So...whats for dinner?

Happy sailing Carole! Hope you have a wonderful trip..

Last week was filled with doc appointments. most routine except for a derm visit that resulted in two biopsies. One on my shin turns out to be a basal cell and one on my ear that is an actinic keratosis. Both are scheduled for removal in May I'm grateful not have to have MOHS as I'm a side sleeper — the side where the AK is. Ouch! i don't want to have to tuy one of those pillows with the ear hole.

Tonight is oven bbqd pork steaks and fresh corn on the cob.

Welcome home Eric!

carole - I will be curious about your river cruise experience, have you done one before? My DH has expressed some interest but I am afraid I will sail past places and experience FOMO!

maggie - so glad you got to see your son! Yay! I don't see mine nearly enough but was able to see him in early March at DD's event. He drove his truck with a rooftop tent from Colorado to be used as a demo in the booth of the tent manufacturer. Also, yay for breakfast for dinner!

Dinner last night was turkey kielbasa sliced and cooked in a sauté pan with some BBQ sauce, some rice, and Brussels in a parm sauce. Tonight will be beef enchiladas, cilantro lime rice, and some elotes style corn. Tomorrow pork tenderloin, sweet potatoes, and creamed spinach.

I am doing a ham for Sunday, with green beans almondine, oven roasted fingerling potatoes, a cabbage and romaine salad with toasted ramen and sesame seeds with a sweet and sour dressing. Haven't decided about an appetizer, but am making a carrot cake for dessert. Our pool enclosure project has one more day to go - about 3/4 of the screens are up.

We went by the house yesterday to pick up the mail that my USPS Informed Delivery Digest says was delivered; we found nothing, The crew said they'd been working since Monday 7a-5p and didn't see any mail. Has us worried because one of the pieces is Bob's Social Security card (without which he can't get a Real ID driver's license). Post office says that just because it's in that day's digest doesn't mean it was or will be delivered that day. The kitchen flooring is done (tile in the breakfast nook/rear, bleached oak in the main part) and looks good. Still waiting for a replacement window to be delivered. Painting nearly done. They're giving us a move-back guesstimate of 3-1/2 to 4 weeks. Not much of a cushion for moving, as our lease is up 5/31 and we have to leave the place broom-clean.

Afterward Bob had his appointment with his new PCP, and en route home we swung by Culver's for take-out walleye dinners. But during the night Bob got GI distress (mine came on in early afternoon and lasted longer). I Googled "Culver's food poisoning" and found several hits about cases in locations in several states, with the culprit being the tartar sauce and coleslaw. We didn't use much tartar, but ate our full portions of slaw. It was either that or whatever liquid (buttermik?) they used for the batter. I had refrigerated one piece of fish and most of the fries for today, but instead threw it all out. Before I felt sick I had provolone cheese melted on bran matzo, and a little bit of chopped liver from the kosher deli at Jewel with minced red onion & hard boiled egg. He walked to Great (I call it "Adequate") Beijing for a light dinner and brought home chicken soup & rice for me. That and some more matzo was my dinner.

I think it was a cosmic message that I'd better steer clear of deep-fried stuff in general (and Culver's in particular). I'd always liked the place, but shortly after I started Zepbound I would actually get queasy driving past it. Even though on maintenance I can (theoretically) eat what I want in small portions, it doesn't mean that it's a good idea.

auntie - I just had my every six month derm appt too and coincidentally have a biopsy on my ear. It is a previous MOHS that had a bump at the end of the scar. I have had a number of recurrences at previous MOHS sites so I am not really surprised. I am glad they did the biopsy because it is not a spot I can see well without multiple mirrors. I did also have an AK spot right at the hairline on my forehead. They elected to just freeze it off since it was shallow and tiny. I hope your additional treatments go smoothly.

