Suzy you've basically been living out of a suitcase for the past few months remember... i'm sure once you're in your own place and into your own routine again and your own space, you'll be able to have the TIME to focus on yourself .. right now you have your hands full (outside of the suitcases!) BUT you're still starting to log again... so me thinks by the time you do get in and settled you'll be raring to go with your health... but be kind to yourself til things settle a bit.. its only a couple of weeks left and then you'll be a little less stressed too!

Vail - I can totally relate to your cake episode!! While I was on vacay.. a few times i ate either dessert or snacks basically because someone went to the trouble of putting them out, not because i wanted them.. and like you i felt an obligation to be social.. food has always been part of any type of social gathering in my world... so it's awfully hard to have someone put out a plate of appys or a dessert and say no thank you..

Even a few times. .as much as I love my sister... she would often put out chips and dips and a platter of veggies to munch while sitting on the deck with a glass of wine.. well .. like i'm gonna choose the veggies?? (i did actually.. but you KNOW i ate all the damn chips too!) I finally had to say pls don't put out any more chips... if they are there i will eat them.. if i want some i'll get them but ... and of course eating at the cousins they often went all out with the food... and like you.. i didn't necessarily even want some of the stuff... i remember one evening my cuz put out this amazing cheese platter with a bunch of lovely different cheeses and crackers... we were having dinner in an hour but did that stop me from diving in? Nooooo... can I claim it was because i was hungry? nope!! I felt pressure to eat.. but that pressure was coming from me not them... sigh.. i also say kudos you forced yourself to get up and do housework lol...

Suzy.. are you SERIOUS????? who doesn't clean a place they are leaving, even every apartment i ever rented I cleaned thoroughly before i left!!! let alone a sale of a place i was living in... holy hell!! everyone knows you leave the last day for all the cleaning??? That completely sucks especially after you were indeed kind enough to let them stay there... grrrrr

I guess the only consolation i can offer is that at least you'll know once YOU thoroughly clean the place, it will really be yours and all trace of the goofs will be gone!

I'm so sorry to hear your mom is in hospital and kudos to your sister for bullying her way in.. not gonna lie i am just like her lol.. i am always super polite but i'm going in .. whether to recovery or just to sit in the room with my mom, etc... I am so glad she is separated from the covid area and I will send prayers and good thoughts she gets released soon! you must be exhausted with adding in the circumstances with your mom and being with your dad on top of everything else... be kind to yourself right now... just take one day, or heck one hour at a time.. try not to let everything overwhelm you at once (if that's even possible!) October may very well be your fresh start for everything including some potential down time (at least I hope so!!) Sending hugs

Gail - lovely to see you and i'm so thrilled you not only got away, but got some time to yourself at the beach! Woo hoo!!

I've been watching the calendar Suzy - only 3 more days til move in to your new home!! We'll have to have a virtual housewarming party for you LOL!! Can only imagine how busy you are =- hope you got all the damn cleaning they left you done and you're excited about move in!

Suzy.. i'm so sorry to hear your mom isnt doing well.. sending hugs and prayers your way!!

yikes on the bed and appliances delay .. i know here with covid many people are having a hard time getting appliances because of delays in shipping so fingers crossed it wont be too long before you get them.. especially the bed more than the oven LOL!!

Nothing new to report at my end... near the end of next month i'm going to be getting together with my 2 best friends; we've been friends for almost 40 yrs and since covid havent been able to because we all live far away from each other but now restaurants are open indoors here for double vaxxed peeps, we've made arrangements to have lunch in our usual "mid way" point for all so im really looking forward to that. Also our Thanksgiving here in Canada is earlier than yours - Oct 14th so i ordered a TG turkey dinner from a local restaurant thats doing them up again.. i got one for Easter during hte pandemic and it was awesome.. turkey dinner with all the fixings so as soon as i saw them post they were doing it for TG, i ordered one for pick up LOL.. last time it was such a big dinner it fed me for 3 meals so im hoping for the same - no cooking for 2 days woo hoo

Suzy did your backsplash guys show up yesterday?

oh suzy... you poor thing!! honestly.. i hope the backsplash when it does eventually get done, is the last reno you have to face and then you can begin to actually enjoy your new home.. i prob would have lost my mind btw.. first the pot, then the can opener? yup... it would not have been pretty so kudos to you for not going insane lol

Good on ya for setting up the kitchen.. one can only wait so long to start getting settled.. and i hate being dependent on contractors!!

