Hello...Is It Me You're Looking For?

Yes, Lionel, it is.

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So, now that you've found me, it's been over six months since I've posted. This is a record.

And not a good one.

Let's see what's what.

Winter has arrived here in New England. I guess I should be happy it waited until 12/9 to show up?

We got about 6 inches of the white stuff starting mid-afternoon yesterday and overnight.

I originally had plans to go out shopping today (I had visions in my head of being alone strolling through aisles browsing at my leisure) but then I realized it was just too freaking cold.

So, I ended up staying in- reading and napping- with two pair of socks on and my fleece blanket.

My parents were saying how cold it is where they are in NE Florida. Cold as in "in the 40's." Yeah. Wimps.

Can I possibly cover everything that's happened since my last post? Doubtful. Here's a bulleted synopsis:

• Grace turned 30. Yes, that's right. 30. As we were planning her party, I couldn't stop thinking how old I felt. (And John and her Mom commented the same.) We had a cookout and a few of her friends and her respite person came over to celebrate. Her big gift was a new laptop. I think she kind of liked it.

• Grace had her Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer State Games and participated in swimming. It's always a blast for her because she gets to sleep in a college dorm and be "parent-free." Can't miss her with the Candy Crush swim cap.

• Grace & I went to a Red Sox game. It was a Monday night & John had a prior commitment, so he couldn't make it. I figured I'd take the subway in from some point and we'd go from there. John said I should drive in. I drove. Never.again. Stuck in traffic for days. I ended up pulling into the first lot we came up (which turned out to be valet and was pretty much right across the street from the Park.) I would normally never pay that much to park, but since the tickets were cheap and we were running late, I did it. We had fun but it was brutally hot. (Can't tell from my face, can you?)

• While scrolling through my iPhone photos to write this post (because my memory is pretty bad), I came across this picture.

This may seem like an odd picture to be in my camera roll on my phone. Nine friends will recognize it immediately. Maria, a member of the online chat board I've been a part of for the past nine or so years, passed away in June. We often posted this picture when someone in the group needed a virtual hug (or maybe it was just me that posted it?) I posted it in our group the day before she passed. This loss was hard for me- much harder than I expected. I'd never met Maria in person and we often disagreed on things, but I had contact with her close to everyday for those nine years. Her loss is still felt.

• We got to meet our great nephew Camden! He was about six-ish weeks at the time and soooo cute. It's amazing how much he's changed since these pictures from June.

Wow...I'm only through June! If you read this whole thing, kudos to you. I could go on, obviously, but I think I'll quit while I'm ahead. Look for my July 2017 recap in May 2018.

Ok- let's hope not.

Still Here

Ugh...it's been four months since my last post. I think that's the longest hiatus I've had.

Same ole' story- when I have an idea for a blog post, the thought of sitting down and writing it seems onerous. I want it to be grammatically correct. I want my thoughts to be well formed. I want it to be perfect. (In case I haven't revealed that prior, I am a perfectionist.)

So, here I am writing a "catch up" post where I can touch on a number of subjects and not necessarily form one perfect narrative.

Let's see...

It's May 29th and it's not even 50 degrees here in Massachusetts. Awesome. Not. I think the weather has seriously been affecting my mood. I need sun!

One of my new fave drinks over the past few months has been bringing me a little sunshine, however:

It's ah-mazing! I've been looking for a flavored iced decaf tea and I found it! I found it at my local Target. I'm hoping it will help to draw me away from soda completely (a goal far off into the future).

I've been back & forth to Florida twice since I last blogged. The first was a planned visit to my parents and the second was a visit to help take care of my Mom after she had a leg/ankle fracture. It was nice & sunny there. On my last day of my second visit, I headed to the pool for some relaxation.

Oh, and side note? The book in the picture above- The Japanese Lover- was REALLY good!

I turned 45.

OK- moving right along.

