A Brisk Walk

This morning was the Making Strides walk for Breast Cancer. It was 40 degrees at the start. Maybe 43 at the finish. It was pretty cold~ but we warmed up once we started. No rain! 3 miles through downtown Flint. I made about 2 & 1/2. Oh well. I'm out of shape again. Need to get back to the ole gym. Now I am sleepy and need a nap. Think I might just go and do that! After some hot spiced cider!

Cuban Shredded Beef

Cuban Shredded Beef ~ Recipe This falls in the category of: "among other things."
Get you a big hunk of beef LOL
Ingredients:
Pot Roast
1 can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 onion
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt/pepper
Directions: cut up the pepper and onion and place on bottom of crockpot.
Place the roast on top.
Mix up the spices with the tomato sauce.
Pour on top of the meat.
Cook for 8 hours.
When beef is tender, shred with 2 forks. Serve over a bed of rice. (brown)

Stuck ~ In a Rut That Is

Seems a lot of folks are "blogged" out. Don't have much to say. It's getting colder ~ our fingers don't work so well on the keyboard. I've been working quit a bit so time is hard to find. Here is a news flash. We found out the "home invasion" on the next street over was really a suicide. I guess the guy called 911 so his wife wouldn't be the one to find him. Tragic. I'm still making sure windows/doors locked up tight. Went grocery shopping with my $75/week budget. Only spent $53. Yea for me! Making a delicious smelling dinner tonight called Cuban Beef. I'll report on how that works out. Really simple and in the crockpot it all goes. Well, gotta get back to work.

October 1st - Brrrr!

First frost of the season. Marlene called me yesterday to bring in my basil. So I picked it all and washed it and threw it in a baggie and into the fridge. Gonna make some pesto and freeze it.

October's birthstone is the opal. The opal is thought to have the power to predict illness. This is because the opal responds to heat. If you are sick your temperature increases before signs of illness appear. The increased body heat causes the opal to lose its shine, leaving it dull and lacking color. It is also said that the opal will crack if it is worn by someone who was not born in October.
Its birth flower is the calendula.

This is breast cancer awareness month. - One week until I walk. 3 miles...

Last Day of September

"Come," said the Wind to the Leaves one day.
"Come over the meadow and we will play."
"Put on your dresses of red and gold."
"For summer is gone and the days grow cold."



September's birthstone is the sapphire. The meaning is clear thinking.
The birthflowers for September are the forget-me-not, and aster.

A Baby Shower, Tea Party & Family Antics

Saturday was my niece Michelle's baby shower. She is expecting a boy in November on my Mom's birthday actually. The shower was a tea party. Very pretty. We had tea and little tea sandwiches and scones. I made cucumber sandwiches, which were very dainty and tasty. They were a big hit. She got lots of nice stuff. Here is a picture of her with the diaper cake I gave her. (Renee made it!) After the shower my sisters and nieces and I spent some time together reminiscing and being silly. So much fun. My poor brother-in-law Don. Other then baby Brady he was the only guy there. He hung in there with us though, and even played Uno,Uno,Uno with us! We ate left-overs for supper. Yumm all over again. I won't even tell you who peed their pants. (not me!) We laughed till we cried. A very nice time.

No Rest For the Weary

Work Work all day long ~ sounds like a country song. Hey wait a minute, it is! I scammed out of going back to the eviction house today. Didn't feel good. Neighbors woke me up. Drunk and laying in the yard.. Might be funny if it didn't keep me up. (No NOT the Renees.) Thankfully the peeps took at least 2/3 of their junk.( from the evict house) We saw pictures that an inspector took a couple days ago. I will stay here and keep plugging away at getting the accounts up to date.
Looking forward to the FPU class tonight. Financial Peace Univ. by Dave Ramsey. I highly reccommend it for anyone who feels frustrated by:

• not having cash on hand
• not having a savings account (with actual money in it!)
• not having a $1000 emergency fund
• having debt: small or major
• not having a 3 mos expenses account for when stuff happens

It's really enjoyable, you watch a dvd and then discuss with the people in a small group. People who messed up with their money, just like you. It's really an eye opening experience~especially regarding that six letter work; CREDIT.

Here is an excerpt: Imagine... Having absolutely no debt--no car payments, no credit card payments, not even a house payment. How would it feel to actually get to keep your money instead of mailing it out to a dozen creditors month after month?

Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Views From A Live Eviction

A Very Busy Day!

Wednesday dawned bright and sunny as we headed down to Howell to do the "live" eviction. The PO-po were there. (Just in case.) They cased the joint, but no one was there. So we broke in and started moving stuff out. Tons and tons of stuff! About an hour later, a car speeding down the road honking came to an abrupt stop. A lady jumped out and started cursing us all. It was the homeowner. The 2 sheriffs had to calm her down. At one point I heard the sheriff tell her, "do not touch me again." She was pretty upset. We just kept on moving stuff out. The neighbors tried to help by putting stuff in their garages. Apparently her husband or "ex", we're still not sure which, was out of town. She tried to tell the sheriff that the governor said she could stay. It took 8 of us FIVE hours to get all the stuff, and I mean ALL. The sheriff said EVERYTHING; even the fridge and washer/dryer! The garage was packed with junk. Now we are waiting to get the "ok" to go and get all the stuff they didn't take or move. sigh.... After a while the neigbors were getting tired of sorting through all the stuff the lady wanted to keep. The next door neighbor bought us all Little Ceasar's pizza and some pop. She wouldn't even take any money from us. I think maybe they appreciated the fact that we were not throwing the stuff any old which way. At any rate it was extremely nice of her.

To Be Continued....

Nothing New Under the Blue Skies

Work, work, work all day.
Make more money, better pay.

LOL - that's a rhyme I just made up.
Just got back from PT so I am tired~whew!
Making fish tacos, fresh green beans, Waldorf salad for dinner. Oh yeah, and sweet potato chips!
Tomorrow is the "live" eviction. I will report on that tomorrow.
Ok, gotta go back to work.

Blue Skies and Butterflies

The saying has been circling in my head all week. It's been such a beautiful week weather wise, plenty of blue skies. Then I saw a few butterflies flitting about. Cool, crisp early mornings, warm days, breezy evenings. Very nice. First day back to school, or first day of school for Sydney, Riley and a few more. I haven't had time to write or much less think because ever since we got back from up north we've been blasted by work. (a good thing I assure you!) We found out we are the number one vendor in our Flint zone now. However, we were already the number one vendor in our Oakland/Livingston zone. So, they've been crankin out the work orders. Need to hire new employees because we just lost 2. Anyone know of anyone who is trustworthy?
Upcoming Events~
Today - Happy 20th Birthday to Katie; age 20!
Wednesday - we are doing a "live" eviction in Howell; exciting!
Wednesday - 2nd class of "financial peace univ." - enjoyed the first class alot
Saturday - Creek homecoming

Bye Bye Beautiful Boyne

View from the top of Avalanche Mt. Lake Charlevoix in B.C.

