THE LIGHTER SIDE CAFE WEDNESDAY JULY 1ST!

Good Morning, WW Friends ~

Happy Hump Day!!  We have another warm one on tap, and they say it is only going to get worse and stay that way for another week or so.  Oh well, weather is what it is, and we're safe and cool indoors.

We finally decided we had all the plants where we (and they) want them.  The trees that block the morning  sun as well the ones that block the evening sun continue to grow,making each new year a new challenge. The spot on my front porch that used to get some morning sun, no longer does.  Hopefully the New Guinea Impatiens will still thrive with just dappling sunlight. The patio pots are doing great!

I still need to put myself together and figure out something for supper (and get it out of the freezer).  Seems I am running a bit behind this morning, but I'll catch up!

BBL. Make a great day!!

Back again. Took miss LuLa for a short walk and was forced back in as the sun decided to come out in full force! I swear that bugger follows me. I purposely went out when I did as it was cloudy with a breeze. That was short lived.

Sue nice that you found spots for all your plants to thrive. Hope you find something tasty in the freezer. Take you time in catching up

I lucked out and scored some chili! I took it out and it's in the crock pot as I type. We'll have that over rice. I had my all time favorite 'turkish' rollup for breakfast and lunch will be a salad with lo chicken and maybe a bowl of soup a FF Greek yogurt with fruit or both Depending on how hungry I am.

Judy I don't blame you for being extra careful as you will be going to NJ to see the baby and new home. Not to mention the infant! Those things would be front and center in making any decision to socialize.

Your breakfast sounds good and healthy. Glad you are enjoying the Green Chef meals.

Right now the sky opened up and it's pouring buckets out there. I swear we have several different 'weathers' in a few hours time...let along a day!!!!!

Will CBL

Good Afternoon, All ~

My day is turning out very well.  I decided to skip Costco and go to Sam's Club because we needed some Splenda in the big bag (not the individual packets). Around here Costco only sells the packets and Sam's only sells the big bag.  My two 'necessities' were Cheerios and coffee which I can buy at either store.  So I flipped that mental coin and headed out to Sam's.  While there, I snagged a rotisserie chicken and 2 lb of imitation Krab meat. Last time I went they were out of Krab and I have missed it! but today they did NOT have any Splenda.  No worries, I can always buy a normal size bag at Meijer to tide us over until I go that way again. I am pleased with what I DID get.  I also took out 2 T-bones from the freezer to thaw today and then marinate tonight and tomorrow and grill tomorrow night.  Friday will be something light and then we'll do our baby back ribs on Saturday.  That is all subject to change, but it is the plan right now.

I have all the ingredients to make three different cold salads to have in the fridge, plus DH bought a Bob Evans Mac 'N Cheese to have with the ribs.  I will be getting busy making some salads this afternoon.  This is really my favorite way to cook - and plan.  We still have grilled hot dogs in the fridge and baked beans in a can and enough coleslaw for that supper.

I was shocked that the check-out line at Sam's was soooo long!!  Seriously, it went all the way to the back of the store!!  When I got in it, someone told me that "it was moving quickly".  When I was checking out I noticed that the gal who was supposed to be directing traffic was NOT (they had just changed shifts) and people were waiting in line when down the way there were four check-out lanes with no customers in them.  Hopefully they got that cleared up shortly.  I did have to admit that my wait was manageable, and the gal directing then instructed me towards a U-Scan where a guy was paying his bill and I was done and out.

Ann ~ I am so jealous of your rain!  We haven't had any in ages and there isn't any in our forecast through this week and next.  Geez!!  Funny that we were just talking about fish and you said Carl left to go fishing! Wonder what he is going to bring us?? <LOL>

Judy ~ Yay for sleeping in!!  Even better that your fur kids are too, and letting you.  Have you met the new President? I assume you have -but it must be hard to begin together remotely?  Enjoy your pampering today!  I only had my hair cut two weeks ago, so it will be a good long time before I need to call her.  I know .... the excitement of scoring 'fuel points' is almost laughable! I get the same report on how many cents he saved per gallon. The other day he had forty cents off - and bought 32.4 gallons -and was ecstatic!!  He laughed because he only has a 32 gallon tank so I figured he coasted in there.

