THE LIGHTER SIDE CAFE VALENTINE'S DAY 2/14

Good Morning, WW Friends ~

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! Hope your day is filled with love and laughter.  

DH went to bed really early and I stayed up later (until 9) reading.  I am really getting into my new book!  I slept well and didn't get up until almost 7:30.  I'm not sure what is making me so tired, but I stay awake all day and sleep well at night, so I'll take it.  It may have something to do with the cold and not getting outdoors? But I'm not going to check it out when it is single digits outside.  The sunshine is beautiful, but very deceiving!!

Due to the pandemic, we have also stopped eating out for holidays and this past year have instead formed our own brand new traditions.  DH has kept our downstairs freezer stocked with meat bought on sale and I don't mind cooking.  I love my new (last year) Instant Pot and my new (this year) George Foreman so it keeps cooking easy and fun.  I would rather have spent the $$ on things we can use than in a restaurant anyway.  Another factor is that I haven't really 'wanted' anything that we ate out.  We've discovered that most of our eating out was more social than anything else. DH offered to take me out today or bring home anything I wanted, and I honestly couldn't think of anything.  So I suggested I'd grill a couple of NY strip steaks and he could make his famous salad and that would be a festive dinner to me.

I was disappointed in my spaghetti and meatballs dinner last night, though DH said it was DELICIOUS!I don't know what it was, but to me it was missing something (though I followed the recipe I always use) and I only scoffed it down because I was hungry.  Now I have a large container left over and I fear I will not look forward to it as much as I would like. That's a bummer! I had used the meatballs once before, but I don't think I will buy them again.  It really was better with ground beef.

This morning I thought we needed 'something special' for breakfast, so I got out my waffle iron and made Belgian waffles and paired them with turkey sausage patties.  It made a delicious treat!!  We mostly use the waffle iron for Strawberry Waffles for supper - but today we had them with SF maple syrup and it was a great change!

Ann ~ I had to LOL at you about not getting to bed before midnight.  I haven't seen midnight in years and years!!  I've always required more sleep than other people, so I have just gotten used to it.  Besides, as we age, I think we are wise to listen to our own bodies, and it seems that you do just that.

Judy ~ I also cannot picture butternut squash and tomato together.  I'm glad you warned me about that recipe, as I often reference Hungry Girl.  But you reminded me that I have a container of homemade butternut squash in the fridge that will be a great add-on for tonight's supper, or else for lunch since we're only cooking two meals today (and we've already had one).

Pam ~ So sorry to hear about your predicted sleet! Losing power is one of my least favorite things.  Even though our furnace is gas, the fan is electric, so that goes too.  The only thing we have is water and HOT water (because that is also gas).  But being cold is one of my greatest fears!  Be careful!

Our outdoor temp is 13 dg this morning with a RF of 2!! So that sunshine is truly deceiving!!  It is time for one of my favorite Sunday mornings broadcast, so I will go watch it and check in later.

Hi Ann ~

Now that I think about it, I have learned how to make so many things during this pandemic that I can't honestly think of anything I would go out for, except maybe a Cobb salad and DH brings those home as carry-outs from nearby restaurants.  I pretty much do everything else at home ...... pork fried rice and spaghetti, etc.  Things we used to go out for.  I honestly don't miss having to dress and go out in the cold to go and eat.  

We just got a text from our dear friend in Missouri. She is having an issue with her refrigerator and sent a recording and asked me to have my DH listen to it and see what he thought was wrong?  Believe it or not, he listened to it and promptly had a pretty good idea what it was and what to do next.  We have sent her the response and fortunately she was on the right road with emptying it to defrost it (manually).  Then he told her some things to do next. Fortunately it is very cold there as well, so their food can safely wait outdoors while they do the defrost process.

DH went ahead and went to Kroger while he was out and about so he wouldn't have to go back out. Even with the sunshine, it has not warmed up one bit during the day today.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I went to Mass this morning and it was starting to rain by the time I got back, so Debbie and I nixed walking today, as the temps have dropped below freezing. After a breakfast of cheese grits, I bundled up and headed to town to deliver Abby's Valentine stuff. On the way, I stopped and picked up cards for Jude and Anna and microwave popcorn, hot chocolate, Funyons (their current fav chips) and some Valentine-decorated cookies and brownies. Abby's bag had Valentine stamps, heart-shaped sunglasses, candy bracelets and a color-by-number book. She was thrilled and the older two welcomed all the snacks, since they will be house-bound for a couple days. I didn't linger and by the time I got back to the village, icicles were forming on street signs, trees and mailboxes.

DH and I have had a quiet day of computer games, reading and naps. I did wash and dry 3 loads of clothes and a few other small chores just for an excuse to get out of the lazyboy. I am trying not to worry about losing electricity and whether the camp pipes will survive this cold snap. Nothing I can do about it, but our track record with the camp the past few weeks is not helping.

I had leftover ribs and potato salad for lunch with California mix veggies. Tonight will be baked chicken, potato salad and some kind of veggies, but I am not terribly hungry, so will keep portions small. It will still be a point-y day and no exercise to balance things out.

Not much going on, so not much to talk about. Have a good evening!