I keep comparing my current self to my old self. I have to quit that. Have you ever stopped for a moment — really stopped — and noticed how much has changed around you? The kids are a little taller. The seasons have shifted. A recipe you used to make every week has been replaced by something new. Life doesn't ask permission before it moves on. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. There are days when I feel like I'm running to keep up — with the family, with the kitchen

So, there's this huge purge happening ------in my head. LOL. No, I am cleaning out all kinds of stuff. I put a 'FREE' table out front and anything that was new or unused that I had not used (um, duh) and had no plans to use in the near future went out on that table. I even put houseplants out there. Stuff did go away. I look around at every room in this place, especially the bedroom, and find that all I have truly accomplished so far (at least that is visible) is make a horr

The idea of moving was pondered. Not just pondered, seriously considered. That thought, was almost trauma inducing. After living in the same place for nearly 30 years, you can imagine the accumulation that has been mounting over time. It's huge. It's filled up every nook, every cranny, and every added shelf throughout the entire home. And it spilled over and out into storage sheds. Yes, sheds, plural. The idea of moving as it came closer to reality triggered a horror that I d

I discovered that many people think that a tea bag is to be used just one time, that each tea bag is single use. Not so. Each tea bag can be used for at least 2 cups of tea. I've been doing that for a really long time. Recently, with the situation with decaf coffee I am drinking a lot more tea (or herbals, tinctures, etc.) I am using the term tea quite loosely because we all know tea only comes from actual tea leaves grown in China. Anywho, because of this I am making 'pots'

Eating healthy does not have to be expensive or complicated. With a little planning and smart choices, you can enjoy nutritious meals every day without breaking the bank. This week, focus on simple ingredients, balanced nutrition, and affordable options that keep your meals exciting and satisfying. Below, you will find a practical guide to creating a healthy and affordable menu for the week, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Healthy meal prep with grilled chicke

What is Decaf? Decaffeination is the removal of caffeine from coffee beans, cocoa, tea leaves, and other caffeine-containing materials. Decaffeinated products are commonly termed by the abbreviation decaf. To ensure product quality, manufacturers are required to test the newly decaffeinated coffee beans to make sure that caffeine concentration is relatively low. A caffeine content reduction of at least 97% is required under United States FDA standards. Recently, I was informe

How does that song go? Carry on my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done. ??? I feel like that song should be rewritten to fit my current situation. So here we go...... Once I rose above the clutter and confusion Just to get a glimpse beyond the illusion I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high Though my eyes could see I was still behind Though my mind could think I still was going to make it I hear the voices when I'm dreamin', I can hear them say (

What do you call a snobbish criminal going down the stairs? A condescending con descending! Okay. So here's this week's menus. I have to tell you that sometimes you have to get pretty creative to figure out healthy foods to list on your menus, especially when you try to shop for the ingredients and discover main items are "unavailable" and you have to change up the whole menu over it. Anywho, here's what I am planning on: Meatloaf (meatless) with mashed Potatoes and Gravy.

There is a fruit stand, produce market, farmer's outlet, whatever it is called just a 2 block walk from my place. I love that. They regularly have a 'dollar table' where they bag up produce that is on it's last leg and sell it for only $1. It's a good deal even if the items are less than perfect. Over ripe bananas make good banana bread, they are super sweet. Mangos that have gotten a bit too soft are great, that's the way I like them. Soft apples make pretty good apple crisp

This is more about me, I admit. I am feeling conflicted and overwhelmed. So. Feeling conflicted and overwhelmed is a common experience that can disrupt daily life and cloud decision-making. When emotions pull us in different directions and tasks pile up, it’s easy to feel stuck. This post explores practical ways to regain control, find clarity, and move forward with confidence. Understanding the Roots of Conflict and Overwhelm Conflict often arises when our values, desires, o

