Posty Post Post Time

Hello All!!

I am sort of AMPED UP today! I took my first B12 injection this morning! Well, I injected myself with my first B12 injection this morning, and I am working on the equivalent of my 3rd and 4th cups of coffee... AH! Hahahaha... yeah... A little buzzed right now!

It's been 7 days since my last post, and the whole, "Do better at posting on the blog," kind of falls under posting at least once a week if not more! (At least to me it does!)

I haven't been doing much since the New Year started.  On Thursday I had an absolutely LOVELY day! I got to sleep in while George took Autumn to school, and then when he got back and I got up we mixed everything together for the stuffed bell peppers that were going to be our dinner.  The ingredients are 2lbs meat--I used 1/2 pork and 1/2 beef; 2 carrots, grated; 1/2 head cauliflower, grated; dried diced onion (probably the equivalent to 3Tbsp; but next time I will use at least half a real onion); minced garlic; garlic powder; salt (would up this a bit); and will probably add pepper next time--just didn't have it this time... I mixed everything together, and then let it sit mixed together while I cut the tops off of the peppers and made sure the extra seeds and bits were out of the main cavity of the peppers before stuffing them.  Then I just took handfuls of meat and stuffed the peppers! There was probably half a cup or so of meat mixture left over in the bowl.  After arranging the peppers and piling the extra meat mixture between then I added the alotted 1/2 cup of water to the slow cooker, put the top on, turned it on to low, and forgot about it for about 9hrs.

After the peppers were set and cooking, and George had washed all the pots and pans and cleaned out the dishwasher, I got the mixing bowl back out and took some eggs out. While I was whisking the eggs together George cut up some black forest ham sandwich meat that we had and some nice slices of cheddar into bite-sized pieces.  When the eggs were just about almost done I added the ham and cheese to them (next time I will whisk the ham and cheese in with the eggs before putting them in the pan to cook).  They turned out so delicious! It was a GREAT breakfast! Scrambled eggs with ham and cheese with a small glass of Trop50 orange juice followed by a cup of coffee.

George and I snuggled on the couch for a while, and then I got the baking bug. So while a movie was on in the background I assembled Trader Joe's Blueberry Muffin Mix, got the mixture into the muffin pan and baked for 22mins. (I set the timer for things from packages like that, and cake mixes and what not, for at least 5mins LESS than what the package says... I like to take things out of the oven when they are JUST done because they keep cooking themselves while they're sitting on the counter.  That is how my cupcakes and cakes and what not are so moist and tasty--I haven't OVER baked them!)

After the muffins were out of the oven it was time to start another movie so George and I found one that we both wouldn't mind having on.  At this point I think we both napped for a little while on the couch.  At about 5:30p George put one of Trader Joe's freezer bags of potatoes with hericot vert (aka green beans) on to cook. They took about 10 or 15mins to cook, and by that time the peppers were perfectly done.  We both got a pepper and some of the potato, mushroom, and green bean mixture.  Then we put on Wild Target with Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt, and Dumbledor (the "new" one, not the original).  It was a delicious dinner and a good movie.

When dinner was done, cleaned up, and left overs put away I mixed together one of the World Market scone mixes (lemon poppyseed), and baked them for about 12minutes.  The scones are absolutely delicious as well!  I was very productive on Thursday in terms of cooking!

This weekend--meaning Friday, Saturday, and Sunday--, George and I have to work, so the muffins and scones have been completely perfectly portable breakfasts for us.  The peppers that were made on Thursday, and the lasagna that George made from scratch on Wednesday have traveled well, and if I do say so myself the stuffed peppers were better yesterday than they were Thursday night for dinner.  The flavors had time, while in the fridge waiting for consumption, to meld together and marry and become an even more satisfying meal! The flavors in the lasagna also had a lovely time playing together and were just as delicious if not better on Friday as they were on Wednesday!  Last night's dinner was a quicky of basmati rice with Trader Joe's Cuban-style Black Beans.  HOLY CROW are those beans good!! The only thing I did was add slightly more than a dash of Mrs Dash's Fiesta Lime seasoning to the beans! SO. TASTY! I was in the mood for something quick and that was the quickest, healthiest thing that I had.

