WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR OCTOBER 2016

Hello, Spooky Sisters!

Happy Halloween!

Our Halloween treat today is a lovely pot of Poblano Chicken Stew... I got industrious yesterday and diced all the veggies in my crisper so they are “crockpot ready.” Then I threw all the trimmings, peelings, and stems into the crockpot. I deboned the remainder of the rotisserie chicken that we picked up at Sam’s Club and threw the bones, and skin and wingtips in with the veggie bits. Poured water over it, and let it cook overnight to make my own roasted chicken stock. The flavor of those roasted chickens is insanely good!

This morning, I got up, filtered the stock into a bowl, dumped the remains and bits into the trash, and refilled the crockpot with the lovely chopped veggies and chicken. This meal is not only veggie rich (Kale, carrots, zucchini, onion, mushroom, Poblano pepper, celery, fresh tomato and lentils) but it is seasoned with fresh oregano from my Garden. Filled in the gaps with the homemade stock and set the crockpot on low. I am hoping it tastes as delicious as it has in the past.

DH is handing out candy to the kiddies, even as I type. I set him up with a string of pumpkin lights to plug in – since in our neighborhood, you have to actually give some indication that you want trick or treaters – or they very politely do not come. He likes to see the kids – since he spends the bulk of his time at home – alone – human contact is a big deal for him. I was content to let him have his fun, despite the fact that candy costs and arm and a leg. I am not sure how long we will continue to hand out candy once I get home – I suppose until it is all gone. For all I know, he is out already. I didn’t get an excessive amount. I really don’t want bags of candy lying around the house. Me, I will be content to go home, curl around a bowl of that soup and sink into the couch. I am just thrilled that I won’t have to cook again, tomorrow. AND I am all set to make the next meal, since I have another Poblano and zucchini pre-chopped in the fridge. I am going to make some Sloppy Joes – with peppers, onions and Zucchini in it. I am TRYING to add a bit more vegetable matter into my diet – so, pre-chopping on the weekend is going to be the answer, I think. I don’t mind cooking (too much) – but the preparation takes ages for me – and I just can’t take the time to actually cook anything after I get home at 9pm – unless I have everything ready to throw into the skillet.

Another Monday, another weekly weigh-in on the Christmas challenge... Thankfully, the Princess has fled with the visit from our favorite Aunt, so, the scale actually registers a loss this week. YAY! Still on track to make my goal by the end of the challenge. 7 pounds, 7 weeks... keep your fingers crossed that I get no further visits from Royalty until after Christmas.

STARTING WEIGHT: 244
CURRENT WEIGHT: 227
TOTAL LBS LOST OR GAINED (THIS WEEK) : -1
TOTAL LBS LOST OR GAINED (ALL WEEKS): -17
GOAL WEIGHT: 220
TOTAL LBS AWAY FROM GOAL: 7


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Sue/WA – I did get the lawn mowed – of course, what I call a “lawn” is largely weeds and crab grass that I keep well trimmed... lol. If I accidentally kill the crab grass I am not going to complain. I have been hoping (in vain) that those cute little flowering weeds would choke it out, anyway.

SueBDew – LOL – makes me tired, too. I dream of retiring... but, I am but a child and will have to work for another 30 or 40 years.

Cheri – Welcome Home, Sugar!

Katla – (Hugs!) Hope you are making up for the homesickness with lots of Baby Love. Yoga with a two year old sounds precious. I feel you on the routine... (hugs!)

Pip – Why did I think the big race was this weekend? *sighs, smacking the side of her head to knock the cobwebs out*

Gayle - *waves*

Heather – I am NOT a fan of the time change... It really messes me up to move the clock – no matter which direction it is moving. I TRY not to change my schedule – if I continue to rise and sleep at the same “real” time, I am not as badly affected – but that just doesn’t always work. Hope your Son likes getting his old toy, back. And gratz on your new “natural blonde” state. *sighs* I understand the wisdom of Cook From Scratch – I have experienced the savings – we do, in fact, eat the leftovers – but, sometimes, I don’t have the energy or the time to do so. I have been trying to be better about preparation in advance. *tapping toes, impatiently waiting for adorable Grands in costume photos.*

Rita – Gorgeous picture. That I would drive out to see. And your walking buddies are adorable. Your dinner schedule is similar to my folks. They do breakfast really early – and then “dinner” around noon or 1 – they don’t eat, again, after that. It was interesting to visit – since we are such night owls.