I undertook a DIY project and it actually came out decently! I wanted a bulletin board for above my desk in my corner of the newly renovated basement and I wanted something prettier than a typical bulletin board. So, I found a pattern, I went to Jo-Ann Fabric (I must've looked like a deer in headlights in there), I used a glue gun for the first time and I made something. Something I actually liked enough to hang up. I'll try to do a post dedicated to the project. Here's the finished product:

John & I took a trip to Foxwoods & Mohegan Sun (casinos in Connecticut.) We won ZERO.

Moving on...

I watched Sweet Home Alabama (probably more than once since I last blogged!)

(Oh, and is it obvious yet that I'm scrolling through the camera roll on my phone to remind me of what's happened over the past four months? Sad. (See "turning 45" above.)

On April 12th, John & I celebrated our 20 year date anniversary! We had a tiramisu for two:

Going on that date was the best thing I've ever done!

My Mom came into town a few weeks ago and we had a nice visit. Part of that nice visit is having her make me a Cosmo!

My Dad came into town, as well, which was neat (they're usually not here at the same time) and we were all together on Mother's Day. We had lobsters! I also received many beautiful cards and gifts and these flowers.

They're still beautiful today.

Lastly- we JUST (a few hours ago) finished watching The Keepers on Netflix. This seven part series about abuse, corruption, and murder related to the Catholic church in Baltimore is horrifying. Disgusting. I'm still reeling from it. If you get a chance- watch it.

I'll try to write a new post...before October. o_O

Make-Ahead Western Omelet "Muffins"

In my last post, I referenced a really good recipe and now I'm here to share it!

When I embarked on my Weight Watchers journey way back when, I sought out blogs that shared recipes AND included points. One of the ones that I found and loved is Skinnytaste.

You can filter by types of recipes, number of points, meals, etc...

When Gina (the woman behind Skinnytaste) came out with a cookbook, I immediately requested it from my library.

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Breakfast is a meal that I struggle to find variety with. I generally have a yogurt and a banana. Or, a Weight Watchers baked good (but those are pricey.)

I found many great recipes, but one that I really wanted to try was "Make-Ahead Western Omelet 'Muffins.'"

I made this recipe and John and I loved it!

Having restarted Weight Watchers, I made it again the week before last and thought I'd share.

Make-Ahead Western Omelet "Muffins"

Makes 12 muffin-size omelets- serves 6 (4 smart points per serving)

Ingredients:
Olive oil cooking spray or oil mister
6 large eggs
6 large egg whites
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
3 oz sliced ham (about 4 slices), finely chopped
2 oz reduced-fat Swiss cheese, chopped (I couldn't find reduced-fat, so used regular and adjusted points accordingly)
1/2 cup finely chopped red or orange bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped scallions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spray a standard 12-cup nonstick or silicone muffin tin with oil.

(NOTE: I recommend heavily spraying. Or trying a silicone pan. I had to scrub like crazy after they were out of the pan to clean the pan.)

In a medium bowl, beat the whole eggs and egg whites with a fork.

Season them with the salt and a pinch of black pepper. Mix in the ham, Swiss cheese, bell pepper, and scallions.

Pour about 1/4 cup of egg mixture into each muffin cup and carefully place in the oven.

Bake until the eggs set, 20-24 minutes (I think ended up closer to 24 minutes).

Voila!

They're a little tough to get out of the pan (again, I may not have sprayed enough, so spray heavily), but use a spoon/knife to pry out.

I put two (a serving) in a sandwich bag and leave in the fridge.

You can also freeze them. I did that this time, put in fridge to thaw, and then zapped in the microwave. They were a bit watery, so I might skip the thaw part next time and just microwave straight from the freezer.

These are great- filling, have protein and are only 4 smart points per serving.

Enjoy!

And thanks to Skinnytaste!

