Third Quarter Posts: July 1-September 30.

KonaKat

Now, a tidbit from Facebook:

What's for dinner tonight? If you're like most people it's....leftovers!
That’s according to a study by the Food Marketing Institute. In fact, on any given night, 58% percent of us are having leftovers. And nearly half the time, the leftovers are from a home-cooked meal – which tends to be healthier than restaurant meals.

mdubbs1

Luckily I have small peanut butter packets here from minimus.biz so no trouble having an apple with calorie controlled peanut butter. For dinner I had the LC shrimp and pasta and a huge plate of vegetables!

KonaKat

Cold again this morning. It was 43 when I got up at my humble abode at 6am. It is now officially 48 at almost 8am according to the Weather Channel. I have my faux fur lined booties on and a wrap. I refuse to turn on the heat this early, although many have.

I had the Kellogg's flatbread egg sandwich for breakfast. I only work a half day today.

mdubbs1

I wish I could convince DH that we should be able to go several months a year (some spring; some fall) with no a/c or heat. I think it's plausible and would save a ton of money but it's a non starter. Of course guess who pays the BGE bill? LOL!

I've been losing a lot of sleep over some CROM issues. I need to develop a "what will be will be" attitude.

Helene610

Maybe you could agree on a temperature where the heat/cooling will kick in. At this time of year, if you set the thermostat at 65, it probably wouldn't actually turn on that many days. If you have a cool night, it would turn on but it probably would shut down during the day. Ask him to try this for 30 days and see if you save some money. If he's comfortable and saves money, he should be a happy camper.

Today is our 43rd anniversary. It's hard to believe it's that many years. We went out to lunch yesterday and did a lot of shopping. Today I'm starting my chia seed pudding experiment. I made the ginger't taste the black beans fig version and had it for breakfast. I couldn't taste the black beans at all. The ginger fig came through. It wasn't bad. I ate it room temperature but I think I'll try chilling it next time. I didn't want to wait that long for breakfast.

mdubbs1

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HELENE (AND DH OF COURSE)!!!

mdubbs1

I'd be happy if we could keep the thermostat at 70 degrees. Usually what I do is turn the heat down when he goes to bed and then not turn it up again until he comes home from work. Him going part-time has put a crimp in that money saving plan.

The pudding sounds like an interesting experiment.

I got wrapped up in a cat rescue issue and missed breakfast. Even though I had lunch I'm starving. I know better than to miss breakfast!

Helene610

Thanks for the anniversary wishes. I think you are around that number of years as well as I recall.

Not skipping meals is one things I learned from NS. I also try not to space them out too far. Sorry you had a rescue emergency. I can see how that would mess up your meal schedule. How did the rescue turn out? I've had meal number 2 of the chia pudding and this time I tried it warm. I liked it better than room temperature. Plus I forgot to add the shredded coconut topping to the pudding the first time around. The coconut added more texture; thus more interest. I think I'll split the evening serving into two portions and use half later in the evening so I don't get hungry and get tempted to snack on something. It's been filling so far but I don't know if it would last until bedtime if I do it as a single serving. I'd probably have to make a serving in advanced if I ever want to try it chilled. I don't have enough patience to wait for it to chill otherwise.
Part of the program is one cup of coffee per day. I'm okay with that. I usually have 2 at breakfast but cutting out the second cup is no big think. The book gives a recipe for a chai like tea made with white tea, cardamon and blackstrap molasses. I was all set to make it until I realized I have no molasses wither. I need more bananas for the pudding so I'll pick up both at the store tonight.

KonaKat

Helene--Happy Anniversary. One cup of coffee a day? Not for me!!! Some tea has more caffeine than coffee. Good luck on the program.

Maryanne--I went almost a month without heat when the heat part of the HVAC died. I had a space heater that I used near me until I went to bed which was piled with blankets and throws. I think it was early March when the new HVAC was installed last year.

I'm off to bed. I have to be at work at 7:30 which is the time I normally leave the house.

mdubbs1

Yep, DH and I had our 42nd anniversary this year (we got married in August 1973).

Missing breakfast yesterday was such a mistake. I was not only hungry in mid day but all day.

I would love it to be COLD at night so I could cuddle up under blankets. DH keeps the house so warm I sleep under a jersey sheet at most in the winter. Not only is the heat expensive but I find it's harder to sleep. And everything I read says the same thing.

The rescue emergency wasn't a cat. We've got several other things going on all at once that are stressing me out. Our vet who has had adoption cages for our cats in her hospital for years and years sent me this cryptic email and wants to meet with me in person tomorrow. We've been wracking our brains to try to decode the email to be prepared for the meeting. Plus there's been an issue with the new printer and the raffle tickets. Plus the woman who's been the most active in doing actual rescues (to the point that funding her adventures has kept has very busy fund raising) suddenly announced her retirement. So for many reasons it appears we will be reinventing ourselves somewhat and we've been brainstorming about all of it.

