dfish

Unfortunately, tylenol only upsets my liver enzymes. I'm taking naproxen twice a day. I don't think it is doing anything until I quit taking it. Then I realize how much it was helping. I'm not expecting miracles - I would just like to be able to walk around the block without excruciating pain.

Well, I went out and mowed the lawn this morning. I mowed until the mower ran out of gas. That meant some parts got done twice. I now remember why I was so willing to pay someone else to do it. Sue was going to do it Sunday before she left to go north for deer hunting, but she had a bad migraine. I think I am done with the lawn for the season. I am paralyzed and can barely move. @Denise T I hope the new regimen of meds helps you. Rybelsus has a horrible aftertaste to it and I found it annoying that I had to wait 30 minutes after taking it to have my morning coffee. I switched over to the injections, but may end up back on Rybelsus since the Kardashians need my medication to lose weight. They are having trouble filling it. It does work well for the diabetes. @JazzyV I, too, worry about you on stairs. With the pain you have stairs are dangerous. I sure hope you get some relief soon.

Good morning, everyone! Welcome to the daily @Niagarawine. We hope to hear more from you. @RMLincoln I hope you had a restful night last night and that today's travels go well. @kazu I agree that you should post the link to Jose's bursary. It is extremely well done and a wonderful tribute to Jose. @marshhawk Annie, I agree with @smitty34877 Terry and think you need to check in with your own doctor. My appointment at the Spine and Pain Clinic went as well as can be expected. Since it has been two years since I had the last nerve ablation I have to start from scratch and do PT in order to get insurance to pay for anything. The problem is that someday we'll get the results back on the CT scan I had done last Friday and we will schedule surgery that will interfere with the PT. In the meantime, they did order x-rays of the back and neck. It seems like I am going to sleep every other night. Last night was another night of turning and tossing. I finally fell asleep around 2:00 am and slept until 8:00 am. When I have those nights I always think of @JazzyV and @Cruising-along. The pain clinic suggested I wear a lidocaine patch to bed to help with the hip pain that usually wakes me up at 4:00 am. This morning it didn't wake me up until 8:00 am. Today's meal is a good one to save so you can use up the leftover Thanksgiving turkey. You can also make this with a rotisserie chicken if you want it other times of the year. This first recipe has no soup added to it, so it is a from scratch recipe. And, if you don't like spinach, leave it out. You can also substitute kale. https://www.aheadofthyme.com/turkey-tetrazzini-with-spinach/ This next recipe uses wide egg noodles and white wine along with adding in mushrooms. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/turkey-tetrazzini-with-spinach-and-mushrooms-3568181 This one has a slightly different preparation for the sauce, but equally good, I'm sure. I like the toasted breadcrumbs on the top. https://fabulousfaresisters.com/2018/11/29/turkey-spinach-mushroom-tetrazzini/ I hope this finds you all well. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Good morning, everyone! I slept so much better last night and feel human today. I did wake up around 4:00 am because my right hip was hurting, so I got up and walked it out. I was able to get back to sleep afterwards and slept in quite late. Today I have to deliver the save the date notices for the neighborhood winter party that Sue and I are hosting. Then I have my appointment at the Spine and Pain Clinic. I should have gotten going with them sooner, but the move last year kind of got in the way. Hopefully, we can get back on track. I am overdue for nerve ablation for my stenosis and we have to see if there is something they can do for my neck pain when I walk. The problem there is that all my shock absorbers (discs) are deteriorated. I'm not looking for a surgical solution as the problem is too extensive for surgery. I don't want just pain medication, though. PT never did anything for it either. We were in Isafjordur last summer and went out to the Dynjandi waterfall. I won't post pictures as they would just be repeats of what is there. It was a great visit and the waterfall is amazing. We toured with a small group through Arctic Shorex and our tour guide/driver is also a folksinger and treated us to a song. She also gave us the history of interesting food items like rancid shark meat. She likes it, her grandchildren stick up their nose to it. Today's meal is much nicer than rancid fish. We are well into soup and stew season and this soup would warm you right up! https://www.aheadofthyme.com/healthy-miso-ramen-with-chicken/ This recipe from Food and Wine looks really easy! https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/miso-chicken-ramen I think the flavors in this one would be out of this world. It would probably be worth the work. https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/miso-chicken-katsu-ramen/ @RMLincoln I hope today goes smoothly for you.

Thanks for the update, Melisa! It sounds like things are progressing in a positive direction and that is what we have all been hoping for. I'm glad they have a plan for your DH's pain issue. Sorry about MSU's season, but how about the Lions! Wow, it sounds like a great day for sure! So glad to hear this! I did manage a short nap before my pedicure. I'm tired, but doing ok. I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight!

