I think I gave the wrong impression yesterday. I am happily getting better.... Everyday, I get stronger and have more mobility, which I am very grateful for.
But I have happy chores to do during this time, without the distraction of housecleaning, projects, yardwork, or running errands:
Reading more cookbooks.
Working on an "awesome" philanthropic project for next fall.
Thinking about my yard, projects, flowers, planning.
Knitting a scarf for my daughter.
EASTER decorating.
Smocking some baby plates for some baby boys
Planning two bridal showers
While I highlighted the good, the bad and the ugly yesterday, today is another day closer to feeling better.
This week can best be described as the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
First the Good:
We have had some wonderful people drop off lovely meals every night for this past week. I am blessed to have such friends.
The hubby and the kids have been tremendous help and I am lucky to have them.
My knee joint feels tremendous.
I can tell that I have made some progress. The human body is an amazing thing. Healing, adapting and progressing all at the same time.
The Bad:
Physical Rehab sucks... I know it is good for me but it is tough and I hate it. I keep doing it but it hurts.
The incision is 10 to 12 inches long and looks awful.
The Ugly:
Once a day, I have a good pity party, including crying. Usually brought on by physical rehab but it is very cathartic and may be related to the medication!!!
I miss doing things, being cooped up is not my strong suit.
I have had a hard time writing this post. My first instinct is to suck it up, and post some pretty pictures of my kitchen, dishes, etc. But I am sitting on my rear everyday trying to get better.... not doing anything, not accomplishing anything, and sometimes feeling sorry for myself.
Yesterday at 3:30. I had a total knee replacement on my left knee. It went very well. I have been in excruciating knee pain for seven years.
I use to walk 3 miles a day at 6:00 AM with three Old English Sheepdogs, every week day, except if there was a thunderstorm. In the three years I walked faithfully, there were two thunderstorms at 5:30 in the morning.
Needless to say, I was a dedicated walker, who lost 50 pounds. The dogs felt good and so did I, until May 2003. What started as a little stiffness became full fledged arthritc pain. By last fall, I could barely walk. I plan my days around my knee. I plan vacations around my knees.
Well ladies, enough was enough and I made the decision that no matter how frightened I was of surgery, I was more frightened of being an old lady before my time.
So here is my left knee without scars and damaged beyond repair. I now have a new bionic knee, covered on dressings along with an 8 to 10 inch scar.
IT IS 2:00 am and everytime I fall asleep a bell goes off or a nurse comes in the room.
Winter food is so warm and comforting, but it can be a little bland. So I try to infuse summer flavor in any way I can find. On a cold morning with a cup of hot chocolate, these scones are not only delicious but very filling.
Put the 3 c. of self rising flour, 1/2 c. sugar and 3/4 c. cold butter, cut into small pieces.
Pulse several times until butter is in small pieces about the size of peas.
Next add 1/2 c. whipping cream and vanilla. Pulse several times adding additional cream until dough starts to form a ball.
Add blueberries and pulse several times to mix well.
Place dough on floured board.
Lightly knead several times.
Roll out to 1/2 inch thick.
With floured round cutter, cut out scones.
Re-roll left-overs until all the dough is used.
Place on baking sheet, with an egg, well-beaten, brush the top of the scones. And sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
When I met my husband, I was graduating college and ready to pack my bag for law school, or graduate school. I was going to brush the dust of the small town I grew up in and head to the big city.
All of that changed on my first date with my husband. I had about a month before I met him made a “dream” list of what I wanted in a real man… a potential mate. Of course, I never had any idea that a man could meet all my criteria but that night sitting across me at the table was the man that was about to change my life.
We were engaged 31 days later.
So why do I love my husband, 26 years later?
He never forgot the dreams I shared with him in those heady wonderful days when we were dating. Pushing me into graduate school, 12 years later, and he is always supportive of every decision I make to find my place in this world.
He is my best friend.
He has one of the weirdest sense of humor, not everyone’s cup of tea but I find him hilarious.
Quietly and unselfishly he has encouraged his family to reach their dreams while keeping his feet firmly on the ground, keeping us steady.
He still makes my heart skip a beat.
When I was a college Sunday School teacher, I strongly encouraged those girls to make a “dream” list for a future husband and not to settle until they find a man that fulfills that list… and was their best friend. Their chances for a happy marriage and happy life would greatly improve.
I am a chubby middle aged woman but have never thought of myself in those terms. When I was in college, I was less chubby but still a chubby college student. My sorority sisters were all gorgeous and thin. And my roommate was home-coming queen, seriously.
You would have thought that I was suffering from a lack of self-confidence. But you would be wrong. I loved who I was and still do. My sorority sisters were all obsessed with their weight, looks, etc. They had a serious lack of confidence.