I'd better get in gear here and get some breakfast before the phone starts ringing!

Helene - your food experiment is interesting for sure!

Helene610

I just discovered why I had hunger yesterday. I was re-reading the pudding recipe to make sure I hadn't left any ingredients out. It called for 2 T of chia seeds and I made yesterday's pudding with only 1 T. I made it correctly. I couldn't believe how much thicker it is today. Perhaps I can make 3 meals today without having to add a dinner. We'll see what happens.

KonaKat

Maryanne--Reinventing the cat rescue program will be a challenge. I hope the vet continues to keep cages to promote adoption. 42 years of marriage is quite an achievement I today's society.

Helene--I certainly hope your experiment works for you.

I went to work today, but came home at 11am. The water systems that supply two elementary schools broke down. One school could not get water to flush toilets. The other could but the school was supplying bottled drinking water. Because the one school was completely affected, they had to send everyone home as the busses carry students from all the schools.

Helene610

I hope you get paid for the whole day. It's not your fault their water system failed. The amount of fullness I fell after a pudding serving is so much more than yesterday. I'm also drinking a their cup of the chai tea. I tweaked that a bit from yesterday and I liked it more. I heated the water longer, left the tea bag in longer and added the molasses and cardamon while the water was still pretty hot.

KonaKat

Helene--I think I would pass on the tea. The only tea I ever could drink and in limited amounts was Russian tea.

People around here have had great success with the 21 Day Fix program.

Helene610

I made it through the 3 meals today of just pudding; two day to go! When made correctly, it stuck with me longer. Two days down; two to go. It feels weird not to log my meals after so many days of doing it. This plan tells you not to try to figure out the calorie count because all calories are not equal. The health benefits (according to the author) of beans, legumes and anti-inflammatory foods is not the same as a food with the same calorie count but loaded with sugar and preservatives. For many years, I never tracked a calorie so this is kind of like going back to my normal, except it's cleaner eating than I'm used to.

Helene610

I spent the morning getting my nails done. I did pudding for breakfast but I was too rushed for time to make the noon portion. I had a LC black box fish dinner instead. I have to say all of the black books dinners have been very tasty.

KonaKat

Helene--Have you taken a sneak peak at the scales? I agree the LC black box dinners appear to be very good, but that is based upon having just two.

Tomorrow, I will have worked five days this week...an unusual week but sometimes it happens like that with some weeks having little work as a sub.

mdubbs1

The black box chicken fried rice was okay but not outstanding. First one so far.....

Helene610

I did hop on the scale today and I was on the same number I started on. That's normal for me. I normally stay at one weight and then drop down whatever number of pounds I lose about a week later. I started this on Tuesday so next Tuesday is when I'll probably see how it worked.

The black box mac and cheese was my favorite. I liked the butternut squash and the chicken pecan as well.

KonaKat

Helene--I'll be looking for the chicken pecan. I'm not a mac and cheese fan; it doesn't satisfy me regardless of brand, etc.

Maryanne--Thanks for the input on the black box chicken fried rice. One not to try unless others are limited.

I had the NS oatmeal cranberry bites for breakfast. I'm subbing at an elementary school and have early morning duty so there is no time for a leisurely breakfast.

mdubbs1

Helene - I saw a huge display of chia seeds at the grocery store yesterday and thought of you! I've got the black box mac n cheese and the chicken pecan here to try. Just haven't been "in the mood" yet.

Not sure what I'll have for breakfast. I have not yet started the daily spreadsheets back up. Winging it each meal but staying within a basic structure. That will work for awhile at my current weight.

I rewatched the show last night about the British man who weighed 765 pounds. Instead of focusing on the story I kept thinking "what happened to his 2 cats when they took him off to the hospital for surgery"? There is an update show on that I also dvr'd last night. Apparently he loses all kinds of weight and falls in love. I think it said in Massachusetts. So somehow he must have gotten to the US. (Again, where are his cats? Not that I have a one track mind or anything).

What is amazing in that show is (1) the British medical system paid for all his care including workers who washed him 4 times a day, (2) the lengths they had to go through to get him to the hospital, (3) the lengths they had to go to to support the hospital floors to hold up to his weight, and (4) the lengths they had to go to to accommodate him in the surgical suite.

mdubbs1

Sometimes you just have to laugh at companies. The Smart Ones scrambled eggs and hash browns used to come in a 2-compartment tray. The directions said stir the eggs and hash browns separately which made sense. Now they come all mixed up in a one compartment tray but the directions are unchanged!