This recipe was created by Skinnytaste...in case I hadn't made that clear. :)

So On & So Forth & What Have You

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If you're a fan of the TV show, "The Middle," you may be familiar with this phrase. Sue Heck (pictured above) says it when she's trying to keep a secret. (When a window got broken in the house and the Heck siblings were telling the parents that the crazy neighbor kids did it, Sue in hurried nervous voice would end her part of the story with, "And so and so forth and what have you."

I'm not keeping any secrets, but I like saying the phrase. (I guess the secret that I'm a weirdo is out!)

It also seems to suit this hodgepodge/random/rambling post.

So, let's get to it.

What's new?

I started Weight Watchers six days ago! Well, I should say "re-started."

So far, so good. I made a good breakfast recipe for Make-Ahead Western Omelet Muffins from a Skinnytaste cookbook, which I will share in a subsequent post. They're super easy to make and just need to be popped in the microwave to heat them up. Low points, too!

Do you have any Weight Watchers/low cal recipes you love? If yes, share!

Snacking, as usual, is where I struggle. I've been trying to bring fruit for the afternoon, but it's after dinner/before bed that I want to eat everything (mostly chocolate.) Eight points is a LOT for an ice cream sandwich, which is my Achilles heel. (Luckily I ate the last one out of the box earlier this week and will do my best NOT to buy more.)

Oh, and note to self, don't watch shows such as "Ginormous Food" while on Weight Watchers (which is on as I type...)

Moving right along...I have a squatter in my car.

An interloper.

Rodent non grata.

He or she has been leaving me "gifts" on the passenger seat, so we put this trap (with peanut butter) on the passenger side floor. Came up empty. Although, one morning the trap was closed, but no trappee. (Is that a word?) Peanut butter was still intact, so clearly we're not dealing with the brightest bulb. Next step- call the dealer. ::sigh::

Moving/running (away from) right along...

We have this cute new wall decor in our bedroom.

I originally bought it for above the bed, but it just didn't work. So, we found a corner for it next to the TV and I like it! (Ordered from Bed, Bath & Beyond)

I've been having fun with one of my Christmas presents-

John gave this to me and I love it. I have so many recipes that I've either printed from online or (wait for it), photocopied from cookbooks and no good way to organize them. You buy clear sleeves (separately) or sticky pages (for paper sizes smaller than 8 1/2x11) and voila! This is from Meadowsweet Kitchens on Amazon.

John and I saw "Manchester by the Sea."

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I was really excited to see this, as the town "Manchester by the Sea" is only about 15 miles from where I live. I'd also heard it was very good (while very sad), so I had high expectations.

As a colleague of mine said, "I was underwhelmed." 

Other than Casey Affleck, the Boston accents were HORRID. Once I hear them, I couldn't stop hearing them, which distracted me during a lot of the movie. I thought the acting was very good, but the story seemed unformed, if that makes sense. It ended rather abruptly. Oh, and from what I hear, most of the scenes were shot in neighboring Gloucester...NOT Manchester by the Sea. Kind of a bummer.

Let's hope this is the first of several (or at least a few!) consecutive posts!

Happy New Year!

Is This Thing On???

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It's been foreverrrrrrrr since I've posted, but here I am. I'm clearing the cobwebs, pushing aside the tumbleweeds, and dusting off the microphone/keyboard.

Testing, testing, testing...1 2 3.

OK, I think everything's in working order.

Since this (^) is happening right now, I figured there was no better time than to crank out a blog post.

First, let me just say that I'm highly annoyed that it's snowing out. It's the last "real" Saturday before Christmas and I have a TON of errands/shopping to do. Grrrrrrrr. However, I've been sick for the past three days, so a forced day of staying inside isn't necessarily bad (although cabin fever is ramping up). 

While I did do a fair amount of shopping online, there are some things I prefer to/have to do in person, i.e., stocking stuffers, certain clothing items. Browsing in a "real" store also helps if I'm at a loss for a gift for someone. 