A funny thing happened when I was in college. I had tons of dates, with very good-looking guys. And those gorgeous girls sat at home. I fixed them up on dates but when they looked in the mirror, they saw all their flaws and so did their dates.
Me in the middle, circa 1980!!!
I always saw my positive qualities. A defense mechanism to a father who loved to point out all your flaws but whatever… It worked. I have never defined myself by what was wrong with me.
I dress well. I wear nice make-up. I can laugh at myself and do not care about my short-comings. Believe me, people are drawn to that type of attitude.
I hear women say, “I will do X, Y or Z when I lose 20 pounds.” My advice is WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? You were created exactly like you are; accept it and embrace it. If you want to lose weight, do it but do not put your life on hold why you do.
You are worthy of all the praise of any super model. When you love yourself, it is easier for others to love you. My sorority sisters would sit at home crying over their dating life and I was out having fun.
Aspiration #4 You are a beautiful woman exactly as you are… You are not too fat, too thin, too lazy, sloppy, too mean, too wimpy, too kind or too much of a doormat.
Write down all the things you love about yourself and embrace them.
I am pressed for time before my knee replacement so I have some ideas for short cuts this spring.
Lowe’s and Home Depot sell “packages” of tubers, small plants, rhizomes and bulbs. This weekend, I am planting them in the cold soil. They will settle in and this summer, I will have beautiful plants such as;
Dahlias
Peonies
Iris
Daylillies
Lilly of the Valley
Asiatic Lillies
The advantage of these packages is they are easy to plant, need a smaller hole than a full in bloom plant. They are cheaper; $4.99 vs. $9.99 for the full plant and they will have plenty of time to settle in, spread their roots before the heat of summer makes the root system more stressed.
So if the ground is not frozen, whip into Lowe’s or Home Depot and get out a shovel!!! You will be so happy that you did this summer.
I saw this chair and table in Country Living Magazine and thought, I need a chair and table like those for our bedroom.
But I thought it would be expensive... But guess where they are from? KMART!!! What, KMART?
I wanted a chair like this one, but at $400 it was a little out of my price range. The Kmart chair is close but more importantly, it is $99.
I will use the chair for my secretary in the bedroom.
The accent table is $59.00
And the side table next to the upholstered chair.
I am still tweaking the layout of the bedroom. I am not completely happy with it, yet. Next week, I will show you how to transform your kitchen for $500.
We finished cleaning the kitchen, the walls and now we are working our way down the wall. Washing woodwork is my least favorite job. You can imagine, I have to wash woodwork more than twice a year with three large dogs.
First, I vacuum all the woodwork; baseboards, crown molding, door jams and chair rails.
With a bucket of warm water and a 1/4 c. of all-purpose cleaner, gloves and a soft cloth, I wipe them down.
I include a scrub brush in the bucket because sometimes dirt on the woodwork can be a little stubborn.
Again, I make notes on any woodwork that needs to be painted, have loose boards or needs to be fixed.
This job is done for another 4 months… thank goodness.
This week is super busy getting ready for my knee surgery!!! Finishing the kitchen, getting taxes finished and all the other lose ends I have to get ready. Also, I have some plants to get into the ground before I have to give up planting for the next couple of weeks.
Sunday: Super Bowl Menu
Monday: Spaghetti Carbonara, Cesar Salad and Italian Bread
Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner
Wednesday: Chicken Picatta
Thursday: Pulled Pork Tacos
Friday: Classic Pizza Margherita
Saturday: Crockpot Beef Stew
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.
Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add wine if desired; cook one more minute.
Return cooked bacon to pan; add cooked and drained spaghetti. Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems dry or is sticking together. Add beaten eggs and cook, tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are barely set. Quickly add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember that bacon and Parmesan are very salty).
Serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top, and extra Parmesan cheese at table.
Your friends and family are starving for more of you… I don’t mean more of your cleaning, cooking, etc. I mean more of the genuine you.
When I make menus, I design a menu to make dinner easier. I know what I am cooking that night (usually a source of frustration in most households including mine). But the correct ingredients are in the pantry. This step is very simple, almost too simple.
But let me tell you the result of this small step. This action frees up my time and lowers my stress level. Food is in the pantry and I love making dinner. What was once a chore, is a pleasure. Meal time is fun again and I save money because we don’t eat out as much.
My family gets more of my time.
Now let me state emphatically, you do not have to make a menu or be a clone of what I do… You may be one of those lucky people who can walk into a pantry and whip up a fantastic meal with what you have on hand… I am not one of you. I require a meal plan, written recipe and a grocery list.
Maybe because my father passed away at age 35, my mother at age 68, mother in law at age 67 and several friends who have left us way too early, I am passionate about making sure my friends and family know I love them. And yes, I sometimes show them how much I love them with food.
