Sketching, Surgery and FOOD

Hello again.  Life is rumbling along.  This morning we are off to the hospital for him to have foot surgery.  He has a cyst/bulge/bunion/something on the side of his foot that has been bothering him for some time.  It makes the dancing painful.  Weirdly enough his middle brother had the same thing a few years ago.  So today, I am packed up for hurry-up-and-wait day.  I've got counted-cross stitch ornament, journal, sketching journal and pencils, my Kindle, I am ready for sitting and waiting.  We have to be there at 9:15 and surgery is 11:30.  They also said it will be a 4-6 hour surgery!  What the heck.  I also packed a lunch and a few munchies for me to make it through the day.  He said he will be ready to eat a bear when done but who knows.  I'm expecting to be out about dinner time and I'm also ready to cook.  

FYI, I am down 11 pounds today!  That is pretty exciting.  I've been stuck at 10 pounds for nearly 2 weeks but suddenly the scale shifted.  I've really, REALLY been trying to be dedicated to what I am eating and it's been pretty easy.  

Last week I cooked a pork butt in the crock pot and we got three meals out of it, with one of the meals with three other people.  It was $10 and stretched nicely. I made pulled pork over mashed cauliflower which was so tasty.  He loved it.  A couple days later I made pozole verde for 5, another home run.  The Friday evening I made pork and cheese quesadillas.  The verde part of the last two meals was my favorite find of Herdez Salsa Verde!  OMG, my new favorite salsa.  

I used it in the pozole and to dip the quesadillas in.

Last night I had shrimp, a half package of grape tomatoes, "j"arlic, 2 sad stalks of celery, 1/4 cup of white wine, salt & pepper.  I served it over mashed riced cauliflower with lemon, adding a splash of cream and butter, S&P.  OMG, this was tasty too.  So, this low carb thing is really working.  

Sketching, Food, and Life

Monday morning and I'm here at the studio.  Am I painting yet, no, because I also pay bills here and I had to call the bank after an update shut me out of a program.  Time WASTED!  I only popped in here once last week as I watched kiddos a bit and just didn't want to be here.  I'm fighting getting back to oils lately only wanting to draw.  Kind of in a weird place right now and I'm sure it's just the weather and lots of time on my hands.  I did have my book club over last Wednesday evening and this Wednesday is my "Birthday" club girls for dinner.  I put a pork butt in the crockpot at 5 am this morning and will cook it for about 8-10 hours.  Tonight we will eat it like pulled pork over mashed cauliflower and Wednesday I will make pozole for the girls.  

Yes, I am back on the low carb wagon and it is going quite well actually.  I went to my doctor a little over a month ago, my blood pressure was great but later, after the blood tests came back he is concerned I am prediabetic.  So he wanted me to come back in for an A1C test.  I am choosing NOT to do that but to jump in with both feet with the low carb thing and so far I have lost 10 pounds.  It's really not been too hard as I was already doing it, mostly, but back slid.  I was enjoying too much bean dip and Fritos!  Now I am spending my quality time with food really being careful, eating tons of greens, veggies and protein.  I feel really strong and confident that this is my path for the rest of my life.  I don't need Fritos but an occasional one is not going to kill me.  I've been going to gatherings and NOT eating the bad stuff and bringing veggie platters that I can stuff my face on.  I am going to do this.  As I said before my doctor prescribed Contrave, but it sits at the pharmacy waiting on the insurance/Medicare to approve.  I think I'm doing just fine on my own and will continue WITHOUT it!  They're adding more warnings on the shots that scare me too death and are exactly why I will not be doing them.  I will continue my food ways, clean eating and sketching!  

I've been adding stories with these on Facebook and they seem to be a hit and several people want me to write about them, in book form.  I kind of already do here on my blog.

Momma and Momma's hands...

Life Drawing class again...One of the best I've ever done.  Of course the sketchbook I used was one the kiddos have drawn on.  Makes it more beautiful, in my opinion.

Anxious Nelly

Good morning.  Surprise, surprise, two days in a row I'm here.   I'm still riding high on getting in that show in NYC and now I have to deal with the details, which for some reason makes me nervous.  I printed out the details on shipping, dates, etc., and that's a whole different kind of mess.  I've done it before, I can do it.  You have to deal with shippers, which in the past have been grumpy old men (the receiving end) but they get the job done.  I have special boxes I have to send out through FedX, they're padded and very strong.  It's just a process and I need to be on my game to make it all happen.  I'm sure I will not be going to the show but who knows, right!   

