Category: HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

One week into fall and I’m loving it!! Much cooler evenings and early mornings, slight breezes and mellow temperatures midday. I hope you had a wonderful week/end. Ours was FULL, but also quiet. I spent most of Saturday baking for a friend’s birthday surprise yesterday as well as getting caught up on some picture editing and organizing.

YAY! We’re getting a bit more rain today! We have needed it so badly, but what really excites me is the fall temperatures that have come along with this storm! The flip flops have essentially been put away and I’m back to my “normal” wear of Levis, tanks and comfy plaids with tennies. I don’t even believe the 80’s predicted for Saturday and Sunday – they’ll only last an hour or so IF they happen at all.

Do you remember the subtitle on my blog? Let me refresh your memory IT IS WHAT IT IS! I bring this up because I met with the new specialist last Friday and while he made me feel better that I am doing things the best way as they can be done, the overall prognosis is just that IT IS WHAT IT IS!!

There are no miracles lurking in the background and there are no magical pills that will return things to the way they were before they surgically removed my stomach…IT IS WHAT IT IS!! There are no special or magical diets, foods or even combinations of the above that work automatically. Everybody is different!  What works for one person doesn’t automatically work for another person and because I have ALL the side effects it adds a layer of complications that aren’t normally experienced.

He did have a few small suggestions that I’m trying and I loved his holistic approach. He agreed with me that we’re just not there yet that I need to consider yet another life changing surgery like the endocrinologist had suggested. So we’ll try his little tweaks and wait to see in a few months.

For now though breakfast will still be good old hot water and baby food squeezes or yogurts until after our trip and then I’ll start some morning and lunch experimentation like he suggests.

Bottom line is that removing my stomach came with potential side effects. These worst of these side effects are on opposite ends of a spectrum as well as in the middle. Unfortunately, I was destined to receive them all! And also unfortunately, learning to balance between the 2 extremes will be my challenge for the rest of my life.

I’m between reads and working on some audible downloads for our trip.

The sunsets lately have been incredible. I haven’t even had to leave the front porch!

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon. I’m doing the next 2 weeks to lead up up to our trip and using the freezer and pantry staples.

• STRAWBERRY CAKE
• SPINACH ARTICHOKE CHICKEN
• RANCH CHICKEN QUESADILLA FOLD OVERS aka STACKED TACOS
  
• PLAIN ‘OL PUMPKIN SPICED DUMP CAKE
  

• BROWN BAG APPLE PIE
• AVOCADO PEACH CHICKEN SALAD
• APPLE SALAD with LEMON HONEY VINAIGRETTE

• CHICKEN DIVAN aka CHICKEN DIVINE
• POPCORN RANCH BAKED CHICKEN
• ENCHILADA MEATBALLS, RE-FRIED BEANS & TEX MEX RICE

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Mine was quiet. I got my flu vaccine on Saturday morning and felt a bit puny after so napped, relaxed and watched NASCAR Saturday and football Sunday. I’m jumping right in as I have a busy morning to catch up on what I didn’t get done over the weekend.

Up here in the Pacific North West we are known for being green and generally wet. The past town summers have been EXTREMELY dry. The ponds near the house are even all but dried up because it’s been so dry. The last significant rain we got was in April and even then it was unusually low. Even wildlife is struggling. That was the bad news. The good news we are finally supposed to start getting some rain along with much cooler temperatures!!! Significant rain at that. So, cross your fingers!! I’m praying this means that fall is here and our rain patterns are returning to normal.

The update on the medical situation is NOT good. I’ve been waiting 3 weeks for a callback to schedule the appointment with the Chronic Care Manager. Last week when I was in town I PHYSICALLY went in to ask what was going on. The receptionist was quite curt bordering on rude and said “you just called this morning”. That was not true. The doctor referred me on August 23rd. I called on August 27th and then again on September 7th – reasonable amounts of time. According to the receptionist I called at 8:37 on the 9th which I did not. I suggested that maybe that note was put on my record accidentally. She said their records are EXACT. I said well so is my phone and I pulled up the calls showing her that I had not called since Tuesday. She just tsked her tongue.