Ooooo on the walking trail!! I actually googled one time "walking trails around Toronto" and "my area" (location based) and even though i've lived here for 30 years I found a few i didnt know existed lol.. so im glad you have one to check out and will pray for some sunshine!

And yes my partner is back but we're actually able to play doubles now.. we've been playing almost every day and altho singles does have you moving around the court more, with doubles its actually much more fun an challenging, cause you're trying to score points now - when my partner and i play we try to hit it relatively close to each other cause its very tiring chasing balls lol.. so we don't try to score points off each other, just practice our serves/shots/etc..
but we're definitely not used to trying to score points off our opponents so we have to move out of the "nice" zone and start remembering we wanna win ha.. i have to say its been lovely tho .. there are only 4-6 of us - the same people who all want to stay playing outdoors as long as possible .. the others have chosen to go inside so its good cause i know them all and know they are still following protocols and all 2x vaxxed.. and the social aspect of having others to play with has been really nice.

So about the recipe sites.. lately i've been trying to add more "meatless" meals in.. so most of the searching i'm doing is for vegetarian recipes without weird vegetables ... or tofu .. lol I like most regular veggies but some of the recipes use stuff i'd never even buy...

I did laugh this morning tho.. i googled "easy vegetarian meals for one"... and i swear to god.. the first hit that came up .. was BAKED PORK CHOPS!! i did a double take.. thot maybe i typed it wrong... or they were "fake" pork chops.. so i clicked on it just to see... but nope... they were real pork chops hahaha.. i just thot it was so funny the first thing that came up in a search for vegetarian meals was a pork chop!!!

Tonight for dinner.. i put 2 russet potatos in the oven for baked potatos and did up some broccoli and cauliflower i had left from a veggie tray... then split the potato and dumped in the veg with some grated cheese and green onion and a little sour cream.. it was yummy and quite filling. I had actually planned to put some vegetarian chili on top originally with the sour cream... i used to get that at Wendys on the way to work.. a baked potato and a small tub of chili and poured it over the potato for dinner lol... but i had to use up the vegetables so tomorrow nite i'lll have the other potato with the vegetarian chili over it... so i'm not much help with new recipes for you!

There is one site i used to use a fair bit called Supercook... you just click on the items you have (say, chicken breast..) and it will bring up receipes for chciken breasts, but it will also then show "do you have olive oil/butter/flour/onion/ etc etc.. it will suggest items or you can jsut type in say if you have red peppers or something.. but u can just keep clicking on whatever items it suggests if you have them.. and the more items u click saying yes i have it.. the more recipes pop up for the chicken.. and you can choose any type of meal.. lunch dinner dessert etc... it was pretty helpful when i couldnt figure out what to make.. i just said this is what i have and then it gave me a bunch of recipes to look over..

if you're looking for "meat and potatos" kinda dinner... you might try searching "meals for two".. you should find some that offer smaller servings than feeding 6 people that way??

But i do still like skinnytaste... that creamy balsamic chicken is awesome (just chicken broth in the sauce with some balsamic vinegar and a few tablespoons of cream to make it creamy but not calorie crazy".. its one of my fav go tos.. i usually add in mushrooms and onions too .. and i've done the same sauce with boneless pork chops and its divine...

Vail - i hope all is well.. i know its a crazy busy month for you but hope you get a second to pop in and let us know if you got the dress... i'm not sure exactly when the wedding is but im sure it will be lovely!!

Suzy thats so weird - i just went to look for and can't find it either!! I think i wrote it out or bookmarked it i will look for it today... i know im not losing my mind lol.. its become a staple dish for me!