Good morning, everyone! It is another beautiful day here in mid-Michigan, although very chilly at 28F. It will warm up to the mid 50s. I joined the group of non sleepers last night. It was well after 4 am when I finally fell asleep and then woke up at 7 this morning. Fortunately, I only have a pedicure this afternoon. I'm going to try going back to sleep in a while. Today's meal is great comfort food and would be a great one for leftover Thanksgiving ham. https://www.gritsandpinecones.com/potato-and-ham-au-gratin/ This one isn't true au gratin potatoes, but the potatoes do come in a nice, cheesy sauce. https://www.backtomysouthernroots.com/the-best-cheesy-au-gratin-potatoes-and-ham-recipe/ You can make the au gratin potatoes without the ham for a side dish or with the ham for a main dish. https://www.joyousapron.com/potato-and-ham-au-gratin/ Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Ida, Michigan is a very small town in southeast Michigan. It isn't far from the border with Ohio and the city of Toledo. Here is a picture of the main street. As you can see, not much there. @marshhawk Annie, I hope you are feeling better soon. What a scary experience to have. Glad you are home now, but I'm sorry the cruise was not more enjoyable. @RMLincoln I think I would treat myself to a hotel room tomorrow night. That is what we did when I moved up to Michigan. The movers had the truck loaded by noon and we took off from there. I drove directly to Michigan and Sue and I stayed at the Holiday Inn that night. When we drive by there we always remark that we will never have to stay there again. The incoveniences will be forgotten when you get into your new home and start getting settled. @57redbird I'm so sorry to hear about your pain issues. I hope you can get some relief soon. @Nickelpenny I hope the pain clinic can find you some relief. I have an appointment at the Spine and Pain Clinic on Wednesday. Fingers crossed. @kazu I can't help but think that part of Ivan's recovery is due to his happiness in his new home. I didn't get to mow the lawn today. We had a visit from our pest control company that took up time. We noticed tiny little light brown ants in the kitchen, so called them to come out before their next scheduled visit. Turns out the ants were all over the kitchen and dining room. They are like the ones my dad had in the kitchen and never did anything about. Hopefully the treatment today will take care of them. They are easy to miss unless you have good light and eyesight. So, we'll keep the lights down low when we have company. I did get the flyers made and printed for the winter/holiday party. Since we are hosting, it is our job to make the flyers and distribute them. I'll do that tomorrow morning. This is a save the date flyer. I'll put another one out closer to the party date. Tonight's fun is watching the Holiday Baking Championship with a glass of wine. Yum!

Good morning, everyone! It is a beautiful morning here in mid-Michigan. We have bright sun shiny skies and the temperature is supposed to warm up to the mid to high 50s. That works for me as I have to mow the lawn today. It should be the last mow before winter. Sue has gone north to deer hunting camp. Opening day is Wednesday, but she is taking a few days to visit with friends. I might like the meal today without the carrots. Carolyn @Cruising-along, while it has carrots for you, the coconut would be a no go for you. https://www.aheadofthyme.com/one-pot-coconut-curry-beef-stew/ Here's a version for the slow cooker. That's my way of cooking. Put it on in the morning and come back for dinner. https://www.manilaspoon.com/2014/10/slow-cooker-coconut-curry-beef-stew.html And, if you're getting a late start, there is a recipe for the instant pot. https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-beef-stew-indian-beef-curry/ I hope this finds you all well. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Glad you are home safely, but so sorry about being ill. I hope it didn't last the whole time.

Roy, have a fabulous cruise. I hope you enjoy every second of it!