Pam ~ Oh, you touched my heart when you mentioned catfish - which is one of my very favorites!!  When I was a little girl and lived Down South with my grandparents, we sometimes stopped on the way home from church at a family who lived on a houseboat and fished the Cache River.  We would stop and pick out a live fish swimming in an underwater holding tank and take him home for Sunday dinner. I learned to eat it really young, and really fresh and love it to this day! My late DFIL used to eat it with me when we all went to Red Lobster and it was 'our thing'.  So many happy memories!!

I need to fix something for lunch and I am looking toward a Premier Protein vanilla shake with a half frozen banana mixed into it.  Last night I enjoyed my first cup of rice pudding and it was wonderful!!  I had my yogurt 'n berries for breakfast this morning then a HB egg snack before I went shopping.  When I shopped Meijer did not have ANY Greek FF Plain yogurt in any brand! They had other flavors, but I ended up grabbing a Dannon Plain FF yogurt and just opened it this morning and was reminded why I prefer Greek!!  I have since found a carton of Greek, and so maybe I'll be able to mix them or use the Dannon other ways??

Time for lunch and some reading.

Back from my beauty appointment. I didn’t wind up stopping Into the office as planned. I’ll go Monday. I was going to pick up my office chair and other supplies but I bagged the idea. Funny how one little outing wears  me out lately! Lol I had a good visit with Cortney and at the salon. We were once again alone there. She schedules one person with 15 minutes in between to sanitize so she sees less clients but it works. Lots of work for a new mom with 3 kids! You do what you have to do. 

Ann, no rain here but I see on the news that a woman not far away-about 25 miles-  was struck by lightning! The sun has been out all day!  They said 110 lightning strikes today in Central MA.

off to read a bit...

Good evening!

Ann - They say if you can hear thunder, you are in danger from lightning, so I'm glad you decided not to walk. I think Carl must have the same idea about fishing as me. I love being outside in nature and don't really care if I catch anything or not. If you don't catch 'em, you don't have to clean 'em, lol. Of course, you don't get to eat them either.

Breakfast was peasant bread toast, boiled egg and banana. Lunch was ham sandwich, beets, tomatoes and cherries. Dinner was baked chicken, Stovetop cornbread stuffing, sliced tomatoes and smothered okra.

Sue - I know you must have mentioned it before, but where in the south did you live? Can you use the yogurt you don't like to make overnight oats? Your planned meals sound great!

Judy - I'm sure your friends understand your need to lay low before seeing your DS and his family and also the need to be cautious on DH's account. I can't wait until my next hair appt. on Tuesday. My locks are showing their fast summer growth.

I'm going to get jammified and read a bit. Sweet dreams all!

Debbie and I walked this morning and again, it was extremely hot and humid. That and a poor night's sleep last night really sucked the energy out of me. Other than washing, drying and putting away a load of towels and cooking dinner, I haven't accomplished much. I guess some days are just like that. I have been drinking plenty of water, in case dehydration was part of it.

DH and I listen to a Zoom presentation on the history of racism in Baton Rouge that was very interesting. One speaker was making the point that political gerry-mandering and voter registration have less to do with the number of black people voting than the fact that, if your parents didn't vote regularly, you probably won't either. In areas where registering to vote or voting could get you lynched in the past have higher percentages of non-voters. There were other interesting facts presented that were news to me, such as that 90% of home loans during the New Deal era were made to whites because areas where black people tended to live were "red-lined" meaning you couldn't get a loan if you bought in that area. Yet, in areas where white people lived no one would dare sell a house to a black family, so few qualified for the loans. I guess this is what is meant by "institutional racism" and its effects are still being felt today.