It was a beautiful weekend weather wise. Mid to upper 70's and lots of sunshine. The water was a bit cool, but that didn't stop us from taking everyone tubing. Took the Sheicks and Bailey's sister Phoebe. We took in the sights and sounds of the last "stroll the streets" in Boyne City and dined at Red Mesa Grill. Went to a classic car show, and climbed Avalanche Mtn. to see the sailboats arrive. (Red Fox Regatta) Had B.C. Pizza, grilled fresh whitefish. Went to the Farmer's market, bought Johnecheck (correct spelling) corn. Ice cream at Kilwins. Some biked up Boyne Mtn. All the way. Then Phoebe tried to follow them and almost bit the dust because she went out to that crazy Deer Lake Rd. Luckily the driver saw her and screeched the brakes. Whew! Scary!

Copycat Sandwich from Dale's Natural Food's

Oh man, this sandwich is sooo good!
Pita bread
hummus
cukes
tomato
red onion
sprouts
lettuce
topped with avacado slices
I cannot begin to tell you how good it is. You just have to make one, right now! That's what I did and now I'm eatin it! Then I'm goin to PT to punish my body.

Packing to Go Up North and Other Things

Doing laundry so I can pack. Leaving tomorrow for Boyne, yea! Supposed to be nice weather, yea! Taking Sarah's cousins Mike, Chris and T. (Trenton) I'm going to be doing some vicious driving of the boat. There will be plenty of whuppins! Then the farmers market on Sat. with some good ole "Johhnychec" corn--yumm.
Other Things~ While I'm thinking about it~ getting a start on my Christmas list.
Christmas list:
flat iron
Sonycard for my book reader
MP -3 Music card
TEA POT - not the one you pour in your nose when you have a cold. ha ha
Expensive warm sweater from LLB; the one in the cataloug
work out clothes - SIZE L :)
CHIA herb garden
That bump thing you put in your hair to make a beehive hairdo tee hee, jk
food processor
Not much, this year; really...

I've Been Cooking Creatively Again

Homemade marinara with tomatoes from the garden. Dressed up with herbs from the herb garden. I am really loving fresh basil! Then I made a salad with baby greens, pears, walnuts and goat cheese. Dressing: 2 tlb balsamic vinegar, 1 tlb oil, a little basil, 1/4 t stone ground or poupon mustard. Very good and low cal.
Tonight's dinner:
grilled chicken
corn on cob - local
salad - listed above
grilled peaches!!!

RoseMary's Freezer Pickles

A little birdie told me that some peeps were wanting my mom's freezer pickle recipe. Tis the season, so here it is. ( I of course have the recipe :) I don't really like cukes but I remember that these are yummy.
Freezer Pickles
5-6 3 inch sliced cukes
2 C sliced onions
4 t kosher salt
2 t water
1 t dried dill weed
1/4 C vinegar
3/4 C sugar
mix cukes, onions and salt. Mix in 2 t water in 2 qt bowl (non aluminum)
let stand for 2 hours. Drain, do not rinse
Return to bowl, add sugar, vinegar and dill.
Let stand until sugar dissolves liquid covers the veggies
Put in containers and freeze.

Did You Know You Lose 8,000 Hairs A Day?

That is what Niki told me the other day. That got me to thinking about the verse in the bible about the matter. It is this. "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of our Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Mt 10: 29-30 Pretty cool huh, that God knows how many hairs on each one of our heads?
By the way losing 8,000 hairs a day sounds extreme to me. I wouldn't even think I have 8,000!
Busy today getting ready for Niki's birthday tomorrow. Having homemade Sloppy Joes and homemade mac-and-cheese.

Gone Again

Making the mad dash~ getting everything ready...
Going Camping for the extended week end.
Be back Monday.
Hope it doesn't snow!!

Didn't Your Mother Always Say

If you don't have anything nice to say then: don't say anything at all.
Some people really need to grasp this concept. Oh yeah, and I think this applies to written communication too.

Ephesians 4.29 ~ "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Philippians 4.8-9 ~ "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-thing about such things." Here's the kicker (my words) the benefit in verse 9. "And the God of peace will be with you."
Yes people I am reading and quoting God's Word. Fan yourself. :-)
P.s. I know this applies to my big mouth as well....

The American Cancer Society:

The American Cancer Society:

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A Packed Fun-Filled Day

My day yesterday started off with a breakfast for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk that I'm doing in October. StridesEastMI@cancer.org Then I went to the Northville Farmer's market with Karen and Riley. That was fun! Got a few veggies and a cool Mexican Pepper plant. Then we shopped at Trader Joe's natural food store. Sure wish we had one here. Then we went back to my sister's house. Karen made some awesome nachos for lunch. Riley and I played Crazy Eights and had a coloring contest. I lost! :( Played with Brady, played Uno, Uno, Uno with Karen and Riley then it was time to go home. Immediately left for pizza and salad with Sarah's parents then off to the "Back to the Bricks" curise. We "cruised" in their 1987 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible. The cruise was on Saginaw Street from Grand Blanc to Downtown. Quit fun car AND people watching. Got home about 9 p.m. and fell into bed sound asleep by 9:30 p.m.

Tick, Tick, My Weight Ticker Finally went DOWN

Finally, whew! Moving in the right direction. Lost a lb and 1/2. Had to get back with the program.Got to stick with it. This is a way of life.
Get with the program
Get on the stick
Run with the ball
Keep on Truckin
Get a move on
Follow your dreams
Please add any motivational sayings as comments! I need to hear them!!

Where'd the Power Go?

Blink, blink, zzzzzzzzzzz, pift! Power is gone. The neighbors all gather out in the road to discuss what was going on. No response from Consumers. Vrmmmmm, vrmmmmm as the generators started one after another. At one point there were 7 going in a small area of our street. When we saw Mr. Yeller dumping buckets repeatedly we offered our second generator to them. They were very grateful. It was crucial to run the sump pumps as we had just gotten 3 inches of rain in the morning. We have a back up sump but alas the battery was dead. Good thing for the generator. After the Renee's grilled some burgers (i think) they came over and we enjoyed some yard games in the front yard. Tom and Sarah went to get gas to run the generators after we heard that it wouldn't be back on until noon on Sunday. Collective groan as we all had heard about the forecast for the hottest day yet ~ 94 degrees. We were enjoying ourselves despite our circumstances despite the noise from the various generators. Sydney kept holding her hands over her ears. Cathy (yeller) came over to say Jennifer (neighbor) just heard from Consumers that the "on" time was moved up to midnight. Mac had gone to get gas for himself and the Yellers. Not 5 minutes later another neighbor (don't know her name) walked down to say, the power was on! Whew! The quiet was immediate as the generators buzzed off one after the other. Ahhh! We stayed outside until the lightening bugs and mosquitoes came out. Had to go in because Renees is scared they Will fly up her shorts. LOL. Staying inside today with the air cranked on.

