Cooking, Yeah!

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I enjoy cooking so much. I would like to have a chef's kitchen with all the necessary pots and pans and utensils. I'd like for it to have lots of color and lots of stainless steel. And big windows that will allow me to bring the outdoors inside.

I remember the day cable was installed at our house. Every one was excited because they were going to be able to see television shows that they had only heard about. Wow, finally, I was able to get the foodnetwork channel that had everyone, who loved cooking, talking. I was in cooking heaven. One show I fell in love with was "The Naked Chef". Not because he cooked in the nude, HaHaHa. Because he cooks with the bare essentials. He doesn't use a lot of extra ingredients.

Another thing that he has impressed me with is his nonprofit restaurant, Fifteen, that he has opened to help unemployed young people to learn to become chefs. I watched the opening of this school when it was broadcast on the foodnetwork channel. It was one of the first reality shows for the channel.

Guess what? Today I found Jamie Oliver's diary page. Oh sure I know it is a publicity gimmic for the all mighty dollar, but it is quite interesting. If you are curious stop and read it at jamieoliver.com.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

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We have had two weeks of rain and another week of rain predicted in the forecast. This includes lightning and thunder.

I was remembering how different rainy days seemed in my childhood. There were a lot of rainy days and we were outside enjoying them. Most of the time we were barefoot; splashing around in puddles. I don't remember very many times that we had to worry about lightning striking us. All we had were rain showers. Oh, yes, we had an occasional thunderstorm. But they were rare and I didn't understand where the booming was coming from. Grandma always told me God was moving furniture around. I always imagined God as a huge giant because that furniture had to be awful big to make a noise that loud.

I remember as I grew older walking in the rain. Rain never kept me inside. I would stroll down the gravel road or wonder through the woods behind the house. In those days we had nothing to be afraid of.

Grandma had a big front porch with a porch swing and wooden rocking chairs. I would sit in the swing and read on rainy days. It is one of my favorite memories. I can still smell the freshness of wet earth and hear the raindrops tapping on the tin roof.

The days of rain showers seem to have disappeared. For years all we have had around here are thunderstorms with lightning striking all around the house. With me screaming and my heart flip-flopping when the lightning strikes the ground or a tree with a house shaking boom.

You have to be careful when you go outside. Really you have to be careful inside the house. Flashes of lightning are right outside the window so you can't be close by the windows. Lightning will strike you through the glass.

No walking in the rain, no sitting on the porch during the rain,........."rain, rain, go away, come again another day"......

Blogger Friends

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This week is almost over and another will begin. It has been constant rain here and that means lots of time spent indoors. Rubber boots are necessary just to go to the mailbox. Blogging has been a mind saver for me; visiting with everyone and reading about what is going on in their part of the world. I am linking this poem for all of you. Hope you take the time to read it.

New Week

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Monday of a new week. This month and year is passing me by too fast. I will be another year older before I turn around. There are so many things I want to do while I am still able.

I tried my new schedule today. I decided to stay on my feet and not on my butt. I have only sat down for about an hour and a half. I have been in the kitchen most of the day. I don't know yet if that is a good thing or not. I have been cooking all day. The food is low fat and low cholesterol and low carb and delicious. But I still have to count calories. I cooked enough food that should last for a few days; but I don't think it will. hahaha

I baked extra bread, too; but it is not for us. It is what I bake and sale. I want to experiment and try a low carb bread and see if it comes out good enough to sell. I am also going to bake some mini-pies and see if I can make a profit selling them.

I am searching for new ideas to make and sale because I have decided not to go to the charity for my tests. I will go to charity if I have to be hospitalized. I want to keep my doctor and let him help me. That being the case, I need the money to pay for the tests and the doctor visits.

The downfall of my new schedule is I have swelling in my legs this evening. I am going to have to alternate my standing and sitting until I get my blood work done and the doctor can adjust my medicine.

Yes, I did my thirty minutes of exercise in case you are wondering.

Doctor, Doctor

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This morning, I went to see my doctor. He is concerned and wants me to have some new blood work. The big question is do I go to the charity hospital or dare I take the risk of being a private paying patient? Without insurance the tests could amount to $1000.

With charity, you can't always get an appointment when you need one. Most of the time it takes 6 months to a year. Usually, you have to go through the emergency room and see the doctor on call. That creates a lot of messed up or lost paper work that is in your file. Sometimes they lose your whole file and you have to start over. I know because I have a lot of family members without medical insurance. And when I was going to the charity clinic, I always had to go to the emergency room and see the doctor on call.

I want to be able to see the same doctor so that he or she can get to know me. And I can get to know the doctor. Today, the doctor talked with me about my weight gain. He does not think it is an eating problem. He looked at my file and said the gain was too fast. Plus my legs have been swelling and I am having trouble breathing. He thinks it is fluid build up. He can not adjust my medicine until I have the tests done.

