So...whats for dinner?

Susan, You are so lovely and kind...and so talented as a culinary creator, I'll be sorry I am saying the following, but ....I do not want you going to all that trouble! At this point everyone here is stressed to the max with our "snowpocalypse" issues and I made a plan for tomorrow's and Friday's dinner...simple but DH would be happy with anything I cook at this point Please take care of yourself, my dear...you have plenty going on, too.

I did cook up the chicken tonight....baked some with garlic and basil...and "boiled" (?) up some to make soup broth, and will make chicken soup with orzo tomorrow...maybe a Greek kind with lemon. Also,gotmaround to making my smoothies formthe next few days. So I feel more organized than I was eight hours ago!

Meanwhile, there is a helper on the horizon for tomorrow. Yay! A friend of DH's is coming over in the morning to take our trash and recycling to the dump (you must all think it crazy that our town still has people do their own trash and recycling drop off, but we do! Anyway, I get very skeevy about trash smells and this particular friend was very happy to oblidge when DH called him at my suggestion. He is also bringing some of those homemade calcium chloride stuffed stockings that people are putting on their roofs to make a channel for water. Am dying to try that on some of our ice dammed roofs. If they seem to work, I will make us some more, and we will have a "sausage "studded roof system!

I am staying downstairs for a bit, so that I can remove the elevation pillow DH is sleeping with right now...but should be moved soon. His leg is so very swollen. It is apparently a normal reaction after his surgery, but he is alarmed at the size of his leg, so we're doing all the things the PT suggested today to get the swelling to subside. It Is kind of creepy. Of course so many women put up with dealing with lymphedema issues after surgery, but a man's swollen leg is felt to be a major crisis! Fortunately the PT just returned from a course on lymph drainage so she had great ideas for self massage and other ideas. Oh, Carole, it was the home health aide who was "sloppy". The PT is lovely. And we meet the regular nurse tomorrow....Monday we had a sub since it was a holiday. I was surprised we saw anyone on a holiday, but VNA is pretty responsive.

OK, I am going to straighten out that leg and head to bed. Tomorrow is another day....think I will have an outing...to the post office! I Have had a package ready to mail to a friend since last Tuesday...day of the ladder fall. Needless to say, it is still by my desk.....I need to discipline myself to take care of things other than DH during this period, even though it should not be too long.

Thanks for all of your support and advice, friends! It is so meaningful to me....:)

Lacey,

Glad that the brigade is starting to step up to help you out. This was a serious offer.... Let me know if you want to change your mind. More snow last night!!! Our cars are covered in a bout 2" of the stuff.

*susan*

Don't know what I am going to make for dinner!

Susan, I did enjoy the soup and will finish the leftovers. No doubt our tastes do differ. Not a bad thing. I could never consume as much kale as Lacey does!

Which reminds me to ask if anyone else has frozen kale? I ran out of refrigerator space recently and stuck a big bag of kale in the freezer.

Took out some chicken breasts this morning. Probably will cook them with preserved lemon and olives. Veggies on hand are butternut squash and ?? Little cabbages.

Sitting in exam room. 9:40 and still dr. Hasn't appeared

Lacey - hooray for reinforcements!

Carole - I think the red lentils taste different. Less "earthy", for lack of a better word. I like that about them.

Monica - fun with DGD! Bet it's like riding a bike lol!

Happy Chinese New Year! To celebrate we're having Orange Chicken for DH and Kung Pao chicken for me. And not from carryout (although that would be far easier.) But it's supposed to be single digit again tonight, so I doubt that I'll want to venture out even to pickup carryout. More snow for us tomorrow so I rescheduled my MO appointment, since I have to drive 55 miles and my car is not front or 4 wheel drive. Then rain AND snow on Saturday. That ought to be fun. If I lived in Boston, I would probably jump out of a window too. And not into a snowbank. I don't do confinement well.