It's All A Matter of Perspective

"Hey, why don't you learn how to drive?" Shouted the guy out the window he rolled down and then up, just to yell at me. Little did he know that I never drive the work truck and rarely drive the truck with the trailer, never full of roofing material and NEVER the afore mentioned on the expressway! I thought I was doing pretty good. It got a little shaky when I approached an over sized modular hogging up a lane and a half, let alone on a huge curve in the expressway. I started to get mad, then hurt then I thought, how many times have I been frustrated at someone doing something that pissed me off. Maybe I will be more patient next time. Because little do I know what is the situation that exists.

Granola, Gronola Bars & Muffins

My niece Karen called today to get my recipe for homemade granola. Then I told her about my awesome nut-raisin lowfat, low sugar muffins. She took that one too. Then she gave me her recipe for Granola Bars - yum they sound good. I made the granola tonight and plan to make the granola bars for when we go camping on the weekend.
Homemade Granola:
6 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup each of pecans, almonds, walnuts
1/3 cup warm water
1 and 1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cherries
mix together water, oil and honey in small bowl
mix oats and nuts in large mixing bowl
then put oil mix into dry
put in 2 large cookie sheets and bake on 325
bake 10 minutes,, stir, then bake 10 more minutes
let cool completely then add raisins and cherries

The Garden Is A Mess O Weeds

Weeds, weeds, and more weeds! Whew. The garden is not doing so well. One of the farmers at the Farmer's market said it's not been good weather for the plants because we havn't had warm nights. Then with being gone so long the weeds took over. Spent some time this morning pulling out 3 foot weeds. So far we've had 2 cukes, a yellow squash, a zuchinni, and a handful of beans. Got some corn, plums, tomatoes and cantelope from the F.M. Gonna grill a steak, boil the corn and make a fruit bowl for dinner.

Pictures from the Great White North

It was a rather cool week up north. Bailey spent most of his time on the deck watching for the squirrels. There were a few nice sunsets. It rained a few times. We only took the boat out once and rode our bikes once. We went to a farm market but they mostly had cherries. It felt kind of nice to get back home.

Packing Again!

Getting ready to go up to the ole cottage in Boyne. Can't believe I haven't been there yet this year. Hope the boys can hold down the fort. And Renee of course, who will keep them in line. Got the cutest bird house from my sistopher Jan. It's a wooden camper. I will have to post a pic when I get back. See ya!

Pictures from Algonac Campground

Home Again ~ But Not For Long

Added 2 extra days on to our camping trip. Weather was nice, the spot was awesome. Right on the St. Clair River. I will upload pictures tomorrow. Stopped in Port Huron for lunch. Drove through a brief shower, then got home to sunny skies. I had 77 e-mails waiting for me in my "inbox." Gotta hurry up and clean the house and get the billing done so we can leave to go up to the cottage in Boyne on Friday. My bff Syd came over for BLT's tonight. Of course hers was just a B on toast. Then apples and peanut butter for a snack. We played "house." The garden yielded some beans and a cuke while we were gone. Gave the cuke to Syd cause she is the one who wanted us to plant them. Gonna cook the beans tomorrow.

Going Camping

To the Algonac State Park - It's right on the St. Clair River.
Come and Visit - Just call first.
Happy Birthday to me!

Big Dawg Water Ski Competition on Lake Jepawhit

When we lived in Gaines we heard about a private man made water ski lake that was built a few miles from the house. Whenever we drove by the gates were always locked. We were always curious about the place and just wanted to see what it looked like. Yesterday I was watching the morning news and they were talking about a ski competition on Lake Jepawhit in Gaines. Ah Ha I thought. That must be that lake we always wanted to see. So yesterday afternoon we drove over there and low and behold the gates were locked. Then we noticed a side road. Sure enough that was the access road to the lake. We could've seen the lake years ago, but we never knew about that side access road. Too funny. So we watched the Big Dawg slalom competition and had fun taking pictures and videos. Here is my favorite - shot by of course - me.

First Ever 5k Walk = Success

So, I started and finished my first ever 5k (3.1 miles) walk. No matter that I finished next to last. The point is after all that I set a goal to complete the walk and I did. It was amazingly hard. Couldn't have done it with out Sarah's gentle positive encouragement. It was a nice evening and pleasant surroundings. Crossroads Village. The only incident came when at the end the idiot who was running the finish line took it down about 5 minutes before we were done. Nice. Not so nice words I had for the race personnel. Needless to say we are supposed to get a full refund. I am expecting a written apology ~ or watch out they will get a scathing letter from me.

Blue Bird Family Returns

The bluebird is a symbol of happiness and optimism in numerous cultures around the world.

I am so excited. Mr. and Mrs. Blue bird came back to dwell in the old bird house again. We can hear the babies peeping every time their mommy and daddy bring them a fresh bug. They were very busy this afternoon going back and forth to bring the meal. It's so interesting to watch.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My, oh my, what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder
It's the truth, it's actual, Ev'rything is satisfactual
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Wonderful feeling, wonderful day.

Eggplant Parm

Went to Rich's Farm Market today and got a wee little eggplant. Made some awesome Eggplant Parm w/spaghetti on the side. It was quite tasty. Mom and Dad always liked it when I made that. Cleaned the house today, whew it was dirty. Watered my plants, you know the usual. Got my hiney kicked at the gym. Did laundry. Guess I was pretty busy today. Oh and Ricky came back to see if the garage sale was open and plied Sarah for another can of paint. Put in an application at the Know Place (teacher's store) yesterday.
Please pray for Sarah's cousin Chris's mom. She had a stroke and is not really doing well.

Independence Day

Fourth of July Fact:

304 million: The nation’s population on this July Fourth.Source: Population clock <http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html>

Today's activities:

Me and Bailey sittin in the garage again w/ G. Sale ~ made $4.50 so far

Bugging Sarah to weed wack the yard

Going to Katie's in-laws for picnic and fireworks

Running up to Kroger to buy something to take to the picnic

Trying to motivate myself to do some kind of exercise

Happy Independence Day Everyone! Let Freedom Ring! Be thankful for our freedom today.

Just Me and Bailey Running the Garage Sale

Selling some of the leftover "stuff" from last weekend's garage sale. I love getting rid of "stuff." I always swear up and down that after the garage sale I will buy NO MORE stuff. Actually doing well for a second sale. At least the sun is out today and it's quite a bit warmer than the past few days.Sorry to hear it was only 58 degrees up north where my sistopher and brother-in-law-opher are. It's supposed to be summer after all! Ricky from down the street was here 13 times. Funny kid. He took some free house paint and painted his bike with it ~ tires and all. I gave him a free item though because he went and checked my signs and then pounded them in with a hammer. Now he's mad at my because I wouldn't give him an electric scooter or tv for five bucks! He'll be back tomorrow, I'm sure of it.

