High Carb Day

I had a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.  The second bowl I prepared.  The first one fell on the counter and broke, covering me with oatmeal.  I was thinking that the breaking and spilling of the first bowl might have been an omen of sorts:  do not eat oatmeal.  It does have so very many carbs.  So Many.

The sun is shining.  The dog is wanting his walk.

Yesterday I washed and ironed.  I fried eggplant.  Ate too many. Or felt like I had eaten too many.  It was probably okay.  I also had a 1/2 cup of sugar free mousse mix made with almond milk.  Not that good.  But it was a dessert.  The sugar free stuff is always too sweet.

The dog wants me to go get dressed for the walk.  I am wearing rubber boots this time.

Halloween Eve

I found some plastic eye balls in my bag of "cool things to sew on quilts" along with my big rubber tarantula.  These pumpkins were in the Martha Stewart October magazine a friend (coworker) put in my locker last week.  She thought I would enjoy the spooky stuff.   When I carve my little pumpkin (which grew in my garden by accident) tonight or tomorrow, I will add the plastic eye balls.  So cute. I wish I had a set of plastic vampire teeth to set into the pumpkin's mouth!

We have snow covering the ground.  It's wet and heavy and our electric power was off from midnight to early this morning.  G has had to go into work on his day off.  (at least he got to sleep later than 4:30) Seems the town where his McD's is located has no power and everyone is coming in to get warm and eat breakfast.  They needed help when the menu shifts to lunch.  We both hope he doesn't have to stay all day.

I had four layers on yesterday at work.  None of the glass doors actually close on the greenhouse (unless locked) so there is always a cold draft.  I spent all day adding and subtracting layers.  My class went very well and lasted forever.  They had so many questions.  I enjoyed my hot shower SO much when I got home.  And my warm jammies.

Today; I have some laundry to do, a few shirts to iron, the bed to make, slipcovers to change.  I also have three beautiful eggplant to peel, slice and salt.  I'll fry them later.  I still need to lug all the outdoor agapanthus and orchids up into the attic bathroom.  Get them settled for the winter. They are safe in the garage right now.  Give them a systemic so they don't get spider mites. And I need to figure out where the citrus trees will be spending the winter.  It would be a good day to return to the practice of Pilates.  And bring the yoga mat and yoga book of exercises down to the bedroom.  Lots of varied projects.  I have a book to read (new Swedish thriller) and I REALLY do want to start working on a 12 inch Beet quilt.  So many things.  Perhaps I should write each on a slip of paper and draw one at a time out of a jar?

I completely forgot: WALK THE DOG!

I purchased something for myself yesterday.  I was ambivalent about it actually being a Buddha.  But, after doing research on the internet this morning, I see the figure is a Buddhist Monk in the veneration pose.  Offering/honoring feelings of good will of one to another.  Two hands pressed together at the heart.  A lovely "welcome" to anyone who comes into my home.  Just what I really wanted.  My Buddhist Monk is about 2 feet tall, seated, chubby, cherubic smile on his face.  Black rusted metal.  Large enough but not too large.  Just right.  I am now happy with my purchase.  I may even purchase Prayer Flags one of these days. I am not a Buddhist but I think some of the teachings are very appropriate for my life.

Yesterday was a difficult day.  Not enough food at lunchtime so I was hungry and open to temptation.  I resisted.  But it was class day and there was CAKE.  I have to bring more or the right food next sunday. And then, here at home, I had nothing to eat.  I ended up having a leftover half of MIM and peanut butter followed by sugar free jello much later (after 10).  Not the best choices.  Stupid choices.  This morning I had sausage, egg and cheese.  A large portion to carry me until supper.  I'll be having fried eggplant for dinner with marinara.  In fact, I will be having fried eggplant all week.  Eggplant Parm, Eggplant lasagna, Eggplant Marinara.  OR I can freeze some for another week.  If I buy some broccoli and cheese tomorrow I can make a cream of broccoli  soup.  That will be nice to have at work.

Hope you are warm and your furnace is working.  It'll be 50 degrees here tomorrow.  Really queer weather.

New Building Project

Here is the Gingerbread House as it exists today.  The new trees are out in front, but haven't replaced the older ones yet.  Hot glue is difficult to remove.  I ripped off the batting "snow" and want to replace it with something smoother.  Those "fake" gumdrops you see along the bottom wall of the house and along the peaks?  That's what grown adults try and pick off.  I was going to go out shopping for additions but now I think I will "shop" in the attic for shiny things.  The house needs "sparkle".  And I intend to close the back up.  I furnished this house with little chairs, tables, dish cupboards etc.  and this means viewers are trying to turn the house to see inside.  And trying to pry the tiny chairs off the floor.  A mistake on my part.  So I will cover the back and they won't be able to see inside.   I intend to add more glitter to the "Necco Wafer" roof tiles.  I cut them by hand.  The body of the house is painted to look like a German Spiced Lebkuchen cookie.  I even "iced" the house with Squiggle PuffyPaint.  I may change that to white rick rack.

So, just a touch up and some additional sparkle and it will be ready for the Holiday season.

I think Hunting Season has begun.  Riley will need to wear his bright orange vest on future walks in the woods.  The first weekend of Hunting is the most dangerous.  Lots of drinking and wild shooting.  I prefer when they shoot themselves or other hunters.  Not homeowners out hanging laundry or walking their dog.
I despise the entire month of November due to hunting (I live close to land covered in deer). If I wanted to "hunt" I could get a deer every season, from my back stoop.

I just lost the whole second half of the post I wrote.  This is the second time this has happened.  Not that anything I had to say was earth shaking--it still makes me mad.  I think it has something to do with the touch pad.

I am going to finish my coffee, walk the dog, go to the grocery to buy sliced baked ham and eggplant, come home and try and get one or even three things off my list of items to do in the garden.  Then I will settle down to work on my notes for tomorrow's class at work.

I found two new soup ideas on the blogs.  A creamy, cheesy Broccoli and Cheese and a Mushroom and Roasted Cauliflower.  I think a creamy, thick soup will be both filling and Atkins friendly for lunches at work.  I am usually cold, so a salad won't cut it.  Something hot will be better.  And I have eaten all the chili I had in the freezer.  I also want to buy some eggplant and make fried eggplant to eat with marinara and melted cheese and also to layer in a lasagna.  I even have an Atkins friendly Moussaka.  So many things to try with eggplant now that I have "allowed" myself to use bread crumbs.  Yes, I am allowing myself to use forbidden ingredients, in small quantities.  My thoughts on this:  If a very small amount of a forbidden food makes my life a happier place to be, then I will make that allowance.