Third Aspiration: Your life is a precious gift, surround your loved ones with your heart felt sense of love, kindness and beauty.
You friends and family want more time with you… all of you.
What ways can you give your loved ones more of you? A handwritten note, a special baked treat, a walk around the block, or gifts from your garden?
Next week: we are taking this message to the next level…
I loved these monogrammed pillows but gesh are they expensive.
Target had some fantastic placemats and tablecloths on sale for seventy five percent off their Christmas merchandise. I thought I could use two of them for a project.
Whipped out the embroidery program and developed a monogram.
Monogrammed it.
Look how pretty!!
Sewed along the inner stitching to make a flange, leaving a six inch opening. Just follow the line of the placemat.
Sewed again, on the outer edge. You cannot see the pins, but I pinned it carefully matching the placemats. Also, leave the same six inch opening around the outer edge that you sewed for the flange.
Stuffed with polymer filling.
Sewed both openings shut.
Fantastic!! Exactly what I had envisioned.
Total cost of the project; $.98 for each place mat and $3.00 for polymer filling. Total cost $4.96.
I am joining Twice Remembered and her Make it Monday party. She has a fabulous blog and is a very sweet person!!!
We love the Super Bowl, well, we love food!!! And the Super Bowl is like a tailgate party without the balancing plates in the back of a car!!! Family and friends sitting around the TV, trying to remember to watch the commercials. '
Since it will be a quiet evening with just a few friends, and I am returning from Blissdom, Iwanted to share a menu for a party that doesn’t take long to put together.
Beef Bean and Cheese dip
1 lb of ground chuck
1 medium onion
2 8 oz. cream cheese
15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
4.5 oz. can of green chilies
1 c. sour cream
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. chili powder
1/4 t. salt
8 oz. pkg shredded Monterrey Jack with peppers
8 oz. pkg shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 quart baking dish. In a large skillet, combine ground chuck and onion. Cook over medium heat until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well.
Stir in cream cheese, beans and chilies. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until combined. Remove from heat.
Stir in sour cream, cumin and chili powder, salt, Monterrey Jack and 1/2 c. Cheddar cheese. Spoon into baking dish and sprinkle with remaining Cheddar Cheese. Bake 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla or corn chips.
Garlic Shrimp Crostini
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
5 cloves garlic, minced and divided
2 tablespoons minced green onion
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
24 medium fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
24 toasted French bread rounds
Cherry tomatoes, halved, for garnish
Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, 2 cloves garlic, green onion and pepper; set aside.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining 3 cloves garlic and parsley. Add shrimp; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until pink and firm. Do not overcook.
Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over French bread rounds. Top each with 1 shrimp. Garnish with tomato halves and parsley leaves.
Baked Potato Skins
5 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Peanut oil for frying
2 cups shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
Garnish: sour cream, chopped jalapeno peppers, chili powder
Preheat oven to 425°. On a rimmed baking sheet, brush potatoes with olive oil; sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake 1 hour, or until tender; cool slightly. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Reserve potato pulp for another use. Cut each potato half into quarters. (I will have the potatoes already baked and scooped)
In a large skillet, pour peanut oil to a depth of 2 inches; heat to 360°. Fry potato quarters, in batches, 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown; drain.
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place potato skins on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle each potato evenly with cheese; bake 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Garnish with sour cream, jalapenos, and chili powder, if desired.
Crudities:
(cucumbers, carrots, peppers, celery, broccoli, asparagus and cherry tomatoes) with a ranch dressing
I can have this party menu up and ready in 45 minutes. Start with the baking dip and finish cutting up veggies.
Week three of my spring cleaning mission. If you missed cleaning the kitchen or wood furniture, here they are.
Walls and ceilings are one of the most neglected areas of any home. So once a year, I make sure that they get a thorough cleaning. Since I painted them with flat interior paint, this process can be a little tricky.
I vacuum all the ceiling and walls with a clean dust brush vacuum attachment.
Next, I fill a bucket with warm water and a few drops of dish soap and a new car sponge. Flat interior paint is a little delicate so no harsh cleaners.
Always start from the top and work your way down. Squeeze as much water out of the sponge to prevent streaking.
This year, I repainted the kitchen but normally would handle the kitchen walls differently then the rest of the living area walls. I head to the kitchen after cleaning the rest of the house and add a degreaser to a fresh bucket of water, along with a little stronger multi-purpose cleaner.
I do not was the ceiling but try to remove any spots as I wash the walls.
I also carry post-it notes with me and use them to highlight areas of the walls that need a touch of paint or a hole that might need to be fixed. I can easily find these spots later and take care of it quickly.
Overall, I feel good when this process is done and glad I don’t have to do it until next year.