I am working on doing better about cooking, and I am trying to do better about a lot of things in my life.  Baby steps are what I'm taking. Food. Money.  Start small, get used to it, and make it a life style change, and not just a quick-soon-to-be-over thing!

Sorry for the lengthy post, but with B12 and coffee coffee coffee I couldn't help myself!

2012

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope everyone had a safe and happy night last night.  I am hangover free today, and that is fabulous!  I am spending the weekend with my Ring Twin and we had a small thing last night.  Not a lot of drinks, but tons of laughs and good times.

I am trying to decide what I want my resolutions to be this year.  I want them to be reasonable and not something that I will fail at.  I have already decided that one of them will be that there will be at least one vegetarian day a week for me.  To me that means that eggs, cheese and other dairy products are alright, but for one day a week there will be no meat consumption.  I am quite excited about it really.  This will give me more incentive and drive to incorporate more legumes and beans, different grains and such things into my diet.  I am also going to give up smoking.  I would like to also get into a regular routine of exercise.  Nothing outrageous, but I am going to say that a goal for this year will be working out at least 3 days a week.  In those workouts I am going to try to build up my running ability to do at least one, if not two, 5k's this year.

So, as of right now, these are my resolutions:
~ One vegetarian day a week
~ Stop smoking
~ Build up the amount that I work out... Goal is AT LEAST 3 days a week, more than that will be a bonus.
~ At the MOST one day of ordering dinner or a meal from somewhere... Meaning cooking at home and being better prepared with lunches and what not for work

I think that is a good list to start off with.  Healthier living in general is the plan for this year.   George has told me that he is on board with the vegetarian day and I know he will support me with the exercise goal.  This is going to be a great year.

I know that this is going to be a good year over all.  I know that there will be ups and downs.  You can't have a life without ups and downs, and I have good friends, family, and loved ones that will support me in whatever endeavors I choose to do.  I plan on taking a few risks, having adventures, and starting new chapters in my book of life.  I WILL make this a good year and one with many things to remember.

Speaking of things to remember, here is a list of things that will help me do that:
~ Do better at keeping up with this blog
~ Take more pictures
~ Note music that speaks to me, that touches me on a deeper level than just liking the way the beat/music sounds
~ Drink wine

I would like to start on writing a book.  I have a few ideas, and I believe I am a competent enough writer to do something, I just have to follow through and keep working on it.  I have plenty of plans in my head, but I have yet to follow through and bring those plans to fruition.

This is going to be a good year.

The Holidays

This past weekend I went home to visit with my family for our Christmas.  People may have been wondering why I did Christmas 10days early, but when you work emergency management you have to do family time when you can.  My dad worked as a police officer and a firefighter for most of my life and we've always had to manage holidays and big family things around his days off, and now the family is doing it for me.

I had a good time at home.  It was a pleasent trip.  That's saying something because most of the time my sister and I get into it and have a huge fight that gets the parents involved and all around it just makes for a bad trip. However, that was not the case this time around.  It was an enjoyable visit home.  I got some good Christmas presents (maybe not all the ones that I wanted, BUT they were wonderful). 

I am working this coming weekend, which is Christmas if you didn't know.  I will be stuck in a room with 12 people who will be glaring at me because I decided that it's not financially responsible to participate in the pot luck Sunday dinner (read that as cooking for about 20-30 people).  Even doing finger foods of the cheapest kind it is just too much money to spend when things are as tight as they are.  Oh well though.  I am going to do what is right by me and my situation and not be bullied or guilt tripped into participating.  I will have declicious left overs that I will nom on my own while others are eating finger foods that sit out on tables for hours and hours on end.

I do believe that this place is slowly killing my soul, and I am looking for another job. 

On a lighter note I do hope everyone has a happy holiday season and that time with friends and family is good and that all loved ones are doing well.  George and I will be working this weekend, but still able to spend nights together so we shall celebrate a Christmas for us on Christmas and then when Autumn (his 8yo daughter) gets back to town from visiting her grandparents we will celebrate Christmas with her on Monday.

Happy 4 Months

Today, George and I have been together for 4 months.  It feels like we have been together for longer than that. I love him, and hope to have many many years with him. 

I love you, George!!