So apparently RSVP'ing back to a wedding invite 'maybe next time' isn't the correct response. LOL. I love those one-liners. So, yeah, the struggle. It applies to so many things in my little world. Let me start with my desire to move. I want to move. Yet, the thought of moving after this many decades is truly overwhelming. It would mean parting with a huge number of items, a whole lot of work, an expenditure I would not be pleased to put out and 'adjusting'. Rebuilding. Ugh

Finally getting back on schedule. Well, at least for the menus and shopping. Groceries coming early Thursday morning. Menus all planned out on Wednesday morning. And here they are: Butter Chicken on Brown Rice with Sweet Peas Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowls with Lime (Caribbean Style) Teriyaki Salmon, Baked Potatoes with the fixins, and Green Beans Red Pepper and Cashew Pasta with Cauliflower Yes, I'm still making up stuff. LOL. The weather here has been all over the pl

All last week I made a concerted effort to incorporate superfoods into every dinner of the week. I have to admit that the Arugula Blueberry Salad turned out very good. It was tasty, crisp, and full of nutrition. How did I know the superfoods? I just followed the list provided on the internet, which turns out to be very similar to the list provided by the class website FullPlateLiving.org . You can right click on the link to investigate that program if you have a wish to do th

Still having internet issues so no promises on this post, but going for it anyway. And how's YOUR day going? I so almost all my shopping online. For clothing, for garden supplies, for critter food, for my food, for household supplies, all of it is ordered online. I have had some troubles with that of course, often getting a message telling me that an item is unavailable or finding out it has a ginormous shipping charge attached to it. The problem with ordering clothing online

"I'd tell you a memory loss joke, but I keep drawing a blank." I forgot a meal on the menu list that I posted for this week. So I am adding it here. It's: Homepot Chili I still haven't decided if I will walk to the fruit stand and buy a couple of sweet potatoes, which I did not receive with my grocery order that was delivered this morning. It's hard to make Sweet Potato Pizza without them. I may rig up something else instead, but the idea of using sweet potatoes was to includ

I am still making up recipes for this week. And I have one that I think will surprise you. Here's the menu list: Black Bean Burgers with the fixin's and potatoes. That Arugula Salad with this week' fish, Salmon Sweet Potato Pizza Pasta Tamahtah I am gradually getting back on schedule. Another week I think and I will have that accomplished. I am working on other projects as I go. Not going to say exactly what they are at this time. Maybe later. What's that you say? What is

I have a bunch of those little OUI jars done and I think they are just so cute. You cannot microwave them unfortunately, but they are good for everything else. Anywho, I am making up recipes again. This time I am attempting to incorporate super foods into every single day of the week so I am grabbing those super foods that sound tasty to me and adding them up together and trying to come up with a complete 'dish'. I started with this: A salad made with Arugula (Rocket) as the

I memorized my social security number. I memorized my own phone number. I memorized my home address and zip code. I memorized my car's license plate number. I did not memorize my bank account number. I did not memorize my driver's license number. I did not memorize my paypal number. There sure is a lot more things I did not commit to memory than things I did. I am not sure anymore what I should train my brain to recall on demand. There's all these phone numbers - I use an add

Wanna hear two short jokes and a long joke? Joke, joke, joooooooooooooke. This week's menus: Orange Chicken with Brown Rice Pasta Tamahtah Corn Fish Chowder and Pitas French Toast and Fakon Bacon (Tofu made to taste like bacon) Chicken Taco Soup and Salad It annoys me when I receive a web address from a recognized establishment purported to be a free website with access to FREE stuff. (I use that word 'stuff' a lot I guess). So I get this flyer from my state pension outfit

What building in New York has the most stories? The public library. No really, I am still surprised by the idea that I eat hippy-dippy foods. Things like: eggplant, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, arugula (rocket), raw spinach, yogurt, cabbage, turnips, and radishes. It also surprises me that I eat like I came from Japan, stuffing myself with things like: tofu and brown rice. I haven't even started on things like beans, barley and steel cut oats. You have to understand