I have still NOT had ANY bread, pasta or ANY sugary baked goods.  No potatoes or starchy vegetables.  No beans. No chips.  No sugary fruit (apples, bananas, pineapple etc).  And it's been SIX MONTHS.  I think I can continue to eat this way; with small allowances for breaded foods, for my lifetime.  I like being in control of my appetite.  I like not being compelled to EAT, EAT, EAT.  I could never eat just one slice of toast.  I had 4 to 6.  And still wanted more.  So, I can never eat those triggers again.  Sad but true.

Now, back to the coffee and my list.

Mysteries

He was invited to run with a younger female.  In her yard.  With her red ball.  He ran, always just  ahead of her.  Until, he stopped.  Stood next to her back door, waiting to go in.  His signal that he is done.  At home.  So, why wouldn't I understand at someone else's home?  I would.  I did.  We extended out regrets to owner and dog.  Resumed our walk.  Understanding each other.

I felt lighter this morning.  Stepped on the scale and was 1.5 pounds lighter than last time.  What is different?  A customer at work said a diet only works if you go to bed just a little hungry.  I am trying that.

Getting my hair cut this morning.  Too early to go into work.  I might visit TJ Maxx for awhile and then go to work.  Big Lots?  See if either has anything for the Gingerbread House.  Or just go into work 2 hours  early.  I am having a big breakfast of eggs and sausage.  Packing a lunch of salad and tuna.  Thermos of coffee. Hoping it all lasts thru the day until 6 when I get done with work.

Need a good bandage for my thumb.  In case I am allowed to help with Christmas Boxes.

Finished the second Tudor Hunchback mystery.  Ordered the third but there will be a wait as only one copy in all of Maine.  Also ordered Sun Storm by Asa Larsson.  Recommended by Diane.  Watched Work of Art with G.  Too funny.  It is so raunchy and the art is so bad.  I need to catch up on earlier episodes on the internet.  Tomorrow.  He got to see several of the female "artists" naked.  Yes, readers, art is all about taking your shirt off in front of a camera.  Art School must be plenty interesting these days with naked female students.  Just saying, is all.

Winterberry Season

This isn't Winterberry but it is one of my favorite photographs.  Well, it could be Winterberry.  Every other day the greenhouse gets a car load of newspaper wrapped bundles of bright red orange winterberry branches.  We buy them from a woman who goes out each morning and cuts and bundles the branches. She goes out by boat and pulls in to the shore line and cuts.  Not easy and on these cold mornings-- shiver!

I have helped unload the wrapped bouquets of Winterberry and they are heavy.  Full of bright berries.  Joyful Noise on overcast cloudy October days.  As are the bright orange pumpkins. Mother Nature has given us such bright, joyful fruits of the season to brighten our days.  The outdoor growing season is coming to an end.  When I lamented the shorter days, a friend reminded me that in a few months, the days will start getting longer.  December 21st.  A nice way to look at it, huh?

Evergreen branches are being delivered at work today so we'll begin making the Holiday Boxes for the cemeteries this week.  Our Florida customers will want to set the boxes out before leaving for warmer weather.  Maine is a 6 month state.  Six months here and six months somewhere warm.  No Maine taxes that way.  Best of both worlds.

My List for today includes: Southern Pulled Pork into the oven at noon (the oven will warm this part of the house).  I already did the bleached, white wash.  The dark wash is drying.  I have only 50 pages left in my book.  Riley gets his walk.  I want to embroider a Magic Feather today.  And make the background for my Beet 12 inch square.  I WANT to start doing some handwork.  A NEED to start doing some handwork.

I just walked down to my nearly empty old studio space.  It's SO nice in there with all the boxes of things gone (upstairs) and room to walk and turn around and sit and even FIND things.  I decided to make my beets out of deep dark red felt.  I wish I had more of the yellow green hand dyed cotton.  No one here in Maine sells hand dyed cotton.  Isn't that odd?  I've visited and called all the quilt shops locally. I will have to order on line and hope I strike it lucky and get the green I want.

Now, I intend to dress warmly, pull on my wool socks, pull the bed sheets off the bed and into the washer. I have a new Cloth Paper magazine to look at while I have a second cup of coffee.  And my book.  And my felt beets.  Have a wonderful day!

The More Things Change

The more they go back to being the "same".  Yesterday, while long and at times extremely tedious, was a good day at work.  I got the greenhouse watered, loaded three carts with water heavy trays of perennials, cut up and replanted an ancient Jade for a customer,  asked a coworker to repair the leaking hose on the right side of the greenhouse.  The "same" was the tedious part when I would rather have been home reading a book or folding laundry.  I am the sort of person who would rather go home than stand around.  I know it's odd, because everyone else enjoys standing around.

My work schedule has gone back to two week days and one weekend day (just when I had gotten used to three days a week).  I teach my final class of the Fall Season this coming Saturday.  Putting the Garden To Bed.  I teach segments of this class each day on the phone with customers.  Yesterday, twice.  I also described a new Invasive Plant  Removal technique.

Still need to take an allergy tab each morning to get my nose to stop running.  I read, in a blog, that a running nose can be a symptom of a gluten allergy.  I had no gluten yesterday or today.  So, that is not the trigger. It is getting colder in the evenings here in Maine, and that means wood smoke.  Doesn't make my nose run but does make my chest tighten and I start coughing.  I KNOW I am very stressed by wood smoke.

I tried a new pasta substitute.  As a vehicle for pasta sauces.  Julienne zucchini strips, heavily salted and allowed to drain (and get crisp), then rinsed before being briefly heated (I poured boiling water over) and served with pasta sauce.  In this case the delicious (but final) serving of meatballs in homemade marinara.  We didn't eat this meal the day I julienned the zucchini (and my thumb) so I know it keeps well, rinsed, layered with paper towels, in a plastic container in the fridge.  If your zucchini is longer than the ones my supermarket had (6 inches) then you will have strands you can twirl onto your fork.  I like the zucchini strips better than the spaghetti squash (SS) but the SS was more filling.  I think SS would be a good choice if I were making a pasta free mac and cheese.  I can imagine the warmed zucchini strips being very nice in a Chinese stir fry as a sub for lo main noodles.

I have been thinking about doing another two weeks of pure induction to sort out my diet.  That means no fudging on the carb count.  Less Splenda each day.  Only 4 ounces of cheese.  Absolutely no breading on chicken (the only way I can eat it) or Meatballs. No cereal or yogurt (even though I watched an Induction Prep video and the woman (quite heavy) had yogurt on the counter with everything else.  Lots of stuff in fact.  When I did Induction I had much less in my "pantry" of allowed items.  Perhaps, I was being to rigorous?  I do know I fudge a bit with Ranch Dressing when I have it on my salad.  And mayo.