Pool cage is done as of about 30 mins ago - the screen is darker than I wanted but I don't know whose communication error that was - DH had the reins on this project but I was abundantly clear that I wanted light screen even though the metal of the enclosure has now been painted a dark bronze color. He was the communicator with both the painters and the screen guys. Our house is oriented in an L shape with all the back glass looking out to the pool so I didn't want to diminish the natural light. He thought he was clear to the screen company, but since dark screen is the norm here for a dark cage It think it translated to the lightest of the dark colors. I can live with it I guess, it does still look very nice. I will not show dirt or mildew as much as the lighter screen does. I spent yesterday being annoyed but life is too short to dwell on things that aren't that important.

sandy - I bet you are eager to get back home, hope the timing works out for you and you don't have to rush too much.

carole - I hope your trip is great, having fun travel partners is the best. I will be anxious to hear what your thoughts were on the river cruise.

Sandy - good luck with the move. We had a similar timing situation when we moved here. We got lucky. Hope you are too. Boo on the food poisoning. I'm sad to hear it's Culver's We don't eat there often but I like the place. I don't think ours offers coleslaw though. Maybe that's a good thing.

Thanks Special. I remember you are a MOHS veteran. The doc plans to freeze the AK, something DH has had done several times. I've always been somewhat hit and miss with the dermatologist. I guess I'll be a more frequent flyer now.

I spent part of the day prepping for Easter Sunday lunch with the kids - marinating a pork shoulder for a Cuban pork roast and steaming eggs for deviled eggs. Tomorrow I'll make a raspberry upside down cake and German potato salad. Other sides will be roasted asparagus with garlic and lemon and dinner rolls.

But for tonight, DH is having stomach issues so for him dinner will be tomato basil soup and grilled cheese. I'll be having a fried egg sandwich and Manhattan clam chowder. From a can. It's fine.

4 inches of snow on the ground…and more is expected through the night.

Happy cruising Reader - sounds wonderful!

Have a good cruise.

Here is a photo of the newly dark pool enclosure with my Easter table in the foreground.

I am picturing carole and reader passing each other on a river in Europe!

I had a busy errand day yesterday and was starved when I got home in the late afternoon so I had a roast beef sandwich on rye bread. I ended up not being hungry for dinner. DD and beau called about 7pm - DH was out in the neighborhood on his golf cart tooling around - they were picking up her fave takeout that is around the corner from us and wanted to know if we wanted anything, and if they could come here to eat since we are so much closer to the restaurant. She ended up ordering a fajita bowl for DH and we had a nice visit.

So far today I have built two Easter baskets for DD and beau, which is silly but fun. Less chocolate at this age, but I put in some fun things like hand cream for DD and hot honey for beau - they both got gift cards for gas, and some for Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks. I need to start on the carrot cake and salads.

Mae - I saw an article in the local paper that Hughies has opened another location in Independence Heights - 633 Heidrich St. Since that's off Shepherd by 43rd, it's VERY CLOSE to the Flying Saucer Pie Company. I'm likely to try that new location and indulge in a pie too.

I'm having the same problem with food. My mind & heart are willing, but my appetite is definitely not cooperating so I haven't been making any remarkable meals.

Special - gorgeous Easter table. I love that you did Easter baskets. Did you say you do like the darker enclosure - or not?

Thinking about Carole & Reader on their travels.

My Easter meal is an egg salad sandwich and the rest of the pumpkin pie I picked up from the "getting older" cart at Kroger last week.

illimae - yay for a good salad - I miss being able to eat salad, I ate one almost every day. I'm glad you can enjoy one! Hang in there!

minus - thanks for the Easter table compliment! I have a lot of casual blue and white dishes and accessories, so this is a good holiday to use them. I tend not to use my china unless we are eating in the dining room, but the new philosophy is to use it more often - which makes sense - why not, right? I need to remember that even for small dinners. I do like the darker pool enclosure, but was not super happy initially with the screen color choice. We have had sunny days so I have had the opportunity to see that it is not darkening the house interior, so I am now ok with it.

maggie - I love the position of the eat in kitchen table, it has the best view to the back and we have enjoyed many good meals gathered around it. It is large enough to add more chairs - six can fit, which is nice. DD has a few local friends that often come over on holidays after spending time with their fams, so it is nice to be able to pull up an additional chair. It is also a good game night spot.

I had a good carrot cake recipe but now can't find it. The one I made is from the Cake Doctor cookbook, which uses boxed mixes with additions. This recipe turned out nice and light, and had the addition of fresh orange juice in the cake and orange zest in the cream cheese frosting. It was really good!