NYKaren – Naps are good! Wish I could take more of them. LOL – and oh, the trials of the fourth grader...

Joyce – I voted this weekend, too! Yay for us. Sorry you are hurting... hope the doc can get you fixed up. Christmas isn’t a place – it’s an attitude. Try and Breathe... when the whole family is together in one place – and you set the kids to decorating the paper tree – you will build new memories and traditions and it will be Christmas, even in a strange hall. (Hugs!)

Carey – Honey, if I had two drops of energy to spare, I would be HAPPY to share, but, alas, all of my energy is spoken for. Eyelid shedding... sorry, Sugar. Obviously the soaking isn’t helping.

Lenora – Thinking good thoughts for your BnL. DH and I have “date night,” too. It has evolved that way in the last few months. Friday, I sleep in, so we go to the gym AFTER I finish with my working from home. Then we go either Fuzzy’s or Torchy’s for a taco dinner. It has become a tradition – since cooking after we go to the gym, after I finish work, is just as bad as cooking any night of the week. It would be way too late to eat, if I did.

Charleen – Weighing can be an eye-opener for sure. Good luck! And I hope your little tree makes it! And they do have “fill-your-own” K-cups. I got a couple while DH was in his physical Rehab place last fall – because he hated the coffee they offered, there. We just filled those cups with coffee from home and he was set.

Margaret – Your tribute brought tears to my eyes. ((Hugs!!))

Mary – Hope your shoulder is doing better! YAY for swimming!

Gloria -

Karen/VA – My DH worked for years in a socially responsible job... the pay is never good! I have always been the breadwinner at our house. Like you, I can’t stop working, either... probably till I am 90. Your visit with the Grandkids sounds wonderful! So glad you had a good time. Did your Ninja reign victorious in the mock battle? Too cute!

Lisa/WTX – You have to put on your own oxygen mask, before you help the person next to you... do what you must, with your usual grace, and all will be well. I have little doubt that you will find the right path, or simply blaze a new one that works for you. (hugs!) And Re: Coffee – we have your run of the mill drip coffee maker. Like you, we don’t like our coffee to sit and burn for hours and hours – so we just make it one cup at a time. Yeah, we have to dump the filter out every time – but, hey, you have to toss the K-Cup every time, too – and it does not cost us 61 cents a cup. Besides, we drink a BIG cup – like 18 ounces – and the K-cups don’t work for that, at all.

KJ – Sounds like your weekend was very productive! And I have a Sister that is like your BIL... She’s a compulsive liar – and she lives in her own little universe. Every time I talk to her, I am reminded why I don’t talk to her very often. Thankfully, she still lives in the West – so I don’t to worry about spending a lot of social time with her.

Allie – (Hugs!) Eating better is a good thing – it will help you to feel better, and to keep from getting sick, again.

Tere/RVA – Welcome Back! Wow – Gorgeous dress! And a Surprise Wedding? Priceless.

Carol – Breakfast is best served for Dinner, as far as I am concerned... but, I can get behind breakfast for Lunch, too. Those are some fine looking Grands you have there... (Hugs!) And your two hours in line is why DH and I got up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday to vote. DH just can’t stand up for that long – so we needed to be sure there wasn’t a long line.

Toni – there is an icon that looks like a sheet of paper with the corner folded down. Click it, find your picture and load it up. I would love to see the treats... I am not going to eat any, so, I like the vicarious thrill of looking at pictures!

Penny – I, also, have put things on the list only so I could cross them off. Hey, I did the thing – even if it was before I made the list! That sense of having accomplished something is important to our mental well-being. Great news on the billing!