This morning I started the day with a ham and cheese MIM with one scrambled egg.  Two ounces of cheese and 3 of ham.  I've already used up all the Splenda I can have today but I don't see myself drinking any more coffee.  G wants chicken soup for dinner tonight.  So I must venture out of the house for chicken thighs and carrots.  Riley wants a walk and the library wants the book I am reading back.  That about fills the day, because I need to finish reading the book.

I weighed one pound less this morning.  Which makes me feel happy (happier) than I did in the days before.  My rings are loose but not sliding free (a better indication) so I am hydrated more than usual.  Enough Navel Gazing for one day.  Sorry to bore you, but, at times, I need to use this blog as a journal of sorts.  And perhaps, lurking out there, is a reader who needs to read these things, being on the same journey of diet and wellness.  I never know.   A diet buddy is always a lovely thing to have.

Discharging

Today the camera is discharging it's battery, completely.  It's a rechargeable battery.  And I keep the camera, always, on the recharger.  I rarely carry the camera anywhere.  Sometimes it goes for a walk with Riley and I.  Sometimes I take it to work.  Mostly, I take pictures of the minutia of my life.  All that recharging seems to clog up the battery and make it weaker and more likely to screw up the camera functions---eventually.  Once it completely discharges (takes two days sometimes) the camera will be good as new again.  I love when it's working perfectly again.

Today, up later than usual.  I made coffee.  Had a bowl of "farty" cereal just to use up the last of the soy milk.  Then I got a dark and a white load of laundry going so one would dry and the other wash while I joined G & Riley on the walk in the woods.  G has the weekend off.  A very special event.

I am considering taking Riley into the woods on our next walk.  I'm not sure Riley would behave (not run away), with me alone, as well as he does for G, so G did a little demo.  When Riley had gone ahead (quite a way) we stayed behind, around a curve and quietly waited.  This was very difficult for me to do.  Wait.  It seemed like a very long time.  But, eventually, Riley came running back to see where we were (thank goodness).  And got a treat.  I also threw a few sticks into a pool of water, and Riley kept diving in to get washed off and find the sticks. He had a lot more fun in the woods than he does on the paved streets.  We'll see.  We would follow our usual street walk and then go into the Commons on the return loop and follow a short path and then come out back where we went in.  It's a bit tricky to get back to our house from there.  I really don't want to get lost.  And hunting season begins on Halloween.  If there are suddenly no blog posts--you 'll know I'm lost in the woods.

We visited Reny's (a store and not my former dog), and I spent $30 and got a red pair of Crocs for the holidays at work (red Crocs and green clothing).  I also got a double fleece hat for snowy walks ( I like the shape and intend to use it to make a pattern for a felted wool sweater hat).  I got more salted almonds ( a good snack to take to work) and a one dollar microwave lid for work so the co workers don't get food all over the inside of the microwave while reheating their lunches.

G and I had chicken wings with hot wing sauce for a very late lunch.  We'll be having spaghetti and meatballs later?  I am going to be having zucchini spaghetti and not spaghetti squash.  The zucchini cost me $5.

I worked a bit in the vegetable garden today, after the walk with the dog.  I dug up my tomato plants, G picked up all the squishy tomatoes.  I turned the soil over and added compost before planting my garlic.  I still need to add some fertilizer.  I pulled up the last of the carrots and beets.  I also picked some kale and the last of the raspberries (which I am going to eat with heavy whipped cream).  I had anticipated harvesting the dry fennel seeds, but they were all gone today. G said the birds ate them.  I think they will be sprouting in the garden paths in the spring.  I had wanted my "own" fennel seeds to make sausage with.  Oh, well.

I am going to make a 9 by 13 pan of breakfast casserole this week.  Pork sausage, eggs, cheese, onion and sautéed kale.  The recipe calls for a pint of heavy cream but I may not add that much.  I can then have some of this for breakfast (or lunch or dinner) without cooking.  I purchased some sliced ham to eat with cheddar cheese melted inside.  A breadless Yumbo.  I think I may like that as a change.

Speaking of change, I checked on the internet and found Yet Another Low Carb Diet to end all Diet Plateaus.  The HCG 500 calorie a day diet.  Two 210 calorie "meals" and two pieces of fruit.  Period.  For 46 days.  I was so "impressed" with the lack of weight loss even on THIS amount of food.  Don't fret--I would NEVER do this.

Now, I am going to julienne my zucchini, salt it heavily and let it drain while I iron shirts.  I am also going to iron the fall leaves I picked up on the walk, between sheets of wax paper.  And then read until supper time.  I have to work tomorrow and gave some serious thought, while trimming the raspberry canes, to calling out sick tomorrow.  I have quite a bit of sick time accumulated.  I won't get new sick days until June of 2012.  Always a dilemma.

The Difference Between Husband And Wife

 G leaves a very "light" footprint in the kitchen.  His juice glass, his cereal bowl and the yogurt cup in the recycle bucket.  All rinsed and tidy.

I create a pile of mess.  Carrot peels from the prep of my salad for lunch at work.  My unrinsed coffee cup, my bowl and the pan in which I fried my sausage, egg, onion, mushroom and cheese omelet.  The pile in the sink was mentioned in the pre dinner conversation, but not the clean surface of the stove or the fact that ALL the huge heap of plastic storage containers had been put away.

G prides himself on using one bowl or pan and one mixing spoon when cooking.  Let me say here, he rarely, if ever, cooks anymore.  He calls and then picks up take out.  I taught him how to make two complete, simple, dinners.  And it was always a treat to come home and find he had made one or the other. But that was long ago, in another lifetime.  Even if he could remember either menu, I can't eat either of them now, so why even consider him making anything?

I won't even get into the teeth clenching resentment I feel when he hands me the rice container when we have Chinese.  How long have I shunned sugar, wheat and rice?  SIX MONTHS.

Ah, well.  We don't have one of those "soul mate" marriages.

I am going out for lunch today.  Pretty happy about it.  A friend from my library days.  She retired last spring and moved back to Canada (she was born there) to 'house sit" a very rural homestead.  While she deeply enjoyed having a big garden and a lovely home for the spring and summer, the thought of a long dark winter, alone up there was too much.  So, she is back.  Re-patriated.  In fact, she moved into her rented apartment on Wednesday (in the rain).  We are both eager to reconnect.  Discuss books and life in general.  I had missed having someone to "lunch" with.

Before my lunch date, I need to walk the dog.  Riley is concerned I will disregard his needs and desires. I feel burdened by the "needs and desires" of others right now.  I feel burdened by the "needs and desires" of myself.  Wouldn't it be nice to just walk away?  But, as my returning friend has shown me, sometimes we have to come back because "away" wasn't what we wanted, either.

Write/Pause/Delete/Publish

Another art quilt blogger has self ignited.  She wrote an emotional, intense post and created a firestorm of indignant and angry protest.  I expected the protest.  I was surprised by the 87 comments (and counting) that she got.  People were defensive, felt diminished and responded in anger.  They even resorted to name calling.  Gosh, it sounds like the GOP debates.