I’m left feeling that my medical facility is not doing things correctly and that perhaps even my medical records have been compromised??

I was finally called back late Friday and told that she will be out for an “indefinite” time due to COVID and that I would have to wait for her return. Honestly, they should have called me to begin with!!!

The entire facility is having a COVID crisis so I wasn’t actually anxious to go in there to begin with, but when I was told I would have to “wait” I just about lost it. She is the only one available in this area. I hope she is better soon, but I shouldn’t have to ask for a referral elsewhere for a life threatening issue, it should be offered.

Now I’m waiting for a referral to another town that is either an hour or 2 hours away depending on which direction is available. I will be following up on this later today, tomorrow and the next day and the day after that until I can receive the help I need.

All this was my long winded way of releasing the tension and to say that I’ll be having hot water and yogurt again this morning 😀

The book I was reading last week and said I probably wouldn’t continue the series with got better. So I’m now reading book #2 in the series of Magnolia Inn by Anne Marie Meyer.

I didn’t take many pictures last week, but the black eyed Susan’s are looking pretty good.

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

• RUSTIC TOMATO CHICKEN SAUSAGE RAGU
• PAN SEARED CHICKEN with RUSTIC TOMATO HERB PAN SAUCE
• P3 #2 PINEAPPLE PUMPKIN PECAN DUMP CAKE

• 49ER CHILI & CHILI DOG CASSEROLE
• CHICKEN IN LEMON WINE SAUCE
• GARLICKY SHEPHERD’S PIE
  

• GREAT GRANS CHICKEN & NOODLES

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I hope you are having a nice relaxing holiday weekend. Mine has been laid back and quiet since Friday which was just the opposite – SUPER productive. We’re still waiting on the new washer so went to the laundromat on Friday, did the grocery shopping and several errands like COSTCO, Walmart and Walgreens.

We watched the NASCAR races, a few movies and I did some recipe research. I also did a little organizing.

I have a “RECIPE” blog, Savory Kitchen Table which is NOTHING but recipes. Yet, I find I’ve been getting away from my normal journaling here and posting mainly just recipes for quite some time now.

I know there has been a tone going on, but I’m trying to find ways to help motivate me back into “regular” blogging. Maybe do up some journaling prompts for BLOGTOBER, BLOGEMBER? Definitely BLOGMAS!!

It is still super smokey – so much so that it has become part of the daily forecast – hazy to patchy smoke! It has been cooling off quite nicely at night and we only have a couple days in the 90’s this week. But my daily walks have taken a hit because of the smoke!

Unfortunately I’m still waiting (it’s been 2 weeks so far) to hear from the Chronic Care Manager about making my appointment 🙁 2 weeks ago my doctor said if I hadn’t heard from them by Friday to call in. When I did I was told to be more patient. So I waited a second week.

I have so much respect and care a lot about what frontline workers are going through, but… I have to complain slightly.  When I was in the office waiting room 2 weeks ago today I repeatedly heard the 2 receptionists put all the incoming calls on hold and then spend precious minutes “bitching” to each other about how overworked they are because so and so couldn’t be bothered to come to work , or because so and so now has COVID because they went to a party or how too many people were calling in and asking stupid questions…

I have no doubt that they are doing double duty, BUT 2 things bother me.

• 1) that is not a conversation that should take place “front of the house” where patients can overhear them while they are in the waiting room AND
• 2) they were on the clock! They should have been handling the calls that they put on hold NOT gossiping and complaining out in the front office for all to hear.
  

I’m told there is not enough office staff to deal with scheduling due to a COVID outbreak in the facility. I’m not anxious to visit the facility either, but do need to get a handle on my health issues soon. So since today is a holiday I will wait until tomorrow, but will be calling and being a bit more insistent on getting an appointment. I’m not trying to be insensitive, but I need help! Even if the referral needs to be to another city.