Minus, An egg salad sandwich was more Eastery than my meal.

Wally, Scalloped potatoes are my favorite part of a ham meal. I should cook some just because. I hope the stomach issues have settled.

Special, I love doctored mix recipes since they often taste as good as from scratch and are quicker. I didn't know about that cookbook; I'll have to get a copy.

Dinner tonight was corned beef hash.

maggie - I misspoke (mistyped?), the book is The Cake Mix Doctor, here is the link. You might be able to find it at a used seller for a much better price, there were quite a few when I Googled it. I think all of the recipes call for an 18 oz mix, and I just recently found a recipe for a mix of dry ingredients that you can add to bring the new smaller mixes up to the right volume for recipes like the ones in this book. I made a quantity that fits in a large Mason jar, and you use 6 T. of the mix to augment.

The Cake Mix Doctor: Byrn, Anne: 9780761117193: Amazon.com: Books

eric - the darker screen is growing on me, lol! Funny about DD being horrified by a cake made from carrots. I think my DD had the same outlook, but she asked for a small slice on Easter and was surprised that she liked it. The orange juice seemed to help and I ground up the carrots pretty finely in the food processor, so I think that was the way to go to make her a convert. Carrot cake is one of DH's faves, so it is good to know that I don't necessarily have to make a second dessert now just so there will be one she likes!

Edited to add: I had my follow up appt with the pulmonary specialist this morning and he reviewed my labs, chest x-ray, and pulmonary function test. He thinks that I do not have emphysema, which makes sense since I've never smoked or worked in a hazardous environment, but I do have asthma, which I already knew about. Apparently, asthma falls under the heading of COPD, which I did not know! Mine has been managed haphazardly in the past, and it is now getting a bit more problematic, so we established a new set of meds and process for using them, and will see if that is helpful. I see him again in six months. I am relieved that this is not more serious, and found it a bit amusing that he indicated that the radiologist who read both the calcium CT and the chest x-ray is a bit of an alarmist.

Dinner tonight was a breaded chicken breast stuffed with Brie and cranberries (frozen from a box) and tasty with an Omaha steaks au graten potato croquette, which was unfortunately mushy and flavorless and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. 7/10.

maggie - agree about the better safe than sorry and I am glad that the initial assessment on the calcium CT led me to the pulmonary specialist. Without that notation I would not have gotten there - and he is definitely not taking a casual approach to the asthma, for which I am glad. I have always struggled with it during allergy season(s) and had begun to notice that I would flare for weeks after general anesthesia and intubation. I have had a significant number of surgeries related to breast cancer over the last 15 years so this was a noticeable pattern. I have always had an albuterol inhaler but apparently this is not the best choice for asthma management, only for acute situations. I think because I was not managing asthma daily it was easy to not be as proactive as I probably should have been. I think my asthma has also worsened, in general, so it is a good thing I have better guidance and a plan. I also had a great appreciation for the radiologist who looked at my mammogram that led to the breast cancer diagnosis. I had a clear mammo but palpable lumps - which was actually normal for me due to breast density and lots of fibrocystic issues. The rad insisted on an immediate ultrasound - which had occurred before as well, and that is the right call. He actually came into the room and took over for the tech. Then he sent the images to another rad to review. I ended up in his office and he set up my initial appt with the breast surgeon to handle the biopsy. I went back to see him after I was diagnosed with a triple positive 2.6cm tumor with positive nodes and thanked him for saving my life. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had been dismissed with a "see you next year for your annual mammogram" approach.

Dinner last night was roast beef sandwiches, not exciting but did the job! Tonight will be pork tenderloin, rice pilaf, and spinach. I predict mac 'n cheese with Easter ham sometime this week.

DH is having a boat day today with DD - she had to drive a big boat from her marina in Clearwater down to Sarasota for a boat show, then Uber back and she invited her dad to accompany. She likes to do that so she is not by herself, and he gets to take a boat trip on a boat we can't afford, lol! Win-Win! It is also a beautiful day, so that is a bonus! They are going for a sushi lunch in Clearwater with another friend when they get back.