Who would think that the simple (ha) joy of stitching small bits of cloth together would (could) arouse such vigorous Modern protest?

I, myself, have written things better left unsaid.  Recently.  It usually happens when I am overtired and bored.  I have saved myself from too much apology and embarrassment (but still enough to be uncomfortable) by rushing back to the computer and hitting the delete button. There is nothing wrong with writing a rip roaring attack post.  Just don't publish it.

I have a few rules that I try to follow.  The first one: don't make comments.  This is hardest of all since I want to communicate.  But the problem of commenting is "interpretation".  I am saying "this" but you are reading "that".  I have hurt a great many bloggers by making a comment they didn't appreciate.

 Second: stop reading the blogs that incite me to make comments.  Incite.  There are blogs out there that cause me to think of other ways of doing things.  Blogs that make me smile.  Sweet posts. Etc.  But, then, there are idiots and jackasses out there writing things that make me want to pick up the computer and throw it against the wall.  I need to stop reading those. Forever.

Third:  Mommy Blogs.  Those 30 something, Moms, out there with their 40K kitchens, fabric lines, product lines,very young children, always selling something.  I can look.  It's like a traffic accident.  We know it's a bad thing to do, but we look anyway.  Just don't stay around.  Walk by, really fast.  I think I was JUST as annoying in my 30's and 40's (but my children were in high school not diapers).  But I'm 65 and just think it's such ..... crap, now.  I made formula, boiled bottles, soaked and washed cloth diapers.  I get it. You think you invented this.  You didn't.

Fourth:  The really good blogs that make me think, show me new ways of doing things, make me consider alternatives to the way I am living my life.  Read more of these.  Read.  Learn.  Process.

Fifth: Enjoy the readers I do have and enjoy the comments they leave which are always pleasant to find in my email box.  You, readers, know how to do "comments".  Thank you.

The Yin & Yang Of October

It isn't Halloween yet or Thanksgiving, and already it's Christmas at work. And, I am sad to say, not the best Christmas at work.  We don't have the gorgeous stuff of years past.  When I was a customer and not an employee.  Though, the tree decorating that is happening, is really very, very good.  Creative.

I need to set the Gingerbread House on the dining room table and start thinking about it's remodel.  These new cone trees will replace the ones I made from plastic ice cream dishes and styrofoam covered in fake gumdrops.  My Christmas House needs more "flash & sparkle".  And it needs lights. It also needs more contrast between light and dark.  More "chocolate".

I weighted myself this morning.  All I can say, in a positive light, is that I didn't gain any weight since the last time I weighed myself--like a full month ago or perhaps even longer.  I record my daily food intake every evening when I settle on the couch to watch television or read.  Until my eyes get tired. And close. I don't see any serious lapses. And I am walking the dog 5 days out of 7.  Three miles.  Which I didn't do at the beginning.  I just was hoping to be 10 pounds lighter before getting to maintenance.

And the picture above is one that I am happy I even got, as my camera, as old as this blog, if not older, is showing signs of distress.  The zoom is getting stuck.  I will ask G to do that thing he does to the battery. See if that helps.  I so DO NOT want to HAVE to buy and learn how to use a new camera.  Stressful.

Taking the picture for this blog each day is one of the pleasures of my day.  Having my camera not work properly is like seeing your good old faithful dog stumble or have difficulty standing up.  A reason to dissolve into tears.  Riley is fine.  Rusty was our adopted senior dog.  Long ago.  Before the blog. Before the camera.  I didn't want to lose him, either.

It's dark and drizzly today.  I never know if it's better to be at work on rainy days and home on sunny ones or vis versa.  I tend to spend a rainy day at home reading or putting something into the oven to cook.  Or, more realistically, wasting the day roaming the internet.  I do have the second episode of House to watch on the internet as it didn't record on my TiVo.  And my book is interesting.  Filthy, stinky Tudor England. I had a friend (in her 80's) who refused to read anything about the Tudors (scum) but everything else about English history.  Henry VIII is rather a mess.   And who is Nan Bollun?  Or do they mean Anne Boleyn?

I am presently doing this and doing laundry.  I have shirts to iron.  I do have to step out to buy some food. I think we will have Thanksgiving Dinner tonight.  Last night we dined out at the local Italian place.  I had a glass of red wine.  Volcanic.  Nero.  And I do have to walk the dog.  Today until Saturday when G will walk him.  Unless I go with them.  G has the weekend off.  I am working Sunday.

I am rambling.  I find the "dark times" to be difficult in the beginning.  Waking up in the dark, coming home from work in the dark.  Depressing.  The holidays cheer me up a bit (not much) and once my Christmas tree is up--then I have a reason to be happy.  Then it's January.  In Maine.

Work In Progress

I am adding a broken bit to Donald (from China) every day or so.  The head is heavy and keeps tipping off the glued edge.  But I finally managed to get both feet back on.  The rubber band is holding the arms on. Somehow, this little figure was dropped and broken up in the attic.  Probably as I carried items downstairs for the garage sale.

I discovered a whole cache of empty suitcases in the attic.  Some from the 60's.  I should have had them for that garage sale.  People love vintage (?) suitcases.  I was hoping the large one I got from my mother's sister long ago (it was intended for Foreign Travel) was full of exciting, forgotten treasures.  Instead it was full of another suitcase.  Empty. Isn't it amazing what you "don't see" in the attic?

G has gone to get Chinese take out and I am in my jammies.  Masterpiece Theater tonight.  Life here at home is good.  Work tomorrow and Tuesday.  I'm tired.

Saturday Carrots & Sunshine

That strange glow over on the right side of the sink--is the SUN.  Yes, dear Readers, it has finally stopped being overcast and wet.  The sun is shining.  I have grated the very last zucchini from the 2011 garden and will be making zucchini crust for a pizza.  G's pizza dough was made very late last night, before I went to bed.  It is doing whatever dough does overnight in the fridge.  Developing.

I spent a very enjoyable evening reading.  Sansom's Dissolution.  I finally got into it.  It took awhile, but now that I have "met" the characters and become accustomed to the author's writing style, I am well on my way to enjoying the reading.  There are only four books (and none at my local library) so the ordering and waiting will take up some of the time, but I see this as a lovely way to end the year.  These four books will last the holiday season.  Once we pass Halloween, it's like a downhill rush to New Year's.  Whoosh!

I have had to Google some of the history of this period of Reformation, Cromwell and Anne Boleyn just as I had to do while reading Cadfael (King Stephen, Empress Maud, the 10 year Civil War).  I declared myself a History major when I entered college in 1964 but was never much of a scholar in that subject.  I did better in English and Art.  Now, I find myself being quite diligent in studying history.  It just took awhile to catch up with me.  Like 47 years.