So, for now breakfast is still super simple – mixed berry yogurt and hot water.

I’ve been falling asleep quickly without getting much reading done – seems like I have to reread the same page each night to remember where I was the night before 😀 I’m trying to get through Magnolia Inn by Anne Marie Meyer. I like the story premise and will finish this book, but am not thrilled with the author as a word smith so will probably not continue with the series 🙁 unless something drastically changes.

The smoke from wild fires has been so bad this week I didn’t get many pictures. We did TRY and take a walk around the pond on Saturday, but the smoke was so thick and beginning to give us scratchy throats so we turned back, but I did get a couple pictures.

This one was from a #LumberTrain a couple weeks ago #RailArt I think they ran out of time though – I assume it was supposed to be a cherry bomb, but the cherry is still white instead of red

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

• CHICKEN & WILD RICE CASSEROLE
• PAN SEARED BLACKENED ROCKFISH (RED SNAPPER) with LEMON THYME SAUCE
  

• BROKEN SKILLET LASAGNA
• HAWAIIAN STIR FRY PINEAPPLE BOATS
• CARROT COINS
  

• RUSTIC TOMATO CHICKEN SAUSAGE RAGU
• P3 #2 PUMPKIN PINEAPPLE PECAN DUMP CAKE
  
• PAN SEARED CHICKEN with RUSTIC TOMATO HERB PAN SAUCE
• RUM RAISIN CARROT CAKE with CREAM CHEESE ICING

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

There are so many things going on in this world right now. I’m praying for Afghanistan and an end to senseless violence, COVID and for all those in Hurricane Ida’s path, especially those that decided to stay. Our family that lives in a small town between New Orleans and Baton Rouge decided last minute to evacuate and spent 14 hours making a “7” hour trip to Houston. So at least they are safe. Extremely tired, but safe.

I had an appointment with my doctor last week about all the problems I’m having keeping everything regulated. The endocrinologist is looking at worst case scenario of removing my pancreas, but I AM NOT THERE YET!!! There are too many complications with that scenario. My regular doctor is setting me up with a Chronic Care Manager and we’re going to try a 3 month change of medication and lifestyle to see if we can get anywhere close to normal.

Can you believe it’s almost September? My favorite month and season are on the horizon! 😀 YAY!!!!! I’m just going to jump in to Happy Homemaker Monday.

I really can’t complain about the temperatures. We’ve been having wonderful breezes and cooler temperatures making for a lovely August. I just wish the air quality was better.

Hot water and baby food squeeze

I’m still working on Magnolia Inn by Anne Marie Meyer

We tried to take a hike on Saturday, but the closer we got to our destination, the worse the smoke got so we turned around and headed home a different route to do some antiquing instead. Along the way we found this guy who used to have just a dinosaur on the corner had increased his metal art pieces significantly! The orange hue from the smoke only enhances the work on these #MetalArt pieces.

I was proofreading my post when I realized I put up next week’s menu. I was going to delete it all and start again and then just decided to do 2 weeks worth instead 😀 Even if I can’t eat it all, I like preparing it for my family!

• CARROT COINS
• POPPY SEED DRESSING
• PICKLED CARROTS
• GRILLED OR OVEN ROASTED BROWN SUGAR RUBBED TRI-TIP

• BAKED GENRAL TSO’s CHICKEN 
• MACARONI POTATO SALAD
• PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE with PINK PEPPERCORN CARAMEL 
  

• PAN SEARED BLACKENED ROCK FISH
• CHICKEN & WILD RICE CASSEROLE

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I hope that as we begin this last week of August and edge towards September and the Fall season that you are all enjoying the end of summer as you start thinking about your kids returning to school, cooler and crisper weather and Pumpkin spice beginning to fill the air.

We had a great week away at the beach, but I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen midway through Monday. We were almost to our destination, but in the middle of nowhere, when I had an episode of Long QT syndrome, food poisoning, reactive hypoglycemia or ???? and I was down for the count. When I came to I had a very scared husband! Fortunately hubby was driving when it happened. I hate scaring hubby to death, but unfortunately I did it again. He doesn’t do well with not having control (neither do I), but it’s doubly scary when neither of us has control.