Honestly, sitting here just thinking about it, typing it all out, I have a desire to FLEE from all of it, just not send in the paintings.  You know that's a pattern for me to run from stuff like this.  In high school, senior year, I tried out for talent show, Pow Wow (not called that anymore for obvious reasons.)  I practiced and practiced with my friend Becky playing the piano for me.  I sang Barbra Streisand's "People", and I was good, I knew it I felt it.  I started out shaky and too soft but I got louder.  I was ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED doing it.  I knew people that were quite popular and talented were watching me, listening to me and it was the biggest thing I had EVER done in my life.  I didn't even want to stand on the stage, preferring to stand by the piano down below on seat level, next to Becky, my comfort zone.  I'm telling you I remember reading the lyrics off of the piano book because I knew I would not be able to remember them in front of everyone.  But I did it.  Funny thing though, swinging back around to my point, is that I got in that show, I made it, but I never NEVER went to practice to be in it.  It was all I could do to stand up there and sing in front of those few people.  It has taken a lifetime to break out of that cocoon I built around myself, I'm a much different person now, sort of.  I've stood up in front of people and spoken, I've even done Karaoke before (a little liquid courage on board), but I've done it, I've overcome that shy, introverted girl, mostly.  This shipping stuff seems to bring that stuff up sometimes.  Makes my tummy flutter and me to take a lot of cleansing breaths. 

Oh by the way, down 5 pounds as of this morning.  It's been 7 days since I was in my doctors office, 6 days of watching the carby thing, 5 pounds down.  It will probably fall off pretty quick in the beginning, enough to help with the next blood test, I hope.  The Hubby asked this morning if I was going to tackle the pharmacy and insurance to get that damn pill.  Pisses me off, really does.  I told him I really thought I could do this on my own.  I just hate to take a pill for stuff and you just don't know what the long term effects are going to be.  He promptly said, "Well, you've not been able to do it before, you need to do something."  I AM YOU JERK!  For GOD'S SAKE, I have given up bread, potatoes, pasta, DRINKING, fast food.  I'm eating giant salads for lunch, this morning I ate egg bites (7 carbs-vs-my protein bars of 38 carbs).  I'm going to make my own.  I'm cooking very clean and have been for awhile.  But of course, on my counter is a German chocolate cake our friends made for him for his birthday.  He sat right next to me last night eating it, didn't wait till I headed to the bedroom to watch TV.  He has ice cream every night with chocolate syrup but has the decency to eat it AFTER I've left the room.  He wants to snack and gets frustrated if I don't have a bag of chips or crackers or the right cheese HE likes.  It's very frustrating.  He eats everything I fix for him but these added things are not helping.  It's not that I like GCC, I don't it's the smelling it while he is eating.  It's the crunch of the chips I can hear.  AND I'M NOT A BINGE EATER EITHER! I'm making the right choices and that will be what helps me get this weight down.  If I can just get it down to manageable for my body, my health, that is what matters.  STICK TO MY GUNS!!!  

Monday Blues

Good morning all.  Monday morning and the hamster wheel never ends.  Just feels like every day, every week is the same over and over again.  I'm not sure I like routine yet here I am stuck in a routine, a RUT.  Work, paint, dishes, cook, grocery lists, laundry, same television every day, every night...I think I have Monday Blues today.

Well, Saturday, since the girls have the next two weekends at the cabin I painted.  I finished this one I started in June.  The photo I snapped isn't great, and as I look I think I'm going to fix a little problem on it even though it is signed.  It got rave reviews on FB and I may have even sold it.

"Oklahoma Sunset"

9x12 oil on linen

Friday evening was dinner with my siblings and their spouses.  It was fun but Sis, God I do love her but there is a reason I don't do this often.  She is a complainer and griper.  The food didn't taste right, it was too expensive, blah, blah, blah.  I intended to have the waiter take our photo of us all together and forgot.  Hopefully we can do it next time.  

My hit meal this past week was this shrimp dish.  It's a twist on the feta-tomato bake.  I did the usual of feta cheese, tomatoes and olive oil (I used the lemon olive oil I love), pepper and Italian seasoning.  You can use whatever seasonings you might like.  I baked it for a bit at 400 degrees to get the cheese beginning to melt then added the asparagus for a bit to get tender then the shrimp.  The shrimp doesn't take long to cook.  Once out then I stirred it up and we ate this delicious meal.  

I also had peaches and made a peach pie for The Hubby which is his favorite.  He is really ticking me off with HIS not eating carbs though and most of this pie has sat uneaten.  I know, I know, he's eating better and I am too.  I am totally good with that.