I have piles of clothing on the floor of my bedroom.  Too big.  Too small.  Just right.  Warm weather. Cold weather.  I am also trying to settle on a "color story" for my closet.  A way to "mix and match" the clothing I have.  I need "bridge" elements to pull together a few outfits.  I also need a few "new" fashion forward items to bring the old stuff up to speed in 2012.  Ruffled sweaters and filmy tank/tunics seem to be in all the catalogs and magazines.  Perhaps one of each to layer with what I have.  ONE.  Not an armful.

My closet Fall/Winter wardrobe seems to be brown, navy, mossy green.  With a few sweaters in light and dark grey and red. Nothing fashionable. Throw in the French blue fleece and you have quite a dysfunctional grouping.  I had hoped to own a knee length skirt by now to wear with tights.  And those circle skirts could fit by Christmas Party time.  I still haven't found an above the knee tunic dress to wear with my capri tights and flats.  The weather may get too cold and my window of opportunity disappear on that bit of fashion.  I also want a wrap belt so I can wear (oh, darn, I have to admit this) my size 20 navy wool blazer, wrapped like a kimono and held closed with the belt.  That blazer is made of the nicest wool and is so warm and cozy.  Another item I have kept because it is so very nice.  And it does look great wrapped (over the knee length skirt?).  I just need a smart belt, either big or very thin.  I would wear the blazer as Fall outerwear right now.

 I saw a lovely acid green tank with ruffles down the front in a catalog.  Great peeking out from under the blazer or a long sweater with a thin belt at the waist.  I also saw a ruffle edge sweater in a bronze gold which would be nice with navy, mossy green or  brown and look nice with grey.  I would need a ruched blouse to wear under everything.  One that fits.  But what size am I?  I'm thinking a 14-16.  Like one of the Readers, I dream of being a size 12 and even have a pair of 12 jeans that I wore in 2007.  It could happen.

My To Do List is getting pretty long.  Mostly outdoor, heavy lifting stuff which I prefer to do WITH G and not all by myself.  And the DOG has figured out how to PESTER me into taking him for a walk everyday, no matter what time of day.  Yesterday we walked at 4:30 because it had finally stopped raining.  You do ANYTHING TWICE with that dog, and suddenly it's something you HAVE to do ALL THE TIME. I don't mind the walk, once we are out walking, but getting me into my walking shoes and jacket isn't something I do willingly (as I did when Riley was a puppy or in the winter).  Cooler weather is better for long walks.  And, at least it's not freezing cold and icy, yet.  I just can never get the right amount or level of clothing on for the walk.  I am either too warm or too cold.  Miserable. Never just right.  Yesterday I was cold at the start and too warm and very damp by the end.

This morning was a cereal day.  I have to be careful the rest of the day and just eat fat and protein to balance the extra load of carbs from the cereal and soy milk. I am already feeling the "head rush" as the sugars reach my brain. My second bowl of chili (it has a great deal of ground beef in it) wasn't as good as the "mouth feel" of the little granules of beef isn't very pleasant. Chili made with cubed chuck roast is much better.  I mixed the last portion of my chicken/mayo salad with Alfredo sauce (TJ) and leftover pasta for G's supper last night.  I just could NOT eat another bite of chicken.  G loves chicken.  Pizza tonight. Work tomorrow.  I feel the need to read my book and avoid everything else.

Second Post Friday

I have a question.  How many sizes of clothing do you have in your closet right now?  Or stored in the guest bedroom closet?

I am SERIOUSLY considering packing up everything that is TOO BIG right now and taking the bags to Goodwill.  Or cutting the linen stuff into "yardage"  i.e. cutting the sleeves and neck parts off the shirts, cutting the skirts off the dresses, and opening the side seams of the pants and removing the elastic waistbands.  Then I would have cloth but not clothing.  Because I love good quality linen and am sad to send it off to Goodwill.

If I had absolutely NOTHING to wear if I started gaining weight--would that ACTUALLY be an incentive to stop eating so much???????

Let me know what you think.

The 1984 pure wool, custom made tea length wool circle skirts are still very snug at the waist (size 31 1/2 inches in 1984 which was considered to be a LARGE waist measurement at the time) but the grey one swirled nicely when I tried it on this morning with ballet flats.  I want to wear these two skirts this winter.  I may even buy fashion forward leather boots.  And a few cardigans.  Going back 27 years.  Magical.  Mysterious.  I had planned to wear the skirts to work in the winter of 2007 but lost my job before wool weather arrived.  I now have a second chance.  Incentive.

Thoughts On Another Rainy Day

You all know I don't do my best thinking on rainy days.  It isn't the "color" of grey that depresses me; after all it is a favorite color for me to wear, but rather the "heaviness" of a day like today.  The barometric pressure.  I feel weighed down, pressed to the surface of the Earth.  But I decided to find something cheerful for today's picture.  And I saturated the color in the little iPhoto effects thing.  There's something so uplifting about over saturated colors.

I worked yesterday.  I wore pants I haven't had on my backside in nearly four years.  I was told I looked "very skinny" yesterday.  Perhaps the baggy loose jeans (which signify lost weight to me) doesn't register as lost weight to those who see me?  This morning I tried on my new Target brand Spanx.  I bought a level three pair of mid thigh shapers.  They certainly do smooth things out.  I would have been more comfy in the (larger) level 4 but they didn't have what I wanted in 4.  And, eventually, I will be comfy in the level 3. I re-sorted all my pants.  For cold weather wear.  No more capri length.

I don't have laundry or vacuuming to do today.  No ironing, either.  I do have to go out to get a few grocery items.  The "very" meaty chili I made, some time in the past week, is very good.  I had a serving yesterday for supper.

 I got home from work in the dark (oh, how I dislike that), found G and the dog sound asleep (6:30), took a shower, read the paper, heated up the chili, ate the chili and then moved into the living room to read.  At 8:20 the dog woke G up by pushing his nose into G's face.  Then we watched some TV.  Person of Interest.  Do you think he killed the guy or forced him to kill himself?

I made my way, 20 pages, further into the Tudor mystery.  I am saddened by the ugliness of the Benedictine monastery depicted in this book.  1500's.  Did things go so badly in 400 years from the time Cadfael was a monk?

This morning I found a quote in my letter from Robert Genn.  It resonated with me as I am missing my friend K quite a bit these days.  We would chat on the phone while watching Survivor. Habit.  The quote was "If your friends aren't making you stronger, then they are making you weaker."