I did get the lecture about taking better care of myself. He told me as soon as I notice a change in my body I should see a doctor. If not him, I need to start going to the charity clinic for regular checkups. He said I should have a checkup every four months because I am taking hypertension medicine. And he said exercise, exercise, exercise!! That is the best thing for my heart. I received a much needed lecture on that because I don't exercise enough. My doctor repeated "the 30 minutes everyday!" instructions that he told me was very important for me to have a happy healthy life.

I am going to try real hard to get up off my butt more than I do. Everything I enjoy doing is accomplished by sitting. I enjoy reading, writing, sewing, crocheting, movies, and my newest-the world of blogging!! I do love to cook; that keeps me on my feet. There is no exercise involved; yet I'm off my butt. I will try harder; I promise.

O Lord, Be Merciful Unto Me

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I find myself in a strange mood. I can't seem to function. Pacing from one room to another, I feel like I am living in a locked cage. If I am not pacing, I am standing and staring out a window. From there I collapse onto the couch, unable or unwilling to pull myself out of the slump I have allowed myself to fall into.

Why is life complicated or why am I so weak that I can not find a way to change the way that I am living? I don't feel that I am living; I feel that I am taking up space.

Acceptance of my life comes at times and I can face each new day with gladness in my heart. The repetition of degradation slowly begins to take its toll again and my flesh weakens and I allow myself to fall again. God does not like a complaining person and until I can control this worldly part of me I feel I will be trapped.

I have tried to quiet the inner turmoil to better hear God's guidance. Only He can help me recover my strength. "....thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God."

Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord; let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually perserve me. Psalms 40:11

I'm Back Home

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I am back from a spur of the moment trip with my mother in law. She likes for me to ride with her to visit her sister in law. It is a two and a half hour drive to her sister in law's house. We stayed five days and I am so glad to get back home. Maybe I will tell a little more about the trip in another post; I will have to consider the idea.

Thank you for your email, Ash. It warms my heart and spirit to know that you and others care so much. Bless you.

I read my horoscope every now and then, and it surprised me to find my thoughts written in this weeks horoscope. On the ride home this morning, I was again trying to plan another routine for this week. My favorite things are movies and books, plus I knew I would need to catch up on house work. How is this for a plan--

"Hard work is your key word as this week gets underway. You must pay attention to the chores that can only be done by you. Then you can relax a bit by going to a movie or reading a book. You must pay attention to details. If you plan and organize your duties, you should do just fine."

Yep, that is the horoscope!!! That'll work for me!

Morning Glory

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My morning glories were blooming for the first time this morning. They are gorgeous! The vine by itself is pretty with its heart shaped leaves; what a difference with the beautiful flowers. The petals are trumpet shaped and have red star shaped markings at the center. Morning glories come in several colors but they all have the star shaped markings. The blooms open at day break and are gone by the afternoon. If you don't walk outside early in the morning you will not see the blooms in their morning glory.

I Come to the Garden Alone

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses

And He walks with me, and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known

He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing

I'd stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling

Charles Austin Miles

Bird Watching

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I love watching birds. I am thrilled when I spot a new one in my yard. Really, I am thrilled when I find anything new in my yard; whether it be plant or mammal or bird. I spotted a red bird in my red bud tree the other day. I finally identified it. It is a summer tanager . I have always called a cardinal a red bird. I had no idea there was another red bird.

Spotting the red bird has been the highlight of this week, so far. In a few more days, this week will be over and a new week begins. Monday, June 7th, I take my dad to the v.a. clinic for a check-up. He has been calling me every day to remind me. He is afraid I'll make new plans and forget about his appointment. I told him today that I had his appointment written on the calendar with a heart drawn around it, because he is very important. I think I may have finally gotten through to him. I heard him say, "awwwww" before he passed his phone to my mom. Maybe I better really draw that heart before he checks my calendar! hahaha

June 1st.

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It is June already; where has the time gone? In a few weeks, half the year will be over and the holidays will be just around the corner.

I have been thinking. I do too much of that--think. Maybe if I didn't spend so many hours alone, my mind would be on other things besides myself. Being alone is what renews my mind and refreshes my spirit. I need some time alone. I have been thinking and wondering about what my future holds for me. If I will be able to find another way to make necessary money. My bread sales have slowed down drastically. I have been making brownies and that is what is selling now; not much profit from them. If I could manage to buy another vehicle more opportunities could possibly come my way. But I remind myself that God knows what I need and I have put myself in His hands.

In my quest for low-carb eating, I found this box of jambalaya mix. I can make jambalaya from scratch with white rice. Making it with brown rice has been a challenge. Normally we eat jambalaya at least once a week and I haven't been able to get the taste right with brown rice. Zatarain's is one of my favorite brands. We buy a lot of their seasonings and packaged foods. And with their mix, jambalaya with brown rice is delicious in mine and K's. opinion.