***The Senior WW Challenge*** - SUNDAY 12/18

Good morning friends.

Sandy yay for you to get the flight changed. Now you can relax and enjoy your family.

I will be trying quinoa again today. I didn't like it the first try. I will add it to oatmeal and work my way into liking it. How many of you use quinoa and how do you eat it?

Jane thank you for posting about Sharon TN. That is so very sad, hopefully she can recover. I shall include her and her family in my prayers.

Ruth I got 2 cabinets straightened and crumb free. When cleaning out the fridge, I found 3 bottles of Bolthouse dressing that had expired last summer. Of course I can't use them anymore anyway because of the yogurt.

Geri oh my goodness, that cake sounds divine.

Gail what a drive home! So glad you are safe. If you go out to your WW meeting today is it far? Do be careful.

Karen C Yes I am interested in a goal thread. Now you have to do it.

Karen E you are certainly busy with making gifts. I'll have to see if I can find an example of sweatshirt pillow.

Joanne hope you are warm and toasty this morning. Enjoy the coming week and your family.

Marlo yes I agree today's food is not what it used to be....safe. Even the doctor that diagnosed the milk allergy said milk isn't what it used to be. All we can do it try to eat as clean and healthy as possible.

I agree that food can be medicine. It can be the opposite too.

Have a lovely day and stay warm and safe.

Good Morning All!  Happy Sunday!

This morning I woke up around 3 and just kept tossing and turning so I got up for about an hour. That has not happened in quite awhile. I didn't really eat any differently yesterday or do anything out of the ordinary. When I looked at my Fitbit the sleep I did get was more restful than normal, too.

Sandy, How fortunate that you were observant about your flight changes and got it all straightened out. When I went to California in Nov. I had a 3 hr layover in LA both coming and going and was actually glad for it. I do not like to take a connecting flight at all and prefer non-stop but there were none available. 

Sharon, I love quinoa. I have not made it in awhile. It is important to rinse it well before you use it (do it even if it says its pre-rinsed). I would make it and use it as cereal in the morning with fruit or on salads or as a side dish instead of rice at dinner. I will look at my recipes and post a few for you later.

Joanne, Glad you are heeding the warnings and staying in today. 

QUINOA SALAD WITH MINT, ALMONDS AND CRANBERRIES

Ingredients

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup quinoa
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves
1/2 cup dry-roasted almonds, unsalted
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped kale
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 scallion, thinly sliced
18 grape tomatoes, halved
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low,
cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 13 minutes. Stir in
olive oil; fluff quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool slightly.

Stir mint, almonds, dried cranberries, kale, carrots, celery, scallion, grape tomatoes, lemon juice, and
lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.

good morning

I am dealing with a sick dog and wondering if we should go to the emergency vet. I think it can wait until tomorrow and will call in the morning and see if I can get an afternoon appointment. You know this is like having a sick child and so upsetting to the dog as well as to us. He is such a good boy and I hate for him to have any problems. I was u p with him until 1 and got up at 6 and finally up at 8. He seems to have a bladder or UTI problem.

Sandy---good that you changed your flight. The airlines booked us with so little time between and we had wheelchairs ordered and they took us by golf cart and we barely made it. I am done flying and cruising but I do miss it so much.

Joanne take care of yourself.

Sharon---Don always says the date on food is just a suggestion so I have to sneak and throw things out ---I draw the line at 6 months and toss it. I have an overstuffed pantry right now because of BOGO and going to Costco. It was organized and now it isn't.

I am so glad I don't have to drive in the snow and ice. Driving down here is hazardous because everyone wants to get somewhere in a hurry and drive like they are in a race. If you added snow and ice we would be in real mess.

Everyone stay warm and safe.

I have laundry going and I need to get things done since I was too tired yesterday.

Good Morning:

We had a lovely evening at Fast Walker's house. She made a WONDERFUL soup using hubbard squash to thicken it, so delicious. I will post it when she sends it to me.

Wow, Joanne. I'm so glad your heating issues got resolved! This is not the time of year to have furnace problems.

And Gail! You need to be very careful. You do so much driving and you are so loyal! If you have doubts, don't drive and keep your larder well stocked.

For those of us in the Midwest and in New England, this is the time of year to err on the side of caution. We are off to quite a start this winter. Last winter was so mild.

Sharon: I use Quinoa in place of rice sometimes I serve lamb curry over quinoa, mixed vegetables and chicken over quinoa. Try substituting quinoa for rice in any dish where you use rice.

My old ram, Brownie, was down this morning and couldn't get up. I coaxed him, fed him grain from my hand and we got the young ram who is with him out of the stall. The young ram is too rough. I fed him grain, got him to eat hay and once he started, he didn't stop. We put electrolytes in his water. He's old and frail so we will do the best we can for him. He is really special because his mother died when he was very young and we bottle fed him. Big C bottle fed him when she was still in diapers. She loves that ram. I'm hoping we can coddle him back to strength. By the time I left his stall, he was getting up on his own.

So, tomorrow I will skip the art center board meeting and stay home to take care of Brownie. We still have responsibilities here and as long as we have the sheep, we are committed to taking good care of them.

I was going to make spinach Fatyir today, but am going to wait in case I need to spend time in the barn. Instead, I will pick up the house and do some laundry, clean the bathrooms. I have PLENTY to do here!

Good day to all, Ann

Good afternoon all!

I lost another .8 lbs, and am once again below goal. I want to lose 10 more, but am happy that my determination to live healthier is working. And this happened despite going to a party Friday night with LOTS of delicious food. It was a WW staff party, and we proved that you can eat good food and stay on plan.

So the holidays are upon us. Christmas and Hanukkah at the same time. Thinking about presents.

QOTD:
1. What is the best present you received (holiday or any other time)?
2. What present did you give (or are you giving) that gave (or will give) you the most joy?

AOTD:
1. There are lot of great gifts I have received over the years, but I just got one that ranks right up there. Someone who attends the Sunday meeting I go to who just got hired by WW gave me a lovely gift Friday night. It is a Willow Tree remembrance angel ornament. On it she wrote: “In fond remembrance of Mort 2016.” Made me cry tears of gratitude. I have placed it in my dining room where I will be moved by it every day.

2. There are two gifts that gave me great joy to give. One is beautiful old cut glass pieces that used to belong to my fraternal grandparents that I gave DD. When we celebrate holidays at her house, I love seeing those old pieces come out. The second is the birthday gifts when I took DGD#1 and DGS#1 on a Disney cruise and to Universal Orlando to see the Harry Potter stuff. Being alone with them and sharing the fun was a gift to each of us that we will never forget.

Now I can go back and catch up. I’ll check i later to see your responses. Who knows? I might just get another gift idea!

Gail in MA