Monday menus #95

 I spent a gleeful 30 minutes finding and printing the perfect photos for these cute gourd place card holders that  I got from someone on the FB Buy Nothing page:

Will my peeps notice them here?  They make me laugh to see them.

Don't trash all the photos where your kids are acting the fool.  You might use them someday.  Follow me for more decorating tips, ha ha.

Monday - kitchen closed

Tuesday - Chicken Pad Thai {buy groceries, catch up laundry, on call tonight}

Wednesday - Grilled Pork Chop, (freezer) baked sweet potato, (freezer) veggie {thrifting, on call tonight}

Thursday - Pizza Rolls, chopped salad {Happy Birthday, Scout!}

Friday - (crockpot) Pulled Pork, (freezer) corn, rest of the chopped salad {putting up the Christmas tree - no judging, taking myself to a movie}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

Gina

5 thing Friday - enchiladas, Scout, yards, protein, projects

 I'm doing OK with the "cook once, eat twice" method.  Last week I did a couple of small dishes of enchilada casserole using up some corn tortillas, cheese, taco meat, and sauce from the freezer.

These little glass dishes are perfect for that.  They come with lids that snap on, and they are easy to pack in my lunchkit.

This person (Scout) has a birthday coming up next week.  Its been a tough couple of years for him, and though I will miss him terribly,  I feel like I need to encourage him more to find an apartment and make a stab at autonomous living.  I'm going to make him some homemade cookies, buy a birthday gift or two, chat with him again.

I've said it before: parenting adults is hard.

My yards are fully into drought mode, the grass barely growing.  The sprinkler system went kaput and I spent a tiny fraction of time watering them over the summer.  It just seemed so pointless with the triple digit temps.  I read somewhere that we are wasting way too much water on our lawns and we really should be xeriscaping, with native grasses and plants.  There is ONE house on my entire block that has green grass and I imagine they water it often.

I bought some protein snacks at HEB that were buy two, get one free.  I'm actually not a fan of protein added foods - have you ever noticed they have a weird texture?  Its like sawdust is the prime ingredient.  That being said, I have managed to add more protein to my day, and according to the dermatologist, this is key for hair growth.

I got as far as purchasing the weather stripping for a couple of Fall projects - now if I could only get started on them. Procrastination is high at Camp Rustown, motivation is low.  If we could just get some Fall-like weather!

Gina

Monday menus #94

I did get my decal for the Brumate mug: 

And at work someone said "No, you DIDN'T put RT(R)* on it", to which I said "I sure did - its a mug my employer gave me and I use it at work and I worked hard for that RT(R) so don't be a hater". Ha! It was a man who said it, OF COURSE.

Monday - kitchen closed, but I am off today so I will maybe throw a couple of chicken drums in my mini crockpot and go read a book

Tuesday - (freezer) Beef and Black Bean Tacos, onions and peppers

Wednesday - (bagged) Chopped Salad with (freezer) grilled lemon garlic chicken breast strips {a.m. therapy appt., p.m. rescheduled financial appt.}

Thursday - Order out - save 1/2 for a weekend lunch

Friday - (freezer) Coconut Shrimp, (pre-cooked) Mexican Street Corn Rice, rest of the Chopped Salad

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

Gina

*R.T.(R) is a certification for a Registered Radiologic Technologist, which demonstrates a professional's expertise in creating medical images using X-ray technology.  To become an R.T.(R), you must:

• Graduate from an accredited program (mine was an Associate of Applied Science from Austin Community College)
• Pass a certification exam administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
Meet any additional state licensure requirements (register with the Texas Medical Board)

5 thing Friday - hair, eating out vs. cooking, pancakes, Teddy, chai latte

Just a reminder: this is where I am starting out with my hair loss: 

I did see the dermatologist and she took two scalp biopsies which, along with hair loss from stress,  shows a type of problem that will respond to Minoxidil.  (Did you know that Minoxidil is a blood pressure medication?  I did not!)

Since I am already on a BP med, I have to keep better track of my BP and any symptoms that are related, like dizziness.  I'm not going to let this weird me out.  My PCP said we can adjust my BP med.  The dermatologist also suggested deep tissue scalp massage, a red light, and rosemary oil.  As usual, I am on board with trying everything to see if it works.

This reasonably sized lunch was $17(!) and is the conundrum I am having with not wanting to cook.  There's always a trade-off, so I may have to rethink my stance on not cooking. (it was delicious, however!)

Something I will never get tired of is a fresh bed of greens topped with a protein and various veggies, with a squiggle of dressing.  So this will likely be on all of my menus forever.  I usually buy a 2# package of ground beef, make my own taco seasoning, then store it in ziplocs in the freezer.  Easy peasey.

I also mixed up a big batch of pumpkin pancakes this week and froze some in containers for work breakfasts.  I added in egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla protein milk.  They are delightful! Having something good to look forward to eating at work goes a long way on a long shift.