When I came to I realized, well I’m not sure what I realized entirely except that our final destination for a place to land long term NEEDS to be someplace with much better and much more medical care than is available here. I need to be back with doctors that are better versed in my needs. The medical professionals here keep leaving and that leaves those left behind strained on patient overload – not enough time in a day to see to all the patients in need. It was like that even before the pandemic.

Checking in to our hotel was a bit strained too as someone had canceled our upgrades and downgraded our room at an increased price though! After working that out and FINALLY getting settled in we ordered in some dinner and relaxed listening to the waves. By Tuesday morning I felt much better and we began to tackle nature on our terms. 😀 and had a great week.

It was a nice break and wonderful anniversary gift to ourselves, but this week is back to the day to day life.

It is supposed to be rather mild and actually nice this week. I’m really looking forward to it.

Hot water and peach yogurt

I started a book, The Magnolia Inn by Anne-Marie Meyer, but didn’t get very far as the waves were lulling me to sleep each night before I could read very far.

There are sooooo many favorites from last week! You can see almost all of them on my InstaGram.  I hope to finish editing and posting later today. I’ll leave you with just this one of Yaquina Head Lighthouse for now and to see the beach was a welcome change this past week for so many reasons.

AND A KITCHEN FUNNY 😀

• MEXICAN STREET CORN LOADED TOTS
• MAGIC COBBLER aka FLOATING FRUIT CAKE
• PRETZEL CRUSTED CHICKEN

• BLUEBERRY LEMON or LIME CURD MUFFINS
• CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN with GRIDDLE POTATO LATKE and GREEN CHILE GRAVY
  
• PEANUT BUTTER CRINKLE COOKIES

• PICKLED CARROTS
• POPPY SEED DRESSING
• BAKED GENERAL TSO CHICKEN
• BROWN SUGAR RUBBED TRI-TIP

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

With the craziness of the world around us we did cancel our BIG trip that was supposed to begin this week. Our BIG anniver sary will still happen this week though so we were able to find lodging at the coast this week that is reasonably priced, will allow us to be beach bums for a few days while still avoiding crowds and enjoying the surf, sun, cooler temperatures and lack of the heavy smoke in the air that we have been tortured with the last couple weeks. I stocked up on snacks and such so we can be self sufficient. 😀

We weren’t sure yet on Friday if we were going to be able to go though. On Thursday afternoon while I was running errands I stopped at one place, turned off the car and removed the key. Attached to the key was the ENTIRE ignition switch! I was able to put it back in and start the car (SURPRISINGLY). When we went to the mechanic Friday morning (thankfully he was able to fit us in) the part wasn’t available 🙁 He eventually found it and told us to come back around 4PM. By 530PM we were on our way thankfully. $300 poorer, but on our way.

It’s already warmer here right this minutes than it is going to be at the beach all week! I’m going to be in heaven. We’re so looking forward to this trip. 😀 The lows are in line with each other, but the highs will be heavenly at the beach!

Hot water and apricot carrot pineapple baby food squeeze

I have several books loaded and hope to get a lot of reading done this week.

I did get quite a few #RailArt pictures of the #LumberTrain this week, but have yet to finish editing them. I did especially like this #CherryBomb one

• CHICKEN YAKITORI
• CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN & GREEN CHILE GRAVY
• HONEY BOURBON PECAN CHICKEN
• PEANUT CHICKEN RAMEN & PEANUT CHICKEN SALAD
• HASH BROWN TOPPED MEATLOAF

• PRETZEL CRUSTED CHICKEN & BEER CHEESE SAUCE
• LOADED MEXICAN STREET CORN TOTS
  
• MAGIC COBBLER aka FLOATING FRUIT CAKE 

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I can’t believe it’s another Monday already. Where did last week go? It was a great week – very productive in many ways. I hope it was a great week for you too!