Our basement is 95% done!!! (I'll do a separate post with pictures to do it justice. No, really, I will.) I'm actually blogging from there, right now! We have a double recliner on order (to be delivered on New Year's Eve), 

It looks nicer in person, but here it is:

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I'm on the hunt for a desk for down here. Preferably a white one with a large surface for writing/organizing. I've been looking on Overstock and Wayfair, but part of me thinks I'll find a nice older one on Craiglist or a used furniture store.

We have three cement poles that we're going to cover (well, I say "we," but John will really do it.) That has to be done and some touch up on the painting. We also need to build something to cover the electric panel and then find something for the BluRay player, cable box, etc...

John's vision is coming to life and he did an AMAZING job!

I'm dealing with a cold or a sinus infection. I think it's the former with some sinus pressure thrown in. I've had more peppermint tea in the past three days than I've had in my life.

Thanksgiving was quiet here. And by quiet, I mean silent.

Just John and I. Little John stayed in Baltimore and Grace was with her Mom. We still made a turkey breast and the sides we prefer- brussels sprouts, scalloped potatoes. It was relaxing.

What are you watching? A co-worker INSISTED I watch "Divorce," an HBO show. It's hilarioius!

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It's more of a dark-ish comedy. I like it.

I've also been told to watch "The Crown."

We watched the first episode of "This is Us" and we were somewhat confused. Apparently that was a common reaction and we were told to push forward.

Oh, and I also watched the new "Gilmore Girls" four part series. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. Let's just say that I was sufficiently underwhelmed.

Monday night we celebrated John's birthday by going out to eat at a fun restaurant in the Theatre District in Boston- Abby Lane.

We started out with Grilled Italian Hot Pepper-Parmesan Wings. They were delicious!

We each got a "Shut the Front Door" drink- very refreshing.

And then we had sandwiches/flatbreads for our main course.

Great place if you're seeing a show (they also give 15% off your bill if you show them your show tickets.)

We then saw "An Evening with David Crosby" at the Wilbur Theatre (thankfully right across the street from the restaurant, as we had a second round...)

I knew one song. So, yeah.

He was on stage with three twenty-somethings, clearly trying to promote their music. Not a bad thing, just not what I expected. Of the three, I really enjoyed Michelle Willis. She sang one of her songs solo and it was very moving. The other two? Meh.

So, I took a break from writing this. Had lunch. It's now stopped snowing.

John's last words before he went outside were, "I hope the snowblower works."

I haven't heard it churning yet, so I'm stealthily hiding out inside, wondering how long before I hear, "Um, it's not working."

And then we have to go old school with shovels. Happy happy joy joy!

October Observations

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Completely random stuff!


1. I've noticed that as I get older, I look forward to Fall more and more. Probably the hot flashes that cause me to overheat (TMI?) and make me glad to see cooler weather.

2. The Red Sox are down 2-0 in the ALDS. Cleveland's no joke. I don't have high hopes for the Sox.

3. I did a webinar for the National Federation of Advanced Information Services (NFAIS) and I'm still on a self-confidence high from it. I was a wreck leading up to it, but I feel like it went really well and has affected my mood overall for the better. (You can see more about the talk here.)

4. I'm already starting to see people on Facebook posting "Only xx more days until Christmas!" That's reason for blocking in my book!

5. When watching the Little League World Series over the summer, I saw that they asked each player for his favorite emoji. Here's mine:

6. I need to start wearing gloves when I chop onions. .(Or, get a chopper.) No matter how many times you wash your hands after chopping onions, they still stink.

7. A friend tipped me off that Bon Jovi's going on tour!!! Hoping for more dates to be released.

8. I'm totally bummed out that season two of Indian Summers has not been good. I'm a couple of episodes behind and I don't even care.

9. The new season of The Middle starts Tuesday- can I get an AMEN?!?!

10. The whole "ICE-T at a lemonade stand" commercial is annoying.

My (Almost) Social Media-Free Long Weekend

Happy Labor Day! (Do people actually say that? It's not like "Merry Christmas! or Happy New Year!)