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In other news... Today is day 10 that my back has been ailing me.  On Thursday last I was making the bed (we all know that sleeping on fresh sheets is WONDERFUL) with George, and instead of moving one foot back and turning my hips and then bending over I just decided to bend over.  Bad idea.  I pulled something, or tweaked something, or slipped something. I did something, and it was BAD!  Immediately, I was bawling.  George got me an ice pack and took care of me that night, and has taken care of me since--picking up clothes from the floor, helping me get dressed because putting pants on with a messed up lower back is very difficult.  He has been so wonderful to me over the past 10 days in helping me do things, taking me places, etc.

I am going to go to the doctor's tomorrow to see if there's something that they can do for me.  I went the day after I pulled or tweaked or slipped whatever it was that I did (conviently enough for me I had a doctor's appointment that Friday).  The doctor last Friday prescribed muscle relaxers and pain relievers.  Well, I taken a few of the muscle relaxers and whenever I have taken them I wake up (because they KNOCK ME OUT) feeling like I've been drugged.  I had a headache, my muscles were stiff--in addition to my messed up back--and it's just not good juju.  The pain relievers have helped SOME to take the edge of the pain off, but they never took the pain away.  So, hopefully, tomorrow the doctor will be able to help me.

Last night when we went to bed George wasn't feeling well, and this morning he woke up and then threw up.  He doesn't feel well at all, and yet he came to work.  I think I will be taking care of him soon, and I will happily cater to his needs.  I love him, and that's what he's done for me and I will do it for him whenever he doesn't feel well.

Sometimes...

Sometimes, I wonder why I dream as big as I do.  I have HUGE ideas of what I would like to do for my life, my friends, my family, and sometimes random strangers in the street. Then I step back and realize that these dreams won't come true, at least not in the way that I want them to. I would have to be a billionaire in order for those dreams and aspirations to come true, and billionaire I am not.

Sometimes, I would just love to have the house of my dreams, and spend the day in the kitchen baking and cooking for the friends and family that will be coming over later for our monthly gathering.

Sometimes, I just want to pack a backpack and take off to some place that I've never been in the world.  Or, to pack up the car and just start driving and figure out where I want to go when I get there.

Sometimes, I want all of my money worries to go away.  The debt to be paid off (I'm not in that deep, but it's deep enough for a 24 year old).

Sometimes, I just want to curl up on the couch and read my book with a hot cup of tea or coffee or cider.

Sometimes, I just don't want to do anything.

All the time, though, I want to be able to provide for my friends and family.  To help them out when they need it and to make them feel loved, because they are.

All the time, I want to feel comfortable with my finances and not have to think about what I'm going to cut out this pay period.

All the time, I have to work overtime to pay bills and make ends meet and to barely have enough for a drink at the bar (not NEEDED in terms of survival, but needed in terms of sanity).



One day, I will have what I want.

Today, I wanted to complain about what I have, eventhough I have no reason to complain.  I have a full time job, insurance, a family that loves me, friends that love me, a boyfriend that loves, plenty of food in the pantry, and a good roof over my head.  I really have no room to complain, but I would like to have all of my bills paid off and have a good savings account balance (I'm working, literally, on both of those).

Ok, that's my bitching for the day.

Sad Day

I have just learned that a very dear friend of mine has been put into hospice care after a long battle with cancer.  It started out as breast cancer and that metastasized into so much more.  She doesn't have a lot of time left.  Today is a very sad day.

Ugh...

So I overslept this morning, and was awakened by the call from one of the assistant supervisors at work asking where I was.  I had turned my 0530 alarm off, and then just disregarded the other two alarms that I had set... and one was set to PM and not AM. Awesome.  It's great to wake up to the phone call asking where you are... Actually, I didn't even let her get that far. I realized what number was calling and answered the phone with, "I'm sorry! I'll be there ASAP!"

Being jarred awake like that SUCKS! Then you're shaky and off for the next few hours, or sometimes, the rest of the day is messed up because you feel like you can never catch up!

Finally, a cup of coffee and a glass of iced tea into the day and I was back to feeling like a relatively normal human being.

Tonight I am going to cook some hamburger rice casserole for my darling boyfriend, and we're going to catch up on some TV shows like Terra Nova.