Besides my normal list I cleaned out and sorted several desk drawers of small bits and pieces and a bedroom closet while looking for something, so it was time consuming, but productive 😀

Due to the current “climate” in the country due to COVID, wild fires etc… AND the sky rocketing gasoline and lodging prices we’re rethinking our trip for this month and instead opted for a few days at the coast to recharge and refresh in cooler temperatures for our BIG anniversary. We’ll take the other trip in September or October.

I’m jumping right in this week in hopes of this week being as productive as last.

The weekend weather wasn’t bad at all, Sunday was especially nice, but we’re inching back into triple digits this week with a little higher humidity and still have smoke in the air. 🙁

Hot water and peach yogurt

I started Heather Webber’s The Lights of Sugar Berry Cove

We went to the local county fair last Friday – not bad for being thrown together last minute (they just weren’t sure they were going to do it right up until the last minute this year).

There were certainly fewer of everything – exhibits, animals, vendors…, but what was there was quite good.

One of my favorites was this 4 Her and Future Farmer of America, Sylvia and her twin goats, Kandy Korn and Kettle Korn – she’s holding Kettle Korn. Kandy Korn is brown with black markings and wouldn’t stand still enough for a good picture.

The baby goats were probably my all time favorites. This little guy who decided the food bowl was the best place to sleep was adorable.

But, the cows, horses and pigs were pretty cute too!

I also finished one of my paintings from last week, but think I used too much sparkle in the sand so am rethinking it a little bit and will do some muted touch ups.

• BLUEBERRY LEMON or LIME CURD MUFFINS
• CRUST LESS APPLE PIE
• PINEAPPLE CHERRY CRUMBLE
• KANSAS CITY BBQ RUBBED PORK CHOPS

• PEA & BACON SALAD
• BARNYARD PIE
• DR PEPPER BBQ CARAMEL CHICKEN
  

• HONEY BOURBON PECAN CHICKEN
• HASH BROWN TOPPED MEATLOAF
• PEANUT CHICKEN RAMEN
• GREEN CHILE GRAVY
• MAGIC COBBLER – updated FLOATING FRUIT CAKE
  
• CHICKEN YAKITORI

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I hope you have all had a wonderful weekend. Ours was good and quiet. With the excessive heat we have been staying in doors a bit more and watching movies, catching up on some reading and even beginning a couple new paintings. They both need a lot of finishing, beach grass for the beach scene and big sunflowers in front of the barn, small weedy flowers around the barn and the woodwork on the barn itself, but at least the basics are on the canvases. I was hoping to finish one of them last night, but a reaction stole my time. Have I mentioned how much I hate having reactions?

We’re still in the mid 90’s and have been having less wind and higher humidity – both of which are good for the firefighters, but lousy for the rest of us.

I’ve been having way too many reactions and setbacks with the stomach /sugar issues. I’m still hopeful that they regulate themselves, but also realistic that it may never happen 🙁

So, once again it’s hot water and yogurt.

I started Heather Webber’s The Lights of Sugar Berry Cove

We walked around the pond the other day while it was still early and not too horribly hot yet. There was plenty of wildlife despite the pond level being seriously depleted by the drought 🙁 The geese were amazing though giving me a great show.

We encountered this guy, who I named Wilbur, that for some reason was a couple hundred feet from where he should be and headed away from the water. Not sure how he ended up there, but he had a boo boo on his back and was stuck in the brush so hubby picked him up and got him back near the pond. Wilbur was so thrilled to be back in the water!

• BROKEN SKILLET LASAGNA
• GRILLED SPICY LIME PORK CHOPS
• SPICY SOUR CREAM CUCUMBERS

• MACARONI POTATO SALAD
• LEMON THYME CHICKEN
• BROKEN SKILLET LASAGNA
  

• CRUSTLESS APPLE PIE
• BARNYARD PIE
• BLUEBERRY LEMON or LIME CURD MUFFINS
• PINEAPPLE CHERRY CRUMBLE