Helene610

That's funny about the packaging change in Smart Ones. I think you'll like the Black Box mac and cheese. The cheese is a nice sharp white cheese. It's so much better than the brands that use powdered orange cheese. Today is the last day of pudding. I'm doing breakfast and lunch and going out to dinner to celebrate my friend's birthday. She the one who had the terrible fall last month. She's completely recovered from the fall. I don't expect to have anywhere near an 8 pound loss because I only do 2 days of three meals. The other days, I did one or two days of pudding. But I'm hoping for a few pounds jump start. I'll let you know next week if it shows up. The pudding wasn't bad but it got boring having no variety. I may throw a pudding serving into future days. I can easily do once a day. It's certainly great for regularity. LOL

mdubbs1

Yeah, I defy anyone to stir the eggs and hash browns separately!

I'm definitely stressed from everything that's going on. Which definitely showed up in my eating yesterday. I'm determined to get back on track today, stress or no. I've got a heart healthy steak thawing out.

None of the stores had chopped peppers this week so I ended up chopping my own. Made me feel like a chef. Heh, it doesn't take much. LOL!!!!

I went to Safeway yesterday and they had a lot of the black box entrees but many of them are a little beyond my admittedly pedestrian tastes. I did buy one of the chicken/pecan and even that felt like being brave based on the description of the sauce but I figured heh, if Helene likes it it's worth a try! I also discovered they actually sell Beecher's mac n cheese. I order several of those every Christmas from Norm Thompson of all places but it is out of this world. I bought one and threw in the freezer. Hopefully it will stay there until the holidays cause diet friendly it's not.

I noticed Stouffer's also has a white cheddar red box entree so I can have matching dinners for DH and I when I try the LC!

I need to buckle down do work this weekend because I lost some time this week.

DH is stressing over our long term care coverage. We just got an inflation offer which would come with a HUGE premium increase. We don't have to accept it but if we don't we have to take the next one in 3 years or never get offered another. This is a group policy from one of DH's prior jobs so it's much less expensive than buying individual policies but that doesn't mean it's inexpensive. I'm trying not to say what I'm thinking which is "if you hadn't left your full-time job to lie on the sofa this wouldn't be as much of an issue". Like I said, I'm really stressing this week.

Tuffy is keeping us amused. One of the toys we sell at the shows is Da Fur Thing. I brought one home and Tuffy decided it is HIS. During the night he brings it to bed. (Yesterday morning I found it UNDER my body pillow. How did he do that? Who the heck knows?) During the day he brings it back downstairs. He loves that thing. DH was concerned about having a "backup" so I brought a couple home from our inventory. Trouble is they come in assorted colors and none was identical which bothered DH no end. So I ordered a bunch more and luckily one is identical. So we now have "backup mousie".

The other thing my guys love is the Bergen star chaser. It's one of those track toys with the tweak that the ball lights up. They love them so much that I've made up a display of the toys, and the accessories and the replacement parts for the shows now. They're selling pretty well.

About time to make eggs!!

KonaKat

I'm about to seize the day, whatever that means. I go to see the cardiologist on Wednesday. I expect to see a weight gain. I just haven't been in the mood to diet. One of those new drugs constantly gives me an appetite. I guess I'll just have to learn not to answer the appetite call.

Maryanne--I need to get some goodies for the freezer. I'm with you on the pedestrian tastes but I prefer things other than mac and cheese but not so exotic that you don't know what you are eating. As far as toys are concerned, I know where Midnight has been during the day when I see the locations of the toys that differ in the evening. Then there are the toys I think he has quit using at which time I think it is time to donate but he will start playing with it again.

Helene--I hope you are rewarded with a loss for enduring the boring pudding. Anything that restricted food never worked for me very long. It is usually water loss.

mdubbs1

Jean - battling a drug that gives you even more of an appetite has to be awful!

PamS53

We are home from our week with family at the beach. I enjoyed the beach, but there were some tensions among family members at times, so not an entirely restful week. We attempted to go and watch the Blue Angels practice session on Tuesday, enduring horrible traffic to get on base (the free practices are VERY popular) only to be turned back at the gate because SIL forgot her drivers license. She felt really bad about it, but it was especially annoying because she made a point of reminding all of us several times to make sure we had ours. Oh well.

We have unloaded and unpacked and I have the first of many loads of laundry going. Much to get caught up on, so I'll get back here later.

KonaKat

Pam--It is times like that when you grit your teeth and try not to say something you will regret. It would have been a great opportunity.

mdubbs1

Pam - I'm glad you got to go to the beach - sorry about the family tensions!

I'm up and ready to begin my day. I can't believe September's almost over. Where did this year go?

I think I need to get back to my spreadsheets/tracking to make me more accountable.

Helene610

Pam.That's too bad SIL since screwed up after reminding everyone else about the license. It's too bad everyone had to miss the show on her account, considering the drive and traffic. We're heading off to Boston for the day with a plan to stop at an apple orchard. It's a beautiful day for the trip.