Good morning, everyone! It is a sun shiny morning here in mid-Michigan, although it is on the chilly side. I had trouble falling asleep last night. It was close to 2:30 am the last time I saw the clock. Nothing on the agenda for today except to mow the lawn. Then, hopefully, we will be done with leaves and lawn for a while. Happy Birthday, Jake @Crazy For Cats! Welcome home @Lady Hudson and @marshhawk. You have both been missed! @RMLincoln The next few days will be very hectic for you. I hope all goes well with the move. @lazey1 I'm sorry to hear about the continuing health issues due to Covid and that you had to cancel your cruise. Get well soon and I hope another cruise is in store for you! @ger_77 have fun planning the cruise with your friends. @StLouisCruisers Happy Birthday to your DS. Bon Voyage to Roy! @rafinmd Today's meal is a great one for a cold winter's night. Or even a chilly autumn evening. It is warm and hearty and just what you want. https://cafedelites.com/ham-potato-soup/ I'm not a ham fan, but I can be enticed now and then. I like the flavor, just not the texture of those grocery store hams that are injected with all kinds of chemicals. It makes them kind of rubbery. I really enjoyed the ham once at a friend's because it was way over done. I liked the burnt pieces the best. This next recipe caught my eye because there is bacon on it. https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/ham-and-potato-soup/ This one is loaded with veggies as well. I do think I would take the time to make the ham broth from the first recipe instead of using chicken broth. https://carlsbadcravings.com/ham-and-potato-soup/ Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Good morning, everyone! It is a bit nippy out this morning and skies are mostly overcast. But, it is supposed to stay dry so Sue and I can do the leaves again. They are mostly coming from the neighbors' trees and being blown over here. The CT went well yesterday. The chalky stuff wasn't all that chalky and didn't even taste that horrible. It isn't something I would choose to drink, but it sure could have been worse. The worst part about it was sitting in the waiting area for two hours. Now we just have to be patient waiting for the results. The hospital administration contracted a new radiology group and it is now taking 7 days minimum to get results back. The doctors are not happy with this. I told the surgeon I was sure this was a financial decision and patient care never entered into the equation. Mac and cheese is not a favorite of mine. I've avoided it since college days when I had too much of it because it was a cheap dinner. At this point, it is way to carb heavy for me, so I'll stick with my lean protein. Now, what might make the mac and cheese better is to throw a little bacon into it. https://www.aheadofthyme.com/stovetop-mac-and-cheese-with-white-cheddar I think the mustard powder in this one would give it some good flavor. https://www.averiecooks.com/20-minute-stovetop-white-cheddar-mac-and-cheese/ If you want to make it a bit healthier you can do what this recipe does: It adds in some cauliflower and spinach. https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/recipes/2016/01/recipe-stovetop-white-cheddar-mac-and-cheese I'm off to blow leaves to the street so the wind can blow them back on the lawn. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Good morning, everyone! It is a beautiful day here in mid-Michigan. I have my CT scan at noon, so nothing to eat and drink, including water and coffee until afterwards. I have to report there at 9:55 am and drink some chalky concoction and then sit for two hours until the scan. I'm sure I'll be pretty grumpy by then. Today's meal is a breakfast dish and it seems like a lot of work for breakfast. It is also very carb heavy, so I'll be passing on it. https://www.spoonforkbacon.com/chipotle-lime-chilaquiles/ It sure looks good, doesn't it? Maybe for a special occasion..... Anne Burrell suggests trying this dish with a spicy Bloody Mary. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/chipotle-chilaquiles-5671005 The chipotle lime crema that comes with this one sounds good. https://soomfoods.com/blogs/recipes/chilaquiles-with-fried-eggs-and-tahini-chipotle-lime-crema Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Good morning, everyone! Today is a nice, sunny day here in mid-Michigan. We have a string of sunny days coming our way. Just what we need to rake the leaves once more. Yesterday's icy rain brought more of the oak leaves down from a neighbor's tree. So, today I am raking leaves in the morning, hair appointment at noon, and then I'm making pecan crusted fish with pecan butter and meuniere sauce. Mmmm @Heartgrove @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I had the same reaction to today's meal when I saw what it was. Not sure I'll ever make it, but it is interesting. If you aren't a fan of butternut squash, it can be made with sweet potatoes. Or any firm squash will do. Some of the recipes are quite interesting and could almost be made into a dessert. That would go nicely with today's drink. I'd like to try today's drink, just for fun. I can't imagine drinking more than one of those! This first recipe calls for caramelized onions and parmesan. Sounds like a winning combination to me! https://www.skinnytaste.com/butternut-squash-galette/ Here's one with goat cheese and sage. https://www.savorysimple.net/butternut-squash-and-goat-cheese-galette/ The bourbon drizzle on this one caught my attention. https://champagne-tastes.com/butternut-squash-galette/ Here's one with bacon and parmesan. https://whiteonricecouple.com/butternut-squash-bacon-galette/ I'm sure you can find other varieties of this dish. Or make up your own! Wishing you all a wonderful day!

That might be the same recipe. It was sweet and these days I don't tolerate sweet so much. I tend to go towards savory. This comes very close. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/tangy-sweet-and-sour-meatballs/ You can do this with chicken chunks as well.

Good morning, everyone. It is a cold rainy day here in mid-Michigan. I think I spoke too soon concerning the leaves because the back yard looks like we didn't touch it yesterday. The leaves are coming from a neighbor's oak tree. So, tomorrow we will go out again, once it stops raining. Otherwise, nothing on the agenda today except grocery shopping. Today's meal reminds me of a dish we used to make when I was in college and sharing an apartment with three other women. It was sweet and sour meatballs and had big chunks of pineapple and bell pepper in it. It would be too sweet for me today, but I did enjoy it then. This first recipe uses ground chicken, but I'm sure ground turkey would work just as well. https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/honey-garlic-meatballs/ This next recipe uses ground beef. https://www.aheadofthyme.com/sticky-honey-garlic-meatballs/ This one uses a mixture of ground beef and pork. Pork helps sweeten the meatball a bit. https://www.theendlessmeal.com/honey-garlic-meatballs/ I hope there is one recipe that sparks some interest! Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Vanessa, I am so glad you had a few hours without pain. I hope this is a trend for you! @rafinmd Enjoy the trip! I'd like to do a train trip sometime. @aliaschief Welcome home! @Cruising-along enjoy the overnights with the boys. My Zoom meeting this morning was cancelled so that meant I could go outside and do leaves - again. We got the whole backyard done and I also did the front yard. I think we're nearing the end of leaves because the big oak tree is almost bare and that is what has been coming down lately. Cross your fingers everyone!