Garage Sale Extravaganza

4 days of garage sale bliss. What a sale. We grossed over $750 dollars. (Total of all people in sale.) Long and tiring days. Now we're gonna do it all over again. Have another sale this weekend at home and see if we can get rid of more "stuff." Why not. Not doing anything else. No money to spend anyway. There was a few funny moments, you know the weirdos you'll never forget. Some old dude asked for a bag and filled it up and then asked if he could have it all for $3. Uh, noooooooo. It was getting crazy though. The people had 7 dogs at their house. Yikes! Bark-O-Rama.
Happy Anniversary (H.A.) to Mar & Don AND Tom & Renee!

Finally Over The Hump

I hadn't lost a pound in over 3 weeks. Finally today I hit the mark! That's because I sweated it off yesterday, I think. And because my pt session was brutal. Anyway, yea!

Hot, Hot, N More Hot

Just trying to stay cool. Packing the trailer full of stuff to take to the BIG garage sale at Katie's mother in law's. Hoping it's a success. They live on a main drag. Getting rid of lots of stuff. Will probably be over there helping this weekend. No fire works in Flint this 4th ~ they said they don't have any money.



**stuff = junk in this blog.

Proud Lake, Wicked Thunderstorms & The Zoo

The camping trip to Proud Lake was lots of fun ~ cept for the wicked bad storms that kept us all up 2 nights in a row. Oh yeah, and the part where we arrived at the Detroit Zoo on Friday and found out it would be closing in 2 and 1/2 hours for a private event. So we drove back to the campground and decided to return back to the zoo on Saturday. Meanwhile we went to Kensington Metro Park for a picnic and some wildlife viewing.

Saturday we went to the zoo - whew it was hot! We walked til we dropped. Saw a lot of cool stuff. Pictures of some of the more unusual animal sights. The sloth in the rain forest exhibit was actually on the move (very slowly) to it's food. The docent said we were lucky to see it move - it normally sleeps up to 18 hours at a time. The next pic is one of the polar bears that decided to sit right on top of the viewing tube! The last pic is of some free roaming mammals - cute huh?

Gone Campin

Going camping with the Renee's to Proud Lake campground for the weekend. We are planning to go to the zoo on Friday. Hopefully no bad weather! I would like to go canoeing on Saturday. The storms need to stay south of us. See ya later...

It's Raining, It's POURING ~ June 17th

Happy Birthday Sarah (41) and Riley Rose Fisher (5). We have wet, soggy, soaked TP all over our front yard and trees. Sigh...... The idea was good, but now I'll be picking up TP all summer. It is so hard to get off once it's been wet. Going to make a birthday lowfat/sugar strawberry cheesecake. Can't wait to try it. Probably going to Mongolian BBQ for dinner. Coupon for free BD dinner.

I Love Good Morning Time

It was a beautiful morning this a.m. Just the right temp & breeze. Smells so fresh in the morning. I inadvertently scared some birds off the feeder when I put the blind up. Opps. The phrase "Good Morning Time" I stole from BFF Sydney. That's what she calls morning. Went to the Doc for my annual. He said my BP was perfect, my EKG was great, couldn't even make up something wrong. Hoping my A1C is down also. (blood sugar) He might let me take off one diabetes med. Depending on how the test comes out. Anyway, it was nice to hear the doc say, "you're doing awesome." For once!
We are cleaning blinds & windows today. Love the way the house smells after you clean. I think I'm a very sensory person. Especially as far as the olfactory goes. Nik is gone to her dad's for the summer. It is rather quiet. We will see how that goes...

Going to start the Dave Ramsey $$ stuff. I just kept hearing the name so I decided to look it up. Would really like to be debt free. That is not even a concept that sounds remotely do-able. Worth a try.

Ristorante de' Wheat Way

Ristorante de’ Wheat Way ~ Swartz Creek, Michigan


Main Course ~
Parmesan encrusted grilled grouper sandwich
On Grilled onion-rye bread with dill mayonnaise

Side Dishes ~
Homemade fresh low fat/sugar Slaw
Grilled seasoned asparagus spears

Choice of beverage tonight ~
Water with lemon slice
Red wine fruit spritzer

French Laundry, Karen Pianki (Mayes), & Chicken Salad

Had a wonderful breakfast with Karen who I haven't seen in way too many years. It was fun to catch up! I am glad to know I am not the only one who can't believe I'm 50! We met at the French Laundry in Fenton. They serve wonderful food. I am happy to report that I didn't over do. For dinner I made an awesome Grilled Tarragon Chicken Salad over a bed of spinach, drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette. Even Nik said it was deliciouso! Secret ingredients were: tarragon, apples, walnuts, dried cherries tossed with a little light olive oil mayo. Oh and of course grilled chicken.

10th of June

Went to Pt ~ now I can barely move! That's good right? Making my famous shrimp kabobs for dinner. Yum-o. Meeting Karen Pianki (Mayes) for breakfast tomorrow. Can't wait. We haven't seen each other in a million year. Actually 20 or so. Drinking a protein shake; supposed to put the oomph back into my muscles. Like spinach to Popeye. Just rambling here. How about a list.
Things I hope to do this summer.

Walk in a 5k Hustle
Keep losing weight
Go to the cottage
Cut down at least 1 med
Go camping
Go to the Detroit Zoo
See Riley & Brady
Have an awesome garden
Read a book or 2
Ride on a rail trail
See a bird I've never seen
Go to the Melting Pot
Turn 51

Walking At For-Mar Nature Preserve

Friday was a beautiful day so we decided to venture out to For-Mar Nature Preserve. Where I worked for a few months a couple years ago. It was warm and sunny and not many bugs. Near perfect. We walked a few different paths and visited some new spots that I had not been when I worked there. Got a map that showed several different parks where we can walk or ride. We decided to stop by Sports Authority to get a bike rack. Also got some fanny-pack water bottle holders. Now we are all set. I think tonight we will check out the park in Flushing. (biking)

Tonight is Sesame Chicken w/Noodles and steamed broccoli. The recipe is from the Biggest Loser Cookbook.

Feelin The Pain!

Oh my! My trainer is working me hard ~ let me tell you. I could hardly move yesterday when she got through with me. But, I am getting stronger ~that is a good thing. I can walk faster and longer. Couple days ago went for a 1MILE walk. We are signing up for a 5k run/walk at Crossroads Village on July 9th. Hopefully I can make the whole thing. Sarah says next year we will run - we shall see.
This morning we were getting ready for Niki's regional playoff softball game and for a joke I decided to try on Sarah's size 16 jeans. ( I'm supposed to add that they didn't fit her anymore anyway.....) Well, it ended up to be no joke. They fit and I swiped them! I can't breathe too good, but that's ok. ha ha I guess I get the hand-me-downs, but she will get to go shopping for the new stuff. It's all good. By the way the Dragons lost, but played an excellent game; 0-1. A real tear jerker.

