Day 45.........I think I broke my finger.... :-(

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So somehow I managed to damage my right index finger. :o(   So I'm really all about comfort this evening. It is cold and raining outside, so how about a cup of hot chocolate?

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And depending who you talk to, chocolate is ALMOST a health food!

So I would like to curl up and get cozy and not do anything that requires using that particular finger. OUCH!

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or....

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or follow my dogs' lead...





I am also making chicken Italian sausage and peppers and onions for lunch tomorrow. Yum.

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So off to bed I go.....

Day 43 and 44....and mac and cheese

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So....yesterday I made the French Country Beef Stew and wow is it good! I made noodles for my hubby to eat with it and I packed some stew for lunch today.  I steamed a bunch of broccoli florets and took a small container of stew.  For lunch I had the broccoli with the stew over it, kinda like beef and broccoli but with mushrooms too.   The sauce turned out yummy with all the herbs and spices. I tend to use low or no salt ingredients so I up the other flavors.  I used salt and fat free beef stock and a little marsala wine.  I blend the veggies at the end so it becomes a heavier gravy without adding any other stuff to it. And this evening I gave into my craving for having mac and cheese, but it is organic whole grain mac and cheese.  So I had a little beef stew with my small bowl of mac and cheese. Sigh.

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There are places in our country where you can actually see the Milky Way in the sky.  The first time we were in the Badlands in South Dakota, we were lucky enough to have a very clear night.  We drove a little way from our cabin to see the stars with no lights around.  I have seen amazing amounts of stars, but that night, the sky was alive with them.  It was absolutely amazing and not something my little camera could capture, so I found a few shots some brilliant people have taken.  WOW.

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I tend to feel very small in the universe under skies like that. You are no less important than any one of those stars, but you are a heck of a lot smaller.  And if I am planning a summer vacation and we are going somewhere away from big cities, I try to plan on being there during the Perseid meteor showers in August.

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Hope you have the time to stay up and watch them next August. 

P.S. That carpet stain removal trick I found on Pinterest the other day......it WORKS! Really well.

Day 42 and the menu for the week......

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French Country Beef Stew

I have managed to grocery shop with a list and have recipes for all the food I will be cooking this week. Phew. It takes some work, but it will save me time during the week when I won't have to think about what to make for dinner every night when I get home.  I am actually getting better at cooking and planning meals.  Who woulda thunk!?  I've spent very little time in the kitchen in my lifetime so far.  My grandma cooked for us and then my mom cooked for us and then I got married and my hubs cooked for us....see the pattern? So now that hubs is working different hours, I'm left to my own devices in the kitchen. And I'm stepping up to the challenge, although I'm trying to find the easiest ways to make things, using my crockpot as much as I can. So the other recipes for this week will be..

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Rich Chicken Stew

and....

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Slow cooker chicken marsala

And just for fun.....some fantasy bedrooms...

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Off to bed, I have a LOT of cooking to do tomorrow. :o)

Day 41 and what I learned on Pinterest

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So I was very good with the diet thingie today....eggs for breakfast, leftover turkey meatloaf for lunch and a peanut butter and jelly on high fiber whole grain bread for dinner with a glass of skim milk.  Now before you jump to conclusions, ;o), it took me over two hours to get home from work this evening so I DID NOT FEEL like cooking anything.  I popped in a load of towels since we are out of clean ones and will need to shower tomorrow morning, and cleaned up my dinner plate and lunch containers so the kitchen is clean. (Thank you Flylady!)  So basically we are ready for the day tomorrow. :o)

So here are some of the exceedingly clever and just plain fun things I found on Pinterest today.

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Pearls always go with everything.

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Brilliant! I REALLY needed this! Don't ask.....

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I've been looking to do something different with the flour, sugar etc, and clear canisters, and this is an AWESOME idea!  :o)

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Words of wisdom.



International Wolf Center Ely, MN  Can't wait to visit again!



One of my favorite places on the planet....Ely, MN.



And one of my favorite ways to travel....

Have a great weekend!

Day 39 and 40 ....and a crock pot

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Crock pot as diet aid? Sure, why not. Crock pot cooking tends to be healthier usually, just by virtue of the fact that you don't need to use a lot of fat or oil, just moisture of some sort.  Of course there are crock pot recipes for everything from mac and cheese to lasagna. Must say I've never tried those, I usually do some form of chicken or soup in my crock pot. Some examples....

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Rich Chicken Stew

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Southwestern Three Bean and Barley Soup

You can add a lot of flavor to your meals without adding too much salt, fat or anything 'bad' for you. Carmelized onions are a great way to enhance flavor and give your dish some color.  So using your crock pot is not only convenient but can also help your waistline.

Some inspiration for finding your waist if you have been estranged from each other for too long...

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and......

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Yeah, I want to be that strong again....SIGH.

And I'm still dreaming about getting away....

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 That seven minute mile starts with a single step....

Day 38 and a sinus headache...

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So today I had a sinus headache so bad I could barely open my eyes this morning. YUCK! With enough drugs, it has gotten better, now it's down to a dull ache. BLAH!

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So I'm remembering how much I miss Siesta Key Crescent Beach in Sarasota, FL.  We lived there for just under four years and I definitely don't want to live there again, but I do miss that beach. SIGH.

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The water is shallower for quite a ways out, making the water temperature similar to a bathtub when the weather is warm.  There is plenty of actual beach as well, and it was sooooooooooo nice to walk up and down the beach.  I was never one for sitting still and frying in the sun, so I spent a LOT of time walking. 

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We spent a quite a few evenings watching the sun set over the water as well.. SIGH. There is just something so soothing about the sea and sand and sun.....

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And no two sunsets were ever alike.....

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My mind is definitely on vacation! :o)

I slept most of the day away, and didn't eat much. I made myself egg salad for dinner, and the leftovers are going with me for lunch tomorrow.  I have sliced carrots and bell pepper with my ranch dressing for snacks. And I'm making turkey meatloaf with potatoes for dinner tomorrow.

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Off to dream of warm sunny beaches.....

Day 37 and desserts

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Flourless Honey Almond Cake


So I did pretty well diet wise today.  I packed snacks for myself and we had a catered lunch at work that consisted of two kinds of salad, grilled chicken with pitas and a yogurt cucumber tomato sauce. Pretty healthy actually. And and apple for an afternoon snack.  For dinner I had leftovers from last night.  But now I'm starting to think about desserts for Valentine's Day....

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Grilled Apples with Cheese and Honey

or .....

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Chocolate Fondue

Yum.

And maybe a few decorations....

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And for some inspiration...a few quotes about love...

"There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved."
- George Sand

 Two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one."
- John Keats

 "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."
- Helen Keller

 Choose Happy.