Several people are telling me I should write a cookbook and that has definitely crossed my mind on occasion.  I certainly have a lot of recipes in my head that I create and it would be fun.  Maybe I should keep a notebook in the kitchen as I create and write them down. 

A Sleeting We Will Go

Ice, Ice, Baby...

Goodness this stupid weather.  First was the morning of my hip surgery and the snow we had to travel through at 5 am to get to the hospital.  Yesterday it was again another iffy drive for my post-op.  It was sleet and a lot of it.  Honestly that drive wasn't as bad but this morning is a lot worse.  In fact we shut down our business because the employees didn't want to drive in (don't blame them.)  It's the same story this morning and will probably be the same tomorrow.  Tomorrow I have to go in though to do payroll.  Hmmm, well we will see.  

Back to my post-op.  We did make it!  So excited to have the stitches OUT and permission to drive, when this stupid ice is gone.  The doc is very pleased with how this new hip looks and me too.  I was disappointed that I have to do out patient.  Really didn't want to but it could last 1-4 weeks so I will be a good patient and get it done. 

Last nights dinner, yes I cooked again, was what I could dig up out of the pantry/freezer since grocery shopping is not happening via hip and weather.  I found frozen shrimp in the freezer and a jar of marinated artichoke hearts.  I googled those ingredients and came up with a shrimp & artichoke bake.  

Shrimp & Artichoke Bake

(What I had:)

Frozen shrimp (about 14)

Small jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained & cut up if too big

Red pepper flakes

1 tsp Kerry Gold garlic & herb butter

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 Tbls shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 400°. Saute drained artichoke hearts in non-stick skillet with butter and pepper flakes for about 3-5 minutes. Take out and put in small casserole (I used deep dish pie plate.) Put shrimp in skillet cook till pink turning once, about 3-5 more minutes. When done put on top of artichoke hearts. Top with the mozzarella cheese and parmesan. Bake in oven 10-15 minutes.

I would have loved to serve it with fresh broccoli or spinach but fresh pantry is bare.

It was quite yummy.

Food and Mania

DIFFERENT Stuffed Peppers

I totally saw this recipe on Insta and made it tonight. I am not a huge fan of peppers but the red peppers were yummy. Simple...

Slice peppers in half, clean out seeds and put in 350° oven for 30 minutes. While they cook, or get a bit tender saute sweet Italian sausage in a non-stick skillet. When that is done I add a block of cream cheese and a can of Rotel tomatoes. When the peppers are ready, fill them with the mixture. Then top them with a sprinkling of shredded cheese then put them back in the oven for 10 minutes.

OMG, these were very tasty and very different.

On a different note, this past week I've been watching, actually the whole world has been watching, the deterioration of an artist friend, mentally on Facebook.  It has been absolutely shocking to watch her posts ranting about her husband and rambling in these weird one line statements that honestly don't make a lot of sense.  This morning I then see that she is living in her car and we are having the coldest temps in a year.  It's so sad to watch one of her daughters plead with her to call them, to come home and then I saw that the daughter and husband of 42 years even went to the court system to try and get her committed.  You can clearly see that she is having a manic episode.  I've been in tons of art things with this lady and it is just so shocking to see it happen.  I'm not friend friends with her, only an art associate, I have no sway with her but feel like I need or want to help.  I can't even imagine what her daughters are going through with all this.  It's heartbreaking.  

 

Middle of the Week Life Update

First of all is a recipe update.  You know the Tik-Tok recipe for baked feta, well, this is my version of it.  SOOOOOooo, yummy and easy.  

I took a deep casserole kind of dish and tossed in a bunch of grape tomatoes and tossed them around with salt, pepper, lemon olive oil, Italian seasoning and garlic.  Then in the middle, squeeze in a block of feta cheese and sprinkle it with more olive oil and the Italian seasoning.  Then around, on top and squeezed in around the tomatoes put chicken tenders with seasoning and oil.  Bake in 400 degree oven for about 30-45 minutes, or until chicken is tender and the cheese is all smushy and melty.  So very yummy.   

The losing weight thing is still a thing but this week has been a bit of a pull back because we went out to eat and I totally had pasta but it was well worth it because it was an awesome date night.  Then last night I was planning something totally different but I had the grand-girls to watch and feed.  So what do kiddos eat and love, well, spaghetti of course.  Pasta again was part of my meal.  I wasn't about to fix something different for me because I was already fixing vegan spaghetti for the girls and regular MEAT spaghetti for my guy.  It was yummy, I won't lie.  But, I had a smaller plate and did not go overboard on it.  This morning I'm taking Snicklefritz out to breakfast to one of her favorite places and of course I am eating.  Just have to take it a meal at a time.  It will be okay.