Hit The Mark!

Yea me ~ I entered that new "century" of weight.
Ok, so I tried the hummus recipe from "Biggest Loser" (the one I gave you Jan), it's yucky. I have to work on it. For now I'm going to buy store bought til I can perfect one of my own.

Funny of the day ~ went to the grocery store and forgot to buy ANY lettuce. One of the huge staples of any diet, eating well, nutritious program. ha ha Have to go back now.

Tahini Paste

So I said to myself, "self you can make Tahini paste, how hard could it be?" So I took some sesame seeds and pounded them right down with my awesome mortar and pestle (awesome birthday gift last year). Then I thought, hmmmm wonder what goes in with that. So I decided to look it up on the internet. Cha - so I won't be making tahini paste anytime soon. I'll just put the ground sesame into my hummus. Couldn't find tahini at the local Kroger. Might have to go to a middle eastern store or hmmm, maybe Meijer carries it. Anyway check it out below:

What is tahini?
Think peanut butter, only made with sesame seeds. To make tahini, sesame seeds are soaked in water for a day, then crushed to separate the bran from the kernels. The crushed seeds are put into salted water, where the bran sinks, but the kernels float and are skimmed off the surface. They are toasted, then ground to produce their oily paste. There are two types of tahini, light and dark, and the light ivory version is considered to have both the best flavor and texture.

A New "Century" Weight About To Happen

.5 lb more to go and I will enter a lower century of weight, of which my body hasn't seen in a very long time. I don't even remember when. I will no longer be in the 200 club. Whoo hoo, whoopie & celebrations! My prize is I get to go have a 1 hour massage! Can't wait. Hope it happens soon!

p.s. hope the rabbits don't jump the Marigolds before I can get out there with some smelly powder!

p.s.s. My blood sugars have been most excellent.

Last Day of May

Well we found the Ezekiel bread and the Greek yogurt at Dale's health food store. But, I will have to check the local Kroger since that's where it has been spotted. They may even have the yogurt, who knows. They just enlarged and improved our Kroger. While at Dales we decided to try a fresh sandwich. I had a veggie on pita and Sarah tried the hummus/veggie. They were both super yummy and actually rather decently priced.
Rented a tiller from HD and tilled the garden. Got it planted in with help from Renee & Sydney. Renee brought over Popsicle sticks for the markers and Syd helped me plant 2 flats of marigolds. (to deter the wabbits) She dug the holes with a little shovel - did a great job. She said, "I like planting a garden." She's got her eyes on the "salad" and cukes. We also planted: onions, tomatoes - 2 kinds, peppers, jalapenos, yellow squash, zucchini, okra ( that my sister sent me), shallots and I want to get a broccoli plant.
For dinner tonight we grilled a piece of chicken and then had portabello pizza. From the Biggest Loser Cookbook. It was quite good. I'm really starting to dig this whole healthy eating bit. Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions. I'm excited to try everything! Going to make some homeade hummus tomorrow.

A Nice Day Rounded Out With a Favorite Activity

Got whooped by Nikki my personal trainer at 10 a.m. She really works me hard! I think it is paying off though. Went to Nicole's district softball games at noon. They won both games so now they are moving on to the regionals next weekend at SVU in Saginaw. She did awesome. She was moved up from JV to Varsity for the games. Then home for a bath and short rest. Went to Applebee's for dinner and actually had a good healthy dinner. I choose one of the WW points dinners. Then to GNC to pick up some protein powder and vitamins. Got these awesome shaker cups with a metal ball inside that is supposed to break up the chunks. Then went BB & B to check out the "bullet." It's kind of pricey... probably just use the new shaker cup thingies. Bought egg framer thingies - to make homemade egg mcmuffins. Finally, went to Borders to browse and have a no fat, no sugar, no caffeine hot beverage. Tonight was a vanilla/raspberry nofat latte. This is one of our favorite things to do. We read various books and magazines while sipping a yummy hot or cold beverage. Tonight we were reviewing the "Biggest Loser" books and couldn't resist buying, The Biggest Loser 30 Day Jumpstart. Does anyone know were you can buy Greek Yogurt and "Ezekiel" bread? They use those allot. I may go try Dale's natural foods tomorrow. I am very excited to try many of the recipes!

Omletta de' Jur

The creative juices are flowing again. Tonight's masterpiece was a feta (fat free), spinach (fresh steamed) and tomato omelet. It was awesomely delicious. And beautiful to boot. Garnished with fresh mint from my iced tea garden.

Served with orange sections and Multi-grain sandwich thins. (Arnold's) Sarah says we should open a restaurant. But, that would be too much like work. I made some awesome Italian stuff that starts with an "M"today to take to the funeral home. It smelled so good and was so tempting to sneak a bite. But I was strong and only tasted 1 noodle! Busy day tomorrow. We are helping with the funeral luncheon then back home. Personal trainer at 4 for me. Saturday will be water aerobics at 9, then Niki's district game at 12 (she was pulled up to play varsity districts ~ quite an honor.) Then we are leaving to go up to Boyne.

Whew!

It's over! What a beautiful day for a wedding. There was only one hitch. I sent the Florida Cousins the wrong way on the expressway and they ended up far far away with only 5 minutes til 4. We of course waited for them to arrive. The wedding started a bit late but then some other people who came late ended up being on time. They don't look old enough to be married do they? Didn't the photographer do a great job? Everything else went smoothly, ahhhhhh. Took the cousins back to the airport this morning and now we are just chillin.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Up and at em! Went to water aerobics at 10. Home for a quick egg salad sammy. Run and do a quick estimate at the famous "pink house" on Atherton Rd. Back to Kohls. Sarah bought a new pair of Capri's size 14 and they WERE TOO BIG! Then to the bank, grocery store. Then a million phone calls to the boys cuz the trailer busted up good right on I 96 near Pleasant Valley Rd. 2 hour wait for the tow truck guy to tell them he couldn't do anything. so the left the trailer right there on the x-way full of crap. They stopped in Hartland on the way home and picked up a new one. Just like that. $1700 big ones! Poor guys, they were thirsty!! They didn't get home til after 6 p.m.
Anyway, then clean the house, water the plants, grilled some AWESOME turkey burgers for dinner. Now we're waiting for the Florida peeps to get in the air. Apparently there were some violent storms in northern FLA so they had to sit on the runway. The kids were getting cranky and hungry. Looks like they'll arrive into Metro round about 9ish. Thanks for letting us take the van T & R!

Time, Time, Time

So much to do, so little time!

Haven't even had a chance to post about my trip to Sunshine Farms last week. Met my sissy there and we had fun picking out new herbacious plants. She even bought me an early BD gift; a bay tree! Here are the pics of the plants before potting and also my new (old) little table that Sydney helped me paint. I will have after pics when everything is done.