My friend was completely focused on her family.  Her grandchildren.  I was the only unrelated person she had anything to do with.  And her family was always questioning "why" she needed me in her life.  She had all of them.  Wasn't that enough.  Now, it is.  My downfall was in trying to fight my way into position as her friend.  The more I pushed... well, it didn't work out for me.

I believe that friendships can be as cyclical as seasons, color choices and fashion.  Somedays you're in and then you're out.  I was disgruntled when I needed to find new sources for undies, white tee shirts and now jeans.  I still haven't found the slippers I liked best of all.  I need to be open to the people I see every day and I may just find a new friend.

Wednesday Morning @ Bleak House

The view into the sink. (I am loving the scratches in the stainless sink, the coffee grounds and the sky reflecting in the water in my cereal bowl) So far, I have slept later than ever.  10am.  I made coffee and just noticed that the coffee maker "warmer" has stopped functioning.  The light over the computer no longer works.  The dog already expects to be going for a walk.  Today was "cereal" day and I ate my bowl of cereal without any enjoyment.  My house is cold.  It is warmer outside.  A day of lower than usual expectation of happiness.  A day to consider buying replacements.

Dinner last night materialized out of nothing.  Some rice in the rice cooker.  Some frozen chicken tenders in the toaster oven.  Some frozen peas in the microwave.  I had reheated beets instead of rice.  A central part of the meal had to be run into the disposal as it had grown furry mold while waiting to be consumed.  I should just freeze leftovers.

House didn't record.  I got Terra Nova instead.  I also lost the last 5 minutes of the Good Wife.  Mercury must be in retrograde or something.  I did watch Project Runway from last week.  The black dress was nicely made but with no way in or out of it was it good design?  I know there are designer dresses that have to be sewn closed with the person inside.  So this isn't new territory. It did suit the raven.

I had plenty to do at work yesterday.  A load of projects and expectations.  Better than having none. I have things to do here at home as well.  Things I have let slip and slide.  I need to make a list and check things off.  I also need to go into town and pay our property tax bill.  Return library books.  Buy more salad ingredients and another quart of Egg Beaters for breakfast.  I have kale out in the garden and can start making the egg thing I was eating at the beginning of the new diet.  Sort of a frittata.

I feel oppressed. Not depressed.  Weighed down in body and mind.  Pressed by obligations.  Heaviness. It could just be fatigue.  It could be the change of seasons.  It could, finally, be the reality of being SIXTY FIVE.  I noticed the folding crepe of my upper arms this morning as I pulled on my socks.  That, in itself, was enough to dampen my spirits.  But the difficulty putting on my right sock?  Sad.

Anyway, I won't burden you with all of my navel gazing today.  I'll just move right along with my housekeeping projects (laundry, shirt ironing, bed sheets, floor cleaning), walk the dog, drive into town and be done with the day.  Work tomorrow.  I will try and find something to do that will bring joy and sun into my life.  After all, the rest of the week it will be raining.

4 pm Update:   I purchased a new coffee machine, just in case, the old one is actually, truly, deeply, dead. I also purchased toilet paper and some off brand Spanx.  Renewed my library card and got a new Swedish mystery.  The Tudor book is hard to get into.  I try but it seems more literate than I am.  Now I plan to walk the dog--hoping it won't rain until we get home.  The sky and clouds are dark grey and stormy looking.  Can't watch the missed episode of House for 8 days.  Fox Rules.  Watched the last 5 minutes of Good Wife that I missed.  Good thing I did.  The last 5 minutes changed everything.

The Last Hurrah

We have been enjoying temps in the very high seventies and low eighties for four days now.  What a glorious weekend to have a school holiday.  I worked three of these four "summer" days, as did G. I can still enjoy seeing the maples changing color (now that all those crappy pine trees are gone).  We have yellow, gold and orange.  No red.  G planted three winterberry shrubs in the area just left of the shed.  They will eventually be 8 feet high and covered in red berries at this time of year and into the winter.  If the birds don't eat them.

Riley has just finished eating his dinner and "treated " me to a large dog burp.  At work, after lunch, two of my co-workers treated me to their burps.  One male and one female.  Can't wait to see if G burps after he eats his dinner.  LOL.

I did not sleep well last night.  I would sleep and then wake up, thinking it was morning.  Still black.  Go back to sleep and wake up thinking it was morning.  Nope.  It was NOT restful.

I stopped at the dreadful Walmart on the way home to see if they had tension curtain rods for less than JoAnn's.  They did.  $2.97 instead of $5.99.  I bought three.  Which means I now have 4.  And I have 5 windows.  G is going to mention that.  But I don't think all the windows need a curtain.  And I'm not actually using a curtain.  Long ago I bought these lime green and gold table runners in rayon, with fringe.  I thought they could be scarves or even pants.  On sale, of course.  Folded in half, over the rod, it is just the right length, slides smoothly to open and close, and you can't see thru it, and it covers only 2/3rds of the window so I can open the double hung window from the top to get air.  Eventually, I will buy wooden blinds.  But not right now.

G is on his way home.  I think I will try and read a few pages in my new book.  The Tudor mystery.  DWTS tonight.  Which is so terrible this season that G & I may just stop watching.  I had low fat Greek style yogurt for lunch today with sliced peaches and raspberries.  11 net carbs for 8 ounces of yogurt.  I added a scoop of vanilla whey protein powder.  I didn't care how many carbs were in the peaches.  They were fresh, juicy and sweet.  Grocery peaches are never that good.  G is bringing me Angus burgers from McD's for dinner.  I've never tasted them.  Hope they are delicious.  The Chef's burger at Burger King was disgusting.  And expensive.  And, trust me, it didn't resemble the one in the tv advertisement at all.

Letting Go

Of the old Spooky House.  I stripped it of everything I could re-use, but it is still a formidable object.  And I have difficultly "letting go" of anything which has meant anything to me.  Jobs that have meant the world to me.  Friends I loved.  Little plants that just need someone to take care of them.   Things that have no relationship to me--well, that's easy.  I can throw that away, give that away, walk away from those things, those people, those jobs.

Can you tell that yesterday, at work, wasn't my best day?  I stayed busy, had a good lunch and got my "targeted project" done but I wasn't pleased to be there.  I have to go back tomorrow (sunday).  And it's supposed to heat up to 80 degrees.  Where did I put my shorts????  I may spend my lunch break up in the parking lot sitting in the sun.  A nice brown tan looks very nice with silver hair.  And I noticed my favorite clothes, for winter, are also silvery.