Anywho, it's been a  nice long weekend so far and I spent most of it social media-free...and I couldn't be happier.

I'd been feeling blah about Facebook and burnt out on it, so on Friday night I decided that on Saturday, I would be completely social media-free.

I woke up around 9ish on Saturday and it was hard. Usually the first thing I do is check Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. (Addicted much?) But, I pushed through the constant voice in my head telling me I might be missing out on something (!) and got showered and ready for the day. 

The key to this being successful was STAYING BUSY. (And now you're going to hear every painstaking detail of staying busy.)

I went to my town's library and picked up my next book:

This is the first in the Penn Cage series (I previously read one of the later ones).

I then went to the library in the next town over (because I needed to return some books there and I wanted to pick up a book they had, but my library didn't). I was able to successfully return the books, but they were closed (I still haven't figured out why- maybe long weekend for them?), so I left empty-handed.

I then went to Rite Aid to get a prescription and I was off to treat myself to a pedicure. I really love pedicures. I have awful fingernails, so I never get manicures, but I feel like most everyone has awful feet/toenails, so I don't have to cower in shame while they clip, file, buff. (Oh, and the hot stone massage they do on the legs is to die for!)

I chose Essie's Angora Cardi, one of my all-time faves.

Oh, and another good thing about getting a pedicure? My phone usually only gets one bar while I'm in there, so it really prohibited me from getting onto Facebook! 

I came home and actually sat outside and ate my lunch. Without my phone. I brought my Kindle out and read while eating. It was great. 

I did some laundry and picking up around the house to keep busy. (This is when it was toughest not to get on social media.)

Late afternoon, I got ready to go out, as we were heading to Manchester, NH.

Here I am in my cute new shirt (TJ Maxx clearance!)

I had done research on Trip Advisor about the best restaurants in Manchester and ended up choosing Firefly.

It was great! Their drink menu is endless (an entire book dedicated to cocktails is OK by me!) I started with a Peartini and John had a Red Sangria. The Peartini was OK, but somewhat different from others I'd had in the past. We started with Go-Go Bread, which is toasted bread slices with gorgonzola fondue. Mmmmm. We wolfed that down and decided on our dinner- the catch of the day special for me (scallops with linguine, pancetta, spinach in a vodka sauce) and chicken piccata for John. The food was EXCELLENT! I highly recommend. Nice atmosphere and nice staff, as well. Oh, and I ended up trying another drink- the blood orange cosmo (that one was more to my liking!)

After eating, we walked through downtown Manchester to the NH Fisher Cats game. It was about a 20 minute walk and it was a nice night, so that worked out fine. 

I really do love minor league ballparks. They often have more character than major league parks and they're quirky and fun. (More on that later.)

The view from our seats:

Happy people:

The uniforms in minor leagues can sometimes rival the majors- personally I think these are wayyyyy worse than the Arizona Diamondbacks uniforms.

(Does anyone else think "jockey" when they see this half red/half blue get up?)

I was able to put the horrible uniforms aside, when I saw Ollie, the Fisher Cats' bat dog:

And how lucky were we to see him? This weekend is his last weekend, or his "retirement tour" as the jumbotron kept telling us. (I didn't see him get any gifts like David Ortiz has gotten on his retirement tour- I think Ollie might've gotten the short end of the stick...get it?)

We had a great time. 

When we got home, I'd gone 24 hours without social media. I was proud of myself and as a treat, got on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

You know what? I missed NOTHING.

On Sunday (yesterday), I probably checked in to social media maybe five times all day (which is low for me). Today is the same. 

That first 24 hours was the hardest, but now? Eh, I can live without it. The best part? I don't have that "oh my gawd, I did nothing over the weekend and now it's time to go back to work guilt trip." I cleaned the basement yesterday, put a shoe rack together that's been collecting dust, and enjoyed myself.

I think I like the fact that I proved to myself that I can survive without it.

And now I will go post this on social media. :)