Have been busy going to the gym, finishing up last minute plans for wedding, going to Nik's softball games, etc... This will be an extremely busy week! Picking up the Florida cousins at Metro on Thurs. nite. Can't wait!

I'm Putting In a Compost Pile Today

how to start a compost pile
You'll need the following to start your own compost pile:
An area that is approximately three feet long by three feet wide
Carbon-rich materials such as dead leaves, straw, dead flowers, or shredded newspaper. These items are also known as brown materials.
Nitrogen-rich materials such as grass clippings, plant-based kitchen waste (like vegetable peelings and fruit rinds), or barnyard animal manure. Nitrogen-rich materials are also known as green materials.
One or two shovelfuls of garden soil.
Steps:
Spread a layer of brown materials where you are starting your compost pile. The layer should be several inches thick.
Top with a layer several inches thick of green materials.
Top this with a thin layer of soil.
Add another layer of brown materials.
Moisten all the layers with water.
Continue layering until the pile is about three feet high. You don't have to do this all at once; just keep adding to the pile as you have materials to add. A good ration is three parts brown material to one part green.
Maintaining the compost pile: Turn the pile with a shovel or garden fork every couple of weeks to move the materials in the center to the outside and vice versa. You may see steam rise when you first turn the pile.
You should keep the pile moist, but not soggy.
When the center of the pile turns to black, crumbly, sweet-smelling soil, you can use it in your garden. You can use a sieve to separate the composted material from any partially decomposed material. A simple home-made sieve can be created using a wooden frame about 3 ft by 3 ft covered with coarse wire mesh. Use any material that hasn't fully decomposed to start your next pile.

The Latest

Time flies. Saturday we visited my dad. He's not so good. Today is his birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad. Brought him some Detroit Tiger peanuts, he liked them and got a kick out of the musical card we gave him. Yesterday we grilled for Sarah's mom/dad and also Katie & Richie came over. I made a low fat potato salad & broccoli salad, turkey burgers, chicken brats and Strawberries on angel food cake. Today I clocked in with my PT for the first time. Ouch! I'm sore - but it was a good work out. I think I found some new muscle groups!

Great Find of the Day

TAZO brand "Iced" Passion Tea. A tantalizing blend of hibiscus flowers, herbs and tropical flowers. "A cold passion in a paradise." We went to Starbucks today and Sarah told the guy she wanted something free of: caffeine,
coffee- taste, carbs, and calories. She started to grab a bottle of water. Dude says, "wait, I can do this." I'm thinking, "Cha I bet!" "I have just the thing," Dude smiles. "Iced Passion Tea." It was so good we bought a box for home.
Stop by and have a glass!

Joined a Gym

Friday we joined a local gym. Time to get in shape. It has cardio machines, weight machines and a pool! Yesterday I went to water aerobics. It was fun, but not so easy. An hour straight of exercising in the pool. The water makes it a little easier. The only problem; I still smell like chlorine. Reminds me of when I was a kid. I think I smelled like chlorine every day. - In the summer I mean when we would swim every day. I also signed up for 40 sessions with a personal trainer. Supposed to double your results. Still waiting for her to call. We've been going every day. Toady is men's day so it'll just be riding the bike up front in the "joint" area.
Other stuff going on:
Niki's softball games
mowing the lawn
trying to find a time to visit dad
the bathroom is finished
More softball games
Final count for the wedding

May 1st ~ May Day

Happy May Day Everyone!

In Europe, the day (May 1) for traditional springtime celebrations. It probably originated in pre-Christian agricultural rituals. Celebrations included a May king and queen, a Maypole, and people carrying trees, green branches, or garlands. May Day was designated an international labour day by the International Socialist Congress of 1899, and it remains the standard Labour Day worldwide, with a few exceptions, including Canada and the U.S. A major holiday in the Soviet Union and other communist countries, it was the occasion

for important political demonstrations.

To celebrate May Day, I bought a new bird feeder and some food. Suet for the Woodpeckers & Jays. Oilers like my dad gets for up north for the other birdies. Also, need to move the Bluebird house, because we parked the trailer in the way by mistake. I hope Mr. & Mrs. Bluebird Esquire take residence again this year.

Got...

A new digital scale
a new diabetic cookbook
some dried green peas (to make pea soup)
some butter beans
a sore neck from being on the computer so much
some salmon and grilled it
to make another pot of ww cabbage soup
to finish my laundry
to exercise more

Waiting

For the rain to stop~
for Sarah to finish painting the bathroom~
To quit thinking about food~
to drop a clothes size~

Things To Be Thankful For

Some things I have been thankful for lately:

• a clean mammogram
• warm weather
• dropping blood sugars
• a steady income
• good friends
• only 1 more month til the wedding :-)

Projects around the house:

Repainting the bathroom - yes again

Putting in a medium size garden; getting the soil ready & choosing what to plant

Went to Bordine's and bought some new herbs for my herb garden

I Learned Something new Today

I learned that not all carbs are processed the same in my body. I need to check the GI, or Glycemic Index.
What is the Glycemic Index?
Not all carbohydrate foods are created equal, in fact they behave quite differently in our bodies. The glycemic index or GI describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbs - the ones that produce onWhat are the Benefits of the Glycemic Index?
Eating a lot of high GI foods can be detrimental to your health because it pushes your body to extremes. This is especially true if you are overweight and sedentary. Switching to eating mainly low GI carbs that slowly trickle glucose into your blood stream keeps your energy levels balanced and means you will feel fuller for longer between meals.
Low GI diets help people lose and control weight
Low GI diets increase the body's sensitivity to insulin
Low GI carbs improve diabetes control
Low GI carbs reduce the risk of heart disease
Low GI carbs reduce blood cholesterol levels
Low GI carbs can help you manage the symptoms of PCOS
Low GI carbs reduce hunger and keep you fuller for longer
Low GI carbs prolong physical endurance
High GI carbs help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise ly small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels - is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss.

Low GI Foods are less than 55 on the GI chart. I went to the following web page to check out low GI foods . http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/lowglycemicfoodlist.htm So now I have a new challenge. ~ cooking with foods that are low GI.
Why all the buzz about all this? I went to the Dr. and my blood sugars are sky high. I'm now considered high risk for heart disease. So I'm trying to change my habits. I see I have messed up pretty bad. Even with the new meds my sugars are only S-l-o-w-l-y going down. Let's see if the low GI foods make a difference. Back to the ole grocery store.

Movie/Book Review

Marley and Me
The book was so good that I'm not a good source to comment on the movie. I don't like Owen Wilson, so that also made it difficult. And Jennifer Aniston, well again not my favorite. The book was excellent. Anyone who has or had a dog should read the book. Definitely better than the movie.