I was out in the vegetable garden after work.  The frost had killed the tomatoes, squashes, beans so I had to pull those things up and add them to the compost pile.  I did find one last zucchini.  A few tomatoes that weren't rotten.  Some carrots.  And a luxuriant patch of parsley.  I picked almost all of it and once I had it in the house, picked all the leaves off the stems, washed and  dried them and then packed the leaves tightly into freezer bags.  Pressed down into a very tight roll at the bottom of the bag.  Rolled the bag, sealed it and secured the bag with rubber bands.  When I need parsley, this winter, I will remove the rubber bands, unroll the bag, slice off a section of the frozen rolled parsley and chop and use it.  I have a massive amount of chives also and could do the same with them--but they are smelly.  And would smell up the freezer.  I do have a dehydrator.  Anyone know how to dry chives???   I have NO basil to process in the blender to make frozen basil cubes.  I like to add a cube to any tomato sauce or soup I make during the winter. Perhaps they will have a large bunch at the grocery?

My nose is running, as usual, and the dog is waiting for his walk.  I had my Sunday bowl of cereal, today, as it is not wise to work away from home (tomorrow) after eating farty cereal. I  do have to go out into public today, to go to the grocery.  I need a few items.  I intend to change the couch slipcovers today, which means that next week I should take them to the Suds & Fluff to wash them in the big washer.  That would be a change from letting them sit in a pile, in the office, for months and months, before taking them to be washed. Which is my usual method.  I have washed them at home, in my small stacked washer, but I don't think they get "clean" if they can't swish around in the water.

I haven't been able to read my book.  Which is bothering me.  It's a good book and if I can finish it, I can start reading the Tudor mysteries with the hunchback.  I have them here, in the house, waiting.

Television has been good.  House was different.  He's in prison.  Mentalist was good.  He admits to being a con man.  Prime Suspect was excellent.  Especially the part where all three detectives took turns seeing if they could run to the crime scene and back in 25 minutes.  And then going to a bar to drink but pretending to be at the coroner's office.  Their boss calls and tells them to ask the coroner to not shake drinks while they are on the phone next time.  Tomorrow is the Good Wife.  I still have Project Runway to watch.

So, things are going along well.  Christmas is coming into the store, trees are being decorated.  Halloween and Thanksgiving merchandise is being shoved out of the way.  Sock Monkeys are very big again this year.  80 days or so and I will be unemployed for the winter.  Once we get past Labor Day, things roll pretty quickly, downhill.  Letting go.

Catching Up

This cute little Hello Kitty lunchbox was a surprise package in my mail last week.  From a sweet Reader. I promptly filled it with my stash of Happy Meal Toys.  All Kitty.  All Day Long!

Readers have alerted me to a redux of Hello Kitty at TJ Maxx and Old Navy.  I even saw some at Target. None of it was "cute" or in my size.  I do want some HK pajama pants in pink flannel, but haven't seen any yet.   I did see HK tees but I didn't think I wanted a big kitty head across my chest @ 65.  Across my butt, in the privacy of my home?  Yes. Please.

My friend Patty called last night to tell me she had a bowl of peaches for me, from her backyard peach tree, and I better come over right away to get them.  She also wants the fire wood we have left. G is very interested in a Peach Cobbler.

G and Riley are back from their walk in woods.  The sun is shining.  Time for Riley's lunch. G is mowing the grass.

I've been in the attic, watering plants, carrying stuff up for storage, carrying stuff down for recycling. I have all the dog towels washed and dried, the bed sheets need changing and we tried the "sample" tension rod in the new windows and it fits, so I can go get 4 more and make privacy curtains so I can undress with the lights on, instead of in the pitch dark.  We were going to get wooden blinds but they would be over $100 each, so not that motivated right now.  $5.99 each sounds better.  I still need to caulk the nail holes, sand, wipe with a tack cloth, prime and then paint the new window trim.  I have all the supplies and even the color card for the new paint.  Just need to get started.  An hour or two a day.  Easy.  (eye rolling)

I didn't eat enough yesterday.  I don't have food supplies ready or available which sucks.  I need to make a big pot of chili.  And more chicken salad.  I did make rhubarb sauce and a bowl of chocolate mousse.  Sugar free.  For treats.  My treat last night was an ounce of salted almonds.  I decided to have cereal on Wednesday and Sunday.  The other days I make a Bacon, Egg & Cheese sandwich with a flax pita pocket (45 calories and 4 net carbs).   I've gotten into a morning routine and can make it pretty fast.  Cooking first thing in the morning isn't a happy thing for me.

Yesterday I shredded and drained almost all the zucchini we had from the garden the past 2 weeks.  And packed it up in freezer bags and found a spot for it in the freezer.  I also baked a big heavy spaghetti squash and have the majority in a container in the fridge.  I mixed the mushy parts with TJ's Alfredo sauce and two diced fresh tomatoes.  Good but not near enough food since I had no lunch.  I needed protein.

We had a very cold night last night (27) so we had to haul everything off the back porch and into the house.  The rest of the stuff (Agapanthus and orchids) were dragged into the garage for the night and are now back out on the driveway in the sunshine.  The orchids need to be divided.  Not an easy chore.  When the weather gets permanently cold at night I will have to move all the citrus, agapanthus and orchids back up into the attic bathroom with a baby humidifier.  It's sunny enough (skylight) and easy to water (bathtub) but the air gets dry in January so I think the humidifier will do the trick.  I will have to remember to fill it with water every day (when I do my Pilates).  And give everyone a systemic insecticide.

My Clivia and Christmas Cactus are doing okay.  I had forgotten to go up and water them for a few weeks.  But they like that sort of thing.  I have to reorganize that space as it is now filling up with house plants, storage boxes of fabric and exercise equipment.  Hard to find a clear space to walk anymore.  I have considered putting some of the larger stuff up on the top off the kitchen divider.  I already have a huge green foliage plant up there and it seems to enjoy being there.  Perhaps the citrus would like it up there as well.  And if more things were up there, I might water more often.  Stranger things happen.

Time to get busy with housekeeping.

Ten Good Things

One:  I realized, at dinner last night, that I see my days at work as "days off" from the struggles to get everything done here at home.  Work is a place for me to rest and relax.  Wow.

Two:  Re-united with my flannel pajamas last evening.  So comfortable for television watching and reading, and falling asleep while doing both.

Three:  Making the bed in the morning.  Pulling the sheets tight.  Fluffing the pillows.

Four:  Grinding fresh beans for the morning coffee.

Five: A glass of red wine with my restaurant dinner last night.

Six:  A very good book.  Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason

Seven:  A long sleeved (white) tee and a beautiful grey cashmere sweater as my Fall warm up outfit. Pants are either pajama bottoms, black knit pants, blue jeans or green corduroy slacks.  Warmer than the flannel shirt.  So soft.

Eight:  Slippers

Nine:  Plenty of really hot water when I take my shower.  Fantastic.

Ten:  It's not raining (right now)

At The Midnight Hour

 The lighted Spooky House.  G drilled holes in the floor and wall and arranged the lights so they can't be seen.  It really GLOWS! in the dark but will usually be seen in bright McD's store lights.  You and I will know how it looks in the dark!