Good morning, everyone! It is a chilly start to the day here in mid-Michigan. Yesterday's rain and wind brought down tons of leaves and the whole yard needs to be done again. I think that is a daily occurrence for now. We are going to vote this morning and then I have a zoom meeting. Later, a neighbor is coming for coffee and to plan the winter neighborhood party. We are hosting this year. @StLouisCruisers Great news about Scott and I'm sure Susan is greatly relieved. @RMLincoln Thinking of you as you go through the move. It is a lot of work, but well worth it in the end. @smitty34877 I wonder about the Social Worker as well. I hope the doctors aren't passing @JazzyV Vanessa off as one who is making things up. Too often when they can't find the cause they assume the patient is having mental health issues. Back when I had the severe pain in my side one doctor said to me, "I don't think you're crazy. You don't appear to be to me." Thank you for your comments about River. We had made it clear to her that she is welcome here anytime. Unfortunately, at age six she has so little control over her environment. Today's meal sounds really good to me. Feel free to use any part of the chicken that you enjoy. I don't care for thighs and would probably use breasts. You can also augment with any vegetable you like. This first recipe calls for carrots, but I would use broccoli or brussels sprouts. https://www.aheadofthyme.com/skillet-chicken-thighs-and-potatoes/ This one has a honey garlic sauce for the chicken and potatoes and sounds yummy to me! https://wholeandheavenlyoven.com/2018/01/22/skillet-honey-garlic-chicken-thighs-roast-potatoes/ Ina Garten uses a little white wine in her sauce. I bet it is really good! https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/skillet-roasted-chicken-and-potatoes-11887246

@Quartzsite Cruiser Wow! The new motorhome will have you traveling in style! It is gorgeous! @StLouisCruisers Elliot Rose is adorable Thank you to all who mentioned our concern for River. We do know that Children's Protective Services have been called numerous times about the situation, but nothing has happened. The step father's own mother called them once. He is the one we worry about the most. We do listen carefully to everything River says and we check her every time we get her for bruises or marks. I know her other grandma does the same.

Wishing you a wonderful time, Roy. I'm so excited for you!

Good morning, everyone! It is a gray and gloomy start to the day today here in mid-Michigan. It was raining earlier and may rain again this morning. I'm glad I got those leaves done yesterday. It is so quiet here without River. When they got close to her house yesterday she told Sue she wished she didn't have to go back there. It hurts to hear that from her and know that legally we can't do anything except be watchful. Today's meal sounds good to me as I like butternut squash, but it is way to carb heavy, so I'll pass. I will probably pull some chili out of the freezer for tonight. https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/butternut-squash-pasta-carbonara/ The recipes are pretty similar, just some modifications to the seasonings. https://www.aheadofthyme.com/winter-squash-carbonara-pasta/ You can add in some vegetables of your choice to cut the carbs a bit. https://litecravings.com/butternut-squash-carbonara-with-bacon-and-sage/ Wishing you all a wonderful day!

@StLouisCruisers I am so sorry to hear of Mark's passing. My condolences to your friend, Susan, and her family. @SanDiegan Welcome and hope we hear more from you!

What a shame, but you'll have a blast with the family. I think we're having white chicken chili this week sometime. I made the cider braised chicken Friday night and it got rave reviews. My DSIL declared it the best dish I have made. I don't usually look for fabric unless I have a specific project in mind. It is a dangerous, slippery slope when you collect fabric from every shop you encounter! I know people who have entire rooms dedicated to their fabric stash and then some. Someday, someone will have to clean all that out. Time for lunch. I just finished the leaves for today. They'll need to be done again tomorrow.

Good morning, everyone! It is currently a chilly 33F but we are supposed to have mostly sunny skies today and a high of 51F. River is protesting having to go home today. She says she wants to stay here for a year. We will have her back for Thanksgiving. Thanks @StLouisCruisers and @GTVCRUISER for your pictures of Kona. That is one of the stops on our Hawaii cruise next February and Sue and I are so excited. Today's meal is a good one for watching football. I might try one of these recipes this week. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/white-chicken-chili-recipe-1922199 I like the looks of this one because of the lime on top. https://www.cookingclassy.com/white-chicken-chili/ Here is a crock pot (slow cooker) version. Put it on in the morning and it is ready at dinner time. https://www.thechunkychef.com/slow-cooker-creamy-white-chicken-chili/ Wishing you all a wonderful day!