Barbie – Love our Library system here.... we are in a smaller town north, but we get to use the Plano Public Library system – which has masses of books, videos, e-books and everything else that you might think of. We can reserve things – and they will be sent directly to our library of choice for us to pick up, so we have access to all the materials in all 8 libraries. It’s AWESOME. Peruse the on-line catalog, pick a book, or a video, put it on reserve and then just go pick it up when it becomes available. LOVE the library. I believe they recently started doing a home delivery thing, too – but you have to pay the postage. The only thing that I have been unable to find is the “Hairy Bikers” books... I so wanted to try one of the recipes – but, alas, that particular item is not in our system.

MountainMomma – You will have to give us some deets on the wedding... glad you had a great time. Water. ICK. When I lived in the PNW – the water was FABULOUS – clean, cold and delicious. Water in TX? Not so much. They let people boat and swim in the reservoirs... and it’s so hot here that most of the year the water tastes like algae. (no matter how filtered it is!) So, I seldom drink clear water. Bad of me, I know. I do, however, consume copious amounts of tea and crystal light. So far, I have not suffered any ill effects from dehydration... although I suspect my innards are a brilliant shade of red dye number 6 – or whatever they are using now.

Barb/IN - *waves*

Becca – Sometimes it is just too hard to consider walking in that constant yuck. Well I remember that! So... would you be able to make use of the local high school and say, walk in their gym? Does anything in town have an indoor pool you could use? I know you are a bit off the beaten path, so Mall Walking isn’t really an easy option – but there must be someplace you can go... is there a Home Depot or a Lowes? Or even a Walmart? Those places are HUGE – a good few laps around one of those would give you a little burn. Thinking good thoughts for you to get to see your boys.

DJ – I always have to work extra-hard when I succumb to a breakfast date, too. Somehow, when I start eating that early, I just keep on going... *sighs*

Kim – I did the frugal thing back in college... Because I was so broke, I ate one meal a day – the one that I got at my dishwashing job at the Black Angus. I had some snacky stuff at home – the cheapest cereal I could find and stuff like that – but, I basically didn’t eat, except at work. Met DH, and he taught me some tips and tricks on the frugal front – his family had always been frugal – so we started eating more, at home. I never really properly learned to cook, though... until DH had his strokes. He took over the cooking early on - when he saw how abysmal I was at the task. He had a junior college degree in culinary arts – and he had worked for ages in a restaurant – so he had mad skills. Of course, not being able to balance yourself enough to stand up for any length of time put the kybosh on that.... and so, I started my cooking odyssey at 50.

Liz – I made a low carb meatloaf, once... I was at my Mom’s and she was out of oatmeal... lol. It turned out just fine with some grated carrot and zucchini in it. And three times around the track is a WHOLE lot better than NO times around the track. Just keep going and doing those laps, and you will work your way up to that mile.

Sharon – Poor or not, sounds like you were better off without that man in your life. Heaven knows you wouldn’t want him around as an example for your son! I wonder what he did when you canceled the cards and there was no more money to take? Hope it was awful for him! But, then, I tend to be a smidge vindictive. (Hugs!)

Kate – You know what to do... a pound will go quickly. (Hugs!)

Lily – DH is giving out the candy... if it were up to me, there would be no candy to give out. (Resisting Temptation is not my best thing.) Wonder what the Halloween equivalent of “Bah Humbug” is?

Kay – I think it’s Friday – not certain – but you can Google Early Voting for your area and it will come right up. Locations, dates and times.

Pat – the kitchen is one area that my Hoarder Hubby doesn’t mind me clearing. So long as he has his favorite dishes to eat out of (some large red ceramic bowls) – he is fairly reasonable about that. Seriously, there are two of us – we don’t need a holiday service for 12. Besides, I am one of those – “serve-on-holiday-paper-or-plastic-plates” kind of girls. Donated it to the goodwill! I hope some family can get some good use out of it, this year. It’s been sitting, unused, in a dark cupboard for ten years.

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Well, Ladies, this is the time on Sprockets when we finish up and head for home. I am ready for that fabulous soup! And no wonder – I brought some yogurt as part of my lunch – and forgot to eat it. Duh, no wonder I am hungry.

