Getting Over Ourselves

My husband and I both think we look much younger than our actual ages. When we see classmates, we snicker when back in the car - "can you believe we went to school together?" "he looks twenty years older than me". 

This week I caught a cold. We have had a number of sick children scattered over past weeks, but this is not a bug they shared. Mine started with a sore throat, not strep or covid, and moved to a sinus infection that knocked me out.  I don't seem to rebound back like I did when I was younger. 

A week ago Friday all the kids got picked up early and hubby decided to show me his knee. A quick trip to urgent care showed that he had a severe case of bursitis which started when he smacked it into something three weeks ago. Of course he waited three weeks to mention it. He is now in the recliner with his leg raised on pillows, alternating ice packs. It is getting better, but he is very frustrated with trying not to bear weight.  And now he has caught my cold. Of course it is much worse than mine because it is a man cold. 

And I can't talk about him because I haven't been to the doctor either. There were two late nights I thought about it, but I find my doctor so frustrating I have decided to weather it out. 

We are feeling our age.  Today, instead of grocery shopping, I clicked a list at our Aldi, drove over and a nice girl put it in my car.  I don't know why I resist this. I was even thinking other shoppers in the lot were looking at me, thinking why can't she go inside and shop for herself? The big baby.  

Tomorrow three out of five of my grandkids schools are closed for a teacher thing. I usually have big plans (I will share this year's edition of Chopped soon). But  I am just worn out.  I have no plans for the kids, no trips planned and told the parents we will not be preparing dinner or sending any food home like usual.  I am just too tired and old. 

Tuesday is yet another election in our state. Actually the first one of 2024.  Last year we had at least three.  I need to be there at 5:00 am because I am on machine set up and I stay until almost 8 pm as I close out the machines (with a member of the opposing party as a teammate).  The good thing is that many in the community have "early voted" so hopefully it won't be the same madhouse as the last election.  

Okay, done whining.  I guess this old lady will fix another cup of tea.  

I forgot to mention my youngest daughter. Put fiancé's house up for sale, sold in 6 days, closed Wednesday and had to be out Friday. Bought the new house on the same time table, moved in on Thursday. Today they took our vehicles to move some things from her house. Once dad is better, he is going to paint and take care of the small things so they can list that too. Wedding countdown is 18 days.  Then it's 4 days until the big eclipse with house guests.  

Recipe Contest

My god-daughter has a beef farm in Wisconsin and sponsors a recipe contest every year.  She provides the recipes and, if you live near her, you can purchase all the meat and some of the specialty items in a package. I had previously shared week 1 and week 2, here are the rest of the recipes. 

Week 6: last night.  We really enjoyed the Pesto Butter Skirt Steak with Crispy Garlic Butter Parmesan Potatoes and Asparagus Spears

Week 5: Beef Shank Asian Lettuce Wraps. Good, but our beef shanks were a little greasy. Where is the lettuce?

My hint to keep grocery prices down is to shop at one store. And this was what lettuce looked like when I was there. The fancy ones were brown and the iceberg was doll sized. 

My husband had his on hamburger buns. 

Week 4: Smothered Italian Sausages. This was another big hit with my husband. 

Week 3: Raspberry Balsamic Pork Roast with Mascarpone Polenta. Well.  First, her package provides the polenta grain from a small farm near her. The only grocery in my small town with polenta was (gasp) (groan) Walmart and all they had was premade polenta in a TUBE. I found directions to make it creamy.  I truly hope this isn't what polenta is supposed to taste like.  I also had to search for mascarpone cheese.   All in all, this was a very expensive dinner and neither of us really cared for it.  But it was pretty on the plate. 

That is the end of the recipes (I had shared 1 & 2 earlier).  Now I have to think of what to have for dinner all by myself! 

When I was going through my food porn, I found a few more pictures. 

A itty bitty village near us has a cafe with new owners. They are the cutest couple, both named Adam, and this is the Tuesday Special, chicken and biscuits. And tea comes with a teapot!  I do lunch once a month with my "glass class" girls, who were in my stained glass classes at the senior center. After covid the classes never resumed. Neither did most of the other classes.  Now they are building a four million dollar senior center with Biden bucks which is requiring a new higher operating levy on our ballot this month. 

I run a diner for grandkids and grampa on weekday mornings. Some teachers hear about the menus and threaten to join us. I took these pictures to stop them in their tracks. As I ran through the choices one morning, these two chose leftover spaghetti from my frig for breakfast. 

This morning we had an inch of snow. Tomorrow we have a forecast in the 60's.  Yes, it's March! 

Missing in Action AGAIN

Still here - somewhere! 

I had some ideas and photos for posts. Maybe someday. 

I am still working on recipe contest entries for the contest for my goddaughter's farm. That might be a post, someday.

Grandkids keep having days off school - we had a cooking contest on President's Day. I took pictures!

The weather has been crazy. Today we were in the high 70's.  Our normal weather would be snow drifts. 

With 38 days before the wedding, the ladies of the family went shopping for a wedding dress - and found a gown on the rack that fit perfectly and doesn't even need a hem (hint: tea length). Today is day 31 days on the countdown.

It's 9 days until they sign papers selling one of their houses and papers buying a house together. Then we get to get the other old house ready to sell. 

Oh, and they have 10 days to move after that.  

During those 10 days we bought tickets to "Beauty and the Beast" at one high school and "Nemo" at another high school. 

Sunday I competed in the preschool's Chili Cook-Off. I did not win. 

Today I "early" voted in our state's primary election and I'm set to work the polls in two weeks. 

My best friend's second mastectomy (after chemo, a mastectomy and reconstruction five years ago) is scheduled tomorrow morning. 

Our small town is one of the best places to witness this very special solar eclipse that is happening on April 8. We have been officially warned about the expected crowds (at this point there is one bar renting parking spaces for the day for $75). And now we have out of town relatives making reservations to park at our house (it's free). My concern is if and when they will be able to depart, lol.  

Tonight I attended a preschool concert and art show. 

Another former co-worker passed away. My friend and neighbor Diane and I are now referring to ourselves as "funeral buddies" since we keep attending visitations and services together. 

Do I sound all over the place? Because I am all over the place!  Maybe I can get my act together soon.  Maybe.  Meanwhile, I enjoy reading everyone's blogs in the evenings.