I've been to the studio a couple of times this week but really haven't achieved much in the paint department.  I've been working on this from one of our weekend drives to and from the cabin.  This is one leaving on Sunday and heading back to reality.  So far I'm liking it.  I'm using a lot of greens and mixing paint is very therapeutic for me.  I've not gotten too much done because of work and Linda coming in.  I haven't talked to her in over three weeks because she had her family in town with grandkids so we had to play catch-up on the visiting. 

That's okay, I will finish this next week.  Really need to let some of the green dry anyway so I can paint in the guard rail along the road and the arrows on the signs.  It's going to be nice.  Why I can't paint anymore today or tomorrow, well, I'm again watching grand-girls today and tomorrow I have to WORK!  It will be an all day thing because it will be payroll and it's the end of the month and invoicing should be in full swing.  I also may have to go in on Saturday to work.  Not too keen on that but when you are self employed it is what you do.  Plus we have the printer situation fixed.  Did I tell about that, maybe not.  Our printer, only 6 months old decided to stop working completely but since it was under warranty our nephew, our IT guy, got HP to send a replacement printer and he got it up and running on Tuesday.  I went in yesterday and did a few things and now I wait for The Hubby to get the invoicing ready so I can get it out.  I love a working printer.

Oh these girls....LOVE them so much.  Yesterday Min's momma took them to the pool and then brought them to me to watch so she could go to a prayer vigil for a friend who is on the verge of being put on a ventilator.  So very sad, especially since he opted NOT to be vaccinated.  Anyway, Snicklefritz had a ZOOM Campfire meeting and Min was right beside her watching and participating in it most of the time.  They were so quiet in the bedroom, I just loved it.  

 

Happy Birthday To Me

Continuing on with the weight loss journey I fixed some veggies with andouille sausage and a little Lawrey's Seasoned Pepper. SOOOooo very yummy.  The scale is down 16 pounds now and I can tell you I feel lighter.  Oh, I know there is a long way to go but I'm already feeling the effects of the pounds melting away.  Hey look, I'm not perfect especially when I wanted to celebrate my birthday without being tied to a diet.  The past few days I have enjoyed but not gone overboard.  Wednesday I met my childhood best friend for MEXICAN, my favorite, and I ate chips, queso and had one cheese enchilada and a margarita.  But, I wasn't over stuffed and I was quite satisfied.  I didn't eat the beans or the rice at all.  Then yesterday, MY 65th BIRTHDAY I had a Schlotsky's for lunch.  That was because I HAD to be at work and because of a glitch in my accounting had to be there well through my lunch and was in danger of overeating.  The Hubby picked up a sandwich for me, still no soda/pop and I ate it with gusto and continued on with my work.  Plus, IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY!  

For dinner we, my sweet family all went out to dinner to a local restaurant called Roka, an Asian-Fusion restaurant.  I was going to have my usual Pad Thai but opted for coconut shrimp and a cocktail, and for my "birthday cake" I had about 5 bites of their yummy bread pudding.  Honestly I was very content with my food choices and I didn't overeat any of it, left a lot on my plate.  The main thing was enjoying the company of my favorite people in my life.

Getting those warm hugs.  My life is so full it is bursting and I could not be happier.

Happy Birthday to me.  I think 65 is going to be fun.

Weight Loss Update

This weight loss journey is working.  I'm AGAIN on the downhill slide with the scale.  I'm back to where I was a couple of years ago before the weight started up again, but this time I am NOT stopping.  For some reason it has been much easier and the food is really satisfying to me this time.  Could be that I'm making it eye appealing too.  I'm continuing the low carb-no carb diet but that doesn't mean I'm not occasionally having a potato or like Sunday evening with our steak half a sweet potato.  The weekend I had a biscuit and about 2 tablespoons of hash browns.  I am not going to deny myself but I am eating in moderation.  One of my issues is portion control and I do LOVE my carb stuff.  I've not had a soda-pop-diet soda since February either and that is a biggie.  99% of the time I only drink water with an glass of red wine in the evenings or on the weekend a gin and tonic.  It's working and that is what counts.  

This one was zucchini, red pepper, asparagus and shrimp with a dash of jalapeno salt and lemon olive oil.

One evening I just was at a loss on what to cook but decided to make an omelet with spinach, cheese and leftover bruschetta.  Oh goodness, so very yummy.

Last night was tilapia with Paul Prudhomme Seafood Magic seasoning and lemon olive oil with a little bit of red pepper and spinach with a splash of balsamic vinegar.  