 At midnight, on my way to bed, I paused to turn off the hall light and finally SAW what my sub conscious had been trying so hard to tell me; the container of candy corn garland that I had purchased and set on the hall table for the Spooky House.  And forgot.  Of course, it was just what the house needed so I got the glue gun out and started unstringing the little candy corn.

 The little rubber rat watched my every move, with those glowing red eyes  of his.

I added lines of candy corn to the top, over and under the windows and then in rows on both the top and middle of both sides of the house.  Because the sides had looked "left out" of the decorating.  Finally, the house was DONE.  G carried it out to the car at 6:15 this morning and I hope it was warmly welcomed by the Morning Coffee Club.  I took these few pictures at 1or 2 in the morning.  I was sure the house would be gone (with G) by the time I got up to go to work.  But he was still attaching a protective, clear plastic guard to the house.  Would you believe that adults are the worst offenders when it comes to trying to pick the "candy" off the houses?

It was raining this morning.  It was raining at lunch.  It is raining now.  Riley actually thought I would be walking him after doggie day care.  But not in pouring down rain.  I am heading for a hot shower and then a nice cozy nap on the couch.  I am very tired.  At work, an elderly customer told a coworker that I was incompetent.  Thank you.  That made my day.

While It Rains

 Yesterday I worked on the house for a long time.  Then things started falling off the house surface and I had to get out the hot glue gun.  I hate using the gun as the surface is never as neat as it could have been.  And the glue is hot.  And the glitter beads are small.  Hot burns.

As you can see the house now has shattered, blood spattered windows, the center top is filled with glitter beads, the shingle shakes are completed and the front (so far) has a sprinkling of glitter.  The first of many skeletons greets you at the doorway.  My visit to Joann's and Target resulted in the glow in the dark fingers (like candles) on the top corners of the house.  I also got a package of 6 more spiders.  I managed to glue the grey claw hands to the house corners and have two more to put somewhere.  I still haven't installed the rubber rat or the black cat.  But I will use hot glue this time, and forever more.

You may be able to see the shattered glass fragments.  This is like gluing jello to wood.  With hot glue.  I managed to apply the orange and black beaded "dressmaker" detail to the house.  I like how it looks.  I have to install all the skeletons (dangling from the ceilings, maybe), install the lights and glue the background papers to the back of the house.  Oh, and sprinkle on more glitter.  Then I can return to Joann's and return all the bits I didn't use, i.e. the extra container of glitter, and the two sheets of glitter foam.  I was short just a bit and the scavenged shingles from the old house did the trick.

I don't remember if it was Annie or Dee who suggested some grey shingles, but that was a brilliant idea and I am so sorry I was nearly finished before I realized it.  The flat black of the old shingles and the shiny sparkle of the new was perfect.  Ah, well.  There should always be room for improvement.

I like the house.  The design of the wooden doll house was very symmetrical so I stayed with that through the design process.  Matching it side for side.  The sides of the house need design work but I don't have anything left.  I could glue skeletons all along the sides. Instead of in the house, where realistically, no one will see them.  I need to drink coffee first.

G worked long and hard yesterday to remove the old bathroom exhaust fan and install a new one.  As with everything that needs to be replaced in this house, nothing fits.  Nothing is the right size and something will always need to be destroyed in order to install the new item.  Add in extra electrical wiring for the "heating element" on the old fan and you have an interesting mix of wiring to sort through.  Luckily, I had shirts to iron just across the hallway so I could run back and forth and flick switches to see what was hooked up to what until it all was sorted out.  But my part was easier than standing up on a ladder with the exhaust fan motor balanced on one hand and trying to connect wires with the other.

G finished the install, took a shower and went to bed.  Not even any supper.  He was up again at 4 this morning.  And left for work.   I stayed up to work on the dollhouse and then I watched episode one of The Good Wife on the internet and then episode two on the TiVo.  I had to add 30 minutes of recording time due to Football.  I had read comments about viewers not being happy with the first episode, but I thought it was fine.

I just lost everything I had typed in the past few minutes.    I was telling you what programs I am watching this season.  Project Runway (excited about All Stars coming in November), Survivor, Good Wife, Prime Suspect (my favorite), and for one more episode, Person of Interest.   We also record Body of Proof, NCIS, Castle and the Mentalist.  I also have the oldest episodes of Law and Order set to record along with the Killing and Fringe.  I'm going to finish my coffee, blow my nose and get on with this rain filled day.  My house is filthy, I have no idea what to prepare for dinner, I have nothing to eat for my diet but I am bundled up in a pair of G's jeans, a long sleeved tee and a (different) flannel shirt. Blue.

Sunday Spooky Update

The light here in the house is pretty grim.  So you can see more details but things don't look as mellow and cute.  The window bone situation was resolved, I have added more of the glitter beads all around the roof and up the center of the house.  I am now working on the glitter foam shakes.  Hard to see on the black house (right side front).   I'm going to have to add some texture.  Which I think will involve a drive (in the pouring rain) to Joann's for glitter and perhaps some sparkly beads for that little area at the top of the roofline.   I also need orange translucent paper to glue over the back of the house so the inside glows but you can see the stuff beyond the house.  And I need little hooks to hang the dozen or so skeletons from. I don't think that last line was an actual sentence.   That little spider looks good on the right side shakes.

I'm noticing the upper story left side window with the busy interior (bookshelf) looks more interesting than the right side plain window(curtain).  I just have to "get it done" right now and can fuss with it after Halloween is over.  Repaint or add MORE.

And I have to keep saying "it's a Halloween Gingerbread House" to myself.  I'm not seeing much "gingerbread" right now.

It feels cold in the house this morning (65) and it is pouring down rain.  G is working on replacing the bathroom exhaust fan/light/heater with an exhaust fan/light.  Different size and shape.  Different wiring. Lots of potential for disaster. But before he can do that, Riley wanted to go for his walk in the woods.

I served the pulled pork last night with gravy, fried sauerkraut & onions, and packaged potato gnocchi.  A simple quick version of Bohemian pork with potato dumplings.   Like 20 minutes quick rather than all day and a big mess.  I won't be making the traditional version while on this diet.  I would want to eat it.  Potatoes and flour.  Carb overload.  G was swooning while he ate his dinner.  I had just the pork and sauerkraut and I was swooning.  So tasty.

My class was delightful (bulb planting) and ran over to 90 minutes.  The women in the class had lots of "off topic" questions to ask and I think it's okay to digress and answer the questions.  It was lunchtime before I knew it and then I watered the greenhouse and cleaned the shelving along the Christmas Room side of the greenhouse prepping the shelving for the boxes of bows, trim and pinecones to come.  Lots of spider webs and old plant material.  No class next week.