Teddy came to visit.

He alternated between ignoring me, and begging for attention.  His mama gave him a bath before he came over, but little does she know he's been rolling around in the grass and taking naps outside.

Which is OK, because a work friend turned me on to this instant tea and I sip it while he does his thing.  Tis the season for a warm comforting cuppa while you are wrapped in a blanket on the back patio.  I highly recommend!

Gina

Monday menus #93

While I was on my mini-vacay I noticed how terrible my old cheapo men's moccasins looked, with their soles falling apart and zero foot comfort - I could feel every rock I stepped on.  Why should I continue to "make do" with worn out things that don't serve my purpose?

So I ordered myself a new pair of very good quality moccasins, using a discount and getting free shipping.  I love that they aren't lined with sherpa, which makes my feet sweat, and they have fairly rugged soles so I can basically wear them anywhere.  Its not a gift for anything in particular - you don't need an excuse to buy yourself something nice now and again!

Monday - kitchen closed

Tuesday - Taco Bowl (freezer taco meat) {cut out the photinia stump today!}

Wednesday - (freezer) Coconut Shrimp, chopped salad {zoom meeting with therapist}

Thursday - Order out (save 1/2 for a weekend meal) 

Friday - Cheese Enchiladas, rest of the chopped salad {zoom meet with dietician}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

Gina

The Fall Project List

 I feel like its been forever since I took care of a project at Camp Rustown.  I reached a point in the summer where it was just too dang hot and gave myself the grace to take a break on my days off.  But now that the mornings are starting to cool a bit, I am inspired to continue on my list of things for 2024:

*clean the A/C coils

*buff Subie's headlamps

*refill the fire extinguisher

*repair the garage door screen

*weatherstrip the front door

I even have all the tools I need to do this!

back up my computer

*paint the office furniture

*buy a new fridge

*sell the truck and figure out what to do with the Baja

*repair the attic door opening

I won't even tell you how long its been this way

*touch up hall walls and paint ceiling

*frame the bathroom mirror

*install a gasket at the bottom of the bathtub

*powerwash the front steps and drive, as well as back patio

*remove photinia stump

And, make this area look neater

*paint the inside of the garage (with freebie paint)

*2 boxes of mementos and a bugle to mail far away

*replace 2 ceiling fans

*sell items in garage (Uuni, Cricut)

Its likely I will only get a few of these done before the end of the year, but my list is so much shorter now than it was in January!

Gina

Monday menus #92

Saturday was our 39th wedding anniversary. 

On the advice of my therapist, I typed Mark a letter, printed it, added it to my notebook of letters, and went on with my weekend.  Someday I may come across it and read it.  Or maybe I will just throw it away.  Who knows.  Life goes on and so do the weeks.

Monday - kitchen closed

Tuesday - Pasta with Italian Sausage, kale (make a plate for Friday) {buy groceries, work on car files, make a fall projects list}

Wednesday - Burger No Bun, O & P, BBQ beans {telehealth appointment}

Thursday - Greek Chicken Salad {dermatologist appointment}

Friday - Pasta with Italian Sausage, green beans {replace air filters}

Saturday and Sunday - kitchen closed

Gina

5 thing Friday - mug, getaway, wine, pizza, shepherd's hook

The hospital system I work for recently had a cyber attack event (it was in the news) and after a few tense weeks, it was resolved, much to everyone's relief.

In appreciation, they sent everyone one of these insulated mugs.   I ordered a vinyl decal for it from my favorite Etsy lady, but I'm not sure I will take it to work.  I've been on a mission to drink more water, so this might live at my reading chair.  In any case, I would never spend $40+ on a mug for myself, so this is a very nice gift!

Dry cereal makes a good snack to munch while you read, btw.

I took a short-ish trip to the Hill Country for an overnight stay.

A place to relax in peace and quiet.  It was lovely.

I enjoyed a glass of wine* from a winery that Mark and I hadn't gotten around to visit - Sangiovese, his favorite.

I packed my own dinner, which was a great idea as the roads leading out to this place were narrow and winding - at night I would have been lost finding my way back!

Along with just sitting and enjoying solitude, I enjoyed time reading and journaling.  At night I lay on the top of the picnic table staring at the stars.  I had great cell service, so I was even able to attend my telehealth appointment.  Then at 11 a.m. the next day, I headed homeward.

I stopped at a favorite pizza place and may have enjoyed some beer* along with my lunch.

Along with the decal, I'm thinking about ordering this shepherd's hook for a gold chain I already have.  I think it would be a neat way to wear a jumble of gold charms.  I always feel nervous ordering jewelry from Etsy, though.  And for sure, its not something I need, strictly speaking.

All in all, it was a good week.  The break was needed, mornings are cooler, the weekend is here!

Gina

*I think I am officially over wine.  I've noticed that, as I age, it tends to affect my sleep and make me feel dicey the next day.  Really, same with beer. One is nice, two is too much, and I really value my overall health more!