The scale is 16 pounds down and my goal (hopefully by the end of the year) is a total of 51 pounds.  So far I only have 35 pounds more to go.  Maybe I'll make it by the end of the year.  I think if I continue to eat like this I will.  It's already easier to move my body so I need to add some exercise but honestly just being able to get up off the couch is a big win.  My body had hit a brick wall with the weight gain and I think I was in danger of being completely immobile and I am WAY TOO YOUNG for that.  This Friday I will turn 65 years old.  How in the world is that possible.  Mentally that just doesn't make sense but if I had continued my body was definitely that and that was not good.  I have a lot more to do in my life and I did not want it to be in a wheelchair or bed.  

Let's Play Catch-Up

Let's play catch-up with my week in review.

Forgot to post the yearly photo of The Hubby's family.  I tell ya, my mother-in-law, soon to be 88 years young, looks better and better.  What a fabulous lady that I love dearly.  She is going to be representing her retirement home as their Ms.  M for the state of Oklahoma.  So proud of her and she will surely win.  

My easel has been a bit clogged up with trying to finish this one.  It's still not done but I am loving it so far.  I think this week it will finally be called DONE!

This week also brought the 8th wedding anniversary of B&B2.  They've been together for 10 years and in that time they have created such a lovely family.  Sweet Snicklefritz was given the big girl camera and took this photo, at 3 years old.  I think we have an artist on our hands, don't you agree.  That girl has an incredible eye.

I'm not sure I mentioned it but I'm doing the low carb thing and am down 6 pounds with stuff like this!  The other night I didn't want to go to the store for dinner stuff, yet again, so I opted for what I could find in the fridge.  So a broken omelet with a touch of cheese, fresh spinach and salsa.  The Hubby loved it and so did I.  It was so pretty which makes the eye happy too.

I've also been asked to donate a painting again for the Cattle Baron's Ball this year and he subtly hinted that roosters are in vogue.  Since I didn't have a ready available photo in my stash of pics I put the call out on Facebook to friends and family that I knew had chickens or the opportunity to snap pics and was nearly overloaded with tons of reference photos.  Here's just a few of the many.  Hey, I may do a series of these.

We ventured to the cabin Friday night and it was very quiet.  I don't think anyone was there, well, there were some but everyone chose to keep it private.  Anyway, Saturday there was a remembrance of one of the cabinite's that passed away recently.  Sweet TP Harris left us so we spent time with his family and friends at the cabin to bid a bittersweet farewell to a one in a million guy.  They had wine and munchies (which I DID NOT eat).  There were tons of fabulous pictures and lots of visiting.  Worth the time spent.

When I pulled up the cabin Friday afternoon I was pleasantly surprised by my Japanese Keirra in the corner of our fenced yard in front of our NEW fence.  Oh my it just glowed yellow.  Love it!  One of my very favorite plants and brings fantastic memories of my Greatgranny who called it the Mexican Rose, which was totally wrong.  Took me years to find in the greenhouses because of the mistaken name.  What's wonderful is that it's only supposed to bloom in the spring, in Oklahoma I find it blooms off and on in the summer too and it's deer resistant and is perfect for wooded area.  Score!

Pizza...maybe

I've been following a site on Facebook called The Lighter Side of Low Carb and found this absolutely delicious recipe.  It's pizza but there is no pizza crust found.  The "crust" is made from grated cauliflower, egg and cheese!  Genius and fantastic!

Wow we so enjoyed this!  There are so many variations for toppings out there I can't wait to try.   

Loving Myself

What a day, what a week.  It's kind of same-o-same-o lately.  Up each morning, quick low carb breakfast, workout, shower, work, low carb lunch, play with Rio, grocery store, home, low carb dinner, a little TV, bed...then we start all over again.  Each day, plodding along sometimes it kind of gets to me but that's just how life rolls forward. 

The scale has stabilized on one number and has not budged in two weeks.  I can feel the body change but I so want the scaled to move down, down, down.  Yesterday I had a facial and massage and the massage girl, Carrie, told me of a no carb/low carb pizza dough made out of cauliflower, cheese and egg!  I'm on the hunt now for some different foods/meals to make for us.  I know that eventually the scale will budge downward so I just have to keep up the good work.  I'm sure if I did a bit more cardio it might work, but basically, I'm a lazy person when it comes to that.  Even though I have been working out for close to 20 years I'm just not a person who does it on my own, hence the trainer or when I did Jazzercise I was responsible for opening and setting up the morning.  People counted on me.  I have to be responsible but somehow I can't hold myself responsible for myself.  How is that possible, but it is.  I will not beat myself for this flaw in me but will embrace it.  I am who I am and I love me!