I’m glad to hear Shirley made it home and is doing so well. I hope Joe continues to improve and that things will be a little less stressful for Marti. Continued prayers for all of them.

On the horseradish - we have three plants. Dh & dfil dig them up and make horseradish at least once a year, sometimes twice. My understanding is that when you dig it up in the fall, it is warmer (spicier) than when you dig it up in the spring (or, maybe vice versa - I’ll have to check with dh about that). I like to put a little in my homemade tartar sauce and I also use it my homemade cocktail sauce, plus the other usual ways. I will have to try some in my potato salad next time, though.

Maureen, your grilled shrimp sounds really good. How long do you marinate it? I have been wanting to try shrimp on the grill.

Barb, congratulations to your dd on her upcoming nuptials. Have they set a date? You asked whether we were getting any of the smoke from the fire - I don’t think so.

Viny, I can’t believe you are getting so much out of your garden already. We will have the first beets tonight (I will roast them they way lusi told us about several years ago - that is our favorite way to have them now). Our snap peas are just now blooming - as are the potatoes. We’ve had onions and dh said he had a few cherry tomatoes while I was gone. Oh, the cilantro and basil are doing really well, too. We didn’t plant beans as we don’t have very good luck growing them.

lusi, your kitchen sounds so nice and clean. I hope you find some material that you like for your curtains. I hope Leo will get to come home before he has to go again.

Sue, I have to agree with everyone else about buying a vacation home right now. But, who knows, this may be the best time to buy one.

RE: WW - I know that I get a lot of support from all of you - and I really do appreciate it. But, for some reason, I need that weekly WI - with someone other than myself doing the weighing. I know I should be able to be accountable to myself - but, I’m not. I am thinking I will start back to WW the first of Aug.

Well, I better get something done around here today. I took this whole week off; so, I am home today and tomorrow.

Until later... Jo Lynn

 Hi everyone.   And welcome to Beth who introduced herself to us on the getting to know you post.   We hope you will chat with us often!   I know exactly where Elizabeth, IL is....and your hometown is just down the road from mine.

I just have to tell you that after my hard work washing the windows yesterday....I'm going to have to do the outsides again!   They are resurfacing the road on our corner, just outside my windows.   This morning they went through with some noisy machine that tore off the top layer of asphalt.  Black dust was flying everywhere!  We are even going to have to spray off the side of the house, as the white paint is now a lovely shade of gray.   gggggrrrrr....Can't get ahead!  

I went shopping for kitchen curtain fabric today, and found just what I wanted.  I had been thinking that I would do some patchwork in various shades of blues, cream and browns.   Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a pre-printed country patchwork design in just the tones I was looking for.   So I bought it for the one side, and then on the other I will put a stripe that complements it, so they will be reversible, and I can turn them around when I feel like it.      These are just a short little thing at the top of the window.   Don't know what we call it in English, sorry!  So tomorrow I am going to get creative!

I had my podiatrist appointment today.   Very interesting.  She twisted and turned and prodded like crazy.  She used a couple of different machines to examine the feet and compare them.  And she observed my walking.    All the prints I left and my walking confirmed to her that I walk funny. My weight is too much on the inside of my right foot and my big toe.  My little toe doesn't even hit the ground when I walk.   This has probably caused stress on the joint at the mid-foot.  Same advice as from the doctor.....stay off it!   And she gave me lots of good information about shoes that I should be looking for.   She took all the measurements and prints needed to construct support soles which I can insert into my own shoes.  So in two weeks, I will get those, and after that I will be controlled an 2 month intervals.   She made no promises that this condition will get better, but she thinks it might help.   She really did stress the importance of a good shoe.   I thought mine were all good, but I was surprised when she examined the shoes I brought along to show her.  I thought the flexible soles were really good, but she said they are just too loose.   You shouldn't be able to bend the shoe in half, the toes of the shoe should just be able to bend back slightly.   My crocs are ok for short term, but not for standing all day at school.   The only shoes she liked were my Asic walking shoes, but I can't wear those all of the time.   So I will now need to spend some time looking for a good leather shoe and a pair of indoor shoes for work.   I still think losing 10 kg will also help the situation.

I hope you all have a fun day.  Stay cool wherever you are!   lusi

Hi Lusi...it that curtain thing what I call a valance?  Just a short little gathered on the rod type thing about 12-15 inches long....??

 

vammie

Verna I use my blender with 3 cups of cleaned and diced 2” horseradish root, 1-cup water blend this really well for several minutes might need to add a little water as you go, I like mine really hot so I don’t add vinegar tell about 3 or 4 minutes after blending and then blend some more if you pick it right after first frost it usually is stronger.  If you like it mild use half cup water and half cup cider vinegar when you blend it adding more water as needed. NOTE do this out side or in the garage!!!!!!

 

 

After blending to the right consistency (I like mine to have a little fiber consistency not a sauce), drain off liquid and store in glass jars or plastic containers store in frig or can be frozen but I never do that as I eat it right away. Should be pure white when fresh will get light brown with age and lose some of its kick. I use it on just about all my meat products and lightly in salads and potato salad. Also makes a very good shrimp sauce just add it to catsup mixing it to your taste bets store bought every time.

 

 

I have taken it by the fork full right from the jar to clear up sinus congestion also works great. LOL   Viny

 

Whoooowee!  I'll bet that DOES clear the sinuses!  No doubt!   LOL!

 

When I make shrimp sauce, I use catsup, horseradish, a squirt of lemon juice and a splash of Worcestershire sauce....yummmo...darn right it beats store bought and I like making it the strength of "zing" that I want.  A little minced jalapeño can only enhance it!