I am happy to report that my changing lifestyle is going well. Getting lots of exercise and have significantly changed my eating habits to follow the diabetic plan. Trying to make new and yummy recipes. Tonight will be a good night to make my new recipe for Black Bean Soup. Having that with quesadillas.

It's Raining It's Pouring

We are supposed to have rain for the next 3 days.

Top ten things to do on a rainy day:

1. Read a good book

2. Extra cleaning around the house

3. Cook something, simply deliciouso

4. Catch up on your laundry.

5. Play computer games

6. Do a couple scrapbook pages

7. Take a nap

8. Paint a room in your house

9. Do your exercising on the Wii

10. Play board games

Weight Watchers Cabbage Soup - My Version

I made a pot today! Yum. Love to eat it with a sandwich for lunch. It's a good way to get all your veggies in. Even Renee liked it. First timer.

2 c. cabbage, sliced fine
1 c. celery, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper
1/4 onion chopped
1 large can c. V-8 juice or tomato
1 c. water
1 or 2 bouillon cubes, beef
2 tbsp. lemon juice
splash hot sauce
1 Tlbs Worchester sauce
2-4 tsp. Equal sweetener (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a large kettle and cook until vegetables are tender but not overcooked.

The Eating Well Blog Part II

It's been requested of me to post the diabetic diet plan. This is for 1200 - 1400 calories. In order to follow this properly you need a diabetic or a food exchange list.
Carbs: 45 at each meal and 15 for each of 1 or 2 snacks
Meats: 4 - 6 exchanges - basically ounces
Fruits - 2 counts towards the carbs group
Milks - 2 counts towards the carbs groun
Veg. - 3 - 5 servings of non-starchy
The exchange list can be found at: http://www.diabetessymptom.net/news/news_item.cfm?NewsID=54
I'll be starting this in full force today.

Medications and Medications

Dr. called to see him to chat about my blood test results. Not so good. My sugar is sky high. Upped one med. and added another. My cholesterol is up. New med. I have a new vitamin deficiency, (D) gotta take that now. Back to "sticking" to the diabetic diet and exercise. Yikes. Gonna go drag out the diabetes eating guide.
Anyway, on the bright side, I'm taking my little sister Felicity out for dinner tonight. That should be fun. She is quite a talker.

Indian Lakes Campground, Lakeview OH

So, it was a little chilly camping this weekend. The heater works just fine. Highlights include:

• Staying dry during an all night rain
• getting the van stuck and then unstuck
• Buying baked goods from an Amish lady and her 2 little kiddies: they were selling right out of their buggy which was pulled off the road. Peanut butter cookies and pecan rolls were yummy!
• Smelling something yummy cooking, wait is that bacon? mmmm! Where is that coming from? Oh, realizing on the way home we passed the Rudolph food plant which makes world famous pork rinds. Good laugh over that one!
• Going potty right in the camper! the toilet of course.
• Having a campfire.
• No "wedding" talk.
• Eating lunch at Skyline (Chili) in Lima OH

Mystery of the Day

So, I'm sitting in the office working, minding my own business and suddenly I hear water rushing through the pipes. I am home alone, haven't used the toilet, shower, or sink or anything. I'm totally freaking out. Sarah has her dad come out to check and see what's going on. There is no water leaking anywhere in the house that we can find. He goes outside to check. Sure enough water is running from the backyard faucet. Question of the day? Who turned it on? Bailey? He was out. Can a dog turn a water faucet on? Kids? Our back yard is fences. Hmmmmmm.
2nd mystery of the day. I saw Billy R. Cirus on Good Morning America, "live" in concert. 1/2 hour later he was on Regis & Kelly, "live" in New Orleans. Hmmmmmmm.
K, so I'm running around crazy today, trying to finish up stuff, get work ready for the guys tomorrow and I'm cooking a turkey and all the trimmings dinner. Yikes. Bye!

Snow-oh-oh!

All told we got about 6 inches. But it's still snowing, however it's melting too. Ya gotta love a spring snowstorm, don't cha? Bailey sure does. He's been out several times having a ball rolling around. Well it needs to stop cuz we got lawns to mow. And we're taking the new camper out on a camping trip; leaving Thursday.

I've been cooking again lately. Yesterday I made some yummy sweet potato fries, we love those and some awesome crispy chicken fingers. (Karen's recipe) Tonight I'm making "Deb's Scallops Florentine" which I found at www.allrecipes.com

I actually get a lot of my recipes from there. Wednesday I'm making the turkey that we stuck down in the freezer at Christmas time or Thanksgiving. Gotta cook it up. I guess you could say it's Easter dinner since we'll be in Ohio camping for Easter.

Big House

Yesterday I was in the biggest (regular) house I've ever been in. Sarah had a job in Novi so I went with her. The place was like a compound with the following features:

• 
  
• built-in intercom system with monitors
• 8 toilets
• large rooms with huge ceilings and arches
• butler hallway between kitchen & dining: sink, fridge, large buffet
• jack & jill bedrooms with walk in closets & huge bathroom
• master bedroom with huge bathroom that was 3 rooms by itself; master suite over 1000 sq ft
• fireplace in master bedroom
• fireplace between kitchen and family room
• walk in pantry
• huge kitchen
• granite floor tiles
• wrought iron stairway

beautiful really. I wonder how much they're selling for? Too bad the people couldn't afford their house.

Just Another Day in Paradise

Did a little work in the morning. Then after Sarah came home (early) we went and picked up Sydney Bean from school. She had told her mom that she wanted someone different (then Renee) to pick her up from school. So we took her to "Donald's" and played in the playroom for a while. Then we came home and put all the stuff into the "new" camper. Then we noticed it had really warmed up so went went out and played ball & other cool stuff like that. It was a beautiful afternoon. The bean went home and we met up with some friends at Don Poblos. They have a 3 yr old and 1 yr old. Whew, that was fun... I forgot to add that I of course watched the whole ER 3 hour extravaganza last night. I've been a fan since the beginning.

April Fool's Day

April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day, although not a holiday in its own right, is a notable day celebrated in many countries on April 1. The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends, family members, enemies, and neighbors, or sending them on a fool's errand, the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible. Traditionally, in some countries, the jokes only last until noon: like UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, someone who plays a trick after noon is called an "April Fool".[1] Elsewhere, such as in Ireland, France, and the USA, the jokes last all day.

Back to Basics

Spinach
Yogurt
Tomatoes
Carrots
Blueberries
Black Beans
Walnuts
Oats
Remember those? Today I had yogurt, tomatoes, carrots, blueberries, and walnuts. Anyone do better than that?
I'm thinking of starting a new business. Blog R' Us.

Strike!

That's play-speak for taking the set down. We'll be doing that tonight. The director said she'd spring for pizza and salad. Hopefully now I'll stop waking up in the middle of the night with lines running through my head. It was lot's o fun and also hard work. I'm kind of glad it's over - the pressure... Everyone said it was funny. I had people (strangers) coming up to me and telling me I was funny, great, etc... I guess I'm a natural. ha ha Renee said she's going to make me go running with her after seeing me sprint across the stage. Thanks to everyone who made my debut, for the rest of you there's always next time! We're supposed to be getting pictures on a CD, one large picture of the cast and a video.