Red, that is just too much. Hope you are feeling better and can get the dad situation resolved. (((Hugs)))

We've had non exciting meals here. Spaghetti one night and chili another. Tonight is chicken breasts some way or other. I went to the local spice store in the hospital district yesterday. I bought a new fish/chicken seasoning ground spices #1 is rosemary, with pepper black/white, salt, mustard flour, garlic, oregano. Says rub with olive oil then rub in spice 4-6 hours. Hah chicken is frozen solid. Maybe I'll use it to make custom oven fry. Also bought another chile spice, a white chile blend and some spinach flakes. Also they have cheap screw top plastic spice bottles, the short kind. Will have to try out some this weekend because next week I'm back in the same area so I can get more if I like them.

Lacey - you sound like grace under fire. My heart (typed heat hah) goes out to you. Bad enough with the snow but with cooped up laid up DH and aides peeing on you floor. Geesh. Hope you get some relief with DH's ?coworker coming by. Gosh I would be sticking with toast and canned soup. I'd get another food delivery done if you could. Only thing we get out here is pizza Mr. Jim's.

Speaking of pizza I have to step it up a bit. I bought some 00 flour at Cent. Mkt. Only 2.2#. "Anna" brand $3.99 I think. Forget the other one they had. Now to find an easy on the hands dough. I don't have anything to knead with. Doubt the old Sunbeam in closet works though somewhere I do have a food proc. I haven't used in years either.

Red I'm not sure what large a metro area you are in. In the DFW area we have the "Area Agency on Aging". Another member has used the same kind of thing to look for services for her parents in her area. A quick google would give you senior services. Now this might be things you've already looked at but might not hurt to look again. I know your time on computer is probably limited/frustrating no doubt. Wish there was something I could do other than lend moral support and pray for you and your dad. I hope you yourself are getting some help at home.

I also have red lentils. Now DH tolerates beans, loves rice. He's never had lentils. I'll have to find the recipes you (plural) have sent and make 1/2 recipe. We might be in for a bit of winter next week - Monday and maybe later in the week. Might be a good thing to have then. For sure Mon will be cold. Oh Nancy sounds like the precursor to our stuff. I do confinement OK out here not a lot to do and this past summer spent many days at home. Frustrating though when stuff needs to get done.

I have a big Yay. Went yesterday for mammo and radiologist says all is fine. BS appt next week thank goodness on Wed when it's warmer. I was late, my usual route closed d/t construction. I was one of the last ones in in the morning and it went zip/zip and I was outta there.

Yes 1st appt of day or 1st back from lunch. With my eye doc never, never works.

Monica - yay for time with DGD. Even after 39 years mine is a butt head. Times I think I'm invisible. Hope when weather breaks up there you can get out more and make more of a life for yourself. Wish money wasn't such a concern for you. And yes I can be a butt head, certainly admit that. What happens when he no longer has bad weather for an excuse?

Bedo - Have you considered tarps, cheap baby diapers with your pots? Or have you located a kiddy pool?

Love your pics Carole and Nancy. Did not love your pics Lacey. Sending wishes of tropical paradise to you, Bedo, Susan, Nancy and Red

Pork ribs, side dish and veggie!

Lacey and Susan you are coping so well!!!!

I am getting cabin fever.

Tomato soup for dinner.

I have to do something to distract myself. Sorry for those I've missed.

Where is Goats???

I have 4 books from the Library, among them, one, A brief history of Time and the other "Snow-blind" which is a mystery about people who "disappear" under very mysterious circumstances in a blizzard. "Great choice! That was smart" A friend of mine said.

Luv, great news on the mammo.  So happy for you.    Give us a report on the new spices when you test them out.

Lacey, I am SUPER impressed with your shoveling prowess.  You're going to be even more physically fit, going into spring.  Glad your neighbor is bringing you and dh dinner. 