 

vammie

Vammie, yes the wedding is Oct 4. DD is usually such a procrastinator but with the wedding she has turned into an organized bridezilla! LOL

I only hang clothes out when I'm poisitive it won't rain.

Hi everyone,

 

Vammie, I'm waiting for the appliance repairman too.  I almost forgot he is supposed to be here beteen 1 and 5.  That sure puts a limit to what I can leave the house to do.  I am still having problems with the seal on the front loader.  It holds water from the previous load and I know it should't.  If you do uses bleach in a load, you have to be very careful not to do a dark load next. The repairman they sent out a week ago, as much as told me not to use blearh!  I don't use it often, but there are some things that I still bleach, like the shower curtain liner and cleaning rags, and a few others.  I told him the washer has a bleach dispenser, doesn't it??????   I called customer service and they are sending another service guy out, so we'll see what kind of satisfaction I get this time.

 

Sue, have fun getting togerher for Chinese and the writing of the invitations  It sounds like fun evening to me. 

 

Barb, what kind of donuts do you like?  Just curious, LOL   Hope they had your favorites at the bakery.  So sad about the fatal crash.  Frank and I noticed the moon last night too.  There was a haze over it, here, but no color, just a white haziness all around and over it.  It was nice to look at while we were at the concert. 

 

JoLynn, welcome back.  I know how you must miss those grandchildren and that we're so lucky to be living close to ours.  I wish yours lived closer to you too.  I'll bet they really miss grandma already :(       

 

It sounds like you found the perfect marerial for the valances, Lusi.  How clever to make them reversable, too.  I hope the insoles from the podiatrist will help. 

 

Time for lunch, back later.  Jo Ann

Good Afternoon!   Done with sitting for today – the little one wasn’t too energetic – think she must have been very active with the cousins the past few days.   We took it easy with swinging, watching Thomas, eating and just relaxing in her room.   I could have gone to sleep while holding her watching tv.  I know I stay up too late, but how do you get to bed early when the evenings are so enjoyable – it’s like I come alive around 8 or 9.   One other thing I forgot to tell you about Shirley, she does try to read what we post, but can’t sit in the regular chair too long.   In fact, she was beginning to read yesterday’s posts when I called.   I’m glad the DD was smart enough to realize the computer chair could be dangerous.   We are on carpet, but I can still remember DH sitting in here for long periods of time and I would get so irritated because his foot wasn’t propped up.

Well, Viny, that’s quite interesting how you make the horseradish sauce.   It would be fun to try next year.   I wonder how excited the girls were that the cantaloupes turned out to be acorn squash??

Jo Ann, I’m with you, no walking at 6 pm here.  Today is not nice – it is 94 and feels humid for us.   I was just outside watering what little I had to do and came in feeling pretty drenched.

Sue, maybe DH is more receptive than you think to some other idea for vacations.   I like what Joe and Marti do – not sure what you think of that.   Have fun with your DD and especially eating Chinese.

Verna, would you really worry about someone stealing your clothes?   I’ve never given that a thought.   Now the rain, that has been a problem.   I was thinking the same thing about Shirley and becoming a gardener.   Sounds like she might have been a little more observant than she let on.

Barb, I’m so glad there is no lone bakery close by – all I have are big markets with bakeries inside.   I would be a sucker for some good baked goods.   Talking about that crash, there was one the first night we were at the B & B.   It was a pregnant mom and her 2 children, ages 3 and 7.   There is a train that goes over the river and we see the bridge from the B & B.   Anyhow, she didn’t stop at the stop sign and was carried by the train for quite some distance.   Someone told us even 2 mph can be fatal.   One child was dead at the scene, she and the other one were airlifted.   They took her baby by C-Section and it was fine, but the mom died the next day.   I never knew if the other child lived or not.   Hate to see something like that.

Jolynn, so glad you’re back.   I think it would be so hard to leave your grandson.   But at least he knows who you are and can get excited to see you again.   I only marinated the shrimp for about 20 minutes – you have to be careful with citrus and the fish, a large amount of citrus will cook it eventually.   I have a grill pan with holes in it and it is made for the grill.   We just treated the grill as a stove top – so easy.

Lusi, you remind me so much of my DD – you jump right in there and get things done.   I am such a bad procrastinator who only gets the essentials done.   That podiatrist sounds like a strict one – I don’t like stiff shoes, so I would have a problem right there.   My favorite shoe besides my tennies are my NothinZ (similar to Crocs).

Jo Ann, didn’t you get the washer replaced once because of this problem?   Maybe they haven’t fixed the problem yet.   Kim and I have the same washer and dryer and I called out the guy to look at my dryer since it felt like it was too hard to close.   Kim’s is nothing like that.   Come to find out, they had corrected her problem and mine was the way it should be.  She told me a little while ago that her boyfriend was drying some shoes in hers and every so often they would pop the door open.   So I guess mine is right.   And my favorite donut is a glaze type with chocolate frosting and nuts

This thing is a book, I’m sorry.   Better go out into the sauna one more time to move waters.   Bye……

 

Verna, your "shrimp sauce" is what I call cocktail sauce and I make it the same way - except I use lime juice instead of lemon.

Maureen, thanks for the information on marinating and grilling the shrimp. I got dh one of those grill pans for Father’s Day. I think I will get some shrimp this weekend and have him try it out.

Our satellite internet was out for awhile this afternoon. I called tech support and they had me try several things and couldn’t get it fixed. So, they said to call the installer & have them come out and fix it because it was still under warranty and it must be something in the wiring in the house. I call the installer and the secretary said she would have to have him call me back to schedule a time to come out. I came in here just a little while ago and looked over and it was working! I hope it stays working.

Until later....