The Dress Rehearsal is Over, Whew!

Lights, Action, ......even had a camera. Wow, up on the stage, bright lights. The 2 of us Newbies had stage fright! Glad that one's under our belt. It went pretty smoothly. Sure, there were a few forgotten lines, but really, even the director said we did pretty good. Helen, (me) even had a save. That means you pick up where someone froze and forgot their lines. I always was pretty good at improvising. Sarah brought Syd so she could see the play. Too long for her to sit through the whole thing. When I was done with my part I came off the stage to say good bye. I remember telling Sarah that I messed up on one part. So apparently when Miss Sydney arrived back home and they asked her how the play was, she responded,
"Kakhi screwed up and they kicked her off the stage!"

Don't Kids Say the Darndest Things?

Yesterday I was practicing my lines for the play (of course) and Sydney was over here watching. Quite intently, I might add. She was jumping in whenever possible. Well, my alter-ego is Helen O'Toole, real estate agent. When we finished up we were talking about my costume. And if she comes to see me at Friday's rehearsal, she can see me dressed up, make-up etc... So then she pipes up, "which tool are you going to dress up like?" I was confused. So I asked her to repeat that. She says, you're Mrs. Tool right? So which tool are you going to dress up like? We tried to hide our laughter once we understood the question, so as not to be laughing AT her. So cute!

Work, Work, Work, Practice, Practice, Practice

I'm afraid my week is going to be filled up with just that, work and practice. So I'm just warning you if I don't write you can rest assured I'm either working or practicing the play. We have practice every night this week from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. or later. Friday is the big DRESS Rehearsal.

Here's What The Local Paper Had to Say

Swartz Creek Center Stage's 'Exit the Body' a farce, full of 'big laughs'
by Laura Angus Swartz Creek News
Friday March 20, 2009, 8:28 AM
SWARTZ CREEK, Michigan — In Swartz Creek Center Stage's upcoming dinner theater production, the characters in Fred Carmichael's "Exit the Body" confront the horror of dead bodies, stolen diamonds and — for one New Yorker — trees in the countryside.
Kathy Russell, 50, of Swartz Creek plays Helen O'Toole, an unstable real estate lady who will surprise the audience late in the show. People should watch the show for more than just the laughs, Russell said.
"I think it's a good time in the community," she said.

It's Been a Rather Crazy Week

Sorry, I have no St. Patty's recipes to share. I didn't feel good that day so I made the standard Corned Beef & Cabbage dinner, just like my mom used to make. It was rather good. Even had enough for corned beef sandwiches the next day, AND put the left-overs in the freezer for some homeade corned-beef hash one day. It's been a bit of a hairy week, as many of you know. Next week will be even worse as I have extra long play practices and they are every night! We need alot of work. Last night we went to Chuck E.'s with the Renee's. It was crazy, I lost Syd in the overhead maze, she got wedged in the corner cause a million kids were going in and out and she was afraid to come out. The pizza was ok, but the salad bar was actually yummy. Then we went over their house to watch "Twilight." Evan, Syd and I weren't interested so we played in the bedroom with Evan's cool Nerf gun. We even made a target, but the darts wouldn't stick. Got my hair cut, trying out a new style. Hopefully it will be grown in just right for the wedding. Got my outfit, but have not tried it on to see if it fits. The "boy" got limestone for the driveway today, so hopefully that will help the truck/van/trailer from getting stuck. Got to make a trifle for tonight - cards with the gang. Got to take my shower, go to the store, etc... so holla.

New Post

Tomorrow I'll put up my St. Patty's day recipes. Don't forget to wear green. Sydney informed me today that I have to wear green or else I'll get pinched!

Not Superstitious Are Ya?

Mar 13, 2009:
For the first time in 11 years, 2009 registered Friday the 13th
falling in two consecutive months-February and March.
And what's more, the double whammy can only occur in certain non-leap years and only in a February-March combination. In fact, one can look for another of the Friday the 13th combo in 2015. If this wasn't enough, the double threat isn't the only Friday the 13th claim to infamy for 2009, a particularly tough year for superstitious minds.The ominous date falls on three Fridays this year: February 13; this Friday, March 13; and again on November 13.

Light Snow Showers?

That's what they're calling it. I call it: Pure whiteout! I drove home from Owosso this morning in a blizzard. I was on a two lane road and every time another car passed it caused a complete whiteout. Pretty scary. The one Bonus about having to go to Owosso this morning is that there is a Hardee's there. I think it's the one and only remaining Hardee's in Michigan. I loaded up with a 6 pack of Cinnamon/raisin biscuits. Of course I had to get an order of biscuits and gravy. I hope I don't mowe the whole 6 pack of biscuits before Sarah gets home.
Ok, so there's like 1/2 inch of snow staying on the ground. What's up with that? The grass, driveway & roof are covered.
Well, I'm going to go work on my lines. YooHoo!

Yummy Sandwiches

Making some yummy Monte Cristo sandwiches tonight for dinner. It will probably use up the rest of the deliciouso raspberry jam that I received for Christmas. But it's well worth it. I love Monte Cristo's. Did errands today. Had a coupon for Fudrucker's buy one burger get one free. Cool.
Practicing, practicing, practicing for the play. Gotta know all my lines for ACT I by tomorrow. P.S. Laura, who all is coming??

Wedding Cake - Expensive Stuff

Wow! So $1600 bucks just for the wedding cake. Holy Moly. Thank goodness the grandparents are paying for that. And that was just for a pretty simple stacked cake. No fountains, bridges, etc..

Ok, so question? Do you pay the lady that is cutting the cake? If so, how much. Rain, dreary rain, rain, rain today. blah. Didn't even get to play with my bff today. humph.

Where Has the Week Gone?

Doctor appointments, Play practices, wedding plans, working. A trip downtown to take ALL the Mentor Program stuff to them. Bye Bye Flint Schools! 2 trips to Birchrun to the RV place. ( a dinner snuck in at Frankenmuth during one of the trips.)

Appointment with the tax-man. :-(( David's Bridal to get the wedding dress and veil and the cutest flower girl dress. Burlington Coats, Debs, JC Penny, Sears, Macy's and finally David's Bridal again for the bridesmaid dresses.

Last night we finally had a chance to relax. Went over to the Renee's for some SingStar and Buzz. Tom was gaming with his buds, so it was mostly just us girls. Evan was in the bedroom doing his own thing. Of course I got slamdunked in both events. Although I did get high points for the night on Singstar with Johnny Cash's "I walk the Line." We had a good time. Renee and I tried Will's homeade Blueberry Wine. Pretty good stuff.