I did not exit my dr.'s office until 11 am.  I sat in the exam room almost an hour.  She breezed in about 10 am.  It probably took no more than 15 min. to cover my health issues and for me to ask a few questions.  We spent about an hour together in the exam room, talking about all sorts of things.  I felt bad as I passed through the waiting room because it was full of patients.  Some of them were probably there to see the NP or another professional on the staff  but I'm sure some were waiting to see Dr. Levi.  I enjoy our chats but she really should stick to business. 

Now the order for blood work is in the computer. 

She had no answer when I asked her what she thought my target heart rate should be when I'm doing cardio in the gym.  So I'll do some research, maybe talk to a PT person.  She doesn't think my foot problem could be diabetic neuropathy since I'm pre-diabetic, not diabetic.  I have the name of another podiatrist that she recommended. 

DH voted for chicken marsala so that's what we're having for dinner.  The recipe is off the Food Network compliments of Emeril.  I've cooked it lots of times.  It's simple and tasty.  I used baby bella mushrooms.  I'll probably make a salad with romaine, colored bell pepper and avocado. 

Haha SK, I suppose it's all relative!

Luv, good news!!!!

Special, yes. You have cracked me up completely!

Red, I have no words. Can't imagine how difficult this must be for you. My father declined very quickly when his primary caretaker [my Mom] was not well. It was as though whatever had been holding him together just collapsed. He never came back. It may be that your injury has in some way made him realize just how much he has come to depend on you. I hope that the church folks let you be part of the conversation.

Carole, what is up with this appointment thing? My hospital has a 15 minute rule. If you haven't been seen within 15 minutes of your appointment time, someone will come out to discuss if you can wait, and let you know what is actually going on. When it is my oncologist, I assume that someone really needs her, and there will come a time that that person will be me. Other doctors? Not so patient!

Lacey, so glad that your neighbor is coming through for you. You are the shovel queen, but maybe being outside is a sort of meditation for you at this point?

Mr. 02143 ignored Lacey'sHusband tale of woe and went onto ladders today to remove the snow from the flatter roofs and to try to break up some ice dams. He agreed that he would NOT go to the top floor, and he didn't. Our streams of water have slowed dramatically, but there is water still coming in on the third floor behind all those lovely cabinets that I had custom made. At this point, the real hope is that we will not get any ice or rain this weekend. There isn't a house in the neighborhood that isn't affected. The roof guys are cleaning up, but, you would have to pay me a ton to go up on a roof in these conditions too.

After so much physical labor, Mr. 02143 needed a hearty dinner so we ordered Indian food, mediocre Indian food, but Indian food none-the-less. It wasn't horrible. Tandoori chicken and some Chana Masala, ordered spicy. And it actually had some spice! Yea! Enough leftover for another meal.

Managed to make some soup for lunch and a batch of granola with all the found time since I wasn't packing up food for Lacey.

*susan*

The chicken marsala sauce was so good that I had a light bulb moment and made some polenta.  I had put the polenta in a qt. jar and labeled it polenta, but no cooking instructions.  So googled recipes and the proportions are the same as for grits.  1 to 4.  Actually grits and polenta are the same thing, ground corn.  This polenta was coarse yellow ground corn and was really good.  I didn't make extra but just enough for a small serving for me and a larger one for dh. 

Susan, I'm re-reading Julie Sahni's Classic Indian Cooking and marking some of the meat recipes to try once I get my lamb shipment.  Instead of the long stovetop cooking, I'm thinking I will try oven cooking and eliminate some of the tending and stirring.  I will also cut down on the amt. of oil even though she sternly warns against doing that.  LOL.  Actually just cutting the recipes into half will reduce the oil.  Most of the recipes are for 8 or more people. 

Joyce, I hope everything works out for you when you go north for a week.  That coffee with the liquers sounds delish. 

Joyce,

And I am going to believe that you make a killer lasagna. Such a great dish since people can easily eat as much or as little as they want. Similar to the loaves and fishes around here.

*susan*

Carole, from my experiences with going to disasters, chain saws and ladders don't mix well.

Eric

Thttp://happyhooligans.ca/3-ingredient-delicious-vanilla-snow-ice-cream (This is from )