Hugs for Everybody!!

Re in TX

"Well,Ladies,this is the time on Sprokets when we finish up & head for home. I am ready for that fbulous soup! And no wonder-I bought some yogurt as part of my lunch- and forgot to eat it. Duh,no wonder I am hungry. Re in Tx"

I might have chosen not to eat a few times,but forgot to eat? Nope,never happened-doubt it ever will. ☹️Pat

Handing out little mini York peppermint patties to the local ghosties and ghouls. Costco had a large box for a good price and they are minis! This means mini calories (50 calories per patty) if there are any left over when the night is done. DD will most likely eat the remainder over the next month. Just in case I can't resist, I wanted to make sure it would not kill my calorie count if I had one.

We had home made chicken noodle soup and fresh baked rolls for dinner. The potatoes, carrots and celery came out of my veggie garden and I used leftover chicken from an earlier roasted chicken. It was so very tasty and low in calories. With just DD and I to feed I usually can 'recycle' a main course at least twice before it gone.

I am likely to have fresh carrots from my garden until Christmas again this year. It's the one crop that seemed very bountiful. I have a cold frame I drop over them when it gets cold and they just keep on growing until I harvest them, one meal at a time.

My neighbor's birthday is today. That seems to me to almost as bad as having a Christmas Day birthday. I made him some of my super delish slow churned ice cream - his favorite is cookies and cream. Not my favorite, so the little bit I saved for DD will not be a temptation for me. He was surprised and grateful for the birthday gift.

Gotta run, the mob is coming up the driveway looking for treats!

Charleen in Colorado (Can't out run them, so I gotta feed them!)

Just turned off the lights. Counted 110 pieces of candy given out. There were some really cute costumes. I am tired. I will not work tomorrow.
Margaret

I went trick or treating with the grand children for awhile then sat in the car with the baby & DD while DSIL continued trick or treating with the five and two year olds. I was forced to listen to NPR politics which simply make me sad and mad. I would have preferred the radio to be off. DD treats her MIL as a friend and with a level of respect I don't feel from her. I'm heading toward a pity party, so I'll stop now. :grumble:

Homesick Katla with two days to go...

Charleen, my Dad made sure they had fresh carrots all year long. They were lucky enough to have a cellar. They always tried to have as large a garden as they could. Potatoes, tomatoes and carrots were mainly what they planted. I can't remember what Dad did for fertilizer. But it was a raised bed so it was easier on his back and he could work and till it easy. So he usually had a bumper crop. So when he would pull up the carrots, he would put them in a big barrel and if my thinking is correct he put sand in it on top of the carrots. We, well they had carrots all year long, just as fresh as they were the day he pulled them out of the ground. As far as the tomatoes and potatoes, well a lot of times we would sit on his back stoop, turn the hose on and pull, wash and eat with tomato juice going down our chins and us having the time of our life just because we were with Dad who made every day greater then life. When they bought the house it came with a grape arbor and that always gave a good crop and Mom made grape jelly, home made salsa, vegetable chow chow, pickles, yummmm

Joyce, Indiana

Stats for the day:
Hm 2 gym- 13min 146mhr, 2.9mi = 135c
Spin- 41min, 85r, 100w, 10-17g, 120ahr, 146mhr, 17.1mi = 316c
Gym 2 dome- 7.46min, 10.7amph, 143mhr, 1.3mi = 88c
Walk station 2 wk- 8.28min, 3.5amph, 110mhr, .4mi = 64c
Walk wk 2 station- 7.35min, 3.7amph, 111mhr, .4mi = 43c
Ride dome 2 hm- 22.48min, 6.7amph, 151mhr, 2.5mi = 243c
Total cal 889

Hey ladies! Remember to hop on Barbie's link in her last post (two or three posts above this one) and join us in NOVEMBER!

Hey ladies! We have moved to the November thread. Go up a few posts to Barbie's last post and click on the link to November. Once you get to November, don't forget to bookmark that thread by clicking on the star that is on the same line as the words Women ages 50+! See you in November! Lovely picture, by the way!